Disclaimer: The characters belong to their creators and the actors who portray them, all I own is my imagination :)

November 1941

DCS Foyle stopped at the desk upon returning from a call to see if anything had come in while he was out. Two letters and a possible lead on the shipment of stolen cigarettes they were investigating.

He started toward his office and then stopped pivoting back to face the desk as Sergeant Rivers cleared his throat. "Was there something else Sergeant?"

The other man hesitated briefly and then nodded; "Yes Sir, might I speak with you in your office?"

Foyle's brow crinkled into a frown but he nodded and turning led the way down the corridor.

Once his office door was closed he turned and looked at Rivers, raising an eyebrow in silent inquiry. Rivers took a deep breath, "Something came up regarding Mr. Reid while you were out Sir and I thought you'd want to know."

Foyle started slightly, he hadn't seen Hugh Reid yet today but that wasn't abnormal. While the two men were good friends they had their own, very busy, roles at the station and kept slightly different hours. As a result they could sometimes go several days without catching more than a glimpse of each other.

Rivers' tone and the fact that he felt this was important enough to need to be discussed in private would imply whatever had happened was serious and Foyle couldn't help but feel slightly worried. When Rivers didn't continue after several minutes Foyle cleared his throat, "What happened?"

"Well when Mr. Reid came in this morning, he looked a little peaky but when I asked he said he was just tired. But then an hour or so later he came out and asked if you were about, I told him you and Sergeant Milner were out on a call. He sighed and said he wasn't to be disturbed unless it was urgent until you were back and then to come to you with everything."

Foyle frowned, he and Hugh often covered for each other but it was completely out of character for Hugh not to check with him first. "Did he say why?"

Rivers shook his head, "No Sir and I didn't like to ask, he looked even worse than when he'd first come in, terribly pale."

Foyle's frown deepened, "Right. Did anything else happen?"

"Yes Sir, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see about 20 minutes before you came back we got a message from London marked urgent, seeing as you weren't about I had Galway take it to Mr. Reid."

Foyle nodded and Rivers' continued, "Well Galway had to knock several times before Mr. Reid opened his door and then he got a right tongue lashing for his trouble."

"Reid yelled at him?" Foyle asked in surprise.

"Yes Sir, 'bout as mad as I've heard in months and when Galway managed to stammer out an explanation about the message Mr. Reid just snatched it and went back into his office shutting the door in his face. I know it's not my place to criticize my superiors Sir but it was very unlike Mr. Reid and I thought you'd want to know."

Foyle nodded, "You were quite right Rivers, thank you for telling me. I'll see to it directly."

Rivers' nodded looking relieved, "Yes Sir. Anything else I can do for you?"

Foyle shook his head, "No thank you Sergeant, that will be all."

"Yes Sir."

Once alone in his office Foyle quickly hung up his hat and coat, dropped the mail on the desk and headed for Reid's office. As usual the door was closed and he knocked smartly.

"What part of do not disturb do you not understand?" Reid's voice was sharp and Foyle frowned.

He glanced around quickly to make sure he was alone and then tapped on the door again, "Hugh? It's me, Christopher, may I come in?"

There was a pause, "Alright." Reid's voice was quieter and Foyle thought he could detect a note of pain in it. He frowned and opened the door only to freeze on the threshold.

The room was dark, completely dark, thanks to the blackout curtains that Reid had clearly drawn and he stood blinking in the doorway as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom.

"Shut the door would you Christopher?" there was no mistaking the pain in Reid's voice this time and Foyle quickly complied.

After another minute or two he was able make out the hunched shape of Reid sitting behind his desk his head cradled in his hands, "Hugh are you all right?"

"Been better."

Foyle frowned and took a step closer, noticing as he did so that Reid was in his shirtsleeves. "Are you ill?"

"No. Just a headache." Reid hadn't lifted his head from where it rested in his hands, his entire body ridged with tension.

Foyle hesitated, chewing on the inside of his cheek, "Want me to have Sam run you home?"

"Can't, meeting at 1pm have to be there."

Foyle sighed, "Hugh you yelled at Galway for following orders and me for knocking on your door, do you really think you're up to attending a meeting?"

"Have to be, bloody war on isn't there?"

"It won't be won or lost on your attendance Hugh." Foyle said softly. "You're clearly in no fit state to go anywhere except home to bed. I'm surprised Elaine let you leave the house this morning."

"She didn't. She and the girls are away."

Foyle paused chewing on his lower lip, suddenly unsure if he should be sending Hugh home to an empty house. "Stop fussing Christopher, it's just a headache."

"If that were the case, care to explain to me why you've pulled the blackout curtains?"

Reid sighed, "Light makes it worse, never thought I'd be thankful for blackout curtains, guess there's a first time for everything." He gave a wry laugh that became a low groan as it jostled his head.

Foyle took an instinctive step forward and rested a warm hand on his friend's shoulder, "Hugh?"

Reid's breathing was shallow and he was swallowing convulsively. Foyle frowned and quickly glanced around for the bin placing it beside Hugh's chair just in case.

After several tense moments Reid's breathing evened out and his shoulder's relaxed slightly. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Not at all. Think we'd best get you home though."

"Can't"

Foyle sighed, "Hugh I told you…"

"No Christopher not the meeting, it's too bright, I can't."

Foyle frowned, "The light would make it that much worse?" Reid nodded very slightly and Foyle's frown deepened, "Should I call Dr. White?"

"No, it's just a headache I'll be fine. I'll go home once it's dark."

Foyle hesitated and Reid sighed, "Leave it Christopher, I know you're working on that cigarette theft, focus on that. Promise I'll head home soon as it's dark."

Sensing that it would be pointless to argue, at least at the moment Foyle nodded. "Right. Can I get you anything?"

Reid hesitated and then asked quietly, "Is the bin nearby?"

"Yes right by your chair, left side."

"Thanks."

Foyle studied his friend critically, "Shouldn't you be lying down Hugh?"

"On what?"

"Could grab you some blankets from the cells."

"Not worth the fuss, I'll be all right."

"Wouldn't sleep help?" Foyle pressed.

"Might."

"Right then. Back in a moment."

Reid opened his mouth to protest but Foyle just squeezed his shoulder. "It's no trouble Hugh, I'll be back in a moment." And with that he quietly left the room careful to close the door quickly behind him.

A quick word with Sergeant Rivers produced several cell blankets and an assurance that no one would disturb Superintendent Reid for the rest of the day. So Foyle was soon heading back toward Reid's office having stopped briefly in the kitchen to collect a cloth and bowl of cold water.

He tapped lightly on the door, "Hugh it's just me."

"Come." Reid's voice was tight with pain and Foyle couldn't help but frown as he carefully opened the door.

Reid was sitting exactly as Foyle had left him and he let out a low hiss of pain as the light from the hallway snuck into the room.

"Sorry, got my hands full I'll get the door in a moment." Reid made no reply as Foyle quickly placed the bowl of water on the desk and piled the blankets on the floor before crossing to close the door.

"Any better?" He asked quietly as he approached the desk, his eyes having once again adjusted to the dimness of the room.

"Not really. Sorry for all the fuss, haven't had one like this in ages."

"Not your fault Hugh. I'll just get these blankets organized and then we'll see about getting you up all right?"

"Right."

It didn't take long to arrange the blankets, it wasn't much but at least it would provide some padding, hopefully enough to let Hugh sleep. Satisfied that he had done the best he could Foyle turned back to Reid. "Ready to move?"

"Not really. You should know I might be sick on you." Reid sounded terribly embarrassed and Foyle squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

"Would hardly be the first time; Andrew's been sick on me more times then I care to remember. Now I did get a cold flannel if you think that would help?"

"Might."

"Right, hold on a minute." Foyle rounded the desk and quickly squeezed the excess water out of the cloth, folding into a compress with practiced ease as he moved back to stand beside Reid. "Here you go. It is cold so try not to tense up."

Reid hissed as the cold cloth was laid across the back of his neck before relaxing slightly. Foyle waited for a few minutes then asked, "Better?"

"Yes thanks."

"Good. Ready to get up?"

"I suppose."

Foyle could hear the reluctance in Reid's voice and squeezed his shoulder again. "If it's too much we'll stop but if lying down will help we ought to try."

Reid took a deep breath, "Right, on three?"

Foyle nodded and carefully braced himself, ready to support his taller friend. "On your count."

"One, two, three." On three Reid pushed himself slowly to his feet as Foyle quickly wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him.

They stood like that for a minute, Reid's breathing coming in rapid, shallow gasps as Foyle supported much of his weight. "Steady on Hugh, try and take a deep breath…that's it."

After a few minutes Reid was able to get his breathing under control much to Foyle's relief, "It's only a few steps, just lean on me."

Reid squeezed Foyle's shoulder to show that he understood and then took a shaky step forward. He was practically grey by the time they reached the makeshift bed while Foyle was a little out of breathe from the effort of supporting him.

"Easy Hugh that's far enough. Think you'll be able to sit down?"

"Not sure I can stand much longer."

"Err right. Hang on a minute." Foyle shifted slightly to get a better grip. "All right I'm going to ease you down…that's it."

It was not the most graceful descent but Foyle managed to get Hugh's tall frame down to the floor without knocking either of them over so he decided to count it as a victory.

For his part Reid was terribly pale and swallowing convulsively, "Christopher…"

Foyle took one look at his face and hastened to fetch the bin from the desk, pressing it into Reid's hands just as his friend began to retch. He winced in sympathy keeping a warm hand on Reid's shoulder until he stopped and then asked softly, "Finished?"

"Think so, sorry."

"It's all right Hugh, not your fault your ill. Sit for a minute, I'll deal with this and get you some water."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter and would love to hear what you thought :)