A loving Family

by Lethrael

Just for a few days.

Just for a few days.

Gentle looked from one pony to another and tried to decide what to do. Scootaloo stared slack jawed to the mare beside Shining and turned her head away with a miffed pout. She scooted away from Gentle with a determined expression on her face and stood up finally. The mare answered with a knitting of her eyebrows and a slightly suppressed snort. Her voice sounded almost angry in Gentle's ears, she was definitely loaded.
“Good morning, Scootaloo.”

The filly snorted back and drew lines on the floor. Gentle looked to his coltfriend and cocked his head. Shining cleared her throat and put on a forced smile.
“I have thought it would be a good idea, when Scootaloo could decide...”
“Okay, okay, I'll come with you, Tangleweed. I didn't want you to be worried about me and I'm sorry, okay?”
Scootaloo's voice sounded neither sincere nor low for that matter, as she stopped Shining and cracked her tail with another bugged pout on her face. She bit her lips and walked slowly to the mare.

She hold her head up boldly, but had her ears pressed against it. Gentle stood up too and glared at the mare. He put on an involuntary smile for one second as he spotted the foal in the baby sling. But it disappeared again, as he saw the expression in the face of the mare.
“Scootaloo you knew already...Never mind.”
The filly rolled her eyes, as she had heard this speech many times before and her snort supported this estimation. The mare thumped her hoof on the floor and Scootaloo winced. The foal in the sling looked scared up and started to bawl. This tone let Scootaloo flinch even more, she ducked her head and shut her eyes closed.
“I really didn't mean to make you trouble, Tangleweed.”

This apology sounded lower and more honest. Gentle smiled, as he saw, that the filly seemed to be despondent. She drew circles on the floor and looked out for some certitude to look the mare directly in the eyes. Her apology didn't seem to reach the mare, she was rather distracted by the bawling foal and tried to comfort her. But she did hear it. She caressed the foal gentle over the head and smiled to the prancing filly.
She didn't speak and just sighed. Scootaloo drooped her head lower and closed her eyes again. Gentle cleared her throat and stepped aside her. He put a hoof around her side and hugged her encouraging.

Scootaloo sighed relieved and leaned slightly against him. The mare stared at him with a small mouth and even an angry spark in her eyes. The stallion answered with a confused smile, but this let the mane frown even more. Scootaloo found her voice first.
“I'm really sorry, Tangleweed.
I didn't mean to make you angry and Red Beet.”
The mare sighed again, but this time different than before. Gentle saw her expression soften. The mare raised her shivering hoof away from her chuckling foal. She touched Scootaloo's mane and wiped gently over it.
“You know Scootaloo...”
She fell silent again and thought for a good answer. She looked helpless to Gentle, who smiled in response and let loose of Scootaloo then. The filly stood still and looked like she didn't know what to answer, too. She stood so stiff on the place, that it looked like the mare would caress over a puppet. The smaller stallion looked into the eyes of his coltfriend and put on an inquiring expression, before he looked back to the mare.

Shining cleared his throat and Scootaloo and Tangleweed startled up simultaneously. Scootaloo flinched away and tried to avoid eye contact with the mare. She focussed on the ground in front of her hooves. Gentle took another step away from her and she had to bear this insecurity solely on her own. The mare flinched away from her too and turned over to the huger stallion. Her look seemed to beg him for any kind of help and he sighed heavily. His voice sounded low first, but became louder quickly.
“Well, alright.
Scootaloo, Gentle, I have thought about the situation at hoof. I think it would be the best, when you...”
The stallion stopped and pointed to the filly. She shied away and ducked a little bit. She even trembled a little bit. Gentle sighed and looked to Shining. The stallion rolled his eyes and sighed again.
“I want to say, we have thought, that...well how should I put it?”

The stallion stopped again and looked to the mare. She smiled and ran her hoof over the mouth. The foal grasped it quickly and chewed on the hoof. Tangleweed smiled gently to the foal and puffed up her cheeks. The foal imitated her action and giggled. Scootaloo smiled and puffed her cheeks too and blew out the air with a loud “Pfrt.” This caused a louder giggle from the foal and she reached out for Scootaloo with both hooves. The filly came closer slowly and let the small hooves pet over her face. She tickled the foal with her nose and blew warm air onto the fillies face. The small filly cheered and she wiped quickly over her tickling nose. She babbled happily and tried to blow warm air back to Scootaloo. Her strained expression didn't changed till she managed to do it.
But not quite as good as the filly, she stuck her tongue out with a “Brr” and hit Scootaloo with a lot of slobber and even slime. Scootaloo took her head back with an “Ick”. She brushed over her nose and frowned in disgust. But the foal just giggled and babbled.
Scootaloo cleaned her face with both hooves and wiped away the snot. She stepped a few steps away and shook herself with a disgustedly expression. The foal opened her mouth, babbled, wailed and reached out for Scootaloo. The mare put gently a hoof back on her head and the foal caught it with a joyful cry. Again she chewed on the big hoof and drooled on it.

Gentle approached meanwhile his coltfriend and looked to Scootaloo with a gentle smile on his face. He leaned against the bigger stallion and let out a relieved sigh.
“At least she likes the foal.
And the mare isn't quite as bad as I had expected.”
Shining cleared his throat and drew Gentle's attention back to Scootaloo. The filly flashed him strange glances. He could spot tears in the corner of her eyes, she bit her lips constantly and looked to the mare, as if she considered what to do next. Gentle cocked his head and smiled gently.
“You know, Scootaloo...”
The filly stopped him and mumbled with very bugged expression on her face. She almost screamed.
“I know, I know! I was unfair and mean to her.
And I should try to live with her one more time.
But...”
The filly stopped appalled, as the foal cried out and clutched at the hoof of her mummy. Scootaloo shut her eyes closed and bit her lips harshly to prevent more screams of her. She galloped to the door, tried to flee from the bawling foal in this way.

But Shining didn't let her, he blocked the doorstep and laid a hoof on the filly's shoulder. She froze, but before she was able to turn around again, the huge stallion mumbled something.
“No, Scootaloo, this isn't what we have in mind.
I want to suggest another solution for your problems. You could live with us for a while,
so Tangleweed would be less stressed out and...”
The filly woke finally as he mentioned the mare and she shied away from the stallion. She looked back Tangleweed, who tried to calm down the foal again and glanced at her shortly. But Scootaloo ignored her apologetic smile and looked out for another way out.

Gentle guessed her next action right and caught her with his magic, before she was able to open the window. She struggled in his magic, tried to free herself, but failed. Her wings buzzed wildly, but Gentle didn't let her go. Scootaloo didn't scream, but struggled with all her might. For Gentle this silent fight against his magic was way harder, than the emotional scenes before. This desperation these hurtful expressions and the tense fighting against his magic to get to the window moved him more as he had guessed.
He approached quickly and levitated Scootaloo against his chest. There he let the spell fade away and she landed softly on the ground. First she raised a hoof, laid it almost around Gentle's shoulder and hugged him, but as she looked back to the mare she stopped. She drew back her hoof, put it on the floor and stared down to it. She chewed on her lips and turned her head slowly away from Gentle..
“So, when should I come and gather my things, Tangle...”

She managed to say this low sounding question at last, but couldn't finish it. She sobbed and pressed her eyes together. She stood rooted to the ground and seemed to be lost in thoughts directly in front of Gentle. She trembled slightly and drooped her head. The stallion shook himself and pulled her into a hug. Before he was able to speak, the mare whispered a few words and stepped closer.
“You can leave them, where they are, Scootaloo.
I don't want to give you away.
I just need a little bit time to take better care of Red Beet.”
Tangleweed laid a hoof on Scootaloos side and fondled her gently. The filly pressed herself closer to Gentle and sobbed an answer.
“I...I'm sorry, Tangleweed. I...I...”

The filly needed a while and many encouraging words and explanations from Gentle, Tangleweed and even Shining, to agree with this.
“I just want, that you're feeling better soon, Tangleweed.
And I can visit you whenever I want?”
The mare just nodded and smiled gently. She looked down to her babbling foal and nuzzled Scootaloo's face.
“Who else could play so nicely with Red Beet?”
Scootaloo sighed relieved and responded the encouraging nuzzle with one of her own. The two nuzzling ponies calmed down more and more d, as they nestled to each other. Gentle had nestled closer to Shining too and looked to the mare and the filly with a cocked head.
“She is a really nice mare, don't you think?”
A smirk answered his whispered question. Shining leaned his head closer to his ears and whispered too.
“She is just really stressed out.
It is a good idea, to take care of Scootaloo for a while, really it is!
We just have to make room for her right now and...”

Tangleweed cleared her throat and stepped away from Scootaloo. She looked around, searched for a clock and spotted one finally. She started to prance on the spot and walked quickly to the stallions.
“I should hurry. Red Beet is suppose to get her next bottle soon and we have to go to town-hall together.”
Shining sighed and nodded. Scootaloo stepped up to them too, sneaked hesitantly to Gentle and leaned herself against him. She trembled a little bit and the stallion hugged her gently.
“Do I...have to come along? Maybe I could better go to Tangleweed's...”
The mare sighed at this and Scootaloo drooped her ears.
“I mean home...home, I want to pack some of my things.”
She improved her sentence quickly and drew apologetic circles on the ground. The mare cleared her throat and turned halfway around.
“Very well then.
I will go to town-hall with Shining and tell the case officer, what we have planned.
You can go home and pack whatever you need to,
stay here for a few days, right?”
The mare sounded almost emotionless and tried to leave the room quickly. She paused on the doorstep like she was fighting with herself. Finally she turned around, forced a smile on her face and spoke gentler.
“Say Goodbye, Red Beet.”
“Bllbl.”
The foal couldn't emphasise more, but her hooves were waving friendly to the filly. Scootaloo answered with a smile and a wave too. The mare sighed again and swallowed a lump.
“Goodbye, Scootaloo.”

After this low tone sentence, she turned around and went off quickly. Shining looked to the filly and cocked his head, as he saw, that she had to fight down her tears again. He approached her slowly and knelt down in front of her. She shied away of course, but as he started to speak, she stopped midway.
“We will bring you back to her, whenever you want to.
I will not expect from you, that you like, or even love me, like Thornapple did, you understand?
But I do want, that you promise me one thing...”
Before he was able to finish his sentence, he heard a low whisper. Scootaloo drew multiple lines on the floor and tried to look into the stallion's eyes. But she simply couldn't and drooped her head again.
“Thanks, that I can stay here.
I promise, that I will behave myself and will try not to be afraid of you and...”
The stallion raised his head and smiled gently. He cleared his throat and stopped the stammering filly.
“I don't need this kind of promise.
I already knew, that you are a well behaved filly.”
These sentences were almost too loud and the filly shied trembling away. She shut her eyes closed and drooped her head much more.
Shining stopped her head with one hoof. Scootaloo jumped away with a yelp.
“You don't have to promise, that you won't be afraid of me, or to hug me.
Sweet Celestia, you don't have to like me neither.
But promise me, that you will listen and do, what I ask for.”
Scootaloo raised her eyes, trembled and gazed to the stallion agape.
“I...I will. I promise and thanks.”
The filly nuzzled his hoof quickly, before she jumped away with a frightened cry.
Shining smiled gently and stood up. He went back to Gentle, nuzzled his side and whispered.
“We have to explain this to Slight.
Especially, why she will live with us.
Think about it, will you?
And I will buy a spare bed for her.”
Gentle responded his nuzzling with a nestling of his own and kissed him on the cheek.
“Don't worry. He will understand it.
You should go. Tangleweed is always out of the door.”

Shining nodded and galloped out of the room. Scootaloo had returned to draw circles and lines on the ground and avoided eye contact with the remaining stallion. Gentle smiled gently and approached her carefully. He raised a hoof and touched her side slowly. Scootaloo shut her eyes closed and fought down a shiver.
“Why is he so nice to me?”
She asked quickly and looked into the stallions eyes finally. She appeared to be confused and in her eyes were gathering few tears.
“I mean, I have...”
Gentle laid a hoof around her shoulder, pulled her closer and hugged her. He even nuzzled her face softly. First Scootaloo froze and pressed her eyes fearfully together, but as she felt his nose on hers, she sighed, nuzzled him back slightly and snuffled.
“Because, he wants to help you. We both do!
And he well, may appear a little bit rough and ready.
But when he wants to protect you, nopony and no other creature will stop him.”
Gentles voice trembled slightly and Scootaloo drew guarded her head away. A single tear rolled down his face and the stallion cleared his throat. Scootaloo bit her lip, shut her eyes closed and turned her head away quickly. Gentle smiled and hugged her closer.
“I don't mean to make you sad. Please, I don't...”
She sounded so worried and frightened. She even tried to push Gentle away. The stallion sighed and nodded, but hugged her again.
“Don't worry. It's alright.
Should we go ho...get your stuff and cook something?
Slight and Lilly will come soon. School is already out.”
Scootaloo cocked her head, as Gentle mentioned Lilly and put on an inquiring expression. She sniffed once, as it would be bad, if somepony knew about her problems. Gentle smiled and pushed her farther on the way. Scootaloo just startled shortly and fought back a yelp.
“Don't worry. When we tell her, that she shouldn't tell anypony...”
Scootaloo took a deep breath and completed the sentence with a long sigh.
“...then she wouldn't tell anypony.
Lilly is... so nice.”
Scootaloo smiled gently and followed Gentle out of the room.

They packed Scootaloo's stuff very quickly. She first just wanted a few toys, her scooter and the school stuff, but Gentle thought for much more important things, her toothbrush, a brush, her pillow, her teddy bear, the helmet and even a few pyjamas. He put it in a huge saddlebag and led the filly back home over the market. After all they would need much more food then before, when Scootaloo would stay by them. First he tried to ask Scootaloo, what she liked most to eat. But the filly didn't answer and jogged aside him with a ducking head. She tried to avoid the glances from the mares around them. Glances who were showing just one thing:
“You're strange. You're different.”
Was it so wrong to kiss? Gentle looked around and sighed. He could hear the whispering and saw even hooves pointing at them. He looked to the mares, who were pointing at him, but as they saw, what he did, they turned around and pretend that they didn't do anything wrong.
Fortunately the vendors were so friendly not to stare at him, when he stood in front of them, but as he had left, they looked after him. They didn't stumble about him, at least.

Gentle sighed, as he finally closed the door behind them. Scootaloo stroke her mane and sighed too.
“I'm sorry. I...”
The filly drew circles on the ground again and avoided eye contact. She wanted to stammer an apology, but Gentle stopped her.
“It's not your fault, Scootaloo.
Come on, let us bring your stuff to your room and then you can help me cook a meal, would you?”
Scootaloo raised her head and nodded slowly.

Author's Note:

Yay I have finished my next cchapter.
If you found something strange, please tell me, would you?
I hope you like the conclusion here?
Comments would be nice.