“Thank you for letting us stay over again,” Indigo smiled thankfully at the Pie sisters. She’d been sneaking over to their home for awhile, and not a day went by where she wasn’t grateful for their hospitality. “Hypernova and Lucy really needed this time away from-” She paused as memories flooded her mind “home…”

“It’s no problem. Are you sure you’re alright?” Marble asked with concern.

“I’m fine! Don’t worry about me,” Indigo assured, “The granite cookies are delicious, Pinkie Pie.” She turned her gaze over to the bouncy pink mare who was busy playing with Hypernova Fray and Lucid Lemondrop.

“Aw, shucks!” Pinkie grinned at the compliment. “There’s seconds if you want them!”

“More cookies!” Lucid looked up at Pinkie with puppy dog eyes. “Pleaseeee?”

“How could I say no to that face? Of course you can!” Pinkie reached behind her back and pulled a granite rock cookie, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Yay!” Lucid cheered and accepted the cookie.

“Do you want another one, Hypernova?” Pinkie turned towards the sulking unicorn colt.

“I’m okay. The last cookie really had me full…”

“That’s alright! Beryl?”

“I’ve already had three!” Beryl laughed. “I don’t think I can eat any more! They were delicious though!”

“Save room for dinner you guys!” Limestone called out from the kitchen. “I’m making rock soup.”

“Oh bother…” Hypernova mumbled to himself in disgust.

“I’m sure it will be wonderful tasting soup, Limey,” Limestone’s husband, Zephyr purred.

“Mhm, sure. Last time you couldn’t even finish a spoonful!”

“I.. um, heh” Zephyr meekly backed away from the kitchen and sat down next to Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie’s husband.

“Can you stay for dinner, Indigo?” Marble asked shyly.

“I don’t think I-”

Knock, knock!

“I’ll get it,” Maud called as she got up and made for the door.

“Hello?” A deep voice called from the other end.

Indigo recognized that demanding, deep voice. She began to instinctively walk slowly away from the door, backing into a wall. “Please, no…”

Hypernova and Lucid also seemed to recognize the voice, as they ran to the back of the house to hide. Cheese and Zephyr followed after them. Beryl simply looked back in confusion.

Another knock came as Maud opened the door.

A familiar bright yellow figure stood in the frame. “Is there an Indigo Dreams here?”

Indigo’s heart began to race as her breathing became heavier “Star Shooter…”

Before Maud could respond, Star Shooter spotted Indigo himself. He pushed past her and made his way towards the unicorn.

Indigo gulped as she heard his hoofsteps quickly approach. So he had actually found them…she knew she was taking a risk when she took the kids with her, and even when she went by herself, but she thought she was safe enough here. Apparently not. Nevertheless, she forced herself to stand tall, even as he stood over her and practically breathed down her neck.

“What are you doing here?” Star Shooter grumbled lowly. Normally, he would have shouted as loudly as possible, but not here. Indigo knew he never let his temper show around other ponies.

“I…” Indigo fumbled for the right words to say, “Well, the kids wanted…a day out and about. We eventually wound up here, and, um, they begged for a tour. Please understand, it was for the children…” She knew she was lying, but she had no other choice. She had to protect herself somehow.

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

Indigo turned her gaze towards the source of the voice: a grayish-purple figure. Limestone.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Star Shooter grumbled into Indigo’s ear

“Oh, nothing!” Star Shooter went from angry and demanding to cheerful and calm in an instant. “I was just asking my wife where she’s been. I’ve been worried sick about her, but I should understand. The kids do need to get out of the house occasionally.”

Limestone looked back at Indigo, who was still cowering underneath Star Shooter. She seemed to see right through them as she cocked an eyebrow.

“Can you give us a minute?” Limestone motioned for her sisters, Indigo, and Beryl to follow her

“Oh, of course!” Star Shooter still had a fake grin plastered on his face. He stepped away from Indigo as she followed the others to the back room.

They shut the door as soon as they got in. Lucid, Hypernova, Zephyr and Cheese were already inside

“Who was that?” asked Cheese Sandwich.

“My husband.” Indigo whispered, not wanting Star Shooter to hear their conversation.

“I don’t like daddy…” Lucid whimpered, still cowering in the corner.

“Why?” Marble inquired.

“She’s just overreacting!” Indigo interrupted before Lucid could reply. If her husband found out they told other ponies what he had done to them, it wouldn’t be pretty.

“Are you sure Indigo? They way he towered over you like that didn’t seem alright.”

“I-It’s fine! We’d best be getting home now.” Indigo took her children and started guiding them towards the door,

“Don’t make me go Mommy, please!” Lucid sat down with tears in her eyes. “I don’t wanna go home!”

Indigo sighed as she sat down in front of Lucid and hugged her “It’s okay, I know, I know. We’ll get in even more trouble with daddy if we stay though” she mumbled

“D-Don’t make me go Mommy…” tears were pouring down Lucid’s face as she repeated her previous words

“Something’s going on. No filly cries like that just for attention,” Pinkie pointed out.

“I’m really okay, don’t worry about us.” Indigo feigned a smile.

“Dad hits us.” Hypernova spat out before Indigo could lead them away.

“Hypernova, no!” Indigo looked down at Hypernova as she started to panic. “What if Star heard that? We’re going to be in big trouble,” she thought “We really-”

“No, no. Let him continue,” Limestone sat intently before the colt. “What’s this about your dad?”

“Dad’s not nice…Just last week I tripped when walking down the hallway. Dad got mad at me for scratching his floor and started to yell at me. He then slapped me and told me to go back to my room and ‘cry like the wimp I was.’” Hypernova didn’t make eye contact with anypony as he told his story.

“Did you know about this, Indigo?”

Everypony turned towards her in concern and anticipation.

“I…I…” Indigo struggled for words. “I did…”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“It’s hard to explain…When I first met him he was the stallion of my dreams, such a gentlecolt. Over time, he just got more and more…rough. That’s why it wasn’t safe for you at home Beryl. I started coming over to your house more often to get away from the drama, and to also give Lucy and Hypernova a break from their father. I shouldn’t be telling you this…” Even if her mind told her this was a bad idea, her heart told her otherwise. Indigo felt as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders as she told her story.

“You coming honey?” Star Shooter called from the living room. He was almost an entirely different pony when he wasn’t at the privacy of his home.

“We really should be going. Thank you for letting me stay over,” Indigo smiled before hanging her head down low as she and her two youngest made their way towards the door.

“Wait!” Marble called out, louder than Indigo had ever heard her speak. “Don’t go, please. It’s not safe at your home. You deserve so much better. You and the children deserve to live a happy life, not having to worry about making mistakes. Beryl got the chance to get away from it, shouldn’t Lucy and Hypernova have that chance as well?”

Indigo stopped in her tracks, pondering Marble’s point. “You do have a point, especially when it comes to the children, but…how would we get away?”

“Don’t worry, we got this” Marble looked at her sisters as they all nodded and headed out the door. Indigo, her children, Zephyr, and Cheese followed after them.

“There’s my Indigo. It’s getting dark, we should get going. Thank’s for your hospitality!” As Star Shooter started to walk out the door, Indigo glanced at the Pie sisters then back at her children

“Not so fast you meanie, mean, meanie pants. Pies, ATTACK!” Pinkie called out as she and her sisters quickly closed in on Star Shooter.

“W-What are doing?” He stammered. “Attack? For what reason?”

“Take a guess, idiot,” Limestone snapped.

“Shit.”

By that point, Star Shooter broke into a run.

“Grab the rocks!” Limestone called out as she, Pinkie, and Maud chased him out the door. Marble stayed behind with Indigo

The three earth ponies grabbed whatever stones and boulders they could get their hooves on and started flinging them at the fleeing stallion.

Indigo watched from the safety of the house as her husband flew away, feeling a strange tinge of joy as he disappeared from sight.

“That’s what you get for messing with the Pies!” Pinkie screamed after him. Maud and Limestone nodded sternly in agreement.

The children, escorted by Cheese and Zephyr, trotted outside and watched him fly off. Lucid and Hypernova, who were hiding behind the stallions, slowly came out with relieved smiles spreading across their faces.

Indigo came out once Star Shooter was out of sight, with a wide grin spread across her face as she hugged all three of her children.

“Mom!” Beryl chuckled.

“I guess you won’t have to worry about him anymore, right?” Marble sat next to them.

“Yes, he’s gone. After all these years…” Indigo began to tear up as she realized how much this meant to her and her family. He really was gone. Finally, they could live together as a family, with no more pain, anger, or fear. Finally, they could be at peace.

“Group hug!” Pinkie bounded towards the family and pulled them, and her sisters, into her embrace.

“Is he gone Mommy, forever?” Lucid looked up hopefully at her mother.

“Yes, my sweet darling. I’m sure he won’t be coming back anytime soon.”