April, Come She Will

By: Aubrie1234

The next morning, after Juliet had left and Shawn had suggested about the bullet (she knew he wasn't psychic, there was no way she'd believe any story he told her about what Alex said the night before unless it was the truth and he certainly wasn't saying that), father and son were planning on heading to the Psych office to look for clues, then maybe stop by the department and see what Woody had found out.

"How did you know about the bullet, anyway?" Shawn asked after they arrived. He hopped off his bike, followed by Alex, and they stepped past the police tape and went inside, "Did you use to go hunting or something?"

"No." Alex looked away, uncomfortable, "I learned a lot about how to handle a gun. That's all."

"I see." Shawn nodded, understanding he wasn't willing to talk more about it, and they examined the scene. It would be at least another day or two before the cops would let them come back but, being the department's resident psychic detective/consultant, Shawn had the feeling they wouldn't get in too much trouble for it. As it was, they gazed at the couch where the victim had been the day before. As Shawn looked around the office, Alex checked around the couch. Shawn asked, "Find anything?"

"Except where the bullet passed through the couch, no. Did you learn anything more about the case yesterday?"

"Well, the ID was fake but the connection to Freddy's is apparently going somewhere." Shawn glanced up from where he was checking Gus' desk, "How much do you know about the game, anyway?" Alex shrugged.

"Not a lot about the mechanics, but I was really interested in the lore. Mostly after I lost Jack, actually..." His voice dropped. Shawn thought quickly about how to distract Alex from his sadness.

"Well, what is it about the lore in the game? Jules said it was really kinda creepy."

"Not that creepy. Not if you don't mind the ghosts of murdered children possessing animatronic animals in a pizza joint and killing the night guard they think killed them." Alex snickered at the look Shawn was giving him.

"There is so much in that one sentence I both wanna know and don't. But if it's connected to a pizza place, maybe that's where we should look next, after we meet with Woody."

"Sure, if Juliet doesn't catch us first."

"Oh, right." Shawn glanced away for a moment, uncomfortable at the thought, "Look, when we get there, let me handle all the talking."

"If you think you can talk us in, I'd love to see that."

"O ye of little faith, watch me."

20 minutes later:

"I was wondering how you'd sneak me in, but it seems you didn't think about the Chief, did you?" Alex's arms were crossed, eyebrow raised at Shawn.

"Vick, I swear he's just tagging along for today-"

"Spencer." Vick gave a heavy sigh, as if she really didn't want to speak at the moment, "That's not why I asked you here."

"Well, Alex hasn't done anything. Just let that be known." Shawn glanced at his 'son,' "Right?"

"I'd rather sit back and watch the carnage." Alex spoke.

"Spencer, Alex, I asked you here because something has come up concerning Alex's life overseas." Immediately Shawn grew interested and Alex lowered in his seat, as if not wanting to be seen.

"What do you mean?" He glanced at the teen but Alex was avoiding their eyes, looking down and to the side.

"It's nothing major, but I wanted to know more about how Alex was involved with a school shooting before he went to Cairo earlier this year."

"Wouldn't call it that." The blond murmured.

"Then what would you call it?" Vick leaned on her crossed arms. Alex was silent. She continued, "Mr. Rider, from what I've learned, you disappeared after your classmate was shot and I want to know if you had involvement with that. If so, you could be seriously charged." Alex looked up and met the Chief's eyes.

"I had no involvement." he said coldly, "And my classmate that was shot was my best mate, Tom. If I was involved, I never would've let him get hurt." Vick and Alex continued to lock eyes for a few moments before Vick slowly nodded.

"I was hoping you might say that. I don't want to press charges on a 15-year-old if I can help it. However, that doesn't mean you're out of the woods. If I were you, I'd be extra careful here on out. You both may go."

"Thanks, Chief." Shawn gave her a smile and they left the Chief's office. He wanted to go down and see Woody, but now he couldn't be sure he could take Alex with him. He was certain that Alex had just lied to Vick's face, even if he couldn't really tell. And to be good enough to lie that well meant that Alex was either extremely good at lying or had been taught to be that good. Neither thing was doing well for Shawn's conscience.

"Well?" The psychic was taken out of his thoughts as he looked down at Alex, "Are we going to the coroner's or not?"

"Alex, I-"

"I didn't lie to her, Shawn." Alex frowned, "Even if you think I lied, I didn't. Just trust me for once, will you?" And with that, Alex began moving down the hall, deeper into the station. Shawn went after him and kept Alex close, unsure of whether Alex was telling the truth or not. How could he trust anything the kid said?

"So you're the new arrival, huh?" Woody held out a hand, "Dr. Woodrow Strode, but just call me Woody!"

"Alex Rider." Alex shook his hand and glanced at the body on the table.

"This our man?" asked Shawn, somewhat curious how Alex wasn't grossed out and worried about it at the same time.

"Yep. Otto Ladzinski, a.k.a. Michael Afton. Shot six times in the chest and once in the head." Woody pointed to the side of the dead man's head. Alex went to lean down but Shawn pulled him back up, giving him a look. Alex ignored it as Woody went on, "It's really interesting why he decided to choose that name as his alias. He works at a pizzeria, like Afton, but he was the manager instead of a security guard!"

"The manager?" Shawn asked. This was news. Woody shrugged.

"That's what I've been told. I wonder if he was so bad someone decided to make him cold-hearted, literally!"

"Or he could've just been a major prick." Alex mused, eyes on the body, "Do you think he tried calling you guys before coming to the office?"

"Maybe. I'll check voicemail later."

"So, Alex, do you know what the coroner practices are like in England?" asked Woody. Shawn gave the older man an affronted look that he'd ask the teen such a thing.

"No, but the nurses sure hate it when you try to climb out the window with a broken arm because you've been cooped up in there for two weeks."

"Interesting." Woody wasn't fazed by the comment at all but Shawn was and it caused him to stress even more about Alex's past, as much as he tried not to.

"Look, we've gotta go now." Shawn guided Alex out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "See ya, Woody!"

"Bye Shawn!" The coroner happily waved to them as they walked out the doors. Alex gave the fake psychic a look.

"Did my words jog your memory or something?" Shawn stopped pushing Alex to rub a hand over his face.

"If this is how my Dad felt..." He shook his head, "One, yes they did. Two, why the hell would you try to leave a hospital if you weren't released yet?"

"Don't tell me you haven't tried it." Alex gave him a knowing look. He had the feeling Shawn must've tried it at least once in his life, if Alex's profiling was right. Shawn waved it off.

"Not the point. Just… No offense to you, but the more you mention about your past, the more I worry about you."

"You're not the only one." Alex shrugged, "Piece of advice: I told Tom and Sabina everything that happened to me, so they knew what I went through, but they didn't understand it. The Pleasures tried to help and look what happened to them." The boy glared, "Stop trying to help me and save your own skin, arsehole. Juliet's too, if you don't wanna let her get hurt." Alex turned around and went up the stairs. Shawn followed, mind whizzing about as he tried to make sense of what the blond just said. Right as they topped the stairs and entered the main hall of the station, Juliet came over.

"There you are!" Shawn only had moments to give an 'Oh Crap!' face before he tried to think of an excuse. Juliet and Alex greeted each other first (Juliet would've hugged Alex but could see he wasn't in the mood for it) before she turned to Shawn, somewhat angry.

"Don't tell me you drove over here on your bike."

"We did not drive over here on my bike, we drove on Alex's." The boy rolled his eyes, as did Juliet.

"And were you down at Woody's? With Alex?"

"Didn't bother me." Alex shrugged, "I like Woody, he's fun."

"Well, at least we know who can babysit." Shawn tried. Juliet was still glaring at him and he sighed, "Jules, the murdered guy might've called Psych before he came over. I'm gonna go check the phones with Alex. He's gotta stay with someone and I'm better than my Dad, aren't I?"

"Not by much." Alex muttered, but they both caught it. Shawn was somewhat hurt that Alex would think of him like that but didn't say anything, Juliet speaking up for him, "Don't say that!"

"Then what's your opinion?"

"Um..."

"Do you really think I'm like my Dad, Jules? Really?" Shawn was insulted.

"Not a lot, but..." Juliet gave a helpless shrug.

"I'm not!"

"You are. Saw it with my own two eyes." said Alex.

"Maybe I should start grounding you, then." The teen was unfazed by Shawn's threat.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Boys!" Juliet stepped between them, "Try getting along, please? On the way to the office, why don't you try talking about yourselves and make things work?"

"Fine." Shawn nodded. Alex shrugged again.

"We'll see if you get anything out of me." He began walking to the front of the station.

"He just never waits, does he?" Shawn gave Juliet a peck on the cheek, "Good luck today, Juliet."

"Good luck with him." she said back, then watched him rush after their 'son.' Alex had been in their lives less than a week and already he was causing problems. She hoped it wouldn't last.

"Well, Jules said we need to share some stuff to get along." Shawn said as he kickstarted the motorcycle, "My favorite sport is, of course, gallinas bailando. What's yours?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Your favorite sport is dancing chickens?" He had to yell over the wind.

"Wait, you understood that?"

"I'm fluent in French and Spanish. What do you think?" The more he stayed around Alex, the more he learned about the kid.

"But what's your favorite sport?"

"Football."

"You mean soccer?" Alex rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you Americans call it, sure. My turn." Alex thought for a minute, "What's your greatest fear?"

"Greatest fear? Well, I really don't like pointy things, does that count?" Shawn could practically feel Alex's look through his helmet, "Okay, I get it." They pulled into the Psych office and Shawn continued, "Well, as much as I don't show it, I'm really afraid of losing the people closest to me. What about you?" Alex shrugged, taking off his helmet.

"A lot of things I feared have happened over the past year-and-a-half. There's not much I fear anymore."

"Really? Like what?"

"Forcing a horse to run off a cliff while a parachute is strapped to its back is one thing I never thought I'd do, but then again..." Alex shrugged. Shawn stared at him for a moment, then broke out in a grin.

"That sounds awesome! But really, tell me at least something that's happened."

"Jack died." Alex looked down at his helmet, "Besides Tom and maybe Sabina, she was the only other person I completely trusted. Then..." He shook his head, "Please don't make me relieve my memories." He walked past Shawn and back into the office. When he'd heard Alex's confession about the horse, Shawn knew he hadn't been lying but tried to play it off to get more information about Alex. What he didn't need was a depressed kid on his hands, nor the fact that Alex somehow managed to ride a horse off a cliff and survive, despite the parachute.

"Next time, I'm keeping my big mouth shut..."

Notes:

So, I've finally gotten back into Psych again and going through the last season, 8, and I'm thinking that the background here is going to be somewhat-to-very AU. Instead of everyone moving on like in the last season, they're still in all their places as before, with the exception of Shawn and Juliet's marriage and Lassiter and Marlowe's daughter being born. The marriage has already come into play and Lassiter's daughter will have some significance later in the story, I promise.

The horse-off-the-cliff thing is one of the stories from Secret Weapon, the newest book in the AR series, collecting some of Alex's stories from other places.

(Spanish) Gallinas bailando = dancing chickens, as stated by Google Translate.

Sorry that this chapter's so short, but hopefully I'll be writing a little more for this soon. Please read & review!