A/N: The italics are Henry's thoughts.

Shawn did feel a little guilty about hanging up on Gus the way he did. But it had just been too weird. One moment he had been happy, excited and (due to his connection with Gus) a little confused. Then he suddenly felt creeped-out. He had felt this overwhelming sensation of everything feeling wrong and unnatural. And the worst of it was that he felt uncomfortable about himself. Like there was something wrong with him and like he didn't want to be talking to himself anymore. But that had been silly because he wasn't talking to himself, he was talking to Gus.

That's when it had dawned on him: that's how Gus was feeling. Gus was the one that was feeling all of those negative feelings.

So what else could Shawn have done? It was obvious that Gus hadn't wanted to talk to him and that he needed time to adjust to Shawn's newest psychic development. But Shawn wasn't going to hold a grudge against his friend, because before he had let go of Gus's tie, he had felt Gus's remorse. Besides he had bigger things to worry about now, because he had just arrived at his Dad's house.

Not bothering to prolong the torture that he was about to endure, Shawn clambered off of his bike and briskly made his way up the walk. Then he knocked three times on the front door and waited.

About a minute later, the door was swung open and Henry was standing in the door way.

"And here I thought that you were going to be late," was the greeting that Shawn received.

"Nice to see you too Dad," Shawn said in a mock-pleasant voice.

Henry looked out, over Shawn's shoulder. "I see that you're still riding that deathtrap," he said.

Shawn, also, looked over at his bike and replied, "yes. Yes I am. And that's not going to change. Even with your nagging."

'I don't nag. I'm just worried that you'll get hurt.'

"Dad you don't have to worry about me getting hurt. I am careful you know," Shawn said, looking back at his father and receiving a strange look that he didn't quite understand.

"Come on inside," Henry said, opening the door a little wider and stepping aside. "Dinner will be ready soon."

" 'Kay," Shawn said, entering the house of his childhood. "So...how are things going for you? Get any fishing done lately?" Shawn asked, trying to make polite small talk.

'Is that all that you think that I do?'

"Yeah, I got some fishing done," Henry said, "and some gardening. Nothing that you would consider exciting, but many people do enjoy."

'Life isn't all about excitement. I really wish you'd find joy in the simpler things.'

"I like life on the fast lane," Shawn said, following his father into the kitchen and sitting down at the table as his father headed over to the counter and started cutting up greens for the salad. "And I do think that you do more than fish. You take bubble baths and go to horse races wearing hideous shirts that make people go blind. Or at least wish that they would."

"What are you talking about?" Henry asked, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at his son, before turning back to his chopping.

"What do you mean, what am I talking about? I'm commenting on what you're telling me."

Henry gave a sarcastic snort, "then I don't think that we're having the same conversation."

'I swear, sometimes that kid's got a screw loose.'

Shawn's jaw dropped a little, in disbelief. His father had never said anything like that to him before.

"Dad, I can't belie..." Shawn trailed off, his eyes widening and mouth opening up even more, as he realize what exactly it was that his father had said. He had said: "I swear, sometimes that kid's got a screw loose". NOT: "I swear, sometimes you've got a screw loose". He hadn't been speaking to Shawn, but he had been speaking about him.

"Oh my gosh," Shawn whispered, his hand coming up and covering his mouth. He had heard his father's thoughts. Like he had actually spoken them! That hadn't happened before. Because before he only sensed what people were thinking. He had only received impressions to his mind.

As quickly as the shock had come to Shawn, it disappeared and was replaced by annoyance. It figured that his father would be the one person that Shawn could hear the actual thoughts of. That his would be the thoughts that invaded his mind. It was because his father was emotionally unsound, or something like that. Shawn was sure of it.

"Shawn are you okay?" Henry asked, having looked at his son and seen the deep annoyance that was written across his face.

"Huh?" Shawn asked, looking at his dad and erasing whatever emotion it was that was playing across his face. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. I just, zoned out there for a moment."

"Yeah," Henry said, turning back to his salad. "You know, I heard about all of the cases that you've helped solve in the past few weeks. It sounds like you did a lot of good work, without looking for glory. Just taking the cases as they are and not looking for more. Glad to see you've learned self-control"

'I'm proud of you.'

Shawn's head snapped up and he looked at his father. Had he just heard him right? No. He hadn't heard him. He had heard him. That hadn't been something that Shawn was supposed to hear. But supposed to hear or not, it really threw Shawn for a loop. His dad...proud...of him? It just didn't sound right.

"Yeah," Shawn said, "a lot of cases." Then wanting to get off the subject of his cases, Shawn said, "I'm actually really wiped out from all of the work. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't guilted me into it."

Henry gave a light chuckle as he put the salad on the table and then went over to the oven to get the fish that he had cooked out.

"I swear," Shawn continued, "it's like a superpower, because no one can guilt me like you can."

"Oh I'm not the only person that can do that Shawn," Henry said as he put the pan of fried fish on the table, "all parents can do it. It's the only power that we have against our kids."

'Not that it ever really worked on you.'

"Obviously it worked on me, because I'm here," Shawn said, instantly realizing that his father hadn't said that last part aloud.

"What?" Henry asked, setting two glasses of water on the table.

Shawn's eyes widened, ever so slightly, in panic. "Nothing," he said quickly, "I didn't say anything. You're hallucinating!"

"What? Shawn what are you talking about? Are you feeling alright?"

'He's acting even more screwy than usual.'

"I am not," Shawn said indignantly.

"You 'are not' what? Not alright?"

"No, I'm fine!" Shawn snapped more angry at himself, for not being able to keep his mouth shut, than at his father. Who was feeling a combination of annoyance and worry (amongst other things).

"Well you sure aren't acting fine," Henry said, sitting down across from Shawn and looking him over.

'He looks like he's seen a ghost. Probably hasn't rested for the past two weeks. Doesn't look like he's been taking good care of himself. Needs to get a real job.'

Shawn couldn't help but stare at his father as those thoughts raced across his mind. 'Cause Shawn had heard his father say some of those things before, but there had never been an ounce of worry or care in the words. That wasn't the case now, and it was wigging Shawn out.

"I'm sorry that I'm acting weird. It's just been a long week, and I need to get some rest."

"You be sure that you do...later. Right now, you're eating dinner."

"Yes sir," Shawn said.

The two ate the dinner in silence. Or at least, 'in silence' on a physical level. Shawn unfortunately continued to hear his father's thoughts. Some of them being just as rugged as Henry appeared to be, but others being softer. Showing Shawn a side of his father that he never knew existed.

"Well," Henry said once dinner was over and he was walking Shawn to the front door, "it was good seeing you again. Be sure to take better care of yourself."

'And come again soon. I like seeing you. Even when it's for a case, but especially when it's a social call.'

Shawn almost winced at the slight pleading tone in his father's thoughts. Tonight Shawn had learned more about his father, and his father's thoughts on him, than he even knew existed. Than he had ever wanted to know did exist. He had been in a scary place.

"Yeah, I will," Shawn said, and with a wave of his hand he was off.

ScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplaceScaryplace

Shawn was at his favorite bar, with the plan of getting as drunk as he possibly could in mind.

His father loved him. He wanted what was best for him. He wanted more for him. Wanted more of him. Was proud of him. Disappointed with him. Thinks he could do better. Thinks he could do worse. Has done worse. Needs to grow up. Has already grown up. Wishes that they had more in common. Wants Shawn to have more pride in his work. In his life. For his things. For his father.

Shawn's father's mind had been a freaking roller-coaster. First he felt one way. Then he felt another. Then he felt neither. Then he felt both, but with an emphasis on one.

Now all Shawn wanted to do was get drunk and forget about the whole ordeal.

Suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere, and Shawn usually would have ignored it (if he didn't then he'd get seasick) but it had been a shift to the familiar. Someone who Shawn knew well had just entered the building. Someone who Shawn loved to annoy. Someone who had just spotted Shawn and now wanted to get out of there before he was seen himself. Someone who could be a vent for Shawn's unease. And it was going to be fun.

"It's to late to run Lassie. I already know you're here," Shawn called out, making a point of not turning around.

Lassiter cringed when he heard Spencer call out to him. The last thing that he wanted to do was get into it with the fake psychic.

"Come on and have a drink with me. You've nothing better to do," Shawn said, his tone off-hand.

"I have plenty better to do," Lassiter snapped, not moving from his spot.

"Oh, so that's why the Chief sent you home," Shawn said sarcastically. "Come on, we both know that you've worked yourself into a frazzle and that the Chief sent you home for some well deserved rest. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Shawn finished, taking a light sip of his drink.

"How did you know that?" Lassiter demanded, approaching Shawn and stopping right behind him.

"Uh, hello?" Shawn said, pointing at his head.

"When are you just going to give it up? We both know that you're not psychic."

Shawn was barely able to refrain from scoffing and instead said, "oh come on now Lassie, we both know that your resolve is wavering. I feel it. These past two weeks have been a real blow to your beliefs. You just don't understand how I was able to solve all of those cases so quickly. Even a sharp mind can't make up for what I did."

"I don't think that you're psychic. I'll never believe that you're psychic," Lassiter growled.

"Then how did I know that you were here?" Shawn challenged.

"You turned around."

"When?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Then how did I know that the Chief sent you home?"

"You overheard her."

"When? I left the station before noon."

"You came back!"

"I couldn't have. I was having dinner with my dad. Ask Gus."

Lassiter paused for a second in confused contemplation at Shawn's statement ('I was having dinner with my dad. Ask Gus?'). Unfortunately a second was all that Shawn needed, to continue.

"And how do I know that when you were sixteen you had a pet bunny named Ralf?"

"How did you kn— no I didn't!"

"And that for two awkward years of you life, your favorite color was pink?"

"I was seven!" Lassiter defended.

"And how do I know," there was a smugness in Shawn's voice, that hadn't been there before, "that a big reason for you not liking me, has nothing to do with me being psychic? It's because I'm good at what I do. It's because I show you up. You're afraid that someday I may replace you. Now really Lassie, I think those fears are irrational. No one could ever replace you."

There were a few moments of silence, before Shawn suddenly gave a theatrical gasp and laughed. "Really Lassiter," Shawn said, "I really wish that you would stop thinking about calling me an idiot and other words that I don't feel appropriate to repeat. It hurts my feelings."

"How did you... No, never mind. I don't want to know," and with that Lassiter turned around and started to leave.

"Okay," Shawn said, still refusing to turn around, "drive safely. And I hope you enjoy your new book."

At the last thing that Shawn said, he heard Lassiter stumble over (or into) something. And he felt Lassiter look at him shocked, for a moment, before quickly hurrying out of there.

Shawn smirked to himself. That had been fun. And now, no longer feeling the need to get drunk, he quickly gulped down the rest of his drink and left the building.

The sun was starting to set and it was seasonably warm out, making Shawn want to just walk around for the pure joy of walking. But he couldn't, because he had ridden his bike to the bar and he didn't want to leave it there.

Shawn sighed. It looked like he was going to have to ride it over to the Psych office (it was closer than his house) before he could go for his walk.

Shawn mounted his bike and started to put his helmet on, but stopped when he caught sight of another familiar face.

"Juliet. Juliet. Jules, over here," Shawn called out, waving one hand in the air frantically, as the other held his helmet.

Juliet looked up from the magazine that she was reading, and waved back at Shawn.

Excited at her pleased aura, Shawn quickly scrambled off of his bike and sprinted over to the end of the street, where Juliet was waiting at the corner.

"Hi," Shawn panted once he had reached Juliet.

"Hi," Juliet said, obviously amused at Shawn's excitement.

"So the Chief sent you home too?" Shawn asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Yeah," Juliet said with a sigh.

"That's too bad. I know you really wanted to get those reports typed up."

For a moment Juliet looked surprised, but then she remembered what Shawn was and smiled.

"Yeah," she said, "I really did." Then she looked at Shawn thoughtfully. "You know," she finally said, "you left the station pretty quickly today."

Shawn shrugged, "just needed a break, I guess."

"Yeah. You've really been on fire the past two weeks. You're doing a great job. I'm really impressed. So's everyone else. Including Lassiter, though he won't admit it." Shawn smirked. "But," Juliet said, the atmosphere around her suddenly shifting, causing a shiver to run up Shawn's spine, "you seem to be a little off," her tone was concerned.

Shawn absolutely loved that about Juliet. You never knew what she was feeling, until the exact moment that she was feeling it. Her thoughts would turn on a dime and her mind was constantly shifting. She was like the ocean and her thoughts and feelings were endlessly changing with the wind. It was exhilarating.

"You're the only one who's not bothered," Shawn said quietly.

"What?" Juliet asked, confused by the sudden shift in the conversation.

"You're the only person who is not bothered by my powers. Chief Vick is generally accepting, but mostly amused or annoyed, depending on the situation. Lassiter mostly just wants to kill me, and at the moment is wholly freaked out. Gus...well apparently I make his skin crawl. And my dad just doesn't understand. Never will. But you..." Shawn took a step closer to Juliet, "you believe me. My powers don't scare you. You accept me as I am."

"Shawn," Juliet said, taking a step back and looking at Shawn with concern, "are you feeling okay?"

Shawn sighed and took a few steps away from Juliet. He had been to intense. "Yeah," he said, "I'm fine. Just need to go and get some sleep. I'll see you later," Shawn said, turning around and starting to walk away. "Oh, and be safe when picking your cats up from the groomers. The streets are really busy this time of day," Shawn called out, not turning around and continuing on towards his bike.

"Th...thank you," Juliet called out, before Shawn was out of earshot.

Shawn didn't pay much attention to his surrounding as he reached the Psych office, so thinking it was safe, he went inside to get a drink of water. But the moment he entered the office, he felt Gus's presence.

Shawn sighed, then called out, "Gus I forgive you, so you can stop hiding."

There was a thud from the other room and then Gus appeared in the doorway. "I wasn't hiding," he said annoyed. "I was waiting for you." Then Gus suddenly looked uncomfortable, "I... I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier. I didn't mean to–"

"What?" Shawn interrupted, "didn't mean to feel that way? Gus, a persons' feelings are private and I invaded that. I'm not supposed to have access to the dark recesses of your mind. You never wanted me to know how you felt, because you were planning on getting over it. Dude, I can't get mad at you for feeling. Now if you actually told me how you felt, then we'd have a problem."

"So you forgive me?" Gus asked.

"I have to. There's no fun in torturing you when I can feel how sad you are."

Gus gave Shawn a look.

"Come on Gus, you know I could never be mad at you."

"Thanks," Gus said, the tension in the room immediately evaporating. "So how was dinner with your dad?"

"Ugh," Shawn groaned, "you'll never believe what I had to endure."

Gus smirked. "I can't wait to here this."

"Well you'll have to, because before I tell you anything I must be fed."

"But you just ate at your Dad's."

"You're point?"

Gus smiled and shook his head. Shawn would always be Shawn.

A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed that chapter and I'm happy to say that I was able to get it to you much sooner than I had anticipated. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the character interaction, and I apologize now for any OC-ness of the characters. But keep in mind that you are getting a look into the part of them that they don't show the world. Also, I am done typing the next chapter so I should have it up soon. But I think I'm going to be evil and say that I'm not going to post it until I get at least five reviews. Muahahahaha. Yes, I am so evil. :3