SHULES SHUFFLE

A/N: This is a band that I found on Myspace a couple years ago. The lead singer has changed, which is sad, but this song has great lyrics for what I think Jules must be going through in the wake of Shawn and Abigail's relationship. This one takes place a couple days after that last evening in season three.

Letting Good Things Go. A Romance Thesis.

Juliet watched Shawn show off the Psych office to his girlfriend, smiling faintly. He was as animated as ever. Happy. And Abigail was laughing with him, small and pretty and easily a match for Shawn's wit. Juliet could admire a girl who gave as good as she got from Shawn "the Psychic" Spencer. But Abigail always seemed to have a response, no matter how wacky he got. Juliet shook her head. And she tried to understand how she'd gotten here with him.

In a lot of ways, she knew what was wrong. Shawn had been right about timing. And Juliet had been lonely for a while. Cats weren't always the best company. She and Shawn had a working relationship, a professional one. Her mother had always said if you love something… Juliet didn't think it was love. Not yet. But she supposed she would have to let this good thing go.

Carlton placed his hand on her shoulder, rousing her from her thoughts. He was staring down at her with shrewd blue eyes, and she wriggled uncomfortably. He had come to know her just a touch too well. Three years did that to a partnership.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Juliet took one last look at Shawn. The reasons were simple, really. She would not approach him again. She'd taken her shot, he'd said no. To try again…even if she could, her pride wouldn't let her. That was not a mistake Juliet wanted to make twice.

"Yeah." She turned to him and forced a smile. "Yeah, let's go."

They got as far as the car when she heard running footsteps approaching from the direction of the Psych office. The detectives turned around as Shawn slowed. He offered a smile. There was a pineapple in his hand. It had a Psych-green ribbon and bow wrapped around it.

"Good case," he said. "And Lassie -- good tie."

Carlton buttoned his jacket. He said nothing, but Juliet recognized the look in his eyes. It was the one her big brother had when her first boyfriend dumped her. Obviously, Carlton had no intention of allowing Spencer to hurt her further. He looked willing to come to blows, actually, to keep that from happening. Juliet almost smiled. She had to admit she'd been lucky when she'd been assigned as a partner to the head detective, even though she hadn't thought so at the time.

"Thanks, Spencer, but I don't need your approval every time I leave my house in the morning--"

"Jules." Shawn dumped the pineapple into Carlton's arms. Juliet looked past him, hoping for rescue, but no -- Gus was keeping Abigail company in the office. "I hope that…we're still…aren't we?"

Juliet shook her head, feigning misunderstanding. Shawn looked troubled. At least, as troubled as Shawn ever looked. She turned back to the car, but Shawn's hand lashed out and he caught her wrist. Juliet supposed it should hurt, this persistence. But the majority of the pain had passed, leaving her with a vague confusion.

You don't let the good things go. There are too few of them to waste, a voice told her. But she had to, at least for now. She waited for him to say something. To joke. But he didn't say anything, and the confusion remained, badly masked by all those 'simple' reasons.

"Spencer," Carlton said, and there was no mistaking the warning in his tone. He was staring down at her wrist, still caught fast in Shawn's hand.

"Yeah." The trance was broken. Shawn let go and took a step back. "Yeah."

He seemed insecure. She felt insecure. What had happened…they were both to blame. They'd both let the flirtations go too far, given the attraction too much room to grow. She didn't say anything, and floundering, Shawn took one more step back.

"Take care, Jules," he said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You too," Juliet replied, and she got in the car with her partner. It was not easy to leave the best things behind -- but she had to. Even if her reasons why seemed hollow. She had to. After a while, Carlton glanced her way.

"Stop for smoothies?" he offered. Juliet smiled in spite of herself.

"You're buying," she countered, and this time he didn't argue. She knew she had to let Shawn go, but she knew equally as well that she'd never fully let him go. And that was a glimmer of hope she could work with.