Fort Lenordwood, Missouri was hot as hell in the spring, and even hotter in the summer which happened to be the time that Jensen Ackles arrived for basic training (27 page)

“Where is everyone?”

“Mac and Josh went on home. The Grabowskis went for lunch. Sandy took Katie down to the Riverwalk,” Ryan said. “The doc's in with Phillip. Phillip kicked me out, the bastard.”

“He cares about you...but he's got to deal with the docs himself. It's hard for him...ya know?” Mark said as he sat down next to Ryan.

“It doesn't matter to me, Mark. God...I keep seeing him...yeah, I never want to go through that again.”

510

“He's likely to get a non-deployable status. That's going to piss him right off.”

“Yeah, I have no doubts about that. Make sure y'all tell him you two got married.”

“Hinting, Ryan?” Patrick drawled.

“Hell no.” Well, not really. If he couldn't get Phillip to say 'I love you' he seriously doubted he could get the man talking about marriage. “When do you head back, Patrick?”

“Two days.” Patrick sighed.

“Yeah, doesn't seem possible, does it?” Mark slid his arms around Patrick's stomach.

511

“I go back a few days after that.” Ryan sighed.

“Alright you bitches, I have three hours.” A ragged, hoarse voice sounded behind them. They all turned and blinked.

“Son of a-- Brendon?”

“You didn't go AWOL did you?”

“You stupid son of a bitch!”

Brendon blinked at them all and pointed to the MP standing behind him.

“Reported to them...told them what was going on...they brought me here.”

The MPs just shrugged. “Can't blame him, and he did turn himself in. It's not like he went to Canada.”

512

“Just let me see my buddy and I'll go back. I promise,” Brendon said. The MP

nodded.

“Go on. You have three hours. Then we have to take you back.”

Brendon nodded.

Ryan led Brendon back and both of them heard Phillip before they saw him.

“I'm telling you Doc. I'm fine. I'm hungry and want a cheeseburger. If you give me a fuckin’ cheeseburger I'll do whatever the hell you want me to!”

“Sergeant Grabowski, as much as I would love to give you one you can't eat that yet. You've spent nearly a month in a coma. Now you've been awake two days. IF your progress continues, then by Friday-- two days from now-- we'll try some solid food.”

513

The doctor was talking quietly like he was talking to a five-year-old. That only pissed Phillip off even more.

“I'm not some fucking little kid, Doc. I get it. I do, but I want some real fucking food. Not chicken broth and Jello that was probably made before World War I,” Phillip hissed.

“Good God. You're supposed to be on your death bed not channeling your inner Drill Sergeant, man,” Brendon said as they walked in.

That seemed to shut Phillip up. The doctor grinned at Brendon and Ryan, thankful that they’d interrupted the argument.

“Furry! What the fuck are you doing here?” Phillip barked hoarsely.

“I heard this guy I knew was stuck here. I had to visit,” Brendon said easily. The doctor left quietly as both men looked at each other.

514

“Are you insane? You told my mom you couldn't get leave. Tell me you didn't just fuck up your career to see me.”

“I already turned myself in. Luckily I got the coolest MPs. They brought me here.”

“Dumb ass!” Phillip sighed and lay back in his bed. He smiled slightly and sighed again.

“Yeah I know. But you should be nice to your visitors.” Brendon pulled out a bag of Gummy Bears. “We bring gifts!”

Phillip's eyes lit up. “I take it all back. You're my favorite. Hell, Ryan, we have to break up. He won't smuggle me a cheeseburger,” he informed Brendon, who grinned.

515

The blond handed over the Gummy Bears and Phillip made a happy sound -

right before Ryan swooped in and took them away.

“Not until they say you're ready,” Ryan said primly.

“Bitch.”

“Jerk.”

“You both are so stupid.” Brendon rolled his eyes and grabbed the Gummy Bears out of Ryan's hand. He opened it and took a handful. Then threw the bag right back to Phillip who didn't give Ryan time before he too had a mouthful.

“Damn it Brendon!” Ryan growled.

“Stop being a bitch, Ryan. He deserves it.”

516

“Stop being a kiss-ass. He's not your Drill Sergeant anymore.”

“Children, if you can't behave I'm going to kick all of you out.” Nurse Kelly told them. Ryan liked her, even Phillip liked her.

“He FED Phillip GUMMY bears.”

The nurse blushed slightly and hid the bag behind her back.

“Oh…My...Fuckin...God! That's a cheeseburger...Dude, that's a fucking cheeseburger.” Phillip blinked and grinned at the red-headed nurse.

“Uh huh. She wouldn’t?” Ryan took a deep breath and cursed. “You did, didn't you?”

Kelly sighed and handed Phillip the cheeseburger. “If you tell on me I'll lose my job!”

517

“Your secret is so safe with me. Brendon, duct tape Ryan's mouth shut.” Phillip ripped into the bag and sighed happily when the greasy smell of the cheeseburger filled the room. “Oh God. Oh God, I've fucking died and gone to Heaven. Thank you, God!”

His hand shook as he brought the burger up to his mouth and his white teeth sunk into it. His groan was orgasmic.

Brendon blushed.

Ryan had to grin

And Kelly sighed. “It would figure the best-looking guy on this ward is gay...and he has a sexier than sin boyfriend...I swear to God I'm going to turn into a man. It's the only way.” She watched Phillip as he enjoyed his cheeseburger. “Only half. I'll save the other half and bring it to you later.”

518

Phillip blinked but wasn't going to argue with his angel who’d brought him a cheeseburger. He nodded.

“You so shouldn't have eaten that. If you get sick, no bitching.” Ryan griped, but couldn't deny the happiness on his lover's face.

***

The next few days were a flurry of activity. First Patrick went back to Iraq. It was a tearful affair. They all promised to get together after their deployments to celebrate Mark and Patrick's marriage.

Second, Brendon went to jail but ended up out because everyone kinda understood where the Sergeant was coming from. Even so he was written up and lost his rank. He wasn't going to bitch. It could have been a lot worse.

519

Ryan was quietly getting ready to go back. He spent every moment with Phillip.

They never spoke of feelings or even of the incident from the first few days. But things were easy between them. Phillip talked Ryan into giving him a sponge bath that led to Ryan taking a 'break' in the rest room. Phillip made sure Ryan was hard as hell, then told him to go 'relieve' it because he (Phillip) wanted to hear him come… That made Ryan groan loudly. Nurse Kelly decided to enter the room at that exact moment.

“Oh for the love of….! Ryan! The man isn't better yet and you're in there masturbating?”

Ryan choked and promptly lost his hard-on. “Jesus, woman! No wonder forty-five percent of the male population has thought about going gay at some point!”

“Are you telling me that the sound of my female voice killed your hard-on? You do realize I'm certified in giving you shots-- in your ass I may remind you! And trust me when I say I can make it hurt and not in a good way.”

520

Phillip chuckled.

Ryan came out blushing like a school boy. “Can we not talk about my hard-on?”

“You brought it up,” she said teasingly. “You're looking good, Sgt. Grabowski.

Your color’s coming back and you’re looking so much healthier,” Kelly continued, grinning at the man.

“Baby, I always look good. When is someone going to cut my hair?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Later. Now suck on this.” She pushed a thermometer into his mouth, then took his blood pressure. After she was done she smiled widely.

“Everything is looking normal.”

She left shortly after that. Aside from the interruption, he liked the nurse. She was friendly and had a wicked sense of humor.

521

Ryan sat down in the chair beside the bed and sighed.

“Three more days, huh?”

“Yeah. I'm lucky Kripke got me on this rotation, I guess. I don't want to go back.”

“Hey, none of that. You have buddies back there who are counting on you,”

Phillip said softly. “You can tell them that I'm awake and doing better. It will make all the difference.”

Ryan nodded. He laid his head on the bed looking up at his lover. “I...” He stopped when Phillip's fingers touched his lips.

“Not yet,” the older man whispered.

522

Ryan nodded and closed his eyes. It was enough to be with Phillip; to hear his voice; to feel his touch.

Phillip tugged on the younger man's hair until Ryan was inches from him. They kissed softly, pouring every ounce of feeling into their gentle kiss.

***

Phil

25Nov2006

I'm back. Everyone says hello. They miss you. Well not really. You were kind of a dick but they know you did it so they could all make it home but I do miss you. A lot.

Alexander said I'm being bitchy but I figure since you’re not here someone has to do it. LOL.

I talked to your mom. She said they are taking the cast off soon. The doctors are surprised at how well you're healing. But they don't know you. Not like we do.

Well I need to go. I just wanted you to know I'm back.

Freckles

523

***

Freckles,

27Nov2006

Come on admit it. They love me. It's my charming personality isn't it?

I'm glad you're back safely. I kinda get why Mark is always so cranky when Patrick is deployed. The news sucks and most of the time they give just enough details to make a person go crazy.

Yeah, they're gonna take the cast off and I start therapy soon. I was told I couldn't deploy any more. That seriously sucks. I can't let my guys go and not be there.

Bastards. But I would probably be more of a problem than a solution, especially if you're with me. You're a big enough girl to put yourself at risk for me.

I'm counting the days till you come home. When you do...we have to talk.

Phil

524

PS I knew you loved being called ‘Freckles’. It's adorable just like you are. Yes you are!

***

The months went by quickly for Phillip. He was finally discharged after six months. His parents wanted him to come home with them but he went back to Hood.

He had to get back on the job. His father knew why. They had an understanding. He wouldn't push himself and they wouldn't baby him.

Physical therapy sucked. Phillip hated it. He always felt so weak but it was paying off. He could walk a few steps with the aid of hand rails. But mostly he was stuck in the wheel chair. He made it his personal goal to be standing when Ryan came home.

525

He also had several projects he wanted to finish before his boyfriend came home

- namely moving all of Ryan's shit into his house. Kenneth, Sandy and Mark helped him with that. It was going to be a surprise to Ryan but Phillip didn't think he would mind.

His latest project was to make Ryan's parents open their eyes to whom and what their son was. He got the phone number from Mac and stared at the phone.

He knew that it hurt Ryan. Ryan had always been close to his parents. When he had ‘come out’ his parents ripped his heart out and Phillip wanted nothing more than to kick their asses and make them see what sort of man their son was.

He dialed the number with purpose.

“Hello?”

526

Phillip cleared his throat. “Um...Hi. My name is Phillip Grabowski,” he started and rolled his eyes. “I'm a friend of your son.”

“Josh? Is he okay?” came a soft, pleading voice.

“No… Ryan.” He took a deep breath. “We serve together. He's over in Iraq right now.”

“Oh. Ryan.” The voice went colder and Phillip wanted to scream. “I'm sorry.

Ryan is dead to us.”

“Yeah. Ryan.” Phillip resisted the urge to growl at the woman. Ryan wasn't dead. But he was in a place that could make him that way. Fucking bitch didn't even think about what she was saying. “I know y'all don't…agree with his…life choices but you should be proud of him. He's a great man,” Phillip said softly.

“I'm sorry, we don't talk about Ryan. He...broke his father's heart.”

527

Well good, because they broke Ryan's heart.

“Ma'am, I just think you should get to know your son. He's amazing.”

“We know all we need to know. He's made a mockery of everything his father and I tried to teach him. He'll burn in Hell for his sins.”

Phillip took a deep breath and willed himself not to lose his temper. “Ma'am, some would disagree with you. Ryan is well-respected. He's smart and he takes care of the men under him. He saves lives. He's a hero to a lot of guys.”

“That just tells you how bad this world has gotten. He's a queer. He's a sin in Gods’ eyes and only a sodomite would ever consider him a hero.”

That did it. Phillip's jaw tightened and he snorted.

528

“Alright, you know I tried to be nice. I did. But, lady you just went there. Now you shut the fuck up--” The woman began to sputter. “Shut the HELL up and listen to me. First, your son is a GOOD man. God hasn't forgotten him. God loves him warts and all, which is a helluva lot more than his parents did. I would think being the good Christian folks you are, you would know that only God gets to judge. Not some close-minded hypocritical human.” He took a deep breath and continued. “He puts his life on the line so you and your husband can sit back and call him and the others like him a sinner. So you can condemn him to hellfire because he doesn't conform to your idea of what sin is or isn't. Let me tell you this,
Lady,
I've been in the Army a whole lot longer than he has. I can safely say that if I wanted one person at my back it would be your son. Ryan is the best soldier I ever had the pleasure to serve with. He would make a great son if you and your husband would pull your head out of your asses and just look at him!”

The woman was silent. Then she let out a soft breath. “I'm sorry, Mr Grabowski. He's no longer our concern.”

529

Phillip snarled at that. “Don't you worry, Mrs Gracin. He'll never have to worry about being your concern. He's MY family now. I just wished that you fucking good Christians would open your eyes and stop judging him. He'd love to have his parents back in his life. But, you know what? I was a fucking idiot for even thinking I could talk to you. I hope you have a great life. Don't worry about Ryan. You're right, he's not your concern. He's mine. And know what else? He really doesn't need a mother and father anymore. He's got people that love and respect the hell out of him.” He slammed the phone down and threw it across the room.