Lassiter sat in the waiting room with his head in his hands feeling bad for upsetting Shawn so much. He knew he needed to stay and talk to Henry but dealing with Henry when it has anything to do with Shawn is not easy. It had only been 10 minutes since he said he would be "right there" when he came busting into the waiting room. The first words out of his mouth were, "What the Hell happened to my son!"
Lassiter took a deep breath and asked Henry to sit down for a minute. When he finally sat Lassiter said, "I pushed Shawn to talk to me. I could tell he was faking sleeping, so I pushed him to talk like I would normally push him, what he said though really surprised me. He told me that he wanted to die. He said that he had been in the hospital for a month and he couldn't even breathe on his own on top of the other tons of things still wrong with him. He said it wasn't fair for you to be saddled with him and he just wanted to be left alone so he could die and everyone would be better off for it. He got really upset crying and that is when his heart cut up."
Henry looked at Lassiter shocked, "He thinks that I would be better off with out him? He thinks he is a burden to me? Doesn't he realize I almost lost him and I would take him in any shape I can have him." He just sat there rubbing his head to exhausted to even cry he looked at Lassiter defeated, "How can I keep him from giving up. Lassiter…Carlton, I cant loose him, if he stops breathing so will I. He is my everything. It breaks my heart to think that he could think for one minute that I could EVER be better off without him."
Lassiter sat next to the older Spencer rubbing his back he tried to think of something meaningful or profound to tell the grieving father but the only thing he could think of was, "Tell him what you just told me. You can't make him fight but if he at least knows how you feel, and he does know but he but he just might need to hear it after he has gone through so much."
Henry patted Lassiter on the knee and told the Detective, "You're right, and thank you for being a friend to my son in a time when he really needs one." Then he got up and headed to the doors of the ICU. He stopped when he noticed Lassiter hadn't moved, "You're not coming in?" Lassiter looked at his watch, "Nah I am going to head home it sounds like you and Shawn need some alone time to talk." Henry just shook his head and headed into see Shawn.
He quietly came into Shawn's room. Shawn was not asleep but when he heard the door open he decided to pretend he was. Henry sat down next to Shawn. He gently held Shawn's hand next to his face and said, "Oh Shawn, Son, I love you so much. I hope you know that you are the most important person in my life. When you hurt, I hurt and when your heart has stopped so has mine. Oh God Kid you are worrying me so much, the health stuff you can beat you're a tough kid but the mental toll this is taking on you is starting to worry me and I don't know how to help you. I just hope you know that I love you no matter what, Always and forever."
He closed his eyes and quietly wept while holding his sons hand next to his face. He didn't notice his son looking at him. Shawn started to gently move his fingers up and down Henry's face in an attempt to comfort him. Henry was surprised by his son's actions but sat still and let his son comfort him. After a minute he opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful site he had ever seen, Shawn looking back at him smiling.
Henry wiped his eyes quickly and said, "Well good evening young man, I thought you were going to sleep the evening away. I heard you had a rough night. I am really sorry." Shawn smiled and signed, "Those paddle things really hurt (he made a pained face) but they do the job. What are you doing here you should be resting at home, I thought dog L was here with me?"
Henry told his son, "I heard you had a rough night and I enjoy being here with you. I am getting used to having your sorry Caracas right with me. I sleep better when I hear you breathing next to me. Oh and who is Dog L?" Right then Lassiter who was listening at the door said. "I think "Dog L" is me. Shawn smiled at Lassiter as he walked in and put his finger to his nose to tell Lassie that he was right.
Lassiter said, "Let me guess Dog L is the name sign you are now giving me?" Shawn smiled with the same old ornery smile and shook his head yes. Lassiter rolled his eyes and tried to act annoyed but seeing that mischievous spark back in Spencer's eyes made him too happy to stay annoyed at him.
Lassiter came in and grabbed his jacket and book and told the Spencer men he was sorry for interrupting he had forgotten these (holding up his jacket and book). I am going to head home now, Good night!
He started to head out and Shawn through a plastic cup at his back. He spun around and groused, "Hey, why did you throw something at me?" Shawn smiled sincerely at Lassiter and signed, "Dog L (Lassie) Thank you for the tough love earlier, you said what I needed to hear."
Lassiter all of the sudden became fascinated with his shoes while tears threatened to fill his eyes. He gathered his emotions and signed, "Your welcome, pain in my ass" Shawn busted out laughing and so did Lassiter and he told the two men good night and headed home.
After a minute of silence Shawn noticed his dad thinking really hard about something and Shawn asked, "What was wrong?" Henry said, "Nothing, I can't remember the signs that Lassiter used what did he call you?" Shawn grabbed the pen and paper off the bed table and wrote it out, he said, "Your welcome, pain in my ass" Henry laughed and told his son, "So is that your new sign name?" He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.