AU. The glass was half full for Jack. His true family together again, Bobby seeming to be ready to overcome his "problems"... But with Bobby's home coming comes great revelations...and Jacks peace will soon be shattered.
RATED "M" FOR LANGUAGE!
Title: Half empty or half full?
Author's note: This is my first fic. I don't want any flames just constructive criticism. I want to thank my Beta Laochra. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the following story, nor am I profiting from this. Any Characters you don't recognise belong to me.
Jack woke to the sound of the phone ringing. He looked at the clock it said 5:30am.
"Goddamnit" he muttered, trying to drag himself from the bed. He looked over at Ennis who was lying next to him. Ennis just stirred at the sound of the phone. Jack made his way down the hall to the telephone hoping it didn't wake Junior. He got to it just before it stopped ringing.
"H'lo" Jack mumbled through the phone, his voice thick with sleep.
"Dad it's me Bobby. I know that I ain't called in a long time but I was wondering could I come up to see ya?" Bobby's voice was tired and deep.
Jack just stood in the hallway in his pajama bottoms and t-shirt not knowing to say. What could he say? He didn't realize that he hadn't spoken for some time.
"Dad?" Bobby spoke softly. "Are y'alrigh'?"
"What? Oh yeah!" Jack was brought back to reality "Hell yeah! Course y'can! But why?" Jack remembered all the fights he had with Bobby growing up. He was still sixteen now a young man.
"Thanks, I 'preciate this. Can I explain everything when I get there?" He asked.
"Sure, eh ok, when y'gonna be up?" Jack tried to sound normal but there was so much excitement and anxiety in his voice he was sure Bobby heard it, but if he did he didn't say anything.
"Maybe tomorrow …….. Is that too soon?" Jack started to hear nervousness in Bobby's voice.
"No it ain't how y'gettin' up here? Want me t'pick y'up?" Jack asked.
"No, I'm gettin' a ride with a friend…" Bobby answered.
"Ok, well um….' Jack had no idea what to say next "How does yer momma feel about this?" He wondered why would Lureen would let Bobby see him.
"Well she …… can I tell y'when I get up there?" He asked nervously. Bobby seemed to be getting more and more nervous.
"Yeah …ok" Jack answered a bit curiously.
"Ennis… still there?" Bobby knew he sounded nervous, he tried to relax his voice.
"Yeah, why?" Jack hoped Bobby would want to see Ennis too.
"No reason" He replied.
"Well… ok" Jack was running out of things to see.
"Ok, see y'later dad!"
"Bye kid" Jack's hand was shaking with excitement as he put down the receiver of the phone. He turned around and saw Ennis standing in the doorway leaning against the doorframe.
"Who was that?" Ennis said sleepily.
"Nothin'. Just a phone call from Bobby…" Jack was looking at the floor but when he said Bobby's name he looked at Ennis and smiled.
"Bobby?" Ennis was suddenly wide awake
"Yeah, he wants t'come up….he'll be up tomorrow". He couldn't wipe the grin off his face
"That's great!" Ennis pushed himself from the doorframe.
"What's goin' on?" Alma Jr. appeared from her bedroom down the hall rubbing her tired eyes.
"Ah nothin' darlin'" Ennis smiled at Junior. She looked like a little girl, not a nineteen year old woman.
"Ok then, who was on the phone?" She stood playing with her loose hair which hung near her waist.
"Bobby!" She did a quick double take, arched an eyebrow and looked at Jack. She could see excitement radiate from him.
"Jack, that's wonderful! What'd he say?" Junior bounced on her feet as she asked.
"He's comin' up t'see me" Jack's lips curled into a smile.
"Oh Jack, that's great!" She said giving him a hug. 'It's been a while since I've seen him!'
"I'm pretty damn excited" Jack was still smiling. Ennis looked at him and smiled, he loved when Jack was happy.
"Ok, I'm goin' t'bed. Night daddy, night Jacky!". She smiled, knowing Jack was excited. She turned and went to go to her room.
"Night, sleep well" Ennis said after her.
"Night Junior" Jack called to her with a small wave.
Junior returned to her room and thought about how she missed Bobby. They became friends over the summers spent here at the ranch, and when he stopped coming, she always wondered why…...
"Come on rodeo! Lets get t'bed" Ennis steered Jack towards the bedroom.
"Yeah, I'll probably be too excited t'sleep now." Jack rubbed his head.
"Y'think Lureen had anythin' t'do with it?" Ennis asked closing the bedroom door behind them.
"Dunno… probably. But why would she want Bobby t'come up? Probably L.D fuckin' Newsome. He probably did something t'Bobby". Jack hated his ex-father in law L.D fuckin Newsome. If he ever did anything to Bobby he would kill him.
"I don't think he would Jack, not on purpose." Ennis turned off the bedroom light.
"I don't know cowboy" Jack shrugged getting into bed.
"C'mon, try and sleep" Ennis was getting into the bed. He was worried why would Bobby come up .He did think something happened with L.D Newsome, he just didn't want to upset Jack.
"Night" Jack got comfortable in bed.
"Night darlin'…sweet dreams" Ennis moved close to Jack to kiss him and to Ennis's surprise Jack fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Ennis thought Jack would be too excited to sleep. Ennis soon fell asleep with his arms around Jack.
The next morning Ennis was in the kitchen making coffee. He'd let Jack sleep awhile.
"Mornin' daddy" Junior came into the kitchen smiling.
"Mornin' darlin'. Want some coffee? It'll be ready in a minute" Ennis turned to ask.
"Nah, I'm ok thanks. Where's Jack? Woulda' thought he'd be up already considerin' what happened last night 'bout Bobby and all" Junior said moving to sit down at the table.
"Yeah that's what I thought but he fell right asleep" He poured himself some coffee.
"T'tell the truth daddy, I missed Bobby. We became good friends, we shared secrets that no one else knows" Ennis snorted at the last part, raising the coffee cup to his mouth, his eyes on his daughter.
"Oh, really? Well it'll be good t'have him up" Ennis softly smiled.
"Yeah… it will" Jack was suddenly in the doorway of the kitchen, a splitting grin on his face. "I really missed him!"
Jack walked into the kitchen pouring him some coffee and sitting across from Junior while Ennis stood leaning against the counter.
"So did I, he feels just like a real brother. I know he's not and can't be but I sometimes think of him like that"
"That's sweet Junior. I'm pretty well sure he'll like to know that" Jack sipped his coffee.
"What time is he getting here at anyway?" Asked Ennis putting down his cup.
"Dunno...he didn't say" Jack played with the handle of his cup.
The morning dragged in slowly for Jack. Ennis checked the cattle and horses. Junior was doing work for school but for Jack it was different he couldn't keep his mind on one thing he either got bored or frustrated too easily.
It was around half three, Jack, Ennis and Junior were sitting on the front porch talking and waiting eagerly for Bobby. Jack and Ennis were sitting on wicker chairs, Junior sat on the steps, leaning against a pillar. They heard a pickup truck engine rumble. They all looked in the direction of the noise. A grey pickup drove into the gravel driveway. Jack didn't know the driver.
'Probably Bobby's friend' he thought. Jack stood up and began to walk down towards the driveway. Ennis stood up his hands in his pockets, moving from foot to foot, not wanting to intrude on the family moment. The passenger side of the pickup opened and as Bobby slowly got out, all he heard was gasps as everyone set their eyes on Bobby's black eye, busted lip, arm in a sling and cuts and bruises on his face and arms.
"…Goddamnit!" was all Jack managed to say.
A/N: Please review!!! Thanks for reading the first chaper:)