Double Duke Trouble

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy sighed and grasped B.L's hand.

"Come on, lets go and get it over with.*

She linked arms with her friend and marched inside.

"Uncle Jesse...."

After a couple of hours of being outside and screaming things, it was fair to say that Bo felt like death warmed up. He was cold, shaking, weak, tired and hungry all at the same time, but everytime he thought about what would happen if he told, everytime he saw his dreams that haunted him every night his hunger vanished and he felt sick and the cold grew stronger.

Cue B.L Davenport

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. takes a deep breath letting it out in a whoosh as the two march in the house with the same determined look in their eyes but whispers to Daisy "are you sure we'll live through this when he finds out."

Uncle Jesse comes into the kitchen "I thought you two girls was going shopping. Where's Luke is he finishing up the chores?" B.L. gives Daisy a sideways glance "Uh we decided not to go shopping and just hang out here today and neither of us really have enough money so we might just go into town to the Busy Bee Cafe for lunch later." Uncle Jesse just nods perfectly satisfied with this excuse but he's suspicious about Luke's whereabouts that question was ignored as if it wasnt heard by the girl.

Luke pulls up at the Lake his last hope of finding Bo before he does something stupid. Parking the Jeep a few yards away Luke walks closer to the Lake not wanting Bo to get the chance to flee before talking to him. Luke spots Bo and quietly slips up behind him placing a hand on Bo's arm in an iron grip but still gentle he can see Bo is really upset about something and he's going to find out what before they leave here. "Bo what's the matter?; and don't you go tellin me it's nothin cos I ain't gonna buy that again. So tell me what the heck is going on cos we ain't leavin here till you do."

Cue BoJamesDuke

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy sighed, knowing Jesse would hate to be lied to.

"Uncle Jesse, we all agreed that Luke should go after Bo. Now before you yell hear us out. Ever since they were little ya know that Luke was the one Bo always talked to and Luke was the only one who could bring him out of his shell even when he was really really upset. If Bo wont talk to any of us now, then Luke is the only chance he's got left before Bo does somethin' really stupid. Please Uncle Jesse, we're all so worried and we know we went against ya, but its for the best...."

She trailed off, studying her Uncle's reaction, not being able to tell how he was feeling.

Bo jerked as Luke's iron grip clamped around his arm and instincivly tried to fight his way away, even though he felt weak and dizzy. As soon as Luke's voice met his ears though, he calmed a little, although still really tense.

"Luke.....dont make me do this....I can't tell you, I can't you have to understand..."

[B.L. Davenport]

Uncle Jesse regards the two girls standing before him with a stern expression for a few minutes then says with a softer edge to his voice but the stern look is still in place "I know whatcha sayin Daisy and it's true. I hope Luke can get through ta him cos somebody's gotta." raising a finger and bringing it down in the palm of his other hand a few times he punctuates his next words "I ain't gonna stand for being lied to OR disobeyed and that's whatcha all done even if it was for Bo's own good but for now I'll let that go till Bo's home safe and sound."

Luke turns Bo to meet his worried eyes his heart breaking at the exhausted and terrified look in his younger cousin's eyes "I don't understand Bo I just don't I'm sorry. I'm worried aboutcha cousin and so's Daisy and Uncle Jesse and B.L. too now ya got to tell somebody or you're going to just make yaself sick over whatever it is and that ain't gonna do nobody any good." Rubbing Bo's other arm up and down to hopefully soothe the still somewhat scared look from his face Luke gives Bo a pleading look "please Bo tell me what it is I cain't stand to see you like this you ain't hurtin just yourself by keeping it inside it's hurting your whole family not knowing what it is or how to help ya please Bo I'm begging ya tell me what it is."

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy nodded, sighing with relief.

"Uncle Jesse, we're real sorry but we just had to do it to get Bo back. PLease dont be to hard on Luke. he loves Bo like a little brother you know that and he'll do anything to help him."

Bo just shook his head as Luke pleaded with him. He wanted to tell Luke, oh how he wanted to get this off of his mind, how he wanted to tell Luke everything and hear his calming words reassure him and hear the plans that always worked one way or another flow from his mind.

But no matter how much he wanted it, he couldn't, for the image of Luke's dead body, Luke's screams and pleas for help kept ringing through his head and pounding his mind. He couldn't do it, he couldn't let Luke die because of his inability to keep a secret.

He shook his head desparingly at Luke, his eyes begging for forgiveness and his stomach clenching as he felt more and more queasy and ill.

[B.L. Davenport]

Uncle Jesse sighs "Now Daisy there ain't no need to get yourself all worked up about Luke being in trouble. I ain't too happy with him right now but if he'll bring Bo home the Bo we all know and love and not that shell that's been walking around the last few days I spect I'll forgive and forget." Uncle Jesse has in the meantime guided the girls to sit down at the table.

B.L. sighs relief inwardly and tries to comfort the two Dukes at the table with her "It'll be ok ya'll you'll see Luke will get everything straightened out with Bo he always does."

Luke's heart literally aches with physical pain for the torment Bo is going through. When Bo suddenly looks sick Luke gently pushes his shoulder down "c'mon Bo sit down before you fall down buddy you're looking a little green around the gills." Easing his ownself down beside Bo prepared to sit there as long as it takes for Bo to talk. "Bo listen to me you have got to tell me what's going on ya scarin me cousin. If ya know somebody did something and they threatened ya if you told I won't let that happen you know I won't so just tell me what it is and we can get it all straightened out I promise you have my word as a Duke I'll make it all go away and be better." Falling silent the two just sit there listening to the sounds of the lake around them Luke hoping desperately that Bo will tell him what he wants to know and soon before he makes himself sick over whatever it is.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy nodded silently at B.L and Jesse's words, but was inwardly worried. She didn't know if Luke was going to be able to bring the Bo they all knew back this time. He had changed so much over the past few weeks, she didnt know if the Bo they knew was even there anymore.

The only thoughts that ran through Bo's head as Luke talked to him was 'If only you could...'. Were this any other situation then yes, Bo would have believed him and told him straight away...but he had tried telling someone before. He had tried to tell Rosco what was going on, but as soon as he did, a gun shot had shot across the street and the nest thing he saw was Daisy clutching her arm. When he had reached her, he found the bullet had only just grazed her arm, but it was enough to scare him silent.

He leant over away from Luke as he retched and threw up what little contents he had in his stomach on the ground, still shaking his head, still wishing Luke would just stop and leave him alone.

[B.L. Davenport]

The only sound that could be heard in the silent kitchen now was the ticking of the clock. B.L. watches her best friend and the man she has always looked upon as sort of an adoptive Uncle sit silent in their worry for the youngest member of the family.

A couple of tears slip down Luke's face as Bo is retching. Silently Luke rubs his back till there is nothing left in the young man's stomach.

Digging his hankerchief out of his back pocket and handing it to Bo "Here Bo wipe your face."

Sighs willing to try one more time to get Bo to talk "Ya see all this pent up inside ya isn't helping you one bit now I don't know why you feel you have to keep it inside but ya can't do this to yourself."

Turns Bo's head to look at him "Bo you ain't slept you ain't eatin much and what you've ate today you just threw up it's got to stop and it's got to stop now so tell me what's wrong."

Luke waits patiently not figuring Bo will say anything this time either but if he won't then Luke guesses he'll just have to wait until Bo is ready to talk on his own but if he get's any sicker looking then Luke will be forced to force the information out of Bo.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo saw that Luke was crying, and it made him feel even worse to know that he had caused it. He hated this situation so much, he wanted nothing more than to just be shot of it completly. But the same old images, same old screams and same old feelings of complete and utter weakness and illness plagued him more.

As Luke forced him to look at him, Bo couldn't keep it in any longer. He cried and cried, clinging onto Luke's shirt, still shaking his head, still apologising for having to keep everything hidden from him. He couldn't tell Luke, he couldn't bring himself to put his family in that kind of danger....he's die before he ever did that

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke is totally taken off guard as Bo clings to him crying shaking himself,Luke wraps both arms around the distraught young man.

"It's alright Bo whatever it is it's alright. You just let it out cry all you want I'm here with ya." Luke rubs Bo's back up and down as he cries.

Luke can't imagine what would make Bo go from the strong confident young man to this almost weeping form. He sets his jaw angrily whoever did this to Bo is going to pay dearly. Luke begins to rock without realizing it his own silent tears of pain for his little cousin slip down his face splashing onto Bo's head.

[BoJamesDuke]

As he felt Luke's strong arms wrap around him, Bo cried harder. He didn't deserve this, he didnt deserve Luke comforting him like this. He wanted Luke to yell at him, to hit him, to scream at him and tell him what a stupid little boy he was acting like. By comforting him, it made him feel worse because he couldn't comfort Luke back, he couldn't give him the words of reassurance that Luke needed.

He tried desperatly to pull away from Luke's strong embrace, tried to stop Luke comforting him but it just seemed to make his older cousin hang onto him more firmly and Bo just didnt have the energy or the will to fight him. He felt weak, his head pounding with pain and the torment that marched through it. He felt unconciousness prick at the edge of his vision, and felt his head go swimmy and light.

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke feels Bo going limp in his arms "Bo we ain't done talkin don't you go to sleep on me."

Luke speaks sharply in order to get Bo's attention through the emotions. Then spotting something over Bo's shoulder Luke pushes him away just enough to lean so that he can see around Bo. Jaw dropping at the sight of a bug on Bo's belt raising back up Luke takes a pencil and notepad out of his pocket. Laying the notepad one one knee he writes while keeping one comforting arm around Bo.

The note he writes and hands to Bo reads There's a bug on your belt the electronic kind. We gotta shuck and jive whoever's been listening till I get it off and destroyed. Make up something anything to explain all they've heard."

Luke hopes Bo isn't so controlled by his emotions that he can't read and comprehend the note because they really do need to talk and that can't happen until the bug is destroyed.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo felt himself be jerked out of the comforting darkness that had seemed to inviting by the sharp tone in Luke's voice. He instantly tensed up again as the pain pounded through his head and the horrible ill feeling swept through him again.

A little while after though, a peice of paper was slid down by his face. He took it gently in his hand and looked at it for a moment before understanding what the note had said. He gasped and tensed furhter, suddenly finding it difficult to breath...he had to make up something....

"Luke....the reason...."

It hurt his throat to talk, his whole body burned with fever that made him tremble with cold or sweat with heat.

"I can't tell you....I went to the doctor's....I'm real ill Luke.....real ill...."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke scoots behind Bo to better reach the bug as Bo talks "Sick.....Bo what did the doc say was wrong? You gotta tell me your family has a right to know."

Pulling at the bug Luke is unable to remove it but isn't willing to give up. So continues to struggle with it deciding if necessary the whole belt will go and he'll buy Bo a new one.

"Bo why didn't you tell us sooner ya had me thinking all kinds of things but never this. Heck I thought maybe it was like the time when we was kids and your broke aunt Lavinia's favorite cherub that Uncle Jesse'd kept put in a special place after she died."

Luke kind of tries to sound amused at the memory hoping to get Bo to calm down more as they talk.

"You thought for sure Uncle Jesse'd kill ya for it and by the time he noticed it was broke you'd come down with the worst case of guiltitis I'd ever seen anybody have."

[BoJamesDuke]

"I....all sorts of things Luke....I's gonna get worse as I go along....things failin' and.....all sorts...."

Knows Luke is doing his best to calm him but he just can't calm his trembling limbs, he can't control the painful pound that vibrated though his head. He wanted nothing more than to go and run off a cliff or a long pier at that moment.

He felt unconciousness inviting him in again and tried once more to slip into it, still mumbling to Luke,

"Pain....Doctor said....pain and I....don't want you to be in pain....don't need it..."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke smacks Bo on the upper arm "Stay with me Bo don't go to sleep now. Tell me exactly what the Doc said in detail focus and try to remember."

Luke's own hands are trembling as he frantically tries to remove the bug before Bo passes out on him from all the stress. Luke mentally kicks himself now for having been so irritable and snappish with Bo lately realizing that whatever the bug is about has been what's had him all out of sorts and not acting himself.

Giving one final tug the bug comes loose from Bo's belt. Luke stands up moving back to face Bo showing him the bug with a smile of relief that he can finally find out what's going on.

Mouthing the words stay here Luke goes to the lake throwing the tiny device as hard and as far as he can into the lake with a gentle plop and ring of ripples the only sign of any disturbance.

Returning to Bo Luke doesn't say anything but waits for Bo to start explaining.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo watched as the electronic bug was hurled into the lake and watched as Luke turned around to smile gently at him. But that was the last that he saw.

The raging fever that coursed through his body got the better of him, pushing the welcoming, cool darkness further into his mind, a darkness that cease the ever steady beat of the headache that remained, a darkness that sweapt all his troubles away because he would have no dreams.

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke falls to his knees beside Bo more scared than he can remember being in a long time.

Tapping Bo's cheeck gently Luke encourages "C'mon Bo wake up please wake up and I promise ya can go right to bed as soon as we get home."

When there is no response from Bo this scares Luke even more. Brushing the soft blonde hair off Bo's forehead Luke feels the high fever. Sighing he wonders how on earth he's going to get Bo back to the farm.

"Why'd ya have to pass out now Bo couldnt it have waited till we got home...ahh well don't you worry cousin I'll get ya home so's Uncle Jesse and Daisy can fuss over ya till your better."

Sitting still pondering the best way to get Bo home he wishes he'd brought the pickup instead of Daisy's jeep, at least then he could have put Bo in the back laying down comfortably.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy leapt from her chair as the familiar sound of the General Lee pulling up greeted her ears. She was the first one to bolt out the door and rush to hug Luke as he clamboured wearily out the window. Instantly she saw the fear shining in his eyes however and gasped as Luke pulled a very pale, trembling, unconcious little cousin gently from the General's back seat.

She turned and hugged Jesse tightly as he finally caught up to her along with B.L, burying her face worridly in his shoulder as Luke walked past them solmnly.

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. is shocked at Bo's condition and the haggard look on Luke's face thinking only the worst that Bo has done something stupid. Quickly hugging Daisy and Uncle Jesse she runs to help look with the doors.

"Flyin' frogs Luke what happened Bo looks like death warmed over and consequently you don't look so great yourself."

Luke doesn't even crack a smile which lets her know he is still very worried about whatever's going on.

"He's got a high fever most likely from exhaustion and not eatin proper and he just collapsed unconscience at the lake where I found him. We'll have to wait till he's feeling better to find out what's really been going on though."

Wrapping an arm around her after getting Bo in bed they head back to where Daisy and Uncle Jesse are. Luke dreading the explanations he knows he'll have to give Uncle Jesse. The minute Uncle Jesse spy's Luke and B.L. he lets go of Daisy and pounces.

"Alright Luke I've had just about enough of all this I wanna know what in tarnation is going on and why ya was carrying an Bo and why was he unconscience.?"

Luke for the second time that day holds up his hands in surrender. "Uncle Jesse all I can tell ya is Bo's got a high fever and passed out on me after I found him at the lake. We'll all find out more when he wakes up and is able to tell us right now he's exhausted and sick."

B.L. hugs Daisy both of them very worried for the young blonde who's always so full of life.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy watched as Luke paced up and down the living room floor. Since Bo had been brought in nearly an hour ago, no one had heard anything from him. Uncle Jesse was in there checking on him, and they knew already that the news they were going to get from him was not going to be good. If it was, Uncle Jesse would have been out long ago.

This was going to be Bo's last chance. If Uncle Jesse couldn't see any visable signs of improvement, Bo would be taken to Tri County. Daisy couldn't understand why no one wanted to take him earlier, he looked absolutly terrible and she was sure that what he needed more than anything was proper medical care, although Luke strongly disagreed with her.

She smiled gratefully as B.L gripped her hand a little for reassurance. Eventually, Uncle Jesse stepped out of the boy's bedroom wearing a grim look, and a tear slipping down his cheek.

[B.L. Davenport]

Uncle Jesse looks solemnly at the three young people in the livingroom with anxious expressions. "Thar ain't no change,Daisy you was right all along what Bo needs is a dctor's care."

Visibly pulling himself together a bit of the Uncle Jesse the wall of strength his neice and nephews are used to seeing sparks.

"Luke I want you to get a matress of one of the beds so's we can put Bo in the back of the pickup laying down. Daisy I want you to get some pillows and blankets, we's got to make Bo as comfortable as possible. I know we's should call an ambulance but takin him ourselves will be quicker."

Luke nods acceptance he just thought Bo was exhausted but they hadn't been able to wake him since he brought his cousin home. Not thrilled with the form of chosen transport Luke sees Uncle Jesse's reasoning behind it and heads off to get the matress as Daisy goes for the pillows and blankets.

"Yes sir" they respond in unison.

B.L. looks to Uncle Jesse waiting for directions for herself in helping. But there is none forthcoming as Jesse stares out the window seemingly lost in thought as Luke and Daisy go about their tasks.

"Uncle Jesse is there somethin I can do to help" B.L. touches his arm lightly as she speaks.

Snapping back to reality Jesse smiles at her "Could you be a dear and pull the pickup around to the front porch so's Bo can be loaded."

Relieved to be doing something besides worrying about her friends B.L. bounds toward the kitchen to get Uncle Jesse's pickup keys "Yes sir".

Going out the door she lets the closed tailgate down then slides into the driver's seat and pulls the old pickup around front as far over the steps as possible making the trip from door to pickup bed shorter. After putting the pickup in park B.L. jumps out running back inside to help gather the other things needed.

Seeing Luke's shadow in the doorway of the spare room B.L. quickly goes down the hall and to the top of the bed lifting that end of the matress.

Luke smiles a greatful smile "Thanks"

Returning the smile B.L. shrugs slightly "No problem" and they carry the matress out to the truck loading it and then as Luke returns to help move Bo, B.L., goes to help Daisy with the pillows and blankets.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy cried softly as she gathered up the pillows and blankets from the spare room, watching as Luke and B.L moved the matress from there out to the pickup now stood waiting by the door.

She wanted her baby cousin to be alright, she wanted him to return to the normal, cheerful young man she had remembered. She had been forced to watch as over the past week, Bo fell deeper and deeper into himself, hiding away from the rest of the world, spending copious amounts of time on his own, skipping meals and shirting his chores.

She had never seen him so weak and vulnerable as he appeared over the course of the week, and it scared her. Everyone knew as soon as Luke had bought him back this afternoon that something was seriously wrong...Daisy just hoped that they were in time to catch it before she lost one half of the team that made her feel safe, secured and loved.

She sank onto the floor, clutching the soft pillows and sheets, letting the tears fall for Bo, praying softly that he would be ok.

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. returns to the spare room to help Daisy with the pillows,blankets and sheets while Luke positions the matress. Seeing Daisy sitting in the floor crying as she clutches the pillows and things makes B.L. lose the battle with her own tears sliding to the floor herself. Clinging to Daisy as they cry and pray together.

"He'll be ok Daisy as soon as we get him to the hospital and they treat him I just know he will. Bo's a Duke and Dukes don't give up and we can't give up on Bo we gotta make him fight back to us."

Luke comes back after getting the matress settled taking all the things from Daisy wishing himself he had the time to cry but there's no time for his own emotions to get in the way Bo needs help and soon. So taking the bedding to the truck Luke works quickly to ready the matress and then goes back to the room he shares with Bo.

"Uncle Jesse you ready to move him?"

Jesse looks at Luke and nods,between the two of them they carry Bo to the truck getting him settled.

[BoJamesDuke]

As Luke gently helped Uncle Jesse place Bo in the back of the truck, he had to bite his lip to stop the tears that threatened to fall cascading down his cheeks. The way Bo's head rolled with every movement, the way his body felt so weak and limp in his arms made him realize just how serious he had let this situation become.

Usually he would have picked up on Bo's change of temperment the day it had begun, but he had been so distracted with getting the farm work done and making sure the General was in good shape for the race Bo was meant to be racing in this saturday, that he had thought nothing of Bo's unusually close to the surface temper and had overlooked the small tell tale signs that Bo needed help that he had known were there since Bo was a youngster.

He reached over the side of the pickup where his youngest cousin now lay, deathly pale and silent, inbetween the pillows and covers of the make-shift bed, even though sweat covered his brow and trickled down the side of his face. He sweapt the blonde locks away from the young man's forehead and pressed a small kiss to it gently.

"I'm so sorry cousin...I'm gonna make sure you get all the help you need and then once your better, we'll get this whole thing straightened out. The people who did this to ya are gonna pay Bo...I promise ya."

He looked over as Daisy and B.L finally stepped out the front door, both with tear tracks staining their beautiful cheeks. He walked over and wrapped his arms around them both, before helping them into the cabin of the truck. He was riding in the back with Bo and there was nothing anyone could say or do to convince him otherwise.