(White) Collar Optional (5/?)
Title: (White) Collar Optional
Fandom: Psych, White Collar
Characters: Shawn, Gus, Peter, Neal, Henry, Juliet, Lassiter & Vick with cameos from Mozzie, El, Diana & Jones
Word Count: 1185
Rating: PG-13
Overall Summary: In New York, Peter and Gus search for what happened to Neal and Shawn. In California, Shawn and Gus escape a little too easily, making them wonder if Ridley has other plans.
Notes: Okay, I'm finally posting the sequel to Psychic in the City. It's still unfinished so posting will stay with Wednesdays until further notice. I'd also like to thank my three betas snowflakie06, slytheringurrl and the_moogie
Ein Deux Tre Cuatro
When they heard the lock, Neal and Shawn moved the crate away from the window and lay back down on the beds. They then pretended to be in the middle of a game of “I Spy” as Ridley entered carrying a breakfast tray. It was cereal and juice, all in plastic, no edges to be used as weapons.
“I think room service messed up our order,” commented Shawn as he sat up. “We ordered eggs and bacon.”
“No coffee? That is the worst offense.” Neal played along.
“Like I’m going to cook for you two,” Ridley set the tray down on another crate. “Caffrey, you first.” He motioned to the tray.
Neal scooted off the bed and took one of the bowls and a cup. When he was back on the bed, it was Shawn’s turn. As they ate, Ridley opened a door they hadn’t seen earlier to reveal a half-bath. “You know, as far as kidnapping accommodations go, this isn’t that bad. I mean, an en-suite bath?” He finished his orange juice and put the dishes back on the tray.
“Okay, I’ll let breakfast pass since we do have a decent room. And this is fresh-squeezed OJ, not a store brand.” Shawn put his bowl and cup on the tray. “What does the activities director have on the agenda today?”
“I have a number of things on my schedule. You, however, will remain here.” Ridley picked up the tray. “Oh, I have something to help you pass they time.” He reached into his pocket with his free hand and tossed a small box to Neal. “Enjoy your day, gentlemen.” He left.
“Does that mean no lunch?” Shawn called after him.
Neal looked at the small box in his hand. “Probably. Do you still win at poker?” He held up the cards.
“Dude, you can’t seriously want to play cards now? We gotta book.”
“We can’t do anything until Ridley leaves. A couple of hands won’t kill us.” He realized what he said. “Okay, wrong choice of words.”
“All right. No more than ten minutes then we watch for him to leave.”
Shawn sat on the foot of the bed as Neal shuffled and dealt, keeping everything above board and friendly. He also knew that Shawn would be reading him - unintentionally - so he tried to minimize all tells. They played a few hands. Neal only won one.
“There will be a re-match,” he told Shawn as he put the cards back in the box.
“We can’t have you on the losing end, can we?” Shawn said as he dragged the crate back to the window.
Neal hurried over to steady it as Shawn climbed onto the crate. “Check the window for weak spots. There might be something in the bathroom we can use.”
“You want to MacGyver our way out of here?”
“It’s not like we’ve got anything else to work with.”
“The caulk around the window is new so it’ll be hard to peel.”
“If it’s still soft, we might be able to force something through it.”
Neal hurried into the bathroom and looked under the sink for anything that could jimmy the latch. There was nothing. Leaving the bathroom, the first thing he saw was his bed. Maybe…
“Don’t bother with the beds,” Shawn told him. “I already checked.”
Neal sighed and walked over. “Anything else to narrow down where we are?”
Shawn looked at him, a grin on his face. “A pickup came by blasting the radio, a Santa Barbara station.”
“You’ll be able to find your way once we get out there?”
“Keep the mountains at our backs and we’ll get into the town center or the beach. We then flag down a cop or use a store’s phone, whichever comes first.”
“Okay, then.” Neal went over to Shawn’s bed, grabbed the pillow and handed it up. “Careful.”
Shawn pressed the pillow up against the window, turned his head away and smashed the window with his elbow. They froze, waiting for some sort of reaction from outside. The rest was rather anti-climactic as they crawled out the window and ran down the road.
***************
Henry Spencer could only sit still at the police station for so long. Everyone either gave him sympathetic looks or shared tired platitudes and clichés. He knocked on Karen’s door and told her he was heading out, unable to wait and do nothing.
She nodded in understanding. “We’ll call if we hear anything and I expect you to do the same.”
“You know I will.” No need to take up police time looking for my idiot son who walked into a kidnapping.
Once behind the wheel of his truck, Henry let his mind go into detective-mode as his body drove home on automatic pilot. Ridley would have to keep them somewhere isolated - either abandoned or remote. Lassiter and O’Hara were checking the airport side but that wouldn’t stop him from checking out some possible neighborhoods. He also was aware that Shawn knew to keep the mountains behind him and head for the ocean.
Decided, Henry drove past the turn for his house and headed for the outer perimeter of the area he plotted in his head as the most likely place to find Shawn before falling into a grid search pattern.
Thirty minutes in, he was garnering suspicious looks. He was becoming dejected but soon saw a stack of pineapples at a produce stand. Normally not one to believe in omens and signs, but seeing Shawn’s favorite fruit gave Henry a boost of confidence, a belief that they would find his boy safe. He impulsively parked and bought one. It’s not like Shawn’s the only one who eats the stuff, he reasoned.
Henry resumed his search. Up ahead, walking away from him, were two men that put him in mind of Shawn and Gus except the one in khakis was white with black hair. As he got closer, he could see they were covered in sweat and dirt. No, it can’t be. Henry slowed and rolled down his window. “Shawn!”
The men stopped and turned. “Dad?”
Henry just wanted to give Shawn a hug. He hadn’t felt this relieved since that time on the pier after Yin. He’d find a chance later. He cleared his throat. “Get in.”
Shawn climbed in first followed by Caffrey. Henry dug out his phone and tossed it to Shawn. “Call Karen. Let her know we’re on our way.” He pulled back into traffic.
“I’d rather get a shower.”
“I’d rather you get one too, but we need you to give your statement. Gus and Agent Burke should be landing in about an hour.”
Shawn dialed. “Ooh, pineapple. Hey, Chief! Yeah, we’re fine. We escaped and Dad found us. We’re on our way in now.” Shawn ended the call and put the phone on the dashboard. “So, Pops, this is Neal. Neal, this is Papa Bear.”
“Shawn, how many times--”
“An honor to meet you, Mr. Spencer. Thank you for finding us.”
At least one of them remembered his manners. How well does it reflect on me that it was the ex-con?
Fandom: Psych, White Collar
Characters: Shawn, Gus, Peter, Neal, Henry, Juliet, Lassiter & Vick with cameos from Mozzie, El, Diana & Jones
Word Count: 1185
Rating: PG-13
Overall Summary: In New York, Peter and Gus search for what happened to Neal and Shawn. In California, Shawn and Gus escape a little too easily, making them wonder if Ridley has other plans.
Notes: Okay, I'm finally posting the sequel to Psychic in the City. It's still unfinished so posting will stay with Wednesdays until further notice. I'd also like to thank my three betas snowflakie06, slytheringurrl and the_moogie
Ein Deux Tre Cuatro
When they heard the lock, Neal and Shawn moved the crate away from the window and lay back down on the beds. They then pretended to be in the middle of a game of “I Spy” as Ridley entered carrying a breakfast tray. It was cereal and juice, all in plastic, no edges to be used as weapons.
“I think room service messed up our order,” commented Shawn as he sat up. “We ordered eggs and bacon.”
“No coffee? That is the worst offense.” Neal played along.
“Like I’m going to cook for you two,” Ridley set the tray down on another crate. “Caffrey, you first.” He motioned to the tray.
Neal scooted off the bed and took one of the bowls and a cup. When he was back on the bed, it was Shawn’s turn. As they ate, Ridley opened a door they hadn’t seen earlier to reveal a half-bath. “You know, as far as kidnapping accommodations go, this isn’t that bad. I mean, an en-suite bath?” He finished his orange juice and put the dishes back on the tray.
“Okay, I’ll let breakfast pass since we do have a decent room. And this is fresh-squeezed OJ, not a store brand.” Shawn put his bowl and cup on the tray. “What does the activities director have on the agenda today?”
“I have a number of things on my schedule. You, however, will remain here.” Ridley picked up the tray. “Oh, I have something to help you pass they time.” He reached into his pocket with his free hand and tossed a small box to Neal. “Enjoy your day, gentlemen.” He left.
“Does that mean no lunch?” Shawn called after him.
Neal looked at the small box in his hand. “Probably. Do you still win at poker?” He held up the cards.
“Dude, you can’t seriously want to play cards now? We gotta book.”
“We can’t do anything until Ridley leaves. A couple of hands won’t kill us.” He realized what he said. “Okay, wrong choice of words.”
“All right. No more than ten minutes then we watch for him to leave.”
Shawn sat on the foot of the bed as Neal shuffled and dealt, keeping everything above board and friendly. He also knew that Shawn would be reading him - unintentionally - so he tried to minimize all tells. They played a few hands. Neal only won one.
“There will be a re-match,” he told Shawn as he put the cards back in the box.
“We can’t have you on the losing end, can we?” Shawn said as he dragged the crate back to the window.
Neal hurried over to steady it as Shawn climbed onto the crate. “Check the window for weak spots. There might be something in the bathroom we can use.”
“You want to MacGyver our way out of here?”
“It’s not like we’ve got anything else to work with.”
“The caulk around the window is new so it’ll be hard to peel.”
“If it’s still soft, we might be able to force something through it.”
Neal hurried into the bathroom and looked under the sink for anything that could jimmy the latch. There was nothing. Leaving the bathroom, the first thing he saw was his bed. Maybe…
“Don’t bother with the beds,” Shawn told him. “I already checked.”
Neal sighed and walked over. “Anything else to narrow down where we are?”
Shawn looked at him, a grin on his face. “A pickup came by blasting the radio, a Santa Barbara station.”
“You’ll be able to find your way once we get out there?”
“Keep the mountains at our backs and we’ll get into the town center or the beach. We then flag down a cop or use a store’s phone, whichever comes first.”
“Okay, then.” Neal went over to Shawn’s bed, grabbed the pillow and handed it up. “Careful.”
Shawn pressed the pillow up against the window, turned his head away and smashed the window with his elbow. They froze, waiting for some sort of reaction from outside. The rest was rather anti-climactic as they crawled out the window and ran down the road.
***************
Henry Spencer could only sit still at the police station for so long. Everyone either gave him sympathetic looks or shared tired platitudes and clichés. He knocked on Karen’s door and told her he was heading out, unable to wait and do nothing.
She nodded in understanding. “We’ll call if we hear anything and I expect you to do the same.”
“You know I will.” No need to take up police time looking for my idiot son who walked into a kidnapping.
Once behind the wheel of his truck, Henry let his mind go into detective-mode as his body drove home on automatic pilot. Ridley would have to keep them somewhere isolated - either abandoned or remote. Lassiter and O’Hara were checking the airport side but that wouldn’t stop him from checking out some possible neighborhoods. He also was aware that Shawn knew to keep the mountains behind him and head for the ocean.
Decided, Henry drove past the turn for his house and headed for the outer perimeter of the area he plotted in his head as the most likely place to find Shawn before falling into a grid search pattern.
Thirty minutes in, he was garnering suspicious looks. He was becoming dejected but soon saw a stack of pineapples at a produce stand. Normally not one to believe in omens and signs, but seeing Shawn’s favorite fruit gave Henry a boost of confidence, a belief that they would find his boy safe. He impulsively parked and bought one. It’s not like Shawn’s the only one who eats the stuff, he reasoned.
Henry resumed his search. Up ahead, walking away from him, were two men that put him in mind of Shawn and Gus except the one in khakis was white with black hair. As he got closer, he could see they were covered in sweat and dirt. No, it can’t be. Henry slowed and rolled down his window. “Shawn!”
The men stopped and turned. “Dad?”
Henry just wanted to give Shawn a hug. He hadn’t felt this relieved since that time on the pier after Yin. He’d find a chance later. He cleared his throat. “Get in.”
Shawn climbed in first followed by Caffrey. Henry dug out his phone and tossed it to Shawn. “Call Karen. Let her know we’re on our way.” He pulled back into traffic.
“I’d rather get a shower.”
“I’d rather you get one too, but we need you to give your statement. Gus and Agent Burke should be landing in about an hour.”
Shawn dialed. “Ooh, pineapple. Hey, Chief! Yeah, we’re fine. We escaped and Dad found us. We’re on our way in now.” Shawn ended the call and put the phone on the dashboard. “So, Pops, this is Neal. Neal, this is Papa Bear.”
“Shawn, how many times--”
“An honor to meet you, Mr. Spencer. Thank you for finding us.”
At least one of them remembered his manners. How well does it reflect on me that it was the ex-con?