To my faithful readers:

I'm very sorry this is so late in coming. I honestly have not forgotten you. This chapter gave me much grief, plus the new year brought with it a hospital stay for me, so I am still catching up. At any rate, I hope it was worth the wait… Jordyn

"Luke? Luke's in the barn….if yer gonna arrest him on some trumped—up charge of Boss's, ya can just git…that's the last thing the boy needs t' deal with!" answered Jesse angrily, his maternal feathers having been ruffled.

"With all due respect sir, Luke ain't in the barn…." began Enos hesitantly.

Jesse looked at him. "He ain't?"

"No sir."

"Where is he then?" asked Jesse, feeling his big toe start to ache as it always did when something was wrong.

"He's in an ambulance…headed for Tri-County."

"What?!" yelled Jesse.

"I found him on the side of the road this morning…"

"The side of the road?"

"Yes sir…" said Enos, looking down at his hat. "He was soaked t' the bone an'…"

"An' what?" interrupted Jesse knowing that Luke wouldn't have been taken to the hospital for no reason.

Enos looked at Jesse and swallowed saying softly, "It appeared to be a hit-an'-run

Uncle Jesse."

"A hit-an' -run?! You mean t' tell me…." began the old man, but not stopping for an answer, instead grabbing his hat and keys. "Enos…would you call Daisy home…an' stay with Bo 'til she gets here?"

"Yes sir."

Jesse Duke nodded his thanks and rushed out, jumping into his pick-up truck and starting the engine, breaking every speed limit on his way to Tri-County Hospital.

"For Lukas Duke?"

Jesse stood quickly. He had been in the waiting room for what seemed like eternity. "What in tarnation is going on?!" he fumed. He was at his wits end having been told that the doctor would update him on Luke's condition shortly…and that was several hours before.

"Mr. Duke, I'm Dr. Williams, your son's overseeing physician," began the doctor, assuming from the paternal look of worry on the man's face that he was the young man's father.

Jesse didn't bother to correct him. "What took ya so long?! What's happened?!"

"Mr. Duke…please… sit," said the doctor, pointing Jesse to a nearby chair.

"Sit…" repeated Jesse softly as he did as told. There were some things you know instinctively; others you learned by experience. Many a hard experience had told Jesse that being told to sit by a doc was never good. "What's going on?"

"Mr. Duke, to be frank, we don't know how he survived an impact like he encountered…"

"How…how bad?" asked Jesse, his voice cracking.

"Every rib on his right side's been broken…he has a moderate concussion and his right lung was punctured…" began the doctor, waiting for Jesse to nod before continuing. "We were able to isolate the internal bleeding and placed him on a ventilator to help with his breathing but…"

"But what?" asked Jesse slowly, his blue eyes meeting the doctor's.

The doctor sighed. "He's in a coma…I'm sorry."

Jesse sighed long and hard. "Can I see him?"

"Of course…room 133 …and feel free to talk to him…it's possible that he can hear you…"

Jesse nodded and headed down the hall, tears dripping down his cheeks, becoming invisible in the depths of his beard. He opened the door gently, but stopped at first site of his boy. "Oh Lukas…" he said softly, making his way over to him.

Everything in the room seemed a different shade of white, interrupted only by the dark hair which stuck up in unruly curls above the white bandage on Luke's forehead. The soft hiss of the ventilator was the only sound that met Jesse as he spoke his nephew's name softly.

"Luke…Luke son…your uncle Jesse's here…I'm right here."

Getting no response, he gently picked up Luke's hand. It was clammy to the touch.

Luke was deathly pale in contrast to the normal healthy tan he wore and the sight of the ventilator tube snaking out his mouth brought more tears to the old man's eyes. "My boy…" said Jesse softly.

Things had turned so bad so quick. In truth, Jesse blamed himself. He should have known better than to let him go walking at night… especially when he was already in low spirits. Sighing heavily, Jesse rubbed Luke's knuckles softly. "I'm sorry Lukas…I shoulda known somethin' weren't right that night…"

There was no answer save for the gentle hiss of the ventilator.

"Uncle Jesse!" cried Daisy as Jesse came in late that night, quite exhausted from the stress of the day. "I've been worried sick! How is he!?"

Jesse sighed, not answering at first. Instead he sat down in his favorite chair by the fire, allowing his eyes to close in silent prayer for a moment.

"Uncle Jesse?" asked Daisy worriedly.

Jesse looked to her and drew his baby girl to his lap. "We hafta be brave Daisy-girl," he said slowly.

"How…how bad…?"

Jesse looked into the sweet face of Daisy, fear evident in her misty blue eyes. "He's slipped into a coma, baby."

"Wh-wha…" choked Daisy. "No…oh God no…" With those words she hugged into her uncle, sobbing into his overalls.

Jesse just held her close rocking her in his arms.

"What'll we do?" sobbed Daisy. "Luke…our Luke…"

"He's a Duke…he'll fight," answered Jesse firmly.

Daisy swallowed and nodded, hoping and praying it would be enough.

If you'd like more, please let me know what you think! The more encouragement I get, the quicker I try to update. It really helps me a lot. Thank you!!!!