Author Note: Hello once again, dear readers! This story incorporates one of my favorite tropes (amnesia), though my aim is to portray it realistically (not the old 'bonked on the head' nyuk! nyuk! variety). This story begins 2 years after the end of the series, just after Daisy has completed her first year in college (canon as per Reunion movie #1). Lord willing, this story will not be 250,000 words long (insert that cringing smiley-face emoji here).
All poetry which says "the author" is my own property. Enjoy, but play nice and if you like it, drop me a line of encouragement.
Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time...
"I met a thief along the road,
his face he did not show.
He stole a priceless gift from me,
but what, I do not know."
-the author
October 1987
Beneath a sky of azure blue, the winds swept down over northern Georgia and shook the leaves of the oaks and ash which had just begun the change from green to the dying shades of winter. It was the last weekend of October and the dirt roads of Hazzard were lined with cars as families from neighboring communities made their way to the county fair and the Rattlesnake Chili Cookoff.
Daisy surveyed the crowd around the square as she pulled Dixie over to the curb, stealing a concerned glance at Uncle Jesse, and wishing her uncle was ten years younger. When she had enrolled at the University of Georgia the previous fall, she'd been naive to think that everything would stay the same. Time, however, had a way of getting past her. There always seemed to be a test to study for, or a project to finish, or a friend who needed a tutor. The weeks had turned to months before she had been able to come come and visit.
The separation made the changes in Uncle Jesse stand out like a sore thumb. He seemed less sure of himself, more unsteady. Only last week, he'd fallen on the porch steps and banged his knee - just tripped on a pine cone, he had assured her. Doc Appleby had checked him over and cleared him of anything worse than a bruise and damaged pride, but Daisy worried all the same.
"Uncle Jesse, are you sure you don't want me to stay? I'm just going to Capital City for some groceries. I can put that off until the boys get here."
He turned and smiled, happiness filling the soft crinkles around his eyes. "No baby," he said, patting her shoulder. "You go on. I'll be just fine here by myself."
He picked up the heavy stock pot from where it rested on the floor between his feet, and an aroma of spice and gamey meat came with it. "I'm gonna take this chili over to the judging tent, and then head down to the craft barn to see the art projects from the kids from the orphanage."
"It was so nice of Doc Appelby to buy all those supplies for them!" Orphans had a way of worming themselves into her heart. After all, she and the boys had a lot in common with them. "Alright then, I'll go... if you're sure you'll be okay."
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured her. "You go on. You ain't been over to Capital City since last Christmas, and they've put a fresh coat of paint on the main street buildings. Looks real nice."
She watched him maneuver out of the Jeep, wincing when he faltered and then adjusted his grip on the door frame. Once safely out, he turned back to take the pot. He smiled and lifted the chili in farewell as she drove away and turned her attention back to the road with a troubled sigh.
She was cutting south towards Highway 20 towards the farm, listening to the radio and thinking that she should have checked the bulletin board at school for used textbooks before she left, when she spied the white fender of Cletus' patrol car hidden behind a group of scrub trees. While Cletus would have no scruples about pulling her over, the day had grown warm and being after lunch, chances were good he was asleep.
She pulled off the road, the gravel crunching softly beneath the wheels of Dixie, and hopped out. True to form, the deputy's head lolled on the frame of the open window. Manuvering herself through the scrub brush on the driver's side of the car, she leaned down next to his ear and yelled his name. Startled awake, the deputy's head smacked the top of the door and knocked his hat askew across his eyes. By the time he'd righted it, she'd moved back out of his sight.
"Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!" he whispered to himself, as he climbed out of the car and peered up the empty road. "I gotta stop eating them pickled turnips Lulu gave me."
The rustling of the bushes where Daisy was hiding only made him flinch again. "Cletus," she laughed, putting him out of his misery. "You'll never catch a speeder, sleeping out here like that!"
"Daisy!" He spun around, blushing happily, and adjusted the belt under his generous belly. "You caught me," he confessed. "I was napping. When didja get back to Hazzard?"
"Yesterday." She gave him a once-over, contenting herself with the knowledge that some things hadn't changed. "I'm sorry, Cletus. I just had to sneak up on you once for old time's sake."
"Shucks, Daisy," he said shyly, looking down, "you can sneak up on me anytime you like!"
Poor Cletus. She suspected he would always think that she was just playing hard to get. "Oh Cletus, you're so sweet." She thought about kissing his cheek then decided against it.
He brushed away her praise. "So, how's school going? Your Uncle Jesse says you're at the top of your class."
Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. She had done well, but telling people felt too much like bragging. "I didn't do too bad," she admitted. "I can't believe my first year has already passed."
Cletus' radio crackled to life. "Cletus? Cletus, come back. This is you're commanding officer!"
"I'd better get that, or Rosco'll think I was sleeping again."
"It was great to see you, sugar." She stepped forward and gave him a quick hug, inundated by the smell of breath mints and sweat.
"Cletus, you'd better not be sleeping again, you numbskull, or I'm gonna make you official judge of the rattlesnake chili cookoff this year!"
Cletus blanched. "I'd better get that."
"Bye, Cletus. Tell Lulu I said 'hi'."
"I will, Daisy!" He waved as she turned to leave.
Capital City had not changed drastically. The city was three times larger than Hazzard and had suffered from corrupt mayors for decades; long enough to drain its treasury dry and drive all the good jobs away. The post office, courthouse, and library each sported a fresh coat of white paint, though the roof of the post office sagged at both corners.
Like a clown's frown, she thought, then rolled her eyes at herself. "You have been studying way too hard, Daisy Duke." Studying kept her from thinking of things better left un-thought about, though, and she knew it.
She swiped at a drop of Uncle Jesse's rattlesnake chili where it had dripped onto the passenger's seat. Speaking of past snakes, she wondered where her ex-husband had slithered off to these days. Two years after their divorce, her naivety still amazed her, and she vowed, as she had vowed to herself a hundred times since he'd run off, that she would never, ever, let herself be suckered into falling in love again.
Last summer, on what should have been the evening of their first anniversary, she realized that something had to change. She was thirty-two years old, too old to go waiting on prince charming to come and sweep her off her feet, and if she stayed in Hazzard pouring beer at the Boar's Nest, she was going to turn into a bitter, old woman some day.
Better to be an old woman with a college degree and a career.
Bo, Luke, and Uncle Jesse had enthusiastic when she had floated the idea of going to college. She suspected they knew as well as she did that there was nothing left for her in Hazzard.
Thinking of Hazzard and the past brought him to mind, and she instantly scrubbed out that line of thinking. She'd cry, and there were better things to do than get caught up in self pity. After all, she had tried to apologize, and it wasn't her fault that he wouldn't return her calls or that all her letters came back stamped 'UNDELIVERABLE'. She turned up the radio as Patsy Cline lamented about pyramids and tropic isles.
Two hours later, her grocery shopping was finished and she headed back home. She had just crossed the county line when the call of 'Lost Sheep to Shepherd' came over the CB.
She picked it up. "Lost Sheep, this is Bo Peep. Uncle Jesse's over at the fair. Is there something I can help you fellas with?"
"Sure can, Daisy," said Bo. "Meet us at the Old Mill down Eagle Bluff Road in ten minutes."
"I'll be there with bells on," she said, grateful for a distraction. Maybe Rosco had thought up some scheme against them for old times sake. Since Boss Hogg had passed away, he still trumped up charges against Bo and Luke on occasion. Mostly when there was nothing else to do.
The General Lee was already parked outside the mill by the time she arrived and Hazzard #1 sat beside it. She grinned, thinking that something interesting must be going on for Rosco to be on their side today.
The wooden door hung off one hinge, and scraped the dirt as she pulled it open. Inside, Bo, Luke, and Rosco were hunkered over a folding map of Hazzard County which lay stretched across a crate.
"Hey fellas, what's going on?"
Luke looked up at her. "It seems some of Boss's old friends came by and robbed the Boar's Nest."
"Ouuu geet!" exclaimed Rosco, the fringe of his gaudy epaulets bouncing as he shook his fist. "When I get my hands on those dirty crooks, I'm gonna cuff 'em and stuff 'em!"
"Thing is," said Bo, "Rosco changed the combination since Boss used it, so they cut a hole in the ceiling and lowered a tow truck crane in and took the whole dang safe instead!"
"They haven't left the county, yet," said Luke, "so there's still time to catch them. Arthur Sills says they're holed up at the old Dickerson place just north of Partridge Farm." He stabbed his finger at the map. "I figure if we all show up at the same time, it'll be easy to flush them out. Maybe they'll give up without a fight."
Partridge Farm was northeast of the Duke Farm, almost to Hollister, in an area Daisy wasn't very familiar with. "That's way up there, Luke," she said. "I hope you fellas know where you're going, 'cause I sure don't!"
Luke nodded. "If we get split up, you follow Rosco. We'll meet again back at the Boar's Nest if we don't catch them."
"Sounds good, Luke."
He folded the map and put it in his pocket as they left the mill; Bo and Luke in the lead, followed by Daisy and then Rosco bringing up the rear. The dust flew back from the tires of the General Lee, spraying grit in Daisy's mouth, and she dropped back far enough to keep it out of her eyes.
As they passed the turn off to Partridge Farm, a blue sedan cut across their path, barely missing the General, and sped off down Ridgerunner Road to their left.
"That's one of 'em!" shouted Rosco over the radio. "I seen him playing lookout at the Boar's Nest!"
"Daisy, you and Rosco follow that sedan," said Luke. "Me and Bo will keep going to the Dickerson Place."
"I read you loud and clear, Luke."
"That's a 10-4," said Rosco.
Daisy cut the wheel, sending Dixie's rear tires sliding around in a hail of gravel until she faced Ridgerunner Road, then took off with Rosco following close behind her. From her rear view mirror, she noticed him weaving crazily from one side of her to the other and wondered what on God's green earth he was doing.
"Daisy, wouldja get outta the way?" he spat over the radio. "I'm the superior officer here, and I'm gonna take the lead!"
She picked up the receiver. "No way, Rosco! I don't want a mouthful of dust. Don't worry, I'll let you 'cuff and stuff' them when I catch them."
Catching them would be easy, but she worried that stopping them might be nigh impossible. A steep ridge bordered the road to her right and a cavernous ravine fell off to her left. She wouldn't be able to get beside their car, and she didn't want to bump them and cause either of them to lose control. Ridgerunner Road had claimed the lives of scores of bootleggers and drunken teenagers, and once you flipped your car over the side, you could pretty well start trying on robes and halos.
The billowing dust blinded her as she closed in on the sedan, and there was a hairy moment when the Jeep fishtailed and the tires slipped on loose gravel at the edge of the road. The steering wheel shuddered in her hands before the wheels caught traction again, and she glanced to her left at the steep drop off. At last, the dirt road turned into blacktop, and she breathed a sigh of relief as the dust cleared and Dixie's tires grabbed the pavement.
Ahead, the ravine grew shallow and the afternoon sunlight flickered like a million candles off the surface of Crockett's Pond.
She heard Rosco shout a warning over the CB at the same time she saw the man in the back seat swing a gun out the driver's side window.
Glass chips grazed her cheek and she squeezed her eyes shut as two white circles appeared in the passenger's side window. She slammed on the brakes, praying Rosco wouldn't rear end her, and the sound of the third shot was lost in the chaos as the Jeep's left front tire exploded.
The steering wheel jerked violently out of her hands as the left side of the front axle smashed into the road, and then came a sickening feel of weightlessness as the CJ-7 flipped.
Time moved in slow motion around her, held aloft upside down as the ground became her sky. Long enough for her to whisper a prayer for her family and wonder how they would find Enos to tell him she was-
