Return to Mt Horizon

12

Sophie's pov
After what felt like forever, Shelby finally coughed up the water in her lungs. I turned her on her side and put my head on her arm. She's alive. Emily froze, staring at the blonde on the ground. "Shelby. What was that?" I asked. She just looked at me, shivering. "That was my last choice." She whispered. I pulled her into my arms and cried. I held onto her head and pulled it into me, she was ok.

"What the fuck was that?" Emily whispered. Shelby didn't hear it but I looked over at her. She stood up and got the walkie, telling everyone we had her. I could hear Shelby crying into my stomach and made her look at me. "Don't do that again. Hear me?" I wiped a tear away and she nodded. "Emily?" She asked, sitting up.

Emily looked back over and reluctantly came over. "I'm sorry. I just needed everything to stop for once. I couldn't live with the way you looked at me, like I was a monster." Emily stared at her and shook her head. "I never thought you were a monster. Did you think I was a monster after Ian?" Shelby shook her head.

Emily beamed and pulled Shelby into her. "Exactly. I will never think of you as a monster. It was just a lot, but it's okay now. You're okay now." I stood up and grabbed everything. "Let's get you back." I smiled. Shelby nodded and let Emily carry her back, it was the first time I have ever seen her look relaxed.

I grabbed blankets and started a fire as Emily sat next to the blonde, pulling her into her side. When the fire started, I joined her on her other side, holding her hand. Slowly, everyone started to make their way back inside, this time, wanting to talk to her about everything. Daisy just sat in front of her and put her head in Shelby's lap.

"Is that why Sophie dragged you in here earlier like you were a bag of flour?" Peter asked, putting his hand on my shoulder. Shelby rolled her eyes and leaned into my side. I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her head. "Yeah, she didn't think I could." I smiled, rubbing her arm. Emily put her head on her shoulder and grabbed her hand.

"Where did you go earlier?" She asked. Shelby looked at her then back at their hands. "After I took the car, I came here, cleaned up and went to smoke. Sophie found me, literally dragged me here when you guys found me. I ran into the woods but I can't get far without a car or kayak so I went to the cabin to find the keys but you found me." She sighed.

Daisy raised her head and looked at her. "And why are you all wet?" I could see her walls going up, each one stronger than the last. "I wanted a midnight swim." She snapped. "Shelby." She looked at me and rolled her eyes. "I took a kayak, went a little way away and tied myself to a log because I kept floating up. Happy?" She said, pulling herself away from us and trying to get out.

The only thing that stopped her was Penelope. She pulled her into a hug and held onto her. "My darling blonde. I'm so sorry you are going through all this, but I am here for you from this point forward." She cried. For the first time in a while, I saw Shelby hug someone back. "What do you want to do now? Who do you want to be?" She asked.

Shelby looked at Hotch and smiled. "I assume now is when I walk out in handcuffs."  She walked forward and held out her wrists. "I'm sure Hotchy will want to lock me up and melt the key into nothing." He just looked at her, not saying anything or changing her expression, just looking at her. "Jennifer." He whispered. "Just do it. I know you want to."

"I don't. And honestly I don't think I can." Slowly, Shelby put her arms down and stepped back. "When did you become JJ?" He asked. Rossi came next to her and put his arm on her shoulder. "When you were 18. 12 years ago. Statute of limitations is less then 10 years for all major cases of identity theft and fraud in all states." She shook her head and stepped away from them. "Don't give me hope. I can't handle it."

Peter stepped forward, we were talking to Shelby, not JJ. "Shelb, I've heard that before. Remember what happened? You came back here. You can handle it." Penelope put her arms on her shoulders and wiped her tears away. "First things first. Who do you want to be? Shelby or JJ"