Thanks to the usual suspects, especially those who helped me get through this 'darn' hospital scene.
Chapter 7
"Well, Toto…" Jack smirked, surveying the surrounding woodland with a soldier's eye. "I guess we're not in Kansas anymore." He hopped off the porch.
"Any idea where we are?" Daniel asked, emerging from the house.
"I think it's a safe bet we're probably somewhere in the Bay City area." Upon seeing his linguist's confusion, he explained, "It's where Starsky and Hutch do their cop… thing."
"Right, well I see no tire tracks… which means there is no car here. So we walk, huh?" Daniel started walking toward the dirt road that would take them down hill.
"Wait. Daniel!" Catching up, Jack ripped both the SG-1 and army insignia from his friend's blue sleeve, then did the same with his own. "You can't be too careful."
"Guess we have to find ourselves a new outfit too." Daniel spoke as they continued walking.
On his guard, Jack kept eyeing the dark undergrowth lining the path. "Yeah, we kinda stand out in these."
"Have you thought about what to do once we find those cops?"
Jack glanced sideways. He hated decisions like these, but they had to be made. "If one of them is a Goa'uld, there's only one thing to do, Daniel. You know that."
"Kill it."
"Before it kills us."
Daniel nodded, "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that. From what you told me and from what I saw in the mirror earlier those two seem pretty close. It might do more harm than good."
Jack didn't answer, knowing his friend was right. He'd seen enough of the show to know that if he took out one, the other would retaliate. The consequences of such an action could be dire.
Jack contemplated his options once more and came to the disturbing conclusion that letting a Goa'uld roam free in any reality was a bad idea. He had to make sure the alien creature didn't escape. If it did, it could wreck havoc, which in turn would prevent them from ever getting home in one piece, assuming they were stuck in Starsky and Hutch's reality. He had to protect his team members, in this case Daniel, and secure their way home. When it came down to it, forced to choose between the life of a television character and his own reality, no matter how real the cop seemed in this universe, his home turf took precedence.
And he would do everything… to save it.
Starsky led Hutch through the hospital's electronic double door. The emergency room was full. Full of patients, full of noise and full of people too busy to notice them coming inside. Rows of plastic chairs lined the walls, randomly occupied by a variety of patients who were waiting their turn. Starsky's attention was drawn to a large counter, taking up a wide space on the adjacent wall. He had been in emergency rooms often enough to know he should check in and calmly wait until an on-call doctor or nurse would be ready to see them. But 'calm' was a not a word he'd use to describe his state of mind right now.
"Starsk," Hutch whispered.
Starsky tried to attract one of the nurse's attention. She motioned him to a chair and told him she'd be with him in a minute. He turned toward his friend, "Yeah?"
"I think I'm gonna sit down right here."
Worriedly, Starsky studied Hutch's pale complexion and the faded shade of blue in his eyes. He noticed the shivers running down his partner's arms and pressed his lips together in frustration. Right now he didn't care where he was or how he got here, he just wanted his partner treated. This seemed more than just a dog bite.
Hutch sank down into one of the plastic chairs.
"Just hold on buddy," Starsky spoke softly. He squeezed his partner's shoulder and went for help.
Walking over toward the counter he grabbed the first nurse he came across. She looked at the hand rudely clasping her upper arm. Though Starsky couldn't think of a reason why, the fierce look washing over her tanned features changed into a startled one of recognition when she met his eyes. If he'd ever met this nurse, he would have remembered. His memories, when it came to the female kind, were quite acute. She was small and slender with long hair as brown as Starsky's own. On any other day, she would have charmed him, but now her obvious familiarity with him only confused him. "Listen, my friend is really sick. He needs help right away."
The answer was not one he expected, "My God," Her voice was riddled with shock. "You could be him."
"Him? Him who?" Frustrated Starsky continued his effort, "Look lady, all day long people have been actin' funny 'round us. I've had it up to here with all the stares and whispers. I just want to get my partner treated."
She looked at him in the most peculiar way. "You've even got his temper."
Starsky refrained from forcefully dragging her over to Hutch. He let go of her arm and peered at her nametag pinned on her white coat. "Bonnie," he tried to keep his voice calm. "Please take a look at him?"
Apparently she noticed his distress and nodded. Slightly relieved, he led her over to his partner.
She paled slightly upon setting eyes on the blond. Nevertheless, her voice sounded quite professional when she asked, "What happened?"
"It's his leg, he's been bitten," Starsky answered before Hutch could utter a word.
"When?"
"A few hours ago."
"Dog?" She knelt down to examine the bite mark on Hutch's ankle. When she didn't get a reply, she looked up at him and asked demandingly, "Was it a dog?"
"I uh…" Starsky hesitated not sure if it had been a dog. "Well, it was dark."
Clearly unsatisfied, she shifted her eyes to Hutch.
"Probably a dog, ma'am," Hutch answered, his voice unsteady.
There it was again: the slight shock washing over her features upon hearing his partner's voice. She suppressed it quickly enough though. "Follow me into one of the small rooms at the back, and I'll get you treated." She grabbed Hutch's hand and helped him up.
Hutch threw her a smile, making her soft cheeks blush a bright red.
Hmmpf, Starsky thought, watching the chemistry at work. Trust Hutch to get the girl, despite the fact that we're lost, desperate and confused. He followed the two of them to a larger area near the counter, where a couple of doors marked a few secluded rooms. She opened the door to one of them and helped settle Hutch on the nearest bed. Then she gave Starsky some forms to fill out and proceeded to close the curtain on him.
Surprised, Starsky stared at the blue fabric hanging between him and Hutch. For a second he contemplated ripping the offending cloth out of the way. But there wasn't much that could happen between Hutch and the nurse. Nothing bad anyway. Taking a deep breath, he resigned to fill out the form.
The sound of the curtain being ripped open made him look up. His eyes searched out his partner's, badly needing the confirmation that Hutch was here… in one piece, even though there was no reason to suspect otherwise. If anything, his partner's complexion had paled. He guessed the treatment the nurse had given him must have been quite painful. Hutch's securing smile, nothing more than a slight twitch of his lip, didn't put his mind his ease. He returned it with a soft smile of his own.
"So," Bonnie said, cleaning up after having finished her administration. "I guess you're here for the look-a-like contest?"
Starsky's attention snapped toward her. "What?"
Bonnie closed a drawer and looked up. Innocent brown eyes met his. "The Starsky and Hutch look-a-like contest," She explained casually.
Both men stared at her as if she'd turned into a green giant.
Hutch was the first to regain his voice. "The what?" He snapped.
The question caused her to frown. "You're not…?"
Starsky shared a confused look with his partner. This is getting weirder all the time. "Okay." He spoke, quelling the bitter bile of fear rising in his throat. "Why would anyone want to do a… a Starsky and Hutch contest." His voice lowered in barely concealed threat. "And how come you know our names," he hissed.
She stared at him. Obviously startled by his hostile reaction toward what she'd thought was a superficial question.
"Starsk." Hutch soothed.
"No, I've had it up to here with this mysterious mumbo, jumbo." Starsky slammed the form down on a table and walked over to the poor nurse. "Answer the question, how'd you know our names!"
She squeaked, helplessly, "Your names?"
Starsky pointed at himself, "Starsky." Then at his friend, "Hutch."
Smiling nervously, she said, "You're joking, right?"
"Lady, I've never been so serious in my entire life," Starsky retorted.
Her smile faded. "You can stop acting now. You've convinced me. You sure are the most convincing pair of look-a-likes I've come across so far."
Hutch's hand shot out, locking firmly around her arm. The surprise in her eyes was almost funny to watch as the blond spoke in a dangerous velvet voice. "We're not acting."
She tugged herself free. "Oh come on. What are your real names? Not the ones from the television show, but your real names?"
Starsky stared at her, "T.V. show?"
He could see she was losing her patience. "Yeah, T.V. show… in the seventies… buddy cop show."
Looking at Hutch, Starsky could tell his partner felt as confused as he was.
"Bonnie," Hutch said getting off the bed, "What's the date?"
Busy cleaning up, she answered, "February the eighteenth."
"The year?" Starsky asked carefully, hoping this was all a bad dream and the date on the paper he'd found in the bus was wrong.
She turned and cocked her head. "Two thousand and four."
Starsky took a step closer toward Hutch.
His friend paled even more, but then took a deep breath and pulled himself together. "Can I be released?"
Bonnie nodded. "You can go."
"Thank you, ma'am."
She tapped her nametag, "Actually, it's 'Doctor', Mister… Hutchinson."
He smiled.
Upon seeing her blush once again, Starsky just shook his head, then followed Hutch out of the emergency room.
Tbc
