Sorry it took so long to get the next chappie up. I've been on the go so much...even got to talk a bunch to Tom Wopat which was great for me, but not for the chapter as he was too distracting for me to think about much else... anyway, hope it was worth the wait.

-Jordyn

"How's Luke doin'?" asked Cooter as he leaned against the sink drinking a cup of steaming coffee a few weeks later.

Daisy sighed. "Not so good. All he does anymore is barricade himself in his room or work himself t death…he won't talk about it…"

Cooter nodded his understanding, though he could not say that he was surprised. The bond between the two cousins had been a close one. Luke and Bo had been inseparable. As close as any two brothers were. Everyone in Hazzard knew that Luke would be lost without Bo.

"So where's he at?" asked Cooter as he rinsed his now empty cup and put it in the sink.

"Probably in the barn. Cooter…Cooter I'm worried. I mean there ain't a day goes by that I don't think about Bo, but…Luke he…he just don't wanna live anymore Cooter… he's just going through the motions, ya know?"

Cooter nodded. "Want me t' see if he'll talk t' me?"

"Would you?" she asked hopefully, taking his hand. "Uncle Jesse and I tried but… he always finds something that has t' be done and leaves. It's come t' the point where we don't even mention Bo's name anymore…like it's a dirty word or something…an' it shouldn't be that way Cooter…it shouldn't!" She hid her face in her hands crying. "I'm sorry Cooter… I just…"

"S'alrigt Darlin'," answered Cooter, encircling Daisy in his arms. "You an' Uncle Jesse been holdin the family together since it happened…s'bound t' wear on ya."

"Cooter, I'm so tired…" confessed Daisy as hot tears streaked down her cheeks.

The mechanic took her gently by the shoulders and led her to her room. "Now ya listen here…I'm gonna take care of everythin'…andfirst thing yer gonna do is get some rest."

"Rest? I can't rest! There's so much t' do… laundry an' dishes an'…"

"All that can wait," interrupted Cooter with gentle firmness. "Ya ain't gonna be no good t' no one if ya run yaself ragged, Daisy…ya need some rest."

She sighed, knowing that he was right.

"Go on," Cooter urged her. "Get some sleep. When ya wake up I'll have some of my Davenport surprise on the table waitin' fer ya."

Daisy couldn't help but smile a little, thinking it would be a surprise if Cooter was able to make anything edible, as she stepped into her room, shutting the door behind her. She was too tired to think much about it and her thoughts of the true meaning behind Davenport surprise were replaced with gentle prayers for one cousin and lonesome tears for another.

Satisfied that Daisy was taken care of for the time being, Cooter next went to the barn, daring to hope he could help Luke just as easily.

Chore time had never been a quiet event at the Duke farm. As a rule, the barn would be filled with lively banter between the two boys, ending, as usual, with a jab about Bo's hair or a witty comment about Luke's old age along with a wrestling match in the hay.

Today there was no sound save for the bleating of the goat and Maudine quietly eating her feed and the soft sounds of Luke stacking hay in a corner.

"Hey there Lukas Dukas, " began Cooter, his voice sounding loud in the silence of the barn. "Need any help?"

"No thanks."

"You sure?"

"I got it."

"Buddy, I'll be glad t'…"

"No!" snapped Luke. "Look I said I got it and I got it!"

Cooter frowned. Luke was hurting… bad. He debated whether to ignore Luke's request and start helping him anyway or just going back inside to make dinner as he promised Daisy when Luke made the decision for him.

"Look Cooter, I didn't mean t' snap atcha but ain't nothin' ya can do..ain't nothing anyone can do…" added Luke quietly.

"We're worried 'bout ya Lukas," began Cooter, putting a hand on the dark-haired Duke's shoulder.

Luke stopped what he was doing for a minute. "Look, I know I been workin' a lot….but I hafta…if I don't…"

"Ya think 'bout him."

Luke nodded. "I can't let myself do that Cooter… it hurts too much."

Cooter put a hand on his other shoulder, forcing Luke's eyes to meet his. "Luke…not thinkin' bout him ain't gonna make his memory go away…"

"No," agreed Luke, the pain evident in his voice. "But it'll stop the hurt. That's all I want…I just want it to stop…"

"I know buddy," answered Cooter in a choked whisper, drawing Luke into a brotherly hug. "I know."

Luke did not come in until well after dinner time. Daisy sat on Jesse's lap, head on his shoulder, looking as the patriarch flipped slowly through a photo album.

Helping himself to a plate of food that had been keeping warm on the stove for him, Luke poured himself a tall glass of milk and sat down to eat, his eyes happening to glance at the headline of the unfolded paper laying before him.

John Doe Still Comatose

Swallowing, Luke took a bite of his stew and picking up the paper began to read, his heart beating faster and faster with each word he read.

"Uncle Jesse! Daisy!" exclaimed Luke rushing over to them and dropping the paper in their surprised laps, this having been the most interested in anything Luke had been since before Bo had passed.

"What is it son…." Jesse started reading the article and frowned nodding. "Yeah…I read about this…that poor boy."

"Uncle Jesse….it's Bo!"

Jesse's face paled as Daisy started to cry again. "Son…yer chasin' rainbows… Bo…Bo's gone son…we been over this…" he added rubbing Daisy's back gently.

"But Uncle Jesse…he was found a few days after Bo disappeared, blond hair, blue eyes..."

"Luke there are lots of blue-eyed blondes…"

"He had no ID… Bo's ID was never found…"

Jesse sighed. "Son, they'd take fingerprints…"

Luke shook his head. "Says here his body was too badly burned, including his fingers…He coulda been in that car…he coulda…."

"Luke if that's Bo, an' I'm sayin' if, why didn't they tell call us sooner…"

"Jesse, they's searchin the missin' person's reports… we never filed one on Bo…"

"Now Luke, ya listen here…" began the patriarch. "We all want that t' be true, as much as ya do, but…"

"But nothin'…" snapped Luke, grabbing his jacket. "It's Bo…. I know it's Bo…"

"Son, I ain't lettin' ya go there only t' have ya come back, worse than before…ya ain't got my permission t' do that Luke…" said Jesse firmly.

Luke looked at him, determinedly. "That's fine… cuz I ain't askin' fer yer permission." Grabbing the keys off the table he jumped into the truck and took off as if death itself was knocking at his door.

Okay, you all know what to do if you want more...