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PsychPsychPsychPsychPsych

Juliet O'Hara sighed as she pulled her jacket tighter around herself. It seemed that some criminals were determined not to let her get a full night of sleep.

Ahead of her, lights flashed, people shouted, and crime scene tape was everywhere.

She flashed her badge. "Detective O'Hara. What do we have?"

"O'Hara!"

At the familiar voice, Juliet turned her head and saw her partner, Carlton Lassiter, coming toward her. For the longest time, she hadn't known what to make of the headstrong, angry senior detective. After transferring from Miami to Santa Barbara, all she knew about her new partner was that he had slept with his previous partner, resulting in her transfer. When they met, he barely spoke to her.

He was cold, but in the following months, she began to chip away at his tough outer shell. Now, some five years later, she was closer to him than she had been to any of her former partners.

Lassiter stopped in front of her, his ever present scowl visible. "This guy is a real whack job." He led her beyond the crime scene tape, to the body that was being photographed.

Not for the first time, Juliet was thankful she hadn't eaten. The body was of a young man, late twenties to early thirties. His mouth was open in a silent scream, and his blue eyes were wide and frozen in terror. Juliet rubbed a hand roughly over her face.

Lassiter came up behind her. "No ID, no visible scars or tattoos." He pointed to the wound in the victim's abdomen. "Single gunshot wound. He bled out."

Juliet looked around the boardwalk. The waves crashing against the shore could have been loud enough to drown out the victim's pleas for help. She moved closer to the victim.

Lassiter watched her intently as he continued with his report. "So far, we haven't been able to locate any witnesses."

She nodded, crouching down beside the body. But something was troubling her about this body.

Lassiter came up behind Juliet, watching his partner intently. "What is it, O'Hara?"

The eyes, the mouth... Her gaze drifted down to the victim's neck, and she couldn't contain a gasp when she saw a familiar seashell necklace. She suddenly shot to her feet.

Lassiter stared at his partner, confused. "O'Hara?"

Her shoulders trembled, and she couldn't pull her gaze away from the victim.

"Damn it, O'Hara, what's wrong?"

"He... he looks like... Shawn," she finally managed.

Lassiter stared at her, then the dead man in front of them. On a closer inspection, he did bear a striking resemblance to the annoying psychic, including the seashell necklace he always wore.

Taking a step backward, Juliet looked at Lassiter. "I... I need to take care of something. I'll be right back."

Before he could argue, she slipped back under the crime scene tape and hurried away.

Confused and annoyed, Lassiter watched his partner's retreating form. Then he resumed his inspection of the body in front of him.

Once she was a safe distance from the scene and well out of earshot, Juliet pulled her cell phone out. It was almost two in the morning, but her stomach was in knots. She had to know that Shawn was safe. So she dialed his number and waited impatiently for him to answer.

Shawn groaned as his cell phone lit up on his nightstand, and his favorite ringtone began to play. Who was calling him at this hour?

For moment, he considered rolling over and hiding his head under the pillow. But it was possible the chief was calling with a new case, so he reluctantly picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello..."

At the sound of Shawn's sleep-filled voice, Juliet felt a strange rush of relief, amusement, and some guilt. "Hey, Shawn..."

Immediately Shawn sat up in his bed, wide awake. "Jules? What's going on? Is there a case?"

She shook her head. "No, no. I just..."

His brow furrowed. "You just what?"

"I just had to hear your voice," she concluded lamely.

"Jules, what's wrong?" Shawn asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry I woke you up."

He had to smile. "I could never be mad at you, Jules. Let me know if I can do anything to help."

"I will, Shawn. Go back to sleep." She started to say something else, but quickly decided against it. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, Jules."

She hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket, deeply relieved and feeling a little silly. The victim looked like Shawn, but it wasn't Shawn. Shawn was fine. He was safe at home in his bed.

Shawn stared at the phone in his hand. Something was wrong with Juliet. He could hear it in her voice. Whatever it was, it had shaken her so badly that she felt the need to call him.

Finally making a decision, he slid out of bed and grabbed his jeans.

After taking a minute to compose herself, Juliet went back to the scene.

As she approached, Lassiter looked her over. "You okay, O'Hara?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks."

He watched her, not completely certain that she was being honest with him. But he let it drop, and they resumed going over the crime scene in front of them.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

When they finally returned to the precinct, Juliet felt much calmer. Or as calm as she could be while investigating a brutal murder. She followed Lassiter to their desks, but she frowned when she realized that someone was sitting in her seat.

At their approach, Shawn spun around in her chair and grinned. "Hey, Jules."

Her frown melted immediately. "Shawn... What are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out." He stood up, producing a delicious smelling bag. "I assume you haven't eaten breakfast?"

She took the bag. "Thank you, Shawn."

As she took the bag, their fingers brushed together, and both felt the electricity shoot through them.

Lassiter glared at the psychic. "Get lost, Spencer."

Shawn finally shook himself out of his reverie. "No way, Lassie-face. The Chief just brought me in on the case." He grinned triumphantly.

For some reason, Juliet felt a slight twinge, and she wasn't certain that she wanted Shawn anywhere near this case. Why, she didn't know. Maybe it was the fact that the victim resembled Shawn so much. Or maybe it was all in her head. Either way, she did not like the idea of Shawn being involved in this case in any aspect.

Lassiter grunted, annoyed. "Just stay out of my way, Spencer." He stalked away.

Shawn shrugged. "Looks like Lassie didn't get enough coffee this morning."

Juliet smiled as she opened the bag and sat down in her chair. Lassiter had never been fond of the psychic. But then again, not many people managed to earn Lassiter's affections. Sometimes she wasn't certain she had even managed it.

Shawn perched himself on the corner of Juliet's desk and grabbed a donut from her bag. "So..." He took a bite of the donut.

Juliet raised a light eyebrow. "What, Shawn?"

He opened his mouth to ask why she had called him at two this morning, but at the last possible moment, he chickened out.

"Tell me more about our victim."

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Later that afternoon, Juliet and Lassiter were at their desks, still trying to put a name to their John Doe. No witnesses had stepped forward, and Lassiter was becoming frustrated.

Juliet had just poured them fresh coffee when Lassiter let out a triumphant sound. She looked up, raising a light eyebrow. "What is it, Carlton?"

"I have a hit on our John Doe. His name is..." He paused, his brow furrowing.

Juliet moved to his chair. "What's his name?"

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw.

"His name is Shawn Roberts."

Juliet's stomach twisted, and she grabbed the desk to keep her balance. The victim's name was Shawn... She had to fight the overwhelming urge to call Shawn again, to make sure that he was okay. He was fine. She repeated that over and over again in her mind, like a mantra. He was fine.

Lassiter looked at his partner. "O'Hara?"

She shook her head, attempting to shake off her concern. "Nothing. Is there any family to notify?"

Lassiter looked at the screen. "A father." He got to his feet. "Let's get it over with."

Juliet nodded, but her eyes fell on the computer screen, on the victim's face.

Why was this case getting to her?

TBC...

A/N: Why IS the case getting to Juliet? What's with the resemblances? Sound off in your reviews! Thanks for reading!