Warnings: shower sex, masturbation, voyeurism. You’ve been warned!

Telepathic speech

'Speech with animals'

‘thoughts’

The trail to the tree city was a bit rough with leaves and some branches that had broken off recently, but they managed to get down the hill without too many problems. When they arrived there, they were met by a tall bearded man that was wearing the same robes as the rest of the Elam. He grinned as he bounced the baby in his arms and then bowed to Evie. “Welcome to Eden, Chosen One. My name is Robert Fale and I am the head of Eden. This little one is Alethea, my daughter,” he introduced himself and grinned at her through his soft brown beard.

“Pleased to meet you, Robert. My name is Evie Treber. Thanks for coming out in this cool weather to greet us,” Evie replied with a slight smile, uncomfortable with how she had been greeted and singled out. She blinked as Alethea reached for her with a giggle and she automatically moved forward and took the baby in her arms. “Hello there, Alethea. Aren’t you adorable?” she whispered and grinned as Alethea giggled and reached up to pat her face.

“She trusts you…you must be the One indeed,” Robert declared and smiled as Evie looked up at him in confusion. “She is a seer…she is Sati’s daughter,” he explained quietly.

Evie paled and swayed as tears filled her eyes and she looked at the baby. ‘Oh god…oh god her mom’s dead because of me…’ she thought and swallowed hard. She forced a smile and handed Alethea back to Robert. “She’s beautiful. I-I hate to be rude, but perhaps we could be shown to some guest rooms or something? I…I’m rather tired,” she whispered as she backed away with her head bowed, so she didn’t see the looks of concern that were exchanged among the others.

“There is a home readied for you already. Come, I shall show you. The rest of you already know your homes, so go on,” Robert ordered and smiled as the others laughed. He turned and looked over his shoulder as Alethea whined and reached over his shoulder for Evie. “Would you like to hold her again?” he asked as they walked along.

“No, thank you,” Evie replied quietly and kept a few paces back as her stomach roiled while she fought not to cry. How many others had lost family the other night? They walked through the city and she took notice of the different buildings and how they were built around the trees that they were on. They came to a stop in front of a house that was built around a tall, very ancient looking oak that sheltered it with its branches. It wrapped around the trunk and the roof was split by the large branches that thrust towards the sky. It was a rich brown log home and looked like it was new. She could see some wires traveling along the trunk into the house and realized that they were for electricity as well as cable and internet. She noted some pipes that ran down the other side of the trunk and went over to touch them. She was surprised to find that they were insulated plastic and molded to the trunk as they plunged into the ground, where a well or pipeline for water must be. She looked up and saw a spiral staircase winding around the trunk until it came to the deck that ran all around the house. She looked over at Robert for permission, and then went up the stairs with him following.

At the top, she looked out and smiled a bit more this time as she saw everyone having fun or greeting each other. She blinked in surprise as she saw her brother kissing someone, but she looked away, feeling jealousy rise up before she could shove it aside. She went inside and swayed at the warmth that instantly wrapped around her. She looked around and saw a beautiful stone fireplace in the center of the far wall with a blazing fire in it and a large stone dais jutting out from it, then noted the vents in the floor as well as the large vaulting windows on either side of the fireplace. She put her hand over one of the vents and laughed slightly as it became warm and moist. ‘Steam heat…should have known,’ she thought before she returned to her explorations.

The floors were wood with a couple of rugs here and there and the walls climbed to the cathedral ceiling. The front door led into the dining room where a small dining table and a set of four chairs surrounded it. To the right, she found a half wall that could also be a bar and some stools in front of it. She trailed her hand along the black marble countertop as she went in and found the refrigerator, stove and oven, and even a microwave. She grinned as she saw the dishwasher and peeked into the fridge to find that it was empty. She shrugged and walked out of the kitchen and found a set of closets, which she slid open and noted their barrenness. She then saw the staircase that went up and followed it up to find a bedroom and bath with a large tub.

She went back downstairs and into the living room where Robert was letting Alethea play while she explored. She went to the side of the fireplace and looked out of the large window, breathless with the view. She turned around and went down the other hall that she’d seen, which had another bathroom, a washer and dryer in a closet, and another large bedroom. She returned to the living room and smiled uncertainly as she watched them.

“All of the appliances are energy sufficient and you can make a list of what you’d like and we shall buy them for you, such as food and clothing as well as any additional furniture,” Robert commented as he balanced Alethea. He looked up and smiled at her before lifting his daughter and standing. “Just ask anything of us, Chosen One…we are here to aide you,” he added and bowed.

“P-Please…my name is Evie. Don’t call me Chosen One. I don’t…I don’t deserve it,” Evie whispered and her voice choked a bit on her emotion.

“You are who you are. Do not worry,” Robert replied soothingly before bowing and leaving.

Evie watched him go and finally slid down to sit in front of the fireplace. Her face crumpled as she started crying softly, guilt and exhaustion as well as an overwhelming sense of being *lost* washed over her.  She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in her knees as she cried, longing for her family and home and her cats welling up with her tears.

She cried for a few minutes, but soon she was just rocking herself, numb. She felt a breeze, but didn’t move. It was expected, right? It was a tree house after all. But the soft wet nose that pushed at her arm and the quiet whine wasn’t part of the whole tree house experience, so she looked up in surprise and blinked as she was met with a pair of brown eyes over a longer golden brown snout. The dog whined again and nudged her hand and she smiled slightly as she reached up and pet the dog. “Um, hello there…how’d you get in?” she asked in bemusement as she scratched behind the large ears.

The dog tilted its head. 'We come in when he sensed you crying. You no cry? It pretty here and you should not be sad,' was said and Evie pushed back as she heard the curious words. The dog whined and shuffled forward, nudging her reassuringly.

“How am I able to…hear you?” Evie whispered as she shook and felt more tears well up. She sniffled and shook her head. “I’m a freak…”

'You no freak. All Elam can hear animals!' the dog replied and its tongue lolled out in a doggie grin.

Laughing slightly through her tears, Evie began scratching the dog’s ears again. “You’re…You’re Sadie, aren’t you? I recognize you,” she said softly and the dog’s tail began whipping across the floor quickly.

'You know me?? You know me! I Sadie! I Jared’s Sadie and Jared is Sadie’s!' was the excited reply and Evie giggled and wiped at her face. She laughed thickly as Sadie licked her face and pushed close enough for her to wrap her arms around the large dog. 'Jared and Jensen and Jeff worry for you. They worry you are sad. Are you sad? Why you sad?'

Sighing, Evie buried her face in the soft fur. “I’m responsible for people dying last night, Sadie. I…I can’t forgive myself for that. All because of something they hope I am…I just don’t know what to do,” she whispered as more tears rolled free down her face and into the warm fur.

Sadie shifted and whined, then her tail sped up suddenly as the soft sound of footsteps drew nearer. Another furry body pressed against Evie as a wet curious tongue licked her face. She looked up and into another dog’s face and grinned. “You must be Harley.”

'I am…Jared send us to make you smile. He knows you miss your cats. Will your cats play with us if we have them here?' Harley replied and grinned a big doggie grin before barking as Evie laughed again.

“I don’t know, Harley. If you’re nice, I guess. And I guess I should thank Mr. Padalecki for being so kind,” Evie replied with a soft smile.

'Jared’s father not here…why you thank him?' Harley asked as he tilted his head and Evie laughed out loud at that and was echoed by another laugh, which startled her.

Looking over, Evie stood up quickly and shifted on her feet as she saw Jared sprawled on the rather bare wooden floor, leaning on his elbow as he grinned at her. “Um…uh…hi…” she stuttered as she wrung her hands a bit and he grinned at her as he stood up. She couldn’t help watching him and quickly kicked away any longing she might have for him. He was definitely WAY out of her league!

“I’m glad the dogs helped. I had a feeling they would,” Jared replied as he stretched a bit. He looked around and nodded. “They did pretty good here for ya. Is there anything you need?” he commented before looking back at her and smiling.

“Um…furniture and food I guess,” Evie whispered as she looked away. “Kinda hard to take a nap on the floor, though I guess I could do it,” she added somewhat teasingly, though her smile slipped away almost immediately.

Jared shifted towards her and stopped just outside of where the dogs were sitting. “Evie…everything that happened last night could not have been predicted. But you *are* important to us. It’s for the good of everything that-“

“Just stop!!” Evie cried, cutting him off and he blinked in surprise at her. She wrapped her arms around her chest, hugging herself as she cried. “Just…stop it. I’m not that important. I don’t give a rat’s ass if you guys think I’m some Wiccan Messiah or whatever the hell you think I am, but I’m not! I just…I have bad luck! That’s my power!” She sobbed slightly and ducked her head. “I wish I’d died when I got sick. Then no one would have been hurt.”

“Your family would have been and all of the people you *will* save would have been. How can you think that?” Jared asked gently as he leaned in and the dogs whined and shifted closer to her, nudging her hands to comfort her.

“You’re right…what am I thinking? Why should I wish something so selfish? I mean, after all…my feelings or self don’t matter. It’s what I am that matters,” Evie whispered tearfully and Jared jerked.

“No…Evie, that’s not what I meant,” Jared answered in protest and reached for her, but stopped as she looked up, tears rolling down her face even as she smiled. “Evie…” he trailed off helplessly.

“Thanks for coming to see me, Mr. Padalecki. You can go now. I’ve been alone this long…I think I can handle being alone again. Don’t let me stand in the way of your own duties,” Evie stated softly before looking away and wiping her face.

Opening his mouth to protest, Jared stopped and sighed as he let his hand fall. “All right…if you think you’ll be fine. I’ll find Phil and tell him to come visit,” he responded unhappily.

“Don’t. He’s got other things to do,” Evie replied brusquely, which confused Jared. He could almost see the emotional wall going up around her and felt helpless to break through it. He believed her when she said that she’s been alone for so long, but she didn’t have to be that way. She looked back over at him and it was like a punch to Jared’s gut when he saw the flat cast to her gaze and the falseness of her smile. “I’ll be fine. I could use a flat surface to sleep. It’s not a problem. And I could stand to lose some weight, so don’t send anyone, all right? I’ll be fine,” she asserted before looking down and petting the dogs on their heads once and moving around them to go to the door.

Following her, Jared watched her as the dogs followed him, but he stopped beside her as she opened the door. The dogs whined, but went outside at Jared’s nod, leaving Jared and Evie alone. Evie didn’t look up at him as she stood with the cold seeping in and he could see that she was getting cold with just her sandals, t-shirt, and capris the only clothing she had. He reached out suddenly and pulled her to him, hugging her as she struggled a bit before just relaxing into his hold. “I’m going to come by later with catalogs. We have lots of people in the Elam that are very rich, so they contribute to our people and that’s how we can live so comfortably and off the map here in Eden. It’s no trouble whatsoever and I want to come and visit. So just rest and I’ll be by later,” he said quietly as he rubbed her shaking back with a large hand, soothing her. He stepped back and slipped out of his robe, then wrapped it around her. She looked up to protest and he smiled at her. “At least for now, ok? I’ve got clothes here and you don’t.” He felt his heart fall as her face shuttered at the reminder of her situation and he kicked himself mentally. “We’ll fix that, ok? Just…go and rest. You’ve had a rough night,” he suggested softly and she snorted.

“Gee, ya think?” she retorted sarcastically and he grinned at her. She sighed and tugged his robe around her tightly. “Thanks. I’ll be fine,” she muttered as she kept her face turned away.

Reaching up, he tucked a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear and smiled at her when she looked up. “Eventually you will be. I’ll be by later, promise,” he said before stepping out. He jogged down the stairs and looked up at the bottom to see her watching him wistfully. Heart lifting with hope, he smiled and waved and felt warmth shoot through him as she smiled back and waved in return before she went inside. He stuffed his hands into his pants and went to the house he shared with Jensen and Jeff. He had to get those catalogs and then discuss things with Jensen and Jeff.

With her awakened, their positions had changed in the Elam. They were her Guardians. It had been proven at her induction when a symbol had suddenly appeared on their chests above their hearts: a triquetra with a circle around it. They knew it symbolized the Earth, the Heavens, and the Spirit realm, with a circle forever connecting them all. They’d already figured out that Jared was the Earth representation, Jensen was the Spirit persona, and Jeff represented the Heavens. They knew with all they were that Evie was the circle, completing and connecting them. But how to explain that to her? How to explain something that was so easy to understand to someone who couldn’t believe in her own worth? Jared knew they had to find a way and soon. He felt that if they didn’t things would break faster than fragile glass on a floor.

He arrived at their house and climbed up with the dogs on his heels. They went in as soon as he opened the door and he grinned as he found Bisou waiting for them patiently. He glanced around as he gave them their food, and then went into the bathroom, where he heard the shower running over the moans that were floating out. He leaned against the door jamb and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the foggy shadows in the clear glass shower stall. From the looks of it, Jensen was enjoying the slow thrusts that Jeff was delivering and Jared couldn’t deny *that* mood. He licked his lips and focused a little, getting the stall door to clear up just enough so he could watch without any obstruction.

His hand drifted down to between his legs where his cock was pushing against his jeans as he watched the slow movements and let himself drown in the moans and quiet encouragement that were growled out. He unzipped his pants and pulled out his erection, shuddering as Jensen begged softly for more and cried out when he was answered with a sharp thrust. Jared started stroking himself in time to their actions, letting his long fingers play with his balls briefly as he spread his legs to balance better. His eyes never left them and he couldn’t help admiring their firm muscular bodies sliding together under the hot spray. Jeff’s buttocks flexed steadily as he framed Jensen with his body, both protecting and trapping the other man as he took pleasure from Jensen’s body. Jensen threw his head back and groaned as Jeff started thrusting harder and faster and Jeff bit his neck before sucking a path down the bared skin until he came to Jensen’s flexing shoulder. Fist clenching against the slippery wall, Jensen panted as their interlocked hands stroked his cock in counter to the rough thrusts that were splitting him open deliciously.

Smirking as he bit his lip, Jared watched them as he sped up his own strokes, smoothing his thumb over the head of his cock and groaning a bit as his knees buckled just a bit. He had a sudden vision of Evie being there with one of them and shuddered at the image as it seemed to travel to his lovers and urged them on. Jeff looked over his shoulder at him, his eyes smoldering with passion and need as he thrust savagely into Jensen and Jared met his gaze with just as much desire as he stroked himself to completion. Jensen’s sharp cry shot out suddenly as he came hard, his release smacking into the wet wall before it was washed away as he jerked and trembled with ecstasy. Jeff and Jared weren’t far behind as with a couple more strokes they both climaxed, either on their hand or deep inside Jensen.

Jeff collapsed a bit against Jensen and they slid to the floor of the shower as the water sluiced over them, mirroring Jared as he slid down dazedly and sprawled in the doorway. Panting softly as his head lolled, Jared replayed that last image in his mind, savoring it. It had been so natural…so right. He knew his lovers felt the same way and it excited him. They would find a way to make things right and to get to that point or his name wasn’t Jared Padalecki!

He grinned as Jeff stepped out of the shower first while Jensen shut off the water and grabbed the hand offered to him. He groaned as he was pulled into a heated kiss before being released. “Liked watching, hmm?” Jeff growled out and Jared felt a shiver run up his spine in delight and fought the urge to roll over and let Jeff take him. That’s just the kind of reaction Jeff had on him.

“Was a great show…free even,” Jared replied huskily as firm large hands ran over his sticky stomach down to where his pants were parted and his half flaccid cock was resting idly. He pouted though as the touches fell away and he looked into Jeff’s amused gaze. “What?”

“You were a bad boy giving us that image…how is she?” Jeff retorted before taking the towel that Jensen tossed him and drying himself.

Frowning as he went over and rinsed his hand off before just stripping his soiled clothes off and tossing them into the hamper, Jared sighed as the last image of Evie came to his mind’s eye. “Not so good. She’s trying to keep it together, but meeting Alethea was a shock to her system she really didn’t need right now. Damn Robert…I don’t give a rat’s ass if he *is* a prophet! He should have*foreseen* the reaction she would have had if he’d had any brains in the first place!” he exploded and gripped the countertop in an effort to not slam his fists on it in his frustration. The mirror in front of him as well as the glass of the stall door of the shower began to shake as he trembled.

A gentle hand caressed down his arm, calming him and he looked over into Jensen’s eyes. Jensen watched him seriously as he rubbed Jared’s arm. “Losing control won’t help her, Jare. You know this. We’re responsible for her just as much as her family is and we have to leave on Sunday. Get under control so we can go see her,” he ordered softly and smiled as Jared took a couple of deep breaths, visibly calming down. Jensen glanced at Jeff with a smirk. “Go get dressed and go to Vali. She’s got those catalogs and the order pad,” he directed their older lover as he continued to rub Jared’s shoulder and arm.

“I’ll be right back,” Jeff answered and leaned in for a deep kiss from them before he left to get changed.

Jared smiled as he watched Jeff before turning his attention back to Jensen. But, before he could even say anything, Jensen started combing his hair. “Go and get showered, Jedi boy…you should at least smell nice for her instead of like a sewer,” Jensen instructed and grinned as Jared laughed out loud at that. His words were true and Jared knew he needed the shower. As he stepped into the shower and relaxed under the hot water, he let his troubles rinse down into the drain with the rest of the dirt. They would succeed…they had to.

TBC