Slowly but surely the chapters they come… this was a toughie; hopefully the next one will go better…and quicker…til then, enjoy!

The days that followed were some of the longest that Jesse and Daisy could ever remember having. They took turns staying with Luke, in the hope that maybe, just maybe, one of them might be able to get through to him. But as days turned to weeks, Jesse's eldest made no improvement and the hopes of the Duke clan faded.

Bo wasn't yet aware of his cousin's fate. Daisy had tried to tell him shortly after it happened, but the conversation didn't go well…

"Bo…about Luke…"

"I don't wanna hear it Daisy…"

"Bo…"

"He's nothin' to me now…you understand me…nothin'!" yelled Bo, sitting up in bed.

This passionate response reduced Daisy to tears, so much so that she couldn't go on and ran from the room seeking out her uncle.

"He's hurtin' still…give it time…" advised the patriarch.

"Uncle Jesse…time's one thing Luke might not have…" returned Daisy with a sniff, her voice shaky.

Jesse couldn't argue with that. He simply nodded a little, drawing his niece close and hugging her softly, his eyes closed in silent prayer all the while.

A week later Daisy sat huddled in the corner of the sofa, a blanket wrapped around her, more for comfort than for warmth, gentle tears cascading down her cheeks. In her lap was one of the photo albums. As a child, she used to love to look at the pictures, somehow the photographs helping to instill the pride that came with being a Duke. She had grown up being proud of what her family did, proud of who her family was, and prouder still of the love for each other captured in every picture. The love had especially been true among the cousins.

Bo had arrived at the farm first: a 6 month old burbling bundle of dimpled sunshine on his good days, a weakened, asthma-plagued baby on his bad ones, his bad days far out-numbering the good. For Jesse and Lavinia who had never had any children of their own, caring for little Bo could be a challenge. Many was the day that Lavinia would sit in her rocking chair just holding Bo in her lap as he struggled with his breathing, tears running down her face feeling so helpless and unprepared for this new charge of hers. About a year after Bo arrived on the farm, they were still trying to figure things out when another catastrophe occurred, leaving pain, sorrow and Luke behind.

Luke had proved to be an even bigger challenge for Jesse and Lavinia than Bo. By the time he was five years old, Luke had lost everyone in his life he loved most: his baby brother in a tragic hospital fire, and shortly after, both his parents in a car crash. To make matters worse, Luke had been with his parents during the accident, and while the five- year-old had miraculously escaped with a few cuts and bruises, emotionally he had been traumatized for life.

Luke never spoke about his parents to anyone. In fact the only acknowledgement he gave that he ever had parents was the circlet of silver always adorning his left pinky- his dad's wedding band. To someone who did not know the oldest Duke boy well it might appear that his parents' death was something he had accepted and was satisfied to let stay in the past… but Luke had never been one to just accept things at face value. The tragic accident haunted him still. Daisy knew this by the nightmares Luke had followed by the days after when he was more than content to let Bo do all the driving, the thought of being behind the wheel tending to frighten him more than he ever let on. It was on these days he was the most quiet…thoughtful. And it was also on these days that Bo and Luke were pretty much inseparable.

Daisy shook her head. Bo and Luke were always together: cousins closer than brothers. Now that was gone and it seemed more and more that it would remain that way.

She looked up when the door opened and Jesse came in, taking off his red cap tiredly. This was taking its toll on the patriarch. "Any change, Uncle Jesse?"

Jesse shook his head softly, his bright blue eyes dimming with tears.

"Oh Uncle Jesse…" began Daisy going to him and hugging him close.

"He still ain't respondin' t' nothin'…s'like…he done gave up…" said Jesse sadly.

"You don't really think that…do you?" asked Daisy, her bottom lip quivering.

"I don't know, baby…I just don't know…" said Jesse with a sigh. "How's Bo doin'?"

"Seems to be doin' ok…" answered Daisy. "Nothin' new.

Bo wasn't ok, however. He was angry…frustrated…and lonesome. He missed Luke, but his pride refused to let him admit it. Besides, it wasn't as if it mattered anyway. Bo knew as well as anyone that if Luke really cared, he'd be there with him, despite his words. At the very least he would ask about him, but no… Luke had deserted him and to Bo that was unforgivable.