Not Alone.

Applebloom sat next to the sleeping Scootaloo for hours, the sky was beginning to grow dark and Applebloom was expected home soon and so the young earth pony did the only thing she thought she could do. She gently shook Scootaloo awake. Scootaloo at first seemed terrified, her eyes brimmed with tears and she began to shout out, but then it was like she realised who she was with. She blinked sleepily at Applebloom and began to nod off again.

“Scoot's”

Applebloom said gently.

“I'm goin' to carry ya back to the farm.... It's not to far, but I need ya to climb on to my back and hold on.”

Scootaloo obeyed her friend and pulled herself up onto her back. Applebloom was surprised how light Scootaloo was, Applebloom was strong, because of all the years she had spent helping her brother and sister on the farm, but she reckoned even Sweetie Belle could probably carry Scootaloo, she weighed about as much as one of the Cake twins, who where now four.

Soon the two ponies had reached the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo, who had fallen asleep as soon as Applebloom had started walking woke up and took a deep breath, smelling the air and smiling sleepily.

“We can have Zap apple jam right?.....or anything to eat?....just a little something?...”

Scootaloo asked worriedly, before she fell asleep again.

Applebloom held back her tears at her friends pain.

“You bet buddy.... you can eat all the zap apple jam you want”

Applebloom promised the sleeping filly.

A few minutes later, The yellow filly walked into the farm house. Big Mac was waiting for her, so was Apple Jack.

“Now see here little Missy, You're nearly three hours late back home!”

Her older brother scolded

“Sugarcube, we make these rules for a reason! To keep you safe. You gotta promise to be home on time.......What in the...!?”

Apple Jack suddenly realised the sleeping filly Applebloom was carrying and rushed over to her little sisters side.

“It's Scootaloo!.... I found her in the woods! She was scared sis! I didn't know it was her at first! I thought it was some other pony! But it was her! I know I shouldn't have.... but I looked in her saddlebag when she fell asleep...... She's written all sorts of things....so many horrible things have happened to her... just terrible things! I thought they where taking her away to be with a family! I thought she was going to be okay! She was looking for us... we have to look after her now after all she’s been through Apple Jack!”

Applebloom sobbed. Apple Jack lifted Scootaloo who began to stir, and placed her on a seat at the table.

“Now calm down...”

Apple Jack stammered, as much to herself as Applebloom. She hugged her little sister and looked to Big Mac for help. Big mac opened one of the kitchen cupboards, taking out an apple and placed it in front of Scootaloo. He patted his little sisters heads with his hoof and began to walk out of the room.

“I'll set up a bed in Applebloom's room for Scootaloo here”

He told them and he left his two sisters alone with the sleeping filly.

Scootaloo had woken up at some point while Big Mac was speaking and was staring hungrily at the apple.

“go ahead sugar cube”

Apple Jack told the little filly, Scootaloo didn't need telling twice. No sooner than had Apple Jack finished her sentence, Scootaloo had eaten the apple. She hiccuped and then smiled, resting her head on the table. Applebloom gave Scootaloo another apple and she quickly scoffed it down without stopping for breath.

Seven apples later, Scootaloo was sat contently rubbing her flat stomach looking much more awake than when she arrived.

“....Thank you”

Scootaloo whispered, stepping down from her seat and wrapping her hooves around Apple Jack who hugged her back tightly. Scootaloo began to violently sob, seeing her friends distress, Applebloom also joined in the hug and the two ponies embraced the crying filly.

“ Now Scootaloo....you've been through a lot......you need a good nights rest”

Scootaloo sobbed even more, she felt she was in a dream. Any moment she may wake up and be back in the orphanage.

Apple Jack carried Scootaloo to Applebloom's room, Big Mac had made up a bed for Scootaloo using a pillow and a green blanket with a pattern of red and yellow apples that Granny Smith had finished making only yesterday.

Applebloom looked to her friend, who was still crying but beginning to fall asleep on her sisters back and she looked to the little bed made from a pillow and a blanket.

“She can have my bed, I'll sleep in the little bed”

She told her sister, who looked down at her and welled up. Big Mac gulped and wiped a tear from his face with his hoof.

“That's mighty big of you Applebloom. Ma 'n Pa would be proud. You're a good friend to Scootaloo”

Applebloom grinned at her brother, who ruffled her mane and wished them all a good night, after ruffling a disgruntled Apple jack's mane, he walked away laughing to himself, and ready for a good night's sleep.

Apple Jack placed Scootaloo gently down onto Applebloom's bed, Scootaloo briefly woke up and asked if they could please let her stay in a troubled voice.

“Kid, you're always welcome here. You're like family. Speaking of family, tomorrow we'll get you cleaned up and then we'll go see all the others”

Scootaloo weakly thanked them and then fell back into a deep sleep. Applebloom hugged her big sister who kissed her on the cheek and tucked her in.

“I'm so happy Apple Jack! Now the Cutie Mark Crusaders can be together again.... I'm so happy.”

She yawned and began to nod off.

Later, Apple Jack checked in on the girls and found them both curled next to each other on Applebloom's bed, Scootaloo's Journal was open and crayons were spread all over the bed. Apple Jack took a look and her little sisters beautiful drawings littered the page, illustrating Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in red capes, doing all sorts of things and in what must have been Scootaloo's writing the words:

“Cutie Mark Crusaders! We will never be apart again!”

“Don't worry Scootaloo.”

Apple Jack whispered to the sleeping filly placing another blanket over the shivering filly, who was hugging a funny looking blue doll.

“Me an' the girls.....Spike too.....We'll make sure you're safe. You'll never be on your own again, an' you'll never be apart from your friends.”