Chapter 23

A short time later, the group arrived at the hospital. Higgins had called Rick, who said he and TC and TC's wife, Tina, would meet them at the hospital.

Ron greeted them outside Magnum's room and said things continued to look promising.

Terri introduced him to Lily, who was being held by Jack.

"Does she want to see her father?" Ron asked. "Or is this setting too scary for her?"

"Let's find out," Higgins said.

He motioned for Jack to follow him to the window so Lily could see her father.

"Papa!" she said, excited when she saw Thomas' still body lying in the bed.

In French, Jonathan asked her if she wanted to go into her father's room and she nodded eagerly to convey that she did. But she also clung tighter to Jack, not wanting him to put her down.

"I can allow only two adults with the child to go in," Ron said, looking from Jack to Jonathan to Terri.

"Terri," Jonathan said, "why don't you go in with Jack and Lily?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, not certain she should be the one in the room should Thomas wake up but admitting to herself she would like to be in there should he open his eyes.

He nodded. "Yes. You had the last contact with him before he lost consciousness, and you've been with him the most since he's been in the coma. Talk to him. Maybe he will recognize your voice and open his eyes."

Terri looked to Janet who nodded and squeezed her friend's arm. "I think Jonathan's right. You and Jack and Lily should be the ones to go in."

"Are you ready?" Ron asked, as he stood near the door, ready to open it.

They nodded and then tiptoed into his room.

Both Jack and Terri found themselves trying to shield and protect Lily from the contraptions in the room, but she seemed more curious about her surroundings than afraid.

"Papa," she said, pointing to her father but looking at Jack as if wondering why her father didn't know she was in the room.

"Yes, Lily," he said softly, while rubbing her back. "Your father is asleep. We're hoping he'll wake up soon."

Terri acted out what Jack spoke; Lily seemed to understand.

"Réveiller," Lily said, looking at her father.

"I think she's telling Thomas to wake up," Jack whispered to Terri.

"Sorta sounded like it, I guess," she said and shrugged.

She began to feel that Jonathan should be the one in the room to help translate, but Lily seemed comfortable with them. Terri decided to try talking to Thomas.

"Thomas," Terri said, moving closer to his bed and reaching for his hand to hold it in between both of hers, "if you can manage to open your eyes, you have a wonderful surprise waiting for you."

"Papa," Lily said again, straining in Jack's arms to get closer to her father.

He brought her even on the other side of the bed with Terri.

"Lily is here, Thomas," Terri said. "Your daughter is in this very room with you, and she wants you open your eyes."

From somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, Magnum heard a voice. Actually, voices.

Terri.

He recognized her soft, dulcet tones but knew he couldn't reach her. She was too far away. He also thought he'd heard his daughter's voice, but he knew that wasn't possible. He must still be dreaming. He liked dreaming about Terri and Lily. They brought him peace.

"Did you see that?" Terri asked, excited.

"I did," Jack said, wondering if Magnum was really ready to open his eyes and come back to them. "His fingers moved inside your hands. I saw it."

"I felt it," Terri said, extremely encouraged. "It was very strong."

Warm. Her touch was so warm and comforting. He wanted to reach her, but he didn't know how. Too dark. Blackness surrounded him, but then a small beacon of light would shine through. Must be the dream again. Always warm and soothing when he dreamed of her. And his daughter.

"Maybe if Lily touched him," Jack suggested.

Terri nodded. "Good idea."

Jack brought Lily to the same side as Terri who placed her smaller hand on top of her father's larger one.

"Talk to him," Jack whispered to Lily.

In French, Lily told her father to open his eyes.

Magnum recognized the language.

French. No one speaks French, except for my daughter. And Higgins. But that is definitely not Higgins' voice. Is Lily here? With me? How can I reach her?

While Magnum labored internally, Terri and Jack saw his outward struggle.

"He's trying to reach her," Terri said. "There's no mistake about it."

"You're right," Jack said, realizing Thomas was trying to open his eyes.

Ron, who had been standing at the foot of the bed, walked to the side Jack had vacated and examined his pupils.

"He's definitely getting closer," Ron said.

Ron had no sooner stepped away from the bed than Magnum's whole body convulsed and his eyes shot open.

"Papa!" Lily exclaimed gleefully.

Jack gently squeezed her in his arms and smiled at her.

"Isn't it wonderful?"

She didn't know what Jack had said, but the fact that everyone was smiling made her happy. She tried to go to her father, but Jack and Terri restrained her.

"Not yet," Terri said, motioning that Thomas couldn't hold her just yet.

"I think we need Jonathan," Jack said.

While he left to get Jonathan, Terri held Lily close to her and let her look at her father, who was trying to figure out what was going on. His throat was raw. He could barely speak. And his eyes weren't focusing too well either.

"It's okay, Mr. Magnum," Ron said, as he began to examine him. "I can see you are very confused."

Thomas tried to nod, but even the slightest movement was too difficult for him.

"You're in the hospital," Terri tried to explain. "You've been in a coma."

He recognized Terri and her lovely voice.

That probably explains this gigantic headache. But Terri. She was holding Lily. That was Lily, right? He couldn't be dreaming this. He didn't want to be dreaming this. He wanted this to be very, very real. But how? Where did Lily come from? How come Terri had her? So many questions, but he couldn't ask any of them. Yet.

He recognized Higgins when he stepped into the room. Jonathan held out his arms; Lily went to him. He explained to her in French that her father was not strong enough to hold her. She wanted to know when he would be.

"We'll have to ask the doctor," he said, looking to Ron as he answered her in French. "Lily wants to know when her father will be strong enough to hold her."

"Not for a few days, at the earliest," Ron replied. "He's still very sore and in a lot of pain. We have to get him moving around."

Jonathan nodded and explained what the doctor said to Lily. She looked sad, but when Jonathan told her that her father had made remarkable improvement since she arrived, she smiled and nodded.

"He opened his eyes," she said in French and Jonathan smiled and hugged her close.

"He did that for you."

Magnum found himself amazed at how well Lily and Higgins got along.

How long have I been out of it? And what other miracles have happened that I don't know about?