I could never believe that Hutch would be mean enough to take the bear away with him. Here's what I think really happened.

Missing Scene from Starsky's Lady

Hutch's POV

I slid down from the kitchen counter and untangled myself from the phone cord that I'd got all wrapped around my neck. Starsky was sitting there cross-legged on the floor with the Monopoly board spread out in front of him. For once he was winning – and no I wasn't letting him either. He wasn't as drunk as I was; but he wasn't far behind. He looked so vulnerable sitting there with the beer glass in his hand. He hadn't even tried to comb his hair for days and he looked like a big tousle-haired kid. He looked up at me with those big deep blue eyes that were permanently brimming with tears and sighed. He took another gulp of beer.

The clock struck midnight.

I looked at Starsky; watching him carefully. He took another long draw of beer and then turned to open one of the cabinets. He hauled out two packages and looked at the labels. He handed me one of them. It was a big strange-shaped package wrapped in pale blue glossy paper and there was an envelope attached. He gave me one of those amazing encouraging signs with his eyes and reminded me that Terri had said we should open our gifts at midnight two weeks after she died. He choked on it but then he swallowed hard and mustered up a smile. He turned over the flat package he held in his hand and said "I'll show you". He opened it carefully. Starsky never just rips at the paper, he slits the scotch tape and if there's a ribbon he folds it neatly. He opened his gift and looked at it with a tear running down his cheek. It was a book about how to win Monopoly. He sniffed and looked at me as if to say "well go on, open yours."

I opened the envelope and took out a little note card with Terri's neat handwriting on it.
I opened the package and pulled out a teddy bear. For a second I saw the stricken look in Starsky's eyes. "It's Ollie," he said thickly, "she kept him on her bed all the time." I read the card. She entrusted me with Dave and Ollie and asked me to watch over them both. I couldn't hold back the tears; but I didn't want to break down. Starsky was so fragile at that time that he would have cried to see an egg break! I figured if I started crying it would only make it harder for him. He lowered his eyes and stared at his beer then took another long gulp before leaning back against the door behind him. "I think I want to be on my own now Hutch."

I offered at least to help him clear stuff away but he said no, he'd be OK. I gathered up my stuff and watched as he started putting the dinner plates and beer glasses in the sink. He was moving in that deliberate way you do when you're drunk. I could see his shoulders were trembling and I knew he was waiting for me to leave him with his next bout of pain.

I closed the door and started down the steps.

I heard the beer glass smash against the wall and Starsky's heart-rending sobs filled the night air.

I started to drive home.

I stopped at the place near the end of the canyon road that leads to Starsky's house and where you get a sudden view of the ocean. Only a couple of weeks ago we'd all been fooling around at the amusement park by the pier and now Terri was gone and my partner, my best friend, was grieving so hard he couldn't even let me in. I looked at the dark sea and in the moonlight it made me think of Starsky's eyes filled with tears.

I turned back.

The house was in darkness and I let myself in quietly. The moonlight came in through one of the windows and I could see my way over to the bedroom. Starsky had managed to get undressed before he fell down on the bed; I could see from the swollen look of his face that he'd cried himself to sleep. I pulled the cover up over him and tucked Ollie in beside him. Some old instincts made that great, bear-like buddy of mine curl up and cuddle the teddy bear to him.

I glanced once more at the two of them and left him to sleep.

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