It's Bailey. She needs to talk.

"Hi," says Bailey, and he can tell right away she's been crying.

"What's wrong, honey?" he asks, concerned.

"Are you busy?" Her tone makes it obvious he needs to be available.

"Of course not," he answers. "Are you okay?"

"No." Her voice is distant and hurt; he hears the monster, wanting a target. He pushes that down, tries to n=be here in the moment, the way the counselors and his mother taught him. He stays silent for a few seconds to give her time to talk. At first, he just hears her breathing, shallow and hiccup-y; she must have been sobbing pretty badly. When he realizes she's just sitting there, he takes a chance.

"Tell me what's happened to you, Pet," he commands her, hoping he's read her right, that he isn't about to make a terrible blunder.

Fortunately, he guessed right. As if the mention of her sub name has some sort of magic, her tone changes instantly. "I really fucked up, Sir," she whispers. "I agreed to go to lunch with her."

"Sarah?"

"Yesss," Pet whimpers, almost crying again.

"I want you to start where you feel comfortable, and talk me through what's happened, Pet." He puts confidence and control in the sentence. "Whatever it is, we can fix it."

Although she starts slow, the words quickly begin to pour out of her. "I ran into her when I was coming off shift yesterday. She's still as beautiful as I remembered, Sir. Long black hair, so tall and strong. She walked into the hallway and saw me, and she practically bowled me over running at me. She yelled my name like she'd just discovered I wasn't dead or something. I never went to see her after I found out she was at our hospital. I've been slinking around the place, worrying she'd see me, worrying she wouldn't. And there she was, and the second I saw her, I wanted her all over again. And she starts talking to me, asking me all these questions, all excited to see me, and I'm trying not to stare at her tits or beg her to top me. I'm stumbling around like an idiot, I must have sounded so stupid, what was I thinking? She asked me to have lunch with her when I get off shift tomorrow and I can't do that, what will I say, how do I even sit there when I know I'll be fantasizing about being under the table licking her pussy, what if she asks me about me and my life, what am I gunna say, that I'm the third person in a bisexual threesome but there's always room for a fourth?" She finally runs dry, weeping again.

He stays absolutely quiet until he's sure she's done. "Listen very carefully to me, Pet."

"Can I please come over and serve you, Sir?" she pleads.

"No." He says it firm, hard, but still loving. "Do you like her for more than just a sexy fling?"

"I'm not sure, Sir." She coughs, clearing her throat. "Are you sure I can't just come over? I can suck your cock again-"

"Don't run away from this, Pet." He considers the next step, knows he needs to help her through this. As the dom, he knows it's his job to protect her, to guide her firmly to where she needs to be. "Just answer this next question with your heart, without thinking about it, without questioning what you're saying. Will you do that for me, Pet?"

"Yes, Sir." She sighs and sniffles again. "Although it would sure be easier if you just beat me a little bit."

He laughs, and she does, too. The tension eases a little. "Tell me, right now, without thinking about it. If Sarah called you right now and said she loved you, how would you feel?"

"Complete." Pet answers without a moment's hesitation.

"Then you need to pursue that, Pet."

"But what about you and Tommy?" Pet asks. "I really want to still be with you guys."

"There will always be a place for you with us, Pet," Nick says, comforting her. "If you don't at least try to find out what Sarah feels, you'll never be able to forget it."

"I don't know what to do, Sir," she whispers.

"Do you want me to tell you what to do, Pet? Or would you rather try to work your way through it on your own?"

She thinks about that for less than a second. "Please, Sir, tell me what you want me to do."

Nick thinks for a moment. He really wishes Tommy was here to listen in and guide him; he's not sure a sociopathic professional killer is the best person to give relationship advice. "How much time will you have between the end of your shift and lunch with her?"

"Almost four hours, Sir."

"Okay, good." Nick sees Tommy coming in the front door, carrying a few odds and ends. As soon as she sees his face, she drops the bags and comes over fast, lowering herself to her knees in front of him, concerned. "Here's what you're going to do. When you get off shift, Pet, you will go home and take a long hot bath, something relaxing and comforting. When you feel clean and refreshed, you will shave and then dress as if you coming to serve Tommy and I at a public restaurant. Do you understand, Pet?"

"Yes, Sir." Her voice is grateful.

"Whatever she asks you, no matter how personal, you tell her the truth as far as you feel safe to do so. If she asks about your relationships, you can tell her it's complicated. You don't have to mention us. If she asks about your sexuality, you are to make it clear that you are available, in whatever way you feel safe doing at the time. It doesn't need to be overt, but it needs to be clear enough to gently open the door for her. If neither of those topics come up, you are not to bring them up yourself. I want you to be seductive and available, but it's up to her to make the first move. Do you understand that, Pet?"

"Yes, Sir," Pet says, her voice getting stronger, less upset. "What do I do if she gets mad?"

"She won't, not if she's the girl you think she is." He catches Tommy, who mouths Bailey's name silently, eyebrows raised. He nods, holding up one finger. Tommy sits as still as she can, eavesdropping.

Pet is silent for a bit. "What do I do if she's...interested?"

"Ask her to take you to the nearest closet and let her fuck you silly," Tommy chirps, and Pet starts laughing. Just like that, she's Bailey again.

"Thank you, Nick," she says. "I...want you to know how much you guys have meant to me since I met you."

"We feel the same, honey," Nick says. "Please be careful and safe, and let us know how it goes."