The sky cried above them, lightly showering the group as they stood by the coffin. Standing just slightly off to the side, Shawn's gaze was locked on the dark wood now stained by the rain. The coffin that contained the worst person in his life that he could think of was settled on a lift that would soon lower it into the grave.

Milinda stood to his one side, her arm looped with his. He could feel her squeeze his arm every once in a while, but he would never look down at her. He knew she was just trying to comfort him, but it wasn't working, so what point was there in acknowledging it? On the other side, Camila and Akhona stood silently with their heads lowered, neither having said a word apart from "hello" and "I'm sorry" since they had arrived.

Not a single other soul, besides the priest and gravedigger, came to the funeral, which was to be expected—at least it was Shawn's expectation. He had no other family, no grandparents, no aunts or uncles, cousins, nobody. On top of that, what few friends his father did have dropped all contact with both of them after Theodore went to prison for murdering his youngest son. Apparently, friends will only stick with you and your family under certain conditions.

Shawn scoffed silently as he looked at the grave. He didn't want to honour his father with a funeral. From the day his father started acting violently towards him and his brother, Shawn vowed that the day his father died, he would get him cremated and then throw away his ashes. Milinda was horrified when she heard this plan and told him that if he had a funeral, he would get closure. Shawn didn't need closure; what he needed was to throw this old man away and move on with his life.

The pastor finished reading his verse and said a quick prayer before motioning for the lift operator to lower the coffin into the grave.

"Would anyone like to say a few words?" the pastor asked, mainly looking at Shawn.

Shawn sighed and trudged over to the spot where the pastor was standing. He looked at the coffin now sitting in the grave and then up at his friends and fiancée. He didn't want to be there.

"My father was a complicated man, to say the least. We used to get along, but after my mum died and he started drinking, that all fell apart. Then, of course, he killed my brother and went to jail... that destroyed what little of our relationship was left. It's been about six years since I've spoken to my father, and the last thing I said to him was that I would never forgive him." Shawn looked down and shook his head. "He tried calling me the day he died. Maybe he knew he was going and wanted to tell me something important. I told the phone operator to tell him that I didn't want to speak to him ever again. Well, I guess I stayed true to that... I will never speak to him again. He'll never get the last word, and that should make me feel happy, but it doesn't..." He looked over at Milinda, who looked very interested in what he had to say. They had barely talked since he got the news three days ago. "Anyway, he's dead now. Goodbye, Dad, I hope you rot in hell."

Shawn stormed back to his spot next to Milinda, and the pastor moved back to the space in front of the grave. He nodded to the gravedigger, and the man started shovelling soil into the grave, the darker substance hitting the grave in a dramatic way.

Camila let go of Akhona's hand and moved closer to Shawn.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

Shawn looked at her, and it took everything in her not to gasp. Shawn's eyes held no emotion, no anger, no sadness... nothing but two blue voids.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

Camila knew he was lying, and so did Milinda, who hadn't taken her eyes off Shawn since he went up to speak. However, neither woman said anything and just stood by him. The group watched as, little by little, soil was tossed into the grave.

The rain grew heavier and heavier, and even though the three women had moved out of the open area and huddled under a large umbrella, Shawn remained standing next to the grave, watching as it was filled to the top.

"Shawn, we need to go!" Milinda called out to him as thunder rumbled in the distance.

The pastor had already left, and with his job now finished, the gravedigger packed his tools up and left, but Shawn remained still, almost stuck in place.

Milinda handed the umbrella to Camila and ran out towards him. Grabbing his arm, she tugged him towards her. "Shawn, we need to go home before we get caught out in a storm."

Thunder boomed in the sky, much closer this time, so Shawn allowed Milinda to drag him to the car, and the group drove back to shelter.

Thanks to Camila's mostly reckless driving, they made it back to the apartment in record time. The second the door flew open, Kylie ran to them, hugging her mother first. Shawn felt her little hand grab the bottom of his trousers, but it disappeared as he kept walking. He couldn't pretend to be happy for her, not today.

Milinda's parents, who had come over to watch Kylie, left the living room as soon as he walked in. He was grateful for that. He needed to be alone, even if it would only be for a few minutes.

Ever since he got the call, Milinda refused to let him be alone. She seemed to think that he was upset and needed constant comfort... she couldn't have been more wrong. He knew it was just her trying to help him, but she didn't know what was going on in his head. She had no clue! He wasn't her, but he couldn't tell her that. She was only trying to help, and if it made her feel better, he would let her continue for as long as she needed.

Shawn slowly moved through the living room and dropped onto the sofa. Everything around him was a blur. Everything. He could briefly make out everyone talking and moving around him. But he couldn't see them; he couldn't really hear them. It was all as if he was caught in some sort of dream, one that he desperately needed to escape from.

The storm raged on outside, and oh, how he wished he could join it. He wished he could scream with the thunder, lash out like the lightning, and cry with the rain. He couldn't; in fact, he felt as if he wasn't capable of doing anything.

"Shawn, do you want some coffee?" Milinda called out from the kitchen.

He didn't call back, and when no response came after a five-minute wait, she went on making coffee for everyone else but him.

"How is he doing?" Amanda whispered to her daughter.

Milinda's eyes turned into swimming pools as she shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered. She turned to look at the entrance to the living room and then back at her mother. "He barely speaks to me, hell, he doesn't even look at me unless I half-scream something at him. He's completely shutting me out." She sighed and leaned against the counter. "I know it's because of everything that's going on, and I know he needs some space, but I'm so worried about him. I wish he would just let me in."

Amanda pulled her daughter close and pressed her lips to her forehead. "Don't worry, everything will work out. Just keep making sure he knows you are there for him, and he'll open up to you."

"I hope so," Milinda sniffled.

Not too far outside of the apartment, tucked safely in a car, Casanova was watching everything. Rain smacked his windscreen and windows, making it hard to use his binoculars, but from the few things he could see, he knew that his plan to take Milinda might go off about as smoothly as he would hope.

Shawn and Milinda were barely speaking to one another over the last three days, and he knew it was only going to get worse as time went on. Perhaps for the first time in a long time, he wouldn't have to kill a man to get to his woman. Just maybe, he would have her all to himself without some pesky suitor in his way. Oh, how he could only dream, and dream he would.

Thunder boomed loudly in the sky above, and the lightning was coming at an increased pace. The rain was soon going to turn into hail, and he knew he needed to leave, and soon. He didn't want to leave her; he could see how much she needed to lean on a man's loving shoulder, but for now, he had to go.

"Don't worry, darling, I'll see you again as soon as the storm is gone," he whispered to himself as he looked one last time at his new lover.

* * * *

It had been five days since the funeral, and Shawn was still barely speaking to Milinda. They had both been given a few days off, and while Milinda was grateful for this, Shawn was not. He wanted nothing more than to go back to work and go on like nothing had happened.

Milinda didn't fully understand his reaction, she knew that. She knew that his relationship with his father had broken years ago, but she could also see that there was a small part of him that was upset by his death... even if he couldn't admit it. She just wanted to help him heal, and it seemed all he wanted to do was stay as far away from her as he could.

She could hear him, night after night, leaving the apartment and only coming back about three hours later, seemingly out of breath. He was going on midnight runs, something she had only seen once before when one case really got to him a few months back. Shawn was hurting, and she was going to help him whether he wanted it or not.

She woke up before him. She glanced at him, sighing at the sight of his messy hair and running clothes he didn't even bother to take off before he collapsed back into bed at three that morning. She ran her fingers through his hair, gentle enough not to wake him but enough to fix it as much as she could.

She climbed out of bed and made her way down to the kitchen. With her still sleepy eyes that wanted to close and pull her back into a deep slumber, she shuffled around the kitchen and got working on some breakfast. She figured pancakes would be the best bet with both the hungry creatures that would emerge any minute now.

She quickly got to work laying out all the ingredients, and with the radio quietly playing in the background, she whipped up the mixture. As the first pancake hit the hot pan, she heard a door creak open and little footsteps quickly approaching the kitchen. She smiled as Kylie emerged through the doorway, her little eyes still half-closed but focused intently on the breakfast being made.

"Morning, sweetie."

"Hi, Mummy." Kylie shuffled to her mum. Standing on her tiptoes, which didn't add much height to her anyway, she tried to look up at the pan. "Pancakes?" she asked.

Milinda smiled and nodded. "You can get your plate, this one will be ready soon."

One by one, Milinda dished the now-cooked pancakes onto some plates—one for her, one for Shawn, and lastly, one for Kylie. Time passed, and the two girls finished their breakfast, all while the pancakes on the third plate got colder and colder.

"Shawn?" Kylie asked her mum as she pointed to the full plate.

Milinda looked at the plate and sighed. "He's still asleep, sweetie."

"Still sad?" she asked, looking down at her lap.

Milinda reached across the table and took her daughter's hand in hers. "He's been through a lot these last few days, but don't worry, sweetie, he won't be sad forever."

As the day went on, Milinda and Kylie took to the living room, playing cards, with dolls, and watching movie after movie with snacks. All the fun seemed to distract Kylie from everything around her, but nothing could take Milinda's thoughts away from Shawn. She had heard his shuffle to the bathroom every once in a while, but he would just return to bed after every trip. He never went to the kitchen to eat, nor did he even attempt to say hello to either of them.

As night settled over the city, Milinda made dinner. She opted for lasagne because it was Shawn's favourite. She hoped it would bring him out, even for a few minutes. But, while the two girls ate their dinner and watched yet another movie, he didn't come out. It wasn't long before Milinda had to tuck Kylie into bed.

"Goodnight, sweetie," she said before she leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the little girl's forehead.

"Night, Mummy," Kylie yawned.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Milinda silently watched as Kylie drifted off to sleep. The end of the month was coming up quicker than she could have hoped—the time when Casanova would take all his victims. She scoffed. As if the fact her fiancé was barely speaking to her wasn't bad enough, she still had to worry about the serial killer who had been lurking in the distance. He was still sending her texts; today was just one of her lucky days. Shawn didn't know about them; she didn't think he needed to hear about them just yet. She just made sure to send them to Camila, who was still hard at work with Detective Fisher.

She looked over at Kylie and pictured what kind of life she would live without her. She would think that Shawn would raise her, but if Casanova stuck to his plan, Shawn would be dead alongside her. So, Kylie would most likely be given to her grandparents, where she would probably be raised in South Africa like she was. Would Kylie remember her? Would she remember Shawn, or Camila, or even Akhona? Milinda shook her head and wiped away the small trails of tears that were starting to trickle down her cheeks. She would not allow Kylie to grow up without any of them, especially her. She was going to be there when her daughter grew up. She was going to be there on her first day of school and for all her birthday parties. She would be there to watch her grow into a teenager and graduate high school. Her days in college, when she started working, when she would meet the one for her and get married. Milinda didn't care what she had to do, she was going to be there for it all.

She quietly headed into the kitchen to make some tea before bed; it was pretty much the only thing these days that made her feel calm. She leaned against the counter, waiting for the kettle to boil, and that whole time her eyes were glued to the plate of pancakes in the same spot she had left them that morning.

The kettle boiled, she made the tea, she drank the tea, she went to get ready for bed, and the plate of pancakes was still there. Shawn was still in bed sleeping when she walked into the room. She looked at him, looking even worse than he did that morning. She wanted nothing more than to talk to him, to hold him, and take all his pain away, but it just didn't work that way. So, she got dressed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. Rolling to the side without a goodnight whispered into her ear or a kiss pressed to the spot on her neck, Milinda drifted to sleep.

* * * *

Shawn woke at midnight, and the first thing he did was look over at Milinda. A small smile broke across his lips; she looked so beautiful. She always looked so beautiful.

Careful not to wake her, he slipped out of bed and put on his fresh running clothes. After pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, he made his way to the front door and left the apartment, making sure to lock it behind him. He nodded at the officers who were parked outside—it was all part of the last few nights' routine.

The second his feet touched the road's surface, he took off like a bullet. His feet were still sore from the past few nights, the blisters covering his toes still not having any chance to recover, but he didn't care about any of it. He sprinted past the same signs, down the same streets, even past the same homeless people who had made their homes along the sides of buildings.

His lungs burned from the cold air while his legs burned too, all while images and long-buried memories ran through his mind. He remembered the day his father taught him how to ride a big bike—his father ran alongside him, and when Shawn wasn't looking, he let go of the bike, laughing and clapping as Shawn pedalled all on his own.

He saw the little diner his father used to take him to after kindergarten, to get peanut butter milkshakes and fries. He saw himself in the living room when his mum and dad told him they were having another baby. They were so happy that day, his father couldn't stop smiling at his mum as he rubbed her belly. He went back to the days they all spent decorating the nursery, finding out the baby was a boy, picking his name. So many good memories leading up to one of the worst days his family ever had.

He watched as his father cried and screamed in the hallway after he was told his wife didn't survive the birth. Shawn was the only one who held his brother after that, his father refused, saying that he was a parasite that didn't deserve love after what he had taken from them. It was nothing but a downward spiral from then on. Days of watching his father drink until he passed out, the days and nights Shawn had to look after his brother all by himself.

He winced as the memories of the day his father started unleashing his temper on the boys resurfaced. Fists connecting with faces and bodies. Glass breaking, the sting of the belt, every vile word that was thrown their way. Everything was coming back. The last memory was always the same. He was curled in his room, waking to the sound of his brother crying. He ran to him as he always did, trying his best to get his father away from him. Shawn's father just tossed him against the wall, kicking the breath from him. Lying on the ground in agonising pain, Shawn could do nothing but watch as his father hit and kicked his little brother, who just kept screaming and screaming until suddenly... he stopped, and everything was quiet.

"Wake up!" Shawn screamed at his brother, but it was no use. He was already gone, and nobody could bring him back.

Shawn stopped running, looking up at the sky as tears streamed down his face. What did his family do to deserve all that pain? What did he do to deserve all the pain? And as thunder started rumbling in the distance, Shawn let out an earth-shattering scream.

* * * *

Milinda had hoped that she and Shawn would have solved some of their problems before their time off. That didn't happen. She watched from the passageway as he hugged Kylie goodbye. Dressed in his usual work outfit, he rose up and unlocked the door. Turning to look at her, he didn't say a word, just nodded at her before walking out and shutting the door.

As soon as Akhona got to the apartment and took over the duty of looking after Kylie, Milinda hopped into the police car. She was silent as they drove her to Bella's. She was grateful they didn't want to talk, fearful that the wrong word would send her into a fit of tears. She looked out at the passing landscape, wondering if the strange sense of peace it gave was the reason Shawn would go out for those runs. He was out longer last night, and when he came back, Milinda could see he had been crying. She hated that he felt like he couldn't do that around her. She hated that he wanted to go through all his pain alone and not try and tell her. Just give him time, she told herself for the hundredth time that morning alone. He just needs time.

The second they reached Bella's, she jumped out of the car and ran inside. Noel was already there, getting some items ready.

"Sorry, but we're not... Milinda," he said with a smile when they locked eyes. He set down the basket he was filling and ran up to her. Milinda laughed as she was pulled into his arms, lifted into the air, and spun around.

"Noel, please put me down," she laughed.

He quickly set her down and moved his arms back to his side. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It's just been a while. I thought you left." He looked out at the cop car parked outside. "Did you get arrested?"

Milinda looked between him and the cop car and laughed. "No, I didn't get arrested or leave. Bella just gave me some time off to help Shawn through a recent loss."

Noel's eyes were suddenly filled with sadness, and his head tilted to the side. "I'm so sorry, who died?"

"His father, it was very sudden."

Noel reached up and rested his hand on her shoulder. "It will be okay. Besides, I'm sure you being there really helped him out."

That was it. Those were the words that sent Milinda down her spiral. Pressing her face into her hands, she started sobbing loudly. She felt Noel start leading her to the back. He had her sit on a chair, and she could sense him kneeling in front of her. Removing her hands, she looked down at him and shook her head.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his hands cupping her cheek for support. Milinda hated how much she was enjoying his comfort.

"He... he doesn't speak to me anymore. All he does is lie in bed and go for runs in the middle of the night. It feels like I'm losing him, and he doesn't even want to try and bring himself back. I know he is in pain, but it seems that the more I reach out, the more he moves away. Sometimes I wonder if he wants nothing to do with me anymore, but at the same time, I know how selfish it is to only think of myself."

"It's not selfish—"

"Yes, it is. He's the one who lost a parent, and I'm acting like I'm the one who lost someone. But I feel like I am losing someone. I'm losing the love of my life, and he's not doing a single thing to stop it. I... I don't know what to do anymore. I just don't know," she sobbed.

Noel allowed her to cry for a few minutes, his hand staying on her cheek, wiping away the tears. Eventually, her tears went away, leaving a small trace of hiccups.

"Milinda, everything will be fine. Shawn will come back to you, okay? You just have to keep reminding him that you are there. That's really all you can do at this point."

Milinda looked at him and nodded. He was right. It was all she could do.

"Thank you."

He smiled. "If you need to talk again, I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Once again, that nagging feeling ate away at Milinda. She shouldn't be happy about his comfort. She shouldn't even want it. Despite this, she still said, "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me."

* * * *

The buzzing of the station pulled Shawn back into the recesses of his mind. He sat in his chair on the opposite side of the table, watching silently as Camila and Averie updated the chief on the case. He heard a few words thrown around—"lead," "texts," "Milinda"—but nothing was enough to pull him back to reality.

"Wake up!" he screamed at his brother, but it was too late.

As the sirens outside grew louder, so did Shawn's screams. His father didn't react to the chaos around him; he just grabbed his bottle and wandered out of the room. Once he was out of sight, Shawn started crawling toward his brother. His side burned from hitting the ground too hard, but he didn't care—he had to reach him.

"Harvey, you have to wake up!" Shawn cried, reaching out to touch his brother's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Nothing. No movement, no groan of pain. Not even a breath.

"Please don't leave me. Please, I'm so sorry."

The front door burst open, and Shawn heard police officers rushing up the stairs. He could hear his father struggling against them as they took him out of the house. The door to his brother's room flew open.

"Please help him!" Shawn begged.

"Shawn."

"Please, you have to save him! He's only nine!"

"Shawn."

"Please!" Shawn cried.

"Detective Conan!"

Shawn snapped out of his memory, looking at the trio in front of him. Camila and Averie regarded him with concern, while the chief's expression was stony.

"I'm... sorry. I was just thinking about something," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

The chief scoffed, shaking his head. "I understand you're going through a tough time, but if you're going to be here, you need to focus. I don't need to remind you how important it is we catch this man before the end of the month."

Shawn glared at the chief, pure anger seeping into his eyes. As if he could forget how critical it was to catch Casanova. The chief wasn't the one who would be losing someone.

"You're right, Chief. I don't need reminding," he snapped.

"Watch your tone, detective. I know you said you wanted to come back early, but I can just as easily have you escorted back home and kick you off this case."

Shawn scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You wouldn't do that. I'm the best detective you have here. It'd be idiotic to kick me off this case."

"Shawn," Camila warned, but he didn't care what the chief had to say. He wasn't going to be pushed around.

The chief stormed around the table, stopping just short of Shawn, looking down at him.

"What did you just call me?"

Shawn rose slightly from his seat, towering over the chief. "I think you heard me."

The chief shook his head in disbelief. "I have no idea what's gotten into you! You've always been one of my most decorated and respectful detectives, and now you're just being an arrogant piece of shit! Because of the sensitive nature of this investigation, I'm going to keep you on, but rest assured, this little stunt of yours will go on a formal complaint and into your file. As soon as this investigation is over, we'll have a meeting, and you should pray I don't suspend you or, even worse, take away your badge for insubordination. Now, get back to work, and don't even try to speak to me for the rest of the day, or I'll move that suspension up to today. Am I clear?"

Shawn glared at the chief, wanting to say much more but choosing to keep his mouth shut. He nodded instead.

The chief turned to the female detectives. "Good job, ladies. Now get back to work."

Without another glance in Shawn's direction, the chief stormed out of the conference room, slamming the door behind him.

Camila walked over to Shawn. "Are you out of your mind? What made you think talking to the chief like that was a good idea?"

"I thought it was kind of cool," Averie chimed in, smiling at Shawn.

"No one cares what you think, blondie," Camila snapped. She turned back to Shawn. "I know you're going through some shit, but you need to keep your temper in check. My only concern right now should be catching this man; I shouldn't have to worry about you too."

"You won't have to," Shawn retorted. Turning sharply on his heel, he stormed out of the room, leaving the two women with their mouths agape.

Camila turned to Averie. "Have you ever seen him like that?"

Averie chuckled. "I'm sorry, I thought nobody cared about my opinion."

Camila watched as Averie left the room, probably going after Shawn with her googly eyes.

"Bitch," she hissed under her breath. She reached into her jacket pocket and grabbed her phone, hitting Akhona's name on speed dial. She pressed the phone to her ear and waited. It took less than a minute for Akhona to answer.

"Hello, my angel."

Camila smiled. "Hello, my love. Listen, has Milinda said anything to you about Shawn? Like what's going on in his head or something?"

"Not really, to be honest. They actually haven't been speaking the last few days."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she says he's been spending most of his time in bed or going for runs at midnight."

Camila's eyes widened at the mention of the midnight runs. She knew what that meant all too well.

"Camila?"

"Well, I think it's about time they had a conversation. Shawn just got threatened with suspension after he called our chief an idiot. Try and bring Milinda here, and we can lock them in a closet together or something."

She heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Babe, if he keeps going down this emotional spiral, he's going to be both jobless and out of a relationship. I don't care how you do it; just get Milinda here."

Camila hung up and shoved her phone back into her pocket. Not even a minute later, Shawn and Averie walked back into the room together, both holding cups of coffee.

"Great, you two are back from your honeymoon. Now, can we get back to work?"

* * * *

"Have a great day," Milinda said to the customer in front of her as she handed over a bag of baked goods.

The woman grabbed the bag and stormed out of the café. Milinda sighed and leaned against the counter behind her.

"What kind of haircut was that?" Noel asked, appearing next to her.

Milinda glanced out the window at the woman she had just served. Her hair was long on one side and very short on the other. Milinda shook her head and laughed. "I don't know, but it looks like her kids got hold of scissors."

He nudged her arm. "You sound like you're speaking from experience," he chuckled.

Milinda smiled at him. "Kylie nearly gave me an impromptu haircut last year. I just managed to get the scissors away from her before she could cause any damage."

"You're very lucky then." He reached out and played with a strand of her hair. "It would be a shame if something happened to this. You have gorgeous hair."

Milinda felt a nervous chuckle escape her lips. Casanova had said something similar in one of his last messages: How I would love to play with those locks while we make love. "Thanks."

Noel let go of her hair, concern flashing across his face. "Did I say something wrong?"

Milinda quickly shook her head. "No, I was just zoning out for a bit."

The bell above the door rang through the shop, and Milinda turned to serve the next customer.

"Akhona?" she said, confused to see her friend and daughter walking into the shop.

Akhona hurried over to the counter, setting the little girl on top of it.

"Hi, baby."

"Hi, Mommy."

Akhona looked out of breath, as if she had run there. "Listen, I need you to come with me to the police station."

Milinda's heart dropped. "Did something happen to Shawn?"

Akhona nodded. "He apparently got into a fight with the chief and might get suspended or fired. Camila said you need to talk to him right away because he's going through some emotional spiral." Akhona huffed. "I've never driven so fast in my life."

Milinda rested her hand on her daughter's back. "Please tell me that was a joke."

Akhona gave her a weak smile. "Sure."

"Akhona—"

"Just go take a lunch break. I'm sure lover boy can handle this place on his own."

"My name is Noel," he piped up from the back.

"Your name is whatever I decide to call you." She turned to Milinda. "Why are you still standing here?"

Milinda rushed to Bella's office and informed the woman she was taking her lunch break early and would be back within the hour. She then followed Akhona and Kylie to the car.

"Don't worry, boys, I'm taking her to your home turf," Akhona said to the officers in the nearby car. They nodded in response and returned to their rest.

The trio hopped into the car, and Akhona drove quickly toward the police station. "Please don't drive like that again when my daughter is in the car," Milinda said as she got out.

"Relax, I just needed to get you here quickly. I'll be a model citizen from now on."

Milinda rushed into the police station, quickly bumping into Camila, who looked relieved to see her.

"Great, she actually got you here. You need to speak to your fiancé before he goes off the deep end."

Milinda shook her head. "He hasn't said a word to me in days. What makes you think he'll talk to me now?"

"I don't know, okay? Force him if you have to. I'll give you guys a room." Camila grabbed Milinda's arm and dragged her to an empty break room. "Wait here."

Camila rushed out of the room, leaving Milinda alone, but she wasn't alone for long. Not even five minutes later, Shawn was shoved into the room, and the door slammed shut behind him.

"Camila, we have work to do!" Shawn yelled, knocking on the door.

"I'm glad to know you still know how to speak," Milinda said, startling him.

He turned around, shocked to see her. "What are you doing here?"

Milinda scoffed. "Seriously? That's the first thing you're going to say to me after three days of radio silence?"

Shawn shook his head. "If you came here to argue, I've already had enough of that today."

"From your chief?" Shawn looked at her even more shocked. "Camila called Akhona, who then came to get me. Apparently, you got into a fight with him and might get suspended. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking he was being an idiot for saying he would kick me off the case."

"So, you said that to him?"

Shawn shrugged. "Only the idiot part, which, looking back on it, wasn't a good idea. But Camila didn't need to bring you in to yell at me too."

Milinda walked up to him and grabbed his arm. "I didn't come here to yell at you; I came to help. You haven't been yourself the last few days. You sleep all day, go running at night, and barely speak to me anymore. Kylie has noticed too, and I have to say, it wasn't easy trying to distract her from everything going on."

Shawn pulled his arm away from her. "I'm fine, okay? I don't need you or anyone else worrying about me."

Milinda looked up at him, taken aback. "Of course we're going to be concerned about you. I love you, Shawn. Why wouldn't I be worried when I can see you're hurting?"

"Why would I be hurting? My father was trash and hasn't been part of my life for years. So why would his dying mean anything to me?" He sighed and glanced at the door. "Now, I have to get back to work, and I'm sure you do too."

Shawn tried to leave, but Milinda pulled him back. "You're not going until you hear what I have to say." He sighed and nodded. "You can deny it all you want, but I know you're hurting. You don't have to tell me about it now, but please know that I'm here for you, no matter what. Just try talking to someone and stop trying to be some big, tough guy. Otherwise, you'll do or say something that could ruin your life."

Letting go of his arm, she moved to the door and pulled it open, much to Camila's surprise.

Camila looked at her watch. "That was quick."

Shawn rushed out of the room and past the two women. Milinda watched him walk away, her heart heavy.

"I don't think I was much help."

Camila rested a hand on Milinda's shoulder. "It's a start. Thank you for coming out here."

"Thank you for reaching out."

Camila escorted Milinda to Akhona's car. "We'll see you guys later."

Milinda hopped into the car, and as Akhona started driving away, her eyes remained trained on the police station, hoping that Shawn was taking her words to heart.

* * * *

As the day was winding down and officers were leaving for shift change,  Shawn was still sitting in the conference room looking up at the board in front of him. Camila had left about half an hour ago leaving Shawn alone with Averie.

A loud and long yawn broke though his lips as he stretched out his legs.

"I'll take that as the cue to clock out for the day," Averie laughed. She pulled herself off the chair and grabbed her bag. She turned to him and nodded toward the door. "You should go home. There's always tomorrow, right?"

The corners of his lips curled at the all-too-familiar words. There's always tomorrow, right? He used to say that to her on the days he could see she was so focused on a case that there was no way she was leaving the desk anytime soon. It was his way of getting her to go home and rest, because at the end of the day siting there and forcing yourself to try and find a new clue would rarely bring up anything useful.

"Yeah, there's always tomorrow."

Averie hung around while he rummaged for his things. Together they left the room and started walking toward the entrance.

"So, you got any plans for tonight?" Averie asked as they waited for the elevator to open its metal doors for them.

Shawn shook his head. "Not really. I'm sure Milinda will want to chat, but I don't really feel like speaking much these days."

Averie nodded and chuckled. "I remember those days. I was so close to strangling you on many of them because all I wanted was for you to open up to me."

Shawn looked at her remembering those days he would go over to her place after work. Most of the time it was great but other days all he would do was sit on the couch in a fog as she walked around him and talked about things he was never really listening to. It was the cause of so many of their fights. Fights that eventually broke them apart. He didn't want that to happen between him and Milinda, but no matter how much he would try no words would come out of this mouth. At east not the words he knew she wanted to hear.

"I can't help it," he mumbled.

"I know."

The doors opened up and they got on. Silence wrapped around them like a blanket as the elevator took them down to the ground floor. As they got to the front door about to enter freedom Averie grabbed his arm.

"I'm going to Jeanette's, do you want to come with?"

He looked at her knowing full well that he should say no. Say no and go home to Milinda. No was not what he said and before Shawn knew it he and Averie were sitting by the counter at Jeanette's. He looked around the bar that hadn't changed once in the years he had been going there. He looked down at the chair he was sitting on, it was the same spot he was sitting when he first saw Milinda. But he wasn't here with Milinda.

They ordered their drinks and, just like the elevator, silence took over. She didn't try to talk to him, didn't ask him questions, didn't try to get into his head and get him to spill his deepest feelings and thoughts. He didn't know what he hated more: the fact that he was enjoying the silence or that it was with Averie. Of all the people to be sitting with it had to be her.

After thirty minutes of untainted silence she spoke, "How's the wedding planning going?"

He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Right now it's not going, but that's mostly my fault."

She nodded and took another sip of her beer. "I'm sure it will all work out. You know time heals all wounds and all that shit."

Shawn shook his head. "I don't know. I don't think it's that simple with this. It's not like I don't want to be there with here or that I don't want to plan this wedding because I do. I want to marry her more than anything, but... I don't know how to put this."

Averie looked at him solemnly. "You feel like the problem is bigger than the thing you want. You feel like it is so big you can't do anything to solve it even though the answer is so simple."

He scoffed. "Let me guess, that's why you left me for him?"

Tears pooled in her eyes and she nodded. "I'll never forgive myself for that... for putting you through that. I just want you to know that."

He set his glass down and clenched his fist. "That doesn't change anything. You still cheated on me, you still left me, and that really broke me, Averie." He looked around the bar and laughed. "You know after you left I used to come to this bar all the time looking for some form of comfort. Most of that came from booze and the women I would take home, which I am not proud of in any way."

"Shawn-"

"I'm not finished," he snapped. He touched the seat under him, the leather was hot from his body heat, but it still made him smile just a little bit. "You want to know what's really ironic about this bar, about this chair that I'm sitting on? I was sitting right here the night that I first saw Milinda. She used to work here last year. I was such a pig that night, all I wanted to do was sleep with her, and she knew that. She hated me for a long time after that, honestly you should have heard some of the comments she would make about me. That all feels like an eternity ago and at the same time feels like it was just yesterday," he shook his head, "I shouldn't be here. I need to be at home with her."

"Shawn-"

"I'll see you at work."

He left some cash on the counter and without uttering another word to Averie he left. Getting in his car he headed down to the one place he needed to be more than anywhere: home.

* * * *

The last customer had walked out an hour ago, and all the chores were done, but Milinda was still at Bella's. Sitting at one of the tables across from Noel she laughed as he told stories from his last job.

"Your old manager sounds like a nightmare," she chuckled.

Noel nodded. "You don't know the half if it."

The café fell into a state of silence as the coworkers leaned back in their chairs both looking at the ceiling with smiles on their faces. Milinda briefly glanced at Noel noting how his brown eyes seemed almost amber in what little sunlight as still streaming through the windows. She marveled at how some of his curls bounced along the sides of his face. He was handsome there was no denying it, and as much as she didn't want to deny it Akhona and her observation that Noel might like her was right on the money.

When Milinda was younger she was oblivious to signs that boys might have liked her but now as an adult everything was different. She could see the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking. The way he smiled at just about everything she did, that look in his eyes when she laughed. She hated how right Akhona was about things like that, but most of all she hated that small part of her was enjoying the attention she was getting. Shawn was being so distant and... no that was just an excuse for her bad thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Noel asked snapping her from her thoughts.

Milinda smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm just thinking about my wedding." You should be thinking about your wedding. You should be thinking about the man you love and who you are going to spend the rest of your life with, not your coworker.

"How's the planning going? You turning into a bridezilla yet?" he asked through a slight chuckle.

She playfully hit his shoulder, "How could you think I would turn into one of those crazy women?"

He shrugged. "You never know." He smirked, "You might actually be hiding your true personality. For all I know you could be batshit crazy under all this."

Milinda gasps and hits him again. "Yeah, well for all I know you could be a psycho killer under all this cuteness."

Noel smirked and leaned closer to her his hot breathe brushing over her face. "You think I'm cute?"

Milinda looked at him wanting nothing more than to slap herself across the face. "No, I just..." her voice trailed off as out of the corner of her eye she spotted something that took her breath away. Outside of the store standing across the street in all black a figure was looking through the large window right at her.

"Cat got your tongue over there?" Noel laughed.

Milinda leaned forward in her chair her eyes trained on the figure. The figure stood as still as a statue their hidden eyes looking right back at her. Milinda's eyes widened as the figure raised their hand and started waving at her.

Milinda almost jumped as she felt Noel's hand reach out and grab hers sending a tingling sensation through her arm. 

"Milinda, what's... who the fuck is that?"

A chill shot up through Milinda's spine, the figure was real. Casanova. The name started sprinting through her head. It could only be him.

Milinda slowly turned to look back at Noel her eyes still wide and filled with fear. "I think that's him," she whispered.

Confusion swept across Noel's face but not even a second later the scary realization took over. Milinda watched in a state of shock and horror as Noel jumped off the chair and sprinted toward the door. The bell rang violently as he pulled the door open running full sprint toward the figure. But Noel was too slow and before his feet could even touch the tar road the figure had sprinted down the street ducking into the closest alley.

Milinda watched as Noel went from a sprint to a jog and eventually stopping in the middle of the road. He rested his hands on his head and let out a frustrated scream that she could feel in her soul. He was right there! She saw him! Did he do this to the other women? When the end of the month was growing close did he briefly come out of the shadow to show them he was coming?

Eventually the officers who were supposed to be watching over her came into the store along with Noel. Milinda sat still in the chair watching as Noel explained what happened to the officers. One of the officers eventually walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"I think we should get you home," he said.

Milinda looked up at him, "What about Casanova? Is anyone going after him?"

The officer nodded. "We sent his description and last location out on the radio. Officers around the city will keep an eyes out for him."

Time seemed to faze in and out as Milinda was escorted to the car by the officers. The building along the street fazed together as they drove back home. The officers tried to make small talk wit her but her mind was so focused on the image of the figure standing across the street waving at her.

Suddenly her phone buzzed in her pocket. She slowly took it out opening the text that just came through.

Unknown: I hope you enjoyed that sneak peak. It's such a shame your coworker had to interrupt it. Also who is he? I've seen him around... is he another threat? And here I thought I only had to worry about Shawn.

Milinda rested her head on the uncomfortable headrest behind her. Looking out the window she felt her phone fall from her hand. She could hear it connect with the floor, but that was nothing compared to the tears she could feel tracing their way down her face.

* * * *

Milinda opened the door quietly, stepping into the apartment with the exhaustion of a long, emotionally draining day still clinging to her. Her hand still tingled from where Noel had grabbed it earlier, when they spotted Casanova lurking outside the café. The fear that had settled in the pit of her stomach still hadn't subsided, and all she wanted now was to come home to something normal, something safe.

The sound of laughter echoed down the hall from the living room. For a moment, Milinda froze. She hadn't expected the apartment to feel so...warm and welcoming especially after days of silence and coldness. She stepped cautiously into the hallway, following the sound of little giggles that instantly brought a smile to her face.

As she rounded the corner, the sight before her made her heart melt. Shawn was on the floor, sitting cross-legged, with Kylie perched in front of him. Her daughter's tiny hands were clutching a plastic tea set, and Shawn was dutifully sipping from a pink teacup, a large smile tugging at his lips. 

"Oh, this tea is delicious, Miss Kylie!" Shawn exclaimed, earning another squeal from the little girl.

Milinda stood there, watching the two of them for a moment longer, her heart tightening in her chest. This was the man she loved—the man she wanted to marry. But the cracks between them had grown wider over the past few weeks. The Shawn she had been dealing with lately wasn't the same as the one playing tea party with her daughter right now. His father's death really damaged him causing him to put up a wall even around her, and she didn't know how to break through it. 

After a few more minutes, she cleared her throat, making her presence known.

Shawn looked up, his smile faltering slightly when he saw her. "Hey," he said softly, placing the teacup down. He stood up, brushing his jeans off. "I wasn't sure when you'd be back."

Milinda gave him a small, tired smile. "Just got off now." she knew she should tell him about Casanova, but he seemed so happy right now and she didn't want to ruin that. 

Kylie jumped up from her spot and ran to Milinda, wrapping her tiny arms around her legs. "Mommy! Mommy! Shawn's dwinking tea with me!"

"I see that," Milinda said, crouching down to hug her daughter. "Did you have fun?"

Kylie nodded vigorously before running back to her tea set, muttering something about making more cookies for Shawn.

Milinda straightened up and faced Shawn, feeling the weight of the unresolved tension between them make its sudden return. "You two seemed to be having fun," she said quietly, her voice laced with a mix of affection and the sadness that had been gnawing at her for days.

Shawn nodded, but his gaze didn't quite meet hers. "Yeah. She needed something to distract her after her nap."

Silence hung in the air between them for a beat too long. Milinda chewed on her bottom lip, unsure of what to say, and then the words slipped out before she could stop herself. "Noel said I should—"

Shawn's entire demeanor shifted in an instant. His jaw tightened, and his expression darkened.  "Noel?" he interrupted, the name coming out like a sharp-edged accusation.

Milinda's breath caught. She hadn't meant to start a fight, but the tone in his voice made the hair on her arms rise. "I didn't mean to... he was just giving me some advice, Shawn that I thought might help you."

"Of course, he was," Shawn snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and something darker, something she hadn't seen in him before. "Noel always has something to say, doesn't he?"

Milinda blinked, her brow furrowing. "What is that supposed to mean?" It came out way harsher than she meant to, and much to her delight Kylie left the living room.

"It means," Shawn said, his voice hardening, "that I'm getting real tired of hearing his name when we should be talking about us. You know what's going on, Milinda. You know how I feel about him. He's always hanging around you, and now you're taking advice from him?"

Milinda took a step back, "Shawn, this isn't about Noel. He's just trying to help me understand how to be there for you."

"I already told you earlier today that I'm okay. I don't need you to be there for me asking me about ,y feelings and all that crap." He let out a bitter laugh. "He's not doing anything to help me okay, he just wants to be around you."

Milinda felt her face flush with anger. "He's just a friend, Shawn. Why are you acting like this?"

"Because I see what's going on!" Shawn's voice rose. "You're blind if you don't see the way he looks at you."

Milinda clenched her fists, the anger bubbling up. "This isn't about Noel! You've been shutting me out ever since your dad died. You're not the only one going through something, Shawn. I'm trying to reach you, but you won't let me in!"

"Let you in?" Shawn shot back, stepping closer. "I'm dealing with a lot, Milinda. My father's dead, I'm in the middle of this case with Casanova, and now I have to watch my fiancé getting advice from some guy who's clearly into her?"

"Shawn, it's not like that!" Milinda's voice wavered, the frustration and exhaustion from the day finally spilling over. "Noel is just a coworker. You're the one making this into something it's not."

"Am I?" Shawn's voice was low, his expression hard. "Because it sure feels like you're more comfortable talking to him than you are talking to me."

Milinda's eyes burned, but she fought back the tears. Maybe he was right. Maybe she did enjoy talking to Noel more than him, but that wasn't completely her fault. "You've been pushing me away, Shawn. I've been trying to help you, to be there for you, but you won't let me. You barely talk to me anymore."

Shawn shook his head, his hands running through his hair in frustration. "I'm trying, Milinda. I'm trying to keep everything together. I didn't ask for your coworker's advice on how to handle my grief."

Milinda's voice softened, her anger mixing with the sadness that had been simmering under the surface. "I don't know how to help you. I don't know what to do anymore."

For a moment, Shawn's hard exterior seemed to crack, his expression softening. But just as quickly, it was gone. He looked away, his jaw tense. "I don't need help from Noel."

"And I don't need Averie hanging around you," Milinda shot back before she could stop herself.

Shawn's head snapped back toward her, his eyes narrowing. "Averie? What does she have to do with this?"

Milinda crossed her arms, her chest tightening. "You don't think I notice how she's been flirting with you since she came back? How she's always around, trying to insert herself into your life? Okay Camila has been talking to Akhona about it and let's just say she doesn't know how to keep her voice down when she's' angry."

Shawn's face flushed with frustration. "I told her to back off. I shut it down, Milinda. This isn't about her."

"But it's the same thing, Shawn!" Milinda's voice cracked. "You're accusing me of something with Noel that isn't there, but you're blind to what's happening with Averie. She's been trying to come between us, ever since she got here, and you can't even see it."

Shawn's face hardened again, and for a moment, they just stood there, glaring at each other, neither one willing to back down.

Finally, Shawn let out a long breath and looked away, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I rejected her, Milinda. At the bar tonight, when she tried to... I told her no. She doesn't mean anything to me. You're the one I love, my home and that is what I told her because it is true. You are my home, Milinda, and I love you more than anything in this world."

The confession hit Milinda like a wave, the anger draining out of her in an instant. She could see the weariness in his eyes, the weight of everything he had been carrying. But the walls were still there, keeping her at arm's length.

She took a deep breath, her voice quiet now. "I love you too, Shawn. But we can't keep doing this—pushing each other away, letting other people get between us. We need to talk, to figure this out. We were planning a wedding a few days ago for God's sake, and now we're like strangers."

Shawn nodded, but the distance between them still felt immense. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I don't know how to fix this right now."

The silence settled between them again, heavier this time. Kylie was still playing with her tea set, oblivious to the tension in the room. Milinda swallowed the lump in her throat and forced a smile for her daughter's sake.

"Maybe we can start by just...being here for each other," she said softly. "Without letting anyone else come between us."

Shawn met her gaze, and for the first time in days, there was a flicker of something real almost vulnerable shining in his eyes.

"I'll try," he said.

Milinda nodded, her heart heavy but hopeful. "That's all I'm asking."

As Shawn walked out of the room, Milinda felt the weight of everything pressing down on her. She pulled out her phone and hesitated before dialing. The phone rang twice before her mother picked up.

"Milinda? Are you okay?" her mom's voice was soft, familiar.

"Hi, Mom," Milinda said, her voice catching. "I...I just needed to hear your voice."

Her mother paused for a moment. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Milinda exhaled, feeling the tears she had been holding back start to fall. "Everything feels like it's falling apart."

End of Episode 6 

Well, that was a long one but hopefully it was a good one.