A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating! I had finals and then I hurt my leg and now my computer is broken. So it's been difficult these last two weeks. I hope you're still with me on this! I promise to be better with the next update. Hope this chapter is okay. I keep having major issues inserting a line break to separate the action in the station from that in the cabin, but that's only at one point in this chapter so I think it should be okay. Thank you so much for the reviews! They are all greatly appreciated.

"Do you mean to tell me that an officer who has been with us for five years is partnered with one of the most prolific serial killers in Santa Barbara?" Vick asked, not believing what she had heard.

"Think about it, Chief. Everything fits," Lassiter explained. "How the killers always managed to stay one step ahead of us. All the inside information that Estevez had. He knew that Spencer was the one who led us to the bodies."

"Don't forget about the SCUBA diving!" Shawn shouted through the line.

Lassiter nodded. "The SCUBA diving."

Vick still looked skeptical. "Officer Robertson was knocked unconscious by Estevez. He needed stitches to close the cut on his head."

"So he got a bump on his head, big deal. Hell, I've had worse more times than I can count," Lassiter countered. "It threw suspicion off of Robertson and gave them both time to escape. Seems like a good tradeoff to me."

"This is all circumstantial and complete speculation. You really think we've had a serial killer working right under our noses?"

"It wouldn't be the first time we had dirty cops working here," Henry spoke up, unconsciously pressing his hand to the spot on his chest where Jerry Carp had shot him just a few months earlier.

Karen nodded, conceding Henry's point.

"How long ago did he leave the hospital?" Henry asked.

Vick hesitated slightly at that question. "He was taken to a room immediately after the incident at 4:30 AM. No one checked on him until just now."

"Dammit," Lassiter muttered. "That was three hours ago. They could already be up at the cabin for all we know. We need to send a car up there immediately."

"Carlton?" Juliet asked, "what's…going on?" Her voice was garbled and the sound of static overpowered her words.

Lassiter shook his cell phone in the futile hope that he wouldn't lose the connection. "O'Hara! You're breaking up," He tried one more time.

"Carl-" and then there was just silence from the other line.

"Dammit!" Lassiter shouted. "We need to send someone up there, Chief."

"I'll look into it," she assured him. "But I can't just send officers up the mountain based off of a hunch. Until we have more evidence, I don't want a word of this getting out. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Chief," Lassiter agreed, knowing it would be pointless to argue with her.

Karen nodded. "I'll keep you updated, Detective," she told him, indicating he was dismissed. Lassiter started to leave, holding the door open for Henry.

"I'll be out in a minute, Lassiter," Henry told him, turning back to the chief. Lassiter was curious about what Henry would say to Vick, but the older man's body language was clearly telling him he wanted privacy. He nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.

"We need to get them off the mountain," Henry insisted once Lassiter had left.

"Henry, I already told you and Detective Lassiter, I will look into it. But at the moment we don't even know if they are in any danger. Now if you don't mind, I am very busy. Once news stations start reporting on Estevez's escape, it's going to be a madhouse in here."

Henry shook his head in frustration. "It isn't just Estevez, Karen. Gus thinks that Shawn has Decompression Sickness from his little diving expedition yesterday. They need to get off the mountain and Shawn needs to get to a hospital immediately."

Karen sighed heavily, her face showing worry for the first time since the whole ordeal had started. "Are you sure?"

Henry nodded. "Pretty sure. And it sounds like he's getting worse. They got my truck stuck in a ditch last night so they don't have any way of getting back down the mountain on their own."

Vick sat quietly for a few moments and the silence in the room was deafening. "I will try my best, Henry. But with the weather that we've been having, I'm not sure it's safe for anyone to try and make it up to Big Pine at the moment."

Henry clenched his fists, lowering his head to look at the floor. He knew the truth in what Karen was saying, but he also knew that his son was in trouble. "If you don't send help up there within the hour, I'll go up to Big Pine by myself," he said decisively, meeting Karen's eyes before turning to leave.

"Henry!" Karen shouted after him, but he was already out the door. She watched him for a minute, briefly contemplating going after him. Instead, she picked up the phone and started dialing, hoping she'd finally get some good news.

Henry sat down at O'Hara's desk and pulled out his cell phone, scanning through the contacts before he found who he was looking for.

"Spencer, what are you doing?" Lassiter asked, standing over him.

Henry looked up, lowering his phone. "If the chief won't send anyone up that mountain, I'm going to go myself." He looked back at his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

Henry eyed Lassiter impatiently. "Sal Barber. It's his cabin and he has a big truck that can handle almost any terrain. I'm sure he'll let me borrow it if I explain the situation."

"Did you tell the Chief what you were planning?"

"I no longer work for the department, Detective. What I do does not concern you or Karen. Now if you're done, I really need to make this call."

Lassiter put his hand over Henry's phone, preventing him from dialing. "Henry, my partner is up on that mountain too, so what you do or plan to do does concern me." Henry didn't put his phone down, eyeing the Detective. Lassiter took that as his cue to keep talking. "Henry, you can't go up there alone. You were shot just a few months ago. These men are armed and dangerous. Just wait a little longer."

"I told Karen if she didn't send her men up there within the hour, I'd go by myself. And I plan to do that. But I need to call Sal to make sure I can get his truck since my only form of transportation is Juliet's green Beetle. Don't worry, Detective. I'm not planning to leave just yet."

Lassiter smirked a little as he pictured Henry driving his partner's tiny car. "One hour," he agreed. "In the meantime I'll try to get through to O'Hara again," he told Henry, heading back to his own desk, satisfied that Spencer senior wasn't going to do anything crazy or stupid. At least not yet.

"Carlton!" Juliet had been in the middle of shouting her partner's name when the phone lost service. "Dammit," she muttered, echoing Lassiter's sentiments.

"Did they say they'd send help?" Gus asked. He had been in the kitchen finishing up making the omelets for a good portion of the conversation.

Juliet shook her head. "I'm not sure. I don't think Vick was convinced about Robertson though. She put the cell phone back down on the ottoman and helped Gus with the plates, bringing them over to Shawn. He was half-sitting up on the couch, slumped over the armrest, his head pillowed on his outstretched arm. "Shawn, want some breakfast?" Juliet asked, shaking his good arm slightly.

He groaned, lifting his head up to look at her. She reached out and turned his head gently, examining the dark bruise that was blossoming over the left side of his head. He hissed at her touch but didn't pull away.

"Sorry, sorry," she murmured, tracing a hand through his hair. "That looks painful."

"Uh huh," Shawn agreed, pressing his right hand against his temple. "My head is killing me," he said miserably.

"I have some painkillers in my kit, but I don't know about you taking them with the Bends and possible concussion," Gus said uncertainly.

Shawn groaned again. "I'm willing to risk it."

Gus looked at Juliet for confirmation. Juliet nodded. "Nothing too strong though." Gus put the breakfast plates down and went to his bag to retrieve the painkillers. He returned quickly with a glass of water.

"You can't take these on an empty stomach," he said, handing the pills to Shawn and the glass of water to Juliet. Shawn made a noise of disgust at that, swallowing thickly.

"I don't think food is such a good idea right now," he said, eyeing the plates Gus had placed on the table.

"The eggs are light. They shouldn't be too hard on your stomach," Gus said, trying to convince him. "At least have some toast."

Shawn still seemed uncertain.

"Just a little, Shawn," Juliet coaxed. You'll feel more nauseous if you take the pills on an empty stomach."

Shawn nodded reluctantly. "Fine," he agreed, taking the glass of water from Juliet and quickly downing the pills. Gus got a snack table and placed it in front of Shawn, bringing over the plate with eggs and toast. "Thanks, Buddy."

Gus nodded. "Don't mention it." He brought a plate over for Juliet and he pulled a chair over for himself. They ate in silence for a little while. Gus barely tasted the eggs as he watched his friend miserably poke at the food. After about fifteen minutes, Shawn placed his fork down and slumped back against the couch.

"You done?" Juliet asked, receiving a slight nod from Shawn. He closed his eyes and pressed his head back against the couch.

"Does your head feel any better?" Gus asked.

Shawn opened one eye, nodding slightly. "A little."

"Good," Gus nodded. He took a few more bites of eggs, and then placed his own fork down. He took Juliet's and Shawn's plates into the kitchen to clear them off. When he returned to the den, Juliet was helping Shawn lay down on the couch again, saying something too quietly for Gus to hear. He went back to the kitchen for a few minutes to give them some privacy. When he returned to the den, Shawn looked like he was sleeping and Juliet was once again trying her luck with the cell phone, her back to Gus.

"He okay?" Juliet turned around and looked at Gus, quickly wiping her eyes. She nodded, forcing a smile.

"Jules…" Gus started, walking towards her. "Are you okay."

"I'm fine," Juliet reassured him. She wiped her eyes again, letting out a mix between a sob and a laugh. "I don't even know why I'm crying."

Gus put a hand on her shoulder. "Shawn will be fine. I'm sure Lassiter is already on his way up here as we speak."

Juliet nodded again, but she didn't seem convinced. "This is all my fault." She sat down on the ottoman, dropping her head into her hands.

"You mean you forced Shawn to go SCUBA diving?"

Juliet choked out a laugh, shaking her head. "I mean Estevez. He was in the room when I told Lassiter where we were going. If I hadn't been so careless, there would be no risk of him coming up here right now."

Gus sat down in the armchair, putting a hand on Juliet's arm. "Jules, if Robertson really is Estevez's partner, then he would have known about the cabin well before Estevez heard you talking about it with Lassie. Shawn and I wouldn't shut up about it all week - it would have been impossible for Robertson not to hear us."

Juliet lifted her head up to look at Gus, and he could tell that had worked a little. She nodded slightly but her face didn't break a smile.

"It's Gus's fault," Shawn mumbled from the couch.

Jules did smile at that. "Oh yeah?" she asked. "Somehow I doubt that, Shawn."

"It's true," Shawn insisted, pushing himself up with his right arm. "He was sooo excited about coming up here. Don't deny it, Gus." Shawn still seemed sick, but some of his characteristic silliness was returning and Juliet hoped that meant the meds were working at least a little.

Gus nodded. "Shawn's right. I love this cabin. Too bad this weekend was a bust. I wanted Rachel to see it too..." Gus trailed off, remembering about his girlfriend who was supposed to meet them up here. Today.

"You forgot to call Rachel, didn't you?" Shawn asked.

Gus glared at his best friend. "I've been a little preoccupied. Besides the fact that we have no service."

"Coulda told me dad to tell her."

"Shawn," Juliet scolded, shooting her boyfriend a look.

"I'm just kidding, Buddy. I'm sure she wouldn't come up here without speaking with you first. Just ask my dad to call her the next time we get through."

Gus nodded, calming down. "You're right. Nothing to worry about."

"Well besides the serial killers headed up here to finish us," Shawn needlessly added, sinking back down so his head was on the pillows and closing his eyes, drained.

"It'll be fine," Juliet reassured Gus. "I've got my gun and a pretty good amount of ammo. Do you know if Sal keeps any other guns up here?"

"There used to be a hunting cabin out back," Shawn answered. "But I don't know if Sal still keeps his guns in there. And he always kept it padlocked."

Juliet nodded, standing up. "I can shoot the lock off if necessary. Gus, you stay here with Shawn, I'll be right back."

"What do I do if they arrive before you get back?"

Juliet looked around for something to use as a weapon. "Here," she said, finding an ax standing up next to the door.

Gus looked hesitantly at the ax, sincerely hoping he wouldn't have to use it.

"I'll be quick, I promise."

"Jules," Shawn said, struggling to sit up again. "I don't think you should go alone."

Juliet crouched down by Shawn's head. "Shawn, I'm a trained detective, I'll be fine. And I'm not leaving you here by yourself. If Estevez and Robertson do make it up here, we're going to need more than just my gun to hold them off."

Shawn nodded reluctantly. "Be careful?" he asked quietly.

"I promise," Juliet told him, kissing him on the forehead. She turned and headed out the back door of the cabin in the direction Gus had told her.

Gus stood up, hefting the axe over his shoulder, daring anyone to try and enter the cabin.

"You ready, Gus?" Shawn asked, now sitting up completely. His head was still pounding but he couldn't rest now. Not when the threat of intruders was so high and when his girlfriend was out in the storm alone.

Gus nodded, clutching the ax more tightly. "Let's twist this."

Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed that chapter. More soon.