Shizzali owns her work, but does not own anything you recognise. Respect others and their creations.

A Lending Hand

From 9:00am Jackie prepared for her workers. Making sure she wore an outfit that was comfortable but still looked respectable. This, she decided, was a flannelette shirt and singlet with jeans and riding boots. Sizing herself up in front of the mirror that morning, Jackie had looked disbelievingly at the reflection, you're not fooling anyone.

Sitting out on the front porch with cookies and a jug of water, Jackie waited …for half an hour…an hour…two hours. At 12:00 Jackie exhaled violently. Where was everybody? The amount of people she saw hanging around Hazzard during the day, lazing around, there was sure to be someone seeking work. But no. There was obviously no-one, no-one that could be bothered enough to get off their lazy arses and do some freaking work!

By 12:30 she was really pissed. She packed up the now half empty water jug and cookies and stomped inside. She dumped the dishes in the sink with a deafening clunk.

Jackie couldn't understand it. Was it some sort of boycott? It was probably some ploy by Bo Duke to spite her.

Did the people of Hazzard really want her gone that much? But if that were true didn't they all love Harold? Wouldn't they want to fix up his house for him? Obviously not!

Jackie decided she wouldn't let them get her down, giving up would let them win, and she was in no mood for surrender.

Work started at 6, so she still had a few hours. She made her mind up, nodding to herself. If no-one else was going to help her, she'd have to do it herself.

Jackie came stomping into the Boar's Nest at 6pm sharp. People who had looked quickly turned back around, pretending they hadn't dared to. They knew she had been waiting, they knew she was expecting them. And yet, the town where everyone was everybody else's best pal, couldn't do a small thing for an outsider.

"Hey Jackie," Daisy said cautiously. Jackie gave her not very interested look and went into the kitchen to grab her order paper. As she came back out she saw Daisy and Harry share a look.

"What?" Jackie inquired sharply. Harry raised his eyebrows, as if to say "who, me?" and walked over to the pool table. Daisy handed Jackie a tray and went to take an order. The noise picked up once everyone realised no scene was going to be made.

Actually… Jackie wasn't going to keel over and let them take advantage of her politeness, if they thought that they were dead wrong.

"You know?" Jackie raised her voice, looking around at the pubs inhabitants. As anticipated, all of them looked at her, thriving for conflict. Back home she liked pushing the boundaries; it time to shove a little here too. They knew she had a short fuse, but how short?

"I'm really getting fed up with this. I'm fed up with the lot of you," Not one person spoke, not one person moved. A lot of them starred, shocked. They didn't know she had this in her, the ability to speak her mind. She was that Australian bird, Harold's granddaughter, the quiet one. Like Daisy said, if anyone did anything she was uncomfortable with, she had to set them straight.

"I'm not going to role over and take this, this hazing you've got going. I always thought the people of Hazzard were accommodating folk, but I guess I was wrong. I waited for 3 hours today, waiting for you people, you drunks and pissfarters. I don't know why I bother trying to fit in, you all can't be arsed to extend a kind gesture to any outsider. No wonder you're so isolated."

She starred around wide eyed at their ashamed faces, daring any of her audience to prove her wrong. Yet again, no-one spoke.

"You all hate me, fine. But I thought Harold meant more to you, to all of you. If you won't do it for me, do it for Harold. I've lived here just long enough to gather that he was a great man," her voice started to waiver now, tears prickling her eyes.

"He would have done anything for you, and now in an hour of need for the last physical memory of him, you'll let your disdain for me overcome your love for Harold. Well, that's great, that's just spiffing. I guess I will knock it down and develop a huge megaplex, that's what you think I'll do? Then FINE!" With that, she took one last look at them all, slammed down her order paper on the bar and stormed out of the pub. Only until she got into her truck did she release the tears that had been threatening to come earlier. Jackie punched the steering wheel in frustration, then immediately regretting it, feeling the throbbing pain in her hand. She violently jabbed her keys in the ignition and started the old bomb with a shudder.

Daisy, still in the pub, watched Jackie drive off through the grimy window, while everyone watched. Daisy sighed and turned to her onlookers.

"She's right and you all know it,"

..oo00oo..

Banging on the door woke Jackie up the next morning. She saw a figure behind the shade on the door. They knocked again. Jackie got up groggily and opened the door. It was Pauline. Jackie gasped…and the rest of the town. Even Bo.

Jackie looked to Pauline, who was beaming proudly back. The others seemed to be chuckling to themselves. Jackie looked down and realised she was still in her pyjama's. She crossed her arms self consciously.

"What's everyone doing here?"

"Well," Pauline began "After what you said to everyone yesterday, we decided you were right. Harold deserved more from us. And you deserved more form us," There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, "So we rallied together and we're ready for some work!" Everyone cheered and Jackie couldn't help laugh. They had pulled through. She couldn't believe it. So much so that she felt her eyes well up with tears.

"Oh god," She sniffed as the tears began to fall.

"Hey now, don't cry, we're here to help," Pauline put an arm around her shoulders and Jackie leaned in. Dick now came up to the veranda a smile of reassurance on his face. He gripped her arm

"Let's have a look at this huh?" Jackie nodded and led them into the house, where everyone followed.

"Tom was a contractor in his hey day," Pauline said to Jackie. Tom chuckled.

"In my hey day? I'm still there!" He knocked on various parts of the walls. "I still do some work every now and then,"

For the next two hours people made notes on pads Daisy had given them of what needed to be done. Pauline collected the paper on the veranda.

By noon everyone was gathered outside again. Tom stood on the veranda facing them all.

"Alrighty, we have a lot to do. We are gonna try and make this as cheap as possible, so if anyone has any materials they can get a hold of, we would like them. Also, we need professionals to look at plumbing and electric, so again, what you can spare," The rest nodded. Jackie sat on the veranda with Pauline completely overwhelmed by their generosity.

"Any questions?" Tom peered around at his audience. Harry piped up.

"Where do we start?"

"Good question," Tom turned to the rest, "From what I can see, we should start on the outside first," More agreeing murmurs.

"Okay, now we're going to move all the stuff in the house out to the old barn," Tom turned to Jackie, "You may want move your stuff,"

Jackie jumped up from next to Pauline.

"Oh yeah," she said, and made her way inside.

Racing around trying to get her belongings together was easier said than done. She had only been there for a month, and she had had no idea how much stuff she had unpacked. She sighted two people labouring under the weight of the chest with all of Harold's photos.

"Wait!" Jackie called to them and race over. "Um…can you just put this on the veranda, I'd like to keep it," The others nodded and carried it outside. Once she had gathered her stuff into boxes, she caught up with Pauline in the kitchen.

"Isn't this just great! All these people putting in for Harold. And you of course," Pauline smiled down at Jackie. Jackie blushed

"Oh I'm not sure,"

"Will you stop selling yourself short? Everyone feels so guilty for not helping you out sooner. It's their way of saying sorry to you,"

"I'm partial to chocolate," Jackie sighed "Not an overhaul of my house,"

Pauline laughed.

"Well, be sure to tell them that next time," The two of them laughed together.

After some moments of silence, something suddenly clicked within Jackie's brain.

"Wait a minute," Pauline looked up, raising her eyebrows "Where am I going to live now?"

Panic suddenly swept over Jackie as she contemplated the concept of being on her own again, now with no proper roof over her head.

"Oh, yes sorry, of course," Pauline griped Jackie's shoulders, looking at her straight. "My place is too small, and well, it just so happens…"

"Yes," Jackie prompted her to continue.

"That, well, Jesse has a space in his place," Pauline said it quite quickly, making it hard for Jackie to comprehend.

"Who?"

"Jesse. Jesse Duke," Pauline looked puzzled for a moment, and then it clicked. "Oh you haven't met Uncle Jesse yet. He was a good friend of your grandfather's. He hasn't been out much lately, pretty unwell in his later years,"

"Jesse Duke, as in any relation to Bo and Luke, and Daisy?"

Pauline bit her lip.

"Yup,"

Jackie groaned.

"I'm going to be living with the Duke boys!?" Jackie walked into the middle of the kitchen and gripped her head, nearly pulling her hair out. Pauline gave her a stern look.

"Don't you be ungrateful now. They are great people the Duke's, you know Daisy. You'll be fine,"

Yeah, I'll be fine. Just the fact that I'll be in the same house of the most insufferable person I know is nothing.

Pauline put an arm around her shoulder and led her outside. Once out the front, Jackie saw Daisy, Bo and Luke waiting for her.

Daisy raced up to meet her, almost knocking her over with a hug.

"We just heard!" Daisy released her and held her at arms length. "Oh we are going to have so much fun!"

Jackie tired to make her smile as enthusiastic as possible. Her eyes glanced in the direction of Bo, he didn't look too pleased. Once again it wasn't anger, or annoyance. It was more like suppression. Jackie was soon swooped Luke's crushing hug. He stepped away and moved to the veranda to gather Jackie's things.

"Alright, Bo, you take Jackie in her car and Luke will take The General back," Daisy walked over to her jeep, opening the driver side door.

"WHAT!?" Bo and Jackie exclaimed. They looked at each other, slightly embarrassed. Daisy smiled pleasantly over at them, though Jackie sensed a mischievous streak.

"You heard me," with that Daisy slammed the car door and drove off. Jackie had been standing there bewildered until Bo snatched her keys out of her hand and got into the carriage.

Silence. That was the only word that could encompass what was going in that car. Actually there was another word; Nothing. Jackie rolled her eyes, is this what it was going to be like from now on? If there was one thing she hated more than family, it was an awkward situation. If I'm going to live with this guy I better get on his good side.

Jackie cleared her throat.

"So…When did you get the General?"

Bo looked sideways at, opening his mouth to say something. He seemed to think twice.

"Ages ago," His eyes remained on the road. Jackie frowned. At least she was making an effort, this inanimate blob was being as stubborn as grumpy old bull. Jackie sighed. MEN!

Jackie's truck rolled up behind daisy and a tall, rotund man with white hair and a blue train drivers hat and overall sauntered out of the large house and onto the lawn to greet them.

"Jackie!" Daisy called her over to the man "This is Uncle Jesse. Jesse this is Jackie," Jesse raised his bushy eyebrows giving Jackie an up and own look. She wasn't exactly sure what to do so she extended her hand out to the old man, smiling.

"Hi," She didn't know this man, and she was sure that no-one could be so nice as to give her an offer to stay in his home. No-one was that nice, were they? Jesse looked at her hand and then at her, wearing a firm face. His features then cracked a smile, and he shook her hand frantically.

"Well howdy! Welcome to the Duke residence. I hear you've met Daisy. And Bo and Luke of course, everyone's heard of them. I hear they've given you grief already," Jesse chuckled

Jackie flushed pink and glanced in Bo's direction, he had done the same. Luke came up between them

"Heh heh, that's enough now, we don't want to catch cold," He began unpacking Jackie's suitcases from the truck and the group went on inside.

They entered through the back door, where the kitchen was situated. It was quite homey, with tartan frills and polished wood cupboards, it was a token southern kitchen. Jackie smiled, this was a home. Beyond the dining table was the lounge, with a small TV, much like Harold's old one, and comfortable looking sofas.

"Come through here Jackie," Daisy beckoned from another part of the house, divided from the kitchen. Jackie followed upstairs and down the hall. All along the walls were photos and paintings, memoirs of the Duke's. She saw a number of the boys when they were young. Of course the orange of the General caught her eye several times. Jackie recognised a small beaming face of a 12 year old as a young Jesse. Many photos of Daisy holding pageant trophies and prom queen crowns were scattered about. Jackie stopped and surveyed the wall, scanning for a particular photo. The photo she had of Bo and Harold must have been the only one, because there was no sign of it. Come to think of it, there were no photos of Harold anywhere. It was now that Jackie noticed a few faded areas where photos had hung previously.

"C'mon Jackie!" Daisy called from the end of the hallway. Jackie jumped slightly and followed the voice. The door creaked slightly as Jackie pushed it open. She suppressed a laugh, looking onto the bright pink walls, floral bedspread and wall of fame Daisy had in her room. It was a considerable size, though the cramming of the second foreign bed didn't help. Jackie sat down on her bed looking around at Daisy's bedroom.

"What do ya think?" Daisy asked, adjusting one of her trophies.

"It's very…um…" Jackie struggled to find an adjective that would express what she was feeling, "…very pink," is all she could muster.

That night she sat at the table with the duke family. It was a merry occasion, Jesse was full of funny stories, and he made an effort to include her. Pauline's meal was passed around, potato salad, steaks, mashed potato. Jackie was amazed by the amount of food the duke boys could put away and found it hard to keep up. This scene reminded her of Christmas. She and Diane didn't have any family in Australia, so the Italian family around the corner had invited them around for lunch the year they had arrived. Jackie and Diane had arrived with a bowl of tuna bake a little intimidated by the masses of people. A large woman they all called Mama grabbed they're face and kissed them on both cheeks and said "EAT!". From then on it was the three generations of Cilauro's and the two Montgomery's. From lunch until the early ours of the morning the group would eat and dance and drink and eat and dance all over again. Jackie would laugh hysterically at "Uncle" Marco's impressions of animals, getting more amusing as he got more drunk. Mama Vittoria would always tell stories of the old country, and Zia Maria would tell stories of the new. The kids soon became her adopted siblings, and the best times of her life were experienced with them.

"Just like when Sheev got his hand stuck in the tractor!" A guffaw of laughter sounded from the table and Jackie lurched slightly. She smiled at Jesse who was nodding at her as if to say "don't you think?". In many ways This was her new adopted family, not that she thought of Bo as family…

You Know the drill. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! Hoped you like and will continue reading. I'm sure you're dying to know what'll happen in the Duke house once a girl is thrust into the mix, No?

SIGNING OUT!

Shizzali xox