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Election Day
It’s been said that when a man or woman runs for President of the United States that it’s one of the most important days in his or her life. It’s also one of the most stressful as the candidate makes final appearances, gives interviews, paces their private room in their campaign headquarters and huddles with their advisors for last minute advice…especially when the candidate that’s running happens to be as controversial a man as Jensen Ackles.
“Jensen! Jensen, it’s election day! You cannot just leave!” Danneel Harris was shouting as she lost her high heels to run after the man she’d been fighting to get elected to the highest office in the country for two years. “You’re expected to give a speech, make calls, win the last few states we need. This is important!”
“Fuck you and this election very much!” Jensen snapped as he ignored the babbling Secret Service agents assigned to all the candidates as they tried to slow him down on his way to his car and not the big black limo. “I just got a call that Jared’s been shot by some gun-crazy bastard who’d fired on some kids in the park across from his gallery. I’m going!”
As Jensen’s campaign manager, PR expert and ex-girlfriend, the tall slender pretty redhead was only too aware of what was between the two men as she’d known them both in school but this campaign for the White House had cost them a lot in the way of money and influence so it was her job to make sure the man didn’t throw it away for personal reasons.
“Jensen, they said that Jared’s in surgery and will be hours. They’ll keep you up to date by phone. I know you want to be there and any other time I’d say go but this is the most important night of your career. You need to be here,” she argued and watched the hint of anger in glittering green eyes grow as he stopped in mid-run to turn to glare at her with a look that was pure pissed off Jensen and none of the smooth politician he’d become.
“No. I need to be with Jared,” he corrected firmly, a trace of cold steel replacing the casual husky drawl he still had in his voice. He let his eyes slide to the building that housed his campaign for President and knew more than a few people were hiding just out of sight to listen to this exchange but by this point he didn’t care. “By now the people in the country have chosen who they’ll elect and it’ll either be me or it won’t be. But if I stay here to plaster on a fake smile while the man I love, the man I’ve risked my career to keep, bleeds out in a hospital after saving a class of kindergarten kids from being mowed down then I’ll be betraying what I stand for.”
Ignoring the dark suited agents who were trying to coax him to the limo Jensen got into his own car, a battered 2008 Hummer that had suffered from one of his lover’s more creative paint jobs, to pause as he shut the door to eye his longtime friend with a sad smile. “If I lose Jay, Dani, it won’t matter if I win this election or not because I’ll have lost it all. Call me when you hear and tell those two morons who were supposed to be watching him today to not be within eyesight when I get to the hospital because I want their heads on a plate.”
He left the private parking garage with a squeal of tires and left a very worried young woman standing there to twirl her red hair nervously before tossing a glare at the dumbfounded agents. “Don’t just stand there!” she snapped in exasperation as she turned to hurry inside to try to spin this as much as she could. “Get after him and for God’s sake don’t let him punch anyone in public!”
Jensen’s fingers were tight on the wheel as he drove the heavily congested streets of San Antonio, Texas as quickly as he could; ignoring the black car behind him as he’d just become good at putting the agents out of his mind when he needed to. His thoughts were centered on how he’d come to this place and also how much he stood to lose.
The 36-year old native of Texas had been a rising star in his state. He was young but bright with a degree in both business and sociology. He was a former Army Ranger who’d served two tours in Afghanistan, wounded in combat and sent home with a few medals and a need to do more for his fellow soldiers so after he’d recovered he’d began to dig into politics.
He’d skipped the lower races and had gone straight for a House seat which he’d won in a landslide because his platform had appealed to the people. He wanted better pay, better housing, better lives for seniors and children and also for the families of soldiers serving and who had served.
The camera and press adored his rugged good looks as the females in his campaign office and then his office were always drooling over the leanly muscled 6’1” body that jeans and a dress shirt showed off well because Jensen had to be pinned down and forced into wearing a suit and tie most days and his casual demeanor had also won people over since he kept his down to earth manner even after being elected to a seat in Washington, D.C.
Of course that didn’t mean his term in the House or the term he spent in Congress wasn’t without issue or bad press because despite being some people’s golden boy Jensen it turned out did have one carefully hidden secret that, during his run for Congress, he decided to stop hiding and that was the person in his life that he loved, adored, and cherished more than anyone or anything else: Jared.
Having a war hero, a popular Texas politician and a member of the house of Congress who’d already made several political enemies announcing that he’d been gay since he was a teenager and no longer felt like hiding what he was come out during a live speech should have been a nightmare and for some it was but Jensen had chosen to reveal his longtime best friend and lifelong partner before it could come out as a dirty little secret.
He lost some supporters as well as some family but he’d gained the reluctant respect of others and kept his seat in Congress amidst it all.
Of course it also helped that his partner was practically a giant teddy bear with a happy go lucky smile, dimples a mile wide, a kind heart for nearly everyone and drop dead gorgeous.
Jared Tristan Padalecki was a good ole boy from Texas as well and the two had met in high school where they’d become best friends and much more. They’d hid their lives and love because both knew of Jensen’s family tradition to go into the military so while Jensen went into the Army and eventually the Rangers to serve, Jared had stayed behind.
The 6’4” friendly, handsome somewhat shy and gawky young man had pursued his love of art while in college and had become a somewhat famous local artist. He loved colors and used them skillfully in everything he did from portraits, to landscapes to one day giving Jensen’s beloved old Hummer a paint job that made the front page of the New York Times when he drove it in Washington, D.C. the first time.
It had been Jared’s support and love that had given Jensen the courage to come out before an opponent could out him to the public. It had also been Jared’s tearful offer to step aside, to leave Jensen so their love didn’t hurt his career that had made the ultimate choice for Jensen. If he had to give up the love of his life, the man who’d been there for him after his return from the Army and who’d helped him over the worst of the PTSD he’d suffered then there was no reason to even try to go on.
Now as he swerved into the parking lot of the busy and already press covered San Antonio General Hospital to park and run into the emergency room, ignoring the flashes of cameras and voices of reporters as well as the covering Secret Service agents who were following him Jensen’s thoughts were centered on one thing and that was finding out what the hell had happened to cause his lover to have been shot in the first damn place.
“Congressman…” a white coated doctor stepped out from behind the nurses’ station as soon as he spotted Jensen and immediately knew why he was there. “I wasn’t expecting you to come. I…”
“Where’s Jared?” Jensen demanded briskly, having lost his excuse at compromising with Danneel on a suit jacket in the Hummer and was now down to a short sleeve t-shirt. “How is he? What happened?”
Dr. Mark Wilson had known when he learned who one of the victims of today’s shooting had been that his hospital would become a madhouse and he wasn’t disappointed.
In addition to scared frightened children who’d been brought in just to be looked over and their worried, scared parents he was also overrun with reporters, police and Federal agents given the man who’d stopped the shooter and who’d been shot himself was also the better half of the current Congressman from Texas and Presidential hopeful.
“Mr. Padalecki suffered two bullets to the chest, one at close range, in his attempt to disarm the shooter who’d chosen this day, a day where a local school had taken one of their Kindergarten classes to the park to decide to go on a shooting rampage,” the middle aged balding doctor began grimly, trying to lead the upset politician away from the desk and to an elevator. “As I said on the phone when I spoke with you, he was in critical condition and they were prepping him for surgery. He’s in surgery now but I know very little more at this time except he’s lost a lot of blood and one of the bullets might have clipped his lung.”
Jensen’s mind was spinning with too many images. He could see the worst case scenario playing out. He could also see his partner today, reacting without thought to the risk to himself and only worried about the kids.
“Can…can I go up or is there someplace I can wait for him to come out of surgery?” he asked, ignoring the ever present black suited agent at his shoulder because it wasn’t this guy Jensen wanted to throttle but one of the two who was supposed to have been watching over Jared.
“I’ll take you up to the surgical floor. There’s a private waiting room there that you can wait in,” Dr. Wilson assured him, seeing the worry shining in bright green eyes and realizing this was as close to nervous as he could ever recall seeing Jensen since his return from the military and his brief stay here in the hospital. “He’s a strong man, Jensen,” he commented, using his first name since they were in the elevator and away from reporters or cameras. “I’m sure Jared will be fine.”
He wanted to believe that but Jensen had learned the hard way that life had a bad habit of trying to take away the things he cared about and Jared was the last person on a very short list that mattered to him now.
As soon as the doors opened, the Presidential hopeful’s eyes went to green slits. Before the doctor or the agent with him could move or speak Jensen was out of the elevator and down the hall to grab one of the agents he’d been inwardly snarling at by the throat to slam him against the nearest wall.
“Where the hell were you and your goddamn partner when this happened?” he demanded harshly, rage plain on his face and when one hand fisted in the agent’s stained white shirt while his other went for his throat; long ago instincts returning. “You and Kane were supposed to be watching Jared! You should’ve been dealing with the nut! Not Jared!” he yelled, furious and scared at the same time. “Where the hell were you, Murray?”
“Yeah, I saw this coming,” Chad Michael Murray grumbled as he tried to deflect getting punched in the throat by an irate former soldier who still might be President of the United States by the end of the night.
At an even 6’ and lanky, the short blond haired Secret Service agent was wiry and quick on his feet. He knew he could get himself out of this situation but he didn’t think punching a Presidential candidate would be good for his career.
“Hey! You wanna calm him down before he actually manages to kill me?” he demanded, voice choking off from the pressure of Jensen’s hand on his throat when a firm hand grabbed the wrist to try to break the hold. “We told the guy to stay inside the place but he didn’t listen!”
That didn’t surprise Jensen but it also didn’t stop his anger at the two men who were supposed to be protecting his partner.
“Jensen!” a sharp deep voice with a hint of an accent snapped as strong fingers managed to break the hold he had on Chad’s throat. “I know you’re pissed but killing Chad isn’t going to do anything but hurt your career!”
Christian Kane had been on the phone with his immediate superior to relay what had happened in the park when the man his detail was protecting arrived and had gone immediately for his partner.
The senior agent was shorter than either his partner of Jensen but slightly more muscular so it didn’t worry him about shoving between the two men to break it up while physically pushing the candidate for the White House into a private waiting room so they’d have privacy; he knew there’d be reporters on this floor sooner or later and his job was to keep the Texan safe in all ways.
“The next person who brings up how important my career is in comparison to Jay’s life will get my fist in their faces!” Jensen growled, jerking his arm free to glare at the long black haired man while Chad stepped into the room to close the door. “He’s important! He’s what matters to me and he’s is who the two of you assholes were supposed to be watching! Now what in the goddamn hell happened?”
“Told you he’d be pissed,” Chad muttered from the corner of his mouth, stepping back to avoid the fist that still nearly connected with his head. “Hey, if he is elected I think we’ll have to make sure he doesn’t take a swing at the Speaker of the House or he could be the first President in trouble for killing someone.”
“I’m going to kill you if I don’t get a straight answer soon!” Jensen glared but then threw himself into a chair to glare at both men. “Talk!” he snapped. “How is it that Jared, an artist, gets in front of a crazy guy with a gun while the two so-called Secret Service agents didn’t?”
Chris pulled a chair over to straddle it while Chad moved to make like he was looking out the window while actually keeping an eye on the snipers across from the hospital. “When it all started I’d gone to car to grab my rifle and call the cops. Chad was on the phone with the local SWAT team. We both thought Jared would stay where we put him; in his office behind a locked door,” the Oklahoma native shook his head with exasperation and self-disgust. “By the time I realized he’d gone out the front door, it was too late.”
“I was three steps behind him but those damn long legs of his eat up a lotta ground and he’d gotten the nut’s attention with his first shout,” Chad shook his head dryly, recalling the events that for him had happened in slow motion. “Jared had yelled, the guy turned which gave the teacher a chance to get more of the kids to what cover she could. His first shot looks like it grazed his shoulder. He went to shoot a little girl who’d fallen because she was scared and barely five years old and before I could get a shot off Jared was there.
“He shoved the guy so his shot missed the girl but that put him close enough to hit Jared in the chest. Jared went down but he still kept a hold of the guy’s gun so he couldn’t aim it at the kids and that’s when both Chris and I shot.” The wiry blond Fed frowned as he watched Jensen’s hands shake. “You’re right. We were supposed to be watching him and we screwed the pooch up big time.”
“Yeah, but…” Jensen closed his eyes, wanting to blame the two men but in his heart he knew it was the guy with the gun and the need to kill innocents that was really to blame. “Jay…he…his father was a cop. He was gunned down while off duty when he stopped a robbery in progress that involved a woman and her kids. A piece of Jay is scared to death of guns but the other part can’t stand to see kids in danger or scared. It’s why we changed our plans to join the Army together. He can’t stand to touch a gun or have one close to him,” he scrubbed his hands over his face as something was held out to him. “What’s…”
“They had to take his ring and also the locket off before surgery,” Chris explained while holding out the small box of personal items, catching Chad’s grim looks. “He…he was still conscious a little by then and said to tell you…Jared said to tell you not to give up and that he loved you.”
Jensen closed his eyes to try to keep the burning tears that he could feel filling his eyes from falling but he still felt them hit his face as he closed his hand around the simple gold band they both wore; the symbol of the love they shared.
“Is…is the shooter dead?” he asked, voice shaking as he tried to picture his life without Jared’s laughing, smiling face in it if by some awful chance he didn’t survive surgery.
“Yeah, both of our shots were kill shots so he was gone before his body hit the dirt,” Chad replied, stepping closer to kneel down. “Padalecki’s a stubborn guy. He’s strong so he stands a good chance at pulling through but you need to keep it together now.”
Jensen knew that meant acting calm and cool, acting like it didn’t matter to him that his partner had been shot saving saves because most politicians rarely showed their emotions. But that was what separated him from the older guys in Washington, including his opponent. He did care and he didn’t like faking it. He was who he was and those who didn’t like that didn’t have to support him and who he was right then was a man whose best friend and lover was in surgery fighting for his life.
It seemed like hours before they heard anything from the hospital staff. Chris and Chad had managed to keep the reporters away from Jensen by releasing a reluctantly written statement expressing his anger and disgust toward the shooter as well as his sadness for the children who had been injured but none thankfully had been killed…thanks to Jared’s timely intervention.
Several newspapers and reporters were demanding a face to face interview with the Presidential candidate whose partner had saved so many lives without care to himself but were being told that at this time Jensen was focusing on badgering the staff to learn more about Jared’s condition.
“There are rules that say I can’t shoot that snooty bitch of a reporter who’s been dogging Jensen’s heels for the whole campaign and printing crappy stuff about him and Jared, right?” Chad asked through gritted teeth as he came back up from grabbing food and giving the last hourly report to the press camp that had been shoved to the parking lot and banned from the hospital.
“Yes, we can’t shoot her for asking invasive, rude questions,” Chris returned as he carefully watched Jensen stalk the halls in restless frustration the longer it went that Jared was in surgery with very little word from the doctors. “Of course if he happens to get elected and she keeps it up then we can make her life hell.”
Chad’s grin grew evil. “Cool,” he winced at the sound of a fist hitting the wall. “He’s losing it and he will lose it on someone if we’re not close to him.”
Neither agent thought the powers that be had considered the drawback to having a former Army Ranger with skills like Jensen had running for the highest office in the nation because he really had more training than most of the younger agents under Chris’s command right then. It was his temper that worried the men.
A temper that was coming close to spilling over the more he paced and when he turned at the sound of the elevator opening and a voice called his name Jensen knew it might be happening sooner than anyone liked.
“Hey, I thought you two said no one was supposed to be allowed up here except someone higher in rank than you, me or my campaign manager,” Jensen’s voice had dropped lower than even his worst pissed off tone, the edge of steel was ice cold as he turned to face the stern faced older couple who were standing there in front of him. “If I do manage to get elected the first thing I’m doing to firing you clowns and starting over.”
Chris was already snarling into his radio when he rolled his eyes with a low groan about morons who acted before getting permission. “Mikelson downstairs thought since they were your parents that it would be okay to let them up,” he replied grimly, jerking his head to his partner to move closer.
The bitter and cold animosity between Jensen and his parents had been well documented in the press after his announcement that he was gay and living with a man that had been his partner for a number of years. They hadn’t spoken to one another in over five years and in Chris Kane’s opinion this was a bad time to try to now.
“What do you want?” Jensen wasn’t impressed by his parents’ sudden appearance. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with their opinions on his choices or how he’d disappointed the family. “This is not a good time as I’m sure you know.”
Ryan Ackles smoothed his crisp tie down while facing the grim hard face of his middle son. “Your mother and I stopped by your office but the Harris girl informed us that you’d refused to do what you should be doing in favor of hanging around here like a lovesick fool,” he sniffed with disdain as he looked around a moment before stepping closer so when he dropped his voice it would still be heard. “Humiliating yourself and your family, your country by admitting to loving that…that…person was one thing but now you might have stood an actual chance at winning this election, though I don’t see how given what you are, but yet you’re willing to risk it all just because he couldn’t have died in the park like…”
“Jensen!” Chad had him by the shoulders to shove him back several steps when it became plain what was about to be said and what Jensen’s reaction would be. “Dude! No committing patricide in the hospital! They’d just bring the bigot back to life.”
“You think Jared should’ve…” Jensen had known from the start how against his homosexuality his parents were and also how low their opinions of his lover had always been, even when they’d been boys growing up together.
Jared’s family was working class so that immediately put the boyishly handsome young man beneath his family’s opinion but it had never mattered to Jensen. Now he thanked God every day that he wasn’t like his parents and other immediate family.
“Jared risked his life to save those little kids!” he stared in open shock at the hate spewing from his father and could see the same feeling on his mother’s perfect face. “He could still die on that operating table from that asshole’s bullets so don’t you dare come close to me while I’m waiting to find out if my best friend, the man who stood by me more than you ever did, will live or die!”
“Jensen! You can’t possibly be seriously considering continuing with this horrid excuse for a relationship if you are elected!” Ryan was appalled. He and his wife had hoped this ‘choice’ had been something that had come out of their sons’ latent post-traumatic stress disorder and could be cured with time but now he was taking it too far. “You have a good chance to be president. You could do good for your people but not if you continue this…ill-conceived godless way of life or by continuing to be around a man like…Padalecki.”
The ill-covered disgust as he said Jared’s name caused Jensen’s blood to boil and only Chad’s body pressing him back kept him from going for his father’s hateful throat right then and there as Chris stepped up, ready to step in and put the older Ackles off the floor.
“If I’m elected I will do my best for the people of this country; whether they’re white, Hispanic, black, gay, straight or everyone in between,” he glared into the cold eyes of the man who’d always pushed him and would’ve had Jensen put in a private hospital upon his return from service if he hadn’t fought back to prove that he wasn’t insane. “But what I will not do is be untrue to myself, my beliefs and who I love. I will not pretend to be straight anymore because I’m not straight. I’m gay and in an open, happy and loving relationship with a beautiful, wonderful man who loves me for me.
“Jay doesn’t give a crap about who I am, what I do. He loves me for my faults and Lord knows I have plenty of those…shut up unless you want fired now, Chad,” he growled at the softly muttering agent who merely smirked back at him while keeping between Jensen and his parents. “You made your opinion of me, my lifestyle and my lover very plain five years ago, Dad. I’m not changing and right now until I know about Jay whether or not I win or lose this election is second place in my head right now. I could win and without him by my side I don’t know if I’d still want the job.”
Chad heard the gasps from behind him but was frowning for another reason, shaking his head. “Ummm, no, God no. If you win and then step down after inauguration that would make Collins President and I know the country and the world isn’t ready for Misha Collins as President of the United States.”
“I’m not sure they’re ready for him to be Vice-President,” Chris snorted but moved to step in front of the enraged senior Ackles’. “You were let up here against the wishes of the Congressman so now I suggest you both take your leave before I have you both put out,” he paused to lean in closer. “I also advise making any comments that would go against your son or his partner to those reporters out there because the last time I looked Jared was being heralded a hero for risking his life for the kids so to badmouth him would actually do your reputation more harm…especially if Jensen does happen to win this thing.”
Jensen’s head was pounding with rage long after his parents had stormed off. He was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, picturing bright and happy hazel eyes laughing at him as Jared worked to calm him down before the first Primary had happened.
“‘You’re making yourself more nervous than you need to be, Jen. You’ll do great out there like you have in every other debate, campaign, or anything else you’ve done since coming out. Though I still think you and Misha should’ve worn matching suits.’” Jared had laughed for 45 minutes when he’d gotten a look at the loud printed suit his vice presidential choice had decided to wear for most of their campaign appearances. “‘I think bright purple and green flowers would’ve brought out the green in your eyes.’”
“Jay,” he whispered to himself, jerking at the unexpected touch to his shoulder. “How is he?” he demanded upon opening his eyes to see a doctor dressed in scrubs standing there. “Jay…Jared, is he…”
“He’s in the post-op room now and will be moved into recovery shortly, Mr. Congressman,” the wiry haired surgeon replied, a tired smile lightening his face as he offered a reassuring squeeze to the shoulder. “It was touch and go for a while as that bullet didn’t nick his lung as we first feared but it did hit an artery that we had a hard time finding.”
Having been in the military and around medics and gunshot wounds Jensen knew how bad that could be so he still held himself tense as he tried to read the man’s face. “Will he recover?” he asked shakily, his world revolving around this moment in time.
“He’ll be weak for a few days and might need some therapy on that shoulder that was grazed since it dug into the muscle but I think I can safely report that Mr. Padalecki will recover,” he smiled with understanding as Jensen’s body slumped back against the wall in utter relief. “As soon as he’s moved one of the nurses will come and get you so you can be with him. Until then I suggest you try to get some rest, son. You look as bad as he will when you see him.”
Jensen nodded but didn’t move from the spot on the wall as he merely slid down to rest his head on his knees while offering silent ‘thanks’ to whoever was in charge for letting him keep Jared with him.
He wasn’t sure how long he sat there until Chris approached to say that Danneel was calling for him but he merely shook his head. Jensen accepted he’d lose the election. He knew that from the first day and perhaps it would be because he was gay but he didn’t regret his choice to come out or his choice to risk his career in favor of the man he adored; the man he just wanted to see.
When the nurse finally, two hours later, came to say she could take him to Jared’s room now Jensen turned to look at the two agents that had become more than just annoying pains in his neck these past months and slowly held his hand out.
“I know since I’m probably losing that you guys won’t have to hang around much longer and in case I don’t see you before you take off I just wanted to say thanks for putting up with me all these months and for looking after Jared too. I know that wasn’t part of your job description but I appreciate it. I wouldn’t have been able to focus on the campaign if I’d been worried about him,” he offered a wan smile, exhaustion beginning to set in but he pushed it aside for the moment. “Sorry I snapped your heads off too.”
“Hey, I’d’ve been more worried if you hadn’t yelled considering we let your guy take a bullet,” Chad returned, accepting the hand shake simply but waited until after it was just him and Chris in the hall once the nurse had led Jensen off to purse his lips and eye his friend and fellow agent. “Sooo when do you think we should drop it on him?”
Chris Kane glanced at the text he’d just received from Washington to consider before smirking. “Once the redhead gets here,” he decided, adding. “We’ll let her tell him that he better start getting used to seeing your ugly face a whole lot more than he has.”
The private room was good size with a decently sized bed which considering its patient was 6’4” it was good the bed was larger than most hospital beds.
As Jensen stepped into the room after nodding his thanks to the nurse he felt his eyes burn again when he took in his partner’s unmoving form and pale face.
Jensen was so used to Jared being active, even in his sleep, that seeing him this still, this quiet scared him more than learning he’d been shot.
The nurse had told him what to expect but it still took the young Congressman by surprise to see how pale, how drawn Jared’s usually tanned and expressive face was under the low lights of the room.
The 32-year old artist was hooked to several machines to monitor his vitals. There were also a few lines of IV to offer fluids, one for antibiotic and Jensen forgot what the third one was for but he cringed as he slowly neared the bed to sit in the chair closest to it and carefully reaching for a limp hand to fold into his own.
It had never failed to shock Jensen at how young and innocent his best friend could look when he was sick or hurt. Seeing Jared like this reminded him of when they were back in high school and the younger man had gotten on the wrong side of the football team before he grew into gangly body.
“Jay,” he whispered, reaching up with his other hand to brush limp dark strands of hair off of Jared’s forehead to see a bruise on his cheek that he leaned up to kiss lightly. “It’s okay, Jay. You’re going to be alright now. You saved those kids. The doctors saved you and I swear as soon as you’re out of here I’m going to so kick your ass for scaring me to death today.”
Jensen took the ring he’d been carrying and slipped it back onto Jared’s finger while closing his other hand around the locket that he’d given Jared before he’d deployed for Basic training. “You’re probably going to be pissed off that I spent all day and tonight here at the hospital instead of at campaign headquarters making that last final push but you know me, babe. There was no way that I could’ve stayed there while you were going through surgery alone. I needed to be here,” he brought the hand in his up to press his lips to the back of it before swallowing thickly as the buried emotions began to seep through. “God, Jay…I thought I’d lost you this time. I was so damn scared that you wouldn’t make it and I’d never get to see you again or touch you or kiss you or say I love you again.
“And I do love you, Jared. That’s something that no matter how my career tanks after this or what happens that will never change,” he let his tired eyes drift close for just a moment and he lost track of the moments because the next thing Jensen knew was that he was feeling a slow thumb lightly moving over his hand. “Jay?”
Opening his eyes to blink them clear Jensen looked up to find himself looking into tired, shadowed and slightly glassy hazel eyes and then he was snapping back to full focus as he pushed up from where his head had been laying on the side of the bed. “Jared!”
“… … Hey,” the voice was whisper soft as Jared’s mouth and tongue felt like cotton as he finally forced the single word out. He worked on a tired smile to reassure his partner once he saw how freaked out Jensen looked but only managed a weak grin. “…Jen…”
“No, don’t talk this soon,” Jensen was quick to say as he pushed a button to call someone to the room. “You’ve been in surgery all afternoon and evening so you’re gonna be spacey and weak for a while yet,” he moved to sit on the bedside, fingers gripping Jared’s tightly and nearly letting a sob escape when he felt his grip returned with as much strength as the younger man could manage right then. “God, you scared the crap out of me, Jay.”
Jared had actually been awake for several minutes but it had taken him a few to try to remember where he was and why he was in the hospital feeling like he’d been run over with a bulldozer. Then he remembered the gunman in the park and the little kids. He remembered being shot and thinking of Jensen until he finally went under.
As he woke up it relieved him to see his partner and best friend, lover and confidant beside him; even though one look told him that Jensen had pushed himself to the limit again just by how pale he looked sitting beside him holding his hand and sleeping.
There were so many questions Jared had but he wasn’t sure where to start except for… “…Did…you…win?” he asked weakly, voice ragged and low which made his natural Texas drawl that much stronger, wincing in pain as a nurse stepped in to take his pulse and ask how he felt but all Jared knew was what day it had been. “Jen?”
“He’s in pain,” Jensen addressed this to the nurse who nodded and adjusted the one drip which he took to be morphine for the pain. “I…I don’t really know, Jay,” he admitted once they were alone again, glancing down at their joined hands to see Jared trying to squeeze his more. “I sort of, might of blown the election when I decided to come here.”
That took a few seconds to sink in and then Jared’s eyes closed on a soft sound that had Jensen shaking his head firmly. “No, I knew what I was doing and I didn’t care,” he told him, placing his other hand on the side of Jared’s face before leaning down to gently brush their lips together and not sure whose tears he felt. “Being President doesn’t mean anything to me if I don’t have you. There’ll be other elections in a few years or maybe this was someone’s way of saying this isn’t for us.”
“You…you wanted it so bad,” Jared murmured thickly, the pain meds making him sleepy but he didn’t want to close his eyes yet since he’d been so scared earlier that he might not get to see Jensen’s face again; wishing he had the strength to reach up to touch the spiky dark blond hair that showed signs of nervous fingers being run through it. “You…you should’ve…”
“I want you more, Jared,” Jensen told him softly, letting their foreheads touch for a moment longer. “You are what makes me breathe each day. Besides, if I had been elected that would mean seeing and dealing with Chad and Chris even more than we saw them now.”
Jared cringed but he hated to think of his friend losing an election that had meant so much to him all because he’d been hurt. Then he thought of something else. “The kids?”
“Chris said the kids mostly suffered some bruises and bumps and of course they were scared but none of them were seriously hurt,” Jensen smiled more, fingers gentle as they moved over Jared’s face. “You saved them, Jay. You’re a hero according to what I heard from the TV earlier. A very brave if stupid hero but a hero still. You should’ve waited for Chad or Chris, Jared,” he murmured, still recalling the terror of that first call.
“No time,” Jared returned weakly, fingers finally able to move to curl into the soft material of Jensen’s t-shirt. “He…was firing blind. He woulda killed them all. I needed to stop him.”
“You did and once you’re released from here I’ll show you how much I love you for doing what you did,” Jensen smiled more as he started to move to kiss his partner again only to pause at the knock on the door. “What?”
Chad stuck his head in with a smirk as if knowing what he’d been interrupting. “The guy’s practically a zombie so keep the tongue sucking to a minimum, dude…I mean, Mr. President,” he snorted, rolling his eyes. “I think I just remembered why I’ve never been put on actual Presidential detail before.”
“Keep mouthing off and you might be taken off of this one, moron,” Chris replied from behind the blond as he nudged him into the room to hold out a phone. “You’ve got a phone call…Sir,” he bit his lip at Jensen’s tired confused look while Jared was looking between them to lift an eyebrow in silent question.
“Huh?” Jensen took the phone but paused. “Why’re you guys still here?” he asked, not registering what Chad had called him yet as he put the phone up to his ear. “Hello?”
“So, Dani-girl just told me that the First Gentleman as I guess we’re calling that kid now was shot today while taking out a crazy guy with a gun. He okay?” Misha Collins, Jensen’s vice president, spoke up in his usual cheerful voice amidst a background full of voices and noise that sounded like a party. “You’re gonna have to lecture Kane and Murray to keep a better eye on him and you or haven’t you seen the news yet, President Ackles?” he teased.
Frowning slightly Jensen was looking up to see Dani coming in the door to Jared’s hospital room with several balloons and a sign that read ‘Congratulations Mr. President!’ and he knew if he hadn’t been sitting down that he would’ve fallen down as it suddenly sank in.
“Wait…” he shook his head and felt Jared gripping his hand tighter with a bigger smile on his tired and doped up face. “I won?” he asked the man on the phone, staring at his laughing campaign manager. “How’d I win? I was behind this morning and all the polls said I’d never get elected because I was gay and my platform was screwy and…”
“And your significant other is America’s golden boy,” Misha laughed, already celebrating where he was in San Antonio. “Though to be fair, you were ahead slightly before Jared was shot. As Dani, she has all the details. Now since you’re busy I’ll drink enough champagne for all of us and see you at the speech in the morning. Take care of Jared and don’t shoot your Secret Service detail.”
Jensen’s face was blank with clear shock. He hadn’t been expecting this. He never actually thought he’d win the election to become… “I’m…” he heard his heart pounding in his ears. “This for real or is Misha playing with me?”
“You were ahead this morning by a scant margin but when it got out that you basically said screw it and chose to be with Jared rather than trying to win a few votes the polls lit up in your favor and you won the whole thing by more than three thousand votes,” Danneel told him after she’d hugged him tightly and then carefully leaned down to kiss Jared’s cheek. “Your opponent conceded a few hours ago but you refused to take my calls when I tried to tell you so Misha and I did what we could until you can give a proper speech tomorrow.”
The rest of her words were drowned out by the rushing in Jensen’s ears until his attention was brought back by warm lips against his palm and he looked to see Jared’s tired weak smile. “I won, Jay,” he murmured, stunned that people actually had voted for him. “We won.”
“You won, Jen,” Jared was tired but happy, giving a weak tug on the hand he was holding until Jensen moved so he could slip his arms around him gently and just held him. “So proud of you, babe,” he yawned as the morphine began to work and he knew he was drifting off. “Love you, Jensen. Stay with me?” “I’m not leaving you ever, Jay,” Jensen whispered against his ear, carding his hair back to press a soft kiss against his forehead and felt that they weren’t alone even though Danneel had slipped out to go release a short statement to the press down below that would satisfy them until Jensen could later in the day. “I take it we’re stuck with the two of you?” he asked over his shoulder, smoothing a hand down Jared’s arm until he gripped his hand again.
Chris leaned against the wall by the door while Chad was working on a laptop to make sure all was well online about their new boss and his partner. “Afraid so,” he grinned with a shrug. “Besides, you’re used to us and I promise when it’s time you can pick the rest of the detail. I’m sticking Tom and Mike with Collins since he deserves those two or they deserve him. I’m not sure which but I promise you and Jared will never be outta our sight.”
Half asleep, Jared mumbled something that made Chad snort and Jensen smile. “I don’t think you can paint the Oval Office mango orange, Jay,” he chuckled, knowing he was going to be in over his head but so long as he had Jared and the people he’d chosen and would choose to surround them with he had good feelings for the next four years and maybe longer…assuming his partner and the White House designer didn’t kill one another within hours of meeting each other.
“Jen?” Jared’s one eye was open barely and his voice slurred as the pain meds had kicked in. “Promise…me?”
“Forever and always, Jared,” Jensen knew what the younger man was asking because he’d promised Jared that if he did happen to win the White House that he wouldn’t change who he was or how he felt. The new President-elect knew he’d have a lot of new people trying to change him, trying to control him but Jensen hadn’t gotten as far as he had letting others control him and he wouldn’t start now. “You and me, babe. We’re going to change the world…or at least a little bit of the country. Hopefully for the better.”
Jensen knew he should go down, to address the press but the head of his new Secret Service detail informed him that Ms. Harris had done enough of that to tide them over until later in the day and that Jensen should find some place to stretch out and actually sleep.
The doctor was in to examine Jared and cut back the morphine drip, saying he was pleased with his vitals and how fast he woke up post-surgery so that he felt confident that the young man would recover fully and could be released in a few days.
After he stepped out, Jensen sat on the edge of the wide bed to shift enough to not disturb or jar Jared in his sleep and he laid beside him to place his head on the far edge of the pillow while his hand rested over Jared’s strongly beating heart so he could feel it under his palm and be reassured that the man he would love and never choose anything over was still alive and they’d face the coming trials and stress together.
“I love you, Jay,” he murmured with a gentle kiss to his cheek before closing his eyes and letting sleep finally claim him.
An hour later Chad stuck his head out the door to see Chris giving instructions to a fresh set of agents, giving a low whistle to catch his attention. “They’re asleep,” he reported with a nod back into the room, wondering just how the stiff-necks in DC were going to take having their first openly gay President and his partner in the White House. Of course he knew the bigger worry came from the Vice President if his latest email was any indication. “Jared wanting to paint the Oval House isn’t our biggest worry. The VP-elect just emailed me to ask if I thought a Hawaiian themed Inaugural Ball would work complete with roasted pig on a spit and flame throwing Hula dancers.”
Chris blinked at that and made a note to get on the phone first thing with the head agent he was putting with Misha. “DC will never last a week.” He decided and could only hope his nerves did as well as Jensen’s when he realized how things really could be in the Nation’s capital.
The End…for now.