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Title: Be There
By: shego219
Pairing: Prentiss/Morgan
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Directly following the season 3 finale - Lo-Fi. One agent is burned, and another is there for them.

***

The last thing I remembered was getting into my car. The searing pain came next.

I don't remember how I ended up here on this stretcher. Vaguely, I recall leaving the hospital, but not coming back. Maybe I never even left. I can feel the movement and hear the EMTs muttering and shouting around me, but other than that I'm numb. I sense nothing.

Except that smell. Something smells like burning flesh.

I raise one of my arms. Immediately, I snap out of my daze. The sight of my own darkened, charring skin brings on a flood of sharp, searing pain.

Someone is screaming.

I'm screaming.

I'm suddenly aware of a strong pair of hands restraining me. I see a long needle pierce my blackened and bloodied arm, and everything starts to float away. I try to grasp the pieces, but I'm too far gone to put up a fight.

The next thing I realize is that people are wheeling me down a different corridor. All I see are rows and rows of identical ceiling lights. Silently I hope they're taking me to the Burn Unit.

I feel and hear nothing.

Except that someone is shouting my name.

"Emily! Prentiss!"

I try to turn my head, but I don't have to because all of a sudden he's there, his face is hovering over me.

Never in my life have I been more relieved to see Derek Morgan.

He clutches one of my mutilated hands. Even though I know his temperature is normal, it feels icy compared to the fire running through my veins and lungs.

His voice is so calming, even if I can't make out the words he's saying.

"It's going to be OK, Em. You're gonna pull through this."

I try to say something in response to show I'm alert, but nothing logical comes out due to the tube I didn't realize was down my throat.

I start to choke. Instantly I'm surrounded by medical people, a crowd of white coats and scrubs.

With my eyes I plead with Morgan not to leave me. He doesn't let go of my hand.

"I won't leave you, I promise. I'll be here."

I'm starting to drift out of consciousness again. Maybe I'm hallucinating, but I start to see more people. Hotch and that woman who looks like Haley. Reid and Garcia. Rossi. Will and JJ, who's already crying.

Something trickles down my face, stinging my burns. A cool hand brushes the liquid away, and I realized I am crying as well.

Morgan is looking down on me again.

"I'll be here, I promise," he says again. It sounds like his voice is breaking, fading again. He lets go of my hand.

As the doctors and nurses wheel me into the elevator, I try to repeat what he said, to have some assurance that when I wake up… if I wake up…

All I manage to croak out is a simple, silent command:

"Be there."