Big Mac paced around the hospital’s waiting room, sat down, got up again and paced. This pattern kept going on for the next 3 or 4 hours, they wouldn’t tell him anything, they asked him to wait a little longer. His sister, and her 5 friends sat in the waiting room with Applebloom in AJ’s lap, Sweetie Bell in Rarity’s and Scootaloo in Rainbow’s. AJ then heard Applebloom’s stomach growl a little bit, “Hungry there?” AJ asked concerned.
“Yeah, Ah’ll be fine though.”
AJ then looked to the other two fillies then to Big Mac, “Big Mac, why dontcha take the girls down to the cafeteria and snag ‘em somethin’ ta eat?”
Big Mac smiled a little and nodded, “Alright, c’mon girls.”
He knew what AJ was trying to do: she was trying to keep him busy and keep him calm. Once he was gone, AJ turned to look at a very guilt stricken Twilight, “Twi? You alright?”
Twilight snapped out of it, breathing heavily. “I’m...I’m ok…”
Rainbow didn’t look convinced, “Twi, just tell us, we’re your friends...what’s going on?”
Twilight began sobbing, “It’s my fault, I should’ve just...listened to her!”
Fluttershy, who was sitting next to Twilight, comforted her, “Twilight, there’s no way anypony could have predicted this, it’s not your fault.”
“You don’t understand...she told me what she was going through, I tried to fix it with magic to give her more time and...I made it worse! She wanted to tell you at the shower but...I messed it up for her!”
Rainbow then spoke up, “Wait, wait, wait...tell us what?”
Twilight’s eyes widened, “It’s not my secret to tell…”
“Twilight, just tell us what’s going on please?” Rarity begged.
Twilight took a deep breath, “She’s been going through this ever since she was a filly, she’s been in and out of the hospital, going through surgeries, chemo and such…”
AJ’s eyes widened, “No...please don’t tell me she has cancer…”
Twilight nodded, “Leukemia more specifically…”
All of them were silent for a whole minute, their minds processing this before Rainbow spoke up, “Wha- why didn’t she say anything?!”
“You know how conservative she is, do you think she wanted to be somepony’s charity project? She didn’t want to be in the center of attention and she didn’t want to be a burden to everypony. That’s why she left Manehattan, her parents, everypony! She was going to tell everypony last night but, I gave her a freeze age spell before hoof to rewind her cancer a little and give her more time. But I messed it all up for her and probably made it worse!”
Twilight then placed her head in her hooves and began sobbing, Fluttershy looked at her with sympathy and gently rubbed her back.
They all sat there in shock and disbelief as Twilight sat with a few beads of sweat running down her face.
Rarity looked at Twilight in concern, “Are you alright dear?”
“I will be...I just hope things don’t get worse.”
Just as Twilight said that, the doors to the waiting room opened to reveal Princess Celestia, the hospital staff looked in shock as they bowed. Twilight’s stomach meanwhile, immediately dropped.
Celestia then looked at Twilight, and it wasn’t a face of anger or disappointment, it was a look of concern and understanding.
‘What in the name of—” A nurse began as she noticed the princess. “Pri… Princess Celestia.” She bowed. “We weren't expecting you.”
Celestia raised a hoof. “It’s fine. Though,” she looked to the element bearers, “I heard there was an incident with one of my, pupil’s friends and rushed over.” She then advanced towards the mares. “Would you five give me a moment with Twilight?”
Twilight turned to her friends, “Go ahead and join Big Mac and the girls in the cafeteria…”
They all left with a concerned look on their face, AJ turned to Twilight and gave her a reassuring look before exiting.
Twilight sighed, “Princess, I just wanted to—”
Celestia raised her hoof to silence her, “Spike wrote to me, explaining everything. I will admit, my suspicions were high when you wrote me. I admire why you did it, and I am sorry for your friend, but Twilight, magic can’t change fate.”
Twilight was near to crying, “Her fate is to die, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but it is.. I’m betting you’ve been feeling exhausted. Trying to cast and maintain such a powerful spell?”
Twilight gulped, noticed her breathing had become heavy. “Well, I’m sure it’s not—”
Celestia sighed. “I know what you’re feeling. When I first became an alicorn, and my friends, and even family, began to die around me and Luna, I tried far more drastic things than you have.”
Twilight blinked.
“I could move the sun and stars, but even I had limits, and so do you. I’m sorry, Twilight, but you have to accept, there are limits to what magic can do.”
Defeated, Twilight slumped in her seat. “You’re right. I knew it was foolish. And I won’t deny it, I lied a bit to Angel. My plan wouldn’t have kept her alive for a few more years, but for as long as I lived.” She began to sob. “I knew, deep down, it takes a lot. But I just… I just… I just wanted…”
A soft wing wrapped itself around Twilight’s midsection. With no hesitation, Twilight sobbed into her mentor.
“So,” Twilight began once she calmed down, “so what’s the point?”
Weakly, Celestia gave her a smile. “What’s the point? The point is, she’s here now, and that’s what matters. Your friend has changed the lives of many ponies along the way hasn’t she? I have a feeling she was put on Equestria’s earth do do just that. Change lives, help others, even if it affects her...she puts herself before others.”
“But, isn’t that also a bad thing? She can’t keep putting others before herself, her own health is deteriorating, I don’t understand why she can’t focus on her own health more at least. Why can’t I?”
Celestia smiled, “Because she has accepted it, she knows it’s going to happen, but at the same time wants to spare others feelings of the pain they would feel. I knew ponies like her, if they knew somepony was hurting because of them, they are crushed emotionally.”
Twilight sniffed, “Okay, I can understand that, but are you encouraging it or no?”
Celestia clicked her tongue. “Well, what do you think is right, my dear Twilight?”
Twilight thought for a moment, “Be there for her, like I have been the whole time.”
Celestia nodded slightly.
Twilight smiled slightly and wiped her tears, “Okay, I think I can accept this a bit better now…”
Celestia smiled as well, “Good, now I may not be able to stop you from trying to slow down her cancer, but you must promise me you will put your own health ahead of her's. I don’t want you losing yourself over this, but take care of her at the same time. She is a beautiful and remarkable pony, I will ask that you, your friends and Big Mac do that by taking care of her.”
Twilight furiously nodded. “I will. I promise, to treasure every moment I have with her.”
Celestia nodded, “Good, I will give you some time with Angel, I have a feeling she will awaken soon. I will visit your friends, I already know she will want to tell Big Mac herself.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Celestia smiled then turned to exit to the cafeteria. They were serving white cake today.
Angel’s mind began to focus again in an almost all too familiar experience for her. Surgery, nothing else it could have been. Her mind was still a bit fuzzy; she couldn’t yet move her hooves, but she could already tell there was at least one or two other ponies in the room with her.
Once her mind cleared enough, she tried to say a word and moved a hoof, to which she got an answer to who was with her:
“Angel? Are you alright?”
Angel looked over and saw a purple, fuzzy blob, Angel’s eyes tried to focus with a bit of success, “Twilight?”
Twilight laughed softly, “Hey…”
Angel smiled slightly, “Is...I mean...do they know?”
“The girls know, but...not Big Mac, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo.”
Angel nodded, “I wanna tell Big Mac myself…”
“I figured you would, do you want me with you or…”
“No, this is my mess, I have to clean it up.”
Twilight looked at her concerned, “Are you sure?”
Angel nodded, “I am...I’m just a bit scared is all…”
“I understand, and I understand your reasoning for all this as well, but there are times where you need to put your feelings and your health first. Angel, it’s not healthy for you. Was your plan at first to hide in your house and shrivel away?”
Angel took a deep breath as a few tears came out, she then nodded.
“I’m sorry if I said that wrong Angel—”
“No you didn’t...that really was my original plan. But then, you all came in my life and showed me for once in my life what it’s like to have friends that care about me because of me, not my sickness...it would’ve felt so wrong to me to feel like someone’s charity project.”
“Angel, even if we had known, we would have treated you the same and still offered to help you. When a friend is like this, we do everything to help them. We do it because we care about you, and so does Big Mac. He doesn’t do what he does for you because he has to...it’s because he wants to…”
“I lied to him as well...what makes you think he’ll want to stay with me through all of this after I lied to his face?”
“Because he loves you...he would fight every creature in Equestria for you...I know this because I’ve seen the way he looks at you. That stallion is in love with you.”
Angel sniffed, “Okay...that makes me feel a bit better…”
The door to Angel’s room then opened and the rest of her friends plus Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo entered. Angel gulped down the lump in her throat nervously, “Hey…”
She then noticed Big Mac in the hall and got nervous, AJ turned to him and said, “Big Mac, give us some time with her, she wants to talk with you alone.”
He nodded giving a worried look to Angel as he turned away, Fluttershy then closed the door and all eyes were on Angel and Twilight. Angel got nervous and tightened her grip on Twilight’s hoof.
Twilight looked at her and gave her a reassuring nod, Angel let out a deep breath, “How much do you guys know?”
Applejack looked nervous, “Everythin’.”
Angel’s voice began to shake as tears came out, “I-I’m sorry…”
They all looked sadly at her, Angel looked at the three fillies then at AJ again, “The girls?”
“Ah told them out of Big Mac’s hearin’ range…”
“Big Mac?”
“Nuthin, we thought you’d wanna tell him.”
“Ok...look, I’m sorry for all this. I didn’t mean for it to go this far…”
Rarity spoke up, “What do you mean?”
“I wanted to shut myself out to spare others feelings; it would kill me to even think about the fact that I’m hurting or being a burden to others…”
Angel looked at Dash who was just avoiding even making eye contact with her, and looking like she was holding something back.
Fluttershy then spoke up, “You could never be a burden to us. We’re your friends and we would never do that to you.”
“I know and I should’ve realized this sooner, but I had already been destroyed by those feelings of hurting someone and being left...I was afraid it would happen again.”
Twilight looked at her curiously, “Who are you talking about?”
Angel was growing closer to crying again, “My ex coltfriend, Blazing Saddle...we were dating months before my cancer came back and we cared for each other very much, he treated me like royalty. But when my cancer came back and I found out that it wasn’t even reacting to chemo...I told him, expecting him to understand and want to stick by me. I was wrong, he got angry and broke off our relationship in a fit of anger, it hurt...not just because of him leaving the way he did but I felt it was mostly my fault. And when I came here at first, I wanted nothing to do with romance…”
Angel turned to AJ and Applebloom, “But then your brother came into my life...and I have been terrified of losing him...like I lost Blaze...I can’t take it just thinking about it…”
AJ walked toward her with a look of sympathy, “Now look here…”
Angel looked up at her with tears staining her face as AJ sat on the side of her bed and took her hooves, “Me and Applebloom know Big Mac better than anypony else in this room...and we know that he is not that kind of stallion. When he makes a promise, he will break his back to keep it, and he made a promise to ya to stay by yer side didn’t he?”
Angel sniffed, “Y-yes…”
“Then you can bet my apples that he will keep it Angel...he’s never broken a promise before, and he’s not gonna break one now.”
Angel relaxed a little, “Ok...ok…”
“Ya wanna talk to him now?”
Angel gulped again, “Yeah...yes please.”
AJ nodded.
They soon all left the room, Angel’s heart beat loudly in fear and nervousness. This was it, it now or never. She heard giant hoofsteps come down the hall. As soon as the door opened to reveal Big Mac, her heart stopped. She felt like running but stubbornly made herself stay on the bed.
“Angel? Is everythin’ alright?”
Angel said nothing but she shook her head ready to cry again.
Big Mac approached the bed and sat on the side like AJ did, only he held her and petted her mane gently. Angel began crying again, “Big Mac...I’m so sorry…”
He gently pushed her off of him with a confused look on his face, “What’re ya sorry for?”
“I lied to you…”
“How?”
“I told you I was fine but...I’m not fine…”
She then began to break down crying, “I have leukemia and I’m dying...I didn’t tell you because I was scared. I hated lying to you this whole time but I was afraid of hurting you...Blaze did it to me when I told him, he left me...I wouldn’t be able to handle it if you left me too...I wanted to die alone at first yes but then I met you and your family and your sister’s friends and...I decided I couldn’t go through with my original plan anymore!”
Big Mac couldn’t say anything at first. He was trying to wrap his head around all this. Angel Wings, the love of his life, was dying. And there was nothing he could do to cure her, he wasn’t mad at her at all, he was mad at the world at that moment, for bringing this beautiful mare into his life only for her to be taken away from him.
“Big Mac...please say something…”
Big Mac looked at her while choking back tears, he then pulled her into a tight hug, “Ah’m not leavin’ you...count on that...Ah will be here for you through the good, bad and ugly...Ah will give ya everythin’ ya won’t get to experience and Ah will be there for yer last breath...till yer heart stops beating...I promise all of this ta you...because...Ah love you so much…”
Angel listened to all this in silence as tears streamed down her face and began to smile slightly, she then began sobbing happily into Big Mac’s arm. Big Mac looked at her worried a little, “A-are ya alright? Ah didn’t mean ta—”
“You don’t need to apologize...I’m just so...happy...and relieved...I was so scared....”
“Ah could never bring mahself ta do that to you...Ah’d rather purposely bust mah leg applebucking than hurt you…”
Angel sniffled, “I love you Big Mac...thank you so much…”
“Ah love ya too...Ah always will…”
Two weeks went by since then, Angel was released from the hospital the day after Big Mac confessed his complete and total loyalty. Since then, a lot of things had happened. Despite the words of caution, and even some resistance from Angel when she learned about how much magic Twilight was really putting into her, and after going over it with some doctors, Twilight still applied some magic to keep Angel alive. While it may no longer be the years (or eternity like Twilight had hoped) It would give Angel more time than before without over straining her friend.
The other thing to happen, was Big Mac’s attitude towards Angel. While he didn’t act any less loving towards her, it was impossible to not notice the changes in him since the truth came out. He acted far more defensively, he would be by her side when she needed to go anywhere and would even carry her through the marketplace if they were there too long so Angel would have some energy left. Not to mention that he talked less, and consistently had bags under his eyes. Angel’s only guess was that he was up late worrying about her. She also noticed that when they were on the dates, whenever he wasn’t talking, he’d just look… lost was a good way to put it. A better seemed to be in deep thought.
Not as if he now didn’t have a lot on his mind, but no matter how many times he would tell her it was fine and that he wasn’t going to leave her, it reached a point where she couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Big Mac, are you alright?” she asked them on a date in Sweet Apple Acres’ orchard.
He responded as he always did when he was in one of his dazes. “Um, eeyup.”
Angel let out a fake cough, and when he flinched she snapped her neck up and narrowed her eyes. “Big Mac…”
He sighed. “Sorry.”
She blinked. “Don’t be. It’s a… a lot to take in, I know.” she nuzzled into his chest. “Talk to me.”
He didn’t, but soon added, “Angel, do you trust me?”
She pulled back and looked at him puzzled. “Of… Of course.”
He heaved a sigh, “Ah...ah need ta take a trip to Manehattan in 2 days.”
Angel’s eyes widened, “What? Why?”
“It’s a business trip ta make a deal ta sell some of our apple products out that way. Ah’ll only be out there a few days, and Ah’m comin’ right back home.”
Angel looked a bit uneasy, Big Mac knew she was going through some PTSD over what happened between her and Blaze.
He wrapped an arm around her and nuzzled her comfortingly, “I promise you that I’m comin’ home, Ah’m not gonna do to you what that coward did...he was a coward to not stick by you. And Ah’m gonna do everythin’ I can to give you what you deserve before...you...”
Angel stopped him by kissing him before he started breaking down, Mac soon relaxed in the kiss, knowing that Angel believed him.
Big Mac then felt Angel gently part the kiss he then looked at his beautiful mare that he loved dearly, knowing the inevitable but wanting to savor every moment he had with her.
Two days later, Angel and Big Mac along with the remainder of the Apple Family were at the train station, waiting for Big Mac’s train to depart. He said goodbye to his sisters and Granny, who all had a knowing look in their eyes as they told him, “Good luck.”
He then came to Angel, he then took her hoof in his as he said, “Ah’m gonna be comin’ home...Ah promise.”
Angel nodded, Big Mac then kissed her forehead and said, “AJ’s gonna look after ya while Ah’m gone.”
“Mac, I don’t need to be babysat.”
“Ah already tasked her, yer not gettin’ out of it.”
Angel snorted a laugh, “Fine…”
The conductor then called for everyone to board, Big Mac kissed Angel one last time before boarding.
After he took his seat, he looked out the window at Angel, smiling and nodding once to reassure her before the train started moving, he saw her smiling back and before long she was out of his vision. He then reached into his saddlebag and took out a velvet box and opened it. He looked down smiling at his mother’s antique rose gold wedding ring that he wanted to get fitted at a jeweler’s while in Manehatten, he had a special surprise for her.
When he arrived in Manehattan, he was a little nervous, not only for the bustling around of all the ponies around, but his mission. This was not a business trip for him, he only said that as an excuse to take a special trip here. He had a special surprise for Angel, but there was a couple of ponies he needed to speak to first. He gulped at the thought of it, but he choked back his fears and moved towards the Jeweler’s.
He arrived, gave the ring to the jeweler and asked if it could be fitted to Angel’s horn size within 3 days. The jeweler said he could do that for 500 bits, Big Mac was willing to pay any price so he happily gave him the 500 bits and moved on to his hotel to rest for an hour and contemplate how he was going to approach the next step, Angel’s parents.
Around noon, he decided to go out to Ponybucks for some coffee and a sandwich before going to the Palace Theater on Bridleway. He was able to slip through the back, stating he was one of the crew, the stallion at the door looked at him skeptically. Big Mac then said, that the director hired him as a janitor to clean the stage. The guy bought it and let him through, Mac never knew how big these theaters were until he reached the stage, he was in awe at the size and the detailing in the audience’s seats. Then he saw the director coming towards him and his blood went cold, his mind blank, what was he supposed to say?
“You’re part of the new cleaning crew I presume?”
“E-eeyup?”
“Well, good...helping hooves are welcome, I am Curtain Call, the director. Welcome aboard!”
Curtain Call was a lavender earth pony stallion with a royal purple mane and Mac could see Angel’s eyes in him, they were the same sky blue eyes she had. His cutie mark being a green beret that resembled the one he wore on his own head and surrounded by 4 stars. Big Mac noticed the look in his eyes, it looked to be the look of a father that lost something important to him. Mac knew what it was, it was Angel, and he had to find some way to mend this family before it was too late, before Angel was gone and this stallion and his wife would never heal.
“Actually, mister Curtain Call sir...Ah….I wanted to speak to you about somepony, I’m from Ponyville, my name is Big Macintosh Apple and Ah’d like ta speak ta you about yer daughter, Angel Wings.”
Curtain Call froze, “What about Angel? Is she alright? What happened?”
“She’s fine, nothing has happened, she’s alright.”
Curtain heaved a sigh of relief, “Thank Celestia...what did you want to talk to me about with her?”
“Ah….Ah have….Ah have fallen in love with your daughter. And Ah want to give her the most in life before….before the inevitable happens…”
Curtain Call somehow knew where this was going, but wasn’t sure, “What are you asking me?”
“Ta trust me in that Ah will never do anythin’ to hurt her, disrespect her. I want to care for her to the best of my ability before she departs and give her all of life’s experiences and everything she’s wanted in life that she won’t be able to experience. And with this life experience, Ah wanted to be a gentlecolt and do this properly by...by asking for yer blessin’...to marry yer daughter.”
Curtain Call’s eyes went wide, “I’m not sure, does Angel know you’re here?”
“She knows I’m here but she thinks Ah’m on a business trip, it’s the only way Ah could do this so she doesn’t know and Ah can surprise her. But, Ah feel it’s only right ta have you and yer wife at the wedding as well, so you have the chance to walk her down the aisle. No matter what she says about avoiding you two so she can’t hurt you...you still deserve ta be there for her on her special day.”
Curtain Call was near tears when Big Mac said he would do what he can to convince Angel to let him be there. “Thank you...that means so much... but, I’m thinking maybe we should discuss this with my wife first and let us get to know you better. How long are you here?”
“3 days sir.”
“Alright then, where are you staying?”
“The Celestia Crowne Plaza, in Times Square”
“Alright then, would you be up for dinner tonight with myself and my wife tonight?”
“Of course.”
“Good man, we’ll pick you up at 6:30.”
Big Mac nodded, “Ya still want me ta clean the stage fer ya?”
“No, you’re fine, just go back to your hotel and be ready for dinner, and don’t worry about being formal, we’re going to get some pizza.”
“Sounds good.”
“See you tonight.”
“Yes sir.”
Big Mac went back to his hotel room and rested, up until he had to get ready for dinner with both of Angel’s parents. The closer the time came, the more nervous he was, he was just some random stranger that was coming up to them asking for their daughter’s hoof. They didn’t know him, he didn’t know them, the question that he kept asking himself in his mind the most was, “Why would they give permission to a stranger?”
He heaved a sigh and murmured to himself, “Hopefully they’ll give me the benefit of the doubt…”
He could’ve eloped with her, but he was raised better than that, unless the parents were departed or cast her out, he had to ask permission for her hoof. He simply took a shower and dried and combed his mane neatly so he didn’t look too rough for Angel’s high society parents. Luckily it was just pizza so he didn’t have to rent a tux and go all out. He took a deep breath and went down to the lobby to wait for Angel’s parents. The wait was tense for him, wondering what all he was going to be asked, how Angel’s mother was going to look at him and if he would gain their blessing. He saw Curtain call walk in with a unicorn mare with a snowy white coat, her blonde hair neatly pulled back and her purple eyes looking uneasily at her husband then at Big Mac. Her cutie mark was a series of piano keys with purple music notes. Angel definitely resembled her mother the most. He gulped and kept a smile as they approached him, Curtain Call spoke when they reached him, “Big Macintosh, this is my wife Ivory Key.”
“Evening ma’am,” he said as he reached out to shake her hoof. Instead of taking it, she hugged him tearfully and said, “Thank you….thank you for looking after my baby….”
Big Mac froze for a second, processing but soon hugged this grieving mother back comfortingly, “Ah assure you, she’s in good hooves…”
“I know…” She calmly broke the hug, and looked at him happily, “When Curtain told me your name, I knew you were part of the Apple Family, one of Angel’s childhood friends is from the Apple family, she has a little sister named Babs.”
“She’s mah cousin.”
“Yes, and I’ve met other ponies from your family and they are all good hearted ponies...ponies I entrust with my daughter in a heartbeat. We may be rich dear, but we are still open to what’s important in life. And you have an immediate yes from me and I convinced her father to say yes as well...but we still want to get to know our future son-in-law while you’re here.”
Big Mac smiled, washed over with relief, “Thank you both...thank you both so much…”
And with that they went to dinner, they spent an hour talking over pizza, asking how their daughter and him met, how he found out about her illness, how he’d been taking care of her, how he plans to take care of her and still work the apple farm, etc. The next two days were spent with each parent separately. Mac went to lunch with Ivory the next day and got to meet Angel’s adopted sister Rose Red at Foalliard and see her perform. Rose Red was a bit uneasy about Big Mac at first but got to know him and felt a bit more comfortable about his union with Angel.
The next day was helping Curtain Call around the stage, sweeping up costume pieces during dress rehearsal so nopony slipped and fell and cleaning the stage after rehearsal while Curtain Call took and reviewed his notes on the actor’s performances, once in a while looking up at Big Mac and being impressed with his work ethic. They then went to a small restaurant for dinner and talked things out about him and his wife being at the wedding.
“I’m not sure she’ll accept that, she’s stubborn in her ways.”
“Ah know that firsthoof, but Ah know that she is gonna want you ta give her away. And even if she says no, Ah’m gonna do it anyway, it’s your right as a father to have that honor. And her mother to witness it.”
He took a deep sigh, “We’ll see what happens…”
“Ah’m gonna ask you and Ivory ta come to Ponyville a week after the proposal, along with Rose Red and we’ll see what Angel’s response is. We never know until we try…”
Curtain thought for a minute, “Alright, but what if she tries to turn us away?”
“Ah will talk ta her, she will listen ta me, but Ah highly doubt it’ll come ta that.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The morning Big Mac left, he picked up the engagement ring from the jeweler’s feeling confident. Angel’s parents gave him a send off at the station, Ivory giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek and Curtain shaking his hoof.
“Ah’ll see you both in 7 days.”
“Of course, we just hope everything turns out alright,” Curtain stated a bit nervous.
“It will…”
Ivory looked at him tearfully, “We’re just so happy and relieved she found you, after Blaze we thought she would never find that again before she leaves us all...we just want to thank you for giving this to her.”
“You’re welcome ma’am, and rest assured, she will be well provided for and I will not ask a cent from you just to show my devotion—”
“No need for that Mac,” Curtain interrupted.
“I will not hear of it, if you need anything...anything at all, just let us know dear,” Ivory insisted.
“Ah will, and Ah promise not to abuse it.”
“Good man.”
Big Mac nodded and boarded his train, he nodded reassuringly to the couple from his window as the train took off.
Once the train arrived back in Ponyville, he saw his family waiting for him but Big Mac’s face lit up when he saw Angel standing there, waiting for him alongside his family. When he got off and was standing on the platform, Angel flung herself at him so hard, he fell over and enveloped him in a hug kissing him repeatedly.
“I missed you so much!”
“Ah did too…”
He kissed her one last time before standing up and greeting Granny Smith and his sisters.
“Everything go smoothly AJ?”
“Everythin’ went really well Big Mac, a couple throw ups and nose bleeds every now and then but nuthin that warranted another visit to the ER.”
Big Mac sighed in relief, “Good...good…”
Granny Smith then spoke up, “Well, let’s ya two back ta the Acres and Mac can tell ya about his trip in private Angel.”
“Sounds great, but maybe Mac should rest first.”
“He can sleep later tonight doll, trust me.”
Angel looked at her suspiciously, “Alright Granny, you ready Mac?”
“Give me a few minutes, Ah have ta get mah saddlebags, wait over at the steps for me.”
Angel raised an eyebrow and went, once she was out of hearing range, Granny asked, “Did ya get their permission? What did they say? Ah hope you were a gentlecolt!”
“Ah was Granny and they know Sunflower, Babs’ sister and they know our family well and they trust us with her care so...they gave me their blessin’.”
Apple Bloom was about to burst with excitement before AJ quietly calmed her, “Don’t spoil the surprise Apple Bloom!”
“Okay...it’s just….can Ah be the flower girl?”
“It all depends on Angel’s answer at this point, but how can she say no?”
Big Mac felt himself sweating, feeling nervous, ‘Oh, sweet Celestia! Ah didn’t think about that...what if she says NO?!’
AJ laughed nervously, “Forget Ah said that…”
Big Mac gulped and nodded then headed down to Angel and they all walked back to Sweet Apple Acres.
Once there, AJ, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith went inside the house to allow Big Mac and Angel some alone time. The couple blushed at each other and headed of into the orchard, they walked until they ended up cuddled next to each other on an empty hill at sundown.
Angel nuzzled him affectionately, “I missed you so much.”
He kissed her forehead lovingly and checked in his saddlebag that the ring was still there, which it was, “Ah did too, but Ah have a confession...Ah wasn’t there fer a business trip…”
Angel looked at him with wide eyes, “What?”
“Ah was there ta talk to yer parents about somethin’ and hear me out before sayin’ anythin’. Ah wanted ta do this the right way, it was the way Ah was raised, and Ah wanted ta be the gentlecolt and ask permission before asking you this…”
Angel only stared at him as a soft breeze blew through, ‘He’s not gonna ask what I think he is, is he?’
“Angel...even in different circumstances, if you were going to live, Ah would have fallen in love with you. Ah would’ve courted you the same way Ah have our entire time together…I promise you, no one will work harder to make you happy or cherish you more than me. When Ah think about you, Ah know that no one else will ever hold my heart the way you do. Angel Diamond Wings...The story of our love is only beginning, and even though it might not end with the happiest ending, I wanna help you write our own happy ending. The only question left is….”
Angel was crying happy tears at this point as he took a velvet box out of his saddle bag, got up, knelt down in front of her as more tears poured out. He then opened it to reveal an ornate rose gold ring with the center diamond cut into a heart and butterflies embellished on either side with tiny rhinestones in them.
“Angel Diamond Wings...Ah promise, to love and cherish you till yer heart stops beating...will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Angel cried out of happiness for a few more moments before responding, “Yes….a thousand times...yes…”
Big Mac smiled, close to crying himself, took the ring and slipped it over her horn, he then brushed a strand of hair off of her face and kissed her, in which she responded by kissing with more passion. They broke the kiss when they heard Granny Smith, AJ and Apple Bloom celebrating in the distance, they then looked at each other, laughed a bit and kissed again.
