Hutch was in a nightmare, a terrible nightmare. The kind where, as hard as you tried, you just couldn't wake up.
Hateful voices surrounded him, calling his name. He tried to close his eyes…shut them out, but they only grew louder.
Circling him, closing in on him, moving away from him, the voices kept calling Hutch. Voices full of hate, anger, and pain. And, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get away.
But, in the very far distance, there was a quiet voice Hutch could hear above all the others. "Hutch, I'm here buddy, I'm here."
As Hutch looked around trying to find the quiet voice, the hateful voices grow louder, roaring toward Hutch.
Through all the noise, he heard that quiet voice again, "Hutch, I'm here buddy, I'm here."
Hutch ran to the quiet voice, as the hateful voices bore down on him. He could feel their hot breath, burning his skin, the noise and din threatening to surround him, blocking his way, suffocating him.
Panicked, Hutch cried out, hoping the quiet voice would hear him and pull him from the insanity.
"Huuuutch!" the quiet voice said louder.
The hateful voices paused, hearing that same voice, sensing they were losing their prey.
That pause was all Hutch needed, he sprang to a door that had just appeared. A door he knew would be a safe haven.
With all his strength he ran, getting ahead of the horde.
As one, the hateful voices screamed, the force of the noise pushing them ever closer to Hutch.
He ran faster, more certain than ever he would be safe, that the quiet voice would save him.
Hutch burst through the door, which melted melt away as he touched it.
And Starsky was there.
Hutch folded himself into Starsky's voice, the quiet voice that was the loudest of all voices. The voice that would keep him safe, surrounding him, loving him, and taking care of him while keeping all the other voices away.
"Hutch, buddy. I've got you, partner. It's gonna be all right. I'm not gonna let anything hurt you."
Starsky's voice soothing the nightmare away.
The quiet voice, the voice of love.