Spike keeps running until his legs get tired; then he merely walks through some gates until his legs hurt and he finally takes a break near a tree and rests on it. As he lay there, he thinks about what just happened.
"I can't believe I thought that! What is wrong with me?" Spike yells in frustration. He sighs afterwards and looks down.
"Why cant I just be happy for her?" He says silently to himself. He notices a tear drop and realizes he was crying the whole time.
"Got somethin' in yer eye again sugarcube?"
Spike looks and sees Applejack walking up to him with a small frown. "Or do ya wanna tell me what's really buggin' ya?"
Spike chuckles slightly at that. "Heh, I kinda figured you didn't believe that."
Applejack sits next to him. "Ah have a sharper eye for lies than ya think. So tell me, what's got ya so down today?"
Spike sighs and looks down. He wasn't too keen on admitting what's bothering him. He then has a small idea and speaks up.
"Applejack, can I ask you something?"
Applejack perks up and smiles at him. "Ask away partner."
"Have you ever been in love?"
Applejack blushes madly at the question. "Uh... well...wait, what does that have to do with anything?!" She says trying to avoid the question.
Spike sighs and looks down. "I have...or at least I think I am."
She wasn't expecting that. "Really? Is that why ya so down? Cuz she rejected you?"
Spike shakes his head quickly. "N-No! She doesn't even know how I feel..." he says ashamedly.
"Ah think she does Spike. Her and others." Applejack says thinking of everyone, including herself that knows who he's taking a liking to.
Spike looks at her in panic. "S-She does?"
"Ah'm afraid so partner. Hate to bring it up, but after that incident, it was pretty hard not to notice."
Spike blinks. "Wait, are you talking about Rarity?"
Applejack looks at him with confusion at that question. "Well, yeah..."
"Oh." Spike sighs in relief. "Yeah, between you and me, I'm not really in love with her."
Applejack's eyes grow wide. "Yer not?"
Spike scratches his head. "No, but I do like her. A lot. Rarity is still a beautiful and talented mare."
Applejack shook her head. "But she told me ya tried to confess when y'all were fallin."
Spike chuckles. "Confess huh? Nah, I was just going to say I was glad that I met her and the girls. You included."
This surprises her but she merely smiles at him "Oh, well Ah'm glad we met too Spike. Yer a good dragon and don't let anypony tell ya otherwise."
Spike smiles at her. "Thanks Applejack."
"No problem sugarcube. So, who's the lucky filly that caught yer eye?"
Spike blushes and looks away. "I... can't say. Just know she means alot to me and I would do anything for her."
"Does she care about you too?" She asks.
Spike nods. "Yeah, she does... just not in the way I feel for her.."
Spike looks to Applejack and sees her smile. "Well, if ya want my opinion, I think ya should tell her. It's not good to hide yer feelings from somepony if its affecting ya like this. If she doesn't accept them, at least ya will know and can move on."
"But what if I don't want to move on? What if she's the only one I want to be with?" Spike says instantly. "I tried to fall for Rarity as much as her but I can't. Every time I'm with her, I think of T-the other mare. I don't think I could move on if she would turn me down." Spike says and looks down sadly.
He feels a hoof on his left claw and looks to see Applejack frowning at him. "Wow Spike, ya must really like this gal. All the more reason ya should tell her how ya feel."
"But what if she-" Spike was interrupted as she places a hoof up to silence him. He is rather surprised that even worked on him. "Spike, ya can't be worryin' about that. That's why ya are feeling the way ya are. Just go tell the girl. I'm sure she will be surprised, but Ah think she will accept ya."
Spike is curious how she said that but ignores it as he realizes that she is right. "I think you're right Applejack. I'm just a little afraid I guess."
Applejack smiles at him. "I know sugarcube. But don't worry, ya will get through this."
Spike smiles and nods at her as he gets up. "Yeah! I'm going to tell her today."
"How about an apple or two for the road?" Applejack says and then kicks the tree with one hoof, sending two apples down.
Spike smiles and happily grabs them. He just realizes as he looks around that he was at Sweet Apple acres in an orchard. "Wow. I ran pretty far.." He says silently to himself.
"And ya got a long way back. Its gonna get late soon. Better mosey on before it's too late." Applejack says with a smile.
Spike smiles at her. "Yeah. Thanks for everything Applejack. You're a great friend." He then turns and heads home, ready to tell the one he cares for the most, that he loves her the most as well.
Applejack watches as Spike leaves the orchard and heads back home. She shakes her head with a smile.
"Phew, wasn't expecting that kind of conversation. Never though the little guy would be frettin over stuff like this." Applejack says as she leaves the orchard as well back to her home.
As she's heading back she sees Apple Bloom coming to her. "Heya sis! Did ya finally tell Spike ya like em?"
Applejack's eyes grew at that and she frowned at her little sister. "Ya still goin on about that? Ah told ya Ah don't like the little guy like that."
"Suuure. Whatever ya say sis. So what was ya talking about over there?"
Applejack looks over towards town. "He was having some problems and I helped cheer the little guy up. Should be heading home now to talk to Twilight."
Apple Bloom looks at her in confusion. "Why? Does he have to tell her something?"
Applejack merely smiles as she turns and heads towards the barn.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Apple Bloom yells as she hurries after her chuckling sister.
Spike makes it to his destination: the Golden Oak Library. "Applejack was right about it getting late. I wonder if Caramel is still over." Spike says before he reaches for the door with a closed sign and opens it. "I'm home!" He says as he enters.
He sees that almost all the lights in the lower half of the library were off, save for a few nightlights here and there. He walks towards the steps and sees that the only light is in Twilight's and his bedroom. Thoughts started to come but he quickly shoved them down as he takes a step up the stairs and continues up to the room. When he gets there, he takes a breath and opens the door. He is greeted at the sight of Twilight reading a book on the bed. He sighs relived that Caramel was nowhere to be found.
Twilight turns and sees Spike and smiles. "Hey Spike! I was wondering when you would get back. You finish what you had to take care of?"
Spike smiles as he looks at her. "Yeah, I think I did."
"Great! Because when I was reading with Caramel, I noticed something interesting and was hoping we could read it together." She says and pats a spot next to her.
Spike smiles wider and he walks over. "Of course Twi." He says and hops on the bed. He pauses and looks hesitantly at Twilight. "May I?"
Twilight looks at him in confusion before she realizes what he means and giggles at him. "Of course silly! You don't have to ask to lean on me."
Spike blushes as he realizes that this is true and happily leans into her, enjoying the feel of her warm fur. After getting comfortable, he listens as Twilight explains what she had found. However he was thinking about what he has to do. He decides he would do it in time and merely listened more to the mare he's snuggled with.
After some time has passed, Twilight yawned rather loudly, breaking Spike from a sort of trance. He realized they were reading for a while and it was quite late.
"Hey Twi?"
Twilight looks at him with a drowsy smile. "Yes Spike?"
"I have something I need to tell you."
Twilight grew curious and yawns again. "What is it Spike?"
Spike looks away and plays with his claws. "Well first I want to say something. I'm not really in love with Rarity. I'm in love with someone else."
"Oh really? who *yawn* is that?"
Spike takes a deep breath to steady himself. It's now or never. "It's... you Twilight. I think I love you and have for a while now."
Spike clenches his eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable, whether it be her saying they can't be together or that she doesn't feel that way.
What he gets however, surprises him; there was light snoring behind him.
He turns and indeed Twilight is asleep. He lets the air out of his lungs in slight relief and annoyance at that, but before he could do anything else, all of a sudden Twilight grabs him and cuddles him closely in her sleep. He stops moving in surprise as she nuzzles up to him before laying still and breathing out one word. "Spike."
He smiles sweetly at her before he makes himself comfortable as well. He regrets that she might not have heard him and he will have to do it again, but he feels better knowing that he can at least admit it. He looks at her one more time and hesitantly, reaches up and kisses her on the cheek.
"I guess it can stay a secret for one more night." Spike says silently as he closes his eyes, falling to dreamland enjoying the warmth from the one he cares for the most.
My number one secret can stay a secret...for now.