Fic: Tangled Part Two
Master Post | Part One
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From: j.d.morgan@yahoo.com
To: mlp@mannersgamble.co.uk
Hello love,
I’m glad to hear that your meeting with the representatives from Stockholm went well. I hope you are staying wrapped up and warm - the weather report said that it’s cold and rainy in London, with occasional snow flurries. I know that’s nothing new, but I worry about you. It’s been cool here, relatively - which just means you need a light jacket in the evenings. The summers suck, but you gotta love a Texas winter.
Something funny happened tonight. You remember Jensen, from work, and his internet friend/romance/whatever? Well, apparently he and the other person had agreed to meet in person tonight for the first time. Kripke got some bug up his butt around 5 about the Burkhalter project, which is totally under control of course, and for a while I thought that all of us were going to have to stay late. Both Jensen and the new guy Jared (more about that later!) asked Kripke if they could leave for an appointment, and Kripke got so frustrated he sent everyone home. Serves him right, we’ve all been working our asses off this month.
Anyway, Jensen was really nervous about meeting the other guy, so I said I’d walk with him to the cafe where they were supposed to meet - it’s that coffeehouse that’s open late down on Dunkirk, with the weird brick. When we got there he asked me to look in the windows and see if the guy was there yet; he was supposed to have the new Neil Stephenson novel with him. Lo and behold, there is a guy with the book on his table, looks really tall. I move to the other window to get a better look, and it’s Jared! Jensen was totally surprised, and kinda disappointed I think. Which is hilarious because those two are the only ones that don’t recognize their constant arguing at work as a way to distract themselves from how much they want to get in each other’s pants. And now it turns out they’re total soulmates online too. I tried to convince him to tell him, but I don’t think I succeeded. Hopefully at least they didn’t rip each other’s heads off. I took off after Jensen went in, it was just too romantic comedy flick for me. I wouldn’t believe the story was real if someone else told me. I’m not sure how I got made into the fairy godmother in all this, just because we have a long-distance relationship right now too.
Hope you slept well. Are we on for video chat again Friday night? I should be able to get off work at the usual time, so you won’t have to stay up too late. I can’t wait to see your face in person again - Christmas can’t come too soon.
Love always,
Jeff
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From: steve@kaneband.com
To: jackles@austinlink.net
Jensen,
Hey, did you go on your date with the guy you met online yet? You’ve gotta cheer me up with some romantic tales, all the girls here are scary and Slavic.
Steve
From: jackles@austinlink.net
To: steve@kaneband.com
Steve,
Fate is a bitch. The guy from the cafe? Is my coworker Jared. Yes, new guy total pain in the ass Jared.
J
From: steve@kaneband.com
To: jackles@austinlink.net
Jensen,
Didn’t you say he was hot, in a lanky college boy way? Maybe he’s your destiny.
Steve
From: jackles@austinlink.net
Steve,
Yeah, he’s cute. And a total pain in my ass, did I mention that part? Alona’s been trying to get me to give him a break, and he has gotten better now that he’s settled in. But I don’t get why Kripke suddenly thinks he and Fred are the best things since sliced bread, when I’ve been busting my ass at Kripke for 3 years now.
Jensen
From: ck@kaneband.com
To: jackles@austinlink.net
J,
So Steve told me that coworker is your secret online love, and you’re resisting the total romance novel ness of it all. I thought Steve was a prissy bitch when we met, and you know how that turned out. Maybe this guy is nicer than you think.
Kane
From: jackles@austinlink.net
To: ck@kaneband.com
Chris,
The day I start taking romance advice from you is the day when plagues of frogs rain from the sky.
Jensen
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9/27, 1:43 pm
ATal: Jensen, you there? What’s wrong? Just now you looked like someone shot your dog.
JACKLES IS AVAILABLE
JACKLES HAS GONE PRIVATE
JAckles: Kripke gave the Hammond account to Fred.
ATal: Seriously? What the hell.
JAckles: I know.
ATal: You did great with that account. Did Fred sleep with the account manager there again or something?
JAckles: I have no idea. Fred seemed as surprised as I was, so I don’t think this was one of his usual sleazy plots.
ATal: You can’t do anything right according to Kripke recently, it seems like. It’s weird, he used to think the sun shone out of your ass. Did you insult one of his sacred cows? Accidentally cut him off in traffic?
JAckles: I wish I knew. Until a couple of weeks ago he seemed thrilled, or at least as thrilled as Kripke gets. I thought I was a lock for the new manager position.
ATal: Maybe it’s just one of Kripke’s moods. He’ll get over it. You’re a kickass employee, he’s lucky to have you.
JAckles: I hope you’re right.
2:17 pm
JAckles: I’m gonna go home, I can’t concentrate. I emailed Samantha, told her I was sick.
ATal: OK. Call me if you want to get together later.
JACKLES IS OFFLINE
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To: Jensen A.
From: Eric K.
September 29
Jensen - please see me when you come in. -Kripke
To: Jensen A.
From: Samantha S.
Jensen, I am so sorry. I tried to change Eric’s mind, but he was adamant. I made sure you’d be eligible for unemployment, and we’ll give you a good recommendation if I have to sit on Eric to do it. Call me if there’s anything I can do.
Sam
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Dear Jensen,
All of us are surprised and sad to see you leave Kripke Enterprises. We hope that you stay in touch. We’ve chipped in to get you a Starbucks gift card, so you can continue to feed your addiction until you get a new job (which will be asap we’re sure!). Love,
Alona, Samantha, Jeff, Jared, {intern} (Fred was out of the office for some reason, dunno - Alona)
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To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: jpad82@gmail.com
Jensen,
Alona gave me your personal email address; I hope you don’t mind. I can’t believe you got fired. I’m really sorry. I know we argued, but I never wanted for this to happen.
Jared
To: atal@kripkeent.com
From: jackles@austinlink.net
Subject: WTF?
You gave Padalecki my email?
To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: atal@kripkeent.com
Subject: Re: WTF?
Come on, he’s a nice guy, and he felt like crap about what happened to you. I think you just intimidated him when you first met.
Alona
To: atal@kripkeent.com
From: jackles@austinlink.net
> he felt like crap about what happened to you.
yeah, well, he’s not the only one. guess i’m glad i hadn’t bought a new truck yet.
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To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: steve@kaneband.com
Subject: Hey
I’m glad you called. I told Chris when he got back, he was pissed he missed you. He said, and I quote, “fuck that noise.” Don’t drink too much beer while we’re not there to drink it with you, k? We’ll be back in a couple weeks and we’ll help you TP your ex-boss’s house or something.
Steve
To: Jackles@austinlink.net
From: ck@kaneband.com
Subject: Fuck them all
This is why you should come on tour with us, not do this corporate bullshit. Fuck them all, seriously. Stay strong, dude. -Kane
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To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: atal@kripkeent.com
Subject: Intrigue
> yeah, well, he’s not the only one.
New day, new attitude, dude. Turns out that Milo the silent intern is an excellent spy. Apparently Kripke’s been living in his office the last few days, but he keeps on getting these calls from his wife. When he was in a meeting the other day she called and asked Milo to tell him she needed another hundred dollars for something or other.
You want to have dinner and hear all the gossip? All of us are up for it, except Fred’s "sick" again (with all the sick days he’s taking recently either he’s got a new chick or he’s dying).
A
To: atal@kripkeent.com
From: jackles@austinlink.net
Subject: Re: Intrigue
I think I’ll stay in tonight, I don’t feel like going out. Kripke’s never gonna change his mind, he’s too proud for that. I don’t really care if his marriage is in trouble, it’s not my fault.
Jensen
To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: atal@kripkeent.com
Subject: Dinner
To: atal@kripkeent.com
From: jackles@austinlink.net
Subject: Re: Dinner
Fine. But I can’t be there until 7:30, I’ve got a phone call scheduled at 6 with one of my old advisors from school, informational interviewing and all that crap.
Jensen
To: jackles@austinlink.net
From: atal@kripkeent.com
Subject: URGENT
J, call me as soon as you’re done w/ your phone call. Kripke’s in the hospital.
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Part Three