Fic Update: "Another Piece of Blue, Part Five"

 Today wasn't terrible by any means but it did leave me drained and frustrated.  Basically, I spent the day immersed in corporate politics (the CEO came to visit), navigating rival cliques whilst trying not to offend any of them, naming guilty men, and fretting over how to save people who are their own worst enemies.  Also one of my former supervisors just got sidelined with Stage Two cancer, but I feel really weird and conflicted over it and not upset so much.  She's a complicated person to deal with and this, from my limited perspective, is one more complication.  

The final work-related phone call of the night was especially soul-crushing.  A friend of mine who is now in management is in an HR disaster up to her eyeballs and the best and most honest advice I could give her was something that runs against the grain of both her conscience and mine.  Unfortunately, when threats of legal action come into play, being nice and compassionate to the wounded party may only make things worse.

Anyway, here's the fifth and final chapter of "Another Piece of Blue."  I'll write notes later.  Right now, I'm just too tired.