Another Runaway Song

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters found in this story, nor do I profit from this in any way. Song found in the story is "Another Runaway Song" and the lyrics belong to Reggie and the Full Effect.

Two weeks we were lovers
Now you feel left behind

Jack had just driven off in his pickup after their summer together on Brokeback Mountain. Ennis crouched down, placing his hat to the left of his face, and resting his forehead against the brick wall as his emotions finally unleashed themselves. It hurt so much to watch him drive off like that. Hurt more than anything Ennis could remember.

Shall we be like others
Don’t think it’s wasting time
Now we’ll be good
You knew we would
I still cal you all mine

It’s been four years since they last saw each other. Jack still thought about Ennis, of course. Hell, he thought about him so much it was like he was completely consumed by Ennis and he was all the way in Wyoming. They both were married to women now, children of their own. But Jack still thought of Ennis as his true love. His Ennis. He knew they were connected no matter how many miles and states drove them apart.

You should be my other
Tell me that things are fine
Treat me like no other
This time I’ll make you mine

They’ve met a few times back on Brokeback since their reunion. They were back up there again now. Just the two of them. They way it should be, in Jack’s opinion. But he just couldn’t convince Ennis of this.

I’d rather run away with you
Than spend another day at home
Baby, I can feel the pain
Spending all of your nights alone

Jack told Ennis about his idea of living on a ranch together. Going to his father’s and whipping that place into shape. Jack just had to talk Ennis into this. He had to make him his for more than just a “fishing” trip.

More and more his life in Texas seemed so alien to Jack. Him and Lureen drifted apart and their marriage seemed more like a convenient business relationship now. He wasn’t happy with her. Sure, he loved his Bobby as much as any father could love a son. All he waited for now though was any sign, any signal from Ennis that he wanted to be together for longer than a few days on a stupid mountain. Jack thought after Ennis’ divorce he would finally get that. He drove all the way up to Wyoming just to be denied. He was so hopeful. He was so crushed. He knew Ennis lived alone now. He could feel Ennis’ aching all the way in Texas even if he never voiced it to Jack.

And now that we can play
Never ever picking up the phone
Then we can run and say
That we have let the night become our home

Texas was no longer home to Jack. Hell, it was never really home. His home, his true, real home was Ennis. He could not escape it no more than he could force himself to not think about Ennis. Sometimes he got so desperate on those long, lonely nights that he was this close to picking up the phone and calling Ennis. But what would be the point? He would go up there if Ennis could get off work for just a few days. And sure, those few days were wonderful, but they just weren’t enough anymore. Jack sometimes wondered as he lay in bed whether it would be less painful just to stay put and not take those trips to Brokeback with Ennis.

You don’t think that I can be
Watch you running out of me
I wish you’d never lock your door

They were back on Brokeback Mountain again. Even though Jack swore to himself that last time would be the last. Twenty years. They have been doing this now for twenty years. But now Ennis had just told him that he couldn’t make it up here in August due to work. That the soonest time he could was all the way in November. This tore Jack apart. It was bad enough they only got away rarely, but now it’s going to be an even longer fight. They argued but then embraced. Jack had a horrible feeling that he would never see Ennis again. But he knew Ennis loved him in whatever way Ennis allowed himself to love, though he didn’t voice it. He just wished that Ennis wouldn’t deny himself and Jack of all of his feelings. But that was just Ennis, he reckoned. And he loved Ennis through everything no matter what.

Two weeks we were lovers
Now you feel left behind
Shall we be like others
Don’t think it’s wasting time
Now we’ll be good
You knew we would
I’ll still call you all mine

Ennis climbed the steep stairs and entered the small bedroom that once belonged to Jack Twist. It wasn’t really how he imagined it to be, but then again, he didn’t think on it too much. ‘So this is where he grew up,’ Ennis thought as he looked around. He occasionally slid his hand over the boy-sized bed, the ink stained desk, the b.b. gun that rested on a rack over the bed. The closet was separated from the rest of the room by a curtain. It was a very small closet. More like just a hole in the wall. Inside was a pair of boots and a denim shirt on a hanger hidden in the back. He crouched down and picked up one of the boots. Then he stood up to look at the shirt. He picked it up and thought that it felt heavier than it should for just the one shirt. Upon further examination he noticed his plaid shirt tucked inside the denim one. The one he thought he lost back on Brokeback all those years ago. He brought the shirts up to his face, hugged them close and breathed them in deep, searching for any lingering smell that Jack had left on them. But the scent of Jack was long gone and now all that was left were the memories of the shirt and the events that went on one magical summer between two boys on a mountain.

He held the shirt like it would bring Jack back. But no amount of hugging, or crying, or wishing could do that. He was left alone all over again. Ennis thought he could feel no worse pain than seeing Jack drive off that summer, that summer that happened so long ago now that it seemed like it never happened. But Ennis was wrong. Boy was he wrong.

I’d rather run away with you
And never spend another day at home
Baby I can feel the pain
With you spending all your nights alone

Alma Jr. just drove off after telling him that she was going to be married and wanted him to be there. He walked back into his trailer and closed the door. He opened the closet to reveal the two bloody shirts from their summer on Brokeback Mountain hanging on a single nail on the door. Beside it was a postcard with a beautiful mountain pictured on it held with two thumbtacks. He was forever fond of postcards now because they represented the bond of communication that kept them going for so long. Thinking back on all those times he would give anything, anything at all just to go back on that mountain one more time. Anything to help Jack’s father’s ranch and live together. Anything at all just to flat out tell Jack that he loved him. But Jack haunts his dreams now. In his dreams they’re back on Brokeback during that original summer. Or they’re living on a ranch together like Jack talked about. But one thing that remained constant through each of his dreams was that no matter the location, no matter what age they were, he always, always told Jack that he loved him. Ennis leaned his forehead against the closet door as a few tears rolled silently down his cheeks. “Jack fucking Twist…” he whispered. “…I love you…”