A/N: Ok and here, as I promised, is the final chapter to the christmas fic - finished before this Christmas! lol. Does anyone want to set me a christmas challenge now so I can actually get it completed by Christmas? lol. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and review this story, I hope you like this final chapter and let me know how you found the whole story :-)

Thanks

It was Christmas Eve once again and this time it appeared to be holding out as perfect as Luke had wanted his first Christmas back home to be. He was surrounded by his family around the twinkling Christmas tree with a light sprinkling of snow on the ground outside. Last year, Daisy and Jesse had managed to get home in time for Christmas Morning, where they celebrated not only Christmas, but the birth of a very special little baby boy at Luke's hands.

As soon as Jesse had gotten there, he had tried the CB and somehow miraculously managed to contact the doctor to come over and take a look at the newborn. It didn't take long however for the doctor to declare that everything was normal and mother and baby were doing just fine – Grace had a little cold from where she had been walking through the snow to get to the barn in the first place but it hadn't been anything serious. She just needed to rest and so Jesse had agreed to let them stay at the farm until she and Scott could get going.

While it was nice to have them around, Luke had always wished it had just been the family that he had celebrated his first Christmas back with. Having Grace, Scott and the little baby around had made it hard for him to be anywhere near as close and personal to his family as he would have liked. It just felt too awkward to be able to do that around strangers…all the same, he was glad that the events of that night one year ago had happened; otherwise he didn't know where he would have been at this point in time. Obviously someone higher up did and decided for Luke, in no uncertain terms, that that was not the way his life was to pan out; it seemed there were bigger things in store for Luke Duke.

Now, a year later, he smiled as he looked down at the letter in his hands and the picture that had accompanied it. Scott and Grace were sat by their fireplace at home, holding their now one-year old baby boy in their laps who was smiling away at something unseen behind the camera. He had heard nothing from the family since they had left the farm, understanding of course that they had to have had their hands full with the baby, but it warmed him inside to know that they hadn't forgotten him and that they still expressed their deepest thanks to the whole of the family…to him for delivering the little tyke, to Bo for bringing Scott back to the family – which Bo still insisted was not his original intention but Luke knew secretly that Bo enjoyed the praise, it made him feel important and Luke would always stress exactly what his determination to get home had done for both Grace and himself. And then to Jesse and Daisy, for all the care and hospitality they had shown the strangers on Christmas.

They were doing fine now, Luke had read, with the little baby all settled in and causing havoc already with keeping the parents up all night and picking up things that he shouldn't have been picking up. When he read that allowed, Jesse had laughed and commented that just being around the boys for a few days was enough to make even the youngest of people pick up their sense for trouble and adventure.

But what really caught Luke's attention and choked him up something fierce, was the name that had been inscribed at the bottom of the letter. There was Grace and Scott's of course…but the baby's name – which the parents hadn't decided on before they left the farm – was truly incredible…and horribly unfair according to Bo.

Lukas Beauregard Brigshaw…

Bo had instantly exclaimed 'What!' in a very loud fashion, causing everyone in the room to look at him. At first Luke had thought that Bo was insulted that Luke's name had come first, as usually the boys were called by Bo and Luke Duke, rather than Luke and Bo which Luke was happy with. But what came next was totally unexpected, even though – Luke had reasoned with himself – it should have been more expected.

"How can they do that to that poor kid?! Lukas is alright but Beauregard! That poor kid is gonna get teased from here to kingdom come an' you know who he's gonna blame don't ya! Me! I'm gonna get all the flack for having a stupid name!"

Luke could do nothing but burst out laughing, as did Daisy and Jesse…and eventually Bo after he had finished his little tirade. He didn't mind his name too much, especially after Luke had pointed out what a cool nickname they could make out of it when he was a youngster and was fed up with his teachers calling him Beauregard all the time and all the kids laughing. People thought Luke's parents had a cruel sense of humour with his name but that was only because they hadn't heard Bo's and Bo flat out refused to tell anyone. Being called and known as Bo to people was just fine.

His eyes quickly diverted back to the picture with a small smile…somehow he doubted that the kid would hate his middle name that badly…after all the namesake for it brought back his daddy to him. He looked up again as Daisy came over and handed him an empty picture frame with a small smile, to which Luke smiled back and slipped the picture inside.

Before Luke knew it, it was time for their annual sing song and drinks around the Christmas tree before they went to bed. He quickly got up and said he'd get his and Bo's guitars and hurried to his shared room to get them, taking the photo frame with him. He quietly placed the frame on his bedside table and smiled a little, running the tip of his finger over the babies face. He truly was a little miracle…

"Luke hurry up! Did you get lost in there or somethin'?!"

Luke had to chuckle at his impatient younger cousin's voice…it was only Bo that couldn't be patient enough to wait for something. He was so glad that hadn't changed in his baby brother. Nearly everything else in his life had, his perspective on life and the world around him…the way he now behaved, his family growing older…he had missed a few of the best years of his cousins lives and he knew that he could never get those back…but he had a whole future to live with them and support them through and he was finally grateful that at least he had that. There were so many that he had known that didn't get that opportunity…

He jumped as the door opened and looked up from where he had unknowingly sat down on his bed, Bo's eager face peering round the edge of the door, that instantly became concerned as he saw Luke.

"You alright Luke?"

Luke smiled and nodded

"Yeah…sure am…just thinkin' bout things is all.."

Bo nodded and came fully into the room and sat down next to Luke, putting an arm around his shoulders as he looked to him with serious blue eyes.

"Luke…I know I'm younger an' all…but I want you to know I'm here…that…I'll listen to whatever you need to get off yer mind, you don't gotta worry about scarin' me or upsettin' me…I want ta help ya anyway I can…"

Luke didn't answer for a moment; just smiled as he looked down at his lap and heard Bo's words, felt the comfort his younger cousin was always so eager to offer him. There were some things that he would never be able to talk about to Bo, no matter how close they were or how mature Bo was now. There were just things he didn't want his cousin to hear about or even think about, and he certainly wasn't going to be the one to just deliver that information into his lap. But certainly he could let Bo be there for him…

He looked up to Bo and nodded with a smile, holding out the hand that bared the one scar on his body that he was immensely fond and proud of, one that ran along his palm. He noticed Bo's eyes light up a little as he smiled and took Luke's hand in his opposite one, the one that bared the brother scar of Luke's.

As their scars pressed together as they had done in a bloody ritual so many years ago now, they looked to each other with in a new light. Luke wasn't just to be the protector of the family now, Bo was going to be his as well and together they would look after not only each other but the family too.

With a smile they both got their guitars and headed back out to the lounge to join Jesse and Daisy, quickly falling into the old routine of starting up the Christmas carols. For the first time in near 5 years, Luke smiled as he sang and watched his family around the tree, whispering underneath the noise.

"Merry Christmas Rob…and thank you…"