Untitled project part 9 !
To all my lovely readers out there, I'm so glad you're sticking with me and my little story!
I still have no appropriate title for it and I'm a little worried it will stay an untitled project ... :o)
So here's chapter 9 - wow I never thought I would get that far and this is only thanks to you guys.
Hope you enjoy ...
Chapter 9
When Jared arrived the next day he found his friend sitting on the bed, fully dressed and with a happy smile on his face.
Donna was packing Jensen’s stuff and murmured: “I still think it’s too early, Jensen. At least come home with us so that I can take care of you?”
Jensen shook his head. “It’s ok Mum, really. I’m gonna take it easy and everything’s gonna be just fine.”
His mum wasn’t convinced yet. ”You know, if Dad didn’t have to go back to work, we would stay a couple more days. Maybe I should just stay a little longer and make sure you’re gonna be alright?”
“Nah Mum, that’s really not necessary. You fly back home with Dad, I’ll manage.”
“Well Donna, he’s not alone,” Jared joined the discussion. “I’ve already spoken with Jim, Misha and others from the crew. We’ll all take turns and make sure Jensen gets enough rest and something to eat. We’ll keep an eye on him, don’t worry.”
“Aw Jared, you guys are the best,” she pulled him into a hug.
Jared met Jensen’s eyes and his friend mouthed a silent ‘Thank you’.
By the time they were finally ready to leave the hospital Jensen was soaked in sweat and heavily slumped into the backseat of Jared’s car. After dropping Donna off at the hotel and saying good-bye to his parents, the exhaustion was clearly visible on his face.
Jared was glad that Donna and Alan insisted on taking a cab to the airport because he was desperate to get his friend home as fast as possible.
Jensen could barely keep his eyes open and when Jared pulled into the driveway of the house he was asleep.
The young man gently shook his friend. “Hey Jen, wake up, we’re home!”
Green eyes slowly blinked open. “Hm?”
It took the other man a couple of seconds to realize where he was and what he was expected to do. He rubbed his eyes and slid out of the car.
Leaning heavily on Jared they slowly made their way to the house. Harley and Sadie were already waiting behind the door and happily bounced when the two men came in.
“Hey guys, no jumping on Jensen, ok?” Jared told the dogs and they settled with nudging Jensen’s legs instead.
“Good to see you guys,” the actor smiled.
“You wanna go up and lay down a bit?” Jared saw the beads of sweat on his friend’s forehead.
“Can we stop at the couch first? Don’t think I can make it up the stairs right now,” Jensen admitted weakly.
“Sure thing,” the tall man guided him towards the couch and helped him lay down.
“Geez, I hate if I can’t stay on my feet for more than an hour without being a total wreck afterwards,” the older actor sighed.
“Man you’ve been up more hours today than the whole last 5 days altogether. What did you expect? Getting out of the hospital and then running around like nothing happened?” his friend shook his head.
“Dude, you’re really way too deep into Dean’s character sometimes!”
“Whatever, I just hate feeling weak!”
“There’s nothing wrong with feeling weak after what you’ve been thru. You just stay put and I’ll get your stuff from the car, ok?”
“Mhm,” was the mumbled response.
Jared smiled and when he returned, Jensen was out like a light once more.
A couple of hours later Jensen opened his eyes and found himself in the meanwhile dark living room with Harley and Sadie laying at his feet in front of the couch. From the kitchen he heard clacking noises and glanced at his watch. He swung his legs off the couch and groaned at the pain the movement caused in his midsection.
The dogs jumped up immediately and started barking.
“Shhh guys, it’s ok.”
The lights flickered on and the tall form of Jared appeared in the door.
“Jen you’re ok? What’s wrong?”
“Nothin’, I just need to pee.” Jensen explained and slowly stood up.
“Wait, I’ll help you,” but the older man pushed his hands away.
“M’fine Jay, really. I don’t need you to babysit while I take a leak.”
Jared backed away and Jensen immediately felt sorry for snapping at his friend.
“Sorry man, I didn’t mean to yell at you … it’s just …”
“I understand, I didn’t want to be a mother hen. Just leave the door open and yell if you need something, I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Jensen smiled at him: “Thanks man!”
He turned around and headed for the bathroom while the other man returned to the kitchen with both dogs in tow.
“Hm, smells good, what are you cooking? I hope it’s no soup?” Jensen lowered himself on the nearest kitchen chair.
“Rice, steamed vegetables and lean chicken.”
“Ugh, how about a big, greasy steak?”
“No way, you get something lite, doctor’s orders!” Jared laughed at the pouty face of his friend and put two filled plates on the table.
Jensen wrinkled up his nose: “Healthy food … I want a steak!” he picked at the food on his plate.
“I promise if you eat up I’ll get you a steak tomorrow.”
Happy with that, Jensen put the food into his mouth.
“Hey, that’s not so bad at all,” he flashed his friend a genuine smile and Jared felt himself flush.
They finished their dinner and Jensen made himself comfortable on the couch and turned on the TV while Jared went out with the dogs.
When he returned he noticed the pain-lines on his friends face.
"You ready to go up and hit the hay?"
Jensen nodded and together they made it upstairs.
In his bedroom Jensen changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt and slid under the covers with a relieved sigh.
"Feels good to be home,” he shifted on the bed and a little groan escaped his lips.
“Need the painkillers?” Jared held out a bottle of pills and Jensen gratefully swallowed two of them. A bottle of water was next to be handed over to him.
“Thanks man, you know … for everything.”
A warm smile crossed Jared’s face and he whispered: “Don’t mention it, that’s what best friends are for. Now get some sleep!”
“Night Jay!” Jensen drifted off to dreamland with a relaxed smile on his face.
The next two days turned into a daily routine, with Jared leaving for work while Jensen was still asleep. Jensen spending most of his time either in bed or on the couch reading, watching TV or just sleeping.
Around lunch time one of his co-stars would show up with something to eat and Jared made sure that he would be home at 7 the latest.
Although Jensen hated the constant fussing over him, he was touched by the way his friends took care of him and made everything to ensure that he would be back on his feet in no matter of time.
Especially Jared - the older actor knew that the younger man had to shoulder a lot of extra work as long as he wouldn’t be able to go back to work.
So even though he disliked to lay low, he obeyed and was eager to do everything to be back in the game as soon as possible.
When Jared got home on the third day, after Jensen had been released from the hospital, he was greeted by a mouth-watering smell from the kitchen.
The sight of Jensen at the stove, with both of his dogs sitting at his friend’s feet and waiting for some goodies to fall down, made him smile like a little boy in a candy store.
“Wow that smells good. Are you expecting someone for dinner?”
Jensen turned and grinned at him: “Just a crazy, tall giant who’s been working his butt off the last couple of days and whom I wanted to thank for all he’s done for me lately.”
“Hm, do I know that guy?” Jared asked innocently.
Jensen rolled his eyes: “Go get changed and then sit down, you idjit!”
His friend returned a minute later.
“So what are we having?”
“Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and a salad. Healthy, nutritious and only a little greasy,” the older man proudly announced and placed the plates on the table.
Jared put the first bite into his mouth and sighed: “God Jen, that’s delicious, this tastes exactly like the meatloaf my Granny makes.”
His friend chuckled and blushed. “That’s because I called her for the recipe.”
“You did not?”
“Sure did!”
For a moment Jared didn’t know what to say, he swallowed hard and looked at Jensen: “Thanks man!”
Jensen gently smiled and put another piece of meatloaf on his friend’s plate.
“You’re more than welcome!”
The next morning Jared was pouring himself a cup of coffee for the road when Jensen slowly walked in.
“Mornin’, you’re up early, everything ok?”
Jensen nodded: “Yeah, just couldn’t sleep anymore, that’s all.”
His friend gave him an ‘I’m so not buying that’ look and cocked his eyebrows.
“Ok, ok, don’t give me that look, man. I just feel like I’ve been sleeping enough for the next two weeks in the past days and my back hurts a little.”
“What you mean, it hurts?” Jared walked over to the other man to take a closer look at him.
“Dunno, just a little sore I guess, from all the lying around and doing nothing. Maybe I’ll just lift some weights later to rebuilt the strength in my back muscles,” Jensen casually answered.
“Are you crazy? You don’t even have your stitches taken out yet,” Jared snapped. “When’s your appointment today?”
“11:30 and calm down, I wasn’t serious about lifting weights, dude.”
“Promise me you gonna talk to Dr.Hatch about your back!”
“Yes, mum, I will.”
But Jared wasn’t convinced at all: “Maybe I should come along?”
“Jay, you have a location shoot in the mountains today. There’s no need to change the schedule again. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I promise to tell the doc, ok?” Jensen patted his friend’s shoulder when they heard Clif’s car driving up the driveway.
“Stop worrying, I’m fine,” with that he pushed Jared through the door and greeted Clif.
“Hey Jensen, you’re up …”
“Early, I know,” the actor interrupted him with a smile “and yes, I’m ok, thanks Clif!”
The bodyguard exchanged a knowing look with Jared.
“Uh Mr.Ackles is a little grumpy this morning,” he chuckled.
“You guys better hit the road or you’re gonna find out how grumpy Bob Singer can get if you’re messing with his schedule for the day,” Jensen teased them and sighed as the car finally vanished down the road. ‘I just wish I could go to work as well,’ he thought and slowly made his way back upstairs to take a shower.
Jared was in the middle of a fight scene with the monster of the week when Mandy the PA arrived. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her holding up his cell phone with a serious expression on her face.
“Jared, there’s a Dr.Hatch on the phone. He said he needs to talk to you, something about Jensen.”
The actor immediately grabbed the phone: “Dr.Hatch?”
“Mr.Padalecki, sorry to disturb you, but Mr.Ackles didn’t come to his appointment and I can’t get a hold of him,” the doctor’s words felt like a punch in his guts.
Misha, watching the scene from the distance, saw all the color drain from his friends face and was by his side with a few long strides.
“Jared?” but the tall man waved him off.
“He … he was up early this morning … said he couldn’t sleep anymore … and that his back hurt,” Jared stuttered into the phone.
“Ok, how about the fever? Did he have a fever again?” the doctor wanted to know.
“No … well not as far as I know …”
“Mr.Padalecki I don’t want you to be falsely alarmed, but could you check on your friend and make sure he’s ok?” the doctor’s voice was calm but Jared clearly heard the urgency in his words.
He swallowed hard: “We are a 3 hour drive up in the mountains … I’ll figure something out ... I … I call you back …” he ended the call and stared at his phone, not sure what to do next.
“Jared, talk to me, man!” Misha’s voice brought him back to reality.
“Something’s wrong with Jensen … he didn’t show up for his appointment at the hospital … and … he’s not answering his phone … I dunno ,but something’s definitely wrong …,” Jared had a death-grip on his cell phone and speed-dialed Jensen’s number over and over again.
“Dammit Jen, answer your phone!” he begged.
Misha gently took his arm and guided him to the nearest trailer. Inside he pushed him onto a chair and took the phone out of Jared’s hand.
“Maybe the batteries just died and he fell asleep and …”
Jared shook his head: “Misha I have a real bad feeling about this … I should have stayed with him … I …,” his voice trailed off.
Misha felt his stomach clench at the thought what might be wrong with their friend but he knew he had to stay focused.
“We’ll figure something out, Jared … don’t worry! I’m sure he’s ok.”
tbc