From then on until Norman had dropped him off at ER to get his ankle sorted, the rest of the journey had been a quiet one. Carter was still at a loss for what to stay, and Norman kept staring moodily out of the window. Norman had dropped him off at the entrance, looking at his watch and complaining that he was going to have to pay an extra fee for the car. And that had been about that.

Except that something kept niggling at the back of Blake's mind, annoying him every time he got the chance to think. He just didn't think Jayden had been entirely honest with him. Over what, he wasn't certain. But he hated being kept in the dark.

By the time the weekend came along, Blake was almost too shattered to go to the soup kitchen, figuring he might as well stay at home and call in sick. After all, they had plenty of volunteers there, what would one volunteer off-sick hurt?

But the thought of being stuck at home, bumming around with nothing to do eventually got Blake off his backside. He wasn't the type to sit on his laurels and do nothing, so eventually Blake got up and got in the car to drive to Boston. He laughed under his breath.

Hopefully he wouldn't come across any more stoners this time... His ankle was sore enough as it was! He sighed. He would have never have thought of Norman Jayden as a drug addict. Especially when he was in the FBI and all that shit... Just went to show you couldn't trust anyone these days.

Blake spent the rest of the journey in a general state of road rage, honking the horn and yelling at anything that remotely got in his way. He felt it not only relieved stress (albeit with the added danger of busting an artery), but it also helped the journey pass a damn lot quicker. Carrying on in this manner, it wasn't long until he got there.

Getting out of the car, he slung his jacket over his shoulder, locked the car, and walked into the community centre where the soup kitchen was. A plump, kind-looking woman in her mid-fifties greeted him.

"Carter! Glad you could make it this time." she said, beaming. Carter bristled slightly.

"Yea, well I..."

"Say no more, say no more. It's partly my fault really, I should have let you know the traffic, I know you don't check it. Anyway, come in, come in, we're just about ready to get started actually!"

Blake sighed, and walked in. It was impossible to pick a fight with Faye, she was just too cheerful. Unfortunately, she often said things other people would mean as insults completely innocently... "So Carter, are you still single? It's a shame to let all that kind-heartedness go to waste." she beamed, handing him a mug of coffee. Carter sighed, and took a sip.

"I'm not..."

"Oh yes you are!" she butted in happily. "You may think you're the big bad wolf, but I know better. You're just a big softie underneath. So when will you get yourself a lucky guy or girl?"

Carter spat out his drink, and choked half to death. When he'd regained his composure, he glared with disbelief at Faye.

"What?"

"Oh, no offence meant Carter!" she trilled. "It's just a bit old-timesy to presume everyone is straight nowadays, don't you think?" She wandered off before Blake could say anything, leaving him twitching slightly.

After this little incident, Blake took up his place behind the counter and put on an apron so he wouldn't get his clothes dirty, and the customers started to come in.

While it was a monotonous job, Blake wouldn't say it wasn't rewarding. Perhaps not as much excitement as being out on the beat, but definitely it was worthwhile to see the look on peoples' faces as they had a good meal that they possibly hadn't had for a week. It also gave him time to think. He could work out what was happening with cases at the precinct, think about all the people in the centre, and what they were like, or simply just mindlessly stare into space while his arms did the work ladling soup, or carrots, or various other foods and desserts into peoples' bowls. Today was one of those stare into space days.

Which was probably why he didn't notice he hadn't put the soup down properly until it spilt all over his feet.

"Hey, want a handkerchief?" one of the customers asked.

"Yea, thanks..." Blake took the thing absent-mindedly, and wiped down his shoes. He stood up again and passed it back to the guy, only to feel the guy staring at him.

"What?" he snapped, finally coming out of his daydream, and realising he was stood opposite to Norman Jayden, who looked just as shocked as he did.

"...Blake?" Jayden asked, unsure if this was real, or if he was having another withdrawal.

"Jayden?" Carter screeched. "What the Hell are you doing here? Come to get a free meal, you good for nothing layabout?" Jayden turned red, and glared at him.

"I could ask you the same thing!" he said indignantly.

"Oh, could you? Well in case you hadn't noticed, Norman, I am a productive member of society, whereas you are just a useless FBI druggie!" Jayden stepped back at those words, as if he'd been slapped in the face, but Carter carried on obliviously. "So what do you do, go round all the charity kitchens in the area, getting a free meal, as well as living off our taxes?"

"I... just leave me alone, Carter, I'm not looking for a fight. Just let me have the food and I'll go." Carter shook his head.

"No chance, free-loader."

By this time, almost all eyes in the centre were trained on Carter and Jayden, and there was a rumbling of muttered unease. Faye stepped in before a riot could break out.

"Carter, just what do you think you're doing?" she hissed. Carter looked angry, but he was a little take aback – he'd never seen Faye angry before.

"I'm not serving him."

"Why not? You know perfectly well we serve anyone and everyone as long as they aren't under the influence of drink or drugs!" Carter glared at Norman, and looked back at Faye with a look of triumph in his eyes.

"Yea? Well why don't you ask Mr. Off-His-Face over there why his hands are trembling?" Faye looked disapprovingly at Blake, but nonetheless did look over at Jayden.

"Sir, Are you under the influence of alcohol, or any illegal medications? Because if you are, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave for the safety of everyone else." Jayden turned bright red and stuttered, which Faye took as her answer. "Sir..." Jayden's shoulders slumped, and he looked defeated.

"Don't worry, I'll go." he said. "I can't be bothered arguing, and I don't want to cause you any trouble." After he had slouched out of the building, Faye turned back to Carter.

"Carter, I think it's time you took a break, don't you? Come back next week if you've got yourself together." Carter blinked.

"But I...he... he's a stoner for Christ's sakes!"

"That looks like it may be the case, but nonetheless, being rude to our customers is not part of our ethos. I'll accept you back next week, as long as this doesn't happen again." Open-mouthed, Blake stared at her, only now realising the whole of the centre was staring at him.

"Fine. Just don't blame me if the idiot comes back in again, and causes trouble. I did my bit." He held up his hand as Faye opened her mouth. "Yea, yea, I'm going."

He took off his apron and chucked it over a chair, then shoved on his coat, and stalked out of the building.