For the next few days, Chrysalis continued to dip in and out of consciousness; Fluttershy would tend to her as best she could, make an effort to be by her side as much as possible, but even she couldn't take the often violent intensity of her nightmares. She would shout horrific curses at imaginary beings, thrash wildly in the bed – more often than not knocking the pictures off of the walls in the process – and, though it was rare, she would even sleepwalk throughout the cottage, frightening the animals. It was lucky that the Changeling was in such poor condition, Fluttershy reflected as she dragged her back to bed for what seemed like the tenth time that morning, because otherwise she would've been impossible to restrain.

        While fluffing up her pillow, Chrysalis watched her calmly, a curious expression on her face. “Why are you putting yourself through so much effort on my behalf, Fluttershy?”

        Fluttershy, stifling a yawn, snatched a quick glance at the setting sun. She was dimly aware that Rainbow Dash, or was it Rarity, had asked to meet her earlier in the day. Oh, well, I'll just have to come up with another excuse for not doing so. “Because I couldn't just let you die out there, nor can I just let you die here now. It's … I don't know how to explain it other than it being my own personal belief that everypony needs to be shown a little kindness, that everypony deserves a second chance at redemption.”

        “Redemption?” Chrysalis said, steam practically oozing from her nostrils as she snorted in disgust. “You think this changes anything?”

        “I don't know,” Fluttershy replied softly. “But what else is there? You can't go back to the Hive, can you?”

        “I should just throw myself on Princess Celestia's tender mercy, is that what you're saying, little pony?”

        Back to little pony, are we? “Yes, you should. There'll be a trial, yes. You'll be imprisoned, most likely. But if you show that you can be a better pony, that you're willing to embrace friendship, you can be a part of our society. Isn't that a better option than dying alone and forgotten?”

        “I'm not a pony,” said Chrysalis bluntly. “I don't care about friendship. I care about the safety of my Hive, that they're well-fed, and I don't care what I have to do to ensure their survival.” With a cruel smirk, she added, “If everypony rolls over as easily as you did, gaining all the love we need to survive forever shouldn't be that much of a problem, huh?”

        For the rest of the day, they said nothing to each other; Fluttershy knew that Chrysalis' comment had been designed solely for getting a rise out of her, to irk her, but it had worked. What she had done – having sex with that monster – had required a tremendous effort of physical and mental willpower. Not only to get over the species barrier, but to get over her own issues when it came to intimacy. True, the primary goal was the act of healing, but she'd hoped, foolishly, she supposed, that showing her an act of pony love would help her reform. Would help her to see that there was more to life than just scavenging for what she wanted.

        I'm such an idiot, Fluttershy decided, hefting a sigh into the otherwise quiet room. Chrysalis was asleep, and for once, she seemed moderately peaceful. So peaceful, in fact, that the pegasus felt compelled to check that she was still breathing. The Changeling almost managed to look pretty now that she wasn't scowling or hurling insults, with the remnants of light from the fading sun casting an orange glow around her form. Vaguely pony-like in shape, with a similar body structure as the alicorn princesses, but with a shiny black shell, dark green hair, and gossamer-thin wings. I could probably find you attractive if you didn't have the personality of a virus.

        It was that night that things changed, however: Chrysalis woke up, one hoof immediately going to her forehead while the other reached out, searching for … something. Fluttershy gripped it in her own. “I'm here, Chrysalis, what do you need?”

        “Love.”

        Fluttershy felt her jaw twitch. After what she had said earlier, she was in no mood to be toyed with again by the Changeling. “I'm sorry, but that's not gonna happen.”

        “Fluttershy, please …?”

        It wasn't a demand, it wasn't begging or pleading, it was just … asking. Chrysalis was asking Fluttershy to make love to her, to make her feel better, to give her the help that she needed, just as she had promised to do. It was a subtle tonal shift, but Fluttershy had spent so much time in the Changeling's company that she felt herself accustomed to her moods by now. This was not something that she'd heard before.

        Asking for Fluttershy's help.

        Asking for companionship.

        Asking for love.

        Fluttershy crawled into the bed and Chrysalis' forelegs went around her head, pulling her in close enough to plant a deep kiss on her muzzle; the Changeling's bifurcated tongue felt weird in her mouth, she had to admit, but it was not as gross or disgusting as she'd been expecting it to be. It tickled the roof of her mouth before playing across Fluttershy's own tongue and flicking sensuously at her tonsils.

        This time, their movements were unhurried; it was borne out of a sense of duty, or the desperate need for survival, that they made love this time, but because they both wanted to. Chrysalis rolled herself on top and ground her heated flesh against Fluttershy's, the room soon becoming filled with their combined grunts of pleasure. Suddenly, she stopped, looking embarrassed. “Fluttershy, would you …?”

        It took Fluttershy a second to realise what the Changeling wanted and she blushed. “Oh, sure, of course.”

        Passion was all well and good, but Chrysalis was still recovering, and the initial burst of enthusiasm had quickly drained her body of adrenaline; slowly, tenderly, Fluttershy lay her on the bed, then straddled her, grinding their pelvises together until they both felt shards of pleasure shooting through them.

        As an empath, Chrysalis was privy to the thoughts and feelings coursing through Fluttershy's mind; sensing the pegasus' fulfilment only added to her own, and it didn't take long for her to reach a climax from sensing that tumult … emotionally as well as physically. She lay there, inhaling deeply, feeling sated for the first time in ages. There was an old Changeling saying, “Lust is all well and good in a pinch, but nothing beats Love.”

        From that night onward, their intimacy became something more than a simple salve for Chrysalis' wounds; their love-making had become actual love-making, and the improvement in the Changeling's mood was almost instant. Her dreams were less turbulent, she usually had a smile on her face whenever Fluttershy entered the room, and most importantly of all, despite her growing strength, she hadn't once tried to run away.

        Though each bout left her drained – not just physically tired, but also emotionally exhausted as her feelings of love were usurped to sate Chrysalis' growing need – Fluttershy found contentment in the embrace of the Changeling.