CHAPTER 6

That Saturday afternoon Cassie had a revelation.  Hutch’s words had hit home and she finally realized what she would have to do. She had been acting like a spoiled brat and he would never take her seriously until she proved to him that she was mature. Just looking like a woman wasn’t enough…she had to start acting like one.

It had been a week since then…and she had been trying so desperately to converse with him on a mature level. He had noticed the change and commented a few times about it to his partner. She didn’t seem like herself and although at first he had enjoyed it…it had begun to worry him. Cassie without a smart-ass comment every now and then just wasn’t Cassie. He had actually missed their little arguments…lately whatever he said…she would agree…and it was starting to get to him.

During their routine drive down Hudson…cruising for anything out of the ordinary and quite possibly…a quick stop by one of his favorite lunch stops…Starsky was unusually quiet. Hutch had been waiting for him to say something for the past 15 minutes…but he couldn’t stand it anymore. He was thinking about her again. Lately she was all he seemed to talk about and he
had the same far away look in his eye.

“She’s just going through another one of her phases.” Hutch said as Starsky continued to stare into space.

He realized that he was being completely ignored and so he spoke once more.

“Hey did ya know you got smoke coming out of your tailpipe?” Hutch said hoping to break his concentration.

“What?…” Starsky’s eyes got big as he glanced suddenly back and then at his partner.

“What does it take to get you to stop thinking about her?” Hutch asked him curiously.

“Don’t do that to me.” Starsky said as he caught his breath and his heart rate slowed back down to a normal pace. “I thought you were serious.”

“Listen Hutch…you have a certain way about you…I mean…a certain way I expect you to act around me everyday.” He tried to explain to him. “If you were to all of a sudden do a complete 360 on me…I’d be worried about you.”

“Yeah…but she’s a teenage girl…she’s going through a lot of physical and emotional changes…you can’t expect her to be the same day after day.” He told him.

“Yeah…maybe…but it’s spooky ya know…” He said as he pulled into a familiar parking space for lunch. “I mean…I don’t know how to take this.”

“Just relax…” Hutch advised him. “If you’re that worried then why don’t you just talk to her about it?”

“I tried that…she just smiles and says there’s nothing wrong…even when I say something that I know she would normally blow up at me for…she just shrugs it off…it’s like living with a manikin.” He told him.

“All I know to tell you is just give it a little time and it’ll work itself out.” Hutch deducted. “Trust me.”

“So what makes you an authority on the subject?” Starsky asked curiously as he opened his car door and put his foot on the pavement.

“If you didn’t want my advice…you wouldn’t of asked for it.” Hutch said as he opened the passenger door and stepped out.

“I didn’t…” Starsky replied as he stood up and shut the drivers door behind him.

“Yes you did…maybe not in so many words…but you did.” He told him.

“Ok…Ok…I’ll give it a little more time…and then I’ll have to do something drastic.” He said as he walked towards his partner and stopped in front of him.

“How drastic?” Hutch asked curiously.

“I’ll think of something.” He replied. “C’mon…I’m starving.” He said as he pulled Hutch by the sleeve of his jacket and headed inside.

Later that night Starsky walked in the door to find himself alone…she was at work still. It was one of those nights where he had to fend for himself. This usually meant the pizza delivery bot or a can of something or other heated up on the stove since he was just too tired to bring himself to do much more than that. He knew she wouldn’t be home till around 10:00PM and
so he made himself comfortable with a warm bowl of Chili and an ice-cold beer.

There wasn’t much on Television but after flipping through the channels for a while he finally found a Football game that he could watch…not much of a way to spend a Friday night but he was tired after the busy day he and Hutch had. The hardest part was having to arrest a makeshift Santa Claus after he held up a liquor store…that was low…dressing as Santa to pull a job. It almost killed his great holiday mood…what some people won’t do…he thought to him self as he took another sip of his beer. It was unbelievable.

About three-quarters of the way through the game…Starsky feel asleep. His beer resting on his chest in his left hand and his head against his right arm…he was so cute. When Cassie finally got home he was still asleep. She walked in quietly and took great pains not too wake him…but as she headed towards her room she heard him mumbling…talking in his sleep. She laughed to herself as she realized what he was dreaming about and so she crept a little closer.

He was dreaming…about a woman she guessed from his moans and the smile on his face. It was all she could do to hold herself back from laughing too loudly and waking him up…then she had an idea.

“Dave…” She whispered as she lowered herself next to his ear.

“Yeah…” He said with a smile in his deep slumber.

“Don’t ya think Cassie needs a car?” She asked in a playful low whisper.

“Yeah…” He answered her…(One eye slightly opened at the request but she hadn’t noticed it.)

“How about a nice blue convertible with white walls.” She said in the same low whisper.

“Yeah…” He answered again.

“Goodnight Dave.” She told him and kissed him softly on the forehead as she rose to her feet.

“Good…night…” He sighed as she turned to walk away from him…but before she could make it to the hallway…

“Hey…” He called to her with his eyes still closed. “Automatic or Stick Shift.”

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  Chapter 7
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