A/N I know I promised 2 chapters by last Saturday, but...hey, what can I say? I'm one busy teenage girl! Now, on with the story!

Chapter 4: Secrets Unkempt

Rainbow's POV

I gulped. If AJ could be brave... so could I. I squeezed my eyes shut and said, "AJ, I'm a fillyfooler, too. Scoots is the only other pony that knows." Opening my eyes cautiously, I awaited her response. Unfortunately, I had said it so fast that it took a while for her to register it. After a few seconds that felt like hours, she blushed and her eyes widened.

"R-really?" she stuttered. I turned as read as her cutie mark and nodded. She tried to hide her smile, but I could tell it was there. "Well, it's mighty fine of ya ta tell me that before anyone else." Then she looked down as if debating something. After a minute, she met my eyes. "Uhm, Rainbow, there's sumthin' ah gotta tell ya."

My heart raced like a jack-rabbit (A/N you see what I did there?...no?...damn...). Please say what I hope you will, I though. Please love me back.

She sighed. "Earlier today, after that, erm, incident with the apple cart..." Omigoshomigoshomigosh! "Ah was sittin' in the orchard thinkin' 'bout what happened..." Here it comes! "When ah heard a guitar strummin'." Huh?

My brows furrowed. What did a guitar strumming have to do with... oh. Oh, no! Did she...? My eyes widened in understanding.

She blushed, confirming my fears. "Ah heard ya singin', RD. Y'all was amazin'! But ah was wonderin'..." Crap. Please don't ask who the song was about! She seemed to be having a debate with herself, and then said, "Why didn't ya tell me y'all was inta music like that?" Well, that was anti-climatic. I could tell that wasn't what she really wanted to ask, but I internally sighed in relief anyways. Her indecision saved my ass!

"I never told anypony," I answered. "I guess I just wanted to avoid the potential embarrassment." I smirked to cover the butterflies. "Besides, singing is one thing, but singing mushy love songs? I got a rep to protect!" We both laughed, glad that this wasn't nearly as awkward as it could've been.

"Well, sugar cube," she said, fixing her hat. "It's getting pretty darn late! Ah better get on home and put Apple Bloom ta bed. Y'all wanna hang out after ah do mah chores t'mara?"

I smiled at the opportunity. "Of course, AJ." I pointed out the open window to my cloud house. "You know where to find me!" She nodded happily, and I flew out the window, amazed at how well that had gone... relatively speaking, of course.

Applejack's POV

I walked slowly. I couldn't believe I almost asked who that song was for! I'm such a foal! It was a question I didn't know the answer to. Why? I stopped and scowled. Because! What if it was about me! I don't know how I feel about her yet! Then a worse thought hit me. What if it wasn't about you? Just the idea of Rainbow Dash liking somepony else upset me. Why? Why does this affect me? Why can't I stop thinking about her? Why does the thought of someone else holding her and running their hooves through her beautiful mane make me want to buck something?

Maybe you do like her...

No! She's my best friend! Celestia be damned if I let something like this ruin our friendship! She's a friend and that's it!

But what if she likes you, too?

"No! Stop it, brain! Ah can't! Ah jus' can't!" I felt a tear roll down my cheek from the confusion. Looking up, I noticed I was in front of my house. I vigorously wiped my eyes as I opened the door.

XXX

After we ate dinner, I tucked in Apple Bloom. She was super tired 'cause she and the Crusaders were planning some new scheme all day, so she didn't even seem to notice my obvious upset state. Walking back downstairs for some water, I saw Big Macintosh sitting at the table, waiting for something.

Horseapples.

"Howdy, Big Mac." He nodded. "Ya waitin' fer sumthin'?"

"Eeyup."

"Well, whatcha waitin' fer?" He gave me a look and I sighed. "Ah'm fine." Being unable to lie to my brother, I added, "Ah'm jus' a little confused is all."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ah..." I sighed again. "Ah don't wanna talk 'bout it." He stared me down and I sighed once more, this time in irritation. "Fine. Fine! I'll tell ya! But y'all gotta Pinkie promise not ta tell anypony!" He crossed his heart. "Not even Apple Bloom or Granny Smith, ya hear?!" He nodded. "Okay...well...Big Mac... I'm a... a..." I finally managed to force out the word. "A lesbian." I looked down, embarrassed and ashamed. A tear rolled down my cheek yet again.

He put his hoof under my chin and titled my head up to meet his eyes. "So what's the problem?"

I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "Y-ya mean, y-y'all approve?"

He smiled. "Of course. It's not like you can help it." Well, actually, he just said, "Eeyup," but I could see the hidden message in his eyes.

I grinned. He gave me another questioning look. "What? That's all!" His look intensified, and I gulped. "What?"

He sighed. "You know what."

I sighed back. "Ah've been havin' these weird...feelins 'bout a friend o' mine. It's jus', ah don't know why, or what they mean."

"Who?"

I looked down again, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "R-Rainbow Dash." I looked back up and saw him smiling even wider than before.

"What kinda feelings?"

I gulped, rubbing the back of my neck with my hoof. "Well, whenever ah thought about her lovin' a stallion, ah got upset, an' ah don't know why. Then when I found out she's a fill fooler—don't tell no pony I told you—ah got real glad an' excited, an' ah don't know why. At first, ah thought it was 'cuz ah didn't wanna be the only one, but...y'all don't think it's 'cuz ah like her, do ya? 'Cuz if this ruins our friendship, ah don't think ah could fergive mahself."

I paused to look at his reaction, glad to have finally gotten it off my chest. After a minute of contemplation, he looked me in the eye.

"How do ya feel around her, sis?"

I sighed again. Wow. I've been doing that a lot today. "Well, earlier, when we jumped outta that run-away cart, ah landed on her. Our eyes met, an' ah jus'...got kinda lost in 'em. I fergot where ah was! An' when ah told the girls 'bout me, she was the only one that ah was nervous 'bout tellin'. When we're together, it's like ah can't help makin' a foal of mahself. What's happenin' ta me, Big Mac?"

He put his hood comfortingly on my shoulder, then pulled me into a hug. He said, "Ah don't think you like her, Jackie."

I sniffled. "Ah don't? Yeehaw! Thanks—"

"Ah think ya might love her."

I gasped. "What are you sayin', Big Mac? Ah, ah can't!" My eyes started watering. "Ah jus' can't lose her!"

He hugged me tighter. "Lose her?"

"Well, she doesn't like me! She's in love!" I sniffled. "I heard her singin' 'bout it t'day!"

Rubbing my back, he said, "And just how do you know that it wasn't you she was singin' about?"

"What do ah do, then, Big Mac? How do ah find out if she likes me or not?" I muttered into his shoulder.

"Ask her?" When he felt me tense up, he quickly added, "Or, you could just hide it and let things fall into place. If she loves you, you'll know. You come and tell me whenever she does somethin' questionable, ya hear?"

I pulled away and gave him a watery smile. "Thanks, Big Mac. Y'all are the best big brother ah could ask fer. Oh, and can y'all do me a favor?" He nodded. "Make sure Apple Bloom doesn't find out. She might wanna be like me, an' the last thing ah need is for her and her little friends ta start callin' themselves the Cutie Mark Crusader Fillyfoolers!"

He chuckled and nodded. With that, I ran up to my room and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, my thoughts filled with a certain cyan Pegasus.

Apple Bloom's POV

"Okay, Crusaders! Cutie Mark Crusaders Match Makers is a go!" I said to the girls.

"But we already tried that!" Sweetie Belle whined.

"Yeah, but these ponies already like each other!" I grinned.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Who are we setting up?"

Scootaloo gasped. "No way. If she's involved, I'm so in!"

"What are you guys talking about?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked angrily.

Me and Scootaloo grinned at her. "We're setting up Rainbow Dash!" She exclaimed.

"With who?!"

I grinned evilly. "Applejack."