As JJ left the plane the cool Seattle weather made her shiver, as she wrapped her coat tightly around herself clutching her hand bag closer. From the warm winter of Miami, where they had just wrapped up a case Seattle was a shock. Normally she would have flown with her team back to Washington, taking advantage of their private jet and hanger but this was special. It was the third Saturday in January. Every year she made the commute without fail to her old high school Mount Horizon, each year she would offer the same message to countless children all as screwed up as she had once been. There is hope, there is a way out, there is a good job lined up just for you, just hold on, work hard through the pain and believe and you will get there, it was a message she hoped they would hold onto. Having once been in those same shoes panicking over jobs and colleges wondering if life on the outside would ever be safe JJ wanted to give back some hope. She owed that much to Peter and Sophie, two of the camp counsellors who had dragged her through her ordeal. Anyway she could give back to them she would donating monthly and doing the annual career talk. Jennifer Shelby Jareau owed them her life over and over.

Easing through baggage JJ once again remembered the unpleasantness of flying coach, not only the cramped seats, annoying passengers and poncy coffee cups but the mandatory minimum 30 minute wait for luggage. On the bright side the terminal was warm. Whilst waiting JJ checked her phone the team had landed safely, Hotch was awaiting her report which she had promised to email. Considering her team JJ smiled not one of them had questioned her weekend away. The excuse that she was doing a career talk at her old high school had appeased them. Not one had wondered why Seattle when she was originally from Pennsylvania or why it was on a Saturday. They all assumed her childhood was perfect, how wrong they were. JJ sighed. She hated to talk about it and would never willingly bring it up to anyone not even to Morgan the one member of the team who might understand. Even now she struggled with the memory of abuse, her step father raping her, the cold streets doing anything to survive, Jess. The name still tore her heart open, the guilt killing her inside. As once again she wondered how had she missed the signs. Why hadn't Jess told her before killing herself? Even telling the team her sister had killed herself hadn't clued the team into how screwed up her childhood was. And JJ wasn't going to spell it out for them.

Retrieving her bag from the carousel she remembered that day. Peter calling her into the office, she had joked he remained silent. That's when she knew it was bad, he hasn't even told her off. Jess had left a letter addressed to her she was pregnant. She had known then it was Walt's before hearing anymore. Peter explained she had admitted it in her note. The police were on their way. Walt had admitted it knowing DNA would prove it was his. Shelby had crumbled. Only Peter, Scott and Sophie had stopped her following Jess into death. It had been a long year but she came clean told Scott and Peter and eventually the group everything finally she had to leave as her funding stopped. Peter tried to fight it but with her mum refusing to talk to her blaming her for Jess's suicide and Walt in jail nobody was left to pay the fee so Shelby had gone to her aunties.

JJ smiled remembering the warm hugs, the love, and the small town atmosphere. It was like Horizon but slightly bigger. The perfect transition too real life. The whole town adopted her like she was one of them. They didn't know her past but it didn't matter it was there JJ found her love and talent soccer! Even with just one year left at high school she was on the A team. It was that year she began making decisions, the first was a name change. There was no way she wanted to be Shelby Merrick named after the man who abused her and killed her sister. Her uncle and Aunt were Jareau's and in tribute to how kind they were it made sense. As her aunt was Jess her sister was her namesake, JJ didn't want to steal her whole name so picked the only other name she could think of beginning with J Jennifer.

It was a fresh start. A chance to be someone other than Shelby and although in his letters Peter had reminded her it didn't change her past he and Sophie were supportive. Although she tried with Scott and he tried back no longer in the Horizon bubble they soon broke up mutually agreeing it was for the best. JJ smiled as she remembered him young love.

Stepping out into the cold winter sun JJ saw him walking towards the terminal poor Scott always ended up late. It was a trait that had driven Peter and Sophie crazy throughout school.

They embraced tightly.

"JJ" Scott called, they all used her new name, even if they hadn't agreed with her decision. They were taught to respect her choice.

"Scott, how are you? How are the kids? How is Jules?" JJ asked not at all bitter her high school enemy and high school sweetheart were now happily married with 2 adorable children.

"Jules is good, so it Ben and Hannah, Ben got onto the football team that I coach and Hannah is doing really well at ballet, they are both demanding you round for dinner tomorrow night I sorta told them it would be ok" Scott admitted bashfully. JJ laughed

"Sure"

"Good because they both think it's the coolest you being in the FBI"

"Better than an ex College footballer player turned high school teacher or world renowned fashion designer" JJ joked

"Our jobs are apparently boring; we rarely end up on TV or shoot bad guys"

"There is that" JJ admitted laughing, "I would love to come"

"Good Daisy and Erza are coming, so is Kat Peter and Sophie"

"Awesome," JJ grinned as they hauled her luggage into the boot of his car.

"Daisy said she was going to pop over tonight she wanted to talk to you about something work related"

"Ok thanks for the heads up, she is still corner for the county right" JJ asked wondering with a sinking feeling what Daisy would be discussing and worse how to turn her best friend down if it wasn't a BAU case.

"Actually 4 counties, we don't get a lot of suspicious deaths out here" Scott grinned, happy he had decided to stay out West.

They began driving settling into comfortable silence as JJ felt herself relax on seeing the scenery. Horizon always made her feel safe. Scott understanding this remained silent.