Psych's Pineapple

II- Back to Santa Barbara

A few hours later, the plane lands in San Francisco. Despite the late hour, it is humid and warm outside. I see my cousin standing inside the airport looking exhausted from a long day of work. When he sees me, his eyes light up and he practically runs up to me to give me a hug.

"Liz! I'm so glad you're here!" Gus says excitedly as we hug.

"It's good to see you, Gus," I say and Gus steps out of the embrace.

"I just wish you were here for a visit and not a bad situation," Gus says sadly and I nod.

"Yeah, me too," I reply and Gus takes one of my suitcases from me. The two of us walk out to his car and we put my bags in the back seat. I climb into the passenger seat and I stare out at the California landscape. Home has never felt so...strained? Being back does not feel like being home, that I know for sure.

"You gonna be okay, Liz?" Gus asks me gently.

"Yeah, I think so. Just take me to my parents, I guess. I don't know what else to do," I say softly.

"At this point, that probably is the best thing to do," Gus agrees as he backs his car out of the parking spot that he was parked in.

"Gus, Shawn isn't going to be at the hospital, right?" I ask and Gus shrugs.

"I don't know, Liz. Shawn has a way of doing things regardless of what someone else tells him. I have no clue where he will be. Your sisters are out of town and I contacted them, but they never replied. If Shawn is there, I can tell him to leave," Gus offers.

"I'm just not sure I'm ready to deal with him yet," I say as I fiddle with my hands.

"I get it. You two didn't really get along until shortly before you left," Gus reasons, "Shawn can be kind of a lot at first and you probably don't need to see him on your first night back."

"Yes," I say quickly. Sometimes it feels like Gus can read my mind. More than Katherine has ever been able to.

"However, Liz. I can't keep Shawn away forever and you know that. You two are going to see each other sooner than later. Shawn is my best friend too and I can't just throw him out. You know he won't like that. For people who don't like each other, both of you know each other pretty well," Gus says and I slap my leg angrily against my thigh.

"Burton Guster!" I shout and Gus raises an eyebrow.

"What? Don't Burton Guster me! I'm just stating the facts," Gus explains and I roll my eyes.

"Stating the facts of life is not going to help your situation nor is it going to help mine, so I suggest we drop the Shawn subject and just get to my parents," I say and Gus nods.

"Fair enough. But, Liz, he may be there," Gus warns.

"I know!" I say exasperated at my cousin and his incessant prying. A while later, Gus pulls into the Santa Barbara hospital parking lot. The two of us hurry inside and up to the reception desk.

"How may I help you?" The receptionist asks and I fumble over my words.

"My parents were in a car accident recently. I am Elizabeth Taylor," I say quickly. The receptionist gives us the room numbers and Gus and I waste no time hurrying upstairs to my parents.

I push open the door to one of my parent's rooms and I let out a small gasp when I see that it is empty.

"Oh no!" Gus mutters out behind me.

"Gus, what do we do?" I ask quickly. I see my Dad's name on a whiteboard on the wall. Turning back to Gus, I hear my dad talking in the room next door. Gus and I hurry to the room next door and I see my mother lying bed while my Dad sits in a wheelchair next to her bed, talking to someone. Another familiar voice is talking to them, making my Dad laugh from time to time. A voice that I was hoping not to hear tonight or really ever. Hoping my worst fears are not confirmed, I slowly poke my head in the door. Sure enough, Shawn Spencer is sitting on the hospital room couch as he talks to my dad. Shawn sees me and he stands up from the couch, stopping whatever conversation he had been having with my dad. My dad turns his wheel chair away from Shawn to see me.