In which Jared Padalecki goes on a blind date with Jensen Ackles' best friend.
[JARED PADALECKI X OC]
[Set during the time that season 3 of Supernatural was filmed]
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EMMASITSINHEROFFICE far past the hour she was supposed to leave work. Her head is still reeling from the incident that occurred the day before, when Jared snapped at her. She has many mixed feelings about what he said. She doesn't want to leave work, because it is surprisingly the one place she can think clearly. In the privacy of her small office. Her boss came in at half past five, wondering why Emma hadn't left yet. The brunette informed her boss that the manuscript she was reading was extra long and she wanted to finish editing it before she went home, so she would have less of it to look over the next day.
Emma runs her index finger down the length of her mechanical pencil before gazing up at the clock on the wall. It reads seven twenty five. For the past half an hour, she's been sitting silently, having finished the manuscript earlier than she thought. She considered asking her boss for another, but she knew that would be useless. While most people's bosses drive them crazy, Emma is actually close with hers. The two care for each other in a way not often seen in an employer and employee. She wouldn't give Emma anymore work today. She would tell her to go home and rest.
So she sits, twiddling her thumbs and thinking about Jared. She thinks about the first time they went out, how she walked into that fancy restaurant radiating confidence and nearly swooned at seeing Jared up close for the first time, and in a suit. She thinks about how later that evening that suit ended up on the floor of her apartment. Also how, amazingly, they haven't had another night like that since.
Sure, they go on dates, they kiss each other on the mouths, and occasionally hold hands, but neither of them seem to be eager to get into bed together again. That first night was something that they both needed because they were stressed with their work. They were using each other to blow off steam.
Now it's more than that. They care for each other, despite the things that Jared said the previous day.
Emma has considered calling him many times throughout her day, but she wouldn't know what to say. She wouldn't even know where to start. Should she be apologizing to him or yelling at him?
Emma is so buried in her own thoughts, it takes her a moment to notice the phone in her office is ringing. She answers it, knowing it must be Jensen because he's the only one who ever calls her work phone.
"Yeah," she says in greeting, voice cracking from not being used for hours. Jensen's voice comes through the phone. Emma isn't sure if she's relieved or disappointed.
"Well, you sound like crap," her best friend tells her. She sighs in reply. "Why are you still at work?" He asks, voice flooded with concern. Emma closes her eyes and sighs, tapping the end of the phone against her temple as she tries to come up with something to say.
"I don't know," she tells him finally, cringing at the tone of her voice. She sounds absolutely pathetic, and she knows it.
"Jared told me what he said to you," Jensen says after a while of silence. Emma clenches her jaw as tears form in her eyes. She isn't sure why but she feels like crying. She's felt like that on and off throughout the day. "He didn't mean it."
Emma shakes her head, scoffing. "I think he did," she argues in a futile attempt.
"He wants to see you tomorrow," Jensen says, ignoring Emma's comment. "I mean, that's what he was saying to me earlier. He was going to tell you himself but I guess he couldn't get a hold of you. Where's your cell?"
"At home," Emma replies. She intentionally left it at home, just in case Jared tried getting a hold of her. "And I can't do anything tomorrow, I have to work."
Emma hears Jensen laugh a little in disbelief. "You don't have to go in till nine and you get out at five. That's not all day."
"I don't want to see him Jensen," she says, the words coming out fast and sloppy, like a child is saying them. "I don't—"
She doesn't get another word out. She feels like something is in her throat, clogging up all the words she couldn't say. She sniffs and holds the phone away from her so Jensen can't hear her.
"Emma?" She faintly hears him calling her name. He sounds seriously worried this time. The fact that he used her whole name gives that away easily. "Talk to me, kiddo."
The fact that Jensen is being so caring and concerned only makes her even more choked up. "I have to go," she tells him, then ends the call, not even giving him a chance to respond.
She puts her face in her hands and lets all the pent up tears come out.
•••
Over the next few days, Emma feels like crap. She almost calls in sick to work a few times, but then someone else there would have to work harder that day, and she didn't want other people to suffer because of her. Jensen had called her again a few nights before, but she ignored the calls. She was glad that Jared hadn't tried to get a hold of her yet. She still hasn't worked out what to say to him yet.
On this day, it's only a few moments into working when her boss comes inside the room.
"Good morning, Mrs. Davies," Emma greets her boss, despite the achy feeling in her body. The woman smiles at Emma in reply.
"Emma, I'm sending you home," Mrs. Davies tells her. Emma's eyebrows scrunch in confusion.
"Excuse me?" She asks, wondering if she heard wrong.
"You've been working hard lately, and you look like crap, no offense," the older woman says. "Take the day off."
Emma smiles faintly at her boss, glad that she cares so much for her well being. "Mrs. Davies, that's really thoughtful of you, but I'm fine, really." The older woman only raises her eyebrows.
"Look in a mirror, dear," she says. Emma says nothing. Mrs. Davies repeats herself, "You go home. Come in when you don't look like that anymore."
With that, the older woman walks away from Emma's office, leaving her sitting there slightly confused, and maybe a little relieved. The idea of going home and taking a nap sounds great. She hasn't had a decent night's sleep since last week. She needs it.
She gathers her things and leaves, heading back to her apartment.
