Whatever Comes Our Way, Chapter 30 - Finale
This is the last chapter. I'm sorry it has taken so long, guys. And I'm sorry it's so short, but here it is!!
Edit: I had this down as Chapter 30, but I very well could have just messed that up on my end. The last chapter (28) was one I'd done, too, so I probably put 30 in my files, thinking that that would be my last chapter. So far as I know, this is it.
Sorry for the confusion.
Smoke & Lightning:
Whatever Comes Our Way
Chapter 29
Glasses still perched on his nose, Jensen worked the laptop into the travel case, holding the zippered section open with his free hand while he worked. He managed to get the computer slipped into the protective case, zippering it closed just as his phone rang. He peeked at the caller ID before answering it and setting it to his ear. “Hey,” he said cheerfully, but distracted at the same time.
“Hey, yourself,” Jared said, his smile audible over the line.
“How's LA?” Jensen asked, hefting the computer bag on his shoulder.
“Hot,” he answered. “There's been a ton of stuff going on.”
“Oh, yeah? Good stuff, I hope?” He stepped out of his office and moved down the hallway. He paused at John's window and knocked on the glass. Through the blinds, he saw John turn to him and wave. He waved back and continued on his way down the corridor.
“Very good stuff,” Jared agreed. “I should be home tonight. That okay?”
Jensen chuckled. “Like I'm going to turn that down?” he teased. He waved to the nurses at the front desk as they gathered up their belongings for the night. “What time will you get in?”
“Don't worry about that,” Jared told him. “I'll take a cab home. That way you don't have to get a babysitter.”
“We can pick you up in the car, Jay,” he offered.
“Yeah, but it'll be late, and the banana will be tired. I'll be there though. Just leave the door unlocked and I'll let myself in. Slip into bed with you and get you all nice and warm.”
“Mm,” Jensen mumbled. “That sounds like a plan.”
Jensen didn't mention that Jared would be back late that evening. He'd thought it would be a nice surprise for the kids, to wake up and find Dad was home after his business trip. He wondered, though, if Hannah sensed something, because she was more unruly than usual. She was put in time-out three times before she finally gave in and did what was asked of her. And for as much as Jensen understood why Jared had to be away, he honestly hated it. He would be glad when the day came when Jared decided he was done running back and forth from Texas to LA. He sighed inwardly, though, knowing that day was far, far away.
Closing Hannah's door, Jensen tried to be as quiet as he could.
“Daddy?”
Head dropping in frustration, Jensen sighed and peeked back inside her room. “What, banana?”
“I love you,” she said, her voice soft and sleepy.
Smiling, Jensen nodded. “I love you too, bugbutt.” That nickname usually got a laugh from her, but after her two princess stories, she was almost out and couldn't be roused from her sleepy state to give him her little girlish giggle. He moved to close her door again, being as quiet as possible. In his bare feet, he headed towards Matty's room. He found the boy already asleep, his television on a low volume, and a book about the Texas Longhorns team dangling precariously in his hands. He smiled at the boy and shook his head. Jared was making sure their son was a Longhorns freak, just like him. Which wasn't a bad thing. Jensen watched the games with him when he could, but Jared was a Longhorns lifer.
Jensen took the book from the boy and set it on the second bed they kept for guests. Which usually meant Corey, while Hannah was on the trundle bed in Hannah's room. Jensen supposed that they'd have to find another spot for the new baby. He was sure she would add just as much color to their life as the rest of the kids already did.
With Matty's TV turned off, Jensen quietly closed the boy's door and took a deep breath. With both of them asleep, another day was down. He sighed and swiped a hand over his face, suddenly realizing how tired he was, too. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost nine. He decided that it was too early. If he went to bed now, he'd be up at 3 AM, ready for the day and with Jared coming home, he wanted to sleep in and be lazy for a little while. He headed downstairs and turned on the television. While it came up, he moved to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot he'd made himself earlier. He switched off the coffee machine and added his usual to the mug. Back out in the living room, he set the coffee on the coffee table and seated himself on the edge of the sofa. The TV played in the background - a game of golf going on somewhere sunny and warm - while he took out his bag from work. He opened his computer, turned it on and got his paperwork out. There was always something to do, and Jensen set to work for a couple hours.
When his eyes started to cross, even with his reading glasses, and his coffee cup was long-since drained, he threw in the towel and left all his stuff out on the table. He slogged up the stairs and undressed before flopping onto his side of the bed. With his eyelids at half-mast he crawled under the covers and was sound asleep before he knew it. He didn't bother rousing himself to set the alarm. It would be Saturday in a few hours, and they would all sleep in, providing he didn't get called in on an emergency.
The taxi quietly pulled up to the house, dousing the headlights as it rolled into the driveway. Jared paid the cabby well, thanking him for bringing him out to the boonies and being so hushed about it all. The cabby smiled and thanked Jared for the big tip. Jared got out of the taxi, tugging his carry-on with him. He hefted it on his shoulders, turning for just a moment to watch the taxi back out of the driveway and head back down the dirt road. He smiled and waved before heading into the house. He knew the door wouldn't be locked. Maya chuffed a bark at him as he entered the house, but after he pet her and gave her a kiss, she jumped back up in the La-Z-Boy chair, curling into a ball again.
Being as quiet as he could, Jared toed off his boots and crept up the stairs, trying to avoid the ones he knew where particularly squeaky. He dropped his bag by the doorway, but instead of stepping into his and Jensen's bedroom, he moved down the hallway to peek into Hannah's room. She was sound asleep, her breathing soft and even, audible from the doorway. He smiled. Chuckling softly to himself he moved to Matty's room and checked on him before moving back to his own bedroom. He left his bag outside the door and crept inside, silently closing the door behind him.
Jensen was half-uncovered. The blankets only hid his midriff. His long legs were stretched out as he lay on his back, his arms thrown up over his head. Jared's grin grew as he watched the man sleep for a few seconds. He silently pulled off his shirt, shucked off his jeans and boxer briefs, and tossed his socks over his shoulder. He crawled down upon the mattress, slowly and gently, giving the inside of one of Jensen's ankles a soft kiss. The man didn't stir, even when Jared continued along Jensen's legs. Jared pulled the covers over his head and made a beeline for Jensen's groin. Regardless of the fact that the man was still sound asleep, Jared took as much of Jensen's cock into his mouth as he could. He felt Jensen finally stir, the man's hips shifting slightly, his breathe hitch in his lungs. In his working mouth, Jensen's cock twitched, telling him that it liked the attention. He smiled and sucked along the length of it.
Jensen moaned and opened his eyes. He knew the feeling of that body against him, knew the tattooed legs sticking out from underneath the covers. He reached down and set his hands upon Jared's head, bunching the blanket fabric in his hands. “Oh, man,” he breathed, unable to stop his hips from flexing against Jared's mouth. He was quickly becoming hard, and Jensen knew damn well that Jared could make him come in seconds if he wanted to. That made his skin tingle. “You should go. If my partner comes home and finds out that you're here, he'll kill you.”
Jared chuckled from his place, pulling the covers from his head. He looked up at Jensen, a devilish glint in his eye. “I know you're joking, but I don't want to ever hear those words again,” he said.
Jensen laughed and nodded. “You got it.” He set his hand atop Jared's head again and pushed him back down to resume what he was doing. He closed his eyes and let the feel of Jared's hot, wet mouth envelop him. He moaned, pulling Jared up against him, flexing into that perfect mouth of his. He wanted more, so much more. Breathing heavy, Jensen reached up with his free hand and crumpled his pillow in his fist. Jared gave a long, sucking pull to Jensen's cock, making him groan and gasp, his mouth falling open wide. He arched his back, his breaths coming in shorter, desperate swells.
Jared looked up at him, loving the sight of Jensen needing him, wanting him. Skin taught over rigid muscle. Fingers grasping. Sweat glistening. When he felt Jensen's back bow, instead of arch, he sucked hard, flicking his tongue back and forth over the head of the man's cock. Jensen shuddered hard, grunting and moaning huskily, a sound that Jared never tired of hearing.
Jensen could feel Jared, hear him swallowing, and that was just as much of a turn on as the blow job itself. He found he still had a hand on Jared's head. He used it as leverage now, to pull the man up into a rough and hungry kiss. He could taste himself on Jared's tongue, making his cock twitch yet again in response. “I missed you,” he breathed, his chest still heaving.
“Missed you more,” Jared smiled against Jensen's lips. “I have something important to tell you.”
Jensen nodded. He turned on his side, taking Jared with him. “Later,” he said. He had every intention of showing Jared just how much he'd missed him.
* * *
It was still quiet in the house when Hannah awoke. The birds were singing outside, and in the distance, Henry was running that old tractor. It still backfired, and still billowed the occasional black smoke. But at least he could get his farm work done now. When Hannah had heard the rooster crow, she hopped out of bed and padded quietly to her door. She peeked outside and gasped, her eyes growing as wide as saucers when she saw something in the hallway. Quickly, she bolted out of her room and headed for her brother's door. She didn't bother to knock. Instead, she ran right in and jumped into bed with him. “Maffy, Maffy,” she said. She could, of course, now say her brother name. But the nickname had stuck long ago.
“Ow, Hannah,” he complained, roughly roused from his deep sleep. “What the hell are you doing?”
She paused, staring at him. “Don't let Dad and Daddy hear you cuss like that,” she warned. “They'll kill you.”
Grumbling, Matty sat up in bed. “They won't kill me,” he told her. “What do you want?”
“I saw Dad's suitcase,” she said, her former excitement returned. “He left it in the hallway.”
Almost immediately, Matty forgot his former annoyance with the little girl. He sat up straighter, a smile spreading across his face. “Dad's home,” he said. He kicked back the covers, careful not to kick his sister too, and grabbed her hand. “Come on,” he encouraged, pulling her off the mattress. “Let's go see him.”
The room was quiet. Faint sounds of the farm tractor next door wafted through the closed windows. The ceiling fan whispered to the two figures in the bed, who were sleeping soundly, entangled in each others arms. Both on their sides, Jensen facing away, Jared had his chest firmly pressed up against Jensen's back. Their breathing was almost in unison, slow, soft and even. It was a perfect moment.
Until the door flew open and two happy children burst into the room, that is. Matty and Hannah jumped up onto the bed, yelling hellos to their adoptive father. Waking with a start, Jensen sat up, but managed to clutch at the blankets before they slipped down too far and revealed his and Jared's nakedness underneath.
“Holy shit, who are you guys?” Jared smiled. “Jen, did we take in some boarders?”
“Dad!” Hannah giggled.
“Who are you?” he asked. “You look like a little girl I used to know, but you're all grown up.”
She made a face at him, shaking her head. “You're just kidding, right?” she said, half-sure she was right, and half-sure that he was serious.
“I'm not,” he said, shaking his head. “You've grown up in just the little time I've been away, Banana.”
She giggled and threw her arms around his neck, pressing a wet kiss to his cheek.
“And you,” Jared said, poking Matty in the chest. “I hear you're one hell of a man-of-the-house.”
Matty laughed and pushed Jared's hand away. “I am,” he agreed. “I told you I'd be fine.”
“And that you were,” Jared agreed with a nod. He motioned to the door. “Go get my bag, Big Man. I have presents.”
Matty jumped off the bed and ran for the doorway. He grabbed the bag just outside the entryway and then sped back to the bed. Jensen sat up a little better, getting comfortable as the bag was set down in front of Jared. He kept the blankets in a bunch in his hand, afraid to let go. He rubbed at his eyes, and cleared his throat. Hannah bounced on the bed, excited, and Matty crawled back up into his spot.
“Okay, ladies first,” Jared said. He looked over to Jensen, a smile in his eyes.
“Shut the hell up and give your daughter her present,” he chuckled.
Jared laughed with him and pulled a black, velvet-covered box out of the carry-on. He handed it to Hannah, smiling as he did.
Excitedly, Hannah opened it and gasped. Inside were beautiful gold-and-diamond stud earrings. Just little ones that Hannah could wear all the time, never taking out of her ears. “Daddy!” she exclaimed. “Daddy, they're so pretty!”
He laughed and nodded. “I know,” he said. “I had to have them when I saw them.”
Jensen took the box from her and spied upon the earrings. “Jay, those are real.”
“Of course they are,” he said, almost offended. He took the box from Jensen's hand and crooked his finger at his daughter. She crawled over to him and pushed her hair aside so that he could thread one tiny earring through her left ear, then repeated the move for her right. “She's old enough for jewelry now,” he said to Jensen. “But if you lose them, Banana, that's it.”
“Okay, Dad,” she nodded. She reached up and felt the studs in her ears as she sat in her spot once again, waiting to see what her brother was to be given.
Matty smiled brighter, sitting up straight and scooting closer on his butt.
Grinning, Jared handed him an envelope. Matty saw his name scribbled on the front in Jared's handwriting, followed by a misshapen smiley face. He tore into it, reaching inside and pulling out four strips of paper. Jensen leaned in closer to see what they were.
“Longhorn tickets!” Matty suddenly shouted. “Dad, no way!”
“Yes, way,” Jared laughed. “One of the players was in LA to do some promotional work and stopped into the shop. When he found out what a big fan you were, he got me the tickets.”
Matty nearly threw himself at Jared, hooking his arms around the man's neck. Jared laughed aloud, his heart swelling with love. He was so thankful for his family, he couldn't tell them that enough. Giving them things really made him feel like he started to make a dent in his feelings for them. “Alright,” he said, righting Matty and helping him back to his place. “One more present.”
“For who?” Hannah giggled.
“For who?” Jared repeated. “For Daddy.” He reached into his carry-on one last time and retrieved a small box. With a devilish grin, he handed it to his partner.
Jensen saw the look in the man's eye, and was wary. “Can I open this in front of the kids?” he asked, plucking the box out of Jared's hand.
“Yes,” he laughed.
“Okay.” Pulling open the box, Jensen's smile instantly vanished. He stared down at the beautiful silvery watch that sat in it's case, beautiful and perfect. And expensive. “Jared,” he breathed. He touched the stainless steel, watching it shimmer in the light of the bedroom. “Jay, this is a Breitling. These are expensive.”
Jared nodded. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Jensen's bare shoulder. “Yep.”
He stared at it. It was gorgeous, and he wanted it, but he packed it back up and handed it to Jared again. “Take it back.”
“What?”
“Take it back,” he said. “That has to be a four thousand dollar watch, Jay.”
“It is,” he agreed. He pushed it back at him. “I bought it for you.”
“We can't afford a watch like that.”
“Yes, we can,” he returned. “Now take it.”
“Did you win the lottery?”
“No,” Jared told him. “I sold the shop.”
The argument came to a screeching halt. Everyone stared open-mouthed at Jared, who only looked back at Jensen. The room was deathly silent, the kids afraid to move at that moment. They could even hear the clicking of the clock downstairs on the mantle. A horse whinnied over at Henry and Maude's, but no one paid attention. They all stared at Jared, dumbfounded.
“You what?”
Jared sighed and pushed the watch case back at Jensen, gesturing silently for him to take it. “I sold the shop.”
“The one in LA?”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I didn't like having to constantly keep going out there. It was doing great, and I got a good offer. I'll keep the one here. That one doesn't take me away from you guys.”
Jensen wanted to be touched, to understand why Jared did what he did, but he felt a little betrayed. “I'm...” He paused long enough to look down at the Breitling box in his hands. “I'm not sure how I feel about that.”
“Why?” he asked, truly not understanding.
“We didn't even talk about it,” Jensen explained. “We're supposed to make all the big decisions together, remember?”
Jared nodded. “I know,” he agreed. “But I really wanted to make this a surprise.” He smiled at each one of them, his eyes glittering. “What's better than always being here, with my family? I'd do anything for you guys.”
Jensen watched Jared's gaze land on him. They looked at each other for several long seconds, a silent conversation between them in just their eyes. “Alright,” Jensen finally agreed.
“And,” Jared said, smiling brighter. “Remember how I told you I had news last night, but you wanted to...” He stopped himself, remembering that they weren't alone. He glanced over at the kids before he smiled at Jensen again. “Sleep?”
“Yes,” he nodded.
Digging into his bag, Jared pulled out another envelope. He fished out the check from the stack of paperwork in the manilla envelope and showed it to Jensen. “We made a decent profit.”
Jensen looked down at the check in his hands. It didn't make sense. He furrowed his brow, tilted his head to the side and looked at it again. “What the heck happened to it?”
“To what?”
“To the check,” he clarified. “I think they fucked it up.”
“Daddy!” Hannah giggled.
“Sorry, Banana,” he said. He shook his head and pointed to the dollar amount. “There. Look at it.”
Jared leaned in and smiled. “No,” he said softly. “You look at it, Jen.”
“I am,” he said. “It looks like they made it out for three-and-a-half-million dollars.”
Jared's smile grew. He watched Jensen look up at him, still confused, but said nothing to him. Finally, when Jensen still didn't seem to understand, he nodded his head, his eyes sparkling with delight.
“Three-and-a-half-million dollars,” Jensen said again.
Jared nodded.
Reality started to sink in. Jensen looked down at the check, then back over to Jared. “Three-and-a-half-million dollars?”
Jared watched him closely. When Jensen looked up from the check, meeting his gaze, Jared saw tears welling up in Jensen's eyes. He nodded again, his smile muted and gentle.
“Three-and-a-half-fucking million dollars?”
Jared laughed, because this time it had sunk in. Jensen understood. Jared nodded at him and reached out to him. Jensen did the same, nearly yanking Jared into an embrace. He felt the tears fall down his cheeks, felt his breath leave his lungs as Jared squeezed him tight, and felt the kids clamoring on top of them. Not bothering to wipe his tears away, Jensen moved to hug them, too. His hands were shaking as he held onto the check with one hand, and scooped Matty into an embrace with the other.
At that moment, it hit Jensen that they would be okay. The worrying they did about the house, about the kids, about bills, about jobs - it all vanished. Jared had always wanted nothing more than to take care of Jensen, to make sure the kids would be set for life, and he'd done just that. His earlier feeling of betrayal about Jared selling the shop had long since vanished. Instead, he was left with a thankful, giddy warmth in his limbs. His insides felt shaky. He kept expecting to wake up and instead just be thankful that Jared was home with him again. There was so much they could do with the money. They could help out Jeff and Stevie. Even Chris and Lynn, or Donna and Rock if they needed it. The possibilities were endless.
With his mind a jumble of so many thoughts and emotions, Jensen could do nothing more than kiss Jared and whisper that he loved him.
~The End~
Edit: I had this down as Chapter 30, but I very well could have just messed that up on my end. The last chapter (28) was one I'd done, too, so I probably put 30 in my files, thinking that that would be my last chapter. So far as I know, this is it.
Sorry for the confusion.
Smoke & Lightning:
Whatever Comes Our Way
Chapter 29
Glasses still perched on his nose, Jensen worked the laptop into the travel case, holding the zippered section open with his free hand while he worked. He managed to get the computer slipped into the protective case, zippering it closed just as his phone rang. He peeked at the caller ID before answering it and setting it to his ear. “Hey,” he said cheerfully, but distracted at the same time.
“Hey, yourself,” Jared said, his smile audible over the line.
“How's LA?” Jensen asked, hefting the computer bag on his shoulder.
“Hot,” he answered. “There's been a ton of stuff going on.”
“Oh, yeah? Good stuff, I hope?” He stepped out of his office and moved down the hallway. He paused at John's window and knocked on the glass. Through the blinds, he saw John turn to him and wave. He waved back and continued on his way down the corridor.
“Very good stuff,” Jared agreed. “I should be home tonight. That okay?”
Jensen chuckled. “Like I'm going to turn that down?” he teased. He waved to the nurses at the front desk as they gathered up their belongings for the night. “What time will you get in?”
“Don't worry about that,” Jared told him. “I'll take a cab home. That way you don't have to get a babysitter.”
“We can pick you up in the car, Jay,” he offered.
“Yeah, but it'll be late, and the banana will be tired. I'll be there though. Just leave the door unlocked and I'll let myself in. Slip into bed with you and get you all nice and warm.”
“Mm,” Jensen mumbled. “That sounds like a plan.”
Jensen didn't mention that Jared would be back late that evening. He'd thought it would be a nice surprise for the kids, to wake up and find Dad was home after his business trip. He wondered, though, if Hannah sensed something, because she was more unruly than usual. She was put in time-out three times before she finally gave in and did what was asked of her. And for as much as Jensen understood why Jared had to be away, he honestly hated it. He would be glad when the day came when Jared decided he was done running back and forth from Texas to LA. He sighed inwardly, though, knowing that day was far, far away.
Closing Hannah's door, Jensen tried to be as quiet as he could.
“Daddy?”
Head dropping in frustration, Jensen sighed and peeked back inside her room. “What, banana?”
“I love you,” she said, her voice soft and sleepy.
Smiling, Jensen nodded. “I love you too, bugbutt.” That nickname usually got a laugh from her, but after her two princess stories, she was almost out and couldn't be roused from her sleepy state to give him her little girlish giggle. He moved to close her door again, being as quiet as possible. In his bare feet, he headed towards Matty's room. He found the boy already asleep, his television on a low volume, and a book about the Texas Longhorns team dangling precariously in his hands. He smiled at the boy and shook his head. Jared was making sure their son was a Longhorns freak, just like him. Which wasn't a bad thing. Jensen watched the games with him when he could, but Jared was a Longhorns lifer.
Jensen took the book from the boy and set it on the second bed they kept for guests. Which usually meant Corey, while Hannah was on the trundle bed in Hannah's room. Jensen supposed that they'd have to find another spot for the new baby. He was sure she would add just as much color to their life as the rest of the kids already did.
With Matty's TV turned off, Jensen quietly closed the boy's door and took a deep breath. With both of them asleep, another day was down. He sighed and swiped a hand over his face, suddenly realizing how tired he was, too. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost nine. He decided that it was too early. If he went to bed now, he'd be up at 3 AM, ready for the day and with Jared coming home, he wanted to sleep in and be lazy for a little while. He headed downstairs and turned on the television. While it came up, he moved to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot he'd made himself earlier. He switched off the coffee machine and added his usual to the mug. Back out in the living room, he set the coffee on the coffee table and seated himself on the edge of the sofa. The TV played in the background - a game of golf going on somewhere sunny and warm - while he took out his bag from work. He opened his computer, turned it on and got his paperwork out. There was always something to do, and Jensen set to work for a couple hours.
When his eyes started to cross, even with his reading glasses, and his coffee cup was long-since drained, he threw in the towel and left all his stuff out on the table. He slogged up the stairs and undressed before flopping onto his side of the bed. With his eyelids at half-mast he crawled under the covers and was sound asleep before he knew it. He didn't bother rousing himself to set the alarm. It would be Saturday in a few hours, and they would all sleep in, providing he didn't get called in on an emergency.
The taxi quietly pulled up to the house, dousing the headlights as it rolled into the driveway. Jared paid the cabby well, thanking him for bringing him out to the boonies and being so hushed about it all. The cabby smiled and thanked Jared for the big tip. Jared got out of the taxi, tugging his carry-on with him. He hefted it on his shoulders, turning for just a moment to watch the taxi back out of the driveway and head back down the dirt road. He smiled and waved before heading into the house. He knew the door wouldn't be locked. Maya chuffed a bark at him as he entered the house, but after he pet her and gave her a kiss, she jumped back up in the La-Z-Boy chair, curling into a ball again.
Being as quiet as he could, Jared toed off his boots and crept up the stairs, trying to avoid the ones he knew where particularly squeaky. He dropped his bag by the doorway, but instead of stepping into his and Jensen's bedroom, he moved down the hallway to peek into Hannah's room. She was sound asleep, her breathing soft and even, audible from the doorway. He smiled. Chuckling softly to himself he moved to Matty's room and checked on him before moving back to his own bedroom. He left his bag outside the door and crept inside, silently closing the door behind him.
Jensen was half-uncovered. The blankets only hid his midriff. His long legs were stretched out as he lay on his back, his arms thrown up over his head. Jared's grin grew as he watched the man sleep for a few seconds. He silently pulled off his shirt, shucked off his jeans and boxer briefs, and tossed his socks over his shoulder. He crawled down upon the mattress, slowly and gently, giving the inside of one of Jensen's ankles a soft kiss. The man didn't stir, even when Jared continued along Jensen's legs. Jared pulled the covers over his head and made a beeline for Jensen's groin. Regardless of the fact that the man was still sound asleep, Jared took as much of Jensen's cock into his mouth as he could. He felt Jensen finally stir, the man's hips shifting slightly, his breathe hitch in his lungs. In his working mouth, Jensen's cock twitched, telling him that it liked the attention. He smiled and sucked along the length of it.
Jensen moaned and opened his eyes. He knew the feeling of that body against him, knew the tattooed legs sticking out from underneath the covers. He reached down and set his hands upon Jared's head, bunching the blanket fabric in his hands. “Oh, man,” he breathed, unable to stop his hips from flexing against Jared's mouth. He was quickly becoming hard, and Jensen knew damn well that Jared could make him come in seconds if he wanted to. That made his skin tingle. “You should go. If my partner comes home and finds out that you're here, he'll kill you.”
Jared chuckled from his place, pulling the covers from his head. He looked up at Jensen, a devilish glint in his eye. “I know you're joking, but I don't want to ever hear those words again,” he said.
Jensen laughed and nodded. “You got it.” He set his hand atop Jared's head again and pushed him back down to resume what he was doing. He closed his eyes and let the feel of Jared's hot, wet mouth envelop him. He moaned, pulling Jared up against him, flexing into that perfect mouth of his. He wanted more, so much more. Breathing heavy, Jensen reached up with his free hand and crumpled his pillow in his fist. Jared gave a long, sucking pull to Jensen's cock, making him groan and gasp, his mouth falling open wide. He arched his back, his breaths coming in shorter, desperate swells.
Jared looked up at him, loving the sight of Jensen needing him, wanting him. Skin taught over rigid muscle. Fingers grasping. Sweat glistening. When he felt Jensen's back bow, instead of arch, he sucked hard, flicking his tongue back and forth over the head of the man's cock. Jensen shuddered hard, grunting and moaning huskily, a sound that Jared never tired of hearing.
Jensen could feel Jared, hear him swallowing, and that was just as much of a turn on as the blow job itself. He found he still had a hand on Jared's head. He used it as leverage now, to pull the man up into a rough and hungry kiss. He could taste himself on Jared's tongue, making his cock twitch yet again in response. “I missed you,” he breathed, his chest still heaving.
“Missed you more,” Jared smiled against Jensen's lips. “I have something important to tell you.”
Jensen nodded. He turned on his side, taking Jared with him. “Later,” he said. He had every intention of showing Jared just how much he'd missed him.
* * *
It was still quiet in the house when Hannah awoke. The birds were singing outside, and in the distance, Henry was running that old tractor. It still backfired, and still billowed the occasional black smoke. But at least he could get his farm work done now. When Hannah had heard the rooster crow, she hopped out of bed and padded quietly to her door. She peeked outside and gasped, her eyes growing as wide as saucers when she saw something in the hallway. Quickly, she bolted out of her room and headed for her brother's door. She didn't bother to knock. Instead, she ran right in and jumped into bed with him. “Maffy, Maffy,” she said. She could, of course, now say her brother name. But the nickname had stuck long ago.
“Ow, Hannah,” he complained, roughly roused from his deep sleep. “What the hell are you doing?”
She paused, staring at him. “Don't let Dad and Daddy hear you cuss like that,” she warned. “They'll kill you.”
Grumbling, Matty sat up in bed. “They won't kill me,” he told her. “What do you want?”
“I saw Dad's suitcase,” she said, her former excitement returned. “He left it in the hallway.”
Almost immediately, Matty forgot his former annoyance with the little girl. He sat up straighter, a smile spreading across his face. “Dad's home,” he said. He kicked back the covers, careful not to kick his sister too, and grabbed her hand. “Come on,” he encouraged, pulling her off the mattress. “Let's go see him.”
The room was quiet. Faint sounds of the farm tractor next door wafted through the closed windows. The ceiling fan whispered to the two figures in the bed, who were sleeping soundly, entangled in each others arms. Both on their sides, Jensen facing away, Jared had his chest firmly pressed up against Jensen's back. Their breathing was almost in unison, slow, soft and even. It was a perfect moment.
Until the door flew open and two happy children burst into the room, that is. Matty and Hannah jumped up onto the bed, yelling hellos to their adoptive father. Waking with a start, Jensen sat up, but managed to clutch at the blankets before they slipped down too far and revealed his and Jared's nakedness underneath.
“Holy shit, who are you guys?” Jared smiled. “Jen, did we take in some boarders?”
“Dad!” Hannah giggled.
“Who are you?” he asked. “You look like a little girl I used to know, but you're all grown up.”
She made a face at him, shaking her head. “You're just kidding, right?” she said, half-sure she was right, and half-sure that he was serious.
“I'm not,” he said, shaking his head. “You've grown up in just the little time I've been away, Banana.”
She giggled and threw her arms around his neck, pressing a wet kiss to his cheek.
“And you,” Jared said, poking Matty in the chest. “I hear you're one hell of a man-of-the-house.”
Matty laughed and pushed Jared's hand away. “I am,” he agreed. “I told you I'd be fine.”
“And that you were,” Jared agreed with a nod. He motioned to the door. “Go get my bag, Big Man. I have presents.”
Matty jumped off the bed and ran for the doorway. He grabbed the bag just outside the entryway and then sped back to the bed. Jensen sat up a little better, getting comfortable as the bag was set down in front of Jared. He kept the blankets in a bunch in his hand, afraid to let go. He rubbed at his eyes, and cleared his throat. Hannah bounced on the bed, excited, and Matty crawled back up into his spot.
“Okay, ladies first,” Jared said. He looked over to Jensen, a smile in his eyes.
“Shut the hell up and give your daughter her present,” he chuckled.
Jared laughed with him and pulled a black, velvet-covered box out of the carry-on. He handed it to Hannah, smiling as he did.
Excitedly, Hannah opened it and gasped. Inside were beautiful gold-and-diamond stud earrings. Just little ones that Hannah could wear all the time, never taking out of her ears. “Daddy!” she exclaimed. “Daddy, they're so pretty!”
He laughed and nodded. “I know,” he said. “I had to have them when I saw them.”
Jensen took the box from her and spied upon the earrings. “Jay, those are real.”
“Of course they are,” he said, almost offended. He took the box from Jensen's hand and crooked his finger at his daughter. She crawled over to him and pushed her hair aside so that he could thread one tiny earring through her left ear, then repeated the move for her right. “She's old enough for jewelry now,” he said to Jensen. “But if you lose them, Banana, that's it.”
“Okay, Dad,” she nodded. She reached up and felt the studs in her ears as she sat in her spot once again, waiting to see what her brother was to be given.
Matty smiled brighter, sitting up straight and scooting closer on his butt.
Grinning, Jared handed him an envelope. Matty saw his name scribbled on the front in Jared's handwriting, followed by a misshapen smiley face. He tore into it, reaching inside and pulling out four strips of paper. Jensen leaned in closer to see what they were.
“Longhorn tickets!” Matty suddenly shouted. “Dad, no way!”
“Yes, way,” Jared laughed. “One of the players was in LA to do some promotional work and stopped into the shop. When he found out what a big fan you were, he got me the tickets.”
Matty nearly threw himself at Jared, hooking his arms around the man's neck. Jared laughed aloud, his heart swelling with love. He was so thankful for his family, he couldn't tell them that enough. Giving them things really made him feel like he started to make a dent in his feelings for them. “Alright,” he said, righting Matty and helping him back to his place. “One more present.”
“For who?” Hannah giggled.
“For who?” Jared repeated. “For Daddy.” He reached into his carry-on one last time and retrieved a small box. With a devilish grin, he handed it to his partner.
Jensen saw the look in the man's eye, and was wary. “Can I open this in front of the kids?” he asked, plucking the box out of Jared's hand.
“Yes,” he laughed.
“Okay.” Pulling open the box, Jensen's smile instantly vanished. He stared down at the beautiful silvery watch that sat in it's case, beautiful and perfect. And expensive. “Jared,” he breathed. He touched the stainless steel, watching it shimmer in the light of the bedroom. “Jay, this is a Breitling. These are expensive.”
Jared nodded. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Jensen's bare shoulder. “Yep.”
He stared at it. It was gorgeous, and he wanted it, but he packed it back up and handed it to Jared again. “Take it back.”
“What?”
“Take it back,” he said. “That has to be a four thousand dollar watch, Jay.”
“It is,” he agreed. He pushed it back at him. “I bought it for you.”
“We can't afford a watch like that.”
“Yes, we can,” he returned. “Now take it.”
“Did you win the lottery?”
“No,” Jared told him. “I sold the shop.”
The argument came to a screeching halt. Everyone stared open-mouthed at Jared, who only looked back at Jensen. The room was deathly silent, the kids afraid to move at that moment. They could even hear the clicking of the clock downstairs on the mantle. A horse whinnied over at Henry and Maude's, but no one paid attention. They all stared at Jared, dumbfounded.
“You what?”
Jared sighed and pushed the watch case back at Jensen, gesturing silently for him to take it. “I sold the shop.”
“The one in LA?”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I didn't like having to constantly keep going out there. It was doing great, and I got a good offer. I'll keep the one here. That one doesn't take me away from you guys.”
Jensen wanted to be touched, to understand why Jared did what he did, but he felt a little betrayed. “I'm...” He paused long enough to look down at the Breitling box in his hands. “I'm not sure how I feel about that.”
“Why?” he asked, truly not understanding.
“We didn't even talk about it,” Jensen explained. “We're supposed to make all the big decisions together, remember?”
Jared nodded. “I know,” he agreed. “But I really wanted to make this a surprise.” He smiled at each one of them, his eyes glittering. “What's better than always being here, with my family? I'd do anything for you guys.”
Jensen watched Jared's gaze land on him. They looked at each other for several long seconds, a silent conversation between them in just their eyes. “Alright,” Jensen finally agreed.
“And,” Jared said, smiling brighter. “Remember how I told you I had news last night, but you wanted to...” He stopped himself, remembering that they weren't alone. He glanced over at the kids before he smiled at Jensen again. “Sleep?”
“Yes,” he nodded.
Digging into his bag, Jared pulled out another envelope. He fished out the check from the stack of paperwork in the manilla envelope and showed it to Jensen. “We made a decent profit.”
Jensen looked down at the check in his hands. It didn't make sense. He furrowed his brow, tilted his head to the side and looked at it again. “What the heck happened to it?”
“To what?”
“To the check,” he clarified. “I think they fucked it up.”
“Daddy!” Hannah giggled.
“Sorry, Banana,” he said. He shook his head and pointed to the dollar amount. “There. Look at it.”
Jared leaned in and smiled. “No,” he said softly. “You look at it, Jen.”
“I am,” he said. “It looks like they made it out for three-and-a-half-million dollars.”
Jared's smile grew. He watched Jensen look up at him, still confused, but said nothing to him. Finally, when Jensen still didn't seem to understand, he nodded his head, his eyes sparkling with delight.
“Three-and-a-half-million dollars,” Jensen said again.
Jared nodded.
Reality started to sink in. Jensen looked down at the check, then back over to Jared. “Three-and-a-half-million dollars?”
Jared watched him closely. When Jensen looked up from the check, meeting his gaze, Jared saw tears welling up in Jensen's eyes. He nodded again, his smile muted and gentle.
“Three-and-a-half-fucking million dollars?”
Jared laughed, because this time it had sunk in. Jensen understood. Jared nodded at him and reached out to him. Jensen did the same, nearly yanking Jared into an embrace. He felt the tears fall down his cheeks, felt his breath leave his lungs as Jared squeezed him tight, and felt the kids clamoring on top of them. Not bothering to wipe his tears away, Jensen moved to hug them, too. His hands were shaking as he held onto the check with one hand, and scooped Matty into an embrace with the other.
At that moment, it hit Jensen that they would be okay. The worrying they did about the house, about the kids, about bills, about jobs - it all vanished. Jared had always wanted nothing more than to take care of Jensen, to make sure the kids would be set for life, and he'd done just that. His earlier feeling of betrayal about Jared selling the shop had long since vanished. Instead, he was left with a thankful, giddy warmth in his limbs. His insides felt shaky. He kept expecting to wake up and instead just be thankful that Jared was home with him again. There was so much they could do with the money. They could help out Jeff and Stevie. Even Chris and Lynn, or Donna and Rock if they needed it. The possibilities were endless.
With his mind a jumble of so many thoughts and emotions, Jensen could do nothing more than kiss Jared and whisper that he loved him.
~The End~