“There it is,” you say as you hold the gloss print of a black-and-white ultrasound picture. “Our foal.”

     As you sit on the couch, a feathered wing curls around you and you allow yourself to be pulled into Fluttershy’s embrace. You turn your head towards hers, and you immediately catch her contagious smile. She sighs contentedly before resting her head on your shoulder. “It'll only be a few more months now,” she says.

     “I know. I love what you did with the nursery, by the way.”

     “Really?” she asks as her ears perk up. “I was afraid not committing to a gender would make everything seem too… generic.”

     Instead of getting frustrated with her for doubting herself for the millionth time, you smile and place the ultrasound picture on an end table to begin stroking her neck. “No, it's not too generic. I think it's just perfect. Just like us,” you say as you kiss her ear.”

     “Just like us?”

     “That's right.” Fluttershy's countenance falls abruptly, and quite without noticing it, you stop stroking her neck. “Love? What's wrong?”

     You brace yourself for the worst, fully expecting the dam to burst. “It's just… Applejack said today that I--I was a--a--”

     “Fluttershy,” you begin soothingly, “what have I told you about listening to other ponies?”

     “I know but--”

     “But what?”

     “It--still hurt.”

     You resume petting her as you mentally prepare to conduct damage control on her psyche. “Do you… want to talk about it?”

     “She called me a name. A name that made it sound like I'd sleep with anypony anytime just for money or a good time. And coming from the Element of Honesty…”

     “Well, is that true what she said?”

     “N--no. Of course not. But then she called me a--a pervert.” Fluttershy was now on the verge of tears.

    Internally, you sigh. Externally, you almost allow too much time to pass before replying. “Do you remember what Rainbow Dash said last week?”

     “That love is love and nopony should be able to keep us apart, no matter what.”

     You sigh. “See? That wasn't so--”

     “But Rarity has been avoiding me all week, Twilight has been reading every book on genetics and magic and fertility that she can to find out how I got pregnant, and I think Discord might be jealous. I was his closest friend, after all, and I've been spending so much time with you that it's been cutting into my time with him”

     The thought of a jealous Discord puts you on edge, but that problem will  have to wait. “But there's still Pinkie Pie,” you point out. “She couldn't be happier for you. She even offored to organize our gender reveal party.”

     “And in her spare time, she's at odds with Applejack. And that makes it even worse for me.”

     “Because Pinkie unintentionally fuels Applejack?”

     “Because my friends all hate each other and it's all my fault!”

     “Shhh,” you say as you rub her neck. “Your friends don't hate each other. They just--have different opinions. Don't they do that a lot of the time anyways?”

     “I guess so.”

     “And don't they always come to a resolution?”

     “Yeah.”

     You smile as Fluttershy looks up at you. “I wouldn't worry about it anymore. We love each other and that's good enough for me. Whaddya say, hon?”

     “I love you.”

     “I love you too,” you say as you pick up the picture again.

     “Could I look at it too?”

     “Of course." You adjust your hand so that Fluttershy can see the ultrasound picture of the centaur in her womb.

     "You really think this will be ok?"

     "Yes, Fluttershy, I do," you say. And although you really want to believe your own words, you fear that only time wll tell.