Room Enough to Love - 8/? - J2 - Mpreg

[angels3]

Title: Room Enough For Love
Rating: NC17
Author:
angels3
Beta:
munibunny
Word Count: 7290/37,288
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I have no claim to them.
Warnings: mpreg, talk of past abuse for center residents

Summary: Jensen and Jared have everything they've ever wanted. They have thier friends, family a beautiful daughter and twins on the way. Will an unforseen situation ruin all that or will they find they have more than they ever thought they did to give. **sequel to An Unexpected Love**



Picture Bio

Chapter Index :  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 9

Jensen woke to quiet chatter coming from the mobile that they kept in Avery's room. He rolled over and stretched, taking up the entire bed in Jared's absence. His husband had left around seven, so he could be at the studio before everyone else started showing up.

He glanced at the clock and groaned, not understanding why little kids couldn't sleep past eight o'clock. Jensen gathered from the conversation going on in his daughter's room, that Avery and Xavier were debating the merits of waking Brayden up to the play with them. He rolled out of bed and grabbed the sweats and t-shirt he always kept on the chair in case of emergencies.

Jensen got dressed as quickly as possible and barely managed to head off the younger kids blitz attack on their unsuspecting victim.

"Hey guys, how about you let Brayden sleep in this morning. I bet it's been a long time since she's gotten to." He said.

Avery bit her lip thinking it over, finally nodding when Xavier agreed reluctantly.

"Come on, we'll go downstairs and find you some cartoons to watch while I see about getting breakfast ready."

Twenty minutes later, Jensen had the two youngest settled and was in the process of pulling out everything he'd need when a soft voice behind him nearly gave him a heart attack. Brayden was hovering in the doorway, waiting for an answer to her offer of help.

Jensen smiled, and motioned the little girl forward. "If you'd like. You don't want to watch cartoons? " He asked, laughing when Brayden made a face.

"Not fond of Spongebob?"

"Not really," she answered, taking the plates he handed her, and setting the table. They worked in easy silence for several more minutes until everything was ready. They were halfway through breakfast before Jensen decided to broach the subject of going to see the doctor.

Brayden seemed resigned, but Xavier’s bottom lip quivered. "Will I have to get a shot?" the little boy asked.

"I don't know Xavier. I don't think so, but I'm not sure," Jensen answered honestly, he didn't think any doctor would chance it without the kids medical histories, but he wasn't going to lie to them either, even if it wasn't on purpose.

Avery tugged at his sleeve, "I'll hold your hand. Daddy holds mine when I have to get a shot."

Xavier sighed, "okay."

"I thought we might do a little shopping before we went, though." Jensen offered, hoping to cheer the little boy up some.

"Really?" Xavier asked, perking up a little.

"Yep, I figured you might like to get some more clothes and maybe some things of your own to play with."

"Daddy, can me and Xa pick out some more books for you and Papa to read us?"

Jensen smiled at the shortened version of the little boy's name. Avery's pronunciation came out more of a za or sa than xa, but it was apparently fine with Xavier since the boy smiled and nodded when Avery looked over at him.

"I think we can arrange that." Jensen didn't bother telling them it had already been on his list of things to do. If they were already plotting together then things were going a lot smoother than even he had hoped.

He sent them all upstairs to change while he cleaned up the kitchen, thanking Jared's foresight in laying out their daughter's clothes. She usually wanted to pick them out herself, which in most cases was fine. Today, though, they'd be in and out of stores all day, and he preferred her not to look like a rag-a-muffin in mismatched clothes.

When Jensen had washed Brayden and Xavier's clothes, he'd checked the sizes. Some had been almost impossible to read, but he thought he'd gotten a pretty accurate list. He smiled to himself as at least two of the kids came thundering down the stairs.

While they pulled on their coats, Jensen took a moment to see who was outgrowing what. Both Xavier and Brayden would need to go up a size in tops and bottoms, and both their coats were too small and on the ragged side of used. Avery had shot up at least another inch, leaving a gap between her shoes and the bottom of her jeans.

He sighed to himself. Their baby wasn't going to stay that way long, and it made him sad at losing that version of his daughter even as he looked forward to the next phase of her growing up.

"All right, everybody out. Let's get this bus rolling!"

"We're not riding in a bus," Avery pointed out, giggling as they made their way down the garage steps.

"Nope, but we might soon have to get one," Jensen answered, ruffling Xavier's hair as he climbed into the SUV.

Jensen was exhausted. Jared had been right about it being a lot to do, especially on his own, but he couldn't stand the thought of Brayden and Xavier needing things and not having them. Besides, being tired every once in a while wasn't going to hurt him or the babies. Jensen knew once he got to the center, they'd have him propped up in a chair refusing to let him do anything.

Their first stop had been to a couple of Jensen's favorite spots to purchase kids’ clothes. He had no illusions that once toys became involved he'd have no control, so clothes and shoes came first. The sales associates hadn't even blinked when he'd walked in trailed by three kids, instead of just Avery.

Over the course of the next two hours, everyone had been outfitted in clothes that fit. Jensen wasn't sure if he'd ever get the little boy out of the Batman shirt he'd decided to keep wearing, but it was worth seeing the big smile on his face. Jensen had to admit he'd been relieved when one of the associates had disappeared into the undergarment section with Brayden.

They reappeared weighed down with what looked like the whole department. Brayden looked decidedly uncomfortable and worried. Jensen just tugged on the end of her pony tail and asked if she'd gotten everything she needed. She'd given him a quick, shy smile and nodded. He'd been prepared to take care of it himself, it's not like he didn't buy Avery's, but there was a large difference in a little girl and one that was closing in on thirteen.

He'd have to make sure Sophia was available next time, because he didn't want Brayden to be too embarrassed to get what she needed or ask important questions. Of course, he still had to tell his best friend that they'd been able to get the kids off the streets, and about the possibility that they'd be adopting them. That was sure to be a fun conversation, since he'd have to come clean about going to the gallery alone.

The shoe store wasn't quite as difficult as the clothes shopping. Jensen was able to sit in one of the thick, cushy chairs while the kids picked out the different styles of shoes he'd told them to look for. They seemed to have fun showing them the ones they liked and asking his opinion, especially when it was a particularly hideous color scheme. It didn't take him long to realize they didn't really like them, they just wanted to see him make faces.

Avery only wanted a couple of pair of flip flops. They had them stocked all over the place, even though no one would be wearing them for at least another couple of months. Jensen knew that they went through a ridiculous amount of them since they all seemed to tear up in a couple of weeks. She was content to follow the other two around and suggest colors, some of which made Xavier cringe and Brayden laugh.

Brayden and Xavier were both looking for two pair of tennis shoes, a pair of dress shoes, boots if they liked them and their own pairs of flip flops. The salesperson was more than happy to assist, and disappeared into the back several times to find the correct sizes. Thankfully, they were done in under an hour and on the way to the toy store.

Jensen had thought about stopping for food first, but Ellen knew they were coming by to see the doctor, and had called to tell him that they'd have plenty of food for them. He figured if he got the shopping out of the way all at once he'd have plenty of time to rest while he was at the center before making the trip home. He sincerely hoped Jared would be there to unload the SUV because he just didn't think he had it in him.

In the toy store, Jensen made sure everyone knew they had to stay together. They'd get to everyone's age section eventually, but they'd have to be patient when it wasn't their turn. Avery didn't really need any more toys, but Jensen let her pick out one just so she wouldn't feel left out. It ended up being a joint toy because she wanted Xavier to help her build a Lego castle.

Brayden stuck to the craft aisle, and after asking Jensen how many things she could get five times, he finally told her to get whatever she wanted. Probably not his wisest choice when kids and toys were involved, but he wanted them to have fun, not worry. Xavier settled on a set of building blocks, a couple of stuffed animals, batman action figures with multiple villains he could defeat, and some art supplies to get him started.

Jensen promised to take him to the big kid art store later. Brayden chose several craft kits, a stuffed penguin, and several packs of colorful pens and markers. A sketchbook and some journals rounded out her selections. The book section was where his credit card took the real beating, because the kids clearly held off on the toys. They had no such limits when it came to books. Jensen couldn't help but smile as the three of them became engrossed in the world of make believe and fantasy.

He starting making a plan to convert one of the other corners in the library room to a more grown up reading nook for Brayden. Jensen sat in one of the cushy chairs and let them stack their piles as high as they wanted, only vetoing books that Avery already had. Brayden attempted to put some back when she realized just how many they had pulled, but Jensen assured her it was fine.

Jensen made sure to tip the clerk that had helped him get all of their purchases not only to the register, but to the car, and made a mental note to send in a thank you note. It had taken a little longer to get finished than he thought, but it was probably better that they didn't show up in the middle of lunch anyway. The kids would be overwhelmed by the noise and activity, and they were already nervous about the doctor’s appointment.

"Well, I think we're all shopped out for today. We get anything else, someone's going to have to ride on the roof," he joked. The answering giggles were all he needed to help alleviate the exhaustion weighing his body down.

Jared had spent the morning resisting the urge to call his husband. He'd kept his phone beside him, though, in case Jensen needed him. Chad had gotten to the office only a couple of hours later than usual, but he had several ultrasound pictures that he was showing anyone who stood still more than a second.

Jared smiled at the first time father's excitment, remembering how it had felt. He'd thought that the second time around would feel different, maybe a little less butterflies in the stomach, and a little more muted expectation. He'd been happy to realize that wasn't the case, he was just as excited marking all the pregnancy milestones this time as he'd been with Avery.

"All right. What's going on?" Chad demanded.

"What do you mean?" Jared asked, tearing his eyes off his silent phone, and focusing on his friend.

"I mean the fact that your face is all scowly and you've barely shifted your eyes off your phone." Chad pushed off the door frame he'd been leaning against and entered the office. "Is something wrong with Jensen?" He asked, leaning forward in the chair he'd just relaxed into.

"Other than wearing himself out?" "Not as far as I know." Jared sighed heavily, rubbing his hand across his eyes. The last two days had been draining, between the long hours at work and navigating the emotional and legal landmines that came with integrating new family members with old.

"That's not why you look like you're contemplating becoming one with your phone. What else is going on?" Chad settled back in the chair and prepared to wait Jared out for as long as it took. Fortunately, his friend had been stewing for some time and needed to release the pressure he'd been under.

"Jensen caught the kids at the gallery night before last."

"That's great!" Chad exclaimed, leaning forward again. "Is that not great?"

"Yeah it is, one less thing for us to stress about," Jared agreed.

"Okay...Wait a minute! Did you say Jensen caught the kids!?"

"Yes," Jared sighed, going on to explain what had been happening for the last couple of days.

"So you're going to adopt them?" Chad asked slowly.

"Foster right now, but adoption is the end game," Jared acknowledged.

"Are you sure about this? I mean really sure? Don't get me wrong I think it's great, but you're about to have your hands full with twins. Are you sure you can handle quads?"

"It's not going to be easy, Chad, I know that. We know that. At least two of them don't require hourly diaper changes and three a.m. feedings," Jared teased.

"Seriously, Jared. How are you going to handle going from one kid to five kids?

"We'll figure it out, Chad. We have a few months before the babies come. We should have a routine by then."

"So what are they like? How long have they been on their own, and better yet why are they on their own?" Chad asked.

Jared grinned at his friend’s rapid fire questions. The man could switch gears faster than a race car driver. Chad's easy acceptance of Jensen and his decision to adopt Brayden and Xavier helped relax some of the knots in Jared's stomach.

"It looks like at least six months maybe longer, we're waiting for the social worker to get the paperwork from their home town. Their parents died in an accident is all we really know at the moment, again waiting on the paperwork. The little girl is Brayden, she's eleven, and her brother is six and his name is Xavier."

"Jesus! They're just babies." Chad sighed. "How's Avery doing with everything? I'm assuming you've already introduced them?"

"Did that yesterday. It went surprisingly well. I think she's happy to have some playmates, but I'm not sure what's going to crop up down the road," Jared admitted.

"I bet she'll be fine, she's a great kid. Besides, she's got Jensen's heart, no way she'd deny them love."

"That's exactly what I said," Jared agreed, smiling.

"So why don't you tell me why you're still giving your phone the death glare," Chad asked, putting the ultra sound pictures in Jared's outstretched hand.

Jared stalled as he looked through the pictures. "You know, the 3-D pictures are cool, but they're a little creepy too. I can see he's going to have your lips, pity too, Sophia's are prettier," Jared mused.

"Hey! I have a purty mouth, and don't you forget it!" Chad defended.

"Yeah, and now I hear banjos," Jared answered, grinning as he handed the pictures back to Chad.

Chad scoffed and waited for Jared to tell him what was going on. His friend could be decidedly stubborn if he wanted to be.

Jared leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Jensen took the kids shopping today. I wanted him to wait until I could go with him, because I knew it was going to be too much on him. He just couldn't stand them not having things they needed and was determined that they have something they wanted too."

Chad contemplated what his own reaction would be if he was in their situation. "I can see where Jensen's coming from, I'd probably do the same thing. I can't imagine the baby needing something and not getting it as soon as I could."

"I know, and I understand it, I just wish he didn't have to do it by himself. I know he's spent all morning shopping and he's still got their doctor’s appointment at the center this afternoon."

"So why didn't you go? I could have skipped this appointment, or you could have called in and told them what to get started on until I got here. You didn't have to come in," Chad pointed out.

"I didn't feel like we could get behind. We're both going to be taking extended time off soon, and on top of that, I know Jensen and I are going to have some legal meetings to attend that's going to keep me out of the office more than I anticipated. I don't want you to have to do everything and not be able to be there for Sophia," Jared explained.

"Bull shit, you know there's plenty of people that can keep this place running even if both of us aren't here, and you're not that much of a control freak." Chad paused. "Okay, you are that much of a control freak, but not at the expense of Jensen overdoing it, so what's the real issue."

"Honestly, that is the real issue, and I felt like Jensen needed the time to bond with them," Jared acknowledged. "He's already connected with them, but I know he's not going to be able to offer them his full attention like he'd like to because he's not going to be physically able to do the things he wants to with them. You know how hard on himself he gets when he realizes he can't do it all."

Chad nodded, he was aware, and it was a continual source of frustration for everyone that loved the man. "Well, I'm here now. Why don't you call him and find out where he is. You can meet him and help him finish up his day without it looking too suspicious."

Jared glanced at his phone again, noting the time. It was pretty close to lunch and he knew the kids appointments were at 1:30. "I think I'll just head over to the center. We decided it would probably be better if Brayden saw a female pediatrician at her age, especially since we're not sure if anything happened while they were on their own. Lindsey was supposed to be there today, and since we couldn't get an appointment with Avery's until later in the week we figured this was the best option."

"Do you think something happened?" Chad asked, horrified at the possibility, but knowing it certainly wouldn't be unheard of.

"She's not skittish like I'd expect especially with us both being men, but then we've kept our interactions as far as touching as few and unthreatening as possible. I'm hoping Lindsey can give us some answers today, maybe take another worry off our plates."

"All right then, give me a call later on and tell me what's going on. Stay home tomorrow if you need to. I'm going to be here most of the day anyway. I'll fill Sophia in and let her know that Jensen isn't going to be in any shape to talk tonight, she'll just have to vent to me until she can talk to him tomorrow." Chad stood and waited for Jared to do the same. "Go on and get out of here, go take care of your family."

Jared smiled. It hadn't been too long ago that he never thought he'd have that, and now he couldn't imagine his life without them. Brayden and Xavier had only been with them for two days, but Jared already felt they were part of the family, and he was sure that connection would only strengthen over time.

"Yeah, I'll do that," Jared agreed, grabbing his phone and throwing his coat on as he headed out the door.

Jason watched as the doctors checked Steven's chart, going over his vitals and his progress through the night. Dr. Monroe seemed to be happy with how he'd weathered the first several hours and was guardedly optimistic for a full recovery. Dr. Phillips was also happy with the results of the night and thought that, after some physical therapy, there shouldn't be any lasting issues.

They were going to start reducing some of the medications so that hopefully in the next few hours he'd be conscious enough that they could do some of the tests that they needed to measure if there were any negative neurological affects to the beating he'd sustained. Jason had just settled back in the recliner when there was a light tap on the door and it was pushed open slowly.

He was expecting either another nurse or one of the guys from the center, when it was neither he stood quickly, all his muscles tensed for a fight. The man was in his early fifties with graying hair and mustache. Jason thought it might have been red at some point. He stood just under six foot with a stocky build, but the thing that kept Jason's attention was the gun he could tell was under the man's jacket in a shoulder holster.

The man held up his hand in the universal wait gesture. "I'm Detective Jim Beaver, son. If you'll give me a second before you try to rip my head off I'll show you my ID."

Jim watched the kid’s eyes flick to the pocket he was gesturing to and back up to meet his eyes. He could see the calculations going on as to whether or not he could be trusted. Jim let out a quiet breath when he got a slight nod, and he slowly reached in to grab his credentials while keeping his jacket open so his gun was visible.

He held out his badge and waited for the other man to take it. While his ID was being inspected, he catalogued the man in front of him. His build was slender, but Jim was sure that worked to his advantage more often than not. People tended to underestimate the coiled strength that wasn't always apparent in favor of the huge muscles and large build. He'd already seen the man's reaction time, and the intelligence running quicksilver across the kid’s face, and Jim would bet his pension that he was ex-military, probably special forces.

The question was, what was his connection to the boy in the bed? He already knew the basics since he'd picked up the report at the station before making his way to the hospital. The staff had been kind enough to warn him about the boy's bodyguard before he stepped into the snake pit because he had no doubt if he'd walked in like he normally did he'd have gotten bit.

"He's not been conscious at all since I found him."

Jim was pulled from his assessment to find the man holding out his badge, watching him with a small amount of amusement. He reached out, took his badge, and slid it back in his pocket as he held out his other to shake the one being offered.

"Jason Dohring, "

Jim took a seat and waited for Jason to reclaim his in the recliner. He could tell the kid hadn't gotten a hell of a lot of sleep in the past two days, but something told him it was going to be even longer before he let himself remedy that.

"Yeah, I talked to the doctors before I came in. How about you tell me what happened, and we'll get that part out of the way. Maybe we can get some answers before he," Jim nodded at the boy in the bed, "has to dredge up a really bad time."

Jason nodded, glancing over at the bed. He took his time, making sure to go over every aspect of what he could remember. He used the techniques the military had trained him in, and used on him to reconnect with the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of the time surrounding his discovery of the boy, and everything that happened after.

Jim was impressed with Jason's recall. He was just finishing up with his follow-up questions when there was a tap on the door, and a man in a white coat pushed it open and stepped in. Jim glanced over at Jason, but it was obvious he knew the doctor in question.

"Jake?" Jason acknowledged, the man.

"Hey, Dr. Phillips said you were still in here," Jake answered the unspoken question. He took a moment to introduce himself to the detective before explaining his presence.

"We just got the results back from his MRI, and there were some things I thought you both should know about."

"I thought the doctors already had that?" Jason asked, straightening from his slouch.

"They did, but they were only looking at the injuries that needed to be treated at that moment. Once they had time to go over the films, they were able to look at the older injuries Steven has."

"What kind of older injuries?" The detective asked before Jason got the chance.

Jake sighed, dragging his fingers through his hair in frustration. "This kid’s been abused his whole life, we can't tell you exactly when, but they can tell you roughly how long they've been there."

"So it's probably a family member, not a partner or a random attack," Jim mused.

"No, it would have definitely had to be someone that had daily contact with him." Jake picked up Steven's chart and read over the reduction in medicine, then took a look at his vitals. "He's probably going to start waking up in about an hour, he's more in a deep sleep now than he's medicated. The pain's going to be what brings him out of it."

Jason nodded grimly. He'd been injured enough times to know that the pain was always the first thing you felt after a traumatic injury. It's the body’s way of letting you know you lived through it, and the doctor’s way of making sure you'd return to waking so they could check your cognitive abilities. He didn't like it at all, but he understood that was what had to happen.

"Do the old injuries look like they were treated?" Jim asked, hoping that he'd be able to get past medical records so the DA could start building a case.

"It's hard to tell, some of them are old enough that he'd been really young. Those tend to heal pretty quickly. If they weren't treated then he's been lucky in that respect, the vast majority of them healed well. There aren't any that are going to require rebreak, and the ones that healed a little wonky aren't in areas that would affect his movements."

"Jesus Christ, Jake! How many breaks has he had?" Jason growled, ignoring the look the detective shot him that made it clear everyone knew just how furious he was.

"He's had spiral fractures to both arms, one of his legs suffered a break. I'm pretty sure every rib has been broken at various points in his life. His collarbone and there's some hairline fractures around the eye sockets, but those are hard to make out over the most recent traumas. Doctor Monroe said he'd have a write up and records for you, Detective, by the end of the week. He wants to wait and see what he needs to add to his report after Steven wakes up."

"Steven's awake."

"Who are you?" a weak, slurred voice asked from the bed.

Jared pulled up beside Jensen's SUV and hopped out, taking a quick look into the back window. He had no idea how his husband had fit the amount of boxes, bags and who knew what else in the back. He hoped someone else had done the heavy lifting or he was going to be even more upset that he hadn't blown off work and gone with them.

Steve met him as he walked in the door. "He's up in the family playroom, with the kids."

"Did he eat?" Jared asked as they headed up the stairs.

"Yeah, he got here about an hour ago. Ellen took one look at him and bustled them all into the kitchen. Then she sent them upstairs so the kids could play and he'd rest. What the heck was he doing all day?"

"He took the kids shopping before he came for their appointment with Leslie and Jake," Jared explained.

"You let him take them alone?" Steve's voice rose in his exasperation.

Jared just looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

Steve let out a frustrated breath. "Yeah, yeah, I know you don't LET Jensen do anything, he does what he feels is right. Sorry."

"No, I get it, I'm kicking myself in the ass for not just saying fuck it and going with him. I just thought about all the extra time we were going to be spending in court and didn't want to get too far behind at work. That doesn't make a damn in the long run because Jensen and the kids come first," Jared acknowledged.

"Yeah, but I know you always put them first. It's just hard to let go of looking after him, we've been doing it for so long."

Jared understood completely. Jensen just inspired love, and protective instincts. More often than not, his husband was gracious in his acceptance of everyone's overprotectiveness, but sometimes he didn't appreciate it when it got in the way of something he thought was more important.

Steve left him at the end of the hall to take care of the many issues running such a large center seemed to have in never ending supply. Jared made his way to the doorway of the playroom and just stood there, watching his family. Brayden was curled up in a chair, engrossed in a book, while Xavier and Avery were being entertained with the escapades of Nemo.

Brayden glanced up and noticed Jared in the doorway and put her finger to her lips, looking over at Jensen. His husband was lying on the couch with Avery's blanket draped across his chest and stomach, completely out. Jared smiled at her and moved further into the room, alerting the other two children he was there. Avery looked up and smiled at him, but Xavier stood up and pulled at his pants leg until he bent down.

"We're being quiet so Avery's daddy can sleep," He whispered.

Jared ran his fingers through the little boys hair. "You're doing a very good job. Why don't you go finish the movie and I'll just sit down here with Jensen until he wakes up."

Xavier smiled and nodded before running back to his spot beside Avery. Jared sat down on the floor next to the couch and pushed Jensen's hair off his forehead, leaning in to place a gentle kiss in its place.

Twenty minutes later, Jared watched his husband slowly wake up from his unplanned nap. He blinked his eyes open, looking around quickly to check the locations of all the kids and came face to face with Jared, and frowned.

"Did Chris call you?" Jensen grumbled, struggling to sit up.

"No, Chris did not call and tattle tale on you. Chad got to the office and I was worried so I came to finish the day with you. Don't frown at me, it's my right to worry, just like it's yours to worry about me," Jared told him softly as he helped Jensen sit upright.

Brayden had been watching the exchange, and snickered at the disgruntled look on Jensen's face, but outright giggled when he stuck his tongue out at her. Jared smiled at the display of complete normalcy and laughed himself when Leslie appeared in the doorway and Brayden groaned at the sight of pediatrician.

"What's that for? I've not even stuck you with anything yet," Leslie pouted.

"But you're a doctor and there's a yet part." Brayden came close to whining.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean every time you see me I'm going to stick you," the doctor wheedled.

"Not what I remember," Brayden grumbled, making them all laugh.

Xavier had been listening to the conversation and slowly approached Leslie, looking her over carefully. "Why would you stick my sister?"

Leslie knelt down so she was closer to the little boy's level. "I don't usually have to stick people. We only do it when someone is really sick, or to keep them from getting really sick. There won't be any sticking done today, though, so it won't be so bad."

Xavier thought it over for a few seconds before he nodded and held out his hand. "Okay."

Leslie stood up and took his hand before glancing over at Jensen and Jared. "Did you want to come in with us?"

"Yeah, I'll go," Jared answered, looking over at his husband who was still trying to gather himself after his nap.

Jensen looked over at Xavier and then Jared before he nodded. He really wanted to be in there with them, but someone had to keep an eye on Avery, and he needed to find out if Brayden wanted company for her visit or not. He'd been trying to figure out how to broach the subject all day.

Avery had climbed up on the couch at some point during the conversation with Leslie and drifted of to sleep, exhausted from a morning out, and no nap. It left him the one on one time he needed to talk to Brayden.

"Hey," Jensen said gently to catch Brayden's attention. "Do you want me to go back with you when you have to see Leslie?"

The little girl’s forehead creased as she thought about it. He moved the blanket that was still draped over his stomach and covered Avery up with it while he waited patiently, letting her think through her options.

"Will I have to change?" Brayden asked.

"I"m not sure, but if you want me to go back with you, I can go out until you're ready for me to come back in," Jensen offered.

"Okay, we can do that," Brayden agreed. "I really don't like going to the doctor."

"I understand completely. I'm not too fond of it myself," Jensen confided.

"I bet you have to go a lot," She said, glancing down at his stomach.

Jensen smiled, rubbing his hand over the swell that had started to expand. "Yeah, but it's all worth it in the end."

Brayden nodded, but didn't look entirely convinced. She decided to pass the time by retreating into her book to keep her mind off the coming visit. Jensen couldn't help but let out a small sigh of contentment as he waited for Jared and Xavier to return.

Jared took a seat in the chair next to Xavier while Leslie typed in the information to start a new chart. "Do you and Jake do the charts too?"

"Right now we do. We're working with Allison and one of the new counselors, Felicia, to show them how to keep the records. Eventually, we're hoping to have a mini staff here that will maintain the charting and appointments that need to be set up with all the residents, and the flow through clients that come in. It's great training for anyone that wants to get into the medical administration field, sort of like an internship," She explained as she finished entering the little bit she had on Xavier from the paperwork Jensen had filled out.

"Okay, Xavier, we're going to see how much you weigh and how tall you are."

The boy jumped up and kicked his shoes off before sliding across the floor to join her at the scales. He stood still while they waited for the numbers to stop jumping around, and then he followed the doctor to the height chart.

"Well, you weigh 45 pounds and you're 3' 6 1/2 inches tall, " She told them both as she helped Xavier climb the steps so he could sit up on the table, sitting still while she checked his temperature and his blood pressure.

Leslie asked Xavier questions about his and Brayden's time by themselves as she checked his ears, eyes and throat. He giggled through her examination of his stomach, sides and neck, but answered all of her questions in the matter of fact way of a six year old. Xavier was fascinated with the uncontrollable jerk his legs did when Leslie checked his reflexes, and listened intently to her explanation of why it happened.

The physical didn't take long, and they were walking down the hall, Xavier sucking on a purple lollipop and carrying an orange one for Avery after he asked Jared what kind she liked. He was going to get Brayden one, but decided she'd probably like to pick her own after her appointment.

Jared stalled when he entered the room because he didn't really know how to ask Brayden if she wanted company at her visit, but Jensen must have seen the panic on his face.

"We've got it figured out?" Jensen said, as he wiggled his fingers with his arms out, his sign for needing help off the couch.

Jared reached out and helped him slide to the edge and held on while his husband found his balance. "Great. I'll just hang out here with Xavier, and Sleeping Beauty, he nodded at Avery."

Xavier giggled and carefully crawled up on the couch to sit beside Jared, who had picked up the remote and backed the movie up to where the little boy had left.

Jensen and Brayden made their way down the hall, the little girl dragging her feet the whole way.

"I don't think it's going to be that bad," Jensen consoled her.

Brayden looked over at him with an unconvinced frown, but didn't comment.

Leslie followed the same routine, asking Brayden questions as she worked her way through the physical examination. When she was finished, she stood back and looked the little girl over.

"Xavier is in great shape for someone that's not had a stable environment for awhile. You did a great job taking care of your brother."

Brayden blushed and ducked her head.

"I'm going to ask you a couple of questions that might make you uncomfortable so if you'd like Jensen to step out you need to let us know okay?" Leslie offered gently.

"It's okay." Brayden answered, swallowing nervously.

"Did anything bad happen while you were on your own?" Leslie asked, trying to ease her way into what might be a landmine.

"Bad?" Brayden asked, confused.

"Did anyone hurt you while you were hiding out?" Leslie clarified.

"Oh." Brayden still looked a little unsure. "No...there was this guy at a truck stop."

Jensen tried really hard not to shift in his seat or make a sound. He didn't want to distract Brayden or make her feel like there was a right or wrong answer. It was killing him inside to think someone had taken advantage of a child.

"Did this guy do something he shouldn't or make you feel uncomfortable?" Leslie asked.

"No...he just scared me. Xavier had to use the bathroom, and we usually waited until there weren't so many people around at the places we went to. He kept watching us, and when we got ready to leave he followed us out."

"Did he talk to you?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah he tried to and then he tried to grab my arm, but we ran. He was older, so we got away. That's when we started sticking to the woods more until we got here." Brayden shrugged.

"Is that the only time someone almost caught you?" Leslie asked.

"There were a couple more times that we weren't quiet enough and almost got found out but we didn't get caught."

"Brayden, you did such a good job taking care of yourself and your brother, but you know you're very lucky nothing bad happened while you were out there on your own, right?" Leslie gently prodded.

"Yeah," the little girl agreed reluctantly. "but I couldn't let them put us in different places. Mama and daddy always said never let them put us in different places if anything ever happened to them." Brayden's eyes filled with tears.

Jensen stood as quickly as he could and crossed the distance to stand by the table so he could put his arm around the little girl. "We understand honey, but knowing all the things that could have happened while you were out there alone scares the mess out of all of us. We're going to do everything we can to make sure you and Xavier aren't separated, but you have to promise not to run like that again, it just too dangerous out there."

Brayden nodded her head, sniffling into the tissue that Leslie handed her. "Okay." She whispered.

They took a few minutes to let Brayden collect herself before walking back to the playroom. They left Brayden in charge of Avery and Xavier, who were both napping on the sofa. She plopped down in the chair and went right back to reading her book. Jared and Jensen followed Leslie back down the hall to a small office off the examination room.

"I thought Jake was going to do Xavier's exam?" Jensen asked after they'd all gotten settled.

"He was supposed to, but he got caught up at the hospital. Something to do with the boy they found. I'm sure you'll hear about it later, I didn't really have time to get any information. Jake was in a rush when he called and I had to cover his appointments, which was why I was later getting to you than it was supposed to be."

"So how do they look?" Jared asked.

"Xavier is pretty close to average. He needs to put on about five pounds, but his height is right in target. Now Brayden needs a several good meals, she's not emaciated by any means, but she's at least ten pounds below average. She should be around 81 pounds on an average and she's just barely scraping 70. Her height seems to be on track, but anytime there's a loss in nutritional intake over an extended amount of time it's possible it'll stunt her growth. It won't be any great amount mind you, but it will affect it."

Jensen made a distressed sound, at the thought of any child going hungry. He knew it happened every minute of every day, but knowing it and seeing it was much harder to deal with. Jared reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Jensen, it's nothing a few good meals won't fix. She's going to gain it back pretty quick with regular meals. Just make sure she gets a higher calorie intake than you might normally give the kids. She doesn't need to eat a lot at once, that will just make her sick, but maybe something a little higher in calorie count during snack time. I'm sure they've both been without treats for so long anything is going to make them happy, and have the added bonus of increasing the lost weight."

"All right, is there anything else you noticed?" Jensen asked.

"No, overall they're in really good shape, their hearts sound good. I didn't see any obvious warning signs, but without their medical background it's hard to say. Did they tell you when they'd have the records for you?"

"Samantha was working on it, but we've not heard anything yet. I'm hoping it won't take long, but it's red tape so there's no telling."

"I'll give her a call when we get home," Jared interjected, "See if there's anything she needs or if she knows when they'll get them to us."

"Okay, well then I'm thinking that's pretty much it. Once we get the records, we can go from there. If you want me to switch all the records over to the office once we get everything, I can, that way they can come to the regular office with Avery."

"Yeah, we just wanted them checked over as soon as possible so we could address any issues that might be a problem. They were booked up till the end of the week and neither of us wanted to wait that long," Jared explained. "Did you get a chance to talk to Brayden and see if anything happened while she was out there?"

"Nothing like we were afraid of. There was a guy at a truck stop that tried to grab her, but I don't know if he was trying to hurt her, or he realized they were on their own and was trying to help them. It scared her, though, so they stuck to the woods after that, trying to fly under the radar," Jensen told his husband.

"Good." Jared breathed a sigh of relief. They'd both had all kinds of horrible thoughts about what might have happened to either of the kids, and knowing none of those had come to pass made it just a little easier to deal with.

Jared stood, and pulled Jensen up with him. "How about we head home, and me and the kids get the car unloaded while you go take a nice warm bath."

"Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" Jensen complained as they walked back down the hall. He'd made sure that Jared wasn't looking before he tried to work the kink out of his back.

"I have kids remember, all parents have eyes in the back of their head. But I don't need them when it comes to you. I remember the cramps you got when you had Avery, it's got to be worse with the twins and you've been going all day. Plus, you took a nap on the sofa, a comfortable sofa mind you, but not the support you need right now." Jared pulled Jensen to a stop before they entered the playroom and lifted his husbands chin so he could lean down and kiss Jensen like he'd wanted to since he'd come in and seen him sleeping.

"You're really good at taking care of me," Jensen said as he pulled away, smiling.

"Of course I am. I love you," Jared answered, taking his hand as they entered the playroom.

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