Anote1: The plot bunny attacks. And are you guys crushing on my Hotch? He's mine!!! Muwhahaha!

Chapter 11-Dangerous distractions

Hotch held onto his pen a little more firmly as he heard the knock on the door.

'Enter,' he called, increasing his pace as he tried to finish the last sentence before his colleague walked in.

He held out one hand to take the report- still not looking up from his case file. 'Almost finished with this one. How are you guys doing out there?'

Alarmed, his head flew up when instead of the case file he was expecting, someone held on to his hand firmly.

'Sean!!!' Hotch bellowed in surprise and he quickly stood up to embrace his brother.

The young man's eyes widened in some amazement at this emotional display but he returned the hug warmly. He was glad he listened to the voice in his head and got on that plane. Something WAS wrong with his big brother.

Hotch waved him into a seat in front the desk before picking up his cell phone to check for messages.

'Why didn't you call?' he asked a little accusingly when he realized he had no unread messages or missed calls. 'Are you okay?'

'Do I need a reason to visit?' Sean scowled, deliberately trying to tick off his sibling.

The initial euphoria of seeing someone he loved at an unexpected time and place was beginning to wear off under this obvious deflection.

'Tell me,' the older man commanded.

Sean looked at the mess scattered on the desk. He knew that his brother was impossibly neat, so for it to have reached this point meant he was under some stress.

'I can see I came at a bad time,' he commented rising from his chair and grabbing his leather coat.

His brother hastily closed all the open files and stacked them to one side.

'No, it's fine,' the agent lied. 'See? All done.'

The boy raised an eyebrow at this unusual behavior, but his brother was trying, so he held on to his nervousness and once again relaxed in the visitor's chair.

'I am fine. I didn't call because I knew you would talk me out of skipping classes,' he admitted in a more reasonable tone.

Hotch leapt out of his chair to tower over him, 'You WHAT??!!!'

With an exasperated sigh the chef in training draped his hands over his stomach and studied the ceiling while his beloved brother worked it out his system.

'It's just a dumb pastry class. Calm down Hiccup,' Sean explained when the agent finally regained his seat.

'Don't call me that!'

'What? Hiccup?' he asked innocently enjoying the other man's discomfort.

He fought not to laugh as the older man scowled menacingly. Did his brother really think that expression could scare anyone? The older man had put on some weight since the funeral, (Thank you God!), but Sean could detect a new strain in his face.

'I don't care if you can run circles around your pastry teacher. You shouldn't be missing classes!' the man lectured sternly.

The young man leaned forward across the desk, 'Penelope called me. Are you alright?'

Whatever the man expected his wild baby brother to say, it was certainly not this.

'Yes I am fine,' he responded automatically. 'What did she say?'

Sean rolled his eyes. His brother would say he was great even if he had been shot.

'Don't get mad at her or anything. She didn't tell me to come. She said your mood was a bit off, and she was just running through your people as a precaution. I coaxed her into telling me more and she said an Unsub almost brained you with a crow bar last week because you were looking in the opposite direction.'

The older man took a deep breath before leaning back in his executive chair.

What had really happened was that he had lost sight of Prentiss in the field and he had panicked. Thank God Reid had been close by and had noticed the psychopath creeping in the shadows.

Sean could see the mask starting to click into place on the man in front of him.

'Don't shut me out!' he begged. 'I want to help. Let ME be the good brother for once!'

Now that got his attention.

'I am sorry,' Hotch apologized humbly, pained by the look of agony that was stamped on Sean's face. 'I am sorry. I never meant to push you away'

'Then tell me,' he pleaded, repeating the same words that his brother had used on him not a few minutes ago.

'Garcia is right. I have been a bit distracted,' the man admitted quietly.

'Jack?' he inquired anxiously.

The agent leaned forward and placed his laced hands in front of him on the desk.

'Jack is fine. Coloring everything in sight; the tablecloth, the walls, FBI case files…my shirts.'

The scared expression melted off the young man's face as was the intention.

'So what's got your panties in a twist?' he wanted to know.

A knock on the door made them both turn around as an agent walked in without permission, dark head buried in a case file.

'Hotch, I think you made a mistake in this one or else your handwriting is so bad that I …' she began pausing awkwardly when she saw he had company.

'Whoa,' the visitor muttered loud enough for everyone to hear and the woman blushed prettily under his intense scrutiny. The two tall men automatically stood to greet the newcomer.

Hotch cleared his throat and stared at his brother meaningfully warning him to mind his manners, 'Emily you remember my baby brother Sean...'

The cook glowered at this demeaning introduction. Aaron had a way of making him sound as if he was still in diapers.

'I really hate it when you do that!'

'Do what?' the elder man shot back teasingly.

'Oh please. Do not start with me. I know things about you that you don't even know, Hiccup,' the young man threatened.

Emily's ears perked up at this feisty but loving exchange.

'Hiccup?' she asked curiously, shaking Sean's hand.

Hotch cut his brother off by shoving him out of the way, 'Can you give us a minute?'

The woman smiled at these boyish antics and quickly back pedaled out the door.

'Whoa!' Sean repeated staring after her from where he had tumbled onto the couch, 'How do you get any work done with women like that walking around? She's a fox!'

The slim young man waited for a reprimand and was surprised when his brother snapped open the file the woman had handed him. This in itself was not worth commenting on but for the fact that the file was upside down.

'Aaron?' he called softly, a big Cheshire grin starting to fill his handsome face.

The man closed the file and threw it on his desk in frustration.

'Yes. She's a fox.'

Anote2: Before anyone asks, no Sean is not going to cause trouble for Aaron. I get the oddest comments and questions from my lovely readers at times.