The Spear That Went Through My Heart
Fic Title: The Spear that went through my heart
Author: hunters_retreat
Artist: evian_fork
Art: The Spear that went through my heart
Parings/Characters: Alec/Jared
Word Count:5000
Summary: Jared Padalecki had a miserable life and it didn't look like it would change anytime soon. When Ames White made him an offer to wipe away his past he didn't have a choice even though he hated the job he was given. Following the girl wasn't too bad but when he accidentally ran into her bike, everything changed. Following her to her work, he met a man with green eyes and a smile he couldn't resist. When Ames White calls in his marker though, Jared is stuck between betraying the man he just may love or being on the other side of Ames White's wrath.
“Sir, it’s happened again.”
Ames White stared at the computer screen in front of him, reining in his anger until he was able to address the situation in a way that his superiors would appreciate. “What went wrong this time?” he demanded.
“They were on him as soon as he tried to join them, apparently.” His second in command was nervous, his eyes darted across White’s face, to the monitor behind him, to his suit, to the room around them; anywhere that wasn’t White’s eyes. There was trouble in those few words and he knew it. What he didn’t know was who would bear the brunt of White’s displeasure this time.
Ames was not well known for his patience, but his dedication and passion were beyond contention. He’d been set a goal and he intended to see it done. The transgenics were proving to be a problem far greater than he’d been led to believe though. He wanted to curse the old guard who’d done this in the first place, but there was nothing left of the idiots to pass his irritation along to. They’d left a big fucking mess in Terminal City and Ames White was the clean-up crew.
White didn’t discuss his thoughts on who was to blame for the latest failure. Not yet. He hadn’t talked to the agent they’d tried to send undercover and he preferred to make sure he had the right fall guy for the job before he passed word along.
“I think we need to try a new tactic. Sending one of our agents undercover isn’t working. Our guys are too clean, too disciplined to be like these street thugs. We need to find someone that won’t be out of place. He’ll be one of them … just working for us.”
“Where would we find someone that could get in good with the transgenics?” the other man asked.
Ames smiled. “We have cells full of prisoners who don’t want to be held for trial. I think it’s time we find the right guy, squeeze a little, and see if we can get the filth to find their weakness for us.”
The other man didn’t smile, but Ames White was already looking back to the monitor to start digging up dirt on the criminals he had at his disposal.
**
The streets were busy, the hustle of the daily grind bringing people out by the droves. The press of people made his job easier and always had; a criminal was only as good as his target after all. He hated the stench of it though, the city and its unwashed masses. He’d never been to the country but he heard stories about fresh air and he yearned for it. He was sure he’d be bored if he was away from the city, but the country was a nice dream. His mother used to speak of the country with longing but he didn’t know if she’d ever been to the country either. She’d been a prostitute and a drug addict who’d pushed him off on anyone who would take care of him for a few minutes so she could get her high. Then she’d cuddle up next to him, telling him stories of a world that didn’t exist. When the Pulse hit, everyone’s world had become just like his. Grey, dark and a never ending promise of things you can’t have.
Jared Padalecki had learned to take what he needed. The rest of the world had too.
Damn this job. He hated working at a scam of this level but it wasn’t his idea. One job and his slate was wiped clean. A new name, a new bank account, and a new life in a new city.
He kept telling himself that, like it would make him feel better about it. The truth was that if he didn’t take the job, he’d still be rotting in a cell with a dozen other guys, waiting for a trial that would never come.
He moved past the guard at the post, flashing his pass before being allowed into the TC area. His mark was ahead of him on a motorcycle that was fast and flashy. It was interesting to find someone who seemed to want to blend in driving something that made her stand out from the crowd.
Jared had been following a few cars back for some time before a series of lights and turns had him directly behind her. He didn’t know enough about her for what he needed so he was following her again, looking for a way to get into her life. She wasn’t someone who let people in easy though.
A screeching sound from the left pulled his attention to a car speeding through the intersection. The motorcycle ahead of him braked hard and barely missed the car that had run the light but Jared’s reflexes weren’t fast enough to avoid her motorcycle as it suddenly slid sideways. He spun the wheel, trying to avoid a direct hit and ended up clipping the back wheel. His mark went tumbling and Jared was too busy trying to get his car in control to see what happened to her.
When Jared’s car finally slid to a stop, he was shaking but adrenaline kept him moving when he might otherwise fall apart. The girl wasn’t far away from the downed bike. He barely had time to worry about the damage he saw to the bike before he found her. She moaned and Jared ran forward, helping her as she stood. Her clothes were torn, her helmet was bashed pretty hard but he figured the fact that she was moving was a good sign.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he reached for her, helping to steady her as she pulled her helmet off, releasing a long mane of dark hair. Brown eyes stared back at him.
“Yeah, fine,” she said in a short, controlled clip. “Fucking teenagers,” she griped as she shook his hand off her arm and walked towards her bike. “The girl in the car didn’t even stop to see if I was okay. Bitch.”
“Are you? Really?”
He knew what she was. He knew what the man had said she could do. He wasn’t so sure about all that himself but even if it was all true she had to be hurting.
“Yeah. The bike took the worst of it. I’ll be sitting stiff for a few days though. Damn it,” she said then, as she reached the motorcycle. “This is going to take forever to get fixed.”
“I can take care of it for you,” Jared offered without thinking. “I’m a mechanic.”
“You got a shop or something?”
“Nah, just work wherever I can get it. I can fix your bike though. Least I can do after all this.”
She looked suspicious and Jared couldn’t blame her. He didn’t like to owe people; a trait that had gotten him into plenty of trouble in his life. He would have offered even if he hadn’t been told to find his way into her good graces though. “I did this to you. I should be the one to fix it.”
“You think I’m trusting you with my baby?”
Jared smiled at her, his warmest, most sincere smile. “Tell me when and where and I’ll work on her. You can keep an eye on me if you like.”
She snorted at that and Jared held his hand out to her. “Jared Padalecki, mechanic, jack of all trades really, at your service.”
“Max Gueverra,” the girl said as she shook his hand. “And if you don’t fix my bike, I’ll make you wish you were the one sliding across the black top today.”
**
Jam Pony was hopping and Jared had to jump aside twice to keep from getting run over by bike messengers as he tried to get through the door. He was working on fixing Max’s bike but the process was slow going. New parts required cash and he was a bit short on that. He was good for his word though and he’d meant it when he said he’d fix her bike.
So now he was at Jam Pony for two reasons. One, he needed to find Max and let her know he was waiting for the parts to come in. Two, he needed a job to pay for the parts when they did get in and he’d just heard her bitching to O.C. last night about how they were short staffed. Jared wasn’t sure Max would appreciate him following her to work but since he was trying to stay off everyone’s radar and it might help him figure her out better. Maybe he could find the people she was close with and get into her circle of friends.
It beat the hell out of trying to follow her around on her bike jobs without being noticed.
He barely managed to stumble out of the way of biker #3. His arms flailed as he tried to regain his balance before strong arms caught him and righted him. “Thanks man,” Jared said, grabbing his bag as it fell. When he turned around, his mouth dropped open and he couldn’t help but stare.
The guy in front of him was absolutely gorgeous. Amused jade eyes stared back at Jared while full pouty lips smiled up at him. “You lost kid?” Green eyes asked him. The guy’s eyes dropped lower, doing an obvious perusal of Jared’s body. Jared wasn’t a slouch in the looks department but he found himself squaring his shoulders to show them off better.
“A little,” Jared managed to say. “I was looking for Max,” he said, noting the way the guy rolled his eyes before he continued. “But I also heard y’all were hiring. I wasn’t sure who to ask for.”
“What do you need Max for?”
“I’m fixing her bike and I needed to talk to her about it. She around?”
“Nah, she’s out on a run. Tell you what though, I’ll bring you to Normal and get you all set up.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, then you can owe me one.”
Jared hated owing anyone anything, but Jared hadn’t managed to get his libido in check and he had an idea he just might like what this guy had in mind for repayment. “Jared Padalecki,” Jared said, holding his hand out for the guy to shake.
The guy took his hand and Jared admired the firm grip, even as he marveled at how soft his skin was. “Alec McDowell.”
He held the other hand a bit too long and when Alec pulled his hand away, the other man’s fingertips dragged along his wrist in a way that was far too familiar. Jared was fine with the additional flirting and he just grinned at Alec before the other man turned away.
“Come on, Normal is this way. Good thing I found you first. He always gives Max shit about the job but he’ll take you on without question if I bring you over.”
“Guess I really do owe you then.”
“Hey Normal, I got a friend you have got to meet.”
“Yeah, why?”
“You remember how you were bitching about those guys who quit last week? I have the answer to your dilemma. Meet my friend, Jared.”
A tall guy behind the front counter looked up at Jared with an unimpressed mien, which Jared found amusing because most people found his size intimidating at least. “Yeah?”
“When have I ever steered you wrong, Normal?”
“This is one of those things, isn’t it?” Normal asked Alec. Jared had no idea what they were talking about but then Alec looked at him, smiling widely.
“Maybe.”
“Fine, but if he quits you get double shifts to make up for it. I’m not having a repeat of last time.”
Alec nodded. “Done deal.”
“Fine. You’ll show him the ropes then. Delivery.”
He handed Alec a package and Alec took one look at it before handing it to Jared. “Gotcha Boss-man.”
Jared followed Alec with the package in hand. “That’s it? No interview? No paperwork?”
“Yep. Normal likes me.”
“What sort of thing does he think I am?” Jared asked as Alec led him to a row of lockers.
“The locker next to mine is open if you want it.” Alec said, ignoring the question. “So now we get you a bike and head out. You got your own?”
“Nah, a motorcycle yeah, but not a bike like I saw them running out of here with.”
Alec nodded. “Looks like I’ll just have to tag along with you then so we can get your first day off to the right start.”
Jared just waited as Alec grabbed a jacket out of his locker and went back to the front desk and grabbed a marker. He wrote J.P. on the front of the locker next to his and threw the marker back at Normal as they left. Jared wasn’t sure what he’d just started, but he figured if he had to get in good with the people at Jam Pony to get close to Max, at least he’d managed to find someone besides Max to hang out with.
When he got on his bike Alec looked at it appreciatively before climbing on the back of the bike behind Jared. When he wrapped his arms around Jared’s waist, low enough that the other man’s fingers were brushing lightly over his thighs, Jared realized just how good this guy was.
He smiled over his shoulder at Alec. “You gonna give me directions?”
“You don’t know what you just asked for.”
Jared grinned wider. “Oh, I just might.”
He didn’t say anything else, but sped off with the sound of Alec’s laughter trailing behind them.
**
“Two more weeks?” Max demanded as Jared told her about the parts he was still waiting on.
“They sent the wrong part. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Fine, just keep out of my sight Padalecki. Last thing I want to deal with is your school girl crush on Alec at work. Bad enough you ruined my bike, now Alec won’t shut up about you.”
“Yeah?”
“Shut. Up. Padalecki.”
Jared knew he should be horrified that he’d managed to make friends with the one guy in all of Jam Pony that Max seemed to hate, but the fact that Alec was talking about him perked him right up.
“What did he say?”
“Shut. Up. Padalecki.”
He smiled at her and Max rolled her eyes, pushing past him as Normal made another round of ‘bip bip bips’ to get people moving.
“You love me, Max. You know you do.”
She flipped him off as she walked away and Jared just smiled again because Alec chose to walk in at that moment. He saw Jared and smiled warmly at him before heading to his locker.
Jared was completely happy to be where he was. For the first time since Ames White had sent him on the trail, Jared began to feel a little guilt about befriending the girl to get his record wiped clean. Still, he might be able to keep his other new friends once the girl was gone. She wasn’t human after all and maybe that made it right.
Maybe.
**
The first time Jared stepped inside Alec’s apartment was the first time Alec pushed him against the wall. He barely made it into the room before Alec was on him, manhandling him like he was a rag doll. Jared was a big guy and he wasn’t used to people treating him like that, but fuck it was hot! Alec’s mouth left hot trails along Jared’s neck and when he’d reached for Jared’s shirt, Jared pushed away from the door and stripped himself bare. Alec pushing him back into the bedroom and managed to get rid of his own clothes so fast Jared wasn’t sure he’d seen it all. Alec was good though, so damn good at opening him up and pushing in and plundering his mouth, stopping to whisper endearments to him that he would laugh about later.
The second time ended up like the first. So did the third and fourth. Jared never did get to see much of Alec’s apartment except the bed and the view from the back of the door before Alec pushed in to reach his lips.
**
“Have you found them yet?”
“Them?”
“492’s friends?”
“She has a few, but I haven’t noticed anything different about them.”
“We know of one other transgenic that she is still in contact with. X5-494. He calls himself Alec. Have you met him yet?”
Jared’s breath caught in his throat. Alec? Alec was one of … he wasn’t human?
“What’s with the numbers?” Jared asked, grateful that his years of hustling had left his voice steadier than he felt. He doubted White would know the distraction for what it was; time to decide if he should lie or not.
“They don’t have names. Humans have names. Even pets have names, but these were made in a lab. They’re nothing more than lab rats that we need to exterminate. You remember that right? You remember what we showed you?”
Jared did. He remembered the cage they’d shown him; a rabid dog-like creature snarled from behind bars, they’d threatened to put Jared in with it if he didn’t help them. And for his pain they’d erase all the trouble he’d ever gotten into from his record. A little information and all his hustling, the B&Es, the theft would all be gone.
Funny how a little information suddenly felt like a lot of betrayal.
**
Three weeks later they were lying in bed together. Jared still couldn’t decide what to do about his current predicament Alec was warm and full of life and unlike anyone Jared had ever met. He had a hard edge to him that he didn’t want people to see around, but once Jared got past that he realized Alec just wanted the same things he did. He wanted to belong somewhere, to be with someone who was willing to fight to be with him. He hadn’t seen Alec do any of the things he knew Max was supposed to do but White had named him one of the transgenics. Jared didn’t know what to believe.
When Alec threw the remote off the edge of the bed, Jared curled up against him, resting his head against the back of Alec’s shoulder as they were lying on their stomachs watching TV. It was then he saw it for the first time. It wasn’t dark. Hell, if he hadn’t known it was supposed to be there he would have just thought it was a shadow or something. He knew it wasn’t. It was a barcode on the back of his neck.
Jared buried his head in Alec’s neck for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
“Jared? You okay?”
There was nothing in Jared’s movements that should have given away his fear. Could Alec hear the way his heart sped up? Could he tell when his breathing changed slightly?
“Fine,” he lied as he kept his head buried, afraid to do anything else.
. He should get out of Max’s life and away from Alec before something bad happened.
Alec had them flipped a moment later, his lips coaxing Jared’s apart and Jared let him. God help him, he was terrified and unable to make a choice, so he let Alec do as he wanted; let Alec make the choice for him for the night.
**
“Is this it?” Max asked when Jared showed up at Jam Pony with her bike. He’d had it freshly painted and the bike looked amazing.
“Better than new,” Jared demanded. “It’ll ride even better too.”
Max didn’t seem impressed at first, but he knew her better now and when she finished looking it over, she flashed him her best smile. “Not too bad, kid.”
He thought about leaving then. He had cash from the job. Jared didn’t want to report to Ames. He might be able to bribe his way past all the check points but he didn’t really believe he’d be able to get away from Ames White that easily. He should quit anyway They had to know White was after them. He’d seen Max and Alec with their heads together too often not to think something of it. Some of it explained their love/hate thing. They needed one another but they didn’t like each other.
Jared understood that one well enough. He’d worked for plenty of people he didn’t like just to get out of their debt. Like this. Only Jared didn’t want to finish this job and he didn’t know who he’d have to pay to get out of it. Or what. Any price had to be better than betrayal though.
**
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jared asked.
“You didn’t tell us they had so many,” White said, his gun pointed at Max - 492, his mind reminded him - as he looked around the main room at Jam Pony. Jared didn’t know what had made White move now, but Jared cringed at the way all the eyes in the room went to him.
“How was I supposed to know there were?” he lied. He couldn’t tell the transgenics apart from the humans, but he knew who Max and Alec brought in and if they weren’t trangenics they were part of that supposed terrorist group. Alec shut off the news every time they spoke about it and when Jared had asked him once, Alec had simply said the news was controlled by the government and he’d had enough of government fed lies to last a lifetime. Jared had never asked again. He had too good an idea of what Alec meant by that.
“Jared,” Alec’s voice called to him and Jared looked to find him beside Max. He expected to see hate in his eyes, but there was something else, something he couldn’t understand. He didn’t know how to answer it so he looked away.
“We realized 492 was bringing people into the business and we had to act. You really should have paid better attention, street rat. I’m not sure you’ve kept your side of the agreement.”
Jared had to think fast. He couldn’t let anyone get hurt today. No matter what White had told him in the beginning, the transgenics were his friends. He knew them and he knew they would never do the things that White said they would. He had to protect them.
“Look, I can give you a few probably,” Jared said, hands up to show he wasn’t a threat. “Max has been hanging out with a new crowd lately. I was going to call you about it but I was waiting to see if she had anyone else coming in,” he lied.
“Yeah? Maybe you’re useful after all.”
“The two guys beside her are part of it,” he said, fingering Alec and another guy he was sure was transgenic. The rest of the group he planned to spread out. White’s men were moving around them but they were outnumbered. They just didn’t know it. Jared wasn’t going to let them in on it though.
“Those four, round them up,” he said, adding some people to the transgenic group at the center, though he knew for a fact that they weren’t. People argued but when Jared pointed, White’s men made sure people moved.
The group was all human in the middle by the time Jared was done. White’s men were surrounded by transgenics and they had no idea they were. Alec was staring at him, watching, waiting, but Max was fuming at them all.
“Someone shut her up,” White said as he took a step back.
“Now!” Alec roared as the transgenics sprang into action. The humans in the center hit the concrete floor to get out of the way but Alec and Max and the other transgenics moved so quickly Jared couldn’t follow it. He watched in awe as White’s men were beaten, Ames White escaping narrowly when he realized what Jared had done.
When it was all over, Jared was left standing in a room full of angry transgenics. He looked at Max and dropped his eyes, unable to look at her without the sting of betrayal. “Get him the hell out of here.”
“Nah, I got him,” Alec said softly.
Jared didn’t know what he heard in Alec’s voice, but when Alec pulled him out the door he didn’t protest. When Alec set him on his bike, he didn’t speak, but Jared held onto Alec tight as the other man drove them off.
It didn’t take long before they were back at Alec’s place. They were barely in the door before Alec had Jared pushed back against the door. “What the hell are you playing at Jared? Working for White all this time?”
“No!” Jared demanded. “Yes, I mean, he found me and threatened me. I was supposed to watch Max and report back to him about her activities. I lied mostly because none of it felt right but I never told him anything real. And I never talked about you, Alec. He told me, after this started between us, that you were one of them, but I never gave you away.”
“Is it supposed to make me feel better that you sold out my friends?”
“I didn’t!” Jared begged. “I… Jesus Alec, I didn’t. I want to be here, with you. I thought at first that White would wipe my record clean and I could just go off somewhere and live a normal life, but then I met you and I didn’t want to leave anymore.”
“Why the hell not?”
Jared watched Alec and he knew what it was he’d seen in his eyes now. He knew what he’d been seeing for some time now. And it was returned. “I love you.”
“Bull shit.”
“It’s not. I love you Alec. I get why you can’t trust that right now but I do. I got you free of White because I wanted to find a way to make this all right. I don’t know if you can forgive me or not, but I’m begging you Alec. I want to be with you. I’ve never had anyone else in my life that I could lean on and I don’t want to lose that. You’re the only person I’ve ever been able to relax around. Just … give me a chance.”
Alec stared at him before he sighed. “We’ll see.” He left then. Jared waited but he didn’t return.
**
Jared didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t stay in Seattle with White looking for him but he couldn’t leave either. He couldn’t go to work and he wasn’t sure he could show his face anywhere. He didn’t have enough cash to get by, so he resorted to old skills.
It wasn’t hard to pick pockets in a world that was busting to the seams. Wasn’t hard to case their places either or find a place to pawn the goods of the rich.
The hard part was staying in his place after each time. He always found his feet wandering past Alec’s home. He never knocked. He’d gone so far as stand outside it once, his ear pressed to the door to see if he could hear Alec, but there was nothing left for him there. Alec hadn’t returned that last night and Jared still had no idea what was in the other man’s head.
It hurt, but Jared deserved to be hurt and Alec deserved to be loved by someone better than him. Someone who could stand up against someone like Ames White.
He stared up at the doors again, wishing he had the nerve to knock or the strength to stop walking by. Before he could make up him mind to leave, he was pushed forward and stumbled to try to catch himself even as he tried to turn and face his attacker.
He couldn’t get turned around though. The hands at his side shoved him forward kept him off balance forcing him up the stairs to the door. He knew who it was before he hit the door though and he let himself be manhandled through the entrance way.
“How many times have you walked past my door, Jared?” Alec asked. “How many times in the last week? In the last month?”
“I don’t know.”
His back slammed against the door and he stayed there even though Alec had moved away. He watched the other man - the transgenic whom he loved - and he could see how tired he was by the set of his shoulders.
“Alec, let me help you.”
“How are you going to do that, Jared?” Alec asked. His back was still turned but Jared knew him, even if Alec didn’t trust him.
“Let me take care of you, Alec. Just … let me get you something to eat. Get a couple hours of sleep. Let me take care of you.”
Alec didn’t move for a moment but Jared stepped forward, pressing against Alec’s back. He couldn’t help himself. He was too close to the other man not to lean in and feel him again.
“Jared?”
“Please. Send me away later, but let me take care of you now.”
Alec leaned back just slightly and then Jared felt his whole body relax as he sighed. “Yes.”
Jared didn’t ask a second time. He pulled Alec around and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close for a few seconds before he looked him in the eye. Alec was guarded, his eyes giving away little, but Jared didn’t let that stop him.
“Gonna take good care of you,” he promised as he pulled Alec by one hand down the hallway. The bathroom wasn’t anything spectacular but there was plenty of hot water and Jared filled the tub, using liberal amounts of soap to cause the bath to bubble up. He slipped Alec out of his clothes, careful to make it about caring for Alec rather than feeling him up. No matter how much Jared wanted to show Alec how much he missed him.
When he helped Alec relax against the back of the tub he pressed a chaste kiss to Alec’s forehead. “Relax. I’m going to fix dinner.”
There wasn’t a lot of food but that didn’t surprise Jared. Alec had never been the kind of guy to come home and fix dinner. Instead, there were myriad take-out boxes. He found some Italian that still looked good and heated it up while making garlic bread to go with it.
When dinner was ready, he went into the bathroom and helped Alec out of the tub. While Alec stood shivering and dripping on the cold linoleum, he toweled him dry, taking the time to make sure Alec was well cared for. When he was done, he dressed Alec in clean sweats and led him to the kitchen to eat.
He sat at the table, drinking a bottle of water as he let Alec eat in silence. When the other man was done, he cleaned the table and led Alec back to the bedroom. He slipped him out of his clothes and it was only then that he stripped out of his own and pulled Alec into bed with him.
Alec settled against him and Jared let his hands run over Alec’s back, soothing and easing away the stress of the day. He felt Alec relax and he took the chance, pressing a kiss to his temple.
“Jared?”
“Yeah, Alec?” he asked softly.
“Kick your ass if you do anything like that again.”
Jared smiled against Alec’s hair, knowing his statement for the forgiveness that it was.
“Make you dinner and put you in a bath? Duly noted. Showers only.”
Alec let out a huff of laughter and Jared let out a relieved sigh as he held him closer. “And next time you do something stupid, blow jobs. They are the only acceptable apology.”
Jared pushed Alec back until he was lying on the pillow. He looked down at him and smiled, taking the opportunity to look his fill. Alec obviously hadn’t been sleeping well but Jared had every intention of keeping him in bed for at least a week.
“Won’t ever need to apologize again,” Jared promised as he dropped a kiss to Alec’s lips. Alec moaned against Jared’s lips and though Jared wanted to do so much more, he pulled back. “I love you Alec. I’m gonna take care of you.”
Alec smiled at him, something warm and genuine, even if it was sleepy. “Don’t need someone to take care of me, Jared. I just want someone to be here. Think you can handle that?”
“Yeah, I think I can.”
“Good, because you’re stuck with me now. I love you, Jared. I’m not letting you get away.”
“Gonna tie me down?”
“If I have to.”
“Good, now go to sleep.”
“Bossy,” Alec said as he pulled Jared back down. Jared settled onto his back again and pulled Alec close. “Good night Jared.”
“Good night.”
Alec fell asleep quickly and Jared just held on. He’d never been in love before. He’d never let anyone close enough. With Alec in his arms, Jared closed his eyes and relaxed. He didn’t go to sleep for a long time but in the morning he felt better rested than he had in years. They started the morning with breakfast, blow jobs, and another nap and Jared had never felt happier.
The world had still gone to shit. White was still out there trying to kill Alec and the other transgenics. Jared was at home though, for the first time in his life, and he was ready to fight for it. Come what may, Jared was ready to fight for love.
Author: hunters_retreat
Artist: evian_fork
Art: The Spear that went through my heart
Parings/Characters: Alec/Jared
Word Count:5000
Summary: Jared Padalecki had a miserable life and it didn't look like it would change anytime soon. When Ames White made him an offer to wipe away his past he didn't have a choice even though he hated the job he was given. Following the girl wasn't too bad but when he accidentally ran into her bike, everything changed. Following her to her work, he met a man with green eyes and a smile he couldn't resist. When Ames White calls in his marker though, Jared is stuck between betraying the man he just may love or being on the other side of Ames White's wrath.
“Sir, it’s happened again.”
Ames White stared at the computer screen in front of him, reining in his anger until he was able to address the situation in a way that his superiors would appreciate. “What went wrong this time?” he demanded.
“They were on him as soon as he tried to join them, apparently.” His second in command was nervous, his eyes darted across White’s face, to the monitor behind him, to his suit, to the room around them; anywhere that wasn’t White’s eyes. There was trouble in those few words and he knew it. What he didn’t know was who would bear the brunt of White’s displeasure this time.
Ames was not well known for his patience, but his dedication and passion were beyond contention. He’d been set a goal and he intended to see it done. The transgenics were proving to be a problem far greater than he’d been led to believe though. He wanted to curse the old guard who’d done this in the first place, but there was nothing left of the idiots to pass his irritation along to. They’d left a big fucking mess in Terminal City and Ames White was the clean-up crew.
White didn’t discuss his thoughts on who was to blame for the latest failure. Not yet. He hadn’t talked to the agent they’d tried to send undercover and he preferred to make sure he had the right fall guy for the job before he passed word along.
“I think we need to try a new tactic. Sending one of our agents undercover isn’t working. Our guys are too clean, too disciplined to be like these street thugs. We need to find someone that won’t be out of place. He’ll be one of them … just working for us.”
“Where would we find someone that could get in good with the transgenics?” the other man asked.
Ames smiled. “We have cells full of prisoners who don’t want to be held for trial. I think it’s time we find the right guy, squeeze a little, and see if we can get the filth to find their weakness for us.”
The other man didn’t smile, but Ames White was already looking back to the monitor to start digging up dirt on the criminals he had at his disposal.
**
The streets were busy, the hustle of the daily grind bringing people out by the droves. The press of people made his job easier and always had; a criminal was only as good as his target after all. He hated the stench of it though, the city and its unwashed masses. He’d never been to the country but he heard stories about fresh air and he yearned for it. He was sure he’d be bored if he was away from the city, but the country was a nice dream. His mother used to speak of the country with longing but he didn’t know if she’d ever been to the country either. She’d been a prostitute and a drug addict who’d pushed him off on anyone who would take care of him for a few minutes so she could get her high. Then she’d cuddle up next to him, telling him stories of a world that didn’t exist. When the Pulse hit, everyone’s world had become just like his. Grey, dark and a never ending promise of things you can’t have.
Jared Padalecki had learned to take what he needed. The rest of the world had too.
Damn this job. He hated working at a scam of this level but it wasn’t his idea. One job and his slate was wiped clean. A new name, a new bank account, and a new life in a new city.
He kept telling himself that, like it would make him feel better about it. The truth was that if he didn’t take the job, he’d still be rotting in a cell with a dozen other guys, waiting for a trial that would never come.
He moved past the guard at the post, flashing his pass before being allowed into the TC area. His mark was ahead of him on a motorcycle that was fast and flashy. It was interesting to find someone who seemed to want to blend in driving something that made her stand out from the crowd.
Jared had been following a few cars back for some time before a series of lights and turns had him directly behind her. He didn’t know enough about her for what he needed so he was following her again, looking for a way to get into her life. She wasn’t someone who let people in easy though.
A screeching sound from the left pulled his attention to a car speeding through the intersection. The motorcycle ahead of him braked hard and barely missed the car that had run the light but Jared’s reflexes weren’t fast enough to avoid her motorcycle as it suddenly slid sideways. He spun the wheel, trying to avoid a direct hit and ended up clipping the back wheel. His mark went tumbling and Jared was too busy trying to get his car in control to see what happened to her.
When Jared’s car finally slid to a stop, he was shaking but adrenaline kept him moving when he might otherwise fall apart. The girl wasn’t far away from the downed bike. He barely had time to worry about the damage he saw to the bike before he found her. She moaned and Jared ran forward, helping her as she stood. Her clothes were torn, her helmet was bashed pretty hard but he figured the fact that she was moving was a good sign.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he reached for her, helping to steady her as she pulled her helmet off, releasing a long mane of dark hair. Brown eyes stared back at him.
“Yeah, fine,” she said in a short, controlled clip. “Fucking teenagers,” she griped as she shook his hand off her arm and walked towards her bike. “The girl in the car didn’t even stop to see if I was okay. Bitch.”
“Are you? Really?”
He knew what she was. He knew what the man had said she could do. He wasn’t so sure about all that himself but even if it was all true she had to be hurting.
“Yeah. The bike took the worst of it. I’ll be sitting stiff for a few days though. Damn it,” she said then, as she reached the motorcycle. “This is going to take forever to get fixed.”
“I can take care of it for you,” Jared offered without thinking. “I’m a mechanic.”
“You got a shop or something?”
“Nah, just work wherever I can get it. I can fix your bike though. Least I can do after all this.”
She looked suspicious and Jared couldn’t blame her. He didn’t like to owe people; a trait that had gotten him into plenty of trouble in his life. He would have offered even if he hadn’t been told to find his way into her good graces though. “I did this to you. I should be the one to fix it.”
“You think I’m trusting you with my baby?”
Jared smiled at her, his warmest, most sincere smile. “Tell me when and where and I’ll work on her. You can keep an eye on me if you like.”
She snorted at that and Jared held his hand out to her. “Jared Padalecki, mechanic, jack of all trades really, at your service.”
“Max Gueverra,” the girl said as she shook his hand. “And if you don’t fix my bike, I’ll make you wish you were the one sliding across the black top today.”
**
Jam Pony was hopping and Jared had to jump aside twice to keep from getting run over by bike messengers as he tried to get through the door. He was working on fixing Max’s bike but the process was slow going. New parts required cash and he was a bit short on that. He was good for his word though and he’d meant it when he said he’d fix her bike.
So now he was at Jam Pony for two reasons. One, he needed to find Max and let her know he was waiting for the parts to come in. Two, he needed a job to pay for the parts when they did get in and he’d just heard her bitching to O.C. last night about how they were short staffed. Jared wasn’t sure Max would appreciate him following her to work but since he was trying to stay off everyone’s radar and it might help him figure her out better. Maybe he could find the people she was close with and get into her circle of friends.
It beat the hell out of trying to follow her around on her bike jobs without being noticed.
He barely managed to stumble out of the way of biker #3. His arms flailed as he tried to regain his balance before strong arms caught him and righted him. “Thanks man,” Jared said, grabbing his bag as it fell. When he turned around, his mouth dropped open and he couldn’t help but stare.
The guy in front of him was absolutely gorgeous. Amused jade eyes stared back at Jared while full pouty lips smiled up at him. “You lost kid?” Green eyes asked him. The guy’s eyes dropped lower, doing an obvious perusal of Jared’s body. Jared wasn’t a slouch in the looks department but he found himself squaring his shoulders to show them off better.
“A little,” Jared managed to say. “I was looking for Max,” he said, noting the way the guy rolled his eyes before he continued. “But I also heard y’all were hiring. I wasn’t sure who to ask for.”
“What do you need Max for?”
“I’m fixing her bike and I needed to talk to her about it. She around?”
“Nah, she’s out on a run. Tell you what though, I’ll bring you to Normal and get you all set up.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, then you can owe me one.”
Jared hated owing anyone anything, but Jared hadn’t managed to get his libido in check and he had an idea he just might like what this guy had in mind for repayment. “Jared Padalecki,” Jared said, holding his hand out for the guy to shake.
The guy took his hand and Jared admired the firm grip, even as he marveled at how soft his skin was. “Alec McDowell.”
He held the other hand a bit too long and when Alec pulled his hand away, the other man’s fingertips dragged along his wrist in a way that was far too familiar. Jared was fine with the additional flirting and he just grinned at Alec before the other man turned away.
“Come on, Normal is this way. Good thing I found you first. He always gives Max shit about the job but he’ll take you on without question if I bring you over.”
“Guess I really do owe you then.”
“Hey Normal, I got a friend you have got to meet.”
“Yeah, why?”
“You remember how you were bitching about those guys who quit last week? I have the answer to your dilemma. Meet my friend, Jared.”
A tall guy behind the front counter looked up at Jared with an unimpressed mien, which Jared found amusing because most people found his size intimidating at least. “Yeah?”
“When have I ever steered you wrong, Normal?”
“This is one of those things, isn’t it?” Normal asked Alec. Jared had no idea what they were talking about but then Alec looked at him, smiling widely.
“Maybe.”
“Fine, but if he quits you get double shifts to make up for it. I’m not having a repeat of last time.”
Alec nodded. “Done deal.”
“Fine. You’ll show him the ropes then. Delivery.”
He handed Alec a package and Alec took one look at it before handing it to Jared. “Gotcha Boss-man.”
Jared followed Alec with the package in hand. “That’s it? No interview? No paperwork?”
“Yep. Normal likes me.”
“What sort of thing does he think I am?” Jared asked as Alec led him to a row of lockers.
“The locker next to mine is open if you want it.” Alec said, ignoring the question. “So now we get you a bike and head out. You got your own?”
“Nah, a motorcycle yeah, but not a bike like I saw them running out of here with.”
Alec nodded. “Looks like I’ll just have to tag along with you then so we can get your first day off to the right start.”
Jared just waited as Alec grabbed a jacket out of his locker and went back to the front desk and grabbed a marker. He wrote J.P. on the front of the locker next to his and threw the marker back at Normal as they left. Jared wasn’t sure what he’d just started, but he figured if he had to get in good with the people at Jam Pony to get close to Max, at least he’d managed to find someone besides Max to hang out with.
When he got on his bike Alec looked at it appreciatively before climbing on the back of the bike behind Jared. When he wrapped his arms around Jared’s waist, low enough that the other man’s fingers were brushing lightly over his thighs, Jared realized just how good this guy was.
He smiled over his shoulder at Alec. “You gonna give me directions?”
“You don’t know what you just asked for.”
Jared grinned wider. “Oh, I just might.”
He didn’t say anything else, but sped off with the sound of Alec’s laughter trailing behind them.
**
“Two more weeks?” Max demanded as Jared told her about the parts he was still waiting on.
“They sent the wrong part. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Fine, just keep out of my sight Padalecki. Last thing I want to deal with is your school girl crush on Alec at work. Bad enough you ruined my bike, now Alec won’t shut up about you.”
“Yeah?”
“Shut. Up. Padalecki.”
Jared knew he should be horrified that he’d managed to make friends with the one guy in all of Jam Pony that Max seemed to hate, but the fact that Alec was talking about him perked him right up.
“What did he say?”
“Shut. Up. Padalecki.”
He smiled at her and Max rolled her eyes, pushing past him as Normal made another round of ‘bip bip bips’ to get people moving.
“You love me, Max. You know you do.”
She flipped him off as she walked away and Jared just smiled again because Alec chose to walk in at that moment. He saw Jared and smiled warmly at him before heading to his locker.
Jared was completely happy to be where he was. For the first time since Ames White had sent him on the trail, Jared began to feel a little guilt about befriending the girl to get his record wiped clean. Still, he might be able to keep his other new friends once the girl was gone. She wasn’t human after all and maybe that made it right.
Maybe.
**
The first time Jared stepped inside Alec’s apartment was the first time Alec pushed him against the wall. He barely made it into the room before Alec was on him, manhandling him like he was a rag doll. Jared was a big guy and he wasn’t used to people treating him like that, but fuck it was hot! Alec’s mouth left hot trails along Jared’s neck and when he’d reached for Jared’s shirt, Jared pushed away from the door and stripped himself bare. Alec pushing him back into the bedroom and managed to get rid of his own clothes so fast Jared wasn’t sure he’d seen it all. Alec was good though, so damn good at opening him up and pushing in and plundering his mouth, stopping to whisper endearments to him that he would laugh about later.
The second time ended up like the first. So did the third and fourth. Jared never did get to see much of Alec’s apartment except the bed and the view from the back of the door before Alec pushed in to reach his lips.
**
“Have you found them yet?”
“Them?”
“492’s friends?”
“She has a few, but I haven’t noticed anything different about them.”
“We know of one other transgenic that she is still in contact with. X5-494. He calls himself Alec. Have you met him yet?”
Jared’s breath caught in his throat. Alec? Alec was one of … he wasn’t human?
“What’s with the numbers?” Jared asked, grateful that his years of hustling had left his voice steadier than he felt. He doubted White would know the distraction for what it was; time to decide if he should lie or not.
“They don’t have names. Humans have names. Even pets have names, but these were made in a lab. They’re nothing more than lab rats that we need to exterminate. You remember that right? You remember what we showed you?”
Jared did. He remembered the cage they’d shown him; a rabid dog-like creature snarled from behind bars, they’d threatened to put Jared in with it if he didn’t help them. And for his pain they’d erase all the trouble he’d ever gotten into from his record. A little information and all his hustling, the B&Es, the theft would all be gone.
Funny how a little information suddenly felt like a lot of betrayal.
**
Three weeks later they were lying in bed together. Jared still couldn’t decide what to do about his current predicament Alec was warm and full of life and unlike anyone Jared had ever met. He had a hard edge to him that he didn’t want people to see around, but once Jared got past that he realized Alec just wanted the same things he did. He wanted to belong somewhere, to be with someone who was willing to fight to be with him. He hadn’t seen Alec do any of the things he knew Max was supposed to do but White had named him one of the transgenics. Jared didn’t know what to believe.
When Alec threw the remote off the edge of the bed, Jared curled up against him, resting his head against the back of Alec’s shoulder as they were lying on their stomachs watching TV. It was then he saw it for the first time. It wasn’t dark. Hell, if he hadn’t known it was supposed to be there he would have just thought it was a shadow or something. He knew it wasn’t. It was a barcode on the back of his neck.
Jared buried his head in Alec’s neck for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
“Jared? You okay?”
There was nothing in Jared’s movements that should have given away his fear. Could Alec hear the way his heart sped up? Could he tell when his breathing changed slightly?
“Fine,” he lied as he kept his head buried, afraid to do anything else.
. He should get out of Max’s life and away from Alec before something bad happened.
Alec had them flipped a moment later, his lips coaxing Jared’s apart and Jared let him. God help him, he was terrified and unable to make a choice, so he let Alec do as he wanted; let Alec make the choice for him for the night.
**
“Is this it?” Max asked when Jared showed up at Jam Pony with her bike. He’d had it freshly painted and the bike looked amazing.
“Better than new,” Jared demanded. “It’ll ride even better too.”
Max didn’t seem impressed at first, but he knew her better now and when she finished looking it over, she flashed him her best smile. “Not too bad, kid.”
He thought about leaving then. He had cash from the job. Jared didn’t want to report to Ames. He might be able to bribe his way past all the check points but he didn’t really believe he’d be able to get away from Ames White that easily. He should quit anyway They had to know White was after them. He’d seen Max and Alec with their heads together too often not to think something of it. Some of it explained their love/hate thing. They needed one another but they didn’t like each other.
Jared understood that one well enough. He’d worked for plenty of people he didn’t like just to get out of their debt. Like this. Only Jared didn’t want to finish this job and he didn’t know who he’d have to pay to get out of it. Or what. Any price had to be better than betrayal though.
**
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jared asked.
“You didn’t tell us they had so many,” White said, his gun pointed at Max - 492, his mind reminded him - as he looked around the main room at Jam Pony. Jared didn’t know what had made White move now, but Jared cringed at the way all the eyes in the room went to him.
“How was I supposed to know there were?” he lied. He couldn’t tell the transgenics apart from the humans, but he knew who Max and Alec brought in and if they weren’t trangenics they were part of that supposed terrorist group. Alec shut off the news every time they spoke about it and when Jared had asked him once, Alec had simply said the news was controlled by the government and he’d had enough of government fed lies to last a lifetime. Jared had never asked again. He had too good an idea of what Alec meant by that.
“Jared,” Alec’s voice called to him and Jared looked to find him beside Max. He expected to see hate in his eyes, but there was something else, something he couldn’t understand. He didn’t know how to answer it so he looked away.
“We realized 492 was bringing people into the business and we had to act. You really should have paid better attention, street rat. I’m not sure you’ve kept your side of the agreement.”
Jared had to think fast. He couldn’t let anyone get hurt today. No matter what White had told him in the beginning, the transgenics were his friends. He knew them and he knew they would never do the things that White said they would. He had to protect them.
“Look, I can give you a few probably,” Jared said, hands up to show he wasn’t a threat. “Max has been hanging out with a new crowd lately. I was going to call you about it but I was waiting to see if she had anyone else coming in,” he lied.
“Yeah? Maybe you’re useful after all.”
“The two guys beside her are part of it,” he said, fingering Alec and another guy he was sure was transgenic. The rest of the group he planned to spread out. White’s men were moving around them but they were outnumbered. They just didn’t know it. Jared wasn’t going to let them in on it though.
“Those four, round them up,” he said, adding some people to the transgenic group at the center, though he knew for a fact that they weren’t. People argued but when Jared pointed, White’s men made sure people moved.
The group was all human in the middle by the time Jared was done. White’s men were surrounded by transgenics and they had no idea they were. Alec was staring at him, watching, waiting, but Max was fuming at them all.
“Someone shut her up,” White said as he took a step back.
“Now!” Alec roared as the transgenics sprang into action. The humans in the center hit the concrete floor to get out of the way but Alec and Max and the other transgenics moved so quickly Jared couldn’t follow it. He watched in awe as White’s men were beaten, Ames White escaping narrowly when he realized what Jared had done.
When it was all over, Jared was left standing in a room full of angry transgenics. He looked at Max and dropped his eyes, unable to look at her without the sting of betrayal. “Get him the hell out of here.”
“Nah, I got him,” Alec said softly.
Jared didn’t know what he heard in Alec’s voice, but when Alec pulled him out the door he didn’t protest. When Alec set him on his bike, he didn’t speak, but Jared held onto Alec tight as the other man drove them off.
It didn’t take long before they were back at Alec’s place. They were barely in the door before Alec had Jared pushed back against the door. “What the hell are you playing at Jared? Working for White all this time?”
“No!” Jared demanded. “Yes, I mean, he found me and threatened me. I was supposed to watch Max and report back to him about her activities. I lied mostly because none of it felt right but I never told him anything real. And I never talked about you, Alec. He told me, after this started between us, that you were one of them, but I never gave you away.”
“Is it supposed to make me feel better that you sold out my friends?”
“I didn’t!” Jared begged. “I… Jesus Alec, I didn’t. I want to be here, with you. I thought at first that White would wipe my record clean and I could just go off somewhere and live a normal life, but then I met you and I didn’t want to leave anymore.”
“Why the hell not?”
Jared watched Alec and he knew what it was he’d seen in his eyes now. He knew what he’d been seeing for some time now. And it was returned. “I love you.”
“Bull shit.”
“It’s not. I love you Alec. I get why you can’t trust that right now but I do. I got you free of White because I wanted to find a way to make this all right. I don’t know if you can forgive me or not, but I’m begging you Alec. I want to be with you. I’ve never had anyone else in my life that I could lean on and I don’t want to lose that. You’re the only person I’ve ever been able to relax around. Just … give me a chance.”
Alec stared at him before he sighed. “We’ll see.” He left then. Jared waited but he didn’t return.
**
Jared didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t stay in Seattle with White looking for him but he couldn’t leave either. He couldn’t go to work and he wasn’t sure he could show his face anywhere. He didn’t have enough cash to get by, so he resorted to old skills.
It wasn’t hard to pick pockets in a world that was busting to the seams. Wasn’t hard to case their places either or find a place to pawn the goods of the rich.
The hard part was staying in his place after each time. He always found his feet wandering past Alec’s home. He never knocked. He’d gone so far as stand outside it once, his ear pressed to the door to see if he could hear Alec, but there was nothing left for him there. Alec hadn’t returned that last night and Jared still had no idea what was in the other man’s head.
It hurt, but Jared deserved to be hurt and Alec deserved to be loved by someone better than him. Someone who could stand up against someone like Ames White.
He stared up at the doors again, wishing he had the nerve to knock or the strength to stop walking by. Before he could make up him mind to leave, he was pushed forward and stumbled to try to catch himself even as he tried to turn and face his attacker.
He couldn’t get turned around though. The hands at his side shoved him forward kept him off balance forcing him up the stairs to the door. He knew who it was before he hit the door though and he let himself be manhandled through the entrance way.
“How many times have you walked past my door, Jared?” Alec asked. “How many times in the last week? In the last month?”
“I don’t know.”
His back slammed against the door and he stayed there even though Alec had moved away. He watched the other man - the transgenic whom he loved - and he could see how tired he was by the set of his shoulders.
“Alec, let me help you.”
“How are you going to do that, Jared?” Alec asked. His back was still turned but Jared knew him, even if Alec didn’t trust him.
“Let me take care of you, Alec. Just … let me get you something to eat. Get a couple hours of sleep. Let me take care of you.”
Alec didn’t move for a moment but Jared stepped forward, pressing against Alec’s back. He couldn’t help himself. He was too close to the other man not to lean in and feel him again.
“Jared?”
“Please. Send me away later, but let me take care of you now.”
Alec leaned back just slightly and then Jared felt his whole body relax as he sighed. “Yes.”
Jared didn’t ask a second time. He pulled Alec around and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close for a few seconds before he looked him in the eye. Alec was guarded, his eyes giving away little, but Jared didn’t let that stop him.
“Gonna take good care of you,” he promised as he pulled Alec by one hand down the hallway. The bathroom wasn’t anything spectacular but there was plenty of hot water and Jared filled the tub, using liberal amounts of soap to cause the bath to bubble up. He slipped Alec out of his clothes, careful to make it about caring for Alec rather than feeling him up. No matter how much Jared wanted to show Alec how much he missed him.
When he helped Alec relax against the back of the tub he pressed a chaste kiss to Alec’s forehead. “Relax. I’m going to fix dinner.”
There wasn’t a lot of food but that didn’t surprise Jared. Alec had never been the kind of guy to come home and fix dinner. Instead, there were myriad take-out boxes. He found some Italian that still looked good and heated it up while making garlic bread to go with it.
When dinner was ready, he went into the bathroom and helped Alec out of the tub. While Alec stood shivering and dripping on the cold linoleum, he toweled him dry, taking the time to make sure Alec was well cared for. When he was done, he dressed Alec in clean sweats and led him to the kitchen to eat.
He sat at the table, drinking a bottle of water as he let Alec eat in silence. When the other man was done, he cleaned the table and led Alec back to the bedroom. He slipped him out of his clothes and it was only then that he stripped out of his own and pulled Alec into bed with him.
Alec settled against him and Jared let his hands run over Alec’s back, soothing and easing away the stress of the day. He felt Alec relax and he took the chance, pressing a kiss to his temple.
“Jared?”
“Yeah, Alec?” he asked softly.
“Kick your ass if you do anything like that again.”
Jared smiled against Alec’s hair, knowing his statement for the forgiveness that it was.
“Make you dinner and put you in a bath? Duly noted. Showers only.”
Alec let out a huff of laughter and Jared let out a relieved sigh as he held him closer. “And next time you do something stupid, blow jobs. They are the only acceptable apology.”
Jared pushed Alec back until he was lying on the pillow. He looked down at him and smiled, taking the opportunity to look his fill. Alec obviously hadn’t been sleeping well but Jared had every intention of keeping him in bed for at least a week.
“Won’t ever need to apologize again,” Jared promised as he dropped a kiss to Alec’s lips. Alec moaned against Jared’s lips and though Jared wanted to do so much more, he pulled back. “I love you Alec. I’m gonna take care of you.”
Alec smiled at him, something warm and genuine, even if it was sleepy. “Don’t need someone to take care of me, Jared. I just want someone to be here. Think you can handle that?”
“Yeah, I think I can.”
“Good, because you’re stuck with me now. I love you, Jared. I’m not letting you get away.”
“Gonna tie me down?”
“If I have to.”
“Good, now go to sleep.”
“Bossy,” Alec said as he pulled Jared back down. Jared settled onto his back again and pulled Alec close. “Good night Jared.”
“Good night.”
Alec fell asleep quickly and Jared just held on. He’d never been in love before. He’d never let anyone close enough. With Alec in his arms, Jared closed his eyes and relaxed. He didn’t go to sleep for a long time but in the morning he felt better rested than he had in years. They started the morning with breakfast, blow jobs, and another nap and Jared had never felt happier.
The world had still gone to shit. White was still out there trying to kill Alec and the other transgenics. Jared was at home though, for the first time in his life, and he was ready to fight for it. Come what may, Jared was ready to fight for love.