Really? That is the thanks I get?

„I don´t believe this is happening, chief." Juliet said walking up and down in front of chief Vick´s desk.

„Juliet." Karen tried to calm the young detective down.

„I mean, this is Shawn we are talking about."

„O´Hara."

„After all what he has done for this department over the last few years."

„Detective."

„We should rather believe him than this obviously disturbed woman."

„Detective O´Hara." chief Vick stood up now and for the first time since she had stormed into this office, Juliet stood still and faced her. „I know how you feel." Karen said.

„I´m sorry, chief. But I doubt that you know how I feel." Juliet said with a shaking head.

Karen sat down again, eyeing her detective closely. „Well maybe not." she finally admitted. „But I assure you I am on Shawn´s side as well as you are. We. All. Are on his side." she emphasized. „But if we are honest he brought himself into this situation, all on his own."

„Chief, I can´t believe that you …"

„If it is true what he said." chief Vick talked over her sternly. „Then he should have called us from the beginning, right in the moment when Miss Lytar told him, that there had been a murder. But he didn´t call us and now there is just no way to prove who is telling the truth and who is lying."

„I know who is telling the truth." Juliet said.

Karen looked at her intimidating. „Are you sure about that?" she asked her.

„Chief." Juliet said calmly. „I would rather believe that the easter bunny had committed that crime than Shawn."

Karen gave her detective a long estimating look. Eventually she nodded. „All right, detective." she said with a slight smile, that immediately vanished again when she went on. „But we are bound to the regulations." she said. „And that means, we have to stay on the book with this."

Juliet lowered her gaze and Karen could feel the desperation in the younger woman.

„Believe me." she said. „I will do everything I can, to help him out of this. Everybody here will. And you will help him the best if you help us, O´Hara."

Juliet nodded. Her gaze was still on the floor. „Where is he now?" she asked.

„Carlton is questioning him in interrogation room A."

...

„All right." Lassiter said far too calmly for Shawn´s taste. „Just one more time. What exactly happened in this night?"

„I already told you three times." Shawn exclaimed exasperated. „I was in bed when Abigail called me. She was having hysterics and said that she needed my help."

„And what exactly did she say?" Lassiter asked, looking down on his notes as if he wasn´t sure if he wouldn´t find the answer there. What he should, Shawn knew. He had not stopped scribbling since they had started this ridiculous interrogation. He was sure that on some point he had already told him some of the things Abby had said on the phone.

„I already told you." he therefor said.

„You said she asked for your help, that´s all. I need details, Spencer." Lassiter insisted. „Come on, you know how that works."

Shawn groaned but tried to remember as best as he could. For a moment he heard Abby´s voice again, how she had sobbed on the other end of the line:

„Its me, Shawn."

„Abigail? Abigail, what´s the matter? Abby talk to me."

„Oh, Shawn. I need your help. I didn´t know who to call."

„What happened?"

„Oh, god. Oh, god. I killed someone."

„What?"

„I know it. He´s dead. Oh god, Shawn. I don´t know what to do."

„What happened? Was it self defence?"

„Yeah. Oh please, you´ve got to believe me. I didn´t want to kill him. But he wouldn´t let go and I … I was just …"

„And then?" Lassiter asked after Shawn had quoted the talk for him.

„I asked her where she was and that she should stay there until I was there."

„And the idea of calling us never crossed your mind." Lassiter said in the most sarcastic tone one could have managed in this moment. For the moment he had stopped scribbling on his clipboard and was now looking into Shawn´s eyes with pure irony.

„I was worried about a friend." Shawn emphasized.

„Your ex-girlfriend." Lassiter recalled with a nod and returned to his clipboard as if that was an information worth noting down. „Of course, that´s a different matter then."

„What the hell is your problem?" Shawn cried.

„Quiet." Lassiter ordered unimpressed by his outburst. „Not I am the one who has a problem here, Spencer. You are the one with the murder charge."

„I … I don´t believe it." Shawn cried.

„Oh, you better start believing it." Lassiter told him and this time there was more in his eyes than simple irony.

Shawn squinted. „You actually enjoy that, don´t you." he realized.

„Why not?" Lassiter replied frankly. „Finally the great Shawn Spencer is sitting on the other side of the table. Of course, I enjoy that."

Shawn couldn´t help but chuckled. But it was a dry and humorless chuckle. „You know, that is actually quiet funny." he said. „Or better yet it could be funny. But your little joke misses the same thing you always miss. A good punchline."

„Oh, just wait." Lassiter said. „Its still on the way."

„Dammit, Lassie, this is no joke." Shawn cried hitting the table. „Its my life we are talking about."

„Ah, yeah? Interesting. Last night you didn´t think so far."

„Oh, now all of this is my fault?"

„You could have called us." Lassiter repeated what he had already said.

„She asked me to come alone." Shawn recalled.

„What you promptly did." Lassiter replied. „And? Did this lead to any good?"

Shawn sat back and couldn´t respond. Of course it had not led to any good. He was here, there was no denying about that. But that Lassie was holding this against him now, now from all the times in the world, was just unbearable.

„I tried to help a friend." he repeated. „What would you have done? If it would have been your ex-wife that called you in the middle of the night?"

„Stop that." Lassiter demanded gloomy.

„Sobbing desperately and told you that she just killed a man in self defence?" Shawn went on mercilessly.

„This is not about me, Spencer."

„What would you have done?" he repeated the question louder than before.

„It doesn´t matter what I would have done." Lassiter snapped. „And I tell you what, in the end it doesn´t even matter what you could have done differently, because the charges stand and you will have to face court in front of a jury. That´s the reality of this, Spencer."

„You think I didn´t get this?" Shawn shouted at him.

„Then tell me how to prove your innocence." Lassiter shouted back at him. More calmly and back to his I´m the interrogating cop mood, he added: „IF you can prove your innocence."

Now Shawn was really struck. For at least a minute he couldn´t give another response. He just stared at Lassiter in utter disbelieve. The silence between them became tensing. Even Lassiter seemed to be uncomfortable with that.

„I don´t believe it." Shawn finally broke the silence. „I just don´t believe it. I mean I know I´m not on top of your list of your most favourite people in the world … but that you actually believe that I could have done … this. Lassie! Dammit, Carlton! Its me. We know each other for over five years. We saved each others lives over a hundred times."

„I saved your life over a hundred times." Lassiter corrected.

„I can´t believe that you believe this crazy chick more than me." Shawn finished his speech.

Finally there was something in Lassiter´s eyes that looked like consideration … or maybe regret that he had accused him? „If you had called us instead of just going there, you would never be in this situation." he then stated once more but this time he at least sounded empathetic for Shawn´s situation. „Now I don´t see anything we could do for you." he finished his statement.

Shawn sighed heavily and let his head sink. „There must be something we can do." he almost whined. „I mean … she told three different stories so far."

„And none of them in your fortune." Lassiter replied.

Shawn nodded, his head still hanging. Man that was truly the biggest mess he had ever been in. In comparison that was. His ex-girlfriend had gone nuts over him and he was facing a murder charge. Really big mess. Well done, Shawn, he could hear his dad´s voice in his head. And the worst thing was, he couldn´t even argue against it. Not this time. This time he had really messed up. And it wasn´t even his fault. Not really. He had only tried to help, for cry out loud and now he was screwed. Big deal. Damn, that was frustrating.

He was running his hands through his hair absent minded. And then he suddenly remembered something. It came back to him literally in a brainstorm. His head snapped back up. Lassiter who had justed looked over to the mirror, looked back at him, startled.

„Wait a second." Shawn demanded, his hand up. He was trying to think. „If she would confess that she did it alone. That would help, wouldn´t it?" he asked.

„Why should she do that?" Lassiter asked.

„She told me that if I came back to her … if I left Jules and came back to her, she would tell another story that makes us both innocent." Shawn explained.

„When did she tell you that?" Lassiter asked now interested.

„In the holding cell. Before she told you guys that I was the murderer."

Lassiter looked at him understanding his drift. Eventually he nodded. „Would be interesting to hear that story, now wouldn´t it?" he said.

...

It was somewhat about twenty minutes later that Shawn was escorted back into his cell. McNab closed the door behind him and after one last uncomfortable look at Abigail, who was sitting on her bed, leaning back, arms crossed before her chest, he left again.

„What did you tell them?" she asked in a chitchat tone when they were alone.

„What do you think I told them?" Shawn replied and sat down himself. „The truth of course."

„Your version of it."

„Oh, should I have told them one of your versions instead?" he snapped at her. „Which one would you prefer? The first one or the second? No wait. There is also a third one by now. I completely forgot."

„You can spare your sarcasm." Abigail said unimpressed. „They didn´t believe you, did they?"

Instead of giving a response, Shawn looked away from her and into a corner. Man, he was pissed.

„I thought so." was all she said to that. It sounded completely nonchalant and uncaring.

Shawn threw a look at her out of the corner of his eyes. Was that really the same Abigail he had known for so long? He didn´t recognize her anymore. Not a bit. „Why are you doing this, Abigail?" he asked her once again.

„I told you my reasons." she said.

„Dammit, I came to help you." he shouted at her, now losing the battle against his anger. „And that is how you thank me?"

„Its kinda pissing to help someone and then to get kicked for it, isn´t it?" she replied sharply. When he didn´t know what to answer, she changed her face from cynic to bored again. „Forget it." she said. „There is nothing more to talk about." And with that she lay down on her bed and exposed her back to him, as it seemed to be her new habit.

Shawn bit his lip against the frustration that wanted to creep up in him. Mylady had dismissed him once again. God he had always hated the silent treatment and in a situation like this it could be so unnerving. She knew that of course. She was used to treat little children like that. Shawn would have loved to shout at her now. But he had to keep up the act. If the plan was supposte to work out, he had to keep going.

„What if there is?" he asked her therefor. He had to make himself go on. „What if there is some more to talk about?"

Slowly she rolled over and looked back to him over her shoulder. „What do you mean?" she asked.

He got up and walked over to the bars that separated his cell from hers. „You were right, they didn´t believe me." he told her in a desperate tone. „I tried everything I could to convince them but at the end they have to stick to the evidence. And the evidence is damn freaking thin, Abs. Thanks to you by the way."

She only smiled at this. Shawn bit back a sarcastic comment and went on. „It doesn´t look good. When things keep going the way they are going now, we will both be in prison. I don´t freaking want to go to jail, Abs. And you don´t want to go there either. So please. I´m begging you. Tell them the truth. You said you could tell them something that lets us both walk free. A … forth version of what happened to Declan." He hesitated, looking at her but she didn´t say anything – yet. „What was it?" he asked. „How DID he die? Was it suicide?"

„Declan didn´t kill himself." she said dryly.

„Then what? Was it an accident? A mysterious stranger? What, Abby? Tell me."

She sat up now, looking him over estimating. „You really want to know what really happened?" she asked.

„Yes, Abby, I want to know." he cried.

„You want me to tell the police that you are innocent."

„And you too if it is true what you said earlier."

„Oh, it is true." she assured him.

„Then tell it. Call Lassie and the chief and tell them."

She gave him a long glance before she said: „You know my conditions. If I am supposte to tell them, you have to keep your side of the bargain too. Are you really ready for that?"

He hesitated. There was still a battle inside of him to go all the way through with that. A promise like that to someone as sick and twisted as she was, could be dangerous. Not just for him but also for Jules if it came down to the worst. He knew. But they had a plan and he was supposte to play his part in it. Lassie and the others were relying on him. So he stopped gritting his teeth and said: „Yes. I am ready to fulfil my part."

There was a tiny victorious smile on her lips. She got up from her bed and walked over to him. He had to make himself not to back away from the bars. Gratefully she didn´t try to touch him. She just stood there and looked up at him, smiling.

„Say it again." she demanded. „I want to make sure we understand each other."

He forced his jaws apart and said: „If you tell the police the truth about what happened … we will be together again." He forced a smile, what of course had to look awfully false. „I promise." he said.

She seemed absolutely satisfied. „All right." she said. And then she started to shout again, for someone to come down. Shawn pressed his hands over his ears until the door was opened. This time it was Lassiter who walked in right away, closely followed by McNab. The detective smiled at Abigail.

„You´ve been yelling, Miss Lytar?" he asked like a good butler.

„I have something that I need to tell you." she said.

„And what might that be?" Lassiter asked sweetly.

Abigail threw a glance at Shawn. „The truth." she said.

„All right, I listen." Lassiter promised.

„No." she said.

„Abs." Shawn cried clinging nervously to the bars. „You promised."

„Don´t worry, Shawn." she said as if he was once again totally overreacting. „I will tell it." She turned to face Lassiter again and explained: „But I can´t do it here. I can only show you. At the cliff, where it happened."

Lassiter raised an eyebrow and then exchanged a meaningful glance with Shawn. „I´ll talk to the chief." he then promised Abigail. „I´ll be right back. Don´t go anywhere."

With that he was out of the door and Shawn and Abigail were alone once again. He stared at her uncertain what to say. Her answer to that was a simple smile.

„Don´t worry." she said. „Now everything will be all right. Soon. You´ll see."