Four Months Later

"Would you hurry up!?" Juliet called from the living room.

Shawn poked his head out of Tyler's room, and glared at his wife. She smiled broadly at him, almost challenging him to say something. Anything. Groaning, he disappeared back into the room. She could hear her son babbling away, with the occasional dadda popping up. The smile on her face fell into a natural smirk. She had found it was a little easier than she suspected to fall back into a normal retuine at home. Though she had been weary and uncomfortable around Shawn when she was first brought into the hospital, four months earlier, she had quickly thrown any fears she might have had aside. Shawn had been amazing the last four months, especially with the nightmares. He is the only one that is able to stop her panic attacks before they become unbearable.

"Just for future reference, maybe feed Tyler—before you put him in his party attire?" Shawn said softly, as he emerged from Tyler's room, with their now one-year-old son clasped tightly in his arms.

"Dadda. Dadda. Dadda."

Shawn growled playfully, as he stared down at his son. "Yes, Tyler?" Knowing full well that his son didn't have the communication capabilities to answer him. He knew that Tyler just wanted to physically see that he had his father's attention. At which point Tyler started to babble a bunch of nonsense. Shawn shook his head. "Is that so?" He asked, as he sat his son down on the couch for a moment. "Tyler." Shawn snapped his fingers so that Tyler was looking at him. Of all the things that his son could inherit from him, his son had to pick up on the ADD thing. "Mommy and daddy are going in the kitchen. You stay put!" Shawn said the last part forcefully, knowing full well as soon as they were out of sight his grubby handed son would be up teetering around the living room, picking up anything he could fit in his small baby fist.

Sighing, knowing it was a losing battle, Shawn walked calmly into the kitchen, his ears perked for any noise that indicated that something had fallen or broken. "So—did you get the cake?"

Juliet nodded softly. "I got two. One for the birthday boy to destroy and one for the party-goers to enjoy." Shawn smiled softly, as he wrapped his arms around Juliet's waist.

He knew that he was currently pushing a boundary that Juliet had set up the day she got home from the hospital. It wasn't the touching that was going to bother her, so much as the fact that she didn't know the touching was coming. He felt her stiffen, and started to withdraw his arms, but just as quickly as she had stiffened, she relaxed. Leaning against his chest, she sighed happily. "This is great." He saw the edge of her lips curl up in one of her sexy smiles that left him wanting more.

"Yes-" Shawn started to say, just as something crashed hard against the floor. "Tyler!" Shawn yelled, his arms dropping to his sides as he stalked off into the living room. His son was sitting on the floor, tears rolling down his cheeks. Shawn looked directly to the left his pride and joy, and felt like his heart might beat out of his chest. "No—no—no, God no!" Shawn mumbled.

Juliet peered from the kitchen. Concern etched on her features, until she saw that her son was physically okay, but that he was indeed crying. She walked in further to see her husband hunched on the floor.

"Why?" He cried out, as he hugged what was left of his flat screen television to his body. "Why, God, why?"

Juliet covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle the laughter that had bubbled up into her throat. Coughing awkwardly, she was able to gain control over herself. "I'm fairly certain that God has bigger problems to deal with, then watching your one-year-old son knock the television off the entertainment center. Besides, Shawn, I told you that entertainment center was too short."

He turned his head to glare at her. "It can still hear you!" He groaned. "My poor television! Now how will I watch my shows, Jules? How?"

Juliet rolled her eyes. Always with the dramatics. "We'll get a new television tomorrow, Shawn. Until then, can we please enjoy our son's first birthday?"

Groaning, Shawn slowly climbed to his feet. "I suppose."

A few hours later, Tyler's birthday party is in full swing. Juliet smiles, as she watches everyone approach her very timid son. He sat on the floor, occasionally trying to pull himself into a standing position using the nearby table. Occasionally a half laugh would bubble from his drool covered mouth. He was definitely his father's son.

"How are you?" A familiar voice sounded behind her, Juliet jumped, not realizing someone was behind her. Smiling, she turned around. Juliet had gotten fairly comfortable around the numerous men in her life. It was strange men that she didn't know that still put her on edge. Though her panic attacks had lessened, her therapist was certain that they wouldn't disappear fully. At least not for a while.

"Oh, you know." She smiled, and watched as Buzz scratched uncomfortably at his face. "I'm fine, Buzz." Comfortable with them was one thing. She reached out a shaky hand, and placed it against his arm. "Thank you for being concerned. You're a great friend, Buzz." She smiled softly at him.

He nodded. "That's good, Juliet." He placed a weary hand against her shoulder. Juliet fought against the want to shake his hand off, and forced her smile to stay in place. After a couple of long minutes, Buzz finally walked away.

Juliet took a deep breath, while mentally yelling at herself for making poor Buzz uncomfortable.

"Juliet." A stern voice called from behind her. Juliet jumped again, and gritted her teeth. Turning around, she could have punched her now smiling partner.

"Nice, Carlton. Scare your partner into a heart attack. That's just—great." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Having fun at my one-year-old's birthday party?" She smiled, and watched him groan.

"We're even. This has got to be-" Lassiter sighed, as he watched the chief eye him carefully.

"I'm assuming that Karen sent you over?"

Lassiter kicked at an imaginary clump of dirt. "Perhaps. Look, I'm just—how are you?" He grumbled.

She chuckled lightly. "I'm fine."

His head snapped up, his eyebrow quirked. "Sure you are. You might be able to lie to Buzz, but you can't lie to those that know you."

Juliet nodded her head. "Perhaps."

Lassiter shook his head, before sipping at the iced tea in his hand. "Look—I'm glad your okay..." He sighed. "If you ever disappear or get kidnapped again and leave me with that annoying thing you call a husband again-" His threat hung in the air.

Juliet laughed. "Yeah, I'll make sure to make that a weekly occurrence. Just for your sanity, Carlton." He grumbled, before walking away. "Goodbye to you too, Carlton." Juliet called out, before turning her attention back to her son.

He was now standing, via help of the table, and staring at her. He smiled brightly, the spitting image of her husband, who she hadn't seen since their guests had started to show up. Stooping down, she grabbed Tyler up into her arms. "Let's go find your daddy." Juliet cooed to her son.

Carefully, she made her way through the room, occasionally calling out a hello. She found him in the kitchen, leaning against the counter sipping on a beer. Gus flanked his left, and his father flanked his right. "All three of you in one spot. Great. Look, we need to do this cake thing. People are getting antsy out there."

Shawn nodded, sitting down his beer and grabbing both cakes. One for Tyler to destroy and one for everyone to eat on. They both walked back into the living room. "Let's gather round." Shawn called out. Juliet smiled at him, as she sat Tyler in his hi-chair that Gus had dragged into the living room.

"On the count of three." Juliet eyed everyone, and snorted out a laugh at the look of disgust on Lassiter's face. "One. Two. Three." Shawn directed, as everyone started to sing happy birthday. Tyler babbled on, a smile on his face. Quickly it was over, and Shawn thrust the cake in front of his son, and the room was quickly overtaken by blinding white flashes as everyone started to photograph the one-year-old diving head first into the sickly sweet desert.

Juliet and Shawn laughed, as he wound his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. She tensed for a miniscule second before relaxing against her husband. The sight in front of them brought smiles to their faces. They let the scene overtake them, and relax for a moment because soon it would all be over. There would be a mess to clean up, and a child to bathe. For now, they reveled in the moment and let all the bad stuff fall away.