A/N: Sorry this update took a little while – I've had a ton of things to do this week. Thank you for the amazing reviews! I love hearing from you guys. Enjoy!


Juliet wasn't there when he woke up, and when Shawn finally got the energy to lift his head up, he saw that his father wasn't there either. But there was another person in the room with him. Shawn chuckled at the sight of Gus, tucked in and sleeping on the arm chair just across from him. Shawn sat up as slowly and as quietly as possible, allowing himself a minute for the room to stop spinning before he opened his eyes.

The room looked hazy, and he could tell from the sticky hotness that he still had a fever. His head didn't hurt as badly, and Shawn silently thanked his father for forcing him to take the flu meds. His stomach still hurt, but it was a dull ache, much better than the stabbing pain he'd felt before. All in all, Shawn decided, he felt okay. Well, relatively. He knew there was no avoiding the doctor's appointment his father had promised he'd make, but that was better than the hospital trip Gus had threatened earlier.

Once the dizziness had settled down, Shawn was able to take notice of another pressing need – he really had to pee. Shawn glanced over at Gus who was snoring softly now, completely unaware of Shawn's predicament. He pushed himself to his feet, surprised at how rubbery his legs felt. Fighting a head rush, Shawn made his way towards the bathroom, weaving drunkenly on unsteady legs.

After he'd finished, Shawn studied himself in the mirror. No wonder Jules and his dad had seemed so worried – he looked awful. His skin was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes. His hair looked good, though.

"Shawn?" Shawn looked towards the living room and Gus's worried voice.

"In here," Shawn said as loudly as possible, which was barely above a whisper.

"Shawn!" Gus repeated, obviously not hearing his friend's response. The padding of footsteps down the hall told Shawn that Gus was coming to him, and in 5 seconds he was standing in front of the doorway. "What are you doing up?"

"Had to pee," Shawn explained, the energy he'd mustered to go to the bathroom already waning. Gus noticed, going to his side and letting Shawn lean against his shoulder as they began their walk back to the living room. Shawn didn't speak during the short trip, too concentrated on breathing and staying upright. Once Gus had settled him down on the couch, he closed his eyes, pressing a hand to his forehead. The headache was returning and he was already feeling nauseous again. When Shawn opened his eyes, it was to Gus's concerned look. "How was the date?" Shawn asked, hoping to dispel any questions about his health.

Gus eyed him for a minute, deciding to accept Shawn's diversion for now. He grinned widely. "Ah-mazing. Jackie thought it was so sweet that I needed to cut the date short to stay with a sick friend. We've already got another date planned."

Shawn huffed out a laugh. "I'm glad you could use my illness to score with the ladies." He held out his fist and Gus triumphantly bumped it with his. "So you've been here all night? Where's my dad?"

"Yeah, got here around midnight, but you were dead asleep. Your dad's at the station, he said he had to do some paperwork, but he wanted me to tell you he made an appointment with your doctor for 10 o'clock. And Jules gave me some crime photos for you to look at, but she made me promise not to show you unless you were feeling better..." Gus trailed off, eyeing his friend. "You don't look so good, though."

"Are you kidding me, Gus? Look at this hair – how can you say I don't look good?"

"You look like you're going to pass out, Shawn."

Shawn groaned. He was feeling crappy again and he knew Gus could read him like a book. "Yeah, you're right. But can I please see the photos? I'm not going to be able to rest unless you show me."

Gus knew Shawn was serious, so he handed over the photos without much hesitation. "They're pretty gruesome."

Shawn didn't answer, focusing on one picture in particular. "Gus," he said slowly, "I've seen this shape before. Dude! I know who the killer is!"

Gus took the photo from Shawn. "Seriously?"

"Positive. We need to go to the department right now." Shawn tried to push himself up but his arms gave out and he fell back onto the couch.

"Na ah, no way. Your dad specifically told me to make sure you didn't go anywhere. No way am I getting in trouble because of you."

"Gusssss," Shawn whined. "If you don't take me, I'll find my own way there. I'll walk if I have to."

"Why can't you just call Juliet?"

"This calls for a big reveal. C'mon, buddy. It's been so long since I've had one. People are beginning to think I'm not psychic!"

"You aren't."

"Gus don't be a pouchless kangaroo! The department is on the way to the doctor's. We swing by the station, I stun and amaze everyone with my psychic talents, and we're at my appointment with time to spare. It's perfect!" Shawn tried to stand again, this time succeeding. "I'm going with or without you, Gus."

Gus knew he should ignore Shawn's threats, let him figure out on his own that there was no way he was going to make it to the car by himself. But somehow Gus knew Shawn would find a way, even if he had to crawl there. And then Henry would really be pissed. Deciding it was in both of their best interests to just drive to the station, Gus relented. "Fine, but if your dad kills me, I will slap you."

"You can't slap me. You'll be dead."

"I will come back as a ghost, just to slap you."

"Ghosts can't slap, Gus."

"You ever see Ghost? I will Patrick Swayze your ass."

Shawn paused for a second. "Touche, buddy. He won't kill you, Gus. Just tell him it was my fault."

"It is your fault."

"Exactly. Okay, buddy, let's go!" Shawn had somehow found the energy to jog out to the car.


"I'm so going to regret this," Gus groaned, following his best friend at a much slower pace. If Shawn had the energy to be running around, though, Gus reasoned he couldn't be too bad off. Maybe Henry wouldn't kill him, after all.

Not surprisingly, Shawn's burst of strength was short-lived. Once he'd gotten to the confines of the car, his energy was sapped. Gus glanced over at his best friend, already regretting going along with the idiotic plan. "How you doing?" he asked, hoping Shawn's answer would dispel his concerns.

"I'm great, Gus."

Okay, that was definitely sarcasm. I'm gonna kill him. "Just hang in there. I'm gonna kill you when you're better."

"You and my dad both. And maybe Jules."

"Definitely Jules."

Shawn chuckled. "Yeah. Okay, I'm not going to answer you until we get to the SBPD, so no more questions."

Gus didn't respond, turning on the radio instead, singing along loudly to Hall & Oates.

Shawn groaned, putting his hands over his ears. "No noises, Gus!"

"My car, my rules." But he turned the music off, anyway.

"Thanks," Shawn mumbled after a minute.

"Don't mention it." They sat in companionable silence the rest of the ride, the only noises the soft moans that Shawn let out on occasion, indications that he was not nearly better.


Shawn threw up the second Gus stopped the car, clutching his stomach in pain as he panted. "Dammit, Shawn," Gus murmured, suppressing his urge to gag and circling the car to help his ailing friend.

"No, no, it's okay, buddy. Just some rotten eggs or something, I'm fine."

"You haven't eaten in almost a day, Shawn. I'm getting your dad and we're going to the doctor's now. I don't care if your appointment isn't for another hour."

"But Gus! We're already here, it'll just take a sec!" Shawn climbed out of the car, keeping a hand on the door until he was sure he wouldn't fall. Again, he was somehow able to suppress the weakness, and Shawn stumbled up the steps and through the doors unassisted.

"Jules!" Shawn spotted the detective by her desk and hurried over to her, Gus trailing behind.

"Shawn? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I solved the case!"

"Spencer, aren't you supposed to be home?" Lassiter came over to the trio.

"Yes, I am Lassie, thank you for caring."

"I didn't say..."

"I heard it," Gus interjected.

"Me too," Jules added.

"Enough! Why are you two here? I told you we don't need you."

"I solved the case," Shawn said smugly. "Looks like you needed us after all."

"How the hell..." Lassiter trailed off in disbelief.

"I know, I'm amazing," Shawn said, but without his usual cockiness. Beads of sweat were dripping down his face and the room refused to stay still. "Where's my dad, anyways?" he asked quietly.

"He's in with the chief," Juliet told him. "I'm guessing he doesn't know you're here?" Shawn shook his head tightly, his eyes closed. "Hey," Juliet said softly, her arm on his shoulder. "I think you should sit down." Juliet guided Shawn to her chair, keeping her hand on him.

"He's got a doctor's appointment in an hour, but he insisted on coming here."

"Alright then, who's the killer?" Lassiter waited for Shawn to go into one of his psychic trances, knowing it would be at least another fifteen minutes before the psychic actually told them his theory. So he was surprised when Shawn didn't even put his hand to his head in his psychic pose.

"The gardener," Shawn said tiredly.

Juliet looked at her partner. "He was one of your suspects, right?"

Lassiter nodded. "What makes you think it was him?" he directed his question to Shawn.

"I'm psychic," Shawn answered, though his voice lacked its usual smugness.

"That's not enough to arrest someone, Shawn."

Shawn looked at Juliet. "The head wound – there's a strange pattern at the edge, where the victim was struck. It's a gardening tool, you'll find it in the tool shed." Shawn didn't add the part that he had seen his dad using that very oddly-shaped tool just the day before.

Lassiter nodded. "We'll check that out. Anything else?"

When Shawn didn't answer, the head detective thought he was just being an ass and ignoring him, but it quickly became obvious the consultant was in pain. "Spencer, are you okay?"

Shawn gasped in pain, grabbing at his side.

"Shawn!" Juliet cried, crouching down and gripping his arm tightly.

But Shawn didn't answer, crying out in pain as his the cramp in his stomach intensified to unbearable levels.

"Shawn, where is the pain strongest?" Gus asked, somehow remaining calm.

"Uhhhh," Shawn choked out. "Here," he said, pointing to a spot low on the right side of his abdomen.

"Shit," Gus murmured, and Juliet looked up at him with a knowing glance. "How could I not think of that?"

Shawn let out another sharp cry, and it was obvious that the pain was getting worse.

"He needs a hospital," Lassiter said. "I'll radio for one right now. O'Hara, let's get him on the floor, get him comfortable. Guster, go find his father." Gus was suddenly grateful the head detective was there, giving orders when it seemed all Gus and Juliet could do was worry. He nodded, running off to the chief's office.

Lassiter draped one of Shawn's arms over his shoulder, taking almost all of the psychic's weight as he and Juliet guided him to the floor. Juliet shimmied behind Shawn, resting his head in her lap.

"J...ules?" Shawn choked out, his head moving restlessly in her lap.

"Shhh, Shawn, it's okay. We're getting you help." He nodded wordlessly, and she brushed his hair back off his sweat-slicked forehead. Juliet heard Lassiter radioing for an ambulance, his voice urgent.

"Shawn!" Henry Spencer's worried voice echoed off the halls of the SBPD as he hurried to where Shawn lay. He crouched beside his son. "Why the hell didn't you stay in bed?"

Shawn couldn't help but laugh at his father's ridiculous question. "Don't...think it would have...mattered, Dad."

"How's the pain, Kid?"

"Feels...like I'm being...stabbed with a white-hot...fire poker thingy." Shawn tried to curl in on himself, fingers digging into his side to try and relieve the pain.

"Hey, hey, Shawn, calm down," Henry ordered, helping Juliet hold him down.

Lassiter had noticed how guilty Gus looked and went over to him. "He's going to be fine, Guster. No one else knew either."

Gus shook his head, his eyes focused on Shawn. "What if his appendix burst? People die from that."

"I'm sure it didn't burst," Lassiter said confidently, though knowing Shawn it probably had. The damn psychic never could do anything halfway. The ambulance sirens sounded then, seeming to snap Gus out of his guilt-induced stupor. He hurried to Shawn's side, wanting to let his best friend know he was there.

A crowd of officers had gathered around the scene, interested in seeing what all the commotion was about. Their whispers suddenly seemed so loud, and Lassiter looked over at them, annoyed. "Everybody, move away!" he said angrily, his voice leaving no room for discussion. The chief had approached him from behind, and he heard her amused chuckle at the rest of the department's reaction to the head detective.

"Nicely done, detective. How's Mr. Spencer?"

Lassiter vaguely motioned to the floor where Shawn was writhing in pain as Juliet, Gus, and Henry tried to calm him. "Not good."

"Da...ad," Shawn's voice was laced with pain.

"You're okay, son. Just breathe through it. The ambulance is here." Shawn's hand gripped Juliet's tightly as another wave of lighting-hot pain shot through him.

"Kay," he mumbled, then immediately passed out.

"Shawn!" Gus shouted, for a second convinced his best friend had stopped breathing.

"Move away!" the paramedics pushed through the crowd, arriving at Shawn's side and immediately taking his vitals. "We need some space, people. High fever, thready pulse. Get the stretcher, we need to move."

They got Shawn loaded on the stretcher incredibly quickly, and by the time the EMTs were ready to roll him out, Shawn was conscious again. He tried to talk, but his voice was muffled by the constrictive oxygen mask.

"Your dad's going to ride with you, Shawn. We'll be right behind you," Juliet assured him, squeezing his hand once more.

"See you soon, buddy," Gus assured him, lightly punching the fist that Shawn had somehow managed to hold out. Gus turned to Jules, noticing her worried expression. "He'll be okay," he told her, a hand on her shoulder. Shawn had better be alright. Or Gus was going to kill him.


TBC – good job to those of you who guessed appendicitis. Sorry the case was so weak, but it was just really an excuse to have Shawn working with the SBPD. Hope you're still enjoying the story. Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what you think!