Author note:
Hello, everyone. First of all, thank you for all the kind reviews. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and I look forward to hear from you. All feedback are appreciated.
Have a nice day.
Rick drove to La Marina after he left the hospital. He was obligated to check on his business but if he'd be honest, he needed a distraction, something else to replace the picture of lifeless Magnum hooked up with a dozen of machines that was buried in the back of his head.
His place was overcrowded with customers again, he was grateful for the blessings, but not in the mood for any celebrations. He grouped all his staffs for one minute, shared what had happened and explained that he might be stepping out and was counting on them to hold the fort down. All understood and some were even willing to take up some of his responsibility for the next week, which he appreciated. An hour later, he was back home after some inventory check. Laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, Rick wondered if he could get any sleep that night. He send a quick text to Katsumoto and he got a reply almost instantly.
No changes but nurse said his vitals are all in the right track.
Rick sighed in relief, closed his eyes and hoped the night to have some mercy on him.
- MAGNUM PI - MAGNUM PI -
Rick was back to the hospital first thing the next morning way before the visiting hours. He knew he wasn't going to be allowed in so he might have said something about the huge progress in the case and how he needed to relief Detective Katsumoto. Technically, he wasn't lying, he was merely keeping up with the story Katsumoto cooked up last night. A part of him was feeling bad for misleading the kind nurse at the nurses' station but right now, he would say or do anything that would allow him to lay his eyes on his friend.
He walked in and his eyes automatically went to Magnum on the bed. Magnum looked the same, as pale and as lifeless he looked yesterday. He sighed as his eyes searched for Katsumoto next. The police detective was on the corner of the room, slumped rather uncomfortably on a chair. Rick winced inwardly when he saw the position Katsumoto was sleeping. That man was going to wake up in one hell of a neck pain, that was for sure.
Rick decided to do him a favor and gently squeezed Katsumoto's knee, prompting the man to wake up. As expected the man woke up, a gasp of pain escaped his lip as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Rick?"
"Yeah," Rick smiled. "Sorry, I had to come." Rick explained his early arrival as he walked back closer to Magnum's bed. "Hey, buddy." Rick called fondly, gently rubbing the back of Magnum's hand with his thumb.
- MAGNUM PI - MAGNUM PI -
And there was darkness. Funny. It was not like he was never been buried in the darkness before. All his life he has learned to fade into darkness and arise anew the next day. But this isn't like what he used to. In this darkness, he was unable to move and his muscles felt cramped. He expected pain but there was nothing. He was hooked with some good stuff, maybe? There was something incredibly irritating down his throat that made him feel as if he was gagged. His mind was begging him to try to cough it out but his body just won't listen. There was nothing, it was as if he was looming around, then he felt it. A soft caress. That was so good, it was calming him but then the touch disappeared leaving him wanting more.
Rick pulled his hand back when he felt something was different. He inched closer to Magnum and watched him intently but Magnum was looking as still as a brick. "Thomas?" He called hopefully. Something was telling him that his friend was fighting his way back to the reality.
Magnum felt the hand was back on his forehead, stroking it gently. He moved his head slightly to the side, leaning into the touch.
Rick looked up at Katsumoto as if he had won a lottery before he turned his attention back to Magnum. "Buddy, can you open your eyes for me?"
The voice sounded very familiar and it seemed concerned. Wait, should he figure out who it was? By right he should assure whoever it was that he was okay but opening his eyes? Man, that was so much work so he returned back to the darkness. It seemed much easier option at that point. That person can wait.
Rick seemed dejected when there was no further response from Magnum but he chose to console himself "At least that was something."
"Better than nothing." Katsumoto agreed, looking relieved. "Listen," He started as he checked his watch. "I need to freshen up and head to HPD."
"I will call you once he is awake." Rick promised even before Katsumoto can ask.
Katsumoto picked up his things, gently squeezed Magnum's foot, nodded to Rick before he reluctantly walked out.
Rick pulled the armchair closer to the bed, settled down and kept vigilant for any slight movement from Magnum. An hour passed with no changes and Rick's phone buzzed with an incoming message.
On the way with Higgins. TC
You better bring something to eat because I'm starving. Rick
Laughing emoji. Aren't you always? Don't worry. We got you covered, brother. TC
Rick wanted to reply saying TC was the best. He only manage to type 'You're the' when Magnum's hand moved which surprised the hell out of Rick. It was going towards the tube in his mouth. Rick jumped from his chair he was sitting, dropping the phone in the process but managed to hold that hand before any damage was done.
"Thomas, can you hear me?" Rick asked as he pressed the call button.
It was that voice again. Magnum concentrated. Rick?
"Tommy."
It was Rick. No wonder it sounded so worried. Wait, what happened?
"Thomas, listen to my voice. You're on a ventilator, the tube is helping you to breath, don't fight it buddy."
"Can I help you?" A nurse appeared at the door.
"He's waking up and he is fighting the breathing tube." Rick answered as he kept holding Magnum's hand, gently squeezing it.
Hold on a sec, did Rick just say breathing tube? Magnum tried to speak but not matter how much he tried, his voice was blocked by that thing in his throat. A dissatisfied groan escaped his lips. Plan B. He concentrated on all the energy left and moved his other free hand. There was no way he was going to let that tube to stay. Rick don't understand. That sucker was choking him.
Rick wasn't able to reach Magnum's other hand in time but thankfully, the nurse intervened and caught it.
"Mr. Magnum I need to calm down for me, okay?" She spoke softly. "I'm going to call the respiration team to come up and remove the breathing tube for you."
"You hear that, buddy? Just a little longer." Rick tensed when Magnum was getting restless.
Seriously, Rick? Why won't you help me to pull that thing out?
"Thomas, calm down. You're gonna hurt yourself. Listen to my voice."
Weird. Why was Rick begging? Did he do something wrong?
- MAGNUM PI - MAGNUM PI -
TC and Higgins stepped out of the elevator, sharing a small conversation. They turned to the hallway heading to the ICU and tensed when they saw a few medical staffs was exiting Magnum's room. They picked up the speed and reached within seconds.
A nurse and Rick was leaning over the bed, blocking their view of Magnum. They inched closer and was relieved to see Magnum sporting a nasal cannula and the nasty breathing tube was missing.
"They just took it out." The memory made Rick to flinch a little. "You missed all the fun." His eyes briefly acknowledged TC and Higgins's before it went back to Magnum's.
"Thomas, can you open your eyes for me?" Rick asked, keeping his hopes high again.
Seriously? Again with the open my eyes thing. He just went through the hell of coughing the bloody tube out. Sorry brother, you have to wait. Magnum thought to himself when he let seemingly soothing darkness to snatch him away yet again.
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