A taste of Chapter 5: The Last Day, a psych fanfic

Author note: I was going to update this weekend but I am going away for weekend so probably won't be able to update. So this is basically Shawn's last day at home with his dad. Read the whole thing in sadness as I did.

Please read and review!

Previously...

"It'll be alright son" Henry paused before deciding, "I'll help"

For the next hour they packed. Every t-shirt down to every sock they could find was packed, except a set of clothes for the morning which Henry put in a pile. Henry took the opportunity to hide the photo of him and his son on the beach smiling into the camera. Shawn would be surprised later and would mean he always had a picture of him. A lot of toys still cluttered his room but Shawn wasn't really bothered about a lot of them. Henry hauled the suitcase down the stairs will difficulty after it was packed and came back up separately to carry the box of toys.

Henry tucked Shawn into bed with sadness as he realised this would be the last time he would do this. Shawn cried silently wondering why his daddy didn't want him. He had ignored Shawn for two years and now, when he finally began to show interest again, he sent him away. Shawn knew now that it wasn't just his teachers that didn't want him in class, it wasn't just his classmates who didn't want to be friends with him, it wasn't just them who didn't want Shawn around, his parents didn't either. He was being sent away.

Shawn curled up and Henry whispered goodnight. Shawn ignored him.

Henry crept out of the room and shut the door behind him before opening it again. Was Shawn scared of the dark? Henry decided to leave it open. It helped him that way, because as he walked off to go to his own bedroom, the last view he had was of his cute son, resting quietly, at peace.

...

Henry got up super early and ran down to the convenience store at the end of the street. He bought cereals and bread and a few other things that he thought Shawn might like, including a bag of lolly pops that Shawn seemed to like ever so much.

He let himself back into the house quietly and quickly checked on Shawn who was fast asleep and Henry let out a sigh of relief. He put the toast in the toaster and started to cut up a pineapple. Henry had no idea if Shawn actually liked the pineapple he had eaten, or whether he had actually eaten it but there was no harm in it. Henry knew he wanted today to be special and he knew how to make it so. Henry was well aware with his son's infatuation for lolly pops and Henry had bought a whole bag. If he had to feed him them all day he would.

Shawn woke up minutes later with the smell of food reaching his nostrils. Shawn grabbed his dressing gown and made his way downstairs quietly avoiding all of the stairs that creeped. Shawn stood there at the bottom of the stairs staring at his dad in the kitchen. He was buttering toast and stacking it in the middle of the table which for once, wasn't cluttered in police reports that needed filling out. Henry didn't notice Shawn standing there for a few minutes and Shawn just waited in silence, taking in what his dad was actually doing for him. Unless it wasn't for him, maybe they had guests? Shawn silently pondered whether he should get changed properly. It was then when Henry turned around and saw Shawn standing there staring.

Henry jumped when he saw his son. How had he managed to sneak up on him? He was a cop? He should be aware at all times. Dismissing his train of thought he quickly smiled at his son who just stared back, first at him and then the table.

"I made toast. There are pineapple slices too… I wasn't sure if you liked them or…"

Henry didn't get any further than that as he watched his son's face burst into a grin. His dad was giving him pineapple.

Shawn immediately came to sit down, excited. The spring in his step was back and he immediately reached for the pineapple.

Henry watched as his son ate the first piece and his face relaxed into what looked like pure heaven and Henry almost laughed out loud.

Henry ate too and ate a piece of toast watching as his son experimented with his food. He tried to put pineapple on toast, dry and with butter. He got a little bowl of cereal and tried it with that. The strangest thing Shawn did was beat the pineapple. Henry could only guess he was trying to make it into juice as Shawn used the sugar container to beat the pineapple into mush. Shawn then drank the rest of his milk and poured the mushy pineapple into his glass before drinking it all.

Henry looked a little repulsed before hiding it. Shawn didn't notice as he was too excited. He had just discovered how to make pineapple juice! Which, in his opinion was just as heavenly as pineapple. At least in this form he didn't hurt himself. Shawn really hated pointy things. Pointy things hurt him and annoyed him.

"So what do you wanna do today son?" Henry asked his son and Shawn grinned up at him in a way that only an enthusiastic eight year old could.

"Uh…" Shawn thought for a moment and Henry knew he would regret asking that question… well maybe not.

"I wanna see some animals and gut some fishes! I wanna go to the beach and make sandcastles and I wanna Furbie" Shawn told with excitement.

He wanted to gut fish? Henry frowned before grinning at his son. He could certainly do some of that stuff.

"Well, go and clean your teeth and wash your face. Get changed. We'll go and build some sandcastles on the beach" Henry grinned.

Shawn let out a small squeal of excitement as he ran up the stairs and Henry laughed slightly. He cleared the breakfast things away, eating a few of Shawn' crusts and checked to see what the weather was like. Henry was really glad that it was sunny and hoped that it wouldn't be too cold.

Shawn came bounding down two minutes later wearing shorts, a t-shirt and a fishing hat that was too big for him. Henry raised his eye brows at his speed but Shawn only grinned.

"Ok, ok" Henry laughed. "Let's go"

Henry grabbed his wallet and keys as well as a few lolly pops and he gave one to Shawn almost immediately who was grinning madly.

This was the best day ever! Shawn was very happy. He tried not to think about the reason he was doing this, guilt, but was just happy that he was. Shawn was certain that at least his father was going to say goodbye to him, unlike his mum that had just left with no warning what so ever. He grabbed the lolly and admired it for a few moments before stuffing it into his mouth so quickly that Henry thought he might choke.

Henry grabbed the buckets and spades from the shed and Shawn bounced up and down, impatiently waiting. Henry ran back to Shawn and it was then Henry realised how hot it was. If they were here for too long, Henry would run inside the house and get the sun cream. Considering that they lived on the seafront, Henry could keep an eye on him from inside the house.

Henry watched Shawn as he lit up, playing on the beach. Henry couldn't remember the last time they had done this. It must have been so long ago. Shawn made several sandcastles with his bucket and motioned for his dad to join him. Who was he to say no? It may have looked a bit strange for a person of his age to be building sandcastles with his eight year old child. Eight year olds weren't meant to get that excited about building sandcastles, but Shawn, always the exception, was.

"We'll build a mote! And the crocodiles can go in it and eat the people that try and enter my fort" Shawn giggled. Suddenly a bigger wave rippled over the walls of the castle and Shawn moaned loudly before exclaiming,

"We're under attack! Rebuild! REBUILD" Henry laughed at his son and helped him rebuild the castle. Shawn turned his back to the sea as he struggled to rebuild the front of the castle. Just as he managed it, another huge wave came over the wall. Shawn jumped in surprise and fell backwards into the water. Henry reached out to catch him but the end result was the same. Shawn was covered in water which meant the sand stuck to him.

Shawn laughed it off in pure glee and Henry smiled at his reaction.

"Can we go get people to put in the castle?" Shawn asked innocently and Henry laughed.

"Sure kid! We'll get some sun cream too" Henry added. Shawn sprinted away back to the house and Henry followed as fast as he could. Henry opened the door and Shawn ran upstairs to get his toys. Shawn grabbed his plastic people, his collection of toy soldiers. He had about a hundred of them and so stuffed them all in a plastic bag. Shawn then spotted his small dinosaur collection and put them in the bag too, excited he ran back down.

Henry was waiting at the bottom of the stairs after grabbing the sun cream and his camera. If this was going to be his last day with his son in a while he was going to make it memorable and take as many pictures as he possibly could. Shawn paused, wondering whether he was going to get sprayed now, or once they were out there on the beach.

"Now?" he asked.

Henry looked at him, "You crazy? Not inside the house" he laughed, not realising his mistake. Shawn then ran outside and Henry quickly followed him, wondering why he took off so fast until he realised his mistake.

Did Shawn know? Did he understand? Oh God.

Henry quickly relocked the door again and gave chase.

Shawn tried not to let his father's words get to him as he pretended to pretended to drawn his toys in the mote and envisioned them being eaten by the crocodiles, he laughed cruelly.

Henry felt bad but had in his pocket the one thing that would solve everything. Another lollypop. Shawn quickly forgot his problems as he grabbed it excitedly. Henry smiled and began putting a bit of sun cream on his skin. Shawn held his arms out to be sun creamed but Henry only laughed at him.

"We need to get some of this sand off first" he laughed and Shawn giggled too. Shawn shook his head and pointed at the camera around Henry's neck.

Henry immediately understood as he whipped off the camera so he could get a picture of his son, completely covered in sand and showing off his latest creation, the castle.

Shawn posed and Henry took the picture that came out a few seconds later. Henry put it in his pocket for a few seconds to let it develop properly in the darkness. Henry took out the photo as Shawn started getting the sand off him so his dad could get the cream on him. Henry stared at the picture. His son looked perfectly happy next to his half broken castle with a lolly pop stick poking out from his teeth. The only thing Henry didn't like about the photo was the dinosaurs and people which were drowning in the mote which you could clearly see. Henry knew that every time he looked at this picture, he would be reminded that his son pretended to kill people for amusement.

Henry put the photo away and decided to take another, this time with him in the picture too. They posed with their backs to the sea. Henry smiled as he held up the camera and he saw his son looking at him.

"Say cheese!" Henry told him, Shawn quickly looked to the camera and gave his best cheesiest grin.

"Hold on son, one more" Henry said and they posed again. Henry desperately wanted this photo with him and his son, he only hoped at least one of them developed properly.

The beach was more or less deserted at this hour. All of the children were at school, except Shawn and the only people that could be seen were couples taking a romantic stroll on the board walk. Shawn continues playing happily and Henry took a few pictures while Shawn was occupied. Henry wanted to remember this day forever.

Shawn suddenly looked up as he heard a familiar tune and Henry raised his head. It was the ice cream can that had just stopped down the road. Shawn looked at the truck for a few moments then at his dad with an almost pleading expression. Henry immediately relented.

"Let's go get some ice cream then kid" he said and Shawn lit up. They left their spades on the beach and raced to the ice cream van, wanting to get there before it drove off.

"Can I have that?" Shawn asked with excitement as he pointed to the board.

Henry peered over and said, "We'll have one Rocket and a Feast please" as he got out his wallet from his shorts and handed over a five pound note.

The man smiled, not questioning why Shawn wasn't in school which Henry was very thankful for. Henry didn't really want to explain his circumstances to anyone. Obviously the whole station knew what was happening and the members of Shawn's school also were in the loop but that didn't mean that Henry wanted to go announcing it to everyone. Like the saying went, give news to a post man, it will get delivered all around the world.

The man handed over the ice lollies and then gave Henry his change. Henry thanked him and ran after Shawn who had run back to guard the buckets and spades from a deserted beach.

Henry gestured for Shawn to join him on the wall as they ate their ice lollies and Shawn instantly obeyed. Henry went a bit distant and his eyes glazed over in un-dropped tears as he remembered what would be happening tomorrow. His son was going to be taken away from him.

"Daddy?" Shawn asked seriously. Henry looked at him and blinked. Shawn watched as tear ran down his daddy's cheek in fascination.

"Are you ok?" Shawn asked again and Henry nodded and gave a watery smile.

"Off you go and play, son" he whispered. Shawn gave his father a curious glance before running back to his sandcastles. Shawn then managed to swallow his ice lolly cold and throw the stick in the sand and Henry smiled, his son was definitely going to get a brain freeze.

Henry let out a choked laugh as he watched his son playing and having fun, especially when he discovered that the sea had completely ruined his sandcastle and all of his people and dinosaurs had drowned. Shawn laughed at them before reaching in and saving them and Henry watched as Shawn played with the figurines as the dinosaurs ate the people. Shawn watched as Shawn interacted with an imaginary figure and Henry silently cried for a few minutes until he noticed that more people had come out, now that it was early in the afternoon. Henry wiped his tears and tried to pretend like nothing was wrong. Shawn knew better but knew that the only reason his father was crying was because he felt guilty that he was sending him away. Henry never did have the heart to say it was Maddy's decision. There was no point passing the blame along, for Henry knew he was just as guilty as she was.

What felt like a second later to Henry was more like ten minutes to Shawn and he came bounding over holding a few dinosaurs in his hands.

"Daddy, I'm hungry" Shawn complained in a whiny voice, tugging on his father's sleeve.

Henry nodded and picked his son up who giggles slightly and Henry took a moment to remove a rather large lump on sand which had attached itself to Shawn's face. Shawn itched his face and tried to reach the spot with his tongue to taste it but Henry squeezed tighter into a hug before putting him down.

"Let's go get some grub then champ" Henry smiled and he strode forward to collect all of the spades and buckets and Shawn helped by holding out the bag for all of his toys to go in. Shawn frowned as he realised that not all of them were there. He dug with his hands for a few moments searching for them before he looked out into the sea, realising that they must have been swept away. Shawn rubbed his hands together to get rid of the sand and decided that he didn't care about the soldiers. They had lost their life's bravely in battle, which was the best way to die? Wasn't it?

Henry held out his hand and Shawn grasped it eagerly. Henry carried the bag of bucket and spades in his other arm and he walked with Shawn along the board walk.

They walked in silence until Shawn had a question.

"Will you come and visit me at Miss Jones'?" Shawn asked innocently and Henry automatically tensed. Shawn interpreted that signal as a no and so looked down and continued walking.

"Of course I will kid" Henry replied kneeling down and looking Shawn right in the eye, "I promise" Henry added, seeing Shawn's doubtful expression.

"Ok" Shawn replied shyly.

Henry found a restaurant close to the house and got a table for two almost immediately as it wasn't very busy. A waitress came over and Henry ordered two lemonades and two burgers, certain that Shawn would like it. Who doesn't like burgers?

Shawn munched happily on his burger and Henry couldn't help noticing the continuous twitch in his son's right leg, like he had too much energy and his leg was jerking. Henry then noticed something about his son that he had never noticed before. Shawn always had lots of energy, Henry knew that children were a handful and it saddened him that only now was he discovering who his son actually is. Henry wished more than anything to rewind the clock but he was caught in the middle of web. Yes, he had ignored his son for the past two years and he understood the reason. He had been promoted, he was no longer an officer of the law, he was a detective now and he had extra responsibilities. Henry loves his job and he was only now discovering how much he loved his son. His son that would soon be taken to a mental institution. Part of him was angry at Maddy but there was nothing he could do now. He could only hope that this place, West Haven, would help Shawn.

Henry refused point blank to take Shawn fishing. His son was energetic and he knew that the boat would be rocking continuously until one of them was sick. Most probably he would be the first the throw up his hamburger into the Ocean. Plus if they did catch anything, Henry didn't want to watch his son gut fish. Henry didn't want to know if he possessed any skill, or the look on his face when he did it. Would he enjoy it? Henry shook his head. He didn't want to think about this. It was time to get moving. They had half a day left and Henry knew just where to take him.

Henry paid for their meals and he gave Shawn another lolly pop for pudding. Shawn was instantly excited upon receiving it and Henry felt bad for a moment that he was technically forcing his son to be happy by feeding him lolly pops which he seemed to crave and seemed to solve anything. But ultimately, Henry wanted Shawn to enjoy his last day, his last taste of freedom.

A short drive in the car, Henry insisted upon. Shawn complained every two minutes saying,

"Are we there yet?" like any child would. Henry had the normal reaction of saying "no" the first few times but by the hundredth time Henry was fed up and ignored him instead. Shawn smiled when he realised he was annoying him. Shawn had never gotten a chance to use that line he had heard so many other kids use and grinned to himself thinking that is how it's supposed to be done. Over and over again. Ross kept laughing and urged Shawn to continue and so he did.

Shawn kept repeating the line even when he knew his father wouldn't respond and he could tell his dad was going a bit batty with annoyance. Shawn only stopped after his father suddenly shouted to him.

"YES"

Shawn froze, yes what? They were here! Shawn focused on what he could see and wasn't that surprised when he found himself looking at Santa Barbra Zoo. Shawn had been here once before when he was little and he remembered every detail clearly. Shawn reabsorbed the Zoo again and was keen to look for differences.

Henry got out of the car and caught his son staring at the zoo. He remembered the last time they were here. It was as a family, years ago, when Shawn was only four years old. Henry knew his son couldn't remember that far back and so visiting the zoo would be a first for him.

"Ready to see some animals, son?" Henry asked with a smirk. Shawn went wide eyed and nodded and they both approached the information desk quickly.

The lady smiled as she welcomed them to Santa Barbra Zoo and Henry quickly paid for them both to enter. The lady smiled as she told them to enjoy themselves and warned them that a few of the floors were wet. It was nice of her to mention, but a little too late. Shawn had already gone running off in to the distance and managed to slip over on the wet floor.

"Thanks" Henry grunted out before rushing over to see if Shawn was hurt. Shawn was thankful for his dad's help as he struggled to stand up and smiled at him. Henry only smiled back.

Shawn practically dragged his dad round all of the exhibits and they were there several hours. Henry took pictures of everything and every animal he could, perhaps he would make a little collage so Shawn could take it with him? Shawn spent ages gazing at the dolphins and attempted to bypass security as he wanted to swim with the dolphins. Henry couldn't actually remember if Shawn knew how to swim, knew it was dangerous and it most definitely wasn't aloud. Henry had much fun apologising to one of the guards. Henry briefly explained that Shawn couldn't help it and the guard didn't seem to believe him. The guard made them leave the dolphin area and Shawn was disappointed, he almost started crying. He had wanted to stay there longer; he wanted to talk to the dolphins. After visiting the rest of the exhibits including the snakes that Shawn hissed at, seemingly having a proper conversation that people passing gave him freaky looks and whispered in the cover of the darkness, Henry and Shawn left to go home.

They stopped on the way back for hotdogs and Shawn managed to get ketchup absolutely everywhere. It looked a bit like blood and that sickened Henry slightly.

By the time they had eaten and driven the rest of the way home it was getting quite late and Henry had to tell Shawn something he wished he didn't. No father should be sending their kid away. Henry let them both into the house and Henry went into his room and pulled out the spare suitcase, the one that his wife had not taken. Ex-wife actually, they were now officially divorced thanks to those custody agreement papers. That was the last step.

"Everything you want to take with you needs to go in this suitcase, ok? All the clothes in here and all of your toys can go in this box"

Shawn looked at him and nodded slowly, trying to blink away the tears. Part of Shawn had hoped that his daddy had a good time too and decided that he wanted to keep him, but he guessed that would have been too good to be true.

"It'll be alright son" Henry paused before deciding, "I'll help"

Shawn curled up and Henry whispered goodnight. Shawn ignored him.

Author note: Thanks for reading till the end and for reviewing!

Ok shoutouts people!

Thank you to Margirli13 for her insight to the American language. I will take the comments in mind as I am writing more but I am not going to go back and change all of what I have already written... so It will change eventually. :)

NinetailsYoda : the reason why the guy Robert Dunly gave custody to Maddy was because he wasn't feeding Shawn, was too dedicated to his job. Even though Henry was trying, Robert didn't know that as when he rang he wasn't home and he only discovered that Shawn had been left alone without a baby sitter and was scared stiff.

Alex: I think to many people set Henry out as the bad guy. I always thought that Maddy was the one who left and so the whole thing school be blamed on her. She thinks her son is a freak, her profession means she can't think objectivley about her son. she just thinks that her son is one of these freaks she has to sort out. And yes, this will go to when he is an adult. And yeah, real life experiences help writing.

Phnxgrl: Thanks for your continues support! So glad you enjoy my story!

NEXT TIME:

Shawn and Henry part as Shawn gets admitted into the mental institution Henry distracts himself with work then accidently makes the worst and best decision he has ever made.