AUTHOR'S NOTES:
First off, it's not often I get hooked by plot bunnies. Having a stock pile of holy hand grenades and a lot of willpower usually causes me to resist the temptation of juicy plots. However, once and a while one turns from a plot bunny into an ear worm and I just can't get it out of my head until it's written. This was one of those ideas...
This was an idea from Dragonnan on Psychfic: In "Mr. Yin Presents", the season 4 finale episode, she noticed a time discrepancy between the time Yin calls to have Shawn choose between Juliet and Abigail (Probably around 2am because Abigail's flight came in at 1:30pm) to when Yin calls with Juliet's clue (just before 4am.) She wanted someone to write what happened at the precinct during that missing time and I had to oblige.
*Spoilers for "Mr. Yang Presents" and some for "Yang 3 in 2D"
I do not own Psych
Mr. Yin Presents: The Lost Hours
"…I have now met the girl next door."
Yin's words echoed through Shawn's brain in a sick and twisted loop. How could something like this possibly happen again? He'd put Yang where she'd belonged, white padded walls and everything. It should have been over. It just wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
As the murderer continued to monologue his dastardly plan, Shawn looked around the room; Gus' shocked and saddened expression contrasted with his father's stoic stare. His eyes were the only thing that gave his true feelings away, even though sympathy was a rarely seen emotion from Henry Spencer.
Carlton almost looked broken. His eyes wide and jaw slacked as he stared at a spot on the floor, as if he were afraid to look Shawn in the face. It was Karen that surprised him the most. Usually the backbone of the group, her commanding presence sloughed away and she'd rested her head in her hands, looking up at him with an apologetic glance and despair.
"...I'm doing you a favor here, by forcing you to choose."
Shawn swallowed thickly, "Choose?"
"Yes Shawn. Who do you care about more? Because you can't save them both."
As soon as he heard the line go dead, he let his arm fall to his side, staring blankly while a million worst case scenarios played through his mind. He felt sick as the world started to spin, and all the blood rushed from his head.
"Shawn?" Gus made a step towards him but he lurched out of the office and down the hallway, running into a couple concerned officers along the way.
Shawn had barely made it in the door of the bathroom and had no time to get to a stall. He stumbled and heaved into one of the sinks. As horrible as his condition was, at least he was able to keep standing, because he knew if he'd had to kneel over one of the toilets he'd never be able to get back up and there were people counting on him to succeed. It was just too much pressure.
He lifted his head and looked at his gaunt features in the mirror. God, this is all my fault. I should have stayed out of it. First my mom; now this. The thought of losing even one of them was too horrible to imagine. Unfortunately, he kept imagining it, and Shawn winced and leaned over the sink again at the image of a smiling Yang asking him if he was single now that Abby was gone.
Doing his best to shake away the thought, Shawn tried to focus on the clues. He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tightly, willing his brain to work double time. Yin hadn't given him anything to go on, and trying to decipher anything Yang said was like walking barefoot through mud; You don't see the rusty nail in the muck until you step on it and she just grins and says 'I told you so.'
The problem was, any time he started to get something from Yang's ramblings, his brain would jump to a vision of Mary dying in his arms. Just wanting to be a hero. Like him.
"Do you think they have racquet ball in heaven?"
Shawn brought the heel of his hand to his forehead and groaned. He couldn't think like this, and Yin probably knew it, and had planned it that way. After all this, the killer had finally gotten into his head.
"Son of a biiiitch!" He snapped and grabbed the only thing within his reach and he lobbed the soap dispenser at the wall. It shattered in a sudsy mess, spraying the walls and the floor with pink goo. He braced himself on the sink again, breathing heavily. "All my fault. He's dead and it's my fault."
Shawn didn't look up as the bathroom door opened slowly. A familiar presence stepped inside, walked calmly over, and leaned against the wall next to him. "Is there anything I can do?"
He shook his head, before raising it to finally look his friend. "The bastard took her Gus. He knew Abigail was coming back tonight, and he took her because of me." Shawn stood up and rubbed a hand over his mouth. He'd circled the date she was coming back on every calendar he owned for Christ's sake. It wouldn't have been hard for Yin to find out about that.
There was something else bothering him though. It was practically eating away at his brain, and he had to talk it out. "But why Jules, man? How did he know I liked her?" Gus snorted mirthfully with a small smile. "Okay, fine. It may not have been that hard, but I've totally been stuck in the friend zone with her since−" Shawn's heart stopped beating at the realization of just how long Yin had been planning this moment.
"Since when Shawn?"
"Since Juliet kissed me at the drive in. He stayed around after everything to watch me." His voice sounded dead even to him.
They'd nabbed Yang that night, but Yin had gone free, leaving him to stay around and watch the aftermath. The aftermath that included the most mind blowing kiss Shawn had ever had. That made two times he'd missed being observed. Shawn's eyes moved back and forth as he went back and observed the drive-in's snack bar, but it was no use. He'd been completely focused on Juliet and how great she looked. He hadn't seen anything but her.
Gus' eyes widened at the revelation. "Oh my God, he's been planning this for over a year?"
"How am I going to compete with that?!" His anger flared up again and he threw his hands up in frustration. "He's had a year to plan this and I have only as much time as he's willing to give me. Minutes maybe?" He suddenly wished for Yang's ticking clock, at least then he'd know how much time he had left. "He's holding all the cards Gus, and I don't think I can bluff this one anymore. One of them is going to die... and he gets to choose which one, not me."
The tension in the bullpen was almost explosive. Not only had one of their own been taken, but a civilian as well. The whispers and fuming looks were useless in Carlton's opinion. Despite the other officers' willingness to jump in and help, this whole situation's burden was on one person's shoulders.
Shawn Spencer.
His partner was in the clutches of a madman and all they could do was sit, wait, and hope Shawn could do whatever he did to solve the clue. The revelation that Shawn also liked Juliet wasn't anything new, but he'd figured that the kibosh was put on that when he started dating Abigail. It unnerved him that Shawn sill might have feelings for her.
"You can't have your cake and eat it too..."
Either way, Shawn now had to make a grueling choice and Carlton wondered if he'd be able to handle it. He also wondered if he himself could handle it he were in the same position. As gung ho as he'd been the first time around to be the one to chase this psycho, It could have easily been him that the crazies chose. They could have taken Victoria, his mom, his other mom... any one of them. He'd heard horror stories from some of the older officers that were there for the first time Yin and Yang came out of the woodwork. Of course then, they'd only thought it was one person.
"Anders!" Carlton looked up at the chief's shout. "Take four officers and go find McNab! He'd radioed in that he was with the victim and could have been taken too."
The officers looked at her in horror, they'd obviously completely forgot Buzz had been involved.
"Go, now!" Karen commanded and they sprang into action. "And be careful! We don't know what Yin has planned."
As the officer's filed out, Karen came back in the bull pen and sat heavily in her chair. Henry walked in a moment later closing his phone. "Oh uh, updating Maddie." He explained when Carlton gave him a quizzical look.
"Did you find your kid yet?" Carlton hadn't meant to make it come out so bitter, but the stern glare he got from the chief told him he better watch his tone.
Henry apparently ignored his gruffness. "Gus has him." He sat at the table next to him. "He'll have him out in a minute."
Carlton got up from the table and started to pace. He was restless and wanted to sprint out that door along with the other officers. Even if it was to find McNab. At least then he'd be doing something besides standing here waiting for the killer to make his move. "He better. If O'Hara dies because he has a sudden lapse in his abilities..."
"CARLTON, May I remind you that Mr. Spen−Shawn is under a lot of stress. You will not under any circumstances put any more on him when he comes out, are we clear?"
Carlton let out a frustrated growl, as he stood in front of her. He felt helpless, and it was killing him. "Karen, he pointed us in the wrong direction already and it got someone killed. I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket in case he's wrong again. Are you willing to take that chance too? Not just of him being wrong either, what if he can't do it?"
He'd completely forgotten that Henry was in the room until he heard a chair scoot across the floor and a gravelly voice answered from directly behind him, "Shawn can do it. I know my son. He's not going to give up on them either Lassiter."
Facing Henry and his intense gaze, Carlton said quietly, more to himself than the others, "He better not." It was the closest he'd come to being emotional that night, and he had to get out of there before anything could set him off more. He slid past Henry and stated, "I'm going to get some coffee."
Carlton tried to ignore the stares of the other police officers as he stalked past them to the break room. When he got there, his eyes caught on Juliet's pink coffee mug sitting on the shelf just as she left it. He felt a twist in his gut at the thought of her never using the God awful thing ever again; as much as he'd complained that detectives don't drink out of girly cups with puppies on them. His, lower lip started to twitch, and his hands shook badly as he grabbed the coffee pot and started to pour it in his own cup.
A second attempt and a few scalds later, Carlton gave up and set his cup down. Maybe coffee isn't such a good idea.
"Detective Lassiter?" Dobson's bulky frame stood in the doorway. Carlton hadn't even realized he was there, but then again, the man really tended to blend in.
"What is it?" He stood up straighter and tried to put his hands behind his back to hide their shaking.
The other detective stepped further into the room, "I just wanted to say that, I'm sorry for what happened to O'Hara. I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if my partner got kidnapped." There was sadness in Dobson's green eyes, so Carlton knew he was being serious. It was rather touching.
Clearing his throat to stop any errant emotions from popping up, he nodded his thanks.
Dobson extended his hand for a shake with a comforting smile. "We'll find her, Lassiter. You'll see." Carlton barely trusted his own hands at the moment, so there was an awkward pause before he brought one forward and returned the handshake with a small smile of his own.
"Thanks Dobson."
Juliet's eyes fluttered as she came back to consciousness. The slam of a car door and a sudden weight leaning on her was probably what woke her up. Then, she heard an engine start. Okay, I'm in a car. The detective tried to rationalize her situation.
The last thing she remembered was spraining her ankle as she hit the ground when Yin had sprung his trap. She hadn't even had the chance to get up before he'd knocked her out. If she wasn't in a hospital, and the fact that her hands and feet were tied, she could only suspect that she was still in Yin's clutches.
Wondering if she should play possum was immediately out of the question, because as soon as her eyes moved, he knew she was awake. "Welcome back to the land of the living detective." He said from the front seat of the car. The voice was deep and somewhat cultured, but that was nearly canceled out by the sarcastic lilt in his tone.
She didn't answer him, but as her mind cleared she got a better look at her surroundings and realized she was leaning up against someone with dark brown hair. She had a familiar face too. "Abigail!"
A dark chuckle reverberated in the cab, and her vision had now cleared up enough to see Yin had on a black fedora with a black mask hiding his features.
"Where are you taking us?" She demanded while testing her bonds to see if any were loose enough to escape.
"Oh ho, don't be so cliché detective. That isn't the first question you're supposed to ask. You're supposed to ask why." He raised a hand of the steering wheel in a dramatic flourish. "Why did I take you and Shawn's little girlfriend? That's a more appropriate question in these circumstances, don't you think my dear detective?"
Deciding to play along she said, "Fine, why'd you take us?"
Yin looked at her via the rear view mirror, "Well, honestly I had to throw Shawn off his game. Yang and I took his mother and he still figured out the clues in record time. I figured I would up the stakes this time around. Make things more... interesting."
"He'll still catch you!" Juliet growled out savagely. "He'll catch you and put you away just like he did with Yang!"
She must have hit a nerve because she saw his hands tighten on the wheel. "Yang was a sentimental fool. A genius planner, yes, but she lost her focus." Yin hissed out the last word. "Fortunately for me, she left me with one last gem of a plan before she went and got herself locked up. Unfortunately, it was only meant for one person so I'll admit, I've had to do a lot more improvising than I like."
He suddenly slammed on the breaks hard and she whimpered as her ankle was jarred. Yin then leaned over the seat and looked right in her eyes. "And while we're at it, let's get one thing straight right now. I won't be so naive detective. I know what Shawn is capable of." He leaned back into his own seat and adjusted his hat. "It's not really about finding me anyway."
He left her to think as he turned around and got out of the car.
Using the short time she had, she nudged Abigail, trying to rouse her. "Abigail! C'mon get up!" The other woman moved limply but did not stir, so instead Juliet tried to get herself free. It was only a moment before she screamed in surprise as she was unexpectedly grabbed by her feet and pulled roughly out of the car. "SOMEBODY HELP!"
Just as roughly, a cloth gag was stuffed in her mouth and tied around her head, muffling her screams. "Really detective, screaming for help is so beneath you." He snorted and pushed her towards a building.
Juliet looked up and realized that they were going into the clock tower. She tried to plant her feet and took one last look at the car with the unconscious Abigail.
"Oh, still concerned about the girlfriend?" Juliet could almost see the large grin form on the psychopath's face. "Don't you worry detective. I'll think of something to tide her over until Shawn can find her."
With that, she was pushed in the door and brought her up an elevator to the top of the tower, humming something that sounded disturbingly like "Don't Fear the Reaper" the whole way.
The thought that she was going to be first made her heart clench in her chest, but the fact that Yin would be too busy with her to get to Abigail right away was a small comfort. She was a cop and it was her duty to protect and serve. Even if it meant dying for it. However, despite her brave inner monologue, she couldn't stop herself from swallowing hard as she looked out at the city and how far up they were.
"Remember, don't look down." Yin whispered in her ear as he pointed to a chair balanced on the ledge by a thin wire.
Juliet closed her eyes tightly, and stifled a sob.
Shawn please find me.
"Chief!" The three people in Karen's office looked up as one of the officers came running in. "I just got word that they found McNab unconscious in a parking garage near the airport. His cruiser is gone."
Karen and Henry looked at each other hopefully, both knowing that if Yin took the car it could be tracked.
"Great work, now get on finding that car! I doubt he still has it but I want fingerprints, hair samples, any evidence you can get me." The officer was gone in a flash and Karen lowered her head into her hands. "Oh my God. Please don't let this get any worse."
An out of breath Gus was the next one in the room. Henry looked at him expectantly, sensing there was something wrong. "Where's Shawn?"
Catching his breath, Gus replied, "Okay, the good news is that I got him out of the bathroom."
"Well what's the bad news Mr. Guster?" Karen asked, her face scrunched in worry.
"The bad news is that he's now on the roof."
Henry was out the door in an instant, with Gus following him. He ignored Karen's shout of his name and headed for the small closet and narrow stairs that led to the roof. "Why the hell did he go up there Gus?" He asked as they trudged through the station.
"He got real quiet after realizing how long Yin had been messing with him, and he suddenly ran off again. I followed him to the stairs." Gus gave the dark passage a fearful glance.
Henry rolled his eyes. Of course you wouldn't go up them... He vaguely remembered Shawn telling Gus that the stairs were home of some sort of monster. He'd terrified his friend so much that Henry grounded Shawn for a week. Apparently, the fear hadn't abated in the twenty five years since.
"Fine, just stay down here and keep watch." He put his hand on the young man's shoulder and Gus nodded.
The staircase was very small, just a maintenance hatch almost and it connected to some of the ducts that ran through the police station. As a kid, despite Henry's orders to the contrary, Shawn hadn't stayed away from the place, and he would often round the corner from the bull pen to find Shawn coming down the thin steps.
Unfortunately, Henry was reminded of how old he was getting when he started to have trouble squeezing through half way up. "Damn it kid, why do I always have to chase you?"
A few minutes later, his head popped out of the hatch and he slowly heaved himself onto the metal siding that made up most of the top of the SBPD. He easily spotted Shawn, sitting a short ways away, sitting on the top of an exhaust vent, playing with something in his hands.
"Shawn, what are you doing up here? Yin could call any minute!"
Shawn pulled out his phone and waved it, indicating he still had it with him. "I know."
The tone of Shawn's words gave him pause. "Oh, you know do you? You still haven't answered my question kid. Why are you up here?"
"I needed to think." As Henry got closer, he saw that Shawn was playing with an old, worn out baseball. His son must have seen him looking, and gestured behind him. "I forgot I had all this stuff up here. I used to get bored waiting for you and made myself quite the fort."
Sure enough, when Henry looked he saw a few action figures, a Frisbee, and other trinkets meant to stave off boredom. He could have sworn that half of the items up here belonged to Gus'.
"What if I just left." Shawn said, looking up at him for some kind of answer. "If I left, then he'd have no reason to kill them. Right?"
Henry rubbed his head wearily. It had been a long time since he'd stayed up so late and it was just another sign of how old he was getting. "You know that won't solve anything Shawn. This guy loves his game. If not you, he'll just find another person, and another, and another until he's stopped." Henry kneeled in front of Shawn, placing his hand on the ball, stilling it. "This is something you have to finish."
"What if I can't dad!?" Shawn looked at him accusingly, as if Henry could have prepared him for something like this, but didn't. "What if he's better than I am and I lose them both? Then you can tell me 'I told you so' all you want!" Shawn gripped the ball tight and stood up, brushing him off and throwing the ball as hard as he could with a shout of rage.
Part of Henry hoped that it wouldn't break anyone's window when it landed.
Shawn sagged, his shoulders slumping and voice breaking, "I can't lose them dad."
Henry was suddenly reminded of how he'd felt when Shawn had told him that Maddie was strapped to a bomb. His heart clenched and it felt like it would explode along with her if anything happened. Shawn's going through twice that now. He had to remind himself.
He watched as Shawn shuffled to the edge of the roof and stared out over the cherry trees and hedges on the station's front lawn. Henry joined him a moment later and they stood in silence. Listening to the sounds of the city, waiting for a call that could mean the death of someone his son loved.
A while later Shawn, still staring into the distance, asked, "You think they hate me? For him taking Jules?"
Henry sighed. His son, deep down, really deep down, wanted acceptance. Wanted people to like him. The thought that everyone would turn against him because of the whims of a mad man was putting too much pressure on him. He could see that Shawn was truly about to break under the stress.
Grabbing Shawn by the shoulder, he stood in front of him and pointed his finger at his son's chest. "You listen to me. You are not being judged by the actions of a murderer. If God forbid something should happen to either Juliet or Abby, the blame will go where it should. On Yin. You are better than him. You will catch him. You will get them back." Henry hoped he was getting through to Shawn, somehow he had to bring him out of this.
Apparently he had gotten through, because Shawn nodded slowly, and the tension in his limbs seemed to drain away.
"C'mon son. Let's go back inside." Henry led him back to the hatch and down the stairs, seeing Gus was still waiting for them at the bottom. He shared a look with the black man before leading a lethargic Shawn to the front desk. He immediately rested his arms on it and put his head down, and Henry noticed he was cradling his phone in his hand.
"I'll be right over there okay?" Getting no reaction, he approached Gus who was hanging back, worried for his friend. "Keep an eye on him. I'm going to talk to the chief." He could see that Carlton was back and there were a few things they needed to discuss.
"You know that's right."
As he headed to the office, he heard Gus updating Shawn on Buzz and trying to entice him with food. It was having little success. Man I wish this night were over.
"How is he?" Karen asked as he came in the room.
Henry took a deep breath before answering, "Better. He's−" His words were suddenly interrupted by a tune that made the breath freeze in his lungs.
Shawn's ringtone.
"THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT!" His son shouted getting the entire precinct's attention. Shawn then pushed through them to slam the phone on Karen's desk. Henry could see that the spark was back in Shawn's eyes, and he saw more determination, and anger, in them than he'd ever seen before.
Shawn would put everything he had into finding them, and at that point Henry knew that Yin didn't have a chance in hell.
"WHAT'S THE CLUE!?"
END NOTES:
As much as I'd like to have Shawn be okay and think "YEAH! I can do it!" it wasn't the case when Yin called. He was miserable and silent. I had to go with that for symmetry purposes. :)
I based Yin off of what we got to see in "Yang 3 in 2D" and how he acted and talked.
I really hope everyone liked it.