My Brother's Keeper
McRaider
Summary: A series of tales of when Luke had to play his brother's…cousin's keeper. A look at how Luke has always been there to protect his younger cousin.
Author's Note: I just keep coming up with these cute short stories, so I figure might as well right those then I can go onto bigger and better stuff with multiple chappies.
1964
Luke Duke watched his cousin from across the yard as the small boy of three years old ran around by the chickens clapping his hands and trying to scare them off. Uncle Jesse had told him a million times not to play with the chickens or he could get hurt, but Bo never listened to anyone, even at three years old.
"Bo quite torturin' the chickens!" Luke called out to his youngest cousin. Aunt Katie was inside taking care of Daisy, who had the chicken pox, meanwhile Uncle Jesse had gone out to get some medicine for the poor girl. His cousin however seemed to ignore him and went on about his way of playing in the dirt and chasing the chickens. Sighing Luke picked his pitch fork back up and continued to clean up. It wasn't until he heard his cousins scream of terror that Luke whipped around to see his cousin being chased by the family goat Bill. "Bill no!" screamed Luke as he rushed towards his young cousin, the three year old tripped over a root sticking out of the ground and began to sob openly, screaming out Luke's name.
Luke zipped over to his younger cousin, grabbing the boy as hard as he could and covering him as the goat rammed right into Luke's back. Luke cried out in pain, as his cousin beneath him continued to scream and cry.
Katie came from the house stunned, "dear god," she ran over to the goat and quickly grabbed him, roughly pulling him away from the two crying little boys. Luke was protecting his cousin with all he had, as he cried, he had long gashes down his back from the goat's horns.
"Katie, what's goin' on?" came Jesse's voice as he climbed out of the truck.
"Billy the goat attacked Bo and Luke," Katie said lifting Luke into her arms and holding him tightly as he cried in pain. Jesse out of instinct came over to his other sobbing nephew and lifted the child into his arms.
"Let's get them inside, Luke's hurt, check Bo, make sure he ain't hurt," Katie commanded as she hurried the two boys into the bathroom. She sat Luke on the countertop and stripped him of his t-shirt. His tears had slowed as well as his cries of pain to whimpers, Katie looked down at him and shook her head, "what happened baby?" she asked pulling the boy's chin up.
"Billy the goat attacked Bo, I had to protect him," whimpered Luke as Katie began to clean one of the cuts.
"It's okay sweetheart, I'm so proud of you, but you need to be careful," she whispered as she continued to care for his back.
"Bo's fine, he's got a nasty bruise on his arm, but he's asleep now and calmer, I had to give him some Albuterol," Jesse said holding up Bo's inhaler.
"Luke here is a hero, he's going to be fine, the cuts aren't too deep, they just hurt badly, okay kiddo, I'm going to bandage these and then I want you to get some rest too, okay?" she said eyeing the child.
"Okay," Luke whispered.
A few moments later she had him all cleaned up, she knew he would have some nasty bruises, but Bo would remember what his cousin had done for him and Luke would become his cousin's protector. Katie carried Luke into his bedroom and placed him down, so the boy could sleep on his tummy. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room to her two sweet sleeping nephews.
1966
Luke was walking up the walkway to the house, fishing pole in hand when he heard quiet sobbing in the barn, he looked around for Aunt Katie or Uncle Jesse, seeing neither of them he set down his pole and tackle box and headed inside the barn.
"Whose there?" he called. He heard another sniffled and recognized it instantly, it was his baby cousin's sniffles, and from the sound of it, the boy had yet another bad day at school. Sighing Luke climbed up the ladder to the loft, where his cousin tended to hide from the world. As he figured, the small five year old boy lay on the hay, crying with his hands over his face, "Bo, Bo, what's wrong?" Luke asked as he sat down in front of his little cousin.
"Go 'way," sobbed he boy.
"Hey now, come…oh my God, what the hell happened to yer eye," Luke grabbed his cousin gently and was stunned at the black eye the boy had. It was nearly swollen shut and looked painful. "What happened Bo?" Luke asked as he held his cousin's chin much like Jesse did when he wanted information.
"Nofin," whined the boy as he turned away.
"I know that ain't true, what really happened Bo, come on, you can tell me anything buddy, 'member?"
"Sef," whimpered the child.
"What did Seth do?" Luke pried.
"He was pickin' on a girl, an' I told 'em to stop, and when he didn't…I got mad and tried to help da girl get 'way…an'…"
"Did he hit you?" Luke wasn't sure why he even asked, he knew the answer to that question as well as Bo did.
"Yes."
"Did you hit back?"
"Yes."
"Come on Bo, let's get Aunt Kate to check out yer eye," he gently helped the boy climb down from the loft and make his way into the house. Katie was sitting in the living room reading when she spotted her two boys enter.
"Oh my God," she whispered. She hurried over to the boy's side and knelt down in front of them, "Bo, sweetie, what happened?"
"Seth hit him…and yes he hit back," Luke replied.
"Oh dear, come here," She lifted the boy onto the table and took a look at the eye, "I don't think anything's busted, but that's going to hurt for awhile, here put some ice on it," she reached into the freezer and grabbed a couple of ice cubes. Luke handed her a small cloth for him to wrap them in.
"I'm sorry," Bo whimpered.
"It ain't yer fault Bo, Seth's just a big jerk who thinks he can pick on kids like you," Luke stated looking at his younger cousin.
"But he can…oviously," stated the boy. Katie chuckled softly as she looked at the two boys.
"I'll leave you two alone for a moment, Daisy needed help on her math homework, make sure you two do yer chores," with that Katie headed off into her niece's bedroom.
"Bo, listen to me, Seth can't push you around unless ya let him, yer a Duke, you ain't 'posed to start the fights, but you certainly can finish 'em. If he messes with ya, get me before school is out, I'll make sure he never picks on ya again."
"Luke…why don't anyone like me?" Bo asked.
"I like ya, Daisy likes ya…Ann, the girl you stuck up fer today, I think she likes ya…don't worry Bo, lots of people like ya, they're just afraid to stick up against Seth."
"Danks Luke," he murmured.
"Hey, we's family, and what does Uncle Jesse always say about family?"
"Family sticks together, always," Bo said grinning.
"That's right, now, wanna see the fish I brought?"
"Yay!" Luke grinned and helped his cousin off the table and they headed outside. Katie watched from the doorway and grinned. Luke was mighty protective of that wee boy, but there was no doubt how much love the two had between each other.
1968-March
Several figures were dressed in black as they stood quietly beside the grave site, Luke stood towering over his seven year old cousin, his arms draped around the boy's shoulders as he held him close. Uncle Jesse held Daisy in his arms as she cried on his shoulder.
"Today, we say goodbye to our beloved Katherine Duke, she was a woman of strength and kindness, she loved her three children, and her beloved husband," he reverend spoke.
Luke felt tears coursing down his cheeks as he pulled his cousin a little closer. At thirteen Luke could remember nearly nine years with the loving woman, it hurt to imagine life without her. He felt Bo's shoulders start shaking, the seven year old boy was beginning to break down and cry, sighing Luke reached out and turned his cousin around, pulling him close. Luke watched as they lowered the casket, his cousin's arms wrapped around his waist as he wept silently into his cousin's arms. Luke felt a little burden lifted when his Uncle Jesse placed a hand over his shoulder, reaching up Luke squeezed the hand and looked down at the casket.
"May god bless you in your journey home Katherine," Luke hugged his cousin close, trying desperately to protect him from the realities of life that had fated them to so much loss in their young lives.
1968-May
"Luke," a hand shook him harshly, Luke rolled over from where he laid on his side to look over at his young cousin, the boy hadn't slept much in the two months since their Aunt Katie had died.
"Bo, dang gone it, go to sleep."
"I can't," whimpered the boy.
"Another nightmare? Who died this time?"
"You did," Bo cried. Luke sighed and lifted his little cousin into his bed, pulling the seven year old close, Luke closed his eyes.
"You ain't gonna die…are ya Luke?"
"Didn't plan on it," stated Luke simply, his eyes still closed.
"Ya ain't gonna leave, neither right?"
"I don't intend to, course that's a long ways down the road an' all, but no I'm always gonna be here Bo."
"Promise me."
"Yes Bo, I will always be here to protect you, now go to sleep."
"Luke…"
"Yes," Luke said evenly tempered.
"How comes all the people we love die?"
"Not all of 'em, we still got Uncle Jesse, and each other."
"Yeah, but our mommy's and daddy's, and then Auntie Kate."
"Sometimes things just happen Bo, there aint' always a good reason why they's happen, they just do."
1968-September
Luke stood quietly behind Uncle Jesse, looking at the floor as Jesse spoke to Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. Bo looked terrible, his face pale and wet, his chest heaving, it was almost more than thirteen year old Luke could take. "Bo, I'm sorry," Luke whispered looking at his cousin.
"You said you wouldn't leave me," whimpered the boy.
"I know I did, and I'm sorry I was wrong, please forgive me," he whispered.
"It's not that big a deal Jesse, kids run away all too often, I'm just glad I found the little tyke before somethin' happened to him. Why don't you boys take him home," Rosco suggested.
"Thanks Rosco…"
The sheriff nodded then bent down to Bo and Luke's eye level, "now look here you two, Luke, ya gotta watch this little feller, he's the only one yer gonna get like him, and Bo, ya gotta listen to yer cousin Luke and Daisy, and yer Uncle Jesse, they love yas and know whats best fer ya."
"Kay," whispered Bo, he reached out and hugged Rosco.
"You take care," Rosco handed the boy off to Luke, who easily took the burden of his younger cousin.
"Forgive me?" Luke asked.
"Kay…thanks Luke," Bo said leaning his head against Luke's shoulder.
"Fer what?"
"Fer bein' my cousin."
"That's the easy part," grinned Luke as he readjusted the boy on his hip and walked out of the jail with his Uncle Jesse.
1972
"You said you wouldn't leave!" demanded Bo as he looked at his cousin. Luke sighed and looked over at his younger cousin.
"Look there's a lot bigger stuff out there than you and me, I've protected ya fer twelve years, now I havta go protect ya in a different way."
"But that don't make sense Luke."
"It don't have to make sense little cousin, look, I have to do this okay, maybe someday you'll understand. Ya can write me, and sometimes I'll call you. I'll be home before you know it."
"Three years is a long time Luke," stated Bo.
Luke paused and placed a hand on his cousin's cheek, "yeah, I know, you'll be a teenager by the time I get home, a lot of these is gonna change 'round here while I'm gone, but you gotta make me a promise."
"Anything," Bo stated.
"Take care of Daisy and Uncle Jesse, this isn't gonna be easy for them either, I promise I'll be back buddy," Bo looked up at his oldest cousin, his blood brother, sighing Luke grabbed him from the back of the neck and pulled him into a hug.
"I'll always be there to protect you little cousin, always," Luke whispered. Finally pulling away he looked down at the boy, "you're gonna be a young man when I get home, and a man deserves a present, here," Luke held out his Uncle Jesse's pocket watch, Jesse had given it to Luke shortly after the death of his parent.
"Uncle Jesse gave this to ya…"
"And now I'm giving it to you so you can count the minutes and days until I'm home, and I will be home Bo."
"I love you Luke," Bo whispered taking the watch.
"I love you too kiddo, a lot." Bo watched his cousin walk out of the room and out of his life for the next three years.
1975
Bo awoke to the sound of crying and moaning, looking over his cousin of nineteen was tossing and turning in his bed, crying out for help. Bo, unsure what else to do, got up and made his way over to Luke's bed.
"Luke," he whispered, he shook his cousin and suddenly two blue eyes shot open, the boy looked like he was lost in another world of fear and pain.
"Bo?" he asked, sitting up, feeling sick to his stomach. Bo climbed on top of his cousins bed, and sat down beside his cousin.
"It's okay Luke…it was only a dream," Bo whispered.
"It…it was so real," whispered Luke. Bo moved out of instinct and wrapped his arms around his older cousin, suddenly feeling the need to protect his cousin just like Luke had all of Bo's natural life. Luke was stiff for a moment then held onto his younger cousin. The two were holding onto each other like there was tomorrow, as though if either let go for even a moment they would lose each other.
1977
Luke continued to look back over his shoulder as he placed another bottle on the ground, Bo was moving another bottle towards him, "come on Bo! Hurry up, 'fore we get caught!" yelled Luke to his cousin.
"I'm goin' as fast as I can Luke, jeez ya'd think I was goin' this slow 'cause I wanna!" Bo bit back an annoyed response.
"Freeze Duke Boys'! came the voice behind them.
Bo felt his blood freeze as he put his hands above his head, the bottle of shine in Luke's hand slipped from his hands as he turned to see Rosco with a gun to Bo's back. "Rosco…"
"Freeze Luke, I don't wanna shoot ya, but well ya broke the law…"
"Rosco, put the gun away," Luke crept towards his cousin, afraid that the one time Rosco wasn't aiming he might accidentally pull the trigger and shoot Bo.
"I said freeze Luke!" yelled Rosco as he shift the gun towards Luke.
Luke instantly rose his hands in the air, but he didn't stop, he still continued to inch towards his cousin, hoping to position himself between Bo and the gun. "Rosco, I ain't tryin' ta jepordize you or me, or Bo here, but…I'm just tryin' to protect him…" Finally Luke reached his cousin, standing right between his cousin and the gun, "we'll go with you peacefully Rosco, we know we was wrong, just put the gun away," Luke stated.
"Luke I…" Bo began.
"Hush," came Luke and Rosco's response.
"Yes sir," whispered Bo.
"Turn around and spread 'em," Luke nodded and watched Rosco put the gun away, Luke turned around, then turned his cousin around, they placed their hands on the car, and moments later Rosco had handcuffed them both and was putting them in the back of the police cruiser.
1979
Sighing Luke climbed out of the General and made his way into the Boar's Nest. He spotted Daisy over by the counter and met her eyes; she slowly made his way to her and leaned against the countertop. She didn't speak, but nodded towards the table off in the corner, where their way ward cousin sat silently, whiskey bottle in hand and a miserable look on his face.
"He's been here for nearly two hours, he's just been sitting there drinking and looking like he's lost his best friend," Daisy whispered.
"Well he hasn't lost his best friend, but he just lost the first girl he ever truly loved, or at least thought he loved. Worst of all he had lost her to some jerk that didn't deserve to live." Luke shook his head then looked at Daisy, "who gave him the whiskey?"
"One of our bartenders, I tried to get it away from him, but he became frantic, so I gave it back to him. He looks so broken and lost," Daisy whispered to him.
"You probably should have kicked him out. Uncle Jesse is furious, but I'm sure he'll get over that eventually…" Luke felt bad for his younger cousin, but Bo would have to face the music just like he and Daisy had when they had gotten drunk for the first time. Taking a deep breath, he walked over towards the table, watching his cousin take another long swig from whiskey bottle, "Bo?" Luke didn't touch Bo, incase became agitated.
"Lukie! Lukie my cousin!" Bo slurred, "My friendda," he said grinning drunkenly.
"Bo, it's time to go home."
"Home? Why would I wanna do dad, It's so nice hewe! All da drinks I can git," he grinned as he held up his bottle, nearly tipping off his chair.
"Bo…"
"Uncle Jesse….he'll kick my…my…"
"Bo, give me that!" Luke yanked the bottle from the boy, glaring at his younger cousin.
"Hey! Gime dad!" growled Bo, he lounged for the bottle but fell out of his chair.
"Let's go Bo," Luke grabbed his cousin's arm and hauled him from his feet.
"Oooh…hehe, big Mariieene man…." Growled Bo, as he tried to wrench his arm from Luke's vice like grip. Only succeeding in ramming right into the nearby table, "ow," came the tiny child like whimper.
"Come on kid," Luke sad helping the boy back to his feet.
"It hurts Luke," Bo whimpered as he looked at his cousin with glazed over eyes.
"I know Bo," Luke replied softly, knowing his cousin was no longer speaking about his bruised hip; but more his bruised spirit and heart.
"What's wrong wif me? Luke?"
Sighing Luke pulled the boy close, gently running his hand over the back of his cousin's neck, a gesture that always calmed the boy in the past, "there ain't nothing wrong wit you Bo, nothing at all," Luke pressed a kiss to the crying teenager's head.
"Stars," murmured Bo as he suddenly went limp in his cousin's arms.
Luke sighed and hefted his little cousin into his arms, "Oh Bo," he pulled the boy closer, so that he was cradling Bo's head against his chest. Daisy moved over to them and smiled sadly, "he'll be fine tomorrow morning," Luke whispered.
"Take my car home, so you won't have to pull him out of the window," Daisy walked them out to her car; opening the door so Luke could gently placed their cousin in the front passenger's seat.
He would have to help his cousin through this, but like he had for eighteen years, he would continue to protect his baby cousin, through thick and thin, because that's just what brothers did.