Chapter 1: The News

The sound of Penelope Garcia's fingers dancing across the keyboard filled the BAU bullpen. It was business as usual - reports, case files, and tracking down leads - but something felt different. She wasn't entirely sure what, but the unease gnawing at her insides had grown steadily worse over the last few days.

Derek Morgan walked by her desk giving her a playful smile, but it felt tight, strained. She hadn't told him yet, not about the doctor's visits or the tests. She didn't want to worry him, but she couldn't keep this from him much longer.

"Everything okay, baby girl?" Derek asked, his voice laced with concern. His eyes softened as he studied her face. He was always good at reading her moods, especially when she tried to hide them.

She forced a smile, pretending everything was fine. "Of course, hot stuff. Just a little tired, you know how it is."

Derek didn't buy it, but he also didn't push her. Not yet.

Across the room, Spencer Reid, Jennifer Jareau, and David Rossi were huddled around the latest case file. They were investigating a series of strange disappearances, but it wasn't a case that could distract Penelope from her own spiraling thoughts.

As Derek sat beside her, pulling out a chair, he lowered his voice. "You can't hide it from me, Penelope. Whatever's going on, we're in this together."

Her heart squeezed painfully. The truth was that she had seen a doctor the day before. The diagnosis was what she feared: cancer. She hadn't even begun to process it, not fully. And then there was the unexpected miracle- the baby. She wasn't even sure how to juggle it all.

But the truth was, she had to tell him. Derek deserved to know. And so, in a voice barely above a whisper, she told him. "I'm pregnant. And I have leukemia."

Derek's face went ashen, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. Then, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as if trying to shield her from the weight of the world. He kissed her forehead softly, his voice thick with emotion.

"Penelope, we'll get through this. We'll get through this together."

Penelope leaned back in her chair, trying to regain some control over her spinning head. The nausea from earlier had only intensified, and now her stomach churned violently. She pressed her hand to her mouth, hoping the wave of sickness would pass.

Her breath came in shallow gasps as she glanced around, hoping no one would notice. But it wasn't long before JJ looked over, her eyes narrowing with concern.

"Penelope? Are you okay?" JJ asked, her voice laced with worry. The others looked up at her, concern quickly replacing their focus on the case.

Penelope tried to smile, but the motion made her stomach lurch. "Yeah, just - just a little dizzy. It's nothing."

But it was something. She could feel it, the overwhelming nausea creeping up her throat. She pressed her hand harder to her mouth, trying to fight back the urge to vomit. The room was starting to feel too small, too hot.

Suddenly, her vision blurred again, and the room tilted. She swayed on her feet, barely able to hold herself upright. Before she could steady herself, the room spun faster, and her knees buckled. She barely heard the shout of her name before everything went black.

Derek was the first to reach her, his heart racing. " Penelope!" he dropped to his knees beside her, panic rising in his chest as he carefully cradled her in his arms.

Reed was already there, his medical instincts kicking in. He gently checked Penelope's pulse, his face tight with concern. "She's alive, but we need to get her checked out. This isn't just dizziness."

JJ knelt beside them, her face pale with concern. " Derek, what's going on? What happened?"

Derek's gaze shot to the team, his eyes widened with panic, but there was also a quiet determination in them. His voice was a low growl as he spoke.

"I need to tell you something… something I should have said sooner." His words were heavy with emotion, and as he looked down at Penelope, he gently brushed a lock of her hair from her face.

Penelope slowly blinked her eyes open, her pupils dilated. She was still disoriented, but the sight of Derek's worried face brought her back. Her hand found his, and she squeezed it weakly.

"I didn't want to burden any of you with this," Penelope said, her voice barely above a whisper, " but I… I can't keep hiding it anymore."

Derek took a deep breath, studying himself he finally spoke the words he feared most.

"Penelope's been diagnosed with leukemia," he said, his voice thick with emotion. " and she's pregnant."

There was stunned silence that hung in the air. JJ's breath caught in her throat, and Reid's jaw dropped as Rossi's brow furrowed in disbelief. The news was like a blow to the gut, and it left the entire team in shock.

Penelope squeezed Derek's hand tighter, her lips trembling slightly as she looked up at the team. "I didn't want to tell anyone… I was scared, but I can't do this alone. not with everything happening."

Derek stroked her hair softly, his love and fear for her so visible. He looked at the team, his voice shaking as he spoke again.

"We've got to figure this out - together."

Jj, visibly holding back tears, reached out and placed a hand on Penelope's shoulder. " we're here for you, Penelope. We're a team."

Rossi nodded, his gay shifting between Derek and Penelope. "This… this is a lot. but we'll figure it out. we always do."

Reid, usually the most composed, stood Frozen for a moment, struggling to process the information. His voice was soft but filled with urgency as he said, "We're not going anywhere, Penelope. You have us."

Derek let out a shaky breath, his fingers gently brushing over Penelope's hand. "We're going to get through This. all of us."

Penelope leaned her head against Derek's shoulder, finally filling the weight of the situation crashing over her. She didn't know how it was all going to work- her cancer, the pregnancy, the team's Relentless work- but for the first time since receiving the diagnosis, she felt a flicker of hope.

they would fight together.