Blimey it's been a while, my apologies for the delay. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to do.

Begin!

The Seventh Day

(Part One)

Shock, fear, inconsolable, desperate for safety, for warmth. I had to find it, to find…to find…

I opened my eyes only to be nigh blinded by a sea of various colours. Red, purple, green, magenta, pink, blue…so many. Looking down at myself I blinked in surprise at the clothing I was apparently wearing. Not that there was anything strange about the clothing itself, no. It was just some jeans and a black t-shirt. No the strange thing is that up until now I've been more or less completely naked.

Where am I?

I tentatively began to walk forward through the colourful scene, pushing through them with a surprisingly needed amount of strength, especially with the deep, pulsating red-ish pink. My eyes were quickly overwhelmed by a blinding light, only for it to quickly fade away…leaving me without the vast array of colour but instead a series of…coloured doors?

There was a light red one to my far left that seemed to be vibrating somewhat. The door next to it was a far deeper red mixed with pink, it was pulsating…almost like the beat of a person's heart. The door to the right of that one was green, very green. Just looking at it made me feel…needy, for want of a better word. And finally to the right of that one was a light blue mixed with sunny yellow; I could hear…wind coming from it, a light breeze even.

What is this place? I pondered curiously. And what are those doors? Maybe I…no, oh no. I'm not touching them. I am not…

How does that saying go, curiosity killed the cat?

My innate sense of needed to know getting the better of me, I walked over to the light red door and made to open it…only to stop and shudder at the complete and total feeling of rage seemingly emanating from it. Blinking rapidly in surprise, I shook both the feeling off and ever so slightly, my head, before proceeding to grab the handle and pull it open, revealing-

Anger, fury, rage. How dare he walk away, how dare he!

"…THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE WORMHOLE?!" Tobias raged, his face contorted with fury. "I could have seen my family, my friends and everyone else!"

"I-I thought you would have chosen to stay with them," I stammered, shock and slight fear all but stealing away ability to speak normally. "I thought you would have left me for them…I thought…I thought that I meant less to you than them. I just…couldn't risk it."

My beloved human looked away from me in disgust, a knife through my heart. I knew him, I knew his expressions, his body language…everything. He could barely stand to look at me.

"And what gave you the right to decide for me?" he demanded, his body shaking with suppressed fury. "What stopped you from thinking about what I wanted, Celly? We're supposed to trust each other with everything, I would never have…"

But he would have, he would have left me all alone…without him. I couldn't do it, I couldn't, I can't go through that loneliness again. I need him with me, I need to know I can hold him, brush against him…kiss him at any time. Oh I love him so much, I love him!

I tried to move closer, to touch him as I so dearly needed to in that moment…but he backed away from me, to avoid me. He didn't want to touch me.

Please Toby…don't look at me like that, please.

He moved, but so did I. Nearer and nearer until he couldn't move anymore, regarding me with anger and distrust. But it would be okay, he loved me and this was just another argument for us to move beyond. I could convince him, he loved me.

He loved me.

"Sweetie, I was so scared that you were going to leave me," I crooned softly. "I didn't think it through, but you mean so much to me…I didn't want to lose you."

I couldn't lose him, I couldn't. But I wouldn't, he wouldn't leave me, I know him, I know my baby. He would argue, he would be angry, upset…but we would work through it, I would hug him, kiss him gently, lovingly and then all would be well agai-

"Too fucking late for that."

W-What, no. He's not…he isn't going to…is he? My thoughts were panicky, frightened. He was moving past me, trying to…no, NO!

I snapped out a wing to halt his steps before quickly moving in front of him, pleading silently for him to listen to me, to stay…to hold me, to let me hold him and promise that everything would be okay.

He would NOT leave me, I refused. And if he tried to then…THEN I WOULD-

"Toby please think this through" I beseeched gently, frightened tears sliding down my cheeks. "I don't want to…please don't do this."

"Get out of my way Princess," he snapped…but his rage was forgotten in that moment.

He called me Princess, PRINCESS! No, no, no, no!

He would NOT call me that, I was Celestia, Celly, Cel, never ever Princess to him. Didn't he understand how much that title hurt me when it came from his mouth?

"I don't want you to leave me, Toby," I all but whispered, begged. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what I did. Just give me a chance to make this right, please!"

Please!

"You can't just make this right," he snarled, his voice bitter. "Just get out of the way and leave me alone."

He…he was really going to do it, he was going to abandon me! I couldn't accept that, I couldn't. Shaking my head at the very thought of it, I narrowed my eyes and stared at my beloved, watching in silence as he shivered uncomfortably, as if suddenly reminded of the mare he was facing.

Not that I would ever hurt him with my magic! But if it intimidated him enough to stop, to listen to reason and let me explain why, how I loved him so much, too much to let him go.

"Don't do this Toby," I intoned softly, my stare still focused completely on him. "I'm sorry, I truly am. I should never have kept this from you, but I did and I can't change that. But if you leave me now…"

I don't want to hurt you, I will never hurt you with my power…but there are other ways to make you see reason. Please don't make me use them…

"What?" he sighed wearily. "Are you going to attack me if do, imprison me?"

He actually thinks that I'd…harm a single hair on his body? He thinks I would lock him away in some rotting dungeon?! Never!

And so I denied it, fervently to his face, looking into his eyes and imploring him to see the truth. But…with him momentarily lax, I saw ample opportunity to swoop in, to wrap my wings around him and encompass him with my hooves, smothering him with all the love I could give, and more.

He almost managed to force his way out…almost, but with but a tap into my long unused Earth Pony strength there was nothing he could do to leave my hold again. And though it upset me to have to use it at all, the feeling of him relaxing in my embrace was heavenly. The feel of his clean shaven skin against my fur was…exquisite.

And with all that feeling, all that emotion welling up inside me…I couldn't stop myself from begging, pleading…I needed him!

"Don't leave me alone Tobias, I couldn't do it…I can't be alone again, please!"

But with a single look into his unwavering eyes, I knew what his answer would be. And as I tried to yet again plead with him to listen, his soft, yet firm hand gently wrapped around my muzzle, stopping any further speech from me.

Were it not for the situation…I would have grinned and made something loving come of it, but…

"Celly I need this," he spoke quietly. "I am…so angry right now, and hurt. I had a chance to see my family again and you selfishly denied it…Do you even have any idea how disgusted I am with you?"

No…please, I won't…I won't let you!

Staring at him with firm authority and but a touch of intimidation, I spoke the words that finalized his choice…

"You will not break up with me, Tobias."

His eyes narrowed, his teeth bared, his frown set in complete, stubborn certainty.

"Try and stop me," he all but snarled in my face, pushing past me and leaving me in a stunned daze…that all too quickly became a furious rage.

He walked away, he left me! How dare he, how DARE HE!

...

I blinked and found myself watching as the light red door slammed shut in front of me, a feeling of fury washing over and fading away as it did so.

That was…the break up from Celestia's point of view. I could feel everything she did…as if I WAS her.

Looking around at wherever I was once more, I frowned as I took in the almost ethereal world around me, sudden realization coming rapidly as I understood where I was.

I'm in her head, these doors they're…her memoires and emotions? Light red must mean anger, desperate anger at that. It's all I could feel when I opened it.

Looking at the other three doors next to me, I narrowed my eyes as I stared at the mixture of deep red and light pink emanating from the one nearest. It was pulsating in the exact same beat of a calm heart.

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

If light red meant anger and desperation, then what can a deeper red and light pink mean?

I reached out to open the door, grasping the handle and-

OH GOD! Oh God, oh. OH!

I completely collapsed against it, a strong, neigh. An overwhelming, fucking intense rush of warmth, hot heat flooding my body, burning me harmlessly from the inside out.

GOD FUCK! OH FUCK!

I tried to break away from the door, forcing my hand off the handle…but couldn't stop myself from all but rubbing against it like a wild beast. The sheer emotion in this door was horrible…and wonderful…and so, so fucking intense! I didn't need to look to know just how hard I was, rubbing my body against the…bizarrely soft, strange fur-like texture of the door. And the words I could hear, feel coming from it…

"Toby…oh my lovely, wonderful man. Stay with me, be with me forever, don't let go…"

Struggling, panting, rubbing and rubbing so close to release…I had to let go, I had to…let…stay…let…go…

"Love me Tobias, love me, love me. Stay with me! Let me keep you warm and loved and safe forever and ever and ever and-"

I…had…to…let…go!

With all the willpower I had in me, I wrenched myself away from the demonic door and threw myself in the only direction I could convince myself to go.

Forward.

The door opened and I was...pulled inside, but gently, carefully. Almost as if whoever did so was doing all they could not to harm me, to keep me safe and…

The world around me was a deep red, pulsating like…a heartbeat. And listening as I did…I knew whose. I could tell just by listening, breathing in the sudden yet pleasant, chocolate-like tang in the air.

"Honey…"

That one word, that one, loving, gentle word caressed my entire body ever so softly. Celestia's tone, voice as she said it made me feel so…loved, safe, warm…

And with no touch, no imagery to help it, that one word crippled me, cutting my legs out from under me until I collapsed onto my back, body pleasantly numb and oh so comfortable. My eyes barely took the world around me in, becoming glassy and lidded…sleepy almost.

The previous door had held a memory of desperate anger, but this one…this one didn't need a memory. Celestia didn't feel that anger anymore, thus it was but one memory. But this…this was her love, so strong it all but ruined me, reducing me to a willingly weak man, forever weak…if only to continue feeling her boundless love forever.

"Ah!" I gasped, yet another rush of hot energy pounding through me. It felt so good, so wonderful. This was how Celestia felt…for me? And I wanted to throw it away, to one side forgotten forever?

I…I couldn't see her, but amongst wave after wave of her love flowing through me, I could feel her. I could feel her hooves trailing slowly, up and down my skin, touching and teasing so affectionately. I could feel her lips pressing here and there, warming my body ever more.

I could feel her touching, tasting me, tasting my…

"Oh!"

My arousal reached its peak and bloomed, essence leaving me in harsh yet oh so delightful spurts. And then it was over, a good afterglow thrumming through my body.

"I love making you feel this way honey. I love keeping you happy…and you will be, forever."

And within the dream…sleep consumed me.

When I opened my eyes, I was back outside of the doors once more, the two I'd touched, experienced, no longer any colour at all.

Holy…shit. I…I can't…is that how she feels about me? There was so much…oh god, so much love it hurt…and yet felt wonderful.

I didn't move at all for a while, simply choosing to lay there and let myself experience that sensation over and over again in my mind. She was the one who poisoned me, trapped me in her chambers and, whether she meant it or not, humiliated me day after day.

But then the times in which she looked after me, washed me, talked with me…the love in every action she made regarding me was now so clear in my eyes. She wanted to show how her love was all I needed, that her love could wash away every pain…even the one she ironically, selfishly put there to begin with.

I don't know what to feel anymore…

Sighing as I opened my eyes, I allowed for a couple more seconds of bliss before deciding to continue with the messed up memory doors.

Looking at the two still glowing doors to my right, I shakily forced myself onto my feet and glanced at the one closest. It was glowing a sickly green and emanating a sort of…needy feeling in my direction. It was hot one moment then cold the next, on and off constantly.

"You are mine; I won't let you leave me!"

Gasping at the sudden, intense emotion flooding within me, I glanced at the sickly door and backed away in shock at the very familiar magenta eyes staring at me hungrily as they rested on it, as if a twisted parody of a person's face.

Jealously.

The emotion is jealousy…possessive jealousy?

I did not want to touch that door…but with no other way out of Celestia's apparent mindscape, I knew I had little choice but to do just that.

In for a penny and all that.

Grimacing, I took a deep breath and walked forward; ignoring the sensation I was bestowed upon grasping the handle…and opened the door.

I did not appreciate the way Herdona Grapevine looked at her employee.

I did not appreciate the doe eyes she sent him every time he wasn't looking.

I did not appreciate the way she overpaid him, gave him the easy jobs deliberately when he could do so much more…I did not like the way she liked him.

Tobias was my coltfriend and future husband (whether he knew it or not), and no pretty little hussy was going to even attempt to take him from me with some not so subtle actions.

And so…

I walked through the streets of Canterlot with purpose, a small smirk on my muzzle as I neared Two Bit Coffees, a plan already well formed in my mind. Of course with me being who I am everypony I passed decided to make a big show of bowing and, to my annoyance, get in my general direction.

I love my little ponies as dearly as a mother loves her children. Without my gentle guidance they would most likely still be at war and not at peace…but there are times like this where I sometimes wish they didn't love me quite as much back. Still I kept on forward, a smile here and a nuzzle there as I passed them all and finally opened the door to the café.

…And was slightly dismayed by the sight that greeted me as I walked on in to the more or less deserted place.

My love had his back to me and was filling up clear bags with coffee beans of a sort, but it wasn't this that bothered me, oh no. What bothered me was the way his manager was all but leaning against him as she…she asked her silly little questions.

Questions that she had NO right to ask MY man!

"So what do you like most about a mare?" she asked, deliberately using a soft, sensual tone of voice in doing so. "What makes you look twice?"

"Um…her personality I suppose," he answered honestly "Beauty doesn't really do much for me if the mare is ugly underneath it all."

And that's one of the many, many reasons why I love you

Tobias, being his usual observant self when it came to the general female population, didn't seem to notice her sultry tone at all. But I did…and I most certainly DID NOT like it.

And so I walked up to the oblivious pair and coughed.

Twice.

"Oh sorry, welcome to Two Bit Coffees. How can I help you-OH Princess Celestia?!" Herdona Grapevine didn't quite have the aptitude to hide her emotions very well…at all. The shock on her features was of course understandable, but the annoyance, the green in those eyes as my beloved turned and smiled oh so very happily upon seeing me.

No, she had little aptitude for it at all…unlike me.

"Celly?" Tobias inquired, laughing softly in surprise. "What are you doing here; I thought your duties took you up to this evening?"

"Oh I finished them a touch quicker than I thought I would sweetheart," I replied, my simple and maybe not entirely truthful answer appeasing his curiosity instantly.

Of course the soft, sensual tone I used and had perfected over hours upon hours of practice may have assisted me greatly, whilst also bringing me a bout of glee as I witnessed the 'blink-and-you-miss-it' anger on Herdona's face.

"Why, can't a mare come to see her hard working coltfriend as he works?" I teased subtly, relishing in the red flush that began to fill up his attractive face.

"Uh, of course not-I mean yes, yes you can," he stammered, obviously embarrassed and, if my studying of him is as good as I believe it is, he was a little turned on as well.

"Very good," I purred softly. "Then I'll have…a cup of cinnamon spiced tea if you please and slice of chocolate cake too, if you wouldn't mind adding that as well honey?"

A touch of nervousness briefly appears on his face as he takes in my order, but it is quickly overtaken by determination as he smiles and swiftly begins to work.

And like a child shows his mother the picture he worked so hard drawing in school, the hopeful expression on my beloved's face mirrors this scenario to a tee as he places the spiced tea down, and then finally puts the cake on a warm plate.

"That'll be eight bits then ma'am," he requests, an expected yet pleasant change from other stores who try to give me their merchandise for nothing. And so I hoof over a ten bit coin with a warm smile.

"Keep the change my dear," I coo softly, smiling wider still as his hand brushes against my hoof, my concentration almost slipping as I used my magic to place my order on the table nearest to the counter.

Herdona was standing a few feet away, all but forgotten from the moment I placed my order. But a good Princess tries to make sure all her ponies are both noticed and remembered, and so I smile my traditional matronly smile at her…before I look back at my wonderfully clueless lover and all but yank him over the counter for a surprise smooch.

Now of course with Herdona being the manager of her fine establishment, she could of course demand that I leave her employee alone, or even demand that I take my order outside…but…well, she understandably doesn't.

Quite wisely too, I'd hate to have to help Tobias find another job because she's forced to close her café' down. Sometimes I can forget what my opinion can do to a pony's reputation.

And as she wisely stays silent I turn my gaze back to her, my lips still very attached to my lover's, and narrow my eyes, communicating a very clear non-verbal warning.

He's mine, back off!

And by the rapid submissive change in her stance and expression, it is with a savage glee that I deliberately let out a little moan of satisfaction, smirking as Herdona closes her eyes and walks into the back of the café, defeated.

"C-Celly what was that all about?" Tobias stammers, laughing in a mixture of happiness and excitement.

I look right into those gorgeous eyes and give him my best smouldering look, chuckling silently as his legs wobble but a touch, his hands gripping the counter firmly in response. Smirking, I take a sip of the tea he lovingly made for me and smile as I take in no flaws, before staring at him once more, admiring his struggle to stay upright.

I liked a male who had willpower…but not as much as mine.

Guess I better do something about that then.

"Do you have ten minutes my love?" I ask, keeping my voice silky and warm.

"Um…" he glances at the clock and then at the now completely deserted café. "Sure I guess. We're never too busy around this time anyway. Why do you ask?"

Smiling innocently, I look past him and call Herdona's name, said smile fighting with me to become a fully-fledged smirk as I take in the brief gleam of jealousy in her eyes.

"Yes Princess, is there anything I can do for you?" she asks quietly, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly…one might have missed it if they didn't know what to look for.

"Yes you can," I reply warmly. "I was wondering if I could borrow your employee for a short time?"

"W-What, why do you ask?"

"Well I quite liked the tea I ordered, but as a Princess I believe I need to know if your place of work is staying true to the health and safety regulations in the case that I choose to make this café a regular choice of mine," I explain, effortlessly spinning a reason she simply couldn't refuse. "And so I'd first like to check your toilets, but of course I'd like to have Mr Greenfield with me for questions and such if you wouldn't mind?"

The opportunity to have myself as a regular customer is evidently too much for even her jealous thoughts to pass up, and so it was with little time that she agreed and all but pushed my lover out from around the counter and into the toilets.

Of course a raised eyebrow puts her back behind the counter. I only need Tobias for this, though she's more than welcome to…aha, listen.

We both enter a somewhat large room with sinks and of course toilets, and with Tobias's back turned for that moment I quickly lock the door and approach him as he turns around, confusion evident upon his face.

"Um, so what do you think then?" he asks, adorably oblivious to my true intention in bringing him here alone. "It's not as good as home I know, but I think it's alright. Herdona's pretty tight about regulations and such."

"Well," I drawl, tapping underneath my muzzle in contemplation before moving over to a sink and resting my hooves upon it. "Everything looks quite alright…except for this sink."

Before he can ask me why, I arch my back slightly and push my flank up in the air, my tail moving to one side as I display myself for him. The look on his face when I look behind is something I'll never forget.

Flushed red, unsure, slightly embarrassed even…yet there was a hunger in those beautiful eyes.

"Why…um, what's wrong with it exactly?" he asks, swallowing as I lid my eyes and grin sultrily.

"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" I purr invitingly. "I wouldn't want to be mistaken in my problem with it…"

To be fair he did hesitate before complying, obviously worried by what Herdona would do if he listened to me. But then he obviously remembered that I was his marefriend and had far more sway over his decisions than her.

And so he walked over…and I quickly took charge of the situation by phasing my tail through his trousers and letting my magic do the talking for me.

"C-Cel, what are y-you…oh!"

"You know what's wrong with this sink honey," I coo flirtatiously, my magic undoing his clothing and pulling them down…all of the clothing on his legs of course. "You haven't made love to me over it yet."

Magic is a wonderful thing; it was with magic that I knew of Herdona listening in to our…activity. It was with magic that I felt her jealousy spike dangerously high. It was with magic that I made sure only she could hear what we did, even as customers gradually began to come in.

It was with magic that I amplified the scent, my scent that I'd left all over Tobias…and made sure it was all she could smell when she flirted and asked her trivial questions.

Tobias thankfully remained clueless, unaware of an easily won battle, if you could even call it that, between an ageless, powerful immortal and a silly little mare that would turn to dust in but a few blinks.

To me…and one day soon, to him.

No mare would ever take him from me, the only male in existence that had made my heart skip a beat, that had made my hooves sweat and nerves jittery as I came to adore the sound of his voice in that dreary hospital.

No mare would ever take Tobias away from me.

My eyes opened gradually this time; the previous wave of possessive jealously fading away quickly as I force myself to shake it off. I could still hear the scheming thoughts of Celestia's mind in my own, thoughts that seemed to work at a speed I couldn't even comprehend.

She was highly intelligent, I knew that. But this…my ex-marefriend was a borderline genius when it came to planning ahead. Of course she missed a few things, she was after all only pony.

Why am I defending her? I should feel nothing but loathing for what she's done to me…but…but a part of me doesn't care, why? None of this has affected the way I feel towards her…it couldn't have, right?

Shaking the confusing train of thought away, I climbed to my feet once more and closed my eyes for but a moment, thinking back to that memory from my point of view…and all but snarling at how much of a clueless idiot I was back then. Celestia had known how oblivious I was and had used that for her benefit…and begrudgingly she used it for mine too, in her own scheming little way.

Herdona…liked me? How did I not see that when Cel did?

Sometimes I think the stereotyping of male cluelessness in regard to the female mind is spot on…at least with me in any case.

But it wasn't what Celestia knew that bothered me greatly, not really. It was the complete and total fear I'd felt from her mind as she schemed to show her superiority in not just her being a mare but also in regard to being the only one I truly loved. Herdona had no chance of stealing me away from her, I knew that. But Celestia had been alone for so long before meeting me that she was terrified of being alone again, and had in her own brand of idiocy believed that my old boss had a chance of winning my heart.

I see it now. Celestia was overly possessive even then, and she was and is so because she's terrified. She was deathly scared of some other mare taking me away from her…oh why did it take her poisoning me just to make me notice it? I'm so blind! If I had just realized sooner what she feared the most then maybe I could have stopped her from closing that wormhole to begin with, then none of this would ever have happened.

Practically kicking myself for my stupidity, I look back at the four doors and cock an eyebrow at the only remaining one left. The colour radiating from it was a mixture of light blue and sunny yellow, and as I walked closer I could even hear the soft sound of a breeze coming from within.

It made me feel…happy, dreamy even. And so with a final look at the previous few doors, I take a deep breath and open this one, stepping through and…

I curse quietly and blink a few times as sand sneaks its way into them, rubbing my eyes gently to get the grains out.

"Are you okay hon?" The familiar sound of my husband's voice is normally enough to make me smile, but the concern in it as he gently assists my rubbing is more than enough to reward him with a kiss.

"I'm fine baby, it was just a bit of sand," I reassure, kissing his lips softly before nuzzling his clean shaven neck. He looks right into my eyes as he checks, making me blush ever so slightly at the love I can see in his own. "See, all better now."

He grins coltishly and rubs my right ear lovingly, knowing all too well just how much I adore getting his special ear rubs, his grin widening as my wings begin to rise. Sighing unhappily, I use one to gently push his wonderful digits away, but quickly smile once more as I lean against him…and stare out at the brilliant sunset shining a deep red over our balcony.

The fact that I wasn't the one lowering it made it all the more unique to witness.

"Do you want something to drink sweetie, you look thirsty?" I ask softly, worrying as I always do about my lovers' health, no matter how redundant it is to do so nowadays.

"Hmm," he ponders aloud, smiling somewhat cheekily as he replies. "I…think I'll make it myself today, not that I don't trust you with certain liquids…but I don't trust you with certain liquids."

"You're never going to let that go are you?" I deadpan, mock annoyed at his cheek. "I've already apologized a million times or so, why can't you let it go yet?"

"One does not simply let 'their mare poisoning you in a fit of frightened decision making' go my dear."

"Really?" I cock an eyebrow somewhat sarcastically. "Come on baby, it happened four hundred years ago."

"Four hundred and two love…and you really should know me enough by now to understand when I am and am not messing with you."

"Oh, is that what you were doing?" I ask, pinning him with a light glare. "Well thank you dear, you've officially made me feel like shit. Well done, let me give you a pat on the-Mphhh…mphhh…"

Damn him and his wonderful kisses…

"O…Okay, so maybe you're not on the couch tonight," I giggle breathlessly.

"I'm was on the couch tonight?"

The sound of the see-through glass door opening behind us is all the warning I get before a flash of deep blue knocks me down on the ground, much to my husband's apparent amusement if his laughter was anything to go on.

Maybe the couch wasn't such a bad idea for him, being so devious to his wife deserves the proper response after all…

Looking down at the bundle of fur clinging to my stomach, it is with an all too familiar sense of utter delight that I take in the bright eyed, mostly toothy smile of my little baby colt.

"Surprise mommy!" he chirps happily. "Did I surprise you, did I? Daddy said it would be a gr-gre-good surprise!"

"Oh did he now?" I drawl, raising an eyebrow as I look up at my beloved's innocent expression, before placing my son on my back and standing up, poking Toby's stomach in mock annoyance. "Well it looks like we'll both be in our own beds alone tonight sweetie."

"Why isn't daddy sleeping with you?" he inquires, tilting his head ever so cutely.

"Oh, because your father's been especially naughty today and needs a time out on the couch." Looking back at Tobias it's all I can do not to give a full bellied laugh at the almost pitiful pleading expression on his face. "Although if he's a good boy he might still get some snuggle time tonight…a bath and some chocolate cake might help him…maybe."

And like a good, attentive husband, my lover is all too willing to run back into the house and do just what I hinted at, but not before I snap out a wing to pull him close and kiss him lightly.

Naturally our son lets us know that he still finds kissing icky, but Toby's quick action of both seizing him and throwing him up into the air over and over is more than enough to quell his 'ews'.

The giggling is adorable…and as I look at my husband playing with our son, the sun still setting beautifully behind them, a wide, happy smile spreads across my muzzle.

All of this was a dream come true, my dream. All I had ever wanted from the moment I'd fallen in love with Tobias was this life. No longer royalty, no more duties, no more raising the sun or being bowed at by everyone I meet. Just my husband, our son, a good school and a house near the ocean for us to raise our family in for the foreseeable future.

And I had never been happier.

"…honey wake up, wake up sweetie."

Oh…I am so…

"Tired…"

"I know, it's okay. Just open your eyes…look at me baby."

Despite my body protesting against the action, I groggily forced my eyes to open and blinked away the sleep blurring up my vision.

…and then I could see clearly…and I couldn't speak.

Silky white fur, multi-coloured magical mane, ears pinned back with concern and…and those eyes, those magenta orbs gazing down at me with a love I now knew so…so very intimately.

"Celestia," the name leaves my lips in a breath. "Celly…"

"Yes Toby," she breathes back, the hint of chocolate filling my senses. Her scent. "It's me love."

Choking on emotion, I try to clear my throat to speak, to tell her…I desperately needed to say…to speak…

"Celly…I saw…"

Her face leans down and she brushes her muzzle against my nose, breathing as I breathe. An intimate act between equines that…that I knew not until that very moment.

"Me too," she says, breathing still. "Oh Toby…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't know how…how bad your life was before we met. I was so ignorant of your past…I'm so sorry."

She saw my past, my memories and emotions too?

"My life on Earth wasn't so bad Cel," I soothe. "You have no reason to apologize for it."

She leans back a touch in disbelief and frowns at my answer…but shakes her head and smiles warmly, leaning down once more and breathing against my own, shaky, tired breath.

"You're a good man Tobias, you really are."

I kissed her…I couldn't stop myself. Not with her tone the way it was, not with the breathing, not with all I had seen and experienced as if I was experiencing it…when it happened.

She pushed back against my kiss, moaning softly as she lifted the blanket over the two of us and gently laid herself atop me, two legs to a side each. The warmth of her fur against my skin, soothing, so gentle, so…Celestia.

"Mhmm," she moans once more, softly, happily before breaking it off gently and gazing down at me…with such love in her eyes it renders me silent once more. I know that love, I'd walked inside that door in her mind, I'd felt it rush inside of me and knock me down. I'd felt it touch my heart, my soul…with such pleasure that I was brought to climax with so little effort.

And now she spoke it, those words…and I…

"I love you Tobias."

After all she's done for me…after all she did to me, could I…should I?

"I…"

End of Part One

Apologies for any typo's, if you see any point them out and I'll correct them.

Also, please do tell me what you thought of this chapter. What do you think Tobias should do now he's seen what he has?

Tell me what you think, your opinions are always welcome and inspire me greatly to continue. Without them I'd of abandoned this fic ages ago.

Cya, stay snuggly :D