He…he, missed a day. Had to mow the lawn. Shoot me. Oh yeah, I did a little research on vocal cord damage to get it right. Short chappie 'cuz a volleyball, will update more soon- Wildthing

88888888

"How is she, Doc?" Jesse asked. He and Enos had already spent an hour in the waiting room when Doc Petticort walked in. The doctor sighed.

"Her leg's broken, an' one of her wrists I've bandaged up. Looked a lil' swollen. Minor concussion as well. But she'll make it." Jesse silently whispered a thank-you to the lord. Doc took off his glasses. "However, I got some bad news for ya, Jesse." Jesse and Enos stared. "' Pears t' me like she mighta been strangled… an' the pressure on her throat caused some damn near serious damage to her vocal cords. Damn bad case a' vocal cord paresis. S' when both of em are paralyzed. I'm sorry, but she's mute. Ain' nuthin we c'n do."

Jesse bowed his head.

"However, Jesse, she's damn lucky. They're permanently open so her breathin's fine. She jus' can't move 'em. Ain' no surgery can fix it."

"Thank ye, Doc, fer tryin'." Enos's head was bowed as well. "Can we see her?" Doc Petticort nodded.

"She still might be sleepin', we gave her some pain pills." Jesse nodded and turned to Enos.

"Enos, I wanna thank you fer helpin' me find Daisy."

"Ain' no problem, Uncle Jesse. It's only my job." He paused. "I was wonderin'…uh… if – well – if I could go up wi' y'all to see 'er, uh…"

"A' course, Enos."

88888888

"Alright, now get in." Rosco said. Bo and Luke both exchanged looks then walked into the first downstairs cell. Rosco laughed as he locked the door, and continued to giggle as he headed up the stairs.

"Now what?" Bo asked. Luke stared.

"I ain' sure Bo. Uncle Jesse 'll be damn near terrified if he can't get a hold a' us. But if Enos don' show up fer work soon, then Rosco'll start callin' 'im."

"And knowin' Enos…" Bo began.

"…He'll be able to tell us 'bout Daisy."

Both cousins stood in silence for a while.

"Luke? D'y' think Daisy'll be okay?"

"Enos said she was alive, an' knowin' Daisy, she'll stay that way. To tell ya the truth, I ain' feelin' too god 'bout not headin' out there last night."

"Luke, y' know it ain't our fault."

"It's our fault she started workin' there in the firs' place."

"Luke, tha' was more n' eight years ago. Knowin' Daisy, she'll tell us who done it an we c'n take care a ' him."

"Or what's left after she's done with 'im."

They both laughed.

88888888

"Daisy?"

The quiet voice pulled her into darkness. A warm sensation on her hand: someone was giving it a squeeze.

"Daisy?"

She struggled to pull out of the abyss- Have to see Enos… Uncle Jesse. She heaved her eyelids open.

"Hey, baby." Uncle Jesse. Her vision was fuzzy, but after a few blinks, she focused in on him. He smiled down on her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled up at him, then scanned the area. She was in a pale hospital room, her leg up in a white cast in front of her, and a tan bandage wrapped around her wrist. Enos stood on her other side.

"Hiya, Daisy." He told her with a little wave.

She smiled up at him, then opened her mouth to ask where was Bo and Luke were. Nothing came out. She tried again.

"Daisy, honey.." Uncle Jesse began, "Enos an' I just talked with doc, an', well…" This was very, very bad. Uncle Jesse was never this hesitant. "Well, it seems that yer mute..."

Mute? Her eyes widened. No, this couldn't be. She couldn't talk. Her eyes began to water, and a few tears spilled out. How would she be able work without being able to talk? Uncle Jesse wiped them away.

"You're gonna be alright, baby, just relax…" Daisy sniffled, and regained her composure.

Bo and Luke? She mouthed.

"They ain' here yet Daisy. They was in town when Enos CB 'd 'em." Oh yeah, Enos woke her up in the Boar's Nest. The fight last night. That damn jackass… oh lord, what the hell was his name?…

"Daisy, what's the matter, honey?" Her eyes met Enos's. She shook her head, then yawned.

"Doctor says you gotta stay a few nights, but if you're doing well, you could go home earlier than tha'."

She grinned, then squeezed her Uncle's hand.

A nurse wearing a white shirt and jeans walked in. "Oh, excellent, she's awake." She smiled. "Hey, honey, I'm Jamie Rae. Doc asked me to give y'all a hand." Her Tennesseean drawl perfectly matched her beat up jeans. Daisy smiled up at her.

"S'cuse me m'am, but a hand wi' what?" Enos asked. Jamie Rae smiled.

"Doc told me 'bout what happened t' y'all. Now, 'fore yer gonna be let outta here, you're gonna have to be able to "talk" in some way. I figure I can teach y'all some sign language."

"Sign Language?" Enos asked. "But she ain' deaf!"

"Easiest way for Daisy to communicate, Deputy."

Uncle Jesse looked down at Daisy, whose mind was racing. Sign Language? Heck, that might work.

Daisy nodded. "Alright Daisy, honey, we'll start whenever you're ready."

"Now, are we gonna have to learn it too?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"You're going to want to learn it along with her. Obviously, I ain' gonna be teachin' her everthin' in one day. Y'all's have t' come back ever' now an' then for an hour or two of lessons. If the whole family wants t' come, they're more n' welcome." Uncle Jesse nodded.

"Why thank ye, M'am."

"S' only my job. Mr. Duke, I presume?"

"Yes M'am. I'm Daisy's uncle." Jamie Rae nodded.

"Daisy, you feelin' up t' startin' right now?" she asked.

Daisy nodded.

"Well, then…"

88888888

"ENOS! You dipstick!" Rosco yelled into the CB. "Come back!"

Still silence.

"ENOS!" Rosco yelled again.

"ROSCO!" Boss yelled. "YOU QUIT YELLIN'!"

Flash barked.

"I know, I know darlin', but I can't find Enos on the CB nowhere. Hope that dang dipstick's okay."

88888888