Author's Note: In "Me and You and, Well, We Have Bo Here," I mentioned a bit about Luke telling Bo to get lost, only to have him go literally lost. Sine so many asked me about it, I have written that story, and since it was requested to be a chapter story, it is. I am sorry for the chapters being so short though.

Big thanks to Earendil Eldar for beta work.

Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I made up the names of the other drivers, but I don't own the Duke boys, not the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix…


Chapter 4, But Luke, Ya Said Get Lost

Jesse didn't know what to think anymore, it was late in the evening the second day. There was still no trace of the baby boy. He was praying as much as he was shouting the boy's name now. There was only one place left to search, and that was the ravine, if Bo had fallen down the ravine, he was dead.

They approached the ravine, and Jesse looked around. He searched the edge of it franticly, and seeing nothing he looked closer.

There was something there he suddenly noted. Something on the very edge, maybe one foot from the steep slope.

He didn't dare to shout his name once more, for it looked like Bo, and he was peering over the edge. Bo, ever curious wanted to see what was down there. Then a he heard a sound he looked up towards Jesse instead, a big grin spreading over his face.

"Bo." Jesse said softly.

"Uncle Jesse!" Bo shouted as loud as he could, and spun around to run to him, he tripped on a lose rock and fell, and Jesse thought his heart stopped there as he thought Bo was going to fall over the edge.

Then Bo pushed himself up on his hands, sniffing back tears as he had hurt himself falling. "Uncle Jesse!" He cried once again, sitting up and holding up his arms to be lifted. "Wanna go home."

Jesse ran over and scooped him up, pressing him close to his chest.

"I'm scared Uncle Jesse." Bo buried his face in the crock of Jesse's neck, he was ice cold Jesse though, badly chilled, but at least he was alive. "M' tired, an' m' hungry, an' m' wanna go home now." Bo sniffed.

"We're going home." Jesse assured him as he held him close with one arm, touching the other to the back of his head. Bo was smeared with dirt, and he had tear tracks on his face. However, except for a few tears in his clothes, a few scrapes and some bruises he appeared fine.

"No fun here." Bo went on, clutching on to a fistful of Jesse's shirt.

"Don't worry Bo, we're going home." Jesse carried him towards home, and Bo suddenly found himself the centre of attention as all the searchers started heading back as well. Everyone wanted to hug him, kiss him, and make sure he was okay. At first, he greedily held out his arms for the hugs, but after some time he started whining again. Crying a bit and wanting to go home. Then he wouldn't let go off Jesse's shirt.

Finally they were back to the farm, and he was surprised to see the picnic being set out there. The men had been out searching for Bo, and their wives had been cooking in the meantime. Now there was a feast there for the searchers to enjoy.

"Bo!" Luke came running out of the house, nearly tripping on himself in his hurry to reach Bo. As he saw his older cousin Bo let out an excited shriek. He tried to scramble out of Jesse's arms to go to his cousin instead.

Jesse let him down when Luke had caught up with them, handing Bo down to Luke, who hugged him so tight Bo objected to it. "I thought I'd never see you again." Luke choked. "I was so scared Bo."

Bo frowned with a small pout, "but Luke, ya said get lost." He objected.

Luke swallowed, they had already asked him exactly how he had phrased his words to Bo and explained that you couldn't talk to Bo the same way that Bobby talked to his brother. Now he really understood it. He wrapped his arms around Bo once more, and for the rest of that day he was never more than three feet away from him.

Doc Appleby was there, and he checked Bo over, declaring that all he needed was a bath, some food and some sleep. Bo trudged around the garden between the picnic blankets, once more finding that he couldn't really go anywhere without being hugged, and after some time, he tired as he just wanted to get something to eat. That was when Luke brought him inside where he could eat in peace.

Martha saw how they went into the kitchen, hand in hand, until Bo talked Luke into carrying him instead. She headed in after them and set them at the kitchen table. Bo looked just about ready to fall asleep over his food. She smiled at him. "I think he needs a nap." She stated, she had already given him a bath, it had really been necessary. She suspected he had done at least one mud tumble.

Luke stayed with them as she helped Bo prepare for bed, smiling as Bo gave an excited squeal to be sleeping in his own bed, digging out the worn teddy bear he favored.

Luke looked as he seemed to fall asleep instantly, then he went to find his uncle.

He was standing by himself at the moment, so Luke walked up to stand beside him.

"Uncle, Jesse." He began silently.

"Yeah, Luke." Jesse looked down at him, he had a feeling that he knew what was coming, and given how hard a time the boy had been having with his cousin missing, he decided to make it easier for him. "You wondering when I'll ask you to come to the woodshed?" He asked.

Luke gave a small nod.

"Well, I ain't gonna do it." Jesse told him.

"Not?" Luke asked, confused.

"Do you think you deserve it?" Jesse asked and almost smiled as Luke nodded. "Then you know what you did wrong, and you know Luke, you made a big mistake there, but I know ya'd never do anything to hurt your cousin, and I think ya learnt something from that mistake, so no, I ain't gonna punish ya for it. I've a feeling ya blamed yourself this here whole time."

Luke nodded again, it was all his fault.

"See, there." Jesse said softly. "Ya have already been punishing yourself there, and I don't want you to do it. The point is that Bo's too small to be left on his own, but you're not really big enough to be responsible for him all the time either."

"I should've watched him." Luke shook his head.

"You should." Jesse put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But he's back safe now, and I don't think you'll ever make that same mistake ever again. We're not mad at ya Luke." He assured the boy. "Now, I know you didn't really sleep any last night, so why don't you go take a nap?"

Normally Luke would claim to be too old, but now he just nodded. "Thank you Uncle Jesse." He didn't mean for not being punished, but for his uncle understanding. He accepted the hug his uncle gave him. Still feeling guilty, but it was good to know they didn't blame him. He didn't know what he would do if his uncle didn't trust him no more.

Bo had kicked off the blanket in his sleep and Luke smiled at it, Bo always did that. He covered him up again and then pulled off his boots. He would have laid down on his own bed for a nap, but now he stretched out beside Bo instead. One arm around him protectively, he didn't intend to ever make that same mistake again.

The End