It seemed to take forever before he saw the marina appear and he sighed in relief. He hadn't heard Starsky calling and he hoped his friend had fallen asleep. He entered the marina and steered the boat into the dock where he stopped the engine and tied the boat to the bollard.

He hurried to the sleeping cabin to see how Starsky was and was relieved to see his friend was sleeping. He peeked under the sheet. The gauzes on his butt were still in place but soaked with blood.

"Damn," he whispered, "you're gonna need an ambulance buddy."

He turned around and stood stock-still. He is still breathing isn't he?

He tiptoed to the bed and hunkered down beside it. Thank God, he is just asleep.

Carefully he put his hand on Starsky's forehead and was thankful that it felt cool to the touch.

He tiptoed out of the cabin and climbed ashore, then dashed to the nearest phone booth where he called for an ambulance.

He suddenly felt very tired and slowly he made his way back to the boat and Starsky. The moment he got on board he heard Starsky calling.

"I'm coming Starsk."

"Where were you?" Starsky growled when he entered the sleeping cabin, "I've been calling you for hours."

"Can't have been more than a few minutes Starsk. I just went outside to call an ambulance."

"Why'd you do that for? You can drive me to the hospital."

"Don't want my car smeared with your blood. You're still bleeding you know."

"Is it bad?"

"Not too bad but still bleeding nevertheless."

"Damn."

"Yeah. How are you feeling?"

"How do you think I'm feeling? Like a pain in the butt."

"Well, you are just that sometimes. But now I'll take pity on you because you got a sore ass."

"Very generous Hutchinson, very, very generous of you. Can I have a drink?"

"Sure, I'll get you a soda."

"Thanks."

When Hutch returned with the soda Starsky was trying to sit up, moaning and groaning.

"Hey, what're you doing? You got to stay put,"

"I can't drink my soda lying flat on my stomach."

"You can't sit up either. I'll get you a straw."

"T'riffic, he's gonna get me a straw. I'm not in the hospital yet Hutch."

"Stop complaining and drink your soda. I think I hear the ambulance coming."

"T'riffic. I'll be the laughing stock of the entire hospital; bitten in the butt for Christ sake."

"You're bitten by a shark Starsk."

"Yeah well, but still in the butt."

The wailing sound of the ambulance's siren made it impossible for Hutch to answer. He left the cabin to show the paramedics the way.

The ambulance stopped the minute Hutch climbed on the dock and a man and a woman climbed out of the ambulance. Hutch didn't recognize them so he introduced himself and told them what the emergency was.

"A shark? You mean your friend was really bitten by a shark?" the woman asked. She turned to her partner, "You hear that Dylan? Our first call is a shark bite."

Oh boy, rookies.

"This is your first call ever?" Hutch asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Together, our first call together."

"And you never saw a shark bite while you were in training?"

"Shark bites aren't very common."

"No, I guess not." Hutch climbed on board again. The two paramedics followed him with a stretcher.

"I hope we can get him out of here on the stretcher," Dylan said, "It's quite tight here."

"I think he can walk," Hutch answered, "I just wasn't sure I'd get him to the hospital in my car."

They entered the sleeping cabin where Starsky was waiting anxiously. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry partner; meet Dylan and Eileen, your saviours."

"Not a woman!" Starsky cried, "Why the hell a woman here?"

"I'm just as good as any man you know," Eileen defended her gender.

"I'm sure you are honey, but in this case I prefer men if you don't mind."

"Don't be shy Starsk. I don't doubt that Eileen has seen a butt or two in her time."

"It bit your butt?" Dylan looked shocked. "Let me take a look at you."

"Okay, but not her, I don't want her to look at my butt."

"If it's okay with you, I'll take the first look and only if I need help I'll call for my partner, deal?"

"Hm, okay."

Carefully Dylan pulled the sheet away and removed the gauzes. "Wow, that is amazing," he said, "How big was that shark?"

"Not big," said Hutch, "I think it was a young one."

"It can't have been a grown one. In that case you wouldn't have a butt anymore." Dylan covered the wound with fresh gauzes and taped them securely. "Let's take you to the ER. I think a doctor should see you. You think you can walk to the ambulance?"

"Sure, no problem."

With Hutch's and Dylan's help Starsky managed to get to his feet. Slowly they made their way outside. Getting out of the boat turned out to be a challenge but combining forces they hauled Starsky out of the boat and on the dock.

"Damn, that hurts! Can't you be more careful?"

"Sorry Starsk, it's the only way. Here, lie down on the gurney and we'll be in the hospital in no time."

"Great, more butt staring," Starsky groused but lay down on his stomach in the ambulance.

Eileen got behind the wheel and with wailing sirens she sped off.

"Hey Eileen, cut of the siren," Dylan yelled, "nothing life threatening here."

He grinned apologetically at Hutch. "She loves to make noise."

"She's giving me a headache," Starsky complained.

"Let me take your blood pressure and temperature, all right?"

"If you have to."

"Yes, I have to," Dylan said and shoved the thermometer under Starsky's tongue. He then took his blood pressure and removed the thermometer. "Nothing out of the ordinary," he said, writing down the outcome on a notepad.

"I think you've been very lucky Starsk," Hutch said, "he could have hurt you a lot worse."

"It's bad enough as it is and it's all your fault."

"Hey! I told you to leave the creature alone. But do you ever listen to me? No sir, you don't. You're just a stubborn idiot who got what he deserved."

"Thank you very much," Starsky grumbled, " but if you hadn't insisted I come with you I'd never be bitten. So, it is your fault."

"We're here," Dylan interrupted the men with a smile, "Let's get you inside and with a doctor."

"Humiliating," Starsky muttered, "so humiliating."

"At least you can say you survived a shark bite," Hutch said, "there aren't many people who can say that."

"Isn't that the truth," Eileen chimed in, "you should be grateful for that."

They pulled the gurney out of the ambulance and wheeled Starsky into the ER.

Two nurses were waiting for them and took the gurney with Starsky on it to a cubicle. Hutch wanted to follow them but was stopped by another nurse. "You have to fill in some forms for your friend."

"But I wanna go with him."

"Forms first."

"But…"

"Forms!"

"Dammit woman, my friend was bitten by a shark and I have to know how he's doing."

"No reason to not follow procedure."

"What…"

"Please fill in the forms as well as you can. Then we'll talk about seeing your friend."

Hutch stood helpless in the waiting room, forms in his hands. The nurse looked at him in triumph when he sat down with a sigh and started filling in the forms he'd seen too many times before.

Damn Starsk, I can do this with my eyes closed. We've been here too often.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up. Dylan stood next to him a smile on his face.

"He's going to be fine Sergeant. I've just seen him and they're finished with him soon."

"Thanks Dylan, that's kind of you. Where is Eileen?"

Dylan grinned, "Still with him, admiring his…wounds."

Hutch grinned back. "Well, that's my partner. No matter what, he wraps the women around his finger every time."

"Take care Sergeant."

"Hutch, you can call me Hutch."

"Okay, take care Hutch."

"You too Dylan. And thanks."

Dylan waved and went outside.

Hutch took the forms and looked around for the persistent nurse. He spotted her sitting behind a desk and approached her, waving the papers. "All done. Can I see my partner now?"

She looked at he papers and then at Hutch. "They're not finished with your partner yet, sir. I suggest you take a seat and wait till they're ready."

Since Starsky's condition wasn't life-threatening Hutch decided to wait. He slumped down in a plastic chair and waited. Five minutes later he started pacing the waiting room, too tense to sit any longer. He wandered off to the coffee machine and got himself a cup. It tasted horrible and with a grimace he tossed it in the first wastebasket he saw. Then he spotted a pay phone and he decided to call Dobey.

The moment he was dialling the number he heard his name being called. "Is there a Hutch here?"

"Yeah here!" he waved at the nurse that had been calling him. In three big strides he'd reached her. "How is my partner?"

She smiled at him. "A pain in the butt, pardon the pun."

Hutch grinned. "I know what you mean. Can I see him?"

"Come with me."

Hutch heard Starsky's voice long before they reached the cubicle. "Why can't I have my shorts on? How am I to get home without pants, huh?"

"Let me," Hutch said to the nurse and entered the cubicle. "What's wrong Starsk? I can hear you all over the hospital."

"Hutch, tell them I need my pants. I can't go home like this, can I?"

Hutch looked at the nurse who stood beside the treatment table Starsky was on. "Do you have something to wear for him?"

A doctor entered the now crowded cubicle. "What's all the noise here? We're in a hospital and I'd like you to keep it a little quiet."

"Hey doc," Starsky said, "you said I can go home but these…these…witches won't give me my pants."

"He can go home?" Hutch asked the doctor.

"Yes, but there are a few rules. First, no tight pants. Two, not too much moving around and three, he can't be alone the first days."

"I'll get him something comfortable to wear. Did you stitch the wound?"

"No, we don't stitch bite wounds in case there's bacteria in the wound and closing the wound would mean risking an infection."

Hutch nodded, remembering something about bite wounds from his two years studying medicine.

"He needs to take antibiotics and I prescribed painkillers. I want him back here in two days."

"Hey! I'm here you know; you can talk to me."

"Sorry, Mr Starsky, but you seemed too excited to listen to me," the doctor smiled, "I think your friend will remember what I said better than you will at the moment."

"You'd be angry too if they left you lying with your bare a…"

"Starsky! Shut up."

"Don't sho…"

"I'll stay with him for a few days, doc. I can change the dressings too."

"That's good Mr…. um…what's your name?"

"Hutchinson."

"Right, Mr Hutchinson, I'll leave him in your care then."

Looking forward to it.

"Thanks doc."

One of the nurses came back into the cubicle with an old pair of sweat pants in her hands. "Maybe you can wear these, Mr. Starsky."

"Thank you nurse….um…Delia. Look Starsk, this lovely lady found you something to wear."

"Great, now I don't have to go home bare-assed."

"Starsky, there are ladies here. Mind your language would you?"

"Sorry," Starsky mumbled, reaching for the clothing.

"Do you need help?" Delia asked.

"No! I can do it myself."

"Thank you ladies," Hutch said with an apologetic smile, "I can help him if he needs help."

Delia smiled back at him. "Okay, I'll leave you to it then. Oh, Mr. Starsky, don't think you should wear underwear for a few days; too tight I'm afraid."

"Damn women," Starsky groused, "always sticking their noses in my underwear." He blushed when he realized what he'd just said. "Um…never mind. You can wipe that smirk off your face Hutch. It's not funny at all."

Hutch bit his lip and tried to hide the smile that threatened to break through. "You need help partner?"

Starsky was struggling to get into the loose, worn sweatpants while still lying on his side. "I wish I could say no but yes, I need help."

"No problem. Let me help you."

Together they managed to get Starsky into the sweat pants and on his feet. His legs felt a little wobbly and his butt felt stiff but he was nevertheless standing.

"Let's get your prescriptions and blow this joint, huh?"

"Yeah. You know," Starsky said when they slowly walked through the hall," they said I'm lucky; it's only a flesh wound."

"Lucky you."

"Yep, won't be able to sit for a week or wear decent clothes or find a date or…"

"Shut up Starsk!"

The End.