It's Just a Dimension Jump (to the Left) (14/14)
It's Just a Dimension Jump (to the Left)
Epilogue
Four Months Later
Filtered sunshine bathes the bedroom in a warm glow. Jensen wakes slowly. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he glances at the clock. A slow grin spreads across his face. It’s 9:00 am. He got ten hours of sleep last night. Ten hours of glorious, uninterrupted, voice-free, dreamless sleep. He still hasn’t gotten used to being able to let his guard down long enough to fall asleep. Jared being nearby definitely helps him with that. Peaceful sleep is something he doesn’t think he’ll ever take for granted.
Jared stirs beneath him. Somehow, they always end up like this, no matter what position they fall asleep in, Jensen sprawled out on top of Jared like he’s a body pillow, Jared’s arms wrapped tight around him. Jensen blames Jared for pulling him over as if he were a blanket, but Jared assures him he’s the one who crawls on top of Jared during the night. Neither one of them is actually complaining.
“It’s Saturday. Go back to sleep,” Jared mumbles into his hair, nuzzling and kissing the top of his head.
There’s one fool-proof method Jensen has learned to wake Jared up on a weekend. Sliding over so he’s half on and half off, he lowers his mouth over Jared’s and presses their lips together. At first, Jared doesn’t respond so Jensen gets more insistent, grinds his hips against Jared’s muscular thigh and slips a hand inside his boxer briefs, wrapping his hand around Jared’s soft, warm cock, squeezing and massaging until it begins to chub up in his hand.
Jared moans and thrusts, then rolls them until he has Jensen pinned under him. Cupping Jensen’s face in his large hands, he lays a trail of kisses along his jaw to his mouth. They make out for long minutes, taking their time, kisses sensual and heated. Nowhere to be and nothing to do but this.
After a while, their lovemaking becomes more frantic as the tension builds, hearts thumping wildly and hips thrusting. They come into each other’s hands, then lie together, panting softly, Jared’s face burrowed into the hollow of Jensen’s neck.
“That was the best wakeup call ever.” Jared gives a contented little sigh.
Jensen sniggers as best he can with Jared’s weight pressing on his rib cage. “You can show your appreciation by getting off me. Make yourself useful and get a washcloth.”
“Bossy,” Jared complains, even as he rolls off the bed to do as he was told.
“So, today’s the big day.” Jensen says when Jared returns with a wet washcloth. “Sam and Dean are getting their long-awaited debut as a web comic. Are you excited?”
Jared uses the washcloth to clean Jensen’s sticky stomach before giving it to him so he can wipe off his hand. “Nervous as hell is more like it. I don’t know why I let you talk me into this. What if no one likes it? Or worse, what if no one even reads it?”
“Are you kidding me? What’s not to like? It’s got action, adventure, drama, spooky stuff, and plenty of B. M.”
“Excuse me?” Jared asks, wide eyed.
Jensen grins, super pleased with himself. “Brotherly moments. B. M. I just made that up. Whatd’you think? Pretty good, right?”
Jared fails miserably at trying to keep a straight face and ends up cracking a huge smile. “That’s what I love about you, Jen. You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better.” Leaning over the bed, he kisses the tip of Jensen’s nose.
“You love me?” Jensen sits up in the bed and rests his back against the headboard, holding the now dirty washcloth out for Jared to take. This isn’t the first time they’ve used the “L” word with each other, but it’s still new enough to make Jensen’s insides flutter when he hears Jared say it.
“You know I do. Why else would I be willing to handle your jizz-covered washcloth,” Jared says as he holds the washcloth gingerly with thumb and forefinger. Jared’s smile is so big that his dimples are etched deeply into his cheeks, making it impossible for Jensen to be offended. “Besides, as you said, what’s not to like? You’re funny and smart and you have the best ideas ever.”
“You mean my kick-ass ideas for how to wake you up in the morning?”
Jared tosses the washcloth into the hamper. “Well, yes that, obviously. And the idea you had to make Supernatural into a web comic with episodes that get posted every week. It’s genius. Now I don’t have to find a publisher or an agent or any of that crap.”
“Right, and with any luck, we’ll get a sponsor or two to supplement what you make with your career as a social worker.” Jensen still can’t believe Jared gave up his high school dream of becoming a veterinarian so he could help teens in crisis like he used to be. Not only had Jared spent every free second he had, searching for him, he’d also devoted his life to making amends in the only way he knew how. “You have plenty of material for new episodes. Who knows, you could be posting episodes every week for the next fifteen years!”
Chuckling, Jared climbs back into bed and pulls Jensen against him so they’re cuddled together chest to chest, legs tangled. “That would be amazing, unlikely, but amazing. Webcomics don’t normally enjoy that kind of longevity.”
Jensen rests his head on Jared’s broad shoulder. “Maybe they don’t, but you have more talent than all the rest of them combined. Supernatural is destined for greatness.”
“You used to do this all the time when we were kids - boost my self-confidence.” Jared kisses the only part of Jensen he can easily reach at the moment which happens to be his ear. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too.”
They’re quiet for a while then, just enjoying the leisurely morning in each other’s arms. Jensen revels in the stillness of the house, something he used to dread and now finds he enjoys.
One by one his housemates had all moved out, just as he knew they would someday. It was almost as though they were waiting for him to be ready, like they understood they were the only things holding him together and couldn’t bring themselves to leave him while he needed them. Once Jared moved in, the dynamics in the house quickly changed.
Danneel was the first to leave. She moved in with Christian two weeks after the events of that fateful day.
Two months later, Ty and Felicia surprised him by announcing they had fallen in love and wanted to find a cozy little place for just the two of them.
And AJ, well, AJ is currently serving time for assault. The bruises all over Jensen’s body from being thrown into a tree and his dislocated arm had proven to be very convincing evidence against him. It may not have been AJ who did the actual throwing, but he was responsible nonetheless, and Jensen does not feel guilty about putting him behind bars. Not even a little. It’s a lot better than what Jared wanted to do to him when he heard the full story.
“It’ll be good to see everyone tonight,” Jensen gives voice to his thoughts. They have plans to meet up with Danneel, Christian, Ty, Felicia, and Misha at the Roadhouse, a little hole in the wall bar that Christian frequents. They don’t usually need a reason to get together. In fact, they still eat dinner with one or two of their friends at least once a week even though they no longer live together. But tonight everyone will be there, and Jensen is planning to turn the casual night out into an impromptu party celebrating the launch of Supernatural.
Jared smiles softly. “Yeah, it will.”
“I have to warn you about Misha though.”
Jared’s brow furrows. “What do you mean? Misha and I get along great.”
It’s true. Although they had a rough start, Misha has warmed up to Jared.
“Has he told you about his sea monkeys yet?”
“Noooo.” Confusion colors Jared’s voice. “He hasn’t mentioned sea monkeys. I didn’t know people still had those.”
“Oh yes.” Jensen smirks. “Misha has two sea monkeys named Tony and Maria.”
“Like from West Side Story? Wait...he named them?”
Jensen bursts out laughing. “Please, don’t let him hear you ask that. He takes his sea monkeys very seriously. Yes, they have names and they also have a new addition. Maria has apparently had a baby. You’ll have to congratulate him. He’s a very proud granddaddy.”
Jared huffs, amused. “Granddaddy to a baby sea monkey?”
“That’s right. He’ll probably want to tell you all about it tonight.”
“Glad you warned me. I’ll be sure to show lots of interest.” Jared snuffles against his ear. “You got any other plans for today?”
“I thought I might take the rest of AJ’s stuff to the storage unit. I don’t really want to think about it or him ever again.” Jensen absentmindedly runs his fingers up and down Jared’s upper arm, feeling the taut muscles.
“Understandable.” Jared flexes a little, knowing how much Jensen loves it. “That leaves you with four empty bedrooms.”
“Yeah, this house is a little big for just the two of us. Maybe we should think about selling it and buying something smaller.”
“You could do that, or...” Jared trails off into an uncertain silence.
Jensen lifts up to look at him properly. “Or...?”
“Okay so, I was thinking, and you can totally say no, but...what would you say to getting a couple dogs from the pound? I really like the idea of rescuing a pound puppy or two. You know, just regular old mutts that need a home, someone to love them. My mom never wanted pets in her house, and I’ve always thought it would be so cool to have a dog. But if that’s not something you want, we don’t have to. It’s just a thought-”
Jensen silences his boyfriend with a long, steamy kiss, wrapping his arms around Jared’s head and grabbing a fistful of his hair for additional leverage. When they pull apart, Jared’s eyes are all pupil.
Jensen grins. “It’s a great thought. I love it. But we could have dogs in a smaller house.”
“There’s a part two to my thought.”
Jared ducks his head and looks up at Jensen sheepishly. Jensen wonders what other animals he wants to adopt.
Okay, what’s part two?”
“First of all, let me say I understand this is a big decision and I don’t expect you to make it anytime soon. This is something we would need to think long and hard about, so don’t think I’m suggesting this as anything that might happen in our immediate future or ever.”
Intrigued, Jensen says. “You’ve certainly gotten my attention. What is this thought?”
“It’s only because of my job that the idea came to me.” Jared puts a hand on his cheek, stares deeply into his eyes as though trying to see into his soul. “Jen, there’s lots of kids out there, teenagers, who need a family. Kids who have been abandoned for one reason or another, and I thought, maybe one day...”
Tears fill Jensen eyes. His chest tightens, forcing him to take shallow breaths. He remembers being in the Home, no one to speak up on his behalf, no one to question the medical choices being made for him, no one to give him the hug he so desperately needed. The thought of being there for some other kid, of being able to save someone else from that life, it’s not a thing he’d ever considered. As screwed up as he used to be, it was never a possibility for him before. The idea that now, with Jared by his side, he could totally do that for another teenager, save them like he needed saving, it completely overwhelms him.
“Hey, hey, I’m sorry. It’s too soon to bring anything like that up. Forget I said it.” Jared thumbs away the tears that are rolling freely down his cheeks.
“We could do that, couldn’t we?” Jensen chokes past the lump in his throat. “We could give a kid a home. A real home.” A family.
Jared kisses his wet cheeks. “We could, but only when you’re ready. We do it on your time table. Or we don’t do it at all.”
Jensen thinks about how different his life could have been if he’d had one person, just one, who he could have trusted to have his back. He spent so many years surrounded by people, but not a single one who believed him, taking pills that did nothing to help him, left to his own devices to figure out coping methods and strategies for issues that no one else could even conceive. He’s under no illusion that there are other kids out there suffering through exactly what he went through. His situation is unique. That doesn’t mean there aren’t others who could benefit from his experience.
Jensen has always craved a family. Leave it to Jared, with his amazing heart and its huge capacity for love, to show him the way.
Jensen uses the heels of his hands to wipe away the remaining tears. His chin wobbles, but he manages a smile. “Let’s start with the dogs.”
Jared kisses him lightly on the lips. “We’ll start with the dogs. And then we’ll see.”
Jensen’s whole life lies ahead of him. For the first time, he realizes he can do anything with it he wants. No more limitations. No more boundaries. No more self-enforced insomnia. No more unsolvable quests.
He’s free.
Link to the Master Post