Time, Give It Time - Part 1

Time heals what reason cannot.

~Seneca

Monday, June 15, 1987

Daisy sat alongside the hospital bed in tears. She was living a nightmare and didn't understand how the same thing could happen to her twice. As she stroked his dark hair and gently caressed his face, she prayed he would open his eyes and speak to her.

Her. Not Jenny, her.

She thought back to yesterday. He was drifting in and out of consciousness after surgery. The drugs had kept him heavily sedated and groggy.

Six years ago he had said "…thank you for being my friend, Beth." Yesterday he said, "I need you, Jenny."

Need.

He "needed" her.

Why? What for? Daisy was the one who had stayed with him, grew up with him, loved him. She fought for him and wanted him. Why wasn't her love good enough? As hard as she tried, she couldn't help but be angry. There was no mistaking what she heard. He was asking for Jenny instead of her and it hurt. Daisy wouldn't let that happen again.

She was here now. Not Jenny.

While Daisy sat waiting, she clung to his hand and yearned to hear his voice as he called her name. Just once would erase the pain and she would be the one that was needed. He had protected her, watched over her, saved her life.

Reaching out she softly ruffled his hair, stroked his strong jaw with her fingers, and her hand found its way to his chest. Daisy smoothed her hand over his masculine, well-sculpted muscles as they rose and fell with each slumbering breath.

Please wake up, sugar. Please. C'mon. Say my name. Mine.

He remained in deep sleep, but she kept vigil, watching over him with her senses on high alert for any movement. When he shifted and moaned she was ready.

Daisy shot out of her chair and stood over him, cupping his face with her hands. She felt the coarse stubble of his unshaven skin and willed with all her might for him to open his eyes.

"Sugar? Can ya' hear me? It's Daisy, can ya' feel me?"

Heavy eyelids closed, he reached up to take her hand in his. He laced their fingers together and held on tight. It was her. He knew that sweet voice. He remembered those silky hands and slender fingers on his face.

Daisy wiped a tear on her shoulder. "It's all right, sugar. They said you're gonna be just fine. I'm gonna take care of you."

He exhaled the name of the woman who could only be his in his dreams. He was just dreaming, she wasn't really here, was she?

"Daisy..."

Daisy's heart leapt. That was it. Her name. He called out for her!

"Yes sugar. I'm here. I'm right here with ya'. Can you open your eyes?"

They fluttered slowly as they struggled to focus on her lovely face.

"Daisy…darlin' girl...ya be so kind."

"Don't worry, Drake. I'll take care of everything and help ya' get better. Just rest now, sugar. I'm not going anywhere."

Ten days after the shooting, Enos sat quietly in the truck as Emily and Gus again drove him home from the hospital. Emily sat beside him holding his hand. He knew she was scared for him, this time it was too much for her, and for him. He could see the worry in her eyes.

He had been fortunate. The bullet missed any vital organs and while they had to perform surgery to remove it and stop the bleeding, he was patched up and again declared "fine."

Fine…I'm always fine.

Because it was so soon after his riding accident, they kept him hospitalized a little longer as a precaution. He felt if one more thing went wrong he would go insane.

Enos was so frustrated and so tired that he almost gave up the fight. Jenny's plight and the tiniest thread of hope that she might be there when he opened his eyes, had kept him from giving up.

The FBI and the State Police had spoken to him at the hospital. The two men killed on his ranch were wanted by the FBI and were connected to Wallace Monroe. Agent Chuck Ferguson was full of questions that Enos couldn't answer. He had quite a few of his own.

Enos told him what he knew. Two men had fired on him as he sat with Daisy on the front porch. He didn't know for sure why Monroe would be after them. He had arrested Nervous Norman a few years ago, causing Monroe to run, but why wait all these years to come after him? Was he a target because of Jenny? The only problem with that theory was the first shot. It was clearly taken at Daisy. That terrified him.

If the MacFarlands hadn't come to their aide, Monroe's men would have succeeded. How the MacFarlands knew they needed help was another mystery.

Agent Ferguson was familiar with the plight of the MacFarland family and had just finished a long investigation into their family situation. He was trying to help them and hoped he could find their mother. He had a lot of probing questions about how Enos knew them, where were they now, and on and on. Another agent, Travis Patterson, scoffed at the agent when he asked Enos to try convincing them to enter the Witness Protection Program. Before leaving the hospital, Enos told the man that if the MacFarlands spoke to him, he would bring it up.

Enos agreed with Agent Patterson. They would never agree to go.

Drake refused to give the authorities any information on the whereabouts of the twins. He said that he was the only one in Hazzard, which Enos knew was a lie. The moment Drake was released he went back to the Circle M to recover. Emily and Gus were the only people he trusted.

Enos planned to have a few words with him, quite a few, when he got home.

He remembered Daisy being by his side at one point during his hospital stay. When he awoke with Emily's hand in his, she explained. Daisy had held his hand, showered him with tender kisses and caressed his cheek. She had stayed up for nearly two days waiting for him and had been so generous, even after he turned her away.

When he awoke from another dream and called out for Jenny, Daisy was devestated. In her pain she had again pushed him away. To make it worse, Daisy had run to Drake, who she now saw as her guardian angel twice over. Daisy was at the Ranch right now, caring for him until Emily returned.

Emily kept telling him "Time, give it time."

Jenny never showed up at the hospital, or anywhere else, and he was terribly frightened for her. The police found blood that didn't match either victim streaked down the side of his pickup bed and pooled in the driveway. One of the two bullets the man had fired was pulled from the tailgate of his truck, but they found no trace of the other. He knew, he could feel it in his bones. Jenny had been shot. To help him take out the shooter, to save his life, she had again put her life at risk.

For me. For Daisy. Jenny, where are ya'?

He wanted answers.

When they arrived at the Ranch, he limped into the house and was amazed at the transformation Emily had made. The house was now decorated with western décor befitting the Circle M. Any damages from the shooting had been repaired and he was relieved to learn the porch swing his great grandfather built was miraculously untouched.

The open living room had a warm glow and was a cozy, inviting place. There were colorful saddle blankets over the banisters upstairs, making it unique. Someday, maybe, he would have someone to share it with him.

As he limped upstairs, he met Daisy coming down. She stopped short when she saw him, but he understood why. She was hurt.

He felt like he hurt everyone. "Hey Daisy, you okay?"

"Hi Enos. I was just sitting with Drake until Emily got back. Now that she's here I should go. How are ya' feelin'?"

"I'm all right. A little sore, but I'll be just fine in no time," he feigned the best smile he could. "I want to thank ya' for bein' there for-"

"I gotta go. Thank you for everything." Swiftly moving past him, she bolted for the door.

"D-Daisy? Please wait. I'd like to talk to-"

"I gotta get to work, Enos. I'll see ya' around." The door slammed shut behind her.

He saw the flash of anger in Daisy's eyes before she left. Great. He couldn't do anything right.

"Sweetheart, I'll see if I can catch her, ya' go talk to Drake." Emily rushed off.

He resumed his painful trek upstairs. When he heard Dixie speed down the driveway he gave a beleaguered sigh. They were right back where they started.

Drake had a lot of explaining to do and Enos needed him to fill in the blanks. Once in the room, Drake sat on the bed and Enos slowly lowered into a chair. Drake began with Jaxon.

Jaxon wasn't at the ranch that day. He was at Boss Hogg's home, tracking a third assassin. He had stopped and incapacitated the third killer just as he reached the back door of the home. Miss Lulu was there at the time, as was Boss. She would have been killed as collateral damage. The Hogg's never knew their lives were at risk or what Jaxon had done for them.

Apparently, the youngest MacFarland brother was not as ruthless as Drake. Instead of killing the man, he secured him in the trunk of his own car and left him in a remote location. An anonymous call was made to the FBI as to where he could be found. Might as well have been in a pretty package wrapped with a bow.

When Drake stopped talking without mention of Jenny, or explaining why this had happened, Enos stared back, baffled. This wasn't acceptable.

Enos rubbed his palms together and shifted uncomfortably. "Drake, I really appreciate everything ya' did for Daisy and me, but ya' still ain't said why Monroe sent his men after us in the first place."

Drake raised a perturbed brow. "Ya not worry about that. Monroe will see ya as protected."

"From what? Why? What was he after Daisy and Boss for?"

That same eyebrow drew down with the other. "Enos, ya be welcome. I'll not discuss it."

Enos wasn't capable of the patience this required. "Look. I gotta live here. I need to know why he did it. Is Daisy in danger? What about Boss, or me. Are we in danger?"

His eyes grew dark. "I said ya be seen as protected. Jaxon will know if it changes. If it does, he will be in contact."

"Jaxon." Enos counted to five. "And how will Jaxon know?"

"Jaxon be trained to know. It's his job. For now ya be safe as long as ya stay away." Drake leaned forward. "Understand?"

"No." Enos crushed his teeth together as his anger burned deep. "I reckon you're talkin' about Jenny now. Ain't ya'. What about Daisy? Ya' ain't tellin' her to stay away."

Drake's face twisted and he growled angrily. "Enos, ya stay away from my sister. I'll not have her suffer the complications ya bring."

"C-complications?!"

Enos would have shot out of his chair, if he had the physical ability. He opted for raising his voice a few decibels.

"Now wait a ding dang minute! Whattaya mean by complications!? If I see Jenny or not ain't your business! It's her choice! Gus told me ya' took Jenny away from Wyoming against her will! That ain't right! You forced her!"

Drake remained disturbingly stoic. He spoke gruffly, but firm. "Jenny be my sister. Mine. She's the only sister I will ever have! She's precious to the family and I told ya' she's not your plaything. She's a good girl. I'll not have ya harm her the way ya did Daisy. You can not protect her. Not the way Jaxon and I can."

Enos was floored. "Th-the way I hurt Daisy? Drake, ya' ain't got th' full story and ya' don't understand! Jenny ain't no plaything to me! Please. Please tell me where she is."

Drake huffed and sat back with his arms folded. "No."

His heart snapped and he stammered through the pain. "B-b-but, they found blood. It was on th' truck and it...it was pooled in my driveway. Please, Drake. Can't ya' at least tell me if she's all right?"

Drake's angry eyes softened, infinitesimally. "Jenny be recovering. Jaxon found her in time and they be gone. I'll not tell ya where. Jenny be a strong woman, Enos. A MacFarland. She does not need ya and I say ya not be good enough for my sister. Now go. This conversation be done."

Enos blew a gasket. "G-good enough!? You don't know nothin' about me! Ding dang it! Tell me where she is!"

He was unprepared for the rage that came his way. Drake shot to his feet and let his anger power through his own physical discomfort as he invaded Enos's personal space.

"Diuchaidh mac na bèiste! No! Ya will not speak to her. Never! I forbid it!"

Enos's knuckles turned white as he clung to the seat of the chair. "That ain't fair to either one of us, especially her! Ya' can't treat her that way, Drake! She ain't a piece of property, or some pet on a leash! What about what Jenny wants!? Did ya' even bother to ask her!?

Emily and Gus rushed up the stairs when they heard the two men fighting.

Drake poked his index finger in Enos's shoulder. "I will care for my sister! I will! I am the eldest! I decide! I know what is best for Jenny and ya be far from it! I'll do as I see fit for her!"

Gus burst into the room and wedged himself between the men. "All right I've had about enough of this foolishness! Enos, go with Emily. Right now!"

The panic surged in a colossal wave. "N-no! Gus, not until I have an answer! Drake, Please, please don't do this to her! I'm beggin' ya'. Just let me say goodbye. At least give us that! Would ya'? Please?"

Drake again folded his arms and tapped a finger against his sleeve as he contemplated his answer. Then with a very clear and calm voice, he erased all of Enos's hopes.

"Ya not be listening and ya not understand. Ya can't. Not unless ya go through what we have. I'll not risk Jenny again. I gave ya my decision. Ya not be good enough. I say ya not deserve Daisy, either. Jenny stays with Jaxon and me. She's precious to us and it be my responsibility to protect her."

When did I become the bad guy?

Enos didn't back down, his heart wouldn't let go. "Jenny deserves to make her own choices!"

Drake remained stoic as he lowered to the bed. "We're finished."

It was beyond appalling. Just as their father had done, Drake was stealing Jenny's choices, controlling her life and calling it "love." This was his new reality. There would be no happy ending for him with Jenny, not even a kiss goodbye. He fell to the bottom of a dark hopeless chasm.

It struck Enos that he had also lost Daisy. In the end, he lost them both.

Emily's hand took his shoulder and her teary eyes met his. "Sweetheart, ya' come with me. Let Gus talk with Drake. Please darlin'? I can't stand to see ya' in such pain."

Enos grabbed his cane and left the room with Emily. He was in tremendous physical pain and Emily put his arm around her shoulders to balance him. He was forced to lean on her to get to the bed. He was a wreck. Sweat covered his forehead and he rolled to his side to ease the stabbing pain from his latest wound. Nothing would take the pain in his heart. Nothing.

"Jenny. Emily, I just wanted to be with her and try to..." He groaned in misery when the pain skyrocketed.

"I'll be back."

Emily left the room and he focused on the row of diaries on the shelf. He began counting them, anything to distract himself from the pain.

The bed dipped when Emily returned. She stroked his hair and he could hear her sniffles.

"Sweetheart, ya' can't keep this up. Ya' got to keep th' pain under control. It ain't good for ya'. Now I got your medicine and I want ya' to take it."

"No, Emily. I want Drake to leave. I want him gone. I want him out! Out of my house!" Enos let out another painful groan.

"Just stop that. You're hurtin' yourself. If he feels well enough to fight with ya', that means he's gonna disappear any day now. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I love Jenny, too. She's mighty special to us and we're scared for her, but Drake will keep her alive. Ya' can't do nothin' about it until ya' heal and that means ya have to start taking care of yourself. I can see how bad ya' hurt by the way ya' move and I can't watch it no more! Please, Enos. Take th' medicine. I can't...I just…" Emily burst into tears.

Enos wanted to crawl in a hole. "Emily, I'm sorry. Please don't. Everyone I care about is hurt, or angry, or sufferin' and I can't fix any of it. I can't take no more tears."

She handed him a glass of water and two painkillers. "Ya' don't want me to cry, then ya' start by takin' better care of yourself!"

Enos gave in. He took the pills and rolled over in a huff. "I'm sorry, Emily. It hurts."

"I know it does." Emily wiped her cheeks and covered him with a blanket. "Just try and sleep. I'll stay with ya'."

Emily kept her word and stayed with him. The medication took over and Enos eventually fell into a deep, medicated sleep.

Enos slept all afternoon and all through the night. When the house came to life the next morning, Drake was gone, just as Emily predicted.

Daisy arrived to see Drake after breakfast and was deeply hurt. He left without so much as a note of thanks. She disappeared with Emily in the office for awhile and eventually left without speaking to Enos.

Enos felt like his world had imploded all over again. When Drake left, he took with him the best chance he had to find Jenny and had driven an even deeper wedge into his damaged relationship with Daisy.

He still had the special moments with Jenny tucked away deep in his heart. They were forever stitched there, along with those magical threads that brought them together in the first place. She had changed him. He just wanted one last conversation. Just one. It wasn't fair. He was giving up hope of ever being reunited with her, or being soothed by those beautiful eyes and melodic voice. It was clear that even when he found Monroe, Drake would keep her from him.

Enos crept back upstairs and went back to bed, dejected.

Daisy wouldn't speak to him, Jenny was lost to him and Gus and Emily would soon be gone. As he lay there staring blankly at the bookshelf, he hoped that somehow he could rebuild his life from the shattered mess it was now.