Disclaimer: I don't own them except for Laura. No profit is being made here.

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Chapter Twenty-Five

A Fine Thread

Laura watched Luke pull himself through the trap door. He had come back to her. She had waited patiently for him and he had returned of his own free will. He had returned to be with her. It was time. She was ready. He was ready. It was time for them to be together.

Luke turned quickly when he heard a sharp intake of breath. He saw the blood red roses on the floor before he saw the shimmer of beads from the long white dress in the shadows. He stared at the figure in front of him. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. Laura was wearing a wedding gown and veil. Lantern light flashed off the jagged gold heart that dangled from a gold chain beneath the ten-inch blade in her hand. She gripped the knife so tightly that her knuckles were white. When he looked up into her eyes, they were staring at him with an intensity that bore through him. He couldn't tell if it was love or hate that blazed from them. He froze like a dear caught in headlights.

And then she smiled at him. Luke knew in that moment that he was in deep trouble. He knew without a doubt that Laura wanted to drag him into her world. He could see her determination. He could see the insanity. The fine thread that connected her to reality was broken. There would be no reasoning with her. There was no going back.

Laura raised the knife. She wanted him dead. Luke carefully put the lantern down. He needed to calm her but he didn't get the chance. She lunged at him, screaming as she charged. He lifted his arm to protect himself from the plunging knife. A sharp pain pierced his right shoulder as the knife entered. When Laura pulled back to stab him again, he grabbed her arms. She fell on top of him causing him to fall back on the cold concrete floor.

"You're mine," Laura screamed as Luke struggled to push her off. "It's time. Don't fight me."

Laura straddled Luke as she fought to bring the knife down to his heart. She needed to pierce his heart so their two hearts could join together as one just like the two jagged halves of the gold hearts—the symbol of their love.

"Stop fighting, my love," Laura said in a suddenly detached voice. "It'll be over quickly. And then I'll join you. We'll be together forever."

"Don't do this, Laura," Luke pleaded. "We can be together now. You don't have to do this."

Luke struggled as the knife came closer. The pain in his shoulder was increasing as blood spread across his shirt. He didn't have the strength to hold her off much longer. He was already weak from the bullet wound. His head was spinning. Laura was going to win this battle. She was going to win the war.

The attack moved in slow motion to Luke but it was only a matter of seconds. Bo heard the disturbance. When he heard Laura scream, he grabbed onto the floor above and hauled himself up from the tunnel in one quick motion. Laura was straddle over Luke struggling to stab him with a knife. The knife was inches away from Luke's chest. She was oblivious to Bo's presence.

Bo hurried behind Laura and grabbed her arms. In one swift motion, he pulled her off Luke. Laura held the knife tightly as she swung around in a fury to face Bo. She waved the knife in front of him. Her white wedding dress was stained in Luke's blood, matching the blood red roses that were crushed on the floor. Her hair was wild beneath the lace veil that clung to her head. The gold heart around her neck caught a shimmer of light. The other half of the gold heart still dangled from a chain that was entwined in her fingers and the ten-inch blade. She was in a fury.

Bo took a step back as she wildly swung the knife back and forth. She was standing between him and Luke like a wild animal protecting its prey. Luke was lying on the floor breathing heavily. His shirt was soaked in blood. He realized in horror that Laura had stabbed Luke. Bo needed to get to his cousin. He needed to get though Laura. He took a step towards her.

"Stay where you are Bo Duke," Laura shouted. "I won't let you near Luke. I won't let you hurt him."

"I ain't gonna hurt him," Bo answered as calmly as he could. "Luke needs help. He's bleeding badly. We've got to stop it."

"No need to do that," Laura declared. "It would be a waste of time. He's going to die soon enough. We're going to die together. We're going to be together forever."

Bo couldn't believe what he was hearing. Laura was more insane than he imagined. He tried to move slowly around her.

"I won't let you hurt him," Laura said furiously.

"I ain't gonna hurt him. He needs help," Bo insisted. "He needs me."

"He doesn't need anyone but me," Laura shouted as she waved the bloody knife in front of her. "Stay away from him. I won't let you take him away from me."

Bo held up his hands. "Okay, Laura. I ain't trying to take Luke away from you. I can see that you two belong together. I ain't fighting you. I just want to help Luke. I want to help you. I want you two to be together. I can help that happen."

"You don't want to help. You want to hurt Luke. Your whole family wants to hurt him. You've been hurting him all his life."

"You're wrong, Laura. I'm happy for Luke. I'm glad he got away from Uncle Jesse. I'm grateful that you rescued him," Bo said as calmly as he could manage. "It was all Uncle Jesse. It wasn't me. I never wanted to hurt Luke. I swear. Uncle Jesse made me help him but he can't make me any more. I want to help you and Luke be together. I want to make it up to him."

"Why should I believe you?" Laura asked skeptically.

"Ask Luke. He'll tell you," Bo answered.

Laura took a step closer to Luke, pointing the knife at him. She asked, "Is that true, my love? Is Bo telling the truth?"

"Yes," Luke gasped. He understood what his cousin was trying to do. He prayed it would work. He was in no condition to help Bo in any other way. "It was all Uncle Jesse. He never wanted us any of us…He got s…stuck with us. He hurt m…He hurt Bo. Bo only wants to help us."

Laura was confused. She didn't know what to think. Maybe Bo could help them be together.

Bo reached down and picked up the blood red roses. He said, "I want to see you and Luke married. Then Uncle Jesse won't be able to get to Luke anymore. Luke needs a best man to do this right. I'd like to stand at his side as you two make your commitment to each other. I would mean a lot to me. It would mean a lot to Luke."

"Please, Laura," Luke whispered. "Please do this for me. It'll be a wedding present."

"I don't know…"

"Please," Luke repeated. "I won't ask you for anything else."

Luke struggled to push himself up. He sat up looking intently at Laura. He said, "I want our wedding to be special. I love you."

Laura took another step closer to Luke, the knife raised in her hand. She was now standing over him.

"Wait," Bo said forcing himself to stay calm. "You'll need these roses. Every bride should have a bouquet of red roses. They symbolize romantic love and enduring passion."

Bo held out the roses to Laura. Laura hesitated before reaching for them. As she took the bouquet in her hand, Bo grabbed her other wrist that held the knife. He pulled her away from Luke and hit her hand hard into the dresser. Laura dropped the knife and began screaming wildly. Bo pushed her back against the bed and pinned her down as she continued her piercing screams. She had more strength than Bo could've imagined as she continued to struggle against him.

Luke grabbed a chair and pulled himself to his feet. He needed to help Bo. He stumbled over to the bed.

"Bo…"

"I got her, Luke," Bo said huffing. "I got her. Get the knife."

Luke looked around on the floor, locating the knife. He leaned down and picked it up fighting dizziness.

"Get out in the hall, Luke," Bo ordered.

"I ain't gonna leave you with her."

"I'll be right behind you. Come on, Luke. I need to be sure you're safe before I can let go of her and get out of here."

Luke stumbled to the door of his cell. He didn't think he'd ever get out alive. He stepped into the hall and leaned heavily against the wall, trying hard not to fall over.

Bo stood up, still holding Laura down on the bed. He looked behind him to make sure Luke was safely out the door. He released her and ran to the door while Laura struggled to get up behind him. She ran after him. Bo slammed the door shut in her face.

"You can't do this to me," Laura shrieked as she pounded on the heavy door. "You can't lock me in here. I won't have it. Let me out."

Luke slid down the wall unable to stay on his feet. Bo was quickly at his side taking his cousin in his arms.

"I got you, Luke. It's over. It's over. Are you okay?" Bo asked anxiously wanting reassurance from his older cousin.

"It ain't too bad," Luke muttered, unable to hide a grimace.

"I got to get you to the hospital. Think you can walk?"

Luke looked worriedly at the window where Laura continued to scream.

"You can't take Luke away from me. I won't let you. He's mine."

Bo turned furiously towards the door. "You ain't got no say. You ain't never gonna get anywheres near Luke again. I'm gonna make sure of that. I should lock you in there and throw away the key like you done to Luke."

"I'll save you, Luke. I won't let them hurt you," Laura screamed, still lost in her delusions.

Bo slammed the window on the door shut to mute Laura's ranting. He had had more than enough of her. Judging by the pained expression on his cousin's face so had Luke. He knelt down beside Luke.

"You think you can walk if you lean on me?" He asked again.

"Don't think so…" Luke answered. "My head is spinning. I don't feel so good."

"Okay, you stay here and I'll get help," Bo answered, starting to stand.

"No. Don't leave," Luke said as he grabbed onto Bo's arm.

"I'll be right back with Uncle Jesse and Daisy," Bo said. He picked up the lantern.

"Don't leave me here in the dark with her," Luke pleaded.

"There ain't no way out of there, Luke. You know that. She can't get out. She can't hurt you no more."

"I don't know, Bo. If there's a way out, she'd know about it. I ain't gonna sit here in the dark and wait for her."

Bo knelt back down beside Luke. Luke grabbed onto his sleeve. He was pale and breathing heavily. He had lost a lot of blood. Bo had to get him help fast. And he might hurt Luke even more by trying to carry him out. Luke would be safe here.

Bo placed his hand behind Luke's neck and then brushed the hair from Luke's forehead. He looked him in the eye. "Listen to me, Lukas. You need to get to the hospital. You're hurt bad…don't try to deny it. You can't walk and I don't wanna make you bleed even more by carrying you. The house is just a couple of minutes down this corridor. It leads up to the kitchen. I'm gonna run and call for help. I'll be back in less than five minutes. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay," Luke whispered.

"You'll be okay?"

Luke nodded.

Bo stood and started to go when Luke stopped him. "Take the lantern."

"You sure?" Bo asked.

"Yeah, you'll be back faster that way," Luke said as he looked towards the door and shivered. Laura's muffled screaming could still be heard. "Hurry back."

Bo gave his cousin a reassuring smile. "I'll be back before you know it."

Bo picked up the lantern and ran down the passageway. Luke watched him go as the darkness began to surround him again. The light became smaller, finally disappearing into the second corridor.

Darkness engulfed Luke. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the concrete wall. He could still hear Laura screaming on the other side of the door. He shivered and listened intently for any sound that the door might be opening.

And then there was silence. He couldn't hear Laura anymore. The only sound he could hear was the beating of his own heart. The silence made him even more vigilant. You never knew what was with you in the dark. He was finding it more and more difficult to focus. He felt dizzy. The walls were closing in on him again. He was back in a pitch-black tunnel beneath a Vietnamese village. He was surrounded by booby traps, spiders, snakes and decaying bodies. The VC were near. They were always near even when you couldn't see them. They were like ghosts.

But he wasn't in Vietnam; at least he didn't think so. He wasn't sure in the darkness. He didn't know where he was. It was becoming harder and harder to think straight.

He was waiting for Bo. Bo said he'd be back.

"Five minutes," Luke muttered. "Bo'll be back in five minutes. That ain't long…He'll be right back."

But he was finding it difficult being encompassed by the darkness again. His heart started to pound in his chest and his breathing quickened. He needed light, even shadows would help. Laura was in the fallout shelter. She had a lantern in there. If he opened the window door, there would be some light. It didn't matter how dim the light might be as long as he was out of the pitch black.

"Sarge, help me."

Luke sat up and listened intently. One of his men needed him.

"Sarge!"

"Where are you?" Luke yelled.

"Behind the door," Laura answered.

Luke struggled to his feet. The door should be directly in front of him. He stumbled across the hall until he felt the heavy metal door. He felt for the sliding window door. Slowly he slid it open, reacting too slowly as a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Help me, Luke," Laura cried with desperation. "They're coming for me. They'll hurt me again. Please help me."

Luke looked at the hand that gripped his wrist. Both gold hearts were now entwined in her fingers, tangled together in unbreakable knots.

"They're coming for me. I can hear them in the tunnel. You should never have opened the trap door. You freed them."

"They're in the tunnel?" Luke asked.

"They're coming," Laura screeched. "Please help me."

Laura's fingernails dug into Luke's wrist causing small drops of blood to fall on the gold hearts. Luke tried to pull away but he didn't have the strength to match Laura's adrenaline surge.

Luke looked into Laura's eyes. The fury was replaced by fear and desperation.

"Help me, Sarge."

Luke placed his hand on the key. He couldn't think clearly. He didn't know what was real. He was back in the tunnels in Vietnam with one of his men pleading for help. He couldn't refuse. He slowly turned the key.