Ha HA I bet you guys thought I was dead? Lol not quite, just extremely extremely busy :( I really hate the fact I can't upload or write regularly, but future updates are going to come in this hap-hazard fashion unfortunately. I feel this chapter isn't quite as good as my usual standard, but I did have to take a break from this story and it might take me a little to get back into the flow of things. Story wise, things will start to get a little more exciting soon and I KNOW some of you are dying for the foal, but all in good time. Work has already begun on the next chapter, so I'm hoping you won't have to wait months for it. Also, for those who have stuck around this long, I really appreciate it you guys. To see all those favorites, reviews and follows in my inbox really does brighten my day. I may not be the world's most amazing writer, but to know that others enjoy and appreciate my ideas really does mean a lot to me.

~MidNightStorm

Chapter 7- Hanging in Balance

The gentle humming of the great time machine woke the cyan mare from her slumber. Her mind was still slightly foggy, but she was feeling much better. The medical bay was pristine white and filled with an astounding amount of machines; some she recognized and many others she didn't. In fact the only machine that she could name was positioned off to her left and read both her and the foal's heartbeat. The brown stallion was staring intently at a screen filled with circles. It made absolutely no sense to Rainbow Dash but obviously the stallion could, clear as day. He seemed somewhat troubled by what he saw which made Rainbow's heart lurch. This in turn caused one of the machines to beep louder and break pattern. The Doctor looked over and was delighted to find the mare awake.

"Oh good your awake! You gave your friend's quite the scare," he said, bounding over in a springy trot.

The mare rubbed her eye, "Yeah, what exactly did happen back there? All I remember is just feeling really dizzy."

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. I believe that it was just an uncommon side effect of the pregnancy combined with stress, but I'm just running a few other tests. Just in case," he winked and went around the machines one by one. It took a few minutes before all the results were collected and recorded, but they all came back clean.

"Seems like your all clear Miss Dash. For the next few days just stay in bed and avoid doing anything strenuous."

Even now he seemed to be holding something back.

"Doc, when I woke up I saw you over at one of those machines over there. You looked worried. Is there something I should know?"

The expression on his face dropped and caused Rainbow's heart to stop for a moment.

"Yeah… You see that machine over there?" he pointed to the screen that was still covered in circles, "Basically, its an extremely advanced version of an ultrasound machine and a combination of a few other things. I was looking at the foal's size and activity levels."

"And?"

"And… the foal isn't as big nor as active as it should be…"

Horrorstruck was the only way to explain the mare's current expression, "but I've felt it move! Ask Scootaloo, she was there too. We both felt it..."

"Now now it isn't anything to worry about. Not yet anyway. I believe it may just be an effect of the contraceptive that was used, just slowed the rate of growth. Its heart beat is on the lower end of normal, but the foal is healthy in every other way and some foals are just smaller than others. We'll just need to keep an eye on its growth, especially since these next few months are where the growth rate increases tremendously. So if you seem to be putting on huge amounts of weight, it will just be the foal and not what you're eating."

This put Rainbow's mind at ease. She was shocked at how attached she had become to her little bump; she can't believe she ever considered getting rid of it. Her hooves again found themselves at her extended belly.

The timepony was touched by this simple action. In no way was this, the same scared mare he had met five months ago; she had grown so much stronger in such a short time. He couldn't help but think what a wonderful mother she would make.

"Now, since we are on the subject of the foal, would you like to know the gender?"

Dash considered this for a moment, "Um no thanks. This foal was a surprise so I want to keep its gender a surprise too."

"You could take bets among your friends; I know for a fact Pinkie Pie would love that idea. If I may ask, what do you think it is?"

Dash answered immediately, "Well I've always thought he is a colt. I dunno why, just a feeling."

The stallion raised an eyebrow and possessed a smug smile, "Interesting, interesting. Moving onto to other business though, you can expect any cravings or morning sickness to stop. Mood swings will also settle down a little too. You're officially out of the first trimester and are well on your way through the second. Instead you'll probably find yourself feeling more lethargic and you'll experience some back and fetlock pain. This is normal and unavoidable unfortunately. Only thing you can do it try to spend as much time off your feet as you can. Long distance flying is also a no no, since the extra weight of the foal puts a tremendous strain on your wings."

"Sounds like fun," she sighed. Out of the frying pan and into the fire it seemed.

He nodded sympathetically, "Fluttershy has a list of herbs that will be able to help with the pain and I am sure Zecora will be able to cook something up for you. Diet will also be extremely important for the next few months. Again Fluttershy will be able to help you with that."

She nodded in return and started to feel drowsy again.

The Doctor noticed and quickly wrapped up, "So main point is try to stay off your feet and don't do anything strenuous. I'll pop around in another month or two to give you another check up and we'll talk more about what's gonna happen in the last trimester and what to expect before, during and after foaling. I know it seems far away but time has a habit of creeping up on you."

"Actually it seems far too close," she admitted, "scarily close."

Again he nodded. He could understand her fear. Poor mare was jumping headfirst into the unknown and risking everything- her career, her status and perhaps her life. He could also sense that something else was troubling the young mare but didn't pry. He turned towards the exit to allow Dash some rest, pausing at the doorway, "Oh I almost forgot! Twilight, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia will be visiting shortly. I'll wake you when we arrive." With that he left and allowed the mare to fall asleep, unaware she was among the stars.

The majestic white alicorn gazed upon her kingdom, the dull pink of morning just beginning to paint the sky. The gentle breeze lifted her mane from her shoulders. She gazed down upon her kingdom, everything perfectly still; it was too early for anypony to have risen. This was her favorite time of day; when everything was still. A new day brought so many possibilities.

*Whooorrp whorp*

Celestia's swung round to face the sound. It was a familiar sound, a sound that brought hope.

The doors of the blue police box swung open and a brown stallion stepped out.

"My Doctor, you certainly look different from our last encounter."

The Doctor lowered into a bow, "Greetings Celestia, it is a pleasure to be in your company again. But yes new face! Still getting used to it, but it's not too bad, certainly had worse."

The Princess chuckled, "but we should be moving onto more pressing matters. Twilight has informed me of Rainbow Dash's situation. Both her and Luna shall be along shortly."

"Lovely. She is in good health otherwise, but her foal is much smaller than expected this far into the pregnancy. At the moment, I don't see a cause for concern, but somepony should keep an eye on her. If the foal doesn't increase size wise soon, we'll need to intervene. Since Dash is a maiden and a pegasus, we want to avoid anything which could increase the chance of pre-term birth. But as I said, at this stage I'm not concerned."

"Excellent to hear, and your help is appreciated as always. As I understand it, Fluttershy contacted you concerning the matter?"

"Yep. She is such a sweet mare. Apparently Dash was quiet distressed when she found out."

"Understandably so," the voice of Luna boomed through the great hall, Twilight following close behind, "I don't think any mare would react well to such a surprise."

"Especially after just being selected for the Wonderbolts," Twilight added.

The brown stallion nodded, "I'll go wake her," and he disappeared back into his box. The three mares waited outside with grim expressions on their face. This would normally be a cause for celebration; instead it was laced with darkness. Rainbow Dash would not have been his only victim, yet her abuser had remained undetected for so long.

"Sister I don't understand how the stallion has remained undetected by us for so long. I have walked the dreamscape and found no trace, nothing!" Luna exclaimed. This mysterious stallion could not be found no matter how hard she tried- not a dream, not a glimpse, nothing, "he is as difficult to catch as smoke itself."

The white Alicorn sighed, "I know you're frustration, but sooner or later he is bound to make a mistake and that will expose him."

"Princess can't you see? He's already made a mistake," the unicorn piped up. Both Alicorns turned to face her, "Rainbow Dash is pregnant. That's the biggest mistake he could have made, and I bet he's going to try and… erase the evidence."

This was a thought that brought both hope and fear; the foal shared this stallion's DNA which could then be used to track and locate him, but there was always the possibility the stallion would get there first.

The doors of the blue box swung open to reveal a tired looking Rainbow Dash with the Doctor by her side, her mane ruffled and her whole body had a sunken appearance. The stress over the last few days had a very obvious effect on the usually spirited mare.

"Princesses," she mumbled slipping into a clumsy bow.

"Now now Dash, now is not the time for such formalities. A lot has happened to you over the last few months and you are clearly not at your strongest. A foal puts a lot of strain onto a mare's body," Celestia addressed her with a kind eye. She could not help but feel sorry for the mare, and her journey was only just beginning.

"We understand that this foal was not the result of choice?" Luna stepped forward now. She was always the blunter of the two sisters, a trait which sometimes served well and other times had the opposite effect. She must remember to retain some sensitivity for this interrogation.

The rainbow Pegasus dropped her gazed and nodded, "I couldn't remember anything to begin with, just the feeling of being watched, but one night I can home and-and he-"

"It's okay, Twilight told us," Celestia comforted.

Rainbow looked over to her friend and smiled, "thanks."

The unicorn smiled in return, "That's what friends do Dash. Besides, I don't want you to relive that nightmare anymore than you already have."

"Now back to the subject of this mysterious stallion, ever since we were alerted, Celestia and I have been searching for any trace, but our efforts have not been rewarded. It is however expected that you are not his only victim, but with you, something unexpected happened- your foal. This provides us with a means of tracing him, but of course we must wait for the foal to be born."

Celestia stepped up, "however, we are aware that he has already threatened to, um, rectify this error, which a cause for slight concern. At the moment Rainbow Dash, you are the one thing that makes him vulnerable and a stallion like this will stop at nothing to eliminate this vulnerability."

Anxiety was creeping into her heart. Slow your breathing Dash, slow, "So what do you propose we do?"

"Well, she could stay with me in the TARDIS if worse came to pass. The time vortex could have an influence over the foal, but if I need to remain grounded for a few months, I can," the brown stallion suggested, "however, at this point in time I don't feel such extreme actions are warranted."

Both Alicorns agreed, "However I do not feel it is safe for her to return home."

"Well she can stay with me in the library. I know it isn't the most secluded of locations, but at least there will always be some pony around. Plus there is always Sugercube Corner or Sweet Apple Arces," offered Twilight.

"I feel like I prefer that option, no offence Doctor," smiling at the stallion.

"None taken," he replied with his trade mark grin, "I'd be more than happy for Dash to return to Ponyville. At this stage you're a very low risk pregnancy, so there shouldn't be any complications over the next few months. When you begin the third trimester I will definitely need to visit more frequently and a closer eye will need to be kept, but at this stage I have no argument."

"Well if everyone is happy this is the best course of action," Celestia confirmed, "Rainbow Dash shall return to Ponyville and reside at the home of one of her friends for her second trimester. We cannot know when the stallion will strike again, but Luna, the Doctor and I shall continue our search. In the mean time, promise you will get some rest. That is a royal command."

The Pegasus nodded graciously, "As you wish Princess."

The Doctor gestured for Twilight and Rainbow to step inside the bigger-on-the-inside-box, "Here, I'll give you a lift home."

Both mares stepped inside and the bow disappeared for the Princesses' view.