He froze when he heard an unmistakeable click behind him.

"Really now," Nick spoke "Well that is interesting," He added as he pushed the barrel of the gun into Shawn's back. "Turn around slowly," He ordered and Shawn did as he was told, slowly pivoting on the spot until he was face to face with Nick, the gun now pointed at his face. "Now hand over those photos," Nick held out his hand and Shawn handed them over. Shawn started to panic. Nick was angry like he was the other times. Now Nick just looked calm and in control and Shawn knew how dangerous that could be. "Sit," Nick said forcefully and Shawn glanced at the couch behind him before slowly sitting down.

"We've got ourselves a little predicament here," Nick began.

"We do?" Shawn asked innocently.

"I warned you, not once, but twice to leave it alone, but you didn't seem to listen."

"My father will tell you I never listen."

Nick ignored him, "But you see; now I don't trust that you will keep your mouth shut."

"My father will also tell you I've never been able to keep my mouth shut," Shawn bit his tongue when Nick used the butt of his gun to strike Shawn across the face.

"That made me feel a whole lot better," Nick said with a smile.

Shawn spat out the blood, "Lucky you," He replied, earning another blow to the head. "If you're going to kill me then just kill me," Shawn shouted, "But stop playing around."

Nick grabbed Shawn's shirt, pulled him from the sofa and threw him over the coffee table. Shawn landed with a thud on the hard wooden floor and he cried out as pain flared through his body, reminding him he hadn't fully recovered from the beating he received the day before. "Patience Shawn," Nick said as he stood over Shawn's aching body. "Your father's not back from his walk yet and I need a scapegoat," Shawn's eyes widened as he noticed the gun Nick had been using was his father's.

"Everyone knew you and your father fought, It would be easy to believe that he shot you in the heat of the moment and that I, a young innocent police officer, who barely knew you, found your father standing over your dead body gun in his hand," Nick laughed.

"You won't get away with it," Shawn said through gritted teeth.

"Oh. Yes. I. Will." Nick punctuated each word with a kick to Shawn's gut.

"You think those photos are the originals?" Shawn asked, "I've made copies," He added then began to laugh. Nick bent down and punched Shawn in the face until blood was pouring down his face from a cut above his eye. His face had already begun to swell and Shawn could barely keep his left eye open.

"Photos can easily be faked," Nick answered, "You think I haven't covered all my bases? The only witness is you, and you're not going to be around that much longer,"

Shawn heard the back door open and close and Shawn sighed in relief.

"Look who's finally turned up to the party," Nick hissed. He picked Shawn up and held Shawn up as a shield in front of him, putting the gun against Shawn's head.

"Nick?" Shawn heard Henry's voice call from the other room.

"In here!" Nick shouted.

Henry walked into the room and then froze as he saw Nick holding a very beaten up Shawn hostage. His face darkened, "What's going on?"

"I told you so," Shawn mumbled to his father. Shawn earned a jab to the ribs for that one.

"You should have listened to you son Henry," Nick said, pulling Shawn tighter against him. "He got too close to the truth."

Henry looked at his son, wincing at the blood and the look of pain on his face "Are you okay?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow. Shawn replied with a look that said, "I've had better days."

"The truth?" Henry asked.

Nick didn't notice the silent conversation between father and son and ignored Henry's question, "I warned him, threatened him but he didn't seem to listen."

"Never has," Henry replied quickly. "You remember?" He asked Shawn silently.

Shawn thought back to when he was younger and the memory of a sunny afternoon in the garden came to mind. Henry had decided he was old enough to learn a few self defence moves, including how to get out of the grip of someone holding you hostage. At the time Shawn had just found the game fun, never realising he'd need what his father had taught him to get out of this situation.

Shawn gave his father a slight nod of his head. "Yeah, I remember." "Good."

Nick was still oblivious, "Now that you're here, I have someone to blame the murder on."

"I won't let you kill my son."

"Unfortunately you don't have a choice in the matter."

"That's where you're wrong," Henry gave Shawn the signal and the next thing Nick knew Shawn stamped on his foot, elbowed him in the chest and dropped to the floor like he remembered. At the same time Henry has rushed forward and had reached for the gun.

Nick and Henry wrestled for the gun whilst Shawn watched in horror on the floor. "Dad!" He shouted.

Nick kicked Henry in the shin and Henry cried out in pain, his grip on the gun loosened slightly giving Nick the chance to pull the gun out of Henry's grip. Before Nick could point the gun at Henry, Shawn pulled himself to his feet and tackled Nick to the floor. As Nick hit the floor the gun went off.

"Shawn!" Henry shouted, not knowing if the bullet had hit anything. He pulled Shawn off Nick and Punched Nick in the face with one hard blow, knocking him out cold. The gun dropped from his limp hand. "You okay?" Henry asked Shawn as he kicked the gun away.

"Not really," Shawn answered weakly.

Henry looked over at his son, "Oh God," He said as he saw the blood pouring from a bullet wound in Shawn's shoulder, soaking his shirt. A weak hand was trying ineffectively to stem the flow. Henry moved over to his son, ripped off his jacket and pushed it into the wound. Shawn moaned loudly and gritted his teeth. "I know it hurts Shawn," Henry had had is own share of bullet wounds during his time as a cop. Using his free hand he pulled his cell out of his jeans pocket, dialled 911 and shouted down the phone at an unsuspecting dispatch lady for the police and an ambulance.

Once he was sure the emergency services were on their way Henry dropped the phone and grasped Shawn's hand in his own. "Here, squeeze as hard as you want when the pain gets too bad."

"Thank-" Shawn tried to speak.

"Shh, don't try to speak," He told his son. "Save your energy, No dying on me you hear?" He ordered. "Your mother would kill me."

"Wouldn't…want that"

Henry chuckled, "Smart ass," Henry perked up when he heard the distinct sounds of sirens approaching. "Hear that? You just have to hold on a little longer," A couple of minutes later Shawn was surrounded by paramedics whilst police officer's handcuffed Nick and dragged the unconscious body towards the nearest police car.