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

Warnings: Angst

Rating: K+

Trouble On The Horizon

Chapter 6

"Nooooooooo!" Bo's scream woke Jesse from a sound sleep. Throwing back the covers, Jesse hurried to the boys' room. As he hurried to their room, he saw Lavinia coming out of the spare room and motioned for her to stay put. Opening the bedroom door, he wasn't surprised to see Luke already in Bo's bed, holding his cousin and trying to soothe his fear.

"Shhh, it's okay Bo," Luke softly said, his arms wrapped around his cousin as he tried to rock the younger boy in an effort to calm him.

"No, no, bad doggie get me," Bo protested. Still caught in his nightmare, he struggled to escape Luke's hold.

"Bo, it's me, Luke. You're okay Bo bear, the bad doggie's gone," Luke assured the younger boy.

"Luke?"

"Yeah Bo?"

"The bad doggie get me," Bo replied, laying his head against his cousin's chest and beginning to cry.

"Luke, Bo," Jesse quietly called from the doorway.

"Bo had a nightmare Uncle Jesse," Luke explained, turning slightly towards the open door.

"So I heard," Jesse said, stepping into the room and joining the boys on the bed. "You okay youngin'?" Jesse asked, laying a hand on the small blond head.

"I's scared Unca Jesse," Bo softly replied, continuing to snuggle against Luke.

"I know baby, Bo would it be okay if I held ya now?"

Nodding his head, Bo scrambled from the safety of Luke's arms and into his uncle's embrace. "Unca Jesse, why the bad doggie want to eat me?"

"It wasn't a doggie Bo, I know it looked like one but it was really a wolf," Jesse explained. He wasn't sure if Bo could understand the diffference, but he didn't want the boy to spend the rest of his life afraid of dogs. It would be bad enough to have such a fear in a city, but living in the country like they did it would be a living nightmare for him.

"A wolf? But it looked like a doggie," Bo replied.

"Yes Bo I know it did, but it was a wolf. It wasn't really being bad Bo, wolves are wild animals, they have to hunt for their food. I know it was real scary but to that wolf you weren't a little boy, you were just a really big rabbit, you understand?" Jesse asked.

"It wasn't bad? It was good to try and eat me?" Bo asked, looking up at his uncle in confusion.

"No baby it wasn't good for wanting to eat you, but it was natural for a wolf," Jesse tried to explain.

"Bo," Luke spoke, startling Jesse, who had forgotten he was still there as the boy had been so quiet. "You know how doggies chase kitties?"

"Uh-huh."

"Are doggies bad for doing that?"

"Nope, cause that's what doggies do," Bo replied.

"That's what Uncle Jesse means about the wolf. It wasn't bad for what it did, cause that's just what wolves do," Luke explained.

"Oh, like when Lady chased Mrs. Strate's kitty and then the kitty scratched Lady?"

"Yep, do you understand now?"

"Uh-huh, the wolf that looked like a doggie just did what it does. Luke, doggies won't try to eat me?" Bo asked fearfully.

"Nope, doggies don't do that to little boys," Luke replied.

"Lady won't hurt me?"

"Of course not Bo, you been around Lady all your life, she loves you," Jesse assured his nephew. "You think you could go back to sleep now?"

"With Luke?"

"It's okay with me Uncle Jesse," Luke said.

"Alright then, your bed or his?"

"His, the wolf won't find me there," Bo replied.

"Okay, well then let's get you boys settled," Jesse replied, standing up and moving to Luke's bed. He waited for Luke to climb into the bed and then he placed Bo beside him, between the older boy and the wall. Pulling the covers up over the two boys, Jesse tucked them in, giving them each a kiss on the forehead and saying goodnight. "Luke, I'm real proud of ya son, you did a good job of helping Bo," he whispered to the older boy.

"Goodnight Uncle Jesse," Luke said, a proud grin spreading across his face at the praise from his uncle. Turning towards his younger cousin, Luke wrapped an arm protectively around the smaller boy's waist and closed his eyes.

Standing up, Jesse quietly left the room, carefully shutting the door behind him and leaving it open a bit to allow light from the hall to spill into the room. Walking into his own room, he was glad to see Martha was already back in the room. "How's Daisy?"

"She's fine Jesse, she never even woke up," Martha replied. "Is Bo okay now?"

"Yeah, he had a nightmare about that wolf eating him," Jesse explained. "I tell ya Martha I sure am proud of Luke, he did a real good job of explaining things to Bo." Jesse said, after having told his wife everything that had happened while he was with the boys. "Of course I'll need to explain to Luke that even though Bo understands, he'll still likely have some problems with dogs for a while. Hopefully though, between us we can keep the boy from developing a lifetime fear of dogs."

"I'm sure we can Jesse," Martha replied. " After all Bo's young, he'll probably forget all about what happened in no time at all. I just hope Daisy and Luke can forget too," she said, snuggling into Jesse embrace when he got back into the bed.

"I hope so too Martha," Jesse replied, tightening his hold and placing a loving kiss on Martha's lips. "We better get some sleep, or we'll never get up on time," Jesse whispered, pulling Martha against him and closing his eyes. "Goodnight Martha, I love you."

"I love you too Jesse Duke," Martha replied, closing her eyes and relaxing into the loving embrace, as she drifted to sleep.

The next morning Jesse came in from doing the morning chores to find Lavinia sitting in the living room, tears streaking her face. "Lavinia, what's wrong?" Jesse asked, his natural protectiveness towards his sister coming out.

"I just wanted to help Jesse, I didn't know it would upset them," Lavinia tearfully replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Martha was making breakfast and I didn't think she'd want my help. So I thought I could help by waking the children. I woke Daisy first, she was fine, surprised to see me but it wasn't a problem. Then I went into the boys' room and started to wake them up. Bo got real upset as soon as he saw me, I couldn't make out all that he was saying but I think he thought I was taking them to my place. I tried to calm him down, tried to make him understand but he was too scared and that got Luke upset. He grabbed a hold of Bo and yelled at me to go away, that's when I realized Martha was in the room. She took my arm, and pushed me out the door. She's in with the kids now," Lavinia explained.

"What about Daisy?"

"I think she ran into her room, I was so upset I didn't even think to check," Lavinia said, beginning to stand up. She stopped and sat back down, disappointed when Jesse waved her back to her seat and went to check on Daisy himself.

"Daisy honey, are you okay?" Jesse asked, stepping into her room and glancing around for his niece. "Daisy are ya in here?"

"Uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked softly, peeking her head out of the closet. "Uncle Jesse make Aunt Lavinia go away," Daisy demanded as soon as she was in her uncle's arms.

"I thought you loved your Aunt Lavinia?"

"I do, but she scared Bo and I don't want Bo to be scared," Daisy explained.

"I don't either baby, but your Aunt Lavinia didn't mean to scare Bo," Jesse explained, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'll tell ya what, why don't we wait and see if things get better? Maybe once Bo wakes up good he won't be scared of your aunt," Jesse suggested.

"Okay, but if she keeps scaring Bo you'll make her go away?"

"Yeah baby I will," Jesse assured her. "I need to go see how Bo is doing now. Do you want to stay in here or go to the living room with your Aunt Lavinia?"

"Aunt Lavinia's in the living room?"

"Yes she is, do you want to go sit with her?"

"I guess so," Daisy replied, not really wanting to be alone.

"Okay then, come on," Jesse said, putting her on the floor and taking her hand. At the door to the boys' room, Jesse nudged Daisy on into the living room. When Daisy moved into the other room, Jesse turned the door knob and went into the bedroom.

"No, go away," Bo cried out when the door opened.

"Bo?" Jesse asked, surprised when Bo told him to go away.

"Unca Jesse? I thoughted you was Aunt Lavinia," Bo said, from where he sat in Martha's lap.

"I heard you got upset with your aunt, you want to tell me about it?" Jesse asked, coming to the bed and sitting down next to Martha.

Shaking his head, Bo stuck a thumb in his mouth and laid his head back down on his aunt's shoulder.

"He thought she was gonna take us to her house," Luke explained.

"He's pretty upset Jesse, but from what I can get out of him Luke's right. He was scared he would have to go to Lavinia's house and that the tornado would take his cousins away again," Martha explained.

"Big wind picked us up," Bo whispered solemnly after removing the thumb from his mouth.

"I know it did Bo, that was a tornado but you don't have to worry about that Bo. I won't let that happen again," Jesse promised. He hoped that the old saw about lightening never striking the same place twice would hold true for tornados and little boys.

"I don't want to go with Aunt Lavinia," Bo told him.

"Don't you worry Bo, you aren't going anywhere with your Aunt Lavinia. The fact is, that tornado broke her house and she's staying with us for a while until she can get it fixed," Jesse explained.

"Really?"

"Yes really," Jesse assured, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "You think you could let Aunt Martha go finish breakfast now? I'll help you and Luke get ready for the day, okay?"

"Okay," Bo agreed, letting go of the death grip he had on his aunt's dress and launching himself into his uncle's arms.

"Jesse, do you think it's a good idea to let Lavinia stay?" Martha asked.

"I think we should at least try, she is family and doesn't have any place else to go."

"Alright, but if it becomes too much of a problem she can just go up to Placer county and stay with Elbert. I know that'd be harder for her to get things settled with her property, but as far as I'm concerned the children have to come first," Martha firmly stated, before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Okay boys, let's get you two dressed and ready for breakfast," Jesse said, standing up and carrying Bo to his dresser.

"Uncle Jesse?"

"Yes Luke?" Jesse asked, distracted by trying to pick out clothes for the youngest.

"Are you really gonna let her stay?"

"For now," Jesse replied.

"I don't want her to," Luke sullenly told his uncle.

"You sound like you're mad at her," Jesse observed.

"She left us alone Uncle Jesse and then the tornado came. I could feel the wind making the trailer shake and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't get Bo out of his crib, so I grabbed Daisy and we climbed into his crib. I tried and tried to hold onto them Uncle Jesse, but the wind got them and took them away. I don't want her here, she was bad and I want her to go away!" Luke explained.

"I'm sorry Luke, I didn't know you felt that way about your Aunt Lavinia," Jesse apologized. Truthfully he was surprised at Luke's outburst. He knew the boy had worried about Daisy and Bo; he surely understood that Luke had been frightened by the tornado. However, it had never occured to him that Luke blamed Lavinia for what had happened. "Luke I know you're mad at her, but do you think you could at least try to let her stay here? Just until she has her place fixed up," Jesse explained, hoping it wouldn't take long for her to replace her trailer.

"But what if she scares Bo again?"

"Luke, I promise you if having Lavinia here ends up being too upsetting for any of you kids, I'll ask her to leave."

"Okay, I'll try," Luke finally agreed, but obviously not happy about it.

"Good boy," Jesse praised, patting the boy gently on the back. "Luke, do you think you could help Bo pick out something to wear?"

"Yes sir," Luke nodded, moving to the dresser and starting to look through it.

Turning away Jesse went out into the living room. He was relieved to see that Daisy was sitting on the couch next to her aunt. At least one of the children was comfortable with Lavinia, "Lavinia, could I speak to you outside?" Jesse asked.

"Of course," Lavinia agreed. Laying the storybook she'd been reading into Daisy's lap, she stood up and moved outside. "What is it Jesse?" she asked nervously.

"I need to ask you to do something for me, well really it's more for the boys," Jesse began. "Lavinia, Bo is afraid of you right now. Or at least he's afraid of being taken back to your house and another tornado happening. I told him your house is broke and that's why you're here. Bo ain't the only one with a problem though, seems Luke is pretty mad at ya right now."

"Luke?"

"Yes, he was scared out of his mind by that tornado, not only for himself but for his cousins. Lavinia, he's mad at you for leaving them alone and I can't tell him not to be. Not when Martha and I are feeling about the same way he is," Jesse truthfully explained. "Now I'm willing to let you stay here, but I need you to be careful around the boys. I know you were trying to help, but it'd be best if you weren't alone with them for awhile. I think, well I hope that they'll be able to deal with you being here if either me or Martha are nearby."

"So what does that mean Jesse? I can eat meals with y'all, or watch t.v., but if you and Martha are both outside, I should stay in my room?"

"Now Lavinia I didn't say that..."

"Well I can't see any other way to avoid being alone with the children, or with the boys I should say. Daisy sure doesn't seem to have any trouble being around me," Lavinia snapped, hating that she sounded bitter, but not able to help herself.

"And I'm grateful for that Lavinia," Jesse replied. "Now I know this is upsetting to you sister, but you're a grown woman and they're only little boys. So I'm sorry but their needs and what's best for them has to come first," Jesse firmly told her. Turning away from her, he went back into the house to help Martha with breakfast.

"Dang it! I can't believe he's going to mollycoddle those boys like that. Papa would never have allowed any of us to get away with behavior like that," Lavinia muttered to herself as she paced the yard. "I know they're upset, but to baby them like this, letting them decide who stays in his home, why it's foolishness that's what it is. Fine I'll do what ya ask for now Jesse, but I won't let those children dictate my life for long, no matter how upset they are!"

TBC

Well there ya go, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Please feed the muse with reviews.