Disclaimer: This story was written purely for entertainment and is not for profit. It is not meant to trespass in any way on the holders of the rights to Starsky and Hutch.

This is the first time that I will be posting by chapters—thanks Eli and S'gal! Hope it works! Mahalo to all of the wonderful people in my life, who continue to encourage, support, and inspire me in my endeavor to write.

Warning: "Silent Witness" might be considered a dark tale and contains some graphic scenes and foul language that may be offensive to some readers. This story also revolves around a paranormal/metaphysical genre; if this is not your cup of tea, then please refrain from sipping.

oo Silent Witness oo

CHAPTER FIVE

(Wednesday afternoon, Starsky's apartment)

"C'mon . . . be open minded about all of this . . ." Huggy said, "If anyone would know what was goin' on, Joe would! The great Collandra knows all . . ." Huggy finished dramatically, "C'mon Hutch, let's take our curly haired friend down there to see him at the café."

Hutch glanced over at his quiet partner who sat slumped against the pillows of the couch.

Since shutting off the TV, he hadn't said more than a handful of words and it worried the blond. This whole situation was freaky, and though Hutch had tried to find a logical explanation that would link the tragic occurrence to his partner's dream, he just wasn't able to piece those two separate instances together. It just didn't make any sense.

He had seen his partner in that frightening trance-like state, witnessed it with his very own eyes, so he knew Starsky couldn't have made the story up . . . hell, they hadn't even known about the horrific event until Huggy informed them about it.

"Look Hug," Hutch said softly, seeing his partner press his fingertips into his temple and close his eyes against the throbbing in his skull, "I think ah . . . I think Starsky needs to get some rest. Let's let him think about this for a while huh? Maybe visiting Joe is a good idea, but I think Starsky needs to make that decision."

"Okay," Huggy agreed reluctantly, "I can dig it," The lanky black man sauntered to the front door, turning to look at the dark haired detective, "Don' sweat it Starsky . . . this might have been a once in a lifetime freak of nature . . .you dig? When you feel better, come by my place and I'll treat ya to a tall mug of beer . . . okay amigo?"

Starsky slowly stood and smiled at his long-time friend, "Yeah, I'll hold ya to that promise Hug," he said, grinning up at the tall black man as he opened the door, "Oh . . . and Hug," the brunet added, "Thanks a lot pal for the visit and for the doughnuts."

"Hey . . . the pleasure was all mine!" Huggy said with a grin, "Just hurry up and get better . . . your partner's gonna be all alone out there on the streets . . . he's gonna need ya to watch his back! Alright dudes, the Bear is off . . . I'll catch ya'll later." Starsky sat back down as the door closed behind Huggy, and he turned his sapphire blue eyes upon the silent blond partner who stared quietly back.

Starsky sighed, "So whatta we do now?" He looked so lost and vulnerable that it tore at the blond's heart.

"Well, for starters, I'm gonna fix some dinner. Why don't you go take a shower and by the time you come out, it'll be almost done and we can eat . . . okay?" Hutch said, making sure to keep his voice light.

When his dark haired partner didn't move, the tall blond walked over to the couch and slumped his own tired body next to the brunet's . . . his shoulder brushing against his partner's, as he snagged a pillow against his chest.

Starsky snorted softly, wearily. "Why don' we call out for a pizza instead huh? You're as beat as me Hutch." Although the brunet tried to be inconspicuous about it, Hutch saw his friend wince at the throbbing in his head, and compassion flared in the blond's heart.

"C'mere mush brain," he said affectionately as he tugged his partner by the arm and turned Starsky's body so that his curly, dark head lay on the pillow in his lap. Hutch pressed his long fingers against both sides of the brunet's temple and gently rubbed in a circular motion, easing the ache that had been plaguing his friend all day. "I don't know why you're being so stubborn about taking aspirins buddy . . . it just might help this headache of yours you know."

"Nah," the brunet sighed softly, "This feels better . . .is this what you do to the ladies on your dates . . . huh . . . golden boy? Get 'em all warmed up and ready for action?"

Hutch snorted and looked fondly down at the brunet who had closed his eyes, feeling the tension draining from his friend's body, as it grew lax and sagged wearily into his lap. Starsky's long, dark lashes fanned out against his cheeks and the blond smiled, "Anyone ever tell you that you have womanly eyelashes buddy? From this angle, you could pass for a sweet little girl."

Hutch smiled softly when he heard the snort that came from his partner, then chuckled when his curly haired friend said, "Yeah? Well, if you grew your soft, golden locks past your hips and shaved off that hairy caterpillar across your lip, you could be a gorgeous babe too, with your long legs, golden skin and baby blue eyes . . . quite a looker you'd be! I might even go after ya myself."

Hutch laughed out loud at that, watching as the lopsided grin broke out on his partner's face. "Are you trying to delicately tell me that you find my mustache repulsive Gordo . . . hmm?" Hutch smirked when one blue eye snapped opened to stare up at him, and he quickly wriggled his hairy lip.

Starsky opened both eyes at that and grinned, "Hutch . . . I ain't trying to delicately tell ya nuthin'. . . I hate that mustache . . . looks like a giant hairy bug crawled across your lip and died there . . . been waitin' years for ya to shave it off, but you were so fond of it, I didn't have the heart t'tell ya to get rid of it."

Hutch stopped the gentle massage into this partner's temple and stared down into Starsky's twinkling blue eyes. "You hate my mustache? Why didn't you ever tell me this buddy?"

"Don't know . . ." the brunet murmured, snuggling deeper into the cushion on his partner's lap, "Seemed to be a good idea at the time . . . didn't want t'hurt your feelings."

"What about my feelings now . . . aren't you afraid you've crushed my heart?" Hutch asked, amusement leaking into his soft voice.

"Nah," Starsky said, closing his eyes again, his voice getting drowsy, "You're fine now Hutch . . . you're like the old you . . .before you grew the bug on your lip. Back when Gunther shot me though, things were different somehow between us . . . don't know why, but I couldn't tell ya I hated your mustache then . . . just wouldn't seem right somehow."

The brunet turned onto his side and adjusted the pillow under his head, tucking one hand under his chin as he curled his legs slightly to his chest and snuggled against the warmth of his partner's thigh. He looked so boyishly innocent right then, so trusting and vulnerable, that it brought a lump to the big blond's throat.

Starsky's explanation and reasoning of that horrible year was so simplistic and non-judgmental. Like a child, his partner was so quick to forgive and forget, just happy with the way things were now. Hutch smiled and pulled the crocheted quilt off the back of the couch and spread it over the brunet. Unlike his partner, Hutch knew he could never forget that year, when self-pity and belligerence had almost destroyed the best relationship he'd ever had in his entire life.

Hutch kept still as his partner fell into a restful slumber, his mind drifting back to those days, just before Gunther's attack had forever changed his life, and his perception on things. Hutch realized that he had been acting strangely cold at times, taking out his frustrations and aggressions on his one true friend, not realizing how hurt and wounded his partner had been during that trying year.

His curly haired partner had silently sucked it up and remained steadfast and loyal. 'Even when I tried to take Kira from him,' Hutch thought, even now, feeling disgusted and ashamed with his behavior back then. He didn't really even understand himself, why he was so mean to Starsky during this time. Perhaps he had just grown bitter, his gentle poet's soul corroding with all the darkness he had seen on the streets. Perhaps his failure with all of the ladies in his life had made him cynical inside and yet, Starsky too, had suffered his loses in that department. Terry had been shot in the head for Christ's sake, and Hutch knew first hand how painful that had been for his buddy.

Still, Starsky had bounced back, compartmentalizing his pain and grief, not once taking it out on his blond counterpart. 'Instead, he's always remained the same, a true and loyal friend, even as I took my frustrations out on him!' Hutch thought sadly. It had taken Gunther to show him how important Starsky was to him . . . life without his partner would now be meaningless as far as the blond was concerned.

He remembered making amends in his partner's empty apartment when he went to get Starsky's belongings for his stay in the hospital, after he was gunned down in the police garage. It was there in the silent emptiness of this very same house, that he realized what a priceless treasure he had in his friend, and what an ass he had been. Hutch had vowed that day to change and make it up to the brunet if he lived, and Hutch was a man of his word.

He had stayed right beside his partner during his recovery, during the painful rehabilitation and therapies. He had shared in Starsky's frustrations and triumphs, and celebrated with him when he was cleared to come back to the force. And through it all, their special bond became tighter and their almost psychic link with one another became stronger. They could almost read each other's minds at times, often finishing each other's sentences. Their friendship was as solid as ever and they had found their old rhythm. Their two hearts were once again beating as one, and it made the blond feel whole and renewed. "Me and thee buddy," Hutch whispered softly.

Hutch looked down at his sleeping partner and gently stroked back his curls. This past time in the alley had been too close. It shook the gentle blond up to realize that he could have lost his friend when he lay in that coma . . . his buddy had been so close and yet, so very far away. And today, with the tragic events from the school bus accident . . .Hutch knew that something very strange was happening, but he had no way of comprehending how to help his partner through it. He silently made the decision to go and see Dr. Bradford tomorrow; perhaps he could shed some light as to what was happening with his partner.

It worried the blond that Starsky was having headaches. The doctor had told them that this would probably happen and had assured them that it was a fairly common occurrence among surviving coma patients, and yet, Hutch sensed that these headaches his partner was having were something out of the ordinary. Were these headaches the triggers that somehow manifested some sort of psychic phenomenon to take place? Or maybe they were overreacting . . . this could have just been some kind of weird coincidence . . . this might just be a fluke like Huggy said . . . Starsky's first and last 'vision'. Hutch certainly hoped so.

Knowing Starsky the way he did, the blond knew that if his friend had anymore 'visions,' he would probably try to hide it . . . try to deal with it himself, hating to trouble others with his problems and tribulations. Hutch told himself that he would have to keep a close eye on his sometimes, secretive partner. "Bozo," he whispered fondly.

Hutch jumped, startled by the sudden, loud ringing of the phone. He soothed his slumbering friend, while reaching behind him for the handset on the end table.

"Hello?" Hutch whispered, not wanting to wake Starsky, who murmured softly and snuggled closer against his leg.

"Hutch? It's Dobey." Hutch recognized the gruff voice of his captain, "How's Starsky?"

"He's sleeping right now Cap," Hutch said softly, "Still having headaches though, but the doctor said that it's common after waking from a coma."

"I tell you . . . that boy has nine lives!" Hutch grinned, hearing the smile in his captain's voice. "Did you hear about what happened today with the school bus?" Dobey asked.

"Yeah," Hutch replied sadly, "It's horrible . . . those kids and their parents . . ."

"Yeah," Dobey sighed, "It's mayhem down here at the station."

"Did that drunk truck driver make it?" Hutch asked. There was a long pause on the other end of the line, "Hello . . . Cap?"

"How'd you know the driver of the semi was drunk Hutch? They finally pulled him from the wreck about an hour ago and we just got reports from the autopsy a few minutes ago . . . no one was privy to that information . . . so how did you know he was driving under the influence?"

Hutch could feel the fine hair rising on his neck as the cold finger of fear raced up his spine. He knew the driver was drunk because Starsky told him that information from his dream. The captain was right. There was no way anyone would have known that beforehand; especially since the driver had been trapped in the mangled cab of this truck.

"I ah . . .I didn't know for certain Captain, I . . . I just assumed he'd have to be drunk to lose control that way . . ."

There was a shorter pause this time, and then Dobey said, "Yeah, it's a shame this whole sick mess had to happen the way it did. We're still trying to make a positive ID on the driver . . . got burnt up pretty bad in the wreck. When do you think your partner can come back to work?

"Well, I'm not too sure . . . I'm gonna talk to his doctor tomorrow and I'll let you know." Hutch said softly.

"Alright," Dobey gruffed, "What about you? When are you returning?"

"Um . . . I ah . . . I think I'm gonna take another day or two, Captain . . . just to make sure he's settled. His headaches should go away by that time and who knows, maybe he can start working at the end of the week. In any case, I'll keep you posted on what Dr. Bradford has to say."

"You do that." Dobey said, "And tell that partner of yours . . . that it's good to have him back!"

"Will do Cap, will do." Hutch said smiling as he hung up the receiver. He turned back to gaze down at his partner and was surprised to find those sapphire, blue eyes fixed upon his face.

"That Dobey?" the brunet asked, letting out a huge yawn while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Yeah . . . sorry buddy, didn't mean to wake you." Hutch apologized softly, wishing his partner had slept a while longer.

"Nah . . m'fine," the brunet said, slowly sitting up, "Needed to take a shower and your back's gotta be hurtin' by now . . . and anyway, I'm hungry!" The curly haired man grouched as he stood, absently lifting his shirt to scratch his firm hairy abdomen.

Hutch snorted, "Go take a shower Gordo, you look like a gorilla scratching like that. I'll call in for some pizza to be delivered." The blond chuckled, grabbing onto his partner's outstretched hand, as Starsky pulled him into a standing position. The blond winced and reached his arm behind him to press against his spine.

"See? What'd I tell ya? Your back's already messed up . . . maybe you should take that hot shower and I'll call for the pizza." Starsky said, blue eyes twinkling.

"Just get in there," Hutch demanded, pointing his index finger in the direction of the bathroom, "Leave the cooking to me."

Hutch chuckled as he watched the rambunctious brunet swagger into the bathroom, listening to him grumble the whole time . . . "Cookin'? You don't cook pizza . . . you bake pizza and in our case, we call for pizza . . ."

"Dummy" the blond said under his breath, smiling, as he reached for the phone to call the local Pizzeria.

To be continued . . .