Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Thank you so much for being so patient with me. I hope to get another chapter done next month, but right now, I have a ton of stuff going on with school. Let me know what you want to hear in the next chapter. Enjoy.

Emily woke up on Thanksgiving morning with a very warm eleven year old curled into her side. She still had a horrible headache and could tell she was still running a fever. She rolled over carefully, not wanting to disrupt the sleeping boy. The clock said 8:30.

They were supposed to go to JJ's at 3, but Emily knew the chances of that happening were slim. Declan clearly had caught the flu and she didn't want to pass it along to anyone else. She grabbed her phone off the night stand and sent Derek a text, letting him know that Declan was sick.

She then rolled back over and took a better look at the sleeping boy. His eyes had big bags under them and his cheeks were red in contrast with his otherwise pale face. She could see a thin sheen of sweat across his forehead. Just as she was about to put a hand on his forehead, her phone vibrated. She looked at it, seeing it was from Derek. She quickly opened the text, which read:

To Emily: Hey. Sry to hear Dec is sick. I think I'm coming down with the flu 2. How about I come over and we can spend Thanksgiving together as a sick bunch.

Emily frowned when she read he was sick, but smiled at the thought of spending the day with him, even if they all were sick. She quickly texted him back.

To Derek: Sry I got u sick. We would love to spend the day with u if u feel up to it.

She set her phone down on the night stand as she got up, carefully tucking the blankets in around Declan. She went into the kitchen, grabbing the children's Advil as well as the adult Advil. She also grabbed the bottles of Gatorade she had put in the fridge the night before. Before going back to the bedroom, she got a box of crackers so they could take their medicine. She brought all the stuff back into her bedroom, setting it on the night stand, picking up her phone as it vibrated again.

To Emily: Dont feel bad that im sick. I'll be over in twenty minutes. Love you.

To Derek: Love you too

Emily smiled as she sent the text before waking Declan.

"Come on Buddy," she said, rubbing his back, "I know you don't feel good, but I need you to take some medicine so you can feel better."

"'kay," he said, rolling toward her and opening his eyes before coughing harshly.

"Aw, Bud," she said, getting back into bed and putting her arm around him, "Here, eat some of these and then we can take some medicine, ok?"

He nodded, "Are you still feeling sick?" he asked, nibbling on a cracker.

"Yeah," she said, "I think the food poisoning destroyed my immune system so it's taking longer for me to get better."

Ne nodded again, putting his head on her side.

"Are we going to Aunt JJ's?" he asked as he reached for another cracker.

"No sorry," she said, knowing he was looking forward to it as much as she was, "Not with all of us sick. Derek is coming over though."

"But I don't want him to get sick," Declan said furrowing his brow.

"He already is," Emily said, running her fingers through Declan's sweaty hair, "I got him sick."

"Oh," Declan said quietly. They just sat there for a few minutes, nibbling on crackers until Emily decided they had had enough to take some medicine. She gave Declan his before handing him his Gatorade. Then, she took hers.

"Dec," she said as the boy snuggled back into the blankets, "I'm gonna go get a quick shower. If Derek comes, can you let him in?"

"Ok," Declan said, closing his eyes. Emily kissed his forehead, wincing at the warmth. She grabbed some clothes and headed into the bathroom, turning on the shower. She thought the day she had legally adopted Declan, smiling as she heard the judge's words echo in her head.

"Emily Prentiss, you understand that by adopting Declan Doyle, you are promising to treat him as though he were your own, giving him the same rights you would any biological child?"

"I do," Emily said.

"Then," the judge said, "I would like to ask you, Declan. Do you want to live with Emily Prentiss, having her be your mother from now on?"

"Yes," Declan said, "I love Em and I want to live with her forever."

"Well than," the judge said, "I now make this adoption officially legal. Declan Patrick Doyle will now be known as Declan Patrick Prentiss. Congratulations."

Emily was in tears as she hugged the then year old beside her, the one she had thought of as her own for over 7 years. The whole team was there, clapping and hugging both of them but all she could think of was this boy she had just committed to raise. She knew she was in for a great journey with him as her own little boy.

As Emily climbed out of the shower, she smiled a little bigger, knowing she had made the right choice a little more than a year ago. She loved Declan as though he were biologically hers. She quickly dried herself, dressing in comfortable sweats and a t-shirt. She towel dried her hair before the doorbell rang.

She went to answer it, finding her boyfriend standing there with a tissue in hand, looking like he was running a fever.

"Oh, Derek," she said, letting him in, "You look awful."

"Thanks," he said, "You don't look half bad yourself."

"You know what I mean," she said, "Let's get you to bed. Have you taken anything for your fever?"

"Geez Prentiss," he said as she ushered him into her room, "I'm fine. It's just the flu."

"I know," she said, kissing him, "I just feel bad I got you sick."

"I'm fine," he said, "Though, if you have some Advil, I was out at my house."

"Here," she said, handing him the crackers, "Eat some of these and then you can take it."

"Thanks," he said as they got into her bed, careful not to wake the sleeping boy who was on one side.

"How is he?" Derek asked as she handed him the Advil after her had eaten some of the crackers.

"He is running a fever," she said, "And he had a pretty nasty cough. I hope he is feeling better before he has to go back to school."

"Yeah," Derek said with a yawn, "I think I'm gonna take a nap."

"Ok," Emily said, "I'm gonna go call JJ and let her know we aren't coming today." Derek nodded as he rolled over in bed.

Emily smiled as she watched Declan curl closer to Derek. She grabbed her phone and went into the kitchen, dialing her best friend's number.

"Hey Em," JJ said, answering her phone, "I was just about to call you. What's up?"

"I was calling to tell you we can't come today," Emily said, "I still have a fever and now both Derek and Declan are sick. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," JJ said, "I was calling to tell you the same thing. Will picked up the bug from Henry who is still sick and I am starting to feel sick again."

"Maybe we could just have a sick Thanksgiving get together," Emily said jokingly.

"That actually isn't a bad idea," JJ said, "I'll just call Hotch, Spence, Garcia and Rossi and tell them not to come. Then you guys could still come over and we could just hang out and watch movies all afternoon."

"I was joking," Emily said, "But that actually sounds like fun. We all could wear pajamas and just be miserable together."

"Ok," JJ said, "Can you guys still come over at three?"

"Yep," Emily said, "I'm gonna go take a nap before we come. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"If you have any sick people food, you could bring that," JJ said, "But if not, we have plenty of stuff."

"Ok," Emily said, "See you at three."

"Bye," JJ said, hanging up. Emily went back into the bedroom, setting an alarm on her phone for two just in case they were still sleeping then. Then she climbed into bed next to Derek, snuggling into his warm body, thinking just how lucky she was.

Hope you liked it. Please let me know what you would like to hear next. Thank you so much.