OK – thing about me is this. I am a terrible one for having two stories on the go at the same time. I love plot bunnies. Don't worry - I have been updating Two Wrongs and Ch 10 is nearly finished and will be up soon. However, when I get a bit of a block I often find that working on another tale is helpful and keeps it fresh (at least I hope it does). I also apologise profusely for my propensity for Bo Bashing. I just can't help myself.......its the Luke angst that gets me......(grins!!).

These updates will be longer in coming as the chapters are longer than I normally do. I hope you all enjoy.

-o0o-

The Price

Chapter 1 – Jake Cabot

Bo Duke felt the need for some fresh air. His cousin Luke was courting a sweet young thing and he had the strong idea that three in this instance most definitely made up a crowd. He also had a fair inkling that he might be hanging around the Boar's Nest for the rest of the evening and hitching a ride with Daisy as Luke would be needing the General Lee, the orange stock car owned by the two of them. They had an unwritten agreement, when one was courting, he had the honour of escorting his date home in the General Lee. It's just the way it was. He scoured round the bar, looking for someone to converse with and came up with zip. Not even Cooter was there propping up the bar in his usual place. He was towing a wreck and wasn't sure that he would make it for a few beers with his friends.

Just his luck today, he thought to himself. He still felt the pangs of hurt from Jessie May dumping him for some other plough boy. But in the end he couldn't blame her. It wasn't as if he was the most attentive of boyfriends, and Pete Horne from up Chickasaw way seemed to be the reliable type. Shaking his head and chuckling to himself he sought out his lovely cousin Daisy who was taking a breather from serving in the busy bar.

"OK sugar?" she asked him with a smile.

"Sure darlin'" he replied, matching hers with his own dazzling one. Daisy loved Bo's smile, it lit up his face and made his eyes shine. Bo was usually always smiling and you couldn't help but return it. It was easy to love Bo just for that reason alone. "I reckon I am through playin' gooseberry with that pair though!" and he gestured over to the booth he had just left.

Daisy's smile grew even wider as she watched her older dark haired cousin snuggling in with Megan Holdsworth, eyes only for each other. He was moving in for the kill she could tell!

"You know what?" she said and her eyes twinkled at her cousin's raised eyebrows. "I think Jessie May is a fool for giving you up for Pete Horne. I'd pick you any day!"

He laughed in response, although she couldn't fail to notice that he looked somewhat wistful. Maybe Jessie May had hurt him more than he let on.

"Something wrong Bo?" she asked him in concern.

He shrugged in response. "I dunno Daisy. I never seem to be able to hang on to one girl. I might think I have met the right one, but something seems to happen and it all falls by the wayside. Luck of the Dukes I guess!"

She had nothing to say to that, after all she too had her fair share of short lived romances in her time; beaus that seemed just right for her then fate seemed to get in the way of that elusive happiness. She understood exactly what he was saying and she squeezed his arm in sympathy. Luke seemed to be having a good time though and she knew that Bo would certainly not begrudge him the happiness of being in the arms of a good woman.

"You need a lift home tonight honey?" she teased her younger cousin.

He winked at her and nodded. Then he decided that if he was going to be here for another couple more hours then he definitely needed some air. So he finished his beer and sauntered out of the Boar's Nest, stopping to make small talk at a couple of tables on the way. Daisy watched him chatting with friends and neighbours, noticing his easy air and how he seemed to always know the right questions to ask, and look like he was listening attentively to the answers, smiling as always or raising a laugh, clapping a friend on the shoulder and winking at the girls. Sure thing, Bo was a catch alright. She hoped that one day soon he would find the right girl who would make him happy.

As he left the bar, the juke box struck up loudly and she returned to her serving and dismissed her musings for now. She was not to know that it was the last time she would see her cousin's smile for a while.

-o0o-

"Jake! Look! Isn't that him coming out now?"

"Sure looks like it!"

"Is he alone?"

"Hang on. Quiet!........Yeah looks that way! Ha ha I told ya we just had to be patient!"

"Dang straight Jake. You was bang on the money. I never thought those two cousins would ever be apart."

They watched quietly while the tall blonde figure stepped out into the night air and looked up at the stars. He stepped away from the lit frontage to get a better look and was oblivious to the men waiting in the black car.

"Whatcha think Jake? Now?"

"Yeah. Let's do this. Just like we planned alright?"

Four men got out the car quietly and made it look like they were strolling towards the door of the Boar's Nest. The star gazer glanced towards them then watched as one of them stole a fleeting look towards him then stopped and stared.

"Hey – are you one of those Duke boys?" he asked in a friendly tone.

"Sure am!" Bo replied and he approached them extending his hand in greeting. "Howdy, my name's Bo. Sorry I don't believe I know you." Bo was brought up to be a friend to strangers and he was exuding the natural charm that he was famous for in these parts.

The man grinned in response. This was going to be so easy.

"You will know me very well soon enough" he said. Bo could not miss the hint of threat in the man's tone of voice and he pulled his hand back, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"Excuse me?" Bo always liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was mistaken and had misread the glint in the man's eye, it being dark 'n'all. He took a step back though, and gauged the distance towards the General Lee, wondering how quickly he could make his escape should the need arise.

"Looking for these?" a voice sneered behind him and Bo realised that he was surrounded by the man's friends. The man who had spoken held something shiny in his hand and he recognised it as the keys to their car, obviously taken from the ignition while they were inside the bar. He felt his heart sink as he realised that this was not going to be a friendly encounter.

Bo turned back to the man who was obviously leading this pack and swallowed nervously.

"Look Mister, I don't know what your game is, but I ain't got anything worth stealing."

"Its OK I ain't gonna rob ya! Actually I got a message for you to deliver." And he drew up close to Bo, looking up at him with an ugly sneer.

"I ain't no messenger boy." Bo tried to make his voice sound angry and not scared. He hoped that he succeeded.

"Oh you will deliver this message whether you like it or not. You ain't got no choice."

Bo glanced to his left and right as the two thugs grabbed onto his arms and he began to struggle within their tight grasps.

"Let go of me!" he shouted, hoping that his raised voice would attract the attention of those inside the Boar's Nest. He continued to struggle, but the two holding him were too strong. His eyes grew wide with fear as their leader drew a switchblade and grinned evilly at him.

"This message is for yer cousin Luke." He hissed at him as Bo began to kick out at those holding him. But their hold on him was too good and they both pinned his legs with theirs. He twisted and turned, trying in vain to get out of this danger. Deep within the recesses of his mind, he wondered how Luke could possibly know this guy.

"What do you want with Luke?" he gasped even while he struggled. The panic in his heart for what was to befall him was compounded by the fear for his cousin's safety. He had to get away and warn Luke. The third man then came up behind him and wrapped his arm around his neck, effectively immobilising him and his breaths came in rapid gasps. Oh God he thought. What's happening?

"Help!" he called. "Someone help!" and he felt a hand clamp over his mouth muffling his screams. He tried to bite the hand around his mouth but the hold on his neck tightened and he had to gasp for air.

"Get on with it Jake!" hissed the voice behind his ear. "Before someone hears."

"Alright already!" and Bo felt Jake's stale breath on his face as he drew in close to him. "You tell that no good cousin of yer's that Jake Cabot says Howdy and that I aim to finish what he started."

As soon as the words were spoken, he plunged the blade into Bo's stomach, watching him coldly as his blue eyes popped open and his features paled with shock. As one the three men holding him dragged him off to the left of the building then pushed him away into the darkness. They stood back and watched as he sank to his knees, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. Then they silently walked away and left him as he collapsed on the ground on his side, huddled around his stomach. Calmly all four of them got in the car and drove away leaving Bo shuddering in shock at the violent attack, taunted by the muted sound of good time music playing within the walls of the Boar's Nest.

No-one had heard his calls.

No-one came out to help.

He was alone in the dark.

-o0o-

Luke Duke's blue eyes crinkled as he smiled at his date. She was pretty, with red bobbed hair and a dusting of freckles to add to her cuteness. And it was clear that she digged him too! He had been flirting with her for a few weeks now and it looked very much like she was enjoying his advances. Even more so since Bo had seen sense to make himself scarce. Good thing too, he had been acting like a wet blanket since he had been dumped by Jessie May. He stole a glance around the bar to see where his cousin had gotten to and frowned slightly when he saw he wasn't there. The song playing on the jukebox had just finished and they could finally hear themselves speak.

"What is it honey?" Megan asked him.

"Lookin to see where Bo's at is all" he replied. "I'm thinkin' he mighta gone home but that leaves me with no ride."

"That's OK honey, I got my Daddy's car tonight, I can drive ya!"

Luke's smile widened further.

"Sweet!" he said. "I'll go let Daisy know that we're going!" and he pecked her on the cheek and sauntered over towards his lovely cousin.

"Hey Luke!" called Daisy as she poured another beer. "If yer lookin' for Bo he went out for some air! He figured he'd be waitin' here a while for me to take him home so you could take the General!"

"Oh! I don't need the General tonight!" he smiled at Daisy's raised eyebrows. "No sir I got me a lift with Megan!" and he glanced over at the slim figure who was chatting with a couple of girlfriends and sneaking glimpses over at him.

"Oh I'll tell Bo when he comes in that he can head on home then!" she said enjoying the fact that Luke was having a good time, and throwing off his cares for once.

"Hmm? Oh no its OK Daisy I'll tell him on the way out."

"Sure thing Luke – but don't be too late home or Uncle Jesse'll tan ya!" she hollered after him as he sauntered back towards his date, waving a hand in response to her.

"You ready?" he held out his hand for the petite red head and she looked up at him in surprise.

"You wanna go home now?" she asked in surprise.

"Maybe not home straight away" he hinted with a smile. "I thought maybe you could show me some sights on the way." He gave her a lopsided smile and she feigned shock.

"Luke Duke, I declare, what kind of woman do you take me for?" But she was smiling and taking his hand as she said those words. She rose and he put his hand around her shoulder and they walked arm in arm out of the Boars Nest and into the balmy Georgia air.

Luke took a deep breath of Hazzard County air as he left the smoky atmosphere and like Bo had done, looked up at the stars. It sure was a beautiful night in Hazzard tonight. And he was glad to be spending it in the company of a beautiful and charming lady. Especially as this particular girl was snuggling close to him as they walked towards her car.

He held the door open for Megan and looked around him. There was no sign of Bo and he wondered if maybe he had decided to climb into the General for a nap. Bo could sleep anywhere and anytime and he would not have put it past him to catch some shuteye while waiting for his cousin.

"Just a sec Megan, I'll just see where Bo got to and let him know that I got a ride home." He didn't wait for a reply and wandered over to the orange car. Seeing the General was empty of Bo, he frowned when he noticed that the ignition was missing its keys too.

"Bo?" he looked around him, wondering where on earth his wayward cousin had got to. "Where are you cuz?"

"Maybe he went back inside." He turned and saw that she had followed him to the car and she was pulling on his hand, urging him to come with her.

"Hmm I'm sure he didn't." Luke was a little confused, and more than slightly annoyed. He was preparing for a good time and didn't want worry for his cousin to spoil it for him. A small niggle started in the back of his neck, and he tried to ignore it. Bo was a grown man. Stop worrying over nothing Luke. He looked at the gorgeous features of Megan Holdsworth and his decision was made.

"Come on Luke, let's go" Megan insisted and she pulled on his hand again. She knew how Bo and Luke were about each other and she didn't want this evening to end for her the way it had for other girls that she knew. Bo could look after himself and it was about time Luke realised this. She reached up and stroked his face with her hand and smiled as he grabbed it and kissed her palm, then reached down to her, pulled her towards him. She had luscious full lips and they were parted in anticipation as he bent down and kissed her. As the kiss strengthened he heard her moan softly with pleasure and at that moment she became the sole focus of his attention. He forgot about his wayward cousin and became aware only of Megan. Grabbing her hand they ran for the car and drove off, parking just a few minutes drive away in a clearing beside Hazzard pond.

-o0o-

He realised that he must have blacked out, because the voices came to him muffled, like they were under a blanket. There was a ringing in his ears and he felt numb with cold. The ground was hard under his face and his knees were drawn up to his chest. He was afraid to move, but he did not know why and struggled to remember what had happened.

"Hmm I'm sure he didn't.."

Luke?

"Come on Luke, lets go"

He heard a soft feminine voice and realised that his cousin must be nearby. He shifted his legs and felt the searing pain in his abdomen, and felt the wet stickiness of his blood on his clothes. Then he remembered everything.

Luke! He was in danger. Some guy called Cabot.

Luke was close. He just had to call out and he would be here and everything would be OK. He would know what to do.

"Luke" He was sure he had shouted, it certainly sounded loud to his ears, but it must not have carried, because he didn't hear any response.

"Luke, help me."

But Luke quite clearly did not hear him and soon he heard a car start up and leave the car park. Then it was quiet again. Maybe if he called out, someone in the Boar's Nest would hear. But his cries were only answered by the ringing of music as the juke box struck up again. There was nothing for it, he needed help. He needed a hospital or he might bleed to death and he had no intention of dying in the dirt behind the Boar's Nest.

He rolled over and managed to get onto his hands and knees. Breathing heavily with exertion, he pressed his hand onto the wound and looked down at it, wincing in pain. His shirt was soaked with blood and it had seeped down to his jeans. It didn't look like it was going to stop bleeding any time soon.

He crawled over to the wall of the bar and levered himself against it as he tried to stand up, gasping in pain as he did so. His breath panting he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

"C'mon Bo you can do this" he cajoled himself and he edged against the wall, moving inch by painful inch. Blood loss, pain, cold, fear and exhaustion all took their toll on the Duke boy and he felt his vision vortex again, and the ringing in his ears grew louder until it drowned out the music in the Boar's Nest. He did not feel the impact of the ground meeting him as he fell.

-o0o-

"Hey Megan! Stop the car sweetheart!"

Megan stopped at the Boar's Nest again and turned to her passenger. Her lips were rosy red with stimulation and her eyes were bright as she regarded the handsome features of Luke Duke. They had had a wonderful time at the Pond, but both knew not to take things too far. Anyway, it meant that she had extracted another date out of him and she was looking forward to next Saturday night.

"What is it Luke?" she asked him.

"The General's still here! I thought Bo would've gone home ages ago"

"Maybe he met someone! You know Bo!" she replied mischievously.

"Yeah maybe. Tell ya what darlin', I'll get off here and get home with Bo. I'll see ya Saturday!" Luke did not want to tell her that his Bo alarm was ringing softly in his head. He kissed her gently and then tapped her nose with his index finger before getting out.

"Sure thing sugar" she replied and drove off.

He stood in the darkness of the car park and wondered what it was that bothered him so much. Then he remembered that the keys were gone from the General, and he had left them in the ignition when they arrived at the Boar's Nest, just like they always did. He walked back to the orange stock car and looked in again, and found that things were unchanged. Something was not right. But what was it? He needed to see Bo. He hoped that he would find his cousin in the thick of things in the Boar's Nest having a good time with some sweet young thing or maybe two. He dismissed the feeling of foreboding that he had ignored his earlier instincts that something was wrong. Bo was fine. He was just being plain silly.

It was then while he was chastising himself for being an overprotective idiot, that he heard a soft moaning and froze, trying to discern where the sound had come from. He ducked his head into the General again and pulled out a flashlight.

"Bo? Is that you?" he played the light around the car next to him then walked past the line of cars that were parked along the wall of the Boar's Nest. "Bo?" He walked towards the sound of moaning again, certain that it had come from round the side of the building.

His blood froze as he spotted the unmistakeable figure of his young cousin scrunched on the ground.

"Dang it Bo, y'alright cuz?" he yelled as he ran over to where he lay, crouching down beside him in an instant. His heart started pounding with fear.

"Luke!" Bo's voice was laced with pain and sounded weak. Even by the light of the torch beam, Luke could see that he was pale and sweating. He touched his forehead and found that he was clammy under his hands.

"What happened?" he asked grimly as he tried to roll Bo over and examine him, then he spotted the blood oozing out from where Bo had his hands pressed onto his belly, and the extensive dark stain on his shirt. "Oh God no! Hang on Bo, just hang on. I'm gonna get help OK?"

"Don't leave me" Bo managed to gasp and it tore Luke's heart out. But he knew that he had to get help for Bo. There was nothing else that mattered.

"I'll only be gone for a few seconds Bo I promise. I'll be right back." And he dashed into the Boar's Nest screaming Daisy's name.

"Call an ambulance! Bo's hurt bad out here. Bring towels. Hurry!" He left without gauging the reaction, although he thought he heard his cousin gasping in shock. True to his word he was back by his cousin's side within seconds.

Bo was shivering, feeling the effects of blood loss and lying out in the night air for goodness knows how long. But now he found himself wrapped up in the warmth of Luke's strong arms.

"Luke" he mumbled and rested his head against his cousin's chest in relief. His breaths were shallow and he could feel his mouth drying up as he struggled to speak.

"I need to see how bad it is Bo" muttered Luke worriedly as he pulled his hands away from the wound and lifted the blood stained shirt up. But in the dark he couldn't make out the extent of the damage amidst the blood that was seeping out too fast on the lower right side of Bo's stomach, just above his hip.

He shifted position so that his cousin's hip was elevated and then pressed down hard on it, resulting in a hiss of pain from Bo.

"Sorry, I gotta try and slow the bleedin'. Hang in there, help's comin'." He kept whispering soothing words to him as he applied more pressure to the wound, ignoring the tears that were streaming from his eyes and his own panicked breaths coming thick and fast as he looked into the stricken features of his beloved younger cousin. He was hardly aware of Daisy's arrival beside him, or of the crowd of onlookers that appeared.

"Bo! My God Bo!" even as Daisy spoke she dove to her knees beside them and began applying a towel over the injury, lifting Luke's hand off to give free access to it with the cloth before pressing it back over it again. "Ambulance is comin'" she said to Luke, her eyes wide as saucers in her face.

"Hear that Bo? It's on its way. Yer gonna be just fine cuz. Ya'll be OK ya hear me?" Luke continued with his litany, trying desperately to keep Bo, and himself, as calm as possible. A disruption in the crowd was heralded by the voice of the hapless Sheriff of Hazzard County.

"Stand aside, stand aside, move on back now. This is yer Sheriff here on official business. Now what y'all gawkin' at. Oh my! That's Bo, er that's em. Hmm that looks bad...."

Luke and Daisy ignored Rosco, focussing all their energy on Bo and keeping him awake.

"Who did it Bo?" Luke had to ask.

" Four of 'em. Tried to fight....too many...."

Luke and Daisy stared at each other in horror as the enormity of what their cousin had gone through struck them.

"When Bo? How long?" Luke knew that the answer would torment him, but he had to know.

"Earlier. Heard you and Meg'n leavin', tried to call...."

Luke closed his eyes in shame. He had walked past his injured cousin two hours ago and left him. Yes unwittingly, unaware that he was needed. But that didn't make him feel any better. Daisy put her hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes and looked into blue eyes that mirrored his feelings of guilt. She had been mere feet away from Bo as he lay there and knew nothing about it.

"Oh Bo!" Daisy whispered. "You've been out here for hours. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Bo's eyes flickered in response, his eyes rolling back in his head as he began to lose the battle for consciousness once again.

"No cuz, no. You got to stay with us now ya hear? Stay with us." Luke's voice betrayed his desperation and panic. As long as Bo was talking he was alive.

"C'bt" came the mumbled answer.

"Wake up Bo!" Luke urged. "What did you say? Come on baby cousin, stay with me. Tell me what you said."

For the life of him Bo tried his hardest to obey his cousin's commands. He knew it was important that he tell Luke who did it. To keep him safe, so he would know who was after him. But man he was tired, so tired.

"Tired. Need to sleep!" he mumbled incoherently.

"I know y'are Bo, but you can't sleep yet. Ya gotta stay with me OK? Just speak to me."

Bo's eyes remained closed and once again he lost consciousness just as the ambulance siren could be heard approaching from the distance.

"Bo!"

Luke lost his own battle for control and Bo's shoulder grew wet with his cousin's tears as he hugged him close.