Forgetful || Penelope Garcia

Chapter 1: Panda Express

Calypso Makri was not a kind person. She was closed off and if you tried to talk to her she would slam the door in your face. That's the answer you get from anyone you asked. Calypso got up, grabbed coffee, went to work, and went home. Nothing else and nothing new.

Every morning she went to the gym with the only person who could give an honest answer as to who she was. Derek Morgan was a best friend, a brother, an annoying flee you couldn't get rid of. Whatever he was, he was there. Every morning.

"Good morning Makri," Derek greeted as Calypso pulled into the parking lot where he had conveniently been waiting for her. Her response was a soft grunt and a smile. In this friendship, Morgan did most of the conversing.

"Happy to see you too, little girl."

After about six months of Calypso joining the gym, Derek had started to work out next to her. He had introduced himself and smiled, grabbing a set of weights and continuing with his workout. The next day he sauntered over to her but was surprised to see that there was no recognition in her eyes. She completely forgot about him. Morgan wouldn't lie and tell you that he didn't walk away with a bruised ego. The next day: the same thing.

It took three weeks for Calypso to remember him. Six to introduce herself and another month for her to get comfortable with his presence.

Consistency was something that Derek realized that she needed. She had a notebook, it held her entire schedule. It was busting at the seams. He had adapted to her routine, when she got to the gym, how long she stayed, even what workouts she did. In hindsight, it was strange behavior, but it didn't seem to bother Calypso. She enjoyed having someone to do this with her. A constant variable she could rely on.

By now the two had been working out together for almost two years. Morgan learned that she was a bartender with an English major, minoring in culinary arts. She lived alone with a cat named Paul, for Paul McCartney. On one night in particular, long after they had exchanged numbers, Calypso had called Derek, sobbing.

He had practically gotten a speeding ticket by the rate at which he drove over to her apartment. Morgan had raced up the stairs and found her sitting with her head in her arms, sitting against the door. It was the first time he had called her by her first name. He was shocked that the reason she had called him in such distress was that she couldn't remember which key opened her door.

After helping her get in, Calypso pulled Derek over to the couch and sat him down. That was when he learned about her early-onset Alzheimers. It was not as aggressive as most people her age had it, but it was enough to disturb most of her day-to-day activities.

He knew there was some memory issue that Calypso was struggling with, but Alzheimer's is incurable. Alzheimer's was terrifying.

"Derek, you can't-," She hiccuped, still crying. "Now that you know, you can't leave, you can't change your routine like you did last week. You were gone and I didn't see you and I- I forgot. I forgot my routine. It's really fucking hard and if you leave, if you and your stupid nicknames don't- If I don't get that every day at six-thirty, My whole day gets screwed. If you can't handle that then leave. Get out of my life. I won't remember you after a week anyway so I'll be fine."

He didn't leave. He did explain that his job was sporadic and sometimes he wouldn't be there with her but eventually they had set up a system where he texted her every morning when he was away, reminding her that he was away. And it worked. Calypso was able to get by with Derek in her life, even when he left.

"So," Derek said as they finished up a five mile run. He was sweating twice as much as she was. It wasn't fair, honestly.

"So," Calypso repeated, slowing down the treadmill and taking a drink of water. She grabbed the towel hanging off the side and wiped the back of her neck as she turned to face Morgan.