>It's been a few years. Ever since that fateful night, Applejack had been less of my boss and... more of a partner. I was more a part of the family than ever before... more of a member, and less of an employee.
>Applejack herself maintained a cool authority; there were no PDAs, and business, for the most part, went on as usual. I never questioned it; wasn't my place, and wasn't my style to begin with. I was just happy to have a job still... and have her.
>To say she was cool isn't entirely fair. I guess the best thing to say is that she was professional. When the day was done, and she let down her mane (literally and figuratively), she made sure I knew how she felt.
>It was intoxicating, almost as though she had longed to be around me all day, and when she finally had the chance, she stuck like glue.
>Things were good. Pleasant and passionate, productive and professional. We both kept business business, and personal personal, and we both cherished every moment.
>Seasons came, and seasons went. Years went by. Strange as it seems, things didn't change a whole lot. Spring meant winter wrap-up, summer meant pruning and mundane things. Fall was harvest time, and winters were spent tending the animals and entertaining ourselves indoors.
>She was never ashamed of me, never tried to conceal things, but she always kept a... distance. We never got... too close. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't shy or awkward about us, but it was never like being with a woman. A human woman, that is.
>Everything changed one day.
>Celestia came to visit Ponyville. I hadn't seen her since my first few weeks in Equestria. No reason to, I reckon. I'd settled in, kept my head down, and minded my own. I was a bit worried about some kind of attention when Applejack and I had gotten involved, but nothing ever came of it. Nothing I knew about, anyways.
>But this time, Celestia had news, specifically for me.
>She had discovered a way to bridge the universes. To open a bridge between Equestria and... our world. Ours? Didn't really feel like mine any more. Anyways, she had figured it out, albeit at the expense of showing her hand.
>People had seen the portal she opened during a test. Those people had seen what lied beyond. Maybe they knew about the place on the other side, maybe they didn't, but they had seen it.
>To make a long story short, Celestia had offered me a proposition.
>I had one chance to go home. She couldn't risk another... me. I gathered from the discussion that she wasn't entirely comfortable with even me being there to begin with, and she certainly wouldn't allow anyone else to find themselves where I had that fateful day.
>It was that simple really. I could stay, or I could go... back home.
>I thought about it a lot. I had a wife once. Family. No kids, but friends and... a life.
>Good job, easy work, hobbies, a house, stuff, things. I had a life, and it was a good one. I loved my family, worked, fished, relaxed in the sun.
>I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it. I belonged there, for lack of a better word. Who knows what had changed, though. Did people remember me? How much time had even passed? Was I missed? I'm sure that I was. I KNOW I was.
>But would I be missed here too? I know at least one pony would miss me. And... I'd miss her too.
>I loved her. I'd admitted it, only to myself, a couple of years ago. I didn't tell her because... well, I had no reason to. But now?
>I was torn, honestly. I'll admit, I was greedy. I wanted the best of both worlds, but I knew I couldn't have it. Can't be in two places at once. So, I had to choose.
>Had all the time in the world though. Celestia told me she could open the portal, once, at any time. All I had to do was... ask.
>My biggest regret was not telling Applejack.
>For a month after Celestia made her proposition, I kept my mouth shut. Celestia knew about Applejack and I... she seems interested, but only scientifically.
>She didn't have any major concern, from what I gathered. Just didn't want anything meddling with the elements of harmony. But she was respectful.
>Like I said, I didn't bring things up for quite some time. When I did, I did it very non-chalantly. I could feel the tension in the room, as her green eyes searched my face during those moments, trying to find any sign of a hint towards my decision.
>I could be no less than honest with her. I said I hadn't decided.
>How could I? I was happy here, but I was happy back there too.
>I kept to the truth. I'd need some time to decide. I didn't... I didn't tell her how I felt. I wanted to, but I couldn't make the words go. I wanted to pour out my heart, tell her I couldn't imagine life without her, how she was the only one I'd ever loved. But it would have been a lie. Wouldn't have been right.
>For the next few weeks, I cursed my oily hide. Why did I even bring it up? What was it pulling me back? Why could I let myself be... happy?
>She became distant. She was colder... skeptical even. She never pushed me away, but things were not the same. How could they be?
>Eventually, things reached a breaking point. She told me she couldn't wonder anymore. She couldn't question my intentions. Things wouldn't go back to being the way that they were. Not until she knew.
>She respected the fact that I had been honest with her. It was my saving grace for that time. If I hadn't been truthful, I think it would have broken her in half.
>That said, the time had come. Time to shit or get off the pot.
>I wrote to Celestia. No reason to rush things, after all.
>The next day, she arrived, early in the morning. In fact, she met Applejack and I coming out of the house for the day's work.
>I could feel Applejack's heartbeat as I stood before our benevolent leader. Welp, this is it.
"Princess, I've decided."
>"Yes, anon? What are you going to do?"
"I first wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to choose. Anybody else would have just shoved me back through to my world. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
>She smiled and nodded.
"I think we both know how this is going to end, Celestia."
"Open the portal."
>"As you wish, anon," came the solemn reply.
>With a simple glow of her horn, the tear between our world appeared, and grew to a fair size.
>On the other side was a beautiful forest, lush and green.
>On this side was everything I had known and loved for the last 5 years.
>I stood at the precipice.
>I turned to see the look on Applejack's face.
>She was stoic as always. Though she wore an unfeeling expression, her entire body was shaking. Her legs trembled. Her ears dropped to the side of her head. A mix of panic and heartbreak owned her face.
>When she saw me turn, she seemed to snap back to reality. Understanding and beneficent as ever, in this moment, she reared up and threw her legs around me.
>Through a veil of tears and pain, she said, "Anon, I understand. You should be happy."
>Words entirely failed me. I had nothing, nothing at all. Even at the prospect of losing someone as important as I felt I was to her, she wished me well. The strength that must have taken is immeasurable.
>I closed my eyes and gripped her, as hard as I ever had. Harder.
>"Anon, please, time grows short." came Celestia's calm voice.
>Applejack let me go, and her head hung. She managed a final "Goodbye. Yall take care, ya hear?"
>I turned to face my fate.
>For what seemed like forever, I stood there, staring through the portal.
>Home.
>I could go home. This is what I'd dreamed about those first few months I was here. Every night.
>Wife.
>Family.
>Friends.
>How long had it been? Did anyone remember? Does time pass the same? Did I care?
>I closed my eyes.
>Home. I can go home.
>I bow my head one last time.
>Home.
>I turn my head over my shoulder. Applejack is sitting on her haunches, head hung. I've said my goodbyes, all that's left to do is take the step.
>Home.
 
>But I can't do it.
>Home.
>When I was lost, she took me in.
>I proved myself, both as a friend and more.
>I learned to love, like I had never done before.
>She... was all I had wanted. Now and forever.
>Home. Home.
>I turn fully around and throw myself around Applejack, knocking her hat to the ground.
>She was stunned, she remained rigid for a few moments. She realized what was happening, and clung to me.
>Tears soaked her cheeks and mine.
>I squeezed her until I was sure she knew how I felt.
>Home.
>Celestia's horn ceased its yellow glow.
>The portal closed, forever.
>She looked solemnly at me, wrapped around the orange mare who had captured my heart.
>The one who owned me.
>"Are you quite sure?"
>My vigorous nod was the only answer I gave.
>Home.
 
--
 
>Celestia let me stay, even though she didn't have to.
>From that day forward, I never hesitated to let Applejack know how I felt.
>How could I do any less?
>The one who helped me, when I had nothing.
>The one who tried so hard to show me how she felt, not knowing if I felt the same.
>The one who had always stuck by me.
>The one I couldn't lie to, no matter how badly I wanted.
>The one who changed me forever.
>The one.
>The only.
 
>Home.
>Let me come home.
>Home is wherever I'm with you.