The Dance - Chapter 18: Even In The Quietest Moments

[smiles_a_lot]

Genre & Rating: Canon/AU, NC-17 for cussin and gratuitous smex.

Disclaimer: Jack and Ennis were created by the Great and Mighty Annie Proulx. I'm just the dude behind the yellow curtain working the lights and using the Big Voice microphone.

Summary: This is the continuation of The Package, and takes place after Ennis and Alma's divorce. Ennis has

Comments

[rt_in_town]

He’d come to rely on Ennis, come to believe Ennis’d be there to give him whatever semblance of home that could be found on this huge, black mass of mountain.What a beautiful way of conveying the attachment Jack felt, the only thing that gave him comfort on that cold, lonely mountain that he'd previously hated. Then you evoke the worry that Jack feels at the sensation of being abandoned, the ache at seeing Ennis' wound, but the strange reassurance at the evidence that no matter what, Ennis will come back, cause he knows Jack is counting on him

[smiles_a_lot]

Thanks so much for your encouragement in this chapter. That "scene", the one with the bear, was I think very telling of the roles Jack and Ennis would end up playing in their relationship.

As for you wanting to get a better insight into why Jack reacted as he did in Kansas, more of that will come up in the next chapter. Actually the next two chapters are from Jack's POV. x x Em

[rt_in_town]

As for you wanting to get a better insight into why Jack reacted as he did in Kansas, more of that will come up in the next chapter. Actually the next two chapters are from Jack's POV. x x Em

Aww I'm delighted to hear that, Em! Although I found Jack's sudden flight to be abrupt, I think there could be such a compelling story underlying it that can give us such beautiful insight to the precarious state of Jack in his later years, into the fears and vulnerabilities over abandonment that operate within him....
I'm sure you'll do a great job with Jack's thoughts, and a full portrait will surely make it all the more joyful for us readers when, in the end, he finally finds himself "back home" in the comforting embrace of the man who alone could salve all the accumulated doubts and insecurities, and now is finally willing to....

Look forward to what's coming up!
--Alex

[grlewis]

hi, got to the end of this great hot chapter and found that i couldn't connect to the next chapter by hitting the "immediately followed by chapter 19" mark. could you give me the actual address of chapter 19, please so i can go on in reading this work. thanks, gr

[smiles_a_lot]

Sorry about that? I hope you figured it out? You just have to go to the next entry. xx

[brokeback1963]

It was like an arrow piercing his heart. Quick and sharp, a sudden invasion that he barely felt before it bloomed instant pain

[smiles_a_lot]

Hi sweetie:

I know you're very emotional so I'm sorry you were in tears. This is a tough fic to read sometimes, isn't it? The sweet life will come soon, I promise. ♥ Em

[big_heart_june]

“Cool. Yeah,” he whispered. Unless you had someone depending on you. Then you’d do whatever you could to get away from that bear, dust yourself off, and drag yourself, broken and bleeding, back to camp.

He sure did...*sigh* I SO love all these little flash-backs, I could quote each and every one even though they're so terribly terribly sad...
I would love for Bobby's boy to be named Jack, I adored that part, I could feel it in my heart. Seriously, Em, your writing always does that to me, you're so gifted ♥
Your last lines were hard...so much hurt..

You're made of awesome in every way, I hope you know that ♥

*running off to the next chapter* Yipp-eeeeeeee!

[smiles_a_lot]

Hey Junie:
Funny thing, I wasn't even really depressed when I wrote these. I think I was going for poignancy, that mixture of bitter and sweet that always seems to be a part of Jack and Ennis' relationship. Let's hope more sweet than bitter very soon! xx Em

[mariez65]

Okay, sorry for being so late, but I realized after the last chapter that I really needed to do a re-read b/c it's been close to a year since I started reading and I was a little fuzzy on a few things. So I finally carved out some time bit by bit and I think I enjoyed it even more the second time around :) I knew things were left in a precarious position after their late night phone call, but I'm sorry to see they haven't talked at all since then? Or maybe they have? I'm not clear on that. I can see where they're both feeling very left-footed about where things stand :( I thought you did a wonderful job in conveying so much with these vignettes. Ennis with his unmarked map, Jack and his wished for family tree; both with their own regrets. Janie really touched me here with her diffident offer about the girls. She's a tough cookie on the outside, but she has her own dreams and needs. Great job - on to Ch. 19. Thanks!

Marie

[smiles_a_lot]

Sorry for the confusion, a few people were wondering about that as well. I should have made it more clear. They haven't talked since. They're kind of going through that distance that you get after a big fight and you've forgiven each other enough to be together, but not enough to feel easy about how things went down. So they're off in their own worlds right now, trying to figure things out. As for Janie, oh you're so right about her dreams and needs. Wonderful comment, Marie, thanks! I'm chuffed my story stood up to a re-read! xx