Many, many thanks to Lark… girl, I don’t know what I’d do without you!!! (Other than show my ignorance with punctuation and everything else I overlook!!) And thank you Stephanie, for bringing this character into life. She is nothing without you.

   The rain was soothing to Starsky. Unlike his best friend, he secretly found comfort in the gray of a cloudy day. The smells that filled your nose were like a sign that Mother Nature was ready to wash away the dirt and dust to start anew. He could always count on a rainy day off to sort of mellow out any mood that had stricken him, from the bad ones that lingered with him of cases still unresolved, to the lonely ones of missing people in his life that he had loved so much and lost.

   It was Monday. All the more appropriate for the rain. Maybe it would rain the rest of the week. He was off thanks to the successful completion of a very hard case and he wouldn’t mind if it did. Something he was sure not many would understand.

   He sat at the kitchen window and watched the rain as it fell. He snuggled himself into his sweater, enjoying the chill, thinking about taking a nap. There were two things that he most enjoyed with the rain: sleep and sex. The latter was not an option, so napping would be the plan. Until the phone rang.

   "Dave? Is that you?" the female voice questioned quietly, a little unsettled by his angered tone when he answered ‘Hello’.

   "This is David Starsky. Who’s this?" he asked, still unsettled by the phone’s disturbance, but glad to hear it wasn’t anyone from the precinct calling.

   "David. It’s Me. Sharman. Sharman Crane" There was silence for a moment as his mouth fell open, but no words came out. "David, are you still there?" Starsky’s mind raced. It couldn’t be. Not her. Not the same one.

   "Sharman, is that really you?"

   "Yes Dave, it’s me." Her voice wavered a little, her emotions racing at the sound of his voice.

   Starsky almost fell back into the chair, realizing who it was. He felt his heart jump heavily within him.

   "Sharman, what’s wrong?" he asked, feeling like there was a reason behind her phone call other than what he had hoped for and longed for only months before.

   "I, I, oh hell David, I kept missing you and couldn’t stop thinking about you. I decided I couldn’t keep living a lie." Her voice quivered, as if she were cold or crying. "I grabbed up a few of my things and caught a plane from New York City this morning. I wanted to see you again. I know I was presuming a lot." She hesitated, catching her breath. "I mean, I don’t even know if you want to see me ... " her words trailed off.

   "Of course I want to see you. Where are you at right now? Let me come get you, okay?" Starsky’s voice was soft and his words sounded genuine. She began silently crying with relief.

   "I’m at the airport. I can catch a cab and be there in a little while, if you want me to?" She tried to stop her tears from being heard by him, although it was already too late.

   "I’ll be there in a half hour. You stay there, okay? I’ll pick you up at the main entrance. Hey, are you alright?" he asked, already worried about what might have brought her back to him. He heard her stifled sobs over the phone, even though she tried to cover the mouth piece when she couldn’t control them.

   "Sharman? You there?"

   "I’m still here, Dave. Yes, I’ll meet you at the main entrance in thirty minutes. Thank you." She hung up the phone softly.

********

   David Starsky raced around his apartment almost as fast as his mind raced with thoughts of her. He changed clothes and brushed his hair and left, running down the stairs and into his car.

   The whole time he drove, he thought about her, going through scenarios in his head, trying to prepare himself for the worst. Maybe she couldn’t handle the big city any more, or maybe another tragedy had happened in her life that brought her back to him, not knowing where else to turn. If she needed him to steady her and help her get a grip on reality, he would be there for her. For anything. Whatever the reason. The windshield wipers began scraping the window, no longer having rain as a buffer for the friction as they got louder and louder. He didn’t notice.

   He also didn’t remember driving to the airport and getting out from his car to go find her. It was all just a blur as his mind freed itself to think about her and the last time he’d seen her. He let his mind wander back to the vision of her from before.

   First he noticed her silhouette; she was looking out at the traffic as it passed by the window she stood in front of. Then, like some sort of fairy tale, she slowly turned towards him, as if she magically knew he was there. She was more beautiful than he could have imagined. It was obvious that she'd been taking care of herself, getting well as time went by. She smiled at him as he walked towards her, and he smiled back at her, embracing her as soon as he was within reach. She returned his hold, hugging him as if for dear life.

   "God you look good, Sharman," he told her, beaming as he smiled at her.

   "You do too, Dave," she said, snuggling herself into him. "I’ve missed you."

   After talking a few moments, discussing the ‘niceties’ that old friends do, he grabbed her luggage in one hand and put the other around her waist as he led her towards his car. Quickly placing her belongings in the trunk, he opened the passenger side door for her and closed it after she got in. Once he had gotten behind the steering wheel, he put the keys in the ignition and turned himself to face her.

   "Where to?" Her eyes looked up into his.

   "Your place?"

   Starsky smiled, then turned the key.

   The drive back to his apartment was filled with an awkward silence. He couldn’t stop looking over at her, as if having to check and be sure each time that she was real. Every once in a while, as she watched the scenery go by, she would catch him looking at her. She would smile, melting him.

   They walked silently up to his apartment hand in hand. The rain began falling again, but neither seemed to mind. Once they reached the top of the stairs, he tried letting go of her hand to get his keys from his pocket, not wanting to put her luggage down in the puddles that were already forming from the rain. Instead she held onto him tightly, leaning down as she lifted the mat in front of his door, moving aside. She picked up the key.

   "Just like you said. The key is always under the mat," she told him, grinning as she unlocked his door.

   "And I meant it." He grinned back at her.

   After they got inside, Starsky began boiling a pot of water. He thought that making them something warm to drink would be welcome after being out in the chilling rain.

   Sharman walked around in the apartment, letting the familiar feel of it comfort her as she stopped in front of the living room window, watching the droplets of rain as they slid down the panes. She didn’t notice Starsky as he walked up behind her.

   "Hey," he said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. She smiled, still looking out the window.

   "Hey yourself." She leaned her head over onto his hand. She turned around slowly, her face only inches from his.

   "Miss me?" she asked. She tilted her head to one side, giving him an almost impish grin.

   "You know I did. Come on, I made us some hot chocolate." He led her towards the kitchen, sitting across from her at the table. He wanted to grab her and hold her and show her just how much he had missed her, but didn’t want to throw himself on her. Instead he decided to let her make the moves, or at least know for sure what she wanted from him first.

   They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping the extra chocolatey mixture from their mugs as they grinned at each other.

   "So …" he began, not knowing exactly what to say. "What would you like to talk about?" he asked, watching her as she avoided his question for a moment, instead searching her purse for a pack of cigarettes.

   "We could talk about what brought you back here?" Starsky suggested, leaning himself back in his chair.

   She lit a cigarette.

   "Okay, then how ‘bout I start. What brought you back here? When you called you said you couldn’t keep living a lie. What did you mean?" Starsky leaned further back in his chair and fished an ashtray from a drawer behind him. He placed it in front of her, waiting patiently for her to respond.

   Sharman took a deep breath as she looked down at the ashtray.

   "The lie of still being able to be a model. New York City is for the young girls with the perky bodies and, and .." Her face was suddenly stricken, as if she were fighting tears.

   "What happened to you, Sharman?"

   "Nothing." She began, "Nothing happened, Dave. I just am not young anymore and I wasn’t willing to sleep with anyone for a job. Well, there I was, trying so hard to get a few modeling jobs lined up, and I suddenly realized that I was making all these efforts for something that was no longer a priority in my life. You know? It was like some sort of awakening,." she said, using her finger to slowly make circular motions around the rim of her cup, avoiding eye contact with him.

   "Are you sure that’s all there is to it?" Starsky questioned, watching her carefully. She nodded her head yes, still looking down.

   "So, what is your priority in life now?"

   "Well, I haven’t been back here in town since my mother died …" she said, pausing a little, as if reflecting on what had happened only a few months before.

   "Yeah, I heard. I’m so sorry about that, Sharman. It was a tragic accident." "Thanks. But, I guess, to get back to answering your question, my priority in life is going to be life itself. I want to live life and not be afraid anymore of what it has in store for me." She paused, letting her eyes meet his. "That sounds corny as hell, doesn’t it?" she asked, a slight chuckle escaping her.

   "I think, " Starsky began, putting his hand on hers, "that it sounds like you are ready for anything." He smiled, looking at her proudly.

   As the day went by, Sharman’s tension eased thanks to Starsky, talking about subjects of long ago that made her feel comfortable. She knew she’d made the right choice coming to him. Before they knew it, night had fallen.

   Starsky took Sharman out to dinner, opting for a nice little Mexican restaurant that was only a few miles from his home. It had a few other patrons, but being Monday night and also being late in the evening, Starsky found the privacy he’d hoped for. By the time they had finished eating, they were caught up with each other’s lives somewhat and happily reflecting on ‘old times’ from high school. The subject of the last time they had seen each other never came up, other than the comment Starsky made about how well she had pulled herself together and how great she looked.

   When they left, they held hands all the way to the car, and resumed doing so after Starsky began the drive back home. Within a couple of minutes, Sharman was fast asleep, leaning into Starsky’s shoulder. He put his arm around her, grinning as he thought of how his day had started off nicely and ended up even better than he could have imagined.

   He pulled in front of his apartment and cut off the engine. He just sat there, watching her as she slept securely wrapped in his arm. When he finally woke her, she smiled at the sight of him, and he leaned in to her, kissing her gently on the forehead.

   "C’mon sleepy head. You’ve had a long, busy day. How about we get you settled in where you can get a good night’s sleep?" he asked her sweetly.

   She nodded her head in agreement and let him walk her up the stairs and inside the dark apartment.

   Starsky led her into the bedroom and switched on the light on his nightstand. He watched as she sat down on the bed, then leaned herself over to lie across it. She patted the bed with her hand, inviting him. He stood there for a moment grinning, then laid down beside her. Taking his left hand, he gently pulled her long hair away from her face, enjoying the twinkling eyes that watched him. He leaned forward to kiss her, and she met him halfway. Her lips were soft as they joined his, and he felt a tingling of excitement from the longing he’d had for her from long ago. He reached over, pulling her into him as he rolled himself on his back, reaching with his other hand to cut of the light beside them. Outside, it began to rain again.

********

   Starsky awoke to the gentle sound of the rain as it fell on his roof, soothing and calming. He looked over at his clock. It was 8am. He stretched his arms until he felt her lying beside him and smiled. He hadn’t been dreaming. Quietly, he slid himself out from the covers and stood up, grabbing his jeans from the floor as he walked out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed so he wouldn’t wake her. He went straight to the coffee pot, setting it up and starting it, then went into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

   Coming out from the bathroom, he noticed how dark it was in the apartment. The clouds that gave him the rain he enjoyed were making it look much earlier than it really was. He cut on the light in the kitchen and got himself a coffee mug from the cupboard. Looking thoughtful for a moment, he grabbed another, filling them both with coffee and then walked back into the bedroom.

   Opening the door, he walked in carefully with the two steaming cups, placing them silently on his nightstand. He looked down at the resting woman in his bed. Even in sleep, she was beautiful. She looked peaceful and content, and he wasn’t sure if he should wake her. But a devilish grin crossed his face, and he leaned himself down on the bed, kissing her gently until moans of pleasure escaped her.

   By 10am she had also showered and was sitting across from him in the kitchen, watching as he cooked their breakfast.

   "Please don’t fix me anything. I have a lot of running around to do today and the last thing I want to do is get that sluggish full stomach feeling, okay?"

   "Too late. I already scrambled the eggs,." he told her, grinning. She smiled at him.

   "Well, maybe I can eat a little bit. I do feel slightly ravenous for some strange reason …" she said, almost blushing at her comment. Starsky smiled broadly at her, leaning over to kiss her as he continued stirring the eggs.

   "Where do you have to go today? You need any help?" he asked as he took the eggs and put them on two plates he had set on the counter. She looked down at the table, a slight frown crossing her face.

   "Hey," Starsky began, setting down the pan. "What’s wrong Sharman?"

   "I have to go to my mother’s estate today and try and get things settled with my stepfather. I don’t want to, but it has to be done. He’s been avoiding me, like he thinks if I go there I am going to kick him out or something. My mother loved him. I wouldn’t do anything that she wouldn’t want me to do. God I miss her." She looked away from him, lifting her head in hopes of keeping the tears from falling down her cheeks. Her efforts failed as two tears came forward. Starsky wiped them away with his hand, then pulled her into him, hugging her.

   "I know you do, honey. I wish I could take your pain away. Why don’t I take you over there. If nothing else I can give you some moral support." he rubbed her back as he continued to hold her. She began nodding her head, then leaned herself back from his grip.

   "I’d like that." She wiped her tears and smiled.

   "Good. Then it’s settled. Now all you have to do is eat."

********

   The ride over to Sharman’s family home was almost silent except for the monotonous swishing of the wiper blades and the occasional revving of the Torino’s engine. Sharman was surprised that Starsky remembered the way to the place, but never actually said so out loud. She was too busy soaking up the scenery and reliving old memories.

   They walked up to the front door and Starsky rang the bell, looking in awe at the tall windows and columns that surrounded them. It was a mansion, but not one of those garish ones that flashed dollar signs. This one had conservative tastes and style. The lawns were well kept and the shrubs were neatly trimmed. There was a small fountain down further from the porch that he found himself staring at when the door suddenly swung open. A portly older woman with a genuine smile greeted them.

   "Oh my heavens! Miss Sharman! You’re home! I’m so glad to see you child! Come in, come in! Both of you now, before you catch a cold from this dampness out here." She ushered them inside.

   "It’s so good to see you again, Mrs. Clark!" Sharman said, clutching the older woman in her arms and squeezing her tightly.

   "You look beautiful, just beautiful, Miss Sharman!"

   "Oh gosh, thanks, so do you! You haven’t changed a bit."

   "I was wondering, is Ed around? I need to get some things taken care of,." Sharman said, looking around the foyer.

   "Mr. Brannigan is upstairs having tea in the study. Shall I announce you?"

   "No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll just go on up there. Oh, where are my manners? Mrs. Clark, I’d like you to meet David Starsky."

   Starsky extended his hand and smiled.

   "Ah, the man you have talked about before. A pleasure to meet you Mr. Starsky." She smiled as she shook his hand.

   "A pleasure to meet you, ma’am."

   "I am going to go upstairs and see Ed. Could you take Dave into the kitchen and get him a drink?" Sharman asked.

   "Come along Mr. Starsky, let’s find you something." Mrs. Clark grabbed his arm and led him away. Sharman smiled at him as he looked over his shoulder at her.

   Starsky sat down and was given a tall glass of milk. Almost secretly, Mrs. Clark looked around the room, making sure they were alone, then went to a cupboard door and pulled out a tin once filled with crackers. She opened it in front of him on the table. To his delight, he saw homemade cookies inside. He smiled like a child and grabbed one. She looked at him and grinned, proud of herself when she saw his reaction to her homemade goodies.

   After the third cookie, Starsky stopped himself, thanking her for sharing the treat with him. She enjoyed the flattery on her home baked goods and told him to take the full tin home; an offer he couldn’t refuse even if he’d wanted to, which he didn’t. She began discussing how Sharman loved them when she was a child. But the conversation was disrupted suddenly.

   Starsky and Mrs. Clark stopped talking when the raised voices of Sharman and her step father bled through the kitchen door. Starsky stood up suddenly and moved through the doorway, half walking, half running towards the front of the house. The voices became louder as he approached them.

   "I don’t understand, Ed. Why are you being like this? Do you think I came back to …" Sharman’s words were abruptly cut off.

   "Get the hell out of here and get away from me!" The voice was clearly Ed’s, and he was obviously unsettled by her visit.

   Starsky walked through the living room towards the foyer in time to see Sharman at the top of the stairs with her stepfather a few feet away from her.

   "You think you’re going to come here out of the blue and bring your cop friend, for what? Are you accusing me of something? What DID you come here for anyway?" Ed’s voice was harsh and demanding. Sharman backed away from him as he stepped towards her. Starsky watched in horror as she backed herself to the top of the staircase.

   "Sharman!" Starsky yelled, jumping the steps two at a time, fearing she would go backwards on them. Hearing him yell startled her, making her realize how close she had gotten to the edge.

   "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded as he stood by her side.

   "I don’t know. Ed, why are you so angry with me?" Her voice shaking as she tried to keep her composure. Ed’s eyes looked back and forth from her to Starsky, showing some confusion. Finally he looked away, noticing Mrs. Clark, who stood watching them from the bottom of the steps.

   "I don’t know why you’re here, but I want you to go. There’s nothing left for you here now. If you want to take the house, you can have the damned thing. If not, I don’t want to see you anymore. Do you understand me? Now go!" He turned away from them as he headed back towards the study.

   Sharman was numb. She stood there for a moment, lost in the confusion of what had just happened.

   "Come on Sharman, let me get you outta here; take you home." Starsky put a guiding arm around her and walked her down the stairs.

   "But this is my home." she said quietly, her eyes welling with tears.

********

   Starsky drove with a cautious eye on the road and another on Sharman. She just sat there, looking out of the windshield yet seeing nothing. It was almost as if she were in shock, and it had Starsky worried. He pulled the Torino in front of his apartment and cut the engine off, still watching her as she methodically got out from the car and walked towards the steps. He got out as well, following behind her, then unlocked the door for them to go in. Once inside, she went into the bathroom, still saying nothing. Starsky stood outside of the door, wondering just what to do next. He remembered the last time she had locked herself in the bathroom, and felt a chill crawl up his spine.

   "Sharman? You alright in there?" he asked as he knocked on the door softly.

   The door opened and she stood before him. Her eyes were swollen and her face was red, lines where tears had fallen streaked her cheeks. She looked up at him.

   "I don’t know what happened over there. We used to get along so well, I mean, now all of a sudden he acts as if he can’t stand the sight of me. I don’t know what I’ve done …" her voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears again. Starsky hugged her, holding her tightly with his arms firmly surrounding her.

   "You didn’t do anything. It was some kind of reaction I think, that’s all. I mean, he hasn’t seen you since your mother’s funeral, and well, you do look like your mom. Maybe it just hit him too hard, seeing you there. It looked to me like it hurt him to see you. He’s probably kicking himself in the butt right now for reacting like that. And if he’s not, I’m sure Mrs. Clark is. I bet she can be a real pistol." He kept a strong grip on her. Sharman began laughing as she pulled herself from him and wiped her face with her sleeve.

   "Mrs. Clark probably has him sitting in a corner right now for bad behavior." She grinned. "Maybe she’s even got him writing ‘I will behave myself from now on.’ a hundred times. She was a school teacher before she came to work for my family."

   "Yeah, I bet she has him wishing he had never spoken to you like that. And I’m betting he wishes he hadn’t anyway. You know, sometimes people react funny to grief. Give him a little time. He’ll come around." He placed a hand on each of her shoulders. Sharman shook her head in agreement.

   "I’ll give him a little time. Then I’m going back over there,." she said, leaning herself in an upward motion and kissing Starsky on the cheek. "Thank you for making me feel better." Starsky leaned over her and kissed her on the forehead.

   "That’s what I’m here for." He gave her a lopsided grin, making her smile broadly.

   "Hey! Hey-hey! I gotta let Hutch know you’re in town. You wanna go out for lunch and surprise him?" he asked hopefully. She looked down towards her feet.

   "I don’t know. I mean, the last time he saw me, well, you know. I don’t think that he’d be all that eager to see me again." She walked away from him and into the living room.

   "Sure he would. He knows we went to high school together and he’s seen some of the magazines that Ma used to send me when you were modeling. I bet he’d get a real kick outta seeing you doing so good now. C’mon, what do ya say?" Starsky’s eyes had a way of pleading that no woman could resist. Within a few minutes, he was on the phone with Hutch, making plans to meet at Huggy’s.

********

   The Pits was full of patrons by the time they arrived, but lunch time was almost over, and the customers who had come in for their break were quickly departing. Starsky walked with Sharman arm in arm over to a booth, both of them sitting down as they waited for Hutch to arrive. The waitresses were busily cleaning tables and collecting their tips, commenting on some that weren’t so good, while Huggy took bus pans full of dirty dishes into the kitchen. One waitress came over and got their drink orders, smiling at the two as they sat holding hands.

   Hutch walked in, wearing a gray jogging suit looking a bit dressed down from his normal attire. He was off and wanted to be comfortable. Starsky’s call had interrupted his meditation, but gave him the ‘out’ he was looking for to postpone some house cleaning that he’d been dreading, and he had gladly accepted the invitation for lunch. He saw the curly giveaway sign of the back of his partner’s head in a booth and walked over to it, whistling when he arrived at his destination.

   "Hey Starsk, I thought you’d be sleeping in until three everyday of this vacation and …" he walked around the booth and saw Sharman, sitting there beside Starsky, leaning into his arm. His words stopped cold as his mouth dropped open.

   "Sharman? Sharman Crane, isn’t it?" Hutch extended his hand out to her, which she accepted with a smile. "Wow. You look really good. Really. So, partner, this is the surprise you said you had for me, huh? Well, it’s a very pleasant one," he said, looking between the two as he released her hand.

   "Thank you. It’s good to see you again, Hutch. You look really good, too," Sharman told him, blushing at his comments. Starsky was pleased by his friend’s good mood and smiled.

   Hutch stood straight up to maneuver himself around to take the seat across from them, inadvertently slamming into the waitress who had returned with the drinks. The sodas spilled backwards on her shirt, all over her tray, down her jeans and onto the floor. She just stood there, glaring at him. Hutch quickly grabbed some napkins from the table and tried to dry her, embarrassing himself when he realized he was patting down her chest.

   Apologizing and red-faced, he handed the napkins to the still glaring woman. She looked over at Huggy, who rolled his eyes then shrugged his shoulders at her. Taking the napkins, she grinned, letting him know it was alright.

   "I’ll be back in a minute with more drinks. What will you have, sir?" she asked Hutch, keeping a professional tone about her. Hutch sat down, then looked up at her and grinned.

   "Call me Ken, or Hutch, okay? I’m really sorry," he added. She stood there for a moment, looking over at Starsky, then back at Hutch.

   "Hey Blondie. I think the lady really just wanted to know what you wanted to drink," Starsky said slyly. Hutch looked at Starsky and Sharman, then his face began to flush, and he grinned up at the waitress.

   "I’m sorry. Could I have a glass of iced tea?" A genuine smile crossed his lips. She smiled back at him.

   "I’ll be back in a moment," She said politely, then turned and walked over towards Huggy. Hutch sat there, watching the brunette as her well-curved figure got farther away. Starsky cleared his throat, making Hutch divert his attention back to the people in front of him. Simultaneously, Sharman and Starsky began to laugh.

********

   Lunch had been a wonderful distraction for Sharman, who talked about different things and enjoyed the teasings and pickings between Starsky and Hutch. When she excused herself to the restroom, Starsky told Hutch about what had happened earlier that day.

   "Sounds rough. She seems to be handling it okay now though,." Hutch said, still watching the waitress who worked the floor. "Do you know what her name is?" he asked out of the clear blue.

   "What’s whose name is?" Starsky knew the answer, but wanted to play the game.

   "That new waitress Huggy’s got. I think she likes me," Hutch said, making Starsky spit the soda he was sipping.

   "What’s in that tea of yours?" Starsky asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

   "No, really. I wonder if she’d like to go out for dinner tonight."

   "What if she’s married?" Starsky’s tone was teasing.

   "No wedding ring," Hutch replied, proud of his observation. Starsky watched Hutch’s eyes as they followed the woman around the bar.

   "You wanna little privacy? Sharman and I can take off."

   "Thanks," Hutch said, grateful for his partner’s intuition, "but I think I’ll go to the bar and talk with Huggy for a while. THEN I’ll talk with her." He stood as Sharman came back and sat down beside Starsky.

   "Well, if you two will excuse me, I think I’ll go question Huggy about a certain waitress." Hutch said, then turned to walk to the bar.

   The crash that followed startled the remaining patrons. As Hutch turned around, he ran directly into the waitress, again, who had a tray full of dirty dishes she’d just cleared from the booth behind them. He set her off balance with his sudden movement, and caught her by the arms before she could join the dishes on the floor. By the time they had balanced themselves, Hutch had her in an entangled embrace.

   "You are dangerous!" she scolded him, pulling herself from his hold as she leaned down to pick up the mess. She backed away from him, staring as she picked up the broken glass.

   "Damn, Hutch! Are you trying to destroy my profits today?" Huggy hollered, walking towards them with a towel and a broom and dustpan.

   "Actually he was trying to figure out a way to ask your new waitress here out on a date," Starsky said smugly, his words greeted by the harsh glare of his partner.

   The waitress shook her head in disbelief.

   "That’s a very unique style you have there, Hutch. Really swept me off my feet." She rolled her eyes and stood upright. "I’m taking a break, Huggy," she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

   "Smooth my man, real smooth," Huggy teased, finishing the cleaning chore. Hutch just shook his head, looking at the three of them.

   "I think you made quite an impression," Starsky added.

   "Stephanie looked impressed. Yeah. Right," Huggy sneered, laughing out loud.

   "I need to go over and fix all this," Hutch said quietly, leaving them as he walked towards her. Everyone watched for a moment, then Sharman stood up, leaning over as she kissed Starsky on the cheek.

   "Well, I need to get going. You take care of him, alright?" Starsky grabbed her arm as she leaned herself back up.

   "Hey, where are you going?"

   "Just down the street. I need to rent a car and get some things done." She noticed the look of worry on his face. "I’ll be fine. Okay? I’ll see you this evening?" She leaned in, giving Starsky a smooch. His look was still of concern, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

   "Alright. Call me if you need me."

********

   Hutch walked over beside Stephanie as she sat at the bar, first sipping on a glass of soda, then taking deep rhythmic breaths as if meditating to calm herself. Hutch grinned.

   "Am I the cause of your meditation?"

   She looked over at him, looking seriously at first, then she sighed, letting her face ease into a smile.

   "No. I’m just trying to keep focussed. So many things to be done and I need to keep my mind clear." She rubbed the back of her neck, closing her eyes as she leaned her head backwards. After a moment, she stopped and looked over at him, as if almost embarrassed when she caught him staring at her.

   "Sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you."

   Hutch stood up and walked behind her chair as she sat herself straight up. She expected him to walk around to the other side of her, but instead felt the touch of his hands, gently placed on her shoulders. He began massaging her tensed muscles. Her mouth opened to protest, but the relief she felt from his expertly placed fingers made her lips close in silence.

   "Hmm. That feels good. You do this for a living?"

   "No, actually, I’m a cop."

   She laughed out loud. "That’s’ quite a turn around from what I was thinking!"

   Hutch laughed with her as he continued working her shoulders, letting his strength work the tension away. Finally she pulled herself forward to release his hands, then turned in the bar stool to face him.

   "Any more of that and I’ll be falling asleep. Thank you. That really felt nice." She smiled genuinely at him, making him return the gesture.

   "Any time. Hey, listen, I know we started off on a bad note here, but I was wondering … ah, if maybe you’d like to go out to dinner sometime?" It was at that moment that she noticed the beautiful blue eyes that looked at her, filled with sincerity.

   "I’d like to. But I’m afraid that the only night I could probably go out this week would be tonight." Stephanie smiled at him, her allure even more compelling than before. Hutch looked at her, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

   "Uh, tonight? Tonight would be fine. Um, when? Where …"

   "How about you meet me back here, around seven?"

   Hutch grinned, looking down for a moment before returning his eyes to hers. "Sounds perfect."

********

   Starsky wandered around his apartment, wondering just what to do with himself. He really wanted to go out and start driving around in hopes of finding Sharman, just to be sure she was alright. But he told himself ‘no’. This overwhelming need to protect her was silly. ‘It’s not like before. She doesn’t need me like she did.’

   He resolved himself to cleaning up the few dishes in the sink and straightening up a few books on his shelf, then sat down in front of the television in hopes of watching something of interest. The soaps were not that interesting. Seemed they had the same story lines and plot the last time he had watched, nearly four months ago after getting shot. He dozed into a light sleep.

********

   Sharman let herself into the apartment, feeling worried since Starsky’s car was out front, yet no lights were on. When she got inside, she could see by the light of the television that he was on the sofa. His head was bent forward a little, and she felt some relief as she realized he was merely sleeping. Deciding to take advantage of the situation she’d walked into, she slowly walked up behind him, and, standing directly behind the sofa, reached her hand around, slipping it down his shirt.

   Starsky grabbed her arm, bringing her forward in a thrusting motion as he pulled her over the sofa in an act of sudden defense. Sharman was on the floor and on her back in a matter of seconds, stunned almost to unconsciousness.

   When Starsky’s eyes adjusted and saw just who was lying there, panic took over and he cut the lamp on, seeing Sharman as she lay motionless beside the coffee table. He fell to his knees beside her, calling her name. When she didn’t respond to his voice and touch, he reached for the telephone and began calling for an ambulance.

   "No. No, I don’t need that," she said weakly, letting her hand rise to the back of her head and rubbing it as she sat halfway up. Starsky dropped the receiver back down on the phone as he sat himself back down with her, helping her to sit up.

   "What the hell happened?" she asked, still rubbing the back of her head, taking deep breaths as she regained the air that had forced its’ way out from her lungs.

   "I think you tried to sneak up on me. Are you all right?" he asked sweetly, his voice gentle and his eyes filled with worry.

   "Oh yeah. I remember. You were asleep on the sofa and the television was on and I wanted to surprise you." She watched as he stretched his legs out in front of him. He sighed, then leaned his face towards hers.

   "Never sneak up on a cop," he said seriously. His expression soon changed into a lop-sided grin, and she smiled back at him.

   "Guess I won’t make that mistake again. Although I should be used to it after today."

   Starsky stood up above her and held out his hand to her, helping her to stand. She wobbled a little at first, and he put his arms around her for support.

   "What happened today?" he asked, leaning her forward to take a good look at her.

   "Well, I had to go back to the Pits because I left my sunglasses there. I saw Stephanie and she remembered me, even had the sunglasses waiting for me behind the bar. We began talking since she’s all excited about that date of hers with Hutch tonight. She’s really a nice girl. I think they’ll get along really well, if Hutch can stop running into her like he has been."

   Starsky noticed a hesitancy in her voice. "Yeah. And?"

   "And, well, when I left, I guess I wasn’t paying too much attention and I almost got run over by a garbage truck when I went to cross the street. If it hadn’t been for Stephanie leaving work at the same time I was heading out, I might have been squished."

   "Squished? You call getting’ hit by a garbage truck being ‘squished’?"

   "I try not to be gruesome. Where I wasn’t paying attention, thank goodness Steph was. I guess I could’ve been hurt." She smiled, although it was a bit nervously.

   "You sure you’re okay?" he asked, scowling. She grinned at him, joining his hold on her with hands around him.

   "I am now." She leaned in and kissed him passionately.

   Starsky stood with Sharman in his arms for a long time, enjoying the kiss she offered. He took control of the encounter and brought her down with him on the sofa. They were necking like teenagers, caressing and feeling each other while keeping the kiss going. Finally she broke free, rubbing his hair with her hand and smiling down at the gorgeous blue eyes that watched her.

   "Have you eaten?" she asked, staring at the eyes that were admiring her.

   "Not since lunch with you today." Starsky pulled her back into him, kissing her deeply, making her body tingle with excitement. She pulled briefly from his hold.

   "You need to eat," She teased him with her lips, hardly an inch from his own.

   "I’m working on the appetizer." With that, she kissed him slightly on his lips, making them reach out to hers only to be taken away again. Unable to stand any more, he held her tightly, pulling her with him as he slid into the floor, kissing her so deeply that she felt she would explode.

   Once they were on the floor, she found an opportunity and took advantage of it, straddling his torso as he laid flat on his back.

   "Right where I wanted you." She smiled evilly, enjoying the role play.

   "Not quite," Starsky replied, letting his hands sneak up around her as he began tickling her, making her scream like a child in giddy protest. Before she knew it he was straddling her. He grabbed her hands and held them away from her, rendering her helpless as he leaned down and kissed her lips, then her neck, then slowly edged his way to an ear. She screamed from excitement, and below her ear, a smile peeked through, as Starsky knew the intent of his action had played through.

   Showing off his experience with the fairer sex, Starsky slid a hand behind her back, making it arch as he kissed her between her breasts. She moaned loudly, enjoying his magical ways of enticing her. Slowly, he used his other hand to unbutton her blouse, grateful to see the front-hook bra in view. Sharman reached up both hands, letting them run freely through the curls of his thick hair, then pulled him into her as her bra was released.

   Never had she felt such passion and need before. Never had he known the intenseness he was feeling with her now.

********

   Hutch pulled the LTD into an available parking space in front of the Pits and cut the engine. He adjusted his tie in the rear view mirror, then checked his hair, taking a hand and patting it down where the wind from the open car door window had tousled it. Once he got out, he began walking away, then turned himself around and looked in the side mirror of the car, checking himself over. He felt more nervous than he had going out on high school dates, and chuckled at himself for feeling that way. He walked in, noticing the loudness of many patrons enjoying their evening, only broken by the loud whistle that came from the bar. He walked towards Huggy.

   "Well, well, well, you here to take her out or marry her?" Huggy asked with a sarcastic grin. Hutch just looked at him, his grin one of slight embarrassment.

   "Too much?"

   "Nah. She’s all prettied up too. Never seen her look that good if you must know." Huggy said smiling.

   "She’s here?" Hutch’s eyes wandered the bar, looking hopeful in finding her.

   "Yeah, she’s here. She’s in the kitchen talking to Jody. Those two gals hit it off from the get-go and I’m guessing they’re talking ‘bout you." Huggy was teasing his nervous friend, but when he realized just how nervous Hutch seemed to be, he pulled a beer from under the bar and handed it to him.

   "Settle down Hutch! It’s a date. What’s got you so spooked? You been out of the game that long?" Huggy was beside himself, no longer able to control the laughter from escaping him. But Hutch was ignoring him. Instead, he was looking at the vision that came out from the kitchen and headed towards him.

   Stephanie walked out between the saloon style bar doors, moving slowly as she looked around for her date.

   Her long brown hair was free of the ponytail that had secured it earlier and was now styled with waves of curls that shone shiny locks encircling her face. Her make-up was tastefully done, showing off her cheekbones and accenting her beautiful eyes, making him stare at her intensely. Her lips were slick with a light colored gloss, making them call to him as they shimmered with her smile.

   Dressed in a little black dress which accented her curves snuggly; it showed off the body she was obviously proud of. The neckline plunged down from her shoulders, giving an ample, though not too revealing view of her cleavage, tastefully covered in black lace. With black lace also fringing around her thighs, the shortness of the dress only accented the curves of her long legs which presented themselves in black nylons. Her shoes were also very stylish, black with open toes combined with three inch heels that brought her closer to his own height, although he still was taller. She was like wine; smooth and robust, and very tasteful for the occasion.

   She spied him sitting at the bar, and smiled at his admiration of her efforts. As she walked over to him, his mouth remained slightly opened, making Huggy snicker quietly as he watched the fairytale unfold.

   Slowly, Stephanie walked around the bar towards Hutch, letting him enjoy what she had worked so hard the past hour to please him with. He was definitely impressed.

   "Wow. You are beautiful," Hutch told her, smiling at the woman who leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. The perfume she wore was sinful, making Hutch breath deeply to absorb the heavenly aroma.

   "Thank you. You look very handsome as well." Hutch remembered the last time she had seen him, dressed in his gray jogging sweats, and knew most anything was an improvement.

   "Shall we?" Hutch asked, standing from his seat and motioning her towards the door as he held out his arm to her. She accepted his invitation silently as she entwined her arm into his, allowing him to lead her out from the bar.

   Huggy watched them as they left, already mesmerized with one another, and smiled as he headed back towards the kitchen.

********

   Hutch and Stephanie smiled at each other across the table, a single candle flickering, giving off the best of romantic shadows. Dinner had been exceptional, and now they were left to stare at one another, silent thoughts encased by secret wishes and wonderment.

   The giddy feeling of a childhood crush had progressed to a curiosity and wanting of one another, and neither noticed the waiter as he placed their cups of hot tea in front of them. As Stephanie reached for the sugar bowl which sat between them on the table, Hutch, without thinking, reached his hand out to hers, gently enfolding it with his own.

   His touch felt like electricity as it sent waves through her body. His eyes were almost hypnotic as they stared deeply into hers.

   The candles gave her the appearance of a romantic painting, soft curves and shadows that blended into warm colors and hues, making him feel a need for her that was unexplainable. The desire was born of attraction, but had quickly become more. They talked so easily with one another. They shared the same strange point of views about certain things. She would not simply say what she thought he wanted to hear, yet her thoughts and his seemed to be one. She actually wanted to listen when he spoke, something he wasn’t too used to when it came to most women. And she was real. No pretenses.

   In the touch of her hand, he felt a tremble in her hold that made him believe that she felt the same as he did. He also knew that mere words would not be necessary.

   Hutch reluctantly let go of her hand as he stood and placed a handful of money on the guest check which had been discretely placed on the side of their table. Stephanie watched him, then accepted his hand again as he offered it to her, helping her to stand as his eyes gazed into hers, entrancing her with a warmness she felt within her.

   In silence, they walked out to his car. She stood beside the passenger door as Hutch stood behind her, inhaling the fragrance of her hair as he reached around her, unlocking the car door. It was almost more than she could stand; feeling his body so close to her own.

   He drove her back to Venice Place, neither saying a word during the three block drive, only holding each other’s hands.

   After escorting Stephanie upstairs and leading her into his apartment, the silence between them was finally broken. Turning on a couple of dimly lit lamps, Hutch turned and faced her, looking serious as his blue eyes stared into her soul.

   "I’ve never been out with anyone like this and had it feel, so, so right from the beginning before. Am I being crazy here?" His facial expression melted her, the sincerity of his softened voice pleading with her emotions.

   "I know. I feel it too."

   With those words, Hutch filled his arms with her, kissing her so passionately that she felt like she was floating. He kiss was soft at first, then stronger as the passion between them took on more intensity.

   Standing in his living room, Hutch slowly eased his lips from hers, and they both smiled, leaning their foreheads into one another.

   "Come here. I want to show you something,." Hutch said, taking her by the hand and walking towards the back of his apartment.

   Stephanie grinned. Then she giggled a little. Then, probably as a release of the sexual tension, she began to laugh out loud. Hutch stopped and turned to face her, his face smiling at her jovial mood, yet questioning the sudden outburst.

   "I’m sorry," she said, trying to stifle her laughter. She controlled it only for a moment, then burst out freely with it again, tears forming in her eyes in an effort to stop herself.

   "Okay, okay. I have to know. What is so funny, beautiful lady?" Hutch was laughing with her, her laughter too contagious to be ignored.

   "Well, it’s just that when you said ‘I want to show you something’, well, I, haha, I, wellllll …" Hutch’s face reddened when he realized what exactly had tickled her so. He laughed out loud with her, then looked at her, trying to be serious, fooling no one.

   "That would be rather, uh, blatant, wouldn’t it?" he asked, a grin sneaking across his face.

   "Well, that depends on what you had to show." Instantly, tears fell down her face as laughter took over again; she couldn’t stop it. Hutch was also laughing, and it took them both a few minutes to calm down.

   "Stephanie, would you like to see my plants?" Hutch asked, hoping his recovery had been a better approach. Stephanie burst into laughter all over again, having to sit on the sofa this time.

   Finally Hutch could take no more, and grabbed her up in his arms, leading her out through the side door. She still was laughing, though it was calming and in control when she began looking around. Her eyes became wide as her mouth opened slightly, truly awestruck of what she saw. As he placed her feet back down underneath her, she quickly moved around the area.

   "Oh my. This is absolutely exquisite! It’s so beautiful!" she exclaimed, her eyes wandering from the plants to look up at the stars above her. A gentle breeze blew in, catching her hair as it lifted it little by little from her face. The moonlight was intoxicating to them both.

   "Not as beautiful and exquisite as you." He looked seriously into her eyes, letting his lips move in towards her own. His hands enveloped her body, feeling their way along her curves as she moaned with pleasure, allowing his tongue to explore hers. She pressed herself against him, wanting to feel all of him as she enjoyed the sensations he developed within her.

   When she felt his hand pulling at the zipper on the back of her dress, a warm rush of passion steamed her body, making her heart pound hard within her.

   As Hutch finished unzipping the dress, she stepped away from him. His eyes suddenly filled with worry, thinking he might have over-stepped the boundaries.

   Seeing the concern on his face, she simply smiled at him, wriggling her body just enough that the dress fell gracefully to the floor, revealing the black teddy she was wearing underneath. Hutch nearly gasped.

   Standing before him, Stephanie held her arms out, showing off the black lace teddy that revealed every inch of her. Garters held the black stockings that encased her sexy legs, and Hutch ached as his manhood reached limitations within his slacks. Stephanie saw the ‘distress’ she was causing him, and released him from the binds that tied.

   Hutch leaned in and kissed her, more deep and passionate a kiss than she had ever known. Never releasing the kiss, she unbuttoned his shirt. He reached down with his hand, letting it slowly rise up her inner thigh, and they both moaned with pleasure.

   "I, I have to sit down," Stephanie said, looking at him with lust in her eyes as she led him down to the ground with her. She was almost feeling faint from the excitement of his touch, and feared that any more would certainly pull her under. Never missing a beat, Hutch slid down on the floor with her, keeping his lips on hers and his hands encircling her voluptuous body.

   Soon they were stretched out across the floor, and Hutch had maneuvered her onto her back, letting her watch the stars as his lips moved across her body. She gasped with each breath he released upon her. Grabbing hold of him, unable to resist the passion that fired within her, she kissed him deeply, and their enchantment with each other became more than magical.

   He continued to caress her with fingers soft of touch, yet expert in finding all the right places to make her moan with pleasure. She allowed him his exploring, unwilling to make him stop the intense sensations that erupted within her. She was on the verge of explosion, her moans soft like a tiger’s purr. He knew he’d placed her on a boundary of ecstasy.

   Quickly she pulled herself from him, not wanting to give in just yet to the complete pleasure he so easily offered her. She sat up beside him, smiling, then leaned into him, touching and tasting him as she slowly maneuvered herself from the binds of her teddy. He sat there smiling, eyes closed, enjoying the touch of her tongue as it left his lips to kiss down his neck, then his chest. He moaned at her arousal.

   When she stopped, he opened his eyes and saw her, sitting in front of him wearing only a smile.

   Unable to control himself much longer, he pulled her into him, pressing himself against her hard as he kissed her softly. Then his kisses became more intense, deep and passionate.

   She never knew when the rest of his clothes came off, only that suddenly they were entwined in each other’s naked bodies. She could feel him throbbing against her, his need as hungry as her own. Their breathing was rhythmic, and soon their bodies were also, making love under the stars they no longer noticed. Passion exploded, and her screams of satisfaction filled the once silent night air. His moans of pleasure were equally loud, enjoying their sexual bliss simultaneously.

   Their heavy breathing slowly subsided as their bodies began cooling from the evening air. Laying side by side, never saying a word, Hutch reached out to her at the same time she reached for him, their hands entwining within each other.

   "That was fantastic," he cooed to her.

   "Sure beats meditation," she answered. They both began laughing out loud.

********

   Starsky stood quietly and stretched, decidedly not tired enough to fall back asleep and unwilling to disturb Sharman as she lay there, content in sleep from their passionate evening. He walked into the living room, noticing the clock on the wall that glared at him. Six AM. He peeked out from the window, noticing the car she had rented sitting behind the Torino, although he couldn’t tell the make or model through the darkness. He sat on the sofa and grabbed an old newspaper, switching on the light next to him and, after deciding he had already read it, got up and turned on the television, deciding to catch the early news show. As soon as he sat back on the sofa, he heard the footsteps.

   "I am slowly walking up behind you," came the warning. He grinned.

   "I am going to put my arms around you." He soon felt the touch of gentle hands on his shoulders.

   "Now I am going to kiss you so deeply you’ll forget who you are."

   Her last sentence had him giggling as she leaned forward and met his lips as they turned towards hers; half puckering, half smiling. Soon he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him across the back of the sofa, and they kissed deeply, igniting some already very familiar feelings. Finally, they came up for air.

   "What are ya doing up so early?" Starsky asked, smiling as he tried to tame the wild hairs that went in every direction on her head.

   "I have a lot of things to do this morning … and this afternoon for that matter. So I figured when I woke up and you weren’t there beside me that I might as well get up."

   "What all do you have to do today? I thought maybe we’d go out and do somethin’ together." Starsky’s face was a cross between a frown and a pout, which Sharman found endearing.

   "Well, how about I do some things this morning, then come back here and you and I can find something to do, and then I’ll go back out later this afternoon?" she asked, hoping to appease him. He raised an eyebrow, bottom lip still trying to protrude.

   Finally, he winked at her.

   "I can live with that."

   They both smiled as they leaned into each other, kissing passionately.

   Starsky watched her get up and head for the bathroom door. She leaned back out from the door frame, inciting him to join her. His smile was broad and mischievous as he eagerly accepted her invitation.

********

   Stephanie awoke to strange surroundings. A bit unsettled at first, the warm body that leaned in behind her and the arm that surrounded her protectively quickly put a smile on her face as she remembered it all. A night so filled with passion that she felt flush at the mere memories of it.

   Very gently, she turned herself to face him. Looking at the sleeping man in front of her, she couldn’t help but touch his cheek with her hand, almost as if to be sure she wasn’t still locked in the dreads of merely a dream. His angelic blue eyes opened, and he smiled. Leaning into her, he hugged her fully, and she knew it had all been real; as incredible and as real as anything she had ever known.

   Hutch kissed her on the forehead, then looked lovingly into her eyes. She knew his eyes were seeing every thought that she had; saying what she felt without words; embracing her. Words were suddenly unnecessary, although she felt a need to tell him how she felt. Instead she decided to show him.

   Nothing had ever happened to her like this before, passion born from a glance, need born by only the sound of his gentle voice, and wanting, born only of the touch of his hand; all so genuine that she felt she had known him all her life.

   As their body’s became one and their intenseness grew even stronger for one another, she could no longer think rationally and could only give in to the completeness that he instilled into her very soul.

********

   Starsky began pacing his kitchen floor, not realizing it at first, then stopping himself as soon as he did. It was after eleven o’clock, and Sharman had told him she’d be back by then for him to ‘do with her as he would’ with the plans he was making for them today. He figured she’d probably gone shopping or something of the like and that time had simply gotten away from her, unaware of how fast the morning was slipping away.

   When the phone rang, he nearly jumped from the intrusion on his concentrated silence. He picked up the receiver, and before he was able to say "Hello" he heard Captain Dobey on the other end of the line.

   He frowned.

   "Hey, Cap. What gets you calling me on my vacation?"

   "Starsky, I just got a call from O’Riley from the downtown division. He just responded to an accident down on River Drive. Says there’s a female Caucasian on the way to the hospital that was asking for you. He said … Starsky, you there? Starsky!"

   Starsky had dropped the phone and was already out the door before the Captain had noticed.

   The emergency room at Memorial Hospital was comparatively slow from what he’d been used to, and he’d been in there plenty of times before to make just such a comparison. Nervous and unknowing, he walked up to the receptionist’s desk in time to be met by Dobey, who was waiting for him to arrive.

   "Cap? What’s going on?"

   "It’s Sharman Crane." Dobey looked at his detective. "But you already knew that, didn’t you?" Starsky nodded.

   "How is she? What happened?"

   "Hit and run." We have a few witnesses, but seems the license plate was missing off the ass-end of the station wagon that plowed into her. She was unconscious when they brought her in."

   Starsky turned sharply towards the nurse behind the desk in front of them.

   "Sharman Crane. Where is she?" His question more of a demand than a request.

   "She’s in ER three, but sir, you can’t go in there. Sir? Sir!" The nurse’s attempts at stopping him were futile as he barreled down the corridor, easily finding the room and walking in without consent.

   Sharman was sitting up on the gurney, fully conscious and shaken by his abrupt entrance.

   "David? How’d you know? What are you doing here?"

   Starsky looked her over. She was bruised on mainly the left side of her face and arm, and a nurse was steadily cleaning the dried blood from her face, oblivious to Starsky’s intrusion.

   "You were asking for me at the scene of the accident. Captain Dobey called as soon as one of the guys down there told him what had happened." He walked to the right side of the bed, leaving the nurse to finish her work as he sat beside Sharman.

   "Are you okay?"

   "I am now. I just want to go home. Will you take me home, Dave?"

   "I wouldn’t recommend it," came a voice from behind them. A doctor, carrying a chart in one hand and some x-rays in another, walked up to the foot of the bed.

   "You’re a very lucky lady. But when you got here you were unconscious, and even though I don’t see anything broken, you do have a mild concussion and I’d like to keep you overnight, just to be on the safe side."

   "You sure she’s alright, Doc?" Starsky looked the man dead in the eyes, waiting to see something he wasn’t saying out loud. Instead, he saw a smile.

   "Like I said, very lucky. From what the paramedics who brought her in told us, she should have had several broken bones and more than the slight concussion she received."

   "Good thing I didn’t rent the little sports car that I really wanted. Bet I’d have been pretty torn up then. That guy just came out of no where. HE was behind me for a while, then the next thing I knew, wham! Into the side of my car. Probably drunk from the way he swerved into me."

********

   Ken Hutchinson arrived at the hospital almost an hour after Starsky did. Summoned by his Captain after briefly being told of the situation, he hurriedly got out from bed, regretfully leaving Stephanie.

   "I haven’t told Starsky yet, but the officers on the scene believe this was a deliberate hit. Looks like this car was following her, then decided to come around and slam into her car. I’d like to know what you think about this. Tell me why you think someone would be going after her like that. And tell me when those two got back together, for that matter. I thought she’d moved to New York." Dobey was acting the dutiful Captain, curiously wanting to know all the particulars. Hutch briefly explained her coming into town again, and also told the Captain about Sharman’s stepfather - and his ‘reaction’ to seeing his stepdaughter again. Dobey frowned.

   As Captain Dobey began to speak, Starsky came walking out of the room, looking at them both curiously as he came to a stop in front of them.

   "You want to tell me what’s going on out here? What’re ya doing here, Hutch?"

   "I called him," Dobey said flatly.

   "Yeah, I didn’t like the sound of how this accident happened myself. Sharman was telling me about it. Thanks Cap." Starsky grinned slightly.

   "I want to know when you two come up with anything on this. Starsky, how is Miss Crane, by the way?"

   "She’s ready to come on outta here and go home. Doc says she’s got a mild concussion and wants her to stay over night, but she wont do it, so I’m gonna take her home as soon as she gets dressed."

   "You really think that’s a good idea?" Hutch asked, looking with concern towards the door that Sharman was behind.

   "No, but I don’t see where I’ve got much of a choice. Stubborn. She’s getting out of here whether I take her or not. I’d rather keep an eye on her, ya know?"

   "Well, I’m going back to the office. Give my best to Miss Crane, Starsky." The Captain smirked as he patted Starsky on the shoulder and walked away.

   Down a little from the room, as he turned the first corner that led to the hospital’s entrance, Dobey almost ran into the young woman who stood as far away as she could, listening to the detectives as they discussed Starsky’s girlfriend and the ‘case’ that was evolving around her.

   "Excuse me, ma’am," the Captain offered.

   "Excuse me," Stephanie replied courteously, making sure she had not been noticed by the two detectives that stood down the hallway.

PART TWO