"No," Ennis hollers as much as his torn, wheezing voice will allow him to, "jack fuckin twist you get the fuck off me–"

"Or what? You can't do shit," Jack growls, yet tugs gently at Ennis's sleeve. Ennis's complexion is pallid, breathing coming his lungs will burst if he doesn't say what he does. "I told you, it's goin a be all right."

Ennis groans as if Jack had socked him. "Why don't you jus' let me be? It's 'cause of you, Jack, that I'm like this…"

What is he supposed to do, damnit? He leaves Ennis to go for help, he could pass like a whisper in the wind. He stays here with Ennis… and what? Watch him wither away?

"I ain't leavin you when we could have a damn good fuckin life together, so stop tryin a get rid a me," he growls, harsher than intended. He takes a breath, pinching his nose. Ennis is sick and hurt. He shouldn't give him a heart attack. "Ya know, friend," he sighs, "This is one goddamn bitch of an unsatisfactory situation." He sits down so he's level with Ennis.

"Jack, I swear…"

"Swear what?"

He looks up. His sight had come back during the night. "I swear I would a done things different. I…" He swallows audibly. Wades through the sounds as if the devil himself is chasing him. "I should a been the best man I could be to you. Hell, you deserved it. You was a great friend, Jack. I'm real sorry."

"Oh, Ennis." Jack rubs a hand over his face. The level of idiot in Ennis is incomprehensibly high. "Why do ya think I stuck aroun' you an' your sack a shit? You're worth it, you sonofabitch."

"No, I ain't worth your fuckin life." He grips him, fuelled by some primal, raw desperation. "You can't stay here."

"Aguirre don't give a shit if we get you help at the ranch."

"I was 'bout a shoot him, 'course he does. You go down there with me…" His voice fissures with fear. "Nurses'll ask. And Aguirre'll talk. He might a got some vendetta against us… we don't got all the sheep, after all…"

Jack listens, truly listens, for a moment. Knows that Ennis isn't going to give it up. And as much as he hates to admit it, he's probably right. It's risky to bet everything on Aguirre keeping quiet.

"Look," he says carefully, "I got an idea."

"Then it prolly ain't gone a happen."

"I'm goin' a go get help. I'm goin a say I were the one who shot you."

Ennis starts coughing violently.

"Look, hear– no, Ennis, listen. I take the fall, an' worst thing I'll get is maybe a little jail time, but you... they'll help you. Aguirre ain't got nothin on us 'xcept his word, and we all know how pig-faced he is." He takes a breath, addressing the suppressed question. "I know... we'll be apart. But beats us gettin' knocked into the goddamn afterlife or you bleedin' out up here."

Ennis shakes his head, shakes it again, and again.

"People get shot all the time."

"You'll be in a men's prison."

"I won't make no moves, I promise. Only you."

"They won't believe you."

"Naw, we're two nineteen year-olds who got wasted one night. What's not to believe?"

"We're alone on a mountain. Any guy's bound to…"

Jack raises an eyebrow.

Ennis changes his track real quick. "Look. We ain't doin that, no way."

He was starting to get frustrated. "Well, you never believe in any of 'em."

Ennis hisses. Jack feels a flicker of annoyance until he realises it's a sound of pain, not denial. "Shit, I'm sorry…"

But Ennis waves at him to continue. So he makes it quick, telling him the half-baked plan he'd just formed in his head.

He watches as Ennis's expression grows increasingly complicated. As if his head and heart are grappling in a deadlock. "Thought I tol' you ta leave Alma out a this."

"We don't really got no choice."

Jack's heart sinks as Ennis closes his eyes, "We ain't marryin after this, no way."

Jack cringes. He'd always wished that Ennis and Alma'd split, but not like this. Is he even worth Ennis giving up the love of his life? "Do you love her?"

He looks away. "...Jack, it's– complicated. I don't feel with her what I feel with you, not even close, if that's what you was sayin. But I care, a whole damn lot. Knew her since we was five."

Jack knows he's treading on dangerous territory. "Then maybe she won't appreciate your half-assed attention."

To his surprise, Ennis sighs easily in resignation. "Yeah. You're right. She deserves better than ta hang around with me when I'm tailin after you. Guess it was 'bout time."

Jack ignores the thrill racing up his arteries at that last part in favour of a sympathetic pat on the back. "Don't you worry, cowboy. We'll get you safe. All we got ta do is convince her…"