Fire and Ice
A Starsky
and Hutch AU Story
The small park was filled
with the beat of drums. One lone musician sat under a tree, pounding out the
rhythm of an upbeat song. The two men that walked away from the drummer weren't
listening to the music, though. Lionel Rigger had just put his life into their
hands. They were used to that. Sometimes, they were the only ones who stood
between the innocent and the guilty. It was their job to keep the innocent
safe, and make the guilty pay. This time, the stakes were much higher than
usual. The guilty party was a Federal Judge, and Lionel was just a regular Joe
trying to do the right thing.
In a small clearing, two
women watched the men walk toward a flashy red car. One was slightly shorter
than the other, with hair the color of night cascading down her back, and eyes
the color of jade. She wore a white t-shirt with the words "Make Love, Not
War" across the front, blue hip hugger jeans, and brown sandals. A fresh
daisy peeked out of her hair above her right ear. She smiled appreciatively as
the two men drove away.
"Um, I just love Fire
and Ice."
The other woman looked at
her companion with a frown of puzzlement on her face. She stood two inches
taller, with hair the color of a new-born fawn, shaded with streaks of sunlight.
Her eyes were as blue as the cloudless sky overhead, seeing only beauty in the
world around her. Her sun dress was pure white and a bronze peace symbol hung
on a chain around her neck. A small ankle bracelet and white sandals completed
her outfit.
"What do you
mean?"
"Those
two men. The blond one's aura is
as cool as ice, with flashes of darkness weaving through it. He is a soldier, a
warrior fighting for justice. His path is true, and he never veers from it. He
wears his convictions like a suit of armor, and carries his faith like a sword.
He believes in what he is doing, but he grows weary of the fight. He's seen too
much sadness in his short life and doubts the wisdom of his chosen path."
"Raven, you aren't
supposed to do that."
"Hey, so I peeked. Sue
me."
Tawny tossed her hair behind
her shoulders and shook her head tolerantly. "Well, I suppose there's no
harm done. I must admit, I couldn't resist studying the other one. He is Fire. His aura is a blue flame,
burning bright with the knowledge that they will win their fight. His faith
never wavers and the strength of his convictions holds Ice to this world.
Together, they are a force to be reckoned with, and evil cringes in the
shadows. What do you see when you look at him?"
Raven smiled sensuously.
"I see sex on two legs."
"Raven! Was that nice?"
She grinned wickedly.
"I calls them as I sees them, Tawny. He has such
a love for life that you can see it in the way he moves through this world. It
isn't merely a walk; it's a dance, a seductive dance. But I see more than that.
Somewhere underneath the man there is a child who looks at each day with
wonder. Even the darkest hour can't stop his enthusiasm. As long as Fire is by
his side, Ice will conquer all. I want to know more about these men, Tawny. I
sense a great challenge is in store for them, a test of the bond they share."
Tawny nodded. "Have you
ever read the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?"
"Yes,
so what?"
Tawny grinned. "The
game's afoot."
Raven hooked her arm in
Tawny's. "Lead on, Watson."
Fast forward
In the basement of the local
library, they sat together and watched the text rolling across the screen.
Raven thumped the monitor in irritation.
"I can't believe how
archaic this equipment is. It's a surprise that they ever managed to record
anything."
"Now don't get any
ideas, Raven. The article we need should be coming up soon. Ah, here it
is."
The article was out of the
past, and the women read the account of the high profile arrest with interest.
Tawny pointed to the caption
under the picture. "Fire's name is David Starsky, and Ice's name is Ken
Hutchinson, but what's this "Hutch" in the middle?"
Raven shrugged. "It
appears to be a shortened version of his last name. I think it's called a
nickname." She read the first lines. "This explains it: they're
Keepers of the Peace."
"And
Guardians of the Innocent. Look
how they've changed in such a short time! Ice seems so much younger there. His
resolve is stronger, his path clear. What terrible things has he seen that
weigh on his soul so much?"
"The world is often
dark and cold. He wears his scars on the inside, but the wall he is building around
him shuts out the goodness with the bad. Do you see the way he's smiling at
Fire there? They won the battle that time, but now he fears they are losing the
war."
"Fire sees only his
friend. He wants to save everyone, for they are all his children, but he knows
how Ice bleeds for the lost souls. It hurts Fire to see the sorrow in Ice's
eyes and he hides his pain behind a façade of playfulness. But even his innocence
has been tested. Shall we read on?"
Raven scrolled down the
article then cocked her head suddenly as she looked inward. Standing up, she
turned the machine off.
"Something's happening.
Come on."
They snapped their fingers
and disappeared, leaving empty chairs and a small spool of microfilm lying on
the table.
They reappeared on a crowded
street corner, drawing astonished looks from the passers-by. An old, brown car
drove up and parked against the opposite curb. They watched as Hutch took out
the bag of groceries and started toward the building across the street. He only
walked a few steps when the car erupted in a ball of fire.
"Oh,
no!" Raven waved her hands,
the palms facing Hutch. For a moment, time stopped and the explosion was
contained. An invisible force reached out and sent Hutch tumbling out of harm's
way. Then she waved her hand again and the sound of the blast shattered the
silence.
Tawny stared at her
companion, astonished. "Raven, you can't do that!"
"I just did."
They watched as Starsky ran
out of the building and held his friend protectively in his arms. Tawny saw the
body hurtling out of the window and grabbed Raven's arms before she had a
chance to react.
"Raven, no! It's too
late. He's already gone."
Raven stood with her head
down, her arms lax in Tawny's grip. She moaned and closed her eyes in empathy.
"I can feel their pain.
Fire fears for his friend and Ice blames himself for the other's death. Another
lost soul weighs on his heart."
Tawny let go of Raven's
wrists and put her hands on her friend's shoulders. "There was nothing you
could do. Do you want to go on?"
Raven raised her eyes and
saw her pain mirrored in Tawny's. "Yes, I can't leave them like this. I
have to see how it turns out."
"OK. They're going now.
We'll follow them."
They watched the two men as
they stood once more in the park. A dark-skinned man pushed a child on a swing
then stopped to talk to them.
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"The dark one's words are harsh and they cut like a knife. He needs to
learn some manners."
"No, Raven, he mourns
the death of his friend. The child must grow up without a father now, and
somewhere, a wife must learn to live without her husband. His heart aches for
them and he voices his grief the only way he can."
"By
attacking Fire and Ice? Their hearts
lie heavy, too."
"The dark one knows
that, and he'll understand in time. He carries his own guilt, because he was
the one that brought them together. The other's blood is on his hands, as
well."
Raven nodded finally.
"The death of the other touches many lives, like ripples in a stream. I
only hope he didn't give his life in vain."
Fast forward
Raven and Tawny stood in the
corner of the room and watched Fire hit the tiny ball with a strange looking
bat toward Ice.
Raven looked at her
companion. "What is this, some weird ritual? I don't understand a thing
they're saying."
Tawny rolled her eyes.
"I think they're playing a game, Raven. It's a strange one, I'll admit,
but it seems harmless."
Then another dark-skinned
man came into the room and spoke to the two players. This man was larger than
the other and carried an air of authority.
Tawny's eyes glowed with
respect. "That is their leader. He guides them on their quest and tempers
their eagerness with wisdom."
Raven nodded. "His aura
shines brightly and envelops them in a shield of protection. Though he hides it
behind a gruff exterior, his heart is filled with love for them, for all his
children."
They both smiled as Starsky
won the game and handed the paddle to their leader. Hutch followed him out of
the building and they argued good-naturedly on the way to the car.
Tawny and Raven jumped at
the shrill sound of a car impacting the side of another and watched in horror
as it hurtled toward the two men. The chatter of an automatic weapon assaulted
their eardrums as Hutch shouted a warning and Starsky groped wildly for his
gun.
The two women's arms
stiffened and their hands shot out as one.
Tawny's voice boomed out the
command. "STOP!"
Time froze and the deadly
missiles hung suspended in the air. Raven cast an amazed look at her companion.
Tawny shrugged. "You
did it first. Now it's my turn."
With her arm extended from
her waist, her palm pointing downward, she moved her hand toward the ground.
Starsky's body moved with it until he was out of range of most of the bullets.
Then the two women waved their hands once more and time moved again.
They stood back as Hutch ran
around the side of the car and rushed to Starsky's side. Raven wrung her hands
together as they heard him talking to his partner.
"It's OK, buddy. Just
take it easy. Don't go anywhere, you hear me?"
Tawny's eyes reflected the
sight of Starsky's torn body lying in his friend's arms, a slender thread of
blood running down the side of his mouth.
"Hutch, what
happened?"
"It looks like we got
somebody's attention. You were shot. Don't try to talk. Help's on the
way." He looked up at the concerned faces hovering over them. "Get an
ambulance, NOW!"
Fast Forward
The dark-skinned leader sat
beside Hutch on the hard plastic seats. The other dark-skinned one paced the
floor like a caged tiger, dividing his attention between the grief-stricken man
in the chair and the friend that was fighting for his life in another room.
Raven longed to touch Hutch's shoulder as she stood sentry over them. His body
was still, an empty vessel holding him to this reality. His heart, his soul,
and his mind were with his friend.
On another floor, Tawny
stood beside Starsky as he lay on the operating table, watching the rise and
fall of his chest and listening to the sound of his heartbeat. For the briefest
moment, she laid her hand on the surgeon's shoulder and whispered.
"Let your eyes be true
and your hands steady, Healer. Use your scalpel well. The fate of two souls
rests on your shoulders this day."
Raven breathed a sigh of
relief as the doctor walk toward them. She smiled as a spark of hope flared in
Hutch's eyes and watched the scene unfold.
The doctor smiled. "He
made it through the surgery. One bullet punctured his lung, and the other
barely missed his spleen. We've put a chest tube in and re-inflated the lung.
The next twenty-four hours will tell the story, but I think he's going to make
it."
Hutch closed his eyes and
exhaled. "Thank God. When can I see him?"
"He'll be in recovery
for a couple of hours yet then he'll be taken to ICU. As soon as he's settled,
I'll have the nurse come and get you. In the meantime, why don't you get
something to eat? We'll page you if his condition changes."
The dark-skinned leader put
his arm on Ice's shoulder. "Come on, Hutch. There isn't any more we can do
and you need to eat. I have the feeling it's going to be a long night."
Raven nodded with
satisfaction as the two men led him away. Tawny appeared beside her companion
and put an arm around Raven's shoulders.
"Fire will burn brightly
again and Ice has gained strength from his warmth. His faith in mankind is
restored."
"I knew it would be.
Come; I want to check on Fire. Ice has his friends to support him."
They snapped their fingers
and disappeared then shimmered into form beside Starsky's bed.
Tawny ran her fingers
lightly through his hair. "Rest now, gentle warrior.
Let sleep heal your wounds and return your strength. Your soul-mate lies in
good hands. There are other battles to be fought and won another day."
Raven placed a tender kiss
on his cheek. "Even now, your thoughts are with your friend. You're
worried that he must carry on alone. Fear not, you are with him in his heart
and your love will keep him safe."
She straightened and gazed
at Tawny, her eyes blazing with determination. "Ice will find the snake
responsible for this and then he will pay."
"Hey, you're giving
snakes a bad name. Whoever is at the bottom of this is pure evil. Snakes only
strike out of self-preservation when they're attacked."
"I don't care what you
call him. He's a scourge on the face of this planet. May the forces of good
triumph and send evil scurrying back into the shadows where it belongs. Ice
will freeze it with the cold breath of goodness and hammer it to pieces with
the staff of justice."
Fast Forward
The two women watched as
Hutch appeared in the doorway of James Marshall Gunther's office. Tawny nodded
appreciatively as he stood tall, his back straight and his eyes steely with
determination.
"Ah, the avenging angel
speaks. The monster is quaking in his shoes."
Raven gazed with contempt at
the figure behind the desk. "What a pitiful old man you are! You rule from
a throne made of treachery and lies, your fortune is won on the blood and
despair of the innocent. Watch as your treasure shrivels like fruit on a poison
vine. Cower as your power is ripped away, layer by layer. Vengeance flies on
the wings of righteousness and Armageddon is upon you. May the ghosts of a
thousand tortured souls haunt your nights and your days be filled with shame. Cry, you despicable weasel, your kingdom of
deceit is no more."
Raven and Tawny stayed in
the shadows as Hutch handcuffed Gunther and led him away. The lifeless body of
Bates remained in the chair, a mute testament to the fall of an empire. The
women exchanged high-fives.
"Score one for the good
guys! There just might be hope for this planet, yet."
As Tawny started to reply, a
strange jingling sound came from the peace symbol hanging on the chain around
her neck. She traded stricken glances with her companion.
Raven cursed quietly. "Oh, Sirius! Not now!"
Tawny shushed her then held
the token outward, rubbing a finger over its face. The shimmering figure of a
woman appeared in front of them. A tiara made of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and
sapphires was on her head and her hair was a dark auburn color, reaching to her
shoulders. Her eyes matched the emeralds in her crown with brown flecks
scattered among the green.
Tawny smiled cheerily. "Hi, mom!"
Raven waved jauntily. "Hi, mom!"
Their mother smiled
lovingly. "Well, are you two having fun? Have you been behaving
yourself?"
Tawny rolled her eyes.
"Well-"
Raven elbowed her sister.
"We've been having so much fun, Mother! This is such an interesting
planet. And we've been good." She mumbled slightly under her breath. "Most of the time, anyway."
"I'm glad you've
enjoyed your outing, but it's time to come back now. Your father and I need to go
off-world. There's an emergency on Hectare that needs our attention."
Raven protested. "Can't
we stay here, Mom? We'll stay out of trouble, we promise. We've been observing
the terrestrials. They're very interesting."
"I imagine they are,
but I have no idea how long we'll be gone, and I wouldn't be comfortable being
a galaxy away from you. If something went wrong, you'd have no one to help
you."
Tawny pouted slightly.
"But Hectare is so boring! There's nothing to do there."
"Then it would be a good
time for you to catch up on your studies. We're leaving in thirty Archons,
girls. Be ready."
Raven simply nodded. Arguing
with the Supreme Ruler of Arcturus would get her no where.
"Can we come back sometime,
Mother?"
"Perhaps when you're a
little older, Raven. We'll see. Good-bye, darlings."
The sisters smiled as the
image of their mother faded then turned to each other.
Tawny shrugged. "So much for that. Once Mother gets an idea in her
head, there's no changing it."
"I know, but I wanted
to see where Fire and Ice went from here. It could be decades before we come
back."
"Well, there's nothing
we can do about that. Earth's time will come and go with the tides. They have
been fascinating creatures, haven't they?"
Raven grinned wickedly.
"Yeah, and they weren't too bad on the eyes, either. Come; I want to say
good-bye."
They snapped their fingers
and were transported to the hospital where four friends were celebrating a
great victory. The clothes the sisters had been wearing to blend in with the
natives were gone. Instead, Raven wore a long gown made of green silk, covered
with layers of satin. Sparkles of stardust twinkled from the cloth. A silver band
circled her forehead, imbedded with emeralds and diamonds. Tawny's sun dress
was replaced by a gown the color of her eyes, and the layers of silk glittered
with gold. A large sapphire hung on a gold band around her forehead. Raven and
Tawny smiled as they watched the men hold glasses high in a toast, then drink.
Hutch settled back on the bed beside Starsky and looked above him.
"Uh,
Huggy."
"Yes?"
"What was that thing
you hung the lamp on up there?"
Starsky followed his
friend's eyes. "I don't know."
Huggy cocked his head,
staring up at the ceiling. "It looks like-"
Raven waved her hands and
time was suspended once more. The two sisters bent down and kissed the
dark-skinned one on his cheek then did the same to the leader.
Tawny smiled fondly at the
two men. "Your friendship has been tested, but remains intact. Fire and
Ice will be safe as long as you are in their life."
Raven turned to the two men
lying on the bed. Bending over, she gently kissed Starsky on the lips then
Hutch. Tawny crossed to the other side of the bed and kissed Hutch first, then
Starsky.
Raven stepped back and gazed
at the two men. "You are brothers in arms, and though your blood is not
the same, your love binds you stronger than any blood tie. What Destiny has
brought together, no mortal being can tear asunder. Farewell, my champions. I
shall never forget what I have seen this day."
Tawny linked her arm with
her sister's. "Amen, Raven, amen."
With a final snap of their
fingers, the two sisters disappeared and time moved forward again.
"A
fire sprinkler."
The four men that had defeated
death once more looked up as the water rained down on them.
The End