Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay! I've been out of commission for a couple days with a nasty cold. Either I've come back to well working site, or something else is wrong. Chapters aren't showing up and I'm wondering if reviews are going through. I'm seeing stories in two places? Am I still delirious or has this thing been having problems? Anyway, sorry for the hold up. I'm trying to get everything caught up. Thanks for the reviews and the feedback.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.

BALANCING THE BOOKS

CHAPTER 15

INTERRUPTIONS

Jackie's eyes opened, only to be assaulted by bright lights. A man she didn't recognize was peering down into her face. She could hear him speaking to her, but could not understand what he was saying. Broken images of the past weeks swirled around in her mind, creating a sense of panic. Believing that she was still in danger, Jackie tried to defend herself, throwing wild punches at anything within her reach until her limbs began to grow too heavy to lift. She knew that it was unwise to allow herself to be pulled into unconsciousness, but she was being dragged under, regardless of how hard she tried to resist. "Bo?" she whispered before the lights gave way to darkness once again.

"Bo?" Jackie's mouth formed the words, though no sound followed. Opening her eyes before the panic could reclaim her, she looked around the room; she was in the hospital. Seeing nothing except for an IV, Special Agent Johnson used her skills to determine that she wasn't seriously hurt. In fact, she didn't know exactly why she was there. The darkness outside the window revealed that it was late at night. Continuing her visual sweep of the room, her eyes fell upon a figure that was becoming very familiar to her; sleeping in a chair next to her bed was Bo Duke.

A slow smile spread across Jackie's face. The sight warmed her heart, and she was happy to have him near, grateful that he cared enough about her to have stayed. He gave her a sense of security that no weapon or protection order ever had. Thinking about weapons, Jackie slowly remembered events, mentally arranging them into chronological order. By the time she was finished, she not only had an organized list, but Jackie had come to a startling conclusion.

She'd spent years building a career; mere weeks ago, her job was the biggest part of her life. It had given her a purpose, a reason for being, and in many ways, it defined who she was. Jackie had told herself not that long ago that it was who she was and who she wanted to be. She prided herself in being able to take care of herself. She told Bo she was used to being an equal, and that she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. He had called her a 'modern' woman, and that's exactly what she considered herself to be. She considered herself a stable and balanced person, yet from the moment her tires had rolled onto Hazzard's soil, Jackie Johnson's life had become as unbalanced as Boss Hogg's books.

One blonde haired, blue eyed man had cast a spell over her, affecting her ability to even concentrate on her job; that was hardly professional. She'd found herself in trouble more than once since being in Hazzard, and contrary to popular belief, she hadn't done a very good job of taking care of herself. After every incident, the first face she always saw was Bo's. Though leery, at first, she had come to take comfort from it and to bank on it. Around Bo Duke, she was anything but a modern woman. She reminded herself of a helpless female. She had started to depend on Bo, to rely on the fact that he would be there, and he had let her; all the time pretending that they were equals. That realization should have shocked, but the only shocking realization was that it didn't. She may not have ever wanted to become a totally dependent woman, in every sense of the word, but she liked being cared for by Bo; he made her feel safe. Yes, she liked her job, her home, and her friends, but she loved Bo Duke. In a few weeks, she'd discovered more about her self than in all the years before.

The perfectly balanced life she'd prided herself on had only been a figment of her own imagination. She may have been richly endowed in professional assets and on her way to accumulating material ones, but when it came to personal holdings, the column was empty. Any junior auditor would have caught it right away, if they had been looking, but Jackie had chosen to ignore that discrepancy. With no other regulating agency to have to report to other than herself, it was one judgment call that was solely within her discretion. Since arriving in Hazzard and meeting Bo, overlooking the variance had been getting harder to do everyday. The time for oversights had passed; corrective measures were now mandated.

Jackie Johnson tried to imagine herself in the kitchen of a farmhouse, with little blonde Bo's under her feet, and the adult version of Bo Duke nearby. While her feet did have shoes on, which caused her to giggle, she had absolutely no problem picturing the scene at all. In fact, not only could she picture it, she couldn't believe how much she found herself wanting it. Trying to see what other images she could conjure up, nothing else was forthcoming. Switching gears like the channels of a television set, another issue tuned itself in. Now that she'd been honest enough with herself to admit what she wanted, she had to ask herself 'what did Bo want?' She was certain that he loved her, but loving someone and loving them forever were two different things. She'd heard rumors about his reputation. Was she different? Was this just a little longer? Did Bo want her the same way she wanted him?

So lost in thought had she been that Jackie hadn't noticed the blue eyes that had opened and were now studying her.

"Hi," Bo whispered when their eyes met, bringing Jackie back to the present.

"Hi!" she whispered back, smiling from ear to ear.

"How you feeling?" he asked, getting up and walking next to the bed.

"Great!" she replied.

"Doc says you're going to be fine. Just overexerted yourself and put a little too much pressure on your lung. He says you'll be able to go home tomorrow, but you gotta stop doing that."

Jackie nodded, smiling at the word home. Never before had it meant so much, and Jackie couldn't help but notice how Bo used it as if his home were her home, too. Jackie pulled Bo down to her. While the blonde offered no resistance, he tried to kiss her gently. Jackie, however, had other plans for him. Desperate to convey to him just how much she loved him, Jackie kissed him passionately.

Though Bo was only happy to return the demanding kiss, he was somewhat confused by it. Pulling back, he tilted his head to one side and studied her for a moment. "What were you thinking about, before?"

"You." she stated.

"Did you know that's my favorite subject?" Bo joked. After sharing a short chuckle, the blonde turned serious. "I've been thinking about you, too, a whole lot. I think we need to talk."

"I think so, too," Jackie agreed. She wondered if he wanted to talk about a future, or if she'd provided him with enough excitement for one lifetime.

Jackie was released the following morning, having suffered no adverse effects. In fact, she was given a clean bill of health, one which freed her to go back to work and to Chicago. Happy that she was going to be fine, Bo was not happy with the last part of the doctor's prognosis. They needed to talk.

From the minute the youngest Duke cousin reached that conclusion, and Jackie agreed, nothing else was cooperative. As the man in the white coat was walking out the door to Jackie's room, the rest of the Duke family were walking in. The ride back to the Duke farm was too crowded for such a personal conversation, so Bo delayed it. No sooner had Dixie and the General pulled up next to the house, when a black sedan pulled up alongside. Agents Connors and Matthews were back, and this time, they'd brought company.

"Grand Central Station," Bo muttered to himself, when the Agents converged upon the Jeep, helping their colleague out and blocking Bo from getting too close.

Luke grinned, slapping his agitated cousin on the back. "C'mon Bo. They need to talk to her about what happened. You guys will have plenty of time to be alone later," the sensible cousin said, hoping he could diffuse Bo's steadily rising temper.

"Yeah, I know," Bo sighed, as the rest of the party was already walking up to the porch. "This just wasn't exactly the homecoming I was picturing."

"I know," Luke chuckled. "Come on, before they lock us out," he suggested, pointing out they everyone else was now in the house. Laughing harder as Bo took off, he hated to tell his young cousin that he'd only been kidding. There was no way they would lock them out of their own house, and they, too, were witnesses.

Everyone except for Jesse and Daisy were crowded around the table when Bo threw open the door. Ignoring the fact that they hadn't left any room next to Jackie, Bo pulled out an extra chair and forced one of the unintroduced agents to slide over enough so that he could squeeze in. If it bothered anyone from the FBI, they neither said or reacted. Jackie smiled, secretly telling Bo she approved.

After a few moments when everyone was perched or seated, they began. Bo, Luke, and Jackie started, relaying the events leading up to the scene in the clearing near the state line. Unfortunately, the boys couldn't tell them anything, having been knocked unconscious immediately. Jackie hadn't heard anything until four men entered the cavern. She tried to put up a fight, but there were four against one weren't good odds despite training. Even with her arms pinned down, she had managed to get off a couple of shots, hitting one man in the foot, which accounted for the gun being fired and the few drops of blood, both inside and outside. When the agents were satisfied that they had no more to tell them, they started talking.

"Between the source in New York and one of the gunmen involved in the hotel ambush, we were finally able to arrest and seal the leak inside the department," Agent Matthews began.

"Being threatened with a charge of attempted murder of a federal officer, she's been singing like a bird," Agent Connors added.

She's been naming names, and with her testimony, it won't make any difference whether the ones in custody cooperate or not," one of the other agents commented.

"We should be able to get enough to put all of them away forever, including the crime family behind all of it," Agent Connors said, sounding very arrogant..

"Special Agent Johnson, we really don't know how to thank you enough, or you Mr. Duke and your entire family. That really was some fancy footwork and fine thinking, both in that alley and here in Hazzard. You ever want a job with the Bureau, give us a call," Agent Matthews said in a sincere manner, canceling out the conceited tone his younger partner was famous for.

"Ah, well thanks, but no thanks," Bo said, speaking on both his and Luke's behalf.

"Well, I guess that about wraps everything up," the senior Agent concluded. "Special Agent Johnson you are no longer in any danger, and are free to resume your normal activities. It really is over."

For the second time that day, a dose of good news had been laced with bad for Bo Duke. Jackie Johnson was safe and healthy, free to leave Hazzard and him. He had to do something, and do it fast.

Feeling Bo's grip tighten on her arm, Jackie glanced at him. Patting his hand, she thanked the agents for their help, then added a bit of her own news. "That's good to know," Jackie replied, "but you know, I had scheduled some vacation time before all this happened, and while the last few weeks have been an adventure, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I think I'll use those days now," she grinned, winking at Bo.

What she had in mind was a little more permanent than a vacation, but she had to start somewhere.

Although grateful that Jackie's announcement had bought him a little more time, Bo Duke knew that it was only another temporary solution. Vacation days got used up, and in a week, he'd still be faced with the same dilemma. It did, however, buy him enough time to properly address the issue.

Jackie Johnson was thinking along those same lines. The Special Agent had been planning on moving back to her room at the boarding house to ensure enough privacy for her and Bo, and to do the things she needed to do, but soon discovered that it had been rented. Another mixed blessing, she loved being at the farm, but it delayed her participation in the conversation by almost two days, and Bo said it did the same to him, too. To Jackie, that part didn't make sense. All Bo had to do was talk.

Three days later, the meeting was scheduled for the following evening. Bo had picked the time and place, not telling Jackie where he was taking her, only saying that he wanted things to be perfect and that perfection took time to plan. Though eager for some resolution, having found some of her own, Jackie was only too happy to grant Bo the extra time he wanted, thinking she finally understood that he just wanted a special evening. She also felt it was a good sign, doubting that he'd be going to this much trouble to let her down easy, even if he was a nice guy. She should have known that nothing in Hazzard was easy or could go according to plan; that afternoon, another black sedan pulled up to the farm.

Watching to see who would exit this time, Jackie could only shake her head as the long legs exited the vehicle. "Oh no!" she cried under her breath. "Martin? What are you doing here?" she asked, in a voice that didn't mean to sound rude but conveyed an annoyance when she was standing directly in front of him.

After introducing the members of the Duke family to her immediate supervisor, and inviting him into the house, she listened as he explained why he was now in Hazzard.

"We've got a problem," Martin Trask stated.

"Well, I didn't think you were here for a friendly visit," Jackie replied. "What is it?"

"The investigation isn't going well at all. Even with all the information from the people in custody, they just can't make the link to the crime family." Letting his agent digest what she was being told, Martin Trask had worked with Jackie long enough to know when that had been accomplished. Jackie looked at him, and he confirmed what her eyes were asking. "I need you to go to New York."

Jackie may have understood what was coming, but Bo did not. Since he wasn't prepared, his reaction was completely spontaneous. "No way!" he yelled, bolting up out of the chair as he looked from their guest to Jackie.

"Bo, please," Jackie pleaded, though she didn't like the idea any better than he did.

"Please, hear me out!" Martin asked, looking from Jackie to Bo. "The FBI hasn't gotten any useful information to be able to charge these gangsters with anything, including trying to kill you. No one ever got an order from anyone in the family. So, unless we can find that link through their financial records or make a case for money laundering or bank fraud, we can't touch them. I've got a team of agents up there, but they can't find anything. Seems they have covered their tracks well. Maybe you won't either, but if anyone can, it's you. If you don't do this, they'll get away with everything. You know we've been trying to get them for years. This may be the only shot we'll ever get."

"Who's to say they won't try to hurt her again?" Bo asked, still angry but now seated once more.

"Without their inside source, I'm the only one that would know she's coming, and she'll be protected once she's there," the graying agent answered, looking Bo in the eye before turning to Jackie. "It's your call."

Martin Trask watched as Jackie frowned but nodded, his eyes never leaving her despite the grumbling taking place in the background.

"When would I have to leave?" Jackie asked her boss, though it was just a formality. Her mind was already made up; she just needed to know when she needed to be ready to go.

"Right now. There's a plane on standby in Atlanta. We figure that the less time involved, the better," Martin replied, as if the two were alone and having a private conversation.

"Jackie, no!" Bo cried. After everything that had happened, this time, Bo wanted her to say no. He knew that her job was important, but they deserved a chance, too.

Turning to the distraught blonde, it was Jackie's turn to block out everyone else. "Bo, I have to do this. If it were anything else, I'd turn it down flat, but this is too important. A lot of agencies have been trying to bring these people down for years, and have never gotten anywhere. They fund the dope that flood our streets and kill thousands of kids every year. They kill innocent people, lots of them. They tried to kill me. This may be the only shot we'll ever get. I have to do this, but I promise you this, the minute I am done, I will come right back."

The couple continued to argue, but Jackie's mind had already been made up. It wasn't that she was any happier about the situation than Bo was; she just knew that there other issues to be considered, too.

"Can we at least have an hour or so before you go?" Bo asked when he finally accepted the fact that he couldn't change her mind completely.

Without even looking at her boss, Jackie smiled and nodded. "Sure."

Unexpectedly having their time cut short, Bo helped Jackie throw some things into a bag before whisking her away to one of the closest places he could think of where they could be alone: the hayloft. He loved his family dearly, but their last few minutes, he wasn't prepared to share, and they knew better than to intrude or let Jackie's boss follow them. The unscheduled assignment had disrupted the young couple's plans, forcing them to put them on hold until Special Agent Johnson came back, but there were a few things that Bo Duke needed to know, and patience wasn't one of his virtues.

Sitting side by side, Jackie and Bo had their arms around each other. Bo's head was resting on Jackie's shoulder, and when he spoke, his voice and posture gave him the appearance of a small child. "Jackie, I really don't want you to go."

"I have to do this, Bo, but I will come back," Jackie assured him, tightening her hold while she absently ran her fingers through his hair.

"We still need to talk, and this wasn't what I had in mind. We ain't got enough time to really do it right, but I just want you to know that I love you, Jackie."

"I love you, too, Bo."

Besides delaying her departure, Bo had asked her up to the hayloft for more than an exchange of undying vows of love and to tell her that he didn't want her to go. She already knew that. Now that they were there, he didn't exactly how to say what he was thinking. Unlike the next night's scheduled performance, which he'd been rehearsing, this one was not prepared. Bo couldn't remember ever being so nervous about talking to a member of the opposite sex before, and the more he thought about it, the more he began to stumble over his own words. After several attempts, and with Jackie's encouragement, he finally formed a complete and coherent sentence "Jackie, I just think we've got something real special."

"I think we've got something very special, too," Jackie agreed, trying to put him at ease, and suddenly feeling more relaxed herself.

"You do?" Bo asked, almost sounding surprised.

"Of course," she laughed. "You think I get involved with every boy that flies his car over mine?"

Bo may have felt guilty about the accident for quite a while, but they had long ago resolved that, now able to laugh about the irony of the situation. Jackie reminded Bo that if it hadn't been for that accident, they might never have met. So after sharing a chuckle at the memory of their first meeting, though Jackie didn't remember it at all, Bo turned serious and pulled her close. Returning to his original train of thought, he pressed forward a little more. "So, how special you think it is?"

"I don't know. How special do you think it is?" Jackie asked, turning the question back to him.

Pulling away so that Bo could look in her eyes and he could see into hers, he breathed, "real special, like maybe for the rest of our lives? Is it that special to you, too?"

Cupping his face with her hands, Jackie smiled at him. "Yeah, I think it just might be that special, too."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, but hadn't dared to hope for, Bo's eyes lit up. His mind was racing a million miles an hour. There were so many things that he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't form a single syllable. The only thing he could think to do was to show her just how special he really thought she was, and how happy her answer had made him by using his mouth in a different way.

When they surfaced for air, Jackie could tell that Bo was still somewhat surprised by her response. "You're not the only one who's been thinking about this, Bo. I've got a million things to tell you, and I promise I will tell you each and every one just as soon as I get back, but right now, I have to go. Can you trust me on this, Bo?"

Bo Duke didn't like the situation, but he nodded anyway. "I trust you," he told her, ending the conversation for the time being.

None of the Dukes really knew what had happened in the short time Bo and Jackie spent alone in the upper portion of the old barn. The minute they emerged, Martin Trask announced that it was time to go. Allowing only time for quick hugs, words of good luck, and vows to return, the black sedan disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared. What they knew was that Bo wasn't in the type of mood they expected him to be in. They never assumed he'd be happy about the arrangements, but he wasn't in the foul mood they'd been bracing themselves for.

Bo knew that nothing specific had been discussed or decided. All they'd done was acknowledged that there was something worth discussing. Until they got the chance to have the talk that everyone and everything seemed determined to keep them from having, Bo decided not to say anything to his family. He didn't even know how long Jackie would be gone, but with each passing day, he found himself praying that it wouldn't be many more.

A week after Jackie left, Bo got his wish. While watching the evening news, a story out of the Big Apple caught the Dukes' attention; just the fact that it was out of New York caused their ears to perk. As the details began to unfold, they didn't need a program to draw the logical conclusion. The president of a large bank, along with several other bank officials, all suspected of having ties to the mafia, had been arrested on a variety of charges stemming from money laundering and bank fraud, and more charges were pending. The investigation credited a joint effort between several federal and state agencies, and while Jackie's name was never specifically mentioned, the Dukes saw her in the background as several men were led away in handcuffs. Agents Connors and Matthews were escorting some of the suspects.

"She did it!" Daisy yelled.

"She sure did," Luke grinned.

"She's coming home," Bo whispered to himself, unaware that the rest of his family had heard.

Having had his plan foiled before, Bo wasn't about to let it happen to him again. When Jackie called three days later to tell him that she was on her way back, Bo Duke promised to meet her plane the minute it landed. By the time Jackie was back in Georgia, everything would be ready. Bo wasn't even going to risk taking her back to the farm first. From the airport to his surprise, no one was going to interrupt them this time.