BoJamesDuke

"Luke please..please..." Bo said softly, almost in a whimper, knowing that the tone in his voice would get his attention...or at least it had done before. "You don't...understand I...I have to be there...they're countin' on me...and I got asked t'do it, I got chosen and the kids are expectin me now, I can't just bail on em..." he babbled desperatly, getting faster and more wound up the more he spoke.

"Woah...woah what?!" Bo exclaimed quickly, struggling to sit up while holding his ribs, grimacing in pain but continuing. "He's crazy! I can't stay off my feet for a couple o'weeks! I got a job t'do! I have t'do it!" Shaking his head, he pretended to try and struggle to his feet. "I'll be fine, Doc don't know what he's talkin aAAAHH!" he cried out as he put weight on his bandaged foot, falling back down to the couch and giving another yelp of pain as his ribs jarred.

While the Doc was off distracting Luke, Bo had gotten to his feet and was hobbling around looking for the vitamins Daisy had brought. He had thought she'd left them under the sink, but when he looked they weren't there. Swallowing he tried to think where she'd said she'd leave them before Luke got back and took charge of the painkiller distribution. Soon enough he snapped his fingers, hurrying as quick as he could to Daisy's room and grabbing them from her bedside table, making the transition into the painkiller bottle before racing back to the couch - hearing Luke's footsteps on the porch just as he settled himself. Looking over with a smile, he opened his arms carefully. "See...nothin' broke.."

Bo chuckled a little as he sat back on the couch again, it being much harder now his ribs were wrapped up, lifting his ankle carefully for Doc to get wrapping on that too. "Well...I wasn't really up to actually falling off the roof and bruising myself just for Luke's benefit...i'll do a lot for him but that's pushin it just a lil..." He watched quietly as Doc wrapped his ankle, biting his lip softly as he thought about what Doc had said first. He and Daisy had had the same worries, praying that the next stage of the plan would work out. If it didn't, and Luke would be watching him 24/7, that was when it would get really hard to keep this going and they ran the great risk of Luke finding out that he'd been lied to.... Lied. It was almost a foreign word to the Duke family, something Jesse never tolerated and certainly something that was never done to other family members. It left a bad feeling in his stomach when he thought about what he was doing...even if it was for his older cousin's benefit. The only thing was, he didn't see any other way. He couldn't get Luke to talk anymore, this was the most amount of time Luke had paid any attention to him since Jesse had passed away. Luke was slipping away and something had to be done. He broke from his thoughts as Doc put his ankle back on the pillow, smiling to him thankfully. "Thanks for going along with this Doc...I know its risky but...we're clutching at straws now. I'll get Daisy t'make up some bruises on there...she's real good at halloween make up. Oh and I got those vitamins you suggested, if you wanna transfer them t'a painkillers bottle..."

Bo held up his hand quickly as the Doc started talking, biting his lip as he watched out the window, waiting until Luke was properly in the barn before he started speaking. "Sorry...Luke's got almost superman hearing...plus the walls are incredibly thin so he could hear anyway...the plan me an' Daisy had in mind was that I've busted my ankle bad enough that I have t'stay off it for a few weeks but not bad enough to break it...plus the concussion and maybe a couple of cracked ribs just for added realism...if anythin's outta place Luke'll spot it in a second..."

As was typical, Bo yelped and protested as the Doc prodded and pocked him, continued on with the insistances that he was fine, that he didn't need the Doc t'keep pocking him when he could tell him where it hurt. Eventually, the Doc sighed and turned exasperated to Luke. "Luke...would you mind just waitin' out in the barn while I have some choice words with your cousin? Somehow I don't think you bein here is helpin him tell me things any...nothin' against you of course...he just doesn't wanna worry you..." Bo gave a snort and shook his head, saying loudly. "I heard that! That ain't true!" The Doc gave a shrug but gave Luke a look that let him know he wanted to talk to Bo in private, adding gently something about Patient-Doctor confidentiality. "I promise..." the Doc whispered "As soon as I know what's happening i'll let you know..."

Giving the appropriate grunts, winces and groans of pain as he headed across the yard with Luke, Bo looked over as a car headed down the road - something Luke failed to notice in his concentration on getting Bo inside safely - thankful the Doc would soon be here and would reassure Luke properly that he was genuinly alright...well not completly genuinly but as good as. Soon enough, after the hilarity of navigating the porch steps in the awkward half-walk, half-carry Luke was insisting on, he was laying back on the couch as Luke propped his ankle up and covered him with a blanket soon after. At least he was more comfortable laying like this. "No Luke, m'alright...I saw the Doc pullin up though, you might wanna..." Before he could finish the sentence however, there were a few short but fast raps to the door.

Bo gave a heavy sigh and laid his head back, glancing up at the sky once more as he tried to keep himself from losing his temper. This was all part of the plan...what he hadn't counted on was how seriously Luke would take it. Both of them had taken a tumble off of the roof before with no serious injuries other than a concussion and sprain or two, and he had figured Luke might remember that. Clearly though, this was not the case and it was going to take every ounce of willpower Bo had to keep still and act hurt when Luke would continue to mother-hen him. It was bad enough to cope with when he was really sick. "Luke...we's both fallen off the roof before...I just landed on my ankle that's all and hit the deck a lil' hard...nothin feels broke, it just hurts..."

"Luke please, I dun wanna lay out here in the dirt in the sun, especially not with a blanket on...please can ya just help me inside so I can lay out on the couch? I'm sure if there was somethin really really wrong with my back I wouldn't be able t'move...I think I just cracked a couple of ribs..." Bo tried to reason carefully, attempting once again to move Luke's hand and let himself sit up.

Good...that was good. Doc was there and ready to jump into his part in this little shuck and jive. Thankfully not only was the doctor a good friend of the family but he too had been worried about Luke and so was more than willing to lend his time and a few free resources to aid Bo's cause...all for the low low price of one of Daisy's peach pies of course. Nodding a little to Luke, he carefully made like he was struggling to sit up, knowing if he didn't put up that much of an objection that he was okay, Luke would smell a rat. "I'll..be okay you'll see...nothin bad...nothing a few....painkillers wont fix..."

Bo couldn't help but smile at that, it being so hard to understand why Luke couldn't see what everyone else did. For years Luke had been ready to take over this farm without his Uncle holdin his hand and showing him the way, not only did he care for his family but he cared for the rest of Hazzard like they all too were a part of it - even Boss Hogg and his dipstick sherrif and deputies. If Luke cared about you and what happened to you, you could be double damn sure any situation or problem that you might encounter, he would soon have a solution for. The farm had never been better when Jesse stopped doing so much work nearer the end and let Luke take over the running and the planning. The only one that didn't believe in himself and how much his Uncle still remained with them was Luke. Sighing, he gave a gentle 'Yes Sir' as he gazed back up at the sky - half tempted to put his arms behind his head and just relax...for once, he could start to see a positive ending to this chapter in Luke's life. He just hoped the Doc would remember what he was supposed to be doing today and that no sudden emergancy calls pulled him away...if that happened, he wasn't so sure the doctors at the hospital would look to kindly on him faking injuries to cure a condition they were sure needed a psychiatrists help.

Even though he didn't really have a headache, Bo couldn't help but groan at Luke's panicked chattering. As relieved as he was that all this seemed to be working so far, he had forgotten sometimes how manic Luke could get when he was panicking - purely because it was something that Luke rarely ever did. Always so cool, calm and collected in an emergancy situation, people would think that panic was not in Luke's dictionary...only those who really knew him knew that in certain situations he would panic and when he did, he did it full scale. He shook his head carefully as Luke lifted it to put the bunched up shirt under his head, grabbing hold of Luke's wrist carefully. "Luke...Luke stop...yer panickin...don't call an ambulance, call the doc...please. I'd rather not go inta hospital if I really don't need it, you know I don't like em...I don't think its that bad...my head hurts an'...my back an definitly my ankle...just get Doc here first okay...please..."

Giving a groan, Bo carefully raised a hand to wave it somewhere in Luke's direction....it was hard to tell where he was when he had his eyes closed and Luke was constantly moving. "Luke stop...I can hear ya, yer making my head hurt more..." he ground out, opening his eyes to a squint carefully, pretending to blink a double vision out of his eyes.

Before long, the first part of Bo's plan was set up. All of the tools he had taken up on the roof, including the tool box was laid out in a line with a clear drop zone on the floor below. Once he was ready, Bo quickly gave each thing a push at roughly the same time, scrambling down after the tools and jumping the short (well short for him anyway considering his height) distance to the floor after the tools had hit the ground. The effect inside - so he and Daisy hoped - would be that Luke would think he had fallen off the roof. A large part of this of course would be down to Bo's limited acting skill and Luke's panicked state to make the 'accident' seem like reality. Laying down amongst the scattered tools, as he gave a well reheased yell of pain, he quickly placed the open and now and dented tool box onto his ankle, dirtying up his clothes some with the dust around him as he heard scrambling around inside the house. Quickly he laid back as he heard the screen door crash open and prayed in his head that this would have the desired effect.

Bo laughed and waved a little back, following her with a parting comment. "Not that it ever stopped anyone in this family before cousin..." Hearing her laugh as Daisy drove away in her jeep was one of the best things he had heard in a very long time. At least things were getting back to normal in that respect. With Daisy that much happier, the atmosphere in the house had changed considerablly and he and Daisy were having more fun than before which kept them both happy despite Luke's continuous downward spiral. Although hopefully after today, that spiral would come screeching to a halt. Waiting until Daisy had disappeard completly out of sight, Bo made like he was continuing work on the roof as he glanced around to see where Luke was. He needed to make sure his cousin was out the way and not focusing on him at all before he could put the first part of his plan into motion.

Bo grinned back happily, sitting down on the bed to take his boots off as he started explaining to Daisy what his idea was. 0101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101 A few days later saw Daisy stepping out of the farmhouse in her work uniform for the first time in many months. She looked as fantastic as always and as confident as if she'd never been away. Bo couldn't help but smile from the roof of the farmhouse where he was doing the repairs it badly needed, watching the woman, who was more sister than cousin to him, looking better than ever. Something he didn't fail to let her know. "Lookin' good Dais! Yer return t'the Boar's Nest is gonna be bigger than anythin we's ever had in Hazzard County before, you just wait an' see."

Bo nodded a little, taking off the beard as it was making him hot and the hat that smushed down his blonde curls. Shaking them out a little, he shrugged. "I figure hurt is probably gonna work best, cause bein sick is too hard t'fake. If its gonna be bad enough t'be kept outta the way, I'd have to have a constant temperature or bein sick or somethin an' I can't fake that as well as I could when I was a kid tryin' t'get outta high school, Luke'd never fall for it anyway....." He trailed off slowly as an idea sprang to his mind with a small grin, looking to Daisy excitedly. "I think I's got me a plan..."

"I know ya will Dais...and don't you worry none about me...I might be yer little cousin but I did grow up some over the years...I'll handle Luke and the farm...it'll actually be eaisier on me knowin you're okay and enjoyin yerself...I just wanna see ya happy again. I miss yer smile." he replied softly, doing his best to ease her worries. He'd known about her desire to get back to work, to get away from the farm for a few weeks now but there hadn't really been an oppertune moment to bring it up with her. "Anyway...if we're gonna do this we gotta move fast...I want you t'get a hold of Doc an' see if he'd be willin' t'be a part of this...then I need ya t'work yer magic on Boss 'cause he sure as heck don't listen t'me....m'sure the offer of comin back t'work would do the trick..."

"Don't make excuses darlin'....yer the best at that job and you know it. You ain't forgotten and the farm ain't gonna fall down without ya here for a few hours a day...you need somethin else, and I know you know that...otherwise you woulda protested harder. You need it Daisy..." he urged softly with a small nod, knowing the real reason she was making excuses without her saying so.

Bo smiled to her as she looked up to him, rubbing her arms softly with a small nod of his head. "I think so...it can't hurt that much t'try. S'gonna take a bit of plannin though...we're gonna have to get Boss on board...and Doc...and you've gotta promise me somethin too Daisy..." Once he was sure he had his cousin's attention, he gave her a soft squeeze and said gently. "I think, no matter what happens here with Luke after this...you need t'go back to work. You need t'get away from this farm, away from the situation and enjoy some time with yer friends. Boss wants you back, and so does near everyone else in that place...they miss ya Dais, and you need t'start being happy again. If you wait around on Luke for that to happen...you might be waitin a very long time..."

Bo couldn't help but give a very small, disbeliving laugh. "Daisy....Luke ain't hardly in the mood t'get into the christmas spirit around us, what makes ya think he's gonna be any the more willin around strangers...especially kids. Plus, why wouldja wanna do that t'the poor lil kids of Hazzard...ain't like Luke's the most sociable bein on the planet right now either..." He knew as soon as he'd said it that it was the wrong thing to say as the excitment and hope in Daisy's eyes melted away and replaced again with that sad, lost look she'd had for so long. Biting his lip, he glanced around the room, his eyes catching on photos of the family all together, all smiling away.... "Still....I guess it couldn't hurt that much t'try could it...ain't like we can push him away much further..."

What Daisy was saying was true in theory...if there was one thing Luke had never been able to ignore it was when his family was in trouble, hurt or sick. The need to protect the things he cared about far outweighed anything else that may be on his mind and usually it brought about the time to talk about what was bothering him. However, in practise right now...Bo wasn't sure if Luke would take it that way... "Its a good thought Dais but a big risk...he could take it completly the wrong way and think he's losn us now too or somethin...an' besides, it ain't like I can afford t'lay around here all day pretendin i'm sick or ill when I have ta entertain loads of kids every day as Santa..."

"I remember what it was like...thing was he just needed time then and our support....this time its not clear what he needs..." He replied softly, playing with the faux fur on the ends of his sleeves. "The only time he ever responded t'us back then was when we were badly in need of somethin...like when the tractor broke and Jesse was strugglin' t'fix it...or when I tripped out in the back forty and twisted my ankle..."