Okay y'all, this chapter gave me a lot of grief. Sometimes the chapters write themselves and sometimes… well, they don't. At any rate, enough of my gripin'. Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. I am updating as soon as possible, but I will tell ya now that the next chapter will be at least a week away. I am off to Texas- where it's warm! Yee-haw! Until next time, please please R and R. Thank you much!

--Jordyn

Luke's lungs burned like fire as he struggled to hold his breath just a few seconds longer. He quickly found his way to Bo and reached for his pocketknife, thankful that Daisy had brought it with her from Hazzard and returned it days before. He cut through the lines that held his cousin captive, as well as freeing his wrists and legs from the course ropes that had bound him. Then, wrapping an arm around Bo, he headed for the surface.

Luke's teeth chattered as he guided the lifeless form to the shore as quickly as he could. The cold was starting to get to him. The water was near-freezing, but it felt warm to Luke compared with the chilling wind biting at him from above. His back stung when he breathed in and he was physically and mentally exhausted, but he would not rest until he knew that Bo was safe and sound.

After what seemed like hours but in reality was less than three minutes, he managed to drag Bo out of the lake. He pulled him ashore and put an ear to his chest.

Nothing.

"C'mon, Bo. Don't do this… fight!" ordered Luke as he tilted Bo's head back and began CPR. The sirens from the ambulance sounded nearby and he vaguely heard yelling and a scurry of footsteps across the moonlit sand. "C'mon, Bo!" screamed Luke as he pushed on his cousin's chest vigorously. "Breathe, Bo! Breathe!"

"We'll take him from here, son," came a voice behind him, causing Luke to jump inside of his skin. Two EMT's carefully placed Bo on a stretcher and raced him to the waiting ambulance.

Luke started to follow but fell to the ground instead, overcome with exhaustion and fear.


"My nephews…Bo and Luke Duke… they were just brought in… how are they?" demanded Jesse of the lady at the information desk.

"Bo was taken back to his room on the fifth floor. He's in serious condition. I have nothing in my computer about Luke. He could be in the process of admittance…"

"We'll find 'em. Thank ya."

"Sir… visitin' hours are…."

Jesse's response was to run to the elevator and push the number five.


"Doc, what's the matter with my boys?" as he rushed to Bo's room, only to be stopped by Bo's doctor.

"Mr. Duke… Miss Duke…. Please, sit down."

Uh-oh. Here we go again.

"What's goin' on, doc?"

"Well, sir, they've both been admitted."

"Luke too?"

"Yes, sir. We want to observe Luke overnight."

"How come?"

"Well, he's very dehydrated and physically exhausted. And after that cold swim…."

"Swim?"

"Yes, sir. Bo was thrown into Lake Michigan, bound and unconscious."

Daisy's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Is he… is uh…?"

The doctor shook his head. "Luke got to him just in time. However, it still remains to be seen just how much damage it caused them both."

"Can we see them?"

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt either of them any."

"Thank ya."

A few minutes later, Jesse and Daisy entered Bo's room, only to find Luke there as well, asleep in the chair beside his cousin's bed, huddled in blankets and holding fast to Bo's left hand. Apparently Luke had dragged himself, IV and all, down the hall to be with Bo.

"Oh, Uncle Jesse!" cried Daisy, her eyes taking in the pale, still form of Bo on the bed, with oxygen in his nose, IV's in both wrists, and a heart monitor beeping slowly. Jesse went to the other side of the bed and, with tears smarting in his eyes, clasped Bo's hand in his own.

Upon hearing his cousin cry out, Luke stirred. He opened his eyes and, for a moment, thought he was back on the farm. Then he glanced at Bo beside him and the memories of the past few hours came rushing back.

"Luke? Oh, honey, we're so glad you're alright. The doctor told us what happened…" began Daisy, giving Luke a kiss on the cheek.

Luke's blue eyes blinked back tears as he too stared at Bo. His cousin looked worse than before.

"Luke, how ya doin' son?" asked Jesse, noting something in Luke's manner that wasn't there before.

Luke looked at Uncle Jesse for a moment, then, unable to take the kind, gentle look from his uncle, he bit his lip and stared back at Bo.

Jesse saw the unmistakable look of guilt and shame across his nephew's face. It chilled him to the bone.

Jesse moved from his spot beside Bo and crossed over to where Luke sat. He cupped Luke's chin in his calloused hands, and made Luke look straight into his eyes.

"Luke, ya can't blame yerself."

Luke's shoulders were shivering, even though he was no longer cold. "I do though, Jesse," began Luke hoarsely, rubbing his sore throat with the back of his hand. "If I'd been quicker…if I'd just…"

"Luke. You listen t' me now…weren't nothin' more ya coulda done. Ya saved his life, Luke. Doc said ya got him out just in time."

Luke frowned and turned his attention to Bo once more. He gently pushed the hair out of his cousin's eyes, revealing the newly stitched cut across his forehead.

"I didn't get him in time, Jesse. If I did, he wouldn't have that there cut and he wouldn't've nearly drowned. I let him down," fumbled Luke. "They said he woke up and asked for me… I let him down."

Daisy silently pressed Luke's hand. She knew Luke would never cry in front of her, but right now he was as close to tears as she had ever seen him.

Jesse sighed. He knew there was no sense arguin' with his nephew. He was as stubborn as a mule. He was about to advise Luke to return to his room when the doctor stepped in.

"Mr. Duke. You need to be in your own room. I'll take care of Bo."

"I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Now, Luke, ya heard the doc. Ya need yer rest too," added Jesse.

"You'll have t' drag me outta here, 'cuz I ain't movin'."

"Luke…" pleaded Daisy.

"Luke, you…"

"No, Jesse. I left'm once. It sure's heck ain't gonna happen again."

"Alright, Luke. You win. I'll let ya stay with him on one condition," offered the doctor.

"What'd that be?"

"You get some rest."

"Yes, sir."

The doctor checked Bo over once more and then retired to make some phone calls.

"Well, Luke, I guess we'd best get goin' back to the motel. We'll be here in the mornin'. Ya get some sleep, ya hear?"

He was answered by soft snoring coming from the chair beside the bed.

"C'mon Daisy. Let's let the boys get some rest. They had a big day."

A big day? Now that, my friends, is puttin' it mildly.