Return to Mt Horizon

6

JJ's pov
"God Sophie. You just love scaring me. How'd you find me?" I asked, nodding. She lit the cigarette and passed it to me. "I had a hunch. Rough day?" I laughed. "You have no idea. Isn't there a no smoking rule?" I asked, tapping the ash away. "I figured you needed it." She didn't say much, she just sat there by me.

"How'd you know I smoke? How'd you know I'd be out here?" I asked, shaking my head, there were too many thoughts running around in my brain. "I saw you leave with agent Rossi and you looked like you were having a hard day. I just assumed about the smoking and you being out here."

I laughed. It's all I could do. "And Ezra said you looked off when he saw you walking to the cabin." I shook my head. "Of course Freiken did. Can't mind his own damn business." Sophie turned her head at me, smiling. "Yeah he never could." We sat there, her staring at me for moments before she finally said something.

"So. How'd you do it?" She asked. "Do what?" I didn't look at her but I felt her eyes on me. "Get out of here without anyone knowing what happened." This made me turn my head. Sophie was smiling at me, she knows. "What?" I asked, putting out the cigarette and trying not to cry. I wasn't ready for my whole life to fall apart. "Shelby, you got out of here and no one could find you. And we looked, I looked."

"I'm not Shelby." I shook my head, trying to get her off my back. "You called Ezra Freiken. That's a Shelby move." Damn it. I didn't realize that I did. "I took a kayak. I broke in and took one in the days before I left and hid it in a cave I had found down the river. Then I packed my stuff and left. I needed time between the two or else you would've found me."

She didn't say anything. She just hugged me. She sat there and hugged me and I loved it. "God Shelby. My little girl. I knew it was you." For the first time in a long time I cried in someone's arms. I let everything out. All the sadness and anger and longing that I had gained since I was 18. "I got you."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to run but I had to. I had to get out. Everything was changing and I couldn't do it anymore. I had to run." Sophie just played with my hair like she used to when I would cry to her. Emily did it too. "I'm sorry you were on your own for so long." She said, holding my head.

"Yeah well you get used to it." She laughed at that. "There's my Shelby. Why don't we call it a night and you get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning. I assume you want this to stay a secret." I nodded. "Okay. We will keep it a secret for now. But before you leave you have to tell them, your team and the Cliffhangers." She helped me get down and I followed her to my cabin. "Good night Shelby."

"Good night." I whispered before heading inside. Everyone was asleep except Emily, I figured. "You okay?" She asked. I smiled. "I'm good. I'm really good." Luckily it was dark so she couldn't see my puffy eyes but she said good and started to get under the covers. "Emily?" I asked. I don't know what I'm doing. "Yeah?"

I hesitated for a moment. "Can I get a hug?" She looked at me beaming. "Anytime." She said as she got out of bed. She wrapped her arms around me and played with my hair, like she always did. "Thank you." I pulled back and smiled at her. "I needed that." Emily kissed my forehead and went back to her bed. "Whenever you need one let me know."

The next morning I avoided Sophie. When she was outside, I was in the shower. When she was taking a phone call, I was going to the car. Hotch wanted us all at the station, my step-dad was on his way there as well. I felt nauseous the whole car ride, I didn't want to see him ever again. We pulled up and I followed the team inside.

"When they get here I want Prentiss and Rossi with the mother, Derek and I with the father. JJ, I want you watching from the window and on my signal come in to join us. I'm hoping the fact you look like her might make him talk." Hotch said. I nodded, knowing when I saw him I might burst into tears.

I stood behind the glass as Walt walked into the room, across from Hotch and Derek. I bit my lip and started to pick at my nails, a habit I picked up from Emily. Hotch started asking about Shelby, when the abuse started and what happened after I left. He looked at his phone and told Walt another agent would be joining them.

That's me. I swallowed my feelings and opened the door. "Shelby?" He asked when he saw me. "I'm agent Jareau, the communications liaison for the BAU." I said, reluctantly holding out my hand. He shook it and pulled me towards him. "It's uncanny" He whispered, grinning. Derek stood up to protect me but I shook my head, I didn't need it.

"I've been told I look like Shelby, your stepdaughter. Have you heard from her recently?" I asked, pulling my hand back and wiping it on my pants. "She ran from high school and disappeared. It's sad really, she was so bright. She was going places." I backed up and let Derek ask him about where he was last night.

My phone buzzed in my pocket so I left to take it. "This is agent Jareau." I said. "Hi this is Dr. Brummel at the Seattle Hospital. I think I have one of the victims you are looking for. Blonde, blue eyed prostitutes. She was admitted last night and asked to speak with the police and they transferred me to you."

"She's alive?" I asked. The doctor said yes and we agreed to meet in half an hour. "Reid I have to go to the hospital, someone was attacked last night and she might be connected." He nodded and I left. This was the first time I had chosen to go to the hospital, the other times I had to.