Daddy's Little Girl Chapter 21
Disclaimer: Steve Franks created Psych, I did not!
I'm back! So sorry that it's been over a week, but after working/going to summer classes for the whole month of June I needed a vacation (:
The response after last chapter though, amazed me, I am so glad all of you like it (though now some of you may hate it or what I am going to do to Shawn haha) and I cannot thank you enough for your reviews and everything!
That being said, some of you are not getting the whole picture: Grace went through a traumatic event and sometimes during that trauma, you begin to believe lies you were told. I think it will become a lot clearer in the next couple of chapters just exactly what has happened to Grace and why she is lashing out at Shawn. But Grace has changed and you will see soon!
Juliet could not believe her ears, her eyes, as her daughter's soft, scared blue eyes unleashed such fury. The once timid mouth spewing venom. All directed at Shawn. The man Grace looked up to and loved unconditionally, or so she thought.
What the hell did Bridgewater do to her that would make her turn on the one man that tore himself apart trying to find her?
Her mouth couldn't form words as she watched in dismay as Shawn hightailed it out of the room. He wasn't going to cry in front of Grace, but what Grace was saying could probably even make Lassiter cry. She knew her husband well. So well, that she knew that this was going to hit him like nothing else had before. Not their break-up, not Yin, not Yang.
Jules knew that Shawn could survive anything as long as he could call Grace Daddy's Little Girl.
She followed his movements out the door but immediately turned her attention back to Grace. She was so conflicted, Juliet needed and wanted to comfort Shawn but Grace needed her more right now. After all, she was so confused, obviously.
"Gracie sweetie calm down," Juliet bent towards the bed and tried to hold her as tightly as she could without injuring her further. Grace was hyperventilating, she was beginning to thrash in bed. "Honey he's gone, it's just us."
"Why would he even want to see me," Grace's voice was hoarse now but still hysterical. "Why would you let him see me?" Juliet squeezed her eyes shut.
"Shhh," she murmured. "Shhh baby. You are going to hurt yourself."
"He, he, he…" Grace stuttered and Juliet made a snap decision and reached over behind the bed to push the nurses call button. The thought had been futile that the relative calmness Grace exhibited when she first woke up would continue. Juliet went to the academy and needed months off of work for being kidnapped for one day. Her daughter, her innocent daughter was kidnapped for five, of course this would be her reaction.
"Mrs. Spencer what happened?" one of the two nurses who rushed into the room asked.
"She woke up and this started," Juliet said hastily, one arm trying to restrain Grace, the other stroking her hair soothingly.
"We better sedate her," the other nurse said to the first as she disappeared to the med cart and emerged with a needle. Juliet was thankful for Grace's central line, it was no secret how much Grace hated needles and it wouldn't have helped the situation at all.
"Shhh," Juliet soothed as the sedative began to take its toll on Grace's thrashing body. "It's okay sweetie. Shhh." Grace's eyes fluttered close with one last attempt to thrash around and her whole body relaxed into the bed. Juliet breathed out a sigh of relief, her hand never ceasing its soothing caress over her daughter's hair and forehead.
"It should keep her out for the rest of the night Mrs. Spencer," the nurse said. "Though we are going to ask you to leave the room for a bit."
"What? Why?" Juliet straightened up. "Absolutely not."
"We just wish to go over her injuries, to be sure she did not reinjure herself, if she did, I am afraid we might need to put restraints on her if this was her reaction to first waking up," she informed her.
"This wasn't her first time, she woke up briefly a few hours ago, she was fine then," Juliet whispered. "It was just… just my husband. I think," she didn't want to tell the truth in case the nurses refused to let him back in. "I think having more than one person approach her bed at once shocked her. She went through such a traumatic event we will have to be more careful next time. That being said I think she would hurt herself more with restraints on."
"Alright, but we would still like to examine her and it would move much faster if you would wait in the hallway," the nurse said gently. "It will take 20 minutes, max, I promise. She will not wake up and we will come and get you." Juliet realized she now had time to find Shawn, wherever he disappeared to.
"O-okay," Juliet nodded and bent back over the bed to press a kiss to Grace's forehead before reluctantly leaving the room. Immediately Juliet pulled out her cell phone and dialed Shawn's number, she had stupidly hoped he would be waiting outside the room or nearby, but she saw no trace of him. The phone went straight to voicemail and Juliet snapped it shut. "Damnit Shawn where are you?" Grace in good hands, Juliet wanted and needed to comfort her husband now. She walked down the only hallway leading from Grace's room. He was not by the vending machines, he was not by the nurses' station, and with his phone off he couldn't have called Gus, a cab, or anything. Shawn had to be around here somewhere.
"Shawn?" she called quietly, as visiting hours were over Juliet was trying not to disturb any doctor's or patients who might be resting. As she checked her watch and realized that it was already 9 o'clock at night, she made a conscious effort to find Shawn faster before he left. Jules checked the last place she could think of after the cafeteria was found already closed, outside.
The shock of the slight drop in temperature night time brought to Santa Barbara made Juliet suddenly realize she was still wearing scrubs from earlier, her previous outfit most likely tossed because there was no way all of Grace's blood could ever be wiped from it. Shivering, she pulled her arms around her body.
"Sha-" her voice trailed off when she saw him, her hands dropping in dismay at his condition. He was turned from her, head was down, leaning against a window, and from the movements of his body you could tell he had been crying, or was still. Juliet walked up to him slowly and put a gentle hand on his back. The deep sigh that shuddered through his body made Juliet want to break down and cry. After everything they had gone through, they thought maybe they could get some sense of normalcy, a hint that everything would be okay.
"Juliet, don't," his voice was harder than Juliet was expecting. Without taking no for an answer she turned him around and tilted his head up to look him in the eye, she could always tell how he was feeling by looking into his eyes. He couldn't hide his emotions unless he makes a conscious effort, and right now he was wired now and unbelievably upset. Even if he made his eyes blank, the tears would still be staining his face.
"No Shawn, you can't believe Grace is even in her right mind right now," Jules wound her arms around him.
"She knew exactly what she wanted Jules, and that was me out of the room," Shawn bit back bitterly. "And after she's been through so much that is what I am giving her."
"You don't actually believe she blames you," she whispered. "Do you?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Shawn shook his head. "I did take five days to find her, it was the fact that she is my daughter that she was kidnapped in the first place. So tell me what I am supposed to think?"
"Shawn this is not your fault," Juliet cried in dismay, grabbing his face and rubbing her thumb over his cheek to wipe away residual tears from his time alone. She could tell he was trying not to cry in front of her. "She's confused, she's hurt. Grace is so drugged up with pain meds and the sedative I highly doubt she even knows what she is saying. And it might not just be you…"
"What do you mean?" Shawn questioned. She bit her lip not wanting to open up this possibility.
"They examined her, for other traumas other than the ones we knew about," Juliet shifted her eyes. "Nothing was found in their exam but it doesn't mean he didn't try or threaten it." She felt his whole body stiffen and an almost inhuman growl rise from Shawn's throat. Jules shifted her grip from his face to his arms if only to quell the newly found anger build up. "I'm not saying I know that for sure, but it could just be men she is afraid of Shawn. Think about it, she only saw me."
"I think I'd rather have her hate me," Shawn's voice was tight. "If that is true."
"Don't say that Shawn," she wound her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his, their noses barely touching. "You are Grace's Daddy. The man who she shares her love of pineapple with. Her partner in crime in annoying my partner to death. You practically killed yourself this week trying to find her and she will soon learn that."
"Is she okay?" Shawn's hand rested on the back of her neck, pulling her closer, if that was even possible.
"No, but she will be," Juliet attempted to smile.
"What happened after I left?"
"She went hysterical Shawn, she was going to hurt herself, it just proves our baby girl was not in her right mind when she snapped at you," she pressed. "The nurses gave her a sedative, they are checking her injuries to make sure she didn't hurt herself more. She should be out until tomorrow morning, for certain this time."
"Then that means you can get a good night's rest, as good as you can on a hospital couch," Shawn said.
"We," Juliet pulled gently at the hair on the nape of his neck. "I can't sleep without you, not after everything we've been through this week."
"I love you," Shawn finally pressed his lips against hers and Juliet sighed. This was her Shawn, not the man who was blaming himself for something he had no control over. He pulled her closer and Juliet moaned, almost forgetting where she was. She pulled his lower lip into her mouth and nibbled gently on it. This felt right, it felt like the weight that was coming down on her shoulders since Grace woke up and snapped was slowly being lifted.
She pushed away any trepidation she was feeling by reassuring Shawn.
He always said himself; they were the same person, Grace and Juliet. If Juliet believed Shawn was not at fault, even if it took some convincing on their part Grace would believe it too when her head was clear of the drugs pumping through her system.
"Will you stay?" They broke apart. "Please Shawn, I need you."
"What if she still doesn't want me there, I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable or scared or-"
"They are monitoring her closer now Shawn, they will know when she should wake up and if it makes you feel better, you can leave beforehand," Juliet reassured.
"Let's go make sure she is okay," Shawn's voice was stronger as he grasped her hand tightly and they walked backed to Grace's room. The nurses were waiting outside, reassuring them that nothing was wrong and that Grace was no more injured than before. They offered one of them a cot, but the cot was smaller than the couch and even though Shawn was hesitant to sleep in the room, if he was, there was no way they were sleeping apart.
A loose blanket hung from their bodies as Shawn clung to Juliet, Juliet snuggling in as close as she could. Both of their eyes were locked on Grace, even as Shawn's lips brushed the side of her neck.
"Jules," he whispered in the silence except for the beep of Grace's heart monitor. The room was not dark, but the glow of the light above Grace's bed did not reach the corner of the room where the couch was seated, bathing the couple in shadow.
"Yes Shawn," exhaustion was beginning to show. She hadn't slept in 5 days, 7 including the days she laid awake with Shawn contemplating how to handle their rebellious daughter. She could hardly believe that a week ago all of this was just her worst nightmare, not even a thought of being reality.
"What if she still blames me?" Juliet knew he was still worried just from the sound of his voice, and as carefully as she could without falling off the small couch she turned around to face him. Her face was practically squished into his chest.
"We will take it one day at a time Shawn, that is all we can do." She buried her face into his chest, her arms winding around his body as Shawn rested his chin on top of her head; and for the first time in what seems like forever, they fell asleep without question the safety and whereabouts of Grace.
Madeleine Spencer had been almost livid when she realized her son left the police station before she had the chance to talk to him. It turns out, that a few of the rookies who worked the case did indeed need counseling after seeing what Jason Bridgewater did to Grace, so she had to work out a schedule with the Chief.
By the time she left her office Henry informed her of their son's disappearance and that visiting hours at the hospital were over. His phone was off, so Maddie had no choice but to allow Henry to take her back to the house and wait for morning.
Henry had kept her as up to date with the case as he could, but she needed to hear it from her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to truly know how to approach this situation. She wasn't even aware what she was going to have to deal with.
But she was sure that all three needed to talk to her.
Juliet, from what Maddie could tell, would be feeling a lot of the stress. Simply from the way she was told about what transpired in Grace's last moments of consciousness in the basement, she knew the younger woman had to be confused. Not knowing how to act around the daughter she arrested herself that now clung to her. Would she still be expected to discipline her?
Shawn, she could see he was feeling the guilt build up inside him she was surprised he did not explode.
And Grace, she would be like every other trauma victim Maddie dealt with over the years, except this time she was family. And it might even be hard on Maddie.
Walking into the hospital room, it was exactly that. Grace couldn't have looked older than 10 in the bed, too small for the world it seemed. She was 16, but a 16 year old who was tortured.
Shawn and Juliet were fast asleep. Even now she could see the lines of exhaustion running down their face, despite the deep sleep they were in. She spent twenty minutes just watching them from the window until Juliet stirred.
"Hmm, what," she shivered. The blanket that obviously was supposed to cover them was thrown to the bottom of the couch. She was facing Shawn so she had no idea Maddie was there, but obviously she felt a presence. "Shawn!" Juliet gasped.
"Grace," Shawn practically exclaimed jerking away, sending both of them rolling off the couch onto the floor, landing with a grunt. "Jules you okay?"
"Just fine Shawn," she mumbled, and Maddie could tell she was holding in a laugh at the situation. That was good, she never remembered a time that her daughter-in-law and Shawn were so serious, it was a move in the right direction that they were able to see the humor in this situation.
"Mom!" Shawn exclaimed looking up and Juliet spun around, practically dragging Shawn's body with her. This time, she laughed out loud.
"Madeleine!"
"Good morning," she started out softly. "Sleep well?" Shawn sat up and moved to the couch to sit on it this time, extending his hand to help Juliet up. He ran his fingers through his hair that was now sticking up in about 20 directions more than before and watched closely and Juliet moved to hug Maddie. "How are you Juliet?"
"I'm… I'm still figuring that out," Maddie could tell her thought process was bringing her to the words, I'm fine. But Juliet remembered she was talking to a psychologist.
"Goose," Maddie called. "Go get us some coffee."
"But," Shawn protested but Madeleine sent him a stern look. He moved over to Juliet, kissed her cheek, then hers, before leaving the room without much more complaint. She could tell he wanted to leave anyway for reasons she did not know yet.
"Before you say anything," Juliet began.
"How do you know I was going to say something?" Madeleine smirked.
"C'mon, I named my daughter after you for a reason," Juliet shook her head. "You are relentless."
"How are you truly Juliet, I know you know," she dragged her to sit down on the couch. "I made Shawn leave so we could talk, I need to give him a stern talking to later, but now it is your turn, and Gracie's." She blew out a frustrated breath.
"Relentless," she muttered. Maddie could still tell she was holding something back and she wasn't entirely sure what is was. "I don't know how to act around her Maddie."
"Henry told me, she was rebellious, all teenagers do that at some point… Shawn did it until he met you," she smirked.
"Until way after he met me," Juliet reminded her, holding back a laugh before continuing. "She… she told me she hated me and now she's clinging to me. I know she was through a trauma, I know that, but I don't want to do anything to make her revert back, but I don't want to let the issue drop. And on top of all that she is hurt, and scared, and sad, and confused. She might need surgery on her arm and you know how she is with that kind of stuff. She got her appendix taken out and cried for weeks."
"And on top of everything else, you are downright exhausted," she said. "You are stressed. She was missing for five days, you find her, discover your husband was the one who killed her kidnapper, and now must make the transition from worrying about Grace's safety to worrying about her mental and emotional stability. You need a break."
"And I can't take one," Juliet shook her head.
"You should at least take a shower," Maddie said.
"Do I look that bad," Jules snorted.
"Scrubs wrinkle when they are slept in," she pointed out. Jules looked down and shook her head.
"I don't have a change of clothes."
"The nurses left another pair for you, they are in the bathroom already. Detective Lassiter and the Chief will be here later today, I am sure they can spare a few minutes to pick up clothes for both you and Shawn. Or Gus, there is always Gus, though he might be better suited for food," she said. "I highly doubt Shawn will be back for a while, he looked like he wanted nothing to do with this room. Can you please go take a shower? For your sake. I will not leave the room, I will not leave Grace alone." Sensibility was her strong suit, give a convincing argument and it's hard for someone so emotionally drained to give a rebuttal.
"If she wants me, knock on the door," Juliet grumbled and got up. Maddie could tell she wanted this as much as she herself wanted her to take this time. And with a psychologist with her daughter she felt confident that Juliet would take her time. Let herself breath for a moment.
With Juliet gone, Madeleine took a seat next to Grace's bed. What Juliet didn't know was that the doctor had told Madeleine specifically, though she might have misrepresented herself as only Grace's psychologist and not her grandmother that Grace should wake up any minute now that the sedative would have fully worn off.
"Mom," Grace's voice was hoarse as she came to. This reassured Maddie that Juliet's fear would not become a reality. Except for the pain meds she was given for her arm and other injuries, Grace's head was clear now and she still wanted her mother. And the sincerity in Grace's voice proved it was not just because of the events of the past week. She wanted her Mom because she wanted her Mom, not someone to comfort her.
"She's in the shower," Maddie answered.
"Grandma," Grace's eyes lit up with shock and some relief, which confused Madeleine immensely. She wouldn't have heard that she was expected to come seeing as she was out of it for a majority of yesterday. "What are you doing here?"
"My only granddaughter is kidnapped and you don't think I would wish to see her, to speak with her," she said softly and realization registered in Grace's face.
"They didn't want to pay a shrink to talk to me so they sent you," that was her granddaughter, the snarky tone was identical to her sons.
"I'm not a shrink, I'm much more than that," she shook her head. "How are you? Are you in any pain?"
"My cheek kind of hurts," Grace admitted. "But nothing I can't handle, I'm fine."
"I highly doubt you are fine," she laid a gentle hand on Grace's forearm. "No pain in your arm? I know the doctor's might want to try again today. Maybe you won't need surgery after all."
"Luck isn't really in my favor most recently Grandma, I doubt that will happen," she said.
"Oh don't say that, they found you didn't they?" Something crossed Grace's face and Maddie could see it clear as day, bitterness. Who was she bitter at? Not Juliet, who she would have assumed, seeing as the last time she saw her was during a fight. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"Not particularly," Grace said softly. Maddie knew this was going to be difficult, she didn't know her granddaughter as much as she would like, but Grace had a sharp personality on a good day.
"Then what do you want to talk about, maybe your relationship with your Mom," she was sounding like a "shrink," but Grace needed to start talking about something or someone before she would bottle it up for forever.
"I made my peace with her the day he kidnapped me," Grace shook her head and winced at the movement. "I just haven't told her that yet."
"Then what about your dad, he's terribly worr-"
"How dare you," Grace's retort made Maddie jump and looked at her in surprise. "How dare you even speak of him!"
"Grace sweetie, please calm down," Madeleine said.
"No Grandma, why would you mention him when it is his fault I am here in the first place," Grace practically yelled.
"You don't believe that Grace, I know you," her voice was calm but her worry was bottling up.
"How couldn't I with all of this evidence against him," Grace cried and she heard a door slam open. Juliet was standing in the bathroom doorway, her scrubs back on, her hair dripping wet. "Mom!"
"Shhh honey, it's okay," Juliet shook her head and sent a warning glance to her mother-in-law. "You are tired, you just need to calm down."
"I don't want to talk anymore," Grace snapped and Madeleine stepped away from the bed. "And I most certainly don't want to talk about him." She had no clue what him she was talking about. Shawn, or Bridgewater.
"You don't have to Gracie," Juliet reassured. "We can talk about whatever you want, like what is for breakfast, because I am starved." There was a reason Jules was a good cop, and Madeleine could see it, she had a knack for calming people down and staying strong in stressful situations Grace looked taken aback, thinking obviously that they wanted her to get all of it out now. This was a good tactic as well, make her think a topic is off limits and bring it up again later, maybe she will talk about it without even thinking. Maddie nodded to Juliet before looking towards the door. No one had realized the door was wide open, and Shawn was standing in the window, coffee's in hand, stunned.
On to the next "patient."
"Goose," she said softly, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. "What does she mean, evidence?"
"I wish I knew Mom," Shawn shook his head dejectedly. "Because if I had the slightest clue I could figure out why the hell my daughter hates me."
This chapter was more emotional than eventful, but now we know that it was not just Grace's confusion that made her push Shawn away. Something happened to her, more than just being hurt by Bridgewater physically. And we will find out exactly that next chapter and more of Shawn's reaction to what he heard Grace say ;)
Please let me know what you think, and so sorry for taking a while to update! Thanks to Psychlinite for all of the help with this chapter and chapters to come. Read her fic, Staying Strong, it's amazing (: