Someone reminded me that Derek Morgan has a wife named Savannah who is a doctor. I am aware but I like the character of Tia that I made so I am using her in my stories as his girlfriend and eventual wife .
Little Creek Virginia , David Rossi's driveway:
Derek stirred when Tia's Jeep stopped and he rubbed the back of his left hand against his nose for a moment .
" Do you need a tissue baby?"
" My nose just feels like there is a tickle in it. Might need a good sneeze but they usually take a while. He found a handkerchief in his hooded sweatshirt pocket and rubbed it under his nostrils. " Let's go inside, seems like a false alarm for now."
Tia had her arm around his waist as they walked to the door .
Dave opened it and said " Welcome, come inside."
Tia smiled and put their bags down and then let Ice out of her kitty carrier gently. The cat walked around slowly and then found Dave's cat Domino to play with down the hall.
" Those two are so cute." Tia said.
Derek walked over to one of the big living room couches and kind of sprawled out on it.
" Here's a blanket Derek, make yourself comfortable."
" Thanks man I appreciate this."
" You need a place to heal kid ."
Tia nodded . " That he does."
Dave said " After you settle in Tia , i'll show you the room Derek likes . I have the soup on simmer and some nice garlic bread ready for the oven to broil a little."
" Thank you Dave. That sounds wonderful. Comfort food always makes it better ."
" Yes it does."
She went back into the living room and sat down on the end of the couch that Derek was laying on near his feet .
" Tiger." He said softly.
" I'm right here."
" Could you hand me some tissues?"
" Sure ." She saw a box on one corner table and gave them to Derek.
He pulled two out of it and his head lifted a little off of the pillow that it was on.
" Come on sneeze." His breath was hitching. " Huhchew." " Huhcheww." Then he sniffed. " Those felt better the tickle was driving me crazy."
He quietly blew his nose and put the tissues in a small waste paper can nearby.
" Bless you Morgan."
He nodded " I was fighting with those for a while."
" Well I think some soup will help your head so why don't we all eat?"
" Let me just wash my hands and i'll meet you at the table." Derek said.
" Sounds good, come on Tia I got some new soup bowls , you can let me know if you like the color."
" All right Dave i'm sure they're nice ."
" I think so i've been waiting a while to use them."
" Well it seems like now is the time."
" You're right."
" Has Derek stayed here before?"
" A few times when he needed a time out. Others on the team have too. But I know he has never been happier than right now with you in his life."
" Good because that's how I feel about him. I can't believe we found each other again."
Dave patted her arm. " Sometimes life just works that way. He needs you, you make him less intense."
" You two talking about me?" Derek winked
" I was just asking him if you had stayed here before." Tia said
" Oh yeah I have a couple times. Dave's dog used to sleep on the foot of the bed that I was in. Mudgie was a sweet dog ."
" What kind?" Tia asked.
" Chocolate lab with a little pit bull mixed in. His favorite was Garcia though." Dave smiled.
" Does anyone or anything that meets Penelope not like her ?" Tia laughed as they walked to the table.
" Pretty much no. Though Kevin Lynch's mother didn't ."
" Who was that ?"
" Penelope's ex boyfriend and almost fiancé. She wasn't ready so he got transferred to another bureau office. His mother said she wouldn't fit in their world anyway or some bullshit like that." Dave commented.
" Anyone who gets lucky enough for Penelope Garcia to love them has a rare thing. She's better off without that in her life."
Derek gave Tia's hand a gentle squeeze for that .
Then they sat down at the table with the soup and garlic bread to eat.
" My grandfather on my dad's side taught me the soup. I premember being just big enough to help roll the meatballs at the counter so I think I was about six. It was the Rossi family remedy for anything. I like it on a rainy night myself."
" I bet you were so cute when you were cooking as a little boy. I can see you in an apron just having so much fun."
Dave smiled. " I did . Probably why I do it now. Helps me unwind and sometimes think through a case or even a book ."
Derek took a slow spoonful of the soup. " This is amazing. One more thing of yours that I could get addicted to besides your eggplant parm."
" Well if you have more of an appetite tommorrow I could be inspired to make a batch ."
" Good, I need real food to get better. Jello and vegetable broth in the hospital just didn't cut it."
Tia patted his hand. " The doctor wanted you to go easy at first but now you can start building your strength again."