So I have a few chapters I owe you actually, it's just that I've been going over them again...and again...and again..because I'm afraid I'm not portraying the characters right, and unless I'm at least 60% satisfied with the way something looks, it won't go up. Not to mention I constantly reread and change certain things in the story (Mostly minor things, the way things are worded and misspellings) So updates come slow, cause my process to upload and finalize a chapter is horrible. I apologize. This is the last chapter of them talking things over though ^^ So you'll finally get moving into the story.

Chapter 5:

Present Day: Shawn

He heard arguing. That's about all he heard. Lassiter shouting something, and Jules trying to settle him down, while the doctor tried to explain to him things that he could only guess that Lassiter didn't comprehend. There was a distinct scream of his name in the middle of it all, his guess being that it was finally revealed who was to blame for all this. He expected it, in all truth, but...he had been hoping that maybe things would work out for the better. Of course, he knew what would be coming next. Explaining what had gone on during the year that Lassiter was missing, but..this he wanted to do himself. If anyone should be telling Lassiter it should have been him.

That was why he was making his way back into the room, his hand never leaving the door handle, just in case the trigger happy detective decided a bullet through his own head was a valid retribution.

"Carlton." Jules spotted him as he slipped into the room, passing him a concerned look. A silent "are you okay?" which he answered with a curt nod. In all truth, though...he wasn't. Not in the least bit, but he wasn't about to let Jules know that, either. Not when everything was falling to pieces around him, when he didn't know what was dream or reality anymore. Where "Carlton" left and "Lassiter" began. And whether or not he was ever going to get to see the inside of Lassiter's house ever again.

Juliet sighed, bringing him back to the present. He must have taken too long to say something, cause suddenly Juliet was explaining again. "For the past year...Shawn has been..."

"I've been taking care of you, Lassie." Shawn couldn't let her say it. It was his responsibility. "I've been, like, your caretaker, man." A lopsided grin spread across his lips, but Lassiter looked ready to snap again. Maybe he should have allowed Juliet to tell him, at least he wouldn't have shot Jules. A nervous laugh slipped past his lips as he realized this wasn't going to end well for him, he had just signed his death warrant. Might as well get it all out in the open now. "And...maybe living with you."

"WHAT?!" There it was, finally. The other had exploded. But at least Shawn found himself unharmed. For now...

"Lassie, someone had to take care of you."

"And who in their right mind thought it was you?!"

"Well actually, it was a very mature thing to do." Juliet tried to defuse the situation. "Shawn was taking responsibility, Carlton, you have to give him that. He took care of you for a year and a half."

"I didn't ask him too!"

"So what? He should have just left someone else to take care of his mistakes?"

"Yes! I would have been far happier!"

"Carlton! For god's sake's grow up!" Juliet had apparently had enough, she had played the good partner for as long as she was willing. "Do you know how hard it's been for all of us this past year and a half?!"

"For you?!" Carlton on the other hand apparently wasn't giving up that easily.

"Your body might have still been here, but for all we know you were dead! You weren't coming back! And we had to all deal with what was left!" She snapped. "The only thing you have to deal with is not being able to remember some god damn memories!"

"Jules-" Shawn was taken aback, it was very rare for the woman to curse. Maybe he had been so wrapped up in his own problems that he hadn't even realized...that despite everything...Juliet had been missing Lassiter just as much as he had...How could he have been so stupid?

"Just...give us a minute, please Shawn?" Juliet seemed on the verge of tears, but she kept her composure, and turned a rather stern, yet pleading, look towards the psychic. Shawn stepped back, giving her space as he nodded. After all, he wasn't one for making a woman cry, he never knew how to deal with them. She turned his attention towards the doctor, the two turning and exiting the room, leaving the two detectives to talk amongst themselves.

|PSYCH!|

"So what do you think their talking about exactly?" The doctor sat at the Island counter, both elbows on the table as he held his head in his hands, watching Shawn gather items together to make breakfast. He looked much like a bored child, waiting for something big to happen.

"I don't know. Detective stuff?" Shawn puffed out one side of his cheek in annoyance. He rather not think about it. He was to afraid of what would come of this. Even Jules couldn't stop Lassiter from throwing him out. But he'd leave it in her hands, if anyone, to change Lassiter's mind.

He reached up and pulled the apron down off of the stand beside the counter, pulling it over his head and tying it.

"What do you think-"

The doctor was quickly cut off by Shawn's cellphone ringing. A god sent as Shawn launched himself at it, after all, it was Gus's ringtone. "Gus? Where the hell have you been, I've been calling you for, like, hours, man!"

"Shawn, you called me thirty minutes ago!"

"Oh did I? It felt like hours." Shawn mused as he turned and grabbed a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator. Pausing a moment to rest the phone between his shoulder and ear as he grabbed the milk as well.

"You knew I had a meeting today."

"Did I? I didn't even know you still worked there, man."

"Don't play, you left me five voice mails in 10 minutes, telling me to call you! I thought my leg was going to seizure!"

"Bet they thought you had a vibrator."

"Shawn, that's not funny! You coulda got me fired!"

"And that's such a bad thing, how?"

Gus clicked his tongue. "What do you want, Shawn?"

He allowed the items to hit the marble counter as he let his head fall, catching the phone with his hand and pausing before pressing it back up to his ear. "...Lassie's back, Gus..."

There was silence on the other end for a moment.

"Want me to come over?"

"No. I think Lassiter would definitely go Psycho-killer if you were in his house as well."

"You want me to wait at Psych?"

He paused.

"Please?" There was no way he was going to be able to do this alone. Especially not if Lassiter decided to kick him out.

"...Shawn, you know if you need it, my place is-"

"Hey, don't go jumping ahead of yourself. We don't know what's going to happen."

"Shawn..."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know, thanks Gus. I'll see you at the office." And before Gus could even say goodbye, Shawn had hung up. An attempt at preventing Gus from saying anything else. He loved Gus, but his best friend had the worst habit of forcing him to face reality. Which at the moment he didn't need. All he wanted, for now...was to live a little longer in the moment that was "Carlton and Shawn".

Any suggestions, or feedback are appreciated and welcome.