Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

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FLASHBACK

3 Years Earlier.

'Pen, I wouldn't ask you under different circumstances. Me and Casey wouldn't ask.'

'J. Just tell me. Is everything okay?' She said feeling uneasy about the tone of her eldest brother's voice.

'Well you know how me and Casey have been trying to conceive now for 6 months?'

'Yeah?' Her hopes building that her brother had finally got his shot at fatherhood.

'Well we were told today that it's impossible. We need an egg donor for it to work. I normally wouldn't ask you for things but I was wondering if you would. You can say no, Casey's sister and cousin already did. I won't mind.'

'Joel, I would love too. Really I would. I can't believe they said no. I want you two to have kids. What do you need me to do?'

END OF FLASHBACK

She got up grudgingly from the chair and answered the phone. 'Hello?'

'Hey Penny, it's me Joel.'

She took note of the same tone in his voice she had heard 3 years earlier. 'Joel, what is it?'

'It's Victoria, we just found out she needs a liver transplant.'

'What? When did this happen?'

'We brought her to the hospital late last night. I know I asked you a really big favour to help us get a child and you did it and gave us something that is so unimaginable.'

'Joel just ask it, don't beat around the bush.'

'She needs a liver transplant and the only way is to test the biological mother and father. Drew wasn't a match but you could be.'

'Okay, let me talk to my boss and I'll be with you. I'll give it if I'm a match. I want to help my niece. What hospital?'

'Thanks Penny. We are at the Virginia Beach hospital.'

'Okay, I'm heading off to work now and then I'll get there.'

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She rushed to work; she walked through the office and saw everyone in the conference room so she went to her office to pick some things up. When she walked back down she saw them all at their desks.

'Hey baby girl. What are you doing here?'

'I need to speak to Hotch.' She said walking up the steps to the boss man's office door.

'Is everything okay?'

'I hope so. If I can help it will be.' She knocked and entered closing the door behind her. 'Hotch I need a couple of days leave.'

'Why?'

'My niece is ill and my brother needs my help. I may need to possibly extend it to 2 weeks.'

'Is everything okay?' Hotch said standing, noticing that everyone in the bull pen was watching the window.

'What I'm about to tell you must be kept a secret? I will tell the others.'

'Okay.'

'3 years ago, my brother Joel rang me and asked me to donate eggs to be fertilised so him and his wife could conceive. I agreed and my niece who is now coming up 3, needs a liver transplant.'

'And if you're a match you are the best possible candidate for her survival?'

Garcia stepped into the room, now in plain sight of the window and the watching team; she paced hands on her head. 'Exactly. Hence an urgent need for absence that may or may not be extended. If I am a match I am going to donate a part of my liver.'

'I understand. I'll give you the next 3 days; call me as soon as you know what is happening. What hospital is it?'

'Virginia beach. I'm going to be truthful with the guys up until the part about me being the donor. I'll tell them where I'm going.' Hotch nodded and opened the door, holding it open for her to walk out. She walked down the stairs and waited for everyone to gather. 'Sorry superheroes but I've got to shoot for a couple of days. My niece is really ill in hospital and my brother wants my support. I'll be back before you know it promise.'

'Pen do you want one of us to come?'

'Handsome, its fine. I will see you soon.' She hugged each of them and rushed out of the building. Ready bag done, all she had to do was get to the hospital.

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'Hotch is everything okay?'

'Yeah, she's just worried.' She's going to phone later with an update of when she is likely to be home.'

The team nodded and got back to work. Derek, however, felt a bit despondent; he was going to tell her he loved her but her being gone may mean he lost his courage. He wanted to support her and be there but he would have to wait until he was told so.

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Over four hours later she found herself sitting in a waiting room with 3 of her brothers. She felt slightly uncomfortable little conversation had flowed. She had already been tested and now was waiting on the results to find out if she could help her brother again.

'So Penny is this your way of getting back into the family?'

'Don't start this again Matt. Our niece is ill and all you can do is sit there and bring up the past. I don't care if you go back to ignoring me as long as that little girl can walk out of here with her mom and dad.'

'But they're not her mom and dad are they?'

'Why are you so bitter? I gave them the opportunity they tried so hard for, I'm not that little girl's mother, Casey is, and she and Joel brought up Victoria with the love and support that a mother and father should give.' The silence fell again.

'Penny come here.' Joel said from the doorway about 30 minutes later. She got up and complied, following him towards a doctor. 'Pen you're a match.'

'Perfect even.' The doctor added with a smile.

'So what happens now?'

'We would like to admit you, get you started on IV fluids, check you over and then get everything underway by 11 tomorrow morning. You still have the choice to withdraw.'

'I don't want to, she needs it. I want to help.' Joel wrapped his arms around her cried at her statement. 'Look J, she's my niece, I love her. If I am the only one to help her so be it.'

'Okay Ms Garcia. We are sorting a room out right now. We will come and get you when we are ready.' Garcia just nodded, holding her brothers hand, something she hadn't done since she was a little girl. 'We will expect to keep you in for a minimum of 10 days, just to be completely safe. This is not debateable. However, I do not mind you getting transferred as your notes say you are from Quantico, that can be arranged.'

'Thank you.' She watched the doctor walk away. 'I need to make a call okay J. Go back to her.' She watched him nod and turned pulling her phone out of her trouser pocket. She walked to a window while it rang.

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'Hotchner.'

'Hey sir it's me.'

'Garcia is everything okay?' Everyone's attention now on Hotch.

'Everything's going to be. I was a match, so I'm being admitted literally as soon as.'

'So you need some more time off?' This pricked the teams ears, who were sitting in the same room.

'Yes please. The doctor said that I'll need 10 days in the hospital.'

'10 days in? Take 2 weeks, plus what time you will need to heal.' Now worry and curiosity hit the team.

'Thanks Hotch. I owe you.'

'Garcia you owe me nothing, you are helping out enough.'

'Thanks, I got to go. I've got surgery tomorrow at 11 so I probably won't be able to call for a couple of days.'

'Okay, speak to you later.' Hotch snapped the phone shut and looked at the team. 'She wants to tell you what is going on.' He looked at their faces. 'Her niece is indeed ill, extremely ill. I want for now, that Morgan you go to Virginia Beach Hospital. I want you to leave now and ask for Garcia.'

Raising an eyebrow about what going on. 'Hotch what is this all about?'

'She wants to answer that question. I have to respect that of her.' Hotch received multiple nods of agreement. 'Call me when you get there.'

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'I hope this room is okay for you Ms Garcia.'

'It's fine thank you.' She said with a smile, she had been asked to change into a hospital gown straight away, as soon as that was done she had been hooked up to heart monitor, a hospital tag on her wrist and an IV in her hand. She has gone and got her bag, and lay on the bed watching TV. Her brothers had been kind enough to get her some magazines but that was it, Joel was back and forth but she had now convinced him to stay with his wife and daughter, she was perfectly fine.

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He reached the hospital in what could've been called record time. He walked in and asked for Penelope Garcia. Finding that she was on the third floor, room 234 he headed straight there. Standing at the door he watched her as she lay in the hospital bed, her face full of thought.

'Hey baby girl.'

Her head whipped round to look at him. 'Derek, what the hell?'

'Hotch told me to come, gave me no explanation at all just told me to up and go. So here I am.'

'You didn't need to.'

'Well I was worried about you anyway and Hotch wouldn't have let me stay behind even if I wanted to.'

'Thank you.'

'So do I get an explanation?' He asked dropping his bag on the floor by the chair and sitting on the bed.