A/N: This isn't as much a second part in the Zombie-'verse at it's another story set in it. Truth be told, I just realy wanted to play with the POVs. WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH. Again.

"If you don't try and go out you should be able to make it for a while then," Derek said and slumped against Reid's side, pretending to be more tired than he really was, just to be able to breathe deeply and get a whiff of Reid's smell.

"What are you talking about?" Reid asked, sounding short of breath and Derek worried for a moment about Spencer not being in shape to the hurried escape they just survived. But they did, so far anyway, and Derek couldn't ignore the burning pain in his arm.

"I'm sorry, Kid, I really am," he said and dropped his gun before running his hand over the arm pressed between them.

He took a another deep breath, this time to calm himself, and then he pulled the sleeve of his leather jacket up.

Reid stared at the bite with wide eyes and withheld breath.

"Oh, no," he whispered as he gazed upon the wound on Morgan's arm, slowly oozing blood. "How did-? When did this happen? Why didn't you say anything?" He dropped his own gun and reached to touch around the wound carefully. Derek thought he should comment on the kid's poor gun-safety, but it wasn't exactly the right time.

"Not long after we left the car," he said instead and thought he heard Reid gulp.

"But that was hours ago," he said brokenly and Derek's heart ached for the both of them. "There's nothing we can do to stop it. Nothing I can do."

"It was my turn to take on for the team," Derek said and forced a laugh to cover the tense atmosphere. "It's usually always you getting hurt to save the rest of us. I think it's fair that for once, you'll be the one who gets through the mess unscathed."

He knew it was impossible, but he really wanted to lighten the mood.

"I didn't mean for us to take turns getting wounded," Reid whispered, still touching around the wound softly, and seemingly unable to force away his eyes. Derek didn't want him to look at the wound though. He didn't want to acknowledge the situation that would force them apart before they even got together. "I did it because I care about you, I didn't want you to have to go through the same pain as me. You never deserved that." His eyes grew blank and Derek wanted to pull him against his chest and whisper that everything were going to be okay, but he knew they wouldn't and it tore him apart inside.

"We never meant for you to get hurt either," he said quietly, an immediately hating himself for not saying what he actually meant. "That's why it hurt so much when you always took the brunt of it. I hated every moment you spent in a hospital bed and this isn't- it isn't a way to say thank you for taking one for the team, stupid boy."

This is your last chance, he thought and the situation hit him like a ton of bricks.

He grabbed Reid's chin tenderly and tipped it, forcing his eyes from the wound and to meet Derek's own gaze. "It's just me saying 'I love you, you better make it through this alive and unhurt'."

Okay, so maybe he was being cryptic, but this was the only way he could see himself confessing his feelings while still giving Reid an out if he didn't return them. It would be so typical of him to just act responsive and pretend for the last few minutes of Derek's life.

Because he was definitely going to die soon.

"I love you too," Reid blurted, voice sounding choked up and when looking into his eyes Derek knew he could never lie that convincingly. When Reid rushingly crossed the space between them and pressed their mouths together Derek's heart soared.

"I'm sorry I never said anything before," he said after a while, pulling back. He gave into an urge he had fought for so many years and threaded his fingers in Reid's almost-long-enough-locks.

"Me too," Reid said with a serene look on his face. Derek felt deliriously happy for a moment and pressed their foreheads together when reality came crashing back to him.

"I want you to do it," he whispered, and a broken sob escaped Reid as he understood him. He always had. "And I want you to do it while I'm still sentient enough to know who you are and how much-" His voice broke, and drew a deep breath when Reid's hands curled around his thigh. "How much I love you."

"Of course," Reid said, finally opening his eye. "Now?" he asked and bit his lip when Derek nodded.

"Right now." Before I change my mind and end up being a burden to you.

"Can we go somewhere else?" Reid asked in a thin voice and Derek felt bordering sick with himself.

"Sure," he said and and tried to smile convincingly. "Got any ideas?" Reid nodded and took Derek's hand, helping him stand and then leading him up the stairs into a bedroom Derek hoped hadn't been Gideon's. He hated how weak he felt, but the virus made his skin burn and the ground give under his feet.

"Lie down there," Reid said and pointed at the bed, and Derek easily crossed the room, not letting go of Reid's hand, but forcing him to trail behind him. Reid crouched next to the bed as he lied down on his side, their faces inches from each other.

"Thank you, Pretty Boy," he said quietly and caressed Reid's face with his free hand. The look on his face was heartbreaking and awe-inspiringly beautiful with its mixture of exaltation and devastation.

"Pretty Boy always was my favorite of all your nicknames," Reid said, making Derek smile in spite of the pain in his joints and the burning emanating from his arm.

"You were always my favorite of everyone, but never tell Penelope that, please," he admitted, the truth making tears well up in his eyes, and he wished so badly, that they were anywhere else, at any other time.

"It'll be our little secret," Reid whispered and leaned in so close their breaths mingled. "No one will ever know."

"I love you," Derek croaked, overwhelmed with love and crossed the half-inch between them, pressing their lips together.

"I love you too," Reid said when he pulled back. Their hands were still entwined when he drew back enough to lift the gun and press the cool steel against Morgan's burning forehead. "I love you so, so much." Derek smiled, the first heartfelt smile of the day, and looked straight into Reid's beautiful eyes.

This wasn't the end he had imagined for them when he had fallen in love with his dorky coworker, and he half wished there were someone else to do the horrible job Reid was about to do.

But he was so happy Reid was the last thing he would ever see.

And then the trigger squeaked and it ended.