A/N So I guess this is sort of a follow up to my last chapter. And guys, any prompts in the canon CM universe, let me hear 'em! Anywho Reid and REVIEW! (Haha bad pun, sorry) Thanks:)

It was the Sunday after Matthew's death, and the case was closed. Emily was about to open a bottle of her Italian wine when she heard a knock at her front door.

Not expecting anyone, Emily cautiously walked towards the door and looked out the peephole.

"Rossi?" She asked, opening the door. He was in a black suit carying an envelope.

"You ready?" He asked her.

"For what" she asked.

"Aren't you going to the funeral?" Rossi asked her. It was the day of Matthew's funeral, and Emily had no intention of going.

Emily shook her head, "I'm not welcome. I'm just going to let his parents greive in peace," she said quietly, with a defeated sigh.

"Emily, you have every right to go to this funeral, and Matthew's parents are just going to have to accept that. He was your friend," Rossi told her.

Emily shook her head, "No, Rossi. I can't. His parents basically told me that it's my fault that Matthew is dead. "

"If this boy went against everything he beleived to help you, then I think you deserve to go to the funeral. I think Mathew would tell you the same thing now as he did all those years ago," Rossi said.

Emily gave him a confused look.

"You go and you walk in there and you hold your head high," Rossi told her.

Emily gave Rossi a sad look. "But that destroyed his life, didn't it."

"No, his doubt and drug addiction ruined his life, and you didn't force him into that. That was a choice," Rossi argued.

"No, but if I hadn't-" Emily started, but Rossi cut her off.

"No but's, Emily. It wasn't your fault, and you have every right to go see him one last time," Rossi told her.

Emily sighed and sat down on her couch, crossing her arms. Rossi sat down next to her.

"Kiddo, you can't keep blaming yourself. It has to stop somewhere," Rossi told her.

"I just don't think I can handle the looks his parents are going to give me..." Emily said.

"I'll be right there with you kiddo, but I don't think you want to give up your last chance to say goodbye yo him," Rossi told her. Emily nodded, wiping away the tears that had started to form in her eyes.

"Yeah," she nodded again. "I-I have to get changed," she said, hurring into her room and changing into her three-quarter sleeve black dress and black heels before applying the appropriate makeup for the occasion.

"You ready?" Rossi asked her as she walked out of her room.

"Yeah," Emily said quietly. "Yeah I'm ready."

The funeral was held in a local church, about three miles away from Emily's apartment. When they got there, it was moderately crowded. Just enough for Emily to avoid having to talk to Matthew's parents. But that didn't stop,them,from glaring at her.

"Just hold your head high," Rossi said to her under his breath when she started looking panicked. Emily took a deep breath and nodded and the duo went and sat in the second row, right behind Matthew's parents.

The preacher started talking about God and how Matthew was now at peace from everything that troubled him, and Emily could only pray that was true. Matthew deserved that much.

At the end of the ceremony, Matthew's parents, the Benton's, made their way towards Emily and Rossi.

"What did you come here for?" Matthew's parents asked, venom in their voices.

"I came to the funeral of a friend," Emily replied, holding her head high as Rossi had told her to.

"You have no right to be here," Mrs. Benton said to her.

Emily looked away, but Rossi said, "Actually, she has every right to be here. Matthew was her friend, and she should be able to come and honor his life."

"This would nver have happened if Matthew never met you," Mrs. Benton said, ignoring Rossi and aiming her comment at Emily.

Emily looked up and said, with tears in her eyes, "Mr and Mrs Benton, I really don't want to argue about this here and now. I know you have a problem with me and I can respect that, but do you really think it's appropriate to be issuing blame now when we should just be remembering Matthew?" Emily asked, using the perfect mix of FBI Emily voice, and Emotional Emily voiceto embarrass Matthew's parents. The Benton's looked away, ashamed at their actions.

Rossi and Emily both handed them cards. "I'm sorry for your loss," Rossi repeated the statement the couple was bound to her thousands of times in the next few weeks.

"Mr and Mrs Benton, I really am so sorry," Emily said to them and they nodded before she and Rossi exited the church.

"Well you handled that well," he told her.

Emily sighed, "I just said what I knew would get to them. Thank you, Rossi. For being here for me these past few days." She said.

Rossi gave her a smile, "That's what family's for. Now what do you say we fo to my house and drink some crazy expensive Italian wine?" He asked.

Emily laughed, "That sounds great." She smiled, and followed Rossi to the car. And with that smile, Rossi knew she was going to be okay.