Again that day, Riley took her time unlocking the door. She had no hurry to get inside. As the lock clicked, she slowly opened and walked into the cold darkness. It no longer felt like home. Trembling fingers danced over the wall, looking for the switch.

Once the light was on, Riley closed the door, leaning her head against it. She wasn't crying anymore, but a few steady tears continued to leak out. Will and JJ had tried again to convince her to come home with them, to spend one more night at their place. But Riley had been surrounded by people for a week now. She needed to be alone.

He was gone. Her baby was gone. It seemed like a moment ago, she was running her fingers through his hair, and suddenly she was watching him being pulled into an ambulance, hearing Hotch's assurance that he would be alright, his blood still covering her hands… and now he was gone.

Taking a few deep breaths, Riley managed to drag her trembling body off the door and through her apartment towards the bedroom. She was tired. All she wanted to do was crawl under the covers and sleep for the rest of her life. She dropped her keys and purse with a clang on the floor. Her coat fell off her outside the door and her heels slipped off beside it, both left behind.

The light spilled into the room, lingering over to the foot of the bed. She switched on another light, closing the door, shutting out the rest of the world.

A week ago, this had been her favorite place in the world. Spencer's belongings were abandoned on the quilt from her arrival this morning, the red box sitting under the bed where it had fallen after her hand at last let it go. Riley's eyes avoided it. The room was too quiet; frighteningly quiet, and she needed to fix that.

Her body made its way to her iPod player next to the TV. Hitting a few buttons, she hit shuffle, not caring what song played, just needing something to erase the silence, a constant reminder that she was alone… and would be for the rest of her life.

Riley wanted to go to sleep. But as she turned and overlooked the bed, there was no way she could go near it. It was a mess, Spencer and Riley usually only made the bed every few days, when they changed the sheets. The sheets and blankets were in a tangle, disturbed from their last morning together. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at it. She couldn't sleep in their bed alone. Before she could completely break down, Riley walked over to the bathroom.

The music quieted a bit as she stepped further away, but she could hear it fine. Her body was completely out of her control, feeling it pull her onto the floor. The cold black and white linoleum chilled her already shivering skin. She felt no desire to change out of her black frock or stockings. Her temple rested to the floor as she closed her eyes. The tears spilled out further onto the cool tile, the music her only salvation.

…

"You didn't have to walk me to my door." Emily explained as she and Morgan made a slow, solemn walk to her apartment.

"I wanted to." He muttered, not looking at her. Emily's red eyes glanced at Morgan. As upset as she was, Morgan looked worse than she felt. He seemed lost, and he moved like his own muscles were aching with guilt.

Emily reached up and patted his arm. "I appreciate it, though. I can't remember the last time a man walked me to my door… just to be a gentleman."

Morgan gave no reply to her feeble attempt to lighten the mood. Coming home from their friend's funeral could hardly be compared to a date. Emily could feel more tears in her eyes, but fought off the urge. She pulled her keys out of her purse. Morgan leaned against the wall, watching her fingers.

"Would you like to come in for a drink?" Emily asked as the lock released.

Morgan was silent for several seconds, still distracted. Finally, he gave a shake of his head. "No," He said softly, "thanks, but I should go."

The truth was Emily was worried to send him off right now. Morgan was tormenting himself over Reid's death, just as she was, and she really didn't want him to be alone. Emily wouldn't dare hurt his pride by telling him that. "It's just one drink," She insisted. "I think we both could use one."

"I really… I need to get home." He explained, standing up straight, attempting to walk off.

"Derek," she whispered, placing her hand on his forearm. He stopped at her touch. "Please… I think we both could use some company right now. Just for a little while."

Morgan thought about it. Emily was sure he was going to walk off, but instead, he nodded. "Just one drink."

Emily gave a small smile, opening the door.

She flipped on the light, watching as Morgan stepped in and looked around. He had never been to her apartment before. His eyes went to the large picture window, admiring the view of the Washington Monument.

"Did you know that's named for George Washington and not the city?" Morgan inquired.

Emily tossed her keys on the counter, removing her coat and shoes. She went to the refrigerator. "No, I never heard that, considering how long I've lived here. Where did you learn-"

The sentence caught in her throat. Her hand gripped the icy necks of two bottles, knowing exactly where he learned that. She took a glance at Morgan, his attention remained out the window. The tears made a gush to escape, but she caught them. Emily gathered her composure and closed the fridge. "Beer?"

Morgan took one last look out the window, then turned and took the offered drink. He twisted off the cap, clanging against her bottle. "Cheers."

They took a drink, each one claiming a stool at the counter. They drank in silence for several minutes. Both thinking the same thing and neither one wanting to admit it.

"I can't believe he's gone." Emily finally uttered.

She glanced at Morgan, seeing him tense up. "Come on, we're both thinking about Reid. We may as well talk about him." Her hands wrapped around the bottle, the condensation dripped onto the counter and around her fingers. "I remember the first case we worked together. He, Gideon, and I went to Guantanamo Bay."

"I remember that case." Morgan said, glancing over to her. "That was the day we met."

Emily gave him a smile. "I remember." She took another swig of her beer, her eyes still on him as he looked away. "When did you first meet Reid?"

It had been so long ago, it felt like a lifetime. Morgan gripped his cold drink, recalling. "I met him when he was at the academy. I was giving a demonstration on hand-to-hand combat… and I…"

He began to trail off, but Emily was intrigued. "What? What happened?"

"Whenever I give a demonstration, I always try to compete with several of the students, just to give them a general idea of what they can expect. No one wants to be the first kid, so I choose him or her myself. I pointed at this… scrawny, weak looking kid and told him to come forward. I asked for his name… 'Spencer Reid' he stated."

"Oh, Morgan…" She said, trying not to laugh. "Tell me you didn't…"

"Let's just say I made a very good demonstration of Cadet Reid." He said, through a partial smile. "I told the other cadets how important it is to be prepared. Expect the unexpected, not to go easy on a target, not to be timid like Cadet Reid, who was lying on the floor trying to remember how to get air into his lungs." He took another gulp. "Every demonstration, I always battle a kid with weak combat skills… but no one has ever come close to Reid.

"Afterward, the kids were heading out to the dining hall. Reid came up to me, said he knew I worked for the BAU… I was not interested in speaking with someone who I was certain wouldn't make it to graduation. He told me his interest in the BAU. I tried to explain it's not like the other departments. Profiling is a special skill, and you need to have a talent for it from the beginning. He explained his usual – 187 IQ, Ph.D.s, BAs, eidetic memory – and I remember distinctly replying, 'That's great, kid. But intelligence can only get you so far. If you can't handle this, if you can't handle what we did today, then you can't handle the intensity of being an agent, and maybe you should think about another profession.'"

"I'm surprised he didn't drop out that day," Emily stated.

Morgan gave a sad smile. "He proved me wrong. After I got to know him, I always regretted what I said. We've never talked about that day, but I know he remembers… remembered." He emptied his beer, setting the bottle down. Morgan's body tensed up, and Emily knew he was trying to stay strong.

"Derek, you're allowed to be upset," she said, reaching over. Her soft hand wrapped around his wrist. "Reid was your best friend."

Morgan's voice came out in a guttural hiss. "He was my brother."

Emily tried not to let her own tears escape. She hung onto Morgan. He needed to let go, he needed to grieve for Reid; he needed to grieve for his brother.

Instead, Morgan forced his emotions down. He climbed off his stole. "Thanks for the drink, Prentiss."

Emily stood up, not wanting him to leave. She needed to grieve just as much as Morgan and she certainly was not ready to be alone. "Are you sure you want to go?" she asked.

"Yeah, I can't… I need to go." He explained. Emily moved towards him, noticing something in his eyes, something she had never seen before. "If I don't leave now… I need to go."

There was nothing she could do to stop him. The tears had made their break, dripping down her cheek. She gave Morgan a nod, unable to speak.

Morgan reached down to brush away a drop from her face. "You'll be alright, won't you?"

"Of course," she said with a fake smile. "Don't worry about me."

"Thank you, Emily," He whispered.

"You're welcome," She replied. Morgan reached down and swept her into a hug. His warm arms held her close. She breathed in the scent of his cologne and musk, his muscles surrounding her made her feel so safe and comfortable.

He wasn't letting her go, and Emily did not want to release him. She clung to him, as if he were about to leave this life, too.

Morgan pulled from her slightly, moving so he exhaled his breath onto the side of her face. It wafted the sweet stench of beer over her. Emily knew this wasn't a good idea, but letting him walk out the door would be worse. They both needed someone tonight.

She turned her head slowly, and Morgan didn't pull away. Softly, Emily pressed her lips to his cheek, just enough to test him.

They both stood, immobile for long seconds that seemed to defy the laws of time. Both were desperate for a signal at what the other was thinking. At last Morgan came forward, bringing her into a full kiss.

Emily let out a gasp, her eyes slipping closed. The kiss was short, ending not long after it commenced. As Morgan moved, she assumed he was going to pull away. Instead, he shifted her directly in front of him, meeting her lips once again. Sweet and soft, but powerful; it sent a tremble through her body. It was exactly what they both needed, what both had been longing for: tender human comfort.

They continued kissing, closing any remaining distance between them. Emily's arms went around his neck while Morgan's made a journey to her waist, gliding themselves to her hips and onto her backside. He enjoyed the feel of the curves he'd admired every day for years. Their kisses became intense, incidentally rising their body temperatures.

One hand left Emily to go up between her shoulders. It searched her back for a moment, finding the clasp of her dress and zipped it downward. Emily lifted one leg to wrap around Morgan's hip, grinding against him. He moaned in her mouth; the hand moved from the small of her back down to her raised thigh. It slid up the soft fabric of her dress in order to feel the skin and nylon beneath it.

"Derek," Emily squeaked, pulling from his mouth. The rest of her body remained in his embrace, unwilling to let him go. "Are you sure we should do this?"

He stared directly into her eyes leaning into her, "No," he whispered, and claimed her lips again.

No more words were needed as Morgan's tongue found its way into her mouth. He easily guided her through the room without ever breaking their kiss.

The bedroom was all the way up the stairs; too far away. Their lips never separating, Morgan led Emily over to the couch and laid her down gently. His body flowed with hers, moving on top of her. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling his hard body as close as possible while still fully clothed. Emily's hands explored his form, trying to undress him while never slipping from their kiss. Morgan however, pulled away. Emily let out a whimper at the loss of his lips until she felt them moving down her jaw line to her neck. She let out a soft sigh, feeling his mouth envelop her flesh.

The two lost themselves in each other, their bodies in perfect harmony, all night. And together, Derek and Emily grieved.

…

Why does the sun go on shining?

Why does the sea rush to shore?

Don't they know it's the end of the world?

'Cause you don't love me anymore

The music continued playing. Riley remained on the bathroom floor in a half trance. Her eyes were closed, trying to forget there was indeed a world still existing around her.

Rolling on her back, her tangled curls, freed from their pins, spread out around her. Her eyes danced up to the ceiling, staring into the blinding light. It ceased the tears for a moment as she listened.

Why do the birds go on singing?

Why do the stars glow above?

Don't they know it's the end of the world?

It ended when I lost your love

The room was freezing. Riley shivered, thinking how cold her baby must be, lying in the frozen ground. He didn't deserve that. Spencer was such a good person. He deserved to be with his friends and family. He should be here, at home, where Riley could comfort and care for him. They should be together, in their bed making love, without a single worry from the outside world penetrating their sanctuary. Instead she was lying on an unsanitary bathroom floor and he was in a coffin. This wasn't right.

I wake up in the morning and I wonder

Why everything's the same as it was

I can't understand

No, I can't understand

How life goes on the way it does

He had really loved her. A part her had always suspected Spencer was only in love with her through some chronic Transference. Considering their history, it was a logical assumption. It was a small part of her, but she refused to listen to it for fear of losing him. But, after learning the truth about the day they met, before he knew who she was or even her name… I couldn't move… I could barely breathe… It proved he was really in love with her.

Why does my heart go on beating?

Why do these eyes of mine cry?

Don't they know it's the end of the world?

It ended when you said goodbye

As the last chords of the song rang over her, Riley rolled onto her side again. Her body wrapped into a fetal position; a new wave of tears pooled on the floor at her temple as she sobbed his name.

Don't they know it's the end of the world?

It ended when you said goodbye