Hotch at the Beach

'You grow up the day you have your first real laugh, at yourself '~ Ethel Barrymore.

I do not own Criminal Minds.

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"It's like Hotch at the beach"

The memory of those words spoken by his younger team member and the resulting laughter still stung a little bit. He ignored it at first but later when he thought about it he really began to wonder why the idea of him at the beach was such a ludicrous and laughable idea.

He more he thought about it the more determined he was to prove to his team he could be as casual and sun loving as the rest of them. So at the the first opportunity for time off he took Jack and one of his young cousins to vacation at Virginia Beach.

Now here he sat in full glorious sunshine. He watched as Jack and his cousin raced gleefully up and down the long stretches of white sand. Jack stopped and waved his arms at him.

"Daddy c'mon, come swimming with us," shouted Jack.

"Maybe later, I'll just watch, you guys have fun and don't go too deep," he yelled back.

He smiled as he watched the two boys race into the waves. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. He was certainly glad he wore his dark sunglasses. He could see Jack and his nephew quite clearly. He leaned back in his beach chair. The boys just threw their towels on the sand to sit on but Hotch recalled of how sand could get into virtually everything plus he was a little squicked out by the memory of Reid once rambling on about seagull fecal matter in sand.

The boys were having such fun, he was glad he decided to do this. It had taken him a long time to find his swim trunks but eventually he did and found them as comfortable as boxer shorts so if he joined the boys in the water all he would have to do was pull off his black pants and he was ready.

He found it necessary to wear a t-shirt to avoid sunburn, the little guys were coated in sunscreen but it was just as practical to wear a long sleeved white shirt as well to cover his arms, less messy too.

The same with his shoes and socks, He didn't want his feet to burn. He had also slipped his jacket on when he saw the wind was blowing sand on it.

The boys were splashing each other; he really should take a picture. He picked up his cell phone and scowled. The BAU could call him at any time and he might have to leave. He pulled his tie a little tighter. At least he would be ready when and if they did.

He snapped a pic of the boys. He was filled with a sense of smug satisfaction. Yup, if his team could only see him now. He was practically a beach bum. He sat up straighter in his lawn chair to keep a better watch on the kids. He barely registered the two girls that walked past him in bikinis.

"Who's the nut in the suit," giggled the one young woman.

"Shh, probably some mental patient on a day pass, let's keep moving" her friend whispered.

The two girls burst into laughter and ran further down the beach.

Hotch didn't notice. He was thinking about Spencer Reid and his remark about the beach.

"Really, the stuff that kid thinks is funny,"

FIN.

AN: just a little shortie one shot. Please read and review.