The final chapter: A little closure goes a long way--but it still leaves a lot unsaid.

Still that same damn day...

'Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play.
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.'
"Yesterday," The Beatles

Epilogue

Juliet has finished her sandwich and is sipping her smoothie when she hears the whir of bicycle wheels to her right. She glances at the rider and does a double-take when she recognizes him. He does the same and skids to a stop in the grass next to where she is sitting.

"Jules?" Shawn takes off his sunglasses. He doesn't say anything else, just threads the arms of his sunglasses through the vents in his helmet.

"Hi Shawn," Juliet answers. She smiles and takes another sip of her smoothie. He's wearing black cargo shorts that come to just above his knees and a very loud red shirt that must have just surfaced from nineteen eighty-something.

Shawn's smile is broad and he leans his forearms on the handle bar. "So how are you?"

"Just taking my lunch."

"Yeah, paperwork always gives me cabin fever, too. Probably why I wasn't a very good student." She's about to ask him how he knew she was finishing reports, but he just taps his right temple twice. Then he chuckles a little. "Just kidding, Jules. You have that same frazzled look that I had when I passed the mirror in the psych office."

"Gee, thanks." She retorts.

"No, you still look good!" Shawn quickly corrects himself, and she raises an eyebrow at him. "I mean, pretty…" He's clawing for another word, "and…professional. Pretty good and professional. I just mean you look a little tired."

She laughs and shakes her head. "Thanks, Shawn."

"You're welcome," He says, looking away.

Juliet's sure that is the end of the conversation. Shawn will look to the ocean and then say something about seeing her around the station, and then he'll be gone. So she surprises herself when she asks, "So what have you been doing all morning?"

Shawn turns his attention back to her and his shades flash briefly in the sunlight. She notices that they're different from the ones he wears when he rides his motorcycle. "Filing," He states very proudly.

"Filing?" Juliet's confusion is obvious.

"Yeah." Shawn answers. "Let's just say that when I went to do taxes last April things got a little hectic. To make a long story short—since Gus is running his route and we don't have an appointment for…" he checks his watch, "three more days, I'm stuck doing all the boring stuff."

Juliet can't help herself. "Shawn, keeping good records is important; especially for accountability."

"My high school librarian used to say something like that too. But you know—I haven't used the Dewey Decimal System in at least ten years." He becomes serious and locks eyes with her. "You've never worked in a library, have you?"

"Um, no." She holds his gaze.

"Hmm, I bet you'd be a good librarian." He studies her a moment. "Very…professional." He finishes with a suggestive smile.

Now she has to look away. "Well, I'd never let you borrow a book. I'd probably have to chase you down to get it back."

"I wouldn't run very far." Shawn says. "I'm sure you could catch me."

Juliet laughs, "You're incorrigible."

"Something I pride myself on." He stands up straight, "Is that pineapple I smell?"

Juliet looks down at her drink. "Yeah," she answers, a little embarrassed that he's caught her.

"You feeling alright?" Shawn asks.

"Just trying to get enough vitamin C."

"One of the many benefits of pineapple," Shawn says knowingly.

"Why do you like pineapple so much?"

"That's a long story, Jules." Shawn replies. "Tell you what—I'll tell you that story the next time we do a stakeout together."

"Shawn, you can't go on a stakeout. You're not a cop."

"What are you talking about? I've already been on one stakeout with you and Lassy."

"You snuck into our car." Juliet reminds him.

"I still can't believe you guys didn't notice! And just for the record, I think you were right about Lassiter not being able to authorize his own stakeout." He fiddles with his brake levers a moment before speaking again. "Listen, Juliet. I'm sorry about yesterday—well, I'm sorry about the way I worked the whole case."

"Shawn—"

"Jules, please," he interrupts her. "I just…I wasn't on my game and I nearly lost it for us. But I'm especially sorry for the hostage incident at the airport. I promise I'll do everything I can to keep something like that from happening again."

"Shawn, I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yeah," Shawn says. "I think I see now why you're against interoffice romance."

Juliet doesn't know what to say, so she just smiles. It doesn't reach her eyes.

"Anyways, thanks for saving my life." There's a crisp snap! As Shawn clips a foot back into one of his pedals.

She can't wait any longer—she has to know. "Are you going to take that FBI test Ewing was talking about?"

Shawn grins. "Nah, I could never work in Washington—I hate wearing a suit."

Juliet remembers the Maxwell wedding, "Too bad, I bet you'd look very professional." She doesn't speak in such a flirtatious tone, but the effect is the same.

Shawn laughs, "It'll take a lot to get me in a suit again."

"I'll see what I can do about that." She says in a siren's voice, and is pleased to see Shawn is tinged red. But the moment of boldness leaves her, so Juliet stands up. "I should be getting back to work."

Shawn rides slowly beside her until she reaches her car. She waves goodbye as she pulls out of the parking lot, and after she turns the corner Shawn pedals back to the bike path.

Finale