Locke didn't like being called a victim, even if he was it in every sense of the word. And he didn't think this was a tragedy at all. Sure he missed his friends, he missed his girlfriend, he missed everything about home...but he never saw his displacement as anything close to a tragedy. It was just...was. It was just something that happened and would pass when it would.
But he never said anything to defend or further attack his good friend whose eyes were already darting here and there. He didn't like his proposal and he didn't remember being told that his research was that way all along and it bothered Locke a little. Was there a possibility that the crisis in his home would happen again here in Earth? He didn't doubt their intelligence...so if they started believing...
"N, not at all!" Fred said after Lily had spoken her side and he smiled to her but his smile wasn't quite as bright as it had once been. In fact, it didn't take him long to glance at his wristwatch and then share that it was late for him. "I've got to go, still got to pick my sister up..."
"This doesn't mean we aren't friends, anymore, okay?" Locke made sure to call to Fred as the local stumbled out of their tiny space and hurried out the door. "I'll see you again next week," he tried again, but to no response.
Fred had gone as fast as he could.
Locke sighed through his nostrils as he stared at his left fingers on the wooden table. He drummed his fingertips a little...then waved his hand a bit to Lily as he said, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't think that was what he was going after."