Author's Note. Thank you so much to everyone who has read this and especially everyone who comments. I appreciate each and every one; reviews are gold to writers. I have changed a few things in the story; Mickey and Hutch are now only three years apart, the oldest brother is now Joshua instead of Jonathon. Interesting note: recently I took a valium and could not tell dreams from reality. I heard voices, as if our family had visitors and asked my Mom if we had had company. We hadn't. Thanks again.

The Present

Starsky was able to sleep and was smiling about dates with beautiful women. He had peeked in on Hutch, who also seemed sound asleep.

Mickey had settled in her parents' room, but was restless, finally drifting off around four o'clock in the morning. Morning sounds of birds and traffic filled the air. Starsky turned over. Hutch was still.

The sound of a window smashing brought Mickey and Starsky scrambling to their feet, Mickey grabbing her gun off the nightpost and running outdoors without even putting on her gown and shoes. She had slept in her gray jumpsuit and scanned the area, not seeing any cars either way.

Starksy came hopping through the front door, trying to put his right shoe on but covering with his gun.

"Anything?" he asked.

"No signs. And I was out here two minutes ago." Starsky heard a slight reproach in her voice.

"Do you sleep in the nude?"

"I usually sleep in what I have on now."

"Well, sister, you would have gotten an eyeful if I had not taken time to dress."

"Or a bucketful of lead."

Starsky opened his mouth to apologize, but she waved him off as Red came running up, breathless. "Mickey! Are you all right? I swear, I was only gone about five minutes for a bathroom break. I'm so sorry."

"Stop rambling, Red, and let's see what shattered the window."

Going into the stately living room, Starsky picked up a brick. "This did it."

"Any notes or anything?"

"No. Probably a warning."

"Is Ken awake?"

Starsky checked his room and his partner was so motionless he felt for a pulse and breath.

"No, he's out like a light. Almost like . . ." Starsky met Mickey's eyes, and she shrugged. "He needs sleep."

"He'll kill me if I don't wake him."

Mickey considered. "Don't try too hard."

Red promised, "I'll stay right out front and keep an eye. Sorry, Mickey, I have to call Chief McCallum."

"Do what you need to and I'll do what I need to." Mickey had put on her tennis shoes, grabbed a gray blanket and a couple of belts. She went out the back door.

Starsky, curious, pushed Red back. "Stay here."

He followed Mickey out to see her scaling a large tree, settling in at the highest place that would hold her weight.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"I can see for miles up here. Get Red to pass me my rifle and binoculars."

Starsky stared, open-mouthed. "You can't stay up there all right."

"I certainly can, will, and have in the past."

Red came out with a rope, a rifle and binoculars. "You can't talk her out of it, I've tried. Catch the rope and I'll send you things up."

"Thanks, Red. You two get back in the house. Make sure the curtains are closed on the front window. Goodnight."

Starsky walked back in the kitchen, grabbing some milk and muttering, "I don't believe this. She'll fall and Hutch will kill me."

"From what I have learned, she and Ken had been climbing since they were five. She'll belt herself to the limb and won't slip. You might as well try to get some sleep."

"After all this?"

Starsky again picked up the brick, studying it. "What do you make of this?"

"It's a brick not a bullet. Probably a warning. McCallum will have even more cops guarding at the funeral tomorrow, so don't be surprised. I'm gonna get some water and take my place in front of the house."

Starsky bolted the door after Red, peeked again at Hutch, who had not stirred and was tempted to check on Mickey. He lay on his bed, not expecting to sleep, but jumped when the alarm went off at seven am.

After the night they experienced, he wasn't looking forward to the funeral.

Starsky went downstairs in his robe and started the coffee. Hutch padded down the stairs, yawning and rubbing his bed hair.

"Sleep okay?"

"A lot better than I expected to. Thanks," he said as Starsky handed him a cup of coffee." He took his coffee to the living room, yelled, "Ouch!" suddenly and sat down, staring at the blood on his right foot.

Starsky cursed as he went over to his friend. "You would have to find the one piece of glass we missed sweeping up."

"I was just going to open the curtains." Hutch was examining his foot to see if the splinter was still there. "Got it."

"Why don't we leave the curtains closed for now?"

"I like them open. I can get them."

"No, no, you stay off that foot and let me get a bandage and wash the cut. Wouldn't want you to get an infection."

"Starsky, I'm not a baby." Hutch hopped to the curtains, opened them, and stared wide-eyed at the holes in the window. "Starsky, were you throwing baseballs in the house again?" He then noticed the brick and picked it up. "Or maybe you have graduated to bricks."

"Not me, buddy. Well, you see someone threw a brick through the window in the middle of the night. Probably just some bratty kids."

"Where's Mickey?" Hutch asked sharply.

Red came in the front door just in time to hear the question. "She went up into that tall oak tree. Don't blame us; she wouldn't listen, no matter how I tried to talk her out of it."

"We'll just see about that," Ken muttered, still limping a bit as he made his way outdoors. "Mickey Hutchinson! You get down from that tree now!"

"Morning, Kenny." Mickey called from her perch.

"Morning, Kenny! I wake up to see our window shattered by a brick, stepping on a large sliver of glass and find my sister in the tiptop of the trees! What kind of a good morning is that! And why didn't someone wake me up?"

"I tried to, Buddy, but you were out like a light and we had things under control."

Mickey had lowered the rifle and binoculars and then scampered down the tree like a pro. She hugged her still angry brother. "Truce. Let's get threw the funeral today." She still felt the stiffness in her brother, and looked up at his face. "It's a nightmare, Kenny. I can't believe we have to say good-bye to Ingrid, and I don't know how to get through it." A few tears dropped from her blue eyes.

Ken suddenly melted and hugged her tight. "I know, I know, I feel the same."

"She wanted us to sing and play at the funeral. We hadn't had the chance to practice."

"I know, I know, I'm so nervous . . . but I would do anything to obey her wishes."

"Judith can play piano better than either of us. I can play drums, but they don't fit the song."

"She didn't ask for Judith, she asked for you and me," Ken reminded her.

"She wants you to sing the song you wrote for her, Springtime in Heaven."

Ken's eyes watered over. "I . . . I hope I can get through it."

"Breakfast first, we'll clean up, and then you two can practice," Starsky suggested, trying to keep his eyed from tearing up.

Both agreed, Mickey nibbled on sweet tea and toast, and Ken drank coffee and also nibbled on toast. They washed up, and then taking deep breaths, entered the music room

Starsky had know Hutch was a good singer and could play guitar and the piano, but never heard the songs sang like this before. And when Hutch played and was the main singer on Springtime in Heaven, Starsky didn't try to stop his tears.