Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
1. Introduction
When Juliet first met Mr. Spencer, she was Shawn's girlfriend, and she was terrified. The man was practically an icon at the station. Highest Solved Crime Percentage, Most Arrests, Best Interrogator; his accomplishments lingered in the SBPD until he became legendary. But when he greeted her with a smile and clenched his jaw when Shawn began ranting about whisks and his lack of masculine father figures, she couldn't help but think that maybe he was just as human as she was.
2. Love
It was harder to say those words than he thought it would be. But, after all, it had been nearly 20 years since he'd last said them. And when her blue eyes got a little watery and her smile dazzled and blinded him, well, you'd have to excuse him if his eyes got a bit watery, too.
3. Light
Gus thought she was gorgeous and funny and intelligent until she asked him for a light. His look of revulsion must have shown on his face, because she immediately turned away and started chatting up the next guy at the bar.
4. Dark
Shawn never talked about it, never mentioned it. But not being able to forget things had its dark side too. The flinches of rape victims, the scars of domestic violence, the cruelty and laughter lurking simultaneously in Yang's eyes…Shawn would never forget any of it. But Gus knew his unspoken role in Psych, and that was to remind his friend of all of the good things he'd never forget.
5. Seeking Solace
Lassiter wasn't anti-social, it's just that he used up all of sociability while at the station. So when he came home, he liked the silence, the solitude. It was calming, healing, and helped wash away the stresses and failures of the day. But the empty house, sometimes it reminded him of the only failure he couldn't wash away.
6. Break Away
She loved Shawn. She really did. But her wedding day was one of the saddest days of her life. It was a day that meant she was no longer the same in her family. That she belonged, first and foremost, to her own family now. And while she was ecstatic to become Mrs. Shawn Spencer, she was also devastated that she was no longer an O'Hara.
7. Heaven
He loves the taste of pineapple, yeah, but there's more to it than just the sweet, sweet taste of the God of all fruits. His first memory of pineapple was snuggled between his mom and dad on their old couch, watching sitcoms and snacking on some fresh cut pineapple. Drifting off to sleep to his dad's low chuckle, his mom rubbing his back, and the aftertaste of delicious flavor…it was one of his favorite memories.
8. Innocence
It was sweet, the way Gus always seemed to think that this month would be the one where Shawn would leave his credit cards alone.
9. Drive
She hated to admit it to anyone, but, well, her drive was a bit more than his. And, annoyingly, he found this hilarious. Even more annoying was the nickname he bestowed upon himself: "Lean Mean Psychic Lovin' Machine."
10. Breathe Again
Tampa was glorious, Lassiter decided, and so was vacation. Far away from responsibility, far away from annoying idiots, and full of sights that were easy on the eyes. And so when he nearly choked to death on an ice cube in his scotch when he saw Spencer on the local news for solving the beached whale(s) mystery, it was a mixed blessing that someone knew the Heimlich maneuver to save his life. Because any city with Spencer in it was not the place Lassiter wanted to be. Ever.
11. Memory
Henry didn't have his son's memory, and that was a mixed blessing. If he had his son's ability to recall, he knew he'd have been a better cop, a better husband, a better father. But sometimes he was glad he could forget. Because the pain was still there from when Mad had first mentioned separation, from when he first saw the papers, from when he first heard her say she was dating again. And if they still hurt this bad after the years had washed away most of the memory, he didn't want to know what it would feel like if he never forgot.
12. Insanity
The sheer number of hair products he owned was ridiculous. She wasn't sure how he ever emerged from the house…he slept in until at least ten every day, and his hair care regimen had to last at least an hour after he was done in the shower.
13. Misfortune
Shawn just knew the night was going to suck royally. And sure enough, when Jules came home she was in a pissy mood, one of the cats tried to take a chunk out of his pinky toe, the water heater broke and when his dad came to fix it, he had a 40 minute lecture about how a good provider should be able to fix his own household.
If only he had gotten Gus' fortune cookie instead of his. What kind of fortune cookie didn't have a fortune in it, anyway?! The cursed kind, that's what.
14. Smile
The Chief's smile was one that he worked hardest to get. She didn't smile nearly enough, and when she did, it was a little forced, a little stressed, and a whole lot like she was out of practice. But once in a very long while, she'd let one of her real smiles break through, and though she'd be back to professional in 2.3 seconds flat, he knew that she needed the release. Plus, Jules was always more likely to flirt with him if the Chief was in a good mood.
15. Silence
As the blood pooled onto the cold tile floor, as Lassiter slammed the bastard into the wall and snapped cuffs on him, as Gus started hyperventilating, Juliet decided that she'd never wish for Shawn to be quiet again. Because his silence in the house right now was unbearable. And she just wanted it to end.
16. Questioning
Abigail knew that Shawn liked her. A lot. Maybe even felt the beginnings of love. Their banter was easy, their chemistry was palpable, and most of their disagreements ended with them laughing at how silly they were being.
But she couldn't help wondering what he meant when he said that the blonde detective was "more than just a coworker."
17. Blood
Karen had only seen Mr. Spencer and Mr. Guster turn down one case, and that was a homicide at a tattoo parlor. Apparently, Mr. Spencer had an "aversion" to pointy things, and Mr. Guster had an "allergy" to the sight of blood. When O'Hara had called them both wussies, Karen couldn't help but agree, and therefore didn't reprimand Lassiter when he made a soft chicken-clucking noise as he left the room.
18. Rainbow
Buzz never had a favorite color. He liked all of them. Which is why he always said his favorite color was a rainbow. Because liking just one the best meant that he'd have to choose against all the others.
19. Gray
Gus had his first gray hair at 27, which coincidentally, was the first time that Shawn starting coming back to Santa Barbara. He had his last non-gray hair at 49. Fortunately, his wife thought he looked noble with gray hair. Because looking back from 74, he wouldn't have changed one of their adventures. It was worth it all. Even the gray hair.
20. Fortitude
With the way that Gus whined and complained about missing one episode of American Duos, you'd think that Shawn had cut off his left arm and leg. And seriously, I Love the 80's was doing a marathon! In HD! With commentary! How could Shawn say no to that?!
21. Vacation
Shawn never seemed to understand that half the reason why Gus went on vacation so much was partly to get away from him.
21 (part 2). Vacation
Gus had two types of vacations: the ones where Shawn didn't show up, and he went sight-seeing, flirted with some girls, laid out on the beach, caught up on some reading, and came home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated; and then there were the ones where Shawn somehow managed to sneak on board his flight. These inevitably involved some sort of international mystery where he'd get into a life-threatening situation, flirt with some girls (as a distraction), witness one of Shawn's patented "wrap-up's," and possibly make some money that was always difficult to classify on his tax returns. While he never came home refreshed from the second kind, they did make for the best stories.
22. Mother Nature
Henry had found the perfect threat to keep his grandson in line. He only wished he'd thought of it sooner, since it would have totally worked on Shawn, too.
"You know, David, the gene for male pattern baldness skips one generation. I have it, and your father doesn't. And you know, added stress from being grounded all the time tends to accelerate the hair loss…."
23. Cat
Juliet could never figure out how Shawn had managed to connect with Angel, her gray tabby. But somehow he had corrupted her…because now whenever she came home with groceries, Angel would hiss if she didn't pick up some pineapple cat nip. But she was drawing line at the fur gloss and gel. There's some things that cats simply did not need.
24. No Time
"Mr. Spencer! You cannot call 'Time Out' during a police briefing. I do NOT care how many Slurpees Mr. Guster dared you to drink!"
25. Trouble Lurking
'This time,' Gus thought, 'this time I'm going to be the one who makes Shawn into a laughing stock on a first date.'
Shaving cream? Check.
Water balloons? Check.
Remote control fart machine? Check.
Canceled the credit card Shawn "borrowed" for the date? Check.
Incredibly realistic stuffed raccoon? Double-check.
Gus chuckled evilly to himself, and flipped the jackal-switch. 'Show Time.'
