******************************************************

Starsky ran out to the car and hit the siren before he’d even started the engine. The Torino roared off ahead of the ambulance, clearing a passage in the busy traffic.
They went directly to Memorial and as Starsky went to park the car he saw the gurney disappearing into the Emergency Entrance. He found a spot and was running the moment his feet hit the ground.

“Hutch, for God’s sake; not you too. Not like this. Not so soon.” He was running it all through his head as he went. How could it happen? Only a few weeks ago he’d lost Terri to what had not by any stretch of the imagination been a stray bullet…and now Hutch was on a stretcher with a bullet in him. If Starsky didn’t already know that all Proudholm’s known associates were behind bars; and that Proudholm himself was in the maximum security wing of the state pen.; he would be forgiven for thinking that the nightmare hadn’t finished.

He ran into the Emergency Room and was stopped by a bossy nurse.
“And where do you think you’re going young man?”
He flashed his badge and fighting to keep his anger and fear under control said
“My partner, they just brought him in. Where is he?”
“The cop?”
“Yes, the cop. Now let me see him.”
Before she could reply a door opened to one of the treatment rooms and Starsky saw that the patient on the table was Hutch. He swung the nurse out of his way and ran into the room.

Hutch was still. Too still. He had oxygen tubes in his nose and another tube led from a bottled on a stand down to his arm. A third tube ran from his other arm to a sachet of blood.

“Hutch. Hutch please, hang on in there. Please buddy. Keep fighting.”
Starsky was trying to fight it but it got too much; his Adam’s apple quivered in his throat and he pursed his mouth to hold it back. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the same nurse – less bossy. “He has to go up to surgery now.” She said gently, “Come with me, I’ll show you where you can wait.” She put a protective arm around his shoulders and led him to the elevator and up to the surgery wing of the hospital. She took Starsky into a small lounge area and sat him down.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
He looked up at her and saw a kind face; she must have been in her late fifties, the motherly sort. Starsky wished that she would be looking after Hutch after he came to; not back in ER dealing with the casualties of everyday life in a city like LA.
“What are they going to do to him?” He sniffed. She gave him a clean handkerchief – he half expected her to blow his nose for him!

“He has a bullet lodged in the base of his neck. It’s dangerously near the carotid artery. Do you know what that means?”
“I hated bio at school. In fact I only studied what I wanted to and by that time it was mostly the girls! It’s an important artery isn’t it?”
It takes fresh blood up to the brain. Without a fresh blood supple the brain lacks oxygen and…”
“But the bullet didn’t get it, right?”
She patted his hand. “No, the bullet didn’t get it, but it dangerously near it; the surgeon is going to have to be very careful…”

A bustling outside alerted Starsky and he went to the door. Surrounded by nurses and surgical gowns; Hutch was being wheeled out of the elevator and into the theater. The nurse came to his side; “Do you want to be with him?”
He turned to her and pleaded with his eyes; “yes.” He whispered hoarsely, choking back the tears.
“Come on; we’ll get you scrubbed and gowned. Just promise to keep out of their way; and don’t fall on the patient if you faint!”
“I won’t faint.”
“You’d be surprised how many ‘tough guys’ do.” She smiled at him. “Come on.”

The nurse showed Starsky where to put his clothes and handed him what looked like a pair of green pajamas. He put them on and she gave him a mask which he tied over his nose and mouth. She took out a surgeon’s cap, but seeing his wild curls she changed her mind and gave him one of the big caps that the surgery nurses tucked their long hair into. She took him to a lobby between the outside world and the sterile atmosphere of the operating room. She signaled to a nurse who came and let him in.
“He wants to be with his partner.”
The surgery nurse led him to a basin where she handed him a bar of soap and opened the faucet. She helped him scrub his arms then led him to where he could stand and see what was happening without disturbing the surgeons.

The surgeon had made a small incision in Hutch’s throat, just where the neck and shoulders meet. He asked for suction so that he could see clearly and carefully examined the wound.
“The bullet is touching the thyroid gland. I think we might have to cut part of it away.”
Starsky looked at a nurse beside him. Above the mask she saw two big blue eyes questioning her? “Some people have the whole gland removed – they take pills for the rest of their lives but there’s no other ill effect. Taking off a little bit probably won’t make any difference to him at all.”

The surgeon worked calmly. As far Starsky could tell time stood still. The sudden frantic bleeping of one of the monitors by Hutch’s head brought him up short.
Another pleading look at the nurse.
“His heart rate has slowed. They are giving him something now.” As she spoke the bleeping resumed its regular pace.” Starsky sighed.
Another fifty minutes passed before they rolled Hutch out of surgery and into Recovery. He had a big bandage all around his neck and there were new tubes and cables leading from his body to drip-stands and monitors.
Starsky sat beside the bed ready for another long hospital vigil.

**************************************************************

Hutch was on a bridge. He was about half way along it. It was a long suspension bridge; longer than any bridge he’d seen before. He knew that he had to choose between crossing the bridge and going back to where he had come from. At the other end of the bridge he could see a glowing light. There were voices singing; it sounded like church service when he was a kid, Duluth First Lutheran. The choir was chanting a psalm and Hutch strained to hear what it was.
“Yea though I walk through the valley of death, surely I will fear no evil. For thou art with me…”

He started to walk towards the singing. He sought the comfort of their song as fear rose in his heart. He knew that if he went on; if he joined that choir, he could never return. He was drawn by their singing.

Behind him he could hear other voices. His mother calling him in to supper.
“Ken. Come in and wash up now; supper’s on the table.”
His father encouraging him to take his first faltering few yards on his new bike: “Go on son. I’m holding on to you. You’ll be OK”; and the realization that he was riding on his own.
He heard the voices of women he had loved. And from across the bridge he could hear another familiar voice. “Ken! Come over Ken. It’s quiet and peaceful here. We can make it together here. I know it will work out this time.” Vanessa was calling him to join her.

He took another step forward. As he did a gruff voice, choked by emotion called from behind him.
“Hang on in there buddy. Fight it, you’re gonna be OK.”
He turned to look over his shoulder and saw the silhouette of a tall strong man, his curly hair framing his head like a flaming halo with the light that came from the other side of the bridge. The silhouette reached out his arms. “Come back. You can make it.”

Hutch’s step faltered. Across the bridge, standing with Van, he saw Terri. “Don’t come yet, Ken. You’re still needed over there.” The choir was still singing and he wanted to be with them; safe from his fears and his nightmares. If he went across this bridge he would never be scared or unhappy again. The light drew him on and he could feel a warm glow coming from it.

Behind him other voices were raised; calling him back.
Huggy was calling him for another beer. Dobey was yelling at him to get back onto the job. And Starsky? Starsky was running after him. “If you go I’m coming with you!”

Hutch struggled to turn. The forces drawing him across the bridge were strong; almost too strong for him to resist. Starsky had nearly caught up with him. “I mean it buddy. If you go there I’m coming too; what do I have to stay back there for anyhow? Terri’s over there. And I have no intention of breaking in a new partner!”

Hutch knew that Starsky had to stay where he was. He knew that he had to stay there too. With an immense effort of will he forced himself to turn and walk towards Starsky and the others. He turned and took a careful step. Then another and another; he was unsteady on his feet and something was hurting his head and his neck. There was pain radiating from his throat – as if it was being cut.

Starsky was back at the other end of the bridge. Hutch wondered if he had really run after him. Starsky held out his arms in encouragement and like a toddler learning to walk, Hutch went towards his friend. When he reached the end of the bridge the singing faded away. He turned back. The choir was gone. Vanessa and Terri were no longer in sight; and as he watched the bridge dissolved into the darkness.

************************************************************

Starsky had spent the night next to Hutch and now Dobey was standing behind him.
“Dave, I need to speak to you.”
Starsky looked up; a sparkle of humor in his eyes “things must be bad if you call me Dave, Captain.”
“Just come and have some coffee and listen to what I have to say.”
Starsky glanced at Hutch who was still motionless; the only proof of life, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the steady reassuring bleep of the monitors.
He followed Dobey into the lounge; and took some coffee from the pot that was kept permanently refilled on the warming plate. The coffee was pretty disgusting, but it was hot and wet and a much needed source of caffeine. Starsky was still wearing the surgery pajamas that the nurse had given him and he shivered.
“Drink your coffee and then go find a shower and get dressed. Then we’ll talk.” Dobey said in a voice that managed to combine friendly advice with an order. Starsky ambled off in the general direction of the locker room that the nurse had taken him to – was it only yesterday? He picked up a towel and headed into the shower at the end of the locker room. He stood under the hot water and let it wash out the tension that he could feel tightening the muscles from his shoulder to his neck creating a pain in his head; he never knew whether it was tension that made his head ache or the headache that made him tighten the strap muscles in an effort to keep his head from falling off his shoulders. He stepped out of the shower and toweled himself dry then he dressed and went out to find Dobey.

“You look terrible!”
“Thanks Captain.” Starsky was screwing his eyes up against the light; he took another cup of the lame excuse for coffee and sat down.
“I need you back out on the street. I know that you’re worryin’ about Hutch but listen to me, Dave; you need to be kept busy. Don’t argue with me; I’m older and that gives me a little more wisdom about these things. I wasn’t too happy about you coming back so soon…but if you’re here I want you out on the streets working; not moping around this place where you can’t do anything anyway.”

Starsky looked at Dobey and saw that the fat man was sincere; he also saw just how much this gruff Captain cared about his men.

“So what d’ya want me to do?”
“First off I want you to go out and find the one that got away. “
“The what?”
There was a fourth person Starsky; the pick up was gone when Edwards and Pike went back to their car. That means that we still have a dangerous criminal out there. Edwards said he’d seen a guy take two Uzis into the store. We only found one of them.”
Starsky stood up. “Guess I’d better go out hunting then.”
“I haven’t finished.” Dobey called him back from the door.
“What?”
“I want you to take Pike out with you. He and….”
Starsky turned; “My partner is in there.” He pointed angrily at the room were Hutch was still lying motionless surrounded by bleeps and drips. “I do not need another partner.”

“I’m not giving you another partner. Pike is still pretty inexperienced he needs to be brought into line – and you’re good at that Dave; very good.”
Dobey was following Starsky’s gaze and they both looked at a Hutch for a second before Dobey continued. “I think you know what I mean.”
“What about Edwards?”
“He’s off for a couple of days, sprained his ankle when he jumped one of the guys in the mall.”
Starsky tried hard to remember Edwards jumping anyone; then he decided that what with one thing and another on his mind, perhaps he just hadn’t seen it happen.
“Ok. I’ll take Pike out with me. But Captain; don’t hold me responsible if he gets his nose bloodied.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Starsky went out to the street. He was relieved to be out in the air again. He took a couple of deep breaths and jogged over to the Torino.

“This is Zebra Three.”
“Starsky! I’ve missed your voice; how are you? And how is Hutch?”
“Hi Mildred. Thanks for the welcome. I’m Ok I guess. Hutch is still unconscious though.”
“Oh Starsky that’s too bad. Everyone here is hoping he’ll be back on his feet really soon.”
“Not as much as I am.”
“Wanna bet?”
Starsky hesitated then said “This is not a betting matter, Mildred!” He heard her laugh.
“Mildred; could you find out where Pike is and tell him to be outside the main entrance when I arrive. I’m just leaving Memorial.”
“He’ll be there.”
“He’d better be.” Mildred caught the grim note in Starsky’s voice. She turned to the dispatcher next to her and said “Hold the fort; I’m going to make sure that asshole Pike is waiting for Dave.”

When Starsky came round the corner from Main he saw Pike standing on the steps of the Ninth Precinct headquarters. He pulled up in front of the entrance and leaned over to open the door. “Get in!”

Pike got into the car and didn’t have time to close the heavy door properly when Starsky accelerated away from the curb. Pike had to fight the door to close it.
“Lesson number one: don’t damage my car.” Starsky did not sound as if he was kidding. He steered the car along the street and hit the gas hard; Pike braced himself against the dash board.
“Lesson number two: don’t go through the windshield. If you can’t keep your balance there’s a safety belt. Oh, and don’t throw up in my car either.”

They drove on in silence for a few blocks. Pike broke the silence. “How’s Hutch?”
Starsky bit his lower lip before turning to the man in the passenger seat. “Do you really want to know Pike?”
“Well sure I do Starsky; everyone in the station is worried about him.”
“He’s still unconscious. They got the bullet out but something happened during surgery. I don’t really know…”

After a couple of seconds Starsky spoke again. “So do you have any ideas about where we should be going, Pike?”

Pike flipped open his notebook. “I got a number off the pick up and I ran it through DMV. They gave me an address in North Hollywood.” He reeled off the address. Starsky checked his mirrors than slammed the car into a parking break turn to go in the right direction. Pike slid dangerously close to Starsky’s lap.

“Lesson number four: do not try anything like that with me!”
“Hey, the way you turned like that; and on this lousy seat…I’ll bet Hutch does it plenty of times.”
Starsky didn’t like the way Pike said it; but he didn’t miss a beat. “It’s Ok if Hutch does it, Pike.” He turned to the now pale face sitting beside him and smiled a big lopsided, leering grin before winking.

The address was a flop house hotel. Starsky led the way and crossed the hall to the desk. “Hi Ernie; how’s business?”
Ernie Silver looked up from the racing pages and immediately turned to the switchboard behind him. Starsky was there first. “Naughty, naughty Ernie. Now I wonder which room you were going to warn.”
Ernie Silver was a weasel in glasses. He looked at Starsky and tried to play innocent.
It didn’t work. Starsky came round behind the counter and removed Ernie’s glasses; then he pushed him hard against the bank of key hooks behind him.
“Oh Pike, I guess you already know that you should never hit a guy wearing glasses.” He smiled coldly at Ernie.
“I expect you’ve heard that Hutch is in a bad way Ernie. I’d like you to meet my temporary partner; Detective Pike. Pike c’mon over and say hello to Ernie. Pike really enjoys meeting new guys; don’t you Pike.” Something in the way Starsky said this made the hairs rise on the back of Pike’s neck. Ernie was squirming in Starsky’s firm grip. Starsky turned him around and slammed him hard across the counter. “Come and say hello, Pike.” He leered across Ernie’s bent body and looked at Pike square in the face.
“You know what Pike? I’ve never heard of Ernie having any girlfriends.”

Pike was trying not to blush. He stood where he was. Starsky released Ernie and asked him coldly “Which room number?”

“Th-th-three-oh-f five.” He stuttered. Starsky started up the stairs and told Pike to take the elevator. They both arrived on the landing at the same time. Starsky took his pistol out of his holster and flipped the safety catch. Cupping his right hand under his left he held the gun high in front of him and walked slowly down the hallway. Pike took out his .45 and followed.
Room 305 was the last door before the end. Starsky positioned himself to the right of the door and signaled Pike to take up his place on the left. Then he noticed that Pike was also a lefty and beckoned him over. “Which side of the bed do you prefer, Pike?” he whispered. Pike blanched and Starsky told him to take the right hand side position. “I use a two-hand grip so I’ll be Ok from the left,” he muttered and went over to take up his new position. He signaled to Pike that he would go low and Pike should go high. Then he knocked on the door with the butt of his gun. “Police!”
There was the sound of someone moving in the room and Starsky kicked the door hard. It opened with a bang and the two cops jumped into the room; just in time to see a figure go out of the window and down the fire escape. Starsky pushed Pike ahead of him. Pike went in pursuit and Starsky sat down on the bed and stared at the machine gun on the bed beside him.
The lightweight machine gun lay next to him. He fished in his pocket for the latex gloves he kept for touching evidence and picked it up. Despite his being a cop; despite having spent time in Viet Nam; Starsky had a certain distaste for weapons. Hutch had once said that unless he was about to fire, he held his gun as if he didn’t really want to touch it – fingers splayed along the barrel and only his thumb holding it firm in his hand. Hutch had a point. This thing was fascinating in its deadly ugliness. It was so lightweight that the terrorists at Munich had preferred to have one in each hand. Unlike most machine guns you could actually aim the thing. Starsky reflected on how much damage one of these could have done in the Mall. He felt sick at the thought.

A shout from the street brought him to back into focus and he went over to the window. Three stories up; he preferred not to look straight down. “Yeah?”
“He got away from me Starsky.”
“Ok,“ he said wearily, “I’ll be right down. Better luck next time huh, Pike.”

Starsky gathered up the Uzi and went back down in the elevator. As he passed the desk he waved the machine gun in the air. “Nice class of clients you have Ernie; looks like the tone of this dump just went up!”

Pike was waiting by the car. Starsky skipped around to his door and smiled across the roof at the other man.
“You did just fine, Pike.”

***********************************************************

Starsky parked as usual right in front of the precinct entrance; Pike whistled in appreciation. “How is it you always get that spot?”

“Luck! And a good sense of observation – see the black and white turning the corner up ahead?”
Pike laughed and for the first time he felt relaxed in Starsky’s company.
“I’ll drop you off here Pike. Subordinate rank writes the report. If anyone is dumb enough to ask I’m with Hutch.”

He pulled away from the curb as soon as Pike had closed the door. As he drove towards Memorial Starsky grinned to himself; he’d certainly made an impression on Pike – he just hoped it was the right one.
As he drove through the streets that had become a second home to him and Hutch he thought back over the past few weeks. He re-ran all that had happened like the TV reruns of the best plays in a game. Every now and then he forced his memory into freeze frame or into fast forward. Terri was dead. Proudholm had set up a series of store hold-ups and then deliberately hit the corner store that Terri used; and shot her to avenge himself of his son’s death that he blamed on Starsky. They’d finally taken Proudholm in a hostage situation – in a supermarket. Hutch was shot in a mall during a hostage case. Somewhere Starsky was sure he’d missed something. He was still trying to figure it out when he walked into Hutch’s room.

Hutch had not moved. His eyes were still closed; the monitors still bleeped; the tubes dripped and drained fluids into and out of his body.
Starsky sat beside the bed and took Hutch’s had in his.
“Come on Hutch, make the effort and come back to us.”
He settled himself on the chair and resigned himself to another long night.

***************************************************************

Hutch was on a beach. He was walking towards the ocean; but with each step he took the ocean got further away. The tide was not running out but the shoreline was pulling away from him.

Out on the ocean he could see a schooner; white sails billowing against the setting sun.
He could hear singing. He shaded his eyes with his hand and tried to see the beautiful sailing boat that was sailing close to the horizon.

The singers were women; they were sitting on the deck and some of them were combing out their long blond hair. Others were playing harps. He looked again and saw that they were mermaids. The sun blinded him and when he could see again the mermaids had feathered wings like angels. They were still singing a sweet song.

A small rowing boat floated towards him. He ran to the shore where the breakers were rolling in and the surf was crashing around him. For a moment the surf drowned out all other sounds. He continued to the rowing boat; he knew that all he had to do was climb aboard and row out to the schooner and he would be at peace.

The gulls were flying high in the sky and for a moment he thought he heard them calling his name. He turned and looked towards a rock, shaded by a beach palm tree.

There was someone sitting on the rock. He could just make out the shadow of a figure on the rock. The shadow was crying out against the crashing of the waves and the skirling noises that the sea gulls made. The shadow was calling him. The shadow was calling his name.

He felt compelled to go towards the rocks and to see who it was that was calling him so desperately. A voice echoed across the beach. “Hutch! Hutch! Don’t go out there! Don’t listen to them!” As he went closer to the rock he saw that the shadow was Starsky. He was weeping. He was holding out his hands in a gesture that called Hutch to him.

The sun was sinking below the horizon and Hutch turned again to walk to the shore.

The rowing boat had gone. The schooner was disappearing into the sun-blazed distance.

He heard Starsky call him again.

He turned and although the soft sand made his progress difficult he fought his way to stand by the rock. He stretched out and took hold of Starsky’s hand.

******************************************************

Starsky was dreaming that Terri was still with him. He held her hand and…

He woke up. Hutch was squeezing his hand. He looked at his partner’s face but there was still no sign of consciousness. The monitor continued its monotonous bleep…bleep…bleep.

Starsky tried to withdraw his hand; but Hutch’s grip was tightening. He stood up and reached across the bed and pushed the buzzer that would summon a nurse.

The door opened and the nurse came in.
“Can I get you something; Detective Starsky?”

“He’s got my hand and he won’t let go!.” He turned to her seeking an explanation for his confusion. Hutch was squeezing his hand; but Hutch was still out cold.
The nurse started taking Hutch’s vital signs. She put the fabric cuff around his arm and pumped air in and out. The eased the thermometer between his lips and she took his pulse. When she had noted all the results she smiled reassuringly at Starsky and said
“I’ll be right back.”

A couple of minutes she returned with the doctor. He read the print out coming from the monitor – was Starsky imagining it or had the rhythm of those bloody bleeps changed? The doctor adjusted the flow of one of the drips that passed into Hutch’s arm; and he removed the other one completely.
“Stay with him.” He told the nurse and beckoned Starsky out into the hall. Releasing his hand from Hutch’s grip was not easy and Dave finally resorted to the old arm wrestler’s trick and put pressure on the back of the hand. He followed the doctor out of the room.

“Please; just tell me what’s happening in dumb cop’s terms.”
“Officer Starsky; ‘dumb’ is the last word I could use to describe you or your partner. I have good news for you; he’s coming round. It may be while before he recovers total consciousness, but he is coming back. We nearly lost him on the table and I have to tell you that the readings earlier this evening where far from encouraging.” He saw that Starsky was going to ask him something and he held up his finger. “You were asleep and the nurse did not want to wake you. The monitor is linked to an alarm in the nurses’ station; it registered that his pulse was weakening. Fortunately it recovered.”

Starsky went back into the room and sat down again. He was prepared to stay as long as it took.
The nurse went out and conferred with the doctor. He nodded to something she said and a couple of minutes later an orderly pushed a gurney into the room and installed it against the wall. He threw a pillow and a blanket on it; as he left he said to Starsky “Doc thought this might be more comfortable than that chair. ”Starsky grinned and lay down gratefully. He was still sleeping peacefully when Hutch opened his eyes.

Hutch saw the light coming through the slats of the blinds on the window. He had no idea where he was or how long he had been there. He looked around and saw that he was in a hospital room. He turned his head carefully to check what he thought he had seen out of the corner of his eye. This time it was not an illusion. There was no schooner; no sunset. There was no rock; but there was a gurney and sleeping on it looking like some kind of dark haired guardian angel was Starsky.

He felt the button of the buzzer in his hand and pressed it. A nurse appeared almost immediately and as she came in he lifted a finger to his lips and motioned to the sleeping figure beside him. She smiled and came over to his side; she took the breathing tube out of his mouth and said “don’t try to speak for a few minutes. I’ll be back with something to ease your throat.” Hutch gestured to Starsky. “He’s been with you most of the time,” she told him, “he felt you grip his hand in the night and we knew you were on your way back to us.”
Hutch lay back on the pillow – Starsky had been on that rock after all.

It was Huggy who woke Starsky up. He bounced into the room to greet Hutch with a noisy “welcome back!” Starsky groaned and nearly fell of his precarious sleeping arrangements. He looked groggy and took a while to focus. “Huggy! “ The he was Hutch smiling over at him; and he was wide awake in the time it took to stand on the floor.
“Good to see you buddy.” He said, “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

Hutch decided to see if he still had a voice despite the fact that his throat felt like it hand been sandblasted. “You don’t know how far I’d gone. It’s good to be back Starsk; I wasn’t ready to make the crossing quite yet.”

Starsky missed a beat and Huggy’s eyes were wide open. “Hey Hutch; are you telling us you saw the end of the tunnel?”
“No tunnel, Huggy; a bridge that I wasn’t ready to cross and a sailing boat that went out of reach when I heard Starsky call my name.”

Starsky was rubbing his eyes. “You’ll have to put that by me again some time buddy; right now I don’ understand a thing you’re talking about.”

“Ok Huggy; what are you doing here?” Starsky had turned to the skinny black man.
“I hear you’re looking for a guy who didn’t pay his bill at Ernie’s.”
Starsky signaled to him to go on.
“He’s holed up in a derelict building in Culver City; one of them ex-movie hotels near the studio entrance. Dobey told me to tell you that Pike is on his way over there;”

Starsky jumped up from the chair he had just settled into. “Thanks Hug! That Pike is a bastard but he’s still a cop and he isn’t capable of handling this one on his own.” He flipped a look at Hutch that said “I’ll be back” and ran out of the hospital”

He figured the quickest route to Culver City would be to cut behind the rail-road tracks and run parallel to the busier streets. He knew the neighborhood like the back of his hand and he pulled up in front of the derelict building just as Pike’s LTD appeared from the other end of the street. As soon as Pike spotted the Torino he stopped.
“Pike?” Starsky’s voice came over the radio.
“Yeah.”
“You see anything from where you are?”
“No. Wait…I think…yeah; Starsky there’s someone at the window, second from the left on the third floor.”

Starsky looked up at the front of the building and spotted the figure behind a grim window.
“I’m going in Starsky.”
Pike was already out of the LTD and half way across the street; Starsky knew that he would not hear the radio. He could see that Pike was an easy target for the guy in the window and he could see the outline of a gun.
He opened his door and slid carefully out of his seat and onto the sidewalk. Using the Torino for cover he scurried to a position where he could see the building clearly. He primed his pistol and whistled to Pike; Pike either could not or would not hear him.
Starsky cursed under his breath and head still down he ran across to the other side of the street. A burst of bullets told him that the diversion had worked. Pike had made it to the sidewalk in front of the building and he was covered by the impossible angle between the third floor window and where he was standing close to the wall.

Starsky ran to join him.
“You fucking idiot. D’ya wanna get yourself killed?”
Pike looked at him and for an awful moment Starsk saw the answer to his question in the other man’s eyes.
“Yea; well if you wanna wipe yourself out; do it someplace else OK. Not on my patrol! Now we have job to do.”
Starsky grabbed Pike by the lapel and pushed him back against the wall. With his free hand he held a warning finger to his lips. Someone was coming down the stairs inside the building. Starsky flipped his gun into the two-fisted grip that steadied his aim and flattened himself against the wall next to Pike. Whoever it was coming out of the building; Starsky had no intention of letting him get away again. A shadow came through the doorway closely followed by the body it belonged to. The moment that it took for Starsky to get over the shock of what he saw was almost his last. As the gun came down in line with his chest he heard a shot behind him. Pike had fired one round and hit Starsky’s assailant in the arm. “Nice shot! “Thanks”
Starsky picked up the gun and stared at his assailant. There was no mistaking who she reminded him of. “Miss Proudholm I assume.” She spat in reply. Starsky checked her wound and flipped her over onto her chest; he cuffed her hands behind her back and dragged her to her feet.
“Is that anyway to treat a lady, Sergeant Starsky?” She hissed
“No,” he answered sourly, “But then you are not a lady.” He shoved her into the back of the Torino and slammed the seat back into place. “Hey Pike you wanna ride back with me; we’ll send someone to get your car later.” Pike knew that Starsky wanted a guard for the prisoner and got into the passenger seat by way of reply. On the drive back to the Ninth Precinct Starsky filled Pike in on the Proudholm family. He explained how he and Hutch had busted the father and son for dealing outside the local High School. The boy was stabbed to death in prison and his father held Starsky responsible. A year or so ago, Proudholm had killed three officers before Starsky and Hutch had finally arrested him. Starsky had come close to shooting Proudholm when the man was down – but even in his rage he was incapable of killing a man in cold blood. Proudholm was put away and Starsky and Hutch assumed it was all over. About three months ago someone pulled off a series of armed robberies in small grocery stores; they always chose a store of Starsky and Hutch’s beat and the guys were beginning to get more than a little pissed by it. The last armed robbery was a front for shooting Terri. Despite his grief Starsky had gone with Hutch to where Proudholm had taken hostages; this time the judge had put Proudholm way out of harm’s way. The police assumed the file was closed.
Nobody had known that Proudholm had a daughter!

By the time Starsky had finished the story they were pulling into the precinct garage. Pike pushed the passenger seat forward and hauled the Proudholm girl out of the car.
“Hey Starsky. If you want to get back to Hutch I’ll book her.”
“No! This one is mine; and I intend to enjoy every minute of it.” He led her up the stairs and started to recite “Miranda”.

Pike headed down to the locker room. He sat down on a bench and hung his head.
He was still there when Starsky came in.

“You ok Pike?” Starsky sat down beside him. Pike instinctively moved a few inches further along the bench. Starsky sighed.
“Look. Hutch and I …we’ve been friends a long time now and we’ve seen each other through a hell of a lot. We love each other but it doesn’t go any further than a friendly hug. Plenty of guys feel the way you do about other men and in my book it’s live and let live. Just be careful who you make a play for, that’s all. I heard you asked for a transfer – good idea. The other week, when I was driving up to Seattle – or maybe when I was coming back, I dunno – anyways; when I was up around San Francisco I heard that the police department is recruiting; something about having to protect the changing community from aggressions; something like that. Why don’t you apply; I have a coupla contacts up there, cops who owe me a favor. If you need a good report I’ll give it to you – you did a good job out there.” He patted Pike on the arm and got up.
“I’m gonna take a shower; if you get off on watching me undress ….”

He chuckled as he went over to the far end of the room and started to unbutton his shirt.

Pike was gone before Starsky had undone the buttons on his cuffs. He re-buttoned his shirt, slipped his jacket over his shoulders and went back up to his car; he couldn’t wait to tell Hutch all about it.

*********************************************************************

Hutch was sitting up in bed and flirting with a nurse when Starsky came into the room.
“Glad to see you back in action!” Starsky winked at him. “I could go away and come back later if you like.”
The nurse fiddled with Hutch’s pillows and then left the room. Hutch smiled after her.
“So, why don’t you tell me how you’ve been doing without me to look after you out there?”
“Look after me? Who are you kidding; I’ve carried you from day one!”
“What about Pike?”
Starsky sat down and settled himself into the chair. He grinned at Hutch and pouted his lips as if faking a kiss.
“Oh that’s what you mean by looking after me. I don’t think I’m his type; I think he prefers blonds.”
“Come on Starsk; stop fooling around and tell me what’s been going on.”
“Who said anything’s been going on?”
“”The case, dummy; Dobey said he’d sent you out to look for a fourth man.”
“Ah that. OK; I’ll tell you the story from the beginning.”
The nurse popped her head around the door. “Can I bring you guys anything?”
“No thanks.” They said in unison.

“So, where were we when you pooped out of the party? Oh yes; in the mall surrounded by hostages lying on the floor – except one of them wasn’t a hostage but a look-out and he got you. At least that’s how I saw it at the time; now I know different.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hutch tried to sit up a little more but the pain at the base of his neck held him back. Starsky went to his aid and pushed a pillow behind him to prop him up a little more. Then he sat back in his chair and continued.
“After you were shot a woman said she was a nurse so I left you in the arms of a pretty red-head – shame you were in no position to appreciate it, but there you go. Anyway; I went in and Pike and Edwards had already brought one of the guys down; we took the third in the store. Pike nearly caught it; in fact if I had waited another second to warn him…don’t worry I thought better of it! So anyway we all thought that everything was taken care of. Except that when the other two went back to the car the pick up was gone; and the crime scenes team only found one Uzi.”
“Shit.”
“Much what I said at the time.” Starsky smiled and Hutch knew instinctively that anything Starsky had said would have a whole lot stronger than ‘shit’.
“So Pike and I went after the pick up and its driver – guest of our old friend Ernie, by the way. We had to bust into the room and the Uzi was on the bed, but no wise guy. I let Pike take the fire escape.” He saw the expression on Hutch’s face. “It was the third floor and you know how I feel about heights.”
“I sure do; especially if there’s a gun likely to be pointing at you from below!”
“Pike didn’t get him. Anyway to cut a long story short Huggy heard that our friend was holed up in Culver City. Pike almost got himself killed again but we got our prey. Guess who?”
“Starsky! I’ve been in hospital and out of everything and you want me to play guessing games! “ Hutch looked exasperated.
“Did you know that Proudholm had a daughter?”
Hutch looked at him in amazement. “He did?”
“Like father like daughter. She was trying to finish off her dad’s vengeance trip. She must have been monitoring the dispatch calls and when she knew that we were on the way she moved in to the kill. The fake hostage was waiting for us, Hutch. Ms Proudholm was literally lying in wait!”

Hutch sank back against the pillow. He was pale with the shock of what he had just heard. Starsky stood up to leave him in peace. “Hey, Starsk, finish the tale. What about Pike?”

“That’s another long one. He’s really screwed up; you’re not the first cop he’s made a pass at; Dobey assigned him to me because Edwards claimed to have sprained an ankle during the bust. Truth is that Edwards didn’t want to be with the guy any more. He’d come on to him once too often – and Edwards isn’t as broad minded as we are; that bruise Pike had a couple of weeks ago – it was Edwards who socked him. So anyway I took Pike out on the car and threw him around a little.”
Hutch saw Starsky smile like a mischievous child; “and?”
“And I told him to behave himself in my car; and off we went. He was a little wary of me.”
“I’ll bet. What did you do? No let me guess. A parking brake turn in mid-traffic followed by a sharp swing around a corner.”
“Yeah. I guess I kinda threw him off balance.”
Hutch giggled.
“I took pity on him in the end.”
“You did what? Gee Starsk; you’re all heart!”
“Fuck you, sweetheart!”

“So anyway I teased him one more time – that’s when I realized he was trying to get himself killed. I saw it a little in the store but outside that place in Culver City he walked into the firing line on purpose – and I couldn’t let him do that to himself. I’ve told him to get a transfer to Frisco – I figured Ritchie up there owes me one!”
Hutch looked over at Starsky who was smiling to himself as he remembered Pike’s near panic in the locker room. He considered asking about the final ‘tease’ and then decided he didn’t want to know.

“So Blintzie; what were you up to while I was out there busting crime?”

“Me? Oh you know, I had a few dreams and then I woke up and found that heaven is a safe hospital full of pretty nurses; and knowing that you have a good friend.”
Hutch decided not to say any more. He looked at Starsky and smiled at him; “a very good friend that I’m not going to let go of in a hurry.”

Starsky reached out and patted the blond cop’s arm. “Me neither.
He stood up carefully. “I’m pretty tired, buddy; I’m going home to rest. I’ll leave you in the care of that pretty nurse out there. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” He left the room chuckling.

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