A/N: We're at the end of our little tale, I'm a little heart broken but oh well I can always start a new fic. That's always fun! And who knows, maybe if enough people ask I'll write a third instalment to this series. Thoughts?

~Matilda

Epilogue: The Verdict

The verdict?

There was one terrifying moment the morning after Shawn was saved. Shawn had woken up in a panic unable to breathe and in unbearable pain. A rushed trip to the hospital revealed three broken ribs, Shawn having been unable to feel the pain before due to the drugs Don had injected into him at the airport. Lassiter was pissed about that, he had been so relieved just to have Shawn back beside him that he neglected to check Shawn for any other injuries, thus Lassiter blamed himself for not getting Shawn to the hospital earlier.

When asked by the doctor how Shawn had obtained these injuries, Lassiter had to lie – "Fell down some stairs."

Hopefully that lie was good enough for Ray.

Speaking of Ray it seemed he dropped off the face of the planet; nearly a week had gone by since everything went down and Lassiter hadn't seen even a glimpse of a SUV. …Well actually he saw tons but none with Canadian licence plates. Ray was gone, as were all the answers – but that was expected.

Juliet was still recovering from Bronchitis but was medicated enough that she was able to return to work the following Monday. She greeted Lassiter with a happy smile, extremely glad to be on the scene again and she and Lassiter ate lunch together like they usually did.

"So!" Juliet sat down across from Lassiter and opened her yogurt. "What did I miss?"

Lassiter who was still sitting on a $50'000 paycheque just for not talking; just gave a shrug "Paperwork."

"Oh good." Juliet gave another smile. "I picked the right week to be sick then."

It seems Bronchitis had been going around, especially around Gus' office. As much as Gus had wanted to be involved with Shawn's case, 4 of his co-workers were out and the extra weight had to be pulled by somebody. Gus apologized to Shawn profusely for his absence but Shawn understood and wasn't really blaming him for anything. Considering everything that happened Shawn was actually glad Gus wasn't around – and when Gus the next week got sick himself Shawn was more then happy to play nurse letting Gus stay with him while he got better…..Well sort of….he let Gus stay with Lassie.

Lassiter had come home Monday night to find Shawn in his kitchen making pineapple juice, the Monkey's screech being a sound Lassiter had grown to miss whenever Shawn wasn't around.

"Two glasses?" Lassiter asked confused "How'd you know I'd be home by now?"

"Psychic." Shawn piped happily "but this isn't for you."

"Not for me?"

"Nope!" Shawn sang, and Lassiter followed him to the guest room.

"Why is Guster in my guest bed?"

"He's a guest." Shawn insisted "Got bronchitis at work – poor Gus, doesn't have a woman at home to take care of him. We're all he's got." And he put the glass of juice by Gus' bed.

"We?" Lassiter repeated when Shawn came marching out of the room.

"Well, originally just me – but then I got you, and even though I'm not willing to share the sex I'm more then willing to share the hospitality." That's when Shawn pointed to a duffel bag sitting on Lassiter's table.

"He's staying?" Lassiter asked, and nodding Shawn leaned in and gave Lassiter a kiss.

Due to Shawn's injuries, he was already staying with Lassiter – not that Lassiter really minded. He honestly never wanted Shawn to leave his apartment ever again. This new tendency of Shawn's too bite off way more then he could chew was putting grey hairs in Lassiter's head.

"Oui." Shawn said and he moved back to the counter where his glass of juice was waiting, and he happily took to sipping it.

Lassiter watched Shawn closely, Shawn had been through a lot and Lassiter wondered how he can still hobble around with a smile on his face. With a cast on his arm, and a brace around his rib cage he should be bed ridden himself. But it seemed Shawn refused to stay down – probably why he invited Guster to stay. So even though Lassiter would've preferred it if Shawn had asked first, Guster was welcome to stay in the guest room – for now.

Shawn though - ….Lassiter's brow wrinkled, oh what was he thinking? Oh he wasn't thinking.

"Hey Shawn – I was thinking." No you're not.

"Thinking?" Shawn repeated, and he came in close to Lassie still sipping on his juice.

"Thinking that maybe – maybe we could grab more of your stuff for you while you stay here."

"Nonsense Lassie, I brought tons of my stuff with me. I'll be okay."

"Oh I know – but wouldn't more stuff be better? You like your stuff."

"I don't deny liking stuff." Shawn repeated "Okay done deal, we'll go get more stuff tomorrow."

"Great idea." Lassiter said "I also think you should stop paying your rent."

"How irresponsible of me." Shawn said "Why would you want that? I'd be thrown into the street."

"Not the street." Lassiter said "I'm always willing to take you in."

"You want me to move in with you?"

"I never said that." Lassiter said then "I mean – if you stopped paying rent, you'd eventually need somewhere to go."

Shawn put his glass down and shut Lassiter up with a long kiss. "I would love to move in with you."

"Really?" Lassiter didn't think he'd say yes.

"Of course!" Shawn looked happy, "but we're painting the bathroom orange."

"Wait – why orange?" Lassiter blinked; oh this was already a bad idea.

"What do you mean why?" Shawn argued "The better question being – why not?"

Lassiter face palmed. "Sometimes I wonder why I love you."

"What?" Shawn's voice turned, he sounded surprised. "Say that again."

"Sometimes I wonder why I love you."

"Okay." Shawn said "Cool – but now only say the second half of that sentence." Lassiter was caught then. Lassiter was strangely okay with that though.

"I love you."

Shawn smiled, "I love you too Lassie." And then Shawn started walking away.

"Wait." Lassiter said "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think -to tell Gus the happy news. Try to keep up with me Lassie."

Lassiter blinked, then groaned, then laughed.

The final verdict being – that Lassiter had a habit of becoming an idiot whenever he was around Shawn, and truthfully he wouldn't have it any other way.

End