AN: So after the season premiere of season four in episode 2, "He Dead," this last scene pulled at my heartstrings. I was surprised no one had written about it yet! You know Henry love his kid, but he has a hard time of saying it. So I made this little drabble to better understand what was going through Henry's head at the time. I realize it's short, but when writing Henry that's usually how it comes out- short, simple and sweet.

Please give a critique- I love to hear them! :]


2. Love

Their relationship has been strained since the beginning of Shawn's teenage years—to be honest, right around the time problems came up with Shawn's mother, Madeleine. They were so in love when they were first married, but with his police work, their marriage slowly fell apart unbeknownst to his keen observational skills. It had probably started with the long hours and the paperwork; he mused but quickly stopped that thought. There was no need to find the problems of years past when he knew she would never think of him that way ever again.

But he still had the chance to work on his relationship with Shawn. He was really trying in his grumpy gruff way to show that he loved his son. He had been so close to letting him know straight out, but he sputtered and tried to get it out. His son's impatience by ticking off the seconds rather than hear what he had to say made the moment lost. The exasperation, but slightly melancholy feeling hit him as he muttered to himself,

"I would say 'I love you.'"

He couldn't say it now, but he hoped that another moment would come along so he could finally tell his son how much he meant to him – before it was too late.