Author note: TA DA! The next chapter is here. Shawn is now 23. 15+8=23. Thought i would say that cos even I got confused but then i remembered i skipped to him being 15 years old so...

I am sure your maths is better than mine!

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own psych

INTRODUCING JULES AND LASSIE!

Eight Years Later (Shawn ages 23)

Shawn was sat at the table in one of the sitting rooms, wearing headphones to block out the surrounding sound and was easily completing a cross word that lay in his lap. Charlie had gotten Shawn an IPOD and Shawn had immediately taken a liking to it and Charlie noticed how much it helped his symptoms. It helped block out the sound from around him and allowed him to concentrate on a single tune. Whenever Shawn was listening he orchestrated the music like a conductor with both his hands, closed his eyes and let himself fall into the music. It looked a little strange as he did this but Charlie understood how much it helped him and was happy that Shawn was taking control of his own symptoms. Sixteen years Shawn had been cooped up in the mental institution now and nothing interesting had happened since one of the elderly doctors had a heart attack and rushed to the hospital and even that was a few years ago now. Shawn was 23 years old, legally an adult and now, more than ever he wanted to leave this place and start living once again in the real world. His opinion wasn't shared though; none of the other patients wanted him to leave. He had been there too long and was a huge part of their lives. Shawn remembered a conversation that he had with Jessica, the day he turned 18.

"Do you think they will let me go?" Shawn asked Jessica. Shawn lying on top of her bed whilst she was sat on the chair.

"Go where goose?" she responded using her very own nickname Goose that she had given Shawn when he was a child, Shawn hated it but never once complained about its use.

"Outside. In the real world. I'm 18 now. Legally an adult" Shawn reasoned, trying to put his point across.

"I'm legally an adult Shawn. They haven't let me go" she pointed out. Shawn sighed and sunk into the pillows.

"What's it like in the real world?" Shawn asked her staring up at the ceiling. Jessica sighed and came over to join him on top of the bed.

"The same really. There are swimming pools that go on for ever. You have to pay for everything, food, water, electricity-"

"I know that" Shawn snapped angrily before seeing her shocked face and immediately apologising.

"I just meant that. I spent so much time cooped up in my head. Seeing things that aren't there, talking to walls. I just want to know, how different is true reality outside these walls?"

Jessica sighed, knowing this would be a hard question to answer.

"Goose. What is reality?" she began.

Shawn sat up and gave an answer, "What we see, hear, touch, taste"

Jessica nodded. "But If what we often see, hear, touch and taste is wrong" she began looking at Shawn pointing, knowing all about his diagnosis. "How can we ever know what is real?"

Shawn furrowed his brow, remembering what he had read in the latest psychology books.

"I get it. Your saying that reality is a figment is part of my imagination. So the 'real world' is just the same as this one depending on how I view it"

"Exactly" Jessica smiled.

"Do you think one day I will get released?" Shawn asked her and instead of sighing she smiled sympathetically at him.

"You know what Shawn. I think so. But I don't know what I will do without you when that time comes" she said and Shawn smiled at her.

"I might just escape and follow you out!" she joked. Shawn laughed and she joined in. Jessica always knew how to make him feel better.

That day seemed like ages ago and although Jessica reassured him that she thought one day he would get released, it was getting less and less likely. Even though he couldn't release himself when he was 18 there was one good thing that came out of it. He was now his own person and neither of his parents had custody any more. This meant Shawn didn't have to take his pills and could continue trying to manage without them. Obviously he understood that if he had any major relapses he would quickly be dosed up or if he reported more than the usual number of guests that came to visit him, but Shawn was pretty good of not reacting.

It was a Tuesday currently and Charlie had given him a newspaper that morning. Charlie gave him the newspapers mainly for the cross words but sometimes, Shawn was a lot more interested in the stories. Shawn had always complained that nothing exciting went on as he got bored really easily but for the past week or so, Shawn had been a little entertained by what was going on in the outside world. Murder. It would have been more exciting if it had been more than one but it was still a murder. Upon a first glance of the newspaper he wanted to know how they did it. Shawn understood that part of his diagnosis meant he had mild sociopathic tendencies and realised that this must be what they meant. Immediately Shawn wanted to know everything. He used his imagination to put together how it could have been done. Maybe a rare type of poison administered in this coffee. What would happen if the murderer injected acid into the guys veins, surely it would slowly circulate the body and corrode everything in its path. Of course they could have made them drink it and see what it did then. Or he could have done something like shoot him or hit him over the head. He was hit over the head. It was a major disappointment. Shawn groaned as he read "died of a blunt force trauma to the back of the head".Couldn't the guy have been more creative? Shawn continued reading and his eyes went wide as he read the line further down the page.

"Mr Gary Mcgavern's attorney has pleaded mental insanity and Mr Gary Mcgavern will be sent to West Haven's psychiatric centre to be legally admitted."

He's coming here? This was exciting. This newspaper was technically reporting yesterday's news which meant there was a high probability that he was already here. That angered Shawn though slightly. It was new, it was change. This was going to interrupt his routine. His order was going to turn to chaos and he knew it. He would complain to Charlie later, but for now, he had to find out who Gary Mcgavern was.

Shawn never did start the cross word. Instead he grabbed a pen and brought the newspaper with him downstairs and sat outside in the sun. As Shawn had gotten older, Charlie had trusted him more and allowed him to explore, this was no problem for Shawn. He kept to his schedule anyway and so Charlie always knew where to find him.

He kept an eye on his surroundings at all time and filled in his crossword easily. They never challenged him as Shawn was smarter than the average person he rarely got stuck on a puzzle. He could never leave one half-finished either, if he didn't know an answer, he would struggle over it for hours before he went down to the library to try and find it.

"Shawn!" a voice called and Shawn looked up from his crossword to find Charlie looking at him. She smiled in relief when he looked up and Charlie realised she had found him. Charlie took a seat next to Shawn and he shuffled slightly away and the closeness of their positions. He had always been uncomfortable with close contact, even with Charlie who he knew and trusted.

"Hey" Shawn replied, before filling in another row of his puzzle frowning. Why hadn't Charlie told him?

"I just heard. We have a new patient" Charlie told him.

Shawn turned his head up sharply. "I know. I've been following the news. How can you allow him to be here? I bet you he's not even crazy! He's just trying to get out of a murder charge!"

Charlie looked at him with a stern impression.

"Mr Mcgavern arrived here last night and so far has displayed the appropriate symptoms so far…"

Shawn scoffed loudly.

"He killed a person! The easiest way to get out of a murder charge is to plead mental insanity! Any fool knows that!" Shawn responded forcefully.

"Well. No one can fake forever. If he isn't 'crazy', we'll know soon enough" Charlie assured him, with a smile that never reached her eyes.

Shawn let out a bitter laugh. "The sooner the better. I don't want him killing me! The next thing I know is he'll be slipping poison into my food!"

Charlie sighed. "That's your paranoia talking. I will guard your food I promise"

Shawn sighed slightly before returning to his crossword. Knowing his food would be guarded by Charlie made him feel slightly better.

"Fine" he mumbled, his pen scratching into his crossword so hard he almost ripped the paper. After finishing the crossword he turned the paper over and stared at the image of the man, Mr Gary Mcgavern.

.

...

...

Shawn met Gary not a day later and decided that he didn't like him. Every time they would meet he would stare at him, making him feel as uncomfortable as possible. Shawn didn't have any proof of him faking it, neither did he have any proof that he wasn't but Shawn was very superstitious…. Or you could call it paranoia!

Shawn made it his new mission to prove that he was faking. Little did he know that the next day, people would arrive that could change his life forever.

.

...

...

Tomorrow started as an ordinary day for Shawn. He followed his routine, he had his breakfast, he did his cross word in the sun, and then he never got any further. He was aware of cars pulling up outside the entrance. He couldn't see them very well as the gate was far from the main building but Shawn could recognize the police cars. Two of them and a long red car with a flashing light on the top. They were police cars like the one his father used to drive.

"Charlie!" Shawn yelled. Charlie didn't come, she was too far away. Instead, another orderly answered his call. Shawn read her name tag 'Bethany'.

"What's the matter Shawn?" she asked, trying to calm him down.

Shawn pointed in the direction of the cars and Bethany watched as the gate slowly opened and the cars drove through.

"Cops" she stated mildly surprised. "Perhaps they are here to investigate Mr Mcgavern"

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, I always knew he was faking" he replied viciously and Bethany left him to it. Since Shawn knew what they were doing now, he quickly lost interest and put his head phones in so the noise from the sirens didn't distract him.

After he finished his cross word puzzle he went to the cafeteria and grabbed his tray of food. After checking that no one had touched it and smelling it for dangerous toxins, he hesitantly took a mouthful. It tasted normal, good. Shawn knew most of the deadly toxins came with an odour or at least an unpleasant bitter taste so Shawn was satisfied it wasn't poisoned. He quickly ate up every mouthful.

Later on that day Shawn was on his way to meet with Jessica when he ran into Charlie talking to two younger looking detectives.

"Shawn" Charlie called over and Shawn sighed and came over, trying to ignore the detective's curious gazes.

"What?" Shawn asked annoyed. He had somewhere to be, Charlie of all people should know that.

"This is Detective Carlton Lassiter and Detective Juliet O'Hara. They are with the SBPD" she smiled and looked at him knowingly.

"Yeah, investigating that Gary guy" Shawn responded dryly before adding, "I told you so" to Charlie who didn't deny it.

"Can we ask you a few questions?" Detective O'Hara asked politely.

Shawn sighed and thought about refusing but he looked at her, properly looked at her. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. She had luscious blonde locks that hung just past her shoulders and a bright cheerful face that he believed no person could distrust. The other detective on the other hand was completely the opposite.

Shawn glanced at Charlie and she pleaded with her eyes.

"Please Shawn, it's crucial for their investigation" Charlie insisted and Shawn nodded slowly.

"Ok" Shawn conceded and Charlie let out a small breath of relief that didn't go unnoticed by Shawn.

"Can we take this somewhere private?" Detective Lassiter asked and Charlie nodded.

"Follow me, we can use my office" Charlie stated. The Detectives nodded and followed her into her office. Shawn trailed behind them somewhat reluctantly.

Shawn plonked himself on the sofa and mentally prepared himself to be subject to their torturous questions.

"Fire away" Shawn spoke, wanting to get this over and done with as soon as possible.

"Um…"Carlton began awkwardly, glancing at his notes. "Have you heard about what happened involving Mr Gary Mcgavern?" he asked.

O'Hara looked sharply at her partner. They were talking to a patient of a mental institution, he should have eased his way into it, not gone and asked straight away.

Shawn sighed. "I read about it in the newspaper, yeah. Hit him on the back of the head. Pleaded mental insanity, got stuck here"

"You don't like it here?" O'Hara asked shocked. From the brief tour she had been subjected to it seemed like a place of luxury, there were swimming pools, yoga, saunas…

Shawn laughed bitterly. "I've been here 15 years" he explained, as if that simple fact solved everything. Charlie's smile faded slightly.

"What do you think of Mcgavern?" Carlton asked not a moment later, knowing there must be a good reason why he had been here so long, because he is a nut job.

"If you are asking whether I think he is faking? Yeah I reckon he is" Shawn responded. O'Hara frowned.

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

Shawn laughed. "Have you seen that guy? He's too well put together to be in here!"

Carlton frowned, "Isn't that what the meds are for?"

Shawn laughed once more and Juliet found herself wondering what he found so funny.

"Look, I have spent most of my life on meds. No medication starts working straight away; you have to be on them for at least 48 hours for them to start working properly. Gary has hardly been here 24."

Their eyes widened. That was true. Charlie realised this as well.

"No mental illness is treated overnight. He pretends to act a little vacant but I've seen him roll his eyes when someone is annoying him… mainly me. Plus, the orderly that gives him his pills gives me the creeps. The pills also look like those sugar pills you made me take when he wanted me to think I was taking mine" Shawn pointed out to Charlie and her eyes widened with realisation.

"Miss Marks? Is it?"

"Call me Charlie" she responded smiling.

"Charlie, is it possible Mr Mcgavern has been taking sugar pills and his 'recovery' has been totally faked?" Carlton asked, his excitement barely contained.

"I guess it is possible" Charlie agreed.

Interrupting Shawn stood up.

"Of course it is possible. Just because I am paranoid doesn't' mean I am wrong. Look, I was meant to meet someone 15 minutes ago. If that's it?" Shawn didn't wait for an answer before leaving the room.

Charlie saw Detective O'Hara about to call after him but Charlie interrupted, "Don't bother"

She frowned. "Is that a camera?" she asked looking up at the ceiling.

Charlie nodded. "Any of our sessions are recorded in here."

"Was that conversation recorded?" Carlton asked.

"Of course" Charlie replied blandly. "Shawn is my patient"

They both grinned.

"We'll need a copy of that tape for evidence" they said and she nodded hesitantly.

"Okay" she replied whilst logging into the computer.

"Has he really been here fifteen years?" Detective O'Hara asked.

Charlie smiled grimly. "Well I can't break patient confidentiality but because Shawn told you I can confirm it. Shawn Spencer has indeed been here for fifteen years"

"Spencer?" They both asked at the same time which shock.

Charlie looked up surprised.

"Son of Henry Spencer?" Detective Lassiter asked.

"Yes" she paused. "Do you know Henry? I have been trying to get in touch with his parents since he came here but his mother went travelling somewhere and his father moved to Miami and never rang"

"Uh. Detective Henry Spencer did transfer to Miami. It's where I was from originally but, he transferred back to Santa Barbra earlier this week. He brought me with him"

"What? He's back in Santa Barbra?" Charlie asked in shock before sighing. "And of course he didn't think to come visit!" she cried in exasperation.

"He never came?" Detective O'Hara asked sadly.

Charlie shook her head. "I found out of his departure from a Mrs Guster. Shawn's best friend's mother"

"Oh God"

The computer suddenly let out a beep and Charlie turned round to look at the screen.

"Here's the footage detectives" she told them, "Shall I send it to you?"

Detective Lassiter shook his head. "Put it onto here" he instructed handing her a memory stick and she nodded. A few seconds later, the transfer was complete.

"Detectives. Before you leave promise me something. Don't tell Shawn about his father" Charlie asked.

The Detectives nodded before they left the room with the footage on his memory stick, thanking Charlie as they left.

Author note: Thanks for reading!

So now Shawn had met Juliet and Carlton! Let me know what vibes you got off them.

If you hadn't guessed already from what I wrote. Juliet and Lassie are partners (in crime not romantically), Lucinda Barry never transfered over because Juliet did instead. Happy?

Please leave me a review!

See you all next time!