"It's over…we got him…"

Bo's voice sounded loud, even to himself against the stillness of the room though he spoke only in a hushed whisper. "You hear me Luke? It's finally over…"

Did I just hear what I think I heard?

Bo let out a quivering sigh as he once more took hold of the pale, clammy hand that rested on the bed beside him. There was no denying that the man in front of him was in bad shape. He lay unconscious, a breathing tube snaking out his mouth, IVs in his arms, dark hair damp against his forehead, the remnants of a feverish sleep. One look at the man's face before him showed that he was in significant pain. It also revealed something else…Luke Duke was not dead.

Now friends…you have just witnessed a good ol' shuck-n-jive.

"Bet you didn't think it'd work, didja? Well, that's okay…I wasn't so sure either…"

And that was the truth. He had taken a risk…a big risk…but it had worked. Luke was safe…not out of the woods by any means, but safe.

It usually was Luke who came up with the plans, Bo just going along, doing what he was told, trusting his older cousin the way everyone did. Luke truly had a gift when it came to planning and scheming, and more often than not every plan would work just like Luke figured it would.

Bo had learned a thing or two from his cousin.

His plan had formulated simply enough. Bo reasoned that if Luke did see the face of whoever had been at the bottom of this, that person would stop at nothing to make sure the witness never made it to the stand. He knew he couldn't watch over his cousin 24/7 and the fact that anyone dressed in a doctor uniform or as a nurse could come at anytime and take Luke from him unnerved him, so much so that he reasoned the best way to keep Luke safe would be to kill him.

It wasn't easy… and he supposed he would have to go to church for a month of Sundays in order to be forgiven for all the lies he'd had to tell, not only to the friends in Hazzard, but to Jesse and Daisy as well.

"I guess I'll be eatin' from the mantelpiece for a spell," he smiled softly. "But you're here…it worked."

Timing was everything.

That was one of the lessons that Luke had taught him on those long dog-days of summer when both shirtless men would be bent over the engine of the General Lee. "The timing's what we gotta get right, Bo…" Luke would say. "If the timing's off, it's all gonna be off."

Bo reckoned that what was true for the car must be true for the owner. The timing in this ruse would matter the most… if he acted too quick, or not quick enough, all would be lost…including Luke.

"That doc sure thought I was off my rocker…" said Bo with a small laugh remembering the incredulous look the doc had given him when Bo voiced that he wanted Luke taken off the machines for five minutes.

"Sir…if you take him off for that length of time his body may not be able to handle it…"

"If I don't they'll kill him!"

The doctor had shook his head. "Sir, 5 minutes may not seem long to you, but if he can't breathe on his own it is long enough for him to die…"

"He will…"

"Sir…."

"He will!"

As he did with most things, Bo won out in the end.

"Uncle Jesse…an' Daisy miss you…they're gonna come as soon as I tell 'em…I just….wanted to tell ya first…tell ya myself," explained Bo his hand raking through his cousin's dark curls. "I hated lyin' to 'em like that…but….I just didn't see no other way Luke…I had t' do somethin'…. An' I couldn't go after him an' watch over you too," he explained large tears welling in his eyes.

"Luke, will you wake up…please…" he choked. "It's safe now…just open them blue eyes of yours cousin…"

Luke didn't respond.

"You're stronger than this Luke…you proved it when I took ya off that machine…you don't wanna die yet…you ain't ready…I know you ain't….just…just wake up an' show 'em, Luke," he pleaded massaging his cousin's knuckles gently.

Bo sighed hard, leaning over and kissing his cousin's temple softly. "I know…I'm not patient enough," he said with a sigh. "You take all the time you need to come back to me Lukas…just…make sure you come back," he added softly laying his cousin's hand down gently before picking up the phone in the room.

"Wish me luck," he said as he dialed the Duke farm having a feeling that by the time Jesse got through with him, the next wake might be his own.

"WHERE IN TARNATION HAVE YOU BEEN?!" boomed the patriarch, so loudly that Bo had to hold the receiver away from his ear. "Cooter called…couldn't find ya nowhere… I was just about t' come lookin'…."

"I'm fine…listen get Daisy on another line will ya…I got somethin' t' tell ya…."

"Tell us?"

"Uncle Jesse please…it's important…"

Jesse frowned but nodded calling out, "Daisy….Bo says he's got somethin' important t' tell us….wants ya t' pick up the phone in yer room so's he can tell us together." He raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "You ain't in the poky are ya?"

"No, sir," reassured Bo, though he privately thought that having some steel bars between his hind end and Jesse might not be a bad idea.

"I'm here now…." said Daisy from her line.

"Good…" began Bo, wetting his lips trying to figure the best way to say what he had to say.

"Well? What is it you got to tell us together, that was so all-fire important you hid away who knows where for the past hour instead of bein' seen to by a doc?" demanded Jesse.

Bo wasn't surprised. Jesse did the same thing he always did when he thought trouble was looming-point out the obvious wrong-doings in order to cast doubt in the sinner, and stack the cards in his favor.

Swallowing, he took a deep breath. "You….you're…gonna be real mad at me….m-might even hate me…"

"We would never hate you sugar," chimed in sweet Daisy.

Bo sure wished he could believe that. "See…thing is…" He swallowed hard shifting on his feet. "I lied…to ya both…"

"Bout what?" asked Jesse, a sterness in his voice that made Bo quake in his boots.

"Luke," answered Bo softly.

Daisy bit her lip. "Wh-what about Luke?"

"He…he ain't dead…."

"What…."

"He ain't dead, Uncle Jesse," repeated Bo a small tremble in his voice. "He's right here…beside me."

"WHAT?!"

"But…I saw him…he…" began Daisy, wanting to believe him.

"I had the docs take him off the machine…t' play up his death…so he'd be safe...he was off the machines for 5 minutes…tops…."

"You tellin' me that…you been lyin'….all this time….that…Luke…..is alive?!" yelled the patriarch.

"Yes sir Uncle Jesse….that's….what I'm sayin'."

A choke sounded from over the earpiece as Daisy put her hand over her mouth. Her big brother was alive.

"Lord have mercy," mumbled Jesse. "We's on our way…you stay put, ya hear?!"

Bo knew better than to say anything but "yes sir" at the moment. He knew that he was still likely going to get an earful from Jesse just as soon as the patriarch reached the hospital. He hung up the phone, sitting a bit more firmly in his chair beside Luke, hoping that come tomorrow he still would have a hind end to sit on.

What can I say…it is the time of year for miracles….please be kind and leave a review-Jordyn