Finding The Rhythm, a starsky and hutch fanfic

FINDING THE RHYTHM

Ken Hutchinson had already been at the Police Academy for four days when the new cadet arrived. Unsurprisingly, his first roommate had washed out before the end of day two (Hutch had been amazed he had lasted that long) and Hutch had been delighted to have the shared room to himself the last couple of days, although he had known it couldn't possibly last for much longer.

On the afternoon of day four, Hutch was making the most of a free period - to study the assigned reading material for the following day's first period - when there was a knock at the door, followed by Lieutenant Sharp striding in. Hutch leapt up from his chair and stood at attention.

"Cadet Hutchinson."

"Yes, sir."

"Got a new cadet here. Just arrived and needs to be shown the ropes. I'm giving you the job."

"Yes, sir."

Hutch eyed the dark haired man who had just stepped into view with interest and hoped his new roommate would be a step up from the last one, a timid youngster who constantly whined about anything and everything. He noted that the new cadet was toting what looked like an army issue duffle bag over one shoulder.

"Get him settled then you can give him a tour of the campus and get him started on his study schedule. You have permission to miss physical training this afternoon. Sergeant Baker has been informed." Sharp turned to the silent man beside him. "Cadet Starsky. I'll leave you in Hutchinson's hands. See you at 0900 hours tomorrow for patrol guide 101."

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir."

Sharp turned back to Ken. "And Hutchinson, get this room cleaned up, it's a disgrace!"

"Yes, sir." Hutch's face flushed. As soon as Sharp went out, and had closed the door behind him, Hutch started grabbing clothes off the beds and chairs and shoving them in the chest of drawers on the right hand side of the room. Then he turned to find a pair of dark blue eyes regarding him appraisingly. Not necessarily unfriendly but definitely cautious.

"Hi, I'm Ken Hutchinson," Hutch introduced himself as he held out his hand. The grip that Starsky gave him was firm and strong.

"Hey, my name's Dave Starsky."

"Well, Dave. You've got the left side of the room if that's okay with you."

"That'll be fine," Starsky said, as he headed to the chest of drawers and started to drag things out of his duffle bag. Each item was folded with precision and laid out in an organised manner.

Great, now I'm stuck with a neat freak, Hutch thought to himself. Out loud, he asked, "How come you've started training late?"

Starsky turned steely eyes towards him and shrugged.

Okay so it seemed his new roommate wasn't in the mood to talk. "Do you want to look round straight away?" Hutch asked.

Starsky stowed his duffle bag in the bottom drawer then said, "May as well."

"Okay, follow me," Hutch waved his hand towards the door and then led the way out.

Hutch showed Starsky around the whole campus, keeping up a running commentary on his own experience of the academy so far. He paused a few times to allow Starsky to ask questions but the young man was mostly silent apart from when they stopped at the library and collected the books that were on the reading list for the first ten weeks of training.

"I need to read all of these?" Starsky asked.

Hutch thought he could hear an undercurrent of despair in the man's tone. "Yeah. It's pretty hard work…but some of us have been getting together to learn the regs. If you want to join us, we could help you catch up on what you've missed. It'll be good revision for the rest of us."

"Thanks."

The smile Starsky flashed at him was genuinely warm and lit up his whole face then it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. For some reason, Hutch found himself hoping that he would be seeing that smile again soon. He grinned at Starsky and inclined his head towards the accommodation block.

"Let's get those books put away and then we can go get dinner."

Starsky didn't smile but his eyes lit up. "Sounds good. Lead the way, Hutchinson."

Hutch set off across the grass with long strides, noting that his roommate's stride was more like a clipped march. It jarred with Hutch's own relaxed style. Definitely not long left the army, he thought and wondered what sort of scars the man was carrying with him with him from 'Nam. Little wonder if he was cautious upon meeting new people. However, Hutch had a strong feeling it would be worth while trying to get to know him if Starsky would let him near.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Starsky gave the punching bag one final heartfelt blow before heading off to hit the showers. The combination of the workout and the stinging hot water was finally helping to wash away the frustrations of the day. Frustrations caused by small minds and even smaller hearts. Starsky had hoped that the Academy would be a place of security and acceptance for him - like minds with a common goal, pulling together as they pressed forward to become police officers – but, as in the world outside, he had found the Academy cadets were made up of all sorts and jealousy, petty one-upmanship and bigotry was just as rife here as anywhere else.

Starsky shook his head to clear away the beginnings of a cloud of morose thoughts that was threatening to form and went to towel off. At least, he felt calm now. The last thing he wanted to do was take out his bad day on his roommate. Hutchinson was a strange one but Starsky was beginning to like him. Well like him as much as he dared like anyone. It was obvious that Hutchinson came from a more privileged background than Starsky's blue collar upbringing. Maybe that was why the man was as messy as he was? Too used to having people clearing up for him. Starsky instantly felt guilty for the judgemental thought. He hated being judged himself and could hear his Mom in his head saying, "Don't judge others unless you want to be judged yourself." Bless Ma, she was always right.

Whistling to himself, Starsky threw his damp towel and sweaty clothes into a bag and headed towards the accommodation block and his shared room. As he approached the room, he could hear a guitar playing and slowed his steps along the corridor, enjoying the sound. He definitely didn't want to get to the room too quickly: knowing that, as soon as he opened the door, Hutchinson would apologise for making a racket and pack his guitar away in its beaten up old case.

Starsky couldn't decide if his roommate was just self-conscious about his musical abilities or if he was guarding his privacy. Although Hutchinson had been friendly and really quite chatty sometimes, he was also quite reserved when it came to anything too close to home and his personal life. Still that suited Starsky fine. He was in no mood to pour his guts out to anyone just yet. There were too many painful wounds just below the surface that he wasn't prepared to show anyone right now…maybe never…but it was nice to have the company of a roommate who seemed to accept him as he was, who was interested but didn't push when Starsky indicated he should back off and a man who was interesting to listen to when Starsky gave him the chance to talk. He had to admit he usually found his roommate's soft voice very calming: it was like a balm to his soul after all the noise, chaos and fear of 'Nam.

In fact, on days that were sometimes riddled with a sense of impending failure and dulled with the sapping greyness of the bigoted looks and taunts of some of the other cadets, Hutchinson was the one bright spot that kept him clinging on to hope: hope that he could pass and become a cop; hope that he might still be capable of making a meaningful connection with another human being after all he'd been through. Yeah, Hutchinson was starting to mean something and it scared the hell out of him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Several weeks later and Hutch was getting frustrated. He had tried to engage Starsky in conversation several times but got nowhere. He felt as if he still knew next to nothing about his roommate except that he worked hard and tried to keep his head down. Even so, he seemed to attract unwanted attention and be the object of derision and even loathing from a few of the other cadets and particularly one of the teachers. Hutch couldn't decide if it was because Starsky's heavy New York accent made him sound like a mobster, or because he'd clearly been in the army and the whole subject of 'Nam was an open wound for many, or because he was Jewish, or even because he was insanely good at any and all of the physical training the cadets were put through.

Jealousy was an emotion Hutch could understand but he simply couldn't fathom the hatred he sometimes felt was directed towards Starsky: he just knew he didn't want any part of it and found himself feeling more and more protective of his roommate. Not that they always saw eye to eye. Hutch had a relaxed outlook when it came to keeping his clothes and possessions in order, whereas Starsky's army training meant he liked everything neat and in its place. They had exchanged more than a few words about Hutch's untidiness and he now found he was at least trying to keep his mess on his side of the room in deference to his roommate's wishes.

He was also starting to realise that his roommate hardly slept. It had taken a while because Hutch usually fell asleep as soon as he settled down for the night and slept solidly for six or seven hours but he'd come to once or twice in the middle of the night and seen Starsky sat at the table by the window staring out into the dark, his shoulders hunched, head leaning on one hand. Just two nights ago, Hutch had woken up to the sound of moaning. His roommate was actually in bed for once but obviously dreaming something distressing. Hutch resisted the strong urge to comfort the sleeping man by rubbing his back, something he used to do for his little sister whenever she had a nightmare, but instead he spoke quietly into the darkness, reassuring Starsky that he was safe and after a few minutes the restless moving slowed and Starsky fell into a deeper sleep.

Another difference between them was studying. Hutch found some of the course work challenging but was enjoying the workout it was giving his brain. Starsky however often got frustrated and would storm out of the room when he couldn't take doing any more reading. Hutch never knew whether to go after him or leave him to it. He knew Starsky didn't find learning the core materials easy and could tell he was anxious about failing. Especially, as from the few things he had said, he really wanted to be a cop as someone in his family had been one too.

It was late evening now and Hutch hadn't seen Starsky since lunch. They'd had different classes today and it wasn't totally unusual to only see each other at meals on certain days but Starsky usually turned up in the dining hall and came and sat with him. Hutch began to wonder if he should go looking for his roommate when there was a knock at the door.

John Colby stuck his head round the door. "Hey, Ken. Just wondered if that roommate of yours is okay. He seemed a bit upset this afternoon."

Hutch look concerned. "I've not seen him since lunch. Why, what's happened?"

Colby came in and closed the door behind him. "He's in the same class as me after lunch. Forensics. We were looking at some pretty heavy crime photos today." Colby rubbed a hand over his face. "Man, what some people will do to another human being is just unbelievable."

Hutch grimaced. He'd seen some awful photos in his forensics class last week and knew what John meant. "Anything particularly stand out?" he asked.

"Well…we were all pretty shocked by one photograph: it was of some poor devil who'd been tied up then sliced several times across his chest before he'd been shot. Starsky went as pale as a ghost and asked to be excused from the class. Man, he did not look good. Some of the boneheads thought it was funny it affected him so much. I mean he must have seen worse if it's true he served in 'Nam."

Hutch felt an explosion of anger in his chest for the idiots who thought it was funny that Starsky was upset. "Thanks for telling me, John…I'll go see if I can find him."

"Want some help?"

Colby was quickly becoming a friend but Hutch felt it might be better if he looked on his own. "No. Thanks, John, but I don't want to make a big deal about it and cause more talk."

"All right. But of you change your mind, come and get me." He nodded at Hutch and left.

Hutch paced up and down and wondered where Starsky would have gone. There weren't many places to hang out and at the same time be alone on the campus. He doubted Starsky would be at the campus bar. Unless he wanted to drink to numb whatever he was feeling? Hutch decided to try searching for Starsky there first but, after a good look around, he could see his first instinct was correct. Outside the bar, Hutch looked around and thought hard. Cadets weren't supposed to leave the campus without permission but some of them did occasionally sneak out after hours. The beach was only a mile away and it would be the sort of place Hutch would go if he wanted to be alone. It made it a good bet, Starsky might have taken himself off there.

Hutch walked quietly round the back of the bar and slipped out of the side gate located in the metal fence surrounding the academy grounds. He dashed across the road, hoping he hadn't been spotted by campus security. There was no sign of anyone trying to stop him so he started walking quickly along the pavement, heading north towards the beach road.

After fifteen minutes at a steady pace, he was climbing the steep path that led to the top of the dunes. The almost full moon was shining down, lending a silvery light by which to see. The beach appeared to be deserted but Hutch knew that there was a collection of benches near the beach-huts further along the shore. He started walking along the sand, enjoying the peace and quiet and the sight of the moon shimmering on the waves.

After a few more minutes, the huts came into view and he thought he could see a dejected figure sat on a picnic table, legs up on a bench, staring out to sea. He approached quietly but manoeuvred so as to arrive from the front so that Starsky would see him coming. The last thing he wanted to do was give the man a shock. In the moonlight, Starsky's face looked horribly pale.

When he was close enough to be heard, he called out, "Hey, buddy, what's going on?"

Starsky sighed. "What are you doing here?"

Hutch climbed up next to Starsky on the picnic bench and looked out towards the water. "Heard a rumour you'd had a rough day so thought I'd come looking for you."

He glanced at Starsky to find him staring at him, surprise etched on his face. "Why?"

Hutch frowned. "Why what? Why did I come looking for you when I heard you'd had a rough day?"

"Yes."

Hutch cleared his throat and stammered a little under the cool glare. "W-well. I was w—worried about you. Th-thought maybe I could keep you company."

Starsky turned back to the ocean. "I'm not in the mood for company," he growled.

Hutch hesitated. The get-away-from-me tone in Starsky's voice was at odds with the waves of misery Hutch could feel radiating from the ex-soldier. He tried to think what he could say to get past the prickly exterior Starsky was presenting and decided silence was the only option.

Starsky sighed again. "You're not leaving, are you?"

"No…I don't think you really want me to."

"Even though I just said I didn't want company."

Hutch stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Let's walk."

Starsky regarded him thoughtfully and slowly stood up. "Okay, where are we walking to?"

"Along the beach towards the harbour, back again and then…home."

Starsky grimaced. "Home," he muttered with a sneer. Then he shrugged in defeat. "Okay."

The two men started walking side by side. Hutch steered them down towards the shoreline, pausing periodically to pick up a stone and throw it into the gentle waves lapping the edge of the sand. The waves were too small to get a satisfying bounce but that didn't stop him from trying.

As Hutch bent to pick up a fifth pebble, Starsky turned to face him and asked, "So ya going to ask me about what happened or not?"

"I will if you want me to," Hutch said as he handed the pebble to Starsky.

Starsky took the pebble and turned it over in his hands a few times before taking aim and throwing into the sea. "Saw a picture today that brought back some nasty memories."

"Flashbacks to 'Nam?"

Starsky looked away and whispered, "Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it? I don't mind listening."

"I don't think you'd understand. You weren't called up…or were you?" Starsky eyed him suspiciously, wondering not for the first time if Hutchinson was a draft dodger.

"No, I wasn't called up."

"Were you a protester? You look the type."

Hutch bristled, started to speak but stopped himself and took a calming breath. He looked his roommate right in the eyes and stated, "It's not fair of you to make assumptions about me. I don't make assumptions about you…I don't think you're a baby killer or any of that other nonsense those protesters spout. I admit I don't think we should necessarily have got involved in 'Nam but it's not the fault of the soldiers who had to serve, it's the fault of our useless politicians…I…I admire your sense of duty."

Starsky remained silent so Hutch ventured further. "I think you've been through hell and probably nobody has ever asked you how you're doing, how you're coping with being back…but I'm asking you now and I'm ready to listen if you want to talk to me."

Starsky swallowed hard then turned and started to walk away, back the way they'd come in the direction of the campus. Hutch began to follow him slowly, a few paces behind, unsure whether Starsky wanted his company or not until his roommate paused and looked over his shoulder. "You coming?"

Hutch jogged to catch up with Starsky and the two men walked side by side in silence for several yards before Starsky broke the stillness and began to talk in stuttering bursts, telling Hutch about his capture and the subsequent months as a POW, watching friends being tortured and then killed, being tortured himself and thinking it was his turn to die but, how instead, that final day had turned into the day he, and what was left of his squad, were rescued.

At some point during the revelations, Hutch placed his hand on Starsky's shoulder and left it there, trying to show his support for his new friend. His hand was still there when they reached the end of the dunes and made their way down to the road. Starsky stopped and looked at Hutch bleakly.

Hutch shook his head as he stuttered, "I-I don't know what to say…'cept I'm sorry for what you've been through."

Starsky's lips twitched with a small smile. "Not your fault…Thanks for listening anyway." He looked awkward, like he was beginning to regret opening up.

Hutch squeezed his shoulder and then let go. "Starsky…I'll keep what you've told me to myself…You can trust me, buddy."

Starsky regarded him with the cool appraising stare that he had used the first day they had met but gradually his face softened and he said, "Thanks…buddy."

The last word sounded as if it was a foreign word being literally dragged out of his mouth but Hutch grinned at him and Starsky gave him a thin, light smile in response.

"You eaten anything tonight?" Hutch asked.

"No."

"Well, that's not good. You know how cranky you get when you're hungry."

"I do not get cranky," Starsky protested.

Hutch laughed out loud. "You're kidding me, right. That at least is one thing I do know about you. You need regular feeding or look out world!"

Starsky tried not to laugh but couldn't seem to stop a small ripple of chuckles from escaping his lips. Hutch thought the laughter sounded rusty, like a gate that needed oiling, and determined to work on making Starsky laugh more.

"Well, I've got some cookies stashed under my bed which I'm willing to share…if you're interested?"

Starsky gestured with his hand. "Lead the way…buddy."

This time the word had come more easily and Hutch liked the sound of it coming from Starsky. He nodded his head towards the campus. "Come on then. We'd better be careful going back in so the security guards don't catch us. I don't want to spend the next three days doing KP."

"I've got your back, buddy. No-one will see us. Come on." Starsky clapped Hutch on his shoulder and then jogged across the road towards the nearest gate. Hutch quickly caught up and they silently slipped back onto campus and successfully made it back to their room without being seen.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Later that same evening, was the first time that Hutch took out his guitar and played a few tunes in front of his roommate. He'd always been too self-conscious before but, now that they were on more friendly terms, he decided he didn't mind Starsky hearing him strumming a few melodies. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Starsky tapping his foot more or less in time with the rhythm of some of the more upbeat songs and was pleased to be helping his roommate relax.

When Hutch paused to take a swig of water, Starsky asked, "How long have you been playing the guitar, Blondie?"

Hutch stiffened and looked at his roommate, about to protest the name until he saw the friendly smile on Starsky's face. "A few years. What about you, Curly, you play anything?"

The smile on Starsky's face grew broader. "Nah, never learned anything like that."

Hutch held the guitar out to him, asking, "Want to try to learn a few chords? I'd be happy to show you."

Starsky slowly reached out to take the guitar with gentle hands. "Really?"

"Sure," Hutch replied. "Budge over and I'll show you where to put your fingers."

Starsky made room on the bed and Hutch came and sat beside his new friend. "So you put your left hand there and then…oh, you're left handed, aren't you?"

"Yes. So?"

Hutch frowned. "I can teach you some fingering but if you want to learn properly, you'd probably need to get a guitar restrung the correct way for you to play comfortably left-handed."

Starsky nodded. "Don't worry about that now. I might never get the hang of it. Just show me a chord so I can say I had a go."

"All right."

Hutch patiently showed Starsky three chords and helped him play a short tune. Starsky was grinning from ear to ear by the time, they'd finished.

"Thanks, I enjoyed that," he stated as he handed back the well-worn musical instrument.

"Any time, buddy, any time."

Hutch put the guitar away in its battered old case and yawned as he looked at his watch. He groaned. "I think I'm going to have to settle down for the night. I've got Baxter's class first thing and I need to be on my toes. He loves pop quizzes."

Starsky started yawning too. "I think I'll turn in too. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Must be all that sea air."

The two men got ready for bed and turned out the lights. Within a few minutes, Hutch heard Starsky gently snoring and smiled into the darkness, hoping that the curly haired man would actually get a good night's sleep for once. He stared up at the ceiling for a little while, allowing himself space to actually process some of what Starsky had told him about his experiences as a prisoner. Hutch found himself thinking that it was amazing that Starsky actually had any gentleness left in him after all he'd been through. He was afraid that what he'd shared on the beach had just been the tip of the iceberg of the awful things he'd seen and probably done. Hutch gazed at the still, sleeping figure. Starsky presented a hard exterior but it was clear that underneath he was full of humour, gentle strength and desperately needed a friend. Hutch fell asleep, feeling glad he had persevered with his roommate.

A little after three a.m., Hutch woke up with a start. His heart thumped in his chest as he listened, trying to work out what had woken him. Then he heard a distressed mumbling coming from his roommate. He sat up and swung his legs out of the bed. There was just enough light from the moon shining in the window for Hutch to see that Starsky had started thrashing around, his hands flailing in front of him as if he was trying to ward off some enemy attack. The words he was saying began to get louder. Lots of indistinguishable words interspersed with "no" and "get away from me" and "help me, please".

Hutch couldn't bear listening to the obvious horror in Starsky's voice. He closed the space between them, watching out for the unpredictable fists that were swinging at unseen assailants. Carefully, he knelt on the floor, leaned close and gently placed his right hand on Starsky's shoulder and started talking in a calm, quiet voice. "Come on, buddy. You're safe here. Wake up and you'll see you're home, you're safe."

Suddenly, Starsky's body went rigid and his arms dropped to his sides then slowly he started shaking his head from side to side, groaning and mumbling. Hutch thought he could see tears on the prone man's eyelashes and felt his own eyes prick in response. He moved his right hand to Starsky's hair and began to softly push the unruly curly hair away from Starsky's face, in a repeated gentle manner, trying to soothe him with his actions and words.

"Come on, buddy. I'm right here. You're safe. You're safe with me. Come on, Starsk. Wake up buddy."

Starsky's body slowly lost its rigidity and began to relax.

"That's it, Starsk. You're safe now. No-one's going to hurt you. I'm here, buddy."

Dark blue eyes struggled to open and a shudder ran through Starsky's body. He covered his face with his hands and began heaving huge dry sobs. Hutch moved quickly to sit on the edge of the bed and manhandled Starsky into a sitting position, pulling Starsky into a fierce embrace. Starsky resisted the hug at first but gradually Hutch could feel his body relax against his.

"God, Starsk, I'm so sorry…Have I made things worse making you talk to me earlier?…I thought it would help…What do I know?...I know nothing…I'm so sorry," he muttered against Starsky's hair.

Starsky slowly calmed and gently pulled back from Hutch's hug. He gave the blond a watery smile. "You did help…Don't be sorry."

Hutch shook his head and let go of Starsky, moving slightly to put some space between them. Starsky reached for Hutch's arm and encircled his wrist, preventing him from moving too far away.

"I know you don't think so but you did help, buddy. I heard you calling me. You broke my dream apart…I think you've released me somehow…I don't think the nightmares will ever be as bad again. I don't know how I know that but I feel it's true."

"Really?...You're not just saying that Starsk to make me feel better."

Starsky grinned and gave Hutch a playful shove. "Nah, buddy. You've really helped. I don't know why you bothered with me but thank you."

Hutch shrugged, unable to put into words the growing connection he felt to his roommate. "Just seemed the right thing to do."

Starsky lay back on his bed, pillowing his head on his folded arms. "I'm all right now if you want to get back to your beauty sleep."

Hutch took the hint and went back to his own bed, bashing his pillow into shape before settling down.

"Hope you sleep better now, Starsk."

"Thanks, Hutch."

"Hutch, huh? Is that what you're going to call me from now on?"

Starsky turned his head towards him and said seriously, "Only if you like it, buddy."

Hutch considered the name. "I think I do. It sounds good."

"Good…by the way, Starsk sounds good too."

Hutch grinned into the darkness. "Glad to hear it…Night, Starsk. Sleep well, buddy."

"You too, Hutch. Night."

Both men fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Starsky was enjoying the peace of a study free Sunday afternoon. He was reading a comic, something he hadn't done since he'd arrived at the academy for fear of ridicule but Hutch had disappeared for the weekend to "visit an old friend" he had said as he'd left on Saturday morning and Starsky wasn't expecting him back until curfew. He was therefore very surprised when the door was flung open and Hutch stalked into the room, a shimmering ball of anger and something that looked a lot like hurt. He threw his bag down - on Starsky's side of the room, Starsky noted with a momentary flicker of irritation – and flung himself face down on his bed, burying his face in his folded arms.

Starsky put his comic down and waited a moment for Hutch to speak. When his roommate kept quiet, he ventured a question: "You okay, buddy? What's going on?"

Hutch mumbled something that Starsky couldn't catch and kept his head down.

Starsky frowned and thought for a moment. Then he reached over and touched his friend's shoulder. "Hey, Hutch. Talk to me, buddy. What's got you so mad?"

Hutch moved his head so that Starsky could hear him but still kept his face turned away. "Just I was hoping for a better outcome from this weekend, that's all, but I should have known better."

There was a bitterness in his voice that Starsky had never heard there before. It was very un-Hutch. "I don't mind listening if you want to rant," Starsky offered. "Who was it you were visiting anyway?"

Through gritted teeth, Hutch replied, "Vanessa…My soon to be ex-wife."

Starsky was struck dumb. Hutch had never ever mentioned he was married, even though they'd had quite a few honest conversations about family in the last few weeks. He'd told Hutch about his Mom and Nicky. Hutch had told him about his parents and his sister. Starsky had told him about being sent as a teen to live with his Aunt and Uncle in California to get him away from trouble. Hutch had told him about medical training and how he was a disappointment to his parents for deciding to give it up and become a cop. But not once had he mentioned this Vanessa person.

He squeezed Hutch's shoulder and felt the muscles start to relax under his hand. Starsky thought about the few things Hutch had told him about his parents and began to put two and two together. "I'm guessing she was expecting to be married to a doctor and hasn't taken kindly to finding out she was going to be married to a cop."

Hutch seemed like a balloon deflating as the anger dropped away from him and there was only defeat in Hutch's voice as he conceded, "You got it in one, Starsk."

"Her loss, buddy," Starsky attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

Hutch tried to laugh but it sounded hollow. "Yeah, I suppose." He sat up and swung his legs round onto the floor.

Starsky got a proper look at his face and saw unshed tears hovering at the edge of Hutch's eyes. He also thought he saw a scratch on the side of Hutch's throat just before Hutch re-arranged his clothes and pulled his collar tighter round his neck. Starsky felt a shiver of something unpalatable go down his spine. He moved to sit beside Hutch and patted his arm, noting the slight flinch as he did so.

"Hutch?"

Hutch didn't say anything, just looked away.

"Hutch. Show me your arm, buddy?"

Hutch stiffened and Starsky thought he was going to refuse but a moment later he sighed, undid the button at his wrist and pushed up his shirt sleeve. On the purpling skin, Starsky could make out the shape of fingers. He drew in a shocked breath.

"What about your neck, buddy? What happened there?"

Hutch wouldn't show him but brushed it off with: "It's just a scratch. A misunderstanding."

Starsky's chest felt tight with anger. "Has she done this before? Hurt you?"

Hutch suddenly stood up. "It's nothing, Starsk, I don't want to talk about it okay. Just leave it."

"No."

Hutch glared at him and put his hands on his hips, leaning aggressively towards Starsky. "Whadda ya mean, no?"

Starsky held his hands out in placating gesture. "Woah, I'm not the enemy, buddy. Just concerned about ya."

Hutch took some deep breaths and got himself under control. "Sorry."

"You don't need to say sorry. You ain't done nothing wrong…We're friends though, buddy, and I want to help you…like you helped me…you helped me get out of the hole I'd got stuck in with my memories of 'Nam…I'd just like to return the favour, if I can."

Hutch sat down heavily. "It's only happened once before…about a week after I told her I wanted to give up medical training and become a cop. She wanted me to change my mind and got so angry when I wouldn't…I didn't know how to stop her, Starsk…I mean I was brought up to know you don't hit women…but what do you do if they get real physical with you?"

Starsk shook his head. "It's a tricky one, buddy…so how come you went to see her this weekend?…I guess you must have separated if you've been here and you haven't been to see her before now."

Hutch shook his head sadly. "Yeah, we separated but she wrote to me a couple of weeks ago, asking me to visit this weekend, said she wanted to see if we could give it another go…She was really nice yesterday, like the woman I fell in love with…but this morning…it was the same old arguments, the same old accusations that I didn't love her, that I'd ruined her life."

Starsky put an arm around his friend's shoulders and they sat there in silence for a few minutes.

Finally, Hutch sighed and stated: "First free day I get, I'm going to start the paperwork for a divorce…Would you come with me?"

"Of course, buddy…Surprised you think you should even need to ask!"

Hutch gave him the first genuine Hutchinson smile he'd given since he got back. "Travelling back I was so angry and unhappy…and feeling…like I wasn't good enough. Vanessa didn't love me; she just loved what she thought her life was going to be with me."

Starsky went to speak but Hutch held up a hand.

"The only thoughts that stopped me doing something stupid were that I wanted to get back here and finish my training so I can be the cop I want to be…and you, Starsk. I couldn't wait to get back to the only person who thinks I am good enough and will always have my back."

Starsk swallowed hard then said gruffly, "You'd better believe it, buddy. Don't ever doubt it."

He stood up abruptly and returned to his bed, picking up his comic and opening it up at the right page. "Enough soapy scenes. I've got reading to do."

"Reading, huh?" Hutch commented, "Are there any words in that? Or is it all pictures?"

"Stop disturbing me and I'll lend it to you later. I know you're really dying to borrow my comic."

"No, Starsk, I'm really not. Honest."

"You don't know what you're missing," Starsky retorted.

Hutch laughed a genuine laugh and conceded the point: "Whatever you say, Starsk, whatever you say."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A few weeks later, Hutch and Starsky were in the same class, running through the rules and regulations of policing with Lieutenant Western: a strict, humourless man who rubbed both of them up the wrong way. The feeling was reciprocated tenfold. Western asked a question and as usual picked on Starsky who couldn't answer it.

Western sneered as he berated the dark-haired cadet, "I've said it before, Cadet Starsky, you're either not trying or you're too dumb to be here."

The Lieutenant turned to a cadet in the first row, who often made snide remarks at Starsky's expense and was clearly a favourite of Western's. He asked him the same question and it was answered correctly. Another question was fired out and again Starsky was picked on. This time the curly haired cadet had an answer ready but it wasn't good enough for Western's exacting standards and again he turned a vehement personal attack on Starsky.

The atmosphere in the room became more and more uncomfortable as Western picked on another favoured student who gave an answer almost the same as Starsky's but couched in more educated language. Hutch looked at the clock on the classroom wall. Ten minutes to go. He wasn't sure he could keep his mouth shut for another ten seconds let alone another ten minutes. His heart was burning with the injustice of Starsky's treatment. He tried to catch Starsky's eye but he was too far away and keeping his head down.

Western asked yet another question of Starsky but by now he'd decided to shut down to mono-syllabic answers. "I don't know, sir."

Western turned to Hutch. "Cadet Hutchinson. Perhaps you can do better than the worst cadet the academy has ever seen?"

Hutch took a split second to decide what he was going to do then leaned backwards on his chair, rocking it until the front legs were off the ground and he could lift one knee up to rest on his table. "No idea."

Starsky's head came up and he tried to catch Hutch's eye. If he'd been closer to him, Hutch thought Starsky would have put a restraining hand out but Hutch was beyond being restrained by anyone, even his best friend. He avoided looking at his roommate and glared at Western intensely.

Western's eyes bulged. "No idea, what?"

Hutch shrugged.

"Have you forgotten how to address a superior officer?" Western barked.

Hutch raised an eyebrow and stated, "I don't see a superior officer."

The tension in the room tripled.

"Get out of my classroom, Cadet Hutchinson."

"With pleasure," Hutch said, as he banged his chair back onto the floor and stood up.

Western pointed a long angry finger at Hutch and shouted, "You will do twenty laps round the quad and you'd better have passed this window three times by the bell or I will add another ten! Understand me!"

Hutch headed for the door in silence. As he passed through the jamb, he turned to the right and jogged past the classroom window. He knew this simple action would probably get him in more trouble but he didn't care. Campus rules were such that cadets were expected and required to jog clockwise round the quad. By turning right, Hutch was going anti-clockwise. He did it for two reasons: one, it was the only way he could possibly make it past the window three times before the bell; two, it would drive Western nuts and at the moment that seemed very appealing.

He'd just made his third pass by the window when the bell rang and students came pouring out of lessons on all sides. Suddenly, he found Starsky jogging by his side.

"Mind if I join you, Hutch, or is this a private party?"

"Be my guest, Starsk."

"You're a knucklehead, you know that, don't you? Western's going have your hide for this."

"Starsk!...I couldn't just sit there."

Starsk patted his shoulder and replied, "I know, buddy, and I appreciate the support. I'm just sorry if I've got you into trouble."

"W-western's a bigoted jerk and you're the only p-person whose opinion matters," Hutch was starting to puff a bit with the effort of jogging and talking.

"True…Do you think we should turn around and jog the right way before the man completely blows his top?"

"Nah, let him explode. He's a jerk!"

"You said that already!" Starsky said with a grin.

As the two of them completed another lap, John Colby joined them, asking, "What are you guys doing?"

Starsky nodded his head at Hutch. "Blondie here thought he'd go toe to toe with Western and got twenty laps for his trouble."

"He was giving Starsky a hard time," Hutch protested.

"That guy's a jerk!" Colby said causing Starsky and Hutch to break into laughter.

They three men did another lap before Colby asked, "And why are we going anti-clockwise?"

"Why not?" Hutch shrugged.

Starsky clapped his hands together. "Hutch is actually hoping it will make Western's head explode."

"Sounds good to me," Colby said. "How many laps have we got left?"

Hutch said, "I think there's ten to go."

"Fine, just a gentle workout then," Colby grinned. "Mind if I hang around."

"The more the merrier," Hutch said and the three friends finished the laps with their heads held high. Quite a crowd had gathered around the quad, watching and chattering about what the three cadets were doing. On the last lap, Chief Johnson called to them and ordered them to his office. Western was standing next to him, looking very smug. Johnson's face was unreadable. The cadets made their way slowly over to their senior officers and followed them into the building.

Starsky whispered to Hutch, "Don't let Western make you lose your cool. Johnson's fair, he'll listen to our side."

"Don't worry, buddy, I'm too tired to lose my temper again."

The three cadets proceeded into Chief Johnson's office and listened to Western rail for ten minutes about their lack of respect and insubordination. When he ran out of steam, the Chief asked Hutch for his account of what had happened. He questioned Starsky as to how he felt he'd been treated. Starsky played down the vehemence of Western's treatment but did admit he felt that he was unfairly called upon in class to the exclusion of other cadets. Western blustered and refuted the Starsky's claims.

There was a knock at the door and three more cadets came into the room in response to the command to enter.

Chief Johnson said, "Thank you for coming, gentlemen. I thought I would ask for some independent views of what has gone on this morning."

He questioned the cadets and seemed satisfied that Western's treatment of Starsky was not as it should be. He decided that the punishment Hutch had already undertaken for insubordination was sufficient and he let him off with a warning to obey his superiors. As the cadets left the room, Johnson shook Hutch's hand warmly, as if letting him know that he understood what had been going on and did not approve of Western in the slightest.

As the cadets walked away from the office, they could hear Johnson speaking very loudly to Western and were sure he was being torn off a strip. Certainly, things improved in classes after that as word got around that Chief Johnson was not going to tolerate any signs of bigotry or bullying. Western basically ignored Starsky and Hutch for the rest of their time at the Academy, which was fine with both of them, and the other cadets and teachers who'd been giving Starsky a hard time seemed to leave him alone from then on.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

It was the day after their graduation, and Hutch was clearing out the last of his belongings from their shared room. He finished packing clothes into his old battered suitcase and made a trip to his newly acquired car, threw the case on the back seat then returned to get his last few belongings, including his guitar and a box of miscellaneous items. He was relieved that they'd made it to the end of the course and was more than ready to begin his rookie training but he was also feeling sad at being parted from his roommate. The two of them hadn't managed to get assigned to the same precinct and neither of them could apply for a transfer during their first year. When Hutch got back to the room, Starsky was there neatly folding his clothes into his duffle bag.

"Your Mom got off okay?" Hutch enquired.

"Yeah, she's on her way back to New York. What about your sister?"

"Yes, she got the first flight home."

Starsky closed his duffle bag and threw it over his shoulder, glancing round the room to check he hadn't forgotten anything. He turned to face Hutch, "So I guess that's that."

"Guess so."

"But I'll see you next month. Don't forget, buddy, just like we agreed: first Saturday of the month at Pete's Bar and Grill on Moor Street."

"I won't forget, Starsk." Hutch held out his hand to his friend. "Take care of yourself, buddy. Hope your first placement goes well."

Starsky took the proffered hand and shook it. "Thanks for everything, Hutch. You know I wouldn't have passed without your help. I owe you a lot."

Hutch shook his head. "You helped me just as much as I helped you. We're even."

Starsky nodded. "Well, so long. See you next month, buddy."

He beamed at Hutch, with what Hutch secretly called his kilowatt smile, and then about-turned, hurrying out of the room. Hutch listened as his footfalls faded away and then picked up his guitar and box but he couldn't find the energy to move. A dull ache had settled around his heart. Abruptly, he sat down on the bed with the guitar and box next to him. He looked up at the ceiling blinking back tears.

"Pull yourself together. You're a grown man," he berated himself for his weakness. After a few seconds, he spoke to the empty room, "God, I'm going to miss you David Michael Starsky."

From a little distance, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor and waited for them to pass by but they didn't. Instead, Starsky's face suddenly appeared in the doorway and he looked enquiringly at Hutch.

"Hutch, I was thinking. Can we meet this Saturday? I don't think I can wait three weeks to catch up on how your rookie training's going? We need to swap stories sooner than that, buddy. What do you think?"

Hutch closed his eyes briefly then opened them and smiled his brightest and largest smile at his best friend in the whole world. "I think you read my mind, buddy. Three weeks is far too long."

"Good. Glad you agree." Starsky came right into the room and pulled Hutch to his feet and into a bear hug. "I'm going to miss you, you big lummox."

Hutch laughed and patted his friend's back before releasing him. "Me too, me too, buddy…Although, now I come to think of it, I am not going to miss your eating all hours of the day and night, or your incessant talking…and don't get me started about your snoring."

Starsky grinned. "Right back at ya. Never heard such loud snoring from a human being…but enough of this soapy scene…Come on, grab your stuff and let's walk out together."

The two friends walked out of the building, across the neatly clipped grass and on towards Hutch's car.

"I can't believe you actually spent good money on this death trap," Starsky remarked.

"It'll get me from A to B. That's all I need it for."

Starsky rolled his eyes. "I don't know how we're still friends. We have such different ideas about what a car is for. You wait: mine'll be a crackerjack when I get it."

"I don't doubt it," Hutch responded. "Just promise me, it won't be too bright!"

"Sorry, ain't no way I can promise that," Starsky said. "Well, drive safe and good luck for Monday."

"You too."

"See you on Saturday, buddy." Starsky flipped a salute and strutted away.

Hutch smiled after him. The ache around his heart had gone. How did Starsky always know what he needed before he did? He didn't know the answer but he was incredibly grateful that his friend did indeed know him so well.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hutch made it safely through his rookie year with the help of a great training officer. Others were not so lucky: some had washed out even after making it through the academy; some had had their rookie year extended by six months; John Colby had quit before he had started and gone off to join the air force, which had been a shock to both Starsky and Hutch; Starsky himself had had a mixed year and got through three training officers, one of whom had been reprimanded after putting his rookie in unnecessary danger during a call out. Starsky hadn't actually told Hutch half of what had gone on and hadn't told him about that particular incident until two weeks later, fearing that Hutch might blow his stack and do something foolish if he thought his buddy was being mistreated.

Shortly after the incident, Hutch raised the idea of trying to fast track to becoming detectives. After they'd both passed their rookie year, he began to nag Starsky about it every time they met up. It was a plan close to Hutch's heart and he wanted his buddy along with him for the ride. Starsky kept making excuses about being too busy and too tired to study for the exam but Hutch believed his friend was just afraid of failing so he kept on cajoling him to try.

Starsky applied, and was successful on his third attempt, to get a transfer to the same precinct as Hutch and the two friends were glad to see more of each other, although they weren't allowed to be partnered together as standard procedure was to place all new uniformed cops with a more senior partner during the year following being rookies.

Six months in to his role as a uniformed beat cop, Hutch and his assigned partner, Malinsky, got called to a 2-11 in progress at a bodega. They were just coming up towards the end of their shift when the call came in. It was foul night: wind and rain making visibility poor as they drove to the scene. Malinsky cut the siren on the patrol car when they were two blocks from the bodega, hoping to give them the element of surprise.

As a veteran detective, Malinsky got to make the final call on tactics and he ordered Hutch to go in through the back door while he went in through the front. He had only made the briefest of assessment of the situation, the number of hostages and the number of gunmen through a side window. Determining that there appeared to be only one perpetrator, Malinksy ordered Hutch on his way, telling him he'd give him one minute to get into position.

Hutch had barely made it to the back of building in the few seconds that had passed when he heard a shout go up and the sound of a shot being fired. Malinsky had not given him enough time to get in position and for all he knew had been shot by the gunman. As Hutch went to open the back door, it was thrown open, glancing off his shoulder and knocking him off balance as a kid barrelled full pelt out of the building and into the alleyway. He was brandishing a handgun wildly and panicked when he saw Hutch.

Hutch stopped himself from falling and opened his mouth to identify himself but the kid swung round before he could speak and shot at him, just missing the blond's head. Hutch dropped to the ground and rolled for cover. The kid took another shot and Hutch felt a sharp pain in his lower left arm as the bullet grazed his skin. He pulled his weapon up and fired off a single shot which hit the kid in his upper chest and knocked him off his feet. Hutch scrambled to his feet and rushed to kick the gun out of the kid's hand before he could try to fire again. He handcuffed the youngster who, now he was up close, he could see was only fifteen or sixteen at the most, securing him to a pipe jutting out of the bodega's side wall.

"How many more of you inside?" Hutch demanded.

"Hey, man, I'm dying here. I ain't gonna tell you nothing."

Hutch didn't have time to be gentle. He grabbed the lad's free arm, twisted it and asked again, "How many?"

"One. Geez, man, don't you care I'm dying?"

Hutch grimaced. "You'll be fine. I'll get an ambulance here as soon as I can but first I gotta go help my partner."

Then he hurried into the building, keeping his back to the wall and his gun ready. By the time, he'd worked his way down to the front, he could see Malinsky was still standing and appeared unharmed but the gunman was lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

"Where the hell have you been, Hutchinson?" Malinsky practically snarled at him. "I got him no thanks to you."

Hutch was completely taken aback but responded with: "There was another gunman. I've got him handcuffed in the alley. Didn't you hear the shots?"

Malinsky calmed down and finally noticed that Hutch was bleeding. "No, sorry. I didn't realise. Is the other guy dead?"

"No but he's got a bullet in the chest. He needs medical attention."

"So do you. Stay here, I'll call for an ambulance and coroner's wagon."

Malinsky made his way to the patrol car and put in the call. By the time he came back in, Hutch had got a couple of towels from the bodega owner and had gone back out to the kid in the alley. First, he wrapped one towel around his own arm and pressed his arm across his chest so he could put pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding. Then he lowered himself onto the ground next to the injured youngster and shoved the other wodge of material against the kid's open wound and held it there with his good hand.

The kid winced in pain but surprised Hutch by saying, "Thanks, man."

Hutch nodded and waited quietly for the ambulance and help to arrive.

The ambulance crew insisted that Hutch go to the hospital to have his wound properly seen to by medical staff. Once there, he was surprised to see his precinct Captain had come to check up on him. Captain Dobey was a gruff but fair man and Hutch had a healthy respect for him. The fact that he'd come to check on his wounded officer in person, only made Hutch respect him more. He stayed while Hutch gave his report to IA and then ordered the exhausted man home.

"Get some sleep, son. Come in late tomorrow to write up your report and then go home again. I'm taking you off active duty for a couple of days."

Hutch was too tired to argue. "Thank you, sir."

"You just sit there and I'll organise a taxi to take you home," Dobey said and headed off to the telephones further down the hallway. Hutch was nearly asleep when he returned and said it was time to go. Dobey escorted him down to the ground floor and saw him safely settled in the cab before he headed home himself.

Hutch just had enough strength to take his shoes off, hang up his jacket and gun before he fell backwards onto his bed fully clothed and passed out. He was woken by the sound of a loud pounding. He blinked his eyes against the light pouring in the window and realised it must be late morning. The pounding started again, this time accompanied by a voice he recognised, shouting for him to open up. Starsky.

Finding it a struggle to pull himself upright because of his left arm being in a sling, Hutch none-the-less managed to wriggle his way to the edge of the bed and get to his feet, yelling as he did so, "I'm coming, Starsky. Give me a minute, would you? Calm down!"

He rushed as quickly as he could to unlock the door before his friend decided to break it down. Barely waiting for Hutch to open the door wide enough for entry, Starsky pushed his way in and regarded him with anxious eyes.

"Hutch! Are you okay? I heard you got shot!"

"I'm fine, buddy. It's just a flesh wound." He slipped his arm carefully out of the sling and held it up for Starsky to see the thin bandage. "See nothing much. I'm fine."

Starsky wiped a hand over his face. "Thank God. I was so worried."

Hutch smiled at him. "I'm okay, buddy, nothing to worry about. Why don't you come on into the kitchen? I'll make us some coffee."

"Do you want me to do it? Shouldn't you put your arm back in that sling?"

Hutch grimaced. "The doc said I could keep it off for a few hours today. I'm just supposed to wear it if it gets really achy and then I have to wear it again for a few hours this evening. From tomorrow, I can do without it."

Starsky followed him and sat down at the table while Hutch made the coffee and poured two mugs out.

When he sat down, Starsky asked, "What happened?"

Hutch frowned. "It was a 2-11. Went a little pear shaped…Malinsky and I didn't get our timing quite right. He ended up killing one gunman. The second one wounded me, I wounded him…He was just a kid."

"First person you've shot?"

Hutch looked away. "Yes."

"You okay?"

Hutch took a sip of coffee. "I will be."

Starsky regarded him for a few minutes then raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Hutch, I know you. There's something you're leaving out…What was it you said about not getting the timing right?"

Hutch took another sip of coffee then said, "For your ears only, Starsk."

"Of course."

"Malinsky didn't assess the scene properly. He sent me round the back and told me he'd wait a minute before he went in the front…He didn't wait. It was literally seconds!"

"Then what happened?"

"I made for the door as quick as I could but then this kid came running out and crashed into me. He was shooting before I could even say anything…Missed my head by that much!"

Hutch held two fingers up with barely a space between them. Starsky let a breath out between gritted teeth and slammed his fist onto the table, making Hutch jump.

"Hey, buddy, calm down. He missed and I'm okay."

Starsky tried to smile but it wasn't at the usual wattage. He reached across the table and held out his hand to his friend. Hutch took it and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I've got to go in and write up my report at the Precinct," he informed Starsky, "but then Captain Dobey gave me the rest of the day off. What shift are you on?"

Starsky looked uncomfortable. "Early shift."

Hutch looked at the clock then asked softly, "What are doing here, buddy? You're going to get into trouble."

"Nah, when I heard the news, I pretended I had the stomach flu coming on. My partner couldn't get rid of me soon enough."

"Want to hang out here while I write up my report?" Hutch asked. "Then maybe we could go up the coast for the rest of the day."

"Sure."

"Great, I'll go wash up and get some clean clothes on then I'll get going."

While Hutch disappeared into the bedroom and bathroom, Starsky sat at the table, deep in thought. A few minutes later, Hutch came back and went through to the closet by the front door. From inside, he retrieved his gun and holster and attempted to put the shoulder holster on. A flash of pain crossed his face.

"Hey, buddy, could you give me a hand? It's a bit painful moving my left arm around."

Starsky was already walking across the room, having noted his friend's difficulties. He took the holster and proceeded to gently tie it securely around his friend.

"Hutch?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to start studying for the detective's exam." Starsky raised troubled eyes to his friend and added, "You'll have to help me though 'cos you know I won't get through without your help."

"That's great, Starsk, and of course I'll help you. You don't even need to ask. Why the change of heart?"

Starsky's dark blue eyes bore into his paler ones as he said, "I want to be your partner, Hutch…We'd never get our timing wrong and you know I will always, always have your back."

Hutch smiled one of his beautiful smiles and put his good arm around Starsky's shoulder. "I know that, buddy. You know I'll always, always have your back too."

Starsky hugged him then pushed him towards the door. "Go, do your report and then let's get out of here."

"Yes, sir," Hutch said with a mock salute. Then added, "See you in a bit, buddy."

The grin Starsky gave him was on full beam. "You got it, babe."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hutch was standing in Captain Dobey's office trying to explain why he didn't want to be partnered any more with Jenkins, a senior detective in the squad who was his current training partner. Dobey could sense the steel resolve beneath the polite, calm exterior. More than once, he knew that a perp had underestimated Hutchinson's strength. He'd seen him in the interview room a couple of times and knew he was well capable of holding his own against even the hardest of cases.

"He's a fine officer, Hutchinson. You could learn a lot from him," Dobey insisted.

"I know that, Captain Dobey, but I want to be partnered with David Starsky."

"Not going to happen, Hutchinson. He's a rookie detective just like you. Standard operating procedure means you both have to do six months with a senior partner before you get a permanent partner. You know that and yet here you are after one month asking to terminate your probation and be partnered with another rookie…What makes you think I would ever agree?"

"Hear us out, please, Captain?"

"Us?" Dobey enquired with a raised eyebrow.

Hutch had turned towards the door, as if he could sense his friend was outside, and was expecting the knock which occurred right at that moment.

"Come in," Dobey raised his voice to bid whoever was outside entrance.

Starsky came into the room, bouncing on the balls of his feet, a bundle of barely contained energy. Dobey had come across him a few times since he'd been transferred to the precinct and been impressed by the energy radiating from him. Although sometimes he worried that energy might get him in to trouble without a strong partner to rein him in.

"Morning, Cap."

Dobey grunted not sure he liked the familiarity with which Starsky was addressing him but deciding not to call him on it. Instead he sighed: "You might as well both sit down."

Hutch moved forward and bent his long frame into one of the chairs in front of Dobey's desk. Starsky walked past the other chair and sat on the arm of Hutch's chair, only a hair's breadth of space between him and the blond detective.

"All right. Tell me why I should partner you."

Hutch and Starsky spoke at exactly the same time: "Because I'll always have his back."

Dobey snorted. "And?"

"We've both learned a lot from our training detectives…"

"But we're ready now to be part of a permanent partnership…"

"We're opposites in some ways…"

"But not in any way that really matters…"

"Both of us will bring balance to the partnership…"

"Coolness to heat when it needs dampening down…"

"Pushing forward or pulling each other back as needed…"

"Captain, partners have to trust each other…"

"It takes time to build up that relationship…"

"But we've already got that friendship…"

"Why waste time starting to build that with someone else?"

"When we know that we want to be partners…"

"We've got our own rhythm worked out. We think it would work in a partnership."

As they fell silent, Dobey found himself astounded at the synchronicity of the speech that the two men had delivered. It was as if they were speaking with one voice but the words happened to have come out of two mouths. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his face down, using the movement to give himself time to think. The yin and yang relationship on display before him – dark and light, energy and calm, heat and coolness, noise and stillness, strength and vulnerability – reminded him very much of his own partnership so many years ago. He could feel the energy flowing between these two men. He didn't fully understand it but he knew it was something special.

He looked up at the two hopeful faces and almost smiled. He decided to offer a compromise and see if they would take it. "You've both had excellent reports so far from your time in uniform until now…so if you will do one more month of training with each of your respective senior detectives, and you continue to follow their instructions to the letter…then I will sign off on your probationary period and allow you to be partnered."

Starsky was up and on his feet with a huge grin on his face. "Thank you, Cap! You won't regret it!"

Dobey huffed. "Make sure I don't and it's Captain Dobey, if you don't mind, Detective Starsky."

"Yes, Cap, I mean Captain," Starsky replied as he gave Hutch a slap on the back and then bounced across the room towards the door.

Hutch rolled his eyes at his soon to be partner's back. Then he held out his hand to Dobey, "Thank you, sir. We appreciate it and we won't let you down."

Dobey shook his hand and then said gruffly, "All right, all right, get out of here, the pair of you."

The two detectives stepped out and closed the door behind them. Starsky could barely contain his excitement and grabbed Hutch by the arms and swung him round twice before letting him go.

"Calm down, Starsk, or Dobey'll change his mind!" he warned his friend.

Starsky took a steadying breath. "Okay, partner, I'll be calm, I promise. I'm just glad it's going to be Me and Thee against the world."

"Me and Thee?"

"Yep, Me and Thee, buddy."

Hutch could only smile into the dark blue eyes fixed on him and agree: "Me and Thee it is, Starsk. Me and Thee."