Disclaimer: Don't own the characters or making money from this. Quote; 'Demons of your past will come back and haunt you,' maybe from a song called 'Bones' from Little Big Town, to which I do not own the rights to.

MILD language

ON A SIDE NOTE: I looked up some information on the length of one tour of duty for a marine in the Vietnam war. The site I looked on stated it was 6 months for a Marine 12 months for Army. There were insentives for serving 13 months in the Marines. I have Luke there for 11 months because of a medical discharge. So basically a tour and a half. That and the fact he went in the Marines in June of 1974 and got injured mid April 1975. The actual war ended on April 30th 1975. So either way Luke would be home by mid May. Just in time to see Bo graduate high school.

The Days After Are The Hardest

The next morning Luke woke up to the feeling of something heavy on his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that it was Bo's arm.
"Bo?" Luke whispered.
"Yeah Luke."
"You ok?"
"Nope. Are you?"
"I don't know. Why does my head hurt? And why are sleeping next to me?" Bo sighed.
"You freaked out last night. So I thought I'd sleep next to you, so.. I don't know. So you wouldn't feel alone. Don't worry Jesse or Daisy don't suspect anything. Your head hurts because Jesse had to sedate you."
"Oh." Luke ran his hand threw his hair and pulled out some leaves. "Bo, what the hell happened last night?" Luke turned to Bo and noticed that he fell back asleep. Luke was debating whether to get up or just stay in bed with Bo. 'It might be safer,' he thought; 'at least I won't have a nightmare.' He got up to use the bathroom, then he went to kitchen to get a glass of water. He was drinking his water and looking out the kitchen window into another world. A world that he didn't want to be a part of anymore, a world too dark for him to escape right now. 'Demons of your past will come back and haunt you,' was something that Luke found out to be true. Luke never dealt with his guilt over John dying and him surviving. See John had a wife and small son back in the states waiting on him. He only had two weeks left, it didn't seem fair to Luke that he died. He had so much to live for. So did Luke; he knew that to be true, but John had a son. A son that would never know his dad. Luke knew how hard that was, growing up not knowing his dad. So did Bo for that matter. He would give anything maybe his own life to give that boy a chance to know his dad.
"Luke?...Luke?" Luke turned to look at Daisy.
"My God Luke! What happend?" She asked while looking at Luke's bleeding hand. While he was looking out the window and Daisy called out his name, he paniced and held the glass too hard. It ended up breaking in his hand. There was blood dripping everywhere.
"Don't move Luke. Let me help you." Daisy carefully approached him, she didn't want him to run. Right now he wasn't in his right mind. There was no way to tell what was going through his mind right now, or where he was at this moment in time. She gently took his hand as he stood there silent. She removed the broken glass from his hand and got a towel. She was going to wrap his hand when he looked at her as he held onto her shoulder with his left hand.
"Daisy...I.." He suddenly fell forward into her arms. She tried to catch him but he was too heavy for her and he landed on top of her. She gently pushed him off and got him on his back. She continued to wrap his hand.
"Luke? Luke, come on wake up." She gently tapped his face. Several minutes later he came to.
"Daisy?" He looked at her and the blood on her clothes.
"Oh God! I hurt you!" He tried to get up to leave but she pushed him back down.
"No Luke. Listen to me, now!" She grabbed his chin to make him look at her but he tried to turn out of her grip.
"Look at me Lukas!" He finally looked at her with tears in his eyes. "You didn't hurt me, alright? Listen, this is your blood not mine. You broke a glass, your hand is bleeding." He looked at his hand confused.
"You're not hurt?"
"No honey, only you. Come on let's get you to Doc's." He sat up with Daisy's help just as Cooter walked in. He saw that two chairs were tipped over and there was blood on the sink and floor. When he looked at Daisy he saw blood on her as well.
"Daisy?" She shook her head, "I'm fine, it's Luke's blood." He approached Luke and knelt down in front of him.
"You ok, buddyrue?" He shook his head no.
"Help me Cooter." He whispered. Cooter knew what he meant.
"Come on let's get ya to Doc's. We'll talk on the way, alright?"
"Bo?"
"I'll stay with Bo." Daisy told him. Cooter helped him into the truck because he was alittle light-headed. On their way to Doc's Cooter broke the silence by asking Luke. "You mean it when you asked me for help?"
"Yes I did. The flashbacks are becoming too real. I don't want anyone to get hurt again."
"What do you mean, 'hurt again'?" Cooter looked at Luke who was looking out the passenger's window.
"When I got home from 'nam, I was walking outside towards the woods. Bo walked up behind me, I didn't know it was him. I saw someone else, I hit him hard, he fell and I got on top of him. I took out my kbar...I almost killed him. He got the kbar out of my hand but not before I put it into his shoulder. We fought and he knocked me out. I woke several minutes later to Bo sitting against a tree waiting for me to wake. He was bleeding bad, but he waited for me to wake before he got help for himself." A lone tear fell from his eye.
"I almost killed the one person that I promised Aunt Martha I'd always keep safe. All because I saw someone else."
"Who was John?" Luke looked over at Cooter who still had his eyes on the road. When Luke didn't answer, Cooter looked over and repeated, "who's John?"
"How you know about him?"
"You talked in your sleep last night." Luke didn't answer him, he just looked at his bleeding hand.
"Luke, you're likely to pass out if you continue to look at that blood."
"Pull over."
"What? No way Lukas!"
"Gonna be sick." Cooter glaced over and saw that Luke was indeed very pale. He got to the side of the road and Luke stumbled out. He made it to the side of the truck and got sick. Cooter rubbed his back trying to calm him. He gave him a couple minutes then asked, "ready?" Luke nodded, and Cooter helped him up. They were soon back on the road headed to Doc's. Luke was unsteady as Cooter walked him to the enterance.
"Doc, I need your help." Doc looked at Luke and helped Cooter walk him to the exam room.
"What happened, Luke?"
"Broke a glass." Doc noticed that Luke was breathing heavily, and looked very pale. "Are you nauseous?' Luke nodded. They got him on the bed, and Doc got out his supplies.
"Luke I need you to calm down and take deep breaths." Luke tried but he couldn't get himself to calm down. That only made him panic more and he started to hyperventilate. Doc calmly took down a oxygen mask and as he was about to put it over his mouth and nose. He told Cooter, "Cooter, maybe you should wait outside." That didn't sit well with Luke.
"No! You can't." He said in a paniced voice, as he grabbed Cooter's wrist. "Please." Doc was surprised at that reaction. He never saw Luke behave that way before, not since those first few months back from Vietnam.
"Luke, I'll let him stay, just calm down alright?" Luke nodded and let him put the mask on his mouth and nose. When Doc noticed that Luke had calmed down he gave him a local anesthetic so he could stitch up his hand. He cleaned the area and started to stitch the wound. Cooter noticed that Luke started to fall asleep, he debated on waking him. He decided to let him sleep, but he watched him closely just in case he had a nightmare.
When Luke was stituated Doc turned to Cooter and told him, "I want to talk to you." Cooter nodded and went to the front room, so they could talk without Luke hearing them.
"What happened?"
"He had a flashback, bad one from the looks of it. I got back to the farm to help with Bo, I found Luke on the floor with Daisy leaning over him. He was holding a glass and Daisy startled him, he ended up breaking the glass in his hand. Then he passed out."
"I'll give him an i.v., could you stay and watch over him?"
"I have to finish a car for old man Jenson. Let me call Mr. Johnson, he'll know how to help Luke more than I can." Doc nodded, he know Mr. Johnson was in the Vietnam war back in 1968. He did two tours of duty over there in the Marines. Mr. Johnson arrived after diner to help with Luke. He didn't mind because he knew exactly what Luke was going through. Around one am Mr. Johnson woke to the sound of a screen door slamming. He went to the door and watched Luke walk towards Hazzard pond.
"Jake?" Doc Applebe also heard the door.
"I'll keep an eye on him." He told Doc as he followed Luke from a safe distance. Luke stopped in the middle of a open field and breathed in the night air. 'Rain's a comin',' he thought. Lightning flashed across the sky, 'quite, too quite.' Luke thought as thunder erupted miles away. A bad storm was headed towards Hazzard as the wind started to pick up, Luke got chilled, 'got to find shelter for my men.' Luke walked several steps and stopped. He looked around and Mr. Johnson thought Luke saw him.
"Luke?" Luke didn't answer him, he wasn't there. He was a half world away, in a dark place; a place that he desperately wanted to leave. Luke continued to walk towards Hazzard pond that was miles away. Mr. Johnson still followed Luke, as they got to the pond Luke looked around very confused.
"What the hell?" Luke looked around he didn't remember how he got there.
"Lukas?" Luke looked at Mr. Johnson who was standing several feet away.
"How did I get here?"
"You know how." He replied. Luke nodded.
"Flashback. How long this time?"
"About 45 minutes."
"That long?" Mr. Johnson sadly nodded. Luke rubbed his hand threw his hair as he looked for a place to sit down. Mr. Johnson thought Luke was going to run, "Luke?" Luke looked at him and figured he thought that he was going to run.
"I ain't gonna run Mr. Johnson."
"Please call me Jake." Once again Luke nodded. He found a spot next to a tree and sat down.
"My feet are killin' me."
"Well, you are barefooted, so..." Luke laughed at that as he looked down.
"So I am."
"Talk to me Lukas, I've been there son. The same hell that you went through, I went through a similar hell." He told Luke as he sat down near him.
Luke sighed, "John only had two weeks left, he had a wife and son back home. A son that will never know his dad, just like me and Bo."
"That's what's bothering you. You feel guity that he died. Do you find yourself questioning why God took him and not you? Thinking that he had more to give, to offer than you?"
"Yes." Was the simple answer given.
"Well, I'll tell ya something Lukas. Something that people in this town should of told you two boys years ago. You and Bo do more for the people of Hazzard than anyone else. If it wasn't for you two, J.D. would be robbing the people blind. Worse then he does already. The people in this town owe you two alot. No one will admit it freely, out of fear that J.D. will retaliate against them, but we owe you." The wind started to pick up and Luke started to shiver.
"Here Luke take this." Mr. Johnson gave Luke his jacket, because Luke only had a t-shirt on.
"Thanks." Mr. Johnson nodded. They continued to talk for over two hours. When Luke fell silent Mr. Johnson looked at him in concern and realised that Luke had fallen asleep. He gently tapped Luke on his shoulder.
"We should head back, huh?"
"Yeah. Hey listen, thanks."
"Anytime Luke, any time."

(Time was close to 4 am)
They decided to head back to Doc's before the rain came. As they were walking they continued to talk. Luke was feeling less guity about John. It felt like a weight was lifed off his shoulders. While they were walking Luke stumbled, Mr. Johnson caught him before he could fall.
"You ok Luke?'
"Just tired."
"Let me help." Luke put his arm around his shoulders so Mr. Johnson could support most of his weight. They walked for about ten minutes when a car approached them from behind.
"Wonder who that could be?" Asked Jake. They turned around as Enos pulled up. He got out of the vehical and shined his flashlight towards them.
"Luke? Mr. Johnson?"
"Hey Enos." Replied Luke. Enos looked at Luke who was not wearing any boots.
"Why ain't you wearing any boots? Is everything alright?
"Long story Enos. We was headed back to Doc's." At that point thunder and lightning erupted from the sky.
"Let's get ya there, explain on the way, alright?" Luke just nodded as Mr. Johnson guided Luke into the car. On their way to Doc's Mr. Johnson told Enos what had happened, because as soon as Luke sat down in the car he fell asleep.
"Thanks for looking after him."
"No problem Enos." They arrived at Doc's several minutes later. He saw the lights from Enos's patrol car and met them on the porch.
"Hey Luke." Once again Mr. Johnson woke Luke up. Luke slowly opened his eyes, he looked around confused for only a minute. He rubbed his eyes and got out of the car with some help. Mr. Johnson helped Luke to the little clinic, and back to the little room. As Doc helped Luke get situated again he asked, "are you alright, son?"
"I think so, it helped talking to Mr. Johnson."
"Get some rest, I'll let you sleep until you wake on your own." Doc patted his shoulder but before he left, Luke told him. "Hey Doc thanks."
"Your most welcome. Now get some rest." Luke nodded then closed his eyes annd slowly fell asleep.