Only a couple of more chapters after this one. The stage is set for Amanda's debut but Pen is having second thoughts...until the voice of reason gets through to her.

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My Girl

"I hope you are ready to become an aunt again, because Pen needs to push."

Derek's words reverberated through the elevator and the bullpen. It was official: Amanda Morgan was going to make her debut and no power outage or attempt from the rescue team to get the elevator to work again was going to stop her.

Derek said a quick prayer as he looked around the small, cramped quarters. What he'd give for a First Aid Kit…or even a bottle of hand sanitizer right now. But that couldn't be helped. He had to focus on what he had…which amounted to zero.

"Reid, I'm going to need your help. You are going to have to tell me what to do."

"I've only delivered one baby…and that was simulated," Reid confessed. He knelt down on the thin carpeted metal floor. It dawned on him that this moment was nothing like what they had taught in the First Aid class he had taken. Emergency delivery had always been taught as a last resort, and even then it was expected that the paramedics would arrive in time.

But not now.

Reid tried to think quickly. They had nothing to bring a baby into the world, and it didn't take eight degrees to figure out that the odds were against them.

"Simulated or not, you're still a doctor and you know a hell of a lot more than I do about this. Talk to me; what do I do?" Derek asked.

"If she is dilated enough to push, the contractions are going to come one on top of the other. Make sure that there is something to keep the baby from touching the floor." Quickly Reid unbuttoned his shirt. He handed it over. "Use this."

Derek laid the material on the floor.

Reid got behind Pen and rested her body against his. "You're going to have to work with me," he soothed.

"This really hurts," Pen remarked, a sob catching on her breath.

"We're almost done," Derek encouraged.

"No we're not," Pen argued.

"Don't argue with me. You are going to have to listen to Reid and believe me no matter how bad the pain is."

A contraction tore through Pen with a force so strong she nearly came up off the floor. Grabbing Reid's hands, she held on as though her life depended on it. Trying to be brave, she clenched her teeth as tears ran from her eyes and sweat poured down her face.

"Pen, talk to me. What is happening?" JJ asked.

"She's having strong contractions, Jen," Derek replied.

"Focus and breathe," JJ encouraged.

"I - I - I c-c-can't. It…it really, really hurts," Pen gasped as she tried to focus on anything but the feeling of her body being torn in two.

"I know, honey, but you have to breathe. Is it almost done?"

"Yeah." Pen tried to catch her breath. "That was a bad one."

"I know. On the next one, you are going to need to push," JJ said.

"I can't. It hurts."

"It's going to keep hurting until you get that baby out," JJ replied.

"I can wait for the paramedics. I need drugs. I want the epidural."

"No time for that, Mama; you are going to have to push. I can feel Amanda's head and even if you want to wait, she doesn't," Derek said seriously.

"I don't want to be here."

"Welcome to the crowd. Now push!"

"I hate you!" Pen bit out as Reid helped her bear down. At the count of ten, he let her lie back.

"Good. Keep pushing."

The minutes passed slowly as Pen did as she was told. Leaning back against Reid, Pen tried to relax. The world was spinning, she was exhausted, and the pain was more than she dared to admit.

"Pen? Are you okay?" Reid asked as he brushed the damp locks from Pen's face.

"I didn't think it was going to hurt so much. Nothing I read said it was going to hurt this much," Pen panted. She tried licking her lips but found her mouth dry. "I need a drink of water," she croaked.

"I'll get you water as soon as we get Amanda here," Derek said. He cursed the red lights that cast an eerie glow in the room. They gave just enough light to see your surroundings but not much else.

"Derek, what's happening?" JJ asked fearfully.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean just that. Not a damn thing is happening. Pen is pushing and nothing is happening."

"Let me try shifting her," Reid offered. "You're going to have to work with me here," he told Derek. "I'll pull her up under the arms, but you'll have to shift her hips. Think you can do that?"

"Let me know when."

"On three…one…two…three." Together the men shifted Pen into a more upright position. "On the next contraction, I'll help bear down with her. That should get the head out."

"I feel another contraction coming," Pen moaned. Her body hurt so much and all she wanted to do was take a shower.

"You think you can work with us?" Reid asked. Pen nodded wordlessly. "Good girl. Okay, let's push." He leaned her forward as his hands pushed down on her abdomen. "That's it…keep pushing. Come on!"

"I can't!" Pen shouted.

"Yes you can!" Reid snapped back.

Grunting and groaning, Pen centered all of her energies on pushing out her daughter. Letting out a loud shout, she gave one last push.

"The head is out!" Derek shouted. A loud cheer came over the phone.

"Is the phone still on?" Pen asked as she collapsed against Reid.

"JJ is on the other line," Derek replied.

"With the rest of the BAU."

"Probably the whole FBI building," Reid corrected.

"What do I do now?" Derek asked. He was only half paying attention to the sound from the phone.

"Sweep the mouth and make sure there is nothing inside that she can choke on."

Derek did as he was directed. "Okay."

"The next push is going to get the shoulders out. This is going to hurt."

"No shit Sherlock!" Pen snapped. "So far it's done nothing but hurt! Maybe one of you should be having the baby and I'll coach instead."

"I didn't mean it like that," Reid defended.

"How did you mean it?" Pen asked.

"Reid, let it go," Derek interjected. "Trust me. Now what do I do?" he asked trying to get the attention turned back to Amanda.

"On the next contraction, see if you can get a shoulder out."

"Okay."

More minutes passed as the trio worked tirelessly to free Amanda.

"I give up!" Pen announced. "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home."

Derek wiped the sweat from his eyes. "We're almost there."

"No. No more."

"Kitten?" Dave's voice came over the phone.

"Boss?" Pen looked around.

"Are you giving up?" Dave asked incredulously.

"I can't do it."

"Bullshit, Kitten. You survived the worst life could offer, and you are going to survive this. Amanda is counting on you to do the right thing," he growled angrily.

The silence that followed was deafening.