CHAPTER 19

The Doctor entered the room just in time to see Starsky walking her back to her bed. She seemed a little unsteady and so the Doctor hurried over to help him with her. Now with the two of them on either side, she managed to make her way back to it. Starsky released her as the Doctor lifted her gently onto the mattress. She still looked like hell Starsky thought to himself as
>he watched her pull the blanket up and over her body. The bruises that covered her face had grown darker and one of her eyes was swollen slightly more than the other.

“You can go home now.” The Doctor told her with softness in his voice. “I’ve prescribed some pain killers to help you sleep along with a few others that you will have to take on a regular basis for a few days.”

Cassie just shook her head in compliance as she looked at him. The thought of going home with Davey was a little frightening because she didn’t know how he would react to her once they were alone together. She had been trying to convince herself that her memory of him that night had been all in her head…a hallucination. But she still couldn’t get it out of her mind.

“Hutch is bringing the car around.” Starsky told her. “You’ll have to stay with him for a few days.”

She felt a little relief at the thought as she looked up at him. She trusted Hutch, but she was a little curious at his suggestion.

“Why?”

“Because I have to stick around here for a few more days.” He told her. “Doctors orders.”

With that her Doctor turned to look at him with puzzlement.

“You’re a patient?”

"Yeah…It’s just a little bullet wound.” Starsky told him as if it were no big deal.

The Doctor stepped towards him and lifted his shirt to inspect the damage. Cassie also got a good look at the large bandage that covered his side. Now bloodstained from his walking around unsupervised.

“Who’s you’re Doctor?” He prompted as he lifted one side of the bandage to get a better look.

“OW…” Starsky yelled as the tape was pulled from his side along with a few hairs. “Doctor Ross.”

The Doctor examined the area briefly and then repositioned the tape before speaking again.

“You need to get this cleaned up and recovered.” He said as he looked up at him. “You shouldn’t be down here.”

“I’ll go back up in a minute.”

“No…you’ll go back up now.” He told him in a stern authoritative voice. “Doctor Ross is gonna throw a fit.”

“I can handle her.” Starsky said with a smile. “She’s a pussy cat.”
 
“With fangs.” He kidded him. “You just haven’t seen them yet.”

“Alright…alright…I’m going.” Starsky told him. Then he turned his attention to Cassie. “See ya in a few days.”

Cassie hadn’t taken the time to concern herself with his injury until she got a look at the bandage. He was hurt a lot worse than she had suspected.

“Does it hurt much?” She asked in a worried voice.

“Naw…” He said with a smile. “I’ve had worse.”

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Me too…” He told her with a sad expression on his face. “I guess we both lost it there for a minute.”

“Go get some rest…and don’t worry about me…I’ll be fine.” She told him.

He walked slowly up to her bed and took her by the hand. Then he picked it up gently and gave it a kiss.

“Don’t give Hutch a hard time…Huh” He said with a smile.

“Who Me?” She teased as she looked up at him.

He laughed a little and grabbed hold of his side as the gesture caused him a little discomfort. She could see the pain in his eyes as he tried to hide it through his smile.

“Go on back…I’ll wait for him.”

“Yeah…ok” He said as he released her hand and headed for the door, glancing back at her for a moment before closing it behind him.

She watched until the door closed and turned her attention towards the Doctor as he spoke.

“He your father?”

“No…just a good friend.” She told him.

“What did he mean…he’s had worse?”

“He’s a cop.”

“Most people wouldn’t be able to walk around with an injury like that.”

“He’s got a high threshold for pain.”

“Well…maybe now that you’re going home…he’ll get some rest.”

“Yeah…I hope so.” She said as she looked back towards the doorway where she had last seen him. She still loved him…no matter what else she thought of him.

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Hutch entered the room just as the Doctor was leaving. He gave him a quick nod and a smile as they passed each other in the doorway and then made his way over to her.

“I guess we’ll have to make a stop by the apartment so we can grab some of your clothes.” He told her.

“I can’t get around too good…I don’t think I can get them by myself.”

“Just tell me where to look and I’m sure I can find what you need.”

“Alright…I’m ready.” She said softly.

Hutch thought about it for a moment and then headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To get a nurse with a wheelchair…be right back.”

He grabbed the nearest nurse he could find and gained her cooperation. Within a few moments he returned with the chair and a bright red balloon on a string wrapped around his hand.

She smiled at him as he approached her and presented her with it.

“Where’d you get that?” She asked puzzled.

“It came with the chair.” He said with a grin.

“I’ll bet.”

He helped her out of bed and placed her gently into the chair. Then he grabbed one of the blankets from her bed to cover her legs. She held onto the balloon as he wheeled her out of the room and down the hallway to the elevator.

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  chapter 20
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