//------------------------------//
// Home Again 
// Story: (SiC) Part 9 - Sailing Through The Storm 
// by Brian Jacko 
//------------------------------//

	Applejack was back home with Granny Smith; they were standing outside together looking at the farm under the moonlight.

"Welp," Applejack said as she took note of their small tomato garden by the house. "Looks like no one has been tendin' to the farm in years. Just look at all those pesky weeds that are stranglin' the life out of our tomato plants. It's a shame that ya'll didn't keep up with the weed pullin' since we don't use any chemicals on this farm. There's so much work to be done here; it's kind of amazing that Iv'e only been gone fer a few days and yet this farm looks like a mess."

"And that's why we need ya here," Granny said. "Ya put in more work than ten strong stallions."	

Applejack circled around the house as she walked with Granny. "And how is Apple Bloom doin'? May I go see her?"

Apple Bloom opened up her eyes and her ears perked up when she heard the voice of her sister from outside. She heard about the possibility of Applejack coming back so she had left her window open a crack just in case she might hear her big sister enter the house. She was given orders to sleep for the rest of the night, but the excitement was so great and she felt butterflies in her tummy just from hearing her big sister's voice again.

Applejack put her hoof on the door and turned to look at granny.

Granny Smith put her hoof up feeling concerned. "Well, she has been restin' up a bit from an injury and I commanded her to wait until tomorrow to see ya cause she's got school early and..."

Granny Smith was cutoff when the door flew open and Apple Bloom jumped and wrapped her front legs around Applejack's neck. 

"Applejack! You're back!" the little filly screamed with delight. 

Applejack was a bit shocked to get this much of a reaction out of her sister. "Calm down, sugar cube. I reckon it's a bit late and ya should be in bed by now. Heck, it's probably past my bed time."

Apple Bloom sniffed her mane and said, "Ya don't have your familiar Applejack smell anymore. You smell......different."

"Yeah, well, I have been with Twilight fer a while and maybe her shampoo stole my signature farm scent from my mane." Applejack walked inside the house followed by Granny who was looking extremely agitated that Apple Bloom had disobeyed her orders. "Welp, it sure feels good to be home again. Where's Big Macintosh?"

"Sleeping," Granny quietly said.

Applejack looked down at her sister who was still clinging to her neck as if she were hanging on for her life. "Um, hey, I take it that yer really happy to see me and I'm thankful fer that and everythin', but it is late and we all should be in bed by now. I'm sure my sleep pattern is a bit screwy since Twilight tends to wake up at the crack of noon sometimes and there weren't any roosters around to git us up. Come on now, let go of my neck."

Apple Bloom was hesitant at first but she dropped down to the floor. 

Applejack's eyes widened when she saw that her back looked as if a tractor had run over her body. "What in the hay happened to yer back!?" 

Apple Bloom looked at Applejack and then quickly over to Granny Smith with a worried look on her face. 

Granny stared at her angrily as if she were silently screaming at her to remain quiet. 

"Um, I'll be okay. I'm fine, really," Apple Bloom said as she lowered her head and ears. 

Applejack looked suspiciously at Granny as if she had any input about Apple Bloom's back. 

Granny stuttered for a moment and said, "I-I-I think it's time fer bed. I gotta git some sleep and git up before ya'll do so I can make breakfast fer the family. Good night." Granny Smith quickly retreated to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Applejack could hear her locking the door. She looked down at Apple Bloom and asked, "So what happened to yer back?" 

"Um, I got hurt a bit." The little filly looked around and asked, "Would you mind puttin' me to bed? I don't feel very well."

Applejack sighed. "Sure, kiddo. I can do that fer ya."

Applejack followed Apple Bloom into her room and tucked her into bed. "I know yer gettin' to be a bit too old fer this, but how would ya like me to read ya a bed time story that our parents used to read to me?"

"Actually, I just wanted you to come up here so I can feel safe. Ya see, I been havin' bad dreams and I'm afraid that God is goin' to punish me in Purgatory fer not bein' perfect."

Applejack perked up. "The traumatizing memories of what her mother did to her in the barn with that whip came into her mind. She also thought about what her father did with the board that was once full of nails. "Why are ya terrified of God beatin' ya and sendin' ya off to Purgatory?" Applejack asked with great concern.

"'Cause I'm not perfect and it makes God angry." 

Applejack thought about her injury and eyed the little filly suspiciously. "So tell me what happened to yer back."

"I already told ya, I got hurt and it's not a big deal; I'll be healed up in no time."

"Tell me what happened! I demand to know! Did Granny Smith hurt ya in someway and told ya that yer soul is gonna suffer in Purgatory?"

"I can't tell ya because I'm tryin' to be more like you!" Apple Bloom cried out with tears in her eyes.

"I don't understand," Applejack said.

"I promised that I wouldn't tell ya what happened because I was told that if ya knew, then you'd never come back again. I know yer really big on honesty and I thought that it'd be wrong to break my word. What should I do? Break my word and tell you what happened, or keep my promise?"

Applejack's eyes widened and she felt droplets of sweat dripping down the sides of her face; she took her hat off and fanned herself. She desperately wanted to know what happened to Apple Bloom, but Applejack was all about honesty and felt conflicted. 

"Applejack?" 

Applejack blinked her eyes several times and snapped out of her trance like stare. "Ya gotta keep to your word!" she blurted out. "Ya'll know that I'm a mare of my word and that lyin' is especially bothersome to me. If ya said that ya wouldn't tell me what happened, then you need to stay true to yer promise." Applejack sighed and looked down at the floor.

"It's okay, Sis," Apple Bloom said. "I want to do the right thing, but can you make a promise to me so that this won't ever happen again?" 

"Uh, what promise do ya want me to make?"

"That you'll never leave the farm again or at least never leave me like that again until I'm all grown up and strong like yerself."

Applejack thought about that request and smiled. "Sure, sugar cube. If anythin' crazy like that happens again, then I'm takin' ya off the farm and we'll find a new place together, especially if yer gettin' hurt by doin' chores that ya shouldn't be doin'. I think Granny has learned her lesson, but I ain't gonna leave my lil' sis behind again. I'm sorry that happened and I didn't know ya felt so strongly about me bein' here with ya'll."

"Are ya kiddin' me!?" Apple Bloom shouted. "Yer the best Apple member in the entire family!" 

Applejack put her hoof to her heart. "Golly, thanks fer thinkin' so highly of me."

Apple Bloom stared into her sister's eyes. "So do ya think ya can make that promise fer me?"

Applejack chuckled and rubbed her hoof into her sister's mane. "Yea, I can make and keep that promise fer ya." Applejack's smile turned into a frown when she thought about Apple Bloom asking if God was angry with her. "I'd still like to find out how ya got hurt. If Granny did anythin' to ya, I'd be so mad that I don't know what I'd do."

"Wait, Applejack," Apple Bloom said looking worried.

"S'matter, Sis?" 

"Please don't ask her about anythin' like that."

"Why the heck not?" Applejack asked.

"Because I know it will only lead to more anger and separation in the family, and bein' a member in the Apple family, I have seen that bein' together is a major trait when it comes to bein' an Apple as well as workin' hard. I don't wanna see ya go again, so will ya promise not to bother Granny 'bout what happened?"

Applejack stared into her little sister's sad, worried eyes. "Yeah, I guess so, but if ya ever get hurt again, will you promise to tell me 'bout it?" 

Apple Bloom nodded her head yes innocently.

Applejack had the intuition that Granny had hurt her when she first saw her back, and the questions Apple Bloom asked only seemed to confirm that feeling. "Shucks, I know Granny was raised to be strict and Iv'e had my fair share of beatin's, but I don't think it's the right thing to do. It may have straightened me out in some ways back when I was bein' disciplined so hard before, but I still think it's wrong to be good out of fear from bein' hit rather than bein' good out of love. God wants ya to obey out of love, not fear. Love is what ultimately changed my heart and our pops showed me that which is why I strive to be honest and to always tell the truth. " Applejack eyed Apple Bloom and added, "Git the gist?" 

Apple Bloom shrugged. 

There was silence for a moment until the ticking of Apple Bloom's clock on her nightstand reminded Applejack about checking the time. "Good golly, Miss Molly! I got distracted and fergot 'bout the time. I really can't stay awake much longer, especially if I'm gonna be workin' the farm early tomorrow mornin'." 

Apple Bloom pulled the covers up to her chin and stared at her sister. "Do ya have to go now, Sis?" 

Applejack felt bad that Apple Bloom had gone through a really bad time because she wasn't there for her and she had no idea just how much her little sister appreciated her until tonight. The orange earth pony perked up and said, "Well, I could still read ya those stories Mom used to read me about all the Catlick saints at bed time if ya want me to do that fer ya. I'd have to make it rather snappy since it's so late." 

"Well, I was just wonderin' if ya could sleep with me tonight since I have been havin' nightmares ever since ya left."

"Aw, hay. Ya know that yer a bit too old fer that." Applejack thought about matters and added, "See, that's the kind of stuff ya can only do when yer young, otherwise you'll end up bein' a funny filly. My friend Pinkie Pie is a bit coo-coo and still to this day asks if we can take naps together. I don't really understand her and I think she's got a few screws loose in her head if ya know what I mean. I one time had to sleep with my friend Rarity in the same bed at Twilight's place and that wasn't the most pleasant experience either. Ya should git to bed now before it gets any later; ya do have school tomorrow. How has school been goin' anyway?"

Apple Bloom gulped. "I haven't been goin' cause Granny needed me to work on the farm."

"Sheesh! Figures," Applejack said. "Ya don't have to worry 'bout that now since I'm back." Applejack sighed and adjusted her hat. "I'm off to bed now; I'll see ya tomorrow mornin' fer breakfast." Applejack got up and walked over to the door. "Good night, sugar cube." As she was about to flick the light switch off, Apple Bloom spoke.

"Wait." 

"What now?"

"Are ya sure that ya can keep yer promise fer me?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Hah! Do ya have any idea who yer talkin' to!? I represent the element of honesty and I'll willingly go to the grave if my honesty depends on it! Don't ya worry yer little head; relax and git some sleep! Yer big sister is gonna do her best to make things better!" Applejack watched as Apple Bloom laid back down against her pillow and closed her eyes. "Goodnight," Applejack softly said and then shut the lights out. She closed the door and headed over to her room. Despite not working in a while, she was tired and she assumed that was because waking up later in the day threw off her sleep cycle. Applejack walked over to the window in her room and looked at the bright full moon. "It's good to be back, I guess. Lord, ya know I love my friends and yet my family is equally just as important. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd give up my family fer my friends, but they really do mean that much to me and I love them. I'm not the brightest bulb, nor am I smart like Twilight, but ultimately, I want us to be united together under You, and I hope that we may be graciously guided to the church that is most true if it matters so much to You. As smart as Twi is, she may not always be right, but golly, I love her to death and I want the best fer our group. Fer now, I'm not gonna fret or worry 'bout it. I was scared enough as it is, but I believe you'll make a way and guide us to what is ultimately true." Applejack sighed as she stared at the bright moon. "Thank ya Jesus. Every single life matters in this world. Amen." Applejack closed the drapes and laid down in bed. There had been so much drama going on, but she trusted that God would somehow make a way through all this chaos.