Apple Bloom was understanding why Scootaloo wanted to fly so badly. In spite of the situation, this was fun. Soon Friendship castle was in view and Rainbow went into a dive. Apple Bloom assumed that Rainbow would land at the front door. But instead she flew around to the back of the castle and headed straight to the open doors of the library balcony.
Twilight and Starlight were doing some morning reading when they were surprised by Rainbow Dash flying into the room from the balcony. Apple Bloom was on her back.
“Twilight!” said Rainbow without preamble, AB climbing off her back, “I went to Dodge Junction, Cherry Jubilee hadn’t see AJ, neither has Braeburn. What do we do Twilight! What do we do?”
“Rainbow,” said Twilight, “calm down. I can ask Celestia to have the Royal Guards stationed throughout Equestria, to look for her…”
Twilight didn’t get to finish. At that moment Spike came running into the library.
“Twi! Starlight,” said the dragon, breathlessly. “Come quick, there’s somepony crying in the Map Room!”
“Who?” asked Starlight.
“I didn’t look,” said Spike.
Everypony exchanged glances and then ran out of the library to go down to the Throne Room.
At the Throne Room door, Twilight opened it and saw Applejack still crying on the table.
“Applejack?” said Twilight.
“Applejack!” exclaimed Rainbow almost trampling Twilight as she forced her way in and running toward AJ.
“Rainbow?” said AJ looking at the ponies at the door. Applejack stood and ran toward AJ.
The stopped just feet from each other looking in the other’s eyes.
“How dare you!” said Rainbow crying, “how dare you run off and not even say goodbye! Do you know how worried you made ponies?”
“Ponies?” said Applejack, hurt at the generalization.
“I was afraid I’d never see you again!” said Rainbow still at an elevated volume level. “I looked for you from here to Dodge Junction and back! I’m sick from worrying!”
“Nopony asked ya to go lookin’.” Said AJ getting cross at Rainbow’s anger.
“Nopony had to ask,” said Rainbow.
“Why?” said Applejack, “Ah have every right to go anyplace I wanna go! What do ya care anyway?”
“What do I care? What do I care!” said Rainbow. “Don’t you know, you thick headed, stubborn flanked mare! Don’t you know?”
“Know what?” said AJ, getting tired of being spoke to like that.
“Know that I love you!” said Rainbow shouting.
“Well Ah love ya too!” said AJ shouting back.
Both mares went silent. Twilight, Starlight, Apple Bloom and Spike, still at the door smiled, backed away and closed the door.
“I love you Applejack,” said Rainbow, her tears starting to come again. “I thought I lost you forever. I thought I’d blown my chance to let you know how much you mean to me.”
“Ah love ya too Rainbow,” said Applejack, tearing up as well. “Ah was ’fraid to tell ya. Ah couldn’t have taken it if’n ya laughed at me or got mad. That’s why Ah left. And to tell the truth, Ah was ’fraid to love, because of my parents. My heart couldn’t take it if’n anything ever happened to ya.”
The two embraced and cried hard.
Soon they had control of themselves.
“Let’s go to Sweet Apple Acres,” said AJ, working up a smile. “We can have some privacy and talk this out.”
“Okay,” said Rainbow, wiping the tears from her eyes. “But first…”
Rainbow put a wing around AJ’s neck and pulled her close. Applejack’s foreleg wrapped around Rainbow’s neck as well. They pulled close and kissed a kiss they both had dreamed of.