B.L. Davenport

Once satisfied that Bo is situated Luke sits on his own bed reclining against the headboard. It'd been an emotionally taxing day for him as well and it felt good to just relax a while. "No problem cuz......you ok now?"

Luke laughs as they go up the steps and into the closed in screen porch "Glad to see that didn't knock the cockiness out of you" Opening the door leading into the kitchen,Uncle Jesse looks up with a worried frown as he sees Luke supporting Bo,but Luke is quick to shake his head and mouth the words "He's fine just tired" Jesse nods trusting Luke's judgement he'd been taking care of both Bo and Daisy in Jesse's absense whenever necessary for a long time now so there was nothing to worry about as long as Luke was taking care of Bo. Not wanting to worry their Uncle he deliberately doesn't say anything about the fall afterall it was the truth Bo was fine,the bump and cut would heal. Guiding Bo through the house to their room he helps Bo to stretch out figuring the bed would be more comfortable than the couch and the girls won't be asking too many questions if they aren't in the livingroom or kitchen.

Luke dabs a few more times at the cut befor parting Bo's hair from around it to get a better look. Pleased to see that it wasn't as bad as he first thought when he saw the blood. Satisfied he gets up off the bench extending a hand to Bo. "C'mon lets go in,the chores are done." Luke gives Bo an exasperated look trying to hide the grin but failing somewhat as he teases lightly. "Seems the only way I can make sure you pace yourself and take it easy is to stand guard right by your side."

Luke stops Bo from pushing himself up off the ground making Bo look him in the eye. He'd seen the shame and that bothered him more than Bo being upset. Smiling gently at Bo as he holds his chin to be sure Bo doesn't look away. "Bo there ain't no reason for you to feel ashamed I saw it in your eyes. Ya been really sick so it's normal not to be as strong and need to rest more. You will get back to normal it's just gonna take some time. I know you want to carry on with the way life was before ya got sick and that's fine just know your limits so's ya don't get hurt from doing too much too soon." Helping Bo to his feet Luke steers him over to the picnic table giving Bo a chance to pull himself together so the others couldn't read his expressive face. Reaching back to pull the handkerchief from his pocket Luke suddenly remembers the syringe wrapped inside of it,so pulls Bo's from his pocket instead before helping him gently sit on the bench. Going to the outside spicket and wetting the cloth Luke comes back to sit beside Bo dabbing gently at the cut on the back of Bo's head.

Luke had been watching Bo carefully,biting his tounge to keep from telling Bo he should take it easy. He knew how bad Bo wanted to get back to normal but chores was just a little too much for him right now. The instant Bo hits the ground Luke jabs the pitchfork back in the pile of hay running to Bo's side. Kneeling next to Bo,leaning him up just enough to see,removing Bo's hand Luke moves Bo's own hand as he gently touches the back of Bo's head feeling a good sized goose egg knot forming. Pulling back his hand and seeing a few droplets of blood Luke gasps,looking Bo in the eyes his face stern and his voice firm Bo wouldn't be getting his own way this time not like the rest of the day. "Alright you've done enough today,ya got to remember you ain't quite upto par now I'm gonna help you inside and your going to rest till supper no arguments Bo."

Luke glances up as Bo goes past unable to stop himself from keeping a watchful eye on his cousin for signs that he'd done too much that day. Finishing with the piglet he puts it back on the ground before rinsing out the bottle and returning it to the shelf. Picking up the pitch fork in the corner Luke pitches some hay in Maudine's stall stopping to scratch behind her ear as she leans heavily into the scratch apparently having a deep itch.

Luke opens his mouth to speak but for once no snappy retort comes out. So he settles for just shaking his head with a deadpan expression. Then grumbles good naturedly "Yeah.......yeah..." Walking over to Maudine the mule's stall,giving her water before doing the same for Bonnie Mae the goat. Once all the animals are watered Luke gets the baby bottle from the shelf and putting the powdered milk from the bag in and filling it with water. Shaking the mixture well before catching the runt piglet and sitting on a bale of hay to feed it the mixture.

Luke laughs teasing Bo as he picks up a 5 gallon bucket of water in each hand. "Aww did I scare the little boy?" Careful to stay out of Bo's reach now

B.L. sticks her tounge out at Bo's departing back as she steps into the house. "What can I do to help?" Uncle Jesse looks up as she comes in the door handing her a bowl of beans "Snap these" B.L. takes the bowl sitting at the table beginning to string and snap the beans. Luke is bringing the horses in from the pasture back to their stalls, seeing Bo getting feed out of the bags an evil smile appears on his face as he booms in his best imitation of Uncle Jesse's authoratative tone "Bo what in tarnation do you think your doing!"

Luke stands stretching his muscles "I'd better get started on the chores." Patting Bo on the knee he walks over to the barn B.L. stretches her long legs out glancing at Bo his yawn having not escaped her. The tiredness she'd felt earlier creeping back into her bones as she leans back against the table eyes turned toward the sky and closed. Sighing but she doesn't move "Guess I should go help Uncle Jesse and Daisy with supper"

Luke laughs again as he remembers the look on Rosco's face as he crawled from the wrecked cuiser. "He was somemore mad" B.L. giggles at the picture in her head "Sorry we missed it huh Daisy"

Luke wrinkles his nose at Bo "Funny Bo" B.L. laughs as she digs $5 tip money from her pocket handing it over to Daisy "This is one time I don't mind payin up on a bet.....I shoulda known only Bo'd a been behind that one."

B.L. gives Bo a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside him hoping he's not still upset with her about nagging him before. "Hey yourself,ya lookin chipper this afternoon" Turning toward the door Uncle Jesse announces "I'm gonna go start supper" As if on cue Luke's stomach grumbles "Sounds good"

B.L. laughs looking at the two cousins again,Luke looking slightly perturbed about something,nodding "Yeah he looks like a new man.....whatever Luke did it's gotta be the best medicine in the world." Climbing from the passenger side of the Jeep her tiredness from not being used to the work at the Boars Nest forgotten as she literally bounces to the boys and Uncle Jesse,excited about telling them about her new job. Luke gently whacks Bo in the back of the head before a grin of his own appears on his face. It'd been a long day but in his mind a very productive one. Bo'd left his fears behind at the old abandoned shack being the biggest thing to happen that day.

Luke dodges away from Bo's hand giving him a menacing look. "Quit Bo...Uncle Jesse's been doin' ok on his own all my life" Jesse laughs as the two banter his irritation forgotten as the girls come around the corner,waving in greeting. B.L. waves back at the men at the picnic table grinning at the mirade of expressions on their faces. Inclining her head in the direction of the boys she glances at Daisy "Those two look like walking trouble"

Luke climbs the rest of the way out of the car joining Bo at the picnic table eyeing the look on Jesse's face warily not sure Bo ain't right about the whipping. "Gee your just all kinds of help today" Jesse continues to reguard the two miscreants with a hard stare but the pure joy on Bo's face and the wary look on Luke's face makes him grin to know they both still have enough respect to know he'd do it if necessary. "You two's give me all this grey hair but ya keep it up and I'll be as bald as J.D" Luke chuckles at this then turns his head toward the road as Daisy's jeep can be heard coming around the corner.

Luke shoots a dirty look at the roof of the car as Jesse turns a glare on him "Thanks alot Bo"

Jesse looks skeptically at Bo the puppy eyes not fazing him as he grumbles gruffly "I just bet they were" Luke slides out the passenger window to sit on it's ledge mimicking Bo's posture on top of the roof. Giving their Uncle a half grin. "sorry my fault"

Jesse rolls his eyes then it hits him Bo's behind the wheel. "What in tarnation are you doin drivin? Ya ain't even been outta the hospital a week." Luke groans as Uncle Jesse asked the inevitable question "Here it comes......"

Luke takes the keys slumping in the passenger seat and putting them in his pocket. Just sitting there in no hurry to get out and end their fun himself. "We can go out again tomorrow maybe." Jesse bangs out the back door as he hears he Dixie horn thinking it's Luke needing his help but reaching the yard discovers with a frown it's Bo behind the wheel. His usual reprimand when Bo does that leaping to his lips. "Bo how many times I gotta tell ya not to scare the chickens with that blamed horn they won't lay fer a week."

Luke laughs hanging up the CB mic,settling in his seat once again as they head for home. Jesse had begun to pace,worried something had happened and the boys had been detained. He knew in his Bo wasn't ready to be out he just knew it but it was hard to deny those big blue eyes. Grumbling to himself. "They shoulda been back by now,shoulda never let 'em go"

Luke shuts his eyes as Bo turns 180 degrees and Rosco's police car loomed closer and closer. As Bo stops to look down at Rosco,Luke slides out on the window ledge looking down at Rosco before sliding back into the seat. "He looks alright nothin hurt but his pride let's get on home." Picking up the cb Luke calls Cooter informing him that Rosco needed a tow.

Hearing the distinct sound of a siren Luke turns in his seat to look out the back window. "Shoot it's Rosco wonder where he was hidin'. Cut up across the south 40 he can't ticket us on our own land."

Luke propped his elbow on the window ledge,gripping the roof of the General as they go speeding down the back roads. Grinning widelyas they go ripping up the roads and he slides slightly in the seat and the wind blows his dark curls. "Watch out for Rosco I don't know where he's hidin' out today"

Although I leaned toward Bo more as a kid I truly appreciated Tom/Luke even then. Now that I'm older it just wouldn't be the same if Tom/Luke was missing. I really started to appreciate Luke more when the show was airing on TNN in the late 90'e, so it's been somewhere around 20years for me since I first saw that dark haired Duke boy on my tv screen. B.L.