A/N: For those of you familiar with my "Hero" series, this is a separate piece and isn't to be considered a continuation of my previous stories. I wanted to try a storyline outside the "family man" idea, and I hope you enjoy it.
xXxXx
Brian sat in his car, forcing himself to breathe deeply and slowly. He closed his eyes and tried to will his heart to stop beating so wildly. When he reopened them, he looked down the street at the liquor store, thinking that his wife wouldn't understand if she knew what he was up to. For that matter, neither would his colleagues. But this was just one of those things that had to be done.
Before pulling his stocking mask over his head, Brian was careful to to slide his police shield under his seat, out of view of any passersby.
xXxXx
Lieutenant Dave Starsky stood in full uniform as the most recent graduating class of the Bay City Police Academy made its way across the stage, each individual receiving his or her own badge and a certificate.
They'd been a good group, but he was anxious to get going. Once the ceremony was over, Starsky would begin his first real vacation in years, and he was going to spend it the only way he knew how - with his best friend.
xXxXx
Captain Ken Hutchinson absent-mindedly shuffled papers on his desk in the the Duluth, Minnesota downtown police department, then ran his fingers through his thinning blond hair before glancing at his watch.
It had only been five minutes since the last time he'd checked.
In just a matter of hours, he would pick Starsky up at the airport, and they'd spend the next two weeks reminiscing about the past and getting caught up with each other in person, rather than by phone.
Hutch had moved from Bay City in 1992 to take care of his aging parents, and had only seen his former partner twice since then. Hutch's mother had passed away in '94, and his dad in '96; Starsky had come east for both funerals.
But in the last three years, neither of them had been able to take any vacation time to visit the other, and they'd been forced to keep in touch by phone and email. When Starsky had mentioned his upcoming vacation, Hutch jumped at the chance to invite his friend out for a visit.
Hutch's attention was brought back to the present when his eyes settled on a report filed by two of his newest detectives just yesterday.
Another liquor store burglary; that's just great. Third one this month. And we're no closer to finding who's behind it than we were before. Terrific. And this is the kind of welcome I'm giving my best friend, with me knee-deep in a case that can't be cracked.
With that thought, Hutch exited his office and walked into the adjoining area to talk to the pair of detectives that had filed the report. He wanted to know if they'd learned anything yesterday that had somehow not been filed.
xXxXx
Starsky walked through the den, hitting the power button on his TV set as he passed it. He continued walking, but stopped and looked at the screen when he heard the voices of Tony Randall and Jack Klugman.
"The Odd Couple. Oh, I remember this one," he mumbled to himself as he sat on the arm of the couch.
This particular episode was about Oscar's sleepwalking and swatting Felix with a newspaper. The pair discovered at the end that Oscar's suppressed irritation during the day was the cause for his nightly symnabulance.
As Starsky watched the rerun, he smiled at the memory of a comment Hutch had once made, and Starsky could hear his friend's voice as if the blond were sitting beside him.
"If that were us, you'd be Oscar and I'd be Felix."
It had been made as a joke, but both men knew that their backgrounds and personalities were different enough for the statement to be true.
Starsky remained seated for the remainder of the program, then turned the set off before finally heading to the bedroom to change out of his uniform.
It wasn't long before he was finally making his way to the airport, knowing that the Hutch-shaped hole in his life would soon be filled.
xXxXx
Hutch strolled through the airport, softly whistling a nonsensical tune as he made his way to Starsky's gate.
As anxious as he was to see his friend again, Hutch had to admit he was a bit preoccupied by the recent rash of holdups on liquor stores. They'd started two weeks ago, just after the first of the month, and at first glance, they didn't seem to be connected. But Hutch had been a cop for nearly three decades, and he hadn't made it to his current rank without learning to make connections.
All the reports said the holdups were taking place in various parts of town, on different days of the week and at different times. None of the clerks could describe the robber because he'd been wearing a dark stocking mask. Hutch's men couldn't even get a skin color due to the perp's long sleeves and gloves. They also didn't have a make or model on a getaway car. Nor had the perp actually fired the gun each witness claimed to have seen.
All in all, Hutch knew they had very little to go on, but in his gut he knew they were somehow connected to one another. He just wasn't sure how to prove it yet.
Hutch was so lost in thought that he almost didn't notice the crowd of people coming through the gate as they exited their plane. He just happened to glance up as Starsky emerged, and as their eyes met, it was as if the world around them faded away.
xXxXx
Starsky froze in his tracks as he stared at his friend. Had it really only been three years since they'd last been together?
He's aged since I saw him last, and he's put on some weight. Of course, so have I. And he's got worry lines across the forehead...maybe I did the right thing in choosing the academy over that promotion.
Every observation passed into oblivion as his emotions flooded his senses. Starsky couldn't stop a tear from sliding down his cheek as he started walked again. Upon reaching his old partner, Starsky dropped his carry-on bag and wrapped his arms around Hutch.
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A/N: "The Odd Couple" televison show was based on a play by Neil Simon, and was developed by Garry Marshall & Jerry Belson. The episode mentioned here premiered October 1, 1971.