Chapter 9: Hello/Goodbye

Two days later, Streak woke up. The first words she uttered when she opened her dilated eyes were, 'My… Car… Bet-ter be… Fine.' Four days later, Jensen, Jared and Samantha hear their first complaint from her and they knew she was going to be perfectly alright. 'Fuc-… These goddamn bandages are itchier than a baboon's rear end, you know,' she said as she tried to claw at her arm cast. Jared laughed and took her hand away from the delicate wrapping. 'And you would know this, how again?' he mused and she scowled at him. 'Shut your face, Shaggy,' she said and went back to trying to rip her bandages off. Jared chuckled and just then Jensen came back with some take-out for the both of them.

'Hey,' Jared said and Jensen smirked at him, kissed him and held out a bag. 'Your favorite,' Jensen said and from the smell, Jared knew it was a delicious double decker cheeseburger that he had grown to love. Streak caught a hint of the smell and groaned. 'Can't I just have a LITTLE bit?' she asked and pouted and Jensen shook his head, 'Sorry Vic,' he said and took a bit of his own burger and groaned excessively, rolling his head back and closing his eyes and said with his mouth full, 'D'cter's ho-arders.' When Jensen had made that groan, Jared completely forgot about being hungry because that sound went right through him, right down to his pants. Suddenly he found his jeans tightening and he cleared his throat and set his burger aside.

'Uh, Jen,' Jared said, causing Jensen to come out from his food stupor, 'Could you ah, go grab me a cup of coffee?' Jensen's mouth opened slightly, aghast. 'But…' he said and looked at his half-eaten burger and back at Jared, '…Burger.' 'Pleeeease, Jen?' Jared said and gave him his best puppy dog pout and Jensen shook his head and set his burger down muttering, 'Things I do for love…'

When he had left the room, Jared tried to find an excuse to leave too when Streak cleared her throat. 'The janitors closet on the cafeteria floor,' she said and smiled knowingly at Jared. Jared tried to put on a confused face, but found himself suddenly blushing a little, 'Streak… C'mon, it's not like that,' he said and she raised an eyebrow. 'Any man that separates Jen from his food better have a damn good reason and sugar, coffee ain't a good reason. Don't think I didn't see your horny get turned on when he groaned just now,' she said and Jared just looked down, a little embarrassed. 'And anyway,' she continued, 'I know you were looking for an excuse.'

Two minutes later and Jared found Jensen coming up out of the elevator. 'Coffee,' Jensen said proudly, but Jared pushed him back into the mercifully empty elevator. 'Hey, wha-,' Jensen began but was cut off as Jared's lips found his and Jared's lips were hungry. They kissed with passion and Jared's finger brushed the raised number 5 and he hit it. They travelled down, kissing and trying to mould each other together, but when the door dinged open, they walked very calmly out, smiling at Nurse Scott that happened to be passing by the cafeteria. 'Boys,' she said and they responded with a, 'Ma'am.'

When they got into the janitor's closet, Jared slammed it shut and locked it just in time for them to resume their fiery kissing. Jared's tongue begged entrance and Jensen parted his perfect lips to Jared. They searched each other's mouths, tracing each other's teeth and gently flicking each other's tongues. Jared let up a moment and kissed Jensen's neck before breathing softly into Jensen's ear, 'I want you.' Jensen looked up at the taller man and smiled a little breathlessly, 'Thought you'd never ask,' he said and took off his outer jacket. They made love slowly, taking their time and enjoying every moment of it. Jared hadn't realized that it had been so long since they had explored each other and Jensen had taught him things that Jared was happy to find could be exploited on Jensen. They made sure to clean themselves (and two shelves they had accidentally ruined) up properly and came out of the closet smiling and holding each other's hands. They went back into Streak's room and was greeted by Samantha, Nurse Scott and Streak laughing at something.

'What's all the ruckus?' Jared said, grabbing his now hardening burger. 'Oh,' Samantha said, 'Victoria was just saying how desperate all those couples that have sex in places like the public bathrooms are.' 'AND in hospital janitors closets!' Streak laughed and looked at them with amusement as Jared and Jensen both shared a guilty look. 'You'd be surprised at how many people actually do those things,' Nurse Scott said, 'Well, it's actually good fun when we find a couple in there. Would you imagine, some of them don't even lock the door!' They boomed with laughter again and Jared and Jensen chuckled nervously and busied themselves with their burgers again.

'Listen boys,' Samantha said, 'you've been here for two days straight. You two need some rest too.' 'Yeah, not to mention both of y'all haven't fucked in a while right,' Streak said and Samantha gave her a reprimanding look. 'Now, now, Victoria,' Samantha said, 'What they do in the bedroom needs to stay there. But boys, really,' she said, looking back at them, 'Go out and enjoy yourself. Jared, you especially. You don't have much more time here.'

The last line really struck home. The room instantly became more somber and Jared swallowed the last bit of his burger and looked at Jensen. Jensen's shoulders were suddenly stiff and his eyes looked sad. 'Yeah, I think we should take a night off,' Jared said, 'Huh, Jen?' Jensen merely nodded and grabbed his things. After murmuring a quiet goodbye, he left before Jared. Jared stood to leave but heard the tires of Jensen's jeep screeching out of the parking lot. He ran to the window just in time to see the jeep's backlights. Samantha sighed and shook her head. 'He'll be on the beach, Jared,' she said, 'You know the place.' Jared nodded and went out of the hospital. He caught a cab to the entrance of the clearing and as he was paying the driver, the driver looked around the place. 'You sure this is where you have to be, buddy?' he said and Jared nodded, 'Okay, but just be careful okay? Lotsa crazy folk lurking around here.' 'Thanks,' Jared said and got out.

Trekking through the little bit of jungle would've been easier if Jared wasn't wearing sneakers, but as he made it through, he found Jensen's jeep parked nearby and his lover sitting on the beach, staring out at another beautiful sunset; there always seemed to be a good sunset this side of California. 'Took off pretty fast, huh,' Jared said, sitting down next to Jensen, but his smile faded as he saw Jensen's expression of pure sadness and pain.

'Should've remembered that you weren't gonna stay forever,' he said quietly. 'Jen…' Jared said slowly, touching Jensen's arm, 'We still have time.' Jensen huffed, 'Time… Yeah. Tell that to my parents, Jay.' Jared sighed and pried Jensen's arms open and made him lay down on top of Jared's chest. Jensen hugged Jared tightly and Jared held him close. 'Don't leave…' Jensen said, his voice a little muffled by Jared's t-shirt fabric. 'You know, right now you sound like a little girl,' Jared said and that earned him a light punch in his rib. Jared stroked Jensen's hair a little and looked up at the pink sky. 'I don't want, Jen,' he said and Jensen looked up hopefully. 'Then don't. We could run away together. Live life on the road. I could work and support us and we could save up and you could go to school and we'd make our own rules,' he said, but Jared smile and kissed his forehead. 'And as much as I would love to do that, for real, I'm not even joking, you know I can't. You know we can't, Jen,' Jared said.

Jensen sighed and buried his face in Jared's chest. He held on to Jared like he was scared that Jared would be blown out of his life with the breeze that was gently blowing. 'I've loved the time here,' Jared said softly, 'I don't remember a time when I was happier or more content with life,' suddenly his heart ached and a tear slid down his cheek, 'Oh god, I don't want to leave.' 'But you have to,' Jensen said, looking up at him. 'But I have to,' Jared said.

'You know what,' Jensen said finally, 'Screw whether or not you have to leave.' Jared looked at him and smiled, 'And what great plan have you come up with, O Wise Ackles?' Jensen got up and went over to the jeep; he rummaged through the back. He came back with a Polaroid camera and lay back down on the sand. He brought Jared close by and kissed Jared's cheek while pressing the flash. 'There,' he said, looking at the picture that came out, 'Now you can't forget me.' Jared looked at the picture and back at Jensen. He leaned in and kissed Jensen full on the lips and took another photo. He looked at it happily and kissed Jensen's nose, 'NOW I won't forget you.'

But that wasn't it. A picture would never, could never replace Jensen. No matter how many pictures, memories or places they went to, Jared knew that nothing would ever replace Jensen. And he knew that his time with Jensen was fast ending.