Limbo

48

Starsky’s first thoughts after Gunther’s shooting.

Triple Drabble
See end for Author’s note

---

“Starsky! Get Down!”

Hutch, I’m hit. 

Hurts like a mother fucker. 

Hutch!

Answer me, goddammit! 

Oh God, Hutch, it hurts. 

Hutch?

~~~

Hands. Fucking hands touching me. But not his. 

Voices. But not his. 

Everyone shut the fuck up so I can hear him. 

What happened? Where is he?

Oh God, Hutch, it hurts. 

Hutc-

~~~

So fucking tired. 

Smells. I know those smells.

Sweat. Sweaty Hutch. He’s OK.

Blood. His blood. 

I can’t move. He’s on top of me. Covering me. Protecting me. Is this how it ends? Like Butch and Sundance?

Oh God, Hutch, it hurts. 

Hut-

~~~

More smells.

Hospital. 

I’m safe.

Why is he still covering me? And shaking? He’s crying.

It’s OK, we’re safe. Aren’t we?

Oh God, Hutch, it hurts. 

Hu-

~~~

Hand. His hand. His fingers rubbing my wrist. 

Bandage.

He’s hurt. 

Fucking hospital beeping.

A squeeze.

“Starsk, you gotta calm down. You’re getting agitated and setting off alarms.”

But the bandage?

“Just a little scratch. Now calm down, rest, so you can come back to me. I need you here.”

I need you, too.Oh God, Hutch, it hurts. 

H-

~~~

“I don’t know what to do, Starsk. 

I’m pushing the odds. 

I don’t know what to do. 

I mean, what if . . . . 

What if? 

Oh man, what am I talking about? 

What am I talking about?”

I don’t know, but keep talking. It’s a beautiful sound.

“Starsky?”

Thank God.

“Starsk?”

He’s safe.

“Yo-? You’re awake.”

He’s beautiful.

“Hey, he’s he’s awake. He’s awake. Uh. Uh. Yeah. Well. Nurse, he’s awake. He’s he’s awake.”

So you said.

“He’s awake. He’s Okay. He’s awake. He’s awake. He’s awake.”

Look at the moron, spinning that nurse around. You’d have thought she just woke up.

Oh God, Hutch, it still hurts. 

Just not as much knowing you’re here.

Safe.

My Hutch.

---

Author’s Note: Gifted to Kath Moonshine from a 2025 SHareCon raffle basket. Shared publicly for the first time in the 2026 Virtual SHareCon Countdown Calendar.