Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.          

Shawn put his mountain bike into the back of Buzz McNabb's truck.  He rubbed his sore abdomen and took off his helmet.  Earlier, he almost took a header over his handlebars when he hit a rut and his tire got stuck.  Instead of going over, his lace got caught in the pedal and his body stopped and his abdomen slammed against the handlebars.  He remembered the pain of the blow and then falling over on his side as he tried to put the foot that was caught down to catch himself.  He just sat there and laughed after it happened.        

The ride back to the truck was more exhausting than it should have been, but Shawn didn't want to wuss out.  Buzz invited him along on the ride after he found out that Shawn was a mountain bike rider.  It was what Shawn considered a sign of acceptance at the station.  Buzz dropped him off at his apartment and Shawn brought his bike in.  Shawn was supposed to meet Gus and Juliet there and head over to Lobero Theater for the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra's performance.  Shawn and Gus received free tickets after locating the stolen violin of one of the musicians.  Shawn was pretty sure he didn't want to go, until Gus was bragging to Juliet that they were going.  She told them how much she wanted to see the group perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major.  Gus agreed whole heartedly and commented that the conductor was renowned for that piece.  Shawn shook his head and refrained from shouting geek at his friends.  He told Juliet that she should come with them.  Then proceeded to get an extra ticket for her. 

He had about two hours before his friends were to arrive.  He couldn't understand why he was so tired after such a little spill.  He jumped into the shower and let the hot water pound his sore body.  He noticed that he was getting a spectacular bruise on his stomach.  As he got out of the shower and was drying off (I think I just fainted, give me a minute), he noticed that his left shoulder was sore.

"That's weird," he said to himself as he thought about the fall.  He brushed it off and started to get dressed.  The pain was starting to increase.  He entered his kitchen to make sure the tickets were where he left them, and only saw two.

"Oh, man.  I left the other one at the office."  He had called their violinist friend yesterday and asked for the extra ticket, which she was happy to provide and dropped off at the office.  Looking at the clock, he swayed slightly as it went out of focus. 

"Whoa," he said as he caught himself on the edge of the kitchen counter.  He stood up and wondered if he was more tired than he originally thought.  He grabbed his helmet and keys and thought if he hurried he could get to the office and back before Gus and Jules arrived. 

The ride over there was a lot harder than it should have been.  At every light he hit, he stopped and stretched out his abdomen.  The muscles seemed to be tightening up on him.  The pain in his shoulder was increasingly becoming a throbbing ache.  He made there and took off his helmet as he walked to the door.  He felt suddenly light-headed and grabbed onto the door frame to steady himself. 

"What the hell? Ow, Ow," he said out loud.  He pulled himself into the office and walked over to his desk, placing the helmet on his desk.  A sudden wave of pain hit him and he doubled over grabbing the desk as he dropped to his knees.  He gasped loudly.  He suddenly did not have the strength to get back up and his body decided to deposit him on his ass against the wall.  He closed his eyes and tried to compose himself.  Something was wrong, really wrong.  He needed to call someone.  He took his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and looked at it confused.  Why was he holding his phone?  He put his head back against the wall, the pain was becoming excruciating.  He couldn't think.  He closed his eyes and let himself drift out for a minute.

Meanwhile, Gus had picked up Juliet at the station and headed over to Shawn's place.  When they arrived Gus opened the car door to go and get Shawn.

"I'll run in and get him.  Mind if I keep the car running?"

"No not at all," she said with a smile.  She watched him walk up to Shawn's apartment complex and out of sight.  About five minutes later, he emerged alone and got back into the car.

"That's weird, he's not here.  I went into his apartment and his mountain bike is there, but he's not," Gus said puzzled.                     

"You told him you'd meet him here, right," she asked as she watched him scan the street.

"Yes, but where's his motorcycle," Gus asked. 

"Maybe he had to run out for a minute," she commented.  Gus smiled at her politeness.  He was annoyed that Shawn wouldn't have called him to let them know that. 

"I'll call his cell and find out where he is," Gus said and Juliet nodded.  After about three rings, someone had picked up but no voice answered.

"Shawn, I'm sitting outside your apartment, and you're not here," Gus said, clearly annoyed.

"Gus," Shawn asked softly.  Gus thought he sounded tired and possibly confused.

"That's what the caller id and The Proclaimers ring tone (and I'm gonna walk 500 miles, and I'm gonna walk 500 more) should have told you," Gus paused and waited for the witty comeback.  When there was nothing but loud breathing and a faint moan of pain, he asked concerned, "are you all right?" Gus looked over quickly to Juliet.  She looked back at him and mouthed, "Where is he?"

"No," came the short reply.  Gus could hear that Shawn was breathing hard and he began to suspect that was the answer before he heard it. 

"No?  What's wrong, Shawn," Gus said sternly.  Juliet fidgeted in the passenger seat.   

"Help."  It was a whisper followed by a grunt of pain.  Gus' almost dropped the phone.

"Shawn," Gus tried to keep the panic out of the word.  Juliet knew something was wrong by how the tone of Gus' voice changed so quickly.

"Give me the phone and start driving.  I'll find out where he is," she demanded.  He handed it to her without question and he put the car in drive. 

"Shawn," she asked.  There was a few seconds of silence.

"Shawn, you there?"
"Unfortunately," was the reply followed by a sob/laugh.

She felt her stomach flip at the pain she heard in his voice.  It scared her.

"What's wrong?  Are you hurt? Can you tell me where you are?  Did you crash your bike," she rambled off quickly.

"Too many questions," he said softly.

"Okay, we'll do yes and no."

"'Kay."

"Are you okay?"

"No. Told that to Gus."

She almost smiled at the annoyed tone his voice took. "I'm sorry, stupid question.  Are you at your office? Shawn?  Are you at the office?"

"Ummm, yes.  Hurry."  His voice was much softer now.  He seemed disorientated and that scared her.

"We are.  I promise."

As she put her hand over the mouth piece, she turned to Gus, "Gus, he's at the office."

Gus nodded and he turned the car around to head in that direction.

"Keep talking. Good to hear.  Your voice," Shawn said to her.

She smiled and admitted, "I'm so worried about you, I can't think about something to talk about."

It was his turn to smile. "Fell on my bike"

"When? Today?"

"Yeah. Ow, oh crap." She heard him take a deep breath and then moan softly.  It was clear that he was trying hard not to let her hear him.  Her hand tightened subconsciously around the phone.

"Shawn, are you there?  What hurts? Shawn."

"My shoulder," he paused, "stomach's really tight. Feel light-headed." 

Juliet was starting to get an idea of the problem, or at least had a theory. 

"Shawn, did you hit your stomach hard," she asked.

"Yeah.  Jules. Hurts. Bad."  At that point, she wanted to cry or scream at his clipped tones.  She looked at Gus.

"Gus, we need to call an ambulance.  I think I know what's wrong."

"What?  Is he okay," Gus said in a panicked voice.

"I think it might be his spleen.  My brother hit his stomach hard in a car crash and his ruptured.  The symptoms sound similar to what Shawn is describing."

"Did he fall or something?"

"Yes," she said and went back to Shawn. "Shawn, we're here."

Gus parked the car in front of the office.  They both scrambled out of the car.  Gus opened the office door. 

"Shawn, Shawn," he and Juliet called.

He found his best friend behind his desk, sitting on the floor leaning against the wall.  Shawn was practically in a ball.  His knees were up to his chest and his arms were wrapped around his legs.  His hands were clenched into tight fists and his head was down resting on his knees. 

Gus ran over and dropped to his knees in front of him and placed his hand on Shawn's right shoulder. Juliet picked up the phone to call for the ambulance and explained the symptoms to the dispatcher.

"Shawn," he said worried.  Shawn looked up at him, dazed.  His face was pale and slightly sweaty.  The pain in Shawn's eyes freaked Gus out for a second.  Shawn's expression changed quickly to relief and then he closed his eyes again pushing his head back against the wall.  He moaned and a lone tear tracked down his face.  Gus gripped his shoulder tighter. 

"It's okay buddy.  Help's on the way."  Gus kept his hand where it was and turned to face Juliet.  "Can you sit with him?  I want to call Henry and have him meet us at the hospital."

She quickly sat down to the side of Shawn as Gus got up and started dialing.  She placed a hand on his shoulder.  He opened his eyes and looked at her.  He looked so miserable that all she wanted to do was reach over and hug him, but she did her best to suppress that desire.  She quickly moved to sit shoulder to shoulder with him.  He placed his head on her shoulder.  He gripped her hand and didn't move.  She moved her other hand around his shoulder and started to rub circles on his back.  He sighed loudly and seemed to move closer to her, not that she minded.

As soon as Gus was finished talking to Henry, he looked up and saw the two of them.  As worried as he was, he couldn't deny the sudden thought that maybe something was beginning to happen between the pair.  He crouched down in front of them and quietly said, "Shawn, your Dad is going to meet us at the hospital."

Shawn nodded.  About two minutes later, the paramedics arrived and confirmed Juliet's suspicions after looking at the bruising on Shawn's abdomen.  As they probed the area, he screamed and passed out.  The paramedics rushed to get the gurney into the ambulance, not bothering to ask the other two if they wanted to ride along.  Gus and Juliet jumped in his car and made it over to the hospital.

TBC