---16---

Louis struggled against the grip holding him down, spitting threats amid a torrent of foul language. Luke ignored him, pushing him face down against the sinks so hard that the man gagged as the metal sink ground against his ribs. He moaned in pain.

"Do it an' ya dead." He hissed.

Just a little more force would break them.

Just a little more…

As if sensing his assailant was hesitant, Louis chuckled. "You ain't got the guts, Duke." He snarled.

Luke's grip tightened, but he didn't push down any more. He could hear his own heart clattering in his chest.

"Coward!"

Luke knew he was being goaded, but he couldn't stop the building anger at that word. He started to push down.

Louis began to choke.

---

Jesse looked up as the door of Bo's room opened and the doctor walked in. He nodded once to Jesse, then turned his attention to the boy in the bed. He hooked his stethoscope to his ears and listened to Bo's heartbeat and breathing.

Jesse stirred. "Daisy, honey, could ya get me glass of something?" He asked.

Daisy glanced at the doctor, and her face fell. But if she knew it was just a ruse to get her out of earshot, she didn't say. She let go of Bo's hand and got to her feet. "Sure."

Jesse waited until she was gone before looking up at the doctor with a grimmer face than he's shown his niece.

"If I ask ya something, will I get a straight answer? None o' ya fancy medical talk?"

"Of course."

Jesse's hand tightened in Bo's thatch of blond hair. "Is he gonna be alright, doc?"

The doctor drew a breath and unhooked his stethoscope from his ears. "Yes, sir, he is."

---

The con gasped, trying to get a breath. He shoved back against Luke, but it was a weaker struggle than before and Luke held him firm. It was almost fascinating to see the tinge of blue start to colour Louis's lips.

One more shove and his ribs would buckle under the strain.

"LUKE!"

Luke didn't flinch or look round. He knew the voice.

It was Ricky.

"Get out." Luke told him evenly.

"No."

"Get out." He repeated.

"Luke, ya can't do this."

"I said get out!" Anger crept into his voice.

"Can't let ya do this."

"Just walk away." Luke sounded so reasonable. "It's whatcha best at, ain't it?"

"Yeah." The man agreed. "That's me. An' this…this ain't you."

"He stabbed Bo."

"So?"

Luke twisted around and the movement caused Louis to cry out in pain as he was pushed harder into the metal. "SO! Bo could die!"

"An' I'm sorry about that." Ricky said, "an' I reckon so is Louis right about now, so ya made ya point." He paused. "Ain't he, Louis?"

The man just glared hatefully up at Luke.

"Ain't he?" Ricky insisted.

Louis gave a nod.

Luke didn't move.

Ricky sighed. "Ya think this is what Bo would want? You killin' someone?"

Luke felt a cold chill run through him and his grip loosened just a little. "I ain't gonna kill him." He said quietly.

"That there is pride. An' it ain't a deadly sin without a good reason."

"No?"

Luke caught his reflection in the mirror again, his own face twisted with hate, holding down a choking man. He almost didn't recognise the man staring back at him.

Only… that wasn't quite true. He'd been a solider once. And when he'd returned to the farm, he had thought…hoped…he would never see Sergeant Duke again.

And yet here he was.

Ricky came into view in the mirror. He stopped just behind Luke, waiting.

"No." Luke answered. "No I ain't." And he let go of Louis, who collapsed to the floor coughing and gasping for breath.

Ricky hauled him to his feet. "Ya better forget this, ya hear?" He told the gasping man. "Or maybe that knife ya used might just turn up come inspection."

Louis wobbled on his feet but Ricky gave him a shove towards to the door and he stumbled out.

Luke watched him go. "Thanks."

Ricky shrugged. "Ya wouldn'ta hurt him."

Luke glanced at his own reflection. He wished he could believe that.

"Ya wouldn't." Ricky's lips twisted and let out a half chuckle. "Guards woulda stopped ya."

Luke leant over the sinks and closed his eyes. He realised he was shaking.

"They're lookin' for ya, Luke. Be here in a minute. I come ta get ya. I guess…I guess it's about ya cousin."

Luke's head snapped up.

---

Daisy stroked Bo's forehead. There was more colour in the boy's cheeks now and the drip had been changed from blood to saline. She thought his breathing seemed more even too, more like sleep and less like a drugged stupor.

"I wish he'd wake up, Uncle Jesse." She murmured.

---

The head warder's office was surprisingly comfortable and welcoming, at odds with its surroundings. It looked like any chairman's office in the big city, an island of normality in the middle of the prison.

The warder wore a hardened expression no city chairman would have though and his eyes pieced Luke the moment he was escorted into the office.

But it wasn't the man behind the desk that drew Luke's attention; it was the two people sitting in the chairs in front of it. Two very familiar faces.

"Hello, Luke," said Sammy and Andy Roach grinned.

---

"Now it weren't that Luke was ungrateful fer everythin' that Sammy an' Andy had done, but he was one worried Duke so the ride over ta Tri-county was pretty solemn. Freedom ain't nothin' without ya family, an' Luke was just achin' ta see his…"

Sammy and Andy took Luke into the hospital and then they stood back to watch as Jesse and Daisy drew him into their arms. Andy smiled. There were times when he loved his job.

Sammy laid her head against Andy's shoulders and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to put his arm around her, to hold her to him as they witnessed the Duke's joy at having Luke back with them. She smiled up at him, a faint blush colouring her cheeks.

Then Daisy came over to hug them and kiss their cheeks and Jesse took his hand to shake. He quickly waved down their thanks, embarrassed.

And in the midst, Luke quietly slipped into the room where Bo lay sleeping.

Luke stood in the doorway, staring at his cousin. Bo lay pale and still in the bed.

He went over to him and took his hand.

"Bo?" he whispered.

The boy's eyes flickered and opened.

"Hey." Luke greeted.

A smile crept across Bo's face. "Luke?"

"It's me, cousin."

There was laughter behind him and Luke turned to see Jesse, Daisy and Andy standing in the doorway, smiling.

Bo's eyes flickered to them.

"Ya gonna tell him Luke or shall we draw lots?" Andy said.

Luke laughed and all of a sudden it felt real. This was happening. It was over. They were going home.

"Tell me what?" Bo frowned.

"We're free." He burst out. "We're free, Bo."

----------------------------------------------------

To be concluded…