If you follow my other fics then this is definitely not what you've been waitin for. I know I dropped off the face of the earth in April and I apologize. Between shows, finals, moving, a new full time job, moving again, and summer classes, I've been busy. Finally on vacation and have a bit of time.

This fic is one of those written in the notes app through voice memo in two hundred word spirts as I'm falling asleep. Finally got the chance to edit it and here we are.

This is in the same universe as "Slipping Through A Window" and takes place in s4 after Shawn moves back in with his dad. This is from Jon's POV and there are hints of abuse but nothing concrete.

Please enjoy!

~TH~

Jon ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the weak bearing down on him. It had been a long one. One where everything that could possibly go wrong seemed to. It was time to turn in. No stress. No papers to grade. Just sleeping until Monday morning. He flipped the light switch allowing the peaceful darkness to take over the room.

Then a knock came at the door.

For a brief moment he considered not opening it. Whoever it was could be dealt with in the morning. But it could be Eli having locked himself out of his apartment again.

Reluctantly he returned the switch to its original position and pulled the door open a crack, ready to lecture his best friend on responsibility.

"Hey." The very much not Eli, offered an awkward smile, hands shoved deep in his pockets

"Hunter?" He frowned, opening the door the rest of the way. His mind started turning with all of the possibilities, but he decided to play it cool. "There's not a cop behind ya is there?"

Shawn laughed, but it wasn't anywhere near real. Jon had known him long enough to know when something was wrong. And something was.

"No not this time. Just thought I'd stop in and… say… hi." The boy awkwardly swung his arms, as if waiting for an invitation. Jon moved back to allow him in.

"Well hi." He countered with a raised eyebrow. "Do you want to come in ?"

Shawn licked his lips and Jon could almost see him weighing the pros and cons. "Just for a minute."

The fact that he had come all this way but still hesitated at the door spoke a lot of Shawn's headspace. Something was up. It was too reminiscent of another night where his student had knocked on his door, starving and alone. The protective feeling that had only grown as Shawn's guardian was reemerging. He'd tried to push it back. Allow Chet to be the parent Shawn believed he could be. But all it took was one look at the nervous boy in front of him to convince Jon to write of Chet completely.

Shawn walked in, keeping his back turned as if he was looking around the apartment. "I see nothing's changed around here."

"Nope," Jon raised his arms and then let them drop. "Same old apartment. Never could decided on a new one."

"Yeah nothing could ever replace this one."

The wistful tone was filed away for later review.

Jon came around, catching his first glance of Shawn's face in the light. "What happened to your face?" He reached for Shawn's face, only stopping at the uncontrolled flinch. Jon could feel his blood pressure rising. The eye wasn't too swollen there was a dark bruise following his jaw line. The eye was purple around the edge and a small scratch lined his cheek. "Who did this to you?" He asked, this time completing the grab for the boy's chin, pushing it up so he could see it better in the light.

"Who did this to you?"

Shawn pushed him away, taking a step backwards and running a hand through his hair. "No one. You know how much of a clutz I can be. Don't worry about it."

Jon didn't say the words he wanted to. That he did worry. That he cared. That no matter how hard he tried to return to nothing more than a teacher, he still viewed Shawn like a son. He should have signed the guardianship papers the moment they arrived. But it was too late for that. He had to be there for Shawn now, regardless of who had custody.

At the moment, being there meant not commenting as Shawn dropped onto the couch and getting an ice pack out of his freezer.

Jon was glad that his apartment felt safe. That was something. He knew from his own experience that just having a place to decompress could be the thing that was needed most.

He tossed the ice pack, Shawn catching it out of the air and looking between Jon and the object like he'd never seen one before. "It's an ice pack. You put it on your face so that the swelling goes down and you don't scare away any dates."

This time, the grin was real. "Nothing could ever hurt the Shawn Hunter charm, but I'll do it if it'll make you feel better."

Jon chuckled as Shawn applied light pressure with the cold pack. He winced slightly but quickly shook it off. Shawn was trying to pass off as relaxed, but it wasn't hard to see the tension and exhausting reverberating through every muscle.

"So," Turner finally ventured, casually sitting on the couch but leaving room between them. 'What are you doing out this late?"

"You're not my Guardian anymore." He could hear the attempted brush off, but it came off more like a jab. Like maybe Shawn wished just as much as he did that the papers had been long signed before Chet came back.

Jon shrugged. "So I'm not allowed to care anymore? Hate to break it to ya Hunter, but i cared about ya long before you moved in and it's not gonna stop just because you moved back out."

There was an odd hitch in the kid's breath. Shawn didn't seem sure how to take it. Not that he'd ever done overwhelming well emotional confrontations.

"Yeah but I don't have to give you a play by play of my life anymore." Was the eventual response, played off with a failed attempt at casualness.

There were a few moments of silence. Jon opened his mouth but stopped when he saw the ice pack slip as Shawn's eyes closed. Jon made a reach for the pack but didn't reach it in time. Shawn jerked awake with a sharp intake of breath. Jon moved back to give the kid space while he looked around with wild eyes. Shawn seemed to finally regain his bearings and gives a sheepish smile before hiding his face behind the ice pack.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"Shawn, when's the last time you slept?" He opened his mouth and Jon interrupted. "That's not in my class."

His mouth clacked shut before reopening. "Last night. Just… long day."

The face before him was not a well rested Shawn. It wasn't even a poorly rested Shawn. This was more reminiscent of the weekend he'd pulled an all nighter to finish a paper so that he could go to a party Friday night then staying the night at Cory's. That was the face before him.

"If you wanna take a nap I'm not going to be offended. It's late."

"Nah, I should probably head out soon."

Jon risked the question that had been burning since Shawn had appeared in the doorway. "Your parents know you're here?"

Shawn's face paled even more and he shifted the ice pack, grip tightening "Yeah, yeah of course..." There was a slight pause as his eyes darted around the room. Shawn was waying his options Either trying to come up with a believable story or simply debating how much of the truth to tell. Eventually he backtracked. "Well kind of. They're actually out of town for a couple of days."

Warning bells went of in Turner's head.

Shawn shows up, clearly having been roughed up, but claims it was just him being clumsy. He's easily startled. Hasn't been sleeping. Gets cagey when his parents are brought up. But claims they are out of time.

Maybe tis was good? Maybe it really was a fall or something. Maybe a local thug and he'd come here because he didn't want to be alone. Maybe even a bully around the trailer park. That was possible right?

But still, Shawn was only sixteen. "They left you alone?"

"I'm not a kid, Jon. And hey, they actually left me the trailer this time, so that's a plus." This was said with true nonchalance and humor.

Jon couldn't help the laugh that passed through his lips, but hoped he conveyed sincerity when he said, "Well you're welcome to crash here for a couple of days."

"Nah I'm fine." Shawn said, dropping the ice pack and looking like he was about to bolt. "Just wanted to see what was up. Just seeing you in class isn't the same."

Jon nudged him in the arm. "Well yeah, that's what I'm saying. You could stay for the weekend. Just like old times."

Shawn stood, rubbing his hands together and shuffling towards the door. "Nah I mean my bed and all my stuff is at my trailer so-"

"You know you never took home half of your stuff." Turner answered, still sitting. "Yor room is still set up so if you ever need to crash, you're welcome to it."

Shawn paused, a look of confusion passing his face. "You didn't chuck it all?"

"No?" Jon chuckled, "Why would I?"

"I just assumed-" He slammed his mouth shut and shook his head as if physically shaking away whatever thoughts were running rampant up there. "Never mind. I should, uh, I should probably get going."

Turner rose to follow him towards the door. He couldn't make Shawn stay. Shawn was right, he wasn't a kid anymore. He was old enough to stay by himself. But Jon would feel so much better if he stayed with someone. If he knew Shawn wasn't out roaming the streets at all hours of the night. The kid had already found enough trouble for a lifetime and it looked like he was mixed up in even more.

"Shawn, you're exhausted." He finally decided that in this instance, a bold front was the only thing the kid was going to listen to. "Stay here. You've still got a change of clothes in the dresser and enough pillows to support a small army."

For a moment it looked like he would fight, run out the door not to be seen again until Monday. But Shawn let out a breath, physically deflating. "You sure you don't mind?"

"Do I seem like the guy who would offer if he did?"

Shawn smirked and Jon was glad to see the spark of life in him.

"Fine. But only if you promise to make pancakes tomorrow. "

It was such a small payment in return for knowing that Shawn was safe for just one night. He reached out his hand. "Deal." Shawn clasped his hand and Turner was taken back to the first time the offer was made. They had both grown so much since then, but maybe it wasn't meant to be over yet. "Now bed."

"What? No TV?"

"Bed. You're exhausted. And so am ."

"Pancakes?"

"In the morning." But he had a feeling it would be closer to noon before Shawn dragged himself out of bed. And Jon would be glad to see it. The kid looked like he needed to catch up on a week's worth of sleep.

"I'm holding you to that." Shawn made his way up the stairs before turning. "Thanks. I love being with my parents but… the trailer can get kinda lonely, y'know?"

"Yeah, I feel here too." '

Shawn looked genuinely surprised. "Really? I thought you liked it better alone."

Jon felt as though he had been slapped. Was that the impression Shawn had been under since leaving? "Nah man. Everyone needs their space sometimes but the place isn't the same without all your teenage angst."

Shawn looked a mix between relieved and embarrassed. "So you really don't mind if I hang around sometimes?"

"You're always welcome here, Shawn. This is still your home. And if I ever do decide to get a new apartment, you'll always be welcomed there too."

"Cool." It was such a Shawn Hunter answer that Jon felt for the first time of the night that everything might actually be okay.

"Good night, Shawn, grab some ice of you need it."

"I'm good. Night " He waved over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner.

The relief that Shawn was staying mixed with his concern over the entire situation. He didn't have any proof of anything. Only a gut feeling. And according to Shawn his parents were out of town. If that was true than at most it was neglect. If that.

Shawn had always been prone to fights, even when he stayed with Jon. And it wasn't like there had been constant bruising or anything. Just an occasional black eye.

He'd discussed the suspicious bruising with Feeny before Chet had taken off, but since there was no real evidence nothing could be done. And in theory Chet was supposed to be different now. Jon wasn't sure if he believed that. But it didn't matter. He wanted whatever was best for Shawn.

If that meant staying up later than he intended and letting the kid stay over then so be it. Hopefully there was nothing going on, but if there ever was, this was the way to ensure that Shawn would come to him instead of trying to take care of it himself.

Jon would keep his eye out. Keep an open door and an opened mind.

And make sure to buy extra pancake batter next time he goes to the store.

~TH~

I have a third one planned that will break canon and "wrap things up". But I may come back and write this from Shawn's POV but that's not a promise, just a brainstorm.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Would love some comments!

Happy 4th to those of you who celebrate.

Much love and God bless,

Jamie