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BeachTalk
(A Post Sweet Revenge Scenario)

by 

Chrysida

   It was late when Hutch parked his LTD behind the distinctive red and white Torino belonging to his partner. A few hours ago Starsky, looking and sounding beat after another long tour of duty, had surprisingly taken the advice of both Hutch and Captain Dobey and called it a day. Two pairs of concerned eyes had watched him saunter through the squad room doors and down the outer corridor. It had only been six months since Gunther's hitmen had almost assassinated him and Hutch still hadn't stopped worrying. Or being amazed, he thought, sitting in his car staring at the yellow glow from Starsky's apartment window but seeing instead his tenacious best friend as he fought and struggled and vanquished every ordeal and every challenge that the massive damage those bullets had done to his body, spirit and psyche dictated. The doctors had said, with typical clinical detachment, that he should've been dead on arrival at the hospital. They had said the cardiac arrest should've killed him. Even with those two victories to his credit, not one of them had expected Starsky to wake up from his coma let alone walk out of the hospital eight weeks later. A flood of pride brought tears to Hutch's eyes and, abruptly, he was back in the present. Everyone gave up on you, buddy; even me. I thank God that you never gave up on yourself! He ignored the painful lump in his throat and climbed out of his car, taking a deep breath before heading up the stairs. As he raised a hand to knock, he saw a note pinned on the door and hesitated; it was addressed to him. He smiled faintly but the crease of worry between his eyes never lessened as he read:

   Acting on autopilot, Hutch retrieved two bottles of beer before starting out on the fifteen-minute walk to the beach. All that time his mind was a maelstrom of anxiety, fear and curiosity. For the past month, he had noticed that his usually ebullient partner had slowly grown more and more pensive. He was never lacking a wisecrack or smile or anything like that and he certainly seemed to be feeling well but several times, Hutch had caught Starsky looking at him; a wistful half-smile on his face. Every time Hutch asked, however, he was reassured that there was nothing wrong. Starsky was functioning with almost as much energy and verve as his friends and associates had grown accustomed to from him prior to Gunther but there was sometimes an undefinable something beneath the routine, the banter and the tomfoolery; a regret or sadness that so far Starsky hadn't wanted to talk about. Now it seemed like he might be ready to do just that and Hutch wasn't sure if he was ready. There was a bright, full moon that night and it was still comfortably warm under a black velvet sky bursting with glittering silver stars by the time Hutch reached the small stretch of sand that his partner euphemistically insisted on calling a beach. The park it skirted was deserted by then, tall palms swaying in a lazy ocean breeze as the blonde detective made his way across the grass towards the sound of surging, gurgling water. He was still yards away when he spotted the small fire Starsky had built. For a moment Hutch paused, studying the tall, lean figure silhouetted by the flickering gold flames. Dressed in a pair of jean cut-offs and an old shirt, bare-footed and oblivious to his chestnut curls being teased by the playful breeze, Starsky was bent over the eyepiece of a tripod-mounted telescope. Hutch chuckled when the breeze carried to his ears some of the notes of the melody his partner was whistling. Yes, indeed, Gordo. It sure is a wonderful world. As he started forward again, Hutch wolf-whistled as loudly as he could manage and laughed when Starsky jumped, almost knocking the telescope over.

   "Hutch! Hey! What took ya so long? I was beginnin' to think you'd turned into a pumpkin or somethin'."

   "Oh sure, and if I had, with my luck, you'd just make a pumpkin pie out of me."

   "Get real, blondie… you don't even like meringue!"

   Hutch handed Starsky one of the bottles of beer, laughing at their nonsensical banter and hoping that the full moon would indeed prove auspicious tonight.

   Starsky threw Hutch a beach towel to sit on and then collapsed on one of his own, taking a long swallow of the still cold beer as Hutch joined him.

   They spent the next several minutes quietly contemplating the heavens before Starsky turned to face Hutch and smiled warmly as their eyes met.

   "We've known each other a long time, haven't we, Hutch? Sometimes I think, there never was a time when I didn't know you… you mean the world to me, pal. You really do."

   The uncustomarily sentimental statement caught Hutch off guard despite his suspicions about what this rendezvous might possibly be about. When he tried to reply, Starsky just patted his shoulder and smiled even wider.

   "I know this past year has been tough for you, too. I never woulda made it this far if you hadn't been there for me. I just wanted to say thanks… and to ask just one more favor."

   This time Hutch found his voice, "My part was really small, Starsk, compared to yours. As soapy as it may sound, I can deny you nothing so ask away." In spite of his words, Hutch's heart was racing with dread. Please don't let this be about what I think it is! Please!

   "I want you to take the Lieutenant's exam."

   Two pairs of blue eyes collided, one pair sparkling with enthusiasm and the others clouded with puzzlement and uncertainty. When Starsky saw Hutch's reaction, he squeezed the shoulder that he had never removed his hand from and smiled reassuringly.

   "Take the Lieutenant's exam, Hutch. I know you won't want a new partner and I don't wanna go back to school worryin' that you're out on the streets without me to back ya up. Capiche?"

   For a moment the expression on Hutch's face turned even more confused but then, like storm clouds clearing on a brisk wind, a tentative smile emerged to light up his eyes.

   "You're… you're going back to school? When did you…? Why? Are you sure?"

   "Yes, Hutch. I've already enrolled. I start in two months, at the beginnin' of the next semester. I figure, if you help me study like you did when we were in the academy, I oughta get my degree in two years, three at the most. Then, I'll take the Lieutenant's exam, too."

   Hutch couldn't believe his ears. His eyes suddenly blurred with tears and his voice was barely a whisper when he responded.

   "You are unbelievable, Starsk. You've been so thoughtful the last while… I actually thought you were thinking of quitting. I wouldn't have blamed you, not after this year, but just the idea of losing you, partner…"

   Starsky moved closer and pulled his best friend into the comfort of a brotherly embrace.

   "I'm a lot tougher than I look, ya big lug! There ain't no way you're gonna lose me." He stated with quiet certitude, "Yeah, maybe for a while we ain't gonna be partners but as long as you're safe, that's a deal I can dig. We're still gonna be friends - that'll never change, pal. What about you, Hutch? Will you do me this last favor?"

   Starsky slowly moved back, searching his friend's face. He smiled contentedly at what he found there and raised his bottle in a toast.

   "To the soon-to-be Lieutenant Hutchinson! The Bay City Police Department may never be the same again!"

   Hutch tapped his bottle against Starsky's' and grinned.

   "To the imminent Freshman Starsky! Community University will never be the same!"

   Peals of laughter echoed merrily beneath shimmering moonglow and drifted away on the surf to bring smiles to faces in far off places.

THE END