Author's note: this is it, the final chapters. I will miss writing on this story, but I'm very happy that I managed to finish this. Here's a big warm hug to all of you who helped me achieve that goal, and to Strut who managed to get the beta work finished in time.

This story is up in its entirety at my website. Just go to my homepage link on my profile page and click on Liquids.

Enjoy!

Chapter 19

Footsteps approached and Hutch opened his eyes to see the blurry shape of Stef walking in.

"Hurry," the boy spoke, sounding very far off. "They're distracted and… Jesus'…" He fell silent at the sight that greeting him.

"He's…" Hutch tried to speak up, but couldn't manage to get the words past his choked up throat.

Stef rushed over to Starsky's side. Squatting, he carefully checked the man's pulse, "… not dead yet."

A rush of relief, like a gentle breeze, made the blond put his head back against the wall. Closing his eyes, he took a couple of deep breaths

The boys words sounded soft, yet determined, "Can you stand? The exit isn't that far."

Hutch opened his eyes as Stef pulled on his arm. Biting his lip, he tried to comply but failed miserably.

"Fifth! Can you give us a hand here?" Stef called, his voice echoing through the small cave.

Fifth Avenue walked in with his usual flamboyant style, not a speck of dirt on his blue shirt.

Hutch watched him through hazy eyes.

"Detective Hutchinson? I've seen you look better."

"Yeah," Hutch whispered.

The flamboyant man turned to Stef. "Right, I'll get Starsky and you support Mister White Knight over there."

Hutch flinched slightly at the name. Fifth's knowledge of the inner workings of the police force was sometimes eerie. With the Guild's leader carrying the brunet in a fireman's carry and Hutch leaning on Stef, they made their way out of the little seclusion area. Despite his fogged mind, the blond was taken aback for a few seconds at the scene spreading in front of him upon entering the larger cave. A couple of bodies littered the floor.

"Do you know how many of my men they killed?" Fifth Avenue answered the unspoken disapproval on Hutch's face. Apparently he didn't expect a reply, for he continued, "They were 'this' close to wiping out the entire Guild, taking you two with them."

Hutch staggered a bit as the nausea became overwhelming, but Stef held firm. For a boy his age he was remarkably strong; must be from the roof climbing, he thought as Stef pulled him away from the horrific sight.

"Luckily, we have things under control now," Fifth stated. "Come on, this way."

Stef had been right. The exit wasn't far. Step by step Fifth and Stef worked to get both him and his partner back into the daylight. It was night when we went in. Is it daytime all ready? How long were we in there? God… it feels like forever. The scent of the ocean's salt water filled his nostrils, making him stagger more quickly towards civilisation.

Bitter words halted him in his tracks, words that almost got lost by the sound of the waves crashing upon the distant beach, "So you think you're all so clever, don't you?"

Marcel! And he was close and easily heard over the sounds of the ocean. Forgetting for a second about his shoulder wound, Hutch let go of Stef and whipped around. His body didn't agree with him. Pain lashed through his entire upper torso, and with a low grunt, he sunk to the ground. He was just in time to see the blood smeared assassin shoot Fifth Avenue point blank. The Guild's leader was blown off his feet, flying backwards and dropping the brunet, he was dead on impact. Starsky fell hard onto the floor. Momentum rolled him over a couple of times before he lay still on the rock bottom, face up, with one arm flung over his chest.

Marcel laughed, shifting his aim to the still brunet.

Despite the excruciating pain, Hutch desperately tried to crawl over to his partner in an effort to protect him. He nearly cried out when his body refused to move and he found out the hard way that all he could do was lay there. Noooo…

A dull thud made him look up, straight into Stef's trembling features. The brown eyes were fixed on Marcel, and his empty hand was shaking like a leaf. A strangled gasp drew his eyes at the assassin who now wore a knife buried in his chest.

Marcel looked down at it in disbelief. "Too late…" he whispered evilly. "With Fifth gone… the Guild is destroyed." Then his lifeless body sank to the floor.

"Stef…" Stef's eyes met Hutch's, the boy looked horrified. It's all right… You had no choice…He wanted to do more, to comfort the boy. To thank him, but his sight blurred. Life was loosing ground to death fast. Slightly panicking he tried to fight it. Then his eye fell on his partner's still face. He managed to reach out one hand, before slipping into darkness.

"Huggy!"

Huggy looked up. He'd left Dobey and his man to do a thorough search near the cliff edge. Squinting, he managed to make out the form of Stef standing on an outcropping near the top. With a healthy dose of cursing and panting the bartender made his way up to him. Jeez, you must be a freakin' mountain goat to climb this cliff! "This is definitely not one of my favourite past times," Huggy complained when he finally reached the boy.

"They're in there." Stef pointed to a cave Huggy had missed seeing entirely. "Hurry, they're in pretty bad shape!"

"Starsky and Hutch?"

Stef nodded.

Making his way over to the cave, Huggy turned, "Stef, why don't you go and call the…"

The cliff was empty as if the boy had never been there. Startled, Huggy stood for a moment, wondering if he'd imagined Stef calling out to him. Then a sense of urgency pushed him onwards, into the cave and out of sight.

XXXXX

"Detective Hutchinson?"

Standing on the top of the hill, Hutch warily watched the priest making his way up to him. He frowned. Was it him, or did the man look tired? At any rate, he definitely looked pissed.

Reaching him, Hermes stuck out a bony hand.

Hutch took a step back, unsure of the man's intensions.

A shimmer, turning into the waving form of Starsky standing next to Hutch shook its head warningly, presenting the priest with a fiery stare.

Hermes pulled his hand back, "Right…" he mused, "I can't touch you… or Dave anymore for that matter. The bond you two have is too strong." He stood back, giving him a penetrating stare. "It's your partner I want Hutchinson, but your white knighthood protects him. His unforeseen sacrifice protects you. But remember this, and remember it well, you won't always be there. Just give me the chance… give me one shot at him…a flying bullet, a loss of faith in your friendship, an assassination attempt… and David will be mine… just like that.

A shiver ran down Hutch's spine. His fear of being alone, of dying alone, and of having to watch Starsky die first, surfacing with force. Only to dissipate into the clear air at the feeling of his partner's hand on his shoulder. Feeling strength returning, he took a threatening step forwards.

Keeping his eye on the blond, seemingly intimidated, the priest backed off down the hill and turned his attention to Starsky, "I'd watch that blond partner of yours closely, if I were you. He's physically very strong, but I wonder if he can withstand a plague?" When, to his obvious disappointment, there was no reaction, he continued, "You found the answer to stay alive… Dave. Treasure it…for as long as it lasts."

Two men, lying in a small hospital room, in two separate beds, woke up simultaneously; one coming out of sedation, the other out of shock.

Hutch turned his head sideways and through his blurry vision he could see Starsky staring at him. "Starsk, you okay?" He couldn't manage more than a strained whisper.

For a moment he didn't think his partner had heard him, but then the brunet spoke just as quietly. "Was it real? Hutch…" He swallowed a couple of times, before being able to continue, "The dream… was it real?" His voice sounded slightly panicked.

"Shhhh… don't think about it. It'll be all right. Just go to sleep."

The blue eyes blinked shut.

"I'm here, buddy," Hutch whispered, "I ain't going anywhere."

Who cares whether the dream was real or not, you made it… Thank God, you made it. For the first time since Simone, Hutch felt himself relax and let himself sink back into a deep sleep; the healing kind this time.

"Doc says you're ready to try solids. Wanna try some pudding?" Hutch had manoeuvred himself into a wheelchair and had parked in between their two beds. His shoulder wound had started to heal nicely, and he'd gotten rid of the sling to try and eat his diner. If it weren't for Starsky, he would have gone against the doctor's advice and vacated the hospital a week ago. But his partner's reluctance to eat had worried him. So he'd taken it upon himself to try getting some real food into the man. He didn't particularly care for the tasteless leftovers sitting on his diner plate, which he balanced in his lap, right now. But he knew the pudding was something Starsky should love.

"'M not hungry," Starsky muttered, with his nose buried deep into a Marvel comic.

"Of course you're not hungry," Hutch argued. "This drip you're on is feeding you nutrients straight into your veins. Your stomach has grown lazy!"

His partner briefly glanced at him over the top of the book, before ignoring the argument completely by turning over a page and concentrating on the pictures again.

Frustrated, Hutch tried one more time, "You have to start eating sooner or later, you might as well start now; its just pudding for crying out loud."

No reaction whatsoever.

"Starsky, your body needs to learn how to digest again!"

Slapping the book down in irritation, Starsky looked at him with an equal annoyed look on his face. "The only thing I'm digesting right now is your constant whining about food. I told you I'm not hungry, blondie!"

Hutch's hand landed on his plate with a loud clap, causing plates and pudding danced up and down with the impact. "Starsky, I won't be happy until I see you hitting every taco stand on every street corner again!" He lifted the bowl, "So you're gonna eat this pudding now or so help me God, I'll-"

It didn't seem to impress the brunet one bit. Starsky simply raised his eyebrows at the blond's short tempered behaviour and countered coolly, "Not until they remove Louise."

"Louise?"

His partner nodded at the IV pole and line feeding him liquids next to his bed. It was currently decorated with a nightgown that a previous resident had left behind in one of the closets, and a feminine wig of long red hair that Huggy had put on top.

Rolling his eyes at the ceiling, Hutch put the bowl down. "Fine… have it your way. Just so you know… this pudding is actually not that bad. You don't know what you're missing buddy." He dipped a spoon in it and then let the stuff slide into his mouth, "Yup, it's really good." He looked up. If that doesn't get you to eat nothing will! "Are you sure you won't try any of it?"

Starsky stared at him, before releasing a deep sigh, "Okay, okay, give me the damn bowl; anything to wipe that haunted look off your face."

Grinning Hutch passed on the pudding and for a brief moment their hands touched. Without letting go of the white bowl the blond asked softly, "How did you do it, Starsk?"

"How'd I do what?" he answered, eyes locked on the yellow substance seemingly vibrating in the small bowl. When there was no reply he lifted his head.

"You know, back at the cave?" Feeling slightly embarrassed, Hutch let go of the pudding.

Shifting his eyes down to his hands, Starsky said in a quiet tone, "I dunno. It worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah it did." A genuine look of compassion crossed Hutch's features as their eyes met. "Are you feeling okay?"

Starsky took a deep breath, and then proceeded to eat a bit of the pudding. Obviously liking what he tasted he smacked his lips together. "Hey, this stuff is pretty good."

Obviously realizing his partner still waited for an answer he put the bowl down and lay back against the pillows. "Yeah." His voice turned serious, "I do… I guess ol' Hermes managed to quell some fears after all, huh?"

"No," Hutch shook his head, "You did that all by yourself Starsk." And you took away mine in the process. I never should've doubted you or your loyalty in the first place, buddy."

"What about the dream we both had?" Starsky's voice sounded slightly fearful, as he turned his head against the pillow to watch the blond.

Hutch didn't have an answer. He would be more than happy to forget about that shady unreal meeting with the priest. In fact, the whole dream had already started to fade. He couldn't recall the details anymore. But he could remember the words that were spoken, and the threats that had been uttered. The memory left a cold feeling behind in his stomach. "D' you suppose there was any truth to what he said?"

Starsky bit his lip. "Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt us to watch each other's back more closely from here on out."

"You think you'll get shot?"

"You think you'll get seriously ill? Get a plague or something?"

They stared at each other in silence for a while before Starsky broke the eye contact to eat another gooey bit of the pudding. "Well," he joked, swallowing the soft food. "If you do, I can always try the hand layin' trick again."

Hutch smiled, "How's the food?"

"Hmmm, I don't think this will do our relationship any good."

Startled, Hutch looked up at him.

Starsky grinned, "Me and Louise, dummy. I'll have to break up with her now."

Feeling a weight lift from his heart, Hutch laughed, "It was never meant to be."

"Yup, it's time for me to move on." Putting his hands behind his head, Starsky stared dreamingly at the ceiling, "'Cos I think I'm ready to try some of those tacos again."

Gently Hutch took the empty bowl away from his partner's lap. "When you do, I think I'll join you."

"You will?" Starsky said in surprise.

"Yeah," Hutch smiled again. "I guess I will."

I killed…

Stef sat upon the roof… peering through the hospital window. I killed… there's no going back from that. He sighed. The Guild was gone… its members spread; the whole organisation was just a bad memory. But the blood on his hands was a permanent mark he couldn't erase so easily.

He came here every night to watch Hutchinson standing vigil at his partner's bed side; watched as Starsky finally woke up entirely and after a while started to joke again, watched as he saw the blond crack a smile again.

Suddenly a dark shadow obstructed the brightly lid rectangle that let him take a peek at another world; one of warmth and friendship. Startled he realized someone was looking through the window at him… then settled down as he realized it was Huggy. The proprietor nodded slightly and Stef gave him a short salute in acknowledgement before backing down. They're all right. At least I don't have their blood on my hands.

'Detective Hutchinson cleared you of all charges, Stef.' Huggy had relayed to him when he'd drawn up the courage to visit the Pits. If only his heart could be cleared that easily from the black stain of killing. If only he could talk to someone about it. A cold breeze set in, throwing a brown lock of hair in his eye. Angrily, he wiped it away, feeling more alone by the second.

With a sigh he started to climb down the building. As he dropped onto the concrete floor of the alleyway, a voice sounded clear through the air, "Hello Stef…"

Stef froze and blinked a couple of times, unsure that he heard it right. The voice was lower… Still, it sounded like him. But it couldn't be! It was impossible! Rooted to the spot, he grabbed hold of a rung from the ladder he'd just vacated.

"Don't you want to turn around… little brother?"

He turned, ever so slowly, afraid of what he might find; his heart beating in his throat. There, in the dark shadows, a figure in a wheelchair rolled forward into the light. Will.

He gasped. Overwhelming emotions rushed to the surface all at once and his eyes clouded with tears that forced their way up. Oh my God! Will!

A smile lit the face in front of him. His brother had aged but the dark, almost black eyes still sparkled with intelligence and love. The brown hair was longer than he remembered but it was him.

"Aren't you gonna say something."

Stef took a careful step forward, afraid that coming closer would wipe out the image in front of him; afraid that it was all an illusion. But the man didn't disappear. He reached out a hand to touch his shoulder.

"Yeah…" his brother's voice choked up, "'M real, little brother."

Suddenly his face warmed due to the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Will," he choked falling into his brother's embrace, "You're here?" He started to shoot barely heard questions at the man. "What the hell happened? You're … alive?" He pulled back, shaking from head to toe, wiping his face.

"Seems like it, doesn't it?"

Stef didn't find it funny, guilt turned into relief, and relief turned into anger. His tears started to flow again; tears of anger this time. He wanted answers. Wanted to know why Will had never contacted him, had left him in pain and grief for over four years. He couldn't help but let it show on his face. "Why?" His voice was bitter, and he took another step back. Shaking his head in frustration, "Why, damn you. Why!"

Will, looked down. "It wasn't my choice." He took a deep breath. "It was the only way to keep you safe. After I got shot… Fifth Avenue took me in and nursed me back to health." He looked up; dark eyes met Stef's. "We knew then that Marcel was bad news, but we couldn't do anything about it until the man made his move. So I stayed in the background to never show my face, because if Marcel were to find out I was still alive, he would go after you to draw me out. And that would be the end of the Guild. We had to wait until Marcel would make a mistake. Fifth tried to keep a close eye on the man, but in the end he still managed to take us by surprise."

"Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer, huh?" Stef spoke hoarsely.

Will nodded. "I don't blame you for being mad at me. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. If it weren't for your actions… those two cops wouldn't be alive right now.

Stef hung is head, "But at what cost? Fifth's dead, the Guild's gone."

Will spoke up with a sly grin on his face, "Stef, whoever said Fifth was the leader of the Guild?"

Stef's head snapped up, "He wasn't?"

Will turned his wheelchair and started to roll away. "No, I am."

Once again Stef stood frozen to the spot.

Will shouted back at him, "Are you coming?"

Shaking off the shock of multiple surprises, Stef couldn't help but grin widely before running after the man.

The two figures changed to mere silhouettes; one sitting, one walking quietly alongside his brother to both disappear slowly into the night.

Epilogue

"Starsky, where'd he go?" Having just circled a large building, the blond stood panting at the intersection. Since it was the middle of the night, there wasn't much traffic. The extortionist they were chasing couldn't have gone far.

"How the hell should I know? You were supposed to cut off his path!"

Hutch eyed the building. "You're thinking, what I'm thinking?"

"He went up!"

Panting, Hutch watched his partner speeding away from him.

Ever since the man had fully recovered, or better yet had his full appetite back, Starsky seemed unstoppable. Lately all he seemed to do was eat. And when he wasn't eating he was chasing some low-life punk down a dark alleyway. As if he needed to prove to himself that his anxiety attacks were truly gone.

Still not in top-shape, Hutch had trouble keeping up with him. He eyed the dark sky. Praying that this hyper-active state of his partner would pass soon, Hutch turned to run after him. When he finally did reach the rooftop that Starsky had climbed like a monkey, he was surprised to find the extortionist already gagged and tied up to a chimney, and to find his heavily breathing partner sitting next to the man on what appeared to be part of the building's ventilation system.

"Starsk, how did you-?"

"It wasn't me."

"Then who?"

Starsky motioned to towards the perp, "There's a note."

Giving the brunet a puzzled look Hutch walked over to rip the note from between the man and the ropes. His brow frowned in astonishment as he began to read. "Listen to this Starsk. 'I owe you, Will owes you; the Guild owes you.' It's signed by Stef."

"The Guild? I thought it was destroyed?"

"I thought Will was dead." Hutch stated simultaneously.

Starsky grunted. "Does this mean we're going to have to turn the town upside down again to find them? We're cops Hutch. It's our duty to bust guys like these."

"'P.S. Don't worry… We're moving back to Europe.'" Hutch continued reading.

The brunet grinned, "I'm gonna miss that kid."

Untying the wide eyed perp from the chimney, Hutch said, "Yeah, he was all right for a thief."

Starsky stood up and roughly pushed the frightened man in the direction of the emergency ladder running down the side of the building. "Hutch… wanna grab a bite to eat after we've booked this guy?"

"What, now? It's two in the morning!"

Starsky looked at him, contorting his face in misery. In fact, he looked as hungry as he did when he was on liquids. Hutch couldn't withstand the puppy eyed look Starsky shot him. Knowing he wouldn't be able to resist the brunet's food requests in the months to come, he gave in. "Whatever keeps you happy, partner."

Starsky's whoop of joy broke the quiet night and rapidly, the brunet started to descend the iron ladder.

Hutch sighed and motioned the perp to follow his partner down. Better get used to it, Hutchinson, cos you're gonna be eating tacos at two for the rest of your career.

"Hey, Hutch," Starsky called when the blond met up with him at the base of the building, "Don't you just love nights like these, with no wind, no rain, just a fresh breeze, and a full moon?"

Putting the cuffs on the perp, Hutch didn't even bother answering to that. His partner had clearly gone over the deep end now.

"We're at one with the ground beneath our feet, partner." Starsky added, slapping his partner on the back.

Hutch couldn't help but let Starsky's joy affect him. The smile in his heart started to show on his face. Yep, his partner was back, and he was his cheery self again. For that he was immensely grateful. Pushing the perp in front of them towards the Torino, he put a hand around the brunet's shoulder and stated, "Solid ground, Starsk… Don't forget… its solid ground."

"Well said, Hutch," Starsky said in earnest. "Well said."

THE END