As days go by...

The mare and her filly happily skipped home after their days work was completed. Scootaloo was especially thankful that she had no more time to wait to give her dad the present she put so much time into preparing. "Do ya think he'll like it mom?" Rainbow cocked her head and looked curiously at her daughter.

"You've been asking me that all day Scoots, of course he'll like it. Why wouldn't he?" Scootaloo stopped for a second before continuing her 'Pinkie pie impression'.

"You're right, it's like that camping trip, and we all know how awesome that turned out." Rainbow smiled at the memory, scootaloo was so happy that day. And Riley was one heck of a father, she had started calling him dad on instinct after the first 3 weeks. And even now, with his position in the royal guard and advanced combat training at the Wonderbolt Academy he always made time to spend with his daughter. {That stallion deserves father of the year} Rainbow thought as they finally reached home.

The two stepped into their home and were about to set the groceries away when Twilight greeted them from the living room, "Hey girls." Rainbow dropped her saddlebags off near the door and trotted in to greet her friend.

"Hey Twi, whatchya doin?" Twilight looked away and brought her voice down to a whisper.

"I need to talk to you. It's important." Rainbow nodded and ushered her friend onto the couch.

"Scootaloo could you just drop the groceries in the kitchen sweetie?" Scootaloo became a little worried, she'd seen moments like this before...and they didn't come with good news.

"Yeah, sure." she picked up her mother’s saddlebag and moved it to the kitchen, placing her own in there as well.

Rainbow tried to comfort Twilight as best she could but she seemed very distressed "Twi, what's wrong? You can tell me...is it Riley?" at those last words Twilight's whole body tensed, she was hoping she didn't have to tell Rainbow, but Riley was not in a well enough state for her to honor his request.

"Well," she took a slow, deep breath and began "he wanted to tell you this himself but, he-"

"Rainbow?" a voice called from upstairs "Twi, is that Rainbow?" Twilight relaxed, now that she didn't have to be the bearer of bad news.

{Hearing it from him would be best anyway} she thought "Go, he needs you." she slowly shooed Rainbow away with her hoof and slumped back on the couch, sighing.

"I-Is he alright Twi?" Scootaloo, having overheard most of the conversation between the two was almost in tears with concern. Twilight felt guilt rip at her insides, it was bad enough that this was happening but seeing the look on Scootaloos face was heartbreaking.

The full realization that the loving family that the human had once held so dear could be discarded at any moment if he couldn't remember it, or that the same could happen with everything else he had achieved in Equestria. She walked up to the shaking filly and gently hugged her "He's going to be fine scootaloo, I promise."

Scootaloo looked up, the tears she held back finally making their way down her cheeks "You promise?" her voice barely above a whisper and barely understandable through the choked back sobs, Twilight pulled her close again and rocked her back and forth before she began crying too.

"I haven't broken a promise to you yet, and I don't intend to start now."

***

Soon after you called out there were foo-hoofsteps heading upstairs and Rainbow came into your room "Hey." you spoke as quietly as you could, still having the unbearable headache from earlier.

"Hey. So are you feeling alright? Twi said you weren't doin' too good." well ain't that the truth. She flew over and sat next to you on the bed placing a hoof on your leg, her soft gaze immediately calming you.

You wanted to stall, just to see her like this a little more before the crying. Taking a deep breath, and her hoof in your hand, you look into her eyes and sit up "Rainbow, you remember I was acting a little strange this morning?" she nodded "Well that's because...I don't remember anything before it."

You had expected-no, hoped that she would get it right away so that you didn't have to try and explain it. But you had no such leisure, Rainbow huddled closer to you and put her free hoof on your shoulder "What do you mean?" a single tear ran down your cheek and you wanted to get the explanation out of the way so you wouldn't have to choke back sobs to get through it.

"I woke up today, with no recollection of ANY of the time I've spent in Equestria. All I know is what I've been told or pieced together from everything else." you spoke quickly and cringed, trying to keep your tears in check. Rainbow simply stared at you with wide eyes, taking a moment to process the shock.

"So...nothing?" her voice beginning to crack as her grip on you tightened.

"No, but Twilight and the princesses helped...they used the memory spell from Discord's attack, just supercharged," you tapped you head with your knuckle "so my memory'll come back..." you were hesitant at telling her that. You were never guaranteed that the spell would work. "...not right away, but eventually, piece by piece. It could take quite a while too so, we just need to hang in there okay?" Rainbows sudden jolts and stuttering breaths made trying to comfort her harder than you expected and you could barely keep yourself calm in the meantime, sniffling and pulling her in close for a tight hug.

You gently rocked back and forth stroking her mane as she let her emotion out and after several minutes a quiet, shaken voice comes from the doorway "Mom? Dad? Are you okay?" you look up through your teary eyes and smile at Scootaloo standing a few meters away.

Rainbow looks up too and holds out a hoof "Yeah...c'mere honey, it's alright." scootaloo quickly trotted up to the bed and flutter-jumped on, next to you. She instantly hugged you, as tightly as she could from the feel of it.

"Dad?" you look down at her and brush some stray locks of mane out of her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna be okay? I heard Twilight and she sai-"

Rainbow speaks up "He's gonna be fine Scootaloo, he's just..." she was trying to put in a brave face but...she looked to you to finish her sentence.

"I'm just worn out, haven't been getting enough rest like I should. Some time off and I'll be good as new." you finish off with a smile and Rainbow mimics.

"See? Mom was right, she kept on telling me that you were overworking yourself." you look up and smile at Rainbow, smiling back at you with 'I told you so' written all over her muzzle. You laughed and stroked Scootaloo’s mane for a moment before Rainbow swept both of you into a group hug, with scootaloo nuzzling into your chest and Rainbow into your neck. You just sat there and enjoyed the moment {this is what it's like to be loved} and this was just today, thinking about what memories you held brought a smile to your face. And you were gonna fight for every second of them back.