BoJamesDuke

Bo jumped a little as Luke suddenly appeared in his line of vision instead of the bag, hissing a little as Luke took of the gloves. Shaking his head a little, he sighed. "Nothing you need t'worry bout..."

Bo however didn't answer, seemingly in a trance of his own as his gloved fists pounded the heavy material bag in front of him.

As Bo continued to punch, the thuds on the bag got louder and louder, echoing around the barn as he started to punch so hard that his wrists - where they weren't laced up properly - started hurting,..he didn't stop though, he'd settled into a rhythm and that constant steady beat helped him to get back into a constant steady mindframe...something he needed to be able to support Luke and Sammy and TJ.

Bo continued the treck back to the farm, finally reaching it but instead of going inside he went to the barn and pulled on the boxing gloves. He didn't bother trying to lace one up once he pulled it on, he just started hammering blows on the punching bag....he took out all his frustrations of the day on it like Luke did so many times when they were younger. Before he had never really understoof why it appealed to Luke so much but since all this had started happening, he had discovered how very soothing it could be.

Bo - like all men had a magic power for doing it seemed - just zoned out when Cassie started yelling again, not hearing a word she was saying and continued to just storm back to the farm, kicking stray stones that got in his path hard to take out his anger on them instead of something else...like Cassie maybe...

At that moment, Bo didn't think it would be possible to be any madder. He couldn't believe what he was hearing....he couldn't believe either that it was actually Cassie saying those words when she was claiming to be sooo concerned about him. Shaking his head, he raised his voice and said sarcastically. "Oh well that's just great ain't it!! Sorrryy! I didn't understand that! It must have completly slipped my mind that as long as your okay, as long as YOU have something to come back to its completly alright to send Luke on a downward spiral for what has to be like the 5th time in his life!" Shaking his head in disgust, he yelled again. "How the hell could you be so selfish Cassie?! You want to break his already broken spirit yet again just to make yourself feel better?! What the hell are you hoping is gonna happen, that he's gonna turn around and fall in love with you all over again? That he's actually gonna thank you for sending him crashing down to a place he's already visited more times in his life than anyone should ever have to?! You dont know what the bottom is Cassie, you havent ever experienced that and neither have I...Luke could set up his own little villiage there and call it home the amount of times he's been forced back down there but he hasn't. Slowly he is clawing his way back up and we're there to help him, not to push him back down again! Life has already kicked him in the teeth, why do you want to as well...oh so I can get a few brownie points and in Luke's misery hope to re kindle something that has long been DEAD! He got married Cassie, he's moved on...we've all grown up so stop living in your airy fairy world and join us would you?! Stop thinking that everything is magically gonna be better because it aint. You dont know Luke anymore, you dont know what he needs because you ran off to do whatever it is you had to do. I will never, as long as I live, let you take Luke that far down again." He finished the speech, the last sentence in a growl before using his long legs to stalk away from her.

Bo closed his eyes as Cassie brought up the subject he wished she wouldn't once more. He was actually starting to regret ever mentioning it to her now. "Cassie there ain't no magic words to say t;him, there ain't no magic words to suddenly make all his hurt disappear. Dont you think that if there were I would have said them or Sammy would have said them to him by now? You can't ease his nerves, you can't just quickly smooth everything over and that isn't what he needs right now anyway. He doesn't want to talk, he does that when he's ready. You think its any eaisier for me to see him like he is? I live with him 24/7 Cassie, it kills me to go on with my family life and have Luke just sit back and wish it was him doing it too...it kills me to think that Abi aint really gotten to know her real dad because there is always the pain and sadness in his eyes whenever he looks at her." Bo shook his head and said quietly. "One day...she came to me an' Sammy when Luke was asleep not that long ago...and asked us why her Daddy was always sad...why his eyes seemed to cry even though no tears fall...why when he smiles its not like other Daddy's smiles...she'll never ask him because even she understands that there's a subject with Luke she just cant go to. Why can't you understand that Cassie? Abi has that love, that attraction with Luke and she can understand there are some things that have to be let go of for him to work out..why cant you just listen to what i'm telling you and understand that?"

Bo chuckled and shook his head. "No...I have to actually be sick and be able to prove it before they let me miss a race...or if I want leave for a holiday I have to make sure there are no major races, i've got enough gap over rivals in the points table before I apply and even then they can turn me down...I dont really got any say in what time I have off..."

Bo sighed softly and shook his head, gazing out across the land he called his hometown in every interview, every conversation....even though really it didn't feel so much like home anymore. "To be honest Cass, I dont know....I'm not here most of the time, I'm off touring with NASCAR winning the races and earning the money to pay for that family life while I leave the family behind...I mean dont get me wrong, Sammy and TJ understand and TJ loves that he's got a famous dad and all the other kids round here dont...but I wish I could be there more.."

Bo nodded back with a small smile. "Yeah...s'been a while since we done anything together properly...it'll be fun..."

Bo walked quietly with Cassie, not really knowing what to say to her, his mind more on his family and what could be happeneing in the very near future. His racing career kept him away from home a lot, and he had to admit each time he left TJ was getting harder and harder, and with the possibility of another little Duke coming along, he was even more reluctant to leave. The thing was, Luke needed the money to help support him on the farm and Sammy and TJ needed the money he earned too...unless he could find a job that payed as well as the NASCAR circuit locally, there was very little hope of him being able to give it up to stay at home.

"I can't do that without you though...cause they's your plans...we can do it t'gether, like when ya came back from the Marines an' we built General Lee t'gether...be nice to work on a project again.." he said softly.

"Soon as you get outta here...we can start renovatin' the farm...adding the extensions ya planned an' things...it's gonna look great..." Bo said softly, trying to get Luke to think at least a little more positively.

"Luke!" Bo exclaimed softly, putting his hands on his cousns shoulders and squeezing softly. "Luke I can do it...alright, i'll find a way just like you would have done...I can do this, dont you worry about anything else besides getting yourself better..."

"Dont you be worrying about that Luke, i'll find a way. You just take as much time as you need to talk to Sara and get better okay..." Bo reassured him gently.

"Hey, getting you better ain't trouble Luke. Its what you need an there aint no reason why you shouldn't get it. Don't you think that way about yerself cousin..."

Bo shook his head with a small smile, he sure never imagined his life would turn out the way he wanted it to. He had a great wife who understood his need to be doing the job he loved, a son who understood just as much and both who travalled with him on occasion or travelled to see him when Bo just couldn't make it home. Things were turning out okay for him...and he couldn't help but feel guilty that they were...why life and fate had chosen to let Bo have his life and not Luke was beyond his understanding. "No...guess not.."

Bo watched Luke go with a shake of his head, knowing how wrapped up Luke was in his own thoughts that he'd completly forgotten that Sammy had taken his car and so now he and Cassie had no ride home. "Ah well, looks like we're walkin' Cass....not that it aint a nice day for it."

"She'll get in when she can but she's gotta work t'earn money and the like..." He said quietly, now starting to think about getting a job himself because it was clear now with Luke's hospital bills that they were going to be dangerously on edge of losing the farm if he didn't...

"No...she just got in from work when she found me. She might come along a bit later but she's worked since early mornin' so I dunno...." He said softly.

Bo softly rested a hand over Luke's clenched ones, supporting them, helping keep them together...

Bo nodded a little and stood up, helping Cassie to her feet. "So you promise you'll be coming by later Enos? We'll hold ya to it. If ya dont show i'll have t'come out and hunt ya down."

Bo nodded softly, looking back at him. "I know ya are...we're all scared for ya cousin...but you'll get better I know ya will...you aint ever failed me an' I know yer not gonna let yerself start now..."

"I'm sure she'll be here though Enos...its unlikely she'll pass up the chance to see TJ an' Abi...she adores those two just as everyone else does..." He said with a smile, seeing the familiar dispondency from their younger days that Enos always used to adopt whenever he caught the boys with no Daisy around. This time however, there seemed to be more to the despondency than usual and it made him wonder exactly what could be going on.

"Your not alone Luke...even when I'm not here my thoughts an' my prayers are with ya...all the time. I cant do anythin' without thinkin how I miss my big brother...how I want him back again...I can't be here all the time because you need t'talk with Sara and get things straightened out, s'why yer here....but i'll be here when I can cousin....I just had a bad start t'day that's all. I've had to plan a lot and everything..." He quickly trailed off at the end, not wanting Luke to start thinking bout what it could be making Bo stay awake so much he was feeling asleep as soon as he sat down.