Derek rushed into the Emergency Room. The nurse sitting behind the front desk was on the phone. She saw him approaching and hung up.
"Hi, I'm Derek Morgan. I received a call about Presalee Larson. Is she okay?" He asked, feeling sick.
"I'm Sharon Cross." She replied. "She's in critical condition. The doctors are still trying to stabilize her, but they aren't sure if they can save her. She was stabbed, and whatever stabbed her punctured her right lung. I don't know anything else."
"Come on, not her." Derek said, moisture stinging his eyes. He rubbed them, wiping it away. He sat on a bench by the wall. It seemed like hours and hours passed. Then the doctor came in and called him up to the front desk.
"Mr. Morgan. I'm Dr. Wilson. We've managed to stabilize Ms. Larson. We repaired the small puncture wound in the lung, and we stopped the bleeding. She's not out of the woods yet. She lost a lot of blood, and we're starting transfusions." Said the doctor.
Derek nodded. The doctor left to return to his patient, and Derek returned to his bench. He buried his head in his hands, praying and thanking God that she was still alive, and asking that she'd stay that way.
"Coffee? I'm sure you could probably use the caffeine." Said a familiar voice. Derek looked up to find Reid.
"No thanks. What are you doing here?" He replied.
"Hotch sent me down here. How is she?" Derek gave him a confused look. "Everyone at the BAU is worried about her."
"Man, this is just like what happened to Pen, only worse." Derek said solemnly. "Presalee has to make it. She's the only thing I really have to live for."
"Don't think like that. She'll make it." Reid said. Derek nodded.
Hours passed, Reid and Derek sat quietly, except for the few times that Derek was on the phone with his mother, talking about Presalee.
Dr. Wilson re-entered the waiting room.
"Mr. Morgan. She's asking for you. We tried to get her to sleep, but she refuse and said she wanted to see you first. She's really weak and really tired, so not too long. Don't excite her either; any excitement will cause her pain." He said.
Derek nodded and followed the doctor to Presalee's room in the ICU. When he got there he stood in the doorway, and looked at her. She was lying in the hospital bed, her black silken curls framing her face and doing a tangled dance with her oxygen tube. Her white skin was a little paler than usual. He winced at her condition.
"Hey. How are you feeling?" Derek asked, as he walked over to her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Sore. Scared." She answered. He grasped her hand.
"I'm so sorry." He said.
"Why?" She asked, confused.
"I should have picked you up from work."
"It's not your fault." Presalee said, frowning. "Besides, there's nothing you could have done. You're an FBI agent, not Superman."
"Something tells me you might be better off with Superman." Derek muttered.
"Maybe, but it's you I want, not Superman. I might be a writer, but I'm not Lois Lane." She said.
Derek smiled briefly, and then became serious once more.
"I still wish I could have been there to—" He started.
"Stop blaming yourself!" Presalee said.
"Presalee! You almost died, I almost lost you." Pain was clear on Derek's face.
"But you didn't lose me. I'm still here. Let's just put this behind us." She told him.
"Okay. We'll put this behind us. Right after I find out who did this. And when I get my hands on that son of a—" Derek was livid.
"Derek! Revenge is not the answer! Forgive and forget!" She said, getting upset. She gasped for air.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Just relax, okay?" He stroked her hair, trying to calm her. Her breathing finally slowed after a few moments.
Dr. Wilson entered the room.
"Mr. Morgan? It's time to let her sleep." He said. Derek nodded.
"We'll talk tomorrow okay, baby?" Derek told her.
"Okay. Sit with me?" She asked. He pulled up a chair and sat there, holding her hand.
The doctor came in and gave Presalee a sedative, then left her to fall asleep.
Derek kissed her forehead again, and within minutes, she was fast asleep. He left soon afterward; the doctors wouldn't let him stay.
Before he left he looked back at her, her angelic face peaceful. He smiled at her. His angel.