Celebration

"Aw come on Starsky, you know I don't do celebrations. I don't do..."

"I know, I know" interrupted Starsky, "You don't do Christmas, you don't do Easter, but for cripes sakes Hutch, IT'S THE FOURTH OF JULY, the day we celebrate our independence!"

"Independence from what? Starsky every day we get up and every day we hit the streets. What difference do we make? Have you ever really thought about it? What difference do we make?"

Starsky didn't know how to answer. When his partner was in one of these kind of moods it was usually better to avoid the whole conversation. But that was half the trouble. HE wanted to celebrate. He wanted Hutch to celebrate too. Starsky felt sure that if he did, just once, he would enjoy it.

"Hutch" began Starsky

"Enough Starsk'" Hutch snapped, then more softly, "Please, okay buddy?"

"Okay Hutch" surrendered Starsky, for the moment.

The day was uneventful, like most of them in recent weeks. Starsky was bored, which made him want to party more. Hutch was just grateful. He was getting tired of the streets. The grime, the pushers, the pimps. He was thinking of a career change, but that would mean giving up Starsky. Although he was sure they would always be friends, he was not so sure that Starsky would understand that he did not want to be partners anymore.

"Hutch, after work, what say you we go get a hamburger? My treat!" Starsky said brightly.

"Ah yeah sure buddy, what ever" replied Hutch distracted.

"Hutch. Hutch. Hey partner…….what gives?"

"hmmm?"

"Hutch you sure you're not sick or something? You've not been with it for most of today." Asked Starsky. In truth, he had noticed that Hutch had not been with it for the past few weeks.

"hmmm, yeah sure. Look Starsk' that burger seems like a great idea, maybe a couple of beers too, huh?"

Starsky brightened. What ever it was couldn't be that serious if Hutch was happy to go out that evening.

They met at Huggy's place. A small cellar bar in down town bay city. Aptly named THE PITS.

Starsky was already sitting in a back booth, when Hutch entered.

Huggy guided the blond detective over to his curly haired friend. Hutch smiled, as he sat down. Feeling a rush of emotion as he looked at the one person on this earth that meant more to him than any other person ever had, and probably ever would.

"So come on then Hutch, what'cha havin'?"

"Hey slow down Starsky." Hutch smiled, "Can a man sit down first?"

Pretty soon both detectives were laughing and enjoying each other's company. Starsky was pleased and happy to see that Hutch seemed to have lost all the seriousness from earlier on in the day. He felt now was the time to discuss their 4th of July celebrations.

"Ah Hutch, so about independence day…………." he began. Hutch's face soon lost it's smile.

"Starsky please, can we not spoil a perfect evening, please?" Hutch was almost begging. He REALLY did not want to discuss this, but Starsky was not about to let it go.

"Hutch we need to talk about this." he said.

"No Starsky WE don't need to talk about this. YOU DO. I don't want to talk about it. There is nothing to say."

"Hutch……….."

"STARSKY ENOUGH!" Hutch snapped.

Starsky was taken back. It was not often Hutch got truly angry but when he did, wow those baby blues became like fire and ice and even Starsky did not like being on the receiving end of one of those Hutchinson stares. Still he was determined not to let it drop.

"Hutch I'm sure if you just listened to what I'm thinking', maybe you'll enjoy it. Hutch?"

To Starsky's amazement Hutch rose and began to walk towards the door.

"You leavin'?"

Hutch gave a backwards glance to his friend and, saying nothing, left.

Starsky sat there in shock. He was still nursing his beer when Huggy Bear sauntered over.

"Hey, what it is? A Starsky without a Hutch is like a picnic with no food bro, you get my drift? What's hap'nin' my man?"

"Oh hey Hug'. It's Hutch."

"What's the big blond beauty gone and got himself into now?" Huggy answered, vaguely amused.

"I'm not sure. He wont talk to me. It's like we've lost our connection, our way" Starsky remembered the last time that had happened, over a woman. "Kira" he said aloud. He and Hutch had remained angry at each other for weeks after that, but this time there was no woman. As far as Starsky could tell there was nothing tearing them apart and yet…………..

Driving back to his apartment Hutch was overwhelmed by a feeling of guilt. He pulled over. Sitting with his head in his hands he began to remember.

He was remembering a time Celebrations meant everything to him. Especially The Fourth Of July.

Little Kenneth Hutchinson was 9 years old, when his brother had left for college. Actually he was only a half brother, his father's son from a previous marriage. Corey was everything to Ken. He worshiped him. Until that fateful summer day in 1952. Corey was driving home to spend the fourth of July weekend with the family. Mother had brought the Turkey and a Ham, with all the trimmings. Hutch's father had managed to get a day home from the business trips that he always seemed to be on. Hutch's younger sister Karen, was dressed in her best ribbons and frills. The perfect day. They were going to attend the church picnic. Practically the whole neighbourhood would be there and everyone was excited at being a family together, at last.

Only the day did not end the way it began. Corey never made it home. A drunk driver had smashed into his car (too much celebrating, his father had said) and Corey died instantly.

From that day onwards, there was no more celebrating in the Hutchinson household and Little Kenneth spent the next ten years trying to be the son, that his father had in Corey. He never succeeded.

"OH Starsky, how do I begin to explain all this to you" Hutch thought aloud. He felt as thought he had been sitting in his car for hours before he finally decided to continue his journey home.

Starsky was already in the squad room when Hutch arrived, the next morning. Hutch watched his partner pouring himself a cup of coffee and decided that, at the very least Starsky deserved an explanation.

"Pour me one too, huh buddy?" he smiled

"Sure." Starsky answered. He barely looked at him.

Oh he's hurt thought Hutch, and did not blame him.

"Starsk'"

"Hutch" they both said in unison.

Hutch laughed, "You go first."

"Hutch what happened last night and don't tell me nothing? Somethin's going on." Starsky urged.

"You're right. You know you're gonna make a half good detective one day buddy" Hutch tried to joke, but Starsky was not smiling.

"Hutch"

"Okay. Look not now. We'll talk. I promise, but right now we got a shift to get through. Can we do that Starsk'?" Hutch asked

"I'm not sure I want you out there watching my back. Hutch I need to know what I've done?"

Typical of Starsky to think it was his fault, and Hutch felt instantly guilty.

"Nothing Starsky. You haven't done nothing. We'll talk I promise." and then quietly, "But not now, okay?"

"Sure Hutch, sure" Starsky replied, not really satisfied.

The whole shift, as usual of late, was again uneventful and Starsky was bored desperate to find out what was eating Hutch. He still was not convinced that it was not something he had done.

In the squad room Hutch was about to leave when

"Hutch, you gonna tell me or not? I can't stand this. If I've done something tell me, if I haven't………….you gotta tell me anyway. Hutch?" Starsky touched his partner on the shoulder, almost pleading with him to let him know what was wrong.

"Okay Starsky. Lets' go" replied Hutch

"Where?"

"My place. I got some things I wanna show you."

They arrived at Hutch's apartment. Starsky could never get over how immaculate his friend was at dressing but how he lived in almost squalor.

"Hutch you really gotta clean this place up" he said as he marched into the room, picking up news papers and discarded cups as he went.

"Starsky you sound like my mother……..wanna beer?"

"Sure"

Hutch grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and tossing one to Starsky said, "I'll be right back"

When he emerged from the bedroom he was carrying a box. One that Starsky had never seen before. Opening it, he could see that it was full of photographs. A smiling young blond boy, celebrating. There were Christmas pictures and Easter pictures. Halloween pictures and fourth of July pictures.

"That you?" Starsky asked nodding to one photograph.

"Yep"

"Then you do like celebrating!" Starsky grinned.

"Did" Hutch corrected "I did. Starsky have you noticed anything about these pictures?"

"Sure Hutch you look happy."

"Yes I was happy but I was also less that 9 years old."

Starsky looked closer. In each picture, Hutch was right he was always less than nine years old.

Starsky looked at Hutch.

"What happened?"

"I'm gonna get another beer…."Hutch began

"Hutch, what happened?" Starsky repeated. Hutch sat down and sighing began.

It was some tow hours and a lot of tears later that Starsky finally heard the whole story.

"So you see Starsk', I could never, live up to his expectations. Never be the son that Corey was." Hutch wept

"Hutch you don't have to be. You're smart and your sensitive and you're more of a man than your father will ever be. I didn't know your brother. I don't know how I'd feel if I lost Nicky but I do know, you can't live your life constantly worrying about what your father will think and I don't think Corey would have wanted that either. Hell Hutch, if your father can't see what a great man you are, then it's him that's not living up to expectations. Not you."

So, on July the Fourth, Hutch went to the party that Starsky had been trying to tell him about all week. Not only did he celebrate America's independence, with his best friend, he also celebrated his own. His freedom from his father and it was Starsky that had finally freed him.