GUYS.

GUYS.

MY BEAUTIFUL READERS.

I AM SO, SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT. Life...school...especialmente los estudios sociales (that awkward moment when everyone else is like, "Oh, I hate math! I hate science!" and you're like, "What? Math and science are easy. Social studies is the hard one..." and everyone else looks at you like you have three heads)...drama...choir...familial obligations surrounding the holidays...all of these things have prevented me from posting.

But here I am! With chapter twenty three! Yay! I love, love, love all of you beyond words. Enjoy. :)

Chapter Twenty Three: Two Birds, One Test, and Many, Many Questions

Henry added a clod of damp soil to the growing pile before pushing the shovel back into the hole. "Shawn, we did all we could for the kid."

"No, Dad, we didn't, because she's still alive."

"I know I'm probably not the first person to tell you this, Shawn, and I'm sure as hell not going to be the last - "

"Wait." He held up a hand. Henry watched with raised brows, waiting for him to continue. "Before you go any further. You always told me to trust what I saw."

"I also taught you to trust the evidence. Right now, all the evidence is pointing to the opposite of what you're telling me."

"That's because you weren't there, Dad! I saw her. Not a hallucination, not some other kid on the sidewalk. Aria. Remember her? The kid you helped me adopt?"

"Shawn - "

"No. Dad, please. Lassie and Jules don't believe me, the Chief is refusing to reopen the case. Even Gus told me it's over. You're the only person left."

Henry sighed. "If I can prove to you that this is going to lead absolutely nowhere, will you stop?"

"Yes. But first, you are going to help me." Not for the first time, Shawn gave the hole a strange look. "What are you doing?"

"Found a dead bird on my front stoop," Henry replied, nodding to the plastic shopping back that had been tied up and placed besides the tiny grave. "Third time it's happened this week. I haven't found a nest anywhere near the house yet, but - "

"Third time this week?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Was it a baby bird?"

"Yes." Henry looked up, confused. "How did you know that?"

Shawn's gaze flickered from the bag to the hole to the house, his thoughts flying. "Gus keeps complaining about finding dead birds in front of his apartment, and they keep showing up in front of Psych, too. I blamed it on the cat - "

"You don't have a cat, Shawn."

"Precisely. What if it's a clue, Dad?"

"What? That's ridiculous."

Shawn bit his lip, spreading his hands. "C'mon, Dad, work with me! What kind of bird is it?"

"It's a baby, Shawn. How am I supposed to know?"

Shawn glanced back at the bag, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Okay, we're going to need a Tupperware container, gloves, and a bunch of paper towels."

"Jules, I need you to do me a favor."

"Yeah?"

"Find out what kind of birds these are."

Shawn held out the clear container, with the two birds - one from his dad's house, the other from the Psych office - inside. Juliet recoiled at the sight. "Oh, God. Where did you find them?"

"Ever since Frederick got away, they've been popping up all over the place. In front of the Psych office, in front of my dad's house, near Gus's apartment building."

She nodded, looking unsure. "All right. That's awful, but why do you need to know what - "

"Jules." He leaned in closer. "if I'm right, these dead birds might be able to help me prove that Frederick's here. In Santa Barbara."

"Shawn - "

"Jules. Please." He looked at her pleadingly.

Jules finally gave in. "Okay, okay. I promise." Gingerly, she gripped the edge of the container, holding it at a distance. "Give me a few days."

"They're starlings. European starlings." Shawn and Gus stood across from the two detectives and Vick, watching Woody try and explain the origins of the two little corpses.

Shawn shook his head. "Of course they are." He looked at each of the others in turn. "Don't you guys see it? He wants us to know he's here! He's like Hans and Gretel, making a little trail. Except with birds instead of breadcrumbs."

"It's Hansel, Shawn. Not Hans."

"I've heard it both ways."

Lassie sighed. "Spencer, he's probably just taunting us. We have no way of tracing a bunch of dead birds back to him. And they're dead. Wouldn't he send a living bird if - "

"Carlton, that's enough," Juliet interrupted, before turning back to Shawn. "He's right, though, Shawn. It's a bit of a stretch."

"I know." Shawn squeezed his eyes shut, running a hand through his hair. "I know."

YAY A CLUE! I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this, but it's a start. Right?

Thanks to the lovely ShulesLovinPsycho and my anonymous Guest for the reviews!

TSLP: Lol, I just meant she was his daughter in the adopted sense. And yep, she's alive. :) I may be mean, but I just couldn't bring myself to kill her off (yet). ;)

Guest: MWA. HA. HA. HA. :) I am thoroughly flattered, though, that anyone would spend a full hour on my story! Besides me. But that's because I have to edit and such. Thank you! And my (sort of) sincerest apologies for the cliffhangers, hopefully my future updates will be more regular.

Again, thank you all so much! This story would honestly be nothing if it weren't for you, my darlings. Happy New Year to all! My resolutions for 2015:

~ Exercise (Um...riiiiight)

~ Eat healthy (but...CHOCOLATE)

~ Rest my voice (this one is basically impossible, but All-County is around the corner, and I seem to have an unfortunate habit of getting ridiculously sick All-County week. Which just so happen to fall on Hell Week this year. Yay.)

~ Lose 5 lbs (but...FOOD)

~ Write on a more regular basis. Same with piano, but writing is easier, lol.

~ Let the important people in my life (including all of you) know how much I love them. :)

What are your New Year's resolutions? (Hopefully to review, wink wink nudge nudge) ;) What would Shawn and Gus's (and Aria's, if she wasn't currently kidnapped) be?

Love you all to the moon and back! *hearts*

xoxo,

DoeEyedDarling