Thomas strolled toward the beach, whistling softly. He had been cleared for regular physical activity at the same time he was released to drive, but hadn't yet made it out on the water. He had missed his daily rowing sessions but, though he was loathe to admit it even to himself, Magnum found he was a little apprehensive about walking in the sand. He'd been finding excuses to avoid getting back to his workouts, but was starting to feel silly. After all, he'd previously dragged the surf ski onto shore hundreds of times without incident.

He hadn't said a word to anyone about his newfound worries but as usual, Higgins had recognized the problem and provided Magnum with a straightforward solution.

When he'd gotten up that morning he had been surprised to find a gift-wrapped box on the kitchen counter, neatly labeled with his name in Higgins' flowing script. Thomas had laughed out loud to discover the box contained a pair of thick-soled water shoes and a note, which read "These may have been more helpful three weeks ago, but perhaps you can still find a use for them."

Juliet's attention to detail was impeccable so of course they fit perfectly, and the private investigator had wasted no time in putting on his swim trunks and making a beeline for the beach. He shook his head as he stepped onto the sand in his new shoes, laughing at his own complete oversight of such an obvious way to deal with the problem.

Suddenly he felt like he was being watched, and looked over his shoulder to see Zeus and Apollo sitting nearby. "Great," he muttered. "Here we go again." Shaking his head he swiftly dragged the surf ski out into the water, opting to completely ignore his canine observers.

Thanks to a delightfully long workout, Magnum had forgotten all about the dogs by the time he made his way back to shore and as he hauled the surf ski onto the beach, his arms reminded him that he hadn't actually rowed in a while. Exhausted, Thomas flopped on his back in the sand and relaxed in the warm sun.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, only to be startled awake some time later. His face was damp and was that hot...breath in his ear? "Gah!" Magnum sat up quickly, then realized he could hear someone laughing. "Higgins? What...? What the hell."

The dobermans stood by Magnum's side, cocking their heads curiously. "Come, lads." Juliet snapped her fingers and at a gesture the two dogs relocated to her heels. The blonde woman was still chuckling, standing a few feet away in the sand with her hands on her hips.

Disgusted, Thomas wiped his cheek with his hand as he scrambled to his feet. "What were they doing? Were they licking me?"

"Presumably they were checking to see if you were alive, though I do rather wish they'd done that before coming to fetch me from the house." Her tone was amused.

"I must have dozed off," Magnum realized.

"The lads clearly thought you'd injured yourself again. Came running like hell itself was on their tails." She regarded him thoughtfully. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied with a nod. "Rowed a little further than I intended, that's all." He smiled. "Thanks for the shoes."

"My pleasure. Hopefully they'll keep you out of trouble for a little while, yes?"

He threw his hands in the air, grinning cheerfully. "Who knows?"

Higgins laughed. "Indeed. Well in the meantime, I was in the middle of making lunch when the lads interrupted me, so maybe you'd be interested in some tofu?" She knew the answer before even asking the question.

"You can keep that," he lobbed back, "but I'd be interested in a cold beer if you have one." He offered his arm, and she tucked her hand into his elbow.

"Absolutely. Come along." They strolled in companionable silence, the dogs trotting alongside.

When they reached the main house, Magnum decided to take a chance. He took a deep breath, carefully reached down and attempted to scratch Zeus behind the ears. The doberman instantly pulled back his lips and snarled, making his position very clear.

"You guys just really aren't going to give me a break are you?"

Higgins couldn't help but chuckle at the private investigator's frustrated sigh. "Don't worry, Thomas. I'll protect you."

And even though she was teasing, Thomas had no doubt that she would.

In case anyone was wondering, pale'i means protectors - at least according to Google Translate. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this story! -abby