Once Upon a Time in Tombstone

“You gonna kill me? Try it. You tried to kill my partner how many times? You kill me, he’ll come after you. Kill him and there’ll be somebody else. There’ll always be somebody else.”

Espinosa, one of the Cochise County Cowboys, laughed right in Hutch’s face. A cold, vile sound.

“Somebody else… like who? Virgil? The other Earps? Or maybe that half-shot worthless doctor, Holliday?” His voice dripped with disdain.

“Them. And others. There will always be men to stand in the way of your boss and his ilk. Clantons, McLaurys… you don’t have much time left.”

Hutch stood proud, staring down the barrel of the Cowboy’s Colt. The one and only thought on his mind was Starsky. He knew he was close and wanted him to be safe. If Starsky kept a clear mind, he could take this asshole out before the asshole even registered his presence. So he hoped with all his heart that Starsky wouldn’t have to watch him getting shot. Because he was going to get shot, there was no doubt about that.

The Cowboy spat on the ground, his whole face a mask of contempt. He looked at Hutch with an evil smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

“Too bad you have even less, Blondie!” He pulled the trigger.

At that same moment, Starsky came into view. Hutch locked eyes with him and time seemed to stand still. Everything was frozen in place and everything seemed to happen at the same time.

‘I’m sorry you had to see this, my love’ Hutch had time to think before the bullet hit the left side of his upper body. He saw Starsky’s eyes grow impossibly wide and registered the shock and fear on his face as he staggered back, before falling to the ground.

He heard Starsky’s desperate “NOOO!!!” Through his blurred vision, he saw Espinosa wheel around in slow motion and lift his gun to take aim at Starsky. Then the pain became too much and his head fell back as the dizziness overtook him.

Starsky saw Hutch fall, the blue of his eyes so bright it looked unreal, endless like the sky. His heart seized. Time seemed to slow to a standstill. He heard himself scream “NOOO!!!” Time lurched forward and sped up.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Espinosa whirled around, his outlaw instincts taking over. He aimed his gun, but he was a second too late. Starsky fired both barrels of his shotgun and started running before the Cowboy’s body had hit the ground.

Starsky felt numb and cold. He kept repeating no, no, no, no, no in his head, not aware he was saying it out loud too. He reached Hutch and went to his knees beside him.

“No, no, no… Hutch, no… not my Hutch… not my Hutch, you fuckers.”

He gently lifted Hutch’s upper body and cradled his head in his chest. “Please, baby… Please…” His voice broke. “Don’t leave me…”

There was not enough oxygen in the air. He couldn’t breathe right. His chest started to constrict. His lungs burned. His heart stuttered. For a moment, the whole world went black.

In the space between two heartbeats, Hutch coughed. He screwed up his eyes, his whole face a grimace of pain. “Ouch.”

Starsky’s heart stopped beating and in the next fraction of a second started a wild rhythm in his chest.

“Hutch…” It was the barest of whispers.

“Ow… Damn, hurts like a bastard.”

Starsky’s throat was dry, the words coming out like dragging on sandpaper.

“I thought you were dead.”

Hutch opened one eye. “Bullet proof vest, dummy.” He coughed again.

Starsky stared at him in disbelief for a moment longer before he folded him in a fierce embrace, one hand pressing Hutch’s face tight to his chest.

“I thought I lost you…” he whispered.

“Mmmpphhh…”

“What?”

“You’re… suffo.. maphing… me.”

“I don’t care. I thought you were dead!” He was rocking them both back and forth.

“Air… Hurts…”

Starsky pulled back and ran his fingers through Hutch’s hair, sweeping it away from his face. He touched his cheek with a tenderness that made Hutch want to cry.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause you more pain. I just… I forgot about the vest. I was so scared… Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I didn’t exactly have an option. ” Hutch’s words were soft, as was his smile.

Starsky drew a sharp breath. Hutch looked at him, saw his eyes brimming, shining with unshed tears.

“I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you in fucking Tombstone. In fucking 1881.”

Hutch reached up and cupped Starsky’s neck. “You didn’t lose me, babe. I’m right here. Hey, I’m OK. Bruised and battered but OK.”

Starsky closed his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. When he opened them again, he was calmer, centered.

“Speaking of which, take your shirt and vest off. Show me your torso. I want to check the damage with my own eyes.”

Starsky’s hand, the one that wasn’t cradling him, was already fiddling with Hutch’s shirt buttons. Hutch batted it away.

“I’m not going to strip right here! I’m OK. It hurts a lot, and there’s probably a lovely bruise blooming as we speak, maybe a couple battered ribs, but nothing life threatening. ”

“A couple cracked ribs, more likely. Hutch, I didn’t survive Gunther just to lose you at the gunfight at the O.K. Corral!”

“We’re not at the O.K. Corral and that gunfight hasn’t happened yet. Also, it didn’t happen at the O.K. Corral, it took place in the lot on the side of the photography studio. And you didn’t lose me. I’m right here in your arms as it is meant to be and if you keep squeezing me, you’ll give me more bruises than that bullet. ”

Starsky huffed. “Only you would give a mini history lesson while lying on the ground after being shot. Alright. But when we get back, you’re going to let Doc check you out.”

“What will he check me out for? Cavities?” Hutch snorted and winced.

“Haha, Blintz. You’re hilarious. You need to be checked by a doctor.”

“He’s a dentist.”

“He’s also a skilled gunfighter, and he probably knows more about human anatomy than most doctors of this time. And I trust him with both our lives.”

“Oh, I trust John too. I trust him to gamble away one of my internal organs.” Hutch chuckled and grimaced in pain.

“Serves you right. If you’re making stupid jokes like that, it probably means there’s nothing I should worry about. Except your sense of humor. But I made my peace with that a long time ago. Come on, time to get up.”

Starsky helped Hutch up with slow and careful movements.

“You think you can ride?”

“Yeah, as long as we take it easy.”

“We will. We don’t have far to ride anyway.”

Starsky picked up his shotgun. He put his arm around Hutch’s waist, and Hutch leaned on him. He looked at the body lying in the dirt.

“What about him?” Hutch inclined his head to indicate the dead man.

Starsky didn’t even look that way. His voice was cold as he replied. “We’ll stop by and tell Virgil on our way home. He’ll take care of it. Although I wouldn’t mind leaving him here to rot. Murderous piece of shit.”

Hutch put his hand on Starsky’s cheek and turned his head towards him. He leaned down and gave Starsky a gentle kiss on the lips.

“Let’s go home. I’ll let John take one of my ribs for his gambling purposes.”

“If you had died here today, I would have killed you.” Starsky’s tender look belied his angry tone.

“I know. I love you too. More than I could ever say.”

Starsky kissed Hutch’s shoulder and pulled him a little closer, taking care not to jostle him. Holding onto each other, they started the slow walk towards their horses.

Holliday came out of the bedroom and accepted the shot of whiskey Starsky handed him.

“Did he offer to give you his rib?” Starsky’s tone was wry.

“He did. He even said he’d let me choose which one I wanted to take. He really thinks he’s funny.”

“You have no idea. I’m sorry, Doc.” Starsky shook his head.

“What for? I’m glad he was wearing that vest, so he’s above snakes and able to make bad jokes. Besides, I told him I was going to pull two of his front teeth if he didn’t quit his yammerin’. That seemed to make him hold his tongue.” Doc smirked.

Starsky laughed. It was good to be able to relieve some of the tension. He looked at Holliday and grew serious. “How is he, Doc?”

“He’s fine, Starsky. There is no internal bleeding. He has a nice, big bruise that will probably spread a little more and his ribs are battered. He didn’t break anything. Apart from his sense of humor, but I suspect that happened long before you two arrived in Tombstone.” He winked.

Starsky relaxed a little. He’d been wound tight since watching Hutch get shot, and it didn’t escape Holliday’s attention.

“How are you doing, Starsky?”

“I’m still spinning. I watched him get shot, Doc. I… I froze when I saw him go down… I didn’t remember the vest, my brain stopped working. I was terrified, I thought he was dead. I thought I’d lost him, Doc. I expect to have a nightmare or two about it.”

“There is a cure for that, and it’s waiting for you in that room. Go take care of your Marshall, Marshall. It’s the best medicine for what ails you. Doctor’s orders!”

Starsky smiled and looked at the floor. “Is there a limit to the caring? Anything to… avoid?”

“Well, as long as you take it slow and are careful not to jostle or put pressure on his left side, things should be fine. Let him decide what he’s comfortable with, what hurts and what doesn’t. I asked him if he wanted morphine or laudanum for the pain, but he was adamant in his denial. Said he can’t take opioids no matter what. I sense there’s a story there, something bad that happened in your era.”

It wasn’t a question. Starsky nodded. “There is, but it’s not my story to tell. Maybe Hutch will tell you in his own time.”

“If and when he’s ready to tell it, I’ll be ready to hear it. I know a lot about pain myself.” There was sadness and hurt in his smile but he covered it up fast while he made his way to the door. “I’ll pass by the Ice Cream Saloon and tell them to deliver some ice to you. It should take care of the pain and bruising both. And how about some ice cream too? He was willing to give me one of his ribs after all! It’s the least I can do.”

Starsky snorted. Holliday was the absolute best, and he was honored and privileged to have earned the man’s trust and friendship. He knew Hutch felt the same way. “Thank you, Doc. For everything.”

“No need to thank me. I didn’t do much. And you are going to pay me by telling me more stories about your modern times and your adventures there over a cold beer. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an ice delivery to see to. Maybe I’ll find Wyatt there too. He loves the damn place.”

“All the stories you want, Doc. Thanks again. Say howdy to Wyatt, if you see him.”

Holliday stopped with one foot out the door. He looked thoughtful. “You two know what’s going to happen, don’t you? To us? To… me?”

Starsky opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Holliday continued. “I don’t want you to tell me. I don’t want to know. I prefer to live this life, whatever comes my way, as an adventure. Not worrying or having a death sentence over my and my friends’ heads. There’s only one thing I’d like to know. Does Tombstone still exist in your time?”

“It does. It sure does.” Starsky answered with a smile.

Holliday threw his head back and laughed. A full, deep belly laugh. “The town that’s too tough to die! And, judging by your reaction when we met, I’m sure I have quite a reputation too.” He laughed again, an amused, delighted sound. “See you later, Marshall. Take good care of my patient!”

Starsky laughed to himself. God, he was going to miss Doc so much when they went back to their time. And knowing that in a few short years, Doc would be dead made the whole situation surreal and bittersweet. But he wouldn’t think about that right now. It was how the story went, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

Right now, he had a blond wounded angel to give comfort and tender love to. And if he were honest, he needed that comfort and tender love as well, to remind him Hutch was alive and in one piece, and that as long as they were together, there was nothing they couldn’t face.

Hutch’s voice drifted from the bedroom. “Where’s my nurse? I need some healing!” A pause. “It’s getting awfully lonely in here, babe.”

Yes, Starsky thought with a huge grin on his face, making his way to the bedroom. There was nothing they couldn’t weather. Even in 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona.