Chapter 6 - a bonus because Brook, Xtex, Ali and Gail all wanted more chapters!

Traff rode in the ambulance with the still unconscious blond cop while Liz promised to stay behind, lock up Hutch's apartment and call the flaxen haired man's parents. That she did and surprisingly, Dr Hutchinson's voice sounded a note of concern. He told Liz that he had a symposium he had to attend in San Diego anyway so he and Mrs Hutchinson would catch a plane right away and should be in Bay City by the end of the night. The lawyer thanked him and put the phone down, wondering what else she could do to help the two men who she'd come to know and love. Despite the fact that Hutch had been the cause of the breakdown in her relationship with Starsky, he was such an easy going and caring guy that she couldn't remain mad at him. Even though she'd split up from Dave, their relationship remained on friendly terms and on occasions, she'd even been out with the two men to a ball game or to a music concert. Concerned as she was, Liz sat down in the now unnaturally quiet apartment, took out her notes and began to look over them again, hoping something would jump out and hit her in the eye. Anything that could explain the brunet's unexpected and devastating character change.

In the ambulance, Traff sat back and watched as the paramedic worked over his friend. Hutch was showing some signs of regaining consciousness and his eyes moved beneath pale, translucent lids. With a drip of normal saline inserted into his left arm and a BP cuff around his right, he'd once again descended from the status of walking wounded to being a patient. The soldier knew Hutch wouldn't take the transition quietly and he knew he was also in for a shouting match with the blond when he eventually awoke. But Hutch had looked so sick, and had been at deaths door just over a month ago, and the curly headed soldier wanted to take no chances.

The ambulance drew to a halt and the doors opened and Traff walked with the gurney into the ER and stood quietly back while the doctors did a preliminary assessment of the blond cop. There were several "umms" and "ahhs" and much palpating of stomach and chest. Eventually, through all the hubbub in the small examination cubicle, Hutch's eyes finally cracked open and he re-entered the world of the living. Fogged and unfocused eyes looked around and the first word from Hutch's lips was his partner's name. His eyes flitted around the faces working above him before finally settling on the short cropped chocolate curls of the man by his side.

'Starsk?'

'No buddy. It's me, Traff.'

A furrow appeared across Hutch's brow, he sighed and his eyes cleared slightly. 'Where am I? How long have I been here?'

'You decided the floor looked way too comfy so you took a nosedive. I had to call an ambulance' the soldier started to explain.

'No, I gotta get outa here. Starsk...he...I...'

'You have to stay put Ken. You have septicaemia. You have a general infection throughout your body, centred on the surgical scar on your chest. I've given you an injection of broad-spectrum antibiotic and we've hung a drip of more of the medicine, but until it can start to fight the bugs. I'm afraid you're our guest again' the doctor explained.

'How long? Shit, I don't have time for this' Hutch mumbled.

'You have more time than if your friend hadn't done the right thing and called for an ambulance. Don't underestimate how serious this is Ken. If he hadn't brought you in, the consequences could have been dire.'

'How long do I have to stay?'

'At least a couple of days and I expect you to rest. If you won't, then I'll sedate you. I think our instructions on your discharge were that you look after yourself. You're obviously incapable of that! So we'll do what we have to enforce it while you're with us, is that clear?'

Traff frowned. 'I'll make sure he understands it Doc. Thanks. Hutch buddy, you aren't doin' yourself or Starsky any good by getting yourself all bent over like this. Just relax huh? Liz is working on this and Curly aint goin' nowhere. Just rest and let the antibiotics do their work. And be thankful it wasn't anything even more serious.'

The blond's eyes were beginning to close and he forced them open. 'Thanks Traff. You're a good friend. Maybe I'll just sleep for a few minutes. Wake me if...' the effort of talking, coupled with the effects of the medication and the trauma his body had suffered finally forced the decision away from Hutch and his eyes closed one last time as sleep overtook him. Traff grinned up at the Doctor.

'I don't know what you gave him, but maybe I should take a supply home.'

About midnight, they took the blond up to a small private room on the first floor. Such was Hutch's exhaustion that he didn't even wake as the two orderlies transferred him form the gurney to the bed. After a period of activity during which the nurses checked on his drip and monitored and recorded his vitals, the room suddenly emptied and Traff was left alone with his blond buddy. Hutch looked peaceful for the first time in days and for once there was an easy chair in the room. The soldier gratefully hooked it up to the side of the bed and eased his weary bones down into it. It had been a long day, fraught with emotions and the soldier was tired. Used to sleeping on transport planes, or snatching forty winks behind lines in war zones, Traff knew he could sleep just about anywhere and so with one final check on his friend, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Maybe an hour later, the door to the room pushed open and the two older Hutchinsons walked into the room. Neither parent was particularly demonstrative around their eldest child. They'd never been a particularly tactile family, but still, the sight of their son hooked up once again to drips and looking pale and frail on the bed ignited some sort of motherly instinct in Mrs Hutchinson and for one of the few times in her life she let down her guard and actually leaned over the inert body on the bed and kissed Hutch's forehead.

The blond stirred in his sleep and his eyes cracked open as he looked up into his mother's face. He smiled a little and cleared his throat.

'Mom? What're ya doin' here?' he asked in a croaky voice.

'We were worried dear. That nice young lady phoned and told us that you were back in the hospital again. How do you feel?'

'M'ok. Just tired I guess.'

Dr Hutchinson put down the chart at the foot of his son's bed just as Traff awoke from his doze. The soldier sat up straighter in his chair and scrubbed at his face with his hands before standing and holding out his hand. 'Hi. I'm Tom Trafford. I'm a friend of Hutch's' he said.

Hutchinson senior shook the soldier's hand and Mrs Hutchinson smiled warmly. 'Good to meet you Mr Trafford. Thanks for looking after Ken. We do appreciate it. He's mentioned your name a few times.'

'All good I hope' Traff smiled back. 'Shall I leave you alone? Do you want to visit with Hu...Ken? It's just he's pretty weak and he needs...'

'His rest, yes I know. No, don't go. Its fine' Hutch's father said as he stood by the side of the bed. He looked down and a crease of concern marred his forehead.

'What happened?' he asked.

'Nothin' Dad, its fine' Hutch responded. He didn't want the fight he knew would inevitably follow. Damn, he knew his parent's feelings about Starsky. According to the two Hutchinsons, who because of Dr Hutchinson's status as an eminent surgeon enjoyed the higher end of Duluth society, Starsky was never good enough to be associated with their son. On countless occasions, Hutch had tried to explain just how good a friend the brunet was and how he would trust him with his life, and did do on a daily basis. But when Hutch had been rushed into Memorial, his life hanging in the balance, Dr Hutchinson had taken it as final proof that coming from the wrong side of the Brooklyn tracks was reason enough to distrust the curly haired cop.

'It's not fine Ken. What have you done to yourself to find your way back into the hospital? You haven't been resting have you?' There was accusation in the voice but it was also tinged with love, or as much love as the stern father figure would allow himself to show.

'He's been a little concerned Sir' Traff interjected 'But he's rested as much as he can.'

The Doctor snickered softly. 'It's no use covering for him Mr Trafford. I know my son and I know what he's like when it comes to that no good partner of his. Isn't it enough that he put you in the hospital to begin with Ken? What do I have to say to convince you that he's a no good layabout who can't be trusted?'

Hutch's face turned from ashen to pink as the anger rose in him. 'He's no layabout and I'd still trust him with my life. Don't badmouth him Dad. Please. Not here, not now.'

'I don't know how you can lie there and defend him like you do. For God's sake Ken, it's his fault that you're here in the first place!' Dr Hutchinson's voice was rising in line with Hutch's and it was apparent that both junior and senior Hutchinson had the same temper.

'It wasn't his fault!' Hutch almost yelled. His voice was reedy and weak and he tried to sit up in the bed. Immediately Traff was by his side.

'Cool it buddy. Just lie down, you aren't doing yourself any good getting upset.' The soldier turned to Hutchinson senior. 'And you! You ought to know better, especially someone in your position! Now either play nice, or go' he snapped angrily.

'He's right darling. We should just let Ken rest. This is neither the time nor the place' Mrs Hutchinson tried to interject, although her husband seemed to be in full flow and wasn't listening to either person.

'It is his fault! Ken when are you going to realise that Starsky put two bullets in you? That was no accident! That was a serious attempt on your life and I hope they lock him up for life and throw away the key!'

Hutch struggled on the bed. Trying desperately to throw back the sheets and get up. Traff pushed him back down, his own temper now thoroughly raised. He could understand how Hutch's father felt, but he didn't know all the facts and he didn't know what had gone on. Traff was loyal to all his friends, but for the man who he'd shared experiences in 'Nam with, the bond ran deeper. Too deep to allow a relative stranger to start using his name in vain.

In two strides, the soldier was across the room and had a hold of the Doctor by his arm. He propelled the senior man out of the small hospital room and wedged him up against the far wall of the corridor, his arm across Dr Hutchinson's throat and his body leaning into the big man so that he had nowhere to go. He stared the man in the eyes, his own emerald eyes twinkling dangerously.

'Now listen to me and listen good. I don't usually get involved in family affairs. I don't usually go around manhandling my friend's parents, but you, Sir, have overstepped the mark. I don't want you upsetting my friend in there, even if he is your son. And what's even more important, I don't want you badmouthing my other friend. Starsky acted out of character and their aint no one more sorry than he is. He's in jail. He's paying his dues. And whatever happened I'm gonna get to the bottom of it. In the mean time, leave him alone, be careful around Hutch or you'll have me to answer to, and next time, I won't be so gentle, got it?'

Hutchinson senior's eyes sparkled angrily but with the strong soldier's arm across his throat he had little option but to listen and take due note of what Traff had to say. For a moment, his temper still welled deep inside him and he could feel his fists balling by his side. With a superhuman effort, he took a deep breath and nodded, feeling the pressure across his windpipe diminish slightly. Traff let go of his hold, and Richard Hutchinson stood and straightened his tie. Without another look at the soldier, he pulled his jacket straight and walked with dignity back into the hospital room.

Hutch's Mom was standing by the bed, her hand on her son's shoulder while she smiled down at him. Both looked over as Richard walked back in and stood stiffly at the other side of the bed,

'I think Ken has had enough visit for tonight' he said huffily. 'Get some rest son. We'll be back later tomorrow.'

Swallowing down the retort and realising just what it had cost his Father to admit (albeit in a stilted way) that he was in the wrong, Hutch nodded and patted his Mom's arm.

'Yeah, fine. I'm gonna sleep for a while now. Thanks for coming' he managed to force out. Mrs Hutchinson pecked her son on his forehead and smiled timorously while his father looked uncomfortable. Overly familiar shows of affection were not his way and so he cleared his throat self consciously, patted Hutch on the shoulder, and without a backwards glance, they left the room.

For a moment there was silence as Traff stood panting slightly with exertion and emotion by the side of the door, and Hutch watched his parents depart. The blond snickered tiredly.

Well I felt that went well' he said weakly. 'Who else can I piss off tonight?'