It was more of a cell then a room – less then a cell even, it was little more then a hole in the wall. It was cold and dark, little light shone through the small window of the door but having been in there for hours Hutch’s eyes had adjusted to the lack of light. The air was dank and had a rank scent of old dirt and death.  Despite the smallness of the confines Hutch felt less claustrophobic in the room with Starsky then he did alone, even though with two people crammed in there it made the room seem smaller. He had been alone in there for what seemed like forever, more worried about his friend’s safety then his own, not knowing if Starsky was alone in another room like his or if he was at the mercy of the cultist. Hutch felt a great weight lift from him when they brought Starsky into the room, only seeing the stillness of Starsky’s body had him even more worried. Hutch sat leaning back against the wall, with Starsky leaning back against him, his arms around his friend in a protective manor – no one would get Starsky away from him again without one hell of a fight. Starsky moaned slightly as consciousness and pain once again returned to his body.
     “C’mon, Starsk, it’s time to wake up buddy.” Hutch said quietly.
Starsky lifted his head slightly, which made his head throb in pain, then returned it to rest against the inside of Hutch’s shoulder.
     “How are you feeling?” Hutch asked worriedly, the concern in voice almost palpable.
     “Morning af’er the night b’fore.” Starsky mumbled, he drew a deep shuddery breath, that wasn’t sure if was a sign of pain of if Starsky was trying to keep from breaking down, and then he leaned tighter against his friend.
Hutch gently stroked Starsky’s shoulder, offering all the comfort he could, worrying about his friend’s state of mind fearing this would bring back terrible memories for Starsky of when Starsky had been kidnapped by Simon Marcus’s people. “Are you okay other then that?”
     “No.” Starsky answered honestly, he saw no reason in lying or hiding anything from Hutch – he never had. “Hutch, I don’t think we’re gonna make it out of this one.”
     “We’ve made through everything else – we’ll make it through this.”
     “I don’t think so, not this time.”
     “Don’t go giving up on me. If you quit now then they’ve already won.” Hutch said, when he heard Starsky’s stifled sob there was such a deep pain in the quality of the sound that it nearly broke his heart. “Sh, it’s okay, Starsk.”
     “Won’t ever be okay again.”
Starsky’s voice was so quite that Hutch barely heard it. “Why do you say that? What did those bastards do to you?”
     “I don’t want to talk about it.”
     ”Starsk –“ Hutch started but Starsky interrupted him.
     “Please, Hutch, I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just talk about anything else.”
     “Okay.” Hutch relented he knew he couldn’t force Starsky into talking when his friend was refusing so adamantly. “What do you want to talk about?”
     “The past … stuff we been through together … me and thee.”
     Hours past by and the two friends talked about old times, both trying to keep their minds off their present situation. Two of the cult members came to the door and thrust it open.
     “Both of you come.”
Hutch felt Starsky shudder and tightened his grip on his friend. “Fat fucking chance.”
The two men came into the room, one grabbed Starsky by the arm and attempted to pull him away from Hutch. Hutch held on tightly, making it a human tug of war. However, after hours of been cramped up in the tight quarters Hutch was no match for the energized cult member and he felt Starsky slip from his grip, as the other cult member pinned him roughly against the wall.
     “LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Hutch yelled, he could tell that Starsky was in no condition psychically or mentally to defend himself, his friend’s body seemed limp in the cultist’s tight grip.
Hutch was pulled, roughly, to his feet by the other cultist, stumbling slightly as his legs had both fallen asleep. They were taken out into the hallway and Hutch watched helpless as once again Starsky was led away from him.
     Hutch struggled against the ropes that held him tied to a pole in the center of the cult compound. His hands secured tightly behind the pole, which was about the circumference of a telephone pole, his feet secured, together, in front of him – the position he was forced into was highly uncomfortable. His shirt and shoes had been removed and he stood there wearing only his jeans. Cult members in their blood red robes had gathered around him, chanting in a language that Hutch couldn’t understand. He looked around for Starsky, not seeing his friend anywhere, saying a silent prayer for Starsky’s safety. A hush fell over the crowd as Starsky was led in, dressed in a robe that matched the rest of the cultist. . Hutch wanted to yell, to call out to Starsky but his mouth was gagged, keeping him from making any sound. Starsky was led to stand inches in front of Hutch before the cult members stepped away from him. Hutch could see that Starsky was trembling and that his dark blue eyes were wide with fear.
     “Hutch …” Starsky voice trembled and his sentence trailed off, he looked deeply into Hutch’s eyes, seeing his own fear reflected in the pale blue eyes that looked back at him. “I … I don’t know what to do.”
Hutch wished he wasn’t gagged, so that he could talk to Starsky, to comfort his friend to ask Starsky what he meant – all he could do was ask the question with his eyes. Having been best friends for years there was an unspoken language between the partners and Starsky could hear the question as clear as if Hutch had spoken it.
     “There is a choice … neither option is good though, partner.” Starsky said, his voice nervous. “And I don’t know which you’d rather.”
For the first time Hutch noticed the jagged knife that was clutched tightly in Starsky’s left hand and his eyes widened slightly.
Starsky placed a hand gently against Hutch’s cheek. “You know that I would never hurt you, lest not intentionally … not to cause you pain.”
Hutch nodded slightly, his mind no longer hearing the chanting of the cult members, the chanting that had taken a more insistent tone. Hutch could feel Starsky’s hand shaking and saw tears start to streak Starsky’s cheeks – and he knew things were far worse then he had ever imagined they were.
     “The choice is I kill you or they kill you.” Starsky said, his voice was barely a whisper but still Hutch heard him.
Hutch looked at Starsky in disbelief unsure he had heard him right – what kind of choice was that for the cultists to have Starsky make.
     “You’re my best friend, Hutch. You know I love ya, don’t you?”
Hutch nodded slightly wishing he could tell Starsky he felt the same, wishing he could say anything to ease the pain Starsky was suffering through – to help make the decision.
     “If they kill you … it will be slow ... painful … pure torture. I don’t want to see you have to suffer like that –“ Starsky paused, looking Hutch directly in the eyes trying to be sure his friend truly understood. “If I … k-kill you it’d be quick. I promise it wouldn’t hurt …”
Hutch suddenly fully understood, the only way Starsky had to protect him was to kill him, and having to make such a decision was tearing Starsky apart. Hutch relaxed his body, telling Starsky with his eyes that he understood, telling him what decision he wanted him to make.
Starsky nodded slightly, he knew Hutch wanted him to do it – his way not they’re way, a final act of an undying friendship. Starsky carefully position the knife tip over Hutch’s jugular. “See you on the other side, partner.” He whispered then swiftly and firmly thrust the knife into Hutch’s throat.
Hutch knew he was dead, he felt like he was floating outside his body he could still everything. Starsky was standing motionlessly for a moment, the knife still held in into Hutch’s throat, Hutch’s blood staining his skin and clothes. Tears were streaking Starsky’s cheeks as he pulled the knife out slowly, unaware of the cult members who were advancing on him. He looked intently at Hutch.
     “Me and thee always.” Starsky said softly and plunged the knife into his own throat.