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He was already on his way home. The plan was, after a short stop in Los Angeles to buy the last presents, to fly on to Texas to celebrate Christmas with his family. They didn't shoot for two weeks. Jensen had agreed to take the dogs with him as he was flying home himself. This way Jared didn't have to drag them first to L.A. and then back to San Antonio. He could just pick them up easily from Jensen.
He was already at the airport again, packed like Santa Claus, gave autographs to some fans and took some pictures. His flight didn't take off for an hour. He said goodbye to the girls and was about to find a place to wait when his cell phone rang and the caller ruined his plan.
"Jared?" There was an agitated voice coming out of the earpiece. At first, he hesitated, but then he knew who it was. Donna Ackles.
"Jared, it's Donna." There was something in her tone that he didn't like at all.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Jensen was supposed to arrive this morning, but he wasn't on the plane, so I called him, but he didn't pick up. God, Jay, I've been trying to reach him all day. I can't get ahold of anyone in Vancouver, and I don't have every number of people there, and I don't know what to do. He just wasn't on the plane. You know something, Jay? Did he say anything or call?" She clattered off at such a pace that Jared had trouble following her all the way, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
Jensen would have called if anything came up.
"Okay relax, I don't know anything. I probably won't be able to reach anyone either, they're all on vacation. There's no answer at the house either?"
"NO! I've called countless times and the answering machine is full and doesn't record anymore. Something must have happened. I was gonna call the police, but Alan said to call you first. Where are you? Are you still in Vancouver or are you here already?"
Donna didn't know about their arrangement.
"I'm at LAX and I was just about to fly down there, but now... oh, damn it. No don't call the police, we don't need that kind of press. And I think it's all harmless." At least he hoped it was. "I'll rebook and fly back. Probably it's all harmless. He probably locked himself in his bedroom. The door sticks sometimes, you know." His little attempt to cheer her up didn't go over well with the stressed-out mother.
They said goodbye and a short time later he was on a plane back to Vancouver. Economy class, row aisle windows. Fortunately he didn't suffer from claustrophobia, because the 300-pound woman next to him didn't make it any better, not even when she said for the hundredth time "She knows him from somewhere."
"Jensen, I hope it's worth it." He ran away in his mind.
But all thoughts of revenge and anger were gone when he was standing in front of his property again. At the airport he had asked again and was confirmed that Mr. Jensen Ackles had not taken his flight.
As it looked, Jensen had not even left the house. His car was still parked outside. It was completely covered with snow. Jared got out unsteadily of his own car. His home was just the first place he wanted to check and he seemed to be the right one.
He wiped off some of the snow with his jacket sleeve and saw that Jensen's cell phone was in the center console. The car was open. He grabbed the small device and was astonished about 140 missed calls from his parents.
Something wasn't right at all and his stomach seized up. A movement to his left scared him, but he smiled in relief when he saw who was roaming through the trees and hadn't spotted him yet.
"Harley, come here, boy." The big dog flew straight at his master and whimpered and pawed with joy.
Jared stroked his brown fur astonished. His four-legged friend was wet and dirty and he was alone. Where Harley was, Sady was not far away, but there was no trace of the lady.
"Hey, baby, where is everybody, huh?"
Harley barked up and scurried to the front door where he stood expectantly and scratched to be let in.
Jared needed no further indication, he unlocked the door but left the dog outside. He didn't know what was going on and the pressure around his heart was increasing. The tall Texan closed it again quietly behind him and looked around. It was quite cool in the house and except for a light from the upper floor, dark. No sound could be heard. At first he wanted to call out, but decided against it eventually. What if something had happened. Burglar? He thought about calling the police, then he dismissed it. Let's look around carefully first. There was a dog poop in the entrance area and it stank. So one dog was outside, the other inside, but where was his friend?
He crept through the rooms, which were all abandoned, all the way to the kitchen. He felt stupid but he didn't care when he grabbed the baseball bat that was behind a cupboard. It was better to be safe than sorry, at least that's what Jensen said when he put the aluminum bat there.
Jared could see a part of the second staircase leading up from the kitchen. At the bottom of the stairs someone was sitting with his back to him. He recognized the person immediately. Jensen.
"Jensen?" he asked quietly. Jared didn't want to scare him and the way Jensen sat there, so quiet. The actor felt fear for the first time since Donna called him.
Slowly he walked towards him, putting the baseball bat on a sideboard. Jensen came more and more into view and he was not alone. Sady was with him and when she saw her master she wagged her tail excitedly but her head did not lift off Jensen's bare leg.
Jared swallowed the rock down his throat at the sight. Jensen sat in the cold house on the stairs wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and a T-shirt leaning against the wall.
"Hey!" Jared said louder and more than a stone fell from his heart as two green emeralds looked at him in shock.
"Thank God you're here." It came fragile from the dark blond.
Jared knelt down to make sure he was at eye level.
"What's wrong? Your mom's about to call in the cavalry. Jesus, Ackles, you're freezing! How long have you been sitting here?" he said upset as he came in contact with the man's cold knee.
"My-my knees. The phone, I know, but I couldn't. The pills are empty and shit my knees, Jared."
And that's when Jared knew what was going on. Jensen's famous bow legs, which many women found sexy, and gave him his own personal brand. They had been a recurring problem for over two years. At first, it was only a slight pain, but it quickly got worse. So bad that Jensen went to the doctor, because it caused him problems at work. "Dean Winchester walks gracefully and with agility, not limping through the frame like a lame horse." ...had been Erik's words.
A short examination later, the orthopedic surgeon prescribed him an analgesic rheumatism ointment, and pills for arthritis and what for the pain. And that was all it took, the pain was only noticeable when he was overexerting his joints, which was mostly helped by the ointment and two towels with ice. But this time apparently not.
Because when Jared looked at the exhausted and pale face and the small wrinkles from trying not to show his pain he probably had, he knew it was bad. As bad as his partner sitting on the stairs in his underwear. And stared at him looking for help.
"That bad, huh?"
A quick nod.
"How long have you been sitting here?"
"Since yesterday. At least long enough to pee in that pot."
Jared looked at the potted plant next to him with his eyebrows up.
He denied any comment as Jensen groaned, tears streaming down his cheeks and his hands buried in his legs.
"Oh fuck, this is killing me. It's never been this bad, it feels like there's a knife stuck in it and someone's twisting it. It wasn't so bad at first, but then I don't know. Suddenly they didn't work at all anymore. I've tried! The phone's been driving me crazy, it won't stop ringing."
As if on command, Jared's ringtone suddenly went off.
"Donna, he's all right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Here, I'll give him to you."
With that he pushed the device into Jensen's hand and stood up. Then he started. He let Harley in and gave the animals quickly something to eat and fresh water, turned up the heat again and finally called Jensen's doctor and reported the incident. The doctor said he would be with them as soon as possible.
On his way back to his friend, who was still sitting on the stairs and talking on the phone, he took a big bottle of blue Gatorade with him. Jensen peed into their flowers, which meant he hadn't eaten any food or drunk anything.
"Thank you." He said that just before he emptied half the cool drink in one gulp.
Jared sat down next to him on the stairs, gave him a sharp look and prepared for the fight.
"Buddy, you're not gonna like this, and you can bitch all you want, but us two handsome guys are gonna take a trip down to the couch so you can get some rest and warm up."
"Jared, I can't even stand, how am I going to walk to the couch?" Jensen asked him, slightly upset.
He didn't like Jared's laughter at all.
"Who said anything about running? You just need to hold on tight, freckles."
And with that, he slung his arms smoothly under Jensen's knee and behind his back and lifted him up carefully.
Jensen reflexively clutched Jared's neck, glinting at him.
"Asshole. I guess you think that's funny. We'll talk about that later."
"Ha-ha-ha. It's not so bad. No one can see it. Look, we're already there and down we go."
With that he put him down on the big surface.
"Stop talking as if I'm retarded, damn it, and stop calling me freckles, are you completely stupid!? My legs feel like someone's parked a car over them, I've been sitting there for hours and you're acting like I'm a damsel in distress. Give me a blanket and just fuck off, okay." Snapped Jensen.
Jared was surprised by his friend's sudden burst of anger and couldn't think of anything to say. He felt the blush shoot into his face, he couldn't remember an incident where Jensen had ever spoken to him in such a tone.
"Sorry to ease the situation, no need to bite my head off." Came softly from him as he handed Jensen the blanket he wanted.
No more words were spoken, not even when Jared carefully placed a flat pillow under Jensen's knees to keep them slightly bent.
Jared was almost glad when the doctor came. He stayed in the background and quietly watched as he examined his patient. Besides he also made the accident of his dog away.
A short time later he stood with the elderly doctor at her front door.
"He overexerted himself and when he noticed it was getting worse it was already too late. The problem was that he had no more medicine here. He wanted to go upstairs for painkillers, but apparently he didn't get very far. I left him everything he needed. He should walk as little as possible for the next few days, then he'll be fine. I gave him a pretty strong painkiller, so don't be surprised if he's a little out of it. If he's not better by tomorrow, call me. Still, such things shouldn´t happen. After the holidays we should make an appointment, and check them again. To have discomfort and some pain is one thing. But not being able to walk because of it, is more of a serious problem. We should handle that as soon as possible.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year anyway."
When Jared went back into her living room, he glanced slyly at the man lying there. Jensen's eyes were closed, and he looked painless. Sady lay in front of the couch and dozed off.
He wanted to go further into the kitchen when Jensen called him. He stopped and waited for what Jensen wanted.
"Can you come here a minute?"
Jared sat on the other end of the couch on the armrest. Even from there, he could see his friend's pupils dilated considerably. "Nice work, doc," he thought. And Jensen struggled to stay awake, his eyes rolling partially disoriented in the sockets.
"Hm Jay," it came slightly slurred, "sorry I was a dick earlier. I'm telling you, that's pain. I know you just wanted to help and I am very grateful for that. You're the best. Love you. Are we good?"
"Sure we are." It came right away.
" Excellent. I know I was bitching before, but I'd like to sleep in my bed."
Jared smiled as he once again picked Jensen up and carried him to his bedroom.
Jensen's head lay heavily on his shoulder.
"Jaaaaayy I swear, one syllable from today to anyone or anything and- and I swear..."
The rest of the sentence went down in a pleasant groan as the drug finally got the upper hand in his circulation. Even breath brushed across Jared's throat.
When Jensen awoke, he lay comfortably and warmly in his bed. He felt that his legs were bent again and smelled the strong smell of the rheumatism ointment. His television was running quietly in the background.
Jared.
He remembered his outburst earlier, and he knew that he would apologize to Jared again for it. He didn't miss the hurt look on his face.
He flinched slightly when he realized he wasn't alone in bed.
"Hey." There was Jared's voice as he lay next to him, turning the sound of the program in progress down. He propped himself on one elbow and looked over at him.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" He said it without sharpness.
"Make sure you're okay. You were totally out of it. And, dude, I've never heard you snore like that before. You even scared the dogs away." He giggled.
"Oh. Um, again about earlier, I..."
Jared interrupted him.
"It's okay, you apologized and you said it. I always knew."
Jensen looked at him questioningly.
"What did I say?"
"That you love me. I knew it! By the way, our families are coming here for the holidays since you've been indisposed, but then we can tell them right away that you and I are, you know. It's gonna be great." Jared fluttered his eyelashes excitedly.
Jensen looked at his counterpart with a gaping mouth. Should he kill him quickly or skin him slowly?
But when he saw the bright smile and dimpled face, his murder plans melted. He raised a finger as a warning.
With that he lay down again and took a few breaths. Jared was something of a patron. A few minutes later he looked over at him.
"So you and I, well. There will probably be a lot of people who will be happy and feel confirmed. All right, just so there are no misunderstandings here, I'm Top and you're Bottom! Why? Well, I know what you got hanging down there and you can forget about shoving that in my rear. Secondly, I'm hungry, you might as well prove your wifely skills by making your daddy something to eat. Go on, get your sweet ass in the kitchen, and I'll give you a thank-you when you're done." Jensen looked at him waiting.
But nothing came. Jared's eyes were as big as plates. Then he caught himself and turned on a little lamp and sat up.
"You... you... you do realize I was joking?!" he stuttered off.
Oh, yeah, Jensen Ackles was a hell of an actor. Oscar-winning actor.
"I wonder... Oh, and here I am, planning on taking a trip to Mexico after the holidays to celebrate."
Jared had never seen his friend with a grin like that.
"Oh, you idiot! And I'm a fool, falling for it."
He laughed out loud as he threw the blanket back and stood up. Jensen had got him and how. It meant revenge.
"Where are you going?"
He turned around in surprise.
"I thought you said you were hungry. I wanted to order something quickly."
"Indian food? Okay for you?"
Jared shrugged.
"If that's what my hubby wants. But seriously, this whole Mexico thing isn't a bad idea. The sun, the beach, the ocean. Maybe Josh will come. It'll be fun, right?" asked Jared, who stood in the doorway.
"We can plan it when they're all here, but we're going out to dinner, because I don't want our mothers here to think they have to dismantle everything.
"Okay, don't run off, Freckles. Come right back."
Jensen rolled his eyes, but he didn't say anything. They had their own sense of humor, which was partly based on their work and sometimes went its own way, but he wouldn't miss it for the world.
Jared had proven how much he meant to him when he flew back here and took care of him.
He would skip the part of being carried around like a child and also the scene here in bed, but with the rest he could tell a nice story to their fans at one of their events. Only he should do that when the big guy wasn't on stage with him, because otherwise the parts he left out would bubble out of the never stopping chatterbox of a certain Jared Padaleckis. Guaranteed.
The guy just wouldn't mince matters. But even for that he liked him.
And he laughed heartily when said Texan appeared in the room with a bottle of body lotion in his hand and purred lazily, "Here I am freckles, ready to pick up my thank-you gift!"