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phantismaFandom: RPS (Supernatural with added Buffy, Angel, SGA, STNG)
Title: In Service, Part 13 (Previous parts found: Part One Here, Part Two Here, Part Three Here, Part 4 Here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here, Part 8 here, Part 9 Here, Part 10 here, Part 11 here, Part 12 here)
Pairing/Characters: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Jeffery Dean Morgan/Jensen Ackles, Samantha Ferris, Patrick Stewart
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4425
Summary: In the wake of disaster, Jensen tries not to fall apart, but comes dangerously close, chasing off all of his closest allies, starting with Jeff. He's resigned himself to his fate...until something unexpected offers a flare of hope.
A/Ns & Warnings: Ummm...yeah totally AU. It's...crack...No, seriously...total crack. I take great liberties with the families of the celebrities I...um...use...creating siblings, erasing siblings, aging and de-aging siblings...pretty much doing anything I want. Um...and just about anyone is game. As to Warnings: This is slave fic, dubious con to some degree...This part includes brief, fairly graphic first time dubious con.
Jensen left Jared pretending to be asleep. He couldn’t be in the same room with his disappointment and confusion. God knew he didn’t want to send him away, but he couldn’t keep him, not anymore.
He wandered down by the pool and stared at the water. His life had changed a lot in a few short months. He wondered if he’d even recognize himself.
“Contemplating drowning yourself?” Jeff’s voice asked.
Jensen didn’t even look up. “Sure would uncomplicate things.”
“For you maybe.”
Jensen shook his head and sat, sticking his feet into the water. “You know, I’ve been here almost three months and I’ve never even been in the pool.”
Jeff came to sit beside him, a drink in his hand. “Hell of a day.”
Jensen nodded. “Have you heard how Sam is?”
Jeff exhaled slowly. “She’s going to pull through, but it isn’t pretty.”
“None of this is.” He stared at the water as the night breeze blew little ripples across the surface. “You…should probably get out while you can…get another job before…” He glanced at Jeff who was shaking his head. “Don’t let me drag you down too.”
“I’m not going anywhere. There will be other jobs. Right now my place is with you.”
“Jeff—“
Jeff’s big hand came down on Jensen’s knee. “They were my people too, Jensen. I hired half the people who died today.”
“I just don’t want Stewart to…” He sighed, imagining all the things Stewart was going to do to him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m sending Jared away. JP too. Chris is already gone. You should go too.”
“And what? Leave you to face Stewart alone?” Jeff asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
“I can’t protect anyone any more,” Not even himself.
“So, you’re giving up?” Jeff asked, his voice taking on a tone of anger.
Jensen blinked back tears and held up his hands. “Look around you, Jeff. He’s won. We lost six major stations. There’s no way to make up for that. Our ratings are going to crash. In six days I’ll be done. There’s no point in fighting that. I’d rather spend my time saving what I can.”
Jensen got up and headed for the house, but Jeff was right behind him. “You that eager to find out what it’s like to be in service?” He grabbed Jensen’s arm and spun him around. “I’d be happy to show you.”
“Get off me.” Jensen tried to shake free, but Jeff pushed until he was against the wall and pinned under Jeff’s bigger body.
“No. You think you’re ready for him?” Jeff leaned in and kissed him, hard, lips tight and Jensen’s head knocked against the wall. His tongue pushed at Jensen’s lips, but it wasn’t until his knee pressed against Jensen’s groin that he managed to get Jensen’s lips apart enough to slide his tongue inside. He pressed up with his knee while his tongue slid in and out of Jensen’s mouth. “You ready to be an object? A fuck toy?”
“Jeff…come on, stop.” Jensen looked up at him, but Jeff was angry, really angry. He kept Jensen pinned with one hand while his other moved to pull at the ties of his robe. Jensen bucked, but Jeff’s hand was on his cock and his voice was rough in Jensen’s ear.
“Stewart won’t let you whine and beg, you know that? He’ll gag you if you can’t keep your mouth shut. He won’t care what you want.” Jeff’s hand massaged Jensen’s cock. “He’ll put you on your knees and take what he wants from you. Are you ready for that, my Lord?”
“Jeff, please.” Jensen wasn’t sure what he was begging for anymore though. His cock was hard, his legs weak. “Jeff…” He looked up at Jeff.
He shook his head. “Fuck.” He let go and pulled away. “I—I’m sorry.”
Jensen reached for him, pulled him back, pulled his face down to his own and kissed him. His heart hammered with fear…because Jeff was right…because Jensen couldn’t begin to know what was ahead…because Jensen didn’t want to give Stewart something he could give a friend instead.
Jeff pulled back, shaking his head. “Jensen, stop. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”
“No, you’re right. I don’t…I’ve never…and I’m going to have to…” Jensen reached for him.
Jeff’s eyes closed and Jensen ran his hands over Jeff’s arms. “Please…I don’t want my first to be like that…” Jensen was barely aware of what he was saying. His body was alive and needing. The wall was warm against his back. He held Jeff’s hand and pulled it toward him, put it back on his cock. “Please.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking.” Jeff said, though he didn’t pull away.
“I want you to fuck me Jeff.” Jensen said, swallowing hard and ignoring the tears that came with the words.
Jeff shook his head. “God, Jensen. Stop…”
“Don’t tell me you don’t want to…not after last night.” Jensen pulled his robe off his shoulders and dropped it. Jeff groaned and shook his head. Jensen took it as invitation to be bolder, reaching for Jeff’s cock. It was hard under his jeans and Jeff groaned again. Jensen licked his lips. He could do this. If he couldn’t with someone he liked, how would he ever survive Stewart?
He unzipped Jeff and reached inside. “Please, Jeff.” He stroked Jeff clumsily. “May—may I…” God he couldn’t say the words. He went down on one knee. Jeff’s whole body jerked when Jensen’s tongue touched him. It was different than it had been with Jared…he was thicker, but not as long. He had a muskier smell. Jensen sucked him in. licked his way around his cock.
When Jeff moaned, Jensen looked up. He stood slowly, touching, lifting Jeff’s shirt and kissing skin. When he got to Jeff’s face, Jeff lurched forward, his mouth closing over Jensen’s, his tongue surging in to his mouth. His hands moved over Jensen’s naked skin. Jensen kissed over his jaw. “Let me…s-serve.” He whispered it and Jeff shivered, panting.
Jensen turned, brushing his naked ass over Jeff’s spit-slick cock. “Please.” He put his hands on the wall and leaned forward, tilting his hips, offering himself. Jeff kissed down his back, groaning in pleasure as his hands moved over Jensen’s stomach, down to his thighs. He rubbed over bare skin and his thumbs and lips met at the top of Jensen’s ass.
“Jen…are you…sure?”
Jensen couldn’t say it, just nodded, his head dropping forward as Jeff’s tongue swept through his crack, pressed against his hole. Jensen sucked in air, tried not to tense up. Jeff’s fingers followed passing lightly over the hole, then his tongue was back. Jensen whimpered and pulled away, but Jeff followed, one hand snaking around him to stroke Jensen’s cock.
Jeff’s finger breached his ass, but was gone and replaced with his tongue, easing the sting. He licked over and around before pushing back inside, then the finger was back, and another joined it. Jensen squeezed his eyes shut and pounded a fist against the wall. “Jeff…fuck…”
“Easy.” He pressed in deep, pushing against the little nub of nerves that Jensen assumed must be his prostate. He yelled as Jeff stroked it and his cock in tandem. Jeff’s body moved against him, over him, his mouth working back up over his spine. “It’s going to hurt…just breathe…”
His fingers slipped free, and something bigger was there, nestling into the opening. Jeff’s hands settled on Jensen’s hips, rocking Jensen back, even as he pushed forward. Jensen gasped, pulled away…but Jeff’s cock followed, invading him slowly. “Just relax.” Jeff murmured and Jensen tried, he really tried, but this wasn’t like anything he could have expected.
“Stop…just…give me…give me a second.” Jensen gasped. Jeff stopped moving, but only for a second before he adjusted his grip on Jensen’s hips and shoved himself all the way inside.
Jensen yelled, falling into the wall and trembling around the cock crammed up inside him. “Old man Stewart wouldn’t stop, Jen. He won’t give you time to adjust. He’ll drop you and fuck you and leave you bleeding on the floor.” Jeff said roughly in his ear, though he did wait until Jensen had stopped trembling to move. “He won’t care about whether or not you come.” Jeff’s hand was back on his cock, stroking down as he pulled out. “He won’t care how it hurts or burns.”
And fuck did it burn. Jensen bit his lip and pushed back, challenging Jeff to bring his worst. “Just fucking do it,” he growled.
Sweat was dripping down onto his back as Jeff did, settling into a rhythm that beat against Jensen’s prostate, tapping it until he was going to come despite the pain. Jeff beat him to the punch though, hot come flooding inside him. Jensen couldn’t control his own orgasm, painting the wall and the floor in front of him.
They panted in unison until Jeff pulled out, pulled away. Jensen leaned naked against the wall and tried to catch his breath. He was shaking as he finally turned to the sound of Jeff’s zipper. Jeff wouldn’t look at him. “I’ll be gone by morning.”
“Jeff—“ Jensen clutched his robe to him and reached for Jeff, but this time Jeff didn’t come, he kept moving away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
“Jeff, please, stop.” But Jeff was gone, up the stairs and Jensen heard the bedroom door close. “Fuck.” He wanted to follow him, to apologize, because just like everything with Jared and JP and the studio, this was his fault too. His head hurt, his ass screamed and dripped. He pulled his robe on and moved to the stairs, up them into his room.
Jared was still pretending to sleep, and Jensen moved past him, into the bathroom, into the shower, to clean up Jeff’s come from his ass…to try to reconcile what had just happened…to try to picture himself as nothing but a fuck toy.
When he was clean, and the water had run cold, Jensen wrapped back up in a clean towel and went to bed. He laid in the dark watching Jared’s back. Somewhere through the night he heard Jeff leave, but he didn’t have the strength to get up and see him off. It was better this way, he told himself. Better to push him away, better he put miles and miles between them.
“Jared, it’s time.” Jensen’s voice sounded dull, flat. He’d spent the last hour with his face buried in his pillow so Jared wouldn’t hear him cry, but Jared had heard. He’d cried too. He’d just learned how to do it quietly. He sat up dutifully and looked at Jensen. He was holding a pair of pants and a t-shirt in his hand. “I want you to wear these. They’ll be kind of high-waters on you, but Lisa can get you something new after you get going.”
Jared stared at the grey sweat pants and started to shake his head. Jensen came to kneel in front of him. “Please. If you go out there in brown Jared, you’ll be more of a target. You aren’t a Servant anymore.”
Jared felt the pain of those words in his stomach. They weren’t telling him he was free, only that he was unwanted. He took the pants and lowered his eyes. He put them on without saying anything and took the t-shirt and put it on too. Jensen got up and paced away. There was a knock on the door and JP looked in. “Car’s ready.”
“Give us a sec.” Jensen said, playing with something on the dresser before coming back and kneeling in front of Jared again. He made a funny face as he did it, something familiar. “I have something for you.” Jensen said. He pulled a book out of the bag and handed it to him.
“I can’t give you back everything they took away from you, Jared. But I wanted you to have this, for your trip…and when…when I catch up with you…you can tell me all about it.”
Jared looked at the book, blinking through tears. “James and the G-giant P-peach,” he read, running a finger over the cover.”
Jensen nodded. He handed Jared something else, a thick packet of papers. “These are for you too. They…they say that you’re free. Okay?”
Jared stared at them, but didn’t move to take them. It took him a long time to work up the courage to speak. “Why?”
Jensen sniffled and wiped his free hand over his face. “Why what?”
“If you want me to go, I’ll go…but why don’t you want me to be…yours anymore?”
Jensen made a strange, strangled sound. “God. Jared.” Jensen’s hand and the papers fell to Jared’s lap. “I’m not sure you can understand, but if I don’t do this now, you won’t be mine anymore anyway. Lord Stewart…he’s going to take back the studio…and you…it was in the contract.”
He was crying, Jared realized. He raised a hand to Jensen’s face, wiping at the tears. “I do want you, Jared. But I want you to be free and safe. I want you to have your life back.”
“What if what I want is to stay?” Jared asked and Jensen sobbed, curling forward, his head in Jared’s lap.
“Please, Jared…don’t say that. I don’t know if I can let you go if you say that. I have to you. I can’t do this if you don’t go.”
“Do what?” Jared asked, stroking over Jensen’s hair. He had the feeling Jensen was hiding something, protecting him from something. There was another knock on the door and Jensen sat up abruptly.
He wiped his face and stood, tucking the papers into the book. “Put your sandals on.” He took the book and headed for the door. Jared put his sandals on and followed him and JP down to the door and out to the car. It wasn’t even daylight yet. They were quiet as the driver took them to some house with a wrought iron fence and two SUVs in the driveway.
He recognized the woman from that night in Austin. Jensen went to talk to her. JP stood at his side. “It’s going to be okay, Jared.”
Jared watched Jensen shake the woman’s hand and turn away, wiping his face again before coming back to Jared and JP. “Okay, we’re all set.” He hugged JP and he moved away, giving Jared a moment to say goodbye. Jensen handed Jared the book with the papers tucked inside. “JP can help you if you get stuck.”
“I don’t want to go.” Jared said one more time. He didn’t expect it to change anything.
“I know.” Jensen said. “But it’s for the best. You’ll get a chance to start over. They’ll help you adjust.”
“You’re not coming, are you?” Jared said, looking down at Jensen.
Jensen shook his head tightly. “I…I can’t, Jared. I…have to deal with Stewart.”
“I want you to come with us.” Jared knew there was something he wasn’t being told. “I want you to come with us right now.” He was filled with panic, with anger. He bit his lip and tried to control it. Then he realized he didn’t have to. If he really wasn’t a Servant anymore…if he really was free. “Fuck Stewart,” he said as forcefully as he could.
Jensen looked at him sharply. “You said you love me. If you love me, don’t leave me.” Jared said more softly. He grabbed Jensen’s hands. “I don’t know who I am without you.”
Jensen’s eyes closed, tears dripping silently from them. He pulled Jared to him, held him tight, then stepped back. “You have to go.”
JP was there then, drawing Jared away, pulling him toward the vehicle. Jared watched as Jensen’s body shook. “We can’t leave him, JP.”
“We have to Jare…at least for now.”
Jared reached for the door handle, had the door open as the SUV waited for the gate to open, but JP’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him back in the car. They struggled until JP got the door closed and then they were gone, leaving Jensen alone.
Jensen watched the sun come up over the ruin of his life, cradling a cup of coffee to him as he stood under the canopy. He was alone. In more ways than one. He sipped at the coffee and turned his back on the mess. He had people to tend to. Hospital visits to make, trust funds to set up.
Might as well get rid of all the money while he was on the path to destruction. He wouldn’t need it where he was going. He tossed his cup into a trash pile and headed for the street. He’d sent his driver home. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to do the right thing for himself, by himself.
His first stop was the hardest. He stood in her doorway and watched her struggle to breathe. The steady beeping of the monitors was jarring. “Hey.”
He hadn’t realized she had woken up. He’d been so busy concentrating on her machines. “Hey,” he replied moving into the room and holding up the teddy bear he’d brought. It seemed lame now, but she offered a grimace that could pass for a smile. “I just…wanted to see how you were doing.”
Her eyes fluttered closed and then open as he sat beside her. “They tell me I’ll live.” Her voice was darker than usual, more raspy and slow.
“God, Sam…I’m…”
“Don’t say sorry,” she said as he took her hand. “Don’t want to hear sorry.”
“I don’t have anything else, I’m afraid.” Jensen said.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Jensen shook his head. “This whole thing is my fault.”
“He said you’d say that.”
Jensen looked at her. “He? Who?”
“Jeff. He was here an hour ago.”
Jensen frowned at her. “He was?”
She grimaced again and squeezed his hand. “Said something about a plan.”
Jensen sighed. “A plan?” Jeff was crazy. There was no plan, not anymore.
“Something about pulling in some favors.” Sam coughed. She gasped for air and Jensen was just about to get up and call a nurse when one appeared in the door.
“I think she’s had enough excitement.”
Jensen nodded. “I’ll come by later.”
It wasn’t like he didn’t have another sixty people to visit.
The house was empty when he finally made it home. The guards were gone. The household staff had all been let go. It was just Jensen. He poured himself a stiff drink and turned on the television. His station was still dead air. He flipped to a rival, and stopped dead when his own voice floated out of the television.
“My name is Jensen Ackles. I am a minor Lord, son of Lord Ackles. All my life I was a part of the nobility, that privileged upper class that makes its own rules, and believes itself better than those below us.”
Jensen sat down, squinting at the television. It was his special. On a rival station. He changed to the next station. “This year I turned twenty-five, an age among nobles that is filled with tradition. We venture out on our own, we leave the family nest…and if we’re very lucky, our parents give us our very first, very personal Servant.”
He flipped again. “What you will see tonight is a look inside that right of passage, a look at what it is to be a spoiled, self-centered Lord and how it affects the people who serve him.”
The screen faded to black, then a newscaster’s face appeared. “Greetings, and welcome to a special presentation. If you are just joining us we will be pre-empting our regular broadcast, and our regular protocols to bring you a special that was meant to air on our rival ABN this evening. In a show of solidarity for that network, in the wake of the devastating events of yesterday, we will be showing this program in it’s entirety.”
Jensen shook his head. Somehow someone had gotten the disc to…everyone. All four of their major rivals seemed to have it. He kept flipping. Half a dozen cable networks were running it.
Jensen forgot the drink in his hand. He stared at the television, watching the whole sordid tale spin out. As it finished, the newscaster’s face returned. “What you have all just watched was the very true story of Lord Jensen Ackles, owner of ABN. Tonight, he faces much more than the loss of his business. The blasts yesterday at ABN studios and affiliate stations around the country killed one hundred and thirteen people, and wounded another eighty two. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, however investigative reports indicate that the blame is likely to lie with a faction of nobility concerned at the anti-Servant stand the studio has been making.
“It has also come to light that young Lord Ackles is under severe personal threat as this rating week comes to a close. Under his contract with Lord Patrick Stewart, who gave Lord Ackles the studio, Lord Ackles was required to turn in a twenty percent ratings improvement by the end of this week, or lose not only the studio, but his own freedom as well. The bold programming changes of the last months seemed determine to position ABN at nearly thirty percent improvement before this incident.”
Jensen tossed back his drink and shook his head, it was all too surreal. “The management of TBC, in conjunction with CBC, NBC, and CBS have chosen to suspend programming immediately following this newscast, and will be donating our air to ABN programming on a rotating basis for the next four days. We encourage you to continue watching.”
The screen cut to a woman, with a phone number scrolling across the screen. “A fund has been established to help the victims of the bombings and their families. Please call the number on your screen for information on donation points and to make credit card donations. Also, the cities food banks, blood banks and the Hollywood Homeless Depot are working together to coordinate relief and clean up efforts.” Jensen shook his head. It was too much…unreal. “And, Lord Ackles, if you’re out there, we wish you well.”
The screen went to static and Jensen just stared.
“Networks don’t like being pushed around,” a voice said in the dark. Jensen looked up and Jeff materialized out of the shadows.
“How…” Jensen wasn’t even sure what to ask.
“I called in a few favors, and took on a few debts. When I told them the whole story…what you stood to lose…and why…they jumped at the idea.”
“Jeff…” Jensen stood. His head was swimming. “You…shouldn’t have…I mean…my god Jeff.”
Jeff came close, pulled Jensen into a hug. “You looked so…defeated. And this is my fault too. I didn’t stop you. I should have stopped you.” He pulled away, paced across the room. “I…was…jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“It’s a problem I have.” Jeff sighed. “I…saw you with Jared. You had the job I wanted. You had the position I wanted. The money. The Servant.”
Jensen pressed a finger against his forehead. He was dizzy with the intensity of it all.
“Everything I’ve never been allowed to have.” Jeff paced to the door, looking out over the pool. “I was jealous. I’ve been jealous my whole life. Jealous of my brothers, my cousins…jealous of their money, the affection of my grandfather…” He sighed and looked over his shoulder at Jensen. “My mother was a Servant. My father loved her…or so I’ve always believed. He was the son of the Lord who owned her. He was a lot like Stewart. He wouldn’t set her free because he knew my father would marry her…and he couldn’t have a former Servant for a daughter-in-law. I was twelve when my father died. I lost everything. Went from being the favored son of a privileged Lord, to being the son of a whore.”
Jeff turned back to Jensen. “I know Stewart. I know what he’s capable of. I should have stopped you.”
“I don’t even know what to say.” Jensen said.
“Tell me you forgive me for last night.” Jeff answered. “That would be a start.”
“I asked for it.” Jensen countered. He gestured at the television. “This is…beyond…anything.”
“Well, well, isn’t this touching?”
They both whirled toward the front door. Stewart stood just inside it, framed by two big men.
“What are you doing here?” Jensen asked.
“I came to collect what’s mine before you embarrass yourself, or your class, any further.”
“He’s not yours yet.” Jeff said, coming to stand in front of Jensen.
“Are you going to protect him?” Stewart asked. He snapped his fingers and the two men circled around him and moved closer. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, Mr. Morgan. You do have my studio to whip back into shape.”
“It isn’t your studio.” Jensen said. “Not yet anyway.”
Steward pulled out a pocket watch and examined it. “By my calculations it belongs to you for another…oh, thirty seconds or so.”
Jensen shook his head. “I have five more days.”
“So math is where your skills fail you?” Stewart asked, closing the pocket watch. “The transfer was effective retroactive to the moment you turned twenty five, I’m afraid. Which makes three months as of…now.”
Jeff pushed Jensen behind him. “You aren’t taking him.”
“I’m afraid that I am, Mr. Morgan. And the Servant too. Where is he?”
Jensen took a deep breath and stepped around Jeff. “Jared’s gone. I gave him his freedom. You’ll have to make due with just me.”
Stewart’s face lost some of its glow and he frowned at Jensen. “That wasn’t the terms of the contract.”
“Neither was blowing up my studio.” Jensen said. The two men closed in. “Just give me a minute. I’ll come quietly.”
Stewart nodded and snapped his fingers. The two bruisers stopped and Jensen turned to Jeff. “It’s okay, Jeff. You did what you could. I’ll…I’ll be…” He couldn’t lie and say he’d be fine. “It doesn’t matter. Just…tell them to stop.” He lifted his chin toward the television.
“Jensen.” Jeff’s fingers closed around Jensen’s hand, squeezing and trying to pull him back. “My Lord.”
Jensen pulled his hand loose and turned to Stewart. “Let’s go.”
Stewart nodded. “Ah, one thing before we go.” He held out a hand. Dangling from it was a pair of brown shorts. “I do believe that they’re your size.”
Title: In Service, Part 13 (Previous parts found: Part One Here, Part Two Here, Part Three Here, Part 4 Here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here, Part 8 here, Part 9 Here, Part 10 here, Part 11 here, Part 12 here)
Pairing/Characters: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Jeffery Dean Morgan/Jensen Ackles, Samantha Ferris, Patrick Stewart
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4425
Summary: In the wake of disaster, Jensen tries not to fall apart, but comes dangerously close, chasing off all of his closest allies, starting with Jeff. He's resigned himself to his fate...until something unexpected offers a flare of hope.
A/Ns & Warnings: Ummm...yeah totally AU. It's...crack...No, seriously...total crack. I take great liberties with the families of the celebrities I...um...use...creating siblings, erasing siblings, aging and de-aging siblings...pretty much doing anything I want. Um...and just about anyone is game. As to Warnings: This is slave fic, dubious con to some degree...This part includes brief, fairly graphic first time dubious con.
Jensen left Jared pretending to be asleep. He couldn’t be in the same room with his disappointment and confusion. God knew he didn’t want to send him away, but he couldn’t keep him, not anymore.
He wandered down by the pool and stared at the water. His life had changed a lot in a few short months. He wondered if he’d even recognize himself.
“Contemplating drowning yourself?” Jeff’s voice asked.
Jensen didn’t even look up. “Sure would uncomplicate things.”
“For you maybe.”
Jensen shook his head and sat, sticking his feet into the water. “You know, I’ve been here almost three months and I’ve never even been in the pool.”
Jeff came to sit beside him, a drink in his hand. “Hell of a day.”
Jensen nodded. “Have you heard how Sam is?”
Jeff exhaled slowly. “She’s going to pull through, but it isn’t pretty.”
“None of this is.” He stared at the water as the night breeze blew little ripples across the surface. “You…should probably get out while you can…get another job before…” He glanced at Jeff who was shaking his head. “Don’t let me drag you down too.”
“I’m not going anywhere. There will be other jobs. Right now my place is with you.”
“Jeff—“
Jeff’s big hand came down on Jensen’s knee. “They were my people too, Jensen. I hired half the people who died today.”
“I just don’t want Stewart to…” He sighed, imagining all the things Stewart was going to do to him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m sending Jared away. JP too. Chris is already gone. You should go too.”
“And what? Leave you to face Stewart alone?” Jeff asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
“I can’t protect anyone any more,” Not even himself.
“So, you’re giving up?” Jeff asked, his voice taking on a tone of anger.
Jensen blinked back tears and held up his hands. “Look around you, Jeff. He’s won. We lost six major stations. There’s no way to make up for that. Our ratings are going to crash. In six days I’ll be done. There’s no point in fighting that. I’d rather spend my time saving what I can.”
Jensen got up and headed for the house, but Jeff was right behind him. “You that eager to find out what it’s like to be in service?” He grabbed Jensen’s arm and spun him around. “I’d be happy to show you.”
“Get off me.” Jensen tried to shake free, but Jeff pushed until he was against the wall and pinned under Jeff’s bigger body.
“No. You think you’re ready for him?” Jeff leaned in and kissed him, hard, lips tight and Jensen’s head knocked against the wall. His tongue pushed at Jensen’s lips, but it wasn’t until his knee pressed against Jensen’s groin that he managed to get Jensen’s lips apart enough to slide his tongue inside. He pressed up with his knee while his tongue slid in and out of Jensen’s mouth. “You ready to be an object? A fuck toy?”
“Jeff…come on, stop.” Jensen looked up at him, but Jeff was angry, really angry. He kept Jensen pinned with one hand while his other moved to pull at the ties of his robe. Jensen bucked, but Jeff’s hand was on his cock and his voice was rough in Jensen’s ear.
“Stewart won’t let you whine and beg, you know that? He’ll gag you if you can’t keep your mouth shut. He won’t care what you want.” Jeff’s hand massaged Jensen’s cock. “He’ll put you on your knees and take what he wants from you. Are you ready for that, my Lord?”
“Jeff, please.” Jensen wasn’t sure what he was begging for anymore though. His cock was hard, his legs weak. “Jeff…” He looked up at Jeff.
He shook his head. “Fuck.” He let go and pulled away. “I—I’m sorry.”
Jensen reached for him, pulled him back, pulled his face down to his own and kissed him. His heart hammered with fear…because Jeff was right…because Jensen couldn’t begin to know what was ahead…because Jensen didn’t want to give Stewart something he could give a friend instead.
Jeff pulled back, shaking his head. “Jensen, stop. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”
“No, you’re right. I don’t…I’ve never…and I’m going to have to…” Jensen reached for him.
Jeff’s eyes closed and Jensen ran his hands over Jeff’s arms. “Please…I don’t want my first to be like that…” Jensen was barely aware of what he was saying. His body was alive and needing. The wall was warm against his back. He held Jeff’s hand and pulled it toward him, put it back on his cock. “Please.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking.” Jeff said, though he didn’t pull away.
“I want you to fuck me Jeff.” Jensen said, swallowing hard and ignoring the tears that came with the words.
Jeff shook his head. “God, Jensen. Stop…”
“Don’t tell me you don’t want to…not after last night.” Jensen pulled his robe off his shoulders and dropped it. Jeff groaned and shook his head. Jensen took it as invitation to be bolder, reaching for Jeff’s cock. It was hard under his jeans and Jeff groaned again. Jensen licked his lips. He could do this. If he couldn’t with someone he liked, how would he ever survive Stewart?
He unzipped Jeff and reached inside. “Please, Jeff.” He stroked Jeff clumsily. “May—may I…” God he couldn’t say the words. He went down on one knee. Jeff’s whole body jerked when Jensen’s tongue touched him. It was different than it had been with Jared…he was thicker, but not as long. He had a muskier smell. Jensen sucked him in. licked his way around his cock.
When Jeff moaned, Jensen looked up. He stood slowly, touching, lifting Jeff’s shirt and kissing skin. When he got to Jeff’s face, Jeff lurched forward, his mouth closing over Jensen’s, his tongue surging in to his mouth. His hands moved over Jensen’s naked skin. Jensen kissed over his jaw. “Let me…s-serve.” He whispered it and Jeff shivered, panting.
Jensen turned, brushing his naked ass over Jeff’s spit-slick cock. “Please.” He put his hands on the wall and leaned forward, tilting his hips, offering himself. Jeff kissed down his back, groaning in pleasure as his hands moved over Jensen’s stomach, down to his thighs. He rubbed over bare skin and his thumbs and lips met at the top of Jensen’s ass.
“Jen…are you…sure?”
Jensen couldn’t say it, just nodded, his head dropping forward as Jeff’s tongue swept through his crack, pressed against his hole. Jensen sucked in air, tried not to tense up. Jeff’s fingers followed passing lightly over the hole, then his tongue was back. Jensen whimpered and pulled away, but Jeff followed, one hand snaking around him to stroke Jensen’s cock.
Jeff’s finger breached his ass, but was gone and replaced with his tongue, easing the sting. He licked over and around before pushing back inside, then the finger was back, and another joined it. Jensen squeezed his eyes shut and pounded a fist against the wall. “Jeff…fuck…”
“Easy.” He pressed in deep, pushing against the little nub of nerves that Jensen assumed must be his prostate. He yelled as Jeff stroked it and his cock in tandem. Jeff’s body moved against him, over him, his mouth working back up over his spine. “It’s going to hurt…just breathe…”
His fingers slipped free, and something bigger was there, nestling into the opening. Jeff’s hands settled on Jensen’s hips, rocking Jensen back, even as he pushed forward. Jensen gasped, pulled away…but Jeff’s cock followed, invading him slowly. “Just relax.” Jeff murmured and Jensen tried, he really tried, but this wasn’t like anything he could have expected.
“Stop…just…give me…give me a second.” Jensen gasped. Jeff stopped moving, but only for a second before he adjusted his grip on Jensen’s hips and shoved himself all the way inside.
Jensen yelled, falling into the wall and trembling around the cock crammed up inside him. “Old man Stewart wouldn’t stop, Jen. He won’t give you time to adjust. He’ll drop you and fuck you and leave you bleeding on the floor.” Jeff said roughly in his ear, though he did wait until Jensen had stopped trembling to move. “He won’t care about whether or not you come.” Jeff’s hand was back on his cock, stroking down as he pulled out. “He won’t care how it hurts or burns.”
And fuck did it burn. Jensen bit his lip and pushed back, challenging Jeff to bring his worst. “Just fucking do it,” he growled.
Sweat was dripping down onto his back as Jeff did, settling into a rhythm that beat against Jensen’s prostate, tapping it until he was going to come despite the pain. Jeff beat him to the punch though, hot come flooding inside him. Jensen couldn’t control his own orgasm, painting the wall and the floor in front of him.
They panted in unison until Jeff pulled out, pulled away. Jensen leaned naked against the wall and tried to catch his breath. He was shaking as he finally turned to the sound of Jeff’s zipper. Jeff wouldn’t look at him. “I’ll be gone by morning.”
“Jeff—“ Jensen clutched his robe to him and reached for Jeff, but this time Jeff didn’t come, he kept moving away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
“Jeff, please, stop.” But Jeff was gone, up the stairs and Jensen heard the bedroom door close. “Fuck.” He wanted to follow him, to apologize, because just like everything with Jared and JP and the studio, this was his fault too. His head hurt, his ass screamed and dripped. He pulled his robe on and moved to the stairs, up them into his room.
Jared was still pretending to sleep, and Jensen moved past him, into the bathroom, into the shower, to clean up Jeff’s come from his ass…to try to reconcile what had just happened…to try to picture himself as nothing but a fuck toy.
When he was clean, and the water had run cold, Jensen wrapped back up in a clean towel and went to bed. He laid in the dark watching Jared’s back. Somewhere through the night he heard Jeff leave, but he didn’t have the strength to get up and see him off. It was better this way, he told himself. Better to push him away, better he put miles and miles between them.
“Jared, it’s time.” Jensen’s voice sounded dull, flat. He’d spent the last hour with his face buried in his pillow so Jared wouldn’t hear him cry, but Jared had heard. He’d cried too. He’d just learned how to do it quietly. He sat up dutifully and looked at Jensen. He was holding a pair of pants and a t-shirt in his hand. “I want you to wear these. They’ll be kind of high-waters on you, but Lisa can get you something new after you get going.”
Jared stared at the grey sweat pants and started to shake his head. Jensen came to kneel in front of him. “Please. If you go out there in brown Jared, you’ll be more of a target. You aren’t a Servant anymore.”
Jared felt the pain of those words in his stomach. They weren’t telling him he was free, only that he was unwanted. He took the pants and lowered his eyes. He put them on without saying anything and took the t-shirt and put it on too. Jensen got up and paced away. There was a knock on the door and JP looked in. “Car’s ready.”
“Give us a sec.” Jensen said, playing with something on the dresser before coming back and kneeling in front of Jared again. He made a funny face as he did it, something familiar. “I have something for you.” Jensen said. He pulled a book out of the bag and handed it to him.
“I can’t give you back everything they took away from you, Jared. But I wanted you to have this, for your trip…and when…when I catch up with you…you can tell me all about it.”
Jared looked at the book, blinking through tears. “James and the G-giant P-peach,” he read, running a finger over the cover.”
Jensen nodded. He handed Jared something else, a thick packet of papers. “These are for you too. They…they say that you’re free. Okay?”
Jared stared at them, but didn’t move to take them. It took him a long time to work up the courage to speak. “Why?”
Jensen sniffled and wiped his free hand over his face. “Why what?”
“If you want me to go, I’ll go…but why don’t you want me to be…yours anymore?”
Jensen made a strange, strangled sound. “God. Jared.” Jensen’s hand and the papers fell to Jared’s lap. “I’m not sure you can understand, but if I don’t do this now, you won’t be mine anymore anyway. Lord Stewart…he’s going to take back the studio…and you…it was in the contract.”
He was crying, Jared realized. He raised a hand to Jensen’s face, wiping at the tears. “I do want you, Jared. But I want you to be free and safe. I want you to have your life back.”
“What if what I want is to stay?” Jared asked and Jensen sobbed, curling forward, his head in Jared’s lap.
“Please, Jared…don’t say that. I don’t know if I can let you go if you say that. I have to you. I can’t do this if you don’t go.”
“Do what?” Jared asked, stroking over Jensen’s hair. He had the feeling Jensen was hiding something, protecting him from something. There was another knock on the door and Jensen sat up abruptly.
He wiped his face and stood, tucking the papers into the book. “Put your sandals on.” He took the book and headed for the door. Jared put his sandals on and followed him and JP down to the door and out to the car. It wasn’t even daylight yet. They were quiet as the driver took them to some house with a wrought iron fence and two SUVs in the driveway.
He recognized the woman from that night in Austin. Jensen went to talk to her. JP stood at his side. “It’s going to be okay, Jared.”
Jared watched Jensen shake the woman’s hand and turn away, wiping his face again before coming back to Jared and JP. “Okay, we’re all set.” He hugged JP and he moved away, giving Jared a moment to say goodbye. Jensen handed Jared the book with the papers tucked inside. “JP can help you if you get stuck.”
“I don’t want to go.” Jared said one more time. He didn’t expect it to change anything.
“I know.” Jensen said. “But it’s for the best. You’ll get a chance to start over. They’ll help you adjust.”
“You’re not coming, are you?” Jared said, looking down at Jensen.
Jensen shook his head tightly. “I…I can’t, Jared. I…have to deal with Stewart.”
“I want you to come with us.” Jared knew there was something he wasn’t being told. “I want you to come with us right now.” He was filled with panic, with anger. He bit his lip and tried to control it. Then he realized he didn’t have to. If he really wasn’t a Servant anymore…if he really was free. “Fuck Stewart,” he said as forcefully as he could.
Jensen looked at him sharply. “You said you love me. If you love me, don’t leave me.” Jared said more softly. He grabbed Jensen’s hands. “I don’t know who I am without you.”
Jensen’s eyes closed, tears dripping silently from them. He pulled Jared to him, held him tight, then stepped back. “You have to go.”
JP was there then, drawing Jared away, pulling him toward the vehicle. Jared watched as Jensen’s body shook. “We can’t leave him, JP.”
“We have to Jare…at least for now.”
Jared reached for the door handle, had the door open as the SUV waited for the gate to open, but JP’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him back in the car. They struggled until JP got the door closed and then they were gone, leaving Jensen alone.
Jensen watched the sun come up over the ruin of his life, cradling a cup of coffee to him as he stood under the canopy. He was alone. In more ways than one. He sipped at the coffee and turned his back on the mess. He had people to tend to. Hospital visits to make, trust funds to set up.
Might as well get rid of all the money while he was on the path to destruction. He wouldn’t need it where he was going. He tossed his cup into a trash pile and headed for the street. He’d sent his driver home. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to do the right thing for himself, by himself.
His first stop was the hardest. He stood in her doorway and watched her struggle to breathe. The steady beeping of the monitors was jarring. “Hey.”
He hadn’t realized she had woken up. He’d been so busy concentrating on her machines. “Hey,” he replied moving into the room and holding up the teddy bear he’d brought. It seemed lame now, but she offered a grimace that could pass for a smile. “I just…wanted to see how you were doing.”
Her eyes fluttered closed and then open as he sat beside her. “They tell me I’ll live.” Her voice was darker than usual, more raspy and slow.
“God, Sam…I’m…”
“Don’t say sorry,” she said as he took her hand. “Don’t want to hear sorry.”
“I don’t have anything else, I’m afraid.” Jensen said.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Jensen shook his head. “This whole thing is my fault.”
“He said you’d say that.”
Jensen looked at her. “He? Who?”
“Jeff. He was here an hour ago.”
Jensen frowned at her. “He was?”
She grimaced again and squeezed his hand. “Said something about a plan.”
Jensen sighed. “A plan?” Jeff was crazy. There was no plan, not anymore.
“Something about pulling in some favors.” Sam coughed. She gasped for air and Jensen was just about to get up and call a nurse when one appeared in the door.
“I think she’s had enough excitement.”
Jensen nodded. “I’ll come by later.”
It wasn’t like he didn’t have another sixty people to visit.
The house was empty when he finally made it home. The guards were gone. The household staff had all been let go. It was just Jensen. He poured himself a stiff drink and turned on the television. His station was still dead air. He flipped to a rival, and stopped dead when his own voice floated out of the television.
“My name is Jensen Ackles. I am a minor Lord, son of Lord Ackles. All my life I was a part of the nobility, that privileged upper class that makes its own rules, and believes itself better than those below us.”
Jensen sat down, squinting at the television. It was his special. On a rival station. He changed to the next station. “This year I turned twenty-five, an age among nobles that is filled with tradition. We venture out on our own, we leave the family nest…and if we’re very lucky, our parents give us our very first, very personal Servant.”
He flipped again. “What you will see tonight is a look inside that right of passage, a look at what it is to be a spoiled, self-centered Lord and how it affects the people who serve him.”
The screen faded to black, then a newscaster’s face appeared. “Greetings, and welcome to a special presentation. If you are just joining us we will be pre-empting our regular broadcast, and our regular protocols to bring you a special that was meant to air on our rival ABN this evening. In a show of solidarity for that network, in the wake of the devastating events of yesterday, we will be showing this program in it’s entirety.”
Jensen shook his head. Somehow someone had gotten the disc to…everyone. All four of their major rivals seemed to have it. He kept flipping. Half a dozen cable networks were running it.
Jensen forgot the drink in his hand. He stared at the television, watching the whole sordid tale spin out. As it finished, the newscaster’s face returned. “What you have all just watched was the very true story of Lord Jensen Ackles, owner of ABN. Tonight, he faces much more than the loss of his business. The blasts yesterday at ABN studios and affiliate stations around the country killed one hundred and thirteen people, and wounded another eighty two. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, however investigative reports indicate that the blame is likely to lie with a faction of nobility concerned at the anti-Servant stand the studio has been making.
“It has also come to light that young Lord Ackles is under severe personal threat as this rating week comes to a close. Under his contract with Lord Patrick Stewart, who gave Lord Ackles the studio, Lord Ackles was required to turn in a twenty percent ratings improvement by the end of this week, or lose not only the studio, but his own freedom as well. The bold programming changes of the last months seemed determine to position ABN at nearly thirty percent improvement before this incident.”
Jensen tossed back his drink and shook his head, it was all too surreal. “The management of TBC, in conjunction with CBC, NBC, and CBS have chosen to suspend programming immediately following this newscast, and will be donating our air to ABN programming on a rotating basis for the next four days. We encourage you to continue watching.”
The screen cut to a woman, with a phone number scrolling across the screen. “A fund has been established to help the victims of the bombings and their families. Please call the number on your screen for information on donation points and to make credit card donations. Also, the cities food banks, blood banks and the Hollywood Homeless Depot are working together to coordinate relief and clean up efforts.” Jensen shook his head. It was too much…unreal. “And, Lord Ackles, if you’re out there, we wish you well.”
The screen went to static and Jensen just stared.
“Networks don’t like being pushed around,” a voice said in the dark. Jensen looked up and Jeff materialized out of the shadows.
“How…” Jensen wasn’t even sure what to ask.
“I called in a few favors, and took on a few debts. When I told them the whole story…what you stood to lose…and why…they jumped at the idea.”
“Jeff…” Jensen stood. His head was swimming. “You…shouldn’t have…I mean…my god Jeff.”
Jeff came close, pulled Jensen into a hug. “You looked so…defeated. And this is my fault too. I didn’t stop you. I should have stopped you.” He pulled away, paced across the room. “I…was…jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“It’s a problem I have.” Jeff sighed. “I…saw you with Jared. You had the job I wanted. You had the position I wanted. The money. The Servant.”
Jensen pressed a finger against his forehead. He was dizzy with the intensity of it all.
“Everything I’ve never been allowed to have.” Jeff paced to the door, looking out over the pool. “I was jealous. I’ve been jealous my whole life. Jealous of my brothers, my cousins…jealous of their money, the affection of my grandfather…” He sighed and looked over his shoulder at Jensen. “My mother was a Servant. My father loved her…or so I’ve always believed. He was the son of the Lord who owned her. He was a lot like Stewart. He wouldn’t set her free because he knew my father would marry her…and he couldn’t have a former Servant for a daughter-in-law. I was twelve when my father died. I lost everything. Went from being the favored son of a privileged Lord, to being the son of a whore.”
Jeff turned back to Jensen. “I know Stewart. I know what he’s capable of. I should have stopped you.”
“I don’t even know what to say.” Jensen said.
“Tell me you forgive me for last night.” Jeff answered. “That would be a start.”
“I asked for it.” Jensen countered. He gestured at the television. “This is…beyond…anything.”
“Well, well, isn’t this touching?”
They both whirled toward the front door. Stewart stood just inside it, framed by two big men.
“What are you doing here?” Jensen asked.
“I came to collect what’s mine before you embarrass yourself, or your class, any further.”
“He’s not yours yet.” Jeff said, coming to stand in front of Jensen.
“Are you going to protect him?” Stewart asked. He snapped his fingers and the two men circled around him and moved closer. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, Mr. Morgan. You do have my studio to whip back into shape.”
“It isn’t your studio.” Jensen said. “Not yet anyway.”
Steward pulled out a pocket watch and examined it. “By my calculations it belongs to you for another…oh, thirty seconds or so.”
Jensen shook his head. “I have five more days.”
“So math is where your skills fail you?” Stewart asked, closing the pocket watch. “The transfer was effective retroactive to the moment you turned twenty five, I’m afraid. Which makes three months as of…now.”
Jeff pushed Jensen behind him. “You aren’t taking him.”
“I’m afraid that I am, Mr. Morgan. And the Servant too. Where is he?”
Jensen took a deep breath and stepped around Jeff. “Jared’s gone. I gave him his freedom. You’ll have to make due with just me.”
Stewart’s face lost some of its glow and he frowned at Jensen. “That wasn’t the terms of the contract.”
“Neither was blowing up my studio.” Jensen said. The two men closed in. “Just give me a minute. I’ll come quietly.”
Stewart nodded and snapped his fingers. The two bruisers stopped and Jensen turned to Jeff. “It’s okay, Jeff. You did what you could. I’ll…I’ll be…” He couldn’t lie and say he’d be fine. “It doesn’t matter. Just…tell them to stop.” He lifted his chin toward the television.
“Jensen.” Jeff’s fingers closed around Jensen’s hand, squeezing and trying to pull him back. “My Lord.”
Jensen pulled his hand loose and turned to Stewart. “Let’s go.”
Stewart nodded. “Ah, one thing before we go.” He held out a hand. Dangling from it was a pair of brown shorts. “I do believe that they’re your size.”
