"Sit down." Howard practically drags him over to the couch. "Let me take a look at it."

By now it's setting in that it's more than just the random attack that's gotten Cedric down. It's not fear in Cedric's eyes - it's loss. Sorrow. And Howard doesn't know what to do about that. His first impulse is to offer to get Cedric drunk, and a second thought is what makes Howard realize what incredibly terrible, messed-up reaction that would be.

"Tell me what happened." He gets his kit from off the shelf and sits on the coffeetable, across from Cedric.