A/N Written solely for AJ when I was very drunk. She said I should post it. For some reason I'm listening to her. Yes, this is a Hotch/Anderson story... Honourable mention to a plushie.

Based on this ficlet "Anderson rounded the corner to his apartment, digging the keys out of his pocket as he went, scarcely noticing his surroundings. "It's been years, and you don't even say hi?" a voice... His own voice sounded from in front of him. Feeling his muscles freeze, he took a breath and gathered the courage to raise his head, seeing his brother, Basil, standing directly in front of him. At second glance, his heart seemed to fail. His lifelike plushie of AJ was being held at gunpoint by his own brother."

Anderson was again frozen, his brother's presence daunting, horrifying. Everything he could stand to lose was in his hands.

The last time they had met, Basil had slaughtered what he held dear, his two year old Labrador greyhound mix, who he had named Pongo in reference to his favourite movie. It had taken him years to form any kind of relationship after his actions. His friendships slow to form, his entire being seemed to have been relegated to extreme isolation. Only venturing out to earn his money and buy food. His recovery had been slow and painful, eventually culminating in his AJ plushie.

AJ had helped him through many tough times, being there for him when no breathing human was. There to listen to his trouble and fears. A silent shoulder to lean on as he steadily worked through his pain. AJ was there when he finally achieved his dream, to work in the BAU. He still had steps to work to to become a profiler, but in the unit he learned the craft of profiling more each day.

Over the years he'd even formed friendships with the Agents in the unit (there was a short setback, involving an agent injured and him driving. He drove himself mad thinking of how he could have done things differently, but in the end he had to give himself some lenience. He would never progress if he carried on in such a way) He seemed to be respected, even by the illusive and attractive unit chief, Aaron Hotchner (the Section chief, Erin Strauss, he caught staring at him on multiple occasions, he tried to ignore it, disconcerted by the events).

He had treasured his time there, even while fostering his dirty secret. The dirty secret currently standing in the hall ahead of him.

"Well, brother? Are you happy to see me again?" Basil intoned, the arrogance dripping off every syllable. Clearly pleased to have horrified his brother in such a way. In the end, no matter how many people he could torment on a daily basis, his true target would be his brother. The perceived childhood injustices, the kids in school always preferring to stare at him lustfully, instead of at Basil, had clearly hit him deeply. Nothing he would ever say could stop him in his relentless mission to destroy him mentally.

"Put her down. Put her down or I swear to all that's holy I will force you to watch people fawn over me. That's what bothers you, isn't it? I'm the more desirable brother? You could never handle competition, and you never had the balls to attack me. You go for what I love. You're a coward tiptoeing around what you want the most but too scared to really take it." Anderson intoned, his voice quiet and measures, but laced with unmentionable fury.

He was staring at his brother, a small smirk gracing his features, daring him to make a move towards him. His strategy seemed to be working, Basil was shaking with fury, his eyes flickering to him, and back to AJ every few seconds. The debate crushing him was clear. Use AJ as a substitute, or finally confront the object of his fury.

Like lightening, AJ was flung aside by Basil, hitting the mounted fire extinguisher with a hollow thunk, and Basil was on him. He had grabbed his shoulder roughly while drawing his right fist backwards, tensed to strike. Anderson twisted in his grip, managing to dislodge Basil's hand from his shoulder with enough time to turn his face away from the incoming blow. In microseconds, his fist connected with Anderson's ear, causing a loud ringing noise to be the only thing he was aware of beyond the throbbing pain.

He was suddenly aware of Basil grabbing the arm he had thrown over his face and pulling on it, seemingly to make his face available for a more accurate strike. Anderson, sensing the move before it was completed, raised his other arm and flung it forwards, forming a fist in motion and landing it squarely on Basil's nose. Blood streamed from him, but Basil took no notice to the pain or inconvenience as he pinned one of Anderson's arm above his head, connecting his knee with his stomach, and immediately forcing his fist into his jugular.

Now gagging on his own breath, Anderson flinched, expecting more brutal blows to follow the last, but laid there in confusion as none came, but instead a loud crashing noise, followed by grunting instead met his ears.

Finally regaining something resembling normal breath, Anderson looked up from beyond his arms, and a sight so unexpected met his eyes he had to look twice to confirm what he was seeing. Before him, uncomfortably close to AJ, Basil was in a viscous fight with none other that Unit chief Aaron Hotchner.

The grunts of pain were, as far as he could tell, coming predominantly from Basil, as Hotch, with superior size and strength, wrestled him to the ground. The unit chief, however, seemed to be falling victim to Basil's flailing limbs, his legs kicking whatever he could reach from his poor position. But no matter his fight, Basil could never win a fight with Hotch. He didn't have nearly the body strength, and eventually Hotch managed to gather both of his wrists into handcuffs.

Slowly climbing off of him, Hotch then moved to lean against the wall, standing directly opposite the fallen AJ. At first, he did not seem to notice her as he panted to catch his breath. After a minute, however, he moved forward, crouched downwards and picked the plushie gingerly off of the floor.

Anderson was astounded, the look on Hotch's face was gentle, even more so as he turned to see Anderson, still on the floor, staring at him holding AJ. Taking three steps forward, Hotch knelt before Anderson and gave him an inquiring look, eyes filled with both sadness at his pain, and happiness at their victory.

Slowly, carefully, he moved his arm and held AJ out to Anderson, now propped up on his elbows on the hard wooden floor. His face still broadcasting multiple emotions.

Anderson slowly raised himself into a sitting position, his eyes never leaving Hotch's face as he quickly, unexpectedly grabbed him in a tight embrace, right muscle gripping tight muscle in the places AJ was not squashed in between them.

Hotch, for a split second seemed frozen in shock at Anderson's move, but recovered with impressive speed and wrapped his arms around the younger agent, broad, hair covered hands sweeping across the soft cotton of Anderson's dress shirt, felling the muscles tense where his thick digits travelled. The younger agent attempted to suppress a shudder as his hands swooped to the dip of his lower back, and failed miserably.

Anderson, for a brief moment in time, thought his brother had knocked him unconscious and that he was dreaming, but after several seconds of feeling the sensation of Hotch's hands sweeping up and down his back he convinced himself that this was reality, and moved to settle his hands on Hotch's muscled shoulder blades as he gently pulled away, in an effort to see the other man's face.

Hotch's eyes, showing a million and one emotions swirling in their depths also held the faintest trace of tears waiting to fall. Anderson couldn't comprehend that there was anything beyond his eyes at this moment, even thought his handcuffed brother lay metres away from them.

Hotch was now frozen, his hands settled in place, his eyes looking nowhere but his. And Anderson moved his face forward an inch, so close that their noses bumped together, breathing the same air as each other, each waiting for the other to make the next move and close the gap between them.

In the end, Anderson, having enough of waiting, enjoying the moment more than anything he had ever experienced, but impatient for more swiftly pressed his moth to Hotch's. Impressed and elated by the gasp he pulled from him before he started to kiss him back, impassioned and eager, they tasted each other. Their hands migrating from their backs to rest on each other's hips as the kiss deepened.

Slowly, they both pulled away from each other, grabbing AJ from between them as she almost fell, staring at each other, smiling. Both happier with another human then they could remember being for too many years, not even letting the cruel past reminder down the hall, ruin their moment of bliss.

This was a new beginning for the both of them, and they were only going to look at the happiness it would give them in the future, not the pain it took to get them there. Happily, they grasped each other's hand's and got to their feet, trying, for just a few more seconds, to remain locked in what was only their world.

A/N Uhm. Yeah.