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The next installment in the Ethan story series.\n\nUnless otherwise noted, all characters and places are © me.\n", "description_bbcode_parsed": "FINALLY! The next installment in the Ethan story series.

Unless otherwise noted, all characters and places are © me.
", "writing": "Labors of Love\n\nMay 22, 2013\n\nEthan groaned. His head was pounding - just another 30 minutes of sleep, please? - but he didn't remember going to bed. Why did his head hurt, anyway? It was almost as bad as that one time he'd miscalculated a leap and hit his temple on the lip of a trash can. No, it was exactly like that. He hadn't been able to think straight, afterward; his reaction time was slowed. Concussion.\n\nHe kept his eyes closed, fighting to recount the past couple of minutes. He was in his car, but Walter was driving. Too many points on his license. Shyara pregnant. Walter furious, halfway paying attention to the road as he awkwardly threw punches Ethan's direction. Had Walter hit him in the head hard enough to cause this pain? There was a flash of light, a semi, and the blare of a horn, Walter's screamed obscenities, the squeal of tires - then pain.\n\nThey had crashed. When? He needed to call for help. Where was his phone? Reluctantly, Ethan slowly opened his eyes, blood from a head wound running over his parted left eyelid, burning his eye and blurring his vision. He wiped the crimson fluid from his face and looked around, taking stock of his situation. He looked over to the driver's seat.Walter had unbuckled the seat belt to be able to turn more and hit him more effectively. The airbag had deployed, but the older raccoon's forward momentum was violent enough for the cushion to crush his face in. His muzzle was broken and bent, teeth broken and missing. Blood dripped from his open mouth, and his right eye, smashed in impact, hung ruined from its shattered socket.\n\nWhere was his phone, damnit? Unable to spot it in the cabin, Ethan finally recalled the rectangular press of something against his hip in his right pocket. He pressed the button to release his restraint, unable to hear the click over the sound of the throbbing between his ears. He braced himself, pressing his feet to the floor of the car, and lifted his butt up off the seat. Pain surged through his body, snapping him to alertness. The sheet metal of the front fender had crumpled inward, trapping his leg. He sat forward for a better look, shoving aside his air bag. Sharp aluminum pierced his lower leg, his blood coming out in short bursts, running freely down his calf into a pool around his shoe. Beneath that, he was sure that he felt multiple breaks in his shin, probably from additional punctures.\n\nHis fingers trembled as he pulled his cell from his jeans pocket. He clumsily pressed the button at the top, bringing up his `unlock' screen. His paws shook wildly as he tried unsuccessfully to swipe the password pattern across the touch screen, before his pain-hazed mind realized he should make an Emergency Call. Dialing 9-1-1, he lifted an unsteady paw to press the device to his ear, before dropping it into the space between the seat and the door. Fuck -he reached down to grab it, but it had fallen out of his reach with the door shut, his paw unable to navigate the tight space.\n\nGrasping the door handle, he gave several firm pushes with his shoulder, finally getting the misshapen door out of its bent frame. The momentum of his efforts caused him to fall from the wrecked vehicle onto the soggy ground. He screamed and writhed in agony as the shrapnel in his leg tore and twisted into his muscle and bone, igniting nerve endings and severing blood vessels. The shock of the further injury caused him to vomit, before he blacked out from the intensity of the searing hot pain.\n\n-----\n\n``No!'' Ethan screamed, bolting upright in bed, clutching desperately at the stump below his right knee. He'd lost count of how many times he'd re-lived the accident in his dreams. His calf and ankle demanded his immediate attention - attention he couldn't give, because they were gone, taken from him nearly three months ago. The phantom pains still lingered, however, and he reached to his nightstand for his water and vicodin.\n\n``Babe, are you all right?'' Claire asked, sitting up next to him in his bed. She reassuringly stroked her claws up and down his back. The squirrel girl had been his anchor throughout the entire ordeal. She had been the one to stand up to her father, Officer Daniel Summers, insisting that Ethan was a good guy. She had been the one to drive Ethan to and from his physical therapy sessions, helping him to adjust to life with a prosthesis. She had been the one to offer to step aside when Shyara demanded exclusivity. She had always been the only one he needed, and he needed her now more than ever. Claire Summers. His one true love.\n\n``Yeah,'' Ethan muttered. ``Same dream.''\n\nSwallowing down the painkillers, the young raccoon placed the bottle back beside his bed and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He secured his replacement leg, and grabbed for his cane. Slowly, he rose to his footpaws and walked to his bathroom. He nearly lost his balance, and Claire began to spring out of the bed to help him, before he called her off.\n\n``It's okay,'' he told her with a pained smile. ``I can do this.''\n\nHe meant it. Thanks to her help, he had exceeded the expectations of the specialists. They told him that with hard work, he'd be able to run again someday, thanks to a special prosthesis, but his free-running days were likely over. They cited the flips, twists, and landings as being too strenuous for anything currently available on the market. It sucked, but at least he was alive. Not just in body, but in spirit as well. Without the crushing weight of Walter's abuse, and thanks to the love and support of his friends and family, Ethan was like an entirely different person these days.\n\n``What time is she going in - 3:30?'' Claire asked through the bathroom door.\n\n``Yeah, I figure we might as well just hang out at the Medical Center after my session. Maybe grab some lunch or something, but I don't see the point in leaving just to come back a few hours later,'' Ethan said, flushing the toilet and washing his paws.\n\n-----\n\nAfter getting dressed and eating one of Tatiana's delicious French Toast breakfasts, the couple climbed into Ethan's new Mazda CX-5 and Claire drove him to the UNH - Marblecliff Medical Center for his appointment with Doctor Genevieve. They were greeted warmly by Yvette Rikkers, a grad student completing her residency in Sports Medicine. The cheetah smiled and gave them each a welcoming hug, then spoke in her heavy, African accent. ``Ethan! Claire! It is so nice to see you two again. Doctor Genevieve is just finishing up with another patient at the moment, and will be with us soon. Come along, right this way. I will get you started.'' She led him back to the exercise room and had him get on the treadmill.\n\nYvette put Ethan through the paces, getting him up to twelve miles per hour on the treadmill before having him change stations multiple times, through the stair climber, the exercise bike, and the elliptical machine. All the while, his trainer conversed with them, asking about school, plans for the summer, how their families were doing, and eventually... about Shyara and the baby.\n\n``Today's the big day,'' Ethan exclaimed excitedly. ``We're gonna grab a bite to eat after we're done here, then head over to the L&D suites.''\n\n``Are you nervous?'' Yvette asked.\n\n``A little, but not really,'' he answered, before taking a swig of his water. ``As long as she is healthy, everything will be fine. She'll have a great mother, and I've got a lot of support to make sure I don't mess up too badly.''\n\n``I'm sure you'll do great,'' the cheetah said. ``You seem to be a smart, responsible young man.''\n\n``Mr. Black, how are you doing today?'' The trio turned to see a tall giraffe woman walking toward them, carrying her clipboard.\n\n``Doing better, Dr. Genevieve. It still hurts from time to time, but not as bad as it used to,'' Ethan responded. ``I'm only taking the vicodin once every couple of days or so now.''\n\n``The phantom pains are still happening, huh? Well, that's normal, but at least it's getting better. Do you need a refill on your medication?'' The giraffe spoke while reading through Ethan's data from his workout session.\n\n``No, thank you. At this rate, I still have enough to get me by until our next appointment,'' he answered.\n\n\"Your numbers are looking good, Ethan,\" the doctor told him. \"Your balance seems to be improving, and you?re pushing off with more force. I?d say give it a little bit more time and hard work, and you?ll be almost as good as new.\"\n\n\"Don?t worry about the hard work, doc,\" the teen raccoon chuckled, \"Yvette will kick my ass if I start slacking.\"\n\n\"She?s not the only one,\" his girlfriend joked, bumping against him with her hip. \"As soon as you?re cleared, I?m taking you jogging with me every morning.\"\n\n\"Actually, if you don?t mind, I have a new patient I?d like for you to meet,\" Dr. Genevieve said. \"I think your progress will help to motivate and inspire her. Poor thing lost both arms in Afghanistan when an IED went off.\"\n\nThe giraffe led Ethan and Claire to a table where a young tigress, maybe a little bit older than themselves, was stacking blocks. As they approached, the doctor called out, getting her attention. \"Elita, I have someone here I?d like for you to meet. Ethan, Claire, this is Seaman Elita Norton of the U.S.S. Hanar.\" The teen tigress turned to look at them, and Ethan could see that both of her arms had been severed above the elbows, and the right side of her face was scarred. \"Elita, this is Ethan Black, another one of my patients, and his girlfriend, Claire Summers. I thought you might like to hear about his trials, and perhaps tell him a little bit about yours.\"\n\nThe tigress rose to her footpaws and gave an awkward salute with her replacement arm. \"Mr. Black. Miss Summers,\" she said. \"It?s nice to meet you.\"\n\n``Please, just Ethan and Claire,'' he said, holding out his paw. The tigress arched an eyebrow questioningly, then looked at her artificial limbs. ``Come on, Elita. You've got paws. There's no need to be ashamed of them. I heard about Afghanistan - thanks for your sacrifice - you should wear those like a badge of honor.''\n\nEthan stood there, still extending his arm expectantly. Elita hesitated at first, then carefully reached out with her right arm, closing her mechanical fingers around his paw. He gave a slight wince at the pressure, and gave her a polite shake. ``Sorry,'' she said, embarrassed. ``I'm still learning how much pressure to apply.'' She pulled her arm back and hid them behind her back.\n\n``No need to apologize! I've felt much worse pain than that, trust me. But no one's going to treat you normally until you treat yourself normally,'' he lectured her for a moment, realizing that he was sounding more and more like his doctor. ``You want to talk about it?''\n\n``You first,'' the wounded servicewoman said. ``Then we'll see.''\n\n``Fair enough,'' Ethan smiled. ``I lost my leg in a car accident. My parents died in a plane crash when I was a kid, my aunt and uncle raised me from there. My dad was a professional boxer, and my uncle was his promoter. Anyway, after dad died, I guess my uncle wanted me to get into sports so he could be my agent, or some shit, I dunno. The thing is, I like watching sports, but the only sport that interested me was free-running.''\n\n``You mean like parkour?'' Elita asked.\n\n``Right. Well, my uncle didn't like that too much, I guess it wasn't marketable enough or whatever for a big paycheck. He'd always beat me and yell at me, trying to make me become something else. I tried football, and I'm told I was good, but it wasn't for me. When I quit, my uncle was pissed. Plus, I had a pregnant girlfriend, and I had just gotten more points on my driving record. One night, he just kind of lost it. He was driving my car home one night, and he decided to take his eyes off the road to give me another round of what he called `tough love.' He veered left of center, almost hit a semi, then drove into the side of a rock wall.'' Claire listened silently as her boyfriend recalled the events of that night. She'd heard this story dozens of times, and it never got easier to hear. She did note, however, that Ethan was having less trouble now telling it than before. ``The impact drove the front of the car into the passenger footwell, crushing my leg and tearing the muscles. I actually tore it up worse trying to get out of the car. Doc said she could save my leg, but that I'd probably need a cane for the rest of my life, plus it would likely always be in pain. Running would be out of the question. This prosthetic leg was the alternative. Parkour's out of the question, but at least I'll be able to run again someday, and it hurts less.''\n\n``How about your uncle? What happened to him?'' the tigress asked, genuinely interested in his story.\n\n``He didn't survive the crash,'' Ethan said with a shrug. ``He had to take the seatbelt off to hit me.''\n\n``Good fucking riddance,'' Claire growled.\n\n``I see,'' Elita said. ``Well, for me, I enlisted right out of high school. I couldn't afford college, and didn't want to bury myself in student loans for the rest of my life, so I figured I'd let the Navy pay for my education. I wanted to be a video game designer.'' She sighed before continuing. ``We were near JAF; our MRAP was en route to base, when an IED went off. We were ambushed. One of my friends, Cruz, got hit in the firefight that followed. He was lying there, out in the open, when an RPG went off not too far from my position. I had dust and sand all over my eyepro, and I couldn't see anything, so I took it off. I had to save Cruz. I ran out and grabbed him by his gear, trying to pull him to cover. Insurgents caught sight of us, and I threw myself on top of him to protect him. Another RPG went off, and that's the last thing I remember.''\n\nThe young couple sat, slack-jawed, as the girl just a few years older than themselves told her tale. It was so difficult to imagine living through that horror. ``When I came to, I was in the infirmary. My face was all bandaged up, one of my eyes was ruined, and I had stumps where my elbows used to be. Cruz didn't make it. After my TBI, Command transferred me to McKendry for rehab and physical therapy - they say Doc Genevieve is the best - and gave me four awards. I'm supposed to get an honorable discharge once the docs give me the ok.''\n\nEthan gave her a warm smile and placed his paw on top of her artificial one. ``She is. You're going to great with her. Thanks a lot for sharing your story with us. How about we talk about something else? You said you want to become a video game designer?''\n\n``Yeah,'' she sighed again. ``But that won't happen now. I can't even play them any more.''\n\n``Bullshit,'' Ethan said. He sat forward in his chair and looked her dead in her good eye. ``That's just you giving up. They have a lot of non-traditional controllers out there for people with disabilities. There's controllers that track eye movements. Some recognize voice commands. There's even one that is used with the tongue. In fact, there is even a controller that senses muscle movements. I bet you could find one that reads your biceps.''\n\nElita's eyes lit up at this news. ``No shit? How do you know all this?''\n\nClaire stepped in and answered for him, ``My niece, Elise, is a part of the gaming community. She's actually the reigning Major League Gaming Black Ops champion.''\n\n``Wait - your niece is `Killa_Chinchilla?''' the tigress asked. ``I always thought he was a guy.''\n\n``Nope! She's an adorable, chubby, braces-wearing, bespectacled twelve year-old girl. Are you a fan?'' the squirrel smiled. ``I'm sure I can arrange a meeting if you'd like.''\n\n``That would be great, Claire,'' she beamed back. ``Thank you.''\n\nEthan was finishing writing something down on the back of one of Dr. Genevieve's business cards. ``Here's our numbers; give us a call sometime! We've got to go for now, though. I'm going to be a daddy! It was nice meeting you, Elita.''\n\n``Oh, wow! Congratulations! Thank you, both of you. It was nice to meet you, too.''\n\n-----\n\n``You know,'' Claire whispered sadly, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked toward the exit. ``Just because it isn't likely that I can have kids, it doesn't mean it's impossible. Can we try sometime? I'd love to be a mommy someday. You and I would make beautiful babies.''\n\nHe grabbed his girlfriend and pulled her into a nearby restroom, closing the door and making sure it was locked. Ethan took Claire by the shoulders and held her close, locking his lips to hers as she melted in his strong arms. The teen squirrel pressed against his chest, backing him up against the wall. Their mouths parted and their eager tongues massaged each other as she moaned lightly with need. His paws roamed over her body, exploring her slender waist, the arch of her back, and finally grabbing her firm, muscular ass, well-toned from years of playing volleyball. She moaned out, tracing her tongue up to his ear.\n\n``God, I want you. I love you so much, Ethan. It's been so hard to watch as another woman carried your child. I know it was my idea, and I'm still glad that you agreed to it. Shy deserves to be a citizen, if that's what she wants. But I want cubs of my own. I want to try. Even if it takes forever, or never happens at all, I won't give up.'' There was a fragile plea in her voice that broke Ethan's heart.\n\nAs she licked and sucked on his earlobe, he caressed her backside, pulling her tightly against him. Ethan was thankful for the support of the wall, as it took a lot of stress off of his prosthesis. He licked and nipped at her neck, her head rolling back to give him access to her throat. She lustily ground her mound against his hardening dick through their clothes. Her paws roamed down his pecs and abs, before she lifted his t-shirt, tugging his gym shorts down to the cool, tiled floor.\n\nClaire pushed away from him and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it off and revealing her pink bra. Next, she unzipped her skirt and wiggled it down her long, muscular legs, stepping out of it. She squatted down in front of her boyfriend. Ethan looked down at her as she pulled his boxers down and took his nine inches into her paw. The beautiful squirrel bit her lower lip as she began to slowly stroke his member. A bead of pre-cum gathered on his tip and her eyes lit up like it was chocolate.\n\nHer soft, pink tongue snaked out and she ran it over his head lightly.\n\n``Claire,'' he groaned. ``God, you're hot.''\n\n``Shh,'' she reprimanded.\n\nThe drop of pre formed a rope between his pulsing erection and her lower lip, before she closed the distance and took him into her hot, wet mouth. She started slowly at first, bobbing her head up and down while stroking his length, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Ethan ran his fingers through her long, strawberry-blonde hair, and down over her shoulders to her bra. He leaned forward unsteadily and undid the clasp while she worked on his cock, revealing her beautiful breasts. Claire moaned as her boyfriend began thrusting into her mouth.\n\n``Holy shit, Claire, you're incredible!'' he hissed as they picked up their tempo. He grabbed the squirrel by her ponytail and started bucking into her mouth, pulling her head down into his lap. She moaned again, louder this time, digging her claws into his thighs, as she opened her muzzle wider and took him into her throat. As his dick slipped back and forth past her tonsils, Ethan felt the all-too-familiar sensation of his orgasm approaching and urged her to ease up.\n\n``Oh God, Ethan, I want you to take me from behind, hard and fast,\" she moaned, guiding him to the toilet. Claire almost never swore, and she was completely aware of the effect her dirty talk would have on his libido. Giggling the whole way, she sat him down. She turned her back toward him, shaking her ass to tease him further, and looked over her shoulder. Her fingers tugged at the waistband of her pink bikini-style panties, slowly working them down her legs. Ethan had to fight not to cum right then and there; he would never get tired of drinking in the sight of the beautiful squirrel's delicate folds.\n\nClaire reached behind her, taking his rigid dick in paw, and guided him to her warm opening. She used her other paw to open herself to him, and slid the tip into her hot, slick tunnel. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, as his spit-slicked cock eased past her outer lips and up into her drenched cunny, both of them letting out soft groans of pleasure. She lifted her hips until just his tip remained inside, and then slammed her hips back down, driving him deep inside.\n\nThey watched themselves in the bathroom mirror, mouths open wide, eyes half-lidded with lust. She bit down on her paw to keep from moaning too loudly when he raked his claws down her bare back. Ethan looked down to where their bodies were united, watching the black flesh of his cock slide in and out, glistening in the bright bathroom light from her juices. Claire saw where his attention was directed and hoarsely panted out to him between thrusts.\n\n``Mmm, do you like watching? Hmm? Do you like seeing your cock go in and out of my pussy?'' she whispered back at him. She leaned forward, giving him a better view of his dick parting her labia and a clear glimpse of her tight little pucker. Her bounces in his lap quickened, working his shaft in and out faster, as she built toward her own release.\n\n``God yes, Claire! You feel so amazing!'' He slapped her ass with his paw, making her squeal and laugh, then spanked her again. He sat her upright and pulled her close, relishing the feeling of their warm bodies touching, as his paws continued to roam over her body. With one paw he cupped her neck, not tightly but letting her know it was there, while the other moved down between her legs. She sucked in the air through her teeth and whimpered as his fingers danced over her clit. Her sensitive button hardened as he applied more pressure and friction, her moans increasing in level, until she was almost shaking. ``I still can't believe you're the same girl as that sweet, innocent virgin that gave herself to me nine months ago,'' he added with a chuckle.\n\n``It's your fault,'' she said, squeezing down on his invading member. ``I was a perfect angel until you got your perverted paws on me.'' A mini orgasm sent shockwaves through her body. ``Ethan! Oh God, I?m going to cum! Don?t stop! Yes! Yes! I?m so close! Mmmm... Fuck yes! Make me cum, baby!'' she egged him on. He could feel her body tense above him, and started thrusting again, hard and deep, but slowly. ``God yes... yes... oh God... YES! FUCK! I?m cumming!'' He felt her silky passage tighten around him, grabbing him hard and constricting, as she squirted out a stream of fem cum, coating his manhood.\n\n``Oh shit... Oh fuck...'' she breathlessly panted as her orgasm subsided. Ethan pulled out, his shaft covered in her juices, as she climbed off his lap and turned around. She knelt down, taking him into her muzzle, and started licking him clean. He panted heavily and closed his eyes; he knew he wouldn?t last much longer with how worked up she was. After cleaning him off, she leaned back on the countertop, beckoning him closer with a curl of her finger.\n\nHe stepped forward, and she lifted her right leg, setting it on his shoulder. Ethan slid his cock back inside of her; she was so warm and wet that he easily hilted himself. They locked gazes as he began to rock into her; Claire staring deeply into his grey eyes with her gorgeous hazel ones. He was mesmerized, and couldn?t look away. Her paws roamed over his body, touching everything she could, never looking away. Ethan pumped into her, driving himself deep and hard, feeling his release rapidly approach.\n\n``Fuck me, Ethan. Fuck me hard. Bury your cock deep in my pussy. Make me cum again then give me what I want. Make me a mommy,'' she whispered to him as he pistoned in and out even faster. ``Oh yes... mmm yes... oh oh OH!'' She pulled in tight to him, her body trembling as she was rocked by another orgasm. ``Now, give it to me, now!'' she demanded.\n\nHe thrust with all his force, feeling her velvet walls clamp down on and massage his dick, coaxing his life-giving seed out from his body. ``Shit, Claire, I'm cumming!'' he moaned, slamming his hips against hers, pressing his tip against her cervix. His balls churned and pumped, sending wave after wave of his cum into his girlfriend's waiting depths. She murred happily as she felt the warmth of his climax fill her, hoping he would make her pregnant.\n\n-----\n\nAfter cleaning themselves off and making themselves presentable once more, the pair exited the restroom, and froze in their tracks, embarrassed. Yvette was waiting in the hallway, leaned against the wall, with a large grin spread across her muzzle. ``Sounds to me like that new leg is working out great!'' the cheetah woman teased. ``Don't worry, I told people I had a sick patient in there to keep you two lovebirds from getting interrupted.''\n\nBlushing, Claire replied, ``Thanks, Yvette.''\n\n``No problem. It kind of turned me on,'' the resident said. ``Know of any other cute guys that might be willing to help a lady out with some of what he just gave you?''\n\nThey both stared for a moment, caught off-guard by her openness, before she snapped them back to reality. ``Hey, don't you two have someplace you need to be? Isn't there a baby on the way?''\n\n``Yeah, you're right,'' he said, looking at his girlfriend. ``We should get some lunch and head over there soon.'' He pulled out his phone and saw he had a text message from Shyara. ``Thanks again, Yvette,'' he smiled and waved. ``For everything.''\n\n[2:21 PM - Shyshy: On our way to hospital now. Meet you there?]\n\n[2:46 PM - Me: Already here, had physical therapy. Grabbing lunch real quick. See you soon?]\n\n[2:50 PM - Shyshy: Ok. Can you please let everyone know?]\n\n[2:53 PM - Me: Ok.]\n\nHe opened up his contacts list and selected every person he thought would care to know, and typed out a brief message.\n\n[2:55 PM - Me: Shy's going to UNHM Med Center to have the baby. Meet us there if you like. (54 recipients)]\n\n[2:59 PM - Shyshy: Thank you!]\n\n-----\n\nAfter a quick bite for lunch, the young couple headed over to the Labor & Delivery Department of the UNHM Medical Center. There was already a small group of people in the waiting area, chatting excitedly amongst themselves. Sean and Frank, Ethan's football teammates, came over to greet him, while Claire broke away to talk to Anna, Stacey, Amanda, Layla, and Rachael from the volleyball squad. Mr. Cutshaw, Shyara's host father, saw him arrive and nodded. While Ethan had helped with the Australian girl's emancipation, the fact he had chosen Claire over Shyara or Wendy was causing some tension between him and their families.\n\n``How's it going, man?'' Sean asked, shaking his paw and pulling him in for a hug. ``Are you ready to be a dad?''\n\nThe raccoon chuckled. ``I don't think there's any such thing. Who all is here?''\n\nFrank spoke up first, ``Us, your aunt and cousins, but they went to the cafeteria, the Cutshaws, and Wendy. Mrs. Cutshaw and Wendy are back there with Shy now. Two visitors at a time.''\n\n``I should probably text Wendy and let her know I'm here,'' Ethan said, pulling out his cell and typing out a quick message to the mousette. Looking up, he saw the polar bear staring across the room at Anna. ``You like her, don't you?''\n\n``Yeah,'' the high school center blushed. ``She's something special.''\n\n``Well, why don't you go over and talk to her?'' Sean nudged him.\n\n``You know I'm no good with words,'' Frank argued. ``I'd just say something stupid and make an ass of myself.'' He turned his attention back to his friends just in time to see Ethan slip his phone back into his pocket, a devilish smirk on his face. ``What did you just do?'' Panicked, he looked back over to the girls and saw Claire checking her phone. The squirrel looked his way, gave him a cute smile, and said something to the cow girl. Anna turned her head and for a brief second, her eyes met his, before he nervously looked away. The amazonian volleyball player waved to her friends, and started to walk over to the boys.\n\n``Come on, Sean,'' Ethan told the panther. ``Let's give those two a chance to talk in private.''\n\nAs the time continued to pass, more and more people began to fill the waiting area. Tatiana and the girls came back from getting their food, Amelia and George showed up a short time later. Ethan's lawyer, Maria showed up shortly thereafter; she had been instrumental in getting Shyshy emancipated. Mrs. Cutshaw came out from the delivery suites and said something to her husband, before coming over and speaking to the father-to-be.\n\n``Shyara's asking for you back there,'' the chipmunk woman told him. ``The baby's about ready to come out. They're in room #4.''\n\n-----\n\nAfter getting washed up, Ethan knocked on the door to Delivery Suite #4, and let himself in. ``Hi,'' he said softly, seeing Shyara laid back in her bed, sweating and panting, as Wendy stroked her hair and held her paw.\n\n``Ethan! It's nice to see you again,'' the obstetrician, Dr. Erickson, greeted him with a friendly smile that couldn't be hidden behind her mask. Shyara had specifically requested Anna's mother to be her doctor, having gotten to know each other through volleyball. ``Are you excited?''\n\nBefore he could answer, a cry from his pregnant ex-girlfriend cut through the room. ``Fuuccccckkkk!'' She looked at him angrily and said, ``Don't just stand there, ya fuck muppet, get over here!'' By now, he was used to the girl's Australian slang.\n\n``Should I let Mrs. Cutshaw back in?'' Ethan began to ask.\n\n``No! Stay,'' Shyara managed to gasp, before the next contraction rolled through her petite body. ``I'm sorry, this just hurts like bloody Hell. I'm not going to make ya miss the birth of yer daugh - Shi-i-itttttt...!''\n\n``You're close now, Shy,'' Wendy said clasping her paw, her arm around the sugar glider's back to hold her steady. ``Push now, push hard!''\n\n``What can I do?'' Ethan asked, looking lost. He had offered to attend the birthing classes, but they kept insisting that he would just feel awkward and out of place. Now that it was time for the real thing, he couldn't possibly have felt more of either.\n\nDr. Erickson smiled warmly. ``Hold her and talk to her, and just do what I say, got it?''\n\nHe was quickly at his ex-lover's side, and she clung onto him, her fingers digging into his paw as the pain surged and swelled. Ethan could see the movements inside of Shyara's abdomen, and knew that within minutes, the baby would be out.\n\n``Pushhhhh...'' the bovine obstetrician coaxed. ``She's crowning! A little more...! You're doing great, Shyara.''\n\n``Oooohhhhh fuuuuuccccckkkkkk..!'' the teen girl cried out, tears of agony rolling down her cheeks, as she gave one last, determined push.\n\nSuddenly... relief, exquisite, pain-free relief. An angry wail filled the room. Shyara sank back in her bed, exhausted, Ethan and Wendy taking care to make sure she was careful. He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her paw. ``You did great, Shy,'' he whispered.\n\nDoctor Erickson cleaned up the blood and afterbirth while one of the nurses wiped the baby down and suctioned out the remaining fluids from the baby's ears, nose, and throat, and swaddled her in a soft delivery blanket. The hippopotamus carried the newborn back to the bed and gently placed her into Shyara's welcoming arms.\n\n``Congratulations, guys, she's beautiful,'' the doctor said. She was right. Ethan noticed that his daughter looked remarkably like her mother, except she lacked the gliding membranes typical of sugar gliders. She also had his ringed tail and black hair; he wondered what her eyes would look like. ``Have you thought of a name yet?'' the obstetrician asked.\n\n``Sienna,'' the new mother replied proudly. ``Sienna Nikole Logan.''\n\n-----\n\nThat night, Wendy sat in Shyara?s hospital room, keeping the new mommy company as the newborn sugar glider/raccoon hybrid nursed.\n\n``You still love him, don?t you?'' the hermaphroditic mouse asked quietly.\n\nAfter several seconds without an answer, the Aussie finally replied, ``What did I do, Wendy? We all had a good thin' goin', and I had ta ruin it all by bein' selfish.''\n\n``You wanted a family - mommy, daddy, and baby. There?s nothing wrong with that, but baby, daddy, and three mommies? That?s not natural,'' her best friend answered. ``It never would have lasted. You did the right thing by making him choose. It only would have gotten harder as more time went by.''\n\n``But he didn?t choose me,'' Shyara sighed. ``No offense, but he was supposed ta.''\n\n``None taken,'' Wendy smiled weakly. ``It hurts, but I understand why you did it. I understand why he picked Claire, too.''\n\n``Oh yeah? Why?s that?'' she sniffled.\n\n``He?s been in love with that girl since before she even knew he existed,'' the mouse shrugged. ``It?s hard to compete with that. Maybe one day it could have been the same between him and either one of us, maybe not. But he chose love over staying together for the child. She deserves better than that, and so do you. He did the right thing, you'll see.''\n\n\"I guess,\" the teen mom sighed. ``It just sucks, seein' the two of them together.''\n\n``You need to stop being mad at Claire,'' Wendy urged. ``She didn't force Ethan to pick one of us. Then, after you did, she argued for him to pick you! And, don't forget, if it wasn't for her agreeing to share him with you, you wouldn't have that beautiful baby girl in your arms. Hell, you might even be back in Australia right now living alone in your parents' empty house.''\n\nSeveral minutes of uncomfortable silence went by. Wendy began to wonder if she had overstepped her boundaries, but it was something she'd been aching to say. Losing Ethan had hurt her, too, but if Claire hadn't allowed her into their relationship, she may likely still be living her life as Wendell.\n\n``Let's go away somewhere, just the two of us,'' Shyara said, piercing the quiet. ``We can go someplace fun - forget about our relationship troubles for a while. How does a cruise sound? I've always wanted to go on one.''\n\n``When were you thinking?''\n\n``Like... six weeks from now? Give me a chance ta heal up down there in case I get lucky, and give me a chance ta pump and freeze enough milk for Sienna while we're gone,'' the gears were turning in the Aussie girl's brain.\n\n``Okay. Two other problems,'' sometimes, Wendy hated being the voice of reason. ``We're both under twenty-one. There's no way we'll get on board without one of our parents. Second, what do you intend to do about the little one while we're away?''\n\n``I feel comfortable leavin' her with her Daddy,'' the sugar glider smiled. ``Ya saw his face when he held his daughter for the first time. Plus, he's got Tatiana ta help him out. Also... I guess it would be a good way ta show Claire I'm sorry.''\n\n``Yes, it would,'' the mouse agreed. This was an encouraging sign of progress. ``And how are you going to manage to get us onto the ship?''\n\n``Let's invite yer Dad!'' Shyara exclaimed excitedly. ``The poor guy works all the damn time without a break. I bet he'd like some time away ta unwind and look at cute girls in their swimsuits! We can even bring Vincent, too.''\n\n-----\n\nAuthor's Note: I apologize for how long it took me to get back to writing about Ethan, Claire, Wendy, and Shyara. A lot of events took place since we last saw them. For a filler on what happened between the last story and this one, and for an explanation for the leap forward, please read my journal here: HYPERLINK \"https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=75305\" https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=75305 \n\nAs you can see, I am not abandoning these characters, but I have changed up my approach toward how I will be writing them. I hope you enjoyed reading this story just as much as I enjoyed writing it.\n\nLook for more Shyara and Wendy, on vacation, this July!\n\nElita Norton is (c) BigChris369.\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Labors of Love

May 22, 2013

Ethan groaned. His head was pounding - just another 30 minutes of sleep, please? - but he didn't remember going to bed. Why did his head hurt, anyway? It was almost as bad as that one time he'd miscalculated a leap and hit his temple on the lip of a trash can. No, it was exactly like that. He hadn't been able to think straight, afterward; his reaction time was slowed. Concussion.

He kept his eyes closed, fighting to recount the past couple of minutes. He was in his car, but Walter was driving. Too many points on his license. Shyara pregnant. Walter furious, halfway paying attention to the road as he awkwardly threw punches Ethan's direction. Had Walter hit him in the head hard enough to cause this pain? There was a flash of light, a semi, and the blare of a horn, Walter's screamed obscenities, the squeal of tires - then pain.

They had crashed. When? He needed to call for help. Where was his phone? Reluctantly, Ethan slowly opened his eyes, blood from a head wound running over his parted left eyelid, burning his eye and blurring his vision. He wiped the crimson fluid from his face and looked around, taking stock of his situation. He looked over to the driver's seat.Walter had unbuckled the seat belt to be able to turn more and hit him more effectively. The airbag had deployed, but the older raccoon's forward momentum was violent enough for the cushion to crush his face in. His muzzle was broken and bent, teeth broken and missing. Blood dripped from his open mouth, and his right eye, smashed in impact, hung ruined from its shattered socket.

Where was his phone, damnit? Unable to spot it in the cabin, Ethan finally recalled the rectangular press of something against his hip in his right pocket. He pressed the button to release his restraint, unable to hear the click over the sound of the throbbing between his ears. He braced himself, pressing his feet to the floor of the car, and lifted his butt up off the seat. Pain surged through his body, snapping him to alertness. The sheet metal of the front fender had crumpled inward, trapping his leg. He sat forward for a better look, shoving aside his air bag. Sharp aluminum pierced his lower leg, his blood coming out in short bursts, running freely down his calf into a pool around his shoe. Beneath that, he was sure that he felt multiple breaks in his shin, probably from additional punctures.

His fingers trembled as he pulled his cell from his jeans pocket. He clumsily pressed the button at the top, bringing up his `unlock' screen. His paws shook wildly as he tried unsuccessfully to swipe the password pattern across the touch screen, before his pain-hazed mind realized he should make an Emergency Call. Dialing 9-1-1, he lifted an unsteady paw to press the device to his ear, before dropping it into the space between the seat and the door. Fuck -he reached down to grab it, but it had fallen out of his reach with the door shut, his paw unable to navigate the tight space.

Grasping the door handle, he gave several firm pushes with his shoulder, finally getting the misshapen door out of its bent frame. The momentum of his efforts caused him to fall from the wrecked vehicle onto the soggy ground. He screamed and writhed in agony as the shrapnel in his leg tore and twisted into his muscle and bone, igniting nerve endings and severing blood vessels. The shock of the further injury caused him to vomit, before he blacked out from the intensity of the searing hot pain.

-----

``No!'' Ethan screamed, bolting upright in bed, clutching desperately at the stump below his right knee. He'd lost count of how many times he'd re-lived the accident in his dreams. His calf and ankle demanded his immediate attention - attention he couldn't give, because they were gone, taken from him nearly three months ago. The phantom pains still lingered, however, and he reached to his nightstand for his water and vicodin.

``Babe, are you all right?'' Claire asked, sitting up next to him in his bed. She reassuringly stroked her claws up and down his back. The squirrel girl had been his anchor throughout the entire ordeal. She had been the one to stand up to her father, Officer Daniel Summers, insisting that Ethan was a good guy. She had been the one to drive Ethan to and from his physical therapy sessions, helping him to adjust to life with a prosthesis. She had been the one to offer to step aside when Shyara demanded exclusivity. She had always been the only one he needed, and he needed her now more than ever. Claire Summers. His one true love.

``Yeah,'' Ethan muttered. ``Same dream.''

Swallowing down the painkillers, the young raccoon placed the bottle back beside his bed and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He secured his replacement leg, and grabbed for his cane. Slowly, he rose to his footpaws and walked to his bathroom. He nearly lost his balance, and Claire began to spring out of the bed to help him, before he called her off.

``It's okay,'' he told her with a pained smile. ``I can do this.''

He meant it. Thanks to her help, he had exceeded the expectations of the specialists. They told him that with hard work, he'd be able to run again someday, thanks to a special prosthesis, but his free-running days were likely over. They cited the flips, twists, and landings as being too strenuous for anything currently available on the market. It sucked, but at least he was alive. Not just in body, but in spirit as well. Without the crushing weight of Walter's abuse, and thanks to the love and support of his friends and family, Ethan was like an entirely different person these days.

``What time is she going in - 3:30?'' Claire asked through the bathroom door.

``Yeah, I figure we might as well just hang out at the Medical Center after my session. Maybe grab some lunch or something, but I don't see the point in leaving just to come back a few hours later,'' Ethan said, flushing the toilet and washing his paws.

-----

After getting dressed and eating one of Tatiana's delicious French Toast breakfasts, the couple climbed into Ethan's new Mazda CX-5 and Claire drove him to the UNH - Marblecliff Medical Center for his appointment with Doctor Genevieve. They were greeted warmly by Yvette Rikkers, a grad student completing her residency in Sports Medicine. The cheetah smiled and gave them each a welcoming hug, then spoke in her heavy, African accent. ``Ethan! Claire! It is so nice to see you two again. Doctor Genevieve is just finishing up with another patient at the moment, and will be with us soon. Come along, right this way. I will get you started.'' She led him back to the exercise room and had him get on the treadmill.

Yvette put Ethan through the paces, getting him up to twelve miles per hour on the treadmill before having him change stations multiple times, through the stair climber, the exercise bike, and the elliptical machine. All the while, his trainer conversed with them, asking about school, plans for the summer, how their families were doing, and eventually... about Shyara and the baby.

``Today's the big day,'' Ethan exclaimed excitedly. ``We're gonna grab a bite to eat after we're done here, then head over to the L&D suites.''

``Are you nervous?'' Yvette asked.

``A little, but not really,'' he answered, before taking a swig of his water. ``As long as she is healthy, everything will be fine. She'll have a great mother, and I've got a lot of support to make sure I don't mess up too badly.''

``I'm sure you'll do great,'' the cheetah said. ``You seem to be a smart, responsible young man.''

``Mr. Black, how are you doing today?'' The trio turned to see a tall giraffe woman walking toward them, carrying her clipboard.

``Doing better, Dr. Genevieve. It still hurts from time to time, but not as bad as it used to,'' Ethan responded. ``I'm only taking the vicodin once every couple of days or so now.''

``The phantom pains are still happening, huh? Well, that's normal, but at least it's getting better. Do you need a refill on your medication?'' The giraffe spoke while reading through Ethan's data from his workout session.

``No, thank you. At this rate, I still have enough to get me by until our next appointment,'' he answered.

"Your numbers are looking good, Ethan," the doctor told him. "Your balance seems to be improving, and you?re pushing off with more force. I?d say give it a little bit more time and hard work, and you?ll be almost as good as new."

"Don?t worry about the hard work, doc," the teen raccoon chuckled, "Yvette will kick my ass if I start slacking."

"She?s not the only one," his girlfriend joked, bumping against him with her hip. "As soon as you?re cleared, I?m taking you jogging with me every morning."

"Actually, if you don?t mind, I have a new patient I?d like for you to meet," Dr. Genevieve said. "I think your progress will help to motivate and inspire her. Poor thing lost both arms in Afghanistan when an IED went off."

The giraffe led Ethan and Claire to a table where a young tigress, maybe a little bit older than themselves, was stacking blocks. As they approached, the doctor called out, getting her attention. "Elita, I have someone here I?d like for you to meet. Ethan, Claire, this is Seaman Elita Norton of the U.S.S. Hanar." The teen tigress turned to look at them, and Ethan could see that both of her arms had been severed above the elbows, and the right side of her face was scarred. "Elita, this is Ethan Black, another one of my patients, and his girlfriend, Claire Summers. I thought you might like to hear about his trials, and perhaps tell him a little bit about yours."

The tigress rose to her footpaws and gave an awkward salute with her replacement arm. "Mr. Black. Miss Summers," she said. "It?s nice to meet you."

``Please, just Ethan and Claire,'' he said, holding out his paw. The tigress arched an eyebrow questioningly, then looked at her artificial limbs. ``Come on, Elita. You've got paws. There's no need to be ashamed of them. I heard about Afghanistan - thanks for your sacrifice - you should wear those like a badge of honor.''

Ethan stood there, still extending his arm expectantly. Elita hesitated at first, then carefully reached out with her right arm, closing her mechanical fingers around his paw. He gave a slight wince at the pressure, and gave her a polite shake. ``Sorry,'' she said, embarrassed. ``I'm still learning how much pressure to apply.'' She pulled her arm back and hid them behind her back.

``No need to apologize! I've felt much worse pain than that, trust me. But no one's going to treat you normally until you treat yourself normally,'' he lectured her for a moment, realizing that he was sounding more and more like his doctor. ``You want to talk about it?''

``You first,'' the wounded servicewoman said. ``Then we'll see.''

``Fair enough,'' Ethan smiled. ``I lost my leg in a car accident. My parents died in a plane crash when I was a kid, my aunt and uncle raised me from there. My dad was a professional boxer, and my uncle was his promoter. Anyway, after dad died, I guess my uncle wanted me to get into sports so he could be my agent, or some shit, I dunno. The thing is, I like watching sports, but the only sport that interested me was free-running.''

``You mean like parkour?'' Elita asked.

``Right. Well, my uncle didn't like that too much, I guess it wasn't marketable enough or whatever for a big paycheck. He'd always beat me and yell at me, trying to make me become something else. I tried football, and I'm told I was good, but it wasn't for me. When I quit, my uncle was pissed. Plus, I had a pregnant girlfriend, and I had just gotten more points on my driving record. One night, he just kind of lost it. He was driving my car home one night, and he decided to take his eyes off the road to give me another round of what he called `tough love.' He veered left of center, almost hit a semi, then drove into the side of a rock wall.'' Claire listened silently as her boyfriend recalled the events of that night. She'd heard this story dozens of times, and it never got easier to hear. She did note, however, that Ethan was having less trouble now telling it than before. ``The impact drove the front of the car into the passenger footwell, crushing my leg and tearing the muscles. I actually tore it up worse trying to get out of the car. Doc said she could save my leg, but that I'd probably need a cane for the rest of my life, plus it would likely always be in pain. Running would be out of the question. This prosthetic leg was the alternative. Parkour's out of the question, but at least I'll be able to run again someday, and it hurts less.''

``How about your uncle? What happened to him?'' the tigress asked, genuinely interested in his story.

``He didn't survive the crash,'' Ethan said with a shrug. ``He had to take the seatbelt off to hit me.''

``Good fucking riddance,'' Claire growled.

``I see,'' Elita said. ``Well, for me, I enlisted right out of high school. I couldn't afford college, and didn't want to bury myself in student loans for the rest of my life, so I figured I'd let the Navy pay for my education. I wanted to be a video game designer.'' She sighed before continuing. ``We were near JAF; our MRAP was en route to base, when an IED went off. We were ambushed. One of my friends, Cruz, got hit in the firefight that followed. He was lying there, out in the open, when an RPG went off not too far from my position. I had dust and sand all over my eyepro, and I couldn't see anything, so I took it off. I had to save Cruz. I ran out and grabbed him by his gear, trying to pull him to cover. Insurgents caught sight of us, and I threw myself on top of him to protect him. Another RPG went off, and that's the last thing I remember.''

The young couple sat, slack-jawed, as the girl just a few years older than themselves told her tale. It was so difficult to imagine living through that horror. ``When I came to, I was in the infirmary. My face was all bandaged up, one of my eyes was ruined, and I had stumps where my elbows used to be. Cruz didn't make it. After my TBI, Command transferred me to McKendry for rehab and physical therapy - they say Doc Genevieve is the best - and gave me four awards. I'm supposed to get an honorable discharge once the docs give me the ok.''

Ethan gave her a warm smile and placed his paw on top of her artificial one. ``She is. You're going to great with her. Thanks a lot for sharing your story with us. How about we talk about something else? You said you want to become a video game designer?''

``Yeah,'' she sighed again. ``But that won't happen now. I can't even play them any more.''

``Bullshit,'' Ethan said. He sat forward in his chair and looked her dead in her good eye. ``That's just you giving up. They have a lot of non-traditional controllers out there for people with disabilities. There's controllers that track eye movements. Some recognize voice commands. There's even one that is used with the tongue. In fact, there is even a controller that senses muscle movements. I bet you could find one that reads your biceps.''

Elita's eyes lit up at this news. ``No shit? How do you know all this?''

Claire stepped in and answered for him, ``My niece, Elise, is a part of the gaming community. She's actually the reigning Major League Gaming Black Ops champion.''

``Wait - your niece is `Killa_Chinchilla?''' the tigress asked. ``I always thought he was a guy.''

``Nope! She's an adorable, chubby, braces-wearing, bespectacled twelve year-old girl. Are you a fan?'' the squirrel smiled. ``I'm sure I can arrange a meeting if you'd like.''

``That would be great, Claire,'' she beamed back. ``Thank you.''

Ethan was finishing writing something down on the back of one of Dr. Genevieve's business cards. ``Here's our numbers; give us a call sometime! We've got to go for now, though. I'm going to be a daddy! It was nice meeting you, Elita.''

``Oh, wow! Congratulations! Thank you, both of you. It was nice to meet you, too.''

-----

``You know,'' Claire whispered sadly, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked toward the exit. ``Just because it isn't likely that I can have kids, it doesn't mean it's impossible. Can we try sometime? I'd love to be a mommy someday. You and I would make beautiful babies.''

He grabbed his girlfriend and pulled her into a nearby restroom, closing the door and making sure it was locked. Ethan took Claire by the shoulders and held her close, locking his lips to hers as she melted in his strong arms. The teen squirrel pressed against his chest, backing him up against the wall. Their mouths parted and their eager tongues massaged each other as she moaned lightly with need. His paws roamed over her body, exploring her slender waist, the arch of her back, and finally grabbing her firm, muscular ass, well-toned from years of playing volleyball. She moaned out, tracing her tongue up to his ear.

``God, I want you. I love you so much, Ethan. It's been so hard to watch as another woman carried your child. I know it was my idea, and I'm still glad that you agreed to it. Shy deserves to be a citizen, if that's what she wants. But I want cubs of my own. I want to try. Even if it takes forever, or never happens at all, I won't give up.'' There was a fragile plea in her voice that broke Ethan's heart.

As she licked and sucked on his earlobe, he caressed her backside, pulling her tightly against him. Ethan was thankful for the support of the wall, as it took a lot of stress off of his prosthesis. He licked and nipped at her neck, her head rolling back to give him access to her throat. She lustily ground her mound against his hardening dick through their clothes. Her paws roamed down his pecs and abs, before she lifted his t-shirt, tugging his gym shorts down to the cool, tiled floor.

Claire pushed away from him and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it off and revealing her pink bra. Next, she unzipped her skirt and wiggled it down her long, muscular legs, stepping out of it. She squatted down in front of her boyfriend. Ethan looked down at her as she pulled his boxers down and took his nine inches into her paw. The beautiful squirrel bit her lower lip as she began to slowly stroke his member. A bead of pre-cum gathered on his tip and her eyes lit up like it was chocolate.

Her soft, pink tongue snaked out and she ran it over his head lightly.

``Claire,'' he groaned. ``God, you're hot.''

``Shh,'' she reprimanded.

The drop of pre formed a rope between his pulsing erection and her lower lip, before she closed the distance and took him into her hot, wet mouth. She started slowly at first, bobbing her head up and down while stroking his length, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Ethan ran his fingers through her long, strawberry-blonde hair, and down over her shoulders to her bra. He leaned forward unsteadily and undid the clasp while she worked on his cock, revealing her beautiful breasts. Claire moaned as her boyfriend began thrusting into her mouth.

``Holy shit, Claire, you're incredible!'' he hissed as they picked up their tempo. He grabbed the squirrel by her ponytail and started bucking into her mouth, pulling her head down into his lap. She moaned again, louder this time, digging her claws into his thighs, as she opened her muzzle wider and took him into her throat. As his dick slipped back and forth past her tonsils, Ethan felt the all-too-familiar sensation of his orgasm approaching and urged her to ease up.

``Oh God, Ethan, I want you to take me from behind, hard and fast," she moaned, guiding him to the toilet. Claire almost never swore, and she was completely aware of the effect her dirty talk would have on his libido. Giggling the whole way, she sat him down. She turned her back toward him, shaking her ass to tease him further, and looked over her shoulder. Her fingers tugged at the waistband of her pink bikini-style panties, slowly working them down her legs. Ethan had to fight not to cum right then and there; he would never get tired of drinking in the sight of the beautiful squirrel's delicate folds.

Claire reached behind her, taking his rigid dick in paw, and guided him to her warm opening. She used her other paw to open herself to him, and slid the tip into her hot, slick tunnel. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, as his spit-slicked cock eased past her outer lips and up into her drenched cunny, both of them letting out soft groans of pleasure. She lifted her hips until just his tip remained inside, and then slammed her hips back down, driving him deep inside.

They watched themselves in the bathroom mirror, mouths open wide, eyes half-lidded with lust. She bit down on her paw to keep from moaning too loudly when he raked his claws down her bare back. Ethan looked down to where their bodies were united, watching the black flesh of his cock slide in and out, glistening in the bright bathroom light from her juices. Claire saw where his attention was directed and hoarsely panted out to him between thrusts.

``Mmm, do you like watching? Hmm? Do you like seeing your cock go in and out of my pussy?'' she whispered back at him. She leaned forward, giving him a better view of his dick parting her labia and a clear glimpse of her tight little pucker. Her bounces in his lap quickened, working his shaft in and out faster, as she built toward her own release.

``God yes, Claire! You feel so amazing!'' He slapped her ass with his paw, making her squeal and laugh, then spanked her again. He sat her upright and pulled her close, relishing the feeling of their warm bodies touching, as his paws continued to roam over her body. With one paw he cupped her neck, not tightly but letting her know it was there, while the other moved down between her legs. She sucked in the air through her teeth and whimpered as his fingers danced over her clit. Her sensitive button hardened as he applied more pressure and friction, her moans increasing in level, until she was almost shaking. ``I still can't believe you're the same girl as that sweet, innocent virgin that gave herself to me nine months ago,'' he added with a chuckle.

``It's your fault,'' she said, squeezing down on his invading member. ``I was a perfect angel until you got your perverted paws on me.'' A mini orgasm sent shockwaves through her body. ``Ethan! Oh God, I?m going to cum! Don?t stop! Yes! Yes! I?m so close! Mmmm... Fuck yes! Make me cum, baby!'' she egged him on. He could feel her body tense above him, and started thrusting again, hard and deep, but slowly. ``God yes... yes... oh God... YES! FUCK! I?m cumming!'' He felt her silky passage tighten around him, grabbing him hard and constricting, as she squirted out a stream of fem cum, coating his manhood.

``Oh shit... Oh fuck...'' she breathlessly panted as her orgasm subsided. Ethan pulled out, his shaft covered in her juices, as she climbed off his lap and turned around. She knelt down, taking him into her muzzle, and started licking him clean. He panted heavily and closed his eyes; he knew he wouldn?t last much longer with how worked up she was. After cleaning him off, she leaned back on the countertop, beckoning him closer with a curl of her finger.

He stepped forward, and she lifted her right leg, setting it on his shoulder. Ethan slid his cock back inside of her; she was so warm and wet that he easily hilted himself. They locked gazes as he began to rock into her; Claire staring deeply into his grey eyes with her gorgeous hazel ones. He was mesmerized, and couldn?t look away. Her paws roamed over his body, touching everything she could, never looking away. Ethan pumped into her, driving himself deep and hard, feeling his release rapidly approach.

``Fuck me, Ethan. Fuck me hard. Bury your cock deep in my pussy. Make me cum again then give me what I want. Make me a mommy,'' she whispered to him as he pistoned in and out even faster. ``Oh yes... mmm yes... oh oh OH!'' She pulled in tight to him, her body trembling as she was rocked by another orgasm. ``Now, give it to me, now!'' she demanded.

He thrust with all his force, feeling her velvet walls clamp down on and massage his dick, coaxing his life-giving seed out from his body. ``Shit, Claire, I'm cumming!'' he moaned, slamming his hips against hers, pressing his tip against her cervix. His balls churned and pumped, sending wave after wave of his cum into his girlfriend's waiting depths. She murred happily as she felt the warmth of his climax fill her, hoping he would make her pregnant.

-----

After cleaning themselves off and making themselves presentable once more, the pair exited the restroom, and froze in their tracks, embarrassed. Yvette was waiting in the hallway, leaned against the wall, with a large grin spread across her muzzle. ``Sounds to me like that new leg is working out great!'' the cheetah woman teased. ``Don't worry, I told people I had a sick patient in there to keep you two lovebirds from getting interrupted.''

Blushing, Claire replied, ``Thanks, Yvette.''

``No problem. It kind of turned me on,'' the resident said. ``Know of any other cute guys that might be willing to help a lady out with some of what he just gave you?''

They both stared for a moment, caught off-guard by her openness, before she snapped them back to reality. ``Hey, don't you two have someplace you need to be? Isn't there a baby on the way?''

``Yeah, you're right,'' he said, looking at his girlfriend. ``We should get some lunch and head over there soon.'' He pulled out his phone and saw he had a text message from Shyara. ``Thanks again, Yvette,'' he smiled and waved. ``For everything.''

[2:21 PM - Shyshy: On our way to hospital now. Meet you there?]

[2:46 PM - Me: Already here, had physical therapy. Grabbing lunch real quick. See you soon?]

[2:50 PM - Shyshy: Ok. Can you please let everyone know?]

[2:53 PM - Me: Ok.]

He opened up his contacts list and selected every person he thought would care to know, and typed out a brief message.

[2:55 PM - Me: Shy's going to UNHM Med Center to have the baby. Meet us there if you like. (54 recipients)]

[2:59 PM - Shyshy: Thank you!]

-----

After a quick bite for lunch, the young couple headed over to the Labor & Delivery Department of the UNHM Medical Center. There was already a small group of people in the waiting area, chatting excitedly amongst themselves. Sean and Frank, Ethan's football teammates, came over to greet him, while Claire broke away to talk to Anna, Stacey, Amanda, Layla, and Rachael from the volleyball squad. Mr. Cutshaw, Shyara's host father, saw him arrive and nodded. While Ethan had helped with the Australian girl's emancipation, the fact he had chosen Claire over Shyara or Wendy was causing some tension between him and their families.

``How's it going, man?'' Sean asked, shaking his paw and pulling him in for a hug. ``Are you ready to be a dad?''

The raccoon chuckled. ``I don't think there's any such thing. Who all is here?''

Frank spoke up first, ``Us, your aunt and cousins, but they went to the cafeteria, the Cutshaws, and Wendy. Mrs. Cutshaw and Wendy are back there with Shy now. Two visitors at a time.''

``I should probably text Wendy and let her know I'm here,'' Ethan said, pulling out his cell and typing out a quick message to the mousette. Looking up, he saw the polar bear staring across the room at Anna. ``You like her, don't you?''

``Yeah,'' the high school center blushed. ``She's something special.''

``Well, why don't you go over and talk to her?'' Sean nudged him.

``You know I'm no good with words,'' Frank argued. ``I'd just say something stupid and make an ass of myself.'' He turned his attention back to his friends just in time to see Ethan slip his phone back into his pocket, a devilish smirk on his face. ``What did you just do?'' Panicked, he looked back over to the girls and saw Claire checking her phone. The squirrel looked his way, gave him a cute smile, and said something to the cow girl. Anna turned her head and for a brief second, her eyes met his, before he nervously looked away. The amazonian volleyball player waved to her friends, and started to walk over to the boys.

``Come on, Sean,'' Ethan told the panther. ``Let's give those two a chance to talk in private.''

As the time continued to pass, more and more people began to fill the waiting area. Tatiana and the girls came back from getting their food, Amelia and George showed up a short time later. Ethan's lawyer, Maria showed up shortly thereafter; she had been instrumental in getting Shyshy emancipated. Mrs. Cutshaw came out from the delivery suites and said something to her husband, before coming over and speaking to the father-to-be.

``Shyara's asking for you back there,'' the chipmunk woman told him. ``The baby's about ready to come out. They're in room #4.''

-----

After getting washed up, Ethan knocked on the door to Delivery Suite #4, and let himself in. ``Hi,'' he said softly, seeing Shyara laid back in her bed, sweating and panting, as Wendy stroked her hair and held her paw.

``Ethan! It's nice to see you again,'' the obstetrician, Dr. Erickson, greeted him with a friendly smile that couldn't be hidden behind her mask. Shyara had specifically requested Anna's mother to be her doctor, having gotten to know each other through volleyball. ``Are you excited?''

Before he could answer, a cry from his pregnant ex-girlfriend cut through the room. ``Fuuccccckkkk!'' She looked at him angrily and said, ``Don't just stand there, ya fuck muppet, get over here!'' By now, he was used to the girl's Australian slang.

``Should I let Mrs. Cutshaw back in?'' Ethan began to ask.

``No! Stay,'' Shyara managed to gasp, before the next contraction rolled through her petite body. ``I'm sorry, this just hurts like bloody Hell. I'm not going to make ya miss the birth of yer daugh - Shi-i-itttttt...!''

``You're close now, Shy,'' Wendy said clasping her paw, her arm around the sugar glider's back to hold her steady. ``Push now, push hard!''

``What can I do?'' Ethan asked, looking lost. He had offered to attend the birthing classes, but they kept insisting that he would just feel awkward and out of place. Now that it was time for the real thing, he couldn't possibly have felt more of either.

Dr. Erickson smiled warmly. ``Hold her and talk to her, and just do what I say, got it?''

He was quickly at his ex-lover's side, and she clung onto him, her fingers digging into his paw as the pain surged and swelled. Ethan could see the movements inside of Shyara's abdomen, and knew that within minutes, the baby would be out.

``Pushhhhh...'' the  bovine obstetrician coaxed. ``She's crowning! A little more...! You're doing great, Shyara.''

``Oooohhhhh fuuuuuccccckkkkkk..!'' the teen girl cried out, tears of agony rolling down her cheeks, as she gave one last, determined push.

Suddenly... relief, exquisite, pain-free relief. An angry wail filled the room. Shyara sank back in her bed, exhausted, Ethan and Wendy taking care to make sure she was careful. He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her paw. ``You did great, Shy,'' he whispered.

Doctor Erickson cleaned up the blood and afterbirth while one of the nurses wiped the baby down and suctioned out the remaining fluids from the baby's ears, nose, and throat, and swaddled her in a soft delivery blanket. The hippopotamus carried the newborn back to the bed and gently placed her into Shyara's welcoming arms.

``Congratulations, guys, she's beautiful,'' the doctor said. She was right. Ethan noticed that his daughter looked remarkably like her mother, except she lacked the gliding membranes typical of sugar gliders. She also had his ringed tail and black hair; he wondered what her eyes would look like. ``Have you thought of a name yet?'' the obstetrician asked.

``Sienna,'' the new mother replied proudly. ``Sienna Nikole Logan.''

-----

That night, Wendy sat in Shyara?s hospital room, keeping the new mommy company as the newborn sugar glider/raccoon hybrid nursed.

``You still love him, don?t you?'' the hermaphroditic mouse asked quietly.

After several seconds without an answer, the Aussie finally replied, ``What did I do, Wendy? We all had a good thin' goin', and I had ta ruin it all by bein' selfish.''

``You wanted a family - mommy, daddy, and baby. There?s nothing wrong with that, but baby, daddy, and three mommies? That?s not natural,'' her best friend answered. ``It never would have lasted. You did the right thing by making him choose. It only would have gotten harder as more time went by.''

``But he didn?t choose me,'' Shyara sighed. ``No offense, but he was supposed ta.''

``None taken,'' Wendy smiled weakly. ``It hurts, but I understand why you did it. I understand why he picked Claire, too.''

``Oh yeah? Why?s that?'' she sniffled.

``He?s been in love with that girl since before she even knew he existed,'' the mouse shrugged. ``It?s hard to compete with that. Maybe one day it could have been the same between him and either one of us, maybe not. But he chose love over staying together for the child. She deserves better than that, and so do you. He did the right thing, you'll see.''

"I guess," the teen mom sighed. ``It just sucks, seein' the two of them together.''

``You need to stop being mad at Claire,'' Wendy urged. ``She didn't force Ethan to pick one of us. Then, after you did, she argued for him to pick you! And, don't forget, if it wasn't for her agreeing to share him with you, you wouldn't have that beautiful baby girl in your arms. Hell, you might even be back in Australia right now living alone in your parents' empty house.''

Several minutes of uncomfortable silence went by. Wendy began to wonder if she had overstepped her boundaries, but it was something she'd been aching to say. Losing Ethan had hurt her, too, but if Claire hadn't allowed her into their relationship, she may likely still be living her life as Wendell.

``Let's go away somewhere, just the two of us,'' Shyara said, piercing the quiet. ``We can go someplace fun - forget about our relationship troubles for a while. How does a cruise sound? I've always wanted to go on one.''

``When were you thinking?''

``Like... six weeks from now? Give me a chance ta heal up down there in case I get lucky, and give me a chance ta pump and freeze enough milk for Sienna while we're gone,'' the gears were turning in the Aussie girl's brain.

``Okay. Two other problems,'' sometimes, Wendy hated being the voice of reason. ``We're both under twenty-one. There's no way we'll get on board without one of our parents. Second, what do you intend to do about the little one while we're away?''

``I feel comfortable leavin' her with her Daddy,'' the sugar glider smiled. ``Ya saw his face when he held his daughter for the first time. Plus, he's got Tatiana ta help him out. Also... I guess it would be a good way ta show Claire I'm sorry.''

``Yes, it would,'' the mouse agreed. This was an encouraging sign of progress. ``And how are you going to manage to get us onto the ship?''

``Let's invite yer Dad!'' Shyara exclaimed excitedly. ``The poor guy works all the damn time without a break. I bet he'd like some time away ta unwind and look at cute girls in their swimsuits! We can even bring Vincent, too.''

-----

Author's Note: I apologize for how long it took me to get back to writing about Ethan, Claire, Wendy, and Shyara. A lot of events took place since we last saw them. For a filler on what happened between the last story and this one, and for an explanation for the leap forward, please read my journal here:   HYPERLINK "https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=75305"  https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=75305

As you can see, I am not abandoning these characters, but I have changed up my approach toward how I will be writing them. I hope you enjoyed reading this story just as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Look for more Shyara and Wendy, on vacation, this July!

Elita Norton is (c) BigChris369.

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