Here is the next chapter as promised…nice and long. This was a hard one to write, for reasons that will become clear in time, but meanwhile please enjoy and lemme know what ya think. -Jordyn

"Bo, why don't ya come down t' the Boar's Nest tonight with me? Would do ya good t' get outta the house," invited Luke. He was worried about his cousin. Bo had always been fun-loving and outgoing, and he had never been one to stay home. Now though he had turned quiet, not withdrawn exactly, but hesitant to venture out into the world he had once known and loved. Lately when Luke invited him to go for a drive, or to go to Cooter's and just hang out, he had declined, finding some excuse or other why he wasn't able to.

That sure don't sound like the Bo Duke we know now does it?

"No thanks," answered Bo quietly.

"Bo, I could use yer help…really…" began Luke again. "There's these three fellas been comin' in…lookin' at Daisy like she's a hunk of meat an they hadn't eaten in days. I could handle one of 'em if they try anything, maybe even two, but not three."

Bo sighed. He wasn't about to let any guy try anything with Daisy. Nodding slowly, he asked, "When ya figure on goin'?"

"Bout eight," answered Luke with a grin. He had a feeling that Bo'd come if Daisy was in trouble.

The blond cousin nodded slowly and turned to go clean up in the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Luke stood outside the bathroom door for a minute, listening to his cousin brush his teeth. Normally, Bo would be humming some song gaily while he brushed, but not now. He frowned as he heard water pouring from the faucet into the bathtub instead of the normal spray sound from the shower. Bo had always taken showers, but now, now he acted like he was afraid to step into one. It wasn't like him- not at all.

All the way to the Boar's Nest, Bo was quiet. Topics of conversation were excitedly brought up by Luke, only to get wet-blanket by Bo, causing the dark-haired cousin to not only be frustrated but angry as well. What gave Bo the right to make everyone else feel just as bad as he did? It wasn't the end of the world. No one had died. He was thinking these things and that it must be true about misery loving company when he glanced at Bo's reflection as he stared intently out the window. Tears were streaming from his eyes causing Luke to shake his head in realization. Someone had died: the old Bo.

By the time they reached the Nest, the soft Georgia wind had dried Bo's tears, and he was managing a well-rehearsed everything's-great-smile for the friends they passed, but Luke knew better. Bo didn't want to be there. In fact he secretly thanked the fellas who were hankering after Daisy. Had they not been giving her trouble, Bo would not have come at all.

As soon as they sat down at their normal table, Daisy approached them her tray full of beers for customers. Setting her tray on the table, she placed one in front of Luke.

"Bo! What d'ya think yer doin'?" asked Daisy as Bo swiped his own beer from the tray.

"Just getting a drink. What's it look like?"

He had the mug to his lips when Daisy jerked it away from him, sloshing a bit out of the glass and onto Bo in the process. "Ya can't drink that Bo."

Bo frowned. "Why not?" He glared at Luke. "What'd ya put in there?"

Luke shook his head. "Nothin'. She means ya can't drink Bo… not with yer medicine."

"Why not?" asked Bo, an expression of hurt on his face.

"Cuz if ya do it might cause more seizures which'll mean more hospitals which'll mean more doctors which'll mean more needles," answered Luke.

"Ya want somethin' else Bo? I can bring ya lemonade… or a Coke…" began Daisy hopefully.

Bo folded his arms and pouted. "Best just bring me a water Daisy… least I don't think there's any harm in that."

Daisy sighed but nodded and left to get it for him.

"Bo…" chided Luke gently.

"Well dang it, Luke, when a fella comes t' the Boar's Nest, he'd like a nice cold albeit watered down beer t' wash down the stale popcorn… if I wanted a coke I'd get one from the blasted machine outside Cooter's place!"

"Enos seems t' think buttermilk goes real fine with stale popcorn," began Luke trying to lighten his cousin's mood a bit.

"Cute, Luke. Yer real funny…" He was about to tell his cousin exactly what he could do with a glass of buttermilk when he was distracted by three pairs of legs and the slender bodies of the girls they were attached to. Bo gave a saucy grin as the girls smiled at him giggling before sitting at a table. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I found myself some better company. Do me a favor, cousin… don't wait up…."

Grinning widely Bo pulled up a chair and sat down amongst them. "Evenin' ladies…"

Luke watched his cousin sadly. Things were bothering him, Luke knew, but it was obvious that all Bo wanted was for things to be as normal as possible… and from the looks of it things were getting better for him already.

Luke changed his mind when Bo burst angrily through the front door the next night, going straight to his room.

Luke looked at the clock on the wall. Nine o'clock. Luke had just dropped him off for a date less than two hours before. Either it had been a very short date or something had gone horribly wrong… and judging from the look on Bo's face when he came in, Luke had a pretty good feeling which it was. Hearing muffled sobs coming from their room, he set the car magazine he had been reading on the coffee table and with an "I'll take care of it" smile to Jesse, who sat reading the newspaper, headed to their room.

Bo lay on his bed, crying his heart out, pounding his pillow angrily with his fist.

"Bo," began Luke softly. "Bo what's wrong?"

Bo tried to tell Luke to go away, but all he managed to do was cry harder, trembling as he did so.

Luke was scared. "Bo… yer scarin' me… ain't like ya t' get upset over a bad date."

Bo glared at him. " Bad date? Bad date! Lemme tell ya somethin' Luke," began Bo quickly, wiping the tears off his cheeks. "A bad date is when ya just don't hit it off. A bad date is when ya find out she has a boyfriend already…tonight wasn't a bad date… it was HORRIBLE!"

Luke sighed. "Well somethin's got ya worked up. Wanna talk about it?"

Bo looked down. "Remember Sara Jane…the real pretty blond from last night?"

Luke nodded, staying quiet.

Bo swallowed continuing, "well ya know how I haven't wanted t' date really… I mean I can't drive so it's hard askin' em…well, I did real good yesterday. I took a chance an' she said yes even though she'd heard about everythin'… she said yes anyway."

Luke smiled. He was so proud of Bo, knowing how hard that must have been for him to do. "That's great Bo."

The blond Duke shook his head. "There's more. So I had ya drop me off and we were havin a pretty nice time. Then she started askin if we could go fer a ride in the General… I had t' tell her that I can't drive him just yet…" He looked down, fresh tears coming to his eyes.

"Then what Bo?" asked Luke softly.

Bo took a quivering breath and looked at Luke. "She said some mean things…" he faltered.

Luke put an encouraging arm around him. "Can ya tell me?"

Bo wiped his eyes, to no avail. "Said what kind of person asks someone on a date when they can't even drive."

No friends, that's low.

Anger raged within Luke, hearing that. "What gives her the right t'…!"

Bo interrupted him. "That ain't what hurt the most Luke."

Luke looked at him in disbelief, trying to imagine what could be meaner to Bo then reminding him that he couldn't drive.

Bo couldn't help sobbing. "Said I was lucky she dated me… no one else would want me…seeing as I was 'high maintenance' er somethin' like that…like I'm some dang machine.

Uhu… that's even lower.

Luke swallowed, wrapping his arm's around Bo who was trembling, his emotions having a field day inside him.

"Yer too good fer her Bo," began Luke determinedly, wiping his cousin's tears away with his finger.

Bo shook his head, hugging himself to try and calm down. "No Luke… she was right. I'm a freak...who'd wanna freak?"

I don't know 'bout y'all, but I'm mighty worried for Bo. Stick around.