BY P&C PRODUCTIONS
CHAPTER 18…FINAL

Hutch’s blood ran cold and his face suddenly took on a pale white tint as the memory came back to him. It was the night that she was released from the hospital…and he had taken her home with him. The night that she confessed to him her darkest fear. Of course he knew that she had only imagined Starsky in the room…talking to her…touching her…acting as her tormentor. But he knew all too well how real the images could seem…and how hard they could be to ignore.

“How do you know him Cassie?” Doctor Hall asked with concern.

She turned her head from side to side as the tears fell down her face. The confusion she had experienced on that night had returned to her. She just couldn’t make any sense out of it.

“Please… stop.” She cried in a whimper of a voice.

Hutch rose to his feet quickly and grabbed Starsky by the arm…causing him to jump with his touch.

“C’mon…let’s wait outside.” Hutch told him in a low whisper.

“Why…” Starsky asked as he shot his partner a curious look.

“SHhhhhhh…” Jackie scolded as she laid a finger in front of her pursed lips.

“Because I need to talk to you…” Hutch hinted hoping that his words would spark a little curiosity in him.

“In a minute…” Starsky said shrugging him off.

He figured that whatever Hutch had to tell him…could keep. He was too engrossed in what was going on at the moment to be interrupted.

“Cassie…answer the question.” Doctor Hall prompted her. “How do you know him?”

“It’s Davey…” Cassie told her through her tears. “He’s mad at me…”

Starsky went into a state of mild shock at her words…

(Why in the hell would she say something like that?)

(Could it be possible that she blames ME somehow?)

Hutch gripped his partners arm and laid his other hand on top of his shoulder as he waited for his reaction. It was something that he hoped he would never have to know. Hutch had gone through a lot to protect him from it. But with everything that had happened in the past few days…he hadn’t taken the time to consider what might surface when she was placed under hypnosis. It wasn’t until just a few short moments ago…that thought had even crossed his mind.

“You didn’t tell me that she knew her attacker.” Jackie spoke as she turned her attention to the two detectives seated in the room with her.

“She didn’t…” Starsky assured her. “She calls me Davey…but I don’t understand why she would say something like that.”

“I think I do.” Jackie told him and turned her attention back to Cassie.

She took her by the hand and spoke softly to her. “Why is he mad at you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Look at him Cassie…” Jackie instructed her. “Can you see him?”

“Yes…”

“Look closer…can you see his face?” She asked her.

“Yes...”

“Now…I want you to look even closer Cassie… beyond the image in your mind…tell me what you see.”

Cassie hesitated as her face began to relax and her mind began to focus on the vision of the man who hovered above her. His hair…his eyes. The misty reflection that had once concealed his features… was now replaced by something quite different.

“It’s not Davey…” She said in a surprised whisper. “I remember him…”

“What do you remember?”

“He shot Davey…He left the glass for me.”

“That’s right Cassie…very good….” Jackie told her in a soothing voice. “There’s nothing to be afraid of…he can’t hurt you anymore…relax and breathe deeply…it’s all over now.”

“You mind telling me what the hell that was all about?” Starsky asked as Jackie turned to face him.

“It’s a simple case of transference…” Jackie explained. “She wanted to see you…so she imagined you there.”

“But she knows that I would never hurt her.”

“That’s why her memories have been so very hard for her to cope with.” She continued. “But I think she’s taken a very big step today.”

“So will she be alright?” He asked as he moved his eyes to rest on her face as she slept.

“I’d like to see her again in a few days and once a week for a little while…but I think she’ll be able to handle it a little better now.” Jackie told him.

Hutch had by this time released his hold on Starsky’s arm. But he remained standing next to him with his left hand resting on his shoulder in a silent show of his support as the Doctor spoke to his partner. He had taken it better than Hutch had expected he would…and he even felt a little relief that it was all finally out in the open.

Jackie quietly turned her attention back to her patient as she pulled the strands of blonde hair from her face and spoke in a comforting voice.

“You’re back in your room now Cassie…and I’m still with you.”

“Yes…”

“I’m going to count slowly from one to ten…when I reach eight I want you to open your eyes. When I reach ten…you will be fully awake. You will feel as if you’ve just had a nap…and you will remember you’re journey…are you  ready?”

“Yes…”

As she counted slowly…Starsky rose to his feet and stood over her shoulder. Then he waited for her to come out of her trance.

“Five…six…seven…eight.” Jackie said slowly as she watched her eyes begin to open. "Nine…ten.”

She blinked her eyes to adjust them to her surroundings and suddenly remembered where she was…and what she had just experienced. Jackie watched as she caught site of Starsky’s face above her own and so she  stood up slowly and allowed him to sit next to her.

A quiet calm settled in the room as they looked at each other…neither of them able to speak.

Then…in a silent movement that to them both…spoke volumes…she threw her arms around his neck…and hugged him tightly as he buried his face in the length of her hair and wrapped his arms around her…as far as they would reach.
 

The End…
 
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