{"id":364,"date":"2019-12-21T05:09:18","date_gmt":"2019-12-21T05:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=364"},"modified":"2019-12-22T22:43:31","modified_gmt":"2019-12-22T22:43:31","slug":"december-21st-ouch-that-mustve-hurt-by-dp-patricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"December 21st- Ouch, That Must\u2019ve Hurt by DP Patricks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written in response to the Starsky&Hutch Fans&FanFiction<\/a><\/em> FaceBook page\u2019s<\/a> <\/span>Friday Fiction challenge on 11\/29\/19. The prompt was the title of the story.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Ken Hutchinson watched as his partner made a bigger and bigger mess on the dining room table of his Venice Place apartment while humming and singing snatches of Christmas songs. He was pretty sure Starsky had made up at least one of them, since he\u2019d never heard of \u201cSanta Got Stuck in the Chimney Again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch hadn\u2019t been a fan of commercial holidays before he met Starsky because the strict, regimented celebrations his family insisted on had done nothing but depress him. However, having known Dave Starsky since their academy days, and being partnered with him for four years, now, he was beginning to see what he\u2019d missed. Starsky loved any and all holidays and, this Christmas, after the horrors of the previous year, Starsky\u2019s enjoyment was proving infectious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha lookin\u2019 at, Hutch?\u201d Starsky didn\u2019t take his attention away from the piece of Scotch tape he was applying to the carefully and colorfully clad package in front of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caught, but not wanting Starsky to know what a kick he was getting out of his partner\u2019s performance, Hutch bent studiously over the box he was wrapping. \u201cJust thinking about how different this holiday season has been, compared to last year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky sobered. \u201cNo kidding. We lost Christmas completely, thanks to that wacko hitman, Joey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch winced; he hadn\u2019t intended to cause those bad memories. \u201cYou\u2019re making up for it now, partner! You\u2019ve got enough there to inundate the Dobeys and <\/em>the Ramoses!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou bet! They\u2019re our families, Hutch, and families deserve gifts!\u201d Starsky grinned as he spun a long strand of crinkle-ribbon off its bobbin. Suddenly, he dropped both items, his expressive face screwed up in pain. \u201cShit! That\u2019s the second time!\u201d He stuck the first two fingers of his left hand into his mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnother paper cut?\u201d Hutch made sure his tone didn\u2019t have a trace of humor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky shook his head. \u201cThat was the first time. These are worse.\u201d He held the hand out toward Hutch and whined, \u201cRibbon cuts. They\u2019re bleeding!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch grimaced at the slices in both fingers. \u201cSure are.\u201d When he noticed a drop of blood fall, he cupped his hand underneath. \u201cWatch it, buddy! You\u2019re dripping on the card for Rosie\u2019s present.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky grabbed a sheet of stickers, tore off a reindeer, and licked the back before returning the bleeding digits to his mouth. He was about to slap the stamp over the drop when Hutch pulled the card out of harm\u2019s way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to blot first.\u201d Hutch drew a napkin out from under rolls of bright paper, bags of ribbons and bows, tags, stickers, and ballpoint pens, plus already wrapped presents. Hutch soaked up the drop, then motioned for Starsky to cover it with Rudolph.<\/span><\/p>\n

All Starsky\u2019s cheer seemed to have disappeared with the new wounds and that snuffed out Hutch\u2019s own happiness. Taking the bleeding hand in his, he led Starsky to the sink where he washed and dried the cuts. Grabbing a paper towel, he wrapped both fingers together. \u201cThere. As soon as they\u2019ve stopped bleeding, we\u2019ll put some First Aid Cream on them and big Band-Aids. I don\u2019t think they need stitches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky jerked his hand away and slumped back to the table. \u201c\u2018Course they don\u2019t need stitches, dummy. They\u2019re only paper cuts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRibbon cuts, Starsk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hutch was pleased to see that, by the time they finished the wrapping, had packed everything into two shopping bags for the Dobeys’ gifts — he\u2019d take care of straightening up later — and driven to their captain\u2019s house, Starsky\u2019s ebullience had returned. As soon as their little girl opened the door, his \u201cHo, Ho, Ho\u2019s,\u201d rang as gustily as any self-respecting Santa\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie Dobey backed up, her hands to her mouth, trying to hide her sheer happiness and act grown up but failing completely. \u201cPresents, Uncle Dave? For me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky set his bag down and knelt in front of her. She ran into his arms. \u201cSome of \u2018em, Rosie, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d He glanced up at Hutch who had followed him inside and closed the door. \u201cUncle Ken has some, too.\u201d When the captain, Edith Dobey, and Rosie\u2019s older brother, Cal, walked into the hallway, Starsky let Rosie go and stood up. \u201cWe wanted to make up for not coming by last year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie\u2019s happy expression turned sad. \u201cYou got shot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky nodded. \u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She tried a small smile. \u201cBut you\u2019re all better now. Aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He cocked his head and gave her his patented lop-sided grin. \u201cI sure am, schweetheart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie giggled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edith stepped forward. \u201cThat\u2019s very sweet of you, Dave.\u201d She nodded at Hutch. \u201cKen.\u201d Gesturing toward the living room, she added, \u201cWon\u2019t you come in and have some eggnog and cookies?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to intrude, Mrs. Dobey,\u201d Hutch said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Captain Dobey waved a big hand. \u201cNonsense. Come on in. There\u2019s plenty!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Starsky bent to pick up the handles of his shopping bag, Rosie noticed the bandaged fingers and her face turned solemn. \u201cOuch. That must\u2019ve hurt.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky almost blushed. \u201cA little.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone assembled in the living room, the brightly decorated tree taking up the front window. Under it were a dozen or so gaily wrapped packages. With some ceremony, Dobey added the ones Starsky and Hutch had brought to the pile. \u201cYou boys didn\u2019t have to do this, but we\u2019re grateful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Edith beamed. \u201cI\u2019ll wrap a can of cookies up for each of you to take home.\u201d When Hutch started to protest, she shook her head. \u201cIt\u2019s the least we can do. And they\u2019re homemade. Rosie helped me.\u201d She looked at her daughter. \u201cDidn\u2019t you, honey?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie, plainly enjoying the spotlight, nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love homemade cookies, Mrs. Dobey!\u201d Starsky chortled. \u201cI\u2019ll take as many as you want to give me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch nudged his partner none too gently, but everyone laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once they were all settled and sipping eggnog and eating gingerbread Santas and colorful wreaths, plus other kinds he\u2019d never had before, Rosie scooted closer to Starsky\u2019s left side and stared at the bandages on his hand. \u201cWhat happened this year, Uncle Dave?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch could see his partner\u2019s mind racing, trying to come up with an explanation that would be a little scary but that wouldn\u2019t give the girl nightmares.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it was like this, Rosie,\u201d Starsky began. \u201cHutch and I\u2026 Uncle Ken and I were chasing down some bad guys who\u2019d just robbed a convenience store and\u2026 well\u2026 they had knives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She gasped and her hands were instantly back at her mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey and Edith appeared worried but Cal\u2019s face lit up. \u201cWhoa! That\u2019s almost as rad as guns. Tell us about it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky cast Hutch a despairing glance and he took up the gauntlet. \u201cThey were both pretty young, not much older than you, Cal, and we didn\u2019t want to hurt them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Starsky added, clearly inspired now. \u201cSo Hutch used a few wrestling moves on his perp, and I pretended I was back in Brooklyn, defending myself against some of the tough kids I grew up with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch checked silently with the elder Dobeys to make sure they understood that this was a made-up situation. Both parents smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, where are they now?\u201d Rosie asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d bet they\u2019re in jail, silly,\u201d Cal guessed. \u201cWhere do you think they\u2019d end up, with Uncle Dave and Uncle Ken on the job?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re exactly right, son,\u201d Dobey said. \u201cStarsky and Hutch always get their man. Uh, young thieves, in this case.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A flush began to creep up Starsky\u2019s neck but before the situation could get worse, Rosie leaned forward and took Starsky\u2019s bandaged hand. \u201cDid you have to go to the hospital this time?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky tried to draw his hand back. \u201cAh\u2026 no, Rosie. I didn\u2019t think –\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She held on tight. \u201cYou should have! You don\u2019t know what kind of germs were on that knife!\u201d She jumped to her feet. \u201cI\u2019ll take care of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie raced out of the room while everyone looked at each other, not quite sure of what was happening.<\/span><\/p>\n

Within a minute, the child was back. She ran to Starsky, knelt at his knees and put a First Aid kit on the floor. Gently, she took his hand and began unpeeling the Band-Aids. Starsky tried not to flinch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosie tsk\u2019d professionally and opened her kit. Unwrapping a sterile gauze pad, she applied antiseptic to it and gently wiped each of the three cuts. No one in the room said a word while she worked.<\/span><\/p>\n

When each cut had been covered with salve and re-bandaged, using yards of gauze and tape, she smiled at Starsky. \u201cThere! Doesn\u2019t that feel better, Uncle Dave?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her fiercely. \u201cSure does, Rosie. I couldn\u2019t have hoped for better, even if I\u2019d gone to the emergency room.\u201d He held her at arm\u2019s length. \u201cYou should think about becoming a doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That thought seemed to appeal to her and she grinned. \u201cMaybe I will.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch and Starsky both declined more eggnog so Edith went to prepare their tins of cookies while Rosie packed up her medical supplies and Dobey walked them to the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Out of earshot of Rosie, Edith, and Cal, Dobey halted their progress with a quiet, \u201cUh\u2026\u201d When they turned to face him, he went on, softly, \u201cNot to demean your injuries, Starsky, but those looked like paper cuts to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRibbon, Captain,\u201d Hutch corrected. \u201cRibbon cuts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobey winced. \u201cI\u2019ve had those myself. And they sure did hurt.\u201d He shook Starsky\u2019s hand. \u201cThanks for making my daughter happy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky\u2019s face split into his room-lighting smile. \u201cMy pleasure, Cap\u2019n!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch slung his arm around Starsky\u2019s shoulders on the way to the Torino. \u201cThat was well done, buddy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d He raised his left hand and studied the large, white coverings. \u201cDo you think I could ditch these before we go see Kiko and Pete tomorrow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMolly. Remember, Starsk? We\u2019re going to call her Molly from now on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah, right! Molly! But, Hutch, they know what we\u2019ve been doing lately and it ain\u2019t been chasing knife-wielding kids!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch thought about it as they walked down the block. \u201cTell you what. I have some flesh-colored Band-Aids and, when you come over in the morning, we\u2019ll change Rosie\u2019s rather\u2026 extravagant treatment for those, and nobody will even notice them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky bounced out from under Hutch\u2019s arm. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u201d He turned and, still on his tiptoes, hopped backward, both hands up in a \u2018wait\u2019 gesture. \u201cYou are gonna love what I got for you, Hutch!\u201d He danced around the hood of the car, unlocked the door, jumped inside, leaned across and opened Hutch\u2019s. \u201cGet in, get in, get in!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cautiously, now, Hutch climbed in on his side as Starsky fired up the engine and pulled out on the no-traffic street. \u201cIt\u2019s scientific, and natural, and\u2026 well, it\u2019s just plain cool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch was suddenly having second thoughts about the present he\u2019d gotten for his sometimes childlike partner. Would Starsky understand what Hutch was trying to say? A planted tree was a gift to the future, to their <\/em>future! To the hope that he and Starsky would be around, together, for a long time. Maybe they\u2019d even go visit it while it grew.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, he\u2019d find out tomorrow. In the meantime, he smiled at his best friend. \u201cYou didn\u2019t only make Rosie happy today, Starsk, you made me happy, too. Thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky\u2019s grin widened even further. \u201cHey, you\u2019re welcome! Kiko and Pe\u2026 Molly tomorrow, where we\u2019ll get to unwrap our own presents. Whad\u2019ya get me, Hutch? Huh? Huh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch sighed and mentally crossed his fingers. \u201cSomething I hope you\u2019ll like, Starsk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever it is, partner, I know I\u2019ll love it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRemember you said that, okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written in response to the Starsky&Hutch Fans&FanFiction FaceBook page\u2019s Friday Fiction challenge on 11\/29\/19. The prompt was the title of the story. Ken Hutchinson watched as his partner made a bigger and bigger mess on the dining room table of … 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":[4,5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fic","category-gen","category-sfw"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=364"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":567,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364\/revisions\/567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}