A/N Well, it took me a while, but I got the first couple a chapters finished! An' since our Springbreak started taday, I can write even more!
This story will be pretty angsty, there will be some action, but it will take me some time ta get ya there... Well, I'll keep it short, and hope you'll read and review. Not let's git on to the story, the story about Luke's parents... Enjoy!

1

Welcome to a quiet night on the Duke farm y'all. The crickets are tsjirpin, the stars are shinin, an' sleep fills our favourite farmhouse. Now don't that look peaceful? Ya don't think somethin 'll disturb that peace now, do ya?

She put him out
like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette

Stumbling into the small kitchen of the farmhouse, darkness surrounded the swaying person. A slight clunk could be heard as the man took hold of the kitchen counter, as the world kept spinning around him. His heart felt heavy, no amount of alcohol could get rid of that feeling tonight. His mind however wasn't on full alert anymore. So when the lights came on, he squinted as the bright light stabbed through his closed eyelids. He put one hand in front of his face, trying to ward the attack off as he kept his firm hold on the counter, not trusting himself to let go just yet.

Bo had been fast asleep for two hours, his date with Betty-Jo had been nice, but her daddy was real firm when it came to his little girl. So Bo had acted a bit out of character and brought her home before 10. The buckshot he had gotten in his backside the last time her daddy found them in the hayloft, was a real good reason to do that good deed.
Luke had stayed behind with the girl he had been dating for the past few months, Sarah, when Bo and Betty-Jo had left the Boarsnest.

A slight rumble caused Bo to open one of his eyes, taking a look at the bed next to him. Seeing it was empty, a slight worry started to gnaw at his stomach. Another thump caught his ear, and the worry disappeared. That had to be Luke.

When another, louder thump reached his ears, Bo decided he should get up and take a look. Just in case it wasn't Luke… Maybe Roscoe was trying to frame them for another one of Boss' schemes.

Opening the bedroom door slowly, Bo shivered as the cool night air reached his bare upper body. He reached for the lights, seeing a shadow standing, or rather swaying, at the kitchen counter. When the lights came on he saw a very dishevelled Luke, holding his hand in front of his eyes as if the light hurt him.

"Luke?" Bo whispered, hoping he hadn't woken Jesse or Daisy, "You awright?" he asked, already guessing and smelling how his cousin got into this state.

Setting his eyes on the couch, Luke decided to make his way to that safe and steady place. While he started stumbling towards it he started slurring.

"I's fiiine… Don need no… one… Speciall-y no Saaara Ray…" he tried to say, stumbling over his own tongue.

Bo was surprised, to say the least. His cousin was known for his self-control, and he almost never got drunk. Besides, he had been with Sarah, right? Oohh Sarah… One of the people who had a tight hold on Luke's emotions. Something had happened.

Seeing how Luke had reached the couch, and was lying on it with his eyes closed, Bo decided this was not the moment to talk about that. He grabbed a blanket lying on the chair next to him and draped it over his snoring cousin. Pulling off his cousins muddy boots, Bo put them next to the backdoor. Looking back one more time to the oblivious face of his older cousin, Bo sighed as he tiptoed back to the warm comfort of his bed. He was back asleep within minutes.

- o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o -

Flashes of dreams filled Luke's intoxicated mind.

A woman crying… Sarah?

It was her face, but it kept disfiguring. The cheeks became fuller, the hair darker.

Mom?

She was crying and mumbling… "Sorry… so sorry…please… Kevin…"

He saw himself, an angry scowl on his face and a bottle dangling in his hand.

"It was a mistake, please don't go!" Sarah said. But that voice… It sounded like his mom's. It was desperate.

An explosion, fire heating his face. Pieces of wood surrounding him. Ember heating his skin.

Falling to the ground, but the ground never came, until…

- o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o -

Luke tumbled off of the couch landing face down on the hardwood floor.

"Oomph", came the sound as he tried to sit up. His pounding head didn't agree with him though, and as he started to stand, his stomach started to protest too. He only managed to make one gurgling sound, before he made a beeline to the bathroom, throwing up what he had eaten the evening before.

After 10 minutes of constant heaving, he finally sat up, meeting the slightly amused face of his younger cousin, who was standing in the doorway, leaning against the door post.

"Rough night?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned, even though he was still wearing the small smirk.

Luke shook his head as the memories of the night before came rushing back to him.

"Yeah, ya can say that again…"

"Somethin wrong cuz?" Bo asked, seeing the sad look in Luke's eyes as he thought back to the night before.

Luke shook his head, immediately regretting it as the little man hammering inside of his head started to slam even harder.

"Nah, I'm fine, jus a little hung over," he replied, not wanting to delve right into his love problems at this hour of the day.

"Ya sure? Cause I could a sworn I heard ya say Sarah Ray's name last night…" Bo said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yeah well, let's jus say that's over."

Bo's eyes widened a bit, he hadn't expected that. Sarah seemed perfect for Luke. She was just as stubborn as he was, but in a sweet way. She didn't have trouble using her mouth, which stood in contrast whit her pretty, almost shy-ish looks.

"Ya broke up?" he asked, not sure if Luke would want to talk about it now.

The splitting headache and the flipping of his stomach didn't help with Luke's patience.

"Ya know what Bo, jus leave me alone for now," he retorted, not in the mood for a big conversation right now.

Seeing his cousin felt poorly, Bo decided to play it safe and just leave for once. He did plan to get back on it with his cousin later in the day. He had to get to the bottom of this, not only out of his own curiosity, but also for his cousins well-being. Knowing from experience how Luke bottled everything up inside, letting it fester until it came bursting out in one giant explosion.
Shrugging slightly, Bo left the bathroom, in search of some much needed food as Luke cleaned himself up for a breakfast he wasn't sure his stomach could hold.

- o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o -

Later that day, after Luke's stomach had settled and the thumping in his head had lessened until it was only a dull throb and after the boys had finished their chores, they were trying out the new fuel-pump which Cooter had installed into the General a day before.

As the trees flew by Luke's mood didn't seem to brighten. In fact, Bo noticed how the scowl on his cousin's face became even deeper when they passed Sarah Ray's house. Deciding now was the best time, Bo plunged in.

"Ya don't want ta visit yur girl, Luke? The two of ya seemed mighty tight last night. And if I'm right, she's home right 'bout now…" trailing of, he waited for his cousin's reply. He was more then a little confused when it didn't came.

"Ahh, buddy? Ya still with me here?" he asked, seeing how Luke's gaze was still pointed to the outside, seemingly watching the scenery.

Putting his eyes back on the road, he grinned a little when he saw where they were. Willow's Creek. The storm from three months ago had completely destroyed the bridge, and seeing as Boss was too cheap to repair it, it made a great jumping place for the ole' General Lee.

"Well, if ya ain't listenin ta me, maybe this 'll help," he murmured, preparing the General for the big jump.

As he speeded up he manoeuvred the General so it was positioned right in front of the natural ramp. After the wheels came loose from the ground, the wonderful feeling of flying made Bo call out his rebel yell.

"Yeeeehaw!"

He could never get over that fantastic feeling of soaring through the air, feeling weightless for just a few precious moments. As the ground came closer he prepared for the impact of the wheels hitting the ground.

The thump came and, as always, rattled his teeth a little. Skidding to a halt at the end of the road, he didn't expect what happened next.

"Whatta ya think yur doin Beauregard Duke! Couldn't ya tell me ya were gonna jump. Yur insane ya know that? Completely insane!"

The yelling Luke was doing, hurt his ear. But the thump he gave his shoulder hurt even more.

"Oow, whatta ya did that for? I ain't the one who pretends ta be dead to tha world. Ya looked like ya were somewhere else cuz. So don't blame me while you weren't payin attention," Bo fumed. He was not taking the blame for this.

He calmed down a little when he saw Luke rub the back of his head, probably where it hit the headrest. Both cousins stared forward, rearranging their thoughts, and Bo started to feel a little sorry about his latest stunt.

"Look cuz, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for ya ta get hurt. I thought it was a funny way ta get ya out of yur stupor," he said, his voice softer then it was a minute ago.

The response he got was not one he had expected. Luke pulled himself up and slid through the window, getting out of the car, before saying,

"Yeah well ya shoulda thought of that before ya jumped the bloody creek. What's the problem with y'all lately? Doesn't anybody think anymore before they do somethin? Yur all the same…" he exclaimed before jumping on the dusty road and walking in the direction of the Boars Nest.

Bo sat their, eyes wide and mouth opened, doing a perfect imitation of a fish swimming in Hazzard Pond. 'What was that all about?'
Thinking back to the night before, and how Luke had mentioned Sarah's name, he guessed the answer to Luke's strange behaviour would lie in her hands. But first he needed to let his cousin cool down. Revving up the engine he shot forward, heading towards the farm where Jesse and Daisy were surely waiting for them with dinner.

I'm glad ta see that boy also has a nice set of brains goin for him. I always thought Luke was the one with the brains, but them boys probably did a switcheroo, cause Luke sure don't look like he's usin his brain right now…