A/N - Hey ya'll. You know you guys have been so great with the reviews that it motivated me to work faster! (Sorry Elvisina and baseballfan44). Unlike the 'lighter' Chapter 5, the next ones are darker. Now, might be a good time for anyone to stock up on tissues that really uses them. Just remember, this is fiction.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.


BLOOD BROTHERS

CHAPTER 6

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Bo had one week in the new calendar to enjoy before he went ten more rounds with chemo. His teachers all knew what he was facing, and were more than willing to cooperate in any way they could. Giving him as much and as many advance assignments as possible, with Luke and Daisy's help, Bo completed them. The earth almost stood still the day that Bo Duke did his homework early, but he was determined to make it through that last year of school. He'd promised Luke that he would, and his cousin had already given him his presents; it didn't matter that one was a work-in-progress. He didn't want to disappoint Luke or the rest of his family, and he was determined to graduate from Hazzard High.

He wasn't looking forward to the treatment, though, remembering how bad it had been the last time. He knew that Luke had been there with him, afterwards, but he just couldn't help but feel that he didn't want his cousin seeing him like that. He didn't know why. It wasn't as if he wanted Jesse or Daisy to see him like that, either, but it had been easier around them. To make matters worse, Luke offered to take him for his appointment, and Jesse agreed.

The experience was new for Luke. Jesse and Daisy had been with Bo on the previous two occasions; he was a first-timer. His eyes took in the little room that they were placed in, not sure what he'd been expecting, but finding that this wasn't it. Despite being in a room inside Tri-County General, there were certain things that just didn't seem to fit the locale, except for the antiseptic smell and the stark, white walls. There was a bed in the corner, but Bo wasn't asked to get in it. Instead, he was seated in a large chair that someone had tried to pass off as comfortable. There wasn't any real equipment in the room, just a pole that was used to hang IV bottles on. Luke blinked, wishing that an IV was all that Bo was going to be given. Keeping with a sparsely decorated theme, there were two plastic chairs for visitors and a TV hanging in the corner. Luke wondered how many people could focus on the daily soap operas under such conditions.

Bo wasn't even asked to take off his clothes and model one of their infamous gowns. He was allowed to keep his own attire on, just being asked to roll up the sleeve. The port that had been inserted into his arm for this purpose was suddenly exposed, and the plastic tubing and connectors were un-taped in preparation. Luke had seen the thing several times, though Bo's choice of long sleeve shirts, and the fact that it was winter kept it hidden most of the time. He'd seen it at night when his cousin undressed, or when he'd been sick and Luke had to help him with a shower or in the bathroom. It didn't seem to bother Bo, but he couldn't see how it could not bother his cousin.

A nurse walked in, ready to get started. She hung two bottles of a semi-clear liquid on the hanger. Luke flinched when he saw the needles attached to the end of the tubing, and was surprised that Bo hadn't fainted dead away. His cousin was holding up better than he was. Bending over Bo, she inserted a needle into each of the connectors. Turning to the pole, she made a few adjustments and the liquid slowly started to move. Luke watched as a little drip entered a smaller holding area. Simultaneously, another drip left it's holding cell and started sliding down the long tubing where it eventually would enter his cousin's veins. Satisfied that everything was working properly, she told the boys to call if they needed anything, then said she'd be back in a little bit. That was it; toxic drugs to hopefully wipe out a lethal disease. It seemed too simple to Luke Duke.

Having stayed out of the RN's way, Luke pulled up the chair right next to Bo's. He didn't know what to say or what to do. He managed a small smile while he pondered his next course of action. His eyes could not remain off of the bottles and tubing no matter how hard he tried.

Bo could see that his cousin was uncomfortable. He was usually the one most bothered by such things, but he was getting used to it. He found himself a little surprised that Daisy had taken it better than Luke seemed to be. Suddenly, he felt it was his job to alleviate his cousin's discomfort.

"It's okay, Luke. It doesn't hurt," Bo told him.

Luke blinked to clear his vision and his thoughts, then attempted to give Bo a reassuring grin. He could feel that he hadn't mustered much of one. Reaching over, he laid his hand on Bo's forearm, surprised to discover that his cousin seemed steady as a rock, but he was shaking like a leaf.

"Luke?" Bo asked in a concerned voice.

Luke put his head down, then started nodding it, though he didn't know why. Bo hadn't asked him a question, and there was no call for such a response. He knew it was an instinct that served no purpose other than to give him something to do. He hoped that it would help shake away the tears that were threatening to fall. He couldn't believe it. Bo was doing fine; he was the one falling apart. Some protector he turned out to be, he told himself.

"Come here, Luke," Bo prompted, using his free hand to pull his cousin closer.

Luke let himself be drawn to his cousin, but the minute that his head touched Bo's shoulder, he couldn't suppress the sob. One led to another, and before he knew it, he was crying like a baby. He was angry with himself, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it.

Bo wasn't surprised. Luke kept everything inside, and he really hadn't dealt with any of this. He had come home to some shocking circumstances, and while Bo didn't know exactly what he did in those first few days, since then, he'd been calm and composed; too calm and too composed. That was his style, but when it hit him, it hit him. Bo also felt guilty about being the cause of his cousin's breakdown. Whatever he was going through, his family was going through right alongside him, each scared of the same things with different impacts. He wondered if it had been a good idea to let Luke accompany him, and he regretted not asking Jesse or Daisy to do it instead, as his cousin's shoulders continued to bob up and down.

"It's ok, Luke. It's ok," he whispered, having nothing else to really be able to say to comfort him. Neither of them could promise the other that everything would be ok, and Bo had already made one promise that he regretted making. Therefore, all he could do was tell his older cousin that everything was ok right that minute. Rubbing Luke's back, he let him cry.

"Oh God, Bo. I'm sorry," Luke finally told him, when he could breathe well enough to speak.

"It's ok, Luke. I'm sorry about all this."

"Bo, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault."

"I should have made Jesse or Daisy bring me. They're used to it already."

"No! I wanted to come, and I'm glad I did. I want to be here with ya, Bo. I promise, next time, this won't happen." Bo nodded as his eyelids grew heavy, and Luke saw him wince. "Ya okay, Bo?" he asked, the fear in his voice audible.

"Yeah, just getting tired and this stuff makes me hot."

"Does that chair go back any?" Luke asked, seeing the lever on the side. When Bo nodded in response, Luke got up and pulled it forward, turning the chair into a real recliner. He grabbed the pillows that they'd brought along, raising Bo's head to slide one under it, while plopping another one under his shoulder. Then he pulled out one of the blankets that Daisy had sent with them, and covered his cousin up.

"Just sleep Bo. I'll be right here," he vowed, rubbing his cousin's back.

"Thanks," Bo mumbled, as he followed his cousin's orders.

For the next couple hours, Luke stood guard watching over Bo.


"Uncle Jesse, do something, please," Luke begged, looking to his leader with eyes that showed fear and pain. He sounded more like a small child rather than an ex-Marine.

"Doc Appleby is on his way, Luke," Jesse replied, knowing that someone had to keep their wits about them.

For as bad as Bo's reactions had been to the first two treatments, nothing compared to this one. It had been almost a week since he'd received it, and Bo had been violently ill ever since. For days, they'd watched him in the clutches of the side-effects. Retching almost non-stop, though having nothing to rid himself of, there didn't seem to be anything that anyone could or would do. The country doctor, though sympathetic, simply said that it had to run its course. He explained that it was normal and that there wasn't anything to worry about, though he started making frequent house calls to check on his patient after receiving frantic phone calls from his family. Finally breaking down, he gave Bo an injection to help ease all of their torment. It had worked, for a while, but as soon as it wore off, the retching started again. Bo was neither awake nor coherent; most of his movements were nothing more than his reflexes. He was exhausted, no longer even having the strength to get himself to the edge of the bed. He hadn't brought anything up in days, but his family was concerned that he might choke or aspirate something into his lungs on the off chance that eventually there was even something little trying to escape. That's when Jesse called, again.

Luke had gone from scared to angry over Bo's condition; now he was livid. He and Daisy had heard the explanations, or excuses, but didn't believe that there was any reason a person had to be made to suffer to the extent that their cousin was. They were both a little frustrated that their uncle had accepted it so easily. If he hadn't made the phone call when he did, they'd already decided that one of them would, probably Luke.

Now they waited in the living room, fearful of what they'd be told. They understood that the toxins being given to Bo were lethal; normally to the disease, but on occasion, to the person. They all hoped that they hadn't waited too long to demand action. When the door to the room opened, the three jumped to their feet.

"Amos, how's Bo? This is ridiculous, already. Now, I know what you said, but you can't let him go on like this. I've kept quiet long enough. You gotta do something," Jesse ordered.

"Now Jesse, I've already told ya..."

"I know what ya told me!" Jesse spat. "That don't help Bo none. Amos, I've known other people who's had this chemo before, and sure, they was sick, but nothing like this. Now, what's going on and what are we gonna do about it?"

The old doctor nodded his head. "Bo just doesn't seem to be able to tolerate either the drug or the dosage. Since this was his third treatment, he's developing a build-up in his system. Before we give him anymore, we'll have to re-evaluate everything. They'll probably have to cut the dose or try something else."

The Dukes looked at each other, not satisfied with the answer they'd been given. Believing that this was just going to be another speech about how this was normal, Luke lost his temper.

"Well that's just great Doc," Luke bellered, "but what about right now? You can't just leave him like this. Ya won't have to worry about next time, he'll be de...ad." Luke stopped as soon as he realized what he had just said. Bo was extremely sick, and he still hadn't verbalized the words.

Daisy slid her arm around her cousin, and Jesse put his hand on his shoulder. Together, they put on a unified front. Seeing their determination, the doctor put up his hands in the air in a defensive gesture.

"You're right," he conceded. "I already thought about admitting him, which we can do if you want, but there might be another way. I've started an IV so that he can receive an anti-nausea drug continuously. I can show you how to change out the bottles, and if ya want, he could remain here at home, but that's up to you. If it doesn't work, then we'll have to take him in. How does that sound?"

Looking at each other again, they agreed to the proposed plan, letting him know that Bo would be staying at home as long as everything went well. Doc Appleby showed them how to replace an empty bottle, cautioning them that they did have to monitor it closely; allowing one to run completely out would only cause further problems. He promised to return with more before the current one was depleted. He also assured them that he would be stopping by several times a day until the crisis passed, without them having to call.

Feeling some amount of relief for the first time in several days, they gathered around Bo, praying that it would work. It already seemed to be, as Bo hadn't been ill since the drip had been started, and he looked like he was at last resting peacefully.

An hour later, Luke was sitting by his cousin's side when the doctor brought back several more bottles. Daisy and Jesse walked him out, leaving the boys alone. Picking up Bo's hand, Luke whispered, "Oh Bo!" He was surprised when he saw two small slits of blue looking back at him.

"T's kay, Luke," Bo told him, before the blue disappeared from view.


Thankfully, the medicine Doc Appleby gave Bo intravenously worked. Luke snorted, informing everyone, including the physician, that there wasn't any reason Bo couldn't have been given it days earlier rather than allowing him to be so ill for so long. The doctor didn't respond, but they all thought there was a good deal of truth behind Luke's observation. Unfortunately, the incident had taken a strong toll on Bo. Unlike the previous time, Bo hadn't been able to bounce right out of bed in just a couple of days.

Finding things he could do while off his feet, he continued on with his school work, and somehow he was managing to keep up to date. The stack of car magazines came in handy during the day when everyone else was busy with the chores. The TV became a godsend at night, as Luke would crawl into Bo's bed and the two would enjoy one zany show or another. Where as Daisy preferred the made for TV movies and Uncle Jesse liked family shows, the boys loved the comedies. Sometimes, they'd laugh so hard, they'd forget what was taking place in their own home.

One night after a laughing fit, Bo looked at Luke. The smile disappeared from his face as his eyes turned serious. Luke's mirth dissipated just as fast, and without saying a word, he knew what was coming.

"Luke, we gotta talk," Bo said.

"No, we don't," Luke told him, trying to cut him off right there.

"Of course, we do. You've been back for a few months now, and we haven't once yet talked about it. Luke, ya know..."

"I don't know no such thing, and you don't either," Luke said, raising his voice. "You're a Duke, and that means you're not a quitter. You're gonna fight this and you're gonna win. You promised."

"I am fighting it, but I ain't winning Luke. I just think that we need to talk about..."

"You're not done yet, Bo. You're only half way through your treatments. You gotta let the doctors do their job."

"It ain't working, Luke. I'm gonna die!" Bo shouted, finally saying the words. He'd been frustrated with Luke for not allowing him to speak, or for being unwilling to talk about a subject that they needed to talk about. He hadn't meant to upset his cousin with the words, but that's exactly what he did.

Bolting out of the room, Luke took off. Bo had a good idea of where he was going, and he wanted nothing more than to go after him, if just to tell him that he was sorry. He, however, could not get out of bed; there was no way he was going to make it out to the barn and up to the hayloft. He thought about calling Daisy to go after him, but he realized that Luke spent absolutely no time alone, anymore. Bo thought maybe it was time that he did. He needed some space to think, too. Bo was getting plenty of that being cooped up in bed.

It was late by the time Luke came back into their room. Bo had waited up for him, feeling guilty for having upset him. Luke then felt bad about making his cousin worry.

"I'm sorry, Luke," was all that the boy said.

"I'm sorry, too, Bo," Luke replied, walking over to his cousin and pulling him into his arms.

No more was said that night, as they both fell asleep clinging to each other, squeezed into a small, twin bed.


Bo knew what was going on; not saying it didn't make it any less real. He could feel it. It was more than just side-effects from drugs; he could feel himself dying inside. He may have been a kid, but some things you just know. For everyone's sake, including his own, no one had actually come out and said it, yet. Shouting the words at Luke broke that barrier. It had been done in a moment of frustration, but Bo knew that he needed to be able to say them when it was planned and on purpose. Alone in his room with no one to hear, he said it aloud, again. "I'm going to die." He barely said it in a whisper, but it rang in his ears as if the words had been blasted over a loud speaker. He heard his own voice admit them, and it sent him into a state of shock. Aware that someone had come back into the house, Bo pushed everything aside. He knew he'd have to revisit the topic again, but footsteps were getting closer to the bedroom door, and he didn't want to cause anyone to worry more than he already had. He smiled at his uncle when the door swung open, assuring him that he was fine, but Jesse thought he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. In a way, he had; his own.

Every night he'd replay the words silently in his head, slowly becoming adjusted to the idea. Every day in those few minutes alone in the house, he'd say them aloud. The first few times, he'd felt almost numb. As the novocaine effect wore off, it was replaced with fear and sadness. He was afraid of the unknown, afraid of what it would be like, and afraid for his family as well as himself, most of all Luke. The sadness was for the time that he was going to be deprived of, and all the things he'd never get to do. The number one thing he felt cheated out of was knowing that he never see or drive whatever car Luke eventually housed their engine in. He wanted to be there beside him, but that didn't seem like it was even remotely possible. Thinking of some of those things was the only time he really ever felt angry, and even that was a secondary emotion to everything else.

One day, after he'd said the words, he was overwhelmed. He started shaking and crying, praying that no one would come inside until he got himself back under control. When he heard the door slam, he knew he wouldn't get his wish. Burying his head into his pillow, he hoped he could fake being asleep. He didn't think that whoever was coming inside was Luke, as his uncle had sent him into the back forty to do something Bo couldn't even remember. He heard the bedroom door open, trying to be still. He thought he'd pulled it off, until a small whimper escaped his lips.

"Bo?"

He tried being quiet, but it wasn't working. Daisy was already on alert.

"Bo? Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting down on the bed next to him and rubbing his back.

That was all he could take, and the next thing he knew he was weeping in his cousin's slender arms. He didn't know how long she held him. She must have figured out that he wasn't sick, except in the heart, because she didn't rush to call their uncle or start checking him over. She just held him, and that's what he remembered feeling as his sobs subsided.

"Sssh, sssh," she told him, slightly rocking him back and forth.

"I'm gonna die, Daisy," he said, finally sharing the rehearsed speech with another living soul.

"Oh no, you're not Bo Duke," she said, sounding a lot like Luke. "You're gonna fight and you're gonna beat this."

"What if I can't?" he whispered.

Suddenly, she thought she understood. "You will, Bo, but...if you can't, you'll just have to take our love along until we can be together again. Whatever happens, we'll be right there with you," she promised him, softly.

"I don't want to go," he told her.

"Oh sugar, we know that."

"If something does happen...just if, will you tell Luke that I didn't want to go?"

"Oh honey, he knows that, but you have my word that if something should happen, I will tell him."

Sharing it with someone else was almost like taking a weight off Bo's shoulders. Daisy hadn't given up faith, nor had she given him permission to do so, either. He hadn't been asking for that, anyway. In an instant, he wasn't so scared anymore. He felt better knowing that if he couldn't win, she wouldn't be angry with him or hate him. They'd talked about it, if only briefly. Now, if he could only talk to Luke instead of having to rely on Daisy to do his dirty work for him.

"Thanks, Daisy. I love you."

She felt him relax, knowing that her suspicions had been correct. He didn't need to thank her, but it made her smile that he did. "You're welcome, and I love you, too. Now, what do you want for dinner?"


Bo had an idea. Maybe the best way to get Luke to discuss the future, whatever it may hold, was through the back door: reliving the past. Discussing his idea with Daisy, he sweet talked her into bringing in the old family albums. He knew that there wasn't anything good on television that night, so he was going to try to ambush his cousin, subtly. Hiding the albums under his bed, he waited until they'd had dinner. When Luke went to take their plates into the kitchen, Bo pulled them out. He was ready and waiting for Luke.

"There ain't a dang thing on TV tonight so what...where'd you get those Bo?" he asked, seeing Bo already flipping through the pages.

"I asked Daisy to bring them in," he replied, not telling him when he'd asked her or what else they'd discussed. "Hey Luke! You remember this one?"

Luke looked to the photograph that his cousin was pointing at, and started laughing. "Yeah, I sure do."

Bo scooted toward the wall, giving Luke his invitation to get in. Unaware that it was a set-up, Luke did. Picture by picture they revisited all the happy times of their lives, not needing the Nielsen ratings to keep them entertained. Before they knew it, two hours had flown by.

"We had a lot of good times, didn't we, Luke?" Bo asked, trying to ease into the subject.

"Sure did," Luke replied, noting Bo's sudden use of the past-tense. Foiling his cousin's plan, he quickly added, "and we're gonna have plenty more. Just wait til we get our car done. I was thinking that maybe we could put a horn in it that plays Dixie so that everyone in the county will know when we're coming. I don't know what kind of car it'll be, yet, but I guarantee, once we finish it, everyone in Hazzard will know it, and know that it's ours. What do you think?"

"Sounds great, Luke," Bo told him, knowing that his cousin had figured out his plan, and thwarted it.