Punching someone means misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor assault means demotion, demotion means Spencer wins, was all Lassiter could think about after when Henry Spencer had said to him.
He wanted to beat the crap out of the man. It was one thing to mention his attempt to kill Guster while unknowingly under the influence of something his neighbor had pumped into his apartment, but was another to insult his Marlowe, calling her a career criminal. To say that he was going to become a corrupt cop? That O'Hara was no better than Jerry Carp?
Assault and battery could mean up to two years in prison, he repeated to himself again.
After this was said and done he needed a trip to the shooting range. He wondered who could print a picture of the elder Spencer to use as target practice? Anyways he shouldn't have been thinking that, he should have been helping O'Hara. He could tell that O'Hara was wrecked by this whole thing sitting and staring at the ground. A closer glance revealed that her eyes were starting to well up in tears. He knew that she hated crying and showing that type of emotion.
"He had no right to say that to you. Shawn will be okay," he said as he hugged her. He hasn't seen her this bothered since the clock tower incident a few years ago.
Just then he saw the elder Spencer walking out and tried not to make eye contact. Upon his giving O'Hara what Shawn always said was the evil glance of doom, she lunged towards him. Lassiter did best to hold her back and prevent her from doing something rash while angry. Fortunately he was unsuccessful at holding her back and she did exactly what he was thinking about doing, decking Spencer. The old guy seemed quite surprised, but just walked away afterwards not even trying to fight back or say something
Right afterwards in a state of shock, she sauntered out towards Lassiter's car, attempting to compose herself as she retrieved Shawn's stuff.
Juliet walked into Shawn's hospital room with a bag containing various pieces of clothing she had packed up for him, along with a giant stuffed teddy bear. Shawn had given it to her after winning a target shooting game at a local carnival. It was supposed to be hers, but he needed it more right now. On the way back from the car she had miraculously managed to compose herself. The last thing she wanted was Shawn getting wind of the fight which had taken place in the waiting room. She knew how difficult rebuilding the relationship with his father had been how repairing the bridge had taken a long time. She worried about how Shawn would react to seeing his father with a black eye, but right now that was Henry's problem, not her's.
Seeing Shawn lying in the hospital bad was a bit of a shock, she wasn't expecting him to look quite so bad. His face was pale, and frighteningly swollen, a nasal cannula going across. He looked at her, his hazel eyes obviously fatigued from the events of the day, "Jules, you broke my heart," he told her, his voice softer than usual.
She paused, and couldn't help but smile, "I know lame joke," he sleepily responded. As she got closer to him, he took her arm, and kissed the top of her hand. He then grabbed the rest of her arm and made his best attempt to snuggle it. She took her shoes off and carefully laid down by the opposite side of the IV grabbing him in her arms. He cuddled up beside her, his cheek resting on hers, his hand in her hand. She desperately wanted to tell him everything would be okay, but couldn't say the words. She simply held him, as he closed his eyes, content to be in her embrace. She ran her fingers through his thick hair, which was slightly sweaty, but she didn't care. He just seemed so calm and relaxed.
After a few minutes she could tell from his breathing that he had fallen asleep. There was an announcement over the intercom about visiting hours being over. She maneuvered herself as quietly as she could so that she wouldn't wake him, and moved his hand to a more comfortable position on the bed, putting it around the teddy bear. She slipped her feet back into her shoes, made sure the blanket was more snugly around him before she tip toed towards the door, having one look at the calm expression on his face as he slept.
She sat down in the waiting room burying her face in her hands. This is something she had never prepared for, dealing Shawn being ill, and the fallout from it.
She had absolutely no clue what to do. Henry probably wanted Shawn at his house, but in Henry's house getting from the living room to where any of the beds were required going up a full flight of stairs, something which now was likely going to be an issue for Shawn. In comparison her place was better, it was a split level with only a few steps to get from the door to the living room and from the deck into the backyard. The queen size bed with brand new pillows, blankets was also a plus for Shawn. But, it was still was her place, and she was still not sure where he was going to be in her life.
It was bad enough that he lied to her about being psychic, but lying to her about his chest scar being due to a fire when he was seven? Not telling her that he had a potentially fatal heart condition? After all of this, if she stayed with him after what he did to her, he would be a big responsibility. Having to help care for him? Taking him to numerous doctor's visits? Shawn never did sick well, so how was she going to be the happy and upbeat one in the relationship? How was she going to deal with coming home and have him moping on the couch, still in pajamas at five in the afternoon for months on end?
In a lot of ways this entire predicament was Shawn's fault. He should have told her straight up about why he had a scar on his chest in the first place. He should have just told her that it was fixed, and that she didn't need to worry. Then she could have scolded him, and told him to go to the doctor. Maybe if she had known what could have happened she would have been more careful, and more considerate? If he had only told her the truth about what was going on.
And Henry, up until now she'd considered him mean, but never potentially abusive. But now, the glares he was giving her, the things he said to her, how could he accuse of her of trying to kill Shawn? She had her issues with him, but to kill him? Why would she do that? Why would Henry think of her as such a horrible person? Somehow this entire mess was her fault?
He was an angry guy, but now she was going to be the object of his anger. Frankly, knowing his personality she was afraid of him. He always did seem like the guy who could lose his cool, and hurt her. Who knows what kinds of things he did to Shawn during his childhood? There were quite a few men on the force like that, especially among Henry's generation, and there was an unspoken rule not to interfere in their marriages.
Anything that went wrong in his life, he was going to find some way of blaming it on her. And in some sick, sadistic way he probably enjoyed having excuses to get angry at her, to start fights with her. He was going to be an angry, cantankerous, force of nothing but negativity the rest of her time with Shawn. Soon the unfavorable comparisons of her to Shawn's other girlfriends would start. Then there would be the constant hints that a break up would be best.
Juliet sighed heavily, she couldn't dump Shawn now, she couldn't kick him out when he was seriously ill. It was a mean thing to do, and he still did love her... and she still had feelings for him. Despite the lies, despite the illness, she would stick around and stay in his life for now. Besides, eventually he was going to notice his father's black eye. When he found out the reason why he had it, he was going to be angry at his father, and would need a place to stay. She could always sleep in the guest room, or on the sofa if she needed to. She had a feeling that with Shawn sick at her place, they would be getting loads of guests as well.
Gus still nervously sat in the waiting room. He still had no clue what to do. Shawn needed a pacemaker, or the thing that was a step up from a pacemaker, an ICD. How badly would Rebecca aka Becky Beetus react if he were to call her? On his rounds as a pharmaceutical representative, he often went to different doctors' offices, the same ones as Becky. She worked for a company, ElectroMed, which made insulin pumps, pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators, mechanical valves, and other things which made people into cyborgs. She often flaunted the fact that she used one of their insulin pumps herself.
She was a great girl, an activist for the cause of diabetes, but she always wanted to do lunch, and he could never say no. It was just painful eating lunch with her. He knew that it was extremely important that she check her blood sugar, but he almost fainted whenever she did. The blood, it was a bit much for him, but he did need to get over his fear. In some sick way she seemed enjoy torturing him with it.
What made him more nervous is wondering how his Blackapella band mate Tony and occasional band mate/brother of Tony; Drake, would respond to his calling their little cousin. They were always so overprotective of her when she had always proven that she could more than take care of herself.
He took out his work phone, searched for Becky's number and dialed. He hoped that she would answer and be somewhat sympathetic.
"Burton Guster? Didn't expect you to be calling after hours." She cheerfully answered. "How are you doing?"
"Not so great, a friend of mine is in the hospital with arrhythmias and other issues related to a congenital heart defect he thought was fixed when he was young. His dad is blaming the whole thing on his girlfriend who will be coming soon I'm in the middle trying to keep the peace."
"That sucks. When emergencies happen, a family should come together, but very often it doesn't and it always makes it even harder for everyone involved." She sympathized, her tone still managing to be upbeat and friendly.
"I called Pooja Singh when this first happened. She said he is going to need an internal cardiac defibrillator, or pacemaker, and most likely more open heart surgery, but for information and advice on pacemakers and stuff I thought I should talk to you."
"Did the doctor explain the difference between the two to you?"
"She did, but I was wondering if you would be able to fix me up with something. I really want him to have the best… he is a great friend to me. I can't let anything happen to him." His tone was getting emotional.
"I'll help, if you want I can come by now."
"I don't know if now would be good, he is pretty worn out now with everything that's happened."
"Burton, it sounds like you could use a break, not to mention a shoulder. I'm just finishing up something now, and I'll be at the hospital as soon as possible. We can go and have coffee or something as you unwind. "
"Thanks," is all he could say. He was too shocked to try to do anything else. There was a pang of guilt that she probably was going to take him to the diner for dessert, while he was still in a relationship with Rachel.
Rachel and Max were returning from England tomorrow, but in two months they would be going there for another six weeks. He loved Rachel, and he loved Max, but in the pit of his stomach, he knew things wouldn't last. Rachel was still too in love with her ex, and Max's father. With Shawn sick, he really didn't want to be worrying about a long distance relationship, and 'she loves me, she loves me not' drama. Maybe Shawn would be relieved if he wasn't in a relationship, and going through something like this.
He saw Juliet in the waiting room. She looked up as he approached, "he is asleep now, I think we should call it a night."
Not having seen Shawn since before all the tests, Gus quietly made his way down the hallway towards his buddy's room. He opened the door to find that the light was off, and Shawn in the bed with his eyes closed. He went to tip toe out, but Shawn stirred. "Dude if you see Lassie, I know he is here, could you ask him for his earplugs? He keeps some in the glove compartment of his car for when he goes to the shooting range." Gus smiled and left the room.
When he found Lassie and Juliet in the parking lot Gus timidly asked, "he wants your earplugs. He says you have a pair in the glove compartment."
Lassie opened up the glove compartment, and handed Gus a set of earmuffs, and ear plugs. "Take them," he told Gus.
Gus brought them back to Shawn, who seemed to just want to sleep, "I got these for you, see you tomorrow." He told Shawn, who gave him a weak smile then closed his eyes with a content sigh upon putting the plastic earmuffs on.
Author's Note: At the beginning of this fic I wrote a scene where because of a home birth, a congenital heart defect was missed. I am sorry to anyone who I accidentally offended by writing this.