DISC: I DO NOT own any of the ponies you recognize in this story. I do however own all of the Human characters, along with the ponies Baby Rainbow Star, Mahina and Melody.
God loves you
Enjoy!
"The Greatest of Gifts"
Chapter 4
All of Paradise Estate was asleep and everything was quiet as the clock in the living room struck two.
Megan was fast asleep, until she was woken up by Baby Glory. The baby pony sounded terrified.
"Baby Glory, honey, what's the matter? " Megan asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes and pushing a few strands of blond hair out of her face.
"Anoder ghost in Paradise Estate!" She cried. "scary wind sound."
Megan sighed and went to see what was going on. When she got to the nursery, she found that some of the baby ponies were wide awake. Their pillows and blankets were everywhere. She frowned and asked, "What's going on in here?"
"Ghost here!" Baby Half Note told her.
"Anowder ghost!" Baby Cotton Candy said tearfully. She was clutching her teddy bear.
"IT looks more like a pillow fight to me."
"We didn't do nothin'!" Baby Sundance shouted. "Ghost did it!"
"Hush now, Baby Sundance," Megan said sternly. She went over to the window and closed it. She then turned to the baby ponies that were awake, which included Baby Rainbow Star.
"See? All better. Now, there's nobody in here but you. No ghost."
Baby Rainbow Star shook her head and sat up, knowing that would get her Mama's attention. She wanted to be held.
"But there weally was a ghost, Mama! Weally."
"Now let's get some more sleep," Megan said coming over to re tuck Baby Rainbow Star back in.
"Don't want to be alone, Megan!" Baby Glory pleaded, her eyes still full of tears.
"Stay Mama, pwease?" Baby Rainbow Star asked, her tone was tearful and scared.
Megan sighed and sat down. She started patting Baby Rainbow Star's mane gently in an effort to get her daughter back to sleep.
"Listen to me, all of you, I'm tellin' ya, there are NO such things as ghosts. Believe me." She then started to sing, knowing that would do the trick.
Once she was done singing, Megan kissed Baby Rainbow Star's cheek and left the room.
"Sweet dreams, my precious one. Mama loves you. I'll see you in the morning." She then turned to the remaining baby ponies who were still awake and said, "That goes for the rest of you. I Love you all very much. I'll see you in the morning. And NO more fooling around. Okay?"
The baby ponies nodded.
As Megan left the nursery and made her way down the hall to her room, she heard something that made her stop and double back.
She peeked in Brooke's room to see her little cousin tossing and turning and whimpering. She thought about getting Aunt Abby, but she decided against it. She knew her aunt needed her rest.
Walking into the room, she went over to Brooke's bed and sat down on the edge of it.
Gently, but quickly, Megan started shaking Brooke's shoulder in an effort to wake her up.
"Brooke? Brooke, come on, sweetheart. It's just a bad dream." Megan coaxed gently. "You're okay. It's time to wake up now." She coaxed, praying it would work.
Brooke bolted upright a few minutes later. She was shaking and tears were streaming down her face.
She reached out, desperate for something to cling to and felt the gentle arms of her big cousin pull her close.
"Shh," Megan soothed, putting her hands through her hair gently. "Shh, hush now. It's all over. You're safe. You're okay. Everything's all right. Your big cousin has you now."
Brooke nodded, but she was still highly upset. She buried her face in Megan's shoulder as more sobs racked her small form.
Megan continued to soothe her little cousin until the eight-year-old's tears subsided a little.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Megan asked.
Brooke shook her head.
Just then, Abby appeared in the doorway. She became worried when she saw Brooke crying in Megan's arms.
"Brooke?" She said softly.
Hearing her mother's familiar voice, Brooke broke free of Megan's gentle hold and flew over to her mother. She clung to her for dear life as Abby picked her up.
"Shh, shh, Brooke, you're okay. Mommy has you now. Was it the same nightmare again, baby?"
Brooke nodded as a fresh set of tears started.
"Can I sleep with you tonight, please!" She begged.
Abby knew this was bad. Brooke hadn't slept with her since she was seven-years-old.
"Of course you can." Abby replied. "Come on, let's get you tucked in." With that, she left the room with Brooke in her arms.
Once she had gotten Brooke settled and had explained to a half awake Mike what was going on, she kissed Brooke's cheek and sung her back to sleep.
After she was sure Brooke was in dreamland once again, she went to tell Megan everything was okay.
"Is Brooke gonna be okay?" Megan asked when Abby met her in the hallway.
"I hope so." Abby said as she gave Megan a hug. "I really hope so. I'm sure once the baby is born and she sees her new little sister or brother is okay, she'll be fine."
Megan nodded.
"Well, good night, Aunt Abby. I love you." Megan said as she kissed her aunt and turned to go back into her own room.
"Night, sweetheart." Abby replied, returning the affection. "I love you too." With that, the Estate fell silent for the rest of the night…
The next morning, things were a little quiet.
Abby was munching on some water melon and pineapple dipped in syrup, while the others ate their respective breakfasts around her.
The only one not eating was Brooke. She was swirling her cereal around with her fork while trying not to fall asleep. She had slept the night before, but she had woken up from another nightmare early that morning.
Abby gazed at her daughter in concern. She frowned before getting up and rounding the table to her side.
"When you're done, I want you to go back to bed for a while." She instructed her kindly. "You're not going to school today."
Brooke nodded. She wasn't going to argue with her mother on that one.
"Brooke tired, Mama?" Baby Rainbow Star asked.
"A little, sweetie," Megan replied. "She had a rough night."
Baby Rainbow Star nodded and went back to eating her breakfast.
After breakfast, Abby tucked Brooke back in bed and stayed with her until she was asleep.
She then went to see what everyone else was doing around the Estate.
Firefly and Patrick were taking a flight since Patrick had off school due to in service.
Megan was teaching Kassie and Julie, while Molly was in science with Posey.
Abby finally just decided to vedge out on the couch for a while until Brooke woke up from her nap. She was going to talk to her when she did awaken.
After she got herself a snack of ham and pineapple, along with some pineapple juice, she settled back down on the couch.
As she was watching a re run of "Family Feud" Baby Glory came into the living room and joined her.
Abby smiled as she patted her mane.
"What's up, my little angel?" She asked sweetly.
Baby Glory just cuddled next to her favorite aunt. She just wanted to be close to her right now.
As Baby Glory continued to cuddle with Abby, she felt something kick her.
"Something kick me!" She said in surprise.
Abby grinned. She had a feeling she knew what it was.
"It was probably the baby." She said. "Babies move around a lot in their Mama's tummies."
"Baby in Aunt Abby's tummy?" Baby Glory asked.
"Yup." Abby replied. She patted Baby Glory's mane as she waited to see what the final Jeopardy question would be.
"How did baby get there?" Baby Glory asked curiously.
Fortunately, Brooke chose that moment to join them. She came straight over to her mother and sat next to her.
"Hey, Brooke." Abby greeted warmly. "Did you sleep well?"
Brooke nodded.
"Yeah." She replied. "What's up?"
"Nothing much." Abby replied. "I want you to feel something."
"What?" The eight-year-old asked.
"You'll see." Abby said with a loving smile.
Brooke nodded. She allowed her mother to place her right hand on her stomach.
After a minute, Brooke felt something move.
Her face split into a grin.
"The baby moved!" She exclaimed. "She moved!"
"Yup." Abby said. "She just started kicking today."
"Does that mean she's okay?" Brooke asked hopefully.
Abby nodded. She pulled her eldest daughter close.
"She's more than okay." She said with a smile as she kissed the top of Brooke's head.
This made Brooke feel a lot better.
After spending a little time with her mother, Brooke left to see what Emily and Molly were doing. She found them outside, playing bubble ball.
"Come and join us!" Fizzy called.
"Okay!" Brooke called back.
Soon, all three girls and Fizzy were laughing up a storm. Brooke was having fun and she didn't feel as scared about her mother possibly losing the baby.
Feeling her new sister move in her mother's stomach was enough to convince her that everything just might be okay after all…