This story still lives! Hopefully I'll be able to write more often now that I have inspiration to write more! And Juliet enters this chapter (finally)

1989

"Dude, come on…" thirteen year old Shawn complained, hitting his head on the back of his bed. "This is the one night a month that dad lets us use the TV all night, let's stop playing scrabble and go watch."

"Really Gus, I'm all for studying, but it's 11 o'clock. We've been at this for hours." Carlton said on his side of the room, mirroring Shawn.

"See, even Carly's had enough and he's an even bigger nerd than you." Carlton grabbed a lone sock off the floor and threw it at the younger's head. He glared and threw it back. Gus, used to their fights and knew it would end when he started to talk, spoke up.

"Just a little longer, the spelling bee is this week and I still don't have the spelling of aggiornamento down."

"Gus, you can already spell better than both of us combined."

"So really just better than me." Carlton said cheekily. Shawn glared at him and grabbed a pillow on his bed and threw it at him. It bounced off and hit Gus, knocking all the pieces off his scrabble board.

"Shawn!" They both yelled. The two looked at each other and grinned.

"Now guys, don't act to hasty…"

Shawn slowly got up on his bed and scooted back until he hit the wall. The other two grabbed a pillow each and slowly went towards Shawn.

"Hey, you guys should really put the pillows down and we can all go watch some TV. How's that sound? AHHHH!"

Shawn screamed as the two teamed up and lunged at him. They were all laughing when there was a thump and they all froze as they heard Henry groggily yelled. "Will the three of ya quiet down!"

"Sorry!" They yelled back and all was quiet except for their heavy breathing. Shawn was laying flat on his back with the other two over him holding their pillows. They each hit him one last time on the head and ran down stairs.

Present

Shawn continued to have a one sided conversation with the cute blond girl, which he later learned was named Juliet, that he just met at the diner. The thing was that after he ordered breakfast he went out to get a copy of the morning paper to read and found that his seat was taken by the said cute blond named Juliet.

As Shawn continued to amaze her with his detecting skills (chalk one up to go old dad for teaching him something useful) Juliet interrupted him again.

"Okay, do we know each other?" Just after she asked the door chimed announcing that a person had entered and she froze up. Shawn turned around to see what freaked her and saw a shady young man enter in a red baseball cap and a torn up grey sweatshirt. After that Shawn put the pieces together pretty quickly.

"Oh my gosh, you're a cop." He muttered into his hand so that she would only hear.

She glanced up quickly then back down at her paper. "I'm not a cop." She muttered back a little too quickly for it to be truthful.

Shawn kept the hand over his mouth. "The paper, the vantage point, the layout. Of course, got defensive when scary guy walked in." Juliet started to shake her head. "Only a cop," He kept muttering. (again to thank dad for that knowledge)

Juliet's voice got very even now. "Okay Shawn, I may need you to do me a favor." She whispered.

"Anything."

"Duck." She pulled out a gun from her purse and pointed it at scary guy while Shawn ducked.

"Police!" Voices yelled throughout the diner as other undercover cops jumped the guy and put him in handcuffs.

"Get him out!" Shawn vaguely heard his brother yell out but was still too worried about being shot to care. When it was slightly quieter Shawn glanced up and saw Carlton along with Dobbson putting away their guns. He gave a small wave and smiled to them when they saw him.

His brother just sighed and rolled his eyes, not in the least bit shocked that Shawn had somehow got himself in the middle of this, while Dobbson on the other hand did a double take at seeing him and blinked as if to make sure what he was seeing was true. They both left the diner, Carlton with plans to stop by the Psych Office later.

Juliet sat back down when they left and put her gun back in her bag.

"First time pulling your gun?" He asked cockily and took a sip of orange juice.

"Maybe." She replied as she zipped her bag and got up from the stool. She walked to the exit and at the last minute turned back to glance at the strange man she had just met to find him watching her. Turning around she left the diner and got in the crown vic that was waiting for her that had Dobbson and her new partner Carlton Lassiter.

"Did you two know that guy from the diner? Shawn I think his name was, because it sure looked like he knew you guys from the way he waved." Juliet finally asked from the back of the car.

Dobbson laughed. "You mean you didn't tell her?" He was addressing Lassiter. Lassiter just ignored him and continued driving. "That was the town psychic Shawn Spencer, or otherwise known as, Detective Carlton Lassiter's big brother."

Carlton glared at Dobbson. "He's my little brother, as in he is younger than me."

"That's not what he's been telling everyone." Dobbson shot back.

"Well he's an idiot sometimes." Dobbson scoffed at the 'sometimes'. "But he's still my little brother so lay off him." Dobbson raised his hands in defeat and stayed quiet the rest of the ride back to the station. Juliet smiled to herself at the way her new partner was sticking up for his brother. She had a feeling that they were going to get along great.

~line break~

Two hours later found Carlton at the Psych Office during his early lunch break he took to get away from Dobbson. Inside he heard Gus yelling at Shawn to stay quiet during 'The Bee'.

"This over soon? Because I would hate to miss the wood carving finals." He announced his presents.

Shawn laughed and held up his hand for a high five. "Nice one dude. Although I opened with bumping the car washing championships for it."

"Will you guys quit!"

"Gus we have TiVo. You even just told me that you're recording it."

"Quiet Shawn. No talking during The Bee."

"But-"

"Shush!"

Shawn rolled his eyes as Gus turned up the volume and went to the other room, dragging his brother along with him.

"So what was with the new detective at the diner this morning? Juliet she said her name was."

"Well Lucinda transferred so Juliet O'Hara is the new junior detective that got partnered with me."

"Why'd she transfer?"

"She told me, and I quote, 'I don't want to get caught up in your little web of family lies' and that I'm better off with my brother than her."

"Oh," Shawn looked down in remorse. "I'm sorry man, seriously."

Carlton nodded in understanding. They then jumped in shock when they heard Gus shouting from the other room. "Guys get in here! You have to see this!"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Dude how many times do we have to tell you? We really don't care about the spelling bee."

"It's not that Shawn, Brendan Wu just collapsed on stage!"

"Did he just say-" Shawn started to ask.

"That someone just collapsed? Yes he did." Carlton finished as the two ran to Gus to see what he meant. They rewound the tv and watched him collapse. After Shawn and Carlton realized that it didn't look like an accident the office phone rang.

"Psych." Shawn answered the phone. He covered the mouth piece and spoke to the room. "It's the Chief." Then went back to listening to what she had to say. "Look I'll have to check with Gus." He said to the phone after a moment. "Are we available? And is Carly with us?"

Both Gus and Carlton gave him their best 'are you kidding me?' look.

Shawn went back to the phone conversation. "It appears we are and yes, my little brother is with us. We'll be right there and I'll be sure to bring him with us." Shawn hung up the phone. "I can get us into the spelling bee."

"Really?" Gus sounded a little too excited for a grown man.

"Guess Carly and I were right about the whole Bendan Dunes thing."

"Brendan Wu." Gus corrected him automatically.

"Sure."

"And they need a psychic detective for that?"

"They don't," Shawn paused for dramatic effect. "Unless he was sabotaged. Kid said his inhaler felt funny, like it stung. Paramedics get there and the inhaler is gone. Like the thing just vanished into thin air." Shawn sat down in his chair.

Gus stopped listening and ran over to get his coat. "Shawn we are so taking this! Let's go!"

Shawn and his brother hung back for a second in shock at Gus's speed to get involved in the case. "Hey why can't I get you this excited about girls?!"

"Let's go Shawn!" They heard Gus yell from outside.

"Or Mexico?!"

"You really want to bring up Mexico again?" Carlton asked with a smirk. Shawn shrugged with a grin. "And why was the Chief asking for me?"

"She just figured she'd save time by just taking the chance of asking if you were here. She wants to see you and is going to meet us down there." Shawn got up from his seat behind his desk. "Now let's go before Gus wets himself, you know how he pees when he's excited."

~line break~

They made it to the show ware center and saw the Chief walking out. Shawn clapped his hands. "We're here!" He announced. "Go on in Mr. Spencer, I've arranged everything you need inside. Detective Lassiter you're with me." She kept walking, obviously in a hurry.

"Yes Chief." Lassiter went to follow.

"You're leaving?" Shawn asked.

"Well I was only here for the Mayor's presentation. And we have a robbery stand-off across town." She turned to leave again but was stopped by Shawn.

"Whoa, shouldn't I be at the hospital, interview the victim, get a witness statement?"

"Mr. Spencer, the case is sabotage. There are forty-three remaining contestants all presumably with a motive. Now you can read guilt just by talking to someone right? Do it."

"You want us to talk to all of them?"

"Them and their parents."

"Today?" Gus blurted out.

"Hm, by five. In two days this whole thing is over. In that time all of the witnesses will be in a hundred different cities all over the western United States, so it's now, or never. Good luck." She ended and turned around to leave with Lassiter.

"And Shawn, please be good." He pleaded.

"Don't worry lil' bro, Gus and I have got this! Just go off and don't get shot. You know how mad dad will be if he found out? Plus your name is on the lease at the psych office. The paperwork Gus would have to do would be atrocious." Shawn waved him off. The Chief smiled slightly at the small way Shawn shows he cares.

Please be careful was what he really was saying.

"I'll be at the Psych Office at six to pick up my car. You better be there." Lassiter turned and ran to catch up with the Chief.

I promise

"What?" Lassiter asked when he noticed the Chief smiling.

"Nothing. Now let's go and get this done if you want to have the report on this written up in time to meet your brother."

~line break~

After Shawn's, very loud, announcement that it was murder and not simply a heart attack like what Dobbson believed it to be, Carlton met Shawn and Gus outside.

"What do you mean he was poisoned?"

"We were up in the Spellmaster's box and-"

"That was you guys?" Carlton interrupted Shawn.

"No it was the dead guy's spirit. As I was saying, we were up there and found this." Shawn pulled out the sample of the noodles that they took. "Gus said that it smelt like some type of drug when it goes bad."

"And where do you plan on getting that tested? The 'do it yourself drug testing kit'?" Gus questioned him.

"Of course not silly, I have connections. Now come along Carly! I need your help begging." Shawn continued forward without checking if his brother was following and Carlton sighed.

"I have a feeling I know where he's going." He said then followed Shawn.

~line break~

The two brothers made it to Henry's house. "Hey dad, nice shirt."

"I see you've been fishing. Are they biting?" Shawn and Carlton greeted their dad.

Henry sighed. "You two want something." He stated bluntly.

"Why do you always think we want something?"

"Maybe we're just here to say hi to our dear old dad?" The two smiled.

"So you two don't want something. What a pleasant surprise." Henry turned and went into the house. When his back was turned the two let their smiles drop.

"Okay you got us, we want something."

Henry went back to the door where they were standing after putting his fishing gear down on the table. "I have a poker game in forty-five minutes." He said glancing at his watch.

"Do you still talk to Jim Siken?" Shawn asked.

"Siklen, sometimes, why? What's he to you?"

"Does he still work at the regional crime lab out here?"

"Last I checked, why?"

"We need to know what this is." Shawn pulled out the poisoned noodles.

"It looks like a number fifteen with chicken."

"Dad you made a joke. Did you hear that Carly, he made a joke."

"I'm right here Shawn. So yes, I did hear him."

"Well dad, we think there's poison in it."

Henry stared at the two in disbelief. "Goodbye boys." He then shut the glass door in their faces.

Shawn growled in annoyance and followed him to the kitchen window.

"Come on dad. It's just one time. Once."

"No cases Shawn! I was painfully clear about that. Have your brother test it if it's that important to you."

"Oh no no, this isn't for a case. This is, for a friend. Hence why Carly can't test it." Shawn smiled.

"Oh friend then it's different. No." He shut the blinds on them and Shawn's shoulders slumped. They went to the door again where Henry was coming out and checking his watch again.

"Please dad, we'll do anything. Anything that he can tell us about it, we'll do anything you ask. One favor. It would be very helpful, it's serious." They said together.

"Boys." Henry cut them off. "This is really that important to you."

"Extremely." They said together again.

"And you'll do anything?"

"Name it." They echoed.

"Fine, first though," Henry held up a finger. "Stop talking together. You two know how that freaks everyone out." They nodded not trusting themselves to talk together again. "And second, come with me." Henry grinned and the two brothers glanced at each other in slight fear.

They followed him to the garage. They stood outside it as he went in and grabbed something huge wrapped in a cloth. He started laughing. "Grab a saw and a hammer you two.

The two exchanged looks. "What? Now?" They asked.

"Hey, what did I say about doing that?"

Shawn continued to talk for the two of them. "Right sorry, but now?"

"Well you said you'd do anything right?" Henry repeated to them as he set it down. Carlton went to the garage and got the hammer and saw, handing the saw to Shawn.

"You know," Shawn continued. "People wait five, six whole minutes before they cash in a favor." Shawn looked at the mystery thing in a cloth. "We will not saw through bone for you."

Henry just chuckled again and took off the cloth, revealing the old ratty dog house from when they were kids.

"The dog house?" Shawn asked.

"From eighth grade?" Carlton clarified.

"Well it's not really a dog house." Henry lightly kicked the side, then looked up at the two. "Not yet."

"What do you want us to do?"

"Finish it. Both of you." Henry stated.

Carlton scoffed in disbelief. "But Shawn was the one that wanted the dog. Why do I have to do this too?"

"Your memory must be off, because I remember once Shawn said he wanted a dog, you did too. It was just as much your project as it was his. Now have fun you two. There's more wood out back," Henry turned around to leave and headed to his truck. "More nails on the work bench. Home Depot is open 'til nine. And," He looked at the two right before he got in the truck. "Don't cut any corners."

The brothers looked at each other with their mouths wide open then turned to their dad. "Your insane!" They yelled, completely forgetting the agreement not to talk at the same time.

"You're losing light." He let it slide that time. He then started the truck. "Be sure you two lock up." He then drove off with a little wave, leaving the two to their work.

"It's creepy that you kept this!" Shawn called after him.

Carlton sighed and took off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. "Let's get to work then."

~line break~

A couple hours later they were still working and it was now officially dark out. They looked up when they saw headlights coming up the driveway from the truck and another car behind him. Shawn had the hammer now and a pineapple from a snack they made.

Henry got out of the truck with Juliet getting out of the car behind him. They were about to question why she was there but Henry beat them to it. "I stopped by the station Carlton and told Karen that I needed you for something, so you're off for forgetting to call the station."

"It kinda, slipped my mind? You know I was a little busy." He glared at his dad and lifted the saw he was holding.

"Yeah well, when I was leaving Detective O'Hara here asked to follow. Wanted to see where you were."

She gave a little wave to the two and Shawn waved back with a smile then turned back to his dad with a glare and wiped his mouth from the pineapple he was eating. Henry walked up and inspected the work they had done so far.

"What is that?" He asked critically.

"What is that? It's the dog house." Shawn replied.

"No it's not."

Their heads snapped up at that. "What are you talking about?" They asked.

"I gave you guys specifications."

"When?" Shawn asked.

"When I gave you two the job."

They thought about it for a second. "You mean in 1989!?"

"Shawn, Carlton, you know as well as I do that this was not what I asked for. Keep working. And don't be too loud, the neighbors are trying to sleep." His tone then got softer when he turned to Juliet. "And you may stay as long as you want, you just can't help them. It's their job. It was nice meeting you." He then nodded to everyone and went inside with his bag of groceries.

"Just for that we'll keep talking at the same time!" They called back in anger.

Shawn then held up the hammer like he was going to say something else then decided against it when Carlton put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head no to him. Juliet got closer to them to inspect how much they had gotten done. She poked it lightly with her shoe and the whole thing fell apart. The two threw their tools down and Shawn even went as far as throwing his pineapple at their dad's truck.

"Well, what were the specifications?" She asked trying to lighten the mood.

They recalled what Henry had told them years ago to her in monotone. "The nails have to be pounded in all the way, the base has to be up off the ground so that if it rains it won't flood right in, the door has to be high enough to let the dog to fit through, and lastly he wants us to do it right."

"Have you guys always been able to do that?" Juliet asked in amazement.

"Do what?" They asked.

"That, being able to talk at the same time. I know twins who can't do that." They shrugged. "And those guidelines don't sound too hard." She added.

Shawn scoffed and went to his motorcycle. He threw on his helmet and got on the bike.

"Shawn-" Carlton tried to stop him but Shawn interrupted him.

"Just leave me alone Carlton. I'm done playing his games. And find your own ride." Shawn put down the visor on his helmet and started the bike.

"Just be careful!" Shawn ignored him and drove off with the loud roar from his bike. Carlton sighed and grabbed his suit jacket. "Come on O'Hara. I'll give you a ride home." He started to the crown vic that Juliet drove there in. They got in after Juliet handed Carlton the keys.

"He really wants you guys to build that dog house that was from 1989?"

"That's our dad for you. Good old Henry." Carlton sighed as he pulled out. "What's your address?"

Juliet told him where she lives and the car was silent for awhile. "That was Henry Spencer right? Wasn't he a really good cop back in the day?" She asked to break the silence.

"Yep. Who told you?"

"Dobbson. Said he worked with him for a short time back when he was a rookie cop."

Carlton scoffed. "Of course he did."

"He also told me something else today." Juliet hesitated and wasn't sure what to say next.

"Well, spit it out O'Hara. We don't have all night."

"He told me that you were adopted by Mr. Spencer when you were nine. You were abused and that you would have been in the system if it wasn't for him."

After a moment Carlton answered. "Yes, I was. And of course Dobbson found that out. What'd he do, look me up or something?" He grumbled.

"He said he also worked on your case, that he helped Mr. Spencer."

Carlton pulled over the car on the side of the road since they were at Juliet's. He leaned against the steering wheel deep in thought. "No one told me that." He muttered to himself. He sat up and looked her in the eye."Neither of them did. Thank you for that."

"Are you going to be okay?"

He smiled slightly. "Yeah."

"Are both of you going to be okay? Shawn seemed pretty mad when he left."

"Yeah, he will be. He just needs to cool down on that bike of his."

Juliet nodded and opened the door to get out. "Oh and," and stopped and turned back to him. "When Shawn said for you to find your own ride, did that mean you rode on his motorcycle there?"

He grinned at her. "I'm full of surprises O'Hara."

Her eyes widened and she laughed. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "That you are Detective. Thanks for the ride." She got out and closed the door then turned around and waved as he pulled off.

~line break~

In the afternoon of the next day found Shawn and Gus at the station after Shawn had gotten the results of the poisoned food and a visit to the hospital to check what Brendan had to say. The Chief won't believe them without more evidence so more evidence is what they're going to get.

"Dude, we need to get back in that Spellmaster's box." Shawn said to Gus.

"Shawn wait up!" They heard behind them.

They stopped and turned around to find Carlton running after them. "Not now Carly, Gus and I are on a deadline."

Shawn turned back around but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "Not so fast, what happened to you? I called you a thousand times. And what happened to your leg?"

"Well to answer your first question, you aren't allowed to have your phone on in hospitals silly. And second," Shawn muttered the next part. "I, may have, crashed my bike last night. But," He said before Carlton could get upset. "It was not my fault, someone was trying to kill me or hurt me enough to stay quiet." Shawn limped out of the station with Gus and Carlton following him. "Oh and don't worry about the dog house, I finished it up this morning. You should have seen it, dad actually helped me with it. He said something about how we never asked for help and that if we would have, he would've helped us with it a long time ago."

They made it to Gus's car and Shawn sat down in the passenger seat. "Well, see ya later lil' bro. Gus and I have real work to do." He shut the door and Gus pulled out when Carlton moved out of the way. He shook his head and walked back to the station. Juliet was waiting for him at the entrance.

"So what did Shawn do to his leg?" She asked when he got to her.

"Crashed his bike last night. I told him to be careful, you heard me say it too."

"Well at least that's all he did. It could have been a lot worse."

"Wish he would have hit his head, maybe it would have knocked some sense into that head of his." He grinned at her and she smiled back as they went back into the station.

~line break~

Gus went to show Carlton, Juliet, Dobbson, and the Chief in to the auditorium as Shawn was on stage doing his big reveal.

"Can't your brother ever just tell us to arrest someone?" The Chief asked while sighing.

Juliet looked at them in confusion. "He does this a lot?"

"Yes." All three officers answered.

"Just be lucky you didn't have to grown up with him." Carlton threw in.

"You want me to cuff him?" Dobbson asked one hundred percent serious.

"Why the hell would you ask that?" Carlton shot back.

Dobbson shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

Carlton rolled his eyes and went on listening to his brother.

Shawn continued on until he finally named the killer and had the evidence thanks to Juliet stepping up and saying that she also ran the Chinese food for poison. Later on outside Carlton and Juliet met up with Shawn and Gus.

"-And that's why I had to give you the wrong letter." Shawn finished what he was saying and Gus glared at him.

Juliet leaned over to Carlton. "What are they talking about?"

"Back when we were kids Gus was in the spelling bee and came in second. He froze on a word and Shawn purposely gave him the wrong letter so that he would lose."

"Why would he do that?"

Carlton shrugged. "Something about so that Gus would be cool and not labeled as a nerd. It's Shawn logic so I try not to think too hard on it."

"It was nice!" Shawn yelled as he ran up to hide behind Carlton.

"Come here Shawn!"

"Carly save me! Gus is trying to murder me! You wouldn't let someone murder your older brother now would you?!"

"Just anyone, no. Gus, I don't really care if he does or not," He then stepped out of the way to let Gus get to Shawn. "Gus just make sure there are no witnesses when you murder him alright?"

Gus went after Shawn again and he screamed like a girl. "Not cool man! I'm telling dad!"

"You think that's a threat? He'd thank me."

Shawn growled and ran, or rather limped, away from them while Juliet laughed behind her hand.

"You can't run forever Shawn!" Gus yelled out.

~line break~

Shawn chuckled as he ran up to Carlton who was waiting for him outside Henry's house the next day.

"He's not going to keep that thing you know." Carlton commented.

"Yeah, I know. It's my neighbors dog. Let's take a lap around the block, let him stew a little bit." Carlton chuckled.

"Whatever you say Shawn. By the way, did you know that Dobbson worked with dad for a short time?"

Shawn stuck his hands in his pockets. "Really?"

"Yeah, and that apparently he also worked on my case, back with my real mom when I was nine."

Shawn let the information sink in before he spoke again. "So he knew you this whole time?" Carlton nodded. "And he never told you? That's weird. How did you find this out?"

"Well he told O'Hara the other day. She asked me if it was true."

"What did you tell her?"

They stopped walking along the path. "The truth. She was bound to find out soon enough."

Shawn nodded then clapped his hands. "Well I don't know about you but this conversion is getting a little too heavy for me. What'd ya say we go relieve dad of his little furry friend before he really puts it on the street?"

"I don't think your neighbor would take too kindly to her dog becoming road kill."

"No he won't."

Carlton smiled. "That dog belongs to your neighbor who's a wrestler isn't it?"

"That it is Carly, that it is. And he is about three times my size so if you don't want your big brother becoming a pancake, would you please hurry?" Shawn started to jog back to their dad's house while Carlton shook his head and took his time walking back.