A/N: I do NOT own any recognizable brand item or character. I would like to be able to afford to hire Timothy Omundson for a long weekend, though. Going to start saving my dimes! (I could start collecting donations...)


Carlton left Shawn a note taped to the bathroom mirror that assured the other man that he'd be returning after his run. He started the coffee pot and went outside to stretch. He took just a moment to start his newest running playlist before he started. As he rounded the first street corner, he saw Shawn's motorcycle parked near a curb and grinned. That's why he hadn't heard the engine when Shawn showed up at his door yesterday. Sneaky Spencer.

He hadn't expected Shawn to stay through the night. He figured he'd have taken off early back to his apartment. Carlton found he was happily surprised not to have woken up alone. He came to the conclusion that being alone sucked. He had to figure out how to balance his feelings to be with Shawn with the fact that he didn't want to smother the man; he knew how commitment-phobic he could get. Carlton also knew himself enough to know that he had a tendency to become too attached too quickly.

"Moderation, Lassiter. Moderation. You do not want to screw this up."

He continued his run and when the infernal 'Peacock' song played he couldn't help himself to start humming along.

Again, he found himself surprised when he saw that Shawn's bike was still parked in its spot when he was on his way back to his house. As he ran back, he felt his heart rate increase from the anticipation of seeing Shawn and he couldn't decide if he was more anxious about finding Shawn awake or still asleep when he opened his door.

Shawn was still asleep and Carlton decided to go back and pick up the motorcycle. He looked around the floor surrounding the couch to find Shawn's pants and ignored how absurd the strewn clothes looked for the moment. He pulled the keys out of the man's pocket and slipped back outside.

When Carlton reached the bike, he had two thoughts: the first one was that it had been entirely way too long since he'd driven a motorcycle and the second was that he didn't know which key unlocked the helmet from the seat. After a few unsuccessful attempts, he found the correct key. He knew he looked ridiculous in his running pants and wearing the helmet as he pulled into his driveway, but there was a helmet law. There were no laws regarding what to wear clothing-wise; all were merely common-sense recommendations at this point. As he parked the bike and dismounted, he was pleased that no one was outside to watch him anyway.

Carlton started the shower and shaved while he waited for the water to heat up.

He was almost finished with his shower when the bathroom door opened and let in a draft of cool air into the room.

"Morning."

"Hey, Carly. How's the shower?" Shawn's voice was low and sounded as if he were still asleep.

"Good. Warm water always feels good after a run."

Carlton turned to rinse the shampoo out of his hair and while his eyes were closed, he felt Shawn's arms wrap around his waist.

"Shawn, you're gonna get soap in your eyes."

"Don't care."

"Alright. I warned you."

Shawn's face was pressed against back, and even though he enjoyed the company, he needed to rinse the rest out of his hair and off his face or he'd be the one with soap in his eyes.

He returned to rinse his hair and Shawn took the opportunity to run his hands down from Carlton's stomach to more private areas. Carlton's eyes were still closed as Shawn started to stroke him slowly.

"Shawn?"

"Yeah, Lassie?"

"You're going to be impossible, aren't you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Shawn had woken up enough to add a fake Southern drawl.

Carlton finished rinsing and turned around to face Shawn.

"I'd kiss you, but I don't believe you had enough time out there to brush your teeth yet."

Instead of leaning down to kiss him, Carlton reached down and grasped Shawn's erection to his own and rubbed them against each other. He did lean down, sucked on Shawn's ear lobe and nipped at it as he stroked the both of them.

Shawn's mouth sucked and licked its way around Carlton's chest, navigating around the sternum bush and he bit at Carlton's nipples as he passed them. Carlton hissed both times at the contact. Both men reached to the shower wall as they came together and Shawn used his second free arm to hold Carlton upright.

As soon as they were both breathing regularly again, Carlton turned to do a last rinse and then moved Shawn into the water so he could take his own morning shower.

"Jesus, Lassie. You sure know how to treat a guy."

"Good morning to you, too, Shawn."

Carlton kissed Shawn's forehead before he opened the shower curtain and got out.


Carlton poured some coffee into his cup and heard Shawn stumble through the hall.

"Thanks for laying out my clothes, Lassie. You didn't want me traipsing through your living room naked?"

"Not especially." The idea wasn't a bad one, but it would have been more distracting than anything. Carlton still had to get to work. "Figured I had to pick all of it up anyway."

Carlton wondered what was taking Shawn so long to walk to the kitchen and when he poked his head around the hall he caught Shawn staring at his Most Wanted wall. He watched as Shawn's eyes scanned the photos and the case information. As he'd seen the last few times they were on a case, the other man's eyes were focused so intently, it was almost as if he was committing everything to memory.

"Hey, Carly?"

"Yeah, Shawn?"

"Do Woody's reports include a sexual assault kit on all victims or just the female ones?"

"You know, I've never thought to ask. Why are you asking?"

Shawn finally wandered into the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. One sugar, no cream and Lassiter wondered how he could stand it that way.

"Well, I just noticed that on your wall that the female victims always indicate whether they were assaulted or not, but male victims don't have any mention of that ever."

Carlton thought about their current open case and followed Shawn's train of thought. He pulled out his phone and began dialing.

"Strode? Lassiter. No, I'm not calling about going to breakfast with you. Tell me, when are the bodies of Doug Chambers and Ted Nelson being released?"

"Really? Okay. Do me a favor. Can you recheck the victims to see if there's any evidence they may have been sexually assaulted? Yes. Thank you. No. Thank you. Bye."

"He really needs to find some friends. He's alone in the morgue all day. He's lonely."

"Obviously. He'll have the results early in the afternoon."

Carlton joined Shawn in the kitchen and leaned against the counter. "Shawn, I have five case files on my wall board and you were only looking at them for about two minutes. How did you notice that all the female vics had the assault results and the men didn't?"

"Come on, Lassie, you know..." He made his signature psychic motion, but Lassiter wasn't having it this time.

"Uh uh, you're not pulling out the psychic card this time."

Coupled with the challenge he had given the other man at the burger joint two weeks ago, it was becoming clearer and clearer to the detective how Shawn has been able to pull off the psychic bit.

"You take after your mother, don't you? I don't see why I never put the two pieces together until now."

"Maybe because you weren't watching me so closely before recently?"

Carlton felt his ears burn at the insinuation that he'd been watching Shawn a lot these days, but he couldn't deny it.

"I've always known the psychic thing was just crap, Spencer. But I have respected the fact that you help out on cases."

"Are you? Are you going to tell the chief?"

Carlton pulled Shawn close to him, it wasn't too long ago that he would have loved to handcuff the charlatan and leave him in the holding cells, but so much has changed between them.

"I tell her all the time that you're not a psychic, Shawn. What makes you think that she'll actually start listening to me today?"

"But you will have to tell O'Hara at some point. She has swallowed your two-bit circus act hook, line and sinker. She needs to know. I'll let you talk to Guster and the two of you can handle that on your own time."

"Thanks, Lassie. Carlton. And Gus thought he'd have to keep a suitcase by the door in order to make a quick run for it on the day you ever found out I wasn't psychic."

"I have always known, you know? Just didn't have the proof. Now that we're seeing each other, I can't use your confession in court anyway."

"Already I am reaping benefits of a grown-up relationship, of sorts."

"Who would have thought that would ever happen?"

"Not me."

Carlton rinsed out their coffee mugs, Shawn didn't actually drink much of his cup, and turned off the coffee maker. As he and Shawn left the house, he felt the urge to kiss him.

Just as if he could really read his mind, Shawn tugged at Carlton's sleeve to stop his forward movement and pulled him into a nice, long lip-lock.

"I'll see you later. Probably around lunch, okay?"

"Sure."

Carlton shook his head to clear his mind then started his car. Shawn got on his motorcycle and he watched him leave before he headed to the station.


Lassiter had been sifting through several old murder case files with Shawn's question still in his mind. As he read through report after report, he concluded that male victims were hardly ever checked for evidence of sexual assault. Of those who were, ninety percent of them had more obvious signs that led to the coroner to check. On the flip side of the equation, all of the female victims were tested for sexual assault.

"What has you so entrance, partner? It can't be the open robbery case, we've only got paperwork left on that to finish."

Apparently the large pile of files and the hour and a half of taking notes had finally made O'Hara curious.

"It was a theory that Shawn had this morning and I thought I'd check it out."

"Shawn had a theory? This morning?" Her eyebrows shot up in a questioning manner.

Carlton didn't take notice, as he was still flipping pages, lost in his own thoughts.

"Yes. He looked at my Most Wanted wall and "ahem" 'sensed' something was missing from some of the ME's reports." Lassiter closed a file and looked into his partner's knowing face, but missed the meaning in her expression. "Were you aware that nearly none of our male vics get checked for sexual assault, but all female vic are checked?"

"No. I hadn't really noticed any of that before. But you said that Shawn came up with that this morning. After he saw your wall? Which is in your house?"

"Huh?" Lassiter finally caught up with his partner's line of questions. "Oh. Uh. Yeah. He stayed over last night."

She patted his shoulder. "So. You called him."

"Yes. O'Hara. I called him."

He collected half the files and stood up to go to the file room to put them away. Juliet continued to follow him.

"So, what happened? He stayed over, but what happened last night?"

"O'Hara. We have already shared too much of my personal life, haven't we? You aren't going to get a..."

"Blow-by-blow account of events?"

He growled past his partner after he filed the reports, but his face flushed at her word usage.

"There has to be a better term for that, O'Hara."

She laughed at his obvious discomfort.

"Okay. Okay. I'll let it go. But only because I finally have a date for Saturday."

"Finally. Now you can quit living off my sex life." It made Lassiter feel quite odd to say that out loud. Yes, Carlton Lassiter has started to have a sex life!

"For now."

Carlton relaxed as she returned to her desk and he re-filed the remaining files he had looked through.

(-)

He was in the chief's office discussing an update in the autopsy procedures when Woody Strode requested to speak to both of them.

"On Detective Lassiter's hunch, I rechecked our murder victims. Sad to say , but Mr. Nelson had been assaulted sexually. Mr. Chambers had not."

"There's at least that for Tim. It's probably because he wasn't the intended target."

"Was there DNA left behind by our killer?"

"That's the bad news, Chief. Our killer didn't leave any DNA or trace evidence behind. Not even what we'd find from a condom or lubricant. No skin transfer. Nothing."

"Shit. So, we have evidence of the trauma, but nothing that can get us closer to catching the scumbag?"

"Sorry Detective."

"Mr. Strode, Detective Lassiter and I have come up with an update in procedure for future autopsies."

The Chief handed the coroner their handwritten notes with a promise to get a typed version to him later that day. Detective Lassiter left Vick's office after she dismissed him.

As he rounded the corner to approach his desk, he heard Shawn and Guster's banter before he saw the two best friends.

"Lassie! Did our theory pan out? Did Woody find out anything?"

"Yes it did. No he didn't. But the Chief is having our autopsy procedures updated after I researched your theory."

"And?"

"You were right, Spencer. Again."

"I know that must have pained you to say openly, and in public."

"Mr. Spencer. Mr. Guster. May I see you in my office? Just for a minute."

"Gotta go. Let's see what the Head Honcho wants, Gus."

Shawn slapped Lassiter on the shoulder as he passed the detective.

"Detective Lassiter, sir?"

Lassiter turned around to face McNab. He never got used to how much taller the officer was to himself. Usually, he was the tallest in the room.

"Yes, McNab?"

"There's a Tim Potter here and he asked to see you."

"Oh. Okay, thanks."

Lassiter turned to his partner.

"Strode said he had already contacted the family members of our victims to release the bodies. Tim must be here for Doug."

McNab led Lassiter to the receiving area where Tim was signing forms.

"Tim."

"Carlton. Your coroner needed my signature to..." Carlton felt bad for Tim. The man was clearly hurting.

"Yeah. If you'll leave the funeral home's information, everything will be handled for you."

"Thanks, Carl." The man lost the control he had, started crying and grabbed Lassiter into a one-sided embrace.

"Whoa. Okay, Tim. I am so sorry for your loss. You obviously loved him very much."

"I did. I do." He pulled back from Lassiter. "Sorry. I know you don't like open displays, but I couldn't help it."

"It's okay. You're going through a lot."

"It just doesn't seem real. I keep thinking Doug's going to call or come home." Tim started to sob again, and this time Lassiter pulled him to a small hug. He patted Tim on the back, gently.

"I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will get better. I see it everyday. It will never go away and there will still be hard days." He let go of Tim and looked him in the eyes. "But you will heal."

Tim's eyes and face were red from the crying, but he attempted a sad smile.

"I realize this isn't something you usually do, but Doug's funeral is this Thursday." He pulled out a heavy cardstock card and handed it to Lassiter. "I'd really appreciate it if you could make it."

"I'll see if I can make it. It's in San Diego?"

"Yeah. Doug's family is there. They wanted him close."

"Understandable."

"Before I start crying like a little kid again, Nico had mentioned that you had started seeing someone new?"

"Uh. Well, it's only been in the last couple weeks."

Lassiter shifted his stance and saw Shawn standing at O'Hara's desk. He waved him over.

"Hey, Lassie. Chief says she'll have a check for Gus and I later."

"Tim Potter, this is Shawn Spencer. He's a consultant for the department. Shawn, Tim is the manager of the Cathedral Station and was Doug Chambers' life partner."

"Nice to meet you, Shawn. Nico mentioned that the two of you worked together on the undercover thing at the club. I'd like to congratulate you. You have already successfully gotten Carl to do things I never could in the time we were together."

"Oh?"

Carlton saw Shawn's eyes narrow and for just a moment he thought he saw a flash of jealousy.

"Yeah. I could never get him to dance, let alone how Nico described the way you two danced. When I finally get back to work I intend on watching the security footage of that for sure."

"Well, there's always a chance for someone to surprise us all."

"Yeah. Well, I've got things to take care of for Thursday. It was nice to meet you, Shawn. Take care of Carl here. Carl." Tim shook Carlton's hand and turned to leave.

"See ya' Tim."

Once Lassiter and Shawn walked back to Lassiter's desk, Shawn opened up with questions.

"So. You and Tim? How long ago were you together? And he calls you Carl?"

"Shawn. It was a long time ago. Before Victoria. Your nicknames for me aren't any better, you know?"

Lassiter didn't want to admit that a few of the nicknames had grown on him. Others still annoyed the crap out of him.

"Yeah, but 'Carl'? Makes you sound like some overweight trucker."

"Thanks for that, Shawn. Look I was invited to Doug's funeral. Since Tim is a friend, I was thinking of going if the Chief allows me the time off. I know you aren't comfortable with funerals, but would... could you?" Lassiter pinched the bridge of his nose and settled his nerves a little. "I'd like to invite you to go with me, if you can, or if you want to. It's in San Diego on Thursday. I'd end up staying two nights, but I'd understand if you couldn't go.

Lassiter knew he was rambling, but Shawn grabbed his hand and he stopped.

"Lassie, relax. Funerals aren't my thing, but I'll go with you. If to only make sure Tim doesn't make any moves on you."

"Are you saying you don't trust me to decline any 'moves' he may make on my own? I'm not that easy, Spencer/"

"True. You did fend off my advances last night for about two, three hours?"

"That's different. We are, you know, dating. I'm not dating Tim."

"But you had dated him. Funerals tend to get people all emotionally athwack. I am volunteering for chaperone duties. I want to keep all of this." He gestured to Lassiter, "For myself."

Lassiter couldn't help it when he ended up growling at Shawn.

"Whatever. Just keep Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening free, if you can remember that."

"No problem. That's an easy one."

"Are you and Guster doing anything for lunch? O'Hara and I were about to break."

"Well, Lassie. Gus would like to take you out for lunch."

"Guster wants to have lunch with me? What is this about? I thought he was afraid of me, and kept a suitcase by the door in case he had to run from me."

Shawn lowered his voice and Lassiter leaned in to hear him.

"He's exercising his best friend right to 'check out' well, you."

"And you aren't coming with us?"

"Nope. I'm going out with Jules."

"In that case, don't tell her anything too embarrassing."

Carlton looked at Guster, whose face and body language had taken on a seriousness he'd only seen the man have once before when he had threatened to punch him in the face.

"Okay Guster. Let's do this. Are you driving or am I?" He grabbed his suit jacket off his hook and followed Shawn's best friend out of the station.


Even though he had to endure being folded almost in half to fit in the tiny blue car, lunch with Guster went pretty well.

At first, Gus read him the riot act about not hurting his friend, respecting their friendship and made threats that he couldn't physically backup. He moved quickly over what Lassiter's intentions were. Gus was happy to hear that whatever was happening, it wasn't a one-off, kiss-off thing. Even if Lassiter couldn't practically define what was happening between them.

"Now it would be remiss of me, because of my medical background, if I did not cover the issue of blood testing."

"Blood testing? Guster? What?" Lassiter tugged against his tie and wondered if the restaurant's air conditioning was working properly.

"I'm talking about you caring enough for my best friend to keep yourself, and he by extension of your relationship, clean from any STDs."

"Okay. I got it. *ahem* I get routine physicals through the SBPD. My last blood screening was three months ago after the marmoset-smuggling incident, and those rabies shots. I'm clean. Of rabies and STDs."

"Good to know, on both counts. Let's keep it that way." Guster pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table to Lassiter. "This is Shawn's last test results. I had him go in a month ago."

"Does he know you're showing this to me, Guster? I'm not a fan of people airing out others' private information." Lassiter glared at the man who was supposed to be Shawn's best friend.

"He told me to show it to you. Relax."

Lassiter removed his angry glare and looked at the results. He had years of experience looking at these lab result papers. Besides the fact that Shawn was clear of anything nefarious, it did show that Shawn was slightly anemic. Lassiter mentally filed the information for the future. As he passed the sheet back, he thought of ways to increase Shawn's iron intake.

Guster ended the lunch with some helpful 'Shawn Tips', as he called them. Things Lassiter might need to know if certain issues came up.

"If he gets in a funk to where he hasn't done laundry in more than three weeks or eaten anything other than Doritos, take him to the pet store."

"The pet store? Good lord, why?"

"Bunnies. Their fluffy awesomeness draws him out of that type of funk faster than any prescription drug."

"Really? Bunnies?"

"No joke, Lassiter. Bunny Love is Shawn's cure-all."

"When he gets bored, any marathon of Magnum PI or Knight Rider or Billy Zane or early Val Kilmer movies will fit the bill."

Lassiter found himself pulling out his notepad when Gus started listing Shawn's favorite smoothie and food cart locations.

On their return trip to the station, Lassiter asked a final question.

"What's with all the pineapple?"

Gus laughed.

"Aw, man. That's a story, detective, but if you must know, it started with a curious dare our senior year of High School. You see, Shawn had found an article in his father's Playboy that said that if a guy ate certain foods that our... you know... would taste differently."

Carlton felt uncomfortable at Guster's storytelling. he had no idea his simple question would diverge into such territory. He suddenly had a feeling of dread with what would be told to his partner by the end of their lunch.

"So after reading the list, Shawn decided he wanted to try and make his as sweet as possible in case he had a date that went that far."

"Pineapple?"

"Pineapple. He's been addicted to the fruit since, but that's how it started."

Lassiter felt himself get embarrasses as he recalled the blowjob he'd given Shawn. He could now appreciate more fully the taste that had been left in his mouth last night.

"Thanks, Guster."

"You got it, Lassiter."

Carlton shook the man's hand on the front steps of the station and they went inside.

Shawn and Juliet were sitting at her desk waiting for their partners when Lassiter and Gus returned. Lassiter left Guster at the front desk to go to his desk and Shawn made his way to Lassiter.

"So. You're still alive and he's still alive." He lowered his voice. "Are we still alive, Lassie?"

"Shawn, I have heard things in the last hour about you that should make me run away in fear." He turned to Shawn, arched his eyebrow and smirked at him. "We are still good, Shawn. Come on, it was Guster, not a Spanish Inquisitor."

Lassiter leaned in to his ear.

"But I'll never look at a pineapple the same way again." He winked, smacked Shawn on the shoulder and walked to his desk.

Shawn walked to his best friend at the front desk with a slight blush on his neck.

"Hey, buddy! The Chief says she'll get our check in about five more minutes."

O'Hara joined Lassiter as he got himself a cup of coffee.

"So, what did he tell you? I'd rather be embarrassed all at once than keep guessing for days what you know."

"Carlton, I'm shocked that you think I'd embarrass you."

Of course, he was suspicious of his nosy partner and continued.

"No embarrassment coming my way, then?"

"Not at all." Her words came out, but he was still not buying it.

He took a sip from his coffee and it stung his tongue, but he continued to drink.

"I just thought I might ask you for your foreplay secrets."

He coughed as he choked on his coffee. As his breathing evened out, he glared at his partner.

"What?"

"Well, Shawn seemed really impressed by your technique last night."

"Sweet Justice. Spencer."

"It's not his fault, partner. I pestered him until he said something." Lassiter understood. She had been pretty persistent lately about getting information.

"Anything else?"

"Nah. The rest of your secrets are safe. He wouldn't give up anything else."

"Thank God for that."

The detectives returned to work. Strode had left a message on Lassiter's desk that both Ted Nelson and Doug Chambers' families had processed the release paperwork, which reminded him that he needed to request time off. He went in to talk to the Chief.


"Okay. So you will be off Wednesday, Thursday and Friday." The Chief was typing Lassiter's request into her computer. "What about the weekend? You're usually off on Sunday with Saturday being a paperwork catch-up day. Are you planning to work either or both days?"

Lassiter considered the options and decided to work Sunday in exchange for one of the days he'd miss.

"I'll put you down for two days personal time off. Just make sure you're here a minimum of four hours on Saturday. If it turns out you don't make it in on Saturday, we'll take three days."

"Understood."

"Lassiter! Chief! Come quick. One of the officers is harrassing Shawn."

"What?!"

Both Lassiter and the Chief followed Gus out of her office. A crowd of people had started to form.

O'Hara and McNab had positioned themselves in front of Shawn with other officers trying to pull Officer Marshall from the reception area. Over the shouting, Marshall could be heard.

"You all know that this fortune teller quack only gets hired because Lassiter has the Chief hire him."

"Not true, Marshall."

"Come on, O'Hara. You, of all people, should know full well that he's sucking our head dick's dick for cases."

"Son of a bitch!" Lassiter made to advance into the situation in front of them, but Vick pulled him back.

"Carlton, stand down. What in the hell is going on here? Marshall?" Chief Vick used her best in-charge voice.

Marshall looked like he was drunk as he stumbled closer to her.

"What? Just a conversation about how cases are assigned to our dear consultant."

"McNab. Fielding. Restrain 'Officer' Marshall and bring him to my office. Detective Lassiter. I believe you and O'Hara have an open robbery case. Am I right?" She was still talking loudly for everyone to hear.

"Yes, Chief."

"I want you to bring Psych in to consult. What do you say?"

Lassiter was fuming and it took all of his restraint to not lunge for Marshall as he was escorted in front of him to the Chief's office. That and her threat of a reprimand if he got into another fight.

"What? No. We do not need Spencer and Guster on our case. They would only get in the way."

"So, you're saying we don't need them on that case?"

"No. We. Don't need them, Chief."

"I think I'd like them assigned to it anyway. Two more sets of eyes. Detectives."

"But, Chief. We don't..." Vick put on her best glare at Lassiter. "Yes, Chief."

"Mr. Spencer. Mr. Guster. Come in tomorrow morning to assist Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara."

"Yes, Chief."

"Everyone else. Back to work."

As Chief Vick walked back to her office, she handed Lassiter an envelope.

"Give this to Spencer and Guster. And Detective? Well played. I'll explain later."

Lassiter walked to the reception area to join Shawn, Guster and O'Hara. He was still seething from Marshall's words, but he needed to make sure Shawn was okay. He handed the envelope with Psych's check to Guster.

"Excuse me, O'Hara. I need to peak with Spencer a moment." He pulled Shawn to the records room and closed the door. Shawn sat in the only chair. Lassiter squatted down between Shawn's knees and put his hands on the other man's thighs.

"Shawn. Are you alright?"

Shawn lifted his head and looked into Carlton's eyes. He looked like he could fall apart at any moment.

"I'm okay. I thought Marshall was going to hit me. Or Gus. He was really angry and drunk."

"Yeah. Well, Vick's with him now. He won't get away with what happened."

"That's good." Shawn lifted the corners of his mouth slightly into an almost-smile.

Lassiter ran his hands higher up Shawn's thighs and Shawn leaned down. It was short, but the kiss relieved some of the tension both men held.

"I gave Guster your check. Go home. I'll call you later to check on you."

"Okay, Lassie. I'll talk to you later, then."

Shawn and Lassiter both stood and left the records room. Shawn joined with Gus and Lassiter walked to the conference room where Juliet joined him.

O'Hara and Lassiter sat silently. They could hear the Chief yelling at Marshall and Marshall getting loud back at her.

"O'Hara, am I being stupid?"

"What? No. For what?"

"To be starting this relationship with Spencer. Am I stupid to think I can do this?"

"No, Carlton. Why would you think that?"

"Marshall, the two idiots from the pier. We are going to have to deal with people like that all the time."

"Listen, partner. I know that you've been happier since you and he started seeing each other. Shawn practically glows around you. When he talks about you, his smile is crazy blinding. You guys are good for each other. What others think is not your concern."

"O'Hara. Just because we've enjoyed each other's company, is that worth all of this?"

"Could be. Is it worth it to you? Or Shawn? To be together and happy, not alone and miserable?"

Lassiter loosened his tie, undid his top two shirt buttons and rolled up his sleeves.

"Alone and miserable sucks, but this hurts, O'Hara. I saw Shawn's face out there, he was scared. He shouldn't have to feel that."

"He has you, me and Gus to help him. You have us too, you know? You have to try. Get up and try. He's worth it, isn't he?"

"I think he is, O'Hara. Juliet? O'Hara. You know what they say... 'Where there is desire, there's bound to be a flame. Where there is a flame someone's bound to get burned.' "

"I think the rest of that song says... 'Just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die.' "

"That came from a song?" Lassiter tried to figure where he'd heard it before, but came up blank.

O'Hara, on the other hand, laughed at his confusion.

"Yeah. It was played several times at the Cathedral Station."

"That explains it."

It might also explain his recent change in music choices and purchases on iTunes.

It was another ten minutes before McNab and Fielding escorted Marshall down the hall to the locker room. Lassiter hoped they were letting him empty his locker before they escorted him out of the station.

Chief Vick came out of he office and joined her detectives in the conference room.

"Officer Marshall has been officially suspended for six weeks. His reinstatement will be dependent upon a behavioral review and psychological evaluation. I highly doubt he will be allowed to return. Some of his opinions are deeply-rooted and, frankly, disturbing."

"The robbery case, Chief? What was all that about out there? We don't need Psych to assist."

"Did you see the officers out there? I had to dispel the rumor that Spencer gets put on cases based on his relationship with my Head Detective. Whether or not those rumors are true is not the issue, I cannot have even the slightest appearance of favoritism in case assignment. Now, we..." the Chief gestured to the three of them in the room, "We all know that you have hardly ever welcomed Psych being brought onto a case, and I needed to use that and show it to everyone out there. Tomorrow let Spencer and Guster help with the evidence log and final review. Hopefully all of this will blow over after a while."

"Thanks, Chief."

"Now, why don't you two finish up today's paperwork and head home? It has been a long Monday."

Lassiter and O'Hara got up to leave the room and the Chief turned back to them.

"And Carlton? You might want to suggest to Spencer, or whomever, a more discrete location for their love bites. Or, forgo the loosening of your ties until they heal over."

Lassiter redid his collar and tie before he exited the conference room while his partner silently chuckled.


Lassiter walked into his house, put his keys, wallet and badge on the counter, took off and hung up his jacket and holster and sat down on his couch. He just sat for about twenty minutes while he thought about things. He thought about Shawn, the open murder case, the trip to San Diego he was taking, remembering he'd have to make hotel reservations. Which led him back to think about Shawn again.

When he came back to himself, he realized how quiet his house and his life is when Shawn wasn't around him.

At that moment, he felt something click in his heart. It almost hurt, but felt great at the same time. Carlton pulled out his phone and called Shawn.

"Hey, Lassie. Calling to check on me?"

"Yes. You sound better. Are you okay?"

"Perfect. Especially now that I'm talking to you and holding the cutest dwarf bunny at the same time."

"That's great, Shawn. Have you thought more about taking the trip to San Diego with me? The Chief accepted my time off request."

He really wanted to beg or plead for Shawn to go with him, but after Marshall's incident he wanted to see if Shawn had changed his mind.

"Yeah, Lassie. I'll go with you. I'll even hold your hand during the service to keep you from crying your eyes out."

"Shawn, I won't be crying." Carlton wouldn't mind him holding his hand, though.

"Hm. It's a funeral. A lot of people will be crying."

"I'm not Guster. I'm not a sympathetic crier."

"Got it. So no hand-holding, then?"

"Now, I didn't say that."

"Ooh, Lassie. You can be so hot, even on the phone."

"Shawn. Besides checking on you, I need to make hotel reservations..."

"Just make sure they have room service. Are we going to share a bed? Or not?"

It sounded, to Carlton, like Shawn was giving him the decision, but that he would be less excited about individual beds.

"I was thinking about just one bed. We did already sleep next to each other, without incident even."

"Yes! I mean *ahem* okay. Sounds good. I'm going to need a black suit, right?

"Yes, Shawn. If you can manage that."

"Sure I can. Lassie, I've got to go. Gus and I are heading from the pet store to grab dinner. Have you eaten? You can join us."

"Not tonight, but thanks. I've got things to do. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

" 'Bye Lassie."

" 'Bye Shawn."

Carlton didn't really have too much to do, but he had already had lunch with Guster and it sounded like Shawn needed his time with his friend.


-END CHAPTER 9-