It had been a long case; a series of suspicious murder-suicides had been plaguing Portland, Oregon and the FBI had sent the BAU to investigate. It had been delicate, it had been tedious, and it had taken four days of little sleep and less evidence to, not only comprise a profile but to convince the public and the majority of the police department that the murder-suicides were actually double homicides.

Double homicides that were being committed by the same man.

The police hadn't been privy to the fact that these incidence were anything but isolated making the total of deaths at the murderer's hands hit the low twenties, the numbers spiking even higher before the team was able to put a stop to him with a bullet to the head, as what sometimes happened when the unsubs were as far gone as this one.

It had been a trying case, one with too much blood and even more tears and by the time they got home the unit was in desperate need of sleep and in bigger need of distraction. It wasn't uncommon for a case to weigh on the team, to make them realize their mortality and the cruelty that can be found within the world. Such cases that make them seek out loved ones and simply be in the presence of love, and joy, and good.

The team, however, did not always have the luxury of going home to familiar faces or happy spaces leaving them with thoughts and coffee and the mindless drone of the television.

It is after cases like these that Reid and Morgan are glad that they have each other to take comfort in, that they don't need to explain or say what they need, that there will always be warmth and coffee and soft couches with sci-fi marathons when the other is around. That there will be gentle touches and tangled limbs and love when it is needed most.

And at night, when the rooms are silent and the lights are all out and they just exist holding and being held and there is nothing but love between them, they don't have to save the day or worry about what time they lose while they sleep, they can pretend that the world holds only good and that everyone on the planet is safe and loved that night.

-Reiver