This is my second fanfiction story. There seemed to be a lot of things missing from the Swallowed Alive episode. I guess 45 minutes isn't really enough time to cover everything. So, here is my take in between scenes and about what happened afterwards. The first chapter is a filler scene. The rest is what happens when Hanson gets out of the juvenile detention center.

Not slashy but I've tried to add in enough that if you want to go that way you can let your imagination consider it "pre-slash" for Tom and Doug.

Disclaimer: I own no character contained herein.

Chapter 1

"Hey Dorothy, it's Tom. Do you know where Doug is? Is he okay?" Tom had finally gotten an opportunity to call and check up on Doug. Essentially two days in solitaire without word about what had happened to Doug except for being told he was sent to the "loony bin" had given Tom more than ample time to imagine every horrific possibility. Did someone find him? Was he drugged up to the gils surrounded by screaming people capable of doing who knows what like he had been a year earlier? Was Doug in yet another tiny room rocking back and forth begging for help? Every scenario that Tom had gone through in his head had made his stomach turn and heart ache. He had found himself on the verge of tears several times during the last two days but had held them back knowing that he probably had to continue playing a "McQuaid brother" for at least a little while longer. He had also almost blown his cover to try to get someone to tell him what was up but thought better of it when he came back to reality and remembered that he'd probably be killed if he claimed to be a cop. That probably wouldn't have helped Doug much.

His voice must have communicated his concern or Dorothy had known this phone call was coming because she quickly responded, "Yeah, Tom. He's here. He's okay. I picked him up from General Memorial Hospital just a couple of hours after they got him out of where you guys were. Are you okay? Where are you? I'll let you talk to Doug." Tom smiled a little at her typical Dorothy response. She didn't give him any time to answer her questions. She may have been brash but she was considerate enough to know what information Tom needed and that he had no interest in chatting with her but desperately needed to talk to Doug himself.

Doug must have been hovering over the phone because Tom immediately heard the familiar voice, "Hey Tom, are you okay?"

Relief rushed over Tom. At least Doug was home. Safe. Having someone taking care of him and making sure he was okay. Whatever issues Doug has to deal with after being in solitaire and then being dragged off to the hospital at least he could start dealing with now, at home.

"Yeah, are you?" Tom replied.

"Yeah, walls are not crashing in but I've been worried sick. Are you still in there?"

"Yeah, sorry I didn't call earlier. They wouldn't allow me to use the phone." This was technically true but Tom decided to leave out the details of why he wasn't allowed to use the phone. He wasn't about to tell Doug that he had been stuck in solitaire for yet another day.

"Oh, god, Tom. The assholes said they weren't going to pull you unless there were signs of you being in danger. What the hell? You're in there by yourself. How could you not be?" Doug said getting agitated. Although he was at home, he was still having a difficult time controlling some of his emotions. He was on edge and found himself getting overly upset at very minor things. That morning he had beaten his toothbrush to death after he had accidentally dropped some toothpaste on the floor. The doctor had told him to expect to have some "issues" after having a major panic episode and that the "issues" would pass with time but Doug knew that he wouldn't be able to relax until Tom had gotten the hell out of the detention center. Doug felt guilty and horribly mad at himself for leaving his partner alone in a hellhole where he could so easily be seriously hurt or killed if something went wrong. He had begged Fuller to get Tom out and Fuller had tried to convince the idiots downtown but the best Fuller could manage to do was get himself in to see Tom and that wasn't even going to happen until two days from now.

"Doug, it's okay. I'm fine. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Tom again left out details. For one because he was surrounded by other inmates who were listening to his side of the conversation and for another because Doug sounded upset and Tom didn't want to make him more so by telling Doug that he had spent two days not knowing what the hell had happened to him. That no-one would tell Tom where Doug had been taken or what had been done to him even though as far as everyone in the detention center knew, Doug and Tom were juveniles and only had each other to rely on. They knew that Tom had heard Doug's cries and knew that Tom was upset when he had gone to Morty's office to ask where Doug was. Morty just laughed at him and told him that Doug wasn't coming back and that he better get used to taking care of himself. Tom was pissed but decided not to press it since he figured he could probably get a phone call later and try to catch Dorothy at home. He had only one phone call that he could make and had thought about calling Fuller but didn't know if he had been cut totally out of the loop or had any control of the situation. He was also angry at the department and wasn't about to call them figuring they would just tell him some cover story about Doug being fine and for Tom to just protect his cover and concentrate on the case.

"Do you need out?" Doug asked.

"That's it McQuaid. Your two minutes are up. Off the phone." Morty yelled.

"No, I'm fine. I gotta go. Will you be okay?" Tom asked quickly.

"Yeah, don't worry about me. I have Dorothy hovering over me 24 hours a day. Just watch yourself, ok? And call if you can if you need anything, ok? Tell me ok." Doug blurted out knowing the clock was ticking.

"Okay. I will. Take care. Bye"

With that, Tom hung up and handed over the phone to the next person in line and walked out of the office. Tom was so relieved at finally getting a chance to talk to Doug that he could physically feel the knot in his stomach loosen a bit. He took in a full breath of air in probably the first time in over two days. He knew that there was still a lot to work through but at least now he felt a just a glimmer of hope that all of this crap wasn't going to be for nothing. He couldn't let it. It would drive him mad if Doug had to go through what he did and then nothing came of it. So, he held on to what he could. He had the Hammer. He had a chance to figure out where the drugs were coming in and who had killed Ricky Greene. That could salvage what remained of his belief that the world works as it should. Right?

End of Chapter 1