I'm back home. Once again, the characters from The Dukes of Hazzard don't belong to me. This story is being written for pleasure and not for profit. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing.

Chapter Eight

Lost Memories

"Luke! Come on, Luke. Where are you? Luke!"

Luke heard the urgent calling of his name. Bo needed him. He was sure of that. He was finding it hard to concentrate and focus but he was sure Bo needed him. He stopped and tried to pull away from Laura's tight grip.

"Bo…needs me. Gotta go…to…him."

"No," Laura said frantically. "We've got to get out of here before he sees us. We've got to get away from here."

"Bo needs…me," Luke said again, trying to pull away. "Gotta…help…him."

"He doesn't need you," Laura insisted. "He wants to hurt you."

"Bo hurt…me?" Luke asked confused.

"Yes," Laura insisted. "He wants to hurt you."

"No…he…needs me."

Luke tried to pull away from Laura to find Bo but she had a tight grip on him. Laura was confusing him. Bo wouldn't hurt him. Bo needed him. He needed to get to Bo.

When Bo came around the side of the Boar's Nest, he saw Luke leaning against a woman. It looked like they were embracing. Luke was with a woman. Bo's worry quickly turned to irrational annoyance at his cousin for not being in trouble, and at Daisy for sending him out looking for Luke who obviously didn't need him. He was about to go back inside when he saw Luke swaying on his feet in danger of falling as the woman tried to support his weight. He rushed over and grabbed Luke under his arm just as he was beginning to fall. Luke leaned heavily into him as Laura reluctantly released her tight grip. She knew she had no choice.

"Daisy sure was right," Bo muttered as he held up his cousin. "You are drunk."

Luke leaned heavily against Bo. He asked, "You okay, Bo?"

"I'm just fine, Lukas," Bo answered.

"You…need help?" Luke asked slowly.

"No, Luke. I don't need no help. I'm just fine. There ain't nothing wrong with me. You're the one who ain't so fine. You must've been chugging them down to get in this state. How much did you drink?"

"I…I…ain't…been…drinking…much."

Bo shook his head. "Sure you ain't. Let's get you home. Uncle Jesse's gonna have a fit when he sees you drunk like this."

"I ain't…drunk," Luke muttered.

"I hate to break it to you, cousin, but you are drunk," Bo said.

Bo looked over at Laura. "Sorry about this. Thanks for helping my cousin here. Luke ain't usually like this. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"Not at all," Laura answered trying to hide her disappointment and frustration that her plans were ruined for the night. She would have to wait. She was worried about what might happen to Luke when he got home but there wasn't anything she could do to protect him right now. She wished she could've saved him.

"You look familiar. Do I know you?" Bo asked.

"I work at the bank," Laura answered coldly.

Bo gave her a smile. "Of course. Miss Dawson, ain't it? I hardly recognized you out of the bank. Funny how people look different when they're out of their familiar places. Thanks for helping Luke here. Sorry about this. It ain't like him to get this drunk. I best get him home"

Laura watched Bo practically carry Luke to their car. Her anger began to build. She was furious at Bo for taking Luke away from her. He was trying to keep her form Luke. He was the reason Luke wanted to keep their affair secret. She had to protect Luke from him somehow. She had to find a way to protect Luke from his family. She wouldn't allow any one of them to destroy her relationship with Luke. She would protect her love. She wouldn't let Bo take Luke away from her again.

Laura slammed the passenger door shut on her car before walking around to the driver's side. When she sat down, she gripped the steering wheel so tight that her fingers turned white. She was furious. Next time. She would save Luke next time. She stepped on the accelerator and raced out of the parking lot. She would have to make better plans.

Bo helped Luke through the General's window with difficulty. Once he sat in the driver's seat, he said with some annoyance, "You picked a bad time to get drunk, cousin. I was having a great time with Marylee and you ruined my night."

"I'm s…s…s….sorry," Luke slurred.

Luke sounded so pathetic that Bo felt sorry for him. "It's all right. I guess I done spoiled a night or two for you. Just don't let it happen again. You'll walk home next time."

When Luke didn't respond, Bo looked over at him. He was passed out cold. Bo sighed. "How much did you manage to drink in one hour? Must've been guzzling them down. Uncle Jesse ain't gonna be too pleased with you coming home this sloshed."

When they got to the farm, Bo struggled getting Luke out of the car once he was able to wake him. He considered carrying Luke into the house but decided that wouldn't look good. It would be best if Luke walked under his own power but that wasn't happening. Getting Luke past Jesse without him noticing wasn't going to be easy. Judging by the lights on in the living room, it was going to be impossible. Jesse was in his easy chair watching television.

As they came in the back door, Luke wasn't managing a straight line. He wasn't managing any line at all. He leaned heavily on Bo, hardly aware of where he was.

When Jesse saw his nephews, he asked, "What're you boys doing back so soon?"

Jesse got up when he saw the condition Luke was in. He asked with concern, "What's the matter with him? Is he sick?"

Bo sighed. "No, sir. He ain't sick. He just had a little too much to drink."

"I'd say he had a lot too much to drink." Jesse shook his head in disapproval. "He can't even stand on his own. How much did he drink?"

"I don't exactly know, Uncle Jesse."

Jesse shook his head again. "Get him to bed, Bo."

"Uncle Jesse—"

Jesse quickly cut Bo off. "Now don't you be making no excuses for him. He knows better than to drink that much in so short a time. Judging by the condition he's in, he must've been drinking the hard stuff and drinking it fast. There ain't no excuse for that. I ain't seen him this drunk since he was sixteen and did it for the first time."

"I remember. I'll bet Luke still remembers the consequences." The memory made Bo wince and become protective of his older cousin. "Uncle Jesse, you know Luke's been upset lately about this woman watching him. He didn't even want to go out tonight. I practically had to drag him out while you pushed from behind. If it wasn't for us, he'd be sitting here watching TV with you. It's sort of our fault in a way. Don't be too mad at him."

"We might've sent him out but we didn't make him drink like this. Drinking too much don't help none. Go, on. Get him to bed because no matter how bad he feels in the morning, he still has to get up for chores."

When he saw the distress on Bo's face, Jesse added, "And don't you worry. I ain't mad at him but that don't mean there ain't natural consequences of drinking like this and a hangover ain't no excuse to shirk your responsibilities. I'm pretty sure he's gonna regret the decisions he made tonight in the morning."

Bo sighed. What his uncle said was true. He swayed a little under the weight of Luke leaning against him. He sure wouldn't want to be in Luke's shoes in the morning. He had been there before. Uncle Jesse didn't take a hangover as an excuse to stay in bed when there was work to do on the farm. And there were always work to do.

"Okay, Uncle Jesse. I'm going to make sure he gets into bed. Then I think I'll sit and watch TV with you. Don't feel much like going back out now that I'm home."

"Okay, Bo." Jesse squeezed Luke's shoulder and shook his head again. Luke didn't seem aware of either one of them.

"Good night, Luke," Jesse said as he watched Bo practically carry Luke to their room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Luke. Come on, Luke. Time to get up. Luke!"

Luke struggled to open his eyes. He heard the persistent calling of his name that was making his head pound as it got louder. Someone was shaking him causing his stomach to turn. He finally opened his eyes and tried to focus on the worried face floating above him.

"Bo?"

"How much did you drink last night, Luke? I've been trying to get you up for the last ten minutes. Uncle Jesse's gonna have a fit if we ain't at the table in the next few minutes. Come on. Get up."

Luke carefully eased himself up and sat on the side of his bed. He ran his hands through his hair and then rested his elbows on his knees, still holding his head, which was spinning and pounding. He felt disoriented and nauseous. If only the room would stop moving.

"Come on, Luke. Breakfast is ready."

"I don't feel so good. I don't want breakfast. I don't think I could keep anything down," Luke moaned.

Bo sat down on the bed next to his cousin and put his arm around Luke's shoulder.

"I ain't surprised," Bo said with sympathy. "Considering the shape you were in last night. But you know how Uncle Jesse feels about hangovers."

Luke groaned. "Hangover? I ain't got a hangover. I only had a couple of beers, far as I remember."

Bo smiled. "Far as you don't remember, you must've had a whole lot more and it must've been more than beer cause you were drunk as a skunk when I carried you home last night. And you do have a hangover."

"You carried me home?" Luke asked in dismay.

"Sure did. And stripped you down to your boxers to put you to bed. You sure are easy, cousin," Bo laughed. He added a little more seriously, "And I'm sorry, but I couldn't sneak you in past Uncle Jesse."

Luke cringed. This was getting worse. He asked quietly, "Was he mad?"

"Annoyed maybe. He wasn't mad but he did say that he hasn't seen you drunk like that since you was sixteen and got drunk for the first time." When he saw the worry cross Luke's face, Bo added with a smile, "Don't worry, cousin. I'm pretty sure you're too old for him to put you over his knee this time. Pretty sure but not certain."

Bo thought he felt Luke tremble and decided this wasn't the time to tease him. He said, "I ain't serious, Luke, but Uncle Jesse does expect you to do the morning chores. So we best get going."

Bo stood. He offered his hand and pulled Luke to his feet. He held on until Luke steadied himself.

"I'll be right there," Luke said. "I just need to throw some water on my face…after I throw up."

"You need to throw some clothes on, too, unless you're planning on showing up at breakfast with just your boxers on."

Luke looked down as if he didn't realize that he wasn't dressed. Bo was worried about how confused his cousin seemed. He wondered how he hadn't noticed Luke getting that drunk last night. Of course, his attention was on Marylee when he should've been paying a little more attention to Luke. But Luke had been talking to some woman at the bar and his older cousin seldom needed babysitting. Still, he dragged Luke out last night and he shouldn't have left him to spend the night with Marylee.

Bo shook his head as he watched Luke carefully make his way across the room to gather some clothes before heading to the bathroom. He couldn't resist some teasing again. "You know, Luke, you can't fly with the eagles in the morning, if you hoot with the owls at night."

"Ain't funny, Bo."

"It is a little."

"Ain't," Luke mumbled in an attempt to get in the last word.

Bo laughed. At least Luke had a little fight in him. He'd be just fine tomorrow although today was bound to be difficult for him. Bo smelled bacon and headed to the kitchen. He said, "I guess there'll be more for me to eat this morning."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luke felt another wave of nausea as the smell of bacon and eggs greeted him when he entered the kitchen. Jesse, Bo and Daisy were already sitting at the table eating breakfast.

Luke said, "Morning, Uncle Jesse. Daisy."

Daisy quickly got up and went to the stove to make Luke a plate.

"No thank you, darling. I think I'll just have some coffee this morning."

Daisy kissed Luke's cheek. "You sit down. I'll get your coffee."

"Thanks, Daisy."

Luke sat down next to Bo and cautiously looked at his uncle, trying to gage his mood. He couldn't read his uncle's expression so he simply said, "I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse."

Jesse looked at his nephew intending to deliver a long, stern lecture on the evils of drinking too much. The dark circles under Luke's eyes made the paleness of his face pronounced. His hair was more disheveled than usual. He looked so miserable that Jesse took pity on him. He gently patted Luke's arm. "Just don't make a habit of it."

Luke managed a small smile. "I won't."

Daisy placed the coffee mug down in front of Luke. She said, "You spent a lot of time talking to Laura Dawson last night." She winked over at Bo. "Will you be taking her out?"

Luke looked puzzled for a minute until he focused his memory. At least he remembered some of last night. He didn't know how he got home but he remembered going to the Boar's Nest.

He said quietly, "I won't be asking her out. She's my secret admirer."

"What?" Bo asked with disbelief. "The bank teller? That shy girl? She's the one sending you the presents and notes. She's the one stalking you."

"I wouldn't call it stalking exactly," Luke said.

"Then what exactly would you call it?" Bo asked, shocked that his cousin was defending the woman.

"I don't know, Bo. She seemed kind of lonely to me. I felt sorry for her."

"Why would you feel sorry for her after all she put you through?" Bo asked incredulously. "What happened last night?"

Luke sighed. "Tell you the truth, I can't remember much about last night but I do remember that she told me it was her and that she loved me. She was wearing the other half of that heart. I don't understand how she can feel that way. Before last night, I barely talked to her and that was only to say hello or do business in the bank."

"Did you let her have it for stalking you?" Bo asked.

"No, Bo, I didn't. I mean, I don't think I did. Like I said, she seemed sad. I felt sorry for her."

"She's stalking you and you feel sorry for her?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't think she's stalking me. I don't think she meant any harm. She told me that she loved me. She seemed lonely."

"Maybe she really is in love with you, Luke," Daisy said. "You know, love at first sight."

"Now, Daisy, even if that is true, that don't excuse her behavior," Jesse said. He turned to Luke. "What did you tell her? Did you set her straight on how you feel?'

Luke's face reddened. "Uncle Jesse, I don't really remember what I told her or what else she said to me after she told me who she was."

Jesse shook his head. He hadn't intended to lecture his nephew but he couldn't help it. "I hope this'll be a good lesson to you, son. You can't be drinking so much that you can't even remember what you did and what you said. There ain't no excuse for that. Now you're going to have to see her again and get this cleared up."

"I'm sure I told her that I didn't love her…least I think I did."

"You have to do the right thing and talk to her again," Jesse insisted. He added disapprovingly, "Especially since you can't seem to remember much of what you said or did last night. You've got to return that heart, too."

"Yes, sir. I know," Luke said with resignation.

When he felt another wave of nausea, Luke quickly excused himself and ran to the bathroom.

Jesse shook his head again. "Let that be a lesson for you two," he said as he pointed a finger at Bo and then Daisy. "If you're gonna drink, you need to do it responsibly or you'll end up like Luke there throwing up in the bathroom and not remembering how you got there."

As he got up from the table, Jesse muttered, "I've always told that boy to set an example for you two but this surely ain't what I meant."

Bo got up to follow his uncle out. He whispered to Daisy, "I better get started on the chores and get as much done as I can before Luke joins me. He ain't gonna be able to manage much in his condition."

Daisy kissed Bo's cheek. "You're a good cousin, Bo."

"I should've been a better one last night and kept on eye on Luke. Ain't nothing Luke wouldn't do for me or you. Try to keep him here as long as you can without Uncle Jesse noticing."

"Okay, sugar. We'll get our wayward cousin through this."

Bo smiled. "Just takes a little team work."

"And we are a good team," Daisy agreed.

"That we are," Bo said. He hurried out to start the chores.