DaisyMaeDuke

Gosh...England actually has a Blockbuster?! And here I thought all they had was fish, chips and a big clock....

I dont watch it but King of the Hill has had Dukes references before too...

Luke smiled as he did, knowing that the little boy was slowly warming up to him. "It's gonna be alright...everything's gonna be ok. I promise."

Luke swallowed hard. "I don't lie...'specially not to you," he added a little hurt that Bo would say that, but even at his young age, understanding why he did.

Luke bit his lip, nodding a little. "But when she sleeps...she...she aint gonna be sick no more." He was trying hard to be brave and not cry but it was getting harder and harder.

"Aw Zack...." He drew the little boy close to him. "I know what yer thinkin son...but it ain't true...anyone'd be lucky to have you be their friend..." Gently he ran his hand through the youngster's hair. "I know I am."

"No Bo," explained Luke gently. "We...we can't fix her...s'like...s'like the little bunny we found...Uncle Jesse tried t' help it but...it was too sick...an...it just went t sleep...an didnt wake back up..."

Luke frowned looking at the little boy. "Why? Why what? Why'm I your buddy?" He had never had anyone ask him that before...Dukes were friends to pretty much all. "Well...cuz I like you...I wanna...be friends with you," he explained gently.

Luke swallowed hard running a hand through Bo's curls...the ones Lavinia would never cut. "No...I...I recon...t do that...she has t' go to him..."

"I know Bo-Bo," answered Luke softly. "I do too...but...she's real sick...an'..." he swallowed hard. "Doc told Unca Jesse that God was the only one could help her now...."

"No...no Bo...we can't...on account a....Unca Jesse's takin' care of her...an' Doc...." began Luke softly holding the tail of the little boy's nightshirt.

Luke swallowed hard not knowing what to say. "Cuz...Auntie's real real sick Bo," he said softly daring to hope the youngster would be satisfied.

Luke gently covered Daisy with a blanket stroking her cheek, before taking his baby cousin in his lap. Though not quite twelve, Luke took his role of older brother seriously. Jesse had always told Luke to take care of Bo and Daisy when he and his aunt were'nt around. Now, they weren't, and Luke was old enough to understand by the grave doctor visits and hushed tones that chances were very good that his aunt, his surrogate mother would no longer be there at all. So Luke supposed that, more than ever, his younger cousins needed him to be strong and take care of them...and that he would do.

"You sure you don't want some breakfast, Luke....Bo...Daisy...some juice maybe?" Luke shook his head. "No, thank you, Miz Davenport. We...we ain't much hungry," said Luke softly answering for all three of them from the spare room they shared. To be sure sleeping three to a bed was crowded at best, and Cooter had a spare bed in his room that Luke could have had, but none of the cousins would hear of it. All they wanted was to cling to their family, even if all they had was each other. The lady nodded sadly, giving Bo a gentle tousle of his curls before leaving the room, shutting the door behind them*

One thought of loss usually led to another as he began to think about his aunt. "Wonder what Auntie would say if she seen us right now..." There really was no sense wondering though...she, like every parental figure he ever had except Jesse was gone now. And for everyone, including his beloved wife, Jesse had been the one to teach the kids about life and death. ***flashback***

"Huh?" asked Luke realizing that Bo had been speaking to him. "Sorry...was just thinkin' is all..."

Luke just smiled, thinking of the banter, but now thinking of Candy also. Softly, he let out a gentle sigh.

Luke laughed at that, shaking his head. It seemed a long time since the two had bantered like this...he missed it.

"You'd be cryin' cuz after she saw me, you'd be yesterday's news..." replied Luke with a smirk.

I'll agree...not sure on the second but I think Walnut Grove is from Little House on the Prairie

Luke smirked knowing that was true. "Yeah...you're right about that..."

Luke smiled slightly, though the thought of the one that got away always gave him a pang in his heart. Sure it was true that he was never without a date...and it was true also that the girls always came after him, but Bo was right...not one ever held a candle to Candy Dix. He supposed that was why he remained single. He said nothing of all this, however, instead making the remark, "Yeah...I guess you did teach me how not to stumble over my words around her...eventually."

Luke looked at his cousin with a grin. "What was the one girl's name Bo...the blond that looked like she could squeeze through the bars of the jail no problem...started with a J didn't it?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye. "Dang she had you wrapped around her finger for a while..."

"Well...seems to me I taught you a few things you were glad to know later...even if it wasn't math," remarked Luke stretching his tan arms and tilting his head to the side. "Like how to act around girls... youu'd be dateless every Saturday night if it weren't for me..." he added with a smirk.

Luke didn't say anything. He had found that sometimes, especially with Bo, talking did no good anyway.