A/N: Hey all, another chapter for you. I seem to have assembled an army of fans for this story lol, good to see you all and glad I am entertaining you. Huggles to all.

Ani

Scott instantly joined Jesse and Daisy in running to the door of the church, the latter having seen Bo sneaking out and alerted the elder as the door opened. Daisy quickly opened the door and shouted into the howling winds, not about to lose her other cousin because of his own stupidity.

But Jesse quickly pulled her in as Scott ran outside and swiftly hunted down the young 18 year old in the snow, used to appalling sight restricting whether. Snow was no different to torrential rain or fog really, it cut off one sense so you had to heighten the others and use them to your advantage against this particular enemy to seek out the other, something he had learned quickly in his short spell with the Marine's, but not enough to stop him being shot obviously.

He did however manage to seek out the young man and drag him, nearly kicking and screaming back to the safety of the old warm building by the collar of his thick coat and jumper underneath, handing him over to the wrath of his Uncle begrudgingly, knowing it was his fault Bo had gone out in the first place. The whole church fell silent as Jesse's voice boomed, echoed by the old rafters.

"What in tarnation d'ya think you're doing boy! I oughta give ya a switchin' right here in front o'all these people…."

No one was more shocked than Jesse when Bo's own voice boomed back with equal ferocity and determination, shaking with emotion and frustration.

"Fine you do that Uncle Jesse but that ain't gonna stop me getting back to Luke! You always said a Duke should never give up something that's important to them and Luke's happiness is important to me! You can bet he's feeling depressed and angry back at the farm, I know I would be if I was all alone facing Christmas Eve and possibly Christmas alone, wouldn't you! If getting Luke back and proving to him that we still love him no matter what he's done or what he's doing means I have ta brave a bit of frozen water and walking through a freezer then I'm dang well gonna because I'm a Duke and I'm Luke's brother and there ain't no way I'm gonna quit findin' a way to get home. You can either try an' stop me or make it easier and jus' let me get on with it but either way, I'm gonna no matter what. Luke escaped bullets and bombs an' snipers hidin' in trees to come back to us, what's a bit of snow compared to that?"

No one in the church spoke as Uncle and Nephew faced off in a battle of determination and grit. No one wanted Bo to be lost in the storm…but oddly enough everyone inside was rooting for the young man who spoke with his heart more than his head. Everyone knew that Bo probably hadn't a clue how to get back home in the weather he was saying he could brave….but the fact he was willing to try to make someone happy…that spoke volumes to many of the people who also had loved ones at their own houses who needed them.

As Jesse looked over his youngest charge, his heart and head mixed with a range of different emotions from anger at being spoken to like that, to sympathy for the boy who wanted nothing more than to finally have a Christmas with his cousin….and finally to Pride…the fact that his youngest had grown into such a fine young man. There was no doubting it now, Bo…his youngest son…was his own person with his own determination and grit…speaking the words of a true Duke. What he was proposing was crazy and he knew that…but he knew from the look in Bo's eyes and the way he held himself that he was not backing down from this and he would brave the blizzard with or without Jesse's help…anyone's help…at least with the two of them they stood a better chance. With a sigh, Jesse nodded and pulled Bo close as he rubbed his back and everyone around them started to clap and cheer.

"Thank you Uncle Jesse…"

"Now boy…I don't want ya getting' any ideas…the way you spoke to me then was unacceptable…"

"I know…an' ya can switch me as soon as we get back home…but I gotta get to Luke…"

"You mean, me an' you gotta get to Luke…."

Bo swallowed and gasped, pulling back and shaking his head.

"Uncle Jesse you can't!"

"Yer not going out there alone!"

"I'll go."

Jesse looked round to see Scott stepping forward, smiling gently as he placed a hand on Bo's shoulder.

"I'm responsible for putting the idea in a way into his head…he'll stand a better chance with me."

Looking between the two men, Jesse swallowed hard before nodding reluctantly as Daisy gripped his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, reminding him that he was needed here and would be of better use here too. There used to be a time Jesse could brave a blizzard…but it had passed long ago.

Suddenly, the two men found themselves surrounded by the rest of the church goers, each person thrusting a warm article of clothing to wrap themselves up in. Coats, Scarves, gloves even socks were given over, regardless of their protestations. The only thing that could have made them warmer by the time they were wrapped up in all the items as others wrapped themselves in some blankets that had been found in one of the small storage rooms of the church, was a hot water bottle strapped to their stomachs which even then would have been a rival for the layers that they were encompassed in.

Scott and Bo were sent off on their mission with loud cheers and whoops of good luck before the doors banged closed behind them and everyone settled in to play the waiting game, laced with prayers for either the boys' safe return or a safe journey to the farm.

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"That's it….yer doin' great Grace, ya really are….keep it up…"

Luke encouraged through another, more painful contraction. His own hands were throbbing with the pain of them being crushed by hands and dug into with fingernails, but he never said a word, keeping his voice steady and soothing as he coached the pained young woman.

He absolutely refused to check Grace's dilation, one because he didn't have a clue how to check it in the first place and two because that would make both him and her feel uncomfortable, something they really didn't need. So he was relying on her own reactions, knowing when she got the urge to push she would tell him and then he would do what needed to be done. At least delivering the baby didn't involve him having to probe around in a very private place, all he had to do was catch the youngun…hopefully.

Grace panted gently as she sank back against Luke again, releasing his hands and resting hers either side of the bump and closing her eyes with a small sob. So far she had refused to let herself cry, but now it was just too painful and she was too tired to care. She wanted to have the baby now and get it over with.

"Luke…please…get it out of me…please…please…"

"Shhh…Grace it'll be alright….you haven't got far to go now…you really haven't darlin' an' yer doing so well….it'll all be worth it when yer holdin' the little one in yer arms…."

Luke watched as Grace calmed again and nodded, used now to the outbursts and pleas, not able to comprehend how much pain and discomfort she had to be in and knowing it would only get worse before it could get better. Once more he changed his train of thought and worked on distraction.

"So…d'ya know what it is yet or are ya waitin'…"

Grace smiled softly and shook her head, opening her deep brown eyes to look up at him.

"No…me an' Scott wanted to wait….I promised I'd wait to find out at the birth when he went away….I ain't breakin' that because he's not here."

She watched as the young man smiled back and nodded, seeing that he knew all too well about those kind of promises and how hard they could be sometimes to keep.

"You made some o'those in your time too…"

Luke sighed and nodded, rubbing his eyes a little to push away the tears pooling there again. Whether it was because he was overtired or because the adrenaline of finding a pregnant, in labour no less, lady in the barn he didn't know, all he knew was his emotions just came in a rush and he couldn't afford to let them out.

"Yeah….I uh…promised my little cousin I'd come back to him…that I wouldn't die in the war an' that I'd always come back to him…"

Grace nodded, they had had a conversation about his time in the Marine's and about his family.

"Well…looks like ya did it…"

Luke snorted a little, nodding.

"Yeah…physically maybe…but I have yet to prove to myself I'm back let alone him and the rest of my family…I changed a lot because of the war an'…it takes some getting used to…"

For the first time since meeting, a silence fell between them and was only broken by a small startled noise from Luke when Grace rested her hand softly on his cheek and made him look to her.

"Luke….I don't know what you were like before…but if the way your acting now is any reflection at all of how you used to be….then I'd say you don't have to get used to being a different person…you just have to remember that you still have it in you to be the one you and everyone else wants back…you just gotta…as hard as it is I should imagine….stop 'Nam running your life now. Your not there anymore and you can say I don't know what the hell I'm talking about and all….but if you continue to let it rule you….yer never gonna keep yer promise to yer cousin."

She watched as Luke processed what she had been saying, seeing the tears before he had a chance to wipe them away and reached up, twisting a little to wrap her arms around him and hug him close, feeling him hug her back after a little while. Together, they rocked each other back and forth through their own separate pains, each one drawing comfort and support from the other, something they had missed for so long.