B.L. Davenport

B.L. squeezes Bo's hand just a little,all the tenderness between them is a new turn in their relationship. They've always been partners in crime when upto so mischief but right now Bo just wasn't upto that. Smiling she squeezes his hand again. "I was trying to help.......I was also being nosey ya know me I hafta know everything that's going on if I get the slightest hint that somethin is goin on.....*laughs a little* ya know curiosity killed the cat." Her eyes twinkle with mischief to come "Of course I forgive ya" Luke reaches for Daisy's hand holding it between both of his,she made sense but he still felt helpless. He was like Bo just so tired but unlike Bo his tiredness was physical more than mental and both could be greatly improved with a week or two's goodnight's rest. "How'd you get so wise Daisy girl?...I want to keep fightin I told Bo as much that I'd be there with him the whole way....but he just don't want to says he's tired and I guess he is anybody would be after what he's been through only to have one set back after another." Giving Daisy the same intense look he'd given Bo earlier some of the determination is shining in Luke's eyes again. "I ain't givin up Daisy I just ain't....I guess I'm just tired and Bo's sudden attitude change just got to me....but it ain't nothin that a week's worth of worry free sleep won't fix." Pulling the handkerchief wrapped syringe from his pocket showing it to Daisy "Bo pulled this outta the stove up at that old abandoned shack of Mr. Flatt's when we was racin around Mudd Flatts. I'm gonna get Doc Appleby to send it to atlanta to be analyzed see if it's some sort of drug or maybe like the doctor at the hospital said a disease they injected inta Bo that gave him the chest infection."

B.L. smiles at Bo a pang of sadness going through her at the scared look in his eyes now so different from the smile when she and Daisy had gotten home from the Boars Nest. "It's ok Bo,it ain't the first time we've had an argument and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last." Luke leans his head on Daisy's shoulder for once letting his gotta take care of everybody else attitude slip to let someone else take care of him. "Bo......he's convinced he may be sick the rest of his life. He was doing so well and in high spirits. Then he tripped and fell when he was helping do the chores." Glances up at Daisy noticing a slight worry crease across her brow at the mention of Bo doing chores. "He wasn't doing much don't worry I was watchin him the whole time. He just wants things to be normal like before so bad and he was overtired and tripped and it scared me when he hit his head and I forced him into going inside to rest thats when he started asking was he ever gonna be ok again." Sniffing a little Luke raises his head looking at Daisy with the most miserable look a man could wear. "I couldn't promise this time Daisy cos I don't know and I can't do a damn thing about it."

B.L. jumps slightly at the shout,gently opening the door she goes to sit on the edge of the bed beside Bo's prone form. Not touching him or saying anything just letting her presence be known waiting for Bo to say something if he's ready and if not she'll just wait offering what comfort she can by just being there. Luke sinks to a bale of hay covering his face with his hands shaking his head not answering Daisy's question but asking one of his own. All the emotions that has run through him in the space of little over a week had drained him physically and he just didn't have the strength to keep going. "What's right Daisy?"

"Sure Daisy" Luke follows Daisy quietly out the door,depressed and morose. Jesse watches them go sadly, silently asking the lord above what's happening to his family. B.L. stares out the window as Luke and Daisy cross the yard,looking over at Uncle Jesse she sighs he looks 10 years older and so sad. Getting up from the table she pats his arm smiling as he turns to smile back at her. "I'm gonna go check on Bo" He nods silently stirring the pot on the stove. B.L. quietly leaves the kitchen her head down,at the end of the hall knocking softly on the closed bedroom door. "Bo it's B.L. can I come in?"

Luke leaves the room closing the door quietly. Dragging his feet down the hall Luke goes into the kitchen not looking at any of them sinking dejectedly and forlornly into a chair with a deep sigh. Jesse shakes his head at Daisy's questioning look he didn't know what was going on either. The boys must be having an argument he figures. As Luke comes into the kitchen and drops into the diningroom chair Jesse glances over at him from over his shoulder but having seen that look many times before Jesse leaves Luke with his own thoughts. B.L. shrugs her shoulders at Daisy she didn't have a clue but as Luke comes into the kitchen and sits down it's clear that something is wrong the easy smile that was there earlier is gone. She looks back at Daisy raising her own eyebrows as if asking now what?

Luke sighs dejectedly this is by far the hardest thing he can remember them going through in a long time. Turning back around to face his own bed Luke leans his head back on Bo's bed tiredly,he's too tired to fight anymore either at least right now. Climbing to his feet Luke places a hand on Bo's head,he needs to talk to someone else and get a fresh respective on all this. "I'm gonna go check to see how much longer till supper,you just rest."

Luke bows his head running his fingers through his hair,he remembered those same feelings back in Vietnam as a P.O.W he thought for sure he wasn't going to make it home. Unwilling to give up though he looks back at Bo who won't even look at him now. His eyes welling with tears and pleading as he chokes out "Please Bo... don't give up,we can do... anything together and we can win this too.... I ain't givin up! Please Bo just let me help you fight.... this just a little longer I can't go through the rest of my life without you by me fightin the system,racin,wreckin Rosco and Enos.... If you don't at least try you're giving up on.... both of us and I'll be danged if I let you do that!"

Luke sighs there has been so much to get used to lately "Yeah I know but you will....we will...." It finally sinks in that Bo's resigning himself to always having bad health and being limited. That isn't Bo at all to give up that easy none of the Duke's had ever give up that easy. Uncle Jesse had come out of a coma a few years back despite the doctor's saying there was a good chance he wouldn't because of his age. Luke also remembers when they were on the NASCAR circuit getting a call from Daisy saying Uncle Jesse had gotten hurt by a couple of bank robbers and was blind. He'd come through that too not letting it stop him just slowed things down for a while. Sitting up straighter he gives Bo a fiercely determined look voicing his thoughts "Bo this all sounds like ya resignin yaself to always being sick,where's your Duke fighting spirit?" Taking Bo's hand and getting within inches of Bo's face Luke pierces him with a determined look. "Duke's don't give up, so don't you dare...do you hear me Beaureguard James Duke don't you give up not now you've come so far you can lick this I know you can cos your a Duke with Duke stubborness."

Straightening up Luke turns around to face Bo sitting like that was making all the blood rush to his head and making him woozy. Frowning at Bo but there's a humorous twinkle in his eye at least he got Bo to laugh that sound had been missing way too long and he just wanted to make things better and keep it close to the surface as it had always been. "Ha ha funny......you's askin for trouble if you keep up with the smart aleck remarks" Turning serious again Luke's eyes take on a pleading look he has to know what else is bothering Bo so they can try to fix it. "You gonna tell me what else is on your mind?...."

Luke cranes his neck practically standing on his head while sitting on the floor giving Bo a skeptical look not believing him for a second the thoughtful look in his eyes says different "Yeah right.....and I'm a monkey's uncle"

Luke observes the thoughtful look on Bo's face for a moment before sliding to the floor to sit against the side of Bo's bed his knees pulled up and arms resting over them. "Alright Bo there's more out with it"

Luke swings his legs off the bed sitting up abruptly,facing Bo elbows on knees and his chin resting on his steepled index fingers. He's always hated it when Bo or Daisy but especially Bo would ask these type of questions that he just couldn't answer. He'd done his best to always make things right but this time he can't and he's not sure he can give Bo the reassurance he needs that things will be ok and that scares Luke to death and fills him with anger all over again at those me. Sighing deeply closing his eyes before snapping them open once more to give Bo an intense look, he's going to do his dangdest to make it ok if he can. "We'll get by just like we always do and always have......you did really good today with all that we've done the chores was just a little too much after such a full day....we'll just adjust things so you can still help that's all." Still giving Bo that intense look Luke knows that no matter what they will adjust and in that adjustment things will be ok. "It will be ok Bo no matter what we'll get through it together as a family"

Luke looks over at Bo seeing the uncertainty in Bo's eyes he'd been trying to not think about that possibility. Shrugging his shoulders slightly Luke sighs he'd like nothing more than to be able to reassure Bo that everything would be ok he would get better that it was just a chest infection like the doctor said and the medication would clear it up. "I don' t know Bo.....I'm going to have Doc Appleby send that syringe to Hotlanta to be analyzed. We'll know more about what we're dealing with and how it's going to affect you when we know just what it is they injected into you.....The doctor did say that the infection could be because they injected some sort of disease in you."

Luke props his hands behind his head thinking over the day and how something as simple as riding in the General Lee something they'd been doing for a long time could bring about such changes for the better in getting Bo back to them. Fighting the urge to sleep Luke stifles a yawn blinking there isnt time to sleep supper would be ready soon. He finally felt for the first time that he could relax and truly rest tonight still keeping an ear open for any movement or noise from Bo but not laying awake while his mind raced with all sorts of problems. B.L. finishes snapping and stringing the beans before rinsing them. Giving the bowl back to Uncle Jesse she notices the dirty dishes from lunch still in the sink and begins to wash them. Not talking to noone in particular just more or less thinking out loud. "Those two sure are quiet reckon their already plotting to crash Rosco again?

Luke nods knowing if it was worse Bo would be more likely to tell him than anyone else. Laughing "Yeah I remember....I paid for that one......ate at the mantle for a week! That dent is still there as a reminder too." Sighing tiredly Luke slides down in the bed looking up at the ceiling.

Luke smiles back believing Bo completely this time. "Good.....how's the head and back? You've done alot today and that was a heckuva bang your head took out there just now."

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!"