CHAPTER 37

Over the next four weeks at the clinicStarsky worked closely with Steve in intense, soul searching therapy sessions, which also included Hutch as part of his therapy, to help the brunet deal with the restored memories of his captivity. He still had trouble dealing with the events that had occurred towards the end of his imprisonment when he had become more of an animal than a human being any longer. But as the days passed, his sessions with Steve, and his long talks with Hutch in the privacy of their room, helped him to slowly come to terms with the events as he grew stronger mentally and emotionally. He still had to deal with periods of deep depression but he kept his promise to Hutch and didn't try to hurt himself. Steve finally put him on some mild anti-depressants to help him deal with the worst of his depression.

After his final session when Steve told him that he was well enough to go home, Starsky and Hutch stayed up late into the night discussing their future.

"I can't do it anymore, Hutch…" Starsky said slowly, opening the conversation.

"I can't go back out there on the streets the way we do…I can't go on being a cop."

"Are you sure, Gordo?" Hutch asked, sensing the smaller man's inner turmoil.

"That's all you ever wanted to do."

"That was a lifetime ago. I don't want it so much anymore. Too much has happened…too many people I care about have died because of me…because I'm a cop. Too many people have come after me just for doing my job…" He smiled thinly. "I came so close to not making it back this time…I don't want to take the chance again."

"I understand, pal…the only reason I stayed on the force this long was because of you…because of us. Whatever you want is fine with me. Did you have anything in mind if we don't go back to the force?"

"No…I was hoping that you did. You always tell me that you're the brains in this outfit."

"I guess going to Bolivia and robbing banks is out of the question, huh?" Hutch said, with a chuckle, voicing an old joke between them. After watching Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid so many times that he could recite the dialogue by heart, Starsky had once told Hutch that they could always go to Bolivia and rob banks like Butch and Sundance did and then go out in a blaze of glory together.

"Yeah, I think my bank robbing days are over." Starsky agreed with a laugh. Hutch smiled. It felt good to hear that familiar laugh again.

"We could always teach at the Academy." Hutch suggested.

"Maybe you could, pal…you're the one with the college degree. With my luck, I'd probably go off on some dumb rookie that pissed me off and get my ass fired the first week."

"We could always open our own business." Hutch said, "Be private investigators. Hutchinson Investigations. What do you think?"

"I think you're nuts if you think I'm going to start a business with you and let you take all the credit." Starsky quipped, "How about Starsky and Hutchinson Investigations. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I thought I was the brains of this operation. So, my name should come first."

"Naw, that doesn't sound right. It sounds better the other way." Starsky told him with a lopsided grin.

"Only because Captain Dobey usually yells your name first when we're in trouble."

"Chief Ryan and the Police Commissioner won't be sorry to see us go." Starsky said, "But I'll miss Captain Dobey and the other guys."

"And all the pretty clerks and secretaries, and new rookies at headquarters." Hutch teased him affectionately.

"Hey, you did your fair share of putting the moves on any new face you saw." Starsky reminded him. "We even shared more than a few if my memory serves me right."

"Let's do it, Starsk." Hutch said, returning to their original conversation. "Let's open our own business. We'll even do it your way and name it Starsky and Hutchinson Investigations."

"Are you serious?" Starsky asked, looking at his friend in awe. "You'd really be willing to do that for me?"

"Of course I would, mush brain. We're partners. We'll always be partners, nothing will ever change that."

"What if I get sick again? It could happen." Starsky pointed out.

"You won't." Hutch said confidently. "I won't let you because I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

"That might be a little inconvenient when we invite a lady to spend the night, don't you think?" Starsky joked good naturedly.

"Then I guess you'll just have to close your eyes and look the other way." Hutch teased him back.

"Me! You're the one who'll have to close your eyes, pal." Starsky said with a laugh. Hutch joined in the laughter and gave Starsky a heartfelt hug.

"Welcome back, Buddy." he whispered "It was a long, hard road but we made it."

"Yeah, we sure did." Starsky said, "Now, let's talk about our new business. I figure you can handle all the paperwork and filing and all that shit while I work with the clients."

"I don't think so, pal…this thing is fifty-fifty all the way." Hutch told him firmly, throwing an arm over his friend's shoulders as they continued to make plans for their new venture as private investigators.

After Starsky had fallen asleep, Hutch quietly left the building and went around to the tiny cottage in back. Steve answered his soft knock at the door and smiled fondly. "All ready to go back home in the morning?"

"You bet. I couldn't leave without thanking you again…for everything. You have no idea how much it means to me to have Starsky back again."

"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea."

"He never would have made it if it hadn't been for you. I'll always be grateful for everything. If you ever need anything…and I do mean anything…you just let me know. I can never repay for you for giving him back to me in one piece again."

"Oh, I'm sure I can probably think of something for you to do." Steve chuckled. "What are the two of you going to do when you get back to the city?"

"We're talking about starting our own business. It's time to find another line of work." "You got anything in mind?"

"We're thinking about becoming private investigators."

"That sounds great and I bet you'll both be excellent at it too. I might even be able to use you myself. You can track down the patients that skip out on their bills." The two men shared a laugh and then a heartfelt hug. With a final smile at his old friend, Hutch returned to the clinic and his partner.

This brings to a close my epic story. I am glad you all seemed to like it and stuck with me. This is by far the longest story I have ever written. It just seemed to write itself once I got started but I've also had a lot of time to plot it out. This will probably be the last story I will be able to post for a while. As some of you already know, we are currently without a home of our own and have been staying with my son and his wife. we have been looking but so far haven't been able to find anything.

And, since it is getting cold here where I am in Ohio, it is getting harder and harder for me to get out and walk to the library to get on the internet, so as much as I hate to do it, I may have to take a short break for now until we find a place and I can get back on line myself.

Don't forget about the Torino awards that will be coming up soon on the Bay City Library. I was hoping to get this story on there before the deadline but for now, this is the only place it is posted because I can't use the library computer to access my web page so that I can put it there so a notice can be put on Bay City Library. I think the voting starts sometime in January, and I pray we are in our own place by then. Thanks to everyone who had read this story and sent such wonderful reviews. I will be back as soon as I can with another story. I do have some one shots finished that I might be able to post now and then until I am back on line at my own place.