Hey y'all. I'm back now and here is the next chapter.

Luke sighed. He had told himself he'd only be a minute to get a cup of coffee, before returning to Bo's side. The minute had turned to an hour when he met up with Daisy and Jesse. Jesse suggested that while Bo got the rest that he needed that the family should take a break as well, and get something to eat. Neither Luke nor Daisy were hungry, but went along for their uncle's sake knowing he would worry about them if they didn't eat.

They returned to Bo's room and were just about to go inside when they were stopped by a nurse.

"Mr. Duke…I'm glad you're back… the doctor would like to see you. Ya should be able to find him at the nurses' station on the second floor."

"What 'bout Bo?" asked Luke, moving towards his cousin's room.

The nurse shook her head. "The doctor will explain everything. Please…go…"

Jesse put an arm around Luke's waist and another around Daisy's. "Come on… let's go see what this is all about." He grimaced as his big toe started to ache, knowing that that meant only one thing: trouble with a capital "T."

They spotted the doctor as soon as they stepped off the elevator. "Doc? Bo… how's my boy?"

The doctor motioned the family to some empty chairs in the sitting room nearby. "Mr. Duke… this floor is the Intensive Care Unit… we had to move your nephew here."

"Move him…" repeated Jesse quietly. "Why?"

Luke looked at the doctor, holding Daisy's hand tightly in his. What could have happened?

The doctor continued. "He had another seizure… normally a seizure only last's two or three minutes tops."

"And Bo's?" asked Jesse softly.

"His lasted seven. He stopped breathing several times as well. We can't risk it again to have him in a normal room. Seven minutes in that state is too long…too long." He shook his head.

Daisy looked up, wiping tears from her eyes. "Why is it too long? I don't understand…"

"Well, Miss Duke, Bo stopped breathing off and on during the seizure. The longer the seizure lasts the less oxygen will get to his brain… and if that's the case…well, things could go from bad to worse. At least here we can better monitor him…"

"Can we see him?"

The doctor nodded. "Only family while he's here though…he may not be aware that you are there, so be prepared. He is in room 207."

No sooner had he said the word than Luke was gone. Jesse kept Daisy beside him, asking a few more questions and giving Luke some time with Bo by himself, knowing that as hard as this was on Jesse and Daisy, it was even harder on Luke.

Luke opened the door, only to find his cousin surrounded by doctors and nurses apparently trying to wake him.

"Get away from him! Leave him alone!" yelled Luke rushing to his cousin's side, quaking at how pale his cousin looked, even against the white pillow of the hospital bed.

"Sir, we need t' check…" began a nurse much flustered by Luke's actions.

"Ya need t' leave," commanded Luke, running a hand over Bo's forehead protectively.

The nurses looked at the doctor who motioned them from the room, leaving Luke alone in the room with Bo.

Luke looked at his cousin's still form on the bed. Frowning, he brushed Bo's hair back from his eyes.

"Bo…Bo… it's Luke… d'ya hear me cousin?"

There was no answer.

Luke sighed heavily. "Bo… Bo… c'mon buddy, wake up... please… wake up Bo…"

Bo moaned, tossing an arm out towards Luke.

"That's it buddy. Wake up," commanded Luke gently.

Bo's eyes opened and his breath caught as he noticed that he was now hooked to even more monitors than before. "Luke," murmured Bo weakly behind the oxygen mask.

"I'm here Bo… I'm right here…" Luke took hold of Bo's hand, wincing slightly as he felt how clammy it was.

"Luke… I don't feel good."

"I know buddy…I know ya don't, but don'tcha worry. I'm here. I'm gonna take care of ya…I promise..."

Bo sighed and closed his eyes in relief. If Luke said he would take care of him, then things were gonna be okay. It was as simple as that, his child-like faith in his cousin unwavering.

Luke watched as Bo fell back to sleep, obviously too weak to stay awake. It had taken everything he could to not cry himself when Bo said he didn't feel good, sounding so much like the baby cousin Bo after one of his many asthma attacks had left him recovering in bed for the rest of the day.

"Luke... I dun feel good," muttered nine year old Bo as he clung to Luke crying. Carefully Luke removed his cousin's boots and his socks, and taking Bo in his arms, wrapped him in a blanket cuddling him gently.

It was a part of Luke very few people saw. Luke was thirteen now and, although he loved his family passionately, showing affection had always been hardest for him. Lately though, when Bo's attacks had started to worsen, Bo saw a side of Luke he had never seen before. So gentle and protective of his baby cousin, Luke had taken upon himself to care for Bo when his aunt and uncle couldn't and, truth be told, he grew jealous whenever his aunt and uncle did see to Bo.

Bo had always loved to be cuddled, ever since he was a baby, and it hadn't mattered who it was, so long as the hugs kept coming. Now though, when he was sick, there was only one person he wanted and that was Luke, who accepted Bo's favor proudly. Luke was the only one who could calm the frightened child when he couldn't get a breath. It was Luke who knew what Bo wanted, without having to ask, be it his teddy bear or a cup of water before he went to bed, and it was Luke who knew just where to rub his back to get him to sleep.

"M'scared Luke… hurts…"

"I'm here Bo…I'll take care of ya…"

Gently he held Bo close to him, rocking him to sleep in his arms.

Luke sat on the bed, beside Bo and smiled sadly as Bo, sensing where Luke was, leaned his head against him. "Sleep Bo…I'm here… I'm here…" said Luke softly, gently stroking Bo's hair and humming to him, tears trickling from his eyes.

If ya read this chapter, all the way through….

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