As a wee note, this story starts nearly 12 years before to the end of season 4 (the setting for the later parts of this story), when Spitfire and Soarin are 17 years old and in their second to last year of Advanced Flight School.
Spitfire threw herself violently onto her cloud bed. Aside from her heavy breathing her bedroom was otherwise silent.
Why did the test have to show up as positive?
That stupid colt! Why did he have to do that?
What do you mean stupid colt? Another part of her mind asked herself. It takes two to do the deed.
The vibrantly coloured mare fumed to herself as a tear ran down her muzzle. She squeezed her eyes shut hard in a vain attempt at stopping the incoming tide. If they had only the sense to wait another few months, this all might have been fine!
But no.
She just had to go and suggest they do that.
...And he just had to say yes.
But it had been wonderful to seal their relationship in such a manner, even though they were not yet married. But once her mother found out she would kill them both for this. Her father would definitely murder Soarin.
Spitfire allowed her gaze to roam to the Wonderbolts posters on her walls. Her heroes showed no sign of care for the distressed young mare or her troubles. The walls felt like they slowly closed in on her till she could no longer move.
My heroes. I bet none of you ever did something this stupid. Now I'll never get to fly with any of you.
She curled up in the fetal position and hid her head in her fluffy pillow. Tears escaped unchecked and untamed as she allowed herself to wallow in her despair.
"Spit."
That voice. It sounded as though he was just down the hallway.
"Spit! Where are you?" The worry in his tone ripped at Spitfire's chest. "Spitfire! I'm glad I found you here."
Spitfire snorted.
"Don't be like that. Tell me what's wrong."
Spitfire curled up facing away from her best friend and lover.
"Please?" the poor stallion sounded desperate.
After a few moments silence Spitfire felt a wing tenderly wrap around her side as its owner tentatively slid into the bed with her. She became his little spoon as he carefully cocooned her in his loving hold.
"Spitty, if you don't tell me whats wrong, I'm gonna cuddle you till you do." Spitfire drew a shaky breath and weakly lifted his wing with her own.
"I'm serious my dear. I'm not gonna let you go till you tell me."
True to his word, Spitfire felt his grip gently tighten. The light blue wing carefully, yet forcefully settled back over her and slowly slid around to tickle her tummy.
"Go away, you big dummy! I- I don't want to talk to you right now."
"But... you didn't meet me like you said. So somethings gotta be up. I know you."
Spitfire didn't bother to fight back as blue hooves carefully flipped her around to face her coltfriend. As the fiery young mare's face left the safety of her pillow, Spitfire didn't even have the energy left inside to wipe the tears from her muzzle.
"I'm..."
"Hmmm?" that confident grin filed the young stallion's muzzle. A grin that helped still the tempest inside.
After a few moments more of silence, Spitfire at last found her voice. "I- I'm pregnant."
The grin fell from Soarin's face faster than a speeding Wonderbolt. "What?"
"You big dummy. Neither of us thought to use protection."
"But you weren't on your cycle."
"Like that mattered!" Spitfire almost exploded, a hint of tears in her eyes.
"Hey," Soarin lend back down to run a hoof through his mare's mane. "It was our first time. We probably just you know, missed something little."
Spitfire snorted in response.
"It was still special, right?"
"Of course it was, pie face, but now I'm stuck with the result."
"No."
This got Spitfire's attention.
With as much tender care as he could muster, Soarin nuzzled his precious mare. "We both did this, so we can both share this too."
"But I want to make it into the Wonderbolts. They don't take pregnant mares or young mothers with responsibilities who cant give it their all."
"Well, I'm sure we can find a way." Soarin encouraged. "Besides, your Spitfire. You're like, the greatest. Whenever you put your mind to anything, you nail it."
"Hey, your not all that bad yourself."
A light chuckle from Soarin gradually fell into contented silence while the couple lay together, content to cuddle.
After what could have been hours, Soarin piped up. "Hey, uh... Should I ask your parents if I can marry you or anything? I don't want your dad to throw me into those vats in the rainbow factory or anything when he finds out what I've done to you." That at last caused a spark of a laugh from Spitfire.
"They hardly know we're dating."
"I know... but your folks seemed all like..."
"Traditional?"
"Yea."
"Look, Soarin." Spitfire paused to gaze meaningfully into her coltfriend's big beautiful eyes. "We got a few months before I'll show. If we can't think of anything by then, I guess I'll just run away for a while."
"You cant be serious." Soarin withdrew in surprise.
"Yes, I am. We are in this advanced course together because we want to make it somewhere in life. I will not be a nopony."
"The Wonderbolts." A big silly grin slid across the stallion's muzzle, it led to a light touch of one on his companion to match.
"Exactly. If I disappear for a few months, you can stay at advanced flight school and keep up the good work. Then I can ditch the foal and then return here and we should still make it into the official tryouts next year together when our course ends."
"You don't want to keep it?"
"And you do?"
"I- I suppose so? I dunno. This is all Kinda ...sudden. You know."
Sptfire rolled her eyes at that.
"How about. I ask your parents. Then we think of something from there. The sooner I ask them for your hoof in marriage the less likely they are to think we did something we shouldn't have. Then we can have a secret wedding to keep our relationship hidden and see if we want to keep our foal or not."
Something warm and fuzzy swept through Spitfire's system at the mention of our foal. The only problem here was, she didn't want warm and fuzzy and she definitely did not want to have a baby! Everything about this all was wrong. Everything except Soarin. If nothing else, he would be here for her and that meant everything would be okay in the end.
"Spitfire, are you home?" the deep bass of a middle-aged stallion rang through the house.
Spitfire jerked and hurried to sit up in bed, "shit, Dad's home."
"We gotta get you cleaned up a bit," Soarin whispered as he hurriedly untangled himself from his fillyfriend.
Spitfire quickly nuzzled into her companion's chest and made sure to give an extra vigorous rubbing to try and dispel the wetness. "There good enough," Spitfire remarked as she pulled away.
"Okay then," agreed Soain.
Spitfire leapt off her bed just in time. A pegasus with a rich, burned orange coat and a short green mane with cyan tips paused in the doorway.
"Oh, hello Soarin. I didn't expect to see you here too." The older stallion paused to take stock of the room. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything?"
"N-no. Not at all." Soarin quickly replied.
"Son, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"
"What?"
"Dad!"
"Honey, I know he's been your friend for a long time, but I still need to know this. The two of you look like foals caught with your hoof in one of my rainbow pools. By the way he is still sitting on your bed, I would say the two of you were getting rather cuddly there. I know what it's like to be young, I've been there." A ghost of a smile played upon the stallion's muzzle as he paused to fix his gaze upon the highly nervous Soarin. "So, I ask you again. What are your intentions toward my daughter?"
Soarin looked so nervous he might pass out "S-sir." The poor youngster took a deep breath to steady himself before he continued. "If I may be so bold, sir... I would like your daughter's hoof in marriage."
Tempest Wind quirked an eyebrow, a smile slowly slid across his muzzle. "Really now? Is that you asking me officially? Or are you going to wait until after your final year of schooling is over like I thought you would?"
Soarin did a double take, "you thought I would what?"
A deep chuckle escaped the deep orange stallion. "I know the two of you are pretty good in public, but around here, I've seen the way you two act. To be honest, I had been hoping this moment would come soon after you two finished advanced flight school."
"Really? Well, to be clear, yes, I do want to marry Spitty and if its okay be you I would like this to count as me asking you officially. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do this again."
"Of course you may."
"Yes!" Spitfire barreled into Soarin and they both crashed into the cloud wall. "Alright Pie Boy! Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Spitfire could hardly believe what had just transpired. Within less than an hour, she had been transformed from a mare who had just lost her chance at glory to a bride to be. Now all they had to do was hold a secret wedding then ditch the foal and make a comeback to her life as a future Wonderbolt. If the two pulled it off right, not only would her parents be none the wiser over their mistake, but she could also make it into the Wonderbolts with her husband. Her dreams would be achieved and all would be good with the world.
"Alright, now you had better make the proposal a good one." Spitfire gave her coltfriend a smirk as she relished the moment.
"Doesn't that count?" Soarin cocked his head questioningly at his mare.
Spitfire rolled her eyes at her coltfriend, "of course not."
"Don't worry I got this." Soarin grinned confidently back.
"I bet. But if you try and pull a lazy one on me, I'll tell you to try again."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me." Spitfire leaned against Soarin, content.
"I would believe her kiddo." Tempest laughed, "But I know you got this."
As Celestia's sun slid below the horizon, Cloudsdale's soon-to-be-engaged couple entered the dining room to find Tempest lounging on a chair. Without glancing up the stallion spoke up, "you know, the Wonderbolts don't usually like couples working together."
Spitfire glanced at her coltfriend to check his response and found him looking right back at her with a raised eyebrow. Good thing they had already talked about this. "That's alright dad. That's why we think it would be a good idea to have a secret wedding. Keep it to only a small family feast."
The reclined stallion held his silence for a few moments before he slowly responded. "You think so?"
Both teenagers both nodded earnestly.
"Then I will look into what I can do. I might be able to pull a few strings and keep the paper trail hidden. However, unless you two have something to hide..." Tempest paused to eye the couple with a cautionary look. "Then I would advise that you go the traditional route. Invite your friends and family, make a proper day out of it. Have a full on feast for family and friends, exchange a primary feather, sign the legal documents and let the world know you are together. Mind you, however, you choose to do this, I expect your new husband to provide for you." Spitfire rolled her eyes at her father. "I will happily pay for whatever dwelling you two choose to call your own, but that's where my financial assistance must end. For whatever reason, you two are going to be married earlier than I expected. I do not mind. But since it is your intention to start your lives together so quickly, I expect you to be ready to face the world together earlier too."
"Yes, father. Of course, we will be ready." Spitfire replied dutifully. She was thankful that although she was expected to leave her parents home after becoming a married mare that at least they would have someplace to call home and allow for greater secrecy around her pregnancy. They were sure to figure something out from there.
"But if we marry and make it too public, won't that be a problem when Spit' and me try and join the Wonderbolts?" Soarin asked.
"If you are the best, I'm sure they won't turn you down." Tempest smiled. "But I'm also sure a word in the right pony's ear about how you two keep the lovey-dovey stuff at home will help, provided you both ace the tryouts."
"Dinner's here!" The announcement broke the atmosphere as Spitfire's mother entered the room.
Stormy Flare spotted the young colt next to her daughter and her face lit up with a big smile. "Soarin! Hello, it's lovely to see you around again. Will you be staying for dinner? I only bought us a lazy dinner. Hay fries and salad."
"It's okay, I should probably be heading home."
"Soarin here has something to ask you." Tempest smiled knowingly at his wife.
"He does?" Stormy Flare eyed the suddenly nervous young stallion with a curious smile as she placed the bags with their dinner on the table.
"Y-yes," was the best Soarin could get out before his voice failed him.
Stormy casually continued with setting out the meal for her family. After a moment's awkward silence, she paused to set her sights on the still nervous youngster. "Well spit it out."
"I uh... Can I-" Soarin looked down at his forehooves. Why was this so hard?
His nerves were shattered by an elbow to the ribs from his fillyfriend. "Hey!"
Spitfire gestured to her parents as if to silently order him to hurry up. "I- I asked Temptest already ...If maybe I could have your daughter's hoof in marriage." He nervously played with his forehooves as Stormy Flare eyed him silently for a few moments.
The older yellow pegasus glanced at her husband to read his face before she turned to her daughter. "Is this what you want Spitfire?"
"Yes, mom."
"Well then. Get married, claim him as your stallion and be happy together. Congratulations." Without further ado, she continued laying out the meal. She made a point to serve the still slightly nervous teenage stallion. "I know you said you should be heading home, but after dropping a question like that on me, you will be staying for dinner."
"Oh, well thank you." Soarin accepted the serving he was given, thankful that both parents appeared to have been okay with the sudden question.
"One moment, no pony start eating yet. I just want to quickly heat something up." With a swish of her deep orange tail, she left the room.
"Good one Slick." Spitfire snickered.
Soarin shot his fillyfriend a look, "what? Your mom is like, intimidating and stuff."
"I thought I was supposed to be the intimidating one?" Tempest asked with a cheeky grin as he leaned forward in his chair.
"You are. But I dunno, mothers are worse somehow." Soarin replied.
"Too right. Don't worry. One day long ago, I was in your seat too." Tempest replied. "It's natural to feel like your about to pass out."
"You felt that too when asking Stormy?" Soarin asked.
"No way. I'm talking about normal ponies here. I'm too boss to get nervous." The deep orange stallion lent back in his set, a smirk on his muzzle.
"Right." Soarin wasn't exactly sure he believed the cocky older stallion, but wasn't about to challenge him on the topic.
After a few moments silence, Spitfire grabbed her coltfriend's forehoof under the table and they quietly held hooves while they waited for the return of Stormy Flare.
When the matriarch returned, Soarin's eyes lit up with delight at the sight of the apple pie. Stormy laid the piping hot pie on the table in front of the young couple. "I had one of these saved up and figured now was a good time."
"Yummy. Thanks, Mrs Flare." Soarin licked his lips, a massive grin upon his muzzle.
Before he could dive in and ignore the rest of his meal, Spitfire took a bite out of it. She grinned at her coltfriend's shocked look. "Oh come on, don't tell me you expected to eat that all by yourself."
"Uh... yea?"
"As long as you can share with your bride to be, I don't mind missing out." Tempest smiled as he dug into his own meal. "Oh and, Soarin. Would you do me a favour by meeting me at the Rainbow Factory this weekend?"
Soarin paused his fun pie time to glance inquisitively up at his soon to be father-in-law. "Sure, why?"
"Oh... I just want to spend some time to get to know you some more, one on one." The orange stallion smiled back.
"Okay. Uh... Sure." Soarin nodded before resuming his attack on the delicious pie with his fillyfriend.