The Major Redemption

Chapter 14

Doctor Jackson was all business as they brought Starsky's body into the sick bay. The brunette was deathly cold, his skin was pale to the point of being blue and he had not regained consciousness since he had been plucked from the water 20 minutes ago. Alex had checked that he was breathing as soon as the limp body was deposited on the deck of the small craft, and as his men turned the boat and headed at full speed back to the cruise ship, he had wrapped Starsky up in a blanket and hugged him to keep him warm. That he had been breathing when found was a miracle in itself, but both Moore and Jackson realised the detective lost a lot of blood and would need a transfusion.

They laid Starsky on the bed in the OR, stripping off his wet shorts and red tee shirt that had made it so much easier to spot him in the dark ocean. Nurses rubbed him gently with warmed towels as Jackson prepared to treat the brunette for hypothermia, his core temperature having dropped desperately low. Once he was warmed, he could start repairing the wounded shoulder.

Inserting a wide bore cannula into his right wrist, he started to run through a normal saline solution, warmed to 43 degrees to start re-heating the body, then moved to insert a breathing tube into Starsky's trachea to allow warmed oxygen into his lungs.

Once the initial treatment had concluded, Jackson sat back and waited for his patient's temperature to rise from its present 33 degrees. Outside the OR, there was a commotion and wearily he turned to see one of his nurses wrestling with the blond on the bed.

Hutch was way more than restless now, having seen the body of his partner being carried into the OR, he was making desperate efforts to get out of his bed. Jackson went over to the detective and pushed gently on the shoulder.

'Hutch, David's OK, he just very cold and we have to warm him. He's got as gunshot wound in his right shoulder, but it must have been at point blank range because the exit wound is just as small as the entry. I can close that as soon as he's warmed up, some. You're not doing him or yourself any favours getting all riled up like this'.

Hutch relaxed back on the bed a little, but refused to give up completely. His eyes burned still with fever, but he was insistent. 'I've gotta be with him Doc. I need to be with him, please? I just need to be in the same room' he pleaded.

'I don't know about that, Hutch. You need your rest and we have to see to David' the doctor explained gently.

Hutch summoned all his energy and started shouting 'Let me see my partner. Please let me get to him' as he started struggling again.

Finally, seeing that the blond would get no rest at all, he had the bed wheeled once more in to the OR and brought it alongside the table Starsky still occupied.

Hutch rolled carefully onto his left-hand side to look over at his partner, noting the breathing tube, the drip and the colour of his friend. Gently he reached over and took hold of the limp left hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. It was the only part of the brunette that he had energy to reach, but it was enough to have some physical contact.

'Starsk? Can ya hear me, buddy? It's gonna be OK now, you're safe an' its all over. What've ya done at yourself now, ya big lug? Ya had us all scared for a while there. Starsk?' a painful pause. 'Don't leave me again, Gordo'.

Overcome with weariness, Hutch closed his eyes and rested back against his pillow, relief coursing through him, now that the brunette was next to him again. When the doctor returned five minutes later, he smiled as he saw the protective hand the blond had on the dark haired man's arm.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The ship docked in Bridgetown later in the afternoon of that same day. Although not the prettiest port in the Caribbean, it had good access for vehicles with its wide concrete avenues threading between the columns of crates waiting to be loaded on various vessels. And so the private ambulance had no trouble in rendezvousing with the ship. It was a hot sunny day as the vehicle wound its way down busy Broad Street and across the Carenage to the private hospital up the hill on the other side of town. The driver sang softly as he went, nodding greetings to other drivers on the road.

In the back of the vehicle, the two detectives were very much awake. Starsky had regained consciousness sometime late in the morning. The doctor had been there immediately as he coughed out the intra tracheal tube. His first action was to look over to his left hand side to see his partner fast asleep, holding his hand. He had smiled and drifted back to sleep again, the exhaustion of the last 24 hours finally claiming him.

Now, the blonde's face was a little less peaceful as every pot hole or crack in the road which the ambulance hit sent waves of pain through his damaged body. Not that Hutch minded too much. He was just so glad to have his partner back with him.

Starsky's voice was raw and raspy from the tube that had been put in his throat, and his shoulder was stitched and bound. They lay side by side in the old fashioned ambulance as Starsky grumped.

'And to our left, ladies and gentlemen, we have the Carenage, where sailing ships would be run up onto the shore for maintenance. Not that we can see it, cos the windows are blacked out. And on our right is Bayshore Beach, an ideal spot for sunbathing and snorkelling. And once again we'll miss that too'.

Hutch was still weak, but he couldn't resist 'S'OK Starsk. I've seen it before'.

'Ya have?, When?'

'Vanessa and I came the year after we got married. It was hot and romantic and we went for moonlit walks on the sand'.

'Oh well that's OK then' rounded the brunette. 'Just so long as you've seen it, we can go home'. There was companionable silence. The ambulance drew to a stop and the men could feel the movement as the driver got out, slamming the door behind him.

Starsky looked over to the blond, grabbing this short time when they were alone. 'Glad you're OK Blondie. I was scared there for a while'. He said softly.

'Not half as scared as I've been for you, Gordo. I nearly lost ya there'.

Starsky looked surprised. 'What do ya mean? I've been shot before, and you know I can swim…'

Hutch shook his head and took a deep breath.' Not then, stupid. I nearly lost you four months ago. Your body was here with me every day since, but Starsky wasn't. I've missed ya babe'. He settled back, his stomach still hurting. 'Just glad to have my Starsk back'.

Starsky looked over to his partner. A lump in his throat, he managed to whisper 'Yeah. It took the man who nearly killed you to bring me back to life. Thanks Ivan'.