Disclaimer: I own nothing from the TV show, Psych. Its characters belong to the cast and crew as does the show of Fear Itself. Any copyright infringement is unintended and may be reported to me.
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3. Psychedelic
Juliet couldn't really get enough sleep. She tossed and turned the entire night, watching the lights of cars going past their window. The wall clock ticked tediously. She blinked up at the dark ceiling, rubbing her thumb over Shawn's knuckles.
Shawn was sleeping like a snoring baby. His breathes were deep and unbroken. She stared at his slack face, wondering how a person like him could be framed as a murderer.
The person marrying you is a serial killer.
She shuddered on the inside. Think of something different... something different.
She couldn't find much into Father Chris' accident. It had been tough enough to sneak into the station with anyone actually registering her. To go through all the files would take hours. There was nothing connecting to another case or any possible leads.
For all she knew, it could have been a drunk who ran his Prius off the road and knocked him to the ground.
Juliet rolled over and got out of bed. Shawn's snoring hitched but got back its pace.
One glass of milk should do the trick. She really needed her sleep. The wedding was so close. Nothing else could go wrong.
While pouring herself the milk, she made her decision. She would not worry about the note. She would not stress over Father Chris. Everything will go as planned. Nothing bad can happen on the most important and happiest day of my life.
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Next morning, Shawn looked like himself again. Juliet remembered seeing him tense and rigid during dinner. That had made her think about the note again. As though the Shawn who had been sitting in front of her matched the subject of the note.
But this was her fiancé. And nothing could go wrong as long as they were together and the trust was as palpable and potent as the love.
Even as she thought that, he looked up and smiled. The smile didn't look welcoming.
Juliet stopped in the action of grabbing her purse. They were supposed to pick up the tuxedos and dresses today. Marsha would be meeting them at the shop. They were late.
"What?" Shawn asked. The disturbing look on his face vanished. It was replaced with concern.
She stood staring at him. She could have sworn that there was something wrong in that instant. The entire morning had been filled with intense doubts. Every time Shawn gave her a strange look, she couldn't help but think of the note. Juliet was well aware that he was probably worried about her awkward behavior. As much of a trained detective she was, Shawn was one of the few people who she could not keep secrets from.
I should tell him about the note.
What? Another voice in her head sprouted up. That's not done. The note says that Shawn is a serial killer. Logic says that you can't show the note to him. What if he is one and he decides to cut off all loose ends?
What about trust?, Juliet argued. I've known him for nearly eight years!
He lied to you for a majority of that time. A bona fide psychic he is not!
He did that to save him own skin. Not for the intention of hurting anyone, least of all me.
Exactly, his skin is worth more than you, Juliet.
"Jules?" Shawn sounded worried now. Juliet gave him a tight lipped smile. Great, she had a voice in her head telling her to not trust her fiancé. Unfortunately, the facts pointed out by the voice were hard to ignore.
He had lied to her. He had lied to almost everyone happily. He enjoyed pulling the wool over their eyes. He was amazing at catching the smallest hints and clues and he had once even tried to clean up a crime scene for Gus.
He could have been on the wrong side of the law. In fact, the only thing that supported Juliet's trust in Shawn was the manner in which Henry had brought him up.
But even then, it was clear that if Shawn wanted to escape the law, he could. He was possibly the best candidate to come up with the perfect murder.
Juliet shuddered. Shawn was still watching her. She wondered if he was planning her death.
"Jules? You look pale." He said. He was really good at being anxious. She exhaled and smiled.
Shawn loved her. She loved him. He wasn't like that. He was a normal person with no psychopathic tendencies. How could she even think of him like that?
He stepped forward to hold her hands. She relaxed. He brushed her hair back and they stood, almost nose to nose.
"Are you tired?" He seemed perfectly normal. She liked that.
"Yeah, it's just... look, my hands are shaking."
She watched him turn her palms over, gently. Juliet almost laughed at herself. What had she been thinking? Shawn would never hurt her or anybody.
"It's the stress." He said. He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears and leaned in for a kiss.
The moment their lips touched, Juliet froze. Her fingers went stiff and she inhaled hard through her nose. He was standing too close. He could strangle her. He could snap her neck. Maybe push her. She would probably hit her head on something on the way down like in the movies. Then Shawn would panic and move her body and spread the evidence around to look like someone had broken in and had murdered her.
He'd get away scot free.
Shawn pulled back, looking confused. "You're not kissing back? What's wrong?"
Juliet tried to relax. Calm down; don't give away your position.
"It's nothing. Wedding jitters. I'll feel better after the whole thing." She promised him.
He nodded looking uncertain. Juliet was starting to panic. He had found out. He knew that she knew. Someone had sent her the note to warn her. He was going to kill her.
"It'll be a wonderful ceremony. Nothing will go wrong." Shawn wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Three days from now, we'll be on our honeymoon. Two weeks of relaxing under the sun, ocean view from the villa, the whole deal. Did you know? There are tiny flea markets outside the resort? I can't wait to see those flea circuses. Ever since I've seen the dancing fleas on cartoon shows, I've always wanted to see those fleas doing those acrobatic stunts. Should we bring our own microscope for that?"
It was like magic. Juliet calmed down instantly. That was the Shawn she knew and loved. She lifted her head and pecked his lips.
He looked satisfied. They left the house and got into the car, feeling infinitely better about the whole episode. Juliet watched him struggle with the seat belt as she started the engine.
Her phone rang.
"Just a sec." She muttered, looking at the screen. 'Lassiter calling.'
"O'Hara speaking."
Shawn closed his eyes as a way of polite indifference. But she knew he'd be listening in. She hoped Carlton would speak in a lower register.
"I check the records. Looks like Allison Cowley's still behind bars. Or should I say glass? She was admitted into the Sing Sing Asylum after the trial. No visitors, no outside communications."
Juliet relaxed. Allison Cowley had been the bait and perpetrator of getting Shawn and Gus almost killed. They'd even met Mr. Yin in the process. If it hadn't been for Yang...
But the troubling news was, if Allison hadn't sent the note as a prank, then who else could have had a vendetta out for Juliet and Shawn? There were several she had arrested, several more Shawn had locked up. It was unsettling. She couldn't send the note for forensics since her own prints would be mixed up with the culprit's from all the manhandling she had done to the piece of paper.
"Alright, then. Did you check up on any recent parolees or anyone else who had been released?"
"Yes. No one's been free for the past three and a half months. The last familiar face was Carl Dozier. He moved away to San Francisco five months ago. Good riddance."
Juliet remembered that case. Carl Dozier had been arrested for breaking and entering and for robbery, nothing too strenuous. He had even handed himself to prevent any casualties in a standoff between his father and the police. She didn't think that Carl could do something like this though. She ruled him out.
"That's fine then. Just keep me posted."
"10-4. Do you think one of these lowlifes will crash your wedding?"
"Something like that." Juliet turned her head minutely to look at Shawn. His head was leaning against the side, turned away from her. It looked like he was asleep.
"I'll bring all eight of my home guns for protection. Don't worry, O'Hara. If anything, it's Spencer whose gonna get the cold feet."
"Thanks," She muttered, shaking her head. She cut the call. Shawn looked up.
"Were you calling about Father Chris?"
She debated on how to answer. "Something like that."
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Marsha looked pissed. She was Llyod's younger sister and the first person Juliet had found a long-lasting friendship with. Regardless of the age and distance, they found time to talk for hours once a week. There was no one else who could take the place of Matron of Honor.
Apparently, Juliet and Shawn were late.
"You didn't confirm with the caterer?!" She shrieked at Shawn. Juliet muffled her giggles.
They had just left the boutique with all the clothes they'd need. Shawn had grumbled about the monkey suit but a well placed glare from Marsha kept him quiet.
"Honestly, Juliet. You'd think men can follow single simple things, but apparently not! Bless you and your chained life."
Marsha turned her back on them and Shawn stuck out his tongue at her. Juliet elbowed him.
"Right, to business. I've booked another Priest. Same church, same timing. It's luck. Let's hope nothing else falls in the way. You've been keeping up with the wedding diet?"
"You came up with that diet? I should have known." Shawn huffed.
"Yes, it's going great. I feel like I'm glowing." Juliet answered. She felt much happier now than back at the house.
"Please don't tell me you're pregnant." Marsha whispered, opening the door to her car. She had a look of utter horror on her face. With the afternoon sun beating down upon them, Juliet had the sudden urge to laugh.
"What? No!"
"It's too early for that." He agreed. He gave an exaggerated sigh and wiped his forehead.
"Thank goodness. I haven't started to fantasize about your children yet. Try next year, will you?"
Shawn gave a hysterical giggle. "Yeah, sure. Would you like a girl? A boy? Twins? Triplets?"
Marsha looked unimpressed. She turned to Juliet and said, "Good luck."
As she drove away, the couple watched the Mini Van becoming smaller in the horizon.
"Jules, your best friend is mean to me."
She gave a shrug and kissed his cheek. "Sorry about that. She just thinks that I'm rushing into this."
He shot her an incredulous look. "We've been dating for three years."
"I meant the engagement. I think she would have liked a longer engagement. She says people think of breaking up around three weeks after the proposal."
They reached her car and got in. The dresses were carefully packed in the seats behind them and Juliet wondered if Marsha was right. Were they moving too fast?"
"I don't believe that." Shawn replied complacently. "We've had our fights and disagreements in the past and we're still together. Jules, we're getting married because we stuck together despite the problems. Don't focus on the bad parts."
He shot her a glamorous look. "I love you."
She relaxed. "I love you too."
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Things went downhill after that. The last minute calls to the church were made. Hotel bookings were re-confirmed, Shawn finally visited the catering service, the ceremony party people were talked with and Juliet still found herself on the edge.
Gus would be picking up Shawn that evening. He packed in his suitcases for the trip and Juliet sat on the bed to watch him. He seemed tense again. In the fading light of the late evening, she could imagine him drawing out a butcher's knife from amidst the clothes.
She swallowed. Her gun was in the nightstand drawer. It was closer to him at the moment. Would he do that? Would he use her own gun to kill her?
He zipped up the bag and leaned it upright against the bed. "I didn't realise how many clothes I have. It's all your fault, Jules. You bought me half those shirts. I was perfectly fine with Gus' share."
She forced on a smile. "Well, Gus was complaining. Plus, the shirts I bought you fit you perfectly."
Shawn rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, I think you wear my shirts more often than I do."
"That's only in the morning. You always fling away my blouse when we get into bed."
He pocketed his hands and waggled his eyebrows. "Do I?"
He sat on the bed next to her. Juliet stiffed for an instant, before moving away. "Not now."
He looked confused. "Okay. Jules, you don't look too well."
She didn't feel well at all. He placed his hand on her forehead and then neck. She pushed it away.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I told you. Wedding jitters."
He stared at her, frowning. "It's not just the stress. You've been acting weird since yesterday. You've been keeping something from me."
In that instant, her body went on high alert. He was going to kill her. She closed her fists, ready to defend herself.
"I'm not keeping anything from you." She said through her teeth.
Shawn gave a short un-amused laugh, "You look like you're ready to run. What's the matter?"
"Nothing's the matter! Stop asking me that!" She got up and almost rushed out of the bedroom. She hoped Gus would reach to get him away from her –
His hand closed around her upper arm and he pulled her to face him. She had never seen Shawn look so angry.
"Do I look stupid? I know you've been acting strange. I saw you in the police department. I saw you talk on the phone when I had called. You said you were in the hotel to confirm the reservations but I saw you leaving the department. Why were you lying to me?"
The grip on her arm tightened. She glared at him and yanked away. "You don't have to yell. I can't believe you were following me!"
"I wasn't following you. I was in the station to check on Father Chris' hit and run case."
"Weren't you the one who told me to drop it?"
She knew it. There was something wrong with him. His eyes didn't have the usual happy gleam anymore.
"I thought you were worried about him. I checked in on him in the hospital and then went to the station. Besides, where the hell were you when I almost got run over?"
She stared. "What?"
He sneered. She took a step back. "I was walking to the station from the hospital. A black Prius was doing the re-enactment of Fast and Furious and apparently, I was in the way. My dad had called the department and at least seven officers had rushed out to get me. Even Lassi. So, where were you?"
Juliet breathed hard. Where was she? She had sneaked in, slipping through the doors, with a nod and a smile. Most officers hadn't questioned her and she had kept her distance from the Chief and her partner. The records room had been her destination and she had spent more than an hour sifting through the files to check on any case she had worked closely with Shawn – anyone perp who had reason to go after the two of them. The first on her list had been Allison Cowley, but with her ruled out, there were too many others.
But most of the people arrested had equal reason to hate Carlton, Gus, Henry and several others from the department. Juliet couldn't find anyone who could actually be sick enough to send the note.
The person marrying you is a serial killer.
Juliet looked up at Shawn. She steeled her breath. "I was looking through the previous cold cases of hit and run. There were a good number of them."
A thought struck her. "Wait! Witnesses said that the car that had hit the Father was a black Prius."
"You're focusing on that? Man, and I thought I had ADD."
"Shawn." She complained, pushing him away and walking towards the couch in the living room. Someone had sent her the note. Someone had tried to run over the Father presiding over their wedding and then someone had tried to do the same to Shawn. Someone was definitely trying to ruin the wedding.
Juliet wondered if she should tell Shawn about the note.
"You know, if you really don't want to get married, why don't you just tell me?"
She looked up shocked. Shawn's face was set in harsh lines. He really was angry.
"It's nothing like that. God, Shawn. You can't think like that! Can we please stop fighting? I don't like this."
"Well, neither do I! Why did you have to lie to me?"
"I didn't want to worry you!"
His shoulders went taut. "That's all? There was nothing else?"
Her chest was heaving. Blood pumped and roared in her ears. The adrenaline rush was powerful and she didn't know if she wanted to run away from him or tackle him to the ground.
Shawn answered for her. He grabbed the tops of her shoulders and the kiss that followed was long, hard and endless.
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