This Land is Your Land: Chapter Thirty-Four
This Land is Your Land - Chapter Thirty-Four
Authors: lolitaray (Ennis) and planetgal471(Jack)
Rating: NC17 on/off through the fic
Disclaimer: Brokeback Mountain is the creation of Annie Proulx, and no profit is being made off of the sharing of this work. We do this for enjoyment only.
Summary: Ennis is a high-school drop-out giving it a final go. Jack is an enigmatic history teacher. This is a modern-day AU!AU. In this story, POVs are intermingled. Hopefully this is not too confusing to the readers.
Warnings: The story within contains adult themes, including but not limited to: explicit m/m sex, teacher/student relationships involving the high school level, cursing, and descriptions of violence, including sexual violence. This has been written for fun, but we understand that not everyone may enjoy it.
Authors' Notes: Feedback is so appreciated.



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Alma pushed her fork around on the plate a trifle pointedly. Ennis looked up, frowning.

"Everything all right, Alma?"

"Fine." Apart from the fact that the only conversation in the last half hour had been K.E.'s bar tales, which really, Alma had no interest in at all, it was true.

"K.E.'s cooking's pretty good, isn't it?"

"Ye-es."

Alma could see Ennis was trying to make an effort and her heart melted. He looked so sweet tonight, although maybe he could have thought to shave before dinner. Still, that new cream shirt that Alma had gotten him for Christmas really blended with those umber eyes and honey-hair. Alma softened a little bit inside, just watching him. And soon he'd be hers, for better or for worse. Maybe there would be some worse, but at least she'd have him. And the better would make up for it all. Alma had no doubts on that.

"So the wedding's only a couple of weeks away," K.E. interjected. Alma noted the dismal tone of his voice. Well, he'd be missing Ennis, no doubt, and the extra work that Ennis did. Life moved on, however.

"Yes," Alma smiled, reaching out for Ennis's hand as she always did. It was a natural kind of instinct, to know that he was there. And now, they were about to get married. Alma still couldn't quite believe it, herself. After the last few months, she had noticed she was seeing Ennis less, and she felt some irrational fear inside that he would break the engagement. Now though, she knew she had nothing to worry about. Ennis was loyal to a fault, and she should have known that he could never have done that to her. Alma had been worrying late at night and she'd finally confided in her Momma who'd given her some much needed reassurance. Alma smiled up at Ennis. "And graduation night is tomorrow night, can you believe it? That's a cause for celebration."

Ennis shrugged almost listlessly and K.E. stood and brought him another beer, determinedly ignoring Alma's frown. "Not that kind of a celebration, K.E. Ennis has had enough already."

K.E. snorted. "Don't you worry none about Ennis and drink. Go on Ennis, you're not married yet."

Alma subsided, noticing Ennis barely react to her protests, calmly having a sip of beer as though he hadn't even heard the conversation. He really wasn't himself lately, she reflected then. Lord, she hoped he wasn't coming down with the flu right before the wedding or some such thing. He was almost like the zombies in the horror movie she'd asked him to take her to the other night. Alma loved horrors. Nothing like clutching onto Ennis's hand, knowing that it wasn't really real, but pretending all the same to be scared.

"So. I've been thinking." K.E. pressed both hands down on the table. Alma noticed that he looked nervous, which was strange for K.E. "You know that you both don't have much in the way of money. So...what do you both think 'bout if I converted the barn - made say, a house for you both? Then the two of you won't have to pay rent and it's not that far a drive if Ennis gets work somewhere."

Both Ennis and Alma stared at K.E., their mouths open for a long second.

Alma spoke first. "Sure, an' that's nice of you K.E., but we need to be in town. I mean, it's real dangerous driving out here in winter, and Ennis will get a better chance of a proper job in town. I don't want him doing anymore ranch work. Seeing as we want to start a family real soon, it just wouldn't suit."

"What did you say, Ennis?" K.E. said, frowning as Ennis mumbled something under his breath.

"I...uh...was thinking on applying to college."

Alma blinked and started to speak but K.E. beat her to it. "You're kidding, little brother! Never had a college graduate in the family before, but how would you manage that?"

"I probably wouldn't get in, but I thought, no harm in trying. But...I guess it probably wouldn't come to pass."

"Well." Alma felt at a loss for words. What was Ennis thinking? She'd had no idea he was dreaming so big. However, he'd settle back down to reality once a baby showed up, no doubt. Alma was longing to be a momma. And Ennis's children would be utterly adorable. He'd be the best father; you only had to see how sweet he was with her friend's baby. Alma smiled, then snapped back to reality as she saw Ennis watching her, his expression inscrutable and almost blank. As if he wasn't even really seeing her. Alma frowned and thought hard. "I guess there's no harm in applying, as you say," she said mildly. Once Ennis got a bit of proper money from work, not like the pocket change K.E. gave when he could afford it, he'd soon see her point.

Meanwhile, K.E. was trying his best not to glare at her, Alma could see. Maybe he was happy to have the single life and live in a beaten down shack but that didn't mean that Alma had to put up with it. She'd had already been looking at places to live. There was a lovely little flat over the town laundromat. She had plans to fix it up so nice that Ennis would think he was in heaven after the ranch. It would all work out so well.

"So, what made you think on applying to college?" Alma could hear the curious note in K.E.'s voice and she had to admit, she was wondering as well. Wasn't like Ennis to aim so high, to be truthful. It was one of the things Alma loved about him, the fact that his feet were firmly planted on the ground.

Ennis seemed uncomfortable, pushing his plate away and having another drink of beer. Alma had been thrilled to find out he'd given up smoking before they'd gotten married. She sure had landed a fine man.

"Uh..." Ennis seemed reluctant to speak. "Guess I always wanted to do it, but never thought it was possible. Still don't know if it is, but someone I knew said--" Scraping back his chair, Ennis stood up abruptly. "Just remembered I forgot to shut the barn door."

Alma and K.E. were left staring at each other awkwardly. Alma eventually picked up her bag and coat, waiting for Ennis. He returned after about ten minutes and she said her goodbyes. He was quiet on the way home as always and Alma was content. She guess it seemed fine, but there was something about him that Alma just couldn't quite put her finger on.

* * * *

K.E. paced the short distance of the living room, awaiting Ennis's return. Once he heard the thin door creak open he was onto Ennis, ready.

"What in goddamn hell is wrong with you, Ennis?"

"Huh?" Ennis had the audacity to look confused, K.E. noted.

"Well if I thought it was a crazy idea for you to marry that little gal before, damn Ennis! She's going to walk all over you, if you let her."

Ennis moved over and sat on one of the armchairs, biting at a hangnail. "Don't rightly care, I guess."

"No, you don't, and that's another reason I think you've gone plumb out of your mind."

Ennis shrugged. "Whatever."

"C'mon, Ennis." K.E. moved closer. "I'm real worried about you. Do you want to move into town? Do you want to apply to college? We don't hardly talk lately, not since you got back from the Tetons..." He trailed off as a hidden pain came into Ennis's eyes.

"Yeah. I want to apply to college." Ennis was holding onto that thought as tight as he dared. It was, after all, one of the last things he had of Jack. "And moving into town? I'd rather stay on the ranch but if it keeps Alma happy..."

"Alma happy? What about you? And from what I see, Alma's surely looking after herself in keeping Alma happy. Who's keeping you happy?"

"Nobody," Ennis muttered, then continued so low K.E. could barely hear him. "Anymore."

"Well, I'm so worried about you, I can hardly sleep at night, goddamn it all to hell." K.E. worked a hand through his hair.

"'M fine."

"What...what happened, Ennis? You seemed to be, well. It was all going as...well, as well as you wanted, didn't it? With er…with…that man?" K.E. almost seemed to curl in on himself at the mention of Jack but pressed on, regardless.

"He left."

"Really? The man's got more sense than I gave him credit for. Well, you'll have to move on, Ennis. People talk in this town and I know it's hard but--"

"He left because I wouldn't have a life with him."

"What the hell? What is he, some kind a dreamer?" K.E. looked baffled, his mouth dropping open at the thought of Ennis and his teacher, making a go of it.

Ennis snorted a bit, then found himself giving a small smile, his eyes softening as the corners of his mouth turned up in memory. "I guess he is."

The wind was taken out of K.E.'s sails and he sat a minute, trying to work out which angle to take. "I'm...I'm real sorry, Ennis."

"Yeah."

"Doesn't mean you got a stick this out with Alma, though."

"I don't rightly care." Ennis stared passively at the blank television set.

"Well, you should. Ennis--" K.E.'s tone was low and hushed, "You do know this could never have been. Not with him, I mean-- not that way."

Ennis finally looked up at K.E. "Y'know, what if someone said they'd be able to bring Momma and Daddy back. Would you risk it?"

"That's just crazy talk now, Ennis, and you know it." K.E. eyeballed Ennis like he needed to be locked up in some asylum.

"You think?" Ennis sighed then. "Been having lots of them thoughts lately, K.E. Maybe I am crazy."

K.E. sighed, standing. "This is driving me nuts, I can tell you that straight up. Seems like since that man came into your life, you've lost your goddamned mind. And you're getting worse since he's gone, not better. Jesus." K.E. swiped his hat off the stand. "I'm going into town to have a drink. Want to come or is it a waste a time?"

"Waste a time."

Shaking his head, K.E. grabbed his coat. "Your choice, then. But he wouldn't want you like this, Ennis. Can't imagine that."

* * * *

He came to the decision that he had to do it. He couldn't think on a particular moment when the decision had come to him, though. It was more of a slow realization that he was going to do it either way, so it's be better to admit it and plan in advance. He'd just drive up in one day, go to the graduation, and drive back. He needed to see Ennis graduate, needed to see him walk the stage and to know that he hadn't fucked Ennis's life over, that everything would be ok for Ennis one way or another. He couldn't look Ennis up easily without it seeming suspicious to Alma or anyone else, but he'd taught in that school for years, taught those students, and going to that graduation shouldn't look unusual. He didn't have to be seen by Ennis-- wouldn't be seen by Ennis. Just go, hide behind the crowds, watch, and leave. Of course, he needed a ticket to get in, but he knew all the teachers and administrators, so he didn't think that'd be a real problem. Before Jack knew it he was on the road, streaming north between cattle fields, glimpsing the pronghorns as white dots in green fields. He knew that seeing Ennis at all would hurt like fuck, but he hoped to heaven that just maybe it would also help him to move on.