Days Behind - Chapter 14
Christian pushed his way into the bar, looking around for where Jensen was sitting. He found him quickly and almost pushed other patrons out of the way to get to him. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Jensen looked up unconcerned from his drink. “Nice to see you too.”
Christian braced himself against the table and looked as menacing as he could. “I’m not playin’ with you, boy. What the hell was that stunt?”
“Chris, calm down. It wasn’t on purpose.” Jensen waved a hand to the empty chairs at the table. “Have a seat and I’ll tell you what really happened.”
“This had better be really good,” Christian warned.
Steve slugged him in the arm. “Jensen, don’t listen to this ass. Tell the story so we know what happened and then we can tell you what we found out.”
“Okay. Here’s what happened.” Jensen motioned for a round of drinks. “You know when Rob called me up to his office?”
“I knew it wasn’t for a raise,” Misha nodded, pulling out a plastic baggie. “Cookie?”
“Cookies and beer. Have you lost your mind, Collins?”
“Better than you think it is.”
“No thanks - go on, Ackles.”
“Anyway, the network got wind of my extra-curricular activities, if you know what I mean.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“That’s also why we had to work with that snot-nosed brat Brock Kelly.”
“He can’t be that bad.”
“It’s not that he’s bad - it’s that he’s not you.”
“That’s sweet.”
“Look, Ackles, I’m as glad to see you as the next person, but I will kick your ass if you start acting all girly on us. Man up.”
Jensen cleared his throat and continued. “So, anyway, that’s where I am. No notice, just a big fat ‘get the hell out.’ I was fired, guys.”
“Why didn’t you come and tell us? We would have made an appeal to the network.”
“They wouldn’t let me back into the studio proper - they ‘escorted’ me to my car. And by escort I mean all but shoved me out to it and threw me against it. It wasn’t my best day.”
“So what you’re saying is that someone reported you for being gay?”
“Pretty much.”
“Oh, let me find out who it is…”
“Christian, that’s not going to help Jensen.”
“Bullshit it won’t; I’ll get that motherfucker to take it all back and our boy here’ll get his job back. Simple as that.”
“But it’s already out there. I can’t lie if they ask me.”
“You think that there aren’t parents out there that will go to bat for you?”
“Well…”
“Shut up. This is a done deal, Ackles. I’m finding the bastard and fixin’ this. Tonight.”
“Wait! Christian!” Jensen called after him, but knew he was already as good as out the door.
Steve sighed as he threw back the beer that had just been put in front of him. “I’ll go.”
“Nah,” Jensen finished his off with a gulp. “Let’s all go - Misha?”
“Hell yes.”
Steve and Jensen shook their heads before following the path Christian had taken out of the bar, Misha in tow.
“You what?!?!” Jared yelled into the phone. “I can’t believe you!”
“Jare, man, I don’t think you know what you were getting into. I tried to warn you.”
“Chad, how can you even justify what you did?”
“J-red, chill. Jensen was no good for you or the girls. You need to just settle down with Sandy already. Girl’s got it bad for you.”
“Holy sonofa- Chad, don’t you get it? Sandy and I aren’t going to get together no matter what. I’m just not interested.”
“Why not? She’s got an amazing set of tits and-“
“Dude, what part of ‘gay’ don’t you get?”
“No, man, you aren’t gay. Gay men don’t knock up their college girlfriends and then take on daddy-duty. You’re bi at best. Ergo, you go for the snatch as well.”
“You better be glad we are on a phone, Chad, or so help me God, I would have my hands so tight around your neck…”
“Whatever, but think about it. Without Jensen in the picture, you’re free to ask someone else out - find the girls a nice mom to take care of them and teach them about all that girly shit.”
“Chad, I can’t believe I’ve never said this to you before, but you are the biggest asshole I have ever met and I don’t think I ever want to talk to you again.”
“Jare-bear! You can’t mean that.”
“I can and I honestly think I do. Until you can pull that giant head out of your ass, don’t call or come around.”
Chad laughed in that way that Jared had always described as his ‘classic douchebag Chad’ laugh, “I hear ya, I hear ya. See ya at the bar Saturday.”
Jared shook his head as he pushed the end call button. It wasn’t hard to figure out his next step, he just had to remember which number was Christian’s.
The rest of the group watched as Christian grinned and hung up his phone.
“This can’t be good,” Misha whispered.
“Oh, on the contrary, Collins, it’s fuckin’ brilliant.”
“Who was on the phone?”
“One Jared Padalecki.”
“Jared? What did he have to say?”
“Only that he found out who that asshole who got Jensen fired was.”
“Who was it?”
“The man whose address I just got and we are going to go pay a visit to.”
“Count me out, Chris. I can’t have anything to do with this or it might mean my job for good.”
“You’ve got a point.” Christian laid a hand on his shoulder. “Go hang out with Jared, he’s a nervous wreck. We’ll let you know what happens.”
“I dunno.”
Misha surprised himself by drawing himself to his full height. “Jensen, if you don’t go right now, I will move you myself.”
“Oh…oh..kay…” Jensen scooped up his keys and headed for the door, confused as to when this change had taken place.
“Good job, Collins. Hey, Ackles, thank Collins for saving your ass!”
“Thank you?”
Chad heard the knock on the door of his office and didn’t bother looking up from the computer screen. “Enter the Devil’s Lair at your own risk!”
The door almost flew off it’s hinges to reveal Christian Kane, who, if he had been animated, would have had visible smoke pouring from his ear canals. “You stupid son-of-a-bitch.” The quiet tone was in perfect contrast to the words being said. “You stupid, stupid son-of-a-bitch.”
“Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing in my office?”
Christian shrugged and looked around to the others. “I was invited.”
“By who?”
“You, dipshit. You just said it. Man, you really are as dumb as you look.”
Chad stood, trying to make himself look imposing. “Okay, here’s the thing, cowboy. You have until I count to ten to get out of my bar or I am calling the cops.”
Christian braced himself in the doorway, flanked on either side by Steve and Misha. “Well, fuckwad, how about this instead - you have until the count of five to tell me what the hell you have against my boy Jensen.”
“Oh, is that what this is about?” Chad barked out a laugh.
“Is that what---Carlson, did this asshat just say that with a serious face?”
Steve’s eyes never left that man who didn’t realize how much trouble he was in. “Yeah, Chris, I think he may have.”
“He doesn’t know me, does he?”
It was Misha’s turn to answer. “No, Christian, I don’t think he does.”
“Hey, do me a favor, would you, Collins?”
“Sure, Christian, what do you need?”
“Go and get security. Tell them this asshole has been beaten to death.”
“Now, wait a minute.” Chad seemed to realize with sudden clarity that the men before him weren’t playing around. “We can come to some kind of agreement, I am sure.”
“First, why don’t you tell us why you did it?”
Chad held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, man, I got no problem with you.”
“No? Well, the way I see it, you mess with Jensen, you mess with me.”
“Huh?” Chad frowned. “Oh, I get it - jealous ex-boyfriend?”
“Did he really just say that?” Christian addressed no one in particular.
“Uh…” Misha stammered.
“Did he really just say that?”
“I think he did?”
“Well, now, son, that’s just plain dumb.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I already said. You mess with Jensen, you mess with me.”
“And me.”
“And me.”
“Look, I already said I got no problems with any of you.” Chad sat on the edge of the desk casually. “I just don’t like faggots.”
“Oh, is that so?” His voice was too calm, too relaxed for a man who had just threatened to rip another man apart.
Steve and Misha were suddenly poised to grab Christian back, but that moment didn’t come. Instead, Christian turned sharp to his right and caught Steve by the back of the head and gave him the sloppiest, wettest kiss known to man. The whole incident left Steve spluttering.
“The fuck, Kane!” He wiped his hand repeatedly over his mouth. “Never do that again!”
Chad was wise to what was about to happen if he didn’t do the right thing. “Listen, I don’t want trouble.”
“You maybe shoulda thought about that fifteen miles back, Hoss.”
Steve shrank back, still wiping at his mouth and motioned for Misha to find a good place to hide away from the vengeance that was about to rain down. But that moment never came.
Chad was now in front of Christian, drawn up to full height and trying his best to look imposing and tough.
“You gonna hit me, bird boy?”
“Nope.” There was a moment of confusion as Chad raised the cylinder he held in his hand and sprayed.
“MOTHER-THAT’S FUCKING PEPPER SPRAY!” Christian clawed at his eyes for a brief moment before lunging at the blurry form that hadn’t thought to move and tackling him.
Steve was sure he heard a crack as he tried to see exactly what it was that Christian was trying to accomplish while flopping around on the floor. It was over almost as fast as it had begun.
“What. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Do?” Chad was sobbing out somewhere under the desk.
“Fucking call the station and say you made a mistake, dumbass.” Christian groped for the handset of the phone and threw it within the other man’s reach. “And you might want to change your pants - the office smells like piss. Let’s go, boys.”
Still holding a hand over his eyes, Christian passed the women gathered around to see what commotion their boss had gotten mixed up in this time and pulled out a roll of bills and tossed them in the air.
“Don’t spend it all in one place,” he called back as he opened the door and stepped outside.
Misha and Steve were afraid to talk until they were clear of the building. They wordlessly made their way to Christian’s truck before all of them all but collapsed from the down-swing of the adrenaline high they had been riding.
“Holy shit!” Steve gasped out. “You can be intense.”
“Fuck,” was the only thing that Christian could get out as he tossed the keys to Misha. “My eyes are still burning. Can you get in the glovebox, Carlson, and get the bottle of water and papertowels I keep in there?’
“He pepper-sprayed you!” Misha’s tone was a cross between thoroughly impressed and completely horrified.
“Damn right he did. And I took that shit like a champ!” Christian tilted his head back as Steve poured the water in his eyes. “If I had a nickel for every time…”
Steve shook his head when Misha opened his mouth to speak.
“You think he called?” Misha seemed to be the only one not having a problem with the world spinning
as he slid behind the wheel.
“He better have if he knows what’s good for him. Let’s get back to Jensen.”
“I don’t know what you guys did, but just a little while ago, Rob called and said there had been an error made and that my contract was still valid. Though, because of the little snafu, Chip was getting a little brother named ‘Skip’ - seems that they can’t cancel that poor bastard’s contract now.” Jensen laughed when the trio appeared back at Jared’s house with big smiles on their faces.
“We didn’t do nothin’,” Christian insisted, daring the others to say differently.
“Well, whatever nothin’ you did, thanks.”
“You’da done the same.” Christian drawled. “It’s what family does for each other. Now, you don’t worry about a thing except showing up in two days for those stupid studio promo pictures they want to take.”
“You got a deal.”
Misha started the engine and they drove off, leaving Jensen confused.
“I sure hope to hell they didn’t beat the bastard too bad,” Jared sighed.
“What bastard?”
“Chad.”
“Why would they beat Chad?”
“Because he’s the one who called the station.”
“Oh shit. You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
“Jared, I’m so sorry - I would never want to come between you and your friends-“
“Jensen, you didn’t. Chad is an idiot from the word go. He needed this. Besides, he’ll be right back here in two days apologizing and we’ll be friends again. It’s been like this ever since college. Hell, since,” Jared paused as if lost in a memory, “Louise.”
Jensen frowned. “Louise?”
“Louise is the girls’ mom.”
“Listen, Jared, you don’t have to-“
“No, you need to know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Are you sure?”
“Never been more sure. Let me just go make sure the girls are okay and then we can crack a couple of beers and talk, mkay?”
“So,” Jared sat across from where Jensen sat on the porch. Looking out at the night sky. “Let’s start from the beginning.”
“Okay.”
“Remember how I said I met the girls’ mom when she was a freshman in college and I was a junior?” Jared waited for a nod from Jensen. “Actually, she was dating Chad at the time. But that jackass has always been a jackass, and he cheated on her. One time, she’d had enough and found someone who would get her alcohol. She got all blitzed and came to find him. But I was the only one home.”
“I think I see where this is going…”
“No, it’s not like that. I didn’t mean to take advantage of her, I really didn’t. But she had whiskey left and, in my way of thinking, my drinking it was saving her from alcohol poisoning.”
“Actually, that makes perfect sense.”
“See?” Jared smiled weakly. “So I got totally hammered and she was already drunk. We woke up the next morning tangled in each other and wearing nothing but what the good Lord gifted us with at birth.”
“So that wasn’t too hard to figure out, was it?”
“Not even a little.”
“So then what? She comes to you and makes you take them?”
“Oh, no, nothing as easy as that. She actually went to DC for a while - worked as an intern there until the girls were born. I had been trying to get ahold of her for a while before she just gave in and told me where she was and kept me updated from time to time. After she had the girls, she decided she was giving them up for adoption. I begged her and begged her not to, but she said she couldn’t take care of them. So I got lawyered up and went and got my girls.”
“So you just packed a suitcase and went on vacation and brought back twins?”
“Yeah, though at the time I didn’t know there were two of them. She had originally said there was only one, so I didn’t quite pack enough. And when I got there, I was pleasantly surprised.”
“Is that why you said before that you named them in a panic?”
“Exactly! I had picked out Eleanor’s name on the way there - Eleanor Jane. I thought it was uncomplicated and simple. And that is it shortened well. So, I get there and my brain overloads and I yell ‘Addison Xanadu’ when the nurse asks me the other baby’s name.”
“Addison Xanadu? That’s what you panicked with? Remind me never to scare you. And while we’re at it, how could you give that tiny little quiet thing has such a loud name? Jared, you should be arrested for that crime.”
“I know, I know. Maybe she’ll forgive me when she’s older.”
They sat and looked out at the stars in silence before Jensen turned to Jared.
Jared nodded, barely containing his relief and excitement as he swallowed. “Uh-huh, go ahead.”
“Do you and Misses Jane and Xanadu want to accompany me to my older brother’s birthday party this weekend? It’s going to be a big family thing and I-“
“Yes!” Jared cut him off with a wide grin and a yelp. “We would love to!”
Jensen nodded. “Good. Good.”
“Yeah.”
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