Sarah and Desiree met their brother at the airport. He looked weary and sad even though it was obvious that he was trying his hardest to hide it. He'd become good at hiding his feelings from them even as a child he kept his feelings and his troubles from them. He'd assumed the roll as man of the house at the young age of ten; the murder of their father and his abuse at the hands of Carl Buford taught him to be silent against pain, a lesson he'd perfected.

He pulled his sisters in his arms and the three of them stood in each other's embraces for several minutes. He heard the sobs of the two women whom he tried so hard to protect and shield from the evils of the world. He remembered as a boy making a promise to take care of his sisters and his mother when he grew up. Now as he held onto his grieving sisters he had to admit that he'd failed.

Hand in hand the siblings walked toward the exit. He needed to find out the facts surrounding his mother's death and he wouldn't rest until he hunted down her murderer.

"How are you two holding up?"

"I can't believe this is happening?" Sarah began.

"Who would want to kill ma?" Desiree asked.

"I don't know but I promise you both I won't rest until I find out. In fact, I need you to drop me off at the police station."

"Derek…"

"What Dez? I know you're not about to tell me to stay out of this!"

"No, that's not what I was going to say."

"Then what?"

"Gordinski is in charge of the case."

"Gordinski? Hell no!"

"Calm down. He's been doing everything he can to make sure the killer is found."

"Of all the detectives on the force, Gordinski?"

"Come on, Derek…and besides he's Captain Gordinski now."

"Sarah, I know he's a captain now but I don't care if he's the commissioner, I don't want him on this case!"

"Let's just give him a chance, please!" Sara pleaded.

Quantico, VA – Evening –

Garcia wasn't sure when she'd hear from Morgan; he promised to call when his plane landed but she knew that he'd arrived in Chicago at least two hours ago. He was a man of his word but he had also just lost his mother to a violent senseless attack. She'd give anything to be with him but she understood his reasoning for her staying behind. She had to keep busy until he returned the thought of him grieving made her heart break.

Garcia had decided to stay at Derek's while he was away. She moved methodically around the house picking up clothes from the floor, evidence of last night's activities, which had started in the living room and ended in the bedroom. She smiled as she picked up his trousers that lied next to the couch and neatly folded them draping them across her arm. She chuckled and paused for a moment as she pulled her red lace bra from the cushions of the leather-tufted sofa. As she moved from the living room, the trail of clothes led her to the bedroom and she sat down holding the discarded clothing tightly to her chest as the tears fell freely down her face. No one had made her feel like he had last night; she felt so lucky to have her best friend as her lover. She needed to hear from him his voice would tell her how he was, how he really was. She knew him and how he would try to evade her questions and try to convince her that he was okay.

Tara sat across the street watching the silhouette of a woman moving across the window. She wondered how long the two of them had been together and how he would react when he returned from Chicago to find that she too was gone. It would be so easy to take her life; she'd never see it coming until it was too late. She'd dreamt of revenge for years and when her father was killed she knew what had to be done. Derek Morgan was going to pay for each lie he'd ever told on her father. He would lose everything that meant anything to him then she'd walk up to him, look him in the eye and kill him too.

Chicago – Coroner's Office

Derek had sent his sisters home. He had business to take care of and he wasn't ready to see the place where his mother had died just yet. He felt numb as he slowly pulled the white sheet from his mother's face. His mind wouldn't accept that he was staring down at the woman who'd given birth to him, who'd loved and cared for him and who'd do anything in the world for him. Her laugh rang in his ears as he gently touched her cold ashen skin. There was so much still left for her to do; so much for him to say but now time had stopped for the woman who'd never hurt a soul, had no enemies, worked hard and minded her own business.

He'd forgotten that Captain Gordinski was in the room; standing in the far corner hidden in the shadows of the dimly lit room. It had been difficult to take the elevator ride down to the basement and the long walk down the narrow hall to the Coroner's office with the man who'd made his teen years a living hell. Derek felt so alone during those times after watching his father being gunned down before his eyes. Then being literally forced into the hands of Carl Buford and enduring years of molestation with no one to tell who would believe him and protect him. Even after the older Gordinski had apologized, Derek still found it hard to be in the man's presence. But now, here he was at the worst point in his life, it seemed that Gordinski was perhaps the only one that could help him now.

"Cause of death was a single gunshot to the chest." The Coroner said.

Her words broke his concentration and yanked him back to the present. Dr. Kayla Winslow had only been the coroner for a few years but she'd heard about him. She watched as he grieved for his mother. She learned to be unaffected, detached but this one was hard and she wished that the next body she examined would be that of the killer's.

"Did she…did she…"

"Suffer? No. Death was instantaneous."

His focus never waivered as the tears streamed down the proud man's face and his body stiffened against the reality before him.

"I'm so sorry, Ma…I was supposed to take care of you…" He whispered.

Kayla quietly backed away standing next to Gordinski allowing Morgan to grieve in private. Then after several minutes they watched as he leaned down and kissed his mother's forehead and rush from the room.

It was hard to breathe and he felt light-headed as he stopped halfway down the hall and leaned his body against the wall closing his eyes. He felt his body shaking he didn't want to lose control but that battle was already lost as he clinched his fist tightly to his side.

Gordinski didn't know what to say he didn't have the words for a man he'd wronged in the past and had tried to make amends for. All of his attempts had been rejected and he didn't blame him. He drew closer slowly approaching Derek. He was the last person he'd want to see him break down but he continued coming closer until he reached his side. Silently he fought back his own tears placing a hand of comfort on his shoulder. He felt Derek stiffen out of reflex then relaxing under his touch. The older man was prepared for anything he expected to be met with anger but instead Derek turned his head and stared teary-eyed at him.

"No matter what it takes Derek, we're going to find the person who killed your mother. "

Unable to speak Derek merely nodded his understanding then turning his head and closing his eyes again.

"You have my word. I won't rest until the man who did this is behind bars!"