Thanks for being so awesomely patient on awaiting word of Juliet's fate, and keeping the death threats to a minimum, everyone! Read on to find out what happened to Juliet...

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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As time trudged on, Shawn's parents returned to the hospital to comfort their son. But his grief and worry was beyond their reach. Juliet was alone, despite his promise that he wouldn't leave her side.

Lassiter showed up an hour later, and both he and Gus were surprised when Shawn simply addressed him as Lassiter. No Lassie, no Carly. Just Lassiter. And it hit everyone there how upset Shawn was at that moment.

It wasn't until noon when a weary doctor finally appeared, his scrubs covered in blood. "Family of Juliet Spencer?"

Shawn shot to his feet, but his knees buckled at the sight of all the blood. Juliet's blood. His fingers curled around his best friend's arm in a desperate attempt to remain standing. "I'm her husband. Is she okay?"

"Mr. Spencer..."

Madeleine's hand went to her mouth.

Shawn began shaking his head. "No..."

The doctor came closer, his dark eyes full of sympathy and remorse. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Spencer. We did everything we could."

His knees gave out, and Shawn sank to the floor. Everything they could... Juliet was dead. His wife, his reason for waking up every morning, was gone. She was gone.

Madeleine knelt down beside her son and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her heart shattered for her baby boy. Baby... She jerked her head toward the doctor. "What about the baby?" She braced herself for the worst, but she had to hope.

"The baby is fine. We were able to deliver by c-section. But we couldn't control the blood loss."

The baby was fine... Madeleine smoothed her hand over Shawn's hair. "Shawn, honey, the baby is okay."

Shawn's stomach flipped as his mother's words registered in his mind. Juliet was gone, but their baby was alive. Juliet's baby was alive. He struggled to his feet.

Gus rushed to help his friend as Shawn said, "I want to see her." He felt sick, but the desperate need to see the baby, that last tangible connection to Juliet, reigned supreme. "I have to see her."

The doctor nodded. "Come with me."

Looking over his shoulder, Shawn surveyed the small group, and his eyes filled with tears. But he stoically followed the doctor, away from the safety of that which he knew and into an uncertain darkness.

Dr. Hammond led his patient's husband to the nursery. There was a long mirror along the wall, and several new fathers and mothers stood staring in and taking pictures. Their laughter was joyous as they waved to their children and proudly stated names that had been discussed for months.

Shawn felt a wave of resentment crash into him. He and Juliet should have been there, taking pictures of their baby and finally deciding a name. Hell, he didn't even know what he had. They had tried numerous times to see the baby's sex during an ultrasound, but each time the baby had been in the wrong position. Juliet had laughed every time, saying that the baby was more stubborn than she was.

He swallowed a soft groan. He would never hear Juliet's laugh again. At that moment, he would trade his last breath just to hear her say she loved him one more time.

Hammond ushered Shawn into the nursery and stopped beside an isolette. Reaching down, he lifted the baby into his arms and handed the bundle to Shawn.

Time ceased to exist in that moment when the doctor handed his child to him. A tiny band on the baby's wrist bore the words Baby Spencer. Dark hair peeked out from under a tiny pink hat-Juliet wanted a little girl so badly she could taste it-and her fingers were impossibly small. He stared at her, unable to breathe. He had a daughter...

Hammond gave Shawn a sad smile. It wasn't often that they lost mothers during pregnancy and delivery, but it did happen. At least the child had survived. Small mercies.

Shawn's legs wobbled, and he managed to find the nearest chair to drop into, all the while cradling his child to his chest.

The baby stirred and sighed, making little noises of a kind Shawn had never heard before. She was so small, so fragile...

He leaned back in the chair and stared at his baby, Juliet's baby.

A few minutes later, Shawn's parents, Gus and Lassiter gathered around the nursery window. Madeleine clung to Henry, and he held her tight. This was no longer his ex wife. This was the woman he had shared so many years with, the mother of his son. He kissed the side of her head.

Lassiter scrubbed a hand roughly over his face, and for a moment, Gus thought he saw the shimmer of tears in the hard detective's eyes. He had not only lost a partner, but a dear friend. Juliet was a sister to him, closer to him than his former wife. She understood what it took to be a cop, and never demanded more than he had to offer. She didn't try to change him. She just accepted him, which was more than a bastard like him ever deserved. He was lucky, and he knew it.

But now she was gone, and he had never felt more alone in his life.

Gus stood away from the others, watching his best friend. For years, he had watched Shawn struggle with what he felt for Juliet. She was good for him; everyone knew that. Except Shawn.

And to know that they only had two years together broke Gus' heart. His own parents had been models of happiness, sharing over forty years of wedded bliss. It was so unfair, knowing his best friend wouldn't have the same.

Shawn finally felt the eyes of his family and friends watching him, and he slowly got to his feet. Keeping the baby cuddled to his chest, he walked through the door and to the group waiting for him.

Lassiter hung back as the others went to Shawn and the baby.

"It's a girl," Shawn managed to whisper, never taking his eyes off of his baby.

Gus swallowed a soft groan. All Juliet had talked of was having a baby girl. Shawn had even joked once or twice that if they had a son, they would have to try again, just because Juliet couldn't live without a daughter.

Now she had a daughter, and she was gone.

Madeleine reached out and laid a tender finger against the baby's cheek. "My granddaughter..." She kissed the baby's forehead.

Reluctantly he let his parents hold the baby, but what shocked him was the longing he saw in Lassiter's eyes when he glanced in the detective's direction.

Uncertain, Lassiter moved a little closer to Shawn.

Curiosity set in, and Gus was unable to look away as Lassiter approached Shawn.

Finally Lassiter was standing in front of Shawn, and a wave of silent communication passed between them. With trembling hands, he took the baby girl into his arms.

Suddenly Shawn felt terribly empty, but at the same time, he was amazed at the gentle look that appeared on Lassiter's face. Normally he was an asshole, but today there was no sign of that in the stern features of the older detective.

Lassiter blew out a breath and studied the new baby's red face. "Hello there," he murmured, his words reminiscent of the moment when he had first held Chief Vick's little girl after watching her make her entrance into the world. "You certainly are a little thing." He had always wanted children, even if he didn't seem the type to. If he had a child, he would treat them better than he had ever treated anyone in his life. He knew that much. He would teach them, guide them, and encourage them to pursue whatever they wanted out of life. And even though he and Spencer never saw eye to eye, he was certain Spencer would make a damn fine father.

His jaw clenched. He would make sure of it. If he had to, he would keep an eye on them both, making sure that Spencer treated his partner's daughter the way she would have.

Madeleine looked at her son. "What are you going to name her, honey?"

Shawn ran his hand through his hair and thought. They had argued for months over what to name their baby, boy or girl, and they never seemed able to settle on anything.

"Juliet," he said quietly, his voice so soft she almost missed it. "Her name is Juliet." He couldn't think of a better way to honor the woman who had given her life to bring this child into the world.

Madeleine and Lassiter both smiled sadly. "That's wonderful, sweetheart." She reached out to draw her son against her again.

Shawn shook his head and stepped out of her reach. There was only one person he wanted to touch him right now, and she was somewhere in this hospital, cold and hidden by a sheet. He would never feel her comforting touch again, or hear her melodious laugh.

Understanding, Madeleine returned her attention to the baby in Lassiter's arms.

Gus sidestepped the others and went to his best friend's side. He was putting up a good facade, but years of being by his side and surviving everything with him had taught him different.

Shawn wouldn't look at Gus. No one could bring her back. Juliet was gone, leaving him to raise their baby on his own. Suddenly a wave of resentment hit him, and he leaned against the closest wall. She promised she would never leave him... now she had broken that promise, and he had no idea how to deal with this.

Gus rested his hand on his friend's arm. "It's going to be okay, Shawn," he murmured.

Shawn shook his head furiously. "No, it's not," he mumbled, his breath hitching. "Jules is dead."

"I know, and I'm so sorry. But you have to get through this. You're a father now. Your baby comes first." That was what Juliet would have wanted, her baby taken care of before anything else.

"I know that!" Shawn snapped. He knew that his baby came first, even before his own grief. He just doubted his ability to be a good father, and Juliet wasn't there anymore to tell him everything was going to be okay. How could he do this without her?

Gus stepped away, motioning Lassiter to come closer.

Lassiter moved easily, reluctantly placing the newborn in Shawn's arms.

A soft gasped escaped Shawn's lips, but he held the baby girl close and kissed her head. "My Juliet," he breathed, sniffling.

Henry pulled Madeleine close as they watched their son with his daughter.

Ignoring all those around him, Shawn leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. His baby girl snuggled deeper into his arms, evoking a feeling he had never experienced before. Suddenly the pain and shock of losing Juliet faded, replaced by a warmth and need to protect this little creature cuddled in his strong arms.

What he thought didn't matter anymore. He had to find a way to be strong enough. He had to be the man he never thought he could be, the father his little girl needed him to be. He had to.

Putting on a resolute face, he kissed his mother's cheek and nodded at Lassiter, Gus and his father. Then he went back into the nursery and found Dr. Hammond.

"When can I take my daughter home with me?"

TBC...

A/N: *sniffles* I know, I know. I'm EVIL! *runs and hides*