Beyond the Sea
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Ch. 6
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They're There Watching For Me
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Rick raced into his apartment, grabbed some clothes, threw his toiletries in a handy zipped bag, his razor, all those things and refilled his go bag and was back out in just a couple of minutes.

TC was on the phone with Shammy letting him know he was going to pick up the helo and take it to Robin's Nest because TM needed help. As soon as Rick climbed in the car, the duo were on their way.

When TC and Rick landed on the lawn at Robin's Nest, they could see Higgins had parked near the guest house entrance on the lawn in the shade and the car was running, with Higgins worriedly looking over at them shading her eyes with her hand. Rick ran over, opened the door and checked Magnum carefully. It was obvious that once he had, he relaxed and spoke reassuringly to Higgins. "Jules, it's fine. He's just starting to come ...no, Thomas, lie still, I'll help you get out of there...you just went limp and fell in there and we didn't want Higgins trying to extricate you herself. Hey, concussion, remember? Blacking out is not entirely unexpected. It's okay, buddy. Give yourself a minute...you need to take things slow." Rick rolled his eyes. "Yes, TM, I know quite well that isn't really your style, but, for once, listen to me, okay? Thank you!"

TC was drawing near and heard Thomas say. "I always listen to you...I just don't always do what you say."

"I know, Thomas, coz you are a stubborn son of a bitch, but I love you anyway."

"Me, too...Orville." TM replied.

Being himself, Thomas had maneuvered himself around to where he slowly got himself back up on the passenger seat.

Rick smiled at him and shook his head. "Stubborn, adorable jerk."

"Tough little Chicago son of a gun."

"Oh, my daddy was a pistol, now?"

"Dang me, dang me...oughta take a rope and hang me..."

Rick laughed, "Tommy, I swear you can come up with a song for anything I say. I hadn't thought of Roger Miller in years...but that actually was a line in that song, wasn't it?"

"Yep...'Well I'm the seventh out of seven sons, My daddy was a pistol, I'm a son-of-a-gun'." Thomas sang the words from the song.

"And that is just one of the reasons we love you, Thomas." TC grinned down at his friend. "Okay, let's get you in out of this sunlight before Higgy's car runs out of gas or overheats."

When Thomas went to climb out of the car on his own, both Rick and TC said. "No, let us help you..."

"Guys, I'm okay..." However, as he stood, he grabbed for the passenger side door to steady himself as the dizziness hit. "Okay, maybe you better walk with me, just in case."

"Duh?" TC responded.

The two men each walked on either side and kept an eagle eye on him, but Thomas made it mostly on his own with just the occasional steadying from his friends. Still, when they got inside the guest house, he immediately went and sat on the couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "Good to be home." He admitted. "Rick, the basin?"

Rick set the emesis basin in his lap. "I got you, TM."

"Thanks, buddy."

"Not a problem, my friend," Rick assured him, taking a seat next to him on the couch, but not too close. However, he immediately reached over and gently grabbed the pulse point on Magnum's wrist. Thomas half smiled and just let his friend attend to him. It just wasn't worth fussing about it. If it helped Rick have peace of mind, it was worth it to let him have his way.

Higgins came in quietly and noted Rick checking on his friend and smiled herself, relaxing because she knew Rick and TC would watch over the man carefully. She noticed TC was regarding the two men with an affectionate smile and jerked her head towards the door. TC silently followed her out.

"TC, I had Kumu get in a good stock of ginger ale in the guest house in case, you know."

"Thanks, Higgy. That was very thoughtful. I'll go ahead and pop the top on a couple so they can go flat...that's how they are best for nausea."

She nodded, aware of that fact herself. "TC, if Thomas needs anything, anything at all... call me. I mean that, absolutely."

"I believe you, Jules...and I will if we need to, but I think we'll be okay. We sort of have a routine."

"Oh, I know. You take such good care of him."

"In fairness, Jules, you don't see all the times he quietly comes and takes care of each of us. It's very much a mutual thing."

"Theodore, I may not see that caretaking part, but I have seen him take off out of here at night and assumed that is where he was off to...to help one of you."

"That's our boy. He gives as much as he receives, I can promise you that. We give him a hard time that that isn't true, but he knows we know the truth of it. We just love to tease him."

"He does blush rather nicely and way too easily."

Calvin laughed. "Yes, he does. You wouldn't think an adult man who was a damn Navy SEAL could still be embarrassed easily, but Tommy, Tommy still gets embarrassed so damn easy."

Higgins smiled. "Thank you for taking care of him. I truly appreciate you gents. Oh, I'm going to ask Kumu if she knows someone who can help TC with his visitation problem."

"He told you about that? He really trusts you, Jules, and that is very high praise from that man."

"And a privilege I take quite seriously," Higgins assured him as she went over to move the SUV to where she usually parked it. The lads moved over to flank her, but when she sent them into the house, they complied right away.

TC watched her go until she had the car restarted (at some point she had turned it off) and pulled away.

As TC walked back into the guest house, he noticed Rick was rubbing Thomas' back as Magnum heaved into the emesis basin. He frowned. "Do you need a different bowl?"

Wright shook his head. "It's mostly dry heaves, T. Feels miserable, but doesn't result in a full basin."

Finally, getting the heaves under control, Thomas slowly leaned back, closing his eyes. "God, I feel like crap."

"So we gathered," Calvin assured him. "Want a cool rag?"

"I'd rather have an ice pack for the back of my neck."

"Spinach okay?"

Magnum agreed. "Probably best, it wraps around the neck better."

"Thomas, I want you to lie down on your side on the couch, I'll move over to the chair there. I think you'll have less nausea if you are lying down."

Magnum sighed but said. "Okay...we'll give that a try."

"They gave me Compazine and a syringe, so if it gets bad again I'll..."

"No, we'll try the lying down...once the ice settles the pain down some, hopefully, the nausea will ease."

"Higgins had Kumu lay in a good supply of ginger ale in the fridge, TM...so I'm going to pop the top on a couple and let them go flat, okay?"

"Thanks, TC. Appreciate it." Rick helped him lie down and TC got the spinach out and helped get it on his neck and settled in the right spot. TM closed his eyes, muttering. "Cierra la boca, abuelita Hernandez."

Wright shook his head, wishing the spooks would give it a rest while Tommy was this miserable.

TC met Rick's gaze and sighed, softly, but Thomas gently counseled him. "It's okay, TC. I'm getting used to it, I think."

TC shook his head and replied. "Not sure I want you to get used to that, buddy."

"It is...what it is." The other two joined him on the latter part of the saying. All three smiled at the understanding they had of each other.

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A/N: Well, moving along in the story. Thomas is home and more will come out over the next few chapters of what is going on. However, that is two chapters this weekend, if I am counting right and none on my other stories in a while. So tomorrow I will continue the others so it may be a day or two before I circle back around to this chapter.