BoJamesDuke

Bo sighed, running a hand down his face with a nod. He was just finding this all so hard, the fact that Jesse's passing had all caused a breakdown in the family he knew as always so strong had scared him deeply and he was just trying to press on the only way he could think of. Except it wasn't working because no one seemed to be moving with him...

Bo sighed heavily, shaking his head. "I know that but...he did it and then...I just didnt know what to do...He closed up on me again because I proved that he was right, that he can't talk to me..."

Sara smiled as she watched him talk himself into sleep, seeing his sleeping posture more relaxed than it ever had been before. She felt that Luke had finally had the mini breakthrough he needed to see that just talking about everything actually did help. Getting up, she tucked him in gently and left the room wearily, heading to the bathroom. Bo meanwhile had been with Daisy in the kitchen and the lounge, talking worriedly about Luke and what he was actually doing for him now Luke was home. He felt so powerless and he didn't like it.

For hours and hours, Sara sat with Luke and talked through everything he wanted to talk about then and there. She didn't attempt to leave for anything, she didn't give any signals that she needed anything besides giving Luke her full attention. She listened intently to every word and talked through everything with him.

"I can't make it stop hurting Luke, only you can make it stop hurting by stopping it controlling your life...you need to let this go, you need to tell me about everything that you need to...I can help you, but like I said when we started, I need to know everything...everything...." She said firmly but softly, like she would speak to a child who didn't want a shot or who didn't want to stay in hospital.

Sara sat up more and took both of Luke's hands, forcing him to uncurl and to stop rocking himself. "Luke dont shut yourself away from me...dont do that...you know that that doesn't lead to anything good...we've talked about this...just because your home does not mean that everything we talked about is null and void..."

Sara nodded quietly, giving Luke's hand a gentle supportive squeeze. "Well Done Luke..."

Sara shook her head gently. "Luke...believe me....through my career i've heard so many tales...so many problems and I can probably guarentee that i've heard something similar to your story before. Nam weren't just suffered by you...hundreds of troops made it back suffering the same kinda psychological problems you are now..."

Sara raised her eyebrows before frowning. "Wow...well...it aint hurt me..."

Sara shook her head. "I'm positive...why would I leave? I came here t'help ya...listen to what needs t'be listened to and help ya work through it...why would I stop doin that now?"

Sara however didn't move a muscle, her thumb still gently rubbing his knuckles as she listened attentivly, none of what he was saying seeming to phase her at all.

Sara just carressed his hand softly as she waited patiently for him to start telling her.

Sara took his hand gently, resting it in between the two of hers with a gentle nod. "Okay...ok...just take a few deep breaths...keep calm and gently...calmly...recite it to me...as it happens...i'll just listen..."

Sara shook her head softly. "No...its all a part of coming back t'someplace an adjustin Luke...most people take one step through the front door of the house and wanna come back to the hospital again. Its a different atmosphere here...you have to start fending for yourself...and its a big shock...big thing to get used to again...I knew you'd call, I was plannin on it...but if I'd told you that, you never woulda tried t'come home..."

Sara crossed over to him quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Well ya held out longer than any o'my patients so far..."

(dont know what yer talkin bout cuz ) Sara waited for a moment before stepping into the room quietly, standing by the door with a small smile before saying quietly. "Well hey there stranger..."

Before long, a soft familiar knock to the bedroom door echoed through the room.

Bo lowered his head a little seeing Luke swallow hard and seeing doubt flare in Luke's eyes....doubting himself now and his own ability to help Luke. All it seemed he'd been able to do since Luke had been home was to make him start doubting everything again. Swallowing gently as he tried to keep his bottom lip from quivering, he stood up with a nod and headed out to the phone where Sara's number had been placed beside it.

"Look...why dont I call Sara...she...she knows how t'talk t'ya through these things...I mean I can listen an all but...I dont know what t'say..." Bo admitted softly.

"No...No Luke I...I wanna help ya, I'm...glad you opened up...I just...I dont like sitting here knowing there's nothin I can do but listen...you know what m'like...impatient as ever..." Says with a small smile, trying for some humour.

Bo swallowed softly, not knowing what to do as Luke shrank into himself. He'd dealt with nightmares before...and boy had he dealt with em...trouble was, when Luke got like this he didn';t know what to do or to say...all he could do was listen and that made him nervous. Unlike Luke, Bo couldn't stand to just watch and let a situation unfold then do something about it. He jumped into things headfirst, and dealt with it as it went along...he was a man of action, of doing...he didn't know what to do when all that was required of him was to sit and listen.

Bo swallowed softly, squeezing Luke's hand gently.

"Ok...its ok Luke...just keep calm...deep breaths..." Bo coached gently, trying to remember the kind of things he'd overheard Sara saying to Luke sometimes.

Bo bit his lip gently, nodding some more but staying silent.

Bo got to his feet as soon as Luke spoke, expecting for him to say he wanted to talk to Sara...needed to. He stopped mid rise though as the words he heard come from Luke's mouth were not the ones his brain was expecting...Luke...Luke was opening up to him. Biting his lip, he lowered himself back down to kneeling on the floor by his bed, taking his cousin's slightly trembling hand gently and nodding a little to show he was listening.