Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 5

"Quit yer wriggling sunshine." Starsky had Jack pinned down with one hand whilst the other struggled with the three way buckle. "Finally!" The buckle snapped into position and Starsky let out a sigh of relief.

Starsky reached over his son to the far side of the back seat of the Torino and grabbed a small multi coloured bean bag frog and placed it in his son's hands, only to see it hurtle over into the front seat seconds later.

"We ain't got time for that game at the moment Jack, the groceries are melting in the cart" Jack harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest. "And yer know how much we both like our ice cream, don't yer buddy?" Starsky continued desperately trying to appease him.

"Jack want Ollie!" Jack said determinedly.

"No kiddin!" Starsky replied tiredly as the lost sleep from last night's stake out finally started to catch up with him.

"Jack want Ollie!" came the small but demanding voice again.

"Ok..ok how about you give your pop a few minutes. I'll put the groceries in the trunk and pull Ollie out of your overnight bag, huh?" Jack gave his father a beaming smile. " I know I'm a push over, but you don't have to remind me kid! I'll be back in a sec buddy!" Starsky double checked the buckle, and when he was satisfied that Jack was safe and sound he went to store the groceries.

Starsky found himself whistling as he unpacked the groceries. He was finally beginning to feel like he had this fatherhood thing under control. The shell shock of finding out that he was a dad had, been replaced by the panic of single fatherhood. Jack had been conceived during what Starsky could only describe as a very dark period in his life. Hutch had vanished and his every spare moment had been spent running down leads of his whereabouts. His anger with Hutch had turned into a deep depression, and then one night after way too many beers he fell straight into the arms of the first woman who had shown any interest.

Strangely enough she had been an air hostess for continental who at one time or another had dated Hutch. Maybe it had just been the connection with Hutch that had interested him, he didn't rightly know, but anyhow over a period of a couple of months they had spent a few nights together and then her routes had changed and that was that. Until the letter and photograph from Perkowitz of all people had landed on his desk. Perkowitz was now with child services in San Francisco and she had immediately recognised Starsky's name on the child's birth certificate. Jack's mother had been killed in an auto wreck, leaving the child in the care of the state.

In a matter of days Starsky had gone from young, free, seriously depressed and single, to thirty something, single father needing a substantial increase in salary to cover child care costs. He now considered it one of the best things that had ever happened to him, he only wished that Hutch had been around to share in that happiness. Perhaps Jack could have saved him too.

Friends had rallied around, Edith Dobey and Rosie had loved Jack from the moment they set eyes on him, and the Captain had unexpectedly put Starsky forward for promotion to Lieutenant. He had swung it with the higher ups so that Starsky could finish his college courses retrospectively. Dobey argued that the department couldn't afford to lose anymore good men, due to outdated technicalities. Starsky had served as a Lieutenant in Nam and had missed out on a college education, he was a damn fine detective and shouldn't be penalised for serving his country, anymore than college graduates should be awarded promotions because they had a certificate. Deep in Dobey's heart the fear of losing another one of his men the way he had lost Hutch sat heavily.

Now Starsky had an office was in charge of a team of 8 detectives, and had bought a small house by the beach, a home for him and Jack. His hours were more regular allowing him the time to be a father to Jack and to study criminology. Needless to say he was acing his classes. Life was complicated, but good, or as good as it got without Hutch in it. Jack had filled a gap I his life, but a day never went by when something or someone reminded him about what he had lost.

Starsky made a conscious effort to stop his thoughts going any further, once he got on the slippery road that was Hutch, his psyche went that way too. He had no time for pity party, guilt or the hundred and one other things that thinking about Hutch did to him. Jack was his priority and eventually he knew in his heart that Hutch would resurface. He would deal with the fallout when it happened, until then, oh heck who was he kidding, he just wished that day would now come sooner rather than later.

Reaching across for Ollie, he was startled when a cold metal object was dug into the back of his ribs. He had no doubt in his mind that it was the barrel of a gun, and with Jack strapped into the back seat, he wasn't about to take any chances.

He gently raised his hands and said calmly "My wallets in my jacket!" he hoped simply that it was some hype in need of some cash to buy his next fix.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple Detective Starsky" Came the cold reply from a voice he did not recognise. The gun nudged further into his ribs and he felt a hand reach under his jacket and remove his Beretta. "Now we are going to go round to the front of the car.

Damn..Starskys heart began to pound, the thought of having Jack anywhere near this situation made him feel sick to his stomach. He moved slowly, carefully assessing the situation as he reached the open passenger door he was unexpectedly shoved from behind and made to scramble towards the driver's seat. The gun and its owner followed.

"Now Detective, you are going to drive where I tell you to, and don't think of doing anything stupid. If you look out of the rear view mirror you will see we have an escort. Believe me all eventualities have been covered."

Starsky glanced into the mirror, not giving a damn about who was following them but wanting to see if Jack was all right in the back seat. To his relief Jack was fast asleep. Starsky turned on the ignition and slowly started to pull away, uncertain to whether these goons knew that they were kidnapping Jack as well. Turning on the ignition he did the only thing he could under the circumstances, he did exactly what he was told.