Bo woke several hours later to find not only Luke at his side but Jesse and Daisy as well. He tried to smile, wincing as even that motion made his jaw hurt.

"How ya feelin' Bo?" asked Jesse, closing his gentle calloused hand over Bo's.

"Like I got hit by a truck… twice," replied Bo truthfully. He felt awful.

Daisy stood near the wall, half hidden in the shadows. She hated to see her cousins hurt. Sure they got into occasional scuffles … half the time, truth be told, they even instigated them, but to have Bo so hurt, for no apparent reason, was more than she could take.

"Daisy…" called Bo softly, "Daisy…"

The girl walked towards him hesitantly, tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't cry, Daisy." Bo tried to hold his hand out to her, but found his strength gone. "Why am I so tired, Uncle Jesse? I'm too tired t' move a muscle…"

"Don't ya worry none, Bo. Ya just worked yer muscles a bit more than usual… it'll pass."

Bo nodded. He believed that. In fact, he was aching in places he didn't know he even had. "What's wrong with m' jaw?" he asked, giving Luke a look of thanks when his cousin gently massaged his aching cheek.

"Doc says ya tightened yer jaw hard. Wants ya on a soft diet fer a spell… till ya can handle solid foods again," explained Jesse, motioning to the bowl of jell-o on the tray next to the bed. "Think ya can handle some of that?"

Bo nodded , willing to at least try, but let out a frustrated sigh when he couldn't hold his head up long enough to eat, even with the bed raised to support him.

"Let me, Bo," offered Luke, spooning up some of the contents.

Jesse took Daisy by the arm. "We're gonna run down an' see if we can get ya somethin' for those lips of yers…" he explained. "Gals ain't gonna want t' kiss ya if yer lips are cracked from bein' so dry."

Bo didn't answer as he watched them leave the room, though he privately wondered what gal would ever want to kiss him, given the ordeal he was now faced with. He was still thinking on this when he felt Luke gently slip his arm underneath him, supporting his head and spoon feeding him. Bo tried to take it from the spoon, but unfortunately most of it ended up spilled onto Luke's lap. Bo flushed in embarrassment, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"It's alright, Bo…" began Luke softly. "Don't matter, see?" He picked it up with his hand, throwing away the offensive spoonful and looking at Bo. "Wanna try again?"

"No!" Bo mustered all his strength to shout the words, then, too tired to try to be strong, he turned his head carefully and sobbed into his pillow.

"Bo… hey now Bo…. ya don't have to cry…just a bit of jell-o…"

"Ain't that," sobbed Bo sounding more like a frightened child then ever before.

Luke looked at him questioningly. "What then?"

Bo cried, too weak even to wipe his tears and crying harder as Luke reached down and wiped them for him. "That's why…" stated Bo simply. "It ain't fair! It ain't fair!"

Luke sat close beside Bo on the bed, gathering the boy into his arms and just holding him, not knowing what else to do. Bo just clung to him and cried. "Shhh, Bo… it'll be alright… you'll see…."

Bo shook his head. "No… won't nothing ever be right again! I'm a freak!"

"Y'ain't a freak, Bo. That's ridiculous…" interrupted Luke.

Bo looked him with fire in his eyes. "Is it? Daisy already is scared t' death o' me…"

Luke shook his head. "She's just worried fer ya… we all are."

Bo sighed, not convinced. He felt awful, and he knew he looked that way too, just judging from the numerous bruises on his arms, and he couldn't even eat without help. Things were bad, and he knew it.

"Luke… I'm kinda tired," began Bo, hoping his cousin would take the hint. Luke did, and soon Bo was lying in bed by himself, Luke having left for just a moment to get some coffee intending to stay by his cousin's side while he slept. Taking advantage of being alone in the room, Bo cried for all the pain he felt and the fear that gnawed at him. It wasn't long before he was weeping, his breathing becoming irregular in the process.

Bo was so engrossed in his sobbing that he didn't realize that his hands had started trembling and he didn't hear the monitor start to beep wildly.

Ahh cliffies…. We love 'em yet where would we be without them? I apologise for the shortness of the chapter, but as with Letters I must take a short leave on updating due to the sudden tragedy that my family is coping with. I will be back asap, and meantime, let me know if you still like this story by clicking the button…