Soulmates Part 1
Hutch and I got back to the precinct after wrapping up one of our drug busts. And there she was. The new female detective was transferred to Captain Dobey's squad along with her partner. She was quite beautiful with long blonde wavy hair, and an amazing figure. Several other detectives were talking and flirting with her. I was about to walk over and introduce myself and then I glanced over at Hutch, he was staring at her intently with his mouth slightly open. I knew right then and there he was smitten with her. The best part was that she had paused talking to all the guys around her and had completely focused all her attention on Hutch. It started to look awkward so I jumped into action and introduced myself to her and her partner and then introduced Hutch.
" Hi, I'm Layla, and this is my partner Jimmy." As she took Hutch's hand to shake it, their eyes never left each other. And their handshake lingered much longer than it should have. I started a conversation with Layla and Jimmy to relieve the awkwardness again. They were from a precinct in San Diego and had requested a transfer to Bay City. Jimmy was married and his wife had wanted to move out this way for a job. Layla was single and divorced and wanted a transfer when her ex became her Captain. We all talked for a bit and then Hutch and I went back to our desks to do our reports. I was sure of one thing. There was an undeniable attraction between Hutch and Layla. The last time I've seen Hutch look at a woman like he was looking at Layla was when he was with Gillian several years ago. I hoped this time there would be a happy ending.
I handed Starsky the last report so he could put it on Captain Dobey's desk. " Let's get out of here it's Friday."
Starsky came back from dropping off the reports and said," Let's go! Are you hungry? The Pits?"
I grabbed my jacket, turned towards Starsky, and said, "Yeah, sounds good." We walked into the Pits and Huggy greeted us immediately. He told us that some of our fellow officers were sitting towards the back. I glanced back to see Johnson and Edwards sitting with Layla and Jimmy. I looked at Starsky and told him that maybe we should go somewhere else since it seemed crowded
He smirked at me and said," Don't tell me you're being shy because Layla is here. I can see the way you look at her."
"Don't be ridiculous, Starsky! I barely know her."
I started walking back to our usual booth and he followed. Johnson and Edwards waved along with Layla and Jimmy. We waved back and then I grabbed a menu and I looked down at it. I could feel her eyes on me. I didn't want to look up for fear I wouldn't be able to resist looking at her. What the heck was wrong with me? I felt like a teenager trying not to look at the girl I liked. Wait a minute! Do I like her? I don't even know her yet. And the worst part is that Starsky is on to me. He knows exactly how I'm feeling. I guess I should just admit it to him or he will keep bothering me until I tell him the truth.
I looked across the table at him and asked him if she was still looking at me. " Not anymore," I told him I wasn't sure why but I was feeling strange when I'm around her.
" You are acting strange around her because I think she is your soulmate."
" What the heck is a soulmate Starsky?"
" It's when you find the person you are destined to be with. The perfect partner that was made just for you. Everyone has one but most people never find theirs. Consider yourself lucky."
I told Starsky that I wasn't sure I believed the whole soulmate concept.
He looked at me perplexed," How else do you explain your instant attraction to her? I think you should ask her out and see how it goes."
I told him I would think about it. I didn't want to tell Starsky but I sort of had the same feeling I had when I first met Gillian. Maybe there was some truth to the whole soulmate thing. After Starsky and I finished dinner we went to shoot some pool. Layla and Jimmy came over and asked if they could play. She walked right up to me and looked right into my eyes. I froze and felt butterflies in my stomach. What was it about her that was making me feel like a shy teenage boy? I finally pulled myself together and started talking to her. She was stunningly beautiful and extremely intelligent. She even had a love for plants. No wonder I was smitten with her. We continued to talk while Starsky and Jimmy played pool. I could have sat there and talked to her for hours but it was getting late. I decided to take a chance and ask her out for tomorrow.
She quickly replied," Yes, I'd love to. What did you have in mind? I was planning on going to the beach tomorrow morning with my friend Jackie who is moving down here this weekend. Would you and your partner like to join us? And then you and I can do something alone in the evening?"
I called Starsky over and asked him if he wanted to go to the beach tomorrow with Layla and her friend Jackie. He said he would and we agreed to meet the ladies on the beach at 10 am. I knew that as soon as Starsky and I got into the car to drive home he would start asking questions about me and Layla.
"So you and Layla looked like you were having a nice conversation. What did you talk about?"
"We pretty much talked about everything. She is so easy to talk to. It's like I've known her for years."
"Are you starting to rethink my soulmate theory?"
"You know what Starsk, she very well may be my soulmate but only time will tell."
I picked up Hutch at 9:30 so we could drive to the beach to meet the ladies. Hutch was waiting outside with his surfboard. I gave him an annoyed look, " Where the heck are you putting that?"
"In your car where else?"
"That is not fitting in my car."
"It has fit in your car before."
" Fine, don't break or scratch anything getting it in here." Once we were on our way I asked Hutch if he knew anything about Layla's friend Jackie. He said all Layla told him was that Jackie was a widow and was a homicide detective from San Francisco. She had asked for a transfer to Los Angeles.
" Oh wow, she's a cop too. I hope she is as pretty as her friend."
"You know Starsk, there is more to a woman than just her looks."
" I know but it would be a bonus if she was pretty." Hutch did his usual headshake at me and changed the subject. We pulled up to the beach parking lot and parked. Hutch saw Layla right away. She was playing horseshoes with another woman. The woman had long light brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She was short and petite but muscular. She was very beautiful.
Starsky and I started walking toward where the ladies were set up on the beach. Layla wore a bright red string bikini. Her hair was tied up on the top of her head with loose curls hanging down. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. She kissed me on the cheek and then introduced Starsky and me to Jackie who was also very attractive. Starsky started talking to her right away. We played some horseshoes and some volleyball. Layla and I decided to go for a walk down the beach. Starsky looked like he was getting along well with Jackie so I didn't feel bad leaving him.
We hadn't realized how far we walked since we were focused on our conversation. So we decided to turn around and head back. On our way back, Layla noticed a teenager waving his arms about 100 feet out in the water. When I looked I noticed another boy trying to swim forward but he wasn't moving. They were caught in rip currents. Layla and I looked at each other and without a single word being said we entered the water, each of us going in a different direction towards the distressed swimmers. I reached one of the boys and flipped him on his back so he was floating. He was alert but tired. I started swimming parallel to the shoreline and guided him with me. I glanced over to see where Layla was and she wasn't moving. She was treading water and the boy was floating on his back. I needed to get the boy I was helping to shore and go out and help Layla. I managed to get the boy in knee-deep water and then swam back out for Layla. Before I got to her she was able to start swimming toward shore dragging the boy with her who looked exhausted. I grabbed the boy and swam back in with him. I turned around to see where Layla was and she was halfway to the shoreline but struggling to make it back. I dove through a wave and was able to reach her quickly. She was breathing heavily and struggling to continue swimming. I told her to put her arms and legs around my back and we would swim back in together. We made it to the shallow water just as Starsky and Jackie were running toward us. We collapsed in the water before making it to the sand. Starsky and Jackie helped us out of the water.
Starsky looked concerned," Are you guys okay? What the heck happened?"
We told them that we went out in the water to save two teenage boys that were caught in a rip current. While we were explaining what happened the two boys walked over to Layla and me and thanked us for saving their lives. After sitting in the sand for 20 minutes we were able to start walking back to our beach area. Layla looked upset so I grabbed her hand and stopped her from walking," Are you okay? What's wrong?"
She looked at me," I'm fine. I'm just a little embarrassed that I couldn't get in on my own."
I took her other hand in mine, "What are you embarrassed about? You saved someone's life."
She looked frustrated but was still looking in my eyes," Yeah but I almost drowned doing it. If you weren't there I would have drowned."
I asked her if she was alone would she have gone in the water after those boys.
She said she would have tried to find help first if she was alone.
Still holding her hands I looked into her eyes, " You are amazing. You didn't have a second thought about going out there and saving that boy. Even a trained lifeguard would have had the same trouble in that rip current."
She smiled slightly, kissed me on the cheek, and said," Thank you for saving my life. I promise I am a better cop than I am a swimmer."
I chuckled, "I do not doubt that you are an amazing cop." She took her hands from mine and wrapped them around my neck and kissed me. I swear I saw fireworks in my head. When we got back to the chairs we sat down and ate lunch.
We were just about to play another game of horseshoes and my phone rang. It was Captain Dobey, he needed Starsky and me at the station. Starsky and I were always getting called in on our days off. We explained our situation to the girls. I was supposed to meet Layla for dinner and a movie later and Jackie had asked Starsky to come over to help her move some furniture around.
So we decided to invite the girls over to my house for dinner. Starsky and I would pick up take-out when we finished at work and bring it home to my house and we would call the girls when we were on our way home. They agreed and we jumped in Starsky's car and headed to work.
I drove to Hutch's place so we could change clothes. It was a good thing I had a change of clothes in the trunk of my car otherwise I would have had to stop at my place also. As we were driving to the station I asked Hutch what he thought of Jackie.
"She seems nice and she's really pretty. Do you like her?"
"Yes, I do, she's really easy to talk to and she likes a lot of the same things I do. We had a lot of time to get to know each other at the beach while you two were almost lost at sea. I think I am going to ask her out again."
Hutch said he was glad I was interested in someone. After my last relationship ended I decided to take a break from dating for a while. We were finally heading towards the precinct. I am assuming it was something really important since Captain Dobey wouldn't call us on our day off unless it was really necessary. Captain Dobey was retiring next year and Hutch and I were going to miss seeing him every day. As soon as we got into the squad room he summoned us to his office.
He explained that the lieutenant's daughter was assaulted this morning along with several other women that were attacked this past week. He was putting Hutch and me on this case because the Lieutenant and the Chief were breathing down his neck.
We grabbed the file and got to work. Our first stop was The Pits, to see if Huggy could shed some light on this case. Each woman had been pulled over by an unmarked police car, the fake police officer would ask the woman to get out of the car where he would restrain her and put her in the back of his car, and then assault her. He would then drop her off in an isolated area so he could get away before she was able to call the police.
Huggy wasn't able to tell us anything we didn't already know but something could come up later. What we did know was there was no connection between the victims. So we started with the part of the investigation that we knew well.
Hutch and I pretty much knew almost every isolated area in Bay City so we decided to start there. We consulted a map and marked where each victim was dropped off. Then we started with all the isolated areas not used by the suspect. We were driving near an abandoned warehouse and Hutch saw the car we were looking for. What are the chances we could have this case closed within the hour? I hoped so. I was looking forward to getting back to see Jackie. And I knew for a fact that Hutch was looking forward to his time with Layla. I parked the Torino across the street and Hutch and I proceeded to approach the car on foot. Hutch and I were on either side of the car and the suspect was in the backseat with a woman who was in handcuffs. Hutch tapped on the window and the suspect jumped out the other side right into me. He was handcuffed and taken into custody. The woman was scared but not hurt. We had gotten there just in time.
We went back to the precinct to book him and to tell Captain Dobey that we were able to close this case. He was thrilled that the case was solved and gave us Monday off for having to come in today. I called to order a couple of pizzas and a salad and Hutch called Layla to tell her we were leaving soon.
When Starsky and I got to my apartment the girls were there already. I had told Layla where to find the key. We spent the next few hours eating dinner, drinking wine, and watching a movie. Starsky and Jackie decided to go to her place around 8 pm. Even though I enjoyed their company I was glad to have some alone time with Layla. I refilled our wine glasses and we both sat on the couch. We talked a little about our past relationships and I told her about Gillian and what happened to her
She told me about her ex-husband and how he cheated on her every chance he got. We seemed to be able to talk about anything with each other. I had never told any of the girls I have dated anything about my relationship with Gillian. But I felt so comfortable with Layla that I wanted her to know everything about me. We continued to talk and then she thanked me again for saving her life this morning. I wanted to kiss her but I didn't want to rush things.
As if she read my mind she moved closer and kissed me. She stopped for a moment and looked up at me," I have been waiting to kiss you again all day." She then continued to kiss me. I couldn't get enough of her. She was an amazing kisser and smelled so good. I stopped kissing her, grabbed her hand, and led her to my bedroom.
I awoke to feel someone snuggled up against me. I almost forgot where I was. She is so beautiful and I was falling for her. It scared the heck out of me. Every time I fell for someone it never seemed to work out. Everything with Layla felt like it was meant to be. I just wish I could get over my fear of the relationship not working out. I got out of bed quietly to not wake her and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for us.
As I was cooking on the stove Layla came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. " Good morning babe."
" Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?"
"I haven't slept that good in years." I laughed and handed her a coffee mug. While we were eating she got a text from Jackie asking us to meet her and Starsky at the park at 11 am. She said Jackie had to tell her something important.
I put the dishes in the sink and said that I was going to take a quick shower, to which she replied," I'll join you so that we save time."
I turned to her and smiled," I don't think that will save time but it's a great idea." We finished our shower and got dressed to go meet Starsky and Jackie.
Jackie didn't even wait for Layla and me to get to the spot where she and Starsky were sitting. She ran up to Layla, "Guess what? Guess where I got transferred to?"
Layla answered excitedly, " Where?"
"To Bay City with all of you!"
" Oh wow, Jackie that's awesome! Who's your partner?"
"Sergeant Woods, Starsky said he is a good guy but he is retiring soon."
Layla told Jackie that she was really happy that they would be working in the same precinct. We spent the rest of the day at the park and then ended up at Starsky's place for dinner.
/VVVVV\
We had been dating for close to four months. She wasn't living with me but she spent more time at my apartment than her own. Starsky and Jackie were still dating too. I thought about telling Layla how I felt about her but every time I thought about it I came up with an excuse to put it off.
Starsky and I had a busy morning. We were on our regular beat when a call came in for us to assist Johnson and Edwards at an abandoned warehouse on Front Street. When we arrived there were several units on the scene. When we were getting out of the car Huggy called. So Starsky said he would meet me inside.
Huggy just called to give us some information we had asked him about earlier. I went to the front entrance of the warehouse and Starsky was coming out. As I asked him what was going on he put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me softly away from the entrance. I knew the look on his face. Something was wrong. "Starsky, what is it? What's wrong?"
"It looks like a mob hit on two sergeants."
I looked at him slightly confused, "Sergeants from our precinct?"
"Yes Hutch, it's Layla and Jimmy. Jimmy didn't make it but Layla is still alive. She is asking for you."
I was frozen and couldn't move. Starsky was shaking my shoulders and asking me if I was okay. I finally was able to respond and pushed past him to get inside to see Layla. When I got to where she was laying on the ground I saw Jackie kneeling next to her holding her hand and holding a shirt against the side of Layla's head to stop the bleeding. Jackie saw me approaching and stood up so that I could be near Layla. I took her hand and asked her if she could hear me and told her I was there.
She opened her eyes and looked at me briefly then squeezed my hand and said," Hutch, why can't I see you anymore?"
I told her that the bullet in her head was probably causing swelling near the optic nerve and that's why she can't see.
" I'm scared, Hutch."
"Don't be scared baby, I'm here, everything is going to be alright." I was trying to reassure her but I wasn't sure that it would be okay. Then she asked me the question that I knew was coming.
" How is Jimmy? Is he hurt bad?"
I didn't want to lie to her but I didn't want her to become hysterical in her condition either.
I told her that Jimmy was hurt very badly and the ambulance and paramedics were pulling in now.
She squeezed my hand and whispered," Hutch, I need to tell you something in case I don't get the chance. I love you."
I saw that the paramedics were coming so I told her that I would meet her at the hospital and that Jackie would go in the ambulance with her. I waved Jackie over who was speaking with the paramedics. I told her that I would meet them at the hospital. She looked at me oddly then quickly went to Layla's side.
I started to feel warm and dizzy. I scrambled to get out of the building and made it outside and went to the side of the building to catch my breath. Is she going to die? Every woman that I have been in love with either leaves me or dies. If I walk away now maybe she will be okay. While I was trying to get my thoughts together Starsky came over to ask me if I was okay. " I'm fine Starsky, let's get on with this case and get it solved."
He looked at me strangely, "Aren't you going to the hospital with Layla?"
I told him I would go later and walked away from him.
"Hutch, your girlfriend just got shot and could die, and you're not going to the hospital with her?"
He was right. I had to see if she was going to be okay. Once I knew if she would live I would walk away so she would be safe.
Starsky and I got to the hospital and found Jackie in the waiting room. Jackie said that Layla was in surgery and we wouldn't know anything until the surgery was finished.
Almost two hours later a doctor came out and asked for Jackie. He said that Layla was in the recovery room and they were able to remove the bullet. Although the surgery went well she may suffer some vision problems but they would not know anything for sure until the swelling came down.
Thank goodness she was going to be okay! I wanted to see her and hold her in my arms but I knew if I did I would never let her go. I told Starsky that we should go so we can check in with Johnson and Edwards and see if they have any leads that we could work on. He glared at me oddly and then went over to Jackie to speak to her. I started walking towards the elevator and Starsky caught up with me.
He looked directly at me and put his hand on my shoulder, "Hutch, are you sure you are okay? You are acting very strange."
"Starsky, I'm fine. But I don't want to talk about it. I need to let her go."
"What the hell are you talking about Hutch? Why would you let your soulmate go?"
"Starsky, I'm cursed. You know every girl I fall in love with either leave or dies. I love her enough to let her go."
"Hutch, that is ridiculous. Layla getting shot has nothing to do with your so-called curse. She's a cop. These things happen as you well know."
"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Starsky." I turned and continued walking to the car. I was hoping he would just let it go and he did. We met up with Johnson and Edwards and they already had a few suspects. Layla and Jimmy had been investigating a known crime boss named Sal Minetti in San Diego for years. Closing down most of his drug operations in that area. Word on the street was Minetti moved most of his business to the Bay City and the LA area. So Johnson and Edwards think that Minetti found out that Layla and Jimmy were coming to Bay City and thought they were coming here to shut down his newly set up operations.
After talking to several informants and following numerous leads we were pretty sure it was a mob hit from Sal Minetti. Now we just had to prove it. As Starsky and I went back through some of our recent drug busts we came up with a few that could be related to Minetti. Starsky got a call from Jackie and then asked me if I was going to go to the hospital to see Layla because she was asking for me. I told Starsky that I probably wasn't going to go up to the hospital today. I knew if I told him that I didn't plan on seeing Layla again he would start up again about how I was making the wrong choice.
A few days went by and we were able to arrest the hitman but we were unable to link him to Minetti. However, word on the street was that Minetti moved his business out of Bay City. We still kept security in Layla's hospital room until we knew for sure that there wasn't still a hit out on her.
I was just getting out of bed when I heard a knock on my door. I jumped up to get to the door and it was Jackie. She seemed upset but aggravated at the same time.
She didn't say anything, she just walked past me and then turned to face me. " What is going on? Why haven't you been to the hospital to see Layla? Are you just going to end it without telling her? She is very upset! You broke her heart!"
"I never meant to hurt her. Every time I get serious about someone it never ends well.
I need to let her go so she is safe.
"Hutch, this makes no sense. You are just afraid because she told you that she loves you. I know you love her too! Why are you throwing it all away? I know you're scared but she's a cop too and cops get shot sometimes. It's not your fault."
I looked at Jackie and realized she was right. I was being an idiot. Layla and I had something special and I was ruining it because of my fear of losing her. "You are right Jackie, I need to fix this. Thank you for coming by."
After she left I grabbed my jacket and drove to the hospital. When I walked into Layla's room she turned her head towards me and asked," What are you doing here?"
I told her that I was sorry I hadn't been here for the last few days and that I missed her. I told her I got scared about losing her so I had thought it would be safer for her if I just walked away. "I know it sounds silly but I have this intense fear of losing people I care about."
"You left me when I needed you the most. How could you do that? Are you sure the reason you didn't come here was that I told you I loved you after I was shot? Maybe you just don't want the commitment. Or maybe you just don't want to deal with your true feelings."
" Layla, you mean a lot to me. I'm so sorry I haven't been here. I wanted to. You have to believe me."
"Hutch, I think you should go. We don't have the same feelings for each other so I think we should part ways now."
"Layla please, I don't want this to end."
"I'm sorry Hutch, please go."
I left the room and walked towards the elevator. I couldn't believe that I managed to ruin the best relationship I have ever had. I needed to fix this but how? I drove to Starsky's hoping he could give me some advice.
When Starsky opened the door he could tell right away that something was wrong. I told him that he was right that I had screwed everything up and that Layla was upset and broke up with me.
I told him what she said and he asked," Did you tell her that you love her? She wanted to know your true feelings for her. Did you tell her?"
"No, I didn't, I'm not sure why though.
"What are your feelings for her?
"Come on Starsk, this is silly."
"I'm serious, pretend I'm Layla and tell me."
"I love her. I've never loved anyone as much as I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I would marry her tomorrow."
"That's more like it! You need to tell her. She said she wants to know your true feelings. If you want her back you need to tell her the truth."
"Ok, but I will leave out the marriage part. She will think I'm crazy. We have only been dating for four months."
"I think you should just tell her how you feel, even the marriage part."
/VVVVV\
I thanked him for the advice and went back to my place to change before going back to the hospital. I stopped on my way for flowers and at the jewelry store. I had thought a lot about what I was going to say and I decided that Starsky was right. I should just tell her what I was feeling in my heart. I walked into her room and before she could say anything I told her I just wanted to talk to her and if afterward she still wanted me to leave then I would.
I took a deep breath and began." Layla, I'm so sorry that I didn't stay with you. I was just so scared of losing you I ran away. I know it doesn't make sense. You said you wanted to know my true feelings. I love you. I have for some time now. I have never felt this way about anyone else. I'm in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know we have only been together for four months but I already know that you are the one for me. I'm so sorry I was too afraid to tell you any of this before. If you give me another chance I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you." I then pulled the diamond ring out of my pocket, got down on one knee by her bedside, and asked her to marry me.
She looked shocked and asked," Are you sure?"
I responded."I have never been more sure of anything than I am at this moment."
She let me place the ring on her finger then looked up at me with tears in her eyes." Yes, I will marry you. I love you so much. The ring is beautiful. Thank you."
I sat on the edge of the bed and took her in my arms. It felt so good to hold her again. I apologized to her again for leaving her at the hospital by herself. I told her I had been in constant contact with Jackie to ask how she was doing.
She said that she forgave me but I still felt bad. She said she asked the doctor if she could go home tomorrow so that she wouldn't miss Jimmy's funeral. I asked her if she wanted to stay at my place so she wouldn't be alone. And I would take her to the funeral.
She agreed and asked," Are you sure you don't mind?
"Of course not. Besides, I haven't slept since you've been shot. I don't think I can sleep without you anymore. I may have to sleep in this chair tonight just so I get some sleep."
She gave me a quick kiss and hugged me tightly. " I missed you so much. Let's always be honest with one another. If something is bothering one of us we need to tell each other. Promise me you'll do this."
"I promise. And I promise to never walk away from you again. I love you with all my heart."
She smiled at me," I think I like this soapy side of you."
I stayed for a while until Starsky came looking for me. He came bouncing into Layla's room telling me that Captain Dobey was asking where I was and that he was covering for me. I told him that I would leave in a few minutes and meet him back at the station.
Starsky walked over to Layla, kissed her on the cheek, and asked her how she was feeling. I could see that he was staring at her left hand where the new engagement ring sat on her finger. Then he asked her," Did you get engaged? Did you say yes?
She smiled at Starsky and said, "Yes, of course."
He smiled at both of us and said," Congratulations you two! I'm so happy for both of you! Layla, did you call Jackie and tell her yet?"
"No, not yet. So please don't tell her if you see her before I can get in touch with her."
"Ok, I won't. Hutch, you are coming to the station now?"
"Yes, Starsky I'll be on my way in a few minutes. I promise."
"Layla, congratulations again. Feel better. I will see you soon."
Starsky left and I walked over to Layla's bedside so I could kiss her goodbye. I told her that I would be back after work. "I love you, baby, get some rest."
"I love you too. I'll see you later. Be careful."
I walked into the squad room and Starsky was waiting for me. We grabbed our files and started planning the rest of our workday. We were off the next two days so we had to tie up any loose ends. I was surprised Captain Dobey didn't say anything to me about being late. I guess Starsky made up a good excuse for me. At the end of our shift, Starsky asked me if I wanted to get a bite to eat with him and Jackie. I told him I just wanted to go back to the hospital and be with Layla. I decided I would stop and get food for Layla and me on my way to the hospital. I haven't slept in days. I just wanted to sit next to her and maybe get a few hours of sleep. I got back to the hospital and Layla was laying down with the lights off and she had an oxygen tube in her nose. The nurse saw me walk in and came over to tell me that Layla was having severe migraines and they were giving her meds and oxygen to try and help with the pain. She was asleep so I ate my dinner and then moved the chair near her bedside. I took her hand in mine, leaned back, and tried to get some sleep.
Two hours later I woke up to Layla talking to a nurse.
She glanced over at me," I'm sorry If I woke you."
" How are you feeling?"
"My headache is finally gone. I have had a headache most of the day."
"Maybe it isn't a good idea if you leave tomorrow."
" I need to be at Jimmy's funeral. Besides, the doctor said there isn't much they can do for the headaches except send me home with medicine."
I was not changing her mind about coming home tomorrow. I was hoping she would be okay and that the headaches would subside. I made sure she ate something, kissed her goodbye, and headed home to hopefully get some sleep.
I was able to get about five hours of sleep. I jumped in the shower, got dressed, and headed out to the hospital to pick up Layla. I couldn't wait to have her home with me. When I arrived she was dressed and ready to go. She was just waiting for her discharge papers. While we were waiting I ran downstairs with her duffle bag and other stuff she was taking home and put it in my car. I parked the car by the entrance and went back up to get her. She was ready by the time I got back up to her room. The doctor previously suggested renting a wheelchair because of her dizziness so I did that before I drove over to the hospital. We got back to my place and Layla insisted on trying to walk up the stairs. She made it up about three stairs before almost falling backward. I caught her and then scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way up. I put her down to open the door and then picked her up again and placed her gently on the couch.
She looked at me slightly agitated," I can walk by myself."
"I know you don't like being the damsel in distress but you almost fell on the stairs. Please just let me help you for a few days or until you are feeling better."
"I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated not being able to do things on my own."
"I know baby, but you have to be patient. I'm sure you will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, I need to make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself ."
Layla spent most of the day resting and I tried to straighten up my apartment. I also made dinner for later. When Layla finally woke up we had dinner then watched a movie. We went to bed early since we had to get up early to drive to San Diego for Jimmy's funeral.
We were in the car by 7 am. Layla was quiet and didn't even object when I carried her down the stairs this morning. I could tell she was not feeling well but I was sure she wasn't going to say anything. Starsky and Jackie were meeting us there along with Captain Dobey and several other officers from our precinct.
When we arrived at the cemetery for the service I parked the car and went to the trunk to get the wheelchair out. Layla looked at me when I opened her door and brought the wheelchair over."I would like to walk."
"It's a far walk on uneven ground. I think it would be safer if you let me push you in the wheelchair."
"Does it always have to be your way?"
"Layla, I'm just concerned you will get dizzy and fall."
"Whatever, Hutch."
I decided I wasn't going to say anything else. She was not feeling well and I needed to get her through this funeral and then home so she could rest. She reluctantly got into the wheelchair and I wheeled her over to where the chairs were set up for the service. We were a little early so there weren't that many people present yet.
A very attractive blond-haired woman came over to us and bent down to hug Layla. She then introduced herself to me. "You must be Hutch. I'm Cheryl Masters, Jimmy's wife."
"Very nice to meet you, Cheryl. I am so sorry for your loss."
"Thank you. I wish I had the chance to meet everyone at the Bay City precinct but I stayed in San Diego trying to sell our home. Jimmy liked working with all of you."
Layla asked her how the kids were doing and asked if she needed anything.
Cheryl seemed concerned for Layla and kept asking her if she was feeling alright.
The kids came running over yelling, "Aunt Layla is here!" And jumped in her lap.
As Layla was fussing over the kids Cheryl moved towards me and whispered," Is Layla okay? She does not look good. I told her she didn't have to come if she wasn't feeling well."
" She was adamant about coming so there was no way I could talk her out of it no matter how bad she was feeling. She is getting severe migraines from the injury. The doctor is hoping once the swelling goes down they will subside."
"I'm really worried about her. Thank you for taking care of her. I know she loves you very much.'
"She will be okay. And I know Layla is very worried about you and the kids. If you need anything please let us know."
"Thank you, I appreciate it. I will talk to both of you later."
Cheryl gathered the kids and went to sit in the front row of chairs waiting for the service to start.
Starsky and Jackie came over to sit next to us. Layla hadn't said a word to me since we got out of the car.
Starsky leaned towards me," Is Layla alright? She doesn't look good. She is very pale."
"She is probably having one of her headaches but doesn't want to tell me. She isn't speaking to me since I insisted she sit in the wheelchair."
Jackie finally came over and sat on the other side of Starsky. She leaned over towards me making sure Layla didn't see her and then spoke quietly, "Hutch, Layla does not look good. She says she's fine but she looks like she is close to passing out. Can you talk to her?"
"I can try but she is annoyed with me because I made her use the wheelchair."
I got up and wheeled her away from the chairs. She looked at me confused. "Layla, why aren't you telling me that you feel sick? You are very pale and you look like you are going to pass out any minute."
"I just want to make it through the service. Please!"
I stood up and asked her where her medicine was. She told me it was in the car so I walked over to get it for her. She took the pill from me and swallowed it. I told her to let me know if she needed to leave at any time during the service and then I sat down next to her.
About an hour later the service was close to being over. Layla leaned over and put her hand on my leg," We need to leave now, I'm going to be sick."
I got up quickly and whispered to Starsky that we have to leave because Layla was sick. Just as we got to the car she started to vomit. I grabbed tissues from the car and handed them to her. I also opened the car door and leaned the seat back all the way so when she did get in she could lay down. I had a thermos of water in the car so I poured some cold water on a cloth and placed it on her forehead.
Starsky must have told Jackie why we left because she was running towards my car to help with Layla. She was helping Layla clean up and then she helped her into the car. I thanked Jackie for the help and told her I was heading home now. She was lying back in the seat and not saying much. We were finally about ten minutes from Bay City when I realized she was barely moving and had raspy breathing. I managed to check her pulse while I was driving and it was rapid. I was pretty sure she had passed out. I drove straight to the hospital.
Once Layla was taken into the ER I called Starsky and Jackie to tell them what had happened. They said they were leaving San Diego now and would meet us at the hospital. The doctor finally came out to tell me that they had done another cat scan and they were sure that the damaged optic nerve was causing the headaches and severe pain. They were giving her anti-inflammatory drugs to get some of the swelling down and strong pain medicine. She was also on IV fluids because she had become dehydrated. He said she was conscious and asked for me. He also said the ophthalmologist would be in to see Layla and discuss surgery. I thanked the doctor and hurried down the hall to Layla's room.
As soon as I entered the room she opened her eyes. I walked over to her bedside and squeezed her hand," Hey beautiful. How are you feeling? Any better?"
"I'm okay. The pain isn't as bad as it was. I'm so sorry for being so much trouble today. I'm also sorry for being snippy with you this morning. I was in a lot of pain and I should have told you."
"It's okay. I'm just glad you are okay and feeling better. You had me worried. The doctor said that the eye surgeon will be in to talk to you in a bit."
"I guess I will be having surgery because I can't deal with the pain anymore. Plus I need my full vision to return to my left eye or I will be stuck on desk duty."
Jackie walked into the room and said," Starsky is downstairs waiting for you. Captain Dobey just called you both into work. I'll stay with Layla until you get back."
"Thank you, Jackie. Layla, get some rest and I will be back as soon as I can. I love you." I kissed her on the forehead and left. I left my car at the hospital and got into Starsky's car.
Starsky and I were heading to a warehouse where one of our informants, Mickey, had told us of a drug deal going on. As we were approaching the warehouse I started to get a bad feeling. And then an image of Gillian flashed in my head with the words," Be Careful." I told Starsky about it and told him that we should be wearing our bulletproof vests just to be safe. Starsky protested at first but then gave in. I took the front door of the warehouse and Starsky took the back. As soon as I entered the gunfire started. I was hit twice in the chest and once in the forearm. I tried not to move and hoped they would think I was down and stop shooting. The pain was intense and I started to see black and that is all I remember until Starsky was by my side talking to me. He was trying to figure out where I was shot. I sat up quickly which caused a lot of pain. I told him that I took two bullets to the chest but the vest caught them. I did have a bullet lodged in my forearm. Starsky had blood on his shirt near his shoulder." Were you shot Starsky?"
"Yeah, it's just a flesh wound though. Backup is on the way. Let's get you out of here. Can you walk?"
"I'm fine. Let's go." We walked out of the warehouse just as Captain Dobey and backup were pulling up. The ambulance and coroner were also approaching. Dobey insisted that I go to the hospital so Starsky said he would drive me there since he needed his wound cleaned up also. Before we left we talked to Johnson and Edwards and tried to come up with some leads to find out who planned the ambush. They were going to follow up on some of the leads while we went to the hospital. After visiting the ER I had a fractured rib and five stitches in my arm after the doctor removed the bullet. Starsky wanted to go back to work so he suggested that I stay with Layla and he would take Jackie with him since I was having trouble moving around.
"We better go upstairs to Layla's room. I'm sure they already heard about the ambush from Jackie's partner. Are you sure you are feeling okay, partner?"
"I'll live. Hey, do you think Minetti was behind the ambush? He can't get to Layla so he is going after me."
"Anything is possible, Hutch. We will check it out."
As soon as we walked into Layla's room Jackie ran to Starsky and hugged him. He hugged her back but had a surprised expression on his face.
Jackie looked into his eyes," Are you okay? What happened? I was so worried about you!"
"I'm okay. I just got a flesh wound from a ricocheted bullet. Hutch is the one who was shot three times. Thank god he was wearing a vest."
I walked over to Layla's bedside and she reached for my hand. "Hutch, I was so worried about you. Are you sure you are okay?
"I'm okay. I have a fractured rib and some stitches but I'll live. Do you think Minetti is behind the ambush? You know him better than I do. Would he go after me to get to you?"
"It's possible. He's ruthless. And I'm sure he is really angry that he didn't kill me. Even though he left town he could still be ordering a hit. Hutch, I'm so sorry you were hurt because of me."
"Layla, this is not your fault. We will find out if Minetti is behind this and if he is we will get him."
Starsky asked Jackie if she would go work some leads with him. She agreed and they left. The pain was starting to get bad so I took some of the pain medicine that I had gotten in the ER.
Layla looked at me and asked," You never wear a vest. Why today?"
I wasn't sure how to answer. Should I tell her the truth? It was almost like she could read my mind. I figured I should be honest with her and just tell her about my vision of Gillian. I would never want Layla to feel that I was hiding anything from her. I told her all about the vision of Gillian and how I had the feeling I was in danger so I wore the vest.
"I'm so glad Gillian sent you a message. The vest saved your life. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I've always said that I would never rely on a man again. But I can't help myself. I need you like you are part of my soul. I love you so much."
"Let's hope you never have to find out. You are a strong woman and I respect you. I find myself needing you also. Starsky was right from the very beginning, you are my soulmate. I love you." I leaned over the bed and kissed her softly on the lips. "Dobey gave me the day off tomorrow so I will stay with you tonight if it's okay with you."
"Of course, it's okay with me. You should get some rest. You look really tired."
We talked for a few more minutes and I must have fallen asleep because I woke to a nurse talking to Layla and getting her ready for surgery. After the nurse left I told Layla I would be here when she got back from surgery. I kissed her and told her I love her. I walked down to the parking lot to get my car and then headed to the station to see if Starsky had found out any new information.
/VVVVV\
Jackie and I had been working all night. At least we found some leads on Minetti but nothing that links him to the ambush yesterday. Jackie had been acting a little strange since last night. She was extremely upset about Hutch and I getting shot at last night. After she and I left the hospital last night she said she had something she wanted to talk to me about but she still hadn't brought it up yet. We were on our way back to the precinct so I decided to ask her."What did you want to talk to me about last night?"
"Oh, it was nothing. I guess I was just worried about what happened to you and Hutch."
"So you have nothing you want to talk to me about? Come on Jackie, if something is going on you should let me know." I glanced over at her and she looked nervous. I pulled the car over so I could talk to her."Jackie, you look upset. Whatever is going on you can tell me. You can tell me
anything."
"I wanted to explain why I was so upset when you came to the hospital after you and Hutch got shot. It made me think of the day that my husband was shot and killed during a domestic violence call. I guess what I'm trying to say is I care about you and I don't think I can handle losing someone I love again. I never thought I could fall in love again but I did with you. I wanted to tell you how I feel about you. I know you didn't want a serious relationship so I'll understand if you want to slow things down. I just wanted to be honest with you."
"Jackie, I love you too. I was afraid to say anything because I knew you wanted to take things slow. I never thought I would be able to love again after I lost Terry. You are an amazing woman. I fall in love with you more and more each day." She leaned over and kissed me. We talked for a few more minutes then started driving again towards the precinct. I had to admit that I felt better getting my feelings for Jackie out in the open. I was also glad that she felt the same way about me.
We walked into the squad room and Hutch was at his desk. "What are you doing here Hutch? I thought you were staying with Layla."
"She's in surgery now. I figured I would get some paperwork done before I have to go back."
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sore. Were you able to link Minetti to the ambush?"
"No, we weren't able to link him yet but we are still waiting on the identity of the two guys I shot in the warehouse. But we just found out that the FBI is about to take this case over. They have had surveillance on Minetti and his business dealings for a while."
I told Starsky that I was going back to the hospital to check on Layla and would check in with him later. When I got up to her room the nurse said that she was out of surgery and in recovery. She would be back up to her room in a few minutes. As I was waiting the eye surgeon came up to tell me that the surgery went well and that he wanted to see Layla in his office in two days to take the bandages off. She was awake when they wheeled her back into her room.
"Hey beautiful, how are you feeling?"
"You're here.!"
"Of course, I'm here. Where else would I be? The doctor said that the surgery went well."
"I hope so. I can't deal with that pain anymore."
/VVVVV\
A day later Layla was released from the hospital. She still had her eye bandaged and was supposed to keep it on till she saw the doctor at his office in a few days. We went back to my apartment. I made lunch and put a movie on for her hoping she would rest. She seemed okay but she had a little dizziness when she would stand up. We spent the day relaxing. I wanted to go into the precinct and work on some leads from the ambush but I didn't want to leave Layla alone. Starsky and Jackie came over and brought pizza for dinner. Starsky and I were able to talk about any leads he had come up with. After they left I helped Layla walk to the bedroom. I made sure all the doors were locked and everything was shut off.
I woke up to a loud thud coming from somewhere outside my bedroom. Layla must have heard it also because she jumped up in bed. I told her to stay there and I grabbed my gun and started to walk out of the bedroom shutting the door behind me. Immediately I was hit on the head from behind and everything went black. When I woke up I was tied to one of my kitchen chairs with a guy standing in front of me.
He looked at me and asked," Where is that beautiful girlfriend of yours?"
He must have thought Layla wasn't here since her car was left at her apartment. I told him that I had no idea where Layla was. He didn't like my answer and hit me again making me see black once again.
I woke up again to Layla shouting," Drop the gun now!" I realized he had the gun pointed at me and as soon as she spoke to him he pointed the gun at her. She immediately fired two shots and he fell to the floor. That's all I remember as I fell back into unconsciousness.
/VVVVV\
I ran towards the perpetrator to retrieve the gun and to see if he was still alive. He wasn't breathing. I grabbed the phone to call the police and ambulance then went to Hutch's side. He was unconscious and bleeding profusely from his head. I started to panic and was finding it hard to breathe. I took a few seconds to count to myself and get it together. I would be no help to Hutch if I fell apart now. Being a cop, I was always calm in any stressful situation but seeing the love of my life hurt threw me into a panic. I grabbed some towels and washcloths and then cut him loose from the chair and gently laid him on the floor resting his head in my lap. I applied pressure to his head wounds to try and stop the bleeding. I grabbed the cord of the phone to drag it toward me and dialed Starsky's number.
Jackie answered in a groggy voice," Hello?"
"Jackie, it's Layla. Someone broke into Hutch's apartment. I shot the intruder but Hutch is hurt. Can you both come here? They are not going to let me leave without giving a statement and I don't want Hutch to be alone in the ambulance.
"We will be right there. Are you okay?"
"Yes, but I'm worried about Hutch."
Starsky and Jackie made it here in five minutes even beating the ambulance and other police. Starsky came over to Hutch right away and was trying to get him to wake up. He said he would go in the ambulance with Hutch and Jackie would stay with me and then would drive me to the hospital. The ambulance finally arrived and they made me move away from him. Johnson and Edwards walked in and started taking my statement. The ambulance was just leaving when Captain Dobey walked in. I gave him a statement also and then asked him if I could leave to be with Hutch. He told Jackie and me that we could go and he would lock up after the investigation was done.
Jackie and I headed towards the hospital. While she was driving her cell phone rang. She handed it to me to answer.
"Jackie?
"No, it's Layla."
"Layla, Hutch woke up in the ambulance. The nurse just took him in for a CT scan. I will meet you both in the waiting room."
"Thank you for calling. We are on our way."
By the time Jackie and I made it to the hospital Hutch was back in an ER room. He was awake and alert. I went to stand by his bedside.
He turned towards me," Hey baby, I was so worried about you. Are you okay?"
I laughed," You are the one lying in a hospital bed and you're asking me if I'm okay? I'm fine. Turns out I'm a pretty good shot even with only one eye."
"That's my girl. You saved my life. Thank you"
"Please don't thank me since this is all my fault. You could have been killed because of me."
"This is not your fault Layla. You are not responsible for what Minetti does."
"I know but I'm the one he is trying to kill. And because we are together now he is after you as well."
Captain Dobey walked into the room." How are you feeling Hutch?"
"I'm okay Captain. Just some stitches and a concussion."
"I just finished talking with the FBI. They are taking over this case but they need some cooperation from you and Layla."
Layla and I answered at the same time, "What do they need from us?"
"They need both of you to lay low for a few weeks so they can gather more evidence on Minetti. There are several hits out on both of you according to an FBI informant. So what this means is the two of you need to get out of town. They will be giving you fake identification and will send a security detail to wherever you two want to go. So pretend it's a vacation and pick somewhere to go. Also, Layla, your father dropped this off for you."
Captain Dobey handed me a large manilla envelope with my name written across it. I hadn't talked to my Father in over two years. We had a falling out because he had sided with my ex-husband during an argument before my divorce was finalized. And then he was overseas doing some surveillance for the FBI. I opened the envelope and there was a short note saying that he was sorry and he had heard through my sister Janice that I had been shot and that I had gotten engaged. He said that he would be in contact with me to set up some time so we could talk. Also in the envelope was a packet from a travel agency with a note that said he purchased a honeymoon for us. It was a two-week trip to Hawaii with hotel and airfare included.
I turned to Hutch and said," I guess we are going to Hawaii. We can just go on the honeymoon before the wedding." Captain Dobey said he would tell the FBI our plans. He also said they were putting security in Hutch's room until he was discharged.
Two days later Hutch was released from the hospital and we were looking forward to our planned vacation. We thought about getting married in Hawaii but we wanted our friends and family with us so we decided to wait till we got back from our trip. Before we headed to the airport I had an appointment with the eye surgeon. He took off the bandages and tested my vision which was close to perfect. Thank god the surgery fixed the optic nerve and I was finally free of pain in addition to having my complete vision restored.
Starsky and Jackie wanted to drop us off at the airport but the FBI had a car drop us off and had their security detail come with us.
/VVVVV\
I couldn't believe we were in Hawaii. I hadn't taken a real vacation in years. The only vacation I ever took was to occasionally go to Minnesota to see my sister and parents. And some weekend trips with Starsky to Dobey's cabin and to the east coast to visit Starsky's Mom.
Layla and I checked into the hotel and went straight to our room to change and go to the beach.
Her Father had good taste. The hotel was amazing and right on the beach. I was in the sitting area waiting for Layla to finish getting ready for the beach. She walked out in a blue string bikini looking amazing as usual. I started to wonder why this beautiful, smart, confident woman chose me to love. But I knew for a fact no other man could ever love her more than I do. " You know, if you wear that bikini on the beach you will have all the guys looking at you and wondering why you are with me."
" Oh stop. I will be with the hottest guy on the beach."
" Maybe with the hottest old guy."
"You are not old."
"I'm five years older than you and almost in my mid-forties."
"What can I say, I like old guys."
"Very funny, Come here." I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her.
She kissed me back and then stopped and looked into my eyes." You never have to worry about another guy. I only want you. Always."
I put my hands on her face and gently pulled her close and kissed her again. I had a feeling we weren't going to the beach anytime soon.
We finally made it to the beach and decided to do some snorkeling and then some jet skiing.
We spent the next few days sightseeing, swimming, playing tennis, and taking a few boat trips. It was nice to relax and not have to worry about someone trying to kill us. Although I let my guard down a little, I was still always surveying our surroundings. I could tell that Layla was doing the same.
A few days later Captain Dobey called to tell us that Minetti had been arrested by the FBI after they found all the evidence they needed. Layla and I were safe now and could come home at any time. We still had another week and a half at the hotel so we decided we would stay since the Captain was fine with it.
The next morning we were in our suite having breakfast on our sundeck overlooking the ocean.
We heard a knock on our hotel door and I got up to see who was there. It was Starsky and Jackie. They had flown down to surprise us and to tell us that they invited our close friends and family to come down. Jackie, Starsky, Captain Dobey, and Edith had set up a wedding for us at the hotel. We were surprised and thought it was a great idea.
Jackie and I shopped for dresses and picked out flowers while the guys played a round of golf. And then later the four of us did some sightseeing. We had a great time spending the next few days together. The next day Captain Dobey and his wife Edith arrived along with Huggy Bear and his wife Dianne, my sister Janice, her husband Mike, and my Dad. A few hours later Hutch's sister Laura and her husband Pete arrived. Hutch seemed annoyed after his sister gave him an excuse from his parents as to why they couldn't come. He then told me he wasn't surprised his parents couldn't make it. I know Hutch wanted his Mother here. Unfortunately, most of our friends from the precinct couldn't attend since they were short-handed with five of us off at the same time. We all met up for dinner and set up plans for tomorrow. The guys were all going to play golf and the women were all going to the spa. And then we would all meet up for a dinner cruise.
Layla and I went back to our room after having dinner and drinks with everyone. I started to feel overwhelmed by the upcoming wedding. It had nothing to do with Layla because I knew she was the one for me. It was the idea of being married again and the fear of one of us changing after the wedding. When I married Vanessa and decided to go into the police academy instead of finishing medical school she started changing. She spent more time with her friends and started spending a lot of money on clothes, and shoes. I would talk to her about our finances and how it was hard to pay our bills when she was constantly taking money out of our account. We started arguing about finances all the time along with how many hours I was working as a cop. I know Layla was nothing like Vanessa but I still had a fear that things would change after the wedding.
As if Layla could read my mind she asked, " Is something bothering you? You are very quiet all of a sudden. Are you having second thoughts about marrying me?"
"Of course not. I love you."
"You could love me but not want to marry me."
"I do want to marry you. I was just thinking of my past marriage and was getting cold feet. I know you are nothing like her. It's just nerves I guess."
Layla put her arms around my neck and pulled me close."I promise I will love you whether you are a cop or a cashier. I love you no matter what you do. Forever and always." She kissed me and then pulled me into a hug.
" Thank you, I love you too."
" Since we are sharing our thoughts before the wedding there is something I need to tell you."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I'm just going to blurt it out because I'm not sure how to tell you."
"Layla, you are making me nervous. Please just tell me."
"Okay, here goes. I'm pregnant! I'm not sure how I got pregnant. I mean I know how I got pregnant but I was on birth control. I understand if you are upset. I know you said you didn't want children."
"Wow, are you sure?"
"Pretty sure. I took a test with Jackie this afternoon. I will have to go to my regular doctor when we get home."
"You took a test with Jackie? Is she pregnant too?"
"Yes, but I wasn't supposed to say anything. I'm sorry but I wanted to tell you before the wedding in case you want to change your mind about marrying me. I don't want you to feel trapped."
"Why do you think that I didn't want children? I just said that I never imagined myself married with kids because I'm already in my mid-forties and had never found that special someone to love and have a family with until you."
"Tell me how you are feeling about the baby?"
"Shocked, surprised, and a little overwhelmed. But I love you and I think this baby is a gift and a blessing. It's going to be hard raising a child with our jobs but we can do this."
"So you still want to marry me the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes, of course, I want to marry you". I winked at her, "A baby just sweetens the deal."
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me softly, "I love you so much."
We went into the bedroom to get ready for bed and I started to think about Jackie being pregnant also. " Does Starsky know that Jackie is pregnant yet?"
"She said she was going to tell him tonight. She was nervous about telling him."
" He will be shocked but I know he will be happy. He has always said that he wanted kids."
/VVVVV\
I walked into the bedroom area to get to my suitcase and Jackie was sitting on the bed crying. I walked over to her, sat down beside her, and put my arm around her." What's the matter, sweetheart? Why are you upset?
She looked up at me, "I need to tell you something."
"You can tell me anything. Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I'm pregnant. I was on birth control but somehow I'm pregnant."
"Wow, that's amazing! Why are you crying? You don't want the baby?"
" I do but we both wanted to take it slow and I was afraid you would be upset."
"I'm not upset. Everything happens for a reason. Besides, I think that you and I have been stuck in the past and we are afraid to truly move on. You are still feeling guilty about moving on from Doug and I was hesitant from moving on from Terry. But they both have passed on and we both deserve to be happy. They would both want us to move on and be happy. We are having a baby so let's take a step forward in our relationship. I think we should move in together. What do you think?"
" I think that's a great idea. I love you."
" I love you too. I can't believe we are having a baby. I've always wanted a kid but I thought it would never happen since I never really let any of my relationships work out since being with Terry."
" I can't wait to tell Hutch!"
" Well, you two will have a lot to talk about since Layla is pregnant too! She should be telling Hutch tonight also."
"Really? Do you think he is still awake? I can't wait to talk to him! Our kids will grow up together and be best friends like us."
" Why don't you go see if he's awake so you guys can talk."
"You sure you don't mind if I leave for a bit?"
"No, of course not. I'm really tired so I'm going to go to sleep."
"Okay sweetheart, I will be right back. Love you."
"Love you too."
/VVVVV\
I walked out to the kitchen area to get a glass of water and there was a knock on the door. I looked through the peephole and saw Starsky standing outside.
"Hey Starsk, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?"
"I just found out that Jackie and I are having a baby! And I heard you and Layla are too! Congratulations!"
"Thanks! Congratulations to you and Jackie. I can't believe we are both having babies. Let's have a beer together on the deck." We both walked out to the deck after I grabbed beers from the refrigerator. I ran back to the bedroom to let Layla know that I was having a beer with Starsky.
After taking a seat on the deck I looked at Starsky and asked, " So, are you going to ask Jackie to marry you?"
"Not yet. I don't think she's ready for that. But I did ask her to move in with me."
"That's great Starsk! I can't believe I'm getting married the day after tomorrow and we are both having babies!"
"I was sure that both of us would be single forever. But then your soulmate walked into the precinct and the rest is history."
"Is Jackie your soulmate?"
"I believe she is. But it's complicated. I know that Terry was my soulmate and Doug was Jackie's soulmate. It's extremely rare to find a second soulmate. We both are lucky to have found each other. I think that is why we were reluctant to move too fast. We were both stuck in the past but I think moving in together is a step in the right direction for us."
" I'm glad you and Jackie found each other. I think she is your soulmate too! Did you have an instant connection the first time you saw her as I did with Layla?"
"Yes, but I think we were both holding back because of our past relationships."
" I'm glad we both found the women of our dreams and we are both having a baby!"
" Yep, we are lucky guys! Well, I better get back to my room. We have to get up early for golf. Thanks for the beer. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay Starsk, see you tomorrow. Good night."
When I got back to the bedroom Layla was laying in bed. "Are you having trouble falling asleep?"
"No, I'm just waiting for you. You know I have a hard time sleeping without you. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow night when you stay over at Starsky's room."
"Well, we could just say that we don't believe the superstition that it's bad luck to see the bride the day of the wedding and I could just sleep here."
" I guess we should just go along with it but I may look terrible due to lack of sleep."
"Impossible, you are always beautiful." I sat on the bed, leaned over, and wrapped her in my arms.
She looked up at me."Are you sure you are okay with getting married the day after tomorrow? I know we are moving fast and I don't want you to feel pressured."
"I don't feel pressured. I want to marry you. Are you having second thoughts? Do you want to put the wedding off for a bit?"
" No, I'm ready. I just don't want you to feel pressured to marry me because of the baby."
" Baby, I wanted to marry you long before I knew we were having a baby." She kissed me and hugged me tightly.
When we woke up in the morning we both got ready for the day. Layla was going shopping and having a spa day and Starsky, me, and the guys were going to play golf and then have lunch. Then we would all meet up later for a dinner cruise.
After golfing, the guys and I took Hutch to a bar for lunch and some drinks. Okay, it was more like a go-go bar but they did serve food. Hutch didn't seem all that thrilled with my lunch choice but he was being a good sport so far. Everyone deserves a traditional bachelor party. Huggy and I chipped in to get Hutch a lap dance but he declined and passed it on to Layla's dad. I guess it is a bit weird to get a lap dance in front of your father-in-law. After a few beers, we made it back to the hotel to have a few beers at the beach bar. Layla's dad, Pete, and Mike all went back to their rooms for a nap before dinner. Captain Dobey, Huggy, Hutch, and I stayed at the beach bar for a few hours before we headed back to our rooms for showers before the dinner cruise. Hutch and I walked back to our rooms together since they were in the same area. As we were walking I asked Hutch if he was nervous about tomorrow.
" A little bit but not because of the commitment. I guess I'm just nervous about it being different between Layla and me after we get married. I know I'm just being paranoid because of what happened with Vanessa. She changed after we got married."
" I don't think you have to worry about Layla changing. She is nothing like Vanessa."
"I know. And I know that Layla is my soulmate and we are meant to be together."
"So you finally agree with my soulmate theory?"
"Yes, I do. We are lucky guys. You found your soulmate too!"
"Yes, Jackie is quite a lady. I never thought I would find someone like her after Terry."
"I'm glad you two are so happy together."
"Thanks. Well, this is my room. See you on the dinner cruise."
"See ya later pal."
When I got back to the room Layla was back from her day with the ladies and about to take a shower. I made sure I told her about the go-go bar Starsky took us to. She didn't seem phased by it at all.
"Did you have fun? Did you get a lap dance?"
"Starsky and Huggy did get me one but I gave it to your father instead."
"I bet he loved it. You could have accepted the lap dance. It doesn't bother me at all."
"I felt that it was disrespectful in front of your father. Besides, it really isn't my thing anyway."
"Oh come on, you mean to tell me you wouldn't want a half-naked woman dancing and sitting on your lap?"
" Only if it's you."
"Mr. Hutchinson, that is the right answer. So instead of a lap dance, you get to shower with me."
"I'll take that option any day."
We finished our shower and got dressed to go out. Layla was dressed in an off-white knit sleeveless dress that showed off her beautiful tan and amazing body. She was stunning.
We headed over to the dock to wait to board the boat for the dinner cruise. After the cruise was over some of us stopped at the beach bar for a drink before we went back to our rooms for the night. Layla and I decided to be traditional and not room together the night before the wedding.
"Goodnight, beautiful. I will see you on the beach for the wedding tomorrow morning. Try to get some sleep tonight. I love you."
" I can't believe I get to marry the man of my dreams tomorrow. I love you. See you tomorrow."
I walked back to Starsky's room and found him drinking a beer on the balcony. I grabbed one for myself and joined him.
"Hey, buddy all ready for tomorrow? Are you still nervous?"
"I'm ready. No, I'm not nervous anymore. I'm marrying the woman of my dreams tomorrow. Why should I be nervous?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, anything."
"I want to ask Jackie to marry me but I only asked her to move in with me. Do you think I should ask her or wait? I mean I didn't ask her because she seemed like she wanted to move slowly but I'm regretting not asking her."
"Then ask her."
"What if she says no?"
"She wouldn't say no, she loves you."
" Yeah, but maybe she is okay with moving in with me but getting married is too much?"
"You have to follow your heart. If she doesn't want to get married she will tell you why and you could discuss it with her. You are the one that told me to just tell Layla how I felt and you were right."
"You're right. I will just tell her how I feel. Even if she wants to be engaged for a while before getting married. Whatever she feels comfortable with."
"Sounds like a plan. Well, I guess we better get some sleep. I guess the couch is mine?"
"You guessed right. Good night pal."
"Good night Starsk."
/VVVVV\
I was woken by a knock on the hotel suite door at 8 am. Huggy walked in and asked if we were ready to go meet the other guys for breakfast since the women were all busy getting their hair and make-up done before the wedding. I asked Huggy to wake up Starsky and I jumped into the shower.
We all went to the hotel restaurant to meet up for breakfast. Then we all went back to our rooms to get dressed for the wedding. I went back to Starsky's room since the women were using my room for getting ready. I was starting to feel nervous. As if Starsky could read my mind he poured us both a glass of scotch. I looked at him like he was crazy." You know it's only 10 a.m. Starsk?"
"It's 5 o'clock somewhere. It will calm your nerves."
" I'm not even sure why I am nervous. I know once I see Layla walk down the aisle all my nerves will be gone."
Huggy knocked on the hotel door to look for the camera that he thought he left on the kitchen counter in Starsky's room this morning. He found the camera and joined us for a glass of scotch.
"Hutch, we should probably get going it's almost time!"
"Okay Starsky, I'm ready."
Starsky and I walked over to the beach. Huggy left a few minutes before we did to meet up with his wife Dianne. We walked up to where all the chairs were set up and where the minister was. He told us that the wedding was about to start and Starsky and Huggy should get in position so they went to go line up with Janice and Jackie. The wedding march started to play and Janice and Huggy started to walk down the aisle. Then Jackie and Starsky walked down. Starsky stood next to me with Huggy on his other side.
He whispered," Are you ready buddy?"
I nodded and looked straight ahead to see Layla and her Dad started to walk down the aisle. She looked stunning. She wore a mid-length strapless white lace sundress. Her hair was tied up in white lace ribbons with loose curls hanging down around her face. She was wearing the pearl necklace I left as a wedding gift for her in our hotel room. I thought she always looked beautiful but today she was glowing. Her eyes never left mine as she walked down the aisle till she was standing right in front of me. Her Dad kissed her cheek and then shook my hand and turned to sit down. At that moment staring into her eyes right before the minister began, I knew I was about to marry the woman of my dreams. She smiled at me and I knew that she felt the same way. I knew at this moment that we were meant to be together forever. We said our vows to each other and exchanged rings. Then the minister pronounced us husband and wife. I kissed her and wrapped her in my arms. We walked back down the aisle together and then greeted our friends and family. We were all going to the restaurant for a luncheon reception.
Layla was talking to her sister and Jackie so I decided to find Starsky and ask him when he was planning to ask Jackie to marry him. I walked to the back of the restaurant thinking maybe Starsky was at the bar getting a drink. As I approached the bar I saw a family sitting in a booth. The woman looked familiar to me. She was sitting with a man who I assumed was her husband and two children. One was a dark-haired boy probably around the age of 5 or 6. The second boy had almost white-blond hair and was probably near the age of 12 or 13. As I was looking the woman turned so I could see her face. It was Abby. Abigail Crabtree, the woman who walked away from our relationship almost 13 years ago. And then the older boy slid out of the booth to walk toward the men's room. Our eyes met and in an instant, I knew my eyes were staring back at me. Could it be? Did I have a child with Abby that I didn't know about?
