Hey guys,so another chapter for you all! I really hope you enjoy it! Please please please let me know what you think. I love hearing from you all and seeing if you like the direction this is going or if you want me to change it a little or what not! I'm starting to work on the next chapter and will have it posted as soon as it is finished!

Happy Reading:)

p
Brooke took a deep breath and pinched her cheeks one more time to make sure they looked extra flushed and then headed out to the kitchen where Hotch was getting breakfast ready.

"Morning,Brooke. You about ready to," Hotch stopped mid-sentence when he saw Brooke still in her pajama's.

"I don't feel well,can I please stay here?" Brooke asked,chewing her lower lip and crossing her fingers behind her back.

"What's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts and my head is pounding."

Hotch took a breath and blew the air out slowly and ran his hand through his hair, "I think it would be good for you to be back in it is just nerves?"

"Please,Hotch. I really don't feel well."

"I'll make you a deal. You at least try to go and make it through a class or two and if you still don't feel well I'll come get you."

Brooke blinked,fighting back tears, "Please,I'll go tomorrow. Just..I need a day."

Hotch looked a little closer,it was obvious she hadn't slept. He looked at the phone,the clock,then back at Brooke, "Go get dressed."

"But..please...I-"Brooke started.

"Brooke,just get dressed. If you still don't feel well in a couple hours I will come get you."

Brooke wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill over and turned and all but ran to her bedroom.

"Remember,just call if you want me to come get you in a couple hours," Hotch said to Brooke as he pulled up in the front of the school.

Brooke hesitated before opening the door and turned to Hotch one last time, "Please?Even if I'm still sick tomorrow I'll come but I just need a day."

"Just call if you're still sick," Hotch said,keeping his eyes straight ahead on the road. It was harder saying no if he could see the look in her eyes.

"Fine," Brooke said as she stepped out and slammed the door behind her.

"Rough night?" Rossi asked as Hotch walked past his office.

"No,rough morning."

Rossi laughed, "I'm sure she's just worried about Spencer. Maybe once she can see him things will change."

"I think there it's more then Spencer that's bothering her."

"We've suspected that ever since she joined cheerleading," Rossi pointed out.

"I know. Well,I guess we just keep going and hope that sooner or later she clues us in."

Rossi smiled, "Keep me posted on how that goes."

Hotch chuckled and nodded his head, "Will do."

The bell signaling classes started in two minutes rang and Brooke was still locked in the bathroom stall. Ever since she had walked into the school people had been staring at her and whispering but no one had talked to her.

She was about to step out when she heard the bathroom door open and Christina's voice reacher her, "Haven't seen her. Little slut is probably camped out in some bathroom stall."

"Christina,maybe Jake WAS lying and Brooke really is innocent," Brooke allowed a brief smile to cross her face as Leighton defended her.

"Whose side are you on,Leighton?"

"No one's. I'm neutral. I just think you may be going to far."

Brooke felt chills go down her back when Christina laughed, "Trust me,this is nothing to what I can do."

"She's just a kid."

"A 'kid' who was making out with the guy I've liked for ages," Christina shot back.

"She didn't know that though," Leighton tried again as the bell rang,signaling the start of classes.

"Neutral,huh? Sounds like you're choosing Brooke," Christina spat.

"No,I'm not. I'm just stating facts. Chill out,I'm not the enemy here. Come on,we're already late."

Brooke waited a few minutes until she was sure that Christina and Leighton were gone before she left the stall and headed to her locker to get her stuff,not caring that she was late.

JJ looked up when Hotch stepped out of his office, "Guys,we have a case."

"Traveling?" JJ asked as she stood up to follow the rest of the team to their meeting room.

Hotch nodded his head once and JJ sighed, "But,Reid needs us here. Brooke needs us here."

"I know that,JJ. But,people are dying and it's our job to save them."

"Reid's dying too."

Hotch didn't say anything and JJ realized that he knew that too.

Brooke gathered her books slowly as everyone else hurried out of the classroom. She wanted to make sure that there hardly anyone around when she went to her locker to get her stuff for her next class.

"Brooke?"

Brooke's head snapped up, "Yes, ?"

"Everything okay? You're going to be late again if you don't get going."

"Yeah,I know. I'm sorry," Brooke said as she shut her folder and stood up to leave.

"Don't be sorry. How's your brother doing?"

Brooke hesitated,no one knew that things had taken a turn for the worse and she wasn't sure if she wanted to reveal that information just yet, "He's...there's..um,no change."

"I'm really sorry. I'll keep praying for you know,if you ever need to talk I'm here."

"Right,thanks. Umm,I should probably.."Brooke trailed off and motioned her hand towards the door.

laughed, "Yeah,don't be late."

Brooke walked out and was relieved to see that the hallway was somewhat deserted. She took the hallway towards her locker but froze when she saw what few people were there,staring at something on the lockers. Brooke felt her heartbeat pick up as she walked closer to her locker,dreading what she would see.

"Wheels up in thirty," Hotch said as Garcia turned off the projector and the team started making their way out to their desks to grab what they needed.

"Hotch?" Garcia asked as Hotch was just about to the door.

"Yeah?" He paused,turning around.

"What are you going to do about Brooke?"

Hotch swore, "I didn't even think about that. We need everyone on this one too,you included. I need to go talk to Strauss. I'll be back."

As Brooke got closer to her locker the people standing around it turned to look at her and start laughing and then walked away slowly,looking back to see her reaction.

Brooke saw the bright yellow spray paint before she could actually read it but knew it wasn't something nice. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath then opened her eyes to see the word 'SLUT'.

"Real mature,Christina," Brooke mumbled as she spun the dial to get into her stuff.

As her locker opened Brooke realized the spray paint had gone through the vents and in turn covered her books that were in the area in yellow paint as well.

"No,no,no,no," Brooke said softly as she fought back tears. She slammed her locker shut and slid down and sat there. She pulled out her cell phone to call Hotch when she saw Christina walking down the hall towards her.

"I understand this isn't something that would normally happen but I don't know what else to do with her," Hotch said as he leaned forward on Erin Strauss's desk.

"No,it isn't something that would normally you absolutely need everyone on the team for this case?"

"I do. This unsub is a computer genius so it will make things easier to have Garcia with us and as fast as the killings are happening,I need all my agents available."

"Understood. Alright,she can go with but understand that if she hurts the investigation in anyways you'll be answering to me."

"She won't. Brooke is a good kid. She's old enough to keep herself busy. I would allow her to stay back by herself but with no idea on how long this case could take and what's going on with her brother,among other things..."

"I get it. It's a tough situation to be in," Strauss told her top agent.

Hotch stood up and shook Strauss's hand, "Thanks for understanding."

Strauss spoke up, stopping him with her words, "You're a good man,Aaron Hotchner, for taking care of her."

He turned and gave a rare smile, "Thanks. Like I said,she's a good kid. She reminds me a lot of me when I was that age."

Erin smiled, "I can see that. Now,go solve the case and get back here to as soon as possible. I'll check in on him while you're gone."

Hotch nodded and shut the door behind him and then reached in his pocket for his cell phone to call Brooke's school.

Brooke looked up briefly as Christina came to a stop in front of her, "What do you want,Christina?" she asked tiredly.

"What's wrong?Can't handle a little truth?"

Brooke stood up to her full height,she wasn't going to let Christina talk down to her, "What truth?I'm not a slut. I TALKED to Jake that night,that's it. We talked and maybe flirted but that's it."

Christina roller her eyes, "Right,because he would totally make that up."

"Obviously he would and you're just too stupid to see it," Brooke blurted out,instantly regretting her words.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me."

"I would take that back if I were you,Brooke."

"Or what?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Brooke hesitated and Christina took that opportunity to keep going, "No,you don't want to know because it scares you. You're scared,Brooklyn Reid,and you should be. I made you into who you are and can just as easily take it all away from you. Without me,you wouldn't be where you are."

"Where's that?In Hell?" Brooke shot back,without thinking.

Christina froze for a split second, "If you think this is Hell,you're in for a real awakening."

The two stared at each other for a moment longer and then Christina turned to walk off but froze when Brooke spoke, "I quit."

Christina laughed, "Oh honey,if only it was that simple. You don't just quit. I don't like you,not after what you did to me,but do you think it's just that simple?You just get to quit and this all goes away?"

"I don't expect it to just go away,I'm not stupid."

"Are you really going to be that selfish?Just quit and leave the team to find a replacement. It pains me to say this but you're good and if you want to quit and desert everyone,fine. But,take it up with coach and have fun explaining why you're leaving."

Brooke remained silent and Christina smiled, "That's what I thought. See you at practice," and with that Christina was gone.

Closing her eyes and sinking back down to the floor,Brooke sat there wondering what she was going to do now. She sat there for a few minutes longer,not caring that she was really late to her next class, when she heard her name being called over the loudspeaker,summoning her to the office.

"You're joking,right?" Brooke asked Hotch as they stood in the office.

"Nope,not joking. Go get your stuff and meet me outside as fast as you can."

"But,I have cheerleading and homework and classes."

"Sorry,kiddo. I don't have any other options. I can't let you stay back by yourself when I have no clue how long this case is going to take."

"This isn't fair,Hotch."

"I know and I'm sorry but like I said,I'm out of options."

Brooke crossed her arms, "Strauss can't be okay with this."

"She is. I talked to her this morning and she agreed it was the only thing to do. You'll share a room with Emily,JJ,or Garcia at night. During the day you can either come to the precinct with us or wander around town but you can't stay here alone."

"What about school though?"

"It's fine. Everyone that needs to know about the situation knows so go get your stuff,we need to get going."

Brooke turned and stalked out the door leaving Hotch to wonder why she was suddenly so against leaving school.