To JT - 20 steps isn't that far

Where Two Stand

20 steps

Chapter 14

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20 steps, that's how far it is from the end of the hall where my friend Dave Starsky sat waiting for me to the elevator where I stood. At certain times in the afternoon the sun would come through and the alcove would be a perfect spot to warm weary bodies and brighten darkened souls. It was our spot.

Ever since Stark started Physical therapy, it was a daily ritual to walk from his room near the elevator to our spot. That's how I knew it was 20 steps; I had counted them over and over again while I helped my friend walk. I felt every muscle pull, every hitch in his breath that came with every step he took. No matter how much it hurt, not matter the energy it took, energy he didn't have to give, he never gave up.

Who would have thought 20 steps would become so important. It sounds like such a small number, a nothing accomplishment. 20 steps is a round trip to the fridge from the couch, it's a midnight run to the bathroom, or the space between the backdoor of the precinct to Starsky's car.

It's nothing, something I never would have given a second thought to in the past. But to someone, like my partner, who after just five steps doubles over in pain, and that's on a good day, it was something. To someone who was told he might never walk unassisted again because a bullet came to close to his spine, it meant the whole world.

When I stepped off the elevator I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I surely wasn't expecting to see my partner sitting in the spot I normally had to help him to not only that but he was completely dressed, crummy jeans and all.

My dead stop in the middle of the hallway was all the time he needed to slowly get up from his seat and take an unsteady step towards me. After two more shaky steps I came out of my shock and took a step toward my friend, but a hard grip on my arm kept me in my place. A quick glance to my right told me it was Dobey, next to him was Huggy and the rest of the Dobey clan.

It didn't take long to put two and two together, and everything, and everyone in that hallway faded to the background, it was just Starsky, me and our little piece of miracle mile.

His steps were shaky and extremely slow; by the tenth and twelfth step I could see what a struggle it was for him to even accomplish that. My heart rejoiced, and was full of pride for him, yet it ached too, I wanted nothing more than to go over and take him in my arms and tell him that was enough.

But I didn't move I knew this was for him just as much as it was for me. It was a milestone in his long recovery that we only dreamed about and now that we were here I couldn't take that from him.

By the fifteenth sweat drenched every inch of him and pain was clearly etched on his face, but not in his eyes. His eyes were filled with such love, joy and determination that I was sure nothing not even the world ending would stop him. And my heart swelled a little more. And I am sure the smile on his face reflected the one on mine.

It was the twentieth step that his strength gave and his legs could no longer hold him up. It didn't matter though because I was there to catch him, like always.

There were shouts of joy and tears of happiness all around, but we ignored as I allowed myself to sit on the floor where I had stood a moment before, pulling Starsky close till he was curled up on my lap and I wrapped my arms around him resting my chin on the top of his head.

I knew he couldn't sit like that for long but we didn't care, we never wanted this moment to end. After a few seconds that felt like hours I felt him shift some and I looked down, my eyes meeting his indigo ones and the unconditional love that was there. We never needed words before to speak of that love and we didn't need them now. I nodded to acknowledge his unspoken words and pulled him close once again letting my heart do the talking.

Yeah buddy we made it, you and I, Me and Thee, we won