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Criminal Minds Weekly Prompts – April Competition

Characters: Hotch & Rossi

Prompts: rain, learning, running out of time

Here's a short chapter to get things started.

The Slumber Party: No Girls Allowed

(By the order of Jack Hotchner because it's his birthday.)

Chapter 1: A Boat Load of Kids

Fall 2012

"We have to stop meeting like this," joked Rossi. "You may get the wrong idea by me prying into your life."

He had just stopped the doors to the elevator from closing when he saw Hotch come around the corner of the parking deck.

"Like being outside this elevator has ever stopped you," snorted Hotch.

"Okay, you gotta point. So, what're you doing this weekend? Gotta hot date? I'm available for babysitting."

"So, that would mean you don't have a hot date." Hotch smiled. He liked it when he could serve up some of Rossi's conversational techniques back at him. He knew Rossi wouldn't back down from answering.

"Where does a man my age meet women?" he growled. "And don't tell me the internet. Morgan already suggested and the idea horrifies me." Rossi shook his head and rolled his eyes at the thought. "Computer dating," he grumbled.

"You had your pick during soccer season," Hotch reminded him.

Rossi looked at him with an arched eyebrow that spoke a sarcastic, "Seriously?"

"What? Tucker's mom is pretty and available. So are David's mom… and possibly Jaden's mom."

"All divorced with a boat load of kids." Rossi huffed at the unspoken message Hotch was giving him. "I may be divorced, but I don't come with a ready made family."

"What's wrong with that? Beth does fine with Jack."

"That's different."

"How?"

"It just is."

"Talking about a boat load of kids, Jacks wants…"

The elevator stopping to gather more passengers made Hotch decide to wait to talk about Jack's upcoming birthday.

~oOo~

At the end of the work day according to Rossi's standards, he strolled into Hotch's doorway. "It's Friday. You need to leave. Go have some fun."

"Which is exactly what I intend to do… tomorrow. Beth and I are taking Jack and a friend to the zoo. So, if I can get a little more of this paperwork done, I won't be thinking about it when I'm supposed to be having fun. I believe that's what you were suggesting."

Rossi chuckled at his friend's way of giving himself permission to work late.

"Well, at least, take a break." He came all the way in and sat down. "You didn't get the chance to tell me about the boat load of kids Jack wants."

The pen Hotch was using skidded across the page as he looked up in horror. "What? Jack isn't asking for brothers or sisters. Beth and I are taking this relationship slowly."

"Slower than a boat in molasses," mumbled Rossi.

"I'm not being cornered into listening to your reasons why I should be doing something differently with Beth." Hotch sighed, dropped his pen and relaxed back into his chair. "I was going to talk to you about Jack's birthday."

"The little champ is turning seven already!" Rossi truly adored being "Uncle Dave" to Hotch's son.

"Yes. And I could really use your help."

"What do you have in mind?" he asked without realizing what he was about to get himself into.

"A slumber party."

"A slumber party?" sputtered Rossi. "With a boat load of kids?"

"That would be the boat load of kids I was referring to," said Hotch with a smirk.

~oOo~

Chapter 2 coming soon!

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