Starsky watched Sharman as she paced nervously around the kitchen,

   "I’m going to go get another car tomorrow," Sharman said briskly, trying to let Starsky know that she meant what she said.

   "If you need to go somewhere, I’ll take you. No sense in you going out and through all that rental business again when I’m on vacation. I can be your personal chauffeur."

   "David, I don’t need a personal chauffeur. I need space."

   "Sharman …"

   "What? What is the deal? It was an accident. I am fine. I don’t need a baby sitter."

   "I didn’t say you did. Will you calm down? I just don’t like the way that the accident happened today. If you think about it, it kinda sounds deliberate to me."

   "Is that what all this is about, David? You’re thinking like a detective." Her voice calmed down and she began speaking softly. "Look, it was just guy drunk. That’s all. And I’m fine. Really. Or couldn’t you tell?’ She leaned over to him and hugged him, and he accepted the hold gladly, putting his arms around her tightly as he returned the embrace.

   "Alright. Alright. You go rent your car tomorrow morning. But just be careful, will ya? I kinda like having ya around here."

   They both leaned back enough from their hold to look at each other, smiling warmly, then leaned into one another for a very intense kiss. The knock on the door was a very unwelcome intrusion.

   As Starsky opened the door somewhat reluctantly, Hutch and Stephanie walked in.

   "Hi guys. After Stephanie found out what had happened to you, Sharman, she wanted us to come by here on our way out to dinner and make sure you were doing okay. So, how are you feeling?" Hutch asked, pulling Stephanie into a sideways grip around her waist, enjoying the warmth of her skin against his fingertips.

   "Awe, that is so sweet. Thank you for worrying about me, but I am just fine."

   "That’s great. Say, would you two like to go out to dinner with us?" Stephanie’s enthusiasm seemed genuine, although the grip that Hutch put on her side told her he wasn’t as thrilled with her invitation. She looked at him, but all he could do was smile at her, thinking how generous and concerned she was to make such an offer.

********

   Dinner had been very nice. They’d all agreed on going to a nice steak house that wasn’t too far from Starsky’s place. Each had a good meal, and the conversation was focussed on Sharman. But it wasn’t the detectives that were doing the asking, it was Stephanie.

   By the time Hutch was taking her home, she seemed deep in thought, so much so that she almost forgot where to tell him to turn to find her apartment building.

   "Steph. Steph? Are you okay?" His touch was gentle as he put his hand on her leg. She turned to him, smiling.

   "Where were you?" he asked, his voice soft and warm.

   "I was just thinking about Sharman. You think she’s going to be alright?" Hutch smiled at Stephanie, her concern for someone she barely knew was touching.

   "Starsky will make sure of it. So, are you going to invite me in?"

   It was at that moment that Stephanie realized that they were parked in front of her apartment building.

   "As long as you don’t mind going to bed right away. I have a very early day tomorrow." She smiled a mischievous smile, and Hutch grinned.

   "Oh no. I don’t mind at all."

********

   Her hair was soft against his face, the smell of it intoxicating as he breathed in deeply. When they had gone inside, he took notice of her wonderfully decorated and coordinated home, enjoying all the many items placed around, knick knacks and topics for conversation. Then he noticed her eyes. She had a worn look about her, like her day, also, had been long and full. But she also had a look of darkened appreciation, a lust if you will, which he could not ignore.

   She never allowed him to think otherwise. Not even changing clothes, she simply peeled out of the ones she had on. Instigating, she was the one who chose their path that night.

   Stripping from her binding clothing, Stephanie put her naked body up against him, kissing him deeply and showing him how badly she wanted and needed him. Within minutes, he was feeling a need for her that she could taste. Each time he had tried to take over the situation, she regained control. He enjoyed the refreshing change of pace, even though he desperately wanted to take the reins and take her there, right in the middle of the living room. All the experts said that love was give and take; this was obviously her time for the taking.

   She took him easily and he gave into the aggressiveness that he suddenly found so erotic that he could hardly suppress himself. She had taken him to newer heights that surprised him in many peaks of gratifying sexual pleasure. Just the thought of it had him aroused all over again. Sleep came easily.

   When Stephanie woke, she turned over and faced him, kissing him without any words preceding. He took her, morning lust overcoming any rational thought as he had to have her. His need was strong and his passion stronger. She relished in his prowess, melted in his expertise, and came over again and again in pure undeniable pleasure.

   "Hell of a way to start a day," she purred, getting up and heading towards her bathroom.

   "Who says it’s over with?" he spoke coyly, grinning ear to ear.

   "Unfortunately, I do. I have to be at Huggy’s in less than two hours, then I have a full day ahead of me after that. Sorry."

   He heard the shower start, and thought briefly about joining her, but sleep took him over, and he let himself drift into it’s peaceful womb.

   When he woke again, it was to the silence of an empty apartment. Stephanie had dressed and left him, making a pot of coffee and having a cup before she left, and he smelled it before he sat himself up, noticing the note beside him. He smiled brightly and chuckled when he read it, getting up and helping himself to a cup of coffee as he became further aware of his surroundings.

   He fought the urge to look around, laughing at himself as his detective’s nature tried forcing it’s way out from his vacationing body. Finding his clothes, he showered then dressed, deciding he’d go by Starsky’s on the way home. Who knew, maybe Starsky would be hungry, giving him the perfect excuse to go to Huggy’s and see her again.

   When Hutch arrived at his best friend’s home, he was surprised to see him awake, dressed, and even alert. After all, it wasn’t even nine AM yet. Starsky smiled as he opened the door, happily inviting his friend inside. Hutch returned the smile. They stood there a moment, smiling at each other, when they both broke out into laughter.

   "I see you had a good night," Starsky said smugly.

   "Yeah, I’d say you didn’t do too bad yourself, pal. You wanna go get some breakfast?"

   "Sure!"

   The drive over to the Pits was filled with ‘man talk’. Starsky and Hutch talked of their separate, yet equally enjoyable previous nights. Not going into much detail, but telling just enough in hopes of making the other jealous. Each felt they had succeeded.

   As Huggy ran around frantically trying to appease his customers, Starsky and Hutch sat at their normal booth. Hutch was hoping to see his woman, feeling it wouldn’t be soon enough, and Starsky was hoping to see some food quickly appearing in front of him. When Huggy finally came over to take their orders, he had a strange look on his face.

   "Where’s your help?" Starsky asked, a bit perturbed at waiting so long.

   "I thought she’d be home with Hutch. Damn, of all the days for her to be sick!"

   "Sick?" Hutch was genuinely surprised, making the look on Huggy’s face stretch even longer with concern.

   "You mean you didn’t know?" Huggy was worried, sharing the same facial expressions as Hutch.

   "She was fine this morning."

********

   Detectives on vacation have more time on their hands and vibrant imaginations that lead them astray at times. Hutch was absolutely fearful of what could possibly have happened to Stephanie. She’d been fine this morning, yet by the time she arrived at Huggy’s, she was pale according to him and telling him she’d felt ill and had to go back home. But when Starsky and Hutch arrived at her apartment, there was no answer when they knocked on her door. Fearing the worst, Starsky found an unlocked window on the terrace, stopping Hutch short of breaking down the door. They entered, all be it unlawfully, only to find the apartment empty. It wasn’t until after they had gone in that he realized her car was not there. So the next step was an APB. When he picked up the handset on the car’s radio, he suddenly stopped, looking a bit shaken.

   "What’s wrong? Hutch? What’s the matter?" Starsky’s voice was filled with concern for his friend, who looked blankly from the radio to him.

   "I don’t even know Stephanie’s last name!" Hutch took his fist and struck the dashboard, making Starsky grateful they had ridden in Hutch’s junker as he noticed the crack that formed. Starsky smiled slightly at Hutch, then left the car. He was back in less than two minutes.

   "Her last name is White. Stephanie White." Starsky took the radio handset from Hutch gently as Hutch looked at him with questioning eyes.

   "It’s on her mailbox," he said, not waiting for the question to be spoken. As Starsky called in the APB, Hutch started his car, putting it in gear as the bulletin was announced over the radio to all units. He noted the awareness of his partner, making a mental note to tell him later how impressed he was at his memory of Stephanie’s car, with all details, including the license plate of her personalized tag: Steph 01. Now was just not the time though, he knew something must be wrong, and visions of his lady in her car, possibly unconscious in a ditch somewhere, had him rattled.

   As they drove around, looking aimlessly for the mustang that she drove, they didn’t speak. Starsky was concentrating. Not only was he concerned about the lady in his best friend’s life, but he suddenly filled with worry for his own special lady, wondering about what Sharman was doing and if she was alright. He fought an urge to call her. He wanted to be there for her; help her with the emotional roller coaster her step father had placed her on. But he had realized how much stronger she was now, and that he had to wait for her to ask for his help. He had to keep that distance, even if he didn’t like it. And he really didn’t like the coincidences of her almost getting killed two times in the past two days. Something just wasn’t right about it. Not at all.

   "There!" Hutch spoke strongly, breaking Starsky from his wandering thoughts as he pointed to a parking lot in a plaza. There sat Stephanie’s car, parked in front of Parker’s Pharmacy. Hutch picked up the mike and cancelled the APB, then parked his car beside Stephanie’s, jumping from his seat as Starsky joined him, half walking, half running into the drug store.

   "She must’ve gone in to get some medication for whatever’s making her feel bad," Starsky offered, as Hutch shook his head in agreement.

   As Starsky and Hutch entered the pharmacy and began looking down the aisles, Stephanie came out from the shop next door. The first thing she noticed was Hutch’s car beside hers. Just like Starsky’s Torino, Hutch’s LTD was just as recognizable thanks to the distinctive marks and dings which made it unique in it’s own way.

   "Crap," she mumbled, exiting quickly from the camera shop as she walked hurriedly towards her car. She wasn’t quick enough, though, as Hutch caught the movement outside and instantly recognized the form that walked away from them.

   "Stephanie!" she heard him, and heard the footsteps that quickly approached her. She didn’t turn around. Before she reached her car, Hutch was behind her, and Starsky was close. Hutch grabbed her by her arm, gently turning her to face him.

   "Hey baby. Are you alright?" he asked sweetly. She looked from him to Starsky, then back at Hutch.

   "I’m fine. Why?" she spoke quickly, as if keeping her guard up.

   "We went by Huggy’s. He said you looked pale and didn’t feel well and you told him you needed to go home. But when I went back over to the apartment, you weren’t there. I was worried." Hutch talked gently as he placed the back of his hand to her forehead, feeling it, checking her. She smiled at him.

   "You were worried about me? Have you two been out looking for me? That is so sweet. I’m really touched."

   "So, what were you doing over there?" Starsky interrupted their tender moment, his question sounding a little demanding as he pointed to the camera shop.

   "Oh, I, I went over to look around a little, after I went to the pharmacy and got some aspirin I thought that since I was here I’d see what they had new in there. I like taking pictures. I kind of fancy myself an amateur photographer."

   "I think you need to go home and rest." Hutch was insistent. "Come on. I’ll take you home in your car," he said, pulling out his car keys and throwing them over to Starsky.

   "Yeah, that’s a good idea. You don’t look too hot," Starsky added, looking her over. She frowned a little.

   "Thanks a lot!" she said not liking his implication. Starsky smiled.

   "You know what I mean. You should get some rest."

   "He’s right. And I’m going to make sure you do." Hutch led her towards the passenger side of her car, then opened the door for her.

   "But I have so much I have to do today, I really should …"

   "No buts. You need to keep up your health or you won’t be able to do anything." Hutch was happy to take care of her, and she smiled, happy that he would be so willing. With little reluctance, she sat in her car and Hutch closed the door behind her.

   "I’ll call you later, pal," Hutch said, getting into the mustang and starting the engine.

   "Sure thing," Starsky answered, smiling as they pulled out. He got into his friend’s car and waited until the mustang was out of sight, then got back out, heading towards the camera shop.

   As he walked in, he was impressed with the equipment and gadgets he found in front of him. Picking up a lens, he looked through it intently, admiring the quality of its sight.

   "May I help you, sir?" came the young voice of a teenager, looking proper in his bow tie as he stepped up to the counter in front of Starsky. Starsky set the lens back down on the counter.

   "Yeah. That woman who just left here. What did she want?" he asked calmly.

   "Sir?"

   "You know, the pretty brunette with the curves all around. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice her." Starsky winked.

   "Yeah, I noticed. But what’s it to you?" the kid was becoming cocky. No problem, Starsky knew he had a lot more experience being cocky than this kid did. He pulled out his badge and smiled.

   "Let’s try this again. What did the lady want while she was in here?"

   "Oh wow. Sorry, man. She just turned some film in to be developed. It’ll be ready in a few minutes. She comes in here pretty regularly. Hey! Is she in trouble with the law?" The young man was curious, but more like a gossip than anything else.

   "That depends. When will those pictures be ready?"

   "Fred’s almost done with them. I’ll go check."

   Within a few moments, the young man came back out, telling the detective that the pictures would be ready in just a few more minutes. Starsky was appreciative, and opted to stay and wait until they were done. Something just wasn’t right about this whole thing, and that little voice inside his head was nagging at him bad. Asking to use the phone, he called his apartment, hoping that Sharman would be there to pick up the phone. They had decided to meet back around noon, and he knew he’d be late. But she wasn’t there yet, and he was making a mental note to try again later when the young man interrupted his thoughts.

   "Here you go, sir." He handed Starsky the envelope, and Starsky took it.

   "How much?" he asked.

   "Five dollars and twenty three cents. Double prints, 48 total. Okay?"

   "Yeah, kid. Okay." Starsky dug out the money and handed it to him. He walked out from the shop, not telling the kid to keep things quiet. No, he wanted the clerk to tell Stephanie what he’d done.

   Once he got situated in Hutch’s car, he opened the envelope. As he pulled out the stack of pictures, he saw the most beautiful sunset he thought he’d ever seen captured on film. She definitely had an eye for photography. There were several seascape shots, and a few pictures of some wildflowers. He continued flipping through the photos. Then he froze.

   "What the hell …" There was a picture of Sharman and him coming out from his apartment. He then saw one with his apartment in the background, with Sharman getting into the Torino, that one was slightly out of focus. The last pictures had to have been taken this morning; Sharman in her new rental car, the replacement for the one that had just been wrecked. The last was Sharman pulling away in the car from Starsky’s apartment.

   With a look which was a cross between determination and pure anger, Starsky started the LTD and pulled out, wheels squealing as they spun from the force he allowed it when he floored the gas pedal.

********

   Stephanie was grateful for Hutch’s concern and care that he gently offered. He had been so sweet, taking her temperature, taking her some hot tea, and taking her mind off from the many things it evolved around that morning.

   Other than a slight headache, she was fine, and she really didn’t want him worrying unnecessarily, but to tell Hutch the real reason she had decided so abruptly to take off from work at Huggy’s today was simply out of the question. He wouldn’t understand. He’d be negative, and she didn’t want to see that side of him, not unless she truly deserved it. She felt justified in her actions though, and deep down, she knew she was right, so there was no need in discussing it with him. For now. She took off her shoes, then rubbed the back of her neck when she sat back in the chair.

   As if on cue, Hutch walked up behind Stephanie, rubbing her shoulders as she leaned herself back even further, enjoying his touch.

   "Can I get you anything? Are you hungry?"

   Stephanie looked up behind her, seeing the smiling blue eyes that looked down into hers.

   "The only thing I want is you," she purred.

   "I’m all yours," he said, still smiling, then leaned down to kiss her. She turned herself around, embracing him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. She kissed him deeply, making both of them feel flush from the urges aroused.

   "Steph, I thought you weren’t feeling too good?"

   "I’m feeling better with each passing moment."

   She began kissing him down his neck, letting her lips wander towards the closest ear lobe, sending chills down the back of his neck. In return, his hands began to feel their way around her body, caressing each breast as they enveloped them and cherished the feel of their warmth and fullness. When their lips met again, they kissed so deeply and with such emotion that she believed she could easily float away in pure ecstasy.

   When the door of Stephanie’s apartment burst open, Hutch threw himself on top of her and they both went to the ground. He covered her defensively as he reached for and retrieved the gun from his holster. Aiming high and removing the safety in a matter of seconds, he found his weapon poised on David Starsky.

   A look of angst crossed over Hutch’s face as he pulled the gun’s aim away from his friend.

   "What the hell do you think you’re doing Starsky?" Hutch was demanding, not questioning. Before Starsky could answer, Stephanie stood up, placing herself only inches away from Starsky’s face.

   "Who in the hell do you think you are – busting into my house like that? I oughta have YOU arrested! What’s wrong with you?!"

   Hutch put his hands on her shoulders, never seeing this kind of anger emerging from her before and not knowing how far it would go, firmly holding her in place, making sure that the distance between them stayed as it was.

   Starsky grabbed at the envelope in his back pocket and pulled out the pictures from within it. The first one on top was of him and Sharman. He forced it too closely in front of her eyes, making her blink a few times to be able to focus on it.

   "You wanna explain THIS to me?"

   Hutch was looking at it as well, still holding tightly on her shoulders, when he felt the tension in them suddenly elevate.

   "Where did you get those?" she asked quietly.

   "From the God–damned photography shop that YOU came out of this morning. Now you better answer me. I want to know what the hell you’re up to, sneaking around, taking pictures of Sharman. You got something to do with these so-called accidents she’s been having?"

   "No! Of course not!"

   Hutch removed his hold on her and took the pictures from Starsky, looking each one over carefully.

   "Steph, you want to tell us what’s going on here?" Hutch asked calmly. He was looking at her now, trying his best to believe that the woman he had fallen in love with was not capable of doing the things he knew his partner was practically accusing her of.

   Stephanie leaned herself down on the sofa, easing herself away from Starsky. She looked deeply into Hutch’s eyes. She was looking to see if he was asking or accusing. He looked directly into hers. He was asking.

   "I’m a private detective." She looked between Starsky and Hutch, who both shared a look of disbelief. She continued.

   "After the second so-called accident when Sharman was hit by the station wagon, we all went out to dinner the following night. When she and I went to the ladies room, I was asking her about the circumstances for the millionth time and she wanted to know why I was asking so many questions. So I told her I was a PI and I wanted to follow up on some things and see whether these were really accidents or not. She said she’d pay me to do it. She was a little worried about it herself, because apparently there were more things involved than just those two near misses. She didn’t want to tell you, Starsky, because she was worried about you smothering her into some sort of protective custody."

   "Yeah. I knew she didn’t want me thinking it was more than accidents happening to her, so I talked to Dobey about it. He agreed."

   "We already have an undercover cop following her around," Hutch added quietly. Starsky took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

   "You do? Wait a minute." Stephanie got up and looked inside her purse, pulling out another set of pictures. She fumbled through them, pulling two out and handing one each to Starsky and Hutch.

   "Is this your undercover cop or is this someone else following her?"

   "That’s not Murphy. He’s the one who’s with her right now,." Hutch told her, looking at her with surprise still in his eyes from finding out another side of her life.

   "Oh my God," Starsky said, jumping and turning at the same time. Hutch instinctively straightened up, looking at his partner.

   "Starsk, what is it?"

   "That man. That’s her step father!"

   Hutch looked more closely at the picture and the realization hit.

   Starsky ran out the door, Hutch was close behind him. Stephanie grabbed her shoes and her purse and was with them before Starsky could start the Torino.

********

   Stephanie sat quietly between the two men, grateful that neither had protested at her coming with them and feeling anxious about the turn of events. Starsky was concentrating on his driving, taking them towards his apartment, where he and Sharman were supposed to meet a half hour ago.

   When they arrived at his home, Starsky was somewhat relieved to see Sharman’s rental car parked outside. The tension seemed to lift from his face, and he finally looked at his passengers instead of focusing solely in front of his car.

   "Lemme go in there and talk to her for a few minutes, let her know what we know before we all come in ganging up around her, okay?"

   "Sure Starsk. We’ll sit out here and give you two some time." Hutch was understanding of his friend’s protective nature, and Stephanie was learning about it quickly, noting how similar the two men really were.

   They watched him walk up the stairs, then Stephanie turned towards Hutch, hoping he wouldn’t be too mad at her, and waited for his eyes to leave Starsky and turn to her.

   When he faced her, his look went from serious to a slight grin, then he looked down at the floor board of the car.

   "Seems there’s a lot I still don’t know about you. You could have told me about being a private investigator." His eyes looked up at her, and she read the kindness that focused upon her.

   "Private investigators have an awful reputation for being wanna-be cops. I know of a lot of scenarios where they actually get in the way of police investigations, and I know what most cops think of them. Besides, I’m just starting. I actually just graduated less than a month ago."

   "You’re amazing, you know that?"

   Stephanie blushed as she took a deep breath, exhaling a sigh of relief.

   "Are there any other secret parts of your life I need to know about?"

   "A lady has to keep some secrets, just to make things interesting."

   "Well, you’re definitely a lady, and you’re definitely very interesting." Hutch leaned over and kissed her, then resumed his watch on Starsky’s apartment.

********

   Starsky walked in and immediately began calling for Sharman. When she didn’t answer, he wasted no time in searching the apartment, all be it unsuccessfully. When he ran towards the front door to go back outside, that’s when he saw the note taped on the back of the door.

   ‘Dave,

   My step father called and wanted to see me. I hope it’s a good sign. I’m heading over there as soon as he picks me up, and will probably be home after 2pm.

   Wish me luck!

   Love,
   Sharman’

   He was only wishing he’d gotten home sooner.

********

   The drive over to the estate had been quiet other than Starsky’s one outburst when the traffic didn’t move as quickly out of his way as he wanted it to.

   "Why was her car still at your place?" Stephanie asked quietly, not wanting to darken Starsky’s mood any further, but needing to know.

   "The note said he was coming to pick her up. I’m assuming he didn’t know she was leaving me a note. Hell, if the door hadn’t closed behind me when I went in I wouldn’t have seen it."

   "Thank goodness you did," she said quietly.

   They pulled into the estate, all three surprised to see the gates open as they drove through. Starsky put the Torino in park, wasting no time before exiting the car and heading towards the front entrance. Hutch turned to Stephanie.

   "You stay right here in this car, you understand? I don’t want you getting in the way." He stood outside the car and leaned in through the window. "I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt."

   She smiled at him. "Please be careful. I love you."

   Hutch smiled at her words. He knew she was scared for him, wanting him to know how she felt, just in case. They’d only known each other a few days. But he felt it, too.

   "I love you too, gorgeous. Don’t worry. And stay put!"

   Hutch ran towards the back, drawing his gun as he disappeared behind the building.

   Starsky waited until he saw his partner going towards the back, then tried the handle on one of the double doors in front of him. It turned easily, and slowly, he eased the door open, leaning himself away from it to protect himself from any unknown assaults.

   Listening, he leaned back into the entrance, and slowly disappeared inside.

   Stephanie sat in the car, feeling on pins and needles with worry and knowing there was nothing she could do about it. The waiting. God, if there was only something she could do to help. If she could only be in there to see what was happening instead of sitting there, doing nothing.

********

   Starsky walked slowly into the foyer, looking around, his gun aimed towards the same direction of his eyes, listening for any signs of life inside. He saw Hutch coming through the swinging door of the kitchen; at first holding his breath as he saw the gun coming through first. With a sigh of relief upon seeing his partner, he motioned his finger to his lips, keeping the silence as he listened, hoping.

   Hutch looked through each of the doorways that were adjacent to the kitchen entrance, backing away each time when he found no one inside them.

   Starsky did the same, checking everything from closets to the living room, finally signaling to Hutch the ‘all clear’. He moved towards the stairs, ascending them quietly. Hutch walked closely behind him.

   As they approached the top of the stairs, murmured words began filtering towards them. Both detectives looked at one another, then inched quietly towards the direction they came from.

   Starsky stood on one side and Hutch on the other as they found the door that the voices were coming from. Hutch made a questioning face to Starsky, who in turn shrugged his shoulders; neither knowing just what approach should be taken. Finally Starsky motioned at the door handle, which was on Hutch’s side, and Hutch placed a hand on it gently, turning the knob.

   Gently nudging the door with the barrel of his gun, it slowly opened, first silently, then Starsky and Hutch both winced simultaneously as the door creaked a little, and immediately backed away from being in sight.

   "No!" Sharman’s scream was heard only seconds before the shots rang out, her step father aiming towards the opened door.

   Bullets flashed past them, instantly breaking the picture framing of a family portrait on the wall across from them, making it shatter as it crashed to the floor.

   Starsky looked at Hutch, each knowing the other’s moves without saying a word.

   "Brannigan! You’ve got no where to go and you’re surrounded. Why don’t you stop this before you get in any more trouble here? No one’s been hurt yet. We could tell them you cooperated and you’d get a light sentence. Come on, don’t let this get any more out of hand than it already is."

   Starsky’s words were answered with gunfire.

   "Sharman! Are you alright?"

   More gunfire, then the sound of a clip being replaced. Hutch frowned. Not a good sign, knowing this psycho had more bullets and apparently no conscious thought of his actions, not caring who he hurt.

   "David! I’m alright! Don’t come in here!" Sharman’s voice was a shrill. Starsky could hear her fear. Then he heard Ed’s mumbled disdain and the sound of him slapping her with the gun; a sickening thud which was unmistakable.

   Down in the car, Stephanie had heard the shots, and couldn’t stand the unknown waiting any longer. She grabbed the police radio, and held the mike tightly as she called for back up.

   "Excuse me, you are on an authorized police band. Who is this?" came the voice from the speaker, making her feel even more nervous.

   "I’m with Starsky and Hutch and they need back up! I can hear gunfire, so get some help over here …" she looked around, trying to figure out the address. She saw a sign posted on a wrought iron hanger, and could tell there was probably some kind of address on it. She reached into her purse, searching frantically to find her glasses.

   "Eleven twenty-two Campbell Drive! Please hurry!"

   Reaching into her purse again, she pulled out the 22 caliber pistol that she carried for her own protection and left the relative safety of the car. She had only completed her training with it weeks before, but her feeling of dread for the detectives’ well being overrode her concern for her own safety, determined to render any help she could.

********

   As Stephanie entered the mansion, she caught herself looking around in awe. It was so beautiful. And so big. But when she heard the sound of gunfire, her distractions left and she closed her jaw, quickly climbing the stairs.

   Quietly she peeked around from the bottom of the steps, seeing Starsky and Hutch as they flanked each side of the door. She watched them, signaling each other, understanding without words what their next move would be.

   "This is going to have to stop sometime, Brannigan. Give it up!"

   "Go to hell!" was the only response they received, followed by gunfire.

   The detectives dived into the room after the gunfire subsided. As Stephanie watched, they moved like lightning, rolling themselves on the floor and disappearing from her sight. She gasped, standing herself up and walking into the hallway before she thought twice about it. Leaning herself against a door across from the stairway, she waited, holding her breath, listening for what would happen next.

   When the door she leaned on opened, she fell in, finding herself in the arms of none other than Ed Brannigan. This startled the fleeing man as much as it did Stephanie. Both of them fell into the floor, giving the two detectives time to take control of the situation.

   Stunned briefly from the impact of her head against the door frame, when Stephanie looked up again, she saw Starsky and Hutch, leaning over her, guns aimed at the man she was on top of. Quickly she rolled herself off from him, letting them take the disturbed man and cuff him.

   As sirens approached, Hutch stood above her cuffing their capture, and Starsky ran over to Sharman.

   Sharman lay half against a wall that she had sunken into, blood trickling down the side of her face from where Ed had slapped the butt of the gun. Starsky knelt beside her, lifting her face towards him to take a good look. He could tell she wasn’t fully conscious, and he talked soothing words to her, trying to lull her back to him.

   As uniformed officers infiltrated the fresh crime scene, Starsky yelled for one to call an ambulance. This time, he got no protests from Sharman. She looked up at him, her eyes looking clearer than before, and she began crying.

   "Why?" she sobbed, then let her eyes close again as the tears flowed down her cheeks. Starsky held her against his chest.

   "I’m so sorry, baby," he whispered.

********

   As Starsky stayed with Sharman in the emergency room while the doctors looked her over, Stephanie and Hutch sat patiently and very silently in the waiting room. She wanted to ask him questions about what had happened up there, but was afraid of the aggravation that would flow from him for what she had done. She had interfered. Not only had she interfered, but she had put herself in the middle of a police situation that very well could have endangered all of them. Her presence could have just as easily gotten them all killed.

   Guilt plagued her thoughts, and Hutch could read them. He knew he should let her think about it all, realize how all this could have so easily turned the other way and been a total disaster, but he was just so grateful that she was all right. Her landing on top of Brannigan and his loaded gun could have gone so very wrong. He was feeling lucky. Lucky to have this lady in his life and lucky that she didn’t get hurt. He couldn’t help but kneel down beside her as she sat; worrying.

   "You know, I should read you the riot act for coming up there on your own like that." She looked away, the guilt she felt and his words speaking her thoughts overwhelming her. "But all I want to do is hold you, and thank God that nothing happened to you."

   She turned her face back towards his and looked at him. He grinned, and his eyes sparkled with a fondness she knew was meant only for her. Suddenly she jumped into his arms, holding him tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks from the relief of his forgiveness.

   "I was so, so scared; not knowing what was happening. When I heard the gunfire all I could think of was you getting hurt up there and I was sitting in the car doing nothing about it. I, I love you. I couldn’t stand not knowing if you were alright."

   Hutch held her tightly, embracing her with protective arms that held her close to him, reassuring and comforting.

   "I understand. Just don’t do it again. I don’t know what I’d have done if you had gotten hurt. As long as I know you’re waiting for me, I’ll come back. Because I love you, too."

   They held each other in a tight embrace and continued their hold as Starsky came back into the waiting area. Hutch stood up, as did Stephanie.

   "Hey, Starsk. How’s she doing?"

   Starsky looked at them both and grinned.

   "She’ll be okay. They’re gonna keep her overnight and I’m going to stay around here, ya know?" Hutch shook his head in agreement. Starsky walked over in front of Stephanie, looking seriously for a moment.

   "I guess he read you the riot act?"

   She nodded her head.

   "And I’m assuming you promised to behave yourself from now on and not ever endanger yourself like that again?"

   Again, she nodded her head.

   Starsky put his arms out to her, giving her a hug. "I’m glad you’re okay." He stood back and looked at his best friend and the woman who had swept Hutch off his feet.

   "Look it. There ain’t nothing for you guys to do here. Why not go home and take care of each other. I’m sure you can do that without any problems, hmm?" Starsky grinned mischievously at them both, and they returned his look like a mirror. Hutch put his arm around Stephanie and drew her close to him.

   "Is there anything you need me to do for you before we go?" Hutch asked, tightening the hold he had around his love.

   "Yeah," Starsky began, "you can bring me my car back in the morning and take me and Sharman home. Now get outta here. You look like hell, partner."

   Hutch chuckled at his best friend.

********

   Starsky sat impatiently waiting for Sharman to be situated in her hospital room. Once the nurses left, he entered, not asking permission; almost daring anyone to tell him he couldn’t be there. As he came through abruptly, he noticed her stillness and realized she was sleeping. Quietly, he lifted one of the vinyl visitors’ chairs and placed it beside her bed, slowly sitting down in hopes of not disturbing her.

   He rubbed his face, paying special attention to his tired eyes. It had been one hell of a day, and an even harder week. In the short time that Sharman had reappeared in his life, she’d had more tragedy than most people would deal with in ten years. Adding this on top of what had happened to her the last time he’d seen her, when she lost control and turned to alcohol for her salvation, he actually had to smile. She had not only turned her life around, but was strong. She had found a strength within herself to go on, not hide behind a bottle, but face anything life threw her way. And catch it. He knew she wouldn’t be turning to the bottle this time.

   When he looked down at her again, she was watching him.

   "Hey, you’re supposed to be resting. How’re you feeling?"

   "My head hurts. And I want is to get out of here." Her words seemed distant, her mind focussing on other things.

   "Well, you’ve got about nine more hours and then they’ll release you. In the meantime, you’re their guest, and I’m sure it’d hurt their feelings if you left." His attempt at comedy fell on deaf ears. Her eyes had a look of concentration and pain, although he couldn’t tell if it was from her concussion or something else. He sat down beside her on the bed and stroked the hair away from her face.

   "What’s wrong – and don’t tell me it’s just your head hurting."

   "Why? Why would he do all this? To me, I mean, he was a father to me for so many years. I just don’t understand it. You’d think that after my Mom’s accidental overdose that he and I would have drawn strength from each other, not turn away like that." Her words were slurring a little as the medication took its’ effect. Starsky laid himself beside her, putting his arm around her as she nestled into his hold, letting herself drift into a much needed rest. He held her, letting his mind absorb all that he had seen that day, and letting it wander with the possibilities that were clouding over him. An accidental overdose? He hadn’t heard that before. His face scowled as his mind dove deep into thought.

********

   Hutch took Stephanie back to her apartment, watching her every now and then, trying to get a glimpse into what she was thinking about. Finally, she broke the silence.

   "Ken, something is terribly wrong with this whole thing. And I can’t figure it just yet, so don’t ask me just what it is. But I have a really bad feeling about it all. Like Sharman is still in danger."

   Hutch pulled the Torino into a parking space in front of her apartment and cut the engine. Finally, after reflecting on all that she had said in his mind for a few minutes, he turned to face her.

   "I have that same gut feeling myself. I’m going to look into it. I’ll do a little digging, see what I can turn up, and, and …" his words were stopped by the distraction Stephanie began to offer. As he spoke, her hand worked its way up his body, slowly edging to her neck, and fingers began circling from his neck to his ear. When he stopped talking, she leaned in and kissed him slightly on his neck, then his cheek, and then she embraced his lips with hers. Their breathing deepened and he returned her kiss, holding her tightly and deepening it passionately.

   Finally, they came up for air.

   "Steph? What are you up to?" he asked, smiling at his lady.

   "I think we’re concentrating too hard on everything. I think we need a little break. A distraction. Don’t you?" she asked coyly.

   "Lady, you can distract me any time." He said, breathing a smile into his words.

   She slipped open the passenger side door of the Torino, and once she had gotten out, motioned to him to follow her with her index finger. He got out of the car, eagerly following her to her apartment.

   She made one quick call to Huggy, letting him know what was going on and that she’d be to work in the morning. But by now he knew what was going on, and offered her a few more days off if she needed it. She accepted, grateful that she could concentrate on other things. As she hung up the phone, she looked at Hutch, seeing the weariness in his eyes.

   "Sleep. I think we both could use some. Don’t you?"

   Hutch sighed in resign, then nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I think you’re right."

********

   Starsky’s body shook, shuddering from a feeling of falling as he was almost asleep. He looked down at Sharman, making sure she was still resting, and eased himself slowly from under her, making sure not to disturb her sleep. He walked out from her room, nodding at the nurse who sat at the desk. She had just been in there to check on Sharman, and let him remain with her, rather than reading him the riot act for being in the room after visiting hours. He was hoping she’d do him another favor. Asking to use her phone, he dialed the station, and was grateful to hear Millie’s voice after a few transfers.

   "Millie my love. I need you to run a couple of checks for me, will ya? I need information on the accidental death of Carol Brannigan, about four months ago. Yeah. Uh-huh. Okay, and then I need you to pull a complete background for me on an Edward Brannigan. Can you do that for me, honey? I appreciate it. You’re a sweetheart. Thanks." Starsky stretched as he hung up the phone.

********

   Hutch laid beside Stephanie and watched her as she slept. She was so beautiful. He wondered how he had managed to get lucky enough to meet someone like her. She was smart. She enjoyed life to it’s fullest. And she loved him. His luck with women usually ran cold. Yeah, he’d get lucky, maybe even find someone special, but things just never seemed right. And oh God, let’s not forget the Vanessa fiasco. He frowned at the thought of that double nightmare. He let his eyes focus back to Stephanie, and the frown subsided, and soon he fell into a light slumber.

   The phone ringing made him jump with a start, and Stephanie was on top of it in an instant. She looked groggily at the clock. It was 2am.

   "Hello?" she answered wearily.

   "Stephanie? I’m sorry to wake you. It’s me, Sharman." Stephanie sat straight up.

   "Sharman – are you alright? What’s wrong?" At the mention of her name, Hutch also sat up.

   "Yes, my friend, I’m fine. But I need a favor, and I had to wait until David was out of the room before I could call and ask you. I am so sorry about the late hour of this call." Stephanie rubbed her eyes, then smiled at Hutch, covering the phone with her hand.

   "She’s alright. Just wants to talk, okay?" she whispered to her love. Hutch nodded. He kissed her on the cheek and then got out of bed, heading towards the bathroom, leaving Stephanie with an excellent view.

   "What’s wrong Sharman, and how can I help?"

   "Well, I want to go over to the mansion tomorrow and check out a few things. You know, while Ed’s in jail. I want to go through some of the family files and stuff and I don’t want David to know."

   "Why?" Stephanie heard the deep sigh Sharman took before she answered her.

   "Well, I have a few suspicions about things, and I want to check them out before I tell David about them. I don’t want to start something unless I have something to back it up with, you know?" Stephanie grinned, and shook her head in agreement.

   "Yeah, I do know, as a matter of fact. So how do you want to do this?"

   "Well," Sharman began, "I was thinking that when you and Hutch come to pick us up this morning, we could say we were going to do some feminine shopping or something, then if you wouldn’t mind, we could go over there ourselves?"

   "Sharman, why not tell David what’s bothering you, let him help?"

   "Because he is going to tell me that HE can do it, and he’ll want to keep me up in his apartment. You know, he’s so over protective. I understand, I mean, the last time he saw me a few years ago, I was a basket case. But now I want to kind of prove to him that I am capable of standing on my own two feet. I have to start somewhere. You know?"

   Stephanie watched Hutch as he came back to bed and smiled at the aroused view she was given with his return.

   "I understand. We’ll go tomorrow, and figure out everything from there."

   "Thanks Stephanie, you are a really good friend."

   "You too. Now will you try and get some rest, please?" Stephanie could hear the smile on Sharman’s face.

   "I will. Thank you. Goodnight."

   "Goodnight."

   As Stephanie hung up the phone, Hutch leaned over and kissed her gently on the cheek.

   "Want to tell me what that was all about?"

   She looked at him, opening her mouth to speak, and then closed it. She wasn’t going to lie to him. She looked into his eyes.

   "Sharman wants me to go with her over to the mansion after she’s released from the hospital and check through some old files and stuff. But she doesn’t want to tell Starsky about it because she’s sure he wont want her leaving the apartment after all that’s happened."

   "She’s probably right. But what makes you think I won’t tell him?" Stephanie smiled at her lover.

   "I never said you wouldn’t. But would you at least mind waiting until after we leave?" Hutch looked thoughtfully for a moment.

   "Well, that depends …" he said, kissing her down the side of her neck, eventually bringing his lips to hers as he kissed them ever-so delicately. She took her breaths deeply.

   "Depends on what?" she asked sweetly, returning the light kisses he offered.

   "I’ll show you." Hutch answered, deepening his kiss and pulling her onto him, letting her body rub against his, enjoying the friction it produced.

   Stephanie giggled with delight.

********

   When Starsky walked back into the hospital room, Sharman greeted him with a smile, her eyes looking at him happily.

   "What are you doing awake?" he asked with a grin, sitting beside her as he grabbed her hand into his.

   "Waiting for you. Where did you go?"

   "I went to the nurse’s station for a few minutes." He answered, not wanting to lie, settling for a half truth. He watched as her eyelids became heavy.

   "How’s your head feel?" he asked as he stretched himself beside her on the bed, putting a comforting arm around her.

   "Awful. But I’ll live."

   "You better. I just got ya back here. I got no intentions of letting you leave me this quick."

   They both grinned as they cuddled into one another. Sleep came easily.

********

   As the foursome walked out from through hospital’s main doors, hardly a word was spoken. Sharman had her prescription filled at the hospital pharmacy and carried it loosely in her left hand while Starsky held tightly to her right. Stephanie and Hutch couldn’t keep their hands off from one another, and their minds filled with thoughts from the previous evenings’ events.

   Starsky was grateful to see the Torino waiting for him, and looked it over closely, making sure it was still in tact and mark free. Hutch smiled.

   "You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to her, Pal," he teased, watching as Starsky finally opened the passenger side door, letting the ladies take the back seat.

   After the car was started and had pulled out into the main street in front of the hospital, Sharman spoke up.

   "Are we still on for this morning, Steph?" she asked, nudging gently the lady beside her.

   "Oh, uh, yep, we sure are."

   Starsky looked at them both in the rear view mirror. "And just what are you two up to?" he asked, half grinning as he peered over his sunglasses.

   "Not much," Sharman quickly replied. "Woman stuff," she offered.

   "Uh huh," Starsky said, unconvinced.

********

   Sharman thanked Stephanie three times in one nervous sentence as Stephanie drove her over to the estate.

   "Honestly girl, you are wound up tighter than a tick. What gives? What are you really thinking you’re going to find over there?"

   "That’s what I’m worried about. See, the more that I have thought everything over in my head, the more different things do not make sense. I need to find out why Ed has more or less been trying to kill me. He’s an accountant, and has absolutely been obsessive when it comes to keeping records. I’m hoping that by going through them, well, maybe …"

   "It’s okay, Sharman. I understand. I’ll help you, don’t worry. If there is anything incriminating to find, we’ll find it."

********

   Starsky and Hutch arrived at the precinct, one day earlier than their end of vacation called for. As they walked into the squad room, they were ‘greeted’ by Captain Dobey.

   "What the hell are you two doing back here?" he asked in his normal gruff tone.

   "Nice to see you too, Cap’n," Hutch offered, grinning.

   "Yeah, glad to see ya missed us," Starsky added smugly.

   Starsky picked up the phone and dialed an extension that took him to Millie’s phone.

   "Yeah, this is Detective Starsky. Millie was supposed to look up some files for me and … Millie? What’re you doing, pulling a double? Yeah, sweetheart, I know how that goes. Did ya find out anything for me?" he sat there in silence, listening for a few minutes, and Hutch sat across from him, wondering just what he’d been up to in his absence.

   "Great. Could ya send the files up here? Yeah. I owe you big time. Thanks." Starsky looked at his friend and sighed. "Well, we’re about to find out all we need to on one certain Edward Brannigan and his late wife’s sudden and untimely demise." Hutch looked at his partner with the realization of just what he had been doing. He nodded approvingly.

********

   Meanwhile, at the estate, the two women sat in the floor of the study, pulling drawers from filing cabinets, searching whole-heartedly, not knowing exactly what to look for, but still looking none the less.

   Sharman had sent Mrs. Clark out for the day, telling her she thought she could use the break. Mrs. Clark seemed grateful. Her eyes had a tired look about them. It was hard for her to see what little family that was left falling apart like this. It was, after all, her family, too.

   It took only a few minutes after she left for the girls to begin diving into the filing cabinets.

   "Wow. Look at all these prescription records. Your Mom was pretty ill before she died, huh?" Stephanie asked her friend gently. Sharman took the file, looking at it closely.

   "Yeah. Looks like she did end up going to Ed’s doctor, too. He tried for the longest time to convince her. Said her doctor didn’t take care of her, letting her stay in too much pain."

   "Well, according to these records, if my medical terminology is correct, he had her on enough pain meds to make her high as a kite. Your mom had a terminal illness?"

   "Cancer." Sharman’s head dropped a little. "She struggled and fought with it for years.

   "Hey, didn’t you guys have health insurance?" Stephanie asked.

   "Sure we did. Why?"

   "Well, the bank statements here sure do show a lot of payments to that doctor. Hefty payments, like the insurance didn’t cover the office visits." Sharman took some of the papers from Stephanie and examined them.

   "Well that’s really strange."

********

   Starsky and Hutch sat at their desks, going through the files that were stacked between them. Hutch looked up, noticing his partner was looking at one very closely.

   "What have you got there, Starsk?" Starsky looked over the top of the file at his friend, then handed the file over to him.

   "See for yourself. Looks like Brannigan’s been married several times before this last one."

   "Well, there’s no crime in that, Starsky," Hutch replied as he grabbed the file.

   "Maybe not, but I find it really strange that ALL four of his previous wives left him a widower. As a matter of fact, they left him a very wealthy widower." He raised his eyebrows towards his friend, who looked briefly over the page in front of him. Suddenly, Hutch’s eyebrow raised as well, returning the look at Starsky.

   Before either man could say anything more, Captain Dobey came out of his office and into the squad room.

   "Assault and battery and attempted murder of a police officer doesn’t seem to go for very much these days," he said, looking at the detectives sitting in front of him.

   "What’d ya mean, Cap’n?" Starsky said, turning himself around to face him.

   "Brannigan. He just got released on bail."

   "You gotta be kiddin’ me!" Starsky said, his face filling with anger.

   "Oh my God,." Hutch said quickly, making Starsky turn quickly around to face him.

   "What?"

   "Steph and Sharman went over to the estate. They wanted to go through Brannigan’s files and see if they could come up with anything incriminating while he was in jail."

   "Shit! Now he’s heading straight over there. Shit!" Starsky jumped up and ran towards out through squad room doors with Hutch close behind.

********

   "What else did you find?" Sharman asked Stephanie, who was concentrating very hard on a particular file, pushing her glasses up to meet her friend’s eyes with her own.

   "It looks like some sort of inheritance file. And from what I can tell," she began as looked back down at the file, "he had quite a lot of inheritance taxes to pay. What do you know about his other wives?"

   "Other wives?" Sharman’s voice grew hoarse.

   "You just had to do it, didn’t you?!"

   Sharman and Stephanie both spun around where they sat in the floor, looking up at none other that Edward Brannigan, standing a mere three feet away from them at the study’s entrance. His look was full of anger and disgust, complimented by the gun he held firmly beside him.

   "Ed? What are you doing here?"

   "Well, kiddo, it looks like I got out of jail. Having money has its advantages, like being able to have the best lawyers money can buy. And I’m hardly a flight risk. Oh, and certainly I’m not a threat to society." He said, smiling as brought the 357 magnum into full view.

   Sharman drew a panicky breath, and Stephanie whispered for her to stay calm.

   Stephanie slowly moved her hand behind her, trying to reach into her purse without Ed noticing. Luckily, he was beginning to rant, and kept his eyes focussed on Sharman.

   "You know, if you had just stayed put in New York, I wouldn’t have to do this now. Damnit, Sharman! You were like a daughter to me! Now all you are is a threat!" He aimed the gun in front of him.

   "Why! Why are you doing this Ed? I don’t understand …." Tears filled Sharman’s eyes, the stress and confusing ganging up on her thought processes, making her lose her composure.

   Stephanie’s hand made contact with the gun inside her purse. At the same time she noticed Ed’s hand readying to fire at his stepdaughter. She quickly decided to distract him.

   "He was only in it for the money," Stephanie began, "Just like all the others, right Ed? Marry the rich, then they have some sort of accident, leaving you of course as the grieving widow and beneficiary to their bank accounts." Suddenly, fire filled Ed’s eyes, and the gun turned towards Stephanie.

   "You shut up! You shut your mouth!" Ed fired a shot above Stephanie’s head, making her jump suddenly from the shrill noise that passed over her.

   "Ed! Killing her isn’t going to get you out of this! Think about it! I’m the one holding the estate money! I’m the one who could sign it all over to you and give you a chance at a new life, maybe out of the country!! Look at me Ed! You let her go, and I won’t press charges, and you can have the damned money!!"

   Slowly the gun turned back towards Sharman, following Ed’s line of vision. He looked at her as if he were considering her offer, then suddenly broke out into a hearty, thick laughter.

   "And why do you think I need you to do that? I can kill you both, hide the bodies so good that they won’t find you until I’m long gone, out of the country with a comfortable bank account. No stepdaughter’s taking away the money I worked so hard for! I don’t need your help! And for that matter, I_don’t_need_you."

   His eyes were filled with hatred and saw no more reasoning. He pulled the trigger.

   Sharman clutched at her chest as the bullet stabbed into her. The look on her face was not so much pain as it was shock. Shock that this man who had helped to raise her so easily pulled that trigger.

   Stephanie pulled her gun from her purse and fired at Ed as he turned his weapon on her. His gun discharged at the same time as hers.

********

   Starsky and Hutch ran up the stairs, hearing the gunshots and fearing the worst. Their fears were as true as their instincts.

   It was quiet. Too quiet. Covering each other as they flanked the doorway of the study, they silently nodded their understanding of what each other would do next.

   Starsky dropped to the floor, peeking around the door frame as Hutch did the same from above. What they saw looked like a massacre cut from some horror film.

   Lying on the floor directly in front of them was Ed Brannigan. Blood pooled beside his body, the life had obviously drained from it, although Hutch did check for a pulse, finding none. Further away, towards the desk, lay Sharman. Her white blouse had turned crimson from the bullet wound in her chest, and she lay unconscious, or dead. To her right was Stephanie. She was leaning against the wall with blood covering the side of her shirt, blood oozing through her fingers as she tried to put pressure on her wound.

   Starsky ran to Sharman, hands shaking as he felt for a pulse; relief flushing his face when he found it. Hutch ran over to Stephanie as Starsky passed him to grab the phone, calling for an ambulance and coroner’s team. Once the call had been placed, he kicked the magnum from Ed’s dead hand as he ran back to Sharman.

   Hutch knelt beside Stephanie, smiling as he removed the gun from her hand, gently prying it from her fingers as her stunned mind held on tight. He kept eye contact with her as he set her gun behind him. When he looked down at her wound, he gently pulled at her hand.

   "Honey, let me take a look at that, okay? It’s all right now. It’s all over. We’re here and nothing else is going to happen to you. You’re safe. Stephanie?" Her eyes were open, but shock had taken over, making her less than coherent. He finally was able to remove her hand from the wound. He fought the urge to gasp, not wanting her to see the panic that rose within him. The bullet had torn her skin and penetrated at such an angle that he saw more of her than he’d ever wanted to. He grabbed the sweater that lay beside her and balled it up, using his own strength to apply pressure to the wound.

   Hutch watched as Stephanie began focusing on him. As her eyes made contact, the pain of her injury became very evident. But her first thought was not about herself.

   "Sharman?" she weakly asked, looking up at her lover.

   "Starsky’s with her now."

   She nodded slightly, then raised a bloody hand to his cheek.

   "I love you. I really love you, Ken," she told him, letting her hand weakly fall from him as consciousness left her.

   Starsky was visibly upset as he checked Sharman’s wound. The bleeding had slowed, but still managed to eke out in rhythm to her slowing heart rate.

   "Come on baby. You’ve fought too hard now to let a little thing like this get you down. Stay with me. Sharman, are you listening to me? You gotta stay with me. Now fight this!" Starsky’s words choked out of him, fighting back tears as he looked down at the pale woman who lay before him. He was caught off guard by a sigh of relief as he heard the sirens approaching.

********

   Captain Dobey joined his two finest detectives as they waited impatiently for any news on the women. Both were critical upon arrival to the hospital. They’d both lost so much blood. The news of Edward Brannigan’s death was hardly a comfort.

   "The boys back at the station found out that his real name isn’t, I mean, wasn’t, even Edward Brannigan. It was Richard Garrettson, and he was wanted under that name for the mysterious deaths of his very first two wives. When the heat got too much for him, he changed over to this alias and started over again. There wasn’t ever enough evidence to convict him, and so he continued through a total of seven very wealthy and unfortunate wives."

   "So, Sharman was a threat to his bank account. All this because of greed." Starsky began, losing his composure little by little as he continued. "Murder for a little dough. The cock-sucker didn’t even have a conscious!"

   "Starsk. He had to feel something for Sharman and her mother. He was with them for years. That’s why I know she’ll pull through this. She’s come too far now not to." Hutch’s words were hardly a comfort to him, but the tone in which he spoke them softened his anger a little.

   He looked at Hutch, letting the fire in his eyes subside as he realized that being angry wasn’t going to help a damned thing. He knew that’s what Hutch was thinking. Anger was soon replaced with admiration; the strength his partner kept throughout this whole waiting process was a strength he could do nothing but be in awe of. Hutch stood there calm, knowing that the woman he had finally admitted to ‘love at first sight’ with was only a few yards away from him, fighting for her own life, yet he was offering strength to his best friend.

   Starsky smiled half-heartedly at his friend through tear filled eyes.

   "Stephanie will too. They’re both too tough to …"

   "Detectives?"

   All three men turned around, looking at a very tired looking man in blue-green hospital scrubs. There was blood on the front of them, and his attempt to cover it with the white over coat did not work.

   "I’m Doctor Phelps, head of emergency medicine. You’re here for Sharman Crane and Stephanie White?"

   Starsky and Hutch both nodded as they approached him, wanting to hear every word he had to say. The doctor took a deep, cleansing breath.

   "Well, they both survived their surgeries. The next twelve hours will tell, but I think they’re going to pull through. Both ladies suffered from major blood loss, but each wound was clean enough to repair. I wish I had more promising news to deliver to you, but this is the best I can offer at this point."

********

   It had been four weeks since the shootings and the permanent downfall of one Richard Garrettson, AKA, Edward Brannigan. They were very hard weeks, Stephanie and Sharman both recovering from their injuries and the horrific circumstances surrounding them.

   As Stephanie recovered with the help and loyal companionship she found dearly in Hutch, Sharman had a more difficult time, trying to deal with all of the realities that settled in. Refusing a semi-private room with Stephanie to have time alone, she became more despondent as her physical wounds healed.

   Starsky tried to pull her out of the depression that tried to take her over, but found himself worried that he might lose the battle. None the less, he continued his efforts to cheer her each day, as he and Hutch visited the ladies each and every free moment they had available. Soon, Sharman began to regain herself, and her inner strength grew as well as her physical strength. She was smiling again. Though it sometimes seemed an effort to do so, it still was there.

********

   Stephanie was released from the hospital 22 days after the shooting, and Hutch took some vacation time to be there for her during her first week back home.

   Hutch cooked for her, cleaned house, and took care of her in every way her body would allow. Each day he still managed to go visit Sharman, trying to take up the slack for Starsky while he continued to go to work each day. His visits with Sharman were uneventful. He found that most times she feigned sleep to probably avoid talking to him. But he would talk to her encouragingly anyway, for her as well as Starsky, trying.

   Using the key she had given him to her place, Hutch walked into Stephanie’s apartment, finding it dark. Thinking she must be resting, he eased himself inside, locking the door behind him. That’s when he heard it.

   Soft violins played on the stereo as he walked towards the dining room. When he walked through the doorway, the aroma of a roast cooking in the oven, along with sweet, intoxicating perfume made him breath in deeply and enjoy the mixing smells.

   "Steph?"

   Stephanie walked out from the kitchen, smiling at the sound of his voice. Dressed in a very sexy long black negligée with slits up each thigh, he had to admire the picture before him. The negligée had a halter type top which revealed a very low back line as she swirled it in front of him, never spilling the full wine glasses that she brought in with her. She had really dolled herself up, fixing her hair with curls that flanked her bare shoulders, and make up that made her positively glow in the candle light. Hutch was speechless. As she walked over to him and handed him a wine glass, he accepted it, but only after grabbing the arm that extended towards him and kissing her from her wrist up to her ear, sending chills down her back.

   "I thought it was time I did a little something for you for a change."

   "Oh, you wouldn’t believe what this is doing for me." He answered seductively. "How long before that roast is done?" She looked at him as if to ask why he wanted to know, but answered him sweetly.

   "It has a little more than an hour to go. Why?"

   "Well, that’s a start." he whispered, taking her wine glass and setting it down on the dining room table, then taking her beside it.

********

   Starsky arrived at the hospital a half an hour before Sharman’s release time, bringing with him some roses that he couldn’t resist buying for her on the way.

   When he knocked on her door, he didn’t wait for a response before entering. Walking inside, he found the room to be empty and the hospital bed already made.

   He rushed as he went to the nurse’s station, fearing what he knew had happened in the back of his head, but simply feeling a need for confirmation. When his suspicions were verified, he looked sadly down the corridor for a moment, then began walking to an elderly lady who sat quietly in her wheel chair by the visitor’s lounge. Stopping beside her, she looked up at him, and he smiled, handing her the roses. Never saying a word, he turned and headed for the elevators.

   As Starsky walked out of the hospital main entrance, he smiled when he saw her sitting at a fountain in the middle of the circular drive.

   "I couldn’t just leave. I wanted to. Really. I wanted to make this great escape and leave and spare myself from saying good-bye to you. But I couldn’t. Oh David ..." her voice wavered as her eyes looked up at him, and he sat down beside her, putting his arm around her in a warm embrace.

   "It’s okay. I know. I knew it was gonna be this way. Shhh, it’s okay."

   Sharman cried into his shoulder.

   "Dave, I don’t want to leave you, but I just can’t stay here. I can’t! I feel like if I don’t get away from here and start over somewhere that I will go back into the shell that I was in before when you found me the first time!" she gasped at her breaths, trying to control the emotional outburst that caught her off guard.

   Starsky held her tightly, knowing it was for the last time.

   "David, you could come with me. We could both start fresh, have a life all to ourselves …"

   "Now Sharman, you know I can’t do that. My life is here. And I don’t want to change anything about it. Except for maybe you leaving it."

   Her eyes looked at him, and she saw the tears that he struggled to keep from falling.

   "I know."

   She got up, then turned around to hold him tightly as he stood with her.

   "I love you, David. You know that?"

   "Yeah, shweetheart. I love ya too." They released their hold on each other except for their hands, which clung to each other tightly for a moment.

   "You know, you could stay here. I mean, with me. We could make a go of it. Start a life brand new right here," Starsky offered hopefully.

   "I can’t. Not that I don’t want to, because there’s nothing I want more than to be with you. But being so close to everything that happened, I, well, I just can’t. I’d just be reminded all the time of all the pain, like my mother’s murder, and I’m scared I can’t be strong enough here."

   Starsky nodded at her.

   She let her hand fall from his, using it to wipe the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

   "You’ll be okay?" Starsky asked sweetly, squinting in the sunlight that shone in his face.

   "Yeah. I think I will." She smiled as she turned away. She walked towards her car, never looking back until she got in it.

********

   Two weeks later at the Pits, Starsky found himself still being bombarded by the affectionate concern of Huggy, Stephanie, and Hutch.

   Ever since he had told them that Sharman had left, his friends could not see fit to let him have a little peace and quiet. Every night … ‘Let’s do this’ or ‘Let’s do that’. He was tired. But he was grateful to have such caring friends that were so concerned.

   He sat in the booth and watched Hutch dancing with Stephanie, the slow music playing softly in the background as they held each other, entranced.

   Sipping his beer, he thought back to Sharman. He hoped she was doing okay; he couldn’t help but worry about her. She was strong now. Capable. Boy, he sure did miss her, though.

   By the time he got home, he found a letter in his mailbox from her. She had decided to open up a modeling school in Arizona. She wrote to tell him that even though she had moved away, she made sure she wasn’t so far away that he couldn’t come visit her some time. She told him that she loved him, and that the key was always under the mat, waiting for him.

   He smiled, realizing that they were all going to be just fine.

THE END