Disclaimer: I don't own anything Psych and I am not making any profits off of this story. It all belongs to the Steve Franks and USA network and whatnot so, please don't sue and please don't be offended by the language or situations the characters find themselves in.
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Author's Note: Please try listening to the track titled " First Snow" from the soundtrack for the movie The Fountain while reading thing chapter.
Chapter 9
A mini model.
A mini model like the ones he'd seen them used in one of the behinds the scenes features in the Lord of the Rings Extended edition DVDs Kendra had given him to watch back at the Silver Seahorse a few months back.
He did still remember everything after all.
That was what the world looked like right now to Shawn Spencer from where he sat in the window seat of a small white passenger airplane flying over the California land.
This plane happened to have The Santa Barbara Municipal Airport in mind as one of it's destinations for the day.
Santa Barbara, California.
Shawn Spencer was on his way back to the place that had been his home for nearly all his life.
The very word seemed alien to him as he sat and stared out at the Earth below him.
Inside his heart was pounding like a Taiko drum inside his chest.
His hands were nervously wringing themselves were he held them in his lap or rather what little space was left of his lap that the most precious passenger on board this airship wasn't taking up.
Shawn was nervous about several things all at once.
For one there was the actual journey itself and it destination.
He was going back to the place that he had tore out of like he'd had the jaws of Hell biting at his heels all those many long months ago.
It was the place were the shattered remnants of what had once been his life and his love now lay scattered. Where they were just begging to be put back together.
Then there was the fact that he was on a plane right now and that he was hoping that there wouldn't be any turbulence.
He wanted his feet to be firmly placed back on solid ground along with those of his father sitting right next to him and those of a certain four legged friend who was currently cooped up inside an extra large animal carrier somewhere in the plane's cargo bay.
That's right, a certain big white German shepherd was also headed for Santa Barbara.
" Shawn relax already before you end up with your finger all tied together in knots." Grumbled Henry without looking up from the magazine he had been making a show of reading.
In actuality his sole attention what tethered on his nervous and very pregnant son.
" Dad I can't help it I'm worried about what's gonna happen when we land and I'm also wondering how Titan's doing down there. God I wish they had let me keep him here." Sighed Shawn with guilt and worry lacing his voice.
" Shawn I'm sure he's fine and thankfully this isn't a very long flight so we'll be outta this tin can before you know it." Assured Henry.
" Still can't believe he's your dog now." he added with a small huff and a quirk at the corner of his mouth.
" Join the club Dad. but at least it was a fair enough trade. I got the dog and they got the " Death Trap" as you always but it." Replied Shawn as his mind went back to the events that had transpired just two days prior to the journey they were all now on back to Santa Barbara.
Two Days Ago...
Shawn paused in rolling up one of his t-shirt to pack away inside the black duffel bag where it lay open on top of his bed when he heard a soft knock at the bedroom door.
" Come in." He called lightly before he tucked the shirt inside his traveling bag.
" Hey there Father to Be." Came a soft and silvery female voice that instantly brought a smile to Shawn's face.
" Hey Kenny D." Sighed Shawn as he turned to see his good friend.
The next thing Shawn knew he was being surrounded by a soft warmth as slender arms wrapped around his shoulders him in a gentle but strong hug.
Shawn stood completely still for a moment before before he raised his arms and wrapped them around Kendra's slim frame whole heartily returning the embrace.
" It's gonna be weird not havin' you and baby around to help with gardening or putting on a show at dinner Shawn." Sighed Kendra.
" I know Kenny I know. A part of me wants to stay here and not go back, not face what I left there. Not face him." Said Shawn as he let his lightly scruff covered cheek come to rest on Kendra's shoulder.
" You'll be alright Shawn and besides you got you're dad with you and... You're gonna have Titan with you too." Said Kendra.
" What?" Asked Shawn as he pulled away from Kendra slightly and gawked at her.
" What do you mean I'm gonna have Titan with me too?" He asked utterly confused.
Kendra simply smiled and reached behind to her back jeans pocket and pulled out a couple of rolled up sheets of paper stapled together and held it out to Shawn as she spoke.
" Me and Brandon have been thinking about this for a good long while and we both agree that Titan loves you like no one else and that you love him just as much. We didn't want to guys to be torn apart from each other so we made all the arrangements. So now you are the proud and loving owner of a big white German Shepherd." Said Kendra.
" Oh my God Kenny no. No you can't be serious." Breathed Shawn as he took the offered papers now revealed to be an official transfer of ownership and stared open mouthed at his friend's unexpected and immense act of kindness.
" Kenny I can't accept this. Yes I love Titan dearly but his home in here." Protested a still stunned Shawn.
" No Shawn. Titan's home is with you. Me and Brandon both see that and know that Titan will be a miserable wreck the second you leave. We couldn't bare to see that happen, to let his heart be broken. So we both decided to give him to you. Just think of him as a baby shower gift." Said Kendra with a slightly sad smile.
Shawn was silent a moment before he nodded and spoke.
" Well if you put it that way I got no choice but to accept. Thank you Kenny D." He said still sounding slightly dazed.
" Oh I'm not done yet. I still got one more gift to give you." Grinned Kendra as she once again reached behind to her back pocket.
" Oh no." Sighed Shawn as he watched Kendra produce a small black box from her pocket and held it out to him.
With a lightly trembling hand Shawn reached out and took the offered item.
He then took a step back and slowly sank down until he was sitting over the edge of the bed.
Feeling his throat already starting to close up Shawn opened the box with a soft click.
The second Shawn saw what was inside the box he let a soft gasp escape him as his eyes instantly began to fill.
There resting against the deep blue velvet inside the box was a stunning silver braided chain attached to which was a stunning cameo pendant.
The Pendant itself was the show-stopper.
Made of shiny black colored Agate stone, it was a smooth circle inlaid against a silver hexagon back.
Etched with astounding detail into the black stone was an image in milky white.
Seahorses, three to be precise.
They stood out ethereally against the black background.
What had Shawn feeling a tightening inside his chest and a burn behind his eyes was that he noticed that the seahorses were of different sizes but all entwined together.
Two of them were roughly the same size but the third one was smaller and etched in the middle of the two bigger ones.
Shawn knew instantly what this tiny but poignant scene represented.
Two parents and a baby.
A family.
" K-Kenny you shouldn't have." Whispered Shawn as a single tear escaped his eye and lightly coursed down his face.
" Hey now. None of that. You honestly thought that I wouldn't make you a little something something before you left?" Asked Kendra as she gracefully sat down next to Shawn and lightly swept the jewelry box out of Shawn's lax grip and pulled the necklace out by the delicate braided silver chain.
" May I?" She asked as she carefully undid the chains clasp and held the two ends open.
Shawn simply smiled and leaned forward.
Kendra returned the smiled and leaned in the rest of the way bringing the two end of the chain around to meet at the back of Shawn's neck as she spoke.
" I chose Seahorses because they are rather amazing creatures. Did you know that it's the male seahorse that has the babies? The lady seahorse just gives her eggs over to him and he's the one who carries them until they hatch. He's the one who brings them into the world. I thought it very fitting that I used there image to make this necklace for you." She said as her long and elegant fingers did the delicate looking but very sturdy clasp and then she drew away.
" You're the seahorse Shawn. You're gonna be a great father to this baby." She sighed before lightly and carefully place her hand over Shawn's four month swell.
Shawn ducked his head and used every ounce of strength he had to keep his face from crumbling as one of his hands went to cover Kendra where in rested on his stomach while the other went to the pendant that now hung around his neck. His finger tips lightly and reverently tracing over the raised images of the seahorses.
" T-Thank you so much Kenny." He finally whispered.
" You're welcome Shawn. And I hope you don't mind but, I carved two adult seahorses because I am hoping and praying that things do work out between you and... him. I know that he hurt you real bad and that you're still angry at him but I really do hope things work out and then maybe what you see in the pendant becomes something you can have for real." Said Kendra softly.
That just about did Shawn in.
With a small hitched breath Shawn pounced on Kendra and proceeded to squeeze the living day light out of his dear friend.
Shawn was abruptly shaken from his reminiscing by the soft chime of the Airplanes intercom system as a flight attendant's cheerfully polite and calm voice came on through the speakers.
His hand fell away from the cameo pendant where it hung around his neck as he listened.
" Thank you so very much for flying with us today and we hope that you have enjoyed your trip with us. The Captain has informed us that we have just entered California airspace and that we should be arriving at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport in about twenty minutes so please be advised that the seat-belt light will be coming on soon. Thank you."
Shawn felt the nervousness that had been plaguing him ever since he told his father that he'd be coming back home with him increase just a little bit more.
He started wringing his hands again and fidgeted lightly. He hoped that Henry didn't notice so then he could be nervous in peace.
His hoped were dashed when he felt a large, calloused hand come to rest over his own slightly clammy ones.
It was like a warm blanket over them and when it gently squeezed Shawn felt some of his frazzled nerves grow calm.
" It's gonna be alright Shawn so just chill. There's no use in getting yourself worked up." Grumbled Henry as he finally looked away from the magazine in his other hand and gazed at his son.
" Yeah you're right I shouldn't. But, a part of me just can't help it Dad." Said Shawn quietly.
" I know Shawn but listen, you aren't gonna be confronting anyone the second we get off this plane. It's all gonna be up to you when you decide to tell him and everyone else. Well... Actually no, not everyone." Said Henry.
" What do you mean dad?" Asked Shawn.
" Shawn don't be too mad at me but I did tell one person that you were coming back with me." Answered Henry.
" What?! You told someone I was coming? Who?" Hissed Shawn. He'd have yelled at the top of his lungs but if he had he'd have been disturbing the other passengers and drawing unwanted attention to himself.
" Relax Shawn. It's that kid Buzz McNab. I called him and asked if he could pick us up from the airport and he just about jumped at the chance. And before you go off on me, no I didn't tell him you were coming with me. He already figured it out on his own after I told him I was leaving for a supposed vacation up the coast the day after you called me." Explained Henry.
" He's gonna be a detective someday. But dad he's gonna turn tail and run the second he see's me." Sighed Shawn as he leaned back in his seat.
" Why would he do that Shawn? He knows about Little One. That's something I did tell him." Said Henry.
Shawn's eyes went wide at this startling revelation and then a second later he felt a sudden warmth fill him as he spoke.
" He knows and he's still gonna be there when we land?" He asked his father.
" Yep. Him and his wife Francy are both gonna be there and they're both real eager to see you." Answered Henry with a small smile as he eyes the quiet disbelief in his son's expression.
" I really wanna see them too." Breathed Shawn before he and Henry settled in for the last minutes of the flight.
Meanwhile at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport...
Buzz McNab glanced down at the watched around his wrist for the umpteenth time and nervous habit belaying his eager anticipation.
" Honey just calm down all ready. They'll be here in no time so quit staring at your watch every five seconds Buzz." Sighed Francesca McNab where she sat next to her fidgety husband near one of the arrivals gate.
" I know Francy. It's just, it's been so long since I've seen him and to find out from his dad that he's pregnant... It just makes me want Shawn back firmly on the ground so we can see him." Sighed Buzz.
God he wished the minutes would go faster.
Twenty agonizingly long minutes later it was announced that the flight from Coos Bay Oregon had just landed and that it's passengers would be arriving through the gates shortly.
Buzz and Francy stood amongst the small crowd of people waiting at the gate and kept a keen look out for the Spencers.
Soon enough people with traveling luggage started trickling in through the glass doors.
Many faces passed by in rapid succession with Buzz and Francesca doing their best to winnow out the faces that belonged to the people they were here for today.
" Woof!"
A loud bark caught both the McNabs' attention.
Husband and wife both turned their eyes to where the bark was most likely to have come from and found themselves beholding an absolutely gorgeous white German shepherd with a spiked collar and a matching branklet adorning it's right front leg.
But it was when Buzz and Francy's eyes followed the bright red braided leather leash attached to the Dog's collar and saw who the animal's human counterpart was that they both had their jaws dropping in disbelief and awe.
There with the other end of the red leash wrapped around his pale wrist was the one and only Shawn Spencer.
The friend Buzz had not seen in four very very long months.
Shawn was dressed in a pair of faded black jeans and an extra large dark green button-up shirt with a deep gold colored henna design emblazoned down the chest.
Over this Shawn was wearing his familiar brown leather jacket.
And naturally Buzz and Francesca could both see the tell-tall bump protruding from Shawn's stomach under the shirt.
Walking beside Shawn was Henry Spencer carrying two medium sized duffel bags.
That finally snapped Buzz and Francy out of their stupefaction.
" Shawn, Mr. Spencer!" Cried Buzz as he and Francy rushed forward.
Shawn and Henry both looked towards where their names had been called from and felt twin smiles grace their faces as they caught sight of the young patrol officer and his lovely brunette wife all but running towards them.
Buzz had just about reached Shawn when a blur of white stood in his path and brought him and Francy to a halt.
" Titan stand down, their good friends." Said Shawn to his four-legged friend and apparently now his bodyguard.
Titan looked up at his now owner over his shoulder and then with a small yip he stepped aside.
" Hey Buzz, hey Francy." Said Shawn.
Buzz and Francy just stood there staring at him for the longest time before Buzz slowly stepped forward and closed the remaining distance between him and Shawn.
The next thing Shawn knew muscled and warm arms were pulling him into one of the most gentle hugs Shawn had ever received in all he life.
" Shawn." Whispered Buzz as he hugged his friend and did his best not to end up squeezing said friend too hard.
Shawn sighed and returned the embrace.
It felt really good to be finally seeing a friend after so long but in the back of his mind Shawn couldn't help but think of a certain Pharmaceutical Sales men who held the title of "Best Friend".
" Wish you were here Gus but, I still haven't forgiven you just yet so it's probably good that you aren't." Thought Shawn before he banished the thoughts of his childhood friend.
He didn't need the full on pain dwelling on that would dredge up.
Out the corner of his eye he caught Francy fussing over his father, making him drop the bags he'd been carrying and then startling Henry by hugging him.
Through all of this Titan sat obediently and watched as the humans greeted each other by coming together like that.
He tilted his head to the side and stared curiously.
Even though he was a dog he still understood that this custom of human putting their arms around each other was something good and nice. Titan could actually feel the warmth and affection, the happiness in the air around the four people.
Titan could tell that for the moment the sadness that had been plaguing Shawn had been chased away.
Now the dog sat and waited to see what was in this new place.
This was Shawn and Henry's home.
And now it was his too.
He could hardly wait to start chewing on it.
