Chapter 10

Gus had a hard time waiting for Shawn's shift to be over, but since he couldn't step foot into the store without security being called, he had to. As Gus sat in the car, waiting for three thirty to roll around, he started going over in his head what he was going to say to his friend. He wasn't completely sure of what approach he should take. Normally he would just go up to his friend and tell him that he had a case, but that wouldn't work this time. Gus was truly at a loss.

Looking down at his watch Gus saw that it was three thirty-five. Crap! Shawn usually left work on time. Gus knew this, because he had been watching his friend very closely the passed few weeks. Looking around the parking lot, Gus almost missed seeing his friend start down the walk and over to the bus stop.

That was how it had been when Shawn had first changed his appearance. Ithad happened before Gus was kicked out of the store, and he had passed his friend three times in the canned fruit section before he recognized him.

Quickly starting up the car and putting it into gear, Gus drove over to his friend. Matching his pace, he rolled down the window and leaned out of the side a bit.

"Hey Shawn," Gus said, trying to get his friend's attention.

Shawn's face showed that he was debating on whether answering his friend or ignoring him, but it seemed that the new Shawn was too polite for the latter choice, so he picked the first.

"Hello Gus," Shawn said, his tone somewhat stiff.

"So Shawn...do you want a ride?"

Again, you could see the debate raging on Shawn's face.

"No thank y–" Shawn stopped when he saw the bus, that he was to take, drive away.Closing his eyes and exhaling deeply, Shawn said, "yes, please."

Gus stopped the car so that his friend could get into the passenger seat, then he started driving again. Gus was heading into the direction of his friend's home, but he wasn't planning on going that far.

"So..." Gus wasn't really sure where to start, so he just dove in, "we have a case."

"Let me out," was Shawn's instant reply.

"Wait Shawn, just hear me out."

"NO! You can't just kidnap someone and expect–"

"Wait, kidnap? I didn't kidnap you, you got into the car of your own accord."

"Oh, so if you let someone into your house and they take your stuff that's fine. That's not stealing?" Shawn shot back.

"Shawn this is a completely different situation."

"No it's not, so let me out."

Starting to feel like this was an unsafe conversation to be having in a moving car, Gus pulled into the nearest parking lot and parked.

"You're not going anywhere until you've heard me out," Gus said, locking the doors.

Shawn scoffed. "Yeah," he said, "like this is going to hold me." He then pressed the button to release his lock.

Gus re-locked the door, then grabbed the case file from the back of the car and continued talking.

"Her name is Cammy," Gus said, he had read the whole file, and had memorized the most important facts, "she is five years old and she disappeared from the back of her house two days ago. No one knows what exactly happened or who could have taken her, but it could have been anyone, because there had just been a funeral for her cousin, who was the same age, and there were people everywhere.

"Shawn this is right up your alley. All you need is something of the girl's and you'll be able to feel where she is."

"Gus," Shawn said, turning to look at his friend for the first time, "I am not psychic. I don't know where this silly notion of yours came from, but it needs to go. This is a job for the police."

"Who are you trying to kid?" Gus shouted, completely frustrated at his friend, "we both know that you're psychic, why are you denying it?"

"Because if I was psychic, why would I want to feel the pain of a little girl. What type of friend are you, for wanting that for me?" Tears were starting to well up in Shawn's eyes. Quickly he looked away.

"I'm the type that wants my old friend back," Gus whispered, then with a sigh, he said, "listen Shawn, you don't have to use your powers. You can solve the case the way you used to. Just come back." Gus reached out and placed a hand on his friend's arm.

The moment skin touched, Shawn jerked his arm back. With eyes flashing he turned to his friend and shouted, "don't touch me. Don't ever touch me!" Shawn looked absolutely feral.

"Why?" Gus shouted back, angry at his friend's stubbornness, "because you can feel my feelings harder when we're touching. Because it helps you to see what a jerk you've been lately?"

"Shut up!"

"Shawn, you can do amazing things, you can help this girl. You need to help this girl, you may be the only one who can."

Shawn gave a sardonic snort. "Is this where you say, 'with great powers come great responsibility'?" he asked.

"You know what? It is. If you have the opportunity and means for helping someone, and you don't, then that is just as good as killing them. If this little girl dies, it's your fault."

For a moment Gus and Shawn stared at each other.

Shawn gave a small snort and then said, "it's just one more thing to a long list." With that he unlocked his door and left.

Gus waited until Shawn was out of sight before he started driving again. He was planning on going to the police station and passing on the case file and job of talking to Shawn, to someone else. He had a feeling that Shawn wouldn't be talking to him for a while.

It wasn't until Gus had been driving for five minutes, that he realized that he was not heading for the police department, but another place entirely. But he recognized the streets that he was going down, so he continued on, he had business there too.

After a short ten minute drive, Gus had reached his destination. Henry Spencer's house. It really wouldn't hurt to have a talk with him. Maybe he had now cooled down enough to listen to sense.

As Gus cut the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt, he noticed another car parked in Henry's driveway. One that he had never seen there before. For a moment Gus reconsidered talking to his friend's Dad. The conversation that Gus wanted to have with the man, would be an awkward one to have with company around. Before Gus could actually make a decision, the front door slammed opened and he saw a very angry Karen Vick, stalk down the porch and over to the extra car. Looking up, Gus saw Henry watching her from his doorway and looking, if possible, even more angry than her.

The two angry adults glared briefly at each other, before Karen got into her car, slamming the door behind her, and drove off.

Gus chose that unfortunate moment to look up. Accidently catching Henry's eye, Gus receive the full wrath of his glare. That decided it. Now was definitely not a good time to talk with Henry.

Making haste, Gus pulled away from the curb and headed for the police station.

A/N: Sorry about the delay, school's been crazy and it's probably only going to get worse. I'll try to update as often as I can, but if I go through another long stretch of not updating, then be consoled by the fact that I will update again someday. I hate it when someone starts a fic and then stops, so I will not do the same. This story will end! Reviews are appreciated, thanks. -