Chapter 3

Back at the cabin, Derek was growing more upset and restless by the second. He was pacing the living room like a caged animal. Nothing the family said and did would quell his fears. He hated feeling helpless.

After his last attempt to reach the girls was fruitless, he ran over to the foyer and began grabbing his things to head out in search of his wife and sister.

Fran yelled out to him, "Derek where do you think you are going? You have no idea where to look."

Derek looked over to his mother with such despair and with a horrified look on his face, "Momma, I gotta go find them. I can't stand the not knowing, anymore. They could be hurt somewhere. Pen is my whole life and I can't lose her now, especially, with her carrying our child."

By the time Derek stopped talking, the whole group was surrounding him. Dave spoke up first, "Son, I'm sure they are all fine. We are all worried too, but it would be crazy to go out there right now. You would be going out there totally blind right now."

Spencer chimed in, "They could be pulling up at any minute. Garcia wouldn't want you to put yourself at risk unnecessarily, you know that."

Derek snapped out, "Don't you think I know that Reid! You don't understand, your wife is here safe and mine is god knows where."

"Calm down, Derek!" Fran spoke softly while she tried to remain calm herself. She was petrified but wanted to reassure her son so he wouldn't just run out. She knew how impetuous he could be.

Spencer brought his head down and looked at his feet with defeat. "I'm sorry Morgan."

"No, Pretty Boy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take your head off, I know you're just trying to help."

Spencer jerked his head up and weakly smiled at Derek. "It's ok, I understand!"

Derek dragged his hand across his bald head and said, "Thanks, kid! What are we going to do?"

Before anyone could answer his question, his cell started to buzz on his belt. He snatched it from his belt and looked down at it. When he saw the caller ID, he smiled, took a deep breath, and rasped out, "It's Baby Girl!"

All you could hear was, "Thank god!" As the family looked around at each other with relieved looks on their faces. Although, their relief would be short-lived.

He quickly pushed talk and began to speak, "Thank god, Angel, are you alr—"

He was immediately cut off when he heard a huge sob and Pen stuttering, "De- De-Derek, I'm so-so-sorry!" While grateful that she finally got a signal, she was also terrified.

Derek practically screamed into the phone and put it on speaker, "Pen, Pen what is it? Are you alright? Where are you? What's wrong, baby?"

As she tried to get her bearings and took some deep breaths, she remained cognizant that she may not have a signal for long and quickly rambled out. "Hot Stuff, we slid off the road and can't get out of the ditch. We tried and tried."

Derek and the rest of the family instantly went on high alert. "Sweet girl, stay calm. Do you know exactly where you are? Are you and Desi okay?"

Penelope cried out, "I just know we are on the main road to the cabin, it's snowing so hard we can't really see, I'm sorry! Desi is fine and Ahhh!" Penelope cried out in pain.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you hurt?"

Her pain subsided and she drew in a deep breath. "I don't think so, but I am having some pain in my tummy."

Fran shouted out, "What kind of pain, Pen?"

Penelope readjusted in her seat, "I don't know, it's sharp and circles from around my back to my stomach. I've only had a couple of them."

Desiree called out from the driver's seat, "Momma, I think she may be going into labor!"

Penelope screamed out, "No it's too early! Derek, I'm scared!"

Derek questionably looked at his mother with panic in his eyes. As Fran nodded her head yes, he softly replied, "It's ok Pen, don't be scared, we're coming to get you guys."

"Noooo, it's too dangerous! We'll be okay." Penelope called out.

"Kitten, don't worry. I have the truck here with the snowplow on it. We will be fine. You two just hang on and we will come find you. Just relax and we will see you soon."

Derek and the other men started to put their gear on while still trying to reassure both girls. "Don't worry, baby! Just try to relax and think good thoughts. I guess our baby is a little anxious to meet everyone. Everything will be okay, I promise. I love you, Sweetness!"

"I love you too, Handsome! Ahhhhh!" She yelped in pain again as another contraction hit her. She breathed through it and then inhaled deeply when it subsided.

While the men finished dressing up, the girls and Fran kissed their men goodbye. After the guys headed outside, Fran announced to the girls that they needed to get everything set up and ready for the impending birth of her first grandchild. She was worried that the men wouldn't get back here in time before the baby was born. The whole family kept their fingers crossed that everyone made back in time.

While Dave and Derek jumped into the truck with the plow, Hotch and Spencer climbed into one of the other SUV's knowing they would need the extra space for the girls.

Slowly and carefully the men headed down the long driveway to the main road. While doing so, Dave drove the truck and Derek remained on the phone with his girl trying to keep her calm and updated. Once they hit the main road the phone disconnected after their signal was lost.

Derek hollered out in disgust. "Damn it! I lost her, stupid cell phones."

Dave briefly looked over at his stepson, "It will be okay, Derek! We will be there before you it. Just keep an eye on the side of the road. They said they were stuck in a ditch. Visibility is horrible, so just shout out if you spot them."

"You got it, old man! Please God, let us get there in time. I just knew something was wrong."

Dave shook his head and ruefully replied, "Don't dwell on that now, son. Just think, soon you will be holding your little bundle of joy."

Derek shot a look at Dave and weakly smiled. He couldn't wait to see his Baby Girl and his baby.

Finally, long thirty-five minutes later, they managed to spot the black SUV that was almost completely covered in a shroud of white from the furiously falling snow. The weather was most certainly getting worse which included extremely high winds.

As soon as the truck stopped, Derek jumped out and hightailed it right over to the love of his life and baby sister. He yanked the passenger door open and immediately put his loving arms around his wife. He tried to control his breathing, he had never been so scared in his life. He was extremely grateful that they had found them.

"Are you okay, Goddess? Any more contractions?"

Penelope cried out, "Ohh, thank god Derek, I was so worried! Yes. I've had a few more contractions. I love you!"

Desiree blurted out, "More than a few."

The other men had made it over to the SUV. Dave went over to the driver's side and helped out an exasperated Desiree and quickly pulled her into a warm embrace. He was so relieved his stepdaughter and daughter-in-law appeared uninjured.

As Derek carefully removed Penelope's seatbelt, he murmured out, "I love you too, mama!" He took a half step back, leaned down and lovingly picked up his gorgeous wife and stood up. He slowly and carefully carried her to the SUV, making sure not to slip on the slick snow. Spencer met him there and Derek gingerly placed Penelope onto her feet so she could slide right into the vehicle.

As she bent over to do that, she suddenly cried out in pain again. She decided to wait out the contraction before she moved. Once the pain started to dissipate, she suddenly looked up at Derek and gasped out, "Ohhh noooo!"

Derek became alarmed and placed his arms around her, "What's the matter? What is it?"

Penelope began to get agitated, "Either I just peed myself or my water just broke."

Spencer reacted. "Let's get moving guys, her water just broke."

At that, Dave and Desiree made a bee-line to the truck, Hotch jumped in the driver's seat in the SUV. Penelope managed to get into the back seat and Derek slid in next her. Penelope then laid down on her side and placed her head in Derek's lap. Spencer jumped in the passenger seat and the two vehicles started their trek back the way they came.