Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Title: Sunshine on a Rainy Day (prologue)
Author: violetknights
Rating: This part PG, will rise later.
Characters: Jared/Jensen, Steve, Chris
Wordcount: 1,200
Beta: Many thanks to the wonderful sunset_dark, but I have played with it a bit since I got it back, so any mistakes are mine. Feedback: is chocolate for the soul – please feed me!
Disclaimer: This is fiction, it’s not real, I’m only playing. Title and song lyrics borrowed from Sunshine on a rainy day by Zoe.
Summary: AU. Jared has been looking for a purpose to his life ever since he dropped out of college and returned to the small town where he grew up. Jensen is a deeply damaged young man seemingly locked in a waking coma for the past eight years.

Sirens wailed; police cars and fire engines littered the road outside the burning hospital. Smoke billowed around in the chill night air adding to the panic and confusion as patients and staff milled around.

Doctors, therapists and orderlies worked tirelessly through the evening to round up their charges and ensure that everyone was safe. An hour and a half after the alarm first sounded the fire fighters were beginning to win the battle and most of the patients had been taken to safety.

Steve Carlson was the nursing Team Leader for the ward that took all the patients that didn’t fit in anywhere else. He’d been off duty that night but had come in as soon as he heard about the fire. “Is everyone out?” Steve yelled to be heard above the noise, addressing the question to the nurse standing nearest him.

“We think so, just checking the roll against E wing but it’s hard because none of them answer!”

Steve nodded his understanding and jogged over to where his friend Chris was chatting soothingly to the three young men who were his special charges.

“Everyone okay here?”

“Yup,” Chris replied. “We’ve managed to get emergency beds for most of them by reopening an old ward at the City hospital, most of them are being settled in already. Those with family nearby, who can cope in the short term are going home.”

He was rubbing soothing patterns on the arm of the nearest patient to him who seemed to be oblivious to the touch. “Just a few of the most docile guys left now waitin’ to be collected, gonna go back home for a few days while we get things sorted out. My boy Jen here is going to his Aunt Lucy ‘cos his Mom and Dad are on vacation.”

Jensen didn’t react to Chris’s words or his touch; he was staring at the flames, his face blank although his eyes were entranced by the dancing movement. As part of the roof fell in a shower of sparks shot round them and Steve and Chris pulled their charges back a few paces.

One of the fire fighters came to join them. “Your guys wanna go and sit in a truck? It’s getting chilly out here now. Or maybe they don’t feel the cold like us?”

Chris’s face darkened, “Buddy, we all know what you’re saying, maybe some of us aren’t so chatty as others but it ain’t good manners to talk about people in front of them like that.”

“Sorry, dude, really I am, I didn’t think . . .” he stammered. “I’ve never had anything to do with mental people before and I . . .”

“I’d just be quiet before you put your foot any further in your mouth!” Chris advised quietly. “Our friends here are sick, it’s no different to a broken arm or leg, just trickier to fix and harder to see.”

Steve looked at Jen who was edging away from the conflict, he was always very sensitive to tension and Steve needed to keep him calm.

“Thank you, we’d like to get out of the cold, wouldn’t we guys? Wanna go and sit in a fire truck?” His two younger charges nodded and Steve sent them off with Chris while he went over to Jensen.

“Hey Jen,” he said softly, “Jensen, we need to go and wait for your Aunt Lucy now; she’s on her way.”

Jensen continued to stare at the flames, nearly under control now as the fire fighters continued to tackle the blaze, reduced to little more than an orange glow over the ruins.

Steve chatted on, not knowing really whether Jensen could even hear him. In all the years he’d worked at the hospital the young man had never replied, never responded, never given any indication that he knew Steve or anyone else was there. The only time he ever reacted was to others arguing when he’d retreat under a table or squash himself into a corner where he’d rock with his hands over his ears until the commotion had passed. They still didn’t know whether it was the noise he reacted to or if he was just sensitive to the aggressive vibes.

Steve’s cell buzzed: it was Chris saying that Jensen’s aunt had arrived and was down by the gatehouse and that emergency meds for Jensen had been left there too. Gently he steered the emotionless young man away from the burning wreckage that had been his home for the past eight years, and took him to the waiting car. Jensen hadn’t even left the place once in that whole time and Steve had no idea what Jen’s response would be.

There was no need for concern however because Jensen was completely compliant as he allowed himself to be manoeuvred into the car by Steve and his Aunt and didn’t even flinch as Steve buckled his seatbelt for him. He sat in the back of the car, his eyes gazing blankly ahead as he fidgeted with a marble, rolling it between his fingers, making it dance and roll, back and forth, back and forth.

Steve patted his shoulder gently, “Bye then Jen. You be good for your Aunt Lucy tonight okay? I’ll catch up with you soon.” He shut the car door carefully, and straightened up with a yawn, it had been a very long night.

“I’m sorry, we don’t know yet if any of his stuff can be saved,” he apologized. “But these are his anxiety pills,” Steve explained to the woman. “Give him two tonight and two more in the morning. Chris or I will come round as soon as possible to check on him.” She thanked him politely before going round to get into the driver’s seat, “We’ll be fine,” she reassured, although Steve wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince, him or herself.

Steve knew her from her frequent visits to Jensen, she obviously cared very deeply for her nephew, she came far more often than his own mother; always bringing Jensen home made cookies and reading to him for hours despite the lack of response.

Steve was relieved to know that at least one of his charges would be in caring hands tonight.