Disclaimer – I don't own the guys, I just wish I did!

Chapter 1

'So who's apartment then? I can't have him at mine, I'm allergic to….to ginger hairs'.

'Starsk, how can you be allergic to ginger hairs? There's no such allergy. And apart from that, I've just called the decorators in, he can't come to mine'.

'I'll toss ya for it' the curly haired detective rooted the coin from his too tight jeans pocket and threw it in the air. 'Your call Blondie'.

Hutch shrugged his shoulders. 'Tails'.

Starsky peeped at the coin on the back of his hand and grinned. 'Sorry Blintz, its heads. I win and we go to your place'.

As the flaxen haired detective lunged for the coin, a plaintive voice said 'hey I got a coin you can use'.

Both detectives rounded on the small ginger haired man sat in the car between them. 'Shut it' they said in unison before going back to their haggling. Eventually, Starsky conceded defeat and with an angry shake of his head gunned the engine and with a squeal of tyres set off for his apartment as his blond partner sat smugly at his side.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

An hour earlier they had been pacing Dobey's office as their Captain calmly explained that their new assignment was to take care of one Jimmy Shepherd, the star witness in the trial of Ainslie Ford, arms dealer extraordinaire. Shepherd waited outside anxiously as he heard the raised voices from within.

'This is a shit assignment and you know it Cap. Why d'we have to baby-sit him? What about the fraud guys, he's their baby, not ours. Get them in on it' the brunette was stalking around the room, his face red with anger as he tried to reason with his boss.

'Starsky will you cool it' Dobey yelled. 'This is not a shit assignment. If Ford is convicted we get one of Bay City's main low lifes off the street and the fraud guys owe us one. It's simple. You keep Shepherd with you for a few days, feed him, lay low and make sure you keep him safe. The trials in three days. Call it a vacation'.

'Vacation? How's it a vacation huh?' Hutch joined in the argument, his usual calm temper now aggravated by watching his partner and Dobey wrangling over the job that had been proposed. 'We gotta lay low. We can't go out, gotta keep watch out the window. And it's our apartment that gets it if they come looking for him. So explain vacation to me Cap'.

Dobey shook his head. 'OK not vacation, but it's an easy assignment. You've both been through the mill in the last couple of months. Consider it a thank you from a grateful department. Now get out and do your jobs'.

He went back behind his desk, wiping his face with his big white handkerchief and studied a paper in front of him. He didn't look up as the two men departed and he braced himself as, true to form, the hot headed brunette slammed the door behind him.

The two detectives studied Jimmy Shepherd for a moment. He was a small, insignificant looking man whose pale complexion and bright blue eyes gave him a childlike look. The little man was, in fact, 62 and had spent his life licking at the heels of the big wheelers and dealers around Bay City. Once Ford had realised that Shepherd had been skimming a couple of percent off every deal that had passed through the little weasel's hands, to the tune of a million bucks, he'd put a contract out on the small ginger haired man and in return, Shepherd had offered to turn states evidence against Ford. To say he was a very wanted man was an understatement and Dobey knew that, despite what he'd told his two officers, this was no vacation. He'd chosen Starsky and Hutch because of their track record with tough cases and because if anyone could protect the little snitch, it was those two.

As they left, he hoped they'd be safe. He had a soft spot for both of them, even though they'd given him more grey hairs over the years than he cared to admit. He hated giving them this job, but it had to be done and it had to be done well.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The three men reached Starsky's apartment and Hutch got out of the car as Starsky stayed with the small man. Carefully, the big blond ran up the steps, gun at the ready and peeked through the front window. Not seeing anything to make him suspicious, he turned the key in the door and cracked it open, finally kicking it all the way and swiftly launching himself into the room. Again there was nothing and he repeated the performance with the bathroom and the bedroom before coming back to the front door and signalling his dark haired partner to come up.

Starsky poked the little man at his side and together they got out of the car and while the detective constantly scanned the area, they both made their way into the house.

'Hey, that's my door you kicked' he said to his friend in passing as he walked into his home.

Hutch closed the door with a final glance outside. 'I'll apologise to it later' he retorted as he went around closing the drapes and blinds in the various rooms. Finally happy that the apartment was as secure as they were going to get it, Starsky set about pulling pillows and a blanket from a cupboard. He dumped them on the settee.

'Ya can make your bed while we get some food' he growled at their charge as he padded into his kitchen, filling the kettle and delving in his refrigerator for cold pizza and yesterdays leftover burritos.

Hutch watched, amused as his partner made the preparations.

'That's the worst about baby-sitting duty' he observed dryly as he picked a piece of the pizza up delicately between finger and thumb.

'Hey, you wanted to do this at my place. You could have got your revenge and made us eat desiccated liver, or cod liver oil burgers or something, but oh no, you had to lodge chez Starsky. Guests shouldn't complain about the food ya know. It's rude'.

The flaxen haired cop put the pizza down carefully. 'Don't suppose you've got any fruit? Any yoghurt maybe?' He saw the look of utter contempt on his partner's face. 'That's a no then. Guess it'll just be a fasting day then'.

Shepherd ambled over to join them, having neatly made up a bed on the couch. He surveyed the table and reached for a burrito. Starsky slapped his hand away.

'That's mine. You can have the pizza' he glowered at the small man.

'OK, but its Hawaiian, and I don't really do pineapple' he protested.

Starsky sniggered. 'Well give it to him, he wanted the fruit' he grinned at his partner as Hutch gave him a withering look.

The rest of the evening they spent watching the television. Both detectives were quite happy to relax a little. They'd had some hard jobs over the past couple of months and although they'd gotten results, they'd also had their share of long nights, weeks working without a day off and no chance to catch up with sleep and social life. Now they sat with their feet up on the coffee table, legs outstretched with a beer in their hands as they watched the big game, an old black and white movie that amazingly Starsky had never seen before and a programme of country songs for Hutch.

As the fingers on the clock moved towards midnight and the little ginger man starting yawning ever louder, Hutch took the hint and nodded at his partner.

'I think he wants his beauty sleep' he hinted.

'Yeah? Is that right Shepherd? Is it past your bedtime?' the brunette asked as he saw the snitch's eyes begin to close. 'OK big guy. Bye bye time'. He looked over at Hutch. 'Do you want first watch, or shall I do the honours?'

Hutch considered. 'Well, as its your apartment we're using, I think its only fair if I take the first watch. I'll wake you at 3:00 am?'

The curly haired cop got up and stretched. 'Sounds about right. Have a good time boys and no midnight feasts, otherwise I'll have to tell Mom'. He went into the bathroom, hoping for a quick wash before bed. He turned the water on, adjusting it till the temperature was just right and then peeled off his jeans and tee shirt. He folded them neatly and put them on the towel rail, then stripped off his boxers and socks, dumping them in the laundry basket. Quietly he stepped into the shower and luxuriated in the hot water as it cascaded down over his tanned and muscular body. He stayed there a couple of minutes, enjoying the relaxation, then got out, wrapping a towel around his hips before padding out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, flipping a wave at his blond partner as he passed through the living room.

As Starsky closed the door behind him, Hutch settled down into the chair, trying to get comfortable for the duration and Shepherd settled down on settee. Within minutes the little man was snoring loudly, oblivious to any danger he might have been in.

Hutch folded his long legs under him and closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he prepared to meditate. He allowed his mind to become blank and was relaxing into the meditation when suddenly he thought he heard a noise outside the door.

Quick as a flash, he sprang off the chair, gun in his hand and ready as he crossed silently to the front door. Peeping through the small pane of glass he couldn't see anyone, and for a moment he thought he'd imagined it. He stayed at the door a moment longer then decided to check the rest of the apartment. Without the benefit of lights, he moved hesitantly from one window to the next, sneaking a look from each, checking the perimeter of the apartment was clear.

After what he considered a thorough search, he relaxed a little. Maybe it was a cat, or some critter foraging in the garbage bins. Hutch shrugged his shoulders and was just about to sit down again when suddenly all hell broke loose.

A shot fired through the window sent the big blond diving for the floor, dragging the sleep befuddled body of the little ginger haired man with him.

'Stay put' he hissed as he crawled back to his partner's door. As he reached it, it opened and he saw Starsky, also on the floor and gun in hand crawling towards him.

'What the hell?' the brunette grunted.

'I think our house guest has company' Hutch whispered as both men crawled back into the living room.

Shepherd had remained where Hutch had dumped him and was curled in a small ball, quivering. As Starsky made a run for the front door and Hutch for the back fire escape, they heard another noise. At a signal to each other, both men jerked open their respective entrances and dived outside, guns at the ready. While Starsky saw no-one at his side of the building, Hutch was just in time to see a dark coloured sedan pull away and accelerate down the street. He couldn't catch the registration number, but he sprinted into the street taking up a shooting stance before deciding regretfully that the car was too far away.

Panting hard he came back into the apartment, checking his friend was Ok.

'Well Jimmy. Seems you're a real popular guy' Starsky commented dryly as the small man get back up and sat trembling on the settee. He looked over at his partner.

'Time to tell Dobey we've gotta get somewhere more secure, I think'. He reached for the phone.

'Ya gonna do it now?' Hutch asked with a little smile on his face.

His partner shrugged. 'Hey, it was Dobey told us this wasn't a shit assignment. Just a vacation, he said. I think its only fair we tell him what a good time we're having'.