Disclaimer: I don't own Brokeback Mountain...

A coupld of kisses, and Thanksgiving at their new ranch. Another rather mushy chapter. I'm going to write the Christmas one soon though.

On Thanksgiving Day, Alma was working furiously in the kitchen. She had spent part of the day before getting groceries and was now making Thanksgiving dinner for her father and Jack. Both had told her that it wasn't necessary, but she had insisted. She knew that they couldn't go to her mother's house. Texas had been an option, but Jack didn't want to go there without Ennis and Alma and he wasn't sure how L. D. would react. They ended up agreeing on staying home because of Jack's broken leg. His leg was still hurting now and again. After going to the pay phone in town to call Lureen, Jack sat in his chair all day and took his painkillers immeadiately. He slept most of the day that day. Today Jack simply watched Alma making the dinner with mild interest. She was cooking a some venison for the main course that her father had brought home. She was also making dressing and candied yams.

"You doin' all right dumplin'?" asked Jack when she accidentally burned her hand on a hot pan.

"I'm all right Jack," said calmly with a shake of her head and then held her hand under the cold running water. "It's just a light burn. Nothing to be worried about." She immediately turned back to the dinner she had been making. Jack pulled himself up from his chair and put his crutches under his arms.

"I'm going out to smoke on the porch," said Jack.

"You can smoke in here you know," she said in a distracted voice.

"Nah, I think you need some time without me or Ennis looking over your shoulder." Alma smiled at him gratefully and opened the door for him. Jack went out on the porch that they had been building. The floor of the porch was done. The roof was the only thing left to be built. They had three wooden chairs out on the porch. Jack arranged himself so that he was sitting in one of the chairs with his broken leg propped up in another chair. He lit a cigarette and pulled his jacket a little tighter around him. He knew that Ennis would be home soon. Ennis had gone out to work on the fences. The weather was cold and Jack thought it might snow soon. That was when he saw Ennis walking to the house from the barn.

"Did Junior kick you out?" Ennis asked.

"Nah, kicked myself out. She was starting to get too nervous with me sitting there watching her every move. I think it would be best if we gave her some time to finish dinner." Ennis nodded and pulled the other chair over next to Jack and sat down facing Jack. "How's the fence coming?"

"Comin' along. Should be done soon."

"Looks like it might snow soon." Ennis looked up at the grey sky and nodded.

"It's possible. Mountain weather and all." Jack reached out and took Ennis's hand in his. As time had passed they had gotten more comfortable being at least a little affectionate around Alma. Alma had never said anything about it.

"So, what do you want to do for Christmas?" asked Jack.

"Well, I was hoping that Francine could sneak away for at least a day to come see me and her sister. I may have to enlist the help of my ex-wife's new husband."

"I did say I wanted to go visit Bobby in Texas." Jack shifted his leg and tried to get more comfortable. "But with the way this thing is healing so slowly I seriously doubt that I'll be able to do that."

"He can come up here with his momma." Jack looked at Ennis with a raised eyebrow.

"You sure about that Ennis?"

"Yeah, I mean, our kids have to get to know each other at some point. Might as well do that at Christmas. Maybe Lureen can pick Francine up on her way up here."

"I guess we wouldn't be able to do this on Christmas Day. Alma will probably want Francine home."

"Ok, December 27th. That way Bobby can still have Christmas with his grandparents and Lureen won't have to drive fourteen straight hours. She can pick up Francine and bring her up here. They can spend a day or two with us. Then go back home again." Ennis smiled at Jack with a slightly nervous smile.

"Yeah, simple, that's one thing this family is not."

"I've never met a simple family. There's always something that is different or someone who has to be handled or some conflict going on somewhere in the family. This will never be simple. But we can deal with it as easily as we can." Jack shivered and winced again.

"C'mon, let's get you inside," said Ennis standing up. Jack started to reach for his crutches, but then Ennis leaned over and easily lifted Jack in his arms. Jack reached down, turned the door knob, and opened the door. Alma looked up as she was setting the table and laughed at the scene the two of them made.

"Little darlin', we're home!" said Ennis with a grin on his face. He gently sat Jack in his usual chair at the table and set up his leg in another chair. After fetching the crutches from the front porch and leaning them up against the wall, Ennis sat down across from Jack and Alma gave them each plates laden with food. Then she put down her own plate and they sat down to eat. It was their first Thanksgiving together. The food was good, the company was good, and all three smiled at each other like fools through most of the dinner. They were happy. They were together. Eventually Alma just burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing for?" asked Ennis between his own stiffled giggles.

"I'm just so happy!" she said with a big grin that made all of them laugh. It was great. They had lived through a month together now. They had a long way to go. But they looked at each other and knew they could make it.

After dinner, they sat around the fire and ate the chocolate chip cookies that Junior had made the night before. She rested her head on her father's knee and he gently stroked her long hair. Jack smiled at the picture they made. After about her fifth yawn, Alma announced that she was going to bed and went upstairs. Jack and Ennis remained by the fire.

"You gonna sleep out here with me again?" Jack asked casually.

"I intend on it." Ennis pulled a blanket over Jack and then pulled another blanket over himself.

"You should sleep in your own bed Ennis. Don't sleep in the chair tonight"

"I'm sleepin' out here."

"Why don't you sleep in your own bed Ennis? You did it one night."

"And I couldn't sleep the whole night." Jack paused and realized that Ennis was serious.

"Why?"

"Because you're not there." Jack's eyes looked at his lover with an air of surprise. Jack reached out and gently brushed his fingers against Ennis's. Ennis looked up at Jack and the look in his eyes was all that Jack needed to see.

"I love you, cowboy," said Jack before he started to drift to sleep.

"I love you, rodeo," Ennis whispered back. Jack smiled and fell asleep to the sound of the fire and Ennis's gentle breathing.