Okay you are in for a treat...this is by the fabulous Ani. Enjoy and please r and r.

By the time Luke managed to drag himself back into consciousness, not used to being able to sleep for long periods of time and especially not in a bed as comfy as the one in his own room, he had to grin and sigh happily at the variety of different smells wafting in from the kitchen. He could tell without having to get up and look at the table exactly what Daisy had made and he knew then that all his favourites were there waiting for him.

After a moment he gently got up from the sanctuary of pillows, sheets and warm duvet covers and padded across the room and out into the hallway, practically melting with bliss as the aroma's coming from the kitchen got even stronger. He whistled happily as he walked down the corridor and into the small but cosy room, grinning to Bo as his youngest cousin looked up at him….but frowning as he then looked away without returning the smile….something was wrong and Luke knew it, although Bo was trying to hide it remarkably well.

It would have to wait until later though as Daisy looked up and smiled a heart warming smile Luke personally thought it would have taken longer to see, but one he so dearly missed. She finished putting everything on the table and looked out the window before clapping with a glee that Luke had no idea where its root was before ushering him to the table, sitting him in his own place and ignoring Luke's chuckled questions about what the heck was going on.

It wasn't long before Daisy joined them and Bo did and soon after that the door started opening and Luke realized exactly what was happening. He quickly folded his arms on the table top and looked down as the door opened fully and couldn't help but tremble with glee as he felt Uncle Jesse's presence enter the room and smell the cool evening air mingled with the smells of the farm he missed at night in the jungles.

"Daisy…what is all this about? And who do we have over for dinner this evening; you didn't tell me you had invited someone."

Even his Uncle's voice was like music to his ears and it was all he could do not to look up as Daisy spoke.

"Well you see, we didn't really know either….he kinda turned up unexpected like…"

"Oh…well…would you mind telling me who you are?"

Luke waited a moment before speaking and looking up.

"Well I know my hair's been cut Uncle Jesse but don't a recognize yer own nephew?"

Jesse's face, as Bo's had been, instantly paled and his mouth hung open, although it was no where near as comical as Bo's had been. Luke could see the joy sparkling in Jesse's eyes as they took in Luke's appearance, checking it was really Luke there and not some trick his other kids were playing. Eventually though he closed the door calmly behind him and headed hurriedly over to Luke, to which Luke soon followed suit and felt his worries and fears lift as his Uncle's arms wrapped around him once more.

So many times he had dreamed of coming home, so many times had he dreamed in the past year of his Uncle's embrace, comforting him in a way only a parent could and now it was real it was better than he ever could have dreamed. It felt like home again now, nothing was missing anymore. He rested his head on Jesse's shoulder and Jesse held him while he cried quietly into the soft denim straps of his overalls and the white shirt underneath, choking a little as Daisy joined in too….but Bo remained seated at the table, looking away.

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Dinner was lively and enjoyed by all. While Luke couldn't put away as much as he used to because of the small rations that his stomach had gotten used to receiving, he ate as much as he comfortably could, and watched as Bo nearly tripled that amount with wonder.

He took in the loving scene before him; each person had changed in the year he had been away both in good and bad ways. Daisy was more beautiful than ever, in the soft glow of the kitchen he could almost swear she herself was glowing with a youthful sprit he had begun to set free once more despite the heavy bags under her eyes from the sleep she had obviously been deprived of.

Bo had gotten taller, and put on more weight so now he looked less like the fence posts outside and more like a human being. His muscles had grown too and his blonde hair was growing into an even bigger mop than when he had left it, if that was even possible. The only thing that seemed remotely wrong with him was the attitude that so contrasted with the one that was presented earlier.

Jesse seemed thinner than Luke remember, and he realized that that was probably due to the extra work now having to be done around the farm as well as the moonshine runs. He knew that while Bo and Daisy would help as much as they could there was only so much they could do, a lot now rested on their uncle's shoulders and Luke was determined to make that up to him as soon as he could. Jesse's personality however remained the same, firm but fair and utterly loving towards all three of his kids.

He was jerked from his thoughts when Daisy stood from the table and instantly got to his feet to help her with the dishes, only to be given a shake of the head and be pushed back down in the chair by Jesse as he rose too, leaving just him and Bo at the table.

Never before had Luke felt the atmosphere between him and Bo as distant and tense as that moment. Silence fell upon the kitchen and he knew that Jesse and Daisy were just as confused as he was about Bo's behaviour, he had sent questioning glances to them over dinner, only receiving simple shrugs in return. He studied Bo for a moment, as Bo kept his head down and was twiddling his thumbs on the table, before reaching over and gently placing his hand on top, squeezing gently.

"Bo…you okay?"

Bo looked up startled and pulled his hands away like they had been scalded by the touch. He shook his head and stood up, murmuring his apologies for leaving the table without asking as he headed out the door into the night, leaving everyone in the room stock still in shock. It took a moment to register what had actually happened and even then no one fully understood why it had, the only thing Luke knew was that it was time to talk to Bo properly whether his younger cousin liked it or not. He stood up, stopping Jesse from going as he walked out the door and looked around frowning, finally seeing the barn light on and hearing thud after thud of something hitting the barn wall repeatedly.

Taking a moment to control himself, he walked hurriedly to the barn and sighed with relief as he found it was only Bo throwing his football hard against the wall, his face set in a blank expression, though his eyes gave away his feelings as tears spilled from them.

"Bo?"

Thud. "No on what's the matter?"

Thud, No Answer

"Come on little cousin what have I done to you?"

No Thud, No Answer.

"Bo will you please talk to me!"

Luke jerked backwards as Bo spun round to face him angrily, his teary eyes blazing with heartbroken fury that made Luke's heart clench painfully, speaking in his little boy lost tone that made that pain even worse.

"For what Luke! So I can get close to you again only to have you run back off to war in a few weeks!"

Bo knew….somehow Bo had found out this wasn't permanent…he wasn't home for good…he hadn't told Daisy and Bo that for a reason…he wanted his first night of his first leave back in Hazzard to be special and wait until the next day to tell them…Uncle Jesse already knew, being a War Veteran himself. Luke shook his head gently and took a step towards Bo, holding out his hands in a calming gesture.

"Cousin….please…"

Bo shook his head and his bottom lip quivered more violently.

"So it's true! It's true ain't it?You ain't back for good at all!"

"Bo…"

"Why Luke! Why the heck did you come back!"

The words hit Luke like a sharp punch to the gut, knocking all the breath out of him and leaving him speechless….Bo didn't want him to come back….

"Was it just to put me through the heartbreak of having to wave you off again Luke! Or was it so you could make yourself feel better being back at home! Why would you do this to me Luke, dang it why are you intent on torturing me! You never even considered how I would feel did ya!"

The sobs that wracked Bo's body were powerful enough by the end of his rant to give him the strength to hurl the football across the barn at Luke, which he easily dodged, before depleting his energy completely and making him fall to his knees in the middle of the barn floor.

All Luke could do was stand there and watch as he got a glimpse of what Bo must have been like before the phone call he had made to him and he now only just realised the consequences of his decision to take his leave and go back to Hazzard. How could he have been so blind? Bo was right….he hadn't considered how his cousins would react…he could only imagine them being positive about his return, but hadn't thought of what it would be like for them when he had to go back and they had to say goodbye again.

After a time, he forced the shock away from his mind and stepped forward, stopping down beside Bo and pulling him into his lap, glad Bo was not strong enough to push him away, and held him tight against him, forcing his tears to stay dry in his eyes and focus on giving Bo what he needed now. He didn't know who had pointed out the reality to Bo so soon, but he got a feeling it was one of the guys he had been playing football with that afternoon…possibly even Pete, and now he was paying for not pointing that out himself sooner to Bo. Once again, Bo had had to get heartbreaking news of Luke from a friend, because Luke had been too blind to say it himself, something he could not forgive himself for. He had come back to make things better….was it possible now he had only made things worse?