Long ago I heard a saying "Babies come when they want to". Looks like Amanda Morgan-Garcia is about to prove that saying correct.
My Girl
The lights flickered twice, then went out in Hotch's office. For a brief moment the area was thrown into pitch black darkness before the emergency lights kicked on.
"What was that?" Em cried out in surprise. Instinctively she held Claire closer.
"We lost power," Hotch remarked. "JJ, are you alright?" he asked as one of the babies began crying. He reached for his wife in the dark. Touching her soft hand, he let out the breath he had been holding.
"I'm fine," JJ assured. "Emily, are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Em replied calmly. "Shhh," she comforted the baby. "It's okay."
"Do we have a line out?" Dave asked.
Hotch picked up the phone. "It's dead."
"What do we do?" JJ asked.
"We wait," Dave answered. "The lights should kick on any second."
"How long is that going to take?" Em wondered.
"It depends on how widespread the outage is," Hotch. "It could be minutes…or hours," he added as an afterthought.
"Where is Pen?" JJ asked.
A figure ran into the office. "Agent Hotchner," the agent called out breathlessly.
"What's wrong?"
"You're needed down in the bullpen. We have a situation."
"What situation?" Hotch asked.
"This could be interesting," Dave said sarcastically.
"The elevator is stuck and apparently Agents Morgan and Reid are on it."
"Is Pen with them?" Em asked.
"We think she's in labour," the young agent replied.
"SHE'S WHAT?" Em and JJ cried out. Frightened by the outburst, the babies started crying. The women tried to soothe them as their wails filled the quiet room.
"Dave go down and see what you can do; I'll call the EMS," Hotch directed.
"It's already been done," the unnamed agent replied over his shoulder as he rushed out of the office, Dave close on his heels.
Guided by the red lights, Dave hurried down the stairs. Pushing his way through the crowd, he stood in front of the elevator doors. The emergency lights cast an eerie glow around the large open space.
"What's being done to get these open?" Dave asked one of the agents who was trying to pull the doors apart.
"We're trying," the unidentified agent gasped as he tugged harder. Another agent came over with a crow bar.
"Derek!" Dave called out. "Are you down there?"
"Rossi! Get us the hell out of here, now!" came the angry muffled response.
"Is Penelope down there?"
"I'm here, Boss," Pen cheerily replied.
"Are you okay?" Dave asked.
"I'd be better if these two men weren't freaking out about my water breaking," she answered.
"What's wrong?" Hotch asked as he came up beside his friend.
"They're in there, and Penelope is in labour. It seems her water just broke."
"What's being done to get them out of there?" Hotch asked out loud.
"The EMS and firefighters are on their way," someone supplied.
"She could have the baby in that time. Dave, give me a hand here," Hotch requested as he stepped over to help the agents open the doors. With everything they had, the four men managed to pry the heavy doors apart.
"Derek?" Hotch called out. "We got the doors open. Help is on the way."
"I don't think we're going to have time, Hotch," Derek replied. "Pen's in labour."
"My water broke," Pen corrected. "That doesn't mean anything."
"She's right," Reid added. "A woman's water can break but it could be hours before the baby arrives."
"Great! You just cursed us!" Derek pounded on the door again. "Hotch, get us out of here!"
"Derek, calm down. Reid is right; it could be hours before Amanda arrives," Hotch ordered sharply.
"Not with the way my luck has been going when it comes to BAU babies. I'm a profiler, not a midwife."
"Technically, you aren't a midwife. You helped JJ push; Hotch delivered Ben," Reid supplied.
"Yeah, while you played with dinosaurs on the couch with Henry and Jack," Derek shot back.
"Not by my choice. Besides, you were out of town when Emily went into labour."
"So were you," Derek's voice rose in pitch.
"Derek! Reid!" Pen admonished. "Enough!"
Chastened, the two men stood in awkward silence. The sound of a cell phone filled the air. Derek reached in and pulled the small device out of his jeans pocket. Flipping it open, he pressed intercom. "Hotch, tell me that we are getting out of here in the next five minutes," he growled.
"They're doing everything they can. How are you doing?"
"Not good."
"I'm fine, Boss," Garcia called out.
"Are you in labour?" Dave's voice came over the line.
"Not yet, but…" Pen started, then gasped.
"Baby Girl," Derek called out in fear. "What's wrong? Talk to me!" He thrust the phone at Reid and rushed over to his wife. "Are you alright?"
"That hurt. Bad," she replied.
"Pen?" JJ called out. "Are you there?"
"Yeah, Jayje; I'm here." Pen closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something other than being suspended by a long, thick cable seven stories from the ground.
"Are you breathing?"
"I'm trying. The two knuckleheads down here are sucking up all the much needed oxygen with their arguing over who delivered who and when." She shot a glare at Reid and Derek.
"Are you having contractions?" Hotch asked.
"Not yet," Pen replied. A twinge in her lower belly stopped her. "Where is Em?"
"With the babies," Dave said.
"Is the power out all over?" Derek asked.
"A transformer blew. Blame the heat wave."
Derek groaned. "Great. It could be hours before we get out of here."
"Derek, do you remember which floor you passed when the power went out?" Hotch asked.
"The fourth…I think. Why?"
"It will help us locate you when help arrives."
"If they get here before the baby does," he grumbled.
"Stop that!" Pen ordered. "I'm not in labour. This baby is not coming. I swear…" She stopped in mid sentence. Derek watched her face by the light of the low watt emergency light.
"Baby Girl, what's wrong?"
Pen swallowed. Hard. "Spencer, of the eight degrees you have, do any of them include delivering babies?" she asked as a sharp pain gripped her hard and left her breathless. Reaching out, she grabbed Reid's hand in hers, holding it tight in a vice like grip.
"My…hand," Reid gasped. He tried to break free. "Ow!"
"Answer me! Have you delivered a baby?" Pen repeated slow and deliberate. "Ever?"
"Once. Why?"
"That gives you one up on Derek," she replied.
"Morgan, what's going on?" Hotch demanded angrily.
"Penelope…what is happening?" JJ's voice came over the phone.
Letting out her breath as the pain passed, Pen felt a cold sweat cover her skin. The urge to throw up overwhelmed her, then passed.
"Pen, talk to me!" Derek demanded.
"Amanda is coming," Pen stated simply and slid down to the floor.