“Jackson," I asked carefully. "Are you on any illegal substances I should know about?""Nope.""Eaten any strange looking mushrooms?""Not lately.""Any near brushed with eternal damnation that might be affecting your judgement?"He grinned. "That hard to believe, huh?”

“Black suits you," he commented."Don't get any ideas, Romeo."His frown curled into a slow grin, at once mocking and devastatingly handsome. "Ah, Shakespeare. 'How silver sweet lovers' tongues by night, like softest music to attending ears.'" He laughed. "Saw the movie, did you?""I also saw Buffy the Vampire Slayer," I said. "Guess which one I liked better.”

“Oh, shiitake mushrooms," I muttered.”

“He frowned. "Who cares about that? Screw the gerbils.""Screw them?" I raised an eyebrow. "Lyle, this is not your personal recreation time.”

“You're not being fair," I said."Life isn't fair.""Yeah, and no man is an island. Any other cliches you'd like to share?”

“What have you done?""Sir," Jack held up his hands in surrender. "I know how this looks. You have every right to be upset.""Upset?" he fumed. "Do I look upset to you?""You look upset to me," I noted.”

“Lyle, I don't care who you date.""Good, because I want you to know that thing with Skye was also a mistake. We both knew it as soon as it happened."I nodded. "Again with the not caring.”