Safe & Sound 1/2
Jensen should have expected this, like he should have foreseen the events of three years ago. It was the one variable he never planned for: betrayal. For the type of life he led, it should have been a factor, but he'd trusted his crew implicitly, and that had been his mistake. One he would forever regret because it cost him his father's life. He'd bled out in his arms in some abandoned warehouse, January 1, 2009, in downtown Chicago, Illinois with the rest of his crew. It was supposed to be one final job for all of them, one last heist to ring in the new year and set them up for life. Instead, it was fate who had the last laugh, and that's not a lesson anyone should have to learn.
Pure greed, that's all it was. He just never saw it coming, especially from JD. After the heist went down, the plan called for Jensen to split off from them and return to the loft on his own. They were supposed to be there waiting for him. When they weren't, he went looking. Only to find them all dead at the rendezvous point inside the warehouse four blocks away from the job. He'd tried to find JD for years. But like most of their crew, he knew how to disappear and Jensen had grown tired of being fueled by hatred. His time was coming though, and Jensen would be there to see it firsthand.
He sat staring at business card on the table in front of him, the bright white letters of Federal Bureau of investigation glared at him through the blue and gold seal. He couldn't find a way out of this one. There was a surefire prison sentence in one hand and what could ultimately be his death in the other.
It seemed that Jensen hadn't learned his lesson after all.
One week earlier
The bell rang above the door as Jensen walked into his store, Safe & Sound Security, while the sounds of New York City's lunchtime traffic and impatient cabbies drowned out his greeting. His best friend, Chris, looked up from where he was sitting at the counter fumbling with the tumblers of a lock and smiled.
"Hey man, how'd it go?"
Jensen walked up to the counter, threw his bag on top and flopped into the chair beside him, face bright and happy.
"Heh, I thought Padalecki was going to shit himself. Apparently their tech spent two hours trying to get this thing open, so I guess he was under the impression that it was going to be tough. I don't know what the hell their tech was doing, man, but it wasn't working on that safe. How he couldn't open a Holland 1000 and still remain employed is beyond me," Jensen said, shaking his head before he got up and walked over to grab the soda he left behind earlier.
"We can't all be blessed with your skills," Chris said.
"That's not even a matter of skill, Chris. That's safecracking 101. This one had a few false contact points added, but hell, even you could've opened it."
"Calm down, son. Not all of us grew up in a life of crime y'know. "
Jensen raised a brow as he turned around, because really, he should know better than to try and pull that shit. They've known each other since they were kids. He may not have led Jensen's life, but he ain't sportin' no halo either.
"Are you really gonna go there? Again?"
"What? I'm just sayin'"
The eye roll Jensen sent his way spoke volumes. "Anyway. So he takes me down to the crime scene, we do our usual spiel where I politely call his team incompetent and he calls me a criminal. Then his phone rings and disappears for a while, right?"
Chris nodded.
"By time he comes back I'm pulling my scope out and opening the door." Jensen said. He took a drink of his Coke and put it back up on the counter. "When I turned around he had the most adorably puzzled look on his face and was stuttering through his words. It was beautiful, man."
"That never gets old. I love when we get the chance to knock them down a peg or two," Chris laughed.
Jensen smirked. "I'd love to -"
"Dude. Don't even think about finishing that sentence."
"I was only going to -"
"I know exactly what you were going to do and I don't need to hear it."
"You'd think you be used to by now."
"You'd think you'd stop torturing me."
"Never." Jensen grinned.
"You gonna ask him out anytime in the near future?"
"I'm working on it."
:::
Jensen was sitting in his back office, feet propped up on the desk with specs for the Soco Fortress in his hands. It was the latest model out of southern California that was supposedly unbeatable. Jensen didn't buy it, nothing was unbeatable. There were a lot of companies that made that claim, but he hadn't seen one with the technology to back that particular fact up yet. Some safes were downright nasty, sure, but he could still get into them if he worked on them long enough. He'd been dying to get his hands on a Soco since he read about them on their site last week during their soft launch. They weren't supposed to be officially available to the public until next month, but there'd been rumors that the demand was so high that Soco was considering moving their release date up by a few weeks.
He studied the paper, noting the differences in the standard features. The glass re-lock system was indeed unique. A plate of glass not only along the door, but also sandwiched in behind the dial; all to prevent drilling or using a torch. So, he'd have to drill perfectly through the dial, no margin for error there. Awesome. Cracking that glass triggered spring loaded bolts that drove pins into key positions within the safe's bolt work, and even larger steel rods snapped into place reinforcing the door. The brochure indicated that there were more deterrents that could be customized and put in place, but they would not be disclosed until its official release in June.
Jensen was impressed, and that rarely happened these days.
"You think it's everything they claim it is?" Chris said motioning to the brochure as he wandered in carrying a slip of paper in his hand.
"I don't know man, it definitely has potential. I'll know more when the mock-up I ordered gets here in a few days." He thought on it for a moment. "Might only be vulnerable to manipulation."
"Old school, huh?"
"Not my strong suit man."
"Bullshit. Your dad was one of the best in the world."
"Yeah, he was, but it's never been my gig. I need my tools. I have to see inside."
"Given the right motivation, I'm sure you'd find a way to do it."
Jensen looked back at the specs and shrugged. "Maybe."
"Speaking of motivation. While you were out drooling over young Padalecki, we got a new client. She wants a detail. You're supposed to meet her somewhere off 88th at five." Chris said, arm stretched out to hand him the note.
"He's 30 Christian, and I don't drool," Jensen said, scowling at Chris' lingering smirk. "And who exactly is the motivation? Jared or the client?" He asked when he jerked the paper out of Chris' hand. Sometimes Jensen really questioned his taste in friends.
"So, it's Jared now? Maybe you will get laid this year."
"God you are such an ass." Jensen said, laughing as he looked over the address and studied the name: Taglieri, Alex Taglieri. There was no reason for it to sound familiar, but somehow it did.
A detail was simple; go in assess the property, report weaknesses and set up a time for a trial run on their security. He was pretty sure the address was in the Upper West Side, probably a brownstone. They always were. Why it couldn't be a bank or a gallery, or even a corporation of some type, Jensen didn't know. He missed those types of jobs. It'd been awhile since one of those had come through. He may be legit now, but at least he still got the thrill of trying to set up a job. It was one of his favorite parts of a heist: The Plan. When they managed to pull the plan off? Well, there was no other thrill like it in the world.
"Yeah, alright. Shouldn't take more than an hour or two."
"You want me to come with you?"
"Since when do you volunteer for consultations?"
"She was hot." Chris said simply.
Jensen just smiled and shook his head. "Should've known. We'll run it together if she likes the price." Jensen thought for a moment before he added with a smirk, "Besides, you scare the clients."
"No, I intimidate them." Chris countered.
"Semantics."
:::
Jensen walked out of the back office, the Soco still firmly on his mind. It was like a puzzle to him, which was something he had always loved. It was why he was so good at planning; it was the ultimate puzzle. One he solved by being able to set up and calculate for every contingency during a run and still come out unscathed. His dad always said it was his greatest strength.
He needed to get his head back in the game now though; he had a new client to contend with and a plan to make.
"Hey, we got anything else on tap for today?" Jensen said as he entered the storefront.
"No, man, you're clear until this weekend. Well, besides this detail if she goes for it and that always takes you a few days to set up. So you might have two details to plan for, but other than that you're pretty slow this week. Next week looks a little hairy though. You might want to enjoy it while it lasts."
"Huh." Jensen said, clearly at a loss with what to do in his sudden block of free time. It had been pretty non-stop this past year; Jensen wasn't sure how to switch gears.
"Go catch up with Padalecki or something, relax for a change. I don't remember the last time you took more than a day off, man."
"You know, the interest you have in my sex life is alarming."
"It's more a matter of self-preservation, really." He smirked. "You stay happy? I stay happy. "
"Your deep wealth of concern is appreciated, truly touching there, but I'm fine." Jensen said. He idly wondered if it was possible to actually see the sarcasm dripping from his words.
"Jensen. Seriously. You kept saying, when we got the store it'd be easier. Then it was when it got established and could turn a profit. Then it was we're too busy, I don't have enough time right now. The store is solid now. Everything you set out to do is done. We're good, Jensen. Live a little." Chris paused for a moment, he seemed to be grasping for something else to say.
"Listen, I know I give you a lot of shit, but Jared seems like a good guy, man. At least he's got his shit together. I know you like him. Anyone with eyes can see that. And he's a hell of a lot better than that last loser you were with. You should give him a chance."
"Matt wasn't that bad." He said softly.
The single brow lift Chris retaliated with said differently. Okay, so Matt wasn't exactly what one would term 'a keeper'. He was more 'a live in the moment, I'll do who and what I want, when I want type', but he had served his purpose at the time and gave Jensen what he needed - which was a distraction. He hadn't gone in blind, he knew exactly who and what Matt was when he met him at a club one drunken night. But he never lied to Jensen, or promised him more than he could give. And for that, Jensen respected him. He was still reeling from the loss of his father and his crew, and Matt was just a way for him to blow off steam for a while when he needed it. It was never supposed to be more; a small detail that he could never seem to get Christian to fully comprehend. If it lasted the better part of a year, well, that was Jensen's choice. He didn't want anything more at the time.
The thing about Christian was that despite his overbearing tendencies at times, like right now for instance, he always meant well. Jensen knew that and was glad for it. He tended more toward the silently disapproving route stock full of single brow lifts and grimaces. But, every once and a while he just couldn't help himself. It was like he had this innate need to fix things, or some inexhaustible desire for everyone around him to be as happy as he was. It wasn't a bad thing to want that for your friends. And it wasn't as if Jensen was unhappy, he had just been drifting for a while since he broke things off with Matt. Maybe it was time to move on.
And there wasn't anyone better to have watching your back than Chris. He just needed a little reminder that it was still his life after all.
"What is this, your patented shove in the right direction?"
Chris' eyes had that little glint he got in them when he was up to something.
"Something like that. I hear he likes basketball," he hinted. Jensen knew they talked on occasion when he called the store looking for Jensen, but he had no idea they actually talked.
"You know, last time I checked, I am still your boss and I can fire you."
"You tried that last week, remember? Didn't stick." Chris shrugged.
Jensen sighed. "I need new friends." He chose not to acknowledge that last sentiment, because it was true.
"Truer words, my friend. Truer words."
"Alright, I'm going to head out so I can stop by The Grind on my way up there."
"Gimme a call later and let me know how it goes."
"Always do. Feel like grabbing a beer later? We'll go over everything then." Jensen said as threw his bag over his shoulder and pushed the door open with his hip.
"Sounds good. Later, man."
:::
Jensen looked down at his watch after what had seemed like hours of standing in line for his coffee. He missed the diner next door to the shop; they had great coffee and the added benefit of being fast. The Grind seemed to make a production out of the simple task. It shouldn't take damn near a half hour to get a cup, but he was addicted to it now. He was pretty sure the whipped cream and chocolate shavings had been his downfall. Up until then, he was the more traditional type.
Someone cleared their throat over his shoulder. He glanced back out of curiosity and saw a familiar set of dimples and a bright smile.
"Fancy meeting you here."
Jensen's face brightened as he laughed and turned around, "People actually say that?"
Jared's shoulders fell and his smile dimmed a little. "I choked." He said simply, shrugging his shoulders. "I was heading here myself when I noticed you walking in front of me, I've been standing here trying to figure out what to say to get your attention when you turned around and beat me to it."
"I've found that 'Hi' usually works well." Jensen teased.
Jared looked down for a moment and smiled. When he looked up through the bangs hanging in his eyes he raised his hand to the nape of his neck in a nervous gesture. Jensen found it adorable. Not that he would ever admit that out loud.
"I'll uh, remember that…for next time." Jared said. If Jensen wasn't mistaken, it looked like he was blushing. No, not adorable at all.
"Good. You off work now?" Jared was still dressed in his suit, but he could be heading home Jensen supposed.
"Na, I'm just stoppin' in. You?"
Jensen held up the small piece of paper still in his hand. "Heading uptown for a job, new client. If I ever get my coffee that is." He said, looking back toward the counter expectantly.
"I know. If it weren't for the whipped cream, caramel and chocolate shavings, I'd pass this place by. They're slow as hell."
Jensen smirked. Yeah, definitely his downfall.
"Hey, you doing anything next Wednesday?" He asked. "I've got tickets at the Garden for the playoffs. I was going to drag Chris with me, but if you'd like to go he'd probably be forever grateful."
Jared's face lit up. "Oh man, I can't believe you got tickets!" He said, voice louder than necessary drawing the attention of nearby customers. His hands started flailing about, punctuating his words as he spoke. It was something Jensen noticed he did when he got really passionate about something. "I tried for hours to get through when they went on sale, but it was crazy that morning. Then I caught a case, along with a flat tire and I was late to my briefing and -"
"Breathe, Jared," Jensen laughed, reaching out to grab his arm as if to stem the sudden burst of energy. "I take it that's a yes?"
If it were possible, it looked that Jared's blush deepened when he realized he was rambling. He smiled and softly said, "Oh, yeah, I'd love to."
"Ackles! Order up!" The barista called out to the crowd.
Jensen looked up abruptly at his name and then back to his watch. "Man, I gotta run. I have to get to eighty-eighth in twenty minutes." He took the paper in his hands, ripped the bottom off and started patting down his pockets. "Hey, you got a pen?"
"Uhhh," Jared mirrored the action and reached into the right breast pocket of his suit and pulled one out.
"Great, thanks." He scribbled down his phone number quickly. "This is my home number," he said handing the slip to Jared, "gimme a call this weekend and we'll get together for dinner or a beer or something."
Jensen stepped over to the counter and grabbed his coffee quickly before walking back up to Jared.
"Okay, talk to you then. See ya, Jensen."
"Bye, Jay." Jensen returned his smile and proceeded onto his appointment.
:::
"Ms. Taglieri?" Jensen said, when the woman greeting him at the door. She was attractive, classically beautiful with a tall, slim build, blonde hair, striking green eyes. Yeah, she was exactly Christian's type.
While the name still held some recognition, he couldn't say her appearance did. He was certain he'd never met her before.
"Yes, Jensen is it?"
"Yes, it's good to meet you."
"And you as well, please come in."
She ushered him into the grand townhouse. It was trimmed in deep, rich colors, but minimalist in style. The arrangement of furniture making the place look even larger than it already was. She was clearly well off if the décor and artwork hanging on the walls were any indication, De Kooning, Pollock and Kandinsky among them. She clearly favored the abstract expressionists. There was one though that caught his attention.
"Is that -" He began, voice full of awe.
"Oh heavens no. It's just a really good forgery. My husband is in the art business, he comes across some good finds now and then as you can see. Picasso has always been my favorite; he purchased it for me a couple years ago as an anniversary present. It's not worth much more than the canvas it's painted on, but he knew I'd love it anyway."
Jensen walked up toward the painting, studying it further. Le Pigeon Aux Petits Pois was stolen from the Paris Museum of Modern Art a few years ago. Jensen had read about the theft, the supposed lone thief made off with some four hundred million dollars worth of art in five paintings, disguised as a security guard. It had amazed Jensen at the time that that plan had actually worked.
"The attention to detail is incredible. I don't know that I've ever seen such a flawless replica."
Ms. Taglieri smiled. "Shame we may never see the real one again. It always saddens me when they vanish into the underground art ring after thefts. So many priceless, beautiful works of art we've lost that way."
"Very true." He said, giving one last look toward the painting before turning around. "So, what can I do for you, Ms. Taglieri?"
"Alex, please." She conceded. "Well, the Picasso aside, the rest of them are real, as are some of the artifacts you see throughout. We've only been here a short time and haven't had a chance to set up decent security. I'm fortunate that I can be home most of the time, but still, can't be too careful nowadays. I'd like to get some bids on security and see if there are any other steps I could take it making sure my collection remains intact."
"Of course. I have some proposals here," he said, indicating to the portfolio in his arms, "that I can tailor to your specific needs, or we can come up with something altogether different. Why don't we sit down and you can tell me exactly what you're looking for."
"Sure, right this way."
:::
That meeting ended up taking much longer than Jensen had anticipated. Ms. Taglieri had very specific ideas in mind as well as being in dire need of a whole new security system. The one in place was indeed rather outdated and easily manipulated. It was top of the line when it was installed, but clearly, that was several years ago.
Before he had left that night, Jensen went over everything that Alex could expect from him, from the cost to when they planned to test her current security. Afterwards, they would set up a meeting and he would outline for her where her greatest vulnerabilities were and what could be done to eliminate or lessen them.
Jensen and Chris watched the place the past few days, figured out routines, potential pitfalls and such. Places like galleries, banks, jewelers or other businesses generally took much longer because there were more variables in play. Someone's home though? Usually a few days would work just fine for his needs. They would break in using methods that criminals would, exploiting weak points in the security, see if any safes or vaults were secure and report back.
"I'm hungry." Chris said, cutting through the silence of their car down the block from the Taglieri's.
Jensen looked at his watch, 11:37. "We'll give another hour or so, then we'll stop by somewhere on the way home. I'm starving."
"We've been watching this place for three days straight, man." Chris said as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. "That's plenty for this. Let's get outta here."
The rest of their week had been pretty uneventful just as Chris told him it would be. They'd spent the last couple nights relaxing by closing down the bar near his apartment.
"Yeah, alright."
Jensen started up the car, turned on his headlights and pulled away from the curb thinking about the greasy bacon cheeseburger he couldn't wait to get his hands on.
:::
"Oh god, that was good." Jensen said, rubbing his belly fairly certain that if he ate any more he would explode. Chris was still working on his second order of hot wings. The boy could eat. How he didn't weigh four hundred pounds was a mystery.
Jensen took a long pull from his beer and looked around the bar. It was pretty slow for a Friday night, only a handful of tables and a few customers at the bar. Chris and he frequented this bar and it was always packed. Sure it was late, but it wasn't like anything in this city ever closed. It was one of the things he loved about living here.
"So, I asked Jared out the other day." He figured he'd just put it out there, get it over with and let Chris have his fun. "You don't have to go to the game now. I know how much you love them."
"Thank fuck. Why you can't love hockey or football I will never understand. It's un-American son."
Jensen laughed. "Yeah, I bet the courtside seats and free beer are a real hardship for you."
"Well, when you put it like that…" He didn't need to finish the sentence. "It's just…boring as hell." Leave it to Chris to just lay it all out there. "Enough of that though. I'm happy for you. It's about fucking time man." He said as he slapped him on the shoulder, genuinely happy for his friend. "It's been a while."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
"Honestly, I'm surprised it hasn't shriveled up and fallen off."
Jensen stared at him for a second, clearly at a loss for words. Even after all these years, Chris could still surprise him now and then.
"Nice, Christian." It was funny how Jensen only used the full version of his name when he was annoyed, like a scolding parent. It never bothered Chris though; at least coming from Jensen, it only seemed to egg him on. But sometimes, Jensen just couldn't stop himself.
"You know me. Just call 'em like I see 'em." He finished the last of his beer and grinned obnoxiously.
"I have no idea why I put up with you."
"You love me."
"Not that much."
"Ouch." Chris did his best to look insulted, but he could never quite pull it off.
"Truth hurts man. What can I say?"
Chris made a point of looking him up and down and shrugged. "Not much."
Laughing, Jensen said, "C'mon, let's get outta here. I'm beat man." Jensen looked down at his watch and noted the time, half past two. No wonder he was tired. He stood and reached for his wallet, pulling several bills out to cover the tab and then pointedly looked to Chris before heading out. "You get the tip."
:::
Jensen woke to his phone buzzing on the coffee table beside him. He must have fallen asleep while watching TV. He'd gone for a run early this morning when he couldn't sleep, but by the time he got back he was dead on his feet. Three hours of sleep would do that to a person.
"'lo?" He said into the earpiece before realizing he was speaking into the wrong end and spun it around.
"-sen? It's Jay, did I wake you?"
"Hmm? No, don't worry about it, I needed to get up anyway." He drug his hand down over his face and then back through his hair as if that would help wake him up. "What time is it?" It felt like he'd been asleep for hours.
"A little after one. Up late?"
"Yeah, was doing some research for that job I was telling you about, then Christian dragged me to the bar. He's a bad influence."
Jared chuckled. "You gonna live?"
"It's still up for debate." He groaned and rolled over onto his back. "What's up man?"
"Was calling to take you up on that beer, but I'm thinking maybe dinner instead?"
"I'd like that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Tell you what. Gimme me a few hours to rejoin the land of the living and I'll meet you."
"How about that steakhouse off Columbus Circle?"
"Sounds good."
:::
Four hours and a shower later, Jensen still felt like death warmed over. The late nights had caught up with him. He really wanted to go out with Jared, but he really didn't feel like going anywhere. He loved his apartment and leaving to deal with the city traffic was completely unappealing. Wandering into his kitchen, Jensen surveyed the pantry and fridge. There were steaks from his run to the store yesterday and he was fully stocked on beer. Yeah, that sounded so much better. Now, to see if Jared was up for it.
He picked up his phone and checked his last call for Jared's cell number and dialed. It only rang twice before he answered.
"Padalecki." He answered in his official tone. If it sent shivers down Jensen's spine, well, no one else needed to know that.
"Hey Jay." Jensen even sounded like hell. Maybe he was getting sick, although he didn't feel it. He was just tired as hell.
"Jensen? Everything okay."
"Yes and no. I was calling to see if we could do the steakhouse another night. I just don't feel like going anywhere man."
"Oh." Jared said, disappointment clearly evident in his tone. "Yeah, sure. Stay home and get some rest. I'll see you Wednesday at the game anyway."
"No. I meant, I just don't want to go anywhere, but I do still want to see you. You feel like coming here for dinner instead?"
"Oh.Yeah, of course. What time?"
"Say, an hour? Like six-thirty, seven-ish?"
"Sure. What's your address?"
"111 Central Park North, apartment 3A. I'll leave your name at the front desk so they know you're coming."
"Okay, see you then."
They hung up after their mutual goodbyes and Jensen got to work in the kitchen.
:::
Jensen was plating the food when someone, presumably Jared, knocked on the door. Grabbing a towel, he wiped his hands and threw it back on the counter before he headed out to the door. He stopped on the way and checked himself in the mirror, running a hand through his hair and straightening his shirt a bit. Jensen hoped Jared wasn't too dressed up considering all he had on was a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't need to worry though. When he opened the door, Jared was dressed similarly in a three button henley and jeans.
"Hi."
"Hey, Jay." Jensen smiled. He opened the door further and gestured Jared in. "Thanks for coming over man, I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
Jared entered his apartment and looked around, "No, not at all," his was mouth dropped open and his eyes worked quick to take everything in. "Wow. This is beautiful. If I lived here, I don't think I'd want to leave either."
"Thanks. Yeah, I love it here. Took virtually everything I had to get it, but I don't regret it for a second."
"Yeah, I guess not."
"You hungry? I was just finishing up." Jensen turned and headed back toward the kitchen.
"Starving actually. What're we havin'?" Jared followed, looking around Jensen's home with sort of a childlike awe. Jensen had to admit, the place was large, he knew that. But the sweeping views were unparalleled to anywhere else in the city and he didn't feel cramped like so many other places he had looked at. Of course, that would be difficult anywhere with the 360 degree views and floor to ceiling windows he had here. His apartment was almost like a huge warehouse, all open except for the large columns and the very few walls the place actually had.
"Steak, potatoes, salad. Good, solid Texas food." Jensen grabbed the potatoes that were still in the oven and tossed them onto the plates, jostling them a little bit. "Ow." He said to himself before placing his thumb in his mouth for a second, the potatoes were just a little hotter than he thought.
"That's right, I forgot. Just outside Dallas, right?"
"Yeah, Richardson actually." Jensen grabbed both plates and motioned to the salads still on the counter. "Do you mind grabbing those? I have the patio set up since it's pretty nice outside. We'll head out there."
"Yeah, sure."
They made their way through the apartment. The glass doors were propped open leading them to the expansive patio area equipped with a couple chaise lounges and a table set in the center. Next to it, a small ice filled cooler held a few beers. The fire pit Jensen lit earlier was casting a soft orange glow over the space. It was just enough heat to take the slight chill off the air for nights like this. He loved coming out here.
"Oh my god." Jared set the salads down on the table and walked to the patio's edge.
Jensen followed suit and stepped up next to him. "Incredible isn't it? This is the sole reason I bought this place. When I came out here everything else just sort of disappeared. I miss Texas sometimes. The vast open sky, the quiet. Don't get me wrong, I love living here in the city. But on those nights, this is as close as I can get. I spend so much time out here it's ridiculous. It's my favorite place to be."
"I can see why." He said softly.
Jensen turned to Jared then, placing his hand on Jared's hip and looked up into his eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."
Jared looked down at Jensen for just a moment before both hands slid up to hold Jensen's face. His thumbs rested on Jensen's cheekbones as his fingers slid through the soft strands of Jensen's hair. Their lips met when Jensen twisted his head so that he could slip right into them, letting Jared's mouth and lips move over his. The kiss was soft and sweet, like the Dr. Pepper Jensen could still taste on his tongue, and Jensen felt a warm, comfortable feeling wash over him. It worked its way all through his body, pressing against the negative doubts that lingered, forcing them out until all that remained was the slow burn of yes.
When Jared broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against Jensen's. The moment felt both liquid and frozen all at once, warping Jensen's perception of time.
"Wow," he whispered. Jensen kept his eyes closed, not wanting to break the moment just yet.
Jared pulled back just far enough to focus on him, with a small, private smile on his lips. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."
Jensen pressed another soft kiss to Jared's lips, lingering for just a moment too long. "C'mon, food's getting cold." He motioned to the table and took Jared's hand, leading them back. He reached down and grabbed a couple beers from the ice, twisted off the caps and handed one to Jared before he sat down.
They ate and drank, pausing here and there for small talk. Jared spoke of his time growing up in San Antonio, how he liked working for the FBI and other things as they came up. Jensen glossed over his past a little. He didn't lie, really. He admitted that he didn't have a normal childhood and that his past and his wealth weren't exactly acquired by legal means. He made sure to emphasize that he no longer led that kind of life, though, and hadn't for a few years.
Jared studied him for a moment after his admission. He was clearly contemplating something, so Jensen just let him. He didn't want this thing with Jared to end before it had even started, but he wanted Jared to go into this thing with his eyes open and he said as much.
Jared took a long pull from his beer and set it down. "I know, Jen. Who you are, the kinds of things you've done - allegedly done," he corrected himself, "but I don't know you and I'd like to. I know that you've left that kind of life behind or believe me, I don't think I could be here. I've thought about little else these past couple days. Whether this was something that I should do, if it would work - and to be honest, I don't know if it will given our backgrounds. But I do like you, Jen. I'm willing to give it a shot."
Jensen smiled. "I can accept that."
:::
They'd spent a couple hours out on the patio. After they'd finished, they cleaned everything up and moved into the living room. Jensen decided to pop in a movie; neither of them had wanted to part just yet. It had been on about on hour when Jensen kept feeling himself drift off. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he really liked where he woke up. He hadn't opened his eyes yet and briefly contemplated the option of going back to sleep wrapped up in Jared; it was still a little early for that yet though. Despite how good it sounded right now, it was still technically their first date. He pulled away from Jared and apologized for falling asleep on him.
"Don't be. I don't mind." He smiled.
"I can't keep up with Chris anymore, it's embarrassing. I'm too young to feel this damn old."
Jared laughed. "There's a country song in there somewhere, I know it."
Things seemed so easy with Jared. The banter they'd had had through dinner and beginnings of a friendship they'd developed in their working relationship. The whole night, he hasn't felt like they were just getting to know each other, but like they had been friends for years. They just clicked.
"I hate to do this and I promise to be a better host/date next time. In order to do that though, I need to get some sleep. I'm going to be out late all weekend working. You're welcome to stay if you don't feel like driving home. I don't mind. You can have my bed, it's big and comfy. I'll sleep out here. Hell, half the time I fall asleep out here anyway."
"No. Thank you, but I should go. Go get some sleep."
Jensen smiled. "Let me walk you out."
They shared one last kiss at the door. "I'll see you in a couple days." Jensen said softly.
"Goodnight, Jensen. Sleep well." Jensen watched him walk to the elevators and closed the door. He barely remembered stripping down and getting into bed.
:::
Jensen's research revealed that Alex Taglieri had a regular lunch appointment each day with who Jensen assumed to be her mother. He wanted to time it so that he was just finishing up when she returned.
People seemed more comfortable with that option, able to see that Jensen had indeed done his job, but that all of their valuables were still, in fact, where they'd left them. He didn't typically tell his customers when he'd show up. He'd only give them a timeframe of this week or that. Some of them ended up quite shaken that he could gain entry so easily. He honestly didn't blame anyone for that. It took a lot to place that kind of trust in a complete stranger and willingly grant them access to valued possessions. If the situation was reversed, Jensen can't honestly say that he'd do the same. It was why he went out of his way to make sure his clients felt comfortable with him and worked hard to build up his reputation as one of the best in the industry. How he came by those skills, well, Jensen felt those details were better left unsaid. He didn't feel that it truly mattered anymore since he no longer led that type of lifestyle, and he never intended to return to it. Technically his record was clean because he'd never been caught. As far as anyone knew he was just an average person and that's exactly what he wanted to be.
For the amount of art that was in this place, the security really was pitiful. Ms. Taglieri had indicated that they'd just gotten settled, but Jensen had to wonder about the people who sold the place. He supposed it was okay for the average homeowner, maybe, at a bare minimum, but there were a lot of vulnerabilities. Especially the old wall safe; that eyesore was a disgrace to security in general. The thing was so worn that each time Jensen hit a contact point, he could actually hear and feel the wheels drop. He didn’t even need his tools for that thing, which he thought really said it all.
Jensen spun the handle and pulled the door open just enough to crack it. He never looked inside anymore. He was already being as invasive as he could imagine and he liked to leave his customers with some semblance of security. Not knowing what kind of valuables they actually held seemed to help alleviate some anxiety.
Some of his clients even chose to remain home, but they kept their distance while he worked. In those cases, he told them exactly when he'd be arriving as to not have any misunderstandings. It kind of defeated the purpose to the whole thing Jensen thought, but it also drove the point home that they weren't as safe as they thought they were either. Those were the ones who tended to get more rattled.
He was putting his tools back into his bag when he heard the front door open. He threw it over his shoulder and stood to greet Ms. Talieri.
"Ah, Jensen. I see you're as good as they say you are. Clearly my instincts about this place were right."
"Yes, ma'am. There are quite a few things you should address here. If it's okay with you, I'll type up a summary with my recommendations and send it over by email by the end of business on Monday."
"That's more than satisfactory. Can I get you something to drink?"
"No, thank you. I should be going."
"Very well. Thank you, Jensen."
"My pleasure, Ma'am," he said as he walked through the foyer and made his way out.
Next
Pure greed, that's all it was. He just never saw it coming, especially from JD. After the heist went down, the plan called for Jensen to split off from them and return to the loft on his own. They were supposed to be there waiting for him. When they weren't, he went looking. Only to find them all dead at the rendezvous point inside the warehouse four blocks away from the job. He'd tried to find JD for years. But like most of their crew, he knew how to disappear and Jensen had grown tired of being fueled by hatred. His time was coming though, and Jensen would be there to see it firsthand.
He sat staring at business card on the table in front of him, the bright white letters of Federal Bureau of investigation glared at him through the blue and gold seal. He couldn't find a way out of this one. There was a surefire prison sentence in one hand and what could ultimately be his death in the other.
It seemed that Jensen hadn't learned his lesson after all.
One week earlier
The bell rang above the door as Jensen walked into his store, Safe & Sound Security, while the sounds of New York City's lunchtime traffic and impatient cabbies drowned out his greeting. His best friend, Chris, looked up from where he was sitting at the counter fumbling with the tumblers of a lock and smiled.
"Hey man, how'd it go?"
Jensen walked up to the counter, threw his bag on top and flopped into the chair beside him, face bright and happy.
"Heh, I thought Padalecki was going to shit himself. Apparently their tech spent two hours trying to get this thing open, so I guess he was under the impression that it was going to be tough. I don't know what the hell their tech was doing, man, but it wasn't working on that safe. How he couldn't open a Holland 1000 and still remain employed is beyond me," Jensen said, shaking his head before he got up and walked over to grab the soda he left behind earlier.
"We can't all be blessed with your skills," Chris said.
"That's not even a matter of skill, Chris. That's safecracking 101. This one had a few false contact points added, but hell, even you could've opened it."
"Calm down, son. Not all of us grew up in a life of crime y'know. "
Jensen raised a brow as he turned around, because really, he should know better than to try and pull that shit. They've known each other since they were kids. He may not have led Jensen's life, but he ain't sportin' no halo either.
"Are you really gonna go there? Again?"
"What? I'm just sayin'"
The eye roll Jensen sent his way spoke volumes. "Anyway. So he takes me down to the crime scene, we do our usual spiel where I politely call his team incompetent and he calls me a criminal. Then his phone rings and disappears for a while, right?"
Chris nodded.
"By time he comes back I'm pulling my scope out and opening the door." Jensen said. He took a drink of his Coke and put it back up on the counter. "When I turned around he had the most adorably puzzled look on his face and was stuttering through his words. It was beautiful, man."
"That never gets old. I love when we get the chance to knock them down a peg or two," Chris laughed.
Jensen smirked. "I'd love to -"
"Dude. Don't even think about finishing that sentence."
"I was only going to -"
"I know exactly what you were going to do and I don't need to hear it."
"You'd think you be used to by now."
"You'd think you'd stop torturing me."
"Never." Jensen grinned.
"You gonna ask him out anytime in the near future?"
"I'm working on it."
:::
Jensen was sitting in his back office, feet propped up on the desk with specs for the Soco Fortress in his hands. It was the latest model out of southern California that was supposedly unbeatable. Jensen didn't buy it, nothing was unbeatable. There were a lot of companies that made that claim, but he hadn't seen one with the technology to back that particular fact up yet. Some safes were downright nasty, sure, but he could still get into them if he worked on them long enough. He'd been dying to get his hands on a Soco since he read about them on their site last week during their soft launch. They weren't supposed to be officially available to the public until next month, but there'd been rumors that the demand was so high that Soco was considering moving their release date up by a few weeks.
He studied the paper, noting the differences in the standard features. The glass re-lock system was indeed unique. A plate of glass not only along the door, but also sandwiched in behind the dial; all to prevent drilling or using a torch. So, he'd have to drill perfectly through the dial, no margin for error there. Awesome. Cracking that glass triggered spring loaded bolts that drove pins into key positions within the safe's bolt work, and even larger steel rods snapped into place reinforcing the door. The brochure indicated that there were more deterrents that could be customized and put in place, but they would not be disclosed until its official release in June.
Jensen was impressed, and that rarely happened these days.
"You think it's everything they claim it is?" Chris said motioning to the brochure as he wandered in carrying a slip of paper in his hand.
"I don't know man, it definitely has potential. I'll know more when the mock-up I ordered gets here in a few days." He thought on it for a moment. "Might only be vulnerable to manipulation."
"Old school, huh?"
"Not my strong suit man."
"Bullshit. Your dad was one of the best in the world."
"Yeah, he was, but it's never been my gig. I need my tools. I have to see inside."
"Given the right motivation, I'm sure you'd find a way to do it."
Jensen looked back at the specs and shrugged. "Maybe."
"Speaking of motivation. While you were out drooling over young Padalecki, we got a new client. She wants a detail. You're supposed to meet her somewhere off 88th at five." Chris said, arm stretched out to hand him the note.
"He's 30 Christian, and I don't drool," Jensen said, scowling at Chris' lingering smirk. "And who exactly is the motivation? Jared or the client?" He asked when he jerked the paper out of Chris' hand. Sometimes Jensen really questioned his taste in friends.
"So, it's Jared now? Maybe you will get laid this year."
"God you are such an ass." Jensen said, laughing as he looked over the address and studied the name: Taglieri, Alex Taglieri. There was no reason for it to sound familiar, but somehow it did.
A detail was simple; go in assess the property, report weaknesses and set up a time for a trial run on their security. He was pretty sure the address was in the Upper West Side, probably a brownstone. They always were. Why it couldn't be a bank or a gallery, or even a corporation of some type, Jensen didn't know. He missed those types of jobs. It'd been awhile since one of those had come through. He may be legit now, but at least he still got the thrill of trying to set up a job. It was one of his favorite parts of a heist: The Plan. When they managed to pull the plan off? Well, there was no other thrill like it in the world.
"Yeah, alright. Shouldn't take more than an hour or two."
"You want me to come with you?"
"Since when do you volunteer for consultations?"
"She was hot." Chris said simply.
Jensen just smiled and shook his head. "Should've known. We'll run it together if she likes the price." Jensen thought for a moment before he added with a smirk, "Besides, you scare the clients."
"No, I intimidate them." Chris countered.
"Semantics."
:::
Jensen walked out of the back office, the Soco still firmly on his mind. It was like a puzzle to him, which was something he had always loved. It was why he was so good at planning; it was the ultimate puzzle. One he solved by being able to set up and calculate for every contingency during a run and still come out unscathed. His dad always said it was his greatest strength.
He needed to get his head back in the game now though; he had a new client to contend with and a plan to make.
"Hey, we got anything else on tap for today?" Jensen said as he entered the storefront.
"No, man, you're clear until this weekend. Well, besides this detail if she goes for it and that always takes you a few days to set up. So you might have two details to plan for, but other than that you're pretty slow this week. Next week looks a little hairy though. You might want to enjoy it while it lasts."
"Huh." Jensen said, clearly at a loss with what to do in his sudden block of free time. It had been pretty non-stop this past year; Jensen wasn't sure how to switch gears.
"Go catch up with Padalecki or something, relax for a change. I don't remember the last time you took more than a day off, man."
"You know, the interest you have in my sex life is alarming."
"It's more a matter of self-preservation, really." He smirked. "You stay happy? I stay happy. "
"Your deep wealth of concern is appreciated, truly touching there, but I'm fine." Jensen said. He idly wondered if it was possible to actually see the sarcasm dripping from his words.
"Jensen. Seriously. You kept saying, when we got the store it'd be easier. Then it was when it got established and could turn a profit. Then it was we're too busy, I don't have enough time right now. The store is solid now. Everything you set out to do is done. We're good, Jensen. Live a little." Chris paused for a moment, he seemed to be grasping for something else to say.
"Listen, I know I give you a lot of shit, but Jared seems like a good guy, man. At least he's got his shit together. I know you like him. Anyone with eyes can see that. And he's a hell of a lot better than that last loser you were with. You should give him a chance."
"Matt wasn't that bad." He said softly.
The single brow lift Chris retaliated with said differently. Okay, so Matt wasn't exactly what one would term 'a keeper'. He was more 'a live in the moment, I'll do who and what I want, when I want type', but he had served his purpose at the time and gave Jensen what he needed - which was a distraction. He hadn't gone in blind, he knew exactly who and what Matt was when he met him at a club one drunken night. But he never lied to Jensen, or promised him more than he could give. And for that, Jensen respected him. He was still reeling from the loss of his father and his crew, and Matt was just a way for him to blow off steam for a while when he needed it. It was never supposed to be more; a small detail that he could never seem to get Christian to fully comprehend. If it lasted the better part of a year, well, that was Jensen's choice. He didn't want anything more at the time.
The thing about Christian was that despite his overbearing tendencies at times, like right now for instance, he always meant well. Jensen knew that and was glad for it. He tended more toward the silently disapproving route stock full of single brow lifts and grimaces. But, every once and a while he just couldn't help himself. It was like he had this innate need to fix things, or some inexhaustible desire for everyone around him to be as happy as he was. It wasn't a bad thing to want that for your friends. And it wasn't as if Jensen was unhappy, he had just been drifting for a while since he broke things off with Matt. Maybe it was time to move on.
And there wasn't anyone better to have watching your back than Chris. He just needed a little reminder that it was still his life after all.
"What is this, your patented shove in the right direction?"
Chris' eyes had that little glint he got in them when he was up to something.
"Something like that. I hear he likes basketball," he hinted. Jensen knew they talked on occasion when he called the store looking for Jensen, but he had no idea they actually talked.
"You know, last time I checked, I am still your boss and I can fire you."
"You tried that last week, remember? Didn't stick." Chris shrugged.
Jensen sighed. "I need new friends." He chose not to acknowledge that last sentiment, because it was true.
"Truer words, my friend. Truer words."
"Alright, I'm going to head out so I can stop by The Grind on my way up there."
"Gimme a call later and let me know how it goes."
"Always do. Feel like grabbing a beer later? We'll go over everything then." Jensen said as threw his bag over his shoulder and pushed the door open with his hip.
"Sounds good. Later, man."
:::
Jensen looked down at his watch after what had seemed like hours of standing in line for his coffee. He missed the diner next door to the shop; they had great coffee and the added benefit of being fast. The Grind seemed to make a production out of the simple task. It shouldn't take damn near a half hour to get a cup, but he was addicted to it now. He was pretty sure the whipped cream and chocolate shavings had been his downfall. Up until then, he was the more traditional type.
Someone cleared their throat over his shoulder. He glanced back out of curiosity and saw a familiar set of dimples and a bright smile.
"Fancy meeting you here."
Jensen's face brightened as he laughed and turned around, "People actually say that?"
Jared's shoulders fell and his smile dimmed a little. "I choked." He said simply, shrugging his shoulders. "I was heading here myself when I noticed you walking in front of me, I've been standing here trying to figure out what to say to get your attention when you turned around and beat me to it."
"I've found that 'Hi' usually works well." Jensen teased.
Jared looked down for a moment and smiled. When he looked up through the bangs hanging in his eyes he raised his hand to the nape of his neck in a nervous gesture. Jensen found it adorable. Not that he would ever admit that out loud.
"I'll uh, remember that…for next time." Jared said. If Jensen wasn't mistaken, it looked like he was blushing. No, not adorable at all.
"Good. You off work now?" Jared was still dressed in his suit, but he could be heading home Jensen supposed.
"Na, I'm just stoppin' in. You?"
Jensen held up the small piece of paper still in his hand. "Heading uptown for a job, new client. If I ever get my coffee that is." He said, looking back toward the counter expectantly.
"I know. If it weren't for the whipped cream, caramel and chocolate shavings, I'd pass this place by. They're slow as hell."
Jensen smirked. Yeah, definitely his downfall.
"Hey, you doing anything next Wednesday?" He asked. "I've got tickets at the Garden for the playoffs. I was going to drag Chris with me, but if you'd like to go he'd probably be forever grateful."
Jared's face lit up. "Oh man, I can't believe you got tickets!" He said, voice louder than necessary drawing the attention of nearby customers. His hands started flailing about, punctuating his words as he spoke. It was something Jensen noticed he did when he got really passionate about something. "I tried for hours to get through when they went on sale, but it was crazy that morning. Then I caught a case, along with a flat tire and I was late to my briefing and -"
"Breathe, Jared," Jensen laughed, reaching out to grab his arm as if to stem the sudden burst of energy. "I take it that's a yes?"
If it were possible, it looked that Jared's blush deepened when he realized he was rambling. He smiled and softly said, "Oh, yeah, I'd love to."
"Ackles! Order up!" The barista called out to the crowd.
Jensen looked up abruptly at his name and then back to his watch. "Man, I gotta run. I have to get to eighty-eighth in twenty minutes." He took the paper in his hands, ripped the bottom off and started patting down his pockets. "Hey, you got a pen?"
"Uhhh," Jared mirrored the action and reached into the right breast pocket of his suit and pulled one out.
"Great, thanks." He scribbled down his phone number quickly. "This is my home number," he said handing the slip to Jared, "gimme a call this weekend and we'll get together for dinner or a beer or something."
Jensen stepped over to the counter and grabbed his coffee quickly before walking back up to Jared.
"Okay, talk to you then. See ya, Jensen."
"Bye, Jay." Jensen returned his smile and proceeded onto his appointment.
:::
"Ms. Taglieri?" Jensen said, when the woman greeting him at the door. She was attractive, classically beautiful with a tall, slim build, blonde hair, striking green eyes. Yeah, she was exactly Christian's type.
While the name still held some recognition, he couldn't say her appearance did. He was certain he'd never met her before.
"Yes, Jensen is it?"
"Yes, it's good to meet you."
"And you as well, please come in."
She ushered him into the grand townhouse. It was trimmed in deep, rich colors, but minimalist in style. The arrangement of furniture making the place look even larger than it already was. She was clearly well off if the décor and artwork hanging on the walls were any indication, De Kooning, Pollock and Kandinsky among them. She clearly favored the abstract expressionists. There was one though that caught his attention.
"Is that -" He began, voice full of awe.
"Oh heavens no. It's just a really good forgery. My husband is in the art business, he comes across some good finds now and then as you can see. Picasso has always been my favorite; he purchased it for me a couple years ago as an anniversary present. It's not worth much more than the canvas it's painted on, but he knew I'd love it anyway."
Jensen walked up toward the painting, studying it further. Le Pigeon Aux Petits Pois was stolen from the Paris Museum of Modern Art a few years ago. Jensen had read about the theft, the supposed lone thief made off with some four hundred million dollars worth of art in five paintings, disguised as a security guard. It had amazed Jensen at the time that that plan had actually worked.
"The attention to detail is incredible. I don't know that I've ever seen such a flawless replica."
Ms. Taglieri smiled. "Shame we may never see the real one again. It always saddens me when they vanish into the underground art ring after thefts. So many priceless, beautiful works of art we've lost that way."
"Very true." He said, giving one last look toward the painting before turning around. "So, what can I do for you, Ms. Taglieri?"
"Alex, please." She conceded. "Well, the Picasso aside, the rest of them are real, as are some of the artifacts you see throughout. We've only been here a short time and haven't had a chance to set up decent security. I'm fortunate that I can be home most of the time, but still, can't be too careful nowadays. I'd like to get some bids on security and see if there are any other steps I could take it making sure my collection remains intact."
"Of course. I have some proposals here," he said, indicating to the portfolio in his arms, "that I can tailor to your specific needs, or we can come up with something altogether different. Why don't we sit down and you can tell me exactly what you're looking for."
"Sure, right this way."
:::
That meeting ended up taking much longer than Jensen had anticipated. Ms. Taglieri had very specific ideas in mind as well as being in dire need of a whole new security system. The one in place was indeed rather outdated and easily manipulated. It was top of the line when it was installed, but clearly, that was several years ago.
Before he had left that night, Jensen went over everything that Alex could expect from him, from the cost to when they planned to test her current security. Afterwards, they would set up a meeting and he would outline for her where her greatest vulnerabilities were and what could be done to eliminate or lessen them.
Jensen and Chris watched the place the past few days, figured out routines, potential pitfalls and such. Places like galleries, banks, jewelers or other businesses generally took much longer because there were more variables in play. Someone's home though? Usually a few days would work just fine for his needs. They would break in using methods that criminals would, exploiting weak points in the security, see if any safes or vaults were secure and report back.
"I'm hungry." Chris said, cutting through the silence of their car down the block from the Taglieri's.
Jensen looked at his watch, 11:37. "We'll give another hour or so, then we'll stop by somewhere on the way home. I'm starving."
"We've been watching this place for three days straight, man." Chris said as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. "That's plenty for this. Let's get outta here."
The rest of their week had been pretty uneventful just as Chris told him it would be. They'd spent the last couple nights relaxing by closing down the bar near his apartment.
"Yeah, alright."
Jensen started up the car, turned on his headlights and pulled away from the curb thinking about the greasy bacon cheeseburger he couldn't wait to get his hands on.
:::
"Oh god, that was good." Jensen said, rubbing his belly fairly certain that if he ate any more he would explode. Chris was still working on his second order of hot wings. The boy could eat. How he didn't weigh four hundred pounds was a mystery.
Jensen took a long pull from his beer and looked around the bar. It was pretty slow for a Friday night, only a handful of tables and a few customers at the bar. Chris and he frequented this bar and it was always packed. Sure it was late, but it wasn't like anything in this city ever closed. It was one of the things he loved about living here.
"So, I asked Jared out the other day." He figured he'd just put it out there, get it over with and let Chris have his fun. "You don't have to go to the game now. I know how much you love them."
"Thank fuck. Why you can't love hockey or football I will never understand. It's un-American son."
Jensen laughed. "Yeah, I bet the courtside seats and free beer are a real hardship for you."
"Well, when you put it like that…" He didn't need to finish the sentence. "It's just…boring as hell." Leave it to Chris to just lay it all out there. "Enough of that though. I'm happy for you. It's about fucking time man." He said as he slapped him on the shoulder, genuinely happy for his friend. "It's been a while."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
"Honestly, I'm surprised it hasn't shriveled up and fallen off."
Jensen stared at him for a second, clearly at a loss for words. Even after all these years, Chris could still surprise him now and then.
"Nice, Christian." It was funny how Jensen only used the full version of his name when he was annoyed, like a scolding parent. It never bothered Chris though; at least coming from Jensen, it only seemed to egg him on. But sometimes, Jensen just couldn't stop himself.
"You know me. Just call 'em like I see 'em." He finished the last of his beer and grinned obnoxiously.
"I have no idea why I put up with you."
"You love me."
"Not that much."
"Ouch." Chris did his best to look insulted, but he could never quite pull it off.
"Truth hurts man. What can I say?"
Chris made a point of looking him up and down and shrugged. "Not much."
Laughing, Jensen said, "C'mon, let's get outta here. I'm beat man." Jensen looked down at his watch and noted the time, half past two. No wonder he was tired. He stood and reached for his wallet, pulling several bills out to cover the tab and then pointedly looked to Chris before heading out. "You get the tip."
:::
Jensen woke to his phone buzzing on the coffee table beside him. He must have fallen asleep while watching TV. He'd gone for a run early this morning when he couldn't sleep, but by the time he got back he was dead on his feet. Three hours of sleep would do that to a person.
"'lo?" He said into the earpiece before realizing he was speaking into the wrong end and spun it around.
"-sen? It's Jay, did I wake you?"
"Hmm? No, don't worry about it, I needed to get up anyway." He drug his hand down over his face and then back through his hair as if that would help wake him up. "What time is it?" It felt like he'd been asleep for hours.
"A little after one. Up late?"
"Yeah, was doing some research for that job I was telling you about, then Christian dragged me to the bar. He's a bad influence."
Jared chuckled. "You gonna live?"
"It's still up for debate." He groaned and rolled over onto his back. "What's up man?"
"Was calling to take you up on that beer, but I'm thinking maybe dinner instead?"
"I'd like that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Tell you what. Gimme me a few hours to rejoin the land of the living and I'll meet you."
"How about that steakhouse off Columbus Circle?"
"Sounds good."
:::
Four hours and a shower later, Jensen still felt like death warmed over. The late nights had caught up with him. He really wanted to go out with Jared, but he really didn't feel like going anywhere. He loved his apartment and leaving to deal with the city traffic was completely unappealing. Wandering into his kitchen, Jensen surveyed the pantry and fridge. There were steaks from his run to the store yesterday and he was fully stocked on beer. Yeah, that sounded so much better. Now, to see if Jared was up for it.
He picked up his phone and checked his last call for Jared's cell number and dialed. It only rang twice before he answered.
"Padalecki." He answered in his official tone. If it sent shivers down Jensen's spine, well, no one else needed to know that.
"Hey Jay." Jensen even sounded like hell. Maybe he was getting sick, although he didn't feel it. He was just tired as hell.
"Jensen? Everything okay."
"Yes and no. I was calling to see if we could do the steakhouse another night. I just don't feel like going anywhere man."
"Oh." Jared said, disappointment clearly evident in his tone. "Yeah, sure. Stay home and get some rest. I'll see you Wednesday at the game anyway."
"No. I meant, I just don't want to go anywhere, but I do still want to see you. You feel like coming here for dinner instead?"
"Oh.Yeah, of course. What time?"
"Say, an hour? Like six-thirty, seven-ish?"
"Sure. What's your address?"
"111 Central Park North, apartment 3A. I'll leave your name at the front desk so they know you're coming."
"Okay, see you then."
They hung up after their mutual goodbyes and Jensen got to work in the kitchen.
:::
Jensen was plating the food when someone, presumably Jared, knocked on the door. Grabbing a towel, he wiped his hands and threw it back on the counter before he headed out to the door. He stopped on the way and checked himself in the mirror, running a hand through his hair and straightening his shirt a bit. Jensen hoped Jared wasn't too dressed up considering all he had on was a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't need to worry though. When he opened the door, Jared was dressed similarly in a three button henley and jeans.
"Hi."
"Hey, Jay." Jensen smiled. He opened the door further and gestured Jared in. "Thanks for coming over man, I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
Jared entered his apartment and looked around, "No, not at all," his was mouth dropped open and his eyes worked quick to take everything in. "Wow. This is beautiful. If I lived here, I don't think I'd want to leave either."
"Thanks. Yeah, I love it here. Took virtually everything I had to get it, but I don't regret it for a second."
"Yeah, I guess not."
"You hungry? I was just finishing up." Jensen turned and headed back toward the kitchen.
"Starving actually. What're we havin'?" Jared followed, looking around Jensen's home with sort of a childlike awe. Jensen had to admit, the place was large, he knew that. But the sweeping views were unparalleled to anywhere else in the city and he didn't feel cramped like so many other places he had looked at. Of course, that would be difficult anywhere with the 360 degree views and floor to ceiling windows he had here. His apartment was almost like a huge warehouse, all open except for the large columns and the very few walls the place actually had.
"Steak, potatoes, salad. Good, solid Texas food." Jensen grabbed the potatoes that were still in the oven and tossed them onto the plates, jostling them a little bit. "Ow." He said to himself before placing his thumb in his mouth for a second, the potatoes were just a little hotter than he thought.
"That's right, I forgot. Just outside Dallas, right?"
"Yeah, Richardson actually." Jensen grabbed both plates and motioned to the salads still on the counter. "Do you mind grabbing those? I have the patio set up since it's pretty nice outside. We'll head out there."
"Yeah, sure."
They made their way through the apartment. The glass doors were propped open leading them to the expansive patio area equipped with a couple chaise lounges and a table set in the center. Next to it, a small ice filled cooler held a few beers. The fire pit Jensen lit earlier was casting a soft orange glow over the space. It was just enough heat to take the slight chill off the air for nights like this. He loved coming out here.
"Oh my god." Jared set the salads down on the table and walked to the patio's edge.
Jensen followed suit and stepped up next to him. "Incredible isn't it? This is the sole reason I bought this place. When I came out here everything else just sort of disappeared. I miss Texas sometimes. The vast open sky, the quiet. Don't get me wrong, I love living here in the city. But on those nights, this is as close as I can get. I spend so much time out here it's ridiculous. It's my favorite place to be."
"I can see why." He said softly.
Jensen turned to Jared then, placing his hand on Jared's hip and looked up into his eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."
Jared looked down at Jensen for just a moment before both hands slid up to hold Jensen's face. His thumbs rested on Jensen's cheekbones as his fingers slid through the soft strands of Jensen's hair. Their lips met when Jensen twisted his head so that he could slip right into them, letting Jared's mouth and lips move over his. The kiss was soft and sweet, like the Dr. Pepper Jensen could still taste on his tongue, and Jensen felt a warm, comfortable feeling wash over him. It worked its way all through his body, pressing against the negative doubts that lingered, forcing them out until all that remained was the slow burn of yes.
When Jared broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against Jensen's. The moment felt both liquid and frozen all at once, warping Jensen's perception of time.
"Wow," he whispered. Jensen kept his eyes closed, not wanting to break the moment just yet.
Jared pulled back just far enough to focus on him, with a small, private smile on his lips. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."
Jensen pressed another soft kiss to Jared's lips, lingering for just a moment too long. "C'mon, food's getting cold." He motioned to the table and took Jared's hand, leading them back. He reached down and grabbed a couple beers from the ice, twisted off the caps and handed one to Jared before he sat down.
They ate and drank, pausing here and there for small talk. Jared spoke of his time growing up in San Antonio, how he liked working for the FBI and other things as they came up. Jensen glossed over his past a little. He didn't lie, really. He admitted that he didn't have a normal childhood and that his past and his wealth weren't exactly acquired by legal means. He made sure to emphasize that he no longer led that kind of life, though, and hadn't for a few years.
Jared studied him for a moment after his admission. He was clearly contemplating something, so Jensen just let him. He didn't want this thing with Jared to end before it had even started, but he wanted Jared to go into this thing with his eyes open and he said as much.
Jared took a long pull from his beer and set it down. "I know, Jen. Who you are, the kinds of things you've done - allegedly done," he corrected himself, "but I don't know you and I'd like to. I know that you've left that kind of life behind or believe me, I don't think I could be here. I've thought about little else these past couple days. Whether this was something that I should do, if it would work - and to be honest, I don't know if it will given our backgrounds. But I do like you, Jen. I'm willing to give it a shot."
Jensen smiled. "I can accept that."
:::
They'd spent a couple hours out on the patio. After they'd finished, they cleaned everything up and moved into the living room. Jensen decided to pop in a movie; neither of them had wanted to part just yet. It had been on about on hour when Jensen kept feeling himself drift off. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he really liked where he woke up. He hadn't opened his eyes yet and briefly contemplated the option of going back to sleep wrapped up in Jared; it was still a little early for that yet though. Despite how good it sounded right now, it was still technically their first date. He pulled away from Jared and apologized for falling asleep on him.
"Don't be. I don't mind." He smiled.
"I can't keep up with Chris anymore, it's embarrassing. I'm too young to feel this damn old."
Jared laughed. "There's a country song in there somewhere, I know it."
Things seemed so easy with Jared. The banter they'd had had through dinner and beginnings of a friendship they'd developed in their working relationship. The whole night, he hasn't felt like they were just getting to know each other, but like they had been friends for years. They just clicked.
"I hate to do this and I promise to be a better host/date next time. In order to do that though, I need to get some sleep. I'm going to be out late all weekend working. You're welcome to stay if you don't feel like driving home. I don't mind. You can have my bed, it's big and comfy. I'll sleep out here. Hell, half the time I fall asleep out here anyway."
"No. Thank you, but I should go. Go get some sleep."
Jensen smiled. "Let me walk you out."
They shared one last kiss at the door. "I'll see you in a couple days." Jensen said softly.
"Goodnight, Jensen. Sleep well." Jensen watched him walk to the elevators and closed the door. He barely remembered stripping down and getting into bed.
:::
Jensen's research revealed that Alex Taglieri had a regular lunch appointment each day with who Jensen assumed to be her mother. He wanted to time it so that he was just finishing up when she returned.
People seemed more comfortable with that option, able to see that Jensen had indeed done his job, but that all of their valuables were still, in fact, where they'd left them. He didn't typically tell his customers when he'd show up. He'd only give them a timeframe of this week or that. Some of them ended up quite shaken that he could gain entry so easily. He honestly didn't blame anyone for that. It took a lot to place that kind of trust in a complete stranger and willingly grant them access to valued possessions. If the situation was reversed, Jensen can't honestly say that he'd do the same. It was why he went out of his way to make sure his clients felt comfortable with him and worked hard to build up his reputation as one of the best in the industry. How he came by those skills, well, Jensen felt those details were better left unsaid. He didn't feel that it truly mattered anymore since he no longer led that type of lifestyle, and he never intended to return to it. Technically his record was clean because he'd never been caught. As far as anyone knew he was just an average person and that's exactly what he wanted to be.
For the amount of art that was in this place, the security really was pitiful. Ms. Taglieri had indicated that they'd just gotten settled, but Jensen had to wonder about the people who sold the place. He supposed it was okay for the average homeowner, maybe, at a bare minimum, but there were a lot of vulnerabilities. Especially the old wall safe; that eyesore was a disgrace to security in general. The thing was so worn that each time Jensen hit a contact point, he could actually hear and feel the wheels drop. He didn’t even need his tools for that thing, which he thought really said it all.
Jensen spun the handle and pulled the door open just enough to crack it. He never looked inside anymore. He was already being as invasive as he could imagine and he liked to leave his customers with some semblance of security. Not knowing what kind of valuables they actually held seemed to help alleviate some anxiety.
Some of his clients even chose to remain home, but they kept their distance while he worked. In those cases, he told them exactly when he'd be arriving as to not have any misunderstandings. It kind of defeated the purpose to the whole thing Jensen thought, but it also drove the point home that they weren't as safe as they thought they were either. Those were the ones who tended to get more rattled.
He was putting his tools back into his bag when he heard the front door open. He threw it over his shoulder and stood to greet Ms. Talieri.
"Ah, Jensen. I see you're as good as they say you are. Clearly my instincts about this place were right."
"Yes, ma'am. There are quite a few things you should address here. If it's okay with you, I'll type up a summary with my recommendations and send it over by email by the end of business on Monday."
"That's more than satisfactory. Can I get you something to drink?"
"No, thank you. I should be going."
"Very well. Thank you, Jensen."
"My pleasure, Ma'am," he said as he walked through the foyer and made his way out.
Next