Hey!

So I really need to stop predicting things about my stories; like how long they will be and whether or not there will be sequels. This story could easily go over 40 chapters and there is a potential for a sequel, probably just a one-shot but no promises.

Enjoy!


CHAPTER 29

After his shower, Carlton turned on one of his favorite Eastwood movies and started to relax. About halfway through, he was startled by his phone. Ignoring Shawn's snicker, he grabbed the phone off the coffee table and groaned when he saw Juliet's name on the caller id.

"Who is it?" Shawn asked.

Carlton sent him a glare as he answered, "Lassiter."

"Hey Carlton. How was your day?"

He rolled his eyes at the seemingly innocent question. "It was fine."

"Oh good! So, are you busy?"

"What if I said yes?"

"I would call BS."

Carlton took a deep breath, "Then no, I'm not. Just watching a movie."

"So you wouldn't mind if I came over with some food?"

"I guess not."

"Good. I'm at a sandwich shop right now. What would you like?"

"I don't know, surprise me."

"I thought you didn't surprises?"

"I don't; today I just don't care."

"Okay. I'll be over in 20."

"Fine." Carlton sighed as he hung up and rubbed his forehead.

"So was that Jules?" Shawn asked.

"Yes."

"And she's bringing you food?"

"Apparently."

"Hmm, okay. Do you want me to leave?"

Carlton frowned in Shawn's direction. "Why?"

"Well, so you can, you know, talk about partner-y things or whatever."

Carlton scoffed. "She probably wants to find out what's been going on with me and what I told the Chief."

"Oh. Are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know. Maybe. The chief wants me to but I'm not sure."

"Why not?"

"Because she'll ask a whole bunch of questions and will want to talk to you."

"Oh, I see. So, do you want me to stick around or not?"

Carlton rubbed his face as he thought. "I don't know, are you going to be quiet and respect the rules?"

"Maybe. It depends on how interesting or boring the conversation is."

"Do what you want, just don't distract me or make me look insane."

"Okie dokie."

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Carlton asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm practicing being quiet."

Carlton scoffed as he turned up the volume. "Only you would need to practice that."


Barely 17 minutes after he had hung up with her, Juliet knocked on the door. With a sigh, Carlton muted the television and went to let her in.

"Hey Carlton!" He grunted. "I got you a turkey sandwich, I hope that's ok."

"It's fine." Carlton commented as he shut the door behind her. "Did you want something to drink?"

"Sure, what do you got?"

"Um…" He leaned against the doorway as he thought, "water, coffee, beer..."

"Carlton! I told you to stop drinking!"

"I haven't had anything to drink today, I was just offering."

"Today? What about yesterday?"

"It's none of your damn business!" Carlton crossed his arms.

"Carlton!"

"O'Hara!"

"Lassie!"

Carlton barely contained his growl as he glanced in Shawn's direction. "What?" He snapped at both of them.

"I'm just trying to help!" Juliet replied at the same time Shawn said, "Dude, you do not want to get on her bad side, believe me. It may be kind of hot but she is a force to be reckoned with."

"I'm sorry." Carlton took a deep breath before saying somewhat calmly. "I'm just tired."

Juliet looked at him long and hard before saying. "Fine. I'll take water."

Carlton nodded as he went into the kitchen.

As he grabbed a glass, Shawn asked, "Dude, why are you being so mean to her?"

"It's none of your business either," Carlton whispered.

"I'm just trying to help."

"Well stop it!" Carlton snapped, putting the glass under the faucet.

"Carlton?" Juliet asked as she entered the kitchen and looked around. "Who are you talking to?"

"Yeah Carly, who are you talking to?" Shawn mocked.

Carlton growled as he turned off the water. "Nobody."

Juliet frowned, "O-kay."

"Oh, haha, nobody. Like no body. I get it." Shawn laughed.

"Here," Carlton handed her the glass and started the coffee maker.

Juliet watched him as they went back into the living room. Carlton sat on the couch, grabbed his food and started eating. She sat down on the chair perpendicular to the couch and started eating as well. After a few minutes of silence, Shawn commented, "Well, this is awkward."

Carlton grunted in agreement, which unfortunately got Juliet's attention. Putting her sandwich down, she asked, "So, what have you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much." He replied, trying to avoid the subject for as long as possible.

"Come on, I know you too well. You are not one to sit on the couch watching movies all day long."

"Of course not Jules! He was watching a baseball game earlier." Shawn added happily.

Carlton rolled his eyes but refused to respond.

Juliet reached over and placed a hand on his knee, stilling his movements. "Carlton? Please talk to me."

Carlton sighed as he put down his food. "If you promise not to make a big deal out of it, I will tell you."

"Really?" Juliet asked hopefully as Shawn asked the same thing with disbelief.

"Yes," Leaning forward, Carlton clasped his hands together. After a minute, he said, "I may have been talking with Spencer."

"What, like visiting the hospital and talking to him? Because I've done that too."

"No. I've been talking to him… and he's been talking back."

She frowned and shook her head, "Wait, I'm confused. How can he be talking to you if he's in the hospital and practically in a coma?"

"I don't know but he's also…" Carlton paused, not sure how to go on or even if he should.

"He is also what? Carlton, what is going on?"

"Ooo, she's starting to give you the crazy look!" Shawn warned.

Carlton sighed, figuring that he could give her a version of the truth. "He's been talking to me…psychically."

"Psychically?" Juliet looked at him skeptically.

"Going the psychic route, Lassie? Really? That's beneath you. I thought you didn't even believe I was psychic!" Shawn rattled on.

Carlton sent him a glare before saying, "Yes. He told me what happened and where to find his bike."

She stared at him, trying to figure out if he was lying. Finally, she said, "Wow, Carlton. I had no idea. Wait, why did Shawn come to you instead of me or Gus or his father? You can barely stand him!"

"I've been asking that question all week."

"Can you talk to him now?"

Carlton paused. He knew where Juliet was going and he really did not want to go there. "No…?"

"Carlton!"

"Yes, okay? I can still hear him from time to time and he's being just as much of a pain in the ass as before he got kidnapped or ran away or whatever!" He snapped.

"Oh," Juliet said in a small voice.

They sat in silence for a few seconds until Shawn said, "Ask her what she's thinking about." Carlton frowned as he looked in Shawn's direction. Shawn sighed, "She's clearly thinking something over, so ask her!"

"What," he coughed, "What's wrong?"

"I was just…wondering. Why is he still talking to you? He has been found and is safe in the hospital so he should just wake up, stop having people worry over him."

"I've tried telling him that, more or less, but he doesn't know either. He apparently doesn't know much."

"Hey! I resent that! I know tons of things about pineapples, 80's trivia …"

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Juliet asked, unknowingly cutting off Shawn. "I could have helped or something."

Carlton sighed, "Because I was afraid that I was going crazy or nobody would believe me, especially since I didn't believe it myself. I was only really convinced after I found his bike."

"Oh." Juliet looked down and sniffled, running a hand across her cheek.

"Dude, she's gonna cry!" Shawn said quietly. "Comfort her or something!"

Carlton turned towards him with wide eyes and mouthed, 'No, be quiet.'

"Lassie! You can't throw all this on her and expect her to be okay with it, even if it is only half-true! You've overwhelmed her and she doesn't know what to think. Now comfort her!"

Carlton sighed as he turned back to Juliet. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked at it with a frown. "Are you, um, okay?" Carlton asked nervously.

Juliet looked at Carlton before nodding, "Yeah. It's just a lot to take in. To think, Shawn has been in some sort of contact with someone and we never even noticed! It's amazing."

Carlton snorted as he got up. "Yeah, amazing." Shaking his head, he went into the kitchen. He got a mug down and was about to fill it when Juliet came in, a contemplative look in her face. "What?" he asked.

"When was the first time you heard from him?"

"I don't know, sometime Monday, I guess."

"And he didn't tell you what happened then?"

"No, he didn't know what was happening either. He couldn't even remember half of the day he left."

"Hmm," Juliet started playing with her hair as she thought. Carlton left her to her thoughts as he added cream and sugar to his coffee.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Juliet asked.

Carlton sighed as he leaned against the counter. "Not if I could help it."

"But you told the chief."

"I almost didn't because I was afraid of the consequences. But I needed to tell someone and she needed an explanation on how I found Spencer in the first place."

Juliet nodded and went over to the fridge. He watched as she pulled out a beer and proceeded to open and drink it. She drank about half of the bottle in one take before lowering it and shaking her head at the sudden buzz.

"Oh Lassie, I don't think I've ever seen her drink that fast." Shawn commented from the doorway.

"Are you okay?" Carlton asked.

Juliet laughed slightly, sounding a bit hysterical, as she answered, "I understand why you were drinking so much this week. And your breakdown Tuesday night makes sense now."

"Do you need me to drive you home or something?"

"No, it's okay. I'm supposed to meet Gus in a half hour for coffee so he can give me an update on Shawn." She laughed. "Although it seems that you would be the better source."

"Please don't tell Guster," Carlton pleaded.

"Why not? He is Shawn's best friend!"

"Because I don't need anymore people knowing or giving me strange looks! Does it even really matter now? Spencer is at the hospital and slowly getting better."

"But he hasn't woken up yet!"

"I know that but talking with Spencer through me isn't going to help anyone!" Carlton yelled. There was silence for a few seconds before he sighed and said, "I'm sorry. This is just…too much. I don't know why Spencer picked me but there must have been a reason. Maybe I am the only one who could distance themselves or something, which I haven't been very successful at." Carlton blushed slightly and ignored Juliet's frown as he continued. "If Spencer doesn't wake up by the end of the weekend, then you can tell Guster and maybe all of us can try and figure this out."

Juliet nodded as she put her empty bottle on the counter. "Okay Carlton. If he's not awake by Sunday night, I'm going to call a meeting between everyone for Monday afternoon at the hospital and we will try everything we can think of, okay?"

Carlton nodded as he looked down into his empty mug.

"Hey," Juliet said quietly, causing Carlton to look up. "I'm glad that Shawn hasn't been completely alone and that you were able to find him. We all appreciate it."

Carlton nodded.

"Well, I should get going. Give Shawn my best and I'll see you soon. Maybe we can go visit Shawn in the hospital on Saturday."

"Yeah, sure."

With a smile, she patted his arm. "Good night Carlton. And remember, I'm here if you want to talk."

"Okay." Carlton watched from the doorway as Juliet grabbed her purse and left over sandwich before letting herself out with a wave.

With a sigh, he went to refill his mug, jumping slightly when Shawn said, "Huh, that went different than I thought."

Carlton grunted, "Me too."

"I didn't think you would go the whole psychic route."

"Well, it was easier than trying to explain how you are sort of here and I can feel you at times and once actually saw an outline of you."

"True. So, what's on the agenda for tonight?"

Carlton sighed as he went back into the living room.