Family isn't Always Blood (A Criminal Minds fanfic)

Chapter 42: Please Don't Leave Me

Hotch's POV:
I run over to Emily, crouching down beside her. "Aaron" she says, "Emily" I respond. "I love you" she whispers, "I love you too" I say, "Are you okay?" I ask, "Ye--no!" She says, pulling a face as she gets a contraction. "How far apart are your contractions?" I ask, "Not very far" she says and I take her hand, "Every time you're in pain, just squeeze my hand" I say and she gives me a thankful look. "Ahh!" She yells and squeezes my hand really tight, "Emily, I think you're going to have to have the baby now" I say, "What?" She asks, now crying. "Em, it's going to be okay, I'm right here beside you" I assure her. "Penelope!" Morgan yells from down the hall. "Morgan, I'm really sorry but I need you right now!" I call, "Hotch, what's wrong?" Morgan asks, running over to Emily and I, "She's in labor" I say and he rushes over. "What do you need me to do?" He asks, "Come here, I need you to sit here and hold her hand" I say. He does as he's hold and I get up, "Aaron, where are you going?" Emily asks, "I'm right here" I say and crouch down at her feet. I carefully take her pants and underwear off, throwing them away, and take my jacket off to wrap the baby in. "Okay, Em" she reaches out and takes my hand. I rub small circles on the back of her hand, "Aaron, I'm scared" she admits, "It's gonna be okay" I say, "Em, I need you to push" I say, "What, now?" She cries, "Yeah, I'm so sorry" I say. She wipes away a tear and Morgan wipes away her sweat with the sleeve of his shirt. "Okay, now push" I say, "Aahhh!" She yells in pain, "It's okay baby, keep trying" I say over her screams. She yells again, louder this time, and squeezes my hand to almost breaking point. "C'mon Em, you can do this" I soothe, "No I can't!" She cries, "Yes, you can" I say and give her a hand a little squeeze. "Aaahhhh!!!" She screams and is met with the sound of a baby crying, "That's the head, one more push" I say, she yells again and then collapses on the ground. "Emily, you did it, I'm so proud if you" I say and look down at my beautiful child. "Hotch, she's not responding!" Morgan says, "What?" My stomach drops, "Emily!" I cry out and squeeze her hand but she doesn't respond. Time slows down as paramedics race into the cell and load her onto a stretcher. They take my baby away from me and I follow them out to the ambulance.

Reid and Rossi are waiting when I get there, "Hotch, she'll be okay" Rossi comforts me. I nod and Reid looks over at me with a questioning look in his eye. "It's a girl" I answer before getting in the back of the ambulance with Emily.

Reid's POV:
"It's a girl" Hotch says before jumping into the ambulance with Emily. I look at Rossi and we smile. I run over and get into the other ambulance with JJ unconscious in the stretcher and Garcia sitting on the seat beside me.

I pain worsens as he cuts me again, driving the knife deeper into my stomach. "Please, stop" I beg but it only makes it worse. He slashes me again, and again, leaving diagonal lines across my stomach.

"Reid" Garcia snaps her fingers in front of my face. I blink and look at her, then look back to JJ's stomach, her cuts matching my scars. "Spence" she whispers, "JJ!" I gasp and she passes out again. "Her blood pressure is dropping!" A paramedic yells, "What?! I yell and lean over to her, "Sir, sit back!" The other medic yells and the two medics start frantically hooking her up to drips and monitors. "JJ!" I call to her, hoping she'll hear me. The paramedics grab the defibrillator and connect the wires, "Clear!" One of them yells and pushes the defibrillator down on her chest, just missing her light blue bra and making her whole body jolt. "No response, try again" "Clear!" He yells, again with no response. The medic tries another time but JJ still lies unconscious on the stretcher. Garcia grabs my hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. I give her a small, thankful smile and turn back to JJ.

I sigh with relief as the heart rate monitor starts beeping again. "We got her back" the medic says as we pull up at the hospital. They rush JJ into surgery and take Garcia away to get checked. I meet the rest of the team in the waiting room and sit down. "How are they?" Morgan asks, "Garcia seems fine, they're taking her to be checked though, and JJ--" I take a deep breath, trying not to cry, "JJ's heart stopped, but they got her back" I say, blinking back tears. "It's okay kid" Morgan says, putting a hand on my shoulder, "She's in surgery now" I finish and the team nods. I look up to see Hotch pacing, "Hotch, what is it?" I ask, he stops pacing and looks at me. "Emily's body went into shock, she wasn't responding, they're hoping she won't go into a coma" he says, running a shaky hand over his head, "And the baby?" I ask, "They're running some tests now" he says and sits down, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. I can see in everyone's faces that they all find the tapping annoying, but no one says anything.

"Penelope!" Morgan says, making us look up as he stands and runs over to his wife. He greets her with a tight hug and leads her over to a seat. "How're you feeling?" He asks, "Alright, a little pain but nothing I can't handle. JJ and Em aren't out yet?" She asks worriedly, "No, they're both still in surgery" Rossi says and she nods, "I'm so glad you're okay" Morgan says and kisses her, not once taking his arm away from around her shoulder.

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A doctor walks into the waiting room and we all look up hopefully, "Emily Prentiss" he says and we all stand. Relief washes over Hotch's face as the doctor signals for us to follow him. "Hey guys, do you mind if I wait here for JJ to come out of surgery?" I ask and they all nod, "It's okay, we understand" Hotch says and they follow the doctor down the corridor to Emily's room.

Prentiss' POV:
I give Aaron a weak smile as the team files into my hospital room. "Aww!" Garcia says when she sees my baby daughter. "Hey Em" Hotch smiles, walking over to stand beside me, "You scared me back there" he says, "You were scared? How do you think I felt?!" I laugh and he laughs back. "Hey beautiful" he says, leaning down to kiss our daughter on the forehead. I pass her to Hotch and a tear rolls down my cheek at the sight in front of me, the way Aaron smiles at her makes my heart melt. "So, any ideas on what you're gonna call her?" Rossi asks. Hotch and I look at each other and smile, "We've decided on Scarlet Elizabeth Hotchner" Hotch says and I widen my smile, "Hey Scarlet" I whisper as Hotch passes her back. "Who wants a hold?" I ask and Garcia rushes forward. She takes Scarlet, smiling from ear to ear. My phone buzzes and I pick it up.
"JJ's out of surgery, I'm bringing her over in a wheelchair. - Spencer"
I smile at the text and look up at everyone, "JJ's out of surgery, Reid's bringing her over" I say and Garcia passes Scarlet to Morgan.

Reid walks into the room, wheeling JJ, who's connected to an IV drip. "Jage!" I say, smiling, "Hey Em" she says as Reid pushes her wheelchair over to the bed. "How are you?" I ask as Morgan hands Scarlet over to her, "I'm alright, in a bit of pain, the doctors say I can be out of here in a few days. Aw! What's her name?" She asks, looking down at the baby, "Scarlet" I say and JJ smiles, "She's beautiful" she says and I smile too. "So how are you?" She asks, "I'm good, I can go home tomorrow if I want" I say and Reid takes Scarlet. I look up at Aaron and he nods, "Guys, can you please give us a minute?" I ask everyone accept JJ and Reid. They nod and file out of the room. "What is it?" JJ asks, looking at us intently, "We want you two to be Scarlet's godparents" Aaron says and they both smile, "Thank you!" Jage says and leans over to give me a hug. "Did you hear that Scarlet? I'm your godfather!" Reid says, making all of us smile, "I'm just so glad you're okay" JJ says, "Yeah same for you" I say and Reid gives Scarlet back to me. I look up at Aaron and smile at our perfect family.