A/N: Thanks to all who have read my past stories, I won't hesitate to tell you however, this fic may not suite everyone's tastes. But I still hope you enjoy :)
Coffee Talk
The man gracefully pulled out two chairs for each of the two women in front of him. He motioned them to sit down, as he did so himself. They did, one smiling and stroking his hand in affection, and the other bashfully and gratefully.
"How are they today?" The one with the blond hair questioned lightly, almost fearfully. The man before her stroked her cheek gently and closed his eyes and whispered.
"Fine. Getting stronger each and every day." He responded affectionately, he put down his hand down mid stroke and leaned back against his chair.
"I spoke to him today…he was thinking about me." The woman with dark hair spoke up with a sad smile, "Told me how he was scared…" Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes, and she laughed quietly. "How I miss him." She paused and nodded towards the other woman, "How I miss them both."
The man chuckled as he stirred his coffee with his spoon; he gave the cup a few light taps with the spoon and set it down. "Would you like a cup?" The dark-haired one nodded in agreement, turning her body around and asking with a smile the nearest server for one. The blond smiled too and bit her lip, asking for tea instead.
"You know what he did once? When we were at the park?" The older man and the blond exchanged glances, both knowing, but not stopping her, they enjoyed the story as much as she did. "We were walking, when a little boy was up ahead crying his eyes out. And you know what Starsky did? He sat down, talked to him and made him laugh. They were as if they were two brothers, even though they had just met. It was then I knew that I loved him." The older man smiled and took a sip from his coffee.
"Well Terry, I won't lie to you that it was then Starsky fell in love with you too. Seeing as how you joined in as well." Terry blushed and turned towards the server who had placed her coffee in front of her; she smiled and squeezed the server's arm gently. "May I get some cream?" The server nodded and went off.
"How are the kids doing today?" Terry grinned happily and responded eagerly at the man's question.
"Wonderful! All of them! I couldn't be prouder, Sarah's made a new friend with Mark, it's very sweet how they watch over each other. Today another kid came over and started teasing them both, and they each stood up for each other, and shamed the kid." The blond gave a small smile at her friend's happiness in her voice.
"Gillian? How's your father?" The blond looked down, sipping her tea quietly.
"He's amazing, I never realized how much I missed him. He always manages to make me laugh…" As if remembering a private joke, she snickered quietly into her tea. "Sorry," she apologized, an amused grin still playing across her lips.
"No problem, you'll have to invite him to one of our meets, I would love to meet him." Gillian looked touched that he would even consider it, and she nodded slowly.
"Of-of course Michael, I would be honored to." When she first came, Michael had shown her around and she considered him a very close friend. He spoke of both Starsky and Hutch with such love, she knew when she first saw him he was Starsky's father, it was like that here. You seemed to know so much more, but still not all.
"Ah, Gillian…" Michael's voice held a warning tone "the pleasure would be all mine." He then turned towards Terry, "You know what this little lady did for Hutch, two days after?" After what, wasn't a question to be asked, every one at the table knew.
"What?" Terry grinned, chuckling at Gillian's embarrassment and Michael's prideful stance.
"She let him know she was still around. In her own unique way" Michael's eyes sparkled and he nudged Gillian softly. "Want to tell her?" Gillian bit her lip and nodded.
"It was horrible to see Hutch in so much pain, but was worse was hearing him repeat a certain phrase over and over again in his mind. My phrase, "She was right…they popped, all of them…gone…forever." "
"What was he talking about?" Terry questioned timidly, seeing as how the words still seemed to bother Gillian.
"Our red balloons. Our passion and our love…I told him, a day before…how I expected an explosion soon, and I was right." She shrugged helplessly, tears already reaching her mouth, and Michael gently pushed her to finish.
"And how did you show him…that you weren't completely right?" Gillian looked to Terry and smiled.
"I put my voice inside a child's, you know how kind they are, and easier to reach. I asked her if she could give a bright red balloon to the saddest blond man she saw in the park that day. To tell him, how red balloons always make her happy because they are the ones that last forever."
"How sweet! I can easily imagine a child saying those words too, and I am guessing she listened?"
"Every last word! She added more, seeing as Hutch continued talking to her, he was stunned, to say the least. And I felt some of the weight in his heart lift slightly." Michael laughed heartily.
"I was so proud of her that day! She showed how much she still cares for her loved ones, by being there for them in their grief. Some tend to forget, or do not do something so…" Michael winked at Gillian "…unique." Gillian bowed her head, a red tinge creeping up her neck, and she turned to Terry.
"It was also very sweet what you did for Starsky, very you. And I'm sure he felt you." Michael wrapped an arm around Terry.
"Of course! I was proud of both of my girls. You gave David such a lucky streak, my poor boy needed it."
"Sure," Terry waved her hand, "blowing on the dice was easy, I felt for Hutch though, having bet winner gets to pick where to eat for the rest of the week."
"I remember playing Monopoly with my father," Gillian added wistfully, "I remember always picking the little dog. Did Starsky have a favorite monopoly piece?"
"Of course, what else? He always picks the car." The whole table erupted into laughter, at the simple thought of Starsky and his love for cars.
"You know…I do miss playing, we should bring a set one time." Terry noticed Michael looking uncomfortable, fidgeting in his seat. "What?"
"What? Where do you think my son got his luck from? My wife loved playing against me and Davey, loving how she managed to bankrupt us both in the first half hour." Terry and Gillian exchanged glances and giggled merrily. They heard the tingling of bells, and Gillian and Terry turned as Michael looked over their shoulders.
"Oh oh, hide, he may not see us." Gillian leaned as far as she could into her tea cup, and winced as she felt a hard kiss upon her cheek.
"Hello beautiful, I've missed you." Gillian gave a lop-sided grin and looked to the man next to her.
"Watch it Jack, I'll be sure to tell Hutch what you've been up to when he gets up here."
"I'm not worried, that blondie has years before he comes up here." Jack pulled a chair from another table and turned it around, inching closer to Gillian. "Plenty of time to win you over."
"Some friend…" Terry tutted in amusement. Jack shot Terry a hurt look.
"What's that supposed to mean? I'll just be keeping her warm for him." Gillian snorted some tea onto the table, and quickly wiped it down. Crimson, she shook her finger at Jack.
"Watch it…" Jack stared at her finger, shrugging looking bored.
"That doesn't scare me, I got used to it in high school. I always thought Hutch looked funny rather than scary." Gillian let her finger drop slowly, a smile inching its way across her face.
"It is, isn't it?"
"I don't know. Davey seems rather afraid by it."
"That's because he's David, a child at heart, still scared of getting into any kind of trouble with those he loves."
"Now, that doesn't mean Hutch can't get scary…" Jack continued "…I remember when I spilt his weird health drink," Jack's eyes shifted from each person sitting at the table, "purely accidental, of course." Each one of them nodded in agreement, each interested, not having known Hutch as far back as Jack had. "Well, if you saw him then, you would have no idea it was the same gentle, passive blonde. Hoo boy! His eyes were blazing, and his voice was the scariest, low, quiet…threatening. Let me tell you, never touched his weird health drink again."
"I don't remember seeing Hutch that angry, I've felt him afterwards, though not over a drink…" Gillian mused tilting her head upwards, occasionally glancing at Jack, looking for more to his story.
"Yea, he apologized later, saying back at home his father was getting to him. 'Course after that I understood, Mr. Hutchinson was alright, but extremely uptight at times."
They all sat in a thoughtful silence, the servers taking this time to clear the table. Jack also took this time to ask for a chocolate muffin, which Terry raised her eyebrow at but said nothing.
"I felt for Hutch, he never really seemed to be completely happy…oh sure we've had our fun when I invited him over for some buggy races. It was when Hutch really loosened up and I had a chance to see Hutch and not a future Mr. Hutchinson." Jack took a bite from the muffin the server had provided and looked to Michael.
"Though your son has opened him up, more than I could have possibly ever have done." Jack chewed and grinned, "Hey! This has little chocolate chips in it! Delicious, thanks Marty!" The server nodded, wiping down the other tables in silence.
"They are amazing together" Terry agreed, "it was amazing watching them, they seemed complete."
"They love each other," Gillian added on, "I could tell when Starsky confronted me; it is a love stronger than those of brothers…"
Michael's eyes twinkled and he gave the famous Starsky grin.
"I'm glad they found each other, and may they continue being there for each other in the years to come." They each raised the new refilled cups that had been given to them, except for Jack who insisted that they wait, and called to Marty for a glass of milk. With Jack's glass of milk firmly in his hands, they clinked their glasses together, Jack adding a "Hear, Hear"
Jack downed his glass without taking a breath, and as he finished brushed the crumbs off of his hands.
"Well as always, lovely chatting with you three, but I have someone to meet."
"Meet?" Jack nodded.
"Mom, she's arriving any second now." Jack glanced at his watch peering at it. "Yea better hurry, or I'm never going to hear the end of it." Jack began imitating his mother as he set the chair back into its original spot. "Jackie, being late for your own mother's arrival, you're still the same…" Jack trailed off, knowing the embracing hug that would come afterwards.
"Oh!" Gillian stood up, "I need to go too, Dad wants to take me somewhere special, said it's a surprise." She gripped Jack's arm tightly, "Say hello to your mother for me, tell her I would love to meet her."
"Of course! My mother would love to meet my love." Jack took up Gillian's hand and kissed it tenderly. Gillian lightly swatted him away, saying her goodbyes to Terry and Michael, kissing him affectionately on the cheek.
"What? Doesn't your Jackie get one?" Gillian shook her head.
"No."
"Oh come on! Is this still about Hutch? I'm sure he'll understand…" The bantering continued and faded as the bells twinkled, signifying Gillian and Jack's departure.
"Well, I should get going too Michael, the kids are having a basketball tournament today, and I want to be there to support them." Terry stood up, gazing at the man before her fondly. "You remind me so much of him…" Terry hugged the man, who embraced it. "I'll see you next time ok?"
"Of course my dear, till next time." The bell twinkled again, leaving Michael Starsky alone. Marty stopped wiping down his tables, and sat down next to him stretching.
"So how are they today?" Michael smiled at his old friend, nodding towards the window, which showed both Starsky and Hutch arguing with each other, lightly, lovingly.
"They're doing great…getting stronger, each and every day." Michael continued watching his son, feeling his heart swell with pride and love with each step he took.
"…doing great…" he whispered once more before falling into a companionable silence with his life long friend.