Rob sits on the end of Cassie's bed, his shoes unlaced and his shirt unbuttoned. He feels numb, the memories of last night entwined with earlier moments of him and Cassie, laughing and teasing and talking about anything and everything. All the things they can't do any more.
He stands up to button his shirt and as he does so he catches a glimpse of Cassie in her full-length mirror. She looks so peaceful, for a moment he just wants to crawl back into bed with her and stay there forever. Instead, he looks around for his jacket and tie. He hasn't planned what he'll say if Cassie wakes up and sees him leaving, probably some excuse about going out for coffee, but she doesn't wake.
He goes home to get ready for work. "Dirty stop-out," Heather comments as he walks through her kitchen. He ignores her. Once he gets to the station he gives Quigley the brush-off and heads down to the basement, delaying the inevitable moment when he has to see Cassie again. He hates himself for what he has to do, but looking at the photographs of Peter and Jamie and feeling the familiar strains of grief and guilt, he knows he has no other choice.
