Chapter Text
Jensen was miserable. He hated his life. He hated his powers. He hated everything. He wanted to die.
He missed Jared. Three months had passed since he'd left. Three months since he walked out of Jensen's life and turned his back on everything that he swore meant something to him.
Jensen hadn't left his and Jared's apartment for close to two months. He'd stopped answering his phones, one day ripping the telephone out of the wall, throwing it over the balcony and into the courtyard.
The only person he would acknowledge at his door was Tom, and that was only because Tom would knock, say it was him, come in, put down groceries and leave. He didn't try to talk to him, try to comfort him. Nothing. He left him food and occasionally took his laundry and washed it and returned it. That's it, nothing more.
Jensen wanted to run away. Leave and never look back. But he knew that they would follow him. That Christian and Steve wouldn't allow him to leave. But he had to try. Being here in their apartment, laying in a bed that they'd made love in proved to be more difficult than anything he'd ever done.
Jensen pulled a bag out of the closet, stuffed clothes in it and headed to the door. He walked down the stairs, several members of The Collective moving to the side and allowing him to pass without saying a word. Until he reached Christian.
"Jensen, what are you doing?"
Jensen raised his arms and froze the room.
"Not now," he whispered, as if Christian could hear him. He walked around the frozen man and headed to the front door.
"Where are you going?" Chad asked, stepping up toward him.
"Home. Don't follow me, don't bother me. I want nothing to do with you people anymore."
"Jensen," Chad said, reaching out and grasping his shoulder, "we're not the ones who made Jared turn."
Jensen jerked his body away from Chad. "Don't Chad. Just don't. You people came into our lives with all these promises that we would save the world, but all you managed to do is crush mine. I don't want to see any of you for as long as I live. Stay the fuck away from me, stay away from my family."
With that said, Jensen pulled the front door open and headed to the cab that he knew would be waiting for him outside.
~*~
Jensen raised his hand and knocked on the front door. He waited a few minutes and started to leave; then he heard the latch click.
"Jensen?" his father said, looking at his son as if he couldn't believe that he was actually standing before him. "Jensen?" he said again, this time with tears in his eyes.
Jensen nodded and took the one step forward into his father’s arms, and collapsed. Alan Ackles lowered his son gently to the floor, never letting go of him.
"Donna!" he shouted.
Donna came running through the house and stopped when she saw Jensen sitting on the floor, looking broken and totally alone.
“Oh God! Jensen!” she wailed running forward and getting to her knees behind her son.
“I didn’t know where else to go, but me being here could put y’all in danger. I just…”
“Shhhhh,” Donna soothed, “You’re welcome here for however long that you want to stay baby, you know that. Now lets get you up,” she said, pulling him to his feet along with Alan’s help.
“Your bedroom is nice and clean and ready for you. Why don’t you go on up, unpack and nap for a little bit? Dinner will be done in about an hour.”
“Ok Mom,” he said, wiping the tears in his eyes with the back of his hand. “Thanks.”
~*~
“What do you mean he’s gone?” Christian bellowed, his voice loud, his powers actually shaking the house. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Yeah – what, just jump on him and hold him there for eternity? Everyone was fucking frozen, Christian. What the fuck was I supposed to do?”
“Calm down,” Steve interrupted. “He’s right babe. He needs time. He’s hurting, and there isn’t anyone here who can comfort him like his family can.”
“What if Jared gets to him, convinces him to join him? Huh? What then? Jensen’s powers are growing fast. He’s learning to control his killing power, did either of you know that? It took all the convincing in the entire world to get him to use it, but just after Jared left, he killed one of the…you know what, it doesn’t matter, just remember that he can do it at will now. With the speed that Jared is gaining powers, I’ll bet you that Jensen does, too. This is the prophecy. Plain and simple.”
“I want to see the book,” Chad said. It wasn’t a question, but not really an order, either.
“No.”
To Chad’s surprise, it was Steve who said no.
“NO? Why the fuck not? I’m supposed to be the one to run things if anything happens to either or both of you, so why not? I have a right to know these things!”
Christian sighed and got up from his desk, walking to a large painting that hung on the wall. He pulled it away from the wall, and it swung open; it was on hinges. Behind it was a safe. He put in the combination and pulled the latch, revealing a large, leather-bound book. He pulled it open and handed it to Chad. “Here, it’s enlightening.”
“So, what does this say?”
“You can read…so go read. Leave. Please,” Steve said. Chad knew the look in his surrogate father's eyes; he was pissed as hell that Christian gave him the book. He tucked it under his arm and headed far away from their room. He didn’t want to be anywhere where something would possibly get tossed around and come crashing through a wall with Steve so pissed off.
~*~
Chad went back to his room and opened the old, worn book and started reading. The first entry was dated ‘summer 1344’.
Chad was surprised to find that it was Steve’s father who started the book. Startled at the amount of history found in the pages, the amount of research that Steve’s dad had done on the Berente. He scanned many of the pages trying to find the prophecy that Christian had been talking about.
He grinned when he found the first words that mentioned the chosen one who would bring peace. He read on that he would be young and exhibit many powers much quicker than any other Berente, but that there would be a time of darkness among The Collective, a time where he would leave them to follow a dark path, a time where he couldn’t control himself.
It also spoke of how this youngling could not be harmed, that he had to be saved. That the elders, mediums and his lover were the key to saving him. The book read on that there was a way to save him, and that it had to be done, because if the chosen one was allowed to follow this dark path, the world would fall into ruin.
“But how do we save him?” Chad asked himself out loud. He buried his nose back in the book and continued to read, intent on not letting Jared stay a Wraith.
~*~
Jared paced back and forth in the small office that had become his. He was pissed as hell when he’d been confronted by two Wraiths who actually attempted to question his authority. He’d killed them both with a wave of his hand, their necks snapped, bodies falling hard to the floor.
The problem started when he told the group that Jensen was off limits. Untouchable. And if anyone dared to harm him, that he’d skin him or her alive slowly. inch by inch, making them wish that they’d never been born.
After the display with the two fallen Wraiths, no one bothered to question him again.
Jared’s powers seemed to be growing every day. He’d somehow managed to take in the Wraiths powers that day at the Ranch when he’d killed them.
He had mind control, and his ability to control energy and teleport, and his ability to allow his mind to see whatever it is that he wanted to see, but now he also had the power of telekinesis, and apparently the ability to absorb one’s powers and/or life force.
He sat down in the chair and sighed. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Jensen. He frowned when he realizes that Jensen was back in Texas, at his parent’s house. Jared opened his eyes and picked up the phone, Sandy’s voice answering.
“Yes sir?”
“I’m not to be disturbed. I mean it, Sandy. No one better touch, knock or come in that door. No calls either, understand?”
“Yes. Am I to assume that I can handle any problem that arises?”
“Use whatever means you find necessary to control any problem.”
“I will,” she laughed.
Jared closed his eyes and concentrated, then disappeared, reappearing only moments later in Jensen’s bedroom.
“Go away, Jared,” Jensen said quietly, his back to his husband.
“Now, is that anyway to talk to your husband?” he asked seductively. “I mean, where is the love, honor, and obey, till death do us part, come in?”
Jensen sat up and looked at him. “That quit the moment you turned your back on us, on The Collective. The moment you walked out of my life three months ago without caring that you did it.”
“Oh Jenny, Jenny, Jenny…” Jared said in a singsong voice, “I’m here to offer you the world. Literally. Come with me. Join us and your life will be – amazing. We can run the world, Jensen. And I’ll make sure that your family is well protected.”
Jensen came up off the bed and grabbed Jared by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. “You come near my family and I’ll kill you, Jared. I love you, with all my heart, but I’ll fucking kill you.”
A wicked smile played across Jared’s face, and he brought a hand up to the side of Jensen’s. He leaned down and placed a kiss to his lips.
“Your family is safe from them. They’ve been warned not to harm you, I’ll extend that to your family as well.”
“From them? You mean from YOU. You’re the Wraiths now Jared. Get out of my sight.”
Jared grabbed Jensen and spun him around slamming him into the wall so hard that the plaster cracked behind him. Jensen cried out as pain traveled up his back and to the back of his head. Footsteps could be heard pounding up the stairs and the door started to open; Jared raised his hand and pushed it closed with his powers. “You’re mine Jensen, whether you want to believe it or not, you’re mine, and sooner or later, you’ll come to me.”
“I’ll never come to you.”
“One will die every single day until you do,” he said, cocking his head slightly. “I’d say that I’d start with Chad since I know how much you like him, but with him being a medium and all, I’ll have to wait until I can actually get my hands on him. So it’s up to you, Kouse – Christian – Steve – who shall it be?”
“Don’t hurt them Jared. They love you, you know that.”
“Then come with me.”
“No.”
Jared smiled at him again and pressed their mouths together in a hard kiss that would surly leave Jensen’s mouth bruised.
His parents were furiously pounding at the door screaming for him to let them in. Jensen bit down on Jared’s bottom lip, so hard that it brought blood. He moved away and wiped at the blood, the sticky mess covering his finger. He smirked and slid his finger along Jensen’s lips. “If you want it rough, I’d be happy to oblige…but later. I have someone to kill.”
With that said, Jared disappeared, and Jensen’s body slid down the wall and to the floor.
His parents burst through the door and saw their son lying on the floor wincing in pain. “Jensen, what happened?” Alan asked him.
“Not now Dad. Just, I just need to be alone.”
“Was that Jared’s voice that I heard sweetheart?” Donna’s voice asked sweetly. Jensen looked away. “Baby, you need to tell us what is going on.
Jensen grimaced as he got to his feet and slowly walked back to the bed. Donna left the room and returned a few minutes later with a first aid kit. “Take off your shirt baby, your back is bleeding. Jensen gasped as he pulled the garment up over his body, the stretching of his arms putting stress on his sore back.
Donna started to clean the wounds from the plaster cracking and cutting into his back, a few hisses coming from Jensen as she did so.
“Are you going to tell us what happened here?” Donna asked.
“Mom, I’m not sure that it’s safe to tell you. I mean I want to, but I also think that the less you know, the better off you’ll be.”
“Jensen, I know that I heard Jared’s voice. I see the wall he apparently threw you into, and now I’m cleaning scrapes on your back and watching huge purple bruises appear. Has…has he turned abusive?”
“Mom, stop for a minute,” he told her. “Don’t touch my back, ok?” Jensen closed his eyes and concentrated.
Donna and Alan both gasped as they watched the bruises and cuts start to disappear from his skin.
“Jensen, how on earth did you do that?”
“Can we head downstairs and get comfortable, maybe a triple shot of Johnny Walker Blue?”
Donna looked over at her husband who nodded. Donna closed the first aid kit and stood, heading to the door.
“Donna?” Alan said.
“What?”
“Bring three glasses and the whole bottle. I somehow think that we’re gonna need it.”
~
They settled down in the living room, Donna propping up pillows on the end of the sofa for Jensen to lean against even though he told her that he had healed his wounds and wasn’t sore, but he still let her fuss over him. She even went as far as to spread out a blanket across his lower half and then handed him his glass of whisky.
“You’re probably not going to believe me but…” Jensen started and he continued telling them everything that had happened in the months since his disappearance.
~*~
Chad sat staring at the book in complete and utter shock at the words flowing off of the page before his eyes. “Shit!” he exclaimed, “Holy shit!”
He’d come across words that started to explain that sometimes someone who was such young a Berente, but had the gift of draining one’s powers, could sometimes pull too many dark powers into his body. He was starting to get excited; finally he’d found something that could possibly explain Jared’s sudden departure to The Wraiths.
Chad looked to the next page…it was speaking of something completely different. There was a page missing. Someone had torn out part of the book. He took a pencil off of the desk and placed it between he pages slamming the book closed, he snatched it up and headed toward the door. It was time to have a talk with Christian and Steve.
~
Chad didn’t even knock on their door, he just barged into the room and walked up to Christian’s desk and slammed the book down. “There’s a page missing.”
“What?” Christian frowned. “No there isn’t, I keep that book locked up at all times. And I rarely let anyone read it.”
Chad opened the book and showed him where there was a page missing. Christian turned and looked at Steve. “You care to elaborate?”
“What?” Steve huffed.
“Steve, you’re the only other person who knows the combination to the safe. Why did you rip a page from the book?”
“I didn’t.”
“Who else would have?” Christian said not believing him.
Steve stood up and crossed the room. “Don’t talk to me like I’m your child, you talk to me like I’m your equal, your fucking husband.”
“I’m sorry, but Steve, I know how you are about this book. You think that the majority of the stuff in here is the wishful thinking of a man that was trying to save his son from a world of evil. Did you tear out a page from the book?”
“No. Well yes, but not to destroy it. I took it with me once when I went to see Jeff. I tried to – I tried to save him.”
“The Dark Rage,” Christian whispered. “My God, how could I have forgotten about that,” he said rubbing his forehead. “Steve, you couldn’t have ever done that, you don’t have that power.”
“No, but you do. I was going there to talk to him. He agreed for a thirty-minute truce; that there would be no one else there but the two of us. I tried to convince him to come with me to the base and let me help him, that I loved him and wanted my brother back. He pretty much laughed in my face, then I tried to hit him with a syringe full of morphine to knock his ass out and drag him back to the Ranch, but he figured out what I was doing and threw me across the room, then he was gone. The next time I saw him, he shot us both.”
“Do you think that we can convince Jensen to come back with the promise that we might be able to save Jared?” Christian asked.
“I don’t know,” Chad answered, “he was pretty adamant that he wanted nothing to do with us ever again.
~*~
“So, that’s the story. That’s where I’ve been all these months,” Jensen said, drinking back his third glass. “And now, Jared has told me that if I don’t join him, he’ll kill one person in The Collective every day until I come to him. I can’t allow that, Mom. I can’t. But I can’t go live with those murderous bastards, either. I just don’t know what to do.”
Jensen gasped loudly and dropped his glass, and it tumbled across the floor. He grasped his head and cried out in pain as a vision wracked through his head.
He saw Christian writhing in pain, grasping at his chest, unable to breathe, Steve on his knees beside him, unable to help. “Stop it,” he cried out. “Jared – stop!!!” he yelled.
“Then come with me,” a voice in the shadows of the room spoke. “I sent you a little message of what I’m going to do if you don’t. It’s your choice, Jensen. Come with me, or live with the fact that your friends will die.”
Jared walked out into the light of the room and held out his hand. Jensen got to his feet and walked over to his husband and took his hand. With one look back to his parents, he mouthed ‘forgive me’. And then he was gone.
tbc…