Author's Note: I do not own Eureka or any of its characters. No infringement or profit is intended.

This is the first part of my sequel to Reboot and it follows the events of Friendly Fire. I'd recommend reading/skimming Reboot or some things probably won't make sense (it's not absolutely necessary but it helps—basically Jo goes into the Matrix to shut it down instead of Carter after the failed Astraeus launch). This was intended to be one story covering the events of Jack of All Trades as well, but, of course, this took on a life of its own and I'm separating them into two stories. Neither will be as intense as Reboot, or at least not as intense in the same way. They were, however, a lot of fun to write (and I hope fun to read), especially the JoAT interpretation which is already pretty bonkers in its first draft (and is about 2/3 done, hooray).

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one which I'll post over the next week or so. And I'll do my best to finish up the next installment as quickly as possible.

Chapter 1

Jo walked into Café Diem and immediately spotted her breakfast partner camping out at a booth. She took a moment to enjoy the view of him sitting there looking so normal. His toned arms were under her favorite leather jacket; that sexy stubble was well past a five o'clock shadow; and there was that unruly black hair that she loved running her fingers through.

Yes, Zane Donovan was a sight to behold at this early hour.

A smile lit her face to see the smoothie waiting for her in a cute Café Diem cozy to keep it cold. Distracted, he had one of his legs propped up and was tapping repeatedly at the tablet in his hands.

What she had just left at S.A.R.A.H. had been anything but normal. Carter had been making a rather unfortunate breakfast for Allison and the kids. Even before she walked downstairs, the smells wafting through her room told her that they were all in for some big disappointment. Normally, she would have strolled downstairs in her robe and made fun of him like he was used to but after her experience in the Eureka simulation, she was feeling very unsettled. There was no way she was facing that crowd without being thoroughly covered from head to toe.

She couldn't help that being around Carter in a domestic setting was weird. It was even more uncomfortable with Allison there, knowing what she had gone through in the Matrix, not that Allison was pressuring her or blaming her for anything. But there had been moments in the last few days where she would see the other woman pause as if reminding herself where she was and that her reality didn't involve losing her family to Jo. Allison didn't seem to have any problem relating to Carter though which was a good thing. He wouldn't understand that kind of distance from her. Jo also figured it was a lot simpler for Allison to separate Carter from his double since she hadn't seen much of the Terminator version of him.

The simulation of Carter continued to haunt Jo, dredging up images of him touching her and flirting with her in order to hurt Zane. She was having a harder time reconciling those images with the man she knew Carter to be in her head. Being alone with him made her nervous and she could tell he had caught on that something was wrong. Neither she nor Allison had the heart to tell him the details of what had gone on in the Matrix. Why traumatize him so soon after their return when there was nothing he could have done about it, nothing he can do now? It was bad enough that a handful of people had seen that version of him and what his life had become with the fake Jo.

Adjustment issues. That was probably the technical term for what she was going through.

Zane lifted his head and spotted her staring at him from afar and thinking big thoughts. There was a knowing wariness in his eyes. He was having some adjustment issues of his own. The concern was only a flash and before she was even sure she glimpsed it, he smiled at her in that new, loving way of his. He smiled at her like a man who knew how to savor what was in front of him. She was quickly becoming addicted to that smile.

The bigger issue was what she was going to do about her failed walkabout. It was absolutely clear in her mind that she didn't want to give up Zane. What she was less sure about was whether that meant giving up her efforts to find her center again. If she had learned anything from the last month it was that Zane was important to her—but that didn't mean that he was everything. She wondered if she could give him what he needed and deserved if she wasn't sure about all the other things left up in the air in her life.

Speaking of things she knew she wanted, there had already been more than enough enjoying him from a distance. Walking over, she slid into the booth and immediately accepted the kiss he had been preparing all morning for her. It was as sweet as she'd hoped.

At the same time, she also tried to ignore the dozens of eyes she felt on them. It was still a little strange to see the two of them in each others' company, yet not trying to kill each other. Before the Astraeus launch, it was a poorly kept secret that they were sleeping together. However, that didn't mean their bickering in public had stopped. Spotting them so openly affectionate was definitely worth a double-take. Jo didn't care what others thought of their relationship and Zane rarely cared what anyone thought about anything so they were content to ignore the stares.

"Morning," Zane whispered after he pulled away from her. He brushed his lips against her ear in passing before sitting back and pushing her drink towards her. "I missed you last night."

She had spent the last few days with him—in his bed, in his shower, on his kitchen counter, across his couch. They'd gotten a little out of control with their official reunion. But she had been up early yesterday supervising the delivery of the Matrix hardware and he had worked late starting the inventory of the same equipment. They wouldn't have been able to spend any waking time together and there legitimately were things she needed to do in her own space. She'd given everyone at S.A.R.A.H. sufficient private family time to warrant an overnight visit.

She took hold of her straw and grinned. "More like you missed me this morning. What time did you actually get home?"

He sipped his Vinspresso and sighed. "Late. And I'm still not finished." He looked exhausted and she wondered why he hadn't just slept in and picked up later on in the morning. He had texted her saying he'd meet her for breakfast before they headed to GD so she incorrectly assumed it hadn't been too bad.

Sensing her silent scrutiny, he shook his head in frustration. "I would have left it until this afternoon but Parrish is being a total dick about us storing some of the stuff in his lab. I at least want to finish up that part so I don't have to hear his whining anymore."

"Fargo and I both approved it. End of story. What's his problem?"

"You have to ask?" he scoffed. "What isn't his problem? He's such an asshat."

Jo giggled at his irritated muttering. "Weren't you guys buddies when you worked in the NLWp Lab?"

"Hardly. We tolerated each other and would sometimes unite over our shared hatred of Fargo. Or you—well, the other … you know." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, no, we are not buddies. I would have thought being trapped with both of us during that Astraeus test would have cleared that up." They both chuckled at the memory. Despite Zane's official role as resident pain in the ass, Parrish had tested all their nerves that day. Zane said afterwards that he wished he had been harder on Parrish given what a prick he was to everyone. But it had been easier to get under the skin of the people who weren't such glaring narcissists, especially hers because he knew how to push all her buttons.

"That stupid Astraeus test doesn't count because we were all going to kill each other then," Jo added. "So you want me to talk to him for you?"

Zane's brief, shocked reaction shifted to one of playfulness. "You'd go down there and throw some muscle around for the ole boyfriend?" His words were followed by a lingering caress to the hand she had resting on his thigh. She raised an eyebrow at him but otherwise said nothing while she continued to sip her smoothie through the straw. Zane's eyes dropped to her mouth, currently engulfing the thin cylinder of plastic as she devoured her breakfast. He licked his lips and swallowed roughly in response. "So hot, JoJo." Whether he meant her mouth or her chivalry was unclear, not that it mattered.

She released her drink to laugh at him. It would usually be the perfect opportunity to make fun but she had to admit that she couldn't get enough of him either.

He squeezed her hand and again reached for his coffee. "Don't worry about it. I can handle Parrish. But," he added, leaning forward to assure her attention, "I wouldn't mind a personal visit a little later on. Say, my place for some dessert."

Jo frowned and then so did Zane, obviously not expecting that response from her. "About that …"

"Oh no. I don't like the sound of this."

Jo winced. She hadn't meant to set that kind of tone. "No, it's not what you're thinking. I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind putting up with me for a little bit. I think I need to move out of S.A.R.A.H. It's getting too weird there, not to mention crowded."

Zane's face scrunched up with confusion reminding her that he was cute even when he was clueless. "You're right, that's not what I was thinking. You're welcome anytime, Jo. You know that."

"I know you said that but I don't think what I'm talking about is what you meant."

"I'll let you know if you wear out your welcome. Although I gotta say, I don't see that happening for a long time judging by how much fun we've been having the past few days." He leaned forward and kissed her soundly. "Now, if that's all you've got for me, I think we should head to work and get this day over with."

Jo didn't think things were as easy as he was making them out to be but if he was okay with her staying with him for a little while, she had other things to worry about today. So she kept her concerns to herself. Zane seemed more relaxed than he'd been in days and Jo didn't want to upset him if she could help it.

She pushed down her anxiety and smiled at him. "Good idea. I'm thinking I have a lot of things planned for you today but it'll have to wait until dessert." Picking up her half-empty smoothie cup, she stood and headed towards the door, Zane right behind her looking particularly smug.

"Now that's what I like to hear from you first thing in the morning, Lupo."

TBC …