Our Lessons Come From the Journey--4/4
The road of life twists and turns
and no two directions are ever the same.
Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.
~~~
Don Williams Jr.
~~*~~*~~
Title: Our Lessons Come From the Journey
Author: tcs1121
Pairing and Characters: JA/JP, Donna and Alan Ackles, The Padalecki Family
Word Count: ~21,000
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: AU,Hurt/Comfort, Hurt!Jensen (longstanding permanent injury)
Disclaimer: Taking liberties with reality for the sake of fiction. Untrue story. Untrue people. No harm intended. No money changes hands.
Beta: kkgee My number one girl. Thanks to her for everything forever.
Special Thanks to spn_j2fan who was kind enough to go over certain aspects of this story, of which she is intimately knowledgable. Profound thanks, my dear.
A/N: This is the fourth and final installment to the Twists and Turns 'Verse, but don't worry, the boys are alive and happy at the end. You would need to read the other three: Twists and Turns, And No Two Directions Are Ever the Same, and A Paradox, to fully make sense of this story. And I hope you will.
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Summary: 3 ½ years after Twists and Turns. (6 ½ years post initial softball injury)
"Egypt, Jen. They want me to take a team to Egypt." Jared smiled so hard the kitchen lights had a hard time keeping up. "A year's not very long, right?"
~~*~~*~~
back to part three
~~*~~*~~
Part Four
~~*~~*~~
Jensen looked over the list, tapping his gel pen lightly against the paper. He kept a yellow legal pad on the breakfast bar and when something occurred to him, he jotted down what he'd have to do differently while Jared was away. He was the only one who could read his sloppy handwriting.
1. Buy bigger shirts
2. Housekeeper coming in more often?
3. Cab/taxi service on speed dial
4. Make and keep track of all doctors' appointments, including pain doctor appointments and injections, psychologist appointments made well in advance, mark in red on the calendar with mode of transportation penciled in.
5. Update ICE numbers.
Jensen nodded sadly. Because Jared would be on the other side of the world, Jensen's In Case of Emergency information needed modifying. This was going to be tricky. Sherri and Gerry Padalecki would be traveling, Jeff was relocating, Megan was pregnant, and Chris and Charlotte not only had a new baby, they had to run The Green Grower.
6. Buzz hair and keep it buzzed
7. What about the dogs? Maybe a yard clean-up service? Arrange help taking Harley to the vet. Chris to help me with the heavy bags of dog food?
8. Physical therapy for stretching and transportation for appointments.
Jensen sighed at that. It made him sad to think of someone else doing what Jared does so lovingly.
9. Meds: take on time, keep up with prescriptions in a timely manner -before they run out.
Jared liked to do that for him, as well. Keep up with Jensen's medications. He once explained that it made him feel like it was something he could do to "keep the hurt away."
There was no way for Jared to keep the hurt away when he was gone.
~~*~~*~~
Jensen finished making the salad for tonight's dinner. He'd used the adapted cutting board with spikes to impale the vegetables, keeping them steady for peeling and chopping, after placing a sheet of Dycem under the cutting board to keep it from sliding.
Covering the salad, he moved it close before opening the refrigerator-Jensen knew exactly how long the door would stay open-and deftly placed the bowl inside.
"Huh," Jensen said, looking up. He went over to the yellow pad and wrote:
10. Get Jared to take all the heavy stuff from the top cabinets and move them to the lower shelves.
Jensen took up the cutting board, washed it off in the sink and put it away. A large, partially filled crock pot sat close by. He dried the counter before rolling the Dycem back down, and applying a different, larger, cutting board. He stuck a big, yellow onion on the center spike and began hacking away at it.
Most people thought that Velcro was the invention of a lifetime, but to Jensen, it was Dycem. Dycem was one of the keys to his functional independence. He knew it sounded grandiose, but this non slip material made it possible for him to one handedly perform simple tasks without having to chase materials across the counter, the table, and the top of the dresser.
Small things were a big help. For instance, Jared had installed a little retractable tray under the cabinet up by the microwave. That way, Jensen could pull out the tray, go back and get what he wanted to heat up, put it down on the tray, open the door to the microwave, take the item off the tray and put it into the microwave. Seemed like a lot of work, but without it, more than once, Jensen took his cold cup of coffee over to the microwave and stood in front of it looking helpless. Improvements like that made the difference between a big pain in the ass task and a little pain in the ass task.
Jensen knew how to use the adaptations fluidly. Watching him move around the house so easily, one might forget the many accommodations he had to make in his every day life. Several times a day, Jensen had to gauge his status, take inventory of how he was feeling to see what he could do. Could he drive himself to the grocery store and back? Research a report? Take a shower? Jensen had to plan every event of his life in advance.
Jared did his best to adapt their house for Jensen. He was always "on the hunt" for esoteric things to simplify Jensen's life. A one handed can opener, letter opener, book page turner, and a multitude of funny looking clamps and gadgets to keep things stable while Jensen handled them with his one good hand. Lazy Susan's in all the cabinets, cupboards and closets, and retractable trays strategically placed throughout the house.
Jensen, being relentlessly right-handed, had tremendous difficulty writing his legal signature legibly, so Jared had a signature stamp made with Jensen's best handwriting attempt to avert headaches and multiple tries. Jared's gift, two years ago, was a one handed computer keyboard. That was a godsend.
Jared made his own special touches-literally. He'd fired a ceramic toothbrush holder so that Jensen could lay his toothbrush down and apply the toothpaste one handed without incident. Unless you call the giggling at the misshapen Jedi Light saber an incident.
It's true that the adaptations made Jensen's life a whole lot easier, but that wasn't the same thing as easy. Nothing is easy with one hand. Jensen knew that Jared never thought of him as anything but a dedicated lefty. Jared never had to get used to Jensen being disabled.
But Jensen did.
Jensen couldn't tie shoes tightly, so it was either loafers or elastic shoelaces. He couldn't mop the floors or vacuum very well. Regrettably, Jensen couldn't crack an egg neatly to save his life, and he'd gone through many dozens of eggs to prove it. Now, the best he hoped for was scrambled without too many bits of shell. Until Jared, eggs 'over easy' were a thing of the past.
Jensen finished chopping and added the onions to the crock pot, one handful at a time.
Jared walked into the kitchen with his arms full of graded papers, inhaling the scent of freshly chopped onions and garlic.
"Ooh, hungry," Jared said.
"Working on it," Jensen said, waving the chopping knife in the air. "So far, we're having salad for dinner."
"What's cooking in there?" Jared tipped his chin toward the crock pot as he stacked his student's papers neatly before placing them into his backpack.
"You'll have to wait for this." Jensen pointed his knife at the pot. "I did some research into Egyptian cuisine and found a recipe for Ful Mudammas . It's red lentils and fava beans in garlic sauce. I started soaking the beans yesterday and it will slow cook until tomorrow. It keeps for days, and you can eat it for breakfast." Jensen made a face. "But then you'd have garlic breath for the rest of the morning. Maybe for the rest of the week."
Jared gently looped his arms around Jensen's shoulders, turning his around. "I'm not really in the mood to have a conversation about popular Egyptian fare and the lingering olfactory consequences."
"I guess the thrill is gone, then." Jensen put the knife down. "You used to love my olfactory conversations."
"I'm in the mood for something else." Jared purred.
"What are you in the mood for?" Jensen snuggled up against Jared's chest, sliding his hand around to rest on Jared's ass. "Thought you said you were hungry."
"I am hungry." Jared nuzzled down Jensen's neck, licking and sucking.
"Yeah, this is much better than fava beans." Jensen shivered and scraped his nails up and down Jared's back.
"Now, don't start something you can't finish," Jared warned, playfully.
"When have I ever done that?" Jensen's hand cupped Jared's ass and squeezed.
"Never, and dear God, Jensen, that's one of the things I love about you." Jared maneuvered Jensen out of the kitchen.
"What else do you love about me?" Jensen walked up on tip toes, nipping hard at Jared's ear.
"What don't I love about you?'" Jared answered with a hard bite to Jensen's neck.
This pain, the one where Jared marked him, was the only pain Jensen got any enjoyment from.
Jensen hissed and dragged Jared down the hallway and into their bedroom. "You love everything about me," Jensen answered pulling off his own shirt. "You gave me this." He shook his ring-fingered left hand in Jared's face right before shoving off his sweat pants and boxers. "You want me to be yours in every way for all our lives." Jensen descended and, adeptly, undid the buttons and finally the fly to Jared's jeans.
"Yes, yes I did," Jared panted. "I mean, yes, yes I do."
Jensen reached into Jared's unzipped pants and pulled out Jared's growing erection. Holding it proudly in his left hand and stroking it roughly, Jensen said, "You gave me this, too." Jensen opened his mouth and unceremoniously swallowed Jared down.
"Fuck, Jen. Warn a guy, will ya?" Jared groaned at the sensation of Jensen sucking relentlessly on Jared's filling cock.
Jensen shook his head and hummed, "Na ummm." Jensen held on to Jared's dick, using his lips and mouth and sturdy left hand.
It was sloppy. Jensen's hand became soggy and wet. Jared pulled off abruptly, with a loud, wet slurp emitting from Jensen's lips. He kicked off his jeans and underwear and crawled back, proudly presenting his hard on to Jensen.
Jensen smiled and grabbed it back into his mouth, continuing what he started. After Jared moaned for a few minutes, Jensen let go of Jared's cock, using suction only, in lieu of his hand, and took hold of Jared's wrist, aiming Jared's fingers into Jared's own mouth.
Jared stared for a moment, and then got with the program. Jared sucked his fingers until they, too, were wet and messy. He reached behind to finger himself open.
Jensen released Jared's wrist and went back to abusing Jared's dick like it was an unfortunate prisoner of war. Jared groaned and squirmed as he prepped himself open.
"Jesus, Jen."
Jensen pulled on Jared's cock with his teeth, lips and tongue, creating a rough sensation on delicate skin, driving Jared wild.
"Fuck, shit, fuck," Jared panted, while inserting four fingers of his own left hand.
"Gonna make tonight a night to remember," Jensen's voice was low.
"Yeah? Okay, Jensen "The Jackal" Ackles." Jared hauled himself away and flopped, belly down onto the bed. He rose up on hands and knees, dropped his head and raised his ass. Jared turned his head, looked over his shoulder and leered. "Batter up."
Jensen reached into the drawer of the bedside table and grabbed the lube. He knee walked up to Jared's waiting ass. His right arm hanging uselessly by his side. Jensen poured slick all down Jared's crack and into Jared's waiting hole and then poured a generous amount on his own erect cock. He stroked his cock once for good measure, and then lined up to Jared's now slick hole. Jensen hung on to the base of his cock for dear life as Jared pushed back onto Jensen's dick. Jensen held tight as Jared backed up and up, pressing against Jensen. Jensen was pushed relentlessly up the bed, coming to rest firmly on the headboard as Jensen slowly filled Jared's body.
"Holy shit, Jared," Jensen said reverently.
Jared came to rest, flush up against Jensen's body and gave a shaky thumb's up. After a moment, Jared rocked forward and backward, setting a pace that Jensen heartily approved. Jensen rose higher on the headboard and bent his knees, positioning Jared in a modified reverse cowboy.
Being disabled meant having to adapt, accommodate, and modify, and this position was a winner for them both.
Jared's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he leaned into the sensation of Jensen pushing up into him over and over. Then, using his powerful thighs, he rose up and slammed back down onto Jensen.
"Yeah, Jay, yeah,"
Jensen held on to the headboard and bucked up as Jared pushed down.
"Damn, Jensen, you are so good at this," Jared praised, slamming down hard onto Jensen's wet, hard, dick.
Jared rocked back and Jensen reared up, until Jared took hold of his own straining cock.
"Wait, wait," Jensen chanted.
"Can't, can't," Jared crooned.
Jared rose up, stroked one, two, three, and came with thick, white ropes splashing onto the sheets, hitting Jensen's knees and toes.
As Jared's entire body shook with the force of his orgasm, Jensen arched up, and, hissing Jared's name, shot off rocket hot, buried deep inside Jared.
Jensen came down from his high with Jared gently lifted up and off. Jensen was gasping for breath when Jared slid off the edge of the bed and went into the adjoining bathroom.
Jensen's eyes fluttered shut, opening when a warm cloth bathed his chest, hips, cock, thighs, and a little dab to his toes.
"That's my job, isn't it?" Jensen asked, sleepily.
"Not while I'm around." Jared dried all the water from Jensen's skin and carefully placed Jensen's right arm by his side.
He went into the bathroom where the shower came to life for a couple of minutes…or hours…Jensen wasn't sure, and then Jared curled up next to him, naked under the covers. He was warm, sweet smelling, and comfy.
"What about dinner?" Jensen asked stroking up and down Jared's bare arm.
"It can wait."
"See if I make you salad again," Jensen kissed the top of Jared's head.
Soft, even breaths and the rhythmic ticking of the cuckoo clock were the only sounds in the bedroom.
"Love you, Jen," Jared whispered. "Love you."
"God." Jensen swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. "I'm going to miss you." He covered his face with his forearm. "Jesus, Jared, I'm going to miss you."
"I'm sorry, Jensen." Jared kissed his eyes. "I'm sorry for leaving you." Jared buried his head into Jensen's neck. Salty wet tears ran down Jensen's skin, soaking into the sheets. "I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave you behind. I'm so sorry." Jared kissed his hair, his neck, behind his ear. "I'm sorry."
"Jared," Jensen choked out. "Don't be sorry. This is who you are, don't ever apologize for that."
Jensen took a breath and forced himself to calm. He looked Jared in the eye, the soft lighting making Jared's eyes shine. "You know I'll be here. I'll miss you, but I will wait for you to come home. Never doubt that."
"I don't doubt it," Jared said shakily. "I will come home to you, Jen, as soon as I can, I swear."
"I know." Jensen sniffed. "That's why I can bear it when you go away."
"Sometimes, I think you can't be real."
"Sometimes, I'm not." Jensen was teasing, but, seriously, how could a real, live, human possibly say what he was about to say to the love of his life?
"You need to go to Egypt. The world needs you to do what you do best. But, Jay, after the world is done with you, fly home. To me."
~~*~~*~~
Dr. Farida Kamel worked for the Egyptian government's Head of Antiquities, and was the coordinator for Jared's project. She was an accredited archeologist and archivist for the ministry of state for Egyptian antiquities, and this entire dig was under her auspices. Farida Kamel ran this project with an iron fist.
There have long been attempts to create a chair for Egyptian Antiquities at Cairo University and, with Jared's help, the support given by the United States, and the overwhelmingly motivated Egyptian government to unify the country, this collaboration was finally a done deal.
The whole world was in awe of Egypt's history, and Egypt, itself, was extremely proud of its place in the history of the world. Jared's dreams of cracking open the veil of time between then and now was upon him, and every day held new challenges, new discoveries, and a new bookmark for the entire Earth.
As soon as Dr. Kamel gave her permission.
~~*~~*~~
The coarse, hot sand stuck to Jared's sweaty fingers. The sun was relentless, beating on his head and neck through the protective cover of the white scarf, the kufiya, rolled around his head held in place by a black braided agal.
A stiff breeze swirled around him, and Jared brought the scarf up around his face to cover his mouth. He smiled to himself, because two nights ago, when he had Jensen on Skype Jared posed in front of the web cam in full Bedouin robed attire. Jensen had remarked that it wasn't fair. That instead of Indiana Jones, he was marrying Lawrence of Arabia.
Jared then went into his rendition of I Feel Pretty, his robes blossoming around him as he danced around the room.
The wind picked up, hurling needle-sharp sand crystals into the unprotected skin of his hands and face. He finished labeling the last two of the four pottery canopic jars. The ones with wooden heads carved to look like a falcon and a jackal. Historically, these jars were filled with the viscera of the owner of the tomb so that he would have them available in the afterlife.
Very cool.
Handing off the jars to two of his assistants, Jared descended into the recently excavated burial chamber and out of the blowing wind. In the center of the chamber was a large granite sarcophagus which was basically a big rectangular stone tomb. A sculpture of an alert jackal was fabricated out of pottery and adorned the top. This jackal was probably a reference to Anubis, the jackal-headed god who was the patron of embalmers and protector of cemeteries. The lid of the sarcophagus had been removed to expose the single brightly painted coffin inside.
The team of Egyptian and American archeologists had yet to identify him, but obvious care had been taken to honor the man interred here. Jared had already chronicled and cataloged the paintings on the walls and had started inventorying and tagging the possessions the dearly departed wanted with him in his next life.
Not all of the artifacts were readily identifiable; however, some of the deceased's possessions were obvious. One was the carefully mummified remains of a small dog. Another object was reminiscent of a musical instrument. There appeared to be a sound box and fingerboard, where, at the neck, pieces of carved jade looked like violin string pegs. Although after all these centuries, any catgut strings there may have been had long since deteriorated.
Jared walked to the right side of the large granite block. Another favored object lay on the floor by the coffin outside of the sarcophagus. It was a baton of some kind. Wider, more bulbous at the top, narrowing to a tapered end. Apparently, the interred wanted some kind of staff or club handy when he awoke. A misshapen sphere made from stitched animal hide lay next to it.
The last puzzling discovery was a set of small jars placed to the immediate left-hand side of the coffin, within the sarcophagus. Jared had never seen that before. All the important items were usually outside the sarcophagi, but these items were close to the man himself, so that upon waking, he would have immediate access to what was inside the little containers.
He caught his breath as a deep, overwhelming sadness hit him. This dead man in the ornate crypt had been optimistically waiting for thousands of years, hoping-expecting-to awaken in an afterlife with the things he loved nearby.
He was alone, he had no relatives buried with him. Alone with only his dog, his guitar, his softball and bat, and his pills, in case he needed them. He was lying there, all alone, far away, and waiting. And he was dead when Jared found him.
Jared looked at the brightly painted face on the coffin. The eyes of the mask were painted open, and, of course, they were a bright green. The face was frozen in Jensen's beloved lopsided smirk.
"Jay?" Jared felt careful fingers brushing his cheeks. "Hey, man, wake up."
Jared lowered his head until it rested against Jensen's chest. Hot tears dripped down his face, pooling on the soft hairs under his cheek.
"What's wrong?" Jensen asked, stroking his hand through Jared's hair. "Bad dream?"
Jared nodded against Jensen's skin.
Want to tell me?" Jensen's voice was soft and gentle. His fingers scratched lightly against Jared's scalp.
"I can't right now." He took a shaking breath and said, "I've got some things to think about." That was the most honest he could be at that moment.
"That's okay, I can wait." Jensen rubbed Jared's back and came up to brush through his hair again. "If you need me, I'll be right here."
He kissed the top of Jared's head as Jared's heart broke.
~~*~~*~~
Jensen was an on again-off again sleeper. Every night was some variation of the half asleep, wide awake, deep asleep, half awake, cycle. It had been that way for years, so it didn't bother him that Jared woke him up last night. In fact, after Jared began snoring softly against him, Jensen fell very soundly into the land of Nod, returning only when the sound of pots and pans crashing to the tiled kitchen floor made it impossible to stay asleep.
Jared had had an emotional dream last night, but didn't tell Jensen what it was about. That wasn't unusual. Sometimes Jared did and sometimes he didn't.
Jensen pushed himself up and grabbed his fluffy white bathrobe from the back of the door, slung it on, tucked his right hand down into the deep pocket and headed for the kitchen.
Jared wore flip flops, a pair of red boxer briefs and nothing else. He was kneeling on the floor tiles, retrieving a skillet and lid when Jensen entered the kitchen.
"Mornin', sunshine," Jensen drawled. "What are you doing on the floor?"
"I've got something to say." Jared chased the lid under the table and snagged it by the handle.
"Okay." Jensen yawned and scratched his chest. "You making coffee anytime soon?"
"Yes to coffee, and you're making it. After coffee, I'm going to talk and you're going to listen."
"And this is different from every other morning, how?"
Jared glared and stood.
"Okay, okay." Jensen eyed the coffee maker. "Do we have vanilla hazelnut beans?"
"Yes to vanilla hazelnut," Jared pointed to the cabinet over the stove. "But I mean it. I'm talking and I'm not kidding."
Jensen ambled to the cabinet housing the coffee beans.
"I'm also making eggs for breakfast." Jared assembled skillet and lid and placed them on the front burner. "With Ful Mudammas on the side."
"Great," Jensen smiled. "I'd like my eggs over easy, and until you hand your boarding pass to the flight attendant, I'd like them as often as possible, please."
"Jen?"
"Mmm hmm?" Jensen replied, measuring out the proper volume of water for a full coffee flask.
"I know how much you hurt when we flew to Dallas. You probably knew it would, but you wanted to try, to see if you could fly around the world. I hoped you could. I hoped, with your RSD pain abating, that you could make the trip to Cairo at least once. I let you fly under the guise of meeting your parents. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I wanted to meet your parents, and I really thought they'd want to meet me, too, but in my heart, in my gut, I knew you probably couldn't, but I made you try."
"Jay, it's kind of early, and I'm still half asleep..."
"Okay, the truth is, it was a lie," Jared said, shushing him. "We both knew you probably couldn't fly. You told me it would be okay to leave you because I owed it to every kid who ever had a dream. A year is a year, you said. I wanted to believe you because I wanted to fly away to Egypt, conduct the dig, and make my mark. I pretended that it wasn't a lie, even though I knew it was a lie, so that I could go."
Jensen caught a glimmer of what was going on.
"Hey, it's okay. Really," Jensen said. "It's not your fault, and it's not your lie. I'm more to blame than you are, because I knew, in all likelihood, that I wouldn't be able to handle the flight."
Jared shook his head and grasped Jensen's hand "But now I don't want to. You were right. A year is a year. My God, Jensen. A year is a whole fucking year, and it's not worth it. It's not. You've done so well, you're doing so well. You make it look easy. So easy that I forget."
Jensen smiled gently, "Like the hang tag on my rear view mirror doesn't remind you."
"Jensen, we said we wouldn't ignore it. We would deal with it and not ignore your disability."
"We don't need to deal with my disability. Not anymore. I've accepted it and made peace with it. I know who I am now and how I'm supposed to be. It shouldn't define you or what you do with your life. You need to do what you're supposed to do." Jensen gentled his voice. "You need to be who you're supposed to be."
"No, we need to be who we are supposed to be. You do define me. Or rather, we define me." Jared closed his eyes and took a breath. "We define us."
"So, now you're saying that me and my right arm define you?" Jensen's eyes twinkled.
"Yes. No. Yes." Jared stopped. "No, but your disability affects me, and I can't ignore it. I don't want to ignore it. You don't have a choice. You can't ever ignore it."
"Why are we talking in circles here? I've had only one working arm for over six years now. I'm over all the stages of grief and into acceptance. You were way ahead of me. You accepted my disability from the jump. It just took me longer to catch up to you."
"About what?"
"About the fact that, yes, there are some things that are difficult for me to do, some things I can't do, and some things I will never be able to do again. But, there's a lot I can do. As you said, the disability didn’t diminish me, it changed me. A hard change-one that I would never have chosen, but it's just a change. And look what I got in return." He raised his left arm expansively, first showing off his silver ring, and then encompassing all the adaptations in the kitchen.
Jared raised his eyebrows and waited.
"Okay, having you and a working right arm would be best but, still, these left sided knobs are a distant second. This," Jensen nodded to his pocketed hand. "…should not keep you from going to Egypt."
"It's not, and I'm not going," Jared said.
"Jay," Jensen sighed. "You've got to go."
"I don't have to go, so I'm not." Jared gave a half hearted grin. "I made the short list for this expedition, but my name wasn't the only one on it."
Jared came up to Jensen and briefly ran his fingertips across his cheek. "What if a year is all we have? What if there aren't plenty more where that came from? You know, Jen, sometimes a year isn't just a year. 2001 wasn't just a year."
"Being in Egypt isn't going to change that," Jensen said, gently. "What's going to happen is going to happen. Your being gone isn't going to change who lives or who dies. That's mystical thinking."
"I know, but if something happens to someone, like, god forbid, if somebody dies without me being here, it will change me for the rest of my life."
"You can't live in fear of what could happen." Jensen softened his voice. "Anything could happen at any time. You can't change the course of your life because something might happen when you're away." Jensen looked him in the eye. "I could die crossing the street tomorrow."
"I know that," Jared said with a sad smile. "And I want to be with you when you step off the curb."
"Jay, you need to realize…"
"Besides, it's not all about dying here. Megan's having a baby. A baby. How can I be the doting uncle if I'm not even here?"
"I don't think an infant would remember you not being here for the first few months of its life."
"Sure they would. Padalecki kids are smart."
"Your work is your life."
"It's not like I'm giving it up. The simple fact is-a year is too long to be away." Jared stopped and said, slowly, "A year is too long."
Jensen didn't want to agree with him and he didn't want to disagree, so he stared silently. "I don't want you to go against your nature. I don't want to tie you down."
Jared shrugged. "Maybe the hawk doesn't need to fly so far anymore. Maybe I'm happier flying closer to home."
"So, not giving it up, then?"
"Nope, not yet. In fact, I'm already planning Jared's Next Big Adventure. There are a couple of digs in Alaska I've wanted to get teams together for. You know, like dad said," Jared beamed his hundred watt smile. "See America first."
"Are you sure this is what you want? Is this what you really want?"
"Truthfully, I don't know. I don't know if I'll regret passing up this opportunity. But one thing I won't regret is you."
"How do you know? How can you know that, years from now, you won't resent me because someone else became the first archeologist/researcher/professor/ambassador to win a Nobel Prize?"
"Wow, you make me sound pretty smart."
"Well, you are."
"Well, then, give me some credit. I am a man of science and mathematics, and as such I will itemize my reasons for you:
"One, no project, no matter how big, no matter how prominent, no matter how significant, is more important than my family, because when you have a family, you love them more than anything. And I do."
Jared stood back and smiled.
"And two?" Jensen asked.
"That's it."
"That's it?"
"Yeah, that's it." Jared dropped his voice. "I don't want to be gone that long. I'll lose more than I'll gain. I know it."
"You're absolutely sure?"
"It's never been about the destination, anyway. It's always been about the journey."
"What?" Jensen smiled. "What are you talking about?"
"The journey. Our journey, Jen. The one we're taking together." Jared took Jensen's hand, and kissed the palm. "Even if our two directions aren't always the same, we have to be together to take the journey."
"I guess you're right."
"Damn straight, I'm right."
Just like that. It was done. Like it was the easiest thing in the world for Jared to do.
"So, I'm making breakfast. You still want eggs?" Jared turned, put the heat up under the skillet and reached for the olive oil.
"Jared? You…" Jensen couldn't continue. It was too big. It was too profound.
"It's okay, Jen. This really is what I want. How about you?"
Jensen nodded, blinking the moisture from his eyes, and then croaked out, "Over easy?"
"You got it." Jared winked.
"Just when I think my life is perfect the way it is," Jensen whispered. "More perfect happens. How did I get so lucky?"
"Well, we're about to see, aren't we." Jared smiled as he glanced at the silver ring on his right hand.
"Perfecter and perfecter," Jensen agreed.
~~*~~*~~
Epilogue
~~*~~*~~
Three Years Later
~~*~~*~~
Art and Inspiration Magazine
What's Hot in Today's Art World-An Interview with Jared Padalecki
Story by Saffron Millington
Inspired by ancient and contemporary Inuit and Aleut art, Dr. Jared Padalecki, archeologist, and now pottery artist and master ceramicist, blasted onto the art scene three years ago, beguiling audiences, critics and investors alike. After conducting two consecutive archeological digs in the Kodiak Archipelago, and in the northern Alaska region, Dr. Padalecki was profoundly inspired by artwork of the Inuit and Aleut cultures.
Dr. Padalecki, whose ceramic works are now on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is opening his own gallery in a combination open house/birthday gala, planned for June fifteenth of next year. Padalecki's three year old niece, Julianna Watson, will be sharing the spotlight for this event at Padalecki's "Abracadabra! Art" studio.
A&I: Dr. Padalecki, what exactly inspired you to change career paths from the sciences to the arts?
Padalecki: "I was drawn to archeology by the thrill of the mystery, the wonder of the unknown, and the timeless quality the relics represented. But, if I'm really truthful, Saffron, I've always been an artist at heart. With both art and archeology, I am captivated by cultures where mythical creatures and magnificent beings inhabit the lives of every day people. It's as if they're living with magic and miracles all around them. I know how wonderful it is, living with magic and miracles.
"My husband says that I'm a relentlessly mystical thinker, and he's always right. Sharing these feelings of awe and wonder through expressions of art is pure pleasure. I'm on a marvelous, timeless journey of creativity and discovery with an amazing man, the love of my life, by my side.
"It is very cool to be me right now."
Dr. Padalecki tells us that a portion of all proceeds from his art sales goes to the St. Francis of Assisi No Kill Animal Shelter in memory of Harley Padalecki who went to the Rainbow Bridge two and a half years ago. This shelter was Harley's temporary home before finding his forever home with his two daddies and sister, Sadie, who miss him very much.
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Entrepreneur Magazine
News:
Jensen Padalecki, president and owner of Padalecki's Green Designs, a successful and innovative architectural landscaping firm, and Christian Kane, owner of The Green Grower Gardening Supplies and Nursery, have signed a deal, merging the two businesses and forming a new corporation. The newly named, The Green Works, Inc., will be moving to a new location and expanding their floor space to accommodate both endeavors.
The Green Works' owners are both proud supporters of their local softball team, The Green Hornets, not only financially, but with their time and talent.
Besides being a successful landscape architect, Jensen Padalecki works with state officials on legislation designed to help the disabled start up and run their own businesses. He is also involved with the National Council on Disability working, on a national level, to promote policies and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Mr. Padalecki permanently lost the use of his right hand and arm several years ago.
Padalecki states, "This is a dream come true for me, co-owning this business with my oldest friend, Chris and working to help other disabled people fulfill their dream of business ownership.
"My husband, Jared, with whom I am deeply in the middle of a beautiful friendship, has always encouraged me to pursue my ambitions despite my disability. Not every disabled person has my great fortune of being loved and supported so unconditionally. Jared has always helped me, and believed in me, and I in him. We both agree that we couldn't have done it without us."
"Jared was right, as he always is, about what's important. Even though our paths twist and turn around each other, we are on the very same journey.
"So on we go down this road of life together."
And all because Jensen accidentally signed up for ceramics instead of cartooning.
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With apologies to Donna and Alan Ackles
This is the original prompt by roque_clasique that started this series:
Jensen thought he was signing up for cartooning, but accidentally signed up for ceramics, a class that's pretty damn tough when you've only got one working arm. It's worth it to suffer through it, though, because damn the shaggy-haired wheel-throwing teacher is fine...
Thank you, roque.
Egyptian Coffin
Canopic Jars
Falcon, Jackal, Baboon, Human
Inuit Art
Aleut Art
Links and Credits
A Collector's Edition of all four stories of the Twists and Turns 'Verse can be downloaded from Mediafire HERE
A single .pdf of Our Lessons Come From the Journey can be downloaded from Mediafire HERE
Photo credit for the title picture
Jensen and Jared's silver ring
Chevy Tahoe
Sugarloaf Ski Resort
stellate ganglion block
Tempromandibular joint disorder
Jensen's silver striped silk vest
Jensen's string tie
Dycem non slip solutions
Signature stamps
Ful Mudammas recipe
Jared's kufiya
Jared's agal
Canopic jars credit to the Howard County Public School System, Maryland. These jars are on display at the British Museum
Brooklyn Museum, picture of Mummy Coffin
Egyptian Afterlife with Alert Jackal
Ministry of State For Antiquities