DixieDavenport

Dixie smirked, "You hold all the cards Luke. I could beg you to come back but if that's not what you won't it won't work. I'll take you back on one condition. Sometime in the future you decide you want me for me, not because it's convientant, not to piss anyone off, not becase of the kids, or because you payday short, but when you want me back because you want ME.. Come see me." Luke nodded, "Deal." Dixie added, "And whatever we find out tomorrow don't let it sway you decision." Luke nodded that he understood. Dixie almost chocked as she tried to ask one more thing, "Luke, like you said, you're too sore and God only knows what this youngin' is doing, but can I sleep in my husbands arms one more time." Luke was crying as he pulled the covers back. "Left side." "I don't care." Dixie said as she gently eased her way into the hospital bed with Luke and snuggled close to his chest. The both knew each was crying and grieving for the good times they had had as husband and wife. It was late very late before they fell alseep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bright and early before Lori's appointment she took the elevator upstairs and walked down the hall to Luke's room. She pushed open the door gently and looked in to see Dixie curled up in Luke's arms. Both were sound asleep! Lori.................

Dixie looked to Luke in amazement, "Jumped the gun as far as?" Luke replied, "To getting married." "We had only known each other since we were two. I had waited for you to go out an sow all your 'wild oats' and I show up back in Hazzard all those years later. Things were good between us, have been good between us except when ever that banish cousin of mine comes around." Dixie got really quiet then dropped something in his lap he didn't expect, "You are aware that I have never made love to anyone else, ever?" Luke looked shocked and replied,

Luke picked the remote back up and switched the TV off. Dixie said, "I can have them put me in a nother room if this is a problem." Luke said, "I HAVE shared a room with youa couple times before." "If you're sure." She said, picking up the phone and calling the farm. "Daisy, you ain't gonna believe this but Doc Petticorte just admitted me to the hospital for early mornign tests. Can you come get Little Jesse? He said nothing's wrong just wants to check some things. Can you bring me a change of clothes and a gown. Something a roomy." Daisy laughed, "I'll have Beth help in that dept. Sure I'll be there to get Jesse." After Daisy had gotten Jesse, Dixie set cross legged on her bed. "So what is an old married couple to do all alone in the hospital all night?" Luke....

Dixie was about to let him have it when an unexpected visitor stepped in the room. It was Doc Petticorte. "Luke I heard about your accident and I was down this way, I thought I'd check up on the here so called city doctors." Luke smiled at the older man, "Thanks Doc I apprecaite that." Dixie had the good graces to keep her temper in check. Luke and Doc talked for several minutes, before Doc looked at Dixie and stated, "Part of the reason I was down here was to pick up some information. Since you are here with Luke would you like to discuss what you were talking to me the other day about?" Dixie felt just a bit embarrassed. She hadn't told anyone she was going to see Doc but he had covered it as if they just ran into each other. But, since Doc had brought it up and obviously had her test results she wanted to know if everything was ok. She looked at Luke to see if he wanted to know. Luke asked, "Is anything wrong?" Dixie replied, "I was concerned. I've been really tired. This time it's just different.." Doc said, "Well, there may just be a reason for that, but it's not entirely unusal." Dixie was becoming impatient, "Talk to us Doc." Doc set his bag down and took out his stethascope. He put it on and listened in several different areas. He then handed it to Luke. "I know you're more experienced at this sort of things with calves and ponies but take a couple listens." Dixie looked at them both feeling like a science experiment. Luke listened. He could hear Dixie heart beat louder and slower. The baby's was strong and quick. He looked at Doc questioning. Doc said, "I take it you can tell Dixie's heartbeat from the baby's?" Luke nodded. "Ok, tune hers out and count the heartbeats now." Doc said as he timed it. "Now times what you have by 2." Luke nodded. Doc asked what his total was. Luke said, "About 250, it was so quick it ws hard to count." Doc looked at Dixie and let her listen. Do you hear how quick the heart beat is?" "Yes, is that bad?" Dixie asked. "Not really but the average heart rate for babies during pregnancy is 140-145 per min." Doc explained. Luke said, "But I counted almost DOUBLE that." Dixie looked at the both. "Oh, but NO! You can't be thinking?" Luke was right behind her, "Doc that's crazy! No? Can you tell for sure?" Doc smiled, "Well, since you are here Dixie. Why don't I talk to Luke's doctor who's a close frined of mine. See if we can't get you admitted for the night and well go have a look tomorrow morning." Luke said, "It would put all doubts out of you mind instead of dealing with maybes." Dixie nodded, 'yes', but said "I hate hospitals, but OK." Doc was back in a few minutes with her wrist band. He said, "Got you all fixed up and they will just bring you another bed in here since you are married." Dixie and Luke stared at each other.

Luke was thinking again, "You know once this thing come off," Luke said pointing to the cast, "And I get the doctors clearance its gonna take a lot of work to get back to jumping again. Doc said it was a pretty nasty break. They are alsogoing get me outta this bed tomorrow. He said he was just giving me a couple days for the soreness to ease up some." Lori asked, "Has it?" Luke replied, "Not really, but the faster I'm out of this bed the faster I can get back home. Soon as he knows I won't take a nose dive down the steps he'll release me with crutches, but those steps are going to be a bi----!" Lori nodded. She was trying not to be sick.

"Hey, ...... I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Lori smiled, "I was giving everyone else time to leave." Little Luke being the typical five year old asked, "What happened?" Luke figured this was coming, "At work I jump out of airplanes with a parachuet. Do you know what that is?" Little Luke nodded, 'yes'. "Ok well before I landed I had problems and hit the ground to hard." Luke tried to explain. He was thinking it was ashamed that Luke probably didn't know what he did when he went to work, where as Jesse had actually watch him make practice jumps.

One of the things Dixie had to do was to meet the moving company that was setting up the double wide trailer she'd went out on a limb and bought without telling Luke anything about it. If and when he decided he wanted her for her she'd tell him. Things had went well at the hospital but something wasn't right. He was telling her what she wanted to hear and it may have been the truth, but Luke had ways of telling you the truth but NOT the ENTIRE TRUTH. She had a feeling this is what he'd been doing to her. After meeting with the trailer people and getting them started Dixie drove to town. She made a couple un-neccessary stops before heading for the one she'd been putting off. It was her actual reason for going to town. She parked the car and walked aroud the town square to Doc's office. Doc looked up a bit surprised, "Well, hello there. I didn't forget to write your appointment down did I?" Dixie replied, "Ah, no, I'm not scheduled for another week but I'd like to talk to you." Doc was used to this type of request from first time Mothers but Dixie wasn't and with all Bo and Beth's children he couldn't imagine what she wanted to talk about. But, Doc was always willing to talk to his patients about their concerns. "Sure, let's go back to the back office." "Doc, I know this will sound silly, but there's somethng different with this pregnancy." Dixie said after they were seated. Doc asked, "So what's different?" Dixie replied, "Well, for starters, with Jesse he grew, well I got bigger at a steady pace. With this one I went from wearing regular clothes to nothing fitting and maternity clothes almost over night. I wasn't wearing maternity clothes yet with Jesse. And, I've been more tired than I've ever felt. It was like that with Jesse for the first couple months then it eased up. It's not this time." Doc smiled, "Well, I don't think you have anythign to be worried about but I'll look you over." He began by weighing and measuring Dixie. As he preformed the rest of his exam he asked, "Dixie, I heard about Luke. How is he?" "The accident? He's still in Atlanta with a compund fracture to his right leg. His doctor said he'd be in a cast for at least eight weeks, but other than that I hear he was lucky." Dixie explained. Doc pushed, "You know I hear all the gossip, but this pretains to you. I understand you and Luke aren't...." Dixie knew he knew so she might as well put him at ease, "Doc, Luke was staying about the garage before his accident with my cousin Lori." Doc hadn't quiet heard all of the story and now had the rest of the pieces to teh puzzle. "Oh, I see. Ok, well, with all this going on, could that be the reason for you to be tired?" "It could be, but I'm still doing the same daily routine. Except that Jesse started school." Dixie stated. Doc listened to the baby's heart beat. He let Dixie listen. Then, he listened again and insisted on blood work and other tests. "Is something wrong?" Dixie asked. Doc tried to put her mind to rest. "No, nothing is wrong. The baby has a good strong heartbeat. I just wanted some extra tests because you are concerned. I'll call you in a few days with the results but I don't expect anything to be wrong." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Suddenly BL jumped up and headed for the restroom. This would be the end to her peaceful day.

Luke sighed, "I'm lucky to have you. I know that. Even after everything you were still here for me." Stating the obvious, Dixie said, "I AM still your wife, fr as long as you'll have me." That hurt and hurt deep, Luke finally said, "I am sorry for all of this. I really am. I thought the day you walked into town almost six years ago that all the runnin', chasin', and cat and mouse stuff was over." Dixie replied, "It could have been." "Yeah right up unitl I decided to act like a fool over Ledbetter trying to pull my chain." Luke was on simmer after seeing him with Lori last night. "Your going to get better and go after him ain't ya?" Dixie asked, though she knew the answer. Luke replied, "I might just have to talk to him sometime about a few things." Dixie knew Luke too well. It was eating at him that Ledbetter was with Lori, which meant he wasn't ready to let her go. "Do you remember us talking before you surgery?" Luke thought. It was a bit foggy but he remembered, "Yeah.........It might be a bit foggy in places though." "I told you 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear it, but that I still loved you.' you replied, 'that you did want to hear it and that you loved me too. And that you were sorry. Very Sorry.' Do you remember that, you were pretty groggy at the time." Dixie asked. Luke replied, "I remember." Dixie could tell he was thinking as she asked with tears in her eyes, "Did you mean it?" Luke looked her straight in the eye with his sky blue eyes and said honestly, "Every word." He reached for her and pulled her close to him for the first kiss they had shared in weeks. Dixie let her guard down just enough to allow him to pull her to him for the kiss. A kiss that was stirring a lot of feelings for them both. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bo started through the door with Jesse. He saw what was going on and backed un-noticed back through the doorway. Outside he told Jesse what he'd seen. Jesse replied, "I sure hope they figure this out. He's hurting them both." Bo decided he'd better tell Jesse what he suspected. "After he saw Lori with Ledbetter last night I think he called her or something. When I came back from a walk he was different. He and Dixie were getting along good to until that came on TV." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dixie stood beside his bed for quiet sometime. He still had his hand on her stomach and it was as if the baby knew this was someone it had been missing. For no further along than she was it felt that the baby was doing cart wheels. Dixie wanted to know what they were doing, where Luke was going after he got out of the hospital, but she knew the ice they were on was very thin. She decided that since Luke would still be there a couple days that she'd take things as they were and keep the memories of the brief closness they had shared. Luke shifted in the bed and Dixie knew that the medication had worn off quiet a bit by now and he was in pain. "Want me to get the nurse now with you medication?" Luke said, though he was in pain, "I'll buzz her if it gets too bad." It was at that time the nurse came in to give him his other medications and do her routine checks. Dixie eased out the door to find Bo and Jesse. Bo had to ask, "Well?" Dixie replied, "I don't know. He said he meant everything he's told me." She layed her hadn on her stomach, "He felt the baby. Felt like it was doing cart wheels under Luke's hand. I couldn't bring myself to get into it with him right now." Jesse asked, "You really think that's what would happen?" Dixie replied, "Jesse when it's just us we're good. Ask Bo, it was like nothing ever came between us last night. Right up until Lori came on the TV. He was furious she was with Ledbetter." She looked at Bo and said, "You know he'll go after him eventually?" Bo replied, "She's right. I saw Luke's reaction." Cooter walked up to them, "Hey ya'll." Dixie turned to her brother, "Hey there." Cooter looked at her closely, "Hey yourselVES." He had to pat he belly. And said, "We're growing kinda quick aren't we?" Dixie replied, "You should have felt it when Luke was doing that. I think the kids wanting out now the way it was kicking." Jesse asked, "Dixie are you staying awhile or are you riding back with me?" Dixie replied, "I'm ging back with you. I have a couple things I need to do before Jesse gets home." As Dixie and Jesse left. Bo and Cooter talked until the nurse came back out.

Luke first asked about little Jesse. Dixie replied, "He wants to see you. I told him if you weren't out of here soon we'd arrange it." Luke replied, "Thanks." he said genuienly. "Dix, ..... ah, ...... what's up? I saw you the other night, and now?" Dixie finished, "I look pregnant over night. I know. I don't know why. Maybe it moved differently." Luke asked in fasination, "It's moving already?" "Luke I'm going on four months here. I'd be concerned if I didn't feel movement." Dixie said. Luke asked, "Can I see?" Dixie nodded, 'yes'. It was painful but Luke was able to move his hand enough to tough her stomach. After several minutes he was able to feel the baby move. This ws one of his greatest memories before Jesse was born. He knew he missed it with Luke, but if he had his way about he wouldn't miss it with the other two. The nurse came in with a syringe. Luke asked, "What's that?" "Pain medication." the nurse answered. Luke nodded, 'no', "Can that wait? All it's doing now is making me sleep?" "Not a problem." the nurse replied. Dixie asked, "Are you sure you didn't need that?" Luke replied, "I probably did, but I don't want it. Least not now." He still had his hand on her belly. "Dixie, we need to talk." Dixie nodded, 'ok'. Luke replied, "I appreciate your being here for me yesturday.." She cut him off, "I'll go." Luke held her shirt. "No. I'd like you to stay and talk to me......" Dixie waited......

Dixie walked in Luke's room with Jesse. Everyone there could feel the tension in the air. Dixie looked at Bo, who offered, "By ya a coffee or what ever you can handle." He'd gotten use to Beth being pregnant almost as much and she wasn't during their marriage. Dixie knew Jesse wanted to talk privately so she accepted. She and Bo went out of the room, "Bo what happened? Something's changed between last night and this morning." Bo cursed to himself. She knew Luke far too well. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jesse began, "Luke, how you felling?" Luke tried not to worry Jesse, "Been better. Sore. I think it's worse today than yesturday." Jesse nodded. He asked Luke abou the accident. Luke explained the wind change and his landing. Now that Jesse knew he was prety much ok, he began, "Luke, I love you kids more than life itself. I've done my best by you all. Luke I know about the babies. You have acted more unresponsible than I've ever know you. Son, whatever'sgoing on you've got to make up your mind and let them both know. You don't know, the girls don't know and they don't know what to tell the kids. They are my concern, now. You three are old enough to act like fools if you want." Luke replied,

Luke replied, "I haven't said I was going back to Dixie. That is you conclusion." Lori asked, "So you are going back to the apt. when you get out of here?" "At this point it's all I have to go back to." Luke said. Lori now asked the hard question, "Does that mean you're going to divorce Dixie?" Luke opted with a question for a question, "When's court?" Lori replied, "Two weeks." Luke replied, "Can I think on this?" Lori................

Luke hated this. He hated seeing either Dixie or Lori cry. And they both were deciding to get as far away from him as they could since he couldn't get up and right now he didn't want to IF he could he was pretty Da-- sore from hitting the ground like he did. "Lori, Honey, I don't know. All I can tell you is stay and we'll work it out. I want to be part of Luke and the little's lives. I'd like you in my life too." Lori reacted, "Then why did you tell them to CALL DIXIE?" "Woah! Wait! I didn't tell them to call anyone. It was likely Randy. He pulled my sheet I filled out after just after we were ...." Luke hesitated. Lori finished his statement, "Married. Luke. That's your word right after you married my cousin!" Luke nodded, 'yes'. "They couldn't call anyone else. I haven't changed the form." Lori asked, "And youhad plans to do so?" Luke hung his head. "Lor I hadn't thought a thing about it." Lori

Luke said, "Are you sure? Because believe me I ain't thinking real clearly but I'm not hurting either. It's a trade off I'm willing to take for the moment." Lori nodded, 'yes'. Luke asked, "Will you promise me, please, don't keep the kids away? Anytime you are too busy with your life, I'm avaiable. I'd it if you let Luke stay awhile, He--, I'd at least like to see Luke before you go." Lori thought then replied, ........................

When she walked in Luke looked to her and asked, "Why?" Lori looked confussed, "Why? What?" Luke asked calmly, "Why did you move out?" "Because you and I both know that you love Dixie." Lori said. Luke swore, "And, you and I both know I love you." Lori concluded, "And, it's cheaper to pay me for the kids than it is to pay her for the kids and her." Luke was getting a bit peeved, "This isn't about money. Or shouldn't be." Lori looked at him, "Tell me you don't love her. Luke looked away for a split second, before looking at her, "I can't honestly tell her that about you either." He had to ask, "So what's up with Ernie Ledbetter and then the press?" Lori ...................

Luke replied,"Ok, I'm good, now." Bo wondered what he meant but kept going. ~~~~~~~~~~~ It was late when Dixie pulled in the farm. Everyone there knew she wouldn't be there if Luke wasn't ok. She blew it off by saying, "I just wanted to tuck Jesse in bed, get a shower and a change of clothes." She ws glad that worked for now.

Bo looked at Dixie. "Dix?" She had tears in her eye when she turned, "Yeah?" "You all right?" Bo asked. "I'm always alright Bo. Just make everybody else happy, I'll be fine. But, yeah I am Ok. I've just been here two days in house clothes. I know you said you wanted to stay tonight. I'm going home for a show, a hug from my son, a change of clothes and to let him know his Daddy is OK. Then, I'll be back early and you can go take you a break." Bo replied, "Grab my shaving kit and a change of clothes I'll shower right here." Dixie nodded. "Thanks, Bo and call me if he needs anything or happens to realize I'm gone." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ricky was watching the show from the wings when his cell phone rang. "Hello?" Luke said, "Remember the night outside the Boar's Nest?"

Luke flew mad and began to cuss, "Ledbetter for all he was worth." Dixie saw who Lori was with. She knew it opened up a lot of old wounds for Luke. But she had to wonder was he mad at Lori or Ernie? Dixie silently got up from her chair, she still wasn't sure what Luke wanted. She walked out of the room and down the hall. Bo looked at Luke, "Sh-- Luke don't do this to her." Luke was still under a lot of medication but he knew Bo was right, "Da-- IT to HE--! I didn't mean to!" In a much calmer voice, "Bo go get her, please." Bo found Dixie looking out the window down the hallway......

Bo finally got Dixie to get straightened up a bit. Randy asked, "Dixie is there anything we can do for you?" Dixie thanked them, "No I'm fine really. Thank you all." Randy said, "Well, it's going to be a while now." He handed Dixie a list of phone numbers. "Let us know if we can do anything. Let know how he is too, OK?" "Ok, I will. Thanks again." Dixie said. Bo could tell something had happened between her and Luke. He could see she was shaking like a leaf. They all knew Luke could get hurt but this was his first serious injury on the job. Dixie re-thought hers and Luke's conversation as well as their entire relationship. She and Bo and the others who followed behind them all knew it was going to be a long afternoon. She wished she'd at least stopped to grab something else to wear other thatn the casual clothes she had on.

Dixie was taken to where Luke was laying very still in the hospital bed. Too still for her. He had his eyes closed. Dixie walked over closer to the cot, and said quietly, "Luke?" He opened his eyes. "I'll leave if you want me to. Randy called, my, ah,.... name is still,...." Dixie began. "I know. I never changed it." Luke said. Dixie could tell he was in pain. "I'd like to stay, but I'll leave if you want me to." Luke shut his eyes. He could see her worry. "Stay. I'm fine." He reached out and put his hand on her belly. "I'm sorry." Dixie said, "They want to take you into surgery to set the leg. I signed the papers. I hope that's still ok?" Luke replied, "Thanks for coming when Randy called." "Did you think I wouldn't have?" Dixie whispered with tears in her eyes. "Wasn't thinking to much along those lines after I hit the ground. I think Lisa put me on cloud 9 before the bird got there." Luke said. Referring to them giving him pain medication which had been done in the helicopter by the medic not the EMT. The nurse came in and said, "Ok time to get you upstairs." Dixie nodded to her and said very choked up, "Luke I don't know if you want to hear this, but I do still love you." "I wanted to hear it." He was getting very groggy as the nurse had been putting shots into his IV's, "Love you too. Sorry. Very sorry." Dixie left the room as they wheeled Luke out to surgery. Bo was outside the door. She wasn't sure if it was the pain medication talking or if Luke was speaking from the heart. She just couldnt' let her guard down. She'd been hurt too much. She looked at Bo who wrapped his arms around her. Bo stood with Dixie wrapped in his arms for what seemed like hours as she cried. He had only seem her cry like this once before at the lake after finding out Luke had slept with Lori. Randy walked over closer to check on her.

At the hospital desk it was hard to figure out who was the most concerned, Bo or Dixie. As they both tried to tell who they were looking for. From somewhere behind he Dixie heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Lisa. Dixie forgot teh hospital staff and left Bo to deal with them. She went to Lisa. "Dixie I flew in with him. He's awake. He had a bad landing." Lisa could tell by Dixie's causal joggers and actually one of Luke's old smokejumper T-shirts that she appeared pregnant. She thought it a bit funny that Luke hadn't told the crew. "Come on set down. He's not as bad as it could have been. From what I could tell, looks like he's got a pretty bad break to his right leg. I'm not a doctor, but other than that I think he's pretty much in tact." Dixie about half way wanted to ask if he hit his head, hoping he'd knocked some scense back into it, but at the moment she was too worried. "Thanks, Lisa." She looked at Bo who had finally gotten someone to talk to him. Lisa tried to take Dixie's mind off Luke a little, "Hummm, what do we have here?" Lisa said smiling as she laid her hand on Dixie's rounding belly. Dixie had the good graces to reply, "Surprise. I take it he hasn't said anything?" Lisa said, "Ah, no actually he hasn't." Dixie covered, "We just found out for sure just awhile back, but" she covered her stomach, "It picked today not to let me in anything I wore yesturday." Lisa smiled as Bo came over with a clip board of papers. Lisa said, "Yeah, now the fun part just sign your life away and they might give information sometime. Hey I see the others coming in. I'm sure we'll all be here for awhile if you need anything." Dixie replied, "Thanks." She remembered when she first met Lisa and Casey. They showed up with the guys for Luke's batchlor party! She laughed. She wasn't quiet sure she liked the fact that Luke spent hours and days with these two very attracktive women but today she wouldn't trade this bunch for anything. Dixie relayed what Lisa had told her. Of course they weren't giving Bo any information. After Dixie got the papers filled out, the doctor came out looking for her. She saw the Smokejumpers waiting also. She stopped the doctor and motioned for them to come over where her and Bo were. The Doctor began, "Mrs. Duke your husband was very lucky from what the crew was able to tell me. It seems when he hit the ground it was too hard and too fast. I understand he lands right leg first so it took most of the impact. There are two different compund fractures in this leg. I need to take him to surgery to set these breaks so they can heal properly. He has some other minor injuries. Bruising, scrapes etc... and he'll be sore for a while from them but the leg will have him out of commission for about eight weeks if he's lucky. I'll need permission to take him into surgery." Dixie nodded, 'yes', "Yes, of course. Can I see him?" The doctor said, "Of course, just sign here and you can see him while we make the arrangements."

Dixie looked at Cooter, "Not mad at ME! Why in the world would I THINK she was mad at me? She's dine what she set out to do? Would that be stealing MY husband or getting him to father ANOTHER child? Which one ther Cooter?" Cooter opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Dixie retreated back to the house. Jesse looked to Daisy, who went after her. Cooter said, "What did I say. I told her Lori wasn't mad at her which she wasn't she was mad at Luke. Then she gave that manager fellow a math lesson. What did I say?" Daisy knew the uncertainty of the situation was taking its toll on Dixie, "Sugar I know what Cooter said out there but I don't think he said what he meant or you heard what he was trying to say. I know all this is getting to you, but just hang in there I heard him also say he didnt' think Lori would be here much longer." Dixie sniffed, "He'll probably go with her!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~` Luke had laid awake all night thinking. He was no closer to a solution than he was last night but his talk with Randy helped. Randy walked by as they were getting their equipment ready to jump, "Luke, are you OK to do this?" Luke gave him a questioning look, "Yeah, why?" Randy had know Luke a long time, "I've never seen you look so tired or stressed." Luke replied, "What's hard about falling out of a prefectly good plane?" Randy gave him the standard reply, "Just remember it ain't that first step it's the landing!" He and Randy both knew that with Luke's jumps in the Marines that he had out jumped the entire crew several times over. Luke waived off Randy's reply, thinking nothing of it. It was business as usual. The crew loaded up ad took off. Luke recieved the signal from the pilot. He signaled the others. As he'd done since becoming a Sr. Smoke Jumper he waited until everyone else cleared the plane and their shuts opened before he jumped. He watched as each member made a perfect landing. But, in those few seconds something on the fire changed the wind pattern. Luke was near the ground when he knew something with the fire had changed and the winds were now causing him to fight his shut. He was going to land a lot faster and a lot harder than he should have due to the wind changing. He didn't have time to try to slow the ground was coming up way too quickly. All he could do was hit the ground running and hope for the best. Below Randy and the rest of teh crew saw the sudden wind change and the effect it was having on Luke's shut. Their preparation to fight the fire was momentarily haulted as they watched the experienced jumper prepare to land. From the second Luke touched the ground he knew it wasn't going to be good. Experience told his crew the same thing. His crew went into action. Lisa was on the radio to the plane before he got out of site, "This is Smokejumper Team 3 to Plane 5, get me a chopper back he stat we've got one Code I****. Will advise further." Lisa, Randy and Casey were the first to Luke. He was awake but the angle he was laying in told them he was hurt as Lise began her assessment which she reported to the incoming helicopter. She was also advised to tell Randy to pull their team and a replacement team would be jumping in. Everyone knew how closely these teams were. Lisa would fly in the helicopter with Luke due to being an EMT. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once back at base camp Randy knew what was going on but had to do what procedure said. He pulled Luke's file and got the number he knew by heart and dialed. Jesse answered, "Duke farm." "Mr. Duke this is Randy, Luke's friends from work. I need to talk to Dixie." Randy said seriously. Jesse picked up on the tone, "Randy is Luke?" "Mr. Duke, officially I have to talk to Dixie, he has been hurt and I'm only telling you this first because he told me last night that Dixie is pregnant." Randy said. Jesse replied, "I understand and thank you for that." Jesse turned towards the house at a fast pace. He found Dixie and Daisy talking, "Dixie, phone call for you." He said very seriously. "Hello," Dixie said not knowing what to expect. Randy tried to be professional but where friends were involved it was hard, "Dixie, this is Randy. Luke's friend from work. There's no easy way...... He's been hurt and I have you listed to notify. I don't know how bad. He was talking to us before he was flown out. The hospital will also need your signature on their forms." Dixie had always dreaded these phone calls but this one took her by suprise, "Where?" Randy replied, "Atlanta. Do you have someone to drive you?" "Yeah, I do.Thanks." Dixie said. She grabbed her pocket book and headed straight for Bo. "You need to get me to Atlanta hospital now! Luke's hurt." Bo was across the hood of the General Lee before she got the word 'hurt' out. Jesse explained things to everyone else after making sure Jesse wasn't close by.......

Dixie was glad to be home. The first thing she was going to do was get out of that dress and into something comfortable. "Daisy give me a few minutes to change and get Jesse changed, then I'll be in there to help you." Daisy replied, "Take your time. I'm changing too." Before long the women were changed and had the kids in play clothes. Jesse had coffee made and they started a group effort of preparing enough food for anyone who decided to show up for dinner. A short while later a car could be heard pulling up.

Randy thought about his reply before he said anything, finally he let out a long low whistle. Luke said, "You know I've lived this last few days, but I couldn't believe that I've actually screwed up this bad until I heard myself tell it. Get this. You remember our last call? Well, my checks are sent to the farm minuse of course the child support. Dixie got the check. She figured that the child support tripled was hers, Jesse and the baby's share. She wrote me a check and sent it here. It was for fifty-three bucks." Randy groaned, "Smart woman." Luke replied, "Don't I KNOW IT! I asked if she really thought she'd get that much. She told me to take it to court and find OUT, after she of course told the Judge I'd been paying child support to her cousin for five years. This was BEFORE I found out about Lori." Randy remarked, "Smart women are dangerous." Luke nodded, 'yes', "Randy I can't afford four children. NOT to mention a wife and a girlfriend." Randy spoke from years of experience, "Luke you've got to afford the four kids. But, I'll tell you a simple fact that you may not have considered. It's cheaper to have a wife than an EX-wife." "Huh?" Luke questioned. Randy said, "There's an old saying, 'It's cheaper to keep her.' Believe me when I tell you it right. Want to compare pay stubs sometimes?" Randy let that thought sink in before he dropped a bomb on Luke. "But, you know during this entire conversation I've not heard you mention a thing about getting divorce. Surely you don't think you can keep both of them hanging on do you?" Luke looked at Randy like he was from Mars. But he realized something only when Randy said it. He knew he couldn't chose between Dixie and Lori. Knew he couldn't keep them both. But, he'd not even EVER considered divorcing Dixie. Maybe Cooter had been right and he was stringing them both along. He'd really have to think on this. Randy saw the 'wheels' turning as Luke thought. Something he said clicked and made sense to Luke.

Luke shook his head then said, "We went out to talk a few things over while Dixie was laying down. Oh," Luke laughed again. It wasn't funny, not at all but that's all he could do, "Did I tell you I just found out Dixie's pregnant?" Randy said, "No, congratulations!" Luke nodded, "Yeah, ah, thanks." he said a bit sarcastically. Randy checked his response against Luke's entire conversation, "Should I have said sorry?" He asked. Luke shook his head, 'no', "Randy its just when we went out I let her decide to go to an old spot we went to years and years ago." Luke hung his head a bit, "Randy, Dixie and I weren't ready for another baby right now. I was feeling all that pressure, you know, and yeah we slept together. I have never been able to lie to Dixie. She knew. I couldn't lie about it. I offered to leave and let her cool down. She agreed. My brother in law let me stay in a room above his garage. I was originally coming here." Luke paused and looked up with tears in his eyes, "Lori moved in with me there. Rany we just found out she's pregnant too." Randy thought about his reply before he said anything...............

Dixie was standing with Jesse and little Jesse when Lulu Hogg came over. "Well, congratulations! I didn't even know you and Luke were expecting again." Jesse nudged Dixie. Dixie got the message, "Yes, thanks. We hadn't actually told many people yet. Doc just confirmed for a short time ago." "Well, youknow how these things are you can't keep them a secret for forever." Lulu smiled and she walked away. Dixie whispered to Jesse, "Especially when you dress didn't fit!" The older man started her toward his truck, "Well, it'll be alright you just wait and see."