Things to be Thankful For

As I stare across the table to the mare across from me, I'm hit with a realization. I love her. Shucks, I've known this for a while. We are newlyweds, which implies we love each other, but now I get it. I truly love this mare more than anypony can imagine. I would take a spear for her. I would buck down the Everfree Forest for her. I live for her.

"AJ?" asks Rainbow Dash, interrupting my thoughts.

"What is i', sugarcube?" I ask, and I instantly hate my voice. It's so bland, so full of errors.

"Whatcha thinkin' on?"

"Nothin' much," I smile, but I hate myself. Now I'm lying.

"Knock it off! What're you thinking about?"

"Jus' us, an' how much ah love ya." At least that wasn't a lie. Not a whole truth, sure, but not a lie. She reaches across the table, and I meet her hoof halfway. It's smooth, as if she were at the spa, though I know she wouldn't let her eyes look at that place for more than half a second.

"Sweetie?" she asks, and I freeze. Does she know what I'm thinking about? Does she know? A blush creeps up my cheeks, and I fight it down.

"Hmm?"

"Remember our honeymoon?" she asks, and I nearly spit my cider across the table.

"Ah do," I say uncertainly, and she smirks.

"You should!"

"Ah do!" I insist, and she scoffs, causing me to blush more.

"Well, I was at the doctor's the other day, 'cause my stomach was hurting and I couldn't fly, and guess what he said?"

In that moment, everything slows and screeches to a loud stop. The ticking of our grandfather clock intensifies, as if it's counting out every five of my overexcited heartbeats. The small Thanksgiving dinner spread across our table suddenly looks far away, and our tiny home, out here on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, suddenly feels far too small. I stand from my chair, and I realize how much I'm hurting her. Her expression goes from one of excitement and adoration to one of sheer hurt, then anger. But it's too late. I'm already stomping outside, the door slamming behind me. The moment I'm out there, I take off, running for home. I don't expect to make it, since I'm running so slow, but before I know it, I've burst into my own home, interrupting my family's meal.

"AJ?" asks Apple Bloom, conjuring a memory of Dash's words mere moments ago. I collapse to the ground, my mane a tangled mess. Within moments, Big Macintosh is bent over me, and I'm hit with guilt.

"Ah'm fine," I mutter, grasping him in a tight hug. "Don' worry 'bou' me none. Ah've gotta go," I add, and I pull myself up. I don't feel like myself anymore, as I stumble outside. Maybe it's the cider.

Celestia damn it, the cider. Why're we drinking alcohol if Dash is... if Dash is... I can't say it. I can't say it! I keep running, simply searching for something. The sun sets just as return to our home, our cottage. I open the door, and it's empty, an unsettling chill filling my house. I begin to hyperventilate as I approach the table, and see the note.

"Applejack, I'm going home for a bit. I need to think about some things, and you do too, considering your reaction."

That's all it says, I realize as I read it aloud again. She left me. The thought sinks in. She left me. I run into our room, which has been half cleaned out, but I'm not going to notice. I collapse onto the bed and begin to sob, ignoring how overdramatic I may be right now. As I lay there, I fall asleep, and I begin to dream.

"Look at yourself!" scoffs a voice, and I turn to see a filly version of myself, without my western accent. "You run off because your wife is pregnant, collapse in your family's home, then run off? How stupid are you?"

"Ah'm perfectly ri' in the mind, thank you! Who are y'all anywho?"

"I'm you, silly! I'm here to tell you how stupid you are so you feel bad and go apologizing to Rainbow Dash! Now watch," she commands, and I snicker at how bossy my younger self was. I turn my attention to a screen in front of me, and my jaw drops as I watch.

-

"Well, I was at the doctor's the other day, 'cause my stomach was hurting and I couldn't fly, and guess what he said?" asks Rainbow Dash.

"What 'id he say, sugarcube?"

"I'm pregnant!" she squeals, and the video-me stands up, embracing video-Dash in a hug.

"Are y' sure?"

"Positive," she smiles, and video-me grins back. "Now, let's finish this meal you worked hard on, okay?"

-

The video cuts off, and filly me stares at me with a knowing glance. "Now watch this too, okay?" I sigh, and turn back to the screen.

-

"Well, I was at the doctor's the other day, 'cause my stomach was hurting and I couldn't fly, and guess what he said?"

Video-me jumps up, but this time I can see as Rainbow Dash becomes shocked, then angry. As video-me runs out the door, she continues to glare where I stood, then begins to sniff.

"I'm pregnant," she whispers softly, then stands up. She turns, running into our room and grabbing her travel bags. She starts stuffing them sloppily with whatever things of hers she can find, until she gets to the bracelet fastened around her hoof. A chain of apples surrounds it, with lightening bolts every so often, all intertwined. She reaches for it, to tear it off, then stops. She leaves it, then lifts the bags in her jaws and leaves.

-

"Ah did that t'her?"

"You did. So stop it! Oh, and my apologies, but I'll be filling in for the ghost of Thanksgiving present as well," she joked, and I sighed.

-

Rainbow Dash sat curled on her bed, the clouds sinking underneath her. Her hooves stroked her belly gently, and she was muttering under her breath.

"I love you Applejack," she whispered.

-

"Stop!" I yelled, cutting off the video. "Ah have t'go see somepony," I scowled, then turned.

I woke up, the sky still dark. Carefully sneaking out of the small cottage, I took off, running for the distant cloud house. I arrived faster than I expected, and was soon pitching rocks up towards her house. I heard a grunt, then saw a pegasus-shaped blur rocket down.

"You," she said simply, and I nodded.

"Ah'm sorry," I whisper, then embrace her in a tight hug. She pushes me off, then wraps her hooves back around me in a passionate kiss.

"I wouldn't leave you," she says, then pulls away with a smirk. "Now, what're you thankful for?"

"Ah'm thankful fer you," I smile, and she pulls me onto her back.

"Let's go home," she smiles, and takes to the skies with me wrapped around her.