Starsky lay on the ground and took a deep breath. How long was he going to be able to keep this up? How much longer before the day he couldn’t run or even walk anymore? How long before he was going to have to tell Hutch what happened in the jungle?
He lay back and groaned.

Hutch was coming towards him now. Starsky could see the concern on the big blond’s face.
“Starsk? ”
“I’ll be ok in a sec.” Hutch held out his hand and Starsky took it more gratefully than he was willing to admit.
“What happened?”
“I tripped.”
You bet I tripped. Into a great big goddam trap; fell about twelve feet and heard the bones break.

Starsky started back towards the car. “I take it they got away.” He said sourly. Hutch nodded. “They were kids.”
“And you can’t keep up with a couple of kids?”
“Hey.”
“Yeah I know. It’s just that…” He winced as he slid in behind the wheel.
“You want me to drive?”
“It’s not that bad!”
Hutch grinned. “Obviously.”

Starsky was still limping when they were ready to leave for the night. Dobey noticed it and called him back.
“Starsky go see a doctor before you come in tomorrow.”
Starsky turned and stared at him. “I’m OK Captain; nothing a hot shower and a little rest won’t handle.” Dobey wasn’t convinced – and neither was Hutch.

“If you don’t have a doctor’s OK tomorrow don’t bother coming in. That’s an order!” Dobey’s voice gave no doubt to what he meant. Starsky sighed.
“OK.”

“Why don’t we drop by Emergency right now and get that leg checked out?” Hutch said as they opened the Torino’s doors.
“Emergency! I tweaked it – I’ll be ok.”
“Dobey said no doctor, no work Starsk.”
Starsky turned the key in the ignition and bowed his head. “OK you win.” He drove to the emergency entrance of Memorial. Hutch was already half-way to the door when he realized that Starsky was still in the car. He turned and saw with shock that his partner was pale and sweating; and he had just wiped a finger under his eye. He went back to the car and opened the driver’s side door.
“Hey. Come on.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I said. I can’t get out of the car.”
“Stay there.” Starsky gave him a baleful stare; his deep blue eyes twinkled despite the obvious pain that they reflected. “I just told you I can’t get out of the car, didn’t I?”
“Don’t drive away!” Hutch said it firmly.
“I won’t.” It came out hoarse and Hutch heard the catch in his voice.

Hutch ran over to the desk and showed his badge to get the clerk’s attention. “My partner’s out in our car – he needs help.” She looked up at him. “Wheelchair or gurney?”
“A wheelchair I guess. It’s his leg.” She called an orderly over and he fetched a wheelchair before following Hutch out to the Torino.
Starsky was leaning back against his seat and Hutch could tell that he was biting back tears of pain. The orderly eased Starsky out of the car and into the chair. Hutch walked alongside Starsky as they made their way back to the building. The orderly took Starsky straight to one of the examination rooms where a doctor was already waiting.
Hutch was asked to go give the necessary information about Starsky to the desk. He hesitated but his partner made a little gesture with his fists to show that he’d be OK.
By the time Hutch had finished the paperwork Starsky was on his way to X-ray.

“X-ray? But he just fell and sprained something.” Hutch stared at the intern in disbelief. “What are you trying to do increase the bill?”
“It’s a precaution.”
Hutch touched his fingertips tip his forehead and shook his head. “What kind of precaution? He didn’t fall from a height – he tripped in an alley.”
“Did you see him fall?”
“No – I – uh – I was running after the other guy at the time.”
Hutch stalked off in the direction of the X-ray department and sat down to wait.

They wheeled Starsky out about fifteen minutes later. A pretty nurse was pushed him back to the examination room and it was obvious to Hutch that his partner’s spirits were raised a little; but he still looked strained. The nurse explained that they should wait here and the doctor would be along as soon as he’d seen the X-rays.

“There’s nothing broken, but from what I saw on the X-ray I’m surprised you can run at all.”
Starsky said nothing for a couple of seconds before turning to Hutch. “Get me out of here willya?”
“Not so fast.” The doctor said. “There’s nothing broken but you have done some damage there. You ruptured a tendon.”
“So?” Starsky turned deep blue eyes up at the doctor as if challenging him.
“So you need to have it dealt with. I can prescribe you some pain-killers but you are unfit for duty until the treatment is over.”
“Doc…” Starsky started to protest. But his attention was attracted to a beautiful red-head who had just come into the room. “What treatment are you prescribing?”
“Regular massage. I’ll prescribe daily sessions…thirty minutes each over twelve days – that should do the trick.”
The redhead smiled at Starsky. “Do you want to come down to the physiotherapy department now and start right away?”
Starsky took control of the wheelchair and spun it around expertly. Hutch wondered where he’d learned that trick.
Starsky tossed Hutch the keys to the car. “One tiny scratch and you’ll need more than six hours massage buddy!” He followed the redhead to the elevator. As the doors closed Hutch heard Starsky chuckle and say “this is better than the last time.”