"Your time is up, Lassiter." Drimmer said in a sinister smirk as he pointed to the clock, far corner from Shawn's abused figure. Strapped against him was a C-4 bomb counting down to thirty-seven minutes. Lassiter's anger boiled over, shining emotions that even seemed unlike him. "I never thought I would end up with both of you in the same spot as I almost succeeded."

"Why him, Drimmer? If I was the one who got you sent in the slammer, why go after him?" Drimmer bellowed a laugh.

He kept a close-eye on Drimmer as the man paved closer to Shawn. His heart thumped achingly rapid in his chest watching Shawn barely conscious. "Well, shouldn't you already know this, Lassiter?" The blank look only made Drimmer the bastard smirk get wider. "I've known you've loved him for years. The former lovers might've been incorrect but I wasn't wrong about undiscovered feelings."

Carlton kept him at gun-point, eyeing coldly."Just being "undiscovered feelings" isn't really a reason."

"You told him you love him. I heard it all. And now his life is literally at my hands." His jaw clenched angrily as he tried to keep his hands steady.

He eyed Drimmer carefully as the man triggered the bomb. The time went from 39 minutes to 20. While Drimmer's back had been turned, Lassiter took a shot. The captor fell forward as the bullet entered his leg. Carlton rushed over to assist Shawn, holding his hands over the bleeding holes in the injured man's stomach. Shawn's eyes briefly fluttered open. Carlton's fingers found the carotid pulse on Shawn's neck. Carlton's heart dropped when the younger male's heart rate slowed dramatically.

"Shawn… stay with me, okay?"

Shawn slowly lifted his head up as Carlton worked on getting the chains off his wrists and ankles. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a bolt cutter. He carefully propped Shawn onto the ground, checking over his shoulder seeing Drimmer's body still knocked unconscious.

"I knew..y'd save me, Lassie." Shawn whispered, strained from lack of oxygen getting into his body.

Carlton fought back a tear." Of course I would, unlike you I'm a trained professional." Shawn broke out a laugh and then winced in pain. Seeing this Carlton hushed softly." Don't move. I know it hurts."

"I'll try." Carlton could tell that Shawn was struggling to stay awake. "Don't close your eyes, Shawn. We have to figure out how to turn off the bomb."

"Disable." Shawn corrected.

Carlton smirked." I've heard it both ways." He mocked as his vision became blurry.

"''on't steal…my…catchphrase." His words started to slur, eyes rolling back in his head.

Alarm overtook Carlton as he struggled to get the explosive equipment off him. He didn't like the fact that Shawn's speech was starting to slur altogether. He knew the signs and it all pointed to something Carlton didn't want to happen. He raised his hand to his cheek, lighting slapping it. "Hey, hey, you have to stay awake."

He reached for his radio. "10-68. This is Chief Lassiter, found victim. 11-48 and11-41! Victim's pulse is slow." Carlton cursed as he cut away at Shawn's t-shirt. He examined the two old bullet wounds that were poorly managed by duct tape. " Code 100. Possible 10-95."

"10-4. Need any 10-45?"

Carlton's hands were shaking as he gripped his radio. "Yes. 10-5." He looked at Shawn, who's eyes were shut." Shawn!" He checked for a pulse and felt nothing. He started performing CPR on Shawn's chest. His hands pushed down a half and inch deep into his chest. "Come on, Shawn!"

"10-2."

Another push on his chest.

"Started CPR. 10-26. Victim's turning blue."

The Chief police's hands pushed down again.

"10-4. ETA - 20 mins."

Sighing, the Chief pushed another time on the victim's sternum, trying to surge the pulse to start again.

"10-5." He paused, wiped his forehead. "10-18."

Finally Chief Lassiter let the tear fall down his face free-range as he kept working hard to resuscitate.

—xxx—

THREE MINUTES AGO

Juliet and Gus were heading out to eat when her radio signaled.It had been a few rocky days for them. Shawn's disappearance really took a toll on the best friend and wife. They were discussing Guster's worries about being a father. Jules tried to give comfort but didn't really know what to say to calm him. Unlike his best friend, Jules didn't really know the right things to say. She tried joking but Burton Guster got offended.

"I take offense to that I would never lose a--" Gus was cut short by radio frequency interrupting their conversation.

She looked at him and then her radio that was clipped to her side. Gus leaned closer, curious. Shawn had told him he learned all the SBPD and SFPD codes and even taught him some.

"10-68. This is Chief Lassiter, found victim. 11-48 and 11-41! Victim's pulse is slow." Carlton's voice shouted over the radio.

Jules and Gus' hearts speed up as they listen to the conversation. "Did he find Shawn?"

Jules shrugged." I don't know."

Then his voice broke over again."100. Possible 10-95." Jules signaled the waitress over, telling her it was an emergency. Gus followed her out to the car and they made their way to the scene.

Juliet heard the door open."What are you doing?" She saw Gus trying to get into the car.

Gus stood by the open-door, heart racing." I'm going with you."

"You can't. It's too dangerous." She urged.

He shot her a glare."This is my best friend's life here. I'm going with you like it or not!" She groaned." Alright, fine. Get in."

When they arrived on scene, Jules ordered Gus to stay inside the squad car as she went to investigate. She kicked open the door, sending it down with a loud crash. Her firearm aimed at the disturbing images of Shawn, dating years before. She called into the radio. "10-23."

Then she heard Carlton's response. "O'Hara. 10-25 basement."

She arrived at some staircase, leading her to an abandoned door. "Carlton?"

"In here!" Called an out of breath voice.

Jules ran past the creepy shrine, gasping horrified at what she saw. She found Carlton on his knees, hovering over Shawn giving him CPR. She watched in horror as Carlton kept working on Shawn's body. "What happened?"

"He lost a lot of blood. Drimmer shot him twice, no exit-wounds and well… there's 12 minutes left."

She noticed the timer."Did you call about the bomb?"

"Bomb squad is on their way."

"10-26."

"5 mins."

Juliet noticed that Carlton was about to pass out. She walked over to him, setting a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her without stopping. "Let me take over."

Tiredly Carlton agreed with a nod as he took a couple steps back. He watched as Jules took over for him. She pinched his nose before breathing into his mouth. "Come on, Shawn. This isn't the time to be quitting now!" Tears started following freely down her cheeks. "Please, breathe!"

The ambulance shows up, bomb squad and paramedics bust into the basement. They watched as the bomb was disarmed and Shawn's placed onto a gurey. Carlton can't breathe as Shawn is being hooked up to wires, a breathing mask placed over his mouth. Paramedics resumed CPR, Shawn's body jolted from the shock. He kept muttering under his breath, praying Shawn would be okay. When he heard the words, Carlton was elated, almost enthusiastic. Juliet dragged Drimmer into the back seat of the squad while Carlton and Gus head over to his crown Vic.

Settled into a waiting room chair, shifting nervously as he looked up at the clock on the wall. It seemed like hours had gone by. Shawn is still in surgery. He tried to calm his nerves by squeezing a stress ball one of the nurses gave me to try to relax. The effect didn't result in that way. Later that evening, Shawn's dad showed up. Carlton hadn't seen him since their huge fight weeks before Shawn went missing. Henry looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Juliet informed him that Gus had told Henry about Shawn's disappearance and by the glare from Henry he figured that his father was angry at him. He hadn't meant to forget to tell him but it slipped his mind.

"Lassiter." Henry greeted shortly before taking a seat three chairs away from him.

"Henry." Carlton said in the same manner, looking at the clock again.

Another hour goes by before the door swings open, revealing two doctors, young, carrying something against their chests. Carlton shot out of his seat first, preparing for the bad news. Guster could barely contain his worry. Henry didn't speak and Juliet's eyes sparkled with hope.

"Shawn Spencer?"

They all nod their heads." That's us."

The young male doctor nods, smiling grimly."Hi, I'm Dr. Kane, Shawn's doctor. Shawn suffered two gunshots, four broken ribs, slight 1st degree burns, fractured femur and possible head trauma." Carlton's stomach dropped." Is he going to be okay?" He barely stops himself.

"His stats are looking good right now. Mr. Spencer should make a recovery." The doctor sighed. "Therefore physically he will recover. But I'm unsure about psychologically. Mr. Spencer has endured trauma under the worst circumstances. He might experience withdrawal symptoms."

Henry snickered. "He'll be fine. If he can survive treading through the woods, then surviving captive won't starve him."

Carlton's jaw clenched. "Even if he does, Shawn will bounce back."

Henry's attitude made Carlton want to throw him a punch. He never did though because Henry's energy didn't need to be refueled by his actions.

Juliet chewed her lip before asking." How long does it typically take for the victim to recover?" The tension between Carlton and Henry was heavy and made her wonder what happened.

Dr. Kane responded. "It typically depends on the severity of the event or how they separate themselves from what happened."

"Is he awake?" Dr. Kane shakes his head." Unfortunately not as of yet, but you can go sit with him if you'd like until then."

Carlton couldn't believe he's standing in front of Shawn Spencer's unresponsive body. He pulled up a chair, slowly plopped down before clearing his throat. He hadn't thought he'd ever have to go through this. Last time Shawn wasn't unresponsive which worried Carlton. Karen called telling him that Drimmer has been processed. That scumbag will be facing the rest of his miserable life in prison for the crimes he committed. She said that Drimmer confessed to everything and she was going to make sure this time he would go with life with no chance of parole.

What he didn't understand was why did it have to Shawn? What did he do to deserve his life getting taken away or almost? Sure Spencer could be annoying, overly excited at times but never did he ever want Shawn hurt. He already told him he loved him too, but what worried Carlton the most was what if Shawn doesn't leave—he told himself to stop thinking like that. Shawn Spencer is going to make it —no if's and's or but's. That annoying fake psychic is going to make it out of here with a teasing energy bouncing off him.

"Shawn." His voice quietly whispered over the wispy noises from the machines keeping him alive. Carlton moved a hand over Shawn's, slowly clasping them closed. He didn't know what to say. Just hours ago, Shawn was still locked away and now happened to be still fighting for his life. It seemed to Carlton that chaos started fires, burning down anything in reach. "How do you always get your…uh in trouble? I'm sorry I didn't watch to the end, I'm also sorry that I never gave a real answer."

There really wasn't a good excuse for what he did. Neither did they get a chance to really talk-through it. At first coming to San Francisco seemed like a big disaster about to happen. And then he learned if it wasn't for the case, Carlton wouldn't have said anything, continuing on with his miserable life leaving Shawn with Juliet — in happy denial that loving Shawn couldn't be probable.

"I was afraid that's all I can really say. And I kept denying my feelings over the years, thinking the possibility of us happening is 1 out of a thousandth. I was wrong…so wrong. Please wake up soon, Spencer before I make you regret it." He looked down to see if that did the trick and sadly it didn't work. He knew demanding wouldn't work.

It's true that patience isn't his virtue. He's never really been great at being patient. Ever since he was young patience didn't come easy to him. As much as it bothered Carlton to wait he knew that there was not much of a choice at this point. It's the wait and see game and Carlton's already antsy, urging to get a move-along.

Carlton didn't tear up because he knew Shawn would hear his plea. "I meant every word, Shawn. When Drimmer called…I told you I love you too, I meant, Shawn. Don't leave me hanging like this."

Denial made his heart lack compassion. He kept thinking through this whole fight between himself, it was going to take his own life to make up for. He knew what he did was wrong. Maybe it was because internalized homophobia or the thought of feeling letting his pansexuality come to light. Being Chief made it very unlikely about being openly about his sexuality.

This could make it last as long as possible. Shawn told him to look past everything but his fears stopped imagination from happening. He hoped Shawn Spencer could forgive him. The former fraud might say he does but Carlton knows differently. Those words were empowered by knowingly dying. He didn't want to die without Carlton knowing he forgave him so he wouldn't live on with the guilt which knowingly Carlton would.

Shawn saved him from the darkness he dug himself into. He lived years unhappily about himself, Shawn was the light to his darkness as cliche as it is. It was ultimately the truth to the matter. He tried fighting Victoria, his former ex-wife, against their separation for two years unlike the nine months everybody else was told. Drunkenly after a case Carlton had told Spencer everything which later denied ever happening until Guster recently reminded him. The weight of mention made everything reappear.

The way Shawn's hands guided him to his place as he drunkenly stumbled into his place. The soft hushed words that Shawn uttered when he closed the bedroom door to presumably his room. The way Shawn's eyes showed adoration of love. Their final hug because Carlton's not really a fan of physical touch. He wanted to kiss Shawn on many occasions, but never tried to close-on the opportunity.

Unknowingly Shawn saved him from this darkness swallowing him, now it was his turn to return the favor of saving Shawn in return.