Redemption Chapter 1/?
Title: Redemption Chapter 1/?
Author: jcrgirl and imogen_lily
Banner: imogen_lily
Pairing: J2, OMC/Jared
Rating: R (This Chapter NC-17 Overall)
Beta: glimmerella
Word Count: ~3300
Warnings: Overall: AU, dub-con, abuse, MPREG,AU
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Just playing with the pretty, pretty people.
Summary: I suck at these! Running from an abuive relatonship, Jared and his twin sons arrive in the small town of Wowakan, CO. Picking up the pieces, a complication comes in the form of Jared's ex-boyfriend, Jensen.
A/N & WARNING: The #1 thing I have learned writing fanfic - never say never. I used to say I'll never read J2 fics, they don't appeal to me. Now, I'm addicted. Then I said I'll never write J2 or MPREG fics and now here I am humbly submitting my first J2 MPREG fic. *facepalms* Be kind, I'm usually a Dean/Sam writer. Much love as always to my beautiful beta glimmerella and my partner in literary crime imogen_lily.
Jared trudged up the stairs, tugging the bow tie of his tuxedo loose as he went. He hated fundraising events, loathed attending them with every fiber of his being. Everyone preening like peacocks in the finery, supposedly raising money for whatever charity was the flavor of the month, while never once donating a cent to the cause of the night.
Tonight’s black-tie gala was in honor of the local child abuse center and while Jared was frugal with his money - most of it already ear-marked for a specific use - it was a foundation that he believed in. His $1,000 contribution had been the only one from his table - the complement consisting of a few bank owners and several CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. They weren’t there for the children in need of safe homes and a chance at better lives. They were there to have their picture in the society pages. False proof to the public, in the smudgy tones of newsprint, that they cared for the little people.
At the top of the stairs, he turned toward the sound of voices coming down the hall. A blonde woman exited a room on the left, startling at his unexpected presence. “Mr. Padalecki,” she breathed, hand coming up to rest on her chest, “I didn’t hear you come in.”
Placing a reassuring hand on her arm, he smiled warmly at her. “I’m sorry, Emily, I didn’t mean to scare you.” His eyes flicked to the partially closed door then looked at his watch, frowning at the time.
Noting his displeasure, Emily bit her bottom lip, eyes wide and apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Padalecki. I know it’s late. I tried…”
Jared raised his hand, stopping her explanation. “It’s all right. I’m not mad. Trust me, if anyone knows how trying it can be, it’s me. Thank you for staying later than usual; this dog and pony show lasted longer than it should have.”
“It was my pleasure. Was tonight better than the AHA dinner last month?” She teased, living the ‘good life’ vicariously through the kind-hearted man in front of her.
“Well,” Jared thought for a minute then smirked, “The chicken wasn’t dry.”
“See?” she smiled, “silver lining.”
He chuckled, head turning as poorly concealed giggles floated through the cracked open door. “I guess I better get in there and pretend to have some control. I left your money on the table next to your car keys. Are you able to see yourself out?”
“Of course, Mr. Padalecki,” she blushed. “I really am sorry about,” she tilted her head toward the door.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. You just concern yourself with getting home safely. Good night, Emily.” He side-stepped so she could pass.
“Good night, Mr. Padalecki.” She descended the stairs, sighing dreamily when she was certain she was out of earshot. She quickly gathered her things, along with the promised envelope containing her pay, and exited quietly, thankfully avoiding anyone else who might have been in the house.
*****
Jared shoved the door open, careful that it didn’t bang on the wall behind it, and stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips. “Shouldn’t you be asleep by now?” he growled menacingly.
“Daddy!” came the excited twin squeals as two blonde little boys jumped from beds and rushed to him, completely indifferent to his intimidating posture.
Rolling his eyes, Jared picked up the six-year-olds and hugged them tightly. Nothing like a night filled with pictures of battered children to make you hold our own close. Laughing as they peppered his face with kisses, he carried them back to their beds. “Okay, okay. You’re forgiven, but it’s seriously time for night-night.”
“Read us a story?” TJ asked, slanted eyes morphing into the perfect puppy pout he’d inherited from his dad.
Benji, confident in his brother’s begging skills, hopped down from his bed and skipped to the bookshelf to retrieve their favorite book. Passing Jared on his way back to bed, he handed the book over with a smug smile.
Huffing a laugh, Jared pulled the weathered rocking chair from the corner to the space between their beds. Sitting down, book lying on his lap, he looked from one little boy to the other. His sons couldn’t have been more different if he’d been given a choice. Although, they were both extremely intelligent - a fact that led them into more danger than any other - they were the polar opposites.
Theodore - Teddy to his father and brother and TJ to the rest of the world - was tender-hearted, his empathy knowing no bounds. He was a sweet, timid child, more likely of the two to give and need comfort. His reserved nature often led people to underestimate him, much to their chagrin when they discovered he was the mastermind behind their more nefarious schemes.
Benjamin - Benji for convenience’s sake - was a true force of nature, the perfect yang to his twin’s yin, the devil to his angel. As extroverted as TJ was introverted, Benji was independent and resourceful. If TJ was the brains, Benji was the brawn. Refusing to be placated, he made sure everyone knew what he was capable of. The one character trait they shared was an intense loyalty that manifested in a fierce protectiveness. The kids on the Kindergarten playground learned quickly that if you messed with one of the Padalecki twins, you’d get both.
“Thought you wanted us to go to sleep sometime tonight,” Benji said, dryly. The boy also had a flair for sarcasm.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jared drawled, lifting the book and opening to the first page. “Get snuggled down.” He waited patiently as his children wiggled beneath their blankets, TJ hugging his stuffed bear to his chest while Benji held his stuffed dog in a strangle hold.
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places. You’re off and away,” Jared began, smiling when the boys sighed happily in unison. He continued on, losing himself in the rhythmic meter, voice growing grimmer as he approached a more serious part. “You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted, But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?” He paused in his recitation, eyes moving to the window. He stared at the inky depth of the night sky, silently contemplating the words he’d just spoken.
“You okay, Daddy,” TJ’s voice, soft with concern, pulled him from his revelry.
“Of course, Teddy Bear,” he shook his head to clear it and readjusted the book. Under the rhymed verses, Jared could hear someone ascending the stairs, one heavy footfall at a time. He ignored the ominous thuds and turned the page.
“I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you. All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that will scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.”
“Jared?”
Jared closed his eyes as the sound of his name, the voice infusing so much disappointment and anger in the simple word. “Yes, Timothy?”
“Shouldn’t the children be asleep? Isn’t that what we pay that woman for? Or is it so she can appreciate your ass and boost your ego?”
Taking a deep breath, Jared laid the book in his lap, hands folded across the flared pages. “Emily is a good babysitter. The boys were just a little wound up tonight and she had trouble getting them down. I was reading them a story to help them settle.”
The man at the door snorted harshly. “You coddle them too much. You’ll make them weak. Theodore’s already a pathetic little pantywaist. Why don’t you buy them dresses and be done with it?”
“Timothy, please,” Jared chastised, closing the book.
“Teddy is not panties,” Benji reared up on his knees, the blankets pooling around his thighs, and eyes glowing with righteous anger.
“Sssh,” Jared hissed, turning pleading eyes full of warning to the little boy.
“But, Daddy,” Benji countered, pointing at the figure in the doorway, “Father called Teddy a name. He’s being a mean man.”
“How dare you disrespect me, you ungrateful snot-nosed leech?” Timothy stalked toward the bed containing the red-faced child. “You and your brother have been nothing but trouble from the moment you took your first breaths and if you’re not careful I’ll choke your last one from your greedy, selfish throats.”
Jared saw Timothy raise his arm and moved on complete instinct, his ingrained nature to protect his children propelling his body into action without conscious thought. He flung himself on the bed between the falling hand and his innocent son, head snapping to the right under the force of the blow. The resounding smack left the room in utter silence except for the small hitched sobs coming from the beds.
“I want these brats asleep, then you come straight to our room. We need to discuss your behavior at tonight’s fundraiser. You have five minutes, Jared, not one second more.” Timothy turned on his heel and exited the room.
“D-daddy,” Benji’s voice was a choked sob, wretched and broken, “I’m so-so s-sorry, D-daddy.” Tears sprang to Jared’s eyes as the sound of his child’s anguish shattered his soul. He could take anything, but that sound.
Blinking away the moisture, he pasted on his best reassuring smile and turned toward his son. “It’s okay, Benji boy. Father is just angry. He didn’t mean to.” He wiped the trailing drops from the chubby cheeks and guided the boy back down to the mattress. Benji’s eyes were uncertain. He was six not stupid. Even at this tender age, he knew it wasn’t okay.
Jared looked over at the other bed. If he thought his heart couldn’t break any further, that notion was dispelled by the terrified look on TJ’s cherubic face. TJ was huddled in the corner, his chin resting on his knees, and Jared could tell he was shaking. He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. He’d tried so hard to keep this from his boys - years of painstaking hiding and covering to preserve their naiveté.
Holding out a hand, he beckoned the frightened boy over. “C’mon, Teddy. Sleep in Benji’s bed tonight.”
Hesitantly, TJ crawled out of his bed and made his way across the small space to his brother’s bed. “Father doesn’t like it when I sleep with Benji,” TJ whispered, climbing between Benji’s construction truck sheets.
“I’ll close the door and he won’t check. What Father doesn’t know won’t hurt us, right?” Jared smoothed the flannel sheets over his twin’s bodies and pressed kisses to their foreheads. They nodded their heads, looking anything but convinced, yet trusting their Daddy.
“Good night, Teddy Bear. Good night, Benji boy. I love you.” He moved quickly to the door, knowing that half of his five minutes were already up.
“Night, Daddy,” Benji answered.
“We love you, too,” TJ added.
Blowing a kiss at them, Jared pulled the door shut. Benji curled his small arms around his brother and held him close. Humming quietly, he rocked TJ in time with the beat, hoping the song would mask the muffled sounds they both knew would soon be coming from their parent’s room.
*****
“You embarrassed me tonight, Jared. Fawning all over Josh Duhamel like that,” Timothy said conversationally, fingers expertly unfastening his gold and onyx cufflinks, the gold bar sliding smoothly through the buttonhole. His lip curled into a sneer at the mention of his business associate, his true feelings about the man shining through, and Jared wondered if Timothy’s acquaintances knew how two-faced he could be.
“I’m sorry if you thought I was fawning over him,” Jared answered cautiously, hanging his jacket in the closet and keeping a safe distance, “Josh is chairing the Red Cross’ Red and White Ball in a few months and he asked me if I had any pictures he could use.” He knew the defense was useless, his fate was sealed the moment Josh approached him. All he could do now was damage control and pray for the best.
“I saw the two of you chatting cozily on the veranda.” Timothy loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. “A little intimate for discussing your stupid photos, don’t you think? When he touched you, were you negotiating his payment in trade?” He arched his perfectly waxed eyebrow in challenge.
Working to keep his face neutrally blank, Jared focused on his hands working the buttons on his shirt. Normally he would back down, try to appease Timothy and lessen the inevitable, but, with what had happened in the kids’ room, for the first time Jared was feeling reckless and less than submissive. “I think it was less intimate than you and your assistant in the coat room ‘discussing your schedule for tomorrow.’ We all know how Matt earns his keep.”
It was no secret that Timothy was fucking his personal assistant, had been for nearly four years. There was a reason why a handsome man with a bachelor’s in Business Administration had settled for being a glorified secretary. He spread for his boss whenever the need arose and each year his Christmas bonus was equivalent to most people’s yearly pay.
“You cocksucking whore!” Timothy raged.
“See, now you’ve confused me with Cohen. Must be tough keeping your fucks separate.” Jared froze, bent over removing his shoe, one leg crossed over the other and a steadying hand on the closet door jamb. He couldn’t believe what he’d just said. There was being bold and then there was being downright stupid. He never had a chance to right his posture, his head connecting hard with the door casing as Timothy barreled into him.
Jared curled into a ball, knees to his chest and arms over his head, as he tried to block the blows aimed at his torso and skull. He bit his lip until copper flooded his mouth in an attempt to keep his cries quelled. A well-aimed punch made it past his defenses and Jared’s head jerked back, colliding in a starburst of pain with the wall. His body relaxed as his vision greyed, his last conscious sight was Timothy fisting his open shirt in his hands and dragging him to their bed.
“Fucking bitch. Show you your place…” drifted to him on a sea of darkness before he was lost to all sight and sound.
*****
Jared mind floated back to him in a haze of agony. His head, torso and limbs ached from the onslaught of Timothy’s beating, but it was the searing pain deep inside when he shifted slightly on the bed that bore testament to the true brutality of the previous night. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom and feel the first weak rays of sunshine filtering through the gauzy curtains over the windows. It must be morning and Timothy was getting ready for work. The water stopped and Jared slowed his breathing, feigning sleep. After seven years together, he knew Timothy’s habits. He only needed to pretend for twenty minutes.
He laid still and counted the seconds to keep calm. Never before had Timothy turned his anger on the children, usually preferring to ignore their existence unless their presence was inconvenient or irritating. Last night had only proven to Jared that it was time for a change. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if Timothy did something to the twins.
When he’d counted 1245 Mississippis, he was surrounded by a fog of Obsession for Men and a kiss was pressed to his forehead. The smell dissipated and he was alone in the room. He listened as the footsteps retreated down the stairs, not daring to move in case Timothy came back for a forgotten item. He remained still until he heard the engine of the other man’s Audi fade in the distance.
Sitting up quickly, Jared groaned as pain shot through his body both inside and out. Through sheer determination he forced himself to his feet and dug through his drawers to find a loose pair of sweatpants and an old long-sleeved t-shirt, clothes designed to comfort a bruised body while concealing any evidence. He tugged on a battered pair of Chuck Taylor’s and limped his way down the stairs.
In the garage, the air still thick with the smell of exhaust from Timothy’s car, he shifted aside boxes of Christmas decorations, digging his way to the back wall of the area. Tucked in the corner, away from prying eyes, were three duffel bags filled to capacity. He pulled them from their hiding place and carried them to his Chevy Tahoe, tossing them in the back. Hurrying in the house as much as his body would allow, he went to the closet in the spare bedroom and slid Timothy’s summer suits to one side, revealing a rectangular, hard-sided case and a flat portfolio case. Gritting his teeth against the ache caused by all his jarring movements, Jared carried the items to the Tahoe and set them inside next to the bags. Slamming the hatch shut, he went back inside.
Pulling his sore body up the stairs, he glanced at the Grandfather clock in the foyer. It was seven thirty, hours before Timothy was due home, but Jared wouldn’t put it past the other man to come home early so they could make up. He shuddered and let the thought propel him faster.
Even with their late night, the twins roused easily. Blinking sleeping green eyes at their father, faces scrunched in confusion, they silently obeyed when Jared tossed them warm clothes to change into. Fully dressed, beloved stuffed animals in hand, they followed him down the stairs and buckled themselves into the car. It wasn’t until an hour later with Atlanta forty miles behind them that one of the boys spoke for the first time.
“No more mean Father?” TJ asked quietly, eyes focused on Jared in the rearview mirror.
Meeting his gaze, Jared shook his head. “No more mean Father. Just us.”
“Good,” Benji answered, arms crossing over his chest and a tight smile on his lips.
Jared headed west, stopping somewhere in Tennessee to trade the Tahoe for a late model Silverado crew cab, thanking the salesman when he helped him transfer their meager belongings to the pick-up truck. He drove until his body demanded rest, pulling into a cheap hotel near the interstate and rising early the next morning to continue their trip. It was mid-afternoon when the truck bounced down the rutted driveway to the two-story ranch home, wood siding in need of paint and shutters hanging loosely from their hinges. In the back seat, the boys leaned toward the middle and squinted at the rundown house through the front windshield.
“This our new house, Daddy?” TJ scrutinized the broken lattice under the porch and the rusted weather vane creaking in the gentle breeze.
“Yep.” He turned in his seat to face them proper. “Don’t give me that look,” he scolded at their skeptical faces, “it just needs a little TLC and she’ll be a real beauty.”
“She gonna’ need a lotta’ love,” Benji pointed at the cobwebs clinging to the porch railing.
Rolling his eyes, Jared opened his door. “Get out guys. We’re home.”
* - TJ and Benji's favorite story is Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.
Author: jcrgirl and imogen_lily
Banner: imogen_lily
Pairing: J2, OMC/Jared
Rating: R (This Chapter NC-17 Overall)
Beta: glimmerella
Word Count: ~3300
Warnings: Overall: AU, dub-con, abuse, MPREG,AU
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Just playing with the pretty, pretty people.
Summary: I suck at these! Running from an abuive relatonship, Jared and his twin sons arrive in the small town of Wowakan, CO. Picking up the pieces, a complication comes in the form of Jared's ex-boyfriend, Jensen.
A/N & WARNING: The #1 thing I have learned writing fanfic - never say never. I used to say I'll never read J2 fics, they don't appeal to me. Now, I'm addicted. Then I said I'll never write J2 or MPREG fics and now here I am humbly submitting my first J2 MPREG fic. *facepalms* Be kind, I'm usually a Dean/Sam writer. Much love as always to my beautiful beta glimmerella and my partner in literary crime imogen_lily.
Jared trudged up the stairs, tugging the bow tie of his tuxedo loose as he went. He hated fundraising events, loathed attending them with every fiber of his being. Everyone preening like peacocks in the finery, supposedly raising money for whatever charity was the flavor of the month, while never once donating a cent to the cause of the night.
Tonight’s black-tie gala was in honor of the local child abuse center and while Jared was frugal with his money - most of it already ear-marked for a specific use - it was a foundation that he believed in. His $1,000 contribution had been the only one from his table - the complement consisting of a few bank owners and several CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. They weren’t there for the children in need of safe homes and a chance at better lives. They were there to have their picture in the society pages. False proof to the public, in the smudgy tones of newsprint, that they cared for the little people.
At the top of the stairs, he turned toward the sound of voices coming down the hall. A blonde woman exited a room on the left, startling at his unexpected presence. “Mr. Padalecki,” she breathed, hand coming up to rest on her chest, “I didn’t hear you come in.”
Placing a reassuring hand on her arm, he smiled warmly at her. “I’m sorry, Emily, I didn’t mean to scare you.” His eyes flicked to the partially closed door then looked at his watch, frowning at the time.
Noting his displeasure, Emily bit her bottom lip, eyes wide and apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Padalecki. I know it’s late. I tried…”
Jared raised his hand, stopping her explanation. “It’s all right. I’m not mad. Trust me, if anyone knows how trying it can be, it’s me. Thank you for staying later than usual; this dog and pony show lasted longer than it should have.”
“It was my pleasure. Was tonight better than the AHA dinner last month?” She teased, living the ‘good life’ vicariously through the kind-hearted man in front of her.
“Well,” Jared thought for a minute then smirked, “The chicken wasn’t dry.”
“See?” she smiled, “silver lining.”
He chuckled, head turning as poorly concealed giggles floated through the cracked open door. “I guess I better get in there and pretend to have some control. I left your money on the table next to your car keys. Are you able to see yourself out?”
“Of course, Mr. Padalecki,” she blushed. “I really am sorry about,” she tilted her head toward the door.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. You just concern yourself with getting home safely. Good night, Emily.” He side-stepped so she could pass.
“Good night, Mr. Padalecki.” She descended the stairs, sighing dreamily when she was certain she was out of earshot. She quickly gathered her things, along with the promised envelope containing her pay, and exited quietly, thankfully avoiding anyone else who might have been in the house.
*****
Jared shoved the door open, careful that it didn’t bang on the wall behind it, and stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips. “Shouldn’t you be asleep by now?” he growled menacingly.
“Daddy!” came the excited twin squeals as two blonde little boys jumped from beds and rushed to him, completely indifferent to his intimidating posture.
Rolling his eyes, Jared picked up the six-year-olds and hugged them tightly. Nothing like a night filled with pictures of battered children to make you hold our own close. Laughing as they peppered his face with kisses, he carried them back to their beds. “Okay, okay. You’re forgiven, but it’s seriously time for night-night.”
“Read us a story?” TJ asked, slanted eyes morphing into the perfect puppy pout he’d inherited from his dad.
Benji, confident in his brother’s begging skills, hopped down from his bed and skipped to the bookshelf to retrieve their favorite book. Passing Jared on his way back to bed, he handed the book over with a smug smile.
Huffing a laugh, Jared pulled the weathered rocking chair from the corner to the space between their beds. Sitting down, book lying on his lap, he looked from one little boy to the other. His sons couldn’t have been more different if he’d been given a choice. Although, they were both extremely intelligent - a fact that led them into more danger than any other - they were the polar opposites.
Theodore - Teddy to his father and brother and TJ to the rest of the world - was tender-hearted, his empathy knowing no bounds. He was a sweet, timid child, more likely of the two to give and need comfort. His reserved nature often led people to underestimate him, much to their chagrin when they discovered he was the mastermind behind their more nefarious schemes.
Benjamin - Benji for convenience’s sake - was a true force of nature, the perfect yang to his twin’s yin, the devil to his angel. As extroverted as TJ was introverted, Benji was independent and resourceful. If TJ was the brains, Benji was the brawn. Refusing to be placated, he made sure everyone knew what he was capable of. The one character trait they shared was an intense loyalty that manifested in a fierce protectiveness. The kids on the Kindergarten playground learned quickly that if you messed with one of the Padalecki twins, you’d get both.
“Thought you wanted us to go to sleep sometime tonight,” Benji said, dryly. The boy also had a flair for sarcasm.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jared drawled, lifting the book and opening to the first page. “Get snuggled down.” He waited patiently as his children wiggled beneath their blankets, TJ hugging his stuffed bear to his chest while Benji held his stuffed dog in a strangle hold.
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places. You’re off and away,” Jared began, smiling when the boys sighed happily in unison. He continued on, losing himself in the rhythmic meter, voice growing grimmer as he approached a more serious part. “You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted, But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?” He paused in his recitation, eyes moving to the window. He stared at the inky depth of the night sky, silently contemplating the words he’d just spoken.
“You okay, Daddy,” TJ’s voice, soft with concern, pulled him from his revelry.
“Of course, Teddy Bear,” he shook his head to clear it and readjusted the book. Under the rhymed verses, Jared could hear someone ascending the stairs, one heavy footfall at a time. He ignored the ominous thuds and turned the page.
“I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you. All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that will scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.”
“Jared?”
Jared closed his eyes as the sound of his name, the voice infusing so much disappointment and anger in the simple word. “Yes, Timothy?”
“Shouldn’t the children be asleep? Isn’t that what we pay that woman for? Or is it so she can appreciate your ass and boost your ego?”
Taking a deep breath, Jared laid the book in his lap, hands folded across the flared pages. “Emily is a good babysitter. The boys were just a little wound up tonight and she had trouble getting them down. I was reading them a story to help them settle.”
The man at the door snorted harshly. “You coddle them too much. You’ll make them weak. Theodore’s already a pathetic little pantywaist. Why don’t you buy them dresses and be done with it?”
“Timothy, please,” Jared chastised, closing the book.
“Teddy is not panties,” Benji reared up on his knees, the blankets pooling around his thighs, and eyes glowing with righteous anger.
“Sssh,” Jared hissed, turning pleading eyes full of warning to the little boy.
“But, Daddy,” Benji countered, pointing at the figure in the doorway, “Father called Teddy a name. He’s being a mean man.”
“How dare you disrespect me, you ungrateful snot-nosed leech?” Timothy stalked toward the bed containing the red-faced child. “You and your brother have been nothing but trouble from the moment you took your first breaths and if you’re not careful I’ll choke your last one from your greedy, selfish throats.”
Jared saw Timothy raise his arm and moved on complete instinct, his ingrained nature to protect his children propelling his body into action without conscious thought. He flung himself on the bed between the falling hand and his innocent son, head snapping to the right under the force of the blow. The resounding smack left the room in utter silence except for the small hitched sobs coming from the beds.
“I want these brats asleep, then you come straight to our room. We need to discuss your behavior at tonight’s fundraiser. You have five minutes, Jared, not one second more.” Timothy turned on his heel and exited the room.
“D-daddy,” Benji’s voice was a choked sob, wretched and broken, “I’m so-so s-sorry, D-daddy.” Tears sprang to Jared’s eyes as the sound of his child’s anguish shattered his soul. He could take anything, but that sound.
Blinking away the moisture, he pasted on his best reassuring smile and turned toward his son. “It’s okay, Benji boy. Father is just angry. He didn’t mean to.” He wiped the trailing drops from the chubby cheeks and guided the boy back down to the mattress. Benji’s eyes were uncertain. He was six not stupid. Even at this tender age, he knew it wasn’t okay.
Jared looked over at the other bed. If he thought his heart couldn’t break any further, that notion was dispelled by the terrified look on TJ’s cherubic face. TJ was huddled in the corner, his chin resting on his knees, and Jared could tell he was shaking. He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. He’d tried so hard to keep this from his boys - years of painstaking hiding and covering to preserve their naiveté.
Holding out a hand, he beckoned the frightened boy over. “C’mon, Teddy. Sleep in Benji’s bed tonight.”
Hesitantly, TJ crawled out of his bed and made his way across the small space to his brother’s bed. “Father doesn’t like it when I sleep with Benji,” TJ whispered, climbing between Benji’s construction truck sheets.
“I’ll close the door and he won’t check. What Father doesn’t know won’t hurt us, right?” Jared smoothed the flannel sheets over his twin’s bodies and pressed kisses to their foreheads. They nodded their heads, looking anything but convinced, yet trusting their Daddy.
“Good night, Teddy Bear. Good night, Benji boy. I love you.” He moved quickly to the door, knowing that half of his five minutes were already up.
“Night, Daddy,” Benji answered.
“We love you, too,” TJ added.
Blowing a kiss at them, Jared pulled the door shut. Benji curled his small arms around his brother and held him close. Humming quietly, he rocked TJ in time with the beat, hoping the song would mask the muffled sounds they both knew would soon be coming from their parent’s room.
*****
“You embarrassed me tonight, Jared. Fawning all over Josh Duhamel like that,” Timothy said conversationally, fingers expertly unfastening his gold and onyx cufflinks, the gold bar sliding smoothly through the buttonhole. His lip curled into a sneer at the mention of his business associate, his true feelings about the man shining through, and Jared wondered if Timothy’s acquaintances knew how two-faced he could be.
“I’m sorry if you thought I was fawning over him,” Jared answered cautiously, hanging his jacket in the closet and keeping a safe distance, “Josh is chairing the Red Cross’ Red and White Ball in a few months and he asked me if I had any pictures he could use.” He knew the defense was useless, his fate was sealed the moment Josh approached him. All he could do now was damage control and pray for the best.
“I saw the two of you chatting cozily on the veranda.” Timothy loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. “A little intimate for discussing your stupid photos, don’t you think? When he touched you, were you negotiating his payment in trade?” He arched his perfectly waxed eyebrow in challenge.
Working to keep his face neutrally blank, Jared focused on his hands working the buttons on his shirt. Normally he would back down, try to appease Timothy and lessen the inevitable, but, with what had happened in the kids’ room, for the first time Jared was feeling reckless and less than submissive. “I think it was less intimate than you and your assistant in the coat room ‘discussing your schedule for tomorrow.’ We all know how Matt earns his keep.”
It was no secret that Timothy was fucking his personal assistant, had been for nearly four years. There was a reason why a handsome man with a bachelor’s in Business Administration had settled for being a glorified secretary. He spread for his boss whenever the need arose and each year his Christmas bonus was equivalent to most people’s yearly pay.
“You cocksucking whore!” Timothy raged.
“See, now you’ve confused me with Cohen. Must be tough keeping your fucks separate.” Jared froze, bent over removing his shoe, one leg crossed over the other and a steadying hand on the closet door jamb. He couldn’t believe what he’d just said. There was being bold and then there was being downright stupid. He never had a chance to right his posture, his head connecting hard with the door casing as Timothy barreled into him.
Jared curled into a ball, knees to his chest and arms over his head, as he tried to block the blows aimed at his torso and skull. He bit his lip until copper flooded his mouth in an attempt to keep his cries quelled. A well-aimed punch made it past his defenses and Jared’s head jerked back, colliding in a starburst of pain with the wall. His body relaxed as his vision greyed, his last conscious sight was Timothy fisting his open shirt in his hands and dragging him to their bed.
“Fucking bitch. Show you your place…” drifted to him on a sea of darkness before he was lost to all sight and sound.
*****
Jared mind floated back to him in a haze of agony. His head, torso and limbs ached from the onslaught of Timothy’s beating, but it was the searing pain deep inside when he shifted slightly on the bed that bore testament to the true brutality of the previous night. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom and feel the first weak rays of sunshine filtering through the gauzy curtains over the windows. It must be morning and Timothy was getting ready for work. The water stopped and Jared slowed his breathing, feigning sleep. After seven years together, he knew Timothy’s habits. He only needed to pretend for twenty minutes.
He laid still and counted the seconds to keep calm. Never before had Timothy turned his anger on the children, usually preferring to ignore their existence unless their presence was inconvenient or irritating. Last night had only proven to Jared that it was time for a change. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if Timothy did something to the twins.
When he’d counted 1245 Mississippis, he was surrounded by a fog of Obsession for Men and a kiss was pressed to his forehead. The smell dissipated and he was alone in the room. He listened as the footsteps retreated down the stairs, not daring to move in case Timothy came back for a forgotten item. He remained still until he heard the engine of the other man’s Audi fade in the distance.
Sitting up quickly, Jared groaned as pain shot through his body both inside and out. Through sheer determination he forced himself to his feet and dug through his drawers to find a loose pair of sweatpants and an old long-sleeved t-shirt, clothes designed to comfort a bruised body while concealing any evidence. He tugged on a battered pair of Chuck Taylor’s and limped his way down the stairs.
In the garage, the air still thick with the smell of exhaust from Timothy’s car, he shifted aside boxes of Christmas decorations, digging his way to the back wall of the area. Tucked in the corner, away from prying eyes, were three duffel bags filled to capacity. He pulled them from their hiding place and carried them to his Chevy Tahoe, tossing them in the back. Hurrying in the house as much as his body would allow, he went to the closet in the spare bedroom and slid Timothy’s summer suits to one side, revealing a rectangular, hard-sided case and a flat portfolio case. Gritting his teeth against the ache caused by all his jarring movements, Jared carried the items to the Tahoe and set them inside next to the bags. Slamming the hatch shut, he went back inside.
Pulling his sore body up the stairs, he glanced at the Grandfather clock in the foyer. It was seven thirty, hours before Timothy was due home, but Jared wouldn’t put it past the other man to come home early so they could make up. He shuddered and let the thought propel him faster.
Even with their late night, the twins roused easily. Blinking sleeping green eyes at their father, faces scrunched in confusion, they silently obeyed when Jared tossed them warm clothes to change into. Fully dressed, beloved stuffed animals in hand, they followed him down the stairs and buckled themselves into the car. It wasn’t until an hour later with Atlanta forty miles behind them that one of the boys spoke for the first time.
“No more mean Father?” TJ asked quietly, eyes focused on Jared in the rearview mirror.
Meeting his gaze, Jared shook his head. “No more mean Father. Just us.”
“Good,” Benji answered, arms crossing over his chest and a tight smile on his lips.
Jared headed west, stopping somewhere in Tennessee to trade the Tahoe for a late model Silverado crew cab, thanking the salesman when he helped him transfer their meager belongings to the pick-up truck. He drove until his body demanded rest, pulling into a cheap hotel near the interstate and rising early the next morning to continue their trip. It was mid-afternoon when the truck bounced down the rutted driveway to the two-story ranch home, wood siding in need of paint and shutters hanging loosely from their hinges. In the back seat, the boys leaned toward the middle and squinted at the rundown house through the front windshield.
“This our new house, Daddy?” TJ scrutinized the broken lattice under the porch and the rusted weather vane creaking in the gentle breeze.
“Yep.” He turned in his seat to face them proper. “Don’t give me that look,” he scolded at their skeptical faces, “it just needs a little TLC and she’ll be a real beauty.”
“She gonna’ need a lotta’ love,” Benji pointed at the cobwebs clinging to the porch railing.
Rolling his eyes, Jared opened his door. “Get out guys. We’re home.”
* - TJ and Benji's favorite story is Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.