Only the Curious Have Something to Find

Epilogue

Note: Well, here it is folks! The end! I'm quite sad, really. It's been a long, fun year and 3 months. I really enjoyed writing this story – and loved all the kind feedback you all gave me! I really can hardly believe I got over 300 reviews! You are all the reason I write, people! Thank you so much for making this such a fun experience! This is definitely my favorite story that I've ever written…even if I took a while getting those last few chapters up…thank you all for reading this and thanks even more to the people who stuck with the whole thing!

I hope you enjoy the end!

00

Shawn wore a pair of Henry's jeans – way too big, just the way they needed to be right now. On top he wore a SBPD t-shirt underneath Lassiter's Santa Barbara High hoodie, which was, again, too big. Underneath the oversized clothing he was still almost completely covered in gauze and bandages – though there were some patches of skin that were not covered now. His bruises on his face were fading and the cuts were thin pink lines now – except the one on his forehead, which still held it's stitches. His hair was sticking in different directions – but that was normal for Shawn. He walked slowly, barely moving, his father's guiding hand on his elbow. As they passes through the doorway there was a loud cry.

"There he is!"

Shawn laughed a little, looking embarrassed and elated all at once. There, on Juliet's deck and back lawn, stood seemingly all of Santa Barbara: pretty much the whole police station, Juliet, Lassiter, Gus and their families, as well as Grandpa Lawrence and Grandma Elyse

They all clapped and cheered as Shawn walked out, his father guiding him to a deck chair. His Grandfather came up and patted him on the head.

"There's my grandson. You have no idea how much I missed seein' you out and about, boy."

"Back at ya', Grandpa Bowels."

"I'll let you get away from that since you're not 100 percent."

"I'm not gonna be 100 percent for a while…so expect that to be your name for a long time." Shawn grinned, Lawrence just rolled his eyes.

His three friends rushed up to him, big smiled on their faces as Henry and Lawrence went to converse with some of the people there. "I can't believe you guys did this." He said, shaking his head.

"I invited you to my family party – but you never got to come, obviously. So this makes up for it. Besides, this way you're the maid of honor." Juliet grinned. Lassiter and Gus laughed at the expression on Shawn's face.

"Either way. I can't believe you organized a party for me just because I got out of the hospital."

"Shawn, you haven't been in the real world for over two months. I think we're allowed to throw a party." Gus said.

Shawn just shrugged. "Here, we'll go get you a plate of food!" Juliet said, grabbing Gus's arm and running off to the makeshift buffet filled with picnic foods.

Lassiter kissed Shawn on his head before taking the seat next to him. "Hey," He smiled.

"Hey to you too." Shawn smiled back.

Lassiter took Shawn's hand, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you out."

"You have no idea how happy I am too see me out." Shawn laughed, and Lassiter chuckled.

"I feel like someone out there was trying to keep us apart, so I'm just glad we're not."

"What do you mean?" Shawn asked, drumming his fingers on the back of Lassiter's hand.

"I mean, with in our first few months of dating you had a break down and ran away, causing me to have a break down, then you got kidnapped, then you were in the hospital for two months. It just feels like…since we started dating nothing but bad things have started happening."

"Oh, believe me, bad things have been happening for a long time. You're just my sunshine that gets me through the rainy days." Shawn smiled, leaning in and placing a soft kiss of his boyfriend's lips. "I wouldn't trade anything for our relationship. And if someone out there really is trying to keep us apart we can fight them, tooth and nail. Nothin'll keep us apart, baby." Lassiter laughed and responded with a kiss of his own before leaning back and Juliet and Gus came back with four plates.

They handed Shawn the plate filled the most with a hot dog, a cheeseburger, some watermelon, some pineapple and several different noodle salads.

"How the hell did you fit this all on one plate?"

"Magic. Now eat."

The four sat together and began to dig in, but Shawn had yet to. He just sat and smiled at his friends.

"What?" Gus asked, swallowing a mouthful.

Shawn shook his head, "I'm just so lucky to have you guys."

Lassiter shook his head, "Nah, we're the lucky ones." Juliet and Gus nodded in agreement.

Shawn laughed a little, obviously disagreeing. But instead said, "How about we all make a pact that none of us will get kidnapped again, OK?"

"I agree!" Juliet said, holding up her plastic cup, the other three following suit. "To never getting kidnapped again!"

"To staying friend forever!" Gus added.

"Simply, to us!" Shawn grinned and Lassiter nodded.

"Here, here!" And with that they clinked glasses and drank.

This seems like the beginning of a wonderful lifetime, son. Shawn smiled at the sound of his mother's voice in his head.

It sure does, mom. It sure does.

0FINIS0

Well, that's the end! I'm seriously gonna miss this story…but I'm sure you all won't miss my slow updates, eh? Heheh, sorry again for that. I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I did!

Again, thank you! You made this an overall amazing ride!

-claire