It's Gonna Take A Lot [To Drag Me Away From You]



EPILOGUE


May 25, 2000
Highway 10. Somewhere East of San Antonio, Texas

"God, I seriously hate road trips."

Some things will never change, Jensen thought silently.

Jared sat next to him in the Jeep Cherokee Jensen had bought. He could mention that they'd only been on the road for a little over two hours, but there was no point. Jared would never like road trips, but he'd deal with them for Jensen's sake.

Failing to get a rise out of Jensen, Jared switched his focus to the CD player he'd had installed as a gift. The older man still usually deferred to Jared in music matters, and he didn't mind since their tastes ran similar.

Jensen was surprised at his boyfriend's selection, hearing the opening rifts of 'Feast or Famine'. In a rare switch, he'd introduced Jared to Rustic Overtones, an East Coast band he'd discovered in college. Jared leaned back, content to listen as Jensen sang softly along.

The two had left San Antonio that morning after visiting Jared's family. Jensen had insisted on the visit (‘my dad and I put you up for two months. Your family can handle two days, Jay,') despite Jared's whining that it would cut in to their vacation time. Now their road trip would take them to Florida to visit Mackenzie, stopping in New Orleans and Jacksonville, not to mention any beach that caught their fancy, on the way. It was a much needed vacation for both of them.

It had been a difficult year to say the least. Only in the last six months had their relationship finally settled down into some semblance of healthy. After Jared's college graduation they'd both endured nearly a year of frustration; long periods without talking, constant turmoil and changing atmospheres in Zimbabwe that Jared couldn't fully grasp, and finally the emotional and logistical struggle to get Jensen out of Africa.

A quick glance at Jared made Jensen smile. The window was rolled down, Jared's eyes closed. The highway breeze was fanning his still shaggy hair in every direction, giving him the appearance of a large dog just enjoying the ride.

For a long time, Jensen's pessimism had kept him from imagining a moment like this. Jared had never given up though, encouraging Jensen with every phone call and email, and that had been motivation enough for Jensen, throwing himself into helping his father and brother.

Jensen's eyes stayed on the road, but his mind traveled back to early 1999, an uneasy time for his family. Robert Mugabe's plans to reacquire farmland, though frightening, had stalled when more resistance was given than the country's president had expected. Alan, through his extensive network of contacts and friends, had kept on top of all news coming out of Harare while Jensen and Josh concentrated on managing that year's harvest, fortunately a very successful one despite the risk and turmoil.

By late May, rumors had reached them of invasions turned violent on farms closer to the country's central metropolis. Convinced that their farm wouldn't suffer the same fate while they owned it, Jensen had intensified his efforts, finally finding a way to legally sell their entire operation to a native friend of Alan's, knowing that the change in ownership could be enough to prevent the farm from being 'given' to one of Mugabe's political or military allies. Josh and Alan had decided to stay with the farm temporarily until they could leave. But Alan, unbeknownst to Jensen, had been working on his own plans, streamlining their operations, and talking to J.D..

In June, Alan told Jensen that he'd arranged for him to go back to the United States, J.D. offering his garage apartment. Initially Jensen had refused, intending to stay with his family, as he'd done for years, until they could all leave Zimbabwe together. Alan had told him that he and Josh were planning on staying in Africa, moving to Zambia to stay with a family they knew before restarting their operations there.

He'd been shocked, adamant that he wouldn't leave, until he'd spoken to Jared about everything his father and J.D. arranged. He could hear the excitement in Jared's voice even over the very long distance call, but Jared hadn't pressed, knowing Jensen would make his own decision. Bit by bit, Jensen had given in.

"Jen, you told me you'd find a way," Jared had said in mid-June. "But I know that you'd never leave unless everything was taken care of. I'm far away, and you won't believe me, but this is the best chance you have."

"How do you know?"

"Because J.D. keeps me too informed," he'd replied. "I know what your dad and brother have been doing. I know they're prepared, and I know that nothing would make your dad happier than finally seeing you happy."

Jensen had tried to argue, but he knew Jared was right. His father had never let the subject of Jared drop completely, sure about how Jensen and Jared felt about each other. In Texas, with J.D. and Jared, Jensen would finally have the chance to pursue the life he wanted.

"Not to mention what you'd be doing for me," Jared had added light-heartedly, but his tone turned more serious. "All those nights, Jen, this is what we stayed up talking about. You're going to second guess it, but this is what you need. Don't think about me; don't think about your family. I know you've lost so much, and stand to lose more if you stay in Zimbabwe much longer. It's time you won something, Jen, for yourself."

Jensen had been speechless even as Jared went on about how cheesy he could still be and that he wasn't totally above coming to Zimbabwe and kidnapping Jensen, but he knew in his heart that Jared was right. Doing his best not to question his own decision, and with the support of Josh and Alan, he'd spent his last few weeks in Zimbabwe packing and shipping his things, and teaching Josh the way he worked, hoping his older brother could keep things in order better than their father. Or at least be less messy.

More than two years after Jared had arrived in Africa, Jensen landed in Dallas, Texas on a rainy June day, Jared and J.D. waiting to meet him. Jensen hadn't known many reunions in his life, but this was by far the best, and from the look on Jared's face, he hadn't been alone in that regard.

Their first few weeks together were idyllic, the long separation and all that went with it disappearing for a while. Jensen couldn't even unpack his boxes at J.D.'s; Jared had no roommate in his Austin apartment and eagerly convinced Jensen to move in with him after only a week. His things took up the second bedroom, but Jared had dragged him into the master bedroom that first night, and he'd never really left. What was left of the summer was ideal. It had reminded Jensen of Jared's summer in Zimbabwe - just the two of them in a private existence for weeks. Jared had a job with the Austin newspaper but the rest of the time was largely theirs. Even the nights were spent in similar fashion, only it was Jensen who would pester Jared into setting work aside, joining him on the basketball court out back, and settling in for an evening of television, catching up, or the sex Jensen and Jared had long gone without.

When Jared started his second year of graduate school at U.T., things began to change, their calm summer suddenly over. Jensen was bored, and with J.D.'s help, started looking for a job of his own. J.D. put him in touch with several people, and Jensen found he was being actively headhunted because of his extensive experience in Zimbabwe, but going back to the business of farming was not what he'd had in mind. Jared was busy - graduate school and his work at the Austin American-Statesman - and it put pressure on both of them, not really used to such 'mundane' forces on their relationship.

"We've suffered through two years, two continents and political upheaval," Jensen said one night after an argument in October. Jared had escaped to their bedroom, and Jensen stood quietly in the doorway, watching his boyfriend flop on the bed and do his best to hide amongst the pillows. "We need time to get used to this, Jay. I don't know how to be available when we both have stressful lives, and I've never had to deal with jealousy. You don't know how worn down I get because I miss you."

"M'not jealous," Jared had mumbled into the comforter. Jensen laughed.

"Not the point, seriously," he'd moved to sit on their bed, feeling Jared shift to make room. "I can't stay around here all the time. I had dreams when I graduated school, too, and I'm not going to settle for a job I don't want. The interviews and searching takes time, Jared, but it'll pay off, I promise. We'll get back to normal."

"Promise?"

Jared emerged from the comforter and wrapped himself around Jensen from behind, his head on Jensen's shoulder.

"Definitely."

"Good, cause I really hate this," Jared mumbled in his ear.

Jensen had leaned back, thankful that the argument seemed to have passed. "Think you can let me tell you about this job I might have found, then?"

Jared responded by pulling Jensen back with him to lay on the pile of pillows he'd created.

"Let's hear it."

Jensen ultimately found a job that fit him, surprising Jared with the fact that he not only had a business degree from Duke, but a minor in literature as well ('seriously, Jen, you never struck me as a book snob," Jared had remarked). J.D. had introduced Jensen to the owner of a small publishing company, based in Austin, which focused on local authors and books of local history and interest. Eventually, Jensen took a job as their business developer, his fresh approaches to business and novel ideas selling him to the owner.

Even with that portion of his life settled down, Jensen and Jared continued to have quiet fights and disagreements, but as during their separation, neither one ever gave up. Over the holidays, each with a small break from work and school, things finally started to improve. Realizing that their relationship in Zimbabwe would never transfer one hundred percent to Texas, they knew they'd have to work a little harder to make what they had here even better.

And it was.

The CD skipped as Jensen hit a pothole in the highway. Jared must have fallen asleep while Jensen strolled memory's lane, but he jolted awake when his boyfriend swore loudly.

"Paying attention, Jen?" He yawned, trying to stretch long limbs in the passenger seat. "Are we lost yet?"

"I don't think it's possible to get lost when you stay on the same highway for hundreds of miles," Jensen quipped. "But you could probably manage it."

"That's why you drive, and I navigate." Jared reached to adjust the stereo's volume, turning it higher to compete with the sounds of the road as he rolled the window further down.

"You're a horrible navigator."

"Exactly." Jared smiled. "I can't stand to drive, but you hate relying on me to read maps, so I don't actually have to do anything. It's perfect."

"Perfect, but you still hate road trips."

"Yeah, 'cause they're boring, Jen," Jared whined. "How about we spice the trip up a bit?"

"Spice it up how?"

Jared wiggled his eyebrows in a lame attempt at coyness.

"Oh hell no," Jensen turned back to the road. "Not in my car, Jay."

"Boring," he heard Jared drawl.

"Only from where you're sitting..." he mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

A few minutes passed in relative quiet, Jared fidgeting with the large CD case to find new music. He popped in Philadelphonic and Jensen groaned.

"Seriously?"

"Go with it."

Jensen was sure he'd 'gone with it' at least twenty times during this vacation alone, surprised the CD hadn't broken in half yet.

"So, which natural wonder of the world are we going to see on this trip?" At least Jared had turned the volume on the radio down a bit.

"I don't think Bourbon Street counts as a 'natural wonder', Jay." Jensen resisted the hopelessly romantic urge to say something about how just being on this trip, Jared beside him, after all their troubles was a wonder in itself. It was true, but Jensen figured they both inadvertently said enough cheesy things to each other - he didn't need to add to the list.

Besides, he knew without saying that Jared felt the exact same way.

"I can't wait to meet Mac," Jared was saying, "see an Ackles' sibling relationship in action."

"I hope she likes you, or I'm breaking up with you."

"You're hilarious," he responded sarcastically. "But even if she hates me, you're stuck with me."

"I'd be stuck with you because I have no where else to live."

Jared laughed.

"You'd be stuck with me 'cause you love me."

And Jensen did.

He had for years now and no matter what lay ahead for them, that wouldn't change. He glanced over at Jared who'd stopped laughing, but was smiling at Jensen with the same gorgeous grin that had captured his attention the first day they'd met. Probably knowing exactly what Jensen was thinking, Jared reached over and slid his hand into Jensen's.

They had miles of open highway before them, years of struggle behind them. Jensen suddenly felt like he'd been waiting his entire life for this moment. Now that he was here, he knew that what came next would be even better.

He squeezed Jared's hand, and kept driving.




FIN.

[ Master Post ] [ Soundtrack ]



Thanks to the lovely ladies at j2au for hosting the challenge. To Becky, for solving Zimbabwean Crises. To my college papers - I'm glad I saved you all! To Malory, for dealing with freak outs.

I wanted to write a college!au story, complete with Acapella!Jensen and thoroughly annoyed!Jared. This is NOT that story.

This fic had no beta, only my rusty skills as an editor. All mistakes are mine, but if you'd like to blame someone else for them, I have no beef with that.

This fic is not meant as a commentary or historical record of the events in Zimbabwe over the last decade. I didn't go nearly into as much detail as I could have, deciding that it really took away from the story. Enough is there to show that it was in fact a dire situation in the late 90's and early 00's, and if you keep up with current news, the situation is far from resolved. Most white, farming families left the region due to violence and coercion, fleeing to South Africa or Zambia, but life is nowhere near peachy for anyone there now. Inflation has ravaged the country, and the political system is as corrupt as can be imagined, as current news reflects.

Feedback is welcome, this is actually my first J2 story, and I can understand if it's a bit rough. I have never written RPS is any form before...but I loved the idea for this story, and the challenge gave me a perfect excuse.