NEAR DEATHS DOOR

BY P&C PRODUCTIONS

CHAPTER 6

Starsky ran to throw on his jeans and a shirt…his hands trembling and his mind racing. He grabbed his jacket and pulled his keys out of the pocket…slipped on his shoes without socks and ran outside to the car. Hutch held Cassie in his arms as she cried…yelling at his partner to hurry the whole time. As Starsky ran outside Hutch followed, he shut the front door with his foot and jumped into the passenger side of the Torino. Starsky had opened the door for him so all he had to do was sit down with her on his lap. The Torino sped off as Hutch shut the door…leaving a trail of smoke as he gunned the engine… once he had cleared the driveway.

Starsky flipped on the siren and Hutch placed the light on top of the car…flying through the traffic lights as if he were chasing a criminal.

Starsky hoped there wouldn’t be too much traffic that late at night and anyone who may be in his path better have the good sense to get the hell out of his way.

Cassie was crying out in pain and hung onto Hutch as tight as she could. Her mind was so filled with anguish that she wasn’t real aware of what was happening anymore. "You’re gonna be alright Cassie…" Hutch said softly to her…"Almost there."

"It Hurts Hutch….AAAhhhhh…God it hurts so much." She said and then he noticed her eyes…rolling back and her eyelids closing. She dropped weightless in his arms.

"SHE’S OUT" Hutch yelled to Starsky…who had the gas pedal almost to the floor and tears streaming down his face. He wiped his cheek and looked over at Cassie who was limp and lifeless. Hutch slapped her lightly on the face to try and wake her but got no response.

"What’s wrong with her Hutch?" Starsky asked. "You know something your not telling me…what did you feel when you touched her?"

"I think her appendix may be ruptured or on the verge of it." He told him…"It’s not your fault Starsk…you couldn’t have known."

"Oh God…Hutch…she could die from that couldn't she?" He asked as he rounded a corner, ran through a red light, swerved to avoid hitting a car that was just crossing, and scared the hell out of Hutch in the process.

"Watch what you’re doing will ya…we want to get there in one piece ok." Hutch preached to him. "People have died from it but the doctors know how to treat her…she’ll be alright." Hutch was trying to calm him a little…he could hear the panic in his voice.

Hutch put his attention back on Cassie…he was worried that the worst had already happened but couldn’t tell Starsky. Every minute that she was unconscious made him more tense…He knew that time at this point was not on their side.

The Torino squealed to a stop in front of the emergency room doors and Starsky jumped out turning the engine off quickly…he opened the passenger door and took Cassie from Hutch. Holdong her seemingly lifeless body in his arms he ran inside yelling for attention. A gurney was wheeled over to him and the doctor came running to meet him.

"Lay her down so I can look her over…" Doctor Sonja Van Schalm was on call and had received word that they were in route. "Detective Hutchinson I presume." She said as she gave Cassie the once over…checking her eye response…feeling her midsection…taking her pulse and noted her high temperature.

"I’m Starsky…He’s Hutch…I mean Hutchinson…" He had pointed over to Hutch who was standing on the other side of the gurney watching as the doctor examined her.

"How long has she been complaining of pain?" She asked them.

"Since Monday night." Starsky spoke up.

"How long has she had this fever?"

"It didn’t get this high untill around five or six o’clock last night." He answered again.

"Why in Gods name didn’t you bring her in sooner…Take her up to surgery and prep her…I’ll perform the operation myself…" She called over her shoulder and the orderly quickly wheeled the gurney away. "Her appendix has ruptured gentlemen…you just may have waited too long." She told them and turned around to follow the gurney through the doorway.

Starsky watched as the doctor vanished…then he walked slowly towards the nearby bathroom with his head down without saying a word to Hutch..

He looked around for a moment and went over to the sink…sure of the fact that he was alone…he ran the water over his hands and splashed some on his face…then he began to cry.

Hutch walked into the bathroom after a minute to find him…leaning over the sink sobbing as quietly as he could. He hadn’t noticed Hutch until he looked into the mirror. Hutch just walked quietly up to him and touched him on the shoulder. He turned to face his partner and broke down…"It’s my fault Hutch…It’s all my fault."

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