"I can't help but wonder - why are you treating me so well?"

We all stop to stare at Peter. After a moment, I avert my gaze towards the floor. I can't stand to look at him: it makes me feel horrible...

"Well...because you got hurt protecting somepony," Twilight announces.

"Yeah, and yesterday, you were flagging me down as a murderer," Peter reminds her. "What caused the sudden shift in thought?"

"Well..." Twilight's voice trails off as she sets about fixing the flowers that dozens of ponies sent in for Peter. He turns his head towards me, but can't move his back: the doctors said that if he does, it'll mess up the wounds.

"Well?" He asks me. "Would you mind explaining to me why everypony isn't treating me like a murderer anymore?"

"Because we know that you're not," I respond with a sigh. "You saved Bon Bon's life. Do you expect us to just ignore that? Everypony here is willing to give you a chance now, thanks to that..."

"Yeah, but that ain't it," Applejack announces. "Rainbow Dash here went to some mighty lengths t' clear yer' name, y'know. Ah've never seen 'er so passionate 'bout somethin'! She gave a speech at th' town hall an' everythin'!"

Peter looks back to me again, and I force myself to make eye contact with him. He smiles, and I blush as I look to the floor again. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash," he announces. "You didn't have to..."

"I did," I hiss in response.

"No, really - you didn't. Yeah, you might've screwed up, but you didn't have to stick your neck out there for me like that..."

"We made love last night!" I shout at him, having finally lost my cool. The ponies in the room all stare at me, then at him, then at me, and begin to panic as they bustle out of the room, each of them blushing and gaping in surprise. "I had to, because we made love, and it's my responsibility!"

Peter frowns as he waves me over. I sigh as I approach him, knowing that I've screwed up again - I didn't want my friends to know about that. So much for that, huh?

He holds out his hand, and I grudgingly oblige by placing my hoof in his hand. He smiles at me, and I watch his Adam's apple bulge as he gulps.

"So...I'm in the clear?" He asks, softly.

"Yeah," I respond. "I managed to get everypony to look past it - I told them that they should get to know you, because it's just one small thing in your past, and we don't know what you'll be like here. It took a while, but...they believe me."

Peter smiles at me. "Thank you...it means a lot to me."

"I did it because it was my fault," I inform him. "It shouldn't mean a lot to you - you should hate me! It's my fault that you were arrested and stuff in the first place! And it's my fault that you could've been, like, totally kicked outta Ponyville!" I press my hooves to my eyes to keep tears from falling, as I can feel them coming forth. "And, on top of that, we made love! I lost my virginity to you, and I could've gotten you banished! Hay, I gave you my virginity, all because I did something stupid that hurt you! I'm basically a fuckin' slut, Peter!"

"You're not a slut!" Peter protests, grasping my hooves with his hands. He sits up, and I wince as I hear his bandages crack a bit.

"You should sit back down," I caution. "Your stitches..."

"Fuck 'em," he says. "Rainbow, you're not a slut - it was my fault, alright? We did that because, first, our hormones were crazy from the date. Second, because we were getting heated up, because I couldn't forgive you..."

"You shouldn't forgive me," I whisper. "Peter, I...you trusted me with that knowledge, Peter. It was a special knowledge, and something that only the two of us should know - it made our relationship special, y'know?"

"Rainbow," he says, softly, "our relationship can be special without sharing secret knowledge."

"Yeah, I know, but it was something more than just a secret - it was more like a key, a key to you - and I gave it away!"

"Since when were you so sappy?" He asks. I frown at him, unable to understand why he's not agreeing with me...

"It wasn't a key to me," he announces. "Do you know what the key to me is?"

"What?" I sniffle.

"It's you," he says, softly. "Rainbow, you're the thing that can unlock me - you're my key." He smiles as he brushes across my cheek with the back of his hand. He gulps, and takes a deep breath before saying: "I meant what I said. When I said...that I love you."

I stare a him in shock. "But...we've only know each other for a few days," I protest.

"And?" He asks with a shrug. "Love is never the same for everyone. For us, it could be an instantaneous love - one that blossoms overnight. It may not be the strongest love, but if we stick together, we can make it strong." He smiles at me as he brings my hooves to his heart. "And we can forget that this stupid shit happened, y'know? We can sort of start over..."

I smile, and nod. "Y-yeah, we can," I mutter. "And...in that case...I love you, too."

Peter smiles, and pulls me in for a kiss. I oblige, and a moment later, I'm easing him back onto the bed.

"Rest, sweetheart," I whisper. "You need some rest..."

"Will you stay with me?" He asks. I nod as I rest my head in his chest, and listen to have deep breathing, ad his heart beating, as we rest...

Meanwhile, in Canterlot...

"Baby, what're you doing?"

I let out a small yelp as I cut the stream of magic. I wince as I fear what could happen down there in Ponyville: if those two don't bond well, then the Elements of Harmony could end up drifting apart due to a simple mistake...

"Nothing," I respond. "Just...thinking."

"Yeah, sure," Shining Armor chuckles. "Anyway, I've got to get back to work...I love you, Cadence."

He gives me a peck on the cheek, and I smile. "I love you, too..."

With that, he exits, his armor clinking a bit as he fixes it. I sigh as I return to the bed we had...used, ready to have to explain this to the cleaners...

However, I find that Shining Armor took care of that: the sheets are in a heap on the floor, prepared for being washed. New sheets are spread out across the bed, and I smile to myself.

Either I have the best boyfriend in the world...

Or he is totally whipped.

I sincerely hope it's the former, but the latter wouldn't be that bad.

Author's Note

See? I explained why Rainbow and Peter were like forgiving and shit bananas.