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CHAPTER FIVE: EPILOGUE

Shawn walked through the halls of the SBPD. It had been so long since he'd been there, he felt odd as he looked around and casually noticed the differences to the station, the new faces. He had never thought he would be back here let alone welcome. But here he was, receiving pats on the backs, a kiss on the cheek from Jules, even a handshake from Lassie.

Iris Vick was coping well, better than anyone else for that matter. That seemed to stem mostly from the presence of her new puppy. Karen and her husband decided that if she ever deserved that puppy it was now. The tiny labradoodle (the breed had been insisted on by Shawn and Gus) was always in the little girls arms and Pineapple (Shawn had suggested that one) seemed to enjoy the attention as well as the police station.

"Shawn!" Gus called as he ran up, "The chief wants us in her office," confused and surprised, Shawn followed before noticing from a distance that his dad and Ritch Cherry (who had remembered him fondly from all the chaos he'd caused at the station when he was younger) were also in the office, so were Lassie and Jules. He stopped short, he suddenly didn't want to enter the office. Gus noticed and looked questioningly at him before grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the office.

When they entered the office, Karen Vick motioned for them to sit in the two chairs in front of the desk. Shawn looked around for some indication as to what this was about and for once found nothing.

"Mr. Spencer…Shawn, I'd like to thank you again for saving Iris, you too, Gus," Karen began, gratefully. She paused before continuing again,

"Look Shawn, I don't know what your plans are.. I mean, if you're even going to stick around Santa Barbara," at this Gus, Henry and Juliet tensed, they hadn't thought about that.

"But I would like to ask you to stay," Vick continued, "We don't get too many consultants like the two of you and I was hoping you would come work for us again,"

Shawn opened his mouth in confusion but Karen held up her hand and stopped him,

"Don't get me wrong, there would be a few conditions, firstly you need to obtain a proper private detective license for your work,"

Shawn looked to Gus, who didn't look surprised at all of this before nodding.

"and secondly, you can jump, wiggle, flip, flail, leap, seize, anything you need to solve your cases, but if you break anything you're paying for it."

Shawn didn't know what to say, he hadn't expected to be welcome when he returned and if he stayed he had expected it to be in the Santa Barbara prison system. He opened his mouth again only to pause when a key was dangled in front of his face, he looked up at his dad while taking the key from him.

"What's this?"

"That is a key to some office space down by the beach, great location, it's odd that they haven't sold it yet, it's been on the market almost 18 months."

Shawn barked out a laugh, before looking at the key in wonder.

"Well, Shawn, do you accept my conditions?" the chief asked. Shawn paused in thought before voicing what he felt was a pertinent question,

"What's your policy on thrashing?" at the responding eyeroll he continued,

"Whirling?"

"Prancing? Can I get away with prancing?"

"Shawn-" Henry was ignored.

"-and are these rules just for me or are they for the whole department because I don't think it's fair to stop Lassie from demonstrating the music that is so clearly inside him."

"SPENCER!"

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THE END.