Apology 1/?
Title: Apology 1/?
Author: krebsbach
Pairing: Jensen/Jared, Tom/Michael
Rating: R (for now NC-17 later)
Summary: Someone is killing men who look like artist Jensen Ackles at
Various stages of his life 18 - 31
Warning: Violence, mention of gay bashing,
Notes: Based on 1986 HBO movie Apology starring Leslie Ann Warren and Peter Weller
Disclaimer: this is fiction. I don't own Jensen or Jared and that really sux but so is life.
Press Release
Rosenbaum Gallery announces the return to the art world of much missed Jensen Ackles with the artist first show 4 years. July 25 to August 30th.
The Rosenbaum Gallery proudly announces Apology the first new show from local and national renown artist Jensen Ross Ackles in four years. Ackles took the art by storm in 1998 at the age 20 with innovate, controversial shows. 2003 Darkness of Life was a mix of black and white photographs and charcoal drawings of Vietnam vet visiting the memorial wall, the chairs of the Oklahoma bombing memorial, the construction at Ground Zero, a cop holding the lifeless body of a fellow cop. Ackles caused even more controversy when his next show Intimate which used nude male and female models that were wrapped in intimate embraces while he painted their bodies in vibrant colors. His last show was a declaration of his love for his life partner song writer Jason Manns who was at the time struggling with testicular cancer. Six large paintings showed the stages their love had gone through. Ackles dropped unceremoniously from the art world in 2005 to take care of Manns. Manns passed away just before Christmas 2007. Now 31, Apology announces Ackles return the art scene where he was gravely missed. Apology is an interactive art deco maze of iron and steel completely designed by Ackles. Apologies were requested through a Blog page over a 12 week period all responseders were asked to leave apologies anonymously. Each week a different category of apology was given. The actual apologies will be read aloud by various local actors including Ackles own father Alan Ackles. Guests will be lead in stages through the maze at 2 separate places in the maze.. At 12 different places they will be stopped. The voice of Jeffrey Dean Morgan a friend of Ackles and fellow artist well tell the guest what the category the apologies well be. July 25 opening will be invitation only with a private concert by Christian Kane and Steve Carlson of the country rock band Kane given during a cocktail party after the show. July 26 the show will open to the public and go to August 30th.
Michael Rosenbaum was as giddy as a school girl going to prom with the high school quarter back. Scoring the show that would announce the return of Jensen Ackles was a major coo . Just about every gallery in the US was interested in getting Jensen’s first new show in 4 years, but he had chosen Rosenbaum. Of course Michaels gallery had an advantage over all the others. Michael his lover and lawyer Tom Welling had been friends with Jensen and his deceased lover Jason since college.
Mike was sipping on his second cup of coffee when Tom came out of the master bedroom wearing a towel . His cock instantly jumped to life. 15 years together and still Mike found Tom the sexiest man on the planet. “Hey loose the towel and let me lick you dry.” Mike leered. A grin split Tom’s handsome face. “Very tempting, but I have a client meeting at 10am.
“Oh fine I have to get to the gallery anyway. Jen is bringing in the hands today.” Michael pulled Tom into a deep kiss before heading off to a shower himself.
Jensen Ackles watched the crew swing gate number 6 into place head cocked slightly to the left. It didn’t look right. “Guys! Hey guys! Back up! Back it up. Just a little to the right. Good! Good!” The crew guy gently set the gate in place holding it so Jensen could rivet in the hinges. Everything was coming together smoother then he had expected. The only piece left to put in was the 12 foot iron and steel statue of God’s forgiving hands, placed at the exit of the maze.
It took Jensen 15 minutes to get the last gate in place and functioning. Pulling off his welding helmet he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Alright guys lets stop for lunch.” Jensen headed for the Galleries kitchen walking passed the hands on the way when he saw something leaking from beneath the statue. “What the Hell?” Getting closer Jensen saw that the liquid was a pool of thick congealing blood. Jensen stepped closer peering behind the sculpture.
Stumbling back Jensen yelled “Help! Oh God! Help!” Jensen fumbled for his cell phone dialing 911. Behind the hands was the battered body of what looked like a young teenage boy. A sign pinned to his lacerated chest said. “He wasn’t sorry enough.”
Major Crimes detective Jared Padalecki whipped his 2008 charger in front of the Rosenbaum Gallery. His partner Chad Michael Murray jumped out before the car came to a complete stop and was lighting up a cigarette before Jared could round the front of the car. “Jesus Chad you having that much of a nicotine fit?”
“Yes! Cece won’t let me smoke at home because of the baby.” Chad grossed
“You really should quit. It’s a nasty habit.” Jared said grabbing the cigarette taking a drag before handing it back.
“Yeah. Well if I quit then who would you snag a puff from you loser?” Chad grossed as Jared just smirked at him.
The CSI’s were already on the scene. Jared walked over to the ME Mischa Collins who was snapping photos of the body. “ Hey Mickey what have we got so far.” Jared asked looking at the body which was laying propped up against a set of dull iron praying hands. The victim was beaten bloody and his chest was splayed open. Not the worst Jared had ever seen, but having a victim beaten to death carved up and a note pinned to the body was a new one.
Mischa Collins rolled his eyes at Jared who insisted on calling Mickey even though it annoyed him. He fingered that’s why the giant detective did it. “Well Jar. Looks like he was beat to death with some sort of blunt object. I’d bet it was a bat. The chest was cracked after death.”
“Was he ganked here or dumped?”
“Dump. The blood is seepage not splatter.” Mischa looked over at one of his techs. “Hey someone bag that note get it to Samantha for analysis” he looked back at Jared who was about to say something. “I‘ll have the prelim this afternoon.”
“Well ok then. Always a pleasure Mickey.” Jared said giving the CSI a nod.
He went over to where Chad was talking with the workers who were setting up the exhibit. “What’s their story?”
“Timeline is they start the final set up around 7a, with Ackles nit picking the whole time. Ackles calls lunch they all run. Days of Our Lives is on in the break room. They hear Ackles scream for help. That’s about it. Oh they say the body wasn’t there this morning. They had helped the delivery guys unload the statue when it arrived about 8 ish.
“What about Ackles?” Jared asked trying to picture in his mind how the body was dumped.
“Crew said Ackles was never out their sight. Apparently he is some kind of freak and didn’t even dip out to pee. No one saw any one come in or leave. Here’s the vic’s id.” Chad handed Jared what appeared to be the victim’s college id. He was struck by how angelically beautiful the boy was. Brown sun streaked hair cut in a page boy style, freckles, light emerald green eyes a bee stung pink lips. “Yeah screams twink don’t he?” Chad chuckled.
“Where is Ackles now?” Jared shot Chad an annoyed look. Chad’s humor was often in bad taste.
“Back in the gallery office with Michael Rosenbuam and former DA Tom Welling.”
They made their way back to the office. Knocking Welling opened the door. Sitting next to a bald guy was their victim just a few years older. “Well that’s fucked up.” Chad said from beside him. Jared was mesmerized by tears stained face shimmering green gold eyes. Jensen Ross Ackles was the most beautiful man Jared had ever seen.
“Jensen. Jensen this is detectives Jared Padalecki and Chad Michael Murray they are with Major Crimes.” Tom made the introduction. Jensen looked up to find fox like hazel eyes looking at him with pure interest and curiosity. “They’re the best Jen. I’ve worked with them before.” Tom said reassuringly. “Guys Jensen Ackles and gallery owner and friend Michael Rosenbaum.”
“Mr. Ackles I know you are understandably upset but we need to ask you some questions about the events this morning.” Jared started
Jensen looked up at the detective who was amazingly a good 3 inches taller then Tom who was 6’3. With the floppy rich dark brown hair and light brownish hazel eyes that show sympathy and understanding that put Jensen at easy, Jared Padalecki was a gentle giant. His partner Chad Michael Murray was a typical macho cop, but he had a kindness in his eyes. Jensen was a artist he was very good at reading people. Plus Tom had said the two detectives were the best and Tom always told him the truth.
“Yeah. It’s ok. I’ll answer any questions you have. Catching the sick asshole who did that to that poor boy is what is important.”
“First Mr. Ackles did you know the victim at all?”
Jensen shook his head. “No. I’ve never saw him before.”
“Of course not just every time you looked in the mirror.” Chad mumbled under his breath covering with a pretend cough when Jared glared at him.
Jensen’s green eyes narrowed at the exchange. “I did notice that the victim and I do share a strong resemblance. Which is probably why his was killed. Isn’t that your working theory Detective Murray.”
“How about telling us what you did this morning. Give us a time line.”
Jensen took a deep breath closing his eyes for a moment. What he did this morning seem so trivial now. Coffee and toast for breakfast, coffee to go driving his truck to the gallery. The hands were delivered about 8 am. He should have seen something. Why didn’t he look at the hands after they arrived instead of waiting until after lunch. “I should have looked at the hand’s sooner. Maybe that boy wouldn’t be dead.”
“He wasn’t killed here. Just dumped. He was already dead. Nothing you could have done.” Chad said in a surprisingly gentle voice.
“Ah Mr. Ackles can you think of anyone who would want to hurt you?” Jared continued.
“How about every homophobic asshole in Texas.” Michael snapped. Gay bashing was a subject near to the gallery owner. While in college both he and Jensen had been attacked and almost beat to death for being homosexuals. Jensen placed his hand on Michaels leg giving it a reassuring squeeze. Tom sat on the arm of the couch wrapping a arm around his lover.
“Have you gotten any threats recently?” Jared asked “Either the gallery or you personal Mr. Ackles? Maybe someone jealous over your success?”
Jensen chewed on his bottom lip trying to remember anything. Since his new show was kept pretty hush, hush before the gallery started to advertise it just a week ago. There wasn’t many people who knew about his return. The beating in college was years ago, since then Jensen had no major confrontations about his sexuality. The art world even in a ultra mucho state like Texas was very excepting. He had lived the past 4 year like a recluse taking care of Jason then mourning him.
“Haven’t really been in the public eye for the last 4 years. Any success that I have was in the past or what may come in the future. The closes thing to threats is my neighbor Madge threatening to force feed me. I am just skin and bones.”
Jared smiled Jensen didn’t look like he was skin and bones. Slim yes but broad shouldered and nicely toned muscle. “Here is my card. If you think of anything else give me a call. Maybe if you could come down to the station and make a formal statement tomorrow after noon.” Jared handed Jensen his card.
“Thank you. Detective catch this person. That poor boy didn’t deserve to die that way.”
“You can count on it.”
Back at the station Jared pulled up every he could find on Jensen Ross Ackles. The first thing he found was a news paper article about the beating that had happened when Ackles was college. From the account Jensen had gotten the worst of the beating ending up in a coma for three days. Michael Rosenbaum was treated and release from the hospital the same day. Four members of the football had been arrested for the beating, but only one man was convicted of battery but not of attempted murder.
The next time Jensen was in the paper was for receiving a Innovative Art Achievement Award. The award was given to outstanding Art students at the University of Texas. Jensen was hailed as the greatest young artists in the nation. One year later Jensen’s first art show opened rave reviews.
With his controversial “Intimate” he was hailed as a genus in the modern art world. Jensen was also damned by the ultra religious groups who said his show was just live porn. One evangelical preacher had said “Ackles is perverted homosexual who was promoting hedonistic godless behavior.”
The last article was series about his lover struggle with cancer and Jason’s death. Ackles had written about a two dozen letters that where posted in the news paper describing the pain of watching his lover die slowly.
June 15 2006,
Today was a bad day for Jason. The chemo made him violently ill. The treatment takes so much out of him. It doesn’t seem to be working. Tomorrow we go to the doctor they was be x-raying to see if the cancer has spread. Jason tries to be strong for me, but I can tell he doesn’t hold out any hope that he will survive this…..
The letters were pretty hard to read so beautifully written you could feel the sadness and pain Jensen was feeling at the time. All Jared could think was Jason Manns was one lucky man to have someone love him as much as Jensen loved him. He wondered if Manns loved Jensen as much.
Chad walked passed Jared’s desk setting fresh cup of coffee down. “Heard from Mickey yet?”
“Not yet. Hey did we get address for the blog site of Ackles?”
Yeah. ‘Apologies@vox.com
Jared’s desk phone rang. “Padalecki.”
“You and Chad get you cute little asses down to my lab.” Samantha Ferris said hanging up.
“Sam wants our cute little asses down in her lab.” Jared hung up.
Samantha Ferris had started her career as a secretary for the CSI department took night classes to become a forensic examiner. There wasn’t a piece of evidence that got past her inspection. She was tough as nails wearing jeans and cowboy boots most days.
“So gorgeous what yah got for us?” Chad ask wrapping his arm around Samantha’s slim waist kissing her cheek.
“Chad. Jared.” she turned her cheek so Jared could press a kiss on it. The two detectives were like sons to her. Both flirting outrageously with her, but treated her with the up most respect.
On the large screen was a magnified image of the letter found on the victims body. Blood smears streaked over it. “See the water mark in the right corner?”
Both men looked at the letter neither really seeing what Sam was pointing out. “Ah not really.” Jared said.
With a laser pointer Sam circled the spot. “That right there. This paper isn’t just note paper. It’s custom made personal stationary. Made by one company in New Hampshire. Danvenure Stationary.”
“Holy crap! Can we find out who ordered it?” Jared asked not quite believing that they had such a break this early in the case.
“Well that would be hard. The whole factory and offices burnt to the ground 10 years ago. Nothing was salvaged.”
“Well that just perfect. We still have nothing.” Chad grossed.
Samantha slapped Chad in the back of the head. “If you find a suspect and he has this stationary then he’s your man. It’s almost as good as a finger print.”
TBC
. Chad flipped through his notes Tom had giving him the blog address.