I Dream of Jensen (Part Twelve)
Title: I Dream of Jensen
Author: queeberquabbler
Fic Prompt: Disney's Aladdin
Pairing: J2
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 for swearing. No warnings otherwise--it's your standard J2 :)
Disclaimer: See Master Post.
Jared is on his couch, watching TV with Sadie and Harley. It’s been a little over an hour since he called David to make sure he was all right. Much to Jared's relief, he sounded fine. Jared wishes he could say the same about himself, currently feeling anything BUT fine. The dogs must sense it, too, because they are sitting next to their human as canine sentries, eyes sharp and ears perked. They’ve been like this ever since Jared sat down, but was unable to calm down.
Who would want to kill me?
The question keeps repeating itself, and Jared is torn on whether he really wants to know the answer. It wasn’t like it was some random kidnapping-this was planned. First drugged, then taken, then…
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
Jared jolts from the flashes of memory, and Harley whines and moves even closer; the fur on his neck is now pressed against Jared’s right ear. He takes yet another deep breath-he’d lost count sometime after Number 15-and blows it out slow. Calm down, Jared. You’re home. You’re safe. His heart pounds with doubt and lingering fear. You’re SAFE, Jared swears, looking around his apartment as proof. But he’s already starting to shake. He knows what’s coming. This will be Panic Attack Number Three.
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
The images clobber mind and body. Jared shivers, and he wraps his arms over himself and curls his knees under his chin, trying to protect himself-
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
-and failing. Now his headache kicks in, pounding a reminder of his forehead’s clash with the steering wheel, and he sets his hand over the bandage and shuts his eyes.
Mistake.
He’s back in the water, tugging at the handcuffs. The water goes over his head. He can’t breathe. He looks for the lamp, and it isn’t there. He can’t breathe! He ISN’T safe, never was, and now he’s gonna DIE! Can’t breathe, can’t move. Tug tug TUUUUG come on, dammit, he has to get FREE! He kicks and pulls and screams and-
“Jared, STOP!”
He gasps and bucks forward into Jensen’s waiting arms. “Heyyyy…” Jensen rubs Jared’s back as he gently rocks him back onto the sofa. The dogs jump off the sofa to make room for the genie, and Jensen’s glad, because he isn’t about to let go. “You’re safe, Jared,” he murmurs into his ear. “I promise. You’re out of that car and back home with me and Harley and Sadie. We won’t let anything hurt you, right?” The dogs bark in reply, and Jared “aww”s as he pulls away from Jensen’s embrace.
“Sorry,” Jared mutters, rubbing his doggies’ foreheads as he gives Jensen a smile of embarrassment.
“Don’t be. You’re still in shock, and who can blame you?” Jensen leans over Jared to fluff his pillow, and then he removes the strewn blankets and drapes them anew over the long legs. “Now,” Jensen lifts Jared’s socky feet onto the sofa, turning him and his blankets sideways, “keep those feet elevated. Harley, think you could be a pillow for a while?” The dog barks, jumps up on the couch, and lies down, and Jensen pats him. “Good boy. Such a good helper!” Sadie nudges Jensen’s leg, and he smiles at her. “I know, you want to help, too, Sadie girl. Come on, I need you in the kitchen!” Jensen jogs off, and Sadie wags her tail and runs after him.
“Oh, Jensen,” Jared smiles-just the name is enough to do that to him now, and it momentarily takes his mind off of his panic. The genie has gone out of his way to make sure Jared remains warm and comfortable. After unrolling “Burrito Jared,” Jensen only used his magic once: to make Jared dry and dress him in fresh and comfy clothes with a snap of his fingers. “That,” he declared, “was still part of the Saving You wish. Can’t let you freeze to death, right?” And Jared couldn’t argue with that logic.
Since then, Jensen has stayed true to his No Freebies promise, covering Jared in blankets and bringing him water and snacks and whatever he needs. And any time Jared has started to panic, Jensen has been right there, holding him close and keeping him safe. Jared feels kind of silly to need the constant reminder, but Jensen hasn’t complained once. He hasn’t even poked fun at Jared’s weakness. He just smiles that sweet smile down at him, looks him over with care and concern in his eyes, and cracks silly jokes to keep Jared in good humor. All in all, Jensen’s been…well…magical, to be honest! And now, as Jensen peeks out from the kitchen for a second, Jared can’t help but grin and wonder what’s next.
“Okay, Sadie, take it out to him!”
A moment later, Sadie trots into the front room, carrying the handle of a little basket in her mouth. Jared carefully takes it from her, and she wags her tail and yips at him.
“What’s this?” Jared asks with a big smile.
“THAT, my dear Dimples, is a basket full of very special chocolate.” Jensen walks into the room, steadying a mug of what Jared sincerely hopes is hot chocolate, based on the steam rising up. Jared unfolds the cloth covering the edibles and, sure enough, finds a bundle of round chocolates wrapped in burgundy foil. Jared looks up at Jensen with his adorable ‘It’s SUGAR!’ grin and dives right in. Jensen chuckles at him as he sets the mug down on the table. “Don’t forget to take the foil off first, Jare.”
If Jared heard him, he doesn’t show it: his eyes are on his sugary prize as he frees it from its wrapper and places it on his tongue. He shuts his mouth, squeezes the chocolate to the roof of his mouth…and groans with pleasure. The kind of pleasure NO chocolate, no matter how amazing it is, should be able to give. “Ohhhh myyy GOD…” Jared’s head drops back over the arm of the sofa (as he crosses his legs underneath his blankets).
“Good, huh?” Jensen grins, and Jared just groans happily in reply. Jensen squats down in front of Jared’s upside-down and blissed-out face. Jared smiles even more when Jensen comes into view. He utters one word:
“Dude.”
And Jensen laughs again. “Dude yourself! I swear you have little chocolate bars for pupils right now.”
Jared slowly sits back up and reaches for another chockie. “Where did you GET these?!”
“Cupid. He sends me some every year for my birthday, and they never go bad.” Jensen’s answer makes Jared smile with surprise, and Jensen gets shy and rubs at his neck as he looks away. “Guy kinda has a thing for me, even though he knows he isn’t my type.”
“Am whah iff your fype?” Jared asks in Foodeese. (Translation for those of you who aren’t fluent in the universal language of stuffed mouths: ‘And what is your type?’)
“I like tall, dark, and goofy.” Jensen’s eyes gaze at Jared, complete with little twinkles adrift in seas of green, but Jared doesn’t notice-he’s too busy grinning at Jensen, smooshing the chocolate in his mouth until it seeps out between his teeth. Exactly, Jensen smiles back. He’d rather be kissing him senseless, but just seeing Jared in a good mood is wonderful in its own right.
Especially since he nearly lost him earlier tonight.
Jensen is just as haunted by what happened to Jared, if not even more so; the genie knows he won’t be able to sleep for at least a week, too fearful of reliving the nightmare. But being awake isn’t much better: he keeps looking at his friend and master to make sure he’s really there, not still trapped in a car and drowning. The What Ifs are merciless. What if Jensen hadn’t felt the lamp summoning him? What if Jared didn’t have the lamp on him? What if he died, alone and cold and scared, and Jensen was LEFT alone, feeling much the same?
STOP it, he yells at himself. He’s fine. You saved him. He’s safe. But he has to look at Jared again anyway. Jared is oblivious to Jensen’s fears, lost in the chocolate, and Jensen is glad for it. He wants Jared happy, not hurt or worried or even the slightest bit unhappy. Then Jared shoves two more chocolates into his mouth, and Jensen can’t help but smirk.
“Uh, you might wanna slow down, Jay, unless you’d like to explain to the doctor why you’ve been hard for 14 hours…”
Jared spits the half-chewed chocolates into his hand. “WHAT?!” He looks under his blanket and Jensen brays with laughter. Jared chucks the gooey wad at the genie, but Jensen turns to smoke for a moment so that the mess flies right through him and sticks to the wall. It smears its way down to the floor, and the new stripe on the wall makes Jensen laugh even more.
“It’s NOT FUNNY!” Jared yells, and Jensen waves that he’s sorry, he’s stopping, but when Jared checks under his blanket again, Jensen loses it. Jared slugs him in the shoulder, and Jensen wraps his arms around him and kisses him on top of his head. He can’t help it! Jared scowls but doesn’t try to get out of the hug-and Jensen LOVES that.
“Are you done laughing at your stupid and incredibly cruel joke?” Jared snits, working hard to stay mad at Jensen even as he’s snuggling closer to him.
“And which joke would that be?” Jensen asks, keeping his arms locked tight. “The fact that I gave you orgasmic chocolate or the fact that you believed my warning about the 14-hour hard-on?”
Jared glares. Jensen grins, eyes all crinkly in the corners. Then Jared slugs him again and slaps him on his rock-hard chest as Jensen finally releases him, grinning through the abuse. “Yeah, yeah,” Jensen teases. “Eat your chocolate so I can get my silly Jared back.” Jared says nothing, just unwraps another goodie and tosses it in his mouth. “Although Pretend-Pouty Jared isn’t bad, I have to say.” Jensen waggles his eyebrows as Jared swallows his bite.
“At least I’m not Cupid’s bitch,” Jared throws back. Jensen’s eyes narrow, and Jared gives him a pleasant smile.
“I am NOT Cupid’s bitch,” Jensen grumbles.
“But you’re Cupid’s sex buddy.” The genie is SO not amused by Jared’s words, and that just eggs Jared on, of course. “Cupid’s pootang? Bottom boy? Service Man on Booty Call, 24-7?”
Jensen nods, taking the heat. “Yep, you just threw away your chocolate privileges.” He grabs the basket and gets up, and Jared jumps to his feet right after.
“Hey! I NEED those! I’m still recovering!”
“And I’m insulted!”
Jared’s orangutan arms reach for the basket again and again, so Jensen one-ups him by stretching his arm out impossibly long, reaching all the way back to the kitchen. “Oh no you don’t!” Jared runs after the retreating basket, but just as he steps into the kitchen, the basket reaches Jensen’s bottle. It shrinks down and falls in through the top. Jared grabs for the bottle, but Jensen’s hand smacks Jared’s away.
How the hell did he do that? Jared wonders. He can’t even see me!
“Magic genie!” Jensen yells from the other room. His supremely-outstretched arm lifts up, and his hand pats Jared on his head. Then the arm retreats like a tape measure whirling back into its container. Jared shakes his head and smirks as he heads back to the front room. Jensen is smirking as well, but he’s directing it at Harley while he pets him.
“Show off,” Jared mutters as he returns to the couch, and Jensen laughs.
“Get used to it. I’m going to be sticking around after you set me free.”
And just like that, the mood is killed-for Jared, at least. In between panic attacks and cups of really good tea, he’s been thinking over everything that has happened, and he keeps coming to the same tough decision. “About that…” he begins; it’s now or never, after all.
Jensen holds his hands up in a ‘stop’ gesture. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it all planned out. See,” he sits down next to Jared, “the way I figure it, Tristan Leck has one amazing future ahead of him. That means he’s definitely going to need a handler from here on out. And since I’ve already got the job, and you and Jim and your friends on set are pretty much the only people I know, I might as well stay right here.” He smiles at Jared. “With you!”
Jared smiles too, but he looks down at his knees instead of Jensen’s face. “That sounds awesome, but-”
“And we can go on vacation sometime! Maybe a road trip in a cool car. There is SO much of the world I haven’t seen, even though I’ve been all over. But sitting in a lamp and waiting for your next master isn’t exactly the best way to go sight-seeing, you know?”
“Jensen…”
“Oooh! I could show you places I’ve been, and even some that most humans will never see! Like the real Shangri La. They have the best, and I mean BEST, cheesecake. It floats on a little cloud and everything. And when the sun comes up over the mountains…it’s so beautiful. Or if that’s too cold for you, we could go diving to Atlantis. You’re gonna laugh when you find out where it is. Everybody is WAY off-”
“JENSEN!”
The genie shuts his mouth into a wide smile-one that his master does not share. In fact, Jared looks pretty upset. “What’s wrong?” Jensen asks. “Is your head hurting again? Shit, hang on, I’ll get some aspirin.” He gets up, but Jared grabs his arm and pulls him back down.
“Stop being so nice to me!” Jared yells.
“What? Why?”
“Because I can’t set you free.”
Jensen blinks. “Damn, your head really IS messed up.”
“No, Jensen, I’m serious.” Jared forces himself to look in his friend’s eyes. “I can’t set you free.”
The words drop on Jensen as boulders in a rockslide, and he sinks into the sofa as the rest of his happy world crumbles around him. “I’m sorry,” Jared says, “I know how unfair it is-believe me, this was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make. But after what happened tonight...”
“You’re scared,” Jensen nods, still a bit dazed. “I get it. But Jared, I just told you that I wanted to stay! You know I’d keep you safe!”
“It isn’t just that, it’s everything.” Jared stands up and holds his arms out. “My entire life has changed completely since you arrived!”
“Because that’s what you wished for!” Jensen argues, getting up to face him.
“Exactly, Jensen! I WISHED for it! I didn’t do any of it on my own!”
“Bullshit. I didn’t get you your acting job-YOU did. Sure I set up the audition and gave you some new clothes, but I didn’t hypnotize the judges to hire you! You earned it completely on your own, with your amazing, natural talent! And what about the fact that you went out with David tonight? You really think I TOLD him to go out with you? You know how I feel about the guy! You earned that date just by being yourself.” He gives Jared a wobbly smile as he admits, “The only reason I said I’d stay is because I WANT to stay. I already know you don’t need me.”
“But I do need you,” Jared replies. “I’m not the star here-Tristan Leck is. And I can’t be him on my own!” He runs a hand through his hair. “I just don’t know how I’m going to keep up without making more wishes!”
“Jared…” Jensen shakes his head and then rests his hands on Jared’s shoulders. “You only have one wish left! If you set me free, I’ll grant every wish you WANT!” Jared looks away, and Jensen’s face falls. “But you don’t believe me, do you?” Jensen ducks his own head, trying to get in Jared’s line of sight, but Jared closes his eyes, and Jensen gets the message. “You don’t trust me.” Jensen nods the truth to himself and turns away. “After EVERYthing we’ve been through…everything I’ve TOLD you! You don’t trust me. That’s just great, Jared. Thanks a lot.”
He tromps into the kitchen, with Jared on his heels. “Jen…wait.”
Jensen stops and whirls on him. “Why? So you can tell me again that you’re different from all the other masters I’ve had? Save it, Jared.” Jared hits him with the puppy-dog eyes, but they are no match for the pure hurt radiating off Jensen right now. “Can’t believe I was stupid enough to fall for it,” Jensen mutters. “Oh, and shaking hands on it-that was a nice touch. Do me a favor: next time you make a promise to someone, make sure you let them read the fine print first, so they know that only you get to decide whether or not they count.”
His legs turn into smoke, and he starts to shrink as he flows into the lamp. Jared peers down into his little face. “Jensen, I’m really sorry!”
“No, you’re not. And that’s what hurts the most.” Jensen glares at Jared and deigns a bow. “Now if you’ll excuse me…master…”
The genie disappears, and Jared grabs the lamp and peers inside. Jensen slumps into a sit on the floor and buries his face in his hands. “Please don’t cry,” Jared whispers. The genie looks up and flips him off, and the little room goes dark. Jared slams the lamp back down on the table.
“Fine, be that way! Excuse me for worrying about my own future! I didn’t ASK to get kidnapped and traumatized, you know!” The dogs are whining, and Jared snaps, “Don’t you two start with me.” Both dogs hang their heads and tails, and Harley grabs the lamp in his mouth and brings it along as he follows Sadie out the door.
Nice one, Jared, his inner voice snides. Treat everyone that cares about you like they’re nothing and you’re everything.
Jared’s anger flares up at the insult, but guilt washes over him and extinguishes the fuse. You’re right, he thinks back. I’m acting like a jackass. Standing up, he walks over to the doorway and looks out at his dogs. Harley has the lamp resting between his front paws, and Sadie lies opposite her brother, whimpering quietly at whatever she’s hearing inside the bottle. Jared has a pretty good idea what it is, and his heart hurts. He steps into the room, and both of his dogs move closer to the bottle. “I’m not gonna hurt him, guys,” he swears. “But I have to do a few things first so I can set things right.” Jared’s phone starts to ring, and he points his thumb over his shoulder. “Starting with telling whoever that is that they have to wait. Be right back.”
Jared runs into his bedroom and grabs his phone out of his jacket. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s David.”
“Oh, hey…is everything all right?”
“Not really-Eric wants us all down on set pronto. Says he has some big announcement.”
“Really? I didn’t get a call about it…”
“I told him I’d help spread the word. Just get down here, okay?”
“Yeah.” Jared checks his watch. “I’m out the door right now. See you then.” He snaps his phone shut and then throws on a pair of boots. “Sorry,” he calls to his dogs as he runs past them. “Boss needs me at work. Take care of Jensen until I get back, okay?” Sadie barks, and Jared shuts the door and runs down the stairs. Soon he’s in his car and zooming down the street, praying that he’ll make it in time for the next train.
He’s in such a hurry that he doesn’t notice the man that runs up the walk and catches the front door before it shuts and locks. As he walks up the stairs, he takes out his phone and highlights a name in his speed dial.
“Okay, he just left,” Gabe informs his boss.
“Did he have the lamp with him?”
“No, he was really booking it.” Stepping in front of Jared’s apartment door, Gabe holds the phone in front of the lock. “Go ahead,” he calls. David says some sort of spell, and a little bolt of lightning shoots out of the speaker and strikes the keyhole. The door swings open, and Gabe goes in. He gets one step inside before he’s faced with two huge, growling dogs.
“Oh shit. Forgot about his dogs.”
“Hold the phone up again.”
“Don’t kill the dogs, too!” Gabe yelps.
“Why the hell would I kill innocent animals?” David answers, and Gabe has to bite his tongue to keep from saying something he’d regret. David says another spell, and both of the dogs drop, sound asleep. Gabe tip-toes past them and grabs the blue bottle off the floor.
“Okay I’ve got it. I’ll catch the train and be back in an hour.”
“I’ll meet you on set. Oh, and Gabe-don’t even think of double-crossing me. You know I can fire you from here.” A burn appears on Gabe’s forearm, like someone has just stuck him with a red-hot fireplace poker, and he hisses from the sting. “See you soon,” David says cheerily, and then he hangs up.
Gabe hangs up as well, and he looks at the lamp. “I’m really, really sorry about this,” he tells the genie, having no idea whether he can hear him or not. Then he tucks his burnt arm against his chest for comfort and sneaks out of the apartment.
Jared speeds onto set as fast as his long legs will carry him, scared that he’s the last to arrive. And when he runs into the room and finds about a dozen other people already gathered, he KNOWS he’s the last. Sandy and Alona are there, along with Traci, Aldis, Sam, and a few of the main department heads. Jared gravitates toward Chad and Misha, but a different person calls out to him.
“Tristan?” Eric walks over just as Jared gets to his friends. “Do you have any idea what this is all about?”
Jared frowns. “What do you mean? David said this was your idea, that you had some big announcement for all of us.”
“I was told we were having a department meeting,” Misha tells them.
“Sam and Aldis just told me that they heard they were shooting extra scenes tonight,” Jim finishes as he joins them. “And I was called over to cover a security shift.”
“So what the hell is going on?” Sandy asks.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!”
David’s voice rings out over the loudspeaker, and all the lights go out, save for two spotlights that dance around on the floor. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” David continues, “because this really couldn’t wait till tomorrow.”
They hear a rumbling outside, and the floor vibrates beneath them. “Cut the melodrama, David,” Eric calls out into the dark. “You got us here. Now tell us what’s going on.”
The spotlights fall on David as he walks into the room, wearing the smuggest smile in recorded history. “It’s the dawn of a new era,” he explains. “MY era, to be specific.”
Eric laughs hard at that. “Uh-huh. Who died and made you king?”
“No one died,” David shrugs. “Not yet anyway. And I'm not a king per se..." He walks in front of Eric and looks him straight in the eye. “But I am the new Show Runner. Isn’t that right, Eric?”
Eric blinks and states, “You are the new Show Runner.”
Everyone in the room makes some kind of noise-gasps from some, swears from others, and groans from others still. “Um, David? Sweetie?” Traci begins, stepping up next to him and Eric. “You can’t be the Show Runner. It’s not in your contract.”
David locks his eyes on her now and calmly replies, “It is now.”
“It is now,” she repeats.
Aldis storms over now. “What the hell, man? This isn’t funny.”
“Sure it is!” David grins. “I’m having a great time! All these years of putting up with every single one of you people, and now I get to call the shots! And I gotta say, there were times I thought I’d never, EVER see this day. But it was worth the wait”
Misha waits until David is looking right at him to roll his eyes. “Wow, just when I think you can’t be any more of an ass....”
“And if you don’t want to be replaced, I’d start kissing my ass, Misha.”
Misha’s face brightens at once. “Yes, sir, good one, sir!”
David laughs and points at him. “MAN that’s great to hear!” He smiles around at everyone’s glares. “Aw, come on, people! It’s Miller Time! Let’s see some big smiles!” Everyone’s lips part into painfully-wide smiles, as they each look at each other with fear in their eyes. “Much better,” David compliments. “You just keep those happy faces on while I fill you in on our bright new future. See, I’ve been given the power of persuasion. I figured that it would be a real time saver to cut out all your arguments and just make you do whatever I tell you. Just think of everything we’ll get done in a day without any of your bitching!”
“Dee-ih!” Jared sounds through his literally forced smile.
“You can stop smiling now, everyone.” All of the mouths close at David’s words, and people rub at their hurt cheeks. Then David turns to the tallest man in the room. “What is it, Tristan?”
“What are you-?” Jared stops himself and steps closer to David. “What’re you doing?” he asks in a lowered voice. “Last night you told me that all you wanted was for everyone at work to give their all.”
“I also told you that you’re one in a million, and then I pretended to pass out.” David leers as Jared’s face fills with fury. “Yeah, that would be called ACTING. Look into it sometime. And by the way, I went to a LOT of trouble to get you drugged and arrange for you to be killed. The least you could’ve done was stayed dead.”
Jared’s hands curl into fists. “You fucking BASTARD!”
“Ah ah ah, I’d watch that mouth. You don’t want me to call my new head of security.” David whistles, and the roof of the huge building is ripped off like a lid from a tin can. Everyone moves backward as a colossal form appears high above them: Jensen folds his muscular arms over his chest and looks down at them all with glowing green eyes. The co-workers that met Jensen are now cowering in terror, saying over and over that it can't be him, it's impossible! Jared shakes his head no in a different sort of disbelief, and when he turns back to David, his asshole of an ex-crush holds out the lamp for all to see. “Looking for this?”
Jared gapes as David shakes the lamp back and forth. “H-how did you get that?”
David shrugs. “Stole it from you, of course! But hey, you technically stole it from me, first. Isn’t that right, Jared?” David’s snake ring lights up, and he waves his arm over Jared’s head, displacing the Glamour. The crowd of co-workers is staggered at the sight. “Thaaat’s RIGHT!” David chides. “Your wonder boy Tristan Leck is really just Jared Padalecki, a pathetic little PA.”
“Jared…?” Chad asks, looking his friend up and down with a mix of confusion and mistrust, and Jared longs for a hole to drop into and disappear.
“Chad…everybody, I’m so sorry! This isn’t what it looks like. I didn’t want to lie to you, but-”
“Blah blah blah,” David yawns, “lame excuse, no one cares, moving on.” He looks up at Jensen and calls, “Slave! I believe I asked to have power over the people and rule them from up HIGH. No time like the present, hint hint...”
The massive genie bends over until all they can see are his menacing green eyes. He grasps the base of the building on either side and lifts it from the ground. The building starts to shake at once, sets and lights toppling over, and everyone runs around in a panic. Jared dodges some falling rigging and pulls Alona out of the way before a camera drops on her. “JENSEN, STOP!” Jared yells over the din, but Jensen looks back with sorrow.
“Sorry. David’s my master now.” Jensen holds the building as still as possible, not wanting to hurt anyone, and zaps the ground. A rocky peak juts out of the ground and soon towers over all of Burbank. Jensen sets the building down on top of it and then zaps it as well, turning it into a spooky castle. Then he peers down at the courtyard and watches the tiny people huddle together in fear at the mere sight of him. Only Jared stands apart from them all, glaring at David as the new Show Runner takes his seat in his brand new throne.
“Much better,” David smiles. “So where were we before the big move?”
“I was just about to end you for everything you’ve done,” Jared snarls. David rolls his eyes.
“NOW who’s being melodramatic? Whatever, Jared, I’m bored with you. SLAVE!” David looks up as the genie bends down a tad closer. “My second wish: I want Jared banished to the most desolate place on earth.”
Sandy and Alona scream, and Jared braces himself…but nothing happens. He looks up and finds Jensen’s face scrunched up in apparent pain. David jumps to his feet. “What are you waiting for? Banish him!”
“No!” Jensen yells back. Blood gushes from his nose, and as he holds his hands to his head, Jared notices that Jensen’s golden cuffs have begun to glow.
“Dammit, Slave, DO as I SAY!”
“NO! I won’t!” By now his golden cuffs are red hot, and steam is rising off of Jensen’s skin as the metal burns into him. He cries out from the pain, but keeps fighting.
“Okay, seriously, what the hell?” David asks. “Why are you going through all that pain for some nobody like Jared?”
“He is NOT a nobody,” Jensen growls, and he opens his tear-filled eyes for a moment to glare at his new master. “Jared is EVERYthing to me. You're not even a quarter of the man he is!”
And a big smile lands on David’s face. “Ohhh no. No…you’re not really THAT pathetic, are you?” Jensen looks at Jared, and David laughs. “You are! You’re in love with him!” He’s in hysterics as he drops into his throne, and Jensen shuts his eyes and collapses beyond the castle. Jared tears out of the courtyard, and much of the crowd follows him.
They find Jensen on his back and suffering greatly, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. Jared runs along Jensen’s immense side until he reaches the side of his face. A huge tear drops on top of Jared, and he puts his hand out and touches Jensen’s cheek.
“Jen?” he asks quietly. “Is it true? Do you…love me?”
The enormous face turns to look at him, and soon Jared is ringed by Jensen’s green iris. “Of course it’s true!” Jensen whispers. “How could I NOT love you? Have you SEEN you?! Jared..." The freckles shine bright from the tears rolling over them. "I never, ever thought I'd be happy again. And then you came along, this tall, gorgeous guy, dorky and sexy at the same time. You made me laugh...you made me feel normal, which isn't easy to do... And on top of that, you're smart and sweet and funny… You come with dogs!” Jared chuckles at that, even though he’s crying right along with Jensen. "You’re beautiful, Jared, inside and out. I’d do ANYthing for you. Even this.” He holds up one burnt arm, and Jared shudders at the awful sight. "It's what happens when a genie tries to fight his master's wishes."
Jared is overcome with emotion-shock and surprise, acceptance and appreciation. He wants to say something but he's being pulled in too many directions. Then Jensen cringes and screams as the cuffs burn him anew, and Jared screams from the pain of watching Jensen go through it.
"STOP IT!" Jared yells. "Stop fighting it! I'm not WORTH it!
“Yes...you are," Jensen tells him, trembling badly from the pain. “You're worth...everything." He pushes out a smile. "You’re my Dimples.”
“Oh how sweet. How touching.” David makes his presence known with the insults, and they all turn to glare at him. “No that’s not the word I’m looking for…what is it? Oh yeah. NAUSEATING.” David holds his ring up and blasts Jensen with more fire. Jensen shrieks as his enormous body writhes in agony. “Grant my wish!” David bellows. “BANISH him!”
Jensen holds on for a few seconds longer until his right hand lifts, seemingly of its own will. “S-sorry…Jared…”
“It’s okay,” Jared answers as he strokes Jensen’s cheek. “Just let go. It’s okay.”
Jensen’s hand hovers over Jared’s tiny form, and with a zap of magic, Jared disappears from sight. “FI-nally,” David moans. “Can we please get on with the rest of my hostile takeover? All of you, follow me back inside, NOW!”
David leads his new minions back into the castle, leaving Jensen alone and hating himself for not being strong enough. Above them all, the night sky turns blood red.
On to Part Thirteen
Master Post
Author: queeberquabbler
Fic Prompt: Disney's Aladdin
Pairing: J2
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 for swearing. No warnings otherwise--it's your standard J2 :)
Disclaimer: See Master Post.
Jared is on his couch, watching TV with Sadie and Harley. It’s been a little over an hour since he called David to make sure he was all right. Much to Jared's relief, he sounded fine. Jared wishes he could say the same about himself, currently feeling anything BUT fine. The dogs must sense it, too, because they are sitting next to their human as canine sentries, eyes sharp and ears perked. They’ve been like this ever since Jared sat down, but was unable to calm down.
Who would want to kill me?
The question keeps repeating itself, and Jared is torn on whether he really wants to know the answer. It wasn’t like it was some random kidnapping-this was planned. First drugged, then taken, then…
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
Jared jolts from the flashes of memory, and Harley whines and moves even closer; the fur on his neck is now pressed against Jared’s right ear. He takes yet another deep breath-he’d lost count sometime after Number 15-and blows it out slow. Calm down, Jared. You’re home. You’re safe. His heart pounds with doubt and lingering fear. You’re SAFE, Jared swears, looking around his apartment as proof. But he’s already starting to shake. He knows what’s coming. This will be Panic Attack Number Three.
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
The images clobber mind and body. Jared shivers, and he wraps his arms over himself and curls his knees under his chin, trying to protect himself-
SPLASH
Ugh
Tug
NO!
-and failing. Now his headache kicks in, pounding a reminder of his forehead’s clash with the steering wheel, and he sets his hand over the bandage and shuts his eyes.
Mistake.
He’s back in the water, tugging at the handcuffs. The water goes over his head. He can’t breathe. He looks for the lamp, and it isn’t there. He can’t breathe! He ISN’T safe, never was, and now he’s gonna DIE! Can’t breathe, can’t move. Tug tug TUUUUG come on, dammit, he has to get FREE! He kicks and pulls and screams and-
“Jared, STOP!”
He gasps and bucks forward into Jensen’s waiting arms. “Heyyyy…” Jensen rubs Jared’s back as he gently rocks him back onto the sofa. The dogs jump off the sofa to make room for the genie, and Jensen’s glad, because he isn’t about to let go. “You’re safe, Jared,” he murmurs into his ear. “I promise. You’re out of that car and back home with me and Harley and Sadie. We won’t let anything hurt you, right?” The dogs bark in reply, and Jared “aww”s as he pulls away from Jensen’s embrace.
“Sorry,” Jared mutters, rubbing his doggies’ foreheads as he gives Jensen a smile of embarrassment.
“Don’t be. You’re still in shock, and who can blame you?” Jensen leans over Jared to fluff his pillow, and then he removes the strewn blankets and drapes them anew over the long legs. “Now,” Jensen lifts Jared’s socky feet onto the sofa, turning him and his blankets sideways, “keep those feet elevated. Harley, think you could be a pillow for a while?” The dog barks, jumps up on the couch, and lies down, and Jensen pats him. “Good boy. Such a good helper!” Sadie nudges Jensen’s leg, and he smiles at her. “I know, you want to help, too, Sadie girl. Come on, I need you in the kitchen!” Jensen jogs off, and Sadie wags her tail and runs after him.
“Oh, Jensen,” Jared smiles-just the name is enough to do that to him now, and it momentarily takes his mind off of his panic. The genie has gone out of his way to make sure Jared remains warm and comfortable. After unrolling “Burrito Jared,” Jensen only used his magic once: to make Jared dry and dress him in fresh and comfy clothes with a snap of his fingers. “That,” he declared, “was still part of the Saving You wish. Can’t let you freeze to death, right?” And Jared couldn’t argue with that logic.
Since then, Jensen has stayed true to his No Freebies promise, covering Jared in blankets and bringing him water and snacks and whatever he needs. And any time Jared has started to panic, Jensen has been right there, holding him close and keeping him safe. Jared feels kind of silly to need the constant reminder, but Jensen hasn’t complained once. He hasn’t even poked fun at Jared’s weakness. He just smiles that sweet smile down at him, looks him over with care and concern in his eyes, and cracks silly jokes to keep Jared in good humor. All in all, Jensen’s been…well…magical, to be honest! And now, as Jensen peeks out from the kitchen for a second, Jared can’t help but grin and wonder what’s next.
“Okay, Sadie, take it out to him!”
A moment later, Sadie trots into the front room, carrying the handle of a little basket in her mouth. Jared carefully takes it from her, and she wags her tail and yips at him.
“What’s this?” Jared asks with a big smile.
“THAT, my dear Dimples, is a basket full of very special chocolate.” Jensen walks into the room, steadying a mug of what Jared sincerely hopes is hot chocolate, based on the steam rising up. Jared unfolds the cloth covering the edibles and, sure enough, finds a bundle of round chocolates wrapped in burgundy foil. Jared looks up at Jensen with his adorable ‘It’s SUGAR!’ grin and dives right in. Jensen chuckles at him as he sets the mug down on the table. “Don’t forget to take the foil off first, Jare.”
If Jared heard him, he doesn’t show it: his eyes are on his sugary prize as he frees it from its wrapper and places it on his tongue. He shuts his mouth, squeezes the chocolate to the roof of his mouth…and groans with pleasure. The kind of pleasure NO chocolate, no matter how amazing it is, should be able to give. “Ohhhh myyy GOD…” Jared’s head drops back over the arm of the sofa (as he crosses his legs underneath his blankets).
“Good, huh?” Jensen grins, and Jared just groans happily in reply. Jensen squats down in front of Jared’s upside-down and blissed-out face. Jared smiles even more when Jensen comes into view. He utters one word:
“Dude.”
And Jensen laughs again. “Dude yourself! I swear you have little chocolate bars for pupils right now.”
Jared slowly sits back up and reaches for another chockie. “Where did you GET these?!”
“Cupid. He sends me some every year for my birthday, and they never go bad.” Jensen’s answer makes Jared smile with surprise, and Jensen gets shy and rubs at his neck as he looks away. “Guy kinda has a thing for me, even though he knows he isn’t my type.”
“Am whah iff your fype?” Jared asks in Foodeese. (Translation for those of you who aren’t fluent in the universal language of stuffed mouths: ‘And what is your type?’)
“I like tall, dark, and goofy.” Jensen’s eyes gaze at Jared, complete with little twinkles adrift in seas of green, but Jared doesn’t notice-he’s too busy grinning at Jensen, smooshing the chocolate in his mouth until it seeps out between his teeth. Exactly, Jensen smiles back. He’d rather be kissing him senseless, but just seeing Jared in a good mood is wonderful in its own right.
Especially since he nearly lost him earlier tonight.
Jensen is just as haunted by what happened to Jared, if not even more so; the genie knows he won’t be able to sleep for at least a week, too fearful of reliving the nightmare. But being awake isn’t much better: he keeps looking at his friend and master to make sure he’s really there, not still trapped in a car and drowning. The What Ifs are merciless. What if Jensen hadn’t felt the lamp summoning him? What if Jared didn’t have the lamp on him? What if he died, alone and cold and scared, and Jensen was LEFT alone, feeling much the same?
STOP it, he yells at himself. He’s fine. You saved him. He’s safe. But he has to look at Jared again anyway. Jared is oblivious to Jensen’s fears, lost in the chocolate, and Jensen is glad for it. He wants Jared happy, not hurt or worried or even the slightest bit unhappy. Then Jared shoves two more chocolates into his mouth, and Jensen can’t help but smirk.
“Uh, you might wanna slow down, Jay, unless you’d like to explain to the doctor why you’ve been hard for 14 hours…”
Jared spits the half-chewed chocolates into his hand. “WHAT?!” He looks under his blanket and Jensen brays with laughter. Jared chucks the gooey wad at the genie, but Jensen turns to smoke for a moment so that the mess flies right through him and sticks to the wall. It smears its way down to the floor, and the new stripe on the wall makes Jensen laugh even more.
“It’s NOT FUNNY!” Jared yells, and Jensen waves that he’s sorry, he’s stopping, but when Jared checks under his blanket again, Jensen loses it. Jared slugs him in the shoulder, and Jensen wraps his arms around him and kisses him on top of his head. He can’t help it! Jared scowls but doesn’t try to get out of the hug-and Jensen LOVES that.
“Are you done laughing at your stupid and incredibly cruel joke?” Jared snits, working hard to stay mad at Jensen even as he’s snuggling closer to him.
“And which joke would that be?” Jensen asks, keeping his arms locked tight. “The fact that I gave you orgasmic chocolate or the fact that you believed my warning about the 14-hour hard-on?”
Jared glares. Jensen grins, eyes all crinkly in the corners. Then Jared slugs him again and slaps him on his rock-hard chest as Jensen finally releases him, grinning through the abuse. “Yeah, yeah,” Jensen teases. “Eat your chocolate so I can get my silly Jared back.” Jared says nothing, just unwraps another goodie and tosses it in his mouth. “Although Pretend-Pouty Jared isn’t bad, I have to say.” Jensen waggles his eyebrows as Jared swallows his bite.
“At least I’m not Cupid’s bitch,” Jared throws back. Jensen’s eyes narrow, and Jared gives him a pleasant smile.
“I am NOT Cupid’s bitch,” Jensen grumbles.
“But you’re Cupid’s sex buddy.” The genie is SO not amused by Jared’s words, and that just eggs Jared on, of course. “Cupid’s pootang? Bottom boy? Service Man on Booty Call, 24-7?”
Jensen nods, taking the heat. “Yep, you just threw away your chocolate privileges.” He grabs the basket and gets up, and Jared jumps to his feet right after.
“Hey! I NEED those! I’m still recovering!”
“And I’m insulted!”
Jared’s orangutan arms reach for the basket again and again, so Jensen one-ups him by stretching his arm out impossibly long, reaching all the way back to the kitchen. “Oh no you don’t!” Jared runs after the retreating basket, but just as he steps into the kitchen, the basket reaches Jensen’s bottle. It shrinks down and falls in through the top. Jared grabs for the bottle, but Jensen’s hand smacks Jared’s away.
How the hell did he do that? Jared wonders. He can’t even see me!
“Magic genie!” Jensen yells from the other room. His supremely-outstretched arm lifts up, and his hand pats Jared on his head. Then the arm retreats like a tape measure whirling back into its container. Jared shakes his head and smirks as he heads back to the front room. Jensen is smirking as well, but he’s directing it at Harley while he pets him.
“Show off,” Jared mutters as he returns to the couch, and Jensen laughs.
“Get used to it. I’m going to be sticking around after you set me free.”
And just like that, the mood is killed-for Jared, at least. In between panic attacks and cups of really good tea, he’s been thinking over everything that has happened, and he keeps coming to the same tough decision. “About that…” he begins; it’s now or never, after all.
Jensen holds his hands up in a ‘stop’ gesture. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it all planned out. See,” he sits down next to Jared, “the way I figure it, Tristan Leck has one amazing future ahead of him. That means he’s definitely going to need a handler from here on out. And since I’ve already got the job, and you and Jim and your friends on set are pretty much the only people I know, I might as well stay right here.” He smiles at Jared. “With you!”
Jared smiles too, but he looks down at his knees instead of Jensen’s face. “That sounds awesome, but-”
“And we can go on vacation sometime! Maybe a road trip in a cool car. There is SO much of the world I haven’t seen, even though I’ve been all over. But sitting in a lamp and waiting for your next master isn’t exactly the best way to go sight-seeing, you know?”
“Jensen…”
“Oooh! I could show you places I’ve been, and even some that most humans will never see! Like the real Shangri La. They have the best, and I mean BEST, cheesecake. It floats on a little cloud and everything. And when the sun comes up over the mountains…it’s so beautiful. Or if that’s too cold for you, we could go diving to Atlantis. You’re gonna laugh when you find out where it is. Everybody is WAY off-”
“JENSEN!”
The genie shuts his mouth into a wide smile-one that his master does not share. In fact, Jared looks pretty upset. “What’s wrong?” Jensen asks. “Is your head hurting again? Shit, hang on, I’ll get some aspirin.” He gets up, but Jared grabs his arm and pulls him back down.
“Stop being so nice to me!” Jared yells.
“What? Why?”
“Because I can’t set you free.”
Jensen blinks. “Damn, your head really IS messed up.”
“No, Jensen, I’m serious.” Jared forces himself to look in his friend’s eyes. “I can’t set you free.”
The words drop on Jensen as boulders in a rockslide, and he sinks into the sofa as the rest of his happy world crumbles around him. “I’m sorry,” Jared says, “I know how unfair it is-believe me, this was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make. But after what happened tonight...”
“You’re scared,” Jensen nods, still a bit dazed. “I get it. But Jared, I just told you that I wanted to stay! You know I’d keep you safe!”
“It isn’t just that, it’s everything.” Jared stands up and holds his arms out. “My entire life has changed completely since you arrived!”
“Because that’s what you wished for!” Jensen argues, getting up to face him.
“Exactly, Jensen! I WISHED for it! I didn’t do any of it on my own!”
“Bullshit. I didn’t get you your acting job-YOU did. Sure I set up the audition and gave you some new clothes, but I didn’t hypnotize the judges to hire you! You earned it completely on your own, with your amazing, natural talent! And what about the fact that you went out with David tonight? You really think I TOLD him to go out with you? You know how I feel about the guy! You earned that date just by being yourself.” He gives Jared a wobbly smile as he admits, “The only reason I said I’d stay is because I WANT to stay. I already know you don’t need me.”
“But I do need you,” Jared replies. “I’m not the star here-Tristan Leck is. And I can’t be him on my own!” He runs a hand through his hair. “I just don’t know how I’m going to keep up without making more wishes!”
“Jared…” Jensen shakes his head and then rests his hands on Jared’s shoulders. “You only have one wish left! If you set me free, I’ll grant every wish you WANT!” Jared looks away, and Jensen’s face falls. “But you don’t believe me, do you?” Jensen ducks his own head, trying to get in Jared’s line of sight, but Jared closes his eyes, and Jensen gets the message. “You don’t trust me.” Jensen nods the truth to himself and turns away. “After EVERYthing we’ve been through…everything I’ve TOLD you! You don’t trust me. That’s just great, Jared. Thanks a lot.”
He tromps into the kitchen, with Jared on his heels. “Jen…wait.”
Jensen stops and whirls on him. “Why? So you can tell me again that you’re different from all the other masters I’ve had? Save it, Jared.” Jared hits him with the puppy-dog eyes, but they are no match for the pure hurt radiating off Jensen right now. “Can’t believe I was stupid enough to fall for it,” Jensen mutters. “Oh, and shaking hands on it-that was a nice touch. Do me a favor: next time you make a promise to someone, make sure you let them read the fine print first, so they know that only you get to decide whether or not they count.”
His legs turn into smoke, and he starts to shrink as he flows into the lamp. Jared peers down into his little face. “Jensen, I’m really sorry!”
“No, you’re not. And that’s what hurts the most.” Jensen glares at Jared and deigns a bow. “Now if you’ll excuse me…master…”
The genie disappears, and Jared grabs the lamp and peers inside. Jensen slumps into a sit on the floor and buries his face in his hands. “Please don’t cry,” Jared whispers. The genie looks up and flips him off, and the little room goes dark. Jared slams the lamp back down on the table.
“Fine, be that way! Excuse me for worrying about my own future! I didn’t ASK to get kidnapped and traumatized, you know!” The dogs are whining, and Jared snaps, “Don’t you two start with me.” Both dogs hang their heads and tails, and Harley grabs the lamp in his mouth and brings it along as he follows Sadie out the door.
Nice one, Jared, his inner voice snides. Treat everyone that cares about you like they’re nothing and you’re everything.
Jared’s anger flares up at the insult, but guilt washes over him and extinguishes the fuse. You’re right, he thinks back. I’m acting like a jackass. Standing up, he walks over to the doorway and looks out at his dogs. Harley has the lamp resting between his front paws, and Sadie lies opposite her brother, whimpering quietly at whatever she’s hearing inside the bottle. Jared has a pretty good idea what it is, and his heart hurts. He steps into the room, and both of his dogs move closer to the bottle. “I’m not gonna hurt him, guys,” he swears. “But I have to do a few things first so I can set things right.” Jared’s phone starts to ring, and he points his thumb over his shoulder. “Starting with telling whoever that is that they have to wait. Be right back.”
Jared runs into his bedroom and grabs his phone out of his jacket. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s David.”
“Oh, hey…is everything all right?”
“Not really-Eric wants us all down on set pronto. Says he has some big announcement.”
“Really? I didn’t get a call about it…”
“I told him I’d help spread the word. Just get down here, okay?”
“Yeah.” Jared checks his watch. “I’m out the door right now. See you then.” He snaps his phone shut and then throws on a pair of boots. “Sorry,” he calls to his dogs as he runs past them. “Boss needs me at work. Take care of Jensen until I get back, okay?” Sadie barks, and Jared shuts the door and runs down the stairs. Soon he’s in his car and zooming down the street, praying that he’ll make it in time for the next train.
He’s in such a hurry that he doesn’t notice the man that runs up the walk and catches the front door before it shuts and locks. As he walks up the stairs, he takes out his phone and highlights a name in his speed dial.
“Okay, he just left,” Gabe informs his boss.
“Did he have the lamp with him?”
“No, he was really booking it.” Stepping in front of Jared’s apartment door, Gabe holds the phone in front of the lock. “Go ahead,” he calls. David says some sort of spell, and a little bolt of lightning shoots out of the speaker and strikes the keyhole. The door swings open, and Gabe goes in. He gets one step inside before he’s faced with two huge, growling dogs.
“Oh shit. Forgot about his dogs.”
“Hold the phone up again.”
“Don’t kill the dogs, too!” Gabe yelps.
“Why the hell would I kill innocent animals?” David answers, and Gabe has to bite his tongue to keep from saying something he’d regret. David says another spell, and both of the dogs drop, sound asleep. Gabe tip-toes past them and grabs the blue bottle off the floor.
“Okay I’ve got it. I’ll catch the train and be back in an hour.”
“I’ll meet you on set. Oh, and Gabe-don’t even think of double-crossing me. You know I can fire you from here.” A burn appears on Gabe’s forearm, like someone has just stuck him with a red-hot fireplace poker, and he hisses from the sting. “See you soon,” David says cheerily, and then he hangs up.
Gabe hangs up as well, and he looks at the lamp. “I’m really, really sorry about this,” he tells the genie, having no idea whether he can hear him or not. Then he tucks his burnt arm against his chest for comfort and sneaks out of the apartment.
Jared speeds onto set as fast as his long legs will carry him, scared that he’s the last to arrive. And when he runs into the room and finds about a dozen other people already gathered, he KNOWS he’s the last. Sandy and Alona are there, along with Traci, Aldis, Sam, and a few of the main department heads. Jared gravitates toward Chad and Misha, but a different person calls out to him.
“Tristan?” Eric walks over just as Jared gets to his friends. “Do you have any idea what this is all about?”
Jared frowns. “What do you mean? David said this was your idea, that you had some big announcement for all of us.”
“I was told we were having a department meeting,” Misha tells them.
“Sam and Aldis just told me that they heard they were shooting extra scenes tonight,” Jim finishes as he joins them. “And I was called over to cover a security shift.”
“So what the hell is going on?” Sandy asks.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!”
David’s voice rings out over the loudspeaker, and all the lights go out, save for two spotlights that dance around on the floor. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” David continues, “because this really couldn’t wait till tomorrow.”
They hear a rumbling outside, and the floor vibrates beneath them. “Cut the melodrama, David,” Eric calls out into the dark. “You got us here. Now tell us what’s going on.”
The spotlights fall on David as he walks into the room, wearing the smuggest smile in recorded history. “It’s the dawn of a new era,” he explains. “MY era, to be specific.”
Eric laughs hard at that. “Uh-huh. Who died and made you king?”
“No one died,” David shrugs. “Not yet anyway. And I'm not a king per se..." He walks in front of Eric and looks him straight in the eye. “But I am the new Show Runner. Isn’t that right, Eric?”
Eric blinks and states, “You are the new Show Runner.”
Everyone in the room makes some kind of noise-gasps from some, swears from others, and groans from others still. “Um, David? Sweetie?” Traci begins, stepping up next to him and Eric. “You can’t be the Show Runner. It’s not in your contract.”
David locks his eyes on her now and calmly replies, “It is now.”
“It is now,” she repeats.
Aldis storms over now. “What the hell, man? This isn’t funny.”
“Sure it is!” David grins. “I’m having a great time! All these years of putting up with every single one of you people, and now I get to call the shots! And I gotta say, there were times I thought I’d never, EVER see this day. But it was worth the wait”
Misha waits until David is looking right at him to roll his eyes. “Wow, just when I think you can’t be any more of an ass....”
“And if you don’t want to be replaced, I’d start kissing my ass, Misha.”
Misha’s face brightens at once. “Yes, sir, good one, sir!”
David laughs and points at him. “MAN that’s great to hear!” He smiles around at everyone’s glares. “Aw, come on, people! It’s Miller Time! Let’s see some big smiles!” Everyone’s lips part into painfully-wide smiles, as they each look at each other with fear in their eyes. “Much better,” David compliments. “You just keep those happy faces on while I fill you in on our bright new future. See, I’ve been given the power of persuasion. I figured that it would be a real time saver to cut out all your arguments and just make you do whatever I tell you. Just think of everything we’ll get done in a day without any of your bitching!”
“Dee-ih!” Jared sounds through his literally forced smile.
“You can stop smiling now, everyone.” All of the mouths close at David’s words, and people rub at their hurt cheeks. Then David turns to the tallest man in the room. “What is it, Tristan?”
“What are you-?” Jared stops himself and steps closer to David. “What’re you doing?” he asks in a lowered voice. “Last night you told me that all you wanted was for everyone at work to give their all.”
“I also told you that you’re one in a million, and then I pretended to pass out.” David leers as Jared’s face fills with fury. “Yeah, that would be called ACTING. Look into it sometime. And by the way, I went to a LOT of trouble to get you drugged and arrange for you to be killed. The least you could’ve done was stayed dead.”
Jared’s hands curl into fists. “You fucking BASTARD!”
“Ah ah ah, I’d watch that mouth. You don’t want me to call my new head of security.” David whistles, and the roof of the huge building is ripped off like a lid from a tin can. Everyone moves backward as a colossal form appears high above them: Jensen folds his muscular arms over his chest and looks down at them all with glowing green eyes. The co-workers that met Jensen are now cowering in terror, saying over and over that it can't be him, it's impossible! Jared shakes his head no in a different sort of disbelief, and when he turns back to David, his asshole of an ex-crush holds out the lamp for all to see. “Looking for this?”
Jared gapes as David shakes the lamp back and forth. “H-how did you get that?”
David shrugs. “Stole it from you, of course! But hey, you technically stole it from me, first. Isn’t that right, Jared?” David’s snake ring lights up, and he waves his arm over Jared’s head, displacing the Glamour. The crowd of co-workers is staggered at the sight. “Thaaat’s RIGHT!” David chides. “Your wonder boy Tristan Leck is really just Jared Padalecki, a pathetic little PA.”
“Jared…?” Chad asks, looking his friend up and down with a mix of confusion and mistrust, and Jared longs for a hole to drop into and disappear.
“Chad…everybody, I’m so sorry! This isn’t what it looks like. I didn’t want to lie to you, but-”
“Blah blah blah,” David yawns, “lame excuse, no one cares, moving on.” He looks up at Jensen and calls, “Slave! I believe I asked to have power over the people and rule them from up HIGH. No time like the present, hint hint...”
The massive genie bends over until all they can see are his menacing green eyes. He grasps the base of the building on either side and lifts it from the ground. The building starts to shake at once, sets and lights toppling over, and everyone runs around in a panic. Jared dodges some falling rigging and pulls Alona out of the way before a camera drops on her. “JENSEN, STOP!” Jared yells over the din, but Jensen looks back with sorrow.
“Sorry. David’s my master now.” Jensen holds the building as still as possible, not wanting to hurt anyone, and zaps the ground. A rocky peak juts out of the ground and soon towers over all of Burbank. Jensen sets the building down on top of it and then zaps it as well, turning it into a spooky castle. Then he peers down at the courtyard and watches the tiny people huddle together in fear at the mere sight of him. Only Jared stands apart from them all, glaring at David as the new Show Runner takes his seat in his brand new throne.
“Much better,” David smiles. “So where were we before the big move?”
“I was just about to end you for everything you’ve done,” Jared snarls. David rolls his eyes.
“NOW who’s being melodramatic? Whatever, Jared, I’m bored with you. SLAVE!” David looks up as the genie bends down a tad closer. “My second wish: I want Jared banished to the most desolate place on earth.”
Sandy and Alona scream, and Jared braces himself…but nothing happens. He looks up and finds Jensen’s face scrunched up in apparent pain. David jumps to his feet. “What are you waiting for? Banish him!”
“No!” Jensen yells back. Blood gushes from his nose, and as he holds his hands to his head, Jared notices that Jensen’s golden cuffs have begun to glow.
“Dammit, Slave, DO as I SAY!”
“NO! I won’t!” By now his golden cuffs are red hot, and steam is rising off of Jensen’s skin as the metal burns into him. He cries out from the pain, but keeps fighting.
“Okay, seriously, what the hell?” David asks. “Why are you going through all that pain for some nobody like Jared?”
“He is NOT a nobody,” Jensen growls, and he opens his tear-filled eyes for a moment to glare at his new master. “Jared is EVERYthing to me. You're not even a quarter of the man he is!”
And a big smile lands on David’s face. “Ohhh no. No…you’re not really THAT pathetic, are you?” Jensen looks at Jared, and David laughs. “You are! You’re in love with him!” He’s in hysterics as he drops into his throne, and Jensen shuts his eyes and collapses beyond the castle. Jared tears out of the courtyard, and much of the crowd follows him.
They find Jensen on his back and suffering greatly, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. Jared runs along Jensen’s immense side until he reaches the side of his face. A huge tear drops on top of Jared, and he puts his hand out and touches Jensen’s cheek.
“Jen?” he asks quietly. “Is it true? Do you…love me?”
The enormous face turns to look at him, and soon Jared is ringed by Jensen’s green iris. “Of course it’s true!” Jensen whispers. “How could I NOT love you? Have you SEEN you?! Jared..." The freckles shine bright from the tears rolling over them. "I never, ever thought I'd be happy again. And then you came along, this tall, gorgeous guy, dorky and sexy at the same time. You made me laugh...you made me feel normal, which isn't easy to do... And on top of that, you're smart and sweet and funny… You come with dogs!” Jared chuckles at that, even though he’s crying right along with Jensen. "You’re beautiful, Jared, inside and out. I’d do ANYthing for you. Even this.” He holds up one burnt arm, and Jared shudders at the awful sight. "It's what happens when a genie tries to fight his master's wishes."
Jared is overcome with emotion-shock and surprise, acceptance and appreciation. He wants to say something but he's being pulled in too many directions. Then Jensen cringes and screams as the cuffs burn him anew, and Jared screams from the pain of watching Jensen go through it.
"STOP IT!" Jared yells. "Stop fighting it! I'm not WORTH it!
“Yes...you are," Jensen tells him, trembling badly from the pain. “You're worth...everything." He pushes out a smile. "You’re my Dimples.”
“Oh how sweet. How touching.” David makes his presence known with the insults, and they all turn to glare at him. “No that’s not the word I’m looking for…what is it? Oh yeah. NAUSEATING.” David holds his ring up and blasts Jensen with more fire. Jensen shrieks as his enormous body writhes in agony. “Grant my wish!” David bellows. “BANISH him!”
Jensen holds on for a few seconds longer until his right hand lifts, seemingly of its own will. “S-sorry…Jared…”
“It’s okay,” Jared answers as he strokes Jensen’s cheek. “Just let go. It’s okay.”
Jensen’s hand hovers over Jared’s tiny form, and with a zap of magic, Jared disappears from sight. “FI-nally,” David moans. “Can we please get on with the rest of my hostile takeover? All of you, follow me back inside, NOW!”
David leads his new minions back into the castle, leaving Jensen alone and hating himself for not being strong enough. Above them all, the night sky turns blood red.
On to Part Thirteen
Master Post