It seems I can't stop writing Hotch/Rossi fics, both slash or just friendship. Oh, well. *shrug*This time it's the latter, and it's just a small complement to the last scene between Hotch and Prentiss during the episode 7x04 "Painless.". Enjoy it and remember, any comment or criticism will be appreciated.

Also, I want to thank Nebula2 for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.

I don't owe Criminal Minds or any of his characters.

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Title: Fatherly Concerns.

Dave closed the file he had been looking over, pushing it away before leaning back in his chair and rubbing a hand across his face.

Hotch was going to be late this morning because he had a meeting with Jack's teacher, and so he asked him to be in charge in case anything came up. It was past nine now, Dave noticed, looking down at the watch on his wrist, so he guessed Hotch must have arrived by now.

With one last look at his desk, Dave stood up and stretched a little before leaving his office and crossing the short distance to Hotch's. He saw the younger agent through the blinds on the window, bent over his desk as he worked.

Dave rapped his knuckles lighting on the open door before entering.

"Hey,"

Hotch lifted his head, nodding in answer to the greeting as his eyes followed Dave as the older agent walked to one of the visitor chairs in front of his desk and made himself comfortable.

"How did it go at Jack's school? I need to know how much I'm going to spoil him the next time I see him," Dave added with an upward curl of his lips.

"You're not spoiling my son any more than you already have," Hotch said pointedly. "You just bought him that game he wanted last month."

Dave only waved a dismissive hand. "Well? Is he on his way to becoming the next Dr. Reid or what?"

Hotch actually smiled then. "He's doing very well. Ms. McKee told me his grades and reading skills are great."

"Of course they are. Jack is a bright kid," He said simply, feeling a small wave of pride himself, even if he knew it wasn't his place.

The silence that fell into the room caught Dave by surprise, as well as the solemn expression on the other man's face. He wasn't a father himself, sure, but he knew any parent should be happy by getting good news from the school.

"But?" Dave prompted gently.

Hotch sighed softly, looking down at his desk. "She told me a kid named Paul was being mean to Jack."

"Mean how?"

"Nothing serious. Just a few rude comments and other kid stuff."

Dave nodded slowly, understanding the reason for Hotch's attitude. He frowned as something came to mind. "Isn't he the boy Jack invited over to your apartment the other day?"

Hotch gave him a sad little smile. "Yeah. It looks like Jack thought inviting him over and playing with him would fix things and they could be friends."

He chuckled in response. "It seems that boy inherited his father's tactics."

Hotch's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Any other kid would have attacked back or maybe just ignore the other mean kid, but not yours. He had to work on finding a way to fix things."

The expression on the other man's face was still confused, so Dave rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on! The political way Jack is handling things with that kid is the same you use with Strauss. You haven't invited her to dinner or anything crazy like that, but the form it's the same. The woman almost kicked you out of the BAU and has made your life hell for a long time. Any other man would have sought ways to get revenge, or at least call her names behind her back, but not you. You even reprimanded Garcia when you heard her refer to Strauss as 'bitch'."

Hotch gave him a look but didn't say anything.

Dave watched him for a moment, realizing there was something else bothering the younger agent.

"Okay, what else?"

Hotch rubbed a hand over his forehead. "He didn't tell me. If his teacher hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have known."

Dave shook his head, a smile curving his lips. It never ceased to amaze him how alike father and son were, and how Hotch just missed it.

"It makes sense," Was all Dave said.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I said it makes sense. You're that boy's hero. You go all over the country saving lives and catching the bad guys. He didn't want you to worry because of him," He raised a hand to stop Hotch as his friend opened his mouth to protest. "Then there's the fact he wants to be just like his dad. He wanted to fix this without any help from anyone, to show himself and others that he's a big boy who can handle things, just like his dad."

"I ... I really hadn't thought it that way." Hotch admitted.

"Of course you didn't. You were too busy thinking of all the ways this was your fault."

Hotch at least had the grace to look slightly guilty, but before he could say anything else there was a knock at the door. It was still open, but it was a habit of everyone in the BAU to knock before entering Hotch's office.

"Oh! Sorry for the interruption," Garcia called from the doorway.

"It's fine, Garcia. What do you need?"

"Right, uh. Everything it's ready to present the case, sir."

Hotch nodded. "Thanks, Garcia. Call the team to the conference room. We'll be right there."

"Aye, aye, captain," Garcia replied with the proper salute to got with it before leaving the office.

Dave watched her go with a smile on his face before looking back at Hotch.

"So, what are you going to do about Jack?"

He sighed, and then started organizing the files spread all over his desk into a neat pile as he spoke, "I'm going to talk to him, of course, though I'm not sure what I'm going to tell him."

"Well," Dave started, getting to his feet. "I think that asking him if there's anything wrong would be a good start."

Hotch nodded, his lips pressed together.

Dave patted his shoulder as they left Hotch's office.

"Thanks," He murmured.

"Don't mention it."

They walked together to the conference room where the rest of the team was already reunited.

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who read it. I hope you all have enjoyed, and as always feedback is appreciated. Thank you.