Author Note: The italicized dialogue is from Blackwell Epiphany to try and connect this story to canon a bit better. So yeah, those lines aren't mine.

Edited 7/1 on a suggestion by Mondhase.

Joey stood frozen to the sidewalk staring down at the dead body of his friend and former host, Rosangela Blackwell.

"…Rosa? Why the hell did you do this?" Distraught, the only think he could think to do was offer his tie as he had so many times before. "Here." Rosa remained still. "Go on. Take it." Despair began to fill him as the realization hit home, "Take it! Just…"

He was lost. His only friend and ally of many years lay dead in front of him with no one to blame except himself. He fell to his knees, lifted her head, and chuckled bitterly, "Heh, I can finally touch you and all it took was for you to die."

The cold night wind bit his face in a way he had long forgotten and for the first time in seventy years he shivered. All was quiet around him now. No more tremors or screams or panic, just the quiet fall of snow. But it did not last long. Soon police sirens could be heard coming to investigate the strange scene around him. Some nearby resident witnessed Rosa's breakdown, her assault on Cory Palmer, and her death, but was surprised to see another man kneeling beside Rosa after retrieving a phone and returning to the window. No one knew who he was or where he came from, but Joey was there none the less.

Sam Durkin came strolling up beside him, focused more on Rosa than Joey.

While still at a distance he shouted, "Hey Blackwood! What the hell were you thinking?!" Joey turned slightly to look at him and Sam stopped dead in his tracks. Joey had such an expression of anguish that there was only one possible explanation. Rosa Blackwell was dead. Regaining his composure after a moment, he turned his fury to Joey, "You! Who are you? What happened here?"

Joey looked back at Rosa, "Sam, I can't. I just… can't." His voice broke and Sam softened.

Laying a hand on Joey's shoulder, Sam said, "It's alright, take your time. But I am going to need some information, beginning with how you know me when I've never met you."

Joey shifted to stand, "I know you through Rosa. You were always kind of a jerk, you know that? I didn't like it but she always said working with the police would be better for all of us so I tolerated it. Even when she had to wait half-an-hour in the snow for you and you stood her up."

Sam stared at him a moment before responding, "Look, clearly you were part of whatever Blackwell did. That's fine. And I know we had an agreement, but now she's dead. You've got to be able to tell me something. Can we start with your name?"

"Eh, sure. Joey. Joey Mallone. Used to be a tailor by trade, but now… It's been so long, I don't know what I'll do without Red."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Red?"

"Yeah, Red. You know, the kid… Rosa Blackwell."

The paramedics approached them now; having finished treating Cory Palmer they came to remove Rosa Blackwell to the coroner's office. Joey glared at them a moment before stepping aside to allow them to do their work.

"I'm so sorry Rosa." He whispered as she was carried away from him. He then turned back to Sam, "I always knew I'd see her die one day. That was part of the deal, 'partners for life,' I knew it would come. But like this? No. Why did it have to be like this, Sam?! She was so young. So young…"

Sam said nothing but ushered Joey into his car and took him to the station. Sam knew he would not get much useful information, but his job required him to at least try. Besides clearly being in a state of shock, Joey had also told him that he was Rosa's partner. It would be too much to expect any less elusive answers from him than the ones he got from Rosa.

Joey was given coffee and seated in an interrogation room with Sam Durkin in the seat across from him, "So. Let's start from the top shall we? The person who reported this incident to us heard Miss Blackwell yelling. At several points she was heard to yell the name 'Joey.' Was she calling for you?"

"Yes."

So far, so good, thought Sam, that's at least one answer, "Okay. You stated earlier that you were her 'partner,' what did you mean by that?"

"What did I mean? Just what I said, she was my partner. She couldn't get rid of me if she tried. But I guess she finally has…"

"Did you see her often?"

Joey chuckled darkly, "Only every day. Neither of us could avoid it."

"Then were you aware of any problems that could have led to this outburst?"

"There was nothing wrong with Red."

"I know she was in a mental hospital but escaped and somehow found her way to the front of Grace Church where the incident took place. Do you know anything about that?"

Joey sighed, "She didn't need to be there. She was a good kid. She just did what needed to be done. That's it. It was worth it right? No, you wouldn't know, would you? I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything more about it. If you're asking if I think she was genuinely mad, then no. It wasn't her. It was the universe."

Sam looked incredulous, "The… universe?"

Joey just looked silently at the table.

"Look, clearly she meant a lot to you. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. Would you like me to call you a cab to take you home? It's still snowing heavily though, so it may take a while to get here.

Joey looked up forlorn, "…and go where? My home was with Red. She's gone now."

"You lived with her?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Do you have a key?"

"No. Heck, the management didn't even know I was there."

"So let me get this straight, you don't have anywhere to go?"

"I don't even have an ID."

Sam had gotten up during the conversation and was now standing behind his chair leaning on it with both hands. The two of them waited in silence for several minutes.

Joey finally spoke, "…Hey, Rosa had no family or anyone to take care of her and her things. Is there any way I could take that position?"

"Did she have a will?"

"No."

"Are you related in any way?"

"No."

"Well then typically her property should pass on to the state."

"No!" Joey stood and slammed his hands on the table, "Her things aren't even worth much. Please! Please…"

Sam threw up his hands, "Alright! Alright. I'll see what I can do. For now at least… Hold on a second." Sam left the room momentarily and returned with a basket of Rosa's belongings that had been taken from her at the mental hospital, "I shouldn't really do this, but here. It's her phone, keys, wallet, and a few other things. At least you can go home tonight."

Joey looked at him in surprise but took the items quickly. He smiled slightly, "Maybe you cops aren't so bad after all."

Joey walked towards the door when Sam stopped him, "Hey, it's freezing out there. At least let me give you a ride."

Joey hesitated then relented, "Okay, thanks."

It was slow going through the snow covered roads, but finally Joey stood in front of Rosa's apartment building. Fatigue and hunger were catching up with him now and it surprised him to feel those pangs again. It was a strange sensation after seventy years a ghost to need food and sleep, but Joey easily fell back into step with the needs. Rosa never cooked at home, but there were enough tidbits to satisfy him for the moment. Now seeking a place to rest, he turned to the couch. The bedroom had always been off-limits to him and even now, especially now, he could not bring himself to enter it. It had become Rosa's sanctuary from him over the years and nothing could bring him to go in now.