After many painstakingly long drills Prentiss, Morgan and Garcia have made an average time of three minutes flat to arrive at the hospital. The usual amount of time between the BAU and her house is five minutes. Many weeks have passed, Emily and the babies seem to be in good health. Her bed rest has become easier as she knows the end is near. Prentiss calls Garcia and Morgan twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. It is the morning of the tgird. The May flowers are blooming around the neighborhood, which makes for a wonderful sight to see out the window when on bed rest. Emily takes morning showers for approximately fifteen minutes. Derek is working his last case before Hotch makes him stay home with Emily to prepare for the babies. Morgan is driving with Rossi to a small town in Delaware. Emily normally calls Penelope before her shower and calls Derek after. Garcia picks up with a quick witted line, "What's sizzling mama?" Behind her desk Penelope rolls her eyes. With no response she asks once more, "What's up buttercup?"
"All the better now that you asked," Prentiss answers.
"Aw, shucks," Penelope blushes. Garcia hears rustling in the backgrounds, "What are you doing? You should not be doing anything."
Prentiss replies, "I am about to hop in the shower quickly. I am about to switch you from one side to the other, hold on." Switching the phone from one ear to the other she looks down to put her toothpaste in the toothbrush. Switching focus she looks down at her feet, "Shit! Shit, shit!"
"What? What's going on?" Penelope is prepared for the worst.
Prentiss begins, "No need to panic…"
After hearing those four words Penelope is out the door and already at the elevators, "Speak, woman!"
"My water broke," Emily is in mild shock.
"I'm on my way. Stay calm, remember to breathe. I will call Derek, he has a special phone because of the lack of signal. I will be there as soon as I can," Garcia jogs in her red shiny heels to her car. Screeching tires leave marks on the pavement while Garcia uses bluetooth to connect to the father-to-be. Shakily she calls, "Hello."
Derek instantly knows something is up due to the absence of a cheery intro to the call, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing is wrong, it's just…" Penelope pauses as a result of not knowing how to phrase the news properly. "How far away from home are you?"
"Maybe an hour, or an hour and a half. Why?" Derek waits impatiently.
"Turn around, buddy. You're about to be a father," Penelope tries to make light of the situation with a peppy tone. "Emily's water broke, I am on my way to the house now. I have to go, I am almost there."
The tires on the federal car squeal as they turn around in the middle of the road. Rossi talks with Hotch as Morgan says, "I will be there. I am about to lose signal again. You tell her I am coming. Promise me you will tell her."
"I promise," Penelope answers.
"I love you Baby Girl. I will see you-" Derek's signal is gone and the phone cuts out.
At the house Emily paces on the front porch. Thinking out loud she says, "Breathe, just breathe. You know how to breathe. It is going to be okay, it is all going to work out. Penelope is coming, Derek is coming, all three of you are coming. This will work out."
Penelope pulls up, rolls her window and yells from the road, "Why are you outside?"
Emily waddles down the steps and meets her by the car, "I got worked up and decided to get fresh air. I locked myself out and my pregnancy brain can't remember where the goddamn hidden key is!"
"Oh, sweetie, it's in the fake rock. There is another in the potted plant above the porch light," Penelope strokes Emily's hair, then steps on the gas like it's nobody's business. "Have you had any contractions?"
"I guess, I am not sure. I thought I was having a bad case of Braxton Hicks, but I guess I was wrong. Doctor Stone said that Braxton Hicks was normal, that's why I didn't bring it up," Emily responds, focusing on breathing in and out. "Is Derek on his way?"
"He is. He told me to tell you that you are strong and you can do this. He also said to tell you that he loves you and he is coming," Garcia's eyes start to moisten.
The ER parking lot is conveniently right under where the maternity wing is. Jumping out of the vehicle Penelope runs and grabs the last wheelchair in the entrance. Emily tries to swat the wheelchair away, "I am fine, I can walk. I am not a-" She somewhat crouches down low while contracting every muscle in her body. "Contraction." Penelope helps Emily into the wheelchair and pushes her to a nurse dressed in kelly green scrubs.
The nurse hurries to Prentiss and helps her to the elevator, "I am Nurse Amy, I work in the emergency department. I can help you get to maternity."
Prentiss shakes her hand, "My doctor is…" She breathes in through the pain, "Doctor Stone, he is my doctor. I am Emily Prentiss. Tell him…"
Garcia takes over, "Tell him Emily Prentiss' water broke and she is having contractions."
Nurse Amy rolls her to a new nurse dressed in pastel pink scrubs. Amy updates the new nurse on what the situation is. Nurse Amy heads back to the elevator as the nurse in pink helps Emily into her private room, "I am Susan, I am going to be here through your labor and delivery. Doctor Stone has been paged and he is on his way. I have been brought up to speed by both Amy and Doctor Stone. I am going to get an IV started and then we can do a full work up. Does that sound alright?"
Prentiss nods in agreement, her contractions are coming more frequently, they last longer and hurt more. Garcia helps Prentiss change into a paper gown and get settled into bed. After twenty minutes she has had a full workup. Doctor Stone walks in and tries to lighten the mood, "Looks like the three little ones really want to see their amazing mother."
"Doctor Stone…" Emily takes a second, "I don't have the time nor the patience to have fun and play games, so just lay it on me. What is happening?"
Stone is mildly surprised by her reaction to the opening comment, "You are in preterm labor. I can slow it down, but the longer we wait the greater amount of risk there is for long term issues."
"How long can I wait and not have anything permanent happen?" Prentiss asks hoping she can wait until Derek arrives.
Stone replies, crushing her spirits, "Ten, maybe fifteen more minutes."
Doctor Stone walks out of the room to let Prentiss have some time to think. As soon as the white jacket disappears from the doorway Emily starts sobbing. Penelope rushes out of the bathroom to see Emily trying to rip off all the devices connected to her. Trying to calm her down she grabs Emily. Emily curls up into as much of a ball as she can and wraps herself around Penelope. Penelope calmly shushes her, nurses wander in to make sure everything is okay, but Garcia gives them a look letting them know that she can handle this. Prentiss whales, "He has to be here. I can't do this alone. I am not strong enough."
Penelope retorts, "You are one of the strongest people I know- wait, I take that back, you are the strongest person I know. Derek is going to show up and you know it; and what do you mean you are alone? What am I, chopped liver?" Emily laughs underneath the tears. "Everything is going to work out."
Ten minutes pass by, Doctor Stone walks in with three other nurses and a new stretcher to transfer from the room to the table. "It's time."
Prentiss nods. She blurts out, "Wait!" The crowd of medical professionals look at her, "I can't do this alone. Can Garcia come with me into the operating room?" Emily looks at Garcia, "I know you don't like blood and guts, but Derek is not here and I need you."
Garcia looks at Stone. Reluctantly he agrees, "Fine, but she is only allowed to stay behind the curtain."
"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Garcia smiles and holds Emily's clammy hands. They walk down the hallway, through two metal swinging doors and into a cold room where there are three incubators set up. "Are you ready?"
"Not in the slightest," Prentiss answers.