I Promise

"Admit it, Starsk, you had a good time."

"Hey, I admit it. No snakes, no rats, no devil worshipers. It was great."

Hutch rolled his eyes. "One rat in the fridge and you will never let it go." He laughed at his best friend's expression. "Keep your eyes on the road, Gordo."

"Yeah, yeah," Starsky muttered. He snapped alert as a man jumped from the bushes on the side of the road and stepped right into the path of Starsky's car. "What the hell?" Starsky slammed on his brakes and the Torino stopped before hitting the obviously frantic man.

"Help us," the man shouted through the windshield. A woman slowly emerged from the side of the road where the man had come out. They were both disheveled and dirty. The woman had twigs stuck in her hair. She seemed nervous and shy, her hands clutched in front of her.

Hutch jumped out of the car as Starsky put the car in park. "What's going on? What's wrong?" Hutch asked. He reached out slowly to the woman to assure her but she backed away.

"We need to get out of here, please!" the man shouted at Hutch as he put an arm around the woman.

"Hey, okay," Starsky said as he joined them on the road. "Just tell us what's happening and we'll help you." He slowly pulled his badge out of his jacket. "I'm Sergeant Starsky, this is my partner, Sergeant Hutchinson. We're from Bay City PD."

The man appeared to look both more nervous and less nervous at the same time as he looked at the badges held out to him. He looked down at the woman who didn't meet his gaze. She began to tremble. "Someone's after us. They grabbed us and took us to a cabin out in the woods." He motioned with this head into the trees from where they'd come and held tighter to his companion. "We got away but they'll be looking for us."

"They kidnapped you?" Hutch began but was cut off.

"Are you going to help us or not?" The man asked angrily, making the woman flinch.

"Ed, calm down. They'll help us, I'm sure," she said quietly.

Ed took a couple of deep breaths and steered the woman to the back passenger-seat door. "Can we get out of here? I'll explain on the way." His voice was calmer now but the fear in his eyes never dimmed.

"Do you have a police radio?" Marla asked, ignoring the worried look in her husband's eye.

"Not with us," Hutch motioned toward the brace where the radio would be. "We left it for repair since we were just up here on vacation."

Starsky and Hutch got back in the car and started down the winding road. "Do you think you can find where they held you?" Starsky asked as he glanced in the rear-view mirror.

"We're not going back there!" Ed blurted out as he slid up in his seat. "Just take us to Bay City."

Hutch turned in his seat. "Sir, we don't have jurisdiction here. You are going to need to speak to local police." Hutch looked over at Starsky who nodded.

Ed slid back abruptly, his intense anger taking over again. The woman tried to rest her hand on his arm but he pulled away. "It…it was the local Sheriff that took us." Hutch managed to catch the look of confusion on the woman's face before she looked away to stare out the window.

"What?" Starsky asked. He pulled over to the side of the road. "You two better come clean right now. We can start with your names!" Hutch saw Starsky's left hand move toward his weapon automatically but neither of them had their weapon on them. They were in the trunk of the car.

"Hang on, hang on. Everyone calm down," Hutch said, piercing his partner with his glare. Starsky nodded slowly. Hutch felt his own heart beating loudly in his chest. "Ed, tell us your last name."

Ed's fists clenched an unclenched as he looked nervously up and down the road. The sun had set an hour earlier so he squinted his eyes as he looked behind them. "Wolbert. Ed Wolbert. This is my wife, Marla. Can we get moving now?"

Hutch looked over at Starsky intently. Starsky nodded. "We'll bring you into the next county and speak to that Sheriff." He looked into Ed's eyes staring at him in the mirror. "Deal?"

Ed looked over at Marla who nodded. "O…okay."

"All right then," Starsky said as he put the idling Torino back into drive.

The ride went along smoothly for a while until Starsky started pumping on his brakes nervously.

"What's wrong?" Hutch asked.

"I don't know if it was all the mountain roads or what but these brakes aren't right, Hutch."

"Pull over here near this dirt road," Hutch pointed to where he meant.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Hutch bristled and glanced angrily at Wolbert whose wife was trying desperately to calm him. "Unless you want to careen off the road, you better sit tight. I've done just that and let me tell you, it's not pleasant." Hutch got out, joining Starsky under the hood after grabbing a flashlight from the glove box.

"The brake fluid is low. I must have a leak, dammit."

"I know I don't want to risk the ride down this mountain."

Starsky slammed the hood. "Me neither." He squinted into the looming darkness. "We haven't passed any civilization in miles." He looked up the dark dirt road then over at his partner. "What do you think?"

"It's worth going to see what's up there." Hutch lowered his voice. "Starsky, I'm getting a weird vibe from our friend Ed."

"Me too. I'm not sure what the truth is. The local sheriff kidnapped them? I'm thinking more along the lines of he escaped jail."

Hutch nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Or maybe he is in some sort of jam. Maybe he's telling the truth." Hutch threw up his hands. "I'll let them know what we're doing."

Just then, the back door opened and Ed got out. "Well? Let's get moving."

"Not tonight. We are going to hike up…"

"The hell we are. I told you we have to get out of here – now!"

Hutch grabbed Starsky's arm just as he was about to lunge at the unpleasant man. "Ed, you are in no position to tell us what to do!" Hutch yelled, a little too loudly than he wanted to. If you don't want to head up this road to find some shelter, you are more than welcome to head down the dark highway on foot. Hutch nodded at Marla. "You can come with us, of course."

Marla just looked down at the ground as her husband took a fit kicking at the stones along the roadside.

"God dammit all to hell!" Ed said, acting like a petulant child.

Starsky opened the trunk and he and Hutch placed a few pieces of clothing and a few other items into one duffel bag. Starsky took his gun and slid it into the waist of his pants under his jacket. Hutch took his larger Magnum and stuffed it into the duffel quickly as Ed began to calm down and walked toward the back of the Torino.

"Are you with us?" Hutch asked, slinging the duffel over his shoulder.

"Do I have a choice?" Ed asked but walked up the dark dirt road without waiting for an answer. Marla glanced back timidly at Starsky and Hutch before trailing behind her husband.

"I hate that guy," Starsky mumbled under his breath. Hutch smiled and patted his friend on the back encouragingly as he handed him the flashlight. Starsky quickly caught up with the Wolberts to offer to light the way. He turned as he heard the sound of an engine coming down the main road.

Ed spun around. "A car! It's them."

The dark car drove past. Hutch had unzipped the duffle to put his hand on his weapon but relaxed as the car sped past.

Starsky let out a breath and continued to walk but then heard the car screech to a halt. He pushed the couple off the dirt road. "Get down!" He pulled his gun from his waistband. "Huuuutch!" he shouted as a shot rang out. He saw the flash from the dark car as the gun exploded in the direction of his partner. Starsky crouched down and shot blindly into the dark toward the direction of the shots fired. Two bullets hit metal but the sound of human grunt meant the third shot had found its mark. Starsky broke into a run toward the road but the car swerved around his Torino and sped off down the dark road.

"I think I got one, Hutch. Hutch?" Starsky turned and shone his light toward the last place he saw Hutch. "Hutch!" Starsky ran toward his partner laying prone on the ground. The flashlight caught the dark stain slowly spreading across Hutch's abdomen. "Oh man, Hutch. You're hit." He looked up at Hutch's face. His eyes were open, his mouth was lax as he sucked in air. "Talk to me, Buddy," Starsky said kneeling over him.

"Starsk, Starsky."

"I'm here."

"Hit. Shot."

"They got you in the side, Hutch. But it's not that bad. Seen worse, in fact." Starsky looked up the dirt road trying to find the Wolberts. "Get over here, you coward. Where are you?" Marla stepped out of the darkness beside the road, shaking and sobbing. "Where's your husband?" Starsky bellowed.

Marla turned and looked behind her. "Ed, Mr. Hutchinson needs help," she said meekly. She came forward and knelt down next to Hutch. "Oh my God…oh my God."

Starsky blocked the horror in her voice from his mind. "Marla, if I get you a flashlight, can you run ahead and see if there is a house or something up this road?"

"M…m…me?"

"I need your help, darlin'. Please."

Marla blushed and nodded. Starsky leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek then jumped up to get a second flashlight from his car. He handed the light to the small woman. "Shine it on the ground and be careful where you step, but…"

"I'll hurry," she said softly and walked quickly up the road.

Starsky heard a rustling of footsteps across from him and aimed his gun and the flashlight at the intruder. Ed blinked stupidly at him. "Where's my wife?"

"Doing something helpful which is a lot more than I can say for you," Starsky spat out at the oaf. He was too busy pulling out t-shirts from the duffle to place over Hutch's wound to care about what he said to the man.

Ed lumbered over to where Starsky was still crouched down next to Hutch. "He dead?"

The gun and flashlight clambered to the ground as Starsky launched up at Wolbert. He grabbed him by the collar and shook him violently. "Don't you ever say anything about my partner again, you got that?" He shook him even more forcefully until he was sure he heard the man's teeth chatter. "You got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Back off!" Ed twisted out of Starsky's grip and stomped away.

The blood was rushing in Starsky's ears so strongly, he didn't hear Marla rushing back down the road toward him. "Mr. Starsky! Mr. Starsky! I found a building."

Starsky grabbed her by the shoulders and ignored Ed coming toward them. "You did? That's fantastic. And my name is Dave, okay?"

Marla nodded breathlessly. "Okay. It looks like an old shop of some kind. Maybe a car repair shop."

"You did good, darlin'." He turned toward Ed. "Help me get him up the road, Wolbert." Starsky could actually see the miserable man bite back a snide remark before nodding solemnly and moving toward Hutch.

"Hang on," Starsky said to Ed and then knelt down near Hutch's head. "Hey, Buddy, we are going to move you somewhere better than the ground, okay?"

"I can…walk."

"Let's see how you do. We are going to help you." Starsky looked up at Ed and motioned for him to come to Hutch's right side while he would support his left. Marla was already holding both flashlights and was prepared to light their way up the road. Starsky winked at her and she smiled shyly.

"Okay, slowly now." Starsky was looking at Ed but said it in a tone Ed knew was meant for Hutch. The two men sat Hutch up. Hutch moaned in agony. "Sorry, Pal. Take a few breaths then we are going to stand you up." Hutch nodded and they pulled him to his feet. Hutch's legs feebly moved underneath him. Starsky pressed himself up against Hutch's side and swung his right arm around Hutch's back, taking most of the weight. Ed made little effort to do more than hold up Hutch's arm.

The group made slow progress with Hutch panting with the effort.

"How far up was it, Marla?" Starsky asked the woman leading the way.

"Not far. We are almost there." She quickly moved one of the flashlights up to show the building they were heading toward then quickly moved the light back down to the ground as to not let Hutch trip.

"Hear that, Buddy? You'll be off your feet in no time."

"'Kay," was all Hutch could manage to say.

Starsky carefully maneuvered Hutch up the two steps onto a small porch outside the building. "Wolbert, open the door."

"It's locked," he said, not even attempting to try the door.

"So what," Starsky said taking on the additional weight of his partner as Wolbert let go of him.

Wolbert jiggled the knob. "See, I told you it was…" He was cut off as his wife stepped up, pushed him aside and smashed the window with one of the flashlights. She reached in and felt around until she found a deadbolt, unlocked the door and opened it.

Starsky snickered at the dumbfounded look on Ed's face as he watched his wife. He grabbed onto Hutch's belt in the back and got him walking. As he passed by Wolbert, he smiled at him. "Good woman you got there. You ought to appreciate her." He ignored the huff that Wolbert made into his ear as he passed.

"Here, over here," Marla said. Starsky followed her light and found her standing next to an old naugahyde sofa.

"Bingo. Here is your throne, your highness," Starsky said to Hutch as he tried to ignore the pain in the eyes that looked up at him once he got him settled. He grabbed a seat cushion from nearby and propped Hutch up.

"See if you can find some clean towels, darlin'," he said quietly to Marla who nodded and walked away after placing one flashlight into Starsky's hand.

Starsky heard Ed's heavy feet scrape across the floor as he came up behind him. Starsky tensed but then relaxed when he heard the man sit down in one of the other chairs in the small seating area.

Marla came back with two old but fairly clean towels and handed them to Starsky who used them to replace the soaked t-shirt wadded up on Hutch's wound.

"Unh, I'm okay, Starsk," Hutch said. He let out a hiss and arched away from the pain in his side.

"Sure you are. One hundred percent, right? Okay, ninety maybe," Starsky said with a grim laugh as he worked to stop the bleeding.

"I just need to rest a bit."

"You do that, Partner. We'll get you out of here tomorrow. Don't worry."

"Tomorrow?" Wolbert exclaimed. "Those goons will be back before then." He turned away from Starsky and ran his hand through his hair.

"Goons? How many, Ed? What exactly are we mixed up in, huh? I think I have a right to know after my partner here took a bullet I'm pretty sure was meant for you." Starsky's left hand balled into a fist and it was all he could do to keep from hauling off and belting Wolbert right in his selfish whiney face. He heard Hutch say something and whirled around, instantly forgetting his anger.

"He's not worth it, Starsk."

Starsky clenched his jaw tight and nodded. "I know that. But…"

Hutch shook his head but didn't need to say anymore. He smiled weakly at Starsky.

"I'm going to check around and see if there is something I can use to fix my car," Starsky said. He looked down at Hutch who had dozed off then over at the Wolberts. "Give a shout if he needs me."

"We will," Marla said and sat down near her husband who just stared off into space.

Starsky shook his head, picked up a flashlight and headed back out into the dim moonlight.

After Starsky was gone, Ed sat up straighter and stared at Hutch to make sure he was really asleep then looked over at his wife. "We will never get out of here with these two idiots."

"Of course we will, Ed. He said he would fix his car and we'd leave tomorrow."

"But what about San Souci and Rocchio, huh?" Ed said loudly, making Hutch stir. He lowered his voice. "They will be back."

"But Dave said he shot whoever was in the car."

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Ed hissed through his teeth. "The car drove away. That means one or both of them was still alive – right?" Marla jumped at his tone and Ed leaned toward her menacingly. She slunk down in her seat and Ed sneered at her then leaned back. He looked back at Hutch. "It's this one that is holding us up. If he was dead, he wouldn't slow us down."

"Stop it," Marla whispered. "Dave said he was going to be okay."

Ed rolled his eyes. "Dave, Dave, Dave. You got a thing for that schmuck? Huh?"

"What? No. He's just a nice man. Please calm down, Ed."

Ed snorted out a laugh. "You'd never have a chance with him. You're a scrawny old hag. He dates beautiful broads, ya know."

Marla sniffed. "Please stop."

Ed lunged at her and when she jumped and ran off, he snickered to himself.

~ S&H ~

Starsky poked around the old shop but couldn't find much of anything to help him. The place had been ransacked and all the good tools and supplies were gone. He pulled open the door of an old rusted jeep. The canvas was starting to rot. The back was empty and would hold the Wolberts, although not very comfortably. The passenger seat was in the best shape. Hutch's long legs would just fit. Sorry, but it will have to do, Buddy, Starsky thought to himself. He kicked the tires, which surprisingly still held air. They need to be topped off, he thought. He spotted a hand pump hanging from a wall. Bingo.

"Of course, no keys magically in the ignition." He rummaged under the seat then pulled down the visor above the driver's seat. A key fell onto the seat attached to an old leather keychain. "Score," Starsky said as he climbed into the seat. The engine coughed and sputtered. "Come on, baby," Starsky whispered to himself. He tried again with no luck so he jumped out to open the hood and inspect the engine.

~ S&H ~

Ed Wolbert glared at Hutch as he moaned in his sleep. He heard Marla go into the bathroom on the far end of the shop. Ed stood up and moved over to the sofa where Hutch was lying. He looked behind him for any sign of Starsky then reached down and placed his hand over Hutch's mouth. Hutch's eyes popped open in alarm and he struggled weakly against Ed.

"It's because of you we aren't going to get out of here," Ed hissed. "You're as good as dead anyway," he said as he tipped his head toward the oozing wound on Hutch's abdomen. Hutch's hands fumbled to pull the obstruction from his face just as Ed pinched Hutch's nose shut with his free hand. The struggling intensified. Ed's face became expressionless as he watched his prey's eyes widen and shine with wetness. After a moment, the eyes began to droop. The struggling lessened and then stopped. Ed's hands dropped to his sides as he heard the bathroom door open. He stared at Hutch's lifeless body, feeling nothing.

"What's going on?" Marla said from behind him.

Ed pasted a worried look on his face as he turned toward her. "I think he's dead."

Marla dropped the blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders and rushed to Hutch's side. She put her hand on his cheek. "Mr. Hutchinson? Wake up, Mr. Hutchinson." She gasped as she felt herself pushed onto the floor.

"Stop it, he's dead. See?" Ed put his fingers on Hutch's neck to feel for a pulse. There was none. "Dead as a doornail." His head snapped up as he heard an engine start out in the shop. "Hear that?" he said with a smile. "Stop your sniveling, we are getting out of here!"

~ S&H ~

In the shop, Starsky slammed the hood down and cut the engine off. He wiped his hands on his pants and headed back into the storefront of the building.

"Okay, we should be all set...," his voice trailed off as he spotted Marla in a heap near Hutch. "What's goin' on?"

Ed backed away slowly. "He…I think he died."

Starsky stopped in his tracks, his stomach falling down into his feet. "Hutch?" He forced himself forward toward the motionless figure on the sofa. "Buddy?" Hutch's eyes were closed, his mouth hung open as if he was mid scream. Starsky's vision narrowed to a pinpoint but he shook it off and willed his legs to hold him vertical. He reached slowly with his right hand and placed it on his best friend's neck. Please, please, God. Don't let him be gone, he thought to himself. He pulled his hand away rubbed his fingertips angrily and put them back on the pulse point. There was only cold lifeless skin beneath his fingers.

Marla's heart broke as she watch the man beside her fall to his knees. She pushed herself up and walked away as quiet sobs took over Starsky's frame. She looked over at her husband as he began to pace. She walked toward him, glaring at him with more anger than she could ever manage before this. She picked up the blanket from where she had dropped it and motioned with her head for Ed to follow her. They walked out into the cold.

"Yeah, give him a few minutes then we'll get…"

"What did you do?" Marla barked as she leaned toward Ed.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Did you have anything to do with that?" She pointed at the window at Starsky who had begun to pull himself to his feet.

Anger flashed across Ed's face but when Marla didn't back down, he stuttered, "He…he wasn't going to make it, Marla. We weren't going to get out of here with him holding us…"

"You son of a bitch," Marla choked out. "He got the car running. He got the car…running," she said through a sob.

"How was I to know…?" Ed began but clapped his mouth shut as Marla stormed back into the house. He slowly followed her.

"The Jeep should get us down the mountain to the sheriff," Starsky said quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Dave," Marla whispered as she came toward him. She reached out but Starsky backed away.

"Thanks," Starsky muttered, feeling as if her touch would open a floodgate he wasn't prepared to deal with.

"We'll help you get him into the Jeep," Marla said ignoring the sound of Ed's exasperated grunt.

Starsky looked in the direction of the shop then over at his friend. He had covered his face with a sheet. "I will drop you two off and come back for…him…and my car." The image of Hutch's battered body in the back of the old Jeep made bile rise in the back of his throat. He saw Marla nod and walk away with her husband trailing behind her. Starsky turned back to the figure on the sofa.

"I'll be back. I'll come back for you, Hutch. I promise." He grabbed the flashlight he had left on a side table, grabbed the duffle he had carried from the Torino, and left the building. The click of the latch covered the sound of a sheet rustling across the room.

~ S&H ~

Starsky drove in silence. Marla had taken the back and, despite the hard metal, had instantly fallen asleep. Starsky's mind flipped between utter dismay and abject fury over what had happened to Hutch. He would drop off the Wolberts without even mentioning to the Sheriff he was a cop, tell them what happened to Hutch and where he was and head right back to the shop. He no longer cared about the Torino. He'd figure that out later. He just wanted to make sure Hutch was properly taken care of. That's when he would explain he was a Bay City detective. His stomach lurched at the realization he would have to tell Dobey, Huggy, and worst of all, the Hutchinsons. It was all becoming too real. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't even notice the car pull out from a side road and get in line behind him. But Ed noticed and his head swung around.

"That's them," he said loudly making Marla jump. "Is it Rocchio?" she asked and Ed threw her a filthy look for mentioning the name.

Starsky pulled his weapon from his belt and placed it between his legs as he glanced in the rearview mirror. "That's the same car from before. What bullshit are you slinging, Wolbert, that got my partner killed, huh? I want the truth now!" Ed clamped his mouth shut. "Spill it!"

"They are drug dealers!" Marla yelped out.

"Shut up, woman!" Ed said and raised his hand to strike her. Starsky picked up his gun and pointed it toward Ed.

"Don't shoot him, please," she whimpered. Starsky felt a combination of disgust and pity for the woman as she tried to protect her husband.

"We'll just keep going until we reach civilization and then…" A shot rang out and the sound of it ricocheting off the vehicle made them all duck. Starsky dropped his gun on the dashboard, grabbed the wheel with his left hand and used his right to push Marla down below the canvas sides. "Stay down, honey." He saw anger flash across Ed's face but didn't care about the man. He heard another shot ring out and felt it hit the Jeep. He continued to speed down the mountain watching for signs showing they were nearing town. The Jeep began to sputter and buck.

"What the hell is wrong!" Ed shouted.

"Must have hit the fuel tank. Gas gauge is plummeting," Starsky said as he looked around for a place to run once the vehicle stopped. "When I stop, jump out and run into the woods, you hear me?" The sun was rising so they no longer had cover of darkness to help them. He wasn't sure how they would survive this and was sure the men chasing them would kill him without blinking an eye. His heart sank wondering if Hutch would ever be found once he himself was dead. I'm sorry, Buddy, he thought sadly. He slammed on the brakes, "Go, go, go!" Starsky jumped out of the driver's side door and aimed his gun but was blinded by a second set of headlights coming up behind the sedan. It crashed into the back of the black sedan sending the driver's head forward into the windshield. Starsky grimaced at the sight. He kept his gun aimed at the sole occupant of the sedan until he was sure he was dead then turned to the other car: a red and white Torino. Confusion clouded Starsky's mind as he walked slowly toward it. A blond head bobbed up and down in the driver's seat then the driver leaned back with a moan.

"Hutch!"

"What the hell happened?"

"What the…you're alive!"

"No thanks to you, you left me for dead back there. I tried calling out to you when you drove off."

Starsky continued to stare in disbelief at his bleeding, hurt partner. "You followed us – in this?"

Hutch looked around in confusion. "I forgot the brakes were bad." He smiled up at his partner. "Goes pretty fast down a mountain, though." He coughed and winced.

"I have to get you to a hospital, Hutch. But the Jeep is out of gas, the sedan is…uninhabitable, and the brakes are bad in my car. He looked at the damage done to the front of the car and groaned. "It's a mess but the engine is still running."

"Sorry," hushed breathed out.

"S'okay, Buddy." Starsky reached into the car and helped Hutch from behind the wheel. He opened the back door and gently eased Hutch onto the back seat. "Hang in there. Don't die on me again!"

"What?"

"Never mind. I'll tell ya later." Starsky closed the back door and shouted into the dim woods near the Jeep. "Marla? It's safe to come out!" He waited until he heard rustling to know the couple was coming back. He went around to the passenger side and waited. Marla slowly emerged from the trees.

"Dave?"

"Come on, we have to get Hutch to a hospital," Starsky urged. He took Marla by the elbow ignoring the look of bewilderment on her face and helped her into the car. Ed was walking slowly by the black sedan, nervous that he was still in danger. When he reached the Torino, Starsky hauled off and punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

"What the hell?" Ed said rubbing his aching jaw.

"Someone will be back for you. And if you want to run, I really don't give a rat's ass, you selfish…" Starsky looked over at Marla who seemed embarrassed for her husband. He huffed and quickly walked around and got in his car. It took a minute to pull loose from the sedan. Ed never got up off the ground.

He eased around the wreck and began the ride down to the valley and to the closest hospital. He used the emergency brake to slow the car.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" Hutch said from the back and Starsky grinned.

~ S&H ~

"Shock, huh?" Starsky said smiling.

"That's the only way I can explain what happened to Detective Hutchinson," the doctor said. With the bullet wound trauma and then Mr. Wolbert cutting off his air, he went into shock. His breathing and heart slowed enough to not be noticeable."

"I'm sitting right here. Do you mind not talking about me like I'm not here?" Hutch asked with a look of annoyance on his face. Starsky chuckled. "It's not funny. You left me there!"

Starsky tried to stop smiling but he was just too damn happy to have Hutch warm and alive and complaining. "I told you why, Hutch." He laughed again as Hutch turned his face away. "I'm sorry."

"Well, I'll be around if you need me, Detective. But I think all you need is rest and fluids for a few days."

"Thanks, Dr. White."

"Yeah, thanks a million, Doc," Starsky said, patting the man on the back.

"Oh, there is a young lady outside that wants to see you. I'll send her in."

Dr. White opened the door and motioned to Marla to come in. He smiled at the small group and left.

"Hi," Marla said shyly as she approached the bed.

"Hi yourself," Starsky said.

"It's a miracle," she said looking at Hutch in wonder.

"Well, I don't know about that," Hutch said with a tired smile.

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to apologize to you both."

"Apologize?" both Starsky and Hutch said in tandem.

"Yes, for what Ed put you through." She looked from Starsky to Hutch and then back to Starsky. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, you have nothing to apologize for. You were caught up in his misery," Starsky said as he put an arm around the small woman and pulled her close to his side.

"What's going to happen now? I heard he turned himself in," Hutch said.

"He'll face a judge for many things, including attempted…murder," her voice broke and Starsky pulled her closer. "I'm sorry," she choked out and then cleared her throat. "I'm going to file for divorce."

"Good for you, Marla," Hutch said.

"Yeah, I'm proud of ya."

Marla smiled meekly. "Thank you."

"When the divorce is final, come on over to Bay City and we'll have a party," Starsky said.

Marla giggled. "Okay."

"I'll fix ya up with a young stud!"

"Starsky!" Hutch said, horrified.

"What? I'm thinking Rizzi – oo, or Caine! Can't you see them with this pretty lady on their arm?" Starsky asked but Hutch just rolled his eyes.

"One step at a time," Marla said, blushing. "I'm just so thankful you are okay, Ken." She felt Starsky draw in a deep breath and she looked up at him. "And you too."

"Me?"

Marla nodded. "Yes. There is a connection between the two of you that I saw break." Her eyes shone with tears and she shook her head slowly back and forth looking down at the floor. She sighed then looked back up. "I hope you are friends for a long, long time."

Hutch reached out and took her hand. "We will be, don't worry."

"Hey, what makes you so sure, Blondie? It's a struggle being your partner, you know that?"

"A struggle? You struggle? Let me tell you, I wouldn't leave you behind, Gordo!"

"I told you I was sorry!"

Marla kissed each man's cheek as they argued then slipped out the door.

The End