Warning this chapter may be a bit... gruesome? It's not too detailed but I put a warning just to be safe. There's blood... so yeah.
I'm not a stranger
No I am yours
With crippled anger
And tears that still drip sore
A fragile frame aged
With misery and when our eyes meet
I know you see
I do not want to die inside just to breathe in
I'm tired of feeling so numb
And these scars wouldn't be so hidden
If you would just look me in the eye
Relief exists I find it when
I am cut
-"Cut" Plumb
Santa Barbara: 2019
Shawn sat on his parents couch and looked outside as Juliet talked on the phone. She made another face of frustration before she hurriedly snapped at the person on the other end. She and Declan had been going back and forth for almost an hour. After another hour at the station after Gus had left; the Spencer's along with Juliet had left. Shawn going with his parents while Juliet returned to her place. There she packed some of her things and informed Declan the engagement was off- he didn't take it too well. As soon as she had stepped out of her car and into Shawn's hug her cell phone had started ringing. She'd ignored it for all of five minutes before giving in to the reoccurring calls to get him to quit.
Shawn allowed himself a small smile. Juliet was his again and he intended to keep it like that. Heck she was staying with them. This allowed for two to reconnect as a couple as well as their dynamic with Zuri who had been fond of Juliet from the start. Zuri had been ecstatic at the news of Juliet staying with them. She finally had another girl to talk to who wasn't her grandma.
Shawn wanted the two to get along. He loved them both with all his heart. But he knew if anything happened between him and Juliet again he would choose Zuri. He needed to make sure she wouldn't get hurt if they split.
"God he's infuriating…" Shawn was interrupted from his thoughts as Juliet sat next to him on the couch. She rubbed her temples and sighed.
"Are sure you want to-?" Juliet stopped him with a finger on his lips.
"We both knew this was going to happen. Why we fought it I have no idea. I love you Shawn."
"I love you too." She moved her hand and kissed him.
"Does that mean you're going to be my new mommy?" Zuri asked startling them.
"Zuri!" Shawn scolded with a blush his hand on Juliet's thigh.
"We haven't exactly talked about it kiddo but something like that." Juliet smiled at her. Zuri nodded and turned away satisfied with the answer.
"You think men can be infuriating." Juliet laughed and leaned her head on Shawn's shoulder snuggling into his side. Shawn wrapped an arm around her back and kissed the top of her head. He couldn't help himself as a sigh of content escaped his lips. It had been years since he'd felt the touch of a woman. Sure there had been a few times with Abigail but it wasn't the same. Juliet's touch was warm and loving; a soft cocoon of the two of them in their own little world. No children, no exes, no friends or family telling them they were going too fast.
His parents were concerned, he knew that. Both were worried he would get his heart broken again and be left a shell. Revert back to the severe depression he'd been in. That wasn't going to happen this time; Shawn would make sure of it.
Juliet nuzzled his neck and kissed his adams apple, "I missed this." She whispered. Shawn met her face and kissed her softly.
"I missed you." He murmured back honestly. Juliet smiled and stroked his cheek.
"Foods done!" His mother called out causing them to break apart.
"C'mon," Shawn stood up with his hand in Juliet's and the walked into the kitchen. Henry was already at the table with a file in front of him. "What's that pop?" Shawn asked sitting next to him.
"Take a look at this, both of you." Henry slid the file to Shawn as Juliet paused behind Shawn.
"Marshall Turner, your alcohol seller Shawn is related to Timothy Fisher. Carter Fisher's father." Juliet gathered from the file.
Shawn frowned, "How? I thought you said they were just friends?"
"Apparently not just friends, they're maternal cousins. And not only are they cousins but they spent time together in prison. Turner for drug position and Fisher for domestic abuse." Juliet read aloud sitting down in the chair next to Shawn.
"That would explain the lack of belongings in the house." Shawn nodded.
"But what does Fisher have to do with the other deaths?" Henry shook his head.
"We'll have to find out." Juliet sighed.
"Put that away." Maddie told Juliet as Zuri entered the room. Juliet closed the file and handed it to back to Henry. The adults shared a look before Henry hid the file under his leg.
"What?" Zuri stopped and looked at her father.
"What?" Shawn repeated back to her with his eyebrows rose.
"You guys stopped talking…" Zuri walked over and lifted herself onto Shawn's lap.
"It's a grown up thing sweetie," Henry answered. Juliet gave Zuri a reassuring smile. Shawn kissed the back of Zuri's head then wrinkled his nose.
"After dinner it's bath time and then bed for you." Shawn told her.
"But daddy," Zuri whined leaning back to look at him.
"No buts. And I want it to be an easy bath, understand me?"
"Yes." Zuri grumbled hopping down and going over to own chair.
"Pills." Maddie reminded Shawn with a tap on his shoulder. Shawn stood up and walked over to the counter while the rest of room was served their food. He took out the seven day divider and grabbed the pills from the little box for the appropriate day. With a glass of sink water he was able to take his various pills and join his family with dinner.
From the table Juliet watched as Shawn took his pills. She could tell his dosage had changed since she'd last seen him.
Once dinner was over Shawn and Zuri went upstairs to attend to her bath while Juliet phoned her parents. Henry and Maddie cleaned up the kitchen with little conversation.
"Good night Juliet." Maddie smiled at her before walking down the hall towards her bedroom.
"Night," Juliet smiled back. "Thank you for letting me stay here." She stopped Henry as he tried to pass her.
"It's alright." He nodded and followed his wife. A few minutes later Shawn came down changed into his pajamas.
"Zuri's asleep?" Juliet questioned looking his way.
"Fast," Shawn sat next to her. Juliet put her hand in his hair and stroked his cheek with her thumb softly. "What's that for?" he asked.
Juliet shook her head and smiled, "It's just… I don't know. Seeing you with Zuri, it's nice. You're an amazing father."
"Thank you." His breath hitched in his chest.
"I regret letting you go when I did Shawn. I truly do." She moved her hand and leaned forward off the couch.
"We're here now. Together. And that's all that matters," Shawn told her standing up.
"You just don't get it do you?" Juliet walked off with a small smile heading up the stairs.
"Don't get what?" Shawn whispered chasing her like a puppy.
"Shh! You'll wake Zuri and your parents." Juliet hushed him opening his bedroom door. With Juliet as the new house guest Zuri had moved into her grandparents room, Shawn and Juliet staying in his room.
"Don't shush me." Shawn frowned shutting the door behind him. "What don't I get?"
"It's better if you figure it out on your own Shawn." Juliet said beginning to change into a pair of clothes she'd brought. "Trust me," She smiled softly at him. Shawn leaned away from the door and climbed into bed, patting the space beside him. Juliet took his invitation and soon they fell asleep.
Santa Barbara: 2014
"Jules please!" Shawn knocked on her door again. He knew she was home. Her car was parked in its spot and he could hear the faint sobs coming from inside. "There's more to the story than you know. You can't judge me until you've heard it." He knocked again but louder.
"Go away Shawn!" Juliet screamed at him.
Shawn sighed and rested his forehead against the door, "Juliet… please. I need you. I can't be without you. I love you so much baby I-!" The door was suddenly yanked away and Shawn had to catch himself from falling.
"No! If you loved me you would have told me!" Juliet's clothes were wrinkled and a trail of mascara ran from each eye. "You wouldn't have lied."
"I didn't have a choice." Shawn stressed.
"Liar!" Juliet snarled moving to shut the door. Shawn put his foot in the way and yelped as the door slammed into it. "Move!" Juliet commanded kicking at his foot. In her weakened and upset state her kicks were as pathetic as a child's.
"Let me explain. Please." Shawn begged putting a hand on the door.
"No, now leave me alone before I call Carlton." Juliet said.
Shawn scoffed, "You're going to call Lassie?"
"Carlton," Juliet hissed, "And if you don't get your ass away from my apartment I will call him."
"You won't call him." Shawn challenged looking her in the eye.
Juliet shook her head, "I will Shawn. So move your fucking foot before I dial his number." The look in her eye proved she wasn't playing around and the use of her language helped. Slowly Shawn pulled back his foot and the door slammed shut.
"Juliet you may not believe me but I love you. I love you so much and it hurt to keep this from you. But I had no choice. I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry." He gently put his hand on the door, "I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but all I ask is that you listen to the full story before you make any decisions. Please." With the final plea given and unanswered he left.
Santa Barbara: 2019
When Juliet awoke the next morning she found a pair of wide brown eyes staring into her own. "Zuri! You scared me."
"Did you sleep next to daddy all night?"
"Yes." Juliet mumbled rubbing her eyes. She sat up straight and felt Shawn's arm fall from her stomach and onto her lap. "Are you going to sleep here every night?" Zuri questioned peering over to her dad who was still sleeping.
Juliet nodded and watched as Zuri frowned slightly, "What?"
"If you're next to daddy that means I can't be…" Zuri grumbled grabbing the doll from the floor and clutching it to her chest. Juliet's face softened as she realized the issue.
"Oh kiddo I'm not going to take your dad away I just-" She was interrupted by a loud yell.
"Shawn! Juliet! Get down here!" Henry's voice was loud enough to wake Shawn who sat up.
"What's goin' on?" Shawn mumbled.
"I don't know." Juliet shrugged getting out of bed and putting a hand on Zuri's shoulder; Zuri ducked away and ran out of the room before Juliet could get a grip.
"She'll get used to you." Shawn stood up and stretched.
"I hope." Juliet left the room with Shawn behind her. Once down stairs they found Henry and Maddie in the living room. Both sitting on the couch with their attention to the TV they didn't notice the entrance.
"Dad what-?"
"Shh!" Henry turned up the volume. On the screen were pictures from the latest crime scene involving Carter Fisher. Soon the reporter began to speak, "This morning we received the identity of the man behind these crimes- from the killer himself, Donald Mike."
"Did you know about this?" Henry turned to Juliet.
"I just woke up," Juliet shook her head and picked up her phone from the coffee table dialing Carlton's number, "Did you see the news?" She paused for a few minutes. "Carlton didn't know about it either until he saw it." She walked into the kitchen.
"What the hell is happening?" Shawn shook his head watching the screen as a photo of the supposed killer was shown.
"How did the police not find out about this?" Maddie pulled Zuri onto her lap.
"Donald Mike… I've never even heard of that name." Shawn leaned onto the back of the couch with a sigh. This case got more and more complicated as time went on. The room fell into silence as the news continued past the case and towards new things.
"Donald Mike is being pulled in, we're needed down at the station." Juliet walked into the room and put a hand on Shawn's back.
"Let's go get dressed." Shawn nodded.
The two dressed quickly and rushed to the station arriving just as Mike was taken out of a squad car and led up the steps and into the station while the crowd of reporters pushed to talk to him. Shawn and Juliet squeezed passed them and into the door.
"Interrogation room two, Spencer you and I are observing." Carlton said meeting them in the hall. Shawn nodded and the three made their way in the direction of the rooms. Buzz was already waiting for them down the stairs.
"McNabb you're with O'Hara." Buzz nodded and entered the second room with Juliet while Shawn and Carlton entered the first. Donald Mike was a tall finely built man. Muscles protruded from his shirt and his eyes instantly fell on Juliet; he could tell she was the leader of the two. A single barbed wire tattoo ran across the expanse of his mid neck. Mike smiled eerily at her.
"Do you know why you're here?" Juliet opened with a simple question sitting across from him.
"Yeah. I murdered those kids." Mike's voice was deep with a jersey accent.
"How'd you kill them?" Juliet looked at a file in front of her.
"Drugs and alcohol. Then they crashed and died." Mike explained with a few hand gestures. From behind the glass Shawn watched him closely. It made no sense. Turner and Fisher had a connection to each other and to the deaths. Then comes this guy who has no link whatsoever.
"There's no way this guy is involved…" Shawn shook his head. Carlton sighed but said nothing.
"What drug did you use?" Juliet asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Roofie." Mike answered without hesitation. Juliet and Buzz shared a look before standing up and leaving the room. A few seconds later they joined Shawn and Carlton.
"What do you think?" Juliet stood close to Shawn so their shoulders were touching.
"He didn't do it," Shawn said still eyeing Mike.
"He confessed." Carlton shrugged, "Charge him."
"Are you serious?!" Shawn turned.
"He confessed Spencer! To a reporter. If we don't arrest him we'll be in a raining hell storm of news shit." Carlton faced Shawn. "Besides if he didn't do it, maybe we can draw the real killer out."
"If that doesn't work?" Shawn put his hands on his hips.
"Then you'll find him." Carlton left the room. Shawn shook his head at Carlton's exit. He knew he was just doing his job and Mike did confess. It was what every cop wanted, a confession. But a feeling in Shawn's gut told him this wasn't over with.
"He didn't do this." Shawn pointed at the large man.
Juliet pursed her lips, "I don't know Shawn. Turner is dead and we can't pin Fisher to this. Maybe Mike is the best the option right now."
"Best option? What the hell is that?" Shawn snapped.
"Shawn I don't know! I'm not psychic!"
Shawn's eyes fell to the ground, "I'm not either…"
"No you're not. So you can't tell me shit." Juliet pointed a finger at Mike. "He's the best suspect we have right now. It's him or nothing. Buzz get him."
Buzz reentered the room with the suspect and moved to stand him up. "Uh, what?" Shawn and Juliet turned to the mirror at Buzz's voice. In mere seconds Mike pulled out a shard of glass and stabbed Buzz in the chest.
"No!" Juliet shouted beginning to run to Buzz's aide. Mike took the shard from the gushing wound before he turned to the mirror and met Shawn's eyes. Shawn watched as Mike took the glass and slid it across the tattoo slicing his jugular. He fell to his knees as Juliet entered the room with her gun drawn. Juliet kicked the shard of glass away from Mike's hand then she turned to Buzz who was still alive.
"Officer down!" Shawn barely heard Juliet yell, his eyes glued to the blood rushing from the neck of Donald Mike.
Thanks for reading guys! Hopefully my next update gap won't be so long, I'll work on it!
