Ahh:sniffles: I am so so sorry :sob sob: That is has taken so long for an update, a freakin year! I am sorry I disappeared from this fandom, but I was distracted with school, and then my love for S&H sort of dwindled as I no longer watched it, but watched differing shows with my friends. :sob sob: I felt so bad for leaving this story unfinished, so here it is. Not yet finished, but one step closer. Promise you, it shall get done. I understand if no one is reading this, and I understand if you're all upset. Sorries, I didn't know life moves so fast T-T

Sorry for the quality of this chapter to, not one of my favs, but it has been a year since I've written for this fandom…Sorry again.

Chapter 6

Masked Thieves, Italian Ice, and Intergalactic Wars

"Hey!" A bobbing head came sprinting towards Detective Hutchison. "Hutch! The Cap's really upse-Hey John! What are you doing here buddy?" The visitor lightly clicked his tongue in delight.

"Baker! I did not think to see you, but of course! You are Hutch's partner," Offside to Hutch he muttered proudly, "Starsky explained the "system" to me, he did not like it very much, I am afraid."

Hutch couldn't help but give a small smirk at that, and he quickly motioned with his hands towards Baker.

"Take care of him for me will you? I need to talk to the Cap."

"Ah, sure, but Hutch! You better watch it, he's in a mood, Edith-" But the blond senior detective was already gone. "Hmmph, can you believe that? Not even a thank you."

John tilted his head in thought.

"Thank you." He declared to Baker, and the earthling shot an amused smirk to the Tristian.

"No problem."

-o-O-o-

"Cap? You wanted to see me?" Hutch poked his head through the door, still keeping his feet out of the room, in hopes that the captain would be too busy to deal with him.

It was not to be, alas.

"Hutchinson! Get in here and sit down." The captain practically snarled. Great, just what he needed…what had Edith done? Hutch caught the small bag of carrots next to the big stack of files, and his questions ceased. Of course. What else?

"Listen, Cap, I can explain…Starsky-"

"Save it Hutchinson, I know this doesn't have anything to do with Starsky."

"You-you do?"

"You don't have the usual bags of worry under your eyes, and…!" Dobey paused letting the statement hang in the uneasy air that filled Hutch. "Baker told me you were dealing with some cousins from out of town."

Ah, Baker and Hutch didn't have a set rhythm in the flow of cover-ups; I guess that pleased Dobey a bit. Hutch shifted slightly in his seat, using his arm to push himself up against the hand rest.

"Well, yes sir, in fact ah, my cousin is right outside with Baker…" Hutch shut his eyes in anticipation of the explosion that would come, and it did.

"What? What in that head of yours gave you the idea of bringing a kid here?" Dobey let the snarl come into his voice, actually it was an interesting feat, he added a tinge of a growl, allowing him to convert into a wolf who was about to dig into his feast as the alpha.

Hutch was left, with his tail between his legs, but still managed to come out of the mess gracefully.

"He wants to be a cop, sir. I was hoping to dispel those wishes, he's a little…zany, sir."

"Zany?"

"Yes, Cap, zany." Currently, it was the only word that Hutch could find that fit John. Suddenly the hairs on the back of Hutch's neck flew up, and he managed a pitiful groan two seconds before the door flew open to reveal John.

Who surprisingly, was looking more and more human with every passing minute. His eyes had lost the vibrant purple they once held, they now contained a dull grey, his hair was now a dark shade of brown, and his color developed into a deep shade of tan. Hutch almost thought that he had gotten confused, that his senses were wrong, but the thought quickly fled as John flashed the child-like smile, excitement in every curve of the lips.

"Hello! You must be the Captain! How pleased I am to meet you!" A flashy bow, showing his leg as was done many times in the past century. Dobey leaned in gruffly whispering to Hutch, who was scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"You're right, he is a bit…."

"Zany." Hutch gladly, finished, hoping the conversation would end…but for whatever reason, nothing was going Hutch's way.

"So I hear you want to be a cop, son?" John blinked.

"A cop, copper, an officer correct? Well, I have not really thought about it…" John trailed off, watching the hand movements that Hutch was trying to signal to him, with a smile, John continued. "My, sister…" John muttered crossly "Dewy? She's an officer of…my country, high ranking, she has often mentioned how I need to toughen myself up, I thought, perhaps I should see for myself." John didn't hide his pride; happy he remembered everything Hutch told him to say in the car, Hutch was hoping it wouldn't be necessary, that John would just-just stay out of the way.

"It's only routine sir, today, and my aunt begged me to watch over the guy, and Starsky is already with Dewy…I don't want to put him up with too much stress." Hutch plugged in, purposely lowering himself and placed a pleading look in his bright blue eyes.

John had his hands clasped behind his back and he gave the Captain a trained smile, and the Captain looked up at Hutch who had the same smile.

"Fine, but I better not regret this….you're to go to the Spanish part of town, meet with Walters' lover. No trouble there. Good luck"

"I heartily thank you sir, and may I say…" But what John wanted to say was never known, for Hutch had already began dragging him out of the room, and as the door closed one could hear some slightly panicked…whistles?

-o-O-o-

"No, no! Stop! I am reading those!"

"But they're on the floor…" Starsky questioned with confusion as he was picking up the tossed comics, knowing that if he just left them sprawled where they were, Hutch would have a fit.

"As your people say, so? Do earthlings not have the ability to see more than one thing at once?"

"I'm sure maybe some of-"

"Silence. I am reading."

"Oh. Ok, then." And Dave Starsky just let himself be sprawled on his couch, for the first time regretting ever taking his comics out of their box.

"Oreos?" Dewy finally spoke up after a period of silence. "Why does this Martian Manhunter love these Oreos so much?"

"They're cookies, they're pretty good."

"Cook-ies? Cooks?"

"That's right! You've never had them before!" Starsky slowly lifted himself from the couch and began making his way over to his special hidden cabinet. Dewy had finally let go of the comic and was following her new acquaintance with curiosity shining in her eyes.

"I have to hide them from Hutch, he's given me this strict diet, which is supposed to help me. Believe me, I followed it for the first month or so, but nothing…anyway here we are."

Starsky had pulled out the black and white cookies from a box labeled Vegetable Delight! and handed them over to the awaiting alien.

She took them, and stared at Starsky who began making a motion with his own Oreo by placing it in his mouth and chewing.

"See? Delicious."

She mimicked the act, and Starsky awaited her response to the Earthly treat. And Starsky saw an expression on her face he had yet to see, a smile.

"Ah! I see why the Manhunter is so possessive over these treats." She took the box from Starsky and greedily began munching and crunching.

She closed her eyes in bliss, and Starsky found himself smiling in return.

"So at least one good thing on our planet?"

Dewy opened one eye and nodded.

"At least one."

"So what's with you and John? Enemies back home?" The curly haired detective questioned, seeing the cookies had put the normally icy alien in a far more agreeable mood.

"No, not enemies. I do not, what is the word, hate him…maybe dislike a little."

"Why?"

"He is weak."

"Weak?"

"Yes, he had a wife. They were both known across the planet as the planet's finest healers."

"Yea? John?"

"Yes, he is a bit of an idiot." Dewy's phrase sounding oh so very human, it seems she has gotten insults down "But I admit, no Tristian can surpass his skills as a healer."

"What about his wife?"

"She was captured by the Mongeds."

"Your planet's enemies? Right?"

"Yes, she was captured and they used her life to force John to work for the Mongeds."

"Blackmail."

"What? No, no mail was involved, they didn't even speak to each other. Our planet would not allow John to work for them, they told him he would be forever an outcast if he ever followed the Mongeds wishes."

Mentally Starsky was thinking this was why Dewy thought him weak, but apparently he had misjudged.

"The weakling could not see his wife suffer, so he ignored the planet's rules and went off to the enemy planet. Fool, he almost got himself killed, I had to lead the team into the planet to retrieve him. I lost many Tristians in that battle, all because John wished to save the life of his wife." Dewy shook her head whistling in such a way that showed her amusement.

"What's so funny?" Starsky didn't even think it odd that he was already understanding the language of the Tristians.

"It is not funny, but amusing…he went through so much pain and heartache, only to find his wife already dead, and to me seemed like they killed her right away."

"You saw the body?"

"That is how I found John, he was…is it…? Crying? Yes crying very much over Yarita, his wife, she was completely drenched in her own…blood? Yes, John spent hours crying and trying to heal her. I had to drag him away."

"That's terrible…" Dewy didn't say anymore and just continued eating the cookies.

"I seem to like the white stuff more than the other." Was all she said and proceeded to lick off all the cream, and all Starsky could think of was, how much John was a parallel to him and Hutch.

Only John didn't get a happy ending.

-o-O-o-

"Why is your hair changing color?" Hutch questioned as he looked to his new companion in the back seat of his car, Baker riding shotgun.

"AH! It is a special Tristian defense mechanism, we are like that animal you have on your planet, a chameleon. We start to look like the dominant life forms of whatever planet we inhabit. It is why so many Tristians retire to other planets without a fear of being discovered. I believe you have some who retired to Earth, I never understood why until now…"

"Wow, this is amazing…hey John, would you mind if I wrote this stuff down?"

"Not at all dear Baker." Baker grinned happily as he settled into his seat, and Hutch just rolled his eyes.

"So where are we going?" John questioned from the back seat.

"We are going to question Maria Gonzalez, you are going to stay here."

"I'm sorry Baker, I shall tell you what happens."

"Not Baker! You, John, you are staying in the car."

"No it is ok, I wish to go with you."

"It is not an option, you need to stay here." Hutch had just parked the car and was already unbuckling his seatbelt when he turned to Baker. "Give him a couple of bucks. Now, John, there's a snack bar right across the street. Ok? Food? Right?"

"I'm not a child dear Hutch, I know what food is. I was complaining about wanting it just a couple of minutes ago."

"I know, oh how I know…please just promise me you won't get lost, or get in a fight, just buy the food, and come back here. You've got that?"

"Sì!"

"Good." And the alien parted with the humans, and Hutch's gut told him, you should've just let the guy follow you…

-o-O-o-

"Maria? Bueno? Maria?"

"It's the police!"

Some more knocks, and finally the door opened half an inch and a lone brown eye could be seen through the crack.

"Yes?"

"We're hear to talk to you about Daniel Walters' murder." The door opened a little more.

"I did not kill him. I told your friends."

"Yes, don't worry we just wish to know if you would know anyone who may have had something against him?"

"No, no, mi Daniel was a quiet man, he kept to himself, and he was the most gracious lover." Tears had began to flood her eyes "He had promised to finally be able to marry me, I am with his child…"

"I'm so sorry for your loss ma'am."

"I have been thinking, and thinking, who would kill Danny? All he did was work, so I am thinking…someone at his work killed him."

"At his work?"

"Yes, the week before he…" Maria made a hand gesture as if spinning backwards, and Hutch nodded getting the idea "He was so much happier than he had ever been, he said he was finally going to start making more money."

"Anything else ma'am?" Baker questioned, having scribbled the comments upon his notepad, and Maria shook her head.

"Thank you, and again we're sorry for your loss." Hutch took out a small card from his pocket, and scribbled down something upon it. "Here's my number in case you remember anything else."

Maria took the card, looking at Baker who was smiling sweetly at her, and she bit her lip and gave the card back to Hutch.

"There is only one more thing." And she closed the door on their faces, and they could hear some shuffling, and rummaging, before the face appeared through the small opening once more.

"He gave me this. He told me to protect with my life, but I have Daniel's child to think of. I do not care for money, just my son's life. I can not fight anyone who comes searching for it, but you can." Hutch took the small box curiously and inside it held a key. Hutch looked up at Maria, questions in his eyes, and she just shrugged.

"I do not know what it opens, you are the detectives."

And with that the door closed one last time.

-o-O-o-

"So you'll give this to me, if I give you this?" There was a long brown piece of pastry in John's hand, covered in cinnamon, what is known as a Churro, and a gold watch in the other.

There was a sign of agreement, so John shrugged and handed the Churro to his companion, and placed the gold watch in his pocket.

The companion was not human, but rather a small raccoon, who had already began chewing the Churro, and made his way to the top of John's head.

He, being such an intelligent animal, could tell that this was no human, for John could easily understand the animal's woes and displeasures. It seemed that John had a new friend.

The raccoon began pulling John's hair in panic as the masked thieve noted there was an angry human coming towards them. It was the man the raccoon had stolen the watch from.

"You filthy bastard! I'll show you for training your filthy pest to steal my watch!"

"I am sorry sir, but I had no idea the watch was yours. Dear Frankie here, just told me he had found it, and he was so hungry." John pulled the gold watch out of his pocket and handed it to the man, and the raccoon watched it go, knowing he would steal it back for his dear friend.

The man looked at the watch, searching for any scuff marks, gave one final suspicious glare towards the duo, and marched off. They watched the man stomp off in a trance, which was broken when a voice called out…

"Raspas! Raspas!"

It was a vendor selling a type of treat, ice crunched up with flavoring dye placed into them. With the money left over, John purchased an orange flavored one for himself, and a cherry one for his new fuzzy friend.

"You know I have yet to meet such a being like you, and you say you have been upon this Earth for just a year? You are already smarter than I thought Earthlings were at that age!"

The raccoon said nothing, just stuck his paw into the treat, and clumsily brought the ice to his mouth. John continued using his spoon, but seeing as how happy the raccoon was eating his treat, he decided trying to eat the ice treat with his hand.

"Oh! This is fun! So very cold!"

It was hear Hutch and Baker sprung upon them, and Hutch could only shake his head as he saw the critter on John's back. At least it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Hutch's mind had envisioned an angry mob with pitchforks ransacking his car.

"Leave the raccoon, we've got our info, time to head off and see what this key opens…"

"But Hutch! I cannot leave him! He has no home! I already suggested he may stay with us!"

"John. That thing, is a raccoon." What the hell am I saying? Why doesn't this seem too weird? What's wrong with me? "It could have diseases. You know, stuff that could make us humans die."

"Not Frankie, I asked him, he said he's pure."

"You asked him?" Baker piped up with delight. "You can talk to animals?"

"Of course! Can't everyone?"

"No actually-"

"Listen, it doesn't matter, we have to go and you need to leave the raccoon here, or I'm leaving you with him."

John gave a look to Frankie, and then to Hutch, and for the first time since Hutch had met him, John had tears in his eyes.

"Oh no, please, don't cry…"

-o-O-o-

"Starsk we're home." Hutch muttered wearily, it was a long day, and they just couldn't find where that damn key led to. They tried his home, and his fitness club, nothing, tomorrow they would go to Walters' office and search that out.

Behind him, chattering, was the damn alien and his new friend, a raccoon. The raccoon was sleeping in Starsky's room, after all it was his fault. John and Starsky were painfully alike in wanting to take in new friends.

Hutch opened the door, and John made his way in front of him.

"Wait until Dewy meets him! Dewy! Dewy!" It was oddly silent as they went inside, and Hutch found his heart pounding with adrenaline, hoping the insane alien hadn't truly dissected Starsky in hopes of finding that Star's Key.

"Starsk?"

"Oh I hear them! Dewy is singing for Starsky! Oh! She never sings for me! They must be quite close." There was a brief look of hurt flashing across the features of John, before he smiled again. "She has a wonderful voice."

"What are you talking about? I don't hear anything!"

"You don't? How odd…" but as soon as John opened the shut door to Starsky's room, he heard everything. It was enchanting, it was very melodious, and there Hutch saw the female alien, for once looking beautiful. She sat kneeling with her hands raised, and random globes twirling about her, seemingly with each note she hit, the orbs made a different movement, creating a graceful dance.

There sat Starsky, head in his palm, sitting on his bed watching with a slightly open mouth. However Dewy opened her eyes and managed to catch John's smile, and the singing stopped, and the orbs fell to the floor with a clatter.

Starsky jumped at the sudden harshness, and turned to see the cause.

"What da hell is that?" Starsky yelled as he grabbed his pillow and clung to it like a shield.

"This is Frankie." John turned to his friend, "Say hello." Frankie moved his palm slowly, and then jumped onto the bed were Starsky sat, and the former detective just scooted away in fear.

"What is he doing in here? Hutch?" Starsky looked at his blond lug in confusion, and slightly accusing. The raccoon began picking at Starsky's shirt, and quickly climbed up his back, and began feeling his hair. Starsky just froze, in hopes the animal would leave.

"It's not my fault." No, it couldn't be, because that meant the raccoon would be rooming with him, sensing his partner's panic, he turned to John who was watching the scene with fascination. "Tell your friend to get off Starsk."

"You are a stupid fool, why do you bother making friends with these things? We are to conquer the planet soon."

"Well you're making peace with Starsky it seems like." John sniffed haughtily at having caught Dewy, which was short-lived as Dewy sprung upon him, once more beating the living daylights out of the poor doctor. Hutch stepped back at the struggle, and just sighed as he made his way over to the frozen Starsky.

"Shoo, get on, get." But the raccoon didn't move. "Ok, fine, I'll be right back Starsk, I think John left the raccoon's pile of Churros in the car." Hutch reflected as he walked out of the house…that had to be the weirdest sentence that ever came out of his mouth. He knew more were to come, his gut told him that much.

Hutch struggled to open the car door, and there indeed was five Churros wrapped in a bundle amongst the rest of the junk in the back of the car.

As Hutch bent over to reach them, he thought he saw a light dancing, and the car radio turned on, briefly, for about two seconds. Odd, Hutch got a hold of the Churros but then his head exploded with light, with pain, and he continued to see the bright light as he fell onto his car seat, unconscious.

To be continued…

Upon Earth there have been cases of Tristians morphing into mice, perhaps even dolphins, it is here Were a Mr. Adams discovered the true dominant life species.

Let's hope it doesn't take another year…