A/N: Hello everyone! Back by popular demand (which you may regret), here is the sequel to Horrendous Mix-UP. This story is really giving me a lot of trouble, both developing it and writing it. I think I kind of backed myself into a corner in the last story, so I feel rather forced to stay with the original theme. I think it's not been as easy or as fun to work with because it is a darker story involving serious material. I assure you it is not my intention to diminish the seriousness in any way. I'm sure that some of you probably have some experience with this. I assure you I do, too, and much of this is based on that experience. With that said, I shall move on.
Thanks for all the reviews from the last stories. I really appreciate them. I'm looking for all the help that I can get on this one! Unlike the other two, this one is the post-as-you-go variety.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
BLOOD BROTHERS
CHAPTER 1
ADJUSTMENTS
The cab of the truck was eerily quiet as Uncle Jesse veered it in the direction of home. Not only was it too quiet, it was all wrong. Ever since Bo had been old enough to operate a vehicle legally, it was customary to find him behind the wheel. Daisy understood him not wanting to drive on the way there, but not driving on the way back, that was a little more than odd. She knew he was upset; they all were, but Bo liked to work out his problems with the aide of a steering wheel. Staring out the window watching the scenery go by was more Luke's style, not Bo's.
Glancing from her cousin to her uncle, Jesse Duke's face didn't look much better than Bo's. His jaw was set in stone, but there was a sadness around his eyes. Something else was going on involving much more than Luke's leaving. She thought about confronting them right there, but decided against it. It wasn't the time or the place; that would come later.
Sensing that Bo was in the most need, Daisy slipped her arm around his shoulders. Surprised, he looked down, matching her own small smile. Accepting the invitation from her hand, Bo laid his head on her shoulder and fell asleep within a few miles. Daisy laid her head on top of his, and wasn't far behind.
Despite everything else on his mind, Jesse couldn't help but smile at the touching scene. He'd always been grateful that three kids who had been bestowed upon his doorstep, as relative strangers under sad circumstances, managed to form such a close bond. They epitomized the Duke family philosophy.
When they got back to the farm, Jesse headed to the barn to catch up on the chores that hadn't been done that day. Daisy intended to go into the house to start dinner, though she doubted that any of them would be very hungry. Bo started to follow his uncle.
"Bo, why don't ya go into the house and rest?" his uncle suggested.
"Uncle Jesse...," Bo began to protest.
"Bo, don't argue with me," the old man snapped, regretting it immediately.
"But...,"
"Ya'll want to tell me just what is going on!" Daisy yelled, interrupting them both.
For a few seconds, they all stood there looking at each other.
Uncle Jesse broke the stand-off first. "Bo?" he asked, looking at his nephew for permission to share the news with Daisy. It was, after all, Duke family business even if it did affect Bo the most.
"No!"
"Bo! I kept my word to ya. I didn't tell Luke, but I ain't gonna lie to Daisy. She lives here. She's gonna know. Now, you got to tell her or I will."
Bo looked at his uncle. He knew he was right; Daisy would have to be told. He wasn't going to be able to hide it forever. He should have known she'd figure out that something was going on. Luke got all the credit for being the smart Duke kid, but Daisy's instincts were almost better than his.
"You tell her, Uncle Jesse. I just can't," he exclaimed, running in the direction of the barn.
"Uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked again, softening her tone.
Leading her inside the house, Jesse motioned for her to sit. Taking a chair next to her, he covered her small hand with his old, calloused one as he told her everything he knew up to that point. A little while later, Daisy was still sitting at the kitchen table still unable to fully grasp what her uncle had just told her. As a girl, she didn't have to hide her tears, and she couldn't have even if she had wanted to. Male or female, her uncle wasn't having any better luck controlling his. She stood up, wiping her eyes. What they were feeling didn't amount to a hill of beans. Her cousin was what was important.
Walking out to the hiding place that they all shared, she climbed the ladder. Bo gave her a sideway glance, trying to see how she had taken the news. She appeared to have taken it about the way he expected. He looked away, scared to face her.
Bo was huddled in the far corner of the loft, his knees drawn to his chest. Daisy's eyes and Uncle Jesse's were red and swollen, but Bo's were dry. Except for a somewhat haunted look, he appeared normal. Daisy crawled next to him, sitting shoulder to shoulder.
"Don't you worry, sugar. We're Dukes. We'll get through this," she assured him, turning slightly to warp her arms around him.
Bo let her hold him, but refused to cry. Instead, he chortled, thinking that Daisy's feisty personality was one of the things he loved most about her. "Yeah," he acknowledged, finding her faith contagious, if not very realistic.
The next day, Bo got up as usual. He and his uncle were having a battle of the wills. Bo didn't want to be treated any differently. Uncle Jesse wanted to coddle him.
"Bo, you need your rest."
"Plenty of time for that later. There's work to be done, and I don't want to be treated any differently."
"Bo...,"
"Please!"
Sighing, the head of the family finally gave in. It worried the Duke patriarch, but he understood how his nephew must be feeling. The day would come when his youngest wouldn't be able to keep up with his normal routine. For now, Jesse could refuse him nothing.
"Well, get the eggs then," he spat.
"Yes sir!" Bo saluted him. Grinning, he trotted off to the barn, wishing that it had always been that easy to get his uncle to cowtow to his wishes. Under different circumstances, Bo might have been able to have a hay day!
By early that afternoon, the Duke men were back in the Hazzard County doctor's office. They were busy making up the appointment that had been rescheduled a couple days earlier.
"We need to get started right away. I can make the arrangements, if you like," the family physician offered. Trusting his advice, Bo and Jesse agreed to do whatever he felt was best. An hour later, they knew what to expect and where they needed to be. Bo had several engagements to keep.
Content to let the two older men finalize all the details, the blonde asked, "can I go see Cooter for a minute, while ya'll finish up here?" When his uncle nodded, Bo made a mad dash for the door. He wanted to talk about something he found more interesting: cars. At least that was a topic he had some control over yet; this other stuff wasn't. The medical professionals were going to do exactly what they wanted to do to him, and only God was going to be able to make the final decision on the actual outcome.
When Bo was gone, Jesse turned to his old friend, thankful for the few minutes of privacy. He hadn't yet had the opportunity to speak freely.
"Amos, is this going to work?"
"Jesse, you know I can't answer that. We'll do everything we can, but it's not always up to us." He didn't tell his friend that even with all the advances in medicine, this wasn't something that had even been close to being conquered.
To Jesse Duke, that answer sounded a lot like 'no.' If medicine couldn't give him a guarantee, he'd go over their heads and straight to the top. He'd always been good at praying. He had a feeling he was going to get a whole lot better at it in the days to come. He also believed that God listened, and this time, he'd make him. Jesse just couldn't let this happen to his family.
While Jesse was exploring other alternatives, Bo was too.
"Hey Cooter? Ya in here?" he called into the garage.
"Yo Bo. Come on in," a voice called to him from underneath a vehicle inside the garage. Sliding out, Cooter Davenport was soon standing in front of the boy wiping off his hands on a rag that was oilier than his fingers. "So buddy, did Luke get off ok?"
"Yeah," Bo replied, wishing that Cooter hadn't reminded him of something else he wanted to forget.
"Well, what can I do for your buddyroe?"
"Cooter, I put together a list of parts that we're looking for. I'll be checking around the scrap yards from time to time, but I's just wondering if you could keep your eyes open. If you come across any good ones, let me know?"
"Sure buddy, lay it on me," Cooter said, taking the paper and glancing over the scribbled list. "These for that engine you and Luke are wanting to build?"
"Sure are," Bo informed him.
"Well, if I see anything, I'll let ya know."
"Thanks Cooter. Gotta go, Uncle Jesse's waiting on me."
"Hey Bo?"
"Yeah?"
"Everything ok?" the mechanic asked. Contrary to popular belief, Cooter Davenport wasn't dumb either, and he was more observant than people gave him credit for. He knew the family well enough to have sensed that something was amiss the moment Bo and Jesse walked into the Boar's Nest two days before.
"Yeah," Bo replied, dreading the time when the entire town of Hazzard would know that wasn't true.
"You know, Bo...you can come to me...if you need anything. I know I ain't Luke, but we's friends, too."
"I know, Cooter. Thanks," Bo told him. Cooter had long ago proven that he was every much his friend as his cousin's.
"Okay, well, talk to ya later."
Daisy was waiting anxiously at home to hear what had been discussed. She desperately wanted to go along, but Jesse thought it would make Bo uncomfortable. Busying herself around the house, she prayed that her uncle and cousin would have good news when they came home.
As soon as the truck came to a stop, Bo jumped out, telling his uncle he was heading for the pond as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Though Jesse thought the behavior showed true denial, he let him go, taking the opportunity to explain everything to his niece By the time he was finished talking, she knew she wasn't going to get her wish.
The next day, Jesse and Daisy took Bo to a hospital in Atlanta. He had to stay overnight as a series of tests and evaluations were performed. The hospitals closer to their home didn't have the equipment or technology for the intial steps that needed to be done, but Tri-County was able to accomodate the ones that would follow.
By the time they got back home, the news was all over Hazzard county. No one could ever figure out how private information became public so fast when everyone swore that they hadn't said anything. The Dukes hadn't told anyone, and Jesse was willing to bet the farm that Amos Appleby hadn't either. That narrowed it down to someone working in his office, but exactly who they had to thank, they didn't know. The country doctor did and vowed that it would never happen again, knowing that it had to be the new assistant he had just hired.
Bo would have been aghast had he been home when the personal visits started. Luck was on their side that the blonde decided to go part scrounging. Cooter was the first one that burst through the door.
"Is it true?" he asked, solemn faced.
"Cooter, what the devil are you doing busting in here like that? Nearly give me a heart attack," Uncle Jesse scolded him.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse, I just heard...well I heard...," he couldn't even bring himself to finish his thought.
"Ya heard what?" Uncle Jesse asked, not having the foggiest notion of what he was rambling about.
"I heard something about Bo," he finally spit out. He didn't need to ask again if there was any truth behind the rumor. The way that Daisy and Jesse's faces fell as the old moonshiner slowly lowered himself into a chair said all there was to say.
"Yeah Cooter, it's true," Daisy told him, seeing that her uncle couldn't.
Cooter mirrored his friend's action, lowering himself to the closest chair to him. "Well, what'd they say? What are they gonna do about it?"
Jesse repeated the details to their long time friend, noticing that his reaction wasn't any better than theirs had been.
"Well ya'll know, if you need anything, anything at all, I mean help around the farm or someone to help out with Bo, you can call me anytime."
"We know, Cooter, thank ya," Jesse told him.
"Thanks sugar," Daisy reiterated, sliding her arms around him.
Before anything else could be said, they heard a car pulling up. Daisy went to look out the window, announcing that Rosco and Boss Hogg were there.
"What do they want? The mortgage payment ain't due til next week," Jesse huffed. Getting up and going to the door, he swung it open. "J.D. the payment ain't due til next week," he announced, stopping the pair before they were able to set foot on the porch.
"Oh Jesse, we ain't here about that," Boss replied.
"Well then what do you want, and make it snappy. I ain't got all day."
"Jesse, we just came because we heard some disturbing news going around town. Something about Bo," Boss said in a voice that almost sounded contrite.
Cooter and Daisy looked at each other.
"What about it?" Jesse asked.
"Is it true?" Boss inquired.
"Yeah, J.D., it's true. What's it to ya?" he asked, wondering why these two would even want to know.
"Oh my! Jesse, that is too bad. I just wanted to let you know that if there's anything we can do, just feel free to call on us."
The three people on the porch stared in disbelief. Boss wasn't known for his genorosity, especially toward the Duke family. They couldn't help but question his motives.
"Why J.D? Just what are you up to?" Jesse asked.
"I'm not up to anything, Jesse Duke. What a terrible thing to accuse me of at a time like this. I know we ain't been friends for a long time, but there was a time when we was the best of friends. Whatever differences we had in the past, I never wanted to see anything bad happen to you or any of your kin."
"That goes for me, too," Rosco said. "I've had a few run ins with the boys, both of them, but I was just trying to teach them a lesson is all."
Jesse nodded, believing Rosco more so than his old ex-friend. Rosco had been a good lawman for a long time, and there had been a few times when the boys had been at fault. He couldn't hold that over Rosco's head, and he'd known him long enough to know deep down he wasn't that bad of a person.
J.D. Hogg, on the other hand, he knew even better. In their early days together, he would have believed him. He'd always been driven by money and power, and it was clear from a young age that he wouldn't let anyone or anything get in his way. Jefferson Davis Hogg viewed everyone in terms of what they could do for him. The exception had been Jesse Duke. They had been the best of friends, and Jesse was the only person that had ever been allowed to see a side of the fat man that indicated that somewhere under the blubber, there was a heart. They had planned on being partners together, but success only made J.D. more ruthless, which Jesse wanted no part of. Since ending their business arrangments, they also ended their friendship, but Jesse couldn't believe that J.D. would relish the thought of something like this happening to his family. He'd wanted to get his hands on the Duke land for years, but he'd never stooped any lower than that. To date, their fueds had only been about mortgage payments, land ownership, and who made the best moonshine.
"Thank ya. We appreciate it," he finally acknowledged, wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt.
At that moment, Bo came barreling up the drive in Jesse's truck. Walking up to the house, he wondered what everyone was doing there. "We having a party or something, Uncle Jesse?" he asked, trying to make a joke.
Jesse wasn't going to tell him exactly what was going on, knowing that Bo wouldn't like it. Before he could say anything, though, Boss Hogg beat him to the punch. "Bo! My poor boy! If there's anything me or the sheriff can do, please let us know."
Bo gave him a strange look, wondering what in the world he was babbling about. Then it hit him, and his expression clouded over. Nodding, he excused himself and went into the house. It was already starting.
Uncle Jesse let him stay in his room for a little while, tending to their guests and thanking them for their concern. Cooter had been the first to arrive and the last to leave. Jesse and Daisy knew that he wanted to stay, probably hoping for an invitation to dinner, but they didn't extend one. Though Cooter couldn't have been more family if his last name was Duke, Bo wouldn't have been comfortable. Hoping that he wouldn't be forced to ask the grease monkey to leave, Jesse breathed a sigh of relief when Cooter took the hint and excused himself.
Wanting to let Bo know that everyone had gone, Jesse went to the boys' room. Knocking on the door lightly, he opened it after Bo invited him in. "Hey Bo? How ya doing?" he asked, going to sit next to him on the bed.
"I'm ok, Uncle Jesse."
Jesse looked at his nephew trying to choose his words carefully. He was a Duke, no one could accuse him of not being one. He had one flaw that they all shared. They were the first ones to help a person in need, and the last ones who wanted to accept aide when it was offered, even if they did need it. Jesse himself had that same trait.
"Bo," he started.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse," the boy interrupted. "I wasn't trying to be rude. I just feel like some kind of freak right now, and I don't want everyone feeling sorry for me."
"That's where you're wrong. They're not feeling sorry for you, son. They care about you, and they want to help."
"Same difference."
"No, it's not Bo, and you know it. Look, I understand how you feel, believe me I do, but you're not gonna be able to lock yourself away forever."
Of course, he knew his uncle was right, but he just didn't know how he was going to handle any of it. "I'm glad Luke's not here," he whispered.
The words shocked his uncle, but he didn't believe them. "No, you're not."
"Yes I am. I mean, I'm not glad he is where he is, but I am glad he's not gonna be here to see all this."
Having nothing else that he could say, the old man gave up. "Supper's ready. C'mon."
"I'm not hungry."
"Well, that's too bad cause you gotta eat," he stated, and for the first time in several days, Jesse Duke laid down the law.
While Bo Duke was trying to adjust in Hazzard, Luke Duke was trying to re-adjust in a foreign land. Not much had changed in his absense, except the fighting had intensified, if that were even possible. Luke had left on his vacation hoping to alleviate the concerns he had about his cousin. While they had worked out the source of the problem as it was then, he had an even stronger sense of apprehension now. All he could think about was the look on his uncle's face the day they came back from seeing Doc Appleby. Despite the sounds of gunfire and bombs exploding all around him, all he could hear were his cousin's final words to him: "I love you too, Luke. Always remember that."
