Here's the second love child with Death Cab for Cutie's 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark'. (The other one is for MASH.) This just a little two-parter. Enjoy!

P.S. This is S/H FRIENDSHIP... but feel free to misconstrue all you want.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dets. Starsky and Hutchinson or Huggy Bear... or the Gran Torino. tear

'If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks,

Then I'll follow you into the dark.'

That's what you are thinking as you sit on the bed with your partner. He looks really messed up. He is drenched in sweat, smells awful, has bags under his eyes, and just finished throwing up fifteen minutes ago. You almost cried as he heaved, his back arching upwards violently for almost nothing at all. You just kept your hand on his back as he vomited, praying each would be the last, and being denied every time. Thankfully, all was peaceful now, Hutch having successfully emptied his stomach of all it ever contained; he was asleep at last. You, however, are not able to sleep easy just yet. You are still on edge for him. What if that Monk guy figures out where you are? He wouldn't have any trouble getting his goons up there. Sure, Huggy could put up a fight, but he wouldn't last long against trained hitmen.

You find yourself absent-mindedly stroking his hair, moving strands out of his face, and you allow yourself a small smile for the first time in nearly a day. You love moments like this, when it is just you and him and peace. Where the two of you are together. But this is not how you want to be, how you want him to be. You do not want be out of your mind with worry. You do not him to be coming down off a forced high from heroin. You want to be quietly watching TV or be driving around in the Torino or even in Hutch's shitty car. But Hutch is not in any shape to do anything other than sleep right now. So you sit with him, his head in your lap, and you are playing with his hair.

Suddenly, you begin to wonder if other people wonder about you and Hutch. The thought brings back your smirk. You know that nothing would ever happen between the two of you and that you were just really good friends, and that was made speculating what people thought even more fun.

You are startled as a soft chuckle escapes your lips. You look down at Hutch. He has not stirred at all, still lightly snoring in your lap. Even now, as your eyes take in his wounds and then rest on the evil marks on his arm, you feel the tears coming back, but you don't try to keep hem back this time. You merely angle your head so that they will not fall on Hutch's face and wake him. Your primary thought for him had been fear, then a need to care for him, followed by anger toward the perpetrators, and now… now all you feel is sadness and a strange sense of failure. You had failed to keep him safe. He got kidnapped and beat up and drugged up, and you weren't even there to help him. Of course, you were completely unable to know what had happened to him. Your thoughts are painful, but you cannot make them go away. You wish you could've been there to help him, to back him up. Now, all you can do is comfort him and make a promise. You decide in that moment to do whatever it takes to keep him safe from now on.

"I know you hate this soapy stuff, pal, but I just gotta say it, even if you can't hear me," you whisper to him, sniffing a little, "I just want you to know that I would do anything for you. Even follow you into a hail of bullets. I'll follow you into the dark if I have to, pal."

Hutch rolls over and faces your stomach, muttering, "I know," nestling himself further into your lap. You look down, puzzled, and realise that he heard you. This brings the smile back to your face. You continue to stroke his blonde hair, which to be washed quite badly. You'll tell him to get a shower when he wakes up. Huggy went to his place and got some clothes for him. But you won't tell him now; you'll just wait for him to wake. You wipe your eyes quickly, still smiling peacefully, one hand in his hair, one at his back. Maybe you'll try to make him eat tomorrow, too. That wouldn't be nearly as hard as following him into the dark.

If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied,

Illuminate the 'no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks

Then I Will Follow You Into the Dark

P.P.S. Just in case my comment about misconstruing offended anyone, I have absolutely nothing against slash or yaoi. I love it! It's just that this particular story is not one of those. Keep an eye out for part two!