Applejack and Rainbow sat in silence for several minutes as they simply held each other. "You sure you don't want to stop?" Rainbow asked quietly. She was unsure of why she was whispering considering they were the only ones there.
"I want ya to know, sugarcube." Applejack said as she pressed her muzzle further into Rainbow's cyan fur. "I want ya ta understand how I've felt all these years..."
"Go on whenever you're ready then..."
Applejack sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position on Rainbow's stomach. Rainbow was thankful that the other mare didn't see the blush on her face.
"I spent several moons with my Aunt Orange and Uncle Orange... then I saw you." she said, the small smile evident in her voice. "Or I saw the rainbow that pointed me home."
"I remember." Rainbow said with a grin, the heat mostly faded from her face.
"That's when I went home. I sent a letter and told Uncle Orange what I wanted. He seemed a lil disappointed about me goin' but he didn't try an' stop me so, he put me on a train in the mornin'."
Applejack trotted to the farm a smile upon her face as she saw her brother and her granny smith waiting for her with tears in their eyes and their own smiles threatening to split their faces.
The filly ran into their embrace and enjoyed their warmth for a moment before she spoke. "I'm sorry, ya'll." she said. "My head was just kinda messed up, but I realized this is where I belong."
"That's okay." Granny Smith said. "We knew you'd come home."
"Where's Applebloom?" Applejack asked as she pulled away from the embrace. "In the house?" she asked.
"Eeyup." Big Mac responded.
"What about..." Applejack started before her smile faded. She remained silent for several moments before speaking again. "Rose still hates me don't she?"
"Nope." Big Mac said with a sad shake of his head.
"Yer still hung up on that filly, ain't ya' Applejack." Granny asked.
Applejack nodded slowly. "I know she don't feel the same way, but I can't help but love her Granny. I know ya don't approve, but I don't rightly care anymore."
"Sugarcube," Granny said as she placed a hoof under the filly's chin. "I never disapproved."
Applejack blinked. "What?"
"I was more than happy for ya ta care about that filly." Granny said. "I think ya should go talk to her."
"What do you mean, Granny?" she asked. "I don't-"
"Just go." Big Mac said. "Ya need to go talk to Rose. Soon." he said.
"I don't understand." Applejack said with a stomp of her hoof. "Jus' tell me what's goin' on."
"Go." Granny Smith hung her head and walked to the house. "Just go talk to her now."
Big Mac followed behind Granny and they left Applejack alone. She stared after them for a moment before sprinting into action. She ran as fast as she could towards town. She had no idea what was going on, but she knew from the way her family acted she had to get there fast. She ran and ran as fast as her little legs would carry her. She bumped into a yellow pegasus she had never seen before and threw a quick apology over her shoulder towards the filly.
She ran through the streets and noticed another filly she had never seen before. A pink earth pony waved happily at her, but Applejack ignored her. She continued to run and run and run. She would not stop. Not for anything, not for anypony. She knew that right now she needed to see Rose. Phoenix Rose was all that mattered to her right now so she could not stop.
"At least that's how I felt." Applejack explained. "Later I'd figure out that I coulda walked." she chuckled slightly, "Still, even if I'd known, I probably still woulda ran."
"That sounds like you." Rainbow said. She smiled at the mare curled in her embrace. She had heard enough of the story to get where this was going.
"Still, even knowing, I don't think I coulda ever been prepared."
Applejack was running fast enough that she could not stop herself as she ran face-first into her best friend's house. Someone inside must have heard the crash, because the door swung open and Rose's father stepped outside. He was a large pegasus with a blue mane and a gray coat. "Applejack?" he asked as he looked at the heap of pony on his front porch.
"Heya Mr. Orchid," the stunned filly said as she stood. "I'm here ta see Rose."
Phoenix Orchid smiled at her with a peculiar expression on his face. A mix of relief and sadness seemed to sweep over him. "Come in." he simply said.
Applejack walked into the living room and looked around. She had never actually been inside Rose's house before, she had simply walked her home and left her at the door.
She stared at all of the strange machines in the living room. Beeping, whirring, pumping, and in general, terrifying the young filly. Applejack did not know what a single one of these machines did, but what she did know is that this room looked just like a hospital room. "This is why she never wanted me here." she said and she knew it was true the moment the words left her mouth.
"She's not hooked up today." Phoenix said. "She didn't want you to know, but I wanted her to tell you." he pointed a hoof at Rose's room. "She's a very lucky filly."
"What do you mean?" Applejack asked.
"Most filly's her age never find what she found in you. She's told me all about you, Applejack, and I know how she feels about you." Applejack sat in the floor in front of the stallion to listen to him. "I was there the day she met you. We were flying over your farm and she got tired and fell out of the sky. I went to help her, but she stood up and brushed herself off and told you she was okay. I watched for a minute while you talked, but after I saw she had no interest in going home, I left her with you." he sighed sadly and looked into Applejack's eyes. Rose must have gotten hers from him. "She needs you now, though. She doesn't want you in there, but she needs you, Applejack."
"She's dying isn't she." Applejack said as her eyes began to burn. "She's known it for a while, but she never told me."
"You didn't look at her with pity." Phoenix said. "Even I made the mistake of pitying her, but you... you looked at her with something else."
"I lov-"
"No." Phoenix cut the filly off. "Don't tell me. Tell her. She needs it right now. We'll talk later, Applejack. Go see Rose."
Applejack nodded and walked to the door that Phoenix had pointed to. She knocked once and opened the door. "Rose, it's me. I'm comin' in."
Rose sat up in her bed, her eyes red and a small trail of blood coming from her nose. She looked small and frail, but Applejack refused to pity her. She saw the hurt in Rose's eyes when Applejack looked at her. She never wanted to be seen like that by the farm filly. Applejack smiled at her anyways, she was as beautiful as always. "Hey, Sugarcube." she said as she approached the bed. "I missed you."
"Applejack?" Rose asked. "Why did you come back?"
"I realized this is where I'm meant to be." she said as she sat on Rose's bed. "Here with ma family, and with you, Rose."
"I take it you finally understand." Rose said as she hung her head. Applejack simply nodded. "I don't know how long I have."
"I don't care." Applejack said. She refused to cry. She knew if she broke down now and made it about her it would crush the filly. "I wanna be with you till the end."
"It's gonna hurt you, Applejack." Rose cried. "I've seen what it's done to my dad. This is how he lost my mom and now it's how he'll lose me. It's gonna tear you apart." Rose was sobbing by the end.
"Wordy for a little filly ain't ya?" Applejack said with a grin. "I still don't care, Rose. I wanna be with you." Rose locked into her eyes and Applejack gasped as she had the first time she had seen those beautiful sapphire eyes. "Rose."
"No!" Rose yelled as she tried in vain to push the farm-pony off her bed. "No! No! No!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'm not gonna let you watch me fade! I can't let you do that!"
"You can't stop me!" Applejack yelled over her.
"I'm not gonna let another pony I love watch me slowly die!"
Everything was silent. Rose realized what she had said and it was not lost on the other filly either. She had just admitted the one thing she never wanted to say. She knew what would happen now and as much as she did not want it, she could not be happier that it happened.
"I love you too, Rose." Applejack said. "I'm in love with you. All I want is to spend all the time I can with you before you go. I know you don't got much time, and I know you don't wanna hurt me, but if you send me away... it might just kill me too."
Rose stared at her filly for a long time. They did not speak, just looked at each other as if they were the only ponies in the world. Rose felt her eyes burn as tears streamed down her face and with a quick cry she threw herself into Applejack's embrace. Applejack held her for a long time and hoped she would never have to let go.
"I love you." Rose said as she was held.
Applejack tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. "I love you too." she brought her lips onto Rose's and the locked together. They burned with all the passion of a fleeting love. Applejack's first kiss was that day with a dying mare, and Rose's with a mare she knew she would soon leave behind. They held the kiss for what could have been anywhere between a second and several hours. They would never know, because as soon as the kiss broke, they fell asleep.
Applejack was shocked to realize that Rainbow Dash was the only one crying. "Sugarcube?"
"It isn't fair!" the pegasus yelled. "She was your first love! She shouldn't have gone!"
"Sugarcube," Applejack said calmly. "That ain't exactly where the story ends."
"But, you found the pony you love at twelve years old. Nopony can be that lucky and unlucky at the same time."
"I figure I hit the lottery." Applejack said with a sad chuckle. "Figured out I like mares, met somepony just like me, fell in love with her, and then had to say goodbye to her all in a couple years." Applejack smiled at Rainbow despite the tears that were falling from both of their eyes. "But, ya know, I remember just how happy I was with her, and I'd like to think that I carry her in my heart every day."
"You can't let that go." Rainbow said as she hugged her friend.
"I don't intend to." Applejack wrapped her hooves around the other mare. "You know, it's funny."
"What is?"
"Just about a week before she died her father told me somethin'." Applejack said as she pulled away and looked into her friends eyes. "He said 'one day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember'. That's what he wanted for Rose. That's why he wanted me there, cause he knew, when she moved on she would need memories of somepony who loved her more that anything to take with her. That's all you take when you go I think, just your memories."
"We've got some good ones too." Rainbow said.
"I'll be glad to take 'em with me when I go." Applejack stood and walked to the window. The rain had stopped and knight had fallen over the farm. She stared over the horizon and saw a shooting star. She knew what she wanted to wish for, but she wouldn't hope for it. I wish I could see her just one last time. "I'm going to sleep." she said sadly as she walked back to her bed.
"Alright." Rainbow said dejectedly as she walked away from the bed.
"Where do you think you're going?" Applejack asked.
"I thought we were done." Rainbow said confusedly.
"Nope." Applejack said with a grin. "You said you wouldn't leave till I said you could." Applejack waved her towards the bed.
Rainbow smiled sadly. "Okay." she walked back to the bed and laid down with the farm-pony. They wrapped their hooves around each other and hugged tightly.
"Do you wanna go on?"
"I do."
After Applejack's first week of visiting, the doctor had told them all that Rose's condition was still worsening, but at a much slower rate. They had guessed that having Applejack there was giving her more time, so Applejack had told her family that she would be staying with the Phoenix family for a while. They were completely understanding. Granny would later reveal that the night she had pulled Rose in the barn she had admitted that when Rose had mentioned her time was hers to give away, it was the same thing Applejack's grandfather would say before he passed away. Granny had not been mad at the filly, but she wanted Applejack to know the truth.
Phoenix Orchid had told Applejack that Rose loved Applejack more than anything else in the world and that her final days belonged to her to give to whom she saw fit. Rose had told Applejack that even if she wasn't sick she would still want to spend the rest of her life with her. They still managed to go out and play sometimes like they were two perfectly happy healthy fillies, but after a month they had swapped outside games for board games in Rose's bedroom. They spent all of their time together, day in and day out until finally their last day arrived.
They had spent most of that day simply laying in bed talking. It had been six months since Applejack had gotten back and they both knew the time was near. They were together, holding each other in Rose's bed when the time came.
"Applejack?" Rose asked.
"Yes?"
"It's happening." Rose said. "I can feel it now. I don't have much time."
"I know." Applejack pulled the filly closer.
"I'm not scared."
"I am."
"I'll still be with you. Forever."
"It doesn't make it any less scary."
"Don't think about it."
"Okay."
"Applejack?"
"Yes?"
"Would you sing me a song?"
"Which one?"
"Sunshine."
Applejack stifled a sob and nodded quickly. She took a deep breath and held in her pain as she sang.
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You'll never know dear
Just how much I love you
Please don't take
My sunshine
Aw-
Applejack choked up on the last word of her short song and her eyes burned as she realized that this was the end. When Rose said soon she hadn't meant days or even hours. She had meant she had minutes and the filly knew it. She cried silently hoping that her love would not notice.
"Applejack?"
"Yes?"
"I want you to tell me you love me... one more time." Rose sounded drowsy now, she would sleep soon and Applejack knew in her heart that she would never wake up.
Applejack wiped at her tears and smiled down at the pegasus. "You are my sunshine, blue eyes, and I hope you know that I'll always love you." she said.
"I'll always love you too, Applejack. With all that I have and all that I am." Rose shakily craned her neck up to the other filly and they kissed each other deeply and passionately and they both took their time. They memorized just how they felt hoping to never forget the experience. After a few short minutes, Rose pulled away and released one last shaky breath before she smiled. Then she was gone.
Applejack had finished her story and they had cried together for hours, but Rainbow had eventually fallen asleep. Applejack couldn't.
She stood and walked to the window once more. "So much for wishin' on a fallin' star."
"That doesn't sound like the filly I grew up with." a familiar voice said from behind the mare.
Applejack jumped and spun around quickly. She felt fresh tears slide down her face as she locked eyes with a beautiful mare with a crimson coat and eyes like the deepest ocean. "Rose." she breathed.
Rose smiled, she had apparently aged in the after life, or Applejack just pictured her that way. "I don't have much time." she said. "But, you made a wish and everypony knows if you wish on a falling star your wish is granted."
"How?"
"We don't have time for that." Rose said as she approached the mare. She smiled as she placed a gentle kiss on Applejack. She then glanced back at the bed and smiled. "I approve." she said.
"What?" Applejack asked.
"Of her." Rose said as she looked back at her love. "I know you need to move on. She's willing to help. I can see her heart from here and she cares so much for you."
Applejack glanced back at the bed and stared at her friend. "But I promised I would always love you."
"And I believe you always will." Rose said with a smile. "But you can love her too."
"But-"
"I know you do, Applejack." Rose said with a grin. "I can read you like an open book."
"But, she ain't you!" Applejack stomped her hoof.
"That's a good thing. She's alive and I'm not." Rose said with a frown. "Don't get all stubborn with me. I've been watching you all these years and I know how much you miss me, but you need somepony." Rose giggled slightly. "Besides, you wouldn't let me die alone, I'll give you the same treatment."
Applejack fell to the floor. "But how am I supposed to forget you?"
"You don't." Rose said as she lay on the floor next to her. "You always remember me. But, you love her, Applejack. Keep loving her."
Applejack smiled at her departed friend. "I love you."
"I love you too, Applejack. When your time comes, I want you to come find me again and bring Rainbow here."
"I promise."
"When you wake up, I'd like it if you would tell Rainbow how you feel." Rose said.
Applejack frowned. "I'm dreaming?"
Rose laughed. "Yes, but that doesn't make it any less real."
"How do I know that?"
"I'll prove it when you wake up." Rose said with a sly grin. "Now my time is up. Tell me goodbye."
"I'll see you again." Applejack said. Rose nodded. "I love you, my sunshine."
"I love you too."
Applejack awoke by sitting bolt upright in bed. Just a dream to hurt her further she thought. That is, until she looked on the blanket between herself and Rainbow's sleeping form. For there just between the two of them lay a single crimson rose.