I don't own the guys...

Just offering a tissue.

Sniffles

by Pegbronco

"Hudch..."

"Shut your mouth Starsk, you have thirty seconds left." Hutch sat on the edge of the coffee table next to the couch starring down at his friend. Starsky was laid out on the couch bundled up in just about every blanket in the apartment.

Starsky did as told and closed his mouth and just starred back up at his partner. His eyes red and watery, his face flushed with fever, his hair sweat damp and the curls limp along his forehead. Beads of sweat lined his brow.

Hutch slowly leaned over and removed the thermometer from his mouth. He lifted the small glass tube and held it horizontal in the light to get a good reading. The mercury had topped off at 103.

"Hudch..."

"Hmmm?"

"Ib dick."

"Yes buddy I see that."

"Hudch..."

"Yes?"

"Ib dode wand do be dick."

"I know you don't." Hutch reached over and softly ran the back of his knuckles down the side of his friend's cheek. It was just a small sign of compassion and love towards his ailing partner.

"Hudch..."

"What?"

"Ib feel hod." A moist roar escaped as he coughed into a hand full of tissues.

"I'm sure you do." He handed him a couple more tissues from the Kleenex box that sat on the end-table next to the couch.

"Hudch..."

"Hmmm?

"Ib feel cold doo."

"Starsk, you're running a fever. You're going to feel hot and cold."

"Hudch..."

"Yes?"

"I blame you for me beingg dick."

"Why's that?"

"Ib don't know, bud Ib sure youd hab sumding to do wid id."

"Ok. If it makes you feel better then you go ahead and blame me. You think you can sit up for me so I can get some broth in ya?"

"Do I hab do?"

"I think you need to get some fluids in you and you need to take some pills to help bring your fever down."

"Ib don't wand do. I jusda wanda lay here and die." He blew his nose in the new handful of tissues that Hutch had handed him. Then another round of coughs rumbled up out of the brunet.

"Aw babe, your not going to die. Your just not feeling well. But I'm going to get you feeling better."

With some prodding from Hutch, Starsky slowly sat up. With Hutch's help he got a few spoonful of warm broth down. Hutch then proceeded to get him to swallow a couple Tylenol washed down with some juice.

"Hudch..."

"Yeah buddy?"

"Whad am I goingg do do about Dadderday night?" He asked as he slowly fell back over onto the couch.

"What about Saturday night?" Hutch asked as he rearranged the blankets back around him. Making sure they were tucked under his chin. He then took the facecloth and wiped the sweat from his friend's brow.

"I haba date?"

"Oh...that's right, with Stacy, the new filling clerk."

"Yeb. Whad I goingg do do?"

"Well today is Wednesday, that gives me three days to get you through this. I'm sure I'll have you feeling better before then."

"I don't dow Hudch, I feed like cwab."

"I know you feel like crap now, but I'll have you up and around and feeling better in time for your date."

"Youb promus?"

"I promise buddy."

"Hudch..."

"Yes?"

"Danks."

End