Disclaimers as usual: I don't own Psych!

Chapter 11

The next morning…

Juliet woke up slowly; feeling cold, gone was the comfortable warmth of the previous night. She turned her head and opened her eyes only to find the other half of the bed abandoned. She glanced over at the alarm clock that read 7.05 am. Not again. She pleaded silently to herself. Just be in the bathroom and come back to bed, Shawn. Everything felt so perfect yesterday and now? She waited a few more minutes before she stood up and walked into the living room.

"Shawn? Where are you?" She called out before she stopped dead in her tracks.

Shawn was sitting on the couch with Gus playing a video game. At the sound of her voice they had both turned their heads. While Shawn was smiling obviously amused by the whole situation Gus was looking like he was seeing a ghost.

"Morning, Jules. Did you sleep well?" Shawn asked in a nonchalant voice acting as if this scene was as usual as it could get.

"Uh… Yeah, even though my pillow was missing when I woke up." She winked at him finally overcoming her first shock and falling right back into her flirtatious routine with Shawn.

"I bet you did." He chuckled. "Breakfast's in the kitchen. Want me to bring you some?"

"Nope, I'll get it myself, thanks. Morning, Gus. Why are you guys up so early?"

"Went for a run. Turns out we both need the exercise." Shawn laughed while patting on Gus' stomach.

That's when Gus snapped out of his trance. He had watched their conversation in disbelief. What the hell happened here? "Good morning to you, too, Juliet. Okay can one of you explain to me what exactly happened?"

"I'll get my breakfast." Juliet said in a sweet voice walking off into the kitchen.

"Shawn." Gus asked looking expectantly at his best friend.

"It's actually quite a long story, buddy. I'll tell you all about it when we get back to the Psych office, okay?" He looked seriously about it so Gus let him slide this time.

"But I wanna know everything!" He urged.

"Dude, did I ever not tell you everything?"

"How many examples do you need that prove otherwise?" Gus asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Shawn acted like Gus' accusation was totally far-fetched; putting his hand over his heart and acting like he was hurt. "Dude, really? That's what you think of me?" And then in a lower voice. "But seriously: nothing happened. She crashed here last night 'cause we were both exhausted and that's it."

Gus knew after all those years he spent with his best friend that he was telling the truth. He was just about to say something when Juliet reentered the room with a plate filled with pancakes and strawberries and a mug in her hands.

"Mind if I join you guys?"

"Just go ahead. You can have my seat; I gotta go home and take a shower before I start my route." Gus said while standing up motioning to his seat on the couch.

"Thanks, Gus." Juliet smiled at him and sat down.

"So I'm your pillow now, huh?" Shawn asked her with a mischievous smile playing around his lips after Gus had closed the front door behind him.

"I didn't say that. But I remember falling asleep next to this handsome man last night. Any idea where he is now?" She asked playfully.

"Well, well, detective. You just arrived back in town yesterday and already spent the night with a guy? Naughty much?" He answered looking at her with as much seriousness as he could manage in this situation.

"Well, Mr. Psychic, you should know that every woman has certain needs." She said while biting slowly into strawberry closing her eyes appreciative in the process.

Shawn had to swallow hard when he watched her. Taking a deep breath he found himself unable to find a proper retort. Certain needs. This woman would definitely be his death at some point. The ringing of the phone saved him from this embarrassing moment.

"Gotta take this." He pressed out between his clenched teeth and stood up. "Spencer."

Juliet opened her eyes again and a content smile was playing around her lips even though she was a little disappointed that they had been interrupted. She would have loved to enjoy his flustered reaction a little longer.

Meanwhile Shawn had walked into the kitchen and she couldn't hear what he was saying anymore. Just a few minutes later he came back rushing from the kitchen into the bedroom. Not ten minutes had passed since the phone call when he entered the living room again, freshly showered and with a duffel bag in his hand. He grabbed his leather jacket and his keys from the table when he noticed that Juliet was still sitting on his couch eating breakfast.

"Shoot. Uh Jules, I'm sorry I need to be somewhere. I'll call you when I land and explain everything okay. But right now I don't have time for explanations. Can you just lock the door behind you? Stay as long as you want." With that and an apologizing look in his eyes he bent down and kissed her cheek. "Bye, Jules, take care of yourself."

"Uhm…bye?" She was too startled to say anything else and before she finished the front door was already closed behind him.

What the hell was that? 'I'll call you when I land'? What is going on? And where is he going? Juliet was left on his couch with questions running through her mind.

Four hours later in the police station…

Juliet was sitting at her desk reviewing some paperwork. She couldn't help but let her mind wander off to a certain brown eyed psychic detective. He hadn't called her so far and she was beginning to get worried. She had even called Gus to see if he knew anything but he was basically as clueless as she was. Apparently Shawn had sent him a text message telling him that he needed to visit someone from his past. Even Gus didn't know everything from the time when Shawn traveled aimlessly from state to state and county to country. So both of them had no idea who that someone could be.

She was still deep in thought when Chief Vick approached her desk. "Detective O'Hara, would you mind telling what the hell has gotten into Shawn this time?" She was clearly upset.

"Excuse me, Chief? What do you mean?" Juliet asked flinching at the Chief's harsh tone.

"He just called me, letting me know that he wouldn't be able to work on this case for the next week or so. Would you mind telling me what the heck is going on? And where is he anyway?"

"If only I knew that. Chief, I'm sorry about this but I actually have no I idea where he went. He got a phone call this morning and then just drove off. Looks like he's flying somewhere. Even Gus has no idea on his whereabouts." Juliet said keeping her voice low.

"Well, find him. Track his phone. Look at his credit card record. I don't care. We need him on this case. And we need him now and not in a week or so. Understood?"

"Yes, Chief." Juliet answered straightening up in her seat.

Just a few seconds after the Chief went back to her office Juliet's cell phone started buzzing. Speaking of the devil. Juliet thought when she read Shawn's name on the display.

"Where the hell are you?" She demanded.

"Hey Jules, it's so nice to hear your voice, too." He said his voice drenched with sarcasm.

"Shawn, I'm not really up for your stupid games right now. Where are you? We're all worried about you."

"Jules, I told you I'd call you after I landed, didn't I?" Not waiting for an answer he continued. "I'm in Denver."

"You called the Chief first." She said reproachfully. "Wait did you say Denver? As in Denver in Colorado?"

"Yup. Listen, Jules, I'd really like to continue chatting with you but I need to go. Just know that I'm okay and that I'll be back as soon as I can. Could you email me the case files? I could go through them over here. Even though I doubt that we'll find any leads." He offered his help.

"Yeah, sure whatever." She grumbled in response.

"Don't be like that, Jules. I'll be back. I promise. And I'll call you everyday. How does that sound, huh?" He knew he was walking on thin ice right now so he tried to charm his way out of it.

All he got was a skeptical snort as a response.

"I'll buy you a present?" It was more of a question than a statement. Still no response. "Jules?"

She could almost hear as his smile slowly faded while he talked. That's right, girl. Make him suffer. She thought to herself with a satisfied grin playing around her lips. Shawn remained silent on the other end of the line obviously waiting for a reaction from her. That was when she heard a voice in the background. "Mr. Spencer, it's so good to have you back. I can't tell you how much everyone has missed you. Ashley keeps asking for Uncle Shawn." She could hear both of the men chuckle. "Well, I can tell you that it feels good to be back, Theodore. Shall we go?"

Then his voice was louder obviously he was speaking to her again. "Jules, I really gotta go. Last offer: I'll buy you a present for each day I'm gone, okay?"

"Whatever, Shawn." She tried to sound as impassively as possible even though her mind was working full speed trying to figure out what was going on.

She heard him sigh frustrated. "Take care, Jules. I'll call you tomorrow." Not waiting for her to answer he hung up.

Juliet sat there for a while staring at her phone wondering what exactly had happened. What was Shawn doing in Denver? Who was he talking to? What kind of life did he live before coming back to Santa Barbara? She sighed heavily and finally put away her phone to focus on the case files again. But despite her efforts on staying focused she couldn't help but let her mind wander again.

A/N: Shawn left again :( And sometimes people go away for ever...