My eternal thanks to Brook who helped so much with the concept and the structure of this story, to all those wonderful people out there who I've met through writing and to Nelleke and Angie who are my driving force and are always ready with a review.

Set immediately after Hutchinson, Murder 1.

Chapter 1

'Hutch!'

'Yeah?'

'What?' the curly haired detective looked quizzically at the blond partner of six years, sitting next to him in the candy apple red Torino.

'You said Hutch'.

'Yeah, I know. I need a hutch'.

'Well what d'ya think I am buddy, a mirage?' Detective First Class Ken Hutchinson was used to holding crazy conversations with his partner. He'd been doing it for so long that it came as second nature to go along with the confusing chains of thought that flowed loosely through the dark curly head.

'No, not Hutch. I need a hutch. For Louise. Dobey says Rosey can have her, but she needs somethin' a bit more permanent than a cardboard shoebox to live in. We need to call at a pet store on the way back'. Starsky was referring to his guinea pig. The one he'd paid $250 dollars for on the understanding it was a pedigree chinchilla only to be enlightened on its true lineage by his Captain.

'OK. Go get a condo for the rat, but will ya drop me back at my apartment first?' Hutch asked, running his fingers across the creases in his brow and trying to rid himself of the headache that had lingered for the past week.

Starsky looked sideways at his partner, the humour dissipating. 'Is it catching up with ya buddy?' he asked, concern in his indigo blue eyes.

'Well it wasn't the best homecoming I've ever experienced and not under the best circumstances' the blond grunted, closing his eyes as if trying to shut out the memory of the few people around the graveside, eyeing him and whispering behind raised hands. He was the black sheep of the Hutchinson family and the errant son who'd refused to follow in his father's footsteps to become an eminent surgeon and make big bucks. To the parochial part of Duluth to which the Hutchinsons belonged that was almost as big a crime as the murder the same son had lately been acquitted of, and the smart set's tongues wagged continuously.

Hutch's mind went back over the previous week, his heart hammering in his chest at the injustice and, when he examined his feelings closely, the sadness of it all. He'd met Vanessa back in Duluth just after he'd told his Dad that he couldn't stick with Medical school any more. His father had taken it badly and had thrown his only son out of the house, leaving him homeless and, for the first time in his life, with no-one to please but himself. Hutch had been almost relieved that he was finally out from behind the shadow of the man who had controlled his life for so long. The beatings as a child for not doing as well as expected in school, the terrified mother always in the background and her gentle hand on his head late at night, admonishing him for crying and telling him to be quiet or his father would be angry again. Just to be free of that oppression was more than enough to weigh against the fact that he had no-where to live, no direction in his life and no money. Oh sure, he had the inheritance he'd been granted on his 21st birthday, but a large part of Ken Hutchinson's mind rebelled against using the money he associated with the tyrannical patriarchal figure.

So Van had met him at a vulnerable time in his life. He was flattered that this stunningly beautiful woman would have any feelings for what he considered an ordinary looking mid west boy, and she had played on that to some extent, and had taken advantage of him, spending the money he earned from the small jobs he took, seeing his friends and taking over his apartment. She saw what she thought was a spoiled little rich kid from the right side of town, and her ticket out of Duluth and into LA society. What she didn't see until she was married to him, was a man who refused to compromise on his life and grasped every day as if it was his last, staring down adversity with a steely resolve. Hutch had finally broken free from his father's overbearing ways and was his own man. When he saw the recruitment advert for the police and had gone to the Academy and met up with a vet. from 'Nam he knew he'd found his destiny.

David Starsky was from the wrong side of a town Hutch had never seen and had a wit and charm that two years in Vietnam, four months as the guest of the Viet Cong and a long spell in the Army hospital recovering from his stay could never erase. He was a hellion whose rugged good looks, athletic physique and self deprecating quality endeared him to just about everyone except Sergeant O'Malley, their instructor. O'Malley had give Starsky hell throughout their training and Hutch came to admire the curly haired guy who even after 250 punishment push ups could still joke about O'Malley's moustache and beer belly.

The strength that Starsky's friendship gave Hutch finally meant that he could come to terms with Vanessa's attempts to manipulate him, seeing how they had taken their toll on their marriage, which had been a sham almost from the start, and he had had a show down with her. She had walked out on him, realising he was no longer the weak directionless young man she had once known and had ended their marriage acrimoniously.

When she'd arrived back unexpectedly in Bay City the previous week after 4years, 6 months and 12 days she'd called him and met him again at the Pits. He'd asked her then why she wanted to see him "you come round the corner saying I love you tender guy?" and she'd gotten angry, trying to slap his face, then raking her fingernails down his hand. He'd had no idea why she was really there until a 70 carat diamond worth over $1 million was found in his car. From then on, things went distinctly down hill. Her body was found shot dead in his apartment with his own Colt, his blood was found under her fingernails and the tumour she'd said she was going into the hospital to have investigated was just so much baloney.

Simonetti and Dryden, the two IA officers assigned to the murder had put two and two together and made a very big five, obtaining an arrest warrant for one Kenneth Hutchinson on the charge of Murder 1. The fact that Hutch hadn't killed his ex-wife never crossed the two officer's minds. Simonetti's glee at arresting a fellow officer shut out any attempts at reason and when Starsky had been sent to arrest his partner, Simonetti had sent Dryden along to check all went according to plan.

Cuffing the bow tie wearing officer to the table, Starsky and his accomplice made a swift get away and had finally cleared Hutch's name, meaning he could set abut the funeral plans for his late ex-wife. Although he had definitely fallen out of love with Van, Hutch knew she had no other family and a sense of responsibility to the woman had overtaken him.

The funeral had been the final verse in the tragic song of Hutch and Vanessa and he was glad there would be no more choruses to it. Now all he wanted was to go home, get a shower and a cool beer and go to bed, shutting out the world for just a few hours. He absently fingered the healing crescent shaped wounds on his left hand, left from her fingernails, his final reminder of the late Mrs Hutchinson and tried to keep his emotions under control. It had been a bad week and one he knew he couldn't have gotten through without his friend. Of course, his partner had been with him throughout and had come to the funeral with him, knowing how hard it was going to be for the blond.

Starsky had known Vanessa for about two years, the first two years he'd worked with Hutch. He'd seen her as a money grabbing scheming little witch even then, but had held his counsel, not wanting to sour the blossoming professional relationship he was working on with Hutch. When the split had finally happened, he'd been supportive of his partner, but genuinely happy that Van was no longer on the scene. The change he saw in the blond after her departure was remarkable. As he stood by the flaxen haired cop's side at the grave, he mentally closed that chapter in the Starsky and Hutch book. But the haunted look in his friend's eyes tore at his heart as he shared Hutch's grief and resentment that once again she'd given him a hefty dose of trauma and heartache.

And now here they were, driving back towards Bay City with Starsky trying hard to lighten the atmosphere in the car in the only way he knew how; by playing the wide eyed, slightly ditsy little boy to Hutch's more cerebral persona. Hutch smiled at him, appreciative of the attempt, but just needing time on his own. The ice blue eyes said sorry partner, but just leave me be and Starsky read them perfectly, turning the car onto the wide avenue leading to Venice Place. As they drew up outside the apartment, the brunette turned off the engine and turned in his seat.

'S'over partner. She's gone an' you just have to get on with life'.

Hutch sighed. 'I know. I wasn't even in love with her at the end. It's just going back home. It brings everything back, ya know? All the twin set and pearls brigade watchin' and sniggerin' behind their hands. And Mom never even said hello coz Dad was there'.

The curly haired cop put his hand out and patted his partner's knee. He knew that deep down one of the most important things to Hutch had been to make his dad proud and make him understand that while he wasn't a famous surgeon he was still damned good at what he did. He was a decorated cop, one of Bay City's finest, but all his Pop saw was the absence of letters after his name. And in Richard Hutchinson's eyes that was like a death sentence.

'Hey, your Dad knows deep down that you've done good. He's just too proud a man to admit it. An' I saw your Mom keep lookin' at ya. She still loves ya Blintz. They both do'.

The blond snorted, putting his hand on the door handle of the car. 'Yeah, right. Just a funny way of showing it huh?' He opened the door and got out, retrieved his bag from the back and bent down to look through the open window.

'Early shift tomorrow. See you at yours at 7:30?'

Starsky nodded. 'Ok, ya need anything, ya know where I am'. He knew that to say anything else would sound soapy and schmaltzy but he also knew that Hutch would hear the implication. Don't go getting blind drunk and trying to drown your sorrows, partner. Call me first and we can talk.

He saw the flaxen head nod and drew away from the curb, glancing in his rear view mirror and seeing his partner make his way into his apartment block. He drove through the streets, quiet at that time of morning and tried to brighten his mood. The past week had been tough on Starsky too and he felt the need for loud music, cold beer and the Hug's humour. He hated seeing his partner hurt in any way. That's why he'd detested Vanessa so much. He wasn't sorry she'd gone, but he was more than sorry that his friend had had to deal first with being accused of her murder and second having to deal with all the aftermath. He'd always hated accompanying Hutch back home. His father was downright anti-Semitic and his Mom was always treading on eggshells trying hard not to offend. His sighed. His head hurt almost as much as Hutch's had.

Starsky pulled the Torino up outside the Pits and headed into the dimly lit, welcoming interior. It was quiet at this time of day and the owner, Mr Huggy 'Bear' Brown was taking the opportunity to restock his bar and polish down the countertop. He looked up as the new customer walked in and the brunette swore he could almost see the dollar signs light up in the big brown eyes.

'Hey Starsky my man. How's it hangin' there? What can I get for my favourite cop on the block?'

Starsky smiled and relaxed just a little. 'Just a cold beer and a friendly voice Hug' he said, dropping himself down onto one of the wooden chairs. Huggy cast him a knowing look and came round from the bar to sit by him.

'Gemma, two beers and a hamburger with everything for my friend here' he shouted to the empty air behind the bar.

A dark brown head popped up and called a quick affirmative as it made up the requisite order. The dark haired cop looked up appreciatively as the new barmaid walked over carrying the order and set it down on the table.

She was about 5'5" and no more that 110lbs. she had long dark brown hair that almost matched his own and sparkling hazel eyes. She was dressed in figure hugging hot pants and a shot white blouse tied at the waist so that a goodly portion of tanned midriff peeked out. She stood up and appraised the cop as he stared back at her. Winking at her, she giggled and walked away, accentuating the wiggle in her hips just a little.

Huggy chuckled. 'I take it you approve of my newest member of staff?'

Starsky growled low in his throat, all thoughts of beer and food temporarily forgotten as he followed the wiggling hips back to the bar. Shaking himself out of his testosterone induced reverie he looked back at the smiling black man.

'I don't know where ya get 'em Hug, but I think I want me a piece of that one!'