We've All Got To Grow Up Sometime

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"Well, TJ gets it from somewhere...guess we could just blame Sammy....sides...she ain't here t' say any diff'rent..." suggested Luke.

[BoJamesDuke]

"Sammy couldn't ever be a bad influence and you know it...in fact the way you acted t'day when you snuck up on her, I'd say your the bad influence for the first time in yer life..."

Bo remarked with a smirk back.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"Me?! I was just havin' fun! Ain't my fault she's ornery..." retorted Luke. "No wonder you two make such a good couple."

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo shrugged a little with a smile.

"I dont care what the reason is, as long as we're together..."

Sighing a little he turned his attention back to Cassie.

"Sorry Cassie, I was supposed t'be talking to you not arguin with the likes of him. We do that on a regular basis, no reason everyone else should have to suffer it. So what you been doing while we been gone...you and Enos seem pretty...cosy..."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke too drew his attention back to Cassie. He felt a bit awkward as Bo asked about her and Enos, not because he was interested in Cassie- as far as he was concerned he didn't intend to ever love again, but everyone knew that Enos's heart belonged to Daisy...at least...it had the last time Luke knew about it.

[runningwild]

The playful arguing between Bo and Luke had painted a bright smile on Cassie's face. She loved hearing and didn't realize she had missed it. The days when they could just stand around and talk were presumed long gone for them. Fortunately, the presumption was wrong and they were able to do it today.

Bo's question caused Cassie's face to pinken, then when Luke's attention followed, she seemed embarrassed. "Cozy? Bo Duke, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

A rich giggle escaped her lips, "Come on Boys. Enos and I are just friends. We've spent ten years or more together in LA. It's always felt good having someone from home to spend time with."

She paused, "My heart ain't suppose to belong to no man of Hazzard. And, I ain't sure no man from Hazzard's heart can take any stompin' that I could do on it."

Of course, her attention was on Luke. Offering him a smile, she side stepped closer to him and slide her arm around him. All she could offer him was a friendly squeeze, before stepping away again. But, she savored the moment for a little more than it was worth.

"I was only kidding, Luke. Poor joke I guess," she spoke with a half smile now.

Turning her attention back to Bo, she answered his question, "We're just friends. Maybe a little close than we should be sometimes, but I know in his heart he's still waiting on Daisy. I just want Enos to be happy just like any of the rest of ya."

A beat had past, before Cassie spoke again. "Plus, I suppose there isn't a man in the world that would want to take Miss Los Angeles with Miz Hazzard County." For a moment, she hid her southern accent until she spoke the words 'Miz Hazzard County'.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

The hug caught Luke off guard. His eyes quickly sought out Bo, as they tended to do when he thought of Sara. He hadn't felt a woman's arm around him since Sara... except for Daisy and Sammy. It made him uncomfortable to say the least, though to Cassie he said only, "You're fine." It wasn't fine though...as the look in his eyes told Bo. He knew it wasn't the time to dwell on it...he was here for a celebration...but deep down, in his soul, he longed for his wife.

Abi broke his thoughts. "Daddy! Daddy! Look what I brung ya!"

"S'not another frog is it?"

Abi giggled. "No!" She handed him a rock. "Ain't it pretty? Put it in yer pocket Daddy," she ordered.

Luke did as told, with a smile.

[runningwild]

The hug that Cassie had given to Luke had maybe meant a small piece of the world to her, but her intentions were only friendly. A part of her realized that her action had been mildly inappropriate, and yet she still smiled as the little girl approached.

"You know Luke, I was so happy for you when Enos told me that you had a child," she let her eyes move from Abi to Luke.

She hadn't known much about the child nor Luke's wife, but she liked it that way. There was no reason to know too much about his life.

"I only wish I could produce a child with such a head of hair," she exclaimed. "I figured ya'll would still be running wild, while I settled down. It's funny how things work out."

Cassie hadn't thought a lot about Luke since she last saw him, which was a good while ago. Seeing him hadn't drowned her in sorrow nor did it Luke either, but she did find it nice to see a familiar face. After all she'd been through with Bo, she was even glad to see him; she was just glad to see them happy.

Noticing out of the corner of her eye, Cassie saw that Luke's collar was sticking up. Reaching up with her hand, she went to fix it, but froze once she realized what she was doing. "Ah, sorry about that, Luke. I just noticed your collar was up in the back a little."

She pulled back her hand a little, "Luke Duke is off limits," she joked. "I will apologize for the hug also, Mr. Duke. I believe it is from old habit and a time where fond memories could more easily be recalled."

Grinning, she spoke once more, "I guess my ol' hands haven't touched much besides a sewing machine in years."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke nodded slightly at the apology. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and he was feeling queazy. He swallowed hard but did his best to make light of it. After all, she didn't know about Sara the way most Hazzard girls did. He didn't know if she was making a play on him or not. He quickly changed the subject back to his daughter. "She's the love of my life," he said without hesitation as Abi started trotting too and fro, first with a dandelion, next with a catepillar...anything the nature-loving girl found of interest she brought to her daddy. "Hold on there youngin...my pockets are all full..." he said stroking her dark curls tenderly. "Why don'tcha go back this little guy back where ya found him."

"I don' wanna!!!!!"

"Abi..."

"I don' wanna! I like him!"

"Abi! NOW!"

Abi stalked away muttering under her breath.

"My hair and Bo's temper," he quipped.

[runningwild]

Cassie simply smile, "She's just darling Luke. I'm proud of you. That sure is a beauty to bring into the world."

Figuring that she may have been making things somewhat awkward, she changed the subject momentarily. "Is Daisy comin'?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo kept catching the look that Luke was giving him and sighed a little, knowing Cassie was just trying to be friendly....she didn't realize the kind of effect she was having on Luke. Smiling reassuringly to his cousin, he let them talk but couldn't bring himself to step in between them...Luke hadn't talked properly with any woman besides Sammy and Daisy since Sara's passing and it was about time he got back into the social scene again. He knew it would take some time of course, all these kind of things did, and he would be there for Luke no matter what happened...he would talk with his cousin later and possibly if he agreed to it, explain to Cassie what had happened to Sara.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"Thanks...she is darling," agreed Luke softly. "Uh...she didn't know for sure if she was or not...school's been...keepin her busy...she said she'd try though...she misses everyone..." he added as an afterthought.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded gently.

"I spoke t'Daisy a couple of days ago and as far as she knew it was okay for her to come down...though things might have changed by now who knows..."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"Hope she does...been too long...since we was all together..." said Luke softly.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded a little in agreement with a small smile, it may have been a fairly long time since they had been together but the small amount of times that they got to were as great as always.

[runningwild]

Bo reassuring news that Daisy might be coming excited Cassie. Yet, she was still a bit caught up on why Luke seemed so timid, when he spoke to her. Actually, she just figured it was because of their history and noted not to try so hard to be overly friendly. For both of them now, unfortunately, there were boundaries.

"Well I do hope she comes. I know it would make Enos so happy," she smiled sweetly. "He misses her something awful. I'm telling you he'd stay over late at night just talking about her quite often. As the years have past, he doesn't so much anymore, but I know he thinks about her all the time."

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded a little with a small sigh.

"Enos has always been after Daisy since he was a kid an' honestly...I dont know if that'll ever change...their lives just keep em seperated is all bit with Daisy completin' her degree soon maybe that'll change..."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke nodded a little. "She thinks about him too..." began Luke when a scream made him jerk to see his baby girl on the ground, trying desperately not to cry having tripped over her boots and scraped her hands on the cement.

Luke was there in an instant a look of fear on his face though trying desperately to keep calm for Abi's sake. " Where's it hurt sweetheart?"

Little Abi bit her trembling lip and held out her hands, Luke taking them shakily in his hands and looking them over. His heart was thumping a mile a minute.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo bit his lip, giving a hurried 'I'll be right back' before jogging over to where Luke and Abi were, knowing more than anything he needed to keep Luke calm so that Abi didn't get over worried. Kneeling down to Abi's level, he looked over the little girls hands too, squinting as he looked them over and giving a hmmm...and some uh huhs before putting on a funny posh voice.

"Alright then...well what I believe we have here is a case of scraped hands...nothing serious, just a few small scrapes, do you concur Mr Duke?" He asked, looking up at Luke with a raised eyebrow, praying Luke would calm down and realize he was also directing the information to him.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"I concur," answered Luke softly. "Only one thing I know...t' cure scraped hands...."

"Wh-what?" asked Abi her lip still trembling.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo smiled and ruffled her hair softly.

"Well one is t'give em a clean with some water...then the second I believe is t'go get some chocolate ice cream ain't it Luke?"

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"That'd be it...c.mon munchkin, I'll give ya a piggy-back ride to the faucet over there."

Abi readily hopped on, tears still welling in her eyes, but refusing to cry, so like her daddy.

Luke walked her quickly over, starting to wash her hands gently and tenderly, taking the time to calm down. "Only some scrapes...only some scrapes," he repeated softly to himself.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo followed him, helping to treat Abi like she was a big deal, softly helping to clean one hand while Luke cleaned the other before looking them over again.

"Well there we go, near as good as new. There aint really anythin there when ya look...was just mainly a lot of dirt now ya see..."

[runningwild]

Cassie had walked a little closer to them from behind, but kept her distance. Her motherly instincts wanted to make sure that the little girl was okay. Overhearing their remedy, she chimed in softly.

"I could take her for some ice cream, if she wants, and if it's okay you Luke. You two have been standing around like to knots on a log, and I ain't seen ya do nothing to help ol' Rosco." She grinned, "I've already hung balloons. I think I'll call it a day."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"Uh...yeah...c'mon Bo...let's go get Abi some ice cream..." he said making sure to include Bo, and not quite willing to let Abi out of his sight.

"Yay!" squeeled Abi. "Can I have sprinkles?"

"You was so brave, I think you deserve sprinkles and whipped cream AND a cherry."