Disclaimer: I don't own Starsky and I don't own Hutch but I do own my imagination. The two boys run freely around in it, giving me and I hope you all too, a lot of entertainment!

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

"Hey. You know what? I think this little guy likes me."

"Right my man, so you want to take him home wit' ya? Make him yours?" Huggy leaned forward to appraise the one Starsky has chosen.

"Yeah…." The word came out tentatively at first and then the dark haired detective's face slowly opened up into a big smile and he spoke with firmer conviction. The idea had really hit home with him. "Yeah! How about it lil fella, want ta come home with me?"

He turned then to seek out the face of his partner who was leaning nonchalantly against the empty table next to them, looking for all the world totally disinterested and more than just a little frustrated.

"Hey Hutch, do you like him? He'll make a great pet won't he? What da ya' think?"

"What I think Starsk, is that," Hutch paused, perhaps for effect, gesturing impatiently at the object in his friend's hand before throwing a disparaging look at their lanky black friend, purveyor of pet rocks, "that is a rock. A fact that I think Huggy here knows only too well."

Huggy unfolded his long lean frame from the chair, putting on his best indignation.

"No Hutch my man, these are no ordinary rocks, these are special bred, genuine, pedigree rocks, made to be pets. Everyone is getting into it. Starsky here has got the feel for it. Easier to look after than a dog and - no mess to clean up. Huggy Bear only deals in genu—ine products man. Trust me Hutch, this rock will make Starsky very happy, verrryyyy happy I promise ya."

"Huggy, the only thing that this rock will make Starsky is twenty bucks poorer. Twenty bucks poorer and nothing to show for it but a stupid rock." Hutch snorted. The cool disdain in his voice was clear and he made no attempt to conceal his contempt at the scenario playing our in front of him.

"Nah Hutch. Huggy's right. Can't you tell this rock is no ordinary rock? See it's different, shiny and smooth and feels kinda right sitting in my hand. It wants to be with me." Starsky looked down with a boyish wonderment at the flat grey disk in his palm.

"Oh for God's sake Starsky, IT IS A ROCK. I can get you one out on the street when we leave. Christ I can get you a whole bag of them. Put it down and stop being ridiculous."

The tall blond's words fell on deaf ears as Starsky impatiently pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and shoved it at Huggy, eager to give his full attention back to his new acquisition. He looked down almost reverently at his new toy. Hutch shook his head and rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

"Oh brother, I give up," Hutch muttered under his breath.

He knew his long term partner and friend very well and right now he conceded that Starsky was a lost cause. Childish wonderment and naiveté were forces that his partner harnessed to carry him through many of life's ugly patches. No one did unsuppressed delight better than Starsky and right now his face was rapturous with it. Despite himself, Hutch couldn't help feel good about the joy so evident in Starsky's face – but he was careful not to let his partner see it. He kept his judgemental look in place and continued to shake his head at the pair.

"You two deserve each other."

"Well my other clientele are a calling for Huggy Bear, so my good friends, I will catch ya soon." He stood to leave; his latest business venture packed back in his duffel back. "Man but these rocks are heavy."

"Don't worry by the end of the day you may have been lucky enough to unload a few more onto some suckers like my gullible friend here. It will lighten your load and fill your pockets."

"Aw Hutch, come on admit it. He is kinda loveable" Starsky gave his rock another stroke and a sideways smile to Hutch.

He turned to high five Huggy as he moved away. "Thanks Huggy…and consider that we are now even for that last transaction we did on that lowdown you got me on those dealers."

Hutch raised his eyebrows at this "Starsky does this mean that we are going to keep acquiring junk from Hug every time you get some good words from him? Maybe we need to look for a new friend from the street. God knows what you may have for Starsky next week Huggy? How about a book of braille? Now that would be useful for him."

Starsky screwed his face up in a quizzical fashion.

"Huh? Why would I want a book for blind people Hutch? You're crazy; you know I would have no use for that. That would be a stupid, useless thing to sell me. A book of braille!"

Hutch could not help but suppress a small smile at his partner's innocence of his own smartass comment. He really could be that naïve! Hutch even felt a pang of guilt for the way his devoted partner would never realize when his other half was taking the mickey out of him.

"Exactly my point Starsky. Thank you." He actually tried to soften his smart remark a little when he realized poor Starsky was oblivious to his comment's real intent.

For a moment Starsky looked almost pleased with Hutch's approval of his observation that a book of braille would be nonsensical but then his pleasure at saying something adept was soon lost when he realized he just might have missed something in Hutch's words? His face still held a look of perplexity at Hutch's suggestion to Huggy. Perhaps his Hutch was losing it.

"Braille? A book of braille?" he muttered under his breath.

Huggy shrugged his skinny shoulders, smiled good-naturedly " You never know Hutchie. Next week I might have something that you have always been looking for to make you complete."

This snapped Starsky from his brooding on the subject of braille.

"See Hutch! Maybe you can get a pet or something like me. Hey Huggy, got any pets with long, long legs and blonde hair, for Hutch? I think he would like that sorta pet." A Starsky waggle of the eyebrows at Hutch added to his devilish grin.

"Oh shut up both of you!"

Huggy gave a final grin at his two friends and sauntered out, bag under his lanky arms.

Hutch moved from where he had been standing behind the two men to take a seat beside his partner. He cast another disgusted look at the rock still in Starsky's hand.

"Starsky what am I going to do with you? Put that damn thing away before someone sees us…sees you…caressing a bloody rock. A twenty dollar rock!"

A sound behind Hutch made him turn around from berating his friend.

"Well, well. The two intrepid detectives doing what detectives do best. Sitting in a bar. Is the action a little slow out there on the streets boys? Nothing to do except wait for the uniforms to do the shit work for ya?"

A blue uniformed cop sneered over the shoulders of the two partners and then looked back at his cohorts at the table in the corner of the bar, as if to seek approval for his performance so far.

"Yeah Knight, we spend all our time here don't ya know it? Our job is a regular walk in the park."

Starsky's earlier boyish demeanour was now replaced with a narrow eyed savagery as he shot back at the uniformed cop standing above him.

"Hutch and I just like to take it easy ya know?" Starsky gave a sardonic smile and then followed it up quickly with a frustrated, "What is your problem man?"

His question evoked a sneer from the uniformed cop.

"My problem detective is that we real cops get fed up watching you undercover dicks skirting around the real shit out there on the streets. You spend more time with your snitches in bars talking pretty than out there doin' what we real cops do. I reckon you two have no idea what it is like to watch a victim die in your arms or see a 13-year-old junkie selling herself for her next hit."

Starsky's face turned darker and Hutch could instantly sense the characteristic signs in his partner's body that warned of imminent violence. Starsky made to push his chair back as he kept Knight under his steely gaze.

"What the fuck is this Knight? Let's trade horror stories from the streets? Maybe you need to go debrief someplace else and not in front of my partner and me. Now back off!"

Knight pushed on. Perhaps Hutch thought this was a man who needed a book of braille because he seemed totally blind to the mounting tension in his partner's body and what his darkening eyes signified. Knight's next words were fuel to Starsky's already crackling rage.

"So Hutchinson. You got nothing to say? Is Starsky your mouthpiece? Maybe it's you who doesn't like to risk going out on the streets in case some scum roughs up your pretty face and blackens your big blue eyes."

Hutch felt Starsky's uncontained reaction before he heard it. "Why you fuckin'.." he spat as he kicked his chair back with a smash and his hand shot forward to grab Knight's shirt front. The uniformed cop attempted to step back from the dark haired detective's advance and his eyes opened in startled shock, as he was rough handled by Starsky.

Hutch moved just as quickly and caught his partner's arm, at the same time seeking out his dark blue eyes.

"Starsky! No! Leave it. Don't waste your breath on him." Hutch cast a measured look over at the audience of blue uniforms at the nearby table. A couple of them were now starting to move as if to galvanize into action. Now was not the right time to put on a show for their entertainment, but he knew Starsky would not stop if Knight ignited him any further. If he did not contain his friend quickly and intercept his obvious intent to defend Hutch against Knight's venom then, all hell would break loose. Hutch placed his hand firmly on his partner's forearm, but when he felt Starsky's muscles vibrating beneath his touch, he deftly adjusted his grip to move down to encompass his friend's wrist and fist. He cast Knight a warning look and raised his brows at him laconically.

This little scene needed to be brought down a few notches and he was mindful of not provoking Starsky's already heightened agitation.

"You are way out of line here Knight. I don't know what is up your ass right now, but we don't want to be part of it. Now I suggest you do what my partner is saying and move away. You are getting him all riled up and that's a shame 'cos he was in such a happy mood a few minutes ago. And Knight, you know what? My partner is a lot more fun when he is happy - believe me. So why don't you just go back to your circle of friends now. Share your pity party stories with them. We do not want to hear them."

Starsky initially pulled against Hutch's restraint, but locking onto his friend's pale blue eyes he read his silent plea for him to pull back. The darker detective relaxed a little under his partner's penetrative gaze. Hutch breathed out a little as Starsky reluctantly relinquished his grip on Knight.

Close call. Still Hutch kept his body tensed and ready to block his partner again if necessary as Knight sneered, brushed his shirtfront down and backed slowly away.

Hutch turned his attention to the still fuming man next to him. Two sets of blue eyes talked again.

Are you ok? Just keep cool and let's get out of here.

You should have just let me hit him! Asshole! Alright, alright, but I will deal with him another time.

"C'mon Hutch. Suddenly this bar don't do it for me anymore. Maybe we'd better go find some victims to watch suffer just like Knight here does every day. Then we can come back and share our sad stories from the streets. "

Starsky raised his voice so that the retreating back would hear him.

"Would you like that Knight? Act like real, tough cops like you hey? "

Hutch nodded at the circle of blue as the partners took their leave. Starsky trailed behind. His slow swagger was exaggerated; his languid body language fell just short of menacing. As he passed the uniforms' table he turned and the same blue eyes that only minutes earlier had shone with abandoned merriment, were now piercingly dark, a threatening storm.

"Bye boys, be seein' ya'…..on the streets."

SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH

Hutch was waiting out near the Torino when his partner emerged behind him, squinting into the harsh daylight after having been in the dark bar. He knew that the volatile scene inside would have left his partner rattled and he waited now, knowing that he would need to diffuse the situation before the two of them headed off.

Starsky strode angrily toward the Torino, muttering obscenities under his breath. He ripped open the driver's door with a ferocity that betrayed his unsettled mood and just stood there, one hand on the car roof looking like he was still going to erupt.

This too, thought Hutch, was his partner. This was the other face of his long time friend. One minute a bouncing kid who needed to be filled up with life's little pleasures, the next, a coiled spring of silent rage and power just waiting to vent on whoever and whatever threatened what was important to him. This is who Starsky was; this is what made him such a great partner and such a true friend. Black and white, hard and soft, playful and menacing, tender and rough. This man before him could surprise anyone with his dramatic contrasts of behavior and actions.

He could surprise anyone but Hutch, who knew every side, every nuance of his friend. And, right now, he knew that his friend was seething with pent up anger that Hutch knew he would have preferred to unleash onto Knight.

Starsky started to frown under the extended intensity of his blond partner's gaze.

"What? What? Jeez Hutch ya' starin' at me funny. Will ya' quit it? What's the deal? Aren't I allowed to feel pissed at those guys in there and their attitude to us? Did ya' hear that crap? I'm angry that's all! I should have had him for calling you that!"

Hutch took the opportunity to lighten the fierceness in his partner's face .

"Hey, what do you mean buddy? For calling me a 'pretty face'? But I am aren't I?"

Starsky snorted.

"Yeah, and your eyes are a kinda pretty blue too I guess". he allowed himself a quick grin, but then it was just as quickly gone and his face clouded again.

"But, shit Hutch, where does he get off with speaking that crap to us? I mean, that was just ….. " He stopped suddenly, then turned back toward the bar's door.

Oh no you don't Starsk. You are not going back in there. Get it together now or you will be down in IA by the end of the day.

"Hey! Knight's sorta' right Starsk. I gotta protect this pretty face and it's your job to do that, so let' s forget him and get back on the road partner."

"So? You think we just walk away from that dick and his friends and let them have the last word on us? Do you understand what sorta message that gives him about us Hutch?"

Hutch just smiled softly and reached out to pat his partner's shoulder. He left his hand rest there for a moment " Oh, I understand buddy, I understand. But…."

"But what? You're ok with that? With him?"

"No of course not Starsk. But there is time and a place and as well as ways to deal with things and ways not to. You go back in there now, feeling like you do now, you are just going to play straight into his hands. Knight's playing with us, but he's also playing with fire and he's gonna get burned."

He put more pressure on Starsky's shoulder.

"I just don't want you to get burned in the process ok?"

He waited to see Starsky calm a bit more.

"And besides…there is something else to consider."

Starsky was now turning back to the car and seemed to have made a decision following his blond friend's calming words.

Phew! Thank God. Now just get in the damn car will you Starsky and let's cut out of here before you change your mind.

"Oh and what else is there to consider oh wise one Hutch?"

"Well, I was just thinking….. now you've got your new pet to make you feel better... Why don't you just give your rock a little hug and it might make you feel all happy inside." Hutch winked hard and long as he brought his hand up to his partner's cheek and gave it a tight affectionate squeeze.

There was a delay of a moment and Hutch had timed it perfectly. As his taunting tease hit the mark and Starsky's eye's narrowed, he was deft enough to duck quickly just missing the cuffed hand that came up to swat at the side of his head. He dodged his partner's next move aimed at his mid section and ran around to the other side of the car for cover. As Starsky took up pursuit Hutch pulled open the passenger door and threw himself head first into the car. His cry could be heard up the street and more than a few passer-byers stopped to watch the little scene playing out between the two.

"Starsk! Starsky! Now you don't want to damage your car do you? Calm down! Calm down! Touch your rock you will feel better."

Hutch was laughing and yelling as he playfully twisted away from his equally hysterical partner. The two grappled and wrestled, Hutch holding on for dear life to the car seat and kicking out at his partner as Starsky tried to pull him legs first out of the car. "Just pat your rock, pat your rock Starsk, you will feel happier!"

It took a while for the two of them to calm down enough, their giggles and halfhearted wrestling subsiding into soft chuckles. Starsky eventually released his hold on his partner, unable to resist just one more light cuff to his ear " One day ya big lug, one day….''

He relented and allowed Hutch to climb into the passenger seat properly. In a a couple of clean movements he had jumped over his bonnet to the driver's side and settled in to his own seat while Hutch was talking to headquarters.

Hutch replaced the car radio after having just checked in to let the desk know that they were about to roll. He noted that the last of the interested spectators had walked on now that the little performance was over.

Just as well we are undercover… not too good for Police Department PR. Hutch was thinking to himself. He and Starsky often found themselves dissolving stress by lapsing into this style of purile behavior. Christ just as well the boys inside didn't see us! That really would not have helped their opinions of the two detectives.

Hutch smiled at the image of Knight getting an eyeful of the two of them wrestling in the car.

Would have been worse than catching Starsky with the bloody stupid rock!

As Starsky revved the engine and indicated to move out into the traffic, he gave the still smiling blonde a sideways look. Hutch was surprised to see an expression of earnest sincerity on his partner's face now, the inane giggling having finally subsided.

"Hey Hutch" Starsky's voice projected some gravity and he paused as though he was about to disclose something important. Hutch quickly sobered and put on his own serious, attentive face. Was his buddy still bruised about what had happened in the bar with Knight? Maybe he had not been successful in soothing down his partner's anger after all.

Perhaps he had underestimated how much Knight had gotten under Starsky's skin. He gave his friend a long look and waited.

"Yes buddy?" Hutch's voice was now one of expectant concern.

"Well Hutch….."

"Yeah? What Starsk?"

Starsky's pensive face suddenly transformed into a cheeky grin and even before he spoke, Hutch knew it was his turn to be had.

"Wellllll… Ya' know, if ya' act nice, really, really nice," he smiled beguilingly at Hutch, his dark eyes twinkling on their highest wattage, "I just might let ya' have a play with my rock later."

The End