After a few days in the hospital, Magnum was released on the condition he was to take it easy. While Thomas had no plans to follow the doctor's orders, his friends had other ideas. Once he was back on Robin's estate, Juliet took and hid the keys to all of the vehicles on the property, as well as having the dogs help her keep an eye on Magnum.
"There you are," Higgins said as she walked up behind Magnum.
She had been wondering where he wondered off to without the wheelchair that he was supposed to be using when she decided to check Robin's private beach. There he stood, leaning forward slightly on his crutches, facing the ocean, with the two Dobermanns flanking him. The wrap on his leg was still very prominent. She approached on his right and looked at him, but he remained looking at the water.
"What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you," Higgins said with as much calm sincerity in her tone as possible.
"Just thinking," Magnum replied simply.
Waiting for more words that never came, Juliet replied. "Ok, but why did you completely ignore the doctor's orders and walk all the way out here by yourself?"
Magnum grinned and quirked his eyebrow, but continued to face the water. "The doctor said to take it easy, which I am. I'm not swimming or rowing, am I? And I'm not alone, your hellhounds were with me the whole time."
Higgins placed her hands on her hips. She wanted to argue, but she just couldn't find something to say to his classic Magnum-style response. With a sigh, she realized what she really wanted to say. "Look, Magnum. I am incredibly sorry for what happened and what I said to you. I'm responsible for everything you went through, and I apologize."
Noting the regret and pain in her voice, Magnum turned to look at the majordomo. "Higgins, I'm fine. You didn't say or do anything wrong."
"That's where you are wrong, Magnum," Juliet replied. "What I said was completely wrong. Your friends help you because they care about you, it has nothing to do with owing you anything. Like I said in the hospital, there's no excuse for the words I said to you. And to add salt to the wound, I let you go into a dangerous situation by yourself and you almost ended up dead because of me."
Thomas was touched that Juliet was worried about him, but he truly didn't hold anything against her, and he didn't want her to feel any guilt. "Higgy, I chose to go by myself. I think in the back on my mind, I also thought Rick and T.C. just help me out because they feel like they have to, so what you said just reiterated my own thoughts." Magnum shrugged before grinning. "And it's not like you shot or stabbed me, so that's not your fault either."
"I-" Higgins started, but Magnum's words had a calming and soothing effect on her. Maybe she wasn't completely at fault. "Well, I still apologize for my part in what happened to you."
"I accept your apology, even though it's unnecessary," Thomas said with a nod. "I know I picked a bad time to ask for a favor with all of your majordomo and expiring visa stuff." The shock on Higgins' face made him smile.
"How could you possibly know about that?" She questioned rather loudly.
Thomas turned to look at the water and shrugged. "I am a private investigator, you know."
Rolling her eyes, Higgins quickly changed the subject. "Come on, Kumu's started the grill. We're having some people over for a party of sorts."
Confused, Magnum looked back at her. "A party? For what?"
"A 'Thomas has more lives than a cat' party, or at least that's what Rick called it," Higgins replied with a smirk.
Thomas chuckled. "Of course he did." Using his crutches, he turned around in the sand to face the house. "I guess we better get going then."
If crutching across a short stretch of sand was difficult, going up the small hills on the way back to the house was almost unbearably difficult for Thomas, and equally so for Higgins to watch. Both of the dogs remained near them, matching the slow pace.
"Not to say 'I told you so' but wouldn't it be easier if you had the wheelchair?" Higgins offered.
In between steps and heavy breaths, Magnum replied. "Are you my partner, or my mother?"
"All I'm saying is we'd likely be there by now if weren't so stubborn about getting out of the chair as soon as possible, and I'm sure using the crutches this much is pulling at your stitches," Higgins said lightheartedly. "Speaking of stubbornness, I know you haven't taken the pain medication you were prescribed. But if you continue to prefer to make things harder for yourself, by all means, go for it."
If Thomas was being completely honest, he just wanted to show himself and the others that he wasn't as close to death as everyone says he was, but between his friends, the doctors, and the police reports, that fact was getting harder to deny. The immense amount of effort to get back to the main house also aided in his conclusion.
"I'm fine, I got it," Magnum replied confidently.
Once they reached the top of the last hill, they found the large picnic table being surrounded by their friends. Immediately, Rick and T.C. looked at Magnum and Higgins in surprised.
"Where have you been?" Rick asked, looking at Thomas. It was then that the dogs walked up to Rick and he patted them on their heads. "We were starting to think you were actually resting."
"On the contrary, Thomas decided to take a stroll down to the beach," Higgins said in her very apparent British accent.
"Are you crazy, Tommy?" Rick scolded. "Since when is that 'taking it easy'? You were shot and stabbed less than a week ago! Not to mention getting knocked in the head pretty good."
"Oh, that's not all," Katsumoto said with the smallest hint of a grin as he walked up to the group. "Higgins mentioned to me that in addition to not resting, he hasn't taken his pain meds."
"Guys, I'm right here," Magnum said. "I'm fine, and I did listen to the doctor because I didn't even go into the water. Doesn't that count for anything?"
T.C. shook his head. "Not really bro, but for you I guess it's a start."
After his friends gave him a mild scolding for his lack of selfcare, Magnum took a seat at the table, everyone else following suit. T.C. grabbed a cooler for Thomas to prop his injured leg on while Kumu served the food and Rick served the drinks, making sure Magnum was only given water.
"I'm glad you're doing okay, Magnum," Katsumoto said after everyone had a chance to eat and chat a little bit. "And I wanted to give you an update. The two men that you tossed into the ocean have cooperated with us. Thanks to you and them, we've made several other arrests."
Thomas felt a small hint of pride within himself and in Katsumoto's voice. "Good. What about the other guy from the boat? Last thing I heard was he was brought to the hospital."
The detective nodded. "He miraculously made it, but he hasn't been cooperative. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison."
Magnum only nodded in reply before finishing his glass of water. After listening to the conversation between all of his friends, only occasionally joining in, he felt the familiar, yet unnatural sensation of being pulled into either sleep or unconsciousness. It was then that he realized a couple of his friends tried to sneak glances in his direction, one more frequently than the rest.
"Higgins, don't you know it's impolite, not to mention illegal to drug someone involuntarily?" Magnum said. He tried to sound more upset, but he couldn't find the energy required.
"Technically, I wasn't the one the slipped it into your water," Higgins countered. "But seeing as you weren't listening to a medical professional, I came up with the idea. I don't regret it."
Magnum immediately looked at Rick, the most likely suspect. Rick immediately threw his hands up. "Hey, you weren't listening to the doc, so something had to be done."
Magnum attempted a glare, but he figured it didn't look like one since he didn't actually feel anger. "I could have you arrested, Orville. Katsumoto's right here."
Katsumoto kept his amazing poker face. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Everyone laughed, even Magnum. He was appreciative that his friends cared about him so much, even if it meant he couldn't get away with anything. As his eyes finally closed, he fell asleep to the sounds of all of his favorite people conversing around him.