THE REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD TIME

Author intervention time.

I was debating whether to post this now. It was written months before David passed, and it's next in my series. But I apologize if it's too soon. On the other hand, if one needs to cry or to remember that Starsky and Hutch are with us, it might help.

NOTE: I haven't been all that faithful to Starsky and Hutch canon. 'Starsky in Love' starts post-Kira and then I kind of lose it on actual time frames. This, I believe, is the privilege of the author. But a couple of people have asked me as I toodle along with my sequels, "Is this before or after 'Sweet Revenge'" And I kind of gulp, because I wasn't thinking of Sweet Revenge at all.

What to do? Well, I could just ignore the whole incident. After all, it would change so much about that hideous time. Especially about Hutch's doing it all alone.

Then I thought: why not try to tie it in? Major relationship changes. Starsky now has a wife. Children. Hutch has a wife. Children.

So I'm just gonna put some thoughts 'on paper' about that really really really bad time.

I have taken the privilege of author in order to change the date of the Starsky shooting to 1981 instead of 1979.

THE VERY VERY VERY BAD TIME

Starsky had been shot. Three times in the back. He was in the ICU of Memorial Hospital, fighting to breathe and for his life.

In an alternate universe, Hutch might have been alone in his grief for his best friend.

But in this real universe, he wasn't alone.

And he didn't have just Starsky to take care of.

Starsky's wife Sivan, who had been a cop herself before retiring to take care of her family, could only be pried away from her husband's bedside by one person. And it was neither a doctor nor a nurse.

She had unconditional faith in Me and Thee, a bond solidified long before she had even met her husband. She knew that if anyone else in this life could reach into Starsky's mind and soul, it was the man who slumped in his chair next to the hospital bed. Tangled blonde hair, red-rimmed eyes, exhausted body, lips barely moving as he leaned down and whispered, "Starsk. I'm here. I'm here. I'm here."

Only when Hutch was there would Sivvy turn her head to drink a Coke and eat half a sandwich of whatever was around.

Hutch and Sivvy had their own support. Captain Dobey came at least once a day. Minnie was there every evening after work. Huggy Bear did food and drink rounds ceaselessly. The Bear had deep feelings that he was good at hiding, but not now. Not now. Cops from the precinct and even from other precincts around Bay City stopped by for arms around the shoulders.

Edith Dobey would watch all four Starsky and Hutchinson kids on the days that Becca went to pick up Hutch at the hospital. Sivvy alone would guard over Starsky for that time. Sometimes Huggy or Dobey would sit with her.

Becca would bring Hutch home. She'd draw him a bath, help him in and later haul him out. He'd inevitably fall asleep in the tub. She'd dry him and lead his naked body to their bed. Becca would let him stretch out, taking up virtually the whole mattress. Then she'd undress herself and climb in with him. Didn't let him do a thing. She'd make love to him in any way she could think of, until he'd moan out and shudder in what was more temporary stress-agony relief rather than sexual release.

Becca spent most of her other time with the four kids.

Ollie and DC knew something was wrong but they still couldn't really grasp what was happening.

Bella and Kenny were the much bigger challenges.

Bella Starsky was about 3 years old. She cried for her daddy and mommy. Becca cuddled and snuggled and propped Bella on her lap and showed her pictures of Starsky and Sivvy.

When Sivvy was at the hospital Becca put Bella on the phone with the speaker on, and while Bella talked into the phone Becca held he ownr hand to her mouth and sobbed as quietly as she could.

Kenny Starsky was another story altogether. He was 6 years old, and smart. He knew that something very bad had happened to his daddy, and that daddy had to be in the hospital for a long time and it was hard for daddy to talk and Kenny wasn't allowed to visit. Mama and Uncle Huck were at the hospital all the time. Whenever they'd come home (never together) Kenny and Bella and Ollie and DC and Auntie Becca got whatever love and attention they could possibly get. But Kenny knew that everyone was thinking of daddy. He tried to be so, so brave. He didn't want Bella to see him upset and be scared. She was his little sister and his responsibility. He shared his toys with her, especially the trains that daddy loved. Kenny would play daddy's part and let Bella play Kenny's part.

But after the younger children were tucked in for naps, Kenny would crawl into Auntie Becca's arms and cry. There was just so much a kid could take.

Three weeks later:

"I sold a piece of land today, " said Hutch.

He was seated in his chair in the hospital room with Sivvy next to him, and Starsky propped up on three pillows.

"I sold a piece of land today, "Hutch repeated casually. "Family land I had in Duluth. A good chunk. Countryside, but there's a ton of development planned for that exact area and I made a bundle, if I do say so myself."

Sivvy was already starting to sniffle. Starsky just lay very still.

"I found a good plan for the money," Hutch continued. He started picking at a piece of lint ."

on Starsky's blanket. "A great one actually. Excellent return of investment, even in these times."

Pick, pick, pick at the lint.

"Without touching the capital, the interest will be enough to support the Starsky family for the indefinite future, factoring in your own assets.

We don't know what the future will bring, Starsk. You may be back to work full time. Maybe not a street detective, but in a different position within the force. Maybe you'll just want to take it easy for a while. But I got ya all covered, Gordo."

Starsky opened and shut his mouth. Sivvy was crying hard now.

Hutch faced them with a piercingly ferocious look.

"Here's the deal," he said, calmly. "It's non-negotiable. Becca and I are not listening to any 'wah wah wah' or 'boo hoo hoo' from either one of you about this. It's our money and if you don't take it I swear Becca and I will flush it down the toilet bill by bill and make you watch. We will accept two words from you: 'Thank you.' Five if you want to make it formal: 'Thank you, Becca and Blondie."'.

Starsky opened his mouth again. Then his eyes shot into Hutch's with a brilliant lapis lazuli, glittering glow.

"You absolute, positive shit," Starsky said adoringly. "You frickin' asshole. My Me and Thee mushball."

"That's more than five words. But I'll take them in the spirit in which they were uttered."

Sivvy's hand crept into Hutch's.

"You are a mensch, Hutch. A mensch to end all mensches. My darling Jew in Training. Do you remember what a mensch is?"

"A good guy," answered Hutch. "Not just a good guy. YOUR good guy."

"You putz." This was Starsky again.

"That's just about enough from you." Hutch reached out to fluff a handful of Starsky curls. "I'll only take around 15,000 additional insults from you before I start to get pissed."

"You - "

"That's one."

The end