A touching moment between Derek and Pen reveals that the apple won't be falling too far from the tree.
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My Girl
"What the hell was that?" Rossi asked.
"Pen? Pen, are you there? Talk to me!" JJ demanded into the phone.
"I - I can't," Pen replied between gasps. She grasped both of Derek's hands as though her life depended on it.
"Breathe, Pen. In. Out. In. Out."
"I'm trying."
"Find a spot on the wall…something…anything, and focus on it," JJ commanded.
Pen tried to catch her breath. "Spot. Jayje…I see a lot of spots," she replied vaguely. Her head lulled to the side.
"Pen!" Derek shouted. "What is happening? Wake up!" He lightly slapped her cheeks.
"She's hyperventilating," JJ replied. "Stimulate her by rubbing her hands or her feet. If you can, rub her back. Don't let her pass out," she ordered.
Derek did as he was told. "Come back, Angel. Come on," he encouraged. "Breathe. You can do it."
Pen opened her eyes slowly. "No, Derek, I don't think I can. I don't want to do this."
"Honey, you don't have a choice at this point." Derek smoothed her hair back. "It's getting warm in here. Reid," he called out, "get that folder over here and fan her."
"Is she okay?" JJ asked. A loud murmur went through the crowd outside the elevator shaft.
"It's getting really hot down here, Jen. We need some air…something to help us cool down. Quick!"
"Someone find a fan," JJ directed.
"I think there's one in the utility closet," Dave said. "Anderson, come with me." He snapped his fingers and ran out the double doors.
Within minutes the large fan was placed at the opening of the shaft and pointed down toward the metal box.
"Is that helping?" Dave asked into the phone.
"I can feel something. Is that better, Pen?" Derek asked.
"A little,' she whispered. "How did I end up here?"
"What do you mean?" Derek wondered.
"You and me. Right here."
"Fate," he replied simply.
"Fate dictated that I have our daughter in an unair-conditioned elevator in the Hoover Building with FBI agents hanging on to every word?" Pen asked. Tears fell from her eyes.
"It's not the worst thing that's ever happened to a pregnant woman," Derek said.
Pen's dark brown eyes searched his. "Oh really? I would say this is pretty close."
"Not quite. You know my dad was a Chicago cop, right?" Derek asked. Pen nodded. "He and my mom fell in love the moment they met…kind of like when I met you. Anyway, I was a surprise. From the moment I was conceived until the moment I came, I always had to make an entrance."
"So it was inherited," Pen teased, grateful for the distraction.
Derek continued to stroke her back. "I guess so. My dad could make an entrance walking into Wrigley Field. Anyway, my mom thought she was going to have six more weeks with me when her water broke. She was in the shower when it happened. She had heard that babies are notoriously slow - especially first ones, so she thought she had time." Derek applied more pressure to the small of Pen's back.
"That feels good," Pen whispered. "So what happened?" she prompted.
"She called my dad at work. He was working the beat on the west side when the call came thru. His partner, Derek Maloney, drove him to the apartment to pick my mom up and take her to CCH…Cook County Hospital," he supplied as an afterthought. "And everything was good…until they go caught in traffic on the highway."
"Does this story have a happy ending?"
"I'm not finished, Mama. Anyway, my dad was in the driver's seat while Officer Maloney helped my mom. He had delivered two of his children and Dad thought he was as close to a midwife as he could get if they didn't get to the hospital. The traffic came to a stop and Dad tried to get thru. He flashed his lights and sounded the siren, but traffic was at a stand still. There was a wreck - a bad one - up ahead. He tried to radio in that he needed a bus, but where would it go? He couldn't turn around…and to top things off, I was sliding into home for a touchdown."
"You can't slide into home for a touchdown," Reid corrected.
"Who's telling the damn story here?" Derek replied.
"I'm just saying…"
"Don't 'just saying'; keep that folder moving to cool Pen down," he ordered. "It was an analogy. I wanted to see if Pen was paying attention."
"I was. Football and baseball," Pen said. Her body began to twinge. "Derek, you stopped."
Derek felt her tighten up. "Are you okay?"
"It's a contraction, but keep talking," she panted. "It helps."
"Okay. So, here they were - two cops and a lady…all just kids themselves - and a baby on the way. They are stuck in traffic, snow falling, and it's winter in Chicago. My mom couldn't wait any longer. So, as my dad's partner coached my mom, my dad delivered me. He said that I entered the world kicking and screaming - like I had to make everyone know I was there. Officer Maloney did what he had to do, and as soon as he cut the cord, my dad wrapped me up in his service coat and handed me to my mom. Here it was twenty degrees and she was frightened and scared and cold…but the moment she held me, she said she looked at me and said 'So, you are the one whose been using my bladder as their personal trampoline. Hi, baby.' She said I stopped crying that second."
Pen wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "What are you trying to say?" she sniffled.
"That my mother had me under stressful conditions and managed to survive and I turned out okay. This may not be a snow storm and stuck in Chicago traffic, but we sure as hell aren't going any where any time soon…but Reid and I will bring this baby into the world and she will be worth everything you're going thru."
"I hate you," Pen sobbed.
Derek kissed the top of her head. "I know."
"But I love you too."
"I know. How is the massage? Is it helping?"
"No. It was, but not now. I don't think she is going to wait." Pen turned around in the cramped area. "I have to lay down." Reid rushed over to help. "JJ, are you still there?" she asked.
"I'm still here," JJ choked out, wiping tears away with the back of her hand.
"I wanted to make sure."
"Now what do I do?" Derek asked.
"You need to check Pen and see how far she's dilated," JJ answered. "Stick your fingers…"
"I know what to do; Rossi already showed me." Derek grimaced at the memory. Unbuttoning his shirt, he took it off and placed it over Pen's knees for privacy. "Turn your head, Reid."
Perplexed, Reid did as he was told.
"How much?" JJ asked.
"I hope you are ready to become an aunt again, because Pen needs to push."
