DaisyMaeDuke

Luke looked up tearily from where Daisy held him shivering as he saw the wheelchair. Daisy bit her lip to keep from sobbing. Luke didn't need her to do that.

"Thanks...she is darling," agreed Luke softly. "Uh...she didn't know for sure if she was or not...school's been...keepin her busy...she said she'd try though...she misses everyone..." he added as an afterthought.

An orderly soon returned confused looking at Bo's shaky legs. "Are you the patient sir?"

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Luke nodded slightly at the apology. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and he was feeling queazy. He swallowed hard but did his best to make light of it. After all, she didn't know about Sara the way most Hazzard girls did. He didn't know if she was making a play on him or not. He quickly changed the subject back to his daughter. "She's the love of my life," he said without hesitation as Abi started trotting too and fro, first with a dandelion, next with a catepillar...anything the nature-loving girl found of interest she brought to her daddy. "Hold on there youngin...my pockets are all full..." he said stroking her dark curls tenderly. "Why don'tcha go back this little guy back where ya found him." "I don' wanna!!!!!" "Abi..." "I don' wanna! I like him!" "Abi! NOW!" Abi stalked away muttering under her breath. "My hair and Bo's temper," he quipped.

The hug caught Luke off guard. His eyes quickly sought out Bo, as they tended to do when he thought of Sara. He hadn't felt a woman's arm around him since Sara... except for Daisy and Sammy. It made him uncomfortable to say the least, though to Cassie he said only, "You're fine." It wasn't fine though...as the look in his eyes told Bo. He knew it wasn't the time to dwell on it...he was here for a celebration...but deep down, in his soul, he longed for his wife. Abi broke his thoughts. "Daddy! Daddy! Look what I brung ya!" "S'not another frog is it?" Abi giggled. "No!" She handed him a rock. "Ain't it pretty? Put it in yer pocket Daddy," she ordered. Luke did as told, with a smile.

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The nurse nodded quickly calling an orderly to fetch a wheel chair while she made room arrangements. Luke continued to sit with Daisy, crying into her softly as she rocked him.

The receptionist nodded understandingly putting a hand over his shaky one. "We'll take good care of him. Is he allergic to anything we should know about?"

Luke too drew his attention back to Cassie. He felt a bit awkward as Bo asked about her and Enos, not because he was interested in Cassie- as far as he was concerned he didn't intend to ever love again, but everyone knew that Enos's heart belonged to Daisy...at least...it had the last time Luke knew about it.

The receptionist nodded gathering together various papers, along with a clipboard and pen, handing them to Bo. "Please fill out these... I'll call an orderly to come get him..what's he being admitted for?"

The receptionist looked up at the tall blond towering over her. "may I help you sir?"

"Me?! I was just havin' fun! Ain't my fault she's ornery..." retorted Luke. "No wonder you two make such a good couple."

The doctor nodded his understanding. "Well...the first step is to get him admitted. The receptionist there can give you the paperwork to fill out," he said pointing to a nurse's station down the hallway.

"Suicide? Of course we'll help if we can...though...it might be better to take him somewhere specializing in that sort of thing," suggested the doctor.

"Well, TJ gets it from somewhere...guess we could just blame Sammy....sides...she ain't here t' say any diff'rent..." suggested Luke.

"She gets it from you!" returned Luke. "Always said she spends way too much time with ya when yer here..." he teased in turn.

The doctor turned looking at the young man. "Yes...Mr. Duke is it? I'm sorry about your uncle... how can I help you?"

Luke shook his head. "No Cassie...Bo ain't as bad as TJ...he's worse...much worse..." He gave Bo a smirk, before tousling his hair. "Some things don't change..."

Daisy just held Luke, quietly crying with him, scared for her brother. Luke had always been the strong one, her protector. Now, it seemed he needed to be protected and she didn't know how. "I'm sorry Daisy..." murmured Luke. He felt like he needed to apologize continually, though he wasn't even sure he could put a name to what he was apologizing for anymore. There were so many things he felt he had messed up...so many ways he had let down his family... "You hush now honey," said Daisy softly into his hair. "We're gonna getcha all better...and we'll move on...together..." Luke nodded, though he wasn't convinced he could ever move on and, much as he wanted to believe it, he thought he had ruined any chance of them being together again.

Luke followed Bo over to Cassie, holding Abi's hand. Abi however, soon loosened herself from her Daddy's grip, distracted by watching ants carry the remnants of a praline back to their hill. Chuckling, Luke shook his head watching his little girl. He loved how she got the greatest joy out of the simplest things, how she woke up every morning, and, rain or shine, exclaimed what a pretty day it was...so like her gentle mother. He jerked his head up as he realized Cassie spoke. "Sorry, Cassie...ain't that...guess I'm just gettin' a bit senile in my old age...can't follow a conversation no more." In truth he was a bit hesitant to talk to Cassie. Obviously she knew he had a daughter, but he wasn't sure that she knew about Sara...and he supposed that was just as well. Luke dealt with her death the way he dealt with most things...staying quiet about it. It was true it haunted him...every day...and every time he looked at his bright-eyed daughter, he missed Sara so much he didn't know how he would get through the day. But...with Bo and Sammy's help, he managed. He supposed the two of them never realized how much they unconsciously helped him, but he knew that, with Bo at least, words weren't always necessary. His brother had always been able to read his heart...and vice versa.