A/N: So, in this chapter we get to meet our Mary Sue…*shivers* I tried making him as normal as possible – really, it just didn't work too well. So to make up for it I added some Shassie time at the end. Nothing too dirty quite yet, but it is definitely further then I've ever taken these two characters before.

Disclaimer: I don't own Psych, never have, never well, and I'm pretty sure that come the day any actor or crew member of this show read this I will be promptly shot lol. That's okay though, at least I'm having fun!

WARNING: MILD ADULT CONTENT AHEAD!

~ Matilda

Taking the Case

Don Lauren looked as smug as he had ever had; he gave Shawn a snide grin.

He was a rather normal looking character to the untrained eye, with cropped dirty blonde hair and green eyes just bright enough to be noticeable; it was his sharp facial features that tended to draw people in. His neatly kept scruff topped off with the fact he only seemed to wear brand name clothing just screamed high maintenance. Especially in the way he stood. His shoulders were always squared and he looked taller then he actually was. The fact that he wore black from head to toe didn't exactly help. Don Lauren was undeniably an attractive man – but Shawn saw none of that, he just a man who had continuously went out of his way to make Shawn feel two feet tall.

"Spencer" Don greeted "Nice to see you again. Invite me in."

Shawn tensed and turned to Gus who looked extraordinarily guilty. He then turned back to Don – actually holding back from throwing himself at him "I don't see why I should." Shawn said "Gus can you think of a reason why I should?"

"Well…." Gus said lightly "The thing is Shawn is that Don here uh - …what's the word I'm looking for?"

"I hired you." Don finished. Shawn was floored.

"Hired!" Shawn repeated "What – for what? What could you have possibly hired us for?"

"Let me in and I'll tell you." Don insisted "I promise it won't hurt." Shawn clenched his jaw.

Haaaate. Pure unadulterated haaate….

Shawn started counting backwards from then "if its work related" Shawn managed to get out "then there's no way you're coming into my apartment. Office. Now."

"Oh" Don said "Not in town 24 hours and already I get to visit the famous Psych – I have to say Spencer, I'm deeply touched."

Haaate. Sooo much haaate right now.

"Don't get too comfortable" Shawn grumbled "No one said I was taking the case yet."

"Really?" Don asked – god damn why did he always sound so sure of himself? "Not even with the promise of $500 a week? Plus a $1000 deposit for taking me on?"

So that's how he got Gus to agree, dirty rich bastard. Haate.

Shawn looked to Gus, who truthfully was counting on this; things have been so quiet lately Gus was probably just a week away from having to pick up an extra route or two. So maybe if anything – for Gus' sake.

"Okay" Shawn said "We'll talk – Gus take him to Psych and I'll be in right behind you."

"Sure thing" Gus said "Come on Don."

The two left Shawn's place, Shawn locking the door behind them. He followed them at a moderate pace still not convinced he was taking on anything Donald Lauren had to offer.

Upon arriving at Psych, Don had already made himself quite comfortable sitting in one of the guest chairs his feet prepped on – Shawn's desk no doubt. Shawn imagined himself pulling a katana out of thin air and slicing his feet off at the ankles. Blood would be everywhere – it'd be fantastic!

"So Don" Shawn cracked his neck to one side "What exactly is this job?"

"Someone's been embezzling money from my business" Don started "Internal affairs has investigated twice but nothing's come up. I'm still losing money and at this rate I risk losing a great deal of revenue."

"Okay" Shawn sat "so you want me to poke around? Ask people some questions, perform some Spencer magic and catch you a thief?"

"Not thief" Don said "Thieves as in plural. At least I'm thinking so – the money's been disappearing gradually."

"I've seen this movie" Shawn said immediately "fire your secretary, problem solved."

Don looked to Gus "is he always this direct?"

"You're surprised?" Gus told him, and Don chuckled.

"I guess not" Don said, he turned back to Shawn "I don't have a secretary; I have a lot of trust issues."

Of course he did, Shawn suppressed a sigh. "Gus, other room please."

Gus excused them both from Don and he followed Shawn to a secluded corner. "It sounds like a pretty easy case" Gus argued immediately "and after that you'd never have to talk to him again."

"Way too easy" Shawn agreed "but you and I have a track record for turning easy cases into…..complicated spectacles."

"That's not my fault" Gus said "I'm normally the one insisting we leave well enough alone, you're the one who always goes digging one step too far."

"Its called being thorough" Shawn said "I do it very well – thank you, I don't want this case."

"Don is loaded" whispered Gus "even if you don't handle this case professionally I'd thought you'd at least enjoy milking him for some extra money - $1000 deposit plus $500 a week? Its more then we've ever been offered all at once, ever."

Shawn grumbled "fine – but just so we're clear, I am not going to enjoy this. At all."

"Your call" Gus said "I'm just happy we're getting paid."

The two turned back to Don who had been looking towards them with quirked brows, he didn't say anything but Shawn was sure he had heard most of their conversation – not that he really cared.

"So?" Don asked.

"So" Shawn said "You got yourself a psychic we'll start first thing tomorrow."

"Great!" Don looked genuinely pleased and he stood from his chair, and reaching into the inside of his blazer pulled out a sleek black cheque book and a pen. He opened it and easily jotted down a number. He went straight to Shawn and handed him the cheque.

"Your deposit Spencer" and he gave a cheeky grin and patted Shawn on the back of the shoulder, letting his hand rest there for longer then it was ever welcome.

Shawn twitched – hand, off, now.

"Gentlemen" Don said as he pulled away finally and clapped his hands together defiantly. "Thank you so much for this – I'm going now, and I will be here to pick you both up tomorrow, 10 sound good?"

"10 is fine" Gus said "We'll be here."

"Alright, tomorrow at ten then" Don headed for the door "Until tomorrow" he flashed a smile "bye Shawn." And just like that Donald Lauren was gone.

Shawn seethed "did you see that!" Shawn stammered "he had to get right up on me didn't he?"

"I didn't see anything wrong" Gus said "he patted your shoulder – he's trying to be nice."

"There's a difference between nice and creepy" Shawn said "That was creepy."

"Look" said Gus "I might've told him at lunch how you still felt uncomfortable around him. He said he'd be extra nice to you – he was just doing what he said."

"Well, next time you eat lunch with him, tell him not to touch me, ick."

"He patted your shoulder" Gus said "Come on Shawn, knock it off."

Shawn refused to knock it off, he decided there was something off about Donald Lauren, and Shawn wasn't going to stop until he knew exactly what. He could feel it the moment he laid eyes on his old high school rival, if he wasn't the one stealing from his own business then he was definitely involved. Shawn wouldn't share that information with Gus just yet, because Gus would just insist that it was just Shawn carrying a personal vendetta.

Which wasn't completely untrue, he thought of Don Lauren for the rest of the day still unsure of whether or not he really wanted to do this. Shawn's final decision wouldn't be made until later then evening when he got Lassiter's take on the whole thing.

"Take it" Lassiter said "It can't be that bad."

"I still don't know" Shawn argued "this guy he just – gets right under my skin, he doesn't even try."

"Its part of the job Shawn" Lassiter told him "I mean there are times I have to help people I'm not particularly fond of but I do it because it's in my job description."

"You sound like my dad." Shawn said, and Lassiter only responded with a long kiss. Shawn responded immediately leaning into Lassiter more then willing, wrapping his arms around the detective's neck and pulling him closer. The kiss deepened and soon Lassiter's hands were running up Shawn's sides, disappearing under his shirt. They travelled upward until finally Lassiter got the response he was looking for. Shawn's breathe hitched just slightly and he entwined his fingers in Lassiter's hair giving a soft tug.

"I hope I don't sound like Henry too much" Lassiter quipped "because then I'd feel really weird about doing this."

Lassiter gave a low growl and Shawn was pinned to the couch now, Lassiter's tongue already exploring his mouth the tip licking every inch of warmth it could reach. Shawn's hips rolled instinctively rubbing against Lassiter's eagerly. Their bodies clashed and between kisses articles of clothing started coming undone being sloppily tossed across the living room, Lassiter pulled away from Shawn long to start untying his tie – but Shawn had shot up a hand to stop him.

"Leave the tie" Shawn ordered, and he wrapped it around his fist easily pulling Lassiter back to his mouth. Shawn's free hand work Lassiter's buttons forcing his shirt out from under his tie and down his arms. The site of Lassiter in nothing but a tie made Shawn absolutely crazy and he wasted no time demanding control of the situation, Shawn was rarely the aggressor but tonight it seemed Lassiter didn't mind being manipulated. Perfect. Using all his weight Shawn rolled them both off the couch the two landing with a thud in a mess of tangled limbs, Shawn now hovering of Lassiter, his mouth moving from Lassiter's to travel across the man's jaw line and down to the crook of his neck. Shawn gave a sharp nip, and Lassiter's body tensed a rough moan being released.

Shawn took that moan as a cue, and keeping Lassiter under him his mouth started to move, nibbling and licking, getting lower….and lower….