Starsky gave another futile pull on the handcuffs, though the tug was weaker then the last ones, in the back of his mind he knew it pointless, neither the handcuffs nor the thick metal pool ladder would break, but still he kept trying. He was trapped in the deep end of the pool the water steadily growing deeper. The water was lapping around his neck, threatening to go over his face. His legs were tired from treading water and bracing against the wall as he tried to keep above the rising water, though he knew soon that wouldn't make a difference either. His hands were fastened to one of the lower rungs and all to soon the water would be too deep.

Hutch had tried the front door, but had got nothing. He contemplated kicking the door in, but decided to run around the back of the house instead. He saw Victor Rathe, the murderer he and Starsky had been hunting when Starsky disappeared, standing by the pool with two of his henchmen and ducked, so as not to be seen by them. He clutched his

magnum tightly, then stood up quickly. None of the three men had their weapons drawn. "Hold it Rathe! All of you keep your hands where I can see them!" The three criminals froze, but their faces still seemed smug. It was then that he had become aware of the fact that the pool was quickly filling. A sense of apprehension knotted his stomach as he moved closer. In a few seconds he would be able to get his hands on Rathe and his men... and take a peek in the pool.

"I was wondering when you would join us, Hutchinson. You're partner has already been my guest for quite some time." Victor told the blond detective.

Hutch kept his gun trained steadily on Rathe. "Where is he?" he growled.

"In deep water." Victor said, laughing at his own joke.

Starsky could only faintly hear a few words, though not really what was being said. He had thought he had heard Hutch's voice the moment before the water became too deep for him to open his mouth to call out, it was all he could do now to breathe through his nose - and it seemed that too was becoming a losing battle.

Hutch sidestepped over to the pool, careful not to let his guard on Rathe slip. He peeked over the side to see Starsky's head disappearing under the water. Shit! he thought. He pulled handcuffs out of his pocket and locked Rathe and his men together with two of the pairs and used a third to bind the three of them to a sturdy fence in the yard after quickly removing their weapons. Sure that they were not going to get free and kill both him *and* his partner, he holstered his gun and jumped into the pool.

"YOU'RE TOO LATE, HUTCHINSON, YOU'LL NEVER FIND THE KEY!" Rathe yelled, laughing maniacally, he had won half the battle, he had got rid of one of those annoying cops.

Hutch ignored him, heading directly to Starsky. Starsky was turning blue from lack of air. He would suffocate if Hutch didn't get him out soon. He swam up to the surface and took a deep breath, then dove back to Starsky and breathed it into his mouth. Starsky nudged him with his knee and seemed to be trying to point at something with his foot. Hutch looked and saw something metallic glinting on the bottom of the pool. He nodded, went back up for more air, then dove to the bottom of the pool. Starsky held his breath for as long he could, which barely seemed long enough. His ribs were sore from a battle with Rathe's henchmen, and his lungs were soon burning, screaming for air that wasn't there. He tried to keep his thoughts focused, Hutch was there Hutch would save him. He repeated those words to himself over an over like mantra. But soon he felt the thought began to fade as darkness threatened to lay claim to his mind. Hutch grabbed the keys and quickly kicked back up to the surface. He sucked in a mouthful of air, then dove

back to Starsky, once again sharing the precious oxygen with him. He opened the cuffs with the keys and pulled his partner to the surface. Starsky was limp in Hutch's arms, having passed out mere moments before Hutch had undone the cuffs, the breath of air coming seconds too late to keep him from blacking out.

Hutch laid him on the concrete deck surrounding the pool and put his ear to Starsky's chest. His heart was still beating. His breath came in a soft, warm breeze against Hutch's forehead. He sat up and turned to where Rathe was cuffed to the fence. "You can add kidnapping and assaulting a police officer to your three murder ones," he told him, his voice deceptively calm. Then he walked out to the car and radioed for back up and an ambulance.

Starsky coughed as he started to wake up, with no idea of how much time had past, his eyes slowly flickering open - and that's when panic set in.

Hutch had been slouched in a chair near the bed, lost in thought, but sat up as he noticed movement. "Starsk?" he said hopefully.

Starsky turned his head and glanced at the tall blond, with a look of confusion.

"Starsk?" Hutch repeated a bit more urgently when Starsky didn't answer him.

Starsky blinked at Hutch, the confusion not leaving his eyes. His eyes drifted away from Hutch darting around the room, taking in his strange surroundings.

"Starsk, are you okay?" Hutch asked, reaching out to put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Starsky jumped at the light touch, his eyes quickly turning back to Hutch. "Who?" Starsky asked quietly, his voice barely audible.

"Starsky..." Hutch started, then jumped up and ran to the door. "Can we get a doctor in here, huh?" he bellowed.

Moments later a young doctor stepped into the room. "Glad to see you finally woke up." He said. "How are you feeling?"

"Um ... okay. I guess."

Hutch hovered behind the doctor. He was taller by far, and observed Starsky from over the man's shoulder, concern etched on his face.

The doctor listened to Starsky's breathing for a moment. "You seem to be doing much better, Mr. Starsky."

"Who's that?" Starsky asked curiously.

"That would be you ..." The doctor looked embarrassed. "Don't tell me I have the wrong room...."

"You don't have the wrong room, doc," Hutch confirmed gravely. "He, uh, doesn't seem to know his name."

"Oh. That's strange. There didn't seem to be anything that would cause amnesia." The doctor said. "I've never heard of a near drowning causing amnesia."

"Drownin'?" Starsky asked with wide eyes, looking like a scared child that was afraid to go in water for fear of 'drowning'.

Hutch sighed in frustration. "I suspect they beat him up before they chained him to the pool," Hutch whispered fiercely to the doctor. He was trying to keep his voice down to avoid further alarming Starsky. "Maybe he got a bump on the head to go with the water in his lungs? Would you mind checking that, please?" he hissed impatiently.

"There was no sign of any head injury when he was first examined upon arriving here, sir."

"Well then, in your obviously expert opinion, what is wrong?" Hutch said, trying to control his temper.

"I'd say this is a joke." The doctor replied indignitly.

"Joke? What joke? I didn't hear any joke." Starsky piped up with great interest, hoping these two men would repeat though joke - though if a joke had been told why was nobody laughing.

"A joke? Are you shitting me?" Hutch threw up his hands and turned around a second, collecting himself. Then he turned and looked at Starsky for a second, then finally he looked at the doctor again. "I want a second opinion. Why don't you go find a grown-up doctor to come in here and look at him, hmm? One old enough to shave, maybe?"

The young doctor rolled his eyes and left the hospital room, intending to take his time in finding another doctor to go and deal with those two annoying men.

Hutch sat down on the edge of Starsky's bed. "Hey, buddy. You, um... don't remember me, do you?"

"No." Starsky replied. "Never saw ya before."

"How do you know?" Hutch asked. "You don't even know who *you* are."

Starsky looked startled by the question, and almost a little scared. "You said something 'bout a pool ... you a lifeguard?"

"No." He took a deep breath. "Do you remember *anything*?" he asked gently.

Starsky thought about it for a minute. "No, sir."

utch put a hand to his forehead. "Don't call me 'sir', Starsky. Call me 'Hutch', okay?"

Starsky looked unsure, as though it wasn't 'right' to call this blond man 'Hutch'. "If you're not a lifeguard what do you do?"

"I'm, um.... I'm a policeman," Hutch told him, debating how much more he should say. "So are you," he informed him. "I don't suppose that helps you remember anything?"

"Not in trouble with de law am I?" Starsky asked quietly, afraid this cop was here to arrest him, having missed Hutch telling him that he was also a cop.

"No, I told you," he said, trying to crush the impatience that threatened to creep into his tone. "You're a policeman too."

"Nuh-uh, am not."

Hutch sighed and rolled his eyes, then picked up Starsky's badge off the bedside table and handed it to him, open. "Then why's your picture on here, huh?"

"Not mine." Starsky said, from the tone of his voice it was clear he truly believed that.

"What, you forget what you look like too?"

"You always so rude?" Starsky asked, the question was asked without malice or accusation, and held nothing more then an inquisitive tone.

"Yeah, pretty much. Not half as rude as you usually are, though. Does your head hurt at all?"

"No, not really." Starsky replied. "Hurts more here .." he said rubbing his hand lightly over his chest.

Hutch nodded. "Anywhere else?"

"My wrists .." Starsky said, lifting his hands and examining the bruising around his wrists for the first time, which seemed to distract his attention from Hutch and the question he had asked.

Considering Starsky's present attitude towards cops, he decided *not* to tell him that the marks had been made by handcuffs. "Are you hungry?" he asked, changing the subject.

Before Starsky had a chance to answer, a middle-aged man in a white labcoat entered the room. "I understand there's been a request for a second opinion?"

Hutch stood up. "Uh, yeah.... he can't remember anything, doctor. The last so-called doctor that was in here tried to tell me it was a joke, but let me tell you something - I know this man, and he's a terrible liar." The affection and concern in Hutch's voice caught the doctor's attention.

"Well, let's just have a look then, shall we?"

"Look at what?"

"At you," the doctor said kindly, taking a little light from his breast pocket and shining it in Starsky's eyes, one at a time, as he held up the lids. "Pupil response is a little slow..." the doctor mused. "That can be indicative of concussion." He looked at Starsky and said "I'm going to feel around on your head a little bit. If any place I touch *hurts*, you tell me, okay?"

Starsky quiet for a moment. "OW!" Starsky complained loudly as the doctor applied pressure to a very 'tender' spot on the side of his head.

"Bit of a bump here... and I would say it's tender from that response. Do you know how long he was unconscious after you got him out of the water?"

Hutch shrugged. "An hour? Maybe more?"

"Mm-hmm," the doctor said. "Bit of a concussion. I would say the memory loss is most probably temporary. We'll have him woken up every hour tonight and I want to keep him under observation a couple days or so. If you're available to visit with

him and talk with him, that would also probably help."

"I don't plan on being anywhere else, doc."

"Okay, I'll talk to the nurses about his care. I'll be in to check on him tomorrow."

"Thanks, doctor," Hutch said as the doctor left. "How about that?" Hutch said to Starsky. "Turns out you got a bit of a knock

on the head after all."

"I don't wanna stay here over night." Starsky pouted. "Wanna go home."

"Oh? And where's that?" Hutch asked him.

"Um ... don't know ... but it's gotta be better 'den here."

"How do you know?" Hutch prodded.

"Don't." Starsky said quietly. "Just don't like it here ... it smells funny."

"Well, I'll tell you what - when you remember where you live, I'll take you home. Deal?"

"I wanna go, NOW!" Starsky said loudly, practically yelling.

"No," Hutch said, his voice becoming calmer every time Starsky raised his own. "The doctor wants you to stay here. I'm revoking *my* deal. It was a one-time offer. Now you stay until the doctor says you can go."

"So, I'll go myself. Someone else's gotta know where I live."

"Nope. It's a secret. Only you and I know. Oh, wait. Now it's just me."

"I don't believe you." Starsky said staring at Hutch with wide eyes - eyes that were fearful that this blond man named "Hutch" was telling the truth and he would be trapped in this place forever.

Hutch sighed and relented. "Look," he said gently, "stay here tonight. If you feel any better tomorrow, we'll talk about taking you home, okay? One day at a time."

"Don't like it here." Starsky pouted. "Jimmy says there's monsters in hospitals ... vampires ... or something like that. And if you stay over night and fall asleep they'll get you."

"Jimmy?" Hutch said with a frown, trying to place the name. "Who's Jimmy?"

"From school." Starsky explained. "He's a big jerk."

"Clearly. He's a liar for one thing," Hutch told him, beginning to find this all a little frightening. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, because I'll be right here all night and if any... monsters... come along, I'll, um, shoot them," he said.

"Don't want to stay here." Starsky complained, his eyes starting to drift shut despite his complaining.

"Well, you're just going to have to try it for a little while," Hutch told him quietly, noticing he was beginning to fall asleep.

"Don' wanna." Starsky mumbled, fighting sleep, though it was battle he was quickly losing. "Just don't let em get me, 'kay?"

Hutch pulled back his jacket to reveal where his magnum sat in its holster. "Do you think any monster is gonna get by *that*?" he said.

Starsky's eyes drifted to the gun. "Wow ... that's a really big gun."

"I know. It's an anti-monster gun. And I'm the fastest draw in the west, so you can sleep easy, y'know?"

"'Kay." Starsky said, this time when his closed he was willing to let them, willing to fall asleep. Within moments he was in a deep, peaceful sleep.

Nurses came in to wake Starsky every hour, and Hutch was consoled by the comfort Starsky seemed to derive from his continued presence throughout the night.

It was barely after dawn and Starsky laid awake on the bed, not even attempting sleep after being woke up for what felt like the millionth time. Each time he had been awoke from his slumber he had been startled sure a monster had gotten by his blond 'bodyguard'.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Hutch asked. "Any better?"

"Wanna go home now." Starsky said firmly turning to look at Hutch. "Please?"

"You didn't answer my question," Hutch told him.

"I feel a little better."

"Do you remember anything new?"

Starsky thought about the question. "Um ... no." he finally replied, his voice quiet and frightened, it scared him not to remember much of anything about his life, other then a few fleeting memories such what Jimmy had told him about hospitals.

"Then you have to stay. You have to stay ‘til you start to remember. You don't want to get more sick, do you?"

"I don't wanna stay." Starsky pouted, moving to get outta the bed. "I wanna go home."

Hutch put a firm hand on his shoulder, holding him in his place. "No."

"I live at ... 48th street."

"48th street? In New York?" Hutch asked.

"Yeah, of course in New York."

"Well, then, you have a long drive ahead of you. We're in California."

Starsky looked puzzled. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"Why would I be in California?"

"'Cause you live here, pal. When you remember your current address, we'll see about taking you home, alright? So you just work on remembering." Hutch sat back in his chair.

"No." Starsky said, jumping out of the bed, coughing slightly from the effort.

Hutch jumped up and firmly guided him back onto the bed. "Where are you going to go, huh?" he asked. "Do you even know where your pants are? 'Cause if you're going to crawl the streets looking for a home that you don't remember what it looks like, you probably don't want to do it with your ass hanging out."

"Don't care I just wantta leave."

"You're going to have to do better than that, sport." Hutch told him.

"I wanna go." Starsky said, pleading with his eyes. "I don't like it here."

"Too bad. It's good for you to be here right now. There's doctors here in case something happens. You had a hard bump on your head and you need them right now."

"Please." Starsky said, practically begging by this point. "This place smells funny ... smells like ... death ... or something."

"I don't like hospitals any more than you do. You need to spend just one more day in here. At least then they'll know how bad the head injury is. If you can do that for me, I'll take you home tomorrow - regardless."

"Want to go, NOW!"

"No," Hutch said. "I'm not going to change my mind, so you can carry on all you want. The answer is still no."

"Fine." Starsky relented. "Big meanie." he mumbled under his breath.

"Good," Hutch said, sitting cautiously down in his chair as he watched Starsky climb carefully back into bed.

Starsky spent most the day sleeping or watching TV. He gave up trying to convince Hutch to take him home, it was obvious this man was never gonna allow him to go home - though he wondered why that thought didn't scare him more. One thing he felt sure of was that this man must have him mistaken for someone else, nothing he said seemed to make any sense and sounded down right 'impossible'.

The next morning, after the doctor left, Hutch retrieved Starsky's clothes and, without a word, laid them across the bed. Starsky grabbed the clothes, and scrambled to get dressed before 'Hutch' changed his mind, at least if he was dressed he could run away the next time the man fell asleep. Hutch had already gathered up the rest of Starsky's possessions and gestured for him to follow out the door.

"I can go now?" Starsky asked tentatively.

"You can go with me," Hutch told him. "That's the rules. Still want to leave?"

"I wanna go." Starsky said, moving to stand beside Hutch.

"Okay, then let's go." He led him down to the parking garage, to where he'd left the Torino when Starsky was admitted, and gestured to the passenger side. "Get in."

"You have a very cool car." Starsky said, looking the car over. "Prob'lly goes real fast, don't it?"

"Oh yeah," Hutch said. "Real fast." He rolled his eyes slightly and got in the driver's seat. "Are you coming?" he said, as Starsky still stood admiring the car.

Starsky nodded and quickly climbed into the car.

Hutch drove to Starsky's place, knowing that it was best for him to see his own things if he was going to remember. He walked him up to the apartment and opened the door.

"Nice place. Whose is it?" Starsky asked as he looked around at all the things with great interest. It was a strange place and yet at the same time it was familiar.

"Yours," Hutch said simply.

"Really?"

"Yep," he confirmed in a tired tone. "Go nuts."

Starsky looked at Hutch with a perplexed expression. "Are you always ... around?" he asked, he knew 'around' probably wasn't the word he wanted to make his question known, he just hoped this Hutch person would understand.

"Yep, pretty much," he confirmed, and flopped down on the couch.

"Thought so." Starsky said with a happy smile.

His smile dragged one from Hutch. He didn't not want him around. That was a good sign, anyway.

"I'm hungry." Starsky said. "That food in the hospital tastes like cardboard -- yuck."

"So get something out of the fridge," Hutch told him. "It's yours."

"Oh, yeah." Starsky said, moving over to the fridge and rummaging through the contents. "Don't got much."

"Nah, you never do."

"There's *nothing* to eat in here." Starsky complained. "Can we order pizza or something?"

"Go ahead," Hutch told him, pointing at the phone book. "You're not an invalid. There *should* be some money in your wallet. Do you remember what you like on pizza?" he asked.

"You really are mean, you know that?"

"Yep," Hutch said, and leaned his head against the back of the couch. He hadn't gotten much sleep at the hospital in two days, always worried that Starsky would take off while he was dozing.

"If you can't be nice, go home." Starsky said, as though sending his playmate away for not playing the game he wanted to play.

"Nope. If I go home, then you have to go back to the hospital."

"Your *mean* I don't think I like you very much."

"Yes, you do," Hutch told him, then nodded to the phone book. "Order your pizza."

"No, I don't." Starsky said stubbornly, then stuck his tongue out at Hutch.

Hutch shrugged and slouched down on the couch, closing his eyes.

Starsky watched Hutch for several moments, then darted towards the door determined, if Hutch didn't want to be nice he'd find someone else who would be.

Hutch heard Starsky head towards the door. He opened one eye, looking at him. Just before he reached the door, he called out "Where are you going?"

"Ummm ..."Starsky froze like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "To um ... get something to eat."

"Pizza place delivers," he said.

"I changed my mind. Don't want pizza."

"What do you *want* then?"

"Don't know." Starsky said, glancing at the door then at Hutch, then back to the door as though debating his chances of escape.

"I'm a policeman, remember?" Hutch said, as Starsky eyed the door.

"Yeah ... you gonna shoot me with that big gun if I try?"

"Nah, I'm gonna run you down and handcuff you to the bathroom sink."

Starsky's expression paled slightly and he glanced down at his hand - more specifically he glanced at his wrists.

"What?" Hutch asked. He knew it was a little mean, but he wanted to see if that had maybe triggered a memory.

"Did you handcuff me before? I mean ... around ... near ... in ... water?"

"Nope," Hutch said, and it was every inch the truth. "Why?"

"'Cause .... that ... *threat* seems familiar. Only not a sink a ... a ... something with more water anyways."

"Like a bathtub?" Hutch asked. "Or a swimming pool?"

"Umm..." Starsky thought about it, then his eyes widened. "A pool." He crept towards the door, determined now more then ever to escape. "You handcuffed me in a pool."

"No, I didn't, Starsky. It wasn't me. Think harder. Try and remember," Hutch urged him, leaning forward on the couch now.

Starsky shook his head. "It was *YOU*! YOU WERE THERE! I know you were."

"Yeah, I was there. I uncuffed you. I pulled you out. THINK!"

"NO!" Starsky yelled and bolted for the door, almost tripping down the stairs as he ran outside.

Hutch was down the stairs in a flash and tackled him outside. "Calm down," he told him firmly. "Just calm down. You know damn well it wasn't me that did it to you. Calm down and think about it."

"LET ME GO!" Starsky yelled struggling to get away.

"No," Hutch said firmly, holding him as tightly as he could without hurting him. "If you can remember that, you can remember it all. Just try."

"LET GO!" Starsky yelled. "You did it ... I know you did ... 'cause you're mean."

"Am I? Am I so mean? I'm not getting off of you until you calm down and start thinking, so you may as well."

"I *am* thinking. You've been nothing but mean the whole time."

"You're thinking about *now*. I want you to think about *then*."

"Why would *now* be different then *then*?"

"You tell me. Think about it."

"You are *mean* you said so yourself."

"The last couple of days I've been mean for your own good. To protect you. You know that's true, Starsky. Don't pretend you don't."

"You were there ... with ... those others ... laughing..." Starsky said distractedly. "Nobody would come ..."

"No, I wasn't. They were laughing. Then I came. I found you. Remember?"

Starsky was silent for moment. "No." he replied honestly. "I don’t remember anything … don’t you think I want to? You think I like not knowin’ … do you have any idea how scary it is not knowing ‘who’ you are … not knowing anything about your life ‘xcept some vague little passing ideas?"

"No. I don't, really. But I know you're scared. I also know you don't trust me, but you need to, Starsk. I know you don't remember, but you're my best friend and I'm the only person who can help you get your memory back. So will you give me a break, please? Just come inside and order some pizza and let me get some rest before I collapse."

"I don't know ... I mean how do I know you are telling the truth and not settin' me up for something? I mean if it's like you say it is shouldn't I have even the vaguest memory of you? I remember bits and pieces of my life and none of what you say seems at all true."

"Have I given you any reason to think I'm lying? Have I done anything to make you think I don't love you?"

"You've been nothing but mean this whole time, so I would assume you don't give a rat's ass about me." Starsky said. "You hardly seem to be the kinda person I'd be friends with."

Slowly Hutch let him go. "Alright, then. Alright, I'll go. My phone-number's in the little book by the phone. 'H' for Hutch." He got up, dusting himself off. "Call me if you change your mind about our relationship." He was trying to hold his voice steady, but not succeeding so well. He didn't think Starsky's lack of memory would make their friendship not even seem credible to him. Whatever they had, it apparently didn't run deep enough for him to consider it when it wasn't backed up by their history and the realization hit Hutch like a punch in the face. "I'll, uh... be there if you need me," he said, almost whispering by the end of the sentence. He started towards the car, then stopped and turned. "Listen, do just one thing for yourself if you can't do it for me - stay here at your apartment, around your own things. It will help you get your memory back."

Starsky just stared at Hutch, he wanted the blond man to leave, though couldn't understand were the sight of his leaving seemed to hurt so much. He shook his head slightly in confusion, as though that simple act could clear his mind, though it did nothing to help. He could tell that Hutch looked upset and found that upset him. But still he said nothing to stop Hutch from leaving.

Hutch got in the car and shut the door, taking a last look at Starsky. The sight of him sitting on the ground in front of the building, looking lost and confused broke his heart, but there was something in his eyes that despised Hutch, and he found that cut a lot more deeply. He started the engine and pulled away from the curb.

Starsky watched the car pull away and slowly stood up he wandered back inside the apartment. He wandered around looking at a few things with great interest. He found a few pictures, sitting on a shelf. He picked up one picture, one of him at much younger age with his mother, brother and father. Taken not long before his father who had been gunned down in the street, and his fellow police officers did little to catch the killer. That memory stood out in his mind as one of the few memories of his life that he had, one of the few of his family. He picked up a second picture, it was of him and Hutch, it looked recent though like everything else he had no idea when it was taken. The fact that they both appeared to be so happy in the picture angered him. To him now the picture seemed to be a lie. He turned and threw the picture against the far wall, the glass shattering as the pieces feel to the ground. He didn't seem to be enough turning back to the picture he swung his arm across the shelf knocking each one to the floor - taking great satisfaction in the sound of breaking glass.

Hutch got about halfway home before he could no longer stop himself turning the car around. He pulled up outside Starsky's apartment again, took a deep breath to steel himself, then knocked on the door.

Starsky stormed over to the door, curious as to who it was thinking it might be someone who could provide some answers about his life. He frowned when he saw the tall blond man ... again. "What the hell do you want? I thought you left for good."

Hutch didn't answer, just stepped past him into the messy apartment. "I'm gone for five minutes and you trash the place?" he commented. Then he noticed one particular photograph lying on the floor. One that hadn't been shoved off the shelf with the rest. One that had been hurled across the room. He picked it up and looked at it. It was of the two of them, taken only about a month before at a local fundraiser they'd been involved with. "Won't even believe your own eyes, huh?" he said, and tossed the photo onto the coffee table.

"Believe what, huh? That *picture* means nothing to me ..." He glared at Hutch. "You mean nothing to me." he added nastily. He wasn't sure if he meant it or not, but one thing he seemed to think was true was it was always safest never to allow anyone to near you, to never be close to anyone ... for they would always leave you.

Hutch shrugged and wandered into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and helped himself to a beer, then sat down at the kitchen table and picked up the newspaper that was lying there. It was three days old. He skimmed the articles on the front page anyway.

"Why the hell did you come back here?" Starsky demanded to know.

Hutch shrugged and turned the page of the paper.

"What the hell is your problem?" Starsky asked, in a far more irritated tone. He walked over to Hutch and ripped the paper out of his hands.

"My problem? Well, I was driving along home just now, happy as a trout, when it occurred to me that whether or not I mean anything to you is completely irrelevant. You mean something to me. So here I am. Are you going to read that?" he asked, indicating the somewhat shredded paper that Starsky still clenched in his hand.

Starsky crumbled the paper even more, into a ball and throw it across the room. "Stop with your mind games, I ain't in the mood."

Hutch took a swig of his beer and regarded Starsky calmly. "If it's that pent-up aggression that's bothering you, why don't you break some more of your stuff? A senseless act of violence always makes a person who doesn't know what they're angry at feel worlds better."

"You sound more like psychiatrist and not a cop, ya know that?" Starsky said, rolling his eyes.

Hutch shrugged. "Being a cop is a little bit of being a psychiatrist. You used to be real good at that part."

"Oh ... well I guess I just have to *take* your word on that, now don't I?" Starsky said sarcastically.

Hutch shrugged and took a swig from his beer.

"You are ... very annoying." Starsky mumbled as he rubbed his temple with his thumb and forefinger.

Hutch shrugged serenely and picked up a magazine off the chair next to his.

"If you won't leave ... I will." Starsky said firmly and headed for the door, stopping only long enough to grab his book of numbers.

Hutch put down his bottle and followed him to the door, not touching him or saying anything.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Then why won't you leave me alone?"

"Can't. I promised myself I wouldn't ever leave you if you needed me. Whether you know you do or not, doesn't really make a difference."

"Oh, please." Starsky exasperatedly. "Don't give me a line about 'loyalty' ... there is no such thing, I know that much."

Hutch noticed then the book of phone numbers Starsky held in his hand. He nodded. "Have it your way. I'll be here if you need me." He went back to the table and sat down. If Starsky wouldn't hear it from him, maybe he'd believe it coming from everyone else he knew. He would let him go. For now.

Starsky walked along the street, looking through the small book, none of the names sparked any kind of memory (they only one that stood out was Hutch's number). He didn't much attention to where he was walking or any of the people around him, paying only enough attention to keep from running into anything or anyone or stepping into traffic accidentally.

Hutch sat at Starsky's kitchen table, drumming his fingers as he flipped through the magazine absently. He was worried about something happening to Starsky while he was out, but he also knew Starsky would never trust him if all he did was watch him and crack the whip like some kind of overlord, so he stayed where he was.

After wandering around for quite a while, Starsky decided he needed to take a break. He didn't know where he was, or how he was going to get back to his place, but found he wasn't really concerned. Seeing a place called 'The Pits' he decided to go inside to get something to drink - hoping that he did have his wallet or at least some money with him.

Huggy spotted Starsky right away and walked over to greet him. "Hey, Starsky, my man! I didn't know you were out of the hospital already. How are you feeling?" He looked around, expecting to see Hutch somewhere, but he was curiously absent.

Starsky looked at Huggy. "Am I *suppose* to know you?"

Huggy creased his brow in concern. "Are you feelin' alright, man? I mean, does the hospital *know* you're out? Where's Hutch?"

"I feel fine." Starsky replied shortly. "And why would give a fuck where that Hutch fella is?"

"Uh-huh," Huggy said uncertainly. "So I take it you didn't come in here on a social call, huh?"

"I came to get something to drink ... but I think I just changed my mind."

"Well, you ain't got your wallet anyhow," Huggy informed him. "And you've made it clear you ain't here as a friend... I don't extend credit to folks that ain't my friends. So why don't you come back when you're in a better mood, y'dig?"

Starsky glared at Huggy for a moment, he was angry at the man but found he didn't seem to get to him as much as the blond had. "Whatever. You're obviously right that we ain't friends." Starsky said, turning to head for the door.

"If I were you, Starsky, I'd give Hutch a call!" Huggy called after him. "You're not yourself!"

Starsky turned around quickly. "I want nothing to do that Hutch person. I won't listen to his ... his *version* of the truth. And since you seem to be his friend ... I'm not about to listen to you either."

"Actually," Huggy told him, "I'm *your* friend. If you see the real you, tell him to stop in, would you?"

Starsky didn't reply, he turned back around and headed back out the door, not knowing where to go - not even knowing where home was. So, he continued what he had been doing walking aimlessly along the busy streets of the city.

Captain Dobey was driving home from work when he spotted Starsky walking down the sidewalk. He pulled over and rolled down the window. "Starsky! What are you doing out of the hospital? Where's Hutch?"

Starsky took a step away from the car staring at the large man with wide startled eyes, taking a moment to recover. "I left the hospital, wasn't about to stay there any longer. And as for Hutch, I don't know nor do I care where he is."

Dobey looked at him curiously for a second. Hutch had said something about Starsky losing his memory. A head injury. He must not have fully recovered yet. "Do you want a ride somewhere?" he asked more gently.

"Don't have anywhere to go." Starsky admitted quietly.

Dobey pushed open the passenger door. "Get in, son."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." Starsky admitted, he was more then hungry he was starving. He looked unsure but got into the car anyway.

"My wife's cooking supper right now," Dobey told him. "We'll go to my house, if that's okay with you."

"Umm ... I guess." Starsky said, though sounded very unsure.

Dobey pulled into the driveway and gestured to Starsky to follow him into the house. "Edith," he said as he walked into the kitchen where his wife was stirring something on the stove, "remember I was telling you about Starsky being in the hospital?" She nodded and spied Starsky behind him.

"David! How are you feeling, honey?" she asked.

"I feel just fine." Starsky said, though it was anything but the truth. He was tired. He was hungry. And the lack of memories still scared him.

"Well, you just go sit down at the table and rest," she told him. "Supper will be ready in a few minutes. You remember the way into the dining room?"

"Um ... no." Starsky replied quietly.

"It's right through that door," she told him, pointing to it.

"Oh." Starsky said, though it wasn't the door he was considering going through at this point. The front door was seeming to be a far better choice.

Once Starsky had gone into the dining room, Dobey quickly picked up the phone and phoned Starsky's place, figuring that that's where Hutch would be if he were looking for Starsky. Hutch was there, and glad to hear that Starsky was at the Dobey’s. He told the captain everything that had happened and the Dobey told Hutch he'd try and keep and eye on him. He explained the situation quietly to his wife, then went into the dining room himself.

"Ya know ... um ... I don't think I should be interrupting your ... family dinner here." Starsky said nervously. "Thanks for the offer and all ... but I think I should leave."

"And go where? You said when I picked you up you didn't have anywhere to go."

Starsky shrugged. "I don't know. Just ..." he wasn't sure how to explain it, he didn't feel safe anywhere not here, not in The Pits and not even what was suppose to be his own home. Soon as he stayed in any one place for too long he started to feel trapped.

"Look, son, you just stay here long enough to have something to eat, then I'll take you anywhere you want. Okay?"

"I don't know. I'd rather just leave now." Starsky said. Though his growling stomach seemed to betray those words, the smell of the food seemed to make him even more hungry then he had been.

"Going home?" Dobey asked.

Starsky shook his head. "Don't like that place either."

"Why not?"

"Doesn't feel safe and that Hutch fella is there, or was there."

"Hutch? Hutch is your partner. Why don't you want to go where he is? He's your best friend."

Starsky shook his head. "I don't believe that."

"Why not? You know, wherever Hutch is - that's the safest place you could be. He'd put his arm in the fire for you. I know you don't remember anything, Starsky, but after everything the two of you have been through I would think you could at least *feel* that."

"I don't know that ... " Starsky said, though said nothing to deny any kind of *feeling* he had about Hutch. "And I don't know that you are telling the truth ... he was just ... trying to play some head games ... or something. Y'all are just *his* friends and are just ... trying to confuse me is all."

"You don't believe that," Dobey told him. "You're trying to convince yourself of that, but you don't believe it."

"It's *safer*." Starsky said quietly.

"I know it is," Dobey said sympathetically, "but you're never going to get better if you don't take a chance."

"I don't want to take a chance. It's not worth it. Even if he is a friend ... so what? He'll leave anyway, best to get it over with when I don't got a single memory about this *friendship*."

"Yeah, well *I* have plenty of memories of your friendship with him. I've seen him ready to die for you. Are you going to walk away from that? Are you ready to wreck your own life *and* his because you won't take a chance? It wouldn't be a huge gamble, son. He's never let you down before."

"I don't want to hear about it." Starsky said. "Why should I believe a single word you even say. I mean since your *his* friend of course your gonna say it the same way he tries to make it seem ... I mean you probably called him and he told you exactly what to say." Starsky moved slowly towards the door.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Dobey said. "Will you at least take some food with you?"

Starsky shook his head. All he wanted to do was leave, despite how good the food smelled. He couldn't understand why everyone insisted that he was such good friends with Hutch. He had no memories of this ‘so called’ friendship ... any more then he remember anything about who he was.

"Explain to me how starving to death is going to help you achieve anything? I'm not going to make you stay against your will, but take something to eat. Do you need money?"

"I got a couple bucks." Starsky said.

Dobey reached into his pocket and handed him a twenty and a ten. "That's all I've got on me right now."

"I'm not gonna take your money." Starsky said. "If I need more money I can ..." his voice trailed off for a minute. "I don't need any charity."

"It's not charity. You're going to pay me back when you remember where you keep your own money. In the meantime, if you don't take this and you don't take food, you're going to starve. Not to mention the fact that you won't be able to get around except on foot. So if you're determined to leave, take it and shut up."

Starsky wasn't sure why he felt the need to argue with this man. He wanted to take the money, he knew he needed, but for some reason he felt the need to 'argue' the point. "Well, since you put it so *kindly* ... I'll take it."

"Good. Now sit down at the table, or get outta here," he told him.

"Yeah, okay, I'm leaving." Starsky said quickly heading for the door after pocketing the money.

Late the next morning, Dobey received a frantic phone call from Huggy Bear. He picked up his car keys and headed out to search for Starsky.

Starsky sat on a bench in the park watching people walking and jogging along the trails, and what little assorted wildlife (birds and squirrels) that lived in the park.

Dobey spotted him and pulled the car over. He got out and walked over to the park bench where the dark-haired detective was and sat down beside him.

Starsky glanced at Dobey, but said nothing, his attention diverted by watching the people on the paths, almost as though he was watching for someone in particular.

"I know you don't really care right now, but there's some bad news I thought you might at least be interested in knowing," Dobey told him.

"Oh?" Starsky questioned, with mild interest. "And just what is the 'bad' news?"

"The men who assaulted you before - the ones that caused your injuries - got out on bail. They went to your house looking for you, apparently. Hutch was there. They beat him pretty badly. I guess they didn't believe him when he told them he didn't know where you were. Huggy found him this morning, beaten half to death. He called an ambulance and they took him to the hospital. He's conscious now, but in bad shape." Dobey paused, taking a deep breath. He looked at Starsky. "He's asking for you. Do you want to see him?"

Starsky blinked and turned to look at Dobey as he tried to digest what he had just been told. He had a few more memories then he had last night, though he still couldn't remember the blond man who was suppose to be his best friend. Yet there was a feeling there, a feeling as though what he had been told was true. The news of Hutch being injured badly hit him like a proverbial ton of bricks. "I ... yeah. I want to." Starsky finally answered.

"C'mon," Dobey said. "I'll take you."

Starsky nodded and slowly stood up, surprised to find that his hands were trembling, he quickly formed tight fists and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jackets to hide the fact for Dobey. He didn't want to appear as freaked out as he felt.

Dobey drove Starsky to the hospital. Silence loomed in the car, grave and oppressive. They got out and Dobey led him to the room where Hutch lay, battered and bruised. His hands lay on top of the blankets, his left wrist in a cast. Much of his face was swollen and purple or cut. His eyes were open, though. Huggy Bear was sitting by his bed.

Starsky froze in the doorway, either not wanting to move or unable to do so, just staring at Hutch.

Huggy Bear looked up and spotted him, his reaction prompting Hutch to turn his attention to the doorway himself. "Starsk," he said weakly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not the one in a hospital bed." Starsky said, actually surprised to hear himself saying those words. He slowly approached Hutch, until he was standing beside the bed.

"They didn't find you," he said, his pain not being able to suppress his smile.

"Guess not ..." Starsky said, his fingers absently straying to Hutch's fine blonde hair.

"Did you remember anything?" he asked.

"Some stuff ... nothing important though it seems." Starsky said quietly.

"Everything's important," Hutch told him. "It's all progress."

"Still don't know ... don't really know who you are." Starsky admitted. "Any more then I know who *I* am."

"It's okay," Hutch said. "It'll come."

"It's not okay ... Hutch. Nothing is okay." Starsky said tiredly. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger fighting off his headache. He sat down on a chair beside the bed, not even realizing that his other hand was still resting against the side of Hutch's head.

Hutch bent his head up to look at Starsky, even though it hurt his stiff neck. "Just give it a bit of time," he said.

"It's been days, how much fucking time do you think it takes it remember the important stuff ..." Starsky complained. "I'm ... scared that I'll never remember you." He said quietly, leaning forwards until his head rested on the bed next to Hutch.

"If you don't remember things, then relearn them," Hutch said quietly, bringing up his good hand to lay in Starsky's hair.

"Oh God, babe, I just want to remember ..."

"Then tell me something - you didn't want to know me yesterday. Why do you suddenly want to remember me now?"

"I was too scared to remember ... I mean ... everyone always leaves ... and what was being talked about ... meant giving so much ... on just blind faith ... I was too afraid to do that. Now I ... I don't know I mean all that stuff is still the same but ... I don't know ..."

"Well, you're remembering something, even if you don't know it. You called me 'babe', babe," he said pointedly. "You're the only person who calls me that."

Starsky lifted his head slightly. "You're probably right ... I kinda get the feeling that I can't remember you because I can't remember me, ya know?"

Hutch nodded painfully. "Keep working at it," he said, fighting the need for sleep that was starting to overpower him.

"Get some sleep, you're in a lot worse shape then I am."

"I don't know about that," Hutch said as he let his eyes close. "I remember who I am..."

"Yeah, but I look a whole better then you ... though that's normal." Starsky teased.

"How would you know?" Hutch teased back, though his voice was becoming weaker as he started to fall asleep.

"Just get some sleep already woulda, Blintz." Starsky said. He didn't feel like he was really remembering anything, nothing came in sudden thoughts as other returning memories, it was seeming more like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle going together, the picture slowly forming.

Hutch didn't respond to the last comment. He was fast asleep. "Am I still being persecuted for bein' his friend," Huggy asked, indicating Hutch, "or are we on speaking terms again?"

Starsky looked up quickly, he had forgotten that Huggy was even in the room. "Yeah … um, sorry about that."

"Don't sweat it, my man. Just so long as you're Dave Starsky again, I can deal with it, y'know?"

"Oh, and just 'who' was I before?"

"I don't know, but you were one mean cat, let me tell you." He paused thoughtfully. "But not half so mean as the dudes that messed up Hutch, here. Seems they aren't happy that you didn't die as planned. Word on the street is that they are looking for you and they aren't going to kill you as quickly the next time."

Starsky frowned. "I should've *made* Hutch leave. If he hadn't been there ... or if I had just gone home ... I don't know. I don't even really remember much about who these guys are. I remember almost drowning ..."

"Yeah, Hutch told me about that. Said they had you handcuffed to the ladder in a swimming pool, then started filling it up. He pulled you out of there just before you drowned. I guess they weren't expecting him to show up. At least not so... effectively."

"Guess not." Starsky said. "I don't remember *why* though. I mean ... I think I was there a while, and not just in the pool. Some vague stuff that was said ... all of which was obviously lies ..." Starsky looked at Hutch for moment. "I gotta find the people that did this."

Dobey, who'd stood silently to the side through all of this, spoke up. "Do you think you're in any condition to deal with this? You're still suffering the after-effects of your concussion. You're only just starting to get your memory back. Just what do you intend to do?"

"Teach them that nobody messes with my partner." Starsky said firmly, his voice dark with anger.

"I was thinking along the lines of an actual plan, Detective," Dobey told him, but there was no admonishment in his tone. Only concern.

"Plan is to find them and ... the rest will be 'planned' as it happens."

"Shouldn't be too hard to find them when they're lookin' for *you*," Huggy commented.

"So, maybe the easiest thing to do is let them find me."

"That might make getting the drop on them a little difficult," Huggy said. "I might have a better idea."

"I'm all ears, Hug." Starsky said, then glanced at Hutch. "Though we should talk about this, someplace else."

Huggy shrugged. "I could go for a cup of coffee."

"Let's go get some coffee then, shall we." Starsky said as he stood up. He rested his hand against the side of Hutch's head for moment, looking at his friend intently. He paused beside Dobey. "I think it's best for some one to stay here and guard Hutch ... that he's never left alone. In case they come after him again."

Dobey nodded. "I'll get a couple uniforms over here to keep and eye on him."

Starsky accepted the reply without comment and headed out of the room. Once both he and Huggy had their cups of coffee he turned to look at his friend. "So, what's your plan?"

"These guys are combing the street for you. They figure you're hiding and someone must know where you are. Well, why don't I make it known that *I* know where you are and that I'm willing to part with that information if the price is right. They'll arrange a meeting and you can show up instead of me. To tell them what you think of them."

"I guess it's the best plan that I got to go with ... though I'm not sure it's safe for you. I don't want to place you danger, I think getting one friend beat half to death is quite enough ...."

"Man, I'm not going to get close enough to the *action* to be in danger. I'm settin' it up, then steppin' out. So long as you bust these guys at the meeting, everything will be fine. They reoffended while they were out on bail. You put them inside again, and they ain't gettin' no more bail. And if you *don't* bust 'em at the meeting... well, it ain't gonna matter much then, will it?"

"Either way they ain't walking away from that meeting free men."

"Then there ain't no danger to me," Huggy said. "So how 'bout it?"

"Let's do it."

Huggy called Starsky at the hospital to let him know he'd been contacted by the men who were looking for him and the meeting had been set up for that night. 11pm at pier 12.

Starsky arrived at the pier closer to 10, so that he have enough time to find a suitable hiding place in the shadows. He hid, wearing nothing but black clothes (his jeans such a dakr blue they appeared to be black, a black turtleneck and black leather jacket). He hid in the shadows, waiting and watching, being cautious as not to give his position away until he wanted to. By this time he had most of his memories back except what happened during the days that he had been "missing" most everything concerning these bad guys was a blank.

They arrived just after 11 o'clock. Three of them, walking up the pier. "I don't see 'im," one of them said.

"Hey!" Rathe called. "Snitch! We know who you are. We know you know where Starsky is. Come on out, you greedy little punk!"

Starsky pulled out his gun and aimed at Rathe, as he stepped out of the shadows. "You want me ... you got me." he said, his voice dangerously low.

"Starsky! How good of you to come. You're looking much better than the last time I saw you, but never mind. I'm sure we can remedy that."

"You never should've messed with my partner." Starsky said, slowly moving closer, his movements much like a cat stalking its prey.

"Well, in fairness, we didn't particularly *want* to. He just keeps getting himself in our damn way. But he's taken care of, isn't he?" Rathe beamed. "Now it's just us. I like it better that way, don't you? It's so much more... intimate."

"Oh sure, very intimate. Just love being alone with a beg stud like you." Starsky teased, tauntingly.

"I know it," Rathe purred. "After all the fun we had last time...." he moved towards Starsky and his men followed close behind him.

"Now, now ..." Starsky scolded Rathe's men, before turning his attention back to Rathe. "Hardly 'intimate' with them hanging so close."

Rathe shrugged. "You have your gun, I have my boys. Only fair, I think." He moved still closer.

"Hardly. I'll make you a deal ... you have them back off and I'll get rid of my gun. Just you and me. A little one on one, boy."

Rathe smiled and nodded to his men. They backed off, he moved closer. Starsky tossed his gun to one side, the sound of it landing on the ground seemed to echo through the shadows.

"You're right, this is much better," Rathe said as he crept towards Starsky.

Starsky smiled, and stalked slowly towards Rathe. "It's just you and me now, Rathe."

"You, me and Billy," he said, pulling a small club from his coat. He rushed Starsky and struck him hard in the stomach with the trudgeon.

Starsky doubled over in pain, gasping for air, cursing himself for not having completely thought this through. He straightened quickly before Rathe could land another blow and struck out with his fist landing a solid blow to Rathe's jaw.

Rathe stumbled, nearly dropping his club. "I see, you plan on putting up a fight this time, do you? I guess I should have worked your partner over first last time. You're a lot more fun when you're angry." He lunged at Starsky again, swinging the club.

Starsky was prepared this time, he grabbed the club and ripped it roughly from Rathe's hand. "Fuck you." Starsky cursed, his voice dangerously low. "You made your *last* mistake messing with my partner."

Rathe grinned. "What's wrong? Did he die?" he asked sweetly.

"If he did you'd be dead already."

Rathe laughed outloud. "You're too much." He swung suddenly, managing to land a hard right cross to Starsky's jaw. "I didn't realize you were so sensitive about your playmate's health. Our last game could have been so much more fun!"

Starsky stumbled back a couple steps, then charged at Rathe, and despite his rage it his attack was very controlled. He knocked Rathe to the ground, pinning the slightly larger man down. The handle of the billy club clenched tightly in his hand, the end of it ran along his forearm. He pressed the club against Rathe's throat, just below his chin, applying a slight upwards pressure at the same time.

One of Rathe's men charged him then, tackling him off of Rathe and landing on top of him.

Starsky was momentarily stunned. "Whats'da matter, Rathe, can't fight your own battles?"

Rathe shrugged. He nodded for his man to get off of Starsky. "I can when I'm standing up," he said, kicking Starsky in the face as his goon moved off.

Starsky cursed under his breath, and grabbed Rathe's leg hauling him down once again. The two men became locked in battle for control, rolling over each several times in attempt to gain the upper hand. Neither was aware of how close they had become to the edge of the pier until the fell over the edge. Both men plunged into the deep water below.

Rathe immediately grabbed a handful of Starsky's hair and pushed down as hard as he could, attempting to keep the detective's head under the water.

Starsky struck Rathe in the gut with sharp blow, causing Rathe's hold to loosen enough for him to surface. "Now it is just you and me, Rathe." He wrapped his hands around Rathe's neck and plunged him beneath the surface of the water.

Rathe brought his knee up into Starsky's stomach with all of his strength, knocking the wind out of him and pulling himself to the surface. "Yep, and you're going to get that watery death I promised you," Rathe choked out.

Starsky coughed as he struggled to catch his breath, his dark curls clinging to the sides of his face. He grabbed the front of Rathe's shirt and pulled him closer to one of the posts of the pier. He shoved Rathe tightly against it and fumbled to retrieve his handcuffs. "You're the one that'll get that watery death ... tide's coming in, so you'll know it's coming." He handled the handcuffs with precession learned through years of practice. The post was narrow enough for Rathe's arms to go around it, though with very little slack. Within seconds Starsky had Rathe handcuffed securely. He swam in front of Rathe, grinning widely.

"Laugh it up," Rathe said. "Soon as you go upstairs, my boys will be on you like a pack of rabid dogs."

"There's more then one place to get back up there." Starsky pointed out. "Though it matters little to you, by then you'll be in a watery grave."

"Uh-huh, and you'll be explainin' to your little cop superiors how a man you overpowered ended up drownin' under the pier. You're gonna like jail, though, Starsky. Really."

"Not my fault you couldn't swim." Starsky smirked. "Besides who says anyone will find your body."

"Um, I'm pretty sure it'll turn up in the morning when the tide goes out and it's still handcuffed to the pier, smarty pants!"

"True ... if I were to leave you handcuffed ... wouldn't take more then a couple minutes for you to be dead, uncuff you and let the tide carrying you corpse out to sea. By the time anyone finds you won't be identifiable ... you know salt water really makes a dead body turn rather ... mushy."

Rathe smirked. "Then do it, Starsky. Do it and become exactly like me. I think your partner will really like the new you. What do you think? He seemed to enjoy *our* esteemed company last night. Maybe monsters turn him on."

"Thing is I haven't been myself lately you see, I could kill you then go right back to normal and nobody would be the wiser."

"You think so? You think you can kill in cold blood and be the same as you were? You're kidding yourself. I've looked into the abyss, my friend. You know what Nietzsche said about that, don't you? He said 'Remember that when you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you'. I'd be quite happy dying, if the last thing I see is the abyss looking into you."

"Yeah well to kill a perverted punk like you I'm more then willing to take that chance." Starsky said, even though he had no intention of actually killing Rathe, he never did, Rathe's last comment rattled him slightly.

"Then do it," Rathe said smoothly. "Do it."

Starsky turned and swam a short distance away from Rathe. "See you in hell."

"Yeah, I'll save you a seat!" Rathe called after him.

"You do that." Starsky said, vanishing into the darkness under the pier.

Rathe laughed. "You think I'm kidding, don't you? Ask yourself if I'm kidding when you look in the mirror in the morning!"

Starsky swam around behind Rathe quietly, and shoved his head under the water for a moment, until Rathe's struggles weakened, and to the point that Rathe almost passed out before pulling Rathe's head back above the surface of the rising water. He quickly uncuffed one of Rathe's hands and dragged the semi conscious man to a floating wooden platform. Starsky climbed on first, the awkwardly drug Rathe up out of the water. He secured the other hand of the handcuff to a metal ring. Then sat for a moment as he waited a moment to catch his own breath.

Rathe came around slowly and noticed his new situation. "I didn't think you had the balls to really do it. You had my hopes up for a minute there, though."

"I'll be much more happy knowing that you're rotting away in a prison ... I'm sure you'll make some real good 'friends' there."

Rathe grinned. "I'm sure," he said. "Might even meet some people who'll want to visit you with me when we get out."

"Only thing is, you'll never be gettin' out." Starsky said, he slid off the platform, back into the water.

Hutch awoke to see early morning sunlight streaming through his window. He looked around. Huggy Bear was sitting in a nearby chair, dozing. Starsky was nowhere to be seen. He likely had things to do. Maybe he was even just in the washroom. But for some reason, Hutch had expected him to be there. He frowned slightly and considered waking Huggy to ask him if he knew where Starsky was. Last time they spoke, Starsky wasn't exactly in the condition to be doing much besides resting. Maybe he was at home.

Starsky strode into the room, still dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing last night, - though looking ragged and dirty. A large bruise was visible on the side of his face where Rathe had kicked him. Starsky grinned at Hutch. "Morin', sunshine."

Hutch looked him up and down. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked, his voice still soft and tired.

"Went for a swim." Starsky said, moving to sit down on the edge of Hutch's bed. "How you doing, buddy?"

"Oh, I'm alright..." Hutch said casually. "Just a few little bumps and bruises. Nothing of note. In fact, I could probably go to work right this moment," he said in mock seriousness, betrayed by the fatigue in his voice.

"We got some time off, so you don't need to go to work."

"Oh, good," Hutch said. "I don't really feel like it."

Starsky smiled. Though during a long moment of silence the smile quickly. "Listen, Hutch, I ... um ... I'm sorry about ... everything."

Hutch shook his head slowly and slightly. The motion was painful but determined. "Not your fault," he said.

"Yeah it is. I *shoulda* known better. I shouldn't have doubted what I knew ... or at least felt was true."

"Yeah, you should always go with your gut," Hutch agreed amicably. "I'm sure you learned your lesson. So don't sweat it."

Starsky grinned, and bent down and carefully hugged his partner. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Hutch answered, weakly giving Starsky a squeeze back with his good arm.

Starsky sat back and looked at Hutch. "Move over a bit..." he told him waiting until Hutch moved a slight inch, with no questions asked. Starsky maneuvered himself so that he was laying down on the bed beside Hutch, with one leg almost hanging off the side. "We both need to get some sleep, and when we wake up I'll tell ya all about my night of swimming with Rathe."

A nurse came in with a tray holding medicine for the patients on the ward. As she approached the bed, she saw that two men were squeezed onto the single mattress side by side, sleeping peacefully. She turned to find a place to put the tray and realized that another man was asleep in the chair next to the bed. She sighed. It wasn't even visiting hours yet. She put the tray down and walked around to the far side of the bed where the patient was sleeping and gently woke him. Hutch started slightly and blinked at her. "Mr. Hutchinson, it's time for your medication."

"Oh," he said, struggling to sit up slightly. She handed him the pills and a small cup of water.

Starsky wanted to do nothing more then roll over and go back to sleep when he felt Hutch move, it had been a long night, long several days actually, and he wasn't ready to wake up. He groggily opened his eyes and noticed the nurse standing beside the bed, prepared to argue if she so much as suggested he leave.

The nurse eyed him warily as she took the cup from Hutch. "Nice try," she said wryly. "But no free samples," she told him, picking up the tray of medication. She glanced at Huggy again before walking out of the room. She knew the man in the bed was a police officer and he didn't seem to mind all the people crashed in and around his bed, so why should she?

"How ya feeling'?" Starsky asked. "Hopefully better then you look."

"Better than *you* look," Hutch said, still sounding weak.

Starsky was quiet for moment as though debating how he should he respond, he wanted to act as though things were normal - and that there had been no 'tension' in the friendship the last few days. Or at least act as though he hadn't been 'out of his mind' and giving Hutch a hard time. "How are you feeling?' he asked again.

"Depends," Hutch said. "How are you feeling?"

"Other then being tired, I'm feeling okay."

"'Okay' as in...." Hutch prompted him.

"As in normal."

"What do you remember?"

"About what?"

"About... everything."

"I remember just that ... everything." Starsky said, he closed his eyes for a moment then looked at Hutch. "Sorry about ... all of that."

Hutch shrugged as best he could through his injuries. "It's okay."

"No it ain't. I tried to deny the one thing I knew was true ... there's nothing okay with that. I didn't know, but I knew, ya know?"

"Yeah. And it's okay."

"Is it?" Starsky asked tentatively. Those two simple words asking so very much.

Hutch put on his thoughtful look for a moment, then looked at Starsky. "Yes," he said simply.

Starsky released the breath that he hadn't been aware he was holding, and grin at his partner. "Thanks."

Hutch nodded, then a playful glint came into his eye. "Of course, you'll have to work awfully hard to make it up to me..."

"Does busting Rathe count?" Starsky asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah... tell you what? You tell me the story and we'll call it even."

"Well, since he was looking so hard to find me ... I kinda let him find me." Starsky said, Hutch opened his mouth and Starsky knew it was to call that idea 'foolish', so he quickly went on. "Though he thought he was meeting with Huggy ... who was gonna tell him where I was hiding."

Hutch looked over at the chair Huggy had been occupying the whole night. He was still sound asleep and oblivious to the conversation.

"Got into a bit of a ... fight with him, ending up in the ocean ..." Starsky said, pausing not sure if he should tell Hutch that he had considered killing Rathe for all the pain and grief that man had caused a lot of people, including them.

"Starsky, you hate the water," Hutch commented.

"Well is wasn't exactly the high point of my evening ... though at least I managed not to drown." Starsky said without thinking.

Hutch looked at him sharply.

"Sorry." Starsky said, realizing what he had said. "I didn't drown Rathe either ... though he might no longer be so fond of the water either."

Hutch smiled slightly. "What about his goons?"

"Busted all of 'em too .... luckily none dove into help him."

Huggy blinked his eyes as he woke up to the sound of familiar voices chatting. He sat up slightly and saw Starsky in the hospital bed next to Hutch. "Starsky, my man! When'd you get back?"

"Some time this morning." Starsky said and grinned at his friend. "Thanks for help setting Rathe up, it worked perfectly."

"Well why the hell didn't you wake me up when you got back? I was worrying myself do death for most of the night before I finally passed out after first light this morning!"

"Because we both 'passed out' ourselves."

Huggy looked like he wanted to argue that for a second, then just said "Oh." He paused a second, then added "How you feelin'?"

"Hey ... I ain't the one in the hospital bed ... well okay so I am but I'm not the patient."

"Well, now that you're hear and you're you and you can keep an eye on the actual patient, I am out of here, gentlemen. I've got places to go and people to see, y'dig?"

"Sure, Hug. Thanks for looking after him."

"No problem. Glad you're feeling better. See ya later." He waved and left the room.

"Hey, Hutch?"

"Yeah," Hutch said, staring at the ceiling.

"Sorry 'bout what I said ... ya know ... before. I just ... a part always did know the truth I just didn't want to admit to it because it felt safer for it not to be true ... at the time. I mean I didn't know who I was let alone who you were ... and ..." Starsky stopped afraid he'd say something wrong and ruin what might now be a fragile friendship.

Hutch looked at him. "I said it's okay," he told him. "I wasn't just saying that. It's okay. I'm just glad your memory's back and you're you again."

"Me too." Starsky said with a grin. "I just hope you know no matter what you are best friend."

"I know," he said simply. Nothing else needed said. They laid side by side in companionable silence and listened to the sounds of the hospital.

~The End~