Sorry it took so long... I have been sick.Please review… I'd love to have over 300 reviews…. C'mon please! This chapter is specifically dedicated to those of you who have been reading and not reviewing. (Hopefully if I dedicate a chapter to you, maybe you will review for me!) Anyway, thanks! Jordyn

Luke's heart seemed to drop to his stomach as he realized what Bo had given him.

"Bo… how…how did you…?" asked Luke, fingering the circlet of gold Bo had placed in his hand before sliding it on his finger.

"I grabbed it… when he shoved me… in the seat… I know… what it means to ya," answered Bo, letting his head sink into the pillow once more.

Luke turned the ring on his finger. It was like Bo to think of Luke, even when he himself was in trouble. A thought suddenly occurred to Luke, making him so sick to his stomach he had to ask.

"Bo… did he see ya take it?"

"Not exactly," answered the younger Duke shifting uneasily and averting Luke's stare.

"What d'ya mean not exactly?" asked Luke not liking how the conversation was turning.

"Luke… I'm tired…"

"Bo, did he hurt you? Did he…"

"Look, he noticed it was gone… that's it," returned Bo shortly.

Luke nodded. Bo's short reply and the fact that Bo wouldn't look him in the eyes was answer enough.

"I'm sorry, Bo… didn't mean t' make ya think 'bout it…"

"No, Luke, I'm sorry… I'm just tuckered… is all…."

"Well, get some sleep, buddy."

"Are ya gonna…stay with me?"

"Do ya want me to?"

Bo nodded sleepily before closing his eyes.

"Then I'll stay," said Luke taking Bo's hand once more.

Luke sighed as he watched his baby cousin fall back to sleep. Bo always had been afraid of hospitals ever since he was just a small tyke. Asthma attacks would find him in the emergency room several times per month. It had even gotten to the point that everyone in the ER and in the children's ward knew Bo by first name. Bo had never told anyone how the sounds of pain and agony in the ER had terrified him as a child. Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lavinia had always reckoned that he was frightened because he couldn't breathe, which would be enough to scare anyone, but Luke knew better. He remembered a time when Bo had had an attack, just before Luke joined the Corps. Being the only one at home at the time, Luke had taken Bo to the hospital. Screams of pain from someone next door permeated through the walls as Bo took his breathing treatment, causing the boy to shudder and lean in to Luke for comfort.

Yes, sir, that'd be enough t' put a quiver in anyone's liver…

Bo was asleep within a few minutes and Luke found himself looking at his ring once more. To think that Bo would put himself on harm's way for Luke… the dark-haired cousin gulped back tears that threatened to fall. Softly tracing Bo's pale hand with his own, Luke found himself uttering what he could not say before.

"Bo, this ring… it means a lot… but you mean so much more… you gotta get better, cousin… we love ya…" Not knowing what else to do, Luke softly started singing, more to pass time than anything else.

Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold

They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold

Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis

And each night begins a new day

If you don't understand him, and he don't die young

He'll probably just ride away…

Now that boy's got good taste in music, don't he?

Luke was just about to start on the chorus when Bo jerked suddenly and one of the monitors starting beeping wildly.

"Bo!"

Okay, you know what to do!