In Sickness and In Health

After a few days of being home Luke was feeling much better and was back to normal. Jess on the other hand was feeling worse. She was trying to carry on as normal, but spent most of

her time over the last two days either sleeping or throwing up and Luke was getting more and more worried in spite of her insistence that she had probably picked up a bug and it was

nothing to worry about.

Luke stared out of the window in silence as Bo drove the General home.

Bo glanced at him "Penny for 'em, Cousin"

Luke pulled his attention back inside the car. "Take more'n that to work out what's goin' on"

Bo knew Luke had been worried about Jess "Jess still sick"

Luke rubbed his hands across his face as if trying to wake himself up. "Yeah. She says it's nothin' but she seems to be gettin' worse"

"Why don't ya take her to see the Doc?"

"We gotta go soon anyhow. She was amazing up at the fire Bo. You shoulda seen her. She was scared to death but she just mucked in and got on with it. She coulda left but she didn't

and she was brave and strong and dependable. Like she'd done it all a hundred times before."

"Sounds like ya should be real proud of her"

"I was.....I am, but now it's like she's fallin' apart"

"It's probably nothin', Luke." Bo put a steadying hand on his shoulder "But maybe you oughta get her to see the Doc sooner,......to put your mind at rest" He stopped the General outside

the house and they climbed out. Bo went round the car to join Luke. "She'll be fine, Luke. Jess is gonna be just fine" He said as he hugged Luke. "Now go on and see her"

The house was quiet. It was hardly ever quiet when Jess or the kids were there. He was just starting to think no-one was home when he saw Jess asleep on the sofa. He went over and

pulled a blanket over her. As he crouched down beside her, he gently brushed her hair back from her face. Last time she looked this bad was before the wedding, when she wasn't eating

or sleeping. Now she seemed to spend best part of her time asleep. Luke stood up and went over to the phone. Bo was right, he needed to sort this out, whatever Jess thought., he had

to know what was going on.

When he put the phone down he went back over to Jess and just stood watching her sleep for a while before going into the kitchen to make himself a coffee. At least he could drink that

while she was asleep and she wouldn't be bothered by it. He took it out onto the porch until he heard a noise from inside he went back in quickly washing his coffee cup to get rid of the

smell, and found Jess sitting up on the sofa trying to decide whether it was safe to move or not.

"Hey Babe. How ya doin'?" He asked gently sinking to his knees in front of her.

"I'll be fine if I can get my stomach off the roller coaster"

He carefully helped her to her feet "Better?"

"A bit. " She looked at the clock "Luke I'm sorry I haven't even started lunch yet. I don't know what's the matter with me lately, I only meant to sit down for a minute"

"Don't worry It's fine, I can do it" He brushed her hair back behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Ya want anythin'" He asked as they moved through into the kitchen.

"I'm not sure." She leaned heavily on the table trying to get control of her stomach as the movement hadn't helped. Luke got her a glass of water and after she took a sip and put it down

she wrapped her arms round his waist. "I'm so lucky to have you to take care of me" she mumbled into his shirt.

"And I'm gonna always do that. That's why I called the Doc and brought the appointment through to tomorrow"

Jess looked up at him as if she were about to complain then sighed "OK"

"I'm worried about ya Jess"

She ran her hand down his face "I know" she kissed him tentatively, but quickly pushed him away again."Ergh, you've been drinking coffee"

Luke rubbed his hand across his mouth "I'm sorry, I tried to get rid of the smell. I drank it outside"

"It's not your fault" She leaned back on the table again. "By the way, Zac called. He and Sarah Jane are coming down here to work next week if they get the all clear. They said if I send

them the keys they'd bring the jeep back for me."

"That's real good of 'em" Luke said rubbing her back. "If we'd stayed a couple more days we coulda brought it back ourselves. When they comin'?"

"Friday" Jess took a few deep breaths "I'm sorry" She put her hand over her mouth and ran out.

Luke frowned as he was left standing in the kitchen with his hands on his hips watching her go.

.

Luke sat in the hospital waiting room, fidgeting as he waited for Jess. He hated these places. Nothing good ever happened here. He had been given the all clear, but he knew he would be.

He felt fine. It was Jess that had been in with the Doctor for what seemed like hours. He needed to know what was wrong with her, because the feeling he had was that this wasn't

something that was just going to go away. The door opened and Jess emerged with the Doctor. Luke sprang across the room to her side in a moment.

"Thank you Doc" She was saying

"No problem you just take them that file and they will deal with everything. And in the meantime I'll call you with the blood test results" The Doctor replied shaking her hand "Luke," He

turned to him "You take good care of her now" He shook Luke's hand and went.

Luke turned to Jess "What was that all about?"

Jess looked at him tentatively. "I'll tell you later"

"Jess, is there somethin' really wrong. I wanna know" Worry was taking over Luke's previously calm exterior and he frustratedly snapped.

Jess put a hand on his arm, pulling him to one side.

"Luke please. I'll explain everything, I promise. I just have to take these notes to the fourth floor then we can get out of here"

Hating not knowing what was going on and that she was definitely not telling him something, he ranted stroppily "So there is somethin'. What ya gotta go there for? Ain't nothin up there

but maternity anyhow and it ain't................." He stopped mid sentence as his brain caught up with his mouth and he looked round at her as she stood watching him nervously biting her

lip. "Maternity!" He said again more quietly.

Jess nodded.

He looked down to her hand resting on her stomach and back to her face "Ya mean....."

She nodded again.

He took a deep breath and ran one hand back through his hair the other on his hip as the news sank in.

This was not how Jess had hoped he'd react. She bit her lip more as she watched him, his jaw clenched tight "Luke" she said quietly "Say something, please"

Luke looked back at her, his face blank. "We're having a baby." Jess couldn't tell if the tone was surprise or anger, or a mixture of both.

Jess looked thoroughly dejected at his reaction but could have equally cried when a smile gradually spread across his face. "We're having a baby!" He said louder and more excitedly.

He hugged her and kissed her, lifting her off her feet, as he yelled "We're having a baby!"

Jess laughed returning the hugs and kisses. This was more the reaction she had hoped for. Suddenly he put her down and with one arm still round her he gently placed the other hand on

her stomach. "I'm sorry. I need to be more careful."

Jess smiled "It's OK. You had me worried there for a minute"

"I was just shocked, is all. I wasn't expecting this"

Jess hesitated "But ,.....you are happy about it?"

Luke took her face in his hands "Of course I am" He said gently, staring into her eyes. "We're gonna have ourselves a baby. I'm gonna be a Daddy again" He kissed her again. "I love you

Jess Duke"

Jess smiled back at him "And I love you" She threw her arms round his neck.

They laughed as Luke lifted of her feet again, hugging and kissing her.

"Come on, Let's go!" Jess grabbed his hand as he put her down and pulled him towards the lift.

"Jess, did you have no idea?" Luke asked as they waited for it to arrive.

She pulled a face "I should have done. But, no. It was so the last thing I had been thinking of"

"But I thought you couldn't" Luke looked puzzled.

"Shouldn't, Not couldn't" She replied.

Luke's previous excitement turned to concern "Is it dangerous?"

"Not exactly. They say it shouldn't be like before, but they'll keep a closer eye on me to make sure"

They stepped into the lift as they talked "I want to know everythin' that happened with Kait and Bobby" Luke pressed. She had told him bits before but never the whole story and up to

now Luke had never seen a reason to push her.

Jess ran her hand back through his hair looking serious "I'll tell you, Lu. But for now let's just enjoy the moment"

"OK" He agreed quietly, pulling her closer to him. Then he smiled "We're having a baby" Jess smiled as he kissed her again.

Back at the farm, Luke lifted Jess out of the General and kissed her before taking her hand to lead her in. Bo and Gaby came out to join them as they went.

"How d'it go?" Bo asked

"Great" Luke answered exchanging a big grin with Jess.

"Jess are you OK?" Gaby asked as her and Bo looked puzzled.

Jess smiled "I will be. They said what I have will pass eventually"

"But if ya still sick, how come y'all's lookin' so danged happy?" Bo asked.

"Because at least now we know what it is" Jess replied "And we know that it's nothing to worry about" Jess smiled.

"Why don't we go get a coffee and ya can tell us all about it" Bo said slightly bewildered

"No coffee" Luke told him as he walked hand in hand with Jess "We got milk"

Jess and Luke wouldn't tell Bo and Gaby what was wrong. As they sat talking, Jess and Luke sat together on the sofa, fingers of their hands entwined as they rested on Jess's stomach.

Lacey was starting to just starting to crawl around the floor where she played. Luke smiled as she sat on her bottom and put her hands up to him to be picked up. He picked her up and

sat her on his lap. And Gaby and Bo watched as he and Jess played with her and talked to her.

"So are ya gonna tell us what's goin' on" Bo asked.

Luke looked at him "No" He replied definitely.

"But you are both OK" Bo pushed.

"Yeah, we're OK" Jess sighed wearily. "But I'm just going to be sick and tired for a while"

"Well, we had better let you get some rest" Gaby said to her. "If there's anything we can do, you let us know" She stood up and took Lacey from Luke.

"Thanks Honey." Luke stood up and kissed her cheek. He tickled Lacey and kissed her forehead.

"What d'ya suppose that was all about?" Bo asked Gaby as they walked back to their house.

Gaby smiled "If we didn't know any better, I'd say that Jess is pregnant"

"Pregnant!" Bo exclaimed "But they said that she couldn't"

"Well, you saw what they were like and how they were with Lacey" Gaby pointed out.

"Now Honey, you know that they're always like that with this little darlin' here" Bo smiled as he poked Lacey's tummy making her giggle.

"Yeah,.........but there's something different............they're hiding something"

Bo laughed "Gaby, you're just way too curious. You been takin' lessons off Daisy?"

Gaby smiled at him "Maybe I've just been in Hazzard too long."

Later that afternoon, Gaby drove Jess into town to collect the kids from school and Bo and Luke were out stacking the last of the harvested crops. They were working shoulder to shoulder

in the sun, shirts off like they used to, when Bo stopped for a break. He ran the back of his hand across his forehead.

He held out a flask of water to Luke "Here Luke, take a break. You're still supposed to be taking it easy"

Luke took the flask "Don't fuss Bo. I'm fine"

Bo leaned back on the pick up and looked down at the ground, hesitating before he spoke again. "Er... Luke" He looked up "Is Jess really gonna be OK?"

"Yeah, she's fine" Luke smiled and handed the flask back.

"What's actually wrong with her?"

Luke chuckled as he went back to work "I can't say right now"

Bo put the flask in the back of the pick up and went to join him "Gaby's got this dang fool notion that she's pregnant"

Luke grinned at Bo as he worked "I ain't sayin' Bo"

"But, ."

"By the way," Luke interrupted before Bo could ask anything else "We're takin' the kids to the lodge this weekend. You can manage things here can't ya?"

"I guess" He sighed. He wasn't going to get anything else from Luke, that was obvious.

As Luke had said, he and Jess took the kids away for the weekend so that they would have a chance to talk to them and explain about the baby. They weren't too sure how they were

going to take it. But they were delighted both took it really well.

"So are ya OK about the baby?" Luke asked them as he sat on the bench on the porch outside the lodge, Kait on his lap.

Bobby smiled "Yeah, I'm OK about it, but I wish I didn't have to think about it. It's enough to gross me out"

"Bobby!" Jess exclaimed as Luke laughed.

"And why would it do that?" Luke smirked at him.

"You and my Mum doing that. That's just not right. You're supposed to be old and boring" He pulled a face.

"And what ain't we supposed to be doing " Luke smiled, putting his arm round Jess.

"Old doesn't have to be boring Bobby D." Jess agreed.

Bobby held up his hands "Enough please. People are going to know way too much anyway"

Jess and Luke laughed

"What's gross about us having a baby?" Kait asked looking puzzled.

This time Bobby laughed as he patted Luke's shoulder. "Good luck explaining that one away"

Luke looked horrified "I ain't explainin' where babies come from, especially not to a girl"

"Oh you sillies. I know all about where babies come from already." Kait said matter of factly.

Jess smiled as she took her hand "Yeah some, maybe it's time I explained the rest. But we can do that later"

"Seriously, you guys. Y'all ask anythin' or say anythin', if y'aint happy we wanna know, 'coz this is gonna be your little brother or sister"

"It's going to be great. " Kait said as she hugged them.

Bobby smiled "Yeah, if I think about it like that, maybe it's not so bad."

Jess went to hug him too and he backed off.

"Just 'coz I said I don't mind you don't have to get all mushy"

Luke and Jess laughed at him.

"Well, how about we all go do a little fishing then?" Luke smiled.

Kait cheered and ran off to get her rod.

They settled by the lake, the kids further along and Jess sat leaning on Luke's shoulder, staring out over the water.

Luke rested the rod down. "They took it pretty good" He said breaking the silence.

"Yeah, "Jess sighed "Better than I thought they would. Kait's already choosing names"

Luke chuckled then they went quiet again.

"So what's wrong?" He asked.

Jess took a deep breath finally pulling her gaze away from the sun glinting on the dark water. "I need to ask you something".

"Fire away"

"Can you take care of the kids......just for a few days"

"Why? Where you gonna be?"

Jess stared into his eyes "I need to go to Okey"

Luke put his arms round her as he realised "Bekka!"

Jess nodded against his shoulder "I need to tell her and be there"

"Ya want me to come" Luke asked gently.

"I need you to stay here" She looked up at him "We can't both run out on the kids again so soon and I need to spend time with Bex." She ran her hand slowly down his face "Do you

mind?"

"No, I understand" He said pulling her back towards him.

"What about Coy?" She said pulling back to look at him again as she bit her lip.

Luke hooked her hair back behind her ear "It's OK. Really OK. I trust ya"

Jess threw her arms round his neck "Thank you"

Their lips had barely met when......

"Mum! Luke! I mean Pa! Come quick! I caught one!"

They looked round at Kait and smiled. Three kids wasn't going to be so bad.

.

Two weeks later, Jess was back from Oklahoma and was back at work. She was still sick and tired a lot of the time and everyone was still worried about her as they had decided not to tell

anyone yet. Jess wanted to be able to talk to her family before the whole of Hazzard knew. Kait had nearly let the cat out of the bag at least a half a dozen times, but they had managed

to gloss over it. Everyone was coming for dinner tonight so that they could tell everyone, before Bo left for the circuit. He'd already been home longer than he planned.

Jess had got home from work and gone for a shower to try and wake herself up before Luke got back from collecting the kids. She was in the kitchen wearing just one of Luke's shirts, her

wet hair hanging down her back soaking the shirt as she began preparing supper.

Bo walked in "Hey Darlin' " He smiled before realising what she was, or wasn't, wearing. He turned round quickly to face the window. "Sorry I didn't know you..........I mean.....the door was

open." He stuttered.

Jess smiled "It's OK, Bo. I'm decent" she said reaching up to kiss his cheek "Well, almost" She grinned looking down at the shirt, with just enough buttons done up to make it decent. "I

was just putting supper on before I went to get dressed Have a seat"

"I was looking for Gaby" Bo said making himself comfortable at the table "Have you seen her?"

"Yeah she was just gong out with the dogs as I got home. She said she wouldn't be long then she was coming over"

"OK. Luke and the kids not back yet?"

"Bobby had basketball practise and Kait was dancing. Luke was going to watch. They should be here soon too"

Bo grinned at her. "Is that Luke's shirt you're wearing?"

Jess looked at him and grinned. "It's just comfortable"

Bo smirked "Well, Honey, it looks a whole lot better on you than it does on him"

As he spoke Luke walked in followed by the kids

"I heard that, Bo" Luke said to him. Then he smiled at Jess "But y'aint wrong about that, Cousin." He ran his hand across her stomach as he kissed her.

"Please, don't do that while I'm around" Bobby pulled a face as he picked at the food Jess had out.

Jess smiled at him as she slapped his hand away. "How was practise?"

"Good " He mumbled from the refrigerator "We have a game Friday" he emerged with a piece of cheese and an apple.

Jess frowned "Bobby! Can't you get something proper to eat"

He grinned "Couldn't find anything. I'm going to get my science out of the way before everyone comes round."

Jess turned to Kait as he left. She was hanging round her waist, her head on Jess's stomach whispering.

"How was your day?" Jess asked.

"OK I suppose" Kait sighed. "Seth got into trouble for putting glue in Ellie-mae's hair"

"I bet he did"Jess smiled.

Bo looked at her puzzled as she carried on whispering. Jess smiled at her and stroked her hair.

"What ya doin' Honey?" He asked as Gaby came in.

Kait looked at Jess before answering, "Just singing to myself. I gotta go do somethin' " and she dashed off.

Luke put his arm round Jess as they smiled at each other. They knew what Kait had been doing.

"How was the walk?" Jess asked Gaby.

"Good," She replied "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah the shower worked wonders."

"Shame ya didn't have time to get dressed properly" Luke tugged at the collar of the shirt she was wearing. "Ain't no wonder I ain't got no shirts in my closet"

"It fits better than my clothes" She whined at him, pulling a pouty face.

"What is goin' on with you guys?" Bo asked.

"We'll tell ya later when the others get here" Luke replied.

"So there is something" Gaby replied holding a squirming Lacey and helping herself to a cookie to keep her quiet as she sucked on it.

Jess glanced at Luke before answering "Yeah there is. And we were going to tell you all tonight before you leave tomorrow"

"You looking forward to bein' back at the track?" Luke asked Bo taking over the cooking as Jess went to find some jeans to put on.

"Yeah I guess" Bo sighed

Luke looked him in confusion "Ya don't sound sure?"

"I guess I got a lot of other things that are more important now." He replied winking at Gaby "Bein' behind the wheel of a race car is still fun, but it ain't as excitin' as it used to be. And

havin' to go to all the parties and promotions just takes me away from Gaby and Lacey" Bo kissed both his girls on the head.

Luke smiled and shook his head "Who woulda thought it" He sighed. He for one never expected anything like that from Bo of all people. But Luke understood exactly what Bo meant.

That saying of Uncle Jesse's 'If it's right, it's right', he understood. Bo and Gaby, him and Jess, it was right. He kissed Jess as she came back in, still wearing his shirt untucked over her

jeans. He was going to have to get used to this new look.

OK, so it was the worst kept secret in Hazzard.

Dixie Davenport: You were right. So far?!