Jared Padaelcki and the Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy
Title: Jared Padalecki and the Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy
Chapter: Eleven
Author: hunters_retreat
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG (eventual R i'm sure... it's me after all :P)
Summary: J2 AU. Jared is a young Egyptologist trying to find a prize. Jensen is an adventurer in need of a mystery. Jared provides him with one. This is the story of the legend they become.
Author's Note:Huge insane thank you to insane_songbird who did an amazing manip for this story!! *Snuggles* Check it out (and find all previous chapters) here. & an interesting note (To me anyway) that this little fic that started out as a birthday prompt has not hit 20,000 words! Woohhooo! Enjoy!
Chapter Eleven
There was no guard as they left the valley, no raiders waiting to see if they kept their word. Akil said it was because the Green-Eyed was among them and he would see they kept their word but Jared was sure it was because they were watching from a place they couldn’t be seen. He hated that they were leaving, but he couldn’t see any other way around it. They needed to come back with more strength. He knew where to get the right sort of men. It would only take a couple days to round them up, a brief delay that would drive him insane, but that was necessary none the less.
Jared kept his eyes to the front, always looking towards his men and never to the back of the caravan where he knew Jensen was riding. He wanted to go back and talk to him, wanted to set things right between them, but he didn’t know how. He couldn’t stop and Jensen had made his opinion clear. He was spooked by something and against all logical judgment he was going to walk away.
Akil had warned him about this. He’d told him that Jensen was likely to leave when he wanted and that it would go badly for Jared. He was glad he hadn’t listened though. As much as he would miss having Jensen with him for the rest of their journey, he’d been there for part of it. He couldn’t regret that.
They stopped for a quick meal at lunch and Jared let himself look for Jensen once. The other man sat among the workers, but there was a tightness to his face even when he laughed with them. Jensen looked up and caught him eye, but he looked away, quickly joining Akil before he could think better of it and try to talk to Jensen.
That night he went to his tent as soon as it was up. He spread the rubbing of the sarcophagus out in front of him and forced himself to concentrate on that, ignoring the sounds of the men around him. Normally, it wasn’t a problem. He was worried about Jensen though, worried about losing the connection he had to the man, whatever it was, and it was keeping him from focusing like usual.
He heard the rustling as the tent flap was pushed up and Akil came in with his dinner. “Thank you Akil.” He said with a small smile. “I was just thinking it might be time to eat.”
Akil smiled back at him. “Which means you were just about to get caught up in something again.”
“Am I that predictable?” Jared asked.
“Perhaps.” The other man said, taking a seat close to Jared. “The Green-eyed is very observant though. He said you would not join the men tonight.”
“Jensen?”
“He was worried and asked that I see you get some food. He takes good care of you Jared.”
“And yet he’s going to leave.”
Akil nodded. “Yes. You can respect a man, but not always follow the same path.”
“Are you speaking of me, or him?”
Akil smiled sadly, “Both.” He stood up and walked to the tent flap but turned back around. “He puts on a good face Jared, but there is something bothering him as well. Perhaps it would do you both well to talk about it.”
Jared nodded. “Thank you Akil.”
The other man left his tent and Jared took a deep breath. He had no intention of checking up on Jensen. Jensen was leaving and no matter what Akil said, it felt like betrayal. It made him feel more than guilty for his own need to talk to Jensen, like a betrayal of his own beliefs, which seemed even worse than Jensen leaving. Since his arrival Jensen had turned Jared upside down with nothing but green eyes and companionship. He ached to talk to Jensen, but he refused. Instead he set his food down by the rubbing, took a bite and started working on the translation.
Nothing changed. Two days later they were still traveling towards Cairo. They were only two more days out, thanks to more traveled roads as they moved into familiar territory and Jared spent more and more time translating. The sarcophagus was covered with stories of the General, talking about his wisdom and his compassion. Jared was translating his history, the story of a slave who showed high intelligence as a child and became a scribe. His work there, along with a quick thinking mind eventually earned him a military rank. It was an amazing story, how his treatment of others became the paragon of behavior and how others began to emulate him. Indeed, the sarcophagus stated that even the Pharaoh began to notice the general. He shared the story with Akil, who took it out to the fires, telling the men about Jared's translations. More than once he heard Akil talking about Jared's translation abilities and how he was one that read the language like he had been born speaking it. He just laughed when Akil began calling him Jared Quick-Tongue, though he understood that Akil was honoring him with the name and not teasing.
He spent all his meals working on the translation and too much of his nights as well. He was exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his cot but there was still so much to do. He'd have to see if he could get another linguist to come with him if he could. There were a few at the museum but they might not be willing to come with him because of the raiders. He would have to see. A glance at the rubbings might sell one or two on the adventure. As much as he hated to admit it, he was one of the few linguists working in the area that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He was the only one that seemed to thrive on it. With a shake of his head, he pulled the rubbing out of the protective case and spread it on his makeshift desk.
He didn't know how long he was at it when he heard the telltale rustle of his tent flap. Akil, or one of the men bringing him food. He made a point of walking with the men during their travels, talking to them as much as he could to keep their spirits high. He did it for morale and to keep them from wondering why he spent all his meals working. Akil understood him and soothed the men and between them, his men had never questioned Jared's concern over their welfare. They seemed to take it in an amused fashion and in some ways they treated him a little like an overexcited child. They followed his orders and did as told, but they also tried to tease him into eating with them, joked about taking his rubbings away so he would sleep at night.
"You can set it over there." He said, pointing to a side table. He didn't notice much more than the soft clink of the dishes being set down or the smell of warm food because he was too caught up in the translation.
"I might take offense to being dismissed so easily if I didn't know what you were working on."
He looked up immediately, Jensen's voice sounding tired and drawn, but there was a small smile on his face as he watched Jared. "Mind if I join you?"
He could see then that Jensen had brought in enough food for two. "Of course."
"That means you'll have to stop working for a little while." Jensen teased.
Jared gave a small smile back. It didn't feel like it had. There was still a lot of anger and hurt between them but he was willing to give in to this. He wanted to. He didn't want to part way with Jensen in two days and never hear from him again. "I think I can take a break."
Jensen nodded as he took a seat next to the small table. It wasn't a lot of space and they bumped knees as they ate. It was quiet and Jared was thankful for that. He didn't know what to say to Jensen and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what the other man thought of him at the moment. They didn't agree on what needed to be done, but there was something more to it. He didn't think Jensen wanted to end their working relationship anymore than Jared did but they were both moving in different ways. Akil was right though. As much as he felt betrayed that Jensen would walk away, the man was honorable and they shared a connection that he felt would be insane to throw away. Jensen seemed to understand him. He did things before Jared asked for them, had the men moving in directions Jared wanted without having to discuss it first.
"Thank you," he managed to say when they finished eating. He looked up at Jensen and saw the small hope there.
"You're welcome," he answered back, his smile small, but there. "The men are worried about you. You aren't sleeping and it's starting to show."
Jared nodded. "I can't seem to set it down," he said honestly.
"Now i'm worried." His voice was soft and there was an exasperated note there. When Jared looked up, Jensen nodded to the translation. "You don't have to have it done before we reach Cairo."
"I know. I just... I know you don't like it, but i'm drawn to this. I can't let it go."
"Yeah." Jensen said with a sigh as he stood. He turned away from Jared, but he wasn't leaving. He just looked at the tent wall as if he could see past it. "Your visions. Do you think they might want something from you that you can't give?"
"What?"
"Eveything they want of you goes against my instincts Jared. I've stayed alive a long time trusting my instincts, but I know what I saw in that tomb with you. I know that your vision, whatever it wants from you, it forced us to touch the sarcophagus when I asked you not to. That's what really bothers me."
They hadn't talked about it, not when it happened and not after. He didn't know what to say about it now. He was terrified that Jensen would bring up that moment between them, where Jared had caressed Jensen's bottom lip with his thumb, where he'd been moments away from leaning forward and kissing him. Jensen wasn't talking about that, but it was too close for comfort.
"Have your visions always manipulated you like that?'
Jared shook his head. "No. To be honest most of my visions are just glimpses of something. Nothing has even been this elaborate. And... "
"What?"
"They're reacting to you. There was a time, in the cavern with the markers, they recognized you, called your name. I still don't know what to make of that."
Jensen nodded. "Have you had any other visions since the Sarcophagus?"
"No. Without any of the artifacts to surround myself with it's harder to sense anything about the pieces."
"So it could be that these visions are connected to the actual pieces, and that anyone that touched them would see it."
Jared frowned. "I don't know. I suppose there could be something to it, but i've always been able to sense things, not just on this find. I don't see how the visions would influence anyone else if I wasn't there."
Jensen raised a hand to his forehead, rubbing across it as he nodded. "Of course."
"Jensen, are you alright?"
He heard the other man take a deep breath before turning to look at him. It was the first time in days that he'd really looked at Jensen. His eyes were tight and Jared could see pain etched behind them. His brow was furrowed and his lips were set in a thin white line. Dark circles ringed his eyes and he looked unsteady on his feet. "Jensen?"
"I'm fine Jared. The headaches, that's all."
"Sit down. Please," he added as Jensen hesitated. Jared pushed him over towards his cot and made him sit there. He crouched in front of him. "Are they always this bad?"
"I don't normally have them this often. Sometimes... on a dig they'll come. I'll be fine."
"You aren't sleeping any better than I am, are you?" Jared asked.
Jensen closed his eyes and didn't protest as Jared pushed him back, making him lie flat on the cot. "Suppose not." He said softly.
Jared took a deep breath as he pulled a small stool over to the cot and sat beside it. He didn't like this at all. He didn't like that his visions were out of control and Jensen's headaches were just as bad. "Are they related?" He asked aloud, because he couldn't help but think their paths had been thrown together for some reason. The visions wanted Jensen with him at this discovery, he was certain of it. They wanted the Green-eyed and they'd found a way to make it happen. He thought about what Jensen had said, about the visions and the artifacts and it made him consider the connection for a moment. "Are your headaches worse because of my visions?"
Jensen let out a small huff. "You think a lot of yourself, don't you?"
"Of course." Jared said softly, looking down to see Jensen's eyes closed and a smile on his lips. He felt the urge to lean forwad and brush his lips against Jensen's but he shook his head instead. "I just feel like i'm missing something big Jensen and you and I are both caught in it."
He started to stand and felt Jensen's hand around his wrist. "Don't go." Jensen said softly. "Just... leave it for tonight. You need to rest too."
He held his breath for a minute, trying to think of anything to say, but there was something in Jensen's eyes that made him go completely blank. When he took a deep breath he finally nodded. "Alright. Just let me... i'll be right back." He ducked his head out quickly and the men sprang into action, moving another cot into his tent. He moved the stool out of the way and when the men were gone he pushed the cot up against the other. He turned his lamp off and crawled into the other cot. He reached out, feeling Jensen's hand and squeezing it softly. The other man returned it, but instead of drawing back from the contact, he pulled Jared's hand a little closer and just held on.
The silence covered them as completely as the darkness, but it was comfortable now. There was comfort in being that close to Jensen and he felt himself relaxing for the first time since they'd left the tomb. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Good night Green-eyed."
He was almost asleep before he heard the slurred response. "Nite Quick-tongue." He fell asleep with a smile on his face and his hand held tightly in Jensen's.
They were back to themselves the next day, laughing and smiling and Jared felt the lightness in the men also. Even if they hadn't broadcast the argument between them, the tension had been palpable. Jensen pulled him from his translations a few minutes as they stopped for lunch and made him relax with the men before letting him return to it and he felt the translation was easier for the small breaks. At night, he forced Jared out of his tent for the nightly meal. He slept better, but after the first night, he watched as Jensen continued to wake exhausted and frustrated. Each day the headaches became worse and Jared could see Jensen pulling in on himself, wrapping the tagelmust tighter as if he could keep the world at bay. He tried everything he knew to help Jensen, teas and herbs that were known to help with aches and he tried to rub the tension from his shoulders. Neither worked and while Jared was more than happy to keep trying, having his hands on Jensen's shoulders was far too tempting so he only did it at night when the pain of the day seemed too much.
The last leg of their journey, he kept Jensen at his side. They were safe from marauders at that point and Akil was staying to the back of the caravan to keep an eye on the men. Jensen kept his back straight as he rode, but Jared could see the way the pain edged through him. He talked softly, comfortingly he hoped, about what he'd been able to translate and his hopes. While Jensen didn't want to go back to the tomb, he'd shown that he had no animosity for Jared for doing it, he just wouldn't be part of it. He also talked about other things he wanted to look for. There were a number of things he could imagine sharing with Jensen, adventures that would take them all over the world. Jensen had given him a pained smile as he mentioned the next adventure and it had encouraged Jared to keep talking about other things, to let Jensen know that he thought of him as a partner and friend and he wanted him to be a part of it with him.
"We're almost there Jensen." Jared said softly as he could make out the outline of his place. He thought about going to the apartment in the city, but he wanted to keep his return quiet and his manor home was a better place for that. it was on the outskirts of town and closer anyway and the way that Jensen was looking would have made that decision even if Jared had been inclined otherwise.
"Jared, we will leave you here." Akil said, motioning to the men. "I will come back in the morning with news."
"Thank you Akil. Send my regards to your family, to all of theirs as well."
Akil smiled as he left and Jared watched them go for a moment, watched as they took off towards the smaller district that most of the men came from. It was only ten more minutes before they were riding up to the gates of the manor. He dismounted and opened the gate. "Come on Jensen, just a little further and we'll be home."
He'd been saying similiar things for the past three hours. Jensen looked on the verge of passing out and Jared knew it was only his determination that kept him from falling apart in front of the men. Jared's porter came running and Jared sent him running back up to the house to prepare the guest room and to call for the doctor. When Jensen dismounted, he held tight to the reins for a minute before he turned to face Jared. He nodded slightly, but his step was off balance and Jared reached for him, putting his arm under the other man's and helped support him as they walked into the house.
His people let him through without question, another of the servants helping grab Jensen's other side to get him up the steps. He had him laid out on the clean linen before his maid showed up, a matronly woman who took his welfare far too seriously. "A little dusty I see." She said with a small smile.
He nodded. "The both of us." When he looked back at Jensen though he could see that the pain was leaving his face as he fell into sleep. He was afraid it was more than sleep, that he'd finally sucummed to the black outs, but that was why he'd called for the doctor already. "I'll just get cleaned up quickly. The doctor should be to call soon and I should try to be presentable. Please let me know when he arrives."
"Will you be in your rooms?" She asked.
He shook his head. "Bring my bags up here. I'll start working on the translations in here. Just, be careful not to wake him."
She looked down at Jensen and shook her head. "I don't think anything would wake him now."
"That's a little of what i'm afraid of."
When the doctor left, Jared paced outside the room for a few minutes before knocking lightly at the guest room door. "Come in." He heard from the other side. He hesitated a moment, not sure what to do with the doctor gone and left alone with Jensen. He took a deep breath though and opened the door. Jensen had woken when the doctor was there and while Jared talked to the doctor afterwards, he'd heard Jensen asking the maid if there was a bath he could use. When Jensen had disappeared, he'd made mention to the maid that they should see if they could bring some clean clothes up for him as well. Now, cleaned up and wearing Jared's clothes, he sat on the bed, looking almost lost. Jared didn't like that look on him at all, though something about Jensen in his clothes was doing bad things to his libido.
"You look a little better." Jared said softly as he walked in.
Jensen looked at him, a small smile on his face. "Thank you. I owe you," he said softly, looking around the room. "for all of this."
Jared knew what he meant. For the doctor, the clothes, taking him in. "No, you don't. I take care of the people I work with and I take care of my friends even better. Just relax and let me help you." Jensen nodded as he took a deep breath and then he was shaking his head, lowering it into his hands. "Jensen?" He moved over to the bed, sitting beside the other man. "Talk to me. Tell me what's happening, please?"
"I think i'm going crazy Jared. Ever since..." He took a deep breath. "That vision, I can't seem to get clear of it. When I dream I'm surrounded by these people and they all look up to me, but I can't do anything to help them. They think I can, they think I will, but I can't and won't and it never matters what I tell them. They stare at me, just like in that damn vision. They reach out to touch me like the men do now only it's not for luck but for love and I don't deserve it."
Jared nodded, but he wasn't sure what else he could do. He reached over and ran his hand across Jensen's shoulders, felt the muscle tense and roll under his shirt. "You said you felt connected to the marker? And these raiders were remnents of the slave's descendants? Maybe you are connected to all of this some way too. Maybe the visions are trying to speak to you also."
Jensen shook his head. "Why? And why is it causing me to black out? You never seem to be bothered by them."
His words were half accusation and half question but Jared felt like this was something he understood. "Maybe because I've accepted them as something that's a part of my life. You dont' want them to intrude on you and maybe that's the difference. Maybe if you just relaxed and let it happen, it wouldn't hurt you."
"I just want it to stop. I said it before Jared, that man... he didn't deserve what they did for him. No man deserves that sort of sacrafice and devotion. How am I supposed to accept these visions when they keep trying to show me that I'm wrong? They built a monument in stone and blood and no man who deserved that sort of devotion would want that. What sort of man was he really Jared?" Jensen asked. "What sort of man could allow those people to do that? And who were these people that they did this thing? We don't know anything about them, and yet they're moving us towards something. I don't understand what, but I feel it, like the edge of the wind in the desert that feels like a storm. They mean for us to be caught in something and they won't stop until they are." Jensen took a shuddered breath. "It's why I can't continue Jared. They're pushing us both and I can't do this, knowing its going to put you in danger."
Jared could see the tension etched into his face, the pain and fatigue eating away at his normal calm exterior. There was only so much he could expect himself to hold back and when Jensen turned liquid eyes to him he broke. He pulled at Jensen, wrapping him up in his arms. "I'm sorry Jensen." It was all he could offer. He held him close and he felt Jensen's hands grab the back of his shirt, gripping it tight, he knew he'd made the right choice. As much as he feared Jensen would pull away, the other mean was holding on like his life depended on it. He didn't know what else to say, so he didn't say anything. He just let his hands rub soothing circles across his back. When he felt Jensen start to pull back, he let go too.
"Alright?"
Jensen shook his head softly. "No, I don't think so."
Jared nodded. "It's going to be alright Jensen. You can rest here for a few days and then we'll be gone. You won't have to worry about this anymore."
Jensen nodded. He didn't look like he believed it anymore than Jared felt it, but he seemed to take comfort from the words Jared gave him anyway. "How long until you leave?"
Jared looked down at his hands for a minute. "A few days. I need to get enough men together. Akil is going to stop by in the morning and I'll have a better idea after that." Jensen just nodded. "I should let you get some sleep." He stood to go and didn't stop until he was at the door. He tried to keep himself from looking back, but he did. Jensen was watching him and when their eyes met Jensen let out a deep breath.
"Don't go just yet."
Jared didn't say anything. He let his hand fall from the doornob though.
"I slept better the other night with you there. It's the only time they've stopped."
Jared didn't trust his voice. Instead, he went to the lamp and lowered it. Walking to the other side of the bed, he kicked his shoes off and crawled up onto the bed on the other side of Jensen. They weren't touching this time, but as Jared shifted onto his side, Jensen did the same, letting their eyes meet as the darkness fell around them again. Jared didn't know what to say. He was going to let himself stay long enough for Jensen to fall asleep, then he'd get up. He had his translations after all. He could work on them in the room while he waited for Jensen to wake, or until he was too tired and he could return to his own rooms.
"I'm supposed to be protecting you." Jensen broke the silence, sounding a little like a small child, pouting because he didn't get to play with his favorite toy.
"There will be plenty of other adventures for you to protect me from. Besides, I already owe you my life twice over. The least I can do is repay you with a good night's sleep." He could see Jensen relax at that. "Jensen... I... "
"Very artiulate for a lunguist, Quick-Tongue." Jensen teased.
Jared laughed softly, the sound of Jensen's laughter joining his. "Just sleep Jensen. It will all seem better in the morning." Jensen nodded, then closed his eyes. Jared watched him for a while, ignoring the impulse to reach out and touch the other man. He didn't last more than a few minutes before his own eyes closed and he fell asleep.
On To Chapter Twelve
Chapter: Eleven
Author: hunters_retreat
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG (eventual R i'm sure... it's me after all :P)
Summary: J2 AU. Jared is a young Egyptologist trying to find a prize. Jensen is an adventurer in need of a mystery. Jared provides him with one. This is the story of the legend they become.
Author's Note:Huge insane thank you to insane_songbird who did an amazing manip for this story!! *Snuggles* Check it out (and find all previous chapters) here. & an interesting note (To me anyway) that this little fic that started out as a birthday prompt has not hit 20,000 words! Woohhooo! Enjoy!
Chapter Eleven
There was no guard as they left the valley, no raiders waiting to see if they kept their word. Akil said it was because the Green-Eyed was among them and he would see they kept their word but Jared was sure it was because they were watching from a place they couldn’t be seen. He hated that they were leaving, but he couldn’t see any other way around it. They needed to come back with more strength. He knew where to get the right sort of men. It would only take a couple days to round them up, a brief delay that would drive him insane, but that was necessary none the less.
Jared kept his eyes to the front, always looking towards his men and never to the back of the caravan where he knew Jensen was riding. He wanted to go back and talk to him, wanted to set things right between them, but he didn’t know how. He couldn’t stop and Jensen had made his opinion clear. He was spooked by something and against all logical judgment he was going to walk away.
Akil had warned him about this. He’d told him that Jensen was likely to leave when he wanted and that it would go badly for Jared. He was glad he hadn’t listened though. As much as he would miss having Jensen with him for the rest of their journey, he’d been there for part of it. He couldn’t regret that.
They stopped for a quick meal at lunch and Jared let himself look for Jensen once. The other man sat among the workers, but there was a tightness to his face even when he laughed with them. Jensen looked up and caught him eye, but he looked away, quickly joining Akil before he could think better of it and try to talk to Jensen.
That night he went to his tent as soon as it was up. He spread the rubbing of the sarcophagus out in front of him and forced himself to concentrate on that, ignoring the sounds of the men around him. Normally, it wasn’t a problem. He was worried about Jensen though, worried about losing the connection he had to the man, whatever it was, and it was keeping him from focusing like usual.
He heard the rustling as the tent flap was pushed up and Akil came in with his dinner. “Thank you Akil.” He said with a small smile. “I was just thinking it might be time to eat.”
Akil smiled back at him. “Which means you were just about to get caught up in something again.”
“Am I that predictable?” Jared asked.
“Perhaps.” The other man said, taking a seat close to Jared. “The Green-eyed is very observant though. He said you would not join the men tonight.”
“Jensen?”
“He was worried and asked that I see you get some food. He takes good care of you Jared.”
“And yet he’s going to leave.”
Akil nodded. “Yes. You can respect a man, but not always follow the same path.”
“Are you speaking of me, or him?”
Akil smiled sadly, “Both.” He stood up and walked to the tent flap but turned back around. “He puts on a good face Jared, but there is something bothering him as well. Perhaps it would do you both well to talk about it.”
Jared nodded. “Thank you Akil.”
The other man left his tent and Jared took a deep breath. He had no intention of checking up on Jensen. Jensen was leaving and no matter what Akil said, it felt like betrayal. It made him feel more than guilty for his own need to talk to Jensen, like a betrayal of his own beliefs, which seemed even worse than Jensen leaving. Since his arrival Jensen had turned Jared upside down with nothing but green eyes and companionship. He ached to talk to Jensen, but he refused. Instead he set his food down by the rubbing, took a bite and started working on the translation.
Nothing changed. Two days later they were still traveling towards Cairo. They were only two more days out, thanks to more traveled roads as they moved into familiar territory and Jared spent more and more time translating. The sarcophagus was covered with stories of the General, talking about his wisdom and his compassion. Jared was translating his history, the story of a slave who showed high intelligence as a child and became a scribe. His work there, along with a quick thinking mind eventually earned him a military rank. It was an amazing story, how his treatment of others became the paragon of behavior and how others began to emulate him. Indeed, the sarcophagus stated that even the Pharaoh began to notice the general. He shared the story with Akil, who took it out to the fires, telling the men about Jared's translations. More than once he heard Akil talking about Jared's translation abilities and how he was one that read the language like he had been born speaking it. He just laughed when Akil began calling him Jared Quick-Tongue, though he understood that Akil was honoring him with the name and not teasing.
He spent all his meals working on the translation and too much of his nights as well. He was exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his cot but there was still so much to do. He'd have to see if he could get another linguist to come with him if he could. There were a few at the museum but they might not be willing to come with him because of the raiders. He would have to see. A glance at the rubbings might sell one or two on the adventure. As much as he hated to admit it, he was one of the few linguists working in the area that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He was the only one that seemed to thrive on it. With a shake of his head, he pulled the rubbing out of the protective case and spread it on his makeshift desk.
He didn't know how long he was at it when he heard the telltale rustle of his tent flap. Akil, or one of the men bringing him food. He made a point of walking with the men during their travels, talking to them as much as he could to keep their spirits high. He did it for morale and to keep them from wondering why he spent all his meals working. Akil understood him and soothed the men and between them, his men had never questioned Jared's concern over their welfare. They seemed to take it in an amused fashion and in some ways they treated him a little like an overexcited child. They followed his orders and did as told, but they also tried to tease him into eating with them, joked about taking his rubbings away so he would sleep at night.
"You can set it over there." He said, pointing to a side table. He didn't notice much more than the soft clink of the dishes being set down or the smell of warm food because he was too caught up in the translation.
"I might take offense to being dismissed so easily if I didn't know what you were working on."
He looked up immediately, Jensen's voice sounding tired and drawn, but there was a small smile on his face as he watched Jared. "Mind if I join you?"
He could see then that Jensen had brought in enough food for two. "Of course."
"That means you'll have to stop working for a little while." Jensen teased.
Jared gave a small smile back. It didn't feel like it had. There was still a lot of anger and hurt between them but he was willing to give in to this. He wanted to. He didn't want to part way with Jensen in two days and never hear from him again. "I think I can take a break."
Jensen nodded as he took a seat next to the small table. It wasn't a lot of space and they bumped knees as they ate. It was quiet and Jared was thankful for that. He didn't know what to say to Jensen and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what the other man thought of him at the moment. They didn't agree on what needed to be done, but there was something more to it. He didn't think Jensen wanted to end their working relationship anymore than Jared did but they were both moving in different ways. Akil was right though. As much as he felt betrayed that Jensen would walk away, the man was honorable and they shared a connection that he felt would be insane to throw away. Jensen seemed to understand him. He did things before Jared asked for them, had the men moving in directions Jared wanted without having to discuss it first.
"Thank you," he managed to say when they finished eating. He looked up at Jensen and saw the small hope there.
"You're welcome," he answered back, his smile small, but there. "The men are worried about you. You aren't sleeping and it's starting to show."
Jared nodded. "I can't seem to set it down," he said honestly.
"Now i'm worried." His voice was soft and there was an exasperated note there. When Jared looked up, Jensen nodded to the translation. "You don't have to have it done before we reach Cairo."
"I know. I just... I know you don't like it, but i'm drawn to this. I can't let it go."
"Yeah." Jensen said with a sigh as he stood. He turned away from Jared, but he wasn't leaving. He just looked at the tent wall as if he could see past it. "Your visions. Do you think they might want something from you that you can't give?"
"What?"
"Eveything they want of you goes against my instincts Jared. I've stayed alive a long time trusting my instincts, but I know what I saw in that tomb with you. I know that your vision, whatever it wants from you, it forced us to touch the sarcophagus when I asked you not to. That's what really bothers me."
They hadn't talked about it, not when it happened and not after. He didn't know what to say about it now. He was terrified that Jensen would bring up that moment between them, where Jared had caressed Jensen's bottom lip with his thumb, where he'd been moments away from leaning forward and kissing him. Jensen wasn't talking about that, but it was too close for comfort.
"Have your visions always manipulated you like that?'
Jared shook his head. "No. To be honest most of my visions are just glimpses of something. Nothing has even been this elaborate. And... "
"What?"
"They're reacting to you. There was a time, in the cavern with the markers, they recognized you, called your name. I still don't know what to make of that."
Jensen nodded. "Have you had any other visions since the Sarcophagus?"
"No. Without any of the artifacts to surround myself with it's harder to sense anything about the pieces."
"So it could be that these visions are connected to the actual pieces, and that anyone that touched them would see it."
Jared frowned. "I don't know. I suppose there could be something to it, but i've always been able to sense things, not just on this find. I don't see how the visions would influence anyone else if I wasn't there."
Jensen raised a hand to his forehead, rubbing across it as he nodded. "Of course."
"Jensen, are you alright?"
He heard the other man take a deep breath before turning to look at him. It was the first time in days that he'd really looked at Jensen. His eyes were tight and Jared could see pain etched behind them. His brow was furrowed and his lips were set in a thin white line. Dark circles ringed his eyes and he looked unsteady on his feet. "Jensen?"
"I'm fine Jared. The headaches, that's all."
"Sit down. Please," he added as Jensen hesitated. Jared pushed him over towards his cot and made him sit there. He crouched in front of him. "Are they always this bad?"
"I don't normally have them this often. Sometimes... on a dig they'll come. I'll be fine."
"You aren't sleeping any better than I am, are you?" Jared asked.
Jensen closed his eyes and didn't protest as Jared pushed him back, making him lie flat on the cot. "Suppose not." He said softly.
Jared took a deep breath as he pulled a small stool over to the cot and sat beside it. He didn't like this at all. He didn't like that his visions were out of control and Jensen's headaches were just as bad. "Are they related?" He asked aloud, because he couldn't help but think their paths had been thrown together for some reason. The visions wanted Jensen with him at this discovery, he was certain of it. They wanted the Green-eyed and they'd found a way to make it happen. He thought about what Jensen had said, about the visions and the artifacts and it made him consider the connection for a moment. "Are your headaches worse because of my visions?"
Jensen let out a small huff. "You think a lot of yourself, don't you?"
"Of course." Jared said softly, looking down to see Jensen's eyes closed and a smile on his lips. He felt the urge to lean forwad and brush his lips against Jensen's but he shook his head instead. "I just feel like i'm missing something big Jensen and you and I are both caught in it."
He started to stand and felt Jensen's hand around his wrist. "Don't go." Jensen said softly. "Just... leave it for tonight. You need to rest too."
He held his breath for a minute, trying to think of anything to say, but there was something in Jensen's eyes that made him go completely blank. When he took a deep breath he finally nodded. "Alright. Just let me... i'll be right back." He ducked his head out quickly and the men sprang into action, moving another cot into his tent. He moved the stool out of the way and when the men were gone he pushed the cot up against the other. He turned his lamp off and crawled into the other cot. He reached out, feeling Jensen's hand and squeezing it softly. The other man returned it, but instead of drawing back from the contact, he pulled Jared's hand a little closer and just held on.
The silence covered them as completely as the darkness, but it was comfortable now. There was comfort in being that close to Jensen and he felt himself relaxing for the first time since they'd left the tomb. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Good night Green-eyed."
He was almost asleep before he heard the slurred response. "Nite Quick-tongue." He fell asleep with a smile on his face and his hand held tightly in Jensen's.
They were back to themselves the next day, laughing and smiling and Jared felt the lightness in the men also. Even if they hadn't broadcast the argument between them, the tension had been palpable. Jensen pulled him from his translations a few minutes as they stopped for lunch and made him relax with the men before letting him return to it and he felt the translation was easier for the small breaks. At night, he forced Jared out of his tent for the nightly meal. He slept better, but after the first night, he watched as Jensen continued to wake exhausted and frustrated. Each day the headaches became worse and Jared could see Jensen pulling in on himself, wrapping the tagelmust tighter as if he could keep the world at bay. He tried everything he knew to help Jensen, teas and herbs that were known to help with aches and he tried to rub the tension from his shoulders. Neither worked and while Jared was more than happy to keep trying, having his hands on Jensen's shoulders was far too tempting so he only did it at night when the pain of the day seemed too much.
The last leg of their journey, he kept Jensen at his side. They were safe from marauders at that point and Akil was staying to the back of the caravan to keep an eye on the men. Jensen kept his back straight as he rode, but Jared could see the way the pain edged through him. He talked softly, comfortingly he hoped, about what he'd been able to translate and his hopes. While Jensen didn't want to go back to the tomb, he'd shown that he had no animosity for Jared for doing it, he just wouldn't be part of it. He also talked about other things he wanted to look for. There were a number of things he could imagine sharing with Jensen, adventures that would take them all over the world. Jensen had given him a pained smile as he mentioned the next adventure and it had encouraged Jared to keep talking about other things, to let Jensen know that he thought of him as a partner and friend and he wanted him to be a part of it with him.
"We're almost there Jensen." Jared said softly as he could make out the outline of his place. He thought about going to the apartment in the city, but he wanted to keep his return quiet and his manor home was a better place for that. it was on the outskirts of town and closer anyway and the way that Jensen was looking would have made that decision even if Jared had been inclined otherwise.
"Jared, we will leave you here." Akil said, motioning to the men. "I will come back in the morning with news."
"Thank you Akil. Send my regards to your family, to all of theirs as well."
Akil smiled as he left and Jared watched them go for a moment, watched as they took off towards the smaller district that most of the men came from. It was only ten more minutes before they were riding up to the gates of the manor. He dismounted and opened the gate. "Come on Jensen, just a little further and we'll be home."
He'd been saying similiar things for the past three hours. Jensen looked on the verge of passing out and Jared knew it was only his determination that kept him from falling apart in front of the men. Jared's porter came running and Jared sent him running back up to the house to prepare the guest room and to call for the doctor. When Jensen dismounted, he held tight to the reins for a minute before he turned to face Jared. He nodded slightly, but his step was off balance and Jared reached for him, putting his arm under the other man's and helped support him as they walked into the house.
His people let him through without question, another of the servants helping grab Jensen's other side to get him up the steps. He had him laid out on the clean linen before his maid showed up, a matronly woman who took his welfare far too seriously. "A little dusty I see." She said with a small smile.
He nodded. "The both of us." When he looked back at Jensen though he could see that the pain was leaving his face as he fell into sleep. He was afraid it was more than sleep, that he'd finally sucummed to the black outs, but that was why he'd called for the doctor already. "I'll just get cleaned up quickly. The doctor should be to call soon and I should try to be presentable. Please let me know when he arrives."
"Will you be in your rooms?" She asked.
He shook his head. "Bring my bags up here. I'll start working on the translations in here. Just, be careful not to wake him."
She looked down at Jensen and shook her head. "I don't think anything would wake him now."
"That's a little of what i'm afraid of."
When the doctor left, Jared paced outside the room for a few minutes before knocking lightly at the guest room door. "Come in." He heard from the other side. He hesitated a moment, not sure what to do with the doctor gone and left alone with Jensen. He took a deep breath though and opened the door. Jensen had woken when the doctor was there and while Jared talked to the doctor afterwards, he'd heard Jensen asking the maid if there was a bath he could use. When Jensen had disappeared, he'd made mention to the maid that they should see if they could bring some clean clothes up for him as well. Now, cleaned up and wearing Jared's clothes, he sat on the bed, looking almost lost. Jared didn't like that look on him at all, though something about Jensen in his clothes was doing bad things to his libido.
"You look a little better." Jared said softly as he walked in.
Jensen looked at him, a small smile on his face. "Thank you. I owe you," he said softly, looking around the room. "for all of this."
Jared knew what he meant. For the doctor, the clothes, taking him in. "No, you don't. I take care of the people I work with and I take care of my friends even better. Just relax and let me help you." Jensen nodded as he took a deep breath and then he was shaking his head, lowering it into his hands. "Jensen?" He moved over to the bed, sitting beside the other man. "Talk to me. Tell me what's happening, please?"
"I think i'm going crazy Jared. Ever since..." He took a deep breath. "That vision, I can't seem to get clear of it. When I dream I'm surrounded by these people and they all look up to me, but I can't do anything to help them. They think I can, they think I will, but I can't and won't and it never matters what I tell them. They stare at me, just like in that damn vision. They reach out to touch me like the men do now only it's not for luck but for love and I don't deserve it."
Jared nodded, but he wasn't sure what else he could do. He reached over and ran his hand across Jensen's shoulders, felt the muscle tense and roll under his shirt. "You said you felt connected to the marker? And these raiders were remnents of the slave's descendants? Maybe you are connected to all of this some way too. Maybe the visions are trying to speak to you also."
Jensen shook his head. "Why? And why is it causing me to black out? You never seem to be bothered by them."
His words were half accusation and half question but Jared felt like this was something he understood. "Maybe because I've accepted them as something that's a part of my life. You dont' want them to intrude on you and maybe that's the difference. Maybe if you just relaxed and let it happen, it wouldn't hurt you."
"I just want it to stop. I said it before Jared, that man... he didn't deserve what they did for him. No man deserves that sort of sacrafice and devotion. How am I supposed to accept these visions when they keep trying to show me that I'm wrong? They built a monument in stone and blood and no man who deserved that sort of devotion would want that. What sort of man was he really Jared?" Jensen asked. "What sort of man could allow those people to do that? And who were these people that they did this thing? We don't know anything about them, and yet they're moving us towards something. I don't understand what, but I feel it, like the edge of the wind in the desert that feels like a storm. They mean for us to be caught in something and they won't stop until they are." Jensen took a shuddered breath. "It's why I can't continue Jared. They're pushing us both and I can't do this, knowing its going to put you in danger."
Jared could see the tension etched into his face, the pain and fatigue eating away at his normal calm exterior. There was only so much he could expect himself to hold back and when Jensen turned liquid eyes to him he broke. He pulled at Jensen, wrapping him up in his arms. "I'm sorry Jensen." It was all he could offer. He held him close and he felt Jensen's hands grab the back of his shirt, gripping it tight, he knew he'd made the right choice. As much as he feared Jensen would pull away, the other mean was holding on like his life depended on it. He didn't know what else to say, so he didn't say anything. He just let his hands rub soothing circles across his back. When he felt Jensen start to pull back, he let go too.
"Alright?"
Jensen shook his head softly. "No, I don't think so."
Jared nodded. "It's going to be alright Jensen. You can rest here for a few days and then we'll be gone. You won't have to worry about this anymore."
Jensen nodded. He didn't look like he believed it anymore than Jared felt it, but he seemed to take comfort from the words Jared gave him anyway. "How long until you leave?"
Jared looked down at his hands for a minute. "A few days. I need to get enough men together. Akil is going to stop by in the morning and I'll have a better idea after that." Jensen just nodded. "I should let you get some sleep." He stood to go and didn't stop until he was at the door. He tried to keep himself from looking back, but he did. Jensen was watching him and when their eyes met Jensen let out a deep breath.
"Don't go just yet."
Jared didn't say anything. He let his hand fall from the doornob though.
"I slept better the other night with you there. It's the only time they've stopped."
Jared didn't trust his voice. Instead, he went to the lamp and lowered it. Walking to the other side of the bed, he kicked his shoes off and crawled up onto the bed on the other side of Jensen. They weren't touching this time, but as Jared shifted onto his side, Jensen did the same, letting their eyes meet as the darkness fell around them again. Jared didn't know what to say. He was going to let himself stay long enough for Jensen to fall asleep, then he'd get up. He had his translations after all. He could work on them in the room while he waited for Jensen to wake, or until he was too tired and he could return to his own rooms.
"I'm supposed to be protecting you." Jensen broke the silence, sounding a little like a small child, pouting because he didn't get to play with his favorite toy.
"There will be plenty of other adventures for you to protect me from. Besides, I already owe you my life twice over. The least I can do is repay you with a good night's sleep." He could see Jensen relax at that. "Jensen... I... "
"Very artiulate for a lunguist, Quick-Tongue." Jensen teased.
Jared laughed softly, the sound of Jensen's laughter joining his. "Just sleep Jensen. It will all seem better in the morning." Jensen nodded, then closed his eyes. Jared watched him for a while, ignoring the impulse to reach out and touch the other man. He didn't last more than a few minutes before his own eyes closed and he fell asleep.
On To Chapter Twelve