A younger sister is someone to use as a guinea-pig in trying sledges and experimental go-carts. Someone to send on messages to Mum. But someone who needs you - who comes to you with bumped heads, grazed knees, tales of persecution. Someone who trusts you to defend her. Someone who thinks you know the answers to almost everything.
-- Pam Brown

Stella's POV

Before I headed to Derek's place, I stopped by Emily's place and picked up a few extra clothes for myself, just in case he needed more help than I thought. Then, I drove across town to his apartment.

Spence was right about where the key would be stashed. I easily let myself into Derek's place.

"Derek?" I called, setting my bags down beside the door. "It's Stella. I came by to check on you."

Nobody answered, so I looked around for him. He wasn't on the sofa, so I went to check the bedroom where I found him. He was lying in bed, the covers thrown off of him and his shirt pulled off. He was sweating profusely in his sleep.

"Derek!" I exclaimed, rushing to his side and putting my hand on his forehead. He was burning up with fever.

He opened his eyes drowsily. "Stella?" he mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to take care of you," I told him. "Just lie here. I'm gonna try to get your fever to come down."

Working quickly, I got some meds from the purchases I'd made, a bottle of water, a washcloth from the bathroom, and a bowl of cold water. Sitting back down beside him on the bed, I handed him the meds.

"You need to take these," I spoke quietly, holding the bottle of water to his lips. Derek weakly put them in his mouth and swallowed them, then immediately closed his eyes again.

"Thanks, baby girl," he managed to say.

I soaked the washcloth in cold water, squeezed it out as best as I could, and then placed on his forehead, wiping away the perspiration. He sighed, letting me know that it felt good.

For an hour, I stayed by his side, cooling him down. He seemed to drift in and out of sleep for a while, but then the meds kicked in and he seemed to be sleeping fairly well.

I went to get some fresh water, but stopped in the doorway of the bedroom and looked back at him. Derek Morgan, muscular and in the best shape of his life, had been felled by the flu.

At about five o'clock, Derek finally woke up. I was still sponging him off, despite the fact that the fever seemed to have gone down. He opened his dark eyes and looked up at me, confused for a moment.

"How did you get in here?" he asked me weakly.

I smiled down at him. "Spencer told me where you kept the key, so I just let myself in. He was the one who let me know that you stayed home sick."

"I feel terrible," Morgan admitted, trying to sit up a little. "So weak and achy."

I nodded in understanding. "I'd say you have a classic case of the flu, Derek. But, don't worry, I'll be here as long as you need me too."

He smiled back at me a little. "Guess I know now why Reid likes you so much, Stella. You're so genuinely sweet."

I grinned back. "Yeah, but he'll be mighty jealous when he finds out that I'm in your bedroom and you're shirtless."

Morgan was too exhausted to make a joke, so I just squeezed his hand gently and told him I'd get him something to drink.

Derek was still feeling bad later that night and I didn't want to leave him alone when he was so sick.

I called Spencer and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey!" he greeted me cheerfully. "How's Derek?"

I relaxed back on the sofa and thought about how much I missed him being right next to me, his arms around me tightly. "He's a pretty sick profiler. I was calling because I was wondering…is it okay with you if I stay over at his place tonight? You know, to make sure somebody's here if he needs me."

There was a long silence. "Why wouldn't it be okay with me?" Reid finally asked.

"Well…because I'm your girlfriend and it's kinda weird for me to be spending the night over at some other guy's house," I pointed out, blushing to the roots of my hair. "Morgan's a good guy despite all the charm and sexiness. He would never make you feel uncomfortable."

I breathed a sigh of relief. " I knew you would understand, but it makes me feel better to have your permission."

"Well, listen, we have a lot of work to do, so I'll talk to you tomorrow," Reid declared. I could hear the reluctance to get off the phone in his voice and I felt exactly the same way. He was like my own personal drug; I needed to have him close by at every moment. I needed my "Spencer Reid" fix and I wasn't going to get it until he came home.

"Okay. Well, good luck catching your unsub," I told him seriously. "I miss you, baby."

"I miss you, too. Goodnight, Stella."

As I closed my phone, it occurred to me that what I really wanted to say to Spencer was 'I love you.' Somehow, from out of nowhere, I'd fallen in love with this nerdy, geeky, brilliant FBI agent in the course of about three weeks. But I didn't want to be the one to say it first. Girls weren't supposed to do that and besides, what if he didn't feel the same way towards me. I groaned and pressed a pillow against my face. How did a girl fall in love so quickly? Was it even possible that it was true love? I couldn't think about this; I had to study for finals.

The next morning, Derek was feeling well enough for me to leave him alone. But, just in case, I left the Tylenol, a bottle of Gatorade, some ice water, and a plate of saltine crackers by his bed.

"I'll be fine, Florence," he assured me, nicknaming me after Florence Nightingale.

"I know you will, but if you're going to get better, you have to get rest and that won't be done if you're jumping up constantly to get things you need," I insisted, sitting down on the side of the bed for a minute.

Derek took my hand in his. "You're a really special girl, you know? I don't think I've ever met anyone like you."

I blushed deeply. "Thanks, Morgan. And now, I have to get to school because if I don't, Rossi's generous gift will go to waste because I'll miss my math final."

He leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead lightly. "No wonder Reid loves you."

I looked up sharply, my smile disappearing. "Do you really think he loves me, Derek?"

"I know he does. Now, go ace your tests."

I made it to the door before he called my name.

"Yeah?" I replied, turning around to see what he needed.

"Why exactly did you choose to expose yourself to the flu just to nurse me?" he wanted to know.

I smiled at him. "Because that's what sisters do."

There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. ~Mary Montagu

BE AWARE: Something serious will be unfolding during the next few chapters, so stay tuned to find out what's next in my story of Stella and Spencer and their journey to love.