R | In a Faraway Land, You'll Find Yourself | 4/5
Jensen stirred to daylight then the shift of the mattress and a drop of lips to his shoulder. He smiled before he turned over and found Jared’s mouth once again, cupping his face then threading fingers through his hair.
Jared smiled against him then lightly chuckled. “We should probably move for the day.”
“No,” Jensen said with a shake of his head, kissing more, unrelenting with the hold around Jared’s neck. He felt the pulse of Jared’s laugh on his tongue and couldn’t let go.
“Don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. I can’t hunt on a full stomach.”
He looked at Jared, searching for any hesitation. Soon enough, a tiny smile crept up on them both, but Jensen’s stalled as his mind wrapped itself around Jared’s words. “I really have to do this?”
“Yes, you do,” Jared said with a smirk.
“And we win?”
He chuckled before sobering and simply nodding his head. “Yes, we do.”
Jensen was prepared to continue their moment, to kiss and taste more of Jared, to lie beside him for as long as possible. But then his stomach growled, and Jared laughed, falling into Jensen’s neck with a grin.
- - -
They spilled into the kitchen, each with a tiny smile and sharing random glances as they sat and worked through breakfast. But they both froze when Danneel entered with a tight smile. “There you are,” she admonished Jensen. “I had stopped at your room to escort you to breakfast.”
He chanced a quick glance between Danneel, Jared, and even the kitchen staff before looking down on his food, pushing it around with his fork. “Found it myself,” he tried to say casually, but he knew it sounded off. He couldn’t ignore the tension in the room and immediately assigned it to Danneel keeping an eye on he and Jared.
“I see.” She sat across from them and accepted a plate from one of the servers. They all fell quiet, eating and avoiding the topic circling them all. “You slept well last night?” she asked quietly. “This is a big day for you both, you know ...”
Jared handed his empty plate to one of the staff then moved to Danneel. As he draped arms around her shoulders, he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “I know, Danneel. We both do.” Her hand found his wrist, holding tight while she stared at the table and Jared spoke at her hair. “It will be okay.”
Danneel’s head rose, eyes intent with Jensen’s. “Be safe, yes?”
Jensen stared right back, feeling her words bury themselves into his nerves, to remind him that they were set for war. Even with Jared sure that they would succeed, Jensen struggled with his own confidence. But he still worked a smile and nodded with Jared.
From that point until they left the palace, Jensen had little time to focus on Jared or Danneel or anything else from the evening before. He was taken to room after room to be outfitted in armor, equipped with weaponry, and instructed on all of Vile Millicent’s assaults. It all smashed together in his brain, flying by so quickly that next he knew, he was joining Jared outside the Palace to head out for battle. Jensen neared the steeds as Jared got into place on Harley’s back, stroking the head with murmured encouragement.
Sadie bowed then hitched Jensen up with a quick paw for support. His fingers curled into her mane and he sought out Jared’s reassuring smile, one that warmed his stomach and eased him long enough that he could breathe before Jared tugged on Harley and directed the steeds off the palace grounds and into a quick pace across the countryside.
They rode in silence, taking hours to follow their course with darkness creeping up behind. There was just enough light from the setting sun to see the horizon before them, burnt columns rising until the entirety of the Red Castle came into view. Jensen tightened his hold on Sadie, but didn’t dare slow her while Jared pushed Harley on.
Soon enough, they were before the castle gates, red-armored guards charging forward. Jensen’s mind froze on the color. Blood, he marveled, wondering how many battles had occurred before that very day. How many times these men fought and dressed the steps in death.
Before a word could be said, the doors swung open and more soldiers moved forward with a woman stepping between the lines. Once her eyes fell upon Jensen, she halted and released a quick breath and sharp smile in Jared’s direction. “Why, you have done it, haven’t you?” she spat. “The Fair Child in the flesh.”
Jensen stared at her while his mind ran off with every interaction he’d ever had at work, and then he all-but gasped in horror. “You!”
Jared’s attention flipped between the Queen and Jensen as she answered, “Why yes ... Had you not been prepared to meet your honorable queen?”
He swallowed hard, eyes fierce on her as he recalled the last moments in his office, facing Katie Cassidy and wanting to wring her neck. He found the same fury flaring up as he regarded the Queen, who was a spitting image with her long frame and flowing blond hair.
A sudden roar from behind upset the steeds, forcing them to kick back to their hind legs and nearly buck Jared and Jensen both. “Whoa! Hey, boy,” Jared instantly comforted while petting Harley. Jensen and Jared each tightened their hold on the steeds as they spun to face the noise. That’s when they saw her; Vile Millicent stood beyond the gates, snuffling and scraping paws into the ground, unearthing chunks of grass as she moved closer to the crowd. The charges rushed back into the castle and shoved the doors closed, leaving Jared and Jensen alone with Millicent.
Jensen looked through the gates at the Queen. Her broad, proud smile turned nasty when her eyes caught his. “God, I hate her,” he grunted.
Jared chuckled, “You hardly know her.”
“You would think.”
On the rush of a long breath, Jensen turned back to Millicent and took in the wide, dark eyes of the monster. Its dark, sweaty, leathery skin stretching with every movement made him wince, but it couldn’t compare to the fear filling his bones when it stood at attention, legs extending and chest heaving.
Jared and Jensen each tipped their heads back to take in her full height. Millicent’s wide shadow covered them and Jensen gulped as they drew their swords. “Game plan?” Jensen murmured.
Jared couldn’t take his eyes from the monster’s size. “We probably should have come up with one.”
Jensen glared at him. “You don’t have a plan?”
“No, I didn’t draft us a thorough legend for when and where to strike,” he said in quite the same tone. “Sorry, Jensen. I was a little busy falling for you.”
Jensen and Jared stared at one another, doing little more than breathing and watching. Jensen wanted to smile at Jared’s warm eyes and good intentions, to be wrapped up in his kind nature; anything would be better than the current predicament. “Alright, good answer,” Jensen mumbled as he turned back to Millicent snorting clouds of smoke from her wide snout. He swallowed then suggested, “Perhaps next time we can focus on a plan of attack before anything else.”
“Cute. You think there’s a next time.”
Millicent stomped, shaking the earth and eliciting whimpers from both steeds as they scampered back a good ten feet. Jensen, again, couldn’t take his eyes off Millicent, and all the while, he tried to soothe Sadie, petting and murmuring a calm, “Hey, sweetheart, it’s alright. Stay with me, okay?”
Jared rambled off, “I’m going to draw her away and you get after her and strike as much as possible,” just before he sped away and Millicent followed him.
“What? No!” Jensen cried, and a second later he had Sadie chasing Harley.
The tumbling of Millicent’s steps shook the ground, scaring the steeds as they skittered away only to rush right back on their path, Harley intent on distracting Millicent and Sadie trying to keep up. Jared tucked his sword into his lap and leaned forward and Sadie rushed on with Millicent chasing behind. Sadie broke off to the left to flank Millicent, and with Harley on the right, they disoriented the monster enough that she couldn’t decide which steed to attack.
Swinging low and hard, Millicent set out to strike Jensen. He tucked himself closer to Sadie, avoiding each attach. He led Sadie away only to charge right back in, and each time Millicent reached for him, Sadie again sped away. Millicent swung and swiped across his back, forcing him to slide from his perch and squeeze a firm hand around his sword. His other hand Sadie’s mane to he could pull himself back up.
Harley instantly bounded into Millicent’s legs, knocking her off balance long enough that Jensen collected himself and circled the monster. Harley and Jared continued to tease Millicent, moving close enough to distract but not enough for her to grab.
“What’re you doing?” Jared shouted as he and Harley continued their dance, keeping Millicent’s attention.
“What?” Jensen yelled back.
“Do something!”
Jensen took a sharp breath, rose off Sadie’s back, and led her closer to Millicent. He flipped the sword a few times before gripping tight, and when near enough, he sliced across Millicent’s calf. She roared and flinched then swung around and knocked Jensen right off his steed. He slid across the ground then rolled to his knees, popping up and running right back to Sadie. “Great idea!” he yelled to Jared and climbed up Sadie. “You got any others?”
Jared struck Millicent in the other calf and moved out of range just in time. He smirked and continued to skip away and back in. “Just keep going!”
From there, Jared and Jensen slipped in and out of Millicent’s reach, jabbing at her legs when possible but not always landing hard or deep enough to injure her. Angered, she continued to swing at each of them until Jared struck her with a well-aimed blow behind the knee, and she roared in pain. But when she spun and growled down on him, mucus and spit creasing her mouth and dripping down around him, he grimaced and pulled Harley back. Millicent howled as she chased after them.
“Jensen!” Jared shouted.
Jensen spun with Sadie and rushed in to attack. He sliced into calf, her thigh, her knee. Millicent turned and smacked Jensen off Sadie before running after Jared. Sadie raced back to Jensen and by the time he was back in place, Jared and Harley was dashing across the lawn then up a steep hill that crept up and into a small mountain. Harley struggled with the sharp climb but Millicent easily scaled it, keeping up with the steed as he continued to scramble up the mountain and Jared jabbed at Millicent’s insistent hand.
Sadie ran after them as Jared continued to attack the monster’s fat hands, sometimes reaching high enough to cut her arms. She stumbled up the hill with reckless, hurried moves, and finally reached the top, yapping, batting, and biting at Millicent’s knees. When Millicent snatched Jared up in her hand, the steeds became further angered and attacked her feet.
In the rush, Jensen was knocked from Sadie’s back. He scrambled to his feet, picking up his sword and running up the side of the peak.
Millicent shook Jared like a rag doll and tossed him to the ground. He landed misaligned against the rocks, slowly turning over to get back up.
Jensen stared with horror, but before he could properly respond, she unearthed a nearby tree and swung at Jensen, wiping him off his feet. When he rolled and righted himself, she swung at Jared as he stumbled up to his knees. The blow to his torso knocked him right back down.
Jensen froze the second he saw the injury; Jared’s armor was wrecked, dented in and out, split where the sharp branches had pierced the metal. Jared slowly reached through the broken chestplate and withdrew bloodied fingers as he struggled to stand, staggered, then tripped back to the ground, wobbly legs unable to keep him up.
Jensen shouted for him, unable to manage more than fear and a surge of adrenaline. He ran to Jared, narrowly avoiding more of Millicent’s swings. Just as Jensen dropped next to him, Jared’s eyes slipped closed and his head lolled to the side. He grabbed Jared’s face, shouted his name, all to no response. Jensen spun, fire in his eyes, more in his belly, and as Millicent swung with the trunk, he sidestepped her then picked his sword up and jabbed the back of her hand with all the power he could manage.
She wailed and shook her hand, releasing the tree trunk to look at the wound and slow dribble of blood. He took that distraction to climb the rocks, pulling himself up to the top and looking down on her. His nostrils flared and his heart hammered in his chest, but he couldn’t think of more than Jared on the ground, still not moving.
He leapt onto Millicent’s back, hanging with a tight arm wound in her leash as he stabbed her back, slicing flesh over and over. Through her thrashing, he stuck her and pulled himself up only to stab again and use enough leverage to climb her back, faster and higher until he could reach her shoulder and stand. Recalling so many of the things he’d heard and experienced at the palace, talk of Millicent’s power and speed, his time with Jared, and his duty in finishing this fight, he drummed up the strength to yank on her ear and thrust his sword into her neck. Two, three, four more hard, swift drives, and she arched away, blood spilling down her throat, streaking her body before pooling between her toes.
As her knees buckled, Jensen shifted on her shoulder, keeping himself upright as she crashed. He jumped then rolled away before she spun over herself and careened down the side of the hill, coming to a slow stop quite a ways from the bottom. She flinched and snorted, chest rising then falling before her entire body collapsed.
Noise erupted from the castle as the charges, servants, and other guests came to the realization that Millicent was dead. And so was the Queen’s reign.
Cheers overpowered the contemptuous shouts of the Queen’s army. Those confined under her rule charged forward, overtook the Queen’s most loyal servants, and shoved the Queen and her charges from the Castle steps and out the gates.
Jensen wiped a hand down his face, reeling at the sight of the felled monster and knowing he’d done it; he’d fulfilled his destiny. He’d slain the monster and succeeded.
Then, Jared and everything else crashed down on him. He spun around and found Jared motionless with Sadie and Harley groaning and swaying close then away from him. Jensen scrambled over the rocks, skidding to his knees next to Jared, and the steeds continued to whine as Sadie sniffed and nudged at Jared’s legs and Harley ducked, cowering in guilt.
He unbuckled the crumpled breastplate and slowly pulled it free, whimpering at the red soak of Jared’s clothes. His fingers slipped between the ragged holes and his hand couldn’t touch anything that wasn’t wet with blood. Tears filled his eyes with the knowledge that the wounds from the shadowhogs had torn open and fresh gashes ripped Jared’s chest even wider. Jensen murmured prayers to the sky as he swept in, cradling Jared’s head, hands sliding over his hair, and rocking him.
Sadie dipped in, nosing at Jared’s face, and Jensen moved, pulling Jared with him. “Okay, girl, we’re doing this again. Faster than before!” he shouted when she wasn’t rising with him. “Come on! We’re going back to the palace!”
Cowering further away, she dipped her head and avoided his sharp look.
“Come on! Now!”
Sadie whined and spun away, ducking her head just as Harley rose and stepped closer. He bowed for Jensen to position Jared up and on his back with Jensen climbing behind. Sadie snuffled and Jensen looked down on her, feeling nothing but the same heartbreak in her eyes. She’d carried a wounded Jared just days ago and couldn’t do it again; holding Jared, beat up and bloodied, was doubly hard this time for Jensen, too.
Through the ride back to the White Palace, Jensen was dazed, hours spreading on like days as he thought over his time with Jared, from the first moment up through defeating Millicent. He thought of how all of Cassidonia would rejoice and how the Prince and Princess would earn their rightful rule.
But then he thought of Jared, sinking in his arms and non-responsive to any movement. Jensen was realistic right then; there was no way Jared could be healed, but a tiny corner of his heart prayed and hoped and deemed it possible. If Jared could be healed after the shadowhogs’ attack, then this could be done, too.
His hope willowed away as they approached the palace and the charges and officers moved around him with no rush to aid Jared. Jensen sunk to the stone walkway with Jared against him, pleading for help. Charges came forward, pulling Jared away with the barest of looks to Jensen, maintaining their stoic demeanor.
The Prince and Princess appeared in the doorway, watching Danneel rush through the crowd, tears already streaking her cheeks. She held Jared’s face and kissed his hair just before the servants took him away. She reached for Jensen’s shoulder, but barely touched as he whispered, “You have to help him. You can do something, right?”
Danneel blinked the tears away before turning to follow the crowd back inside.
His own tears clouded his vision, but he saw Princess Adrianne approach him. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, struggling to contain his emotion.
She hugged him, arms tight around his waist, and kissed his cheek. When she moved back, she touched his face and smiled, warm and sweet. “You’ve succeeded.”
“But Jared -”
“Danneel will see over him.” After Jensen’s rough swallow and short nod, she smiled wider and breathed deep. Her shoulders rose with the movement and she suddenly seemed taller, grander, more poised. She caressed his cheek and whispered, “The Fair Child shall salvage the kingdom and bring justice down on the vile.”
“But we didn’t -”
“You did. You took down the Red Castle. You have released the needy from their charge and opened the sky.”
At that, Jensen looked up and around, suddenly aware of the sun rising in the far sky and surpassing the coming evening. It shone brighter and wider than he’d ever seen while in Cassidonia, and he and the Princess both shielded their eyes at the beauty of it.
“Twelve hours of day," she said with wonder. "Twelve hours of night.”
Prince Jeffrey stepped closer with a hand sliding over the Princess’s shoulder. “It’ll be good to have our days back.” He graced Jensen with an easy smile then grabbed hold of his neck with a light shake. “You’ve done it, son. Smile a little.”
In truth, Jensen attempted to do just that but everything else in his heart sunk. “He’ll be okay, right? They saved him last time. They can do it again.”
The Prince and Princess both reached for an arm and led him back inside with the Princess insisting, “You rest now, and we will check on Jared when you’re ready.”
- - -
Once he’d washed up, changed, and settled into the bed, exhaustion took over and he was asleep in moments. So hard a sleep that when he did finally wake up, it was an honest evening with a pale moon in the corner of the sky. A moon he kept looking for in every window he passed through the hallways, and again as he stepped out on the balcony off the ballroom, the place where he’d stood with Jared and had come to realize the weight of the man in his life.
After some time alone, Princess Adrianne joined him, motioning to a nerby bench and sat beside him. With her assistant just a few feet away, Jensen steeled himself, not wanting to release his emotions in company.
The Princess held his hand, turning it over and placing a chain inside. When he held it up, a single letter J hung from the silver link. She spoke while his fingers slid over the cool metal. “I’m certain he would want you to have it. That you would want to have it.”
He didn’t look up. After a few shallow breaths, he swallowed down his feelings and managed to levelly say, “They couldn’t help him.”
Her hand closed over his, tucking the charm between their palms. “I am sorry, Jensen. I truly am.”
“He just …” Jensen began but the words broke emotionally and he took a few moments to redirect his thought, to gather himself before looking at her. “I thought it was written? That we succeeded?”
She bit into her lip. “You succeeded. That is the written word.”
He worked his mouth, but couldn’t get the right thoughts in order. He was saved from trying to argue when Princess Adrianne ushered her assistant over and took a book from the young woman’s hands. The leather-bound, thick volume creaked as she opened it, turning coarse pages over until she could point at a specific passage.
Jensen’s eyes ran the lines as she read aloud, “As the Fair Child thrives, his valiant lead shall give himself to this battle.”
He found her eyes, and questions and accusations swam in his brain, demanding explanation for willingly sending someone to die, to send Jared to his death. “He knew, didn’t he?” he all-but whimpered.
Princess Adrianne stroked his cheek with a soft smile. “He promised himself to the court, to Cassidonia. It was part of his honor.”
“I thought he promised himself to Danneel,” he confessed quietly, rising and walking to the edge of the balcony, one hand clutching the necklace and the other tight around the railing.
She rose and smiled sadly. “He’s done the palace a fine service. He will be revered for centuries to come. There is great respect in his sacrifice.”
Jensen turned enough to watch her move beside him. It was impossible to ignore how much meaning flowed with her words, and he realized how right she was. While anger warred with grief, he recognized admiration building with the knowledge that Jared followed a path that others would have easily questioned and denied, and he did it with great pride.
- - -
Instead of returning to his room, Jensen stopped at Danneel’s, knocking lightly and opening the door to find her resting on the bed, pillow tucked to her chest. She shifted immediately, righting her dress and wiping moisture from her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Did you need something?” she asked with so much of her usual grace it surprised him.
“Maybe a little company?” he suggested with a small, sad smile.
Biting into her bottom lip, she slowly nodded and watched him rest next to her on the bed. They shared a long, miserable look until she slid over and rested at his chest and held him just as he held her. They were quiet for much of the time, but he was comforted in having the moment with someone who felt much the same as he did.
Jensen moved his mouth to her hair. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she mumbled, burrowing her head closer to him.
“It was for me. He did it for me.”
Danneel slipped closer, tighter, and shook her head. “He did it for all of us. For Cassidonia.”
His hand swept over her shoulder and down her back. Then he tipped his head back down to hers. “Is it all worth it?”
She breathed deep then tapped careful fingers over his chest. “He was my best friend and I’ve loved him as my own brother for all my life. Living without him will be with great pain. But I cannot imagine Cassidonia surviving much longer.” Jensen remained silent and she sniffled through a chuckle. “That means yes. Yes, it was all worth it.”
- - -
Jensen woke in a fog, unsure of where he was. It’d happened far too many times since arriving in Cassidonia, and he wondered when his body would settle enough to allow him a normal morning. It was then that a distinct click was followed by a piercing sound, repeatedly jarring itself in his ears. He shot up with the alarm clock echoing through his bedroom, his bedroom back home.
“Dream,” he muttered, “Just a dream,” as his heart raced and blood pounded in his ears at the memory. His hand swept over his bare chest to steady his breathing, but his thumb dragged on the silver chain and shiny J hanging from his neck. As his hand closed around the charm, he dropped his legs over the side of the bed, felt deep muscle aches, and discovered bruises equal to the battering from the war with Millicent. He stood with a curse and grabbed his phone. It was Friday, half past seven in the morning.
A glance out his window showed the street full of life below with commuters and pedestrians making their way to work. In a daze from all that he knew of the last few days, he readied himself as if it were any other morning, even when his mind told him different. Everything had changed.
That morning served so differently than any he’d experienced before. He successfully sidestepped any rogue walkers and avoided puddles and the whitewash of passing cars unknowingly soaking pedestrians too close to the curb.
He did slow down as he passed the coffee shop, the same one he’d first met Danneel at, but his phone rang with his brother’s call. “I’m on my way,” Jensen said by way of greeting.
“So you do still want your job?” Josh bit out. “Was wondering when you were going to show yourself again.”
“I’ve been … under the weather,” he managed. “I’ll explain when I get in.”
“Meet in the conference room. I’m sure Dad would like to hear this.”
Jensen shoved the phone into his pocket as he continued on to the office. It was a harrowing walk to finish, as was the silent elevator ride and his walk down the hallway and into the conference room. His father and brother were already seated at one end of the long table, busy with their own discussion.
Upon his entrance, they both spun and watched him. Jensen swallowed and slid a hand down his tie when no one spoke. “My apologies for the last few days,” he finally said. “I was sick and my phone wasn’t working.”
“Convenient,” Josh muttered.
Alan stood and pointed at a chair. “Jensen, why don’t you sit with us?”
The hard edge to the words, not to mention the way in which Alan suddenly wouldn’t look at him, gnawed at Jensen, and he knew the situation. He’d seen his father make this exact move all too many times that Jensen couldn’t ignore the signs of a great dressing down. “If it’s all the same I’d rather remain right here,” Jensen said with great control.
The sharp look from both his brother and father alarmed him for just a brief moment before he felt a distinct tug in his spine, drawing him to stand tall with confidence.
Alan bristled. “We have all too many questions, Jensen. Last we spoke, I asked you about your dedication and you assured me you were here, with us.”
Before more could be said, Jensen raised a hand with a short wave. “Alright. I’m here. I wasn’t for a few days. Things came up. But I’m back, and it’s fine.”
“It’s fine?” Josh asked on a chuckle. “You disappear for half a week and now it’s fine?”
Jensen struggled to not roll his eyes and instead moved towards the door with an easy, “I’ll be in my office.”
He walked swiftly to his space, ignoring the odd glances from everyone he passed, even those who rose from cubicles to watch the doom he felt creeping along. He stopped at his doorway to the sight of Katie Cassidy in his chair and her ankles crossed on top of the desk.
“How’m I not surprised you’re squatting in my office?” he snorted.
“Is that what they now call mentally redecorating?” she asked on a sharp smile. Her hands stretched before her, framing much of the wall to her left. “Think I’ll put my Raphael right here.”
“You would,” he muttered upon entering and trying in earnest to ignore her presence. He pushed papers across his desk, reorganizing piles without any real direction.
“So, while you were gone,” Katie started, sounding bored as she appraised her manicure. “I was able to squeeze in 80 hours for Kripke Enterprises.”
He barely flinched, even when he so wanted to.
Her voice rose with more interest. “Closest I could get without selling the whole damn farm, but he seemed pretty happy about it. Know who else was happy about it?”
“I don’t know, your father? The devil?”
Katie’s face curled into a mocking smile before settling into one of grand pleasure. “Josh was. Your father, too. It’s a wonder how much money they’ll throw at a person when they actually do their job. It’s like no one has any honor in good, hard work anymore.”
Jared flashed in his mind as the word ‘honor’ dug into his chest. He spun around the desk and grabbed hold of the chair. With his hands landing firmly on the arms of the furniture, her feet noisily hit the ground and her eyes widened with how close he moved in.
“Funny thing happened while I was gone, Katie. I realized I don’t care. And for all you want to chase me down and shove me into your shadow? I couldn’t care less. So have at it,” he spit out then shoved the chair away.
Sighing, he righted his tie and jacket, buttoned it closed, and strode down the hallway. It took just a few seconds to prop the conference room door open and find his father and brother still there, though now accompanied by other clients. They all turned to him, and while Josh and Alan cautiously smiled, Josh’s voice smoothed out for business. “Jensen, what can we do for you?”
His hand was tight at the door frame but his smile was all ease. “Just wanted to let you know I quit,” and then he moved on to the lobby, ignoring the mutterings of his father, brother, and so many other co-workers who had overheard.
Pride and exhilaration drove him to clear his office of the few personal items he’d put up and out over the years, then he packed them all in his laptop case. With a grin, he unlocked the machine from its docking station and figured that of all things owed to him over the years for readily accepting humiliation and degradation, a computer was a start.
The wind wiped over him as he walked outside, pinking his cheeks with a slight chill, but he barely felt it with freedom carrying him home. He was free of the family business, and not even the lack of a plan could break his spirit in that moment because at least he’d taken a step in the right direction.
When he got to his apartment, the front door was open and his stomach flipped at the sight of Alex moving through the bedroom to pile things into a bag already half full of personal items he’d kept there or left behind over the course of their relationship. Jensen leaned on the doorway, fingers flipping his keys around the ring. “Hey,” he said gently.
Alex was a vision of comfort in a soft sweater, khakis, and his dark-framed glasses, ones Jensen knew he barely wore through a workday though almost always used on weekends. But Jensen saw beyond the simplicity to the outfit; Alex’s eyes were drawn down, refusing to meet Jensen’s, and then he busied himself with packing more into the bag.
“I didn’t think you’d be home,” Alex said with an awkward tone. “I figured this would be easier while you were at work.”
Jensen bit at his lip and nodded, unable to come up with the right response. Three days ago, he’d been begging for Alex’s understanding, for his patience. But the whirlwind of another world was far too big in his mind, and trying to work a failed relationship was just as low on his list of priorities as working for his father was.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Jensen said with meaning, because while he wasn’t sorry for missing that obligation, he was sorry for whatever bother and pain he’d caused Alex. “I had other -”
“Stuff to do,” Alex finished in a tired voice. “I know that one by heart.” When Jensen didn’t defend himself, Alex shifted and took his time to look Jensen over. “You … you seem different.”
Jensen loosened the knot of his tie and sighed. “I quit.”
One eyebrow rose high and his mouth all but dropped to the floor. “You quit?”
“Figured it was about time.”
“You have another job?”
Jensen palmed a pair of cuff links on the dresser, ones he’d bought for Alex on their year anniversary, ones that hadn’t left the apartment since the last time he’d spent the night. As he handed them over, he uneasily smiled. “No, but I’ll figure it out.” Alex took a few moments to look from Jensen down to the cuff links in his hand. “I really am sorry. I never meant to hurt you,” Jensen murmured with a soft touch at Alex’s shoulder.
His mouth worked and Jensen imagined all the complaints building inside Alex’s mind, but they never came. He simply pocketed the links and nodded before silently getting back to his packing.
When Alex finished, he found Jensen in the kitchen nursing a beer and staring off to the far side of the room. They shared well wishes, silently acknowledging that it was likely best they moved on, neither willing to put up the grand fight of fixing what was so visibly broken.
- - -
The next morning, Jensen rose after a deep, long night’s sleep, a smile firmly in place and a weight off his chest. It was the weekend, and while he was suddenly single, jobless, and without direction, he would enjoy his hours of freedom before he made himself sit down and plan his future.
Sunlight pierced the room, drawing him outside, and in minutes he was at the coffee shop. There was the familiar drum of excitement and curiosity, wondering if he would find Danneel inside, but also the stab of sadness with the memory of his last day in Cassidonia and those moments he spent with her.
It was eerily quiet inside and he looked around the place, unable to ignore the empty feeling of not knowing a soul. He ordered a regular coffee with sugar and cream and relishing the hot liquid while trying to not be disappointed in the absence of all the sweet flavors he’d had before.
Stepping outside, he looked for an open café table, and as he moved towards one, he was knocked back with the rush of a dog swiping in front of him then winding around his legs.
The dog settled at his feet, panting and shaking with excitement, especially as Jensen curled a hand under its chin and stroked. “Hey, buddy,” he cooed with a broad grin that couldn’t stop itself from streaking across his face. Especially when the dog popped back up, paws on Jensen’s stomach.
“Down boy! Down!” someone shouted as another dog joined Jensen. “Jesus, I’m sorry, he got right off the leash,” the guy rambled on, grabbing the dog’s collar and pulling him away from Jensen. “I couldn’t get him fast enough.” He scrubbed hands over the dog’s head, squeezing its face. “I told you no running off. You know better, Harley.”
Jensen’s breath caught and his stopped as the dog whined and sat back on its hind legs and the other one licked at his fingers. “Jared,” he breathed out.
“Yeah,” the guy said, kneeling down to Harley but looking up with a small smile. His eyes stalled on Jensen’s face and then he softly smiled. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”
Jensen couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even move, except for when his fingers twitched against the other dog’s head and then he swept a caring hand over the ears, just like he’d seen Jared do so many times with Harley. Back then, in Cassidonia, where everything had changed him.
Jared clipped a leash to Harley’s collar then stood with an awkward glance. “You okay?”
His fingers itched to touch, to grab, to feel; they hung in the air between them, grazing Jared’s shirt but stalling when he watched the movement. “You don’t remember?” Jensen asked with a crack in his voice.
“Sure don’t,” Jared drawled out with a slow shake of his head. He looked around them then pointed at a nearby table and granted Jensen a tiny smirk. “Should we sit? Maybe you could fill me in.”
Jensen’s eyes shone and he smiled wide, stroking Sadie’s head and playfully tugging on her ears. “Yeah, I can definitely do that.”
EPILOGUE