Ryan sat down on the chair next to Phillip'sbed. “Phillip I lo...” He didn't get to finish. Instead Phillip'sfingers touched his lips.
“We aren't doing this big, gay ‘I love you’scene in a fucking hospital, Ryan,” Phillip said with a slightgrin.
Ryan rolled his eyes but nodded. Trust him tofind the one guy in the world that refused to do the gay love scenein a hospital.
“If and when we do, it will be on our terms. Notbecause some bastard scared the shit out of us.”
“If and when? Phil...I don't need ‘if and when’.I just need ‘when’,” Ryan said quietly.
“Oh I know...but I don't want it for today.Today or tomorrow. Okay? Promise me...No big reveal until I sayso.” Phillip looked dead serious. It drove Ryan insane but hefinally agreed.
“Not until you say so. As long as it's not oneof those ‘I'm dying so I'm going to tell you I love you’ kindadeals. That's a rule breaker and I'll kick your ass for it,” Ryanteased gently.
“I wouldn't do that to you Ryan.” Phillipsmiled. “My ass is going to be scarred for life,” he said suddenly.“And the backs of my legs.”
“Oh my God you're an ass! Well, lucky for youyou're all ass so I'm not worried about it.” Ryan rolled his eyes.As if he cared about a scar or two, or two million. He had thoughtthat his lover was going to die. That he was going to watch Phillipdie, and that drove him crazy. He could handle scars. He could havehandled Phillip's face being scarred. What he couldn't handle wasPhillip being dead. Yeah, that he couldn't handle at all.
“Just stop, alright?” Ryan said. “When…Phil, youdon't get it. I stood there and watched….God I thought you weredead. I wanted to die…I wanted to die. So….ya know… scars? I'm notreal worried about them.” He leaned over and kissed Phillip's lipsgently.
Phillip blinked and nodded. “Alright. Alright. Iforgot how freaking lucky I was with twinkie little old you.”
“You forget how bitchy I am. Otherwise youwouldn't be messin’ with me.” Ryan's lips curled into a grin.
“Youarespending your R & R at ahospital, Ryan. I don't care if youarebitchy.” Philliplooked tired. Ryan held the man's hand loosely.
“Go to sleep, Phillip. I'll be here when youwake up.”
Chapter Fourteen
Patrick and Mark arrived at the hospital latethe next day. When they did show up they were sporting matchinggrins and matching rings.
“About time you made an honest man of him.”Kenneth smiled. Ryan was sitting in the waiting room while a doctorwas looking Phillip over.
Ryan smiled at both men. He was surprised whenPatrick flushed.
“Fuck off Kenny,” Patrick said. “How is he?”
“He's good. He's talking more. Bitchingactually.” Ryan did grin then.
“Phillip's bitching.” Mark smiled. “That meanshe's getting better.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Mac and Josh went on home. The Grabowskis wentfor lunch. Sandy took Katie down to the Riverwalk,” Ryan said. “Thedoc's in with Phillip. Phillip kicked me out, the bastard.”
“He cares about you...but he's got to deal withthe docs himself. It's hard for him...ya know?” Mark said as he satdown next to Ryan.
“It doesn't matter to me, Mark. God...I keepseeing him...yeah, I never want to go through that again.”
“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 surey'all tell him you two got married.”
“Hinting, Ryan?” Patrick drawled.
“Hell no.” Well, not really. If he couldn't getPhillip to say 'I love you' he seriously doubted he could get theman talking about marriage. “When do you head back, Patrick?”
“Two days.” Patrick sighed.
