Hey - thanks to everyone who has been sticking with this story, and special thanks to those who take a moment to review. I warned you up front that this one was a bit different, and these next few chapters are, too. So, to those who have been so encouraging - I really appreciate it, because I know it's different and sometimes hard to read.

I don't own them, and I mean no harm to those who do.

Chapter 7 – Plenty Scared

They should have come sooner. Fought less, checked in more, worked it out. Because it was more than Jesse's heart (however mild the attack might have been), and they only needed to be home for a few minutes to see it. The old man was losing weight and had already lost the luster from his eyes. Two ashamed cousins couldn't miss the signs if they tried (Bo would miss a house landing on his own head, but he can see this, every bit as much as I can) – their uncle was sick.

It dawned on Luke to wonder just how long it would be before he and his cousin were yelling at each other again, then, quick as he'd thought of it, he resolved it wouldn't happen. He wouldn't let it. Though how he hoped to accomplish that was beyond him at the moment. Telling Bo not to do something was a sure way to get that something done. And Bo was already whirling on him with that look on his face – look what you made us do.

Fought taking that bait, but he was tired of always getting the blame for everything - so he looked right back at his cousin with a half-exasperated don't start kind of look. Which was, of course, an invitation for Bo to start. Saw his cousin's mouth opening and beat him to the punch (which must have meant his mouth opened first, and that wasn't a good sign, not if he was going to resist fighting with him).

"Bo…"

"Luke…"

"Boys…" And that was their uncle still sitting in his recliner (he's had that since before any of us was born, and it was worn out then. Why haven't we ever tried to replace it for him?) putting an end to it before it could begin. "Welcome home. I've missed ya." Which forced hugs and peace. At least the kind of peace that meant no arguing. Certainly not peace of mind.

The porch. Couldn't argue here, they were too close to the house. Couldn't even talk civilly here. Jesse was right inside sitting in his recliner and did he look as old to you as he did to me? This was why they had developed their silent communication skills in the first place. It was the only way to (try to) keep some secrets from their uncle.

And after a minute the two of them heard what they'd known they would: the hum of an engine far too small for a car. It just ain't fair that Miz Tisdale can still ride that thing, and I ain't even sure that Uncle Jesse can stand up. At least he hadn't moved around much since they'd arrived, though it was clear he must have gotten to his chair somehow, and it couldn't have involved leaning on the diminutive woman that was just now pulling her motorcycle into their driveway.

A few long strides and the boys were out there with her, far enough from the house to say–

"What's wrong with Uncle Jesse?" just popped right out of Bo's mouth; apparently it had been waiting to escape all along.

And he didn't even have to look at Luke to know his cousin was annoyed. Could see the twist to his face in his mind, didn't need to actually turn and get an eyeful of it. Luke always got angry when Bo jumped the gun, but Jesse's sick, cuz, so that gun's done already gone off.

"What Bo means is, howdy, Miz Tisdale, it's nice to see you."

But Emma Tisdale didn't bother with flirtation, not unless it was coming from Jesse Duke. And Bo's question had been on her mind, too.

"Hi, Luke. And I don't know, Bo, because that stubborn old coot won't let me take him to the doc – and when I brought the doc here, he won't even open his mouth for the thermometer."

In spite of themselves, two heads went down and two snickers escaped right out into that open air, could actually see them coming out, because it was just that dank out here.

"That's Uncle Jesse," Luke admitted with just traces of a smile. Because it really wasn't funny at all, and both boys knew that. They weren't kids anymore.

"Well, it's about time you boys showed up here to talk some sense into that man. I swear, he's the handsomest man in all of Hazzard, but when it comes to some things, I just want to take him over my knee!"

Luke's head went back with that one, a real laugh, and Bo found himself laughing, too, despite the worry that was about to reassert itself to the forefront of his mind. Now if that wasn't a picture… Uncle Jesse getting whupped by Emma Tisdale.

And then, the chastisement about how it was about time seemed to hit Luke, and seeing the shame in his cousin's face, Bo, too. And Miz Tisdale, she'd never forgotten it.

"So get back in there and make him let Doc Appleby examine him, ya hear?" And for such a tiny woman, she really did carry a lot of weight. But not enough to move their uncle, and Bo wasn't sure he and Luke could, either.

"Ma'am," he said, those manners his uncle had long ago taught him reasserting themselves now, "I ain't sure me and Luke can do that, neither." Which, naturally, led to an elbow in his side, and naturally meant his cousin was going to prove him wrong. Suited him just fine, so long as whatever Luke had in mind didn't wind up getting him in trouble. (In trouble with who? Uncle Jesse ain't in no condition to reign us in, not no more. And didn't that just hurt like crazy to think about.)

Luke really should have been a lawyer, Bo reflected, what with his ability to sell anything to a jury, even when it was a jury of one.

Well, Luke's lawyering skills worked on almost anyone. Never seemed to work on his family – they just knew him too well. Knew him so well…

Bo, watching his cousin standing there working double-time on convincing Jesse, and simply – laid an arm across Luke's shoulders. Luke turning to look at him, one second of appraisal, of thinking too damn hard, then let loose a genuine smile for his cousin, and finally Bo felt a general relaxation of Luke's muscles. He was an even better lawyer when his younger cousin was within arm's reach. Good enough, even, to convince Jesse.

"I suppose Daisy could come home and look after you," he was suggesting. "Since you don't need no doctor," and then parroting Jesse's own words back at him. "And you don't seem to need nothing that me and Bo has offered you. You got Daisy's phone number, cuz?"

And suddenly it was time for his part in this little shuck and jive routine. Seemed like Luke had never learned to give him any warning. Just like always, he turned it over to Bo and expected that his cousin would just take his cue. "Uh, oh, yeah, somewheres I think," Bo agreed, patting his pockets and knowing he was fumbling, but it was clear that Jesse was beginning to cave in anyway. Sorta. You had to know him well to see the signs.

"Daisy don't need to come here," their uncle said, sounding every bit like he did whenever he had a toothache but decided that he didn't actually need to go to the dentist after all – which was usually after they'd managed to get him in the car and on the way.

"Well, Miz Tisdale's done had enough of your fool ways," and though the older woman blushed, she also nodded – funny how she could push big men like the Duke boys around, then turn into a bowl of jelly in a heartbeat when Jesse showed up on the scene. "And you ain't listening to me and Bo. Someone's got to help you out here, seeing as you can't even get out of that chair."

"Well, now ain't that just dandy," Jesse wheedled. "You think that just 'cause I take a few minutes to rest, I can't get up? All them nights I got up to take care of you when you had the colic, just a little baby screaming your fool head off, and I didn't complain, not one bit, even if I was tired from workin' all day. Shoot, I been gettin' up since before you was born, and I'll be gettin' up long after you're gone." Bluffing and blustering and not even listening to himself. Sounded just like the old Jesse, all right, except that there were grunts in there as he tried to pull himself to his feet. And succeeded, because clearly he was capable, and clearly, it took a lot of effort. "Are you boys happy now?"

"No!" Bo almost-shouted, more as a warning than anything, because he was afraid that the old man would topple. Took his hand off Luke and reached for Jesse – Jesse, who didn't touch Bo and yet somehow slapped him back all the same. Must have been that look in his eyes, practically made of blue fire.

"I ain't that bad off, I'm just tired. You'd be tired too, if you'd had to chase after you two boys all your life. But," and here his voice changed to match his admission of fatigue, "If it means so much to you boys, you can just get old Doc to come here. It's a waste of time and money, but if it'll make the two of you stop lookin' so… scared, I'll do it."

Scared, yeah, no point in arguing about that. Bo was plenty scared.

The truth was, he was a little scared. Or maybe a lot. He'd worked so hard at not thinking about it (with no help at all from Emma, nagging all the time like she did) that he didn't know anymore, just how frightened he was.

A certainty in him, that his time was coming. And that part didn't scare him, not really. He knew, just as well as he knew that October would bring the first frost, that in the end he'd be joining Lavinia in a better place.

No, what was a problem was knowing how soon, and not wanting to rush his kids. He'd kept them here on the farm too long, made them too dependent on him and one another. It was a necessity, back when they ran 'shine. In that business, you had to know, without a doubt, that your family was behind you. You had to predict their every move, know just when they'd steer left so you could escape to the right. Had to communicate in the dark, in separate vehicles, without words. His kids had learned that, and Bo and Luke had perfected it well beyond Jesse's expectations.

But when they'd given up the trade, and those boys of his had paid in years of probation for the old man's stubborn unwillingness to quit sooner, they'd almost become too interdependent. It hadn't hurt that Boss Hogg was always after them for one thing or another, making them watch each other's backs more than any normal family would, at least in a county where the local law didn't harass and harangue you.

But when the heat was off, it became apparent that the whole thing had held them back, kept them from lives they might otherwise have led. And when the old man had all but pushed his boys out the door (as always, Daisy was the easy one, going of her own accord) they'd finally begun to experience what their uncle thought was probably their destiny. Bo, well he was never hard to figure out. Driving on the NASCAR circuit, and nothing else would do. And Luke, doing something both dangerous and important, protecting others, even as he put himself at risk.

And it was just too soon for him to be passing on now. Them boys needed more time out there in the great big world.

Or maybe that wasn't it at all. He'd just been telling himself that for so long…

Maybe he simply didn't want his kids to see him die. They'd seen so much loss before they'd even gotten to their teens, and he didn't want them there, hurting like they'd been when Lavinia passed, looking at him with all that sadness in their eyes, and nothing he could do to make it better. He was their uncle, their guardian. He was supposed to protect them from such things. Maybe he just wanted his kids to go on with their lives and let him die quietly, out of their sight.

Luke was scared. Thought he was too old or too hardened or just too logical to feel this kind of fear, but here it was, and he wasn't enjoying a second of it. Jesse had consented to an examination, so long as it took place here at the farm. No problem – Hazzard was one place where house call would probably never go out of style. But now Doc Appleby had seen his uncle (another loss in Hazzard, some years back, when old Doc Petticord had passed, but Doc Appleby, well, they'd known him all their lives, too) and had pronounced that there was, indeed, something to worry about. Hadn't said those words of course, he was too professional for that. But he'd made it clear that the Duke patriarch needed tests, and likely hospitalization. The old man had lost too much weight in too short a time, had too little of an appetite and too much stomach discomfort to be indigestion, was too pale and too fatigued (and too sick to stay home – not said, but they all knew it).

"Luke," his uncle suggested, as always counting on his oldest to protect his younger cousins, "I think it's best if you boys go home for awhile. Go back to your jobs and your lives and I'll call you when I know more…"

"Uncle Jesse," despite the fear in his gut, and the sincerity of his uncle's request, Luke squared himself and answered without a waver, for both himself and his cousin, as always, "Me and Bo ain't going nowheres."