"Well...you know Jesse ain't as young as he used t be..." began Cooter looking to the floor.

Bo now was starting to get more confused.

"Cooter you just said this was about Luke, will ya make up yer mind?!"

"It is about Luke" Cooter insisted. "The doc told him...Jesse's a lot sicker than he's let on. Luke didn't want to worry you all but all the chores and things you been thinkin Jesse done...well it's been Luke. He called me yesterday, orried sick that things wouldn't get done cuz of his foot and....and he ain't takin Jesse's ailin well at all Bo....he's doin a good job of hidin' it but...Bo my ears arent what they used to be but I think he was cryin when I talked to him..."

Bo's eyes were wide with shock and his jaw hung open just a little as he tried to process the information that Cooter was telling him...so not only was Uncle Jesse sick and not letting on...but Luke was also making himself sick and not letting on...all thoughts of what he was previously going to do had now flown out the window. Shaking his head, he looked down at the floor and scrubbed a hand down his face.

"What d'ya mean Uncle Jesse's ailin'? He...Is he even at the farmer's convention he was goin' to?!"

Cooter shook his head. "No...he ain't buddy... he's getting blood work done...and tests."

Bo closed his eyes a moment, biting his bottom lip before standing up and heading out to General Lee again without a word.

Cooter followed him out. "Bo...Bo Luke dont know I told you...."

"Well he's gonna know I found out....once i've been to see Uncle Jesse..."

He said as he slid into the driver's seat and flared the General to life.

Cooter watched him go with a sigh.

Bo, his single track mind now changed to speed towards the hospital, soon felt tears warming his eyes. He knew his Uncle was getting older, and sometimes noticed the way Uncle Jesse seemed more tired than usual but he had thought nothing of it...he also noticed how Luke was more tired still and was always out of bed before him now...but again had thought nothing of it...especially nwo that Jaime was around and this whole thing with Troy had flared up.

In no time at all with soft tears dribbling down his cheeks, he was in the hospital car park and had skidded into a space, running in and going to the receptionist's desk.

"What room is Jesse Duke in.."

"Room 114. Are you a family member?" she asked softly.

"I'm his nephew..."

Bo called back over his shoulder as he was already half way down the corridor heading to Jesse's room by the time she had given him the number. He muttered to himself afterwards though.

"Not that you'd know that considering he don't act like family should anymore..."

Jesse lay in the bed resting as an IV snaked from his arm. A monitor beeped steadily.

Bo froze in the doorway, swallowing softly as he saw his Uncle. He had never liked to see Jesse like this....there was the time when Bo and Luke were running from a bounty hunter, and Jesse had gone to investigate an area, but had only succeeded in falling down the hillside and hitting his head, putting him in a coma. Bo had cried then while Luke could only watch as Bo refused to be consoled by anything other than Jesse himself telling him he was ok...which wasn't to happen until a few days after.

And a tear slid down his cheek now as he silently headed to the side of the hospital bed once more and sat in the chair placed there, taking Jesse's non-iv'd hand between his own two hands and holding it softly.

Jesse opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to see who was in the room with him. He was surprised to see Bo. "what are ya...doin here...son?"

Bo looked to him, swallowing softly and saying just as quietly.

"Family's supposed to support each other..."

Jesse sighed. "I didn't...wanna...worry ya son...Luke...knowin...was bad...enough."

Bo shook his head and looked down to the floor.

"You always taught us not to keep important things from family..."

"Now Bo...I didn't know that things...would get...so bad...I though...was just a sick fancy...that'd pass...an'...when we found out it wasn't...well...I didn't wanna worry ya...I'm sorry."

Bo bit his lip, sniffing a little before he looked up to Jesse.

"What's goin' on..."

Jesse sighed and squeezed his nephew's hand gently. "I'm an old man Bo...with an old heart."

Bo frowned a little and shook his head softly.

"What d'ya mean..."

"Son...people wear out...just like cars do...now I had a good life but I'm tired son..."

Bo swallowed hard and his eyes grew a little wider at what Jesse was implying.

"But you...you can't just...not yet..."

Jesse looked at Bo thinking he looked even younger than he was. "Not my choice..that's up to my maker."