TC shifted slightly in the hard, white plastic chair. He could never understand why hospitals put such uncomfortable chairs in their waiting rooms, when they had to know that people would be sitting in them for hours, waiting to hear what had happened to the people they cared about.
He'd only spent two hours on this chair, so far, and he'd already lost all feeling in the back of his legs. But he knew it was better to stay seated than indulge his need to pace. Pacing would only irritate the other people in the waiting room, and he didn't want a nurse to ask him to leave, or wait somewhere else for news.
At least, this time, he was pretty sure that any news coming his way would be good. Both Magnum and Katsumoto had been awake and talking on the trip to the hospital, rather than unconscious and bleeding heavily. And what did it say about his life, and his history, that he considered pulling two injured friends from a collapsed building and flying them to a hospital as something to be considered a good day?
Movement on the far side of the waiting room caught his eye. He braced himself to stand up as Katsumoto entered the waiting room, wanting to offer the man his support.
Katsumoto looked tired, but his shoulder was properly supported in a sling now, and he was clutching what TC assumed was a prescription. Experience had TC assuming the prescription was for pain medication of some sort, probably along with a muscle relaxant. Katsumoto would need both, TC was sure; dislocations were deceptively minor-seeming injuries, but could take painful weeks to heal properly.
But then TC let himself sag back into his chair again as Lieutenant Kamila strode across the room. He figured it was best to let Katsumoto talk to his superior alone.
TC had developed a grudging respect for Lieutenant Akana over the last year, realising that Katsumoto's previous senior officer was much like some of his own commanding officers. The man was definite in his pronouncements, and had appeared to run a very tight operation in his police department, but as far as TC could tell, Akana's actions had always been fair.
He had no idea what to think of Katsumoto's new supervisor, Lieutenant Kamila. He had to give the man the benefit of the doubt, but until he had rock-solid proof, he was keeping an eye on how the man treated his friend. After all, actions spoke far louder than any words he'd ever heard.
The conversation on the far side of the room was too quiet for him to make out any words, not having Rick's sharp hearing. And he'd never been any good at reading lips. But the look on Katsumoto's face, and the openness of Kamila's stance, was enough to bring some relaxation to his tense shoulder muscles.
He couldn't help but smile, thinking of what Katsumoto would say if TC said anything to Lieutenant Kamila about his treatment of Katsumoto.
Seconds later, his smile only grew wider when Rick and Higgins barrelled in through the door, eyes sweeping the room and settling on him like tracking lasers.
He could see the same subtle relaxation in both of them when they saw Katsumoto standing on the far side of the room. He stood up as his friends headed in his direction, seeing how Katsumoto had noted their arrival as well and offered him a slight nod in acknowledgement of the new arrivals.
"Thomas?" Rick's voice was steady, concern leaking through.
"Still back with the docs." TC answered.
"Did we miss something?" Juliet's question echoed the worry in Rick's eyes, and TC shook his head immediately.
"No. He was fine on the way here." He thought for a second and carried on more slowly. "I think it's just … more damage."
"Okay." Rick nodded. "It did look that way."
"Of course." Higgins added, with a chuckle. "He always seems to collect more 'damage' than anyone else."
"It's a talent." Rick grinned, and TC had to laugh as well.
"Pity." Higgins shot back, before turning a serious gaze on TC. "But he's really okay?"
"Yeah." TC paused, then spoke again, voice quiet. "Actually, maybe we can stop keeping such a close eye on our boy now."
"You think so?" Rick sounded unsure.
"I think so." TC nodded. "He and Katsumoto were talking on the way here. Let's just say the conversation was … enlightening."
MPI-MPI-MPI
TC eased the collective up until the helicopter had gained enough altitude to turn safely. Then he swung the nose around, pointed it towards Honolulu and increased speed. He cast one last glance at the ground, and saw Rick and Higgins waving him off before turning away from the gates of the plantation to start the walk back to the cars.
He turned his head to the side, just far enough to check that his two passengers were still securely settled. Magnum shot him a grin, but he could see the exhaustion lurking under the expression. Katsumoto simply offered him a single nod.
TC put all his attention on flying the shortest route to the hospital, sure that the men would speak if they needed anything.
Five minutes passed silently, then he heard quiet words behind him and tuned into what Katsumoto was saying.
"I'm sorry I got you into this, Magnum."
"You didn't get me into anything." TC heard the sincerity in those words. "Besides, what else are friends for?"
"Not for that!" Katsumoto sounded scandalised.
"Why not?" Magnum actually sounded confused. "It's nothing you wouldn't do for me. For any of us."
"Almost getting you killed?" Katsumoto was angry. "Does that not matter to you? That you could have died?"
"Of course it matters." Amusement filled the answer. "But you didn't do anything to me. You didn't try to kill me. Those guys back at the plantation did."
"But I –"
"Remember what you said to me back in that barn? About Abby?" The tone had changed now, all joking buried in earnest, serious intent.
"Yeah, I do. So?" Katsumoto sounded as puzzled as TC felt.
"I think you carry enough guilt, too. This load isn't yours."
TC risked a quick glance behind him, seeing that Katsumoto was totally unaware that TC was listening. The police detective was completely focussed on Magnum, his attention held by the intensity in Magnum's words and gaze.
TC was sure that Magnum knew that TC was listening. But their little 'ohana had no secrets, at least not for things like this. TC would never share what he'd heard with anyone outside their family, not unless Magnum told him that he should. So he simply turned his attention back to the scenery in front of him and carried on listening.
"You were there because of me. You admitted that much." Katsumoto was dogged, and TC couldn't help but smother a laugh. There was no way the detective was going to win this argument.
"Yeah, sure, I was." Magnum conceded the point easily. "But you didn't call me there, or ask me to come, or to get involved. Being there was my choice. And what happened after that wasn't my fault, or yours."
"I still think …" Determination would lose a fight to the detective.
"I'll say it again." Magnum sighed quietly. "This guilt isn't yours to carry. So do me a favour, please, and just let it go."
Silence met this entreaty, then Katsumoto spoke again, voice as serious as TC had ever heard him.
"On one condition. You promise me the same." Katsumoto agreed. "Abby leaving is not your fault. You let that guilt go."
Silence lingered for a long moment, stretching out until TC was tempted to look behind him again. Then Magnum sighed deeply.
"Okay. You win."
"It's about time." Katsumoto huffed out a laugh.
"You'd think I never listen to anything you say." Magnum was aggrieved.
"You don't." Katsumoto shot back, amused. "Tell me one time you've ever listened to me."
A long moment of silence followed, then Magnum started laughing.
"Today!"
After another second, Katsumoto started to laugh as well. TC knew he was grinning madly as well, but held his silence.
His two passengers were still chuckling when TC brought the chopper to a gentle landing, precisely in the centre of the large, painted H of the helipad on the hospital's roof.
MPI-MPI-MPI
"How did I miss that?" Juliet's eyes widened slightly.
"Why should you have spotted it?" Rick asked, laying a comforting arm across Juliet's shoulders.
"Because he does this every time something goes wrong." Higgins shook her head. "I've been telling him, since Hannah appeared that first time, that not everything bad that happens is his fault. I should have seen this coming."
"And we've known him how long?" Rick shot back, locking eyes with TC.
TC could see the guilt in Rick's eyes, and felt the same thing himself. Somehow, they'd both only seen the heartbreak Magnum felt over Abby ending their relationship. They'd completely missed the deeper pain of guilt and self-recrimination.
"Long enough to know that he hides things really well." TC cut the conversation short. There was no point in blaming themselves for not seeing what Magnum had done his best to hide.
"He does, doesn't he?" Higgins mused quietly. "I was hoping that we'd managed to break him of that habit."
TC laughed out loud at that, seeing indignation fill Juliet's face when Rick joined him in laughing at her comment. He leaned back against the wall as he caught his breath, the smile lingering on his face.
"Oh, I love you, Jules." Rick gasped out, using the arm across her shoulders to pull her closer to him.
"And yet, you're laughing at me." Higgins slapped him sharply on the hand, although TC could see there was no strength in the movement. A tiny smile lurked on her face.
"Only because of your optimism." Rick was still chuckling.
"He's got that right." TC nodded, straightening up again. "He's been hiding stuff like this from us for years, Higgy."
"But, why?" The clear aggravation in her question made TC smile again.
"Doesn't want to worry us." TC answered, sure of his ground. He'd spent months watching Magnum, seeing the other man put himself between his friends and any danger he could face on their behalf. Those months had given him an insight into why Magnum did what he did, but absolutely no clue about how to stop the man from placing everyone else's wellbeing before his own.
"Well, I can see I'll have to have another discussion with him on this topic." Higgins huffed, crossing her arms tightly.
"Good luck with that." Rick grinned. "Call us when you're ready, and we'll come hold him down for you."
"You think I can't get him to listen?" Higgins laughed. "I have the lads. Trust me when I say that he'll have to listen. The lads will leave him no other option."
All three of them laughed at that thought, picturing Magnum herded into a corner and held hostage by the two Dobermans.
"At least, this time, we know what he's thinking." Rick offered. "If I didn't already think of Katsumoto as a friend, this would do it."
"Yeah." TC agreed. "He did manage to get TM to admit that Abby leaving isn't his fault."
"I will have to thank the detective." Higgins nodded. "It appears he may have succeeded where we have failed. So perhaps the sulking and moping will end now."
"Harsh, Jules." Rick snickered, but TC only smiled, knowing the words were just another way of Higgins voicing her concern.
"He definitely seemed better on the way here." TC shrugged one shoulder.
"Good to know." Juliet laid a hand on TC's arm and smiled. "Although I doubt that even Detective Katsumoto will be able to change Magnum's views in the longer term."
"Did I just hear my name?" Katsumoto asked, appearing silently next to Rick.
TC looked around and noticed that Lieutenant Kamila had left the room. He realised that he hadn't seen the man leave, and berated himself for the lack of situational awareness. It didn't matter that a hospital was supposed to be a secure space; letting your guard slip was always dangerous.
"You okay?" TC directed the question to Katsumoto, fixing his gaze firmly on the shorter man.
"Yeah. Fine." Katsumoto nodded, shifting the sling slightly with his good hand.
"You sound like someone else we know." Rick cut in. "How are you really?"
"Honestly, I'm fine." Katsumoto graced them with a grin. "I know how that sounds, believe me. But there's really nothing major. The worst is the shoulder, and that should heal up in a week or so."
"A week or so?" Higgins arched an eyebrow and TC knew Katsumoto was cornered. Even if the detective didn't realise it yet. "If you say so, Detective."
"We believe you." Humour filled TC's words. "Millions wouldn't."
"Did the doctor say that?" Higgins asked.
"More or less."
"More or less. That's good. Who was your doctor?" Juliet's question was off-hand, and TC could see Katsumoto's guard fall.
"Guy who looks like someone's grandfather on a TV show." Katsumoto answered, distracted by shifting the strap of the sling across his chest.
"Was his name Milford?" The sweet tone of the question had TC laughing quietly.
"Actually, yeah." Katsumoto answered. "How did you know?"
"We'll be watching you, Gordon." The promise in Juliet's voice was clear.
TC watched realisation dawn slowly on Katsumoto's face and smiled broadly when the man looked up and met TC's eyes.
Rick's snort of laugher followed Juliet's comment and Katsumoto simply dropped his head and sighed in defeat.
"What did your boss want?" Rick jumped in, asking the question TC had been about to broach.
"Just to let me know what's going on." Katsumoto paused, and TC could almost see the man considering how much to say. The detective went still for a second, then clearly made a decision and started to talk.
"My suspension has been rescinded, and there'll be no record of it. The IA investigation has been called off as well."
"I should hope so." The offended tone of Juliet's comment made TC grin.
"There's a team at the plantation, collecting all the evidence." Katsumoto carried on speaking. "They've arrested a number of people there, although it looks like most workers had no idea what was going on. And they arrested the driver of that Mercedes."
"That would be Nick Stevens." Rick cut in, clarifying the point.
"Yes, that's the name the Lieutenant mentioned. How did you know?" Katsumoto looked puzzled.
"He's the business partner of our newest client." Higgins answered absently. "I guess his partner was right when he thought Nick was up to no good."
"You don't say." Katsumoto's tone was dry. "He's apparently also admitted to calling me, warning me off my investigation," Katsumoto took a breath, then finished, "and threatening Dennis."
"He what?" Rick's voice rose so much that TC laid a hand on his friend's shoulder to hush him. They couldn't afford to be asked to leave the waiting room before Magnum was able to leave with them.
"He threatened Dennis to make me stay away from the plantation." Katsumoto filled in the details, then carried on. "My Lieutenant is not exactly pleased that I went out there alone. He gets that I feel like I didn't really have a choice – even admits I may have been right – but he's still not happy about it. He says he's planning to keep a sharper eye on me in future."
"Good luck to him with that." TC offered.
"Maybe he should stick to keeping an eye on criminals." Rick muttered, eyes going cold when he spoke again. "I should have aimed for that bastard's head, not the tyre."
"Yes, well, that's as may be." Higgins soothed. "But then he wouldn't have been able to confess to what he'd done."
"Maybe." Rick admitted. "But just think of how much time and money I could have saved the justice system."
"I did not just hear that." Katsumoto turned a stern glare on all three friends, before rolling his eyes and shaking his head, clearly despairing of the whole group.
"Hear what?" Rick's question was innocence personified.
"Of course you didn't." TC's agreement rumbled quietly, offset by a huge smile. "We would never do anything illegal."
"We might push the boundaries a little, sometimes, but we would never break the law." Higgins added blandly. TC admired how she managed to maintain her poker face even as Katsumoto shook his head in disbelief.
"Not intentionally. Truly." Higgins carried on earnestly, waving a hand to indicate Magnum, who was just entering the room through a door set in the opposite wall, "Even he wouldn't do that."
Snorts of suppressed laughter spilled out as Magnum crossed the room towards them.
MPI-MPI-MPI
Magnum heard laughter as he walked into the waiting room, and his eyes immediately tracked the sound to the far side of the room. His friends were gathered there, and from the look on Juliet's face, whatever was amusing them had something to do with him.
That was okay, though. As long as they were laughing, things were good. He'd learned long ago that silence, with this group, was never a good thing.
He shook his head, and the man beside him chuckled.
"I guess I should have expected them to all be here." Magnum glanced to his left, seeing the amusement on Doctor Milford's face.
"Guess so, Doc." Magnum smiled.
"Should I know the man that TC brought in with you?" Milford asked. "Is he that police detective? From when TC was in that helicopter crash?"
"Good memory, Doc." Magnum nodded. "Yeah, that's the same guy."
"You all seem to be on somewhat … better … terms." The curiosity in the comment had Magnum coming to a halt, then turning to look Milford in the eye.
"We are." He shot a glance at the group, who were now watching them openly from across the room. "He's actually a friend."
"A good one." Milford was definite.
"Yeah. A very good one." Magnum's answer was quiet, considered. "More like …"
"Family." Milford supplied the word, his eyes once again far too knowing for a simple doctor. Magnum wondered again about the man's past, and what had happened to give him such insight into the patients he treated.
"Got it in one, Doc." Magnum confirmed the guess happily.
Milford stood silent for a long moment, waiting for Magnum to move again.
After another moment, Magnum started across the room, moving slowly and carefully. Sudden movements were off-limits for the foreseeable future. His ribs ached with every step, although the supporting bandage tightly wrapped around him kept the feeling under control.
His head echoed the pain in his ribs, a lingering throb. At least the bleeding – or more accurately, the oozing – had finally stopped. He'd known the wound wasn't serious, and it hadn't even required a single stitch. But if he hadn't known from experience just how minor the injury was, the amount of blood on the side of his head and face would have worried him.
His arm, though, was the sharpest pain, even though the wound itself was barely an inch long. Well, one inch and four stitches, but who was counting? The bandage wrapped tightly around the sutured spot was already irritating him, and he planned to peel it off as soon as he was back in the guest house at Robin's Nest.
Barely a minute later, he was surrounded by his friends, all talking at cross purposes. The overlapping questions left him unable to make out who wanted to know which details, and only made his headache worse.
When all the voices eventually fell silent, he spoke.
"I'm fine, guys." He even smiled as he said it, prepared for the backlash.
"You are not!" This from TC, overlapping Rick's affronted, "Thomas!"
Higgins simply rolled her eyes, hard enough that Magnum wondered if she'd given herself a headache.
"They didn't believe me, either, when I said I was fine." Katsumoto sighed.
Milford's quiet laughter from just behind him had Magnum glancing over his shoulder at the older man, then starting to laugh as well.
"Thank you, Doctor Milford." Higgins offered the doctor a relieved smile, then waved a hand in Magnum's direction. "Now, could you let us know what we need to be looking for?"
"I'm quite capable of looking after myself." Magnum objected.
"We'll be the judges of that." Higgins simply flattened his objections with one arch look, and turned expectant eyes on Milford. The doctor looked at Magnum, and waited a long moment. Magnum just sighed and shrugged one shoulder. Milford grinned and started to talk.
"Your friend here," and Milford laid a hand on Magnum's shoulder for a moment, "took a blow to the head and collected a minor concussion. No complications, and not even bad enough to keep him overnight. As long as he's got someone keeping an eye on him. Which I assume is not an issue."
Magnum saw four heads shaking immediately, and caught the faint grin on Milford's face.
"Then there are the two broken ribs, which are strapped, and the nail injury to his arm."
Milford stopped for a moment, then shook his head.
"This is possibly the first time I've ever had a patient with an injury list like that."
"What can I say, Doc?" Magnum answered. "I'm an interesting guy."
A snort of laughter drew Magnum's attention to Rick, who was struggling to keep a straight face. Higgins simply shot him a firm look, and shot a barbed comment back. "So that's what you call it. I was leaning more towards something like 'an agent of chaos' or, as you Americans like to say, a trouble magnet."
This time it was TC who laughed, although he made absolutely no attempt to stifle his amusement.
"Traitors, all of you." Magnum sniped back, smiling as he said it.
"Yes, well." Milford broke in. "Magnum has a prescription for painkillers. I'd suggest he take them as instructed. I've also prescribed an antibiotic for that arm. That nail was old, rusty and lodged rather deeply. Best to be safe and prevent any infection. And it should stay covered for the next week. So no pulling the bandage off as soon as you leave here."
Milford turned a stern look on Magnum and, unaccountably, Magnum found himself ducking his head in agreement. Then Milford's look turned curious, as he asked. "I'm actually surprised that you arrived here with the nail still in your arm. It was very sensible to leave it in, until we could remove it safely here. So, who stopped you pulling it out?"
"I can't be sensible?" Magnum wondered, seeing how all his friends tried not to laugh out loud at him.
"I'm sure you can." Milford offered. "But I get the feeling it's rather … out-of-character … for you. So, who should I thank, for preventing you from doing more damage to yourself?"
"Me." Katsumoto raised a hand in acknowledgement.
"Then me." Rick followed. Milford nodded to both of them in thanks.
"Thanks for the run-down, Doc." Rick smiled at Milford. "We'll keep an eye on him."
"Make sure he behaves himself." TC added.
"Follows all your instructions." Higgins contributed, smiling sweetly at Magnum.
Magnum stared at all his friends for a long moment, then shrugged in resignation. "Okay, okay. I'll do what I'm told."
"Good. Very good." Milford smiled at him. "I want to see you again in a week."
"Whatever you say, Doc." Magnum nodded.
"He'll be here." Higgins confirmed. Rick and TC nodded as well.
Milford stood for a moment, and Magnum could see the moment the doctor's eyes settled on Katsumoto.
"I would like to see you next week as well, Detective."
Katsumoto turned a hard stare on the doctor, only to have Milford ignore it. Magnum knew what that felt like, and bit back a snicker.
"We'll make sure he's here." Juliet's answer was out before Katsumoto could speak. "That being the case, is there anything we should be aware of in the meantime?"
Milford turned to look directly at Katsumoto, and Magnum watched the emotions rush through Katsumoto's eyes before the detective ducked his head in a slight nod. That agreement told Magnum more than words ever could, or would, about how the detective really saw Magnum and his 'ohana. Katsumoto would never trust them with access to his medical information if he didn't see them in the same light as they saw him. Whether any of them ever said the words out loud, or not.
"As I'm sure you've probably all guessed, Detective Katsumoto also suffered a minor concussion from a blow to the head. Once again, no complications. So no reason to stay overnight, as long as –"
"Someone keeps an eye on him." Rick filled in, nodding. "Consider it done."
"I'm an adult, you know." Katsumoto sounded aggrieved. "I'm quite capable of managing alone."
"But you don't have to." TC laid a gentle hand on Katsumoto's shoulder to shush him. "So, you're going to let us help you."
Magnum just smiled as Katsumoto thought that statement over. He could almost see the cogs turning behind those dark eyes, and waited until Katsumoto met his gaze before he offered the detective a slight nod. A moment later, he received a matching nod, just the slightest dip of Katsumoto's head.
"Now that we have that sorted out." Milford's amusement was obvious. "The detective also suffered a dislocated shoulder, which we've reduced. No complications there, either. He has a prescription for painkillers and muscle relaxants. He also needs to keep that sling in place for the next week."
All eyes turned to the detective, who immediately stopped fidgeting with the sling in question, while looking faintly abashed at the scrutiny.
"Right, then. Shall we get this show on the road?" Juliet's hand flashed out, snagging the prescriptions dangling from Magnum's and Katsumoto's fingers.
"I'll get the chopper back to Island Hoppers." TC added.
"You can bring my car out to Robin's Nest, TC." Rick chipped in. "We swung by your office earlier. Left Katsumoto's car there and brought your van here. Thought we might need more transport space."
Magnum just shook his head when Rick waved a hand towards himself and Katsumoto. He'd known that they would all rally around him, and he'd guessed that they'd show similar protective behaviour towards the detective. And they hadn't disappointed; he knew them so well. The slight confusion on Katsumoto's face amused him, and he aimed his words at the newest member of his 'ohana.
"What else did you expect, Gordy?"
"Don't call me that." The argument was simply for form's sake, the tone making it clear that Katsumoto didn't expect Magnum to comply. The detective indicated the small group with a flick of his fingers. "And for your information, I didn't expect this."
And that was sad. Magnum wondered for a moment about Katsumoto's other friends, and why the detective didn't feel that he could call on them for help, or even for a ride home. What kind of friends were they? Then he decided that his musings weren't really that important, after all. Not as long as he and his 'ohana were there to offer Gordon whatever support he needed.
"I shall see about getting these filled, then meet you all back at the estate." Higgins waved the two prescriptions. "Where we will see about organising a meal of some sort, so that you can both take your medication as instructed. I assume these are best taken with food?"
"Thank you." Milford smiled warmly at Higgins, nodding in answer to her question. He patted Magnum on the shoulder and turned to leave. "Try not to get into any more trouble in the near future."
"I'll do my best, Doc." Magnum offered a nod and a smile, watching the doctor walk away. He'd try, of course, he always did. But if trouble came looking and found him … well, there was only so much one man could do.
"I can follow instructions just fine." Katsumoto muttered from behind him, tone mutinous. "I don't need a keeper."
"Forgive me for saying this, Detective." Milford stopped and turned back, smile broad as he offered the attentive group one more comment. "I don't really know you, but given the company you're keeping, I have my doubts about both of those statements."
Magnum burst out laughing as shock filled Katsumoto's face. Moments later, as everyone else started to laugh as well, resignation slowly swept the shock away. The laughter lingered in the air as the little 'ohana closed ranks around Magnum and Katsumoto, shepherding them slowly out the door and towards an evening together.
FIN
8