Chapter 2
Almost a year before...
"I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Hutch unveiled the sweet face of Anna. She looked like a blond angel coming directly from Heaven. He gently put his lips on hers. There was a thrill between them as she responded to his kiss.
"May I?" said a voice behind his back.
He looked at the best man and smiled.
"Of course."
Starsky walked to Anna and put a very quick and delicate kiss on her lips.
Hutch's heart was so full of love, gratitude in that instant.
The two persons who mattered most in his life were at his side. His wife, Anna Akhanatova, now Mrs Hutchinson. And David Michael Starsky, his best friend.
Anna was a graceful and beautiful young ballerina. A slender woman whose body had been shaped by years of classical dance. Her hair was almost the same color as Hutch's. Her eyes were light blue compared to the "Belaya river" eyes of her husband. From day one, some mysterious chemistry had been at work between the two blondes.
When he and his partner had first been assigned to her protection, they had reluctantly accepted the mission, making it clear to Dobey that they were no babysitters to some spoilt eccentric star. She had been quite aggressive towards both detectives until she stepped down from her ivory tower and lent a hand to Hutch. In both ways. She had made the first step towards the blonde while he was in her apartment, making sure she was safe. They had ended up arm wrestling, both lying on the carpet.
It should have been a one night stand, but somewhere in Hutch's heart, there had always been a special place for the memory he kept of her. He preciously kept hidden in his mind the few nights they had together, the song he sang for her, the Russian words she whispered for him.
Yet, she had had to fly back to Russia. He had written to her several times, but never got any answer. He suspected his letters were diverted or simply destroyed. A year after, he had almost given up hope of hearing from her again when he got a letter. She wrote that she had managed somehow to return to the States and she wanted to see him, for old times' sake. She gave him a phone number where she could be reached. He called her immediately. And found their chemistry was still working.
One month later, he was driving to the airport to pick her up. With Starsky. In Starsky's car. Once more, the LTD was at Merle's. Not that his partner insisted on assisting at the reunion. The LTD being down again was a good excuse. And he wanted to make sure nothing bad was going to happen to his friend. You never know, with women!
With no clue how she would react after a year nor the real reason for her coming back, Hutch felt a little bit nervous.
When she passed customs, he knew. He saw it in her eyes. Somehow, she had come back, for him. She had thrown herself into his arms, whispering "Tadzhik" several times between long series of passionate kisses.
Starsky had stayed a little behind. After a few minutes, thinking about the Torino badly parked in front of one of the airport entrances, he started to speak.
"Hello, Anna. Welcome back!"
"Hello, Mr Stareffsky! So nice of you to have come."
She still had that funny way of pronouncing his name, which made him smile. She smiled back and extended a hand.
"Hutch, we'd better get her luggage and go. The Torino... Well, ya know, I'd like to find it back where I left it."
*******
Surprisingly, she had made it clear from the start she wanted to remain in the States. Hutch had talked to a friend of his at the Immigration Department. The latter had told him that the quickest way for her to stay was to marry an American. Hutch did not relay this detail to Anna and instead helped her to find a job as a dance teacher.
In the beginning, she rented a tiny apartment close to a dance school where she was teaching teenagers and apparently, enjoying it very much. Three months later, she moved in with Hutch at his request. After all, they were always together during their free time, and most of the time with Starsky.
The brunette watched the two lovers building plans, laughing, smiling at each other all the time, holding hands. He thought it was too good to be true, his partner falling for good so quick seemed almost unnatural, yet this seemed to be the case. His guts told him something was lurking in the dark, waiting to strike. He could not put his finger on it, but he was sure this would not last.
Nevertheless he resolved not to say anything. Not yet.
The day Hutch proposed to Anna, he asked Starsky to be his best man, who of course accepted. They decided upon a date for the wedding. The colleagues at the Central were all smiles: one of the most famous bachelors in BCPD had finally fallen for good. Some of them were wondering how the other one would cope.
The couple had decided to organize a simple ceremony, with close friends only. The brunette was standing at Hutch's side. Dobey had accepted to give the bride away. Rosey was just gorgeous as a flower girl holding a small bunch of little yellow and white flowers, matching the bride's bouquet.
Starsky had been watching his friend putting the wedding band on Anna's finger and deep inside, he had the strange feeling that the new link which was born between the newly-weds signed the death warrant for the special bond they had shared for years. He could not himself explain why, and secretly he hoped he was wrong. For his friendship and unconditional trust for the blond blintz meant more than he could ever have imagined.
The couple spent their ten-day honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. Hutch just loved the ocean and the place was known to have the most beautiful white sandy beaches in the world. He had loved the sea since he was a kid and would have loved to sail, provided his job as a cop was not so vital to him.
When they came back, Anna resumed her post and Hutch went back to the Central, with a wonderful tan and a flashy shirt, as if he were still on holiday. The two detectives resumed their daily routine of patrolling, questioning, busting, writing reports. There were fewer occasions now for them to spend quiet evenings at each other's place or at the Pits. Anna had tried not to monopolize Hutch nor keep him away from his friend; she managed to hold the little bit of jealousy secretly hidden inside.
She had understood long ago - from the very first day she saw them during her first visit to the country - that there was a strong connection between the two guys and that one getting married would not change that fact.
*******
