Reid had no idea how much time had passed, distracted as he was by the steady throbbing in his head but suddenly Christopher was kneeling in front of him again a glass of water in his hand and a concerned look on his face.

"Some water, just sip it…" Reid frowned slightly as he tried to focus on Christopher's voice, suddenly realizing he must have been speaking to him for a bit before he noticed, which would explain why he looked so worried.

"Sorry." He murmured, not exactly sure what he was apologizing for but feeling like he ought to just the same.

"No, no that's all right. Think you can have a sip of this though?" Foyle asked, holding the glass out to him.

Reid took it and obediently took a sip, glad to wash the sick taste out of his mouth. He managed another few sips before his hand started to shake and Foyle quickly took the glass before it could spill.

"Had enough?"

"Yes."

"All right, hold still a moment."

Reid felt a warm cloth gently wiping his face and flushed, "Sorry." He muttered again but Foyle shushed him reaching out to undo the top button of his shirt.

"It's fine Hugh. Now have you taken any aspirin?"

Reid tried to think, not the easiest task when his head felt like it was intent on squeezing his brain to pulp. "This morning I think" He said finally, "Before I left the house."

"Right, well that will have worn off by now." There was the sound of a spoon clattering against something and then Foyle was holding a glass up to him again. "Think you can drink this?"

Reid shrugged and reached for the glass. He managed about half of it before his hand started to shake and he felt Christopher take the glass from him.

Foyle was quiet for a minute and then said softly, "It really would be best if you take a full dose, think you can finish the rest if I give you a hand?"

Needing someone to help him take his medicine, the way he helped his girls when they were ill, ought to have been humiliating but this was Christopher. They had seen each other at their best and helped each other through the worst. Besides he felt too wretched to feel much of anything except pain.

He nodded slightly and felt Foyle loop an arm around his shoulders and bring the glass up to his lips again. "Small sips Hugh."

Reid complied and the glass was soon empty. Foyle quickly switched glasses, helping Reid have a few sips of water to chase away the aspirin taste. "Need anything else?"

"No, thank you Christopher. God I can't remember the last time I felt this wretched." It was the longest sentence he'd managed in a while and Reid brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as his head throbbed in protest.

Foyle frowned "Sure I can't ring White? You really do look dreadful Hugh."

"Thanks." Reid said dryly although he was sure it was true "And don't ring White, it won't help, just have to wait."

Foyle could hear the truthfulness in Reid's voice but that didn't make him like the answer anymore. "Sure I can't I get you anything else?" Reid nodded slightly. "Want to try and sleep for a bit then?" What he wanted to do was take Hugh home but that would have to wait.

"Might as well I suppose" Foyle nodded and helped Reid lower himself back on to the blankets before rising and getting Reid's overcoat which he rolled up and slipped under his head as a pillow.

As Hugh shifted trying to get comfortable he felt Christopher carefully remove the cloth from the back of his neck and then a moment later a heavenly cool cloth was draped over his eyes. He let out a sigh of relief as the pain decreased slightly in response.

"All right?" Foyle asked softly.

"Mhmm."

Foyle smiled faintly as he drew a blanket over Reid's tall form. "Good. Just try and sleep. Rivers will make sure you aren't disturbed but I'll stick my head in every now and then to in case you need something."

The cool cloth over his eyes combined with the fact that he was finally lying down were slowly drawing Reid toward sleep and he struggled against the sleepiness and pain, knowing there was something he had to say.

"Thank you Christopher." He murmured finally, hoping that his friend would hear all the things he was not presently able to say.

He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and heard Foyle murmur, "Get some sleep Hugh" followed by the sound of footsteps and a door quietly opening and closing.

Foyle stood outside Reid's door for a minute before running a hand through his hair and heading toward the kitchen to make a cup of tea. As he waited for the kettle to boil he thought over what had happened, wondering how often Hugh got headaches like this. It was certainly the most intense headache he'd ever seen outside of a bad case of flu yet Hugh said he'd had them before. Clearly Elaine kept him home when they got this bad.

The fact that she and the girls were away worried him and he decided that Hugh should probably come home with him for the night. He could sleep in Andrew's room and then someone would be there, just incase something happened. Mind made up he headed back out into the hall, tea in hand and almost ran into Sam.

"Oh hullo Sir, I was just coming to ask if you wanted some tea, I wanted some and Milner said he'd be glad of a cup but it seems you beat me to it."

Foyle smiled slightly, "Yes, thank you Sam." He took a step passed her and then froze turning back around "Err Sam?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Would you mind doing me a favour?"

Sam shook her head, eyes shining eagerly, "Not at all Sir!"

Foyle felt his lips twitch slightly at her enthusiasm, "'fraid it's not too exciting" he warned, chewing on his cheek as he tried to figure out how best to explain. "Err Mr. Reid isn't feeling too well and I was wondering if you would mind, err keeping an ear out?"

"Of course not Sir but wouldn't it be best if I drove him home? If he's not well I mean."

"Err not quite that straight forward I'm afraid. He's not to be disturbed but if you could just…" He trailed off slightly uncertainly.

"There's a chair by his door isn't there?" Foyle nodded and Sam smiled back at him "Excellent, then I can just read my book there and if I hear anything I'll come and fetch you."

"If it's not too much bother."

"None at all Sir, I'll go as soon as I've gotten Milner his tea and you don't have to worry I'll be quiet as a mouse. Just pretend I'm in church with Daddy frowning at me from the pulpit if I fidget too much."

Foyle's lips pulled down into a small smile at the image of a much younger Sam trying to sit still through one of Reverend Stewart's sermons. He suspected she would have been only slightly more successful at it than Andrew ever was at sitting through Reverend Matthews'. Pulling his mind back to the present he nodded, "Thank you Sam."

She smiled happily back at him, "Glad I can help Sir."

Foyle nodded again and made his way towards his office, feeling much more relieved about leaving Hugh on his own. He still intended to check on him now and then but it was reassuring to know that if anything happened in the meantime Sam would come and fetch him.

He took a long drink of tea as he settled behind his desk and then picking up the letters he had left there earlier, turned his mind to business.