DISCLAIMER : all characters, unless otherwise stated, are the property of the creators of Criminal Minds, no copyright infringement is intended! Happy reading!
Guide to the story : anything in unbolded italics is a flashback, and anything in bold, straightfaced font is current.
Non Criminal Minds characters, this chapter (the ones I made up) : Dr. Nathaniel Martin, Mary Jane, and Prentiss's and Morgan's daughter.
Extra TidBits That Might Have Some Benefits : In the show Emily Prentiss is like 41 years of age, but I made her a decade younger because...41 does seem kind of old to be popping out a kid...don't-chu-tink? So this would make Derek Morgan a year older than she is. And all the other characters will have three to five years taken off their age to be fair.
"Lost In Paradise"
Chapter 1
Pain rocketed through her lower abdomen, a pain she had only felt once before in her 31 years of life back in Rome, when her best friend Matthew was with her offering support for a difficult decision. Like a swift river, her life was slowly but more prominently becoming evanescenct of any blood that her dying heart managed to pump. Then he ran up and kneeled by her side trying to keep whatever life force from escaping from around the wooden stake. "Prentiss!", the panic in his eyes and the unnerving steadiness in his voice, "Emily! Baby! C'mon stay with me! Squeeze my hand if you're still with me, c'mon you can do it!" He looked up into the empty hallway where he had appeared from, "Where's my damn medics!" With what last remaining strength she had left SSA Emily Prentiss squeezed her fellow agent, and longtime boyfriend, SSA Derek Morgan's hand. "There you go Em, c'mon now stay with me" In a very belated arrival medics ran up through the hallway with a back board and lifted her onto it and rushed her to the closest hospital. All the way to the hospital memories of his life with Emily flooded his mind. "Save her," Emily's last words before she drifted into unconciousness replayed over and over.
"Derek, that mistletoe is just begging for us to 'accidentally' walk underneath it together" Emily let out a sly, provacative smile. They were alone...how they had wanted it. The Christmas Eve party with everyone from the BAU had ended about 30mins before, the last to leave being Penelope 'Garcia' who insisted on making a sick Kevin a plate to go that he could devour once the flu had run its course, he was a sucker for Emily's homemade carrot cake, something she had perfected as a teenager in France and would probably force himself to eat it regardless of the fact it would probably only stay in his stomach for maybe an hour because it was just THAT good. "Is that the wine talking or are you really trying to get me in bed?" Derek chuckled at his eager significant other, "Okay, okay I admit it, a mixture of the 2" Derek smirked at her, and met Emily's lips with his in a passionate, and overtly intimate kiss. He scooped her up, her legs over one arm and her back resting against the other as she wrapped her arms around his neck looking longingly in his deep brown eyes which always had a lustful and arousing aura to them that only drew Emily in to take the bait, and as easily as she had fallen for him in the beginning, he had fallen for her. That night the bright blue moonlight illuminated Derek and Emily's bedroom as each person let out soft joyful groans of pleasure, they would switch positions him on top, and so on. "Merry Christmas Derek." Emily layed down next to him on the extremely soft feather bed and wrapped arms around his abdomen, feeling the toned, muscular abs of her partner. His scent filled her nostrils and she was at peace, "I love you." He smiled and pulled her closer, "I love you too Em...Merry Christmas" 8 weeks later, a pink plus sign started their new beginning, as a family. They had kept their relationship secret for almost a year and a half now, from that first steamy night in a Florida condo that was temporarily rented while the team was on a case, to now. Emily kept her apartment just 15mins away from their newly renovated Victorian-style home, with the large backyard, and inground pool..the white picket fencing only made it more picturesque, so suspicisions wouldn't arise. Being in a relationship with another agent was dangerous. A danger they fully accepted, but now their child would be at risk.
"Save her." Derek's eyes misted over, with the hem of his sleeve he quickly wipped the premature tears away, glancing at his blood covered hands only another stark reminder that Emily and their child were dying in the ambulance in front of the black Chevy Tahoe he was driving. "Save her."
Waiting in the pale green waiting room was almost unbearable, he paced and paced so much so Hotch and Rossi had to force him to sit so he wouldn't pace a hole into the carpeting. "Morgan, she'll be ok...Em is strong, and she's fighting in there for her baby." Penelope's voice was usually calming to him, she was one of his best friends, aside from Emily, but this time around it had no effect. The team still didn't know that Derek and Emily had been together almost 2 years now, nor the fact that 20 weeks ago it was Derek who had fathered Emily's unborn daughter on Christmas Eve night. "Save her," Derek couldn't help but feel anger towards Ian Doyle for kidnapping Emily after her doctor's appointment, for torturing her...for subsequently being the possible murderer of the love his life and the innocent child that she so happily and eagerly carried and nourished so she would be healthy when she entered the world. "Save her."
"Well Ms. Prentiss, it appears you are going to have a little girl." Dr. Nathaniel Martin smiled at Emily and removed the last bit of the gel from her stomach as gently as possible once everything in the routine checkup was finished. "Dr. Martin...I do have one concern..." She looked up at her trusted OBGYN while she fixed her shirt back into place. "It's about the scars from your abortion 16 years ago, and the risks involved now am I correct?" Emily nodded, he knew her almost as well as any of the BAU members, he could tell when she chewed the nail of her right thumb she was concerned or stressed. "Well Emily, there is a slight risk of a placental detachment because of the weakened walls of your uterus, but nothing I would rush to say is life threatening. As long as you don't go kicking down the door to a suspects home, or hideout anytime soon you and the baby should be fine. Has your boss put you on light duty?" Emily nodded, "Yes of course. I think I'm about to lose my mind though from sitting at that desk all the time now. But I'm still included when cases are being briefed and the unsubs are being profiled." The doctor smiled, and handed Emily her checkout papers. "You can request pictures from the ultrasound today when you go to check out with Mary-Jane up at the receptionist's desk. Have a good day Emily and I'll see you and your daughter in a few weeks for another checkup." "Thanks Doc." Once Emily collected her pictures, she walked to her red Audi, a surprising gift from her mother, but she had the sensation she was being watched. Pulling out her Iphone she texted Derek "Everything went well at the appointment, our daughter is the perfect image of health :) I got pictures for you to see also. Leaving the doc's now, and heading to meet up at the BAU for the briefing. I love you, see you soon". When she never showed up, the team automatically went to the doctor's office where Prentiss's Audi, sat the driver's window cracked and a bullet hole was also present. Emily's phone, keys, and purse lay on the ground in a small pool of blood that trailed then disappeared. Her badge and .40 caliber also lay on the ground.
After a nerve racking 5hr surgery, the surgeon appeared in the doorway of the waiting room, and cleared his throat to get the agents' attention. "The surgery went fine, Ms. Prentiss has lost alot of blood, but she's been given several transfusions. The baby is safe and has been unharmed. The stake didn't puncture the uterine wall as previously speculated and made a clear path through which made extraction relatively easy. Overall, a full recovery and healthy delivery is expected. She's in her hospital room now, waking up from the anesthesia, you all are welcome to be with her now." With that Derek rushed out of the waiting room and went to room B126 where Emily lay in the hospital bed, the IV bags hanging overhead and the oxygen wrapped delicately around her ears, and safely tucked underneath her nose was the outlet allowing her to breath a little easier. The cuts on her forehead, face and arms were cleanly stitched. He pulled up a chair bedside just as the rest of the team arrived and Emily began opening her eyes which were clouded with the drowsiness from the anesthetic. "Hey guys." Penelope smiled, "How ya feeling Em?" Empathy for her friend overflowed her emotions. "Sore...really sore. Th...the baby? Is she o-ok?" Derek smiled and nodded towards Emily's stomach. "Not even a scratch." Dr. Spencer Reid, the genius of the group moved a little closer "You're very lucky Emily. Typically anything that punctures the lower abdomen of a woman like a bullet 75% of the time hits the uterus on impact." Emily rolled her eyes, and looked around. "Wh-Where's JJ? Is she ok?" Hotch nodded and as soon as he finished JJ walked in with a large bouqet of white and pink roses, and balloons. "Well, look whose the overachiever of the group now?" Penelope laughed as JJ placed it on the dresser across from the bed. "You're darn right, I overachieved. Em you hanging in there?" She nodded. "Ok guys, Prentiss needs her rest." Rossi directed everyone to the door and Emily looked over at Derek practically begging with her eyes for him to stay, "I'll stay...make sure no one tries to come in and do anything to Prentiss." "Sounds good, ok everyone let's go. See you tomorrow Prentiss."
"Can you remember anything when Doyle held you hostage?" Derek held the love of his life's hand and looked at all the stitches and bruising. Emily had depended on him to change the dressing over the staples on her stomach and with each gentle kick of their daughter, pain rocketed through her body. "He came up behind me when I was getting into my car...he shot my shoulder and slammed me against the driver's side window...after that everything is a blur except for one thing." He caressed her cheek gently and pushed a strand of ebony lock out of her face. "What is it Babygirl?" "He said he wanted to make me suffer, the way he suffered in North Korea, how they beat him everyday...just...everything is really fuzzy. But as long as our daughter is ok," she took his hand, "that's the most important thing." Derek nodded, understanding and calm in his eyes. "You can leave in about 4 days, when you return to the BAU is totally up to you Baby." Emily smiled that charming smile. "ASAP, I'm needed there regardless of the fact I'll be confined to that damn desk." They both laughed, but Emily was careful not to laugh too hard. "Thank you." He cocked his head. "For saving me...for saving our daughter. If it had been anyone else who'd found me...I don't think I would of had the strength to stay alive." "Anytime Babygirl, anytime."
