The annual party for the children of slain cops came round and Hutch was still deciding what to wear as fancy dress. He kind of enjoyed the Laurel and Hardy routine he usually did with Starsky but this year his partner had vetoed it. “We do that one every year.” Ok Hutch suggested the Chaplin and White Face Mime that they had used a while back. “Nope.” Was the emphatic reply.

“Starsk; what then?”

“I dunno. You were all so fired up and sure of yourself disguising yourself to play hide and go seek; think of your own costume. I already have mine.”

“You do? What?”

“I'm not telling you; it's a surprise.

So Hutch arrived dressed as the old man complete with a nice supply of coloured pencils for the kids and Starsky was still nowhere to be seen.

Starsky stood in the wings waiting for his big moment. He had talked about it for a long time with Edith Dobey, planning every move and every moment. It came from the heart.

Edith stepped out onto the stage.

“There are times in our lives when we lose someone we love dearly. When we have to say goodbye to their bodies and let their souls go to heaven to watch over us. They become our angels.”

The curtain opened behind her and Hutch felt the tears stinging his eyes as Starsky's warm voice took over and the spotlight picked him out against the deep blue background. Hutch smiled; all his grousing about the costume when Starsky had to wear it was forgotten.

“We never leave you. We are here when you cry; we are here when you laugh. We wait for you to move on and we smile when you do. As long as there is someone to remember us; we are always there. We wrap you in our wings when you have bad dreams.”

(Was Hutch imagining it or did Starsky's voice crack just a little)

“Whenever you call out for us, we will be there. Watching over you; loving you; hoping to guide you. We are your guardian angels.”

He stepped forwards and moved his shoulders enough to make the wings seem to flap gently and beckoned the kids to the stage. As they stepped up to the stage the curtain behind Starsky rose to reveal the choir from Dobey's church singing

“When you're down and troubled

And you need a helping hand…”

Hutch put a hand on Starsky's shoulder. “That was beautiful.”

Starsky smiled at him. “I'm one of them, Hutch; the child of a cop who was killed. But I'm lucky… I get to ride with my guardian angel every day. But you know; as long as I remember my dad, I know I have him with me too – and I guess he's looking out for the two of us.”