Down by the canal.

Starsky sat, legs crossed, on the bank of the canal staring into the dark water. Today was not a good day! His chest hurt, the scarred skin pulled tight, sending rivers of pain all through his body. He pulled the warming blanket closer around his shoulders and hugged his hands around the warming cup of hot chocolate sipping slowly at the contents and wishing he'd remembered the marshmallows that sat on the side of the worktop back in Hutch's canal side cottage. As with every low, hard day, he preferred his own company, seeking solace in the views of nature and peace that surrounded him and held him in its embrace. At his feet sat the bowl of food Hutch had provided for him to share with the small birds that flew to his hands, it had been so many weeks that he had sat here on bad days that the birds accepted his presence and knew he meant them no harm.

Starsky's eyes scanned the opposite bank where his favourite family on the water had made their nest and where Mum was sitting on the eggs for her stint as Dad paddled around looking for the grasses on the banks with which to fill his stomach and new nesting material to help protect His family to be. To all intents and purposes the black feathered duck was serene, but underneath the surface Starsky could see his webbed feet frantically paddling as he turned this way and that protecting his mate and special place under the trees. The male had chosen his nest spot well, the tree offered protection from prying eyes and the access from the bank was steep and slippery but still the male patrolled, ready to move to his mates protection at a moments notice.

Starsky's face broke into a grin as he watched and knew that he compared to that duck every day. On the good days, when he could rise without too much effort and pain, when he could eat all of his breakfast without feeling sick, when he could walk along the canal front without getting too out of breath, when he had optimism that things would improve enough, then he sailed steady and all was right with his world. On the bad days, like today, he struggled with even rising and when eventually he managed, usually with a lot of help from Hutch, he tried hard to control the fear from showing, his heart from pounding, ringing in his ears, and he felt, that like that duck, he was paddling away furiously beneath the surface yet getting nowhere. It was on days like those he came to the canal and watched the ducks.

Picking up the bowl of food Starsky threw some grain into the water and watched as the male swam straight towards it quacking loudly, calling to his friends on the water. Starsky knew there would be three others joining him within seconds and picked up another handful of corn ready to throw in. Sure enough they soon came into view, two brown and one white that was bigger than the others. In Starskys mind this was Hutch duck. The one who watched over the others, the one at the front whenever danger threatened, and the one that swam in circles around all the others, ever alert as if on patrol.

Hutch! Starsky wondered where he would be if it weren't for his friend and how he would ever be able to repay the huge debt he owed him. Hutch had caught and put away those responsible for his shooting and then had put his life on hold to become his total support. He had put his own furniture in store in order to fit a bed downstairs for Starsky to sleep in. He had put up with every up and down on his recovery, putting up with every loss of temper and all the harsh words Starsky had thrown his way. He had mopped his brow when fever had taken hold and he had played his guitar long into the night when the nightmares came and destroyed sleep. He had done things no friend should ever have to and had never complained once.

Starsky knew he was safe here, Hutch would always be there, like the white duck majestically watching over and protecting those he held dear and he knew there was nowhere else he would rather be. Throwing the rest of the corn into the water Starsky rose and returned to the cottage, Today he would surprise Hutch by cooking a hot meal for him and, when Hutch had eaten he would find a way to say thank you…for everything. One thing Starsky knew though, duck would definitely not be on the menu.