BoJamesDuke

Bo became a little worried as Luke sat down, still not liking how close Luke was to the edge...nor the fact that Luke thought he was going crazy which would only encourage him to jump to his death. "Luke....you ain't losin' yer mind....s'really me...."

The figure smiled gently and blew a small laugh down his nose, stepping forward a little way. "What's a matter? You...uh...look like you seen a ghost...."

The figure followed him all the way to that peak, and the fear that he felt grew and grew as Luke walked closer and closer to the edge. He didn't need Luke to speak what he was thinking, he knew only too well what he was planning and he didn't have a doubt that once Luke stopped thinking about it properly, too overwhelmed by his sorrow and pent up grief to think straight, he would step right over the edge. He stepped out from the shadows behidn Luke and said softly. "Don't do it Luke...."

Jesse and Daisy both looked up from their breakfasts and over to the phone before looking back at each other worridly. The only calls they ever got during breakfast was if something bad had happened.....and with Luke in a 4 year coma showing no signs of ever waking up....they immidiatly feared the worst. Jesse rose, noting for the 4th time that morning that his big toe was hurting....which only confirmed his suspisions.... "Duke Farm, Jesse Duke speaking...." Daisy listened in as Jesse fell quiet, only ever saying a couple of words like "what d'ya mean....he can't be...but how..." The one sided conversation sounded ominious in iteself and her stomach immidiatly twisted, rendering her unable to finish her breakfast. She rose from her seat and stood next to Jesse, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as he rung off the phone. "Who was it?" Jesse licked his lips, a frown creasing on his face to show his anger but Daisy could also see the fear shining in his eyes. "Uncle Jesse....what's happened is it Luke?" Jesse shook his head. "No....that was Enos....about Bo..." Daisy frowned too and let her arm slip from Jesse's shoulder to rest her hands on her hips, obviously angry after she had told Enos to keep them out of Bo's side of things, but Jesse too could see the fear leap to her beautiful eyes. "Well what did he want?" "Daisy...Bo....Bo's very very sick....he's got Cholera...."

The figure in the shadows watched quietly as the young man broke down, wanting so desperatly to step forward and comfort but he had promised not to do so unless things got really too far out of hand. Luke was usually such a stable guy, but this, this was a side no one had ever seen to him before not even his family and it scared the person watching to see him like he was, afraid that he really would do something so very foolish.....

daisy nodded and fell back against B.L, unable to stop the tears that fell from her eyes. Cooter eventually got his voice back and looked to Jesse. "How's....how's Luke and you takin' it? I know that...daisy's pretty upset..." Jesse looked over and sighed. "I'm copin' the best I can Cooter....its hard on all o'us....it's gonna be different without Bo...." Cooter nodded and rose to his feet. "You want me to go find Luke?" Cooter knew without asking that Luk would have gone walk about for a while to clear his head out but Jesse shook his head. "No....let him alone for a while...." As Luke sobbed and screamed to the sky, a pair of eyes watched from the dark shadows.....

Micheals nodded and pointed to the empty bed across the way, taking the cup from the deputy and placing it on the side. "Sure thing deputy, the phone's at the nurses station tell them I gave you permission to use it." He smiled and turned back to Bo who had now fallen back into what Enos thought was unconcciouss but the Doc smiled and shook his head. "Just asleep....this is taking a lot out of him, plus the fact he has no one except you to help him fight....any word on if his family changed their mind?" Enos shook his head sadly and whispered. "No....i told him when he kept asking for them that they couldn't come back 'till visitin' hours....I might ring 'em and tell 'em exactly what's wrong with Bo....what good it'll do is beyond me though." The doc nodded but frowned as he saw the bandages, stained red, wrapped round Bo's wrists which were unhandcuffed. "What's gone on here?!"

Bo yelped and cried out as Enos wrapped the bandages tightly, but didn't even registar that his hands had been freed such was the pain in them and the fact he was too weak to move his arms more than s few inches off the bed at any rate. Enos continued to help Bo drink the solution, pleased as he got him to finish the second cup and moving over to fetch a third when Bo's voice broke through again. "Enos....when's Luke comin'....and Jesse and Daisy.....they're comin' ain't they...." Enos swallowed slightly and crossed back to Bo, once more helping him to slowly drink the solution. "Uh...well visitin' hours are over fer them Bo....I'm allowed ta stay 'cause I'm a law officer....but I'm stayin' because I'm yer friend and I ain't gonna let ya go through this with no one here..." Bo couldn't say anything as his throat only seemed to want to respong to Enos' gentle coaxing for it to swallow the foul solution that was being tipped into his throat. He nodded slightly though and found himself jerked awake again as Enos had to shake him to keep him awake. He didn't know how much of this stuff he had to drink but if he had much more he felt like he would throw up.

Daisy just sat sobbing, every so often gasping out sentences. "I'll never see him again B.L....He's gone he's really gone....how could they do that to him, to us? I want him back B.L.....I miss him so much already....I neevr even got to say goodbye properly...tell him we loved him...none of us did...." Jesse sat with Bo for a long time, just stroking the blonde hair and looking over his youngest's still form. eventually eh leant over and placed a tender kiss to the now cool forehead and whispered "I love you son...." with that he laid Bo's hand down again and slipped from the room, just in time to hear Cooter's knock before he barged in. "Jesse, Luke?! Oh god Jesse I just heard from Daisy she's with B.l....it ain't true is it...." Jesse nodded sadly "Sorry Cooter.....but its true..." Cooter sighed and swallowed, tears forming in his own eyes. hearing Jesse say it made it all the worse.

Daisy shuddered and cuddled into B.L's hold, sobbing hysterically once more. she could always think it but saying it just got harder everytime. By this time Cooter had woken too and had run into the room to see Daisy so upset... "B.L....he's....he....he's gone....he died while we were at the race...." Cooter paled and shook his head, disbelief passing through him for just a moment before looking to B.L. and saying "I'm gone." With that he was out the door and into his wrecker, heading for the Duke Farm

Jesse watched out the window as he talked to the Undertakers as his two children went their seperate ways, knowing exactly where Daisy would go and knowing that B.L. and Cooter would help her....cooter would even come over to help as much as he could with jesse and Luke...Luke on the other hand was so unpredictable, you could never really know where he would go....well one person could....but he was gone now. As he finished on the phone, he put it down with a gentle ping. The house was too quiet now....the silence would be what would haunt the house for many many months until they all adjusted to it without the sound of Bo's laugheter or happy voice ringing through it.... with a sigh, he built up his inner courage and gently walked to...well he supposed it was Luke's room now...and pushed open the door, his heart breaking further as he saw his youngest lay still and pale underneath the bed covers, his arms on top of them lain gently by his sides, all tubes removed. He looked peaceful, free of pain and suffering....Jesse only wished as he crossed over and sat beside him, taking one cold hand in his, that Bo was alive and looked like he was. Daisy pulled up sharply at B.L's house, hammering on the door sobbing and crying out. "B.L.....B.L... Cooter, please someone open the door...."

Daisy swallowed and shook her head as Luke guided her outside. she pushed away from him again and looked despairingly at him. "Luke I can't...I need to go I need to get away from here for a while. I'm sorry Luke..." With that she turned and ran to Dixie, powering up her little jeep and driving as quickly as she could away from the farm and headed for B.L's house.

Daisy swallowed and leant into her older cousin, tears now silently slipping down her cheeks as she continued to mindlessly turn the pages until she just couldn't bare to see the pictures anymore. she didn't want to forget Bo, far from it, it was just too difficult when everything reminded her of him....when she knew that his body was still lying in his room in his bed.... She pulled away from Luke and practically jumped to her feet, heading for the door. "I gotta get out of here...." Jesse watched Amos go before picking up the telephone and phoning the undertakers....

Daisy tried to smile at the picture but she just couldn't and didn't really understand how Luke could. sure the memories she had of Bo were happy....but they were also deeply upsetting because she would never get to do these again....it had only been a couple of hours since she'd said goodbye to Bo to go to the race, everyone in pretty high spirits...she looked up at Luke and asked softly. "D'ya think Bo planned this? For him to just quietly slip away without saying a proper goodbye?" Jesse nodded but found he couldn't speak, the grief all lumped in his throat. he coughed gruffly and finally managed to just say. "Thank you....you best start....tellin' everyone....I'll ring Cooter and B.L. in a while....give the bo....Daisy and Luke some time to....calm down.....come to terms with things..."

Daisy was sobbing quietly when Luke knocked, just looking throughy pictures of the young man who would no longer be a part of future ones. she would never get to feel his arms wrap around her waist again to surprise her at the Boar's Nest...wouldn't hear his singing in the shower anymore....so many things she would never get to do again with him....so many things she would never get to say. She sniffed and called gently to Luke. "Yeah....sure..." Jesse nodded at Amos and rose to shake his hand, watching as Luke went to comfort Daisy. "S'fine Amos...thank ya fer all ya did fer Bo and....fer being there when he....passed on....means a lot to know he wasn't in pain or on his own..."

If there was ever a time he wished Bo's family was around it was now more than ever. Jesse would know how to handle this and most proberly Daisy too, but him....how could he try and help his best friend when he was so filled with fear? With a deep breath he tried to calm his nerves and think back to the small amount of medical training he had recieved in the LAPD. It was only basic stuff but he could at least use some of it. His friend needed him now, and that was all that it took to get him thinking straight. Enos set the cup on the table and let over the railings of the bed, tapping Bo's cheek firmly and saying loudly and firmly into Bo's ear. "Bo! Wake Up! C'mon Bo!" Bo groaned and whimpered again, turning his head away as his wrists fell limply back to the bed. He still mumbled his cousin's name and Enos knew he had to get Bo fully awake before another attack overtook him. "Bo listen to me buddy. I need ya to wake up....I need ya to open them eyes and talk to me...." After a few tense moments, Bo finally fluttered his eyes open and looked over to Enos, a sad dead look in his eyes that was mixed with pain and fear of what was happening. "Enos....where's Luke....where's Luke?" Enos's heart did a flip flop as Bo repeated the question, knowing that Bo's conciousness was not full, he was stil somewhat ensnared by the dream. With a shake of his head, he hated lying, he gently slipped his hand underneath Bo's neck and held his head up as he pressed the cup to Bo's lips. "He's....just gone to....uh....get the doctor's to come take a look at you.....he'll be back real soon....he said ya had to drink this though....he wanted me ta help ya..." Before Bo could say another word, he gently tipped a little of the liquid into Bo's mouth, gently massaging his throat with his thumb to encourage him to swallow. He was at least a little relieved to find that Bo's was drinking it without question and without hesitation and Enos couldn't be sure that it wasn't because he had told Bo that Luke had told him to do so.... As Bo finished the water and Enos gently eased his head back to the pillows to get another cup, he gasped slightly as he saw the small red pools underneath Bo's wrists, realising that the Doc nor him had noticed that the handcuffs had dug into the young man's wrists. With a yelp he called to one of the guards again. "You! Get these cuffs off now I need to get to these wounds and stop 'em bleeding or he's gonna bleed ta death!"

After a while of just sitting there, Jesse finally stood up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, Daisy following him with her eyes all the way. He leant on a chair for a moment, composing himself before softly announcing. "Better get started on them....arrangements....I'll call the undertaker....get them ta....come get Bo fer the wake....." Daisy sniffed again, the tears having not stopped. with a chocked sob she got up too and grabbed a couple of photo albums from the shelves that stood in the lounge and took them to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Jesse sniffed and nodded, closing his own eyes as he let the tears fall more freely for his youngest. Bo really was gone, as much as he and Daisy and Luke wished it wasn't true, he was gone and there was nothing anyone could do to change that. Silently in his head, he prayed to the lord above to take good care of the boy he felt he needed in heaven with him, the young man who had become Jesse's youngest son, Luke and Daisy's brother over the years that his short life had lasted and he prayed top Lavinia to now take care of Bo where he could not. Daisy was at least a little relieved when she heard Bo was in no pain and wasn't alone when she died. She wasn't surprised either that Bo's last words had been of Luke, and that he wanted his family to know he loved him. Even in the end, Bo was thinking about his family...as he always had done and she was sure always would do in his new life.

Jesse followed and gently steered Daist to the kitchen, sitting between the two remaining members of his family and pulling them close, letting Daisy cry into his shoulder, she not being able to control those tears as well as Luke seemed to be doing...even though Jesse was none too happy about it at all. He knew that Luke wanted to be with Bo, it would be hard to keep him away during the wake....if Luke even attended that, but right now was not a good time for him to be there. He needed to understand Bo's passing just as Daisy and himself did. He squeezed both their shoulders, tears trickling down his own cheeks as he looked to the doctor expectantly.

Bo suddenly went very still, his breathing heavy and his body rigid. His breathing quickened as the time he spent in that state increased. Enos tried desperatly to get through to Bo, speaking softly but realising it was no use, Bo couldn't hear him. Suddenly he let lose a blood curdling scream of his oldest cousin's name, and pulled his hands so sharply upwards from the side of the bed that the metal of the cuffs dug into his skin, breaking through the soft flesh and causing scarlet liquid to drip from the new wounds. Enos gasped and pinned Bo's hands firmly to the bed, hoping to stop him from hurting himself further. "Bo! C'mon buddy you have got to snap out of this....yer hurting yerself Bo....c;mon..."

Bo moaned softly in his sleep as Enos gently sponged his head and a little of his chest down. It felt good for a minute but then his skin felt like fire again just a few seconds later. He felt so ill and he was grateful that Enos was there to help him....but he so desperatly wanted his family. In his sleep he could see them, they were there waiting for him as he arrived back home, each of them with their arms outstretched to accept him back, to keep him safe...but he couldn't move his arms, they were kept locked to his sides. He cried out as the three family members then turned angry and turned away from him, walking away... In reality, Bo's wrists pulled sharply against the handcuffs attatched to his wrists keeping him locked down, digging them into his wrists a little and the soft cry didn't go unoticed by Enos to bit his lip to keep from crying as his family members names were called out heart brokenly

Jesse and Daisy's arrivial wasn't for a few minutes after but still they got there almost as quickly as Luke had done, but in his old heart and in Daisy's heart they knew really what the news was going to be. Jesse hurried through the door and was met with a pale and trembling Luke just standing in the corridor leading to Bo's room, shaking his head as he looked at the Doc. No words had been echanged between them, but Jesse knew Luke already knew what had happened. Daisy did too and quickly fell sobbing into Jesse's arms, shaking with tears racing down her cheeks. It was true, it was all over for Bo....

On the 25th August 1981....beaureguard James Duke passed away aged just 23....his last dying thoughs remained as they always had done with his family. the last thing he ever felt was the gentle squeeze of a doctor's hand, but carried with him the love of his family and the pride he had towards them. As he drew his last breath, his blue eyes softly fell closed for the last time and as he realeased, anyone could hear even though it was faint, the last words he mumbled were to his older cousin.... "Love ya Luke......" And it was with these words that Bo gave in to the Malaria that raged through him, and ceased his golden heart from beating anymore. Jesse picked up the CB hurriedly. "Doc this is Jesse....what's going on?"

Bo struggled for breath but kept fighting as he heard the commentry....he just needed that little bit longer....just to hear Luke win....eventually he smiled as he heard the announcement and felt a surge of pride in his older cousin. He knew Luke would be okay then, that Luke could do it without him. Looking over to the Doc, gasping for breaths he whispered. "Doc....tell 'em....I love 'em.....tell 'em all....I said....goodbye and that....I'm proud of luke....fer winnin'....please...."

Bo sighed happily and sank back into the pillows again, still keeping a grip on the Doc's hand. "Good....now....keep those losers at bay and skid over that finishin' line cousin... I'm gone....." with that he flipped the frequency back to hear the rest of the race....