Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's note: this is in response to a challenge from Jack Shepard.

Chapter 1

1987: Shawn, Gus, and Shawn's cousin Riley Poole were playing in the backyard. They were playing treasure hunters.

"Do you guys believe there's real treasure out there?" Riley asked.

"Yea. Totally." Shawn said. "I bet it's all in the ocean like Uncle Jack's story."

"Shawn!" Henry shouted. "You don't really believe that there's treasure out there do you? How many times do I have to tell you there's no such thing as treasure."

"I know." Shawn said walking away. He whispered to Riley and Gus. "One day will find a real treasure."

"Yea." They giggled.

Prologue

Shawn sat in the Chief's office. Gus was next to him, fidgeting nervously. Six eyes bore into them. Looks of anger, disappointment, and hatred on their respective faces. No one said a word for a long time. There was a lot of tension in the room.

"Mr. Spencer, I don't know what to say?" The Chief said. "We should press charges but with all the cases you've helped us solve it would not be good."

"Bull crap. Arrest him Karen. He's lied to us for years."

"I have one question though. If it wasn't Psychic-ness, then what was it?"

"I'm hyper-observant. Dad made me this way." Shawn said quietly.

"I'm not going to yell. I just want you off the premises. You may go." Jules left quickly. Shawn followed her. Gus apologized before following Shawn.

"Jules, wait!"

"Don't, Shawn. I have nothing to say to you."

"Jules let me explain." Jules slapped him across the face.

"How could you lie to me? All these years. All the flirting. You never said a word. Don't you trust me? I wouldn't have told anybody. Was everything else a lie too? Do you really love me?"

"Everything I ever told you was the truth except the Psychic thing. Does it matter? How I solved the cases?"

"No. It matters that you lied." Jules said angry tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm your girlfriend. Hell, I'm your fiancée. I deserved to know the truth."

"Are you mad?"

"No. I'm disappointed." Jules said slipping the ring off her finger and slipping it into Shawn's shirt pocket. "When you've decided what you really want and that you wanna tell the truth you know where to find me." She walked away. Shawn watched her go.

"Let's get out of here, Shawn." Gus said pulling his friend to the exit. They got in the car and drove to Shawn and Jules apartment. Shawn packed a bag and wrote her a note. He set the note on the counter:

Dear Jules,

I'm sorry I lied to everyone and made your lives harder. I was only trying to help. I've loved you from the first moment I saw you. And that's the truth. I never meant to hurt anyone.

I've decided to leave town for awhile to visit my cousin, Riley. Gus is driving me to the airport. I will always love you. I'm going to make things right. I promise.

Love, Shawn

He left. Gus took him to the airport. They sat in the car for a minute.

"Gus, I'm sorry."

"Forget about it Shawn." Gus said.

"I screwed up big time."

"Yes you did."

"Thanks buddy." Shawn said saracastically.

"Things will blow over. Just give it time. Say hi to Riley for me." Gus said holding out his fist. Shawn bumped it and got out the car. He boarded his plane and was soon on his way to Washington, DC.

A few hours later, Shawn was on Washington DC soil. He caught a cab and headed to his cousin's apartment. Riley Poole answered the door.

"Hey Riley."

"Shawn! How was your trip?"

"Wonderful."