Hi All!

Once again, I thank all of you for the reviews, comments, encouragement and feedback; all are welcomed and greatly appreciated.

V. Angel – Squee! Right back at cha'

Special thanks to Cheride, Kreek, Eli and Wuemsel, you guys are my caffeine… you get me going when I slow down and loose steam. ;-) Big Hugs!

Lightning Chapter 10

Hutch broke into a lope despite the protests made by his aching body and rapidly closed the gap between himself and Mickey. His pain was nothing compared to what little Rosie had just gone through. Granted, her pain was mental, only by the grace of God and good timing – thankfully, not physical- it was still something no child should ever have to go through.

Hutch was determined to see the little fink was locked up tonight, the creep needed to be off the streets.

Mickey startled at a sound behind him and looked over his shoulder to see the big dog barreling down on him. He turned to face it and backed away slowly, he glanced about looking for an escape route. He made for a doorway. The dog cut him off. He tried to head down an alley. The dog ran in front of him and stopped, again cutting him off.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Mickey kept walking backwards away from the dog.

Hutch smiled, exposing his fangs to the creepy little child molester and let out a low growl "I'm not letting you get away, slime. You're going to jail"

"Hey, nice doggy… good doggy… there's a burger joint just up the road… let me get you something to eat" Mickey looked about wildly for an escape route. He then noticed the red flashing lights a few blocks away. He tried to head away from the lights and loose himself in the darkness. But the damn crazy dog wouldn't let him. It was almost as if the dog was trying to get him to the police.

Hutch slowly stalked Mickey. Every time that Mickey would try to head in a different direction, Hutch cut him off. If Mickey stopped, he would pounce forward with a low growl and the little fink would stagger backwards and beg for the dog not to bite him.

"I'm not going to bite you fink, I would never be able to get the taste out of my mouth" Hutch continued to herd him in the direction of the command post that Dobey had set up.

Hutch then realized that he was beginning to enjoy himself for the first time in days, if he were only sure that his current condition was temporary, he could really start to take pleasure in being a dog, if only for a little while. It was rather liberating to pretty much do what he wanted, when he wanted. Like now, he growled at the cringing little creep.

"C'mon Mickey, keep moving… I gotta find me a fire hydrant pretty soon, so move it!"

The sniveling snitch whimpered and winced at each lunge the dog made at him. It kept cutting him off each time he tried to move in any direction other then towards the police cars.

Mickey occasionally tugged at his urine soaked pant legs. He really didn't want to be seen this way. But the massive dog wasn't giving him any choice in the matter. It was almost as if the dog was more then just a dumb animal. The way it looked at him. The way it made eye contact with him, the way it looked and acted… was positively frightening. It was as if it were possessed… like it was a demon dog that come to escort him to Hell.

XXXX

"So, Rosie honey, do you remember anything else about this 'Rabbit Man'?" Starsky adjusted Rosie in his arms, the poor little tike was still shaking with fear and had her little arms wrapped tight around his neck. He hadn't been able to understand much of what he had gotten out of her so far; her thumb was firmly jammed in her mouth the whole time.

Rosie pulled her thumb out just long enough to say, "He said his name was 'Mickey Mouse' but he'sa big liar and, he smells like seegars, boos and pee" her thumb went back in her mouth and she sniffled as she buried her face in his neck.

"Is that all? Can you tell me anything else? Anything at all?" Starsky hated like hell to push the little girl for information, but they had to get a description in order to catch the molester and the sooner the better. Starsky gave her a little hug "S'okay, Rosie, sorry…"

"I want my daddy" Rosie pulled her thumb out of her mouth long enough to get the words out, than stuck it back in once more as she snuggled up to Uncle Dave and buried her face in his neck, he could feel the wetness of her tears, running down his neck.

"That's where we're going sweetie, just another block or so" he shifted her weight in his arms. She shivered again. "Just a second, honey, I'm gonna put you down…" His heart squeezed into a ball when she tightened her grip on him, using both her arms and her legs to lock on to his body. "I just want to take my coat off and wrap it around you, okay? Then, I'll pick you right back up"

Rosie leaned back in his arms and looked him in the eyes "Pwomise?" she said it around her thumb, which was still planted firmly in her mouth.

"Cross my heart, I promise" Starsky gave her a little hug and was then able to breathe a little easier as she loosened her grip and he set her on her feet, he tugged his leather coat off and wrapped it around her. He than picked her back up and resumed his walk.

They arrived at the command post a few minutes later. The gathering of city employees noticed the pair and separated, allowing them a clear view of the Dobey family.

Starsky hugged Rosie and whispered in her ear to look up. She was bashful, at first, there were so many people there and they were all looking at her. She again buried her face in his neck. When there was a clear path to her family, he again urged her to look up.

The Dobeys' sensed a change in the people surrounding them and three solemn faces turned to see what the disturbance was.

Uncle Dave again whispered in her ear to look up and when she did, she saw her parents "Mama! Daddy! Cal!" Rosie squealed and wiggled to be put down, Uncle Dave set her on her feet and she ran towards her family.

"My baby!" Edith Dobey rushed over and scooped her up and hugged her. Captain Dobey and Cal closed in and hugged the two and each other.

The surrounding crowd of police officers, firefighters and by standers broke into cheers and clapping at the sight of the happy reunion. Some of the onlookers shook each other's hands or slapped each other on the back. The group had gone from solemn to an almost party like atmosphere.

Starsky endured the glad-handing and the 'atta boy's' with good grace. Without Hutch at his side, it seemed… wrong somehow, like he shouldn't be enjoying the limelight of Rosie's rescue without the blond at his side. It all reminded him that he really needed to get back to the hospital and be with his friend. Huggy would be needing a break soon.

Starsky made eye contact with Dobey and nodded towards his car, indicating that he would be leaving, his captain nodded back and smiled, mouthing the words 'thank you'. Starsky nodded back, smiled and turned away, heading back towards his car. As he nudged his way through the crowd, he wondered where that dog had gotten to.

XXXX

There was a disturbance towards the back of the crowd and some of the people started to turn their attention to the new distraction. A small man jogged reluctantly towards the group, his breath coming in wheezy pants. He paused to catch his breath and when he looked up; he saw a sea of people. His eyes widened at the sight of all of the different uniforms and he staggered backwards a step, unsure how to react.

Hutch was limping more now. Herding Mickey to the command post had been a lot more difficult than he had imagined it would be. Mickey had tried to escape many times. The little creep had even managed to throw some glass bottles he grabbed out of the trash and had broken them on the sidewalk, making it hard for Hutch to follow for fear of cutting open his paws. While it had slowed him, he was determined and made his way around the hazards, keeping Mickey headed in the right direction.

Hutch's dog tongue was hanging out of his mouth several inches. His pants were nearly as loud as Mickey's, but he continued his pursuit. Just a little further and the chase would be over. Mickey then did something Hutch did not expect. The fink turned and ran into the crowd, screaming.

"H-help! M-mad dog! He's gonna get me… Help!" Mickey threw himself at the nearest uniform, desperate to get away from the big dog.

Hutch, through the haze of pain and exhaustion, could only see that Mickey was making another escape attempt and lunged at the creep with a growl and a snap of his teeth "No way Mickey… don't try to use them as a shield, their the ones that are gonna take you to jail"

Officer Kramer heard a man scream and looked over to see a huge Doberman Pincher snap its teeth and lunge at a terrified, rumpled little man. The little man was practically crawling up a large and bewildered firefighter like he was a tree and the dog was a bear that was after him. Kramer pulled his gun out and aimed it at the dog. That must be the mad dog that they were supposed to look out for. This was the area the call about the dog had originated from.

The dog moved stiffly towards the firefighter that the fearful little man had climbed. Officer Kramer took careful aim. Missing would mean hitting one of the people in the crowd that were on the other side of the dog. The dog continued its slow stalk of the frightened civilian.

Starsky was nearly to his car when he heard a somewhat familiar voice scream about a mad dog. His heart stopped and then proceeded to pound loudly in his chest as he headed towards the sounds at a run. It had be the dog that had saved Rosie. The dog must have followed the molester here… or chased him here…

Starsky then started shoving people out of his way, he had to get to where the dog was and explain that the dog had saved Rosie, that it wasn't dangerous and that it was a hero… He didn't stop to think why he should care so much about it as he made his way to the center of the activity.

The man wailed loudly, begging for help at the top of his lungs.

'Crap!' Starsky sped up, knowing what was going to happen unless he could stop it "Don't shoot! Hold your fire!… Get out of my way!" he bellowed at some unfortunates that didn't heed him quickly enough. "WAIT! Don't shoot-" There was the sound of a firecracker going off. Only, Starsky knew from long experience that it wasn't a firecracker. "MOVE!" He shoved the few remaining people out of his way and he heard another 'pop' sound, it was the sound of a gun being fired for the second time "NOOOO! Dammit! No!"

He could hear the dog yelp in pain as he burst past the last few people that stood between him and the dog. Starsky watched helplessly as the dog staggered a bit, its hind end fell to the pavement as the brunet pushed his through the circle of people.

"Starsky!" Mickey was too late to stop his inadvertent yelp of surprise. Starsky was the very last cop in Bay City that he wished to see here.

Starsky turned to look at who had called his name and instantly recognized the whiney and shocked voice; he had ordered that little fink out of town months ago… "MICKEY!" He then took in the sight of the rumpled little man and his shifty movements and knew instantly that this was Rosie's 'Rabbit Man' Starsky whirled about and nailed the uniformed cop with his eyes "Put that gun away! Arrest that man!" Starsky pointed at Mickey and made for the dog's side.

"What? Why?" Officer Kramer just couldn't figure out why the detective was angry with him "In case you didn't know, I just saved that man's life! That dog was about to take a chunk outta him"

Starsky pegged the cop with another nasty glare, then pointed once more at Mickey and watched with twisted glee as the little snitch flinched and scooted backwards into a burly firefighter "He is a child molestation suspect… I suspect he that grabbed Rosie Dobey, Captain Dobey's daughter, just in case you didn't already know it... Now, if you don't do as I say; I'm gonnatake a chunk outta YOU! That dog saved Rosie's life! TWICE!" Starsky didn't waste any more time with the cop and he dropped to his knees on the pavement next to the dog. "Get me some light over here!"

One of the cops' obliged him and pulled out his flashlight and lit up a small circle around the injured dog and the detective.

XXXX

Starsky did not see the burly firefighter grab Mickey by the back of his rumpled old coat and lift him clear off the ground and shake him like a rat "Ya grabbed a little girl, huh?" The man shook Mickey once more "I've got three little girls at home…"

Mickey was so scared that he couldn't even squeak as the big firefighter shook him again; his eyes darted around and noticed a whole lot of men in uniforms looking at him as if he had just crawled out of the sewer. He tried to swallow the lump of terror that now blocked his throat.

"Put him down" A stern voice broke through the angry murmurs of group.

The burly firefighter gave him another hard shake and let Mickey's feet touch the ground, but he still kept a firm hold on the rumpled coat. Mickey glanced at the big man who had just spoken and saw that the man was carrying the little girl that he had picked up earlier tonight and he felt his whole body break out into a cold sweat.

"Okay, Rosie… can you point out the person in this crowd that grabbed you? It's okay, honey… Daddy's got you"

Mickey watched in horror as the little girl lifted her head from her father's shoulder and looked at the sea of faces. She than looked at him and pointed "That's 'Rabbit Man, Daddy'" She then buried her face in her father's neck again.

A female let out a shriek "You grabbed my baby!" She then hurled herself at Mickey, fists flying and screaming foul words at him.

"I've got you Mrs. Dobey, come on, it's over now… it's over" A cop said as he gently grabbed the woman and led her away.

'Mrs. Dobey? As in Captain Dobey's wife? SHIT! The 'trash' was Captain Dobey's daughter!' As the weight of just how much trouble he was now in hit him, Mickey wet himself for the second time that day.

Captain Dobey glared at the little fink over the top on Rosie's head, he spoke quietly but his words were heard by all "Read him his rights, read them from the card… I don't want ANY loop hole for this 'person' to slither through. I want everything by the book… do you understand me? Dot every 'i', cross every't' triple check the report."

Officer Kramer stepped forward and nodded, he then proceeded to handcuff and read the Miranda warning from a card as he carefully arrested Mickey.

Seeing that he was understood, the captain moved back through the crowd to his family.

TBC

Author Note: Yeah, sorry, but there is at least one more chapter to go, I wanted to finish it all in chapter 10... but some of you have been waiting a very long time to read something... I promise I will finish it very soon. Again, thanks for the encouragement, it really means a lot to me!