So how many of you found season 7 in you stockings or under your tree this Christmas? I did. I was happy. And here's my Christmas/New Year's gift to ya'll. The story. Enjoy, please. And then review. Even if there was no enjoyment. I want to know.

Chapter 7

"Uncle Jesse…" Bo began after his uncle relayed his plan. "I can't do that. I can barely breathe as it is. If I tried ta fight, I'd go down right away."

"It's that bad, huh?" Jesse said, placing a loving hand on his nephew's shoulder.

Bo nodded. "Don't make me do that, Uncle Jesse. I already feel like I'm gonna puke as it is. I think I musta busted a rib or two."

"Sorry, I didn't realize it hurt that much. Yer like yer Uncle Jesse. Yer good at hidin' the pain. We's gonna git ya to a doc as soon as we can. Fer now, we's gonna need some help." Jesse fell silent for a moment; then his eyes lit up. "Well, I hate ta hafta put him in danger, but maybe Enos could help us. After all, he is the law."

Bo nodded, but the hope slowly receded from his face. "Uncle Jesse are you forgettin' we ain't got access ta no CB?"

"Sure we do," Jesse said. "Don't ya remember where Daisy parked Dixie? Just over that rise there. Let's go." He drug the blonde Duke along behind him towards the slight curvature in the landscape that served as Dixie's shield.

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

In all his years of experience, Dr. Ryan Shailey had to admit he had never seen someone as determined as Cooter Davenport. As he thought about it, he realized the other man was making some valid points. How could he turn him down? If he let Cooter in, he would be risking his entire career. But then again, it was a stupid rule he didn't understand. Wouldn't it be even better for the patient if Cooter Davenport were to be with him? He was the doctor, after all; it was his job to make people feel better.

Dr. Shailey sighed. "All right, Mr. Davenport," he conceded. "Go ahead on back and see yer friend."

Cooter grinned. "Thank ya, sir," he gratefully acknowledged. "Ya did a good thing, doc, I assure ya." Without waiting for any type of answer the mechanic briskly made his way through the door. He heard the doctor call Luke's room number, so he quickly went towards room 214. Slowly, he opened the door, afraid of what lay inside.

Luke lay on the bed, still and pale. His left arm rest in a sling. He appeared to be sleeping, but Cooter wasn't sure if this was the case, until he noticed Dr. Shailey had followed him into the room and answered the unvoiced question.

"He's gonna be just fine," said the doctor. "He did lose a lot of blood, but he should be okay with some rest an' some good food. His arm's broken, but that should heal up nicely. I'll leave you two alone now."

Cooter nodded. "Okay, thanks again, doc." When Dr. Shailey was no longer present, the mechanic pulled up a chair next to Luke.

"Hey buddy," he said softly. "Hope yer feelin' okay. I'm sure Bo, Daisy, an' Uncle Jesse should be here soon."

Maybe, Cooter, but not in the way yer thinkin'.

"Ya wanna wake up there, buddy-roe? We could sure use ya here in the land o' the livin'."

"Cooter," came a soft voice from down on the bed. "Cooter, what happened? Where's Bo?"

"It's all right, Luke," Cooter answered, "ya had yerself a little accident. Yer gonna be okay. An' Bo's with Uncle Jesse so he's fine, too." He said a silent prayer that the last part wasn't a lie.

"I feel more like I's thrown outta the car an' then run over," Luke commented, placing his free right hand to his forehead.

Huh. Ain't that ironic?

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

"So, uh, where we goin' anyhow?" Rosco wondered. "Ya never answered that question."

"You'll see soon enough," answered Patch sinisterly.

Rosco turned a cherry red. "Ya know ya can't do nuthin' ta me with Flash on my side. She'll tear you limb from limb. Then I'll knock you inta next week, you hear me?"

"I guess I'll hafta git rid o' yer mutt first then, won't I?" Patch spat.

"Oooh! No, ya can't hurt Flash or I oughtta turn you over my knee an' blister yer backside!"

"Not if I turn you into a pretzel, little man."

"Who you callin' lil' man?" Rosco shot back. "I ain't no little man. No, I'm Sheriff Rossscooo P. Coooltrane! I ain't a little man."

If I was Patch, I'd be wonderin' how come I took ornery Rosco instead o' Jesse.

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

About a half-hour before, Daisy had begun to grow worried about her family. So she sat, with a struggling Jude, waiting for something to happen.

Her fears regarding her family were confirmed the minute Coy Randolph entered with a satisfied sneer on his face. Snake's eyes drifted expectantly toward his minion.

"I finished 'em off," Coy told him. "I made their little orange car flip over an' the brunette one was killed."

Daisy's heart skipped a few beats in her chest at his words. Jude, too, paled noticeably. They both said a silent prayer that Bo was still alive.

"Later, I saw blondie walkin' along the road. I hit 'im square in the chest with my van. Ain't no way he survived that. Boy did that one make a loud thud. Heh, heh."

Daisy's breath became short in her panic. She couldn't believe it. Both of her cousins…dead? No, they couldn't be. Coy Randolph had to be lying. She couldn't stand the thought of life without Bo and Luke.

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

After having received a CB call from Jesse and Bo, Enos heard a contradictory call come from Boss Hogg. Now torn between his friends and his job, Enos wasn't sure what to do. Finally, he settled on his friends for fear of what could happen otherwise. He let Boss Hogg know of this, too. Needless to say the county commissioner was not too thrilled with the deputy.

"Enos, I'm ordering you ta maintain yer regular duties," Boss insisted. "An yer forbidden ta go anywheres near Utchee Swamp, ya hear?"

"Well sure I hear ya, Mr. Hogg," Enos replied. "But my friends is in trouble, an' it's my duty ta protect the people. If you ain't gonna let me then I'm just gonna hafta go AWOL."

"I'll tell ya what Enos. You get Rosco ta go out there an' help the Dukes," Boss suggested. "Where is that nitwit anyhow?"

"That's just it, Mr. Hogg," Enos answered. "I tried ta talk with 'im earlier. Nobody knows where he is."

"Ya mean he's gone AWOL, too? Bah…But you still can't go to the Dukes. No sirree Bob. You stay here."

"Sorry Mr. Hogg, I can't do that. Over an' out."

Now Enos is normally a nice fella, but put a couple o' his friends in trouble, an' that boy would do anything.

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

Pretty soon Enos found Bo and Jesse waiting out of sight of Snake's hideout, by Daisy's Jeep. He quickly noticed the pained look on Bo's face. He didn't ask what had happened, however. There would be time for that later. The first thing he did was ask Uncle Jesse what he was supposed to do.

"Well, Bo an' I both ain't quite up ta snuff. We need you ta go in there an' start a fight with Jude. You two take all but Snake. Me an' Bo'll take 'im an' git out."

"Sure thing Uncle Jesse," Enos agreed. "I'm ready when ya'll are."

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

Just when Daisy figured the situation couldn't possibly worsen, life took yet another sharp turn.

The cackling of the CB grabbed everyone's attention. It was Patch, calling for Snake. He made it known that the matter was urgent. Snake then hurried to the CB to answer the call.

"Hey there Patch," he greeted. "What can I do fer you?"

"Well, I just thought ya'd wanna know I got that over-confident sheriff here and his little dog, too," Patch informed him. "An' I hit the old man on the temple with an umbrella. He's deader'n a turkey on Thanksgivin'." He laughed menacingly.

Ol' Patch's eyesight musta been a little off after Luke knocked 'im out.

"Good work, thanks, Patch," Snake said. "Why don'tcha git on inta Hazzard an' git that Hogg guy, too?"

The news of Uncle Jesse was too much for Daisy to handle. Once it sunk in, the supposed remaining member of the Duke family promptly fainted.

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

Jesse chuckled upon hearing Patch's news bulletin. After a minute, his younger nephew joined him.

"They think I's dead," Jesse said, laughing more. "Well, they's in fer a big surprise, ain't they?"

"Yeah, but Daisy probably thinks yer dead too," Bo pointed out.

"That's true," Jesse said. "Well, let's go set 'em straight." They started down the hill to Snake's cabin.

Meanwhile, Enos was entering the cabin. Lukcily for him, Snake, Willie, and Coy were all on the other side enjoying a beer. This gave the deputy time to untie his partner. He quietly asked Jude why Daisy was passed out.

"Cause Uncle Jesse, Bo, and Luke have all been killed," Jude answered solemnly.

"No they ain't," Enos replied. "Well, no one knows nuthin' 'bout Luke, but Bo an' Uncle Jesse are sure alive."

"Oh," said Jude. "Well, let's get Daisy awake an' tell 'er."

Enos obliged, slapping Daisy's cheek lightly. It took a few short moments, but Daisy finally came to. She glanced up at Enos and Jude, her eyes filled with sadness.

"Oh Enos," she whispered. "What am I gonna do without them? They're all gone! Oh, Enos!"

"Shh, Daisy," Enos soothed. "No one's died. Everybody's okay." He didn't want to tell her that no one knew where Luke was.

"Yeah," Jude agreed, wrapping his arms around her. "Patch and Coy gave faulty information. Nobody's dead."

"Yet," came a voice. The threesome whirled around to find Willie standing there, cocking his gun.

Well, the Dukes couldn't be havin' a worse day if they was bare naked in a snowstorm. Where do ya'll think Jesse an' Bo are at?

01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

And that's that for that. You know what to do, right?