Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

She awoke the next morning feeling really ill again. She slid up the bed and realised she had a stomach ache. She hastily made her way to the bathroom and was sick. Derek having heard the noise and realised the bed was empty and the bathroom door was open got up to see what was wrong.

'Pen are you okay?'

'I feel really ill. I think I ate too much, I just didn't want to let them down.'

'Baby girl, you shouldn't force yourself to eat, we all understand. Do you feel better after being sick?'

'Yeah I suppose so.'

'How about we get you back to bed? Then I'll go have a word with one of the nurses.'

'Okay handsome, let me get sorted here.' She said standing and flushing the toilet, once done she rinsed her mouth out and took his hand.

'Look it's not even 7 yet so why don't we try and get you back to sleep?' She nodded as he stroked her hair and she drifted back to sleep. When he knew she was asleep he made his way to the nurse's station and then 20 minutes later made a call.

'Hotch.'

'Hey, just a quick call. I was just wondering how everyone felt after Pen turned down the ice cream?'

'Normal, we all understood; we saw how tired she got all of a sudden. Why you asking?'

'She got really upset; she felt that she threw the whole gesture back into our faces.'

'Tell her to stop being stupid, we don't mind. How is she today?'

'Really ill.'

'Ill? Is it something we should be worried of?'

'No, I checked in with the nurses, I woke up and she was vomiting, apparently because of the virus her body cannot cope with high consumptions of food at the moment.'

'Pen ate too much last night, so not to make us feel bad?'

'Exactly.'

'Oh God, what are we going to do with her?' Hotch sighed. 'I'll have a word with the others.'

'Thanks Hotch.'

'Any day, oh and Derek, your mother phoned the office. Worried because you haven't called in over 2 weeks.'

'Oh damn it.'

'I didn't tell her anything about Penelope. I thought you could do that. I told her you were fine and I would get you to call her today.'

'Thanks Hotch. Pen's still asleep so I'll do it now.'

Flipping his phone up once again, he dialled one of the three most memorable numbers. His mother's. The others of course were Penelope and the office.

'Hello?'

'Hey mom.'

'Derek! Where have you been?'

'Sorry, mom. I've had a stressful 2 weeks.'

'Why don't you tell your mother? Get it in the open.'

'It kind of already is.'

'I don't understand.'

'You must have seen the news, about the epidemic outbreak in that apartment building near me.'

'Yes, it killed 3 and one is critical, what about it?'

'Well the critical one is Penelope mom.'

'What! Derek why didn't you call? Is she okay?'

'She's getting there now. I haven't been able to leave her side.'

'Right Derek, start from the beginning.'

'Can I please give it to you in the shortest version possible? I've seen the worst things happen to her.'

'Okay.'

'I got a phone call from her nearly 2 weeks ago and she said she was unwell and then she collapsed, I rushed round and found her unconscious in her bathroom, she refused to get treatment so I put her back to bed. Hotch later told me to finish up as he was worried. I got there and she was vomiting and her temperature was 39. I took her to mine and while I was watching the news I saw about this outbreak and I realised it was Pen's place. I rushed to get her up but she was unresponsive, I called Hotch and we rushed her to the hospital.'

'Hang on Derek, what about you? You had contact and were in her apartment, how have you not caught it?'

'I've had the medication to help me, Hotch as well.'

'Okay, good. Carry on.'

'Well we got her here and she was put into isolation. She was sedated and was breathing via the use of a machine. When the team got here she flat lined.' He heard his mother take in a deep breath. 'They resuscitated her and then we had to wait on the medicine. It got here and we were told she should wake up after the second. She woke up after the first, and had a tube to help her breathe still. No one was allowed to enter the room because of isolation and she was crying so hard and she looked so afraid but the nursed assured me and she was sedated again.'

'Okay how do you mean she still had a tube to help her breathe? I don't quite understand how that is possible.'

'It's just a simple tube that is put in through the mouth into the throat, it means the person cannot speak but can respond to people and stimuli. Well Pen had one and she was in and out for a couple of days, but about for the last day or two she was mainly awake, she stared, cried a lot. But she understood us. Once she was awake we were allowed in 2 at time to see her and then she was moved to a private room. The next day when everyone had gone to breakfast, the doctor decided to remove the tube. Can you believe it even the sound of her cough comforted me.'

Fran laughed nervously. 'I bet it did, kind of like a relief?'

'Yeah exactly. Well when it was removed she had to wear an oxygen mask and then an oxygen tube for a couple of days. After it was removed she was the one trying to reassure me, even in a hospital bed she was the one worrying about us lot. Later that day we were sitting around and she asked about what had happened, she thought she had the flu, not expecting to wake up like she did. We told her everything and she worried about me and Hotch because we helped her and then she couldn't stop coughing, and a nurse gave her something and told her to sleep. The next day the others had gone to breakfast, but we me and Hotch stayed with her, again she started coughing and then she panicked because there was blood on her hands. The doctor rushed her away and all was sorted out.'

'Okay, are you positive? You sound tired.'

'Yes mom I'm positive and I am tired but I refuse to leave her, she says she doesn't need me but her eyes tell me differently, she doesn't want to be alone.'

'Okay is that it?'

'Well not really.'

'No?'

'No about 4 days after all this, she had her first physiotherapy session; she had to basically learn to walk all over again.'

'Walk?' His mother said sounding alarmed, she had only met Penelope the once, but had heard enough about her to know she was a good one to have in your life, the thought of all this happening panicked her.

'Yeah, apparently the virus she had had left her temporarily paralysed, I asked if I could help instead of some a new person and I was allowed. I help her every session and she can now walk without getting directly exhausted or breathless. Yesterday, Hotch and Emily helped us, and she walked her furthest distance yet. We did the walk 3 times and on the last it was just me and her, I told her I loved her mom, and I wanted to be the one to look after and make her happy for the rest of her life, she smiled her smile for the first time in ages and said she would love nothing more. She then questioned my motives later and I told her truthfully. I didn't tell her I loved her because she was ill, I had already decided I loved her a couple of days before this all started and Hotch had given his permission, he just has to run it by a few people.'

'Oh Derek! Finally!'

'Why does everyone say that?' He said laughing quietly.

'It's been obvious to us all, the love between the two of you. I'm so glad she's better but I'm a little worried, hasn't that apartment jut had a new outbreak?'

'Yes, she's going to stay with mine. Hotch is getting it sorted just in case the virus is there but it seems all fine. We don't want this happening to her again.' He sighed. 'Right well I'm going to go back, Pen's not feeling overly great today but I will promise to call you in a day or two. I love you.'

'I'll be waiting.' She heard him laugh at the sentiment. 'I love you too Derek.'

He walked in to see Garcia lying on her side, her arm tucked under her head. As he got closer he saw she was dosing whilst looking out of the window. When he got close enough, she looked up at him.

'Hey how you feeling?'

'Mm, a bit better I suppose.'

'You know you shouldn't have pushed yourself baby girl. None of us would mind.'

'I know; I'm sorry for waking you up.'

'Nonsense gorgeous. Didn't matter to me. The nurse said it's normal to not want to eat too much so you have nothing to worry about.' He stood up and kissed her forehead before pouring some water into a cup. 'Here, drink something.'

'Thanks, so when are you going to go home handsome?'

'When you do, the nurse said they can release you tomorrow or Monday.'

'Ah now that is promising.' She said as she sat up and smiled. 'I do actually feel better now.'

'You look a lot better. I hope you don't mind but I told my mom about everything.'

'That's fine handsome. I hope you didn't worry her.'

'Well yeah I did, she knew all about it on the news but didn't know you were the one listed as critical. It's okay though, I reassured her. Now what do you want to do?'

'Worryingly, sleep.''

'That's not worrying, just sleep. I'll go get the newspaper and some magazines, once I know you're asleep.' He stood and stretched and closed the blinds before kissing her again and helping her get comfortable. 'Sleep tight baby girl.' 10 minutes later he left her.