Hutch and Sami had a shopping date the next evening. Starsky and Hutch had not been working all hours for a few days. On this particular day, they had been working on a case involving a homicide and they were waiting for the lab reports. Starsky has also booked off the evening.

The mall was not that busy and they were fortunate to find a parking space not too far from the main entrance of the mall. The evening was quite cool for early in October.

"Where to first, Princess?" Hutch asked when they reached the sidewalk leading to the front entrance.

"The pet store, can we visit the pet store, first?'

"Of course." Hutch agreed. Hutch had no sooner agreed, then there was yelling and screaming coming for the crowd outside the mall. There was a scuffle and some shots could be heard in the evening noise. Hutch, whom Starsky had once said did not go to visit his mother without his gun, quickly drew his weapon to protect Sami. He gently pushed her to the ground and shielded her with his body. Unfortunately, one of the stray bullets hit Hutch in the shoulder and he went down.

All of the commotion was because the armed car was picking up the daily receipts from the grocery store and there was crossfire between the armed guards and a gang trying to rob the truck.

Sami started to sob uncontrollably and hold Hutch as tight as she could.

Someone, who had witnessed the incident, offered to phone for an ambulance. Another witness began to comfort Sami. This lady, whose name was Dorothy Lois McLean, tried to re-assure Sami and tell her everything was okay. A third person began to attend to Hutch's wound until the paramedics arrived.

Ms. McLean introduced herself. She was a lady who looked like she was in her mid-50s. She had graying dark hair and she was short in stature. Dorothy offered to help Sami. The crowd had shoved Sami out of the way of Hutch who was losing consciousness.

When the paramedics arrived, they began to work on the wounded. When the dust had cleared. several people,including one each of the gunmen and the security guards, had been wounded. A young female paramedic began to work on Hutch. She took a look at the wound in Hutch's wound, which was quite deep in the shoulder, only inches from his collar bone. She tried to stablize him, while her partner called Memorial Hospital. The hospital told them as soon as he was able to travel, to transport Hutch in the ambulance.

During the time that the paramedics were attending to Hutch, Ms. McLean talk to Sami, and got the frightened little girl to give her her telephone number.

When Dorothy had dialled the number and Ash answered it, she said, �Ms. Mayer?�

�Yes?�

�You don't know me, but my name is Mrs. McLean.�

�Yes, what can I do for you?�

�I have some bad news. Do you know someone by the name of Ken Hutchinson?�

�Yes, he is my fianc�.�

�What happened to him?�

�There was a shoot out at the mall and he was shot>�

�Oh no.�

�He is going to be okay, I think. The paramedics are working on him right now.�

�What about my daughter?�

�She is right here. She is frightened, but okay.�

�Thank you.�

Dorothy put her hand on the telephone receiver and told Sami, �Sami, go ask the paramedics what hospital they are going to take him to?�

�Okay.� Sami came back and told her, �Memorial.�

�Okay, see if you can ride with them in the ambulance to the hospital.�

Sami went back to the paramedics and asked them if she could accompany Hutch. �They said it was okay.�

Both Ashleigh and Dorothy hung up their phones and Ash had one phone call to make before she headed out the door to the hospital.

The phone rang in the Starsky house.

Rosey and Starsky had just finished dinner and they family was doing the dishes and putting them away. Starsky picked up the phone. �Hello.�

�David?�

�Yeah, in the flesh.�

�It's Ash.� She started to sob uncontrollably.

�Ash, what is the matter?�

�Hutch has just been shot.� ,p> �How?�

�He and Sami were at the mall looking for a Hallowe'en costume.�

�How's Sami?�

�She is okay..� �A witness phoned me and she is being transported to the hospital via the ambulance.�

�Okay, I will phone my mother and see if she can take care of the k ids. Where is he?''

�They are transporting them to Memorial.�

�OK.�

�See you there, Ash.�

�Okay.�

They both hang up their phones.

Starsky turned to Rosey. �Hutch has been shot.�

�David, no,�

�Yes. At the mall.�

�How.did it happen?�

�She didn't say. Sami and Hutch were at the mall looking for a costume for her.�

�Okay.�

�Honey, I am going to call my mother and see if she can come over and take care of the Terrible Trio.�

�David, fine. I will come for a while, but I will have to think of the kids, okay?�

Starsky called his mother and Elizabeth was able to come over and take care of the kids. After Starsky and Rosey left for Memorial, she started to get the two older ones ready for bed. Jake had been in bed for ages.

The ambulance had arrived at Memorial. The paramedics had tried to re-assure Sami that Hutch was going to be okay.

One of the detectives had also gone to the hospital and told the paramedics that he would stay with Sami until someone could come to take care of her. Ash was

at the hospital when Sami arrived and when she saw her, Sami rushed to her mother's arms.

�Sami, everything is going to be okay. Hutch is a very strong man.�

Rosey and Starsky were next to arrive. Sami ran to her Uncle David's arms. He bend down and picked her up.

�Uncle Dave, is my Daddy gonna be okay?�

�Sweetheart, I wish I could say yes, but that is why they brought him here. This is one of the best hospitals in the city.�

�Oh.�

�Yes, and I am sure all of the doctors and the nurses are taking good care of him.� Starsky tried to re-assure her, but he was just as terrified as Sami was.

Just as Starsky had finished to calm her down, a tired looking doctor in green operating room scrubs appeared. He asked if anyone was there for Ken Hutchinson.

Ash went forward. �My name is Ashleigh Meyer and I am Ken's fianc�e.�

�Hello, I am Doctor Englehardt.�

�How is he. Doctor?�

Doctor Englehardt looked like he was in his mid-50s. He had grey hair, and Ash judged him to be of average height and average weight.

�Kenneth is going to be okay. We had to remove two bullets from his shoulder. �

�Ohhhh. When can we see him?�

By this time, Sami, Starsky and Rosey had walked over to Ashleigh and the doctor. Starsky asked, �Well, I guess he is going to be okay. I am David Starsky, Ken's partner. This is my wife, Rosey and this is Sami, Ashleigh's daughter.�

�Hello, yes, David Starsky. He is going to be okay.�

�How long will he be in the hospital?�

�I would like to keep Ken for a day or two. I expect a full recovery, but just to be sure that he does not have any complications, I would like to keep him.�

�Sounds good to me, doc.�

�Right now he is in recovery, but I would say probably in the next couple of hours, we will have a room for him, and then you can go and see him.�

�Thank you, doctor.�

Hutch's eyes were closed when Starsky, Rosey, Ashleigh and Sami entered the room. Ashleigh looked at her fianc�, and went over to his bedside. She took his hand in hers and put it up to her lips. She kissed it. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, �Hey there, Ken, it's me, Ash.�

All of a sudden, his eyes opened and he looked up at her. He tried to say something to her, but she put her hand up to his lips, �shhhhhh.. Don't try to talk, Sweetheart.� She brushed the hair out of his eyes. �You really gave me a scare, but I know that you don't want to leave me that easily.�

Hutch gave her a grin.

Stasrky and Rosey and Sami came over to his bedside. �Hey, Partner,� Starsky said, �Great to have you back.�

Sami said, �Yeah, Hutch, I can't imagine my life without my new daddy.�

Hutch was released from the hospital several days later. He was sent home to recooperate. Because the Wound was healing nicely, he was off work only for a few weeks.

Hallowe'en night finally arrived. Sami had been disappointed when Hutch had been shot, but she was overjoyed when Hutch would still be able to come with her. Since Hutch was still not 100%, Starsky and the two older Starsky children � DAS and Barbara � went with them.

Starsky and Hutch had booked off early in the afternoon and Starsky had picked up Sami from school. Hutch, Sami and Ash had been invited over to the Starsky house for dinner. After dinner, Ash stayed at the Starsky house to help Rosey hand out candy and also to keep her company.

When Hutch had told Starsky that he was dressing up, Starsky debated whether he would dress up in a costume also. He talked it over with Rosey, who suggested he would look great as a vampire. Rosey helped him to pick out a vampire outfit at one of the costume rental companies. Starsky really got into the part. He wore his costume around the house a few days before Oct 31. He went around trying to bite Rosey's neck and trying to give DAS and Barbara the same thing. They yelled and screamed with delight, however, before long, they were begging their father to play vampire with them.

Hutch, Sami and Ashleigh arrived soon after dark at the Starsky house. Sami had been too excited to eat, but she did manage to eat a little bit of the burgers Rosey had made.

Rosey had sewn both of DAS' and Barbara's outfits. DAS was dressed up as a cowboy and Barbara had chosen to be a clown.

The Starsky house had been decorated with some of the artwork that the children had been doing � crude pumpkins, white things that were supposed to be ghosts, black paper shapes that looked like bats, etc.

It was a very memorable evening. Sami, DAS and Barbara were out for several hours. Many of the people commented on their outfits and it was hard to tell who had more fun � the children or Starsky and Hutch. When the trick-or-treaters did finally make it back to the Starsky house, Starsky and Hutch went through their bags to make sure none of the candy had been tampered with.

�Uncle Dave, Hutch has been stealing my candy.�

It was later on in the week. The entire Starsky clan had been invited to Ash and Sami's place for dinner. Hutch, of course, was there also.

Starsky looked at Hutch for a moment. This was the same guy who only ate sea kelp, and goat's milk and ground bee's bones.

Hutch just shrugged his shoulders, �I needed to check to see if any of the candy had been tampered with.�

�Not good enough, Buddy,� Starsky laughed. �You have been busted.�

�Okay, I stand accused of stealing.�

�So now we have to sentence you.� Starsky laughed and he winked at Hutch. He got out his handcuffs and started to handcuff Hutch. �Ken Hutchinson, you are under arrest.�

Sami looked at Starsky with a worried look on her face. She rushed over to her father's aid, �Uncle Dave, please don't arrest my Daddy.�

"Yeah, I don't want to go to jail,� Hutch protested.

Starsky looked at Hutch with a chuckle and said, �Do you promise never to steal any candy from Sami again?�

�Yes, I promise,� Hutch said.

�Okay, then I guess if you promise. I will have to put you in Sami's protective care and if I find out that you have done it again, you will go to jail.�

Starsky undid his handcuffs and let Hutch go free. Sami went over to her Uncle Dave and gave him a big hug. They spent the rest of the evening talking and watching TV. Hutch returned to work a couple days later.

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