Scorned Pt. 9

Chapter 12

Potomac General – Morning –

Two days had passed with much of the same; Penelope had spent every moment at Derek’s bedside as he faded in and out of a pain-med induced haze. During the time he was awake he could see how tired she looked and now he was worried that she’d waste away because of him. He couldn’t do much but what he could do was make sure she took care of herself.

“Baby Girl.” He whispered.

Penelope had nodded off curled up in the small wooden chair that she’d pulled next to his bed.

“Baby Girl.” He repeated.

Slowly her eyes opened, and she jerked to a sitting position. She hadn’t planned on going to sleep. He’d tossed and turned most of the night and the nightmares seemed to haunt him. She would never admit it, but she was exhausted.

“Good morning, Handsome.” She replied drowsily.

“I need you to do me a favor.” He began.

“Anything, you know that.”

“I need you to go home and get some rest.”

“I’m fine, honestly.”

“No, you are not fine.”

“Derek Morgan!”

“It’s not that you’re not fine, of course you’re fine...and stop trying to distract me, woman.”

“I’m not leaving!”

“Baby listen to me. I need you to take care of yourself. I don’t know how long I’ll be here in this hospital bed and I don’t want you stopping your life for me!”

“Derek...”

“Let me finish.”

Penelope nodded.

“I need you to go on with your life; the team needs you to help them catch the bad guys and I need to know that you aren’t giving up your life for...”

“For what? For what, Derek?”

“I know you want to be here with me, and I want you here with me, but I also need to know that you’re still living a life that means something...”

“This means something! If you’re not good, neither am I! I want to be here! I have to...”

The two were interrupted when the door opened, and Dave and Fran walked in. The older couple knew immediately that their timing was off. Penelope quickly stood as Derek pretended that everything was fine as he welcomed them in.

“Hey, is that breakfast I smell?” Derek asked hopefully.

“Indeed, it is.” Fran began. “I thought waffles and scrambled eggs with cheese would be better than what was on the hospital menu.”

Penelope felt her stomach lurch.

“It smells amazing and I’m starving.” Derek assured his mother.

Penelope’s stomach did a double summersault.

Dave glanced at Penelope who was unusually quiet.

“Kitten?”

Fran set the large basket on the bedside table, mere centimeters from Penelope’s hyper-sensitive nose.

Penelope’s stomach lurched and flipped and...

“Excuse me...” Penelope moaned.

Fran, Dave and Derek watched as the blonde jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Derek was worried, Fran’s hand flew to her mouth with visions of grandchildren dancing in her head and Dave looked guilty.

“Baby girl? Ma what’s wrong with her?”

“Derek, she’ll be fine...”

“No, Ma, you don’t understand, I’ve been trying to get her to go home and rest and now she’s sick! Can you go and check on her, please?”

“Of course, baby boy, of course.”

Fran rushed toward the bathroom and let herself in. Derek was beside himself now while Dave still silent looked at his stepson.

“Dave, what’s happening? Now Baby Girl is sick, and I’m stuck in this bed helpless!”

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Dave asked dryly.

“What can I do?”

“You can fight to get out of that bed!”

“Did you hear the doctors? I may never...”

“Derek, you need to fight this! Baby Girl needs you now more than ever.”

“What?”

“Just...you can’t give up! Life sucks and you may not walk again but you can’t give up! You find a way to be there for Penelope! You’re more than your legs! You can’t...”

The bathroom door opened, and Fran and Penelope came out arm in arm. Penelope slowly walked over to Derek and sat in the chair. He reached for her hand as she looked wearily into his eyes. Fran shot a death glare at her husband as his eyes widened in response. Dave quickly grabbed his wife’s hand and pulled her toward the door.

“Bella, we should let these two talk; how about I take you to breakfast?”

“Dave, there’s enough food for all of us in this basket.”

“I have a taste for something else; come on let’s go.”

Without another word, he pulled her out of the room much to her protest. As soon as the door closed, Fran jerked her hand free and stopped with her hands on her hips waiting for her husband to explain himself.

“Did you know?”

“Did I know what?” He stalled.

“David Mauricio Rossi, did you know that Penelope was pregnant?”

She’d only addressed him by his full name twice in the entire time they’d known each other. He was in trouble; big trouble.

“Bella, come on...I just...”

“How could you?” She ranted. “You know how much I want grandchildren! You kept this from me, why?”

“Because Penelope swore me to secrecy, and I gave her my word.”

“And you gave me your word that we’d have no secrets between us!”

Dave slowly approached her and when she did not resist, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“I’m sorry; I just thought you’d want to hear it from Penelope or your son. With everything that’s happened I wanted him to be the one to give you the good news. Please forgive me?”

Fran saw the remorse in his eyes; she so wanted to be mad but his arms were wrapped around her and he had this way about him that made it impossible to stay angry and so she relaxed in his arms and laid her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

“You’re in the doghouse for the rest of the week, Mr. Rossi.”

“Yes, Mrs. Rossi, I understand.”

“Baby Girl, talk to me.”

“Oh Derek, I’m so sorry...”

He saw the tears streaming down her face as she tried to find the words. Maybe this was it; the day he knew would come. She’d had enough and she’d come to her senses.

“Is it over? Baby, is that what you’re trying to tell me because I know you can do a whole lot better than me, even before this all happened.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then what is it? Why are you crying?”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen. I know we haven’t talked about it and it’s too soon and we’ve only been together for...”

“Baby...”

“I understand if you’re upset...”

“Baby...”

“I’m wasn’t trying to trap you...”

“Pen...”

“You’re a good man and you don’t deserve...”

“SHUSH WOMAN!”

Penelope looked up in shock.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to yell. Tell me what is going on...please.” He said as calmly as he could manage.

“We’re having a baby.”

“What did you just say?”

“I’m pregnant...Derek.”

Derek leaned heavily against the pillows as tears streamed from his eyes. He had no words and his life that seemed to be slowly slipping from his control now, in an instant had reason and purpose. He looked at the woman in front of him who he’d loved since the first day he’d laid eyes on her. She was having a baby; his baby and he was afraid and happy and delirious and freaked out all at the same time.

“Derek?”

He couldn’t speak and he wondered if this was life’s way of playing yet another cruel joke on a man who had done nothing in life to deserve this amazing news.

“Derek, please say something.”

“I need to get out of this bed.” He whispered.

“What?”

“I need to get out of this bed.” He repeated still barely above a whisper.

“I know this is the last thing...”

“No, no don’t say that. This is the best news....” He choked back the tears.

It was several minutes before he spoke again.

“Penelope.”

“Yes, Derek?”

“Will you marry me?”

...to be continued

*Disclaimer: The Derek Morgan Chronicles is fan fiction based on the CBS Crime drama, Criminal Minds. We do not own Criminal Minds or its characters.