Fic: "Sunshine and raindrops", Jared/Jensen, PG-13
Title: "Sunshine and raindrops"
Author: the_milky_way
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Warnings (if any): None
Words: 8.426
Beta: Thanks to A. :) and to parka_girl (my saviour)
Disclaimer: This story is fictional (not real, didn't happen). Not true in any way.
Prompt chosen: 56. Crossing the Line
Summary: Jensen is sort of oblivious, Jared a good guy and Mike is just too greedy.
I never thought I'd have so many problems finishing this. I liked the idea so much that I actually tried and wrote it. No idea if it turned out the way it is supposed to be, I was made rather busy by real life lately.
So bear with me?
This was written for the spn_meanttobe challenge for the prompt:
56. Crossing the Line
Our private medical facility is a lush oasis of tranquillity, catering to affluent patients who require complete discretion. Our latest staff addition is Dr. Dante Nash, an extraordinary specimen of hotness…er, professionalism. In fact, nurse Elle Kingston can't seem to keep her eyes-and her lusty thoughts-off him!
But Dante is more than a sexy-pants practitioner who makes Elle weak in the knees-and in other parts.
He's also undercover for the FBI. There have been some illicit goings-on here at Confidential Rejuvenations. Dangerous ones. And it isn't just Elle and Dante's sizzling affair that's about to blaze out of control…
…
The officer standing next to him looks somewhat shocked when Jensen tells him that he feels okay enough to drive home on his own, but doesn’t object… much. Seeing as his saviour is busy calming down his bosses, Jensen thinks it's a rather wise decision to just leave and not draw attention to himself. He wouldn’t be able to sit through an interrogation. Not now.
And there's an ambulance to follow anyway.
The still smoking remains of the ranch are in his rear-view mirror, flickering in and out of visibility. A column of smoke slowly twisting towards the blood red sky. How telling. The colour is all wrong, twisting something deep in Jensen’s chest and he really doesn’t want to think about it. The ambulance isn’t all that far ahead and Jensen realises how fast he's going when he can see the medic moving inside the vehicle.
He is not thinking about what it all means. He just can’t.
The day has been long and way too much for Jensen to really grasp. His bleeding knuckles ache, the shoulder he crashed onto feels like it's on fire, his head is fighting against implosion, and his lungs burn something fierce. But Jensen just wants to get away. It’s stupid and the cop should have held him back. Jensen doesn’t care, though.
He has to get away from it all. Has to get away from the ruins of his life. Has to follow the only real thing that he wants to take with him after everything that's happened. If he's allowed to, that is.
There are only two things he's certain about. One is that he has no idea how he's still alive. The other is that he has absolutely no idea how the best job of his life turned into a nightmare, cost him his best friend and gained him one of the most intense experiences he's ever had.
Jensen doesn’t even know how he got to the point where he's driving away from the smoking remains of one of the best known private clinics in Texas, battered, bruised and possibly head over heels in love with the one man who could explain everything, but is so very clearly absent from Jensen’s car right now.
All Jensen wants right now is to make sure that everything the ambulance in front of him carries gets to the hospital safely. He wants to be told that everything will be fine, that he can go home, take a really hot shower, sleep for the rest of the day and can come back to the hospital to sit at a bedside that will not be empty.
He takes a sharp turn on the road toward town and the ranch vanishes behind him. Jensen wonders if that’s all that's vanishing from his currently very chaotic life. It's not a good thought.
It all started with Jensen being oblivious. He wishes it had stayed that way, even though he knows he's really just lying to himself.
****
Jensen has been so swamped with new clients, therapy plans and business proposals that almost nothing outside the clinic or even outside his offices really makes it into his awareness. It's been so busy lately that it takes Jensen several weeks to really acknowledge Jared. The one day in a really busy week he's able to go and get lunch outside his office or the doctor’s lounge, Jensen takes the opportunity.
Never having been someone to socialise during his own time during the day, he can forget everything work related while being at work Jensen's actually able to look around himself and to take in things he usually never sees while working. These days he sees new faces all around and wonders if that has something to do with Mike’s sudden insistence on doubling the work load of every single employee at the ranch.
"Hey man, haven't seen you in days."
When Jared plops down at Jensen’s table Jensen starts so violently that he misses his apple pie by miles and sends his fork flying halfway across the room, just barely missing Tom and Mike at the other side. Jared just blinks, smiles brilliantly and starts eating his meatballs.
“Hey now, no need to throw cutlery if you don’t want to sit with me. You could just say so. It feels too much like high school otherwise.”
Jensen was so deep in thought that he's completely overwhelmed by the force that is Jared Padalecki, who is apparently the new internist and has been there for a month already. And seems to know more about Jensen than Jensen realised. Because when Jared asks him if he's okay, Jensen blurts out that he has no idea who Jared is.
It earns him another blink, something he doesn’t find adorable at all. Because finding something adorable in a man he doesn’t know and who kind of comes across as a creepy stalker isn’t something Jensen does. Not to mention that he has absolutely not time to find someone adorable or you know, hot for the matter. Totally and utterly hot, but he really has to ignore it, especially when he's talking to said hot person, so Jensen isn’t really thinking about it anyway.
He is still clearly very much overwhelmed while Jared is all calm and smiles. Tells him his name, says it has been the third time already and that he starts to feel a little offended that he isn’t memorable enough for Jensen to remember his name. Jensen does not blush at all. Because Jensen doesn’t do blushing, but he sort of feels hot.
He feels even hotter when Jared’s full-on smile hits him unexpectedly. He ducks his head, coughs a little and tries not to gape when Jared comments that this is a new reaction to them exchanging names. Apparently Jensen has really been busy. And according to Jared, way too stuck in his own head. Jensen wants to agree but he also doesn’t want to come across as more of an idiot then he already has.
For a second Jensen feels the urge to say he’d never have lunch with someone who lacks manners in such a crass way and certainly not as long as Jared claimed they were without Jensen realising it. But then he thinks back to the last few weeks and well, he kind of thinks there's been someone at his table every day chattering away and providing a constant background noise which actually ended up helping Jensen to concentrate on his work. Today is just the first day in months that he doesn’t have anything to take with him on his lunch break.
Jensen is so stunned by the sight in front of him that he doesn’t really do anything except stare at the man across from him, who shovels meatballs and tomato sauce into himself like there's no tomorrow.
When Mike stops by and drops Jensen’s fork on the table, Jensen doesn’t feel the urge to run but he does feel the urge to hide, preferable under the table, which then leads to thoughts about what he could to under the table to the really gorgeous man sitting across from him and Jensen tries to drown his brain in ice water. Not a good idea but the hiccup gets Jared’s attention away from Mike’s inane babble about Jensen always attempting to murder him.
They talk during lunch and Jensen finds himself enjoying it. He's a little sad that he can’t really remember the last few weeks. But Jared tells him that they have regularly been having lunch together for a month now and that Jared has always considered it to be the highlight of his day.
No, Jensen doesn’t blush and Jared doesn’t smirk. Jensen also doesn’t cough through his coffee when Jared tells him that this is the first time he considers their date a success. Jensen is a little mad when Jared leaves him after this quite obviously heavy innuendo.
How Jensen could have overlooked such a fine example of the human species when said example seems to have been throwing himself at Jensen for weeks now is sort of beyond him. He knows how to appreciate a good looking man and it usually doesn’t take weeks to actually notice a well defined 6’5” body and dimples to die for.
He just has been really busy.
When Jensen finally does notice his new colleague, it's a surprise what he finds hidden behind the bluntness and dorkiness that is Dr. Jared Padalecki. It's also a surprise to find Mike is connected to Jared’s presence in more ways than one.
****
Jensen's been really busy. The clinic is taking more and more high profile clients lately and Mike has been pushing Jensen to limit his free time to the law expected minimum. The clinic, or The Ranch as everyone calls it, is one of the most modern and best know private practices in Texas. It's been Mike’s and Jensen’s dream since they started doing plans during their sophomore year in college. Jensen would have never believed back then what it would turn into.
It’s his life now. A good life, but busy as hell.
Any kind of social life is dead, going out with friends other than Mike, who always seems to manage to turn those outings into business meetings recently, isn’t something that happens anymore either. Jensen never would have thought that he’d miss being on stage with Steve and Chris.
Not to mention that Jensen’s love life has been dead for years now. Not something he's proud of, and considering the not very subtle hints his mother drops every time they talk or see each other, Jensen's pretty sure that the next time he drives up to visit that there will be a blind date waiting for him. Sometimes he wishes his mother wouldn’t be that interested in his love life. It can be quite embarrassing.
Mike is no longer the Mike Jensen knew from college. There is little left of the party-crazy, sometimes crazy and sarcastic best friend Jensen was used to. Everything seems to be about money now, about how to make the clinic more productive, how to make more profit. It’s not what Jensen envisioned what would happen once they were established.
Sure. there still are the regular cases, the normal surgeries that have always been there. But recently there's an increase of high profile plastic surgeries, experimental test operations and new equipment being introduced and Jensen doesn’t really know what’s going on anymore. Mike hasn’t been as forthcoming as Jensen wishes he would be. Most of the new clients are Mike’s and Jensen gets swamped with the rest of the work while Mike is away soaking in money, doing interviews and God knows what else.
Jensen is too busy, to deep in the work to deal with everything else as well, but he knows that the charity cases they had agreed on taking on now and then have been dwindled into nonexistence. It worries him a little. Mike assures him things are great and will be great for a long time every time Jensen asks. It makes Jensen sad that he doesn’t really believe Mike.
Ever since Tom took over the accounts and the bookkeeping, Mike seems to be living on a different level. It’s not Tom’s fault, because Jensen's heard him complain about the new work load as much as everyone else has. Sometimes Jensen wonders if he should do something, maybe talk to Mike, and maybe try to figure out what's really going on. But every time he thinks about it, something pressing comes up and buries him in work for days.
It might be tactical, but Jensen can’t imagine why Mike would do that. They are friends, best friends, after all.
***
After the lunch of doom, as Jensen starts to call the day he finally noticed Jared for real, things seem to get even busier. Even though he constantly thinks of Jared now, of the dimples and the muscles he could see under Jared’s scrubs, Jensen has no time to actively indulge in day dreams.
They do make time to meet for lunch though and Jensen has to admit that Jared was right; it is the highlight of his day now, too. Meeting up with Jared, having good food and getting to know a man that's slowly but surely growing on Jensen. It's something he looks forward to amidst all the stress and chaos Mike is suddenly unleashing on the clinic.
Jared has asked him about it several times, but Jensen never knows how to answer or what to say without coming across as totally ignorant. But he really doesn’t know anything. Jensen actually tells Jared that over a banana sundae and awfully pornographic noises Jared is making over it. It is one of the things Jensen's getting used to, Jared’s deep enjoyment of food and the way Jensen can still talk to him even if his brain is stuck on Jared’s moans.
They talk, about everything and nothing. Jensen starts to miss Jared when he isn’t around. Now that he knows Jared is there Jensen can’t stop noticing him. Jared is everywhere and when he isn’t, Jensen is looking for him.
Allie, his secretary, comments on it frequently and always has this knowing smile on her face. None of those comments would usually make him embarrassed or shy but Allie adds praises of Jared’s body to them so Jensen knows she is as observant as he is. Whenever Jared catches them in their never-ending discussions of his amenities, he smirks, comments on Jensen’s own and almost floats away again. Jensen never knows what to do then and Allie just laughs.
They learn about each other, their lives, their families and what they like and dislike. Jensen, for the first time in years, feels like he's doing more than just existing to work. Jared's forcing him out of the routine, the work-all-day-and-nothing-else-life he's been living for how long he doesn't even know.
Jared even takes him out. Bars, concerts, dinners. They even go to the beach and Jensen doesn’t complain about the six hour drive once. And he hates sitting in a car too long. They take Jared’s dogs out to the park in town, go to the ice-cream parlour like teenagers during summer holidays and even manage to catch a movie on one of the rare nights they both have off.
They do everything Jensen would consider as real dates, and yet nothing more. Something is holding them back. Jensen knows it’s not only him but Jared as well. He just can’t figure what it is and why Jared shies away every time they get close. Like in the car when Jared drives him home from the clinic one night and they both reach for the radio at the same time. They are so close then, looking into each other’s eyes and then Jared draws back, smiles and walks Jensen to his door.
Jensen is constantly distracted by Jared’s eyes, his hands, his voice and the man himself. He stares more than he ever has before. He gets lost in his head when he thinks about Jared, is speechless when Jared smiles at him full force and gets a little giggle when Jared flirts him in his exaggerating way he sometimes uses to show off. Jensen actually basks in the feel of finally having something like a crush again.
It’s good. It feels good. It feels right even though he hasn’t known Jared for that long. At the same time, Jared confuses Jensen a whole lot more than he's used to when he is actively flirting with someone. And they really do flirt. All their conversations are laced with innuendo and come-ons. Jared insinuates himself in Jensen’s life like no one else has ever before. Jensen is powerless to stop it. Not that he wants to.
It’s going fast, maybe too fast but then it is going slow as well. They are close but there's an invisible wall between them that Jensen has no idea how to tear down or overcome. Jared's not helping either. But he's there and Jensen can’t for the life of him think about not having Jared around anymore. Can’t imagine it.
Without realising it Jensen, lets Jared in, lets him deep into his life.
***
Later that month Jensen has not time at all anymore. Lunch is always being postponed due to either Jensen or Jared being too busy and then they don’t have time to go out either anymore. Jensen misses Jared, misses their time together and wants to curse Mike and himself as well.
Jensen has no idea anymore what Mike is doing, which scares him even more. Jared has been trying to talk about it but Jensen has been so distracted that he couldn’t concentrate on that and he didn’t even wonder why Jared wanted to talk about it in the first place.
He rarely sees Jared anymore. When he does he just has no time to talk to him other than a short greeting or a request for a patient's folder. Jared is always in a good mood, friendly, bouncing even. Jensen sees how his has charmed almost everyone in the clinic and is actually a little jealous of everyone who gets to see Jared more frequently than he does.
Jensen marvels at the fact that in just a matter of days Jared has him wrapped around his finger and Jensen almost craving to be close to him. What does that say about Jensen? Has he really been so starved for affection that he just clings to anyone who just bothers to care enough? No. Jared is actually different, Jensen decides. Jared is interested, and Jensen knows that much. He's interested back, which makes it also much more frustrating that they aren’t seeing each other anymore.
Even the weekends are filled with work now. Mike smothering Jensen with new plans for expansion of the clinic and new advertisement ideas of which Jensen has no clue about anyway and demanding Jensen to take care of everything. which means that Jensen's occupied almost 24/7. And he's still trying to figure out what Mike's actually doing or if he's just lost his mind.
He also misses Jared so much that Allie actually calls the good doctor during the day, if only so that Jensen can actually talk to him. It’s not in the least bit embarrassing. Not when Jared tells him that he is waiting by the phone every day and yells when Allie calls. Jared’s optimism is addictive.
Jensen almost thinks it’s what makes his days bearable. He loves his job, loves to help and talk to people. But recently, that isn't happening all that often anymore.
There are surgeries to schedule, patients to talk to and to prepare, papers to sign, contracts to renew for the ranch and Jensen wonders why he's suddenly stuck with all the paperwork when they have an accountant. He's a surgeon and not an office worker. But Jensen can’t remember the last time he saw a lab or an operating room from the inside.
It irks him way more than it usually does. Mike’s ever changing moods are no help at settling Jensen irritation either.
Mike snaps, gets loud with colleagues and vanishes for hours on end into one of the labs. A lab Jensen has no access to, as he finds out when he follows Mike one day. He is co-founder and co-owner of this place and there are rooms he had no idea about and no access to.
Jensen finds that a little disturbing.
***
The next time he really sees Jared is when he's walking back from another unknown room Mike has vanished into. There were guards at the door when Jensen had looked through the class partition separating the one apparently sealed corridor from the stairs that usually lead to storage, or that’s at least what the door at the top of the stairs says.
Jensen had never been down here. There had been no need so far. But now… Now he doesn’t know what to do. There are armed men in the basement of his clinic guarding a room he had no idea about. His partner has vanished into his room without so much as a nod to said armed men. His partner. Jensen is pretty sure that partner might be the wrong word to use here. It’s apparent that they aren’t equals in whatever is going on.
He needs to go to his office, needs space and time to think about his next steps. Because he has to do something, has to at least find out what’s really going on before things get out of control. If they're not already.
He almost runs into Jared and just barely stops himself from rushing around the corner. The voices he hears before he plasters himself against the wall are muted but rushed. Through the blood pounding in his ears Jensen doesn’t really understand the words for a few seconds. His instinct though, tells him to stay hidden, tells him that this might be the chance to find things out.
Even through his anger at Mike, Jensen realises that the conversion going on in the hallway next to the one he is currently hiding in is very serious. When Jensen realises it's Tom and Jared, he's more than a little surprised. He didn’t know they knew each other, but then there apparently are a lot of things he doesn’t know, so he just listens.
“Calm down, Tom. Right now there isn’t much we can do. Just watch and wait.”
“We have been doing that for months, Jay. I have been inside for a year now. A fucking year. man! I need out. Soon. I need to see my family again. I am losing my mind. This is so big and Mike… Damn that guy has lost it.”
“Tom. Listen to me… Hey, hey… Listen. We're almost there. We're close and you know it. Don’t give up just yet. I'm on it. Okay? We’ll get out fine.. and soon.”
Jensen desperately wants to see what’s going on. He's always been more of a visual guy and not seeing action accompanying the conversation makes it hard for him to figure out what's happening. He turns, creeps along the wall with his chest pressed against the smooth surface and slowly sneaks a look around the corner.
Tom and Jared are both resting against opposite walls, looking at each other and not Jensen’s way, for which Jensen is rather grateful. It would be a bit embarrassing and really hard to explain what he is doing there, so obviously spying on them.
Tom looks distraught, tired and depressed. Jared doesn’t look much better, but Jensen’s eyes still rest on his strong arms and the muscles peaking out from the scrubs. He really does look great and for a second Jensen just wants to look at it all, at the whole package. Then he remembers where he is and what’s going and almost gives himself away when he accidentally smacks his head against the wall.
The curse is on his lips already before he manages to bite down on it. He dares another look around the corner after a few seconds. Neither Jared nor Tom seemed to have noticed him being there. They are still leaning against the walls.
“So what now? We go back to waiting and let him get away with it? The safe will not be filled that well forever. Not to mention the data hidden in the office. We need it all, Jared. Every single piece of it. And what about Ackles?”
Jensen starts. What about him? What the hell is going on? Are those two trying to rob the clinic? Steal operating secrets Mike has been working on? Jensen wants to leave his hiding place and demand answers but he knows it isn’t a good idea. If they really are criminals he isn’t safe.
Dammit, why does he always find the bad boys attractive? As if the pot smoking incident with Martin and the campus security hadn’t been enough. He doesn’t know Jared at all, it seems.
“What about Jensen? He has nothing to do with it.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes, Tom. I am. He is a good guy. I… He doesn’t know anything, Tommy. Trust me. I just want to make sure he gets out of this okay and unharmed.”
So maybe not criminals or if they are, then really caring ones. Jensen feels his face grow hot at Jared’s words. But he still doesn’t know what to think, has no idea what to do. Maybe he hasn’t been wrong about Jared but there obviously is a lot Jared hasn’t been telling him.
“Oh, Jared. No. That is not a good idea.”
“Shut up, Tom. Go up and do your job. I’ll stay down here and look around a little more.”
Jensen can’t see what's happening but there are shuffling noises so he guesses Tom and Jared are leaving. He is about to risk another glance around the corner when he feels something really hard and really uncomfortable pressed against the small of his back.
Well shit.
***
“Turn around slowly. Now.”
Jensen does what he's told and curses himself for not giving himself away to Jared and Tom. That might have been safer than what is happening now.
The guy in front of him is one of the guards Jensen saw at door. The gun is so close to his chest and Jensen gulps a little at the sight of it. It’s not like he's never seen a gun up close, they're in Texas after all, but he's never had one directed at him.
“Who are you?”
Jensen blinks because really, as far as he knows this guy is working for him. Or well at least for his partner and the goon has no idea who he is.
“Uh…”
“Mute? Deaf or what? I asked who you are.”
Jensen is about to answer when there's a shadow rushing at the gun and the guy in front if him is knocked down with a grunt. The gun goes flying and Jensen just ducks away from everything. It takes him a few seconds to realise that it's Jared fighting with the guard and that Jared is actually winning. Jensen has never seen fighting moves quite like those exhibited right there in the hallway and neither has the guard.
Despite the danger, the not knowing what is going on, Jensen can only stare. His heart is pounding wildly in his chest, his eyes are trained on Jared and his thoughts are swirling around several things but Jared is the main focus of all of them.
The way Jared moves has Jensen transfixed, frozen into motionlessness as if he knows that should he move, Jared would be brought out of focus. It’s so smooth and silent that Jensen immediately recognises the deadly force Jared could be. But Jared is merely on defence, not attacking just defending. And he still has the guard down in a few moves.
It is also highly erotic, which catches Jensen so off-guard that he doesn’t even think about suppressing the moan that escapes him at the sight of Jared.
Jared is standing there, hair wild, muscles pumping under his heaving chest and just looks at Jensen. It is beautiful. Jared is beautiful. Jensen looks back, locks eyes with Jared and knows something bad is going to happen. The tension in the air is sizzling; Jensen feels it on his skin, in his heartbeat. At the same time he knows he’ll be safe because Jared is there. He doesn’t know where this deep trust is coming from; he just knows it is there.
“You okay, Jen?”
Jen? That is new. Jensen likes it. Not the he’d ever admit that out loud.
“Sure. I would be better if I knew what was going on here and why I am suddenly facing armed guards and labs I don't have access to. You know anything about it, Doctor Padalecki?”
Jared actually has the decency to look contrite and apologetic. But Jensen isn’t in the mood for being generous. He wants to know what’s going on. Jared moves to check on the guy on the floor and for the first time Jensen realises that Jared has lost the scrubs he's been wearing while talking to Tom and is now showing off a nice dress shirt and suit pants.
A regular James Bond as it seems.
Jensen snorts at that and then everything goes black.
****
The first thing Jensen sees is white fabric and buttons close to his eyes. Jensen has the sudden urge to ask for a cigarette and a drink. He feels like he went ten rounds with a heavy weight fighter and he doesn’t even remember fighting in the first place. His neck hurts but that might be due to the awkward position he is in. A position which seems to more for the comfort of whoever his holding him then for Jensen. Because being pressed into a solid body in a strange angle does nothing to make held person feel better. Nothing at all.
When he actually attempts to move his head explodes in pain and Jensen buries back into the solid chest under his cheek. He doesn’t even try to suppress the groan and stays as still as he can. The hand hold up his back starts to move up and down which is actually really soothing. Jensen has his eyes closed again and it takes him a minute or two to realise that he is being spoken to.
Soft words reach his ears, murmurs and soothing noises. Jensen feels little annoyed at being talked to like a little child but then he has to admit that anything louder than those murmurs might have killed him or at least some of his brain cells. The pain lessens a little and Jensen actually manages to sit up a little. With help of course.
When he looks up, deep multicoloured eyes meet his and Jensen relaxes again. Even though he has no idea why Jared is there, the feeling of safety is back again. For split second Jensen thinks he shouldn’t be that trusting to someone who seems to know a lot about deadly martial arts moves and who still hasn’t told him what is happening.
“Jensen?”
“’M good.”
“Yeah. Your chest is comfy, just my position isn’t”
“What? You don’t want to be on top? Good to know.”
Jensen can’t help it; he laughs and then groans out loud again.
“Sorry. I'm sorry, Jensen.”
“Huh?”
“Should have known that there would be more than one. I was distracted. Not a good thing in my line of work.”
Jensen nods, not really listening since he is too occupied trying to not be obvious about how Jared being so close to him is affecting him and also by trying to figure out in what kind of room they're. It’s small, grey and nothing Jensen recognises. There is an air vent above them and a door to their right but nothing else. Not shelves or computer monitors, so Jensen has no idea what this room is which is really sad considering that they are in his clinic.
“I'm sorry that I dragged you into this.”
“What? Jared, what exactly is this?” Jensen struggles up and sits crossed legged at Jared’s side. He moans again when his head connects with the wall behind him. And that moan might actually be their luck because following it there starts a pounding up against the door.
“Jared? Jared is that you?”
“Tom? Thank God.”
“I can’t get the door open Jared. It’s time locked.”
“I know, Tommy. I know. Tom, listen to me. Get everyone out of here. Get up. Get it now. Evacuate! I heard them talking about getting the experiments out of here and blowing the labs. No idea if they are gone to do it. But get Rosenbaum and get out! Now Tommy!”
“What about you, Jared?”
“I have an idea. Now go, Tom.”
Jensen doesn’t hear anything else, so he guesses that Tom is gone. Jared is looking at the door with a rather sad expression which makes Jensen slightly uncomfortable. He moves closer out of instinct seeking safety and maybe answers. He could get angry now, totally flip out on Jared and let his fear rein freely.
But he doesn’t. The look Jared gives him when he touches the hand lying curled against Jensen almost breaks him. It so full of regret and sorrow and maybe more that Jensen doesn’t know what to do. So he does the only thing that seems right.
When their lips meet Jared starts a little and Jensen might actually have heard a little squeak as well. Jared is careful with his hands when he pulls Jensen closer, mindful of the bruise at the back of Jensen’s head. Jensen just lets himself sink into. He doesn’t have the energy to fight what he wants, and he started it after all. It’s not the situation he had envisioned for their first kiss, though.
They kiss slowly, hungry still but not desperate. Jensen knows they’ll get out of this and they will have time and the chance to get more of it. It’s sensual more than sexual. It’s assurance more than desire. It’s just to make sure that they are there, that they are together.
Jensen has never had a kiss like that. He doesn’t want it to end.
“Jen?”
It’s whispered against his lips. Soft, hot air making him shiver and craving Jared to close the gap again. He is aware that he is clutching Jared’s shoulders, keeping him close.
“Jensen. Come on. We have to move. As much as I want you, I want you alive more.”
Jensen nods, lets go of Jared even though it hurts him how much he doesn’t want to. Judging the look Jared gives him, he isn’t the only one.
“Okay. But first, what the fuck is going on Jared. This is my clinic and I have no freaking idea. Who the fuck are you? James Bond?”
Jared laughs and hugs him close.
“Nah. Not that high up in the ranks. Just FBI man.”
“FBI? But.. you.. you were in the op.”
“I am a doctor as well Jensen. No worries, I am all qualified. And we have been investigating Mike Rosenbaum for quiet some time now. Basically it’s about money laundering, drug trade and offences against human rights.”
Jensen is feeling sick. Mike is his best friend. His partner. He has known him since high school and has been friends since college. It can’t be true. Not Mike. Jensen isn’t that bad of a judge of character.
“What?” Jensen’s doesn’t recognize his own voice anymore. It’s raw and hurting. Jared draws him close again, back into his arms and Jensen lets him. It’s all a little too much.
“I'm sorry. Mike got tangled up with some powerful people, gambling debts. He basically used the clinic as insurance. Set up drug deals, illegal meds testing and experiments as well as a huge amount of extra surgeries not ratified by any insurance company to pay for everything. He used the labs for most of it. And probably to hide it from you and everyone else. His lifestyle was a little too big for him.”
“Oh Mike. I… I had no idea.” Jensen feels even sicker now. What had become of his best friend? Why hadn’t he seen it? What kind of friend has he been?
“Yeah. I know. The way you've been working yourself dead was sort of the main clue. Dude, you had no life anymore and you always wondered why Mike was burying you in work. I'm sorry I couldn’t tell you.”
Jensen nods. They’ll have to talk about it when they are out of here. They have to get out of here. Suddenly it’s like a bucket ice water being emptied over him.
“You said… they want to blow up the labs? The clinic?”
Jared shrugs but doesn’t answer immediately. Instead he searches for something.
“Jared?”
“When I woke up after being a crappy agent and let us get caught red handed by horrible security guards, Mike was here. I don’t know how but he sort of suspected I wasn’t just the new doctor. Pretended to be out cold still and heard them talking about how to secure the whole drugs deal and the meds in the labs. Mike called someone for help and then suggested to the guard guys they should try to hide the traces. Figured they’d use the most logical way. Fire.”
“He wouldn’t… Mike wouldn’t risk killing so many people. He isn’t like that. I can’t… Oh Godm Jared.”
"Hey, calm down a little, yeah? That’s why I sent Tom. He is my partner and he's going to call back up. They're close; we wanted to get Mike tomorrow night when the deal was being done. But we have evidence already. It’s going to be fine. You okay to walk and climb a little?”
Jensen nods even though doesn’t know if he can believe it. But he's willing to follow Jared since Jared seems to be the one with a plan and Jensen actually wants to get out of this room. Which has turned out to be a maintenance room for the ventilation system and is going to be their way out.
Jared is getting ready to climb on the door knob to reach the vent when Jensen actually looks at him. He does look a little like James Bond there. Jared sees him looking at his ass and smirks.
Jensen doesn’t know why he wants to know but suddenly it is sort of important. His mind is still a little muddle so he has an excuse for any inane things he says now.
"Where.. how? Oh never mind.
Jared blinks and smiles like nothing is out of order. "No. What is it?"
"The suit. Where did it come from?"
"I was wearing it."
"The whole time?"
"Well yes. Why?"
"Underneath the scrubs? The whole time?"
Jared actually snorts "Well no. Just today. And I was only wearing the scrubs top anyway. There was Mike’s party later after all. And I would have had no time going home to change. He insisted on formal and I was sort of going to try and get more info during the party. So yeah. Seriously, did you really think I have been wearing a suit this whole time? Where is your brain, Doctor Ackles?"
“Not on clothes, that’s for sure.”
Jared smirks then. Really smirks and Jensen thinks he shouldn’t find that as hot as he does. Smirking never means anything good. But it looks so damn gorgeous on Jared that Jensen doesn’t really care anymore.
“What I have been wearing all this time is the gun though. But they took it when they caught us.”
“And there I thought you were just being happy to see me. I'm crushed now.”
Jared actually throws his head back and barks out a laugh. All boisterous and happy. Yeah, Jensen is gone. Good and completely head over heels, and he doesn’t even mind it. It's not a crush anymore, maybe never was just a crush anyway. Jensen wants to get out of here, wants to have time with Jared and not just a few moments in a situation that could turn life threatening any moment.
“Oh, don’t ever doubt that I'm happy to see you Jen. Never that. Made my job so fucking complicated but I couldn’t resist you.”
With that Jared turns and lungs for the cover in front of the vent above them. Jensen is not too busy staring at the bulging muscles underneath the dress shirt that he doesn’t realise that Jared never gave him a chance to answer. Maybe it’s not a good idea to make plans for later but Jensen definitely plans on showing Jared how happy he really is that he met Jared.
***
Jared is through the hole in the ceiling where the vent used to be and which is now lying on the floor when the first explosion hits the building. Jared almost falls through the hole again before he can catch himself. Cursing loudly and with words Jensen is pretty sure have no really sense at all Jared flops down on his belly and beckons Jensen to use the vent to lift himself up towards Jared’s arms.
Jensen doesn’t know how Jared actually managed to loose the vent and get it out of the holdings but right now he doesn’t care. All he cares about is the fact that the ceiling thankfully isn’t all that high up and that Jared’s arms are in proportion to his giant body. Jensen has almost no trouble grasping Jared’s hands and letting himself being lifted up into the chute.
They're halfway through the tunnel when thick smoke hits them and Jared manages to tell Jensen to cover his mouth and nose before the coughs start. It’s getting harder to breathe and to move. Metal underneath Jensen’s hands is getting hotter and hotter with ever inch they move forward and he doesn’t want to imagine what Jared’s hands must look like.
His eyes are tearing up, his throat is on fire and he almost can’t see Jared anymore. There are blisters on his hands and panic is welling up inside of him. He will die in here. In a vent chute filled with poisonous smoke. He will die without having told Jared what he really feels, what he wants Jared to know about him.
He is about to choke when there are hands grabbing him and his in a room he recognises. It’s one of the patient rooms and Jared is holding him up. They are out in the hallway a second later and Jensen can breathe again. The smoke is there but not as thick and they can see where they are going. The sprinkler is on making it easier to navigate but harder to move.
Jared has him by his arm and Jensen lets himself be dragged, points Jared towards the foyer when Jared suddenly goes down besides him. Jensen has no chance at all. He goes down as well, crashes on his knees and arms and cries out in pain. His body is jarred hard and the breath that he has problems getting into his lungs is knocked out of him.
Jared is still, not moving and the panic is back. There is blood at Jared’s back, drenching the dress shirt even more than the water that is still coming down. Jensen can’t see anything but water and smoke in the hallway but Mike’s office door is open. He hadn’t realised where they really were. Jensen doesn’t move, just lies there plastered against Jared and tries to find a pulse. It’s there and Jensen almost sobs in relief.
Jensen goes stiff and doesn’t dare to really breathe when there are footsteps coming closer. Then there is a hand on his shoulder and Jensen cries out, lunches himself at the person and has only one thought.
Save Jared. Get Jared out of here.
“Whoa. Jensen. Jensen stop. It’s me, Tom.”
It takes a while but Jensen stills, almost slumps against Tom, overwhelmed but relief and worry. Panic still there, still strong.
“Jared. Mike shot him I think.”
“Okay. Come on, let the medics care for him. We got Mike. It’s okay, Jensen. Really.”
The last thing he sees before he's dragged away is the medics working on Jared and the fire fighters rushing in. It’s a tunnel view and Jensen sees everything in a foggy haze. There's a cop and a medic, and Jensen knows they are talking to him, he can’t hear them. Doesn’t want to hear them or see them.
All he wants is to be with Jared.
***
It’s been two days since everything happened. Two days since he left the ranch and never looked back. Two days since he sat in a waiting of an ICU and was being told he had no rights whatsoever and was told to go home. He hasn’t seen Jared since then.
Tom had called. Apologized deeply for the pigheadedness of his colleagues and was actually very thorough with his news about Jared. Jared had apparently asked for Jensen and had thrown a fit when Jensen hadn’t been there. All Jensen wanted to know though was if Jared was okay.
Jared is good. Jensen is relieved and sad at the same time. He's lost everything and has no idea what to do or how to go on. And he has no idea how Jared will fit into his new life. He hasn’t even told his parents all that much.
Agents have been by, asking questions and almost immediately dismissed Jensen as a valuable witness. The only thing he could do is tell them what he knows. He hasn’t seen Mike shooting at Jared or doing anything else, but the evidence provided by Tom was more than enough to send Mike away for years.
Jensen hasn’t left his apartment in two days. He hasn’t really done anything but think and sleep. There hasn’t even been more food than a pizza and coffee. Things still don’t make sense. He knows he needs to talk about it, but he doesn’t know to whom. There's no one left, with Mike in jail and Jared in hospital and probably not really willing to talk to him. Jensen is so far into his head that the thought Jared might only have been talking to him to get to Mike is very present.
Not knowing anything anymore drags Jensen down.
There's a knock at the door and Jensen considers not answering. He doesn’t want to talk to any more agents or officers. He's told them everything he knows and them coming back will not miraculously make him remember more things. So he stays sitting on his couch and stares at the dark TV screen.
The knock comes again and then won’t let up. Jensen heaves himself from the couch and prepares himself to tell someone off when he recognises the voice calling his name.
“Jensen. Come on. Open the door. I know you're home. Tommy said he called you. Jensen? Jen? Please.”
Jensen wrenches the door open just as Jared is about to knock again. Jensen catches the hand directly in front of his face and pulls Jared close. The grunt that leaves Jared doesn’t sound too painful so Jensen doesn’t draw back to check. He just holds Jared, keeps him close and breathes him in. It’s a mixture of citrus soap, more fruity shampoo and Jared that reaches his nose and Jensen already knows that he loves it. That he's been addicted to it ever since Jared had decided that personal space ceased to exist between them.
It’s Jared and Jensen has it.
“Hey Jen.”
The strong arms around him don’t move, just hold on and Jensen buries his nose in Jared’s neck. Breathes in deeply and just feels. Jared is there.
“God, I thought…. I could have lost you there and I never.. we never talked… and I couldn’t get to you…”
“Shh, Jensen. I know. Tom told me. That’s why I'm here. I just needed to see you, make sure you are alright. You are, aren’t you?”
Jensen nods and manages to get them both into the apartment. They end up curled together on the couch, not talking and just being.
“I'm here, Jensen. And I’ll stay,”
“What do you mean?”
“I got a transfer to the San Antonio office. Thought I might help you setting the clinic back up again. If you wanted my help.”
“I … You're here for me?”
“Yes, Jensen. Just for you. I wanted to stay after this case anyway. Just because I wanted to at least be your friend. I've been trying to be that for months. And you know… I… I am actually glad that you finally acknowledged me that day during lunch. Thanks for that, by the way.”
Jensen balks at the idea of ever setting a foot onto the ranch and it's way too early to think about it. He tells Jared as much, but only gets a smile and a hug. They'll talk about it later. Plan the future, be happy to have a future. Jensen is pretty sure he isn’t getting any of the things Jared is rambling about because he's really just realising the fact that Jared's there and that he's there for Jensen.
Jared's there and he'll stay. Jared's okay, still hurting but okay. Jensen’s own bruises are healing and there wasn’t any damages from the smoke. He is exhausted, as is Jared.
Jensen's about to fall asleep when he feels Jared’s lips on his. The kiss is a soft as their first was and again not what Jensen expected. Again it's not desperate, fast or sexual. Again, it's more reassurance than hunger, but then it's so much different than the first one because Jensen knows it will not be the last one.
“Rest, Jensen. I'll be here.”
Jensen does.
The last thing on his mind before he falls asleep in Jared’s arms is that considering the fact that Jensen had been so oblivious at first, Jared had been all the more focused on him. Jensen is grateful for that.
The end.
Author: the_milky_way
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Warnings (if any): None
Words: 8.426
Beta: Thanks to A. :) and to parka_girl (my saviour)
Disclaimer: This story is fictional (not real, didn't happen). Not true in any way.
Prompt chosen: 56. Crossing the Line
Summary: Jensen is sort of oblivious, Jared a good guy and Mike is just too greedy.
I never thought I'd have so many problems finishing this. I liked the idea so much that I actually tried and wrote it. No idea if it turned out the way it is supposed to be, I was made rather busy by real life lately.
So bear with me?
This was written for the spn_meanttobe challenge for the prompt:
56. Crossing the Line
Our private medical facility is a lush oasis of tranquillity, catering to affluent patients who require complete discretion. Our latest staff addition is Dr. Dante Nash, an extraordinary specimen of hotness…er, professionalism. In fact, nurse Elle Kingston can't seem to keep her eyes-and her lusty thoughts-off him!
But Dante is more than a sexy-pants practitioner who makes Elle weak in the knees-and in other parts.
He's also undercover for the FBI. There have been some illicit goings-on here at Confidential Rejuvenations. Dangerous ones. And it isn't just Elle and Dante's sizzling affair that's about to blaze out of control…
…
The officer standing next to him looks somewhat shocked when Jensen tells him that he feels okay enough to drive home on his own, but doesn’t object… much. Seeing as his saviour is busy calming down his bosses, Jensen thinks it's a rather wise decision to just leave and not draw attention to himself. He wouldn’t be able to sit through an interrogation. Not now.
And there's an ambulance to follow anyway.
The still smoking remains of the ranch are in his rear-view mirror, flickering in and out of visibility. A column of smoke slowly twisting towards the blood red sky. How telling. The colour is all wrong, twisting something deep in Jensen’s chest and he really doesn’t want to think about it. The ambulance isn’t all that far ahead and Jensen realises how fast he's going when he can see the medic moving inside the vehicle.
He is not thinking about what it all means. He just can’t.
The day has been long and way too much for Jensen to really grasp. His bleeding knuckles ache, the shoulder he crashed onto feels like it's on fire, his head is fighting against implosion, and his lungs burn something fierce. But Jensen just wants to get away. It’s stupid and the cop should have held him back. Jensen doesn’t care, though.
He has to get away from it all. Has to get away from the ruins of his life. Has to follow the only real thing that he wants to take with him after everything that's happened. If he's allowed to, that is.
There are only two things he's certain about. One is that he has no idea how he's still alive. The other is that he has absolutely no idea how the best job of his life turned into a nightmare, cost him his best friend and gained him one of the most intense experiences he's ever had.
Jensen doesn’t even know how he got to the point where he's driving away from the smoking remains of one of the best known private clinics in Texas, battered, bruised and possibly head over heels in love with the one man who could explain everything, but is so very clearly absent from Jensen’s car right now.
All Jensen wants right now is to make sure that everything the ambulance in front of him carries gets to the hospital safely. He wants to be told that everything will be fine, that he can go home, take a really hot shower, sleep for the rest of the day and can come back to the hospital to sit at a bedside that will not be empty.
He takes a sharp turn on the road toward town and the ranch vanishes behind him. Jensen wonders if that’s all that's vanishing from his currently very chaotic life. It's not a good thought.
It all started with Jensen being oblivious. He wishes it had stayed that way, even though he knows he's really just lying to himself.
****
Jensen has been so swamped with new clients, therapy plans and business proposals that almost nothing outside the clinic or even outside his offices really makes it into his awareness. It's been so busy lately that it takes Jensen several weeks to really acknowledge Jared. The one day in a really busy week he's able to go and get lunch outside his office or the doctor’s lounge, Jensen takes the opportunity.
Never having been someone to socialise during his own time during the day, he can forget everything work related while being at work Jensen's actually able to look around himself and to take in things he usually never sees while working. These days he sees new faces all around and wonders if that has something to do with Mike’s sudden insistence on doubling the work load of every single employee at the ranch.
"Hey man, haven't seen you in days."
When Jared plops down at Jensen’s table Jensen starts so violently that he misses his apple pie by miles and sends his fork flying halfway across the room, just barely missing Tom and Mike at the other side. Jared just blinks, smiles brilliantly and starts eating his meatballs.
“Hey now, no need to throw cutlery if you don’t want to sit with me. You could just say so. It feels too much like high school otherwise.”
Jensen was so deep in thought that he's completely overwhelmed by the force that is Jared Padalecki, who is apparently the new internist and has been there for a month already. And seems to know more about Jensen than Jensen realised. Because when Jared asks him if he's okay, Jensen blurts out that he has no idea who Jared is.
It earns him another blink, something he doesn’t find adorable at all. Because finding something adorable in a man he doesn’t know and who kind of comes across as a creepy stalker isn’t something Jensen does. Not to mention that he has absolutely not time to find someone adorable or you know, hot for the matter. Totally and utterly hot, but he really has to ignore it, especially when he's talking to said hot person, so Jensen isn’t really thinking about it anyway.
He is still clearly very much overwhelmed while Jared is all calm and smiles. Tells him his name, says it has been the third time already and that he starts to feel a little offended that he isn’t memorable enough for Jensen to remember his name. Jensen does not blush at all. Because Jensen doesn’t do blushing, but he sort of feels hot.
He feels even hotter when Jared’s full-on smile hits him unexpectedly. He ducks his head, coughs a little and tries not to gape when Jared comments that this is a new reaction to them exchanging names. Apparently Jensen has really been busy. And according to Jared, way too stuck in his own head. Jensen wants to agree but he also doesn’t want to come across as more of an idiot then he already has.
For a second Jensen feels the urge to say he’d never have lunch with someone who lacks manners in such a crass way and certainly not as long as Jared claimed they were without Jensen realising it. But then he thinks back to the last few weeks and well, he kind of thinks there's been someone at his table every day chattering away and providing a constant background noise which actually ended up helping Jensen to concentrate on his work. Today is just the first day in months that he doesn’t have anything to take with him on his lunch break.
Jensen is so stunned by the sight in front of him that he doesn’t really do anything except stare at the man across from him, who shovels meatballs and tomato sauce into himself like there's no tomorrow.
When Mike stops by and drops Jensen’s fork on the table, Jensen doesn’t feel the urge to run but he does feel the urge to hide, preferable under the table, which then leads to thoughts about what he could to under the table to the really gorgeous man sitting across from him and Jensen tries to drown his brain in ice water. Not a good idea but the hiccup gets Jared’s attention away from Mike’s inane babble about Jensen always attempting to murder him.
They talk during lunch and Jensen finds himself enjoying it. He's a little sad that he can’t really remember the last few weeks. But Jared tells him that they have regularly been having lunch together for a month now and that Jared has always considered it to be the highlight of his day.
No, Jensen doesn’t blush and Jared doesn’t smirk. Jensen also doesn’t cough through his coffee when Jared tells him that this is the first time he considers their date a success. Jensen is a little mad when Jared leaves him after this quite obviously heavy innuendo.
How Jensen could have overlooked such a fine example of the human species when said example seems to have been throwing himself at Jensen for weeks now is sort of beyond him. He knows how to appreciate a good looking man and it usually doesn’t take weeks to actually notice a well defined 6’5” body and dimples to die for.
He just has been really busy.
When Jensen finally does notice his new colleague, it's a surprise what he finds hidden behind the bluntness and dorkiness that is Dr. Jared Padalecki. It's also a surprise to find Mike is connected to Jared’s presence in more ways than one.
****
Jensen's been really busy. The clinic is taking more and more high profile clients lately and Mike has been pushing Jensen to limit his free time to the law expected minimum. The clinic, or The Ranch as everyone calls it, is one of the most modern and best know private practices in Texas. It's been Mike’s and Jensen’s dream since they started doing plans during their sophomore year in college. Jensen would have never believed back then what it would turn into.
It’s his life now. A good life, but busy as hell.
Any kind of social life is dead, going out with friends other than Mike, who always seems to manage to turn those outings into business meetings recently, isn’t something that happens anymore either. Jensen never would have thought that he’d miss being on stage with Steve and Chris.
Not to mention that Jensen’s love life has been dead for years now. Not something he's proud of, and considering the not very subtle hints his mother drops every time they talk or see each other, Jensen's pretty sure that the next time he drives up to visit that there will be a blind date waiting for him. Sometimes he wishes his mother wouldn’t be that interested in his love life. It can be quite embarrassing.
Mike is no longer the Mike Jensen knew from college. There is little left of the party-crazy, sometimes crazy and sarcastic best friend Jensen was used to. Everything seems to be about money now, about how to make the clinic more productive, how to make more profit. It’s not what Jensen envisioned what would happen once they were established.
Sure. there still are the regular cases, the normal surgeries that have always been there. But recently there's an increase of high profile plastic surgeries, experimental test operations and new equipment being introduced and Jensen doesn’t really know what’s going on anymore. Mike hasn’t been as forthcoming as Jensen wishes he would be. Most of the new clients are Mike’s and Jensen gets swamped with the rest of the work while Mike is away soaking in money, doing interviews and God knows what else.
Jensen is too busy, to deep in the work to deal with everything else as well, but he knows that the charity cases they had agreed on taking on now and then have been dwindled into nonexistence. It worries him a little. Mike assures him things are great and will be great for a long time every time Jensen asks. It makes Jensen sad that he doesn’t really believe Mike.
Ever since Tom took over the accounts and the bookkeeping, Mike seems to be living on a different level. It’s not Tom’s fault, because Jensen's heard him complain about the new work load as much as everyone else has. Sometimes Jensen wonders if he should do something, maybe talk to Mike, and maybe try to figure out what's really going on. But every time he thinks about it, something pressing comes up and buries him in work for days.
It might be tactical, but Jensen can’t imagine why Mike would do that. They are friends, best friends, after all.
***
After the lunch of doom, as Jensen starts to call the day he finally noticed Jared for real, things seem to get even busier. Even though he constantly thinks of Jared now, of the dimples and the muscles he could see under Jared’s scrubs, Jensen has no time to actively indulge in day dreams.
They do make time to meet for lunch though and Jensen has to admit that Jared was right; it is the highlight of his day now, too. Meeting up with Jared, having good food and getting to know a man that's slowly but surely growing on Jensen. It's something he looks forward to amidst all the stress and chaos Mike is suddenly unleashing on the clinic.
Jared has asked him about it several times, but Jensen never knows how to answer or what to say without coming across as totally ignorant. But he really doesn’t know anything. Jensen actually tells Jared that over a banana sundae and awfully pornographic noises Jared is making over it. It is one of the things Jensen's getting used to, Jared’s deep enjoyment of food and the way Jensen can still talk to him even if his brain is stuck on Jared’s moans.
They talk, about everything and nothing. Jensen starts to miss Jared when he isn’t around. Now that he knows Jared is there Jensen can’t stop noticing him. Jared is everywhere and when he isn’t, Jensen is looking for him.
Allie, his secretary, comments on it frequently and always has this knowing smile on her face. None of those comments would usually make him embarrassed or shy but Allie adds praises of Jared’s body to them so Jensen knows she is as observant as he is. Whenever Jared catches them in their never-ending discussions of his amenities, he smirks, comments on Jensen’s own and almost floats away again. Jensen never knows what to do then and Allie just laughs.
They learn about each other, their lives, their families and what they like and dislike. Jensen, for the first time in years, feels like he's doing more than just existing to work. Jared's forcing him out of the routine, the work-all-day-and-nothing-else-life he's been living for how long he doesn't even know.
Jared even takes him out. Bars, concerts, dinners. They even go to the beach and Jensen doesn’t complain about the six hour drive once. And he hates sitting in a car too long. They take Jared’s dogs out to the park in town, go to the ice-cream parlour like teenagers during summer holidays and even manage to catch a movie on one of the rare nights they both have off.
They do everything Jensen would consider as real dates, and yet nothing more. Something is holding them back. Jensen knows it’s not only him but Jared as well. He just can’t figure what it is and why Jared shies away every time they get close. Like in the car when Jared drives him home from the clinic one night and they both reach for the radio at the same time. They are so close then, looking into each other’s eyes and then Jared draws back, smiles and walks Jensen to his door.
Jensen is constantly distracted by Jared’s eyes, his hands, his voice and the man himself. He stares more than he ever has before. He gets lost in his head when he thinks about Jared, is speechless when Jared smiles at him full force and gets a little giggle when Jared flirts him in his exaggerating way he sometimes uses to show off. Jensen actually basks in the feel of finally having something like a crush again.
It’s good. It feels good. It feels right even though he hasn’t known Jared for that long. At the same time, Jared confuses Jensen a whole lot more than he's used to when he is actively flirting with someone. And they really do flirt. All their conversations are laced with innuendo and come-ons. Jared insinuates himself in Jensen’s life like no one else has ever before. Jensen is powerless to stop it. Not that he wants to.
It’s going fast, maybe too fast but then it is going slow as well. They are close but there's an invisible wall between them that Jensen has no idea how to tear down or overcome. Jared's not helping either. But he's there and Jensen can’t for the life of him think about not having Jared around anymore. Can’t imagine it.
Without realising it Jensen, lets Jared in, lets him deep into his life.
***
Later that month Jensen has not time at all anymore. Lunch is always being postponed due to either Jensen or Jared being too busy and then they don’t have time to go out either anymore. Jensen misses Jared, misses their time together and wants to curse Mike and himself as well.
Jensen has no idea anymore what Mike is doing, which scares him even more. Jared has been trying to talk about it but Jensen has been so distracted that he couldn’t concentrate on that and he didn’t even wonder why Jared wanted to talk about it in the first place.
He rarely sees Jared anymore. When he does he just has no time to talk to him other than a short greeting or a request for a patient's folder. Jared is always in a good mood, friendly, bouncing even. Jensen sees how his has charmed almost everyone in the clinic and is actually a little jealous of everyone who gets to see Jared more frequently than he does.
Jensen marvels at the fact that in just a matter of days Jared has him wrapped around his finger and Jensen almost craving to be close to him. What does that say about Jensen? Has he really been so starved for affection that he just clings to anyone who just bothers to care enough? No. Jared is actually different, Jensen decides. Jared is interested, and Jensen knows that much. He's interested back, which makes it also much more frustrating that they aren’t seeing each other anymore.
Even the weekends are filled with work now. Mike smothering Jensen with new plans for expansion of the clinic and new advertisement ideas of which Jensen has no clue about anyway and demanding Jensen to take care of everything. which means that Jensen's occupied almost 24/7. And he's still trying to figure out what Mike's actually doing or if he's just lost his mind.
He also misses Jared so much that Allie actually calls the good doctor during the day, if only so that Jensen can actually talk to him. It’s not in the least bit embarrassing. Not when Jared tells him that he is waiting by the phone every day and yells when Allie calls. Jared’s optimism is addictive.
Jensen almost thinks it’s what makes his days bearable. He loves his job, loves to help and talk to people. But recently, that isn't happening all that often anymore.
There are surgeries to schedule, patients to talk to and to prepare, papers to sign, contracts to renew for the ranch and Jensen wonders why he's suddenly stuck with all the paperwork when they have an accountant. He's a surgeon and not an office worker. But Jensen can’t remember the last time he saw a lab or an operating room from the inside.
It irks him way more than it usually does. Mike’s ever changing moods are no help at settling Jensen irritation either.
Mike snaps, gets loud with colleagues and vanishes for hours on end into one of the labs. A lab Jensen has no access to, as he finds out when he follows Mike one day. He is co-founder and co-owner of this place and there are rooms he had no idea about and no access to.
Jensen finds that a little disturbing.
***
The next time he really sees Jared is when he's walking back from another unknown room Mike has vanished into. There were guards at the door when Jensen had looked through the class partition separating the one apparently sealed corridor from the stairs that usually lead to storage, or that’s at least what the door at the top of the stairs says.
Jensen had never been down here. There had been no need so far. But now… Now he doesn’t know what to do. There are armed men in the basement of his clinic guarding a room he had no idea about. His partner has vanished into his room without so much as a nod to said armed men. His partner. Jensen is pretty sure that partner might be the wrong word to use here. It’s apparent that they aren’t equals in whatever is going on.
He needs to go to his office, needs space and time to think about his next steps. Because he has to do something, has to at least find out what’s really going on before things get out of control. If they're not already.
He almost runs into Jared and just barely stops himself from rushing around the corner. The voices he hears before he plasters himself against the wall are muted but rushed. Through the blood pounding in his ears Jensen doesn’t really understand the words for a few seconds. His instinct though, tells him to stay hidden, tells him that this might be the chance to find things out.
Even through his anger at Mike, Jensen realises that the conversion going on in the hallway next to the one he is currently hiding in is very serious. When Jensen realises it's Tom and Jared, he's more than a little surprised. He didn’t know they knew each other, but then there apparently are a lot of things he doesn’t know, so he just listens.
“Calm down, Tom. Right now there isn’t much we can do. Just watch and wait.”
“We have been doing that for months, Jay. I have been inside for a year now. A fucking year. man! I need out. Soon. I need to see my family again. I am losing my mind. This is so big and Mike… Damn that guy has lost it.”
“Tom. Listen to me… Hey, hey… Listen. We're almost there. We're close and you know it. Don’t give up just yet. I'm on it. Okay? We’ll get out fine.. and soon.”
Jensen desperately wants to see what’s going on. He's always been more of a visual guy and not seeing action accompanying the conversation makes it hard for him to figure out what's happening. He turns, creeps along the wall with his chest pressed against the smooth surface and slowly sneaks a look around the corner.
Tom and Jared are both resting against opposite walls, looking at each other and not Jensen’s way, for which Jensen is rather grateful. It would be a bit embarrassing and really hard to explain what he is doing there, so obviously spying on them.
Tom looks distraught, tired and depressed. Jared doesn’t look much better, but Jensen’s eyes still rest on his strong arms and the muscles peaking out from the scrubs. He really does look great and for a second Jensen just wants to look at it all, at the whole package. Then he remembers where he is and what’s going and almost gives himself away when he accidentally smacks his head against the wall.
The curse is on his lips already before he manages to bite down on it. He dares another look around the corner after a few seconds. Neither Jared nor Tom seemed to have noticed him being there. They are still leaning against the walls.
“So what now? We go back to waiting and let him get away with it? The safe will not be filled that well forever. Not to mention the data hidden in the office. We need it all, Jared. Every single piece of it. And what about Ackles?”
Jensen starts. What about him? What the hell is going on? Are those two trying to rob the clinic? Steal operating secrets Mike has been working on? Jensen wants to leave his hiding place and demand answers but he knows it isn’t a good idea. If they really are criminals he isn’t safe.
Dammit, why does he always find the bad boys attractive? As if the pot smoking incident with Martin and the campus security hadn’t been enough. He doesn’t know Jared at all, it seems.
“What about Jensen? He has nothing to do with it.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes, Tom. I am. He is a good guy. I… He doesn’t know anything, Tommy. Trust me. I just want to make sure he gets out of this okay and unharmed.”
So maybe not criminals or if they are, then really caring ones. Jensen feels his face grow hot at Jared’s words. But he still doesn’t know what to think, has no idea what to do. Maybe he hasn’t been wrong about Jared but there obviously is a lot Jared hasn’t been telling him.
“Oh, Jared. No. That is not a good idea.”
“Shut up, Tom. Go up and do your job. I’ll stay down here and look around a little more.”
Jensen can’t see what's happening but there are shuffling noises so he guesses Tom and Jared are leaving. He is about to risk another glance around the corner when he feels something really hard and really uncomfortable pressed against the small of his back.
Well shit.
***
“Turn around slowly. Now.”
Jensen does what he's told and curses himself for not giving himself away to Jared and Tom. That might have been safer than what is happening now.
The guy in front of him is one of the guards Jensen saw at door. The gun is so close to his chest and Jensen gulps a little at the sight of it. It’s not like he's never seen a gun up close, they're in Texas after all, but he's never had one directed at him.
“Who are you?”
Jensen blinks because really, as far as he knows this guy is working for him. Or well at least for his partner and the goon has no idea who he is.
“Uh…”
“Mute? Deaf or what? I asked who you are.”
Jensen is about to answer when there's a shadow rushing at the gun and the guy in front if him is knocked down with a grunt. The gun goes flying and Jensen just ducks away from everything. It takes him a few seconds to realise that it's Jared fighting with the guard and that Jared is actually winning. Jensen has never seen fighting moves quite like those exhibited right there in the hallway and neither has the guard.
Despite the danger, the not knowing what is going on, Jensen can only stare. His heart is pounding wildly in his chest, his eyes are trained on Jared and his thoughts are swirling around several things but Jared is the main focus of all of them.
The way Jared moves has Jensen transfixed, frozen into motionlessness as if he knows that should he move, Jared would be brought out of focus. It’s so smooth and silent that Jensen immediately recognises the deadly force Jared could be. But Jared is merely on defence, not attacking just defending. And he still has the guard down in a few moves.
It is also highly erotic, which catches Jensen so off-guard that he doesn’t even think about suppressing the moan that escapes him at the sight of Jared.
Jared is standing there, hair wild, muscles pumping under his heaving chest and just looks at Jensen. It is beautiful. Jared is beautiful. Jensen looks back, locks eyes with Jared and knows something bad is going to happen. The tension in the air is sizzling; Jensen feels it on his skin, in his heartbeat. At the same time he knows he’ll be safe because Jared is there. He doesn’t know where this deep trust is coming from; he just knows it is there.
“You okay, Jen?”
Jen? That is new. Jensen likes it. Not the he’d ever admit that out loud.
“Sure. I would be better if I knew what was going on here and why I am suddenly facing armed guards and labs I don't have access to. You know anything about it, Doctor Padalecki?”
Jared actually has the decency to look contrite and apologetic. But Jensen isn’t in the mood for being generous. He wants to know what’s going on. Jared moves to check on the guy on the floor and for the first time Jensen realises that Jared has lost the scrubs he's been wearing while talking to Tom and is now showing off a nice dress shirt and suit pants.
A regular James Bond as it seems.
Jensen snorts at that and then everything goes black.
****
The first thing Jensen sees is white fabric and buttons close to his eyes. Jensen has the sudden urge to ask for a cigarette and a drink. He feels like he went ten rounds with a heavy weight fighter and he doesn’t even remember fighting in the first place. His neck hurts but that might be due to the awkward position he is in. A position which seems to more for the comfort of whoever his holding him then for Jensen. Because being pressed into a solid body in a strange angle does nothing to make held person feel better. Nothing at all.
When he actually attempts to move his head explodes in pain and Jensen buries back into the solid chest under his cheek. He doesn’t even try to suppress the groan and stays as still as he can. The hand hold up his back starts to move up and down which is actually really soothing. Jensen has his eyes closed again and it takes him a minute or two to realise that he is being spoken to.
Soft words reach his ears, murmurs and soothing noises. Jensen feels little annoyed at being talked to like a little child but then he has to admit that anything louder than those murmurs might have killed him or at least some of his brain cells. The pain lessens a little and Jensen actually manages to sit up a little. With help of course.
When he looks up, deep multicoloured eyes meet his and Jensen relaxes again. Even though he has no idea why Jared is there, the feeling of safety is back again. For split second Jensen thinks he shouldn’t be that trusting to someone who seems to know a lot about deadly martial arts moves and who still hasn’t told him what is happening.
“Jensen?”
“’M good.”
“Yeah. Your chest is comfy, just my position isn’t”
“What? You don’t want to be on top? Good to know.”
Jensen can’t help it; he laughs and then groans out loud again.
“Sorry. I'm sorry, Jensen.”
“Huh?”
“Should have known that there would be more than one. I was distracted. Not a good thing in my line of work.”
Jensen nods, not really listening since he is too occupied trying to not be obvious about how Jared being so close to him is affecting him and also by trying to figure out in what kind of room they're. It’s small, grey and nothing Jensen recognises. There is an air vent above them and a door to their right but nothing else. Not shelves or computer monitors, so Jensen has no idea what this room is which is really sad considering that they are in his clinic.
“I'm sorry that I dragged you into this.”
“What? Jared, what exactly is this?” Jensen struggles up and sits crossed legged at Jared’s side. He moans again when his head connects with the wall behind him. And that moan might actually be their luck because following it there starts a pounding up against the door.
“Jared? Jared is that you?”
“Tom? Thank God.”
“I can’t get the door open Jared. It’s time locked.”
“I know, Tommy. I know. Tom, listen to me. Get everyone out of here. Get up. Get it now. Evacuate! I heard them talking about getting the experiments out of here and blowing the labs. No idea if they are gone to do it. But get Rosenbaum and get out! Now Tommy!”
“What about you, Jared?”
“I have an idea. Now go, Tom.”
Jensen doesn’t hear anything else, so he guesses that Tom is gone. Jared is looking at the door with a rather sad expression which makes Jensen slightly uncomfortable. He moves closer out of instinct seeking safety and maybe answers. He could get angry now, totally flip out on Jared and let his fear rein freely.
But he doesn’t. The look Jared gives him when he touches the hand lying curled against Jensen almost breaks him. It so full of regret and sorrow and maybe more that Jensen doesn’t know what to do. So he does the only thing that seems right.
When their lips meet Jared starts a little and Jensen might actually have heard a little squeak as well. Jared is careful with his hands when he pulls Jensen closer, mindful of the bruise at the back of Jensen’s head. Jensen just lets himself sink into. He doesn’t have the energy to fight what he wants, and he started it after all. It’s not the situation he had envisioned for their first kiss, though.
They kiss slowly, hungry still but not desperate. Jensen knows they’ll get out of this and they will have time and the chance to get more of it. It’s sensual more than sexual. It’s assurance more than desire. It’s just to make sure that they are there, that they are together.
Jensen has never had a kiss like that. He doesn’t want it to end.
“Jen?”
It’s whispered against his lips. Soft, hot air making him shiver and craving Jared to close the gap again. He is aware that he is clutching Jared’s shoulders, keeping him close.
“Jensen. Come on. We have to move. As much as I want you, I want you alive more.”
Jensen nods, lets go of Jared even though it hurts him how much he doesn’t want to. Judging the look Jared gives him, he isn’t the only one.
“Okay. But first, what the fuck is going on Jared. This is my clinic and I have no freaking idea. Who the fuck are you? James Bond?”
Jared laughs and hugs him close.
“Nah. Not that high up in the ranks. Just FBI man.”
“FBI? But.. you.. you were in the op.”
“I am a doctor as well Jensen. No worries, I am all qualified. And we have been investigating Mike Rosenbaum for quiet some time now. Basically it’s about money laundering, drug trade and offences against human rights.”
Jensen is feeling sick. Mike is his best friend. His partner. He has known him since high school and has been friends since college. It can’t be true. Not Mike. Jensen isn’t that bad of a judge of character.
“What?” Jensen’s doesn’t recognize his own voice anymore. It’s raw and hurting. Jared draws him close again, back into his arms and Jensen lets him. It’s all a little too much.
“I'm sorry. Mike got tangled up with some powerful people, gambling debts. He basically used the clinic as insurance. Set up drug deals, illegal meds testing and experiments as well as a huge amount of extra surgeries not ratified by any insurance company to pay for everything. He used the labs for most of it. And probably to hide it from you and everyone else. His lifestyle was a little too big for him.”
“Oh Mike. I… I had no idea.” Jensen feels even sicker now. What had become of his best friend? Why hadn’t he seen it? What kind of friend has he been?
“Yeah. I know. The way you've been working yourself dead was sort of the main clue. Dude, you had no life anymore and you always wondered why Mike was burying you in work. I'm sorry I couldn’t tell you.”
Jensen nods. They’ll have to talk about it when they are out of here. They have to get out of here. Suddenly it’s like a bucket ice water being emptied over him.
“You said… they want to blow up the labs? The clinic?”
Jared shrugs but doesn’t answer immediately. Instead he searches for something.
“Jared?”
“When I woke up after being a crappy agent and let us get caught red handed by horrible security guards, Mike was here. I don’t know how but he sort of suspected I wasn’t just the new doctor. Pretended to be out cold still and heard them talking about how to secure the whole drugs deal and the meds in the labs. Mike called someone for help and then suggested to the guard guys they should try to hide the traces. Figured they’d use the most logical way. Fire.”
“He wouldn’t… Mike wouldn’t risk killing so many people. He isn’t like that. I can’t… Oh Godm Jared.”
"Hey, calm down a little, yeah? That’s why I sent Tom. He is my partner and he's going to call back up. They're close; we wanted to get Mike tomorrow night when the deal was being done. But we have evidence already. It’s going to be fine. You okay to walk and climb a little?”
Jensen nods even though doesn’t know if he can believe it. But he's willing to follow Jared since Jared seems to be the one with a plan and Jensen actually wants to get out of this room. Which has turned out to be a maintenance room for the ventilation system and is going to be their way out.
Jared is getting ready to climb on the door knob to reach the vent when Jensen actually looks at him. He does look a little like James Bond there. Jared sees him looking at his ass and smirks.
Jensen doesn’t know why he wants to know but suddenly it is sort of important. His mind is still a little muddle so he has an excuse for any inane things he says now.
"Where.. how? Oh never mind.
Jared blinks and smiles like nothing is out of order. "No. What is it?"
"The suit. Where did it come from?"
"I was wearing it."
"The whole time?"
"Well yes. Why?"
"Underneath the scrubs? The whole time?"
Jared actually snorts "Well no. Just today. And I was only wearing the scrubs top anyway. There was Mike’s party later after all. And I would have had no time going home to change. He insisted on formal and I was sort of going to try and get more info during the party. So yeah. Seriously, did you really think I have been wearing a suit this whole time? Where is your brain, Doctor Ackles?"
“Not on clothes, that’s for sure.”
Jared smirks then. Really smirks and Jensen thinks he shouldn’t find that as hot as he does. Smirking never means anything good. But it looks so damn gorgeous on Jared that Jensen doesn’t really care anymore.
“What I have been wearing all this time is the gun though. But they took it when they caught us.”
“And there I thought you were just being happy to see me. I'm crushed now.”
Jared actually throws his head back and barks out a laugh. All boisterous and happy. Yeah, Jensen is gone. Good and completely head over heels, and he doesn’t even mind it. It's not a crush anymore, maybe never was just a crush anyway. Jensen wants to get out of here, wants to have time with Jared and not just a few moments in a situation that could turn life threatening any moment.
“Oh, don’t ever doubt that I'm happy to see you Jen. Never that. Made my job so fucking complicated but I couldn’t resist you.”
With that Jared turns and lungs for the cover in front of the vent above them. Jensen is not too busy staring at the bulging muscles underneath the dress shirt that he doesn’t realise that Jared never gave him a chance to answer. Maybe it’s not a good idea to make plans for later but Jensen definitely plans on showing Jared how happy he really is that he met Jared.
***
Jared is through the hole in the ceiling where the vent used to be and which is now lying on the floor when the first explosion hits the building. Jared almost falls through the hole again before he can catch himself. Cursing loudly and with words Jensen is pretty sure have no really sense at all Jared flops down on his belly and beckons Jensen to use the vent to lift himself up towards Jared’s arms.
Jensen doesn’t know how Jared actually managed to loose the vent and get it out of the holdings but right now he doesn’t care. All he cares about is the fact that the ceiling thankfully isn’t all that high up and that Jared’s arms are in proportion to his giant body. Jensen has almost no trouble grasping Jared’s hands and letting himself being lifted up into the chute.
They're halfway through the tunnel when thick smoke hits them and Jared manages to tell Jensen to cover his mouth and nose before the coughs start. It’s getting harder to breathe and to move. Metal underneath Jensen’s hands is getting hotter and hotter with ever inch they move forward and he doesn’t want to imagine what Jared’s hands must look like.
His eyes are tearing up, his throat is on fire and he almost can’t see Jared anymore. There are blisters on his hands and panic is welling up inside of him. He will die in here. In a vent chute filled with poisonous smoke. He will die without having told Jared what he really feels, what he wants Jared to know about him.
He is about to choke when there are hands grabbing him and his in a room he recognises. It’s one of the patient rooms and Jared is holding him up. They are out in the hallway a second later and Jensen can breathe again. The smoke is there but not as thick and they can see where they are going. The sprinkler is on making it easier to navigate but harder to move.
Jared has him by his arm and Jensen lets himself be dragged, points Jared towards the foyer when Jared suddenly goes down besides him. Jensen has no chance at all. He goes down as well, crashes on his knees and arms and cries out in pain. His body is jarred hard and the breath that he has problems getting into his lungs is knocked out of him.
Jared is still, not moving and the panic is back. There is blood at Jared’s back, drenching the dress shirt even more than the water that is still coming down. Jensen can’t see anything but water and smoke in the hallway but Mike’s office door is open. He hadn’t realised where they really were. Jensen doesn’t move, just lies there plastered against Jared and tries to find a pulse. It’s there and Jensen almost sobs in relief.
Jensen goes stiff and doesn’t dare to really breathe when there are footsteps coming closer. Then there is a hand on his shoulder and Jensen cries out, lunches himself at the person and has only one thought.
Save Jared. Get Jared out of here.
“Whoa. Jensen. Jensen stop. It’s me, Tom.”
It takes a while but Jensen stills, almost slumps against Tom, overwhelmed but relief and worry. Panic still there, still strong.
“Jared. Mike shot him I think.”
“Okay. Come on, let the medics care for him. We got Mike. It’s okay, Jensen. Really.”
The last thing he sees before he's dragged away is the medics working on Jared and the fire fighters rushing in. It’s a tunnel view and Jensen sees everything in a foggy haze. There's a cop and a medic, and Jensen knows they are talking to him, he can’t hear them. Doesn’t want to hear them or see them.
All he wants is to be with Jared.
***
It’s been two days since everything happened. Two days since he left the ranch and never looked back. Two days since he sat in a waiting of an ICU and was being told he had no rights whatsoever and was told to go home. He hasn’t seen Jared since then.
Tom had called. Apologized deeply for the pigheadedness of his colleagues and was actually very thorough with his news about Jared. Jared had apparently asked for Jensen and had thrown a fit when Jensen hadn’t been there. All Jensen wanted to know though was if Jared was okay.
Jared is good. Jensen is relieved and sad at the same time. He's lost everything and has no idea what to do or how to go on. And he has no idea how Jared will fit into his new life. He hasn’t even told his parents all that much.
Agents have been by, asking questions and almost immediately dismissed Jensen as a valuable witness. The only thing he could do is tell them what he knows. He hasn’t seen Mike shooting at Jared or doing anything else, but the evidence provided by Tom was more than enough to send Mike away for years.
Jensen hasn’t left his apartment in two days. He hasn’t really done anything but think and sleep. There hasn’t even been more food than a pizza and coffee. Things still don’t make sense. He knows he needs to talk about it, but he doesn’t know to whom. There's no one left, with Mike in jail and Jared in hospital and probably not really willing to talk to him. Jensen is so far into his head that the thought Jared might only have been talking to him to get to Mike is very present.
Not knowing anything anymore drags Jensen down.
There's a knock at the door and Jensen considers not answering. He doesn’t want to talk to any more agents or officers. He's told them everything he knows and them coming back will not miraculously make him remember more things. So he stays sitting on his couch and stares at the dark TV screen.
The knock comes again and then won’t let up. Jensen heaves himself from the couch and prepares himself to tell someone off when he recognises the voice calling his name.
“Jensen. Come on. Open the door. I know you're home. Tommy said he called you. Jensen? Jen? Please.”
Jensen wrenches the door open just as Jared is about to knock again. Jensen catches the hand directly in front of his face and pulls Jared close. The grunt that leaves Jared doesn’t sound too painful so Jensen doesn’t draw back to check. He just holds Jared, keeps him close and breathes him in. It’s a mixture of citrus soap, more fruity shampoo and Jared that reaches his nose and Jensen already knows that he loves it. That he's been addicted to it ever since Jared had decided that personal space ceased to exist between them.
It’s Jared and Jensen has it.
“Hey Jen.”
The strong arms around him don’t move, just hold on and Jensen buries his nose in Jared’s neck. Breathes in deeply and just feels. Jared is there.
“God, I thought…. I could have lost you there and I never.. we never talked… and I couldn’t get to you…”
“Shh, Jensen. I know. Tom told me. That’s why I'm here. I just needed to see you, make sure you are alright. You are, aren’t you?”
Jensen nods and manages to get them both into the apartment. They end up curled together on the couch, not talking and just being.
“I'm here, Jensen. And I’ll stay,”
“What do you mean?”
“I got a transfer to the San Antonio office. Thought I might help you setting the clinic back up again. If you wanted my help.”
“I … You're here for me?”
“Yes, Jensen. Just for you. I wanted to stay after this case anyway. Just because I wanted to at least be your friend. I've been trying to be that for months. And you know… I… I am actually glad that you finally acknowledged me that day during lunch. Thanks for that, by the way.”
Jensen balks at the idea of ever setting a foot onto the ranch and it's way too early to think about it. He tells Jared as much, but only gets a smile and a hug. They'll talk about it later. Plan the future, be happy to have a future. Jensen is pretty sure he isn’t getting any of the things Jared is rambling about because he's really just realising the fact that Jared's there and that he's there for Jensen.
Jared's there and he'll stay. Jared's okay, still hurting but okay. Jensen’s own bruises are healing and there wasn’t any damages from the smoke. He is exhausted, as is Jared.
Jensen's about to fall asleep when he feels Jared’s lips on his. The kiss is a soft as their first was and again not what Jensen expected. Again it's not desperate, fast or sexual. Again, it's more reassurance than hunger, but then it's so much different than the first one because Jensen knows it will not be the last one.
“Rest, Jensen. I'll be here.”
Jensen does.
The last thing on his mind before he falls asleep in Jared’s arms is that considering the fact that Jensen had been so oblivious at first, Jared had been all the more focused on him. Jensen is grateful for that.
The end.