Starsky had asked to come along with me to Parker Center this afternoon. I knew that he was tired of bring cooped up at

home, day after day.............now the days had turned into months.....................................

Starsky's healing process was so terribly slow. There had been so much damage and he was still in so much pain at times.

Starsky's Doctor had told us it would still be another couple of months before his wounds had healed up enough to even begin

to think of starting physical therapy.

Since I was only going to be at Parker Center for a very short time, just long enough to sign some depositions that the District

attorney needed for a court case, I couldn't see any harm in letting Starsky come along with me.

I knew he hated bring stuck at home with just four walls to look at but he was still not well enough, healed up enough or strong

enough to do much. His Doctor had warned us that if he pushed himself too hard too soon he would be risking a setback in his

recovery. He still had a tremendous amount of healing to do.

I walked over to the couch where my partner was laying.

"All right, Starsk, I don't see why you can't come with me."

His face lit up when I said this.

"I'll go get my shoes, Hutch."

Starsky slowly made his way into his bedroom and came back out with his shoes and a pair of socks in his hands.

He held them out to me.

I knew he still needed me to put his shoes and socks on for him, he wasn't able to bend over far enough to do it himself yet.

"You need some help with those, partner?"

Starsky nodded at me, it really made him mad that something as simple as putting on his shoes and socks was still beyond him.

My partner is a very proud man, and I could see the hurt in his eyes, hurt that was more than just physical.

I talked to him as I tied his shoes............

"Now look, Starsk, we will go to Metro and then we are coming straight back here and you are gonna get some rest."

I got no response from him so I said to him. "Did you hear me Gordo?"

"Yea Blondie I hear ya, did you know that you can really be mean sometimes?"  Starsky was trying his best to look angry.

I knew Starsky wasn't serious, I didn't have a mean bone in my body when it came to Starsky. I loved him unconditionally and

he knew that.

................

We drove to Parker Center and for a few brief moments with Starsky sitting beside me in the car............us on our way to the

precinct......it seemed like the shooting hadn't happened......if only............

I glanced over at my still all too pale and thin friend. There were new lines of pain that would be forever etched on his face,

around his eyes and at the sides of his mouth, the lines on his forehead had deepened, all permanent reminders of the

devastating after effects from Gunther's bullets.

"Hey Hutch, Blondie?"

"Hey."

I felt Starsky's hand on my shoulder.

The traffic light had turned green.

"Ain't gonna get any greener."

The sound of Starsky's voice brought me back to the present.

............

As we got closer to Parker Center my heart about leapt out of my chest.......this would be the first time Starsky had been to the

precinct since he had been shot.

I had been there numerous times while Starsky was still in the hospital or like now while he was home recuperating.

I turned to look at my best friend.

"Oh God, Starsk I don't know if this is such a good idea."

"I mean you haven't been here since...................

He finished my sentence for me........."Since I got shot, yea I know, I thought about that, but I can't avoid it forever, we both

know that."

"I'll be ok, just stick close to me, ok?"

"You got it Buddy, I don't intend to let you out of my sight, you can believe that."

We looked at each other, we had always been there for each other and we were here for each other now, no words had to be

spoken between us.

I reached over and squeezed Starsky's shoulder, then ran my hand through my partner's wild array of curls.

How I loved this man beside me, my best friend, my partner.......the other half of myself, all rolled into one.

..........

We rode the rest of the short distance in companable silence.

Although Starsky wanted me to believe he was "ok" with this, I could not make myself park in the police parking garage where

he had been shot. I parked on the street out front.

...............

It felt good walking into the squad room with Starsky beside me.

The room was nearly deserted at this hour, only two uniforms were still standing at the far end of the room. I didn't know either

one of them.

They looked to be fresh out of the Academy.

Starsky always referred to rookies as "The Bubble Bum Brigade."

(Had we ever really been that young?)

Starsky was practically out of breath from the short walk from the elevators down the hall to our desks in the squad room.

"Are you ok Babe?" I asked him.

"Yea, I'm fine, just a little out of breath is all......I think I'll sit at my desk and wait for you."

"Starsk, are you sure you're ok?"

My partner looked up at me from his chair.

"Hutch, go do what you  have to do, I ain't going anywhere."

"Ok, I said, it'll only take me a few minutes.......the papers are in The Captain's office."

He leaned back in his chair and pointed with his hand in the direction of Dobey's office........."Hutch, the papers...............go!"

I put my hands up in mock surrender.

"Ok, ok, I'll be back in no time" I  said..................................................

........................................

I signed the papers, left Dobey's office, closing the door behind me.

............I only heard the tail end of the conversation between the two rookies as they walked out of the squad room...........

But what I did hear was more than enough.

I looked over at my partner.

"Oh Starsky."

What had been said was bound to take away what little confidence Starsky had in himself regarding his future as a police

officer.

Starsky's head was bowed and he had slid down in his chair.

We were alone in the squad room.

I kneeled down in front of him so I could see his face.

"Hey Buddy, Starsk?, those two don't know what they're talking about."

"They don't know you and they don't know me."

"They were just talking."

Starsky looked up at me.

"Yea, I know Hutch, but what if they are right?"

"What if I can't cut it anymore?"

"Maybe even when I get better it won't be enough for the Review Board."

"Hutch, are you and I the only ones that feel I can make it back and be your partner?"

"Maybe Dobey doesn't believe it either, maybe he just doesn't want to tell me."

"Even Dr. Kellerman says I have to take it one day at a time and he still can't give me any guarantees."

He looked so hurt. My heart ached for him.

..........

"Listen to me Buddy."

"No one but the Man upstairs really has all the answers, but He's been on our side so far and I believe He still is."

"Starsky, we'll work this out, but we have to give it time and you know I am going to be with you every step of the way."

"No way you are in this alone...........it's Me and Thee.......right?"

He slowly raised his head and looked at me.

"Ok" he sighed.

"But Hutch, I just don't know what I'd do if I couldn't be a cop anymore."

"It's all I've ever wanted to be, the only thing I know how to do."

"That scares the hell out of me."

"Hutch, I'm not gonna give up, I'm really not and besides, I have to come back to work.......someone's gotta watch your back

Blondie."

I pulled him close to me and we both took comfort in each other.

.................

(I had Starsky with me and that's all that would ever matter to me)

........because.......like always, it was just "Me and Thee."

The End
 
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