Supernatural RPS fic: Playing with Fire (Jared/Jensen) 3a/3
Title: Playing with Fire
Author: agt_spooky
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9,128 this part (30,156 total for three parts)
Genre: Firefighter AU, Angst, Established relationship
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: It’s RPS, people. It never happened, but I wish it would. :-)
Author’s Notes: Many thanks, as always, to my fabulous beta, charityflint, who really whipped this puppy into shape, to sn_24lover for her great input along the way and to wilde_moon for surprising me with the awesome banner.
Summary: Fireman!Jensen and Paramedic!Jared are back in this sequel to Light My Fire.
It’s five months later and Jensen is nearly a full-fledged paramedic. But becoming a medic means no longer being able to work with Jared at Station 127 and giving up his chance at a promotion to Lieutenant. As graduation looms, will Jensen change his mind? Then add in a young man Jensen rescues from a fire that becomes an obsessed stalker, and Jared’s altercation with a victim’s husband that threatens his career, and things turn explosive at the FDNY.
(banner created by wilde_moon and agt_spooky)
Previous chapters: PART 1 / PART 2
FROM PART TWO:
Jensen felt a giant weight lift off his shoulders with Jared’s words. This mess was finally over. He smiled, squeezing Jared’s hand. “I told you that you were amazing with her.”
“Jeff said that she wants to talk to me. She’ll be coming by the station tomorrow. God…I don’t even know how to thank her.”
Jensen pulled Jared back down on the bed with him, their arms wrapping around one another. “Something tells me she’ll be thanking you, too.”
Playing with Fire
By AgtSpooky
PART 3a
The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon the next morning when Jensen was slowly pulled from his sleep by warm, soft, wet kisses on the back of his neck and top of his shoulder. Still fuzzy with slumber, Jensen kept his eyes closed and leaned back into Jared’s warmth.
“Hmm…?” he mumbled.
“Shhh…” Jared whispered into his ear, sending a slow shiver down Jensen’s naked body. “Let me…”
Letting himself float in that state before full wakefulness, Jensen gave himself over to Jared’s kisses, his touches, ghosting down his arm, his back.
“Love you…” Jared breathed into his skin, slowly turning Jensen onto his back.
Jared’s lips were warm and perfect, kissing across Jensen’s chest, his fingers trailing in his mouth’s wake, mapping Jensen’s body.
“Love touching you,” Jared murmured, fingers skimming down Jensen’s side. “Love the way you taste,” he whispered, tongue lapping at one of Jensen’s flat nipples.
Jensen couldn’t help the soft noise that escaped him, feeling the slow build of arousal start to roll through him. Still keeping his eyes closed, everything heightened in the dark, he tangled his fingers in Jared’s hair, telegraphing his need without words.
“Yeah,” Jared said quietly, dipping his head again, tongue dragging over Jensen’s nipple once more before taking the small nub into his mouth and sucking.
Jensen’s head pressed back into the pillow, mouth falling open with a sharp gasp.
“Easy…” Jared’s voice was low, deep. “Gonna make this slow and good…gonna make you fall apart…”
His mouth was back then, wet and perfect over Jensen’s nipple, sucking, tugging gently with his teeth, setting off sparks deep inside Jensen’s body. Jared’s fingers wandered across his chest, finding Jensen’s other nipple, thumbing it into a hard, aching point, tugging, rolling it between his fingers until Jensen was arching into the touch, his sensitive nipples a point of pure pleasure for him, and Jared knew that well.
Jensen felt a deep throb in his balls at the stimulation, so full and heavy between his legs, and he shifted restlessly, arousal now thrumming through his veins.
“Jare…I…” his voice hitched, his eyes finally opening, watching as Jared sucked hard one more time on his nipple then pulled off.
“I got you, I got you,” Jared gentled Jensen, shifting, spreading Jensen’s legs open, bending them at the knee.
“God, look at you,” Jared breathed, moving between Jensen’s legs, and Jensen could practically feel the heat of Jared’s gaze on his body, burning him up from the inside.
Jared dipped his head, placing a wet kiss alongside Jensen’s knee, then steadily began moving lower, down Jensen’s inner leg. Jensen tilted his hips up in anticipation and Jared didn’t disappoint. Jensen’s moan was long and low as Jared opened his mouth and took him inside and started to suck. God, he loved the sensation of getting aroused, of feeling his cock harden and lengthen, especially surrounded by the heat of Jared’s mouth.
The urge to thrust up into that wet heat was becoming overwhelming, and Jensen couldn’t stop the short jerk of his hips. Jared pulled off, his hazel eyes dark with desire, and growled, “God, do it,” before sucking the head of Jensen’s hard cock back into his mouth.
“Oh, fuck,” Jensen ground out, holding Jared’s head between his hands, starting to pump his hips. He kept to short thrusts at first, as Jared relaxed his throat, then went deeper, fucking Jared’s mouth in a smooth motion.
“So good, so good,” Jensen panted, drawing his lower lip between his teeth as he felt his orgasm throb deep inside, in his balls, his body ready for the ecstasy of release.
Jared hummed around his cock, swallowing hard around it on Jensen’s next thrust, and the increased pressure was all Jensen needed. He stiffened, throwing his head back with a cry as he fell over the edge into climax, pulsing into Jared’s mouth. The younger man sucked greedily, swallowing everything Jensen had to give until Jensen shuddered with the over stimulation.
Then Jared was surging up his body, kissing him hard and deep, rutting desperately against him, his hard cock riding the crease of Jensen’s hip. Two, three thrusts and Jared made a keening noise into the kiss, pushing down hard as he came, wet heat splashing between their bodies.
Their breaths were hard and shaky as they pulled back from the kiss, hearts beating a mile a minute, bodies warm and heavy and sated.
“God,” Jensen breathed, threading his fingers through Jared’s hair. “What was that for?”
Jared smiled down at him. “That was your first-morning-as-a-paramedic sex,” he smirked.
Jensen huffed out a laugh. “Well, damn, I can’t wait to see what I get tomorrow for my second-day-as-a-paramedic sex!”
Jared tipped his head back and laughed as well, then kissed Jensen breathless once more.
~~~~~
Half an hour later, showered and shaved, Jensen stood in front of his dresser, pulling on his new uniform, catching his reflection in the mirror. No more casual FDNY t-shirts or polos now; it was a crisp, short-sleeved navy blue button down shirt with the FDNY patch on one sleeve, and the EMS patch on the other. Jensen took a long breath, trying to calm the butterflies the size of Volkswagens in his stomach, smoothing a hand down the front of the shirt, fingers brushing over “Paramedic” embroidered over one pocket and J. ACKLES over the other. His brow furrowed as he took a closer look at himself. Something was wrong… His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he realized that his silver EMS pins were missing from his collar.
Jensen immediately went into a panic, searching the floor of his room and his closet, coming up empty. God, had Jeff not fastened them properly the other night? If so, the pins could’ve been lost at the bar or on the street as he walked home, anywhere…
“Looking for these?”
Jensen’s head shot up from under the bed at Jared’s voice, watching as Jared held out his hand, the EMS pins in his palm.
“I’m sorry,” Jared apologized as Jensen stood up. “I didn’t mean to make you freak out. I took them off your uniform this morning.”
Jensen tipped his head to the side, confused. “Why?”
“Because…” Jared stepped forward, his voice going soft. “I should’ve been there the other night to do this…”
And with slow, careful movements, Jared fastened the EMS pins to Jensen’s collar.
A lump caught in Jensen’s throat and he swallowed around it as Jared’s hands smoothed over his collar, coming to rest on his shoulders. He turned Jensen around, facing the mirror, wrapping his arms around Jensen’s waist.
“You’re going to be amazing,” Jared whispered, and the fluttering of Jensen’s stomach subsided at Jared’s quiet, confident words.
He was ready.
~~~~~
Several hours later Jensen was sitting on the floor outside the equipment room with Shawn, helping check to the air tanks and clean the masks. So far his first day as a paramedic had started off like any other day at the station - breakfast with the crew followed by his station duties, and a short meeting with Alix. She was technically his supervisor now for the next three months of his probation period and would be evaluating his performance. After that time she would be transferring to Station 51, leaving Jensen and Jared as partners.
Jensen looked up as the bell to the front door of the station chimed. He started to stand, but Jeff happened to be walking through and waved his hand at Jensen, indicating that he’d get the door. Curious, Jensen and Shawn watched as Jeff opened the door then stood aside to let the person in.
“Wow…” Shawn breathed, his eyes wide.
She was tall, with an athletic build, wearing an FDNY uniform. Her skin was the color of chocolate, with ebony hair that fell to her shoulders and a bright smile as she shook Jeff’s hand.
Jensen reached over and pushed up on Shawn’s chin. “You’re drooling,” he teased.
Shawn smacked Jensen’s hand away. “Wonder who she is.”
“I think we’re about to find out,” Jensen answered as Jeff started to lead her over to them.
Jensen tried to hide his smile as the red-headed fireman jumped to his feet, making sure his shirt was tucked in.
“Jensen, Shawn, I’d like you to meet Erin Hollis,” Jeff said as an introduction. “Erin’s your replacement, Jensen. Transferred in from Jersey.”
Jensen held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Erin. Welcome to 127.”
Erin nodded, smiling as she shook Jensen’s hand. “Thank you. Nice to meet you, too, Jensen.”
Shawn offered his hand as well. “Hi, umm, I’m Shawn. I, uh, I work on the truck,” he stammered and Jensen tried not to chuckle.
Erin smiled, humor in her brown eyes. “Nice to meet you, Shawn,” she said warmly.
Jeff turned to Shawn. “Larson, why don’t you show Erin around; introduce her to everyone.”
Shawn nodded quickly. “Sure, Cap! No problem!” he eagerly replied, then swept his arm out in front of him, looking at Erin. “Shall we?”
Erin smiled again and Shawn led the way across the apparatus room, pointing out various things along the way. Jensen finally let go of the chuckle he’d been holding in and Jeff laughed and shook his head.
“I have a feeling this is gonna be interesting,” Jeff grinned, turning and walking away, leaving Jensen to finish up with the air tanks.
He’d no more than started back up checking the pressure in the tanks when the front door chimed again.
“It’s like Grand Central Station around here today,” Jensen muttered as he walked over to the door, opening it up. And there on the sidewalk was Sarah Westman.
“Sarah,” Jensen smiled softly. “Please, come in.”
Sarah nodded, stepping inside. “Thank you. Is Jared here?” she asked.
“He’s upstairs. Let me get him for you,” Jensen replied, then quickly jogged up the stairs to the common room.
“Jared,” he called. “Sarah’s downstairs for you.”
Jared looked up from his paperwork, froze for a second, then stood and walked over to Jensen, who squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as they started back down the stairs.
“Sarah, hi,” Jared smiled at the petite woman. “I’m so glad that you came by. I don’t - I don’t even know how to thank you.”
“I should be thanking you,” she answered, her voice soft. “I knew what Carl was doing to me was wrong. I just - I didn’t know what to do, I felt trapped.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was you giving me that list of shelters that made me realize that I didn’t have to be trapped anymore. That there were people out there willing to help me and my son.
“I knew I had to do something right then,” she continued. “To not stop and think about it. So halfway back to my apartment I got Bobby and myself into a cab and went to the closest shelter. They were…amazing,” she smiled. “Kind and understanding. They got Bobby and me a temporary place to stay, told me how to go about getting a restraining order against Carl. They can help me find work, too.”
“Sarah…” Jared reached out, took her small hand in his. “You’re the amazing one for finding the courage to do this. To take that first step.”
Sarah ducked her head and Jensen could see a faint blush on her cheeks when she looked back up.
“I went to your Internal Affairs department next,” she said. “Carl had already tried to destroy my life. I couldn’t let him do it to you, too.”
“That you did that for me…” Jared paused, gestured with his other hand. “I could’ve lost all of this if it wasn’t for you.”
Sarah put her hand on top of Jared’s. “It was the least I could do. We’re going to be okay now, Bobby and I, thanks to you, Jared. You didn’t have to help me like you did and I’ll never forget it.”
Jared bent down and gathered the young woman into a warm hug. “If you ever need anything, you know where to find me.”
Sarah nodded. “Take care, Jared,” she told him sincerely, then with a small wave goodbye she opened the door and was gone.
Jared stood, just staring at the door for a long moment and Jensen stepped up beside him, slipping his hand into Jared’s.
“Cheryl would be damn proud of you,” Jensen said softly, and Jared squeezed his hand and smiled.
~~~~~
Jensen paced restlessly in front of the window in the common room, watching the New York traffic go by. It’d been four hours since the start of shift and not a single call had come in. The butterflies were back in Jensen’s stomach, in anticipation of his first run, and he was ready to jump out of his skin.
“You’re wearing a hole in the floor.”
Jensen stopped his pacing at Tom’s amused voice, and sagged against the window sill.
“All this waiting is driving me crazy,” Jensen told his friend. “I just want to get the first run over with, you know?”
“I remember finding you doing the exact same thing, in this exact same spot five years ago, waiting for your first run on the engine,” Tom smiled.
Jensen chuckled, remembering. “Creature of habit, eh?”
Tom clapped a hand on Jensen’s shoulder. “C’mon and help me get lunch together. It’ll take your mind off the waiting.”
Jensen pushed away from the window sill. “You got it. What are you - “
The rest of Jensen’s question was cut off as the station alarm sounded.
“Squad 127 - man down, possible heart attack. 1521 North 9th Street, cross street Berry. Time out - 12:02.”
Jensen felt his stomach flip. This was it.
Tom slapped him on the back. “Go get ‘em, tiger!”
Jensen laughed and clapped Tom on his chest, then sprinted for the fire pole, sliding down. He met Jared and Alix as the door to Bay One was opening, and the three paramedics headed for the equipment room. Five years of habit had Jensen turning to the left for his jacket, but Jared snagged his sleeve, hooking his thumb to the right.
“Did you forget you’ve got a new one now?” Jared grinned, tossing Jensen his paramedic jacket.
“Ready for this?” Alix asked as Jensen pulled on his new jacket.
Jensen bumped fists with Jared. “Let’s do it.”
~~~~~
The trip was a strange one for Jensen, who for five years had sat backwards in the jump seat on the engine. Now he was in the passenger side of the bus, watching Jared maneuver the vehicle quickly, but carefully, through the New York streets, lights flashing, siren blaring.
The address given turned out to be a restaurant, and a small crowd had gathered out front. As Jensen jumped down from the bus he could see a man laying unmoving on the sidewalk, a younger girl hunched over him. Jensen quickly joined Alix and Jared in gathering their equipment, then the three medics hurried over to the fallen man. The girl, in her early twenties, jumped up, frantic, as they approached, tear tracks on her face.
“Please!” she screamed. “Help him!”
Alix took her by the shoulders as Jensen and Jared pushed through the crowd and kneeled down beside the man.
“Calm down,” Alix told the girl. “Tell me what happened.”
“We - we were walking and my dad suddenly grabbed at his chest,” the girl explained, voice hitching. “Next thing I know he collapsed. He was still talking to me until a minute ago, now I don’t think he’s breathing!”
“We’ll take care of him,” Alix reassured her. “But I need you to stand right here and not get in the way, okay?”
The girl nodded shakily, wiping at her tears and Alix kneeled down beside Jensen and Jared, pulling the radio out of her pocket.
“What’ve we got?” she asked quickly.
Jensen paused for a split second, then his training kicked in, two fingers to the man’s neck, checking for a pulse as Jared opened up the drug box.
Jensen shook his head. “Nothing,” he told Alix, placing his ear next to the man’s nose and mouth, detecting no breathing, either. Then he opened the man’s shirt, laying his head on the man’s chest. “No heartbeat.”
“Bag him and start CPR,” Alix ordered, then called into Mercy to report on their victim’s status.
The intubation tube and bag was suddenly in Jensen’s hands, pressed there by Jared.
“You’ve got this,” Jared told him, voice steady, and Jensen nodded, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. This man’s life was in his hands.
His first run was trial by fire.
With a deep, steadying breath, Jensen positioned himself at the man’s head, tilting it back and opening his mouth. With careful hands he inserted the tube down the man’s throat, being cautious of the vocal cords. At the same time, Jared was attaching the EKG leads to the man’s chest.
“I’m in!” Jensen announced, attaching the bag to the tube, pushing two breaths into the man’s lungs, watching as his chest rose and fell.
“He’s in v-fib!” Jared called out, looking at the EKG monitor.
“Charge the paddles,” Alix instructed Jared, then turned to Jensen. “I’ve got the bag, start compressions.”
Jensen nodded, feeling a sharp spike of adrenaline surge through him, his blood pounding in his ears as he repositioned himself and began the chest compressions, counting out loud. He and Alix had just finished the first cycle when Jensen heard the tone of the defibrillator.
“300!” Jared called out, lifting the paddles from their cradle.
Jensen and Alix leaned back from the man’s body as Jared leaned forward, placing the paddles on the man’s chest.
“Clear!” Jared depressed the buttons and the man’s body jerked on the concrete.
Three heads turned toward the monitor on the EKG machine.
Jared shook his head. “No conversion. Charging again!”
Jensen immediately went back to the chest compressions, silently willing the man’s heart to start beating again. He wasn’t going to lose his first patient. He wasn’t.
Again the tone sounded and Jared tried once more to shock the man’s heart.
“Damn it,” Jared swore. “Flatline!”
“No! Dad!” the young girl cried out, her fear and desperation going straight through Jensen.
Jared went to the drug box, removing a syringe and vial as Jensen started compressions again. “Pushing 1 amp epi!” the younger medic called out, swiftly injecting the drug into the man.
“C’mon, mister, c’mon…” Jensen breathed, looking down at the man, his arms feeling the strain from repeated cycles of CPR.
“Charging 300!”
Just as Jared started to pick the paddles back up, a sound caught the three paramedics’ attention, coming from the EKG machine.
“Stop CPR!” Alix said and Jared’s face broke into a grin. “We’ve got a heartbeat! He’s back in sinus rhythm.”
Jensen sat back on his heels, a slow smile spreading over his face, his own heartbeat starting to slow back down. They’d done it. They’d saved this man’s life.
“No better feeling in the world, eh?” Jared smiled at him.
Jensen wiped a hand across his face, shaking slightly as the adrenaline wore off. “Wow…” he breathed, nodding his head.
“Okay, let’s get him on O2 and ready for transport,” Alix told the two of them. “I’m calling into Mercy to let them know we’re on our way.” She reached over and squeezed Jensen’s arm. “Great job, Jen,” she said proudly.
Jensen let Alix’s praise wash over him. He’d passed his trial by fire.
~~~~~
“Thanks for introducing me to the ER staff,” Jensen said to Jared on their way back to the station from Angel of Mercy. He was riding in the back of the bus this time, talking to Jared through the window as Alix rode in the passenger seat. “Seems like a good group of people.”
Jared nodded, slowing down as he approached the turn onto King Boulevard. “They really are. If you ever have questions about anything - procedures, meds, whatever, don’t hesitate to ask any of them.”
“Good to know. And don’t think I didn’t see that nurse, Christiane, slip you that bag of gummi worms along with the empty syringes and gauze,” Jensen teased.
Jared laughed, expertly backing the ambulance into Bay One. “Hey, I need supplies as well as the bus!”
Jensen just shook his head in amusement and walked to the back of the bus, throwing open the door…and nearly fell as he was jumping down, completely caught off guard. For there, gathered in a group in front of him, was the rest of his crew, applauding wildly at him.
Jensen felt his face heat up as his friends approached, with slaps on the back and handshakes.
“Great job on your first run, Jen,” Daniel congratulated him.
“Heard you did an awesome job, man,” Kyle grinned at him.
Tom slung an arm over his shoulders. “First save on your first run. Damn impressive, Jen.”
Jensen smiled back at everyone and let himself enjoy the moment, because he knew it wouldn’t always be like this, that he wouldn’t be able to save everyone. But for now, he felt like he was on the top of the world.
~~~~~
“So I found this apartment in the paper I think we should go look at,” Jensen told Jared the next afternoon as they were grocery shopping.
“Oh yeah?” Jared replied, surveying the frozen cookie dough choices as Jensen put a gallon of milk in their cart.
“It’s on Franklin,” Jensen continued, placing a carton of eggs carefully in the cart. “Two bedrooms, one bath, hardwood floors, completely renovated, all new appliances. It’s pricey, but with both our salaries we can swing it.”
Jared tossed the chocolate chip cookie dough into the cart. “Sounds good. When do you wanna go?”
Jensen picked up a block of cheddar cheese, then turned to add it to their groceries. “I was thinking maybe - “ Jensen cut himself off as he spied a figure standing stock still at the head of the aisle, staring directly at him.
Eric Donovan.
“Son of a bitch!” Jensen cursed, throwing down the block of cheese and starting off after Eric.
The blonde man disappeared around the corner as soon as he saw Jensen start to approach, and by the time Jensen got to the front of the store, dodging carts and shoppers, Eric was gone.
Jensen pulled out his phone, angrily punching buttons, his jaw clenched.
“Mike? It’s Jensen.”
“Hey, Jen. How are you?”
“Not good, Mike. I just saw Eric Donovan again. He was staring at Jared and me while we were shopping. I thought your detectives were picking him up!”
“Damn it. I’m sorry, Jen. They haven’t been able to find him. After the apartment fire they haven’t been able to get an address on him. Where are you now? I’ll see if I can get someone over there to canvas the area.”
“We’re at Oately’s Market on 10th.”
“Okay, let me go call this in.”
“Alright, thanks, Mike.”
Jensen ended the call and raked a hand through his hair, feeling the first real trickle of fear make its way down his spine.
~~~~~
Early on the morning of their next shift, Jensen finished getting dressed in Jared’s bedroom while the younger man was finishing up in the shower. Jensen was on breakfast duty this morning, so he wanted to leave early to stop at the bakery near the station to pick up bagels and muffins for the crew.
Fastening the last button on his uniform, Jensen stepped into the warm, steam filled bathroom.
“Hey, I’m gonna get going,” Jensen said to Jared, and the shower door slid open.
“Okay,” Jared replied, his wet head popping out from the open door. He leaned forward a bit and captured Jensen’s mouth for a lingering kiss. “I’ll take an onion bagel,” he smiled as they pulled apart.
“I’m the one that’s gotta ride in the bus with you,” Jensen replied, wiping off his wet face with a nearby towel. “So no onion for you,” he finished, snapping the towel at Jared, laughing as the taller man jumped back. “I’ll see you at the station,” Jensen called over his shoulder, heading for the front door.
~~~~~
Sauer’s Bakery was a favorite stop of the FDNY personnel at 127 and 51, and Jensen greeted several guys from the other station when he walked through the door.
“Jensen!”
Jensen grinned as he approached the counter. “Morning, Dom.”
Dominick Sauer leaned a large, muscular arm on the glass. “Lemme guess. You’ve got breakfast duty.”
Jensen chuckled and raised his hands. “Guilty as charged.”
Dominick pushed away from the counter. “Your usual assortment?”
“Yep, sounds good,” Jensen replied, then quickly amended himself. “Oh, put an extra onion one in there, will you?”
“You got it,” Dominick answered, and in just a few minutes a bag of muffins and a bag of bagels and cream cheese were set on the counter.
Jensen gathered the bags in one hand while handing over the money to Dom with the other.
“Stay safe out there today, Jensen,” Dominick told him.
“I will, Dom, thanks,” Jensen smiled as he turned and started walking toward the door.
Distracted by the smell of fresh baked goods, looking into the bags and wondering if he should snatch a piece of blueberry muffin, Jensen didn’t see the man that stepped out from under the awning of the bakery until he was right next to him.
“Hey, Jensen.”
Jensen’s head snapped to the right and he came to a complete standstill. “Eric. Get the hell - “
“Please, Jensen, just give us a chance,” Eric pleaded, grasping Jensen’s arm.
Jensen shoved Eric’s hand away. “Don’t you touch me,” he warned, voice hard.
“You pulled me from that fire! We’re meant to be together!” Eric insisted, eyes wild.
“We’re not!” Jensen exploded, grabbing a fistful of Eric’s shirt, pushing backwards, pinning the man against the wall. “Nothing is going to happen between us! Now keep the hell away from Jared and me.” He pressed his fist harder into Eric’s chest, his voice like steel. “Do you understand me?”
With one final glare into Eric’s glassy eyes, Jensen pushed away from him, striding down the street, his body vibrating with anger. He covered multiple blocks in half the time it normally took him, a specific destination in mind - the 55th precinct.
Mike’s patrol car wasn’t out front yet, so Jensen set the bakery bags down on the sidewalk and paced in front of the station, his hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets. Five minutes later Mike pulled up, and Jensen was up in the bald cop’s face the instant Mike opened his door.
“Tell me how the hell I get a restraining order,” Jensen demanded.
“Whoa, wait, hang on,” Mike said, surprise coloring his features at Jensen’s sudden appearance.
“That son of a bitch is still following me, Mike!” Jensen shouted. “I came out of Sauer’s this morning and he was right there. Told me that we’re meant to be together. I’m ready to snap, Mike. I need a restraining order, something, anything to keep this guy away from me.”
“Okay, slow down,” Mike told him calmly. “Has he threatened you in any way? Said he was going to hurt you? Has he done any damage to your property? Broken into your apartment or anything?”
“What? No, he just keeps following me and I’m afraid that he will do something.”
Mike sighed. “I know this is going to piss you off even more…but you unfortunately don’t have grounds for a restraining order, since he hasn’t done anything violent against you.”
Jensen threw his hands up in disgust. “That’s just great. So he has to try and kill me before I can do anything about it?”
“I’m sorry, Jen, I know it sucks. But we do have stalking laws in this state. We can pick him up for that and - “
Jensen cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand, angry. “Oh yeah, right, because you guys are doing a bang up job of picking him up for suspected arson! Thanks for nothing, Mike,” he spat, grabbing up the bags from Sauer’s and stalking across the street to his own station house, ignoring Mike calling his name.
Jared was down in the apparatus room when Jensen walked in and he looked at his watch as Jensen approached. “Were you helping Dom bake the - “ Jared cut himself off as he took in Jensen’s expression and body language. “Jen? What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Eric was waiting for me outside Sauer’s. Told me that we were meant to be together.”
Jared scrubbed his hands across his face. “Oh my god.”
Jensen nodded, feeling his anger change over into worry. “And I think I may have done something stupid.”
“Why, what did you do?”
“I got up into his face, pushed him up against the wall, told him to keep the hell away from us.”
Jared threw his hands out to the side. “And he damn well deserved it!”
“I know he did! But this guy’s got a history of violence, Jare,” Jensen pointed out. “What if I pissed him off now, provoked him into doing something more than following me? I just…” he trailed off. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
~~~~~
Jensen’s disquiet followed him for the rest of the morning and he kept to himself as much as possible. A run in the early afternoon took his mind off of things temporarily as he helped patch up two homeless men who had gotten into a brawl with each other. But now, on their way back to the station, Jensen was once again preoccupied with thoughts of Eric as he sat in the rear of the bus.
“Squad 127, Squad 51 - multiple injuries. 1800 block of North 5th Street, cross street Driggs. Be advised - shots fired, NYPD is responding. Time out - 13:33.”
All three medics sat up straight at the dispatcher’s voice coming over the radio.
“North 5th,” Alix said to Jensen and Jared from the passenger seat. “Today’s Thursday, right? Isn’t the farmer’s market there today?”
A feeling of dread settled over Jensen as Jared turned on the lights and siren. “Gunshots fired in that crowd? My god…”
~~~~~
Only two blocks away when the call came though, they were the first to arrive on the scene, even before NYPD - the feeling in the air sheer terror and chaos.
The street was lined with apartment buildings on both sides, the stalls for the farmer’s market on the sidewalks out front. The crowd was thick and in the midst of pandemonium - people screaming and running panicked in all directions, and over everything the sound of gunfire could be heard, one shot after another. Jensen, Jared and Alix crouched down alongside the bus as people ran blindly past them.
“Where are the shots coming from?!” Jared yelled.
Jensen shook his head, scanning the apartment buildings. “Too many damn windows, I can’t tell!”
“Where the hell is NYPD?” Alix asked in frustration.
“I’ve got one down!” Jared suddenly called out as the crowd parted in front of them. A young man lay motionless near the middle of the street, a red stain rapidly spreading on his shirt.
“Damn it, I’ve got one, too,” Jensen pointed to the front of one of the stalls where a woman was on the ground, her leg soaked in blood, trying to desperately drag herself to safety.
Jensen and Jared stared hard at one another, silent communication passing between them. They still couldn’t hear any police sirens and two people were in danger of dying in front of them. Jared nodded slowly, and without taking his eyes off of him, Jensen said to Alix, “Get the stretcher ready.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her head whip toward him. “NO! Don’t even think about it -“
Ignoring her protests, Jensen said to Jared, “The woman first,” and then, moving as one, they stood…and ran.
Jensen immediately felt his entire body flood with adrenaline as he and Jared sprinted toward the injured woman, dodging terrified pedestrians and deadly bullets. It seemed to take forever to reach the far side of the street, but finally they were at the woman’s side.
“Help me, please!” she screamed, tear tracks on her face, clutching at Jared’s shirt.
Barely stopping, Jensen hooked his hands under the woman’s armpits and Jared picked up her legs. Lifting together, they stood and began their deadly sprint back toward Alix and the bus. Halfway there Jared suddenly stumbled, nearly taking all three of them to the ground, but he found his footing and continued to run, gunshots still ringing out around them.
Breathless, they reached the stretcher and quickly but carefully placed the woman on it, leaving her to Alix’s care. Then, heart slamming against his ribcage, Jensen turned on his heel, Jared right beside him, and ran back out into the street to the fallen man, people pushing past them trying to escape the sniper. They slid to their knees beside the man just as a bullet struck the ground next to Jensen, sending sharp slivers of concrete cutting into the back of his hand. He instinctively flinched, ducking his head, before scooping the man’s legs up off the ground. Jared hoisted the unconscious man’s shoulders up, and then once again they were running the deadly gauntlet.
To Jensen’s relief he saw 51’s bus arriving on the scene, followed by several NYPD squad cars, police swarming the scene instantly. Alix was yelling to 51’s medics, pointing toward Jensen and Jared as they ran. The other paramedics had their stretcher out instantaneously, motioning Jensen and Jared toward them. A minute later and Jensen and Jared were gratefully laying the man down, their chests heaving from exertion.
“We got him, guys,” one of 51’s medic’s said. “Go catch your breath.”
Jensen and Jared nodded their thanks, their bodies starting to come down from their adrenaline high. It had taken them no more than five minutes to rescue both victims, but it had seemed ten times that long.
Hands on his hips, Jensen took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. “I can’t believe we just did that,” he muttered, glancing over at Jared, who was giving him a lopsided grin, shaking his head. “That was crazy.”
“No argument from me!” Alix yelled over to them.
Jensen grinned and clapped Jared on the shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go see if she needs any help.”
They had taken no more than two steps when Jared suddenly staggered to the side, slumping against 51’s bus.
“Whoa!” Jensen exclaimed, reaching out to grab at Jared’s arm. “You okay?”
Instead of answering, Jared pulled his hand away from where it was wrapped around his side - and it came away bloody.
“Jesus Christ…” Jensen’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly pulled up Jared’s dark blue uniform shirt, knowing without a doubt what he would find underneath it. And there it was - a bullet hole. “God, you’ve been shot.”
Jared’s brow furrowed. “Shot? But I - I didn’t even feel it…” he mumbled, his complexion growing pale, slumping more heavily against 51’s bus.
Jensen remembered Jared stumbling as they ran with the woman. “It was the adrenaline. Alix!” He yelled. “Jared’s been shot!” He pulled Jared’s arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own carefully around Jared’s waist. Jared leaned heavily against him as Jensen guided him over to their own bus, sitting him down in the open back doorway.
“Hurts…” Jared grimaced as Jensen began to swiftly unbutton Jared’s bloody shirt, sliding it down off Jared’s arms.
“I know, Jare, I know…” Jensen replied as Alix stepped up beside him, drug box in hand.
“How bad is it?” she asked worriedly.
“Damned thing tore a hole in his side,” Jensen said tightly, moving to look at Jared’s back, finding an exit wound there amongst the blood. “It’s a through-and-through, thank God.”
Alix was ripping open thick gauze packs, handing them to Jensen, who pressed one tightly to the first wound. Jared twitched and couldn’t quite stifle his pain-filled groan.
“I know, I’m sorry, Jare,” Jensen apologized as he and Alix worked quickly. “We need to get the bleeding stopped.”
“Okay, let’s get him up and onto the bench,” Alix said, taping off the last gauze pad, reaching for one of Jared’s arms as Jensen took the other.
Jared’s eyes squeezed closed and he clenched his teeth against the pain as Jensen and Alix got him up into the bus and laid out on the padded bench that doubled as second stretcher when needed.
Alix jumped down and wheeled the wounded woman over, loading the stretcher inside before slamming the doors closed and hurrying to the driver’s side. In a moment the ambulance was on its way to Mercy, lights and sirens blaring.
Jensen reached a hand over to the woman from where he was sitting on the bench, next to the top of Jared’s head.
“Ma’am? How’re you doing?”
She gave him a small smile and briefly squeezed his hand. “I’m alive, thanks to both of you. You risked your lives to save me. Your partner, though…will he be all right?”
Jensen cast a worried glance down at Jared, laying a hand on the side of his face. The young medic lay with his eyes closed, an arm wrapped protectively across him, his large hand resting over his thickly bandaged wound. He watched as Jared clenched his jaw when the ambulance hit a bump, jostling his injured body. He could see smudges of blood against Jared’s skin and he swallowed thickly. A few inches to the left and the bullet would’ve torn its way through Jared’s internal organs instead of the fleshy part of his side.
As he watched the man he loved bleeding next to him, the dangerous nature of their jobs struck home with Jensen once again. It was the main reason Jensen resisted getting involved with Jared in the first place, after losing Ryan to the job. And that same nightmare could’ve come true today with a madman’s bullet.
As if Jared could sense Jensen’s fear, his eyes fluttered open and he gave Jensen a small reassuring smile, leaning into Jensen’s touch before letting his eyes drift closed again.
“Yeah,” Jensen said softly. “He’s gonna be okay.”
~~~~~
A short time later, Jensen paced restlessly outside the ER room in which Jared was being treated. Doctor Chen was in there with him and he was waiting for her to come out and let him know how Jared was doing. And to Jensen it was taking forever.
“Jen, hey,” Alix walked up next to him, clipboard in hand. “Chen still in there with him?”
Jensen raked a hand through his short hair. “Yeah,” he muttered.
Alix laid a hand on his arm. “He’s gonna be fine, okay?” She waited until Jensen nodded, then continued. “I called Jeff, told him what’s going on with Jared. He gave us permission to stay here at Mercy, but if we get a run over the radio, we gotta go.” She held up the clipboard she was carrying. “I’m gonna go take care of the paperwork on all this down at the nurse’s station. You stay here and wait for Jared.”
Jensen gave her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Alix. I appreciate it.”
She gave his arm a squeeze. “Come get me after you’ve talked to Chen and Jared,” she told him, then walked down the corridor to the nurse’s station.
Alix wasn’t even halfway down the hallway when the door in front of Jensen finally opened and a woman wearing glasses with her black hair pulled back into a pony tail walked out, a stethoscope around her neck.
Jensen immediately took a step forward. “Doc - “
Dr. Chen held up a hand. “He’s fine, Jensen,” she reassured him. “It was a clean wound, right through the muscle. I’ve got him stitched up and he’s resting. I want to keep him here for a few more hours, then you can take him home. Make sure he takes it easy, okay?”
Jensen released a relieved breath. “I will. Thanks, Doc. Can I…?”
Dr. Chen nodded, smiling as she moved out of the doorway. “Sure, go ahead. I’ll check back in a couple hours.”
Jensen stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. In front of him, Jared lay on the bed, looking fragile and tired, and gave him a weak smile as he approached.
“Hey,” Jensen said softly, leaning over to give Jared a gentle kiss, taking hold of his hand. “How’re you feeling?” he asked, taking in Jared’s paler than normal complexion and the white bandages encircling his abdomen.
Jared blew out a weary breath. “Sore.”
“Yeah, you’re gonna be that way for a while. Doc says you’re all patched up, though, and you can go home in a few hours.”
“Good, because dropping off patients here is one thing, but having to stay here sucks,” Jared grinned.
Jensen smiled, then turned serious, squeezing Jared’s hand. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Jared squeezed back. “I know, and I’m sorry. I’m glad you were there, though.” He jostled Jensen’s hand, gave him a crooked grin. “I think with me getting shot and you falling through that roof a few months ago, we’re about even with scaring the hell out of each other. So what do you say we stop?”
Jensen chuckled, grateful to Jared for lightening the mood. “Deal,” he replied, then sealed it with a kiss.
~~~~~
Three hours later, Jensen was pushing Jared, seated in a wheelchair, down the hallway of the ER toward the exit, having finally been released by Dr. Chen.
Together, Jensen and Alix got Jared carefully out of the wheelchair and into the front seat of the bus, and a minute later Alix was driving them toward Jared’s apartment. They pulled up outside his building ten minutes later and Jensen jumped down from the back of the ambulance and hurried over to Jared’s door.
“Okay, c’mon big guy,” he said as Jared reached out and put a hand on his arm to help himself down off the seat with a slight groan.
“You go get him settled,” Alix told Jensen. “I’ll stay here with the bus.”
Jensen nodded. “Be back in a few minutes.”
The walk up to Jared’s third floor apartment was slow and careful, the younger man keeping one arm wrapped around his abdomen, the other draped over Jensen’s shoulder. By the time they reached the third floor landing Jared was wiped out, tipping his head against Jensen’s as they walked into his apartment.
Jensen led them into Jared’s bedroom, where he began to help Jared take off his soiled uniform.
“Let me do the work, okay?” Jensen told Jared as he slipped Jared’s blood-stained shirt off of him, then started unbuckling and unzipping Jared’s pants.
“Wow, do we have time for this?” Jared quipped as Jensen dropped to his knees in front of him.
“Smart ass,” Jensen smiled as he untied Jared’s shoes and helped the injured man step out of them and his pants.
“Okay, into bed,” Jensen told Jared, pulling back the blankets as Jared slowly sat down on the mattress, grimacing slightly as he moved to lay down.
Jensen pulled the blankets up to Jared’s waist, then brushed wayward strands of hair off his forehead as Jared blew out a tired breath.
“Here are your pain pills,” Jensen said, pulling the prescription bottle from his jacket pocket, and placed it on the bedside table, before getting a glass of water from the bathroom.
Jensen kneeled down beside the bed, kissing Jared’s bare shoulder. “Get some rest, okay?” he said quietly. “I’ll be back as soon as shift’s over in the morning. Call me if you need anything.”
Jared nodded, his eyes already starting to slip closed. “Thanks, Jen,” he murmured. “Love you.”
Jensen smiled softly, leaning in to kiss Jared’s forehead. “Love you, too,” he whispered against his skin. “Be back soon.”
~~~~~
Jensen tapped his fingers absently on the door of the cab he was in, on his way to Jared’s apartment from the station house. The rest of the shift had passed agonizingly slowly. Jared had called once, around 10 pm, sounding bored, but more like himself, thankfully. Jensen had passed the phone around to all the guys, who wanted to say hello and see how Jared was feeling, before getting it back and having Jared tell him to bring his bag of gummi worms home. Jensen smiled to himself in the cab as he patted his jacket pocket where the bag of candy rested. If Jared wanted sugar, he was definitely feeling better.
Jensen’s good mood quickly vanished as the cab turned onto Jared’s street. People were running out of Jared’s apartment building, panicked, gray smoke starting to pour out of the front door. Jensen’s heart lodged in his throat and he burst out of the cab before it had completely stopped.
“JARED!” he yelled, glancing wildly around at the group of tenants that were gathered in the middle of the street, not seeing Jared anywhere.
Fear spiking through his veins, Jensen dashed through the front door, pushing past scared tenants trying to get out - none of them Jared. He took the stairs two at a time, the smoke growing ever thicker the higher he went, making it harder to breathe. In moments he was nearly at Jared’s floor, and he could hear the crackle of the flames, his heart pounding with fear, wanting to know why Jared hadn’t yet gotten out of his apartment.
And then, right in front of him, coming down the stairs, was his answer.
Eric Donovan.
For a split second, Jensen’s heart stopped. Then rage like he’d never known took over.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” he screamed through the smoke.
“I took care of it,” Eric smiled maniacally. “He’s gone. Now nothing stands between us! We can be together!” he finished, reaching a hand out to Jensen.
“NO!” Jensen roared, charging up the stairs, refusing to believe Eric’s dire words. Jared wasn’t dead. He wasn’t!
Eric moved, stepping directly in front of him, and Jensen collided with the other man full force, both of them going down in a tangle of limbs on the stairs. Jensen struggled to get to his feet, to get to Jared, but Eric refused to let go, gripping at his clothes with surprising strength.
“Jensen, don’t! He’s gone! You’re meant to be with me!” Eric cried.
“NO!” Jensen yelled, grappling with the other man, their bodies sliding on the stairs.
The smoke was thick and dark now, the sound of the flames drawing nearer as Jensen continued to wrestle with Eric. He could barely breathe, let alone fight, but fear and desperation gave him the strength to finally push away from Eric and scramble to his feet. He managed to get to the top step before Eric slammed into his back, nearly toppling him over. But Jensen caught himself on the railing with one hand, and with his other arm he drove his elbow backwards full force into Eric’s stomach. At the same time he reared up, trying to throw Eric off of his back. He heard Eric cry out, then the pressure against Jensen’s back was gone. Jensen turned in time to see Eric somersault backwards down the entire flight of stairs, his body slamming against the railing and the wall before finally coming to a stop on the landing below, his neck at an unnatural angle, his sightless eyes staring back at Jensen. Jensen spared the crazed stalker only a moment’s glance, feeling absolutely no remorse at his death, before turning and sprinting up the last few stairs.
He burst out into the third floor hallway, the heat from the fire slamming into him instantaneously. It was immediately obvious that Jared’s apartment was the point of origin; his front door was completely consumed by flames, the fire spreading outward along the hallway from there.
Without thinking, without hesitating, his only focus on getting to Jared, Jensen charged through the smoke, his eyes burning from the soot-filled, superheated air, and smashed Jared’s door open with a powerful sideways kick. The flaming door slammed back against the frame, splintering, and Jensen leaped through the ring of fire in the doorway, feeling the flames singe his hair.
A blast of heat to his left had him dropping to his knees as soon as he entered the apartment - the kitchen was a mass of orange and red flames that had started to spread to the living room. Jensen’s eyes darted wildly around the room, searching desperately for Jared through the smoke, but not seeing him.
“Ja - “ he tried to call out the other man’s name, but was overtaken by a fit of coughing, his lungs starting to constrict from his constant inhalation of the thick smoke. He was running out of time.
He turned to his right, crawling down the hallway that led to the bathroom and Jared’s bedroom, where the fire had not yet reached. And there - through the smoke, was a large shape lying unmoving on the floor.
Jared.
He was laying half in and half out of the bathroom, dressed only in his boxers, a bloody gash on his forehead.
Jensen’s heart slammed against his chest as he desperately felt for a pulse, terrified that he was too late. But no - there it was. Faint and weak, but Jared was alive. Jensen closed his eyes in relief, sending up a silent prayer of thanks.
But they weren’t out of danger yet. With the fire now starting to spread down the hallway, there was no way for Jensen to get Jared out the front door. They needed another way out, and fast. Standing up, Jensen grasped Jared’s wrists and dragged the unconscious man away from the fire, into his bedroom. Jensen slammed the door behind them, then grabbed the comforter off the bed and stuffed it against the crack at the bottom of the door, trying to keep out as much smoke as possible.
Jensen stumbled as he turned to get back to Jared’s side, his vision swimming, and fell heavily to the floor in a fit of coughing so harsh it shook his entire body. He was starting to succumb to the smoke inhalation, his body beginning to shut down from lack of oxygen.
In desperate need of fresh air, Jensen dragged himself across the floor to the bedroom window, fighting to stay conscious, refusing to die alongside Jared in this fiery hellhole created by a madman. In a burst of strength, Jensen pushed up on the window and it opened, the smoke streaming out as fresh air rushed in. Jensen hung his upper body over the windowsill, eyes closed, trying to draw in deep breaths of the clean air between his coughs. Opening his eyes a moment later, he saw that several engine companies had now responded and were on scene.
Dropping back down onto the floor, Jensen crawled over to Jared, who was still unconscious.
“Jared,” Jensen rasped, his hand on Jared’s shoulder, shaking it. “Jare, c’mon, wake up…” But there was no response from the younger man.
Before Jensen could try again to revive Jared, an explosion rocked the apartment, coming from the direction of the kitchen. A ball of fire slammed into the closed bedroom door, igniting not only it, but the comforter on the floor as well.
They were out of time.
With Jensen’s last remaining strength, he hauled Jared’s body up off the floor and over to the open window, where the fire escape waited. Jared’s body was dead weight and Jensen struggled to pull the taller, heavier man over the windowsill. With a last great push, Jared’s legs were finally over the sill, just as Jensen’s knees gave out and both men collapsed down onto the metal landing of the fire escape. Jensen was wheezing, trying to pull air into his abused lungs, seeing his vision start to go dark at the edges. But they weren’t safe yet, he had to get them down…he had to…
Suddenly, helping hands were there, grasping Jensen’s shoulders, sitting him up. Jensen blinked, struggling to focus on the person in front of him clad in FDNY gear, the familiar 127 on the helmet. It was Ray Ellison from B shift, with Ken Williams clambering up the fire escape right behind him.
“Jensen?” Ray’s eyes went wide behind his air mask, taking in Jared’s still form as well. “Oh my god…”
Jensen reached a hand out toward Jared. “Help him…” he rasped.
“It’s okay,” Ray reassured him. “We’ve got you both. Ken! Get Jared, he’s unconscious. I’ve got Jensen.”
In a moment Ken had Jared’s body draped over his shoulder and was starting to climb back down the fire escape, with Ray and Jensen following. Jensen leaned heavily against Ray, wearing his air mask, pulling in precious clean oxygen as Ray helped him down with an arm around his waist.
The medics from 127’s B shift - Allison Brady and Tyler Hanson - were waiting at the bottom of the fire escape, and Ken quickly got Jared on the stretcher, while Ray led Jensen over to the bus, and helped Jensen remove the air mask as Allison took over.
“Jared…” Jensen wheezed, trying to take a step toward the stretcher, but Allison held him back, slipping an oxygen mask over his face.
“Tyler’s got him, Jensen,” Allison assured him, gently grasping Jensen’s arm. “Now c’mon and get in the bus and we’ll get you both to Mercy.”
Jensen let Allison help him up into the ambulance and sat him down on the bench as Tyler loaded the stretcher carrying Jared inside the bus.
“Pulse is weak and thready,” Tyler told Allison quickly. “BP is 90 over 70. Possible concussion. Decreased breath sounds. Get him on O2, stat. His stitches have come open, too,” Tyler finished, closing the back doors and jogging to the driver’s side.
As Tyler turned on the lights and sirens, Allison went into action, getting Jared on oxygen, checking his pupil response with her pen light, and listening to his breath sounds with her stethoscope before unwrapping Jared’s bloody bandages, and replaced them with fresh gauze pads.
And all Jensen could do was watch, helpless, scared to death that Jared may never wake up.
~~~~~
Continue on to Part 3b...
Author: agt_spooky
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9,128 this part (30,156 total for three parts)
Genre: Firefighter AU, Angst, Established relationship
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: It’s RPS, people. It never happened, but I wish it would. :-)
Author’s Notes: Many thanks, as always, to my fabulous beta, charityflint, who really whipped this puppy into shape, to sn_24lover for her great input along the way and to wilde_moon for surprising me with the awesome banner.
Summary: Fireman!Jensen and Paramedic!Jared are back in this sequel to Light My Fire.
It’s five months later and Jensen is nearly a full-fledged paramedic. But becoming a medic means no longer being able to work with Jared at Station 127 and giving up his chance at a promotion to Lieutenant. As graduation looms, will Jensen change his mind? Then add in a young man Jensen rescues from a fire that becomes an obsessed stalker, and Jared’s altercation with a victim’s husband that threatens his career, and things turn explosive at the FDNY.
(banner created by wilde_moon and agt_spooky)
Previous chapters: PART 1 / PART 2
FROM PART TWO:
Jensen felt a giant weight lift off his shoulders with Jared’s words. This mess was finally over. He smiled, squeezing Jared’s hand. “I told you that you were amazing with her.”
“Jeff said that she wants to talk to me. She’ll be coming by the station tomorrow. God…I don’t even know how to thank her.”
Jensen pulled Jared back down on the bed with him, their arms wrapping around one another. “Something tells me she’ll be thanking you, too.”
Playing with Fire
By AgtSpooky
PART 3a
The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon the next morning when Jensen was slowly pulled from his sleep by warm, soft, wet kisses on the back of his neck and top of his shoulder. Still fuzzy with slumber, Jensen kept his eyes closed and leaned back into Jared’s warmth.
“Hmm…?” he mumbled.
“Shhh…” Jared whispered into his ear, sending a slow shiver down Jensen’s naked body. “Let me…”
Letting himself float in that state before full wakefulness, Jensen gave himself over to Jared’s kisses, his touches, ghosting down his arm, his back.
“Love you…” Jared breathed into his skin, slowly turning Jensen onto his back.
Jared’s lips were warm and perfect, kissing across Jensen’s chest, his fingers trailing in his mouth’s wake, mapping Jensen’s body.
“Love touching you,” Jared murmured, fingers skimming down Jensen’s side. “Love the way you taste,” he whispered, tongue lapping at one of Jensen’s flat nipples.
Jensen couldn’t help the soft noise that escaped him, feeling the slow build of arousal start to roll through him. Still keeping his eyes closed, everything heightened in the dark, he tangled his fingers in Jared’s hair, telegraphing his need without words.
“Yeah,” Jared said quietly, dipping his head again, tongue dragging over Jensen’s nipple once more before taking the small nub into his mouth and sucking.
Jensen’s head pressed back into the pillow, mouth falling open with a sharp gasp.
“Easy…” Jared’s voice was low, deep. “Gonna make this slow and good…gonna make you fall apart…”
His mouth was back then, wet and perfect over Jensen’s nipple, sucking, tugging gently with his teeth, setting off sparks deep inside Jensen’s body. Jared’s fingers wandered across his chest, finding Jensen’s other nipple, thumbing it into a hard, aching point, tugging, rolling it between his fingers until Jensen was arching into the touch, his sensitive nipples a point of pure pleasure for him, and Jared knew that well.
Jensen felt a deep throb in his balls at the stimulation, so full and heavy between his legs, and he shifted restlessly, arousal now thrumming through his veins.
“Jare…I…” his voice hitched, his eyes finally opening, watching as Jared sucked hard one more time on his nipple then pulled off.
“I got you, I got you,” Jared gentled Jensen, shifting, spreading Jensen’s legs open, bending them at the knee.
“God, look at you,” Jared breathed, moving between Jensen’s legs, and Jensen could practically feel the heat of Jared’s gaze on his body, burning him up from the inside.
Jared dipped his head, placing a wet kiss alongside Jensen’s knee, then steadily began moving lower, down Jensen’s inner leg. Jensen tilted his hips up in anticipation and Jared didn’t disappoint. Jensen’s moan was long and low as Jared opened his mouth and took him inside and started to suck. God, he loved the sensation of getting aroused, of feeling his cock harden and lengthen, especially surrounded by the heat of Jared’s mouth.
The urge to thrust up into that wet heat was becoming overwhelming, and Jensen couldn’t stop the short jerk of his hips. Jared pulled off, his hazel eyes dark with desire, and growled, “God, do it,” before sucking the head of Jensen’s hard cock back into his mouth.
“Oh, fuck,” Jensen ground out, holding Jared’s head between his hands, starting to pump his hips. He kept to short thrusts at first, as Jared relaxed his throat, then went deeper, fucking Jared’s mouth in a smooth motion.
“So good, so good,” Jensen panted, drawing his lower lip between his teeth as he felt his orgasm throb deep inside, in his balls, his body ready for the ecstasy of release.
Jared hummed around his cock, swallowing hard around it on Jensen’s next thrust, and the increased pressure was all Jensen needed. He stiffened, throwing his head back with a cry as he fell over the edge into climax, pulsing into Jared’s mouth. The younger man sucked greedily, swallowing everything Jensen had to give until Jensen shuddered with the over stimulation.
Then Jared was surging up his body, kissing him hard and deep, rutting desperately against him, his hard cock riding the crease of Jensen’s hip. Two, three thrusts and Jared made a keening noise into the kiss, pushing down hard as he came, wet heat splashing between their bodies.
Their breaths were hard and shaky as they pulled back from the kiss, hearts beating a mile a minute, bodies warm and heavy and sated.
“God,” Jensen breathed, threading his fingers through Jared’s hair. “What was that for?”
Jared smiled down at him. “That was your first-morning-as-a-paramedic sex,” he smirked.
Jensen huffed out a laugh. “Well, damn, I can’t wait to see what I get tomorrow for my second-day-as-a-paramedic sex!”
Jared tipped his head back and laughed as well, then kissed Jensen breathless once more.
~~~~~
Half an hour later, showered and shaved, Jensen stood in front of his dresser, pulling on his new uniform, catching his reflection in the mirror. No more casual FDNY t-shirts or polos now; it was a crisp, short-sleeved navy blue button down shirt with the FDNY patch on one sleeve, and the EMS patch on the other. Jensen took a long breath, trying to calm the butterflies the size of Volkswagens in his stomach, smoothing a hand down the front of the shirt, fingers brushing over “Paramedic” embroidered over one pocket and J. ACKLES over the other. His brow furrowed as he took a closer look at himself. Something was wrong… His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he realized that his silver EMS pins were missing from his collar.
Jensen immediately went into a panic, searching the floor of his room and his closet, coming up empty. God, had Jeff not fastened them properly the other night? If so, the pins could’ve been lost at the bar or on the street as he walked home, anywhere…
“Looking for these?”
Jensen’s head shot up from under the bed at Jared’s voice, watching as Jared held out his hand, the EMS pins in his palm.
“I’m sorry,” Jared apologized as Jensen stood up. “I didn’t mean to make you freak out. I took them off your uniform this morning.”
Jensen tipped his head to the side, confused. “Why?”
“Because…” Jared stepped forward, his voice going soft. “I should’ve been there the other night to do this…”
And with slow, careful movements, Jared fastened the EMS pins to Jensen’s collar.
A lump caught in Jensen’s throat and he swallowed around it as Jared’s hands smoothed over his collar, coming to rest on his shoulders. He turned Jensen around, facing the mirror, wrapping his arms around Jensen’s waist.
“You’re going to be amazing,” Jared whispered, and the fluttering of Jensen’s stomach subsided at Jared’s quiet, confident words.
He was ready.
~~~~~
Several hours later Jensen was sitting on the floor outside the equipment room with Shawn, helping check to the air tanks and clean the masks. So far his first day as a paramedic had started off like any other day at the station - breakfast with the crew followed by his station duties, and a short meeting with Alix. She was technically his supervisor now for the next three months of his probation period and would be evaluating his performance. After that time she would be transferring to Station 51, leaving Jensen and Jared as partners.
Jensen looked up as the bell to the front door of the station chimed. He started to stand, but Jeff happened to be walking through and waved his hand at Jensen, indicating that he’d get the door. Curious, Jensen and Shawn watched as Jeff opened the door then stood aside to let the person in.
“Wow…” Shawn breathed, his eyes wide.
She was tall, with an athletic build, wearing an FDNY uniform. Her skin was the color of chocolate, with ebony hair that fell to her shoulders and a bright smile as she shook Jeff’s hand.
Jensen reached over and pushed up on Shawn’s chin. “You’re drooling,” he teased.
Shawn smacked Jensen’s hand away. “Wonder who she is.”
“I think we’re about to find out,” Jensen answered as Jeff started to lead her over to them.
Jensen tried to hide his smile as the red-headed fireman jumped to his feet, making sure his shirt was tucked in.
“Jensen, Shawn, I’d like you to meet Erin Hollis,” Jeff said as an introduction. “Erin’s your replacement, Jensen. Transferred in from Jersey.”
Jensen held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Erin. Welcome to 127.”
Erin nodded, smiling as she shook Jensen’s hand. “Thank you. Nice to meet you, too, Jensen.”
Shawn offered his hand as well. “Hi, umm, I’m Shawn. I, uh, I work on the truck,” he stammered and Jensen tried not to chuckle.
Erin smiled, humor in her brown eyes. “Nice to meet you, Shawn,” she said warmly.
Jeff turned to Shawn. “Larson, why don’t you show Erin around; introduce her to everyone.”
Shawn nodded quickly. “Sure, Cap! No problem!” he eagerly replied, then swept his arm out in front of him, looking at Erin. “Shall we?”
Erin smiled again and Shawn led the way across the apparatus room, pointing out various things along the way. Jensen finally let go of the chuckle he’d been holding in and Jeff laughed and shook his head.
“I have a feeling this is gonna be interesting,” Jeff grinned, turning and walking away, leaving Jensen to finish up with the air tanks.
He’d no more than started back up checking the pressure in the tanks when the front door chimed again.
“It’s like Grand Central Station around here today,” Jensen muttered as he walked over to the door, opening it up. And there on the sidewalk was Sarah Westman.
“Sarah,” Jensen smiled softly. “Please, come in.”
Sarah nodded, stepping inside. “Thank you. Is Jared here?” she asked.
“He’s upstairs. Let me get him for you,” Jensen replied, then quickly jogged up the stairs to the common room.
“Jared,” he called. “Sarah’s downstairs for you.”
Jared looked up from his paperwork, froze for a second, then stood and walked over to Jensen, who squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as they started back down the stairs.
“Sarah, hi,” Jared smiled at the petite woman. “I’m so glad that you came by. I don’t - I don’t even know how to thank you.”
“I should be thanking you,” she answered, her voice soft. “I knew what Carl was doing to me was wrong. I just - I didn’t know what to do, I felt trapped.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was you giving me that list of shelters that made me realize that I didn’t have to be trapped anymore. That there were people out there willing to help me and my son.
“I knew I had to do something right then,” she continued. “To not stop and think about it. So halfway back to my apartment I got Bobby and myself into a cab and went to the closest shelter. They were…amazing,” she smiled. “Kind and understanding. They got Bobby and me a temporary place to stay, told me how to go about getting a restraining order against Carl. They can help me find work, too.”
“Sarah…” Jared reached out, took her small hand in his. “You’re the amazing one for finding the courage to do this. To take that first step.”
Sarah ducked her head and Jensen could see a faint blush on her cheeks when she looked back up.
“I went to your Internal Affairs department next,” she said. “Carl had already tried to destroy my life. I couldn’t let him do it to you, too.”
“That you did that for me…” Jared paused, gestured with his other hand. “I could’ve lost all of this if it wasn’t for you.”
Sarah put her hand on top of Jared’s. “It was the least I could do. We’re going to be okay now, Bobby and I, thanks to you, Jared. You didn’t have to help me like you did and I’ll never forget it.”
Jared bent down and gathered the young woman into a warm hug. “If you ever need anything, you know where to find me.”
Sarah nodded. “Take care, Jared,” she told him sincerely, then with a small wave goodbye she opened the door and was gone.
Jared stood, just staring at the door for a long moment and Jensen stepped up beside him, slipping his hand into Jared’s.
“Cheryl would be damn proud of you,” Jensen said softly, and Jared squeezed his hand and smiled.
~~~~~
Jensen paced restlessly in front of the window in the common room, watching the New York traffic go by. It’d been four hours since the start of shift and not a single call had come in. The butterflies were back in Jensen’s stomach, in anticipation of his first run, and he was ready to jump out of his skin.
“You’re wearing a hole in the floor.”
Jensen stopped his pacing at Tom’s amused voice, and sagged against the window sill.
“All this waiting is driving me crazy,” Jensen told his friend. “I just want to get the first run over with, you know?”
“I remember finding you doing the exact same thing, in this exact same spot five years ago, waiting for your first run on the engine,” Tom smiled.
Jensen chuckled, remembering. “Creature of habit, eh?”
Tom clapped a hand on Jensen’s shoulder. “C’mon and help me get lunch together. It’ll take your mind off the waiting.”
Jensen pushed away from the window sill. “You got it. What are you - “
The rest of Jensen’s question was cut off as the station alarm sounded.
“Squad 127 - man down, possible heart attack. 1521 North 9th Street, cross street Berry. Time out - 12:02.”
Jensen felt his stomach flip. This was it.
Tom slapped him on the back. “Go get ‘em, tiger!”
Jensen laughed and clapped Tom on his chest, then sprinted for the fire pole, sliding down. He met Jared and Alix as the door to Bay One was opening, and the three paramedics headed for the equipment room. Five years of habit had Jensen turning to the left for his jacket, but Jared snagged his sleeve, hooking his thumb to the right.
“Did you forget you’ve got a new one now?” Jared grinned, tossing Jensen his paramedic jacket.
“Ready for this?” Alix asked as Jensen pulled on his new jacket.
Jensen bumped fists with Jared. “Let’s do it.”
~~~~~
The trip was a strange one for Jensen, who for five years had sat backwards in the jump seat on the engine. Now he was in the passenger side of the bus, watching Jared maneuver the vehicle quickly, but carefully, through the New York streets, lights flashing, siren blaring.
The address given turned out to be a restaurant, and a small crowd had gathered out front. As Jensen jumped down from the bus he could see a man laying unmoving on the sidewalk, a younger girl hunched over him. Jensen quickly joined Alix and Jared in gathering their equipment, then the three medics hurried over to the fallen man. The girl, in her early twenties, jumped up, frantic, as they approached, tear tracks on her face.
“Please!” she screamed. “Help him!”
Alix took her by the shoulders as Jensen and Jared pushed through the crowd and kneeled down beside the man.
“Calm down,” Alix told the girl. “Tell me what happened.”
“We - we were walking and my dad suddenly grabbed at his chest,” the girl explained, voice hitching. “Next thing I know he collapsed. He was still talking to me until a minute ago, now I don’t think he’s breathing!”
“We’ll take care of him,” Alix reassured her. “But I need you to stand right here and not get in the way, okay?”
The girl nodded shakily, wiping at her tears and Alix kneeled down beside Jensen and Jared, pulling the radio out of her pocket.
“What’ve we got?” she asked quickly.
Jensen paused for a split second, then his training kicked in, two fingers to the man’s neck, checking for a pulse as Jared opened up the drug box.
Jensen shook his head. “Nothing,” he told Alix, placing his ear next to the man’s nose and mouth, detecting no breathing, either. Then he opened the man’s shirt, laying his head on the man’s chest. “No heartbeat.”
“Bag him and start CPR,” Alix ordered, then called into Mercy to report on their victim’s status.
The intubation tube and bag was suddenly in Jensen’s hands, pressed there by Jared.
“You’ve got this,” Jared told him, voice steady, and Jensen nodded, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. This man’s life was in his hands.
His first run was trial by fire.
With a deep, steadying breath, Jensen positioned himself at the man’s head, tilting it back and opening his mouth. With careful hands he inserted the tube down the man’s throat, being cautious of the vocal cords. At the same time, Jared was attaching the EKG leads to the man’s chest.
“I’m in!” Jensen announced, attaching the bag to the tube, pushing two breaths into the man’s lungs, watching as his chest rose and fell.
“He’s in v-fib!” Jared called out, looking at the EKG monitor.
“Charge the paddles,” Alix instructed Jared, then turned to Jensen. “I’ve got the bag, start compressions.”
Jensen nodded, feeling a sharp spike of adrenaline surge through him, his blood pounding in his ears as he repositioned himself and began the chest compressions, counting out loud. He and Alix had just finished the first cycle when Jensen heard the tone of the defibrillator.
“300!” Jared called out, lifting the paddles from their cradle.
Jensen and Alix leaned back from the man’s body as Jared leaned forward, placing the paddles on the man’s chest.
“Clear!” Jared depressed the buttons and the man’s body jerked on the concrete.
Three heads turned toward the monitor on the EKG machine.
Jared shook his head. “No conversion. Charging again!”
Jensen immediately went back to the chest compressions, silently willing the man’s heart to start beating again. He wasn’t going to lose his first patient. He wasn’t.
Again the tone sounded and Jared tried once more to shock the man’s heart.
“Damn it,” Jared swore. “Flatline!”
“No! Dad!” the young girl cried out, her fear and desperation going straight through Jensen.
Jared went to the drug box, removing a syringe and vial as Jensen started compressions again. “Pushing 1 amp epi!” the younger medic called out, swiftly injecting the drug into the man.
“C’mon, mister, c’mon…” Jensen breathed, looking down at the man, his arms feeling the strain from repeated cycles of CPR.
“Charging 300!”
Just as Jared started to pick the paddles back up, a sound caught the three paramedics’ attention, coming from the EKG machine.
“Stop CPR!” Alix said and Jared’s face broke into a grin. “We’ve got a heartbeat! He’s back in sinus rhythm.”
Jensen sat back on his heels, a slow smile spreading over his face, his own heartbeat starting to slow back down. They’d done it. They’d saved this man’s life.
“No better feeling in the world, eh?” Jared smiled at him.
Jensen wiped a hand across his face, shaking slightly as the adrenaline wore off. “Wow…” he breathed, nodding his head.
“Okay, let’s get him on O2 and ready for transport,” Alix told the two of them. “I’m calling into Mercy to let them know we’re on our way.” She reached over and squeezed Jensen’s arm. “Great job, Jen,” she said proudly.
Jensen let Alix’s praise wash over him. He’d passed his trial by fire.
~~~~~
“Thanks for introducing me to the ER staff,” Jensen said to Jared on their way back to the station from Angel of Mercy. He was riding in the back of the bus this time, talking to Jared through the window as Alix rode in the passenger seat. “Seems like a good group of people.”
Jared nodded, slowing down as he approached the turn onto King Boulevard. “They really are. If you ever have questions about anything - procedures, meds, whatever, don’t hesitate to ask any of them.”
“Good to know. And don’t think I didn’t see that nurse, Christiane, slip you that bag of gummi worms along with the empty syringes and gauze,” Jensen teased.
Jared laughed, expertly backing the ambulance into Bay One. “Hey, I need supplies as well as the bus!”
Jensen just shook his head in amusement and walked to the back of the bus, throwing open the door…and nearly fell as he was jumping down, completely caught off guard. For there, gathered in a group in front of him, was the rest of his crew, applauding wildly at him.
Jensen felt his face heat up as his friends approached, with slaps on the back and handshakes.
“Great job on your first run, Jen,” Daniel congratulated him.
“Heard you did an awesome job, man,” Kyle grinned at him.
Tom slung an arm over his shoulders. “First save on your first run. Damn impressive, Jen.”
Jensen smiled back at everyone and let himself enjoy the moment, because he knew it wouldn’t always be like this, that he wouldn’t be able to save everyone. But for now, he felt like he was on the top of the world.
~~~~~
“So I found this apartment in the paper I think we should go look at,” Jensen told Jared the next afternoon as they were grocery shopping.
“Oh yeah?” Jared replied, surveying the frozen cookie dough choices as Jensen put a gallon of milk in their cart.
“It’s on Franklin,” Jensen continued, placing a carton of eggs carefully in the cart. “Two bedrooms, one bath, hardwood floors, completely renovated, all new appliances. It’s pricey, but with both our salaries we can swing it.”
Jared tossed the chocolate chip cookie dough into the cart. “Sounds good. When do you wanna go?”
Jensen picked up a block of cheddar cheese, then turned to add it to their groceries. “I was thinking maybe - “ Jensen cut himself off as he spied a figure standing stock still at the head of the aisle, staring directly at him.
Eric Donovan.
“Son of a bitch!” Jensen cursed, throwing down the block of cheese and starting off after Eric.
The blonde man disappeared around the corner as soon as he saw Jensen start to approach, and by the time Jensen got to the front of the store, dodging carts and shoppers, Eric was gone.
Jensen pulled out his phone, angrily punching buttons, his jaw clenched.
“Mike? It’s Jensen.”
“Hey, Jen. How are you?”
“Not good, Mike. I just saw Eric Donovan again. He was staring at Jared and me while we were shopping. I thought your detectives were picking him up!”
“Damn it. I’m sorry, Jen. They haven’t been able to find him. After the apartment fire they haven’t been able to get an address on him. Where are you now? I’ll see if I can get someone over there to canvas the area.”
“We’re at Oately’s Market on 10th.”
“Okay, let me go call this in.”
“Alright, thanks, Mike.”
Jensen ended the call and raked a hand through his hair, feeling the first real trickle of fear make its way down his spine.
~~~~~
Early on the morning of their next shift, Jensen finished getting dressed in Jared’s bedroom while the younger man was finishing up in the shower. Jensen was on breakfast duty this morning, so he wanted to leave early to stop at the bakery near the station to pick up bagels and muffins for the crew.
Fastening the last button on his uniform, Jensen stepped into the warm, steam filled bathroom.
“Hey, I’m gonna get going,” Jensen said to Jared, and the shower door slid open.
“Okay,” Jared replied, his wet head popping out from the open door. He leaned forward a bit and captured Jensen’s mouth for a lingering kiss. “I’ll take an onion bagel,” he smiled as they pulled apart.
“I’m the one that’s gotta ride in the bus with you,” Jensen replied, wiping off his wet face with a nearby towel. “So no onion for you,” he finished, snapping the towel at Jared, laughing as the taller man jumped back. “I’ll see you at the station,” Jensen called over his shoulder, heading for the front door.
~~~~~
Sauer’s Bakery was a favorite stop of the FDNY personnel at 127 and 51, and Jensen greeted several guys from the other station when he walked through the door.
“Jensen!”
Jensen grinned as he approached the counter. “Morning, Dom.”
Dominick Sauer leaned a large, muscular arm on the glass. “Lemme guess. You’ve got breakfast duty.”
Jensen chuckled and raised his hands. “Guilty as charged.”
Dominick pushed away from the counter. “Your usual assortment?”
“Yep, sounds good,” Jensen replied, then quickly amended himself. “Oh, put an extra onion one in there, will you?”
“You got it,” Dominick answered, and in just a few minutes a bag of muffins and a bag of bagels and cream cheese were set on the counter.
Jensen gathered the bags in one hand while handing over the money to Dom with the other.
“Stay safe out there today, Jensen,” Dominick told him.
“I will, Dom, thanks,” Jensen smiled as he turned and started walking toward the door.
Distracted by the smell of fresh baked goods, looking into the bags and wondering if he should snatch a piece of blueberry muffin, Jensen didn’t see the man that stepped out from under the awning of the bakery until he was right next to him.
“Hey, Jensen.”
Jensen’s head snapped to the right and he came to a complete standstill. “Eric. Get the hell - “
“Please, Jensen, just give us a chance,” Eric pleaded, grasping Jensen’s arm.
Jensen shoved Eric’s hand away. “Don’t you touch me,” he warned, voice hard.
“You pulled me from that fire! We’re meant to be together!” Eric insisted, eyes wild.
“We’re not!” Jensen exploded, grabbing a fistful of Eric’s shirt, pushing backwards, pinning the man against the wall. “Nothing is going to happen between us! Now keep the hell away from Jared and me.” He pressed his fist harder into Eric’s chest, his voice like steel. “Do you understand me?”
With one final glare into Eric’s glassy eyes, Jensen pushed away from him, striding down the street, his body vibrating with anger. He covered multiple blocks in half the time it normally took him, a specific destination in mind - the 55th precinct.
Mike’s patrol car wasn’t out front yet, so Jensen set the bakery bags down on the sidewalk and paced in front of the station, his hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets. Five minutes later Mike pulled up, and Jensen was up in the bald cop’s face the instant Mike opened his door.
“Tell me how the hell I get a restraining order,” Jensen demanded.
“Whoa, wait, hang on,” Mike said, surprise coloring his features at Jensen’s sudden appearance.
“That son of a bitch is still following me, Mike!” Jensen shouted. “I came out of Sauer’s this morning and he was right there. Told me that we’re meant to be together. I’m ready to snap, Mike. I need a restraining order, something, anything to keep this guy away from me.”
“Okay, slow down,” Mike told him calmly. “Has he threatened you in any way? Said he was going to hurt you? Has he done any damage to your property? Broken into your apartment or anything?”
“What? No, he just keeps following me and I’m afraid that he will do something.”
Mike sighed. “I know this is going to piss you off even more…but you unfortunately don’t have grounds for a restraining order, since he hasn’t done anything violent against you.”
Jensen threw his hands up in disgust. “That’s just great. So he has to try and kill me before I can do anything about it?”
“I’m sorry, Jen, I know it sucks. But we do have stalking laws in this state. We can pick him up for that and - “
Jensen cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand, angry. “Oh yeah, right, because you guys are doing a bang up job of picking him up for suspected arson! Thanks for nothing, Mike,” he spat, grabbing up the bags from Sauer’s and stalking across the street to his own station house, ignoring Mike calling his name.
Jared was down in the apparatus room when Jensen walked in and he looked at his watch as Jensen approached. “Were you helping Dom bake the - “ Jared cut himself off as he took in Jensen’s expression and body language. “Jen? What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Eric was waiting for me outside Sauer’s. Told me that we were meant to be together.”
Jared scrubbed his hands across his face. “Oh my god.”
Jensen nodded, feeling his anger change over into worry. “And I think I may have done something stupid.”
“Why, what did you do?”
“I got up into his face, pushed him up against the wall, told him to keep the hell away from us.”
Jared threw his hands out to the side. “And he damn well deserved it!”
“I know he did! But this guy’s got a history of violence, Jare,” Jensen pointed out. “What if I pissed him off now, provoked him into doing something more than following me? I just…” he trailed off. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
~~~~~
Jensen’s disquiet followed him for the rest of the morning and he kept to himself as much as possible. A run in the early afternoon took his mind off of things temporarily as he helped patch up two homeless men who had gotten into a brawl with each other. But now, on their way back to the station, Jensen was once again preoccupied with thoughts of Eric as he sat in the rear of the bus.
“Squad 127, Squad 51 - multiple injuries. 1800 block of North 5th Street, cross street Driggs. Be advised - shots fired, NYPD is responding. Time out - 13:33.”
All three medics sat up straight at the dispatcher’s voice coming over the radio.
“North 5th,” Alix said to Jensen and Jared from the passenger seat. “Today’s Thursday, right? Isn’t the farmer’s market there today?”
A feeling of dread settled over Jensen as Jared turned on the lights and siren. “Gunshots fired in that crowd? My god…”
~~~~~
Only two blocks away when the call came though, they were the first to arrive on the scene, even before NYPD - the feeling in the air sheer terror and chaos.
The street was lined with apartment buildings on both sides, the stalls for the farmer’s market on the sidewalks out front. The crowd was thick and in the midst of pandemonium - people screaming and running panicked in all directions, and over everything the sound of gunfire could be heard, one shot after another. Jensen, Jared and Alix crouched down alongside the bus as people ran blindly past them.
“Where are the shots coming from?!” Jared yelled.
Jensen shook his head, scanning the apartment buildings. “Too many damn windows, I can’t tell!”
“Where the hell is NYPD?” Alix asked in frustration.
“I’ve got one down!” Jared suddenly called out as the crowd parted in front of them. A young man lay motionless near the middle of the street, a red stain rapidly spreading on his shirt.
“Damn it, I’ve got one, too,” Jensen pointed to the front of one of the stalls where a woman was on the ground, her leg soaked in blood, trying to desperately drag herself to safety.
Jensen and Jared stared hard at one another, silent communication passing between them. They still couldn’t hear any police sirens and two people were in danger of dying in front of them. Jared nodded slowly, and without taking his eyes off of him, Jensen said to Alix, “Get the stretcher ready.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her head whip toward him. “NO! Don’t even think about it -“
Ignoring her protests, Jensen said to Jared, “The woman first,” and then, moving as one, they stood…and ran.
Jensen immediately felt his entire body flood with adrenaline as he and Jared sprinted toward the injured woman, dodging terrified pedestrians and deadly bullets. It seemed to take forever to reach the far side of the street, but finally they were at the woman’s side.
“Help me, please!” she screamed, tear tracks on her face, clutching at Jared’s shirt.
Barely stopping, Jensen hooked his hands under the woman’s armpits and Jared picked up her legs. Lifting together, they stood and began their deadly sprint back toward Alix and the bus. Halfway there Jared suddenly stumbled, nearly taking all three of them to the ground, but he found his footing and continued to run, gunshots still ringing out around them.
Breathless, they reached the stretcher and quickly but carefully placed the woman on it, leaving her to Alix’s care. Then, heart slamming against his ribcage, Jensen turned on his heel, Jared right beside him, and ran back out into the street to the fallen man, people pushing past them trying to escape the sniper. They slid to their knees beside the man just as a bullet struck the ground next to Jensen, sending sharp slivers of concrete cutting into the back of his hand. He instinctively flinched, ducking his head, before scooping the man’s legs up off the ground. Jared hoisted the unconscious man’s shoulders up, and then once again they were running the deadly gauntlet.
To Jensen’s relief he saw 51’s bus arriving on the scene, followed by several NYPD squad cars, police swarming the scene instantly. Alix was yelling to 51’s medics, pointing toward Jensen and Jared as they ran. The other paramedics had their stretcher out instantaneously, motioning Jensen and Jared toward them. A minute later and Jensen and Jared were gratefully laying the man down, their chests heaving from exertion.
“We got him, guys,” one of 51’s medic’s said. “Go catch your breath.”
Jensen and Jared nodded their thanks, their bodies starting to come down from their adrenaline high. It had taken them no more than five minutes to rescue both victims, but it had seemed ten times that long.
Hands on his hips, Jensen took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. “I can’t believe we just did that,” he muttered, glancing over at Jared, who was giving him a lopsided grin, shaking his head. “That was crazy.”
“No argument from me!” Alix yelled over to them.
Jensen grinned and clapped Jared on the shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go see if she needs any help.”
They had taken no more than two steps when Jared suddenly staggered to the side, slumping against 51’s bus.
“Whoa!” Jensen exclaimed, reaching out to grab at Jared’s arm. “You okay?”
Instead of answering, Jared pulled his hand away from where it was wrapped around his side - and it came away bloody.
“Jesus Christ…” Jensen’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly pulled up Jared’s dark blue uniform shirt, knowing without a doubt what he would find underneath it. And there it was - a bullet hole. “God, you’ve been shot.”
Jared’s brow furrowed. “Shot? But I - I didn’t even feel it…” he mumbled, his complexion growing pale, slumping more heavily against 51’s bus.
Jensen remembered Jared stumbling as they ran with the woman. “It was the adrenaline. Alix!” He yelled. “Jared’s been shot!” He pulled Jared’s arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own carefully around Jared’s waist. Jared leaned heavily against him as Jensen guided him over to their own bus, sitting him down in the open back doorway.
“Hurts…” Jared grimaced as Jensen began to swiftly unbutton Jared’s bloody shirt, sliding it down off Jared’s arms.
“I know, Jare, I know…” Jensen replied as Alix stepped up beside him, drug box in hand.
“How bad is it?” she asked worriedly.
“Damned thing tore a hole in his side,” Jensen said tightly, moving to look at Jared’s back, finding an exit wound there amongst the blood. “It’s a through-and-through, thank God.”
Alix was ripping open thick gauze packs, handing them to Jensen, who pressed one tightly to the first wound. Jared twitched and couldn’t quite stifle his pain-filled groan.
“I know, I’m sorry, Jare,” Jensen apologized as he and Alix worked quickly. “We need to get the bleeding stopped.”
“Okay, let’s get him up and onto the bench,” Alix said, taping off the last gauze pad, reaching for one of Jared’s arms as Jensen took the other.
Jared’s eyes squeezed closed and he clenched his teeth against the pain as Jensen and Alix got him up into the bus and laid out on the padded bench that doubled as second stretcher when needed.
Alix jumped down and wheeled the wounded woman over, loading the stretcher inside before slamming the doors closed and hurrying to the driver’s side. In a moment the ambulance was on its way to Mercy, lights and sirens blaring.
Jensen reached a hand over to the woman from where he was sitting on the bench, next to the top of Jared’s head.
“Ma’am? How’re you doing?”
She gave him a small smile and briefly squeezed his hand. “I’m alive, thanks to both of you. You risked your lives to save me. Your partner, though…will he be all right?”
Jensen cast a worried glance down at Jared, laying a hand on the side of his face. The young medic lay with his eyes closed, an arm wrapped protectively across him, his large hand resting over his thickly bandaged wound. He watched as Jared clenched his jaw when the ambulance hit a bump, jostling his injured body. He could see smudges of blood against Jared’s skin and he swallowed thickly. A few inches to the left and the bullet would’ve torn its way through Jared’s internal organs instead of the fleshy part of his side.
As he watched the man he loved bleeding next to him, the dangerous nature of their jobs struck home with Jensen once again. It was the main reason Jensen resisted getting involved with Jared in the first place, after losing Ryan to the job. And that same nightmare could’ve come true today with a madman’s bullet.
As if Jared could sense Jensen’s fear, his eyes fluttered open and he gave Jensen a small reassuring smile, leaning into Jensen’s touch before letting his eyes drift closed again.
“Yeah,” Jensen said softly. “He’s gonna be okay.”
~~~~~
A short time later, Jensen paced restlessly outside the ER room in which Jared was being treated. Doctor Chen was in there with him and he was waiting for her to come out and let him know how Jared was doing. And to Jensen it was taking forever.
“Jen, hey,” Alix walked up next to him, clipboard in hand. “Chen still in there with him?”
Jensen raked a hand through his short hair. “Yeah,” he muttered.
Alix laid a hand on his arm. “He’s gonna be fine, okay?” She waited until Jensen nodded, then continued. “I called Jeff, told him what’s going on with Jared. He gave us permission to stay here at Mercy, but if we get a run over the radio, we gotta go.” She held up the clipboard she was carrying. “I’m gonna go take care of the paperwork on all this down at the nurse’s station. You stay here and wait for Jared.”
Jensen gave her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Alix. I appreciate it.”
She gave his arm a squeeze. “Come get me after you’ve talked to Chen and Jared,” she told him, then walked down the corridor to the nurse’s station.
Alix wasn’t even halfway down the hallway when the door in front of Jensen finally opened and a woman wearing glasses with her black hair pulled back into a pony tail walked out, a stethoscope around her neck.
Jensen immediately took a step forward. “Doc - “
Dr. Chen held up a hand. “He’s fine, Jensen,” she reassured him. “It was a clean wound, right through the muscle. I’ve got him stitched up and he’s resting. I want to keep him here for a few more hours, then you can take him home. Make sure he takes it easy, okay?”
Jensen released a relieved breath. “I will. Thanks, Doc. Can I…?”
Dr. Chen nodded, smiling as she moved out of the doorway. “Sure, go ahead. I’ll check back in a couple hours.”
Jensen stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. In front of him, Jared lay on the bed, looking fragile and tired, and gave him a weak smile as he approached.
“Hey,” Jensen said softly, leaning over to give Jared a gentle kiss, taking hold of his hand. “How’re you feeling?” he asked, taking in Jared’s paler than normal complexion and the white bandages encircling his abdomen.
Jared blew out a weary breath. “Sore.”
“Yeah, you’re gonna be that way for a while. Doc says you’re all patched up, though, and you can go home in a few hours.”
“Good, because dropping off patients here is one thing, but having to stay here sucks,” Jared grinned.
Jensen smiled, then turned serious, squeezing Jared’s hand. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Jared squeezed back. “I know, and I’m sorry. I’m glad you were there, though.” He jostled Jensen’s hand, gave him a crooked grin. “I think with me getting shot and you falling through that roof a few months ago, we’re about even with scaring the hell out of each other. So what do you say we stop?”
Jensen chuckled, grateful to Jared for lightening the mood. “Deal,” he replied, then sealed it with a kiss.
~~~~~
Three hours later, Jensen was pushing Jared, seated in a wheelchair, down the hallway of the ER toward the exit, having finally been released by Dr. Chen.
Together, Jensen and Alix got Jared carefully out of the wheelchair and into the front seat of the bus, and a minute later Alix was driving them toward Jared’s apartment. They pulled up outside his building ten minutes later and Jensen jumped down from the back of the ambulance and hurried over to Jared’s door.
“Okay, c’mon big guy,” he said as Jared reached out and put a hand on his arm to help himself down off the seat with a slight groan.
“You go get him settled,” Alix told Jensen. “I’ll stay here with the bus.”
Jensen nodded. “Be back in a few minutes.”
The walk up to Jared’s third floor apartment was slow and careful, the younger man keeping one arm wrapped around his abdomen, the other draped over Jensen’s shoulder. By the time they reached the third floor landing Jared was wiped out, tipping his head against Jensen’s as they walked into his apartment.
Jensen led them into Jared’s bedroom, where he began to help Jared take off his soiled uniform.
“Let me do the work, okay?” Jensen told Jared as he slipped Jared’s blood-stained shirt off of him, then started unbuckling and unzipping Jared’s pants.
“Wow, do we have time for this?” Jared quipped as Jensen dropped to his knees in front of him.
“Smart ass,” Jensen smiled as he untied Jared’s shoes and helped the injured man step out of them and his pants.
“Okay, into bed,” Jensen told Jared, pulling back the blankets as Jared slowly sat down on the mattress, grimacing slightly as he moved to lay down.
Jensen pulled the blankets up to Jared’s waist, then brushed wayward strands of hair off his forehead as Jared blew out a tired breath.
“Here are your pain pills,” Jensen said, pulling the prescription bottle from his jacket pocket, and placed it on the bedside table, before getting a glass of water from the bathroom.
Jensen kneeled down beside the bed, kissing Jared’s bare shoulder. “Get some rest, okay?” he said quietly. “I’ll be back as soon as shift’s over in the morning. Call me if you need anything.”
Jared nodded, his eyes already starting to slip closed. “Thanks, Jen,” he murmured. “Love you.”
Jensen smiled softly, leaning in to kiss Jared’s forehead. “Love you, too,” he whispered against his skin. “Be back soon.”
~~~~~
Jensen tapped his fingers absently on the door of the cab he was in, on his way to Jared’s apartment from the station house. The rest of the shift had passed agonizingly slowly. Jared had called once, around 10 pm, sounding bored, but more like himself, thankfully. Jensen had passed the phone around to all the guys, who wanted to say hello and see how Jared was feeling, before getting it back and having Jared tell him to bring his bag of gummi worms home. Jensen smiled to himself in the cab as he patted his jacket pocket where the bag of candy rested. If Jared wanted sugar, he was definitely feeling better.
Jensen’s good mood quickly vanished as the cab turned onto Jared’s street. People were running out of Jared’s apartment building, panicked, gray smoke starting to pour out of the front door. Jensen’s heart lodged in his throat and he burst out of the cab before it had completely stopped.
“JARED!” he yelled, glancing wildly around at the group of tenants that were gathered in the middle of the street, not seeing Jared anywhere.
Fear spiking through his veins, Jensen dashed through the front door, pushing past scared tenants trying to get out - none of them Jared. He took the stairs two at a time, the smoke growing ever thicker the higher he went, making it harder to breathe. In moments he was nearly at Jared’s floor, and he could hear the crackle of the flames, his heart pounding with fear, wanting to know why Jared hadn’t yet gotten out of his apartment.
And then, right in front of him, coming down the stairs, was his answer.
Eric Donovan.
For a split second, Jensen’s heart stopped. Then rage like he’d never known took over.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” he screamed through the smoke.
“I took care of it,” Eric smiled maniacally. “He’s gone. Now nothing stands between us! We can be together!” he finished, reaching a hand out to Jensen.
“NO!” Jensen roared, charging up the stairs, refusing to believe Eric’s dire words. Jared wasn’t dead. He wasn’t!
Eric moved, stepping directly in front of him, and Jensen collided with the other man full force, both of them going down in a tangle of limbs on the stairs. Jensen struggled to get to his feet, to get to Jared, but Eric refused to let go, gripping at his clothes with surprising strength.
“Jensen, don’t! He’s gone! You’re meant to be with me!” Eric cried.
“NO!” Jensen yelled, grappling with the other man, their bodies sliding on the stairs.
The smoke was thick and dark now, the sound of the flames drawing nearer as Jensen continued to wrestle with Eric. He could barely breathe, let alone fight, but fear and desperation gave him the strength to finally push away from Eric and scramble to his feet. He managed to get to the top step before Eric slammed into his back, nearly toppling him over. But Jensen caught himself on the railing with one hand, and with his other arm he drove his elbow backwards full force into Eric’s stomach. At the same time he reared up, trying to throw Eric off of his back. He heard Eric cry out, then the pressure against Jensen’s back was gone. Jensen turned in time to see Eric somersault backwards down the entire flight of stairs, his body slamming against the railing and the wall before finally coming to a stop on the landing below, his neck at an unnatural angle, his sightless eyes staring back at Jensen. Jensen spared the crazed stalker only a moment’s glance, feeling absolutely no remorse at his death, before turning and sprinting up the last few stairs.
He burst out into the third floor hallway, the heat from the fire slamming into him instantaneously. It was immediately obvious that Jared’s apartment was the point of origin; his front door was completely consumed by flames, the fire spreading outward along the hallway from there.
Without thinking, without hesitating, his only focus on getting to Jared, Jensen charged through the smoke, his eyes burning from the soot-filled, superheated air, and smashed Jared’s door open with a powerful sideways kick. The flaming door slammed back against the frame, splintering, and Jensen leaped through the ring of fire in the doorway, feeling the flames singe his hair.
A blast of heat to his left had him dropping to his knees as soon as he entered the apartment - the kitchen was a mass of orange and red flames that had started to spread to the living room. Jensen’s eyes darted wildly around the room, searching desperately for Jared through the smoke, but not seeing him.
“Ja - “ he tried to call out the other man’s name, but was overtaken by a fit of coughing, his lungs starting to constrict from his constant inhalation of the thick smoke. He was running out of time.
He turned to his right, crawling down the hallway that led to the bathroom and Jared’s bedroom, where the fire had not yet reached. And there - through the smoke, was a large shape lying unmoving on the floor.
Jared.
He was laying half in and half out of the bathroom, dressed only in his boxers, a bloody gash on his forehead.
Jensen’s heart slammed against his chest as he desperately felt for a pulse, terrified that he was too late. But no - there it was. Faint and weak, but Jared was alive. Jensen closed his eyes in relief, sending up a silent prayer of thanks.
But they weren’t out of danger yet. With the fire now starting to spread down the hallway, there was no way for Jensen to get Jared out the front door. They needed another way out, and fast. Standing up, Jensen grasped Jared’s wrists and dragged the unconscious man away from the fire, into his bedroom. Jensen slammed the door behind them, then grabbed the comforter off the bed and stuffed it against the crack at the bottom of the door, trying to keep out as much smoke as possible.
Jensen stumbled as he turned to get back to Jared’s side, his vision swimming, and fell heavily to the floor in a fit of coughing so harsh it shook his entire body. He was starting to succumb to the smoke inhalation, his body beginning to shut down from lack of oxygen.
In desperate need of fresh air, Jensen dragged himself across the floor to the bedroom window, fighting to stay conscious, refusing to die alongside Jared in this fiery hellhole created by a madman. In a burst of strength, Jensen pushed up on the window and it opened, the smoke streaming out as fresh air rushed in. Jensen hung his upper body over the windowsill, eyes closed, trying to draw in deep breaths of the clean air between his coughs. Opening his eyes a moment later, he saw that several engine companies had now responded and were on scene.
Dropping back down onto the floor, Jensen crawled over to Jared, who was still unconscious.
“Jared,” Jensen rasped, his hand on Jared’s shoulder, shaking it. “Jare, c’mon, wake up…” But there was no response from the younger man.
Before Jensen could try again to revive Jared, an explosion rocked the apartment, coming from the direction of the kitchen. A ball of fire slammed into the closed bedroom door, igniting not only it, but the comforter on the floor as well.
They were out of time.
With Jensen’s last remaining strength, he hauled Jared’s body up off the floor and over to the open window, where the fire escape waited. Jared’s body was dead weight and Jensen struggled to pull the taller, heavier man over the windowsill. With a last great push, Jared’s legs were finally over the sill, just as Jensen’s knees gave out and both men collapsed down onto the metal landing of the fire escape. Jensen was wheezing, trying to pull air into his abused lungs, seeing his vision start to go dark at the edges. But they weren’t safe yet, he had to get them down…he had to…
Suddenly, helping hands were there, grasping Jensen’s shoulders, sitting him up. Jensen blinked, struggling to focus on the person in front of him clad in FDNY gear, the familiar 127 on the helmet. It was Ray Ellison from B shift, with Ken Williams clambering up the fire escape right behind him.
“Jensen?” Ray’s eyes went wide behind his air mask, taking in Jared’s still form as well. “Oh my god…”
Jensen reached a hand out toward Jared. “Help him…” he rasped.
“It’s okay,” Ray reassured him. “We’ve got you both. Ken! Get Jared, he’s unconscious. I’ve got Jensen.”
In a moment Ken had Jared’s body draped over his shoulder and was starting to climb back down the fire escape, with Ray and Jensen following. Jensen leaned heavily against Ray, wearing his air mask, pulling in precious clean oxygen as Ray helped him down with an arm around his waist.
The medics from 127’s B shift - Allison Brady and Tyler Hanson - were waiting at the bottom of the fire escape, and Ken quickly got Jared on the stretcher, while Ray led Jensen over to the bus, and helped Jensen remove the air mask as Allison took over.
“Jared…” Jensen wheezed, trying to take a step toward the stretcher, but Allison held him back, slipping an oxygen mask over his face.
“Tyler’s got him, Jensen,” Allison assured him, gently grasping Jensen’s arm. “Now c’mon and get in the bus and we’ll get you both to Mercy.”
Jensen let Allison help him up into the ambulance and sat him down on the bench as Tyler loaded the stretcher carrying Jared inside the bus.
“Pulse is weak and thready,” Tyler told Allison quickly. “BP is 90 over 70. Possible concussion. Decreased breath sounds. Get him on O2, stat. His stitches have come open, too,” Tyler finished, closing the back doors and jogging to the driver’s side.
As Tyler turned on the lights and sirens, Allison went into action, getting Jared on oxygen, checking his pupil response with her pen light, and listening to his breath sounds with her stethoscope before unwrapping Jared’s bloody bandages, and replaced them with fresh gauze pads.
And all Jensen could do was watch, helpless, scared to death that Jared may never wake up.
~~~~~
Continue on to Part 3b...