Falling Strange - Part One
“Good afternoon, listeners. I’m Jensen Ackles and we’re looking at a beautiful day in Midnight Valley. Skies are clear and a high of seventy-six is expected.
“First up, we’ve received several reports from across town about strange behavior in crows. They appear to be gathering in front yards and staring menacingly up at houses. Their cold, beady eyes are gazing through the windows, through quaintly decorated living rooms, and directly into the deep, dark crevices of the residents’ minds. If a murder has gathered in your front yard, do not fear them. Do not alter your routine or let on that their presence affects you in any one way or another. However, if they begin to close in, or you begin to hear their collective thoughts in your mind… you should exit the house immediately and do not, I repeat, do not look back. Temporary housing is being set up at the Little Brick School.
“Now, onto our next story: the mayor’s cat had kittens last week and if you haven’t seen the photos yet, they are pretty damn cute.”
Some may have considered Midnight Valley to be a small town, but it certainly wasn’t quiet.
There was plenty of news to be had, from bake sales to youth volleyball tournaments to the shadows that routinely reaped souls on the first of each month. Nothing terribly exciting, obviously, but things still worthy to report. Jensen had been an avid listener of the community radio broadcast as a child and a devoted intern in his late teens. When he had taken over the program a mere five years ago, he had been thrilled.
Not many things excited him, but this? This was his life.
Now, the day’s broadcast had come to an end and he removed his headphones. As he did so, his assistant-Felicia-called to him from her desk across the room.
“Are you going to the town hall tonight?” she asked.
He shook his head. She knew he hated public meetings of any kind. They ranged from tremendously boring to very, very, very boring and fell somewhere between dental surgery and watching reality television on the list of things he was willing to do.
“Why would I do that?” he asked.
“Because they’re doing that little welcome party thing for the scientists.”
“Scientists?”
“Jared Padawhatever and company. I sent out a memo.”
“A memo?” He arched a brow.
“Maybe it was a tweet.”
“I don’t tweet.”
“Well, that’s the problem,” she sighed. “Until you step into this century, I probably should start sending you memos. Or possibly invest in a carrier pigeon.”
“Or you could talk to me like you’re doing right now." He illustrated this by gesturing between them. Felicia glanced at him, but didn't seem entirely sold on the concept. "Real human contact," he clarified. "You don’t need to text or tweet me assignments when our desks are twenty feet apart.”
“You know that I prefer to communicate via social media.”
Jensen rolled his eyes and with an exaggerated sigh, he asked, “What time is this thing?”
“Seven-thirty.”
“You don’t want to go?”
“Unfortunately, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I really don’t want to,” Felicia replied, fingers tapping away at her keyboard and eyes drifting back towards her computer screen. “Plus, I Google’d this Jared guy and he’s super cute. Pretty sure I’m doing you a favor.”
“Sure you are,” Jensen said.
He stood up from his desk and crossed the room. As he passed Felicia’s desk, he pushed her laptop closed with a sharp click. Her eyes widened and a wheeze escaped her chest. “Wha-you-dick!” she breathed, and swiped a hand through the air as if to hit him. He took a long step back and smiled.
“I was about to get Oblivion Walker!” she screeched. “Do you even know what that means?”
“Of course not. And I’ve told you before, no video games at work.”
“It’s an ARPG and-and-you know, I take back what I said. I hope I’m not doing you a favor and the meeting is boring and he isn’t as cute in person,” she pouted, and turned her nose up in the air at him.
Jensen moved to the coffee maker and began to prepare a cup for himself. While he normally cut himself off from caffeine at around one in the afternoon, he’d need the energy boost to keep going into the evening. As the machine whirred to life and sent a heavenly, steaming stream of extra-bold house blend into his cup, he sighed a little and looked up at the wall.
“Pretty sure that’ll be the case no matter what,” he replied.
It wasn’t, actually.
Felicia was right: Jared Padawhatever was pretty damn cute.
Jensen sat in the back of the room, making notes on his laptop and wishing the Wi-Fi would connect so he could check the spelling of that name. Attendance was modest, and all eyes were on the front of the room. Jared and his team were seated behind a long table, microphones in front of them, and Jared was first to address the audience.
“I’m Jared Padalecki,” he said. “And this is my research partner, Misha Collins, and our intern, Osric Chau.” The two men at his sides lifted their hands in greeting as their names were said. Jared’s eyes darted to each and then he continued.
“I think Midnight Valley is fascinating, and I’m very happy to have been given the opportunity to conduct research here. Whether you realize it or not, this town is an absolute marvel.” Jared paused to draw a breath in, and smiled. Small dimples formed and Jensen briefly stopped typing. When Jared spoke again, he said, “There is so much to learn and I can’t wait to begin.”
He went on to explain that their research grant placed them in town for one year, but that that might change depending on what they discovered.
Then, they took questions from the audience.
They quieted concerns about weird experiments, exploitation, and shot down a government conspiracy theory. Ultimately, they assured everyone that they were there purely for science, and the doors to their lab were always open.
As the meeting wrapped up, Jensen gathered his things and checked his phone.
There was a text from Felicia. Boring? she’d asked.
Very, he replied.
Cute? came the response a second later.
He hesitated, and then replied in the affirmative once more.
His phone went off two more times, her reply a simple ;) followed by B====D which he assumed was a penis. How mature.
With a roll of his eyes, he slid his phone back into his pocket. Then, he swung his back over his shoulder and turned to leave. As he began to head for the door he noticed Jared, who stood a few yards away. He was deep in conversation with Kim Rhodes, who was probably telling him she owned the only bar in town worth going to. Which was true. Jensen gave her a wave as he passed. She waved back and motioned for him to join them. He hesitated for a moment, but conceded.
“Jared, this is Jensen Ackles,” Kim said as he reached their sides. Jared’s gaze met his. The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smile, and Jensen returned it. “He’s the manager and host of Midnight Valley’s community radio,” Kim explained.
“Is that so?” Jared asked, and Jensen nodded.
“Sure is.” He tapped his fingers against his bag. “And you can look forward to hearing your name on the radio tomorrow.”
“Good things, I hope.”
“Our program is based on the facts, no mudslinging whatsoever so don’t worry.”
“Awesome. Think you can sneak in a line about how devastatingly handsome I am? For the sake of sticking to the facts, that is,” asked Jared with a smile. Jensen laughed.
“I was thinking something along the lines of so tall he wouldn’t need a ladder to get a kitten out of a tree.” The guy had some serious height on him; he made Jensen feel small, which was quite a feat in itself.
“I’ll take it. And it might get me a side job as kitten rescuer, so win-win.” He winked and Jensen smiled.
“What do you think of our town so far?” asked Kim.
“Well, I gotta say the way we’ve been treated so far is going to make settling in a little difficult. Big, formal welcome parties like this and how nice everyone has been? We feel like VIPs.”
“You’re a pretty big deal,” Jensen told him. “My co-worker wouldn’t shut up about you. Everyone is pretty excited.”
“Well, not everyone,” Jared corrected. “There seems to be a little hostility from certain factions of town, and it makes me feel a little guilty. Like an intruder or something. Some of the questions tonight and other things we’ve heard-it’s like they think we have some malicious, ulterior motive in being here but that isn’t the case.”
“People can be afraid of what they don’t understand,” Kim assured him. “But don’t worry, we know you’re good guys who are only here to do your work. And who knows, maybe you’ll educate us along the way with some big words and numbers.”
“My work in a nutshell,” Jared said with a laugh.
“Anyway, VIPs drink free tonight at my place so why don’t you round up your crew and stop by?”
“An invitation I can’t refuse,” replied Jared. “Let me get the other guys and…” he paused and looked at Jensen. “Are you going to come?”
“You don’t drink free,” Kim told him, and he rolled his eyes.
“Love you too, Kim.”
“Don’t worry,” Jared said softly. “First one’s on me.”
Jensen looked at him, and felt his cheeks heat. He couldn’t remember the last time somebody had offered to buy him a drink. He normally did the drink-buying, and lately only for Felicia, who always promised to pay him back even if she never did.
“Um.”
The urgency to get home melted away, but then reality set in. He had a lot of work to get done before tomorrow’s broadcast.
“I’d love to,” he said. “But I’ve got some things I need to finish. For work, you know.”
“I understand,” said Jared, a hint of disappointment in his tone. “I’ll see you around town, right?”
“Of course.”
“And I can listen to your show.”
Jensen winced. “If you really want to suffer through an hour of my voice, then sure.”
“I think I could handle that.”
Jensen reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his business cards. He slid it into Jared’s palm and told him, “My card. It has my email on it-just shoot me a message and maybe we can grab coffee or something sometime. I can get you acquainted with our town.”
“I like the sound of that,” Jared said as he slipped the card into his pocket. “Now, I’m going to grab my guys, but I’ll see you around.”
“See you,” Jensen said with a small wave.
Jared turned to shout for Misha and Osric, and Jensen headed for the door.
As he stepped out into the night air, he realized how hard his heart was beating.
”Next up, I’m happy to announce the arrival of very important visitors to Midnight Valley.
“Scientists Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, with assistance from Osric Chau, have come to study our town. In Padalecki’s opinion, we are a fascinating phenomenon and he can’t wait to find out what makes us tick. They will be seen around town, conducting experiments and research and will be renting the space next to Adam’s Apples to use as their headquarters. Padalecki said that the door to their facilities is always open to inquiring minds, but please remember the ban on public use of psychic persuasion still stands. Do not view their hospitality as an invitation for mayhem-we don’t want another St. Patrick’s day of ’09, do we? Don’t be jerks, is all I’m saying.
“Padalecki and Collins’ work has been funded by a grant through the University of Southern Nevada and I would like to extend a big thank you to USN for lending us what’s surely two of their finest scientists.
“Now, a quick word from our sponsors: Interested in eating great and staying healthy? Incorporate more apples into your diet. Apples are full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Not to mention, an apple from our very own Adam’s Apples will give you the boost of confidence and strength needed to fend off soul reaping shadows. Adam’s Apples is located on Fifth and Main. Remember, an apple a day keeps the shadows away and your soul intact. Buy Adam’s Apples. “
After the broadcast, Jensen opened his computer and checked his email.
There were already a few about the day’s broadcast. Mostly concerns about the presence of Jared and his team. He tried to respond as equably as possible. He quelled their fears by explaining that their presence shouldn’t be taken as a threat and Midnight Valley’s reputation would not be tarnished in any way, shape, or form.
As he reached the end of nervous citizen concerns, he found an email from one Jared T. Padalecki. He opened it, aware of the strange eagerness that bubbled up in his chest, and read.
>>To: Jensen Ackles (j.ackles@midnightvalleyradio.org)
>>From: Jared T. Padalecki (padaleckij@usn.edu)
Good Afternoon,
I had the pleasure of meeting you at town hall last night, and you gave me your card. You might remember me as the tall guy with the really great smile, but if that doesn’t ring a bell I’ve also acquired a reputation as ‘that scientist who’s probably going to ruin Midnight Valley with his research’. This isn’t true, obviously, and I was hoping to take you up on that offer for coffee. I’d love to get to know the town and its community better. Plus, who knows. Being seen with you might earn me some valuable street cred. I’m free tomorrow morning, if that would work for you. Just name the place.
Best regards,
Jared Padalecki
He hadn’t needed a reminder of who Jared was, and was happy to have heard from him. After a moment of thought, he typed his response.
>>To: Jared T Padalecki (padaleckij@usn.edu)
>>From: Jensen Ackles (j.ackles@midnightvalleyradio.org)
Hello,
I remember you, of course. I actually just finished talking about you on air (all good things, so don’t worry). As for street cred, I’m not sure what the going rate is these days but I can’t imagine I’m worth much. Coffee, on the other hand, is something I can definitely do. I normally begin to itch for a second cup around ten. If that works for you, we could meet at the Ugly Mug. It’s a halfway point between our offices and serves the best coffee in town.
All the best,
Jensen
Then, he closed his laptop and smiled.
Felicia wolf-whistled as he walked into the office the next morning.
“Damn,” she commented. “I’d bang you in a hot second, you know that?”
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Please, the feeling is mutual. You look hot, is all. What’s up?”
With a glance down, he silently assessed his outfit for the umpteenth time. He’d combed through his closet a few more times than usual that morning, which was embarrassing but it's not like anybody other than his cat saw him making such a fuss. Ultimately, he'd settled on khaki trousers and a chocolate waistcoat over a brown check plaid shirt.
“I’m having coffee with our resident scientist.”
“Really?” she asked, interest clearly piqued.
“Really.”
“I’m impressed,” she said, nodding in approval. “Now, is this professional coffee or ‘get to know you before we fuck’ coffee?”
“Professional, unfortunately,” he replied, scrunching his nose. “But I wouldn’t be opposed to…”
“Fucking coffee?”
“Stop. Please,” he said, groaning. “What I was going to say is that I wouldn’t mind it turning into something more, but who knows.”
He shrugged a little as he said this, trying to sound casual.
Though he wouldn’t admit it, he was nervous. He prided himself on his ability to stride confidently from one task to the next, but relationships had always been his downfall. A hiccup in his otherwise streamlined life. He hadn’t had one in a while-quite a while, actually. And while he didn’t even know if Jared was interested in him like that, the smallest possibility still made his palms sweat.
He changed the subject. “Anyway, did you get those quotes from the farmer who said his cows were mooing to the tune of Moon River?”
“Of course I did, but hey, I want to hear more about this date.”
“It’s not a date.”
She gave him a look that he ignored.
“Work, Felicia. Professionalism. Remember?”
“More interested in work than in sex? Shocking,” she drawled.
He lifted his middle finger in her direction and then took a seat at his desk.
“You look great,” Jared commented as they sat down with their coffees.
“Thanks.”
“Feel like I need to run out and buy some fashion magazines if I’m going to be seen next to you often.”
Often. He smiled into his coffee and shrugged.
“It’s the waistcoats,” he said. “They make anybody look trendier than they actually are. But I really like them and I have like twenty of ‘em so… right.” He’d forgotten what point he was trying to make and grimaced. Awkward start, Ackles.
Jared didn’t seem to care, though. He just smiled. “Well, you look nice in them so I’m sure each was a smart buy.” Then, he took a sip of his coffee and said, “So, call me egotistical but I listened to the show the other day. Couldn’t resist hearing my name.”
“What’d you think?”
“I really enjoyed it. I dig the mix of news with creepy, sci-fi undertones.”
Jensen tilted his head to the right, not sure what Jared meant by that. The term sci-fi implied his broadcast was somehow fiction, which it wasn’t. Before he could contemplate the comment further however, Jared said, “Consider me a fan. I’ll be listening every day from here on out.”
He smiled at that. “Well, I’m happy to hear it. You should stop by the studio sometime. I could show you around and you could even be a guest, talk about what you’ve been up to research-wise and whatnot.”
“Sounds good to me. Once we get settled I’ll have to take you up on it.”
“Cool,” Jensen said with a nod.
Conversation flowed easily after that. They made their way through the typical get-to-know-you topics and then circled back to Jared’s research. He’d been in town just over a week and was still getting settled. Jensen suggested a few places he should visit around town and people he should talk to.
“Why Midnight Valley, anyway?” he eventually asked. “There isn’t anything particularly remarkable about our town.”
Jared looked at him incredulously. “Are you kidding?” he asked. “Your town is one of, if not the most remarkable town in existence. Ever since I first visited I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to come back and take a closer look.”
“Come back?” Jensen asked, lifting his brow. “You’ve been here before? I was kind of under the impression you’d been placed here. Unfortunate luck of the draw or something.”
“Believe it or not, I wrote the grant and put a lot of effort into getting us here. The first time I visited the town was maybe five years back.”
“Huh. And why the interest in returning to study us?”
“Well, it’s going to sound a little… weird.”
“I can handle weird,” Jensen promised. Across the table, Jared's tongue darted out to wet his lips.
“Okay,” Jared finally said, slowly. He drew the word out and set his coffee down. Leaning forward, and a few strands of dark hair fell into his eyes.
“It was near the end of grad school, and I needed a break to clear my head. I took a road trip cross-country. Visited a few friends along the way; it was great.
“Along the way, I passed through Midnight Valley. Stopped for gas, grabbed lunch at a diner. It was fine… until I tried to leave. I-“ He stopped and shook his head, as if unable to believe his own thoughts and words. “It was like every road took me right back to the center of town. At first I thought I was lost, but then I asked for directions. I followed them to a tee and five minutes later I was right back where I’d began. It took me over six hours before I finally was able to get on the highway and clear the town lines.”
As he reached the end of his story, he laughed a little and sat back in his seat.
“So, there it is,” he said. “Laugh or whatever you want to do. Misha sure loves to give me hell for that story. But that’s why I wanted to come back. There are things that happen here that shouldn’t be possible, and I want to find out what’s going on.”
“I’m not going to laugh,” Jensen replied earnestly.
Jared’s story didn’t strike him as particularly outrageous so he wasn’t sure why he’d make fun of him for it. Instead, he shrugged and said, “Our town can be a little fickle at times. It doesn’t like to see people leave. And, I mean, can you blame it? I wouldn’t want you to leave either.”
“You don’t want me to leave?” Jared asked, smiling now. Jensen winced, embarrassed, but it was too late to take it back.
“You seem like a nice guy, is all,” he said. “Plus, you’re going to conduct research that will be invaluable to our town in the long run and-“
Jared cut him off. “Jensen, hey-no need for that. You seem like a nice guy too. And I hope to get to know you a little better.”
“Oh. Okay.” He relaxed a little, and drew a breath in. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better either.”
“Glad we’re on the same page,” Jared replied.
Then, he lifted his mug to take a sip. Jensen did the same.
Over the rim, he held Jared’s gaze and they shared a smile.
His mood was pleasant as he walked through town.
The early August weather was warm but not humid-perks of a desert climate-and he pushed his hands low in his pockets.
The mood lasted up until he stepped foot inside the lab.
Equipment was scattered across the floor and tables. He understood they were still settling in, but this was inexcusable. Osric stumbled back into the room just in time to see him swallow his anger, and he offered Jared a tight, nervous smile and a small wave.
“Hi,” he squeaked, already aware of how angry he was. “I was just about to er-tidy up. We just got back.”
“This is broken,” Jared told him as he lifted their inspection camera from the table, or what had been their inspection camera. The LCD was shattered and the cable frayed. It looked like they’d fed it through a wood chipper.
“I know. It’s just-you have no idea the sort of morning we had.”
“It was a doozy,” Misha chimed in as he entered the room behind Osric. “A fissure opened on the west side of town, near the foothills. Huge crack in the ground, and it appeared out of nowhere. We went down to check it out, naturally.”
“What was the cause? Earthquake?”
“Seismic activity was normal at the time. No explanation at the moment, but we wanted to take a look inside so we fed the inspection cam in and-well.” He nodded towards the remains of the camera in Jared’s hands. “We couldn’t get a clear reading. The LCD went all fuzzy and then something-something rather strong, mind you-pulled the camera inside. A minute later it threw it back out, like that.”
“What was it?”
“Don’t know. You think we were going to start feeling around in there after that thing ate our camera?”
“Right. Sorry.” Jared shook his head. He turned the broken camera over in his hands. “Well, wild animals hiding in the ground aren’t exactly what we’re here to study so-“
“We don’t know that it was an animal,” Osric pointed out. “We don’t even know where the crack came from. It could be any number of things, not to mention things that are beyond our knowledge." Pausing, Osric drew a breath in and smiled. His eyes were wide and Jared could only imagine what wild notions were flying through his mind at the moment. "We were able to get a couple of flickering images on the cam before they went fuzzy, and honestly? We’ve all seen images taken in caves and crevices, glimpses of what’s beneath the earth’s surface. This was something else entirely. It was like… a look inside a different world.”
Jared turned and saw Misha nodding his head in agreement. He rolled his eyes.
“You’re rubbing off on him, you know that,” he told Misha.
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to come here. You’re the one who wanted to explain the unexplainable,” Misha retorted. “We’re just telling you the facts.”
“I’d rather take a look at our seismogram because I’m guessing it malfunctioned and didn’t record whatever disturbance caused the fissure to open, and there’s probably a bobcat or something holed up inside.”
“Isn’t it our duty as scientists to keep our minds open to possibility? To remain curious and constantly seeking?” Misha insisted. Jared didn’t have to look to know that Osric was nodding his head and probably opening his mouth to add some other starry-eyed notion.
“Our duty is to find a logical explanation for the weird shit that happens in this town,” he countered, shutting both of them down. “We’re not here to talk about monsters from other worlds opening holes between their universes and ours and breaking through the earth’s surface in order to eat our equipment. Because that isn’t science; it’s science fiction and ridiculous.”
“We didn’t say anything about monsters,” Misha scoffed.
“And I’m pretty sure you just described the plot of Pacific Rim,” Osric added. “Minus the equipment eating part, they were more set on destroying humanity and taking the earth for themselves.”
“Whatever.” Jared waved a hand through the air and strode towards the back room. “I’m going to get some real work done.” Before he could exit the room entirely however, he paused in the doorway and glanced back to add, “But for the record: we should probably watch Pacific Rim tonight. Because I really like that movie.”
“Movie night!” Misha declared. “I’ll buy popcorn.”
“And booze,” Osric added.
“Of course, that goes without saying,” he heard Misha affirm and he closed the door behind himself, muffling their conversation.
He walked across the room and took a seat behind his desk.
There were samples scattered across its surface, and when he opened his computer he was faced with a few files of data they had just started collecting.
He’d been ecstatic when their grant had been approved, but now that they were here? There was a little more going on than he’d expected. He’d anticipated a few weird things to study and get to the bottom of, but they had barely been in town a week and he already had six files of data collected from various events, and an entire notebook page filled with other things they needed to look into.
He’d always approached science with an open mind, and he wished he could be like Misha and Osric and feel excited about the unknown but… he couldn’t. Some of the things they’d seen here so far were just so out there. He felt like there was a practical joke being played, one that everyone but him was in on.
“Get it together, Padalecki,” he muttered to himself.
But instead of facing his computer, he began to organize his desk drawers instead.
He listened to Jensen’s show each day.
Whether he was tinkering with something in the lab or browsing numbers and figures on his computer, he listened. It kept him up to date on stranger than strange happenings in the town (he still couldn’t make heads or tails of what was real and what was exaggerated), and there was the added bonus of getting to hear the low, comfortable tumble of Jensen’s voice.
It was something he looked forward to each day.
Two weeks had passed, and Jensen had become a friend.
It was nice to have a contact outside of Misha and Osric, not to mention somebody with such close ties to the town. They exchanged emails daily, and Jensen’s need for caffeine meant he was always up for a coffee date.
After a particularly frustrating morning that included new data collected from the fissure that didn’t make any sense, and Osric breaking a glass and spilling orange juice across some important papers, he needed to get away from the lab.
Coffee with a side of Jensen was the cure.
“How are things coming?” Jensen asked.
They were seated at the Ugly Mug, and that was the last thing Jared had wanted to talk about. Instead, he focused on Jensen, who looked exceptionally good that morning. He was dressed in a blue-checkered shirt beneath a maroon waistcoat and wore glasses, which was a cute touch.
“Good,” Jared lied.
“Bullshit,” Jensen said. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a lot to learn here.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? It’s kind of the reason you’re here.”
He scratched absently at his temple and was unable to admit he was overwhelmed.
“Or not,” Jensen said, filling the space of Jared’s silence. “I don’t know much about science or anything like that, but if you ever need a second opinion or just an opinion-I’m always here. Just so you know.”
“I appreciate that,” he mumbled in response.
The coffee break was meant to take his mind off of his research, but he clearly needed something more. The gears began to turn and he threw caution to the wind.
“Maybe we should get dinner,” Jared suggested. He recognized that it was a little out of the blue, but he’d gathered enough from their chemistry to know that it was a reasonable suggestion. Anyway, he liked Jensen. A lot. It was a risk he was willing to take.
“Dinner. As in, a date?” Jensen asked.
“Yeah. A date.”
Jensen’s eyes widened a little, surprised. After a moment of consideration however, he relaxed and nodded his head a little. “Sure,” he said. “Why not.”
Jared let out a huff of laughter. “Why not?” he asked. They were off to a romantic start.
“Yes,” Jensen clarified. “Dinner sounds great. Not sure what sort of sentimental acceptance you were expecting but that’s all you’re getting, buddy.”
“Fine, fine,” Jared said lightly.
Across the table, Jensen fidgeted with his coffee a little. Turned his cup in a half circle and then cracked a small smile. Jared mirrored it and silently, he felt relieved. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done if Jensen had said no. This was the change of pace he needed. It was something to look forward to-something besides yet another day filled with unbelievable data.
Things were looking up.
He took Jensen to dinner on Saturday.
They met at Jensen’s apartment, which was a small one-bedroom above a bookstore. He’d gotten there a few minutes early and Jensen was still in the process of getting dressed, with only his undershirt and a pair of black jeans on.
He waved Jared inside and assured him, “It’s okay-I was running behind. Sorry. Have a seat, I’ll be ready in ten. Watch out for Clovis. He’s in a mood today.”
“Clovis?”
Jensen didn’t have to offer an explanation, however. As if on cue, a sleek, grey cat with black stripes brushed past his leg and hopped up onto the sofa. Jensen waved a hand in the cat’s direction and then disappeared into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Meanwhile, Jared took a seat opposite his furry companion. The cat gave him a suspicious meow before turning his head the other way.
“Hello to you too,” he murmured, and then settled back against the sofa.
The apartment wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d envisioned something sleek and modern to match Jensen’s tailored look, but what he found was much more rustic, like a cottage or a page out of a catalog for Christmas decorations. There were different grains of wood, comfortable, warm pieces of furniture and a quilt draping the back of an armchair. The only thing missing was a crackling fireplace.
When Jensen walked back into the room a few minutes later, he smelled wonderful and wore a blue oxford with a skinny tie. He pulled a soft, grey wool cardigan over the top and smiled in Jared’s direction.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Of course,” Jared replied, and rose to his feet.
“See ya later,” Jensen said, reaching over the back of the couch to give his cat a scratch beneath the chin. Clovis gave a low, contented purr while simultaneously giving Jared a death-glare that he assumed meant, I’ll spare you for now given that my master is happy but so help me if you deprive me of his company again. He took a slow step back. He didn’t trust cats.
A minute later they were out the door.
“I was thinking we could go to Mogi’s. Best burgers in town, plus they have some great local brews on tap,” Jensen told him.
He nodded in approval. “Burgers and beer-the fastest way to my heart,” he said.
“I’m off to a good start, huh?”
“Fair, I’d say,” he said, giving Jensen a smile. Then, he looked up towards the sky. It was clear, dotted with stars and a bright, waxing gibbous moon. “Nice night,” he commented. At his side, Jensen nodded.
“Definitely. And the trees are quiet tonight. Can hardly hear them talking.”
He laughed a little. “Never heard it put like that,” he said. It was a rather charming way to say that the leaves were rustling in the wind.
“Like what?” Jensen asked.
They approached a cluster of trees. He tilted his head, inclined his ear towards them and slowed his steps. “Huh,” he muttered. “It does sound like they’re talking, doesn’t it,” he marveled. He couldn’t feel a breeze, but it must be just enough to be hitting the leaves just so. As they passed, he could almost hear the indistinct murmur of voices. Like a quiet conversation in another room.
“Like I said,” Jensen replied flatly. “They’re quiet tonight, but don’t worry-you aren’t missing much. They mostly talk about dull things, especially once Fall arrives because then it’s all about chlorophyll breaking down and your pigment looks great-I’d kill for that vibrant of an orange. Who cares, y’know.”
Jared laughed. Maybe a little harder than necessary, but the notion was funny-kind of weird-but a funny kind of weird. The laugh seemed to startle Jensen. He looked up at Jared, a little wide-eyed, but then relaxed and smiled. Jared envied him-envied his mind and his imagination. He never knew what would come out of his mouth next, and that was exciting.
He reached down and took Jensen’s hand in his. He gave it a light squeeze, and Jensen squeezed back.
They carried on down the street and not once did Jared consider that Jensen might have meant the trees were actually talking to one another.
The burgers didn’t disappoint.
Neither did the kiss that Jensen gave him at the end of the evening. In front of his apartment, he pushed up onto his toes ever so slightly to make up for the difference between their heights. He pressed his body into Jared’s, the warmth of his cardigan and the heat from his skin seeping into Jared’s, and pecked him lightly on the lips. It was short but sweet and he gave Jared a smile and a wink before saying goodnight.
Jared walked back to the house he was renting.
He wasn’t off to the best start in this town, that was for sure. But this evening with Jensen had been nice. A much needed break, and he looked at it as a sign of things turning around. Hands deep in his pockets, he enjoyed the stroll home. His mind danced across Jensen’s lips on his and he imagined what lay beneath those waistcoats.
He didn’t even notice the group of trees off to his right, which quietly gossiped about his shoes and what product he used in his hair.
Good afternoon, Midnight Valley. This is Jensen Ackles and I’d like to remind everybody that tickets for the Fall Harvest Festival go on sale today. The earlier you buy, the more you save. They will be available at the Midnight Valley Municipal Center, plus local businesses. A full list of businesses with tickets available can be found on our blog.
“You can always purchase your tickets online as well, by which I of course mean on a sheet of paper, clearly write Fall Harvest Festival along with the number of tickets you wish to purchase. Then, attach the sheet of paper and your money or check to the local purchase line that comes standard in each Midnight Valley home. When you turn your head, the request will be whisked away. Please allow up to an hour for your tickets to arrive. The mysterious forces that run this handy service can’t be rushed.
“In other news, the large crack in the ground that appeared last week near the Yellow Owl Hills remains open. When asked, local government officials insisted the crack has always been there. That it’s the Midnight Valley Fissure and a popular tourist attraction with plenty of publicity and souvenirs. When asked if they could produce a souvenir, they claimed all souvenirs were being cleaned but would arrive back from the cleaners in six to eight weeks.
“Now, I personally don’t remember this nor do I consider the group of local children who occasionally gather around the crack to throw objects inside to be tourists, but who am I to judge. Anyway, memory is a funny thing. I often recall things that the local government reminds me never happened or are not true. I guess it’s part of life and we should thank them for keeping us in touch with reality.
“When asked, our resident scientists Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins were not sure what to make of the crack but assured me that monsters from another world would probably not be emerging from it anytime soon.”
“What else do you got?”
It was after work one evening, and Jensen and Felicia were at Kim’s bar. The round top of their table was covered in papers and Felicia had her notebook out as they went over upcoming stories.
“I talked to a couple people and it turns out Mr. Bradley was exaggerating a teensy bit in saying all of the carrots in his garden had come out striped in gold and silver. Turns out it was purple, and who cares about that. I mean hello, purple carrots were the original carrots,” Felicia said with a huff. She crossed something off of her list while Jensen finished his beer.
Kim wandered over to their table. “I hear there’s a swarm of hummingbirds outside of Ms. Tillison’s home,” she told them. “Been there for over a week and are building a small village of nests in her shrubs.” She approximated the shape of a small golf ball-sized hummingbird’s nest with her fingers and Jensen raised his brow.
“Really?” he asked. “Again?”
“No, not really,” Kim replied. “Just kidding. But they sure were pretty, weren’t they?”
“They thought my hair was food,” Felicia mumbled. Jensen smiled a little as he recalled the sight, and Kim gave Felicia’s shoulder a warm squeeze.
“They kind of looked like tiny, moving accessories,” she commented. She danced her fingers over the air above Felicia’s head and Felicia nodded.
“True,” she said.
“Can I get you two another round?” asked Kim as she picked their empty glasses up.
“Sure,” he replied. After she’d walked away, he turned back to Felicia. “What about the fissure?” He asked. “You go down there like I asked?”
“Ah yes, the so-called Midnight Valley Fissure,” she said. “Nothing’s really changed. I started to crawl inside but my phone went off and I had to respond to a couple tweets so maybe next time.”
“I wouldn’t recommend climbing inside,” he told her, knowing her curiosity often got the best of her. He couldn’t really afford nor did he want her to go missing yet again.
“Why not? There might be something cool inside.”
He shrugged his shoulders a little, unable to argue with that. “Maybe wear a harness, if you do,” was all he could say.
“I can probably get one from Osric. I ran into him while I was there. He was getting some information for Jared and Misha-had all this crazy equipment and invited me to come by the lab sometime so I could check it all out.” She paused, as if contemplating something, and then said, “Cute kid, huh?”
“Not exactly my type,” he replied. “But he’s very nice.”
“Right. You’re more interested in his boss. How’s that going, anyway?”
“Great,” he answered without a beat. “We’ve had dinner a few times, saw a movie last week, and-well.” He stopped there, and left her imagination to fill in the blanks. He wasn’t about to divulge the personal details of their relationship, but silently he thought of how solid Jared had been beneath those plaid shirts, and how the light scruff of his beard had felt when he’d kissed him. Things were going very well.
He shifted a little in his seat and must have drifted off in thought a little because Felicia was grinning at him from across the table.
“He’s a great guy,” he concluded.
“Good for you,” she said.
Then, she pulled her gaze upward.
He felt a warm, firm body press against the back of his chair.
“Who’s a great guy?” Jared’s voice asked.
“Definitely not you,” he lied.
Jared’s laugh was a warm rumble in his ear. It reverberated through his body, and he smiled.
An hour later, they were crammed into a booth together.
Jared sat next to him, his thigh a warm, comfortable weight against his, while Misha sat opposite them. Next to him, Felicia and Osric were lost in their own conversation. They argued which DPS class was best, and Felicia had twice turned to Jensen, asking he back her up. He’d simply shaken his head because he wasn’t drunk enough to pretend he knew what they were talking about.
“I just want to prove everyone wrong, you know?” Jared was saying.
“The people we work with-well, they can sort of be jerks,” Misha commented, and Jared nodded his head.
“I had Rachel, one of my friends and colleagues, review the grant while I was working on it. You know what she said? She asked if it was a book I was working on. Said that a force that drives those trying to leave back to the center of town and a group of five hundred residents who possess the power of mind-control is just silly. She called it a hoax and said I was better than this.”
“Better than what?” Jensen asked.
“Better than studying something like this. Like it was beneath me or something.”
“Fringe science is frowned upon in our circle,” Misha commented.
Jared scowled in his direction. “This isn’t fringe science,” he argued. “There’s a logical explanation behind everything that happens here and that’s what we’re going to find.”
“Fringe science?” He felt a little lost.
“The rather far out ideas in science,” Misha clarified. “On the fringes of the credible, academic discipline, so to speak.”
“I know,” he said, because he understood what fringe science was. “Why would what happens in our town be considered on the fringe of credibility, though?”
Jared shot Misha a look and then turned back.
“It isn’t,” he assured him. “As Mish said, they’re jerks.”
Misha nodded. “They don’t appreciate how fascinating this town is.”
“Exactly,” Jared said. “I know the things I presented in the grant were radical, but I thought people would be as excited as I was. I didn’t expect to lose friends or part of my reputation in wanting to come here. It kind of hurts, knowing everyone’s laughing behind your back over a project you’re passionate about.”
He swallowed thickly as he said this. Jensen frowned. He hadn’t realized what a hard journey it had been for Jared to get them here. Beneath the table, he found Jared’s hand. He squeezed it lightly and Jared squeezed back.
“Fuck ‘em,” Misha said quietly, and Jared nodded.
“Guess that’s all I can say at this point. Anyway, the real problem is beginning to make sense of the data we’ve collected.”
“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Osric said, leaning into the table. “We’ve only been here, what? Two months? We have plenty of time to interpret the data.”
“Exactly,” Misha agreed. “You worry too much. That’s why we dragged you away from the lab tonight in an effort to get you to have a little fun.”
“Well, it was nice to get away from the lab,” he admitted. He picked his glass up and drained the remainder of his beer. Then, he looked at Jensen’s own empty glass and asked, “Want another?”
“Nah,” he said. “I’m good. It’s getting kind of late, anyway.”
Time had slipped away, and it was already inching towards ten.
He laid a hand on Jared’s thigh beneath the table and squeezed a little. “But you could walk me home, maybe?” he asked. He wanted to take Jared’s mind off of everything he’d been worrying about earlier, and figured peeling that tight v-neck from his body and licking every inch of skin that lay beneath might do the trick.
Jared’s gaze grew heated and he smiled a little.
“I could do that,” he said, placing a hand over his. “You sure?”
Jensen nodded.
They said goodnight to the others and then walked back to Jensen’s.
The house Jared was renting was closer, but he shared it with Osric and Misha so for the sake of privacy Jensen’s had become their destination of choice. Clovis wasn’t entirely happy with this fact, but he’d have to deal. He’d been the sole object of Jensen’s affection for three years now and could learn to share the spotlight.
For now, however, he was passive-aggressively throwing hairballs up in Jensen’s shoes or furiously shedding in his hamper.
Once inside the apartment, they made their way into the bedroom.
It was late, and both of them were tired. They made out a little. Exchanged slow, lazy kisses and tangled together atop to the comforter. He pushed his hands up and under Jared’s shirt. Traced his sides and slid his thumbs over the sharp jut of his hipbones. Jared let out a soft moan, and Jensen licked up into his mouth. He tasted like beer and smelled of cologne, rich and spicy with a hint of citrus.
Jared gripped him by the hips and pulled his body against his, tight. The friction was overwhelming. Jensen mewed softly and felt Jared begin to undo his jeans. He arched his hips to help him along, but that was when Jared stopped and let out a sharp cry.
“Fuck,” he said, and let go of Jensen’s body.
“What?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”
He looked down and immediately noticed Clovis at the foot of the bed, one clawed paw pressed down on Jared’s ankle.
“Oh, get out of here,” Jensen said, picking up his discarded cardigan and throwing it at the cat. Clovis meowed, offended, and hopped off the bed. He began to strut away, but not before shooting him a look that said he’d find something tampered with come morning.
“Sorry about that,” he said apologetically, and turned back to Jared. The mood was gone now and Jared flopped back against the pillow.
“I don’t think he likes me,” he said. Jensen fit himself against his chest and allowed him to curl an arm around his shoulders.
“He’s sulking,” he told him. “But he’ll get used to you.”
“He’d better. Otherwise I’ll sic my dog on him.”
“You have a dog?”
“Luna,” Jared said. “She’s the friendliest dog ever though, so I was just kidding about sending her after your cat. She’s staying with a friend while I’m here. Didn’t bring her with me because I figured I should focus on work. Although I guess as far as distractions go, I’ve pretty much failed at steering clear of them.”
He gave Jensen’s arm a warm squeeze to emphasize what particular distraction he was referring to. Jensen smiled, but he did worry sometimes. As much as he enjoyed his time with Jared, he didn’t want to keep him from his work.
“Let me know if I’m ever getting in the way.”
“No, I was joking,” Jared assured him. “I’m a big boy who can balance work and play.”
Right. Work.
“Listen, earlier? When you were talking about how crappy everyone’s been to you in wanting to come here. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be, and don’t feel bad for me either. It sucks, but that’s life.”
“You find anything interesting lately?”
“Well, yesterday we were looking at that house on Golden West-you know, the one that occasionally disappears? Misha’s pretty excited by what the cause is.”
“I know the house. There’re a few designated time-jump areas in town. Time gets a little confused-jumps back and forth-and when that spot leaps to a time when the house wasn’t built yet… well, of course we can’t see it. It doesn’t exist anymore. Or, at least, it won’t exist against until time sorts itself out.”
“God,” Jared whispered. “I wish I could wrap my mind around even a quarter of the things you say.”
“What do you mean?” He turned back to look at him. The concept was fairly simple, and he wasn’t sure why Jared would be confused.
Jared gave him a long look that he couldn’t read. He parted his lips as if to answer, but closed them a moment later. “Nothing,” was what he said with a light shake of his head. Jensen had a feeling that it wasn’t nothing, but he didn’t press.
Closing his eyes, Jared pulled him closer. Jensen sunk into the embrace and in the silence they drifted off to sleep.
Master | Part Two