"I know that Daddy...but you not a bit protective your a lot protective...and its not sometimes its all the time...I come home from school an' yer nearly always at the window watchin' fer me if not outside waitin'..."

Jaime answered earnestly, not trying to hurt Luke but trying to make him see how she was feeling. She loved him so much, and she could never be thankful enough for all that he had done for her and would continue to do...it was just...too much...

Luke swallowed hearing the aggravation and hurt in her voice and hung his head. "I'm sorry sweetheart...I just don't wanna lose you..."

Jaime sighed.

"I know Daddy...but...can't you trust me..."

"I do trust you..."

"It don't seem like it...it dont seem like you trust me to go anywhere and be able to get back without you watching out fer me all the time..."

Luke swallowed the lump in his throat. It was getting harder and harder to feel like he was any good at this "daddy" thing. Had Jaime understood how much her words were hurting him she would have stopped. But now the fat was in the fire.

People who didn't know Bo and Luke well assumed that because they were together all the time that they were almost the same person. That theory was wrong. True a lot of their interests were the same, but they were opposites in many areas. It was this opposition in personalities that complimented one another so well. Bo tended to do things on a whim, while Luke needed to think things over thoroughly. Bo wore his heart on his sleeve, while Luke's, though just as tender, was hidden away to be shown only to the few people he knew and loved...and that rarely. When hurt or backed into a corner, Bo lashed out, not willing to go down without a fight. Luke by turns would shut down. It was a coping skill he had learned the hard way in Nam.

Now, Jaime was lashing out at him, and he couldn't move away quickly. He refused to lash back, because deep inside, he knew that she was right. That did not, however, make it hurt any less. So here was Luke, hurt and unable to move away, unable to lash out. He did the only thing he knew to do in that situation and he did it instinctively.

His body tensed a little, and with a tear escaping his eye, Luke said nothing.

Jaime swallowed seeing him doing it, knowing she had hurt Luke when she hadn't meant to. As much as Luke felt like he wasn't being a good enough dad, Jaime equally felt that she wasn't holding up to be much of a daughter, let alone a Duke.

Luke hadn't raised her from a baby, when they had met and Luke had adopted her, she had been 14 - already grown up and experience a lot of things that kids should never have to, divorce, lonlieness, entrapment, hurt...in many ways she was more grown up than she should be at 16...but in other ways she was very immature and just how to tell people things that were of a sensitive issue without hurting there feelings was not something she was good at. She told people how it was, straight with no wishy washy things to it.

"Daddy....Daddy please...I didn't mean to hurt you....I just....I love you so much Daddy an' everythin' we've been through together the few years we's been together...its been so great Daddy it really really has an' I love havin' ya as my daddy...im tryin' to be the best that I can be for ya, I really am..."

Luke swallowed hard as he heard her words. "I couldn't ask for a better daughter," he murmured a tear trickling down his cheek. "You deserve a better father than ya got."

Jaime nodded a little, wiping away Luke's tear.

"I know I did...and luckily for me I did get one...your my daddy...not the guy that I hardly even know...and your the best daddy anyone could ever ask for..."

Luke reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I love ya Princess..."

Jaime smiled and leant into the hand a little.

"I love you too Daddy..."

Luke drew her closer, hugging her gently. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Me too.."

She whispered softly back, hugging him back. She soon broke off though as Bo pulled into the yard in General Lee.

Luke frowned hearing Bo pull up.

Jaime glances out the window, seeing him get out and pull something out with him though she coudn't see what.

"Uncle Bo's brought something home.."

"Hope it ain't another puppy," mutters to himself rememberin how Bo had found a sick puppy as a youngster and brought it home, crying for days when it died.

Jaime caught the mutter but didn't understand what he had said.

"Huh?"

"Nothin'" answered Luke craning hi neck to see out the window.

But by this time, Bo had left the General and was heading into the house, calling out.

"Anyone home?"

Luke bit his lip still not sure where things stood between him and Bo.

Jaime called out, " In here!"

Bo soon appeared in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with a smile.

"Well hey...no one told me there was a slumber party in here..."

Jaime smiled. "Go get your pjs on and we can do your hair," she teased.

Luke stayed quiet.

Bo chuckled a little on.

"Yer aimin' fer a fat lip girlie...anyway, I can't come alone cause I got someone who wants ta meet ya.."

He said with a smile.

Luke flushed, not in the mood for company.

"Really, who?" asked Jaime cocking her head to one side.

Troy popped out from behind Bo's legs, a wide grin on his face.

"Me!"