Wounded warrior

This story began a bit over five years ago as I write this, little did I know when I accepted this assignment that my life would be changed forever. United States Marine Sergeant Robert A. Whitson and I would begin rehabilitating him physically and mentally as he learns that the roadside bomb in Afghanistan took only his feet. He is still every bit the man he was prior to his injury. This is our story.

I'm Stephen (Chip) Carpenter. When I was born my Dad owned a lumber yard, when I came along he joked that I was his little wood chip. The nickname stuck, I seldom respond to Stephen because it is never used by anyone who knows me. I'm Just Chip, 26, on the small side at 5'7", 133 pounds, Ginger hair and green eyes, completed my misery. Oops, forgot the freckles...now my misery is complete.

I know that I'm not handsome, good looking would even be pushing it. I'm just an ordinary guy. I always try to present myself in the best possible way that I can. Even handsome gay men have trouble finding partners. I mean Life Partner's...not just sex partners. I'm currently sporting the two day old shadowbeard look. Uh...the jury is still out on whether a Ginger can pull off the shadow beard look.

I've a decent body I guess for a smaller guy, I'm not crazy ripped nor muscled, the beginnings of a 4 pack can be seen with my shirt off and if I bear down hard in a muscle pose. I'm thin or maybe lean is a better choice of words. Those are my good points, throw in my red hair and freckles and all this Orangatang orange fur covering my body and you get lots of 'oh...him' responses. No Modeling agencies are banging on my door for sure.

By trade I am a Physical Therapist, assisting injured or ailing clients with rehabilitation or how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I've been assigned to the team rehabilitating a double amputee. Marine Sergeant Whitson has just arrived at Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland from duty in Afghanistan.

I'm an Orthopedic specialist and Physical Therapist; this will be my first experience with an amputee. He is one of our brave soldiers, who had both feet blown off by a roadside bomb on his second tour in that hell hole that is Afghanistan. Only two of the six Marines in the Humvee survived. Corporal Randall Walters had shrapnel puncture wounds in his side and buttocks. Sergeant Robert Allen Whitson, wasn't so lucky. He lost both feet and part of his legs, up to where his mid-calf should have been. Sgt. Whitson was in the right front seat, the bomb exploded almost directly beneath him.

His rehabilitation team includes two physicians, a psychologist, a physical therapist, a nurse and a Marine Major Attached to the Walter Reed Medical Center. Usually, somewhere between two and five weeks, the Soldier remembers he is a soldier and regroups, his military training requires that he reconnoiter the situation and works to achieve the outcome that is desired.

Usually the first task is the mental aspect. The devastation he must feel is unimaginable. Naturally this is a time that requires that the patient be under constant supervision. Many have tried to kill themselves, a few of them succeeded.

If I'm good enough at my job the patient will realize that he is still the same man he was prior to his injury. Sometimes this is a monumental hurdle but once the patient realizes that its just his feet that were lost, real progress in healing and rehab begins quickly.

Slowly he begins to put those moments of doubt, self pity and sometimes even suicide onto the back burner and takes charge at his exercise sessions. He's remembering that he is still a marine.

This is the point in my job that hurts...it hurts me that is. I have to keep pace with this maniac Marine, who suddenly thinks it's his mission to break every regulation in the book for beginning exercises with an amputee.

Hmm, I have to stop that. I'm describing him as 'an amputee', that's wrong. He's a Man, a Marine who has been critically injured and is now in our care to be nurtured, fed and retrained to resume a his life as before the the injury. I wrote accident there first but his is a war injury, no accident. Their guys are killing our guys and we're killing theirs. Damn! I hate war and the frigging politicians who cause them.

Neither Sergeant Whitson nor I would ever want him referred to that way. I think it is important for the whole team, that we not define our patient with that one word, amputee. He's not looking for sympathy, in fact it makes him angry when he gets it. All Robert Whitson wants is to have his old life back, sans the wife who deserted him of course.

Rob is a Marine, not recruiting poster handsome maybe, but close enough. Hell, wearing their dress Blues they're all so handsome. Our Sergeant Whitson virtually oozes testosterone, one could enter a room with eyes closed and know that a man was in the room. At his peak he stood 6'3", weighed in at 183 pounds, had a perfect hard body, broad shoulders that veed sharply into a ridiculous 31" waist and a round, rock hard Gluteus Maximus (that's a bubble butt for those who care about those things.) From his knees up Sgt. Whitson is impressive. His face is usually locked in a scowl but when we were introduced I caught a glimpse of his handsomeness when he smiled briefly while we shook hands.

We sat and talked first, telling a bit about ourselves just to get comfortable with each other. When I asked to see his legs, he flinched a bit and hesitated with his hand on the lap blanket. He stared straight into my eyes, the scowl still on his face. He was having a hard time exposing his wounds. It's very common in the first stages of treatment, and if we do our job correctly these Soldiers we care for will never be self conscious about his or her body again. When he finally pulled the blanket away, I immediately reached down and brought one leg to rest on my knee.

We continued talking again, his stump across my thigh. Nothing else, I didn't touch him anywhere. We started talking about his family, he was newly divorced, as soon as his wife got the news of his injury, she left him. The Divorce Papers arrived the day after he got released from Walter Reed to our rehab team.

I learned during the first week that if I could get him talking I could massage him and even the parts that needed it most, his legs. Now, while he's talking I've been massaging his legs, I stay clear of the stump ends, he's not ready to have anyone touch him there...yet.

I can tell he likes having his knees and thighs massaged With him sitting I can't do a proper massage but right now, it's more about gaining his trust than the therapeutic benefits of a deep muscle massage. It will be awhile before I can gently rub and caress the ends of his legs. I can see that Rob is enjoying what I'm doing as a tent slowly rising in his shorts.

"Thanks Chip. It felt good to feel other hands on my body. I miss being touched."

The Marines have a few small apartments on the Hospital Campus for family when they needed to be near their injured loved one. I helped Rob to get his belongings together and we moved into a Marine apartment. He would stay here until he was fitted with new legs and feet plus feeling comfortable with them, in both private and in public.

We got him settled in, put away his few items and checked the Fridge. Two bottles of Dasani water and a jar of dill pickles were all it held.

"Rob! There's no food here, wanna go with me to the Farmers Market a couple of miles away?"

"No, I'll wait for you. here." Rob said.

When my hand was on the doorknob he called out to me.

"Wait Chip...I think maybe I should go, let's get me out and about and facing the real world. That okay?"

"Okay? That's the best news I've had in awhile. The racing chair is in the trunk, that one okay?"

"Yeah, just let me slip on a fresh shirt and we're off."

I unloaded the racing chair from the boot and wheeled it into the house. He did his Olympic style Sofa Dismount and settled expertly into his racing wheel chair. Sometimes I just sit back and watch him, He'd rather think out a solution himself than ask for help, the Team encourages this, we're all eager to get him 'on' his new feet.

As he wheeled to his room I was elated. Him wanting to go out was a breakthrough, a great improvement. In a few moments he wheeled across the living room in a olice drab, army issue, wife beater style tee shirt, Dog Tags, neatened hair, and I think I smelled mouthwash.

He wheeled himself out to the car. Using his hands on the open door and the roof, he lifted himself from the chair and into the much taller SUV. He was buckled up and waiting when I got into the driver's seat.

I looked over and for the first time I saw him happy. He had a goofy little grin and his eyes twinkled with well being. I could tell he felt especially well today. It seemed that he left all his old bugaboos and hang ups back at the hospital. Moving into his apartment was a big part of his mood change. I parked at the Market and as soon as the racing chair rolled up he was in the air then adjusting his position in the chair. He must really be pumped up today, he was already across the road from the parking area waiving for me to hurry up.

Every time someone would approach and thank him for his service to our Country, he would blush a bit, thank them and say that he was one of the lucky ones. Hardly anyone looked up to see who was pushing his chair. He's the star of our little show anyway. He should be thanked and fussed over by everyone.

He's borne more than anyone should have to bear. Watching his friends and mates die, having his lower legs and feet blown away by a roadside bomb planted by those evil sons-of-bitches! Then when he gets back stateside, his wife leaves him.

Rob wanted to see everything so we took our time and went aisle by aisle, ending up with a basket full of food that had to be prepared within a day or two at the most. I fretted about the fresh things spoiling. When I was putting it in the sink for washing, it occurred to me that I could freeze individual meals instead of the veggies. I'm not known to be 'domestic', cooking is a chore I never do for only myself.

Rob rolled into the kitchen and over to a barstool and pushed and, pulled it to the sink. I kept working but I watched his movements without letting on that I was watching.

He positioned the stool at the sink then using the counter and the stool he lifted and settled his little butt on the stool and proceeded to wash all the vegetables, tubers and fruit we just brought home. I was almost moved to tears. What he had just done was what all loss of limb patients eventually do. He saw a possible solution to the problem at hand and made it work. I felt like a proud father watching his favored son excel at a new challenge.

We decided on a box of Publix Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, whole green beans, creamed style corn with buttered biscuits. We each ate three pieces of chicken and cleaned up the vegetables. After our meal we cleaned up the dishes, Rob discovered he could better load the dishwasher from his racing chair since it was lower to the ground.

We went into the living room and turned on the TV. After getting him settled on the sofa I went back to the island and checked my laptop for any email from the Rehab Team. It was Saturday night, no big games on so we watched the 'Green Mile", I was impressed, I thought the movie was excellent. After the movie he switched to the BBC America's 'Top Gear'. I got us two beers and sat down at the opposite end of the sofa. We both had our legs stretched out, him with my left between his legs and my right on the TV side. My toes were a scant three or four inches from his crotch. We both drifted off to sleep, sometime in the wee hours I woke and got Rob into his chair and wheeled him to his room. He was still halfway asleep and had trouble getting out of the chair and onto the bed.

Getting behind him and locking my hands around his chest let me get him out of the chair but it was in our way, I needed one more set of hands to clear it away. Remember that I'm just a little guy, Rob outweighs me by more than 50 pounds and is seven inches taller than me, and I'm trying to wrestle him from the chair onto his bed.

Midway through the third try Rob started to giggle which of course led to me giggling and we both wound up with tears streamed down our cheeks from laughing at our predicament. Rob was back sitting in his chair, I was on my knees behind the chair, my arms still locked under his arms. The smell of him was an aphrodisiac. The hard on I got from hugging against his body, lifting him and then the smell of him made my cock ache. That's the reason I'm still behind him like this.

As my cock subsided I raised myself and announced that I would now get him safely into his bed. With the chair facing the bed I locked the wheels on the chair, crawled onto his bed from the opposite side and stood, bouncing a bit with the mattress. I took his outstretched arms and he locked them behind my neck then I rose and moved backward and Rob was pulled with me onto the bed. One problem! Rob is lying on top of me on the bed, his head on my chest, my hard cock throbbing near his navel.

Suddenly Rob jerked his head up and looked at me. There was a touch of panic in his eyes at first, then he eased back into that semi-flirting thing he likes to do. He knows my cock is hard just from touching him. He probably knows I could get a big nut just thinking about him too.

"CHIPPERS! Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me man."

He made a little grind against me, like he was turned on. I blushed deep red and turned my head away. Rob rolled to my right side and told me he was sorry.

"Man Chip, I'm sorry guy. I forget that you're gay, you're just this regular guy that I've grown to really like hanging out with. It never occurred to me that I would provoke such a response in you.

I'm sorry. I can't promise it won't happen again but I'll surely do my best to avoid any such situation."

He reached and turned my face back to look into my eyes. "You're my friend Chip. Please don't take any offense. It happens to me too. I get them all the time."

"Yeah I know Rob, I have eyes! Is that supposed to help me...thinking of you with a hard on?" I asked.

There was silence for a few minutes, then I felt Rob turn and lay his arm across my chest and his head on my shoulder and chest. When I looked down, his eyes were closed, I put my arm around him and held him close to me, loving the feeling of his body heat against me, I gently bent over and very lightly kissed the top of his head, trying not to wake him.

I was still hard and him lying beside me, our bodies pressed together, only made me realize that this would never get any better, No matter how hard I tried I wouldn't, I couldn't ever forget about him, his good and kind heart, that rocking stud body and his odd but upbeat personality that makes everyone love him. I never heard a friend or acquaintance of his ever express pity for him. We wouldn't allow it ait anyone had tried.

We had dozed for a couple of hours when I woke to hear noises from the kitchen, I rose to investigate and found Rob trying to make a sandwich. He looked up to me with a stern look.

"Don't you dare laugh at me! Who knew building a sandwich would be so hard to do."

I leaned against the doorframe watching him. Actually I was really proud of his taking the initiative to do something for himself. I matched his stern look and said.

"I'll never deride you for trying to be self sufficient Robert. That's our goal for you. Getting you to the point you can care for your daily needs and then you can send me packing."

He looked a bit surprised and then embarrassed. We were quiet for a while then with a smart ass smirk on his face he said.

"Speaking of my 'needs', When will I be able to have sex? Will anyone even want to bed a cripple like me, I'll have to pay girls to sleep with me.." He said dejectedly.

"ROBERT! listen up man. You'll be walking with your new prostheses in four to six week. It's certain no one would want to bed a self deprecating amputee, but you are a vibrant, exciting man. You'll have no trouble in the sex department if you act like Sergeant Robert A. Whitson, United States Marine."

Later as I was giving him a massage, I glanced up with my head still bent over his legs. I could see that his face was red from blushing and now I could see that the tent in his shorts had become the "Big top". Without looking up from my massage I spoke to him. softly, almost a whisper.

"Don't give that a thought Rob. Your body has suffered unbelievable trauma and I'm sure it's been awhile since you've had a proper release. And we sit here talking about getting you laid. Lot's of guys bone up with a hell of a lot less provocation, It happens to nearly every man who has been celibate for a few months. Think nothing of it. It's almost time for you to flip onto your belly anyway.

"Rob chuckled, close your eyes Chippers, without water raining down from showerheads, I get nervous being naked with a guy. Especially when it only me that's naked."

I chuckled at that last bit.

"Rob are you saying you want me to be naked too while I massage your body?"

I saw a flash panic in his eyes, then he realized I was teasing him. Not one to be outdone he gave me a smile that gave me all sorts of ideas about sex with him.

"Well Chip, it would only be fair, here I am, naked as the day I was born, your hands rubbing all over my body makes me bone up now."

We needed to go to the massage table in the 2nd bedroom so I got up, gently letting his leg down and went to get his wheelchair. I held it in place while he did his 'bed dismount' I lifted him from the chair to the massage table. When I looked down I saw him clenching and releasing his butt muscles. Seeing Rob's butt there on my table brought a moan from somewhere deep inside me.

With no lower legs or feet, he still has the sexiest body I've ever seen. I had a hard time concentrating on anything else. I did wonder if he was flirting with me, playing a game since he knows I'm Gay, I had to tell him that up front, it's the only fair way. He is cool with it but either he's completely oblivious to the effect he has on others or he's playing with me, tempting me, with his body on purpose. JEEZ! Why does he have to be so darn perfect. I know there isn't a gay thought in his head, but in my dreams, he's one hell of a lover.

Into the fourth week of therapy I acknowledged the tell tale signs finally. I have it bad for Sergeant Whitson. What can they expect. I took to wearing two jockstraps for more control over my own member. Having a handsome hunk of wounded Marine dependent on me for his care and feeding, only fuels the fire building in my mind for the most cantankerous, hard headed, most demanding, most irritating man I've ever fallen heels over head for. Yeah you read that right, the Dude gets me horned up!

He is also my idea of perfection, feet or no feet. He won't need them anyway when he's in my bed nailing my ass to the mattress. Oh shit...this has to stop! I have to get a grip! I run it through my head again and again. NOTHING can happen here Chip! First you swore an oath and secondly Sergeant Whitson is straight. Anything inappropriate here could derail his rehab altogether or seriously set him back weeks or worse, months, not to mention what would happen to me!

Jeez...the guy just can't catch a break. First he had to struggle just to stay alive after the bomb, then the Docs, Shrinks and others on the team always there asking him to do more. We have been working together for four weeks now. We've learned to trust in the other and in some ways we're even friends. Of course he hasn't a choice in the matter, we've been together since his arrival and he can't get away...yet.

Rob has developed the act of getting from a wheelchair onto the toilet into a work of art. He parks the chair facing the toilet, crossing his arms he puts his right hand on the left safety rail, the left on the right rail. He lifts himself from the chair with arms, turns to untwist the arms and lowers himself onto the seat. I wanted to watch him do that each time he had to go...but really it was just to see his 'dismount' not to catch a peek at his body. I've seen it all anyway when we shower.

On my way back from picking up some supplies and food I stopped by the mail room to check on Rob's mail and mine. I had a letter from the Amputee Center of the Hospital. His Prostheses are here!!! I broke into a run to get to Rob's apartment. I ran in the door shouting his name.

"ROB! ROB! THEY'RE HERE! THEY'RE HERE!

"Whoa...Chip! What's here...calm down man.

"YOUR FEET! The Prosthesis. You start learning to walk tomorrow!!!

"WHAT! FOR REAL! CHIP? Holy Crap, I'm gonna walk tomorrow, jeez Chip! We're gonna walk tomorrow."

I was taken back by that 'we're gonna walk tomorrow.' We're a team now. That's good.

I saw the tears welling in his eyes. I grabbed tissues and put them in his lap, and left him by himself for a bit. I'm fairly sure he doesn't need or want me hanging around while he cries. But I can't blame him. I cried too, running over here to tell him. Once he's up on his new 'feet' there'll be no stopping Sergeant Rob Whitson.

In a moment he came rolling into the kitchen, he held up both arm and I leaned down for him to hug me. Still holding me he said softly...

"I owe you Chip, you've saved my life and my sanity. I don't have the words to express my thanks for all you've done for me."

"Thank you Robert. We've got a lot more to do now, we're ready for the next level. Walking!

There are more than 50 options for foot amputees at present. Varying from life like to bizarre like the flex feet blades made from carbon fiber that let a double amputee compete at the London, Olympics last Summer. ARGH! I did it again. the South African man who ran in the London Olympic is a rehabilitated athlete.

Robert had decided he wanted a set of them after seeing the guy from South Africa run in the olympics. He also selected a dynamic-response, articulated foot, one that stores and returns energy when walking, giving a sense of "pushing off," very much like the human foot.

When I woke at 8am, Robert was in his chair rolling back and forth across the room, his version of 'pacing the floor'. I stumbled into the kitchen for coffee, I looked over to Rob and he was in another zone. He was zeroed in on something, he didn't even know I was in the room until I said

"Good Morning."

He turned to me and a smile spread across his handsome face.

"I guess you can tell I'm a little anxious about today. It's the big day Chippers, we're gonna walk again thanks to you. You're the best Chip."

I was touched that he would say that, just more fuel to the fire that is my obsession with Sergeant Robert Whitson, United States Marine.

Most of the morning was spent fitting the cups of the prosthesis to Robert's legs. He started with the dynamic-response foot and took his first steps on this new 'legs' at 11:42am ET.

After an abbreviated lunch Robert was rushing everyone to get back to the lab and walking again. He strapped the prosthesis on himself with supervision of course and he was up and all over the place, I had trouble keeping up with him, his stride being 1 1/2 times mine due to our height difference.

Robert walked all afternoon. At one point after he had made his third trip around the gym he came over to me. He walked up and held out his hand to pull me to my feet. I rose and Robert engulfed me in his arms. I felt his body shudder with his sobs.

"You've saved my life Chip. I love you man!

He didn't let me go, he held me tightly to his body. I hugged him back.

"You the one who's worked his butt of to get to this point. I'm so proud of you Rob. It would have been so easy to give up, but you didn't and look what you can do now." I said.

"You're wrong though Chip, anyone thinking they can give up with you around is in for a big surprise. I'll never forget what you've given me. I have my life back now."

Around 3:00 pm he went to the infirmary for the doctors to inspect his 'stumps' to be certain that the device was fitting properly with no blisters. Later, back in his apartment he was lost without the new legs. The made him leave them fearing that he would take off and try to run too soon after they had seen him strap them on and walk. He more than tripled the length of time a patient had walked on a prostheses his first outing.

I fixed our dinner around 7:30, Chicken Piccata over linguine, English peas, caramelized carrots and crescent rolls with Moscato wine. (I've leared to cook with the help of good cookbooks!) There wasn't much talk as we ate. Rob seemed to have withdrawn into himself, he seemed pensive and caught up in his thoughts. I kept quiet, giving him the space he seemed to need.

I picked up the plates, flatware and glasses and rinsed them, then loaded them into the dishwasher. Without asking I fixed us both a coffee with Baileys and sat his in front of him and went to my room. About 20 minutes later there was a slight knock at my door.

"Come in Rob."

He wheeled his chair to the foot of my bed.

"Chip? what is it...did I do something to tick you off? What's wrong?"

"Relax Rob...We're good...You were doing some heavy thinking there at the table and I just got out of your way. This has been a huge day for you, we can start counting the days until you're discharged from this place now. You'll be going home in no time."

"Yeah I guess you're right. What happens with you then, when I go home I mean?"

I thought to myself. I'll go on to my next assignment, with a heavy, hardened and scarred heart. I can't ever let this happen again. Falling for a client is just about the worst thing a Therapist can do. Besides look at who a little runt like me fell for. A testosterone laden, burly U.S. Marine Sergeant nearly twice my size. A hopeless project from the start. To Rob I said...

"I'll move onto the next assignment after the lengthy critique we will give every phase of your rehabilitation. I hope I meet more clients with your attitude Robert. You made all this so easy. I'll never forget you. Uh...listen to me. We've got many weeks left before we say goodbye."

"Jeez Chip, I've never thought that we would have to say goodbye. You're a really cool dude and I want us to always stay friends. Without you I might not have walked again. I owe you Chip."

I couldn't talk about this with him. I changed the subject.

"Say Rob, I need a refill on the coffee, you ready for another? I'll put the pot on while we find a movie."

"Chip...uh...do you have any porn here in this place. I gotta bust a nut or explode."

"NO, supplying porn to clients isn't in the job description...besides I don't think you would want to see the porn I have."

"Oh yeah...I didn't think about that. I've never seen gay porn, I don't have a clue what guys do with each other."

"I'll pick up a couple of flicks for you. What's your pleasure, guy and girl, two girls and a guy, two guys and a girl, girl on girl, man on man?"

"Surprise me Chippers, but go now before my nuts explode."

I drove to the nearest Adult Book Store and grabbed up a couple of videos. Back at his place Rob had changed into very loose, baggy sleep shorts, no tee. I dug into my own bag and found a tube of lube which I took, along with a towel and placed them on the arm of the sofa nearest him.

"Dude, pick a film and I'll get it going."

He tossed the cassette to me and I got it going.

"There you go Rob, go at it Dude. I'll be in my room, call out if you need me."

"Oh...you're not gonna watch with me."

Laughing at his disappointed look I said.

"Rob...our sexual interest are 180 degrees apart. You enjoy and get your release. You don't want an audience for that I'm sure. I don't need to see you wanking either. I already feel inadequate enough now that I've seen you naked. "

"Why? You've got everything going for you, you're smart, cute as can be, and you know your stuff. Are you intimidated by our difference in size? I've always wished that I was smaller like you. Your body is so perfectly proportioned, none of these lumpy grotesque muscles a big oaf like me has. I wouldn't want you any different than what I see."

I didn't reply to that last thing he said. It was too crazy. Him wanting a smaller body like mine. It's strange really, how different we all are while being basically alike in most every way.

"Go back to your movie Rob, get that nut and get in bed, and be ready to walk again in the morning."

He wheeled out of my room and closed the door behind him. I wanted to watch him, hell what I really wanted was his cock pounding my butt into his mattress. Completely hopeless, I know.

I was surprised when the team set the end of Robert's rehab for just two weeks away. I thought we would have more time. Finally the day came and inside I was in turmoil, he was done. Leaving to get on with his life. It seems that as quickly as it started, it was over. Robert was ready to go home to Pennsylvania. I bravely said my goodbye and hugged him tightly.

"Good luck my friend, live, love and be happy. There isn't anything that you cannot conquer with your attitude and determination."

"During all this time we've been together it never occurred to me that it would have to end. I'll miss you Chippers."

First he stuck out his hand then in a shuddering sob he grabbed me in a hug.

"This was suppose to be a happy time but all I feel is sad that I won't see you in the morning, or ever I guess. That hurts the most, not being near my friend."

I couldn't talk, it took every bit of strength I had to keep from breaking down. I couldn't let that happen in front of him. We straightened and stood apart. His eyes looked so sad as he whispered...

"So long Chippers, I love you and will never forget what you've done for me."

He turned and walked out the door to the waiting car. When he was gone, I sat on the floor and cried like a baby.

It took the rehab team three weeks to correlate all our findings into an official Paper on Rehabilitation of a Double Amputee. On the plus side, our experiment with Robert A.Whitson will change the way all amputees are treated. Respect for our accomplishment was evident when the accolades started pouring in. After all the committees and hearings interviews I knew I had to get away. I had to find a way to get over the disappointment and pain with the loss of Sergeant Robert Whitson in my day to day life.

I took two weeks leave and went down to the Outer Banks on a R & R trip for me. I was burned out, temporarily, mind you, but still burned out. Alright, bummed out over Rob leaving is more correct. Fifty times a day it seems, I have to force Robert out of my thoughts. He's everywhere my mind wanders,

I had a Private Beach Cottage on Roanoke Island in Manteo. I loved the sleeping porch and slept there every night, lying still, being quiet and listening to the surf crash against the beach right outside my door, massaged my soul. The second day there I went down to the beach and walked nearly three miles down the beach and back

By the end of the first week I felt rejuvenated, I even went to the Brewing Station at Kill Devil Hills, from what I've seen since arriving, I'm the only single gay male around. I see plenty of gay couples, but that's the problem...they're all couples. To complete my misery, I looked at my ringing phone to see 'Rob' in the caller ID. While I did dread hearing his voice it turned out to be a good call. We chatted like we always did when we were together. I was reminded of just how much I like him as a friend.

When we were saying goodbye I heard him say softly. "I miss you Chippers."

There I stood on the boardwalk shaking like a leaf and fighting back tears. I quickly walked away toward the water to calm myself. His enthusiasm at first thrilled me. He's doing so well, the call went well until he said he missed me. Hell, I miss him too. But there's nothing to do about it.

After my peaceful, restful vacay, I was assigned to one of my company's Therapy facilities and worked with our clients there. I liked it here at the office. The randomness of the clients I work with ensures that there will no time to get too close with a client. I worked hard to overcome the bad habits I developed when I was working with Robert's rehab team.

Rob called again a week or so after the first call. We laughed together and had a good talk. I was beginning to think of him only as a friend and I came out of my shell a bit. His calls started coming more frequently until it was every other day. Today's call was a laugh riot for both of us, remembering all the crazy things when we worked together. Just as I said goodbye I heard a raspy "I miss you so much Chippers." then the line went dead.

The following Friday I had the late shift and it was eight pm before I began closing up. I was putting the equipment in order when I heard the door chime. I turned and walked to the lobby and saw a guy with his back turned to me.

"Hello, can I help you." I asked.

When the man turned I gasped out loud. "ROBERT! Why...what are you doing here. My heart was racing so fast I became afraid. I just looked at him, mouth hanging open, hardly able to believe my eyes. He walked to me and hugged me close. I felt a deep sigh escape from his chest.

"I know this is short notice but can I take you to dinner, Chippers?

"Yes! Rob have you checked into a motel? You can always stay with me, I would love having you in my home. There's lots of room.

"That's great, I had to come back to Walter Reed for my 10,000 mile check up. It seems I'm ready to run again, but I've gotta build up my miles gradually again. Jeez Chip, it's so good to see you, I've missed my friend."

He stepped in and engulfed me in his arms again and I melted against him. The way he was holding me felt so good. Robert couldn't keep his hands off me. It was strange, Nothing was sexual at all, just friends that had been apart and missed each other's company. I did feel his lips at my neck in his first hug, and I'm hoping he didn't notice my hardness at his hip.

When we entered my apartment in Arlington, Rob gave out a long low whistle.

"Damn Chippers! This is so cool. I need your decorator big time. This room is fantastic."

I showed him the two bedrooms and my office. When we walked in I was hit by the smell of my semen. This is the room where the computer is and porn needs the bigger screen. Politely, Rob never mentioned the sex smell and I rushed in to spray while he was in the bathroom, and empty the waste basket filled with cum soaked tissues.

Rob asked it he could get on the computer, he wanted to make reservations for dinner. I took him back to the office and he chuckled when we entered.

"What is it I asked?"

He grabbed me in a headlock and gave me 'noogies' then said.

"I kinda liked the way this room smelled the first time Chippers."

I know I blushed crimson, if he only knew all the cum that had been shed in that room was produced by thinking of him and I in all kinds of sex together. I felt my cock thicken. I moved quickly to turn on the computer and printer and pointed out the internet access icon, and left.

I showered and jacked off hoping to put an end to these random erections being near Robert kept producing. He's adapted so well to his prostheses. The Dynamic-Response Silicone Feet completely hid his amputations and the foot was designed to mimic one's natural gait. We both had a couple of drinks so I decided that we would travel by cab this evening. We dressed and were ready to go at 8:00 pm.

Robert surprised me when he came to the great room in a tan crewneck pullover, Cordovan accessories and a Navy blazer. I was nearly the same with gray top and pants with a black blazer, shoes and belt.

Dressed as he was, Robert looked smaller to me. I know it was because he was wearing more clothes than I had ever seen him in. I boned up hard looking at him, I silently gave thanks for the coat tails covering the evidence of my lust.

We went to the bar to await our table, Scotch and water for Rob, Gin on the rocks with a twist for me. Rob began telling me about how bored he was in his hometown, he didn't like running into the ex-wife either. He had applied to work in the Marine detachment at Walter Reed. I heard from a colleague that The brass running the amputee rehab agreed that having Rob to Counsel the newbies could be a great aid in getting them into the rehab faster. I hadn't heard that an offer had been made.

Rob was so excited, he's going to start the new job at the first of the month, he was reinstated to the Marines for limited active duty at first, but most importantly to him, he was back in military service, a Marine again. He was already more confident and assertive than when his rehab program ended.

I was overjoyed that he would be back here and we could maybe get closer as friends. That was all I dared to wish for.

"Uh Chippers, I need another favor, please!!!"

"Sure thing Rob, what's up."

"Will you help me find an off base apartment. You know the city and where I need to live to get to work quickly. Listen, Chip...uh ...I...er...I dreamed a few nights ago that I got the job at Walter Reed and you and I roomed together. We were pal's again, I was so disappointed when I woke up!"

"We've always been pals Rob!"

"I know, I know...it's just...Chip...I...I've thought a lot about you. Since I left the rehab program I've always considered what you would think of a idea or even a problem. Not just the sexual parts either, but remind me about that later, I've got some questions! I catch myself Wondering what you would think of something I read, or saw.

I've rented several gay porn videos, enough so that I now have a preference as what to watch and even maybe dream about doing. I've not had gay sex yet, I want it to be with someone special, not a stranger. I know I'm a pervert."

"First, yes I'll help find you a place if you want. Second, we should have a heart to heart talk before you sign for a place though. I've dreamed about us living together too...it is definitely an option Rob. We know we get along well at least for a short period."

"Really! You've thought about us living together?"

"Robert, you know who and what I am. I've dreamed about us doing just about everything possible two men can do. Your my friend now, before we were both trying to get you back into living again. Robert, I think about you more that I care to tell.

"Chip, since the end of my rehab, you're all I think about too. I've never had a gay thought or desire until I met you. Now I just wanna be where you are. I've no interest in anyone else."

"WHAT! Rob! Why are you doing this?"

"Please calm down Chippers! All I want is to be near you. We're great friends, but there's more there than the friendship, I feel it."

"WAIT!...WHOA! YOU'RE WANTING GAY SEX? when...uh...you're gay now?"

Our Cab arrived and we rode back to my place in silence. We both headed to change clothes, Rob came out to the kitchen in loose boxers only, no shirt, no shoes, his silicone feet and lower legs matched his skin tone perfectly. And at a glance most people wouldn't know he wore artificial legs and feet. It had been a while since I saw so much of him. I felt overdressed in a tee and boxers.

We settled in to watch TV but nothing on caught our interest.

"Chip, do you have any porn we could watch, I've never watched any with someone."

"In the cabinet below the TV, the bottom left drawer...uh ...I don't have anything thing but gay porn, regular movies are in the other drawers."

He bent and opened the gay porn drawer, picking a disc he turned and asked.

"Chip, I said earlier had questions...uh...the anal sex...does it really feel so good to have a big cock plowing your butt."

"Just wait, Rob, the time may come when you want to try that. I can't tell you how it feels, trust me though, once you get used to the way it feels, you're gonna like it alot."

"It's near the top of my list, of things I want to do with you, Chipper I know that I want to learn more about gay sex. I want to try this with you Chip, can you? Will you? You know me well and more importantly I trust you."

"Uh...er...R...Rob...I...uh...don't think that's such a good idea...er...it's me...I can't startup with the sex and then quit. I'm too emotionally involved with you. I had to go away for a while when your rehab was finished."

"I think I may be in love with you, Chippers! From the day I left to return to Pennsylvania until the day I came back, you were all I thought of. I know we're friends, but I feel more than that for you now. I want to spoon your perfect body in our bed. I want to make love to you every time I see you. Could you love a big oaf like me Chip?"

His little speech choked me up, I coughed and sputtered trying to regain control so I could talk.

"I've loved you from the start you big oaf. I do, I love you."

Wham! His words were like a punch in the gut. This can't be happening! Robert moved to me and wrapped me in his arms, when I looked up to him his tongue and lips devoured me. I molded my body to him, completely lost to his passion, he could do as he wished with me. I've no will to resist him.

His boxers were visible proof of Rob's reaction to our kissing. His cock was so hard the elastic waistband in his shorts pulled away from his skin. I could see his throbbing manhood pump clear pearls out the slit of his cock.

I jumped, then gasped as Rob's hand caressed my hard cock while his tongue bathed my tonsils again. Where the devil did he learn to kiss like that? We locked lips again and I was lost in our passion. This was Robbie kissing me!

I saw Rob bend a knee and whoosh, he scooped me up and started to my bed, kissing me all the way. In my bedroom he stood me up and drew my tee over my head and his lips darted to my nipples, licking, nipping, sucking, I collaped onto the bed and he followed, his lips never losing contact with my nipple, I began to thrash about on the bed. He amazed me by going lower. His tongue trailed fire onto my skin as he traced the ripples and ridges of my stomach.

When his tongue went into my shaved and clipped pubes, I heard and felt him inhale deeply. A whimpering moan escaped from him. He licked and laved at my crotch where leg meets groin. His day old beard prickled at my thighs as he kissed and explored. Gently he lifted my testicles and was fascinated at the feel of them in his hand.

He was sitting in a kneeling position between my spread legs, he sat there quietly, just looking at me. Finally he whispered...

"You're so beautiful Chippers, you body is so perfect, you, you're perfect. Thank you for this...now I get to do something I've dreamed about for months."

He scooted back and lay on his stomach between my legs. Looking into my eyes he took my cock in his hand and pried it from my stomach. Never breaking our stare he took my cock about halfway into his mouth. Rob gagged but kept up his quest. This time he had all but about two inches of me buried deep in his throat. He shifted to kneeling and immediately had his chin and nose grinding on my pubes. He had all of me down his throat and I felt him milking my cock with his throat. I yelled out.

"No...not yet, too soon!"

Robert never slowed, He held each of my arms in his hands on the mattress and he sucked his first cock like one to the manner born. In a matter of a few more deepthroat plunges, my legs tensed and I stopped breathing, I felt the tickle in my testicles as they drew up tight against my crotch.

"ROB! ROBBIE...I'm cumming...oh, OH, OH...ROBBB!"

The first blast of my cum gagged Rob, he pulled up coughing, a couple of deep breaths and he was swallowing all my cum he could find. He cleaned my belly with his tongue. I pulled him up and kissed him, tasting my semen.

Snuggled together, eyes closed I heard Rob whisper to me...

"There now, your inside me Chippers. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna want to do that five or six more times tonight Chip. I like your cock in my mouth."

"That was a real surprise Rob, it was wonderful. You did that like a born cocksucker."

"Yeah I'll suck your cock any time you're ready Chippers. I'm gonna want to suck on your cock a lot Chippers."

"What I want Robbie is your cock up my butt. I'll lay on my back so I can watch your face as you make love with me.

"I'm afraid I'll hurt you Chip."

"We'll stop if I can't take you, but I know we'll be fine."

I went to the bathroom to prepare my self, when I came out Rob was sitting on the side of the bed. He pulled my naked body to him, turning his cheek so it lay against my chest. He gently laid me down and started kissing me all over again He bobbed a few times on my erect cock, then moved to my testicles.

He seemed mesmerized by the softness of my smoothly shaven testicles. Rolling them through his fingers, licking and laving everywhere. Once his tongue trailed the stretch of skin from my testicles to my butt hole. I wondered if he would try to rim me but he backed his tongue away.

Robert spent several minutes preparing me for entry, his lubed fingers thrilled me when he found my hot button. Finally I was ready, actually I was past ready, I was begging him to put his cock in me.

He leaned in to kiss me and I threw my arms about his neck and my legs circled his hips. His hard cock was poking at me and with a wiggle here and hunch hunch there, I locked my ankles about his waist and pulled him in hard.

I let out a howl like I'd never heard before. Rob leaned down and was trying to pull out when I told him no...stay in me...just move slowly...ahhh! His kissing and gentle whispered encouragements soon had me forgetting the pain of entry and now as his cock stirred deep in my rectum. One particularly hard thrust caused me to cry out. It scared Robbie but I managed to keep him deep inside me.

Once Robbies hard cock bottomed out deep down inside me I came alive. I rode the hard cock inside me. Bucking and throwing my hips at him. His rapid fire jabs into my butt soon had us both moaning. I felt the tingle start in my testicles, there no stopping this now.

I watched Rob's face as he pumped himself hard into me. I met every thrust just as hard as his. I'd begun to notice little whimpers coming from Robbie. I redoubled my efforts mimicking his every move. I began to hear a low growling sound, it took a moment to recognize that it is Robbie, this nut will be one he will always remember.

The sensations running through him seemed to confuse him. He had a look of disbelief on his face when his semen filled my rectum and some of it slowly dripped out of me and onto the sheets.

"Oh Shit...aaww, ungh! Ohmigod...ohmigod, ohmigod, ROBBIE!!

Cum Robbie, Cum with me. FUCK IT. Rob fuck my ass, man. HARD!

When Robbie started shooting me full of his semen, he screamed my name, held himself deep inside me and froze pushing hard, not breathing. CHIP! oh god, CHIP oh, ...oh...oh.

When he opened his eyes I was there propped up on one arm smiling at him.

"You Marines get so carried away, you give me gooseflesh driving that hard spike into my guts."

"Chippers...what was that! I've never cummed so hard, I think I hurt myself. Babe, you saved the best for last, what a fuck!"

"You think that's good, wait until I do that to you.

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of activities, Rob reported to work eight days before he is to officially start. Mostly he worked out in the gym and read the Official Amputee Rehabilitation report.

As a former member of Robert's rehab team, I received progress reports on his adapting to his new duties. The company I work for had a major role in the Amputee Rehab project. My boss always called me and another therapist that worked with Robert to give us the latest reports on the new program Robert was pioneering with the incoming amputees.

Drew, our boss, said he wasn't sure who was getting the most benefit from the program, the new rehab candidates or Robert. Everyone involved commented at one time or another about Robert's ability to know how to reach those patients that are withdrawn and lost, thinking that their lives are over, that they could be wheelchair bound for the rest of their lives.

Robert intuitively knows who he can push and who needs his reassurance. He was perfect for this job. Robert is proud of what he is doing now. He often joked that he works at a Human Body Shop. We repair minds and bodies and rebuild them into whole soldiers again. While it will be some time before these men and women will be allowed to return to active duty. Some of them want to go back to combat, others want no part of Afghanistan ever again.

Robert settled in to his work and we settled into living together. Since returning to limited active duty his self confidence has soared. He is no longer timid concerning his sexual desires, I can hardly believe some of the things he does to me when we make love. He swears that all his talent in the bedroom comes from his study of gay porno films.

I'm sure that Robert didn't become Gay overnight to be with me. He had to have had latent desires, prior to our meeting. I'm sure he repressed those desires by working out and making a body that no one would assume was gay. Regardless of how it came to be, I know without any doubt that Rob truly loves me. We've slowed down a bit and now only make love seven or eight times a week. Those first days together we set personal bests for our number of orgasms per day.

Oh yes, Weekends at the Outer Banks is our favorite diversion. I love the sleeping porches so much more now that hardly any sleep goes on in there. Getting topped by my wonderful Marine as the surf roars in is my idea of heaven on earth. We recently had our anniversary celebration there. Five years since we became a couple.

That's pretty much our story. My Wounded Warrior has healed hundreds of our soldiers. Robert flies all over the country talking about the program and promoting his Rehab Center.

As for me, I've never become involved with a client again. Some mornings I wake in a panic, thinking I had dreamed our life together. Somehow, someway Robert and I have made a go of our life partnership. Our love and respect for each other grows in leaps and bounds. Two men, together, in love.

Fini