Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds
----------------------------------------------------
'Spencer... you don't need to do this.' Penelope said once her and Reid had finally been left on their own as the others went to get food. 'I'd... rather you... didn't.' She said her breathing got worse without the mask on.
'Don't talk me out of it Pen.'
'I just... don't want you to have... to do this.'
'I'm the one to help, so let me.'
'I... don't want any... of you to... do this.' Slightly frustrated at how difficult it was to form sentences, she closed her eyes before feeling Reid take her hands. 'I never wanted this.'
'We know that but we became too alien to one another and fell apart, but I wouldn't do this for anyone Pen.' Reid said taking the lead of this conversation, making her purely listen for once. 'Do you know you're like my older sister?' He asked her and saw her eyes fill with shock before she shook her head. 'Well you are, you always know where to point me when I'm circling the problem, you're always there for me, make me feel better, now I've been given the chance to help you and I just don't want to lose my big sister.' He looked from her hand that was in his and saw she was crying. 'Oh I didn't... Penelope I didn't want you cry.'
'Sorry.' She said as she pushed herself up slightly with one hand as the other one wiped the tears away, her life breathless and still strangled slightly. 'Do you know... what... you're walking into here?'
'Pen...' He said raising an eyebrow at her.
'Of course... you do.' Penelope said back knowing that questioning it was stupid. 'Just do... it for the right reasons...not mine, but yours.'
'I will.'
'I don't want... something happening.... to you.'
'It won't.'
'You know that... for a fact?'
'I know probably more than you do right now.' He told her back and she laughed slightly nodding in strong agreement. 'Just let us deal with it all and come back to us fighting strong.' He watched her tire a bit more. 'Right you get some sleep, everyone should be back soon.' Reid waited until she was fully asleep before taking his hand back and slipping out of the room only to bump into George. 'Oh..oh... uh hi.'
'How is she?'
'She's being brave as per usual but she's not getting any better.'
George nodded. 'I guessed as much... so you're the other donor?'
'I guess so yeah.'
'And you're going to do it?'
'Yeah I am.'
Another nod was received. 'Does she talk about us?'
'Erm... not really, we've been having problems through the last couple of months we all separated slightly because of the job so we've hardly spoken.'
'And this changes it all?'
'Majorly.'
'I'm glad she has so many people that love her.'
'It's hard not to love her.' Reid said sincerely and then grabbed his phone. 'I just got to make a call... you can go in, she's only sleeping again.' George nodded and entered the room.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Derek put his phone away and looked up to see that the in-depth conversation that was happening had halted as everyone looked at him. 'Reid.' They all nodded. 'He thinks he has talked Penelope around to accepting this choice... she's sleeping now.'
'Well its good to know she's learnt the word rest.'
'Took her a good year and a half.' Rossi quipped over his coffee. 'Right so how we going to do this?'
'Well, I want Pen with me.' Derek said almost immediately. 'I've been thinking about it, her place has too many stairs for her contend with.'
'True.' Hotch commented on. 'What about Reid's place?'
'Put them together maybe?'
'Could work by day but 24/7 might be hard work.'
'Pen's gonna hate being waited on.' Carl sighed. 'She hated being ill and mom looking after her all the time, and by the sounds of it she hasn't changed so she's going to put up a fight.'
'I think this is where Derek steps in.' Emily mused with a smile. 'Oh and maybe Fran... double Morgan power.' She finished making them all laugh.
'That could well work.' Fran agreed and then felt her phone right off. 'Sorry.' She said answering it, the team and the brothers only getting one side of the conversation. 'Hello... oh Des, what's up?... no I'm fine... why are you there?!... no we're fine, let me talk to your brother and I'll get back to you... love you too bye.' She put it down with Derek's fully worried attention on her.
'What's wrong with Des?'
'Nothing, nothing, but she was worried because I haven't been answering my phone, nor have you, and she's now at yours to find you not there.'
'Tell her we're at the hospital... as much as I love her; she's going to need to have to come to me.'
'I know that baby... I'll tell that, sure that's okay?' She asked more group orientated than Derek alone, everyone agreed and she called back hanging up shortly after. 'She's on her way; she'll call when she's outside.'
'Well I think that calls for us to head back upstairs.' Hotch said noticing that everyone had finished what they were eating and drinking, everyone agreed and they all stood together and moved together, making their way up to Penelope's room. When they made it upstairs they all slipped into the room to find Penelope awake, staring thoughtfully tired.
Derek sat on the bed slowly and gently. 'Hey baby girl.' He pushed some loose hair back and immediately felt the fever creeping back up. 'Where's Reid?'
'George... went with him... to speak to the doctor.'
'Know why?'
'To get the ball rolling.'
Everyone smiled but Penelope. 'What's up?'
'I'm scared.'
'We all know you are.' Derek said, that was one of the things they had spoken about over their lunch, they knew that was a big factor.
'Not just for me... what about something happening to... Reid?' Everyone sat shocked, not thinking of that possibility 'He isn't going to be invincible forever.'
'He won't lose to this P.'
'How can you be so sure?'
'Because its Reid... that brain box wouldn't lead himself into medical danger... he knows more than he lets on.' Penelope smiled at that. 'See... that's agreement that is... Reid knows the facts about this type of stuff Pen... so let him decide.'
'I won't be... able to change his mind anyway.'
'No... you won't.' Reid said from the door as he and George walked in. 'It's time to get you better.'
