I woke up the next morning in my own bed. I remembered last night's events all too well. In fact, after biding her goodnight after staying at her house for hours on end just enjoying each other's company, I had replayed the night's events over and over in my mind.

I'd never been happier not even with Song. I was now with a beautiful mare that I cared about and who cared about me. It was almost relieving to come clean to her.

I got out of bed and showered still feeling the euphoria from last night. after the shower, I dressed in my newly fixed Assassin's robe and armor putting on all of my equipment.

I heard a knock on the door downstairs and I quickly rushed to get it. I put up my hood before answering the door. I opened it to reveal Jack.

"Jack," I said very surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Roman has a job for you." He said. "It's a contract. He's going to have you assassinate someone." The euphoria that I had mentioned broke at that moment. It was back to business.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"The outpost." He said. "Follow me." I walked with him closing the door to my house.

As we walked together, Jack began to question me.

"So," he said, "Vex tells me that you went to see Rarity last night." I regarded him with a questionable look.

"What's it to you?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Just curious," he said, "I never thought that you and Song were right for each other anyway. She was too uptight. I'm glad you found someone though. Mare or not." It was nice to know that he was supportive. Jack was my best friend and all.

"Am I going with anyone on this mission?" I asked.

"Dirge is going with you." He said. "He has his own assignment. It just happens to be in the same place." I nodded understanding. I couldn't help but wonder who was my target. One of the Council? One of Blaze's contacts?

We came to the entrance to the outpost and stepped inside.

"What about you?" I asked.

"What about me?" He retorted.

"What will you be doing when we are gone?" I asked.

"Training most likely." He said. Jack was hiding something from me. I could tell.

"Jack," I said, "you know that you can tell me anything. What's on your mind?" Jack sighed.

"There's been an accident in Canterlot since I've been gone." He said. I raised my eyebrow.

"What sort of accident?" I asked.

"It involves someone...close to me." He said. I was shocked. Jack never told me of any lovers he had.

"Jack," I said as we stepped off the elevator, "you never said that you had a lover."

"There's a reason for that." He said.

"Well," I said, "what's her name?" He blushed at that.

"It's not a she Leo." He said shyly. "His name is Lane." I stood still for a moment. I was utterly shocked.

"You never told me you were-." I said.

"I know I never told you." He said. "I was just afraid that you-." He stopped.

"Nonsense," I said, "I don't care who you like. You're still Jack to me." My friend smiled at me.

"Thank you Leo." He said we continued throughout the outpost. "Anyway, there was an accident and I want to make sure he's all right."

"So you're coming with us?" I asked.

"Sadly no," he said, "Roman said that he was already risking a lot letting you two go. However, I'm going alone."

"Isn't that dangerous?" I asked.

"Need I point out the scar on your face?" He asked. I nodded.

"Point taken." I said. We walked together to the Assassin's Base. If Roman was anywhere, he was there. When we got there, Jack stopped at the door.

"Good luck out there Leo." He said. "Come back safely this time."

"I will." I said. The door opened and I walked inside.

The base looked like any other. I suppose if you've been to one, you've been to them all. I walked into the Master's Office where Roman and Dirge were sitting patiently.

"You're just in time Leo." Roman said. "Please sit." I sat next to Dirge. "Now," he said with his hands on the desk, "your assignments are going to be quite challenging. Dirge," he said turning his attention to my friend, "I need you to infiltrate the archives and steal the files on Leo, you, Jack, and the Elements." He nodded. "Leo," Roman turned to me, "I need you to assassinate one of Blaze's contacts."

"What do I need to do?" I asked.

"The man's name is Rin, he's the man that manages all of the Council's finances. However, my spies have caught wind of a few shady deals going on with him and Blaze. There is an event at the outpost. At this event, you are going to wait until he's alone, then strike. The event is in two days which is plenty of time to prepare. You will leave tomorrow morning by carriage. That is all."

Dirge and I stood up in unison as if we were back in our teenage years when we first started our work as Assassins. We walked out of the office silent until we left the base.

"So," Dirge said, "I get stuck with the boring job while you get the fun one." He smirked. "Just like old times, eh?" I smiled and nodded.

"Yes," I said, "I remember."

"How are you and Rarity?" He asked as we walked to the deployment depot.

"It seems that Vex likes to talk." I muttered.

"Oh," he laughed, "you should've seen her last night. She was unusually excited to give us the news." I laughed.

"To answer your question," I said, "we're fine. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours and I haven't seen her yet today."

"Do you love her?" He asked. His face was serious even when shaded by the hood. I was completely caught off guard by the question.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you love her?" He asked again still completely serious.

"Dirge," I said practically, "I only met her a few days ago. I like her." He chuckled as if I was joking. "Something funny?"

"It's just that the same thing happened with Song as I recall. Within the first few days of knowing her, you said you were so in love with her." I looked at him, my anger flaring.

"This is different Dirge." I said as calmly as I could. He stopped walking as did I.

"Does she understand the situation you are in?" He asked accusingly. "Does she truly know anything about you Leo? It doesn't sound like it to me. Does she know that since you are an Assassin, you will never be accepted as a true citizen of Equestria. None of us will. We're too different Leo, excluding the fact that they are ponies and we are humans. We did too much then. There's no way that we can possibly accepted as one of them." He sighed.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked.

"Because I don't want you to be hurt when we leave." He said. I looked at him quizzically.

"What do you mean leave?" I asked. He sighed and continued walking. I followed.

"The spies tell us that the development team has been working on a way back to Earth for the past twenty years. They've just tested it. After this whole fight is done, we'll be leaving Equestria forever." I stopped. I couldn't take in anything that he was saying. He couldn't be serious. He wasn't serious.

"What?" I asked. Still not believing it. Dirge nodded solemnly.

"It's been decided that all humans will be deployed back to Earth. It's the only way to really fix everything that happened. Humans and Equestrians can't live together, not for long anyway." He couldn't be so serious. How could he be so calm about this? "We don't belong here. Equestria is for ponies Leo."

"I don't believe that." I said. "I believe that we can live together. We've done it for a thousand years. Even if it was apart." He just laughed as if I told a good joke.

"Whatever you say my friend." He obviously knew what he said struck a chord with me. "I'll meet you at the carriage to Canterlot." He left. It was written all over his hooded face. He felt sorry for me. Why? I didn't need his pity. I swallowed.

I didn't care what he said. There was no way I was leaving Equestria. This was my home. Everything I know is here. I sighed and resumed walking to the deployment depot.

I wouldn't fit in on Earth anyway. Someone like me wouldn't. I walked into one of the elevators and waited as it took me upward.

My concern now was what I was going to tell Rarity.

I knocked on her door nervously. It opened immediately to reveal Rarity in red rimmed work glasses. Her face lit up at the sight of me. It then disappeared when I removed my hood to reveal my very solemn face.

"Come inside darling." She said in that adorable accent. I walked inside.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your work." I said evenly.

"Oh," she said, "think nothing of it darling. Come, we'll talk in the living room." I walked with her upstairs and sat next to her on the couch. I avoided her gaze and leaned forward. "Leo," she said softly, "what's the matter?"

"I have a contract." I said. "I'll be leaving for Canterlot tomorrow morning." I felt her hoof on my shoulder.

"Are you all right with that?" She asked. I nodded solemnly. "Then what's wrong?" I sighed. Might as well.

"Dirge told me that the development team in Canterlot has been working on a way to Earth for the last twenty years. After this whole fight is over, I'll be forced to go to Earth with the others." I couldn't look at her. But I would imagine that she was a hell of a lot more crushed and disbelieving than I was. She removed her hoof and took my chin to turn my head toward her.

"What happens now then?" She asked. I took her hoof in my hand.

"I swear to you," I said, "I will do whatever it takes to stay here with you. If I have to fight them until they fall, I swear I will stay with you." I stared at her meaning every word. I was not about to leave someone who made me feel this way about them. I put my hand on her cheek and stroked it gently. She leaned her head into my palm at my touch.

"Leo," she said softly leaning her forehead against my own, "if you want to go. Then you can go. I won't stop you."

"But I don't want to." I said surprised that she would say such a thing. "I want to stay with you Rarity! I lo-." I stopped myself. She looked at me as if I just offended her.

"You?" She said quietly. I sighed and pulled her closer to me in an embrace. I was about to pour my heart out to her and I wanted her as close as possible.

"Rarity," I said, "I feel like I'm rushing things, but I want you to know this anyway. I never would've thought that I would be attracted to a pony. But after all of this started happening, you were there for me from that first moment in the TARDIS and when I was imprisoned. When I jumped in front of you yesterday, I didn't care that I got a scar and I didn't care what would've happened to me." I held her tighter against me. "And today, I defended you against Dirge when he said that we were going to have to leave. And now I realize that there is no other place in the world that I'd rather be than with you. Rarity, I love you. And so help me God I'm not going to leave you." I held her there against me for another minutes.

Rarity pushed away from me and looked deep into my eyes. She put her hooves behind my neck and leaned her forehead against mine.

"I have to admit," she said, "if someone were to come up to me a few months ago and said that I would fall in love with a man that would want to kill me, I would've thought they were insane. However," she said quietly, "I find myself in the presence of that man. I love you too Leo." My heart was beating a mile a minute and I didn't care. "When you jumped in front of me and took that hit, I just didn't know what to do. I was so afraid that you were hurt and I just-." I cut her off with a kiss.

It was deep and passionate. I pulled her closer to me. I pulled away and looked her in the eyes. Those beautiful azure eyes. She looked at me and tears filled her eyes. Rarity buried her head in my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" I asked stroking her mane.

"It's just been so long since I felt this happy that I have someone." She said said her voice muffled by my shoulder. I smiled. The scent of her mane was overwhelming. Lavender and vanilla. I held her tighter. My heart had finally calmed down. I was content to just hold her. I started to stroke her mane. I felt her muscles in her back relax as I did. She turned her head toward me and looked up at me.

"Darling," she whispered, "when will you be back from your mission?" I thought for a moment.

"I should be back by the beginning of next week." I said. She rose to be eye-level with me putting both fore-hooves on my shoulders and kissed me lovingly.

"The day is still young," she whispered. Her hot breath hit my face and it was turning me on. I smiled.

"What do you suggest we do?" I asked. She chuckled and kissed me again. I silently cursed the fact that I was in full armor.

"Oh," she smirked, "I'm pretty sure that you have ideas darling." I kissed her. This one was more primal, more aggressive. She moaned into the kiss. I pulled away and started to remove my armor. I levitated my breast plate and pauldrons to the table and went back to kissing her.

She used her magic to try and take off my robe however, she was having trouble. I pulled away from her and started to help her out but she pushed my hands away.

"Let me darling," she whispered. She struggled for a bit then she finally got it off to reveal my bare chest and arms. She flung my robe over the couch and kissed me again. I planted a series of kisses down her neck and back up beneath her chin receiving a hum of pleasure as a reward.

I decided to try and get rid of my pants that were getting rather uncomfortable. I gently pushed her off of me. Rarity looked at me curiously.

"Just a moment," I said. I took out my sword and dagger and levitated them over to the table next to my armor. When I took off my belt of throwing knives, I could hardly keep them in the air. Rarity took them from me and set them down. I looked at her thankfully and leaned toward her.

"Would you rather do this in the bedroom darling?" She asked sultrily in my ear. I smiled.

"We can do this anywhere you want." I said running my hands down her body. She shivered and kissed me tenderly.

"Then shall we continue in the bedroom?" She asked. I looked into those eyes that I loved so much and smiled. I stood and picked her up gently. "Ooh!" She squealed when I held her against me. I laughed and kissed her as I walked up the stairs. At the top, I opened the door and carried her to the bed.

The whole room smelled of her and I loved it. I saw her cat curled up in a corner. I laid Rarity down and kicked off my boots. I kissed her again before unfastening my trousers. Rarity used her magic to pull them down. I laughed.

"Someone's excited." I joked. She looked at me with lust in her eyes. I could tell she was extremely horny. So was I. I climbed into the bed on top of her and kissed her. My right hand drifted down her body to stroke her very wet marehood with my thumb.

"Ahh!" She gasped tearing her lips away from mine. "Oh, darling!" I chuckled and kissed her as I pressed my index finger into her pussy. I felt her shiver beneath me as she moaned. As my fingers continued to pleasure her, her moans became higher in pitch. "Oh, oh dear! Ahh!" I felt her juices spill onto my hand as she climaxed.

I felt her relax under me. I laid down beside her.

"How was that for your first time with hands?" I asked slyly. She turned to me smiling.

"Simply divine." She sighed. I chuckled.

"Surely you're not spent just after that." I said smiling wide. I stroked her foreleg. I leaned over to her and whispered. "I have so much more planned for you." She shivered.

"Do tell," she said sultrily. I smiled and moved down south and gently spread her legs open so that I could inhale the smell of her sex. It was intoxicating. I looked up at her with a mischievous smile and gently ran my tongue on her.

She gasped and wrapped her hind legs around my head so I couldn't move. She was urging me to continue. I ran my hands all over her body as I paid lip and tongue service to her more sensitive of regions. Rarity arched her back as she moaned my name. I felt her hooves press on the back of my head ever urging me on. I felt her release me finally.

"Leo," she gasped, "please, put it in." I looked up at her, then down at my boxers that were in a tent. I removed them. then climbed over her so that we were eye-level. Her eyes were full of lust and so were mine. I guided my hard member into her opening and gently slid into her. I groaned as I pulled out and slid back in gently.

She matched my rhythm with her hips and groaned. I groaned as we increased our rhythm.

"Ooh." She sighed. "Leo, I'm-." I stopped her with a kiss. I pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too darling." She said. We both let out rather unflattering noises when we climaxed. It felt like electricity shot through my body then went away just as fast as it came. I gasped and collapsed next to her. I looked Rarity who was breathing hard. She smiled at me.

We then went under the blankets and laid in each other's arms, enjoying each other's company. We exchanged one tired kiss after another until she rested her head on my chest and went to sleep. I smiled down at her and rested my head on the pillow and fell asleep with my mare in my arms.