“Starsky… STARSKY, for the last time, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Hutch was getting very angry with his stubborn partner.  Starsky just shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothin’”

“Yeh, right, nothing!  You’ve barely said a word since you got out of the dentist and God only knows it was hard enough to get you there in the first place!” He grimaced at the memory of the bickering and arguments that he’d faced, trying to get Starsky firstly to admit he actually had a pain, secondly to admit it was a toothache, even though Hutch had guessed, and thirdly the
most difficult battle of them all, to get Starsky to a dentist.  Starsky had only given in after a night of extreme agony, that even whisky hadn’t dimmed.  The moment that Hutch had seen the state of him that morning, he’d called his own dentist and got an emergency appointment for his pigheaded partner.  Now after the visit, Starsky was barely talking to him, and certainly
not inclined to tell him what the dentist had said.

“God Starsky, you’re so childish!  What can be so bad?”

“NOTHIN’ Hutch” Starsky’s own anger was starting to rise.  He was sore, his mouth felt numb and swollen and he hated dentists and there was no way he was going to have any further treatment. Perhaps if he ignored the pain, it would simply go away.  Oh God, let it go away.  Hutch’s continuing grumpiness didn’t make him inclined to confide in him.  He just wanted to forget the whole horrible experience.  So he hunched his shoulders, staring out in front of him, waiting for Hutch to give up and drive them away from this nightmare.

“Starsk..” Hutch tried another tack “Listen buddy, you don’t get that sort of pain from “nothin’”.  What is it?  You need a filling?  What did he say?”

“Don’t matter what he said Hutch, ‘cause I ain’t goin’ back and I ain’t doin’ what he said.  So let’s just forget it and get outta here”

“We’re not going anywhere Starsk.  I can be just as stubborn as you, even more so, and we’re staying here until you tell me what’s going on”

Starsky shrugged angrily.  He knew very well how stubborn Hutch could be and he didn’t want to spend the night outside the dentist’s office.

“He put a filling in one tooth which is why my mouth is so numb.  The pain I’ve had comes from an impacted tooth and it’s gotta come out, so he says.  But it ain’t, it’s stayin’!  It was put in my mouth for a reason and no dentist is gonna take it out.  I’ve got these nice little pills to help with the pain”

Hutch sighed, not altogether surprised.  He obviously had another battle on his hands, getting Starsky to the hospital.

“Starsk, it’s got to come out, you’ve got no choice.  The pain isn’t going to just disappear and the pills can’t help you indefinitely.  Let’s go and find out when you can get in” but even as Hutch spoke, he knew Starsky wasn’t ready to give in.  This was going to be a battle indeed but he was prepared.  Starsky was going to get that tooth out, whether he wanted to or not.
 

CHAP 2

Hutch knew that it wasn’t the right time to push Starsky, not while his mouth was still numb and he couldn’t feel any pain. That wouldn’t last, as Hutch realised, and he waited for the first signs of pain to return.  Signs being a grumpy Starsky.  It didn’t take that long.

Starsky was grumpy by the afternoon, snapping at everyone around him, causing even Dobey to raise his eyebrows as he heard Starsky laying into Baker, a uniformed officer whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“What’s with your partner Hutch?” was the question that Hutch faced that day and he just grinned and replied “toothache”, earning him glares from his irate friend.

“Starsk, you ready to admit defeat yet?  This is only the beginning” but Starsky hadn’t yet reached the point, even though by the end of the day his colleagues would have chipped in topay for the operation.  By the end of the week, Hutch was getting appeals from everyone in the department that they came in contact with and Hutch himself was getting weary of being snapped
at by his usually genial partner.  Starsky was a hothead and reacted violently when he lost his temper, but he didn’t often just snap at people for the sake of it, but no-one could do anything right and he was making life generally miserable for those around him.

The situation came to a head when they were called out to a jewellery store robbery.    The robbers were a couple of young men, who’d been caught but weren’t ready to admit defeat.  One of them broke away and ended up punching Starsky in the face, on the sore side.   Hutch watched Starsky collapse and immediately grabbed the perp and threw him over to the waiting uniformed officers.  Hutch ran up to Starsky, all his previous annoyance with him forgotten as he saw Starsky’s intense pain.

“Starsk…” Hutch put his hand gently on Starsky’s head, looking into his painfilled eyes.

“Could’ve at least knocked it out Hutch” Starsky whispered, but he knew it wasn’t that simple. He also knew that he couldn’t live with this pain any more.  “Okay Hutch.  I guess I’d better go see when they can do this”.  Hutch was sorry to see Starsky’s additional pain, but couldn’t help but feel relieved that it had resulted in him agreeing to have the tooth removed.  He helped him towards the Torino.

“Guess I’d better drive eh Starsk?”

Starsky groaned.  “My life just gets better and better!  You remember Blintz, don’t ya hurt my car!”
 

CHAP 3

If Hutch had hoped for some peace after this, he was doomed to disappointment.  Starsky wasn’t suffering in silence any more and his constant complaining and whining was almost as bad as his previous sniping at people.  Hutch prayed for patience during this difficult time but he was losing.

“It hurts Hutch.  How am I supposed to live like this?  How does a tooth get impacted anyway?”

Hutch sighed and tried to remind himself that it wouldn’t be long.  However, as the day drew nearer, Starsky’s complaints increased, as did his list of instructions to Hutch for looking after his plants and apartment.  The final straw came when Starsky handed Hutch a copy of his will.

“For God’s sake Starsk!  You’re going to be in hospital for ONE NIGHT!  You’re having a tooth removed and you’re carrying on like you’re having heart surgery!”  Hutch’s temper had been getting increasingly frayed.  The sight of Starsky’s will did nothing to calm him down and he blew up.

“Hutch, things happen in hospital.  The simplest procedure can go wrong.  I just wanna make sure you look after things for me.  My car, Hutch….”

“STARSKY!!!     You’re mad, that’s it, you’re quite, quite mad!  You’ve been shot at, poisoned, kidnapped, beaten, more times than I care to remember, and you’re now going to hospital to have a tooth removed and you’re GIVING ME YOUR WILL!  I can’t stand it, I’m getting out of here!” Hutch turned around to storm out.   “WHAT AM I DOING?  This is MY apartment!  Starsky, if you’re going to talk wills and things, just go!”  Hutch didn’t know how to get through to him.

“Hutch,I don’t mean to freak you out.  I guess I’m stupid for being scared but this is different from the other hospital stays.  I didn’t have a chance to think about them ….”

“I KNOW!  You’ve had too long to think about this. I wish to God that perp had knocked it out for you.  I DO NOT want to talk wills with you Starsk.”

Starsky saw the stubborn look in Hutch’s eyes and knew he should give up.  He'd pushed Hutch too much and he knew that it was his fault that Hutch had finally lost patience with him.  He was scared, and because he was scared, a lot of his old nightmares were returning.  Nightmares of Marcos and Attard and his ordeals at their hands.  He guessed he was being irrational and that it was his nervousness over his tooth that had brought these nightmares back to him.  He couldn’t admit that to Hutch, he would only admit to being scared of the operation, as silly as that made him. He knew that Hutch would be a lot more supportive if he knew the truth, but Starsky was confused about the truth himself.  Was he scared of the operation and that was bringing back his nightmares, or were his nightmares making his fear of the operation much stronger?  What did the nightmares mean?  He hadn’t really seen Attard the other day had he? It had been just a glimpse but Attard had been blown up when one of his followers had plante “Let’s get drunk Hutch!”
 

CHAP 4

Starsky continued to drive Hutch insane over the next few days, Hutch not admitting how much he’d been shaken by the sight of Starsky’s will and Starsky not admitting the truth about his nightmares.  Finally the day came, and Hutch drove him to the hospital early in the morning. His surgery was due late that afternoon.

“Hutch, can’t you stay with me?”

“Starsky, Dobey would have my hide!  I’m already doing you a favour by finishing YOUR reports, since I’ve been put on desk duty!”

“Hutch, I don’t wanna stay here alone all day”

“ALONE?  You’re the only person who’d think they’re on their own in a hospital.  Besides which,” Hutch added slyly, “what about all the pretty nurses?  Without me there to distract them, you’ll have them all to yourself!” His ploy wasn’t successful.  Starsky really was very edgy.  Hutch realised this for the first time, having thought he’d been exaggerating his fear. Maybe he was scared.  No, how could he be?

“Look Starsk, I’ll come and see you lunch time.  How’s that?”  Starsky brightened a little at that prospect.  He looked at Hutch, wondering whether he should confide in him but he decided against it.  It was stupid, what could happen in hospital?  His nightmares had one good effect on him – he’d forgotten to worry about the pain and fear of the operation, which soon returned as he signed the admittance forms.

“Goodbye Hutch” was the plaintiff call as Hutch turned to leave.  He looked at his partner in amazement.  The grown man, a tough street cop, could look so like a little boy lost when it suited him.

“See ya lunch time Starsk!” and hardening his heart, he left.

As he left, he found himself worrying about Starsky.  Don’t be so ridiculous Hutchinson.  This is precisely what he wanted!  He can play you like a violin!

It was about 9.00 am by the time he got to the precinct and his phone was ringing.

“Hutchinson” he barked, slightly out of breath.

“Hi Blintz.  Finished the reports yet?”

“STARSKY!  I only just got here… What do you want?”

“Thought you might be missing me…”

“I’d like the chance to!  I told you, I’ll come and see you at lunch time!  I’ve got to go. See you then!” Hutch slammed the phone down.  Oh how glad he’d be when this was all over with. He pitied the medical staff who were on duty that day.  Starsky was clearly going to drive them mad.

Grabbing some coffee, he sat down with the reports, groaning as he saw the pile.  Starsky, you’re going to pay for this!

After about half an hour, his phone rang again.

“Hiya Blintz.  I’m bored…”

“YOU’RE BORED!  STARSKY!  Read a book, chat up a nurse!  What is going on here?”

“Didn’t mean to annoy you but I can’t concentrate.  They’re gonna cut into my mouth today. What if they get it wrong?  What if they slip?”

“Starsky, this operation is very straightforward.  They often take teeth out in the dentist’s chair but with yours it’s stuck so you need a general anaesthetic.  I bet the surgeon could do it with his hands tied behind his back.”

“But….”

“No buts Starsk.  I’ve got to go. If you want me to visit you lunch time, you’ve got to stop ringing me.  Goodbye!”

Hutch sighed wearily as he replaced the phone.  As much as he loved his partner, he could certainly annoy him more than anyone else he ever met.

Half an hour went by and Hutch looked up automatically.  Maybe Starsky had found himself a sympathetic nurse.   Good, he could finish the report.  Another half an hour passed and Hutch couldn’t help himself, he started to worry.  He’d fully expected the day to be full of phone calls from his panic stricken partner, and he hadn’t really been surprised by the morning calls.  Only two, seemed to be letting him off fairly lightly.

After another half hour, Hutch picked up the phone himself.  One way or the other Starsky was really going to drive him around the bend before this was over.

“I’m sorry Mr Starsky isn’t answering his phone.  Can I leave  a message?”

“Please let him know that Hutch phoned and will call him back”

“Very well Mr Hutch.”

Hutch replaced the phone.  Starsky could be anywhere, maybe just went to the bathroom.  Panic seemed to be contagious.  He grabbed the phone as it rang.

“Hey blondie.  You missed me after all”

Hutch couldn’t help sighing with relief.  “Not at all. Just wanted to make sure you hadn’t run off with some nurse.  Wouldn’t put it past you”

“Just in the bathroom.  Ain’t seen anyone worth while.  I seem to have all the grumps”

Hutch grinned as he replied “Maybe it’s contagious”

“I’m so hungry Hutch.  You couldn’t bring me a burrito…”

“NO!  You’re fasting Starsky and I guarantee you won’t starve to death” Hutch couldn’t help grinning.

“What’s goin’ on?” He heard Starsky asking someone and he heard a muttered whisper in response.

“I’m not due until this afternoon… oh okay… Hey blintz.  This is it, they’ve come to take me away.  There was a change in surgery times and I’m next.  So don’t come lunch time eh?  I’ll be under the knife.  Come after work – please?”

It was the first please Starsky had issued and Hutch couldn’t resist him, even if he’d been inclined.  “Okay buddy, I’ll be there.  What time is your op?”

“Gotta go Hutch – see ya later”

“Yeh buddy, see ya” Hutch hung up as he heard Starsky replace the phone, wondering at his own sudden unease.  Panic really was contagious!  He forced himself to laugh at the silliness of the situation but it was forced.

“Hey, why am I so early?  Couldn’t resist me eh?” Starsky looked at the nurse preparing the syringe.  She was pretty.  That was his luck, get a pretty young nurse just as he was being taken away.  There was something vaguely familiar about her. His arm was lifted and the sleeve of his gown rolled up.  He watched her.  Oh God, it was Gayle, one of Marcos’s goons.  The one
who’d come so close to cutting him up.  The needle slid into his arm before he could do more than realise who his nurse was.  He heard some footsteps come into his room and fell into unconsciousness as he felt himself being lifted off his bed.
 

CHAP 5

Hutch found it hard to get back to his reports.    He disliked paperwork at the best of times with Starsky to share the chores, and without Starsky this wasn't the best of times.  He estimated that Starsky's operation should be around 1.00 pm, and there was no point him going to the hospital much before 5.00.  He decided he wanted to be there when Starsky woke up as he
was now feeling a bit guilty about losing his patience with him.   Realising he had no choice other than to finish the paperwork, he settled back down to it, trying to ignore his uneasy feelings.  He resisted the temptation to ring the hospital again and managed to finish all of their overdue paperwork.  Starsk, you're going to pay for this, Hutch thought.  He couldn't help the feeling of relief and satisfaction as he saw the neat pile of papers.  It was 4.30 by then and he figured he may as well go to the hospital.

Deciding against buying Starsky some chocolate as a joke, he made his way to Starsky's room. He was a little perturbed when he saw that he wasn't back yet but he knew that operating schedules often fell behind, so he went and sat by the window, to wait.
 

After awhile, Hutch started to grow anxious.  It was now nearly 5.30 and surely a patient who'd had a impacted tooth removed in the early afternoon, should be back in his room by now. He went to the nurses station.

"Excuse me, I'm a friend of Mr Starsky.  He was admitted this morning to have an impacted tooth removed and is in room 107.   He had his pre-meds when I was talking to him at about 12.00 noon.  Shouldn't he be out by now?  Can you tell me if anything is wrong?"

"I'm sorry sir but Mr Starsky was originally due to be operated on at 5.00 this afternoon. However, due to an emergency,  his operation was put back to 7.00." She looked at her chart. "He should still be in his room, waiting for the pre-meds, which are due shortly."

Immediately Hutch's feeling of unease moved to near panic.

"Listen lady, I was talking to him at 12.00 today when someone came in to give him his pre-meds.  His operation should be over with by now and he should be back in his room. What the hell is going on?"  Hutch's short fuse was about to explode.

"I am telling you the truth.  He is being operated on at 7.00 and is due for his pre-meds now. He did NOT go to surgery this afternoon."

"OKAY" Hutch was trying to hold on to his temper with difficulty, but the woman's insistence that she was right wasn't making it easy for him.  "THEN WHERE THE HELL IS HE?  I'VE BEEN IN HIS ROOM FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR AND HE ISN'T THERE!"

"He has to be there!" the nurse was starting to get annoyed with the blonde detective's attitude.

"HE'S NOT!  AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT SOMEONE CAME TO GET HIM AT LUNCH TIME!  WHAT KIND OF HOSPITAL IS THIS?  DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING? I WANT TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN CHARGE!  NOW!" Hutch had lowered his voice from a near shout, but his cold fury had in no way abated. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

"Excuse me" they were interrupted by the arrival of a stressed looking nurse.  "I'm supposed to give Mr Starsky his pre-meds.  Does anyone know where he is?"
 

CHAP 6

Hutch was beside himself with fury.  "Are you telling me you lost my partner?  How the fuck can that happen?" he was beyond watching his language.  By this time, the supervisor and security had been alerted and they were in the supervisor's office, along with Dobey who'd just arrived after receiving a furious phone call from his blonde detective.  He could barely comprehend
what the enraged man was telling him, but he heard enough to get him down to the hospital in record time.  Starsky was missing and it was obvious what state Hutch was in.  He realised he had to get to the hospital to at least try to control Hutch.

"As far as we're concerned Mr Hutchinson, and there is no need for such language" the supervisor looked at him coldly "Mr Starsky was due to have his surgery at 7.00 pm.   If he isn't here, perhaps he decided to go home?  Have you looked? Patients have been known to walk out before."  she only quailed slightly at the furious look from Hutch.

"I did" Dobey spoke up, ignoring Hutch's look.  He'd been aware of Starsky's reluctance to have the operation although he didn't really believe that Starsky would have simply walked out, he had to check.

"He's not there.  We now have to investigate how he got out of here.  It's obvious that he's been taken and we're going to have to talk to your staff who were on duty and may have seen something."

"Excuse me sir but this is a busy hospital.  If you want to talk to anyone, it will have to be in their own time…" this time she did falter under the icy look from Hutch.   "Of course, we will do everything we can to find your partner.  However, I don't see how you can blame the hospital for this."

"My partner came here to have a tooth removed.  Someone came into his room at around 12.00 noon, I know this because I was talking to him at the time.  My partner would not have left willingly, if he had not thought it was a genuine hospital staff member so I would suggest lady, you have a security problem!  Someone came in, dressed as a nurse, took out a patient!"

Hutch realised that he wasn't doing any good arguing.  It wouldn't help him find Starsky and that's all he cared about.  He turned around and stormed out, Dobey letting him go.

"I'm going to start asking questions.  Someone must have seen something!" Hutch left, trying to control his panic.    Only Starsky could go to hospital for a simple procedure and disappear. He remembered his fear, and his wish that Hutch would stay with him.   Oh buddy, when you get out of this, I promise I'll stay with you.  He couldn't allow himself to think that Starsky
wouldn't be found.

---

When Starsky woke up, he was confused.  Had he had the operation?  His mouth was sore, but there was something wrong.   It was so dark and it didn't seem like his hospital room. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realised that he must be in a basement as there were no windows.  He realised that his wrists were bound behind him but his ankles weren't and that he
really wasn't that uncomfortable, all things considered.  With some difficulty, he sat up and tried to look around.  There wasn't much space in  his prison and then he remembered Gayle.  Oh God, he was in the hands of Marcos' goons again.  At least he hadn't been left hanging by his wrists this time.   He got up and made his way to the door but it wouldn't budge against his
weight.   He looked around desperately, frightened at the thought of what they'd do to him this time.  Marcos was dead, and he'd believed Attard was too but it seemed he was wrong.   He sat back on the hard surface, feeling a little disoriented.  Hutch, I need Hutch, he though.
 

CHAP 7

Hutch was going out of his mind.  Starsky had been abducted from his hospital bed but there were no clues as to who'd taken him.    They had made so many enemies over the years, it could be any one of them.  Although he realised it had to be one of the cleverer perps, to have grabbed him from the hospital.  The hospital.   Hutch could barely think of that place and the supervisor in particular, without going into a white hot rage.  She had ended up cooperating and letting them talk to the staff but she was present at every talk and making it clear that time was money.  He'd nearly throttled her at one point, and the pompous security man who claimed that his security system was the best possible.  Dobey had to stand between the two of them, and he'd stormed out again.  One of the junior nurses had seen a man on a trolley being pushed out at around the right time but had been occupied when an emergency had come in.  By the time the emergency was over, she'd put it out of her mind.  Still no clue as to who had taken him.

Starsky tensed as he heard the footsteps approaching him.  He looked up as the door opened and was surprised that there was only one figure.

"David, you're awake." It was Gayle.   "Please don't be scared David.  I want to help you"

"Help me?  You took me from the hospital!"

"Attard wants you dead, David and he asked us to capture you but I couldn't do it.  We have to hide here.  I'm going to tell him that you escaped.  My brother helped me. I don't want to hurt you David, I want to keep you safe."

"Why tie me up then?  Let me go please." Starsky saw a glimmer of hope. "My partner Hutch, will be going crazy."

"No David.  You have to be safe.  He can't keep you safe but I can.  Now don't argue or I'll have to gag you.  You have to be very quiet.  Attard will never find you here, never.  If he does, he'll kill us all"

Starsky shook his head. "No, please, you can't keep me here"

"DAVID!  I told you to be quiet" He wasn't prepared for the sudden mood swing, or the blow as she lashed out at him.  He fell backwards.  "David, please this has to be done my way, or we won't get away with it" She leaned over him, stroking his face.  "Please you must trust me.  Your partner can't keep you safe because he is going to die tonight."  Before Starsky could
react, she'd placed a cloth in his mouth, effectively gagging him.   "You're going to make this hard David.  This is for your own good.  Both you and your partner have been marked for death.  It is the anniversary of Simon's death in two days time and Attard wants you both dead by then.  You were to be first, then Hutchinson.    I can't save him, but I can and will save you"
Starsky groaned in protest, but Gayle was determined and quickly bound his ankles.   "I've got to go now to see Attard and make sure that he believes that you escaped"  Gayle was a far cry from the weak girl who'd tried to help him during his first capture but there was a light of fanaticism in her eyes that scared him almost more than anything else.  That and the knowledge
that Hutch was targeted for death and he could do nothing to help him. Wriggling against his bonds was useless, although he wouldn't give up.  Not while Hutch's life was at risk.

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