Slave To Love: Chapter Three
When Jared had woken up the following morning he had somehow managed to wriggle and shimmy himself out from under Jensen’s weight -the white wolf had been lying nearly completely on top of him- without waking the Alpha, and he snuck into the bathroom to take a pregnancy test.
Only he really wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was. Looking up from the stick in his hand he was met with Jensen’s eyebrow arching in his direction, an amused sort of half smirk on Jensen’s lips as he folded his arms over his chest, “We only knotted last night.”
“I know. But I want it.”
“I know,” Jensen said and he moved to stand right in front of Jared, turning Jared’s wrist so that he could see the little negative sign for himself, “But you need to give your body a chance to do its thing. It might not happen this month.”
“I know,” Jared said with a little more of a pout than he’d intended.
Jensen brushed Jared’s hair back behind his ear and then put his hand to Jared’s forehead, “At least your fever’s broken,” and he bent down to kiss Jared’s cheek, “Come on, let me make you some pancakes.”
“With bacon?”
“With bacon,” Jensen smiled, holding out his hand and Jared let Jensen pull him to his feet.
It wasn’t until the following month, when they were out for what felt like it should be their last wolf run for the season that they found out. As much as they would miss it, they didn’t want to get stuck out in the woods over Christmas. The winter had definitely laid its claim to the land, the snow was thick and crisp. And if Jensen moved too fast Jared lost track of him, his fur the perfect camouflage. And Jared had been growing weary, so he decided to just settle down in the snow.
His eyes opening up when Jensen had come bounding back to him, their gazes locking and Jensen stood over him, and suddenly they just knew. Jensen had licked his face and then started nosing under him to get him back up onto his paws and Jared had let himself be herded back to the warmth of their cabin so that he could take a test just to be sure.
Even though Jared and his parents had been mending bridges -they’d had them over a few times for dinner, and Jensen and Jared had been to theirs a couple of times too- Jared had still been reluctant to share the news of his pregnancy with them. Jensen knew it was because Jared liked it just being theirs, his and Jensen’s, and Jensen had had to remind him that the baby would always just be theirs, telling Jared’s parents wouldn’t change that. Jared just didn’t want all the extra fuss.
“You’re bad enough,” he’d smirked and Jensen had smacked him with a cushion.
Once Jared had hit his second trimester though there was no more hiding it. He wasn’t even showing that much, but there was enough of a bump to be noticeable. And to be fair Jared’s mom really hadn’t been all that bad, barring all the unsolicited advice she kept giving them. Jensen could have sworn Jared had been about to break his hand he’d squeezed it so tight the last time they’d had a visit. Since the hormones had kicked in Jared had had considerably less patience for anyone who wasn’t Jensen telling him what to do.
So, when Mrs. Padalecki had decided to throw her son a baby shower Jared had almost burst a gasket, especially when she’d let slip the small matter of Jensen not being invited. That hadn’t been how she’d phrased it of course, but talking Jared down from that one had been no easy feat. Fact was Jensen couldn’t go because while Jared’s parents had decided to look past the slave issue, the rest of the Padalecki family wouldn’t be so understanding and they didn’t even know about Jensen.
Jensen wasn’t exactly thrilled either, but they weren’t his family, it wasn’t up to him to make that call. And it was just one stupid family gathering. Jensen wasn’t so keen on meeting anyone who wouldn’t support Jared anyway, the only reason he would have wanted to go would have been to offer Jared moral support. He’d hugged Jared extra hard, putting everything he had into their last few kisses at the door before Jared had left.
Jensen had decided to make Jared some of his favourite desserts as a reward for having to suffer through his family, and he had just been frosting the chocolate cake when the front door crashed shut behind Jared, who was home a good hour before Jensen had been expecting him.
“Jensen?”
“In the kitchen,” Jensen called out, trying to finish the piping as fast he could. His hand stilling when Jared’s agitation hit him, making the hairs stand up on the back of Jensen’s neck, “Just give me a sec-”
But when he glanced back up Jared was there, and Jensen put the frosting down and went to him, pulling him into his arms immediately, “That bad, huh?”
And Jared just barely choked back a sob, but Jensen felt him shake his head, Jensen stroking his fingers through Jared’s hair as Jared took a deep, somewhat shaky breath, “Having to pretend that you don’t exist is the worst thing I’ve ever had to do.”
The smallest of smiles twitched at the corners of Jensen’s lips and he’d tightened his hold on Jared, “What did they say?”
“Ugh. I don’t even-,“ and they both disentangled enough so that they could look at each other, and Jared sighed, “Half of them were all Oh you’re so brave starting a family on your own and the other half kept saying how much of an idiot I was and that I should have waited for a partner. And why didn’t I just marry that nice doctor fellow.” Jared huffed.
Jensen rubbed Jared’s back gently, “How’d you escape?”
“Said I needed to throw up and just walked right out the front door.”
“Your mom won’t be pleased.”
“Yeah, well, she can get in line.”
And they just stood there in silence until Jared looked back up, finally glancing round the kitchen, “You baked for me?”
“I did.”
“God, I love you,” Jared kissed him.
“Love you too.”
Jensen kissed Jared this time, licking along his lip for entrance, which Jared gave him without hesitation, Jared’s teeth sinking down into Jensen’s bottom lip and tugging, made Jensen shiver as he felt the shift in Jared’s intentions, “Why don’t you go on up ahead of me, let me finish decorating the cake. Don’t want it drying out.”
Jared pouted but he nodded too, “Okay. Don’t take too long.”
“I won’t.”
And he didn’t, it wasn’t his best pipework, but he knew Jared wouldn’t care what it looked like as long as he got to eat it.
When Jensen got upstairs Jared was already naked, his back propped up with pillows, legs spread wide as he stroked himself, “Fuck, Jay.”
“Don’t mind if you do.”
“Dork.”
Jared pouted a little, bringing out the puppy eyes.
“My ridiculously sexy and yet somehow still adorable, dork.”
Jared whined a little, “Just get on me.”
Jensen full on laughed, shaking his head as he lifted his t-shirt up over it, “Are you always this romantic?”
“I don’t remember you talking this much. Get naked, and get over here.”
Jensen snorted, he couldn’t really fault a horny and pregnant Jared’s priorities, so he complied. But as soon as he was between Jared’s legs Jared let go of his dick, taking hold of Jensen’s thigh as Jensen touched his belly, their eyes meeting, intent on a kiss, “I’ll always take care of you.”
They drew into each other like they had their own gravitational pull as Jared said, “Know you will.”
Jared had planned on working right up until the last week of his pregnancy, even although Genevieve had reiterated on several occasions that she was happy to let him go on paternity leave at the six month mark. But Jared had a problem with not working when he knew he should be.
Jensen on the other hand had been growing increasingly worried about Jared going into work when he was all achey and uncomfortable in his own skin, never mind his clothes. The Omega had completely ruined two of his shirts already, quite literally tearing them off upon his arrival home the second he got through the door. Jared’s nipples were just so sensitive, his pecs were all tight and swollen. Jensen knew Jared kept on forgetting to re-apply the cream he was supposed to use on them while he was at work.
And there was the fact that he’d had to buy bigger clothes. And Jensen didn’t want to be mean but the pregnancy belly really did not go with the suits.
Jensen had just been loading the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher when he noticed Jared’s lunch bag still sitting on the counter. He laughed a little as he shook his head and then sighed. He was going to have to take it into Jared’s work, because if he didn’t Jared would probably just not bother having anything at all. Or he’d wind up getting something bad for him. So, Jensen had decided to wait and bring the food to Jared on his lunch break so that they could eat together. And maybe just a little bit because he wanted to check on him.
If Jensen had thought there was a chance that Jared might have been annoyed at him for showing up, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Jared had practically thrown himself at Jensen when he saw him, and he’d dragged him into his office.
They’d talked for a good ten to fifteen minutes while they ate, before Jared started complaining about his aches and pains, so Jensen had repositioned his chair, telling Jared to take off his shoes, and he started giving Jared a foot rub.
Jared’s eyes had fallen closed and he’d let out a moan, “God, I want to go home.”
“Babe, you get paid paternity leave. Why are you still torturing yourself?”
“We’re in the middle of landing a new client contract. I don’t want to let anybody down.”
“You won’t. Your boss loves you. Just go to Gen’s office and tell her she’s right. She’ll love that. She might even give you the rest of the day off.”
“Jensen-”
“You’re tense, Jay. And that’s not good for our baby.”
Jensen increased the pressure as he continued to work on Jared’s foot, distracting him, intent on making him forget why he had wanted to stay in the first place, a small smile gracing his lips when Jared said, “What if I just finish out the week?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Genevieve of course had told him not to be ridiculous, it was already Wednesday, so there was no point in him coming back in for two days, “Get out of here and let your Alpha take care of you.”
“Okay. I’m gone. Thanks, Gen.”
“You’re welcome. Now go.”
Jensen had hung back outside the door, keeping out of sight, but close enough to hear everything, but he knew better than to gloat about being right.
Jared’s brow scrunched as he drifted slowly up into wakefulness, he could hear Jensen’s voice, but it sounded far away. And there was static. He threw his arm out to check, not quite willing to open his eyes just yet, he could feel the darkness pressing in on them. But the space was empty. He turned his head, and looked at the baby monitor and with a grumble he pushed himself up and out of bed finding Jensen in the nursery, feeding their baby girl with a bottle of Jared’s milk.
“Jay, what are you doing up? You should be resting.”
“I woke up and you weren’t there,” Jared moved further into the room, falling just short of the rocking chair Jensen was sitting in, and he just stared. Couldn’t take his eyes off of their beautiful little creation.
“You want to hold her, don’t you?”
Jared nodded, and Jensen did too as he stood up, “C’mere,” and he let Jared settle down in the rocking chair before he placed their daughter into Jared’s arms, and he kissed the top of Jared’s head, hands resting on his shoulders.
Jared readjusted Lucy in his arms to make sure he was supporting her head properly before getting the bottle back into her mouth, still not taking his eyes from her as he said, “Stay.”
“Not going anywhere,” Jensen said kissing Jared’s forehead and then he sat down on the floor next to the chair. And when both Omega and baby were asleep Jensen had carried them both through to the master bedroom so he could keep better watch, as he’d told Jared in the morning.
Lucy’s pre-school had been running a field trip for the kids, which Jensen was going to chaperone with the other kids’ moms -and a couple of other dads- he’d signed up immediately, knowing it would be better for Lucy if he got to know the other parents a little better. The night before he had ended up sleeping at the bottom of her bed; he knew she would be extra excited when she woke up, and he didn’t want her waking Jared up to the point that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. Jared had a big presentation that day. He needed his rest.
Lucy had given him one of her fiercest little hugs before scooting off to the bathroom, and Jensen had retreated to the master bedroom to change and get dressed. They’d had to leave slightly earlier than normal so they’d had to have their breakfast without Jared, which Jensen had informed him of the night before, but he’d left a reminder note on top of Jared’s lunch bag anyway.
“Right, Lucy, come on, it’s time to go, Sweetie.”
“We have to give Daddy a goodbye kiss first.”
“Okay,” and he’d carried her back upstairs to do just that. Jared had been in the middle of brushing his teeth, so he’d gotten cheek kisses to avoid the foam, and then they’d been on their way.
While they’d been waiting for the bus to arrive they’d kept everyone in the classroom, it was a cold morning, and it made it easier to take attendance.
Everything had been going fine, he’d even struck up a conversation with a couple of the moms, when Lucy’s teacher interrupted them to tell him that there was a mistake and Lucy couldn’t go with them.
“What? I’m right here. I gave you the permission slip.”
“It’s not filled in correctly.”
“What are you talking about? I signed it-. I signed it.” Jensen’s blood ran cold as her full meaning dawned on him, and he huffed, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s school policy. Lucy’s parent, her guardian, has to sign the form. But I’m sure if you could just get Mr. Padalecki to come down-”
“Her parent? I’m her father-”
“Please, Jensen-”
God fucking forbid she called a slave Sir.
“Lucy, sweetheart, we’re leaving,”
“But, Daddy, I want to go-”
“I know, baby, but Ms. Kasen says we can’t. So we’re going to go on our own field trip. Okay?” he said as he scooped her up into his arms, ignoring the women who wanted him to reconsider.
“Okay, Daddy.”
“That’s my good girl.” He kissed the side of her head before shifting her into one arm so that he could pick up her jacket and backpack. And as calmly as he could he walked them out to his car. Slaves were allowed to be chauffeurs after all.
They were supposed to have gone to a farm, and the kids were to pick berries. So, Jensen had taken her to a child friendly nature trail and they had turned their lunch into a picnic. And on the way home he’d taken her to get some ice-cream.
And Jensen hadn’t been planning on telling Jared about any of it. Jared always got really upset when people felt the need to put Jensen in his place. But of course it all came out anyway when Jared asked their daughter about her day. It had been stupid to hope that Jared would just forget to ask. And Jensen would never encourage Lucy to lie or keep secrets from either of them.
Jared had been nothing short of furious when he got the full story from Jensen, and he’d wanted to march right down to the school, but Jensen shook his head, getting his arms around his Omega, for one thing the school would be closed and the other, “What’s the point?”
It was the first and last time Jensen would ever make that mistake, “It’s school policy. And I don’t want to stir up shit that’s not going to change. I couldn’t bear if Lucy had to pay for it. Let’s just leave it, Jay. It’s done.”
For Lucy’s fifth birthday they had just invited some of her pre-school friends over to the house for a party. A couple of the parents had declined because of Jensen -they hadn’t come right out and said it, but Jensen knew- but enough of them weren’t arrogant assholes, that it didn’t matter. It was Lucy’s day. They’d hired a moon bounce for their back yard. But no entertainers. Lucy didn’t like things with creepy masks or make-up; they scared her. So, Jensen had set up games for them to play. And he’d baked her cake himself.
Jared was supposed to have the day off, but he’d been called into work, he was hoping to get home before the party started though. He had to. Jensen was sure Genevieve would let him away early, seeing as he shouldn’t have been there at all. The look on Lucy’s face when Jared had said he had to leave, he knew how hard it had hit Jared, because it had him reeling too.
Jensen had made her, her favourite breakfast, which coincidentally was also Jared’s: pancakes with maple syrup and bacon, which Jensen was careful not to let them have too often. And then they’d watched her favourite movie together. Lucy sitting in his lap. Sticking to their morning routine, they did their tai chi exercises. He’d found a routine that was geared towards kids and Lucy had really taken to it. And Jensen loved it, because it meant quiet time.
When they were done, normally it would be time to get her washed up and ready for school, but because it was her birthday and summer vacation, they played princesses and dragons for at least a solid hour and a half. They took turns in narrating their journey and Jensen spent a significant amount of time flying her between locations. Making his little girl laugh had to be the very best feeling in the world. She had such an incredible imagination.
There was only just time for Jensen to allow Lucy a short nap before he had to get her ready for her party. Once she had her brand new pretty little summer dress on her excitement rocketed right back up to eleven, as she swished the skirt about. Jensen had to grab her, sitting her down in his lap so that he could fix her hair, “Stay still,” he said as he ran the brush through her hair, and she had done her very best to comply. Only twisting round to look at him when he said, “All done.”
The two smiling at each other as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he kissed her forehead, his smile widening when he sensed Jared approaching the front door.
“There were more demonstrations here in the capitol today, where an estimated crowd of at least four thousand took to the streets, calling for freedom-”
“We have seen an increase in rallies held by the A.A.R. -”
“The A.A.R. bringing Times Square to a standstill this afternoon-”
“College students hold a state-wide candlelight vigil in support of equality-”
Jensen worried his lip as he just sat in his car in the driveway. Jared was home. Jared had gotten home before him. Which probably meant he was collecting voicemails from the Omega. Jensen had switched it off after he and Lucy had left the store. He’d driven around for a while. Trying to blow off some steam. But it hadn’t really worked. And now they were late.
“Daddy?”
Jensen glanced up into the rearview mirror to see her anxious little face, and he turned in his seat to look at her properly, “Sweetheart?”
“Can we go inside now? I need to go to the bathroom.”
Shit
“Of course, Sweetie. I’m sorry, let me just-” and he got himself out of the car, and opened up her door to unfasten her seatbelt. Lifting her up and out, he set her down onto her feet, letting her run into the house on her own. He shut the door, scrubbing his hand down his face as he leaned back against the car. He was going to have to go back out. Find a different grocery store, since he didn’t get to get the things they’d needed.
But he had to go in. Talk to Jared first. He owed him that. He let out a heavy sigh, walking back around the car to close his own door, and then he went inside. Jared was waiting, “Jensen-”
“I know. I’m sorry. I should have-” he shook his head, staring up at the ceiling before meeting Jared’s eyes again, “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“What happened?”
Jensen’s shoulders tensed up reflexively, just even thinking-, he didn’t want to have to get into it, but he knew he had to. He sighed, “We were shopping. And some snooty old Beta tries to make a grab for Lucy and I growled at her and then she gets security on me and I got asked to vacate the premises.”
“You growled at her?”
“I’m not letting some crazy old bitch touch our daughter, just because she has some false sense of entitlement.”
“What if they’d taken her off you?”
“She was in the wrong!”
“Jensen, babe, I’m not trying to argue here, or upset you. But you know what people are like.”
“They knew she was wrong.”
“Not everyone will be so understanding. They could have called the police.”
“I know. But I’m just so sick, and so fucking tired of it, Jared. I should be able to go out with my own daughter without being harassed. Without having nasty hateful comments being slung my way for daring to be outside without my Master. Or hearing how awful it is for a child to be left in the care of a savage mindless animal.”
Jensen dragged his hand across his mouth and then shook his head, raising his hand, “Or how about being able to sign a simple permission slip for our daughter?”
“You’re right. Fuck, Jensen, don’t you think I want that to? Do you think I don’t know how fucked up it all is? That I don’t hate the way other people look at you, at us, sometimes when we’re out? And having to worry about how much worse it must be when I’m not there. And how much of it you don’t tell me.”
“Jared. I don’t need or want you worrying about the normal everyday bullshit. It’s mostly harmless.”
“And when it’s not?”
“You know I tell you the big stuff. This is me, telling you the big stuff.”
“You should join the movement.”
“What?”
“A.A.R. Advocacy for Alpha Rights. Didn’t you say last week that someone approached you about it?”
“Well yeah, but-”
“But what?”
“What about Lucy? I can’t just leave her-”
“I can take care of Lucy.”
“You’ll take care of her? What about your work?”
“I think I can handle getting her to and from school. And work? They’ll just have to deal with it,” he sighed, “Gen will let me have some flexibility, it’s not a big deal. Plenty other parents have to work round their kids’ schedules.”
“There’s a lot more to it than just driving her from point A to point B, Jared.”
“I know that. Jensen, whatever it takes, I can manage. You need to do this. You’ll hate yourself if you don’t.”
Jared yawned as he dragged his hand down his face, letting his chin slump down into his other hand, elbow bent on the table, to prop himself up. Lucy had had him up with the birds that morning, what felt like a hundred years ago, but was still currently going. It had been two weeks and Jared still wasn’t used to it. He didn’t know how Jensen did it. Jensen always got up with her, for her, when she came clamouring into their room, “Daddy. Daddy,” jumping up on the bed “It’s time to get up.”
And Jensen would snatch her up into his arms making her yelp before he’d clamp his hand down over her mouth, “Come on, Princess. You’ll wake up other Daddy.”
And he’d whisk her away downstairs, leave Jared to wake up at a more reasonable hour for his work.
She’d lost some of her vigour the past couple of mornings, apparently, the amusement at Jared’s morning lethargy -uselessness- had worn off, she hadn’t giggled once. She was currently pushing her cereal around her bowl, “Lucy, what’s wrong?”
“Where’s Daddy?”
“We told you, Sweetie. Daddy’s doing something important. Fighting the big guys so that he and everyone like him can be free, like you and me.”
“I miss him.”
“I know, honey. I do too. But he should be home tonight.”
“Other Daddy makes better sandwiches than you.”
Jared huffed a laugh, “He does. I’m sorry, Sweetie. You’re stuck with mine for now”
“It’s okay.”
Today marks a very proud moment in our history. Where our heart, our compassion has triumphed over our sins, the mistakes made by our forefathers through fear, anger and hate. Today we finally all stand truly free. Betas. Omegas. Alphas. Today we are equal. And henceforth every Alpha in our great nation is granted full autonomy and shall be released from any contracts that infringe upon those freedoms…
They’d heard it on their radio in the kitchen over breakfast, it had been eight long hard months for all three of them. The strain of having to be so far away from his little girl on top of the physical ache he felt in every molecule of his being from being so far away from his soulmate had been almost unbearable. Only getting to see them in little stolen pockets of time, before he had to take off again to some other corner of the country. But he’d pushed through, because he had to.
For this.
Finally hearing those words? Jensen had burst into tears and Jared had pulled him into his arms. They’d done it. They’d actually done it.
“You did it, Babe,” Jared had murmured against his ear, “So proud of you.”
But Jensen hadn’t known what to say. It just felt so much bigger than he’d ever expected it to feel. It was everything. Everything that he had ever had to endure. Everything he had never been allowed to do. Everything that he had been dragged away from.
He was free. Free to just be with his family. He pulled Jared in impossibly closer. That was all Jensen ever wanted.
Jensen wasn’t sure how long they just stayed like that for, it wasn’t until Lucy shuffled in with her teddy bear clutched to her chest and a sad little sniffle that they finally let go of each other. Lucy had something of a cold, so they’d kept her home.
“What do you want, Sweetheart?” Jensen said softly, and she held up her arms.
“I want cuddles too,” she sniffed.
“C’mere,” and he snapped her up into his arms, “Better stay away from Daddy,” he nodded towards Jared, “He’s got work to go to. Don’t want him getting sick.”
“No I don’t.”
“What?”
“I’m gonna call in. Take the day.”
“Jay, are you sure?”
Jared nodded, “Nowhere else I wanna be.”
And the three of them had spent the day snuggled up on the couch together.
Later that day Jensen had received a call from the leader of the A.A.R. to ask him if he wanted to be the first Alpha to get his collar removed, they wanted to broadcast one live for the nation to see, but Jensen had declined. He didn’t need or want to be a public figure. It wasn’t something he needed to share with the world. It was a private matter. But even without that added stress, Jensen had still been unable to sleep the night before.
He’d shifted back into human form and pulled on his pyjama bottoms and he’d just sat on the end of the bed until he couldn’t take it anymore and he’d gone through to Lucy’s room. And he sat on the floor, back against the wall. Watching her calmed his nerves, but he knew he still wasn’t going to be able to sleep. At some point through the night Jared had joined him, cosying up to Jensen’s side and he’d fallen asleep on Jensen's shoulder. Jensen just rested his head against Jared’s, drifting very lightly in and out of consciousness.
When Jensen heard their alarm go off back in their own room he opened his eyes to discover Lucy lying across their laps. As carefully as he could he lifted her and placed her back on her bed and under her covers, placing a kiss on her forehead, and he gave Jared’s leg a nudge with his foot, “Jay, time to get up.”
Jared grumbling after him as he left to go switch off the alarm. Jared’s parents were coming over to watch Lucy for them, so they let her sleep on.
They didn’t talk on the drive, but Jared had held his hand the entire way.
When they walked into the building there were other newly freed Alphas sitting in the waiting area, though Jensen seemed to be the only one there with a partner. After giving their names at the reception desk they sat down in the seats closest to the desk.
Smiling at each other when Jensen was called, they squeezed each other’s hands before they stood up together.
Jensen sat up on the examination table as the technician used some sort of electronic device to deactivate the collar’s microchips. Jared still holding his hand.
“And that’s you,” the technician said as he glanced down at his clipboard, “Mr. Ackles,” Jensen blinked, chest tightening as he tried to process it. Mr Ackles. It felt so foreign and surreal, his brow furrowed as he looked to Jared, who was giving him a teary yeah that’s you, babe kind of look.
Jensen scrubbed his hands down his face and then pushed them back though his hair.
Mr. Ackles.
“Did you want Mr. Padalecki to take it off?”
Jared cleared his throat as he shook his head, “No. You should do it, Jen.”
Jensen nodded, and he didn’t think he could possibly squeeze Jared’s hand any harder without breaking bone. He slipped down onto his feet, Jared letting go of his hand as he moved across to the mirror on the wall. He had to close his eyes for a second, his hands had started to shake.
Only opening them again when he felt Jared’s hand on his hip, his own steadied. He took hold of the leather, sliding it through the buckle. He faltered only for a second just before he released the pin and then he was letting it fall to the floor. Touching his fingers to the newly exposed strip of flesh, which was the palest of white, with splotches of red in places. His shoulders shook as a single tear tracked down his cheek. And then Jared was hugging him from behind, “You’re free, baby.”
Jensen grabbed hold of Jared’s hands again, pulling them up to hold over his heart, dropping his chin to kiss the backs of Jared’s fingers.
From there they were directed to separate rooms to fill in their respective paperwork; Jared signing an acknowledgment and agreement to the dissolution of his ownership of Jensen. Jensen signing to reclaim his rights and his identity. Proof that he was now and officially his own person, and no longer Jared’s property.
He swept his thumb over Jared’s name.
“Now if everything is to your satisfaction you can go ahead and sign-”
“Actually. There’s one little thing I’d like to change.”
When Jensen and Jared got back out to the car, Jared had checked his phone before Jensen could even hit the unlock button, “Looks like they took Lucy back to theirs. They want us to stay for dinner. Celebrate.”
“As long as it’s just the five of us,” Jensen said as they climbed into the car.
Jared smiled, fastening his seatbelt before looking down at the contracts in his hands, “Mind if I look at yours?”
Jensen shook his head with a smile, his hand going to his naked throat -he couldn’t stop touching it- as Jared unfolded the papers.
Jensen worried his lip a little between his teeth, as Jared turned the pages.
“Jensen,” Jared gasped and Jensen reached across, closing his hand in Jared’s hair and he kissed him.
“I wanted to,” he said quiet but sure as he looked down at his name in print.
Jensen Ackles-Padalecki.
It felt right.
And it wasn’t the only surprise of the day. Jared’s parents had a surprise for them too. Jensen’s whole jaw had trembled, lips quivering as he stepped into the Padaleckis’ living room, “Mom? Dad?”
“Jensen!” and Jensen had dissolved into a sobbing wreck the second his parents -the Ackles- had thrown their arms around him.
“We love you, son.”
Epilogue