Thanks Tricia. You're making this work of fanfiction to be much better that it could possibly be without your help.

Thanks too to all my readers, reviewers and muses:-)

Chapter 14

Hutch wheeled Starsky's wheelchair back to his room after one of their multiple daily trips to the nursery. Megan and Rachel were going to be discharged the next day and given that Starsky would stay in the hospital for a little longer, he wanted to be with the baby as much as possible.

"So what? Are you going to ask Hanna out once you're back in shape, Starsk?" Hutch asked Starsky nonchalantly once they were in the room. "You know, I'm not talking about right now, but maybe in a few weeks when you…"

"No." Was the sharp answer coming from the brunet.

"You don't like her? Let me tell you buddy, just in case you haven't noticed, it looks like the lady has eyes only for you."

"I know it, but I'm not going to ask her for a date, Hutch. Period." Starsky said curtly. Then suddenly Hutch realized what was really crossing his friend's mind. It was all written in Starsky's darkened look, in his toneless, low voice. The blond one swore internally, facing his own clumsiness.

"And you aren't going to do it, not because you don't like Hanna but because she's a nurse, right?" Hutch asked rhetorically. "Listen Starsky…." Starsky raised his hand, stopping Hutch's words

"I know it Hutch. I know all that you can possibly say to me. Hanna seems to be a sweet, pretty woman, actually; this hospital is full of nurses and most likely, all of them are perfectly kind, normal and sane people. Who knows, maybe the one who's not sane anymore is me. That's something I´ll need to deal with eventually. But setting aside that issue, I am never…EVER going to have a deeper relationship with a nurse than what's strictly needed, and that´s all."

Starsky's statement did not give a chance for further discussion, so Hutch, feeling defeated by that nagging feeling of guilt that kept eating his insides, squatted down in front of his friend's wheelchair staring into his eyes.

"Listen Starsky. I´m not going to tell you how you must deal with your fears; with the aftermath of all that you went through. Actually I think I would be unable to do it, besides, I don't feel I have that right. Nevertheless, there's something I want to let you know. You have always been the sanest, most normal man I ever meet. And despite all that has happened to you, you still are."

"I bet more than one nurse or doctor in here doesn't agree totally with you." Starsky said derisively, remembering the first weeks of his stay in the hospital, where he was almost constantly on edge, shouting and lashing out against everybody.

"All of that is in the past Starsk. And I bet everybody has forgotten all about that, as you should start doing." Hutch advised gently, while getting to his feet. "Don't beat yourself this way, partner. There's no point."

"I was a true bastard with the whole staff of this hospital, Hutch…Even, well, especially with you." Shame tinged Starsky's words.

"No Starsk. You weren't. I mean it. And now it's time just to leave all of that behind, and start over. Do you think you'll be able to do it?"

"I´m trying Hutch. I´m doing my best."

"Fine. It's a good starting, partner." Hutch said squeezing Starsky´s shoulder. His friend was trying, both of them were doing it, and having each other's support in looking ahead to the future, Hutch was confident in their success in beating the ghosts of their past and getting back to normal.

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Next day as scheduled, Megan and little Rachel were discharged from the hospital and Hutch drove them home. He, though feeling his heart torn in leaving Starsky alone much longer than he wanted to, had decided that at least for the moment he had to spend most of his time with Megan and their little daughter. He also decided that until the day in which Starsky would be discharged, he'd would only spend visiting hours with his partner. What made the blond one feel even more miserable was Starsky's full understanding, who agreed on that Hutch was doing just what he had to do.

"Come on Blondie, cheer up!" Starsky said patting Hutch's back. "You´re taking your wonderful daughter home. That should be a joyful moment for you!"

"I´m leaving you here, alone Starsk…most of the day." Hutch said sorrowfully.

"Listen Hutch. You are a family man now, so you've got some responsibilities. Your wife gave birth to your baby just a few days ago, and newbie moms do deserve all the care and attention they can get. Your place right now is by her side. I'll be okay, partner. Besides the doc says that I'll be out of here in about nine or ten days, so a little of boredom isn't going to kill me, I guess. Besides, you'll come over here to visit this poor, lonely and forsaken friend of yours from time to time, won't you?" Starsky teased with his best puppy look.

"Thanks Starsk, that was real helpful…Now I really feel like crap." Hutch joked rolling his eyes, though somehow under his joking, he was hiding the truth.

"You´re welcome." Starsky said light-heartedly. "And now, go. Go to take Megan and your baby home. I'd like to read the last chapters of this novel before lunchtime". Starsky waved him off towards the door, with the book in his hand.

"I'll come tomorrow to visit you, partner." Hutch said before leaving the room. He wanted to say more, much more; it was just that he wasn't too confident in his self-control to hold his emotions. He wanted to say to Starsky that since his return, there wasn´t one single day in which he wouldn't wake up being grateful and blessed for what he had gotten back, For having back the more important half of his soul, one of the more meaningful parts of his life. However, it didn't matter. Somehow, Hutch was sure that Starsky did know it.

"I´m not going anywhere, Blondie, you betcha. And now, go once and for all. Two nice ladies are waiting for you, and your mom must have taught you how impolite is to make ladies to wait, I hope." Starsky said with a fond smile before plunging himself in the reading of his novel.

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Hutch took his wife and the baby home. None of them brought up the subject again of what had happened in the hospital after Rachel's birth, and during the next few days, a false calmness reigned in the Hutchinson's home.

He spent most of his time at home, though actually that time wasn't devoted to Megan entirely, but rather to be with little Rachel. For Hutch, the baby looked more beautiful and lovely every passing day and he did nothing but waiting impatiently for the moment when Starsky would leave the hospital, to share with him those happy moments his little daughter gave him.

Hutch had time too to start making the needed arrangements to provide Starsky with a comfortable bedroom. The blond one was counting on the possibility that Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie would offer him to stay at their place. If Starsky decided to move with them, he would accept it, however, Hutch, eager for his friend's presence after the long period where they had been apart from each other, secretly hoped that Starsky would move in with him instead of with his relatives.

Meanwhile, Megan, despite being perfectly aware that Starsky could possibly spend a long period of time at the house she shared with Hutch wasn´t wasting time in trying to make her husband change his mind.

Somehow, in the argument they had had in the hospital days ago, she clearly saw that the best friend of Hutch was a rival, much stronger than she had ever guessed. No matter how persistent she could be; she knew for sure that she'd be unable to find a way to make Hutch leave Starsky behind. Megan knew that she would be the big loser if she made Hutch choose between her or Starsky. The woman had in mind the option of menacing Hutch with leaving, taking Rachel with her if he didn't get rid of his bothersome friend. However, that was not was she really wanted. For her family, a separation or divorce were sign of failure, besides shame and she had grown up with that conservative conviction engraved in the deepest of her mind. Besides, in her own, twisted way she loved her husband, her house and all that she had there. She was sure that all of that did belong to her and she wasn't willing to risk her marriage or her comfortable lifestyle because of a stranger. No. If there was any battle to fight, it had to be done in there, on her own turf. And she wasn't going to be an easy opponent.

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Six weeks had passed since Starsky had been found in the basement of Diana´s house, terrified, traumatized and hanging between life and death. During that time his body had healed, and his spirit, with the help of Hutch, Doctor Callahan's sessions and lately, with the birth of little Rachel and the new hope the baby brought along, was slowly on its way to mending too.

Once Starsky was feeling strong enough, both physically and emotionally, and though a little reluctantly, he agreed to see visitors. The first ones to come to the hospital were Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie along with Nick. The old couple had been phoning the hospital almost daily to keep updated on any news on their beloved nephew's progress and at that point, they, especially Aunt Rosie were no longer satisfied with that. She needed to see her beloved Davy badly.

Anticipating what most likely could happen on the day that Starsky's relatives had planned to visit, Hutch made sure that he'd be there by his partner's side. But even that wasn't enough to ease the impact the overdue family reunion had on Starsky. It was even worse than the blond one had expected, especially for the inability of Aunt Rosie to keep her emotions under control.

Almost as soon as she, Uncle Al and Nicky entered the room, the woman rushed into Starsky´s arms, trying fruitlessly to put all her love, happiness and relief into words among heart-wrenching sobs, while Starsky, feeling overwhelmed and quite uncomfortable did his best to soothe her, until Uncle Al and Hutch, gently coaxed her to pull back in front of the petrified look of Nicky.

Finally all of them managed to get some grip on their emotions, enough to talk, mostly about Starsky's mother and all the fond memories all of them treasured of the gentle woman.

Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie did their best to assure Starsky that his mother hadn't suffered when her last moments had come; that she died of a heart attack while asleep. No one said, nor it was needed that Rachel Starsky began giving up on her life since the very first day in which Starsky disappeared.

On the other hand, the youngest Starsky acted all the time embarrassed and clearly feeling himself out of place. During the while he stayed in his brother's room, he was unable to say more than a few trivial comments, uttered rather out of a sense of duty.

Actually, Nick, loving Starsky in a quite strange way, had never been able to show that love, and at that moment, he made sure his visit would be as short as possible. The young man had only been by Starsky's bedside a few minutes when he left with some lame excuse that he had to make a phone call that lasted almost until the end of the visiting hours. Hutch noticed it, as well as Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie did, but that wasn't the right place nor moment to try to turn Nick in the kind of brother Starsky did deserve and he would never have.

Obviously, all that Nick wanted to do was get to over with that visit as quickly as possible. And the bare true hidden behind his demeanor was that after all those years that both brothers had carried separate lives, just meeting each other occasionally, and mostly for their mother's sake, Nick was pretty used to getting along without Starsky, so as nasty as it seemed, he had been the only one who had come to terms with his oldest brother's death when nobody knew that Starsky was still alive and the prisoner of Diana Harmon.

Finally, after Starsky´s uncle and aunt asked him to move to their home and to stay there as long as he wanted, once he'd be discharged from the hospital, the visit was over. It had taken a big deal of emotional endurance from the curly haired man, and as soon as his relatives left, looking drained and more distressed that he had looked in days, he asked Hutch to leave him alone.

Hutch understood. As a matter of fact, he knew that after such a tough experience, Starsky needed some time in his own to pull himself together. He'd talk to Hutch later; the blond one was sure that when his friend would feel like doing it, Starsky would share his feelings with him, but just that wasn't the moment. And as much as Hutch wanted to stay and help Starsky by listening to all that he needed to vent, he knew that for now it was time to go.

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During the following days, all the closest friends of Starsky would come to the hospital to see him, carrying along presents and all their love to warm up his heart.

Captain Dobey and Edith, Huggy Bear and even detective Joan Meredith went there to visit him and wish him well. Mrs. Rockford, Diana's landlady and Shelly, her young daughter dropped by the hospital too, not to see Starsky but to ask Hutch how his partner was feeling, offering to do anything that was needed.

Who came too was Detective Marcia Merrick, though given that she and Starsky hadn't met each other before and she didn't want the man to feel uncomfortable because of her presence, she didn't ask to see him. The young detective just stopped by the hospital on her way to the precinct to ask Hutch for his partner's condition.

"I am very glad for you, Hutch. For both of you." Merrick said soberly once Hutch told her that Starsky was feeling better. "These last couple of years, I've heard a lot about Starsky. Everybody in the precinct says that he was a fine cop. That he had the needed cleverness and understanding, besides braveness to be one of the best officers on the force. And what's more, people say that Starsky´s a hell of a good man."

"All of that is right Merrick. Starsky´s a terrific guy." Hutch stated proudly "He has saved my life more than once, even risking his. Starsk is bright, compassionate, kind and strong like no other. I was very lucky for partnering up with him along all those years we'd spend working together…And still I am lucky for having his friendship." Hutch added, his voice lowering, feeling a lump form in his throat. "Okay, and how about you?" He changed the subject before it could become too emotional. "How ya doing with that partner of yours?"

"Oh Hutch, don't ask!" the young woman answered, making a face and wavering her hand. "This guy must have gotten a stomach ulcer or his wife has him sleeping in the couch since the end of their honeymoon or both…If not for that, I really can't picture what's wrong with him!" Hutch and Merrick laughed softly before he talked again.

"I hope you'll be able to get a good partner very soon, Merrick. Just then you'll get to know how great and enthralling our job can be despite all the risks."

"I hope so too Hutch, I really hope so." She said squeezing gently Hutch´s arm "Okay, now I must leave. Wish Starsky well and tell him how much I'd like to meet him one day soon."

"I´ll do it. Merrick. Thanks." Both detectives parted ways and Hutch headed towards Starsky's room feeling the power of so many good wishes lifting his spirits

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After all those weeks that for both men had seemed like months, finally Doctor Morrison gave Starsky the date to be discharged. He would leave the hospital in two days. Later, he would come back to get the cast off his leg and to make his scheduled appointments; soon he would start with the physical therapy too, and once in a week, he had to keep up with the sessions with his psychotherapist, Dr Callahan. What not too far ago seemed impossible for Starsky, soon would come true. After two years of confinement, first in Diana's basement and lather among the hospital walls, he was about to be a free man again. Very soon, he'd be able to go anywhere he'd like to go, to walk on the streets among people, to eat what, where and when he liked, to feel the caress of the sun over his skin…

And with all that priceless freedom came the time to make some decisions too.

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"Okay Starsk, so you have heard which the doc said. Two days more, and you'll be coming back home." Hutch said merrily.

"Yeah. I gotta call Aunt Rosie to let her know when I'm going."

"Listen Starsky. I know that they've offered you to stay with them, but well…as I've told you more than once, I'd like you to come with me, to spend some time at my home."

"Oh come on, Hutch! That's not a good idea and you know it." Starsky snapped. "I'm quite sure that your wife can't stand me. She would go ballistic!"

"Megan and I have talked about, Starsky. She knows that if you like, you'll come to stay at our home until you're able to sort things out."

"And let me guess. She's jumping in anticipation," Starsky retorted.

Hutch snorted "Okay Starsky. You got a point. Most likely you are right and Megan doesn't likes the idea too much right now, but that´s because after Rachel's birth she's still feeling a little tired and cranky. Besides, she hadn't a real chance to know you yet." Hutch explained, wishing fervently his words to be true.

"Don´t are you trusting a little too much in the ole Starsky´s charm, Hutch?" Starsky asked ironically.

"Come on Starsky. Come stay with us…with me…please." Hutch asked looking intensely into his friend´s eyes. "The deal includes endless games of Monopoly after supper, nights sitting on the couch watching ball games on the tube with a bowl of popcorn to share with your best friend, as much time as you want to spend cuddling and spoiling Rachel…Who can offer you something better?" Hutch coaxed.

"Okay, okay Hutch. You win." Starsky breathed deeply "I'll move to your place. But just until I'm able to find a job and an apartment to live in my own, and that's if you are really sure that I'm not going to give you too much trouble with Megan. Okay?"

"Thanks Starsk…Thank you so much." Hutch said holding back his wishes to pull Starsky into a bear hug.

"I´m doing this for Rachel." The brunet said.

"What?" Hutch asked momentarily lost.

"I´m going to your place because of her…You know. That of ´As much time as I wanna spend cuddling and spoiling Rachel.´ I can't refuse an offer like that, Hutch. You know it, don't you?"

"Of course I knew it. One has to play his cards wisely, partner!" Hutch said light-heartedly.

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And finally, the day came, and after saying his good byes to all the nurses and doctors that had shared with him part of his way back to life during those long weeks, Starsky, feeling excited like a little kid, yet a little scared crossed the hospital doors, being welcomed by a warm, shining early summer day.

"Mind stopping here, partner?" He asked Hutch, who was pushing his wheelchair through the parking lot with a nurse by his side.

"Why Starsk? Are you okay?" Hutch asked worriedly stopping the wheelchair.

"I´m fine Blondie. I just wanna go to your car walking. Mind giving me those crutches Sally?" He asked to the nurse that was holding the crutches that Starsky would need to use for a few weeks yet.

"Are you sure of that David?" She asked cautiously.

"Of course I'm sure. I'm going to use them as soon as I get home, so I don't think that doing it right now is going to hurt me. Besides, it's not like I haven't used those things earlier in the hospital."

"Okay David. But watch your step." Sally advised holding the crutches out for Starsky, and helping him, along with Hutch to get to his feet. Then, once more saying her good byes to both men and wishing her best to Starsky, she wheeled the wheelchair back to the hospital building, disappearing behind the glass´ doors.

Once they both were alone, Starsky, firmly planted on his feet and with Hutch supporting him by surrounding his waist, took in a deep breath of the warm morning air, looking in awe at his surroundings.

"Man, that's what I call a wonderful place."

"Yeah. It is." Hutch agreed, knowing perfectly how his friend felt at that moment. For anybody else, a parking lot would have been described as anything but a wonderful place, but anybody else, unlike Starsky hadn't lived along two years shut in hell, devoid of freedom, fresh air and sunlight until reaching the point of having to spend the first days in the hospital in half darkness because the light hurt his eyes.

"Come on Starsk. I've got a surprise for you." Hutch said, feeling the already familiar lump stretching his throat.

"A surprise? What's it, Hutch?" Starsky asked with the excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Uh-uh. If I tell you, it wouldn't be a surprise, partner. Wait a little more. Almost there."

Both men walked a short distance until turning the corner. What appeared in front of Starsky's sight then, threatened his balance, and for a moment, Hutch had to tighten his grip in the brunet's waist to steady him.

"My…my car!….it's my car!" Starsky stuttered looking at the bright red Torino parked a few feet away, as tears filled his eyes, blurring his vision.

"I've thought that you'd like to go home riding in that striped tomato of yours, Starsk." Hutch answered feeling the tears prickling in his own eyes as well.

"You kept it…" Starsky said, his voice choked by emotion.

"Well, sort of. It had been parked at Merle's, waiting for your return." Because seeing it everyday in my garage was too painful for me…The unwanted thought crossed Hutch's mind before vanishing against the reality of the scene that was unfolding in front of him

Starsky had gotten closer to the car until bending against it, letting both crutches to fall carelessly to the ground, placing both arms and his cheek onto the Torino's roof, caressing the metallic surface with his palms, somehow like embracing an old, long missed friend.

"You okay Starsk?" Hutch asked softly, rubbing his back.

"I haven't felt this well in a long, long time, partner…Thanks Hutch. Thank you so much. This means a lot for me." Starsky said, pulling back from his car and dragging Hutch into a fierce embrace.

Hutch, unable to utter a single word responded to Starsky's embrace with all his might, staying there, regardless of the strange looks he received, embracing his friend until both men, with reddened eyes and tight throats were able to regain their composure and get into the car to start their way home. TBC