JJ hadn't managed must sleep and she felt even worse this morning, it didn't help that the place hadn't changed at all. The dining hall was still the same and she would even bet the chef was the same time... despite being ancient even when she was here all those years prior.

Before arriving a part of her had hoped that Peter was no longer here but a bigger part knew he'd never leave until he really had to, Peter loved the school and the work. The team had just finished eating, JJ laughing at something Reid had just said as there was a loud crash followed by the entire room going silent.

"Oh my god" an older blonde women gasped looking directly at the team. "Shel?" she looked at JJ with tears in her eyes.

"I... I'm Jennifer... JJ" she shook her head, a slight look of panic in her blue eyes.

Peter was beside the older women, picking up the tray she had just dropped, he didn't look so convinced either "Sophie, these are the agents staying with us.

She looked to her husband, "she looks -"

"I know" he nodded, a silent promise that they would continue this conversation in a more private setting.

Before anyone could say anything else JJ jumped in "I think I might stay here whilst you guys' head into town. I can talk to staff and the students, ill check in with Garcia too see if she got anything else."

Normally, Hotch would be against them splitting up, but something told him there was something going on with his young agent so reluctantly he agreed.

The rest of the team headed into the town whilst JJ followed Peter and Sophie into the office, if she was here under different circumstances, she would almost find this funny, there had been many occasions where she had been led into this very office and the feeling was just the same.

She took a seat in front of the large desk with Peter behind it and Sophie perched on the edge, again, something so familiar. She found herself sitting on her hands out of nervous habit.

"It is you... isn't it" Sophie asked softly

When JJ didn't reply, and clearly couldn't make eye contact Peter speak, "number one rule... Always be honest"

"Don't" JJ snapped "Don't do that, I'm not a kid anymore" she sighed and nervously ran a hand through her hair "My team... they don't know... they don't know of it as far as they are concerned, I have always been JJ, you cannot tell them" She shook her head, tearing up as her breathing became more rapid.

Sophie dropped to her knees in front of JJ, hands on knees she spoke softly "Nice deep breathing for me" she took deep breathes herself for the younger women to follow "Thats it... in... and out" they did that a couple more times before the agent's breathing eased back out.

"I'm sorry" JJ sniffled wiping her eyes.

"We don't apologize for the way we feel" Sophie offered her a soft smile looking into blue eyes. "Now why don't you tell us what is going here?

JJ nodded and took a deep breath "When I... I left for good we finally got a social worker who listened... thanks to you guys and when Walt to prison my mom she... she still blamed me, even more so after Ross killed herself, she continued to defend Walt so when i got offered a full scholarship I just... I had to take it, the social worker she was amazing she helped me change my name legally and get the records sealed... I have been JJ for almost eight years now I never told my team, they're my family now but I just... i couldn't tell them." she wiped her eyes again. "I don't want the way they look at me to change. I went away for college, so it was easy to start over. JJ she... she's everything Shelby wasn't, she's smart, caring, she helps people... so many people and I really like her" she chuckled.

Sophie couldn't help but flash a small smile as well "Shelby was those things too... she was strong, so strong, sometimes too smart, and she cared... she was just a kid trying to survive impossible things." she leaned forward pulling her into a strong but protective hug "God Shelby, we missed you so much."

"JJ... please I... just JJ" she hadn't heard the name Shelby in years and now it just made her cringe.

"Right sorry" Sophie leaned back on her heels and wiped JJ's face softly. "Do you think you should tell them? You know we will not do anything you do not want to do but these guys are profilers, they're also your friends, they are going to figure out something is going on."

"No" JJ shook her head quickly again, "They cannot know, I will figure it out, but they cannot know."

"okay... okay" Sophie sighed a little, she knew that was a bad idea but she wouldn't push the younger women away, not when they just got her back, they cared for all the kids that came through their school, of course they did, but JJ... or Shelby... had been there longer than most, she didn't go home for holidays, didn't have family visits. They truly loved her like their own and had even offered to her let her stay with them once she had aged out, but they lost contact, her mother forbidding it once her stepdad had gone to prison and once his trial was over, they never heard from Shelby Merrick or her sister again.

She caught up with a little more, hearing about the people who were here at the same time as her, she was shocked to hear that Scott still lived in town and was now the sports coach at the local school, that was a little funny to her, but it made her smile regardless.

She called Garcia who confirmed there was no other connection between the three women other than the school, it just made JJ even more concerned by how much she looked like the victims, technically, her stepfather wasn't supposed to be out of prison for a long time but it had been about 10 years since he went away and the agent in her knew that sometimes, bad guys just got out early, unfortunately it was just how it worked. She just couldn't bring herself to check, and she certainly couldn't ask Garcia to check without making her friend suspicious.

Eventually, the team returned, and JJ was in a much better mood after her talk with Peter and Sophie.

"I spoke with Penelope," she spoke to the team "there is no other connection other than the school, she couldn't find a person that connected them either and the staff don't have any ideas who it could be either, what did you guys find?"

"Not allot" Rossi sighed "all women were described as outgoing, talk to anyone that kinda thing, it is looking like we don't have much to go on and if he stays on pattern he will take another victim soon."

"Look... I don't want to say it but there cannot be many JJ look alikes walking about this tiny town" Morgan pointed out.

"Derek" Emily said in a stern voice.

"No... unfortunately he is right and the fact you're a federal agent may make you more appealing JJ, I don't want you going anywhere alone" Hotch added.

"I can look after myself" she chuckled

"I don't doubt that... but I would feel much better knowing one of us was with you" he said it in a way that left no argument.

The team moved to an office that had been set up and designated to them for their stay as they worked on the profile.

"Strangulation is personal... so is the torture. I mean he holds these women for days at a time, tortures them and even though he stabs them he finishes them of with his bare hands." Morgan put out there.

Emily was frowning in thought as she looked at the photos of the bodies "the stab wounds, each victim only has one and they are all in the same place, non-have been the fatal injury."

"This guy is definitely recreating something and with how alike these victims are they have to be surrogates for someone else right?" Morgan nodded

The others nodded in agreement.

"So, this is a woman who hurt him, somehow, we thinking partner or just a woman who rejected him?" Emily asked

"I'm not sure... it's someone he knows or knew well. This is just too personal" Rossi added.

"We can deliver the profile to the police department in the morning, JJ, you head back and talk to Peter and Sophie since you worked with them all day, give them the profile see if it rings a bell with anyone they know, Reid, I want you to work on a geo profile of our victims see if there is anything you can come up with. Morgan, Prentiss, call Garcia and give her the profile see what she can do."

The team answered with a collection of nods and yes sirs as they all went about their tasks.

JJ didn't need to ask them if they recognized anyone, she knew what they would say.