This Could be the Start of Something Good

[reggie11]

Rating: M
Genre: RPS AU
Characters/ Pairings: Jared/Jensen, Chris Kane, Chad Michael Murray, David Boreanaz, Paul Johannson, Michael Trevino
Word Count: 4500
Warnings: Contains non-graphic attempted non-con, language.
Disclaimer: This story in no way represents the actors' real lives. I think of them as actors cast in the roles of fictional characters and the story is strictly AU. Don't own anything but my own words.

Author’s Notes: Just a little pre-slash fic that popped into my head. It was written as a one-shot but if people want to see more, I kind of like these characters so I wouldn’t be averse to continuing their story into slash. So if you’d like to see more just let me know.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The guy was amazing. Apart from being outrageously good looking, he knew how to work a crowd and boy, he sure knew how to move. He hadn’t really known what to expect from tonight’s entertainment; something sleazy and cheesy, because strippers at a bachelor party - total cliché. But this guy was something else. The fact that he was older than Jared had expected and ridiculously attractive was not at all what he had imagined – not that he’d really ever thought about party strippers – and the dancing was truly erotic, nothing like he’d envisioned. Matt had chosen well when he hired this guy. Yeah, he was really enjoying the show and so was everyone else by the look of half the small crowd practically drooling. Tonight was shaping up to be way more fun than he’d expected.

Of course, not long after he’d had that thought was when everything pretty much went to shit. The stripper – or exotic dancer, whatever – had given a lap dance to the groom-to-be who had pretty much passed out not ten minutes later and Jared had all but carried him off to bed to sleep it off. He’d spent the last fifteen minutes or so setting up a glass of water, aspirin, bucket and towel for Chad just in case. Most of the others had headed out to the pool and the stripper had been packing up when he’d gone to put Chad to bed. He was headed back out to the main room when he heard it.

“Stop it! Let me go!” It was the voice of the stripper and he didn’t sound angry, he sounded scared. Jared jogged down the hall and his heart almost stopped when he reached the door to the room.

He saw David, Paul and Michael all holding the poor guy down, his torn clothes in a heap beside him.

“Jesus, what the fuck are you doing?”

“Calm down, Jared. Just having a little fun with the whore.”

“Get off me, I’m not a whore. Let me go, please!” He begged.

“Get the fuck off him you idiots. It doesn’t much sound like he’s having fun to me.”

“Fuck off, Padalecki. If you don’t want to join the action then go out to the pool with the others and let the grown-ups have some fun.” Paul sneered.

The stripper struggled even harder against the three men holding him down, obviously desperate to get away. Jared strode up to them, grabbing Paul by the back off his shirt and yanked.

“I said, get the fuck off him! You can’t just fucking rape someone.”

Paul turned and snarled at Jared, “Rape, yeah good one. The guy’s a whore and he’s been paid.”

“He was paid to strip for us, motherfucker, nothing else and he said no. Now back the hell off him.”

“Christ, Jared, stop being such a buzzkill,” David slurred, “He knew what he was here for when he took the job, just go outside if you don’t want to join in.”

He pushed at the guys and spoke to the man being held down, “What’s your name? Do you want this?”

“J...Jensen, please, I don’t want this. I was just hired to dance.”

“You heard the man. He said NO!”

Paul took a drunken swing at Jared and found himself hauled to his feet as Jared smashed a fist into his face causing him to fall back to the floor and curl in a daze.

The others two, through their drunken haze started to realize what they were doing. Michael let go of Jensen like he was burned but David still defiant yelled, “You hit Paul, you fucking hit him. We were just having some fun.”

Jared pushed him away from the man on the floor who was crying and trying to cover himself with his torn clothes. “Does it look like he was having fun? Does it?” He shouted.

David finally looked at the sobbing man on the ground and scrambled backward. “Oh shit, fuck! I...I thought he was a hooker.”

“Christ, what the hell is wrong with you?” Jared spat, “Even if he was, he’s a human being, you pieces of shit. You don’t treat anyone like that. No means no, no matter who says it. Just fuck off out of here while I help him clean up and if he wants to press charges, who could blame him, you deserve it. I’m not covering for your sorry asses.”

All three men paled at the words and drunkenly stumbled from the room, Paul still glaring daggers at Jared as he held a hand to his swelling jaw. Jared took his own shirt off and draped it around the man’s shoulders. “Jesus, are you okay, Jensen? Sorry, stupid question, of course you’re not. Did they hurt you? Do you think you can get up?” He put his arms around the trembling man to help him get to his feet.

When he was standing his knees began to buckle and Jared tightened his hold and took the weight. “C’mon let’s get you into one of the bedrooms so I can clean you up a bit.”

If it was at all possible, the man paled even further.

“No, no! Just so you can sit down and I can take a look and see if you’re injured. I’m not going to touch you, I promise.”

Jensen nodded his head almost imperceptibly and Jared led him to the first bedroom off the hall, pulling the cover from the bed and wrapping it around the man’s shoulders. He got down on his haunches in front of Jensen and using his thumbs, wiped the tears from his face.

“I’m going to get a washcloth so you can wipe your face okay? Are you hurt? Do you need me to call an ambulance?”

“No, I...I’m just a little shaken up. I just want to go home.”

“Yeah, okay, just give me a sec.”

He went into the ensuite bathroom and returned with a wet washcloth, wiping over the tear-streaked face.

“How did you get here? Do you have a driver?”

“No, I came in my own car.”

“Okay, well you’re in no shape to drive. I can take you home in your car if you like and catch a cab home afterward or, if you prefer, I could call a friend to come get you.”

Jensen shook his head fiercely. “I wanna go now. I don’t want to wait for anyone to come get me.”

“Well okay then, I’ll drive you. Let’s get you out of here.”

“Why are you doing this? I mean...your friends...”

“Those assholes are not my friends; they’re just people I know. They’re more friends of the groom, my best friend, although personally I don’t know why he’s friends with dicks like that.”

He helped Jensen to his feet and the man looked at the comforter around him nervously.

“Leave that on. I think your clothes were pretty much ruined by those animals. Let’s get you home.”

He led Jensen through the door only stopping to snatch the man’s torn clothes and bag off the floor and walked him to the car Jensen indicated.

“Um, should you be driving?” Jensen asked. He was so grateful for the man’s help but he didn’t want to end up in a drink driving accident either.

“What? Oh, no it’s cool. I only had one drink, I’m not much of a drinker. I’ll get you home safe, I promise.” He smiled.

After Jensen had nervously told him where he lived and they were on their way, Jared asked him, “Do you want to report this to the police? I’ll back you up if you want to. What they did, the bastards deserve to be arrested.”

Jensen could hardly believe what he was hearing. This guy was willing to let his friends – well his friend’s friends – possibly go to jail to help someone he didn’t even know. Plus, if it wasn’t for Jared stopping them, Jensen knew that what would have happened would have been infinitely worse than what he’d walked in on.

“You’d really do that? Go to the police with me?”

“Damn straight I will, those assholes deserve to be punished. You can’t just try and force someone into sex. It’s not right.”

“I just want to go home. I don’t think the cops would take it very seriously anyway because I’m a stripper. It’s no different to being a hooker in their eyes.”

“You know what? That’s seriously fucked up. Even if you were a hooker, you still said no. It shouldn’t matter how you earn a living. Nobody has the right to force themselves on another person.”

“You really don’t think I deserved it a little because I take my clothes off for money?”

Jared looked at him incredulously, “What? No! So you’re a stripper, it’s just a job. Nobody deserves to be treated that way.”

The rest of the trip was spent in silence with Jensen trembling, huddled up with his face against the window. Jared kept shooting worried glances in his direction. He couldn’t believe what had happened tonight, how a fun light-hearted bachelor party had descended into attempted rape. He’d never much liked that circle of Chad’s friends, they had always been loud and obnoxious but he would never in a million years have guessed them capable of anything remotely like this. As far as he’d known they weren’t even into men! Of the sixteen guests who had attended the party, nine of them were gay and the rest were Chad’s straight friends. The only thing he could think was that it was pack mentality plus the combination of far too much alcohol, the incredibly hot visual of Jensen giving Chad a lap dance and a bunch of pricks with no self-control and no morals.

He’d felt enormous envy of Chad whilst Jensen writhed above him because Jensen was one of the most gorgeous guys he’d ever laid eyes on but now all he felt was sick knowing what those guys had planned to do to the poor guy currently shaking half to death next to him in the car.

When they arrived at the address, Jared ran around and opened the car door for Jensen and grabbed the man’s bag for him. When Jensen’s legs almost gave out again he swooped in, wrapping an arm around his waist to help steady him.

“Whoa there, I’ve got you.”

He pushed the car door closed with his hip and helped Jensen into his apartment building. He still had the car keys in his hand and asked if the apartment keys were part of the set. After he opened the door, the still very shaken looking Jensen flipped on the lights and Jared wasn’t sure what to do next. He really didn’t want to leave until he knew the man was alright but he didn’t think the guy would appreciate Jared going into his apartment after everything that had happened.

“So, um, are you gonna be okay? Are you sure you don’t want to call and report this? Or, can I call someone for you?”

“No, I just want to forget it ever happened but...I want to call my friend Chris. Would you...would you mind staying til he can get here? I really don’t want to be by myself.”

“Yeah sure, of course.”

“I’m just gonna put some clothes on. Make yourself at home.”

Jensen walked to his bedroom on wobbly legs. He felt like an idiot for being so shaken up when the men hadn’t really gotten further than ripping his clothes off but Christ it had scared him and his legs felt like jello and he still felt so damn afraid. He’d had guys grope him before but things had never gotten out of control like that. He guessed this was why the agency he worked at always sent them with drivers to private parties. It was just something he’d never really thought about when he’d taken this job ‘off the books’.  He’d been hired by a friend of the groom after they’d watched him perform at one of the clubs. He should’ve asked them to go through the agency but he wanted the extra cash to help pay for some car repairs and didn’t want to dip into his savings so he’d decided to cut out the middle man. What an idiot he’d been.

He threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and sat on the bed to call his friend.

Jared rattled around in Jensen’s kitchen and found some chamomile tea and set about boiling some water. He made two cups and had just sat down in the living room when Jensen returned and fuck if he didn’t still look gorgeous, even in sweats. But he couldn’t be thinking about things like that. The poor guy was traumatized and he didn’t need some fool leering at him.

“Um, I hope it’s okay, I made you some tea. I thought it might help.” He was practically wringing his hands together from nerves. He felt so bad for Jensen and partially responsible for what had transpired, after all both he and Matt had organized the party.

Jensen looked at the anxious man on his sofa who had eyes as soft as a puppy and so obviously wanting to help. He couldn’t help but smile. He thought the guy was kind of incredible. Not only had he saved him from being raped; he’d punched out one of his own friends, offered to help him have the guys responsible arrested, even gone out of his way to bring him home safely to make sure he was alright. Now he’d made tea! How nice was this guy? Plus, even though he was in no state to even think about sex, he wasn’t blind, the guy was freaking gorgeous.

He flopped onto the other end of the sofa and took the proffered cup; his hands still shaking a little.

“Thanks.” He took a sip and pulling his leg up beneath him he turned toward the tall, nervous looking man. “I mean really, thanks – it’s Jared right?” Jared nodded. “Uh, my friend, it’ll be at least an hour until he can get here, are you sure you’re okay to stay for a while? I mean I’ll be alright if you need to get back to the party.”

Jared’s face clouded over. “If I go back there I’ll most likely beat the fuck out of those drunken assholes. I can’t believe they did that to you, I’m so sorry.”

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. Man, if it wasn’t for you...” Jensen shuddered.

“I really don’t mind staying, I wouldn’t feel right leaving you here by yourself and I’d like to stay until your friend gets here. It’s the least I can do.”

After an awkward few minutes, Jensen broke the silence. “So, uh, how do you know the groom?”

“I’ve known Chad since high school. He came out when we were in the ninth grade and he became an easy target for bullies I guess. I admired him a lot. I knew I was gay but didn’t have the guts to be open about it but one day, one of the jocks decided it would be fun to use him as a punching bag and Chad was still kinda small then and even though I was shit scared, I was pretty tall by then so I manned up and stopped the guy from hitting him. Got a punch in the face for my troubles and I sort of unintentionally outed myself so we became the school pariahs together. We’ve been thick as thieves ever since.” He smiled at the memory.

“Wow, so you’re not only my hero, you’ve been rescuing people since high school huh?” Jensen grinned as Jared blushed. Damn, this guy really was adorable. He was brave, modest and it seemed a genuinely good guy. Plus those dimples were killer. “So let me guess, you’re actually a superhero in disguise; mild mannered reporter by day and ass kicker by night.”

Jared snorted, “Nothing quite so glamorous, I’m a vet, I work at the rescue shelter. By day I’m usually elbow deep in dog crap and I hate violence. So how long have you been uh...dancing?”

Jensen couldn’t believe it, the guy was practically a saint and he was smoking hot. Shouldn’t that combination be illegal? “You can say stripping, it’s what I do; I’m not ashamed of it. I’ve been working clubs and parties part time for, I dunno, maybe six years. It started as a great way to earn easy cash while I was in college but now it’s a good way to supplement my income. I work at this amazing little coffee shop during the day and I’m saving to buy it from the owner when she retires.”

“Oh wow, that’s great!” Jared beamed. “And I didn’t mean anything about your job. That’s what you do, not who you are.”

From there conversation flowed easily between them and for the next hour they talked about everything from family to favorite sport teams and Jensen’s plans for the coffee shop. They discovered they had a lot in common and Jensen felt the fear from earlier melting away and let himself relax. When he looked over at the clock he realized that Chris would be arriving any time now.

“Chris should be getting here soon and before he does I just wanted to say thank you, for everything.  Seriously, you saved my ass tonight, literally and I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Have dinner with me. I mean, if you want to. I really like you, Jensen, and I’d like to see you again and get to know you better.”

“Give me your phone.”

“Um, what?” He said as he passed over his phone.

“I’m putting my number in. Give me a few days to get myself together and if you still want to go to dinner, give me a call. I think I’d really like to get to know you as well,” he smiled.

The smile he received in return was blinding. Jensen had barely handed the phone back when the buzzer from downstairs went off signalling Chris’s arrival. When Jensen pushed the button that would allow Chris entrance to the building, Jared stood readying to leave.

“I’ll just call a cab.”

While he made the call Jensen opened the front door and was instantly grabbed in a furious hug by Chris.

“What the fuck, Jensen? People at that party tried to rape you? Are you okay? What did the cops say?”

“Yeah, I am now. Except for a few bruises, they didn’t get a chance to hurt me. I’m not reporting it, there isn’t any point. You know how the cops will react and it was stopped before they could do anything.”

Chris noticed Jared then and stormed over to him as he was just ending his call.

“You fucker!” he yelled as he shoved the much taller man so hard he fell back onto the sofa so that Chris was now looming over him.
“Chris, stop it! If it wasn’t for Jared they would’ve raped me. He got them off me, he saved me.”

Chris looked at Jared with unconcealed contempt. “Yeah well if it wasn’t for him and his fucking friends, you would never have been hurt in the first place.”

Jared didn’t try to stand, knowing that if he did, the volatile man in front of him was most likely going to hit him. “I didn’t know they were like that. They’re not my friends, they were friends of the guy the party was for.”

Jensen chimed in, “Chris, Jared was willing to go to the cops with me. He’s a good guy, alright. Just back off.”

“It’s okay, Jensen, he has every right to be angry. If this had happened to a friend of mine I’d want to kill the people involved. Look, man, I just wanted to make sure he was okay. I’ve called a cab and I was just leaving. Can I get up or are you gonna hit me?”

Chris angrily took a step back and motioned for Jared to stand. “Well thanks for helping him I guess but just get out already, you aren’t needed here.”

“Jesus, Chris, rude much? Knock it off. Sorry Jared, he’s a little over-protective. Really, you should wait here until your cab arrives.”

“Uh, no, I think it’d be best if I wait out on the street. I really am sorry this happened to you, you didn’t deserve it.”

“Damn straight,” Chris growled.

“Shut up already, Chris,” he said with exasperation. “I meant what I said, Jared. Thank you for everything, I would’ve been a wreck if you’d left me here to wait for this moron on my own.”

Jared gave a small smile and headed for the door. “I’m glad you’re alright. I’m sure your friend here will look after you. Take care.”

As Jensen walked him to the door he said, “I hope my pitbull here didn’t turn you off calling me. I really would like that dinner.”

“Yeah, so would I. I’ll call in a few days, take care okay?” They exchanged soft smiles before Jared walked to the stairs and Jensen closed the door, he turned to see Chris practically vibrating with anger.

“Oh you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. You’re gonna go out with that creep after what his friends did to you?”

“You heard what he said, they weren’t his friends. It’s not his fault some dicks at the party thought they could use me as a party favor. He really did save my ass. He even punched one of them out and he drove me home in my car so I wouldn’t have to go back there. He’s a good guy, Chris, a really good guy and I like him so yeah, I’m going out to dinner with him. Can we not fight about this? I’ve had a really shit night.”

Chris softened at that even though he was still really wary about his friend going on a date with a guy he didn’t trust. “Yeah, sorry man. Jesus, it must have been terrifying. Are you really alright? You sure they didn’t hurt you? What the hell happened?”

They both sat down and Jensen gave him the full rundown of the night’s events. When he got to the part where he’d been left alone in the room to pack up with the three men who jumped him, he almost had to physically restrain Chris from driving over and killing them. He then told him how Jared came to his rescue like some sort of giant white knight. How he’d covered him, collected his things and brought him home. His willingness to talk to the police and how he stayed until Chris arrived just to make sure Jensen felt safe.

“Okay, so he sounds like he’s a stand-up guy but do you think it’s a good idea to go out with him? Considering the circles he runs in.”
“I don’t think he’ll have anything to do with those assholes ever again. You should’ve seen him, Chris, he was really angry. I think he wanted to beat the hell out of them himself.”

“Yeah, well the dude’s certainly big enough to take on three guys. So you like him huh? This isn’t just some misplaced gratitude thing is it because no matter what you think, you don’t owe the guy anything.”

“Yeah, I like him and of course I’m grateful but that’s not why I want to go to dinner with him. I want to get to know him better. He’s such a genuinely sweet guy, he works at a rescue shelter for God’s sake and hello, he’s fucking hot as sin.”

Chris rolled his eyes at the last part but decided he’d reserve judgement on the guy; after all, Jensen was a pretty good judge of character. They talked for another thirty minutes or so until Chris could see Jensen was struggling to keep his eyes open and marched him off to bed while he set himself up on the sofa.

Jensen was just drifting off when he heard his phone beep. He grabbed it from the nightstand and opened up the message:

I know you said to call in a few days but I couldn’t wait. Hate the circumstances but so glad I met you. Can’t wait to see you again. Speak soon. Goodnight Jensen. Sleep well. Jared x

He dropped his back on the pillow with a big grin on his face. He hated the circumstances too, boy did he hate them but because of what had happened he’d met someone he was pretty sure was awesome. He had a good feeling about Jared.

He sent back:

Me too. It’s not every day a guy gets to meet his very own knight in shining armor. Looking forward to seeing those dimples again. Sweet dreams hero boy. J x

Across town, Jared read the return message with an equally big grin. It was such a shitty way to meet someone but he doubted he would have ever had the chance to talk to Jensen if it hadn’t. So although he hated himself for it, he couldn’t be 100 per cent unhappy about what had happened. He still wanted to tear those guys limb from limb but he wasn’t going to think about that right now. All he could think about was how much he wanted to see Jensen again and how much he’d begun to like the man in such a small period of time.

Neither realized it but both were thinking the same thing as they drifted off to sleep; this could be the start of something good.

Chapter two

Comments

[usaexpat101.livejournal.com]

Good story...I would like to see more. I am always a sucker for protective jarred stories

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I kind of surprised myself with this because I'm usually a hurt!sam, hurt!jared girl but when this popped into my head I couldn't see it any other way than protective!jared :)

[lunadragonx.livejournal.com]

Please continue this, protective!jared is just the best thing ever. bamf!jared when he fubar's those assholes would be a close second though. lol

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Yeah I know what you mean! I've gotten requests to continue it on a couple of other sites too so it looks like there will be more :)

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

I really liked this! I'm up for more :-)

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you like it. There will be more :)

[sam-dean-lover.livejournal.com]

i'd like to read more

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks! There will be more to follow soon.

[deezy-y.livejournal.com]

Oooh I really liked this! They're both really quite sweet and deserve a shot. Would love to read more. :D

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I guess I'd better start coming up with more for them.

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

I definitely need to read more! Soon, huh?

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

I'll try to get something up ASAP. Gotta finish up a chapter for Learning to Breathe and post it first then I can write some more of this :)

[violettestars.livejournal.com]

ooh i really liked this! please write more.

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks! More is on its way!

[sadritsuka12.livejournal.com]

omg so happy that jared help jensen.. awww.. i wish jared had hurt those asshole more.. ..o,p

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

I'm not quite sure yet but I haven't ruled out the possibility that he will :)

[jillmariej.livejournal.com]

love heroic Jared.

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Me too! I'm usually more of a hurt!jared fan but I kind of like him being a little bamf.

Edition 2,703

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User clex_monkie89 referenced to your post from Edition 2,703 (http://spnnewsletter.livejournal.com/751211.html) saying: [...] Jensen/Danneel, Sam/Dean/Ezekiel, NC-17) Fanfic: RPF This Could be the Start of Something Good [...]

[naturaljelly.livejournal.com]

You've got me hooked. You've got to write a chapter where Jared hurts the assholes, better if it's with the help of Chris.

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! It seems everyone wants bamf!jared!I've actually written him as a very gentle soul but also someone who can't abide people hurting someone else so you just never know, there may be retribution down the line.

[annabuffy.livejournal.com]

Aw, this was sweet. You must continue with more. :)

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks! There will be more soon. I just got a chapter of my other WIP out of the way so I can begin to write some more of this now.

[grean.livejournal.com]

Oh! I love your bamf Jarad. I think because I get so much protective Dean in the show that when I read fic I like to read some protective Jarad. Of course I also love bamf Jarad and evil Jarad, I think I just like my Jarad to manhandle Jensen as much as possible in infinite variety.
This story is lovely though. Your Jarad is sweet but obviously not afraid to use his size to help someone. I like your Jensen who is trying to make something of his life, that he usually enjoys his stripping is a good thing. I like that you have given him plans for his future.
Would love if you would continue.

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, he's a real softie in this story but also a champion of the underdog and someone who isn't afraid to stand up for someone. Jensen has plans, knows what he wants and is very self-confident. This episode may have shaken his confidence a little.

[laurathelurker.livejournal.com]

This was very sweet and yes it sounds like the beginning of a wonderful story if the muse strikes.

[reggie11.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Writing more of this will be the perfect way to cheer myself up while writing my other WIP which is very sad at the moment so I'm happy that people seem to like these guys. Everyone needs a little schmoop :)