Thank-you to all my wonderful, faithful reviewers. I updated quickly just for you! I am hoping to break the 200 review mark this time... please, please help me by R and R- ing!- Jordyn

"Ya know somethin' told me we'd be goin' up and not down," said Jesse as he watched Luke press the number five on the elevator number pad.

"I wanna see him, Jesse. I need to."

Jesse nodded. The two were never separated for long, so he reasoned that this time wouldn't be much different, no matter what the circumstances.

"There's his doctor," said Jesse as they stepped into the ICU. "Sir?"

"Mr. Duke… I'm glad you're here."

"Is-uh somethin' wrong?" asked Jesse quietly. Luke stopped in his tracks and Daisy, grabbed her cousin's hand for support.

"I'm afraid the swelling is growing worse. He is heavily sedated right now so that his blood pressure can stabilize. Once that is set, we'll insert an intraventricular catheter to allow drainage of the fluid."

"A what?"

"An intraventricular catheter… it's a small tube inserted into his brain."

"Doc, you tellin' me you gotta drill a hole into my cousin's head? You gotta be outta your mind," began Luke, looking incredulously at the doctor.

"I assure you it's quite a routine operation and is very effective. Of course, as with any operation, there are some risks…"

"Such as?" asked Jesse softly.

"Well, the biggest risk is infection and potential bleeding, both of which can lead to all kinds of trouble."

"My God," muttered Luke, hugging Daisy close to him.

"And if we don't risk it?" asked Jesse, staring into the direction of Bo's room.

"Mr. Duke, at this point, there is no option. Any more build-up of pressure will cause permanent brain damage, and that is in addition to what already might be there."

"Oh, Luke!" cried Daisy, burying her head on her cousin's shoulder.

"How long will that have to stay in his head?" asked Luke, his voice breaking.

"Usually up to two weeks."

Jesse let out a sigh. "Do what ya have t' do, Doc." He then turned to his niece and nephew. "That settles it. We're stayin' if'n we have t' camp outside all night, every night. Ain't no way I'm leavin' him."

Daisy smiled a sad smile and Luke clasped Jesse's shoulder appreciatively.

The doctor nodded. "If he stabilizes we will try and have it in within the next few hours."

"Can we see him?" asked Luke, scowling as he glanced at the clock above the nurse's station. 11:04. Visiting hours had just ended.

Ya know, with the luck that boy's been havin', ya gotta wonder if he took a baseball bat into a house o' mirrors when he was a youngin'.

"Well, just one of you… and keep it short. He needs his rest."

"Yes, sir. Thank-ya," answered Luke, wasting no time in making his way down the hallway.

"Uncle Jesse, what if…" began Daisy, burying her face on her Uncle's strong shoulder.

"I know, girl, I know. We'll jest have t' wait an' trust that the good Lord knows what he's doin'."


Luke knew the room number by heart. 507. He turned the handle and paused, preparing himself the best he could for what he would find. He took a deep breath, let it out, and limped inside.

He saw his cousin, lying deathly still in the bed and his heart wrenched inside of him.

Ya know, Luke served in 'Nam as a Marine for four years and seen a lot of things… but I bet nothin' came close to this.

"Bo," whispered Luke, hobbling over to the well-worn chair beside his bed. He collapsed into it and gently lifted Bo's pale hand, being careful not to dislodge the IV running into it. "Bo, what's he done to ya?"

Gulping back tears, he softly pushed Bo's honey blond hair out of his eyes. "Ya need a haircut, kiddo."

Luke sighed, shaking his head in disbelief as he stared at his cousin. Despite what Uncle Jesse and Daisy had told him, he was not prepared… not for this.

Bo looked awful. His hands were clammy and it seemed as if he were growing paler by the minute. There was an oxygen tube in his nose and IV's in each hand. His temple had been stitched, as well as the side of his head. The swelling in his eye had gone down, but it was now bruised black and blue, as if he had been punched. Luke shook with anger at the thought of it.

He gently caressed Bo's head and caught his breath as he felt, underneath his long blond locks, a section of hair cut much shorter than the others. Luke scowled, clenching Bo's hair tightly and wiping his eyes before bringing his hand gently on top of his cousin's.

He scooted the chair nearer to his cousin, and buried his face on Bo's bed, releasing all of the emotion he had bottled up inside of him.

Ya know, I was beginnin' t' wonder when that boy'd let it out…

"You gotta be ok, Bo! You gotta!" Tears raced down his cheeks faster than the General on Sunday mornin' when the boys are late for church.

"Bo… I… I'm so scared… I used to think losin' my parents was the worst thing that ever could happen t' me. It ain't so. Worst thing would be if I lost you, brother. That'd be the worst thing… ya gotta get better, Bo. ya gotta!" Luke could feel himself starting to hyperventilate. He took a few shaky breaths and continued, not even bothering to wipe the tears that were falling from his cheeks onto Bo's hand.

"Bo, I'm so sorry. I let'm do this to ya, Bo. If I would've been more careful… I'm so sorry."

He was answered with the steady beep-beep-beep of the heart monitor.

Luke bent over and kissed Bo's forehead. "We ain't leavin' ya, Bo. I'm gonna be right down the hall. I ain't leavin'." He lightly squeezed his cousin's hand before exiting the room.


Luke made his way down the hall and into the small waiting room nearby. Upon seeing her cousin's grief-stricken face, Daisy ran to him, embracing him in a hug. Luke, more distraught than he realized, was biting his lip to keep from crying in front of Daisy.

"Well, now, why don't we go get somethin' t'eat. Then we can come back up an' make sure that everythin' goes well."

Luke nodded, although at this point he really didn't care if he ever ate again. All he could think about was Bo, the dripping IV's, and that it was ironic that Bo, who hated needles above anything else in the world, was sure getting his share of them today. . "It's a good thing he can't see himself," thought Luke. "He'd be scared to death."

Scared to death... I sure hope that ain't a foreshadowin' of what's t' come… don't y'all?