A/N: One chapter left. I've had a blast writing this series! I want to thank everyone that's stuck with me through this process. You guys are the reason that I keep writing!

Juliet stares at the wall as her foot taps against the carrier at her feet. Brandon gurgles softly as he stares his blue eyes straight back at her. She sighs softly and feels as someone grasps her hand tightly. In that moment she remembers that she isn't here alone. On her left sits Gus, his fingernails being assaulted by his teeth as his knees bounce up and down with unreleased tension. On her right sits Madeline, she's the one that has grasped her hand.

Juliet swivels her head to look at Madeline. The older woman offers her a smile, it's slightly off-putting since it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"He's going to be okay, Juliet."

Juliet shook her head, "You don't know that. He was so pale. He was so still. I can't handle seeing him like that again, Madeline. My heart can't take it anymore. To see him so close to death."

Madeline nodded softly, "I understand that, Juliet, believe me I do. Remember, I was married to a cop. There were days when it really hit me. That he might not come home today. I couldn't handle that, not really. It was one of the reasons we divorced, because I couldn't handle the not knowing anymore."

Juliet's lips puckered out. "Does that mean that Shawn and I are doomed?"

Madeline chuckled lightly, "Of course not, dear. It just means that you have to find a way to handle it. To be okay with the fact that these things happen. Granted, they seem to happen more to my son than most others." Madeline shrugged her shoulders softly, "Shawn always was really good at getting himself into trouble. It just appears that he's finally run out of ways to talk himself out of said trouble."

Juliet sighed softly, "Thank you."

Madeline merely nodded before pointing at Brandon. "Mind if I hold onto him for a bit? Thought I'd take my grandson for a little walk."

Juliet smiled sadly, "That is quite fine, Madeline."

Madeline reached down and unfastened the straps from around Brandon's shoulders before diving her hands around his small body. She pulled him against her chest and bounced him lightly as he started to fuss. "Oh shush, Brandon. You're fine. Your grandma's got you." Standing up, Madeline spared on last glance at Juliet before taking off down the hall.

Madeline barely made it around the corner when the door they had been waiting on, opened. A doctor, tall with a five o'clock shadow littering his face, stepped out. "Family of Shawn Spencer?"

Juliet and Gus stood up and took a step toward the doctor. Gus held on tightly to Juliet's hand. Not only to give her comfort, but to receive comfort as well.

The doctor gave them a reassuring smile. "Mr. Spencer is doing quite well. He's still unconscious, but the lack of oxygen hasn't seemed to cause any damage. There was a small laceration on the side of his head that we stitched up. Because he had hit his head, and due to all the recent head trauma, we ran a CT Scan. It came back rather clear, there wasn't anything alarming that came up. So, as of right now we're just waiting for Mr. Spencer to wake up."

Juliet looked at Gus for a moment before turning back to the doctor. "Can we see him?"

Smiling softly, the doctor nodded. "I do ask that you keep your visits limited and that you go in one at a time. Mr. Spencer needs his rest and recuperation."

Both, Juliet and Gus nodded. The doctor waved them forward before turning around. Quickly they followed the doctor through the hospital until he came to stop beside a room. "Mr. Spencer's room." He murmured before walking away.

"You should go in first," Gus whispered.

Juliet shook her head, "No, it's okay. You go first. I need to call Madeline, tell her where we are, and have her pick up the carrier."

Gus nodded before stepping into Shawn's room. He stalked forward, as he stared at his friend. It wasn't the first time Gus had seen Shawn hooked up to machines in the hospital. Not by a long shot, but Gus couldn't help but hope that it would be the last time. Juliet wasn't the only one who couldn't take seeing Shawn like this. So quiet, still, and vulnerable. Not cracking jokes that make absolutely no sense or making obscene movie references.

Walking forward, Gus sat down in one of the chairs that sat beside Shawn's bed. Resting his elbows on the edge of Shawn's bed, Gus lent forward. "Shawn. You have got to stop getting yourself into trouble. It kills us to see you like this. It's painful, and it's breaking Juliet's heart." Sighing, Gus just sat there, staring at Shawn. The gentle rise and fall of his chest. The pallor of his skin was still off, but was much better than when they had first found him. The white gauze that wrapped around the small wound on his head caused his hair to stick up funny. Gus would have to remember that for when Shawn woke up.

Juliet stood up when Gus approached the door. She gave him a reassuring smile as he popped out of the room.

"He's still unconscious-" Gus paused as he looked around, "Where did Madeline go?"

Juliet shrugged lightly, "I told her she could go in to see Shawn next, but she said that she was tired. She offered to take Brandon for the night so that I could stay here with Shawn."

Gus nodded, "I have to go clear up a few things at work and put in for the next couple of days off. I'll be back soon."

Juliet smirked at him before calling out, "Gus." She waited until he turned around. "Thank you, for being such an amazing friend. I know that you'll always have Shawn's back, but you have been a rock to me for so long now. Thank you for that."

Gus grinned, "You're welcome, Juliet. Just—you never have to thank me for being there. I'll always be there."

Juliet nodded as her eyes filled with tears. Taking a few tentative steps forward, Juliet threw her arms around Gus' neck. "Yeah, but you don't have to be. That's what makes it even better. You chose to stick by our sides. There will never be enough thanks for that."

Gus pulled back slowly and smiled. "I should get going." He mumbled, as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

Juliet's arms crossed over her chest as she watched him leave. After a few minutes, she collected herself enough and turned toward the door to Shawn's room. Pushing it open, she stalked forward. No matter how many times she had seen Shawn hooked up to machines and pale as the white sheets covering his body, she would never get used to it.

Settling down in the chair that Gus had only just vacated, she reached forward and grabbed a hold of Shawn's hand. "I love you so much, Shawn. So, you need to wake up and be okay, because I honestly can't handle anymore. I need you to be okay."

"Mmhmm." Shawn moaned out.

Her head lifted as she eyed him. "Come on, baby. Open your eyes."

She watched as he slowly cracked one eyelid open. He slowly craned his head toward her and smiled at her. "Jules." he slurred softly.

"How're you feeling?"

"Head hurts. Throat's sore."

Juliet nodded, she had been expecting that. From what the doctor had told her when they first brought Shawn in that he would be lucky if his vocal chords hadn't been damaged.

"Do you remember anything?"

Shawn slowly tried to lift himself into a sitting position as he thought back. Slowly, things started to float back. His eyes grew wide as he turned his head toward Jules. "I remember."

"So, you remember Marsha Sanders trying to kill you then?"

He grinned brightly, the light burning in his eyes again. "No, Jules. I remember, everything." He breathed out.

Her eyes widened, "You mean...you have your memory back?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Granted, there are some things I would have rather forgotten, but I remember all the good things too. That makes it all okay." He grows silent for a moment, staring at the wall. "How is Michael?"

Juliet's face puckered slightly. She had been avoiding thinking about that. Thinking about how she was going to tell Shawn, and now she had run out of time. Bluntness, it would be best, right? "He—didn't make it."

Shawn's head twisted around, before shaking his head. "No. No, no no! They got out. I watched them get out. Oh God! Lucinda, Julie!"

Juliet stood up, her hands cradled his face softly. "Calm down, Shawn. Lucinda and Julie are fine. Michael got them out and to safety. He went back for you."

Shawn groaned, "Stupid kid." Tears welled in his eyes as he blinked them away. "What happened?"

That question confirmed what Juliet had been afraid to ask. Had he been unconscious before or after Michael had returned? "From what Lucinda told myself and Carlton, Michael felt like he was to blame for the entire thing. That he wouldn't have been able to live with himself if something happened to you. She said that he had returned to the house with the full intention of killing Marsha."

Shawn nodded numbly as he took in the information. "How'd he die?" He asked, his voice monotonic, almost robotic.

Juliet sat back down when she was sure that he wasn't going to freak out again. Crossing her legs, Juliet grabbed his hand in hers, before answering. "He was shot. It was point blank. He was killed instantly."

Shawn's eyes closed as he let a tear slip down his cheek. "He didn't suffer?"

"No." Juliet whispered.

"Julie and Lucinda, they're okay?"

Juliet smiled softly, "They're perfect. Julie asked me when she could come see her hero."

Shawn's head twisted toward Juliet, unshed tears still glistening in his eyes. "She said that?"

Juliet merely stared at Shawn, an almost dumbfounded look on her face. "Of course she did, Shawn. You saved their lives. You could have died."

He nodded his head, "I love you too, by the way."

Juliet lent forward and kissed his lips. "Just—don't ever do that again."

Shawn shrugged, "I'll try." He looked around the room, before raising an eyebrow, "Where is my boy?"

Juliet snuggled her face against Shawn's cheek, "Your mom is keeping him tonight. She figured I wouldn't want to leave your hospital room."

Shawn nodded. He didn't want her to leave either. Just feeling her so close to him was making him feel better. Calming his frayed nerves and hopefully it would keep the nightmares at bay. He knew that they were there, lingering at the fringe of his mind. Slowly, his eyes closed as he drifted off to sleep.