Bill (Third) POV

Bill was un-buttoning his shirt while standing beside his locker. A long day of work only to be rewarded by the pleasure of going home, was all Bill could think about. The rain outside was only getting worse but luckily there wasn't a thunderstorm. He wouldn't mind a storm right now though. With Cole, Bill is able to in-trust him to take care of Suzie as they played their little game. "How's Pixie, Lexton?" Bill directed to his friend.

Lexton was one of the younger men at the station. He took one of the jobs of keeping the K9 Unit. His German shepherd, Pixie, gave birth to a litter of pups that were going to be used at the station after they went through the training. Lexton smiled towards Bill as he entered the combination into his locker. "She's doing good." He opened the door to the locker and pulled out his shirt. "The puppies are a pain though."

Bill chuckled, "Yeah I heard they can be a handful."

Lexton shrugged. "So Bill," He said putting his belt on while strapping his tazer at one side. Just as Bill was getting off duty, Lexton would have to take the night shift. "I heard you'll become Chief once Deliv steps down."

Bill smiled gently trying not to show his excitement. For years he's hated his boss and vowed that if he ever became Chief, he wouldn't be heartless. After all, Bill started working at the station in his mid-twenties. There were men that were older than him but haven't been working in the same area for as long as he has. "Yeah hopefully." Bill finished dressing into his regular clothing. Sometimes he'd have time to change at home but there were times he was late and changed at the station instead.

"I hope so too." Lexton sighed fixing the collar of his shirt as he looked into the small mirror attached inside the locker. "He truly is a devil sometimes."

"I know..." Bill finished changing and headed out the locker room. He stopped by the small lounge where he found a few of his friends that also just finished their shifts. Usually after work they all got together for coffee and snacks.

"Bill."

"Hey man."

"Look," Bill's friend held up a box of doughnuts. "I got your favorite too."

Bill laughed and took a seat on the edge of the table reaching for a Boston Creme. He and his friends started talking about their lives or recent things that happened on the job. After the stereotype that cops always eat doughnuts, the police officers of the station decided to make it a weekly treat. Sometimes when they were partnered up they'd stop by the doughnut shop and eat the doughnuts on the side of the street. People would drive by and stare knowing the stereotype was true, when in reality it was the cops that were enjoying teasing the people.

"How much longer until he retires?" One of the female's in the group asked.

Bill shrugged, "He told me a few months. A year maybe."

"Good riddance." One snorted. "I've hated that bastard the day I walked in here."

"How many has he fired since you've been here Bill?"

"Well," Bill chewed his doughnut while thinking, "I'd have to estimate. But minimum two a year. Which doesn't sound like a lot, but I've been here almost thirty years."

Lexton came panting in the lounge. He looked around the room until his eyes landed on Bill. "You need to come. Now. There was a car wreck."

Bill's eyebrows narrowed. "I was just headed home. I'm off work, get Daniel to go."

"You don't understand," Lexton moved towards Bill and grabbed his wrist pulling him off his feet. "Your daughters are in the car."

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Shawn's POV

You got the hat? My voice asked.

Yeah.

The outfit?

No. I said sarcastically. Of course I have the outfit. I'm not stupid.

Just mental.

You're mental. I shot back lamely.

You are me stupid.

Shut up. I pulled up in Em's driveway and grabbed the duffle bag I placed in the front seat. The light's were turned on in the house, only reassuring me that Emily was at home. I thought Em was still mad at me. Or at least she didn't want to speak. Then Tori told me that Emily wasn't mad, she was just expecting me to say something. Well I was about to show her.

I got out of the car and headed to the backyard. Em's window was high off the ground, the light streaming out onto the grass. I took a seat on the grass and just looked at the window. There wasn't a view, all I could see was the ceiling. My hands rustled through my duffle bag, searching for my hat. It was large and puffy with a feather at the back. Perfectly matching the Shakespearean jacket I used when the school hosted the Romeo and Juliet play. I found the outfit interesting, so when everyone was on stage bowing to the crowd, I snuck in and stole the jacket and hat to Romeo's outfit.

My arms slid into the sleeves of the jacket, it was an extremely tight fit. My elbows weren't able to bend but I didn't care of it. I grabbed the rubber duck in my duffle bag and threw it at Em's window. It hit the glass with a squeak then tumbled to the ground. I picked up the duck and stared at it. My hand tightened around it making it squeak again. A giggle left my lips as I kept squeezing the rubber duck. Squeak. Squeak squeak. Squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squ-

"Shawn?" Em's voice interrupted me and I tried to plaster a serious face. I looked up at my girlfriend and saw her hair was wet in locks as it twirled together falling over her shoulder. She had a baby blue bathrobe on but no matter how much I tried I couldn't get the duck noise out of my head. "What are you doing?" Emily raised her eyebrows and stared at me.

"Oh um," I snapped out of it and pulled out the pocket size notebook out of my bag. "I have lines." I blew the feather out of face and smiled. "See? I came prepared." Em put her lips in her mouth trying not to smile. She failed miserably, making me smile more. I looked down at the notebook at three of the lines. Completely forgetting which I wanted to say. "Uh...pick a number from one through three."

Em didn't even bother hiding her smile now. She turned serious for a second and narrowed her eyes at me. "Two," She said seriously.

I coughed and red my line with my best Shakespeare act. "Rose are red. Violets are blue. I'm sorry I lied, can I make it up to you?" I paused only causing Em to lift one eyebrow. "This is when you say yes or no." I whisper shouted.

She hung her head a smile forming across her face. "Alright. Yes. Yes you can make it up."

I sighed in relief. "Good because that would've been aca-awkward if you said no." The feather blew back in my face causing my eyebrows to knit together. "May I come up there?" I asked Em while shaking my head to get the feather off my nose. I shook my head side to side trying to get the feather off of my face.

Emily rolled her eyes, "Yes Shawn. You may."

I kept shaking my head to get the feather of. Ok first the duck. Then the quote from a singing movie. Now this? My voice sounded annoyed. Just reach up and get it off!

I ignored it and grabbed my duffle bag slinging it over one shoulder. My arms were still stiff but I managed to climb against the side of the house. "There's this thing called a door." Em took a step back as my arms reached the seal of the window. My feet slipped making sure all that was holding me up was my arms. The fabric ripped where my elbows were. Em laughed, "That didn't just happen."

I sighed and hung there. "Well it's wonderful hanging out with you." I laughed at my pun. "See what I did there," I asked while laughing, "Because I'm hanging and people use it as a phrase." I laughed more, "Oh Shawn you're so smart."

Em stood there watching me with her arms crossed. She shook her head, "I'm in love with a maniac."

"Yeah," I grunted hoisting myself up. "But what would the world be without me?" Before Em could answer I answered for her. "The world would be devastated. Everything would go up in flames. Wars will start over the seas. Cats and dogs will live together and share litter boxes." I gasped loudly, "The Uni-Rex will escape Area 51 and the world will plummet into darkness as it reproduces! We're all going to die! Run! Run for yo-"

Em stepped forward and pressed her lips to mine. My arms went around her waist to pull her closer to me. "You're going to wake my aunt," Em said when she pulled back. "Plus, you're suppose to be making it up for me."

She looked down at the little notebook in my hand and duffle bag. Her hand came up and pushed the feather away from my face. "Right," I placed my hand in the bag and felt around. "Roses are red. Violets are blue." I pulled out the green apple. "Here's the big apple, I wanna share with you." I didn't know where I got the idea. But since New York is called the Big Apple, I felt like it would be cheesy.

Em smiled and pecked my lips. She grabbed the apple from my hand and took a bite. "You're not going to poison me like in Snow White right?"

I smirked and pointed at my hat. "I'm suppose to be Romeo. Not an old witch with a face full of warts." I shuddered grabbing the apple and taking a bite. Em shook her head and walked into her bathroom to dry her hair. I tossed my bag to the side and threw my hat onto her bed. The jacket was now ripped but it still constricted my movements. I threw the jacket, kicked my shoe's off, and tossed myself on Em's bed.

My ankles crossed as I laid back on my arms staring up at the ceiling. Rocket's footsteps were heard outside as he walked through the vacant hallway. Em turned on the blow dryer making me look up. She left the door open as she stood in front of her mirror drying her hair. I smiled to myself just watching. Sure, it sounds creepy, but I just wanted to watch her. Her movements, the way she walked or her facial expression when she got frustrated with the blow dryer.

You really love her.

I smiled to myself. Just a little...

Pfft. More like a lot a lot. Like the size of your imagination, a lot.

I whistled. That's a lot then.

Obviously.

My feet seemed to have a mind of their own as I walked my way to Emily's bathroom. I leaned against the door frame watching Em brush her hair. "You know I love you right?" It was weird I felt this way. Almost like I had a foreign feeling that was invading my body, but instead of hating it or fighting it off, it made me feel complete. Like my heart was whole.

Em smiled looking at me through the mirror. "I loathe only vital excuses you too."

I laughed and stepped behind her placing my chin on her head. My arms went around her waist and held her tightly. "You misunderstand."

She smiled more but gave a swift, "I do?"

I turned her around and placed my lips on hers. She responded instantly, putting her arms around my neck while pushing her fingers through my hair. I pulled away only to see Em with her eyes closed and her breathing slightly off. "Have you ever felt like you don't belong?" I asked.

Her eyes opened and she stared at me. "Yeah. Why?"

"Because that's me." I smiled gently. "I'm sorta always the outcast. Blake is Mr. Perfect-At-Sports. Cole is perfect in academics. Then there's me...the weirdo." She opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off, "Don't even say I'm not a weirdo because everyone knows that's not true."

Her eyes went down to my chin. "There's nothing wrong with being weird."

"I know," I pulled her closer to me. "What I'm saying is, I'm an outcast. I mean, I belong I guess but clearly I'm everywhere." A small laugh escaped my lips, "Kinda like I'm air, you know? I say random stuff and there's no place to put me in. I float around. Unless I'm a fart. Then I get puffed out of an ass."

Em bit her lip but couldn't manage to contain her laugh. "How do you make these really werid jokes when you're trying to be serious?"

"I'm just special like that." I smiled, continuing. "What I'm trying to say is, whenever I'm with you I feel like I belong somewhere. Like instead of me being free floating air, I'm a solid. If that makes sense...I was never good with science."

That's like elementary school science. My voice said.

Stop ruining the moment.

You did that when you said you get puffed out of an ass.

Emily's lips curled into a small smile, then it grew bigger. That's what made me feel complete. Since I was little, I was the outcast. Dad always favored Blake, mom favors Cole. The only person that ever seemed to understand me was my granddad. The one that I inherit my looks from. He always seemed to know how I felt. I may not be able to be a sport star like Blake. Sure I'm good, but nothing compared to him. My brain isn't wired to think brilliantly like Cole. I'm at the brick of below average and average. The only thing I was ever good at, was making people smile and laugh.

Granddad always told me, everyone could use a laugh in their life. After dad passed away, I wanted to make people smile even more. The pain I had in my chest, almost unbearable. Cole and I cried our hearts out, while Blake stood stiff as our rock. He didn't smile though, just like a rock he held no emotion. It brought even more sorrow to me. So I took granddad's advice, just say the thing that pops in your head. Be the person that grants smiles and laughs instead of wishes. It was the only thing that made me...unique from my brothers. They were all unique in their own way, but if you strip down my comedy I'm nothing but average. Maybe even below average.

Emily made me feel unique in ways I never knew. Not only did I feel special for making her laugh, but knowing that someone loves me for who I am, instead of my last name. I show her my average side, my thinking side. The more serious part of me. Even then I crack jokes. It's my nature now. Instinct that's now craved into my brain. The knowledge I'm suppose to learn at school, gets filed into a small part of my brain. The rest reads, Jokes. Pranks. Ideas. Lists. Blah blah blah. Etc.

"That's what I mean by, 'I love you.'" I concluded. My nature couldn't help it, I bowed.

Em curtsied, "I love you too. But I'm seriously too in shock to really say anything."

I smiled deciding to change subject. It was ok if she couldn't tell me how she felt at this moment. I just want her to know how I feel, just so she gets the general idea that I'd never want to hurt her again. "What were you doing before I got here?"

She turned her head pointing at her sink. There was a large container on the counter filled with different colored nail polishes. "I was going to paint my toes. It's almost spring, means I'll be wearing sandals."

I grabbed the top of the container pulling it off. "I like this one." I pulled out the nail polish that looked like rainbow glitter. "Come on," I sat down on the tile floor patting my lap for Em to sit. "Come on." I whined when she stared at me. Was it really that weird to want to paint your girlfriend's toenails?

Yes. You're lucky you're Shawn though. No one questions you.

I almost laughed. Very true.

Finally she sat on me sideways and I pulled her foot closer to us. Her arm went around my neck and I opened the strong smelling bottle of nail polish. "Have you ever painted someone's nails?" Em asked.

"No..." I picked the brush out of bottle and ran it across my thumbnail. "There," I held it up to show Em, "Now I have."

She rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. There was a comfortable silence between us even though I knew I was doing a terrible job at painting Em's nails. She didn't stop me or interrupt my concentration. I just didn't understand how girls do this so often. Or people do this for a living. It was causing my eyes to strain and sometime a glob of nail polish would fall on Em's toe. "Shawn?"

"I know I suck." I answered putting the brush back in the jar. "But hey it was worth a try."

Emily laughed, "No I was going to ask you a question."

"Oh..." My hands went up in surrender. "I didn't do it. I swear whatever it was, it wasn't me. I'm innocent."

"No." She hit my arm lightly laughing softly. "I was going to ask if your ever going to tell the school about Tori."

It didn't feel like my responsibility to tell people about Tori. I've accepted her as a sister. So has Cole. It was Blake that was the last one. It just felt right if he was the one to tell people. Not because he's Blake Parris, but because he was the one that truly hated Tori in the beginning. Cole and I seemed to have proved to Tori we're trust worthy and that we care for her as a sister. If Blake just told the school, I'm sure that Tori will forever love us. She'll never doubt us and it'll only increase the bond we have already formed.

"Blake wants to tell people." I answered working on Em's other foot.

"Why Blake?"

I shrugged, "His idea."

Em nodded. Pausing to think about her next question. "Do you like living with Tori and her sister?"

I smiled, "They are my sisters." Emily smiled back, kissing my cheek softly. This was how it was suppose to be. Peaceful, no worries. Just relaxing with my girlfriend without a care in the world. It set my mind to rest, like a drug that was taking hold. Only this was different. I could read books with Em to calm myself or just want to drift to a different world. Sometimes, like right now, we wouldn't read. Just enjoy each other's company. Words were sometimes spoken, we'd get lost in pointless conversations that made each of us laugh.

Emily and I have the kind of love that's spoken out. Unlike Cole and Mystery Girl, they don't need words. Just each other. I guess, there are just many different kinds of love. That's what makes every couple unique in their own way. If everyone loved the same way, what would the fun be in that? Everyone would be the same. We'd all be zombies of love instead of being able to think for ourselves.

Whoa...I thought. What would a love zombie look like?

Imagine cupid like a zombie.

Ew...zombie's in diapers.

You make everyone worry. My voice sighed.

"That's easy." I smirked at Em's next question even though she seemed embarrassed to ask. We had been talking while I try to paint her nails. "You'll know your ready when you can go to a drug store and buy condoms without being embarrassed."

Her eyes narrowed on me. "Really?"

I nodded, "Yeah why?"

"Because I just thought you'd know when you truly love someone."

"The condom test is testing your love." I rolled my eyes because it was obvious.

"I don't get it."

I pretended to give an annoyed sigh. It only gave me a glare from my girlfriend in return. "If you really love someone, you'd want to make love to them. So the condom test is saying the same thing, if you love someone you're not embarrassed to buy condoms because you want to make love to them. It shouldn't be a cause of embarrassment."