After a slight delay

Lawrence saw Seamus hesitating and looked at the other three women in the room. "If y'all would be so kind as to leave Mr. Seamus and myself here to talk for a few minutes alone, that would be much appreciated."

Kaylee nodded and left the room swiftly, followed shortly by Jill, hot on her heels. Jill banged against an invisible barrier and Seamus's eyes widened and he quickly signaled Sireah who paused everyone except Jill.

"Jill, you need to beg permission to leave my presence..." Seamus said with a sigh.

Jill turned and snarkily said: "Do I have permission to exit your magnificent presence my lord?" Her hands again in a begging posture under her chin. Jill paused as what she had just said percolated through her mind and she shot a wondering eye at the frozen Lawrence.

Seamus nodded and re-signaled Sireah who resumed time for everyone again.

Jill darted out the door, but Eloise was slow in getting up. And before Eloise had fully stood, she tried to sneakily push the ridged top of the exercise ball further away from the desk so it would roll away from Lawrence.

Lawrence frowned at her but shook his head, and turned to Seamus, waiting for Eloise to scurry out of the room, her head ducked a little as she passed through the door. Once the door had closed, Lawrence sighed, slumped against the desk, and muttered darkly. "Seamus... sometimes I think my sister-in-law is going to give me an ulcer."

Seamus tapped the head of the pen against the desk and thought a moment before replying. "You could always find another place to work."

Lawrence pinched the bridge of his nose: "No. If I did that, my wife would have to make a choice between working here or wherever we moved to. Half her family works here. How is it that in a hundred and twenty five years of family members working for this company, Jill is the one that will likely sink this company under scandal or wind up in prison?"

"Prison?" Seamus paused. "I know she's been...hell to deal with from Legal's perspective, but I hadn't heard of anything approaching that!"

Lawrence winced. "Look, the only reason I'm telling you this, not as your counsel mind you, is that for once, you seem to be an oddly steadying influence on her..." At the look on Seamus's face Lawrence rushed to fill in "...I'm serious! It's been a couple of days, but the number of complaints about her has started to tick down tremendously!"

Seamus snorted. "Probably because she's redirected her energy towards me!"

Lawrence shrugged, "Whatever you're doing, it can save this company bundles of money and maybe...just maybe...keep the boss's daughter out of jail."

Seamus frowned. "Tell me what you mean by that Lawrence. I'm very close to not signing this and turning in my letter of resignation and I'd like to know why I should stay around...her."

Lawrence winced again. "It was a few years back...this is just between us, okay? And only because I was told to do whatever it took to keep you in the company. I've got a lot of leeway on this matter. Plus, your ideas were good and will make the company far more than we are spending on you, but...keep it between us, okay?"

Seamus started to sit back in his chair and immediately rethought the motion when the exercise ball started to roll underneath him. He nodded.

"A few years back, Jill...did something. If it weren't for God's good graces of a flat tire and a competent mechanic, Jill would have killed someone already." Lawrence said heavily.

Seamus sat there stunned.

Lawrence let him think.

"Why the bloody hell didn't she go to prison for that Lawrence?! That's attempted murder!" Seamus finally bit out.

Lawrence shook his head. "No, aggravated battery. Reckless endangerment. Maybe attempted manslaughter if a DA wanted to make a point. Not murder. She didn't mean to kill them, just injure them."

"You're splitting hairs Lawrence!" Seamus pushed past Lawrence opening his mouth, "Yeah, yeah, you're a lawyer, that's your job. And the only good lawyer is one in Davy Jones locker. There is generally accepted practice and then there is what's right!"

Lawrence looked guiltier and more frustrated than Seamus had ever seen him. "Look, I get it, okay? Everyone is entitled to a good defense."

"A good defense or a snowjob!" Seamus spat out angrily.

Lawrence stood up straight, his face getting red before he slumped against the desk again, tired. "I know, all right? Believe me. I've wrestled with this time and again already. I chew calcium tablets for fun now!" Lawrence muttered to himself: "Not to mention it would devastate my wife seeing something happen to her dear sister." Back at full volume: "But there are things I've been told in confidence I cannot share, even beyond this that I've been given approval to share to get you on board."

"How the bloody hell would this get me on board Lawrence?!" Seamus seethed. Seamus finally noticed the sword drawn in Sireah's hand and he waved her off with a curt chop of his hand.

Lawrence looked confused and turned to look at the corner where Sireah stood, but seeing nothing, turned back quizzically.

"Well?" Seamus repeated, ignoring the look.

Lawrence sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. Do it for me?"

Seamus paused. "Are you?"

"Calling in my marker? Yeah." Lawrence said heavily.

"You know...that favor was just helping me move houses..." Seamus said stunned.

Lawrence nodded, his face grave.

Seamus felt his lips thin as he pressed them together to avoid saying what he really wanted to say. "Fine. But this more than covers that debt. You owe me now."

Lawrence looked all too relieved and held out his hand.

Seamus looked at the hand like a snake was going to strike and sighed heavily. Then he put out his hand and firmly shook Lawrence's hand once. "Call the witnesses in. And Jill, before she murders Kaylee."

Lawrence suddenly looked worried and hurried to the door.

Seamus looked over at Sireah and quirked an eyebrow.

Sireah held up her hand and pointed to her ring finger, then him, and nodded and said very quietly with a sound of rushing wind: "She knows, Your Majesty. And understands that this is necessary."

Sighing with relief, Seamus nodded back gratefully and turned to watch everyone file back in, thankfully all in one piece.

Seamus watched as Jill rolled the other ball back up right and hiding the top of it from Lawrence, indicated to Eloise that she should sit there. Seamus looked down at the top of the ball and frowned. It had a very small protrusion sticking up now, one that explained a great deal of how Eloise had been acting, and he opened his mouth to protest.

Eloise cut him off with a quick shake of the head... something in her expression making Seamus pause. He wondered if that flat tire had happened to Eloise. Eloise glared at Jill, but carefully sat down on the ball, her skirt flaring out as she sat down, smoothing it in prim, proper motions. Her steely eyes widened when Jill gave a quick kick to the bottom of the ball and Eloise let out a mildly undignified squeak. Eloise once again glared at Jill but kept her lips thinly shut.

Seamus wanted to say something, anything, but Eloise had already indicated him to stay out of it. Sighing, he suddenly felt something warm in his left hand and he looked down, realizing he had accidentally punctured the palm of his hand with his fingernails. Carefully, he resolved to buy a new pair of panties for Kaylee and silently apologized to Kaylee as he pressed the waistband into that spot of his hand.

Clicking the pen, Seamus signed on the line, flipped a page, signed on the next line after browsing it again, flipped the next page, added the necessary addendum to the NDA regarding the article of clothing in his left hand, initiated, noted the carefully worded legalese indicating this form didn't obviate his legal rights to yada yada yada and signed the last page after getting the multiple initials to the addendum.

Seamus watched with heavy heart as Eloise gritted her teeth and signed where she needed to, followed by a silently fuming Kaylee. Seamus knew why he was signing. He wondered why they were signing. He also wondered if they would tell him if he asked, or if he should ask.

Lawrence looked it over, signed, pulled out a stamp from his briefcase he'd set on the floor, uncovered the ink, stamped where he needed to and then put everything back in the briefcase. "I believe this concludes our business, Mr. Seamus. Congratulations on a well deserved, long overdue promotion."

Seamus smiled tightly and nodded.

Lawrence looked at the two witnesses and paused. "Ms. Kaylee, Ms. Eloise, I'll have to work on getting the schedule and paperwork for you done to transition you to your new...roles."

Jill piped up: "No worries Keegan, I've got a couple of desks and chairs on the way already for Kaylee and Eloise. We talked it over in the hallway and they are starting their new tasks immediately."

Seamus looked over at Eloise who was burning laser beams into Jill's skull, and Kaylee who looked sandbagged. He drummed his fingers on his desk, itching to use the app, itching to summon someone, anyone. But...what good could it do? What was done was...done...he looked at Jill and pondered heavily.

No. Not in a moment of anger, after reflection. And prayer. And talking to Alice. Seamus smiled a dangerous smile. And maybe Na, and Nazps-Odo...no. Seamus wiped his smile. That way lies madness.

The door closed with a thud and Seamus gave a start. He'd been too preoccupied, and in the new circumstances, that could be dangerous. Shooting a look at his bodyguard, if not for himself, then for those around him.

"Mr. Malone, I've ordered a new computer for you, one that will suit you better for your new needs." Kaylee said quietly.

"Seamus, please." Seamus said reflexively.

Kaylee's eyes darted to Jill and back. "Of course, Mr. Seamus, Sir."

Seamus frowned at the sudden tightness in her voice and looked at Kaylee, who had glanced at Jill again and sighed. "Mr. Malone is fine, if you must."

Kaylee sighed in relief. "Thank you, Mr. Malone."

Seamus pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at the clock on the wall. 08:36. This day was going to take forever.

Everyone paused in their motion. Seamus looked up to see Vavnagal step through mists, hauling a madly protesting Alice behind her. "I'm naked! He's at work Vav! I don't bother him at work unless I can't handle it for some odd reason!"

Seamus winced tiredly and stood up, carefully threading his way around the still forms of the women crowded around the desks and stilled Alice with a forefinger under and thumb on her chin. He used this mild handhold to pull her still verbally protesting mouth up to his for a kiss. Alice immediately stopped trying to protest and melted against him with a smile.

After a few seconds, Seamus sighed, relaxed, and laid his chin on top of her head. Alice turned her face so she could snuggle up against his chest. Alice then quietly and carefully moved, rubbing her chest a little and sighing in relief. Seamus opened his eyes, peering over the immaculate hairdo and mouthed 'Thank you' to Vavnagal, who bowed and smiled. Closing his eyes again, he felt the tension of the morning drain away.

A few moments later, Seamus felt wings encompassing them both from both sides as Vavnagal and Sireah joined in the hug. Seamus turned and smiled at Sireah, then quirked an eyebrow.

"His Majesty's heart and mind are just as important to guard as His Majesty's penis. And his body." Sireah said softly.

Seamus felt Alice snort into his chest and felt her start to shake with laughter and he couldn't help it. He joined in. And reached over with his left hand and dropped the panties in Sireah's waiting hand.