Year 1978

X. X. X

Lightening raced across the sky,

as thunder filled the solitude.

Hail fell from the darkness

as David Starsky lay.

Cobalt blue eyes stared,

as the darkness

wrapped it arms

around him and

covered him in

loneliness.

X. Xxx

The thunder was loud in the sky, as Hutch ran over to Starsky. He reached out to his partner, but he stopped. Hutch didn't touch him. What were injuries?

He saw a gash on Starsky's head, with a piece of glass protruding out.

He lightly touched his face, and pushed Starsky's dark wet curls from his eyes. He put his ear to his chest. Yes, he could hear a heartbeat, Hutch took his jacket off to put it under his partners head. Even tho Starsky was unconscious, Hutch softly voiced "I'll be right back Starsk, hang in there, Buddy."

Hutch ran back to his car, picked u the radio, This is Zebra Three, do you read. The voive responded. "We read you Zebra Three.

Hutch continued. "I'm on a mountain road, an hour and a half out of town. My partner has been in a hit and run." He paused, Hutch tried to remember, the blond put his hand to his temple.

"The name of the road is Autumn Drive. My partner is incoherent, we need help fast." The voice said, "Hold on Zebra Three"...

Hutch kept an eye over Starsky, his head was bleeding, but not as bad as he would of thought. He couldn't be sure what the extent of his injuries were yet. The blond waited, perspiration ran down his face. The voice came back., "Zebra Three."

Hutch eagerly answered., "Zebra Three here."

The voice remarked. "Zebra Three. The paramedics can not get to you, the fire has blocked their way."

Hutch lost it, "What the hell! What fire! My partners going to bleed out just laying here."

The voice continued. "Zebra Three, there are forest fires out of control, and headed in your direction"

Hutch very agitated now. "This is Zebra Three. What do you suggest I do?"

"Zebra Three, I can patch you to a doctor."

"How the hell am I" Hutch stopped and dropped the mic, as he saw a car.

He waved his arms in the air, screaming. "Help!, I need help!"

The car screeced to a stop, as not to hit Hutch. A man got out. "I'm Dr. Murray, I'm on my way out of here, we need to hurry." He walked over, checked the brunet and spoke. "It appears your friend was thrown through his windshield."

Hutch very angry now. "Tell me something I don't know!"

The doctor felt Starsky's pulse. "Well your partner is alive, but he needs more then I have here."

Hutch could not believe what he heard his shoulders slumped, as if all hope was lost.

Hutch quickly noted that Starsky's leg was twisted in a unnatural way, Hutch pulled a pocket knife out.

It had partners engraved on the handle, he remembered the day Starsky had given it to him.

The day he had gotten out of the hospital, Hutch had almost died of the plague. Starsky had stayed at his house so he could watch over his partner, best friend. Hutch had found the pocket knife that lay on his nightstand. It was Starsky's when he was a teen, Starsky must have taken it and had it engraved. Partners had been inscribed, with the year they became detectives at Bay City Metro, 1975. Hutch never mentioned it, he knew that's how Starsky wanted it, but he always had it in his pocket.

Hutch quickly came back from the past, he saw Starsky on the ground. Hutch quickly cut Starsky's pant leg off, exposing a bone protruding from his leg. His blue eyes turned dark, with fear.

The doctor took some galls out, he applied them to the gash on Starsky's head. He stared at Hutch. "Your partner needs pain medication or he could go into shock."

Hutch sarcastically motioned with his hand toward the bag. "Well what else do you have in your bag of tricks."

The doctor sadly remarked. "Well not much this is what I use on camping trips, Band-Aids, galls, antiseptic, and some aspirin."

Hutch became frustrated and sarcastically said, "What the hell are we supposed to do...doctor!"

The doctor stated. "That piece of glass has kept his wound clotted, well for now." Hutch could not believe what he heard. The doctor continued. "We leave it there, and hope it will stay clotted till we get back to the city."

They could not see the smoke because of the tall trees that surrounded them, but they had to hurry before the fires reached them.

Starsky seemed to come around. Hutch stared at him right into his very soul, as Starsky stared back.

The doctor ask. "What did he tell you?"

Hutch had his eyes locked with Starsky's.. "Nothing you would understand."

The tall blond bent down. "I have to get you to my car Starsk, this is going to hurt."

Hutch picked his partner up off the ground, as Starsky moaned. Hutch whispered. "I'm sorry Starsk"

The doctor commented, "Well never in my life have I witnessed someone who was wounded as bad as him, and he didn't even scream."

Hutch eyed, hard at the man that stood before him. "Just keep your mouth shut, if it does not pertain to helping my partner!"

He just shook his head, and walked toward his car, with Starsky in his arms.

Hutch made it to his car, the blond put Starsky in the backseat. Hutch grunted as he remarked. "Hey Starsk you need to cut back on the Italian food."

Starsky tried to laugh, but winced in pain. Hutch closed his eyes, as if he felt Starsky's pain.

Hutch glared at the doctor. "Get back here, take care of my partner."

The doctor scanned the area. "What about my car."

Hutch grabbed the doctor by his collar. "What about it!"

Hutch walked to the back of his car, got a shirt out of his trunk, and quickly put it on. He grabbed a light cover for his partner. Starsky ask for water, Hutch found a canteen of water on his passenger seat.

The seat where David Starsky should be.

The doctor scratched his neck. "I really need to stay here, in case someone is in need of my help."

Hutch walked heavily over to the doctor, and pointed. "Look, you said, so yourself you were headed out, and you do not have any medical equipment."

Hutch pointed his finger right in his face. "You are a professional doctor, I hope to God you are, for my partners sake. Sweat ran down the blond detectives face. "You have a patient."

Hutch stopped as to catch his breath, then continued. "Get in that backseat, you are going take care of my partner."

Hutch scanned the world, out his windshield, and ask. "How far back is your office?"

The doctor's mouth moved quickly. "An hour, we can't go back the fire. Anyway your friend needs a surgeon, I'm just an old country doctor."

Hutch slammed his hand on his dash. He thought. It's in my hands, if I make the wrong decision.

He whispered. "Its an hour back or an hour and a half towards town."

Hutch's blue eyes flamed in the darkness.

He stared hard at the doctor. "If my partner dies, on your watch." He just trailed off...Hutch started his car, as his foot hit the gas. They drove off with the siren full blast.

The light blazed red in the dark night.

Hutch kept his eyes on the road straight ahead.

He had to do whatever it took to keep Starsky alive.

The blond could smell smoke in the distance...