Reid wasn't quite sure when he had noticed something different in the way he thought about Hotch; all he was sure of was that something had changed, or at least something previously unnoticed had come to his attention. He couldn't put his finger on it but he found he rather liked the change. It made him feel… well if he had to put a name to it he'd say it made him feel cozy.

The day he noticed it had started out normal, like any other day between cases. He got up at the same time, stopped for coffee on his way into work and had half his paper work done before Morgan even arrived and started his own. He went to get a refill like usual as an excuse to not notice Morgan slipping files onto his desk and pretended he didn't notice the pile of what he had left had almost doubled during his absence to the break room. Everything was normal for a paper work day, at least until Hotch, standing on the platform outside his office, called across the pen to Reid.

With his normal authority in his voice, Hotch called, "Reid, my office."

Reid gulped as he stood and walked toward the steps that lead onto the platform. He had no idea what he had done wrong but he could have sworn that Hotch was irritated, even though he was impossible to read fully. As Reid entered his boss's office he was directed to sit on the couch. Reid sat down, hands folded in his lap, eyes glued to the floor, as he heard the other man close the door and make his way to sit next to him on the couch. Reid only looked up when he heard Hotch clear his throat. Hesitantly, he asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Reid watched as Hotch raised an eyebrow at him in question, "Why do you think you're in trouble? Did you do something wrong?" Hotch turned to face Reid better as he studied the younger man's face.

Reid didn't know how to responded, so after a moment of thinking he quietly responded, "No, not that I'm aware of, it's just that, well, you seemed irritated when you called me."

Both of Hotch's eyebrows rose as he quietly asked, "You could read that off me?"

Reid shrugged, he wasn't really sure himself what he saw, so he simply answered, "I think I read it from your face, but I'm not completely sure, it was more of a gut feeling."

Hotch smiled faintly as he confirmed, "You're right, but my irritation isn't with you, rather for you, Spencer."

At this Reid looked at Hotch in surprise. It was not often Spencer heard his first name from anyone aside from his mother and JJ, and even them it was still usually a nickname. To hear it from his boss was exceedingly rare and it got his full attention. "What do you mean?" Spencer was trying his best to read his boss without profiling him, but that was easier said then done.

Hotch's smile grew slightly, not yet a grin, but more of a smile then was often on the team leaders face. Then it fell just as quickly as he put a hand on Spencer's shoulder. He answered the question in his normal, stoic voice. "I over looked it when you let Morgan put a couple files on your desk, even when Prentiss joined in when she was here, but he gave you nearly half of his work load today and you didn't even bat an eye, Spencer. First of all, it is horribly unprofessional on his part, and greatly unfair to you, and second, he is taking advantage of not only your mind but also your generosity. It's not right, Spencer." Hotch refused to break eye contact and Reid found he couldn't look away, the feeling of the older man's hand a warm comfort on his shoulder.

After a moment Reid took a deep breath and attempted to say something, never taking his eyes off of Hotch's, afraid that if he did the concern he could see in the other man's eyes would disappear forever. Eventually, he managed a weak, "I don't mind, Hotch. I could get both our workloads done before Morgan even got through half of his." Reid could tell it wasn't excuse enough for Hotch, so with a shrug he added, "He's my friend; I like helping my friends."

Hotch sighed slightly as he ignored the obvious flaw in Spencer's logic, that Morgan shouldn't be taking advantage of his friend, but instead chose to go with a more positive approach. "Okay, but I enjoy helping my friends too and seeing as you are one of them, Spencer, I want to help by pointing out that doing his work for him does nothing to really help him, but does cost you time you could otherwise be spending on consult cases; which you love doing."

Hotch had yet to remove his hand and as he looked into his boss's eyes more and more concern was becoming evident and he found he couldn't think of an argument. It was true, he loved doing consult cases, and doing Morgan's work did take away time he could spend on them at work. After a moment of silence Hotch retracted his hand and stood up, buttoning his suit jacket as he walked toward the office door. As he was reaching for the door he turned back and told Spencer to wait in his office. Spencer went to the office window that looked down on the bull pen as he watched Hotch go to his desk, pick up the unfinished pile of paper work and proceed to drop in onto a startled Morgan's desk. Reid could here Blake snickering even in Hotch's office. Without any actual exchange of words it was made clear to Derek that he had crossed the line and that next time words would be exchanged. With a minuet nod from Derek, Hotch turned on his heels and headed back toward his office.

He grabbed Spencer's messenger bag, as well as his go bag, on his way past the younger man's desk. Reentering his office, he threw the messenger bag lightly toward Spencer, grabbed his own go bag and brief case and headed back out the door, not even a word to explain to Spencer what was going on.

After a moment of stunned silence he raced after his boss, who was waiting patiently at the elevators, and only once the doors had closed behind him did he manage to ask, "Where are we going?"

Hotch looked at him, as stoic as ever, as he simply said, "You and I were requested for a consult. We don't have the jet so we'll be driving there."

Reid nodded. He didn't need to know any more at that moment so they rode the rest of the way down to the parking garage in comfortable silence.

Note: Takes place mid-season Nine.