private A vacation in Paris!

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack saw Charcoal eat almost the whole plate right in front of him. It looked like she was enjoying it, except her eyes were watering. Jack suddenly remembered that Charcoal was pregnant. What have I done?! I served my plate with the food only a maniac makes. Jack looked down at the pasta. He twirled his fork into the pasta bringing out a small forkful. As he stared at it, it was almost like it was staring back. Jack didn't want to hurt Charcoal's feelings, so he took the bite. It wasn't as bad as he thought. Until he swallowed. Instantly his throat burned. He ran to the fridge and opened it. He frantically looked for something to help the pain. He saw a few beers. He took one and popped the cap off. He chugged the whole thing in one swallow. "Not enough!" he grabbed another beer which he also swallowed. Once done he was no longer burning, but he fell over, intoxicated.

Charcoal ran over when she saw Jack fall over. "Jack!! Jack are you alright?!" Charcoal was worried, was her food really that bad? She shook her head, now wasn't the time to worry about that. She picked up Jack and brought him over to the sink. She filled a cup with water and tipped it into his mouth.

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal ran over when she saw Jack fall over. "Jack!! Jack are you alright?!" Charcoal was worried, was her food really that bad? She shook her head, now wasn't the time to worry about that. She picked up Jack and brought him over to the sink. She filled a cup with water and tipped it into his mouth.

Jack tried to resist the water. "No, no... I'm goo-*hic!*" Jack said in a woozy voice. "I don' need no stinkin' water." Jack tried to slap the cup away. He started laughing. "Dude... I... the pasta... it was a bit tooooo spicy." Jack said he walked over the the fridge and opened it to get another beer "My king! Bring me more mead!" Jack practically yelled as he tried to drink it with the cap still on.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack tried to resist the water. "No, no... I'm goo-*hic!*" Jack said in a woozy voice. "I don' need no stinkin' water." Jack tried to slap the cup away. He started laughing. "Dude... I... the pasta... it was a bit tooooo spicy." Jack said he walked over the the fridge and opened it to get another beer "My king! Bring me more mead!" Jack practically yelled as he tried to drink it with the cap still on.

Charcoal sighed in relief. It wasn't her cooking, it was just too spicy. But now there was the current problem at hoof, Jack being drunk. Drinking was a problem that Jack needed help breaking. She walked over to him and took the beer. With the most intimidation she could muster she spoke in her scariest voice. "NO, you will not get yourself more drunk!"

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal sighed in relief. It wasn't her cooking, it was just too spicy. But now there was the current problem at hoof, Jack being drunk. Drinking was a problem that Jack needed help breaking. She walked over to him and took the beer. With the most intimidation she could muster she spoke in her scariest voice. "NO, you will not get yourself more drunk!"

Jack got angry. "Gimmie it back or I'll *hic!* I don' have a bucking drinkin' problem... now." Jack walked toward Charcoal with a limp. "I need beer to-" Jack fell over on his face. "Ow... Ow... Darn that hurts." Jack said with a normal voice. He got up and rubbed his nose. He saw Charcoal with a bottle of beer in her hoof. "You really shouldn't be drinking now that we have a foal on the way."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack got angry. "Gimmie it back or I'll *hic!* I don' have a bucking drinkin' problem... now." Jack walked toward Charcoal with a limp. "I need beer to-" Jack fell over on his face. "Ow... Ow... Darn that hurts." Jack said with a normal voice. He got up and rubbed his nose. He saw Charcoal with a bottle of beer in her hoof. "You really shouldn't be drinking now that we have a foal on the way."

"Wait, what?" Charcoal was confused, wasn't he just drunk a second ago? "No no you don't understand. I got this from you. You had gotten yourself drunk because my pasts was too spicy and it was the first thing you found. You were going to get another but I took it from you, I'm not going to drink it."

[Jack Spades 162]

"Wait, what?" Charcoal was confused, wasn't he just drunk a second ago? "No no you don't understand. I got this from you. You had gotten yourself drunk because my pasts was too spicy and it was the first thing you found. You were going to get another but I took it from you, I'm not going to drink it."

"Really?" Jack tried to remember. "I don't really..." Jack stopped himself from speaking and licked his hoof. He then smelt it. "Let me guess... One, no two beers?" Jack sniffed again "Yep you don't need to answer. I had two." Jack facehoofed himself "Ah. Not again." he saw Charcoal. "Sorry. I used to have a problem."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

"Really?" Jack tried to remember. "I don't really..." Jack stopped himself from speaking and licked his hoof. He then smelt it. "Let me guess... One, no two beers?" Jack sniffed again "Yep you don't need to answer. I had two." Jack facehoofed himself "Ah. Not again." he saw Charcoal. "Sorry. I used to have a problem."

Charcoal smiles. She walks over to the fridge and puts the beer back inside then she turns around and pats Jack on the head. "It's ok. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, or used to have one in this case. But really it's alright." Charcoal felt another kick. "And the foal seems to have forgiven you as well."

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal smiles. She walks over to the fridge and puts the beer back inside then she turns around and pats Jack on the head. "It's ok. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, or used to have one in this case. But really it's alright." Charcoal felt another kick. "And the foal seems to have forgiven you as well."

Jack looked at Charcoal. She was so forgiving, so strong, so perfect. He couldn't let her down now, or ever. "No, Charcoal. It's not okay." Jack went to the fridge and collected every alcoholic drink in it. He put them all by the sink and popped every top of. He then drained all of them in the sink. Once done, he threw the bottles in the trash. He felt fresh. He felt like a man. "I used to use alcohol to forget my past and how it felt good until and too forget about my parents too." Jack went to Charcoal and hugged her "But now I have a new source of happiness to forget all the bad things in my past. I won't only do this for me, but for you and our foal.'

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack looked at Charcoal. She was so forgiving, so strong, so perfect. He couldn't let her down now, or ever. "No, Charcoal. It's not okay." Jack went to the fridge and collected every alcoholic drink in it. He put them all by the sink and popped every top of. He then drained all of them in the sink. Once done, he threw the bottles in the trash. He felt fresh. He felt like a man. "I used to use alcohol to forget my past and how it felt good until and too forget about my parents too." Jack went to Charcoal and hugged her "But now I have a new source of happiness to forget all the bad things in my past. I won't only do this for me, but for you and our foal.'

Charcoal hugged Jack back. She loved how he was always to soft, and he smelled so good to, though he did have a hint of alcohol on him. She could have sat there hugging Jack for much longer, but then her stomach grumbled again signaling that she was still hungry. "Well, I guess I'm still hungry then." Charcoal said with a slight blush of embarrassment.

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal hugged Jack back. She loved how he was always to soft, and he smelled so good to, though he did have a hint of alcohol on him. She could have sat there hugging Jack for much longer, but then her stomach grumbled again signaling that she was still hungry. "Well, I guess I'm still hungry then." Charcoal said with a slight blush of embarrassment.

Jack chuckled "If you're still hungry when you're done with your plate, you can have mine." Jack let go of Charcoal and patted her on the head. "I love you." 'You really love her don't you?' Of course I do. Why wouldn't I? 'Even though you both aren't married?' Jack frowned. I wish.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack chuckled "If you're still hungry when you're done with your plate, you can have mine." Jack let go of Charcoal and patted her on the head. "I love you." 'You really love her don't you?' Of course I do. Why wouldn't I? 'Even though you both aren't married?' Jack frowned. I wish.

Charcoals eyes lit up at that. "Seconds would be good, I am eating for two ponies anyway." Charcoal got up and went back to her plate. She took a bite of the pasta but was unsatisfied. She got up and looked trough the fridge for something to make it taste better. Nothing really caught her eye so she just settled with adding some mustard to it. When she did it did improve the taste but it wasn't as good as it could be. She ate her helping, moved onto Jacks, then proceeded to eat everything leftover and it was still dark out.

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoals eyes lit up at that. "Seconds would be good, I am eating for two ponies anyway." Charcoal got up and went back to her plate. She took a bite of the pasta but was unsatisfied. She got up and looked trough the fridge for something to make it taste better. Nothing really caught her eye so she just settled with adding some mustard to it. When she did it did improve the taste but it wasn't as good as it could be. She ate her helping, moved onto Jacks, then proceeded to eat everything leftover and it was still dark out.

Jack saw Charcoal eat and eat. She can eat just about anything. 'Marriage.' leave me alone. We'll tie the bow when we're ready. 'What if she's never ready?' ...I don't know. Jack went back to bed to lay down and think. She should be ready sometime. 'She's more of an independent mare. She'll never marry.' "Stop with the lies." Jack said a bit louder than he wanted to.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack saw Charcoal eat and eat. She can eat just about anything. 'Marriage.' leave me alone. We'll tie the bow when we're ready. 'What if she's never ready?' ...I don't know. Jack went back to bed to lay down and think. She should be ready sometime. 'She's more of an independent mare. She'll never marry.' "Stop with the lies." Jack said a bit louder than he wanted to.

Charcoal looked at Jack after his outburst. He must be taking to his inner self again. 'Ask him what he was talking about.' It's none of my business. 'He said something about lieing, what could there possibly to lie about.' I guess. "So Jack, what was your voice talking about?"

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal looked at Jack after his outburst. He must be taking to his inner self again. 'Ask him what he was talking about.' It's none of my business. 'He said something about lieing, what could there possibly to lie about.' I guess. "So Jack, what was your voice talking about?"

Jack looked behind him. "Oh! Did you hear that? I didn't mean for you to hear that." Jack said "He was just teasing me about something nothing really important... Just... marriage. Nothing important." Jack smiled awkwardly. "You know, nothing really important. Not at all."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack looked behind him. "Oh! Did you hear that? I didn't mean for you to hear that." Jack said "He was just teasing me about something nothing really important... Just... marriage. Nothing important." Jack smiled awkwardly. "You know, nothing really important. Not at all."

Charcoal was so surprised by that she fell back out of her seat. With a blush on her face she gets back up again. "Um... yeah, totally not important." Charcoal says awkwardly. She was kind of nervous about this subject. "You know, I'm feeling a little antsy, I think I'm gonna go for a short walk, bye." She walks towards the door, blush still prominent on her face.

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal was so surprised by that she fell back out of her seat. With a blush on her face she gets back up again. "Um... yeah, totally not important." Charcoal says awkwardly. She was kind of nervous about this subject. "You know, I'm feeling a little antsy, I think I'm gonna go for a short walk, bye." She walks towards the door, blush still prominent on her face.

'Heh-heh All according to plan.' I really hate you. I thought you were going to help me! 'What I can't have fun?' Not if it scares Charcoal away! 'Sorry won't happen again. I promise.' It's getting harder to trust you. 'Sorry.' Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Jack curled up on the bed and put the blankets on him again. "Some time alone should be good. I just hope she doesn't get into trouble." Jack said as a single tear ran down his face.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

'Heh-heh All according to plan.' I really hate you. I thought you were going to help me! 'What I can't have fun?' Not if it scares Charcoal away! 'Sorry won't happen again. I promise.' It's getting harder to trust you. 'Sorry.' Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Jack curled up on the bed and put the blankets on him again. "Some time alone should be good. I just hope she doesn't get into trouble." Jack said as a single tear ran down his face.

"What am I going to do?" Charcoal mumbled to herself as she walked along the cool Paris evening. Everything was quiet and peaceful, the perfect conditions for thinking. I mean marriage? I hadn't even thought about that, I've been so busy being pregnant that I haven't even thought about it. 'You should talk to him about it. If you don't think you are ready then you should tell him, I'm sure he'd understand.' I know I should, but I just... I just don't know, it's all happening so fast. Charcoal had been so deep in thought that she didn't notice the mare standing in her way until she ran into her. "Oh, pardon me, I wasn't paying attention."

 

"Oh it is quite alright." The mare said. "And if you don't mind me asking what were you thinking about?"

 

"It... it's nothing, or at least nothing you have any use of knowing."

 

"Oh please, I live off of information."

 

Charcoal thought for a moment. She desperately needed advice, and since she didn't know anypony here... "Alright, I was just in my coltfriends hotel room a minute ago and he mentions marriage. He didn't actually ask me to marry him, but just the fact he mentioned it makes me nervous. I'm just not sure if I am ready for it, and I've only known him for about a week at best. I just don't know what to do."

 

The mare smiles. "Follow your instincts, they'll guide you along the way." Was all the mare said before a flash and she was gone. Charcoal guessed she must have been a unicorn but that was the least of her worries. She walked back to the hotel and went to Jacks room and entered it.

[Jack Spades 162]

"What am I going to do?" Charcoal mumbled to herself as she walked along the cool Paris evening. Everything was quiet and peaceful, the perfect conditions for thinking. I mean marriage? I hadn't even thought about that, I've been so busy being pregnant that I haven't even thought about it. 'You should talk to him about it. If you don't think you are ready then you should tell him, I'm sure he'd understand.' I know I should, but I just... I just don't know, it's all happening so fast. Charcoal had been so deep in thought that she didn't notice the mare standing in her way until she ran into her. "Oh, pardon me, I wasn't paying attention."

 

"Oh it is quite alright." The mare said. "And if you don't mind me asking what were you thinking about?"

 

"It... it's nothing, or at least nothing you have any use of knowing."

 

"Oh please, I live off of information."

 

Charcoal thought for a moment. She desperately needed advice, and since she didn't know anypony here... "Alright, I was just in my coltfriends hotel room a minute ago and he mentions marriage. He didn't actually ask me to marry him, but just the fact he mentioned it makes me nervous. I'm just not sure if I am ready for it, and I've only known him for about a week at best. I just don't know what to do."

 

The mare smiles. "Follow your instincts, they'll guide you along the way." Was all the mare said before a flash and she was gone. Charcoal guessed she must have been a unicorn but that was the least of her worries. She walked back to the hotel and went to Jacks room and entered it.

Jack heard a door open. He didn't even need to look to know who it was. "Hey Charcoal." Jack greeted with sadness in his voice. "How was your walk? Did you get a nice time to stop think? I sure did... sort of... you weren't gone long enough for me to come to any conclusions."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack heard a door open. He didn't even need to look to know who it was. "Hey Charcoal." Jack greeted with sadness in his voice. "How was your walk? Did you get a nice time to stop think? I sure did... sort of... you weren't gone long enough for me to come to any conclusions."

Charcoal could hear the sadness in his voice, it broke her heart. "Hey Jack, what's wrong." She had an idea, but she wanted to confirm it first. She walks over to the bed and lays down beside Jack and curdles with him using her wings, she knew he likes the felling of her wings.

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal could hear the sadness in his voice, it broke her heart. "Hey Jack, what's wrong." She had an idea, but she wanted to confirm it first. She walks over to the bed and lays down beside Jack and curdles with him using her wings, she knew he likes the felling of her wings.

Charcoal's wings caressed him. They felt so warm and nice "Mm. I love those wings of yours." Jack said feeling a bit better. "It's just that my voice was saying that you'd never want to be married. It says that you're an independent mare and I'm starting to think it's right. But I know... or think that you would be ready someday, but I don't know and it's tearing me apart!" Jack finished off sounding a bit frustrated.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Charcoal's wings caressed him. They felt so warm and nice "Mm. I love those wings of yours." Jack said feeling a bit better. "It's just that my voice was saying that you'd never want to be married. It says that you're an independent mare and I'm starting to think it's right. But I know... or think that you would be ready someday, but I don't know and it's tearing me apart!" Jack finished off sounding a bit frustrated.

Charcoal gives Jack a small thump on his head. "That is for your inner voice." Charcoal said as she wrapped her arms around him as well. "I may be an independent mare, yes, but that doesn't mean that I will never want to get married. Maybe not now, I wouldn't want the hormones from pregnancy affecting my decision. But maybe someday, when I'm good and ready with the special stallion I want to spend my life with."

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal gives Jack a small thump on his head. "That is for your inner voice." Charcoal said as she wrapped her arms around him as well. "I may be an independent mare, yes, but that doesn't mean that I will never want to get married. Maybe not now, I wouldn't want the hormones from pregnancy affecting my decision. But maybe someday, when I'm good and ready with the special stallion I want to spend my life with."

Jack rubbed his head "When you're good and ready with the special stallion?" Jack gasped "Are you implying that there's somepony else? Does he not have a voice? Darn it. There's always a better stallion trying to get another stallions mare." Jack's face grew with fear "Don't tell me it's Dr.Psych!" Jack said a little scared.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack rubbed his head "When you're good and ready with the special stallion?" Jack gasped "Are you implying that there's somepony else? Does he not have a voice? Darn it. There's always a better stallion trying to get another stallions mare." Jack's face grew with fear "Don't tell me it's Dr.Psych!" Jack said a little scared.

Charcoal chucked a bit and tapped Jack on his nose. "No silly, right now you are all mine. But I can't tell what is going to happen in the future. I don't know if you will live as long as I do, I know it isn't a good thought but it is true. But don't worry, there is no other stallion I would rather be with."

[Jack Spades 162]

Charcoal chucked a bit and tapped Jack on his nose. "No silly, right now you are all mine. But I can't tell what is going to happen in the future. I don't know if you will live as long as I do, I know it isn't a good thought but it is true. But don't worry, there is no other stallion I would rather be with."

Jack smiled "Oh." he chuckled "You're right. You have to think about the future." 'That's unfair. Doesn't she see that you two are perfect for each other.' I forgot about this, but we've met each other about four days ago. I don't think anyone's gotten married that quickly. 'Okay. Now that's fair.' Jack nuzzled against Charcoal. "Thanks. You really made me feel better." he rested his head against her chest. "You've really made me soft right now."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

Jack smiled "Oh." he chuckled "You're right. You have to think about the future." 'That's unfair. Doesn't she see that you two are perfect for each other.' I forgot about this, but we've met each other about four days ago. I don't think anyone's gotten married that quickly. 'Okay. Now that's fair.' Jack nuzzled against Charcoal. "Thanks. You really made me feel better." he rested his head against her chest. "You've really made me soft right now."

"That's what I'm here for." Charcoal yawned. She didn't realize it but now that all the excitement was gone she was really tired. "I think I'm going to get some more sleep now Jack... I'll see you in the morning." Charcoal rested her head on Jacks chest and fell asleep listening to Jacks heartbeat.