Jared sighed and pulled the warm body in his arms closer. Slowly, he rubbed his cheek against the back of the head of the man in his arms, the dark-blonde hair soft against his skin. He felt Jensen stir in and guessed that he'd soon be waking up. After promising to stay the night before, Jared had picked Jensen up in his arms and carried him into the bedroom. Not wanting to push things, when Jensen was so obviously emotionally exhausted and vulnerable, Jared simply undressed the other man, tucking him under the covers, then after undressing himself, climbed in behind him, so he could hold him all night.

He'd expected nightmares or at least uneasy sleeping, but was pleasantly surprised when neither happened. He wanted to think that his presence helped; but, had nothing to back up such an assumption, and wasn't really into stroking his own ego anyway. It was weird how comfortable he felt there, in Jensen's home, in his bedroom that was decidedly more feminine that masculine, even in Jensen's bed. He was sure that, for as short as their actual relationship had been, even if he counted it as starting a little over a week ago that night they'd met at the club, he should feel right that is more uncomfortable then. He didn't though. The whole thing just felt like it was exactly what he was meant to be doing.

Hearing a buzzing noise coming from the behind him, Jared leaned back slightly to see his cell phone vibrating across the table behind him. Quickly, Jared reached behind him and picked it up just before it could vibrate off the table onto the floor. "Yeah?" Jared said softly afraid of waking Jensen.

"You're not here," a female voice observed, and pulling the phone away from his face, Jared cursed silently noting the time. "Yeah, about that," Jared started as he carefully untangled himself from Jensen, before slipping out of the room shutting the door behind him.

Heading down the hallway and bypassing the spacious living room headed into the kitchen, Jared moved through the room and out onto to the balcony.

"Look Hil, I'm sorry, I didn't even think about calling you. I won't be in today. In fact it might be a week or so before I can come back."

"What's wrong is everything ok? Is Chad ok? His family thing didn't get worse did it? What's going on?" Hilary asked in a rush and Jared winced as he looked down into what appeared to be a courtyard.

"Hil, relax already. Seriously, it isn't Chad. It isn't his family. I am ok. I can't go into what's going on, just that I am needed somewhere else. Speaking of Chad, I will try to call him, as soon as I get off the phone to see if he can come in so you have help. I've already filled him in on things, so he should be able to do books and stuff, but just…"

"I'll make sure he doesn't get overwhelmed." Hilary assured quickly and Jared could hear her moving around, he guessed getting supplies ready for the morning rush. "You ever gonna tell me what really happened?"

"I don't know what you mean. I told you, he had a family thing that he had to deal with." Jared reminded calmly, but narrowed his eyes at the scoff he heard on the other end of the line. "Whatever, Jay," she started, but Jared quickly but her off. "I SAID that it's a family thing." Jared insisted jaw clenched. "Look, believe me or not. I can't change that, but whatever reason Chad wasn't around. It is and I want you to pay close attention, Hilary. It is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS."

"Now I value you as an employee, and I consider you a friend, but I have known Chad, since I was 4. You are NOT for any reason you can ever come up with, to question Chad about why he was gone. Period. End of Sentence. I am sorry if all this is pissing you off, Hil, I am, but I got other things I need to think about."

Hearing nothing but silence on the other end of the line, Jared wished he had a cigarette to smoke while he waited. "So you won't tell me where you are or what you are doing. You won't tell me what's going on with Chad except for its some bullshit family thing when everyone knows he hates his family. I guess I know where I stand then, boss." Hearing the click in his ear, Jared growled and clenched his teeth, taking several deep breaths before finding Chad's name on his call log and hitting dial.

"Jay? S'matter?" He heard and smiled hearing Chad's voice. No matter what was going on with him, Jared knew he'd always be able to count on Chad, and that fact never failed to make him smile.

"Nothin, C-Man. Well, something, but... I mean it isn't," Jared cursed hearing Chad laughing at him.

"Which one of us is half asleep again?" Chad asked and Jared heard the laughter in his voice.

"Yeah, sorry. Hilary." Jared said and heard Chad snort.

"What'd she do now?" Chad asked and Jared could picture his friend sitting up and rubbing a hand over his face. Clenching his jaw again, Jared took another deep breath before launching into his story.

"So, something sorta came up. It's kinda complicated, but Penny? The guy I met at The Baum, and Mr. Ackles are the same person. Only I didn't know it 'til last night. I guess Hilary got tired of me moping or something and called Mikey, who apparently knows Jensen, that's Mr. Ackles' first name. He brought me to his apartment and, fuck Chad."

"He ok?" Chad asked quietly and Jared shrugged before remembering that Chad couldn't see him. "I dunno man. He was a wreck when I got here. I know it's kinda fast, but… I can't leave him alone."

"Then don't," Chad replied easily and Jared again wished for a cigarette. "I'm happy for you, Jared. Honestly. If anyone deserves something like this, it's you. You and I are gonna have to do a dinner thing or something soon so I can figure out what he's really like. Figures you'd land the pretty one. I can't figure out though how your Pretty was so well hidden in that nerdy geek that sits in our corner all day."

Don't worry about work. I'll go in and help, Hil."

Jared grunted amused at Chad's description of Mr. Ackles. Personally, he loved Jensen's geekiness. Hearing Hilary's name though, he gritted his teeth again, thinking about their fight. "You should know she was… She was asking about why you really left. I told her it was none of her business, but…"

Chad sighed and leaned his head back 'til it touched the wall behind his bed, closing his eyes. "You didn't have to do that, Jay."

"Bullshit I didn't!" Jared protested. "If you want to tell her, you know I'll back you all the way. Until then Hilary can keep her nose outta people's business! If it makes you feel better, I didn't tell her why I'm here or about Jen, that ain't her business either."

Chad chuckled opening his eyes. Turning his head, he glanced at a picture on his nightstand of him and Jared from when they were kids. "What would the world do without you, Jaybird?"

Jared grinned hearing his old childhood name. "I dunno. Have less drama?"

"Call me if something comes up. Don't stress over the books. Hilary can help with that, and don't let her push you into spilling if you don't want to. Promise me, Chad."

"I swear, Jaybird, I swear." Chad promised before hanging up then added, "look, if you need to tell your new man about what I did, do it ok?"

"I don't want you to keep secrets from him on my behalf." Not waiting for Jared to reply, Chad hung up so he could get ready for work.

Shaking his head at the awesomeness of his best friend, Jared made his way back into the bedroom where he climbed back into bed, shivering from the cold. Even in Texas, it was too cold to be outside in nothing but your boxers at 4 AM. He smiled when he felt Jensen turn pressing its face into the crook of his neck. "Wish you didn't have to go in," Jensen whispered and Jared tightened his arms pressing his lips to his boyfriend's temple.

"I don't," Jared whispered back, moving a hand to rub his back. "I ain't goin' anywhere 'til you're goin' with me." Feeling Jensen pull back, Jared finally opened his eyes peering into Jensen's worried ones. "Jen, relax. I'm the owner and, while yes, people are used to seeing me at the counter, I don't have to be there anymore. Most times, I work the counter, because I get bored in my office, and I know people like seeing me out front during the day. Again though, I don't have to do it, and I am needed here more."

"Besides, Chad is ready to come back. He's been bugging me to let him. I just had put it off 'til Monday to give him one more free weekend, but he understands that I'm needed elsewhere. He was happy to come back early and Hilary will be thrilled that she can put off having to deal with the two of us for a little while longer."

"Chad's weird. How can you put up with him?" Jensen asked wrinkling his nose at the thought of the shaggy haired blonde. "He's so," Jensen started only to be cut off quickly by Jared who was pulling away from him.

Sitting up Jared pressed his back against the headboard looking at his new boyfriend with hard eyes. "Back off Chad, Jen," he warned irritated he was dealing with the second attack on Chad of the day and the sun wasn't even up yet. Then he sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes seeing the wounded expression that appeared on Jensen's face. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm his irritation at the second slight to his friend, Jared released it and pulled Jensen back into his arms.

Pressing soft kisses into the side of Jensen's face, Jared waited 'til he was sufficiently calm before speaking again. "Chad's the only person who's stuck with me from my childhood. My family won't speak to me for various reasons. Most of my friends from back then either went away or distanced themselves at some point. Only Chad stuck by me when I had my head so far up my own ass I didn't see the forest for the trees. He hung in there with me every second until I pulled my head out and was the first person to believe me when I said I was done."

"I owe him, more than I will ever repay, for things I never asked him for but was given anyway. His father happens to be one of the most homophobic people on the planet, and he's gone through a lot because of me. He's lost and given up a lot just to stand by my side even when I didn't deserve his faith and loyalty. He's also had a lot of shit done to him because of me. So, I'd appreciate if you'd just… Not. Talk. Shit. About. Chad. Ok?"

Feeling guilty, Jensen rubbed his cheek against Jared's chest before pulling back enough to look Jared in the eyes, as he nodded seriously. "I'm honestly sorry, Jared. I didn't know. Where's he been anyway?"

Jared pulled Jensen back in once more, and rested a cheek against the top of his head. "Everyone has masks, Jen; you should know that as well as anyone. We have ours and Chad apparently has his. The difference is that while we use ours to try and hide our true selves from the world, Chad was trying to use his to hide from himself, and eventually it stopped working."

"While Chad is probably the best friend in the history of best friends, I am apparently the worst and most unobservant. When Chad realized that he couldn't hide anymore, not from me or himself, he tried to kill himself."

Jensen pressed his face against Jared's neck, feeling guiltier and guiltier about his earlier words and how he'd treated Chad in the past. "Why, do you know?"

Jared snorted running his hand over the back of Jen's hair. "I told you that his father is homophobic. I wasn't kidding. His father is one of the reasons I can't go home, as well as being part of the reason my family, and I are so disconnected. Chad, for the most part is a fairly cool and level headed person, but like I said everyone has their buttons."

"Chad's gay?" Jensen asked astonished thinking about the parade of barely legal girls he'd seen Chad flirting with since he'd started going to the coffee shop to work. Jared nodded and sighed.

"I caught him sucking some guy's cock in the back room, a guy mind you who didn't look NEARLY as pretty as you do when you dress up, and shit sorta hit the fan. Chad took off. The guy he was with was pretty damned humiliated when Chad took off, so I had to get him home before I could look for Chad. By the time I'd broken into his apartment, he'd gotten his gun out and was sitting on his couch with the barrel in his mouth."

"But he didn't do it?" Jensen asked worried and Jared shook his head. "No eventually I managed to talk him out of it. I paid for him to go to this hospital. They're supposed to be the best in the state. He says it helped."

"You aren't sure?" Jensen asked carefully sensing the uncertainty in Jared.

"It isn't that I don't believe him, Jen. It's just… I suck, ya know. I mean Chad's been there for me my whole life and I just… Didn't see ANY of this. I mean JESUS! What kind of friend am I?"

"You can't blame yourself, Jared," Jensen insisted.

"Yeah, that's what my shrink said," Jared replied, shrugging and sighed before hugging Jensen tight. "But, he seems better I have to admit. He's more himself or I assume he's himself. It's kinda weird having to almost get to know him again. He doesn't go all stupid about girls that look like their 14 anymore. When I told him about us, he seemed genuinely happy for me. Said that he can't wait to meet you, and really get to know you."

Jared laughed softly hugging Jensen as he grinned suddenly. "He said that he can't wait to see how Pretty was so well hidden in that, and I quote nerdy geek that sits in our corner all day."

Jensen scoffed playfully. "I am not a geek!"

Jared just laughed at the statement and moving suddenly flipped them, over so he was looking down on Jensen, who was still pretending to be indignant. "I never!" Jensen huffed and Jared laughed again before leaning in for a kiss, happy to do nothing more than that all morning long.

Later that day, Jared was standing at the stove, watching his grilled cheese sandwiches carefully sure, that they'd burn the second he turned his back. Hearing a knock on the door just after flipping the sandwiches onto a plate, Jared took the pan off the burner and moved to the door as Jensen was in the shower.

"Jenny open the door!" Jared heard and peeking through the peephole saw two men one dressed up as a woman. Carefully, Jared opened the door not too concerned about them pushing past him, since he was easily bigger than both men were.

"Can I help you?" Jared asked studying the man in the cowboy hat and pink boa. Jared wasn't sure how the two went together, but knew he'd never asked. Sometimes men who dressed as women made less sense than real women did. Behind him stood a blonde who looked rather unassuming, but Jared knew better than to make assumptions.

"Ooooooooooooooooh, Jenny didn't tell me he'd gotten a new hunka man!" The man-woman in front purred and Jared's eyebrow shot up a notch. Behind him, he saw the blonde roll his eyes heavenward before smiling as if to say, 'what can I do?' "I'm Steve and this is Chrissy. We're friends of Jen's. Is he free or should we come back?"

"I ain't comin' back!" Chrissy exclaimed flipping his hair back. "Jenny can just share this Grade-A slab of prime beef for awhile! That wind is messing with my hair! I ain't goin nowhere 'til it stops."

Not sure what to say, Jared simply shut the door and headed to the bathroom, knocking before he poked his head in. "Jen, do you know a Chrissy and Steve? They're at the door."

In the shower, Jensen groaned and let his head fall to the shower wall with a thud. Chrissy was the last thing he wanted to deal with today. Hell, Chris would have been annoying enough. He was tempted to say no, knowing Jared would make them go away, but his conscious wouldn't let him. "Yeah, let them in. I'll be out in a minute." Jensen promised before Jared closed the door and headed back to the men in the hall.

Jared removed the chain and opened the front door to see "Chrissy" glaring tapping his nails on his arm. "Do you know how rude it is to leave a lady waiting in the hall?" He asked tapping his foot on the floor.

Crossing his arms and straightening to his full height, Jared easily slipped into Jay and sent the annoying he-diva his best glare. "My mamma taught me all sorts of things about how to treat a lady. My daddy taught me it's best to be safe than be sorry when you're protecting the people you care about. I don't know you from Adam, and I can ASSURE YOU that Jensen's happiness is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO ME than your feelings about being left in the hall."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jared saw Steve's eyes get big as his rant went on and finally put a hand over his mouth, but didn't take his attention off Chrissy as he waited for the man-woman to react.

It didn't take long. Huffing dramatically, Chrissy rearranged his boa flipping it over one of his shoulders. "Well! I see that Jenny's going for rough rather than sophisticated this time. It seems you will be someone I am going to have to tolerate, but for Jenny, I will try."

After dealing with Hilary that morning before he was even really awake, worrying about Chad having to work with her most of the morning, worrying about Jensen all week, this person was the last thing he was in the mood to deal with. Smiling all easy like, Jared crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, letting one let twist in front of the other at the ankle.

If Chad was there, he'd be running to hide somewhere. He always said that Jared was Texan in every way, but the more Texas that he got, the more scared you should be. Normally, the only indication of Jared's roots came from his drawl, but when he started looking like the redneck that lived next door, you knew that you had better run. 'Cause Good Ol' Jay was about to make you wish you had if you didn't.

"Well now darlin'," Jay started just as Jensen came up behind him coming to a halt in the hallway. He'd only heard Jay talk like that when he was really and truly pissed off at someone usually a customer who was being unreasonable. He didn't have to look to know it was Chris on the other end of Jared's ire. He knew that he should probably rush to his friend's aid, but curiosity made him stop, as he wanted to see how this would play out.

"I reckon that we got us a problem on our hands. See, I ain't never been able to figure out folks who feel the need to act like they know somethin' 'bout me the second they lay their eyes on me. And, while your eyes are, I admit some of the prettiest I ever have seen, that includes you. Now you got two options here, ma'am. You can drop your high and mighty routine, and we can start over, maybe you can figure out how to be somethin' other than an uppity bitch, and maybe I won't have to throw you outta this very building on your rump."

"Or, you can continue actin' like something that just drug it's ass outta one a them fancy New York penthouses, and I can knock you so far into the middle a next week that your man there behind you's gonna have to call a search party to find ya. Now I ain't never hit a lady in my life, but then we both know you got parts under that there dress that don't really make you a lady."

"And while I am the last person normally, who would call you out on the way you choose to live your life, I have just about had all I can stand this week. Now honey, I got plenty of people in my life that I am willin' to keep on givin' to until I drop dead from tryin'. JENSEN, by the way ma'am his name is JENSEN today, not Jenny. There ain't a dress in that closet he's plannin on putting on since we were just havin' a quiet day at home. As I was sayin, JENSEN is absolutely there at the top of the list sittin' real pretty like next to my best friend in the world Chad."

"So, you can get down off your high horse and come into this home, and TRY and act like a Lady, which by the way I gotta say you haven't pulled off so far. My mamma is the finest lady I ever have known, and I can ASSURE YOU Miss Chrissy that you are not actin' a SINGLE THING like my mamma would act. She'd never put herself above her friends loved ones. Not even her friend Millie's husband and he's plumb crazy. Been thinkin he was a dog for the last five years, and if my beautiful mamma ain't more than a bit better than that loon is, I ain't standin' here willin' to kick your uppity ass. Now MY Jensen has had one helluva bad week. The last thing he needs is some damned soap opera drama goin' down between you and me. So, I aim to make sure it doesn't happen. I will be willin' to forget you actin' like some uppity penthouse floozy and try and get alone for Jensen's sake if you are."

"Or you can leave now and return after I am gone, which unfortunately for you isn't gonna be anytime in this century or the next."

Growing tired of watching Chrissy's mouth open and close like a fish, Jared risked glancing away and looked at Steve whose eyes were practically popping out of his head. His face was so red Jared was a little afraid he was gonna pop something, and they were gonna have blood all over the hallway. Feeling a hand on his back, Jared turned his head and saw Jensen coming up to stand next to him.

When Jensen put an arm around his waist, Jared straightened and pulled him in close moving his eyes back to Chrissy as he placed a kiss on Jensen's cheek.

"Please Chris?" Jensen asked softly and finally Chrissy nodded taking off his boa and slipping in the door after they stepped back. When Steve finally made his way in, Jared winked at him giving him a slap on the back.

This was definitely going to be interesting.

Read the next story The Maestro's Instrument