Hi All,
Thanks for the encouragement and reviews; they are very much welcomed and enjoyed and I sometimes get some of my best ideas from them. ;-)
Starskysgal40 – Yeah, you've got it, it's a 'tug-o-war with Starsky as the rope.' Good metaphor! Wish I'd thought of that…
Special thanks to the usual suspects: Kelli, Kreek, Eli and wuemsel.
Chapter 3
Hutch was glad that his coat covered the hot pink and purple polka dot shirt, it was bad enough that his ugly orange, yellow and neon green striped pants showed from beneath his winter coat. The pants were embarrassingly short and left his ankles showing. Thank God no one would ever see him in his new and VERY temporary getup. Though, Huggy might fall in love with it. Hutch chuckled to himself as he headed out of Starsky's room.
All he had to do was run to the Laundromat, put his real clothes in the washer and run back. It would take about a half an hour to for the stuff to wash. Then he would run back, stick the wet stuff in the drier and run back to Starsky's room. And back one last time to pick up his dry stuff. Piece of cake.
He should be out of this disgusting set of clothes in roughly… he checked his watch, about an hour and a half. It was about one and a half hours longer than he wanted it to be, but it couldn't be helped. He exited the hospital and dashed down the sidewalk to the Laundromat, carrying his clothes tucked under his arm like a quarter back trying to make a touch down.
XXXX
Berry Brockman looked up from his sandwich as he heard the pounding of running feet go past the News van. His reporter's instincts kicked in and he knew an opportunity when he saw one. Without the blond grizzly bear hovering around, he just might be able to get the survivor to talk to him. What was that guy's name? Schlepy? Strangsky? Starbuck? Berry shook his head and patted his pockets; it was in his notes somewhere.
"Rob! Come on… grab your camera"
Rob looked up from the box he had just put the camera into "But I just put it away-"
"You want to see your kid tonight? Get your camera! We get this last sound bite and we can both be sleeping in our own beds tonight" Berry quickly dry brushed his teeth, combed his hair and popped yet another breath mint.
Rob opened the box and readied the camera in record time. Anything beat spending the night in the same room with Big Snore Berry. Rob had actually turned on a sound monitor on him and discovered Berry snored at 30 decibels. That was loud by anyone's definition. He shouldered the camera and trotted after Berry.
Berry made his way up the service elevator one of the nurses had told him about. Having such loyal fans was always a bonus. That's why he was always so good to his public. It often yielded him such great benefits as this.
On the way up to the survivor's floor he rechecked the nurses' names. People just loved that he always remembered their names. He wasn't sure how much time he had before the blond detective returned.
Nor was he sure he could get a single word out of Schelpy… wait, that wasn't right. He checked his notes… Starsky, that's the guy's name, now, how to remember that name? Star Sky? No… how about Star Ski… that's it, my heavenly ski survivor. God, I'm good!
The elevator dinged when it got to the proper floor. By taking the service elevator, he bypassed the public and if his memory served him, the room he wanted was to his right… BINGO! "Come on, we'll just duck in, then back out, no one will know about this until broadcast time"
Berry peeked in the door. There wasn't anyone in the room save for the victim; Starsky, Berry pulled Rob into the room. He ducked into the restroom and checked himself out in the mirror. He looked fabulous. He also noted that he had the roughly the same color hair and eyes as the blond cop. Sure, he was about two inches shorter, but the survivor was out of it. It should be enough to fool him into a quick word or two, hopefully.
He had gone over the tape of the stuff Rob had caught earlier. It had intrigued him. Hutchinstein was able to get Starsky to talk to him. The nurse, what was her name? Melinda? No, Melissa, had told him that no one else could get him to respond.
Berry pulled up the comfy chair and sat beside the man "Starsk? Starsky? Can you hear me? Please buddy… just wake up a little for me… please?" Berry used his softest tones, the ones he used to get frightened people to talk to him and tell him all the juicy details. His golden voice, that's what his mother had called it.
Berry put his hand where he had seen Hutchinstein put his and rubbed gently "Please, buddy? Just a few words… that's all I ask" he rubbed again. He kept his voice soft and quiet. He knew he couldn't mimic the sound of the blond cop's voice; he could only imitate the actions and words, from what little bit he saw from reviewing the recording that Rob had made earlier. Maybe it would be enough.
Rob watched through the lens of the camera. Looking through the lens always put a barrier between himself and whatever actions or event he was filming. It made it seem like he was not really there and it made some things easier to film.
But even with this barrier, he still felt the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up as he watched Berry start to try to manipulate the victim. This was sooo wrong. But, he was a professional and it was his job to film the reporters of his station, including this one. He gritted his teeth and kept filming.
"Come back buddy, please come back" Berry rubbed the arm in the same fashion as he had seen the cop doing earlier.
The curly head moved a little on the pillow, the brow wrinkled a little and the man seemed to be responding. "Hey, there Starsk… I need you to talk to me… just for a second… can ya do that, buddy?" he reached out and caressed the man's forehead.
"Hush?" The sound was whispered, barely audible. The bandaged head moved a little in the direction of the voice. The man's brow furrowed in question and pain.
Berry flashed a grin at Rob and turned back to the prone form "Uh… yeah… uh, Starsky, it's me. Talk to me… buddy… tell me how you felt riding down the mountain in a truck full of bodies? Hmmm? Can you do that for me? Huh?"
Berry fixed his eyes on the injured man's face. If he could just get a few details about that experience, maybe he could turn this into a series. A series on the accident, near autopsy and the recovery of the last known survivor… An exclusive… he would have to use a little of his awesome charm on the two cops and his producer would need a little convincing… Berry smiled to himself; he loved a challenge. He shook himself out of his reverie, he had interview, of sorts, to conduct.
"Starsk… buddy, can you tell me what it was like? Huh?" He gritted his teeth, reached up to run his hand over the dark curly hair. The way the blond touched his injured friend was just so gay… wait just a minute! 'Gay, huh…? I wonder if they are? Bet they wouldn't want that to get out… HA! That's how I'll get my exclusive story; I could threaten to let their dirty little secret out of the 'closet'
A big grin slowly grew on Berry's face. Oh yeah, he would be able to wring every stinking little detail of this story out of this pair with that information. They wouldn't want that to get around their precinct, no sirree bob! No charm necessary, just a little blackmail. "Please, tell me… it's important"
"Cold… so… cold" the brunet's teeth began to chatter and his shoulders hunched as though he were trying to warm himself. The bandage wrapped hands moved restlessly on the sheets.
"Hey… buddy… do you remember what you were thinking when you were on the coroner's table?" Berry leaned in. Maybe this wouldn't be such a fluff piece after all and the prospect of hearing all the gruesome details thrilled him. He played with a curl and tugged it gently "It's really important that I know… please, buddy… tell me" He whispered into the prone cop's ear "Can you do it for me, please? Buddy?"
The man began to shake; his whole body stiffened and he began to speak "No… No… alive… I'm alive… Please don't cut me! I'm not dead… I'M NOT DEAD! I'M ALIVE! DON'T CUT ME…please…" the panicked shouts broke off as the survivor began to convulse and froth at the mouth, then several of the machines he was attached to started to alarm.
Berry stood up and backed away from the bed. He bumped into Rob. "Umm, that's enough, we can leave now" He pushed Rob to the door and peered out into the hallway, it was clear, so far. He pushed Rob down the hall and into the service elevator. He hit the button for the ground level. When the door closed, he leaned against the elevator wall and panted for air.
"Whew! That was a close one!" Berry inhaled a shaky breath "Wow, that could have been embarrassing if we would have been caught in there." He clutched at his heart for a moment and then glanced at Rob and his nervous smile melted.
The cameraman was staring at him with wide eyes, a slack jaw and a pale face.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Berry looked away. He knew why. His eyes darted around the small confines of the elevator car, looking everywhere but at Rob.
"What have you done? Do you know what you may have done?" The cameraman whispered in a choked voice, "That poor man, you probably set back his recovery-" an overhead page issued from the speaker in the ceiling of the elevator car interrupted Rob.
"Code Blue room 514, Code Blue"
The both stared up at the speaker in the ceiling of the car and when the announcement was finished they looked at each other, both had pale, fear filled faces.
"Shit! That's the survivor's room! We gotta go back, tell them what happened" Rob pushed the button to the floor.
"No, we don't, we didn't do anything" Berry hit the button for the ground floor again.
"Yes, we did. We were in his room filming… we should never have been in there, man Berry, what the hell were you thinking? Were you even thinking? Huh?" Rob stared at the reporter, totally disgusted with himself for having any part of that scene.
Realization dawned on the handsome face and his eyes connected with those of his cameraman "Give me the tape" Berry stuck his hand out. With his other hand, he hit the emergency stop on the elevator car, stopping it.
"What? Why?" Rob was still coming to terms with what had just happened and not quiet understanding what Berry wanted with the tape.
"I'm the reporter here. If there are questions to be asked, I'll do the asking. Now, give me the fucking tape!" He moved closer to the cameraman and shook his outstretched hand for emphasis.
Rob backed up until his back hit the wall of the elevator; he clutched his camera to him. Realization was dawning on him. Berry wanted to destroy the tape. Destroy the evidence of his crime... their crime. He swallowed hard.
"Now, Rob!" Berry knew his career would be over if that tape got out "Do you want me to tell you wife about the time you cheated on her? Huh?"
"How did you…?" Rob stopped. He didn't have to ask anymore. He knew the answer. Berry must have found out about his little indiscretion with Cindy from accounting.
"The tape Rob. Or do I go to Greta and show her the pictures I took of you and Cindy?" Berry smiled smugly and shook his empty upturned palm "The tape? Or I do I tell your wife that you were playing 'hide the hotdog' with Cindy while poor Greta was eight months pregnant"
A cold sweat broke out all over Rob's body as he fumbled with the camera "That was a long time ago, Berry, that little affair was over years ago"
"Do you honestly think Greta will care how long ago it was? Do you? Give me that damn tape!"
Rob handed it over. What else could he do?
"Thank you" Berry smiled and released the emergency stop button. The elevator car finished its decent. It dinged and the doors opened on the ground floor. The pair exited and made for the parking ramp and headed to the News van.
Once they made it to the where the New van was parked, Berry checked the area for people, seeing no one, took the tape out and smashed under the heel of his two hundred dollar shoes. When it was shattered into small pieces, Berry picked up the mess and tossed it into a metal trashcan. He glanced around, looking for people, and again seeing no one, tossed a match into the receptacle. There wasn't much trash in the can and within a few minutes, there was nothing left that would be any use to anyone.
Satisfied that the evidence was gone, Berry smiled at Rob "Now, drive me to that motel. I've had one hell of a day" Berry climbed on the rider's side and sat down.
XXXX
Starsky heard the voice. It didn't seem right somehow. But the words were… right. The touch was… acceptable… but it was off somehow as well. He wavered briefly in the white void. He took a few hesitant steps towards the voice.
Is something wrong?
Starsky looked back at The Visitor umm, nooo… nothing is wrong, someone is calling me
Are you sure?
He stepped towards the voice Yes… yes, I am sure
Well, as long as you are sure… The Visitor smiled to himself. This could not have happened at a better time. Human deceivers, good, that should help his cause. The Visitor drifted away to watch the proceedings with The Other.
Starsky glanced back at the receding form of The Visitor, no longer sure at all, but he couldn't decide if the presents of The Visitor was all that welcome either. He didn't want to be left alone in the white, but then again, he didn't want to stay here. He listened to the speaker. The speaker seemed to be in the same direction of his guide.
He stepped nearer and the voice was clearer, encouraged by what he heard, the sound of a soul calling to him, enticed him nearer the voice. The closer he moved, the clearer the words became. What was he being asked?
He listened to the words of the voice, really listened. The voice knew his name and wanted some information, important information. The words and touch were familiar… not quite right… but familiar. A name hovered on his lips… he struggled to say it and felt the pain that The Visitor had warned him of. The Visitor was right. It was a lot of pain. He pushed through it "Hush?" he waited for the voice to answer.
He wanted to back away, but the voice was insistent, demanding and more unlike his guide. But he was close to the surface now and he let the words pull him closer, despite the increase in pain and the tightening of his chest.
"Talk to me… buddy… tell me how you felt riding down the mountain in a truck full of bodies? Hmmm? Can you do that for me? Huh?"
Starsky remembered being cold, stiff forms pressing against him, unmoving, un-breathing, un-living. He missed some of what was said next and then he could just make out the words…
"Please, tell me… it's important"
"Cold… so… cold" The memory of it hit him hard, the bodies… the intense cold… people thinking he was dead, when he wasn't. Cold, rather like this voice was, but now he couldn't make himself stop listening, even though fear and pain were beginning to wrap around Starsky, holding him in place.
"Hey… buddy… do you remember what you were thinking when you were on the coroner's table?"
Starsky tried to back away, tried to move… but it was like before and he couldn't move. When everyone had thought he was dead. He felt fingers in his hair, a gentle tug on a lock of hair. And the persistent voice spoke again. He heard, though now he did not want to hear.
"It's really important that I know… please, buddy… tell me," The voice whispered into his ear "Can you do it for me, please? Buddy?"
Starsky began to shake; his whole body stiffened and he spoke, he said what he had tried to say before… before… before, when the man was about to cut him open, "No… No… alive… I'm alive… Please don't cut me! I'm not dead… I'M NOT DEAD! I'M ALIVE! DON'T CUT ME…please…" the panicked shouts he had tried to make on the cold metal table screamed out of him, then they broke off as he began to convulse. Pain washed over him like the ocean on the shore, just before a violent storm.
Starsky ran back, tried to get back to the white space, but gray closed in and rapidly turned black and cold… the fearful black cold from… before. It was happening again. He was going to be cut. He was going to die. And, he was going to feel everything that happened before he did.
HELP ME!… Help Me!… help…me… He backed in a circle, not knowing where to go. But needing to get away. He didn't want to feel the knife… didn't want to feel the fear… didn't want to feel the pain. Didn't want to feel.
I told you, didn't I?
Starsky stopped his directionless spinning, when he heard The Visitor Y-yes
I did try to warn youYes, you did
Didn't I? The Visitor leaned in, success was close, a fingers breath awayYes…but…Starsky began to think again.
But what?That wasn't him
Wasn't whom?That wasn't my guide
The Visitor hid his disappointment Are you sure?
Now that he had stopped his panicked flight, Starsky could see his mistake. He had trusted when he should not have. Positive He told The Visitor and he was positive, for he was sure that his guide would never lead him into pain. He would not be fooled again. He sat down to wait.
XXXX
The Other closed in as The Visitor moved to their meeting place.
(You nearly had him, with a little outside help)
He will be ours(He is strong, as is his belief in his 'guide')
He will be ours(We shall see)
They went their separate ways
XXXX
Hutch had run back to Starsky's room after putting his clothes in the wash and Doctor Montgomery met him just outside of Starsky's room. Cold fear washed over him as he tried to push past the man and get into his partner's room.
"Detective Hutchinson, may I have a word with you?" the short, round doctor put a hand on the detective's arm and pulled gently to move him away from the patient's door.
Hutch craned his neck around, trying to see inside the door. He could hear activity going on in his partner's room. He didn't look at the doctor as he asked, "What is it? What's going on in there?"
"Your friend stopped breathing-"
"WHAT!" Hutch pushed past the doctor and headed for the door.
The doctor grabbed the detective's arm and swung him around "He's breathing again, his heart did not stop beating. We don't know what caused it, the monitor printouts seem to indicate that he was in a resting state and then started to wake up… then the printouts indicate that as he woke, he became agitated, something set him off. One of the nurses' heard him scream, so I think it might be the pain from the frostbite, which, if you have never have had frostbite before, is rather like having a very bad thermal burn. Hurts like hell. Quite painful."
Hutch finally turned his eyes from the hospital door to meet the doctor's eyes "And what does that all mean for Starsky?"
"I'm not sure just yet. The one thing I do know is that he does better when you're in the room. If you're interested, I could have a cot moved into his room so that you could-"
"-Stay with him? Yes! I would like that. If he needs me to be there for him, you've got it. I won't leave the room, I won't-" Hutch took a step towards the door.
"Well, now Detective Hutchinson, I don't think that'll be necessary. I don't want you to become ill, or stir crazy" the doctor smiled as the detective took another unconscious step towards the door.
"Ken, you can call me Ken… or Hutch" the blond detective didn't even look at the doctor as he took yet another step towards the door, forcing the doctor to follow him. "Can I go see him? Please?"
"Yes, but try to be calm. You don't want him to pick up on your emotions. You two seem close"
"Yeah, very… may I?" Hutch nodded in the direction of the room.
"Sure, go ahead" Doctor Chad Montgomery knew better then to try to stop the detective. "You will still be asked to exit the room when certain procedures are done"
"Yeah, sure, whatever" Hutch made for the door.
Doctor Montgomery shook his head and smiled. He didn't think that Detective Hutchinson had heard a single word he had said. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he find the cause of why his patient suddenly stopped breathing. He knew he had some research to do. It would be another late night for him. But that was all right, just so long as he found the cause. He headed off to his office.
Hutch entered Starsky's room and closed the door behind him. He smiled weakly at the nurse that sat nearby and watched as she finished writing something down on Starsky's chart. When she finished, she got up and left, touching his shoulder briefly as she did so.
Hutch barely felt it. His focus was on his friend. "Hey buddy… what's this I hear about you not breathing? Huh? A little ploy to get those pretty nurses in here for a little action? Hmm? You should have waited for me, the one that just left…wow… I wouldn't mind a little alone time with her" Hutch sat down in the comfy chair and put his hand on Starsky's arm.
Starsky's arm was warmer than it had been before. Hutch felt the tears start to burn in his eyes. He slowly rubbed the still arm. "You scared me, Starsk. You really did. I'll be right here. I'm not gonna leave your side… well, I will have to for a little bit when they have to do what they have to do… but other than that, I'll be right here. Okay? Just keep breathing; can you do that? That's all I ask of you… just keep breathing"
TBC