we would like you to adopt Twilight and become her mother.
Shining Armor's last sentence echoes through Celestia's head.
"Shining Armor, you know I love Twilight, I always have and always will but I cannot take the place of Twilight's mother." The princess says, watching as Shining Armor looks back at his little sister.
"Please Princess Celestia, Twilight needs a mother in her life and you understand her more than our own mother did, in her letters, she referred to you as her second mother." Shining Armor says, practically begging the princess who sighs. "I guess I could talk it over with Luna and see what she thinks, and of course Twilight. I'll only do it if Twilight agrees." The princess says and Shining Armor nods just as they hear Twilight ywan, her hoof rubbing her eyes.
"Hey, Twily." Shining Armor says softly, Twilight nuzzles him. "Shining, please stay with me, don't leave me." Twilight begs, her ears flat against her head, Celestia's heart cracks at hearing her favorite student begging her brother not to die. "Can't Princess Celestia do something, I mean she is the princess of Equestria, she has to know something to help." Celestia knows that her student is grasping at straws. Celestia sighs. "Shining, Twilight, I'm just stepping out for a minute, I won't be long." Celestia says before stepping out of the room to give the siblings some space and for herself to think about what Shining Armor told her before Twilight woke up.
Their parents want Celestia to adopt Twilight? Can she do that? Can she take somepony else's child and claim her as her own? Will Luna and Twilight agree to it?
"Princess Celestia?" A quiet voice comes from in front of her, shaking her multi-coloured mane, Celestia sees her sister and Twilight's friends looking at her with worried looks on their faces, Celestia opens her mouth to speak to the ponies when they all hear Twilight screaming.
All seven of them bolt into the room and what they see shatters Celestia's heart: laying over Shining Armor, shaking him, begging him to wake up and crying, is Twilight.
"No, you can't do this to me, Shining, you have your whole life ahead of you, you're meant to take care of me forever, please come back to me." Twilight begs, tears running down her muzzle.
Choking down her own tears, Celestia walks over to her distraught, beloved student and gently pulls the pony off her brother by the scruff of her neck, Twilight struggles with the princess, shouting to be put down but Celestia holds her tighter, her teeth slightly tightening on the scruff of Twilight's neck.
Celestia carries the pony out of the room, her sisters and friends following as doctors work on Shining Armor. Celestia puts Twilight on her back as she falls asleep for the second time today.
Celestia hears Twilight whimper several times in her sleep but doesn't wake, the Alicorn sighs, these next few weeks will be a nightmare for her beloved student.
But one thing is for sure: Celestia isn't leaving the unicorns side no matter how much she'll no doubt ask.