The first few yards were a bit slippery and Starsky had to adjust his feet carefully to keep from sliding in the snow. He looked behind him, making sure his path was clear before approaching the edge of the drop off.
"Hutch?" he yelled, as he peered over the cliff. It was a dizzying sheer drop. To his right was a boulder about 40 odd feet down the face of the canyon.
"Over here!" A voice hollered back. Starsky grinned, braced his feet and shoved off from the cliff. One good push set him squarely next to the boulder. He checked his harness, set a foot on the rock and stood up. A two foot wide crevasse between the rock and the cliff revealed a hole in the side of the mountain. It also revealed a scruffy, exhausted Hutch.
The blonde man, barely able to stand, poked his upper body out of the aviary and stared at Starsky in shock.
"Starsky!" he exclaimed. Starsky grinned at him.
"Hiya partner." Starsky looked at the scene laying itself out before his eyes. He couldn't believe the incredible luck that had saved his friend's life. Hutch was thunderstruck.
"Thought I'd drop in and say hi." Starsky cracked.
"How'd you..." Hutch started. Starsky shook his head, looking Hutch over carefully.
"Later, Hutch. You able to stand up here?"
"I can barely stand!" The blonde growled.
'That's okay, cause by the time I get through kicking your butt,
you won't be able to stand up at all!" Starsky replied. He unhooked the
spare harness he had brought, and handed it down, dropping to his knees,
he came face to face with Hutch.
"How many times have I told you not to go on manhunts without me?" he chided and turned Hutch's head to one side. Hutch smiled at him, snorting slightly, and winced.
"You all right? Anything broke?"
"Nothing that a shower and 6 days of sleep in a normal bed won't fix."
"That's a nasty cut back here." Starsky noted, inspecting the gash across the back of Hutch's skull.
"It's nothing compared to being cramped up in there." Hutch nodded at the aviary.
"Bingham tackled you off the horse huh?"
"And right over the edge of the cliff." Hutch finished, he groaned as he slowly slipped the harness on. Starsky helped where he could, noting Hutch was having trouble with his hands. Six days cramped in that hole for a very tall man, Starsky shook his head, it was a wonder Hutch was even alive.
"Frostbite?" he asked helping to attach the ropes to the harness, Hutch's hands were a little too clumsy.
"Maybe, don't know yet. Ran out of firewood two days ago. SAR call off the search?" he asked. Starsky nodded.
"Blizzard conditions." he affirmed, making sure Hutch was secure.
Hutch frowned.
"How'd you get here?" he asked staring at his partner.
"Your wife, pal." Starsky grinned. He gripped Hutch's arm tightly, "Let's get out of here." Hutch gaped in surprise.
He was very unsteady on his feet, not quite doubled over as Starsky helped him out of the nook. Starsky kept a steadying grip on his arm, feeling Hutch beginning to shake from weakness. It was apparent that Hutch was in no shape to climb out by himself. He winced at the myriad cramps and bruises, and his feet were making him a little bit awkward..
"We're gonna have to pull you out of here, buddy. Can you stay up here alright?"
"I'll stay up, just get me off this damn ledge!" Hutch grumbled laying a hand on the rope. Starsky beamed at him, Hutch griping, was a good thing. "How'd you get up here anyway? What was all that shooting about?" he asked, setting a hand against the cliff and trying to get his feet under him. He felt a whole lot safer having the harness on. He didn't see Starsky cringe.
"I'll explain it all once we get you out of here. I'm heading back up. Don't go anywhere!" Starsky grinned, affectionately gripping the back of Hutch's neck. Hutch glanced at him.
"Where the hell would I go?!" he snapped. Starsky, already leaning back in his harness, just looked straight down and smirked. Hutch heaved a sigh and laid his head on his forearm.
"Hurry up, Starsk!"
Climbing back up over the ledge was tougher than going down, but for Starsky it was nearly effortless. Hutch was alive, that was all that mattered. Ali was waiting anxiously, looking a little pale, and tying a shirt around her waist when Starsky appeared on the trail.
"Ken?!" she exclaimed, as he climbed to his feet.
"He's okay!" he said, quickly unsnapping his harness. "He's a little banged up, but he's okay! Did you get Riley?" Starsky headed for the tree, loosening up his rope.
"He's contacted SAR, they're headed out, but Doug said it's snowing at the ranch now and headed this way. He thinks they may have to wait until morning. Is he alright?" She searched Starsky's face worriedly.
"He's fine Ali! Go get that big monster of a horse, we're gonna have to pull him up over the edge. He's a bit cramped up, fell into a hole in the side of the cliff!" She looked at him in surprise, then caught her self and limped off. Starsky noticed the limp, as she slipped the sleeve to her coverall back on, then he remembered the dead bear and looked over at the carcass. He shook his head, not believing it. Ali caught Duke's bridle, lead him carefully past the animal and turned him around. The big horse shied a little.
"Are you uh...." Starsky asked as he looped his loosened rope around the saddle horn. He nodded at her.
"Flesh wound..." Ali replied as Starsky secured the rope. "But it's bleeding."
"How are we gonna explain..." he started. Ali shrugged.
"I don't know yet, let's just get him up here!"
"I'm gonna jerk on the rope when we're set." he instructed. "When I do, lead him slowly away." He turned his back at the cliff's edge again. "If you can get a good fire going too that'd help." Ali nodded.
"Just get him back up here, Dave!" she urged. Starsky beamed at her.
"Have him up here in a jiffy!" he said then jumped off the ledge.
Ali scrambled quickly to the clearing in the trees, trying not to wince as she moved, and set about getting up a campfire. By the time she returned to the patiently waiting Duke, Starsky was tugging on the rope. After switching their ropes, Starsky carefully guided Hutch up and over the sheer drop off, staying just ahead of him and taking his weight. The steady pull on the rope helped them along. Once on the incline, Starsky dropped back, slightly behind his partner, helping him as he stumbled in the snow. Gaining the edge of the trail first, a deeply relieved Hutch crawled on his hands and knees over the edge, followed by Starsky. Hutch struggled to his feet, swaying as Starsky disconnected harnesses. Hutch looked at him with gratefulness written all over his face. Starsky lent a steadying hand.
"Next time..." Starsky warned. Hutch smirked and shook his head.
"Next time I'll call you."
He gazed at his partner, then dropped an arm over his shoulder.
Starsky threw his around the blonde, hugging him to him. Hutch returned it, his arms wrapping around him, then as his head dropped on his shoulder as he tightened his grip, and his eyes squeezing shut.
"Next time don't take so damned long!" he said in a half choked whisper, beginning to sag.
"Kenny!" Ali cried. Hutch's head came up, turning in her direction. Starsky draped Hutch's arm over his shoulders. He helped him stand as Hutch pulled Ali to him, one armed, in a tight embrace. Ali nearly sobbed in relief. For several minutes, Hutch couldn't say anything, he just gripped Starsky's shoulders and held on to his wife. His knees began to go.
"C'mon!" Starsky said, shifting Hutch's weight. "Let's get a good look at you. Search & Rescue says we have to stay up here tonight."
Ali took his other arm, and together they lead him to the campfire. Hutch stared at the bear as they past it.
"What the..." he started, looking alarmed.
"It's the bear skin rug you always wanted!" Starsky cracked as they made their way to the fire. Ali nearly choked on a gasp of pain as they helped ease her husband down on a log next to the fire. Hutch looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing..." she said quickly. She smiled at him, searching his face as Starsky, signaling to her to keep quiet, backed up to the waiting horses.
"Just take it easy Hutch, I'll get camp set up here in a minute!" he said, untying the cinch ropes. Hutch frowned, looking from one to the other. Ali nearly fell on her knees next to him, taking his hands in hers and peeling off the gloves he wore.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly inspecting his hands in the light of the fire. Darkness descended quickly on them.
"I'm alright, babe." he reassured, letting her baby him for a change, he smiled gently at her.
"What did you do?" he asked as she turned his head to look at the cut. He didn't see her swallow nervously.
"Oh Kenny!" she groaned, at the gash.
"Ali..." he said patiently, leaning forewords, holding his hands out towards the fire.
"Do what?" she asked, her icy blue eyes meeting his. Hutch nodded silently at Starsky. Ali smiled a little.
"I umm" she said, gently tugging off one of his boots. "I went and got him."
"You what?" he asked trying to help her with the other boot. She slapped his hand away, pulling it off for him.
"I knew you were still alive, and needed someone to help me find you..." she looked at him as she peeled off a sock. "So I went and got him." she nodded at the busy brunette setting up the four man tent. Hutch stared at her as she pulled the other sock off.
"You called him?" he asked, stretching his toes, still trying to regain some feeling in them. Ali threw the socks in the fire. She tried to hide the smile on her face.
"No..., " she trailed off. "I went and got him." Hutch frowned.
"You went to LA?" he asked. She nodded. Hutch tipped his head slightly thinking this one over, as she moved up next to him and helped him out of the jacket. He winced at the bruising of his rib cage.
"How?" he asked, letting her pull the jacket off.
"The money from the Firebird." she explained. Hutch looked at her as she unsnapped the shoulder holster from his belt. He suddenly smiled softly at her.
"I bet that was an interesting encounter." he commented. Ali just shrugged, smiling through a wince of her own. She helped pull the shoulder harness off of him, and looked down at the Colt Python Magnum in her hands.
"I never thought I'd be so glad to hear this thing fired." she said. Hutch gazed at her, and gently laid his hand against her cheek.
She smiled back, blinking back a few tears as he stroked her cheek with a thumb, then he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. Ali sucked in air trying not to gasp out loud as she slipped her arms around him.
"What is going on?" he growled in her hair.
"What do you mean?" she asked, pulling back and looking at him.
"You're white as a sheet, you're not getting another..." he started. Ali smiled shaking her head, wiping the tears from her face.
"I just.." she dropped her head, looking at the gun. "I just knew you weren't dead!" she whispered. "I had to come and get you."
"And you brought him along?" he asked. Ali smiled at him and nodded. "This I got to hear!"
"You will, hon, let's get you into some clean clothes first, and some food, I brought some soups along." she said setting the Magnum aside. Hutch nodded, beginning to get a bit of sensation in his hands and feet. Ali smiled at him and slowly stood up.
Starsky was crawling backwards out of the tent, having unrolled the foam pad, and unzipped a sleeping bag on it.
"Okay, that's set, you want to crash out?" he asked Hutch as Ali retrieved a roll off of Blue's saddle.
"Do I ever!" Hutch said as Starsky joined him. He helped him up to his feet. With a grateful sigh, Hutch laid down, and looked at Starsky.
"I'm glad to see you, buddy."
"Likewise," Starsky grinned. Hutch relaxed.
"I never thought I'd ever stretch out again! Felt like a pretzel in
there!"
"Damned lucky you landed in there." Starsky murmured looking at him. Hutch nodded.
"Bingham wasn't so lucky." he replied.
"Bottom of the cliff?"
"Yeah. Hey what's with that bear?"
"Bear?" Starsky asked suddenly scratching at the back of his head. Ali, hearing him, tapped his shoulder. He moved aside as she slipped under his arm carrying a bundle of clothes.
"Uh Dave, would you mind boiling up some water? There's Au Jus mix for broth, next to the coffee pot."
"Yeah sure!" he agreed a little too readily. He vanished quickly.
Ali spent the next several minutes helping Hutch change, then getting him comfortably set up inside a pair of zipped together sleeping bags. There was no way she wasn't sleeping next to his side that night. He smiled ruefully at her as she sat next to him.
"How about explaining the bear?"
"Well..." she started. Starsky poked his head through the tent.
"Want some?" he asked, holding up a cup of the seasoned beef broth, steaming away. He crawled in and settled on the other side of the blonde. Hutch gratefully took it, wrapping his fingers around the cup. He looked at both of them.
"Ali, mind explaining the hole in those coveralls while you're at it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and sipping broth. She looked at Starsky.
"Uhhh" Starsky started. Hutch waited patiently. Ali and Starsk looked at each other.
Simultaneously they replied...
"She saved my life!"
"He shot me!"
A long pregnant pause filled the tent, then Ali began to snicker, followed by a few snorts before she cracked up laughing. Starsky wasn't too far behind her. For several minutes neither one of them could look at each other with out bursting out afresh. Hutch looked from one to the other, calmly sipping his broth, not quite believing what he had longed to see after so many years.
"She saved my life!" Starsky giggled, his face radiant under his megawatt smile. Ali held her painful side, smiling just as brilliantly.
"You've been wanting to do that to me for years!" she snickered.
"You finally did it!"
"Damned right I have!"
"So how does the bear fit in?" Hutch interjected.
"The trackers told me it was in the area, and I kept hearing it as we got up past the waterfall." Ali explained, finally trying to catch her breath. Hutch indicated for her to unzip the coveralls. She complied as she continued. "Just as we passed the rocks it came down out of the hills, took one look at him and charged!" (Hutch and Ali knew a bear could move faster than a quarter horse on short distances...)
"She just reacted." Starsky said, "I thought she was going to shoot me..."
"So you shot back?" Hutch asked him, his eyes wide with surprize.
Starsky grinned guiltily.
"Starsk? You shot my wife?" Starsky nodded as Ali peeled the coveralls off. Hutch looked at her as she gently checked the wound.
"It was only a graze, hon," she carefully untied the shirt from her waist. "Duke reared when I fired." Hutch looked at her.
"What did I tell you about thinking, Ali?" he asked. She looked a little chastened.
"Wasn't much time to think, Kenny." she said.
"Yeah, " Starsky added looking Ali in the eyes. "She just did what needed to be done!"
Ali slowly smiled back at him as he winked.