As you read this you will recognize characters from Sandybeliever's stories in her Aubrey series. I have her permission to use these characters.

Bullets and Bandages

Chapter 1

Getting Together

"Are you sure you don't want to go with us?" Johnny asked Aubrey as he stuffed a pair of blue jeans in his overnight bag that was lying on the bed.

"I'm positive. As much as I like Starsky, Hutch, Chris and Roy, spending four days in the mountains with a bunch of dirty sweaty men is not my idea of a good time. Us girls are going to the beach tomorrow, the park on Friday and Joanne and I are going to treat ourselves to a spa on Saturday. " She looked at the canvas duffle bag. It was originally dark green but the color had faded years ago. It also had a hole on the right side, just below the strap. "Are you sure this old thing will hold up?" She pointed to the hole. "It's about to fall apart."

Johnny smiled. "I guess it has seen better days. I can't use my backpack anymore. I've had it so long it dry rotted and I had to throw it away last week. We're meeting Starsky and Hutch at a sporting goods store at the small town just before we get into the mountains. I'll pick up a back pack there." He stuffed a red t-shirt into the bag. 'Wadded it up and tossed it in' would be more accurate. Aubrey pulled the shirt out of the bag. She held it by the shoulders and shook it out. "It's just a t-shirt, for cryin' out loud," Johnny said.

"I don't care if it is just a shirt. It will wrinkle if you throw it in there like that." She proceeded to fold it and place it neatly into the bag.

"We're going camping, it's gonna get wrinkled. Dirty too," Johnny frowned and rubbed his hair.

"Yes, but at least it will be nice looking when you put it on. Really, Johnny, I thought I taught you how to pack better than this."

"You have when I'm going to a meeting or someplace nice." He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her gently. "I don't think the trees or squirrels are going to care if my shirts are wrinkled," he said in a slow seductive manner. He guided her gently onto the bed and pressed his body against hers. He tenderly caressed her cheek and kissed her again. "Maybe I should just stay here with you and Delia and work on another kid." He smiled as he looked into her dark brown eyes and ran his fingers through her chestnut colored hair. He was just about to kiss her again when they both heard the unmistakable sound of Roy's station wagon pulling up. It wasn't so much that there was a problem with Roy's car or that it made an abnormally loud or unusual noise. Johnny had heard his partner's car so many times, that he just knew it when he heard it. "Well, there goes that idea," Johnny said. He put his hands on the bed and pushed himself up then he helped Aubrey to her feet.

"I promise, I'll be here when you get back, Guitar Man."

Johnny snapped his fingers, spun around and saw his guitar leaning against the wall in the corner of the room. "Oh, yeah. How could I forget to take it?" He walked to the corner and picked up the acoustic guitar he loved so much. He strummed a couple of chords when he heard Roy open the front door.

As Aubrey left the bedroom to greet Roy and Chris, she whispered, "Poor Starsky and Hutch."

Johnny stopped strumming and yelled, "I heard that." He put the guitar back in the corner and opened the closet door. He took out the black guitar case and laid it on the bed. "Poor Starsky and Hutch, nothin'. They'll be glad I brought this," he mumbled to himself as he carefully put the instrument into the case and closed it.

Roy was standing in the doorway when Johnny turned around. "Are you ready, Pal?"

"Yep. Where's Chris? He's still going, isn't he?" Johnny leaned to his left then to his right trying to see past Roy.

"He's in the living room talking to Aubrey." Roy stuck out his thumb and pointed it over his shoulder toward the other room. "He's a little worried that Starsky and Hutch won't want him to tag along."

"That's crazy. They said they'd be glad to have him come with us."

"You know that and I know that, but you know Chris. He'll be worried about it until we see them."

"It'll be okay though." Johnny picked up his guitar and was reaching for the duffle bag when Roy said, "Let me get that for ya." Roy walked over to the bed and picked up the duffle bag. He couldn't help but notice the hole in it.

Johnny didn't give Roy time to comment on the old bag. "I had to throw out the backpack last week. I'll pick one up at the store."

Roy slung the duffle bag over his shoulder and said, "Good thing. I don't think this will survive a ten-hour hike."

They walked into the living room where Chris was looking at Delia as she was sleeping in the playpen. "She's so cute, Aunt Aubrey," Chris whispered.

"That she is," Johnny said. He leaned the guitar case against the couch and gave Chris a quick hug. "I'm glad you're going with us."

"Me too. Are you sure Mr. Starsky and Hutch don't mind? Do they know I'm coming?"

Johnny put his hand on Chris's shoulder, "They know and they are happy to have you."

"See, Son. I told you, there was nothing to worry about." Roy glanced at the sleeping toddler. He smiled as he remembered when Chris and Jenny were that age. He also thought of his youngest son, Kevin, who was just a few months younger than Delia. So young and precious. Heck, they'll always be precious he thought as he glanced at Chris.

Chris picked up Johnny's sleeping bag that had been set on the couch. Johnny leaned over the sides of the playpen and kissed his sleeping daughter then he kissed Aubrey one last time before heading out of the door quietly closing it behind them.

Johnny put the guitar in the back seat. Chris added the sleeping bag to their camping equipment. Roy had a small Coleman stove even though they were planning on cooking on an open fire and a tent big enough for him, Johnny and Chris. Hutch had a tent that he and Starsky would be sharing. Roy also packed some tin plates for them to eat from, utensils, a few snack foods, and other cooking supplies. And of course there were the first aid kits. Roy didn't go anyplace without one of his first aid kits. He had two. He had one large one that he kept in his car in case he came upon an emergency while off duty and one smaller one he took when he went camping. The smaller of the two, was a little red bag that had a white cross on the top. Inside, it held supplies including a tourniquet, cravats, and the usual Band-Aids, 5x9s and other assorted gauze, ointment, bandages and dressings. Johnny had packed other camping supplies they may need including canned food, matches, basic tools and more.

Johnny got in the front seat and Chris climbed in the back. "Where are we going to meet Starsky and Hutch?" Chris asked.

"At that sporting goods store just before we go into the mountains."

"Come on, Starsk. It's only four days." Hutch said laughing at his partner's distaste for camping.

Starsky was driving the red Ford Torino with a white stripe with both hands on the steering wheel. "Four days of pure hell, that's what it will be. Do I need to remind you of the last time we went camping?" He was almost whining like a little kid who didn't get what he wanted at the store.

"It won't be just us. Johnny, Roy and Chris will be there." Hutch turned in his seat so that he was facing his partner. "You know, this is all your fault."

"My fault?" Starsky's voice rose, "My fault! How is it my fault we gotta go camping?" He turned his head just long enough for Hutch to see the wrinkles in his forehead and the downward corners of his mouth. Starsky wasn't happy. Hutch knew Starsky was less than thrilled about camping. In fact, Starsky detested the woods, the great outdoors, the fresh air and everything else about camping. Not that Hutch could blame him much. The first time Starsky went camping they had stayed in Captain Dobey's old cabin and a group of satanic weirdo's kidnapped a young girl and would have used her as a sacrifice if they hadn't interfered. Hutch had to admit that whole incident caused him to have nightmares for a week.

Hutch pointed his finger at Starsky, "Remember, you're the one that told Johnny whatever they wanted to do on vacation was fine with you." He put his hand down and faced the front again. "You could have said you didn't like camping. But no. No, you didn't want to admit that you're scared of the whole camping experience." Hutch's voice was calm but had a bit of playfulness in it. He was tormenting Starsky and Starsky knew it.

"I'll have you know, I am not scared of camping. I just don't particularly care for it." Starsky gave Hutch a quick glance. He was hoping Hutch wouldn't pick up on the fact that he really was a little scared of the woods, especially at night.

Hutch patted Starsky's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Starsk, the bears are more scared of you than you are of them."

"Bears! There's going to be bears?!"

"There could be, but there won't be any lions or tigers," Hutch said. He was rather amused by his partner's reaction.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Some friend you are."

"Okay look, Starsk, will it make you feel any better if I promise not to leave you alone."

"You promise?"

"I wouldn't let anything happen to my best buddy now, would I? I'll stick to you so much you'll be sick of me by the time we leave."

"I'm already sick of you," Starsky mumbled so that Hutch couldn't hear him.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

"What about Johnny, Roy and Chris?"

"As far as they're concerned, you're a regular Grizzly Adams."

Starsky pulled into the parking lot of the store and easily spotted Roy's station wagon. It was three on a Thursday and the parking lot was almost empty. Most people got their supplies early in the morning. "They're here! They're here!" Shouted Chris. He opened the door when Starsky pulled into the spot next to them. "Hi, Mr. Starsky, Mr. Hutch."

Starsky patted Chris' head and asked, "Chris, how old are you now?"

"I'll be thirteen in a couple of months, why?"

Starsky smiled at him and looked at Hutch, "Hutch, I think he's old enough, don't you?"

"He's going camping with us for four days. I'd say that qualifies." Hutch squinted from the bright sun that was shining in his eyes.

Chris looked bewildered as he turned his head from Starsky to Hutch. Johnny and Roy looked at each other and smiled. It obvious that Starsky and Hutch knew what the other was thinking, even if no one else did. "What are you talking about?"

Starsky rubbed Chris's hair, messing it up. "Just call us Starsky and Hutch, okay. No mister."

Chris wasn't sure what to think; he cut his eyes at his dad. Roy nodded. "Thanks."

"You're becoming a man now and besides, all our friends call us by our last names," Hutch said. He winked at Roy and Johnny.

The four men shook hands and went inside the store to buy the fishing supplies Hutch wanted and Johnny's backpack. When they returned to the cars, Roy told Hutch where the ranger's station was. Starsky followed Roy as they headed up the mountain.

"Starsk, there's one thing you should know."

Starsky did not like the sound of that. Whenever Hutch said that it meant only one thing; trouble for Starsky. "And what would that be, Buddy."

"We're friends, right?"

"I'm beginning to wonder."

"You know how beautiful I said the falls are?"

"Yeah, what about it."

"We have to hike ten hours to get there," Hutch said quickly and mumbled.

"We what! Huuutch."

"Now, don't get mad at me."

"Damn it, Hutch. You're bound and determined to get me killed."

Hutch patted Starsky's shoulder, "Not a chance, Buddy. Johnny and Roy are both seasoned campers and we brought our guns with us this time. We have plenty of supplies. You'll be just fine."

"I swear, Hutch, if I do get killed, I'll never speak to you again."

They reached the ranger's station and saw four other cars parked in the lot in the front of the building. Starsky said, "You mean I gotta leave her here."

"It'll be safe."

"I'm liking this trip less and less all the time." He parked the car next to Roy's station wagon, locked it, put the keys in his front right pocket and walked behind Hutch inside.