A Facebook discussion about a story regarding a guardian angel followed by a discussion about Kira melded in my mind and poof…this story emerged.
The Guardian
Kira stood in her apartment staring into the dancing flames of the fireplace. A tear tracked down her cheek. She became aware of another presence in the room and stiffened.
"What is it?"
Kira heaved a sigh and wiped the tear from her cheek. "Neither one will speak to me." The figure moved closer so that Kira could now see it in her peripheral vision. She looked away with a sniffle.
"As it should be." The voice was flat and emotionless.
Kira's tears dissolved into anger and she spun to face the figure. The face was partially obscured by shimmers of white. She could just make out the eyes studying her. "But I love them, Patrick." She waited for a response as her superior studied her closely.
"Perhaps we were wrong about your abilities. We have enough time to find a replacement but it…"
"No!" Kira gasped. "No, please. I want this assignment." She wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the floor.
"Then I don't understand. What is the problem?"
Kira turned back to look at the fire then walked across the room. Keeping her back to Patrick, she spoke. "You've been away too long. You don't remember what it's like to…feel."
"Perhaps," was the response after a brief pause.
Kira felt the tears behind her eyes again and sighed in frustration at herself. Maybe it will be nice to stop feeling emotions so strongly. No, I don't really want that, she thought to herself.
"It is best to distance yourself, Kira." Patrick said and Kira felt herself blush knowing he had read her thoughts.
She turned back to face him. "Even though it is difficult to go through, the emotions make me feel like I'm still a part of this world." She looked around the neat little room. "Their world," she added with a whisper.
"You need to ready yourself for the next chapter in their lives," Patrick said calmly. Kira looked up with fear in her eyes. "You will give up your earthly image and join us back in the astral world."
Kira felt a shudder pass through her. She looked around her and mentally gathered all the memories of the past few months and tucked them into her heart.
"You are apprehensive."
Kira nodded. "I don't want to leave them." She felt confusion from Patrick.
"But you will be more with them then than you are now."
"But…I won't be able to touch them. For them to touch me." Kira wrapped her arms back around herself and a smile played on her lips before fading away. She felt shame for what she'd done.
"It was necessary," Patrick said in response to her unspoken feelings.
"I know," she whispered.
"They needed to come together again. United. It will be necessary before the next step."
Kira's mind went back to the briefing she had before she was given the assignment. Dave would be in so much physical pain. Ken's emotional pain would be even more horrific. In so many ways she wanted to run away. But she loved these two men with all her heart. She dropped her arms to her sides, her hands in fists.
"I'm ready."
Patrick stepped forward, his arm came up and enveloped Kira's body. It shimmered briefly then was gone. In the blink of an eye, the apartment stood empty.
Across the city….
"You owe me a dinner, buddy boy."
"Well, a bet's a bet."
Epilogue:
Hutch couldn't help smile as he drove Starsky home from the hospital. Five weeks was a long time to be laid up and even though they had a long road ahead still, he was ready to be by Starsky's side. His thoughts were interrupted by Starsky turning in his seat with a slight grunt.
"You okay, Starsk?" Starsky was looking out the passenger window as they passed a cemetery. "Starsk?"
"Hutch, pull in here."
"The cemetery? Why?"
Starsky painfully shifted around again to look at Hutch. "Turn in. Please?"
Hutch wasn't sure what his partner was thinking but pulled into the next driveway leading into the large cemetery. Starsky seemed lost in thought for a moment then pointed ahead. "Go up here then take the first right."
"Who do you know that's buried here?"
"No one," Starsky mumbled to himself.
Hutch began to get nervous but followed Starsky's instructions, taking a right onto a narrow lane.
"Okay, now go around the bend to the left and stop."
"Here?"
"Yes, right here. Good." Starsky reached for the door handle. Hutch hurried out of the car and around the side. "I'm okay, I'm okay," Starsky complained as Hutch tried to help him get out of his seat. It took a little longer than normal but Starsky was soon upright. Hutch followed him as he slowly walked between the headstones.
Starsky stopped at a tall granite stone. Hutch came to his side and looked down.
"Kira Baris?" Hutch said with shock. A dark cloud passed over his face and he turned his head away. "Good. I hope she suffered."
"You don't mean that Hutch," Starsky said softly.
Hutch's head whipped around. "After what she did to you, to me…I mean it."
Starsky put a hand on the stone and stooped down. He pulled the overgrown grass away from the stone. "Wait…this can't be."
Hutch got down on his knees next to his friend. "Oh, this isn't her. This woman died six months before we even met Kira. Come on, Pal. Let's go home." Hutch got back up to his feet and reached down to help Starsky up but the hand went untouched.
"Look at this engraving of her face, Hutch."
"It sure looks like her." Hutch again reached down. "Come on, Starsky. Let's get out of here." Hutch ran his other hand through his hair. "Wait. What the heck made you come in here?"
Starsky pushed himself up slowly. "I dunno," he said breathlessly. He again put his hand on the stone to steady himself.
"You need to get home," Hutch said, worry in his voice.
Starsky looked over at Hutch, his face awash with confusion. "Why did I come here? Why to this stone?"
Hutch shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Buddy. Has she been on your mind? Maybe you've been to this cemetery and saw the stone. Your subconscious dredged it up."
It was Starsky's turn to shake his head. "No, I've never been here before." He looked around then back down at the name on the stone. "Pretty strange coincidence. That isn't a common name."
"I dated a Baris in college. That was the only other time I heard it." Hutch followed next to Starsky as he walked slowly back to the car. After getting Starsky situated in the passenger seat, Hutch climbed in the other side. Both men stared out the windshield, lost in their own thoughts.
"I hated that woman," Hutch whispered. "I hated what she did to you. What she did to…what I did."
"Don't, Hutch. Please. We worked it all out. You yourself said it made our friendship stronger."
Hutch thought for a moment then grinned over at his best friend. "I didn't think that was possible."
Starsky snorted. "Me neither."
"But it's true, isn't it?" Hutch asked and Starsky nodded. "Then when you almost died…"
"Let's go home." Starsky said, forgetting about the headstone and the mystery around why he led them there.
Hutch started the car. "Home it is, Starsk. That Baris girl in college was a looker. She was kind of stuck up, though. She made a big deal that her last name means 'angel' in some language."
Hutch pulled into to narrow lane and headed out of the cemetery. Behind the car, a shimmering figure watched them go, a smile lighting her face.
The End