Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds... sadly....

'Garcia?' Penelope croaked into the receiver, her voice slowly getting worse, her body aching, her head pounding.

'Baby girl.' Derek sighed into the phone. 'If you're still ill what the hell are you doing at work?'

'I'm fine.' She said her voice fizzling out.

'Of course you are... that's why your voice is slowly getting worse and has been for over 2 weeks.'

'3 weeks tomorrow.' She corrected.

He couldn't help but laughed at her own correction. 'Well isn't that a sign to go to the doctors?' He heard her sigh, her mind obviously trying to think of another reason not to go. 'See... I'll go with you baby girl.'

'I can go to the doctors on my own.' She argued back, she was an adult after all.

'Can you book it on your own?' He quipped, a hint of sarcasm and concern in his voice.

'I'll book it now.' She said defeated. 'Just to make you happy.'

'Good girl... I want my goddess back to restored health as soon as.'

'Well your wish is my command!' She joked happily and wished she hadn't as the over exertion of enthusiasm pulled on her sore throat.

'That hurt didn't it?'

'Yes.' She admitted hesitantly. 'I'll call you back in minute okay?'

'Okay baby... I want a date and time.'

'You would.'

'Just double checking.'

'Speak soon handsome.'

'Bye baby girl.' Derek put the phone down and went back to team, he hated being away from Penelope when she was ill and they had watched her get worse but now having been out of Quantico for 8 days all they heard was the painful conversation that happened on the phone.

'Everything okay?'

'She's booking a doctor's appointment as we speak... and if she doesn't I'm making one and taking her myself.'

'I think you that you may well be taking her.' Rossi joked. 'How bad she sounding today?' He asked getting to the point.

'Well let's just say she's given up on the witty hellos on the phone altogether now.' Derek replied, that was a sure sign she was ill. 'She can't actually put too much enthusiasm into her voice either.'

'Well then she best get that doctors appointment sorted and soon.' Hotch said and headed back to work, the case after all wouldn't sort itself. After another gruelling 2 days they headed home with the doctor's verification of Penelope having a solid flu like cough, it would clear up with antibiotics.

They were all on paper work duty when Penelope came in, looking worse for wear, a hand full of files for them.

'Well, well baby girl... you come bearing the holy grail in that pile?'

'Oh you wish.' She croaked and smiled at him.

'Pen you're voice still sounds pretty rough.' Emily asked as Penelope dropped a pile of files in her inbox.

'Got to get worse before it gets better.'

'Well maybe baby girl but come on...'

'Handsome you need to worry less about me... I'm not your worry.' She said sweetly and passed his files to him.

'What if I want to make you a worry?' He questioned back truthfully.

'Well you do so but you don't have to.' She said before heading for Hotch's office with a couple of files in hand, she knocked and listened for the boss man's voice. 'I got those files boss man.'

'Thank you Garcia... now you going to be truthful with me about your throat?' She shut the door and he aimed an almighty all knowing look at her. 'Talk now Penelope.'

'I got tonsillitis... I'll be fine.'

'Again?' He questioned, she got that quite often.

'Well I used to get it quite bad when I was a teenager but then it stopped getting to me and in the last year or so its getting worse.' She gave up and told the truth, now was the time. 'Sir I was going to ask when everyone went for lunch but I need to take like a week, maybe 2 weeks off, maybe longer.' He cocked his eyebrow at her and she laughed embarrassed. 'Seems they finally want to take my tonsils out...'

'Well at least you'll stop making Morgan a worried wreck whenever this strikes you down.' She laughed a little. 'What's wrong?'

'I feel embarrassed about it... its usually children that have this.'

'Quite a few adults do... Haley did about a year before Jack was born, who's going to be with you?'

'Oh... erm... no one I'll catch a cab there and back.'

'Penelope...'

'Everyone's busy... I'll be fine.' She said and scratched her head nervously.

'When have you got it?'

'Saturday... like midday.'

'So soon?' He asked seeing as it was Thursday; he remembered Haley waiting ages for hers to be scheduled.

'Well its making me really ill and I keep getting high fevers because of it.'

'How long Penelope?'

'On and off for like 3 months.'

'Garcia!' He said and stood up. 'Why didn't you say anything?'

'Because I got over it quickly... most times you were on cases so why burden you with my problems when you have other things to worry about.' She replied honestly. 'I'm a big girl boss man.' She joked.

'I know but you're going to feel crappy, and in pain, let alone needing to wake up every 30 minutes to an hour to drink and take a new round of pills.' He said talking from obvious experience.

'That bit I hadn't been told but I can cope on my own, that's what alarm clocks are for.' She said dusting his shoulder on his suit. 'I guess I won't be seeing you for a while boss man.'

'Oh I'll be round to check on you.' He said and watched her leave his office rolling her eyes, he watched her leave the bull pen completely carefree, smiling at Derek as she went, he then walked to his office door and looked at the three agents in front of him. 'Morgan... up here now.'

A/N: So new story again! This one doesn't work out too long so that's all good!

Hope you enjoy!