We've All Got To Grow Up Sometime

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo nodded as he heard Luke\'s soft call, having heard the cars as well. Quietly he left the room and glanced out the window Luke had done a double take at, grinning as he saw Daisy.

\"Well look it....Bo Peep\'s come home..\" He said with a chuckle, heading to the door behind Sammy.

Daisy pulled back from the hug with a smile up at him, as dazzaling as ever. Her eyes still shone with youthful energy and she hadn\'t grown any the less beautiful in her time away from Hazzard. Her long legs still carried on forever and she was still as feisty as when she had left. Years of working behind the bar at the Boar\'s Nest and living with the boys had given her that edge.

\"I\'m great Enos, how bout you? How\'s LA been treating ya?!\"

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke quietly made his way to the door along with Bo and Sammy.

[runningwild]

Enos noticed right off that Daisy hadn't changed at all. She was still as beautiful as he remembered her, and he knew that that would never change. Every part of him was taken over by excitement to see her.

"Oh, I'm doing great too. LA's been good. Same as always, but never dull."

The grin that he carried showed that he was delighted to just be in the presence of Daisy. It had been so long since he had seen her. So many times he had asked her to come visit, but she had always been so busy with school. No matter how disappointed he had been, Enos was so proud of her for sticking with something and making a name for herself. Working at the Boar's Nest, Daisy would've never gotten her name out of Hazzard. It just goes to show that you've got to leave the nest to find the best. Maybe that sound truth applied to other things as well.

"My my, you're looking mighty pretty Daisy," he spoke smoothly. Enos just wasn't as nervous as he use to be. Now, he could tell her without jitters and awkwardness.

[BoJamesDuke]

(sorry about the big ol delay running, I recently switched over internet providers and it wont let me access hnet so I have to keep using proxy servers which is a pain)

Daisy smiled as she saw a confidence in Enos she hadn\'t really ever seen before. LA was certainly doing great things for the once shy and bumbling law man.

\"Well thanks Enos, your looking really great too...LA\'s sure changed ya huh! Your a top law man now and you sure gained the confidence...your doing so well for yourself Enos, m\'so proud of you!\"

Bo just watched from the porch, not willing to say anything that would break up the happy reunion.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke stood watching too, though not saying anything.

Sammy wasn't near so quiet. "Well...looks like the eagle does return to the nest after all!" With that she flew off the porch grabbing Daisy in a hug. "Boy have I got news to tell you!" she exclaimed having missed the girl talk she had once shared with Daisy, and of course, Sara.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy turned at Sammy\'s call, grinning as she saw what may as well have been her sister flying off the porch to her. Grabbing her up in an excited hug in return she laughed and nodded.

\"We have a LOT of talking to do!\"

Bo chuckled and shook his head, following Sammy down at a more cautious pace...he didn\'t know if his hands could handle Daisy\'s rather over enthusiastic return right then.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke stepped down the stairs too, just watching Sammy and Daisy.

Sammy grinned looking at her. "You look great Daisy! College sure agrees with ya!"

[runningwild]

Enos shook his head amused at the girls' reactions. Being a man, he knew when it was time to step aside and let the women do their things. So, he decided to slide past them and join Bo and Luke on the porch.

He approached them shaking his head, "Sure is glad to see two women so excited to see each other." Pausing, he chuckled to himself, "Speaking of that.. Cassie hiding inside?"

Cassie was the one thing he always kept a watchful eye on because he didn't want anything to happen to her. It was much like Bo and Luke being so protective of Sammy but because of different circumstances. Enos cared about Cassie and it would forever be a "she's with me" kind of thing.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo smiled to Enos as he came onto the porch to avoid the high pitched girly chatter, sighing as he nearly instantly brought up Cassie.

\"No Enos she ain\'t....we urm...we had an argument and I walked off and she went some other way...\"

He said, not looking at Enos or Luke.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke swallowed. He wasn't sure Bo had called it an argument before. Now Bo wasn't looking at him. That in itself told Luke that there was more to the argument than Bo was saying.

[runningwild]

Now, Enos didn't exactly look mad about what he had heard, but he was very concerned about it. "She went another way? You just let her go?"

He spoke calmly, "That just don't seem like Cassie to argue with ya Bo, but then again you two never got along, even as kids."

Looking from Luke, who seemed uneasy, to Bo, Enos shook his head, "Now, I don't agree with you walking off and leaving her.. no matter what she said because anything could happen to her. I know she gets under your skin.." He paused, "What'd ya'll argue about?"

Enos stood solidly before his friends, but he was anxious to find Cassie. There wasn't any sense in her having to spend the evening alone, if she didn't have too. Obviously, she had wanted a little company or she wouldn't have invited herself over at the Dukes.

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo looked down at the floor of the porch as Enos spoke, not out of shame because he wasn\'t ashamed at walking off and leaving Cassie alone. She was a big girl, she could handle herself, she\'d lived in Hazzard near all her life until her move to LA so she knew it just as well as the boys did. He wasn\'t worried about her...in fact as mad as he was at her right now he couldn\'t care less if she\'d been abducted by aliens...they\'d probably get sick of her and send her back anyway...and it didn\'t help that Enos was starting to sound like his Uncle who - despite his passing many years ago - he still missed. The only people he ever let talk to him like Enos was were Luke and Sammy. He was looking down at the floor because he could feel the hot flush rising to his cheeks meaning he was getting angry again. Clenching his jaw he forced himself to count to ten as Enos spoke before looking back up and saying calmly but in a tone that made it clear he was anything but happy.

\"Don\'t come round here and tell me what you do and dont agree with me doing Enos. You dont know what we argued about, you dont know what she said and i\'m not gonna repeat it. She\'s a big girl, she can handle herself and if she can\'t its her own fault cause she should be able to by now without having to rely on everybody else to watch her like some 5 year old. We\'ve all had to grow up as times passed...seems like Cassie ain\'t changed a bit so it wouldn\'t actually surprise me if she couldn\'t. If you\'re so concerned about her, why don\'t you go look for her...obviously you got hired as more than a police officer when you went out to LA huh.\"

With that he turned and walked inside, he couldn\'t talk to Daisy when he was so fired up. He didn\'t care if he was being rude, recently he\'d had too much to worry about and his usual quick to rise temper was closer to the surface than usual with everything he was worrying about....Luke being like he was, Sammy maybe carrying another child, juggling his job with both those things along with maintaining a good relationship with TJ and Abi. He didn\'t need anything else to worry bout or feel stressed or guilty about and he wasn\'t about to let Enos try and guilt trip him into it.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke wasn't sure what to think. Knowing Bo like he did he could tell that he was getting angry, but he had yet to know exactly what for.

"He didn't mean to snap atcha Enos..." began Luke though the more he thought about it Bo might have meant to. "He just has got a lot on his mind. Hey Daisy," he added when there was a lull in her and Sammy's conversation.

[runningwild]

Even out of Bo's anger, Enos didn't get mad. Maybe frustrated was more of the word he wanted to use, but he still smiled at Luke. "You ain't got to apologize for him Luke, I know he didn't mean too."

After a moment of thinking, Enos spoke again, "Just tell Bo that he wouldn't agree with me arguin' with Sammy, then leaving her by herself on by the road. I'm liable to give him a piece of my mind, but I'll just have to save it for when he ain't mad. The Cassie you use to know, your friend, she's in there Luke. I know she is because boy does she shine out in California. Her past is behind her.. and if she's misunderstood by ya'll even today, then give her a try when you can." He sighed, "After Sara, I know you don't want too, but when you're ready maybe you can see the Cassie you remember.. the Cassie that I know. She's truly extraordinary." Looking down, he spoke again, "I know you didn't want to hear that but I thought you should know. Now, I don't know if she knows about Sara because I didn't tell her. So, don't take it too personal when she's friendly.. I know that even now she misses talking to you. She won't tell you that, but she does. I don't believe she loves you anymore.. not like that. After so long, that just goes away.." He spoke as if he knew. "It's a fond memory.. and you find someone else to pass the time with."

Enos indirectly was speaking about himself, even though he was explaining Cassie to Luke. It wasn't his place to explain her to him, but he had lived a good portion of Cassie's life with her, and he knew what she felt. He also knew what Luke had gone through without knowing what he was going through internally.

He couldn't believe what all had went on while he was making a few phone calls back to Los Angeles. Cassie was just out there, and he didn't have a clue where she would go. In the back of his mind, he figured she might head back to the hotel, but he couldn't be sure. Right now, he was really concerned about what was going on, and he wanted more than anything to know what she could've said to make Bo so angry.

"I better go.." His voice drifted a little, "Tell Sammy I'm sorry that I'll have to miss out on her good cookin'."

[DaisyMaeDuke]

"I ain't apologisin' for him...I'm just sayin'...he's got a lot on his mind...things might come out more direct than he means 'em to."

He was going to say more when Enos brought up Sara. He wished he wouldn't. It almost felt like a sin to say her name as if it were part of the past. To Luke, she was still very much a part of him...the present. "Enos...please..." he started, but Enos didn't seem to notice and kept on talking. Luke knew he meant no harm... and maybe the Cassie he was talking about was in there somewhere. Luke didn't know...and frankly, he didn't much care. The only women in his life constantly were Abi and Sammy. Those were the ones he focused his attentions on...those were the only women he was comfortable with...and that wasn't about to change any time soon.

He sighed softly, feeling bad that Enos was volunteering to leave, but knowing from the way he talked, he would rather make sure Cassie was okay then have her alone. Nodding he answered, "Some other time then."

Sammy meanwhile had forgotten all about Enos and everyone so excited and chatting happily to Daisy.

[runningwild]

Enos nodded and smiled, "I'm sorry, Luke. Thanks for understanding." He started to turn and go down the steps, when he paused and looked back at his friend. "I know we don't exactly belong here any more, Cassie and me. I never thought I'd ever say that."

He seemed to linger for an extra moment, before heading down the stairs and back to his car. Still he managed to call over his shoulder on a few feet from Luke, "Remember you were me once.." Enos knew that Luke didn't care about Cassie, but he had to remember when so many years ago that he would be the one going out to find her.

[BoJamesDuke]

Enos nodded and smiled, \"I\'m sorry, Luke. Thanks for understanding.\" He started to turn and go down the steps, when he paused and looked back at his friend. \"I know we don\'t exactly belong here any more, Cassie and me. I never thought I\'d ever say that.\"

He seemed to linger for an extra moment, before heading down the stairs and back to his car. Still he managed to call over his shoulder on a few feet from Luke, \"Remember you were me once..\" Enos knew that Luke didn\'t care about Cassie, but he had to remember when so many years ago that he would be the one going out to find her.

Daisy however had actually tuned out of the conversation when she had heard what Bo had been saying to Enos, picking up everything quickly and glancing between the three men when Bo stormed inside. She gave a little wave to Luke when she called, silencing Sammy in the process as she then listened to Luke and Enos talk....and even she cringed when Enos brought up Sara. Right now...that was just something you didn\'t talk about with Luke...even she, a member of the family who had been as close to Sara as Sammy had been...even she steered clear of it unless Luke approached the subject first.

Sighing, she hurried forward and asked Sammy to check on Bo, going after Enos and managing to get to his car door before he did. Standing in front of it, she shook her head.

\"Enos...\"

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke meantime quietly followed Sammy inside, knowing that Daisy might be a while with Enos.

[runningwild]

Enos looked up at Daisy, "I know Daisy.." He sighed, "Sorry about having to rush out." Straightening up his back, he stood there and slipped his hands in his pockets.

In the back of his mind, he knew that Cassie was probably just fine. A few tears shed never hurt her, and he'd caught her many times crying in the back of her store out of stress or frustration of her business. Sometimes she needed a good cry and he understood that. But, he was worried about her just because it was Bo that she had had her stir with.

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy shook her head softly again as she leant against the car door, looking up at the ex hazzard county police officer.

\"Aww Enos c\'mon....please stay...its been such a long time since we\'ve all seen each other...as much as Bo was wrong to do what he did, he is right. Cassie can take care of herself, and she\'s probably just as tired as Bo is considering the flight you had and everything...they probably just butted heads and Cassie\'ll go lie down for a nap and them two can try again. Just once Enos, just let her be and come enjoy yourself for a few hours. She knows where you are if she needs you...she can always call...\"

She reasoned softly, trying her best to get the lawman to stay a while. In all truth it had been far too long since she had seen him, since she had seen anyone from Hazzard and to see him this soon was too good an oppertunity to let him walk away from.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke walked back inside, stopping outside Abi's door and watching her sleep, though his mind on the words Enos just spoke.

[runningwild]

Hearing Daisy speak, was heavenly to Enos who felt as if he had experienced the most beautiful symphony. She did seem awfully glad to see him, and she wouldn't try to get him to stay, if she didn't want him too. In the back of his mind, he just wished Cassie was there so that his mind could be settled.

"Well Daisy.. I don't know.." He paused, "I just don't like all this fussin'."

[BoJamesDuke]

Daisy nodded sympathetically, putting a hand on his arm softly and rubbing it just a little.

"I know ya don't Enos an' believe me, its the last thing I wanna come home to as well. Like Luke said, Bo's just got a lot going on right now with the effect Sara's passin's had on Luke an' racin' NASCAR while trying to keep a good relationship with his son and his wife...its hard for him...he's probably just tired like I said. Argument's happen Enos, and even if you did go back there, there's no guarentee that Cassie'll wanna talk about it anyway. We haven't seen ya in so long...and like I said, if Cassie does need ya then yer only a phone call away..."

She said softly, knowing how torn up Enos must feel about leaving Cassie alone and everything. He was too sympathetic and tried too hard to please everybopdy sometimes, most of the time he didn't stop to think about what he wanted.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Luke once again entered Abi's room, sitting on the bed beside her just running a hand through her long dark curls, satisfying himself that she really was still there, safe and sound.

Sammy meanwhile had followed after Bo. "Bo...sweetie...you okay?"

[BoJamesDuke]

Bo was standing at the window of his bedroom which looked out over the back fourty, sighing heavily with his eyes closed as Sammy's soft voice filtered through the silence. Shaking his head a little, he opened his blue eyes again and swallowed softly.

"No...I just...things..."