The Excursion
Chapter 9/ 12
Language: English
Rating: R
Disclaimer: The Brokeback Mountain Characters belong to Annie Proulx
Summary: This is an au! au story and there are no warnings (No one dies)
Ennis accompanies his Professor on a journey to a faraway country. But when he returns, he is not the same …
Feedback: Yes please, it keeps my friends and me motivated!
Author's Note: The Excursion is completed. Again I want to thank Torry torry28 and Debra forever9218 for translating an bringing that story to life in English!
today
yesterday
Chapter 9
Farewell
On the last evening, before Ennis' departure back to America, they found themselves leafing through an old photo album together. When they came to one of the inserted pages, Jack stopped to point out a black and white photo that had obviously faded a bit with age. In the picture, was a boy wearing shorts, maybe six years old. With one hand braced on each hip his head was proudly tilted to one side, as the little squirt looked boldly into the camera.
"This is my grandpa. Everyone says that I was a mirror image of him," Jack smiled.
Ennis studied the photo, and nodded absently.
"And who’s that little fella?" calling attention to the boy standing next to the confident lad. Jack squinted and noticed that there, in the background, was another child, partly hidden behind his grandfather.
"Him?" Jack wondered. "I guess that must be my grandfather's younger brother."
"Whatever happened to him? Is he still alive?"
"No idea. Grandfather once told me that his brother was the black sheep in the family and left their parents’ home at seventeen. I think he was never seen again after that. So I’ve never even met my great-uncle."
After a while, Jack added thoughtfully, "You know, I think you may have hit on something. Our two castle crashers never appeared here during my grandfather's lifetime. Only since the property was transferred over to me. Hmm. I wonder why I never noticed that before? Ennis Del Mar, there must be a detective hiding inside of you somewhere. Without you, I never would have even remotely thought of the brother of my grandfather."
Ennis leaned over the image, once more. "The brother of your grandfather looks like he’s not much younger than he is. No more than two or three years, perhaps." He straightened up and looked over at Jack, who nodded. Then Ennis continued, "This could mean that the two men who come here during your absences are probably related to your great-uncle.
"That or they’re ..." Jack words were interrupted by a fit of laughter.
"Vampires. Yeah, I know. Your great-uncle and his son are vampires!" groaned Ennis. "Will this never end?"
"Well, at least they have the right to bear the title of “Count," Jack grinned. “Of course, you might prefer this blander version a little better. The two men are the son and grandson of my long lost great-uncle. Not vampires, but probably nobleman.
Ennis’ head was swimming. Jonathan actually might be Count Orloff and a distant cousin of Jack’s. That would, at least, explain the uncanny resemblance. If this were true, he wouldn’t be an imposter after all. He thought about how none of this really mattered because he would be leaving the next day and would never have the time to know the full truth.
It was already nightfall and Ennis felt a twinge in his stomach as he remembered that tomorrow, at this very hour, he probably would be back home with Alma. He wondered what he could possibly tell her about this trip. Maybe, "We had three informative weeks in Romania, and the research findings we’ve brought back with us were obtained with the full application of my body. The mind, not so much.”
Or, maybe something a little more direct: "The knowledge I received by studying a certain male, blue-eyed vampire, will revolutionize bat research across the globe. I only needed one night to get up close and personal with the vampire in question, but Professor Grey has promised me top grades for it."
Of course, he didn’t believe for a second that Alma was capable of buying into any of his so called “bat experiences,” much less understanding them. He knew he would have to remain silent and provide only broad generalizations about what he had been up to. The only remaining question was how long he could keep the charade going. All he knew, right now, was that he felt completely drained. The experiences of the last three weeks, everything he considered to be right, had pretty much been shaken to the core. Only these last few days, since Jack’s arrival, had brought him some peace of mind. He certainly felt much more comfortable in the castle and could not remember ever having such a good time.
"Come with me to the attic. If we're lucky, we can observe them flying out."
"Flying out?"
"The bats are awake now and searching for their breakfast.” Jack shook his head. “You really have no idea about their habits, do you?"
Ennis shrugged, “Let’s go,” and followed Jack through the ducts through the increasingly narrower passageways and steeper staircases, until they finally landed in a large room. Hanging from the wooden rafters, underneath the roof, he could see the little mammals dangling upside down. The acidic smell, from their droppings, was strong as Ennis estimated there were probably a hundred or more critters in slumber.
"We're lucky. They haven’t wakened up yet," whispered Jack.
Ennis was about to ask how these creatures were able to get into such a secluded area when Jack placed his hand on his arm and signaled for him to be silent. Within seconds, individual bats began to stir before a whole flock swarmed overhead, scurrying through an open hatch to disappear into the night sky.
Surprised by the hasty departure, Ennis instinctively ducked his head once the nocturnal mammals flew above him. An obvious neophyte response since none of the tiny critters came close to grazing him; the frenzied exodus seemingly over before the nightly ritual had even started. Ennis’ first awareness of the return to quiet was feeling Jack's hand still resting on his arm. He noticed how the hot and stuffy attic air had caused small droplets of sweat to roll off his neck and down his back. Warmth washed over him.
"Well, what do you think?" Jack asked, invading Ennis' thoughts before loosening his grip, then letting him go. The connection between them now broken, Ennis reluctantly came back to reality, the spell abruptly broken.
"Fascinating," he said. "At least, I’ve got the inside scoop about their nighttime habits. You do know, however, that the Professor‘s burning interests do not involve smaller, harmless creatures like these. We spent days stumbling through the castle’s cemetery and the surrounding area in stifling heat looking for….”
"Yes, it is terribly hot in here, isn’t it?" Jack slowly unbuttoned his shirt midway down to his torso before suggesting, "Let's go downstairs. I’m absolutely parched and need something cool to drink."
"I could use one of those, myself.”
Once inside the kitchen, Jack grabbed two bottles of water, from the refrigerator, and they both greedily upended their plastic containers. After several gulps, Ennis found himself gazing at some water that had run down Jack's chin, and was now making its way down his neck and chest, disappearing underneath his shirt. Without thinking, he stared at the wet tracks the water left on Jack's slightly tanned skin and the wet spot which now spread beneath the fabric. Unable to stop himself, his eyes wandered further south and stopped at the top of Jack's jeans. He swallowed hard, before looking back up again, and just for a moment, caught Jack returning his attention as their eyes met.
"Are you really serious about wanting to leave tomorrow, Ennis?” He could hear the sincere regret in Jack’s voice.
"If I could, I would stay longer. But, Grey insists that we go back tomorrow.”
"I see. Your fiancé will be waiting for you then?"
Ennis nodded, "Yes, she’s probably been wondering what’s happened to me. We haven’t even spoken on the phone to one another since I’ve arrive. There must be a dead zone here."
"Yes, but that has its advantages, if one wishes to be truly unavailable.”
Ennis wondered whether Jack was alluding to something more specific, when he saw him pull a small card from the back pocket of his jeans and hold it out for him to take.
“I would like if I could hear from you, again. At the top is the number of my parents, they live in the Bay Area where you’re studying. Down below is my cell number. I'll be visiting the folks next semester, during the holidays. Once I'm back, maybe we could do something together. Afterwards, I don’t know where I’ll end up. I do want to change schools next semester and I've already applied to three different universities.”
Ennis took the card and muttered, "Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then. Better go start packing.” With that brisk explanation, he turned quickly and walked toward his room, any awkward conversation averted. During dinner later that night, both men were more silent than usual, allowing the Professor to do almost all the talking. Neither of them seemed to have any real appetite as they picked at their food while Ennis made sure to avoid every one of Jack's questioning glances.
***
Ennis slept badly, during his last night at the castle, waking long before the alarm rang, just wanting to get the whole goodbye thing behind him. Already packed and ready to go, Jack drove them over to the station, first thing. Once everyone had helped remove the luggage from the trunk, Jack turned around and politely shook hands with Grey. “It was nice to meet you, Professor.” But, when Ennis held out his hand to say farewell, Jack happily grabbed hold and pulled Ennis into a tight embrace, patting him on the back, not wanting to let go. Ennis lingered in his arms, instinctively inhaling Jack’s scent while the other man said softly, “This is the way we say goodbye, in Romania, to good friends. I hope it’s only for a short time." Ennis felt a warm wave rise up inside of him as the hopeful words sunk in.
When Jack finally let go, he walked straight to his car, without looking back, and drove away. With a quiet sadness, Ennis watched Jack disappear before dutifully following the Professor into the train compartment. Headed back to a life he wasn’t even sure he wanted anymore.
Tbc
Language: English
Rating: R
Disclaimer: The Brokeback Mountain Characters belong to Annie Proulx
Summary: This is an au! au story and there are no warnings (No one dies)
Ennis accompanies his Professor on a journey to a faraway country. But when he returns, he is not the same …
Feedback: Yes please, it keeps my friends and me motivated!
Author's Note: The Excursion is completed. Again I want to thank Torry torry28 and Debra forever9218 for translating an bringing that story to life in English!
today
yesterday
Chapter 9
Farewell
On the last evening, before Ennis' departure back to America, they found themselves leafing through an old photo album together. When they came to one of the inserted pages, Jack stopped to point out a black and white photo that had obviously faded a bit with age. In the picture, was a boy wearing shorts, maybe six years old. With one hand braced on each hip his head was proudly tilted to one side, as the little squirt looked boldly into the camera.
"This is my grandpa. Everyone says that I was a mirror image of him," Jack smiled.
Ennis studied the photo, and nodded absently.
"And who’s that little fella?" calling attention to the boy standing next to the confident lad. Jack squinted and noticed that there, in the background, was another child, partly hidden behind his grandfather.
"Him?" Jack wondered. "I guess that must be my grandfather's younger brother."
"Whatever happened to him? Is he still alive?"
"No idea. Grandfather once told me that his brother was the black sheep in the family and left their parents’ home at seventeen. I think he was never seen again after that. So I’ve never even met my great-uncle."
After a while, Jack added thoughtfully, "You know, I think you may have hit on something. Our two castle crashers never appeared here during my grandfather's lifetime. Only since the property was transferred over to me. Hmm. I wonder why I never noticed that before? Ennis Del Mar, there must be a detective hiding inside of you somewhere. Without you, I never would have even remotely thought of the brother of my grandfather."
Ennis leaned over the image, once more. "The brother of your grandfather looks like he’s not much younger than he is. No more than two or three years, perhaps." He straightened up and looked over at Jack, who nodded. Then Ennis continued, "This could mean that the two men who come here during your absences are probably related to your great-uncle.
"That or they’re ..." Jack words were interrupted by a fit of laughter.
"Vampires. Yeah, I know. Your great-uncle and his son are vampires!" groaned Ennis. "Will this never end?"
"Well, at least they have the right to bear the title of “Count," Jack grinned. “Of course, you might prefer this blander version a little better. The two men are the son and grandson of my long lost great-uncle. Not vampires, but probably nobleman.
Ennis’ head was swimming. Jonathan actually might be Count Orloff and a distant cousin of Jack’s. That would, at least, explain the uncanny resemblance. If this were true, he wouldn’t be an imposter after all. He thought about how none of this really mattered because he would be leaving the next day and would never have the time to know the full truth.
It was already nightfall and Ennis felt a twinge in his stomach as he remembered that tomorrow, at this very hour, he probably would be back home with Alma. He wondered what he could possibly tell her about this trip. Maybe, "We had three informative weeks in Romania, and the research findings we’ve brought back with us were obtained with the full application of my body. The mind, not so much.”
Or, maybe something a little more direct: "The knowledge I received by studying a certain male, blue-eyed vampire, will revolutionize bat research across the globe. I only needed one night to get up close and personal with the vampire in question, but Professor Grey has promised me top grades for it."
Of course, he didn’t believe for a second that Alma was capable of buying into any of his so called “bat experiences,” much less understanding them. He knew he would have to remain silent and provide only broad generalizations about what he had been up to. The only remaining question was how long he could keep the charade going. All he knew, right now, was that he felt completely drained. The experiences of the last three weeks, everything he considered to be right, had pretty much been shaken to the core. Only these last few days, since Jack’s arrival, had brought him some peace of mind. He certainly felt much more comfortable in the castle and could not remember ever having such a good time.
"Come with me to the attic. If we're lucky, we can observe them flying out."
"Flying out?"
"The bats are awake now and searching for their breakfast.” Jack shook his head. “You really have no idea about their habits, do you?"
Ennis shrugged, “Let’s go,” and followed Jack through the ducts through the increasingly narrower passageways and steeper staircases, until they finally landed in a large room. Hanging from the wooden rafters, underneath the roof, he could see the little mammals dangling upside down. The acidic smell, from their droppings, was strong as Ennis estimated there were probably a hundred or more critters in slumber.
"We're lucky. They haven’t wakened up yet," whispered Jack.
Ennis was about to ask how these creatures were able to get into such a secluded area when Jack placed his hand on his arm and signaled for him to be silent. Within seconds, individual bats began to stir before a whole flock swarmed overhead, scurrying through an open hatch to disappear into the night sky.
Surprised by the hasty departure, Ennis instinctively ducked his head once the nocturnal mammals flew above him. An obvious neophyte response since none of the tiny critters came close to grazing him; the frenzied exodus seemingly over before the nightly ritual had even started. Ennis’ first awareness of the return to quiet was feeling Jack's hand still resting on his arm. He noticed how the hot and stuffy attic air had caused small droplets of sweat to roll off his neck and down his back. Warmth washed over him.
"Well, what do you think?" Jack asked, invading Ennis' thoughts before loosening his grip, then letting him go. The connection between them now broken, Ennis reluctantly came back to reality, the spell abruptly broken.
"Fascinating," he said. "At least, I’ve got the inside scoop about their nighttime habits. You do know, however, that the Professor‘s burning interests do not involve smaller, harmless creatures like these. We spent days stumbling through the castle’s cemetery and the surrounding area in stifling heat looking for….”
"Yes, it is terribly hot in here, isn’t it?" Jack slowly unbuttoned his shirt midway down to his torso before suggesting, "Let's go downstairs. I’m absolutely parched and need something cool to drink."
"I could use one of those, myself.”
Once inside the kitchen, Jack grabbed two bottles of water, from the refrigerator, and they both greedily upended their plastic containers. After several gulps, Ennis found himself gazing at some water that had run down Jack's chin, and was now making its way down his neck and chest, disappearing underneath his shirt. Without thinking, he stared at the wet tracks the water left on Jack's slightly tanned skin and the wet spot which now spread beneath the fabric. Unable to stop himself, his eyes wandered further south and stopped at the top of Jack's jeans. He swallowed hard, before looking back up again, and just for a moment, caught Jack returning his attention as their eyes met.
"Are you really serious about wanting to leave tomorrow, Ennis?” He could hear the sincere regret in Jack’s voice.
"If I could, I would stay longer. But, Grey insists that we go back tomorrow.”
"I see. Your fiancé will be waiting for you then?"
Ennis nodded, "Yes, she’s probably been wondering what’s happened to me. We haven’t even spoken on the phone to one another since I’ve arrive. There must be a dead zone here."
"Yes, but that has its advantages, if one wishes to be truly unavailable.”
Ennis wondered whether Jack was alluding to something more specific, when he saw him pull a small card from the back pocket of his jeans and hold it out for him to take.
“I would like if I could hear from you, again. At the top is the number of my parents, they live in the Bay Area where you’re studying. Down below is my cell number. I'll be visiting the folks next semester, during the holidays. Once I'm back, maybe we could do something together. Afterwards, I don’t know where I’ll end up. I do want to change schools next semester and I've already applied to three different universities.”
Ennis took the card and muttered, "Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then. Better go start packing.” With that brisk explanation, he turned quickly and walked toward his room, any awkward conversation averted. During dinner later that night, both men were more silent than usual, allowing the Professor to do almost all the talking. Neither of them seemed to have any real appetite as they picked at their food while Ennis made sure to avoid every one of Jack's questioning glances.
***
Ennis slept badly, during his last night at the castle, waking long before the alarm rang, just wanting to get the whole goodbye thing behind him. Already packed and ready to go, Jack drove them over to the station, first thing. Once everyone had helped remove the luggage from the trunk, Jack turned around and politely shook hands with Grey. “It was nice to meet you, Professor.” But, when Ennis held out his hand to say farewell, Jack happily grabbed hold and pulled Ennis into a tight embrace, patting him on the back, not wanting to let go. Ennis lingered in his arms, instinctively inhaling Jack’s scent while the other man said softly, “This is the way we say goodbye, in Romania, to good friends. I hope it’s only for a short time." Ennis felt a warm wave rise up inside of him as the hopeful words sunk in.
When Jack finally let go, he walked straight to his car, without looking back, and drove away. With a quiet sadness, Ennis watched Jack disappear before dutifully following the Professor into the train compartment. Headed back to a life he wasn’t even sure he wanted anymore.
Tbc