CHAPTER 17

A gentle knock at the door drew their attention in that direction as a young pretty Nurse entered the room slowly. She was carrying two small paper cups. Hutch released Cassie’s embrace and stepped back as he spoke to her.

“Hi…I’m Ken…Ken Hutchinson and this is my partner Dave Starsky.” Hutch said as he allowed her to approach the bed.

“I’m Deanna Jordan.” She said with a smile as she looked first at Hutch and then at Starsky. “I won’t be a minute…”

Starsky smiled at her briefly and than made his way slowly to the end of the bed to give her a little more room to do her job.

She took Cassie by the hand and gently turned it palm up to place the two small pills in the center.

“What are these?” Cassie asked softly.

“This one is an antibiotic and this little pink one is to prevent any possibility of an unwanted pregnancy.”

She stared down at them for a moment and then back up at Deanna.

“You mean I could be pregnant?” She asked with surprise.

“It’s just a precaution.” She told her with a smile.

“But if I am…this will kill my baby?”

“It will cause you to have a period…that’s all honey.”

Starsky and Hutch watched as the conversation took place. They hadn’t really taken the time to consider it. But they knew that they were both in complete agreement as they looked at each other. She didn’t need to concern herself with a pregnancy after all she had been through.

Cassie glanced back down at the little pink pill once more before lifting her eyes to speak.

“Can I have some time to think it over?” She asked with a sad expression on her face.

“You shouldn’t wait too long…It’s you’re decision to make…but believe me…it’s for the best.” Deanna said as she took the white pill from her and placed it near her mouth. “Take the antibiotic now and I’ll check on you in a few minutes.”

Cassie allowed her to place the pill on her tongue and then swallowed it down with a little water. Then Deanna turned to walk away leaving her with the decision…and the pink pill.

Hutch stood there for a moment after she left and waited for his partner to speak. It was, after all Starsky’s place to talk to her about this…not his.

Cassie sat there staring at it for awhile, as the room remained quiet.

Starsky was at a complete loss for words as he watched her. The silence was very uncomfortable for them all…but no one in the room wanted to be the first to speak. It was Cassie who finally began the conversation.

“I just can’t do it.” She said as she looked up at Hutch.

“Cassie think about what you’re saying.” Hutch cautioned as he approached her. “You don’t really want to be pregnant do you?”

“Hutch is right Cas…” Starsky said softly as he kept his distance from her. “Don’t you think you’ve been through enough already?”

“But how can I just kill it?” She asked with a worried expression. “You’re cops…how can you even consider it?”

“There’s nothing to consider.” Starsky said with a bit of authority in his voice. “How do you think you’re gonna take care if it?”

“This is crazy…” Hutch broke in. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”

“It’s murder!” Cassie said in a raised voice. “It’s just like having an abortion!”

“It’s not the same thing Cas!” Starsky said almost yelling at her. “Jesus…you were raped! You don’t even know who the father is.”

“That doesn’t matter!” She said yelling back at him. “It’s still mine!”

Starsky stood with his hand on his forehead, as he grew more and more frustrated with her by the minute.

“Be reasonable Cassie.” Hutch said calmly. “You’re only Seventeen years old. You still have to finish High School.”

“Girls go to school pregnant all the time.”

“CASSIE…JUST TAKE THE DAMN PILL!” Starsky yelled at her as his temper flared and he moved closer to her.

“NO…YOU TAKE IT!” She yelled back at him as she threw it at him, hitting him in the chest with it.

It bounced off his shirt and onto the floor…bouncing a couple more times until it finally came to rest underneath her bed.

Hutch grabbed his partner with force by the arm to prevent him from going after her. He wouldn’t have hurt her and Hutch knew it. But he would have put a scare into her…and she didn’t need that right now.

“STARSKY …LEAVE HER ALONE!” Hutch yelled at him as he shoved him towards the door. “JUST GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE AND COOL OFF!

Starsky looked at her for a moment as his temples throbbed and his nostrils flared. He was mad as hell at her for being so damned stubborn. He looked at Hutch for a moment and then grabbed hold of the doorknob and threw it open to storm out into the hallway.

Hutch stood there and waited for the door to close before speaking to her again.

“Cas…He’s just worried about you.” Hutch told her softly. “He didn’t mean to yell at you like that.”

“Yes…he did.” She told him. “He’s afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” Hutch asked puzzled.

“He’s afraid somebody will find out.” Cassie told him.

“Find out what? That you were raped?” Hutch asked curiously. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of Cas…it wasn’t you’re fault.”

“I know that…I just…Look…I just don’t want to talk about it ok.” She told him softly.

Hutch reached under the bed and picked up the little pink pill that she had thrown in anger.

“Just think about it for awhile…ok.” Hutch told her as he placed it on the nightstand beside her bed. “Nobody can make you do what you don’t want to do.”

“It is my decision isn’t it?” She asked as she looked into his eyes.

“Yeah. It’s your decision. I think we can trust you to make the right one.” Hutch said as he gave her a warm smile.

“Thanks Hutch…I wish Davey could be more like you.”

“Don’t be too hard on him Cas.” He told her as he reached up to brush her hair away from her face. “He really cares about you.”

“He sure has a funny way of showing it.”

“Well…he’s not known for his bedside manner. But he’ll stand behind you…whatever you decide to do.”

“You think so?” She asked in a soft voice.

“He’s never let me down in all the years that I’ve known him.” Hutch told her. “You just have to trust him.”

“I don’t know if I can anymore.” Cassie said as she took her eyes from his and looked over at the pill on the nightstand.

“Nothings changed Cas…not for him.” Hutch said as he placed the palm of his hand on her face softly. “You’ve just been pushing him away lately and he doesn’t understand it. Come to think of it neither do I”

“I’m sorry…”

“Just tell me that you’ll try Cas…. That’s all I ask.”

“Ok…I’ll try.” She said as she turned her eyes back to him. “For you.”

“Atta girl.”

Then he gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood back up. He made his way slowly towards the door to go look for him but glanced back as he heard her call him by name.

“Hutch.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

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  chapter 18
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