Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, violence

Rating: FRT

A/N: Thank you Nette for the observation that Kathy Sue is a few bottles short of a six-pack, that's pretty much it in a nutshell. ;) Thanks for the chuckle.

If You Love Something Set It Free

Chapter 9

One week later:

Lawerence Shelton sat in his car, looking at the driveway just ahead of him. He thought back to his conversation with Sheriff Coltrane, he didn't want to believe what the sheriff told him, he hated to think his daughter could do that. "Sheriff Coltrane I need to speak with you, if you have a moment," Lawerence said as he stepped into the sheriff's office.

"Of course Mister Shelton, what can I do for you?" The sheriff had asked, his distaste for the Sheltons plainly heard.

"Please sheriff, I know you probably think my wife and I condone what our daughter did, but hear me out." When the sheriff had nodded his agreement, Lawerence had proceeded to question the sheriff about the charges against his daughter. Feeling sick at what the sheriff revealed, not wanting to believe it, he then had headed to Dr. Appleby's office. It was there he came face to face with the reality of what Kathy Sue had done. Not only had the doctor told him about the abuse Bo Duke had suffered at his daughter's hands, he had shown him pictures of the boy's chest. He had seen for himself exactly what that poor boy had gone through, any hope he had held that his wife was right fell away in that moment.

Now here he sat, wondering if Jesse Duke would give him the chance to even speak. After what the sheriff and doctor had told him, he wouldn't blame the man if he shot him on sight, but he had to try. He couldn't let this go on, couldn't allow his wife to help Kathy Sue in her delusional quest to make Bo Duke her own. Steeling himself for the task ahead, he put the car in gear and slowly headed up the drive. When Lawerence pulled up next to Jesse's old pick-up, he was relieved to see that Jesse was outside and alone. Taking a deep breath, he approached Jesse, holding out his hand. He let it drop to his side a moment later when the older man made no move to take it. "Mr. Duke, I know you have no reason to speak to me but I would appreciate it if you would give me a chance to say my piece."

Jesse looked at Lawerence Shelton with distrust. "I'll listen to ya Mr. Shelton, but I'll tell ya right now if you think you're gonna talk us Dukes into dropping them charges against your daughter, it ain't gonna happen. I know you don't want to believe she done what she did, and I reckon I can understand that, but that won't make it go away. So say your piece and then you can go back to you daughter and tell her to stay away from my Bo."

Standing there in front of Jesse Duke, Lawerence suddenly felt like a little boy again. "Mr. Duke, first I want to say how sorry I am for what Kathy Sue did to Bo. I only wish that could be enough, but I know it is barely a beginning. I see I've surprised you, yes unlike her mother, I can admit that my daughter has problems. I cannot tell you how much I regret my failure to recognize that she needed help, I knew she had problems, however I didn't understand just how bad they were." Looking away from Jesse, unable to accept the compassion he saw there Lawerence needed a moment to adjust. He had expected anger, hatred, contempt, anything but this, he could only hope that the compassion he saw would be enough. "Mr. Duke although Bo and your entire family deserve an apology that is not my only reason for coming here today. You see, sir, last week my wife expressed to me her intention of helping Kathy Sue convince Bo to start seeing her again."

"WHAT? Well now you can just tell that wife of yours..."

Lawerence quickly interrupted, before Jesse could get too upset. "Please Mr. Duke, stopping my wife and daughter is exactly why I am here. You see, I had my doubts about Kathy Sue's story. She continues to insist that Bo wants to be with her, that it is your family, specifically Luke and Daisy that prevent it. However, I didn't believe the sheriff would arrest her without reason and I know that until a few months ago you never had a problem with their relationship. So you see the situation wasn't making sense and therefore I went to see the sheriff and Dr. Appleby today. Yes I know, I should've talked to them sooner, but better late than never and speak to them I did. Leaving me convinced that Kathy Sue needs help, the type of help her mother and I cannot give her at home. I am here to ask a favor of you, or more specifically of Bo. You see Mr. Duke, I believe the only way my wife will be convinced that our daughter needs help is if she talks to Bo. Perhaps even, I hesitate to ask, but I think if Bo were to show her the scars Kathy Sue left him with my wife would finally understand the truth."

Jesse sat down heavily in the bed of the pick-up, "Let me get this straight Mr. Shelton. You want me to ask that boy to relive the hell your daughter put him through, so your wife will know the truth. No! I won't do it, I will not ask that boy to go through that. You'll have to make her see the truth some other way, but I do thank you for the warning, and the apology, so I'll give you a warning. You tell that wife and daughter of yours that I won't let either of them hurt Bo again, if they come up here or come near my boy, they'll wish they hadn't. Now get off my property before I forget my manners!" Jesse growled, disgusted with this man. A man who would put an innocent young man through more hell, just so he wouldn't have to stand up and be a man for once in his life.

"Uncle Jesse, who was that?" Luke asked, coming out of the barn with his cousin. "Uncle Jesse!" Luke called again, raising his voice when Jesse failed to answer.

Turning around Jesse felt his heart sink, Bo looked more relaxed than he had in a while and now he'd have to ruin that. Dang that Lawerence Shelton, "That was Lawerence Shelton..."

"Wha...what did he want Uncle Jesse?" Bo hesitantly asked, afraid that Mr. Shelton had convinced his uncle that the things Kathy Sue had done were Bo's fault after all.

"He wanted to apologize for Kathy Sue's behavior and for not realizing sooner that she is as sick as she is."

When Jesse looked away, his jaw twitching in a way that Luke knew meant he was trying to control his temper, Luke knew there had to be more. Not sure he wanted to know, but if he was going to protect Bo, he'd have to hear it all, "Uncle Jesse, what else did he want?"

"You always were smart boy, sometimes too smart. He says Pamela thinks we're keeping Bo away from Kathy Sue, and she plans to help the girl convince Bo to get back with her. Bo!" Jesse yelled, seeing Bo pale at this news, he would've fallen if not for Luke grabbing him and helping him to the picnic table. "You're safe Bo, it's okay, we ain't gonna let them near ya, I promise sprout your cousins and me will keep you safe." Jesse told him, sitting beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "There's more, think you're up to it?" Waiting for Bo to decide if he could handle more, Jesse watched him carefully for any sign that he was pushing himself. No matter what, if he thought Bo was only doing what he thought was expected, he would wait to tell him.

"I'm not sure Uncle Jesse, but I guess I need to know, so go ahead," Bo told him, closing his eyes not wanting Luke or his uncle to see the fear in them.

"Well, he wanted you to talk to her, his wife I mean, tell her what happened. He's hoping it would convince her that Kathy Sue is sick and needs help, that she shouldn't be helping her with her plans. Don't you worry none Bo, I told him he'd have to find some other way to make her see the truth. You ain't gonna be talking to her and we won't let either of them hurt you sprout, you ain't got to be afraid none," Jesse reassured him. Giving the trembling shoulders a quick squeeze, Jesse suggested they go on inside and have some dinner, hoping it would take Bo's mind from Mr. Shelton's visit, and the news he'd given them.

Two days later Pamela Shelton called Jesse and asked him to meet her, so they could discuss the situation with the children. It hadn't been easy, Jesse had been quite reluctant to meet her, not wanting to upset Bo should he find out about it. Of course she had prevailed, as she had known she would, the deciding factor being when she suggested that he bring all three of his children with him. In this way Bo wouldn't feel as though he were going behind his back, and Jesse had, as she had known he would refused to bring Bo. Saying he wasn't up to leaving the farm, he did agree to meet her, along with Luke and Daisy, but all he would promise was to listen, beyond that he promised nothing.

Kathy Sue watched from the trees, smiling in anticipation when she saw Jesse and the others climbing into the old pick-up. Finally she would have the chance to speak to Bo, she knew that if she could just talk to him, he would come back to her. "Thank you mother, I knew if anybody could do it, it would be you. I'll be with you soon Bo, we'll be together again and this time nobody will keep us apart," Kathy Sue whispered to herself, as she made her way towards the farmhouse. Looking in through the window, she licked her lips at the sight of Bo sprawled out on the couch, quietly moving to the door, she softly stepped through. "Hello darling, happy to see me?" laughing in delight when Bo tumbled off the couch at the sound of her voice.

"Kathy Sue, what are you doing here?" Bo asked fearfully, hoping Luke's plan would work.

"Why Bo, you're here, where else would I be? I told you we belong together and now thanks to mother, I'll have the chance to prove that to you. Now stop being foolish and come home with me, where you belong."

"I am home Kathy Sue, I'm exactly where I belong and that sure ain't with you," Bo told her, having a hard time staying strong, even knowing he wasn't alone.

"Now Bo please don't make me hurt you," was Kathy Sue's response, pulling a gun from her purse and pointing it at Bo's chest. "I won't lose you again Bo, so I've made a decision...if I can't have you in this life, I'll have you in the next one, your choice."

"Bo Now!"

"Freeze!"

Luke and Rosco yelled at the same time as they stepped from the back room where they had been hidden. Luke let go the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when Bo dropped to the floor and the shot she fired missed.

"Now I said freeze missy, drop the gun...I won't tell you again...that's better," Rosco said, walking over to Kathy Sue, holstering his gun and slapping the cuffs on her. "Kathy Sue Shelton you're under arrest for attempted murder, you have the right to remain silent, you have the right..." Rosco continued with her rights as he led her outside to the car.

"You okay Bo?" Luke asked, as he reached down and helped Bo to his feet.

"Yeah...I...I guess so," Bo swallowed hard when he saw the hole in the wall directly behind him. Rushing to the bathroom, he couldn't keep from being sick at the thought of how close he'd come to dying. Wiping his face a moment later with the wet cloth Luke handed him, he glanced at his cousin and saw the worried look. "I'm okay Luke, really...it just kind of hit me when I saw the bullet hole. She was going to kill me, how could she think that's love? I don't understand it."

"I know Bo, I don't understand it either, I think her daddy's right, she needs help. I'm sorry you had to go through that cousin, I hated to ask it of ya, just couldn't think of any other way to keep you safe. And you are safe now, no way the judge will let her out now, not after this stunt, she'll be locked up until the trial you can bet on it." Helping his cousin to his feet, they stepped back into the living room just as Daisy, Uncle Jesse and Cooter came inside. "Hey y'all how did it go on your end?" Luke asked.

"Oh it went just fine Luke, that Mrs. Shelton was pretty mad when she seen Cooter here wearing your shirt and knew she'd been tricked. She tried to leave the diner, probably gonna warn Kathy Sue, but your cousin just grabbed her arm and pushed her into a seat. Says just sweet as can be 'now Mrs. Shelton why don't you just sit down here with us and share a nice glass of sweet tea, doesn't that sound nice?' Well what could she do, you know how she is, Daisy handled her just right, there weren't nothing that she could do without causing a scene. And she wasn't about to do that, so we just sat there, drinking tea and staring daggers at each other, until Enos came in and told her that Kathy Sue had been arrested and invited her to come along to the jail. Soon as they's gone we headed back here, are you boys alright?" Jesse asked, concerned by how pale Bo looked and Luke didn't look much better.

"We will be Uncle Jesse, guess we better tell you...she took a shot at Bo. Now don't worry she didn't come near him, just shook us both up a little," Luke hurried to assure them, when they all rushed forward to check on Bo.

Looking at his nephews Jesse was relieved to see that neither was harmed, at least not physically. He knew this had to be hard on both boys and he would have to make sure they didn't let her get to them. Luke, he knew would already be feeling guilty, after all it was his plan that had put Bo in danger and Bo. ...Well it couldn't be easy to know that somebody you had loved, could try to kill you rather than let you go. He just hoped that Bo wouldn't let what she had done keep him from ever trusting another woman, it would be hard to trust after what she put him through. Well Martha, looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I sure wish you were here with me girl, could sure use your help on this one, Jesse thought to himself. Trusting that God would give him the words he needed, he got started no time like the present. "Well Luke, looks like your plan worked, that girl ought stay locked up now until the trial. Your cousin will finally be able to move around without having to look over his shoulder, good job son."

"Good job? How can ya say that Uncle Jesse? My plan nearly got him killed..."

"Now Luke that's just foolish thinking, if not for your plan she might have succeeded in killing him. Ya said it yourself boy, if she couldn't get near him, she might get desperate, and desperate people do desperate things. Heck Luke if you hadn't come up with this, she still would've decided it'd be better to kill him than lose him. Only she probably would've used a rifle and shot from a distance or maybe she would've made a bomb, you can bet she would've done something. Something Bo wouldn't have had the chance to avoid and she would've killed him. You saved his life with that plan of yours, yeah he got shot at, but we had control over the situation, without your plan all of the control would've been hers."

"I...I hadn't thought of it like that, guess maybe I did good. I still wish...well guess we all wish that she hadn't shot at him, don't worry Uncle Jesse I won't let myself feel guilty. I'll remember that my plan worked and Bo is safe, that's what really matters, it's all that's important," Luke told him from his seat beside Bo.

"You okay sprout?"

Looking up, a glazed look in his eyes, it was obvious Bo hadn't really been listening to them, "Huh?"

"Come on Bo, I think you need to get some rest now, we'll talk later." Jesse gently answered his nephew. Pulling him to his feet, he got Bo back to his room and with Luke's help tucked him into the bed. "Luke, go get Bo a little shine, it'll help with the shock." Returning a few minutes later, Luke handed Jesse a small glass with some of Jesse's finest. Slipping an arm behind Bo's shoulders, Jesse helped him to sit up and take a few sips of the whiskey. Tucking him back in when he was done and sitting with him until he fell asleep, Jesse hoped the boy would better when he woke up. Brushing the hair back from Bo's face, he couldn't help thinking how young he looked, lying there asleep and he wondered again how that girl could have hurt him. "Lord I know you have your reasons for allowing the things you allow, but I ask you Lord please don't let my boy be hurt any more than he already has. He's been through so much, more than anybody should ever have to go through, help him lord, keep him safe and give him the strength he'll need in the weeks to come. I ask one more favor lord, not for me, but for him, help him to learn to trust again, don't let the actions of one girl ruin his life. Amen."

TBC

Okay y'all, guess you know what's coming up soon. So let me know what you think and while you're at it tell me what would you like to have happen to Kathy Sue?