Double Duke Trouble

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke wraps his arms around Daisy pulling her into a tight hug murmuring comforting sounds as he stroked her hair.

"Shhh baby it's alright ya got nothin' to be sorry for sweetheart......I don't blame ya for havin' ta get away. I took a long walk myself for the same reasons couldn't stand it I had ta get away be by myself for a little bit."

Guides Daisy gently back to the couch sitting down and pulling his weeping cousin onto his lap. Just letting her cry as he rocks her like when she was a small girl. Trying to comfort the both of them.

B.L. gives Luke a brief hug before Daisy flings herself at him then retreats leaning into Cooter's chest watching the two heartbroken cousins giving a shiver praying she never had to be in their position.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy leant into her older cousin's embrace, feeling safe and loved in his arms once more. She had always felt the same in Bo's arms too, and it was nice to feel that at least she hadn't lost that in Luke.

She whispered quietly, still exhausted from all the emotions running through her.

"I miss him already Luke....I miss him... d'ya think he's happy where he is now?"

[B.L. Davenport]

"I miss 'im too sweetheart more than I ever thought possible but we got to pick up the peaces and carry on at some point that's what Bo'd want us to do.....*remembering his encounter with Bo and knowing this would be a big step in letting their cousin rest in peace*.......Wherever he is he's happier now than he was when he was so sick."

Rubs her back whispering

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy sighed and nodded gently, sniffing a little.

"Yeah...I know...its just so hard Luke...and its gonna be so hard for months when everything around Hazzard is just another painful reminder of him.....How's Uncle Jesse gonna cope...."

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke sighs kissing the top of Daisy's head.

"I don't know how Dais' but he will he always does no matter what's happened. Not only will Uncle Jesse cope he'll take care of us 'n help us cope same as he always has....."

This was the one thing he was absolutely still positive about in all the turmoil. Uncle Jesse would cope and he would help them to as well.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy sighed and nodded, pulling away and wiping her cheeks.

Thanks Luke

[B.L. Davenport]

Kisses Daisy's forhead winking just a hint of the old Luke coming through.

"Anytime sweetheart"

B.L. decides they all need a distraction reaches in the corner picking up the guitar there,handing it in Luke's direction.

"Sing us a song Lucas?"

Luke shakes his head not even attempting to take the guitar. That was just one more thing he wasn't sure he could do right now. The five of them used to sit and sing songs on long cold or stormy nights.

B.L. nods with an understanding but disappointed look she thought that it might pull them all out of their own depressions if they did something fun and got lost in the activity even if Bo's participation would be sorely missed.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy looked to the guitar and smiled softly, gently encouraging Luke.

"Go on Luke....it'll be nice..."

[B.L. Davenport]

Takes the guitar even if it is still a bit reluctantly. Tuning it then looks up at the other three occupants of the room.

"Ya'll gotta help me sing. What'll it be?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy looked to him gently and smiled

"You knew Bo better than any of us...what would he like?"

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke nods and starts to softly strum the guitar a familar tune coming from the strings. Humming a few bar as he plays then stopping suddenly he didn't know if he could do this or not.

B.L. smiles encouragingly gripping his arm in support and Luke begins to play again this time B.L. starts to sing and Luke joins in slow and hesitantly at first but as B.L.'s alto gathers strength changing a few of the words to a version Bo made up Luke's own voice joins hers as he stops thinking about the pain and just throws himself into the song.

Duke boys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold.

They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold.

Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis,

And each night begins a new day.

If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young,

He'll prob'ly just ride away.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Duke boys.

Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.

Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be Duke boys.

'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone.

Even with someone they love.

Duke boys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings,

Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night.

Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do,

Sometimes won't know how to take him.

He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him,

Do things to make you think he's right.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Duke boys.

Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.

Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be Duke boys.

'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone.

Even with someone they love.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy smiled softly at the song, joining in herself and Cooter joining in not long after. all singing together, they smiled for the first time in weeks at each other, Bo's own confidence evident in the words being sung, making everyone feel that little bit closer to him.

[B.L. Davenport]

Luke smiles the first real smile he'd smiled in days there'd been times with Bo when he felt good that they'd laughed and joked but since things went bad and stayed bad he hadn't smiled once not a real one that reached his eyes. As their voices fade into the last strains of the song he looks at the others and it was evident in their faces that this was good medicine for all of them to remember Bo in this way because they weren't ready to retell old memories yet.

"Anybody else got a request"

B.L. watches Daisy glad to see the tears from earlier replaced by a smile.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy shook her head, leaning against Luke, feeling like a small weight that had been holding her chest had been lifted...some of the grief was fading so very slowly through Luke...Luke coming back to normal was the booster Daisy needed to get hr own act together,

[B.L. Davenport]

B.L. sat there thinking a few minutes shifting her eyes between the other occupants of the room before suggesting quietly.

"Hey Luke how 'bout that song Bo wrote 'In the driver's seat'?"

Luke gulped was any of them ready for that he wasn't sure. Bo had written it on an impulse describing how everyone felt about his and Bo's exploits tearing around the county. Taking a deep breath he nodded hesitantly.

"O......ok"

Strums the first few chords of the song before starting the first verse in a somewhat shaking voice.

I got one foot on the gas

I got one eye on the law

I got my mind on that pretty little gal

I passed about a mile ago

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There ain t no way you can catch me

I got a car that can t be beat

With a A-one, long gone, white line outlaw

Sittin' in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I got one hand on the wheel

I got one long road ahead

I got pity on you old smoky

Gotta try to chase down Johnny Reb

There ain t no way you can catch me

I got a car that can t be beat

With a A-one, long gone, white line outlaw

Sittin' in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I only know one way to live

And that way s my way

And you can try to tame me if you must

But you ll just hear me flyin' down that old highway

And all you ll see of me is a big ol' cloud of dust

Yeah

I got one foot on the gas

I got one eye on the law

I got my mind on that pretty little gal

I passed about a mile ago

There ain t no way you can catch me

I got a car that can t be beat

With a A-one, long gone, white line outlaw

Sittin' in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

With a A-one, long gone, white line outlaw

Sittin' in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

I m in the driver s seat

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy swallowed a little as the last few notes and words faded into silence, and yet she smiled as she did knowing that Bo would have loved that they were all sitting around talking so well about him and singing his songs....it would have inflated his already over inflated ego further...

She huddled into Luke more as she noticed a few tears slipping down his cheeks and wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing him gently, just holding him like that for a long while as everyone sat in silence, each lost in their own respective memories and thoughts.

[B.L. Davenport]

*********day of funeral********

The church silent with only the sniffing of mourners as the preacher gave his sermon on Bo's reward in glory. B.L. sat between Luke and Daisy holding each one by the hand as silent tears slipped down her face this was the final step the last time they'd get to see Bo time to make their final goodbyes,looking right and left though Luke and Daisy nor Uncle Jesse was ready to do that and it was killing her almost as bad as them to be here. Cooter didn't look so great either sure his eyes were dry but he looked green as well as like a lost puppy. As the preacher finished his sermon he asked if anyone else had anything else to say before Bo was taken to his final resting place.

[BoJamesDuke]

Luke swallowed and stood up, heading towards the front and standing next to Bo's coffin, beautifully decorated in the colours of the General Lee with the confederate flag on the lid. He ran his hand over it before turning to the crowd of people.

"Bo....was my little brother....and....god I miss him so much....but he'd want me to do this....ta play y'all a couple o'songs no one ever got ta hear that....although as always written about girls he's loved....seem ta kinda fit with how I feel at the moment,,,,"

He smiled gratefully and sadly as Cooter passed him the guitar and gently strummed a few chords before starting to play and singing softly to the hushed crowd.

If I had only known

It was our last walk in the rain

I’d keep you out for hours in the storm

And I would hold your hand

Like a lifeline to my heart

And underneath the thunder we’d be warm

If I had only known

It was our last walk in the rain

If I had only known

I’d never hear your voice again

I’d memorize each thing you ever said

On those lonely nights

I could think of them once more

And keep your words alive inside my head

If I had only known

I’d never hear your voice again

Come back let me hold you one more time

Let me say goodbye

If I had only known

It was my last night in your arms

I’d pray a miracle would stop the dawn

And by the candle’s glow

I could look into your eyes

And make sure you know

My love for you goes on and on

If I had only known

If I had only known

The love I would’ve shown

If I had only known

[B.L. Davenport]

Jesse looks on as his eldest sings the song his youngest had written tears of pride and pain pride for all three of his 'kids' and pain at losing his youngest and for the suffering he went through as well as the pain the two remaining have went through and will go through for a while yet losing him.

B.L. loses the hold she'd had on her emotions and burst into sobs muffling them with her hand it was such a pretty song and defenitely showed how Bo and Luke's relationship as 'brothers' was they shared everything with each other they were a pair ya always though of the duke boys Bo 'n Luke all one big word never as two people it seemed. Cooter scooted down from the end of the pew where he'd been sitting on the other side of Luke and wraps a comforting arm around B.L. as she cries seeing Daisy also getting more worked up he moves between them and wraps them both in a tight hold as they cry on his shoulders and for the first time in a long time tears slip down his own cheeks unashamedly.

[BoJamesDuke]

Luke chocked a little as he finished the song but determindly moved to sing the next one, strumming the chords before talking briefly.

"This last one is called life after you....and....it sure is appropriate cousin..."

Life after you

Is harder than I thought it would be

Cause I never knew

How much you were a part of me

I can make it through the days ok

But I can’t go to sleep

Wondering how’s your life after me

Do you still like to sleep on a rainy day?

Do you still cry when doggie walks away?

And do you still stay up until

There’s nothing on TV

Tell me how’s your life after me?

Well I still got some dreams to fill

And I could lose someway

Cause I’m a little bit older

And a little less bolder

Than I used to be

If the truth were told

I’d sell my soul

For the way things used to be

Oh girl

How we used to be

Well I still got some dreams to fill

And I could lose some weight

I’m a little bit older

And a little less bolder

Than I used to be

And if the truth were told

I’d sell my soul

For the way things used to be

Oh girl

How we used to be

Life after you

Is harder than I thought it would be

Cause I never knew

Just how much you were a part of me

I can make it through the days ok

But I can’t go to sleep

And when you’re lying all alone at night

Do you ever think of me?

Tell me

How’s your life

Baby how’s your life?

I wanna know

How’s your life after me?

This is much harder than I thought it would be.

[B.L. Davenport]

As the last chords of the song die the only sounds to be heard is the quiet sobs of Daisy and B.L.. The preacher takes his place at the podeium as Luke returns to his seat leaning the guitar against the pew.

"Please bow your heads and join me in prayer"

Everyone bows their heads as the preacher prays for the grieving family's comfort and that Bo's soul be accepted into heaven. The paulbearers go to the front of the church and rolls the casket down the aisle,loading it into the hearse then the rest of the occupants of the church building follow,getting in their cars and lining up behind the hearse to proceed to the Duke cemetary.

[BoJamesDuke]

Luke led the procession, following the hurse through the streets solmnly, wiping his eyes a little at the sight of the coffin he knew contained his younger cousin. He still couldn't believe this was true, that his cousin had gone.

He followed the hurse as far as it could go before taking his place at Bo's graveside, looking down into the cold black dirt hole that would now forever hold his cousin's body. The tombstone Jesse had let Luke inscribe and on it had been written.

Here lies Bo Duke, a loved and always missed cousin, nephew, son and brother. Rest in peace.

[B.L. Davenport]

Jesse stood beside the grave silent tears slipping down his weather worn face,holding Daisy round the waist as she cried on his shoulder the other hand placed on Luke's shoulder knowing that was the only display he would tolerate with more than close friends and family watching.

B.L. stood with Cooter just to the side and behind the Dukes leaning heavily on his shoulder his arm around her waist. The preacher looked at the family and friends gathered to pay their final respects to Jesse's youngest, before opening his bible and reading a few scriptures. At the end of the reading it was time for the family to toss the first few handfuls of dirt into the hole before the gravediggers would finish filling it.

[BoJamesDuke]

Luke waited, holding in as much as he could while there were so many people around. He picked up his handful of dirt as Jesse and Daisy threw theirs in and slowly sank to his knees beside the open grave, squeezing the dirt clenched in his fist. He slowly whispered down to the coffin below.

"I'm sorry....I'm sorry I couldn't save ya.....realise what was goin' on 'afore all this happened.....guess this is it....the final goodbye.....I always thought I'd go with ya Bo....that we'd die tagether....grow old an' have kids like ya dreamed....take over the farm....."

Luke's voice cracked and he sobbed painfully

"It ain't fair Bo....ain't right....ain't fair at all....they's aint gonna live Bo....they're gonna pay fer what they did....the sentencin' is next week....Bo....heck Bo I miss ya so bad.....wait fer me cousin.....please wait fer me....."

With that he kissed the dirt in his hand and threw it down into the grave, the tears falling with the specks of dirt as they did....Luke remained on his knees, hugging is middle and crying desperatly.

[B.L. Davenport]

Jesse released Daisy to Cooter's care and went to see to Luke,kneeling beside the distraught young man wraping him in a tight hug and rocking slightly just letting him cry for a few minutes.

" S'alright Luke shhh s'alright I gotcha"

B.L. steps up hugging Daisy and motions with her head for Cooter to help Uncle Jesse get Luke to his feet knowing in his right mind he'd not let others see him like this and he'd be embarrassed about it later when he was in his right mind if he was ever in it again. Cooter goes to the other side of Luke and between him and Jesse manage to get Luke on his feet guiding him to sit on the bench that sat in the family cemetary to compose himself. Helps Daisy over to sit next to Luke as her knees start to buckle.

Looks at Jesse questioningly having discussed something she wanted to do ta give Bo a proper send off but with both Daisy and Luke so distraught not sure if it was a good idea anymore. Jesse nods and as the last of the friends leaves the cemetary to go back and set out the food for the grieving family as the Davenports stay with them B.L. quietly slips over to the General Lee leaning in the window honking the horn to let the sounds of 'Dixie' break the Georgia stillness, before sliding down beside the car weeping softly.