Disclaimer: see chapter one

A/N This is it the last chapter I hope you all like it. It's a bit longer then I had planned but I didn't want to cut it into two chapters. Thank you all very much for reading and for telling me what you think. Again please forgive the mistakes. And the FTD is a fictional agency made up for Psych Leikin and Ewing were not FBI.

This wasn't part of the plan

Chapter Ten and Epilogue

Henry looked at the clock hanging on the wall in the hospital waiting room once again and felt his gut tighten further with worry. It had been more than two hours since Shawn had disappeared behind the hospital doors. His relief at seeing his son sitting in the police station seemingly little worse for wear was short lived.

There he had been staring blankly at the map that represented the vast nothingness that his son was lost in wondering when was the last time he told his son he loved him and was proud of him. Then Shawn was right there in front of him and instead of telling him all the things he had moments earlier been torturing himself over he did what he always did when faced with more emotion than he was willing to deal with at one time he fell back on what he knew best. Being a cop. He had criticized Shawn for not thinking like a cop for not making sure the first thing he did when he got the chance was to put a BOLO out on that woman. He had been so focused on what a cop should have done that he had missed just how injured his son really was.

The paramedics had rushed in the police station and scooped Shawn up and left. The speed with which they had taken Shawn had him more than a little scared, a feeling that had intensified with each passing minute the doctor did not come out and tell him what was going on with his son. He had gone up to the admittance desk first to ask then to demand news of his son so often that now the two people behind the desk just seemed to scatter whenever they think he might be approaching.

So now here he sat this time in a hospital waiting room wondering when was the last time he told Shawn that he loved him and was proud of him. Henry dropped his head in his hands hoping he hadn't missed his chance to set things right with his son.

Vick walked into the large waiting room and immediately spotted Henry sitting slumped in a chair with his face buried in his hands. Guster was standing stiffly in the far corner his body language fairly screaming 'leave me alone' not even the bratty little boy who was running around and throwing spitballs at anyone within range seemed brave enough to approach the pharmaceutical rep. She also spotted her two top detectives sitting quietly in the row of chairs that lined up on the far well alternately looking at the doors the younger Spencer was no doubt taken through and the two men closest to the psychic consultant.

Vick took in a deep breath to gather her nerves and instantly regretted it as the sharp smell of disinfectant hit her. She hated that smell it always reminded her of just how many times she has had to come here and sit with her fallen fellow officer's families.

Karen walked over to Henry and quietly sat down in the chair next to him. Henry turned to her and sat back in his chair he looked as if he had aged ten years in the two hours since she had seen him last. That oppressive guilt that has been dogging her slammed into her once again. She wasn't quite sure why it was that she felt this way. Maybe it was because Spencer wasn't a cop and yet was not exactly a civilian. When you're a cop you know that you will be facing danger at some point and you are armed and trained to deal with it. But the fact is no matter how much training and no matter how careful you are on the job there is always the chance you won't come home one night. And as cops you come to except this shadow that follows you on the job and one day might catch up to you. But Spencer is not a cop and he is not trained nor armed.

But he's not a civilian either. If he was just a civilian then it would be different you learn in your rooky days that you can't save everyone, you can't protect the world or even the ones closest to all the time. You just have to do the best you can each day and protect and save the ones you can and forgive yourself for the ones you can't. Spencer fell between the two he faced the same dangers her Officers did, cracked the cases her Detectives couldn't but like a Civilian he didn't have to follow her orders and didn't have the back up of fellow cops or even a gun. Or maybe she just felt so guilty because even after everything that had happened she would not hesitate to call Spencer in on another case. And that in fact over the past few days she had found it frustrating that Spencer was not around to help. He was who she called in when the cases she needed closed were not being solved quickly enough. Karen mentally shrugged off her thoughts and focused on the elder Spencer. "Have you heard anything yet?"

Henry heaved a frustrated sigh and shook his head. "It's been over two hours they should have told us something by now." Henry turned and glared over at the admittance desk and the two receptionists there. "They won't even go and check on Shawn and see if he's even still back there or if he's been taken to surgery. Now they hide every time I try to go up there."

"Would you like me to go over there and ask?" Vick offered knowing how hard this must be on Henry she knew it would drive her insane if her daughter were back there and no one was telling her what was going on.

"No. Your detectives have already tried." Henry hung his head looking more worn and defeated then Vick had ever seen him. Her guilt seemed to creep back in on her as she watched him.

"Mr. Spencer, I'm sorry about what happened at the airport. I wish I had... I had." Karen trailed off not exactly knowing how to express herself.

Henry gave a half scoffing snort and he shook his head. "I know what happened out there and I know my son. You couldn't have stopped him from going out there or from standing too close to that woman. He should've known she was most likely armed and acted accordingly. You did what you could. What you should have."

Karen nodded feeling some of the guilt lift from her. "Would you like me to get you anything? Coffee? Food? Maybe call someone?" Henry shook his head. Vick gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as she stood and made her way to her two detectives.

Lassiter could not believe he was sitting in a hospital waiting room actually worried about that annoying fake Psychic. As much as he hated to admit it he had in some small barely even there, kind of way come to think of Spencer as a colleague and sort of friend. He always seemed to come in at the last moment and solve cases he would have bet his house were already closed. Spencer never seemed to stop surprising him he had completely stunned the detective not once but three times just that morning. First by showing up at the station.

Second by telling the Milliken family that the Copilot was dead. He could hardly believe it was really Spencer, gone were his irreverent comments and crazy antics. He had spoken plainly but with tact, he did not stumble over his words or make it sound like it was some speech he had rehearsed. He was not cold and matter of fact about what he had to tell them nor was he blubbering fool. He had been professional but had shown them compassion and sympathy.

Though Lassiter would never admit it aloud he admired the kind of guts it took to face that family and tell them the man was gone. He knew just how hard it was to face someone and tell them that their loved one is dead. It was something every cop hated to do and at times felt like the worst part of the job. It wasn't just telling them that was so hard it was having to deal with how people reacted to it as well.

He's had people react to the news by yelling at him denying that it couldn't possibly be true. He's had ones pass out, ones that turn into sobbing messes and hang on to him, ones that stand so still you would think they had turned into stone. He's even had one take a swing at him. But the reaction he hated the most the one that he dreaded was the one when they thanked you. He never really understood how anyone could thank you for giving them possibly the worst news they will ever hear. Lassiter wondered briefly if Spencer felt the same way.

If Spencer had stunned him with his emotional control and guts with the Milliken family he had outright floored him with his physical strength and endurance. How he had managed to get all the way back to the SBPD in his condition amazed him. He would not have believed it possible for anyone let alone that overgrown kid to do what he did if he had not seen it for himself. Now he just hoped that endurance that had gotten him home had not run out.

Lassiter looked over at his partner sitting next to him and wondered how much longer she was going to be able to hold it together. He knew she was only clinging to her composure by a thread and it would not take much for her to lose it completely. As for Guster, he was pretty sure the younger man had finally broken his emotional control. The man had been a rock these past four days when everyone around him was losing their hope, losing control, losing it he had kept it together. Now he just seemed to be lost.

"Detectives?"

Lassiter's head snapped around a little surprised to find the Chief standing next to his chair. "Yes."

Juliet jumped startled at hearing Vick she had been so deep in thought that she had not been aware the Chief had joined them. "Have they found Leikin yet?" Lassiter asked.

Vick sat down and leaned forward keeping voice low. "No. They found the car she stole just outside of Tracy about two miles from the fairgrounds. There was a PBR rodeo going on over the weekend. The town itself is not very big only around fifty thousand. There are no trains, and no buses leaving until the afternoon and the airport is forty miles south of there in the next town. Both are being watched just to be sure. But everything so far points to her abandoning the stolen car so she could hitch a ride with someone that was leaving the rodeo."

"Are they sure she has really left? She might still be there getting lost in the crowds." Juliet asked following Vick's example by keeping her voice low.

"The fairgrounds are almost empty now. The rodeo ended last night and most of the people left early this morning."

"So she got away." Lassiter spat out disgustedly. Juliet knew that it rankled her partner to have been fooled by Leikin and that she had done so much harm to one of their own.

"Only for the time being. She can't hide forever. We will find her," Vick said with more than a little edge to her voice making it clear she did not like the dirty FTD Psychic consultant any more than they did.

Juliet sat there quietly for a moment when a disturbing thought hit her and sent a spike of worry through her. "What about Shawn? You don't think she would come back here to try and kill him, do you?"

Vick shook her head more out of irritation with the thought of Leikin then in answer to Juliet. "I have already thought of that Officers will be posted outside his door at all times. The Petersville force is doing the same for the pilot."

Juliet nodded feeling a little better about Shawn's safety, now if only the doctors would come out here and tell them how he was doing. She had never been so scared as when she thought Shawn might be dead. But seeing him sitting in that office chair in that blood-soaked tee shirt ran a close second. She hated this waiting she hated not knowing, even the worst news would be easier to deal with than this. Juliet looked over at Shawn's best friend and had the strongest urge to start crying. She had never seen him so upset and worried which only made her own worry more acute. Why hadn't they heard anything about him? They have been waiting for two and a half hours now. Couldn't someone at least come out here and give an update?

She couldn't even begin to imagine going to work if Shawn were to die knowing he would never again pop in out of the blue and annoy Carlton and flirt with her. As much as she acted like she didn't care for him flirting with her the truth was she secretly loved that he did. And though she is no where near ready to act on it right now she had always thought that one day she and Shawn might have become more then just friends.

'He was fine he walked into the station. He was fine, how could he not be fine he walked into the station.' This was all that kept repeating in Gus's mind. He couldn't believe Shawn could survive two crashes running through the woods with a murder chasing him for four days and then to be hurt like he was and making it all the way home only to then not be fine. ' How could he not be fine? He walked into the station.'

Gus looked over at the swinging doors Shawn had gone through. He has lived through some pretty scary moment with Shawn over the course of their life long friendship. He has stood in hospitals like this one many times before waiting while Shawn got patched up. But never has he been so unnerved by the wait never has he had the feeling that Shawn might not pull through. But this time he did. Maybe it was because Gus had never seen Shawn so hurt before, maybe it was the fact Shawn hadn't joke with or annoyed the paramedics or that he didn't even put up a fight about going to the hospital. He hadn't even tried to put on a brave face for Juliet. That alone was enough to worry Gus, he had never seen Shawn lose his bravado in front of a pretty girl let alone Juliet.

Gus suddenly saw movement out of the corner of his eye and was relieved yet scared to see the Doctor headed their way. Gus moved to stand next to Juliet and Henry. 'Shawn was fine he walked into the station, he was fine.' He hoped. Gus's stomach was tied up in knots and felt like he might be sick. He watched the Doctor come closer and tried to read the man's face hoping it would give him some sort of clue as to how his best friend was. But he could read nothing and by the frustrated look on Henry's face, he couldn't either.

"Are you all here for Shawn Spencer?" the Doctor asked as soon as he reached the group. At seeing them all nod he continued, "would you all please follow me then."

Epilogue

Gus walked into the Psych office and found it to be a little odd and empty to be in here now. After all that had happened, he wasn't sure what was going to happen to Psych. The lease wasn't going to be up for another year. Could he just leave it like it is and deal with it when the lease was up? He hated to see Psych close it had been the one job Shawn had really cared about but he really didn't see how it could continue now. Gus shut the door behind him and walk over to his desk a thin layer of dust coated the surface. He and Shawn had never been big on cleaning up the office, mostly because they could never agree on who's turn it was to pick up. Gus looked around the office and smiled he had always liked this place it was like hanging out in the neighbor's tree house when you were a kid. It was always fun and happy now it just seemed cold and dead.

Gus was about to start packing up his laptop and a few other things he kept here when he was startled by a noise coming from the back. His heart nearly tripped over itself it was beating so fast. Gus held his breath hoping he had just been mistaken and it had really just come from outside. But that hope was shattered when he heard the noise again and it was very clearly not coming from outside. Gus pulled out his cell phone and dialed nine-one-one his thumb poised over the send button. Hearing the noise come closer Gus grabbed the carved wooden pineapple off his desk with his other hand ready to use it as a weapon.

"Dude, really the pineapple. There's a golf club like three feet away."

Gus dropped the pineapple as he saw his best friend standing in the doorway to the front room eating a fruit cup. "Shawn what are you doing here you're supposed to be home resting. Chief Vick told you to always be sure you were with someone when you went out Lindsey is still on the loose and she wants you dead."

Shawn smiled completely unaffected by what Gus had just said. "I am with someone I'm with you. Besides Lindsey probably in Tahiti by now."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Gus said changing the subject before he ended up with a headache.

Shawn pulled out a piece of paper from his sling that was still supporting his injured left arm and handed it to Gus. "Well, I got us a case."

Gus looked at his friend a little stunned then slowly smiled as he took the paper. Guess Psych wasn't going to close after all. "What is this one about?"

THE END

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