Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out Of Character)

Rating: FRT

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 14

"Hello," Cooter answered the phone, slightly out of breath from the short run into the house.

"Hey Cooter," Bo quietly greeted his friend.

"Hey Bo, how ya doing buddyro?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Bo replied. "Luke's plan worked, Delbert made his move last night."

"So Rosco caught him?"

"Actually Rosco killed him, it was the only way he could keep me from being killed."

"What?" Cooter yelled, shocked by the news. "Just what exactly happened over there Bo?"

"Delbert came into the house last night, I woke up with him standing over me with a knife and Rosco yelling freeze. He didn't stop though, he just looked at Rosco and grinnned, then he tried to stab me. Somehow Rosco ended up between the beds and shot Penny, though I don't really remember that part, guess I was in shock or something."

"Damn, that must've been pretty upsetting. Is there anything I can do?" Cooter asked, worried for his friend.

"It was and yeah there is. If you don't mind that is, um, Cooter could I come stay at your place a while longer?" Bo asked, gripping the phone tightly, afraid that Cooter would turn him down.

"Of course you can Bo. I guess that means things didn't go too well with Uncle Jesse?"

"No, not that he did anything, it's just I'm not ready to be here yet. Could we talk about this later? I really don't want to get into it on the phone."

"Sure Bo, you don't owe me any explanation. You want me to come and get you, or is Luke gonna bring you over?"

"I guess I'll just have Luke bring me over, to the house right?"

"Yeah that'd be fine, when do ya think you'll be here?"

"I was thinking I'd have Luke bring me now, if that's okay?"

"That's fine Bo, I'll have breakfast waiting when ya get here," Cooter answered, hating the uncertainity he could hear in Bo's voice.

"Thanks Cooter, see ya soon," Bo said before disconnecting the call. Turning around he saw Luke standing there, Bo's suitcase in his hand.

"I packed for ya Bo, didn't think you'd want to go back in the bedroom right now," Luke explained.

"Thanks Luke," Bo said. "Cooter said I could come over now if I want, do ya think you could give me a ride?"

"Yeah I can do that Bo, but don't you want to have breakfast first?" Luke asked, still hoping that Bo would change his mind.

"Cooter said he'd have breakfast waiting when I got there," Bo answered. "If you don't want to take me it's okay, I'll find some other way."

"It's not that Bo, I just ain't in any hurry to see you go," Luke explained, his voice thick with emotion.

"I ain't planning to stay gone forever Luke, I just need some time," Bo told him, stepping to his cousin's side and giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

"You gonna tell Daisy and Uncle Jesse goodbye?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Bo said, moving towards the kitchen where Daisy was busy cooking. Watching as his cousin moved around the kitchen, deftly preparing breakfast, Bo hated to upset her, but he knew he couldn't stay here. "Daisy? I called Cooter and he said it was okay for me to stay there. Aw Daisy, please don't cry I can't stand the thought of upsetting ya," Bo plead, walking to her and gently brushing a tear from her cheek.

"I'm okay Bo, I hope you're planning to come home again," Daisy half-said and half-asked.

"I will, I just need time. I know you and Luke don't really understand why I can't stay here now that I know Uncle Jesse was drugged. I'm not sure I can explain it, I just know that right now I'm too scared and mixed up to be here. I do want to see all of ya's though and that includes Uncle Jesse, I need to see ya's so I can get better. I just can't do it here," Bo explained, hoping that both of his cousins would understand.

"I know Bo, and I'm trying to understand. Are you going to stay for breakfast?" Daisy asked, willing her tears to stop and pasting a smile on her face.

"Nah, Cooter said he'd have breakfast waiting," Bo replied. "Luke, do you know where Uncle Jesse is?" Bo asked, turning back to his oldest cousin.

"I think he's outside. You want me to come with you?"

"No, but maybe if you were nearby I'd be less nervous."

"Okay, come on then," Luke said, leading the way outside. Luke walked over to stand beside the General, waiting while Bo cautiously approached where their uncle sat at the picnic table.

"UnUncle Jesse? I, uh called Cooter, Luke's gonna take me over there now," Bo explained. "I didn't want to leave without saying bye, and, um, I do want to see you, maybe at the garage..." Bo trailed off, flinching when Jesse stood up.

Jesse abruptly sat back down, hating that look of fear on his boy's face. "I wasn't gonna hurt ya Bo, I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye."

"I'm ssssorry Uncle Jjjjesse, I didn't mean it," Bo stuttered out, trying to bring his fear under control. "Maybe I could give you a hug," Bo suggested, hating the look of hurt in his uncle's eyes.

"I'd like that sprout," Jesse replied, slowly spreading his arms and waiting for Bo to make the next move.

Steeling himself, Bo took two steps forward. Pausing, he drew in a deep calming breath and took two more steps. Leaning down, he carefully wrapped his arms around his uncle, giving him a light hug. Straightening back up, Bo looked down at Jesse, a sad smile on his face, "Bye Uncle Jesse, see you later?"

"Yeah you will, we're gonna find a way to heal both of us," Jesse assured his nephew. Jesse sadly watched as Bo walked back to his oldest cousin's side and climbed into the General.

"Hey Bo," Cooter greeted the younger man when he climbed out of the General. "Luke you gonna stay to breakfast?"

"I don't think so Cooter, Daisy was cooking when we left," Luke replied, handing Bo's suitcase out the window to his cousin. "Bo, I'll be by the garage later, okay?"

"Yeah, see ya later Luke," Bo answered, stepping back from the car and watching as Luke drove away. Though it saddened him to see Luke go, Bo couldn't help noticing that he felt relaxed for the first time in days. "So Cooter, you said something about breakfast," he commented, trying to act normally.

"I did, come on in I just put it on the table when y'all pulled up." Cooter told him. Clapping one hand on Bo's shoulder, he steered the younger man towards the house.

Cooter sat down at the table and began dishing up the food. Making himself wait to ask the questions that were weighing on his mind, Cooter passed the food over to Bo before beginning to eat. For several minutes neither man spoke, the one watching worriedly as the other simply pushed the food around his plate. "You want to talk about it?" Cooter asked, unable to take any more of seeing Bo so obviously upset.

"Not really, but I guess you deserve to know," Bo answered, never raising his eyes from the table.

"Bo you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but maybe it'd help. You said earlier that things didn't go too well with Uncle Jesse..."

"No they didn't, but it wasn't cause he did anything. I couldn't even sleep the first night, I kept expecting Uncle Jesse to come in anytime and hurt me again. He never did, and I keep telling myself that he was drugged and brainwashed, but it ain't working. Everytime I close my eyes I see him standing over me, or I hear him telling me what a horrible person I am. I want to believe that Luke's right, that Uncle Jesse didn't have any control over what was happening, but I can't, and it hurts. It hurts more than I can explain, and I don't know how to fix it," Bo told him, barely choking back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Well Luke said he'd be by the garage later, what about Daisy and Jesse?"

"They probably won't be with him today," Bo replied.

"But are ya planning to see them at all, or are ya leaving the farm for good?"

"No I wasn't figuring on being gone forever, I just need some time. If it's okay with you, Daisy and Uncle Jesse will probably come by the garage a fair amount, until I'm ready to go home."

"Course it's okay with me Bo, and I'd say that what you just said means you're on the way to fixing it," Cooter pointed out.

"I suppose," Bo agreed, sounding as though he wasn't sure he believed it. "I want ya to know too that I appreciate you letting me stay here Cooter."

"Bo, you're my friend, of course I'm gonna help ya anyway that I can," Cooter told him, reaching across the table and gently gripping Bo's hand.

Giving a small smile to the mechanic, Bo once again picked up his fork and forced himself to begin eating. Finishing breakfast, Bo stood up and carried his dishes to the sink. Quickly washing them, he put them away before picking up his suitcase and carrying it to the spare room. Coming back out a few minutes later, he saw Cooter standing at the sink washing up the pots and pans. Kicking himself for not thinking to do them, Bo grabbed a dish towel and began to dry the dishes as Cooter washed. "Sorry Cooter," he quietly apologized as he dried the skillet.

"Sorry? For what?" Cooter asked, confused by the apology.

"I should've thought to wash the pots and pans, not just my own dishes."

"It's okay Bo, you don't need to apologize for that. I sure wasn't bothered by it," Cooter assured him. "Tell ya what, if it'll make ya feel better I'll let you finish up while I wipe the table off, then we can go to the garage."

"Okay," Bo agreed, taking the dishcloth from Cooter's hand and moving to the other sink.

"Uncle Jesse aren't you going to eat?" Daisy asked after several minutes of watching her uncle push his food around the plate.

"What? I'm not very hungry, I think I'll just go out to the back forty, I got some fence repairs to make," Jesse replied. Standing up, he move to the back door and grabbed his keys from the hook.

"What are we gonna do Luke?" Daisy asked.

"The only thing we can do Daisy, be here for both of them and wait," Luke replied, knowing it wasn't much of an answer.

"I guess you're right, but I can't help wishing there was more we could do."

"Yeah, me too. Well I got some chores to do before I can go into town," Luke said, standing up and carrying his plate to the sink. "You gonna come with me when I go?"

"Do you think I should? I don't want Bo to feel like we're ganging up on him," Daisy explained.

"I don't think he'll mind Daisy, but it's up to you."

"I'll think about it, ask me again before you leave," Daisy said. Running water into the sink, she added soap and began to wash the dishes as Luke headed outside for his own chores.

Just after lunch the roar of a powerful engine caught Bo's attention. Recognizing the General's distinctive motor, Bo turned towards the front of the garage, nervously waiting for Luke to come inside. Bo nearly dropped the screwdriver he still held, when he saw Daisy coming into the garage. "Hey Daisy, I thought you were Luke," Bo greeted, trying to hide his disappointment.

"He's outside talking to Cooter, he'll be in soon," Daisy explained, quietly ignoring the relieved look that crossed her cousin's face.

"So...um I didn't know you were coming along."

"Luke asked me if I wanted to, I can go if you don't want us both here," Daisy reluctantly offered.

"No! I mean you don't have to go, I just wasn't expecting you that's all."

"Bo, everything okay in here?" Luke asked as he came into the garage after Bo's yell.

"Huh? Yeah I just um..."

"Everything's fine Luke, Bo was just a little surprised by something I said, that's all," Daisy explained.

"So what are ya working on cousin?" Luke asked, nodding to the screwdriver in Bo's hand.

"Just adjusting a carburetor," Bo responded. "You want to help?"

"I'd better, I leave it up to you and that poor car won't ever run right," Luke replied, doing his best to sound normal.

"Cute," Bo said, a smile beginning to form as he enjoyed the moment of normalcy with his cousin.

"Hey Cooter, you got any coffee?" Daisy called to the mechanic as he walked towards them.

"Nah, you want to make a pot?"

"Sure," Daisy answered, stepping over to the pot and picking it up.

The afternoon passed quickly as the cousins helped Cooter with the various cars, all of them relaxing as they bantered back and forth. Looking up at the clock, Daisy noticed the time was nearing three o'clock. "Uh Luke, I hate to break this up but it's almost three and I need to get ready for work."

"Okay Daisy," Luke replied. Laying the tools he was using on the workbench, Luke turned to his youngest cousin. "Bo, would it be okay if I came by tommorrow? Maybe with Uncle Jesse," Luke asked.

"I...yeah, you do that Luke," Bo answered, determined to reclaim his life, no matter how hard it was.

"See you tommorrow then," Luke said. A proud smile, a quick hug and Luke was out the door.

"You done good Bo," Cooter told him, coming up to stand beside the younger man.

"We'll see," Bo said, a wistful smile on his face as he watched the General disappearing from sight.

"Bo? What do ya mean?"

"I want my life back Cooter, but I don't know if I can do it, so maybe you should save the praise until then," Bo replied.

"Aw Bo, you'll do it, I know you will," Cooter assured him.

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're a Duke and you're stronger than you think. I know it's hard Bo, but you'll make it and I'll be here to help you all I can."

"Thanks Cooter, I couldn't handle this without you," Bo said, throwing one arm over his friend's shoulders.

"No problem Bo, that's what friends are for. Ya know with all the extra help I had today I'm pretty much done. What do ya say we knock off early and go do a little fishing?"

"Sounds good to me," Bo agreed. "You got poles here?"

"Upstairs, why don't you get them and I'll start shutting things down," Cooter suggested.

"You got it," Bo eagerly replied as he moved towards the ladder.

Chuckling softly, Cooter watched Bo climb the ladder. He was relieved that such a simple thing had brought his friend some happiness, he only wished he could do more.

TBC

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