A Good Ol' Boy and A Bad Mistake

[bethie88]

I'm posting this here due to lack of interest on FF.net. I hope y'all enjoy... But if you're already readin' it on FF.net, just put your reviews there!

Rating: PG-13 for topics involving sex. Nothing explicit, not even close, but safety is the best policy!

Disclaimer: I don't own them Duke boys, although it sure wouldn't hurt my feelings if Bo wanted to let me borrow him. I don't own "The Balladeer" Or anything like that.... Funny how life goes, huh?

Author's Notes: This is my first time delving into the Dukes of Hazzard fandom... I'm a long time fan of the show, but I hadn't seen any episodes for a long time. Up until my cousins got the DVD set. Then I got one today! Yay me! Any reviews are appreciated! Thanks!!!! Anything in bold in this story is a Balladeer comment.

Chapter 1: Bo and Becky

Bo Duke was never happier than when he was doing what he was doing right this moment. Sitting in the driver's seat of the Dodge Charger he shared with his cousin Luke, who just so happened to be in the passenger's seat. The Charger was the one thing that had saved the Duke boy's hides on repeated occasions, and was known fondly as the General Lee. Bo was enjoying himself entirely too much, and that was because he was doing what he did best. Irritating the sheriff and his deputies. He and Luke had had years of practice in that particular activity. A glance in the rearview mirror brought a smile to Bo's face. They had Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane mad...real mad. And nothing was more fun than making Rosco mad.

Bo hit the dixie horn as he shifted gears, then let out his signature rebel yell, "Yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaa!" Boy, this was fun!

He grinned like a possum as he realized they were coming up on a low ditch, with a neat pile of dirt right in front of it. They were going to have to jump it. "Hold on, Luke!" he yelled, as the General soared over the ditch, and landed hard, but safe, on the other side. Bo looked back over his shoulder and laughed, as he saw Rosco swing the car around and slam on brakes, skidding in the dirt to avoid the ditch. He looked a Luke with a grin before he skidded onto another dirt road.

Bo smiled again, when they pulled into the driveway of a two story white house with two fancy cars in the driveway.

Have ya noticed yet how them boys are always smilin'? Well, that there is about to change.

Bo's girlfriend, Rebecca Dover, lived in the big house and she was the only thing Bo loved more than making Rosco mad.

Bo had met Rebecca in school two years earlier, at the beginning of their Junior year, when Rebecca had just moved to Hazzard County. She had walked into school with a button-up top, jeans, and a pair of glasses, toting an extra book under her arm to read on her free time. Bo had nearly laughed at her. She didn't fit in with Hazzard County girls, most of whom were more concerned with their hair than their grades. But not Rebecca. She took all the hardest classes. And aced them. Bo was used to all the girls who just dated him because he was Bo Duke. Every girl wanted to date him anyway. But Rebecca had shown no interest in him whatsoever. He didn't try hard enough in his classes to suit her. And she only dated the really smart guys. The simple fact that she didn't like him was enough to make Bo like her. He'd worked hard to prove himself to her, and apparently, it had worked. He'd asked her to Junior Prom, and she'd gone with him. They'd been together ever since, nearly inseperable. He was totally sure he was in love with her.

Rebecca's father, however, did not share his daughter's love for the tall Duke boy. He hated him, in fact. He considered the Dover family far above a bunch of moonshining Georgia hicks like the Dukes.

But Rebecca had fought for Bo until her father had given in, and allowed her to date him. They made quite the couple, Bo, the suntanned, six foot three, blue-eyed blonde with the rebel yell, and the smile that would melt a week's worth of snow, and Rebecca, the fair-skinned, five foot five, blue eyed brunette, with glasses, and the best grade in Hazzard. Period. Class valedictorian...That was Rebecca.

Boy, what that girl's doin' runnin' around with a good ol' boy like Bo, nobody'll ever know.

Bo climbed out the window of the car and said, "Luke, you take the General on home. Tell Uncle Jesse we'll be there for supper in a little bit."

"OK. See ya later, cousin." Luke replaced his cousin in the driver's seat, and took off.

Bo walked up to the door and knocked as politely as he could.

Rebecca's father answered the door. "Oh...it's you."

"Nice to see you, too, Mr. Dover," Bo replied, just as if the older man had greeted him kindly.

"Rebecca, your friend's here."

"Be right there, Daddy," Rebecca said, running to her bathroom to wash her face before heading down stairs to see Bo.

Now that there, is a flower of southern womanhood. Underneath them glasses, that's one of the pertiest girls in Hazzard County.

"Hey, Bo," she said.

"Hey, Becky," he replied. He was the only person on God's green earth that Rebecca allowed to call her Becky.

Mr. Dover shot a dirty look Bo's way and reminded him that her name was Rebecca.

Is it just me, or is that fella one pain in the rump?

Bo nodded with a semi-respectful, "Yessir."

"Daddy, I'm eatin' supper with the Dukes," Rebecca said, in her light Southern accent.

"Rebecca, your mother already fixed your supper."

"I'll eat it for lunch tomorrow. Uncle Jesse's fryin up a mess of fish, and I promised I'd be there."

Bo thought Rebecca's voice sounded strained and tired. As if she hadn't gotten any sleep, and there was a dang good reason. He figured on asking her what was wrong on the way to his house.

"Fine!" he said, "Go on. When'll you be home."

"Late. I gotta work."

She reached for her light sweater and hung it gently around her shoulders. "Let's go, Bo."

Bo nodded, tipping his hat to Rebecca's mother. He took Rebecca's hand and closed the door behind them.

Uh-huh. Free at last.

As they were walking down the dirt road, Bo turned to face his girlfriend. "Becky, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, her voice breaking a little.

"Nothing, my backside!" he replied, toning down his language in the presence of a lady.

"It's nothing, Bo. I don't wanna talk about it.""

"Is it college? Did you not get in?"

"I got in, no problem. I just can't go."

"Why not? You've got more than enought money."

"It's not money. It's something else."

"Well, what the heck is it?"

"Bo..."

"What? It can't be a big deal. You'll find a way to go. And besides..." he said, pulling her close. "It can't be anything..." he kissed her, "...that a little bit of love can't fix."

Well, ya see, it was that little bit of love that got that girl into this mess to start with.

"No!" she said, pushing Bo away. "Lord, Bo! Don't you ever think about anything other than that?"

"Well, sure I do," Bo replied in a deeply offended manner.

"Well, act like it! Bo, we messed up."

"Don't follow," Bo said, looking deep into her eyes.

"We made a big mistake.

"What kinda mistake?" he asked fearfully, pulling her close again, all the mischief gone from his demeanor.

She looked back into his eyes, hoping to find him stronger than she was. Hoping to find something that could be strong for her when she was weak. But she saw only fear. She took a deep breath and let it out. "Bo, I'm pregnant."

"Oh, my Lord!" Bo exclaimed. In that moment, he had been transformed from a cocky teenager to a frightened little boy. "That ain't funny!" he declared.

"It's not a joke, Bo. It's not supposed to be funny. I'm pregnant, and you're my baby's daddy. We are having a baby, ready or not."

Bo wanted to cry, but he couldn't. Not when Becky wasn't crying. He tried to hug her, but she wouldn't let him. She walked past him, and he just stood there a few seconds, listening to her bare feet falling on the dirt road. "Becky?" Bo called, his voice trembling.

"What is it, Bo?"

He studied his dusty boots. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," she said, sounding resigned, like a little girl who had finally realized that her dreams were going to be crushed.

Bo sighed. Thanks to him, she was going to be forced to give up her dreams of going to college and studying medicine. He had ruined her life. He swore under his breath, knowing full well that it mad her mad to here him cuss. She said that only unintelligent people cussed. Bo figured he was pretty darn unintelligent anyway.

"Bo," she said, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Bo, please don't leave me," she whispered against the knot in her throat.

"Oh, no!" he said, opening his arms. A whole river of relief washed over him as she accepted his embrace. "I'll never leave you. Especially not now."

"My Lord, Bo! What have we done?" she sobbed into his chest.

"I don't know, Baby. I'm sorry. It's my fault."

"Bo..." her voice faded with the sobs.

Bo held her a while, then said, "Honey, we have to make it through supper without lettin' on."

"I know," she sniffled. "I know.

Bo took her hand and they walked to the house that Bo shared with Luke, their other cousin, Daisy, and their Uncle Jesse. "How am I gonna tell all them that Becky's pregnant?" he wondered.

Becky held on to his hand for dear life as they walked into the Duke home, which smelled of fish and onions.

"What took y'all so long?" Daisy asked as Bo and Becky stepped into the kitchen.

"Nothin'," Bo said quickly. "We're teenagers. We don't know what time is."

Daisy smile at her youngest cousin. "Uh-huh. I'm still a teenager, too, in case you forgot, Bo Duke.

Bo smiled, "Yes ma'am."

Daisy swatted him with a dish towel. "Wash up," she said, "Uncle Jesse's ready to eat."

Uncle Jesse agreed whole-heartedly. "Hurry along, young'uns."

Bo and Becky hurried out to wash up. Bo looked at her. "Don't say anything to anybody, Becky. We'll tell 'em when we're both ready."

Becky nodded. "I agree. Keep it to yourself."

Bo looked at her a long moment, as if trying to figure something out. "That hand always bein' on your belly might be a giveaway.

Becky hadn't even realized that she'd been holding her hand protectively over her stomach. "Yeah," she agreed, dropping her hand. "Right."

"Becky, I know I messed up. I know this is mostly my fault, but I love you."

"Love you, too, Beauregard Jackson Duke." Becky was the only person on God's green earth who he allowed to call him Beauregard.

He gave her a hug, and they headed back to the kitchen.

Y'all hang on!

[bethie88]

Chapter 2: Daisy Finds Out

Supper was good, with Uncle Jesse's fried fish and Daisy's hush puppies. Then, Becky had to go to work. She worked at the Boar's Nest with Daisy, so they were going to ride together in Daisy's yellow Plymouth Roadrunner. They left at five minutes till six, and they had to be there at six on the dot. But with Daisy driving, they'd make it.

Daisy Duke drives faster than Richard Petty, and just as rough as Bo... All that in high heels.

Daisy spun the tires pulling out of the Duke driveway, and Becky felt like her stomach dropped. Daisy was laughing as they tore down the road. Becky's hand drifted back to rest protectively on her stomach. She was not going to let her baby get hurt, whether or not she was ready for it. It was a part of her and Bo. A part she loved with all her heart, and she wasn't planning to let anything happen to it.

That girl's just bound and determined to let her news get out, ain't she?

The Boar's Nest came into view, and Daisy swung into the parking lot. Becky felt sick. In fact, she felt very sick. "Daisy, I have to get inside before I puke."

"Are you sick, honey?" Daisy asked, concerned. There was no way that her driving made Becky sick. Not when the girl was used to riding with Bo in the General Lee for hours on end, and she'd only been with Daisy five minutes.

For one of them smart country gals, Daisy sure does ask some dumb questions.

"Yeah," Becky said, as she made a run for the bathroom.

She barely made it in time. But she did make, and for that she was thankful. She washed out her mouth and rinsed her face. Then, she reapplied her makeup. "Good Lord, Bo," she said, wiping a tear from her cheek. "What have we done?"

Daisy walked in just in time to hear Becky's question. "What have you and Bo done about what?"

"Nothin," Becky said softly, applying her mascara.

"Rebecca Lee Dover, don't you tell me a story."

"Daisy, I'm not lyin' to you. It's nothing. Or at least, nothing I want to talk about."

Well, she just opened a whole can of worms.

"Rebecca, Bo's my cousin, and I love him dearly. Now you better tell me what's goin' on."

"I told Bo I wouldn't say anything."

"Well, you already said something, so go ahead and finish. What's going on, here?"

"Nothin'. Don't worry about it."

"I'll be worried sick if you don't tell me."

Rebecca looked at Daisy a long time. "Daisy...You're like a sister to me. And...I shouldn't tell ya. But I have to."

"Alrighty, then..."

"Daisy...first off, you gotta promise not to tell, and you gotta promise not to let Bo know you know. And you gotta promise not to kill me or Bo."

"Oh, Lordy. It must be bad."

"Daisy, me and Bo...we...I..." she stammered.

"Go ahead, honey."

"I'm pregnant...with Bo's baby," she finally managed.

"Oh, Lord!" Daisy gasped. "What in the name of all that's good possessed y'all to take a chance like that?"

"It...it isn't like we were plannin' on it. It just happened."

Ain't it kinda strange how them kinda things always seem to just happen?

"Honey...Don't keep that secret too long. It'll eat you alive."

Rebecca nodded. Daisy hugged her. "Lord, I wish you two had been smarter than that. But, if you need me, let me know."

"OK, Daisy. Thanks."

The two girls headed off to get to work.

It wasn't too long before Bo and Luke showed up. They sat down at their usual table, and Rebecca walked over quickly. "Hey, Boys!" she said, faking the perky attitude that was expected of a Boar's Nest waitress. "What can I getcha."

"I want a beer," Luke said, grinning.

Bo, who was only eighteen looked at his cousin, who said, "No beer, Bo."

"Alright," Bo said, disappointed. "Bring me a root beer, then." He looked at Becky sadly. "You feelin' OK, baby? You look a little weak."

"I'm fine, Bo!" she said, her bubbly-ness in high gear. "I feel just wonderful. How about you?

If ya ain't figured it out yet, a Duke boy don't give up that easy.

She turned to go back to the bar, and Bo grabbed her hand. "No!" she said, pulling away. "I'm at work."

She went to the bar and got Bo a mug of root beer, and Luke a mug of beer, then went back to their table. "Here ya go, boys!"

She wished Bo would stop looking at her that way. Bo was 18. A grown man by most people's standards. But he was giving her that scared little boy look again, and it made her ache all over. She turned away quickly to go back to work.

"What's wrong with you?" Luke asked his younger cousin. "You look like you just got kicked in the gut."

Luke's got that funny talent of bein' able to think like Bo. And he don't like what he's thinkin' right now.

"Reckon I kinda did," Bo said, half-heartedly taking a sip of his root beer.

"Huh?"

The Duke boys never was much for understandin' metaphors.

"Nothin'."

"OK, Bo. Somethin's eatin' you alive. What is it?"

"Nothin'! Just leave me alone."

"Bo..."

"I swear, Luke Duke, if you don't mind your own business!"

"Fine!"

"OK," Bo said, taking a gulp of root beer and wondering if he looked as stupid as he felt...Drinking root beer in the Boar's Nest.

"Be back in a minute," Luke said, casting another questioning glance on Bo.

He slipped up to the bar. "Daisy," he called in a whisper.

Daisy walked up and dropped down to rest her elbows on the bar, putting her level with her cousin. "What's goin' on, Luke?"

"I was hopin' you could tell me. Somethin's wrong with Bo."

Daisy looked at Luke for a minute. "What do you think it is?" she asked, remembering what she'd told Rebecca.

Luke immediately looked frustrated. "I don't know! I wouldn't have asked you if I had known!"

"I can't...I can't tell you, Luke. I wish I could...really..."

"Then, you know? Why would Bo tell you and not me? I'm his best friend."

"Bo didn't tell me. Rebecca did."

"Huh? He told her?" Now Luke was really mad.

"Luke, it involves her."

"Is she sick?"

"A little. Nothin' a little time won't fix."

"Oh...well... did she slight him?"

"No! Luke, you can't pick it out of me. I promised!"

"OK, fine!"

"I'm sorry, Luke. I really am, but I promised.

When Dukes make promises, they don't break 'em.

Luke didn't like this. His cousins never kept things from him. And he didn't like it at all. He didn't understand. And if Bo was in trouble, Luke wanted to help him. But he couldn't. Because Bo wouldn't let him.

Rebecca walked over to Bo's table when she saw that Luke was talking to Daisy. "Bo," she whispered, flinching when his blue eyes met hers. "I'm scared."

"Me, too. Lord knows I'm scared." He looked at her for a long time. "Are you OK?"

"No, I'm not OK! I'm...I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life in Hazzard County. I'm never going to get out of here, or go to college, or do what I wanna do!"

"I'm sorry, Becky. I'm so sorry."

"Look, Bo, I've got work to do. We'll talk later." She looked at Bo, and felt like her heart was being crushed under the weight of his dark blue eyes.

She turned to go back to work, with a weight on her shoulders like she'd never felt before. She and Bo were so young. They had their whole lives ahead of them, and they'd ruined them in a few short moments. Moments that had felt so right at the time.

Bo finished his drink and a sudden wave of anger at himself rushed over him. He smashed his fist into the table, and said in a defeated tone, "I'm a dang fool."

The sound of Bo's fist colliding with the table startled Luke. He quickly ran over to his cousin's side. "What's a matter with you, Bo?"

"Nothin'."

"Don't tell me nothin', 'cause it's a lie."

Well, ain't Luke just the smart one today?

"I don't have to tell you everything, Luke," Bo said, refusing to look his cousin in the eyes.

"Nah, I reckon not. But I'm only askin' because you're my cousin, and you seem more like my little brother. I love ya just like a brother."

The boys conversation was brought to an abrupt end by a commotion on the other side of the room.

Anger flashed like fire in Bo's eyes when he saw the hand of a big man clasped firmly around Becky's wrist. Becky tried to slap him, but he caught her other wrist in midair. She cried out in pain as he tightened his grip on her wrists. So she put her knee in place that was guaranteed to make the man let go. He yelled, but let go of her. One of his friends grabbed her from behind and held her arms behind her, breathing down her neck. Daisy ran over to the man who had Becky and drove her spike heel into the top of his foot. Bo and Luke were up and running quickly to join the fight.

Ever noticed how fights draw the Duke boys quicker than a perty girl?

The big man had recovered at this point, and his friend had released Becky to grab Daisy, pronouncing, "I like 'em feisty."

Daisy drove her heel into his foot, harder this time.

The big man had Rebecca again, and Bo jumped on him from behind, trying to beat his head into the ground. The big man let Becky go, and turned on her boyfriend, easily flipping Bo onto his back and coming down on top of him to beat him.

Luke, in the meantime, had easily beaten Daisy's "friend," who was much smaller than the man beating on Bo. He turned to Bo, and angrily jumped on the big man. He battered his head and ears, hoping, if nothing else, to get him off of Bo. Lucky enought for the Duke boys, Cooter Davenport, their mechanic, and best friend, was just walking in.

Here comes ol' Crazy Cooter, to the rescue.

Cooter was known for being one heck of a fighter if a friend was in trouble. Cooter jumped in to do his part. He commenced beating the man with both fists until the man finally wore out. Luke and Cooter stood up and helped the man to his feet, but Bo just looked at him in pure hatred.

"Listen here," Luke told the man. "Here in Hazzard, we all stick together. You picked the wrong people to mess with."

The man just looked at them with contempt. "Fine. But I'll catch up with one of y'all alone one of these days. We'll see how tough you are then."

Bo yelled, in a moment of almost crazed rage, "Yaahooooo! I'll be lookin' forward to it."

Luke grabbed his cousin by the shoulders. "Easy, Bo. No need to start another fight."

"Fight? If he ever touches Becky again, I'll kill him!"

"You're welcome to try," the big man said.

Luke kept his steady hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Calm down, cousin."

Bo let Luke hold him back for the moment. He looked at the man angrily. "Get out of here!" he growled.

"Fine!" the man said, walking around Bo to head outside.

When both boys were satisfied that the Boar's Nest had been cleared of people who were up to no good, Bo walked over to Becky. "Honey, are you alright?" he asked, opening his arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, letting him close his arms around her.

"I love you, honey."

"I love you, too, Bo. So much."

Becky was scared and angry. But she loved Bo Duke more than life itself. That was the one thing that she was sure of.

"Come on, Bo," Luke said, touching his cousin's arm. "We gotta go. I promised Uncle Jesse we'd be back before dark to feed the chickens and the goats."

Bo's forehead was pressed gently to Becky's. "Honey, I'll see ya first thing in the morning."

She let him kiss her, then said, "See ya then."

The boys went outside, and climbed through the windows into the General Lee. As they headed back home, Luke turned to Bo, "Cousin, just what's gotten into that dang fool head of yours? Fightin' a fella twice your size without sayin' a word to nobody about givin' you a hand? You're plum crazy, you know that?"

Luke may be a country boy, but he knows crazy when he sees it.

"It ain't none of your business, Luke. Leave me alone," Bo said, as the air blowing through the window tossed his curly blonde hair.

"Fine. I've just never seen you so mad before."

"She's my girlfriend."

"Never seen you stick up for any girl like that. Girlfriend or otherwise."

"Dang it, Luke. Don't you ever run out of questions?"

"Not till you tell me what's going on!"

"Alright, then. you just gotta know everything, dontcha? You know, you're worse than Daisy and Uncle Jesse put together."

Luke didn't like how Bo hadn't looked at him since they'd left. "Well, I just wanna know what's wrong with you."

"It's Becky," he said, sadness in his eyes.

"What about her?"

"I would've fought for her anyway, just because I love her. But I wasn't just fightin' for her. I had a whole 'nother reason for fightin' that fella."

"Well, what was it?" Luke asked, quickly becoming frustrated with his cousin's beating around the bush.

"I was fightin' for somebody else..." Bo choked on the knot in his throat. "Somebody..." He cursed as he brushed a tear from his cheek. "Somebody real important."

"Who, Bo?"

"My child," the tall blonde managed as he pulled the General to the side of the road, since he couldn't see a darn thing through the tears in his eyes.

That sure was the last thing Luke was expectin'.

[bethie88]

Chapter 3: A Hard Night

"Good Lord, Bo Duke, what's gotten into you?"

"I don't know. Me and Becky...we didn't mean to. I didn't mean to get her pregnant, Luke."

"Dang it, Bo! What did you think was gonna happen if y'all kept foolin' around?" By now, Luke's voice was at an elevated volume level to say the least.

Reckon anybody ever thinks of what'll happen if they don't quit foolin' around?

"Don't yell at me, Luke. Good Lord! Do you think we thought about that?" Bo was crying hard, and he hated himself for it.

Luke rested his gaze on his younger cousin. "Nah. Nah, I reckon not."

Bo looked at Luke, fighting back the tears. "Ya don't hate me...Do ya?"

"No! Lord, no! You're my cousin, and I could never hate you. I feel the same about you as I would a brother if I had one."

"Thanks, Luke," Bo said softly.

"Don't thank me for doin' what I always do. I'm just bein' your cousin, and that'll never change. No matter what."

"Dang it, Luke. I can't even see the darn road. You wanna drive?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Shoot, no! But we'll never get home if ya don't."

"Well, all this fuss sure hasn't seemed to affect your sarcasm none," Luke said jokingly as he climbed out the window.

Luke drove home, and the boys got to their chores. Bo fed the chickens and gathered the eggs, and Luke fed the goats and the cows. Then they hosed the General down, since he was covered in dust.

Bo raised the hood of the '69 Charger. "Bo," Luke said, softly. "Are you OK?"

"Fan belt' near-bout shot. Spark plugs need replacin', too," Bo said, more to himself than to anyone in particular.

If you're wonderin' just what on earth he's talkin' about, the Duke boys love cars. And fixin' cars makes 'em feel better.

"Bo, just what in the Sam Hill are you talkin' about?"

"The General. Gotta go over to Cooter's and get some stuff."

"What's THAT got to do with anything?"

"Nothin'. I just gotta fix the General."

"OK, now that we got that established...are you gonna be alright?"

"Fine, I reckon."

"Bo, you ain't fine. You know you ain't fine. And you gotta tell Uncle Jesse."

"Aw, man! Uncle Jesse. Lord. I never even thought...What am I gonna tell Uncle Jesse?"

"I don't know. I really don't know."

Poor ol' Bo. He's never been in trouble that Luke couldn't get him out of.

Luke rested his hand on Bo's shoulder, and felt his cousin flinch beneath his grip.

"What's a matter?"

"I just...I never messed up like this before."

Luke had to agree with that statement. Bo had messed up more than his share of times, but this one took the cake.

"Bo, I just don't understand how you always get yourself into these messes. How do you get yourself in a mess like this?"

"Dang it, Luke! That's a stupid question. Didn't Uncle Jesse have that little talk with you?"

"Very funny," Luke said.

"Wasn't meant to be funny. You're just askin' stupid questions is all."

Luke nodded, defeated.

See, even a Duke boy knows when he's been beat.

"I reckon so. But, Bo, there's still the fact that you are in this mess, and you're gonna have a whole heck of explaining to do when Uncle Jesse gets ahold of you."

"You think I don't know that?" Bo snapped.

"Well, yeah, but..." Luke fumbled for words.

"Sorry, cousin. I didn't mean to talk to you like that."

"I know...I just hate this whole thing."

"And ya think I don't?"

"No! Dang it, Bo! Would you calm down and quit jumpin' down my throat every time I open my mouth?"

"Sorry."

"Well, we gotta get back to work before Uncle Jesse thinks somethin's wrong."

"Yeah. Reckon so."

Bo went inside to ask Uncle Jesse if he could drive his white pickup over to Cooter's garage to pick up some stuff. Uncle Jesse gave his permission, and Bo drove over to Luke to ask if he needed anything while Bo was in town.

"Nah. Reckon I'm fine. Can't think of anything," Luke said.

"Alright. I'll see ya." Bo said, then drove off alone.

He arrived at Cooter's a few minutes later, and managed to smile at his old friend as the mechanic walked out of the garage. "Hey, Bo!" Cooter said with a smile. "We sure whooped them fellas at the Boar's Nest, huh?"

Bo forced a laugh. "Yep. We sure did."

"Ol' city folks oughta know better than to pick fights with country boys like us."

Bo smiled, but got straight to business. He told Cooter the parts he needed, and Cooter found them quickly.

"Sorry to rush, Cooter. But I gotta get these parts home so me and Luke can fix the General tonight."

"Well, I wish you boys had-a told me. I coulda given you a real good price."

"I know. I just needed somethin' to keep my hands busy. Uncle Jesse always says that idle hands are the devil's workshop."

"Well, I never knew Uncle Mr. Jesse to be wrong. Reckon you better get back before them hands of yours get idle."

"Yeah. Reckon so. See ya, Cooter."

"See ya."

Bo drove home with a strange feeling of loneliness weighing him down.

He and Luke worked together on the General, doing alot of different things until late that night. Luke decided to turn in at 11:45, but Bo said he needed to finish up a few more adjustments. Luke let him stay, figuring out quickly that his cousin needed time to think more than he needed time to tinker with the car.

Luke knows Bo too darn good to ask if he needs him to stay.

After Luke went in, Bo lay under the car, trying to be absorbed in his work. He tried not to think, but the thoughts kept letting themselves in. He finally figured he might as well call it a night. He switched off the mechanic's light and crawled out from under the car. He put his tools away, then patted the General's hood. "Well, General...looks like you can't even get me out of this one."

He shook his head, his blonde waves tossing in the gentle summer breeze. There was no place prettier than Uncle Jesse's farm on a warm summer night. But Bo knew nothing of the beautiful night, because he couldn't get past the pain in his own heart.

He went up to the bedroom that he and Luke had shared since they were babies. He took off his shirt and jeans and put on a pair of loose fitting cotton pants.

By the time he was finally in bed, he felt the weight of the whole day hit him hard. It felt like the General was sitting on his chest. And that was a bad feeling indeed.

Tears filled the dark blue eyes, but at firsy refused to fall. Bo heard Uncle Jesse and Daisy talking down stairs, and tuned his ear to hear what they were saying. When he heard Uncle Jesse say, "Daisy, I'm so proud of y'all. Luke, Bo, you... All three of ya. You're good kids. Don't give me alotta trouble. You're just good kids," the blue eyes lost control of the tears, and they streamed madly down the suntanned face. Bo had never known a pain like this before. It hurt so bad that he thought he would die. And he knew that telling his family would be the hardest thing he'd ever face.

Now if nothin' else tells ya somethin's wrong, them tears oughtta do it. Cause Duke boys don't cry.

[bethie88]

Chapter 4: Acting Like Grown Ups

It was well after 1 am when Bo finally went to sleep, only to wake up at 5 am. He was going rabbit hunting, and Becky was going along with him. Or at least, that had been the plan all week. Becky had never been the hunting type, but she loved being outside, and being with Bo. And she loved Bo's rabbit dogs, so the only obvious choice was for them to rabbit hunt together. Hunting was a whole different challenge to her, since she was new at being a true country girl. Bo was a patient teacher, though. And Becky was a quick learner.

Bo got up and got dressed, then walked over to Becky's house. When he got there, she was on the front porch waiting for him. "Hey, Bo," she said, walking over to him.

"Hey, Becky," he replied, taking her hand.

"You ready to go?" she asked.

"Yep. Just gotta go get the dogs and my gun."

"OK," she replied. They walked hand in hand down the dirt road. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like a million years, until Bo got up his nerve, trying to use tact in what he said.

"Are you feelin' any better this morning?"

"Yeah. At least a little bit."

He put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. "That's good, honey."

"But. Bo...you know that when my family finds out, they're gonna kick me out of their house."

"Oh...Oh, Lord, Becky. They wouldn't do that," Bo said, hoping he was right.

"Yeah, Bo. They would." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Becky, I'm sorry. I'm..." he put his arms around her, not able to finish his sentence.

"It's not...It's not your fault. It's my daddy. He doesn't like our dating in the first place...and now...I really...I just don't think that he's just gonna be all happy, and let me live easier. Honey...it's gonna be hard, and we have to realize that. We tried to act like grown ups, and this is what happened. So now we have to take it like grown ups."

"I know. It's already hard... and we ain't even seen our baby yet."

"Bo...no matter what, I love you. But we have to figure out what we're up against."

"Well, I already know tellin' Uncle Jesse's gonna be the hardest thing I've ever done. And I don't know what tellin' your folks is gonna be like. Your daddy rarely even lets me come in the house. And when he finally agreed to let you go out with me, I promised I'd take care of you. Oh, Lord...He's gonna have my hide tacked on the wall."

"I think he'll really kick me out through. He'll give me some long lecture about what a shameful failure I am, then he'll kick me out." Tears filled her eyes. "Bo, where will I go? My daddy'll turn my whole family against me. I could go live with my mama's mama... but she lives in Kansas, and I don't want to have our baby that far from you. I want my baby to know you! And I want my baby to grow up in Hazzard. I know it has it's faults, but it's my home, now. It's where I met you...and I know I wanted to leave, but I have a baby to raise...and I want my baby here. With you... and Luke , and Daisy, and Uncle Jesse... I never thought I'd be saying that, but I am..."

"Becky Lee Dover, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Bo asked, raising her chin with his hand.

"Yep," she said.

"Well, I don't care, I'm gonna say it again. I love you. I love you more than anything, and I'm gonna do right by you and that baby. No matter what it takes."

"I love you, too," she said, burying her head in his chest. He played with her ponytail a little bit, then she looked up at him. He couldn't resist kissing her.

"Bo...I'm so scared. I don't want to be kicked out of my house, and not be allowed to see my mama and my brothers. I love them, Bo, and..."

"I know, honey..." he said. "I wish I knew what to tell you. But I don't, and I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"No...I did what I did because I wanted to. I have to face up to it now."

Bo looked at her, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes... so, like any young man would do, he changed the subject. "We better get to huntin' pretty quick, or we ain't gonna get no huntin' done."

If there's one thing I know about the Duke boys, it's that neither love nor money keeps 'em away from cars or huntin'.

She tried to smile as they walked on, but she was hurting so much inside. But she and Bo went hunting, although she spent most of her time keeping up with a beagle pup named Belle, who was a useless rabbit dog, but a good pet. Bo said she had the best bark, and the best personality.

While the dogs stayed busy through most of the trip, Bo and Becky followed the dogs, talking to each other all the way... and trying to keep Belle from chasing anything other than rabbits.

"Bo," Becky said, softly. "We can't just put this off. What are we gonna do when my dad asks me to leave?"

"I don't know. Why don't we make double-dang sure he's goin' to before we get all bent outta shape?"

"Bo, I'm triple-dang sure. You know him. He's not just gonna put his arm around me and tell me it's OK. He's going to tell me what a disgrace I am, and kick me out."

Bo spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Look, Bo. Let's not look back and be sorry. We're in this mess now. Let's just be ready for what's coming."

"Reckon you're right."

"I know I'm right." she said, taking his hand. "Now let's get some more huntin' done."

"OK..."

They hunted another couple of hours before they decided to take a break for the picnic lunch Becky had made. It was fried chicken, Bo's favorite, with lemonade and potato salad. "Lord, you sure know how to make a fella hurt himself on some fried chicken!" Bo said, groaning from his spot on the soft grass.

"I knew it all along," she said with a smile. "You never wanted me, you wanted my fried chicken."

Bo laughed out loud. "What's so wrong with that, smarty pants?"

"Nothin', I guess."

If the truth be told, half the marriages in Hazzard County are probably strongly rooted in a love of fried chicken.

Bo laughed. "Ain't a dang thing wrong with lovin' the chicken first, then the woman."

She smiled at him as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. She laid her head on his chest and listened to every beat of his heart. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too, honey," Bo replied, feeling that sad lonesome feeling again.

He smiled when he looked down at her and she had dozed off. He knew she'd been up past midnight working, and probably far later than that contemplating what would happen to her. She had to be slap wore out. He let her sleep for about half an hour before he gently touched her cheek to wake her up. "Honey, we better go. Jesse'll be expectin' me."

"My parents will be, too. I got work tonight."

"Daisy does, too. You ridin' with her?"

"Yep. But... if I come over early... can we tell Uncle Jesse and get it over with?"

"Yeah. I reckon we gotta do it sometime."

"We do. And better now than a long time from now."

"Alright. Whatever you say," he answered, pulling her even closer. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Bo called the dogs, eight of them in all, and loaded them up into Jesse's truck. He and Becky took the front seat, and he drove her home. They sat in the driveway together for a few minutes, and Bo said, "I'll see you tonight, honey." He leaned toward her and kissed her.

"Bo..." she said softly.

"Still worried about your family?"

She nodded.

"Do you want me to tell 'em?"

"No. No! My dad would shoot you on the spot."

The scary thing is, that she might not be exaggeratin'.

"You're daddy won't shoot me."

"He'll chew you up and spit you out." She kissed him. "I don't want you to have to go through that."

"But..."

She pressed a finger to his lips. "Shush..." she whispered, silencing him. "Just listen to me.

He looked at her, completely silent.

If that don't tell ya he's whipped. You ever seen Bo Duke close his mouth for more than 10 seconds together?

"Bo, you are not going to tell them anything. I will tell them, and I'll tell you what happens. I love you."

"You, too," he replied.

She climbed out of the truck, and Bo watched her walk into the house.

"What have I done?" he said, to noone in particular.

Y'all ever had one of them days when nothin' goes right, no matter how hard you try?

[bethie88]

Chapter 5: Tellin' Jesse

Becky arrived at the Duke's at 6:30, dressed for work in her short shorts and tank top, similar to Daisy's. Bo walked over to her quickly, kissing her on the cheek. "Well?" he said softly.

"I've got two weeks," she replied sadly, wiping her eyes.

"Two weeks?"

"To get out of my house. My dad told me to leave."

"Oh, my Lord," Bo said, hugging her.

"I don't know what to do, Bo. I can't afford to get my own place. You don't make that kind of money working at the Boar's Nest."

"Well, we'll think of somethin'."

"We better," she replied.

"We gonna tell Jesse?" Bo asked.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Uh-huh. Uncle Jesse'll figure somethin' out."

The two of them went inside together, preparing to face the storm.

For those of you who don't know Jesse Duke... this here ain't gon' be perty.

Things in the Duke home were so calm that Bo didn't want to disturb them. But he had to.

Jesse looked up from his paper at his nephew, and Becky, who were standing before him, hand in hand. "Uncle Jesse," Bo said quietly. "Can we talk to you?"

"Sure," Jesse said. "Sit down."

Bo sat down with Becky at his side. "Uncle Jesse... Me and Becky... We... We gotta..."

There's another sign things just ain't right. You ever seen Bo have that much trouble talkin'?

Jesse's wise eyes rested on Bo. "Go on, Bo."

"Me and Becky..." he couldn't get the words out.

He looked helplessly at Becky, who spoke, her voice strong. "Uncle Jesse, Bo and I are having a baby."

"Beauregard Jackson Duke!" Jesse said angrily. "Tell me I heard her wrong."

Boy, Bo wishes he could.

"I can't, Uncle Jesse. I can't."

"Bo..." Jesse said, unable to put into words the disappointment he felt.

Bo knew that as soon as Becky left, he was in big trouble with Jesse. Probably in more trouble than he had ever been in. Because this wasn't the kind of trouble that was just going to end. This was trouble that was going to follow him for the rest of his life.

Daisy walked into the room and saw how red Jesse's face was. She, wisely, said nothing about it, but she knew what had happened. She looked at Bo and Becky. They were holding hands, and a lone tear was running down Becky's cheek.

"Rebecca, honey," Daisy said softly. "It's time to go to work."

Becky nodded, squeezing Bo's hand. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," Bo said with a nod.

She stood up and walked out with Daisy. "So what happened?" Daisy asked as the two girls reached the Roadrunner.

"Uncle Jesse's gonna kill Bo..." Becky said. "It's all my fault."

"Honey, it's not your fault. Believe me."

Becky shook her head. "It's my fault. I could have done something."

"Honey, you couldn't have done anything. Don't worry about Bo."

"But Daisy..."

"Just calm down. We've got to get to work. And I'm more worried about you than Bo."

"Why?"

"Honey, just get in the car. Bo's not the one who has to be pregnant and have that baby."

Becky climbed into the car on the passenger's side. Daisy slid into the driver's seat, and the two of them left.

Becky was so worried about Bo she couldn't stand it.

0o0o0o0o0

"Bo Duke, I am aweful disappointed in you," Jesse said shaking his old white head.

Ol' Jesse has a way of sayin' things that just let's ya know he means 'em.

"I know, Uncle Jesse," Bo said, his shame in the tone of his voice.

"Just what do you figure on doin', Bo?" Jesse asked.

"I... I don't know exactly, Uncle Jesse... I... I reckon I'll have to... Well, I'm gonna marry her," Bo said. There was firm Duke determination in his voice. "I'm going to take care of her."

"Good," Jesse said.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse," Bo said. He was scared. He thought he was past being scared, but then, he'd seen Jesse's face, and he was scared all over again.

"Bo, you made one heck of a mistake. But I'm proud of you for being willin' to do your part to take care of the girl and the baby. But, Bo, I'm not proud of what you and Rebecca did."

"Neither am I, Uncle Jesse," Bo said, hanging his head in shame.

0o0o0o0o0

Becky was working extra hard at the Boar's Nest. But her mind was elsewhere. And Daisy knew it.

As soon as she got the chance, Daisy walked over to Becky. "Honey," Daisy said softly.

"Yeah?" Becky replied, in the middle of whiping down a table.

"What's wrong? It ain't just worrying about Bo."

"No. It's not."

"Well, what is it?"

"Daisy, my daddy told me I had 2 weeks to be out of the house. And I ain't got nowhere to go."

"Well, sure ya do! We'll talk to Uncle Jesse. I'm sure he'll figure somethin' out."

Becky checked her watch. 10:30. And her shift wasn't over until midnight.

You ever had one of them days where you keep lookin' at your watch like it was a lover's face?

[bethie88]

Chapter 5: Tellin' Jesse

Becky arrived at the Duke's at 6:30, dressed for work in her short shorts and tank top, similar to Daisy's. Bo walked over to her quickly, kissing her on the cheek. "Well?" he said softly.

"I've got two weeks," she replied sadly, wiping her eyes.

"Two weeks?"

"To get out of my house. My dad told me to leave."

"Oh, my Lord," Bo said, hugging her.

"I don't know what to do, Bo. I can't afford to get my own place. You don't make that kind of money working at the Boar's Nest."

"Well, we'll think of somethin'."

"We better," she replied.

"We gonna tell Jesse?" Bo asked.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Uh-huh. Uncle Jesse'll figure somethin' out."

The two of them went inside together, preparing to face the storm.

For those of you who don't know Jesse Duke... this here ain't gon' be perty.

Things in the Duke home were so calm that Bo didn't want to disturb them. But he had to.

Jesse looked up from his paper at his nephew, and Becky, who were standing before him, hand in hand. "Uncle Jesse," Bo said quietly. "Can we talk to you?"

"Sure," Jesse said. "Sit down."

Bo sat down with Becky at his side. "Uncle Jesse... Me and Becky... We... We gotta..."

There's another sign things just ain't right. You ever seen Bo have that much trouble talkin'?

Jesse's wise eyes rested on Bo. "Go on, Bo."

"Me and Becky..." he couldn't get the words out.

He looked helplessly at Becky, who spoke, her voice strong. "Uncle Jesse, Bo and I are having a baby."

"Beauregard Jackson Duke!" Jesse said angrily. "Tell me I heard her wrong."

Boy, Bo wishes he could.

"I can't, Uncle Jesse. I can't."

"Bo..." Jesse said, unable to put into words the disappointment he felt.

Bo knew that as soon as Becky left, he was in big trouble with Jesse. Probably in more trouble than he had ever been in. Because this wasn't the kind of trouble that was just going to end. This was trouble that was going to follow him for the rest of his life.

Daisy walked into the room and saw how red Jesse's face was. She, wisely, said nothing about it, but she knew what had happened. She looked at Bo and Becky. They were holding hands, and a lone tear was running down Becky's cheek.

"Rebecca, honey," Daisy said softly. "It's time to go to work."

Becky nodded, squeezing Bo's hand. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," Bo said with a nod.

She stood up and walked out with Daisy. "So what happened?" Daisy asked as the two girls reached the Roadrunner.

"Uncle Jesse's gonna kill Bo..." Becky said. "It's all my fault."

"Honey, it's not your fault. Believe me."

Becky shook her head. "It's my fault. I could have done something."

"Honey, you couldn't have done anything. Don't worry about Bo."

"But Daisy..."

"Just calm down. We've got to get to work. And I'm more worried about you than Bo."

"Why?"

"Honey, just get in the car. Bo's not the one who has to be pregnant and have that baby."

Becky climbed into the car on the passenger's side. Daisy slid into the driver's seat, and the two of them left.

Becky was so worried about Bo she couldn't stand it.

0o0o0o0o0

"Bo Duke, I am aweful disappointed in you," Jesse said shaking his old white head.

Ol' Jesse has a way of sayin' things that just let's ya know he means 'em.

"I know, Uncle Jesse," Bo said, his shame in the tone of his voice.

"Just what do you figure on doin', Bo?" Jesse asked.

"I... I don't know exactly, Uncle Jesse... I... I reckon I'll have to... Well, I'm gonna marry her," Bo said. There was firm Duke determination in his voice. "I'm going to take care of her."

"Good," Jesse said.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse," Bo said. He was scared. He thought he was past being scared, but then, he'd seen Jesse's face, and he was scared all over again.

"Bo, you made one heck of a mistake. But I'm proud of you for being willin' to do your part to take care of the girl and the baby. But, Bo, I'm not proud of what you and Rebecca did."

"Neither am I, Uncle Jesse," Bo said, hanging his head in shame.

0o0o0o0o0

Becky was working extra hard at the Boar's Nest. But her mind was elsewhere. And Daisy knew it.

As soon as she got the chance, Daisy walked over to Becky. "Honey," Daisy said softly.

"Yeah?" Becky replied, in the middle of whiping down a table.

"What's wrong? It ain't just worrying about Bo."

"No. It's not."

"Well, what is it?"

"Daisy, my daddy told me I had 2 weeks to be out of the house. And I ain't got nowhere to go."

"Well, sure ya do! We'll talk to Uncle Jesse. I'm sure he'll figure somethin' out."

Becky checked her watch. 10:30. And her shift wasn't over until midnight.

You ever had one of them days where you keep lookin' at your watch like it was a lover's face?