"Shit. I'm sorry to hear that." He actually means it too. It's impossible to miss the sincerity in his voice. Maybe Ash is just gullible. He hopes he's not.

This is not what he came here for. He came here to be mad. To have a target for his anger. To throw a sandwich at this guys face and now? NOW? Ashley can't hate him. Hell, he might even feel bad for him. He wants him to be okay too. Seeing the certainty in Crichton's eyes he takes a deep breath. He knows what he is saying is true. Ash just needed someone else to say it to make it feel more real, like it wasn't just wishful thinking in his own head. "Keep holding my hand like that and you're going to have to take me to dinner."