BoJamesDuke

Bo swallowed gently, he may have been a ghost now but...it didn't stop him from having the same old emotions he used to have either. "Luke....in a way....yeah i did wait 'till ya had all gone....because knowin' I died has done this to y'all....what would have happened if ya were there when it actually came around? I wouldn't have been able to let go no matter what anyone said because I love y'all too much....i couldn't lie there and just...pass on in front of ya....it would have been creul....I'm better of like this Luke....it don't hurt no more, I don't have no tubes of needles or health problems...s'just me like I always was except a bit more transparent...." He waited a moment before continuing. "I don't know when it's gonna quit hurtin' Luke....I'm still hurtin' a little that I's had to put all ya through this....but I guess my unfinished buisness if thats what its called is ta see ya all get through this and take care o'ya until I know you's all gonna be ok...."

Daisy and Jesse were to the Atlanta Hospital quicker than they had ever gotten there before and practically burst into the room, Daisy in tears as she gently flung her arms round her older cousin's neck at seeing his blue eyes wide open, Jesse repeating the action when she pulled away. "Luke! Oh god Luke we's thought ya were never gonna wake up!" Jesse pulled away and noticed the confusion in Luke's eyes and softly said. "Luke....ya been out fer 4 years....ya took a hard blow to the head son...." Luke frowned, he didn't care about that right now....he continued looking to the door for a moment before looking to Daisy and Jesse, saying firmly and worridly. "Bo?" Jesse instantly mistook the fear in the young man's voice for fear that Bo would be back to get him and was quick to reassure. "Luke s'alright. Bo's been put away fer a long time, he ain't gonna get ya now where he is, the state pen..." Luke's expression soon turned to one of questioning to horror...in his mind he was yelling at his Uncle, asking him why the hell Bo was there and why his Uncle had let Bo be locked up....he said now pleadingly and heartbrokenly, feeling like he was gonna cry as he could only say out one word "Bo....."

Bo watched Luke snap his eyes back open and shook his head. "Luke i'll tel ya 'afore I disappear I promise....and I know ya don't know what ya thinkin' no more....can tell from the glazed over look in yer eyes....just let it spill out cousin..."

Bo waited a moment then shook his head. "yeah you would've. You only think you woldn't now because that head o'yers is clearin' a bit....you know its the truth an' so do I...."

bo laughed and shook his head. "Luke I ain't no angel. Never have been and probably never will be.... I dunno if its even possible fer me to get up to them pearly gates now anyhow...." He did however soon turn serious again. "And don't worry 'bout Daisy, she's safe with B.L. and Jesse's with Cooter....s'only you who had no one....so yer the one I came after....so don't you go givin' me this whole I'm fine m'larky....yer not fine or ya wouldn't be considerin' hurtlin' yerself off a cliff...."

Luckily Luke hadn't woken too far from the hourly checks that the nurses made on him, and Luke couldn't help but smile with a slight laugh as the nurse came in and reeled slightly at the sight of Luke's blue eyes looking straight back at her as she walked in. she quickly recovered though and very nearly skipped over. "Well! Welcome back to the land of the living young man! I must say there are some people who are gonna be mighty pleased to see you awake...." One word alone came to Luke's still quite addled brain, but it was enough to get what he wanted to say across. his throat was sore from many years of un use and he had to swallow several times to get it wet enough he could croak out a word. "Bo...." The nurse looked down startled from reading the monitors around Luke. everyone of the doctors that had examined Luke had expected some sort of brain damage....but he was moving his hand just fine as he reached up to touch her arm with one hand and rolled his head to look at her asking again softly. "Bo...." She bit her lip, not knowing what he was referring to but seeing the look in his eyes she knew it was important. "I'll just get someone for you...." In a rush she snagged several doctors and directed them to his room before hurridly calling the Duke family

He looked to Luke with a calm look on his face. "Ya mean why ain't I up there with all the little naked babies with harps and wings? Ta tell ya the truth I didn't rightly know....until now....s'cause when I...you know...I kinda...seperated from my body and...I dunno I just....couldn't make myself follow where I was supposed ta go....I just couldn't...'specially not when I heard y'all talkin' ta Doc Appleby....guess its the whole unfinished buisness....I couldn't leave knowin' when ya blanked from everyone what state of mind ya were in and it looks like it was a good job i didn't neither....."

Jesse sighed and looked up at Daisy. "Then there's only one thing we can do...." ^^^^^ In Atlanta, something else was occuring for the Duke Family, something they had endlessly been waiting for for four years....in that small hospital room, the man named Luke Duke gently groaned and fluttered open his eyes, staring confused around him at the white room he didn't recall seeing before. The last thing he knew, he was in a dark space, charging in to get his younger cousin....when he got hit over the head....when he had briefly come to he had found his younger cousin sobbing over him, telling him he was sorry....it was a mistake....an accident....and he had known then what had happened....but couldn't form any words as someone slipped an oxygen mask over his face and the blackness he had been living unknowingly in for 4 years overwhelmed him as his cousin was dragged away from his side in handcuffs.... He looked around wildly for someone, anyone to tell him what in the hell was going on....

Bo sighed with relief and sat indian style on the ground beside Luke, tangling his fingers in his blonde hair and shaking the curls a little before replying. "Well....way I see it....I'm dead....but livin'....so....I guess I'm the livin' dead y'all always read about in horror stories....'ceptin' I definatly ain't seekin' revenge on nobody and definatly ain't lookin' to cause TOO much mischief." he couldn't help but grin a little at the last past, not knowing how Luke would take it. He stil looked incrediably pale...

Bo could only watch as his cousin fell to the ground unconcious. He was dead and he personally thought it was funny him being a ghost. he'd always read all the horror books about ghosts being evil spirits come to reek their revenge on everyone and everything. He certainly wasn't intending to do so....but Luke obviously had other ideas... He crossed over to Luke with a sigh, not knowing how the heck he was going to wake Luke up. he couldn't touch him because his hands would just go straight through him....wouldn't they? Hadn't he also read about things called poultergeists who could pick up things and touch things.... He looked around and hurridly reached out for a small rock, almost afraid to touch it....but touch it he did and, alright he couldn't feel it, he couldn't feel much of anything anymore, but he could pick it up. This made things so much eaisier...if Luke co-operated... Kneeling next to his older cousin, he gently reached over and tapped his cheek, hoping Luke could feel it but also spoke just in case he couldn't. "Luke....Lukas Duke ya with me cousin....c'mon Luke how d'ya expect me to explain this if ya don't wake up..." He knew he couldn't just leave Luke because his older cousin would just assume he was crazy and dive off the cliff without questioning it.

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..."