Sorry! Sorry about the long wait. And apologies to Henry fans. I kinda went off on him again. He's my sister's favourite which may have had something to do with it. This chapter could fairly be called filler. The action I promised is coming soon.


What the hell was he thinking? Running off like that. I know he needed space, but God! Okay, think like Spencer. I've been doing that far too much lately. Lassiter frowned. He'd reached the front door and pushed out into the car park. There, he paused. Which way to go? He closed his eyes and tried to figure out where Shawn would have gone.

"Hey Lassie." A small voice came from behind him. He spun around and tried to find the younger man. "Over here." A hand waved from behind a large planter. Lassiter went over and found Shawn curled up in the alcove behind it. He was impossible to see if you didn't know he was there.

"What the hell were you thinking?! Why did you just run off like that?" Shawn didn't answer, just looked down at the floor. Lassiter sighed and sank to the ground beside Spencer. "What happened?"

"I was going for a smoothie. I didn't make it."

"Are you hurt?"

"I was such a moron."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Oh, my sides. Ha. Ha and also ha. You are so hilarious."

"What happened, Spencer?"

"I just needed some air. Everyone was so, so, concerned. I walked through the station and I got grabbed and dragged to a nice deserted area, and beaten up. Again."

"How bad?"

"Just a few more bruises. Nothing serious."

"Okay. Then what happened?"

"He said... he said he'd ruin me, so you wouldn't want me anymore. I told them we weren't, you know, together, but they didn't believe me. He was... he was going to rape me."

"WHAT!?"

"Easy, Lassie. Buzz came in at just the right moment. But... it was a close one. I don't even want to think about..." He trailed off and shook his head.

"From now on, you don't go anywhere without a guard."

"Won't that ruin the whole plan?"

"We'll make a new plan."

"Like what? You know as well as I do that this is the best way. Pretty much the only way we can secure a conviction."

"I know." Lassiter ran a hand through his hair. "I don't have to like it though."


They sat there together for several minutes, just thinking.

"Why me? What did I do?" Shawn asked, sounding so much like a child. "All I wanted to do was help."

"I know. I do understand that. If I didn't, you'd be sitting in a cell inside."

"Yeah, what's with that?"

"Excuse me?"

"You've been wanting to arrest me forever."

"We've been over this."

"We have?"

"Yes. You're helping people, and I need to think this over. You may be a fraud, but you stop worse crimes. How am I supposed to make that decision? We're going to tell Vick. I have to, but that's it."

"Why do you care so much? Why does anyone care?" Shawn hunched further in on himself.

"Because. You make them care, make us care. You're annoying and sarcastic, and childish. But you're a good guy. As much as it pains me to admit it."

Shawn smiled a little at that.

"Come on, we need to go back inside." Lassiter frowned. "But if we see those bastards..."

Shawn took Lassiter's outstretched hand and stood, slowly. He was sore and stiff and miserable.


"What is that kid thinking? It's no wonder that he's getting beat up if he's taking those sort of stupid risks."

"Henry." Karen warned.

"Mr Spencer, that's not fair." Juliet added.

"What? Of course it's fair. He acts like such a child and exposes himself to this sort of risk all the time. anyone would think the kid has a death wish. And it's really no surprise that some of the cops want to hit him. I want to hit him sometimes, the stunts he pulls, and I'm his father!"

He hadn't noticed Lassiter and Shawn standing in the doorway. Lassiter's hands became fists and he took a step forward. Shawn put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Lassiter sighed and nodded, relaxing.

"Sorry. I just needed some air. And Dad, why are you even here? Last I heard, you retired."

"Shawn..."

"No Dad, I'm supposed to take care of my messes myself, right? So, why don't you head home?"

"You know what, Shawn, I will." Henry got up and walked out.

"Henry!" Karen called after him, but he just waved a hand dismissively, and kept on walking. Shawn stared at the ground, and then visibly shook himself.

"Hey, Jules, now Dad's out of the house, we should totally throw a party." He smirked.

"Shawn!" Juliet, who had been looking worried, relaxed and shook her head exasperatedly at him.

"Mr Spencer, are you alright?" Chief Vick asked, gently.

"Come on, Chief! You know me! I'm perfectly fine." Lassiter snorted at that, and got an elbow to the ribs.

"Very well. Why don't you go home and think about this?" She pointed to the wire. "And come and see me tomorrow with your decision."

"Chief, I want to do this. I want these bastards locked up."

"Good. So do I. But either way, they probably won't do anything today after what's happened. Go home. Get some sleep. You look like you need it. Lassiter, go with him."

"I'm on babysitting duty?" He asked.

"You have a problem with that?"

"No, no problem." Lassiter said quickly.

"Maybe I have a problem with it." Shawn said suddenly, and Lassiter looked at him, confused.

"Mr Spencer?"

"I am not a child, despite the fact that you seem to think you need to consult my father before talking to me." Shawn crossed his arms. "I can take care of myself."

"Spencer... I would feel better if I kept an eye on you. And my handcuffs would miss you if I didn't." Lassiter said, getting a smile from Shawn and bemused looks from Juliet and Vick. "Chief, I'll take Spencer home, but he needs to make a statement about the latest attack in the morning."

They stopped by Shawn's place for a change of clothes and then headed to Lassiter's.


"He went straight to the Chief. We should have just killed him while we had the chance."

"We'd have to be careful. They're on to us."

"The Lord shall provide."

"Cut the crap, Ellis." Randolf snapped.

"Look, Colby, what are we going to do?" Truman asked.

"What do you think?" Randolf replied. "We're going to get him."

"What? But he talked to the Chief about us. They're gonna know it was us." Truman complained.

"Well, what do you think we should do?" Randolf asked.

"I think we should expose him as the fraud he is. Then we'd get commended for roughing him up."

"Yeah. And how exactly are we supposed to do that? We're gotta do him in."

"I dunno, Colby. I'm not sure I'm up for murder."

"Truman, grow a pair. You're in this now. We all are. Don't even think about backing out."

"John, what do you think?" George asked, turning to their third.

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."


Yeah, I know. I have exams coming up, but I will get the next chapter up soon. Hopefully. Reviews would be nice, but I know this isn't the best chapter.