The next morning, Harley stirred at a loud knocking on the front door. "You expecting company?" murmured Jack, his eyes shut as he cuddled her closer.

"No," she said, glancing at the clock. "But we should get up anyway – I got work in a couple hours. We should get a shower and make breakfast…"

"I think I'd rather skip breakfast and stay in bed," he interrupted, kissing her.

"Mmm, very tempting," she murmured, grinning as she returned his kisses. The knocking came again, loud and insistent.

"Whoever it is, they're a real mood-killer," muttered Jack, as Harley drew away reluctantly and reached for her robe.

"So let me get rid of 'em so we can get the mood back," she murmured, slipping on her robe and bending down to kiss him again. "Don't go anywhere."

She headed down the hall and opened the front door. And her face fell in shock and horror as she saw Pamela Isley standing there.

"Morning, Harley!" she said, cheerfully. "I thought we could go out for breakfast and you could tell me all about your terrible date. I mean, if it ended that early, he must have done something really bad to screw it up, huh? I can't wait to hear all about it!"

"Oh…uh…actually…Pam…I…" stammered Harley. "I…already had breakfast, so…"

"Ok, we can just stay in and talk," said Isley, pushing past her into the living room. "Probably best since you're not even dressed yet. So, how bad was it?" she asked, taking a seat on the sofa and looking up at her expectantly.

"Uh…you know, Pam, I'm actually not feeling that good," invented Harley, glancing toward the bedroom where she saw Jack climbing carefully out of bed and discreetly trying to dress. "Think I got food poisoning at the restaurant last night or something. I've…thrown up a few times this morning, and I'm probably gonna keep doing that, so…you don't wanna see that, so...you should probably go…"

"Oh, poor baby," said Isley, frowning sympathetically. "As if that disaster of a date didn't make you suffer enough! Well, don't you worry – Pammie's here to take care of you. Let me get you some carbonated water and some crackers, that'll help settle your stomach…" she said, heading for the kitchen.

"Oh no, you don't have to do that," said Harley, intercepting her. "Anyway, I won't be good company feeling like this, and I'd prefer to be left alone…I'll call you later when I'm feeling better and tell you all about the date, how about that?" she asked, trying to steer her toward the front door.

Jack was in the middle of pulling on his pants when he suddenly lost his balance, falling against the door and into the living room. He landed on the floor in front of Isley, and climbed slowly to his feet, smiling up at her horrified expression.

"Dr. Isley! Good morning! Great to see you again!" he said cheerfully, trying to pretend he wasn't just wearing his boxers.

Isley gaped at him. "Harley…what the hell is going on?" she gasped. "What's he doing here?"

"He…stayed the night," said Harley, slowly. "It was actually…a real good date, Pam…"

"You let him con you into sex on the first date?" demanded Isley, rounding on her furiously. "Don't you have any self-respect?"

"He didn't con me – it was a mutual thing…" began Harley.

"No, you only think it was!" interrupted Isley. "He's slick like that! But that's what these people do, Harley! They make you think you're in control while they take advantage of you! That's what scam artists do! I thought you were smarter than to fall for his game!"

"It's not a game," retorted Harley. "I love him."

She realized what she had said, and glanced at Jack, who stared at her in astonishment. Then he smiled. "Yeah?" he asked.

She blushed. "Yeah," she said.

"No, you don't!" shrieked Isley. "For God's sake, Harley, wake up and see what kinda guy he is, and what he's doing! He's playing you for a fool! And you're falling for it, hook, line, and sinker! I don't know what kinda story he told you, but I bet it was a nice sob story, something to make you feel real sorry for him! And a smooth operator like him uses sympathy and pity to trap you in his little con game, until one day you wake up and he's gone, taking everything and leaving you with nothing! Because that's what criminals do! They trick and they steal and they take, and nothing they say is the truth! And I won't let this crook make a fool outta you!"

"You don't know him, Pam," said Harley. "He loves me."

"Is that what he told you?" sneered Isley. "That he loves you, that he wants to be a better man for you, that he'll change for you, because you're different to anyone he's ever met, because you're the one?"

Harley stared at her. "How did you…"

"Because I've heard it all before, Harley!" shouted Isley. "I've dated bad boys before! I know his type, and I know all their tricks, and all the crap they say to get what they want! But once they have it, they're gone! And you're an idiot if you think he means one word of what he said to you!"

She stormed toward the door. "But fine, it's not my problem," she muttered. "It's yours. Just don't come crying to me when he leaves. I'll only say I told you so."

She slammed the door, leaving Jack and Harley alone. "Harley, it's not true," he said, gently. "She's wrong about me. I do love you, I swear to God, like I've never loved anyone…"

Harley said nothing. "You were right, Jack," she murmured. "She was a real mood-killer."

She headed into the bedroom to get dressed. The rational half of her mind thought Isley was probably right, and she felt foolish for having trusted the things Jack said. After all, a man like him would say anything – that was how he made his living. But her other, irrational half refused to believe what Isley said. Jack was different, and she loved him. It didn't make any sense that she loved him – it wasn't a smart thing to do. Any rational human being would have dismissed everything he said and told him to leave and never bother her again. But she couldn't help what she felt. And she didn't want to be rational anymore. She wanted to be crazy.

He had come into the room and was attempting to pull on his pants again. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Uh…getting dressed," he said, looking at her in confusion.

"Thought you wanted to stay in bed," she murmured, smiling at him.

He stared at her. "But I thought…after what she said…"

"I'd be crazy to trust you," she said, nodding. "Yeah. But I feel like being a little crazy."

He beamed in relief. "Oh God, I was afraid I'd lost you," he said, taking her in his arms. "I was afraid I was gonna be a loser again, and lose the best thing that ever happened to me."

"You won't," she said, kissing him. "I'm here to stay, Jack. I love you."

"Oh Harley, I love you too," he whispered, pressing her down on the bed.