... Hey.
No, no! You don't have to get up! It's really late I was just seeing if you were alright... Okay... If you wanna be up that's fine. Just don't wake up everypony else in the house, okay? Shhh...
You really are happy today, aren't you? That's good. If you're happy, I'm happy. It is really late though... I should try to get you back to sleep. How about a story? The story of how we first met? Would that be nice?
Heh. I'll take that as a yes. Okay.
I was finishing up a music class I barely payed attention to. I was too nervous. Torch had been due for almost six days now. So I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I just had them listen to a record while I paced up and down. Eventually the class ended and the students all filed out. When that was over two other kids walked in.
"I'm telling you, dude!" Down Beat said firmly. "You've got talent on those drums!
"I don't know, Beat...," Pound Cake sighed. "Do you really think so?"
"Heck yeah, I do!" Beat smiled. "It's a good idea! Me on lead vocals and guitar, you on drums, Pumpkin on bass guitar! It would be amazing!"
"Pumpkin can't play bass guitar!" Pound protested.
"Details!" Beat said, waving his hoof. "Just think about it! We could be famous! We could work with big name artists like Sapphire Shores and Sweetie Belle!"
"And Sweetie Belle is still in high school!" Pound protested again.
"Give it time," Beat sighed. "Sheesh. What's with you being so negative today?"
"Oh sweet Celestia!" I said with a mocking despair. "My only son wants to sing backed by instrumentation! Where did I go wrong?!"
... You know I was kidding right? I mean, I'm really proud of beat for taking an interest in music of any kind. I would be proud of him even if he didn't. What I'm saying is if you... *sigh* Never mind.
Anyway. Beat and Pound laughed and sat down. "How are you feeling Mr. Tapper?" Pound smiled.
"Oh...," I said, considering the question. "Paranoid to the point of insanity."
Pound looked confused. "The foal has been due for a little while now," Beat explained. "Dad promised Mom he'd be there for the delivery."
"I came close to missing yours," I said. "Your mother still hasn't let me hear the end of it. She's convinced me that if I'm not there something bad might happen to her or the baby. So I'm going to be there when she gets to the hospital. Not any later."
"I don't understand what the big deal is," Beat said. "It's just a baby. How scary can this be?"
I let out a sharp laugh. "Okay!" I smiled. "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to take that sentence. I'm going to put it in my pocket. And I am going to bring it up when you have your new baby girl. I might film you."
"Baby girl?" asked Pound.
"Yep!" said Beat happily. "We got the results of the tests back, I'm having a little sister!'
"Be careful, Beat," Pound smiled. "Sisters can be really annoying. Trust me, I know."
"I can handle it," Beat shrugged. "Besides, I'm the older one, and I'm the boy! That means I'm in charge!"
"Hahaha!" I laughed. "Oh... 'I'm the boy. That means I'm in charge. Wow, watching you grow up is going to be hilarious."
And that point the door flung open and a little yellow filly with an orange mane stepped in. She seemed to be completely out of breath. "Huff... Huff... Huff... Why are the hallways so long?"
"Pumpkin?" Pound said confused. "What are you doing here? I thought Mom and Dad picked you up early!"
"They did!" Pumpkin wheezed. "I decided to help out around the bakery so they sent me to make some deliveries and... and..."
"Okay, honey," I said calmly. "Just sit down, calm down and-"
"No time!" Pumpkin cut me off, desperately. "Mr. Tapper, you need to leave right now! I went to your house because Ms. Song ordered some Petit Fours! When I got there Miss Rarity was there helping her out of her chair. She said they had to get to the hospital because her 'water broke,' and to get you as soon as possible! I'll admit. I took some time to ask Aunt Pinkie what 'water broke' meant. Long story short, your wife is having a baby!!!"
I froze solid.
"And she's already at the hospital?" asked Beat. "Best laid plans of mice and stallions, I guess..."
"Beat," I said calmly. "Shut up now. Daddy can't feel his legs."
"Okay, Dad?" Beat said firmly. "There is no time for a panic attack now. We have to get to the hospital quickly before Mom has the baby."
"But that's the thing!" Pumpkin said frantically. "You're going to have to cut through the parade!"
"Parade?" asked pound. "What parade?"
"Well this morning, Aunt Pinkie said it was a shame that there was no Hearts and Hooves Day parade," Pumpkin explained. "So naturally, this afternoon..."
"There's a Hearts and Hooves Day parade," we all said simultaneously.
"Remind me to kill Pinkie Pie later," I sighed.
"We'd better leave," Beat said moving toward the door."We need to get there before the baby comes out. But before we go..." Beat turned to Pumpkin. "Can you play Bass Guitar?"
"Not the time!" I shouted. And we both raced out the door.
Now, I can't tell you how I got through the parade. Partly because I don't really remember. Partly because I don't think everything I did was strictly legal. I may or may not have decked some greasy maned guy in a striped shirt because he wouldn't stop trying to sell me some kind of apple themed love potion. The point is it took us nearly two hours to cut through the sea of people and get to the hospital.
I left Beat in the waiting room with Rarity and ran to the delivery room. When I got there Torch had poor Nurse Redheart by the throat.
"Any. Drugs. You have available to you! Understand?!?!" she screamed. "Anything short of beating me unconscious with a mallet isn't enough!"
"Honey," I said as calmly as I could. "Please stop frightening the medical personnel."
"Tapper!" she shouted. "Where have you been?! Aaaaaaahhhh!"
"Another contraction," Nurse Redheart said."That's thirty seconds apart. Brace yourself, Torch. it's time."
I ran to her side and grabbed her hoof. "Squeeze as hard as you can when it hurts."
"You bet your ass!" she shouted. "Aaaaaaahhhh!"
Another contraction and she gripped my hoof so hard my knees buckled. That was okay though. I was there for her. That was worth a broken hoof.
"Okay," said Redheart. "You're doing great, Torch. Just a couple of more. And push."
Another push. Another scream. More pain. Again I buckled to the floor.
"Here's the head!" Redheart said. "Just one more. You're doing great!"
"I don't...," Torch wheezed. "I don't know if I can-"
"Yes you can," I said firmly. "Look at me. Yes you can. You've done it before. You can get through this!"
'Bu..." she said breathlessly. "But..."
"No buts!" I shouted. "Torch Song, you are one of the strongest ponies I know. I anypony can get through this a second time you can, and mares do everyday. No one has ever told you that you can't pull something off if you wanted to, and if they did they're liars! So stop lying to yourself and have this baby."
She looked at me and gave me a soft but shaky smile. "Okay...," she breathed.
"Three... Two... One."
You know, it's funny, When Beat was born I was afraid that "New Daddy" feeling wouldn't come back when I had another foal. That wonderful feeling of crippling fear mixed with boundless excitement. I figured that I was just used to it by now. That it wouldn't feel as special the second time.
But Melody, when I saw you for the first time I realized how wrong I was.
Looking at you made me realize that I had everything I needed in my life. I didn't know how happy I really was until I held you for the first time. And you were just the happiest little baby! You were! I don't think you cried once when we were at the hospital. Beat couldn't get enough of you even when you had just met! He spends most of his free time playing with you. I don't think anypony has made him laugh as hard.
We took you home a few days later and we took a picture See? It's right there on your little table. There's me, in a shirt and tie because I found it necessary, even though the rest of the family thought it was weird. There's your brother sticking his tongue out at the camera, because he is more like me than he will ever admit. There's Mommy. The only one who photographs well of the big people, and...
Who's that, huh? Who's clinging onto Mommy and waving?
Yes! That's you! Look at how pretty you are! That orange coat, the blue mane, and those cute little pink pajamas! Never let your mother tell you she made those. She asked Rarity to do it. And those eyes... They're perfect. Just like your Mom's...
My little girl. My little Princess...
I want you to keep three things in mind. These things are going to get you through your toughest times in life, so listen.
One. Never be afraid of looking like an idiot. The best things happen when you do.
Two. When your brother says that something is a "genius idea," it's going to get you into trouble.
Three. And this is the important one. We're always here for you. Me, Mommy, and Beat. We are always right by you and whenever you need to you can just talk to us. If you're ever feeling sad, or lonely, or scared we're here. Even if it seems like we're not, we're here.
We love you, Melody. We always will. Never forget that.
... Alright. This was nice, but you need to get back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up, sweetie.
You should be. *yawn* Whenever the baby starts to sleep through the night you become convinced she's dead. You need to calm down... Seriously though. How is Mel?
She's... She's perfect.
She really is, isn't she?
...
... I love you, Tapper.
... I love you, Torch.