You & Me & a Dog Named Flea Chapter 7 [Will Chicken Soup Do?
Disclaimer : Annie Prouxl owns the timeless characters in BBM. I'm writing from love and making no profit.
Summary : Altinate Universe Fiction of Ennis and Jack (from Brokeback Mountain) set in San Francisco ; Jack Twist had a chance encounter with a veterinarian one day, didn't know the shy vet, and his black and white terrier, would have a permanent place in his heart.
My Deepest Thanks always to Judy, my ultimate beta!
Feedback : means the world to me:)

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Chapter 7

Jack was gay.

"I baked these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies last night." A soft laugh that sounded so soft, soft and far away like the voice of the swallows chanting from Telegraph Hill. "It was my second try so it should be better. I put extra walnuts in there, too."

After playing around like kids, chatting and joking and enjoying the starry night on the Ferris wheel together, Jack Twist told him that he was gay.

"You wouldn't imagine what a disaster it was the first time I tried this recipe. I had to throw them all away. It was that bad." The same soft, small voice of a woman was still flowing through his ears, mingling with the unique sound of coffee cups and spoons clanking, the nice smell of coffee drifting in the air.

And the sadness in his eyes, dimming the blue pool into grey, which seemed to fade even paler the longer the silence stretched between them. He couldn't recall what he felt back then, or what he had said. Did he say something? He really couldn't remember. But he did remember how, for some reason, his body felt light. It was like he was floating out of their Ferris wheel car when it stopped. Yeah, that was what was left in his memory.

But…did he say anything? Or did they just simply say goodnight and go their separate ways? After spending hours playing around and feeling alive like kids again, did they just part? Like that?

"Oh, look at this, Ennis. They use Bodum Veneziano coffee cups with cappuccino!" The soft voice rose a bit, wanted to regain his attention, maybe. Though, Ennis doubted if he had ever listened to her from the start.

The people at Home Care Elderly Care had called him and told him that they had to postpone the social activity to next week. Ennis was half-glad. He had a cold, not such a bad, I-have-to-see-a-doctor cold, but he had a night shift to cover. With the activity cancelled, he would have all day to allow the painkiller to do its job so he'd be ready for the night shift later on.

Then Alma had called him around nine, saying she had been worried where he'd been. 'I didn't see you at the party at all', she had said and asked if he cared to have breakfast with her. He wanted to say no. But when Alma said she had baked him some cookies, he found himself saying yes. It wasn't because of the cookies that they were sipping coffee and sharing small talk now at the outdoor table of this almost-deserted coffee shop, but because Alma's phone call had reminded him how rude he had been to her last night, leaving her behind at the green party like that. Still, she was nice enough to bake him some cookies.

Twenty minutes had passed, with Alma being all animated, Ennis trying his best to concentrate on the topic of their conversation. He couldn't. He really couldn't keep his mind on whatever she was talking about. All his thoughts were still on what had happened last night at the carnival. Ennis just kept his eyes on his espresso. If Alma somehow noticed that he wasn't so keen to talk now, at least it would look like he was enjoying his coffee, which wasn't true. The espresso he usually had at his and Jack's coffee shop was far better. But…it was the best he could do.

"Ennis?"

It was a hell of a night, he had a great time and laughed a lot. When was the last time he had laughed like that? Ennis couldn't remember. Hell, he didn't even remember the last time he had been to the carnival. If Jack hadn't taken him there, he would have missed a lot of things. Who would think the starry sky could be that close on the Ferris wheel?

Jesus, Ennis gasped, now he remembered. He hadn't said anything when they left, not a damn thing. After the Ferris wheel, they had just exchanged a nod, a goodnight, then they simply walked in different directions.

Ennis blinked slowly, taking in how little he had sipped the coffee in the cup despite the long time they had been here. Tracing the tip of his index finger on the rim of the cup, Ennis was buried deeper in his thoughts yet again.

No, he hadn't just walked away. He had turned to see Jack one more time and that was why he had seen the pair of sad blue eyes looking back at him. Jack had smiled a little when he waved, but it wasn't the same smile Ennis had been accustomed to see. Not his best, not even close.

Why wouldn't he say something?

"Ennis?"

Well, what would you say to something like that then? 'Thanks for telling me, Jack. Goodnight'?

"Ennis?"

He glanced up to meet Alma's questioning eyes. But before he had a chance to say anything, Flea nudged his ankle, panting and looking up at him with his big brown eyes, pleading for some more cookies.

"You can't eat anymore of this," Ennis whispered as he hauled Flea up on his lap, moving the coffee and cookies plate out of Flea's doggie reach. Alma smiled down at Flea. "He's cute."

"Yeah, and spoilt," Ennis said and rubbed Flea's head, pinching at the excess flesh at his neck. "You're getting fat. You'll need a new collar in a week you keep that up."

Flea whined, leaning more into his touch as he chewed the hem of his shirt. His thoughts were about to fly back to the carnival again when Alma reached out to touch Flea's collar. "This is a nice collar. I like the color."

Flea jumped and barked at her the way he never seen him do with anybody else. Ennis patted him as Alma pulled back her hand with a shocked expression.

"What is it, boy?" He soothed the little dog and squeezed him tighter when Flea barked again, his small body trembling. Now the customers at the nearby tables were looking at them, making their own assumptions about the dog's aggressive behavior, which was pretty unusual for a gentle, domestic Boston terrier like Flea.

Ennis stood up, thinking maybe Flea needed a little stroll. "I'm sorry, Alma. I don't know what happened to him."

"That's ok." She smiled, sheepishly, keeping her hands safely close to herself this time. "I didn't know he bites."

"No, he doesn't bite." A yell from Ennis surprised them both. "Um…I'm sorry. It's just, this is the first time I've seen him like this." Flea was calmer now but still whimpered low in the back of his throat. Ennis cradled him to his chest, "Um…guess I'll have to take him out of here."

"Ok, see you later?" Alma smiled, didn't look at all offended, and handed him the cookies. Ennis smiled back a little and nodded.

"Yeah…thanks for this…" But his mind wasn't really on what he had said. Now he wondered what had happened to sweet little Flea. Is he sick? Upset about something? Or…simply missing the person who bought him this collar?

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"Grant?"

"No. It's Lee."

Grunting, Jack buried half of his face into the pillow. This was the last person in the whole universe he wanted to talk to right now. Achew, he sneezed severely again, after a three-minute, comforting pause from the heavy sneeze-wave that had been crashing on him since around three in the morning. Jack snatched a tissue, wiped his quickly-reddening nose and threw it away on the floor, where dirty tissues already formed a small mountain. "Can I have Grant?"

"Brent dumped you, huh? He saw the light, finally."

"Why are you even there, you Carrot-top?"

"Oh, I am invited to this party, unlike someone."

"I am invited, too, but you know what, I don't have to talk to you. Can you put Grant on the phone?" Jack said, voice thick with cold and fierce with irritation.

Lee snorted, "Grant's not here. He's in the kitchen, dot-dot-dotting with his boyfriend."

Jack rolled his eyes and leant back down on the pillow; the bed squeaked in disapproval of the sudden action. "I don't care if he is doing dot-dot-dot or dash-dash-dash. I need to talk to him now."

Jack told himself it was the fever that make him sound like a menace, snarling at Lee to drag Grant to the phone from whatever kind of dot-dot-dot he was engaging in with Emile right now. He really needed to talk. He needed someone to tell him that he did something right and that he could still walk tall with his head up even if things did get totally screwed-up between Ennis and him.

Lee grumbled away, then Jack heard footsteps, a door cracking open and shutting, then a familiar deep voice of a man came into his ear. Grant was talking about how long they should keep the jelly in the fridge and Jack felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes simply from hearing Grant's voice. "Hello?"

"Grant."

"Jack? You sound bad, kid. What's wrong? Cold?"

"Yeah," he sniffed. "It looks like I can't go to the party today, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Have you taken some pills? You need a doctor?" Grant said in a hurry, concern in his voice.

"Nah…I've taken some painkillers and I guess I will just lie down. It's just a fever."

"What happened? Hanging out late last night?"

"Kind of," Jack sniffed again, snatching another tissue to wipe his nose. "We went to the carnival and I walked home at one in the morning."

"We?"

"Yeah…" Jack sighed. "And I told him."

Grant didn't say anything for a full torturing minute. Jack knew he was thinking, or maybe just considering whether he should ask something or give Jack some time to decide by himself if telling Grant was the choice he would want to make. Jesus, it was like turning back the clock. Jack felt like he was back in the Velvet again, talking with Grant in one of the group therapy sessions.

"What did you tell him?" Grant asked finally, slowly and cautiously.

"That I am gay?" Jack sighed into the phone again, louder, shifting his body to seek a cool spot on the sheet. "There's nothing else I could tell him, Grant."

"What happened before that?"

"We talked, on the Ferris wheel."

"The. Ferris. Wheel?" Grant almost yelled and Jack had to pull the phone away from his ear. "You and him were on the Ferris wheel? Alone? When all of this happened?"

"Yeah…." Jack murmured, his eyes hot either from fever or embarrassment, or both.

"Are you sure you're not dealing with a closet case here, Jacky?"

"What do you mean? You don't mean..." Jack sat up suddenly and lay back down just as fast, as the world around him was spinning. He closed his eyes, writhing and groaning as he suddenly felt like he had a thousand tons of bricks on his head. His body was hot with fever and heavy with nausea; he thought he would puke.

"Are you alright?" Grant asked again. "Damn, but you sound so bad. How long were you on the Ferris wheel, anyway? A long time, I guess, seeing how bad you got a cold now."

"Yeah…" Jack coughed once, and twice. "But I'll be fine. I don't remember how long we were there. The ride on the Ferris wheel takes like five minutes, I guess."

"Have you guys talked today?"

"How am I supposed to talk to him after I told him I am gay?"

"You didn't tell him how you feel about him?"

"Jesus, Grant," Jack threw his free hand up in the air. "What's the point? I guess I already chased the man away with the G word."

"Oh, boy. You think he doesn't know?"

Jack didn't answer. His mind went blank for a moment before the reality hit him. Damn right, Ennis would know how he felt. He would do the math and this math was an easy problem that even a four-year-old boy could master;

Jack Twist said he was gay + he took your picture he likes you.

Groaning quietly in his sore throat, he shifted his body again, trying to find a cool spot on the sheet, in vain 'cause the whole bed was burning up. With weak legs, Jack kicked the quilt away, feeling a little more comfortable when the cool air gently brushed on his hot, damp skin. "Grant?"

"A-huh?"

"You think he's…gay?"

"I don't know, Jack. But don't you think it's a little weird that two guys would feel comfortable taking a ride on the Ferris wheel together?"

"We do feel comfortable together, Grant. It might sound weird but I feel like I've known him for a long time. We became good friends in a week…well, not anymore maybe. God…what have I done…" Jack rolled over on his stomach, his words muffled by his pillow.

Grant shook his head, "Don't ever say something like that. I'm proud of you, Jacky. This is the right thing to do. You didn't spend years in therapy sessions to lie about your true self."

Jack rubbed the small tear that was suddenly forming in his eyes again, resting his chin on the soft pillow and sniffed, "So I did something right."

"Yes. God, yes, you're the man. Now tell me what happened on the Ferris wheel when you guys weren't talking. Don't tell me 'nothing', 'cause in that kind of environment, alone, five minutes, something is bound to happen."

Jack tried to remember what had happened. He knew they had talked, then Mona had called Ennis and then…right…something did happen.

"We…" Jack whispered as he recalled the heat burning their touching legs. The Ferris wheel wasn't so comfortable for two grown-up men. Jack was pretty tall himself, an inch over six feet, and Ennis was maybe a bit taller than him. Still, he knew they could manage to sit on opposite sides fairly well without any physical contact—if they wanted to.

But, no, they both had allowed their legs to touch. And that moment was too personal and too precious for him to share with anyone, even Grant. What had happened there, had to stay there and only in his heart.

Jack remembered the other thing, too. Those eyes, Christ, the way Ennis's brown eyes were on him and away within a second. It was almost like Ennis wanted him to see through his head straight to the core of his soul, but was scared to do so.

"He…" Jack breathed, "he looked at me like he didn't want to look at me. It's like there were brief moments when our eyes met and I thought I almost could read him, but then he looked away like he knew I was trying to figure what he was thinking and he wasn't ready yet. Am I making any sense?"

"I will say it again. Are you sure we're not dealing with someone in the closet?"

"Shit, I don't know, Grant. He doesn't seem like it."

"You never know. What did he say when you got off the Ferris wheel?"

"Nothing. It was late so we just said goodbye and went home."

"This is a very unsatisfactory situation," Grant growled out of frustration. "I would have some idea what's going on if I could meet him. And God knows this really makes me curious about this guy. Brent will kill me if he finds out about all this."

"Nah…he will kill us both…"

"That's very comforting, thank you. Christ, I can't believe I'm doing this. I hope he's worth all this shit. Now tell me where I can find him."

"You must be kidding right?" Jack weakly let out a puff of laughter which died down just as quickly. Grant didn't laugh with him.

"Do I sound like I am kidding?" Grant said tough, his tone strong like a man on a mission. "I am a very determined person and you have no idea how determined I am right now. Who is he? Where's he at?"

Jack opened his mouth to tell him it wasn't a good idea but instead he sneezed, once, twice. He was hot a minute ago but now he felt like he was in a fridge. Cursing with a shaking voice, he used his feet to hook the quilt up to cover himself as he lay down on the hot sheets again.

"You let me handle this while you have a good rest. I just have to meet him. Do you think I will chop him into pieces or something? Come on, Jack."

Jack chuckled at that, "If you say so. Can you check if he…well…if he's sick? I'm shaking like a leaf here, I can't help but think he might be coming down with the cold, too."

"I will. Now quit buying time and tell me."

"Ok, ok," Jack shrunk his neck once more into the boiling pot of quilt. It was hot as hell but as least it kept him from coughing and sneezing. "He's…a vet. His name's Ennis."

"African?"

Jack burst out laughing despite everything, "How about Wyoming?"

"A-ha. So where does this vet from Wyoming work?"

"An animal clinic at…but Grant, you can't just waltz in the vet clinic and talk to him or something. Besides, he works at night. The shift starts at nine."

"Then I'll see him at night after the party's over," Grant said like there was nothing to worry about. "And I ain't gonna just waltz in. I have a cat, don't you remember?"

"Yeah…" Jack sounded weak all of a sudden, he felt sleepy, the medicine he had taken was starting to take effect. But Jack was still worried, "What you gonna do when you see him?"

"Squeeze something out of him about you being gay."

"No!"

"You really think I would do that? Trust me, Jack. I know he's important to you, I won't do anything stupid. But I just have to see him with my own eyes. And I hope, really hope, that he is worth all this shit."

Jack smiled, closing his eyes as he murmured, "He is. Swear to God, Grant, he is…"

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Grant Benneth, 38, gay, had been working as a volunteer for the Velvet Club, the club for gays and lesbians for ten years. He was a group leader in the group therapy session. He had met lots of clueless gay men and women but none of them were as gorgeous as Jack Twist, but at the same time, so blindly lost and desperate for love and attention the way Jack was. Jack was always looking for love. Despite his good looks plus charming personality, God knew why, he wasn't so successful in the love area.

Grant was happy when Brent found Jack. Brent was a good man, a lot older than Jack, and seemed to care a lot about him. But after a month of their dating, Jack fell in love with someone else, proving to Grant that there was always a twist when it came to love. Grant wasn't in a position to judge Jack or to scold him. He knew that the feeling of 'falling in love' was beyond the control of anybody. Maybe Jack was with Brent because he needed to be with someone, to feel love and affection that kept the bed warm in the cold night. Brent just appeared at the right time and Jack's only reaction was to cling to the man for dear life, which could be interpreted as meaning that Jack wasn't really in love with Brent. He was in love with Brent's love.

Now that sounded kind of selfish, if he was honest with himself.

Grant closed the last window in the room, looked around the small square room known as group therapy room A at the Velvet Club. Most people had left already. Some of the kids including Lee were sprawling on the couch watching a re-run episode of Project Runway. The room was still messy with junk and leftover food from the party, but that had to wait until tomorrow. It was nine already and he had a mission to perform.

Grant walked to the couch and gently touched Lee's shoulder, whispered near his ear so that it wouldn't bother anyone else who was concentrating on the T.V. screen. "Can you lock the door when you leave? I have something very important to do. Leave the mess, I'll come back and clean this place tomorrow."

"Where are you going?" Lee asked, straightening his back, the dark eye-liner making his green eyes bigger and almost scary. He narrowed his eyes at Grant, "You're going to see that Jesusfreak, ain't you?"

Grant just rolled his eyes. Snorting when he didn't receive any answer, Lee sprang from the couch and followed Grant to the front door, chewing the inside of his cheek like it was bubblegum.

Lee, the rock-star-wannabe, who went so far as to name his mother's two cherry-head parrots Lynyrd and inevitably Skynyrd, was even more clueless than Jack. Jack was a dreamer, always looked for love. But Lee was the world's worst pessimist. He was never pleased with what he had and envied people with better anything, better life, better looks and such. Jack and Lee were like opposite poles, they didn't get along from the first day they met.

Grant remembered it was Jack's second week when Lee show up after his one-month absence from group therapy. Jack was there simply in his simple black T, khaki shorts and tennis shoes. Lee was having a 'gig' that night at the club where he played drums for his band and he was dressed to kill in black and silver with full Marilyn Manson make-up. Anyway, they were fixed to sit together and the first thing Lee said to Jack's offering hand was "Fake lashes?" And from that day forward they would have strangled each other if there was an opportunity.

That was not a nice memory but people tended to remember bad things and that was why what happened that day still stuck inside his head.

"Jack's sick," Grant said calmly and Lee crooked his over-plucked brow, asking for more explanation. "I need to do something for him."

"What thing?"

"Just something."

Grant grabbed his car keys and his duffel bag and, with a wave to the kids on the couch, he rushed off. He heard quick footsteps in and out of the room, the door squeaked shut and Lee screamed his name as he opened the front door of his silver Ford Explorer.

"I'm going with you, just in case you need any help." A determined declaration but Grant doubted if that was Lee's pure intention to help. When it came to Jack, Lee could be pretty unpredictable. But he couldn't just tell Lee to go back to Project Runway now that the red-haired guy had gotten into the passenger seat of his car already. Grant shook his head, got in the driver's seat himself, "You tell someone to lock the door?"

"Told Ryan. Freddy said he'll keep the key. Where're we going? This is not the way to Jesusfreak's apartment."

"Have to get Pepe first," Grant simply told Lee as he turned left from Fillmore Street. "And if you don't stop calling Jack that, I'll drop you at your home."

"Why not? It's the short version of Jesusfreak Thickasshit."

"Christ, where did that crap come from?"

"Jack Twist, see the rhyme? It's poetry, Grant." Lee grinned, "It's from the internet. There's this name-calling site I came across today. It's cool! All you got to do is put the name in the box and bang! You got the new name!"

"Lee…"

"Your name is cool, too!" Grant shook his head 'cause he knew Lee would tell him even though he didn't want to hear it. Why did they get to have a name-calling site anyway? "It's Greentits."

"Green...what?!?"

"Cool, isn't it?"

"Just shut up." He grounded his teeth when Lee finally snorted 'alright', his dark-shade-of-lipstick-covered lips pouting.

Grant parked the car in front of his Bay & Bridge Club, was relieved when he heard Lee hum and tap his feet along with the songs from the radio station he had finally decided to settle on after a long time of messing with his radio.

"You wait here, and don't touch a single thing," he warned, gained another cheeky grin from Lee, before hopping up straight to his studio-type room on the second floor of the club. He had asked his assistant to take care of the Bay & Bridge Club tonight so there was no need for him to check things out. Sally had worked with him for a year now and she was reliable. Grant scanned the place and smiled, there she is. Pepe, the black and white long-haired cat, looked up from the couch. "Come on, girl, we have a mission to perform."

Pepe was in a good mood tonight, it seemed, 'cause she jumped down from the couch and gracefully walked to him without the slightest annoyance, just meowed away as if to say 'I'm in'. "Good girl, now come here."

Grant took Pepe to the car and she stomped on Lee's lap, re-claiming her position at her regular passenger seat. She was insisting and Lee had to move and sat half-butted, his back leaning on the door. Grant had to smirk as Lee groaned loudly, his hand waved at Pepe's tail swaying back and forth on his chin.

"I'll take you home first," Grant said, scratching Pepe's neck, and shifted gears. "I'm going near your house anyway."

"I'm going with you."

Grant sighed, "You can't. I have to do something for Jack and I'd rather do it alone."

"No, I'm going with you. Why do you have to take Pepe? What exactly is that something you're doing for Jesu…?" A hard stare from Grant and Lee shrugged, "I mean Jacky-poo. Never mind, I'm going with you anyway."

Grant shook his head. He was cursed. If there was a bad aspect to this volunteer work he was doing with these kids, it was the fact that he had developed a sense of protectiveness toward them. He had become a father with more than a dozen kids. And he was gay, for Christ sake. More than enough people already ignored them and he would be the last person to do the same.

He glanced at Lee, still pouting, and nodded, "Fine, But you won't say a word and you will listen to what I say."

Lee air-zipped his smiling lips, green eyes twinkling like a kid ready to play. Grant chuckled softly, yeah, he really was cursed.

The ride to the Pet Haven 24 Hour Animal Clinic, according to Jack's directions, was shorter than he thought. Lee looked out of the window with interest. When he was sure he had read the name of the place correctly, he sent a what-the-hell look in Grant's direction but didn't say anything as promised. Grant nodded, satisfied, then scooped Pepe out of the car and led the way into the clinic.

The animal clinic at nine thirty on Saturday night was 'alive' and 'kicking'. Grant saw two cats in their cages on the chairs at the right wing of the waiting area, with their owners chatting away. The other small woman held her brown Chihuahua and talked to the black woman who stood behind the counter, a paper file in her hand. Pepe was looking around the clinic. She was quiet, maybe was wondering what the heck she was doing here at the vet clinic when she was as healthy as ever.

Right, damn right, Grant backed away from the counter and took a seat near the aquarium. Before rushing in like that, he had to figure out why they were here first. He needed a plan. Grant looked down at Pepe and looked around again. The lady with the tiny Chihuahua had gone inside the examination room and the two cats' owners were called to the counter to pay. Lee walked to the aquarium and tapped the glass with the silver skull ring on his middle finger, the 'kong kong' sound drew unwanted attention their way and Grant had to stare hard at Lee to keep him still on the seat.

The black woman smiled up at him now and Grant had nothing else to do except smile back at her.

"How is the little cat doing today?" she asked, smiling politely, and Grant, again, had nothing else to do except walk up to the counter, the other two cats' owners were screaming with delight when Pepe was placed there, her body hung low, on the look-out in this unfamiliar territory.

"She is…" Grant shrugged, looking around again for something to say.

"She's not eating," Lee, who he had no idea had followed, blurted out and Grant frowned at him but nodded anyway.

"Yes. She's not eating and…she seems…"

"Sad…" Lee shook his head slowly, rubbing Pepe's ear.

"Sad," Grant echoed.

"And moody," Lee added.

"And moody," Grant echoed, met eyes with Lee and nodded in perfect unison.

"And horny," Lee added, again, nodding at the stunned-looking three ladies seriously. Grant wanted to smack Lee's head but he could only jerk his chin toward the chair. Grant rubbed the sweat off his forehead. This was going to be a hell of a long night.

He was told to sign some forms since he and Pepe were new to this clinic, which was not surprising considering it was a fifteen-minute drive from his place. The lady at the counter, whose name he had learned was Martha, gave him a patient card and asked him to wait. It wasn't a long wait. As soon as the lady with the Chihuahua walked out, Grant and Pepe were called into the examination room, with Lee tagging along.

He remembered what Ennis Del Mar looked like from the picture in Jack's cell phone. He had dirty-blond hair that lazily curled along his nape and temple. In the first picture, he was standing and looking down at the floor and in the second picture, he was sleeping soundly like a baby. Grant knew he would notice Ennis, too, if he happened to see him on the street. Ennis Del Mar looked good, solid, strong and yes…those curls. Though he had no idea Ennis Del Mar would have such beautiful, spirited eyes as brown as creamy caramel. That was why he just stood still like a sphinx when Ennis Del Mar gazed up at him with a nod.

"Good evening," the deep voice greeted him as he walked up to Grant and Pepe on the table. "What happened to…um…" Ennis scanned the patient file and his face was painted with a small smile then, "…Pepe..."

"She's horny." Lee stepped in, grinning cheekily and for some reason, skipped the part about Pepe's being sad and moody which of course couldn't escape from Martha notice. She lifted her brow in wonder as Ennis blinked, totally unable to form anything wise to say at that.

Lee opened his mouth but Grant shot him his I'll-kill-you stare before looking back at Ennis Del Mar again. And he had to admit Jack was right, he didn't look gay.

The room went quiet and Grant tried to find his voice under the doubtful stares from both Martha and Ennis, Lee was whistling and that didn't help at all. He realized he was just buying time. What was the point? Even Pepe was looking at him, meowing low in her throat, asking when this would be over so she could be back on her comfortable couch and get a good night's sleep. He should just get to the point and pass the ball over to Ennis Del Mar. Grant cleared his throat.

"Dr. Del Mar. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Ennis glanced at Martha who gave him a clear message that read 'Should I leave you alone with this man with a horny cat?' Though he didn't know what the man with the cat wanted from him, Ennis finally nodded. Martha simply nodded back and walked out of the examination room.

"I want some time alone, Lee." Grant turned to the younger man, who was still whistling and was really getting on his nerves so that he had to curse himself for bringing him along in the first place. Lee pouted but he didn't look cute enough for Grant to change his mind. "Lee."

"Fine." With that, Lee stomped out of the room like a kid who wasn't allowed to play with his favorite toy. Grant cleared his throat and exhaled long, "Well, Dr. Del Mar, my name's Grant Benneth. I'm Jack's friend."

"Oh," Ennis breathed, stepped back as if to guard himself from the sudden declaration. Then his expression changed from uncertain to concern. "Is he alright?"

"He's had a pretty bad fever since three in the morning, refuses to go to the doctor, stubborn man. I'm here to check if you're ok. He's concerned. But it seems you're doing fine, Doctor, and that's very comforting." Ennis didn't say anything, giving Grant space to add more salt and pepper into the story. "His head hurts and the fever burns. I am going to see him now. You want to join us?"

"I…" murmured Ennis, looking down on the floor. Shit, Jack was sick and that might be because of him. Jack might have spent the night wondering why Ennis didn't say anything after his confession of being gay. He might have spent another hour walking in the cold night after they parted ways, wondering if he had scared Ennis away. Had he? You scared that Jack is gay?

Grant observed Ennis and read a thousand expressions dancing on his face. It was a hell of a moment to notice those little freckles that lay across his nose and cheekbones, but somehow they held Grant's attention, as well as the thin lips that pressed together hard when he was thinking. Little things like that in this man made him look vulnerable and innocent. Ennis Del Mar had a sensitive, fragile soul; with one touch at the wrong angle, he might break into pieces.

Still, everybody wanted to be found and loved.

Jack had taken a step in and Ennis Del Mar hadn't backed out, yet. He was measuring his feelings. But as Grant figured, the ball was now in Ennis's court. He had to act, he had to move, but a little push wouldn't hurt. Damn, Brent will kill me dead.

"Well," Grant snatched a business card from his wallet, a pen from the table and flipped the card over and wrote Jack's address, "I think he'd be glad to see you. Here's his address."

Ennis dumbly looked at the card in his hand, didn't even look up when he heard the man say something about 'nice seeing you' before the footsteps left the examination room.

Lee was nagging but Grant didn't tell him what had happened back there. From this short encounter, he couldn't tell if Ennis was in the closet. But he knew one important thing. This Ennis Del Mar did care about Jack, and he guessed, it was safe enough to let that man hold the ball for now.

----------

It was nine in the morning on Sunday when the buzzer screamed through Jack's silent apartment scattered with mountains of discarded tissues. Groaning, Jack crawled out from under the thick quilt and buzzed open the door, his muscles ached and he thought his skull was about to explode from a fierce headache. He had ordered a pizza, not very healthy but it was the ideal food for a day like today when he had no energy even to open the fridge. He just curled back on the bed when the door opened. "Can you put the pizza on the table? And the money is right there, too. Thanks," Jack muttered with a thick voice, throwing the quilt over his head, when the pizza guy barked… Barked? What the…? Jack sprang up straight on the bed in time to catch Flea who jumped up at him. He sprawled on his back and chuckled as Flea madly stomped on his chest and licked his face and neck, his short tail and whole body shaking with excitement to see him.

"Hey," Jack laughed, rubbing all over his body. He was glad to see Flea, too. "Why are you here, little fella?"

And Jack stopped short as soon as he realized what he had said. There was only one way Flea could be here and that would be… Jack looked up with wide, unguarded eyes. Ennis was there, standing with his back against the closed door, squinting at the morning sun that shone through the curtain behind Jack's bed. He held up a brown paper bag and gave Jack a small shrug.

"Sorry, I don't have a pizza. Will chicken soup do?"

TBC