Okay. I know… so much for updating soon...I'm sorry, but between work and college and family my time for writing gets shorter and shorter…. So please forgive me, enjoy the chapter and r&r.

Bo was sitting on the front step several weeks later when Luke quietly came outside and joined him, plopping himself down beside his cousin. The past few weeks had been rough… for everyone.

"Hey Bo…"

"Luke…" Bo didn't look up as Luke sat beside him. He just stared vacantly out towards the General Lee with a listless, longing look on his serene face.

Luke sighed softly. "It's gonna get better, Bo. This is just a setback is all…"

"Yeah…" responded Bo sarcastically. "Everythin' just gonna be all hunky-dorey ain't it Luke?"

"Bo, don't be like that…" began Luke, trying his best to stay patient.

"Well, dang it, Luke! I am sick an' tired of everyone sayin' ev'rythin's gonna be fine when it ain't. Ain't nothin' fine! Look at me! Ya call this fine?"

Bo turned and stared at him, his blue eyes pleading for an answer. Luke looked at him slowly. He had never lied to him and he wasn't about to start now. "No…it ain't fine, Bo…it ain't." There was nothing else he could say as he stared at the aftermath of the "setback" as he called it and shuddered inwardly. Bo had been through hell…

"Bo!" Luke rushed to his cousin who lay sprawled out on the floor, his left arm unmoving and twisted at a strange angle above his head, his right hand formed into a fist literally punching himself in the face, so much so that blood was seeping from his split lip and chin. "Bo… Bo….I'm here, buddy," began Luke putting his own hand in front of Bo's fist trying to protect the boy from himself without hurting him more. He watched as Bo's eyes blinked rapidly, completely unaware of what was happening. "Bo…Bo…Yer gonna be okay, Bo…I'm here…" Luke swallowed back the tears that threatened to come as he sat beside his cousin, watching helplessly.

Never in his life would he forget the words spoken when Bo finally came around later in the hospital room.

"Luke?"

Luke took hold of Bo's hand, resting his other on his cheek. "Right here, Bo…I'm right here," he answered gently.

The soft tome and unusual display of affection startled Bo. He looked at him with wide eyes. "Luke? What's wrong?"

Luke frowned. Bo hadn't yet realized where he was…much less why he was there. "Ya had a seizure Bo…"

"No I didn't…"

Luke swallowed. "Yeah ya did, buddy. I saw it."

Bo gave him a defeated look. He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind and sighed.

It was just as well he didn't utter the words. Luke knew what he was thinking… another six months with no driving. More tests… more blood work… He wasn't at all surprised to see tears falling from Bo's eyes.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Did I break my arm or somethin'?" he asked, looking down to see that it was immobilized.

"No…but ya dislocated yer shoulder real good."

Bo nodded slowly and bit his lip. "My back hurts."

"I know… it's all the muscles back there…they're gonna give you some muscle relaxers…that oughta help."

"Luke…why ya lookin' at me like that?"

Luke swallowed. He'd been caught. "Just thinkin' is all…"

Bo frowned and seeing a small mirror laying beside the bed, he picked it up and looked into it.

"What the… did I get in a fight?" exclaimed Bo in surprise, staring in shock at his split lip, bruised temple and newly-stitched chin. Bo was a good fighter, but someone had obviously gotten the best of him. "Who the heck beat me up this good?"

"You did," answered Luke quietly.

Bo swallowed in disbelief. "I… I did this?" he asked gently touching his lip.

Luke nodded unable to go into detail, thankful that Bo said nothing more.

The weeks that followed were hard ones for Bo. He couldn't sleep well due to the constant ache in his back, and the sleep he did get was restless causing Luke not to sleep either. Bo grew more frustrated than ever, now unable to do many of his chores until his shoulder healed, and feeling more like an invalid than ever before.

It seemed he had no purpose. All he seemed to do anymore was worry his family, and cost them money they didn't have. He was feeling sorry for himself, and he knew it, but he didn't care anymore. He didn't care one bit.

Today he had reached his breaking point.

He had wandered out to the General while Luke and Jesse were in the barn doing chores and Daisy had gone into town. He just wanted to sit in it…to feel the familiar seat beneath him, know the feeling of being one with the car once more, even if he couldn't drive it.

He had successfully gotten his legs inside, but as he leaned over to go in through the window, panic seized him. His back felt as if it were on fire, causing a scream of pain to escape from Bo. Startling himself he fell back from the window onto the ground, and gathering his knees close to him, he sat in the dirt, leaning against his car, and cried.

It was thus that Luke found him. "Bo! Bo, are ya okay? What's wrong?" he asked worry evident in his voice.

Bo said nothing. He just sobbed in pain.

"Bo…please… answer me…."

To his surprise, Bo held his arms up to Luke, just as he used to ask for a hug when, as a child, he had been scared.

Luke sat on the ground next to him and, leaning against the General Lee, gathered Bo into his arms, rocking him gently.

"Bo…talk to me…."

"It's over Luke…" he managed between sobs.

"What is?"

"My life…" He pushed himself away from Luke and went inside to scream into his pillow.

Luke watched him go and, though he longed to follow him, he knew that right now, Bo needed to be alone. He therefore bided his time, seeing the opportunity to talk when Bo was seated outside on the step several hours later.

"Yer gonna drive again, Bo…"

Bo shook his head.

"Bo, look it's only another 6 months…"

"Yer wrong Luke…" Bo said with a shaky voice. "I ain't ever gonna drive again…"

"Bo…yer just havin' a bad day…"

"Don't you get it Luke! I'm scared… what if I have a seizure when I drive? I could hurt somebody…I could hurt you! I ain't ever gonna drive…. I ain't gonna take that chance…. NEVER!"