A Disturbance In The Force

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE
BY
TOOKI

Starsky romped the gas pedal and watched the needle bounce to seventy miles an hour. He didn't think about the rain falling that made visibility almost zero. The back end of the Torino fishtailed then the tires grabbed the pavement speeding him toward home.
A hand reached over and gripped his arm, "Dave honey please slow down," said a female voice from the passengers seat. "You aren't going to help Ken by killing us."
Starsky didn't even hear Melanie his current girlfriend; he just gripped the steering wheel tighter and willed the car to go faster since he didn't dare push the speed limit much more. He tried not to think about Hutch for every time he did he felt the cold fingers of fear squeeze his heart. What if he didn't make it? What if he wasn't in time? What if… Starsky shook the thoughts from his head so he could concentrate on the rain slick roadway.

That Friday morning had started out great; he and Hutch had a three-day weekend. The two detectives along with their girlfriends were planning on spending that time in Carmel. Hutch and Mandy had wanted to camp at Big Sur but Starsky had refused so they settled on a beach side cottage in Carmel.
Starsky had picked up Melanie and had just parked in front of Hutch's apartment when Hutch came down the stairs meeting his partner on the sidewalk. He had a sad expression on his face. "Hey Starsk, Mandy just called she has the flu." Hutch said as he waved at Melanie.
"Oh," Starsky said frowning. "That's okay why don't you still come?"
Hutch rolled his eyes, "Just what the two of you need a third wheel following you around."
"You aren't a third wheel my friend." Starsky protested.
"Just what am I suppose to do while you love birds walk the beach?" Hutch questioned. "I can sit and watch TV here."
"We can stay home too." Starsky said.
Hutch sighed then laughed at his best friend. "Listen Starsky I'm a big boy I can take care of myself for a few days uh? You and Mel go and have a good time. I'll go over and check on Mandy during the weekend she might need something."
"You sure?" Starsky asked eyeing his partner.
"Very! Now go have a good time." Hutch said leading Starsky around to the driver's side of the car. He opened the door. "Get in."
"What's up?" Melanie asked leaning across the car.
"Mandy's sick," Hutch explained for a second time.
"Sorry Hutch," she said. "You want to come with us?"
"Oh no I'm going through this again," Hutch chuckled. "You two get out of here and have a blast uh?"
"Okay but if you need me…" Starsky began.
"Will you just go!" Hutch interrupted.
"Fine, I'm going I'm going."
Just as Starsky was about to drive off Hutch called, "Hey Starsky!"
Starsky leaned out the window, "Yeah?"
"Don't be late to work on Monday." Hutch chided.
"Now would I do that to you buddy?" Starsky asked.
"Yes," Hutch said simply. Starsky drove off with a final wave to his partner.
Hutch climbed the stairs to his second floor apartment, he sighed as he opened the door he had really been looking forward to a weekend away. It wasn't often that they got a full three days off. He flopped on the couch as he turned on the TV, after surfing all the channels and finding nothing Hutch called Mandy.
"Hello?" the brunette croaked in to the phone that was followed by a sneeze.
"Hey hon," Hutch said.
"Ken," Mandy smiled even though she felt terrible.
"How are you feeling?"
"Awful and even worse at spoiling our plans," Mandy sniffed.
"Hey don't worry about that, there will be other weekends," Hutch soothed.
"We have been dating six months and this is the first time you have been off a whole weekend," Mandy said.
"Well duty calls," Hutch answered.
Mandy sneeze again then blew her nose. She still wasn't sure she liked dating a cop, when he was at work she worried he was going to get killed and when he was with her she worried he would be called away at any moment. "I know."
"You need anything?" Hutch asked hoping that she would say yes just so he had something to do.
"No not really, just need some sleep," Mandy answered.
"Okay but if you need anything just call."
"I will."

"David Starsky you aren't pouting are you?" Melanie asked as she caught up with Starsky who was kicking the sand as he was walking along the beach.
He looked around and grinned at her. "Why would I be pouting? I'm here with this beautiful girl on this beautiful beach."
"And without your best friend." She grinned at him. After the last five months she had learned to accept Ken being there most of the time. They usually doubled with him and Mandy. The girls had become fast friends and neither of them minded spending time with the other couple.
Starsky looked at her then gave her a gentle shove. "Tag you're it!" he yelled and dashed off down the beach with Melanie in hot pursuit. When it didn't look like she was going to catch him Starsky slowed down allowing her to tackle him. They both fell in the warm sand laughing; he rolled Melanie over on her back and kissed her.
Two little kids armed with sand pails and shovels stopped digging in the sand to watch the couple. Melanie over balance Starsky and rolled him over, she straddled him on her knees and picked up a hand full of sand like she was going to throw it in his hair.
"My mommy says it's not nice to throw sand." The little girl piped up.
Melanie looked behind her realizing for the first time that they had an audience. She dropped the sand, "your mommy is right."
Starsky grinned up at Melanie who was distracted and pushed her off him. She sprawled in the sand face first. She raised up spitting sand from her mouth and glared at him.
The little boy stepped forward, "That wasn't very nice." He said advancing on Starsky. "You want me to take care of him for you?"
It was all Melanie could do to keep from laughing. "Well," she said looking thoughtful. "You better not you wouldn't want to hurt him."
The boy balled up his little fists. "Okay but if he does that again I'll just have to hurt him."
Starsky was desperately trying not to laugh as the boy came to with in inches of him. "I'm really sorry," Starsky apologized.
"That's better." The boy said seeming satisfied that he had righted a wrong.
"Bobby, Caroline?" A voice called from one of the beach houses.
"That's our mommy, we got to go," Caroline said as she picked up her pail and shovel heading for the house.
The boy did the same and followed his sister then he stopped and turned around. "You be nice to her." Bobby warned.
"I will I promise," Starsky said putting his hand over his heart. "Cross my heart."

Hutch opened his eyes and looked around at first unsure of where he was. Then he remembered he had fallen asleep on the couch watching an old western. He stretched out the kinks and looked at the TV, the movie was long over and now an infomercial was playing. Hutch started to give Mandy a call but thought better of it since it was so late, instead he decided to go to bed.
Early the next morning the ringing phone roused him from his sleep as he rolled over to answer it Hutch realized he was still in his clothes. "Yeah," he said sleepily.
"Hey buddy how's it going? Mandy feeling better?" Starsky asked on the other end.
"What time is it?" Hutch asked squinting at his bedside clock.
"Six."
"A.M.?" Hutch asked. "You never get out of bed this early."
"Mel wanted to watch the sun come up." Starsky explained. "Since I was up I thought I would just give you a call."
"Gee thanks partner," Hutch grumbled.
"So how's Mandy?" Starsky asked again.
"She was feeling pretty bad last night. I think I'll go over to Huggy's and get her some of his chicken soup." Hutch said as he swung his legs over the edge of bed. "You guys having fun?"
"Yeah," Starsky said then cupped his hand around his mouth. " I need to come home to get some sleep though."
Hutch laughed. "Maybe tomorrow you can talk Mel into missing the sun rise."
"I sure hope so."
After taking a shower and eating breakfast Hutch decided to just drop in on Mandy. It was too early for the chicken soup so he settled on a bunch of daises from a corner stand. It was nearly ten when he knocked on Mandy's door.
Finally after several knocks she opened the door. She was wearing a ratty old bathroom, her hair was a mess and her nose was red and runny. "Oh god Ken what are you doing here? " Mandy asked trying to smooth her rumbled hair. "I look a mess."
He kissed the top of her head. "I didn't come her to see what you looked like," he said gently holding out the flowers to her.
She took them and smiled up at him. "You are so sweet. I would give you a big kiss but I don't want to infect you."
"Oh what the hell infect me then we can be sick together." He laughed.
"But then who would get the soup?" she asked going to find a vase for the flowers.
"That's easy I know the owner he'll bring it by," Hutch teased.
"Huggy would to wouldn't he?" Mandy said reappearing with the flowers. She sat them on the table and grabbed a tissue just in time before she sneezed again. "Damn, I hate being sick."
"Is there anything you need?"
"Yeah you to leave and come back in thirty minutes so that I can look better." Mandy told him.
He pulled her into his arms. "You look just fine."

Starsky and Melanie strolled down the beach in the moonlight arm in arm. The beach was empty except for other couples like them. As they looked out over the ocean they could see dark storm clouds beginning to cover the moon lit sky. A few streaks of lightening could be seen in the distance.
"Looks like we are going to be in for a storm." Starsky said as he took a deep breath, he could smell the rain in the air. "I think we had better head back."
Melanie nodded and they turned back the way they had come. Suddenly Starsky stopped dead still. "What's wrong?" Melanie asked.
"I don't know," Starsky almost whispered. "But have you ever gotten the feeling that something is wrong? That something has happened?"
Melanie nodded, "Sure a disturbance in the force."
Starsky smiled briefly at her analogy, "Something is wrong I can feel it."
"It's just the storm coming in, they always make me uneasy." Melanie offered up.
"Yeah you are probably right." Starsky said trying to shrug off the feeling of dread.

Hutch stopped at Huggy's to get Mandy some of his chicken soup before heading over to her place. He had decided that he would just take the chance and sleep on her couch. He would rather get sick than spend another night watching old movies and infomercials alone.
When Hutch stepped into the bar he found it crowded, smoke hung in the air in lung clogging clouds. He made his way toward the bar through the crowd. Huggy was pouring beers and yelling at the waitresses to hurry up. "Take it easy Hug," Hutch said when he got with in hearing distance of his friend.
"Hey man," Huggy said as he sat a brew in front of a customer at the bar. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Starsky were taking your lovely's to Carmel for the weekend."
"Yeah me too but Mandy got sick at the last minute." Hutch explained. "That's what I'm doing here. You got any of that chicken soup on the stove?"
"You are in luck Angie started a big pot this afternoon." Huggy said. "Want enough for two?"
"You read my mind," Hutch said grinning at the barkeeper.
Hutch with the soup wedged next to the seat so it wouldn't spill pulled out into traffic, he got several blocks away when his car suddenly stalled and died. Sighing he cranked it several times before the engine turned over and he was on his way. As he got on the freeway he noticed storm clouds gathering in the distance Hutch stepped on the gas hoping to get to Mandy's before the heavens opened up on him.
He was almost to her exit when the car lurched, sputtered and then died. "Shit," Hutch muttered under his breath as he turned the key, the engine ground but didn't turn over. He tried several more times but to no avail. "Shit."

"Hey Mitch," called a voice from the back seat of the Trans Am. "Pass that bottle back here, Tammy and I would like some before you drink it all."
"Hold your horses," Mitch said over his shoulder as he took another drink from the bottle of beer then he put it in his friends out stretched hand.
"I wish you guys would take it easy," pouted the girl sitting next to Mitch she was dressed in a long blue evening gown. "You are going to be so drunk by the time we get to prom it's not going to be any fun."
"God Sara you can be such a drag sometimes," Mitch said.
"Listen here Mitchell I paid a lot for this dress." She stormed at her date.
"Don’t call me Mitchell you sound like my mother," he said leaning close to her. The car swerved into the lane next to them. A van honked and sped on by them once Mitch had jerked the car back into his lane.
"Maybe Sara is right Mitch," Tammy said from the back seat. "There will be plenty of time to drink once we are at prom."
"Stop being such a mother," Larry said taking a drink from the bottle. "What can happen?"
Mitch tipped his head back laughing. It all happened so fast that he never saw it coming. Sara screamed as Mitch drifted over two lanes and on to the shoulder. There was a car stopped with its flashers on and the hood up. A man stepped around the front of the car right in front of them, Mitch tried to pull the car back on the road but it was too late, he hit the man sending him careening down the embankment. Then the car began sliding out of control into on coming traffic. The car of teens was broadsided by a pick up truck. Both vehicles burst in to flames, the driver of the truck staggered from the wreck but the teens were trapped in side their burning car.

After turning on his flashers Hutch was able to push his heap over on to the shoulder of the freeway. He opened the hood and was going around the car to get a flashlight when he saw headlights coming his way. Hutch didn't even have time to get out of the way before the car slammed into him sending him rolling into the ditch next to the road. Hutch didn't feel his body hit the ground or his ribs, and arm break. He didn't feel his shoulder and hip pop out of joint or his leg shatter. There was only

"Dave?" Melanie called when she found his side of the bed empty. She looked at the bedside clock it was nearly one a.m.
"Over here," he answered letting the curtains fall back into place the rain was coming down in sheets.
"You sick?"
Starsky sighed, "No, just can't sleep. I still have that feeling something's not right."
"Come back to bed," she smiled in the darkness as she tossed back the covers and patted the spot beside her. "I think I can take your mind of what's bothering you."
Starsky looked at her a moment then shook his head. "Mel something is wrong very wrong. Something has happened to Hutch."
"You are just feeling guilty about leaving him behind that's all." She got up and joined him at the window. Melanie pulled back the curtains to look out as she did there was a streak of lightening and the loud rumble of thunder. "I bet he and Mandy are all curled up together watching a video or something."
"Yeah you're right," Starsky said reluctantly leaving the window, he sat down on the side of the bed and looked at the phone. "I would probably wake them if I called."
Melanie pushed him down on the bed and straddled him, "yes you would." She leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips. "You aren't going to waste the night worrying are you?"
Starsky shook his head and kissed her back, "I guess I'm just being silly."

It was nearing ten o'clock when Mandy worriedly called The Pits. Hutch had called her about six to tell her he was on his way to Huggy's to get them some dinner. At first she just thought he had lost track of time shooting the bull with Huggy but when as it grew later she began to worry.
"The Pits," said the unmistakable voice of Huggy.
"Hi Huggy, its Mandy."
"How ya doing girl? That soup fix you all up?" Huggy asked.
"So Ken has been there?" Mandy asked as fear ran up her spine.
"Yeah left here a couple hours ago."
"He hasn't shown up yet, that's not like him." Mandy fretted.
"You call his apartment?"
"Of course," Mandy answered annoyed that Huggy would even ask such a question. "Several times there was no answer."
"I'll do some checking," Huggy assured her. "Don't worry your pretty little head, maybe he went down to the station and got tied up."

The freeway had been turned into a parking lot as the first spatters of rain hit the pavement. By the time the fire engine was able to maneuver through the traffic the car full of kids was fully engulfed in flames. Several by standers had seen the teens trying to break out the windows by pounding on them with their fists but the heat was too intense for anyone to get close enough to help. Their cries had been heart breaking; one woman had covered her ears and turned away. The police had stood by helplessly as the inferno burned unable to do anything until the fire trucks arrived.
The hoses were rolled out and water pumped on the flaming car but they all knew it was too late. Nothing could save the children now. The driver of the truck sat in the middle of one of the lanes sobbing. A woman was trying to comfort him telling him it wasn't his fault, that they were the ones out of control.
Finally the two vehicles were put out and the man from the truck loaded in to a waiting ambulance. The firemen began the task of clearing the mess so that traffic could flow. Hutch's car at the side of the road had gone unnoticed until a boy who had seen the car of teens hit someone by the car spoke up.
"Get back in the car Jimmy," the boy's mother commanded. "It's almost cleaned up." She had tried to keep him in the car but he had wanted to see.
"But mom what about the other person?" He asked.
"What other person?" Carla asked as she looked at her watch. They were now an hour late she would never get dinner on the table in time to get to choir practice.
"There was somebody walking by that car over there," Jimmy said pointing toward Hutch's car.
"It's just somebody that over heated from having to wait honey," she answered. "Get in the car you are getting soaked."
"But mom, that car was there before the wreck. I saw a man come around the car," he insisted.
Carla opened her car door, grabbing her son's arm, "Get in the car this instant."
Jimmy jerked away from her and ran toward one of the policemen. "Sir," he called.
The officer turned, "You shouldn't be out here son."
"That car over there, I think the driver of it was hit too." Jimmy explained.
"Doesn't look damaged," the officer said looking the way the boy was pointing.
"No you don't understand, it wasn't the car that was hit but the driver. He was out of his car." Jimmy insisted.
"I'm sorry officer," Carla said coming up behind Jimmy. "Jimmy get in that car or you are going to be grounded until you are twenty."
"But mom…"
"Don't but mom me young man, now move it." Carla pushed him toward the car.
Jimmy sighed and mumbled under his breath, "Why don't grownups every listen to little kids?"

The teens car was loaded on to a flat bed tow truck to be hauled to the impound lot where it would be gone through to pick out the remains of the kids in side. Two squad cars that were in the median pulled across the freeway. Once they were parked on the shoulder the traffic was release to go about their business.
Officer Tom Mackenzie got out of his squad car and leaned up against it. Don Clancy the policeman from the other car joined him. "Man what an evening," Tom commented. Both men were dirty and tired. The rain had slacked for the moment to just a drizzle and darkness had settled in around them.
The flashing taillights from a car several yards ahead of them caught their attention. "Looks like somebody is having car trouble." Don sighed. "I guess we better see if they need any help before we take off."
The two officers walked toward the car, "I don't see a driver do you?" Don shook his head and shined his flashlight around to see if perhaps they were sitting on the side of the road.
When they reached the car he shined his light into the front seat only to find it empty. "Shit this is a cops car," Don said when he noticed the equipment.
Tom ran around to the front of the car training his light down the slight embankment. "Holy crap," he exclaimed when his flashlight found the crumbled body. "Get a life squad back out here!" Tom maneuvered the slick grass until he reached the body. He couldn't tell if he was alive or dead, Tom touched the man's arm, which hung in an awkward position but man didn't make a sound. He moved around to get a better look at the face of the injured man. Tom sucked in his breath as he recognized the face.

Starsky paced the room still unable to sleep, the feeling that something was wrong had worsened until he couldn’t stand it any longer. It was after two but at this point, he didn’t care if he woke Hutch and Mandy up. He figured they would be at her place since she was sick so he dialed her number. After the tenth ring, he hung up frowning, then he tried Hutch’s number but there wasn’t an answer there either. He just knew it something had happened. They should be at once place or another. Even if she had gotten to feeling better they would have been home by this time.
Melanie stirred in her sleep, "Come on back to bed Hon," she mumbled.
"I can’t something is wrong," Starsky stated.
"Oh you aren’t back on that again are you," she sighed with out opening your eyes. "For heaven sakes just call them. Then at least we can get some sleep."
"That’s just it Mel," Starsky said turning on the lights. "I just tired to call nobody is home."
Melanie sat up in bed worried for the first time. "You tried both places?"
"Yeah, I’m really worried Mel where would they be this time of night?"
"Maybe busy and not answering the phone," she suggested but not believing it herself, she knew from experience that they both always answered the telephone no matter what they were involved in. "Look if you are really that worried let’s leave at first light and go home."
Starsky looked at Melanie apologetically. "I’m sorry to be such a drag honey."
She shook his apology away, "I’m worried now too. Why don’t you try and give them a call again."
Just as Starsky started to pick up the phone rang startling them both. He grabbed the receiver and said in a tentative voice, "Hello?"
"Starsky?" asked the voice on the other end.
Starsky felt his whole body go numb there was no way Dobey would be calling unless something had happened to Hutch. "Where is Hutch?"

The paramedics worked on Hutch a full thirty minutes before loading him into the ambulance. They had been almost afraid to move him for fear they would hurt him worse. However, Hutch’s vitals began dropping dangerously low and they knew they had no choice but to chance moving him.
Don banged on the back of the ambulance to let the driver know that all was loaded in and the door was shut. As it pulled away, siren-screaming Tom joined Don to watch the ambulance speed down the highway. "Don’t think I have ever seen anyone that bad off and still be alive." Don commented.
"I wonder where Starsky is, they are usually together." Tom said as both men turned to head back to their cruisers. "You got his number?" Don shook his head no. "I’ll radio downtown and have somebody tell Dobey what happened. I’m sure he’ll know how to reach his partner."

Harold Dobey just happened to be spending a late night at the office. Edith his wife had taken the children to visit her mother so Dobey thought it would be a chance to catch up on the paper work that had been piling up on his desk all week long.
He had just taken a bite out of this hamburger when the phone rang. He grunted, wiped his hands and mouth then picked up the phone. "Dobey."
"Captain Dobey, this is Judy at the main desk. One of our officers called in and wanted me to relay a message to you." She said, she hated being the barer of bad news. "Detective Hutchinson was involved in a traffic accident early this evening."
"In Carmel?" Dobey asked confused. "What about Starsky?"
"No, it happened here about seven, it was all over the news Captain. A car full of teens was killed."
"How does this involve my detective?"
"Seems from what the officer told me he was stranded on the side of the road and was hit when the car carrying the kids went out of control." Judy explained.
"Was he hurt badly?" Dobey asked laying down the remains of his sandwich.
"Captain, Hutch was not in the car apparently he had gotten out to see what the problem was. Judy answered.
"Dear God," Dobey breathed. "Thanks Judy."

Dobey had called Huggy who in turned called Mandy then drove over to her apartment to pick her up. He knew that she was in no state to be driving from the way she had sounded when he gave her the news. Dobey said he would call Starsky and then meet them at the hospital.
When Huggy knocked on Mandy’s door she was dressed in sweat pants and a baggy shirt ready to leave. "How bad is he?" she wanted to know the moment she opened the door.
Huggy shook his head, "I don’t know Dobey didn’t say. He just said we should get to the hospital."
Mandy had just fallen asleep when Huggy had called. Her cold compounded by her worry for Hutch hadn’t allowed her to get much sleep. She had pounced on the phone when it rang, she knew it was bad news before she even hear Huggy’s voice on the other end.

"He was in a bad car accident Starsky," Dobey said solemnly, he was now standing in the waiting room of the emergency room. He had been told that it didn’t look good. That there was extensive damage and the detective might not make it though the night. His hip and shoulder had taken the brunt of the force from the car and he had a pretty serious concussion from hitting the ground. One of his lungs had been punctured by his broken ribs but both his shoulder and hip had been popped back into place with relative ease. They were waiting for more x-rays to see if there was internal bleeding.
"Is he awake?" Starsky asked.
"No, I’m afraid not. You had better come."

The car fishtailed again almost sending them off the side of the road; their only saving grace was that the road was deserted due to the inclement weather and the lateness of the hour.
"Damn it!" Melanie yelled. "Will you slow down? We are going to be right in the hospital along with Ken if you don’t."
"Mel you don’t understand," Starsky said as he pushed the speed up near seventy again.
"I do understand, I love him too but getting us killed won’t help."
"I have to get there I have to be in time." Starsky worried. "I can’t let him go through this alone."
"Didn’t Dobey say he was unconscious?" Melanie asked softly.
"It doesn’t matter I still want to be there." Starsky wiped the fogged up windshield furiously. "If he dies I have to be there to say good bye."
"Dave he’s not going to die." Melanie said in what she hoped was a reassuring voice.
"Mel it doesn’t sound good not at all." Starsky said as he pushed the gas pedal a bit more sending the needle toward the eighty mark.

Huggy and Mandy arrived at the hospital just as Dobey was returning from getting a bad cup of coffee from the vending machine down the hall.
"How is he Captain Dobey?" Mandy asked.
Dobey shook his head, "I don’t know haven’t heard since I got here. All I know is that they are trying to get him stabilized enough to go to surgery.
"Dave needs to be here," she said in a trembling voice.
"On his way," Dobey answered.
The three sat down on in the waiting room chairs to wait. There was nothing else they could do. They were all lost in their own thoughts when a doctor came down the hall. "You here for Detective Hutchinson?" he asked poking his head in the room.
They stood up with Dobey speaking. "Yes Doctor, how is he?"
"Well," the doctor began. "He is finally stable enough to get up to surgery. His leg needs to repaired it was shattered. The arm has already been set and cast. We also need to repair the damage done to his lung. The x-rays are back there doesn’t seem to be any internal bleeding but we will keep a close eye on him, it doesn’t always show up. His cat scan came back normal, no brain damage. He is breathing on his own which is very good. All and all I would say that Mr. Hutchinson is a very lucky man."
"How long will he be in surgery?" Mandy asked though her tears.
"Couple of hours barring any complications." The doctor asked.
"Complications?" she repeated holding her breath.
"We just don’t know what we will find once we get in there." He patted her on the shoulder. "I had better get ready, either I or one of the nurses will tell you when he is in recovery."

Thankful the rain finally stopped and as dawn approached Starsky pushed his speed even faster. He wondered if Hutch was still alive, he would never forgive himself if he missed his friends finally moments. Melanie sat silently in the seat next to him, praying they would reach the hospital in one piece but she knew it would do her no good to ask him to slow down again. She wanted to get there just as badly as Starsky.
Finally, he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, parking Starsky leaped from the car making a mad dash to the hospital emergency room. First he checked the waiting room but didn’t find anyone he knew then he went to the desk. "Ken Hutchinson, where is he?" Starsky asked franticly.
"I’m sorry but there is nobody by that name in emergency." The nursing answered checking her records.
He looked around to see if Dobey, Mandy or Huggy was there some place. This could mean only one thing Hutch was dead and they had gone home. He was almost panic-stricken when Melanie caught up with him. "What do you mean he’s not here." Starsky roared at the woman behind the desk.
Melanie put her hand on his shoulder trying to calm him. "His partner Detective Hutchinson was brought in last night. He was hit by a car." Melanie explained to the nurse.
The nurse nodded and checked earlier records. "Yes he was here, he was taken to surgery a couple of hours ago. If there are family members waiting they should be on the surgical floor." Starsky started for the elevators then stopped and turned to look at the nurse. "Fourth floor."

Mandy had fallen asleep leaning on Huggy’s shoulder while Dobey paced the room. Dobey checked his watch every few minutes wondering where Starsky was. The two men heard footsteps coming down the hall and Huggy roused up Mandy when the doctor stepped into the waiting room.
"He came through the surgery just fine. He’s a tough man with a strong will to live," the doctor told them. "He will take a while to recover fully but there is no reason he wouldn’t be as good as new.
"Thank you Doctor," Mandy said tearfully. "When can we see him?"
"You need to give him some time to wake up." The doctor explained. "Why don’t you all go home and get some rest, come back in a few hours he should be awake by then. Oh and is there a Starsky here?"
"Right here," Starsky said coming in the waiting room behind the doctor, Melanie appeared behind him. "Is he alright?"
"He is going to be just fine," the doctor explained a second time. "He was asking for you just before we put him under. He kept saying where is Starsky, find Starsky."
"I have to see him," Starsky said.
"He’s in recovery it will be a while before he wakes up." The doctor told the detective.
"I don’t care I want to be there when he does wake up." Starsky was determined to be there.
"Alright, follow me." The doctor said seeing there was no way he could persuade Starsky to leave.
The doctor led him into a room that was waiting for Hutch when he came out of recovery. "They will be bringing him in any moment."
Starsky sat down in a chair near the bed but soon hopped up again. He wouldn’t be rid of this antsy feeling until he saw for himself that his partner was all right. Finally he heard a noise in the hall and an orderly pushed open the door. The orderly along with a nurse transferred Hutch to his hospital bed from the gurney after making sure he was settled in and all his IV’s were working they both left.
Starsky leaned over the bed to look at Hutch, he picked up his hand and held it. "I’m here buddy, I made it back. Looks like you had a rough time of it. You just sleep I’ll be here when you wake up." Starsky pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down propping his feet on the edge of the bed. Finally, he was able to fall asleep.
Several hours later Starsky awoke to his name being called. He leaped up, "Hutch I’m here."
Slowly Hutch opened his eyes and looked at his friend. "Where am I?"
"You don’t remember what happened?" Starsky asked. He shook his head slowly; all he knew was he had one hell of a headache and he felt like he had been run over by a truck which he told his partner. "Well close enough, you were hit by a car load of kids on the freeway."
"All I kept wondering was where you were," Hutch said looking at Starsky.
Starsky smiled at him. "I knew the moment you got hit. I kept having this feeling something was wrong that something had happened to you." After talking to Dobey and piecing together the order of events, Starsky realized that he started having his bad feelings the exact time Hutch had been hit. "It was so weird, this feeling just came over me. I should have headed home right then."
"You couldn’t have done anything and you are here now my friend." Hutch said sleepily. He had a tight hold on Starsky’s hand.
Starsky reached behind him and pulled the chair next to the bed and sat down with out releasing Hutch’s hand. "You sleep I’ll be right here." Starsky whispered.
THE END