Only the Curious Have Something to Find

Chapter 24

Note: So, uh, hey guys! -laughs nervously- What's up? It's been a while…Ok I'm really really sorry. Life seriously got in the way there for a while – what with it being the end of my senior year of High School and having all sorts of lose ends to tie up. I'm really really sorry – I hope you understand!

Also, I got a review that told me the dashes in between each section have disappeared – I'm not really sure why that is. They were there when I posted the chapters, as I'm sure some of you remember. I'm not really sure what happened – this site does weird stuff sometimes. So I apologize to new readers who have to deal with the confusion, but please know it was not my doing! I'm more organized than that :D

Anyway, sorry again and ENJOY!

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The funeral had been small, quite. There had been two people there – the priest and her. He spoke kind words – words she knew her husband didn't deserve. She hadn't wanted to admit it. She had ignored it for a long time. But her husband hadn't been her husband in over two years. He'd gone to their daughter's funeral and never came back.

One would think that Elyse would have been the one to crack, being the mother and all. But she'd kept her composure, telling herself it was better this way – her daughter was unhappy but now she was with the Lord, she would be happier now.

But Clarence hadn't seen it that way.

He'd seen it as murder – not suicide. He blamed Shawn and Henry for the injustice. And she'd never fought him on it. She'd let him rant and rave about how their faggot of a grandson drove their precious angel to suicide. She didn't necessarily disagree with him – Shawn's being a homosexual was definitely something she didn't agree with. It was wrong – plain and simple.

But she would never say it was the cause of her daughter's suicide.

Poor Madeline had suffered from depression since she was a teen – before Shawn was even thought of. She strongly disagreed with her husband's opinions on the subject, but she didn't want to fight so she never told him. She let him get closer and closer to the edge until he finally lost it completely.

She was as much to blame for what happened as her husband was. She let him get to that point. She let him lose it. She didn't stop him – didn't help him. And now she'd lost him. And almost her grandson too.

But she hadn't – Shawn was still alive.

As the casket was lowered into the ground, as she dropped a handful dirt on the only part left of her husband of 47 years she made a decision. She was going to go see Shawn. She was going to be a part of his life once again – that is, if he let her.

She wasn't going to lose him. Not after all this.

With tears in her eyes she turned from her husband's grave and made her way towards the cemetery gates.

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The automatic doors opened slowly. Her black heals clicked as she walked down the linoleum floors. She walked up to the nurse's station and waited quietly for the young girl in pink scrubs to look up at her.

"How may I help you?" She smiled brightly, giving Elyse a little hope.

"My name is Elyse Hunter – I'm here to see my grandson."

"Sure thing, what's his name?"

"Shawn Spencer."

The nurse got a look on her face – one Elyse knew she should have expected. "One moment please." She said, a little less enthusiastic. She picked up the phone next to her computer and talked in hushed tones for a moment before saying, "Uh, you can go see him." She gave Elyse the room information and the grandmother was off. She made her way into the elevator and stood stock-still. She held her breath, unsure if she wanted to cry, vomit or something else. She reached down and smoothed out her black dress, wanting to look good for her injured grandson – whom she had not seen in about two years, she hadn't seen him since…

Since the funeral.

As the elevator doors opened she took a deep breath and stepped out, making her way down the hall.

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Shawn was sitting up in his bed, now wearing a too big t-shirt and a pair of Henry's sweatpants – again, too big. The hospital staff had relented, after much whining and charming, and let Shawn wear something other than the skimpy hospital gown, as long as they were loose. Underneath there was little skin that wasn't covered in gauze and bandages. The bruises on his face were still there – though fading – and the cuts were healing well.

He sat with his legs stretched out, though he longed to cross them – but the wounds would not permit it. He was chatting happily with his best friends, his grandpa and his father. This was the first time they'd all been in the room together while Shawn was fully awake. They laughed and joked, so happy they'd gotten Shawn back physically, and it seemed they were on the road – more like highway – to getting him back fully – or at least they'd hit the exit.

As they chatted and laughed there was a knock on the door, "Hello?" Came a quiet voice. "May I come in?"

Henry and Lawrence went quiet, their eyes widening as they took in the woman at the door. Gus bit his lip, trying to hide his harsh emotions, while Lassiter and Juliet just looked confused.

Everyone glanced from the woman to Shawn, who's look indicated he knew she was coming.

"Hey, Grandma." He smiled, and it wasn't really forced either, just…tired. Lassiter and Juliet's eyes widened as they realized who this woman was.

"Shawn." She nodded, looking meek. "I hope you don't mind that I'm here…may I…may I speak to you for a moment?"

Henry opened his mouth to snarl some cruel words, but Shawn was faster. "Yea, sure." He nodded, "Do you guys think you could give us a minute?"

"Shawn…" Henry said, the others sharing his concerned look.

"Guys, come on. It's fine." His three friends nodded and headed out the door, Lawrence not far behind. Henry was the last to walk out. He stopped at the door and turned.

"I'll be right out here." He looked at Elyse, "And don't forget – I have a gun."

"Dad!" Shawn cried, and Henry quickly walked out, leaving the door open a crack. "Sorry about him." The hospitalized teen said.

"No, no." Elyse shook her head, "I deserved that…" She slowly made her way in, looking around the room. "You sure got lots of friends, huh?" She asked, gesturing to all the balloons and flowers.

Shawn laughed a little, "Yea, yea…pretty much every officer in town sent me something." He looked at his grandmother, really looking her over as she slowly sat on the plastic chair next to the bed. "How was the funeral?" He asked seriously.

"It was ok…sad…" She shrugged, "The priest was very kind, too kind. I was the only one there."

Shawn nodded sadly, already knowing this. "I would have gone, but…"

She shook her head. "No, no. He—he didn't deserve that." Shawn got a surprised look on his face, "That wasn't my Clarence they buried today…he hasn't been my Clarence for a long time…" She sighed, looking down as tears welled up. "Sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be sorry, Grandma." Shawn said, reaching over and taking her hand.

She laughed a little, "You're being so kind to me." She whispered, "After two years of nothing, you can still call me grandma? After what your grand—what Clarence did to you?"

Shawn shrugged, "You weren't there. You didn't know what he was doing or where he was. How could I blame you?"

Her tears started to flow at that. "I…I'm so sorry, Shawn." She choked out, "I never – I never meant to stay away for so long…and to think, I almost lost you, and I never would have gotten to know you as you grew up, as you became a man." She smiled, looking so broken. "I want to know you Shawn, I don't want to repeat the past two years."

"I don't either – especially the last month." She half sobbed, half laughed, shaking her head. "I want you to know me, Grandma." He squeezed her hand. They sat there for a moment.

"I don't blame you for you mother's death, you know." Shawn stiffened a little. "I know you might think I do…but I don't. I never did. I know…your mother was…not well, starting when she was your age. I knew she was unhappy…it wasn't your fault. Don't think it was."

Shawn gave her a watery smile, sniffling a little. "Thank you, Grandma."

They sat again, saying nothing until Elyse broke the silence. "Will I get to know your…boyfriend?" She asked awkwardly.

Shawn smiled a little, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No…I—I want to know you. He's a part of you…" She smiled a little as well, "I'm serious about this, Shawn."

He smiled warmly, "Me too, Grandma. It'll be a new beginning."

She looked up into his eyes, a true smile on her face. "A new beginning…I like that."

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As Elyse walked out of her grandson's hospital room she smiled at the five people in the hallway. "You can have him back now." The three teens nodded and scurried in, knowing there was a heated conversation coming. They shut the door behind themselves.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Henry snarled, keeping his voice low.

She looked down, "I'm trying to make things right, Henry." She said quietly.

"What?" Henry asked, a little surprised.

"I…I don't want to do this anymore, Henry. I want to be in Shawn's life. I love that boy…I may not completely support all the things he does…but isn't that what love is? Staying with someone even if you don't agree with them?"

"Yea, that's not the best thing you could say, seeing as you didn't stay with him." Henry snarled.

"Son," Lawrence warned, before turning to the woman before them. "Elyse," He said quietly, "You didn't upset him, did you?"

She smiled a little, "No. If anything, I was the upset one. Tears and all. He was all smiles and the epitome of calmness. I just…" She turned to Henry, "That boy is something special, I'm just sorry I missed two years."

"Yea. Me too." Henry looked at his mother-in-law and sighed, "Look. If Shawn wants you in his life, then I have no say in it. But if you ever, ever hurt him…don't think I won't hesitate to end your life."

"Henry." Lawrence warned again.

"No, Lawrence, it's ok." She turned to Henry, "I completely agree with you Henry. But I won't hurt him. I'm going to do things differently. I know he's got a long road ahead of him, and I want to be there. I want to help him recover, I want to be there to see him get better." She looked deep into her son-in-law's eyes, "Please. I want to be in his life again."

Henry looked her over then nodded. "All right, I suppose I can accept this…come on, let's go back in." He nodded towards the door. The two grandparents nodded and followed him in.

"What? No bloodshed?" Shawn asked as he saw all three of them walk in, "Dad, I'm shocked you controlled yourself."

Henry just rolled his eyes. "We had a chat, son."

Lawrence nodded, "Yea. Everything is OK now."

"Or at least…everything will be." Lassiter said, taking Shawn's hand. The teen smiled at his boyfriend and nodded.

He smiled warmly, looking from face to face of all the people he truly loved, all sitting there with him. "Yea…we're all together now. It can only get better from here."

Elyse smiled, "Like you said, Shawn …it's a new beginning."

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Well, folks, that was the last chapter! All that's left is the epilogue, which I'll post in a few days. I hope you liked it, again it wasn't my favorite chapter but I'm OK with it.

I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading!

-claire