Title: Last Stop: Chicagoland
Fandom: SPN RPS
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Categories: angst, drama, kid!fic
Length: epic
Warnings: none

Author on LJ: phaballa (art by affectingly)
Website: none

Author's Summary: Before Anne was actually and officially pregnant, before the whole test tube mixing, baby-making science experiment thing happened and they were just talking about it, just looking through egg donor catalogues and joking about whether the chick sounded like she had big tits or not, before Jensen had to endure way too many digs about Jessica Alba and having part-animal bits—before all that, Jensen didn't really think too much about what it meant to have kids. He never really thought he would because, hello, gay and a man and really not equipped for that sort of thing, but Jared was so excited and had all these ideas and before he knew it, there they were on the floor of Jensen's—their, whatever, he was still getting used to the idea of them together and sharing and all that—apartment with brochures spread everywhere.

Review:
Jared and Jensen made a decision when the kids came along. It wasn't intentional or anything, but things just worked out that way, with Jared's blooming acting career and Jensen only doing the occasional theatre job. So, now Jensen takes care of the kids, does yoga three days a week, and buys organic food from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. He's content. Really.

I'm pretty sure Chicagoland was the story that converted me to SPN a long time ago. I fell in love with the Jared and Jensen in this story because they felt real -- real people with real problems and real kids who are not perfect (and often annoying).

Relationships are never easy, especially with children in the mix and both parents trying to juggle career and parenthood. There is a lot tension in the story: Jensen wants to start working acting again; Jared sometimes doubts the whole "gay" thing still, even though they've been married for six years and have kids together. You may feel your heart shatter a few times while reading the story (it's a cruel, cruel world, dear). Don't worry. The author does an exceedingly fine job of putting it back together with the added bonus of two cute and sweet epilogues. Highly recommend for the true romantic.

Last Stop: Chicagoland