NOTE: I know, I know, I'm horribly late with my Flag Day and Father's Day chapters. Please don't hate me! I have a really good excuse. I've been working on the other Psych story. Hopefully I can get the first chapter up soon for you guys.

A Different Kind of Flag Day

Shawn was in high spirits, definitely feeling better than he had for the last couple of months. He was over his worries and concerns in regards to Lassiter and finally back to living in the moment. Things had been going great between them, though a bit slower than he might have liked. He was the sort to jump in with both feet without bothering to look first. Who would have guessed Lassiter was not the same? As hard as it was for him to keep his enthusiasm somewhat reined in he did exactly that, though he wasn't entirely sure how. He wanted to tell the whole world that he was in love with Carlton Lassiter and that the almighty detective loved him, too. Screw all the haters.

But it wasn't working out that way.

After some more smooching they spent a good deal of time talking on Memorial Day. He wouldn't exactly go out of his way to say they experienced the level of a heart-to-heart, but many things had been made clear, some fears put out in the open, and the confusion, well, sometimes it still reared its ugly head. The whole loving a guy thing was new to Lassiter and he was treading carefully, worried how the others would take it. He had, as he explained to Shawn, a reputation to uphold. Officers in the precinct looked up to him and he worried how that might change if they knew he was dating Shawn. Of course, that prompted Shawn to ask the inevitable question. Was Lassiter ashamed of him?

Though the answer was one he knew well and hurtful, at least Lassiter was being honest with him. And really, could Shawn blame him? All he had to do was think back over the terrible things he'd said and done, all the silly little games he'd played over the years and it was easy enough to see where Lassiter was coming from. So as much as he hated to keep their coupling a secret he did so at the request of his beloved. Thought it got harder and harder each day. How could he have foolishly made the promise to not even tell Gus? Of all people he hadn't confessed to his best friend! That, of course, worried him more than anything. What if Gus found out in some offhanded way? A stolen glance between them or by snooping, though that was more Shawn's style than Gus's. Either way, it would upset him; maybe even make him question their trust for each other.

Since when did they keep secrets? Especially since Gus knew far longer than anyone else just how he felt about Lassiter.

"This sucks," he grumbled to the gummy bear sitting atop his desk. Oddly enough he still had one, having given in some time ago and started eating the ones Lassiter got him for Valentine's Day. This lone bear, though, remained, ever vigilantly sitting atop his desk right underneath the monitor. A little green bear because for some reason it made him think of Lassiter. "I'm in love. I am the victor in a game nobody thought I would ever win and I can't even tell my best friend! It's driving me crazy!"

"What is?" Gus said as he walked into the office.

Shawn jumped, thinking his best buddy busy for the day. Didn't he have another job still? Ever quick on his feet Shawn launched himself from his chair. "The fact that I've been missing my daily pineapple smoothie. I've been so preoccupied with other things that I've completely forgotten to stop by."

"Probably doesn't help your smoothie guy got murdered, remember?"

Somewhat deflated again Shawn sank into his chair. "Oh…yeah….how's that case going by the way?"

Gus gave him a strange look. "You want me to be honest, Shawn?"

"Of course," he replied feeling a twinge of guilt.

"I'm surprised you haven't thrown yourself into the investigation. I thought you would be all over it. I guess I hadn't considered just how serious you were about the whole Lassiter thing. Though I'm not sure that's going so well either."

"Why, what have you heard?"

"Nothing, and that's precisely my case."

"Hm."

Shawn didn't want to admit it to himself, much less to anyone else, that he'd forgotten about the poor murdered smoothie maker. He had been so caught up in all his Lassiter plans that he had let the case slip away. Now it was clear that Gus was baffled by their lack of investigating. For a moment Shawn wondered why Lassiter hadn't said anything, then figured the detective probably didn't want him meddling in his affairs. Well, damn, now he had to find a way to save face in front Gus or to come up with a decent enough excuse to have passed off the case. Maybe he felt it wasn't important enough, though the guy had made a mean pineapple smoothie, just the consistency and taste. He sighed. Now he actually wanted to go get a smoothie. Screw it. Why did he have to explain himself to his best friend? Gus gave him the perfect lead, anyway, already bringing up the Lassiter mess.

Oh how he longed to just blurt out the truth.

Instead he tried to craft a good lie. Then gave up. What was the point?

"Yeah," he said. "The whole thing with Lassiter hasn't exactly been awesome. I guess I've been a poor friend and an even worse coworker."

"Shawn-"

He jumped out of his seat again. "Maybe we should go down to the precinct and see what sort of cases they've got. Maybe they need my help. Plus, I feel like I haven't seen Jules in like, forever."

"Shawn-"

"Is the Blueberry parked out front? Of course it is, how else would you have gotten here? Maybe there's been a gruesome murder or-"

"Shawn-"

"What?" he said, stopping in the doorway.

Gus was no longer sitting at his desk, but standing and rifling through the drawers. He stopped long enough to point out the window. "Don't you have an umbrella or a raincoat or something?"

"Huh?"

That earned him a frown from Gus. "It has been raining all day. Practically pouring."

"And?"

"Really, Shawn?"

He shrugged, ignoring his bestie and slipping outside. Gus, of course, had been right. Though it wasn't coming down too heavy at that particular moment it was indeed raining and from the size of the puddles had been doing so for a while now. He didn't care. Shawn left the safety of the building behind letting the rain wash over him. By the time he reached the Blueberry he was soaked, slipping inside on the passenger side. He wondered how long he was going to have to wait until Gus got the hint and came outside to join him. While he waited he fiddled with things in the car, going through the glovebox and rooting around to keep himself occupied.

It took Gus a good twenty minutes before he braved the outside, a raincoat wrapped around him and a rather large umbrella held in his hand. Really, Shawn thought, it was just a bit of rain, it never hurt anyone. But knowing Gus he kept his mouth shut, waiting while Gus cursed the umbrella, fighting with it before he managed to slip into the car. Despite his best efforts he'd gotten fairly wet and complained about it, along with the fact that Shawn had soaked the passenger seat, the entire way to the precinct. He did not, he said, know why Shawn was suddenly interested in making it to the precinct. The case obviously didn't need their help as nobody had reached out to them.

Whatever.

The rain was falling more steadily when they made it to the precinct. Shawn bolted for the door, not bothering to wait for Gus and his problem umbrella. Ducking in the door into the lobby his excitement wasn't entirely focused on the idea of working on a case. A good deal of it had to do with seeing Lassiter. He wondered how long before he could let the whole world know they were together, though he knew Lassiter and it would probably be something he let slip on his death bed. Leaving little puddles in his wake, shoes squeaking, he started across the precinct. A few of the officers gave him strange looks, but he didn't care. Well, it was annoying that water kept running down his nose, but other than that..

He gave the chief's door a knock, then without waiting for an invitation popped inside. Only to find her desk empty. "Hm." He turned toward Lassiter's desk and his was just as empty as hers, O'Hara's, too. "Well….what the hell…."

"Oh, hey Shawn," Buzz said as he came into view, his uniform a bit damp, his hair sticking up oddly. "Looking for someone?"

"Just Sherlock and Watson, happen to know where they could be found?"

"Try the morgue," he said, nodding in that direction even though Shawn knew his way. "I think there's a pretty big case in the works. Even the chief is down there."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Shawn took off, a little pep in his step. He knew it was wrong to be even the slightest bit giddy over the idea of having a case. Nine times out of ten it meant someone met a grizzly end because someone else got mad or angry. But after everything he'd been dealing with in regards to Lassiter he just could not wait to get his hands dirty, to dig into a case and let his freaky little psychic self loose. As he passed the entrance he noted Gus was having another wrestling match with the umbrella. Inside the building. Much to the dismay of some people if their expressions were anything to go by. He chuckled, hearing Gus let slip a colorful phrase.

Downstairs he stopped outside the medical examiner's door. No doubt he would find Woody acting all weird and strange in front of the others as he told them what horrible fate had befallen the most recent victim. He only wished he had an idea of what the case was so he could pop into the room and wow them with an idea he got from his psychic world. But alas, he hadn't thought to do any snooping while he was upstairs. Oh well, maybe he would garner something from the body once he was inside, something they hadn't yet managed to pick-up on their own.

"Hey, hey," he said, stepping into the room. Woody's sentenced died as three pairs of eyes turned his way. "Little birdie tells me there's a case afoot. Maybe you need some help…"

"Shawn," there was a warning edge to Jules' voice, one that should have brought him up short, but he kept going, wanting to see the body. There were all standing in his way. From the glimpse he managed to get it looked like Woody had ditched the old standard white sheet and opted to cover the body in something more festive. Shawn could only imagine how it had gone over with Chief Vick. "I think you can sit this one out."

"Now, O'Hara, this is going to be a very high profile case. The sooner we can get it solved the better it will be for the department."

Shawn dared to sneak a glance at Lassiter only to find the look on his face unreassuring. What the hell was going on? Not one to be run off a case he made his way to the table. And stopped at the side gazing down at the dead body. It was a man, someone he was pretty sure he did not know, racking his brain to put a name to the face. The chief made it sound like an important person, a celebrity or something, but as far as Shawn could tell the man was a normal guy, aside from the gunshot wound between his eyes. And the fact that he was wrapped in a rainbow flag. The meaning wasn't lost on Shawn, who glanced up to find Lassiter waiting to gauge his reaction.

A crime of hate, one that hit a little close to home.

The sight of the flag was enough to shock Shawn into silence. They may have been looking at him expecting some sort of answer but nothing was forthcoming. All he kept thinking was that it could have been him. No, he didn't know the whole story or the circumstances leading to the guy's death, but it just as easily could have been him. He hazarded another look at Lassiter to find his lover looking at him. The expression on his face was a mix of question and concern.

"Did you have something you needed to share, Mr. Spencer?" Chief Vick spoke, breaking the silence that had settled in the room.

To save face he put a hand to his head and closed his eyes partially. Quickly he scanned the body hoping to find something, anything he could use. And there it was, a tiny tattoo peeking out from behind the guy's right ear. He began to teeter, wobbling where he stood. "I see….fruits, lots and lots of fruits."

"Shawn," Jules said, a bit mortified at his choice of words.

"No, not in that way," he corrected. "Bananas, grapes, apples, pineapples…fruits. Stuffed into cups and passed around."

Lassiter was actually pretty quick on his feet. "Are you suggesting that this man and the dead smoothie maker are somehow connected?"

"Loves," Shawn nodded. "They were lovers."

"And you're certain of that?"

"Yep," he smiled. "Never been more so."

Chief Vick turned to Jules. "O'Hara, I need you to look into the backgrounds of both men, see if they cross at any point."

"Of course."

The two left the room muttering and making plans leaving Shawn alone with Woody and Lassiter. The coroner must have sensed something in the air because he quickly excused himself. With the flag wrapped dead body between them Shawn watched as Lassiter leaned against the autopsy table, stormclouds in his eyes.

"All because someone had love…"

"What if this happens to us?" Shawn suddenly said, the words just tumbling out.

Lassiter looked at him, eyes searching his, keeping his voice level when he spoke. "It won't. Nothing like this is ever going to happen to you, Shawn. I won't let it."