Toby put down his guitar. He had been waiting for two hours and felt his stress levels increasing…he really wanted to go out to the Poker game that he knew was happening 20 minutes away. However his desire to stay and find out about Happy's date with Peyton was stronger than his itch to gamble so he stayed in the garage. He had played solitaire for an hour before it got to tedious and then picked up his guitar. He rarely played nowadays but the combination of the case and Happy's apparent attraction to musical men made him pick it up tonight. Before joining Scorpion he had often played music as a red herring during high stake games. However after 2 years of only strumming sporadically, he was rusty. After trying to brush up on his Stairway to Heaven for an hour his fingers were exhausted. He felt a little emotionally frayed from waiting and picked up Carl Roger's Encounter Groups. Carl Rogers always relaxed him.

At about 15 seconds past 10:15pm Toby heard the garage door open. He looked up to see Happy heading towards the fridge. She grabbed a beer and was headed towards the sofas where he was sitting. In seeing him lying on the sofa she plunked herself down on the love seat adjacent to him and started sipping her beer. Her body language seemed pretty hostile but she was sitting within conversational distance so Toby decided she was probably undecided if she wanted to talk or not. Toby took advantage of her indecision and asked,"so how was your date? Wanna talk about it" Toby asked.

Happy looked up from her beer. "It depends if you are going to be a wise-ass or not" she said.

"How bout if I be your friend? I will not make wise cracks. However can I reserve the right to make humorous remarks to diffuse a tense situation? Toby said as he sat up to the side of the in the sofa closer to Happy.

" You're impossible" Happy said shaking her head.

"I promise, no wisecracks. I am your friend and the best friend you have to talk about possibly emotionally awkward situations. Please, try me, tell me how was the date?" Toby said gently as he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees.

"Well… the date wasn't good or bad…it was stressful." Happy replied.

"How so, why do you feel that way?" Toby probed. Happy noticed Toby going all on doc on her and mentally grinned.

"It started off all right. We talked about the case and the music industry all the way to the race. And then it just went weird. He kept asking me questions about my background and how I joined Scorpion and you know how I feel uncomfortable about that. I gave non committal monosyllabic answers. He understandably got tired of asking me questions about me and asked me questions about the race and what I knew about it. That was ok but I felt like he didn't get a lot of the stuff I was saying and didn't really share my passion for machines. When we ran out of topics about the race he started just talking about himself. I probably wasn't very good company most of the time so I don't blame him. I know I should have tried more but I just couldn't. Is there something wrong with me Doc?"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you Happy." Toby quickly assured her.

"In my head I knew I could and should be able to tell him about me but I couldn't/didn't" Happy stated.

"We all know you have intimacy issues…" Toby looked up at her and said, " you do know you have intimacy issues right, your emotional armor against the world. There are people out there from more emotionally secure backgrounds that have problems sharing on a first date. There is nothing wrong with a little mystery on a first date, some argue that not revealing too quickly is good. "He paused to ensure she has processed what he said before continuing." There looks like there are two issues here; one as mentioned is your intimacy issues and sharing is a vulnerable activity. The other potential reason on why it was a stressful experience could be because the two of you just don't have good chemistry. Trying to forge relationship connections with no natural affinity towards each other can be stressful. Especially for someone like you that is more introverted. Right now both issues are probably intertwined together. Or at least that's the conclusion I'm making based on my psychiatry experience and knowledge of you. What do you think? How do you feel Happy?

"I agree. I know I have problems sharing, it makes you vulnerable and I don't like being vulnerable. I..don't know about the chemistry part. I don't even know if I know what it's like to have chemistry with someone." Happy answered.

"Oh Happy you sell yourself short. Don't know about chemistry? You and me talking right now or like every time before even when we bicker, that's chemistry. The intellectual chemistry you have with Walt and Sly, it's off the charts. I know you are scared that this one date that went slightly off when it should have logically gone perfectly is making you afraid that beyond our little group you will never be able to have any more meaningful connections. But you will, with the right person and right conditions" Toby countered.

Happy would never tell Toby did but his uncanny ability to read the human mind always amazed and impressed. She hadn't yet realized the full extent of her fear till he articulated it. Whenever Toby was just being him with no layer of wise-ass, she had the best time with him. They sat in silence for a few minutes with her lost in thought. "I guess we're never going to find out if Peyton was a right person in the wrong conditions because he's probably not going to call again" Happy thought out loud.

"Do you want him to call again?" Toby asked hoping she'd say no.

"I don't know. There is a part of me that remembers how it was stressful and unpleasant and doesn't want to go through a similar experience again. But then there is a part of me that wants him to call just to have the chance to see what it would be like if I did share more." Happy replied.

"From a guy's perspective that may not have been a terrible date, you did tell me you let him talk most of it…we men love our adoring public" Toby drawled. Happy raised her eyebrows and snorted," Men."

"Hey, I was telling you an egoistic trait that works in your favor in this particular instance. But male ego aside; Happy, if I were him, there is nothing in the world that would prevent me from wanting to see you again. You are the most incredible women I have ever met. Not only are you smart, capable, fun and strong and gorgeous, but you have the tenderest heart. You are the whole package. He would be a fool to not call you again." Toby said gently.

"I..d..Thank you Toby." Happy stammered. Happy was touched by Toby's words. No one had ever talked about her as a three dimensional person before.

"I mean every word. You are truly amazing." Toby reassured. "Do you want to follow me to get a burger? We could go to McDonald's and get you a Happy Meal?" Toby said through a smile as he made the letter M logo with his two index fingers tracing adjoining semi circles in the air. It wasn't a really a wisecrack but he needed to change the mood before he started spilling more of his inner feelings and tell her he is in love with her.

Happy smirked" It's like that joke never gets old. Are you actually hungry?"

"Yes, I had a really productive night, I was peckish before you walked in. Come with me, you know you love nuggets from just about anywhere." Toby answered.

"Sure, the Wendy drive thru should still be open. What did you do tonight? I was surprised to see you at home and not out gambling" Happy said as she stood up and started towards the door.