Autumn sunlight filtered through the gaps between curtain and wall. One beam lanced across Rainbow's face, the brightness and slight increase in heat disturbed her and she scrunched her nose crossly. As she woke the nagging of morning rituals pushed her to get up faster. Inching her way free from under Twilight, Rainbow lived up to her name and dashed to the bathroom.
Twilight had stirred, woken by the sound of the running water from the bathroom and then rather pleased to see a freshly showered Rainbow. Never shy, the athletic woman would towel dry and leave the en-suite to dress. Twilight simply enjoyed the view a while. “Awake now I see.” Rainbow winked.
“Yes. I feel better than yesterday anyway. I must have had a decent sleep.” Twilight kept herself wrapped in the duvet, it was warm and she still remembered being cold. “What is going to happen today?”
“I was going to ask you that.” Rainbow was walking around the room dressing as she went. “This is all your call.” Digging around in a drawer she listened to Twilight, her thinking process was often punctuated by a few little taps or cut-off words. This time there was silence. “Twi'?”
“I don't know.” Twilight was so small voiced that Rainbow was beside her in seconds, just to check for tears. “I want to know who my parents are and why they kept it secret. But I want things to be the same.”
“They can be the same still.” Rainbow had thought about this for a while, when trying to fall asleep. “Spike is still your brother and calls them Mom and Dad. He's adopted.”
“But how can I trust them?” Twilight sat up and leaned in for snuggling. “They lied all this time.”
“I guess you could call it that. But why not wait to find out why you weren't told? There are all kinds of reasons not to tell someone something.” Rainbow thought for a moment. “Okay. When I was a little kid right, mom and dad were often deployed on missions.” Rainbow shuffled further onto the bed. “Never both at the same time. The top brass knew it was stupid with me to take care of. Anyway, it was real top secret stuff. All I'd know was that Mom or Dad were off for some work and would be back in a month or two at the latest. Sometimes it was only a few days.” Rainbow pulled Twilight onto her lap, they both needed the comfort. “One mission my mom was MIA for a month.”
“What!” Twilight looked shocked.
“Yup. Loads is still classified. But Dad was home with me and I was like, six or something. He didn't want to tell me and worry me until it was what he really had to do. Then mom came home and it was fine.” Rainbow tapped Twilight's forehead. “A couple of years later they sat me down and explained it all. I think there was a chance that some stuff was going to be declassified and they wanted me to know.”
“How did you feel?”
“I was mostly impressed with mom. She was my hero, y'know? I was freaked she'd not told me sooner but I know why dad didn't at the time. I was six, I barely figured that my mom or dad could go out the door and never come back. “ Rainbow shrugged. “I guess what I am trying to say is that they had their reasons not to tell you. I am still angry at them for not telling you sooner and for how you found out.” Rainbow wrapped both arms around Twilight. “Take it from someone who spent years in a cold war with her family. You don't want it.”
“I still love them.” Twilight felt the warmth of the embrace and a prickle of tears at the back of her eyes. “I want to know who my birth parents are and why no one told me.”
“I can go downstairs and see who is awake and how they want this to go.” Rainbow offered. “Mom told me that someone from the police wants to wrap up their paperwork too. So we have to remember that.”
“If you could see who will talk with me.” Twilight slid off Rainbow's lap. “I know Luna will talk, but it needs to be Mom and Dad too. And - and Celestia...” She faltered there, she had ways trusted her mentor and never wanted to disappoint her. That she had kept things from her hurt.
“Twi' look here.” Rainbow caught Twilight's chin and smoothed her thumb over her partner's cheek. “They all care about you so much that they didn't want to hurt you or scare you. Remember that.”
“Yeah.” Twilight sniffed again. And wiped her eyes. “Thanks. Love you.”
“Love you.” Rainbow waved as she left the room. Now it was time to speak with the family.
-*-
Luna was not a morning person but she had woken up and wasn't going to sleep again soon. There was no sound from her hosts room, but she needed a coffee. She quietly took the stairs to the kitchen and entered without meeting anyone. “Good morning Luna.”
“Great gods and thunder! Tia, you nearly gave me a heart attack.” Luna didn't shout, but she had projection.
“Coffee? I would normally drink tea but I didn't actually sleep last night.” Celestia lifted a coffee pot up and poured a cup for her sister.
“That explains why you are in the kitchen and not working in the study.” Luna took a seat and the offered coffee. “So now it is partially told.”
“Yes.” Celestia sounded anything but serene and calm. A noise on the stairs stopped her speaking further. Rainbow entered the kitchen. “Good morning Rainbow.”
“Hi.” Rainbow was guarded with her response. She wasn't happy on Twilight's behalf. “Is anyone else up?”
“Not just yet. Luna only just joined me.” Celestia looked to her sister who was slumped on the table, her oversized hoodie pooling on the table top, the coffee mug in her grip nearly hidden in amongst the sleeves extra space.
“Twilight wants to find out about everything.” Rainbow said. “When Night and Velvet are up can someone let me know. I'll bring Twilight.” She didn't want to be curt, she respected Celestia and counted Luna among her friends. Old Rainbow, Rainbow who did not have the guiding influence of Twilight, would have been shouting and raging.
“I understand.” Celestia replied, simply “Thank you Rainbow.” She watched as Rainbow prepared a simple breakfast and left the kitchen.
“It all comes out today then.” Luna commented from behind her coffee.
“You did suggest that before.” Celestia drained her coffee. “We'll see how things go.”
-*-
They ate breakfast in their room. Twilight was quiet, contemplative. “Are you okay?” Rainbow was worried that there might be a repeat of the day before. She was keeping a close eye on her girlfriend.
“I'm fine. Hopefully I will have some answers today.” Twilight tucked her knees under her chin. There was a knock on the door.
“Yeah?” Rainbow called out. Spike slipped his head around the door.
“Hey. Tracker is here to talk with you.” Spike's hair was still damp from a shower. “Mom and Dad thought it would be better for me to fetch you.”
“Thanks Spike.” Twilight climbed off her bed. “I'll just get dressed.”
“I'll let him know.” Spike gave an encouraging smile and dashed down the hall.
“Okay Twi'. Lets go talk to the cops!” Rainbow grinned. “Something I never thought I would say for you.” She was playful to cheer Twilight up.
“One day I will have to hear about all of your escapades.” Twilight said. A welcome distraction.
-*-
“Thank you Miss Sparkle. Next time maybe take your friend's advice and cool off up at the Acres. Less worry for all of us.” Tracker was a friendly police officer and polite, he tipped his hat as he was shown out. Like any small town cop the residents knew him and he knew them. “We will be able to put this with the report so nothing else more is needed. Hope to see you ladies again under better circumstances.”
“Sure thing Tracker. I think AJ has a barn dance planned for when it gets really boring in the snow.” Rainbow waved off the police officer, one arm around Twilight. It had only been a formality to let Tracker know what had happened. 'Twilight needed to calm down and was pretty wound up.' was enough of an explanation, though Tracker had passed on the details for a local psychologist.
“I think I might make an appointment.” Twilight said, looking at the card before they entered the house. “This is a pretty big deal and a neutral party will help.”
“I'll support you whatever way you go Twi', but yeah, talking it out will probably help you.” Rainbow could still see slightly flighty tells on Twilight. Hopefully the discussion today would settle the librarian.
“I'm ready to talk to everyone now.” Twilight said, looking in the direction of the kitchen. Her parents, Celestia and Luna and Spike had withdrawn there while Tracker was talking to her and Rainbow. “Can you ask them in? Spike too.
“Of course.” Rainbow gave Twilight one last squeeze and went to the kitchen. Five hopeful faces looked to her. “She's ready to talk.”
-*-
The lounge had the most comfortable chairs and space for all six of them. Everyone shuffled in and took a seat. Rainbow kept close to Twilight, Night and Twilight senior took a seat next to each other. As Luna and Celestia sat on a couch it struck Rainbow how good it must have been for them when they had been re-united.
Spike had respectfully asked if he could stay in his room instead. He wanted to hear the result of the talk but the discussion itself was something for the adults.
Sat around, waiting for the first words, no one was really sure how to start.
“I'm adopted.” Twilight said, she had to say it and see the confirmation.
“Yes.” Twilight senior said quietly. “Night and I adopted you when you were about six months old. Though we had cared for you since you were three months old.” She looked across at the girls. “Twily, you are our daughter. I hope you know that.”
“I do, I really do. This was never about being family or not. You are my family. Spike is my family.” Twilight clutched Rainbow's hand for reassurance. “It was more that you didn't tell me. Like you didn't trust me.”
“I understand.” Twilight senior bowed her head. “We had you so long Twily, some days I forgot that I was not biologically your mother. It was a nice thought. Then you got older and it was easier not to tell you, it felt like we would hurt you to say. So we left it, making things worse by the passage of time.”
“We love you Twily, we trust you, but we were, are, aware of how sensitive you are and didn't want to, to damage you.” Night spoke up.
Twilight nodded mutely and gathered some words. “Who did you adopt me from? Did you know my biological parents?”
Twilight senior sniffed. “You're my niece.” She had a tremble in her voice, she missed her brother dearly. “Dusk was your father. I suppose it never seemed that strange that we had the same name, did it? Dusk loved the song and he always said he'd name his daughter for his 'amazing' sister too.” She wiped her eyes. “I was named guardian even before you were born.”
“So who is my mother?” Twilight asked. “Dusk died when I was very small, I know that. All of you told me, but it takes a mother for a baby. Who is she? Did she die too?” Twilight felt tears run down her face. Her “uncle” had never been in her life and she had never missed him, but to find he was actually her father, it tugged at her heart. All the times she'd not really considered him, she'd never been upset, but now it was pushing on her mind. “Who is my mother?” She asked again, there was silence from her family. Rainbow put an arm around her shoulders. “Please.”
“I am.” It was a quiet voice, a cracked and broken voice. Nothing like the usual calm, even and serene tones those who knew her were used to. “I'm your mother.” Celestia had tears streaming down her face and her arms wrapped around herself. Luna, sat beside her had tears slipping down her face too, a hand on her sister's shoulder.
“You're my daughter.”