Best Laid Plans-Ch 8
Over the next 24 hours the team took turns sitting vigil with Derek and Penelope, their conditions stayed the same, they were both critical but stable. Fran was constantly by her sons side but every few hours she would walk up the hall to check on Penelope because Dereks baby girl had become a very important part of her family.
Fran was sitting by Dereks bedside scrolling through pictures of better times on her phone when she heard Derek moaning. She said, "baby boy, come on baby, it's me, it's momma, I need you to open your eyes and look at me".
Derek whispered, "baby girl, baby girl I'm so sorry", Fran said, "Derek, sweetheart, she's going to be okay, nothing was your fault, nothing was your fault". His eyes slowly opened and he said, "baby girl, Penelope".
Fran said, "she's not here honey, she's up the hall in her own room", Derek said, "ma"?, she said, "yeah honey it's me and you're going to be fine" as she reached for the call button. It was only a matter of a few seconds before the doctor walked into the room.
He looked down at Derek and said, "how do you feel Derek"?, Derek said, "I'm in pain, my ribs, head and arm all hurt pretty bad and everything seems a little hazy". Fran said, "honey that's normal with head trauma", Derek looked at the doctor who nodded his head yes in agreement.
Derek looked at the doctor as he said, "Derek, do you remember what happened"?, Derek said, "me and baby girl were heading to pick some things up for our first barbecue of the year and out of nowhere we were t-boned".
The doctor nodded his head and said, "Derek you have a concussion, broken left arm and several cracked ribs, so you are going to be out of commission for a while". Derek said, "what about Penelope"?, the doctor looked down at Fran and then back at Derek as he said, "doc, how is Penelope, she isn't, she didn't"? and the doctor quickly said, "no, no. she isn't dead, she's just right up the hall in her own room".
Derek said, "what aren't you telling me"?, Fran took her sons hand in hers and said, "baby she's in bad shape", Derek said, "but she's going to be okay, right"?, Fran said, "she still hasn't woken up, not yet anyway".
He shook his head and said, "it's all my fault, she's in here and she could die and it's all my fault ma, the love of my life could die and it's all because of me". The doctor said, "Derek the accident wasn't your fault".
Derek said, "what can you tell me about Penelopes condition"?, he shifted to get more comfortable and winced in pain as he grabbed his ribs. The doctor said, "she is in critical condition, she has head trauma, a broken leg and several broken ribs".
He reached down with his right hand and threw the covers back and said, "I've got to get to her, I've got to see her" and as he tried to sit up he felt his moms hands on his shoulders gently holding him in place on the bed.
Derek said, "ma I have to get to her", Fran said, "absolutely not, you are not in any condition to be moving", Derek said, "you don't understand I need to see her". Hotch and Reid walked into the room and said, "what's going on, we could hear the commotion all the way up the hall".
Fran said, "he wants to go see Penelope and we told him he wasn't in any condition to be trying to get out of bed" and Derek said, "Hotch, pretty boy, please help me, I need to get to baby girl, I need to see her, please help me".
Reid said, "Morgan they're right you're not ready to get up yet and you don't need to worry she's not alone, we just left her room and JJ, Em and your sisters are in there with her". Derek said, "but I need to see her" and Hotch said, "when the doctor says that you can be moved we'll take you too her but until then you need to stay here in bed".
Derek blew out a deep breath and grabbed his ribs and said, "alright, you win, for now", he then looked around and said, "where's Rossi"?, Reid said, "he's on a coffee run, he'll be right back" and Derek said, "so what happened, did you catch the bastard that did this to us"?, Hotch said, "yes".
Reid said, "we found him, he's, he's" and Derek said, "he's what pretty boy"?, Hotch said, "he's dead Morgan, he was shot three times in the chest". Derek said, "dead, but how, why"?, Reid said, "we don't know but we will find out Derek, we will find out".
Derek looked up at the door and smiled as his sisters walked into the room, Desi ran to one side and Sarah to the other. They both leaned down and gently hugged and kissed him on the cheek and Sarah said, "welcome back baby brother".
Desi said, "don't you ever do that to us again", Derek said, "I love you both too" and Fran sighed and smiled as she watched her three children for a few minutes before her thoughts drifted back to the amazing woman a few doors up, her sons baby girl.