Well, here's my new story! I'm not really sure I like this beginning, but it'll get better, I promise. I just need to watch some Psych and get my head back into these characters. Anyway... Here it is. For those of you who read my other story, I guess you could assume that that happened, since Shawn and Jules are dating in this one. And I'm really hoping to write a lot of this one in these next few days so that I'll have a few chapters ready. Well, enjoy. Tell me what you think so far!

Disclaimer: I don't own Psych.

1990

"Shawn?" Henry called, opening the door to Shawn's room. It was dark. He could hear faint sounds of sniffling. "Shawn, are you crying?"

"Go away," said a muffled voice from under the heap of blankets.

"C'mon, Shawn," Henry exclaimed abruptly, then softened visibly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Tell me what happened."

A head emerged from one edge of the comforter, and Henry immediately felt bad for being so harsh. Shawn's eyes were red and puffy - something very serious, for as far as Henry knew, Shawn hadn't cried in at least two years. "It's Miranda," he told his dad.

Henry understood immediately. Miranda was the girl that Shawn had had a crush on for months - it had gotten to the point of sending her flowers on Valentine's Day and giving her a pet bunny for Easter. "What happened, Shawn?" he prodded gently, genuinely concerned for his son.

"I asked her out, like you said I should," Shawn replied tearfully. "And she said no."

Henry smiled lightly. "Well, that's not so bad. You can keep trying. You know, girls love grand, romantic gestures. Give her a nice present, or something. I had to ask your mom out three times before she agreed to go!" Shawn was quiet. "That's not all, is it, Shawn?"

"No," Shawn whispered miserably. "Today, she told everyone that I asked her out and she said that I kissed her and that I was a terrible kisser and that she was a great one and then Bobby Russet kissed her and she said he was an amazing kisser and then everyone laughed at me and... and..." Shawn hiccuped.

Henry sighed. Girl troubles, he thought. "Oh, Shawn. It's just one girl. I'm sure there's someone else out there for you."

"But they all laughed at me," Shawn whimpered.

"Listen to me, Shawn," Henry argued fiercely. "Everyone who could laugh at you is worthless. You are much better than all of them, and you are going to make an amazing cop someday."

"But why? Why did she do that?" Shawn wondered, wiping his nose.

Henry heaved a louder sigh. "Shawn, girls like attention. Remember that when you're old enough to really care."

"Yeah, so apparently she faked her own death for attention," Juliet concluded, her hand gripped in Shawn's.

"Wow," Shawn responded. "I wish I could have been there for that one."

"Me, too," Jules told him, pausing by the door of the Psych office. "Why is your dad doing this, again?"

"He has this weird notion that I'm going to start thinking like a murderer if I solve anymore cases. Says he saw it happen to a coworker," Shawn explained.

"Well, you have been on a roll," Jules said as she leaned on the door to open it, kissing him softly.

"Whoa," an unfamiliar voice exclaimed from behind them.

Shawn and Jules jumped apart, slamming the door closed and turning to find a strange woman standing next to Gus. Shawn did a double take when he saw the woman, who had bleach-blond waves of hair, sea-green eyes, and long legs that were emphasized by her tall heels and tiny skirt. "Gus," Shawn laughed. "I thought you were going to be... at the thing... by the thing..." He paused and cleared his throat. "Well, is this your new girlfriend? Definitely a step up from the cat lady."

"What cat lady? What are you talking about, Shawn?" Gus protested, while the girl threw her head back and laughed, sliding off the desk with very smooth movements.

"Oh, Shawn, you're so funny," she giggled, sliding her hands onto his chest while Jules looked on in horror. "Mmm," she murmured, before Shawn could finally detach himself and move over by Gus.

"Who is this, Gus?" he asked, disgusted, but realizing that at one time, he would have been going along with this.

"This is the new receptionist that you hired, Shawn," Gus told him, emphasizing each word with facial expressions that clearly said, Don't put this on me.

Jules glanced at him, and Shawn didn't fail to notice. "What? No, I never hired a receptionist," he protested, opening his hands.

"Yes, you did," the girl smirked. "A few months ago. But they sent me late because hot girls are in such high demand around here. Beach, sun, bikinis..." She shrugged. "Anyway, I'm Alex," she told them, reaching out her hand for Shawn to shake. When Jules went for it, she wrinkled her nose and pulled away. "Oh, no. Sorry, sweetheart, but I can't shake my boyfriend's girlfriend's hand. Right, Shawn?"

Gus was snickering into his hands. "Well, sorry," Shawn said, shooting a glare at his best friend. "You have to, um, go." Alex stared at him blankly. "Look, we don't have enough cases to use your help." Shawn looked pleadingly at Gus, who hid his grin, and Jules, who was looking away in anger, but he could see that she, too, was masking amusement. "You're fired."

"You can't do that," Alex pouted. "It's in my contract. I have to stay at least a week, for a trial."

Jules raised her eyebrows. "A trial?"

"You know... Like, to try out how I work," Alex giggled, as though it were the most obvious thing.

Juliet looked at Shawn. "Um, Shawn? Can we get out of here? The hooker is really creeping me out."

"Yes," Shawn exclaimed. "Pineapple smoothies. C'mon, Jules, I don't understand why you don't drink those things..."

The door slammed shut and Gus was left alone with Alex, who was making faces at the door. "My God, he is hot," she gushed, throwing herself back onto her chair. "But he likes his girlfriend too much. I'm fine with having a girlfriend, but boys in love are boring. Hey, you're not so bad yourself."

Gus stepped back. "Well, I don't know if I'm really interested. Or... here. Yeah, I think I'm going to go."

"Aw," Alex whimpered, moving forward and wrapping her legs around him, one at a time. Gus stumbled back, into the office part of the psych complex.

"You need to go," Gus told her. "No, I need to go."

"But then I'll never be able to tell you about the murder," Alex informed him, making Gus pause halfway out the door.

"What murder?" Gus asked, confused.

"I learned something about a murder. That's why I wanted to come here, Gus," Alex told him, leaning her thin body against the door frame. "I'm scared."

"You don't look scared," Gus pointed out before he could stop himself.

Alex looked affronted. "I'm terrified. But what should I do, cry? I just need someone to hear me out. I'm more than just a slut."

"Did you just admit that you're a slut?"

"Did you just accuse me of being one?" Alex countered.

"What? How does that make any sense?" Gus questioned, before shaking his head. "What do you mean about a murder?"

Alex looked out the window pensively. "Well, I heard something. I was out late, drinking... I'd had a modeling gig earlier and I was out with the girls. So I was kinda drunk, and I wandered into this little store... Wine, I think it was. Wine shop. And I heard these people arguing..."

Gus realized it was unlikely that Alex had really wandered into a wine shop when she was drunk and remembered it, and just as unlikely that she had been alone - that is, without a guy. But as they'd found out with the whole Ryan debacle, there was always a seed of truth in every lie. But what was it? The wine shop? Or that she was drunk?

"I'll talk to Shawn," he replied finally, not knowing what it was that compelled him to believe this girl.

"You'll talk to Shawn," Alex laughed sarcastically, and with a jolt, Gus saw tears painted on her face. "Yeah, he'll totally believe me. He thinks I'm a slut, too."

Gus squinted at her for a moment, then shook his head and walked out.

Well, that had certainly been interesting.

So, it's kind of meh. But it does get better. I have some great stories lined up, with Lassie and Jules and I have a couple great food ideas and some Lassie pranks. So stay tuned, people! And review to tell me what you think because I really want to know... I haven't written Psych stuff in over a month! SO REVIEW!

Btw, Alex is named after Alex Dupre from One Tree Hill. Because... that's how I imagine her. But different-looking.