Beat after Beat

Watching Higgins being rushed away on a gurney stilled his breath despite knowing that she wasn't seriously injured. At least, nothing that some stitches and rest couldn't fix.

That is, as far as he knew.

The bullet could have hit her bone, but she surely would have said something if it had, wouldn't she? She had lied about being the captain of the swimming team – her form was too terrible for that to be true -, so she could have lied about this too. Unless she hadn't noticed. But there was no way she wouldn't have noticed – it would have been too painful.

And she wouldn't have been able to swim as far as she did if that was the case.

Well, she did drown.

What if something was wrong with her lungs? All the water she swallowed could lead to pneumonia, infections, secondary drowning... Dry drowning? Magnum felt like drowning in all his thoughts at the moment, even if his brain was protesting its overuse.

Of course; a whole day in the sun without a single drop of drinkable water ought to have its consequences, even if he was trying to push the pain to the back of his mind for now. He'll take a painkiller and rest his head later – it just had to be a day where he'd forgotten his cap behind.

He was fine.

The greyish tiles were blurring into each other and Magnum forced himself to sit down even if his back and arms protested the sudden contact with the chair – Rick's shirt wasn't doing much to protect the sunburn. He could feel the tingling warmth all over, as if the sun itself had settled beneath his skin. Each brush of the soft cotton was like tendrils of fire spreading over the area, licking at the reddened skin in a morbid and vain attempt to sooth it.

An already opened bottle of water was gently put in his hands and he took a few sips to alleviate his thirst, the sudden coldness a welcomed distraction from his musings. It was empty in a few seconds and another bottle replaced it – closed this time. He left it there for the time being.

They were taking too long to update them.

"The docs took her to get an X-ray, Thomas." Rick crouched in front of him, blessedly cool hands squeezing his knee before he grabbed Magnum's chin, angling his head from side to side. Thomas didn't even try to stop him; he knew it would be useless.

An icepack was situated over his cheekbone, its chill chasing away some of the pain in his head. The hands that patted down his shoulders and circled his chest and back were gentle, but the pain still ricocheted as the bruises on his lower back and the sunburn protested the touch. Loudly.

He'd deny that the keening sound escaped from his own mouth until his death.

"You need to get checked out." TC muttered, softly squeezing Magnum's knee (the back of his neck was too burnt for the friendly action). Why were they being so gentle with him? It wasn't like he was dying in a hospital bed. Higgins could be.

"Just bruises and sunburn, nothing new." Magnum shrugged carefully, and a doctor cut off anything else that TC was about to say.

"Family of Juliet Higgins?"

"We're close enough. How is she?" Rick shook the doctor's hand as he spoke, tactfully stepping aside so that Magnum could take his place.

"She's dehydrated, exhausted, and sunburnt, but otherwise fine. The bullet was a through and through; we stitched it up and it should heal on its own within a few weeks. She just needs to rest it and come again to remove the stitches."

The doctor smiled reassuringly at all of them, worried eyes lingering on Magnum. It was disconcerting, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

She was safe.

She was going to be okay.

She didn't need him anymore.

(Was it just him or was the air suddenly thinner?)

He could step down.

The cramps hit him as soon as he noticed that the room was rotating on its axis. He was glad for Rick's steadying arm as his leg gave out from underneath him, the muscle refusing to comply with his orders. The pain travelled throughout his frame, assaulting all of his senses until he couldn't take it anymore.

Something pricked his elbow, but he didn't pay much attention to it. The last thing he remembered was TC and Rick lowering him to the ground, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his wrist.

It was familiar – he was safe, he could let go.

Hadn't they already palpated his chest? Why were they doing it again?

The pain was dimmed, almost non-existent now. Despite still feeling as if she was one with the waves, Higgins was aware that there was a soft bed underneath her and that she didn't have to do her utmost in order to not drown.

Something was wrapped around her bicep, and a needle was stuck in her elbow. She didn't need to investigate further to know she was in a hospital room, and presumably on some good painkillers.

"She's awake."

Who was that? TC? Huh, she should really open her eyes and see. Honestly, she was surprised that Magnum wasn't already nagging her about taking a longer nap than necessary.

Her surprise masked the pang she felt when she noticed that Magnum wasn't even sitting by her bedside. Just as usual – all words and no actions to back them up. She had honestly thought that he was different. That he'd stand by his word and be by her side, especially after having spent a day helping her tread water.

And, according to him, after resurrecting her.

"He's here too." TC spoke softly so as not to startle her and she followed his gaze to the other bed in the room, only to see a remarkably Magnum-shaped lump beneath the sheet – It explained why Rick was sitting by that bed, but not why Magnum himself was in it. Had he been injured in the last skirmish? But he had been holding her up after that, so she surely would have noticed if he had been hiding an injury. He couldn't exactly hide an injury when only wearing trunks anyway. While they were both exhausted, he had not seemed to be in dire need of medical help. Especially not in enough need to warrant earning a bed.

"He's mostly fine – the sun really took it out of him and he's cramping, but they have him on muscle relaxants and a mild painkiller so he can sleep. He's been in and out."

TC placed an ice chip against her lips and she unthinkably sucked on it, savouring the freshness in her throat. It helped to rouse her a bit more too.

As if hearing their conversation Magnum flinched slightly, his breaths hitching at the same time as Rick reached beneath the blanket for Magnum's leg and massaged the cramp away – Thomas melted back into the mattress before his eyes fluttered open, immediately seeking Rick and TC before settling on her. They widened ever so slightly at seeing her awake and he pushed himself up, which proved to be a mistake.

"Careful, Thomas." Rick wrapped an arm around Magnum's upper body, keeping him upright while TC stacked up a few pillows behind his back. Once TC stepped back, Rick eased Thomas back and then guided a straw towards his mouth. He effortlessly swatted Magnum's hand away when he attempted to reach for the glass, but relented when Magnum twisted his head to the side in a mute but meaningful gesture; He didn't want to drink anymore.

"Higgins!" Magnum's voice was still rough with sleep, "You're awake – how are you?" He grinned at her, a bit too loosely and boyishly.

"I thought you said his painkillers were mild." She glanced at TC, trying to surpass her grin when Magnum frowned upon realising that she hadn't answer him.

"He doesn't deal well with drugs," Rick said as he massaged Magnum's forearm. Magnum stared at him, watching silently until Rick put the arm down and moved to the other side. When he grabbed Magnum's other arm, Thomas let out a small giggle that had everyone smiling.

They wisely didn't comment on the slurred comment that the ministrations felt good. It was as close to an admission of pain as he was going to get, along with the not so subtle attempts to avoid the harsh lights.

"I think you're putting it mildly." Higgins told Rick, raising an eyebrow as Magnum's eyes closed once again and he immediately fell asleep. There was something more serene about him now, almost as if he didn't have anything to ponder on. She let herself believe that he had been worried about her, despite her injuries not being so grievous.

Katsumoto dropped by to visit the day after. The doctors had weaned Magnum off the relaxants but still gave him regular doses of painkillers, making sure that he was as comfortable as can be until the worst passed.

Honestly, if it were up to Magnum, he'd simply forgo all medication. However, the doctors, Rick, and TC kept insisting that he had to remain hydrated and resting, not strain himself and end up in a worse state. As if he would push himself beyond his limits.

Magnum wondered why Rick had given him a suffering look when he said that, and why Higgins raised her eyebrow so high that they could have touched the ceiling.

At least the muscle cramps weren't so bad – it was the headache-bordering-on-migraine that was really doing him in. It had settled slightly after he made sure that Higgins was okay, but had barely eased its vice-like grip since then. He was glad that Higgins had been outside the room when he'd thrown up the meagre amounts of breakfast, and even gladder for the fact that she did not comment on the smell that lingered in the room for a while longer.

Rick had quietly slid a cloth over his eyes, helping shield them from the light and offering a cool respite against the white hot pain that spiked whenever it liked. At least, for now, it remained dormant.

"-gnum? You okay?"

"He'll be in and out for a while; the relaxants make him drowsy." Rick piped up before Magnum could respond, thankfully saving him from having to admit that he hadn't been following the conversation.

Katsumoto was a bit too quick on his feet though.

"Do you ever listen to a word I say?" He sounded exasperated, but Magnum was 60% sure that he was faking his annoyance – the voice was a bit too quiet too. Otherwise, why would he be visiting him if he was annoyed with him? Oh right, Higgins was there too. He was visiting her, not him.

"I'm here to see you both, idiot. I think your brain is cramping too. Should I have brought you a sunburnt teddy bear as a token of companionship?" Katsumoto seemed to read his mind, or else he had spoken out loud. The idea of a teddy bear sounded cool though. Really cuddly.

He hoped he hadn't said that last part out loud, but Rick's snort wasn't that promising.

"I ought to have this recorded." There was a hint of a smile now, and a warm hand squeezed his ankle. Slightly thicker than Rick's. Since when did Gordon do friendly touches? Magnum removed the cloth just to make sure it was him, blinking wearily against the splotches in his sight. Huh, someone had turned off the lights.

"I wouldn't suggest that," Higgins said, smiling innocently at the detective. Magnum was glad he removed the cloth – Katsumoto's face was priceless in its mix between shock and incredulity.

"I wouldn't test her." Magnum claimed softly, knowing that Higgins was as deadly behind a computer as she was with her hands and with a gun. Come to think of it, she was a bit too deadly.

"How bad is the sunburn?" Katsumoto asked, his eyes flickering over Magnum's face in an annoyingly evaluative way.

"Could have been worse," Rick shrugged, "At least he doesn't have a fever or blisters, so we just have- "

"I'm right here, and I'm fine. Nothing new." Magnum said, rolling his eyes at Rick's mother-henning. At least TC had had to leave for a few helicopter tours, otherwise it would have been a nightmare.

"Says he who is regretting having rolled his eyes so harshly." Higgins piped up, shrugging carefully against his glare.

"Says she who was arguing to go home less than 24 hours after drowning." Katsumoto tactfully turned it on her too, knowing that having his pain exposed so bluntly was not something Magnum appreciated. "Anyway, duty calls. Message me if they kill each other, Rick. Otherwise, make sure he stirs clear of my cases until he's at least mostly healed. I don't want to have another shock victim on my hands simply because he ran in front of a car." Katsumoto said as he pocketed his phone and keys before hurrying out of the room.

If he did send a teddy bear up to the room, nobody said anything.

He did receive a message with a picture of it next to a sleeping Magnum though.

The cap was firmly in its place when Magnum stood in the parking lot of the hospital two days after being admitted, savouring the sun on his skin despite the sunburn and the headache from hell that was only just fading.

TC was waiting for him right in front of the exit, truck ready to go, but he made no move to hurry him up or help him – the cramps had mostly eased and he wasn't in the imminent danger of keeling over (as he had done the first time he got up from the bed).

He watched as Thomas clambered in the truck, evidently still feeling the effects of the long, unexpected swim, but still being as lively as ever.

"You did good – she's fine." TC mentioned offhandedly as he started driving to Robin's estate.

"I thought she was going to die." Magnum spoke softly, voice laden and thickened with the fear that he had kept hidden for Higgins' sake. Sometimes, TC wondered if Magnum had more control of himself under drugs than they gave him credit for.

"She didn't." TC's voice was a swift contrast; sure, decisive, final.

"She actually did. I got us both to the island, knowing that every second meant she could remain comatose. I was carrying a dead body – her dead body." The break near the end of the sentence almost shattered TC's heart. Magnum was just learning to let other people in after the Hannah fiasco, and to have someone be taken so brutally from him would have been some unwarranted cosmic revenge. (They all still viewed Nuzo's death as revenge for them having found some semblance of happiness again.)

"She's not dead now." He countered gently, knowing that Magnum had already made sure of that. The nightmares during his stay in the hospital had driven him to sit by her bedside one night, clutching her wrist in his hand and counting the steady beats. TC had found him hunched over her bed in the early morning and easily put him back in his own bed, but it was a scene that stuck with him still. He knew that Magnum probably had no idea who had put him to bed that night.

"She could have been." Magnum breathed out, rubbing a hand roughly over his face. The burned skin protested and he barely held back the groan.

"You know that we can't focus on what could have happened; we'd never find peace," TC pointed out. After the camp, after Nuzo, all of them had learnt that dwelling on what could have happened was as useless as imagining scenarios in which they did something differently – it simply didn't change the facts and made things even harder to deal with. However, there was an ocean of greater mass than the channel that Magnum had just swum between claiming something and actually following through with it.

"She wouldn't relinquish the boat. It's why they shot her – they managed to miss me." The self-blame, disguised as misguided anger, was evident in his tone. TC couldn't say he was surprised – Magnum would always find a way to blame himself even if he had, to some extent, saved the day. Okay, TC and Rick had actually rescued them, but Higgins would have surely died out there had she been alone.

"Good thing they did, otherwise we'd be towing both of you out of the Malakai Channel." He said, knowing that it was useless to tell Magnum to not blame himself. It was easier to banter with him and get his mind off of it.

"I never thought I'd cross it via swimming, to be honest." Magnum responded easily, a smirk pulling at his lips. He subtly reached down to rub his calf – his muscles were still achy at times and massaging them was a great help.

"Try to not to do it again, will you?"

"I'll use some sunblock next time."

"And have us with a boat nearby." TC stopped at a traffic light, taking the opportunity to turn to his friend for a few seconds.

"Fair enough."

"How are the cramps?" Magnum had only just stopped rubbing his calf and was now gingerly straightening again.

"Still hit every now and then, but I'm fine." Magnum shrugged, "The light's green."

"The headache?"

"Gone."

"Sure about that?" After all, Magnum was still squinting at the sun and it had been bad enough to have him bent over a bin more than once.

"Yeah." Magnum lowered his cap over his eyes even more, silently telling TC that he was taking care of it and that there was no need to push. After all, he had painkillers that could help.

"You still need to sleep."

"I will – Rick threatened to knock me out if I didn't."

"I'd help." Magnum mockingly gasped at that, grasping at the shirt over his heart as he shook his head, a fond smile over his lips. They all knew that Rick was more than capable of staying true to his word – he'd drugged Magnum with sleeping pills more than once while TC successfully distracted him.

"No doubt there. Happy Birthday, bro."

Magnum dozed until they arrived – something told TC that no drugging was needed tonight.

The four of them ended up nestled on a heap of cushions in front of the television, with Magnum and Rick squashed in the middle and Higgins and TC flanking them. They were supposed to be watching Aladdin (nobody ever admitted it but Rick was a diehard Disney fan and he had been dying to see it ever since it came out), but instead, Magnum had ended up half lying on Rick's chest, the position being just good enough to not press on any burns.

Rick simply draped his arm around Magnum's back, threading his hand through his hair every now and then until Thomas was nothing but dead weight. The position also enabled Magnum to keep one hand on Higgins' shoulder, making sure that she would not escape once they were asleep. (It also helped him make sure that she remained breathing.)

TC lay facing Thomas' back, one leg thrown over Magnum's so that he'd notice if their boy started having nightmares again. Some people called their arrangement a cuddle heap. They simply called it their sleeping habit for when things went especially awry, or could have gone much worse.

The next morning the television was off, there was a blanket over all of them, and the smell of pancakes wafted strongly from the kitchen. Used to waking up early despite of injuries, Higgins was up way before all of them. However, she remained where she was because somehow, she had ended up snuggled to Rick's other side and was now locked there with his arm.

She didn't think that startling a veteran, no matter how easy-going he was, would be a good idea, especially when she already had a bullet wound. Furthermore, startling him would startle the others, including Magnum, so she was even less keen on the idea.

Magnum himself was sprawled all over, one arm over her hip and the other trapped between himself and Rick. His face and shoulders were still flaming red, but at least he was peeling.

All in all, the scene was too peaceful to disrupt and she felt herself being dragged under again, the pain becoming a tolerable dull in the background as the warmth of her friends settled over her again – who knows, maybe she'll come to form part of their little band of misfits when the time came.

If it hadn't already.

Nobody questioned the newly framed picture on the mantlepiece, doubtlessly courtesy of Kumu's sneakiness and her camera. It was a rather well-loved addition.

Disclaimer; I do not own Magnum PI and am not making any profit from this.

Hi guys! It's been a while - exams and stress wrecked my muse and I simply could not write for the life of me. This was a prompt by Lhaven; hope it reached your expectations mate :)

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this and feel free to leave any thoughts you have - I appreciate any type of feedback! If you're not one to leave feedback - thanks for reading mate!

Kudos,
Chrisii