A/N Well, it took me some time, but I hope it was worth the wait. I had some trouble with updating it at FF, so it even took me a day longer ta get it up...
I hope y'all like it, there is some angst, which will be continued in the next chapter, which will probably be up by sunday. ;-) But I'll let ya read now, so... Enjoy!

12

The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the small waiting room, where two people were waiting for news on two of the most important people in their life. As a doctor stepped through the doors, both jumped up and turned questioning looks towards the elderly doc.

"Family of Beauregard Duke?" he asked, sympathy clearly visible on his weathered face.

Jesse nodded while Daisy came standing next to him, ready for anything.

"I'm his uncle, Jesse Duke" he replied softly.

"Well mr. Duke, your nephew will be alright. He had some bruised ribs and we stitched up the wound in his leg. He had a slight concussion, so we want to keep him here for the night," he ended, seeing a little part of the tension leave the faces of these people. But not all of it…

Daisy squeezed her uncle's hand softly, sensing what he was about to ask.

"An' what about Lukas Duke?" he asked, already knowing this doctor probably didn't have the answers, but he had to ask.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't have any information about a Lukas Duke, let me ask the nurse," he answered, knowing that he was probably the other patient who was brought in to the ER that morning. He sighed inwardly as he made his way towards the nurses post, while the elderly man and his young niece stayed in the exact same position. He didn't want to say it just yet, but he had known a little about the situation of the other young man who had been brought in today. His old friend dr. Whitman had told him about the nearly impossible situation he had to deal with this morning. And, knowing the two young men were the only ones being brought in that early, he was almost certain that impossible situation was Lukas Duke.

Daisy was wringing her hands when she saw the doctor talking to the head nurse. She saw the short widening of his eyes, before creating a straight face again.
The cracking of her own knuckles woke her from her slight daze, and she watched the doctor again, seeing him walk to them, as in slow-motion.

Meanwhile, Jesse had seen exactly the same thing his niece had. He saw the slight widening of the doctors eyes when he talked to that nurse, and he saw him coming towards them again, the tapping of his shoes making the empty hallways sound hollow.

Both Dukes brace themselves for what was about to come, as the doctor neared them. As he stood before them, he saw their physical reaction to this moment clearly. Their shoulders were rigid, and they both seemed to stay close together, as if they were supporting each other by keeping as close as possible.

"Mr. Duke, Miss Duke, I can't give you a lot of information now, because they are still trying ta stabilise your nephew. He will be in ICU when they can stabilise him, and that's probably when you can see him. I'll keep you informed, alright?" he spoke, feeling compassion well up in him for this family, who were likely to be torn apart if that boy didn't come through this in one piece.

Jesse and Daisy simultaneously nodded, sensing what the kind doctor offered here.

"Thank you," Jesse said, "Can we see Bo now?" he asked, worry for both of his cousins still eating at him. And it probably wouldn't go away until he had seen both of them, safe and sound. Judging by the voice of that nice doctor, that could take some time…

As they entered Bo's room, they saw him lying in the large bed, sleeping. Dark circles were clearly visible under his eyes, and his pallor was light under his tanned face. The familiar blond curls, now dry, were still flattened on his head making him look like a different person.

While Daisy grabbed two chairs, Bo started to stir. Taking his nephews hand, Jesse wiped a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

Groaning, Bo made his way to the surface, a strange feeling of contentment washing over him as he saw the last fragments of the dream he was just leaving flash before his eyes. He had been in the General, getting ready to go somewhere, somewhere safe and warm, and Luke was waving at him from a short distance. He looked healthy, no more signs of the sickly colour he had when they were stuck in that tree and no more blood could be found on him. Laughing out loud, just like his cousin was doing, Bo geared up the race-car and rode into the sunset, turning around once to see his cousin still waving and smiling. As he gave a big 'yeehaw' Bo felt the reins of sleep letting him go, and he made his way to the soothing voice that was positioned above him.

Opening his eyes, he closed them again when the bright light attacked his blue orbs, sending sharp pains to the back of his skull.

"It's awright Bo, jus open em slowly," his uncle Jesse coached him, seeing the blue eyes open once more, albeit slower this time.

"Uncle Jesse?" Bo asked, surprise evident in his voice, as his uncle's weathered face started to focus in front of him.

"That's it son, we're here now," he spoke softly, the soft tone not escaping Bo's clouded thoughts, as he started to remember how he got here.

"Luke?" he asked immediately, worry for his cousin filling his entire being. He had been alive when they found them, but he had no idea how much time had elapsed since he had felt the hands of sleep pulling him under.

The look Jesse and Daisy exchanged, told Bo things he almost didn't want to know. His eyes clouded over and an unbearable amount of pain filled them.

"He ain't… He ain't-?"

His voice drifted of, as the question seemed to hang in the air, until Daisy took Bo's hand.

"No sugah, we ehh, we don't know yet, they's still workin on him…"

Bo allowed a small amount of relief to wash over him, it wasn't over yet…

Settling back in the pillows he let the tiredness take over again, his head feeling heavy as the clouds in his head thickened once more. One thought however, held him back from total surrender, and made him speak out one request.

"Y'all wake me right, when… when somethin happens, good or bad?" he murmured, already half asleep.

Both Jesse and Daisy nodded solemnly, knowing how Bo must feel right now, cause they all felt the same. And if their nephew didn't make it through this, they had no idea what would happen to their family.

I don't know what y'all been thinkin, but I can't keep from worryin bout poor Luke, fightin fur his life in that cold Emergency Room…

2 Hours later

Three Dukes were sitting around in the small hospital room where Bo had woken up again after 2 hours of fitful sleep. An awkward silence filled the room, as every occupant felt the same worry flowing through their veins. Every time a nurse or doctor entered the room, or walked by, three heads flew up, turning towards the door. Disappointment filling their looks every time it was the wrong one.

When the door opened for the umpteenth time only one face turned, expecting to see another nurse carrying syringes or other torture devices. This time however, the elder doctor who had spoken to Jesse and Daisy two hours earlier, entered the small sterile hospital room carrying a chart.

"Mr. Bo Duke, good ta see you awake, I see the nurse already examined you?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Bo answered curtly, other questions filling his head at this moment.

Seeing the expecting looks on all three faces, doctor Ramirez decided to just come out and tell them what he knew.

"I have spoken to doctor Whitman, and he has cleared me to tell you the situation as it is for now."

As the doctor paused a second, Bo felt the cold fingers of fear take hold of his heart again. Taking a hold of himself he turned his eyes up, seeing the same looks on his niece's and his uncle's face. When the doctor started speaking again, he turned his full attention to him, no matter how bad his head hurt or how bad his heart was gonna hurt, he had to know…

Now ya can see them Dukes care 'bout each other, an' their bond 's thicker then water. So let's listen ta the doc, cause he's the only one who can tell us how ol' Luke's doin…

"I'm real sorry to be the bearer of this kinda news, but your nephew isn't doin that well, mr. Duke."

The collective gasp coming from the three Dukes made the doctor pause for a moment. He really hated to do these kind of things, but it was a part of his job.

"We lost him a few times in the Emergency room, because his broken ribs had punctured one of his lungs. When he didn't get any help soon after the accident, his lung started ta fill with blood, a condition we call a hemothorax. Because the bleeding got so severe, your nephew went into hypovolemic shock, causing the other lung to collapse too," another pause made the Dukes fear the worst. Jesse decided to be the one to ask the dreaded question.

"Is he, uhh, did he… He still with us?"

Seeing the pain, already visible in their eyes, doctor Ramirez told them the rest, "I'm sorry, but he slipped into a coma, and we ain't sure if he'll ever wake up…"

Don't that put a dent in my wishful thinkin… Folks, what you see here is the first time a Duke might be at the end of his nine lives. I'm a hopin he's got one hidden somewhere, cause one Duke in the General Lee wouldn't be tha same.