A/N I know... (I ain't even ducking for them tomatoes...) I missed my deadline! Well, I'll hafta learn to live with that one. I just hope this chapter will satisfy y'all, cause its a bit longer than usual. So with lots of sorry's, I'll crawl back behind my little pc and write some more... ;-)
Anyways, enjoy!

9

The clanking of Roscoe's keys coming from the office outside his cell, roused Luke from an un-fitful sleep. Opening his weary eyes, he ran his hand over them, feeling the bruises he could not see, but definitely feel.

He sat up on the small cot, wrapping the blanket around him. Ever since he was brought in this afternoon he felt cold and couldn't seem to get warm. The image of his cousin lying in his own blood was imprinted on his brain, and every time he closed his eyes he saw the shame-filled, fevered eyes looking up at him. And each and every time he knew he was doing the right thing.

The few times his mind worked rationally, he figured Bo would have gotten away with self defence. But still… The look his baby cousin had in his eyes when Luke had found him, was still giving Luke the shivers. The guilt and shame in there, were emotions Luke wanted to spare his cousin in the near future. So now, when his fuzzy mind let him think logically, he reasoned he wouldn't be found guilty of murder… It would still be self-defence right?

A slight cough, drew him out of his thoughts, and he saw a very nervous Roscoe standing in front of his cell, paper in his hands.

"Err, Luke… I's afraid I got some news bout yur trial… They set it for day after tomorrow."

Luke swallowed. Even though he knew he wouldn't be convicted, a trial still gave him the shivers. There were still possibilities… Roscoe's next words however seemed to freeze every blood cell in his body.

"Judge Noose 'll be the judge in this case… I'm sorry Luke…" Roscoe said. He wanted the boy behind bars, but not in the way Judge Noose would do it. The old crow seemed to be living in the old southern times, and was infamous for sending convicted men to death row…

Shaking his head, Roscoe rationalized. Luke acted in self-defence. No one would convict someone who acted in self-defence.

"Roscoe!"

This made the older sheriff jump, "Tiddly tuddly, don't scare me like that now! What?"

"I asked ya if I can talk ta my family, I really wanna know how Bo's doin…" Luke asked for the second time. He knew all about judge Noose, but he wasn't going to let that guy get to him. It had been self-defence… He couldn't do anything about it now, so he only wanted to know how his little cousin was doing.

"You already got your phone call, but I can tell ya, Cooter just called, an' told me Bo's in a coma right now… But I bet ya he's gonna wake up soon," Roscoe added, hoping he could lift Luke's spirits a little.

Seeing how the boy slumped on the cot, he knew he failed. But there was nothing to be done right now, so why not go back to work?

"I'll find ya somethin ta eat, now you stay quiet, or Flash 'll have yur dinner… Khew khew" Roscoe mumbled as he left the cell, stumbling over his own feet.

Luke just sat down, hands covering his face. How did they get in this mess? Laying down on the cot again, he only knew he had to find himself a way out of it. Cause Bo needed the family support right now. Heck he also needed Luke's support, but he was stuck in this tiny cell… And he had to stay here, cause if he escaped, the judge would think he was guilty of something worse than shooting Benny in self-defence. All he could do right now was wait. So that was what Luke Duke did. He waited…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Meanwhile in the hospital

"Judge Noose?!" Jesse exclaimed, receiving angry glares from some of the nurses at the nurses station.

"That ole rattlesnake even convicted Kyle Valenti for armed robbery, when all the man did was pick up the gun Roscoe dropped!"

Pacing down the floor, Jesse's frown was getting deeper as Daisy turned to Cooter.

"He'll see it was self-defence, right?" she asked, hope sparkling in her teary eyes.

Cooter was about to answer when Jesse's mumbled words reached his ears. His mouth fell open as the meaning behind those words registered in his brain.

"Say what?"

Jesse coughed, standing completely still now. His expression serious and pondering.

"I said… If it was…"

Daisy's unbelieving eyes turned to her uncle, anger and fierce protection blazing in them.

"How can you say that?! Ya know Luke would never kill someone in cold blood, and if he did, he wouldn't lie about it-"

"Wouldn't he?" Jesse interrupted his niece's rant, "If he could save someone else with it?" he continued in a monotone voice. Remembering what he had seen in Luke's eyes the moment he had told him about killing Benny.

"But… I… Bo?" Daisy's anger left her suddenly, understanding finding its way into her heart.

"I think Bo 'll have a lot of answers for us when he wakes up…"

Cooter nodded knowingly, glad to hear Jesse use the word when, and not if.
He knew those boys long enough to know they would do anything for each other. Even taking the blame for a murder one of them didn't even commit, well at least not intentionally.

Clapping the Duke patriarch on the shoulder, Cooter found a new sense of hope rising within him, and he hoped he could pass it on to the worried family standing next to him.

"Well, then we jus' hafta wait till our buddy wakes up right? Luke ain't goin anywhere right now, so why don't we see if ole Bo is doin any better?"

Smiling a small smile, Daisy couldn't help but still feel the dread in her stomach. Bo wasn't near waking up, and Luke was stuck in jail. Well at least she knew her cousins were safe. Turning around she followed Jesse to Bo's room, seeing Cooter gesturing wildly towards the nurse, she knew he would follow them soon…

One Duke in jail, one in a hospital bed and the rest worryin' about them. Ya wouldn't think they could git into more trouble now, wouldn't ya?

Hazzard County Jail

Darkness surrounded him, but Luke still had his eyes wide open. Staring at the ceiling he let the days events pass, again… Trying to find a moment where he could have done something different, but he couldn't find it. There would still be that gunshot, braking through the air, there would still be the blood staining his cousin. And there would still be a body in that cave. In his dreams however, it was Bo lying there, lifeless eyes staring unseeingly at him. His mouth however moved. Ghostly whispers leaving it, accusing and full of hatred…

'Where were you… You left me… left me to die…'

Luke had woken up in a cold sweat, vowing himself he wouldn't go to sleep again. So here he lay, turning to his side he heard the creaking of the crummy cot. Another sound however, made him lie as still as possible. It sounded like a window being cracked open.

Lying completely still, Luke let his ears tell him what was going on. The window was slowly being slid open, a figure with heavy boots stepping through.

Footsteps made their way towards the cell Luke was currently in. As they came closer, Luke tensed. It had to be someone who wanted to break him out. Didn't they understand he was going to get out legally?

Hearing the key turn in the lock slowly he was about to turn around, when another sound made itself known to him. A slight click, barely noticeable, but it was there. He had heard that sound too many times to count, and especially after today, he would never forget the sound of a hammer being cocked.

The realization that whoever was here, was not about to break him out, but kill him, was like a bucket of cold water being thrown over him.

The footsteps had stopped, the movement of an arm meant that the person was trying to aim in the darkness of the cell.

Eliciting a large yell, Luke jumped up, startling the person holding the gun. The silver handgun shown in the newly appeared moonlight before Luke sent it flying across the small cell. As he looked up, the same moon shone its pale blue light on the persons face, illuminating Harry Black's rage-filled eyes as well as his bared teeth.

"You killed my boy… Now yur goin ta be sorry!" he growled before leaping for his gun.

Seeing the open cell door, Luke did the only thing he could think of, he ran for it…

He didn't even hear the gunshot following him, only felt it fly right by his arm, leaving a slight burning sensation. The next minutes were a blur as Luke felt like he flew over Hazzards abandoned streets. The footsteps behind him let him know Harry was still there. But he also knew he was younger and fitter, so he demanded his body to go harder, his legs burning, but he held on.

At some point he didn't even feel them anymore, just continued to run. The steady rhythm soothing him, the silence around him relaxing his high strung nerves.

Even though he didn't hear Harry behind him anymore, he kept a steady pace, slowing down just a little bit as his eyes frantically searched for a place to hide for the night.

Seeing Milson's rundown shack he knew he had found the place where he could hide, for now…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Yeah thanks…"

Hanging up the phone in the hospital Cooter turned around, his face betraying the worry which had settled in during that conversation.

Jesse had felt better this morning. Bo had made it through the night and the doctors were expecting him to wake up real soon now… If he would just open those darn eyes…

But seeing Cooter Davenport looking that miserable, he knew something had happened with his other nephew, and it wasn't good.

"What happened Cooter?"

Rubbing a hand over his face, Cooter wondered how he would break the news he didn't want to break. He didn't even want to believe it himself.

"I'm sorry uncle Jesse, but it looks like Luke escaped last night… Special Forces are helpin Hazzard Police with the search…"

Sitting down heavily, Jesse tried to understand what had gotten in his eldest's mind. Luke had to have known he wouldn't be convicted for self-defence. Had he heard about the judge and gotten scared?

"Uncle Jesse?" Cooter asked in such a low tone, Jesse knew there was more. Looking up, he motioned for Cooter to continue.

"They also found some blood… I don't think he hurt himself brakin himself outta jail, so…"

"Hardware Harry…" Jesse mumbled, immediately understanding why and how Luke had gotten out.

"So now not only the cops are huntin' him, but Harry's tryin' ta settle a score too. And they's all after my boy…"

"We gotta tell this to the police, cause right now, they's just as dangerous to him as Harry is. Roscoe told me they was allowed to shoot an' kill!"

Making his way out of the waiting room Jesse told Cooter to tell Daisy that she had to stay with Bo, and that they was about to straighten this entire mess…

I sure hope Jesse can fix all o' this, but somehow I think them Dukes have gotten themselves in a mess not even good ole Jesse can get them out of. Don't go to the fridge now, cause things are about to get interestin…