Part Gifts, Epilogue, Author's Notes & Soundtrack
Title: Parting Gifts
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for violence
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own these people. Slavery is outlawed. To the dismay of some, I suspect.
WARNINGS: My first RPF. If this is anywhere near the truth, I'm from the Gamma Quadrant.
Summary: Jared Padalecki lost his husband, Jensen Ackles, through neglect. Then the real nightmare begins when a group kidnaps Jensen and ransoms him for fifteen million dollars. The problem isn't paying the money: it's getting Jensen back alive and in one piece.
Title Page
Epilogue
Jared took a deep breath and coughed loudly. He shook his head ruefully; seriously, he should realize by now that New York City air was never going to be clean enough - not even in December. For the fifth time in as many minutes Jared glanced at his watch. He knew Jensen liked to be early so the fact he was actually late drove Jared’s anxiety level sky-high.
Jared took deep breaths in order to stop himself from falling into a panic attack. Not surprisingly, after the ordeal it was Jared who had the worst time recovering. Both Anna and Jensen bounced back relatively quickly as their past experiences gave them the ability to deal with the kidnapping. Jared, on the other hand, paid bitterly for the cushy lifestyle he had lived before Jensen was ripped away from him.
For months Jensen had to endure Jared trailing after him like a shadow, not to mention the multiple phone calls from his husband the moment Jensen left his side. And yet Jensen never once lost his patience or understanding. It was this display of loyalty that finally forced Jared to agree to Jensen's appeal to see a marriage counselor. It was nerve wrecking for both men, but after four months of intensive therapy they both knew they were not only going to make it but do so together.
“Hey, daydreamer,” Jensen said from behind him.
Jared whirled around, “Where’d you come from?”
“Back entrance. There wasn’t any place for the car to park out front so Marcus had to drive around to the alley.”
Jared scowled. Another thing he hated about New York - no place to fucking park a car!
Jensen studied the lobby with admiration. “This is going to be something else! Your father must be so proud of you.”
Jared nodded, “Yeah, he’s pretty amazed by the entire thing. He saw the conceptual drawings, but still, nothing beats the real thing. Come on, let me show you the center of all this madness.”
“How many floors?” Jensen asked as the elevator doors closed.
“Ninety-three. From the lobby to the fifth floor, it’s going to be a combination of retail and restaurants. From sixth to the seventy-first, private businesses mixed with public interest groups. And from seventy-second to the ninety-third, all private residence.”
“Public interest?” Jensen echoed. “Really? Can they afford to rent in a building like this?”
“Tax write-off, at least for me, but yeah, I discussed it with Marissa and she came up with a solid plan. We’re going to have at least seven offices dedicated to pediatric care: child welfare including domestic and foreign adoption.”
“Are you serious?” Jensen's face revealed both his confusion and astonishment.
“I thought it’d be a nice way to ensure that the door doesn’t get slammed on us when we look to adopt again.”
“Jared…” Jensen couldn’t finish his sentence as the elevator door slid open to chaos.
“Welcome to my lair,” Jared said with a grand sweep of his arms.
“Holy shit,” Jensen said as he studied the mass of people moving about, shouting random things into phones and at each other. “This is worse than the floor of the Stock Exchange.”
“Isn’t it?” Jared said proudly. “And I'm responsible for all of it!”
“Is that a good thing?”
“I don’t know, but I’m told this is how New Yorkers like to do business, so what the hell? When in Rome and all that.”
Something flew by their faces. Jensen was almost positive it was a cell phone. Jared, on the other hand, ignored the flying debris and navigated Jensen over to his corner office. When Jared shut the door behind him, the glass walls suddenly became opaque.
“That is cool,” Jensen said as he touched the foggy glass.
“It is. We would’ve used it for bathroom stalls but they’re not soundproof. So we’re using them for shower stalls instead.”
Jensen burst out in laughter that could be clearly heard outside Jared's office.
“Seriously, that’s way too much sharing even for New Yorkers and they’ve seen it all,” Jared said with a wide grin as he watched Jensen slowly regain his composure.
“Jared…” Jensen's voice thinned out to a small wheeze when he finally read the banner behind Jared’s desk.
Jared’s smile turned soft and meaningful as Jensen’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yeah, I wanted to tell you - this building’s called Ross Tower, not Padalecki Tower.”
“Jared,” Jensen said in a weak voice, “are you sure you want to do that?”
“I’m sure, Jensen. I’m very sure.”
“What made you want to name it after me?”
“It’s what you said to me after the Twin Towers fell,” Jared said as he stood up and sat on the desk in front of Jensen. “You said evil can win but it can never prevail. That there are still enough people in the world who know what ‘civil’ part of civilization means and will always, always do their best to triumph over those who don’t.
“Coming from someone who’s seen evil win day after day, your words made an impression on me. I want others to know in a roundabout way that what you said is true. So ... yeah, that’s why this building exists in the first place, and why it’s named after you.”
“That’s probably the nicest thing you ever said to me, and that’s including your marriage proposal.”
“That wouldn’t be hard since I upchucked all over your shoes right after I asked you to marry me.”
“You shouldn’t have drank so much tequila. I thought you were planning to get trashed, not hitched.”
Jared leaned forward and kissed his husband. Unfortunately, a harried woman opened the door before he got any tongue action.
Jared sighed. “Nicky, I'd like you to meet my husband.”
“Yeah, whatever, no offense but the problem with residence 19 isn't going away.”
“We’re not installing a pool in their goddamn condo!”
“They’re threatening to break the contract if they don't get it!”
“I don’t care! There’s a huge ass pool in the club they can use 24/7!”
“They say the club’s not exclusive enough for them.”
“Really? Then tell them they’re not qualified to make that judgment since they don’t meet the requirements to get a club membership. That oughta cool their tongues.”
Nicky paused for a moment. “I think I just had a brain-gasm. Nice to meet you Jensen!”
Jensen barely managed to choke back his laughter as Nicky stormed out of the office. “Is it always like this?”
“This is a huge improvement actually,” Jared replied. “So, where are we having dinner?”
“Home,” Jensen said. “I’m going to take Anna skating at Bryant Park.”
“Why not Rockefeller?”
“Tourists skate at Rockefeller; New Yorkers use Bryant Park, mainly because it’s free.”
“Ahh, I see. Okay, then, I’ll be home by six.”
“Which means?”
“Seven, if the traffic’s nice,” Jared amended sheepishly.
“Sounds good. We'll see you at seven.” Jensen said before wrestling Jared into a passionate kiss.
As Jensen left the office he heard Jared shout, “That’s cheating!!”
“Welcome to New York!” Jensen yelled back.
He stepped out into the cold night and was immediately hustled off into the waiting truck by Marcus. The bodyguard cautiously turned the GMC behemoth onto Sixth and came immediately to a standstill because of a taxi stuck behind a delivery truck. Since they had moved to Manhattan in early August Jensen had become impervious to the frequent traffic jams that incessantly throttled the city streets. He also quickly learned to entertain himself by watching shoppers, tourists, and workers bustling about.
Living in Manhattan was by no means easy. There were more than few occasions where Jensen was tempted to convince Jared to return to California, but he never voiced his concerns. Instead, he spent his time establishing his non-profit organization in the city - a city, that despite its reputation, contained very generous people.
Anna faced her own special set of problems when she started first grade, but by November she was settled in and had made few close friends. Jensen met the two little girls whom Anna called 'dear hearts' and thought them refreshingly untouched by their parents' wealth and social standing. The three of them made a funny group as they cared nothing of their fellow students' gossiping and materialistic outlook. What they chose to do instead was to set up playdates involving the city's many museums and libraries. Jared's hilarious recount involving a priceless Rembrandt and two harried museum guards still made Jensen smile whenever he remembered the story.
Since the car wasn't going anywhere for a while Jensen decided to use the time to finalize their plans for the winter holidays. While reviewing the Christmas card list Jensen realized that between August and December the three of them had finally turned the corner and moved on from the horror of last Christmas. Each of them had accomplished this feat privately, but the family unit had become stronger for it. This was enough to finally convince Jensen that they were going to be fine. And he knew the old saying only too well: if they could make it here, they could make it anywhere.
The End
I'll make my ramble quick and painless. This entire story was written in the first place by this prompt by prettifuls_pout. It was the caffeine that fueled this fire for months and helped me cross the finish line.
I did write in detail about the stunt Jensen pulled in order to get away, but in real life I wouldn't try it unless I really am that desperate. Though the story about killing someone by hitting their nose is an urban legend, it's quite possible to accomplish the gruesome task by fracturing the person's face.
As for the various information regarding money transfers and kidnapping, they came from wide range of reading material; some were reliable, some weren't so reliable as they were entertaining. I am sad to report the kidnapping industry is a thriving business and unfortunately will continue to be one for a long, long time. So, firms like Ferris' definitely exist, especially since corporations are building branch offices and factories in unstable countries (or stable ones, for that matter).
I love the story banner by nyaubaby. I won her talent from Sweet Charity and it was money very well spent.
This story was first posted at vitamin_fic if it looks familiar to some of you. And, by the way, to my readers - thank you for reading and commenting. I never know what to write in response and usually just fret whenever I see a comment. Of course, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy them!
Anyway, now to the music!
They're not in any specific order, but they fit the story well. I tried to upload them as a group but failed miserably. So, they're listed below. My apologies!
Everything Must Change Nina Simone
Eden Hooverphonic
Slow Show The National
C'mon Everybody Eddie Cochran
In The Deep Bird York
Una Palabra Carlos Varela
Magic Bruce Springsteen
Heavenly Day Patty Griffin
I admit it wasn't quick, but hopefully it was painless!
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for violence
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own these people. Slavery is outlawed. To the dismay of some, I suspect.
WARNINGS: My first RPF. If this is anywhere near the truth, I'm from the Gamma Quadrant.
Summary: Jared Padalecki lost his husband, Jensen Ackles, through neglect. Then the real nightmare begins when a group kidnaps Jensen and ransoms him for fifteen million dollars. The problem isn't paying the money: it's getting Jensen back alive and in one piece.
Title Page
Epilogue
Jared took a deep breath and coughed loudly. He shook his head ruefully; seriously, he should realize by now that New York City air was never going to be clean enough - not even in December. For the fifth time in as many minutes Jared glanced at his watch. He knew Jensen liked to be early so the fact he was actually late drove Jared’s anxiety level sky-high.
Jared took deep breaths in order to stop himself from falling into a panic attack. Not surprisingly, after the ordeal it was Jared who had the worst time recovering. Both Anna and Jensen bounced back relatively quickly as their past experiences gave them the ability to deal with the kidnapping. Jared, on the other hand, paid bitterly for the cushy lifestyle he had lived before Jensen was ripped away from him.
For months Jensen had to endure Jared trailing after him like a shadow, not to mention the multiple phone calls from his husband the moment Jensen left his side. And yet Jensen never once lost his patience or understanding. It was this display of loyalty that finally forced Jared to agree to Jensen's appeal to see a marriage counselor. It was nerve wrecking for both men, but after four months of intensive therapy they both knew they were not only going to make it but do so together.
“Hey, daydreamer,” Jensen said from behind him.
Jared whirled around, “Where’d you come from?”
“Back entrance. There wasn’t any place for the car to park out front so Marcus had to drive around to the alley.”
Jared scowled. Another thing he hated about New York - no place to fucking park a car!
Jensen studied the lobby with admiration. “This is going to be something else! Your father must be so proud of you.”
Jared nodded, “Yeah, he’s pretty amazed by the entire thing. He saw the conceptual drawings, but still, nothing beats the real thing. Come on, let me show you the center of all this madness.”
“How many floors?” Jensen asked as the elevator doors closed.
“Ninety-three. From the lobby to the fifth floor, it’s going to be a combination of retail and restaurants. From sixth to the seventy-first, private businesses mixed with public interest groups. And from seventy-second to the ninety-third, all private residence.”
“Public interest?” Jensen echoed. “Really? Can they afford to rent in a building like this?”
“Tax write-off, at least for me, but yeah, I discussed it with Marissa and she came up with a solid plan. We’re going to have at least seven offices dedicated to pediatric care: child welfare including domestic and foreign adoption.”
“Are you serious?” Jensen's face revealed both his confusion and astonishment.
“I thought it’d be a nice way to ensure that the door doesn’t get slammed on us when we look to adopt again.”
“Jared…” Jensen couldn’t finish his sentence as the elevator door slid open to chaos.
“Welcome to my lair,” Jared said with a grand sweep of his arms.
“Holy shit,” Jensen said as he studied the mass of people moving about, shouting random things into phones and at each other. “This is worse than the floor of the Stock Exchange.”
“Isn’t it?” Jared said proudly. “And I'm responsible for all of it!”
“Is that a good thing?”
“I don’t know, but I’m told this is how New Yorkers like to do business, so what the hell? When in Rome and all that.”
Something flew by their faces. Jensen was almost positive it was a cell phone. Jared, on the other hand, ignored the flying debris and navigated Jensen over to his corner office. When Jared shut the door behind him, the glass walls suddenly became opaque.
“That is cool,” Jensen said as he touched the foggy glass.
“It is. We would’ve used it for bathroom stalls but they’re not soundproof. So we’re using them for shower stalls instead.”
Jensen burst out in laughter that could be clearly heard outside Jared's office.
“Seriously, that’s way too much sharing even for New Yorkers and they’ve seen it all,” Jared said with a wide grin as he watched Jensen slowly regain his composure.
“Jared…” Jensen's voice thinned out to a small wheeze when he finally read the banner behind Jared’s desk.
Jared’s smile turned soft and meaningful as Jensen’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yeah, I wanted to tell you - this building’s called Ross Tower, not Padalecki Tower.”
“Jared,” Jensen said in a weak voice, “are you sure you want to do that?”
“I’m sure, Jensen. I’m very sure.”
“What made you want to name it after me?”
“It’s what you said to me after the Twin Towers fell,” Jared said as he stood up and sat on the desk in front of Jensen. “You said evil can win but it can never prevail. That there are still enough people in the world who know what ‘civil’ part of civilization means and will always, always do their best to triumph over those who don’t.
“Coming from someone who’s seen evil win day after day, your words made an impression on me. I want others to know in a roundabout way that what you said is true. So ... yeah, that’s why this building exists in the first place, and why it’s named after you.”
“That’s probably the nicest thing you ever said to me, and that’s including your marriage proposal.”
“That wouldn’t be hard since I upchucked all over your shoes right after I asked you to marry me.”
“You shouldn’t have drank so much tequila. I thought you were planning to get trashed, not hitched.”
Jared leaned forward and kissed his husband. Unfortunately, a harried woman opened the door before he got any tongue action.
Jared sighed. “Nicky, I'd like you to meet my husband.”
“Yeah, whatever, no offense but the problem with residence 19 isn't going away.”
“We’re not installing a pool in their goddamn condo!”
“They’re threatening to break the contract if they don't get it!”
“I don’t care! There’s a huge ass pool in the club they can use 24/7!”
“They say the club’s not exclusive enough for them.”
“Really? Then tell them they’re not qualified to make that judgment since they don’t meet the requirements to get a club membership. That oughta cool their tongues.”
Nicky paused for a moment. “I think I just had a brain-gasm. Nice to meet you Jensen!”
Jensen barely managed to choke back his laughter as Nicky stormed out of the office. “Is it always like this?”
“This is a huge improvement actually,” Jared replied. “So, where are we having dinner?”
“Home,” Jensen said. “I’m going to take Anna skating at Bryant Park.”
“Why not Rockefeller?”
“Tourists skate at Rockefeller; New Yorkers use Bryant Park, mainly because it’s free.”
“Ahh, I see. Okay, then, I’ll be home by six.”
“Which means?”
“Seven, if the traffic’s nice,” Jared amended sheepishly.
“Sounds good. We'll see you at seven.” Jensen said before wrestling Jared into a passionate kiss.
As Jensen left the office he heard Jared shout, “That’s cheating!!”
“Welcome to New York!” Jensen yelled back.
He stepped out into the cold night and was immediately hustled off into the waiting truck by Marcus. The bodyguard cautiously turned the GMC behemoth onto Sixth and came immediately to a standstill because of a taxi stuck behind a delivery truck. Since they had moved to Manhattan in early August Jensen had become impervious to the frequent traffic jams that incessantly throttled the city streets. He also quickly learned to entertain himself by watching shoppers, tourists, and workers bustling about.
Living in Manhattan was by no means easy. There were more than few occasions where Jensen was tempted to convince Jared to return to California, but he never voiced his concerns. Instead, he spent his time establishing his non-profit organization in the city - a city, that despite its reputation, contained very generous people.
Anna faced her own special set of problems when she started first grade, but by November she was settled in and had made few close friends. Jensen met the two little girls whom Anna called 'dear hearts' and thought them refreshingly untouched by their parents' wealth and social standing. The three of them made a funny group as they cared nothing of their fellow students' gossiping and materialistic outlook. What they chose to do instead was to set up playdates involving the city's many museums and libraries. Jared's hilarious recount involving a priceless Rembrandt and two harried museum guards still made Jensen smile whenever he remembered the story.
Since the car wasn't going anywhere for a while Jensen decided to use the time to finalize their plans for the winter holidays. While reviewing the Christmas card list Jensen realized that between August and December the three of them had finally turned the corner and moved on from the horror of last Christmas. Each of them had accomplished this feat privately, but the family unit had become stronger for it. This was enough to finally convince Jensen that they were going to be fine. And he knew the old saying only too well: if they could make it here, they could make it anywhere.
The End
I'll make my ramble quick and painless. This entire story was written in the first place by this prompt by prettifuls_pout. It was the caffeine that fueled this fire for months and helped me cross the finish line.
I did write in detail about the stunt Jensen pulled in order to get away, but in real life I wouldn't try it unless I really am that desperate. Though the story about killing someone by hitting their nose is an urban legend, it's quite possible to accomplish the gruesome task by fracturing the person's face.
As for the various information regarding money transfers and kidnapping, they came from wide range of reading material; some were reliable, some weren't so reliable as they were entertaining. I am sad to report the kidnapping industry is a thriving business and unfortunately will continue to be one for a long, long time. So, firms like Ferris' definitely exist, especially since corporations are building branch offices and factories in unstable countries (or stable ones, for that matter).
I love the story banner by nyaubaby. I won her talent from Sweet Charity and it was money very well spent.
This story was first posted at vitamin_fic if it looks familiar to some of you. And, by the way, to my readers - thank you for reading and commenting. I never know what to write in response and usually just fret whenever I see a comment. Of course, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy them!
Anyway, now to the music!
They're not in any specific order, but they fit the story well. I tried to upload them as a group but failed miserably. So, they're listed below. My apologies!
Everything Must Change Nina Simone
Eden Hooverphonic
Slow Show The National
C'mon Everybody Eddie Cochran
In The Deep Bird York
Una Palabra Carlos Varela
Magic Bruce Springsteen
Heavenly Day Patty Griffin
I admit it wasn't quick, but hopefully it was painless!