A/N: Hey guys, I'm back again. First of all, sorry about Trouble at the Boar's Nest, I'm having trouble figuring out where I'm going. It's not easy when you kill a character, which I seem to be doing a lot of lately.
A tissue warning is definately advised for this chapter. Hope you enjoy anyways, and please review!
Chapter Eight: Beginnings and Ends
Bo didn't move for a few minutes, instead he just sat there, silently sobbing across from the room where his wife was fighting for her life. When no one updated him after five minutes, he pulled himself to his feet and slowly wandered aimlessly out to the waiting room. He needed more than anything to be with the comfort of his family right then. Truth to be told, he didn't know if he would be able to face anything that would happen, even with Jesse, Luke, and Daisy right there with him. But he knew they would help at least a little, so he made it out to the waiting room.
At first, no one noticed the silent tears making tracks down Bo's face. Luke saw his younger cousin and smiled. "Hey, Bo, we could hear that yee-haw from all the way out here. Guess the baby was born, is it a boy or a--" he stopped in his tracks as he finally looked at Bo's miserable face. "What's the matter, Bo? Is it the baby?"
Bo shook his head. "Nah, it's Shelly." His voice cracked on his wife's name. "I ain't sure what's wrong, I just know her heart stopped." He fell silent. Luke didn't say anything; he just pulled the broken man and pulled him into a fierce hug.
"It'll be okay, Bo," Jesse cut in. He stood up to join the embrace, and Daisy did the same. Now locked in a strong family hug, Bo knew it would be okay. Michelle would be all right, and they could be a happy family.
That hope was short lived.
"Bo?" came the voice of Dr. Jensen.
Bo looked up from the floor, giving his full attention to the doctor. As he looked at the other man's face, he couldn't tell by looking what had happened. He waited rather impatiently for the doctor to continue, Luke, Jesse, and Daisy sitting right with him.
"She lost more blood than in a normal delivery," Dr. Jensen continued. "We did a blood transfusion, but . . ." he trailed off. He sighed before starting again. "I'm sorry. We lost her."
Bo couldn't move. He was completely trapped. He simply sat staring at the doctor for a few moments, oblivious to the calls of his family. He wasn't sure if he was breathing, or if his heart was beating. The man didn't have a clue what was going on, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out what the doctor had just told him. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't hear, he couldn't even see.
Then it hit him. His wife had died. His beautiful wife, the love of his life, the mother of his child was dead. Child . . . oh dear. How could he possibly raise their child on his own? He finally looked down to the floor. He couldn't be a father, not now! There was no mother, just him. He would screw her life up! He took a few shaky breaths and attempted to gather his thoughts. The next thing he knew, Jesse was holding Bo in his arms in safe reassurance. Okay, he wasn't completely alone. He had his family to help him with the child, but for how long? It seemed to him if he could get married and have a child, it would only be a matter of time before the others did, too. There wouldn't be room for three families plus Uncle Jesse, so Daisy and Luke would have to move out. And Jesse was getting older, who knew how long he had before . . . No, he wouldn't let himself think that. He needed to organize his thoughts, they were so jumbled up.
It took him several minutes to figure out he was crying. Luke finally wiped his cheek. Once he knew, he let out a few long, heart-wrenching sobs. Jesse held him and let him cry, and Luke and Daisy were right there, too.
"'S all right Bo," Jesse consoled. "'S gonna be okay. You'll see. We's ain't goin' nowheres Bo, we's right here with ya."
Bo cried himself to sleep, right there in the chair. Jesse held him tight the whole time, though Bo's sleep was short. His dream was haunted with a flashback.
The sun shone in the sky, a big ball of glowing fire. Bo slowed the General down to a stop, and he and a non-pregnant Michelle hopped out of each side. They smiled radiantly at each other, as Michelle reached in the back and pulled a picnic basket out. Hand in hand, they half-skipped to a clear spot near Hazzard Pond. The pair threw the checkered cloth and spread it on the ground. Michelle gently set the basket down before sitting down herself. Bo followed her lead and sat down.
They ate in silence for a moment, before the quiet got to Bo.
"Ya like that chicken?" he asked her. "Daisy made it herself."
"She did a good job," Michelle commented. "I can't cook worth a lick."
"That's all right," Bo said. "You're perfect in every other way."
Michelle just smiled sheepishly, and gnawed on her chicken bone. "I know," she said. "I picked you for my boyfriend, didn't I?"
Bo felt himself turn beet red. "Well, thanks, darlin', but don't give yerself that kinda credit. Cause I thought I picked you."
An awkward silence followed. Finally Bo worked up the courage to tell her something he had never told a girl before. Taking a deep breath, Bo said, "Michelle, ya know, I love ya."
This time it was her turn to turn beet red. She was quiet for a few moments, making Bo nervous, before she said, "I love you too, Bo." She patted him on the back and kissed him on the cheek. There were no more awkward silences for the rest of the meal.
"I still love ya, Michelle!" Bo cried out. Snapping his eyes open, he focused them on Uncle Jesse, who was rubbing his shoulder soothingly. The blonde sat up abruptly, trembling. Jesse moved his hand to Bo's back and began rubbing that.
"Was it a dream, Uncle Jesse?" Bo asked innocently, sounding much like a small child. Jesse's heart broke at how miserable his nephew sounded. "Please tell me it was a dream."
Jesse shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Bo, I wish I could tell ya it was all a dream. But it weren't. I'm real sorry, Bo." He pulled his nephew in for a tight hug.
Off to the side, Luke and Daisy shared a hug, too.
Daisy had just lost her new best friend. Throughout her life at the farm, she always loved her family, and she never felt left out. But she always felt something was missing, especially after Jesse's late wife Martha passed away. She wished there had been another girl on the farm. When Michelle and Bo got married, her wish came true, and Daisy and Michelle became fast friends. But that had all been snatched away in just a few moments.
"Now what?" she forced out to her older cousin.
Luke shrugged. "I ain't sure, Daisy," he answered quietly. He was staring at his youngest cousin, wrapped in their uncle's embrace. "Bo's takin' this real hard."
"Well, of course he is!" Daisy exclaimed. "His wife just died in childbirth, Luke, of course he's gonna be takin' it hard! Wouldn't you?"
Luke nodded. "I guess I would," he admitted. "Just wish there was somethin' I could do."
"I know," Daisy said. "Me too."
The clear glass served as the only barrier between Bo and his new daughter. He stared sadly in at her, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around to find Luke standing there. The older cousin gave a sympathetic smile to him.
"Gotta name for 'er yet?" Luke said.
Bo nodded. "I'd like ta name 'er Michelle, but Michelle wanted her ta be called Lois, so I'll name 'er Lois. Her middle name will be Michelle, though."
"Lois Michelle Duke," Luke announced. "I like it, Bo."
The nurse recognized as Nora, who was inside the maternity ward, grabbed a baby and stepped outside.
"Hey Bo," she greeted. "Does your pretty little daughter have a name yet?"
Bo nodded as he had done with Luke. "Lois Michelle Duke." Nora nodded and looked at the baby she was holding, presumably Lois.
"Can I hold her?" Bo asked softly. Nora nodded, and picked Lois up and handed her to her father.
Luke wasn't sure what happened to his baby cousin. He noticed how Bo was completely different with the baby than he had ever seen. He seemed so . . . gentle. Careful. Bo had never been this subtle, especially with a girl. Luke smiled as he realized how much the younger man had grown up just in the last few hours. Bo seemed to understand he was responsible for a human life. It seemed to come completely natural to him.
"Lois," Bo cooed, and Luke noticed a tear flowed down his cheek. "Ya look too much like yer mom." He fell silent.
"'Cept fer that tiny strand a blonde hair," Luke commented. "That's yer hair, Bo."
Bo smiled a small smile, causing Luke to grin, since that was the first time Bo had smiled since he had received the devastating news of his wife.
"She does have my hair, don't she?" said Bo. He chewed his bottom lip, holding back a sob. "Here Luke, can you take 'er?" His voiced cracked. Luke held out his arms open to his niece.
"Hey Lois," Luke said. "I'm your uncle Luke. Ya don't hafta call me uncle, but the man out there with the white beard, Uncle Jesse, ya gotta call him uncle." He smiled.
He heard footsteps walking away, and he looked up to see his cousin heading down the hall, away from the maternity ward. He handed Lois back to Nora and headed down the hall to find his cousin, wondering what was up now.
Okay guys, that's the chapter. You know what to do now! (hint, there's a little window down in the corner that says submit review, and a button next to it that says go, so click the go button!)
