It was the song of a mockingbird that woke Charlie the next morning. Such a very pretty sound it was, so innocent and carefree. Nothing at all like the irritable squawking of sea gulls. How nice it was to wake up to this mockingbird's sweet singing.

She slowly opened her eyes and her vision began to adjust to her surroundings. She saw that the flames of the fireplace and the candles had faded in the night, and she could make out a few rays of morning sunlight peeking in from the curtains. Next she took note of the blanket covering her bare body and recalled that she had slept on the floor last night. She also recalled the incredible act that had taken place just before she slumbered.

When her ears picked up the sound of light snoring, she turned to find a familiar bare back the laying next to her. Smiling softly, she slid closer to the man and embraced him from behind. Last night seemed like a beautiful dream to her, so much so that when she first woke up, she thought that's all it was in the end. But it wasn't. It was real. She had really done it. She had mated with a human.

"Now I'm ruined for all mermen." She thought amusingly. "But I never wanted them anyway."

Last night she had finally realized why it was she had never been drawn to her suitors, and why her heart only yearned for Alastor. It was because all those years ago, when she first saved him from drowning as a girl, a bond had formed between them and she had unknowingly fallen in love at first sight. And when a mermaid falls in love with someone, she can love no other but that one person. Their hearts could never be fickle. Could never fall out of love or be untrue. That's why they mated for life.

That was the reason for Charlie's inability to develop any romantic feelings for Seviathan or any male her father wanted to set her up with. It was because she had already given her heart to the human boy she saved a long time ago. Therefore she would never be able to love anyone else.

She began to caress Alastor's shoulders and hum sweetly to him. Soon he too began to stir.

"Good morning Alastor." She whispered.

He turned around to face her with a sleepy smile.

"Good morning my dear."

She reached for his hands, interlacing her fingers with his, and laid down on his chest. He brought her hands to his mouth, kissing the blisters and callouses on them. His lips felt so soft and warm, and his steady heart beat was the most beautiful sound in the world to her.

"In all the years I've been alive, I never thought I'd wake up like this." He said. "I used to think that something like this was highly overrated and sometimes repulsive, but with you it's..."

He couldn't find words for it. So he spooned her. Kissing and cuddling her with that lovesick grin on his face.

"Alastor."

"Yes?"

"I have a question, about last night."

He looked at her concerned.

"Do you regret what happened?" He asked her. "Did you not want to do it after all? Did I take advantage of you somehow?"

"No. Nothing like that." She assured him. "I was just wondering...What does it mean for us? Are things going to be as they were before?"

"After what we did? No chance."

"So what are we now? What do we do? I meant it when I said I loved you. But...What do you think?"

"I...I don't know."

He wrapped his arms around her, planting sweet kisses on her cheeks and neck.

"I do love you Charlie, and I want to give you all the love in my heart. But I've never had a relationship like this so I cannot say what the future holds. I suppose we should just see where this goes, and hope for the best."

His mouth moved from her neck to her shoulders, to her chest, and down to her belly, which suddenly growled and stopped him from going any further. Charlie's face turned red hot with embarrassment.

"Oh why does my stomach decide to do this now?!" She cried, going under the blanket.

Alastor burst out laughing.

"Hungry sweetheart?" He asked between chuckles.

"I'm sorry." She called from under the covers. "I killed the mood."

"Well we should probably hold off on doing anything until we get some protection."

"Protection?" Her head popped up. "Protection for what?"

"You know..." Now it was his turn to go red in the face. "Condoms. Or birth control pills."

"What are those?"

"You're kidding right?"

She shook her head. Alastor briefly looked panicked.

"Honey, I was your first right?"

"My first?" She inquired innocently. "My first what?"

"I mean, you've never been with anyone like that before. Right?"

"Oh that. Yes. Last night was my first time."

"Okay." He sighed in relief. "Considering we were both virgins before, there's a slim chance you could get pregnant or either one of us could have contracted any disease. Still we should probably see a doctor just to be sure."

"Okay."

"Now why don't you take this time to wash up, and I'll fix us a little breakfast?"

With that plan made, Alastor put on some boxers and sweat pants then checked the breaker box to see if the power had come back on. Thankfully it did, so he set to work cooking in the kitchen, placing a skillet on the stove and preheating the oven.

Charlie locked herself in the bathroom and ran herself a bath. She knew that she hadn't conceived a child because unlike humans, merfolk know exactly when they're ovulating and she knew that she was not. Though she wondered, what if they did have a child together? A child born from the love of a mermaid and a human. Was such a child even possible? And if so, how would that child live? Would her family accept it even if human blood flowed in it's veins?

After her bath was finished and she had dried herself enough to where her legs could grow back, she went into Beth's room wearing a towel, changing into a clean pair of panties and a bathrobe. Next she walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table for a morning meal.

Alastor made eggs, bacon, and biscuits with coffee and apple juice to drink. He held her hand most of the morning and the two talked easily, but sometimes he would stop speaking and just stare at her. She noticed, and smiled at him. Then she slid from her chair, sat down on his lap, and started moving her lips on to his in pure passion. Alastor thought he'd faint, just touching her was like a life-long fantasy come true.

"No. Please." Breaking the contact between their mouths. "You're gonna put me in the hospital. I...I have to go pick up Beth from Rosie's and we really shouldn't be doing this without protection. So um...Let's go get dressed now."

"Alright. If that's what you want."

Charlie grabbed some of her own clothes and returned to Beth's room where she intended to dress herself. She had just picked up the bra when the door flew open and Alastor ran in, his heartbeat at double time and his mind clouded with ecstasy.

"On second thought, Beth is probably not even awake yet anyway."

He swung her up into his arms and kissed her. They opened their mouths with each kiss and she hooked her legs around his waist, as he carried her into his bedroom. There they made love again, it was a relentless and powerful confirmation of what they had shared the night before. Breathing in unison and moving their bodies in a tidal wave of sensations.

Rosie fixed pancakes and fruit salad topped with coconut and raisins that morning. When Beth smelled the pancakes cooking, she instantly jumped from the bed and rushed down stairs into the kitchen, sitting next to Husk at the table. At the center of the table there stood a crystal vase that held an arrangement of roses and one yellow carnation. The single red rose and the carnation Husk had given the two ladies was added to that bouquet and Beth thought it was very lovely. She leaned over and inhaled the sweet scents of those flowers.

Rosie served the first batch of hot cakes to Beth and brought forth butter, maple syrup, and jam. Next she poured the coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice, then spooned some of the fruit salad on to Beth's plate.

"Rosie do you mind if I drink my cup of Jo Irish style?" Husk asked pulling a flask of whiskey from his shirt.

"Well normally I advise against drinking in the morning." Rosie said, adding a tea spoon of sugar and a dollop of cream to her coffee. "But as long as you don't throw up on my table..."

Husk unscrewed the flask and poured the whiskey into the mug of hot coffee, followed by slurping it all down in one gulp.

"Classy." Beth muttered. "Real classy."

Husk just shrugged and waited for his meal to be served. After breakfast, they cleaned the kitchen and later Beth hurried upstairs to get ready for the day.

"Oh wait!" Husk said stopping her. "I almost forgot, I got a little surprise for you kid. What's that behind your ear?"

"Nice try. I know that trick. You're hiding quarter between your fingers."

"Just go along with it, will ya?"

Husk reached behind Beth's ear and what he pulled back wasn't a quarter or a dime or a nickel or a penny. It wasn't even a coin. It was the now fully-restored, oriental comb. At the sight of it, Beth's eyes became large with astonishment, and her hands slowly accepted it from him with care. She studied the comb, taking note of how every detail had been fixed and recovered. As if it had never been broken to begin with.

"My mother's comb." She finally said. "You fixed it."

"Yeah and it was not easy to fix. Took me two whole nights to get everything back in one place." Husk explained.

"Incredible." Rosie said looking it over. "It looks brand new."

"Well piano playing isn't my only talent. I also do magic tricks, card games, and a little restoration. I've always been good with things that require attention to detail, hand-eye coordination, and quick thinking."

Beth practically jumped from her chair and threw herself into Husk's arms.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The girl cried out gratefully. "This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me."

At first Husk was taken aback by Beth's gesture. He didn't expect her to just gleefully hug him like this. But after five seconds of standing still, he slowly moved his arms around Beth and hugged her in return.

"You're welcome."

"Beth why don't you go put that comb in a safe place? That way it won't get broken again." Rosie suggested.

"Good idea."

Beth went upstairs to stick the comb in her bag and start getting dressed, leaving Rosie alone with Husk. Unaware of the interesting conversation that was about to take place between them.