Law & Love
Brokeback Mountain story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Annie Proulx. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
This fanfiction takes place in 2007. The characters are not exactly Jack and Ennis of the movie but they have similar personalities. Everything else maybe be completely different! This is actually my first fanfiction and English is not my main language so please forgive me for the mistakes!
Warning: Graphic sex. Adult situations discussed in adult language.
Summary: Ennis x Jack
What would have happened if Jack and Ennis had been born a few years later? What if they're famous lawyers working in the same firm? Would Ennis still be afraid of his feelings? Would Jack let happiness run away?
Author's Note: Thank you so very much for my friend Kathy (kittie8571) who is the Beta of this story!
Chapter One: New Job and new life
Ennis stood there in front of the phone thinking about what had just happened. How had his dream become reality? How had the "red neck" Ennis Del Mar become a successful lawyer? The emotions were playing in his head and he felt his mind spinning. It had been a long journey but at the same time it seemed like only yesterday he was living on the ranch. He could still remember how his life used to be…
When he was a kid, working hard on his dad's farm, watching the other men working from sunup to sundown, he had found a dream. His deepest and most secret dream. One day he was going to be rich and happy, living in New York, just like the men he saw on the TV commercials. It was a rather farfetched dream, but it helped him to focus on his studies.
Ennis wasn't the bravest student in class but he was most certainly the best. Every day after school, he would study like there was no tomorrow. The only exception was the time he spent helping his parents. Ennis liked the ranch life but he was hypnotized with his own seductive dream. He could never know how much that would change his life.
When he won the scholarship to Austin, by the age of fourteen, he'd made up his mind. He was going to be a lawyer, just like the main character in his favorite movie. Ennis was impressed with the confidence that lawyers always showed and he wanted desperately to be more like them. Less shy and silent, more confident and outgoing.
Law shcool was hard for him. He was a big guy with a strange accent that no one else seemed to understand. He didn't make many friends and there very few who could truly understand him. He'd lived all his life on the ranch, with his family and friends. There was so much about the world he didn't know.
Things went better when his Philosophy teacher helped him with a few extra lessons. Mr. McGonagal was a wise man who lived in Texas for many years. He understood the difficulties of Ennis's childhood and instructed him about the modern world and everything else he didn't know. During many afternoons and nights, Mr. MCGonagal talked to him about Europe, art and the history of law.
When he graduated in 1999, he was the happiest man on earth. He had taken the first step in fulfilling his dream. But there was a problem. Who would give an inexperienced lawyer like him a job? He had no family name in the business nor another lawyer to help him start out. For years, Ennis worked 12 hours a day, every day of the week. He was determined and completely focused on his career.
Any case he had a chance of working on, he would do it. There were no vacations, no days off. Ennis had absolutely no personal life. Some of his colleagues would joke about it and call him "firm rat" but Ennis would smile and remain silent, in his own, little world.
Soon his name became known among the young attorneys. Ennis had earned himself a reputation for his quiet mannerisms and intelligent decisions, but that only changed in his performance as a lawyer. In his personal life, he was still shy and single, usually preferring his own company to any other. But in court, the intensity of his words and the fire in his eyes always helped him win over the judges. After winning the famous case of the painter murdered in 2003, he knew it was just a matter of time until a large firm would offer him a position.
Now, at the age of thirty, Ennis was becoming the newest member of the Magnet Firm, the most famous firm in New York. More than 40 attorneys working on the most well-known cases all over the world. His ticket to paradise. Paradise for lawyers, of course! He only wished his parents were alive to see this day.
The pain in his heart for his parents loss was still strong. They'd supported him every step of the way, but had failed to see him succeed.
Ennis's mother had difficulty getting pregnant, miscarrying many times before becoming pregnant with Ennis. Only at the age of forty did his mother finally have her first baby. First and only, because Mrs. Del Mar never got pregnant again.
Two years ago, Ennis received a phone call telling him that his parents had died together during their sleep, alone at the ranch. They both had caught a sever cold that had progressed to a much worst pneumonia. Ennis had rejected any thoughts about the situation. It was likely to get sick while ranching and his parents had proved that during the years. But their stubbornness had been the fatal fault. They had both declined any medical help and when the fever had raised higher levels, the ranchers had finally called the local doctor. Nothing was to be done. It was too late for both of them.
And so, Ennis found himself with no family and nothing but memories of the time when he had one. He felt bad for not being there when his parents died and it still hurt him to think that he didn't get to say goodbye, but he had followed his dream and that made his parents proud.
The thought that they had lived happy and died together was a comfort for him. He knew that his mother and father had shared a beautiful love story, unlike most people. He wondered if he would ever find a love like the one his parents had shared. Until now, all he had was one night stands and failed romances. Was there a woman out there for him?
Ennis had never been very popular with the ladies. He was too shy and silent for the likes of most of them. Every time he convinced himself he was in love, the passion and the ardor would soon go away and Ennis would end up as lonely as before. He quickly learned to take pleasure in other things in life. He was a lover of most types of sports and liked both watching and playing. He loved a good book or a good movie and would rather enjoy an afternoon at home than going out with friends.
He knew that it was probably unusual and most would say that something was definitely wrong with him. But Ennis learned that none of his colleagues really knew him and most of his "friends" were more familiar acquaintances than anything else. He couldn't ask them to understand him.
He was a loner. There were very few like him. He lived mostly in his head and the opinion of others didn't matter much to him. As long as he was doing what he liked, he was happy enough.
He walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The blond young man he saw was shining with happiness, perhaps for the very first time in his entire life.
But still there was something missing in his life. Something that Ennis wasn't sure he would be able to find.
Looking closely he could see.
There was a story in his eyes. A story full of sacrifices and victories. But when he looked back at himself, what he saw most was the loneliness of thirty years of fight.
Ennis tried to unpack the last box of clothes. After almost four hours of unpacking, he was completely exhausted. There were still so many things he needed to sort out.
"What did I get myself into?" Ennis said to the empty room while he carried a box full of books.
His new apartment was a few miles from the Magnet Firm. The building was an example of modernity and beauty. Big windows, silver style and lots of light. Different from every other apartment he had lived in. The flats came with furniture, which was perfect for Ennis. He never really liked interior design and he often considered himself to have poor taste in furniture and the like.
He observed the view from the living room window. Surrounding his building were many other buildings. An urban forest of cars, people and buildings. Full with colors and sounds he had never seen before. You don't know the meaning of the word city, until you've lived in New York. Someone once told him that many years ago and Ennis could only now understand the full meaning of those words.
Ennis was surprised when the bell rang. He'd only just arrived that morning and all the neighbors had already visited him. A nice young woman called Veronica, an old man (fan of the Beatles) and a couple of others that Ennis couldn't remember the names of. They told him that the rest of the neighbors were either too busy with their work or currently on vacation.
He didn't know who to expect. Perhaps one of them wanted to offer him help again. Slowly he moved to the door and opened it.
Standing in front of him was a beautiful woman.
"Ennis Del Mar?" she asked.
Dressed in a modern grey suit and wearing extremely high heeled shoes, the woman looked impressive, sort of like a short Barbie. She was small and her eyes were chocolate brown. Her blond hair had long curls, which only made her skin look even paler. Ennis wasn't sure if she was naturally blond but the color looked good on her.
She was also observing him and Ennis could see that her eyes were extremely similar to his and her make-up was natural and fresh. She could be on the cover of a magazine, but that didn't make her look less intellectual.
Ennis thought she looked a lot like him, only female. Finally deciding to answer her, he nodded at her question.
"Yeah, that's me." He said, curious.
"My name is Elizabeth. You don't know me, but I'm from the Magnet Firm. May I come in?" There was a happy tone in her voice and she looked past him to peek inside the apartment.
"Of course." Ennis said, noticing how overly excited the lady was.
"I shouldn't have come unannounced." She said looking at the boxes around the room. "But I couldn't wait. Ennis, may I call you Ennis? I am going to be your godmother at the Magnet!" She said smiling and opening her arms.
"Pardon me?" Ennis was very confused. Was this woman crazy?
"Sorry. I'm too excited to think straight. I am going to help you get acclimated during your first months in the firm. At the Magnet, we call the person that shows you ropes your godmother or godfather." She was smiling and moving like a squirrel, fast and nervously. She looked around the apartment like a ten year old student at a science museum.
"I'd heard something about that. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope I won't disappoint you." Ennis smiled and shook her hand firmly and then something popped in his mind. "Your not Elizabeth Noris, are you?"
"In the flesh." She said smiling. "But don't believe in everything you heard about me. Most of it's definitely not true."
Ennis was astonished. Of all the lawyers in the firm, he was lucky enough to be under the protective wing of Elizabeth Noris. The famous, "superlawyer" who worked only with Hollywood stars or on the most impressive cases.
Over the years, while at law school and working at other firms, Ennis had read and heard about Elizabeth Noris. The older lawyer was an example for the younger generation. Her determination and attitude in court were notorious and Ennis couldn't list all the qualities she represented as a lawyer.
But she wasn't only famous for her job. Her personal life was the target of many comments too. He had read somewhere that Elizabeth was once married to a young female doctor from Dallas. When her wife died in a tragic car accident, Elizabeth began to live for the Magnet firm. She was a beast in court, an amazing idol. There was a long list of famous cases in which she'd been directly related. She was also famous for her futuristic lessons in law school, where she was one of the student's most favorite teachers. She was very found of the concept of bringing the court to the law students and not the other way around. A position that had brought her a few arguments with other famous lawyers, who shared a different position.
"Jesus, I don't know what to say. I'm honored, Mrs. Noris." He said feeling extremely self-conscious all of the sudden.
"Believe me, you're not nearly as excited as I am. You are my first protégé, so this is very special for me too." She smiled again, this time showing all of her perfect teeth. Ennis thought again that she looked like a Barbie doll, with the only exception of her quite short legs.
"Please do sit down. Can I offer you something to drink?" Ennis moved to the kitchen, trying to find something good enough for the famous Elizabeth Noris to drink.
"No Ennis, thank you. I can't stay long and I can see you need your time for unpacking." She looked around at the boxes again.
"I have plenty of time to do that." Ennis said waving at the boxes.
"I'm sure, but I also came for another reason. Ennis, I wanted to invite you personally to my party." She sat on the large couch waiting for Ennis to return from the kitchen. "It's for Magnet members only and I thought it would be nice for you to meet some of the members outside the firm."
"I'm glad you thought of it. Of course I'll go. I can't wait to meet more of my heroes." Ennis said, surprised that such a notorious woman had planned a party for him.
"It's tonight. But don't worry, you don't need to dress formally. I will send someone to pick you up." She said standing up. When she was close to the door, she looked at Ennis and smiled.
"I have followed your work for the last few years Ennis. You have passion, kid. I think you'll be great here." She smiled happily.
"I don't know what to say…" Ennis said feeling shy and flattered.
"Say you'll come to my party, eager to meet all those boring oldies."
"Thank you, Mrs. Noris." Ennis followed the lady to the door, happy as a two year old after a day at the playground.
"So don't forget, tonight at 7 pm. I will send Jack to pick you up." She said passing through the door.
"Jack?" Ennis asked looking at Elizabeth in front of the elevator.
"Yes, Jack Twist. My best friend and right hand at the firm. You'll love him, Ennis." she said, entering the elevator and giving him one last smile.
Ennis stood there watching the doors close, remembering every little detail about this quick but full meeting. How the small blond woman had given him no time to think or react. Elizabeth was a woman full of energy and life, and she looked as though nothing could ever stop her.
What an amazing opportunity it will be to work with such a woman, Ennis thought. How much more could he learn and an amazing example as a human being she was. Elizabeth was just like him in that she was completely dedicated to doing what she liked --being a lawyer!
He remembered her words and how the blond woman had looked just as nervous as he felt. From the unexpected way she appeared, to the unpredictable way she left. She was determined and wasted little to no time with false formalities. Ennis thought Elizabeth Noris was a hell of a woman!
Author: First chapter is always the most difficult one. I remember the difficulty I had to write 3 pages. Now I have to fight not to make chapter longer than 10 pages! The idea came to me after I've seen the movie. I always had in mind that one day I would write a romance about lawyers. Even thought I don't know a think about law! Somehow the ideas of gay lawyers sounded even more interesting and so I started to write…
On the next chapter: Jack and Ennis finally met. Ennis gets confuse and Jack gets hot! The two of them got together for work and we learn a few more things about the Magnet firm. The story is only now beginning.