Tony hadn't thought it was possible. So he was surprised when, an hour later, they were sitting in his suite back at the Maui Hilton.
The doctor hadn't wanted to, but he finally released Tony into Magnum's care, after giving him a page with instructions and a bag full of medication for the boy to take. Magnum had just waved a breezy goodbye to the physician as he pushed Tony down the hall in the wheel chair and they made their escape into the sun drenched Hawaiian afternoon.
Tony yawned a jaw splitting yawn as Magnum helped him into the car. He wanted to ask Magnum a million and one questions about his plan, but he was still bone weary after the adventures of their day. With the top of Magnum's rental convertible pushed back, Tony found himself drifting to sleep with the feel of the wind whipping past them and the sun warm on his face. He didn't wake up until Magnum nudged him when they arrived at the hotel.
Mrs. Brown met them at the door of the suite as if she'd been waiting for them. She fussed over Tony which felt kind of nice. His mother wasn't the fussing sort so he'd learned to keep his small injuries to himself. But when Mrs. Brown hugged him, he hugged her back fiercely with his good arm.
She bustled around the room and got him settled at the table where she had sandwiches and hot soup waiting. Tony hadn't thought he'd be hungry either, but when he smelled the fragrant soup, his stomach growled its own opinion. Before he knew it the soup was gone, leaving only the spoon and a few drops in the bottom of the bowl that he couldn't coax out and the sandwich was devoured, leaving only the pickle as evidence that there was once food on his plate.
Magnum's plate sat next to his, still full.
Once he was delivered into Mrs. Brown's care, Magnum had disappeared. Tony was consumed with curiosity about his plan, but he was afraid to ask. Now that their adventure was over and things seemed to be settling back into some semblance of what resembled normal in his life, he was afraid to question the bond that he and Magnum had formed in their hours together.
What if it didn't hold up?
He was a kid and Magnum was an adult. Why would he want to help out a kid he barely knew?
Why would he want to create trouble for himself when he could just send the kid back to his parents and let them worry about him?
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made to Tony. He wasn't used to adults who inconvenienced themselves for a kid, so he didn't know it was possible that any of them would.
He began to wish that he hadn't eaten. The food sat like lead in his stomach, forming a knot that twisted and ached as he convinced himself that Magnum was just going to arrange to have him sent back to his parents and Tony would never see anyone in Hawaii again. It caused an ache in his heart that surprised him. He'd never really felt so attached to someone or something before that it would hurt to leave it. And he felt that way about Magnum and Mrs. Brown and Chris. He didn't want to leave them or Hawaii.
He sat long after the food was eaten just staring at his plate trying to figure out what to do. It didn't help any that his hand hurt and his brain didn't want to work, his thoughts kept circling in a confused swirl. He suspected it was the medicine the doctor gave him – antibiotics in case of infection, and a pain killer for his hand, Mrs. Brown had told him when she handed him a glass of water to take them with. Whatever the cause, he felt like his brain was wrapped in cotton and he kept chasing his thoughts in the same old depressing circles.
"Hey, Tony," Magnum's voice surprised him and he jumped. Magnum sat down next to him at the table and grabbed the pickle from his plate.
Tony didn't answer, just sat quietly, he refused to cry any more. He'd already cried more in that one day than he had his whole life. His father was going to be angry enough with him without adding the crying to the list.
"Tony? What's up?" Even the concern in Magnum's voice didn't make him look up, because he knew if he did, he'd throw himself at Magnum and beg him to let him stay.
"I guess I'm just tired is all," he managed. He started to climb out of the chair and go to the sofa. He just needed to get away, put some distance between himself and Magnum.
But Magnum wasn't having that. He stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, "Hey buddy, hold up. Talk to me. What's wrong?" Magnum paused, and when Tony didn't answer, he hazarded a guess of his own, "You're worried about talking to your dad? Cause I'm not going to let him hurt you." There was a fierceness in Magnum's voice, an anger that Tony had heard before when they were on the water.
"He won't hurt me," Tony confessed in a low voice, "most times he doesn't even remember I'm there."
"Tony," Magnum picked the boy up and settled him back into his chair. He stared into his eyes, trying his best to convey what he wanted to say, "father's aren't supposed to ignore their sons. He hurts you just as much by his lack of caring as if he hit you. Do you understand?"
Tony wasn't sure he did, he shrugged.
"It's okay if you don't, it's hard for adults to understand, but just know that I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that you get to spend time with people who care about you and want what's best for you."
The knot in his stomach began to loosen its grip. "Really?" Tony asked breathlessly.
"Really," Magnum promised.
The phone chose that moment to ring.
Magnum glanced down at his watch and nodded. "Right on time."
"Is that my dad?" Tony whispered. The knot clinched back, harder this time. Magnum might have a plan like he told Tony in the hospital but he didn't know Anthony DiNozzo, Sr.
Magnum nodded. His eyes were twinkling again and it didn't look at all like he was nervous about confronting the Sr. DiNozzo. Tony gulped as Magnum punched the button on the phone that would allow them to talk without picking up the receiver. He meant for Tony to know everything that was said between them.
TBC...
And the angst goes on...I didn't know I had this much angst in me.
Anyway, another update, the muse has really gotten caught up in this one!