Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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A sneeze was what greeted him the moment he stepped in the house, it had been well over a month since the mud incident but a picture now hung proudly on the wall for all to laugh over. Derek put his stuff down, another case had required their assistance for the last 5 days and now he was home.

'You feeling better princess?'

'I am mommy.' Isabelle said, she had come down with the flu while Derek had been away, William had gotten over it a lot faster and was now back to restored health, Grace had not every got a sniffle, which Penelope hoped stayed that way.

He heard another sneeze as his wife spoke to their children. 'Take your medicine sweetheart and then the nasty feelings will go.'

'Do you think they will mommy?'

'I do baby. You're not so sizzling now.'

'I was very sizzling wasn't I?'

'You were.' The little girl took the medicine. 'Now are you going to sleep princess?' The little girl nodded and laid down in the bed. Penelope gave her a quick peck and then gave William one before leaving the room with the door ajar, the two night lights on. On landing she bumped into her husband.

'How long have you looked like this?' Was the first thing he asked as he saw her glazed eyes, and red nose.

'I'm fine.' She said with a raspy voice.

'Yeah okay sure you are... where's my mom?'

'Desiree needed her, so I sent her.' Penelope then coughed.

'Baby girl bed now.'

'I'm fine.' She protested again. 'I need to live through a cold.'

Derek took her hand and pulled her to the bedroom, he then sat her on the bed. 'Wait there.' Moments later he was back with a thermometer, Penelope rolled her eyes. He let the magic wand do its job and when it bleeped and he read it, that was it. 'In bed now, this is not a cold.'

'No.'

'Pen, do not argue with me! You've got the flu and you need to rest...I'm home, welcome homes can wait a couple of days. I have until Tuesday off so let me do some things. One being aiding you back to health.'

'Fine... there's medicine in the cabinet in the bathroom.'

'I'm on it.' Dosed up on medicine and aspirin Derek tucked his wife into their bed. 'Need anything call me?' She nodded and was asleep in moments. As he left the room, he knew she was feeling rough, whether or not she looked it, he just knew how bad.

'DADDY!'

'Yeah kiddo's I'm home, you going to sleep for me though?'

'Yes.' Came the unison.

He walked into the room completely to see them. 'I heard you two were poorly...have you been good for mommy though?'

'Yes...' Came the happy unison of an answer.

'Good...'

'Mommy's ill now.' William said.

'Is she sizzling?' Isabelle said referring to a fever. 'I was sizzling...'

'Yeah baby mommy's sizzling... so you two need to give her more hugs and love to help her feel better.'

'Okay daddy!'

'Good now go to bed... I love you two.'

'I love you daddy.'

'I love you daddy.'

Derek left the twins room happily and headed into Grace, there she was, sound asleep, he smiled, and then left the room quietly. He went downstairs, he was now about to become superman. Father, husband, night nurse all round in to one.

That night he slept lightly in the spare room, however much he wanted to wrap his wife up in his arms he knew she wouldn't allow herself to make him ill as well. The next morning he woke up, getting Isabelle and putting her in a highchair, he then repeated the process with both William and Grace.

'Now kids... what shall we make mommy for breakfast?'

'Ban...nana.'

'You're going to look like a banana soon.' Derek joked to William. He then set to work; several minutes later while he was washing he laughed and turned.

'Ah the kids have eaten I see.'

'P what are you doing up?'

'It's a stupid cold.' She coughed.

'Kids... what should mommy do?'

'Mommy should go to sleep with her blanket.' Isabelle said talking from complete experience of what Penelope had done for her. 'And take her magic gloopy gloop.'

Penelope smiled. 'Don't worry sweetheart mommy will rest.'

'I'll hold you to that baby girl.' Derek said turning around with a tray. He saw Penelope's face. 'You need to eat.'

'I'm just not hungry.'

'Is that what you told Isa?'

'No.'

'Well then you are eating... and then you are going to bed.'

'I don't want bed.'

'Fine, you get the couch as long as you sleep, Reid and Hotch want to go over some things, so we can keep the kids occupied.' She nodded as she took her first bite. Derek smiled as he realised his wife was now hungry.

Moments later when she gave us, he took the tray and gave her some medicine; he waited and then checked her temperature.

'Is mommy still sizzling daddy?'

'Not so much today baby.' Derek looked at Isabelle, just as the door opened. Penelope looked at him. 'It's Hotch I told him I was held up so he'd have to use his key.' She nodded, as she sneezed into yet another tissue.

'You weren't joking when you said she was ill were you?'

'Thanks Hotch.' Penelope with a worse voice than she had the day before.

'Emily's going to come and get the twins; we have Jack so she doesn't mind confining them.' He then looked at Derek. 'How bad is she?'

'I am here you know.' Penelope rolled her eyes, never one to play invalid. 'I'm fine, let me do something and I'll be okay.'

'Oh no you are resting, I spoke to my mom, she said you were the one that got up in the night to look after Isabelle, and then both he and William when he caught it so now it's your chance to rest up.'

For the next couple of days Penelope remained ill, Derek and others did their family duties and made sure she did absolutely nothing, the children making multiple pictures and get well soon cards, and just like it came Penelope was almost back on top form.

All she needed was some TLC of her own when she needed it most.