Hi! I know I'm going out of order with the posting here, but this story is almost done and the other one – well, it isn't:) So, I thought I'd post this while I work on the other one. Hope you like it. Thanks for all the feedback – really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.

UNCLE, UNCLE

CHAPTER 7

WILL THE REAL DAISY DUKE PLEASE STAND UP

"Luke? Do you hear that?" Bo asked, rolling over in his bed.

Luke was already on his feet. "I sure do," he replied.

"What do you think is going on?" Bo asked, throwing back the covers and catapulting himself up.

"I don't know, but I aim to find out. Where' the baseball bat?" Luke asked.

Bo went to the corner of their room and retrieved it, handing it to his cousin. He was now fully awake, following Luke as they quietly exited the bedroom. It was three o'clock in the morning, and something was making a ruckus.

The first thing that they noticed was that the lights were on in both the living room and in the kitchen. "Boy, some burglar picked the wrong house to rob," Bo observed.

"Must be a dumb one, too. Who turns on all the lights when they're robbing a place?" Luke pondered. "C'mon. Whoever it is, they're in the kitchen."

Creeping through the living room, Luke extended his neck so that he could see what was taking place. Relaxing his shoulders, he gave Bo a strange look. Bo peeked around his oldest cousin, reacting much the same way. They were puzzled at what they were seeing.

The counter was laid out with all types of food. There was a frying pan on the stove, and something was already sizzling in it. The person making all the noise was none other than their cousin, Daisy. Dressed in a robe and slippers, she was as busy as a beaver, despite the late hour.

"Daisy?" Luke asked.

Jumping back at the sound of his voice, Daisy quickly recovered. "Oh, hi guys! What are you doing up? I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, we always run around the house in the middle of the night carrying a baseball bat," Luke told her.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"What the heck are you doing?" Bo asked.

"Cooking," she told him sweetly.

"I can see that, but why are you cooking at three in the morning?" he asked, expanding his original question.

"Cause I'm hungry, silly. I'm just dying for a Bacon and Fried Egg sandwich. I couldn't sleep for thinking about it," she informed them.

"Well, that makes three of us," Luke mumbled.

"Hey, ya'll want one?"

Bo and Luke looked at each other. They both liked bacon, and they both liked eggs, but unlike their uncle and cousin, neither of them had ever been crazy about putting them together in a sandwich, especially at three in the morning.

"Ah, no thanks, honey," Bo declined for the both of them.

"Okay, your loss," she told them.

Since they were up, the boys decided to keep Daisy company while she created and enjoyed her masterpiece. Settling for a glass of milk, both of the boys sat at the table and watched her gobble two sandwiches. Grateful that she hadn't decided to do the dishes before going back to bed, they were pleased when she said she thought she could sleep. Bidding her goodnight, the boys went back to their room.

"You think she's gonna do this every night, cuz?"

"God, I hope not," Luke responded.

"Guess those cravings must be real, after all," Bo commented.

"Yeah well, we better make sure we got plenty of eggs, bread, and bacon in the house, plus anything else she seems to have a hankering for," Luke said.

"Why?" Bo asked.

"Cause otherwise, one of us is gonna end up making a trip to Capitol City, in the middle of the night, to the 24 hour store," Luke said, punching his pillow into place.

"Good point!" Bo agreed, as he too, arranged his pillow and turned to face the wall.

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Thanks to Luke's insight, the boys made sure to keep all of Daisy's favorite foods on hand. It had, indeed, saved them on a few occasions from having to make a long drive by moonlight. In what was becoming a ritual, Daisy got up almost every night at a bewitching hour to satisfy her strange yearnings. After the first couple nights, the boys stopped getting up with her. She was quite competent in the kitchen, and didn't need their help. They were, however, still awakened.

"Luke, you think this is gonna go on right up til the baby is born?" Bo asked in a fearful voice.

"How should I know, Bo? Do I look like a pregnancy expert?"

"No, it's just that you're older so I thought you might know," Bo replied in a contrite voice.

"Well, I don't!" Luke snapped.

After listening to the dishes rattle around some more, the brunette apologized. "Oh geez, Bo, I'm sorry. I'm just tired from these nightly wake-up calls, but I know you are, too. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"That's ok. I know."

"I guess we're in the same boat. I just don't know if I can handle this for much longer," Luke said, yawning as he did.

"I hear ya," Bo said, yawning himself. "I just wish she could be a little quieter."

They'd become familiar with her routine, and since she made it loud enough, they knew exactly what she was doing at any given moment. They both sighed in relief when they recognized the familiar sounds of her getting ready to return to her room.

"Well cuz, goodnight again. See you in a couple of hours."

"Yep. Goodnight, Luke."

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"Aaaahhhh!"

The scream made Bo and Luke's blood run cold. Leaping to their feet, they were fighting with each other to get to Daisy's room first. Scared of what they would find, they flung the door open, stopping at the sight before them.

Daisy was standing in front of the mirror, sideways. Though dressed, her shirt was pulled up, exposing a belly that was now big enough that it looked like it would hurt. Thankfully, she didn't appear to be harmed.

"Daisy? What's the matter?" Luke finally asked.

"It's terrible!" she wailed.

"What is?" they both asked, moving closer to her as the fear welled up inside of them again.

"This!" she said, pointing to her pouch.

"What?" Bo asked, not knowing what she was talking about.

"A stretch mark!" she informed them, sounding like it was the end of the world.

"Honey, I don't even see what you're talking about," Bo said, as he and Luke squinted to find the source of Daisy's anguish.

"It's right here, Bo Duke!" she yelled. "And, it's ugly. I bought a cream that Mary Beth at the General store assured me would prevent this from happening. Well, I'm going into town, and demanding a refund," she stated emphatically. Pulling her shirt back down, she covered her face with her hands, crying hysterically.

Bo put his arms around her, trying to comfort her as he looked at Luke. The older cousin raised his finger to his head and started making little circles to indicate that Daisy had lost her mind. She would go from one extreme to the other in a matter of seconds, and the boys just couldn't keep up with her mood swings. The blonde nodded his agreement, as he continued to hold her, rubbing her back. Then he did something that they were both getting very good at; he said the wrong thing.

"It's ok, Daisy. Everything's all right," he whispered.

Pushing him away from her, she glared at him. "All right? No Bo, this is not alright. I'm going to see Mary Beth about my refund," Daisy stated, grabbing the jar of lotion and her car keys, and storming out of the house.

"Do you know what just happened here?" Bo asked, seeking advice from his cousin.

"Yeah, we've been transported into the Twilight Zone," Luke informed him. "I don't know about you, cuz, but I need a beer with Cooter down at the Boar's Nest. Daisy's not working today."

"Sounds real good to me," Bo agreed.

Calling Cooter on the CB to meet them, the General was wasting no time in getting there. As it was tearing up the roads of Hazzard, Bo turned to Luke. "Luke...ah, you don't think she'll be like this after the baby is born do you?"

Luke's eyes grew wide as he contemplated the thought. "Better make that two beers," he said.

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Daisy knew she was an emotional basketcase. She was nothing but raging hormones and the boys were getting the brunt of it. She hated it, but it was like a faucet she couldn't turn off. After one of her little dramas, she always felt bad. Then she always fixed the boys a nice dinner as her way of saying she was sorry.

That night was no exception. After getting her money back from the clerk, she calmed down enough to know that she'd behaved terribly. Even Mary Beth had given her a fearful look as she ranted and raved at the poor woman. Daisy knew that she'd only been granted the refund because the woman was truly afraid to tell her 'no.' Making a mental note to apologize to her friend the next time she saw her, now she had to make it up to the boys.

Bo and Luke thought about eating at The Boar's Nest that night. Staying there seemed like a much more pleasant choice than finding out what kind of mood their expecting cousin would be in when they got home. Cooter laughed as they told him what had happened, wishing them well but sending them on their way. When they walked in the house, they were greeted by a set table, wonderful aroma, and a very contriteful cousin.

"Oh look guys. I know I was wrong. I just don't know what gets into me. I'm real sorry," Daisy told them.

"That's ok," they assured her.

"I don't know why ya'll put up with me, but I sure don't know what I'd do if you didn't. I love you guys, so much."

"We love you, too, Daisy," they both told her, still haunted by Bo's question as to whether this was permanent or temporary.

By the time they were finished with their dinner, all had been forgotten, until the next go around. They'd had a pleasant supper, and while they enjoyed dessert, Luke thought that was as good a time as any to bring up something he'd been thinking about for a while. It was an issue they needed to address, and they were running out of time.

To date, they really hadn't done anything with Jesse's room. They'd cleaned out the drawers and closet, donating his clothes to the needy, but the room was very much the way it had been while their uncle was alive. None of them had ever wanted to discuss what should be done with it. Despite giving the boys each their own room, neither Bo or Luke were comfortable about moving into it. However, it was time to move on, the way that Jesse would have wanted them to, and with a new Duke on the way, Luke thought he had the perfect solution.

"Daisy, have you thought about where you're gonna put the baby, yet?"

"I hear the barn's real nice," Bo laughed, holding his breath to see if his cousin would be mad or amused. He was extremely thankful when she started laughing.

"Bo! I can't believe you. You'd put your own niece or nephew, well cousin, in the barn?"

"I was just kidding, honey," he said.

"I know," she teased. Turning to Luke, she answered. "Well sure, the baby will stay with me," she said.

"Well yeah, I mean I guessed that, for a while, but I was talking more permanent," Luke stated.

"No, I guess I hadn't really thought about that. Why?"

"Well, I've got an idea. You might not like it, either of you, at first, but it just might help all of us," Luke told them.

"Your ideas are always great, Luke. Whatch ya thinking?" Bo asked, his curiousity running wild.

"Well," Luke said, taking a deep breath, "I was thinking that this baby is going to need a room of it's own, eventually. It won't be a baby forever, and well, we sort of have an extra one." He paused a minute, letting them catch up. "What if we made Uncle Jesse's room into a nursery for the little guy or gal?"

For a minute, they all sat in silence. As long as the room remained in tact, they could each pretend that Uncle Jesse wasn't really gone. They knew he was, but it was just a little mind game they could play with themselves. Clearing it out would really be like losing their uncle forever.

"Gee Luke, I don't know," Daisy said, biting on her bottom lip.

"Honey, I know what you're thinking. You too, Bo, but Uncle Jesse will always be with us, in here," he said, pointing to his heart. "Keeping a room like a museum doesn't keep him close, our memories do that. It just seems that since we need the room, it would make sense, and you know that if he were here, he'd tell you it was silly to let that space go to waste. I think he'd be kind of proud to have the newest Duke in his room, and it might help us, too; all of us."

Bo thought about it, and found that he liked the idea. "I think it's a great idea, Luke."

Luke smiled at him, conveying his thanks for his support. Then they both turned to Daisy. "Well?" Luke asked.

"I appreciate the offer, Luke, and I agree that it's time to do something with the room, but I just feel bad thinking that you two share a room while I've got my own, and now my baby would have that big room. Why don't one of you take it?"

"Well, I don't know about Luke, but I don't think I could sleep without Luke's snoring close by," Bo laughed.

"Laugh it up, Bo."

"Thanks, I am," he told him.

"Daisy, we've been sharing a room since we were kids. Bo doesn't want it, and I don't either," Luke assured her. He already felt the weight of trying to replace Jesse as the head of the family. Moving into his old bedroom would have only compounded the conflict.

"Yeah, it'd be to hard to move everything, anyway, or try to split it up," Bo added.

"I wouldn't worry about the size of the room being too big," Luke commented. "It could serve as a nursery now, and then later on as a combination bedroom and playroom. Really, it's the only space we have that can be dedicated to a kid, and I have a feeling they're gonna need that room if Bo here keeps buying all the toys and animals like he has been."

"Ah, hey cuz! I wouldn't talk if I were you. You've contributed quite a bit to that growing pile, too," Bo informed him.

"I know," Luke smirked, before turning back to Daisy. "So, what do you say?"

Daisy looked at her cousins, tears in her eyes. They feared a spontaneous mood change approaching, hoping that they weren't going to get a tongue lashing for disturbing Jesse Duke's room.

"I think I've got the best cousins in the whole wide world," Daisy said. "If you're sure you don't want it, I think it's a wonderful idea. Thank you so much," she said, leaning over to grab Bo before going over to Luke. As if in agreement, baby Duke started kicking up a storm.

"No need for thanks," Bo said. "Seventeen years from now, when junior there will be getting calls from every football coach in the country wanting him to be a kicker on their team, he can take care of his Uncle Bo and Uncle Luke," the blonde giggled.