"She keeps pulling on my beard. You used to do that too Daisy." Jesse said holding Dakota in his big arms.

"She likes you." Daisy said warming a bottle of her formula. She wasn't quite sure how hot it was supposed to be, but she had seen lots of women dab some on their wrist before they fed it to them. She pulled the bottle out of the boiling water and tested it. It was a little warm. She sat it on the counter to cool and walked into the living room. Uncle Jesse sat on the couch holding Dakota with Bo and Luke to his left and right. She laughed to herself.

"This reminds me of the time I brought home that hurt bird with a broken wing."

"Yeah I remember that." Luke said in a harsh voice. "After the wing healed, it flew around the house all day then when we tried to catch it, it flew into my hair and got its feet caught."

"Yeah, I remember that too." She said giggling.

"Daisy, she's getting fussy, maybe you should see if that bottle is ready."

She turned around and headed into the kitchen, she tested it and it was just right. She brought the bottle into the living room and handed the bottle to uncle Jesse.

"Now Daisy, I hope you realize how much responsibility it takes to care for a baby. You gotta get up sometimes in the middle of the night for hours at a time. You gotta change diapers, feed them, and they aren't like an animal that you love for a week, then forget about… she's a little human bein."

"I know Uncle Jesse. I can take care of this baby! She needs a lovin mother and she's in luck, because I already love her like she's my own." Daisy looked down at the baby who was drifting off to sleep in her Uncles arms.

"Well it's late and those chores aren't gonna do themselves tomorrow morning. I'm gonna go to bed." Luke whispered and headed into his room.

"That sounds like a good idea." Bo tiptoed behind him, careful not to wake her.

"Aint she precious Uncle Jesse." Daisy very lightly ran her head over her soft little head. The bottle slowly fell out of her mouth as she finally fell to sleep.

"She's out like a light." Uncle Jesse whispered and carefully stood up. "I'm gonna go to bed. If you need any help tonight, just come get me." He very cautiously handed Dakota over to Daisy and walked into his room. Like the rest of the Duke clan, she decided she was going to head off to bed. She walked in to her room and Very carefully laid Dakota down on her bed.

Daisy quietly changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed next to Dakota. She placed a protective hand on her little belly and drifted off to sleep.

Three hours later

"Daisy! She's been crying forever, can't you get her to go to sleep?" Bo yelled across the hall and into Daisy's bedroom.

"Whaaaaa, Whaaaaa, Whaaaaa." Dakota had a cry that could make a grasshopper's hair stand on end.

"Go get Uncle Jesse! I NEED some sleep!" Bo buried his head under his pillow.

"Please Dakota, shhhhh, you're making it hard for your Uncle's to sleep and they need that! They have to work. Shhhhh." She had no idea what to do! She had tried burping her, she had changed her diaper, tried to feed her…what else was there?

Then Uncle Jesse entered the room. "What's wrong?" He asked sleepily.

"Oh Uncle Jesse she won't stop crying. I've done everything I can think of and she won't stop!" Daisy cried.

"Just calm down. Give her here." Uncle Jesse took hold of her and she immediately stopped crying and nestled her head into his chest.

"Oh Uncle Jesse I don't know if I should laugh or cry. What was I doing wrong?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's cause I'm softer. I wouldn't want to cuddle against your little bony body either." He said chuckling.

"FINALLY!"

"Bo hush up!" Daisy was exhausted! She needed sleep. Thank God Jesse knew what he was doing.

"There you are." Jesse laid the baby down on the bed for the second time that night.

"Now you try to get some sleep, she'll probably be hungry in an hour or so." He left her there, exhausted and hopeless.

Next Morning

Daisy could barely keep her eyes open while she was making breakfast. Dakota had gotten up four times during the night.

Bo and Luke lazily drug their feet over to the table and plopped into the seats. Bo yawned and Luke rubbed his eyes.

"You boys hungry?" Daisy asked yawning herself.

"Hmmm."

"I'll take that as a yes." She had made eggs, bacon and toast. The toast was burnt, the bacon was chewy and the eggs were runny. She had no idea a baby could take so much out of her.

Then Uncle Jesse came into the kitchen, shining as bright as the sun.

"Good morning. How did you all sleep last night?"

"Hmmm."

"I'll take that as a bad." He chuckled and firmly shook the boys shoulders. "Well as you said last night Luke, those chores aren't going to do themselves. Hurry and eat and I'll meet you in the barn."

"I guess we had better get out there Bo."

"Hmmm."

TBC…