Author's note:

The previous chapter (Ten Minutes After Midnight) was a bonus chapter.

The below chapter -- is marked as three

Thank you again my special friend, Laura for all her kind help and challenging me!

THE TICKING OF TIME

PART III

Summary: Epilogue The Shootout.

Hutch pov

Time slipped by a little faster now that we were out of that restaurant and Starsky was safe. A bone-chilling tired ache crept in replacing my earlier bravado, as I slid down further in the hard plastic chair. I had been watching television with the volume turned all the way down. Sick of lip reading-- I let my gaze drift from the old western to my partner lying in a hospital bed.

Surgery went well, the bullet was removed and my partner would survive. Maybe in a little while I'd go get a cup of coffee and a newspaper -- instead of watching silent movies.

"Hutch," Starsky whimpered in his sleep.

I quickly sat forward, reached out and lay a protective hand gently on his chest. "Easy, buddy."

The simple gesture seemed to settle him and I sat back as he continued to sleep off the anesthetic.

Time can play tricks on you when you're running on empty. My mind began to wander. There was little else for it to do, sitting in this drab room. I thought about all kinds of things. My first horse, Nevada. That quantum physics lecture at the university I attended. The first car accident I got into, totaling my dad's Jag. I didn't seem to have control over my thoughts. I tried to monitor them. Think only happy things. Puppies. Kittens. A good glass of Chablis. But sooner or later my thoughts went back to the ambulance ride here. If I thought time was slow in the restaurant, it had nearly stopped during the race to get my injured partner to the hospital. I remembered every bump, every corner we rushed around, every traffic light. Felt like I had counted every spin of all four tires against the asphalt.

Panic had surged through my veins as the paramedics scrambled to stabilize my partner. Starsky was really out of it by the time we had arrived at the hospital. His blood pressure was too low, his breathing shallow and his heartbeat erratic. The paramedics tried to keep me from entering the room where they'd wheeled my partner, but I squeezed past them.

"Hutch?" Starsky mumbled half incoherently. "Where --where are you?"

I positioned myself so Starsky could see my face, bending down low over him. "Closer than you think, pal." I smiled.

"Hutch?"

"I'm here, Starsk. We're at the hospital. Just hang on."

"Bad guys?"

"Finished, pal."

"Me too," Starsky said with a tremor in his voice, as he closed his eyes.

Something snapped inside me. The words gave me a sick feeling in my stomach, and I snatched his hand and held it tight.

"No, you're not, Starsky!" I sounded like Dobey again -- even to myself.

Out of my peripheral vision I watched Chaz nearly jump out of his skin. "Sorry," I said, giving him only a brief sideways glance.

I knew I had to keep it down or I was out of there. Chaz handed me a cool cloth. I took it and used it to mop the sweat off my partner's brow, while the medical staff began tending to Starsky's needs.

"Starsky, don't you talk like that," I said in a soft voice. "You give up on me and it'll be the last thing you do. You're going to be okay," I whispered in his ear. "Starsk, do you hear me? Don't you give up."

"Ain't given up -- nothin'," he whispered back, as he blinked open his eyes. "Finished -- with linguini and clams," he explained, as he made a valiant effort to smile just before his eyes disappeared up into his head.

"Starsky, no." I clasped his hand tighter. "Hey! Starsky!"

I lost it. In a split second my breath caught in my throat and I completely lost it. Every muscle that I had braced early for the fight -- went limp. Every supersensitive nerve ending that had been triggered by the bad guys -- wilted. Where back at the restaurant I'd sagged against the wall, now, I felt like I was crawling on hands and knees, the adrenaline rush pouring out of me in the form of sweat. If he died on me now -- I didn't know what I'd do.

A hand lunged out and gripped my forearm. "Take it easy, he's okay," Chaz stated slow and clear. "He's unconscious, but okay. Let's give the doctor some room to work."

I remembered shaking so hard. If he hadn't had a grip on my arm I'd have sunk to my knees, as I held my breath tight in my chest.

"You understand?" The medic asked in a calm voice. "Your partner is going to be okay."

I knew my partner was made of stronger stuff than I was giving him credit for, but right then all I could think about was: What if I lost him?

"Yes, but--"

A thumb stroked across my hand, startling me from my thoughts and brought me back to the hospital room where my partner was now recovering.

"You don't have to be here." The barely audible voice brought my gaze to meet Starsky's.

I could tell he was still in a dazed fog. The whole ordeal had left him shaky and feverish.

"Yeah, I do, pal," I said leaning closer so he could see me better.

"Yeah?" he questioned, and I could tell he was vaguely aware.

"Yeah," I confirmed.

Seeing my buddy awake took the edge off my nerves and I finally could drop my guard.

"You could use a shower." Starsky shifted uneasily.

"That's my partner, always watching my back." I tried to lighten.

"That's what partners do." Starsky's brow creased. "Agh!" He gasped as his fingers curled into the sheet, and his face turned ashen. "Damn!"

"Easy." I splayed my hand across his chest.

I could tell he lost his will to argue with me as he was trying to make his way through the pain.

"Tell you what, buddy, you get some more sleep and you can watch my back anytime you want," I offered.

"You're pretty good -- " Starsky moaned. "At watching your own back," he said, fighting to keep his eyes open.

Maybe I should have left. He needed his rest and my being here was keeping him from it. Besides, it was getting harder to force my tears of joy back, as relief thundered through me.

"You want me to go?" I asked.

"Don't." Starsky closed his eyes and reached his right hand up to cover mine.

I guessed it was his way of reassuring himself that I would stay close.

"Won't." I smiled, and listened to him breathe as he relaxed back into sleep.

TBC..

Final chapter coming soon

Thank you for riding along..