One cautious and long car ride later, Gus found himself sitting alone in the emergency waiting room, desperate to hear whether or not his best friend would live. He did not have to wait alone for long however, as approximately ten minutes after he had finally settled down into one of the metal chairs of the waiting room, a very worried Henry Spencer came rushing through the room's automatic doors. Gus could only flounder helplessly as the elder Spencer tried to garner as much information about the situation as humanly possible.

Luckily, he was saved from any further onslaught when the conversation stalled right where it was as Juliet walked through the same doors and sat quietly next to the two of them. One could tell by the look on her face that she knew the situation was pretty touch and go, and that was enough for her. So instead of pressuring Gus with more questions, she settled for finding out how he was personally and for finding out the pertinent information about their perp so she could hand it off to Lassiter. It was a welcome distraction for the both of them

They were not allowed very much time to hide behind their own, safer thoughts, as moments later, a physician stepped out of the ominous backdoors of the emergency room and toward the unsettled group. The physician, a Doctor Tillmen, according to his ID, was a man who was obviously practiced in the art of appearing completely neutral even in the direst of circumstances, an observation which he proved himself when he began to discuss Shawn's injuries.

"It doesn't look good," he spat out with no preliminaries. "Right now, depending on how the surgery to remove the bullet goes, his chances of survival are about fifty-nine percent, and that's if it's successful. Now normally, I wouldn't even come to see you until after the surgery, but I wanted to give you all an opportunity to say goodbye just in case."

They were all crestfallen at the news, but still no one said a word as the doctor led them behind the double doors of the emergency room, and into the treatment area stopping at Room #5.

"Now make it quick, we've only got about ten minutes before we have to start moving him into the OR."

Wordlessly, Gus and Juliet decided to give father and son a moment alone first, if only to absorb their own thoughts about seeing someone they cared about so much in such a vulnerable position. Surprisingly, the sympathetic crier of the two of them was actually doing a good job at holding himself together. Juliet, on the other hand, was ready to break down. She had managed to keep her feelings at bay from the moment she got the call, but after seeing him so injured like that even though it was only for the brief moment that the curtain was opened to admit Henry, she did not know if she could make it to the safety of the waiting room before her tears escaped.

All too soon, Henry stepped outside the curtain, and Gus was nudging her inside. As if by some divine intervention, she found herself reverting back to her training as a cop, putting on a calm facade for those crucial moments. She strode slightly more assured toward the barely lucid man's bedside, and held his previously dangling hand.

"Jules," he asked, sounding as if he was five minutes away from being fast asleep.

"Hi, Shawn."

"How bad?"

"What?"

"The doctors, they won't tell me anything. How bad is it?"

"It's pretty bad," Juliet answered, deciding it would not do either of them any good for her to lie to him now.

"Oh. Well, you know I don't believe in being morbid, but just in case: Jules, I'm really thankful to have been able to spend the past seven years with you, and I'm sorry for all the rough patches. I love you."

"Well, I would say that I forgive you, but I've already forgiven you, for everything. I love you too."

"One more thing, I hate to ask, but there's no one else I would really trust with this, so would you do me a favor?"

"Of course Shawn, what is it?"

"Take care of Gus and my Dad. Not like literally, just check up on them every once and a while. Make sure they stay out of trouble," he said, with a small chuckle.

"I would, but don't worry, you'll be fine," she said, kissing him lightly on the lips, before turning to leave and allow Gus some time with him.