Author's Note/Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Criminal Minds. I do, however, own Nina Connelly and a few new characters that I will introduce to you all today! Thanks goes out to Jean-Moddalle, Guest and hoove-print-on-your-heart for their reviews, and thanks to the other large number of people who have liked and/or followed this story. I didn't expect it to catch on so quickly and you have no idea how happy it makes me to know that people are reading. Drop me a review to let me know I'm doing a good job, or if there's something you'd like to say about what I'm doing!

Chapter Four:

The entire week at the BAU was dedicated to paperwork after the Samantha Malcolm case. She had been abused by her psychiatrist father, tortured so that she wouldn't tell, and bribed with dolls.

When they were taken away from her, she had begun kidnapping women to turn into life-size versions of the dolls. The BAU had caught her in time to save her last three victims, but strangely that only added on to the amount of paperwork the team needed to finish.

Morgan leaned back in his desk and groaned. "How is it that the cases we finish in a timely manner make even more paperwork for us?"

Rossi didn't even glance up from his stack of files. "The less that they have us outside of the office in the field, the more work to complete later. If you think this is bad, you should see Hotch's pile."

As if on cue, Hotch walked out of his office. But unlike any other time the team had ever seen him, Hotch was not wearing is usual professional suit and tie. He was wearing a red and white sweatsuit.

The entire team stared as if a unicorn had wandered into the bullpen- honestly, they would have thought that the unicorn was more likely.

Hotch kept his usual straight face and walked past all of them to the elevator. "I'm taking my break," He said without giving anyone a chance to respond. "I'll be back in an hour and a half."

The rest of the team sat shell-shocked in their seats- Prentiss' mouth was hanging open. Rossi got up and followed Hotch to the elevator just in time to hear Morgan ask, "Is there some kind of new 'casual Friday' rule I didn't know about?"

Rossi hopped in the elevator next to Hotch, smirking when he saw the usually composed man attempt not to look at him or seem too embarrassed.

"So…jogging on your breaks now?" Rossi said, doing his absolute best to keep from sounding like he was laughing. "Or have you ditched the suits for good?"

Hotch closed his eyes and did his absolute best not to roll his eyes. "It's for Jack's therapy." He said quietly. He hated calling it 'therapy', but he didn't know what other word to use.

This, of course, sobered Rossi right up. "How's he doing?" He asked tentatively. Hotch hadn't told anyone on the team except him about Jack's night terrors, and he knew how much of a toll it took on both father and son.

"He's only had one session," Hotch said, folding his arms. "There hasn't been much change yet."

Rossi nodded- that was to be expected. The poor kid had so much trauma to deal with, helping him was going to take a decent amount of time. He knew Hotch was relatively confident in the doctor he had chosen, and clearly the confidence was well founded if they could get Hotch into semi-comfortable clothing.

"So how exactly is the suit helping? Unless it makes you seem like less of a scary agent."

Hotch knew it was meant in jest and felt his mouth twitch a little bit. "No, Jack told Dr. Connelly about how he and Haley used to like to play soccer. The weather's good today and she said if the weather was good they'd play. Jack insisted I'd be allowed to play too."

Rossi nodded and smirked as the elevator stopped on the first floor. "Well, I hope Jack and his doctor take it easy on you," He teases. "It's been awhile since you've played."

Hotch did roll his eyes this time and just waved him off as the doors slid shut. He was never going to hear the end of this…

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Halfway across town, Nina was attempting to field her own frustration as she tried to balance her cell phone between her shoulder and her ear.

"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't kill you to be the one who picks up the phone every once in awhile!"

Sometimes Nina's favorite person in the world was also her least favorite.

"I'm sorry Lena, I've just been a little busy is all," Nina said, trying to hold the phone and put on her running pants at the same time. "I just got a new kid, so I've been putting together his file to figure out what he needs." She finally managed to get her pants on so that she could hold the phone like a normal person. "He's a really interesting case so I've needed to look through all of my unusual programs too…come to think of it, I could use some of my old theories from school-"

"All right, I know that it is important to you when you start chattering on like a monkey," Lena sighed. "Just keep in mind that my daughter would like to hear her aunt and godmother's voice MORE than once every two weeks."

Immediately Nina relaxed and smiled. "How is Willow?" She asked, the softness in her tone apparent.

"She's doing great," Lena said, happier at the mention of her little girl. "She loves the sticker book you sent her; she has Frozen characters all over her toybox."

Nina grinned as she pulled her keys from her purse and looked the door behind her. "Well, if you and Liam are looking for a little 'alone time,' I would be happy to take her for a sing-along night."

"I knew there was a reason I named you godmother!" Lena cried dramatically, making Nina laugh.

"Hey, I'm about to get in the car, so we can set up the details later okay?" Nina said, sliding into her Camry and buckling up.

"Sure, sure. If you have any time for family this weekend, just give me a call," Lena teased before hanging up.

Nina held the phone to her ear for a few more seconds, heart heavy at her sister's last words. She had said them in jest, but she'd said them before in anger. Her mother had too.

Nina closed her eyes for a brief moment and shook herself. She needed to focus on her work- Jack Hotchner needed her help, not her problems.

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Nina got to the office only an hour before Jack and Hotch, greeting Thea before walking into her office. She filled out a few files before going out to the field in back of the office to set up some makeshift goals for the soccer game. She had come back inside and was tying her long brown hair back into a ponytail when she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"You know, most doctors wear long coats to work." Nina looked up to see the smirk on Dr. Lisa Braden's face as she leaned in the doorway.

She smirked right back. "Well, it would be pretty hard to play soccer in a lab coat, wouldn't it?" She said sassily.

Lisa laughed. "You know, sometimes I think that you use recreational therapy to your advantage too."

Nina shrugged playfully, walking out into the waiting are just in time to see Jack and Hotch walk in. She had to hold in a laugh at Hotch's jumpsuit- after seeing him look so professional all the time, it was hilarious to see him look both comfortable and yet so uncomfortable at the same time.

"Miss Nina!" Jack said excitedly, running over to her. "We're all dressed up to play! Even Daddy!"

"I can see that," Nina said, eyes twinkling as she looked at Hotch. "You both look very sporty."

She turned to Lisa. "This is my newest buddy Jack," She said. She never called the kids 'patients' for the same reason that she wouldn't let them call her doctor. She wanted them to trust her, open up, and not look at her like she was a scary grownup. It was easier to trust someone who treated you like a person.

"Jack, this is Miss Lisa. She works here too."

Jack looked up at the woman innocently. "Are you going to play with us too?" He asked sweetly, making Lisa almost feel bad for having to say no.

"I can't sweetie, I have to go get some of my work done," She said apologetically. "But I hope you and your dad will have fun!" She shook Hotch's hand, smiling. "It's nice to meet you, Mr…?"

"Hotchner," Hotch supplied, feeling a little silly for wearing a track suit while this woman was wearing official clothes.

Nina sensed his discomfort and clapped her hands together. "Well, we're wasting good weather! Jack, Aaron, I've got a couple of goals set up out back." She directed them towards the doors and Jack waved at Lisa.

"It was good to meet you," Aaron said politely before following Jack outside.

"You too!" Lisa said. As soon as Hotch's back was to her, she raised her eyebrows suggestively at Nina and mouthed, 'He's hot!'