Here We Go Again
Hello everyone! :) Thanks for waiting for me so patiently. I love you guys!
Disclaimer: I only own my awesome OC's. And every season of Psych on DVD ;)
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Oh come on, Gus. It's not like you own the only blue Toyota in the country."
"I know that. It's just weird. Like a flashback or something."
The driver's side window rolled down, releasing a blast of cool air. "You know what's really weird? My mom had this exact same reaction when I came home with the car last year. Now are you guys coming or what?"
Shawn shrugged at Gus and motioned to the door. "Age before beauty." He smirked.
Gus narrowed his eyes at Shawn, but reluctantly climbed into the backseat of the car.
"So where do we go first?" Sierra turned around in the driver's seat and looked at Shawn expectantly.
"Wait, you mean you don't already have a plan?" Gus asked.
"Mom told me about your old detective agency. I just figured you'd know what to do."
"Right." Shawn avoided Gus's eyes. "I say we start...at your house!"
"My house?" she repeated. "Why would we go to my house? We're supposed to be finding out dirt on James, right?"
"Yes and no." Shawn settled back into the seat, instantly snapping into his 'psychic detective' mode. "I like to start out every case by learning a little about the people who hired us." Gus snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's always good to have background info. Makes it a lot easier in the long-run. "
"Okay." Sierra agreed uncertainly "I guess that makes sense."
"Exactly. Then onward, Miss Daisy!"
Gus rolled his eyes. "That's not how the movie goes, Shawn."
Sierra wrinkled her nose. "Who?"
About twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a luxury high rise apartment building on the beach.
"Seems a little fancy for a cop." Gus muttered to Shawn. "How does Juliet afford this place?"
"James' family owns it." Sierra answered, punching in the code for the parking garage. "Friends and family discount, I guess."
Shawn pinched Gus's arm and shot him a look. "Sorry." Gus mouthed back. "Didn't know she had superhuman hearing."
After she parked the car, Sierra quickly led them through the gorgeous, sun-filled lobby, stopping only to check with the doorman to see if Juliet had returned. "Jeff hasn't seen Mom yet so we're good to go. Now, the elevators are over here, so…" She turned and bumped right into James himself.
"Well, hello." James smiled coldly. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here, remember?"
"Not you. I meant your friend. Shane, was it? And who's this?"
"Burton Guster." Gus reached out for a handshake but James ignored it.
"James Brickman. Juliet's fiancé."
"What do you want?" Sierra questioned impatiently. "Where's Mom?"
"On a case. I just ran by to," he glanced nervously around the lobby "check up on a few things."
"Mr. Brickman!" The doorman ran over, desperately trying to get James's attention. "I have something I need to discuss with you!"
With a final withering glare, James turned his attention to his staff member. "What is it?" he barked.
"Come on," Sierra whispered "Let's go."
"Here we are." Sierra opened the front door and flipped on the lights. "Home sweet home."
Shawn looked around and immediately took in every detail of the apartment. They had entered into a small foyer, which opened up into a spacious living room that overlooked the ocean, sparkling in the mid-morning sun. To the left was a kitchen and a small dining area. On the other side of the living room was a short hallway, leading to the two bedrooms.
The phone in the kitchen rang and Sierra ran to answer it.
"Nice place." Gus nodded, heading straight for the TV.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Shawn hissed. "You're supposed to be helping me, not watching a Mentalist marathon!"
"I'm just going to check the weather, Shawn."
"Yeah, sure. I'll be right back." He wandered around the apartment for a few minutes before eventually finding his way down the hall and into one of the bedrooms. Realizing it must be Juliet's, he turned around started to leave until he noticed a box poking out from under the bed.
Across the lid, the box was labeled 'Santa Barbara' in small, neat letters. Inside the box, he found mostly copies of transfer papers and the like littered across the top layer. All boring stuff. But soon, Shawn noticed that the old paperwork had begun to give way to all sorts of pictures and mementos. Finally, he came across a photo album he could only assume was like the one Sierra had told him about.
Sitting there, on Juliet's bedroom floor, he looked at each picture, laughing at some, reminiscing on others. Suddenly, a folded scrap of newspaper fell out from the back of the album. Shawn picked it up and smiled fondly. It was their engagement announcement in the Santa Barbara Times.
The picture had been taken on the beach, just moments after he had popped the question. They both looked ecstatic. And so in love. Shawn smiled softly to himself. After all those years of dancing around the truth, he had finally gotten up enough courage to ask her out three months before. It had been the best relationship of his life. Maybe, Shawn wondered, maybe. There's still hope for us. Maybe…
"Shawn?" Gus called, breaking his dream-like state of thought. "I think you may want to come take a look at this."
"What is it?" Shawn groaned. "I'm a little busy right now." He made his way back into the living room and over to the TV, where what he saw made his heart stop.
"We're live at the Palm Street Café, where an undercover police operation has just resulted in the shooting of a police officer. No word yet on who the officer is or what exactly happened but stay tuned to News 14 and…" Gus hit the remote and the TV went blank.
Shawn continued to stare at the screen in disbelief, thoughts shooting through his brain, all having to do with Juliet.
"Sierra? Are you okay?" Gus got up from the couch and crossed the room to Sierra, who stood motionless, the phone in her hand.
"That was the hospital." She collapsed on a chair, her eyes beginning to fill with worried tears. "My mom's there. She was shot."
Oooooh. Cliffhanger! Anyway, I'm sorry if Shawn seems a little OOC (out of character) when he's looking at the pictures but I'm trying to show that he really does love Juliet and that he's grown alot. I mean, it has been seventeen years...
So yeah, read&review :) please&thankyou?