Galaxy Guard did not sleep that night.
 
She tossed and turned, cursing the cutie map for keeping her in this wretched place. Why couldn’t she have just called it a day and gone home? Why did she have to stay a whole night on the property of that…that murderer? Not to mention the carriage was super uncomfortable. At least Dusk brought her a blanket. But it was better than being in the house, ever closer to the pony who took her father away from her.
 
Tap tap tap!
 
Galaxy was jolted out of her fitful sleep by a tapping at the window.
 
“Hey Gal! Wake up!”
 
Hawk Eye had his muzzle pressed to the glass like a little kid. His chest was clad in only a t-shirt with his jacket slung over his shoulder, and he was peering at her nervously.
 
“Y-you up Gal?”
 
“I am now,” Galaxy rolled her eyes, silently thanking Celestia it wasn’t her. “What do you want?”
 
“Really?” Hawk snorted a little. “Can’t an old friend show up at a friend’s carriage for a midnight chat?”
 
“What is there to chat about? Like I said earlier, I’m here strictly on business. However long that’ll take…” Despite herself, Galaxy got out of the carriage. “Well, I’m not going back to sleep anyway.”
 
“Sweet!” Hawk grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes. Why don’t we go to the top of the silo? I haven’t had a way to get my scrawny ass up there since you stopped coming around.”
 
“What, nopony to carry you?” Galaxy smirked slightly. “Might as well. Hop on.”
 
Hawk shrugged as he awkwardly scrambled onto her back. “Dad’s getting old and my sister says she’s got better things to do. I’d ask Ambrosia, but usually we’re making out if he’s visiting here.”
 
Galaxy snorted. “Of course you are. You’ve always been head over hooves for those tall, buff stallions. Guess I’m the only one strong enough to carry the likes of you.” She took to the sky and touched down on top of the silo.
 
Hawk gave a giddy twirl when his hooves touched the curved roof. “So great!” He slid up next to Galaxy and elbowed her gently. “That may be so, but it appears you and I have similar tastes after all. Seeing a certain silly changeling princess, are we?”
 
“We’re only friends with benefits!” But the blush on her face told a different story. “But never mind that. What are you doing awake in the middle of the night anyway?”
 
Hawk shrugged. “I could come up with tons of excuses but you wouldn’t believe me. Truth? I was happy. Happy you were back on the rock farm. I couldn’t wait until morning to talk.”
 
”Happy? Why?”
 
“Because I missed you, featherbrain! We haven’t hung out in so so long! Don’t tell me you didn’t miss it a little?”
 
Did she? He was the brother of a killer. Any family of a murderer was just as bad as the murderer herself. Or so Galaxy told herself. But she couldn’t deny that she did miss him, more than she’d care to admit.
 
“Y-yes. Yes, I did miss it.”
 
“Knew it!” The stallion grinned, but faltered at the serious expression on the mares face.
 
For awhile, the two ponies just sat there, gazing up at the sparkling stars. The air was crisp and cool on top of the silo, and Hawk was soon pulling on his jacket. He sighed.
 
“‘Member when you dared me to ask out the colt at the general store?”
 
“I do,” Galaxy chuckled. “You were so flustered you could barely let out a squeak before passing out right in front of him! How could I forget that?”
 
“Yeah! You had to carry me home. Come to think of it, you carried me a lot.”
 
“Yeah! Remember that time I had to carry you home after your first party? Damn, you were so buzzed you couldn’t even walk in a straight line!” She was laughing in earnest now. “Good times.”
 
Hawk chortled. “You’re not untarnished from our adventures, Gal. What about when you stole my granddad’s antique sword? I’ve never seen Ma so mad!”
 
“Oh Celestia!” Galaxy cackled. “Don’t remind me! I can still feel those rocks she threw at me!”
 
And so it went. One memory brought twenty new ones and the two ponies found they just couldn’t stop. They just kept talking and laughing and eventually crying until their sides hurt. They had no idea how long they had been sitting up there until the first rays of dawn began streaming across the starry sky.
 
Hawk blinked up in surprise. “Holy crap, where’d the time go?”
 
“I hadn’t even realized! I-it’s been so long, we just-“ Galaxy was interrupted by a familiar vibrating on her flanks.
 
“This was the friendship problem…”
 
“You serious?” Hawk laughed happily. But the laugher was soon wracked with shaky gasps as he held back more tears.
 
“Hawk!” She patted his back. “Is it something I said?”
 
The stallion shook his head. “I’m just really, really happy. I’ve got other friends, but I never had the connection I’ve got with you, Gal. We were the gay kids and it was us against the world. I didn’t realize until you were gone. I was just too afraid after…Well, you know….”
 
“Forget about that, Hawk. We don’t need to think about it. I don’t want to think about it…” Galaxy shook the thought out of her head. “Truth is, I’ve missed you too. More than I’ve realized. Things just haven’t been the same since we lost touch.” She smiled genuinely “I’d like to have those nights again. Nights like this.”
 
“Hell yes.” Hawk nodded vigorously. “Nights will always belong to Hawk and Gal! And, ya know, if you don’t wanna hang around the farm and the rest of my family, we can always meet at your place. Or you can try your hoof at entering the world of hairless apes.” He chuckled to himself. “That would be interesting to see…”
 
“I think we’ll settle with my place,” Galaxy chuckled. “Mom took me to that other world when I was little to meet some of her friends. It was so weird! I don’t know how I’d put up with that, but you have fun.” She nudged him playfully. “And write often!”
 
“Of course!” Hawk held his forelegs open. “Cool for a hug?”
 
“Yeah,” Galaxy smiled and leaned into him. “Yeah, I’m cool for a hug.”
 
And so the two reunited friends leaned into each other’s embrace, now in no hurry to leave. For now, past anger and heartbreak no longer mattered as Galaxy Guard and Hawk Eye had their long-overdue heart-to-heart. Indeed, Galaxy was able to let down her guard for once and fulfill the real mission the map had sent her on: rekindling a lost friendship.