"You hungry?" Keller stated, looking down at the plate as he slid the almost burnt grilled cheese sandwich down from the large fork. "It's not much…but it'll do for now."

"You're going to pretend everything is okay." Beecher sounded just as stunned as his body language conveyed as he watched Chris pile two more sandwiches on the plate and then walk the plate towards the table.

You are far

"It's just grilled cheese. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to change out of my wet clothes and then we'll talk a bit." Chris was startled by the sallow figure before him. Tobias was more lean than he could have anticipated, nearly swamped in the tightly-built detective's clothes. It was startling, but Chris was sure that it would cease not being his business before too long.

Chris had no shame about his body and was quite proud that he caught Toby sneaking glances once or twice as he slowly stripped in the bathroom. Chris chuckled to himself as he saw that Toby had tried to tidy up his towel and clothing. Chris merely stripped and tossed the stuff in the bathtub to be taken care of later. He swaggered from the bathroom, naked as a jaybird. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Toby wolf down the sandwiches in a manner that suggested he'd choke on them before they got a chance to dance off the plate.

When I could have been your star

Keller finally walked back into the room as he was pulling a dingy white shirt down over the top half of his frame. The suspenders attached to the navy blue pants dangled down a bit below the shirt. "Careful, Toby. You'll choke eating like that. It's not going anywhere."

Toby coughed. "I feel like I haven't eaten in months."

Chris raised his eyebrow. "Finally, an honest answer."

But you listened to people

Toby shrugged. "You're keeping me from prison. I owe you that much."

Keller ignored the rumbles of his own tummy. He swung out a sturdy wooden box of some kind and sat near Toby. "Who was the girl?"

"Sally? A friend of the ex-wife. She was trying to frame me for more money."

"For more money?"

Who scared you to death and from my heart

Toby nodded, uncovering an unpleasant memory in the form of a wince. "I'm working at the club while Schillinger pays my child support. I can't find another job. I don't really have any skills to speak of."

Keller whistled. "That's rough."

"Well, I guess Sally thought that she could claim I was having an affair with her and get more. I don't have more. I don't even have…"

Keller's hand reached over Beecher's before he had a chance to snatch it away. "I know."

"How long?"

"There were plenty of signs you were living in your dressing room."

Strange that I was strong enough to think you'd love me too

Toby nodded. "MacManus is a good man as long as you stay out of his way."

"Is that what all the booze was about?"

Toby grimaced. "Bad memories, a bad life, a shithole of a town. Take your pick, Keller. It's all an excuse."

Chris shrugged. "Sounds like a valid excuse if you ask me."

"No one's asking…sorry. Old habits die hard."

Guess I must have been kissing a fool

Chris just gave Toby sort of a half-grin. "So stay here while this blows over."

Toby shook his head with slight conviction. "No."

"Why not, man?"

"You've been stalking me."

"No, I've been studying you."

Toby felt uncomfortable. "I'm not a gorilla at the zoo."

"That's not what I meant. I meant, ever since that first night, I've been learning about who you are and what makes you tick. You're the most fascinating person I've ever met, Tobias."

You must have been kissing a fool

"You didn't call me Toby."

"I thought you hated that."

Beecher simply blushed, finding his bare feet incredibly interesting. "Your hand is still on top of my mind."

"Does that make you uncomfortable?" Keller drew up closer to Beecher, breath on the back of his neck.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"My wife never even liked being that close to me."

"Can't imagine why. There's so much to get close to…but not the alcohol man. That shit's got to stop."

Toby nodded solemnly as Chris tried fixing some strands of Toby's hair. "I've never had a reason."

Chris moved his hands from Toby's hair to Beecher's chin before directing Toby's face to meet his eyes. "Well, now you do."