Disclaimer: The only part of Criminal Minds I own is the first four seasons on DVD.

Best Part of a Life

Spencer Reid could not believe his ears. Had Derek Morgan really just said that to him? Had he really said that to Derek Morgan? Had Derek Morgan really just walked out on him—walked out on them? Walked out on their life?

Reid looked around him in shock, looked at the pieces of their lives together; pictures of them laughing, painting that Reid had done in his spare time, books and weights in random places through out the living room. How had he let this happen? Derek had never lost control like that but then he, Reid, had never crossed the line like that either.

--

"What were you thinking?" Morgan had fired this question at Reid as soon as they had entered their shared apartment and the door was closed.

"What do you mean what was I thinking?" Reid shot back; on the defense because of Morgan's accusatory tone.

"How could you just let that guy be all over you like that?" Morgan hadn't liked what he had found when he went back to their table at the club that evening.

"He wasn't all over me. We were just talking while you were grinding obscenely with strange women on the dance floor." Reid crossed his arms. "It was nice to be noticed and appreciated for once."

"What?" Morgan's body tensed. "I appreciate you. I noticed you."

"Morgan," Reid said using Derek's last name, which they never said at home. "I didn't want to go to the club. I never do. You know it's not my thing, but you begged and pleaded for me to come with you and then you leave me all night to grind with woman you don't even know. And when someone actually takes interest in me enough to talk to me you freak out and deck the guy."

"He was feeling you up." Morgan said out raged.

"He had his hand on my knee and I was rebuffing his advances before you came over and punched him." Reid paused for a second and drew a breath. "At least he was willing to touch me. At least he could admit he was gay." Reid froze. He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. He knew he didn't mean them. They both knew Morgan had trouble showing affection, especially in public, all because of what Carl Buford had done to him as a child.

Morgan stared at Reid in shock for a split second and if the enormity of those words hadn't been so great it would have been comical the look and the subsequent change on Morgan's face. Reid's words cut him like a white-hot knife. Reid had just used the one thing he knew hurt Derek the most against him. The one person he could trust above all others had just betrayed him. The pain Morgan felt was too unbearable; so he filled the hurt the only way he knew—with anger. Rage clouded Morgan's vision. He lashed out. Derek Morgan could play dirty too.

Before Reid could open his mouth to apologize Morgan spat, "I may have trouble expressing my feeling, but at least I have a family who loves me!" It was irrational Morgan knew it, but right now he wanted to hit below the belt and to Reid's credit he knew it too but he wasn't going to take the bait.

As Reid once again opened his mouth to apologize for his remark Derek again cut him off. "You know what," Morgan said in a deathly calm voice that scared and worried Reid more than the yelling. "Forget it. Clearly, I don't like touching you and you would rather get felt up by some gut in a club than be with me so I'll make you happy." Morgan seemed very defeated now, deflated almost. "I'm leaving. I'll get my stuff later." With that final statement Derek Morgan grabbed his go bag, which was ever present by the door in case of emergencies and walked out, the quiet click of the door shutting behind him the only sound in the now silent apartment.

--

Spencer Reid jolted; he had been standing stock still in the silence for the past five minutes, the whole horrific scene playing in his mind's eye with perfect clarity. His brain started going into overdrive. He had to find Morgan. He couldn't let the man walk out of his life. He couldn't lose someone, not again, not when he could stop it.

Without a glance back into the apartment, with its shiny picture frames and happy memories, Reid ran out the door; determined to find Morgan and make things better. Determined to not lose the best part of his life.