I'll Watch Over You
Title: I'll Watch Over You.
Summary: When Jared's parents come down for the weekend, Jensen finds out a disturbing family secret.
Warnings: Mentions of past child abuse and rape.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N 1 :- This is my first J2 fic and I hope you all enjoy reading. :)
A/N 2 :- For the purposes of this fic, I have changed Jared's parents names.
I'll Watch Over You.
Chris grinned as he slapped Jensen on the back. “Hey man! Congratulations.”
"Chris!” Jensen turned and gave the man a quick hug. “I'm glad you made it.”
“Of course I made it,” he replied. “It’s not like I was gonna miss my best friend’s engagement party.”
Jensen smiled.
“So, Jared finally decided to make an honest man of you, huh?”
“Looks like.”
“Speaking of, where is future hubby to be? I need to pass on my congratulations and you know give him the whole best friend ‘You hurt him and I’ll kick your ass’ speech.”
Jensen laughed. “He’s around here somewhere.”
“I’m gonna go grab a beer, you want another one?” Chris asked.
Jensen shook his head. “Nah, I’m gonna go see where Jay’s gotten to.”
As Chris left in search of beer, Jensen scanned the room full of friends and family for any sign of his fiancée, but Jared was nowhere to be seen. His gaze briefly stopped on Jared’s parents, Robert and Shelia, who were stood chatting with Jensen’s family. He was pleased that both sets of parents seemed to be getting along so well, it was just a shame that Jared’s relationship with his parents was still so strained. When they had first got together, Jared told him that he didn’t have close relationship with his parents and that things between them had become distant when he'd come out and told them that he was gay. Jensen could sympathise, he had fallen out with his own family over his sexuality and they ended up not speaking for two years. Luckily they'd been able to work things out and now they were closer than ever.
Jensen had hoped that by inviting Jared’s parents up for the weekend of his and Jared’s engagement party that Jared may have been able to spend some time with them and work things out, but that didn’t look like it was going to happen. The look of shock on Jared’s face when his parents had shown up had instantly made Jensen regret his decision of choosing to surprise his fiancée with their visit. He’d apologised to Jared later, and Jared assured him that it was fine but the younger man had been on edge and skittish ever since, spending as little time with his parents as he could. Jensen had to admit he was kind of surprised by Jared’s behaviour. Jared was one of the friendliest people he had ever met, but around his parents he was quiet and withdrawn even though Jensen could see that Jared’s parents were trying hard to show an interest in his and Jared’s lives.
Sighing, Jensen put his beer down and went in search of his fiancée. He found him out in the garden, sat down on one of the benches with his shoulders hunched in as if he was trying to make himself smaller.
“Jay? There you are. I was wondering where you’d gotten to.” Jensen’s brow furrowed in concern when he saw the glass in Jared's hand and the half empty bottle of whiskey beside the bench. “Everything okay, baby?”
“Sure.” Jared’s shoulders were slumped and his voice sounded flat. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because it’s our engagement party and you’re out here drinking whiskey. Neat. Alone.”
“Just needed some air. I’ll be back through in a minute.”
Jensen sat down beside him, his concern growing when Jared tensed even further. “Jay, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Jared’s eyes briefly flickered up to watch the scene inside when he heard his father’s booming laugh, and he tried hard to suppress the shiver of fear that the sound sent through him.
Jensen sighed. “Look, I know inviting your family here was a shock and I’m sorry I sprung it on you like that.”
“I know you’re sorry, Jensen. You already apologised earlier and like I said then, it’s okay.” Jared felt Jensen gently take his hand and he swallowed hard, hoping his voice didn’t come out as weak and shaky as he felt. “Yes, it was a shock but I’m fine with it now.”
“Baby, you don’t seem fine.” Jensen ran his thumb soothingly across the back of Jared’s hand. “Listen Jay, whatever happened with your family, maybe it’s not as bad as you think it is. I know what it’s like to not see your family for so long. After I came out, my brother wouldn’t even talk to me and I could tell my dad was uncomfortable around me. It made me feel so rejected, like I wasn’t good enough to be a part of their family, and so I just cut them out of my life.” Jensen reached out and cupped Jared’s cheek, gently turning the other man to face him. “If we had just talked with one another instead of just bottling things up then we would have been able to sort everything out then and there, but instead we wasted two years. Two years of saying things we didn’t mean, two years of avoiding each other and making each other feel miserable. We wasted so much time, Jay. I just don’t want you to keep suffering because you think your family doesn’t want you, because whatever happened in the past to make you think like that, maybe it’s not that way anymore. Your parents seem to be really trying hard to spend time with you, to take an interest in us and our life together.”
Jared let out a humourless laugh. “Yeah, I know they are.”
“What if you just tried talking to them?” Jensen suggested. “Tell them how you feel. I’m sure once you get everything out in the open you’ll realise that things aren’t nearly as bad as you think they are, that things can be fixed and...”
“Did you ever hate them?” Jared asked suddenly, cutting Jensen off.
Jensen wrinkled his forehead in confusion. “Hate who?”
“The two years you were apart from your family,” Jared drained the rest of his glass of whiskey before continuing, “When your brother and father were ignoring you and you were all saying bad stuff about each other, did you ever hate them?”
“No, of course not. No matter what was going on, I never stopped loving them. They’re my family and I....”
“I hate them,” Jared stated coldly. “My parents. I hate them.”
“Jay?” The tone of Jared’s voice surprised Jensen. In all the years he’s known him, he had never once heard the younger man like this. He sounded so angry and detached, but what scared Jensen the most was the underlying fear and hurt he could hear.
“I hate them so much, Jensen.” Jared tightened the hold on the glass in his hand.
“Jay, you don’t mean that.....” Jensen’s voice trailed off when he noticed the tremors working their way through Jared’s body. “Baby, you’re shaking.”
“I do. I do mean it. I hate them...god Jensen...what they.....I hate them....I...” Jared’s breathing quickened and he gripped glass harder, his knuckles turning white with the strain.
Jared’s body language was screaming pain, aggression and misery, and when he began stuttering for breath, a cold knot of dread twisted in Jensen’s stomach and he realised that whatever had happened with Jared’s family was much worse than he’d ever imagined. “Shhh, Jared. It’s okay. Shhh...you’re alright.” Jensen frowned when he saw how hard Jared was holding the glass and he immediately placed his hand over Jared’s to try and loosen his grip. “Shhh, stop it, baby...it’s okay now...you’re okay.”
Jensen flinched at the sound of the glass smashing and his eyes widened in horror when Jared hissed in pain and Jensen saw the shard of glass sticking out of his hand.
“Jay!” He quickly grabbed the now bleeding hand. “Jesus Christ.” Thankfully on closer examination the glass hadn’t cut too deep. Jensen got to his feet and carefully tried to tug Jared up with him. “Come on baby, we need to go inside and get this cleaned up.”
Jared shook his head frantically. “No. I can’t. I can’t”
“Why?”
Jared remained silent. His body still trembling with tension as he stared absently down at his bleeding hand, and Jensen felt his heart twist painfully when he saw the tears slowly making their way down his cheeks.
“Jay, please. Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Please.”
“I can’t...I can’t go back in there with them Jensen. Please...please don’t make me...please...” Jared cried, the tears falling faster as he fisted his uninjured hand in the front of Jensen shirt, clinging desperately to it as his eyes pleaded with Jensen’s to not make him go back.
“Shhh Jay,” Jensen soothed as he wrapped his arms around him, making sure not to trap the injured hand. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” He ran his hand softly up and down Jared’s back. “Just calm down, okay? Everything’s alright, Shhh.”
Jensen stayed there whispering comforting nonsense into Jared’s ear until the younger man's breathing finally calmed down and the tears Jensen could feel wet and hot on his neck where Jared had buried his face slowly stopped. “Come on, baby,” he whispered, and he gently guided Jared round the side of the house so they could slip unnoticed back into their home and through into their bedroom. Jensen then led a completely compliant Jared over to the bed, and the detached, vacant look on the younger man’s face was worrisome as was the now constant trembling of his body. “Just sit here for a minute, okay? I’m just gonna grab some stuff for your hand,” Jensen said softly, ushering Jared to sit down on the bed.
Jared watched as Jensen disappeared into the bathroom and for a second he considered just bolting from the room before he returned. He knew Jensen was going to want an answer for what was going on and the thought of Jensen finding about him made his blood run cold. If Jensen knew the truth then he wouldn’t want Jared anymore, he would see Jared for what he really is...dirty...used...damaged goods. No, he couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t lose Jensen, he just couldn’t.
“Jay?”
Jared jumped at the gentle touch on his shoulder, he’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t even noticed that Jensen was back and was now sat beside him with a first aid kit.
“Sorry, baby.” Jensen’s stomach clenched uncomfortably when he felt Jared flinch away from his touch, but he gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“S’okay,” Jared mumbled quietly, his head lowered.
Jensen held up the first aid kit. “Let’s get you fixed up, huh?”
Jared gave Jensen his hand and watched as he carefully plucked out the broken glass, cleaned and bandaged the cut. The whole time Jensen kept his touches so soft and tender, and Jared choked back a sob knowing that once Jensen found out the truth those touches would disappear forever.
“Jay,” Jensen whispered, his heart breaking at the sound of Jared’s pained sobs. He gently lowered Jared’s hand down before moving to crouch down on the floor in front of him. "Jay, please talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong? Tell me why seeing your parents has got you this upset?” He tried to meet Jared’s eyes but they continuously darted away to look at the floor or the walls. Jensen reached up and put his hand on Jared’s cheek, “Please baby, tell me?”
Jared shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “I can’t...I can’t...you’ll hate me...you won’t love me anymore...I can’t...”
"There’s nothing so bad that you can’t tell me, Jared. Whatever happened I promise I’m not gonna judge." Jensen gently wiped away Jared’s tears with his thumb. "I love you and nothing, nothing will ever change that. Please Jay, just tell me."
Jared finally made eye contact and after a few moments studying Jensen, he took a deep breath. “They...my parents...they...” Jared stuttered then shook his head again. “I can’t...I’m sorry...I can’t...”
“Jared, it’s okay,” Jensen soothed. “You can trust me, baby. I promise. It’s okay to tell me, it’s okay.”
Jared tried to speak but all that came out were sobs and keening noises and then he was being rocked in Jensen's arms. Jensen continued to talk to him soothingly, murmuring reassurances and when his sobs quieted down to soft sniffles and occasional hiccups, Jared started to talk.
“You remember I told you that I came out to my parents when I was eighteen?”
Jensen nodded. Jared had told him that even though his parents clearly weren’t happy about his choices they didn’t say too much about it and that they just tended to ignore the topic.
“I...I lied,” Jared stammered. “I never came out to them at all. They caught me kissing a guy from school when I was fifteen.” Jared grabbed a hold of Jensen’s hand, his voice breaking as he began pleading with him. “I swear I never wanted to lie to you Jensen. Please, believe me, I didn’t want to lie...I just....and...”
“Shhh,” Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand in reassurance. “It’s fine, Jay. I believe you. It’s alright.”
Jared took a hitching breath before continuing. “They really didn’t react well. I mean I knew they wouldn’t be happy about it, that’s why I never told them but god, Jensen, they were so angry. They yelled and screamed about how they wouldn’t have a faggot as a son and my dad...”
“And your dad what Jay?” Jensen coaxed gently when Jared once again trailed off.
“He...he hit me.” Jared’s eyes took on a distant look. “Beat the crap out of me then locked me in my room. I was left in there alone for two days, and then my mom came in and told me that they had found someone at her church who could ‘help’ me.”
The way Jared said the world help set Jensen on edge, but he didn’t say anything just rubbed his thumb back and forth across Jared’s wrist, silently encouraging him to continue.
“They just handed me over to some guy who told them he would heal me.” Jared’s shaking increased and Jensen pulled the younger man closer to him. “It wasn’t so bad the first week. He’d just yell at me a lot, lecture me about how sinful I was and push me around a bit...”
“The first week?” Jensen asked, shakily. “Jay, how long did you have to stay with this guy?”
Jared swallowed hard. “Two months.”
Jensen felt sick. The thought of his sweet, sensitive Jared being at the hands of some homophobic psycho for two fucking months was just...God! Jensen didn’t even have words to describe what it was. “Jesus Jay...”
Jared really wanted to stop talking. He didn’t want Jensen to know all this but now he’d started it was like he was powerless to stop. “Things started to get really bad around week three. He stopped just pushing me around, started hitting and kicking me, then...then began using his belt to beat me with. He would whip my back for hours while he quoted all this religious crap at me.”
Jensen thought back to first time he had seen the scars on Jared’s back. When he'd asked about them, Jared had told him that he had been in car accident when he was a kid. At the time, Jared had seemed uncomfortable talking about them so Jensen hadn’t pushed for anymore details but now he wished he had. “The scars on your back, they’re not from a car accident are they?” Jensen asked even though he already knew the answer.
Jared shook his head, lowering his eyes in shame.
“Christ Jay!” Jensen exclaimed, his concern and anger at how Jared had suffered like this causing his voice to come out harsher than he intended. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
Jared flinched at the angry tone and scrambled backwards on the bed, drawing his legs up he tried to make himself as small as possible. “M’sorry, m’sorry Jensen, don’t be mad. Please, don’t be mad, m’sorry.”
“No baby, no, I’m not mad at you,” Jensen soothed and mentally kicked himself for making Jared ever think that. He carefully wrapped his arms around him and ran a hand up and down his back. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m not at mad you, I promise. I could never be mad at you Jay.”
Jared stayed in the safe cocoon of Jensen’s arms for a few long moments before pulling back so he could tell him the rest of the story. After lying to him for so long he owed Jensen that much. “At the start of the second month he decided that beating and whipping me wasn’t enough anymore. He said if I wanted to be fag so much then he was gonna show me what it was like to be one and he...he...”
Jensen prayed not to hear the words that he knew were coming next.
“He raped me,” Jared choked out. “Every night for weeks he raped me.”
Jensen closed his eyes as sadness and pain coursed through every inch of his body but he desperately fought back his tears. Jared needed him to be strong. “Jay, c’mere” Jensen reached out for him wanting to pull him back into the comfort of his arms but Jared shuffled away, wrapping his arms around his knees and lowering his head to rest on them, when he looked at Jensen his stare was vacant like he was lost in his memories and when he spoke, his voice came out quiet and distant.
“At one point, I was able to get to a phone. I called my parents and I told them Jensen. I told them everything that monster was doing to me and they did nothing. Dad said I deserved everything I was getting and that it was all for my own good.” Jared laughed but the sound was so chilling it actually sent shivers down Jensen's spine.
“I actually thought they would help once they knew,” Jared snorted. “God, I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
“Jay...”
“They knew and they just left me there.” Jared fixed his eyes on Jensen’s and Jensen felt sick at the utter devastation and misery reflected in them. “I begged them to come and get me and they just left me in that...in that hell...they left me...they left me...” Jared tried to take a breath but it came out as a sob instead and then he just couldn’t hold back the pain anymore.
Jared began rocking himself back and forth, heart wrenching sobs taking the place of much needed breaths. Jensen quickly gathered the broken man to him and as Jared fell apart in his arms, Jensen fell apart right along with him. He drew Jared closer, held him tighter and wished more than anything that he could have somehow protected Jared from all this.
“Shhh, Jay, It’s alright now. I've got you. I've got you, baby,” Jensen whispered and he ran his hand through Jared’s hair trying to soothe and calm, but Jared just continued to shake, his breathing now so erratic that Jensen was worried he was going to hyperventilate. “Shhh, can you try and take some deep breaths for me, Jay? You’re okay now, baby. I’m here. I’m gonna take care of you, just breathe for me, okay?”
Jared tried but he just couldn’t seem to pull in enough air and his breaths just got shallower and shorter until he was panting, his lungs trying desperately to suck in much needed oxygen. He heard Jensen curse and then he was being manoeuvred so that he was leaning against Jensen, his back to the other man’s chest and Jensen began rubbing soothing circles across his stomach.
“Come on, Jared,” Jensen coaxed. “Just match your breaths to mine, you can do it. You’re alright, you’re safe now, just breathe.”
Jensen kept up his encouraging words and soft touches until finally Jared’s breathing evened out and he felt the younger man sag down against him. “That’s it, Jay. Just breathe. Everything’s gonna be alright. I got you.”
“M’sorry,” Jared whispered as his head flopped back to rest on Jensen’s shoulder.
Jensen shushed him and placed a gentle kiss on the top of his head. “You don’t ever need to apologise Jared. None of this was your fault. None of it.” Jensen lowered them both down so that they were lying on the bed and he gently turned Jared around in his arms to face him. He reached up to softly cup Jared’s cheek. “You do know that you are not to blame for any of this, don’t you?”
Jared lowered his eyes. “According to my parents I am. When they finally took me home they made it clear that they thought I got everything I deserved, that it was my punishment for being such a bad son. They pretty much ignored me for the rest of the time I lived there and I left home as soon as I could. I moved to LA with a friend when I was eighteen and just sort of fell into the whole acting thing. I didn’t hear a word from my parents until I started to become successful, that’s when this whole nice as pie act started.” Jared sighed and burrowed himself deeper into Jensen’s embrace.
“When they first started showing an interest in my life and speaking to me like I was their son instead of something they stepped in, I actually thought they might have changed. That they finally accepted me for who I was and that they were sorry for what they did.” Tears began falling from Jared’s eyes again and Jensen gently kissed them away. “I actually thought they might love me, stupid huh?”
“No Jay,” Jensen said firmly. “You wanted to feel loved by your parents. That’s not stupid, it’s human.”
“I should have known better.” Jared swiped angrily at his tears. “They managed to keep up their act for about six months then my dad got drunk and he told me that the only reason they were giving me the time of day was for my money. They still thought I was the scum of the earth but I was rich scum now so I had a use. The only reason they’re here now playing nice is because they know we have money.”
“God, I’m so sorry, baby.” Jensen rubbed his hands up and down Jared’s arms, across his back and through his hair, trying to comfort in any way he could.
“I’ve barely spoken to them since the night my dad got drunk and told me the truth,” Jared said and he buried his head in Jensen’s neck. “And I haven’t seen them again until this weekend.”
“Jay, I’m so sorry. I never would have invited them here if I’d known.” Jensen held him tighter. “You know that don’t you, baby?”
“I know.” Jared nodded against Jensen’s neck. “I wanted to tell you the truth but I was just so ashamed and then they were here and god...I forgot how scared they make me feel. I’m still so afraid of them, Jensen.”
“You don’t have to be scared anymore,” Jensen promised. “I’m here now and I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you ever again. You’re safe now, I swear.”
Jared let Jensen’s words and gentle caresses flow over him and he finally let himself relax fully into Jensen’s arms, his trembling easing off as Jensen began humming a soft melody into his hair.
Jensen smiled sadly when he felt the tension leaving Jared and he continued humming as he threaded one of his hands repeatedly through Jared’s hair. He closed his eyes and tried to digest everything Jared had just told him. A part of him didn’t want to believe it, wanted to deny it with every fibre of his being, but he couldn’t because it was real. It had actually happened. To Jared, his Jared.
The more the horrifying thoughts went around in Jensen’s head the more things seemed to make sense. Jared had always been skittish about his sexuality and had been a vibrating ball of nervousness when he had first told Jensen he was gay, and when they became a couple he was constantly worrying about what people’s reactions were going to be when they found out. Jensen had just assumed that Jared was worried about how it might affect their careers and jobs on Supernatural, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Jared wasn’t worried about their jobs, he was fucking terrified about someone hurting him again. Then there was Jared's behaviour in bed, he could be so unsure of himself at times and he hated to be held down or restrained in any way. Jensen had just put his behaviour down to Jared being self conscious about his scars. God, how could he have been so blind? He should have questioned Jared more, found out sooner.
The calm and quiet of the room was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Jared’s father’s laugh and Jensen felt Jared jerk in his arms and then whimper. He fucking whimpered! Jensen had to grit his teeth to not growl in anger. How could Jared’s parents have treated him like this?
Jared let out a sound of protest when he felt Jensen move to get up from the bed and he reached out to stop the older man from leaving. “It’s okay, baby,” Jensen shushed. “Just stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.”
“Jen...”
“Just stay here, Jay.” Jensen placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “I’m gonna take care of everything.”
Jared’s heart began to beat faster as he watched Jensen leave. He was terrified about what was about to happen. What was Jensen going to do? His parents are going to furious when they find out Jared has told. What if they convince Jensen that it really was all Jared’s fault? Oh god, how could he have messed everything up so badly? He never should have told, he should have just kept his mouth shut. Jared let more tears fall as he rocked back and forth on the bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jensen finally knew now what people meant when they said that a murderous rage descended on them. When he walked back into the lounge and saw Jared’s mom and dad just stood there laughing and joking, playing the role of the perfect parents, all Jensen could think about was tearing them apart and making them suffer like they had made Jared suffer.
“Jenny?”
Jensen snapped his head to the side when he heard Chris call his name and saw his friend stood beside him, a look of curious concern on his face.
“You alright, dude?” Chris asked, he'd never seen Jensen look this wound up before. His friend’s hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes were narrowed and his face set in a grim look of determination and fury.
Jensen nodded his head in the direction of his bedroom. “Can you go and sit with Jared for me?”
“Jen, what’s going on?”
“Please,” Jensen said and Chris’s concern grew at the raw, hard edge he could hear in Jensen’s voice. “Just go and stay with Jay.”
Chris nodded, knowing from the tone of Jensen's voice that whatever had happened, the best thing he could do right now to help was to just do what Jensen asked.
Once Chris had left, Jensen went over to the entertainment centre and turned the music that had been playing off. As everyone turned their attention to him, Jensen tried his best to smile and act normal, and not just give in to the red hot rage and start ripping into Jared’s parents.
“Sorry everyone but I’m afraid we’re gonna have to cut the party short. Jared’s not feeling too well but we want to thank you all for coming. It really means a lot to both of us.” Jensen said and he hoped his voice sounded somewhat close to normal.
Once Jensen had shown the last of his guests out he closed the front door and turned his attention back to Jared’s parents who were now stood in the middle of the empty room.
“Jensen, what’s going on?” Robert asked. “Is Jared alright?”
“Mr Padalecki...”
“Now Jensen, I told you before just call me Robert.” Robert smiled and it took all of Jensen’s self control not to punch the grin right off his face.
“Robert,” Jensen grit out. “I would like you take your wife and get the fuck out of my house.”
Robert visibly bristled. “Excuse me?”
“Jensen, what’s wrong?” Shelia asked in surprise. “What did we do?”
“You know what you did!” Jensen hissed. “How could you do that to Jared? How could you treat your own son like that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Robert protested. “We haven’t done anything to Jared.”
“Haven’t done anything to him?” Jensen let out a laugh but there was no humour in it. “You left him alone with psycho for two months just because you had a problem with him being gay! You just fucking handed him over and let him be abused and raped by that sick son of a bitch and you didn’t do a thing to stop it! You told him he fucking deserved it!”
“Listen Jensen, I don’t know what stories Jared has been filling your head with but...”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Jensen growled. “Don’t you dare try and put the blame on Jared. If it were up to me I would happily kill you both right now, but Jay hates violence and I don’t ever want him to be afraid of me so I suggest you both just get the hell out before I change my mind.”
“Jensen...”
“I said get the fuck out!” Jensen snapped. “And if you ever come anywhere near Jared again, if you even try to contact him again I will tear you apart. You don’t deserve him as a son and I’m going to make sure you never get the chance to hurt him again. You’d be surprised at what money can buy these days if you have enough of it and I will do and hire whoever I need to, to ensure Jared’s safety.” Jensen stepped closer to Robert, invading his personal space. “Now I want you to leave and never come back, got it? Am I making myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Robert said through clenched teeth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Where’s Jared?” Jensen asked when he walked back into the bedroom and saw Chris sat alone on the bed.
Chris nodded his head in the direction of the closed bathroom door and Jensen furrowed his brow. “How long has been in there for?”
“He was already in there when I came in.”
Jensen immediately made his way over and knocked on the door. “Jay? You okay, baby?” Panic flooded through him when Jared didn’t answer. “Has he spoken to you?” he demanded as his head snapped back round to face Chris.
“I knocked when I first came in and he said he was fine,” Chris replied. “Jensen, what’s going on?”
Jensen ignored the question in favour of knocking on the door again. “Jay? It’s me. You alright in there?”
Silence.
“Jay! Answer me!”
Still nothing but Jensen thought he heard a shuffle from inside. He knocked harder on the door. “Jared, open the door.”
“Jensen,” Chris said getting up and making his way over. “Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
Jensen just silenced him with a wave of his hand, his attention firmly on the bathroom door. “Jay, please answer me. I need to know you’re okay.”
Silence.
“Jared, open the door!” Jensen demanded. “I swear if you don’t open this door I will break it down.”
“Yeah, I think you’ve been playing Dean Winchester far too long,” Chris remarked and Jensen shot a scowl his way.
Jared could hear Jensen calling to him from outside and he wanted to answer but he just couldn’t. He didn’t want to have to talk to him, to see the love in his eyes disappear and change into disgust and hatred now he knew the truth about him. Jared sobbed and covered his ears with his hands to block out the noise, and he wedged himself further into the space between the toilet and the bath.
When he heard Jensen threaten to knock down the door, Jared knew he couldn’t hide any longer. He knew Jensen wasn’t joking and Jared didn’t want to risk him getting hurt in the process so he moved to unlock the door before scrambling back to his hiding place.
Jensen let out a sigh of relief when he heard the lock click open and taking a calming breath he slowly pushed the door open. He felt his heart break when he saw Jared curled up on the floor with his tears leaking out of his eyes which were tightly shut.
“Jay? You okay?” Jensen approached him carefully not wanting to spook him. He knelt down on floor in front of him. “What are doing in here, baby?”
Jared didn’t reply, he just scrunched his eyes even more tightly closed. Jensen reached up and gently cupped his cheek. “Jay, open your eyes for me baby.”
Jared shook his head, his tears falling faster.
“Why not?” Jensen asked softly.
“Don’t...don’t want to see,” Jared choked out.
“See what?”
“That you...don’t love...love me anymore,” Jared sobbed.
“Oh Jay,” Jensen breathed, a tear slipping down his own face. “I love you so much baby. There’s nothing that could ever make me not love you. Please open your eyes, baby. I still love you, I promise.”
Slowly Jared opened his eyes and Jensen put every ounce of love and devotion into his gaze in the hope that Jared would see just how much he meant to him.
Jared held his gaze for a few long moments before wrinkling his forehead, “You’re crying.”
Jensen smiled sadly and wiped at his watery eyes. “That’s because it hurts to see someone you love suffering so much.”
Seconds later Jensen had his arms full of a crying, trembling fiancée. Jared fisted his hands into the back of Jensen’s shirt as he buried his head in the older man’s neck. “It’s okay now, Jay,” Jensen soothed. “Everything is going to be okay. Your parents aren’t here anymore, I made them leave. You never have to see them again. I’m here now and I’m gonna look after you. I’m never going to let anything happen to you, okay? You’re safe now. You’re safe.”
Jared pulled back so he could see Jensen’s face. “Do you..Do you...”
“Do I what Jay?”
“Do you still want to marry me?” Jared asked, his voice quiet and broken.
Jensen tugged Jared back into his arms, holding him tightly. “More than anything baby. More than anything.” Jensen held him for a while longer before gently moving them both back up to their feet. “Come on, let’s get you out of the cold bathroom, okay?”
Jared nodded and Jensen led him back out into the bedroom, walking pass Chris who was watching them with concern, and over to the bed. As Jensen helped Jared to lie down he realised how totally exhausted Jared looked. As though the years of holding everything in had finally caught up with him. “It’s okay now, baby,” Jensen whispered, lying down beside him and gathering him into his arms. “You can sleep now. I’m here. I’ll take care of you.”
Jared snuggled closer to Jensen and closing his eyes, he let the soothing circles Jensen was rubbing across his back lull him to sleep.
“Jensen...” Chris began, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Jared.
“Chris, can you do me a favour?” Jensen asked, cutting him off.
Chris nodded.
“I need you to make sure the Padaleckis are on the first flight out of here.”
Chris tilted his head at Jensen curiously. “Did they do something to hurt the kid?”
The grim look on Jensen face was the only answer Chris needed and he nodded. “Consider it done.”
Whispering a thank you, Jensen watched as Chris left then turned his attention back to the sleeping man in his arms. Jared was clinging desperately to him even in sleep, as if he was afraid that Jensen would disappear if he let him go. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” Jensen promised. “Just sleep now. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll watch over you.”
The End. For now...
Thanks for reading.
Summary: When Jared's parents come down for the weekend, Jensen finds out a disturbing family secret.
Warnings: Mentions of past child abuse and rape.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N 1 :- This is my first J2 fic and I hope you all enjoy reading. :)
A/N 2 :- For the purposes of this fic, I have changed Jared's parents names.
I'll Watch Over You.
Chris grinned as he slapped Jensen on the back. “Hey man! Congratulations.”
"Chris!” Jensen turned and gave the man a quick hug. “I'm glad you made it.”
“Of course I made it,” he replied. “It’s not like I was gonna miss my best friend’s engagement party.”
Jensen smiled.
“So, Jared finally decided to make an honest man of you, huh?”
“Looks like.”
“Speaking of, where is future hubby to be? I need to pass on my congratulations and you know give him the whole best friend ‘You hurt him and I’ll kick your ass’ speech.”
Jensen laughed. “He’s around here somewhere.”
“I’m gonna go grab a beer, you want another one?” Chris asked.
Jensen shook his head. “Nah, I’m gonna go see where Jay’s gotten to.”
As Chris left in search of beer, Jensen scanned the room full of friends and family for any sign of his fiancée, but Jared was nowhere to be seen. His gaze briefly stopped on Jared’s parents, Robert and Shelia, who were stood chatting with Jensen’s family. He was pleased that both sets of parents seemed to be getting along so well, it was just a shame that Jared’s relationship with his parents was still so strained. When they had first got together, Jared told him that he didn’t have close relationship with his parents and that things between them had become distant when he'd come out and told them that he was gay. Jensen could sympathise, he had fallen out with his own family over his sexuality and they ended up not speaking for two years. Luckily they'd been able to work things out and now they were closer than ever.
Jensen had hoped that by inviting Jared’s parents up for the weekend of his and Jared’s engagement party that Jared may have been able to spend some time with them and work things out, but that didn’t look like it was going to happen. The look of shock on Jared’s face when his parents had shown up had instantly made Jensen regret his decision of choosing to surprise his fiancée with their visit. He’d apologised to Jared later, and Jared assured him that it was fine but the younger man had been on edge and skittish ever since, spending as little time with his parents as he could. Jensen had to admit he was kind of surprised by Jared’s behaviour. Jared was one of the friendliest people he had ever met, but around his parents he was quiet and withdrawn even though Jensen could see that Jared’s parents were trying hard to show an interest in his and Jared’s lives.
Sighing, Jensen put his beer down and went in search of his fiancée. He found him out in the garden, sat down on one of the benches with his shoulders hunched in as if he was trying to make himself smaller.
“Jay? There you are. I was wondering where you’d gotten to.” Jensen’s brow furrowed in concern when he saw the glass in Jared's hand and the half empty bottle of whiskey beside the bench. “Everything okay, baby?”
“Sure.” Jared’s shoulders were slumped and his voice sounded flat. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because it’s our engagement party and you’re out here drinking whiskey. Neat. Alone.”
“Just needed some air. I’ll be back through in a minute.”
Jensen sat down beside him, his concern growing when Jared tensed even further. “Jay, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Jared’s eyes briefly flickered up to watch the scene inside when he heard his father’s booming laugh, and he tried hard to suppress the shiver of fear that the sound sent through him.
Jensen sighed. “Look, I know inviting your family here was a shock and I’m sorry I sprung it on you like that.”
“I know you’re sorry, Jensen. You already apologised earlier and like I said then, it’s okay.” Jared felt Jensen gently take his hand and he swallowed hard, hoping his voice didn’t come out as weak and shaky as he felt. “Yes, it was a shock but I’m fine with it now.”
“Baby, you don’t seem fine.” Jensen ran his thumb soothingly across the back of Jared’s hand. “Listen Jay, whatever happened with your family, maybe it’s not as bad as you think it is. I know what it’s like to not see your family for so long. After I came out, my brother wouldn’t even talk to me and I could tell my dad was uncomfortable around me. It made me feel so rejected, like I wasn’t good enough to be a part of their family, and so I just cut them out of my life.” Jensen reached out and cupped Jared’s cheek, gently turning the other man to face him. “If we had just talked with one another instead of just bottling things up then we would have been able to sort everything out then and there, but instead we wasted two years. Two years of saying things we didn’t mean, two years of avoiding each other and making each other feel miserable. We wasted so much time, Jay. I just don’t want you to keep suffering because you think your family doesn’t want you, because whatever happened in the past to make you think like that, maybe it’s not that way anymore. Your parents seem to be really trying hard to spend time with you, to take an interest in us and our life together.”
Jared let out a humourless laugh. “Yeah, I know they are.”
“What if you just tried talking to them?” Jensen suggested. “Tell them how you feel. I’m sure once you get everything out in the open you’ll realise that things aren’t nearly as bad as you think they are, that things can be fixed and...”
“Did you ever hate them?” Jared asked suddenly, cutting Jensen off.
Jensen wrinkled his forehead in confusion. “Hate who?”
“The two years you were apart from your family,” Jared drained the rest of his glass of whiskey before continuing, “When your brother and father were ignoring you and you were all saying bad stuff about each other, did you ever hate them?”
“No, of course not. No matter what was going on, I never stopped loving them. They’re my family and I....”
“I hate them,” Jared stated coldly. “My parents. I hate them.”
“Jay?” The tone of Jared’s voice surprised Jensen. In all the years he’s known him, he had never once heard the younger man like this. He sounded so angry and detached, but what scared Jensen the most was the underlying fear and hurt he could hear.
“I hate them so much, Jensen.” Jared tightened the hold on the glass in his hand.
“Jay, you don’t mean that.....” Jensen’s voice trailed off when he noticed the tremors working their way through Jared’s body. “Baby, you’re shaking.”
“I do. I do mean it. I hate them...god Jensen...what they.....I hate them....I...” Jared’s breathing quickened and he gripped glass harder, his knuckles turning white with the strain.
Jared’s body language was screaming pain, aggression and misery, and when he began stuttering for breath, a cold knot of dread twisted in Jensen’s stomach and he realised that whatever had happened with Jared’s family was much worse than he’d ever imagined. “Shhh, Jared. It’s okay. Shhh...you’re alright.” Jensen frowned when he saw how hard Jared was holding the glass and he immediately placed his hand over Jared’s to try and loosen his grip. “Shhh, stop it, baby...it’s okay now...you’re okay.”
Jensen flinched at the sound of the glass smashing and his eyes widened in horror when Jared hissed in pain and Jensen saw the shard of glass sticking out of his hand.
“Jay!” He quickly grabbed the now bleeding hand. “Jesus Christ.” Thankfully on closer examination the glass hadn’t cut too deep. Jensen got to his feet and carefully tried to tug Jared up with him. “Come on baby, we need to go inside and get this cleaned up.”
Jared shook his head frantically. “No. I can’t. I can’t”
“Why?”
Jared remained silent. His body still trembling with tension as he stared absently down at his bleeding hand, and Jensen felt his heart twist painfully when he saw the tears slowly making their way down his cheeks.
“Jay, please. Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Please.”
“I can’t...I can’t go back in there with them Jensen. Please...please don’t make me...please...” Jared cried, the tears falling faster as he fisted his uninjured hand in the front of Jensen shirt, clinging desperately to it as his eyes pleaded with Jensen’s to not make him go back.
“Shhh Jay,” Jensen soothed as he wrapped his arms around him, making sure not to trap the injured hand. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” He ran his hand softly up and down Jared’s back. “Just calm down, okay? Everything’s alright, Shhh.”
Jensen stayed there whispering comforting nonsense into Jared’s ear until the younger man's breathing finally calmed down and the tears Jensen could feel wet and hot on his neck where Jared had buried his face slowly stopped. “Come on, baby,” he whispered, and he gently guided Jared round the side of the house so they could slip unnoticed back into their home and through into their bedroom. Jensen then led a completely compliant Jared over to the bed, and the detached, vacant look on the younger man’s face was worrisome as was the now constant trembling of his body. “Just sit here for a minute, okay? I’m just gonna grab some stuff for your hand,” Jensen said softly, ushering Jared to sit down on the bed.
Jared watched as Jensen disappeared into the bathroom and for a second he considered just bolting from the room before he returned. He knew Jensen was going to want an answer for what was going on and the thought of Jensen finding about him made his blood run cold. If Jensen knew the truth then he wouldn’t want Jared anymore, he would see Jared for what he really is...dirty...used...damaged goods. No, he couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t lose Jensen, he just couldn’t.
“Jay?”
Jared jumped at the gentle touch on his shoulder, he’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t even noticed that Jensen was back and was now sat beside him with a first aid kit.
“Sorry, baby.” Jensen’s stomach clenched uncomfortably when he felt Jared flinch away from his touch, but he gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“S’okay,” Jared mumbled quietly, his head lowered.
Jensen held up the first aid kit. “Let’s get you fixed up, huh?”
Jared gave Jensen his hand and watched as he carefully plucked out the broken glass, cleaned and bandaged the cut. The whole time Jensen kept his touches so soft and tender, and Jared choked back a sob knowing that once Jensen found out the truth those touches would disappear forever.
“Jay,” Jensen whispered, his heart breaking at the sound of Jared’s pained sobs. He gently lowered Jared’s hand down before moving to crouch down on the floor in front of him. "Jay, please talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong? Tell me why seeing your parents has got you this upset?” He tried to meet Jared’s eyes but they continuously darted away to look at the floor or the walls. Jensen reached up and put his hand on Jared’s cheek, “Please baby, tell me?”
Jared shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “I can’t...I can’t...you’ll hate me...you won’t love me anymore...I can’t...”
"There’s nothing so bad that you can’t tell me, Jared. Whatever happened I promise I’m not gonna judge." Jensen gently wiped away Jared’s tears with his thumb. "I love you and nothing, nothing will ever change that. Please Jay, just tell me."
Jared finally made eye contact and after a few moments studying Jensen, he took a deep breath. “They...my parents...they...” Jared stuttered then shook his head again. “I can’t...I’m sorry...I can’t...”
“Jared, it’s okay,” Jensen soothed. “You can trust me, baby. I promise. It’s okay to tell me, it’s okay.”
Jared tried to speak but all that came out were sobs and keening noises and then he was being rocked in Jensen's arms. Jensen continued to talk to him soothingly, murmuring reassurances and when his sobs quieted down to soft sniffles and occasional hiccups, Jared started to talk.
“You remember I told you that I came out to my parents when I was eighteen?”
Jensen nodded. Jared had told him that even though his parents clearly weren’t happy about his choices they didn’t say too much about it and that they just tended to ignore the topic.
“I...I lied,” Jared stammered. “I never came out to them at all. They caught me kissing a guy from school when I was fifteen.” Jared grabbed a hold of Jensen’s hand, his voice breaking as he began pleading with him. “I swear I never wanted to lie to you Jensen. Please, believe me, I didn’t want to lie...I just....and...”
“Shhh,” Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand in reassurance. “It’s fine, Jay. I believe you. It’s alright.”
Jared took a hitching breath before continuing. “They really didn’t react well. I mean I knew they wouldn’t be happy about it, that’s why I never told them but god, Jensen, they were so angry. They yelled and screamed about how they wouldn’t have a faggot as a son and my dad...”
“And your dad what Jay?” Jensen coaxed gently when Jared once again trailed off.
“He...he hit me.” Jared’s eyes took on a distant look. “Beat the crap out of me then locked me in my room. I was left in there alone for two days, and then my mom came in and told me that they had found someone at her church who could ‘help’ me.”
The way Jared said the world help set Jensen on edge, but he didn’t say anything just rubbed his thumb back and forth across Jared’s wrist, silently encouraging him to continue.
“They just handed me over to some guy who told them he would heal me.” Jared’s shaking increased and Jensen pulled the younger man closer to him. “It wasn’t so bad the first week. He’d just yell at me a lot, lecture me about how sinful I was and push me around a bit...”
“The first week?” Jensen asked, shakily. “Jay, how long did you have to stay with this guy?”
Jared swallowed hard. “Two months.”
Jensen felt sick. The thought of his sweet, sensitive Jared being at the hands of some homophobic psycho for two fucking months was just...God! Jensen didn’t even have words to describe what it was. “Jesus Jay...”
Jared really wanted to stop talking. He didn’t want Jensen to know all this but now he’d started it was like he was powerless to stop. “Things started to get really bad around week three. He stopped just pushing me around, started hitting and kicking me, then...then began using his belt to beat me with. He would whip my back for hours while he quoted all this religious crap at me.”
Jensen thought back to first time he had seen the scars on Jared’s back. When he'd asked about them, Jared had told him that he had been in car accident when he was a kid. At the time, Jared had seemed uncomfortable talking about them so Jensen hadn’t pushed for anymore details but now he wished he had. “The scars on your back, they’re not from a car accident are they?” Jensen asked even though he already knew the answer.
Jared shook his head, lowering his eyes in shame.
“Christ Jay!” Jensen exclaimed, his concern and anger at how Jared had suffered like this causing his voice to come out harsher than he intended. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
Jared flinched at the angry tone and scrambled backwards on the bed, drawing his legs up he tried to make himself as small as possible. “M’sorry, m’sorry Jensen, don’t be mad. Please, don’t be mad, m’sorry.”
“No baby, no, I’m not mad at you,” Jensen soothed and mentally kicked himself for making Jared ever think that. He carefully wrapped his arms around him and ran a hand up and down his back. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m not at mad you, I promise. I could never be mad at you Jay.”
Jared stayed in the safe cocoon of Jensen’s arms for a few long moments before pulling back so he could tell him the rest of the story. After lying to him for so long he owed Jensen that much. “At the start of the second month he decided that beating and whipping me wasn’t enough anymore. He said if I wanted to be fag so much then he was gonna show me what it was like to be one and he...he...”
Jensen prayed not to hear the words that he knew were coming next.
“He raped me,” Jared choked out. “Every night for weeks he raped me.”
Jensen closed his eyes as sadness and pain coursed through every inch of his body but he desperately fought back his tears. Jared needed him to be strong. “Jay, c’mere” Jensen reached out for him wanting to pull him back into the comfort of his arms but Jared shuffled away, wrapping his arms around his knees and lowering his head to rest on them, when he looked at Jensen his stare was vacant like he was lost in his memories and when he spoke, his voice came out quiet and distant.
“At one point, I was able to get to a phone. I called my parents and I told them Jensen. I told them everything that monster was doing to me and they did nothing. Dad said I deserved everything I was getting and that it was all for my own good.” Jared laughed but the sound was so chilling it actually sent shivers down Jensen's spine.
“I actually thought they would help once they knew,” Jared snorted. “God, I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
“Jay...”
“They knew and they just left me there.” Jared fixed his eyes on Jensen’s and Jensen felt sick at the utter devastation and misery reflected in them. “I begged them to come and get me and they just left me in that...in that hell...they left me...they left me...” Jared tried to take a breath but it came out as a sob instead and then he just couldn’t hold back the pain anymore.
Jared began rocking himself back and forth, heart wrenching sobs taking the place of much needed breaths. Jensen quickly gathered the broken man to him and as Jared fell apart in his arms, Jensen fell apart right along with him. He drew Jared closer, held him tighter and wished more than anything that he could have somehow protected Jared from all this.
“Shhh, Jay, It’s alright now. I've got you. I've got you, baby,” Jensen whispered and he ran his hand through Jared’s hair trying to soothe and calm, but Jared just continued to shake, his breathing now so erratic that Jensen was worried he was going to hyperventilate. “Shhh, can you try and take some deep breaths for me, Jay? You’re okay now, baby. I’m here. I’m gonna take care of you, just breathe for me, okay?”
Jared tried but he just couldn’t seem to pull in enough air and his breaths just got shallower and shorter until he was panting, his lungs trying desperately to suck in much needed oxygen. He heard Jensen curse and then he was being manoeuvred so that he was leaning against Jensen, his back to the other man’s chest and Jensen began rubbing soothing circles across his stomach.
“Come on, Jared,” Jensen coaxed. “Just match your breaths to mine, you can do it. You’re alright, you’re safe now, just breathe.”
Jensen kept up his encouraging words and soft touches until finally Jared’s breathing evened out and he felt the younger man sag down against him. “That’s it, Jay. Just breathe. Everything’s gonna be alright. I got you.”
“M’sorry,” Jared whispered as his head flopped back to rest on Jensen’s shoulder.
Jensen shushed him and placed a gentle kiss on the top of his head. “You don’t ever need to apologise Jared. None of this was your fault. None of it.” Jensen lowered them both down so that they were lying on the bed and he gently turned Jared around in his arms to face him. He reached up to softly cup Jared’s cheek. “You do know that you are not to blame for any of this, don’t you?”
Jared lowered his eyes. “According to my parents I am. When they finally took me home they made it clear that they thought I got everything I deserved, that it was my punishment for being such a bad son. They pretty much ignored me for the rest of the time I lived there and I left home as soon as I could. I moved to LA with a friend when I was eighteen and just sort of fell into the whole acting thing. I didn’t hear a word from my parents until I started to become successful, that’s when this whole nice as pie act started.” Jared sighed and burrowed himself deeper into Jensen’s embrace.
“When they first started showing an interest in my life and speaking to me like I was their son instead of something they stepped in, I actually thought they might have changed. That they finally accepted me for who I was and that they were sorry for what they did.” Tears began falling from Jared’s eyes again and Jensen gently kissed them away. “I actually thought they might love me, stupid huh?”
“No Jay,” Jensen said firmly. “You wanted to feel loved by your parents. That’s not stupid, it’s human.”
“I should have known better.” Jared swiped angrily at his tears. “They managed to keep up their act for about six months then my dad got drunk and he told me that the only reason they were giving me the time of day was for my money. They still thought I was the scum of the earth but I was rich scum now so I had a use. The only reason they’re here now playing nice is because they know we have money.”
“God, I’m so sorry, baby.” Jensen rubbed his hands up and down Jared’s arms, across his back and through his hair, trying to comfort in any way he could.
“I’ve barely spoken to them since the night my dad got drunk and told me the truth,” Jared said and he buried his head in Jensen’s neck. “And I haven’t seen them again until this weekend.”
“Jay, I’m so sorry. I never would have invited them here if I’d known.” Jensen held him tighter. “You know that don’t you, baby?”
“I know.” Jared nodded against Jensen’s neck. “I wanted to tell you the truth but I was just so ashamed and then they were here and god...I forgot how scared they make me feel. I’m still so afraid of them, Jensen.”
“You don’t have to be scared anymore,” Jensen promised. “I’m here now and I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you ever again. You’re safe now, I swear.”
Jared let Jensen’s words and gentle caresses flow over him and he finally let himself relax fully into Jensen’s arms, his trembling easing off as Jensen began humming a soft melody into his hair.
Jensen smiled sadly when he felt the tension leaving Jared and he continued humming as he threaded one of his hands repeatedly through Jared’s hair. He closed his eyes and tried to digest everything Jared had just told him. A part of him didn’t want to believe it, wanted to deny it with every fibre of his being, but he couldn’t because it was real. It had actually happened. To Jared, his Jared.
The more the horrifying thoughts went around in Jensen’s head the more things seemed to make sense. Jared had always been skittish about his sexuality and had been a vibrating ball of nervousness when he had first told Jensen he was gay, and when they became a couple he was constantly worrying about what people’s reactions were going to be when they found out. Jensen had just assumed that Jared was worried about how it might affect their careers and jobs on Supernatural, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Jared wasn’t worried about their jobs, he was fucking terrified about someone hurting him again. Then there was Jared's behaviour in bed, he could be so unsure of himself at times and he hated to be held down or restrained in any way. Jensen had just put his behaviour down to Jared being self conscious about his scars. God, how could he have been so blind? He should have questioned Jared more, found out sooner.
The calm and quiet of the room was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Jared’s father’s laugh and Jensen felt Jared jerk in his arms and then whimper. He fucking whimpered! Jensen had to grit his teeth to not growl in anger. How could Jared’s parents have treated him like this?
Jared let out a sound of protest when he felt Jensen move to get up from the bed and he reached out to stop the older man from leaving. “It’s okay, baby,” Jensen shushed. “Just stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.”
“Jen...”
“Just stay here, Jay.” Jensen placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “I’m gonna take care of everything.”
Jared’s heart began to beat faster as he watched Jensen leave. He was terrified about what was about to happen. What was Jensen going to do? His parents are going to furious when they find out Jared has told. What if they convince Jensen that it really was all Jared’s fault? Oh god, how could he have messed everything up so badly? He never should have told, he should have just kept his mouth shut. Jared let more tears fall as he rocked back and forth on the bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jensen finally knew now what people meant when they said that a murderous rage descended on them. When he walked back into the lounge and saw Jared’s mom and dad just stood there laughing and joking, playing the role of the perfect parents, all Jensen could think about was tearing them apart and making them suffer like they had made Jared suffer.
“Jenny?”
Jensen snapped his head to the side when he heard Chris call his name and saw his friend stood beside him, a look of curious concern on his face.
“You alright, dude?” Chris asked, he'd never seen Jensen look this wound up before. His friend’s hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes were narrowed and his face set in a grim look of determination and fury.
Jensen nodded his head in the direction of his bedroom. “Can you go and sit with Jared for me?”
“Jen, what’s going on?”
“Please,” Jensen said and Chris’s concern grew at the raw, hard edge he could hear in Jensen’s voice. “Just go and stay with Jay.”
Chris nodded, knowing from the tone of Jensen's voice that whatever had happened, the best thing he could do right now to help was to just do what Jensen asked.
Once Chris had left, Jensen went over to the entertainment centre and turned the music that had been playing off. As everyone turned their attention to him, Jensen tried his best to smile and act normal, and not just give in to the red hot rage and start ripping into Jared’s parents.
“Sorry everyone but I’m afraid we’re gonna have to cut the party short. Jared’s not feeling too well but we want to thank you all for coming. It really means a lot to both of us.” Jensen said and he hoped his voice sounded somewhat close to normal.
Once Jensen had shown the last of his guests out he closed the front door and turned his attention back to Jared’s parents who were now stood in the middle of the empty room.
“Jensen, what’s going on?” Robert asked. “Is Jared alright?”
“Mr Padalecki...”
“Now Jensen, I told you before just call me Robert.” Robert smiled and it took all of Jensen’s self control not to punch the grin right off his face.
“Robert,” Jensen grit out. “I would like you take your wife and get the fuck out of my house.”
Robert visibly bristled. “Excuse me?”
“Jensen, what’s wrong?” Shelia asked in surprise. “What did we do?”
“You know what you did!” Jensen hissed. “How could you do that to Jared? How could you treat your own son like that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Robert protested. “We haven’t done anything to Jared.”
“Haven’t done anything to him?” Jensen let out a laugh but there was no humour in it. “You left him alone with psycho for two months just because you had a problem with him being gay! You just fucking handed him over and let him be abused and raped by that sick son of a bitch and you didn’t do a thing to stop it! You told him he fucking deserved it!”
“Listen Jensen, I don’t know what stories Jared has been filling your head with but...”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Jensen growled. “Don’t you dare try and put the blame on Jared. If it were up to me I would happily kill you both right now, but Jay hates violence and I don’t ever want him to be afraid of me so I suggest you both just get the hell out before I change my mind.”
“Jensen...”
“I said get the fuck out!” Jensen snapped. “And if you ever come anywhere near Jared again, if you even try to contact him again I will tear you apart. You don’t deserve him as a son and I’m going to make sure you never get the chance to hurt him again. You’d be surprised at what money can buy these days if you have enough of it and I will do and hire whoever I need to, to ensure Jared’s safety.” Jensen stepped closer to Robert, invading his personal space. “Now I want you to leave and never come back, got it? Am I making myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Robert said through clenched teeth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Where’s Jared?” Jensen asked when he walked back into the bedroom and saw Chris sat alone on the bed.
Chris nodded his head in the direction of the closed bathroom door and Jensen furrowed his brow. “How long has been in there for?”
“He was already in there when I came in.”
Jensen immediately made his way over and knocked on the door. “Jay? You okay, baby?” Panic flooded through him when Jared didn’t answer. “Has he spoken to you?” he demanded as his head snapped back round to face Chris.
“I knocked when I first came in and he said he was fine,” Chris replied. “Jensen, what’s going on?”
Jensen ignored the question in favour of knocking on the door again. “Jay? It’s me. You alright in there?”
Silence.
“Jay! Answer me!”
Still nothing but Jensen thought he heard a shuffle from inside. He knocked harder on the door. “Jared, open the door.”
“Jensen,” Chris said getting up and making his way over. “Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
Jensen just silenced him with a wave of his hand, his attention firmly on the bathroom door. “Jay, please answer me. I need to know you’re okay.”
Silence.
“Jared, open the door!” Jensen demanded. “I swear if you don’t open this door I will break it down.”
“Yeah, I think you’ve been playing Dean Winchester far too long,” Chris remarked and Jensen shot a scowl his way.
Jared could hear Jensen calling to him from outside and he wanted to answer but he just couldn’t. He didn’t want to have to talk to him, to see the love in his eyes disappear and change into disgust and hatred now he knew the truth about him. Jared sobbed and covered his ears with his hands to block out the noise, and he wedged himself further into the space between the toilet and the bath.
When he heard Jensen threaten to knock down the door, Jared knew he couldn’t hide any longer. He knew Jensen wasn’t joking and Jared didn’t want to risk him getting hurt in the process so he moved to unlock the door before scrambling back to his hiding place.
Jensen let out a sigh of relief when he heard the lock click open and taking a calming breath he slowly pushed the door open. He felt his heart break when he saw Jared curled up on the floor with his tears leaking out of his eyes which were tightly shut.
“Jay? You okay?” Jensen approached him carefully not wanting to spook him. He knelt down on floor in front of him. “What are doing in here, baby?”
Jared didn’t reply, he just scrunched his eyes even more tightly closed. Jensen reached up and gently cupped his cheek. “Jay, open your eyes for me baby.”
Jared shook his head, his tears falling faster.
“Why not?” Jensen asked softly.
“Don’t...don’t want to see,” Jared choked out.
“See what?”
“That you...don’t love...love me anymore,” Jared sobbed.
“Oh Jay,” Jensen breathed, a tear slipping down his own face. “I love you so much baby. There’s nothing that could ever make me not love you. Please open your eyes, baby. I still love you, I promise.”
Slowly Jared opened his eyes and Jensen put every ounce of love and devotion into his gaze in the hope that Jared would see just how much he meant to him.
Jared held his gaze for a few long moments before wrinkling his forehead, “You’re crying.”
Jensen smiled sadly and wiped at his watery eyes. “That’s because it hurts to see someone you love suffering so much.”
Seconds later Jensen had his arms full of a crying, trembling fiancée. Jared fisted his hands into the back of Jensen’s shirt as he buried his head in the older man’s neck. “It’s okay now, Jay,” Jensen soothed. “Everything is going to be okay. Your parents aren’t here anymore, I made them leave. You never have to see them again. I’m here now and I’m gonna look after you. I’m never going to let anything happen to you, okay? You’re safe now. You’re safe.”
Jared pulled back so he could see Jensen’s face. “Do you..Do you...”
“Do I what Jay?”
“Do you still want to marry me?” Jared asked, his voice quiet and broken.
Jensen tugged Jared back into his arms, holding him tightly. “More than anything baby. More than anything.” Jensen held him for a while longer before gently moving them both back up to their feet. “Come on, let’s get you out of the cold bathroom, okay?”
Jared nodded and Jensen led him back out into the bedroom, walking pass Chris who was watching them with concern, and over to the bed. As Jensen helped Jared to lie down he realised how totally exhausted Jared looked. As though the years of holding everything in had finally caught up with him. “It’s okay now, baby,” Jensen whispered, lying down beside him and gathering him into his arms. “You can sleep now. I’m here. I’ll take care of you.”
Jared snuggled closer to Jensen and closing his eyes, he let the soothing circles Jensen was rubbing across his back lull him to sleep.
“Jensen...” Chris began, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Jared.
“Chris, can you do me a favour?” Jensen asked, cutting him off.
Chris nodded.
“I need you to make sure the Padaleckis are on the first flight out of here.”
Chris tilted his head at Jensen curiously. “Did they do something to hurt the kid?”
The grim look on Jensen face was the only answer Chris needed and he nodded. “Consider it done.”
Whispering a thank you, Jensen watched as Chris left then turned his attention back to the sleeping man in his arms. Jared was clinging desperately to him even in sleep, as if he was afraid that Jensen would disappear if he let him go. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” Jensen promised. “Just sleep now. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll watch over you.”
The End. For now...
Thanks for reading.