Finding Hope
Title: Finding Hope.
Summary: Jeff and Jensen take in a injured runaway with a secret.
Warnings: Mpreg, mentions abuse and rape.
Pairings: Jensen/Jeff/Jared. Jared/Jensen. Jensen/Jeff.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N :- This is a AU fic and a WIP. Hope you enjoy reading. :)
Finding Hope.
Chapter One
Jeff was driving home from his architect conference in LA when he spotted the kid at the side of the road. He was holding his thumb out and clearly looking to hitchhike but with the way he was hunched over, staring down at the road he didn’t look like he was thrilled with the idea. Even at a distance Jeff could see how dirty and dishevelled he looked, and young too, maybe sixteen or seventeen. Jeff’s not normally one for picking up hitchhiking teenagers but something about the kid had him pulling his truck over.
“Hey there,” Jeff said, rolling down the window. “You need a ride?”
The kid looked up and oh crap! His face was absolute mess of bruises and scrapes. A particularly nasty looking bump above his left eye was still bleeding sluggishly, and his right eye was pretty much swollen shut.
“Where you headed?” Jeff asked, making sure to keep his horrified reaction to the kid’s face hidden.
“Anywhere that isn’t here.” The kid’s voice was quiet and kinda scratchy, like he might have been crying at some point not too long ago.
“Well, I’m heading on home to Whitefall River.” Jeff pushed opened the passenger side door. “You're welcome to join me or I can drop you off at some point along the way.”
The kid nodded and looking apprehensive he climbed into the truck. Jeff noticed that his movements were slow and cautious, kind of like how you would move if you were in pain, and Jeff wondered what injuries might be hiding underneath the younger man’s shabby clothes. Trying not to appear too nosey, Jeff turned his attention back to road and once the kid had pulled the passenger door closed he drove off.
“So, you from around here?”
The kid looked kind of disappointed at the question and from the way he had huddled himself as close to the car door and as far away from Jeff as possible, he assumed that his hitchhiker had been hoping that Jeff was just going to ignore him for the journey.
The kid answered with a shake of his head and a mumbled, “Been on the road for a while.”
From the state of his clothing, Jeff had no problems believing that. He did find it odd that the kid didn’t appear to have a bag or any other kind of luggage with him. Maybe he’d been robbed. It would explain why the kid’s face was so banged up. Well, whatever had happened, he clearly needed help and Jeff didn’t know why but he was determined to do just that.
Jeff reached out towards the glove compartment and was surprised when the kid flinched back violently as if expecting a hit. Pulling his arm back slowly, Jeff raised his eyebrow and held his hand up in a placating gesture.
“Relax kid, I aint gonna hurt ya.” Jeff gestured to compartment. “There are some chips and drink in there, thought you might be hungry.”
The kid looked at Jeff in suspicion.
“What? You look like you could use a good meal,” Jeff stated simply. “Unfortunately chips are all I’ve got to offer right now but you’re welcome to them.”
Jeff watched the young man out of the corner of his eye. The kid hesitated a few times before reaching across and grabbing the bag of chips. Jeff smiled happily and left him to munch away for a few minutes before breaking the silence.
“How old are you, buddy?”
The kid froze mid chew before quickly answering, “Twenty one.”
Jeff sighed. “Look, I’m not a cop, I’m not gonna turn you over. I won’t even ask what it is you’re clearly running from or why your face is bruised to hell if you don’t won’t me to. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t lie to me.”
“Seventeen,” came the quiet reply.
Jeff nodded. “Thank you.”
Jeff let the kid to go back to devouring his chips and turned on some music to fill the silence. He couldn’t help but notice how often the younger man would shift around in his seat obviously uncomfortable, and Jeff’s mind was drawn back to thinking about what injuries were being hidden.
“I know it’s none of my business, but you look like you’re in pain and it’s pretty obvious your face is hurting. My partner is a doctor, he could take a look at you if you want.”
“You’re gay?” the kid spluttered in surprise.
Jeff raised a eyebrow and nodded. “That gonna be a problem?”
His passenger shook his head then no louder than a whisper added, “Would be kinda hypocritical of me if it was."
“Is that why you're running?” Jeff asked, careful to keep his tone neutral and casual. “Your family find out and not take it well or something?”
“Or something,” the kid mumbled before turning to stare out of window, effectively ending that line of questioning.
Jeff knew when not to push and immediately backed off. “Anyway, like I said, Jensen’s a doctor. He could take a look at you and you could stay, have a hot meal, a shower, maybe even stay the night if you like.”
The younger man looked nervously down at his lap.“ What would you want in exchange?” he asked timidly.
Jeff frowned. “I can promise you nothing like what you’re thinking.”
The kid looked over at him in disbelief and Jeff became concerned when he noticed that he had started trembling.
“Relax, sweetheart,” Jeff assured. “I aint gonna force you. I can drop you off at a shelter if you’d rather but the offer is there. No strings just somewhere warm and safe for the night.”
“Why would you do that?”
Jeff shrugged. “You seem like a good kid, and I know what it’s like to be down on your luck. So what do you say? Sound good?”
It took a few moments but the younger man finally gave a cautious nod in agreement and a sincere sounding, “Thank you.”
Jeff smiled.“ So, you got a name?”
“Jared.”
Knowing that Jared deliberately hadn’t given a last name, Jeff didn’t ask for one. “Well hi Jared. I’m Jeff.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey, kid, wake up.”
At the feel of someone shaking his shoulder, Jared blinked his eyes sleepily open. He looked up at the man in front of him in confusion for a few seconds before he realised where he was, then he quickly startled awake, shrugging Jeff’s hand off him in the process.
“Whoa easy there, Jared.” Jeff held his hands up in a calming gesture.
Jared rubbed his eyes, trying to force himself back to full alertness. He can’t believe he let himself fall asleep in some strange guy’s truck. Normally he’d never have left himself vulnerable like that, but after the incident at the last place he was staying he’d pretty much been running non-stop for days and that coupled with his current medical condition had left him exhausted. Also, this Jeff guy didn’t give off the same creepy vibe that the men who had picked Jared up when he’d hitchhiked in the past did. He repressed a shudder at the memories of his previous hitchhiking experiences and focused on his current surroundings.
“Wow,” Jared exclaimed as he stared at the huge, beautifully designed home that Jeff had parked in front of. “You live here?”
Jeff nodded, opening the passenger side door for Jared to climb out. “Yep, this is home.”
“It’s amazing.” Jared couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live somewhere this nice. Even when he'd had a home with his parents, it was no where near anything like this.
“Why thank you.” Jeff smiled. “It was a total bitch to build but well worth it the end.”
“You..you built this?”
“Designed and built.” Jeff said, proudly. “I’m an architect. I figured it wouldn’t look good to any potential clients if I lived in just your standard run of the mill house.”
Jared admired the house in front of him and couldn’t help but wonder why the hell someone like Jeff would even be considering inviting someone like Jared into his seemingly perfect home and life. People only ever seemed to want Jared for one reason and Jeff hadn’t shown any interest in him like that, although that didn’t mean that that couldn’t change at any moment. He just hoped that he would at least be able to get a shower and maybe something to eat before everything turned ugly. At the thought of food his stomach grumbled, reminding him that the chips he had in the truck were the only thing he had eaten in days.
Jeff frowned at the sound of Jared’s stomach and gestured towards the house, “Let’s get you inside, huh? I called ahead while you were sleeping so Jensen’s expecting us.”
As Jared followed Jeff inside he automatically hunched in on himself, trying to make himself appear as small and as non threatening as possible just in case this Jensen person was nowhere near as nice as Jeff appeared to be.
~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Jeff’s call, Jensen was expecting their new house guest but he was still surprised at how bad Jared looked when he shuffled in behind Jeff, shoulders slumped and refusing to make eye contact. The kid looked like he had been dragged here by Jeff’s truck not rode in it. Jeff had warned him that he suspected Jared had been beaten up and seeing Jared’s face, Jensen would have to agree with him.
“Hi, baby,” Jeff kissed Jensen’s affectionately on the forehead. “Miss me?”
Jensen returned the kiss with a smile. “Always.”
Jeff motioned for Jared to come a few more steps forward from where he was standing awkwardly just inside the doorway, “Baby, this is Jared. Jared this is my partner Jensen.”
“Hello, Jared. It’s nice to meet you.” Jensen extended his hand out towards Jared in greeting but quickly drew it back when Jared flinched and stumbled back a step.
“He’s a little skittish,” Jeff said as he once more beckoned Jared closer.
“Sorry,” Jared mumbled and Jensen saw his cheeks blush pink.
“It’s fine,” Jensen assured. “Why don’t you go make yourself comfortable on the couch and I’ll take a look at those injuries for you.”
“If you...um...if nobody minds would it be okay if I could take a shower first?”
The fear and uncertainty in Jared’s voice when he asked was easy to hear, and Jensen could tell from Jared’s body language that the younger man was ready bolt if Jeff or Jensen reacted badly to his question. Jensen swallowed down the sudden sadness he felt when he thought about what must have happened to Jared to make him so scared to ask a simple question.
“Of course.” Jensen smiled, hoping to put Jared more at ease. “Jeff, why don’t you show Jared where everything is and I’ll go make us all something to eat.”
Jeff nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Come on, kiddo.”
While Jeff sorted out their new guest, Jensen made a start on rustling something up for dinner, deciding on soup and some grilled cheese sandwiches. Jared probably wasn’t used to eating a lot and Jensen thought it was best to start out with something simple and easy to digest.
Jensen had been shocked when Jeff had phoned to tell him he was bringing home a hitchhiker, but after meeting Jared, Jensen could see why Jeff had wanted to help. There was definitely something special about the kid. Jensen could tell that underneath the dirt and bruises Jared was an extremely attractive young man, but there was certainly more to him than just his looks. Innocence and sweetness seemed to come off him in waves and it made Jensen angry to think about the people that had obviously taken advantage of that. The thought about what must have happened to Jared to leave him stood all alone at the side of the road hurt, hungry and with nothing but the clothes on his back made Jensen shudder.
“Smells good.”
Jeff’s voice broke Jensen out this thoughts and he smiled up at his boyfriend. “Thanks. How’s Jared doing?”
“In the shower. I lent him some clean sweatpants and a T-shirt to wear since he doesn’t have any other clothes.”
“Did he say anything about why that is?”
Jeff shook his head. “He was really skittish when I was talking to him in the truck. I didn’t want to freak him out by pushing too much with the questions. I think he might have been mugged. Poor kid. He hinted at his family having a problem with him being gay, I’m guessing that’s why he ran away.”
“Do you know how long he’s been on the streets?”
“He just said that’s he’s been on the road a while. I don’t know what happened to his face but I’m fairly sure that it’s not the only the place he’s hurting. He kept shifting around uncomfortably in the truck and saw him wincing a few times.”
Jensen sighed sadly. “I’ll make sure to check him over as soon as he’s done showering.”
“He also asked me what I wanted in exchange for him staying here. You should have seen his face when he asked. He looked so afraid but resigned to his fate.” Jeff grimaced in disgust, not at Jared but at whoever had taken advantage of the kid to make him think like that.
“We’ll do whatever we can to help him.” Jensen promised.
Jeff smiled, wrapped his arms around his lover. “You’re amazing you know that.”
“I know.” Jensen grinned and Jeff laughed, hitting him playfully on the arm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jared could have spent the rest of his life in the shower. The hot water on his skin felt amazing after so long of going without. The water stung when it hit the still healing cuts and bruises littered across his body but it was a small price to pay. There was only one part of his body that was mark free and that was his stomach. Jared sprawled his hands across the rounded shape of his belly. He was relieved that neither Jeff nor Jensen had noticed the small bump hidden underneath his baggy clothes and Jared hoped it would stay that way. Although male pregnancies could happen they were still quite rare and Jared couldn’t help but feel like a freak. His family had always treated him like piece of crap, he was hit, screamed at, forced to do all the chores and abused on a daily basis. When his mother and older brother had found out about the baby, they loved to torment him about not only being a faggot but a biological freak too. His father had been furious and told Jared that he refused to have such an abomination for a son. He had Jared beat up in the hopes he’d miscarry and when that didn’t work he arranged for some doctor friend to take care of problem, so Jared had packed up his few belongings and ran. He knew it was risky and that his father would be searching for him but he just couldn’t stay there any longer.
As Jared tried to survive life alone on the streets and keep himself under his father’s radar, he ignored the pregnancy as much as possible. The baby hadn’t been planned and Jared was scared to death about what was going to happen so he just tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, but all that changed when he felt it kick for the first time. It was just after he had taken a particularly nasty beating from some guy who decided that he didn’t actually want to pay Jared for the blow job he’d just received. Jared had been ready to end it all, was just seconds away from swallowing the pills he’d found when he felt it. It was such a small movement but it had saved Jared’s life, and from that moment on he had done everything he could to protect the little life growing inside him, making sure that he always covered up his stomach when getting beaten. It meant he took a lot of hits to his face and head but if it kept his baby safe then it was worth it.
Jared had been on the streets for almost 5 months and it had been a living hell. He thought about going to the homeless shelter or hospital for help, but his father would probably be checking places like that. His father had already tracked him down twice and both times Jared had only just managed to escape before he showed up. Jared felt sick when he thought about the things he had done to survive but it was the only way he could think of to get money. A month ago he had saved up enough to move into a room in a crappy apartment block. He had to share it with a guy named Rick, but at least Jared had a roof over his head. It all came crashing down on him three days ago when a group of men broke into the apartment. It tuned out Rick was a drug addict who had seriously pissed off some drug dealers and they had come looking for him. Jared was the only one home and so they took their frustrations out on him. Jared had curled into a ball, his arms wrapped around his middle to protect his unborn child as much as he could. It worked and most of the hits and kicks landed on his back, ribs and face. Afterwards the dealers had threw him out the apartment and told him that if they ever saw him around here again he was a dead man so Jared once again had been forced to run, this time without even the few belongings he had.
Finishing his shower, Jared carefully dried his bruised body and dressed in the clothes Jeff had lent him, thankfully they were big on him and hid his stomach. He still wasn’t sure just what Jeff and Jensen’s intentions were, but he couldn’t risk them finding out about the baby and trying to hurt it. There were still a lot of people who thought the same way that Jared’s family did, that male pregnancies were wrong and unnatural. Taking a deep breath and praying that his good luck would hold out just a little bit longer, Jared followed the delicious smell of food into the kitchen.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Jeff grinned brightly when Jared walked into the kitchen. The kid looked adorable dressed in his clothes. They were far too large for him, but it only added to the innocent and vulnerable look, which automatically increased Jeff’s desire to protect. “Good shower?”
Jared nodded, looking shy and awkward as he stood there holding his own clothes in his hands.
“Here, let me take those.”
Jeff reached out for Jared’s dirty clothes, but Jared pulled them to his chest and tightened the grip he had on them. They were his only set of clothes and he was reluctant to just hand them over no matter how kind Jeff had been. Jeff seemed to understand and gave him a reassuring smile.
“It’s alright. I was just gonna give them a wash. You can keep them with you if you want, or you could put them in the washing machine yourself? It’s totally your choice.”
Jared thought about for a moment before handing the clothes over to Jeff. “You’ll give them back, right?”
Jeff nodded. “I promise.”
“Okay, why don’t we leave Jeff to take care of the washing and finish up dinner while we go and take care of you? That sound okay with you, Jared?” Jensen asked.
“Kay.”
Jared was a little hesitant but he followed Jensen into the lounge and sat down on the couch when Jensen gestured for him to do so. After gathering up some supplies, Jensen sat down bedside him, and Jared tried hard to hide how anxious he felt at the other man’s close proximity. He couldn’t help but keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Jensen and Jeff to turn on him.
“You ready to start, Jared?” Jensen’s voice slipped into the calm, soothing tone he used when dealing with nervous patients at the clinic.
At Jared’s shaky nodded, Jensen began gently examining the injuries on the younger man’s face, making sure to keep his movements slow and steady so he didn’t startle Jared. “Just let me know if anything hurts.”
The cut above Jared’s left eye would need some steri-strips to help it heal, and when Jensen carefully pressed along the kid’s right cheekbone, Jared winced and tried to pull away but other than that his injuries were thankfully mostly superficial.
“Luckily there’s not too much damage,” Jensen assured. “Jeff mentioned that you looked like you were uncomfortable in the truck and I’ve noticed you seem to favouring your left side. Are you pain anywhere else? Are your ribs hurt?”
“No.” Jared denied instantly. “I’m fine.”
“Can I check? Just to be on the safe side.”
Jared shuffled away, folding his arms protectively across his stomach. “No, I don’t want to. I’m fine.”
It was obvious that Jared was lying but Jensen didn’t want to force him to do anything he wasn't comfortable with. He’d let it go for now and would try again later when he’d been able to build more trust.
Jensen held his hands up. “It’s okay. I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to. You get to call all the shots, alright?”
Jared nodded and slowly unfolded his arms. Jensen smiled then gestured back towards Jared’s face.
“You’re gonna need a few steri strips for the cut on your eye, and I’d like to get an x-ray of your cheek just to be sure nothing is broken.”
Jared immediately shook his head, his eyes going wide. “No...no hospital.”
“Hey, it’s alright.” Jensen moved his hand to give Jared’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, saddened when he felt Jared flinch at the touch.
“Please...No hospitals...please.” Jared’s breathing began to get faster and Jensen could feel the slight trembling underneath his hand.
“Shhh, calm down, buddy,” Jensen soothed, rubbing comforting circles across Jared’s shoulder. “You don’t have go anywhere you don’t want to, alright? Just take it easy.”
“I...sorry...I...”
“Relax, Jay.” The nickname slipped easily from Jensen’s lips.
Jared took a few deliberate calming breaths and Jensen smiled when he felt the shaking ease. “There you go. That’s much better.”
“Sorry,” Jared said, lowering his head, embarrassed by his little freak out.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“You called me Jay,” Jared mumbled.
“I did.”
Jared looked back up, making eye contact. “Nobody has ever called me that before.”
“I won’t do it again if you don’t want me to.”
“No, I...I kinda liked it.” Jared smiled timidly.
Jensen grinned. “Good. Okay, is alright with you if I treat your eye? Promise I’ll be gentle”
Jared nodded and keeping his touches as soft as possible, Jensen started to apply the strips. “You don’t have to answer but I’m going to ask, what happened?”
Jared just shrugged and once again lowered his eyes. “Got beat up.”
“Do you know why?”
“Some guys were pissed off, took it out on me.”
Jensen knew that there was a lot more to the story, but Jared’s body language had become extremely closed down and uncomfortable so Jensen decided it was best to just let the subject drop.
“Okay, Jay, you’re all done.” Jensen smiled as he place the last dressing on the cut.
“Looks like I’m just in time,” Jeff said, placing a tray of food down on the table in front of Jared. “Soup’s ready.”
Jared’s stomach growled loudly at the sight of the food and his cheeks blushed an embarrassing pink color. He was about the apologise when Jeff chuckled and told him to eat up before it gets cold. Having not eaten in so long, Jared started devouring the food as fast as he could. One of his arms curled protectively around his plate, subconsciously guarding his food, an action which seemed to sadden both Jeff and Jensen. Two grilled cheese sandwiches and half a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup later, he slowed considerably. His stomach began rolling unpleasantly and for a horrifying minute he thought everything he had just eaten was about to make a sudden reappearance.
“You okay, kid?” Jeff asked, not liking how pale Jared had suddenly become.
Jared slowly nodded not trusting himself to speak yet.
“Would you like to lie down and rest for a while?” Jensen’s concern was clear and he moved slightly closer to Jared in order to help him quickly to the bathroom if needed.
Jared looked unsure and Jeff knew the kid was still trying to work out if he could trust them enough to stay the night.
“I promise you’ll be safe here, kiddo,” Jeff assured. “Nothing bad is going to happen if you stay.”
Jeff was relieved when after chewing his lip anxiously for a few moments Jared gave a small nod, but the poor kid still looked terrified as Jensen showed him to the guest room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Come on, Jay, let’s get you settled.” Jensen was concerned that he was having support most of Jared’s weight as he helped the younger man to lie down on the bed.
Jared grimaced as another wave of nausea hit him. He didn’t know if the food wasn’t agreeing with him or the baby, either way he was really beginning to regret eating anything. He was also suffering from dizziness and had been forced to rely on Jensen to make it to the bed. It left him feeling extremely vulnerable and helpless. If Jensen or Jeff did decide they were done with playing nice then Jared wouldn’t be able to protect himself.
“Are you alright, Jared?”
Jensen’s forehead was wrinkled in concern and Jared couldn’t remember the last time anyone had looked at him like that.
“I’m okay.” Jared’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Think I just ate too fast.”
Jensen reached out to place a hand gently across Jared’s forehead and was pleased when he didn’t feel a fever. “Can I get you anything? Would you like some tea? It might help settle your stomach.”
Jared shook his head and resisted the urge to squirm away from Jensen’s hand. The feeling of being looked after was so unfamiliar that it was uncomfortable.
Noticing Jared’s unease, Jensen removed his hand. “Okay, try to get some rest and I’ll check on you later, alright?”
Jared nodded and Jensen gave him one last smile before leaving the room. Jared curled up underneath the warm blankets and tried to fight past the nausea, when the next wave of sickness was also accompanied by a pain shooting across his stomach he sprawled one his hands over his rounded middle. “Easy, baby,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Jensen and Jeff had checked on Jared before they went to bed and were pleased to find him sleeping peacefully, which is why Jensen was surprised when the sound of crying woke him up just a few hours later. Jeff was still next to him sleeping soundly so Jensen quietly made his way to the guest room.
“Jared?” Jensen slowly opened the door and cautiously stepped inside, unsure if his presence would be welcome. Jared might prefer to be left alone if he was crying. “You okay?”
As soon as Jensen saw Jared all thoughts about weather he should be in the room or not disappeared instantly. It wasn’t some nightmare making Jared cry, it was pain. The kid was curled up in a tight ball on the bed as he rocked back and forth, sobbing his heart out.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Jensen automatically ran his hands gently over Jared’s shivering form, trying to find the source of his pain. “What is it, buddy? What’s wrong?”
Jared didn’t answer just continued to writhe and whimper in agony. With the way he was curled protectively around his middle, Jensen assumed that the problem was probably with the kid’s injured ribs, and Jensen cursed himself for not pushing harder earlier when he was trying to convince Jared to let Jensen check him over.
“What’s hurting, Jay? Is it your ribs?” Jensen tried to gently uncurl Jared from his position but Jared keened loudly and weakly attempted to push Jensen away. “Shhh, it’s okay. I just want to help you. Please, Jay, let me help.”
“Jensen?”
Jared whimpered at the sudden sound of Jeff’s voice but Jensen felt relief flood through him and he quickly waved his boyfriend over. The concern and confusion was clear on Jeff’s face as he rushed towards them. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I found him like this.” Jensen swallowed hard, pushing down the panic that was trying to creep up at seeing Jared so distressed. “I think it’s his ribs. I need you to help me get him to relax so I can check him out.”
Jeff moved so he was sitting on the bed and carefully pulled the distraught kid’s head on to his lap. “Hey kiddo.” Jeff brushed back the bangs that were stuck to Jared’s forehead. The poor kid was covered in sweat and shaking badly. Jeff felt his concern grow when he felt the heat radiating off Jared’s skin, but he gave Jared what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Can you try and uncurl a little for us, sweetheart? Let Jensen have a look at you.”
Jared frantically shook his head, trying to make the ball he was in even smaller. He groaned in misery as his body protested the movement. “N...no...pl...please...”
“Shhh,” Jensen soothed and he placed one of his hands over Jared’s, rubbing the skin in comforting circles. “You don’t have to be scared, I’m not gonna hurt you, buddy, I promise.”
“Come on, baby.” Jeff ran one of his hands softly through Jared’s hair and used the other to gently push on Jared’s shoulder so he could roll the younger man onto his back. “That’s it, just relax, everything’s going to be okay.”
Jared struggled weakly for a few more moments before finally giving in and letting his arms fall limply to his sides. He knew it would be all over once they saw. The kindness, the gentleness, it would all stop when they knew, but Jared just didn’t have the strength left to fight anymore.
“You’re doing great, Jared,” Jensen encouraged as he took hold of Jared’s baggy T-Shirt and began to lift. “I’m just gonna take a quick look and see what’s...”
Jeff frowned when his boyfriend’s voice suddenly trailed off and he saw Jensen’s mouth frozen in shocked ‘O’ shape. Following Jensen’s gaze down to Jared’s stomach, Jeff’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit!”
Jensen and Jeff had expected to find the various cuts and bruises that littered Jared’s torso, what they hadn’t been expecting was the sight of Jared’s swollen stomach. The bump was small and had easily been hidden underneath Jared’s clothes, but there was no mistaking what the rounded shape was. Jared was pregnant. At the sound of Jeff’s curse, Jared made a frightened keening noise and tried to turn back onto his side while his arms curled back around his middle.
“Shhh, it’s alright,” Jensen assured, trying to keep his voice steady and calm as he prevented Jared from curling back into his protective ball. “Jeff, go get my med bag.”
Jeff’s face had gone as white as a sheet but he nodded and carefully so as not to jostle Jared too much he got off the bed and left to grab what Jensen needed.
“Pl..please don’t hurt it,” Jared begged, his hands sprawled across his small bump.
Jensen felt his heart break at Jared’s desperate plea. “Jared, just relax. It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.”
Jared continued to panic, tears falling faster as he began to pant and gasp for breath. “M’sorry...I know...know I’m an fr...freak and deserve everything but please, please don’t hurt my baby...please...”
“Jay...”
“Please...I’ll do anything you want...I’ll be good just please don’t hurt the baby....”
“Jay, shhh, look at me, Jay.” Jensen gently framed Jared’s face in his hands, his thumbs softly caressing the skin just underneath the kid’s eyes encouraging him to make eye contact. “Listen to me, alright? I swear to you that no one is going to hurt you or your baby. You’re safe here, I promise. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help both you and the baby but in order to do that I need you to be really brave and try to calm down for me, okay? Do you think you can that for me, buddy?”
Jared choked out another round of sobs but Jensen saw him deliberately trying to taking a few deep breaths.
“That’s it. Deep breaths. In and out, in and out.” After coaching Jared’s breathing to a less frantic and erratic pattern, Jensen helped him to lie back down just as Jeff came hurrying back into the room with Jensen's med bag clutched tightly in his hands.
“Thanks.” Jensen quickly grabbed a few items from the bag before pulling on a pair of medical gloves. Giving Jared a reassuring smile, he once more lifted up Jared’s T-shirt and tried to hide his grimace at just how bad the younger man’s chest looked. There were bruises and lacerations of all different shapes and sizes and more worryingly in different colors and stages of healing, there were also numerous older scars, which meant that whatever abuse Jared had suffered it wasn’t just a one time thing, it had been inflicted over a long period of time. “Okay, Jay, can you tell if it’s just your ribs and chest that hurts or is your stomach hurting too?”
“Think... just my ribs,” Jared answered, his voice sounding small and lost. “Stomach feels a little tight.”
Jensen nodded. “Alright. I’m gonna start by checking your ribs. I’ll be as gentle as I can but this might hurt, just let me know when you feel any pain.”
“Here, kiddo.” Jeff took a hold of one of Jared’s hands. “Squeeze my hand as hard as you need to.”
Jensen carefully examined the cuts and marks across Jared’s chest, pleased that despite how horrific looking, they were mostly superficial. They would be extremely painful but should heal without any long term damage. There was however a particularly nasty burn just above Jared’s right nipple that would need to be cleaned and kept an eye on to ensure it didn’t become infected. Jared hissed and winced a few times when Jensen pressed along his ribs but it wasn’t until Jensen pushed down on the last two ribs on his left side that Jared cried out and tried to escape from the touch.
“Sorry, shhh, shhh, I’m sorry,” Jensen soothed as Jeff stroked the hand that wasn’t being held in a vice grip by Jared through the kid’s hair to calm him. “You definitely have a few broken ribs and more than your fair share of bumps and bruises. Is it okay if I check your stomach now?”
Jared couldn’t help but start to tremble again at the thought and he instinctively tried to pull away but Jensen quickly hushed him. “You’re safe, remember? I’m not going to hurt either of you. I just want check everything with the baby is okay.”
“You can trust us, sweetheart,” Jeff added, giving Jared’s hand a comforting squeeze. “We’re not going let anything bad happen to you.”
Jared finally gave a shaky nod and Jensen with extreme care began palpating his stomach, keeping a close eye on Jared’s expression for any signs of pain or distress. “Do you know how far along you are, Jared?”
“Almost seven months.”
Jensen and Jeff frowned. From the size of Jared’s bump, Jensen would have put the pregnancy at around four months, five at the most.
“Have you been able seen a doctor at all since you found out you were pregnant?”
Jared shook his head, looking like he was going to panic again. “Is...Is something wrong?”
“I’m sure everything is fine. Baby just seems a little on the small side that’s all.” Jensen did his best to hide his growing concern and finished feeling Jared’s stomach. “Okay Jared, I’d like to just do a quick check that there’s no bleeding or anything. Is it okay if I remove your sweatpants to have a look?”
Jared blushed and looked away but nodded his consent.
Jensen pulled down the sweats not missing the slight flinch Jared gave at the action. Jensen gave his hip a reassuring stroke before continuing. Jensen felt his stomach drop when he saw the blood around Jared’s birth opening. It wasn’t a massive amount but it was enough to give cause for serious concern. Jensen shared a worried look with Jeff before turning his attention back to Jared.
“Alright Jared, I need you to listen to me very carefully and try to keep calm, okay?” Jensen made sure to keep his voice gentle but firm. He knew his next words were going to freak Jared out. “You’re bleeding a little and we need to find out why. We need to take you to a hospital and...”
Jared immediately began struggling to get up when he heard the word hospital. There was no way he could go to hospital. His family might be able to trace him there and if they found him...No! Jared couldn’t let that happen. He had to protect his baby!
“Hey, hey, hey,” Jeff held onto to Jared’s shoulder to stop him from moving around too much. “Shhh, kiddo, calm down. It’s...”
“No!” Jared cried, pushing against Jeff’s hold. “Let me go! I can’t go to a hospital...I can’t!”
“Jay, please, you need to keep as still as possible right now,” Jensen said. “I know you’re scared but your baby needs a hospital. Jeff and I will be there the entire time, you don’t have to be afraid.”
Jared frantically shook his head, his breathing hitching as his breaths became shorter and faster. “Please don’t....They’ll find me...They’ll find me...Please...”
“Jared, breathe,” Jeff instructed, turning Jared’s face towards him so he could meet the kid’s panic filled gaze. “You have to breathe.” Jeff began taking slow calculated breaths in the hope that Jared would follow. “That’s it, sweetheart. Keep breathing like that. Good. Now listen to me. Whoever you are running from? They are not going to find you. We won’t let them. We promised we wouldn’t let anything hurt you and we meant it, okay?”
“Jeff’s right,” Jensen added, taking one of Jared’s hands and running his thumb soothingly back and forth across the pulse point and not liking the racing pulse he found there. “I’m going to take you to the hospital I work at. It’s just a small clinic, it won’t even be open at this time of night but it will have the equipment I need to look after you and the baby.”
“Will...Will it just be you and Jeff there?”
Jensen shook his head, and fear and panic flooded back through Jared. “Shhh, there’s no need to worry. I’m going to need a few other people to help but they are very good friends of mine, you can trust them.”
“Who are they?”
“Misha is a nurse who works at the clinic with me and Chris is a doctor friend of mine who specialises in male pregnancies. They will take excellent care of you and no one will force you to answer any questions you don’t want to or tell anyone why you’re there.”
Jared bit down on the corner of his lip. “Promise?”
“Promise.” Jensen smiled.
Jared nodded.
“Thank you.” Jensen patted the back of Jared’s hand reassuringly before standing. “I just need to speak to Jeff for a minute then we’ll get going. I want you to keep as still as possible for the time being, alright?”
Jared nodded again and Jeff gave him a smile before following Jensen just outside of the bedroom door.
“I need to call Misha and Chris and get them to prepare a room for us, will you be okay to carry Jared down to the car?”
“No problem.” Jeff lowered his voice to make sure Jared didn’t overhear. “Jensen, how bad is he?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Jensen sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “The bleeding at this stage could mean a number of things but I’m concerned about the lack of pre-natal care and the fact he’s obviously been beaten and abused whilst pregnant.”
“Do you think he’ll lose the baby?”
Jensen reached up and cupped Jeff’s cheek. He knew this must be bringing up all kinds of painful memories for his boyfriend. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Jeff placed his hand over Jensen and smiled sadly. “I know you will.”
“Go get Jared to the car but move him as carefully and gently as possible. The less he’s moved right now the better.”
Jeff nodded and made his way back to where Jared was lying looking scared and so young. “Okay, sweetheart, let’s go get you sorted, huh?” With the utmost care Jeff swept the vulnerable kid up into his arms. Jeff prayed that with all the other terrible things that had obviously happened to Jared that he wouldn’t have to add the awful trauma of losing a baby to the list. “Everything is gonna be just fine, Jay.” Jeff placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “We’ll look after you now.”
Chapter 2
Thanks for reading.
Summary: Jeff and Jensen take in a injured runaway with a secret.
Warnings: Mpreg, mentions abuse and rape.
Pairings: Jensen/Jeff/Jared. Jared/Jensen. Jensen/Jeff.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N :- This is a AU fic and a WIP. Hope you enjoy reading. :)
Finding Hope.
Chapter One
Jeff was driving home from his architect conference in LA when he spotted the kid at the side of the road. He was holding his thumb out and clearly looking to hitchhike but with the way he was hunched over, staring down at the road he didn’t look like he was thrilled with the idea. Even at a distance Jeff could see how dirty and dishevelled he looked, and young too, maybe sixteen or seventeen. Jeff’s not normally one for picking up hitchhiking teenagers but something about the kid had him pulling his truck over.
“Hey there,” Jeff said, rolling down the window. “You need a ride?”
The kid looked up and oh crap! His face was absolute mess of bruises and scrapes. A particularly nasty looking bump above his left eye was still bleeding sluggishly, and his right eye was pretty much swollen shut.
“Where you headed?” Jeff asked, making sure to keep his horrified reaction to the kid’s face hidden.
“Anywhere that isn’t here.” The kid’s voice was quiet and kinda scratchy, like he might have been crying at some point not too long ago.
“Well, I’m heading on home to Whitefall River.” Jeff pushed opened the passenger side door. “You're welcome to join me or I can drop you off at some point along the way.”
The kid nodded and looking apprehensive he climbed into the truck. Jeff noticed that his movements were slow and cautious, kind of like how you would move if you were in pain, and Jeff wondered what injuries might be hiding underneath the younger man’s shabby clothes. Trying not to appear too nosey, Jeff turned his attention back to road and once the kid had pulled the passenger door closed he drove off.
“So, you from around here?”
The kid looked kind of disappointed at the question and from the way he had huddled himself as close to the car door and as far away from Jeff as possible, he assumed that his hitchhiker had been hoping that Jeff was just going to ignore him for the journey.
The kid answered with a shake of his head and a mumbled, “Been on the road for a while.”
From the state of his clothing, Jeff had no problems believing that. He did find it odd that the kid didn’t appear to have a bag or any other kind of luggage with him. Maybe he’d been robbed. It would explain why the kid’s face was so banged up. Well, whatever had happened, he clearly needed help and Jeff didn’t know why but he was determined to do just that.
Jeff reached out towards the glove compartment and was surprised when the kid flinched back violently as if expecting a hit. Pulling his arm back slowly, Jeff raised his eyebrow and held his hand up in a placating gesture.
“Relax kid, I aint gonna hurt ya.” Jeff gestured to compartment. “There are some chips and drink in there, thought you might be hungry.”
The kid looked at Jeff in suspicion.
“What? You look like you could use a good meal,” Jeff stated simply. “Unfortunately chips are all I’ve got to offer right now but you’re welcome to them.”
Jeff watched the young man out of the corner of his eye. The kid hesitated a few times before reaching across and grabbing the bag of chips. Jeff smiled happily and left him to munch away for a few minutes before breaking the silence.
“How old are you, buddy?”
The kid froze mid chew before quickly answering, “Twenty one.”
Jeff sighed. “Look, I’m not a cop, I’m not gonna turn you over. I won’t even ask what it is you’re clearly running from or why your face is bruised to hell if you don’t won’t me to. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t lie to me.”
“Seventeen,” came the quiet reply.
Jeff nodded. “Thank you.”
Jeff let the kid to go back to devouring his chips and turned on some music to fill the silence. He couldn’t help but notice how often the younger man would shift around in his seat obviously uncomfortable, and Jeff’s mind was drawn back to thinking about what injuries were being hidden.
“I know it’s none of my business, but you look like you’re in pain and it’s pretty obvious your face is hurting. My partner is a doctor, he could take a look at you if you want.”
“You’re gay?” the kid spluttered in surprise.
Jeff raised a eyebrow and nodded. “That gonna be a problem?”
His passenger shook his head then no louder than a whisper added, “Would be kinda hypocritical of me if it was."
“Is that why you're running?” Jeff asked, careful to keep his tone neutral and casual. “Your family find out and not take it well or something?”
“Or something,” the kid mumbled before turning to stare out of window, effectively ending that line of questioning.
Jeff knew when not to push and immediately backed off. “Anyway, like I said, Jensen’s a doctor. He could take a look at you and you could stay, have a hot meal, a shower, maybe even stay the night if you like.”
The younger man looked nervously down at his lap.“ What would you want in exchange?” he asked timidly.
Jeff frowned. “I can promise you nothing like what you’re thinking.”
The kid looked over at him in disbelief and Jeff became concerned when he noticed that he had started trembling.
“Relax, sweetheart,” Jeff assured. “I aint gonna force you. I can drop you off at a shelter if you’d rather but the offer is there. No strings just somewhere warm and safe for the night.”
“Why would you do that?”
Jeff shrugged. “You seem like a good kid, and I know what it’s like to be down on your luck. So what do you say? Sound good?”
It took a few moments but the younger man finally gave a cautious nod in agreement and a sincere sounding, “Thank you.”
Jeff smiled.“ So, you got a name?”
“Jared.”
Knowing that Jared deliberately hadn’t given a last name, Jeff didn’t ask for one. “Well hi Jared. I’m Jeff.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey, kid, wake up.”
At the feel of someone shaking his shoulder, Jared blinked his eyes sleepily open. He looked up at the man in front of him in confusion for a few seconds before he realised where he was, then he quickly startled awake, shrugging Jeff’s hand off him in the process.
“Whoa easy there, Jared.” Jeff held his hands up in a calming gesture.
Jared rubbed his eyes, trying to force himself back to full alertness. He can’t believe he let himself fall asleep in some strange guy’s truck. Normally he’d never have left himself vulnerable like that, but after the incident at the last place he was staying he’d pretty much been running non-stop for days and that coupled with his current medical condition had left him exhausted. Also, this Jeff guy didn’t give off the same creepy vibe that the men who had picked Jared up when he’d hitchhiked in the past did. He repressed a shudder at the memories of his previous hitchhiking experiences and focused on his current surroundings.
“Wow,” Jared exclaimed as he stared at the huge, beautifully designed home that Jeff had parked in front of. “You live here?”
Jeff nodded, opening the passenger side door for Jared to climb out. “Yep, this is home.”
“It’s amazing.” Jared couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live somewhere this nice. Even when he'd had a home with his parents, it was no where near anything like this.
“Why thank you.” Jeff smiled. “It was a total bitch to build but well worth it the end.”
“You..you built this?”
“Designed and built.” Jeff said, proudly. “I’m an architect. I figured it wouldn’t look good to any potential clients if I lived in just your standard run of the mill house.”
Jared admired the house in front of him and couldn’t help but wonder why the hell someone like Jeff would even be considering inviting someone like Jared into his seemingly perfect home and life. People only ever seemed to want Jared for one reason and Jeff hadn’t shown any interest in him like that, although that didn’t mean that that couldn’t change at any moment. He just hoped that he would at least be able to get a shower and maybe something to eat before everything turned ugly. At the thought of food his stomach grumbled, reminding him that the chips he had in the truck were the only thing he had eaten in days.
Jeff frowned at the sound of Jared’s stomach and gestured towards the house, “Let’s get you inside, huh? I called ahead while you were sleeping so Jensen’s expecting us.”
As Jared followed Jeff inside he automatically hunched in on himself, trying to make himself appear as small and as non threatening as possible just in case this Jensen person was nowhere near as nice as Jeff appeared to be.
~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Jeff’s call, Jensen was expecting their new house guest but he was still surprised at how bad Jared looked when he shuffled in behind Jeff, shoulders slumped and refusing to make eye contact. The kid looked like he had been dragged here by Jeff’s truck not rode in it. Jeff had warned him that he suspected Jared had been beaten up and seeing Jared’s face, Jensen would have to agree with him.
“Hi, baby,” Jeff kissed Jensen’s affectionately on the forehead. “Miss me?”
Jensen returned the kiss with a smile. “Always.”
Jeff motioned for Jared to come a few more steps forward from where he was standing awkwardly just inside the doorway, “Baby, this is Jared. Jared this is my partner Jensen.”
“Hello, Jared. It’s nice to meet you.” Jensen extended his hand out towards Jared in greeting but quickly drew it back when Jared flinched and stumbled back a step.
“He’s a little skittish,” Jeff said as he once more beckoned Jared closer.
“Sorry,” Jared mumbled and Jensen saw his cheeks blush pink.
“It’s fine,” Jensen assured. “Why don’t you go make yourself comfortable on the couch and I’ll take a look at those injuries for you.”
“If you...um...if nobody minds would it be okay if I could take a shower first?”
The fear and uncertainty in Jared’s voice when he asked was easy to hear, and Jensen could tell from Jared’s body language that the younger man was ready bolt if Jeff or Jensen reacted badly to his question. Jensen swallowed down the sudden sadness he felt when he thought about what must have happened to Jared to make him so scared to ask a simple question.
“Of course.” Jensen smiled, hoping to put Jared more at ease. “Jeff, why don’t you show Jared where everything is and I’ll go make us all something to eat.”
Jeff nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Come on, kiddo.”
While Jeff sorted out their new guest, Jensen made a start on rustling something up for dinner, deciding on soup and some grilled cheese sandwiches. Jared probably wasn’t used to eating a lot and Jensen thought it was best to start out with something simple and easy to digest.
Jensen had been shocked when Jeff had phoned to tell him he was bringing home a hitchhiker, but after meeting Jared, Jensen could see why Jeff had wanted to help. There was definitely something special about the kid. Jensen could tell that underneath the dirt and bruises Jared was an extremely attractive young man, but there was certainly more to him than just his looks. Innocence and sweetness seemed to come off him in waves and it made Jensen angry to think about the people that had obviously taken advantage of that. The thought about what must have happened to Jared to leave him stood all alone at the side of the road hurt, hungry and with nothing but the clothes on his back made Jensen shudder.
“Smells good.”
Jeff’s voice broke Jensen out this thoughts and he smiled up at his boyfriend. “Thanks. How’s Jared doing?”
“In the shower. I lent him some clean sweatpants and a T-shirt to wear since he doesn’t have any other clothes.”
“Did he say anything about why that is?”
Jeff shook his head. “He was really skittish when I was talking to him in the truck. I didn’t want to freak him out by pushing too much with the questions. I think he might have been mugged. Poor kid. He hinted at his family having a problem with him being gay, I’m guessing that’s why he ran away.”
“Do you know how long he’s been on the streets?”
“He just said that’s he’s been on the road a while. I don’t know what happened to his face but I’m fairly sure that it’s not the only the place he’s hurting. He kept shifting around uncomfortably in the truck and saw him wincing a few times.”
Jensen sighed sadly. “I’ll make sure to check him over as soon as he’s done showering.”
“He also asked me what I wanted in exchange for him staying here. You should have seen his face when he asked. He looked so afraid but resigned to his fate.” Jeff grimaced in disgust, not at Jared but at whoever had taken advantage of the kid to make him think like that.
“We’ll do whatever we can to help him.” Jensen promised.
Jeff smiled, wrapped his arms around his lover. “You’re amazing you know that.”
“I know.” Jensen grinned and Jeff laughed, hitting him playfully on the arm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jared could have spent the rest of his life in the shower. The hot water on his skin felt amazing after so long of going without. The water stung when it hit the still healing cuts and bruises littered across his body but it was a small price to pay. There was only one part of his body that was mark free and that was his stomach. Jared sprawled his hands across the rounded shape of his belly. He was relieved that neither Jeff nor Jensen had noticed the small bump hidden underneath his baggy clothes and Jared hoped it would stay that way. Although male pregnancies could happen they were still quite rare and Jared couldn’t help but feel like a freak. His family had always treated him like piece of crap, he was hit, screamed at, forced to do all the chores and abused on a daily basis. When his mother and older brother had found out about the baby, they loved to torment him about not only being a faggot but a biological freak too. His father had been furious and told Jared that he refused to have such an abomination for a son. He had Jared beat up in the hopes he’d miscarry and when that didn’t work he arranged for some doctor friend to take care of problem, so Jared had packed up his few belongings and ran. He knew it was risky and that his father would be searching for him but he just couldn’t stay there any longer.
As Jared tried to survive life alone on the streets and keep himself under his father’s radar, he ignored the pregnancy as much as possible. The baby hadn’t been planned and Jared was scared to death about what was going to happen so he just tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, but all that changed when he felt it kick for the first time. It was just after he had taken a particularly nasty beating from some guy who decided that he didn’t actually want to pay Jared for the blow job he’d just received. Jared had been ready to end it all, was just seconds away from swallowing the pills he’d found when he felt it. It was such a small movement but it had saved Jared’s life, and from that moment on he had done everything he could to protect the little life growing inside him, making sure that he always covered up his stomach when getting beaten. It meant he took a lot of hits to his face and head but if it kept his baby safe then it was worth it.
Jared had been on the streets for almost 5 months and it had been a living hell. He thought about going to the homeless shelter or hospital for help, but his father would probably be checking places like that. His father had already tracked him down twice and both times Jared had only just managed to escape before he showed up. Jared felt sick when he thought about the things he had done to survive but it was the only way he could think of to get money. A month ago he had saved up enough to move into a room in a crappy apartment block. He had to share it with a guy named Rick, but at least Jared had a roof over his head. It all came crashing down on him three days ago when a group of men broke into the apartment. It tuned out Rick was a drug addict who had seriously pissed off some drug dealers and they had come looking for him. Jared was the only one home and so they took their frustrations out on him. Jared had curled into a ball, his arms wrapped around his middle to protect his unborn child as much as he could. It worked and most of the hits and kicks landed on his back, ribs and face. Afterwards the dealers had threw him out the apartment and told him that if they ever saw him around here again he was a dead man so Jared once again had been forced to run, this time without even the few belongings he had.
Finishing his shower, Jared carefully dried his bruised body and dressed in the clothes Jeff had lent him, thankfully they were big on him and hid his stomach. He still wasn’t sure just what Jeff and Jensen’s intentions were, but he couldn’t risk them finding out about the baby and trying to hurt it. There were still a lot of people who thought the same way that Jared’s family did, that male pregnancies were wrong and unnatural. Taking a deep breath and praying that his good luck would hold out just a little bit longer, Jared followed the delicious smell of food into the kitchen.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Jeff grinned brightly when Jared walked into the kitchen. The kid looked adorable dressed in his clothes. They were far too large for him, but it only added to the innocent and vulnerable look, which automatically increased Jeff’s desire to protect. “Good shower?”
Jared nodded, looking shy and awkward as he stood there holding his own clothes in his hands.
“Here, let me take those.”
Jeff reached out for Jared’s dirty clothes, but Jared pulled them to his chest and tightened the grip he had on them. They were his only set of clothes and he was reluctant to just hand them over no matter how kind Jeff had been. Jeff seemed to understand and gave him a reassuring smile.
“It’s alright. I was just gonna give them a wash. You can keep them with you if you want, or you could put them in the washing machine yourself? It’s totally your choice.”
Jared thought about for a moment before handing the clothes over to Jeff. “You’ll give them back, right?”
Jeff nodded. “I promise.”
“Okay, why don’t we leave Jeff to take care of the washing and finish up dinner while we go and take care of you? That sound okay with you, Jared?” Jensen asked.
“Kay.”
Jared was a little hesitant but he followed Jensen into the lounge and sat down on the couch when Jensen gestured for him to do so. After gathering up some supplies, Jensen sat down bedside him, and Jared tried hard to hide how anxious he felt at the other man’s close proximity. He couldn’t help but keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Jensen and Jeff to turn on him.
“You ready to start, Jared?” Jensen’s voice slipped into the calm, soothing tone he used when dealing with nervous patients at the clinic.
At Jared’s shaky nodded, Jensen began gently examining the injuries on the younger man’s face, making sure to keep his movements slow and steady so he didn’t startle Jared. “Just let me know if anything hurts.”
The cut above Jared’s left eye would need some steri-strips to help it heal, and when Jensen carefully pressed along the kid’s right cheekbone, Jared winced and tried to pull away but other than that his injuries were thankfully mostly superficial.
“Luckily there’s not too much damage,” Jensen assured. “Jeff mentioned that you looked like you were uncomfortable in the truck and I’ve noticed you seem to favouring your left side. Are you pain anywhere else? Are your ribs hurt?”
“No.” Jared denied instantly. “I’m fine.”
“Can I check? Just to be on the safe side.”
Jared shuffled away, folding his arms protectively across his stomach. “No, I don’t want to. I’m fine.”
It was obvious that Jared was lying but Jensen didn’t want to force him to do anything he wasn't comfortable with. He’d let it go for now and would try again later when he’d been able to build more trust.
Jensen held his hands up. “It’s okay. I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to. You get to call all the shots, alright?”
Jared nodded and slowly unfolded his arms. Jensen smiled then gestured back towards Jared’s face.
“You’re gonna need a few steri strips for the cut on your eye, and I’d like to get an x-ray of your cheek just to be sure nothing is broken.”
Jared immediately shook his head, his eyes going wide. “No...no hospital.”
“Hey, it’s alright.” Jensen moved his hand to give Jared’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, saddened when he felt Jared flinch at the touch.
“Please...No hospitals...please.” Jared’s breathing began to get faster and Jensen could feel the slight trembling underneath his hand.
“Shhh, calm down, buddy,” Jensen soothed, rubbing comforting circles across Jared’s shoulder. “You don’t have go anywhere you don’t want to, alright? Just take it easy.”
“I...sorry...I...”
“Relax, Jay.” The nickname slipped easily from Jensen’s lips.
Jared took a few deliberate calming breaths and Jensen smiled when he felt the shaking ease. “There you go. That’s much better.”
“Sorry,” Jared said, lowering his head, embarrassed by his little freak out.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“You called me Jay,” Jared mumbled.
“I did.”
Jared looked back up, making eye contact. “Nobody has ever called me that before.”
“I won’t do it again if you don’t want me to.”
“No, I...I kinda liked it.” Jared smiled timidly.
Jensen grinned. “Good. Okay, is alright with you if I treat your eye? Promise I’ll be gentle”
Jared nodded and keeping his touches as soft as possible, Jensen started to apply the strips. “You don’t have to answer but I’m going to ask, what happened?”
Jared just shrugged and once again lowered his eyes. “Got beat up.”
“Do you know why?”
“Some guys were pissed off, took it out on me.”
Jensen knew that there was a lot more to the story, but Jared’s body language had become extremely closed down and uncomfortable so Jensen decided it was best to just let the subject drop.
“Okay, Jay, you’re all done.” Jensen smiled as he place the last dressing on the cut.
“Looks like I’m just in time,” Jeff said, placing a tray of food down on the table in front of Jared. “Soup’s ready.”
Jared’s stomach growled loudly at the sight of the food and his cheeks blushed an embarrassing pink color. He was about the apologise when Jeff chuckled and told him to eat up before it gets cold. Having not eaten in so long, Jared started devouring the food as fast as he could. One of his arms curled protectively around his plate, subconsciously guarding his food, an action which seemed to sadden both Jeff and Jensen. Two grilled cheese sandwiches and half a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup later, he slowed considerably. His stomach began rolling unpleasantly and for a horrifying minute he thought everything he had just eaten was about to make a sudden reappearance.
“You okay, kid?” Jeff asked, not liking how pale Jared had suddenly become.
Jared slowly nodded not trusting himself to speak yet.
“Would you like to lie down and rest for a while?” Jensen’s concern was clear and he moved slightly closer to Jared in order to help him quickly to the bathroom if needed.
Jared looked unsure and Jeff knew the kid was still trying to work out if he could trust them enough to stay the night.
“I promise you’ll be safe here, kiddo,” Jeff assured. “Nothing bad is going to happen if you stay.”
Jeff was relieved when after chewing his lip anxiously for a few moments Jared gave a small nod, but the poor kid still looked terrified as Jensen showed him to the guest room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Come on, Jay, let’s get you settled.” Jensen was concerned that he was having support most of Jared’s weight as he helped the younger man to lie down on the bed.
Jared grimaced as another wave of nausea hit him. He didn’t know if the food wasn’t agreeing with him or the baby, either way he was really beginning to regret eating anything. He was also suffering from dizziness and had been forced to rely on Jensen to make it to the bed. It left him feeling extremely vulnerable and helpless. If Jensen or Jeff did decide they were done with playing nice then Jared wouldn’t be able to protect himself.
“Are you alright, Jared?”
Jensen’s forehead was wrinkled in concern and Jared couldn’t remember the last time anyone had looked at him like that.
“I’m okay.” Jared’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Think I just ate too fast.”
Jensen reached out to place a hand gently across Jared’s forehead and was pleased when he didn’t feel a fever. “Can I get you anything? Would you like some tea? It might help settle your stomach.”
Jared shook his head and resisted the urge to squirm away from Jensen’s hand. The feeling of being looked after was so unfamiliar that it was uncomfortable.
Noticing Jared’s unease, Jensen removed his hand. “Okay, try to get some rest and I’ll check on you later, alright?”
Jared nodded and Jensen gave him one last smile before leaving the room. Jared curled up underneath the warm blankets and tried to fight past the nausea, when the next wave of sickness was also accompanied by a pain shooting across his stomach he sprawled one his hands over his rounded middle. “Easy, baby,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Jensen and Jeff had checked on Jared before they went to bed and were pleased to find him sleeping peacefully, which is why Jensen was surprised when the sound of crying woke him up just a few hours later. Jeff was still next to him sleeping soundly so Jensen quietly made his way to the guest room.
“Jared?” Jensen slowly opened the door and cautiously stepped inside, unsure if his presence would be welcome. Jared might prefer to be left alone if he was crying. “You okay?”
As soon as Jensen saw Jared all thoughts about weather he should be in the room or not disappeared instantly. It wasn’t some nightmare making Jared cry, it was pain. The kid was curled up in a tight ball on the bed as he rocked back and forth, sobbing his heart out.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Jensen automatically ran his hands gently over Jared’s shivering form, trying to find the source of his pain. “What is it, buddy? What’s wrong?”
Jared didn’t answer just continued to writhe and whimper in agony. With the way he was curled protectively around his middle, Jensen assumed that the problem was probably with the kid’s injured ribs, and Jensen cursed himself for not pushing harder earlier when he was trying to convince Jared to let Jensen check him over.
“What’s hurting, Jay? Is it your ribs?” Jensen tried to gently uncurl Jared from his position but Jared keened loudly and weakly attempted to push Jensen away. “Shhh, it’s okay. I just want to help you. Please, Jay, let me help.”
“Jensen?”
Jared whimpered at the sudden sound of Jeff’s voice but Jensen felt relief flood through him and he quickly waved his boyfriend over. The concern and confusion was clear on Jeff’s face as he rushed towards them. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I found him like this.” Jensen swallowed hard, pushing down the panic that was trying to creep up at seeing Jared so distressed. “I think it’s his ribs. I need you to help me get him to relax so I can check him out.”
Jeff moved so he was sitting on the bed and carefully pulled the distraught kid’s head on to his lap. “Hey kiddo.” Jeff brushed back the bangs that were stuck to Jared’s forehead. The poor kid was covered in sweat and shaking badly. Jeff felt his concern grow when he felt the heat radiating off Jared’s skin, but he gave Jared what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Can you try and uncurl a little for us, sweetheart? Let Jensen have a look at you.”
Jared frantically shook his head, trying to make the ball he was in even smaller. He groaned in misery as his body protested the movement. “N...no...pl...please...”
“Shhh,” Jensen soothed and he placed one of his hands over Jared’s, rubbing the skin in comforting circles. “You don’t have to be scared, I’m not gonna hurt you, buddy, I promise.”
“Come on, baby.” Jeff ran one of his hands softly through Jared’s hair and used the other to gently push on Jared’s shoulder so he could roll the younger man onto his back. “That’s it, just relax, everything’s going to be okay.”
Jared struggled weakly for a few more moments before finally giving in and letting his arms fall limply to his sides. He knew it would be all over once they saw. The kindness, the gentleness, it would all stop when they knew, but Jared just didn’t have the strength left to fight anymore.
“You’re doing great, Jared,” Jensen encouraged as he took hold of Jared’s baggy T-Shirt and began to lift. “I’m just gonna take a quick look and see what’s...”
Jeff frowned when his boyfriend’s voice suddenly trailed off and he saw Jensen’s mouth frozen in shocked ‘O’ shape. Following Jensen’s gaze down to Jared’s stomach, Jeff’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit!”
Jensen and Jeff had expected to find the various cuts and bruises that littered Jared’s torso, what they hadn’t been expecting was the sight of Jared’s swollen stomach. The bump was small and had easily been hidden underneath Jared’s clothes, but there was no mistaking what the rounded shape was. Jared was pregnant. At the sound of Jeff’s curse, Jared made a frightened keening noise and tried to turn back onto his side while his arms curled back around his middle.
“Shhh, it’s alright,” Jensen assured, trying to keep his voice steady and calm as he prevented Jared from curling back into his protective ball. “Jeff, go get my med bag.”
Jeff’s face had gone as white as a sheet but he nodded and carefully so as not to jostle Jared too much he got off the bed and left to grab what Jensen needed.
“Pl..please don’t hurt it,” Jared begged, his hands sprawled across his small bump.
Jensen felt his heart break at Jared’s desperate plea. “Jared, just relax. It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.”
Jared continued to panic, tears falling faster as he began to pant and gasp for breath. “M’sorry...I know...know I’m an fr...freak and deserve everything but please, please don’t hurt my baby...please...”
“Jay...”
“Please...I’ll do anything you want...I’ll be good just please don’t hurt the baby....”
“Jay, shhh, look at me, Jay.” Jensen gently framed Jared’s face in his hands, his thumbs softly caressing the skin just underneath the kid’s eyes encouraging him to make eye contact. “Listen to me, alright? I swear to you that no one is going to hurt you or your baby. You’re safe here, I promise. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help both you and the baby but in order to do that I need you to be really brave and try to calm down for me, okay? Do you think you can that for me, buddy?”
Jared choked out another round of sobs but Jensen saw him deliberately trying to taking a few deep breaths.
“That’s it. Deep breaths. In and out, in and out.” After coaching Jared’s breathing to a less frantic and erratic pattern, Jensen helped him to lie back down just as Jeff came hurrying back into the room with Jensen's med bag clutched tightly in his hands.
“Thanks.” Jensen quickly grabbed a few items from the bag before pulling on a pair of medical gloves. Giving Jared a reassuring smile, he once more lifted up Jared’s T-shirt and tried to hide his grimace at just how bad the younger man’s chest looked. There were bruises and lacerations of all different shapes and sizes and more worryingly in different colors and stages of healing, there were also numerous older scars, which meant that whatever abuse Jared had suffered it wasn’t just a one time thing, it had been inflicted over a long period of time. “Okay, Jay, can you tell if it’s just your ribs and chest that hurts or is your stomach hurting too?”
“Think... just my ribs,” Jared answered, his voice sounding small and lost. “Stomach feels a little tight.”
Jensen nodded. “Alright. I’m gonna start by checking your ribs. I’ll be as gentle as I can but this might hurt, just let me know when you feel any pain.”
“Here, kiddo.” Jeff took a hold of one of Jared’s hands. “Squeeze my hand as hard as you need to.”
Jensen carefully examined the cuts and marks across Jared’s chest, pleased that despite how horrific looking, they were mostly superficial. They would be extremely painful but should heal without any long term damage. There was however a particularly nasty burn just above Jared’s right nipple that would need to be cleaned and kept an eye on to ensure it didn’t become infected. Jared hissed and winced a few times when Jensen pressed along his ribs but it wasn’t until Jensen pushed down on the last two ribs on his left side that Jared cried out and tried to escape from the touch.
“Sorry, shhh, shhh, I’m sorry,” Jensen soothed as Jeff stroked the hand that wasn’t being held in a vice grip by Jared through the kid’s hair to calm him. “You definitely have a few broken ribs and more than your fair share of bumps and bruises. Is it okay if I check your stomach now?”
Jared couldn’t help but start to tremble again at the thought and he instinctively tried to pull away but Jensen quickly hushed him. “You’re safe, remember? I’m not going to hurt either of you. I just want check everything with the baby is okay.”
“You can trust us, sweetheart,” Jeff added, giving Jared’s hand a comforting squeeze. “We’re not going let anything bad happen to you.”
Jared finally gave a shaky nod and Jensen with extreme care began palpating his stomach, keeping a close eye on Jared’s expression for any signs of pain or distress. “Do you know how far along you are, Jared?”
“Almost seven months.”
Jensen and Jeff frowned. From the size of Jared’s bump, Jensen would have put the pregnancy at around four months, five at the most.
“Have you been able seen a doctor at all since you found out you were pregnant?”
Jared shook his head, looking like he was going to panic again. “Is...Is something wrong?”
“I’m sure everything is fine. Baby just seems a little on the small side that’s all.” Jensen did his best to hide his growing concern and finished feeling Jared’s stomach. “Okay Jared, I’d like to just do a quick check that there’s no bleeding or anything. Is it okay if I remove your sweatpants to have a look?”
Jared blushed and looked away but nodded his consent.
Jensen pulled down the sweats not missing the slight flinch Jared gave at the action. Jensen gave his hip a reassuring stroke before continuing. Jensen felt his stomach drop when he saw the blood around Jared’s birth opening. It wasn’t a massive amount but it was enough to give cause for serious concern. Jensen shared a worried look with Jeff before turning his attention back to Jared.
“Alright Jared, I need you to listen to me very carefully and try to keep calm, okay?” Jensen made sure to keep his voice gentle but firm. He knew his next words were going to freak Jared out. “You’re bleeding a little and we need to find out why. We need to take you to a hospital and...”
Jared immediately began struggling to get up when he heard the word hospital. There was no way he could go to hospital. His family might be able to trace him there and if they found him...No! Jared couldn’t let that happen. He had to protect his baby!
“Hey, hey, hey,” Jeff held onto to Jared’s shoulder to stop him from moving around too much. “Shhh, kiddo, calm down. It’s...”
“No!” Jared cried, pushing against Jeff’s hold. “Let me go! I can’t go to a hospital...I can’t!”
“Jay, please, you need to keep as still as possible right now,” Jensen said. “I know you’re scared but your baby needs a hospital. Jeff and I will be there the entire time, you don’t have to be afraid.”
Jared frantically shook his head, his breathing hitching as his breaths became shorter and faster. “Please don’t....They’ll find me...They’ll find me...Please...”
“Jared, breathe,” Jeff instructed, turning Jared’s face towards him so he could meet the kid’s panic filled gaze. “You have to breathe.” Jeff began taking slow calculated breaths in the hope that Jared would follow. “That’s it, sweetheart. Keep breathing like that. Good. Now listen to me. Whoever you are running from? They are not going to find you. We won’t let them. We promised we wouldn’t let anything hurt you and we meant it, okay?”
“Jeff’s right,” Jensen added, taking one of Jared’s hands and running his thumb soothingly back and forth across the pulse point and not liking the racing pulse he found there. “I’m going to take you to the hospital I work at. It’s just a small clinic, it won’t even be open at this time of night but it will have the equipment I need to look after you and the baby.”
“Will...Will it just be you and Jeff there?”
Jensen shook his head, and fear and panic flooded back through Jared. “Shhh, there’s no need to worry. I’m going to need a few other people to help but they are very good friends of mine, you can trust them.”
“Who are they?”
“Misha is a nurse who works at the clinic with me and Chris is a doctor friend of mine who specialises in male pregnancies. They will take excellent care of you and no one will force you to answer any questions you don’t want to or tell anyone why you’re there.”
Jared bit down on the corner of his lip. “Promise?”
“Promise.” Jensen smiled.
Jared nodded.
“Thank you.” Jensen patted the back of Jared’s hand reassuringly before standing. “I just need to speak to Jeff for a minute then we’ll get going. I want you to keep as still as possible for the time being, alright?”
Jared nodded again and Jeff gave him a smile before following Jensen just outside of the bedroom door.
“I need to call Misha and Chris and get them to prepare a room for us, will you be okay to carry Jared down to the car?”
“No problem.” Jeff lowered his voice to make sure Jared didn’t overhear. “Jensen, how bad is he?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Jensen sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “The bleeding at this stage could mean a number of things but I’m concerned about the lack of pre-natal care and the fact he’s obviously been beaten and abused whilst pregnant.”
“Do you think he’ll lose the baby?”
Jensen reached up and cupped Jeff’s cheek. He knew this must be bringing up all kinds of painful memories for his boyfriend. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Jeff placed his hand over Jensen and smiled sadly. “I know you will.”
“Go get Jared to the car but move him as carefully and gently as possible. The less he’s moved right now the better.”
Jeff nodded and made his way back to where Jared was lying looking scared and so young. “Okay, sweetheart, let’s go get you sorted, huh?” With the utmost care Jeff swept the vulnerable kid up into his arms. Jeff prayed that with all the other terrible things that had obviously happened to Jared that he wouldn’t have to add the awful trauma of losing a baby to the list. “Everything is gonna be just fine, Jay.” Jeff placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “We’ll look after you now.”
Chapter 2
Thanks for reading.