A/N: sorry, this is pretty long. Also, thanks for all my reviews! love you y'all!
Football girl 11: I'm glad you think this story is cool.
kay: yeah, Jezebel is more trouble then she's worth.
Kate: this story hasn't even hit luke warm yet!
and to everyone else, thank you!
Luke was halfway across the street when he remembered he forgot his jean jacket in the jailhouse. He trotted back over, but hesitated at the door. He looked around and wondered if he went back on there would Boss arrest him for something else. Just as he was thinking that, he heard the door open. Luke quickly hid behind the bushes and watched as a happy looking Boss walked over to his car.
Luke knew if anything made Boss that happy it would not be good for him or any other Duke, but had no time to reflect on it. He hurriedly crept into the jailhouse and down towards the stairs. He stopped when he heard Enos and Jezebel having a conversation.
"Jezie, you sure about this?" Luke heard Enos ask.
"I'm sure Enos. I've been searching for the perfect story and this is it," Jezebel told him.
"But what if you get hurt?" Enos asked.
"I can handle myself."
"Just be careful, I don't want you making anymore enemies in Hazzard then you already have," Enos told her.
"I will," Jezebel said. "Now come on, you have to escort me to the Boar's Nest. I can't believe that thing is still standing."
"It sure is," Enos said. "Let's go."
Luke started walking down the stairs again. As he passed them on the stairs, he said causally, "I forgot my jacket. Is the door still open?"
"I'll get it for you, Luke," Enos told him.
As Enos walked back down the stairs, Luke asked Jezebel, "So, is Boss letting you go?"
"I'm negotiating my freedom," Jezebel told them.
"Well, Jamie, Jezebel or what ever you want to be called, good luck. Boss Hogg doesn't like to be swindled out of anything and you seem like a swindler," Luke told her.
"I don't need luck, just enough smarts to outsmart the little marshmallow," Jezebel told him.
"How is it you are going to get your freedom?" Luke asked.
"I'll probably end up doing odd jobs, working off my debt," Jezebel told him.
"Here it is Luke," Enos said, coming up the stairs with the jacket.
"Thanks Enos," Luke said, taking his jacket back. He gave Jezebel one last glance before said, "Good Luck." Then he hurried off.
Daisy was working at the Boar's Nest, while Luke stopped by. She smiled when she saw him and said, "I see the jailbird has flown the cope."
"I got off free of charges," Luke told her.
"And how did you do that?" Daisy asked.
"I didn't," Luke told her. "Our Jaguar stealing friend did."
"Really? What's her name again?" Daisy asked. "I really only meet Alice."
"Her name is, uh, well," Luke paused for a couple moments and said, "Jamie."
"I see you were paying real close attention to what she said," Daisy noted with a laugh. "Now take a seat and I'll serve you."
"I can't, Uncle Jesse told me to stop by see what time you would be back," Luke told her.
"Late, I'll miss dinner," Daisy told him. She stared towards the door to Boss's office and asked, "Who's that?"
"Who's who?" Luke asked looking in the general direction Daisy was staring at.
"That girl who just walked out of Boss's office," Daisy told him.
Luke spotted her and smiled. "That's our Jaguar stealing friend, Jamie."
Jezebel didn't see them, and head over to the jukebox. She started flipping through it, when Luke walked over to her. "I see you survived your negotiations with Boss," Luke said.
Jezebel mumbled something, and continued to flip through the jukebox. Finally, after going over the containments of the jukebox twice, she asked, "How is it this jukebox has no Aerosmith or Bon Jovi?"
"Because most people around her listen to Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn," Luke told her.
"Right, I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of hicks," Jezebel muttered.
"You used to be one," Luke reminded her.
"Let's just forget you ever heard that," Jezebel requested of him.
"Listen Jezebel, I'll play along with your little game," Luke told her. "I'll call you Jamie and everything, and not mention Jezebel Rinehart, but if you do anything to hurt my family or friends, I'll let them all know about you."
"It seems, Luke Duke, you have a royal flush," Jezebel told him. "But just to let you know, I could have nothing but a seven high and still win the pot. Now, I have to go make a phone call."
That girl is confident, a little too confident.
Jezebel walked over to the pay phone and dug in her pockets for change. Daisy walked over to her and said, "Hi, I'm Daisy, we meet briefly."
"Oh right, Country Boy and Haystacks' cousin," Jezebel said. "I'm Jamie."
"I heard you got in some trouble with Boss," Daisy said.
"Yeah, I have to work off my bail," Jezebel told Daisy.
"Will you be working here then?" Daisy asked.
"Oh no," Jezebel told her. "I'm not a people person. I do better with cars and other things then people who can talk back to me. I'm paying my debt off by fixing things up."
"Lucky you," Daisy said.
"I guess," Jezebel said, with a shrug. "I don't mean to be rude, but I do have to make a phone call."
"Oh, sure," Daisy said and went back to serving costumers.
Jezebel put in her spare change and dialed. Daisy came back over to the counter and accidentally over heard some of Jezebel's conversation.
"Teddy, … yeah it's me," Jezebel said. "I'm stuck in Hazzard. No don't come get me."
Jezebel listened for a little while and said, "I don't know id she's still available. And you're right he isn't very smart. Listen, I have favor for you."
Jezebel paused and looked around. Daisy quickly looked like she was busy with some orders, and then Jezebel continued, "If I came into Chickasaw, would you be able to get me a job, like in the old days?"
"I don't know when, I just need to get some quick cash so I can find a way back to the city," Jezebel said. "Yes, I'm a city girl now." … "Listen, I just need to make sure I'll have a job when I get there." … "Thanks, Teddy. I'll be sure to stay in touch." … "I just have to finish something up here. Won't be long, he is an idiot after all." … "Bye."
Jezebel hung up the phone as strange, drunk man came over to her. "Hey darling, if I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?" he asked.
She looked at him unfazed and said, "Get a new line."
"Now listen honey, how about you get over here and teach me one," the stranger said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me," Jezebel said, in a low dangerous tone.
"Or what ya'ch goanna do about it?" he asked.
"This," she said as she punched the stranger in the nose.
The stranger staggered back, while his two friends jumped up. The stranger brought his hand to his nose and wiped away the blood. He walked over to Jezebel and grabbed her arm. She reacted by kneeing him in his groin. The man double over and curled up in a ball on the floor.
Jezebel stepped over him and headed for the door. One of the man's friends stopped her by stepping in front of her and pushed her onto the table. The table collapsed under Jezebel, sending her spiraling to the ground. Jezebel moaned softly and attempted to raise herself off the ground. She couldn't and the new strange man took advantage of this. He pinned her down and asked, "How about a kiss baby?"
She's not scrawny, she can handle herself, Luke thought. And it was true; Jezebel, who would appear to be a helpless damsel, could hold herself in a fight. It was a first time Luke really saw her for her instead of big mouth Yankee. The first time he saw how beautiful she could be.
Luke, who had been watching the fight, was determined not to get involved, decided to get involved when the man tried to give a pinned Jezebel a kiss, and she ended up punching him, hard, in the stomach.
As Luke walked over to him, the man grabbed Jezebel's wrists and tried to kiss her again. Luke tapped the man on his shoulder. As the man's head spun around, Luke punched him in the jaw. He toppled over and Luke extended a hand to Jezebel. "Come on, let's get out of here before Rosco arrests us for disturbing the peace."
Jezebel looked at him dazed, but took his hand. He helped her up and then led her out to the parking lot. They ran to the General and Luke glanced over his shoulder and saw Rosco coming out of the doors. "Hurry up and get in."
Jezebel glanced over to the door and quickly slid in. As soon as Luke was in also, Jezebel said loudly, "Go!"
Luke nodded and peeled out of the Boar's Nest's parking lot. They came to a fork in the road and Jezebel said, "Go left."
"Left will bring us into town," Luke told her.
"I know, go left," Jezebel told him again.
"Stop telling my how to drive," Luke yelled at her.
"Then learn how to drive," Jezebel yelled back.
Luke sighed and turned right. Jezebel opened her mouth to, but Luke cut her off. "Keep your mouth shut, I know what I'm doing."
Jezebel huffed and leaned back in the passenger seat. She remained silent as Luke tried to shake Rosco off. They came to another fork, and Jezebel said, "Go left."
Luke went right without thinking about where the road led. They ended back up in town. Luke looked at Jezebel in disbelief and asked, "How in the world did we end up in town?"
Jezebel shrugged and smiled innocently. Then she told him, "Hide behind Cooter's Garage."
"Fine," Luke said through clenched teeth. As he parked the car, he asked, "Where you learn to fight like that?"
Jezebel ran a hand through her hair and said, "I had enough bad boyfriends to learn how."
"The owner of the Jag being the latest bad boyfriend?" Luke asked.
"The owner of the Jag being the worst one," Jezebel told him. "The only thing to be said about him is that he had good taste in cars."
"Oh." Luke shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.
"Don't give me that," Jezebel told him. "Don't feel sorry for me. I knew what kind of guy he was when we started. But that didn't matter then because I was bored and he had a Jag."
"Is that the only thing you go for, cars?" Luke asked.
Jezebel shot him a dirty glare and defended, "And I'm sure personality is the first thing you and Haystack look for in a girl."
"You're lucky it's not, or you would be at the bottom of our list," Luke told her.
"That's it, I'm leaving," Jezebel said, climbing out of the window.
"Where are you going to go?"
"I'll figure something out."
"With what? Hotel rooms are expensive in Hazzard," Luke informed her.
Jezebel paused and thought about it. She bent down next to the General and asked, "Tell me, how is it Bo and you could jump practically anything?"
Luke shrugged and said, "We just did."
"If I get in this car, will you at least listen to what I have to say about driving?" Jezebel asked.
"Fine, but it doesn't mean I will do what you say," Luke warned her.
"Sounds fine," Jezebel said, climbing through the window again.
"Now, can we head back to the farm?" Luke asked.
"Yes, just head out the north side of town," Jezebel told him.
"Fine."
Luke started the car and head towards the south side of Hazzard. Jezebel just rolled her eyes and watched the scenery fly by. The two drove in silence, until Luke pulled over on the side of a dirt road and stared at Jezebel. Jezebel looked back at him and asked, "What is it Country Boy?"
Luke stared her down and stayed quiet. Jezebel smiled and gestured for Luke to come closer. Luke leaned in and Jezebel flicked him on his forehead. "Ow."
Jezebel started giggling and said, "Stop staring Country Boy."
"How did you jump the ravine?" Luke asked.
Jezebel grinned wider and said, "I just did."
"Really, how did you jump something that no one else has ever jumped?" Luke asked.
Jezebel leaned in towards Luke and whispered, "I just did. I didn't think. I just acted. I had faith in the car and myself."
Luke raised an eyebrow and asked, "Enos said there was an explosion, how did you pull that off?"
"I took the bottle of nail polish, stuffed most of the rag in it, and then lit the rag on fire. After that, I dropped the bottle out of the window while going over the ravine, and it caused an explosion when it hit the ground," Jezebel told him, barely above a whisper.
"That was tricky of you," Luke told her, leaning in with a smile.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Jezebel asked, smiling at Luke.
Luke lean in closer, looking at Jezebel with his soft, amazing blue eyes as Jezebel slowly moved closer to Luke.
"Shepherd to Lost Sheep, you got your ears on?" Uncle Jesse's voice asked, over a crackling CB.
Luke sighed and answered, "Yeah, I'm here Uncle Jesse."
"Where are you? You should have been back by now," Uncle Jesse scolded.
"I know Uncle Jesse, but we ran into some trouble," Luke explained.
"We, who you got with you?"
"I got Jamie."
"Good, bring her with you," Uncle Jesse said. "Now get your butts back here lickety-split."
"Yes Sir, over an out."
Jezebel smirked and said, "Sounds like you're in trouble."
Luke gripped the steering wheel and vented an angry sigh.
Those two just cannot seem to get along.
Luke and Jezebel pulled up to the Duke farm, illuminated by the evening's ray. Uncle Jesse came out to meet them. He gave Luke a stern look and said, "Lucas, you got chores to finish before dinner."
"Right Uncle Jesse," Luke said climbing out the window, followed by Jezebel.
"Here, let me help," Jezebel said. "It's might be my fault your late."
"Might?" Luke asked with a grin.
"All right, just hurry up," Uncle Jesse told them. "We won't wait for you two."
"Sure will," Luke told him, as he led Jezebel over to the barn. Once Uncle Jesse was back in the house, Luke told her, "You know, you don't have to help."
"Oh, I know and I don't plan to," Jezebel told him. "I just wanted to make myself look nice in front of Jesse."
"Because we all know you are just the sweetest thing," Luke said. "Here, help spread the chicken feed."
Jezebel nodded and helped spread the chicken feed. The two of them work for a little bit and they finished Luke's chores when the sun was completely gone, and it was a dark, moonless night. Luke stretched and while he was leading Jezebel to the house he noted, "New moon."
"Bet someone is running shine somewhere," Jezebel muttered to herself.
"What makes you say that?" Luke asked.
"It's dark, the absent of the moonlight helps gives them the perfect coverage," Jezebel explained, looking up at the sky.
"For someone who never ran shine, you sure know a lot about when to run it," Luke said.
"I'm sure you know a lot about running shine also," Jezebel told him, and walked into the house.
Luke sighed aggravated and wondered how someone could be so sweet, but then turn around and say the most infuriating thing ever. He followed her in the house, and the two of them were greeted with Bo saying, "Look who's back, if it isn't the two jailbirds."
Luke scowled at him, but could do nothing else. Alice barely looked up as Uncle Jesse nodded at them and said, "Sit down, the foods getting cold."
Luke sat down right away and served himself a plate. Jezebel hesitated and said, "Mr. Duke-"
"Call me Jesse."
"Uh Jesse, I don't want to cause trouble or put you out," Jezebel started.
"It's no trouble," Uncle Jesse told her.
"Yes, but," Jezebel started again.
"But nothing," Uncle Jesse said. "It's no trouble, and I insist you stay the night."
"All right," Jezebel said, sitting down and taking a plate.
The dinner was a hearty dinner, with some light conversation. Jezebel and Luke didn't say much, but Alice and Bo talked a lot. Alice talked about her parents and growing up, it was just a bunch of nervous chatter that filled the void. Bo took pity on Alice desperate attempts and told embarrassing stories about Luke, which started Alice talking about funny Jamie stories. At the end of the dinner, Luke and Jezebel were both restraining themselves from punching Alice and Bo.
After dinner, they all went to bed. The girls went to Daisy's room and the boys into their room. Around two in the morning, Luke woke up to an all to familiar dream, and went into the kitchen. He had on flannel pajama pants, with his blue flannel white unbutton draped on his shoulder. Luke went over the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk. He double checked the empty kitchen and then took a couple gulps of milk.
As Luke put the milk carton back, he heard distant singing. He couldn't make the words out, but the song seemed strangely familiar. Luke scratched his head and asked, "Daisy, is that you singing?"
The song stopped. Luke yawned and thought he had just imagined the song. As he walked back to his room, he heard humming. Luke followed the humming and found it led to the front porch. As Luke creaked open the front screen door, the humming stopped. Luke stumbled onto the porch, and looked around. It was a dark and Luke couldn't make out anything. "Anybody out there?" Luke called out quietly.
The only answer was the low hum of crickets, and the howl of a wild dog. Luke took a step towards the edge of the porch, but stumbled. He would have fallen off the porch if an arm hadn't held him back. "Watch it Country Boy," the owner of the arm said.
Luke stood up straight, and looked at the person. It was dark, but Luke knew who it was. He turned on the porch light as Jezebel winced at the sudden burst of light. She was wearing a light lavender nightgown. Her strawberry blonde hair was tangled and it appeared as though it was attacking her face. She slowly opened her eyes and said, "Warn a person before you turn on a light."
"What are you doing out here?"
"What are you doing out here?"
"Were you just singing?" Luke asked.
Jezebel shook her head, and inconspicuously tried to bring her left hand behind her back. Luke noticed it, however. He grabbed her arm and asked, "What are you trying to hide?"
"Nothing." Jezebel jerked her arm away and took a step away from him.
"What is it?" Luke asked.
"It's nothing," Jezebel told him.
"Then let me see." Luke went to make a grab at it, but Jezebel stepped out of his reach.
"No," Jezebel said, taking a step off the porch. Luke followed her off the porch and kept making grabs at Jezebel's hand.
"If it is nothing, then let me see it," Luke told her, getting hold of her arm.
"Fine." Jezebel hand over a picture.
Luke took it from her and looked it over. It was a picture of a little girl, in the arms of man and a woman standing next to them. The little girl had a tacky plastic crown on and was grinning ear from ear. Luke flipped it over and looked for any clue about the picture. He glanced at Jezebel and asked, "This you?"
Jezebel snatched the picture back and told him, "Yes."
"Oh," Luke said uneasily.
Jezebel rolled her eyes and asked, "So, why are you up?"
"A dream woke me up," Luke told her.
"Nightmare?"
"No, just a reoccurring dream," Luke explained.
"What is it about?" Jezebel asked.
Luke debated on whether or not to explain his dream to her. He had only told on person about his dream and that was Uncle Jesse. "It's complicated."
Jezebel nodded and walked around the Duke's yard aimlessly. She picked up a stone, tossed it in the air and then caught it again. She repeated the action a couple of times till she said, "God, it's so open out here."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Luke asked.
"Out here you can have space to breathe and think," Jezebel noted.
"So?"
"I don't like it."
"Why?"
"It's complicated," Jezebel answered him, and threw the rock across the field.
Luke rolled his eyes and said, "That's great, don't get lost on your way back to bed."
As he head back towards the house, Jezebel asked, "You ever felt like you were trapped in a glass box?"
"Huh?"
"You could see the world, and told yourself that one day you would see the world, but when you tried you kept hitting a barrier," Jezebel said to herself.
"Felt trapped and became afraid that you would be stuck in the same place till you died?" Luke asked.
Jezebel turned to him and told him, "Yeah."
"I know exactly how that is," Luke told her. "Part of the reason why I joined the Marines. Is that the reason you left Chickasaw?"
"I left Chickasaw because my mother didn't want me to end up like my dad," Jezebel told him.
"What happen to him?" Luke asked.
"Six feet under." Jezebel picked up another rock and stared at it. "He tried to stop some people from transporting moon shine and ended up being shot by Sheriff Little." Jezebel heaved the rock as hard as she could.
"I'm sorry," Luke said.
"It doesn't change anything," Jezebel said. She smirked and asked, "Does Boss still deal with stolen cars?"
"When did Boss deal with stolen cars?" Luke asked.
"I don't know," Jezebel told him quickly. "It was just a hunch he did."
Luke smirked and asked, "Now why would you want to know that anyway? You don't do those kind of things anymore, don't you Jezebel?"
"It would make a good story," Jezebel told him.
"Right."
Jezebel rolled her eyes and headed towards the barn, humming softly. Luke followed her, trying to listen to melody she was humming. Jezebel glanced back towards him, but kept walking. Luke kept following her, till she was inside the barn and at that point she turned around. "Why are you following me?"
"What are you humming?" Luke asked.
"I don't know, a song from the radio," Jezebel suggested with a shrug.
"No it's not," Luke told her softly.
"Then what is it?" Jezebel asked.
Luke felt slightly embarrassed as he said, "I don't quite know."
Jezebel smiled at him, but heard a noise from behind her. She glanced over at the stall and saw a goat staring at her. Jezebel looked back at Luke, who didn't notice. She leaned in and whispered, "The goat's staring at me."
Luke gave her a confused and looked towards the goat. He smiled as he saw the goat staring at Jezebel with his wide eyes. He shook his head and said, "Well it's because you happen to look like a giant flower to him."
"Yes, I'm sure the goat thinks I'm a giant walking, talking flower," Jezebel told him, but shivered. "I forgot how cold it could get at night."
Luke took of his shirt and handed it over to Jezebel. "Here, take this."
"Won't you be cold?" she asked.
"I'm going inside," Luke told her. "You can stay out here and freeze, but I'm going inside."
"How sweet of you," Jezebel told him sarcastically.
"I'm not going to freeze out here with you," Luke told her.
"I don't want you to."
"Then I'm leaving."
"Fine."
Luke started to walk away as Jezebel lifted up her left foot and spun slightly. She lost her balance and toppled over into a pile of hay. Luke turned around and started laughing as he saw Jezebel in the pile of hay. Jezebel had straws of hay in her red and blonde hair and was trying to comb it all out. She glanced up at Luke and asked, "You wanna give me a hand?"
Luke smiled and walked over to her. As he held out his hand, Jezebel grabbed it and pulled him down with all his might. He fell head first into the pile of hay. As he struggled to get out of the pile of hay, Jezebel smiled at him. He managed to sit up next to Jezebel, which gave her the opportunity to observe her handiwork. Luke had hay scattered in his hair. He gave her a dirty glare and she started laughing.
"I can see why you started laughing at me," Jezebel told him.
"Shut up," Luke said, as he tried to brush the hay out of his hair.
"Let me help," Jezebel said, picking out a couple straws. She smiled at him, but then yawned.
"You tired?" Luke asked. Jezebel ignored him and leaned back in the hay. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Luke nudged her and said, "Let's go inside."
"Five more minutes," Jezebel muttered.
"Are you saying you want to sleep out here?" Luke asked her.
"I just want five more minutes," Jezebel murmured as she pulled him back into the hay pile. Luke nodded and allowed Jezebel to rest her head on his shoulder.
Uncle Jesse and Daisy were in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Uncle Jesse looked around and asked, "Did Luke milk the goat yet?"
"I don't know," Daisy told him. "Want me to go check?"
"Yes."
Daisy walked over to Luke's door and knocked on it. No answer. Daisy knocked again and asked, "Luke, did you milk the goat?"
Still no answer.
"Luke, you in there?" Daisy opened the door and saw the room was empty. She walked back in the kitchen and said, "He's not in his room, so he must be out in the barn."
"I'll go check," Uncle Jess told her. As Uncle Jesse stepped onto the porch he called back to Daisy, "Daisy, did you leave the porch light on?"
"No," Daisy called back to him. She heard him mumble something, but was unable to interrupt it. She shrugged it off as Alice came into the kitchen looking dazed. "Good morning."
"Morning," Alice answered back. She looked around and asked, "Have you seen Jamie?"
Uncle Jesse walked out towards the barn, looking around. He didn't see Luke around and decided to check up on the goat. He saw the goat wasn't milked yet and called out, "Luke you in here?"
Uncle Jesse thought he heard a noise from the corner and head over there. His mouth dropped when he saw Luke and Jezebel in the hay pile. Jezebel's head was nuzzled into Luke's chest, while Luke had his hand on Jezebel's leg. They both had straw in their hair and were wearing little clothing with Luke's shirt being used as a blanket.
Well, isn't that just the perfect sight for Uncle Jesse to find?
