It answered only by way of slipping its fingers into her hair, pulling her closer to kiss her again-- this time more deeply, letting it linger.

She was there for it only because she didn't know what it had done... what it continued to do. Humans could be so very sensitive about their concept of free will, of independent thought, but... but it wasn't forcing her to say the things she was saying. It had only patched one aspect of her personality, something that could be ruinous to it, to Connor, and nothing else.

Why did it matter? She was a strategic advantage for it.

It realized all at once that it was arguing with itself. Its fingers curled slightly in her hair, the hand at her back pressing a bit more closely.