//------------------------------//
// The Follow Up 
// Story: One Winter Night 
// by Cloud Quake 
//------------------------------//

	About a week has passed since Dash and I realized what we meant to each other. While it is still the middle of winter today is relatively warm and the normal cloud cover of the season is nowhere to be found. Personally I think Dash may have used her spot on the Weather Patrol to ensure today was comfortable as it's the day I take her on one of our first "official" dates since apparently hanging around at each others houses isn't official enough for her, this quite frankly came as a surprise to me because she always came off as a more laid back mare to me. I guess that even after year of knowing Dash I still haven't worked out how she views some things, I laugh softly as I make my way towards where she and I are supposed to meet, making sure I figure out some of those views is definitely at the top of my to do list.

As I trot down the same road I walked Dash home on those seemingly short seven days ago I worry slightly about being late, she had asked I meet her under an oak tree that was a frequent meeting place for us at one fifteen, and I was confident from the position of the sun that it was at least ten minutes past that. A few minutes later I arrive underneath the broad branches of the tree which was stripped leafless at the beginning of the season, I see only one thing wrong with the scene. As I look around I find Dash is nowhere to be found, I probably shouldn't have expected her to be on time so I stand around under the branches of the tree waiting for her to arrive.

Suddenly a large weight drops on me from above making me fall to the ground with an audible grunt. I roll over with the object still pinning me down to come face to face with none other than my beautiful Rainbow Dash.

"You're late." She giggles with a smile on her face.

I lean my neck up and give her a quick kiss. "I can recall a few instances when you were just as late if not more."

"Shut up, you and I both know I have my reasons." She says as she hits me playfully over the ear.

"Yea, yea, yea." I move to get up off the ground but she doesn't seem to want to move, I oblige her silent request and continue to lie there holding her against me. Eventually she rolls off the top of me and rests at my side.

"I could stay like this forever, next to you." She said quietly as she looks into my eyes.

"You say that as if it's something I don't already know." I respond in a teasing manner.

After a few minutes she and I both sit up somewhat regretfully and lean against the trunk of the tree. She leans her head into my shoulder and I extend a wing around her while we sit in silence for a few minutes simply enjoying each others presence.

Sometime later I finally break the peaceful silence. "So since this is our first *official* date, what is it you wanted to do?"

"Well, spend time with you of course, what else?"

"Isn't that what we've been doing most of this past week though?"

"Well yea, but that was mostly in private, now we're out in the open where any pony passing by could tell that you are mine."

"Or vise-versa." I add in just to be able to make the smart remark.

She gets a visible blush on her face, (which just for future reference makes her look like possibly the most adorable creature to grace the skies of Equestria; not that she wasn't already but still), and hits me in the shoulder lightly with her hoof. "Not funny, but in a way yes." She ends with a subtle wink.

"So basically you consider an official date taking your new stallion out to show off." I say as I playfully nudge her.

"As good as it may be to show off to some of the other mares I also have to make sure that stallion is just as good at showing me off."

"In other words you want to know that I'll love you in public as much as I do when we're winding down at your place."

"Congratulations, Sherclop, you've solved the mystery." She says and gives me a small kiss on the neck.

"Well then it's a good thing that I promise to love you no matter what situation we find ourselves in." I say as I nuzzle her cheek.

"I knew I made the right choice to tell you how I felt last week; you sure do know how to make a mare that tries constantly to act tough to get all sappy." She then hits me again with her hoof, even though it's light if she keeps doing it at this rate I'll probably end up with a bruise.

"I do try my hardest to leave the best possible impression on a mare as I can; it definitely seems I made my most lasting impression on you though."

She just smiles at me and snuggles into my chest. After a few long minutes I feel her breathing slow, she's asleep, and you know what? I'm perfectly content to fall asleep right here with her.