Can I Protect You?

Starsky is wondering if he can protect Hutch from the ‘next time’.

Starsky sipped his coffee as he waited for Hutch to come out of his last physical therapy session. Starsky was sure this would be the last one; Hutch was walking without a limp now and he seemed back to full strength. They’d be back on the street again tomorrow. Starsky couldn’t wait but had to admit that a teeny part of him was uneasy.

What about the next lowlife that decided to take revenge on what he saw as ‘interference’ with his work? What about the next psycho that picked on them for some reason? What about situations with armed felons? And there was always a freak accident that could occur.

Starsky’s face dimmed as he thought about all the ways he could lose his partner. Could he protect him from all that?

The door opened and Hutch came out, smiling and thanking the physiotherapist. He strode over to his waiting partner.

“Clean bill of health. Dobey will have to let us back out tomorrow!” It was said with enthusiasm; weeks of desk duty had been driving Hutch crazy.

Starsky shook off his worry and stood up, asking, “How do you want to celebrate?”

Hutch shrugged as they walked towards the exit.

“Huggy’s?”

“Huggy’s.”

As they walked down the steps towards Starsky’s car, Hutch placed a hand on Starsky’s shoulder.

“I’m glad I can get back to watching your back. I didn’t like it when you had to go out without me.”

“Yeah, me too.” Starsky tried to look one hundred percent happy but Hutch picked up on the lingering unease.

As they climbed into the car, Hutch placed a hand on Starsky’s forearm to stop him starting the car and asked, “What?”

Starsky sighed and shook himself. “Nothing. It’s all good. I’m glad to have my partner back.”

“But?”

Starsky hesitated then said, “Just thinking about the next time…” He inclined his head towards the hospital. “And whether I can protect you.”

Hutch squeezed his arm and thought, trying to find the right words.

“You found me, Starsk. You protected me. No-one can stop random acts of violence or nature but there’s no-one I’d rather have watching my back. Between the two of us, I reckon we’ve got everything else covered…don’t you?”

Starsky looked him in the eyes and then nodded.

“Yeah…Yeah, I do.”

“Then let’s go see Huggy and celebrate our partnership.”

Both of them were content as Starsky started the Torino and headed towards Huggy’s.