Yes yes, I know this is inexcusably late. Graduating college, getting boyfriend, getting dumped by said boyfriend, and now dislocating my knee cap.

Disclaimer: I don't own Brokeback Mountain

A few kisses and such, but that's all.

Jack woke up the next morning when Lily came on for her shift. As she changed the IV bag, Ennis moaned slightly. Jack quickly took Ennis's hand in his.

"Is he all right?" Jack asked tentatively.

"He's fine Jack. He made it through the night. I probably just hurt him a little when I pulled out the IV tube."

"Will he wake up today?"

"We hope so. It would be a good sign if he woke up today. I'll be back after I finish my rounds to check on you guys." Lily gave Jack's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and then quietly closed the door behind her.

"Ennis, I hope you can hear me. I'm just going out to the phone for a minute and then I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay?" Jack left the room quietly and went to the phone in the waiting room. He dialed the number to their house and waited as the phone rang twice.

"Hello?" said Lureen's nervous voice.

"It's me, Lureen."

"How are things going there?"

"Ennis made it through the night, but he hasn't woken up yet."

"Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. I'm really hungry."

"All right, I'll be there in an hour or so. Should I bring the girls?"

"I don't know... although knowing them they have probably been asking when they can come and see their Dad."

"Yeah, both of them have been."

"Yeah, go ahead and bring them up. It might do their daddy some good to hear their voices."

"Ok, we'll be there soon. Jack? Are you okay?" Jack leaned against the wall and let out a tired sigh.

"I... I am not sure."

"I'll be there soon Jack."

"I know. I'll be all right."

"Ok. Bye, Jack."

"Bye, Lureen." Jack hung up the pay phone and took in a deep breath. He limped slowly into Ennis's room again and sat back down on the chair next to Ennis's bed.

"Lureen and the girls are coming up here in about an hour. She bringing me breakfast. And the girls want to see you somethin' fierce. I just wish you were awake so that you could see them." Ennis stirred slightly in his sleep. Jack took Ennis's hand in his again. "Please wake up buddy. Please, please wake up. I can't take this much longer." Ennis's fingers tightened around Jack's and his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey there little darlin'," Ennis whispered. "What are you doin' here?"

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?" Ennis's eye brows furrowed for a moment and then he groaned.

"Crap, now I remember. Those stupid guys."

"I'm sorry..." Now Ennis was looking at Jack in a confused state. Jack's cheeks were stained with tears.

"What are you sorry for rodeo? It's not your fault that this happened."

"Yes, it is. Me and my stupid optimism. Oh yeah, Ennis, we can go away and live on a ranch together and no one will touch us, no one will bother us. You were right. Maybe this was-"

"Don't say that," said Ennis suddenly tightening his grip on Jack's hand. "Don't you ever say that this was a mistake. This was no mistake. I wanted this. I knew what could happen. I didn't care. You know what they said to me?"

"What?"

"They said they wanted to teach me a lesson. You know what I did? I laughed. I laughed at them." Jack stared at him in bewilderment. "They asked me what I was laughing for. I told them, I was laughing because they thought this lesson they were about to teach me was going to make me change my ways." Jack felt tears of relief stinging his eyes now and he had to look away. "I told you Jack, nothing and nobody is going to take you away from me again." Jack smiled and kissed Ennis's hand. "C'mere." Jack hesitated.

"I might-"

"You're not going to hurt me and I want you in this bed with me because I want to hold my lover. Now get your ass up and get in this bed." Jack got up from the chair and slowly climbed into the bed. Ennis put an arm around Jack's shoulders and let Jack bury his face in his unharmed shoulder. Jack felt worlds better being next to him again. He felt himself drifting off to sleep as Ennis drew lazy patterns on his shoulder.

Lureen quietly crept into the room an hour later with a bag of food in her hand. Jack was fast asleep on Ennis's shoulder. Ennis was still awake and gave Lureen the best smile that he could. Lureen smiled back.

"Hi there," she whispered as she quietly shut the door back. "He's out like a light I'm guessing."

"Yeah, I didn't think he had a good time sleeping on that chair last night." Ennis rubbed Jack's shoulder gently. "Jack, Lureen is here. You need to get up and eat something." Jack slowly woke up and rubbed his eyes.

"Hi Lureen," he said as he slowly climbed off the hospital bed. Jack sat back down on the chair and gratefully accepted the styrofoam box from Lureen and started eating the scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast hungrily.

"Did you bring the girls with you?" Ennis asked.

"They're waiting outside. I wanted to see you first."

"I know I'm not that great of a sight, but they're going to insist on seeing me sooner or later." Lureen nodded and went to the door.

"Ok, girls, you can come in." Junior and Francine walked in slowly. Junior walked forward first and took her dad's hand in hers.

"I'm okay Junior, I promise."

"Promise?" she said in a shaky voice.

"I promise." Junior quickly wiped the tears away from her face and smiled. "C'mere, give me a kiss." Junior kissed her dad on the forehead and then stood next to Jack. Francine was still standing near the door.

"C'mere Franky, it's ok." Junior and Jack looked at each other and mouthed the word 'Franky?' Francine quickly walked across the room and buried her tears in her father's shoulder.

"It's ok," he whispered to her. "It's ok little darlin'." He gently stroked her back and kissed her on the forehead.

"I thought you were gone again. I thought..."

"It's all right honey. I'm not leaving. I promise I'm not leaving." The four of them spent a happy hour before Ennis started feeling tired again and went back to sleep. Everyone went home except Jack who stayed in his chair.

"Go home and get some sleep Jack," Ennis said before he drifted off to sleep.

"No."

"Why not? You haven't slept that well."

"I won't sleep well when I get home."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not there." Ennis felt his throat tighten and he remembered suddenly when he had said that to Jack when he had broken his leg and slept best in the easy chair in the living room.

"Then get in this bed with me. Lily probably going to be the only one coming by. And I don't really care what anyone else thinks." Jack slowly crawled back into the bed and settled down next to Ennis. He drifted off to sleep within a few minutes.