When I think about the first time
I thought I found someone who cared for me
But things were not as they appeared to be

	"Don't you get it, Dashie?" The words were harsh and cruel, practically spat out of the other pony's mouth. "I used you. You thought you were the best. HA! But being with me, you got yourself so caught up it put you off your game."

	Rainbow Dash's eyes were welling with tears as she backed away from the other pony, wings pulled tightly against her slender body. Her chest was closer to the ground in an unconscious and uncharacteristic show of submission, the words ripping through her. This was the pony she thought she'd loved, the pony who was her first kiss, her first mating.

	"Th-...this isn't funny...what are you saying?" She couldn't believe her ears. This must be some mean sort of joke. It wasn't.

	"And still you don't get it...are you really that dumb?" Those eyes were hard, mean as they looked on the trembling Rainbow Dash. "I saw your potential. I knew if the Wonderbolts came looking, they'd look at you, not me. And now...you're out of the picture. You're a laughingstock to my friends. So easily seduced, so....easy...hardly took any work at all to mate you...you were just a means to an end, Dashie. With a little fun in-between."

	Rainbow Dash fled the room at that point, the tears streaking down her face.

Rainy day man
On your shoulder I cried
When my first  brush with love
Left me shaking inside
Rainy day man

	Applejack had been resting under one of the Apple family's many apple trees, curled up in the shade with her eyes closed. She'd had a long day bucking apples down from the trees and was resting her strong hind legs while cooling down from the heat. The last thing she expected was a pony dropping out of the sky. The sound of the crash startled her enough to make her leap up to her hooves in a flash, looking around wide-eyed.

	Applejack's eyes were quickly drawn to a long furrow in the ground, only this one was made by no plow, but by the pony at the end of it. Applejack was shocked to see the crash-landed pony was Rainbow Dash, and instead of bothering to get up, Rainbow Dash had curled up at the end, simply crying. Applejack was by her friend's side as fast as her hooves could carry her, deeply concerned. Rainbow Dash crying was not an everyday occurrence, so Applejack knew something was terribly wrong.

	"Rainbow Dash! What's goin' on sugarcube, are you hurt?!" Applejack leaned down to nuzzle her friend's muzzle gently. Before she could lift her head to look over her friend for injuries, her eyes were bugged out by the sheer force of Rainbow Dash's forelegs latching around her neck, the other pony pulling herself up into Applejack's fur. Applejack sat down and drew Rainbow Dash closer, gently hoofing Rainbow Dash's hair.

	"There, there, sugarcube...just let it out."  Applejack didn't try to pry out why Rainbow Dash was there in her orchard, crying into her neck.  She didn't need to. All she needed to know was that Rainbow Dash needed her, and she was there.

Ever since I can remember
Just like a brother you've been strong and true
Always been the one to see me through

	The main drive of applebucking season was through. Applejack had pushed herself far beyond her limit before finally accepting the help of her friends. She was inside the barn now, flopped into a bale of hay, just relaxing after the long, final day of applebucking. The other ponies had gone home, all but Rainbow Dash.

	"Ah'm sorry I launched you into Twilight's tree, sugarcube," Applejack turned her head in the hay to smile softly at Rainbow Dash.

	"Aw, it's nothin' AJ. I shoulda known somethin' was wrong after, you know...the first ten misses. I've never known you to miss like that!"

	"It's alright, sugarcube."

	"If I wasn't so focused on getting on me..."

	"Well, if Ah wasn't so dang-blasted stubborn..."

	Both ponies laughed, and Rainbow Dash found herself scooting closer to Applejack in the hay to give the other pony a gentle nuzzle.  Applejack felt a small blush blossom on her cheeks, turning herself closer to Rainbow Dash and returning the nuzzle softly.

	"You're always there for me, AJ! I'm glad I could be there for you for once."  Rainbow Dash gave a happy little smile and just rested against Applejack, enjoying the warmth of her friend and the hay around them.

Rainy day man
You're much more than a friend
I would give anything
Just to see you again

	"WHAT. WERE. YOU. THINKING?!" Rainbow Dash had dragged Applejack to a private train car on their way back to Ponyville. She was not a very happy pony at the moment. Her hoof butted lightly against Applejack's chest with each word before her hooves, and wings, were thrown in the air in frustration. "How could you do that to us? To your family? To ME?! Of all ponies!"

	"Ah told you..." Applejack was backing away, never quite having seen Rainbow Dash so incensed, stopping only when her rump pressed against the wall of the train car. "Ah WASN'T thinkin'...Ah thought we went over this..."

	"Only because the other ponies were around! I am just so PISSED..." And scared. But Rainbow Dash could never admit that part. She could never admit the fear she felt when they'd received the telegram saying Applejack wasn't coming home. She couldn't admit it, but it showed in her eyes.

	"Ah'm sorry..." And Applejack really was. She'd just been so ashamed, after promising money to fix town hall. After being so sure of herself, only to let herself and everyponyelse down.

Always been the one to see me through...

	"Always so damn stubborn! You can come to us, you know!" Rainbow Dash was pacing in front of Applejack before turning on her again. "To ME!"

	"Ah know...Dash, Ah know...Ah just...Ah couldn't....face you...Ah couldn't disappoint you, or anypony else by losin'...but especially you..."

	Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack at those words. She felt something along her spine as their eyes locked. Something she knew had been there for a long time, but she'd kept pushed away.

Rainy day man
You're much more than a friend...

	No one could accuse Rainbow Dash of being subtle. Far from it, really. She didn't always think ahead, either. Sometimes, she just acted. Instinct, brashness, need, desire...going head-first into action without thinking through the consequences. Sometimes it was disastrous. But sometimes...sometimes it was just right.

	She stepped close and before Applejack could even react, their lips were touching. Kissing. Rainbow Dash hadn't even known she was going to do it until her lips were on Applejack's, kissing the other pony deeply, her wings spread wide.

I found someone who cared for me...