Vicky ran back towards the cabin, praying that her horrible supposition wasnt true. That Billy hadnt kept his promise, while his terrifying words, played through her mind, over and over. Listen to me. One more time, and your lover will die...

When Vicky arrived the door was open. And what she saw , made her legs double under her while her heart beat enough to explode. Starsky was tied in a chair. His face showed evidence of a beating, and a thread of blood slipped from his lips, running down his chin. Billy was facing him, but on hearing Vicky he turned towards her.

"VICKY, RUN!" Starsky shouted. Then Billys fist struck into his stomach with such force that he cried out in pain.

"Oh my God. Billy, NO. No please... Billy, don´t hurt him"

"For God sake Vicky...Where did you find this shabby guy ? Sleeping in some subway station?...Really, your taste for riffraff is so amazing darling!...although I must admit that he has guts!...But, come in Vicky...Join our little party. You need to see how I kill your lover...I warned you Vicky. But you didnt listen to me."

The girl rushed towards her ex husband, but he didnt need a great deal of effort to throw her against the wall with a knock of his arm.

"SHERMAN!! Don´t hit her!."

"SHUT UP, PIG! I know how to treat this little disobedient hooker." Again he punched Starsky´s stomach.

"Please....Billy. Please. I´m here. Ill go away with you ... Ill do what you want, but don´t hurt David." The girl spoke tearfully, raising herself from the floor, bleeding from a wound to her forehead.

Suddenly a strong but agile body pushed Billy´s back knocking down him to the floor. It was ... "SAMSON!!"

The dog had returned to the cabin and somehow he understood who he had to attack. With the momentum of the dog, Billy lost his gun ... which slipped next to Vicky who, in one rapid movement, grabbed it and aimed with tremulous hands at Billy. while the dog continued growling menacingly.

"Billy, leave Dave... Don´t hurt him, or I swear to you, I will shoot."

"You?... Oh, Come on. Don´t make me laugh. You won´t shoot me. Youre too much of a coward to do it....Youll just stay there, petrified, watching as I cut the throat of your lover..."

"Billy, don´t do it. ..I WILL shoot you, Billy!"

Billy, no longer had the gun but had removed a knife from his jacket pocket and was already putting it to the half concious Starsky´s neck, while at the same time, with his other hand, he seized Vickys hair, pulling her head up so she had no choice but to watch. Suddenly, she pulled the trigger. Billy let the knife slip from his hand, falling slowly onto the floor. He looked at Vicky for a few seconds with his eyes open wide in surprise. Vicky dropped the weapon suddenly, as though it burned. ...At that moment, Hutch rushed into the cabin to a terrifying scene. A man lying on the floor, looking very dead, bleeding from a wound in his chest, Starsky tied to a chair, beaten and scarcely conscious, and Vicky, sobbing at his side.

"HUTCH! Thank God! Help me... I cant untie him... David, love... Speak to me. Its over."

The girl, was trying desperately not to break down, but the tears were falling unchecked down her cheeks. Hutch cut the ropes that were holding Starsky with his pocketknife.

"Starsk, calm down, partner...I´m here...What happened here Vicky? Whos he?... Billy?"

"Y...Yes ...I... I went out for a few minutes...Dave was sleeping. Then I saw Billy´s car in the forest...And...I came running back here and... " Then she burst into tears.

"It´s okay Vicky, try to relax. Now help me."

He and Vicky carried Starsky carefully towards the sofa.

"Shh, Dave, don´t move, everything will be all right."

"Vicky...Vicky. Are you okay?..." He was having trouble breathing and a bruise was begginning to form on his cheek.

"Sure love. I´m okay...Now don´t talk."

"Hu...Hutch?"

"Yeah Starsk, I´m here."

"That man...Hes Sherman... He took my gun and threw it out of the window... He wanted to kill me Hutch... but Vicky shot him..."

"I know buddy, I know. Hey...Try not to talk, just rest. Okay?" Ill call for the ambulance."

Then, Hutch bent towards Billy feling for a pulse in his neck .

" He's alive " Hutch said to himself. After calling the ambulance he and Vicky both knelt by Starsky´s side while Vicky gently cleaned the blood from his face, all the time talking to him, soothing, comforting words.

Finally, after fifteen eternal minutes, the ambulances arrived, taking both wounded men to the hospital.

Jenny put her arm around the shoulders of a very distressed Vicky as they listened to a Doctor Wilson explaining to them, in the Memorial Hospital waiting room, of Starsky´s condition.

"We have to take detective Starsky to surgery. The beating he received caused a slight internal bleed. Besides, his treated ribs are broken again. Nevertheless his vital signs are stable and we dont expect any complications during or after surgery. The other patient, Mr Sherman, his condition is pretty serious. He has lost a lot of blood and the bullet has seriously injured his left lung before becoming lodged in his spinal cord. If he survives he will be permanently paralyzed. Now, I must get back to the operating room. When we finish with detective Starsky´s surgery Ill talk with you again."

Vicky was a living picture of desolation.. The surgeon words were more than she could take and her mind was asking thousands of questions to herself. Dave is in a hospital again, in surgery. Like last time...the murder attempt...God. It´s my fault! And If something goes wrong this time?...And if he can´t...

When the doctor moved away into the corridor two orderlies were taking Starsky to surgery. Vicky and Hutch approached him. He was already sleepy with the effect of the pre-anesthesia.

" Hey love. Don´t look at any nurses...Dave. I love you" Vicky said lovingly resting her hand over his pale cheek. He smiled through eyelids weighed down by the sedative. On the other side of the stretcher Hutch was taking his hand.

" Starsk... Partner. When you wake up again, well be with you. Okay? "

When the stretcher disappeared behind the surgery area doors Vicky ran, crying, and shut herself in the hospital bath room, alone with her awful anguish.

"Vicky!...Vicky, wait. Where are you going?"

"No Hutch." Jenny said. "Give her a minute. She needs be alone for a bit. Ill go to her in a moment."

Hutch plunged into a chair with his elbows doubled on his knees, and his head between his hands. Then Jenny, sat down next to him.

"I can´t believe it. Vicky has shot Billy." The blond girl said. "Really, all this is very hard for her...It was lucky you went back to the cabin. Now I see it Hutch. You and Starsky know perfectly when one of you is in trouble. Its like some kind of sixth sense. Right?"

"Well, I suppose. I don´t know. All I can tell you is that after Vicky told me that they would be staying the night in cabin, suddenly, I knew that I had to go back because something would be very wrong there...Although I´m afraid I got back a little late to help them." Hutch said staring at the floor.

"Come on Hutch. Starsky will be fine. I´m sure. Now I should go to speak with Vicky." Jenny patting Hutch´s knee and rose from her chair, heading towards the ladies bath room.

"Vicky...Vicky, open the door... Come on Vick..Let me in ..VICKY!!... If its necessary I can batter down this fucking door!... You know Ill do it!"

Vicky opened the door, and began to speak tearfully.

"Jenn, he told me... Billy told me that if I saw Dave again, he would kill him. And now, its my fault hes here, in a operating room...I love Dave Jenn... Since the first day. But Ive been selfish with him. So selfish!...I should have left him" Vicky again burst into tears.

"ALL RIGHT!! NOW, NO MORE NONSENSE VICKY!...You are not selfish. You love David and he knows it. Now listen to me. Billy has not killed David. You prevented it... David is alive, and he will recover. You heard doctor Wilson "

"I shot Billy... I shot a human being Jenny "

"A human being?...That´s arguable." Jenny managed to bring a weak smile toVicky's face

"Come on Vicky...Poor Hutch is alone and worried in the waiting room. Don´t you think we should go back there with him?" Jenny said, gently wiping with a damp paper towel the tears tracks down Vicky´s face.

A few minutes later Vicky and Jenny returned to the waiting room. Jenny had a hard time convincing Vicky that everything would be fine and that Billy wouldnt hurt them any more.

The time passed slowly, but finally a surgeon came out, approaching them with a serious expression on his face.

"Im sorry but I´m afraid that I have bad news. The patient has suffered a complication. A heart attack due to the amount of blood loss... We managed to resuucitate him, but hes in a coma...His condition is very serious and unfortunately he could die into the next few hours..." Before the surgeon could finish his words Vicky had passed out.

"Oh my God... VICKY! " Jenny said. While she and the doctor were kneeling down around the unconscious girl, Hutch remained still without talking, his eyes closed, and his forehead against the wall, tremulous and pale, trying to assimilate what he just had heard.

"Nurse. HERE!... Take this woman to ER... Her pulse is very weak and fast. Shes tachycardic... Possible heart attack! "

"Doctor...Wait a second doctor. It´s not possible. Doctor Wilson said that he wasnt expecting any complications... That detective Starsky's condition was stable... " Hutch finally could speak, seizing the doctor´s arm, while Jenny stayed close to the stretcher that carried Vicky towards ER.

"Detective Starsky?... Oh! I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I was speaking about the other patient. Mr Sherman. Hes in operating room number one, and detective Starsky is in number two...I havent been at his surgical operation but I think detective Starsky´s condition is pretty good and the surgery is near to finishing"

"WHAT?...So...Starsky is not?...TO THE HELL WITH SHERMAN...WE ARE DETECTIVE STARSKY´S FRIENDS!! Can you understand that? DETECTIVE STARSKY´S FRIENDS!!" Hutch shouted out, pointing his forefinger into the doctor´s face, before to run to the ER, leaving the doctor a little scared of his reaction.

Some minutes later, Jenny and Hutch were still in the waiting room. The doctors would not allow Jenny to go in with Vicky, and the young woman was furious and scared for her friend's condition.

"Damn stupid doctor. Its his fault Vicky is there, sedated, with her heart beating at a thousand miles per hour, and with the same blood pressure as that of a horse... And the worst thing is that we can´t tell her that its not Dave who is in a coma...SHIT! I´d like to wring the neck of that moron!"

"Hey...Come on Jenny.Take it easy. Shell be fine.I´m sure!" Hutch was speaking to the girl in his most gentle and calming voice.

"Yeah Hutch...And Starsky too" answered the girl, putting her head on Hutch´s shoulder, who, a little surprised, put his arm around her.

Then, Doctor Wilson came out from the operating room, and, after making apologies for his colleague´s mistake, told them that the surgery was over and Starsky would recover easily. On the other hand, luckily, Vicky had not suffered a heart attack, but just a breakdown. When the doctor finally okayd it Hutch headed towards Starsky's room to wait, close by his friend's bed until he began to wake up from the anesthesia.

While Vicky was in another room under sedation with her pulse and heart more stable after her shock. Jenny was with her waiting for her best friend to wake up, and to tell with her about Starsky without upset her again.

So it was, a little while later, in rooms 514 and 518 of Memorial hospital, the same scene was being played out ...

"Hu...Hutch?"

"Hey, Starsk...I´m here. Take it easy partner. I´m here."

"Hutch...What happened? " Starsky asked with slurred voice.

"Dont you remember Starsk? The cabin?... Sherman?"

"Ow!... Yeah. Now I remember...VICKY?... Wheres Vicky Hutch?" Starsky said, trying to sit up in the bed. The sudden movement caused him a wave of pain. Starsky closed his eyes tight, gripping the bed sheets for a few seconds until the pain subsided.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Vicky will be fine Starsk..." Hutch said softly, taking his friend´s hand.

"Will be fine?...What do you mean?...What´s happened Hutch...Why isn´t she here? That bastard hurt her?...Hutch, please. Tell me the truth" An anguished Starsky was gripping Hutch´s wrist.

"Starsk, a while ago, Vicky passed out, she´s in another room in this hospital, but she´ll be okay. Don´t worry partner. Right now she needs some rest, but I'm sure that, in a while, shell be here with you."

"But, why. Why did she pass out, Hutch?"

"Well. A stupid doctor gave us some bad news... Not about you, but about Sherman. Hes in a coma. But... at first we thought that he was speaking about you... and then she...."

"My God..."

"Shes okay Starsk. I promise. And Jenny´s with her ..."

"I´m thirsty Hutch...My throat hurts.."Hutch asked for some ice chips from a nurse, and a moment later, he gave a couple of spoonfuls to Starsky.

"Now why you don´t try to sleep a bit? You need to rest too. And I´ll be here.."

Meantime, in Vicky´s room....

"Dave...Dave"

"Hey. Welcome back sleepy-head. How are you doing?"

"Jenny...Oh Jenny...Dave...He´s...?" Vicky could not finish the question, and burst into tears.

"No, no Vicky." Jenny said, hugging Vicky "Listen to me Vicky. David right now is waking up from the anesthesia. The surgery went without a problem, hes in another room of this hospital. Hutch is with him, and he will be fine."

"NO! Dave is in a coma...And he can die...The surgeon said ..."

"The surgeon is a true idiot Vicky. He was wrong, wrong patient, wrong relatives, and surely wrong profession...

"What...What are you talking about?"

"Vicky, that stupid Doctor wasn´t speaking about David, but about Billy...Believe me. David will be all right"

"Whats his room? I want to be with him...Where are my clothes?" Vicky said, tearfully and still a little light headed.

"Vicky wait..."

"Look Jenny. Im going to be with Dave and I don´t want him to see me dressed in this lousy thing. If he sees me like this he will think that I´m wounded and will be frightened, so, my clothes, or your clothes? Its your choice ..."

"Okay, okay. To order my captain!" Jenny joked, taking the clothes from a wardrobe and giving them to Vicky.

*******

A couple of minutes later, the door opened softly into Starsky´s room. One visibly worried Vicky entered, approaching to the bed where he was sleeping, looking pale, and with a IV entering in his arm.

"Hey Vicky. How are you feeling?" Hutch whispered  rising from the chair and helping her to sit down.

"How is Dave Hutch?" Was her only answer.

"He´s sleeping. Vicky, Starsk will soon be okay...That surgeon made a great mistake."

"I know...Jenny told me.."

Hutch went out of the room while Vicky  sat close Starsky´s bed gently caressing his soft curls. She spent a long time just looking him and holding his hand, until finally Starsky woke.

"Mmmm...Vi...Vicky?"

"Yes Dave. I´m here"

"What happened to you Vicky?...Are you okay?"

"Don´t worry sweetheart. I´m perfectly fine...Try to relax. I´m here."

"You...You´re... wounded." Starsky´s said weakly, touching gently the bandaid on her forehead.

"It´s just a cut Dave..." Vicky took Starsky´s hand and kissed his fingers "Now, no more talk, okay?.."

Stasky spent an unsettled night, while Vicky stayed by his side, taking care of him, not leaving the room for a moment, and trying to easy his discomfort as much as possible.

The following days passed quickly. Starsky was still in the hospital, accompanied by Hutch, Vicky, or both, who attended to all of his needs. The first days were pretty hard, due to the pain from his injuries, and the worry for Vicky and Hutch. When Starsky felt a little better, in spite of hating hospitals, he enjoyed like a child being the center of so much attention and care, and Vicky and Hutch, at last more relaxed, enjoyed too caring for and loving him. At the same time, between Hutch and Vicky grew a sincere trust and friendship. Both loved Starsky, and that bonded each to the other more every day. With regard to Jenny, she and Hutch dated sometimes, and she admitted that this cop, blond and attractive, was really an agreeable and very kind man. Hutch also enjoyed being with a young woman who was beautiful, brave and very funny.

Soon, Starsky was discharged from the hospital, and back in his apartment. Vicky moved there to take care of him. The hard days they had overcome, served to bring them even more together. Both enjoyed love with its thousand little details. Sharing a popcorn bowl, both curled up together in the sofa with hands entwined as they watched some old movie on the TV, sleeping embraced every night, eating breakfast in the bed together, or talking about memories, projects and dreams while sitting on the sofa with Starsky´s head on Vicky´s lap, while she fingered his curls. It was in these times that Vicky, terrified, listened as from Starsky's own lips, she heard all the frightening things that had happened in his life. The Simon cult kidnapping, his poisoning by Bellamy, and all the things, that had almost cost his life.

It was in these quiet days that she realised he was the bravest man she would find. Not just because he had survived all that fate had thrown at him, but because he could keep alive his passion for his work , and his optimism for life.

In other happier moments, he was shown a girl who was an excellent guitar player and singer, owner of a surprisingly beautiful voice.

Some days Hutch and Jenny, spent a lot of time there too... Suddenly, November was nearly finished, and Thanksgiving day had arrived.

That year was very special. Not because they would see their families again. In fact neither Hutch, Starsky nor the girls, would see their relatives this time, but maybe at Christmas. Together they would do on that day something special for all things that they were grateful.

They would spend the day in Starsky´s place with Vicky and Jenny. The two girls were cooking a delicious turkey...despite the constant incursions in the kitchen by Starsky and Samson.

"Dave...Dave love...Wheres the black pepper?"

"What?" Whispered Starsky from behind, very close her ear, taking Vicky by her waist, as Jenny smiled.

"Ahhgg!" Vicky shouted "David Starsky...Do you want to scare me to death?"

"No sweetheart...I want only a kiss." He embraced Vicky with his arms, kissing her.

"Come on, come on...Vicky...We have a lot of work still to do here...Dave, please, leave us alone for awhile, Right?"

"Okay Jenny, but just awhile."

Five minutes later, Starsky said .

"Vicky?"

"Yeah?"

Click. The sound of a shutter from Starskys camera.

"No, Davy! I´m just horrible right now." The girl showed an apron printed with yellow flowers, her brown curls tied in a braid, and her nose stained with flour.

"I don´t think so honey"

"SAMSON!!" Jenny shouted out. The dog had placed his legs on the kitchen table and, absolutely calmly, had stolen a baked potato from the serving dish.

"HUUUTCH! I Need a cop NOW!!...Hutch, please. Get this man, and this dog, out of here. ..Or phone a chinese restaurant, so that they can bring us food! We cant work like this!"

Hutch smiled as he leaned against the frame of the kitchen door, and was happy. Happy seeing Starsky and the girls joking and laughing in the kitchen. Happy smelling the delicious smells that came out the oven...Happy seeing the happiness of his best friend.

And thats the way the day continued. All of them grateful for what they had. As they sat around the table Jenny spoke.

"I thank God that he allowed us to be here today. That our paths crossed the way of two good men. That he gave us peace again. That he has put a smile in Vicky´s heart and an extraordinary human being in her life. Never did I think that she would find a man, that he would respect her, he would love her, and he would take care of her like David does...For all this Im grateful."

Then it was Vicky´s turn.

"A times I never thought that we would see this day. Or perhaps that I wouldnt see it. That I would have nothing to celebrate and to be thankful for. Now I know I was wrong. I should thank God for having the love of the best friend than anybody could find, and to have the love of the most generous and stubborn man, who has the most beautiful soul in the world...He was some kind of miracle for his best friend Hutch, a year and a half ago, and now, he is a miracle for me also...I was very near a dark abyss this time, but he took me from there. He looked for me, found me, and he has given me a life again. A beautiful life...I want to thank God for that."

When Hutch began to speak  all eyes were already shining.

"There is just one thing that I can say that nobody has said around this table. Just one thing I can thank God for, that I thank him for every day since Starsky recovered his health and his life...My best friend, the best friend than I have in the whole world, is a man that is always giving. He always think of others before himself... I thank God because Starsky is here today, loving us how as only he knows how. And I thank God also, that he has brought into his life a brown curly-haired, angel named Vicky to make him happy."

"I dont know if right now I can speak." Starsky´s said. "Really, I dont know. In fact, I don´t know even if I should speak. ..I have so many things to thank God for that perhaps this will take too much time . God has given me a beautiful and good life, in spite of the risks, the danger, the deep sadness at times, or the pain, but every day gives me more reasons to follow my way. and more love to survive across everything." On saying those words he looked lovingly at Vicky. "I just want to thank God for that."

It was a special and beautiful Thanksgiving day. One of those days that the passage of time could not wipe from their memories.

When, days later, Starsky felt more recovered Vicky began to look for a job, and finally she got back her place at the veterinary surgery where she was previously .

Soon, Starsky could return to work too...And the days flew past...

A couple of days before Christmas, Vicky came back to Starsky´s apartment,with Jenny and on opening the door both sood speechless. The whole lounge was filled with beautiful Christmas ornaments, and in a corner, there was a wonderful Christmas tree.

"Oh! Jenny. Look at this...It´s...beautiful!" Then, from the bed room, Starsky, Hutch and Samson, came out... All three wearing around their necks brilliant Christmas garlands. " Do you like it sweetheart?... Hutch and I did it for you."

" Dave... This...this is so beautiful..." Vicky couldnt stop the tears.

"Hey, Vicky, come on. We haven´t done this to make you cry, but to tell you that this is a Christmas you will not forget. " Starsky said embracing Vicky.

"You can be sure of it Vicky. I know it well... I´ve enjoyed more than one unforgettable Christmas with Starsky." Hutch teased

"I have something more for you." Starsky said heading to his bedroom and returning a moment later with a small box in his hand. He gave the gift to Vicky.

"Hey Starsk...If this is going to be a private party, Jenny and I, maybe we should go." Hutch joked, although he knew perfectly what the small box contained.

"No blondie. Stay, please. You too Jenny. I want our best friends to be here right now.

"Vicky, this is for you. Open it, honey" Vicky, opened the small box, her eyes shining with emotion. Inside there was a gold ring with a beautiful diamond in the center.

"Dave...What?..."

"I know that we only met each other just for a few months ago, and if you don´t want to, or you need time to think, I´ll understand, but I´m totally sure of my feelings...Vicky...Do you want to be my wife?"

The girl stood in silence a few seconds, looking at the ring, and drying her tears with the back of her hand, while Starsky looked expectantly at her, with his hands on her waist. In the lounge the silence hung heavily until Jenny spoke.

"Oh for God sake! Vicky, say something, please! ...Yes David. Vicky is absolutely crazy for you, and wants to be your wife!"

"JENNYYY!!" Starsky, Hutch and Vicky shouted with one voice.

"I´m sorry, I´m sorry...Its just, this girl make me very nervous at times!!"

Then Vicky, spoke.

"I...I...Dave...Yes. My God! Yes...I want to be your wife....I love you, I love you so much..."

If someone else had been in that place right then, had seen, how Starsky and Vicky kissed each other with a kiss full of love...While Hutch and Jenny watched the scene, with their arms surrounding each other waists, their heads very close and tears of happiness tarnishing their eyes.

Continued in Part V