madbottoms | It's Not Over - Chapter 7

Title: It’s Not over

Chapter: 7/? – Ghosts

Genre: AU, Jack/Ennis

Warnings/Rating: PG to NC17. Violence

Summary: Jack and Ennis are reunited following fours years apart after being forcibly separated. Can they rebuild and move on?

Disclaimer: Jack and Ennis belong to Annie. Any original characters I claim as my own.

A/N: This one I should probably give a hanky warning. Mega angst, so be prepared. This is as real as it gets. It even got me emotional. J Thanks as always to Jodi for the beta. Any remaining ‘oops’ are mine. I had to post this chapter in three parts becuase it was too big and I tried to seperate them so they weren't too fragmented. Now I know some of you were really hoping than things would be sorting themselves out soon but I'm afraid we still have a little ways to go before we get to happily ever after.

~~~

“Hey, Jack!” Rufus greeted Jack as he opened the door. “Good to see you, kid.”

Jack stepped through the door and hugged Rufus tightly. “Good to see you, too, buddy.” Jack held on for a few moments more before releasing his friend.

Rufus had only been released a month before and the guys had got together regularly. Jack loved his friend and felt a closeness that he couldn’t explain. He didn’t care why - only that he had found a friend in Rufus.

“Careful, Jack, Ellen might get jealous,” Rufus teased, as his wife come into the room.

Jack smiled at his friend. “Now what would I want your sorry ass for, man? Tell Ellen she’s got nothin’ to worry about. You’re not my type.”

“That’s right, you go for the strong cowboy type, just like that one you got back at home.” Rufus continued to tease his friend playfully. But he saw something flicker in Jack’s face at the mention of Ennis. He’d have to try and find out what that was.

“Stop teasing him, Rufus.” Ellen reprimanded her husband. “How are ya, honey?” She kissed Jack’s cheek and hugged him.

“Shit, maybe I should be the jealous one.” Rufus laughed. “Where’s my sugar, sugar?”

“Oh, that’s so corny, even for you, man.” Jack grimaced.

“What can I say?” he replied grabbing a kiss from his wife before she shooed him away. “Want a beer?”

“Sure.” Jack replied following him through to the kitchen.

“Hey, why don’t we sit out back? It’s a great day and we can put some burgers on the grill.”

“Sounds good, Rufus.”

“So when do I finally get to meet the Marlboro Man himself?” Rufus asked casually, after they both settled into a couple of lawn chairs. “It’s been a month, Jack. I thought you might’ve brought him 'round by now.”

Since his release, he'd had many visits from his friend, but he'd yet to meet Jack’s partner. He wondered if there was a reason. Maybe he should call Ennis and organise something since Jack hadn’t got around to it.

“He’s kinda busy with the farm and all. Doesn’t get much time off.” Jack said noncommittally. “I mean… well, he’s just busy.”

“What’s goin’ on, kid?” Rufus could tell he wasn't being honest, but didn't understand why. After all they'd shared, he didn’t think there was anything they couldn't say to one another.

“Nothing!”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time here. Now, don’t get me wrong, we love having you here and don't mind one bit, but shouldn’t you be working and spending time with Ennis?”

“Rufus…”

“Jack…I know when you’re bullshitting me and it’s not ‘nothing’.” Rufus raised his eyebrows. “I know you, remember?”

“Just leave off, okay? Can’t we just have a nice afternoon?”

“Look, I just want you to be happy and I want to know that things are going well. From what I’m seeing, it doesn’t look that way.” Rufus stared at Jack, who was fidgeting with his beer bottle. “And I want to meet the man who won Jack Twist’s heart. I know you find it hard to let people in, so he must be something special. But I’m sensing you’re shutting him out now.”

“Rufus, stop!”

“I just want you to be happy. Is that too much to ask? C’mon kid, you’re more melancholy now than you were inside, so what’s going on?” he asked again.

“Christ, Rufus, what are ya - my mother?” Jack bit back. A stinging pain lanced at his heart at the thought off his mother. He’d not thought of her in a long time.

“Hey, I’m your friend, remember? Don’t get pissy at me because you’re in a shitty mood. Did ya have fight with Ennis? Is that it? You’re avoiding him, aren’t ya?”

“Stop with all the fucking questions. Shit!” Jack groaned. “Look, I don’t want to argue. Can we just cook the burgers, please?”

“Okay, Jack. No more questions. For now. We will talk about this, ya hear me?” Rufus promised.

“Yeah, okay, Rufus. You’re like a fucking dog with a bone. Won’t give it up without a fight.”

“You got that right, kid. Why don’t I go get another beer and the burgers from the fridge?”

They didn’t speak of it again that afternoon but Jack could feel Rufus watching him, on the verge of asking him more questions. Thankfully, he didn’t and the afternoon drifted by with the kids playing and the adults talking about trivial things. It was a smokescreen, but it worked well enough.

Jack returned to the farm just before dusk to find Ennis coming in from his afternoon chores. He looked good in his jeans and chequered shirt, hat sitting on his head. Rufus was right. He did look like the Marlboro Man.

“Hey, Ennis.” He really did take Jack's breath away sometimes.

“Jack.” He nodded stiffly. “Where ya been, bud?”

“Oh, you know... here and there. Had lunch with Ellen, Rufus and the kids.”

“That so? Coulda’ used your help around the farm today. But I guess we made do.” Ennis’ tone was gruff but calm at this point.

“Look, I’m sorry Ennis, I shoulda’ told ya before I took off, but ya seem like ya got it under control.”

Jack was keenly aware he was shirking his responsibilities once more, but his mind was in a place that was leading him away again. Closing himself off again to those around him. He knew he was confusing the crap out of Ennis with his on-again, off-again behaviour and he’d gone back on his promise to try and make things work. He’d been able to keep it together for a while there, and things had been working well - until something had snapped when they had attempted to resume their intimacy.

“Under control? Yeah, Jack, only ‘cause I been bustin’ my ass. This here place is half yours, too, remember, or do I need to keep remindin’ ya of that fact? We had a good routine goin’, Jack. We both decided you were gonna take more of an interest and you were finally getting’ into it. I thought we were back on track. You shouldn’t be goin’ off all the time visitin’ ya friend when ya got one right here. No more damn excuses. Either yer here or not... what's it gonna be?”

“I’m sorry, Ennis.”

“Don’t be fuckin’ sorry, just be here. Don’t ya think it’s time to start taken it seriously, Jack? You can’t just be interested for a couple of weeks and then act like you have no concern for it. This is a growin’ business and it needs tending to all the time. Not just when you feel like it, bud. The buyers have been asking for ya and I just don’t know what to say to them. Yer lucky most of ‘em are regulars, otherwise we’d probably have lost business already. Think about that when yer off with yer friend. I can’t fuckin’ do this on my own anymore. I need ya here.” Ennis took a deep breath after his rant and pinned Jack with his eyes.

“I’m sorry, okay,” he repeated, cringing back at Ennis’ stare. “I’ll start spending more time here working, again. I’ll make it stick this time.”

“And what about spending time with me, Jack? You spend more time away from me than ever. I don’t know what to think. Do you really want to be here?” Ennis hated to ask it, but he had to know. Since that night a couple of weeks ago when they had attempted to make love, Jack had become even more distant and he wouldn’t talk about it, wouldn’t answer his questions, no matter how much he pressed. It scared him. “Hell, I just don’t know what to think anymore.”

Ennis walked over to Jack, standing close. “Tell me what to do, Jack, because I really don’t know anymore. I wanna be there for ya. I wanna help ya, but ya won’t let me. Please, Jack, will ya tell me what’s goin on in ya head?” Ennis implored as he lifted his hand and grazed his fingers across Jack’s cheek.

Jack startled slightly at Ennis’ touch and was immediately sorry at his reaction. Ever since that night a few weeks back, he freaked whenever Ennis tried to touch him.

“Ah, fuck it! I can see I’m fighting a losing battle here. I’m goin’ inside. If ya can stand to be near me at all, dinner will be ready in about an hour.” Ennis stomped off, stopping at the back door long enough to remove his dirty boots and then went inside.

Jack remained where he was for a few minutes, trying to digest what Ennis had said. He did want to be there, be with Ennis, he really did, but he kept holding back nonetheless. As much as he'd begun to try, Jack had relapsed, and the hole he had dug just kept getting deeper.

Next part - http://madaboutms.livejournal.com/15572.html