A/N: Ok, this is my first foray into Psych territory, so please be gentle. Saw 'Shawn Takes A Shot In The Dark' and really wanted to add some emotional whump in there. This takes place in the hospital after the arrest scene and the scene at the beach. Spoilers, obviously.
No Talking
Shawn was still kind of rambling, even after being admitted into the hospital for his gunshot wound. The doctors had checked him out and decided that he'd be fine with some rest and fluids so they hooked him up to an IV. Lassiter had taken the scumbag down to lockup and returned to pick up Juliet from the hospital where she was keeping Henry and Gus company and checking on Shawn. Everyone had been immensely relieved that the gunshot hadn't been fatal, but Spencer seemed to be living up the sympathy. Finally Lassiter snapped.
""Spencer, will you please shut up?" He barked out, irritated. The response was shocking to say the least. Shawn went a shade or two whiter, his throat seemed to lock closed, and the heart monitor he was attached to went haywire. After a nurse came running in followed closely by a doctor, they were forced to sedate the kid. Juliet nearly glared at Carlton in the hallway.
"Carlton, that was totally uncalled for! Shawn's been through traumatic experience, the least you can do is be a little understanding." O'Hara scolded. Lassiter grimaced.
"It was just a flesh wound!" He replied defensively. Gus shook his head.
"He's not complaining because it hurts; he's complaining so he can avoid thinking about it. Shawn has a really good memory, he doesn't want to have to remember how it felt being shot. Talking distracts him." Gus responded quietly.
"That doesn't explain his reaction." Lassiter was at a loss for an explanation. And he wouldn't get one for several more days. When Juliet finally took his statement for the police report, she immediately confronted Lassiter.
"He was shot because he was talking to the guy we found dead in the gas station. Then the one we arrested threatened to shoot him if he opened his mouth again. When you and Henry were outside talking to him, the second guy put his hand around Shawn's throat and squeezed until he could barely breathe so he wouldn't call out to you. The second guy got shot by his partner when Shawn convinced him to let him call his girlfriend and say goodbye." Juliet listed off the number of times Spencer had been scared or punished into silence. Lassiter nearly felt his ears redden in shame. "When you told him to shut up in the hospital, his brain remembered all the things that had happened to him and subconsciously shut down. His throat locked up to prevent him from speaking and he freaked because he knew he thought he was gonna get shot if he kept talking."
"Geez, O'Hara, I didn't mean anything by it. I always say that when he gets on my verves." Lassiter winced at the thought of what his harsh demand had done to the kid's mental and emotional state. "I'll go apologize, promise."
"You better." Juliet threatened softly. And he did. As much as it pained him to admit it, he really was sorry. Shawn seemed to take it in stride, brushing off Lassiter's concerned glances with a flurry of words and random stories. Not once, however, did Santa Barbara's head detective tell him to stop talking.
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A/N: Hopefully not too shabby. Tell me what you think, but please no flames. This is just a one-shot that got stuck in my head.