A/N: I made it again! School is really buggin me right now, so the updates may take me a while, but... I got a little somethin somethin for y'all: this chapter! Ow and a funny fact:
Here in Holland there is a new commercial, starring: The Doeks uut (from) Hasselt... Sound familiar? They are a Dutch hilbilly version of the famous Dukes, and they are telling us how to drive safe, modern and nature-friendly! Ain't that a hoot? Well, I thought it was funny... Only one problem, they ain't as hot or cool as the real ones. :S Ah well, let's just git on to tha story. Enjoy!

15

The feeling of a large object being stuck in his throat was almost enough to make Luke want to gag. But somehow he was unable. Just like he was unable to open his eyes, or fight his way through the thin grey clouds filling his mind. He felt a slight pressure on his hand, as if someone was holding it. When this pressure increased so much it hurt, Luke knew he had to find a way to come to the surface. But somehow, something was holding him back. The sensation of someone real heavy sitting on his chest became almost unbearable. But still, the thought of the person holding his hand so tight was unnerving. What if something is wrong?

The moment that question popped into his fuzzy mind, the hand suddenly squeezed real hard and loosened. The next second there was a loud crash as if someone fell over and his hand was free.

Confusion wracked Luke's hardworking brain. Why did he have to go to the surface? How did he get in this dark place where he couldn't even open his eyelids?

While all these questions made his head hurt even more, the curiousness got the better of him, and he put even more effort in getting his eyes open, which wasn't easy sensing how they seemed to be glued shut.
After a few seconds, as the pressure in his chest continued to ache, one eye cracked open and a few seconds later, enormous force opened his other heavy eyelid.

Blinking a few times, he tried to get his bearings. The room was white and small. Around him he heard the whirring of machines, and one loud insistent beeping. A slight shuffling besides him made him try and turn his head, which proved to be too much strain, cause his muscles didn't seem to listen to his mind's demands. Settling for following the form with his eyes, Luke recognised the form almost immediately as it stood up, rubbing its eyes as if he came from a deep sleep just moments ago.

And if Luke was shocked to see his young cousin here, looking like he had just went through hell and back, the look in Bo's eyes told him that he was just as shocked to see him. But why?

And then he spoke, "A dream… It was only a dream…", while Luke could only look at him with confusion in his tired blue eyes. Wondering what had happened to Bo, why he looked that drained. Heck, even what had happened to him, and how he came to be in this here hospital bed.

Now ain't that a way ta wake up for a Dukeboy? He ain't opened his eyes for a minute, an' the boy is already worried 'bout other people. Ya know, those Dukes have an unhealthy way of lovin an' carin for each other, but ya know what? I wouldn't have it any other way, da you?

The second thought that entered Bo's clouded mind was one that filled him with joy. Those confused blue eyes belonged to his cousin!

Shaking the nerve-wracking images of his dream to the back of his head, he concentrated on what was in front of him: his cousin, wide awake!

"Luke?" he asked, still a little unsure that this wasn't a dream, while the other dream could have been reality.

When Luke heard his cousin speak, his voice wavering and sounding unsure, his confusion grew. Why would Bo be insecure? And who was sitting on his chest?

Looking down, he almost expected Boss Hogg to be sitting on him, but after letting his eyes drift downwards, he only saw white sheets covering his body.

Looking up again, he saw how Bo had slowly made his way towards the bed, treading slowly as if he was afraid the bubble would burst.
As Bo stood next to his cousin, he immediately took hold of his uncooperative hand again, still afraid this would all turn out to be a hallucination…

The moment Bo felt the warm hand underneath his fingers, a swell of feelings bubbled up in his heart as the final shards of his dream disappeared from his head.

"Luke you's awake!" A million thoughts raced through him and he wanted to know if his cousin was alright, but he knew Luke couldn't answer them, because the breathing tube was still in its place. Instead, he reassured his older cousin, still seeing the confused look in his stormy blue eyes.

"It's okay now, we's safe, you're safe. Uncle Jesse an' Daisy found us, you's in the hospital now," Bo finished in one breath. Seeing the frown disappear from Luke's forehead, he knew he had gotten through to him.

As the confusion made place for understanding Luke tried to keep his eyes open, but it almost seemed like an impossible task. They kept falling shut, but he opened them again every single time. Afraid that it was all a dream, that they were still sitting in that darned tree, waiting for them wolves to disappear. Or worse… That he was still in that jungle, trapped inside that small cage, like an animal, sweating and shaking at the same time. Praying for the relief he never got.

As if Bo noticed his discomfort, he felt him softly squeeze his hand.

"It's okay, sleep. I'll be here," he softly said as Luke finally gave in to the overwhelming urge to sleep. In a voice so soft Luke almost didn't hear it through the clouds of sleep, Bo said, "I'll always be here cuz, always…"

Aww, ain't that sweet? I'm a bettin those boys 'll be joined to tha hip for the rest of their lives. They always were, an' if someone or somethin tries ta come in between? Well, I think y'all know that's one of tha things that's most likely not ta happen in Hazzard County…

After Luke let his eyes drift close for the final time, and kept them close, Bo sat there for a good twenty minutes before he jumped up. A thought hitting him, while at the same time his muscles objected to the sudden movement.

Carefully, he laid Luke's hand back on the sheet, as he made his way out of the dimly lit room. Turning around at the doorstep, he took one more look at his bedridden cousin.

"I'll be right back cuz, don't go nowhere now, ya hear?"

And while his voice seemed light, he meant what he said. Remembering his dream and the way Luke did go somewhere… He shook of the small shiver as he made his way to the nurses station.

"Uhh, ma'am?" he asked the head nurse, a bulky, broad shouldered woman with more hair on her chin then Bo had on his head. He wasn't about to confess that he was a little afraid of her.
A small grunt gave Bo the only sign that she had heard him.

"My ehh, my cousin jus woke up," he couldn't keep the grin off his face as he said this. According to doctor Ramirez the chances had been slim to none that Luke would ever wake up. But he had…

Luckily, the subject of his thoughts just came walking around the corner, as Bo hobbled to him.

"Doc! He woke up! Luke woke up," he exclaimed when he was only half way to the old doctor.

Smiling at the vibrant young men, who had been merely a shell of himself these last few days, dr. Ramirez made his way to him, so they met in between.

"He woke up jus a few minutes ago, but he's asleep now," Bo added for good measure.

"Easy now son, I'll go and examine him right now. But if what yur sayin is true, then we may have a miracle on our hands here," he said, still smiling as he went inside the small hospital room of mr. Lukas Duke.

Bo turned around, satisfied as he had fulfilled one of the two things he set himself up to do. Seeing the pay-phones on the other end of the hall, he made his way to one of them. Punching in the familiar numbers he waited until someone picked it up.

"Duke residence, Jesse Duke speakin," came the almost immediate answer.

"Uncle Jesse? It's Bo," Bo said, falling quiet for a few seconds, because for once in his life he didn't know how to say something.

As the silence continued for a few seconds, he could hear uncle Jesse's concerned voice coming through the receiver.

"Bo? Somethin wrong? Is it Luke?"

"No, no! I mean, yeah…" shaking his head, Bo let out a chuckle, "He woke up uncle Jesse, Luke woke up!"

As the other end kept silent, Bo wondered if his uncle even heard him. That is, until he heard a huge "Whoopie!"

"We'll be right there Bo, jus hold on, we're a comin!" was the last thing Bo heard as his uncle hung up, probably to tell Daisy while already getting in the car.

Still chuckling about his uncle's antics Bo made his way back to the room where he had been camped out for the biggest part of the day, only to see the doctor coming out, the smile he had worn on his face earlier was gone. Instead, a frown had formed itself there, as his eyes met Bo's questioning ones.

"What's wrong?"

Uh-oh, that ain't right. Wasn't that good ole doc smiling when he went ta check on Luke? That ain't no smile he's wearin now…