Author's Note: WOW! I was overwhelmed by all the reviews, THANK YOU! The reviews really provide motivation for me, I appreciate those who took the time to submit one. Also, thanks to Rachel and others on the Joe Lando MB for your kind comments. I will try not to slack on this story (Mary), even though I already have so many ideas for a fall fanfic. This one should be wrapped up soon, though. It's interesting to me that a lot of reviewers enjoy the interaction between Shelby and Sophie. I loved their scenes together on the show, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one! :-) Enjoy!
"Discover Yourself" - Act 13
Disclaimer: The characters of Peter, Sophie, Shelby, Juliette, Scott, Auggie, Daisy, Ezra, and Kat do not belong to me.
"Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength." - Tao te Ching
Sophie stepped out of her tent and took in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. "Oh, what a beautiful day this is going to be," she said contentedly.
"Hey, where are you going?" Peter peeked his head out of the tent, grumbling as he squinted at the early morning sun's brightness. "Soph, do we have to get up yet?"
Laughing, Sophie patted the top of his head. "Yes, Peter, be a good boy and get up now."
Groaning yet again, Peter emerged a moment later from the tent, dressed only from the waist down. He came up behind Sophie and tackled her, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her into the air.
"Put me down," Sophie hollered between laughs.
"Only if I get a good morning kiss," Peter replied, grinning ear to ear.
"Deal," Sophie panted, out of breath from the struggle. Peter set her down, and Sophie obligingly turned around and planted a big kiss on Peter, then stood back and looked at him, grinning.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You're so cute when you act like a little boy," she teased him.
Peter kept grinning, a mischievous look in his eye. "Well, this little boy wants to play doctor. And you, Sophie Becker Scarbrow, are my next patient." He grabbed Sophie again and picked her up, heading back toward the tent.
"Peter, no!" Sophie gasped, legs kicking. "We have to get everyone from their solo sites and head back to Horizon."
"There's plenty of time for that. Besides, who knows when we'll be alone again?" Peter set Sophie down as they stood in front of her tent.
Sophie quickly thought over his proposal, then nodded her head. "We'd better get to it, then." She laughed as she entered the tent, pulling Peter in behind her.
"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Glenn said, looking approvingly at her. Shelby panicked, she didn't know what to do.
"You need to leave - NOW!" Shelby told Glenn in her bravest voice, backing away from him.
"Aw, come on, pretty little thing. Is that any way to talk to me, after all the nice things I've done for you and your mama?" He smiled a sickening smile as he moved closer.
Shelby's mind was racing. *Think. Use my tools. That's what Peter would say to do.* She made a dash for her mom's bedroom, with Glenn close behind. Shelby slammed the door closed and tried to lock it before Glenn could open it, but her strength was no match for his, as he finally shoved the door open, sending her to the floor.
He moved and stood over her, leering down at her. "So, playing tough to get, huh? That's okay, I like it a little rough!" Before Shelby could move, he quickly scooped her up and threw her on the bed.
*Not again! I won't let this happen again!* Shelby frantically clawed at the bedspread as she tried to escape from under Glenn's hold, but he now had all his weight on her. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her flailing arms and pinned them above her head.
"NO!" Shelby screamed, as she pushed one last time with all her might, to no avail. Shelby closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she was looking up at Walt's face.
"Shh, you don't want to wake up your mother, do you?" He smiled as tears started coursing down Shelby's cheeks. "Now, that's my good girl."
Shelby squeezed her eyes shut again, then heard loud music in the background. She opened her eyes to look up at a man she didn't recognize.
"Come on, sweetheart. I paid good money for this." He reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Shelby practically gagged from the smell as she shut her eyes yet again.
"Skank." Shelby heard the one word and cringed. She recognized that voice. *No, he can't see me this way,* she thought in a panic. She opened her eyes, to see Scott standing over her.
"What, I'm not good enough for you, but all these other guys are?" Scott's anger was visible as he moved toward her.
"No, Scott, it's not like that..." Shelby whispered through her tears, trying to cover her body with the sheet.
"Then what's it like? Huh, Shel? Don't you wanna share?" His face became contorted as he started to climb on top of her.
"No, Scott, stop!" Shelby screamed hysterically. "Please, not you, too! Scott, stop!"
"Whore!" "Skank!" "Pretty little thing." "Sweetheart." "My good girl." Shelby sobbed as the voices and faces faded in and out.
Waking with a sudden start, Shelby tried to get her bearings. Her heart was pounding so loud, it was all she could hear. She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down.
*Oh, no. The sun's already up. Peter will be here soon!* Hurrying to change clothes, Shelby made her mind focus on the task at hand instead of the awful nightmare.
Sophie and Peter finally started to round up the group. They divided duties the same as the night before: Sophie was to retrieve Mike, Liz, and Ali, while Peter fetched Shelby, Lynn, and Troy.
Sophie first went to Mike's campsite and discovered he was nowhere to be found. Becoming alarmed after searching for him nearby, she decided to get Liz and Ali before letting Peter know that Mike was missing.
Liz hurried over to Sophie as soon as she was in sight. "Oh, I don't think I've ever been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Liz exclaimed with a bright smile.
Sophie chuckled as Liz gathered up her things. "Did any wild animals come?" she teased.
"No," Liz answered, rolling her eyes. "But you'll be happy to know that I did answer some questions."
Sophie nodded in approval. "That's great, Liz. But did you answer them to please me, or for your own benefit?"
Liz bit her lip. "Can we just talk about it later? I'm dying for a hot shower back at Horizon." She looked over at Sophie hopefully, who nodded and smiled.
"Sure. By the way, have you seen Mike?"
Peter couldn't help but smile as he came within view of Shelby's campsite. She had done everything properly, from dousing the fire to putting her tent away. She sat on a log by the ashes, waiting expectantly.
"Hey, Shel. How was it?" Peter asked enthusiastically.
"Just great, Peter," Shelby mumbled in return.
They walked in silence toward Lynn's campsite. Peter glanced over at Shelby, noticing her puffy, red eyes. There were dark circles under her eyes, too, but those had been there for the past few days now. *She's getting worse instead of better,* Peter thought worriedly.
"Shelby," Peter hesitated, "I think we need to have a talk." Shelby started to protest, but Peter cut her off. "Not here - later. Sophie and I have let you have your fair share of alone time, but I know that the past couple of weeks have been hell for you,"
"You don't know anything," Shelby interrupted angrily.
Peter sighed. "Okay, that's fair. True, I don't know what you've been going through. But that's why we're going to talk. You, me, and Sophie. Okay?"
Shelby looked away from Peter, not responding. Peter let it go, as they came upon Lynn's campsite.
Sophie's plan was to get Ali and take her and Liz back to the main campsite, then go back for Mike. *Surely, he'll be there by then,* she thought, trying not to worry.
As they drew near Ali's solo site, Sophie noted in surprise that Ali's tent remained standing.
"Maybe she's still asleep," Liz suggested, thinking along the same lines as Sophie.
"Yeah, maybe." Sophie approached the tent and tapped on the top. "Alison! Rise and shine, we need to get back!"
There was a sudden rustling in the tent, startling Sophie and Liz.
"Sophie, give me a minute to get changed," Ali said, trying to sound casual. She looked over at Mike, who was grinning at her as he rubbed her leg. Ali brushed his hand off, and held up her hands as if to say, 'what do we do now'.
Liz was getting impatient. "Come on, Ali. I'm hungry and dirty and want to get back to Horizon now!" she whined.
Inside the tent, Ali quickly changed clothes, while Mike tried to hide a snicker at Liz's whining. She held a finger up to her lips, indicating for him to keep quiet, then nearly tripped as she exited the tent while trying to keep the flap partially closed.
"Do you want us to help you take down the tent?" Sophie offered, puzzled at Ali's flushed face and obvious nervousness.
"Uh, no. That's okay. I'll do it." Ali was working herself into a true panic. *How am I going to get out of this?!?*
"Ali, are you alright?" Sophie asked, concerned by Ali's increasing anxiety.
Ali felt like she could burst into tears at any moment. *This is a nightmare,* she thought miserably. "Yeah, I'm fine, I..."
"Good morning, ladies!" Mike burst out of the tent, all smiles. Sophie and Liz stood open-mouthed, staring at him in shock, while Ali looked down at the ground.
Sophie quickly regained her composure. "Okay, you two, what is going on here?" she demanded. She looked at Ali, who would not meet her gaze, then at Mike, who was starting to look a bit uncomfortable.
"Isn't it obvious what is going on here?" Liz said incredulously. "Mike, you and Ali? Come on! I can't believe it!"
Immediately, Ali's head snapped up, her eyes blazing. "What exactly can't you believe, Liz?" Ali said in a low voice
*Uh-oh,* thought Sophie. *This looks like the scene that played out yesterday between Liz and Shelby.* Sophie started to interrupt the exchange, but Liz spoke up first.
I just can't fathom why Mike would be interested in you," Liz said coolly, meeting Ali's steely gaze.
"Maybe he needed a real woman," Ali shot back.
Mike was rubbing the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. "Uh, ladies..."
"Shut up, Mike," Liz hissed. "Ali, I highly doubt that I left Mike unsatisifed. But maybe I wasn't enough for him, especially if he prefers... plus-sized women, shall we say. Isn't that the definition of a 'real' woman these days?"
"You bitch!" Ali lunged toward Liz, but Sophie jumped between them before they came in contact.
"Both of you, back off - NOW!" Sophie glared at Liz and Ali, before looking over at Mike. "You, take down the tent and pack it up."
"How dare you!" Ali yelled at Liz over Sophie's head. "So he picked the fat girl over you, deal with it!"
Liz laughed sardonically. "Ali, please. I just wouldn't give him what he wanted any more, so he went to you for some physical pleasure. He knew you'd give in. When was the last time you got any action?"
Ali was horrified to realize she was crying. "You don't know what you're talking about," she said in a hoarse voice. Ali looked over at Mike, who hung his head. *He's ashamed,* she thought despairingly, *ashamed to be caught with me. I can't stand it.* She took off running, away from the site.
"Stay here, and pack up the tent!" Sophie yelled over her shoulder as she followed Ali. Used to the forest, Sophie easily caught up to Ali, who then stopped running.
"Leave me alone!" Ali yelled at Sophie, trying to walk away from her.
Sophie reached out and grabbed Ali's jacket, pulling her around to face her. "Ali, look at me," Sophie said firmly but gently.
Ali looked at Sophie, then quickly looked away. "I can't," she whispered.
Sophie watched as Ali wiped her eyes with shaky hands. "Why can't you look at me?"
Ali took a deep breath, willing herself to stop crying. "Because, when I look at you, I see that look on your face. It's a look of pity for the fat girl, but at the same time you're trying to hide your look of disgust, because you think I should be able to lose weight and get in shape." She suddenly looked directly at Sophie. "Whether you want to admit it or not, there is a part of you that prays to God that you never look like me. You're appalled when you see people like me."
Sophie shook her head, trying to understand Ali's pain. "No, Ali, I don't pity you, and I'm not disgusted by you. But I do think you're hurting, and I'd like to help you get rid of some of that pain, if you'll let me." Sophie reached out to put her hand on Ali's shoulder, who shook it off.
"We need to get back," Ali said, in a voice void of emotion. She began walking back toward the site, with Sophie following.
"There will have to be consequences to your and Mike's actions," Sophie said cautiously, watching Ali's face.
Ali remained stoic. "Fine, I'll pack up my things and go home when we get back to Horizon."
"Ali, that's not what I meant," Sophie said, exasperated.
Arriving back at the site, Ali and Sophie were relieved to see the tent had been taken down. The four silently finished tearing down the site.
"We have to go back to Mike's site and get his stuff, then we can go back," Sophie informed the others.
"Sophie, that's not fair! Why can't we just go back now, and make him go back and get it himself?" Liz pouted.
Sophie sighed. *And here I thought I'd be dealing with mature people this summer,* she thought wryly. "Like it or not, Liz, we're a team. We stick together."
"Hey, Ali, is this yours?" Mike held up Ali's packet of questions.
Ali walked over to retrieve the packet from Mike. As he handed it to her, he whispered, "I'm sorry," and squeezed her hand.
"Ali, do you want to turn in your packet for us to review?" Sophie asked, hoping she'd say yes.
Ali, concentrating on Mike, simply nodded and handed the packet to Sophie.
Sophie sighed, making a mental note to call Peter and tell him they'd be late getting back. "Okay, guys, let's go."
"Hey, guys, I just heard from Sophie." Peter looked around at Shelby, Lynn and Troy. "She said something came up, they'll be a while yet. So, I guess we can just chill out here until then."
Shelby rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. *At least I got some reaction out of her,* Peter thought hopefully, watching as Shelby went over to sit by herself and write in her journal.
Troy followed Lynn over to another log and sat down beside her. "So, how was your solo?" he asked in his usual easygoing manner.
She smiled back at him. *Why does he have to be so charming?* "It was okay, but I'll be glad to get back to civilization. How about you?"
Troy laughed softly. "I did some good thinking, but I think I'd better get used to being apart from civilization."
"What do you mean?" Lynn asked, confused.
Troy grinned. "Well, I'm actually going to be a counselor here at Horizon next semester. I've worked the details out with Peter, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Lynn looked at Troy like he'd just grown two heads. "Wow. Troy, that's a big change. What made you decide to do that?"
Troy shrugged. "Right now, I teach kids, but I don't feel like I make a big impact on them. This is a chance to give to kids, help them out. And I'll still teach a few classes, too, which is an added bonus for me. I'm really excited about it."
Lynn shook her head in amazement. "I really admire you for doing it. I don't think I could handle it."
"Sure you could." Troy turned and looked at her intently. "Are you happy with your job now?"
Lynn squirmed uncomfortably under Troy's direct gaze. "Yeah, I love my job, it's everything to me."
"Everything? How can a job be everything in your life?" Troy asked, puzzled.
"Easy. My job is my life, sad but true." Lynn was wishing they hadn't gotten on the topic of her job.
"Well, if it's 'sad but true', why don't you do something to change it?" Troy suggested.
Lynn suddenly gave him a cold look. "Because I can't change it, that's just the way it is. My life is fine the way it is." *Who am I trying to convince?* she wondered silently.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Troy said softly, wondering why she put up walls whenever he started to get closer to her.
Lynn sighed. "No, it's okay. I should be the one to apologize. You're probably right, Troy, I could use a little change in my life."
Troy smiled. "Well, I have the perfect solution. Claire and I will be moving back up here in a few weeks to get acclimated before the kids come back from summer vacation. Maybe we could meet you somewhere between here and your home?"
"I - I don't know," Lynn stuttered, not expecting his proposal. "I'll have a lot of work to catch up on when I get back."
Troy decided to be completely honest. "I'd really like to see you again after the summer program ends." He slowly reached over and took her hand in his.
Lynn could feel her face burning. Part of her wanted to scream yes, but the other part of her wanted to tell him to leave her alone for good. It had been a long time since she'd had butterflies in her stomach, just from someone looking at her the way Troy was looking at her right that very moment.
Lynn left her hand in Troy's but looked away. "I just don't know if it would be a good idea."
"Why not?" Troy was even more puzzled than before. "Look, Lynn, you're the first woman who I've even considered dating, much less introducing to Claire, since Linda died." He took his hand away from hers. "I thought maybe the feelings I have for you were mutual."
"Troy, it's not you, it's..." Lynn's voice trailed off as she searched for the right answer, but there wasn't one. "I'm just not a good person to get involved with."
"What do you mean, you're not a good person to get involved with?" Troy was completely baffled. "I'm a pretty good judge of character, Lynn, and I think you are a wonderfully caring, bright, strong woman. Any man would be lucky to become involved with you."
"There are just some things about me that you might not like, once you would come to know me better," Lynn said hesitantly.
"So give me that chance. Give me the chance to get to know you better. That's all I'm asking for." Troy looked at her earnestly.
Against her better judgement, Lynn nodded. "Okay, I'll go on a date with you," she said, smiling.
"Great," Troy beamed.
*What have I gotten myself into?* Lynn wondered.
Sophie smiled as Peter came out of the bathroom. "How was the shower?" she asked.
"Nice and hot, it was great," he replied, looking at the bed. It was covered with papers and notebooks. "Soph, what are you doing?"
Sophie smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't wait, sorry. I was too anxious to read everyone's questionnaires and journals."
"Well, I'm going to go back to campus and check to see how everyone is. I imagine they're still recuperating from the hike back. Plus, it's about dinner time, and you're looking at one hungry boy." Peter grinned at Sophie as he continued dressing.
"Do you mind if I stay here and read these? I'll just fix myself some soup or something, I don't mind." Sophie had just begun to delve into everything, she didn't want to leave now.
"Okay, fine. I know when I'm not going to win." Peter came over to her.
"You're a wise man, Peter Scarbrow." Sophie smiled as he leaned down and kissed her. "Are you going to take Shelby with you?" she asked him.
"Yeah, if she'll ride in the car with just me," Peter whispered dubiously. "She's still not trusting me, Soph, but at least she's starting to respond more."
Sophie nodded. "Her questionnaire is one I want to read first. You're right, Peter, we'll have to talk with her soon."
"And - we still have to figure out what to do about Mike and Ali," Peter commented, frowning. "Next time, Soph, let's not make the summer program co-ed. Okay?" He winked and gave her another kiss.
"Sounds good to me," Sophie agreed, giggling.
Lynn and Liz started to head out of the girls' dorm for dinner. "Are you coming, Ali?" Lynn asked, looking with concern at the figure lying on the bed.
Ali shook her head. "No, I'm not hungry. Go ahead." She got up and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Lynn picked up on the tension between Ali and Liz during the hike back earlier, but she still hadn't figured out what had happened. "Liz, what's going on?" she demanded.
"I don't know what you mean." Liz held up her hands innocently. "She's not hungry. Let's go." She turned and walked out the door.
Lynn looked back again toward the bathroom door but decided there was nothing she could do for Ali. She hurried to catch up with Liz on their way to the main lodge.
Sophie leaned back against the pillow, rereading Shelby's journal entry and answers. She desperately wanted Shelby to know that none of it - the rape, the abuse Shelby and Jess suffered - was her fault, but Sophie knew only Shelby could come to that conclusion. Shelby's answer about knowing when it was time to move on scared Sophie. *I hope she won't try to run when it's time for the Cliffhangers to come back,* she worried. She wrote down in her notes: 'Talk to Shelby about anxieties about Scott and other Cliffhangers. She must open up in order to heal. Look into symptoms for Acute Stress Disorder, this sometimes follows a trauma such as rape.'
*Flashback*
"But Mom, he attacked me!" Seventeen-year old Sophie was in tears, showing her mother the bruises and scrapes on her arms.
"Nonsense, child!" Mona Becker glared down at the daughter she considered to be insolent and stubborn. "Ted comes from a fine family. He would not do such a thing." She paused, looking her daughter up and down with distaste. "You didn't have sex with him, did you?"
Sophie shook her head dejectedly. "If he had his way, we would have. He would have raped me, Mother! Don't you get it?" She was shaking with rage, glad she'd been able to fight him off, but angry that this happened to her.
Her mother clucked her tongue, looking away. "Go and get cleaned up, Sophie. It's a wonder any boys look at you at all, the way you dress and behave like a tomboy." She suddenly went up and grabbed Sophie's chin with her hand, forcing Sophie to look directly at her. "Now, I don't want to hear another word about this. Is that clear, young lady?"
Sophie nodded through her tears, then ran up the stairs to her room. She threw herself on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. *God forbid if Mother ever hears me cry,* she thought morosely. *I hate her. Why did this have to happen?*
*End of Flashback*
Sophie hugged herself, letting the tears fall. It hurt her so much to think what these kids had gone through, but she related so much more to Shelby's pain. *I have to get her to open up,* she thought with sudden determination.
Peter and Shelby drove back to the house in silence. Once inside, Shelby did her now-ritualistic routine of going straight to her room and shutting the door. Peter sighed as he went into the bedroom, where Sophie was scrutinizing a paper on the bed.
"Soph, have you even moved since we've been gone?" Peter looked more closely at her. Her eyes looked a bit red, but he wasn't sure if it was from crying or just fatigue.
Sophie ran a hand through her hair in exasperation, ignoring his question. "Peter, this is so confusing. Ali wouldn't open up to me at all today, but she answered every question in detail and even included a journal entry about her mother putting her down because of her weight while her dad does nothing. She doesn't like her job. She has zero self-confidence. She's a classic binge eater, according to her answers. But why would she be so open now? It doesn't make sense."
Peter shrugged, then suddenly remembered something. "Soph, Ali wasn't at dinner. Lynn and Liz said she'd told them she wasn't hungry. You don't think she'd try anything, do you?"
Sophie began pulling on her shoes. "I don't think so, Peter, but I'm going to go and find out." She gave Peter a peck on the cheek before running out the door, taking Ali's packet with her.
Peter sighed, realizing how tired he was. *This was supposed to be a fun summer program,* he thought in bewilderment. *Oh, well. I guess what's important is that we're helping people. And we've gained another counselor out of it.*
Just then, the phone rang. Peter almost said, "I'll get it," then smiled to himself as he realized that Sophie was gone and Shelby was holed up in her room. "Hello," he said into the receiver.
"Mr. Scarbrow?" said a female voice on the other end.
"Yes, this is Peter Scarbrow."
"This is Shelby's mother, Mrs. Blaine." There was a pause as Peter tried to collect his thoughts.
"Uh, hello. Yes, what can I do for you? Would you like to speak with your daughter?"
"No." There was another pause.
"Mrs. Blaine, are you still there?" Peter asked.
"Yes. I apologize, this is very difficult for me." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I've decided to give full custody of Shelby to her father. I think it's something I should have done long ago, and it will be for the best for everyone concerned."
Peter sat in shock, trying to absorb the information. "Are you sure about this? Maybe you could come here, and we could talk about it," he said, his mind reeling.
"No, I can't do that. My mind is made up. I've already started the paperwork. I just wanted to let you know. Shelby's father will be in touch with you about whether or not she stays at Horizon."
Peter couldn't believe his ears. "She must stay here, she needs to stay here," he said vehemently. "And what about Jess?"
"What about her? She's never given me the trouble that Shelby has. I still plan for Jess to come back to Horizon this fall, it's what she wants."
"What about what Shelby wants?" Peter had to calm himself down, he was practically yelling into the phone. "Mrs. Blaine, please consider Shelby's needs. She needs Horizon, and she needs a mother."
"Mr. Scarbrow," her voice was now raised, "don't you dare tell me what my daughter needs, okay? I'm her mother, and I'm doing what I think is best for her. I have to go." She hung up abruptly, leaving Peter in a daze.
"Peter?" Peter whirled around to see Shelby standing outside her bedroom door, a look of fear on her face. "What's going on?"
Sophie drove up to the main lodge in her car. As she pulled in to park, her headlights illuminated a nearby car and a person putting a bag in the trunk. She jumped out of the car, hurrying over to the other car. "Ali, don't go," she said, putting her hand on Ali's arm.
Ali turned to look at Sophie. Even in the darkness, it was obvious that she'd been crying. "Yeah, I think it's time for me to leave, Sophie. Thanks for the hospitality." She moved away, toward the driver's side door.
"Wait!" Sophie knew this was her last chance to reach the young woman. "Ali, I read everything you wrote down." She held up the packet for Ali to see.
Ali's heart began to beat rapidly. She'd forgotten all about the packet in the excitement of being discovered with Mike. *How could I be so stupid? I just handed it over to her.*
Sophie approached Ali with caution. "Please, Ali, let us help you. Will you stay?"
Next time:
- How will Shelby react to the news about her custody?
- Will Ali stay and accept help?
- The 'Discover Yourself' program starts to wrap up.
- Peter hears from another Cliffhanger.
PLEASE REVIEW, it only takes a few seconds! Thanks!
"Discover Yourself" - Act 13
Disclaimer: The characters of Peter, Sophie, Shelby, Juliette, Scott, Auggie, Daisy, Ezra, and Kat do not belong to me.
"Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength." - Tao te Ching
Sophie stepped out of her tent and took in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. "Oh, what a beautiful day this is going to be," she said contentedly.
"Hey, where are you going?" Peter peeked his head out of the tent, grumbling as he squinted at the early morning sun's brightness. "Soph, do we have to get up yet?"
Laughing, Sophie patted the top of his head. "Yes, Peter, be a good boy and get up now."
Groaning yet again, Peter emerged a moment later from the tent, dressed only from the waist down. He came up behind Sophie and tackled her, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her into the air.
"Put me down," Sophie hollered between laughs.
"Only if I get a good morning kiss," Peter replied, grinning ear to ear.
"Deal," Sophie panted, out of breath from the struggle. Peter set her down, and Sophie obligingly turned around and planted a big kiss on Peter, then stood back and looked at him, grinning.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You're so cute when you act like a little boy," she teased him.
Peter kept grinning, a mischievous look in his eye. "Well, this little boy wants to play doctor. And you, Sophie Becker Scarbrow, are my next patient." He grabbed Sophie again and picked her up, heading back toward the tent.
"Peter, no!" Sophie gasped, legs kicking. "We have to get everyone from their solo sites and head back to Horizon."
"There's plenty of time for that. Besides, who knows when we'll be alone again?" Peter set Sophie down as they stood in front of her tent.
Sophie quickly thought over his proposal, then nodded her head. "We'd better get to it, then." She laughed as she entered the tent, pulling Peter in behind her.
"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Glenn said, looking approvingly at her. Shelby panicked, she didn't know what to do.
"You need to leave - NOW!" Shelby told Glenn in her bravest voice, backing away from him.
"Aw, come on, pretty little thing. Is that any way to talk to me, after all the nice things I've done for you and your mama?" He smiled a sickening smile as he moved closer.
Shelby's mind was racing. *Think. Use my tools. That's what Peter would say to do.* She made a dash for her mom's bedroom, with Glenn close behind. Shelby slammed the door closed and tried to lock it before Glenn could open it, but her strength was no match for his, as he finally shoved the door open, sending her to the floor.
He moved and stood over her, leering down at her. "So, playing tough to get, huh? That's okay, I like it a little rough!" Before Shelby could move, he quickly scooped her up and threw her on the bed.
*Not again! I won't let this happen again!* Shelby frantically clawed at the bedspread as she tried to escape from under Glenn's hold, but he now had all his weight on her. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her flailing arms and pinned them above her head.
"NO!" Shelby screamed, as she pushed one last time with all her might, to no avail. Shelby closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she was looking up at Walt's face.
"Shh, you don't want to wake up your mother, do you?" He smiled as tears started coursing down Shelby's cheeks. "Now, that's my good girl."
Shelby squeezed her eyes shut again, then heard loud music in the background. She opened her eyes to look up at a man she didn't recognize.
"Come on, sweetheart. I paid good money for this." He reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Shelby practically gagged from the smell as she shut her eyes yet again.
"Skank." Shelby heard the one word and cringed. She recognized that voice. *No, he can't see me this way,* she thought in a panic. She opened her eyes, to see Scott standing over her.
"What, I'm not good enough for you, but all these other guys are?" Scott's anger was visible as he moved toward her.
"No, Scott, it's not like that..." Shelby whispered through her tears, trying to cover her body with the sheet.
"Then what's it like? Huh, Shel? Don't you wanna share?" His face became contorted as he started to climb on top of her.
"No, Scott, stop!" Shelby screamed hysterically. "Please, not you, too! Scott, stop!"
"Whore!" "Skank!" "Pretty little thing." "Sweetheart." "My good girl." Shelby sobbed as the voices and faces faded in and out.
Waking with a sudden start, Shelby tried to get her bearings. Her heart was pounding so loud, it was all she could hear. She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down.
*Oh, no. The sun's already up. Peter will be here soon!* Hurrying to change clothes, Shelby made her mind focus on the task at hand instead of the awful nightmare.
Sophie and Peter finally started to round up the group. They divided duties the same as the night before: Sophie was to retrieve Mike, Liz, and Ali, while Peter fetched Shelby, Lynn, and Troy.
Sophie first went to Mike's campsite and discovered he was nowhere to be found. Becoming alarmed after searching for him nearby, she decided to get Liz and Ali before letting Peter know that Mike was missing.
Liz hurried over to Sophie as soon as she was in sight. "Oh, I don't think I've ever been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Liz exclaimed with a bright smile.
Sophie chuckled as Liz gathered up her things. "Did any wild animals come?" she teased.
"No," Liz answered, rolling her eyes. "But you'll be happy to know that I did answer some questions."
Sophie nodded in approval. "That's great, Liz. But did you answer them to please me, or for your own benefit?"
Liz bit her lip. "Can we just talk about it later? I'm dying for a hot shower back at Horizon." She looked over at Sophie hopefully, who nodded and smiled.
"Sure. By the way, have you seen Mike?"
Peter couldn't help but smile as he came within view of Shelby's campsite. She had done everything properly, from dousing the fire to putting her tent away. She sat on a log by the ashes, waiting expectantly.
"Hey, Shel. How was it?" Peter asked enthusiastically.
"Just great, Peter," Shelby mumbled in return.
They walked in silence toward Lynn's campsite. Peter glanced over at Shelby, noticing her puffy, red eyes. There were dark circles under her eyes, too, but those had been there for the past few days now. *She's getting worse instead of better,* Peter thought worriedly.
"Shelby," Peter hesitated, "I think we need to have a talk." Shelby started to protest, but Peter cut her off. "Not here - later. Sophie and I have let you have your fair share of alone time, but I know that the past couple of weeks have been hell for you,"
"You don't know anything," Shelby interrupted angrily.
Peter sighed. "Okay, that's fair. True, I don't know what you've been going through. But that's why we're going to talk. You, me, and Sophie. Okay?"
Shelby looked away from Peter, not responding. Peter let it go, as they came upon Lynn's campsite.
Sophie's plan was to get Ali and take her and Liz back to the main campsite, then go back for Mike. *Surely, he'll be there by then,* she thought, trying not to worry.
As they drew near Ali's solo site, Sophie noted in surprise that Ali's tent remained standing.
"Maybe she's still asleep," Liz suggested, thinking along the same lines as Sophie.
"Yeah, maybe." Sophie approached the tent and tapped on the top. "Alison! Rise and shine, we need to get back!"
There was a sudden rustling in the tent, startling Sophie and Liz.
"Sophie, give me a minute to get changed," Ali said, trying to sound casual. She looked over at Mike, who was grinning at her as he rubbed her leg. Ali brushed his hand off, and held up her hands as if to say, 'what do we do now'.
Liz was getting impatient. "Come on, Ali. I'm hungry and dirty and want to get back to Horizon now!" she whined.
Inside the tent, Ali quickly changed clothes, while Mike tried to hide a snicker at Liz's whining. She held a finger up to her lips, indicating for him to keep quiet, then nearly tripped as she exited the tent while trying to keep the flap partially closed.
"Do you want us to help you take down the tent?" Sophie offered, puzzled at Ali's flushed face and obvious nervousness.
"Uh, no. That's okay. I'll do it." Ali was working herself into a true panic. *How am I going to get out of this?!?*
"Ali, are you alright?" Sophie asked, concerned by Ali's increasing anxiety.
Ali felt like she could burst into tears at any moment. *This is a nightmare,* she thought miserably. "Yeah, I'm fine, I..."
"Good morning, ladies!" Mike burst out of the tent, all smiles. Sophie and Liz stood open-mouthed, staring at him in shock, while Ali looked down at the ground.
Sophie quickly regained her composure. "Okay, you two, what is going on here?" she demanded. She looked at Ali, who would not meet her gaze, then at Mike, who was starting to look a bit uncomfortable.
"Isn't it obvious what is going on here?" Liz said incredulously. "Mike, you and Ali? Come on! I can't believe it!"
Immediately, Ali's head snapped up, her eyes blazing. "What exactly can't you believe, Liz?" Ali said in a low voice
*Uh-oh,* thought Sophie. *This looks like the scene that played out yesterday between Liz and Shelby.* Sophie started to interrupt the exchange, but Liz spoke up first.
I just can't fathom why Mike would be interested in you," Liz said coolly, meeting Ali's steely gaze.
"Maybe he needed a real woman," Ali shot back.
Mike was rubbing the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. "Uh, ladies..."
"Shut up, Mike," Liz hissed. "Ali, I highly doubt that I left Mike unsatisifed. But maybe I wasn't enough for him, especially if he prefers... plus-sized women, shall we say. Isn't that the definition of a 'real' woman these days?"
"You bitch!" Ali lunged toward Liz, but Sophie jumped between them before they came in contact.
"Both of you, back off - NOW!" Sophie glared at Liz and Ali, before looking over at Mike. "You, take down the tent and pack it up."
"How dare you!" Ali yelled at Liz over Sophie's head. "So he picked the fat girl over you, deal with it!"
Liz laughed sardonically. "Ali, please. I just wouldn't give him what he wanted any more, so he went to you for some physical pleasure. He knew you'd give in. When was the last time you got any action?"
Ali was horrified to realize she was crying. "You don't know what you're talking about," she said in a hoarse voice. Ali looked over at Mike, who hung his head. *He's ashamed,* she thought despairingly, *ashamed to be caught with me. I can't stand it.* She took off running, away from the site.
"Stay here, and pack up the tent!" Sophie yelled over her shoulder as she followed Ali. Used to the forest, Sophie easily caught up to Ali, who then stopped running.
"Leave me alone!" Ali yelled at Sophie, trying to walk away from her.
Sophie reached out and grabbed Ali's jacket, pulling her around to face her. "Ali, look at me," Sophie said firmly but gently.
Ali looked at Sophie, then quickly looked away. "I can't," she whispered.
Sophie watched as Ali wiped her eyes with shaky hands. "Why can't you look at me?"
Ali took a deep breath, willing herself to stop crying. "Because, when I look at you, I see that look on your face. It's a look of pity for the fat girl, but at the same time you're trying to hide your look of disgust, because you think I should be able to lose weight and get in shape." She suddenly looked directly at Sophie. "Whether you want to admit it or not, there is a part of you that prays to God that you never look like me. You're appalled when you see people like me."
Sophie shook her head, trying to understand Ali's pain. "No, Ali, I don't pity you, and I'm not disgusted by you. But I do think you're hurting, and I'd like to help you get rid of some of that pain, if you'll let me." Sophie reached out to put her hand on Ali's shoulder, who shook it off.
"We need to get back," Ali said, in a voice void of emotion. She began walking back toward the site, with Sophie following.
"There will have to be consequences to your and Mike's actions," Sophie said cautiously, watching Ali's face.
Ali remained stoic. "Fine, I'll pack up my things and go home when we get back to Horizon."
"Ali, that's not what I meant," Sophie said, exasperated.
Arriving back at the site, Ali and Sophie were relieved to see the tent had been taken down. The four silently finished tearing down the site.
"We have to go back to Mike's site and get his stuff, then we can go back," Sophie informed the others.
"Sophie, that's not fair! Why can't we just go back now, and make him go back and get it himself?" Liz pouted.
Sophie sighed. *And here I thought I'd be dealing with mature people this summer,* she thought wryly. "Like it or not, Liz, we're a team. We stick together."
"Hey, Ali, is this yours?" Mike held up Ali's packet of questions.
Ali walked over to retrieve the packet from Mike. As he handed it to her, he whispered, "I'm sorry," and squeezed her hand.
"Ali, do you want to turn in your packet for us to review?" Sophie asked, hoping she'd say yes.
Ali, concentrating on Mike, simply nodded and handed the packet to Sophie.
Sophie sighed, making a mental note to call Peter and tell him they'd be late getting back. "Okay, guys, let's go."
"Hey, guys, I just heard from Sophie." Peter looked around at Shelby, Lynn and Troy. "She said something came up, they'll be a while yet. So, I guess we can just chill out here until then."
Shelby rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. *At least I got some reaction out of her,* Peter thought hopefully, watching as Shelby went over to sit by herself and write in her journal.
Troy followed Lynn over to another log and sat down beside her. "So, how was your solo?" he asked in his usual easygoing manner.
She smiled back at him. *Why does he have to be so charming?* "It was okay, but I'll be glad to get back to civilization. How about you?"
Troy laughed softly. "I did some good thinking, but I think I'd better get used to being apart from civilization."
"What do you mean?" Lynn asked, confused.
Troy grinned. "Well, I'm actually going to be a counselor here at Horizon next semester. I've worked the details out with Peter, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Lynn looked at Troy like he'd just grown two heads. "Wow. Troy, that's a big change. What made you decide to do that?"
Troy shrugged. "Right now, I teach kids, but I don't feel like I make a big impact on them. This is a chance to give to kids, help them out. And I'll still teach a few classes, too, which is an added bonus for me. I'm really excited about it."
Lynn shook her head in amazement. "I really admire you for doing it. I don't think I could handle it."
"Sure you could." Troy turned and looked at her intently. "Are you happy with your job now?"
Lynn squirmed uncomfortably under Troy's direct gaze. "Yeah, I love my job, it's everything to me."
"Everything? How can a job be everything in your life?" Troy asked, puzzled.
"Easy. My job is my life, sad but true." Lynn was wishing they hadn't gotten on the topic of her job.
"Well, if it's 'sad but true', why don't you do something to change it?" Troy suggested.
Lynn suddenly gave him a cold look. "Because I can't change it, that's just the way it is. My life is fine the way it is." *Who am I trying to convince?* she wondered silently.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Troy said softly, wondering why she put up walls whenever he started to get closer to her.
Lynn sighed. "No, it's okay. I should be the one to apologize. You're probably right, Troy, I could use a little change in my life."
Troy smiled. "Well, I have the perfect solution. Claire and I will be moving back up here in a few weeks to get acclimated before the kids come back from summer vacation. Maybe we could meet you somewhere between here and your home?"
"I - I don't know," Lynn stuttered, not expecting his proposal. "I'll have a lot of work to catch up on when I get back."
Troy decided to be completely honest. "I'd really like to see you again after the summer program ends." He slowly reached over and took her hand in his.
Lynn could feel her face burning. Part of her wanted to scream yes, but the other part of her wanted to tell him to leave her alone for good. It had been a long time since she'd had butterflies in her stomach, just from someone looking at her the way Troy was looking at her right that very moment.
Lynn left her hand in Troy's but looked away. "I just don't know if it would be a good idea."
"Why not?" Troy was even more puzzled than before. "Look, Lynn, you're the first woman who I've even considered dating, much less introducing to Claire, since Linda died." He took his hand away from hers. "I thought maybe the feelings I have for you were mutual."
"Troy, it's not you, it's..." Lynn's voice trailed off as she searched for the right answer, but there wasn't one. "I'm just not a good person to get involved with."
"What do you mean, you're not a good person to get involved with?" Troy was completely baffled. "I'm a pretty good judge of character, Lynn, and I think you are a wonderfully caring, bright, strong woman. Any man would be lucky to become involved with you."
"There are just some things about me that you might not like, once you would come to know me better," Lynn said hesitantly.
"So give me that chance. Give me the chance to get to know you better. That's all I'm asking for." Troy looked at her earnestly.
Against her better judgement, Lynn nodded. "Okay, I'll go on a date with you," she said, smiling.
"Great," Troy beamed.
*What have I gotten myself into?* Lynn wondered.
Sophie smiled as Peter came out of the bathroom. "How was the shower?" she asked.
"Nice and hot, it was great," he replied, looking at the bed. It was covered with papers and notebooks. "Soph, what are you doing?"
Sophie smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't wait, sorry. I was too anxious to read everyone's questionnaires and journals."
"Well, I'm going to go back to campus and check to see how everyone is. I imagine they're still recuperating from the hike back. Plus, it's about dinner time, and you're looking at one hungry boy." Peter grinned at Sophie as he continued dressing.
"Do you mind if I stay here and read these? I'll just fix myself some soup or something, I don't mind." Sophie had just begun to delve into everything, she didn't want to leave now.
"Okay, fine. I know when I'm not going to win." Peter came over to her.
"You're a wise man, Peter Scarbrow." Sophie smiled as he leaned down and kissed her. "Are you going to take Shelby with you?" she asked him.
"Yeah, if she'll ride in the car with just me," Peter whispered dubiously. "She's still not trusting me, Soph, but at least she's starting to respond more."
Sophie nodded. "Her questionnaire is one I want to read first. You're right, Peter, we'll have to talk with her soon."
"And - we still have to figure out what to do about Mike and Ali," Peter commented, frowning. "Next time, Soph, let's not make the summer program co-ed. Okay?" He winked and gave her another kiss.
"Sounds good to me," Sophie agreed, giggling.
Lynn and Liz started to head out of the girls' dorm for dinner. "Are you coming, Ali?" Lynn asked, looking with concern at the figure lying on the bed.
Ali shook her head. "No, I'm not hungry. Go ahead." She got up and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Lynn picked up on the tension between Ali and Liz during the hike back earlier, but she still hadn't figured out what had happened. "Liz, what's going on?" she demanded.
"I don't know what you mean." Liz held up her hands innocently. "She's not hungry. Let's go." She turned and walked out the door.
Lynn looked back again toward the bathroom door but decided there was nothing she could do for Ali. She hurried to catch up with Liz on their way to the main lodge.
Sophie leaned back against the pillow, rereading Shelby's journal entry and answers. She desperately wanted Shelby to know that none of it - the rape, the abuse Shelby and Jess suffered - was her fault, but Sophie knew only Shelby could come to that conclusion. Shelby's answer about knowing when it was time to move on scared Sophie. *I hope she won't try to run when it's time for the Cliffhangers to come back,* she worried. She wrote down in her notes: 'Talk to Shelby about anxieties about Scott and other Cliffhangers. She must open up in order to heal. Look into symptoms for Acute Stress Disorder, this sometimes follows a trauma such as rape.'
*Flashback*
"But Mom, he attacked me!" Seventeen-year old Sophie was in tears, showing her mother the bruises and scrapes on her arms.
"Nonsense, child!" Mona Becker glared down at the daughter she considered to be insolent and stubborn. "Ted comes from a fine family. He would not do such a thing." She paused, looking her daughter up and down with distaste. "You didn't have sex with him, did you?"
Sophie shook her head dejectedly. "If he had his way, we would have. He would have raped me, Mother! Don't you get it?" She was shaking with rage, glad she'd been able to fight him off, but angry that this happened to her.
Her mother clucked her tongue, looking away. "Go and get cleaned up, Sophie. It's a wonder any boys look at you at all, the way you dress and behave like a tomboy." She suddenly went up and grabbed Sophie's chin with her hand, forcing Sophie to look directly at her. "Now, I don't want to hear another word about this. Is that clear, young lady?"
Sophie nodded through her tears, then ran up the stairs to her room. She threw herself on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. *God forbid if Mother ever hears me cry,* she thought morosely. *I hate her. Why did this have to happen?*
*End of Flashback*
Sophie hugged herself, letting the tears fall. It hurt her so much to think what these kids had gone through, but she related so much more to Shelby's pain. *I have to get her to open up,* she thought with sudden determination.
Peter and Shelby drove back to the house in silence. Once inside, Shelby did her now-ritualistic routine of going straight to her room and shutting the door. Peter sighed as he went into the bedroom, where Sophie was scrutinizing a paper on the bed.
"Soph, have you even moved since we've been gone?" Peter looked more closely at her. Her eyes looked a bit red, but he wasn't sure if it was from crying or just fatigue.
Sophie ran a hand through her hair in exasperation, ignoring his question. "Peter, this is so confusing. Ali wouldn't open up to me at all today, but she answered every question in detail and even included a journal entry about her mother putting her down because of her weight while her dad does nothing. She doesn't like her job. She has zero self-confidence. She's a classic binge eater, according to her answers. But why would she be so open now? It doesn't make sense."
Peter shrugged, then suddenly remembered something. "Soph, Ali wasn't at dinner. Lynn and Liz said she'd told them she wasn't hungry. You don't think she'd try anything, do you?"
Sophie began pulling on her shoes. "I don't think so, Peter, but I'm going to go and find out." She gave Peter a peck on the cheek before running out the door, taking Ali's packet with her.
Peter sighed, realizing how tired he was. *This was supposed to be a fun summer program,* he thought in bewilderment. *Oh, well. I guess what's important is that we're helping people. And we've gained another counselor out of it.*
Just then, the phone rang. Peter almost said, "I'll get it," then smiled to himself as he realized that Sophie was gone and Shelby was holed up in her room. "Hello," he said into the receiver.
"Mr. Scarbrow?" said a female voice on the other end.
"Yes, this is Peter Scarbrow."
"This is Shelby's mother, Mrs. Blaine." There was a pause as Peter tried to collect his thoughts.
"Uh, hello. Yes, what can I do for you? Would you like to speak with your daughter?"
"No." There was another pause.
"Mrs. Blaine, are you still there?" Peter asked.
"Yes. I apologize, this is very difficult for me." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I've decided to give full custody of Shelby to her father. I think it's something I should have done long ago, and it will be for the best for everyone concerned."
Peter sat in shock, trying to absorb the information. "Are you sure about this? Maybe you could come here, and we could talk about it," he said, his mind reeling.
"No, I can't do that. My mind is made up. I've already started the paperwork. I just wanted to let you know. Shelby's father will be in touch with you about whether or not she stays at Horizon."
Peter couldn't believe his ears. "She must stay here, she needs to stay here," he said vehemently. "And what about Jess?"
"What about her? She's never given me the trouble that Shelby has. I still plan for Jess to come back to Horizon this fall, it's what she wants."
"What about what Shelby wants?" Peter had to calm himself down, he was practically yelling into the phone. "Mrs. Blaine, please consider Shelby's needs. She needs Horizon, and she needs a mother."
"Mr. Scarbrow," her voice was now raised, "don't you dare tell me what my daughter needs, okay? I'm her mother, and I'm doing what I think is best for her. I have to go." She hung up abruptly, leaving Peter in a daze.
"Peter?" Peter whirled around to see Shelby standing outside her bedroom door, a look of fear on her face. "What's going on?"
Sophie drove up to the main lodge in her car. As she pulled in to park, her headlights illuminated a nearby car and a person putting a bag in the trunk. She jumped out of the car, hurrying over to the other car. "Ali, don't go," she said, putting her hand on Ali's arm.
Ali turned to look at Sophie. Even in the darkness, it was obvious that she'd been crying. "Yeah, I think it's time for me to leave, Sophie. Thanks for the hospitality." She moved away, toward the driver's side door.
"Wait!" Sophie knew this was her last chance to reach the young woman. "Ali, I read everything you wrote down." She held up the packet for Ali to see.
Ali's heart began to beat rapidly. She'd forgotten all about the packet in the excitement of being discovered with Mike. *How could I be so stupid? I just handed it over to her.*
Sophie approached Ali with caution. "Please, Ali, let us help you. Will you stay?"
Next time:
- How will Shelby react to the news about her custody?
- Will Ali stay and accept help?
- The 'Discover Yourself' program starts to wrap up.
- Peter hears from another Cliffhanger.
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