Only the Curious Have Something to Find

Chapter 20

Note: Oh my God, I made it to chapter 20! SWEET! And also, sorry, again, for makin' you wait a little longer than I meant to make you wait. As they say, life just got in the way.

Enjoy!!

--

"Henry." The panicked father stopped his pacing and turned when addressed by his partner. He found himself staring at three women, one holding a laptop, one holding a small, clear box filled with wires and gadgets, and one holding several notebooks. "Henry, these are the best technicians the West Coast has to offer. When the chief found out about Shawn he put in a special request. These are Agents Terry Russert, Lisa Winchester and Patricia Thesealion. They came all the way from Vancouver, that's why it's taken so long for the requests to go through."

Henry looked them all over for a moment. A long pause, then the father took a step forward. "Will you be able to find my son?"

A look passed across both Terry and Lisa's faces, an almost heartbroken look, while Patricia gave a weak smile, "That's what we plan on, Mr. Spencer."

Henry gave a weak smile in return, looking at all three, "Your presence is very much appreciated. I—if you need anything don't be afraid to ask. Ms. Garcia is over with our techs Mike and Andrew, she's the witness that you'll be working with."

All three nodded and made their way to the center of operations. Henry ran a hand over his face. "We're gonna get him back, Hen. We're so close now, I know we'll get him back."

Henry nodded, taking a deep breath, "I—I know. I know it's just…we're coming so close and all I can think is…God, what has my boy been through? How…how can he possibly bounce back from this?"

Hastings smiled reassuringly, though the smile only barely met his eyes. He patted Henry on the back softly, "I promise you, Henry. It'll be ok. It may not be now, it may not be a week from now, it may not even be a year from now. But things will get better. And you know why?" Henry followed his partner's eye-line as he turned, he saw him glancing at Juliet, Gus and Lassiter, who all sat on the steps, watching the technicians with rapt attention. "Because he has those three." He turned back to Henry, "And even more so, because he has you." Henry looked into Hastings' eyes, "You can get him through anything, I know it."

Henry felt his eyes welling up, he found himself whispering, "Thanks, Jim." And suddenly he was hugging his partner, as the tears flowed down his cheeks. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Henry…you're welcome."

--

The three techs worked along side their young, and surprisingly skilled, witness as she worked silently, not saying much of anything to the three them, or to Mike or Andrew, who'd both gone out back for a smoke. "You got anything yet, Lisa?" Terry asked, turning to her counterpart.

"The scan is still running through, it's gonna take another five minutes, probably." Terry nodded before turning to her other coworker.

"What about you, 'Trish?"

"The coordinates are flyin' past me like a freaking bat out of hell. They're all over the place. Garcia, you got this good." Patricia said, turning to the witness with half admiration and half annoyance. The blond got a sheepish look on her face, gave a mumbled 'sorry' before typing even faster on her own computer. Patricia looked back to her coworkers, "I'm still working through it. But I think I'm getting closer."

Terry and Lisa nodded in the same moment, "I can't get over how horrible this is." Lisa finally said quietly, watching Henry as she waited for her scan to finish. "I mean, a cop expects the threats to be all around him…just not in his family, you know? I could never imagine what that's like. I mean, to go through all this."

Terry let out a said sigh glancing up from the writing she was doing in her notebook, regarding the work Garcia was doing on her computer. "I still don't know how he's staying so composed. Lord knows if Jack's dad took Jess or Luke I'd have broken down long ago."

"I think he already has." Patricia said thoughtfully, her coworkers glanced at her. "I think the only way he can function is just if he puts up appearances, keep the mask in place…but I think he's long gone…I mean, who wouldn't be?"

Terry and Lisa nodded thoughtfully, before Terry sighed once again and added, "I think we need to get back to work. The faster we move the faster that poor man can have his son back."

--

"You kids want some lunch?" Lawrence's voice rang, pulling their attention from the techs to their missing friend's grandfather. "I made grilled cheese!" The older man said with forced joy as he held out a plate with three sandwiches on it. Gus took the plate and placed it on the step above him, beside Juliet and in front of/below Lassiter.

"Thank you, Lawrence. That's really sweet of you." Juliet smiled warmly.

"No problem, little lady." Lawrence winked before turning and starting to walk away, when suddenly he stopped. His head dropping a bit, his back still to them.

All three sat up a little, "Lawrence?" Gus and Lassiter asked at once.

"What's wrong?" Juliet asked, standing and putting a soft hand on his shoulder.

With slightly trembling shoulders Lawrence quickly shook his head, still not turning around. "No—nothing, nothing…never mind. Enjoy the sandwiches." And with that the older man walked away quickly, going to his guestroom and shutting the door.

Juliet brought her hand back to her chest, whispering, "Even he can't hold it in anymore…"

"Now you know it's gotten bad…" Lassiter whispered himself.

Gus nodded in agreement, keeping his head down, "He was the most composed at his wife's funeral…he…God knows this world is gonna implode pretty soon. I don't think any of us can take this pressure anymore…"

Juliet nodded, glancing at the techs once again, "Before those three women got here, those techs were working for nineteen hours straight." She turned to her friends who were staring slightly. She shrugged, "I counted."

She took a step back and sat on the steps as Gus took a small bite of one of the sandwiches, not really looking that into it. "Guys…" Lassiter whispered, "What…what if…"

"Don't." Gus said suddenly, swallowing hard. "Don't say it."

Tear welled up in the Irish teen's eyes, which he quickly scrubbed away. "But I can't help but…I mean I don't know if I can…I mean…I mean I…" I love him.

Juliet took Lassiter' hand's firmly in hers. "Carlton. We will get him back. And it could be a while before we get our Shawn back, but he'll be coming home soon. I just know it."

Lassiter sniffled slightly, smiling weakly, "You the psychic now?"

Juliet smiled softly, looking down but not letting go of her best friend's hands, "Sure…let's go with that…"

Gus placed his hand atop both his friends', a strong look on his features, "It could just be all my years with Shawn rubbing off on me, but I agree. We're gonna get Shawn back soon." He tightened his grip on his friends' hands. "We'll get him back."

Almost as if on cue there was a loud commotion as several things, some books and boxes, crashed onto the floor from the techs table. "We've got something!" Garcia was crying eagerly, "We've got something!!"

And then the previously quiet house was thrown into chaos. The three teens stood, trying to figure out what was going on, but they could barely catch what the techs were saying.

"…re-directed it, and we managed to get it back to it's original number…"

"…tried to follow signal, it took a bit, but we got it…"

"…a cabin. Did Clarence own a cabin? The address…"

"…this has to be it."

And suddenly everyone was up, no longer standing around the computers. The techs and Garcia stood in place, watching, just like the teens, as all the officers went to run out. The three kids took a step forward, but suddenly Henry was yelling. "Don't! Kids, you can't come. You can't see this."

"But—Mr. Spencer!"

"Dad, watch them!" Henry called to Lawrence who had since emerged from his room. As the father ran from the house they could hear him saying, "We're coming, Shawn. We're coming!"

Lassiter pressed his hand to his mouth, falling back onto the steps. He looked up at his two best friends, tears in all their eyes. "They're gonna get him. He's coming home. Shawn's coming home!"

--

It's—it's gotten so bad. I-I don't know how much more of this I can take…

I'm so cold, but I'm so hot…I don't know what's wrong with me…

Can't think straight…can't come up with escape plan…

Jules…Gus…oh, don't be sad, please don't be sad…I hope you're not…not worried…

Leg hurts…head hurts…chest hurts…I—I don't know which—which hurts the most…

He's chanting something again…he's frustrated, he's angry…he keeps cutting into my chest…it hurts so bad…I can't take it anymore…

Lassie? I love you, I love you, how are you? Lassie? Don't cry…please don't cry…I love you…

It hurts to breath, I don't know what to do…my throat hurts when I try to swallow, my chest hurts when I take in a breath…

Mom? Mom, I'm sorry…I didn't…didn't mean to make you so sad…

I can't shift, I can't move at all, the pain is too unbearable…

Grandpa, stop, stop…please, Grandpa…stop…

I can't keep crying…I can't stop crying…

Dad…daddy…daddy, please…please, I need you…where are you, daddy?

I can't hold on anymore… Anyone…anyone…

Please…

-TBC-

A little shorter than usual, not really sure about this chapter, definitely not my best, but I didn't want to leave you all waiting any longer.

Thanks for reading!!

-claire