Real Person Fic - CW: Rattling Your Locks [Part 5/5]

[cherie_morte]

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PART FIVE

“When was the last time you went outside?”

Jared looks up from his book. “Uh, yesterday?”

Jensen shakes his head. “I don’t mean stepped outside, I mean actually spent time outside.”

"I dunno," Jared says dismissively. “Why?”

“You're losing that beautiful tan we got you in the tropics,” Jensen tells him mournfully. “You were glowing for a while there. Now you’re just smelly.”

Jared reaches out, catching Jensen’s wrist and tugging him down onto the couch and into his lap. “I seem to recall you liking my smell,” he murmurs against Jensen’s neck.

“Mmm.” Jensen fidgets in his grasp. “Didn’t say you smelled bad, just said you smelled.”

“Why go outside, anyway?” Jared asks. “When we’ve got so many nice pieces of furniture we still haven’t fucked against right in here?”

“There's something I need you to see,” Jensen tells him, fighting his way from Jared's lap to his feet. Remembering the reason he came in here, which was apparently not to christen the library couch. Dammit.

“Outside?” Jared pouts. “There aren’t any beds outside. Why’s it gotta be outside?”

“Because life is terrible and harsh, Jared.”

Jared rolls his eyes, following when Jensen pulls him up by one hand. “What are we doing?”

“We’re going for a drive.”

“Really?” Jared mocks. “That’s your big plan to get me enjoying the great outdoors? Sit in a car?”

“Quit being a smartass and let’s go,” Jensen yells over his shoulder as he walks out of the room, assuming Jared will follow. Jared sighs and makes sure to drag his feet.

They leave the house around noon and drive for nearly two hours before the car turns into a driveway and begins to slow down. Jensen waits until the car has stopped to sit back, relaxing into his seat and saying, "What do you know about slave history?"

"That's a weird conversation starter," Jared replies, unstrapping his seatbelt.

"I'm serious," Jensen tells him. Jared looks at him once he's finished and sees how intense his master's expression is. "It'll make sense pretty soon."

"Slave history?" Jared snickers. "What, is there some big, famous slave I'm supposed to know about?"

"Well, yes, there are some…" Jensen drifts off, then shakes his head. "No, stop, that's not what I meant. I meant the actual history of slavery. You think this is the first time people have kept slaves, Jared?”

Jared doesn't have a response for that. He’s never really thought of slavery as something with a history, as something that started or could ever end. It always just was; it’s all he’s known.

Jensen shakes his head. “It’s only been legal for a hundred or so years. Before that it was forbidden for a long time here.”

“Why would they bring it back?” Jared asks. “If they already knew it was wrong.”

Jensen squeezes Jared’s thigh sympathetically. “Back then Alphas and Omegas didn’t exist. It was just Betas. When we started popping up, people got scared. That’s what people do when they don’t know things, they freak out and try to control the situation, and this is what came out of it. They took all the Alphas and Omegas and put them in chains, assuming freaks like us could only produce freaks and normal people could only produce Betas."

"But that's not true," Jared says. He's not exactly well-educated, but even Jared knows more about biology than that. "It's random."

"I know," Jensen tells him. "I mean, we know that now. But by the time they realized that’s not how it works, too many people had gotten used to having slaves to give it up completely. Wealthy people weren’t clamoring to give away their kids, genetic mutants or not, so they changed the law, made it so that slavery was hereditary for anyone who was a slave when the law took effect. That’s it, that’s all it was. Look at me.”

Jared raises his head and Jensen smiles weakly. “I know you already know this. But I want you to know that we all know it. Your masters have all known, they’ve just pretended not to. There’s nothing less about you, Jared. There’s nothing about us that makes us better. All the difference between you and me is that somewhere down your bloodline, someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Jared averts his eyes. It’s nice to hear from his master’s lips, but it doesn’t matter. Jensen isn’t like the rest of them. No one else is going to fight this just because it’s wrong.

Jensen licks his lips. "Look out the window, Jay."

Jared does as he's told and his entire world comes crashing down around him. He turns, gaping at Jensen, hoping to see some sign that this is all a sick joke and they're going to go home any second. But Jensen isn't laughing.

Jared's experienced his fair share of cruelty in his life, but even he has to admit this was well played. Outside the window, Jared recognizes Mark Sheppard's Slave Emporium, and he has to wonder what the hell Jensen told him all of that bullshit about them being equal for if he was about to sell Jared back. Just to rub it in?

His heart leaps into his throat, and he seizes forward, throwing himself on Jensen, his hands clinging to the expensive material of his master's suit. Deep down, he knew Jensen would get tired of him someday, but not so soon. Not now, not when he was just starting to believe Jensen and all of the things he's given Jared might be real.

"Please don't," he begs. "Don't send me back. Please, please, oh god, Jensen. Master. Master, please don’t do it."

"Jared," Jensen says, but Jared doesn't give him the chance to talk.

"Please. I'll be good. I'll do anything." He swallows, batting down a wave of jealousy out of desperation. "I'll train your next slave. I'll teach him what you like."

"Jared, stop it."

Jared shakes his head, trying to hold back tears. "Is this because I hit Sebastian? I won't be bad again. I'll be a good boy, I promise. I'll let them do anything they want to me. Or-or if you don't want to fuck me anymore, I'll work anywhere you put me. I'll do anything you want, anything. Please keep me, Jensen. Master. I don't want to go back there. I want to stay with you. I'll do anything to stay."

"Jared!" Jensen yells, and Jared looks up from his lap to see that Jensen is staring at him like he's just grown another head. "I'm not selling you back."

Jared grabs his master's hands and showers them with kisses. "Thank you. Thank you. I'll be good. I'll be so good, Master. I won't joke any more. Or do anything you don't ask me to. I'll be good."

"Don't talk like that," Jensen tells him, his voice hushed, like he's talking to an infant. "Jesus, you really think I'd do something like that?"

Jared shakes his head, pressing his face into his master's thigh. He's still shaking. "I don't know," he says. "I don't know what you would do. Just don't do this."

Jensen takes Jared by the shoulders and forces him to sit up. He looks Jared in the eye and makes it clear that Jared is not allowed to turn away, and Jared will do anything to prove he won't be disobedient, so he stares right back. "Listen to me, Jared. I am never going to sell you. Do you understand me? Never. You're leaving me free or never at all, you got that?"

Jared snuffles and nods. "But we're here. Why are we here? I don't want to be."

"Shh," Jensen tells him, drawing close to Jared slowly, like he's a horse that's just been spooked. "Look out the window again. But really look this time."

Jared does, taking the time to actually process the surroundings. Jensen takes Jared's hand off the leather seat of the car and squeezes hard. "Do you see all those people?"

Jared nods. He doesn’t know what they're doing, but there's a huge group huddled just a few feet away from the front entrance, all holding signs and yelling things. Jared can't hear through the thick tinted windows of the car, but he can read the signs. He presses up close to the window to get a better look, and Jensen slides until he's sitting right next to Jared, his face just inches from Jared's shoulder.

"They're…" Jared starts, but he can't finish his thought. He's too busy staring.

"They're protesting," Jensen tells him. "And it's hurting his business bad, Jay. They're fighting to stop him once and for all. And it's not just him. This kind of thing is going on all over the place."

"Why?" Jared asks.

"Because not everyone is like your masters. There's a whole world of people out there who don't own slaves. A lot of them who hate it. Some of these people out here are freed slaves, but most of them were born free. They're fighting for you.” Jensen looks down, a small, shy smile on his lips. “You paid for this.”

Jared shakes his head. “No, I don’t have any-”

“The group that organized this? They were able to because they got a check on your birthday. In your name. A really big check.”

Jared stares, uncomprehending. “You did that for me?”

Jensen raises his head, his smile spreading as he looks at Jared until it reaches all the way to his eyes. “And here you went and assumed I was going to sell you. Hurts my feelings.”

“Thank you, Jensen,” Jared says, though his voice has gotten thick and it’s hard to speak. “I...thank you.”

Jensen's smile looks a little pained. “Please don’t. I owe you a lot more than a protest, Jared.”

Jared ignores him, focusing instead on the action outside. “Do you really think it’ll do any good?” Jared can’t imagine a man like Mark Sheppard paying attention to something like this, no matter how many people show up or how loud they yell.

“We’re going to win. Maybe not right away, but we are.”

"How do you know?" Jared can hardly believe he's seeing this, but he will never believe that one angry crowd is going to stop all the horrible things he's lived through. It's not that kind of world.

"That's how it always happens."

Jared feels the crease in his forehead as he turns his body toward Jensen. “What does that mean?”

“It’s happened before, a thousand times. All over the world it happens, but it always ends the same way. In a few decades, you’re all going to be free. And people like Mark Sheppard or that Mistress of yours with the brand or...or me. The whole human race will be embarrassed to remember we existed.”

Jared shakes his head. “Not you. You’re not like them.”

Jensen licks his lips. “Not for long, I won’t be.” He opens his mouth, closes it, then lets out a shaky laugh. “This is proving harder than I expected it to be.”

“What is?”

“Jared, I’m going to free you. You’re going to be free. We can go when the courts open tomorrow if you want.”

Jared feels his entire body freeze up with-not joy or excitement but terror. He thought he’d been waiting to hear a master say those words his whole life.

"Where will I go?" he asks. "What am I gonna do?"

Jensen still has his hand gripped tight in his own, but he lets go now, spreading out Jared's palm and rubbing his thumb into the skin there. He's looking at the distracting movements, like he's afraid of what he'll see if he looks at Jared instead. "You don't have to go anywhere. I don't want you to-" He stops, then rephrases, "I mean, you can stay with me. I'd like for you to stay. I'll take care of you-I can make it so that you can have anything you ever want. Anything. You'll never have to work another day in your life if you don't want to, Jared. You never have to touch anyone you don't want to, not," he licks his lips, "not even me. You can always have me, but you won't have to. And if you meet someone and you want them instead, if you ever want to leave, I won't be able to stop you. You and I can be-"

"I'll leave," Jared interrupts. "If you free me I'll leave you, Jensen. I'm sorry, but you know I will."

Jensen frowns. "Yes. I…I figured that would-yeah, I know you will."

"It's not because I don't want those things," he tells Jensen, drawing close enough to kiss him. "It's not because I don't appreciate the offer."

"Christ, Jared, you don't have to be judicious about rejecting me," he says, false bravado making his voice quake. "It's not going to soften the blow."

"I won't be able to live with myself," he says, trying to make Jensen understand. "If I don't at least try to make it on my own. If I just accept that offer, as good as it is, and never go out and give freedom a chance. Jensen, I won't be able to live like that. I'm telling you now, before you do anything you'll regret. I'm going to leave if you free me."

Jensen nods, his head slumped and his eyes fixed on his feet. "You have the right. I can't stop you anymore."

"That's what I'll do if you free me." Jared takes a deep breath and gets half way through asking himself if he's really about to do and say what he thinks he is before the words spill out. "I'm not asking you to free me."

Jensen's head snaps up to meet Jared's eyes, a look of hope and disbelief on his face. "Are you insane?" he asks.

Jared shakes his head.

Jensen nods, swallowing hard. "I'll do it, I really will," he promises. "The day you ask for it, I'll do it. I can't sooner than that. Not if it means losing you."

Jared smiles and kisses him gently. "I'm not asking," he says again, more sure of it now than he was when he first said it. "I want to stay with you."

"You're still free as far as I'm concerned," Jensen tells him. "When you're with me. In my house, anywhere we go. You're free, Jay. You're my equal. I'll make sure everyone knows it." He moves up, kissing Jared on the neck and giving him a loopy smile as he pulls away. "You got that, Jeff? This man back here is your boss now."

"Yep," Jeff replies. He doesn't say anything else, but Jared looks into the rearview mirror and catches a glimpse of an amused smirk hidden behind thick salt and pepper scruff.



Jensen watches with a look of disgust as Misha lowers a grape into Genevieve's open mouth. "You guys are representative of everything that is wrong with the world."

Genevieve bites down once on the fruit in her mouth, then grins. "I hear the dulcet tones of a little jealous bitch. Music to my ears."

"I thought that was a bird singing," Misha says, leaning in to kiss juice from the corner of her lips. "But you're right. It must be a little jealous bitch."

"I am so not jealous," Jensen insists. Jared grins, taking a swig from his beer, and Jensen glares at him. "So you're just gonna let them win like that?"

"I was planning to, yeah."

Jensen sits up quickly, grabbing grapes from the bowl on the table next to them. "Well, screw that. I'm not gonna roll over and just let them be cuter than us. Lay back."

"He is just gonna roll over," Jared tells Misha and Genevieve confidentially. "Later."

Misha huffs out a laugh. "There's an infant right there," he says, pointing to Genevieve's lap. "Please won't someone think of the children?"

Jensen sits down on the side of Jared's lawn chair, pushing him back so that he's reclining, and then he dangles grapes just over Jared's mouth. Jared leans up enough to pluck one off the vine and breaks the skin, making an exaggerated sound of pleasure.

"Gross," Genevieve says. "Misha, make them stop being icky."

"You started it," Jensen insists, wiping at the corner of Jared's lips with his thumb.

She sticks her tongue out and Misha comes to her rescue. "She has her hands kind of full with the baby," he says. "I was being practical and helping her eat. You're just being extravagant."

"Oh, I like that," Jensen says, offering Jared the grapes again. "You hear that? We're extravagant."

Jared bites off another grape and smiles as he holds it between his teeth. Jensen takes the hint, leaning down to kiss it out of his mouth.

"Alright, alright," Genevieve says, laughing. "We get the point. You're adorable."

"We still win, though," Misha insists. He grabs Dmitri and holds the baby out like an offering. "Look what we have."

As if on cue, Dmitri pouts his lips and makes a confused face. He looks so precious it's almost painful.

"Baby is cheating," Jensen says. "Jared, tell them they're not allowed to use the baby."

"Aww, but look at how small his hands are," Jared says, reaching out to poke them. "Oh god, Jensen, they so win."

"Baby's fair game," Genevieve says. "So suck it."

She reaches out and pulls three grapes out of the bowl, tossing one into the air and catching it with her mouth. She gives them a triumphant look.

"Here," Misha says, standing up and shoving Dmitri into Jared's arms. "You made the right choice, so you get to hold him."

Jared looks down at the baby, then back up at Misha. "Why do I feel like I just got conned?"

"No take backs!" Misha cries out, grabbing Genevieve by one hand and tugging her off the patio and toward one of the gardens.

Jared watches them leave, then looks down at Dmitri. "They let me hold their baby," he says stupidly. "They trusted me to hold their baby."

"And now they get to have a romantic walk under the stars and we're stuck changing diapers." Jensen pouts.

Jared shakes his head, tickling Dmitri's toes as they kick in the air. "Jensen," he says, looking up, "they aren't even watching. They just trusted me with their baby."

Jensen's eyes soften as he gets it, and he gives Jared a slightly woozy smile. "Uncle Jared," he reminds, emptying the last drops of wine from his glass and setting it down on the table. He leans in, pressing his forehead against Jared's and giving Dmitri a finger to wrap his little hand around. "One big happy family, remember?"

Jared could live to be a thousand and it wouldn't be long enough for him to learn to take something like that for granted. He nods anyway. "I'll try to remember."



Jared wipes his forearm over his mouth, a little amazed by how much sweat he displaces by doing so. He decides it's about time he takes a break, so he turns, looking over the smooth surface of the wood he's been working on, pushing on it to check for stability before taking a seat. It feels pretty good, if he does say so himself, especially considering he's only been working with Jim for a little over a week.

He hears the door open behind him and feels a quick, welcome gust of air before it shuts.

"'m done with the drawers," he says, loud enough for his boss to hear him from the entrance. "I mean, they're not finished or anything, but they're built. I think. You can take a look at them." He turns and points to the right corner of the room. "They're right over there."

"Not sure I'd be able to tell you if they're right or not, but I can say nice things about them if you think that'll help pad your ego."

Jared laughs and beams up at Jensen. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work."

Jensen smiles sheepishly, and Jared realizes he's hiding something behind his back. "I'm taking a long lunch today."

"You?" Jared asks. "Look at that. Days off. Long lunches. Your business partners must hate me."

Jensen rolls his eyes, ignoring the teasing, and brings both of his hands up. A brown bag dangles from each of them. "I packed them myself."

Jared laughs and takes one of the bags. "Was that the first time you've ever been in the kitchen? Did you find it without a map?"

"Shut up," Jensen mutters, sitting down next to Jared and looking away. "Misha helped me find it."

Jared throws his head back and laughs, and Jensen kicks his foot. "I didn't come here to be mocked! I was trying to be romantic."

"Shows how much you suck at that," Jared replies. "Maybe just stick to the part where you tell me how you feel with your cock."

"Anyone ever told you you've got the soul of a poet?"

Jared grins and opens his bag, pulling out a sandwich and a can of soda, the condensed sides already sweating through the paper bag. He peeks at the bottom and grins. "You even packed an apple," he says. "I feel like it's the first day of school."

The last time Jared saw a lunch like this, he was a teenager and he was packing for someone else's first day of school. He doesn't bring that up.

"I'd kiss you if I wasn't so gross," he says instead.

"I'd let you if you weren't so gross," Jensen replies in a teasing tone before leaning in and kissing Jared anyway. He pulls away slowly. "Jesus. You can't just sit there smelling like that. I have to go back to the office in a bit."

"Happy Boner Day," Jared declares, taking a big bite of ham and cheese. He chews a few times, then lets some cheese dangle out of his mouth.

"Okay, never mind," says Jensen as he unwraps his own sandwich. "All sexual tension gone."

"All of it?" Jared asks with his mouth full and his cheeks stuffed. It comes out sounding more like gibberish, but Jensen just laughs.

"In a few months," he says, "you'll have to take me out to lunch to pay me back for this. Now that you're a working man and all."

Jared swallows and washes the bite down with some Sprite. "I'm not getting paid. This is for fun. I'll have to keep paying off my debts in blowjobs."

Jensen laughs, scratching the back of his neck with his empty hand. "I talked to Jim about that," he tells Jared. "He says you're doing good work, Jay. Fast learner. And he'd been thinking of finding someone a little younger to help him out for a while now. He'll be happy to take you on and agrees that it's only fair that you get commission for whatever you build." He gives Jared a pained smile. "That way you can save up for when you're…you won't have to live off me forever."

Jared shakes his head, not sure how Jensen still doesn't get that he wants to stay. Instead he puts his drink down and finishes his sandwich and takes Jensen by the wrist, tugging as he stands up. "Come here," he says. "There's something I want to show you."

Jensen nods and follows Jared until they pass by the crib he and Jim set up the day before. Jared pulls out the chair he'd started building after his boss left yesterday, when he still had a few hours to fill while he waited for Jensen to finish at work. "What do you think?"

Jensen smiles and stoops to inspect the detail closer. "You did this?"

"Yes, sir."

"You really are a faster learner," he says, glancing up at Jared briefly. "It's beautiful."

"Naw," Jared replies, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "You already told me you were gonna lie to make me feel good about myself."

"I'm serious," he says, fingers tracing over the designs Jared carved into the wood. "Jared, this is amazing."

Jared feels himself smiling and his cheeks beginning to burn. "I'm making it up as I go along," he says. "Jim didn't design it. It's all me."

Jensen smiles to himself and runs his hand over the wood, then stands up. "Gorgeous," he says, cupping Jared's face and kissing him.

"It's for you," Jared says, the words rushing out of him. "I'm building it for you."

Jensen looks down at the chair, then back at Jared. "I love you."

Jared blinks, taken by surprise. "Oh, come on, it's not that nice. It's still my first-"

Jensen shuts him up with a deep kiss and then pulls back, still holding Jared's face between his hands. "Stop kidding around, okay? Just for five minutes. I love you, Jared."

Jared shakes his head and takes a step back on reflex. "Jensen, I-"

Jensen covers his mouth with two fingers. "No, it's okay. You don't have to say it back. Don't say it if you don't mean it. I just wanted you to know."

Jared does mean it. He means it so much that he can't bring the words up. He's too scared. It's not that he doubts that Jensen means it. Masters have said this to him before, and Jared knows the ones who weren't being deliberately cruel-as if Jared would believe them or reciprocate it even if they were telling the truth-thought they meant it at the time. But it was brief. Infatuation. Jared always ended up back on the auction block.

And sometimes he lied and said it back, but he can't say it now. Even if Jensen doesn't sell him when he's done, even if he frees Jared like he's promised and Jared now trusts him to do, he'll change his mind like the rest of them did. He's hooked on Jared's scent, but he won't be forever. He'll send Jared away, and Jared will spend the rest of his life trying to convince himself this man never really meant anything to him to begin with.

"I'm going to head back," Jensen says, giving Jared a wobbly smile and stepping away too quickly. "Still have work to do, you know? I'll see you tonight."

He leaves before Jared gets a chance to stop him, and Jared wouldn't know what to say to hold him anyway.



Jared can feel Jensen's fingers flicking the strands of hairs between his fingers back and forth. He kisses the freckles on Jensen's chest and puts an arm on the other side of him, propping himself up so he's half on top and Jensen has to stop fidgeting and focus on him.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "You seem nervous."

Jensen stays quiet under him, his face conflicted. "I'm going away for a couple of days next week."

Jared nods and sinks down, resting his chin over Jensen's heart. "Where are we going this time? Not to another island, right? Jensen, if I get a sunburn on my ass again, I swear, your dick is not going near it for a-"

"I'm going alone," he tells Jared.

"Oh," Jared replies, losing his steam. He smiles anyway and tries to sound as peppy as he had a few seconds earlier. "Can't blame you there. Who wants a slave following them around everywhere, anyway?"

"That's not it, Jared. Come on, don't be like that." He shakes his head. "Sebastian's hosting. I don't want to put you in danger."

Jared lifts himself up immediately, sitting back on his heels so he can glare at Jensen. "You're not going to stay with him alone."

"Yeah, I am." Jensen shrugs. "Look, I have to. Whatever my personal feelings are toward the guy, professionally he's not someone I'm allowed to openly snub. He insisted on hosting this conference, what could I do?"

"Not go," Jared says. "Jensen, you're not going."

"I gotta, Jay," Jensen replies. "I'd give a lot not to."

"Take me with you then," Jared pleads. "He scares me. I won't be able to rest for a second while you're gone."

"He doesn't scare me." Jensen reaches out, the backs of his fingers caressing Jared's cheek. "I'll be alright. But he tried to-I'm not going to ask you to go anywhere near him. Not ever again, I swear."

"I want you to." Jared kisses Jensen and pulls back. "Please, Jensen. I'll do anything if you'll take me."

"Fine." Jensen frowns, chewing his lip, until finally he says, "But I don't like it."

Jared grins, basking in his victory, and leans down for a kiss.



They take a private jet to Sebastian's four days later. The place they're staying in is practically a plantation, just a giant creepy house sitting in the middle of miles and miles of land. Jared thought Jensen's house was in poor taste, but he's not exactly surprised by the fact that Sebastian Roché grew up in a place like this.

The first few hours go smoothly enough. Jensen more or less hides Jared in their room the entire time he's in meetings, and every time they're in a room together, Jared sees his green eyes scanning the room, keeping track of where Sebastian is and what he's doing. At dinner, Jared stands behind Jensen's chair like the other slaves, but he keeps his eyes and ears focused on the host. Sebastian takes less than no notice of him, but Jared is still on edge. He's spent enough of his life acting to know better than to just buy into Sebastian's indifference.

He realizes his mistake later that night, when he and Jensen are curled together asleep, and suddenly the room to their door bursts open and men begin to file in.

"What the hell is this?" Jensen asks, sitting up and turning on the lamp by his bedside.

"That's him," Sebastian says, pointing to Jared. He has a hysterical, terrified look on his face, or he's trying to. It's not hard to see how hard he's trying to suppress a smile. "That's the slave who stole my jewel!"

The men entering the room all surround the bed, pointing guns at Jared, and Jared pulls back, tightening the covers around him.

Jensen looks at him. "Come on, you know perfectly well Jared didn't take anything."

"I'm sorry, Jensen, I know how fond of him you are," Sebastian says, false sympathy so strong in his voice Jared is wondering how the others in the room are buying any of this. "But your slave took something very valuable from me tonight. I suppose he can't be blamed. It's in their blood, you know. But I couldn't just let him get away with it. I value our partnership too much to let you keep the deviant in your service unknowing of the danger he posed you."

"The fuck are you on about?" Jensen wipes his hands over his eyes.

On the other side of the room, one of the police men holds up a jacket and says, "I found it, chief. Right here in his pocket, like Mr. Roché said."

"Like Mr. Roché planted it," Jensen accuses.

Across the room, the man's blue eyes go wide. "Old friend," he says. "I can imagine how frightening this is for you, living with a criminal all these months. But it's no use to lash out at me. You know I had no time to do any such thing, what with how busy my hosting duties have kept me."

And fuck, he's right. They've both kept their eyes glued to him since the moment they arrived, there's no chance he could have slipped a gem that huge into Jared's pocket undetected. Jensen didn't let him get within five feet of Jared all night. But Jared sees someone standing near the door looking nervous, someone short with brown hair. Richard. Jared had forgotten the man existed; that dinner party seems so long ago now. He wants to die the moment he realizes how stupid he's been. Jensen didn't know to look out for Richard, but Jared has no excuse.

Sebastian turns to the police man next to him, apparently the chief. "There are twelve other free men who can act as witnesses for me if Mr. Ackles should choose to press the matter, but I think he'll see things more sensibly once the initial shock has worn off." He smiles coolly. "I won't press charges against my friend for the slander."

The chief nods. "That's good of you, Mr. Roché. A fine, highborn citizen like Mr. Ackles knows better than to accuse you. He was just tired. This must all be very confusing for him. Isn't that right, sir?"

"No," Jensen says. He cuts a quick glance in Jared's direction, then looks away sharply. "Jared didn't take the jewel."

Jared's heart speeds up, but he feels relief spread through him. Jensen always knows the right thing to say. He always thinks of something right away, something perfect that fixes everything. He must know what to say now to make this all go away.

"Mr. Ackles," the chief says, sighing, "you can't expect us to believe a slave owns a jewel like that, can you?"

"Of course not," Jensen replies with a sneer. "I stole it."

"What?" Jared asks, seizing forward and grabbing Jensen's forearm. "Jens-Master, what are you doing?"

Sebastian and several of the police officers in the room all ask the question at the same time, and the look on Sebastian's face makes Jared want to kill the man with his bare fists. He's openly grinning now, like he couldn't have imagined this going better.

"Come again?" The officer asks.

"I took the stone. My slave had nothing to do with it." Jensen turns to glare at the policeman nearest Jared. "So point that gun somewhere else."

The man looks down at the weapon, then at Jensen, and lowers it, apparently unwilling to put the barrel of a gun in a nobleman's face.

Richard steps forward, wearing an expression like this has gone too far, and Jared hopes maybe he's about to admit what he did. What this sonofabitch made him do. He even opens his mouth, but then Sebastian looks over at him with a threatening edge, and instead of confessing, the man slips out of the room.

"That's ridiculous," the police chief says. "What would a man like you want with that? You're already rich enough."

Jensen shrugs, and Jared has never hated that mask of his more than he does when Jensen says, casual as anything, "Can't ever have too much money, can you?"

That's not who he is. Jared wants to shake him and yell at the other people in the room. How could they believe that? That's not like Jensen at all. But they don't know Jensen. All they know is the businessman Jensen pretends to be, the one who fought his way to the top. And that's what Jensen wants, but Jared can't let him lie this time.

"Please," Jared says. "I did it. I swear I did it."

The chief nods, looking relieved. "Yes, see? Mr. Ackles. Are you sure you weren't just confused?"

He makes an encouraging face, and Jared knows he's giving Jensen an out. He doesn't care who stole the damn stone, he wants Jensen to let his slave take the fall for it.

"It was in the Alpha's coat," one of the officers says, apparently trying strengthen Jensen's defense.

"That's my coat, you idiot," Jensen snaps. "So get your filthy lowborn hands off it."

The man gapes, then drops the fabric.

"You're not an Alpha," the chief points out helpfully. And there's no denying it now, not even for Jensen. He's shirtless in bed with Jared and it's obvious, even to this pack of Betas.

"All my coats are fitted that way," Jensen says easily. Which is true. Fuck. "Feel free to look them over. Besides, who would buy a coat like that for a slave?"

Jensen would. Jensen did. But it doesn't matter, the argument seems to make everyone stop and consider, and finally the chief says, "Alright. Arrest him, I guess."



Jensen makes bail as soon as the court opens the next morning. Jared waits for him in the nearest hotel, where he took all of their things the night before after Jensen had been arrested and Genevieve had been contacted for advice on what to do with him. He stays up all night and is damn near hysterical by the time Jensen walks through the door.

"You bastard," Jared says standing up and nearly flying at him. "How could you do that?"

"Don't be stupid, Jared," Jensen says, in a dull voice. He sounds tired, like he doesn't even have the energy to fight, and Jared relents a little, trying to imagine what even one night in prison is like to someone like Jensen.

"Why?" he asks, calmer this time. "Why did you take the blame, Jen? It was my-"

"I let you come here. I knew it was a bad idea, I should have insisted."

"Yeah, but I begged. This is my fault."

"This is Sebastian's fault," Jensen replies, his tone sharp. He sinks down onto the bed and shakes his head. "Jared, if I let you take the blame for it, you'd be dead by now. You know it. They wouldn't have given you a trial or a fair punishment. You would be hanging in Sebastian's yard like a goddamn lawn ornament."

Jared flinches. It's been a while since he got that blunt of a reminder of his status from Jensen. "Yeah, but-"

"But nothing," Jensen says. "Please, can we not fight right now? I'm tired. I'm...I'm scared. Can we just sleep?"

Jared nods, closing his mouth and swallowing his arguments, though it takes every ounce of effort he has. They spend the next few days in that room, hardly even leaving to eat. Enjoying every last bittersweet moments they have together, though neither of them says it that way. Jensen's court date is scheduled for just a week after the incident, because even as a confessed criminal his blood status earns him some privileges.

Jared holds him back the morning of his trial, pulling Jensen in so tight he has to physically fight his way out. Jared begs him to stay. Run away from it. Not go, because he won't come back free. But he knows Jensen has to.

He waits in agony for the hours while Jensen is gone, trying not to imagine him up on the stand. He'll be such a good liar, his face stony and impassive as he claims every bit of guilt. He'll be convicted in no time, because that's what he wants. If there's anything Jensen knows, it's how to get what he wants.

Still, a small part of Jared can't help hoping Jensen will change his mind. Jared can't speak for himself, they won't take a slave's word in court. But they'll mention him, give Jensen one last chance to pin everything on Jared and make it out scot free.

Jensen comes back with a haunted look in his eyes, and Jared knows it didn't go well. He figures he's a dead man before Jensen opens his mouth, but he can't help asking.

"What happened?"

Jensen slumps down on the end of the bed and doesn't move when Jared crawls up behind him, draping his arms around Jensen's neck. Instead of turning to kiss Jared or leaning into the comfort he's trying so hard to offer, Jensen drops his face into his hands.

"Jen?"

"That bastard really knew what he was doing, Jay," Jensen says behind the screen of his hands.

Jared swallows a lump. "He wanted me dead."

"Yes." Jensen raises his head enough to talk clearly. "They gave me a fine. That stupid stone was worth more than his and my company combined. The charge for it and for the crime and-" He breaks off, shaking his head. "God, Jared. I can sell off practically everything I have and still not cover the whole debt."

"Jesus," Jared mutters.

Jensen nods slowly, meeting Jared's eyes. He looks so afraid and so beautiful that Jared has to lean in and kiss him. Jensen's mouth is slack against his, though, and Jared pulls back when he realizes Jensen is crying.

"Please, don't cry," Jared whispers. "Please."

"I'm going to miss you," he says.

Jared doesn't need to have it spelled out for him. He's going to die, just when life was starting to be worth wading through. Jensen has done a lot for him, but no rich man would bankrupt himself over a slave. In a way, he's been ready for this since he pushed Sebastian away instead of kissing him back. He swallows a thick lump in his throat and reaches out, stroking his hand in the hair on the side of his master's head. "Shh, it's okay. I understand. I understand, Jensen, it's okay."

"I'm going to miss you so much, but I can't let them kill you."

"You didn't tell them it was me?" Jared asks, letting his displeasure show.

"They gave me an hour to try and round up the money. Then they're coming to either collect it or take me."

It's at least a minute before Jared really accepts what Jensen's trying to tell him. He pulls back, shaking his head. "No, Jensen. No, I'm not letting you go to jail for me."

"Jay, they won't listen to your side of the story until I free you, and I'm not freeing you until I'm good and convicted." Jensen lets out an ugly laugh. "Sorry to use this one on you, but I'm your master and you…you can't stop me."

Jared sits quietly, not sure how to respond to that, and Jensen rises, walking to the table across the room and pulling papers Genevieve had sent him the night before out of a briefcase.

"What are you doing?" Jared asks, staying on the bed so as not to intrude on Jensen's privacy. It seems like Jensen has bigger things to do than deal with paperwork.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm trying to find the money. I'm selling," Jensen laughs weakly, "everything. Company-Sebastian will take that. And I wish him well of it." He frowns, turning the deed over and starting a pile of signed documents on the table. "House. Everything I've got."

Jared smiles. "Not everything. Jensen. Jensen, you don't have to go to jail."

"Oh?" Jensen asks, with a quirk of his lips. "Good to hear! Why not?"

"Me," Jared says. "You…you already took the blame so I could live. You've given up everything. Let me do this one thing. I'm worth…I'm worth a lot, Jensen. You could sell me. I'll cover the rest of it, maybe even have enough left over for you to-"

"Fuck you, Jared," Jensen says, standing up from the table. There's a knock at the door, and Jensen looks over at it before turning back to Jared. "Fuck you."

He doesn't give Jared a chance to reply, just stomps over to the door, opens it, and holds his hands out for the cuffs. The men at the door split up, two taking Jensen and another coming in to collect the papers Jensen left on the table.

Jared looks over at the one on the top of the stack and feels something sharp breaks through his heart and tear it in a million different directions. It's his deed, and it's signed, and Jared can't read the name of his new master, but he can see one clearly printed there.

Jensen already sold him. And maybe Jared had given him permission, but he must have signed this before then. Jared doesn't know why he's surprised, he doesn't even have the right to be disappointed. Jensen gave up a lot for him. That promise to free him doesn't apply when Jared's the cause of this much loss. But he still thought-Jensen could have at least asked him first.

"You Jared?" the man collecting the papers says, looking up at him after briefly scanning his deed.

Jared nods, hoping he doesn't look as hurt as he is. He closes his eyes, terrified to know who he belongs to this time. Not Sebastian, at least. Jensen sold him the company, but he wouldn't do that to Jared. "Who…?" he says, voice shaking, as if this guy is going to know what he's asking.

The man laughs and hands him the paper. "Looks like you're free, kid. Congratulations." He pats Jared on the back as he makes his way to the door. "Just take that in to court tomorrow."

Jared looks down and reads the page five times before the words add up. Jared's name is printed neatly on the line that asks for the slave's new owner. It should be the happiest moment of his life, he thinks bitterly. He should be celebrating.

Instead, he crumples the paper between his fingers as he closes them. Jared makes it as far as the table on his trembling legs. Then he sinks down into the first chair, crushed under the weight of his freedom, and cries for his master.

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