We are Family

Day 27: Sick

Note: I hope one day we'll get to see Bertie and Hetty share a scene together.

Roberta Deeks was getting ready for bed, when she heard a knock at the door.

'Mrs. Deeks?' It was Hetty.

'Oh my, Hetty?'

'Call, your, son.' She said weakily, and passed out in Bertie's arms.

'Dear God, you're burning up with fever! Let me get you into bed and call Marty.'

She put Hetty in the guest room, and called Deeks.

'Hey Ma, what's up?' Deeks asked.

'Your boss, Hetty, showed up at my door, and she's real sick with fever, and she asked me to call you.'

'Oh my gosh! Is she okay?!'

'I put her in my guest room, she's asleep now.'

'I'm coming over!'

'What's up?' Kensi asked, sleepily.

'Hetty's at my mom's, sick. Go back to sleep.' Deeks said.

'Okay. Tell me when it's morning.' Kensi murmered, and went back to sleep,

Bertie's house, 20 minutes later.

'How is she, Ma?' Deeks said.

'She's very hot. I've been putting cold wash cloths on her forehead, but it's hardly helped. So I put her in a tub of cold water, it helped a bit.'

'Dude, you undressed her?! Ma, that is, I don't even know what to think!' Deeks exclaimed, looking horrified.

'Easy Marty, I've undressed sick people before. Look, she was asleep the whole time, mumbling some things, mostly due to the fever, and I got it down.'

'So, Just wait for her to wake up?'

'Yes.'

Morning

'Mmmmmm.' Hetty moaned.

'Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?' Bertie asked.

'Tired. Weak, and wondering what I'm doing in this robe.'

'You were running a high fever, washcloths weren't helping, so I put you in a tub of cold water to cool you off, and it helped get your fever down to a less dangerous level.'

'Oh. Oh. That means you saw, things. That I prefer to not say anything about.' Hetty said, looking embarrassed.

'Hey. (squeezing her hand), you're not the only one with scars that you'd rather not talk about.' Bertie said, in a comforting voice.

'I know.'

'Marty's here with Kensi, may I send them in?'

'Yes, that'd be nice.'

Over the next 3 days, Bertie took care of Hetty the way she could, in a motherly way.

The 3rd night

'You should be fully better tomorrow.' Bertie said.

'Nice to know.' Hetty responded, looking really sad.

'What's wrong?'

'Sniff. I never knew my mom. She died 2 days after I was born, my father died not long before I was born. My adoptive parents tried their best, but. They, didn't really feel like my parents.'

'Oh, dearie. (hugging her) I'm so sorry.'

'You've felt so much like a mom to me these past 3 days!' Hetty responded, crying.'

'Oh! You know, That's the nicest thing I've heard anyone say to me in quite a while.'

2 minutes later

'Sniff. Thank you for taking care of me these past 3 days.' Hetty said.

'You're welcome. 1 question, why DID you come here instead of going to someone else?'

'Honestly, I don't remember now.'