Part 18

It was Captain Dobey who'd offered to pick Starsky up from his appointment that afternoon, during his lunch break. Huggy had already spent too much time away from 'The Pits' over the past couple of weeks, and Starsky and Hutch had started to grow concerned that businesses may have started to suffer in their friend's absence. As the days had passed them all slowly by, and had slipped into weeks relatively unnoticed by all three, Huggy had found himself spending more and more time with the two Bay City Detectives, and as a result had allowed himself to neglect the small backstreet bar and eatery which he'd managed to turn into quite a profitable business over the years. Hutch meanwhile, following the events of earlier that morning, now found himself under the strictest of instructions to stay at home and rest – although Starsky was still a little apprehensive about leaving his best friend home alone.

He still didn't entirely trust Hutch to take the appropriate care he ought to of himself – and he couldn't escape the nagging sensation that he was right to be worried – although whether this was through some strange, unfathomable instinct or an over bearing sense of friendly concern for his best friend he couldn't be sure. Starsky hadn't told anyone about the events of that morning – Hutch had begged him not to, not wanting to have to deal with the ensuing fuss which he knew telling either Dobey or Huggy would inevitably instigate, and he'd wanted to respect his friend's wishes. But even he was beginning to realise that if Hutch didn't manage to eat something soon and to keep it down then he wouldn't be able to carry on much longer. What he had seen of his partner's condition from his hospital bed just a few weeks before had only been the tip of a very large iceberg. He was already weak, and growing weaker by the day, and although Starsky realised better than anyone that in his still deeply depressed state the contents of which and nutritional value of his next meal was in fact the last thing in his friend's mind, not eating anything at all was no longer an option.

Captain Dobey gave a deep and somewhat fraught sigh as he helped Starsky gingerly into the passenger side of his car before slamming the door closed and clambering into the driver's seat beside him. Starsky smiled.

Captain Dobey was from the old-school style of policing – he was tough with his officers and gruff with his words, but behind every angry order he was frequently heard to bark there was also a twinkle in his eye – and he'd always held something of a soft spot for the blonde and curly haired brunette Detectives.

Just like Starsky and Hutch he was a man totally dedicated to his work, committed to making a difference – he adopted a tough front whilst at work to maintain discipline amongst his officers, but beneath the frown and the bluster born of a short temper he was a man with a heart made of gold.

Captain Dobey was a family man, a devoted husband to Edith, and strict but loving father to Rosie and Jr. He'd taken his two best Detectives into his heart, and then into his home, and in his own small way he'd finally come to see them both as part of an extended family – not that he would voice as much out loud. It was not however the duty of a Captain to chauffer his Detective's from personal appointments – this was something he did as a friend, and because he cared – and although they would tease, play practical jokes, and frequently undermine his authority like two overgrown school boys they realised that this was one of the reasons why he loved them – and that was enough for them both, just to know that he cared.

Starsky grimaced as he leant back into the seat with a tired yawn and closed his eyes as Dobey revved up the engine. Neither had said anything to the other since their initial greeting in the hospital waiting room, and the humid atmosphere within the car was now beginning to feel slightly fraught as Starsky's mind returned to thoughts of Hutch, and what he might find when he finally returned to Venice Place. Meanwhile Dobey's thoughts were being transported back to the last time he'd visited Starsky in the hospital, memories of a time which were plagued by the grief and uncertainty felt by all, not knowing whether Starsky was going to live or die, and what would eventually become of Hutch if anything were to happen to his best friend – the other half of a single soul.

Beads of salty sweat began to trickle down his forehead and the back of his ballberous neck with the trauma of such an unwelcome memory as the silence dragged on, but it was eventually he who broke the unwelcome empty void between them.

"So, how are you both doing Starsky?" He asked uneasily as they turned out of the small hospital parking-lot and made a left onto the busy main road, dodging the oncoming early afternoon traffic in the process.

"And don't go telling me that you're both doing fine when I can quite clearly see the truth written all over your face. You forget that I know how you two work, what makes you both tick, and you're quite clearly worried, so… what did the doctor say?"

Starsky, slightly taken aback by this rather direct approach by his Captain, was initially not quite sure of what to say. He opened his mouth – cavernous black hole of lips, tongue and teeth gaping for a moment like a cod fish out of water, and in that moment he imagined sitting in the driver's seat of his red and white stripped Ford Gran Torino with Hutch seated in the passenger seat beside him, and making some sarcastic but well-meaning comment about how ridiculous he looked. These were the moments between them which belonged to a more carefree time of days gone by – and Starsky would have done anything now to revisit those days – but he realised that it would be a long time yet before either of them were sufficiently recovered and found themselves fit enough to return to the busy city streets they both loved.

He could see no point in prolonging the inevitable – Huggy and Captain Dobey were eventually going to have to be told the truth about Hutch's deteriorating state of health. Starsky could see that his best friend was trying – but it was his body too as well as his state of mind that had suffered in the weeks following Starsky's shooting, and he was only now fully beginning to realise that this was something neither could beat alone – they needed the help of other friends.

Starsky sighed sadly, at a loss as to what to do for the best.

"To be honest with you Captain, Hutch still hasn't been eating properly." He finally confessed. "Doctor Maybrouk seems pleased with my progress though, he actually seems to think that I can start taking a couple less pills a day… I suppose I should be pleased…"

"But?" Captain Dobey pressed when the Detective failed to continue.

Starsky looked back at him, a troubled plea upon his face and pain within his liquid blue eyes – he looked back at the Captain, and observed the concern in his eyes, the warmth he harboured for both men burning bright behind dark brown iris's which glittered and glowed, and deep jet-black pupils which seemed to be drawing Starsky in, encouraging him to unburden himself of his concerns.

Starsky sighed – he could see that there was little point in him even trying to conceal the truth from the Captain, and he wasn't entirely sure that he even wanted to. He didn't have the physical strength back yet to go on pretending, nor the emotional strength to look Hutch in the eyes as he continued to go on punishing himself – watching him as he grew sicker and sicker, and became steadily weaker with each passing day.

"I just cannot allow myself to feel relieved, to allow myself to be happy whilst Hutch is still so sick." He finally confessed. "I mean, tell me, where is the joy in me getting better if I'm only going to lose my buddy, my best friend, because I'm just too weak to help him?" He asked. "Captain, Hutch is closer to me than my own brother…"

"I know." Captain Dobey nodded as he swallowed hard the huge lump in his throat and blinked back his own tears. As an experienced police Captain of many years, and a junior officer for many more before that, he was well aware of the bond created between partners whilst working the busy City streets – there was certainly something about having to place one's life in another's hands which helped to create bonds and friendships which would ultimately last a lifetime. But Starsky and Hutch's bond was something very special, unique even within the dangerous world in which they worked, a force which threw young men together when they were barely more than boys, and placed the responsibility of another's life firmly within their hands. Their friendship went above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Dobey had been lucky enough to witness as the first seeds of their friendship had initially been sewn many years ago now, and as he'd watched it blossom over the years he'd quickly come to look at them as two halves of the same whole.

"I would do anything for Hutch Captain, anything, you know that." Starsky sighed, his head hung low and clasped between his two cupped hands as he handed himself over to the helplessness he'd been struggling to keep at bay for the past few weeks – wallowing despondently in a manner uncharacteristic of him. Starsky normally had such a sunny and child-like disposition. But, even Captain Dobey had to confess, this was not surprising given everything he'd been through.

"I would give my life for him… but I can't force him to eat on days he claims not to be hungry, or help him to keep down the meagre amounts he does… I'm afraid he's not getting any better Captain."

"We're not going to lose him Starsky." Captain Dobey sighed as he reached over to pat the young officer reassuringly on the shoulder, trying to curb the young Detective's fears – but his voice was barely audible.