Okay I know this is late in coming, but considering I have spent more time in airports and other states these past two weeks than in my own home, I pray you'll forgive me. At any rate, here is an extra long chappie to make up for it. TISSUE WARNING. In fact, ya may want paper towel, cuz this even made me cry….

Luke was numb. It was like watching a dream play out right before his eyes…only it wasn't a dream… it was a nightmare… someone else's nightmare. Denial had claimed Luke Duke for its own.

"I'm worried about him Uncle Jesse," began Daisy sadly. Luke hadn't spoken two words since they had released him from the hospital and into his uncle's care.

"I know ya are Daisy, but sometimes shock is like that," consoled the old man. "Luke'll come back t'us when he's ready. Ya heard the docs…it'll just take time."

Daisy nodded though it was evident that she was not convinced. It wasn't Luke's silence that bothered her the most. Her dark haired cousin had always been a man of few words… at least compared to Bo. It wasn't the silence. It was Luke's way of grieving that bothered her- or rather his lack of. Luke had never been one to show emotion, even when they were little. In fact, when he had fallen out of the old oak tree in the front yard when he was just eight years old, Luke had bit his lip so hard it bled rather than shed a tear, even though his arm had broken.

Daisy, of course, had been fighting a losing battle with her tears ever since she got the call that Bo wouldn't be coming home. She missed him so much. She missed the gentle banter between Bo, Luke and herself, missed the evening routine of Bo sneaking food during the dinner blessing…and getting caught doing it, missed the flying pillows in the morning as Luke struggled to wake Bo from his slumber, missed the nightly chats through the thin wall separating the bedrooms of the cousins, missed the daily ritual of Bo serenading the family as he took his morning shower, his voice ringing through the house… it was gone now…all gone in an instant.

And Luke hadn't shed a single tear.

"Luke… Luke…" called Daisy as she stood outside his bedroom door three days later, "Honey it's time t' wake up…"

No answer.

"Luke?" Daisy gently opened his door.

Luke lay on his bed, head resting on his arms and staring at the ceiling. He still wore the same clothes as he had for the past three days.

Slowly, hesitantly, Daisy made her way over to him and gently squeezed his arm. "Luke honey…the…the wake's in a couple hours….ya gotta shower…an' change an'…"

"I ain't goin'."

Daisy hid her surprise at hearing Luke speak. "Luke you need to go…ya gotta…have a chance t' say…goodbye…" She swallowed back tears as she said the word.

"No," answered Luke not taking his eyes from the ceiling.

"Luke please…" begged Daisy. "Honey this is hard for all of us…we're all hurtin' honey, but we need t' get through this together…as a family."

Luke didn't answer or even blink causing his cousin's tears of sadness to turn to tears of anger. "Fine! Ya just stay here then…don't care bout anyone but yaself! Don't care how yer only hurtin' Uncle Jesse more! And me! I'll tell ya this though Luke Duke…" began Daisy her voice shaking, "If things was diff'rent…an' it was you in that car instead of Bo, ain't nothing woulda kept Bo from sayin' goodbye to ya… no matter how much it hurt him… and it woulda hurt bad cuz we all know how much he loved ya…. Ya know with all ya been through…with Nam…I used t' think ya weren't scared of nothing…but ya are…yer scared t' hurt…you'd rather just shut down… just run away from it all…it ain't right Luke…it just ain't right…Bo adored you…" she added her voice breaking. "Least ya could do is say goodbye." Her emotions getting the best of her, she raced to her own room, sobs coming from deep within the brokenness of her heart.

I hate seein' a woman cry…'specially when it's Daisy…

"How's Luke doin'?" asked Cooter as he sipped on his cup of shine looking sadly at the scattered pictures of Bo around the room.

"Not so good," answered Jesse looking tall and sedate in his Sunday-best. "He won't come outta their- er his room."

Daisy agreed as she leaned against her uncle, in her black dress holding her already much used handkerchief.

Cooter nodded. He had known Luke would take Bo's passing harder than anyone. In fact, he would be surprised if it didn't cause him to break completely.

Jesse cleared his throat and, with his arm around Daisy tapped the side of his glass with a spoon. "I wanna thank y'all fer comin'. I know each an' ev'ry one o' ya meant a lot t' my Bo…." His voice cracked with emotion. "I jest wanna give y'all a chance t' share somethin' bout him…sometimes…sometimes 'memberin the good times helps get through the bad…"

Cooter stepped up. "Mr. Uncle Jesse sir…" he began looking down at his empty glass. Jesse put a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he continued. "Bo was like the kid brother I never had…" He smiled a sad smile. "I 'member when he was just 'bout nine years old an' he was watchin' me an' Luke work on the undercarriage of my daddy's car. Bo…he wanted t' see so Luke showed him how t' slide underneath an' I showed him all the diff'rent parts. He took hold of a plug an asked what it was, yankin' it off an' leavin me with a face full o' oil…" The mechanic shook his head fondly. "Good ol' Bo…" He turned away quickly under the pretense of filling his shine glass, hiding his face from the others. Daisy understood his ruse. Quietly she came up to his side and put her arm around him, kissing his wet cheek.

"Er, Jesse…" Rosco stood from where he sat in a corner holding Flash in his arms, a black ribbon around her neck. "Bo he uh…he…" the sheriff swallowed. "I never thought he…I know I said a lot o' things, but I never meant 'em…I liked Bo…I liked t' chase him…an' I think he liked me t' chase him…but I never…we never…" Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at the crowded room and at Jesse nodding to him. "Flash loved him…he'd…he'd always scratch her behind her ears in just the right spots an'…he…he was a good ol' boy…" He started to say more but choked on his words as Flash bellowed her agreement in a sad mournful bark. "I know darlin'…I know…" Hugging his hound close to him the sheriff sat back down.

Luke swallowed as he listened to the goings on from the other side of his door. He wanted to get away from all of it…far away…

"Bo was more than my cousin," began Daisy softly. "He…he was my baby brother…my…my friend…I… I… I can't do this…" Turning to the person nearest her, which happened to be Enos, she lost her battle with her tears. Poor Enos didn't know quite what to do, but being the gentleman he was he simply held her, rubbing her back gently.

Luke could take no more. Opening the door, he pushed his way past the crowd.

"Luke?" called Jesse watching as his nephew swung open the front door and fumbled his way outside.

Luke could feel himself shaking all over. He had to get away…get away and think…and then he saw it.

The General Lee.

It was as much a part of Bo as anything on the farm. Taking the nearest weapon he could get his hands on, which happened to be a broken rake handle, he took it and started wailing on the General as hard as he could, tears starting to pour from his eyes. "Why?! Damn it why?! Why Bo?! Why?!" He was just about to break the windshield when he felt two strong arms take hold of him in a bear hug.

"That won't bring him back son…" said Jesse quietly.

Luke dropped the handle and sank to his knees, tears flowing from his deep blue eyes.

"Luke…Luke…" began Jesse rocking the distraught boy in his arms.

"He's gone…"

Jesse nodded, hugging him closer still.

"Bo… my Bo….he's gone…oh God Jesse… he's gone!" blurted out Luke through his tears as he clung to his uncle.

Jesse held him gently. He had known this would happen eventually, though now that it had, he wasn't sure what to do. "C'mon…let's get ya inside." Gently, he helped Luke stand wishing he could just carry him like he did when he was a boy. Instead, he kept one arm around him and led him to his room.

"What say we move out to the barn….give Luke some quiet?" suggested Cooter, knowing that hearing people talk about Bo might just make things worse for his friend right now.

As the crowd left the house, Jesse gently led Luke to his bed. "Here…lay yerself down Luke…ya need some rest an'…"

"Just go…I wanna be alone…"

"Luke, I…"

"Please…just let me be…"

Jesse sighed and nodded, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Luke waited until the door was closed before making his way over to Bo's bed. Taking his pillow he buried his face in it realizing it still had the smell of Bo's cologne on it. Swallowing hard he curled up in a fetal position on the bed, hugging the pillow close to him. "Bo….oh God Bo…."

Jesse slipped into the room a short time later, swallowing to see Luke on Bo's bed holding his pillow tight. "I brung ya some vittles…in case ya get hungry later…" He brushed his hand gently across Luke's dark curls before leaving the room again.

Luke wouldn't answer. He just continued to lie still, breathing in Bo's scent as the tears continued to fall from his eyes. He didn't move to eat. If he ate, he would live, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Ya know, if this gets much sadder I'm gonna cry myself.