Sorry everyone, I totally forgot about the fact that the standard lines used in one program that indicate a break disappear when you post the story. I hope that didn't confuse anyone too much. Anyway, on with the next chapter.

Hope and a Prayer

Chapter 5

As the sun was setting for the day, an older couple walked hand in hand along the bank of the river as they watched their dog sniff along the stony shoreline. The small, round, white haired man smiled as he pulled his even smaller wife closer to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, squeezing her in a gentle hug. "This vacation was a wonderful idea, Sarah. We must come down here again when things settle down a bit."

"It is nice down here, isn't it, Chris? Not too hot but not too cold. I'd like it if we came back but that's something we'll have to worry about later after the Christmas rush."

"Yes, it's too bad that we must leave later tonight," Chris sighed as he listened to the birds that were chirping in the trees. "But there's still a lot of work to do and with only two days to do it in."

"Oh I do hope that nothing went wrong while we've been gone," Sarah said as worry washed over her features.

Chris gave her a smile in returned and pulled her closer. "Don't worry so, Sarah. I'm sure Jacob has everything under control just like he always does. You know how good he is at motivating the others when the need arises."

"Yes, you're right," Sarah smiled back. "You're absolutely right."

Sarah giggled softly as Chris pulled her tightly against himself and turned to her enough to give her a loving kiss, his white beard tickling her face. The display of affection was interrupted when their mixed lab suddenly began barking wildly. Seeing how the dog kept pawing at what looked like a strange rock, the two moved closer to take a peek. "What is it, Sampson?" Chris asked as they got closer.

Sarah gasped when the two of them realized it was a man that Sampson had found and that he obviously had been in the river, the thin corduroy jacket he wore no defense against the cold water or the hard rocks. Kneeling down, Chris turned the figure over and winced in sympathy at the amount of bruising that covered the other's face. He also discovered a large, red stain that had spread over the man's left shoulder. Reaching down, he was relieved when he found a faint pulse but quickly became concerned at the man's shallow breathing.

"Oh Chris, he's just a boy," Sarah exclaimed as she took in the thoroughly soaked figure's battered appearance.

"He's not a boy anymore, Sarah, but he can definitely act like one at times," Chris smiled sadly. "Sarah, I need you to go back to the cabin and call the authorities. This boy needs medical attention and I'm sure that his family will be most relieved to find out that he is alive."

"Are you sure you'll be all right while I'm gone?" she asked in concern.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him until help arrives," Chris smiled reassuringly at his wife. "Now go on and get that help."

"Alright. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Chris nodded and turned his attention to the young man lying in front of him. Shaking his head, he placed his hands on the injured man's chest and closed his eyes, a soft glow forming around his hands before quickly disappearing. Opening his eyes, Chris smiled when he saw the man was now breathing easier and that some of his coloring seemed to be returning.

"Bo Duke, you sure do know how to make a man worry," Chris quietly said as he took off his red jacket and placed it over the younger man. "You just rest easy, young man. Help will soon be here." Chris looked up when Sampson whined and he nodded at the animal before it laid itself down beside the fallen man. "That's a good boy, Sampson. You keep him nice and warm." A small "woof" was his answer.

01 01 01 01

The small family sat around the kitchen table back at the farm, none of them really wanting to go to bed, all of them too concerned about their missing family member. "What's gonna happen now, Uncle Jesse?" Daisy quietly asked, not really wanting to break the silence that fell upon them but needing to do something, even if it was just talking.

"Albert's gonna start the search up again first thing in the mornin'. The majority will continue on down from where they left off while a few of the others will walk through the area that's already been searched just ta make sure that they didn't miss him."

"But the water was movin' so fast."

"Albert and Rosco let the authorities downstream know what happened and they're keepin' an eye out too," Jesse answered as he pulled Daisy closer so that she could lean her head down on his shoulder.

"Do ya think Bo will be okay out there all by himself?"

"We can only pray that the Lord is lookin' out for Bo right now," Jesse answered as he stared into his full cup of cold coffee.

"Right now?" Luke yelled out. "What about earlier when those men took him? He didn't seem ta be watchin' after Bo then."

"You watch your mouth, boy!" Jesse hollered back, disliking Luke's disrespectful behavior. "Don't ya talk about the Good Lord like that."

"Good? If he was so good then why did he let Bo get dragged down that river while those three crooks were rescued without a scratch on them?"

Jesse quietly counted to ten to regain control of his temper knowing that Luke was just scared and frustrated about the whole situation. "Now Luke, what's happened has happened and we can't change any of it but we can hope and pray that Bo will be alright and he'll soon be home with us."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse," answered Luke as he stood up. "Bo's out there somewhere, possibly hurt or…worse and I should be out there lookin' for him not just sittin' around here waitin' and hopin' that he's gonna be okay."

"But there's no sense lookin' when ya can't see where you're goin'."

Luke ran a frustrated hand through his hair and began to pace. "I know, I know. It's just that I don't like thinkin' about Bo bein' out there, not knowin' what happened ta him."

Jesse stood and moved in front of the fidgeting man, making him stop his pacing. "I know how you're feelin', Luke. There's nothin' more that I want ta do then ta go back out there and look for him too, but takin' your frustrations out on everyone else isn't gonna help. We need ta stick together and be there for each other."

Luke threw his head back and took a deep breath before looking back at his uncle. "I feel so helpless, Uncle Jesse, not bein' able ta go out and look for him."

"I know son and I hate this feelin' of helplessness just like you but ya just got ta trust that Bo's gonna be okay. It's the only thing we got at the moment." Luke nodded his head and Jesse pulled him into a hug. "Just hang in there Luke. I can only believe that we'll find him."

The two men held each other for a few more moments before Luke broke the embrace. "I…I'm gonna go outside for a while." Jesse reluctantly let go while he and Daisy both watched Luke as he slowly made his way out the door to the porch.

"Oh Uncle Jesse, I'm so worried, not just for Bo but for Luke too," Daisy cried out as she ran into her Uncle's embrace.

"Me too, baby girl, me too."

Luke sat down on the porch steps and looked up at the stars, his mind instantly focused on his cousin. He wanted so bad to believe that Jesse was right and that something or someone was watching over his cousin but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. The not knowing if his cousin was all right was tearing him up inside and the guilt of how he yelled at Bo this morning all because he was mad at himself for being so stupid was playing havoc with him also. So Luke just sat there and allowed the memories of his cousin just flow through his mind.

He didn't know how long he had sat there when he heard a car pull up into the driveway. He looked up and saw Rosco getting out of his patrol car and come running up to the porch with an excited look on his face. "Luke is Jesse and Daisy here too?" Rosco asked when he reached the oldest Duke boy.

"Yeah, there inside," Luke answered tiredly being in no mood for Rosco's antics.

"Oh goody goody," Rosco giggled as he grabbed a hold of Luke's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Rosco, what are ya doin'?"

"I need ta talk ta all of yas so ya might as well come inside too," the sheriff answered as he dragged the younger man in through the door.

Jesse and Daisy looked up from the table to see Rosco hauling Luke in through the door and both stood up, ready to defend him from the sheriff. "Rosco, what in tar nation are ya up ta now? Ya better not be tryin' ta arrest Luke here for anythin' especially since he's been out all day searchin' for Bo."

"Now hush, Jesse," Rosco ordered making sure the older man was listening to him. "I ain't here ta arrest Luke, I'm here ta tell ya that y'all need ta come with me."

"Come with you? Where?" Daisy asked.

"I need ya ta come with me ta the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital down in Chickasaw County, kew kew. They found Bo."

"They found Bo?"

"Where was he?"

"Is he alright?"

Rosco held up his hands to silence the onslaught of questions. "He was found about two hours ago by a man and his wife walking down by the river in Chesterton."

"Chesterton?" Luke cried out. "That's at the southern end of Chickasaw. How'd he get way down there?"

"Well, that river is pretty swollen from the recent rains so the current must have been mighty swift for him ta end up down there but accordin' ta the hospital, he's alive but injured. They wouldn't go into details with me but they wanted me ta let his family know where he was."

"That's wonderful!" Daisy cried out as she gave Rosco a hug causing the sheriff's grin to widen as he grabbed onto his hat.

"Ooh ooh," Rosco said as he shook his head to clear it. "Uh…the Boss wanted me ta give ya ride down ta the hospital that way you'll be able ta get there without bein' stopped by Sheriff Little and he also gave me a pass for Luke here so that he could cross the border without getting into any probation trouble."

"That's was awfully nice of JD," Jesse grinned back as he moved to grab his hat from the hook by the door. "Let's get goin'. I want ta see my nephew and make sure that he's alright fer myself." The others quickly followed him out the door, heading straight for Rosco's car. As soon as they were all in, Rosco hit the lights and they were on their way to the hospital.