The sound of gunfire reverberated throughout the convience store as a hail of bullets whipped back and forth in both directions.
By the time it was all over the shopkeeper and the two would-be thieves laid dead on the floor with broken glass and damaged cartons of food skattered everywhere.
Hutch was trying to get up off the floor from where he dove for cover but the dead weight on top of him made it practically impossible.
"Okay Starsk it's all over get off of me will ya!" Hutch said as he nudged his partner on the side.
Starsky didn't budge.
"C'mon Starsk...this is not what I mean't when I said cover me...now get off you weigh a ton!" Hutch reiterated as he tried to push Starsky off.
Hutch became alarmed when Starsky remained still and silent.
"Starsky!" Hutch spoke his partner's name in a frightened tone as he finally managed to free himself from under his partner.
"Jesus Starsk!" Hutch gasped when he carefully lifted Starsky and turned him over onto his back and placed him on the tiled floor.
Starsky had suffered a massive bullet wound to the chest and blood from the wound was flowing freely.
The blood had already saturated the front of the dark-haired detective's tee-shirt and was dripping down onto the cold floor.
Hutch surveyed the surrounding area for some kind of cloth to staunch the blood flow, not locating anything, he quickly tugged on the shirt tails of his own shirt pulling them out of his jeans, then ripped open it's front as buttons flew everywhere.
He then removed it and pressed it firmly against Starsky's chest to cover the bullet hole.
"Starsk can you hear me Buddy?" Hutch called out to his friend.
"C'mon Starsk talk to me!" Hutch pleaded with his partner as the shirt he was using quickly became saturated as well.
"Oh please Buddy don't do this to me!" Hutch cried out as the blood continued to ooze out.
Just then a man and a woman entered the store and saw the devastation.
They spotted the dead bodies and a bare-chested Hutch leaning over his partner and were about to exit in haste when Hutch called out to them. "Please...I'm a police officer...my partner's been shot...call an ambulance!"
The man hurried over to the phone that hung on the wall behind the counter and made the call while the woman ran to Hutch's aide.
"What can I do to help?" she asked as she knelt down beside Hutch.
"Could you see if you can find me some towels...anything to help stop the bleeding!" Hutch begged her.
She nodded then scurried off.
"Hang on Starsk...please just hang on!" Hutch begged his friend.
Suddenly a moan escaped Starsky's lips as he stirred.
"Starsk...can you hear me?" Hutch asked the dark-haired man again.
Starsky squeezed his eyes shut tightly then slowly opened them.
"Hutchhhh." he slurred the blond's name in what was barely a whisper.
"I'm here Pal...just take it easy...it's gonna' be okay!" Hutch said as he tried to sound comforting.
"Ohhhh God Hutchhhh...it hurts." Starsky's words were almost inaudible.
"The ambulance is on the way!" the man who made the phone call informed Hutch as he hurried to Hutch's side.
The woman returned and knelt down once again beside Hutch.
"Here are some clean towels the woman said as she handed Hutch the linens.
"Thanks!" Hutch answered gratefully as he yanked one from the pile while tossing his soaked shirt aside.
He rolled up the towel and placed it on Starsky's chest causing him to wince from the pain.
"Sorry Buddy...ya' know Pal this would go a hell of alot easier if you would just stop bleeding!" Hutch tried to joke about the situation.
The joke was short-lived when Starsky cried out. "I can't...breathe Hutchhh...can't breathe!"
Not wasting anytime, Hutch gathered Starsky in his arms and placed his friend's upper body in his lap so that he was somewhat elevated.
"How's that Starsk...just try to relax Buddy the ambulance is on it's way." he told his injured friend.
"My God there's just so much blood!" Hutch thought to himself as he pressed down harder on Starsky's chest.
All at once Starsky started to choke as a trickle of blood trailed out the corner of his mouth.
"No!" Hutch hissed softly as he took his thumb and wiped the blood from Starsky's mouth.
"Hut..." Starsky tried to call out the blond's name but the pain was too intense and the amount of blood pooling in his mouth made it impossible.
"Please Starsky...just hang on just a little bit longer!" Hutch pleaded with his friend as he bent down and placed his chin on the top of the mass of curly, dark hair.
The sound of the ambulance's siren could be heard far off in the distance.
"Ya' hear that Buddy...I told you help was on the way!" Hutch said half-heartedly as he held his partner tighter.
"Hutchhh." Starsky tried calling out to his friend.
"I'm right here Starsk!" Hutch replied softly.
"I'm soooo c-c-cold." Starsky's teeth chattered as he grasped Hutch's hand that laid on his wounded chest, the perspiration beaded across his brow.
"He's going into shock!" Hutch thought as he wiped more blood from Starsky's lips.
"What the hell is taking them so long?" Hutch roared as he looked over at the doorway.
"I'm scared Hutchhhh...it's so dark...I don't wanna'...be in the dark." Starsky sobbed.
Hutch started to sob too as he begged his partner to be quiet and save his breath.
Starsky then tried to reach up and touch Hutch's cheek but he was too weak and his hand just flopped away.
Hutch reached down and picked up Starsky's hand and squeezed it tight.
"We had a good run Hutch...didn't we?" Starsky slurred.
"Why the hell are you talkin' like that for you ya' big goofball...it's not over yet Pal...we've still got a lot of road we haven't traveled down yet?" Hutch tried to sound upbeat but he was losing hope.
"No...I'm tired Hutchhh...soooo tired." Starsky added almost incoherently.
"We'll you'll have all the time in the world to sleep when you get to the hospital now will ya' just shut-up!" Hutch begged his friend, trying to get him to save his strength.
"You're gonna' be okay right...huh...Hutchhhhh?" Starsky asked as his droopy eyes looked up at the blond's.
"And so are you Pal...so are you!" Hutch whispered in Starsky's ear as he gathered the dark-haired man even closer to him, burying his face in the crook of his best friend's neck.
Suddenly Hutch heard the most awful sound.
The sound of silence.
That's the moment he realized that Starsky had stopped breathing.
Hutch pulled his face up out of the warmth of Starsky's shoulder and looked into the unseeing blue eyes of his partner.
The ambulance had just pulled up outside, it's siren blarring and it's lights flashing, alerting everyone of it's presence.
"Starsk?" Hutch whispered his friend's name softly getting no reply.
"Starsky?" Hutch cried out again slightly louder.
"No Buddy...no please!" Hutch sobbed as he slide Starsky's body onto the cold,hard floor.
He was just about to perform CPR on his partner when he was suddenly shoved out of the way.
"Please Mister...you need to back out of the way so we can help the man!" one of the medics ordered as he forced his way between the two detectives.
Hutch started to protest, not realizing who the intruder was.
When he saw the uniforms and all the medical paraphernalia he slowly retreated into the background but only slightly.
"I'm a cop...this man is my partner...he's been shot...you gotta' help him...he's stopped breathing!" Hutch begged and pleaded with the paramedics.
"We'll do everything we can Sir now please just step back!" the other medical attendant insisted of the blond as he opened up the medical gear by his side.
"Cardiac arrest!" the one medic said to the other after checking Starsky's vitals.
"I already told you that!" Hutch screamed out as he wiped a trembling hand across his face, smearing Starsky's blood he had on his hand on his cheek and forehead.
Hutch could see the olive skin tone had already disappeared from Starsky face replaced by a slightly ashen shade tinted with blue.
The blond stood there shaking his head in disbelief as the paramedics worked on trying to revive his lifeless friend.
Hutch jerked when the defibulator zapped Starsky's chest and he cringed when the first attempt failed.
"Let's go again!" one of the medics called out as the other medic placed the defibulator on Starsky's bare chest.
"Clear!" Hutch heard the word being shouted but his eyes were focused on Starsky's face.
The blond held his breath and closed his eyes when he heard the jolting sound of his best friend's body being jerked up off the floor.
"Please Starsk...please!" Hutch prayed, his eyes still closed but his ears opened wide.
"Nothing!" He heard the paramedics disheartening reply.
"One more time!" the medic said.
Hutch never even felt the large hand that was placed on his bare shoulder as he opened his eyes and watched the terrifying scene play out in front of him.
"Get my man a blanket!" Dobey ordered one of the uniformed officers who followed him to the scene when he felt the bare-chest blond shaking uncontrollably under his hand.
"Clear!" the medic shouted again as they made one final attempt to resesitate the body before them.
Both Hutch and Dobey waited with baited breath for the outcome.
"Nothing." the other medic said solemnly as he check for a pulse and a heartbeat.
He removed the stephescope from his ears and allowed it to rest around his neck as he bowed his head.
"It's no good...we've lost him." the medic added.
Hutch watched in horror as the medics placed their equipment back in their cases then placed a white sheet over Starsky, covering his face and body.
The uniformed officer re-entered the store and handed Dobey the blanket.
Dobey unfolded it and gently draped it over Hutch's shoulders.
"W-Wait a second...what the hell are you doing?" Hutch cried out.
"Y-You're just giving up on him?" he roared angrily.
"Hutch take it easy Son." Dobey said as he placed a pair of comforting hands on both of Hutch's arms as if it would calm him.
This was the first he noticed his superior was present.
"Captain he needs help...tell them Starsky needs help!" Hutch demanded of his captain.
"Hutch it's too late...he's gone Son...Starsky's gone." Dobey said softly trying to convince the distraught blond.
Hutch froze slightly, looked down at the prone body covered with the sheet and stood there in a daze.
Suddenly Hutch shrugged off Dobey's grip and the blanket and raced to his partner dropping down on his knees beside Starsky's body.
He then violently ripped off the sheet and reached down and tilted Starsky's neck back.
Hutch then leaned over Starsky, placed his lips on his partner's lips and expelled his own air into Starsky's mouth filling the dark-haired man's cheeks from the force.
Hutch could taste Starsky's blood in his mouth as he forced the air into his friend.
The blond then jerked back and started to compress his partner's chest as he counted out in his head.
"C'mon Starsky!" Hutch cried out as he bent down and he pried open Starsky mouth and repeated the procedure.
"Dammit Starsk...don't you dare!" Hutch spat.
The blood in Hutch's mouth flew through the air as he pressed up and down on Starsky's bare, blood-soaked chest.
The paramedics just stood back shaking there heads as Dobey made his way to the blond's side.
"That's enough Hutch!" he ordered the detective as he tried to pull the blond off of Starsky.
With a force so powerfully, Hutch shoved his superior back and kept administering aid to his fallen partner.
Dobey, not at all surprised by Hutch's actions nodded to a pair of uniformed officers that stood off to the side for assistance.
Dobey and the two officers moved forward and after several attempts, all three eventually managed to pry Hutch away from partner and up onto his feet.
The three men held the blond forcefully as the paramedics picked up Starsky's body and place it on a stretcher.
Hutch watched in shock as they covered Starsky's body once again and buckled him up.
As the medics wheeled the stretcher in front of the four men Hutch sobbed and shook his head no.
Hutch waited until his partner was loaded into the ambulance and the doors closed behind him before collasping onto the floor in uncontrollable grief.
...
Starsky held his hand in front of his eyes as he walked closer to the bright light.
He stopped when he came upon a man dressed all in white.
"Where am I...where's Hutch?" Starsky's voice said alarmingly as he looked around for his partner.
"You will not find him here Son." the man in white spoke to him comfortingly.
"Where's here?" Starsky asked again trying to remain calm.
"Where do you think you are David?" the man questioned the troubled young man before him.
Starsky stared intently at the man then suddenly his hands shot up to his chest as he felt the area around his heart.
A look of fear blanketed his face as he looked back at the man in white.
"No...I-I can't be!" Starsky shouted out.
"There's no reason to be alarmed David...you're safe now...no further harm can come to you." the man said soothingly as he placed a hand on Starsky's shoulder.
"This isn't happening...I wanna' see Hutch...where's Hutch...you take me to my partner right now!" Starsky demanded as he started to back away.
"If you want to see your friend you must follow me David." the man said as he motioned Starsky back to his side.
"How do you know my name?" Starsky asked as he stopped then started walking back towards the other man.
"I know everything there is to know about you Son...you were born in Brooklyn New York...you're one of two children born to Robert and Rachelle Starsky...you have a younger sibling named Nicholas...I even know about the time you stole the two packs of chewing gum from Bailey's Super Market on Twelth and Devonshire when you were nine years old...on a dare from your friends Francis and Maurice I might add." the man relayed his information, pointing a disapproving finger at Starsky as the last words were said.
Starsky stood there stunned, then suddenly he remembered his partner.
"Y-You said you'd let me see my partner...I-I wanna' see him now...p-please." Starsky stuttered nervously.
"Of course David...if you'll just follow me." the man said as he placed his arm on Starsky's shoulder and began walking away with him.
Suddenly the blinding white light disappeared and Starsky found himself in an all white sterile room.
Starsky looked at the man beside him, not comprehending what was going on then the man pointed at the doorway.
Starsky's face lit up when he saw the familiar figure standing just inside the doorway.
"Hey...Hutch!" Starsky exclaimed as he rushed towards the blond only to feel Hutch step right through him.
Starsky watched as his friend faltered for a moment then continued on.
A surprised gasp excaped Starsky's lips when he looked over Hutch's shoulder at the figure laying on the examining table.
...
Even though the room was bathed in bright light, Hutch felt an overwhelming darkness surround him as he slowly walked into it.
The blond was numb to the medicinal smell that permeated the air, the same smell that usually burnt his nostrils whenever he entered a hospital room.
He didn't even noticed how cold the room felt for at that moment he was devoid of all feelings exept the feeling of extreme grief.
Hutch saw his partner and best friend laid out carefully on the stainless steel examining table and he forced himself to move closer.
As he made his way across the room he thought for a moment his mind and body were playing tricks on him.
Just for a moment he thought he felt the touch of Starsky's hand and was certain he could smell his partner's musky after-shave.
He paused before continuing on.
What took him only a few seconds seemed like an eternity when he finally reached Starsky's side.
Still in a partially dazed state, Hutch looked down at his friend's colorless face as a sob escaped his lips.
Hutch then leaned down and placed his forehead on Starsky's chest and began to weep, his entire body shook with every sob that was released from his lips as he begged his partner to come back to him.
...
"No...you can't do this to him...you gotta' let me go back...do you hear me...let me go to him!" Starsky spouted out his demands.
"I cannot do that David...it's out of both of our hands now...you belong with us now." the man in white told him regretably.
"No...I belong with my partner...he doesn't deserve this...you gotta' make all this stop right now do you hear me!" Starsky pleaded with the other man.
"I'm sorry David...I just can't." the man replied with a note of sadness in his voice.
Starsky looked back over at his grief-striken partner and his heart ached for his friend.
He then slowly walked over and placed his hand on top of the blond's head and ran his fingers through Hutch's long blond hair in an attempt to comfort him.
Starsky was surprised when a startled Hutch turned around quickly in his direction as his eyes darted about the room.
"I'm here Buddy...I'm right here!" Starsky uttered to his best friend.
Starsky had to swallow the lump in his throught when Hutch stood upright, still staring in his direction.
"Can you see me Pal...I'm right here Hutch?" he begged the blond to notice him.
Starsky's hopes were quickly dashed when he watched Hutch slowly look away from him and return his attention back to the body that laid out on the table before him.
His heart sank even further as he watched his emotionally wrecked partner turn and stumble out of the room without looking back.
Starsky followed Hutch out the door calling after him. "I'm sorry Hutch!"
Starsky saw Captain Dobey and Huggy as they stood out in the hallway waiting for the blond.
The two of them started to walk towards Hutch, that's when Starsky noticed Hutch's hesitation in his step.
When Starsky saw Hutch begin to slowly sway to one side he looked over at Dobey and Huggy and yelled out. "Catch him he's gonna' pass out!"
Hutch thought he heard his dead partner's voice as he crumbled to the hospital floor just before total darkness crept in.
...
"I'm very sorry you had to see your friend suffer like that." the man in white told Starsky.
"He needs me...but this time...I-I can't be there for him." Starsky said somberly.
"That's not entirely true David." the man in white replied.
Starsky suddenly perked up.
"What are you saying?" Starsky questioned the other man.
"In all your years on Earth David...did you ever feel as if someone was watching over you...protecting you...keeping you out of harms way?" the man asked Starsky.
"Yeah...I-I guess so yeah...you mean sorta like a guardian angel or somethin'?" Starsky asked.
"That is exactly what I'm referring to David...every living soul has their very own guardian angel...I had one when I existed on Earth...you had one as well...it may not always be the same protector through the span of your lifetime...special circumstances may warrant change in one's overseer...but every single living being has one and it's always someone who was very close to them in their mortal life." the man in white informed Starsky.
"Okay...so let me ask you this...you say I had a guardian angel whose job was to protect me...if that's the case then why am I here...why did I die?" Starsky posed the question.
The man in white frowned then replied. "Sometimes David...the protectors have what you might call an extra work load."
"So your saying angels sometimes have to pull double duty?" Starsky asked.
"That's right David...and quite often...while our guardian angels are keeping a watchful eye on one loved one the need may arise to help another." the man answered.
"Sadly it may only be a split second that a protector's back is turned as they are juggling the needs of one when tragedy can strike the other." the man added.
"Which is what happened in my case...my guardian angel was helping someone else the moment I was shot." Starsky said as he answered his own question.
"Yes David that's right." the man nodded.
Starsky was silent for a moment then asked. "Is it possible for me to see my guardian angel?"
"Absolutely David...in fact he's been waiting to see you for a very long time?" the man in white replied.
"He?" Starsky questioned the man.
"Yes that's right...you see that grove of trees over there?" the man said as he pointed off to Starsky's left.
Starsky turned slightly and nodded.
"He's waiting for you just inside the trees." the man in white added.
Starsky's eyes widened surprise.
"Go to him David...he's very eager to see you." the man told Starsky as he placed a gentle hand on the dark-haired man's shoulder.
Starsky hesitated slightly then turned and began to walk towards the trees.
When he got to the first clump of trees he paused momentarily then walked in.
His eyes scanned the area in front of him and he was just about to move forward when a voice spoke to him from behind. "Hello Son."
Starsky froze as he immediately recognized the male voice.
He then slowly turned to face the owner of the voice.
"Pop?" Starsky said not believing his eyes as he stared into his father's face.
Starsky's father took a couple of steps closer then extended his hand and placed it on his son's shoulder and smiled.
Starsky wasted no time as he allowed himself to be enveloped into his father's embrace.
"I can't believe it's really you Pop...I've missed you for so long!" Starsky exclaimed as he began to weep.
Starsky's father clutched his son tighter in his arms as his own tears flowed.
After what seemed like an eternity, Starsky's father released the hold he had on his son and they separated and stood at arms length from one another.
Starsky's father then placed a hand on the side of Starsky's face and said. "My goodness Davey...just look at you...you've grown into a fine lookin' young man!"
"And look at you Pop...you look just like you did the day...!" Starsky started to say then stopped as he remembered back to the last time he saw his father, the day his father was shot and killed in the line of duty.
"I was so proud of you that day Pop...me and Nick...and Ma!" Starsky beamed proudly and they both smiled.
Their bittersweet reunion was short-lived when Starsky remembered why he was there..
Starsky's smiled quickly turned into a frown as he spoke softly to his father in between sobs. "I-I died Pop...I-I was shot."
Starsky's father's smile quickly faded as well as he replied solemnly. "Yes I know Davey...can you ever forgive me?"
"Forgive you...what's there to forgive Pop?" Starsky asked.
Starsky's father removed his hand from Starsky's arm as the tears welled up in his troubled eyes.
He then turned with his shoulders hunched over and walked about ten feet away to a wooden bench and sat down with his head held in his hands.
"I-I let you down Davey...it's all my fault that you're here Son." Starsky's father wept.
"What are ya' talkin' about Pop...why would you even say somethin' like that?" Starsky questioned his father as he walked over and sat down next to him on the bench.
"I was suppose to be watching over you Son...it was my responsibilty to make sure you stayed safe but I messed up!" Starsky's father sobbed.
"What happened Pop...tell me why I'm here?" Starsky asked of his father.
Starsky's father paused as he drew in a heavy sigh then began to explain. "It's your brother Nicholas...Davey I just don't know what to do about him anymore...he's really gotten himself into some serious trouble!"
"Nick...what kind of trouble Pop?" Starsky asked.
Starsky's father hesitated briefly then continued. "This morning when you were...when you were shot...I tried to be there to watch over you but Nicky...he was up to no good...we're talkin' heavy stuff...drugs...gambling...the whole nine yards...he tried to scam a couple of thugs...these guys were badder than bad Davey...they really mean't business...they were gonna' kill your brother...I had to do something...I just couldn't stand by and watch them...!" Starsky's father choked up.
"It's okay Pop." Starsky said soothingly as he placed his hand on his father's slumped shoulder and tried to comfort him.
"I had to make a choice Davey...I knew Hutch was with you...I mean after all Hutch was always so protective of you...always watching your back and Nicky had no one...I just couldn't let them kill him in cold blood like that!" Starsky's father sobbed uncontrollably.
"It's not your fault Pop...you did what you had to do...I understand!" Starsky said softly as he tried to console his father.
Starsky's father wiped the tears from his face and looked into his son's loving eyes.
"So you're not angry with me for letting you die instead of your little brother?" his father asked mornfully.
"No Pop...I'm not angry with you...I love ya' Pop...you did the only thing you could possibly do...Itotally understand that." Starsky whispered his words of comfort into his father's ear then placed his forehead on his father's shoulder.
"I love ya' too Davey...you and your brother and your Ma'...you all mean the world to me." Starsky father said proudly.
Starsky's thoughts suddenly drifted away as he thought about his mother and how devestated she must be over his own death.
"Oh jeeze Pop...I totally forgot about Ma...how's she gonna' handle all this?" Starsky asked as he worried about his mother.
"She doesn't know yet Son...she's gonna' take it real hard...you were always her favorite." Starsky's father started to sob again.
"I wanna' see her Pop...do you think they'll let me see her?" Starsky pleaded with his father.
The older Starsky placed his hand on Starsky's knee and squeezed as a smile grazed his lips. "I can take you to her Son...I visit with her all the time."
"Can we go now...please Pop?" Starsky asked eagerly.
Starsky's father chuckled at Starsky's childlike eagerness, for it reminded him some much of when his son was a little boy.
"Sure Davey...we can go now." he said with a smile as he patted Starsky's knee and stood up.
"Just follow me Son and I'll show you the way." Starsky's father said as he held out his hand to his edest son.
