In the Dark

For this ever am I Love's good beast and dancer,
Sundown's herald, Dawn's answerer,
Night's companion in Day's realm.

(Robert Duncan, 'What the Sonnet Means the Sonnet Means', In the Dark.)

**************************************

'You loved him.'

Starsky breathed the words so softly into Hutch's ear, that at first they seemed to be just another one of the small sounds that Starsky's body made as they lay so close together. When their import struck him, he started, then looked up into Starsky's eyes. Starsky smiled, lovingly.

'You loved him,' he said again.

'Yes. I did. Starsk?'

'Mmm?'

Starsky touched one of his nipples, as if trying out some new experiment in love making.

'Did you ever, do you remember ever...'

'I'm sure I must have. I probably just told myself it was friendship, and nothing more. But it seems a bit hard to believe, that you could have been the first man I ever loved. The best, yes. But I fell into love with you so easily.'

Starsky licked that nipple so lightly that his tongue could scarcely be felt, but the caress sent a jolt straight to Hutch's groin, and he felt his cock leap in response.

'I was in love with him, Starsky. Not like with you, but...'

'Of course, not like with me. But it was real. It was a part of what made you Hutch.' Starsky had stopped playing with his nipple, and had moved on to his navel instead.

'They told me I couldn't see him, ever again. I tried to call him, but his father yelled at me, and hung up. He must have told my parents, because then they started watching me, and asking who I was calling every time I picked up the phone. The next I heard, he'd been thrown out of the house, and was living on the streets.'

Starsky shifted up and drew Hutch's head onto his shoulder again. His hands drew comforting circles on Hutch's back, and Hutch decided to go on with the story.

'I tried to track him down. I don't know, I guess I had some idea that we'd run away together. Living at home was like prison, and the psychiatrist --- anyway, I couldn't find him. Then they told me he was dead. That he'd hanged himself in some abandoned building. A long time later, I talked to his sister. She'd gotten all the truth out of their mother. He'd been hustling to stay alive, and one of his tricks had done some horrible things to him. She didn't tell me the details. Anyway, she blamed me.'

'You?'

'Well, yeah. I'd introduced him to that deviant lifestyle.'

'You.'

Hutch sighed, and abandoned any attempt to continue the story, which had become superfluous. Starsky's eyes glowed with a dark blue flame, and he growled, territorially.

'I'm gonna hunt that bitch down and give her a piece of my mind. You loved him, and gave him your body, like this, and his family threw him out on the street, and left him to starve, and be abused and die. And that was your fault.' Starsky gently lifted Hutch's head from his shoulder, and turned Hutch back over on his back. He got up on his knees and looked down at Hutch's body, contemplating his next move.

'Blondie?'

'Yes?'

'What would you like to do?'

Hutch looked up, surprised. In this mood, Starsky didn't usually ask first.

'Your mouth,' said Hutch, and reached up to touch Starsky's lips in entreaty. Starsky took Hutch's finger between his lips and sucked. Hutch closed his eyes, the pleasure was so great. He scarcely felt the difference when Starsky transferred his attentions to his cock. But when he did, Hutch came, almost immediately.

*********************************************

'You're kidding! You mean you two white boys came to your senses? Finally!'

'Uh... Huggy?'

'Hallelujah!'

'Uh... Huggy?'

'This calls for a celebration! Champagne! Hang on... be right back.'

Huggy disappeared and Starsky and Hutch dared to look at each other. Thank goodness it was after hours at The Pits, or Huggy might have invited the clientele to partake in the festivities. Starsky sniggered a little at the thought and, after a moment, Hutch joined in. Hutch reached under the table and stroked Starsky's thigh, just for a moment, just because he could. It was good to feel so free, to let himself trust, to just enjoy the moment and not to fear some sordid end to their love.

Huggy bounced back into the room with a bottle of something that might pass as champagne, and poured them all glasses.

'A toast! Here's to Starsky and Hutch, who finally took the blinkers off. Now tell me. When and how?'

'Huggy, that is kinda private, and sorta sacred between Hutch and me. Okay?'

'Hang on, guys,' said Hutch. 'I'm goin' to the men's room.'

'You okay, babe?'

Hutch smiled down at Starsky. 'I'm fine.   Just too much beer. Be right back.'

Huggy was looking down at the table top, drawing circles in the condensation.

'Huggy?'

'Yeah?'

'When Hutch and me got together, it was... it wasn't easy at first. We needed some privacy, we needed to keep it to ourselves for a while, to deal with some stuff, ya know?'

Starsky smiled to himself, thinking of how it had been easy for Hutch to announce it to strangers, like Miranda. There were no previous suppositions involved. They probably would never see each other again. This was different. Witness Dobey's astonishment, his strange looks the last few days, as if wondering whether or not they had lost their minds, and would show up at work in drag. Dobey had said nothing, but was obviously thinking a great deal.

Hutch had dealt with it all calmly. They went to work, did their jobs, arrested perps, wrote up reports. Then they went home, his place or Hutch's. Then they were in their own little world, and Hutch finally trusted him. Then they were lost in ecstasy, or burning with passion, or just sitting quietly, enjoying being together with no walls between them, no boundaries, no limits to what they could do, or say, or feel.

'Hey, Starsk?'

Starsky came to with a start. He laughed a little. 'Sorry. Just thinking.'

Huggy smirked. 'Obviously. But now, what made you decide to let me in on the secret?'

'Well, Hutch got a blackmail note from a fellow officer of the law, and we had to tell Dobey.'

'Okay. Where's the guy's grave so's I can go dance on it?'

'There's no grave.'

'Ah. You ripped him into so many bits they had to pour him into the ground.'

'Huggy, much as I would have liked to do just that, there are laws against such things which I am sworn to uphold.'

'Mmm hmm?'

'Yeah. So we went to see Dobey, and it seems that Dobey applied a little judicious blackmail of his own, and got the guy to shut up and transfer to Vice.'

'The guy's name being?'

'Detective George Myerson.'

'Thanks. I'll see what I can dig up on this turkey. Maybe I can do a little blackmailing of my own, just to be on the safe side.'

'I didn't hear that, Hugs.'

'Didn't hear what?'

'Ah. Our blond friend is back. Have some more champagne, ma man!'

**************************************

'Detective Starsky?'

'Speaking.'

'Hi. Um, you probably don't remember me. I'm Daniel Martin.'

'Daniel! Yes. Of course. My partner and I remember you. How are you, kid?'

'I'm okay, but... I don't want to bother you, but...' 'Hey! It's no bother. Hutch and I have been wondering how you were doing. We kept meaning to check on you. Do you want to get together and chat?'

'If it's really no trouble.'

'Well, it really isn't. Where would you like to meet? Your place? Here at the station? Ouch! Hutch just kicked me! Somewhere more neutral?'

'How about the hospital waiting room. Remember?'

'Sure. We'll be there in 10 minutes. Okay?'

Starsky hung up and looked at his partner. 'I wonder what's up with Daniel?'

'Guess if we go meet him we'll find out, huh?'

'Yeah, yeah. Always so practical.'

'You're not going to freak out over that picture again, are you?'

'I have no idea. But I wasn't freaking out. Told you that before.'

'You told me I'm Death on horseback, Starsk! You were freaking out.'

'Come on. Get in the car.'

'How come we're not taking my car?'

'Next time we're on a stakeout in Watts, I promise.'

****************************************

The waiting room was exactly as they remembered it. Daniel was sitting in the same chair. Mindful of Hutch's concerns, Starsky only glanced at the painting. It was now showing an uninhabited forest glade without the moon or the stars. Starsky averted his eyes before the picture changed without notice.

Hutch sat down beside Dan, and motioned to Starsky to join them.

'We're sorry we haven't called you, Dan. It's not that we haven't been thinking about you and Josh.'

'I know, Detective Hutchinson....'

'Call me Ken. Or Hutch is fine too. And this is Dave, right Starsk?'

'Right.'

'Okay, thanks. Ken. Dave. I know you're really busy, but you're the only people I could ask to help me. The doctors and nurses here, they barely tolerate me for the most part. And my friends haven't been able to help. Maybe they'll listen to you.'

He was silent for a moment, as if even that hope were slight, but then went on.

'They won't let me see Josh. They say he doesn't want to see me, but I know that's wrong. I know it is. I've asked them to give him messages, and I'm sure they haven't passed them on. I need to see him, or at least....'

'Of course,' Starsky said, jumping up and instantly making for the door.

'Wait, Detective... Dave. Please. Tell him I... Tell him.'

'I'll tell him you love him. That you want to see him, but the staff here won't let you. That you're sorry about what happened. You feel guilty. But you love him, and you hope he'll forgive you. That about cover it?'

'Yeah. Thanks. That's it exactly.'

'Knew it. Hang on. Go on talking to Hutch. Okay. I'll be back with a message from Josh.'

Hutch smiled up at Starsky in a moment of shared understanding, then Starsky left the room. The painting shifted. Hutch looked away quickly. Why had he been watching anyway?

*******************************************

'Josh?'

Starsky was gowned and wore a face mask to protect the patients in the burn unit. His voice came out muffled.

'Josh? I'm Detective David Starsky. Remember me? We spoke briefly before.'

'Starsky,' whispered Josh, through his burned lips.

'Yes. I'm the police officer who..'

'You. You were the deer. The stag. You pushed me off the pyre, and took my place. Why?'

'Because it's my...' Starsky started to say 'duty' but realized that sounded cold. 'Because it's what I do. But you remember the stag. You were in my dream?'

'Wasn't a dream.'

Josh fell silent. This was interesting. Another person in his dreams who remembered them, besides Hutch. And Hutch didn't usually remember. Perhaps you had to be a little out of your mind to remember, he thought. But what did Josh mean by 'not a dream'?

'Josh? Daniel sent me to talk to you.'

'Daniel?'

'Yes. He wants to come and talk to you, but the nurses won't let him.'

'Daniel? He wants to see me?'

'Yes. He loves you and he wants you to forgive him.'

'Nothing to forgive.'

'Of course not. But he doesn't believe that.'

'No. Tell him that I'll ask to see him. They can't refuse me that.'

*************************************

'I really appreciate your help, Detective... K-Ken. Yours and Dave's. So many cops I've met have treated me like I'm subhuman. For one reason or another.'

'Starsky's my lover.'

Hutch realized that this was the first time he had actually spoken those words. They felt good in his mouth, he thought. Bubbly, like champagne.

Daniel was silent for a long moment, just staring. Then he said, carefully, 'It must be difficult, being cops, but wonderful, too. Working together all the time, I mean.'

'It can get rough sometimes as well, but we couldn't live any other way. If they tried to split us up, we'd quit, find another job. Move to Alaska.'

'Could they do that? Split you up, I mean?'

'Partners aren't supposed to be involved with each other like this.'

'They'll never learn about it from me. But that seems unfair, it's none of their business.'

'You're right there,' said Starsky.

Josh jumped a little. Hutch hadn't heard the door open either, but he had known as soon as Starsky entered the room. He looked up and smiled at his partner, who rested his hand on Hutch's shoulder.

'Josh wants to see you, Dan. He never got your messages, and he's going to complain. In the meantime, he says he loves you and you have nothing to apologize for. But I'm sure he'll say that better than me, later.'

Starsky and Hutch exchanged looks and left Dan alone for a moment to think this over. They were standing by the window talking, when the door burst open, and Josh's parents stormed in. They hadn't seen the Simmons since the day after Josh had been brought to the hospital. Mrs. Simmons saw them by the window, and smiled a little nervously.   Mr. Simmons didn't look at either Starsky or Hutch, but addressed Daniel directly.

'You! We told you we don't want you around. We told you to get lost a year ago, but you didn't listen. We told Josh, we tried to get him help, but he didn't listen either, and now look what's happened. If you don't stay away from him, I'll break your scrawny neck.'

Hutch stepped forward. 'Mr. Simmons? I suggest you moderate your tone of voice. This is a hospital, and there are sick people trying to recover, here.'

'Yeah, and this little nigger faggot is the sickest of all, but he's not trying. Someone needs to set him on fire, not my son.'

By now the man was red-faced and bellowing. 'My son is not queer, got that? It's all a mistake. If I could just keep him away from you,' he said to Daniel. 'And people like you.'

'Excuse me!' It was a nurse, looking in to see what all the fuss was about. 'This is a hospital. Would you please keep your voices down, or I'll call security and have you removed.'

Hutch said, 'We apologize, Nurse. Mr.Simmons has concerns about his son's health. We're trying to reassure him.'

'Well, do it more quietly, please.' The nurse left.

'Mr. Simmons,' Starsky began, 'Daniel is here because he cares about your son. It was not his fault that...'

'Of course it was his fault.'

Simmons kept his voice down this time, but his face was still red with rage. 'It's all his fault. He was the one who made my son like that. They're all the same. They recruit nice normal boys like Josh, because they can't have kids of their own. They're full of hate and they want to destroy the world because it has decent people in it. Normal people like you and me.'

Daniel stepped forward. 'Mr. Simmons, please. I'm not trying to do anything to hurt Josh. I love him...'

Dan got no further. Simmons roared his anger, and started to swing his fist at Dan. Hutch jumped between them and tried to block Simmons' blow. He succeeded. Simmons' fist connected with Hutch's face instead, and Hutch fell backwards. His head connected with the coffee table that someone had inconveniently left lying about, and Hutch knew no more.

********************************************

Starsky paced the waiting room like a caged tiger. They'd thrown him out of Hutch's hospital room. There was nothing for him to do at the station after he'd booked Simmons. The very idea of going home without his partner made him feel ill.

He heard the door open, and looked up hopefully. It was Mrs. Simmons.

'Detective Starsky?'

'That's me, lady.'

'They've booked my husband for assaulting a police officer.'

'I know. That was me. I booked him personally.'

'My husband's in jail.'

'Good. It's where he belongs.'

'Please, can't you reduce the charges or something?'

'Who? Me? Not in a million years. I was there, remember? I saw your husband hit my partner. He's going to jail for it, if it's the last thing I do. If Hutch... if Hutch dies, I'm going to see that he fries for it. Got that?'

'Is he going to die?'

She was as white as a sheet, Starsky thought, but he doubted out of fear for his Hutch.

'I don't know. Probably not. So don't lose any sleep over it.' Starsky started pacing again.

'Detective, my husband didn't mean to hit your partner.'

'No. He meant to hit Daniel Martin.'

'Yes.'

She was smiling now, and nodding, as if Starsky had finally seen the light and all would be well.

'You have to understand what we've been going through. When he met that Daniel, he changed. He was a nice normal boy before that. But then he actually came and told us he was a homosexualist. Don't you see, it's been a nightmare for us? And now this. We knew something terrible would happen, and we tried to warn him. It's the judgement of God, don't you see?'

'What?'

She smiled as if explaining something to a small child.

'Yes. God will punish the abominations among us, with fire, and the rain of blood. My husband and I have been trying to save our son. We love him, you see.'

'No, Mrs. Simmons, I don't see. I see two people who probably do love their son, in their own way, but who love themselves more, and want their son to be in their own image.'

'No. We want him to be in the image of God. That is how we are commanded to be. It's not that we want our son to be hurt. We want him to be perfect, like God. God chastises those he loves best, you know?'

'Mrs. Simmons, why don't you go home?'

'It's lonely there. My son's in the hospital. My husband's in jail.'

My lover's in the hospital because of your husband, thought Starsky. He started pacing again, not noticing when Mrs. Simmons sat down in one of the chairs.

He paced back and forth, and back and forth. The walls were closing in. He should be doing something, anything, to help Hutch. Why didn't I study more in school, he thought, and become a surgeon? Then, every time Hutch got hurt, I really could fix it. He snorted to himself. Hutch would run for his life, he thought, at the sight of me with a scalpel.

He paced back again. The picture on the wall caught his eye. Oh no. Not again. Hutch would really think I was nuts if that happened again. But the scene in the painting had changed, and Starsky was too curious to resist. He walked toward the wall, instead.

The moon broke out from behind the clouds....

There was a warm body beneath his, strong and muscular between his thighs. It was covered with dense white fur, and the head carried an impressive rack of antlers. The large head turned, and for a moment, the eyes that looked into his were limpid and wholly deer-like. Then the lids lowered, and Starsky looked up at him through long dark lashes.

Hutch laughed. Starsky snorted and tossed his head.

'Hey! Watch it. You could put my eye out with those antlers.'

Starsky snorted again, but turned to him and licked the end of his nose, apologetically. The woodland path was dark, and overgrown with bushes, but enough moonlight seeped through to light the way. He rode on Starsky's back as on that night when they had both burned on the pyre. Now their flesh had grown back, and the stag upon whose back he rode was a powerful animal.

Starsky lifted his head and sniffed the air. Hutch stroked his neck and tightened the grip of his thighs about Starsky's middle. Something was happening. Yes, off in the distance he could see a faint light. Fire! Another funeral pyre for one who was still alive!

Hutch leaned forward and gripped Starsky's neck. He rode without saddle or bridle, but the connection between them was so strong that they could speak without words. They were about to start the hunt, when there was a stir in the tall grass, and Hutch turned to see that Artemis and her companions had joined them. Starsky pranced nervously, remembering their last meeting.

'Herne!'

'Yes. I once was Herne. But I no longer hunt the souls of the dead. Starsky has given me a new life, and a new name, and a new prey to hunt.'

'Ah, I see. And do not look so nervous, Stag. I also have a new prey. I am not chasing stags tonight, but I hunt the Circle.'

'The Circle? They are our prey as well.'

'Do you wish to join forces, thou who once was Herne?'

'Perhaps. Why do you hunt the Circle, if I may be so bold as to ask?'

'They disturb this place too readily. I do not trust their motives. They wish only power. The last time we met, they spoke to me and to my Companions, in a very condescending manner. Why do you hunt them?'

'The last time we met, they burnt Starsky and me alive.'

Hutch whistled up his tall, black hounds. They loped up on their long legs. One of them licked Starsky's foot, making him dance and snort. Hutch leaned forward and stroked Starsky's neck to calm him.

Artemis blew her horn, and her own white hounds joined them. She raised her axe, and the moonlight glinted off the silver crescent in benediction.

The Hunt was on.

The grass had grown tall since the last time they had rode this path. When had that been?

Starsky's memories were fading. He remembered the funeral pyre. He remembered Hutch climbing up to join him. He remembered the fire and the burning and being rendered down to white bone. He remembered the race to the river and the cool water. But what then? He remembered love. Love was outside of time. Love made time irrelevant. Love made everything irrelevant.

He carried Hutch on his back, because of love.

Hutch was leaning over his neck, crooning to him as they ran. They were one body now. It was Hutch who gave him the strength to leap over the fallen tree, to forge the river, to climb the steep slope of the mountain.

So they were in the lead when their hounds bayed to announce that they had caught the scent.

It was the same glen in which Starsky and Herne -- Hutch -- had burned on the pyre. The same Circle stood around, clad in the same white shrouds, holding torches. The same three wooden crosses stood about the pyre. But now, the pyre was lit, and someone was lying upon it, burning and weeping.

They charged into the crowd. Starsky wished that Herne carried a weapon, now that he did not hunt the dead, but the living and profoundly criminal instead.

Some of the Circle membership retreated at their threat, but others stood their ground. One of them swung his lit torch at Herne and the flame touched his hand. Starsky lowered his head and attacked. His antlers ripped open the man's stomach, and shiny red guts spilled out upon the ground.

An arrow sang past his shoulder and embedded itself in someone's face. Starsky heard a scream that ended very suddenly, and looked around just in time to see a head fall off a pair of shoulders and end up on the ground. Artemis' silver axe was no toy.

The Circle had backed up near the pyre. They had drawn close together, their backs to the pyre, and their torches raised high. One of them reached into the pyre and pulled out their latest victim. He was still burning, but some of the group used their white shrouds to put out the flames.

'Now,' said one of the Circle leaders. 'Leave, or we will kill this one.'

Starsky looked at the burnt man. He was Josh. Herne said, 'That is the man in whose place we burned on your pyre. We told you to let him go.' 'We did. But this evil one has not changed his ways. He has learned nothing, and still continues to lust after other men. The evil that he commits pollutes this world and we must burn it out, root and branch.'

Josh lifted his head and looked around. He saw Starsky and smiled.

'Stop them,' he said. 'Don't worry about me.' At the sound of his voice, one of the circle looked up, startled, and lowered her white hood.

'Josh?'

Josh turned to her, his face cold and white, and splotched with terrible red.

'You,' he said. 'You continue to torture me. Wasn't once enough for you?'

'No, no. I'm not a part of this. I only want you to come back to us, to have a normal life. I want to help you.'

'You are a part of this.'

'I didn't light the flames. I only told the truth. What you do is evil. You can change. Truly. I love you. Let me help you.'

'You hold one of the torches, Mother. Put it out.' 'Silence!' One of the men in the Circle came forward and grabbed Mrs. Simmons by the arm. 'I knew we shouldn't have allowed a woman to join our group. You are weak, and sentimental. Get back to your kitchen.'

Mrs. Simmons shook off his hand and turned to confront him.

'That is my son they have been burning. I won't allow it.'

'You? You won't allow? Who are you, woman? I command you as your husband, to get back to your house.'

Artemis smiled. She raised her horn and blew a long silvery note.

'Sister! You are on the wrong side of this confrontation. Do you stand with those who oppress you and your son, or with us, against them?'

Mrs. Simmons stood silent for a long moment. Then she lifted her torch and swung it at her husband. The flame caught his white shroud and in a moment he was on fire. She turned and attacked those who were holding Josh, and they let him go. He fell to the ground and rolled out of their way, pressing close against the base of the pyre.

Mrs. Simmons' sudden attack had startled the Circle, giving Artemis and Herne the chance they needed. Arrows flew. Starsky charged again and again. Artemis' silver axe decapitated a few more of the Circle. The rest ran off in terror.

The glen was silent under the light of the moon. Mrs. Simmons had pulled Josh into her arms and cradled him against her breast.

'Let me go,' he said.

'No. Never. I love you.'

'You don't love me. You don't love me! You love this picture of who you want me to be. Who you need me to be. And if I don't fit, you'd rather destroy me.'

Mrs. Simmons was silent for a long moment. 'I don't want to destroy you. I don't understand you. You're different from what I expected. I want you to get married and to have children. But I do love you. I never meant for something like this to happen. It's not my fault.'

'Yes,' said Artemis. 'It is. You spout hate-filled words, and then you are astonished that your words have consequences. What did you expect would happen when you called your son, and others like him, evil?'

'That he would change, that they all would realize what evil they were doing, and change.'

'I'd rather burn,' said Josh. 'Than change what is the best part of me. Put me back on the pyre.' 'No! No, I won't allow this. I'll try to understand. I promise. I don't know if I can, but I'll try. I won't let you die.'

'I'm dying inside. Can you stop that?'

'I'll try. Tell me what you need.'

'Daniel.'

Mrs. Simmons closed her eyes and shuddered, but she nodded her head.

'Yes. I'll let him come to see you.'

'Good,' said Artemis. 'It was about time you joined us. Sisters! A newly liberated woman has shed her white shroud.'

Her companions cheered and Herne joined in. Starsky danced and tossed his head, and all the hounds threw back their heads and howled. **********************************************   'Detective Starsky? Dave?'

'Huh? Oh. Daniel. What?'

'You were just sitting on the floor again, in front of the painting, like the last time. You okay?'

'No. I'm weird. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, soon as Hutch wakes up.'

'Yeah. I'm so sorry about that.'

'That figures. It's not your fault, and you feel guilty. But the people whose fault it is....'

Starsky looked around the room for one of them, but she seemed to have disappeared. 'I guess I should go and check on Hutch again.' Just then, the waiting room door opened and a nurse looked in.

'Detective Starsky, your partner is awake and asking for you. Oh. And Daniel Martin. Josh is awake, too. He wants to see you, but you have to put on a gown and mask.'

'Uh, no problem, Nurse. But I thought his parents wouldn't let me near his room.'

'His mother just came to see us, and told us she was withdrawing her objections.'

Starsky had never seen such a dark face light up so much. 'Go on Daniel,' he said. 'Hurry, before she changes her mind.'

****************************************

'How you doin', baby?'

'I'm fine, Starsk. I want to go home. You okay?'

'Me? I'm just fine, too. We're both fine. Everything's fine.'

'Sit down, Starsk.'

'I don't wanna sit down, Blondie. I wanna hold you and kiss you. Check you all over. String Simmons up by the balls.'

'Well, just sit for now. What happened with Josh and Daniel?'

'Josh's mother changed her mind.'

'I know. I was there. Starsky, what's going on?'

'Told you. I'm weird.'

'Well now, so am I. Because I remember all this stuff about you being a stag, and me riding you.'

'Really. Wow, Hutch. Sounds really kinky. What'd we do, exactly? It's all kinda faded from my mind.'

'Starsk!'

'Oh. It was like that, huh?'

'Starsk! Look, Starsky, we have to talk about this. I mean, what is happening?'

'Why? Why do we have to put a label on it? Why not just let it happen?'

'Because we don't know what the Hell we're doing? Because we don't know what might go wrong? I think we need to find out what's going on before we make some fatal mistake.'

'Well, who do we ask? Who wouldn't think we were lunatics who should be in straight jackets, or at least not allowed to carry weapons?'

'Well, Miranda seemed to think we had some kind of powers. Maybe she'd know about this?'

'Miranda? She knew something about the dreams. Wanna go see her?'

'She said we could.'

'Okay. Let's ask Dobey for some vacation time. We need it after this.'

'Good. That's settled. Only one problem.'

'Yeah? What?'

'How do we find Miranda's Island again. Without a hurricane, I mean.'

'Start our own hurricane.'

'That's what I was afraid of.'

Starsky leaned over Hutch, and kissed him tenderly.

'Beloved,' he said. 'We are a hurricane.'

*** The End ***

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