Shawn awoke with a start later that night, suddenly aware there was someone else in the room with him. He could see the shadowy figure on the other side of the room, standing over his dresser.

His eyes grew wide in terror as the figure opened the drawer with a quiet squeak. He pulled the blankets up around his chin, taking a deep breath as he prepared to scream for his dad.

"Be quiet, Kid," the voice hissed as the figure turned around to face him. "Are you trying to get me killed? You know your dad sleeps with a gun under his pillow, right?"

Shawn closed his mouth, reaching over and flipping on the lamp on the nightstand next to his bed. "Uncle Jack?" he grinned as the room was flooded with the pale light. "You're back!"

Jack returned the grin, leaving the dresser drawer hanging open as he walked over to the bed, perching on the edge by Shawn's feet.

"I always come back."

"I know," Shawn nodded, still looking confused. "But Dad said you had an emergency. You didn't even have pie! Is that why you're back? For pie?" Shawn's face broke into a wide grin. "Oh! And you can come fishing with us now!"

Jack sighed, laughing quietly. "I can't stay, Kid."

Shawn sat up, drawing his arms around his knees, looking wounded. "Then why did you come back?"

Jack stood back up, walking over to the dresser again. "Remember those pearls I gave you?" he asked, rummaging through Shawn's socks.

"Uh-huh."

"I need them back, Kid. Something's come up. Where'd you put them?"

Shawn blinked in surprise at the directness of the question, but opened the drawer of the nightstand and tossed his uncle the small, leather pouch.

Jack grinned as he caught it in one hand, quickly dumping the pearls out and counting them. "Thanks, Shawny," he mumbled, heading for the window, dropping a penny on the sill. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Okay…" Shawn agreed, looking up at his fleeing uncle. "And next time, can I keep what you bring me?"

Jack sighed, turning back around.

"You still have that penny, right?" he asked

"Yeah…but it's just a penny. Dad said it's not even worth double its face value."

"Not monetarily, no." Jack admitted, walking back over to the bed, standing up by his nephew's head. "But you know the pennies I leave are lucky, right?"

"Really?" Shawn gasped.

"Of course!" Jack snorted, pocketing the pouch. "You don't really think I'd leave you a non-lucky penny, do you?"

"No."

"Of course I wouldn't!" Jack promised, winking as his nephew as he opened the window again. "Just keep it with you and all my luck will rub off on you. Okay?"

"Okay," Shawn nodded, waving as his uncle stepped out the window onto the roof. "But next time, go fishing with us, okay?"

"I will," Jack promised, disappearing into the night. "I will."