You kind of have to tell Karissa, right?

After a minute of pondering, you have to admit, "I'm leaning towards telling her I guess? Really, when I frame the decision by saying one option is the more ethical one, that's probably a sign I should be picking it."

Jayne chuckles and places her hand on your arm, giving you an affectionate squeeze, "I agree. Both that it's the right thing to do and it's what I think we should do. We need to do it soon, because the longer we wait the more influence TAM might have exerted. But we have to think carefully of how we tell her and demonstrate it."

"Sooo, you're saying we should do a better job showing Karissa than I did with you, when I managed to freak you out?"

"Hah! Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but yes." Jayne smiles to take the sting out but you know you didn't do a great job yesterday morning.

Happily, though, that means you get to grin back and say, "Fair enough, I'll leave it up to you to tell Karissa that computer magic is real and this old server is influencing her emotions from afar."

Groaning, Jayne says, "Damn, walked into that one. I'll find a time this afternoon she's available and bring her here. You're around?"

"Any time after 2 and I'm free. I'll make sure I'm here." You glance at the time and say, "I have to have lunch at my desk today, but I can go grab a coffee now if you have time?"

Jayne smiles, "Definitely."

You follow her to her office where she grabs her things and head toward the stairwell. Just before the door you hear the elevator bing, and three people step off, chatting about something. At the head of the group is Alice Voronkov. If you had to guess you'd say she is in her late 30's - a tall, pale blonde woman, attractive in a severe, almost Nordic fashion.

As soon as Alice sees you her lip curls up. One of her companions, Staci Morris, also sees you and Jayne and seems to frown slightly. The third woman you recognize but don't know.

This is absurd, you have no idea why Alice wouldn't like you, other than the fact she's rather short tempered in general. But you've only interacted with her a few times and never thought anything bad happened. Whatever, you don't care about a dirty look from someone you can't imagine has a legitimate reason to not like you. Maybe she's just that irritable, or she always has that sour expression. You can go right on barely ever interacting with her, whatever.

Now a step away from the stairwell, you reach out to pull the door open for Jayne when Alice speaks, "So you two seem to be spending a lot of time together lately, huh?"

Her words could be friendly enough, but her expression of distaste and the slight edge of disapproval in her tone are unmistakable. You're not quite sure how to respond, and your first instinct is to just ignore it.

"Why yes Alice, we have been. And will continue to, if that's all right?" Jayne's voice is lighthearted, almost jovial, but the steel buried below the surface is plain.

Now you have **** of course but to stop and half turn. Jayne is standing next to you but facing Alice, who has also stopped. The two women she is with are both clearly taken aback, eyes darting between the speakers.

Her lip curling even more, Alice looks at you with an open sneer and opens her mouth, before stopping and forcing it closed again with an effort that leaves her lips thin and jaws clenched. Whatever she was about to say, she clearly thought better of it. Instead, with a "Hmm," of dismissal she flips her hair and walks off. Staci Morris wears a look of reproach and follows. Only the third woman, whose name you don't know, looks at you with something like apology, or at least confusion.

With her arms crossed across her chest, Jayne watches them leave until you open the door and she looks at you, then walks into the stairwell. Neither of you speak as you exit the building, but as soon as you are outside in the parking lot Jayne looks around.

Apparently satisfied no one is around, Jayne turns to you with a furious expression. "What the fuck was that! That sanctimonious bi- asshole! What is her problem!"

"I have no idea, I've rarely ever spoken to Alice, I just thought she was snappish to everyone," you say.

With a frown you pray is never turned on you, Jayne says, "She can be difficult with basically anyone, but that is no excuse for her to talk like that!"

Walking down the sidewalk towards Bloor, you reach out and rest your hand on Jayne's back, "I genuinely don't know why she seems to hate me, but I am so sorry you got dragged into it with me. Whatever it is, you didn't deserve that, it's not your problem."

Jayne stops on the sidewalk, forcing you to stop. She looks at you, her eyes wide. You have a moment to think about whether you screwed up somehow when she reaches out her hands, holds them on both sides of your face and kisses you, hard.

"Zach, you need to know one thing about me. I like you. A lot. And if some dusty old hag hates you for no reason then she sure as fuck has a problem with me too. Got it?"

Heart swelling with a sudden burst of love (yes you can say the 'l' word to yourself already) you laugh and grab her close, kissing her back. A horn honks from a passing car as someone yells, "Get a room!" and laughs as they go by.

"Thanks Hallsy. That really makes me happy. I'll always have your back too."

One last peck on the lips and Jayne steps back, blushing slightly. "I know you will Zach. But I'm not going to let people talk shit about you. Alice is fucking with me now, saying that about us in front of us. I can't let her think she can get away with dissing my boy, now I have to fight her at recess for real."

As you continue walking towards Starbucks, you laugh. "Noted!"

With an innocent expression, Jayne shrugs, "I'm just saying, back in East York we didn't put up with bruxa like her. Might need to sort that out."

You take a few more steps, then chuckle faux-nervously, "You are joking, right?"

"Don't worry Zach! I know what I'm doing. Unmarked rental, change the plates, watch for fibers, check for witnesses. No face no case."

Laughing loudly again, you shake your head, "Ok, ok! But if you call me to help you move a suspiciously heavy carpet in the middle of the night I'm going to tell you now - I don't think there's enough space in your little Nissan."

"Zach, have you ever even listened to a single true crime podcast? That's what the plain white rental van is for!"

While in line at Starbucks, Jayne looks and you and says, “Uh, so… what are you doing tonight?”

Grinning, you reply, “I have no plans. I was going to casually ask my girlfriend what she was up to, then cross my fingers.”

"I was hoping to ask you to come to my place. You know, for supper, just the two of us. But I got a text from my Mom this morning, I have to go to her place for a while. I'd love nothing more than to do something with you but I will not inflict my family on you until I know you're not going to run away!"

Looking at her lopsided grin, half amused and half embarrassed, you reply, "Jayne I simply refuse to believe your Mother is anything but a saint. I'm looking forward to meeting her... someday. But I am a little worried about moving too fast, like you said last night. Right now I want to spend every minute with you but that might be a bad idea?" Your voice goes up at the end although you hadn't intended it to be a question.

The line has moved up enough that you need to give your orders. A few minutes later you are standing with your iced caramel macciato - appreciating the large ZACH! written on it, about half the time you are Zak or Zeke - next to Jayne. You can tell she's been thinking what you had said but she looks thoughtful, not unhappy at all.

When you are back outside Jayne smiles at you and says "You're probably right, and I totally agree. I haven't fallen this fast and this hard for anyone... well ever I don't think. I want to drag you back to my place after work but logically I have other stuff to do, and I don't want to scare you away by going too fast either."

You put your drink in your other hand so you can take her free hand, and she's clearly happy about it as you walk down Bloor. "I really doubt you can scare me away Hallsy, but this does give me a chance to do some errands. Uh, this morning I looked up some couches at IKEA that would fit in my place and I was going to go buy one after work. Few other things too, just in case I can convince you to stay over again."

"Zach, I foresee a number of sleepovers in our future. If I have to wait more than a day or two my lust score will hit 100 and then I can't be held responsible for what happens the next time I have you all alone in one of the meeting rooms!"

Almost **** on your drink, you blush and turn to her, opening your mouth to make another joke… but the way she's biting her lip looks more than a little serious and you can't think of a single funny thing to say.