Monster (Under My Bed)
Detective David Starsky woke suddenly. He lay still for a few moments, listening, sensing that the reason for his waking was due to his partner, Detective Kenneth Hutchinson. Starsky carefully rolled over to look at the man he was laying beside, and felt his heart drop to his stomach at the silvery glint on his partner's cheeks. He made no comment as he reached out and gently tugged his un-resisting partner close. Hutch settled against Starsky with a heavy sigh.
Neither man had to say anything. Starsky knew full well that the reason for Hutch's waking was due to nightmares. He'd had a few recently himself. As Starsky felt Hutch slowly relaxing against him, he found his thoughts going back to the case they'd recently closed. He still had difficulty erasing the images of the abused and murdered homeless children from his mind.
He smiled faintly as he felt Hutch snuggle closer to him, breathing settling down. He ran his hands slowly up and down Hutch's back. He was relieved that the nightmares were happening now, while they were on their getaway. It would give both men time to start healing. Hutch sighed heavily in his arms.
"Wanna talk, Hutch?" Starsky whispered softly into Hutch's soft blond hair.
"Yeah. Was dreaming about the one boy, his dark, curly hair and the look in his eyes when we burst in. Was dreaming his little bloody hands were reaching out for me, his voice hoarse from screaming, wondering why we took so long to save him. I mean, how does a little 11-year-old boy heal from the...torture that bastard put him through?" Hutch's voice was almost inaudible by the time he finished speaking.
Starsky sighed. He remembered how the boy had cowered away from them, and how it had taken one of the female officers almost an hour to reassure him that no one was going to hurt him anymore. He also remembered the look in the parents' eyes when they saw their little boy at the hospital. He'd seen the determination there, to see their boy get help and support. He'd seen the gratitude, relief, and some guilt that their son had survived, when the other 9 children hadn't.
"It's going to be real hard, Hutch, real hard. He might not recover completely from everything that happened to him. But he's got parents who love him, and now he has a place to call home. They're gonna do the best they can to get him the help he needs."
Hutch shifted so that he could look up at Starsky's face.
"His hair reminded me of you, Starsk. And it made me think of the times I almost lost you."
"Yeah, I thought so. And I'm here Hutch; they didn't get me. Think you can sleep now?"
Hutch was quiet, thinking. He shook his head slowly.
"It's hard to sleep, Starsk, when the monsters during the day come to me at night. I think I want to stay up for a while, walk along the beach in the moonlight. Maybe do a little night swimming. Join me?"
Starsky grinned as he threw off the light sheet that had been covering the two men. Hutch smiled back, some of the shadows leaving his eyes as they both slid from bed. As the two headed out the door, not bothering to put on clothes, Starsky figured that the nightmares would ease up as time faded some of the trauma of the case. Starsky laughed as he watched his partner break into a run towards the ocean and followed his partner into the surf. Watching Hutch laugh, he knew that things would get better.
Neither man had to say anything. Starsky knew full well that the reason for Hutch's waking was due to nightmares. He'd had a few recently himself. As Starsky felt Hutch slowly relaxing against him, he found his thoughts going back to the case they'd recently closed. He still had difficulty erasing the images of the abused and murdered homeless children from his mind.
He smiled faintly as he felt Hutch snuggle closer to him, breathing settling down. He ran his hands slowly up and down Hutch's back. He was relieved that the nightmares were happening now, while they were on their getaway. It would give both men time to start healing. Hutch sighed heavily in his arms.
"Wanna talk, Hutch?" Starsky whispered softly into Hutch's soft blond hair.
"Yeah. Was dreaming about the one boy, his dark, curly hair and the look in his eyes when we burst in. Was dreaming his little bloody hands were reaching out for me, his voice hoarse from screaming, wondering why we took so long to save him. I mean, how does a little 11-year-old boy heal from the...torture that bastard put him through?" Hutch's voice was almost inaudible by the time he finished speaking.
Starsky sighed. He remembered how the boy had cowered away from them, and how it had taken one of the female officers almost an hour to reassure him that no one was going to hurt him anymore. He also remembered the look in the parents' eyes when they saw their little boy at the hospital. He'd seen the determination there, to see their boy get help and support. He'd seen the gratitude, relief, and some guilt that their son had survived, when the other 9 children hadn't.
"It's going to be real hard, Hutch, real hard. He might not recover completely from everything that happened to him. But he's got parents who love him, and now he has a place to call home. They're gonna do the best they can to get him the help he needs."
Hutch shifted so that he could look up at Starsky's face.
"His hair reminded me of you, Starsk. And it made me think of the times I almost lost you."
"Yeah, I thought so. And I'm here Hutch; they didn't get me. Think you can sleep now?"
Hutch was quiet, thinking. He shook his head slowly.
"It's hard to sleep, Starsk, when the monsters during the day come to me at night. I think I want to stay up for a while, walk along the beach in the moonlight. Maybe do a little night swimming. Join me?"
Starsky grinned as he threw off the light sheet that had been covering the two men. Hutch smiled back, some of the shadows leaving his eyes as they both slid from bed. As the two headed out the door, not bothering to put on clothes, Starsky figured that the nightmares would ease up as time faded some of the trauma of the case. Starsky laughed as he watched his partner break into a run towards the ocean and followed his partner into the surf. Watching Hutch laugh, he knew that things would get better.