Diamonds in the Rough

Thanks to SoCalOvid for his tireless work editing my stories. I am lucky to have him for an editor!

Any mistakes you see are mine and mine alone.

If you haven't done so, please read the previous chapters first, the story will be much more enjoyable for you if you do.

And please, make sure to open your mind and unlock your heart!

*** ***

Major lay down by Sam's bed and watched the men leave his mistress's room. He put his head on his front paws and closed his eyes. Major's ears twitched furiously as the downstairs sounds grew louder. Abruptly the dog picked his head up and looked at the open door.

*** ***

The two friends left Sam's room and started down the stairs. While they were saying goodbye, Jackson animatedly explained to Lynn that every single time he came over for an after work beer that dog would jump on him the entire time, and want to play. It usually took several commands by Sam to get Major to stop.

"That damn dog is hyper. Go, go, go, all the fricking time; but I'm sure you know that, right Lynn?" Jackson wryly asked, knowing full well what probably happened when Major jumped on the diminutive man.

"Actually," Lynn said to Jackson's chagrin, "Major has never jumped on me, and when I sit down, he climbs up onto my lap and lies down. In fact, Major treats me the same as he does Sam.

"And from what Sam tells me, she and I are the only two people he has never jumped on. I can't explain why," Lynn said with a shoulder shrug.

Jackson was dumbfounded by that revealing comment.

"Shit I know why," Jackson snickered loudly, "the damn dog prefers gays to straights! " Then he gave Lynn a very playful but sharp slap on the back.

Lynn played along and pretended to stumble. He also let out a loud moan to complete the gag. Suddenly, out of nowhere Major appeared with hackles raised and his teeth bared. The black dog quickly moved in front of Lynn, crouched down and faced Jackson. He growled menacingly at the startled big man. The angry animal slowly crept forward and began to stalk his prey.

"Whoa easy Major, we were just playing," Jackson said with fear in his voice as he gingerly backed away from the furious dog.

"Major down," Lynn instantly commanded, and the dog without hesitation immediately lay down, his eyes never left Jackson.

"Holy shit, you weren't kidding! Damn that dog listens to you better than he does Sam. Mother have mercy!" Jackson said as the dog looked up at Lynn then back at him with a small snarl.

"I doubt that, but I'm glad he listened now. Jackson, come over here quietly, and we'll get you two back on speaking terms."

"Umm, I'm not sure about that," Jackson replied still shaken by what just happened.

"Major needs to see that you're a friend. I read up on it when I did some research."

Jackson didn't move. Lynn with a surprising firmness said, "Jackson, come here now!"

Cautiously the gentle giant walked tentatively over to the black dog. Lynn instructed Jackson to hold his hand out palm up. Major looked a Lynn then at the hand before him. Suddenly the tongue came out and licked Jackson's trembling hand. Soon Major and Jackson were playing as if nothing happened.

After telling Lynn to call him anytime a very relieved Jackson said good bye and left; muttering a few choice words under his breath.

*** ***

Just before he entered her bedroom, Lynn studied Major very carefully. The dog glanced up and let his tongue flop. There was tranquility in his brown eyes. Lynn was stunned, he just realized what Major did for him.

'He protected me, like I was family...just like family.'

He sighed as Major began to chuff slightly.

Lynn put his finger to his mouth and quietly shushed the dog. He carefully pushed the partially open door and peeked in. He saw Sam was peacefully asleep. Relieved that the earlier commotion didn't wake her, he went to the kitchen. Major curled up in the corner and closed his eyes. Lynn went to work on the evening meal. Vegetable beef soup was on the menu tonight. He was certain it would be a day or two before Sam was ready for solid food like those wonderful ribs she made a little while ago. He figured a soup with fine cut veggies would be just the ticket.

A few minutes went by when Major lifted his head and began to softly growl. Lynn put a finger to his lips and quieted the dog. Major put his head back down but kept an eye on the door. Lynn walked over in anticipation of the knock. Sure enough a few seconds later there was a soft tap on the door. He opened the entry way, and saw the delivery girl from the pharmacy with Sam's prescriptions. She gave him the package, which he immediately opened and verified its contents. Once he was content that it was correct, he went to the table and opened his handbag. Lynn pulled out a crisp five dollar bill, handed it to the young girl and thanked her for the quick service. Lynn closed the door and went back to the kitchen. He placed the meds on the back part of the counter, so Major couldn't get them by accident. He looked down at the sleeping dog and smiled. Lynn set out some pills with a glass of water, went back to the stove and stirred the soup.

His ears perked when he heard the faint cry of, "Lynn? Lynn can you come here?"

Lynn picked up the pills, along with a glass of water, and he hurried up the stairs to her bedroom. Lynn looked at Sam and knew something was amiss.

"What do you need my knight?"

"Can you help me to the bathroom, I need to pee," Sam asked with a slight blush.

"Sure," he said as he handed her the pills. "Take your meds, and I'll get your crutches for you."

Sam took the pills with her left hand, and placed them in her mouth. Lynn handed her the water glass, and she swallowed the medication. Lynn grabbed the two crutches, and carefully helped her sit up. Once in a sitting position Lynn gently placed her robe over her shoulders. He handed her the crutches, and stepped back to give her room. He wanted to help, but he knew Sam all too well. She would have to try on her own first. He smiled inside at her determination and willpower. Lynn watched intently as Sam gingerly made the attempt to stand. She did her best to keep the weight off her right leg. With an exasperated sigh, Sam winced, shook her head no and sat back down.

"What's wrong?"

"My right wrist is still too sore. Jackson pretty much carried me up the stairs when I first got home. I don't know if I can make it to the bathroom without your help." Frustration was very evident in her voice as she continued, "If you could come over here and let me put my right arm around your neck, I can lean on you and stand up. With a little teamwork it should be simple to get to the bathroom. My ribs should be okay, they're tightly bandaged."

Lynn, not quite exactly sure what Sam wanted, walked over and sat at her right side. Awkwardly she put her arm around him, and was very careful how she positioned her sprained wrist. She looked at Lynn, and then on the count of three, they both stood up together. The pair wobbled like two drunks at first, but once they got a rhythm going, they managed to make it to the bathroom in one piece. Sam laughed that they were actually successful, thanked her human crutch, and patiently waited for him to leave the room.

"Umm, Lynn you can go now. I can handle it from here," Sam said, looking pointedly at Lynn and then to the doorway.

"Oh, sorry, I'll be right outside." Sheepishly he left the room and closed the door.

Sam carefully eased down onto the seat. Once finished, she made several fruitless attempts to stand. Discouraged, she realized the only thing left for her to do was call Lynn. Sam was self-conscious, and embarrassed at having to ask Lynn for help, but the alternative was spending a long time sitting in a small windowless room on a very uncomfortable seat.

"Lynn, I have a problem. I can't get up off the seat," Sam said with a blush. "Umm, do you think you could help me without —umm embarrassing either one of us?" Sam struggled to find the right words for her predicament.

"I think I can manage that." His voice quivered ever so slightly, "It's not like I would get turned on — or anything like that. Let me know when you're ready." Lynn's heart beat a little faster, and not knowing what to expect made him a little nervous.

After a few moments Sam gave Lynn the green light. He opened the door, and saw her sitting on the pot. She looked exhausted, and she motioned for him to approach. Lynn breathed a small sigh of relief, as modesty prevailed. With a shaky smile to break the tension he walked over to lend his assistance to the strong young woman. Lynn gently grabbed her left arm, he placed his left hand under her right arm, and they slowly rose together. Sam slipped at the last moment and grabbed Lynn tightly around the neck pulling him into her shoulder. The young woman blushed, then looked into his eyes and apologized.

Lynn stared at her brown eyes, and for the briefest of moments was lost in their beauty. He instantly snapped out of his trance and together they cautiously headed back to her bed. Lynn helped Sam lay down and gently propped her leg up with some extra pillows. He tucked her in and then, as if he'd done it a hundred times before, Lynn leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"What...what was that for?" Bewildered by his apparent affection Sam peered softly into his eyes looking for answers to her unasked questions.

"Sorry, it just felt right," he replied timidly, unsure of his reason or...feelings.

"I didn't mind, and thank you for answering me. It felt pleasing to me too." Sam opened her mouth and yawned, "But now I think I would like to get some sleep."

"I have some soup cooking, so whenever you're ready to eat, let me know."

"Well thank you 'Nurse Lynn,' I look forward to it." Sam closed her eyes, sighed and started to doze.

Lynn briefly forgot what just happened, amused by her comment and with his unique feminine voice replied, "Oh, a nurse huh? Well my dear Sam,

'Voulez-vous vraiment à me voir dans un sexy peu infirmières uniforme avec blanc adorable collants et toutes les fioritures? J'aime montrer mon jambes. Ils sont tellement doux et soyeux.'"

Her eyes opened slightly at his foreign words. Through her narrow slits she beheld a mirage. Sam knew it was Lynn, but he was different somehow...he looked, pleasing?

'No,'

she thought, as she struggled for the correct word. Then it hit her,

'...Desirable!...'

Sam did her best to clear her mind. She looked at Lynn forced a yawn and said, "Wh...What now, you know I don't speak French," and with an almost instinctive reaction the wiry yet weak construction worker held her ribs knowing what inevitably happens when Lynn speaks that damn language.

"Oh nothing," and with a very sensuous throaty voice, a subtle eye flutter he continued, "I just was curious if you wanted,

moi'

to dress up in a sexy little nurse's uniform with adorable white stockings and all the frills? I love showing off my sexy legs. They are so silky and smooth." and with the grace of a gazelle, Lynn effortlessly kicked one leg into the air wiggling his narrow hips to ensure without a doubt that what he said to the butch as she lay helpless in bed was completely true.

Sam held her ribs, and softly laughed. She wiped a tear off her cheek. His humor was going to kill her eventually. Sam briefly glanced at Lynn, and was perplexed by what she saw. For a fast second she saw something besides humor, and it captivated her. Sadly, it was gone as quickly as it came. At that moment Lynn suddenly blew Sam an exaggerated kiss. She held her ribs tight and implored the wrap to keep them calm, as she stifled a laugh. Lynn gleefully left the room, as the young crane operator looked on holding her sore bones.

Sam took several shallow breaths, as her emotions got the best of her. She angrily hit the pillow with her good hand. Sam was already tired of being an invalid and she was upset that her bewilderment about Lynn exasperated the situation. This was not her and she knew it. Sam hated that she couldn't do anything by herself and was forced to rely on other people's kindness and generosity. She didn't know what to make of her desire for Lynn. She just knew that she didn't like this situation one bit.

'I am so fucking sick of this bullshit, I hate it!'

Sam angrily thought. Yet when her thoughts turned to Lynn her mood immediately softened despite her confused feelings.

'Lynn gave up a lot to be here and help me get through this; he is such a good friend. After I'm healed, I'm going to think of something really special for him.'

She began to doze as the medication took hold. Soon, in her dreams, she was at the controls of the tower crane as she lifted building materials high into the air and gently set them down exactly where they needed to be. Sam sighed with contentment and fell into a much needed deep sleep. Lynn, quite pleased with his little act, hurriedly left the room. He purposefully left the door open so he could hear if she needed anything. Lynn turned to head back to the kitchen when he heard a thumping noise come from her bedroom. He walked back and peeked in. Lynn saw that her eyes were closed, and she did not appear to be in distress. Content that all was well, Lynn tousled his hair, and walked down to the kitchen. He ladled some soup and sat down at the table to eat. Lynn looked at the vegetables swirling in the hot liquid. He thought about what just happened. His face flushed slightly and he was glad that he evaded the situation with a little French.

Lynn was beginning to have second thoughts about his temporary move into Sam's home. He enjoyed helping her — in fact he thoroughly loved it, but he was becoming disconcerted. A hidden voice inside kept trying to tell him something. He didn't want to hear its words. He was worried what it might say. Lynn was terrified and yet a little excited too. He didn't like excitement.

*** ***

Lynn finished the soup and looked at the clock. He placed his bowl in the sink, picked up the empty dog bowl and filled it with four scoops of Blue Buffalo dog food. He set the bowl on the floor as Major patiently sat and waited for permission. Lynn per Sam's written instructions counted to five. At five, he pointed to Major, and then the food. The Belgian broke the land speed record as he reached the bowl. Lynn picked the empty food bowl up not more than ten seconds later and set it on the counter. Major looked at Lynn, cocked his head and trotted to the back door.

'One thing about you pup is input equals almost instantaneous output,'

he mirthfully thought as the dog went into 'his' domain. Lynn looked out and surveyed the back yard. He cringed grabbed a pencil and added 'buy pooper-scooper' to his to-do list.

A few hours went by before Sam called Lynn to come into her room. When he got there she asked him to help her sit up. Carefully he held out his arms and she grasped them. Sam used her left hand, and slowly pulled herself up. Immediately Lynn put three pillows behind her and she was sitting comfortably in her bed.

"Thank you for your help. Would you please get me some of your soup?" Sam said very warmly, as she tried to come to grips with her foreign feelings.

Lynn simply nodded and left. He returned a short time later with a bowl of soup on a tray. Carefully he set it in front of her, and without saying a word he turned to leave.

Sam a little shaken by his abruptness quickly asked, "Lynn, where are you going; don't you want to talk with me?" She used her left hand and got a spoonful of the delicious looking broth being careful not to spill.

"Umm, I was going to let Major in, Is there anything else you need?" His nervous voice betrayed him.

"I just wanted to talk. Are you okay? You seem very agitated tonight."

"What do you want to talk about?" Lynn's voice cracked a little with anxiety.

Sam simply wanted conversation with her friend. She was lucid, and was becoming stir crazy. She felt she could talk with Lynn about anything, but unknown to her, Lynn was having problems with his frame of mind. He cared about her a great deal, and like her, he was just as confused with his feelings.

"Ouch," cried Sam as her left hand dropped the spoon and its contents onto her lap.

Lynn hurried over, and cleaned her up. He carefully picked the spoon up from her lap wiped it off, and sat down next to her on the bed. With the care of a mother's love, he spoon fed the gruff construction worker. Sam looked at him and her eyes began to tear. She felt so helpless, yet so very grateful at the same time.

Sam was getting more perplexed at her feelings and she struggled with the conflicting emotions. Lynn saw her face scrunch as he fed her and wondered what was going on behind those pretty eyes. He gave her the last spoonful, and got up to place the tray on the end table. He took a napkin and gently dabbed her lips removing the remnants of her meal. Sam gazed into his eyes, and let him continue his ministrations. She became aware of the peculiar emotions stirring again and thought back to earlier when he helped her from the bathroom and kissed her. Sam felt the familiar tingle begin. She became frantic as her mind raced.

'No, this can't happen to me, I won't let it happen.'

Abruptly she took the napkin from Lynn and finished the job. Lynn startled at her reaction got up. Sam handed him the used wipe, told him she was all set, and he could leave. Lynn quickly left the room. He closed the door, and slowly walked to the kitchen. After the door closed, Sam began to sob. She regretted doing that to Lynn, but the feelings she had were too real. She didn't know what to do except lash out.

'Why did I do that? He has been so sweet. I am so...so confused.'

Lynn contemplated what he might have done wrong, and in the end decided to simply ignore her outburst. He knew Sam was a strong take-charge person. He understood that her bad temperament was caused by frustration at being bed ridden. He remembered a time in the not too distant past he simply would have broken down and bawled his eyes out at that treatment. Somehow, some way, Sam's inner strength rubbed off on him. Lynn finally realized that crying doesn't solve problems.

He ran his fingers through his hair, sighed and thought how much she had helped him grow. Yes, he was upset but he calmly accepted it and pushed it aside. Sam had her freedom taken away and that hurt her more than her knee ever would. Lynn decided to put her well being before his, and it made him strong. It made him very strong.

After the bathroom incident, Lynn recognized that he would need help with Sam. He didn't feel comfortable helping a woman shower or bathe, and he was certain that Sam would agree. Lynn called Shelly at Gigi's and asked if she would come over to help Sam with bathing and other womanly things that he couldn't do. Shelly was delighted that Lynn called her.

"Annie! Lynn called and asked me to help out with Sam," she said with joy.

"That's wonderful Shelly," Annie said rolling her eyes at her partner's enthusiasm.

"Oh, stop it. It will be a good thing to help them out. Maybe I can help in other areas too," Shelly mused out loud, a thoughtful look on her face.

Annie looked up at her lover, "Shelly don't do anything stupid with those two, okay?"

"Yes Mother," Shelly replied and gave Annie a peck on the cheek. She thought this would be the time to put her plan into action. She hoped Annie would understand.

*** ***

Lynn approached the bedroom door with Sam's night time meds, and quietly knocked when he reached the entryway. Her mood from earlier in the evening had him a little apprehensive about his reception. He decided to be proactive and put a little 'Calvin' on, with the hope that would brighten her spirits.