{{AUTHOR'S NOTE: I couldn't get everything I wanted to do between Julie and Eric's points of view into just one episode, so...}}
The carpool was strangely silent during the trip home from Moon Lake High School that day.
Eric Anderson stayed close to Spencer Lawson the whole journey, holding her close like a young child would its mother.
Spencer didn't mind the tender moment, but wished it was because of better circumstances. It was just sheer dumb luck that in her twisted attempt at revenge, Julie Stovall didn't actually scratch Eric when she literally had him by the balls after school. Otherwise, Eric would be showing signs of growing scales right now on his way to becoming a were-merman, instead of still being the normal boy Spencer loved who still hoped to become a werepanther someday to be with her forever.
There were a LOT of thoughts crossing Spencer's mind right now, from her feelings towards Eric to wondering how raw sushi actually tasted if she ever got her paws on Julie Stovall.
There was no way she could ever legally lay a finger on the were-mermaid, even if she wasn't the mayor's daughter, because there was no way Spencer ever wanted to get into trouble with her parents again, let alone risk ever serving any jail time herself.
But as she thought about how close she came to "losing Eric" this afternoon, one thought kept crossing Spencer's mind repeatedly.
"Then you'll still love him, no matter what," Frieda Knight had told her, while they were still waiting for Nate Anderson to finish examining his brother and report the news on Eric's fate.
Eric and Spencer had talked about it, tried expressing it the best they could as teenagers, but until now, the full weight of that statement had not completely settled on her.
I REALLY DO love Eric Anderson! realized Spencer, hugging him closer to the point that she almost ran the risk of hurting his rib cage.
Soon Ben Twist's car pulled into the Lawson family driveway, as Nate addressed his younger brother.
"Okay Eric. I know you and Spencer want some time alone, homework and otherwise, but the moment you're ready to come home for the evening, call either me or Ben and we'll come get you," he promised.
"Yeah. That's what friends are for," added Ben, as Spencer and Eric got out of the car.
"Okay guys. And thanks for everything," said Eric, holding his girlfriend's hand.
Spencer briefly stuck her head into the open car window and said, "Guys, I don't know if it's because of either moving around so much or being a jerk in my past, but I've never had any real friends before, and I just wanted to say thank you."
"You're welcome," said Alex Ramsey, to which the others quickly agreed.
"I will call later," promised Eric, as the car pulled out of the driveway and they headed toward the house.
INSIDE...
Once Spencer confirmed they were alone, because her parents weren't home and her grandfather was back in his Seattle apartment preparing for his move to Moon Lake, the first thing she wanted to do was inspect Eric's penis for herself.
"It is definitely bruised, but otherwise you're still you," said Spencer happily after her examination. There were thankfully no scratches either on or around his genitalia or thighs, and happily Eric still smelled like a normal human being to her. That's one crisis averted. But when she tried to "kiss the boo boo", Eric flinched; so Spencer got him a cold compress.
"You'll be all right within a day or so, but you've got to be more careful honey," she warned her boyfriend, while sitting next to him on the couch.
"I'm sorry. I got lost in that chemistry text book waiting for the rest of you and Julie snuck up on me," explained Eric. "Maybe you and I should just do it now, and I'll take the risk of becoming either a werewolf, a werepanther, or a werecat," he suggested, referring to the components of Spencer's hybrid nature and the fact she didn't know what a normal would transform into if they had sex with her.
"No," said Spencer, flatly.
"HUH?" said Eric in return.
"First off," began his girlfriend, "I want our first time to be special, even if it doesn't wind up being your first time because someone else turned you into a were before we can..."
"I know. We've talked all about this," Eric reminded her. "Statistically, a werepanther would be the ideal mate for your hybrid nature, but we've never found a werepanthress willing to—"
"You're forgetting Frieda Knight," Spencer reminded him, to which Eric slapped his palm against his forehead in a "DUH!" expression. "Look honey," she began, holding him closer to her. "I know fur and fins don't mix, because very few land based weres like swimming in their fursonas. Except for the aquatic weres, it's the reason why most weres take showers and baths in their normal forms too. Trying to wash all that fur..."
"Yeah, I can see that," agreed Eric, snuggling up closer to her. "But what about Julie?"
"Forget that bitch," advised Spencer, not knowing about the meeting the object of their mutual hatred was having with her parents right now. "We're not going to alter our hopes and dreams just because of her."
"So what about Frieda Knight?" wondered Eric.
Spencer hesitated for a second before revealing, "Frieda's willing to usher you into were society. For a price."
"Really?" asked Eric in disbelief, while looking directly at Spencer. "What's she asking for?"
"Me."
"HUH?" asked Eric, wondering if he heard that right.
"Frieda's bi, by choice, not because of any were species demands. So any normal, regardless of gender, will be straight when they become furry through her, unless they personally prefer to choose otherwise," began Spencer, trying to explain the situation. "However Frieda also, at least right now, leans more towards women than men. If I sleep with her, then she'll sleep with you and..."
"I'll become a werepanther," realized Eric. "But are you cool with that? I thought what you wanted was for me to have oral sex with a willing werepanthress, and as I started to change, I'd give you my virginity."
"Hey. I'm part werecat too, remember? I'm not quite as crazy about it as my mom, but every once in a while, I don't mind having a taste of honey instead of semen," said Spencer. "While I'd be honored to take your virginity; if you're still willing to become a were to be with me, however it happens, as long as it happens..."
"If that's the only way I'll ever be able to fully love you..." was all Eric could say.
"Besides, we also talked about the possibility of having a threesome with the werepanthress after we all became furry too."
"So, would this just be a one time thing between you and Frieda, let alone the three of us?"
"I honestly don't know," admitted Spencer. "Would that be a bad thing if it wasn't?"
"I honestly don't know," said Eric in return. "What kind of a relationship would the two of us be having in the future?"
"What do you mean?" wondered Spencer, now a bit confused.
"I do love you Spencer, and I know you love me too."
"I do. So if you're thinking something dumb like I'm just in this relationship until you're no longer a virgin or something stupid like that, put those crazy thoughts out of your head right now Eric. I'm in this for the very LONG haul!"
"You mean marriage and kids?" asked Eric in disbelief.
"If you'll have me, and them." If anyone had asked her that before everything she had been through with Eric Anderson, Spencer Lawson would have answered quite differently, but now...
"I do."
"Good," said Spencer, giving Eric a kiss. "Although you'll probably have to wait until after we've both graduated college before we can start making formal arrangements so you can say those two words again."
"You're worth waiting for," replied Eric with a smile.
"So are you," answered Spencer, smiling back at him.
"WOW!" said Eric, realizing the enormity of what they just said.
"YEAH!" replied Spencer, realizing the importance of their statements too.
"But as happy as that makes me honey, what I meant when I asked what kind of a relationship would the two of us be having in the future was if you were wanting one like your folks and mine have."
"You mean happily ever after?" she asked in return.
"That they are," agreed Eric. "Yet their relationships are also quite open too," he pointed out.
"Oh. I see what you mean," realized Spencer. "My dad's straight as an arrow but shares mom's women when they're willing, while she'll fuck anything from both genders if they want to play."
"My folks' relationship is kind of different. My dad's straight, but both him and mom will have sex with any willing female and often wind up sharing them, however dad is the only man she's ever had as far as I know."
"I see what you're getting at. So how do you want to handle this?" asked Spencer.
"Well, I'm straight, and prefer to stay that way. I won't mind sharing other women with you, but I have no plans to go actively looking for them for myself," explained Eric.
"Well, other than however things work out with Frieda, I have no plans to actively look for anyone at all," she admitted. "Want to stick with just you, me, and her?" At least for now.
"Sure, unless you think we should keep our future options open too," suggested Eric.
When you start thinking about something, you do tend to overthink it to death, realized Spencer. "Let's just take that one day at a time. Okay?"
"Agreed."
And they sealed the deal with a long, passionate kiss.
"I can see someone else is happy with our arrangements," comment Spencer, after their lips parted.
Eric looked down and saw his cock trying to stiffen between his legs. "Looks promising for full recovery, but still kind of sore at the moment. The compress is getting warm anyway," he added, before standing up and zipping his pants closed.
"DAMN! I forgot to call my mom when we got home," realized Spencer, looking at the wall clock.
"Well, you can do that now, and then we'll still have time before I should call someone for an escort home," said Eric. Then he asked, "When are you and Frieda..."
"I don't know. I wanted to talk her offer over with you first. She'll be calling me sometime later tonight and we'll take it from there. But Little Eric is DEFINITELY on the road to recovery," observed Spencer, seeing her boyfriend's pants start to tent.
"Yeah. But he's not as good in confined spaces right now as he usually would be. Maybe we should get to that homework," suggested Eric, walking kind of funny towards the Lawson's dining room table with his book bag in hand.