All three party's in the room were still sitting in silence several minutes later, Juliet with her head in her hands and Shawn trying his best to find something; anything to say to Daniel who's eyes were searching their faces for an answer. It was Juliet who finally managed to speak, the words slightly hoarse from not talking for so long.

"Daniel sweetheart... What you just asked of us is a very serious thing to ask." She paused again, buying herself a little more time to think of words to say. "Oh... how do I say this?" she glanced at Shawn who was floundering as much as she was. He sighed loudly and took over.

"I think what Jules is saying... We aren't the best people to look after a kid Daniel..." he explained, pleading with the boy to understand. But Daniel frowned openly, not getting Shawn's obscure explanation.

"Why not?"

"Uh... Juliet and I have only just taken a big step in our relationship... and I don't think we're ready for the responsibility that looking after a child would bring. I mean, we don't even live together Daniel. It would be very complicated."

"Shawn's right Daniel. Please try to understand what you're asking of us. Shawn and I both have very demanding jobs. I mean, look at where we are right now. It's almost three in the morning and we're sitting in the Police Station. We could be called at all hours for a case and we wouldn't be able to find someone to look after you at such short notice-" Juliet was cut off when Daniel reached across the table and grabbed her sleeve.

"But I can look after myself! I promise. I'm really good at it to. I can totally make my own food and I can work an oven. I can iron my own clothes, I can clean my own room and I can even help out around the house whenever you want..." he was stumbling over his words now, trying his best to convince them in anyway he could.

Juliet groaned, as did Shawn. "That's not the point sweetheart. It wouldn't be very responsible of us to leave you on your own now would it?"

"But... what about a week trial? People take kids out of the home all the time for trial week, or a weekend just to see how it goes! If it's not working out, I just go back at the end and you never have to see me again. Please don't make me go back again. I'll be the best kid ever, I promise," Daniel's pleading was only just short of him getting on his knees and crying.

Shawn heaved a sigh, his hand landing on top of Juliet's to make her look over at him. He nodded his head towards the door, her eyes following his. Daniel glanced between them, his little face holding some last remnants of hope. "Give us a minute kid," Shawn mumbled, taking Juliet by the hand and leading her out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

She immediately leaned into his chest heavily, his arms wrapping around her waist for support. "Shawn, what just happened in there? I think we've slipped into a parallel universe where absolutely nothing makes sense..."

Shawn snorted softly at her attempt to lighten the mood, as his thumbs began to rub soft circles over her hips where his hands rested. "Jules, what are we supposed to do here? I'm not ready to look after a kid... I mean come on, it takes me enough effort to look after myself. I mean, what if he doesn't like his room or what if he has a tantrum or-" he cut himself off before he could begin to rant. "Juliet... I didn't think kids would be in the picture for us for at least another few years..."

She raised her head to look at him, her eyebrow raised in questioning. "You've thought about that kind of stuff with me?" He looked sheepish now that he'd been caught.

"Uh, yeah. Kind of. I mean I don't have names and wallpaper patterns picked out or anything, but yes. I have thought about that kind of stuff, ever since we've started dating I've just seen this as... well 'it' really. This is it for me Jules... You and I are the real deal and I'm hoping that you can see a future for us too..." he trailed off as she leaned up to kiss him, deep and long.

As she pulled away he grinned.

"Is that a yes to the future thing?" Juliet smiled softly at his question, her hand pressing against his chest gently.

"Yes Shawn. I see a future for us... with a family and a house. We could have a dog and call it Lassie," she nuzzled him as he laughed at her joke.

"God, I'm so glad I can say that I love you. Huh, you know that thought doesn't frighten me as much as I thought it would... A family Jules. You and I are going to have a family one day. I thought I'd be running for the nearest hill by now," he chuckled at himself, holding her close to him as she kissed his jaw lightly.

"You're all grown up now buddy. But we have a problem we have to solve, don't forget..." she nodded her head in the direction of the closed door and Shawn heaved a sigh. "I can see a family for us Shawn, with the whole package in the future. But I can also see a little boy who hides himself behind all of this bravado, when all he wants is a mom and dad... And I have no idea what to do. I know I can't ask that of you, but I also know I couldn't care for him without you."

She buried her head into his chest with a little groan mixed with what sounded like a sob. "I don't know what to do..."

Shawn held her tightly against him, his chin resting on her head as he stared at the door intently. He could envision a child that looked exactly like Juliet, a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes, or a little girl with his eyes and brunette hair. Or the other way around, what ever they wanted. He could see himself sitting with Juliet and their children around a Chirstmas tree as they opened presents on Christmas morning.

He could hear their voices, calling for mommy or daddy when they were hurt, and he could hear the little girl in his mind, wrapping him around her little finger with just a sly, 'but daddy!'.

Fours years ago, he would have been hiding in the nearest closet at the very thought. But now, as he held Juliet, he knew what he wanted out of life. That had never happened before for him. He'd always coasted through life, bouncing from one place to the next and never wanting to settle down. But then, Juliet O'Hara had bowled into his life and turned everything he'd thought he wanted upside down.

He knew what he wanted. He wanted her. He wanted a life with her. He wanted children with her. He wanted a family... And maybe their kids, could use a big brother... "Jules?" he whispered, ducking his face down to whisper into her ear. She sniffed, sighing softly as she pulled her face away from his chest to look at him

"Hmm?"

"You know the spare room in my apartment? I think we're going to have to repaint it..." Her head raised slowly, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared in confusion. "Blue maybe. Or we could get pineapple print wallpaper-"

"Shawn." She cut him off. "Are you really sure about this? I don't want to pressure you into anything... I mean, are you really serious?"

Shawn grinned, pressing kiss to her head. "I love you Juliet. I want this. We'll see how it goes alright? Personally, I think we'll make a damn good little family. Now, let's go and tell the kid the good news. You can do it if you want." Juliet continued to look at him in amazement mixed with confusion, before she finally snapped out of it and yanked his head down to kiss him.

Shawn groaned against her lips, pulling away slightly and raining little pecks along her jaw and up over her cheeks. "You are the most amazing, if slightly insane, man I have ever met. And I love you for it. We'll both tell him. Now come on." She kissed him once more before taking his hand and leading him towards the door that was about to change their lives.

As they entered the room again, Daniel, who had been flicking a pen around the desk, looked up and tried to stop his face from looking too hopeful. He didn't want to jinx himself. His eyes searched thier stoic faces for any sign that he was either going back to the home or going with them. He couldn't tell as they kept thier faces unnaturally straight. As they sat down in the chairs opposite, his eyes were wide and innocent.

"Well? What do you guys think?" he prodded when they didn't say anything for a while. Juliet shared a pointed look with Shawn, before turning back to him.

"Shawn and I have decided to let you stay with us for a while-"

Daniel punched his hand in the air and whooped out a little yes, before reining himself back in and clearing his throat, sitting back down at the table. Shawn chuckled loudly as Juliet smiled, pleased that he seemed happy with their decision. "But, we have a few guidelines that you're going to have to follow okay?"

"Yeah, sure anything," he nodded eagerly, his glasses slipping away from his eyes. He pushed them back up quickly.

"One, no running away at any time okay? If you have a problem or you want to leave, just tell us. I don't want you disappearing into thin air in the middle of the night, got it?" Daniel nodded sheepishly, an apologetic smile curving his lips before motioning for Juliet to continue. "Two, if you like it after a week, you can stay. But, you will have to go to school in the New Year. That one is none negotiable."

Daniel groaned good naturedly, but agreed anyway. To be honest, he didn't mind school. He kind of liked it, but only when they didn't make him do math. "Okay, I guess." Shawn laughed at his expected reaction.

"And number three, that junk food from earlier was a one off okay? Shawn may be a human bin but that doesn't mean I won't be watching what you eat..." she glanced over at Shawn, who was grinning. "That means you too, mister." His face dropped into a scowl.

"Does that mean no more pineapple pizza?" he practically whined, his eyes pleading.

"Only on weekends. And don't try to sneak any in at work. Gus is on my side."

"I knew you had a spy somewhere. Don't worry about Gus, I'll break him eventually," he winked in Daniel's direction and the boy smiled at their banter. It was unusual for adults to be so relaxed around him. His mind wandered back to Mrs. Fallon at the home, and how whenever he entered a room she would stop talking about whatever she'd been speaking about. Be it grocery shopping or his behavior, it was always the same.

"Will we have any paper work to fill out?" Shawn suddenly asked, turning to Juliet. She nodded in confirmation.

"I should think so. They're not just going to let him come with us straight away..." Daniel looked up in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the home needs to preform some background checks on Shawn and I, and check out the apartment you'll be staying in to make sure it's suitable for a child. We'll also have a lot of paperwork to fill out. It's not as simple as us just taking you home tonight Daniel..." Juliet explained softly, her hand reaching over to squeeze his smaller one. The look of disappointment on his face was obvious.

"So I have to go back then?" he asked miserably, and Shawn nodded.

"But only for a few weeks, when all the checks are over and we've been cleared to take you home. I think we're allowed to visit aren't we Jules?" he glanced over at his girlfriend, her hand still holding Daniels reassuringly.

"Yeah, we're allowed to take you for days out to see how we'll do and if you want to stay with us or not. I promise, the weeks will just fly by. I'm a cop too, so I can probably get them to push the paperwork through a little bit faster than normal, okay? So don't worry about it. You'll be with us by Christmas."

With us by Christmas? As Daniel began to smile, Shawn relaxed back into his seat, the brunt of what was happening suddenly crashing on top of him like a ton of bricks. He was about to sign up for a ready made family... The whole package. The sudden weight in his chest was crushing, like he couldn't breathe.

Could he really look after a kid? Did this mean the end of his and Juliet's carefree relationship, with no responsibilities other than choosing where to go for lunch, or whether it was worth making it to the bedroom when they stumbled in at midnight?

Was this the end of his escapades with Gus? Traipsing across lawns at eleven o'clock and trying not to be caught?

Was this his life exploding before his very eyes? The weight was heavy and almost overpowering as he turned to look at Juliet. She felt his eyes on her and turned her head away from Daniel, her smile dazzling and bright. Her eyes shone with happiness as she looked at him, and suddenly, the weight in his chest didn't feel so heavy any more. Daniel's voice broke through the haze.

"Can I get a puppy?" At their equally shocked looks, he laughed out loud unexpectedly. "Aww, the looks on your faces. I'm just messing with you guys." They relaxed through his continuous laughter and Shawn cocked his head to the side, watching as the boy slipped out of his seat and around to Juliet, his arms wrapping her in a genuine hug of gratitude. She hugged him back tightly, before releasing him and letting him move onto Shawn.

The pseudo-psychic leaned forward in his seat, allowing the small arms to curl around his neck. Without thinking, as per usual with Shawn, he stood and took Daniel with him, the boys legs wrapping around Shawn's waist for support. Daniel's face was buried in his neck, still hugging as Shawn squeezed back.

The weight was gone as fast as it had appeared, turned into mist and smoke like it had never even been there in the first place.

This wasn't the end of anything. This was the start of a new chapter. He and Juliet would be fine. They would still have their time, fun and carefree. He and Gus would still be avoiding criminals and hiding under desks at the last minute, lying to Henry and mocking Lassiter with 80's quips.

But this time around, they'd have Daniel to join in on their adventures. He could hang out at the Psych Office after school with them until Juliet clocked off and then they would spend time on the beach, or hit the carnival if it was in town. They would get ice cream from a random shop and walk on the boardwalk, laughing at whatever he and Gus had done that morning.

Shawn could see it, just like he saw his future kids. He could envision it all and yeah, that sounded pretty damn good.

Shawn finally released Daniel and set him onto his feet with ease, reaching down to fix his askew glasses. "Shall we go and break to news to Lassie Face? I know he'll be thrilled," he raised an eyebrow is question, before noting his girlfriends disapproving yet amused expression.

"Shawn, he just found out about us. Finding out that you are about to acquire a new accomplice might be too much for his heart. It's late anyway. You," she nodded at Daniel. "Should have been in bed hours ago. Have you even brushed your teeth at all today? And look at the state of your shirt. That will have to go you know. And from now on, no snacks before bed either..." As Shawn and Daniel shared looks of horror, Juliet's face remained stoic for as long as she could hold it, before she cracked into a brilliant smile and bent down to the boy's level.

"I'm just messing with you. The look on your face is priceless," she grinned slyly, before straightening up and laughing her way out of the door, leaving them standing there gaping in relief after her.

"I was starting to regret it for a second. I think I just got told by a girl..." Daniel mumbled, shaking his head in mild disbelief. Shawn breathed in his own relief, thankful that Juliet had only been joking with them. He answered the boy honestly.

"You better get used to it kid. It's going to happen a lot more often from now on."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Getting Daniel back to the home was surprisingly easy, as he offered little resistance when they told him that it wouldn't be for very much longer. They'd taken Lassiter's car with his blessing, the Head Detective having waved them off with glee at the thought of not having to deal with the kid ever again. If only he knew, Shawn thought merrily, humming along with a random Christmas song that was floating from the car sterio. They'd called Mrs. Fallon from the Station, talling her that they would bring Daniel back themselves and that they wanted to discuss something with her when they arrived.

It had been ten minutes since Daniel had babbled excitedly about thier planned day out the next week, before Shawn finally noticed the silence in the car.

He twisted around to glance at the back seat, and Juliet turned her head towards him briefly to see what he was looking at. "What's wrong? He hasn't jumped out of the car window has he? I wouldn't put it past him you know," she added when he chuckled.

"Nah, he's just asleep. But I think we should put childlocks on your car tomorrow, just in case..." Shawn turned back and sank into his seat comfortably, the stress of the long day finally creeping up on him. Just that morning he'd been looking forward to decorating his apartment, his date with Juliet and then getting lucky before the end of the night. He snorted loudly at the amusement his own thoughts brought him. Juliet smiled at the sound. God she's beautiful when she smiles...

"What now? You're not repainting Carlton's car while we have it. I draw the line at that Shawn."

He hummed, resting his head back onto the seat. "I was just thinking about how amazing you look tonight. Come to think of it, you always look amazing and I'm not just saying that to try and get some. Not that I would mind," he quirked his eyebrow suggestively and Juliet rolled her eyes playfully, a red tinge dusting her cheeks.

"It better not be, because when we get back to your place I'm going to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow," she mumbled, slowing the car as a light in front of her flashed red. "Damn it. There isn't a car on the road but every light we come to goes red."

"Poor baby. You should have a massage. I know a guy who could do it."

"Shawn," she said warningly, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. "We still have talk to Mrs. Fallon when we get Daniel home, so I think the only thing we're doing when we get home is passing out. As good as a massage may sound, I think sleep sounds just as good."

"You totally want me Jules. Admit it," he smirked as she laughed softly.

"Shut up Shawn..."

A/N: Have you ever read some of the adoption fics on the internet? The only thing that bugs me is when the people say they'll adopt a child and *BOOM* the kid is there the next day XD I would have thought it would take a little longer. I personally won't be drawing it out forever, but hey, a little bit of time has to pass.

So, here is Chapter Three in all it's glory and I hope you enjoy it.

Reviews are like dancing the whole night though :)