Author's Note: I apologies for not getting anything posted sooner, but I've been having a little trouble with things keep timing out here! Very annoying. Sorry guys!

XIII

Today hadn't been good and Murdock wanted nothing more than to crash out as soon as he got home.

He knew that it wouldn't be possible. As tired as he felt now, the minute he got in he knew a hundred things would be flying through his head.

And the first thing he was going to do when he got in was call Erica.

He could except that things were over between them, but not this way. He'd had few important relationships in his life and he'd never had one that had ended up sour. He didn't want this being the first.

Once he was in, he noticed the mess.

He hadn't left it like this.

And then the things that were missing started to become obvious to him.

The TV, the VCR. The stereo.

And no trace of Gabrielle.

Damn. How could he have been so stupid, so guliable. He knew better than that.

Realising that beating himself up over it now was fruitless, he decided to call Erica. At least he had good reason to now, he could hardly stay here when anyone could just walk in.

He dialed Erica's number and waited for her to answer. The machine picked up and he was asked to leave a message.

"Hey it's me. I'm gonna come over. We need to talk and I really need a place to stay for a few days. If you really don't want me to stay I can get a room at a hotel nearby, but we still need to talk. I'll be there in about half an hour. See ya then."

He hung the phone up, and took another look around the apartment before he left for Erica's.

Murdock took the key out ready to let himself into Erica's apartment, but decided they way things had been last time they spoke, it may not be a good idea.

He knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.

After a minute or two, he knocked again and waited some more. He gathered that she wan't in and pulled out his set of keys, and locating hers, he opened the door and let himself in.

Face walked across the room and sat next to BA on the couch.

Frankie had gone to his room earlier and Hannibal was outside smoking.

"What do we do?" Face asked.

"About what?" BA replied.

"Hannibal and Murdock."

"I don't know. Ain't nothing we can do. They gotta sort it out themselves."

"Yeah but... what Hannibal said, do you think he meant it?"

BA hesitated a moment. "Nah, he was jus' mad. They just need some time clear of each other."

"I guess. It's just that..."

Face was cut off by the phone starting to ring.

BA picked it up quickly as he was closest. "Yeah?"

"BA?" Murdock said. "Erica's dead."