A/N: I've just been waiting to get this chapter out, as it's my absolute favorite so far. Although it's quite gory, I really think it's my best. And, yes, I added a mention of Abigail and, yes, she'll be in here more. Also, Henry! I know I've been ignoring him, and I'm sorry 'bout that. We'll see them next chapter. Now, I have some rather bad news to give off. A family member passed on Friday. The result of this means I have to leave for at least two weeks for another state as family matters get cleared up. I don't know how often I'll have the chance to get online, so you may not be able to get updates for awhile. I'm terribly sorry about this. I will try to get on and give you some chapters, but I don't know if I'll be able to. I do hope everyone understands. This is a very temporary hiatus, I will be continuing. I have other chapters prepared. Now, please read and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own this about as much as I own the world.
Warning: Lots of gore. I told you it was a high T.
Pairing: I kinda went a bit too far in a Shassie setting here, but I think it's fairly easy to see it either way.
Chapter: It's Really Not Fair Anymore

Carlton took deep breaths, silently thanking God that she didn't take the time to go into detail about the torture Shawn endured. But there was this glint in her eyes…happiness? Joy? He wasn't sure what it was. He just knew he didn't like it as the malicious grin spread about her lips, her teeth flashing in the light as she spoke.

He felt his shoulders droop in exhaustion as he leaned back in his chair. Alexis glanced over at him.

"Allons-y, eh?"

Shawn felt his breathing turn shallow as the blood coated him in turns. His eyes, weary as he was, were fixed upon the knife that glinted in the thick liquid of Rose's blood. He wondered briefly if this meant he'd stop dreaming about his own death. He tried to stop the thoughts that seemed nearly hysteric, nearly…nonchalant, but they kept coming. He couldn't help think that he was parched and could go for a smoothie, couldn't help think that the shirt Jules was in last had looked really good on her. Couldn't help his tongue from peeping out from his lips and licking away the droplets of blood there.

He knew he was crying, and the salty water pouring from his eyes was performing a tango with the blood, but he didn't really feel it anymore. He knew that Rose was screaming, but the sound had died away from his ears. He lost all track of time.

When Alexis turned around, he wasn't sure where he was in the world or even if he existed. All he knew is that she didn't need to say a word.

"I'll do it."

And Alexis smiled brightly before walking behind him. It wasn't long before he heard the beeping of a phone and an automatic recording in a male voice.

"You'll find your pretty boy psychic and his precious cargo in a cabin, three miles west into the San Marcos Foothills Preserve. Bring medics."

It was short, impersonal, everything he suspected of Alexis. She came back around to face him, pulling off her gloves and tossing them into a waste basket with some paper in it. She proceeded to pull out a match from her pocket, strike it against the side of Shawn's chair, and throw it in. She stretched, glancing over at Shawn.

"I'll be going now. Make sure to take good care of Levi. She deserves it, even if I don't. I'm not asking for anything other than you making sure she lives a good life. I can't have her getting hurt. I was made with the purpose of protecting her, and I take that very seriously. Shawn," she sighed, kneeling and placing a hand on Shawn's knee. Shawn didn't even twitch. "I kill these bastards to protect her. The justice system is so flawed that they can't keep her safe from all those people. Only I can. But…I'm asking for you to help. Not necessarily join me, but help me. Keep her safe, and I'll be there to protect you and your friends.

"I know you've seen some things. Watched killers and rapists go free without so much as a scratch. They go free because of some glitch in the system, and I take care of those glitches. I bring the justice that the cops fail to. You said yourself, you were kidnapped and shot. And I know the details of that case. Those men would have gone free, stolen all that money, if you hadn't seen past it all. The cops didn't even dig a little further than what was in front of their eyes.

"They're blind to it, we both know that. But know that as long as you keep her safe from the cops, I will keep you and all you choose safe from the flaws in the justice system that threaten to kill us all. Alright?"

Shawn wasn't sure if he nodded or not, but Alexis smiled again and stood up. She sat down in a chair, settling down and making herself comfortable, and Shawn watched as she seemingly blacked out with her eyes rolling back.

It wasn't long, maybe thirty minutes, before Santa Barbara Police swarmed the place, weapons drawn and shouts filling the air. Shawn watched with hooded eyes as Lassiter, Leeland and Juliet rushed towards him. Juliet gagged slightly at all the blood, and he saw her hand twitch as though she were repressing the urge to cover her nose.

Lassiter was grim, emotionless, as he took in the sight. He knelt at Shawn's side and began tugging at the knots with fervor, gun laid at his side. He kept glancing up at Shawn, as though afraid the man was some hallucination and he would disappear before Lassiter's eyes.

Agent Leeland was over at Alexis—no, Levi now—and trying to wake her up. Shawn watched, transfixed, as she stirred and started in Leeland's arms. Her eyes roamed, landing on Shawn, then on the bloody sight of Rose. Shawn closed his eyes tightly as the scream erupted.

"Rose! No, no, Rose!" Levi cried, struggling against Leeland as he tried to hold her back. Somehow, Levi gathered the strength to push the older and stronger man away and run towards her long dead guardian. Everyone watched in horror as Levi sunk in the puddle of blood and picked up the severed head that belong to Rose.

Levi sobbed, the blood staining everything on her, as she pressed her lips over and over onto the cold flesh of Rose's forehead, cheek, and lips, completely ignorant of the torn and ripped skin and blood that covered her face. She caressed the black hair, gazing into the one green eye that was left. Levi's whole body wracked with the force of her crying, tears streaking her cheeks, and gasped for each struggling breath.

Three or so men came forward, prying her away, and Shawn watched in complete horror as her body spasmed against the men and her screams echoed against the walls. Another man came forward, picking up the head gently and placing it in a plastic evidence bag. The haunted eye, glazed over with death, stared straight at Shawn. No, it stared into him. Into his soul and everything that was him.

Shawn felt a pair of strong arms lift his numbed body off the chair, and he looked up to gaze into the icy blue eyes—such a contrast from the dead ivy green—of Lassiter. He shuddered, gripping the white material of Lassiter's—no, it was Carlton now, because Lassiter was too impersonal after all this—dress shirt.

Outside, the shouts of Gus and his Dad and Abigail met his ear. Carlton hesitated and glanced down at Shawn, who shook his head. He couldn't see them, not now. Not like this. Carlton nodded in understanding and carried him to the ambulance, setting Shawn down on the stretcher that waited for him. Immediately, medics surrounded him and he lost sight of Carlton.

"Carlton? No, Carlton!" he struggled against the men holding him down until the man he cried for came into view. Slowly, Shawn relaxed and transfixed his gaze onto Carlton's face. One of the men stuck him with a needle, but he wasn't paying attention. He just needed to see Carlton. He needed to forget. Just for now. Just for…

…now.

Carlton watched as Shawn drifted away, heavy foreboding weighing down his insides.