Author note: Sorry for the long wait but I hope this chapter will be worth it!
Leave me a comment on what you thought! Ta Da!
The room was just like Shawn's, although very messy compared to Shawn's immaculate standards. Jessica was stood by the bed, her hair up in a ponytail and she was punching the wall with her fist. Shawn knew right then, this wasn't Jessica, this was Jess.
Shawn sighed to himself, ever since Shawn had started spending time with her alter had shown less and less when Jess had been stronger and more dominant and controlling over Jessica. She knew she was a puppet in these scenarios but she didn't seem to care that much. In a way, she loved Jess. Much like Ross had always been there for Shawn, Jess had always been there for her, always with her.
Jess didn't like Shawn. Shawn didn't like him either.
"Jess?" Shawn asked again, but this time trying to get his attention.
This time he heard and turned his head towards Shawn, immediately the mask fell away and his mask crumpled to reveal Jessica standing there with a bloody hand and a messy room.
"Shawn?" she gasped, blinking away her confusion. "Oh, Shawn!" she cried before racing over to give Shawn a hug.
Shawn didn't return the hug but he didn't fight it off either and Jessica realised this as a good thing, knowing how Shawn hated physical contact.
"It's a good thing I stopped by" Shawn commented, leaning to inspect her hand before running to her bathroom and collecting the emergency first aid kit.
"It's not his fault" Jessica murmured as Shawn opened the green box and started to wipe her wound with a wipe.
"If you're wanting to blame anyone… it would be him" Shawn smiled but stopped when Jessica flinched from a sting in her hand and she withdrew her hand quickly.
"He's just frustrated. He hadn't been allowed to play in a long time" she explained and immediately Shawn understood.
Jessica gave her hand back and Shawn wrapped it in a bandage tightly before returning the box to the bathroom.
"Thanks" she told him and he smiled back.
"Sometimes I don't think he likes me very much" she commented and Shawn looked her with a puzzled expression.
"I don't think he likes anyone" Shawn replied with a grin, "Doesn't like me too much"
Jessica's eyes rounded. "You've spoken to him?"
Shawn lowered his gaze before looking at her in the eyes. "A few times. He insults me, threatens me. He's like me in a way, sociopathic most of the time"
Jessica looked down, almost ashamed at Jess who was essentially part of herself.
There was silence for a few moments until Shawn thought about he was going to breach the next topic.
"I spoke to Charlie earlier. She said they might release me for a bit. See how well I fit in to society" Shawn said, whilst trying not to sound too excited.
Jessica smiled weakly. "It's what you always wanted"
Shawn nodded. "She has to discuss it with Mrs Jones and people but I'm hopeful" he finished.
Jessica smiled again. "I will certainly miss you if you go. Just don't forget me. One day, we'll be out of this place forever, ruling the world, you and me" she laughed.
Shawn smiled, "Yeah, destroying all the cats and mutilating rabbits!" he joked and Jessica burst into laughter.
"Well remember what happened to Mr Tiddles?" she grinned, remembering about the cat that Shawn had killed in a thrust of frustration against Ross.
"Hey!" Shawn complained with a soft punch to her shoulder. "I wasn't the one who used the electrics to explode the locking mechanism on my door" he whispered, remembering the time when Jess had put together a small explosive device in order to try and escape the room, she had actually made it out onto the lawn before the orderly's stopped her.
"Nor was I the one who used arithmetic to crack every code in this place" she finished whispered and Shawn chuckled, "In an hour" she finished and Shawn smiled again.
"Look, just let me know?" Jessica said again and Shawn instantly nodded,
"Of course" he agreed eagerly and she smiled at him.
"You better go Goose" she whispered and Shawn nodded.
"You're right. Good night" he whispered again before he crept out of the room leaving Jessica in darkness. Once Shawn was gone, Jessica clenched the covers on her bed, secretly praying that Shawn would never leave her. It wasn't long before she succumbed to unconsciousness.
Shawn closed the door behind him with a soft click.
"Boo!" Ross yelled and Shawn leapt back in surprise.
Shawn let out a sigh of relief as he realised it was only Ross before beginning to berate him.
"You idiot" Shawn smiled.
"You looked like you needed it" Ross commented, proceeding to walk next to Shawn as they made it back to his room.
"So you might be moving out?"
"It's not for definite but maybe"
"But only for a week, like a trial run" Ross reminded him, wanting to make Shawn painfully aware that he would soon return to this place.
"yeah" Shawn replied, very aware that almost every inch of this place was watched with camera and that the facial recognition technology meant that Charlie would most probably see him walking down a corridor talking to himself.
"You're aware that Jessica's condition will decline, maybe other patients. You have been a big impact on their lives ever since you came here" Ross reminded him and Shawn only sighed.
"Isn't it my turn to be selfish for a change?" Shawn asked rhetorically as he punched in the numbers for his own door. Then upon hearing the satisfying click he entered and shut the door behind him.
"I still don't trust Henry" Ross counted and Shawn smiled.
"Neither do I" he replied.
"Firstly he's a cop. If you hadn't given that interview then he probably would have never seen you and not even come." Ross paused dramatically. "Do you not remember what he said when he dropped you off?"
"He promised to visit me, then he never did." Shawn remembered and Ross only smiled at him.
"Exactly"
"That was years ago though. Look, I'm not saying I trust the guy just that I would be willing to tolerate him if he was and it turns out he is, my ticket out of this hell hole" Shawn snapped at him and Ross immediately shut up.
"Can you please leave? I need to get some sleep" Shawn told him and Ross hesitantly nodded.
"I'll see you soon, Shawn" Ross murmured before he faded into the wall.
Shawn watched with one eye. It used to intrigue him so much when a person seemingly vanished into a wall or into the air around him, just like they did in the movies. But now, it was a common occurrence that caused Shawn, not even to bat an eye lid.
.
...
...
Charlie had spoken to her colleagues that evening and although hesitant at first, agreed that Shawn could be released for a week. The only agreement was that Charlie went with him. Charlie immediately accepted. It was going to be like having a week off! This meant that there was no need to call Gus as Shawn could stay with her. Charlie would have to inform his father, of course. She thought briefly about waiting for Shawn to wake the following morning and decided that would be the best option. If Shawn agreed, he could get packing while she wrung Henry to inform him.
Part of her didn't want Shawn to ever be released. She had practically raised him since he was eight and she saw herself as a substitute mother to him. Charlie loved him like a son and it was only natural that she would be a bit protective of him. Shawn had been locked in the same walls for years and Charlie really hated knowing how hard it was going to be to adapt. Shawn always wanted his little taste of freedom and although Charlie had tried to supply it by taking him on bike rides around the building, Shawn never could escape and part of him didn't want to. Shawn never did want to leave his family, Jessica, Charlie, Phoebe, Beth and the other patients. But now it was his turn to be selfish and explore and escape from his little world that he had been kept in for so many years.
Charlie sighed and stared at the phone, then the clock that glowed on her desk. She really hoped that Shawn would cope; after all, living in a small bubble for so long would mean that Shawn had no idea how to live in the real world.
Author note: Yes, it's quite a short chapter... but who's excited? Shawn's being released for a week! Woop Woop!