A/N: A shorter chapter – but that's okay because there's more coming. Probably within the next 2-4 days depending on work and personal plans. Hope you enjoy!

~ Matilda

A Father Knows and Now So Does the Detective

When Shawn had left the station, he did what any logical adult his age would do. He went straight to his dad in a huff. "Dad!" He called out to make sure his dad was home. "Dad!"

"What? !" Henry came around the corner in his usual fashion; he looked Shawn over with a bemused look. "You look like you just got slapped."

"Not slapped." Shawn promised. "Just – antsy. The current case is driving me up a wall. I can't seem to get my self into proper form, got any coffee?"

"You don't need it." Henry looked stern suddenly, and he pointed to the nearest chair. "Sit your ass down. Start talking." He was using his cop voice. Shawn thought it was a little funny; his dad's cop voice was intimidating, while Lassie's cop voice had the capability of making Shawn want to drop his pants.

"So talking…" Shawn said. "What would you like to know?"

"Tell me about your case."

"Well it all started 3 nights ago when Lassie started calling us all up and saying that I was dead."

"This is the case you're working on now?"

"Yes." Shawn said. "It took some convincing but I finally got on it – easy peasy… At least finding the murder weapon was. Like I said I can't seem to get my foot up on this one."

"Maybe it just isn't your case." Henry said. "Happens to the best of us, there's always one job – where no matter how you approach it, it doesn't work. Just give it back Carlton."

Shawn pouted "but I don't wanna."

"Your will astounds me." Henry shook his head. "Look, I'm telling you this not because I'm trying to discourage you – but because I've been there. This isn't your case."

"It has to be." Shawn said then. "I was the only one who could look at the victim and not be freaked out by what he looks like. In retrospect, I should probably be able to solve this one solo."

Henry gave a harsh "ha!" followed by his index finger pointed right at Shawn's face. "In this case what you just said is the complete opposite of the truth. Shawn of all the people concerned about the victim's looks you're the one whose more afraid. Me personally? I had my moment of grief – I truly thought you were gone, but now that I see you're not. I'm perfectly okay. I could walk right up to the victim's body and do a jig if I really wanted to."

"You're serious?" Shawn didn't believe him. "Well if that's the case – what the hell is wrong with me?"

"You expect me to know?" Henry took his finger out of Shawn's face then. "I don't know – hell, my best guess is that under this cool demeanor you're carrying there's this underlying concern that maybe you were supposed to be the victim all along. But now that it's out that you're still alive, you might still be a target. There are a lot of crazies in the world who believe 'psychics' are advocates for the devil. Any one of them wouldn't think twice about ending your life. You might think you're on the case – but you're lying low."

Shawn gawked. "Did you move into my brain or something – Did Dr. Phil possess your baldness?"

"A father knows Shawn." Henry said simply. "Now – how about that coffee you wanted?"

Shawn agreed and soon Henry was pouring his son a cup of coffee. "Here's one." Henry went on. "What exactly happened to make you come running here?"

"Well, you know how the victim looks like me?"

"Of course." Henry mused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well." Shawn went on. "We recently found the murder weapon."

"And?" Henry poured himself a cup.

"It looked familiar, it was a letter opener. One I was positive I had seen before."

"That letter opener – the same one you got for that bloke when you were 17?"

At that moment Shawn had been sipping his coffee, and his dad's response made him choke and sputter. "Hold up!" Shawn said when he got his breathe back. "You knew about that?"

"A father knows Shawn." Henry repeated himself and just continued to drink his coffee. "Personally I thought you could do better- but what the hell was I going to say? 'Stop getting porked?' I've scarred you enough as a child."

"I see…" Shawn said. "Well The letter opener looked uncanny, so I had to investigate. I went to Marcus' house to ask some questions."

"Going to a suspect's house alone…" Henry scoffed a bit. "I raised you so well."

"He's not technically a suspect." Shawn said then. "He said he threw out the letter opener."

"He threw out the letter opener alright." Henry agreed. "Right into that guy's chest."

"Throat." Shawn corrected.

"Classy." Henry commended him. "Shawn – he's a suspect. He has to be brought in."

"Oh he will be." Shawn promised. "He was at the station earlier. Just wanted to talk to me, but when Gus mentioned him to Lassie, well I can only assume if Lassie hasn't hog tied him and dragged him in by now. He's getting there."

"You mean you didn't stick around to see the show?"

"Why would I?" Shawn asked.

"If a guy who hit me once got brought in for questioning, I'd be front row center." Henry said. "Call me a sadist."

"Wait…." Shawn tilted his head. "You knew about the hit too?"

"A father knows Shawn." Henry wondered how many times he'd have to say that line to make Shawn listen.

"How come you didn't do anything?" Shawn had to ask.

"I couldn't." Henry said. "I wanted to – believe me I did, but that would've been invading your privacy. I knew you were an idiot and I was worried but I knew you wouldn't be going back there."

"And yet – you pressed charges on me for stealing your car." Shawn almost laughed. "He works in mysterious ways…"

"Not mysterious." Henry replied. "You stole my car you idiot, and by then you were legally an adult. Privacy or not, theft is still a crime."

And so was hitting someone. Gus told Lassiter everything he knew – which wasn't a whole lot, but it was enough that Lassiter had himself a suspect. Juliet and McNabb were sent to Marcus' to collect him for questioning, as for Lassiter? He was driving currently. The cruiser moved through traffic easily and Lassiter was certain he knew where Shawn had run off to. He pulled up to Henry's within 20 minutes of leaving the station. He was right, as soon as he was exiting his car – Shawn was coming out of the front door and heading down the lawn.

"What are you doing here?" Shawn greeted the detective with just a little discomfort in his voice.

Lassiter paused for a second – he looked Shawn over like he was looking for scars. Gus told him that this guy had hit him. Sure it was years ago, but the idea still stung. Maybe Lassiter would've been able to shrug it off had Marcus not been a suspect – oh but fate was funny.

"If I ask you to get in the car – would you run away?" Lassiter asked. Shawn merely shrugged.

"Probably not. Did you want to take me somewhere?"

"Walk with me." Lassiter said, Shawn obliged and he fell into step with the detective.

"You know it was years ago – right?" Shawn tried, Lassiter nodded.

"Yup I know, I didn't even know you existed back then."

"I knew you existed." Shawn countered, he then gestured to his temple. "In the vaguest sense."

Lassiter chuckled a bit. "Can I ask – what attracted you to him?"

"Before his fist?" Shawn said. "I don't know. He was older, better looking back then compared to now. I don't really have a sound answer."

"You know he's a suspect now right?"

"I know." Shawn said. "I don't think he did it – but I know."

"Speaking of which." Lassiter went on. "Considering the fact he's a suspect, and considering the fact your history with the suspect. You're totally off the case."

Shawn huffed a bit. "Knew that was coming."

"Hey." Lassiter shrugged. "You still provided a service to the police. You located the murder weapon and found how our victim got up in the rafters. Off the case or not – you're still getting paid."

"Alright!" Shawn sounded happy. "Netflix for another month."

"Good work Spencer." Lassiter used sarcasm.

They continued walking in silence. Shawn was starting to feel more comfortable in the matter, and he noticed that every few steps Lassiter would give him a side glance. "You're thinking about our kiss."

"We're still on that?" Lassiter suddenly asked.

"Of course we're still on it!" Shawn exclaimed. "Now that I'm off that case, I really don't have anything else to focus on."

Lassiter face palmed. Thank god he had to be back at the station by 4. "Just don't focus too hard." Lassiter prompted. "You might hurt yourself."

"Least of my worries." Shawn smiled. "Now – do you think it happened because we have undeniable sexual tension or because we were both really tired?"

"I wasn't tired…" Lassiter quickly realized what he said. "No I mean – I was…"

"Ha!" Shawn cut him off. "Flock of Seagulls never Ran so far away in their life, I got you!"

"God dammit Spencer! I-" Lassiter had turned with the full intention of telling Shawn to shove it, but instead what he got as another kiss. Lips pressed together and the detective completely forgot what he was going to say. The spark was instantaneous. Spencer's long arms worked their way up around Lassiter's neck and Lassiter had grabbed onto Shawn's hips.

Shawn was persistent little bastard – and he carried that title with pride. So far kissing the detective had been the best part of his day, despite the fact he had gotten rick roll'd that morning when he was checking his email. He deepened the kiss, pulling back just enough that the detective had to follow his lead, and when Lassiter placed his hands firmly on Shawn's hips Shawn melted. How did Lassie always find the best spot on his sides? Shawn arched against Lassiter's form and used his arms to press their lips tighter together.

Shawn's lips tasted like coffee and pineapples, normally a combination that Lassiter would detest but on Shawn? Irresistible. His tongue found its way to the psychic's mouth on its own accord, gently probing at the bottom lip begging for access. Shawn was more than happy to allow it, and electricity between the two of them got hotter. Shawn was ready to take it even further, but as it stood they were in public and Shawn pulled away.

"You have a case to solve." Shawn reminded him. "You should get going."

Lassiter gawked. "I…"

Shawn smiled. "No worries, call me when you're done and head over to my place. I'll be home."

"Shawn – I don't know."

"I do." Shawn said. "Just be there."

Lassiter agreed, and left to retrieve his car. Shawn felt like he had just won the lottery. He practically skipped home remembering then that his apartment smelled like funk via the pile of dirty laundry he finally dug out of his closet. He promptly called Gus.

"Dude! We're off the case."

"I know." Gus said. "and I'm not sorry."

"Don't be, turns out – I'm okay with it. Meet me at my place in half n hour."

"What?" Gus sounded confused, Shawn spared the detail of him sucking on the detective's lips.

"Don't ask questions just come over man – oh and Gus?"

"What?"

"You don't by chance have any laundry soap do you?"