[in which we find out exactly why Chris' day was such a crap one. And the fact that Joe uses the same nickname for Toby as Chris does is entirely coincidental. Really]

The drive back to his house was long enough that the good feelings Chris gotten from the club had time to fade away. He was back to brooding again, and staring out the window without actually looking at anything.

Joe could tell he'd faded. Something was seriously bothering Chris, and it worried him. He'd hoped that time in the club would help, and while it did it wasn't enough. He could feel the pain Chris was in.

He pulled into Chris' driveway and set the brake. The cranking noise roused Chris. He started, and it took a moment for it to register that they'd gotten to his house. He started to fumble with his seatbelt.

Joe had been debating what to do the entire drive. He was sure that Chris wasn't going to volunteer anything, and equally sure that he'd do his best to get by. He needed to talk, though, or something. Rant maybe, or cry. Joe didn't know what, but it was eating Chris up.

He put his hand on Chris', stopping him from undoing the seatbelt.

"Tell me what happened today," Joe said. He was putting on his best HR guy voice. People who were quietly upset tended to do what you told them, especially if you told them to do something they really needed to.

Chris looked over at Joe. Part of him just wanted to dump it all out, let it go. Part wanted to go out and hurt something. Part of him wanted to curl up and cry.

He looked away from Joe, staring out the windshield. "You don't