20 minutes later and what felt like miles and miles of just trees, the dark SUV pulled up to the main lodge on the grounds. The whole school seemed to be surrounded by just Trees, mountains, rivers and a large lake.
"JJ" Morgan had a curious look on his face "what's the real reason you're scared of the woods?" JJ turned to look at Morgan with what looked like a smile on her face. She remembered the story she had told Morgan and Reid and the convocation they had.
"It reminded me of all the good things I left behind and I didn't want to remember, I wanted to forget about this life, the good and the bad."
JJ took one last look at the woods around her from the front seat and got out taking a deep breath of the fresh mountain air trying to calm her shaky nerves. JJ looked at her surroundings and her mind was flooded with memories of the place she once called home. Her Biological father dragging her out of the car kicking and screaming the first time she arrived at horizon, meeting her first true love, being a complete bitch too everyone, laughing and playing sports with her friends and then finally the dreaded phone call she had telling her that she had to go home to the monster.
The others climbed out, Emily walked up to JJ's left she was about to ask JJ if she was alright when she saw when a man with salt and pepper hair and a blonde woman came almost running out the office door. JJ took a few steps forward away from Emily and the man and woman stopped in front of her. The three of them stood in silence for a full minute just looking at each other.
"Shelby, is it really you?" The blonde woman broke the silence.
"Yeah, it's me soph." the couple almost lunged at JJ and held her like a parent who hadn't seen their child in many years. JJ sniffed to their touch at first but then relaxed and melted into the bone crushing hug. JJ didn't protest like she normally would when held that tight, she was relieved to be held by people that knew what and who she really was and that didn't care about any of it. She had always felt somewhat safe in their arms. They all palled apart, the man pressed a soft kiss on the top of JJ's head and the woman cupped JJ's face with her hands much like a caring mother would, JJ leant into her touch.
"Peter told me what happened Shel, I'm so sorry." The woman pulled JJ into another much softer hug.
"So am I." JJ whispered so only the man and woman could hear. The hug was broken, and peter rubbed JJ's arm.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." JJ sighed feeling numb at that moment in time. Although they hadn't seen her for years, they could see how exhausted and defeated JJ looked.
"C'mon now Shelby, you know how much I hate those two words." JJ let out a little chuckle because she knew how right peter was but before she could answer she was startled by someone clearing their throat behind the three.
"Oh, sorry guys." JJ turned to the team "Everyone this is Peter Scarbrow and Sophie Becker " JJ turned Sophie "Or is it Sophie Scarbrow now?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"I kept my last name." Sophie's eyes twinkled at JJ, who nodded and turned back to the others.
"Peter, Sophie this is my boss SSA Aaron Hotchner and then there's SSA David Rossi, SSA Derek Morgan, SSA Emily Prentiss, Reid and last Penelope Garcia the rest of the team." Peter and Sophie shook hands with every member of the team.
"It's nice to meet you all, were just sorry it's not under different circumstances." Peter said with a sad smile.
"So, you're all with the FBI?" Sophie asked looking at Garcia. Penelope wasn't your normal looking FBI agent by any standards with her brightly coloured clothing and glasses.
"Yes, we all work for the BAU. I'm their resident technical analyst." Sophie smiled at Garcia's answer, Garcia knowing full well she was not your typical looking FBI agent.
"And you too Shel?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep, me too." JJ shrugged her shoulders glancing down at the ground.
"That's fantastic Shelby. See I always said you would do something great." Peter hugged her pulling back when he saw something on Hotch's hip that made him nervous and look around him to see if any students were near, thankfully they were alone.
"Erm…I don't mind you carrying those" He tittles his head towards the guns "But I would prefer if you kept them out of the sight of the kids."
"It's ok, we all have ankle holsters we can wear." Hotch said understanding. From what he had been told and the small amount of research they had done he knew that this was no place for 6 loaded guns.
"Thankyou." Peter gave him a wide smile but couldn't clear the exhaustion on his face. Peter and Sophie also hadn't had much sleep since receiving the call from JJ the morning before. They had orgnised a lot in the last 24 plus hours. Starting to arrange a funeral, organising somewhere for the new arrivals too sleep, making phone calls to a group of people himself and Sophie kept in Contact with, as well as still having a school to run. Then not to mention grieving for a girl they loved dearly, love just as much as the blonde Infront of them.
Clouds rumbled overhead and the sky darkened.
Peter looked up to the sky "it looks like it'll only be a quick shower but Let's grab your bags and head inside."
Morgan looked up to the sky silently questing what the older man said and followed. The group of adults scrambled to the car, collected belongings and bags and then wandered into the office.
The team put their bags down in a pile and sat down in the seating area, just as the rain started to pour outside.
"Jayje are you ok?" Reid asked the blonde. Peter and Sophie looked at each other with confusion then slight disappointment they were starting to understand.
"Yeah." She replied quickly seeing her old counsellors look at each other.
"Peter, soph can I talk to you over here for a minute? Please" JJ asked with pleading eyes. She needed to get them away from her team before they could ask the next question that was burning at their lips. Both Peter and Sophie nodded and joined her. They could see in JJ's eyes that she was trying to figure out what to say so Peter helped her along.
"They don't know, do they?" Peter asked. JJ shook her head as an answer and refused to meet the couple's gaze. Peter turned to the team.
"Shall I find someone to show you to your cabin? I'm sure it's been a long drive and a longer few days" Peter said with a sad smile.
"Yes please, that would be great." Hotch and the others stood up.
"Ok. Erm" Peter scanned the room looking for someone "Amy" Peter waved a skinny brunet over from the doorway she was waiting for the last off the quick downpour to stop before leaving the main building.
"What?" She spat; her arms folded defensively over her chest.
"I want you to take our guests to the old cliff hanger dorm please." Peter asked politely.
"Why should I?" Amy said with attitude and turned to walk away.
"Because your already on shuns for a week, do you want to make it two." Peter gave Amy a look JJ knew so well. It was his im-being-serious-but-if-you-don't-want-to-you-don't-have-to-but-face-the-consequences look.
"Fine. Follow me." Amy said threw gritted teeth and walked towards the door. The team started to grab their bags.
"Dose she remind you of anyone Shel?" Sophie asked JJ loud enough for the team to hear and give odd looks at JJ who was glaring at Sophie. Sophie just looked at JJ with a single raised eyebrow.
"I will send someone to get you when its dinner." Peter ignored the looks everyone was giving each other.
"That would be great Thank you." Emily walked up to JJ and handed over her bag to her "You coming JJ?"
"I'll be along in a few minutes. I want a quick word with them." JJ tipped her head towards the counsellors.
"Ok." Emily rubbed JJ's arm and followed the others out the building.
Just Minutes later JJ was sat in an office she thought she would never be sat in again; the memories of this room flooded her mind, just like when she first stepped foot on the grounds of Horizon. She could see the numerous time she had sat in the office being talked too about her behaviours, actions and attitudes, begging them to let Jess come and stay and then when she finally admitted to Peter and Sophie what had happened at home.
"So how you holding up lost girl?" Peter asked sitting on the edge of his desk.
"Lost girl?" JJ raised an eyebrow questioning the nick name.
"It's what some of the old Cliff Hangers started calling you after you ran." Sophie took a seat next to JJ.
"I didn't run Sophie." JJ sighed looking defeated.
"No? Then what would you call it?"
"I just… I had to leave!" some of the anger was starting too bubble over from the last 36 hours "I had to get away! I was the reason Jess was here in the first place, I was too much of a screw up and a mess for you to help. The looks I got from all of you all the time, you'd stop talking when I walked in the room. I hated the pity, the sad smiles you would all give me. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take hurting you all anymore" the longer JJ talked her shouts grew quieter until they were soft whispers. JJ didn't want to call it running but, there were no other words for it, she ran. Ran from her past, ran from her problems and fears and worst off all she ran away from the only family she had at the time.
"I did, didn't I?" she admitted Tears welling in JJ's eyes again. Sophie nodded her head and pulled JJ in for a hug. Peter moved from his desk and sat on the coffee table in front of the two women.
"C'mon, we can leave that stuff for later. It doesn't need to be discussed right now" Peter patted his wife's leg as both she and JJ wiped their eyes for the fresh tears.
"Yeah later…so what do they know?" Both Sophie and Peter looked at JJ.
"Nothing. As far as they know my name is Jennifer Jareau, I grew up with a perfect little family in Pennsylvania and I got an athletic scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh." JJ sighed hating the sadness and disappointment she was causing her paternal figures.
"Oh Shelby." Peter ran a hand threw his grey hair. Peter reminded JJ of Hotch so much so that it was quite freaky.
"I know now I did the wrong thing but at the time, I thought it was my only option and now I have to find some way of telling them who and what I really am. Their JJ's family, they only know who JJ is, they know nothing of Shelby."
"You have to tell them Shel. I expect they're already starting to put things together. They all look like a group of very smart people." Sophie looked worried at the way JJ was talking like she was two different people.
"They are" JJ gave the councillors a small smile thinking of her current family "I'm exhausted guys, can we finish this later? I want to get a shower in before dinner."
"Sure. Go on, you know the way." Peter said with a smile. She picked up her bag and opened the door "Oh Shel…" JJ turned and looked at peter "It's really good to have you back."
"It's good to be back my captain." Peters heart fluttered being called the nickname his favourite student had once given him. JJ walked out and closed the door behind her.
Peter pulled Sophie into a hug; she rested her head in his chest.
"This is going to be a tough few days for Shelby."
"It's going to be tough on all of us." Peter planted a kiss on the top of her head. They pulled apart when the phone rang. Peter answered it.
"Hello" Peter sat on the edge of the desk "Yeah she's here" Sophie could only hear one side of the convocation "Ok we'll see you soon."
Peter hung up the phone and pulled Sophie into another hug.
"They'll be here in 5." He sighed
"Do you think we should have told her they are coming?" Sophie asked Peter as they hugged.