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Sarah leaves the bathroom after an hour of washing off the terrible smell of the tomb to find JJ has finally returned. Earlier, he'd left them a note saying he's going to join them in Charleston after dealing with something. All his secrecy and ultimately not showing up to join them had Sarah worried the entire day. But all her concerns were immediately replaced with relief, seeing him back safe and sound.
"Hey! You're back!" She started approaching him, but to her surprise, he dodged her and went straight to the kitchen fridge. It wasn't like him to ignore her—at least not anymore, not since they created their safe haven with Poguelandia. He always avoided when things got hard for him, but they haven't been like that for a while. Still, she can easily detect something is wrong right now.
What always worked was the silent approach, so when JJ opens his beer and leans back against a wall, she just silently walks up and puts her hand on his arm. To her shock, it makes him flinch. He hasn't flinched from her touch in... years now.
"Where have you been?" She whispers, hesitatingly taking her hand away.
"Around."
His vague and dismissive answers whenever he felt down always made her heart ache, but now, after all this time without any issues, it nearly breaks it. But it was never enough to make her back out.
She tilts his chin up to make him look at her. Once he hesitantly does, her heart skips a beat. The look in his eyes isn't one of frustration or even sadness. His blue eyes show absolutely nothing. All these months, she looked into them and saw happiness; she saw love. But, now there's nothing. It felt like a blow to the chest to see them so empty.
"JJ..."
Upon hearing her voice crack when saying his name, JJ comes closer and, without a word, leans his forehead on her shoulder, completely defeated. Immediately, Sarah registers it as a sign to start caressing his hair like he always liked for comfort.
"I need you to tell me what happened."
"It was all a lie..." She finally hears the pain he's bottling down in his voice.
"What are you talking about? What's a lie?"
Desperately needing to see his face when he explains, she puts her hands on his face and pulls him closer. For JJ, looking into her big eyes, full of love every day but right now full of concern, is what does it for him. He completely breaks down. Sarah holds him close, letting him cry into her neck. She wishes she wasn't so good at comforting him by now, that she wasn't so experienced. Holding him like this right now, reminding her of a year ago when his father's abuse was still fresh, and would give him nightmares in the middle of the night. That's how she adds up that this is about him.
After he calms down, they sit down on the couch, and JJ slowly tells her everything he found out today. The letter, his dad's living situation, and ultimately, the truth about him. A truth he never expected or even suspected.
"I don't know who I even am anymore." JJ scoffs defeated as he finishes his beer.
She plays with his hair for a moment while processing everything she just learned. Watching his entire world turn upside down is devastating, but it also reminds her of everything that happened to her before. She didn't find out she was adopted, but she did learn that summer, almost 2 years ago now, that her father was a completely different person than she thought he was. In a matter of one tragic incident, she lost her entire family. Her beloved dad and brother were suddenly complete strangers. Till this day, she struggles every day to proudly call herself a Cameron. But she still does it because that's who she always was, and nothing can take it away from her. No crazy revelation. So, now it's going to be her mission to help JJ see it that way too.
"You're still you, JJ."
"I don't feel like it anymore."
"None of that changes who you are, what you've been through, or who you've become by yourself!" She holds his hand to get him to listen to her carefully.
"I could have been-"
"No, don't go that road. No what ifs, you know that."
He sighs, knowing she's right. That doesn't stop him from continuing to wonder, though. If he was never adopted, he would've been a freaking kook. He wouldn't have his friends; he wouldn't have his girl. Well, actually maybe he still would've, then making them a damn kook power couple. He feels Sarah pinch him before he can entertain that ridiculous thought further.
"Get out of your head."
"What the hell am I gonna do now?"
She really hopes her calm approach to this can help him here, so all she does is shrug and play with his hair some more.
"You're gonna keep being you. And... we figure out how you can inherit that island." She teases, hoping to get him to lighten up a bit; he just gives her a look. "Okay, too soon."
"Yeah, wait at least 24 hours... orphan." Sarah scoffs hearing him bite back at her playfully, despite his terrible mood. When she tries to pinch him again, he grabs her hand and pulls her into a hug, which she obviously happily accepts.
They stay hugging like that on the couch for a moment before JJ pulls away, cringing, which confuses her.
"What is it?"
"I can't hold it in anymore. I'm sorry, baby, but you stink."
"Still?!" She groans defeated and tries to smell herself.
"What the hell have you all been doing?"
She notices her state has finally caused him to slightly smile, so actually it doesn't bother her that much anymore.
"Oh boy, now it's my turn to tell you a story."