DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of Starsky adn Hutch franchise. The following is for entertainment only.

Debbie, You are a gem!! Thank you.

SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH

It was one of those rare afternoons just made for napping. Starsky was stretched out on the blue couch with the colorful blanket thrown over his lower body. The latest edition of The Torino Journal was spread out over his face. If you asked Starsky, he'd tell you he wasn't sleeping, just checking out the fine print under the picture of the beautiful model standing next to the newest Gran Torino at the car show.

That's why when the muffled thump at the front door first occured, Starsky didn't immediately react to it. Something though had caused him to turn over which caused the magazine to fall to the floor which in turn caused Starsky to open his eyes. He sat up and gave in to an agonizingly satisfied stretch. He rubbed his face with his hand and a wide yawn made his ears pop.

He bent down to pick up the magazine and was startled by the second muffled thump at the front door. Not realizing that this is what originally awakened him, he sat still, listening for an accompanying knock. When nothing followed but the buzzing of the bees and singing birds outside the kitchen window, he stood up and moved closer to the front door.

"Okay you kids, no more toilet paper decorations!", Starsky was prepared to yell at the neighborhood kids who had recently discovered this most aggravating pass time.

So he was completely shocked when he opened the front door only to be greeted by the curled up body of his police partner.

The wider Starsky opened the door, more of Hutch's body rolled into the entry hall. Starsky was too surprised and too confused to do anything but kneel next to the body curled up in an unconscious ball.

Hutch lay half in and half out of Starsky's front door. The first glimps of the blond man revealed his shirt was torn and very dirty. His face was covered with scratches. Looking past the torn shirt, Starsky saw that he had nothing on but his boxers, no shoes, but his white socks were no longer white.

Starsky was at first afraid to try and move Hutch but he had to get him into the house. Starsky stood up and glanced outside. There was no one around. It was just a quiet afternoon. Or at least it had been quiet up until Starsky had opened his front door.

"C'mon Hutch, I gotta move you. Do you hear me?" Starsky bent over Hutch but there was no response, no recognition from the man. Starsky smoothed out what was left of the blond's shirt. He cradled Hutch in his arms.

"Okay, buddy. You're scaring me here. What happened?" Starsky continued talking to Hutch as he wrestled with his burden further into the living room.

For a long minute, Starsky just sat with the limp body in his arms. But Hutch didn't respond to Starsky's hug or the rocking motion Starsky indulged in. Finally, Starsky pulled himself together enough to grab a towel from the kitchen and he wrung it out in warm water. He attempted to wipe away some of the dirt from Hutch's face. Some of the cuts on his face had crusted over but started dribbling blood again after Starsky wiped away the older stains.

Starsky picked up the blanket that had floated to the floor earlier and covered Hutch. He sat beside him not sure what to do next. Starsky watched Hutch's face for any signs of awareness. He was startled when all of the sudden, the blue eyes popped open and looked past Starsky. They didn't focus on Starsky's face, but seemed to be searching for something Starsky couldn't see.

"ouch, uhhh- he-- where-?" Hutch roused for a short time but his eyes were darting around the room. "Starsky?" Finally Hutch recognized Starsky but the name came out strangled. Hutch choked on one word and immediately began coughing. He pulled his legs up to his chest and held his belly as Starsky tried to get him oriented.

"Buddy, it's me, that's right. It's Starsky. Are you with me?" Starsky kept rubbing Hutch's arms but there didn't seem to be any place on his body that wasn't black, blue or cut up.

Hutch fell back into nothingness. He continued groaning occasionally which is when Starsky reached for the phone. He called for an ambulance first. He did the best he could keeping Hutch warm and as he waited for the ambulance, he thought back to the case they had been working on for the last six days.

He knew without a doubt who was responsible for Hutch's present state. Starsky could taste the bile that rose up from his belly to fill his mouth. He bit his lip, wanting to feel pain.

He sat with Hutch in his arms and felt the prickle of guilt begin to eat at his heart. He knew who was responsible.

Starsky was not only holding Hutch's tortured body, Starsky was facing the evidence of his own guilt.

---------

Six days ago-------