{"id":85,"date":"2017-06-09T01:37:42","date_gmt":"2017-06-09T01:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/?p=85"},"modified":"2020-11-01T22:14:06","modified_gmt":"2020-11-01T22:14:06","slug":"june-tbd-tendency-to-jam-part-2-by-mvernet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/?p=85","title":{"rendered":"June 15th- Tendency To Jam Part 2 by mvernet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click here to read Part 1.<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Hutch lay face up on the ground, a bullet wound near his abdomen. One hand tried to stem the flow of blood bubbling through his fingers. The other still grasped his gun. He clung to it, unwilling to let go until he knew Starsky was safe. He focused on Starsky\u2019s face hovering above him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsk\u2026 y\u2019k? You\u2026 shot?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. He didn\u2019t get me. But you got Stevens. Hold on, Hutch.\u201d Starsky frantically reached for a kitchen towel, then folded it and pressed it against Hutch\u2019s heaving stomach..<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch cried out in pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Hutch. Have to stop the bleeding. You with me? Huh? Babe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch coughed softly and dropped his Magnum. He reached out to Starsky with both hands and rolled into the safety of his arms. He breathed in his partner\u2019s scent, pressing his head against the warmth of his chest.<\/span>
\n<\/p>\n

Starsky held on tight, one hand still holding in Hutch\u2019s lifeblood. As Starsky\u2019s closeness eased the pain, Hutch felt darkness beaconing. He held on to Starsky more tightly. \u201cDidn\u2019t hear\u2026 you shoot? Sure you\u2019re… \u2018k?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Two uniforms suddenly appeared at the door and Starsky barked orders, never letting go of his partner. \u201dDetective Starsky, Homicide\u2026 my partner\u2026 I…I got an officer down! Got me? Officer down! Radio for an ambulance. One of you grab a first aid kit and get back here on the double. And one of you inform Captain Dobey that Hutchinson\u2019s been shot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two cops scrambled to follow Starsky\u2019s orders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky applied more pressure to Hutch\u2019s wound eliciting a low moan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy gun jammed, Hutch. My fuckin\u2019 gun jammed and I couldn\u2019t save you.\u201d Starsky\u2019s shoulders hitched as he pulled Hutch closer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2026 you already… saved me. You saved… me.\u201c Hutch\u2019s voice trailed off as he slumped in Starsky\u2019s arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cHutch? Hutch?\u201d Starsky touched his partner\u2019s cheek as Hutch lost consciousness. \u201cNo. No. Hutch don\u2019t go. You can\u2019t go. You hear me, ya dumb blond? No way you get to weasel out of tonight. Hutch? Huuuutch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky moved his free hand and placed trembling fingers against Hutch\u2019s neck to feel the faint beat of his heart. He listened expectantly for each breath as blood crept from Hutch\u2019s mouth to his chin. He felt like the planet had stopped spinning. The only movement left in the world was that soft breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

And it was all his fault.<\/span><\/p>\n

A hand on his shoulder jolted him out of his grief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe paramedics are here, Detective,\u201d one of the uniforms said. \u201cYou have to let go of your partner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cMy fault, Captain. My fault.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey sighed. He had been sitting next to Starsky in the waiting room at Memorial for thirty minutes. \u201cI know you feel that way, son. But it was Stevens who got the drop on Hutch. You gave me your statement. You and Hutch did it all by the book. You couldn\u2019t have known\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain! You don\u2019t understand! My gun jammed! Hutch was waiting for me. He trusted me to be there. I had the shot. If my gun had fired, Hutch\u2026\u201d Starsky stood abruptly. He was covered in Hutch’s blood. \u201cIt\u2019s my fault!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey rose more slowly. Dobey put a hand on Starsky\u2019s shoulders and forced him to make eye contact.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsky, we can\u2019t predict a weapon\u2019s failure. I know Hutch wouldn\u2019t blame you for that failure. It\u2019s Stevens\u2019 bullet they\u2019re taking out of Hutch, not yours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky pursed his lips and nodded. \u201cI\u2026 I know, Cap. Hutch wouldn\u2019t want me to blame myself. My gun was clean and in good shape. Just last week, me and Hutch went to the range for practice rounds. He beat my score by two lousy points and I still owe him dinner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky smiled sadly and Dobey patted his shoulder and urged Starsky to sit again. Starsky sat, leaned forward, and looked at his bloodstained hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey cleared his throat. \u201cThis was just an accident. Could have happened to any cop\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky jumped up again and started to pace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I chose that gun. I chose it because my Pop had a S&W 39 when I was a kid. I heard about the 59\u2019s potential problems and turned a deaf ear. It never occurred to me I was putting Hutch in danger. I put his life in danger every day. And why? For nostalgia? I got plenty of good memories of my Pop, I didn\u2019t need one in my holster. Hutch\u2019s safety is worth more than that. I shoulda been carrying the most dependable firearm ever made. Dependable, like Hutch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSon, you have to let this go. Hutch is going to need you. I know how you two work, remember? He\u2019ll worry about you and not himself. He won\u2019t take care of himself, unless you\u2019re safe, whole, and by his side.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe deserves a better partner than me, Captain. I failed him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey sighed as Hutch\u2019s surgeon suddenly entered the waiting room and approached them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Doctor Caine, Detective Hutchinson\u2019s surgeon. He\u2019s in ICU, doing well.\u201d The doctor was tall and angular with red hair and green eyes. Both men breathed easier as the doctor continued. \u201cAre you Detective Starsky?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDetective Starsky, yeah. And this is Captain Dobey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDetective Hutchinson is out of surgery and is in recovery. His condition is guarded. The bullet entered from the front and lodged in the stomach lining. No other organs were involved. He suffered internal bleeding. The surgery went well. We were able to stop the bleeding and repair the damage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor paused, then said to Starsky, \u201cAccording to the paramedics, you were holding Detective Hutchinson upright when they arrived on the scene. By doing that, you helped him maintain his blood pressure. Otherwise, it might have dropped too low, risking his life. You bought him enough time before the paramedics could arrive. That was quick thinking, Detective Starsky, and helped save your partner\u2019s life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey felt a huge rush of relief as the doctor\u2019s words made Starsky suddenly sway in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky\u2019s reaction caught the doctor\u2019s attention and he seemed to finally notice Starsky\u2019s appearance. He looked him over, asking, \u201cDetective, are you injured?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I\u2026 No, this is all Hutch\u2019s blood. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust breathe evenly and try to relax. Your partner is doing well. Though he\u2019ll have a rough recovery. We\u2019ll have to manage his pain, and he\u2019ll be on a liquid diet for a while, and even after, eating and stress may pose a problem. Until the stomach completely heals, it will be similar to having an ulcer. And, of course, we\u2019ll have to watch for infection.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky nodded and managed half a smile. \u201cThanks, Doc. Thanks for takin\u2019 such good care of my partner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are welcome.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Three weeks later, the morning breeze was hot and dry on Starsky\u2019s face. Heat waves shimmered on the steps that led to Metro as he made his way to Dobey\u2019s office. He had to go over some paperwork before picking up Hutch from the hospital. Every gut-wrenching day of the last three weeks that Hutch had spent fighting infections, barely able to move, and unable to eat solid food had weighed heavily on Starsky. Starsky went directly to the big man\u2019s office and knocked on the open door. \u201cHey, Cap. Hot in here, huh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey wiped his face with a large bandana, nodded his hello, and beckoned Starsky to sit. He adjusted his electric fan to oscillate on high. Then made a grab for his papers that started to blow away. In a show of annoyance, he tucked them under his out <\/em>bin. \u201cSo, Hutch goes home today. How\u2019s he really doing, Starsky?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky slumped in his chair and wiped the sweat from his upper lip. \u201cI\u2019m worried, Cap. Doc Caine says he\u2019s gonna be fine, but he\u2019s lost a lot of weight, and he\u2019s still weak as a baby. As a matter of fact, they tried to get him to eat baby food and Hutch gave the nurses an anatomy lesson about where they could shove it. And getting him to drink liquid meals is like pushin\u2019 a donkey up a ladder. That\u2019s why I put in for some personal leave. He needs my help even if he won\u2019t admit it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey smirked. \u201cAt least he sounds like himself. I was expecting you to ask for leave, Starsky. That\u2019s not a problem. I know I\u2019ll get both of you back sooner if you look after that stubborn partner of yours. Edith and Huggy have been putting their heads together on some recipes to tempt him. Edith\u2019s chicken and dumplings could cure a rainy day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, that\u2019s nice of them. Hutch will love that. I\u2019ll give her a call when I get him all tucked in at my place. He\u2019ll be at mine for a while \u2018cause his place doesn’t have air conditioning. Jungle boy says it\u2019s bad for his plants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky looked out the window for a moment, smiling sadly. Then he turned his attention back to his Captain. \u201cWhy\u2019d ya wanna see me, Cap?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey leaned back in his chair and let the fan sweep across his face. \u201cConnie Hastings was acquitted on all counts. She had a smart lawyer who got Hutch\u2019s statement thrown out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Without that we had nothin\u2019!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but you read Hutch\u2019s statement. He was vague and unsure of himself. He had huge lapses in memory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was too soon! Hutch was feverish and in terrible pain! If I had been there\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Starsky. I know. But even if this had gone to trial, a jury would have been very sympathetic towards the wife. Greg Hastings was<\/em> a monster. A monster with a long record of assaults.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut Hutch and me know the truth. Connie was the one who got Stevens to murder her husband. The truth is what\u2019s important.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Starsky. But Hutch admitted the trauma affected his memory. He still can\u2019t remember everything. There is nothing we can do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky sighed. Hutch did have some memory loss. His memories of the shooting were as full of holes as swiss cheese. He remembered being shot and Starsky holding him, but not Starsky\u2019s gun jamming. He remembered Stevens\u2019 confession, but not the exact words. He remembered enjoying a hot dog at lunchtime, but not what he and Starsky had talked about. And most important to Starsky, the memory of his Sunday wish seemed to have vanished like a puff of smoke. Starsky shifted in his chair. The pain from that revelation was still raw.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey reached for a file kept safe from the fan\u2019s velocity. \u201cOne other thing, Starsky. I got the report back on your Smith & Wesson. It was definitely mechanical failure. The sear spring on the trigger assembly broke in two. It\u2019s a known manufacturing fault. Ballistics and I.A. cleared you. They have confiscated your gun and also asked you to voluntarily hand in your backup Smith & Wesson. They\u2019ve officially declared the S&W 59 unsafe for police work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky shivered in the summer heat. He gripped the arms of his chair until his fingers felt stiff. \u201cSure, they can have both of them and good riddance. Sear spring. Known fault, huh? Known if you care enough to check out the specs. If you\u2019re responsible enough to think about your partner\u2019s safety instead of…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsky! We\u2019ve been over this. This was not your fault! Hutch certainly doesn\u2019t blame you. Like his doctor said, you helped save his life. Let it go! That\u2019s an order.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d Starsky stood and planted himself in front of Dobey\u2019s desk. It had been three weeks of hell for him. Because of the unusual circumstance of his gun\u2019s failure, he had been desk bound, on suspension pending the investigation. That gave him plenty of time to worry and watch Hutch, the man he loved, suffer because his gun had jammed.<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter what anyone said, he carried the blame squarely on his own shoulders. His nightmares were full of the impotent click of his weapon’s trigger and Hutch\u2019s painful grunt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey sighed. \u201cStarsky, go take care of Hutch. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s impatient to get home.\u201d Dobey reached for a stack of gun catalogs and handed them to Starsky. \u201cHere take these. While you\u2019re on leave decide on a new sidearm. You\u2019ll have to be requalified.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Cap. Thanks. I\u2019ll see ya soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hutch sat on the edge of his hospital bed, rubbing his forehead with one hand, while the other hand was spread protectively across the wound on his stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHutch,\u201d Dr. Caine said, \u201cthe intermittent headaches you are experiencing may be from the pressure you are putting on yourself to remember the events of the shooting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch sighed and squinted. He dropped his hand and picked absently at his jeans. \u201cDo you think I\u2019ll ever remember?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor hugged his clipboard. \u201cHard to say. But from what I\u2019ve seen of you and your partner, you handle the stress of your job remarkably well. There\u2019s no reason to believe the memory loss is permanent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Just an average day for me and my partner, Doc. We usually take our stress to our friend Huggy\u2019s bar and get rid of it with a burger and a beer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just want you to know that there is help for you if you need it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have to be cleared by the department psychologist before I return to the streets, Doc. I can talk to him if I need to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Caine nodded. \u201cI\u2019m actually more concerned about your weight, Hutch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch sighed and rolled his eyes. It seemed like all anyone wanted to talk to him about was eating. He had no appetite at all. \u201cI\u2019m not going to gain weight on that vanilla crap the nurses try to force on me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor sighed. \u201cHutch, I\u2019m a trauma surgeon. I know what healing from a stomach wound entails. You are still in pain, especially when you try to eat. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to take the medication I have prescribed for you, especially the liquid diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as food goes, you have choices. Soups and creamy casseroles. You can\u2019t have a spicy meatball and pepperoni pizza yet, but you can certainly enjoy that meal your partner owes you, even in a restaurant with a little caution \u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch interrupted with a raised hand. \u201cI get it. Maybe when I get home my appetite will improve. No offense but everything here taste like glue. Actually glue would be tastier.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Caine smiled. He placed a hand on Hutch\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI don\u2019t want to see you being dragged back here by that partner of yours because he thinks you\u2019re wasting away. I\u2019ve dealt with his protective behavior long enough, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch chuckled and glanced towards the door. \u201cSpeak of the Starsky, Doc.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Doc!\u201d Starsky announced as he entered the room. \u201c\u2018Mornin\u2019, partner. I see you\u2019re all ready to blow this crumby joint.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Caine placed Hutch\u2019s finished paperwork and aftercare instructions on the bed. \u201cHutch, your prescriptions are ready and waiting at the hospital pharmacy.\u201d He turned to Starsky and offered his hand. \u201cHe\u2019s all yours, Detective Starsky. Take good care of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky shifted a shopping bag to his other hand and took the doctor\u2019s in his own. \u201cI sure will, Doc. Thanks for everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch echoed Starsky\u2019s thanks and Dr. Caine wished them well with a quick salute as he left.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch kicked his bare feet out a little. Starsky didn\u2019t miss the grimace of pain Hutch had at the slight movement. \u201cShoes, Starsky! I can\u2019t get out of here without my shoes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot to worry, my barefoot boy. I got ya covered.\u201d Starsky pulled a pair of sandals out of the shopping bag. \u201cThose weird, funky earth shoes of yours are at the cobbler\u2019s bein\u2019 cleaned, polished, and re-laced. I picked you up some flip-flops.\u201d He didn\u2019t mention that Hutch\u2019s shoes were covered with bloodstains. Starsky couldn\u2019t stand to look at them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch took one of the flip-flops and examined it skeptically. He ran a finger up and down the black, v-shaped, velvet strap and looked closely at the seagrass sole. \u201cHuh. Smells good. These hand sewn?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky smirked. Huggy had a box full at his bar and was selling them for two bucks a pair. He doubted they were high quality merchandise. \u201cSure! Handsewn by beautiful maidens on a deserted tropical island, just for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch snorted out a laugh. \u201cI think you mean desert island, gordo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky smiled. Hutch correcting him and calling him names was a sure sign he was getting better. He knelt down in front of Hutch and grabbed his dangling foot. He helped to slip the sandal on as Hutch wiggled his toes with a slight hitch in his breath. Starsky repeated the procedure on the other foot. \u201cThere you go, Cinderella. Perfect fit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCinderella, huh. Well you sure ain\u2019t my fairy godmoth\u2026 ow!\u201d Hutch brought a hand to his brow as pain pulsed in his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky froze, still kneeling in front of Hutch. He gently rubbed the foot in his hand. \u201cHutch? You okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to read Part 3.<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click here to read Part 1. Hutch lay face up on the ground, a bullet wound near his abdomen. One hand tried to stem the flow of blood bubbling through his fingers. The other still grasped his gun. He clung … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fic","category-slash"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=85"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":289,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85\/revisions\/289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=85"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=85"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/solstice.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2017\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=85"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}