Missing Scene from 'A Coffin For Starsky' (ACFS)

(12:00a.m. - 4:15a.m.)

Written by HFGirl

Feedback always appreciated.

Note 1: (This story covers the night before the poisoning and the time from Starsky's call for help, to leaving for the hospital).

Note 2: (This is my first time writing missing scenes in the middle of a story. The ending may seem a bit abrupt, but those who know this episode know that my ending leads into the ambulance scene).

Hutch & Starsky had taken Huggy Bear out to dinner as a reward for helping them on one of their cases. Huggy was at the bar getting himself another beer. Hutch was finishing off his hamburger and fries and was seriously thinking about moving on to Starsky's meal. His partner had left his food to satiate another appetite. He flirted with a gorgeous lady at the bar and had even offered to spring for drinks. 'Big spender,' Hutch thought. He watched Starsky down another beer. They were both a little tipsy already, but he noticed Starsky having a little more problem with his motor skills. It was time to stop his partner before he did something stupid.

"Hey Starsk," Hutched yelled. "It's time to go."

"Ahh, gee ma, it's still early," Starsky replied.

"Dobey," Hutch said.

"What about him?"

"Meeting…tomorrow…7am."

"Oh," Starsky said, brooding. He looked at the green-eyed beauty before him. "Sorry sweetie. The warden's revoking my parole. Will you be around tomorrow?"

"Let's see what happens," she replied. She excused herself and moved towards the back door.

Hutch grabbed Starsky's arm and lead him in the other direction. "Come on heartbreaker." He turned to Huggy. "Hey Hug, you wanna give us a ride? I don't think lover boy here could find his way to the John right now."

"Lover boy don't want any skinny toothpick behind the wheel of his beloved Torino either," Starsky said.

"Aww come on Starsk. It won't do us any good to be busted for a DWI before Dobey's meeting."

"Fine. But, I'm not tipping."

Huggy put his arm around Starsky's shoulder. "Don't worry curly. I don't charge for the first 10 miles." He led Starsky towards the door. Hutch opened the door and the three men made their way to the Torino.

Huggy helped Hutch up the stairs and into his apartment. "You gonna be okay, blondie," he asked.

"Sure. Just one question…where are we?

"Home, sleeping beauty. Just go get yourself some rest. I gotta get Starsky home. I have plans of my own tomorrow you know."

"Sorry Hug. Thanks for the ride," Hutch said, wondering what new endeavor Huggy was into.

"No problem," Huggy assured. With that, he was through the door and gone.

Hutch undressed, leaving his clothes anywhere they happened to drop. He heard the screech of the Torino and wished Huggy luck prying Starsky out of his car and up the stairs to his apartment. He fell into bed welcoming a good nights sleep. He looked at the clock. It was 12:30a.m. He drifted off, thinking of the lecture they'd be in for if they were late…

The phone was ringing. 'Who had the audacity to be calling him at…wait, what time was it? He looked at the clock…'who had the audacity to be calling him at 3:58 in the morning. Whoever it was better be dying,' was Hutch's last thought before picking up the receiver.

"Hello…hello…who's this?" Hutch asked. He wasn't in the mood for games and started to hang up, but then thought better of it. Someone might be in trouble. He pressed the phone closer to his ear. At first he heard only dead air at the other end of the line and then just two words.

"Hutch, help," the voice said.

That was Starsky's voice. There was no doubt about it. His words were slurred and barely audible, but Hutch would know his partner's voice under any circumstances. All at once, he was alert.

"Starsky…Starsk, where are you? Starsk?" The line hadn't been hung up. Hutch could hear Starsky's ragged breathing through the receiver. "Hang on buddy," he said. "I'm coming."

Hutch made a quick dash into the living room, where he'd thrown his clothes. He dressed and went to the closet to retrieve his gun. Worry invaded his thoughts as he wrapped the holster around his shoulder and snapped it in place. Next thing he knew, he was in his car heading away from Venice Place.

Hutch called Huggy, who assured him that he'd delivered Starsky safely to his apartment. He volunteered to meet Hutch at their friends place, but Hutch wanted Huggy by a phone, just in case he needed him. His imagination was running wild. He pictured Starsky beaten and bruised in an alley somewhere and then lying on the ground bleeding out from a gunshot wound. Even though his partner had made it home safely, there was no guarantee that he had been calling from his apartment. He sped up to almost 70miles per hour.

The apartment door was ajar--'that couldn't be good,' Hutch thought. Starsky would never be so careless, even in a drunken state. He didn't dare call out, just in case someone was there who could be alerted to his presence, instead he crept in and closed the door. He heard the phone alert, which meant the phone was off the hook. Starsky must have called from here. He ducked behind the kitchen counter. The soft illumination, which came from the moonlight, was enough to assure him, no one was lurking in the living room. He made is way past the kitchen and down the hall to Starsky's bedroom. His heart stopped when he saw his friend on the bedroom floor. He felt for a pulse, but his years of training kept him from lingering at his partner's side. He checked the bathroom and closets and when he was sure they were alone, he rushed back to Starsky.

"Starsk...Starsk." He patted his partner on the face, trying to revive him. "Starsky...come on now. Wake up for me." He was rewarded by a slight sliver of blue.

"Hush," Starsky slurred.

"It's okay buddy. I'm here. Can you tell me where you're hurt?"

"Needle, hurt."

"I don't understand."

Starsky closed his eyes and licked his lips. "Thirsty."

"Not now pal. I can't. Not until I know what's wrong."

"Creep gave me a shot."

"Someone gave you a shot of something?" Memories flooded Hutch's mind as he was reminded of being held and shot up with drugs. He felt faint, but caught himself and looked his friend over for any sign of needle marks.

"Only twenty four," Starsky said.

"Twenty four what buddy?" Hutch asked, still looking for signs of needle marks.

"Twenty four hours."

"Starsky are you trying to play twenty questions with me at a time like this."

Starsky smirked. "No dummy. That whacko with the needle...he said, I only have twenty four hours to live."

Hutch was stunned. He stared at Starsky in shock and then fumbled with the telephone trying to get a dial tone. "Starsk, are you sure of the time. The guy said twenty four hours?"

Starsky just nodded his head. He was starting to fade out.

"Starsk. Hey, come on. Stay with me here buddy.

Starsky's eyes opened, but closed right back. Hutch checked his friend's pulse again. It was strong and there didn't seem to be any sign of concussion. He patted his cheeks, but there was no response this time.

"Hello...hel...yeah. I have an officer down at 2000 Ridgeway Avenue," Hutch said. I need an ambulance now." He listened to the emergency operator read him back the address. "Right. Thanks." He hung up the phone and watched his partner breathing. There was nothing to do now, but wait. He pulled the covers from Starsky's bed and covered him, then lifted his head and rested it in his lap. "Hang on buddy."

Several minutes went by before Hutch heard the ambulance sirens. In that time, Starsky hadn't responded to his voice or his touch as he looked for the needle mark. He'd finally found it--a very small puncture in the crook of Starsky's right arm.

Hutch's mind was wandering again. Starsky had told him about Sharman Crane's observation that everyone she touches goes away. 'She had touched Starsky just a few weeks ago,' he thought. 'Don't let her touch take my best friend away.' He shook his head to rid him of such imaginations. "That's just silly," he said.

The sirens were closer. He laid Starsky's head on a pillow and got up to meet the ambulance. They parked behind the Torino and Hutch waved to them. It seemed to him that they were taking much too long to get their gear from the back. "Hurry it up," he yelled. They moved quicker and followed Hutch into the apartment.

"He's been poisoned," Hutch explained and pointed to the needle puncture. The EMS attendants went about their routine, checking their patient's pulse, heart rate and breathing. Everything was normal except Starsky's response to stimulation--he was out of it. There was no way to diagnose him there. They put him on the gurney and were moving fast towards the door.

Hutch followed and was almost out the door and then stopped, thinking that he should take something of Starsky's to the hospital. Unfortunately, Starsky wasn't a slob like he. There were no clothes on the floor and he didn't have time to rummage through his dresser drawers. He spotted Starsky's watch on the living room table and grabbed it. If nothing else, it was a link to his partner and something for him to hold onto while his other half was fighting for his life. He put it in his pocket and rushed to join his partner…

The End.

Also see: Missing Scene from 'A Coffin For Starsky' (4:01p.m. - 9:03p.m.)