Guilt

[Garrett Duke]

Doctor McSnaw stiffly and silently walk out of the small patient room and into the brightly lit hallway as his mind slowly reviews his notes over his current patient. Only to send a pang of sadness and dread deep within his tired and numb body only to remind himself of the golden rule that he had often heard in college. Never get emotionally attached to the patient. No matter what. But despite that rule and the deep consequences behind disobeying the rule is, he can't help but to feel great pain for each of his patients that is rushed into the ER.

Each patient that arrives in the ER is a loud reminder to him of just how precious life is. Of how quick one's life can dramatically change. A reminder to him to live life to the fullest. Every day. To never take anything for granted.

Staring at the info that he has written for a long moment despite already knowing each description by memory. Bo Duke. Age twenty-five. Shot while locked in jail and charged with attempted manslaughter of a law officer and of robbery.

Before this afternoon, Bo Duke's main concern and worry had most likely had been about the charges that were brought up against him and of the jail timehe could be serving for that.

Until the gun man had entered the jail area and shot him. Shot a defensless man who had been locked away in jail and had no way of defending himself.

Worse yet, the gunman had to have been a polished gun man in McSnaw's opinion to shoot the young man where he had. From McSnaw's experience and knowledge, the location of the shot and how he had been shot loudly explains that the killer knew what he was doing, knew where to shoot. He shot Bo with full intentions of not killing him instantly, but shot him where he would slowly bleed to death if he didn't get help. He shot him more for an example, a threat of what he could do to him. Or someone he loves.

Bo Duke may have been charged with some pretty serious charges, but that mattered very little to McSnaw. That was not his category and his emotions ran heavily within him for the young Duke. Sure thanks to his cousin arriving whe he had and his quick and instant help he gave Bo, Bo should be OK. To make a full recovery. But all the same, his life has been changed, altered.

It only made it worse knowing it had came from someone else's hand. That some had all that anger and violence locked within them to do this to another person.

And now he was to walk into the waiting room and face his family. To face their harsh emotions that they must be feeling at the moment.

Deep down, he knows it won't be as bad as other times in the past when he had to give love ones the horrible news that their loved one was no longer with us, that they died in the ER. Or on the way to the ER. Or the times he had to tell them some gut wrenching news that their loved ones was in a coma, didn't know if they would wake up or not, survive or not. Or that their loved one was paralyzed or brain dead.

It could be a lot worse for the Dukes than what it is. And McSnaw was sure they'd be relieved when he tells them how Bo is doing. But once again. Life has been changed and altered for all of them. Their safe little world has been shattered at the hands of another. By a single bullet.

Sighing heavily he reminds himself of the golden rule once more. Never get emotionally attached. Never. If he had followed that his entire career, perhaps he wouldn't be so emotionally tired every day. But he couldn't help but to feel something for each of his patients, for their situation. It helps fuel his need to help people, fuel the reasons behind why he has to be a doctor: to help people. If he were to detach himself from them, it would only drain him much more and would give him little reason of going to work every day, give him little hope of ever achieving happiness with his career.

Taking a long last look at his paper work, he slowly walks through the hallway and to the waiting room where he finds an older man sitting staring at the clock over the nurse's station. Tears are apparent in his clear blue eyes. A young woman with light brown hair sits next to him, staring down at her feet while hugging on tightly to the older man's bent arm. While a man a few years older than her sits next to her with grease stained clothes, staring ahead at nothing. And tall muscular man looking to be aged between the woman and the younger man stands at the window, staring out and probably not seeing anything that is out there.

"Dukes," he says in a loud and clear voice to grab all of their attention and within a second he is surrounded by them all, their eyes locked in on him, demanding answrers of how Bo is doing.

[Garrett Duke]

"Dukes," Jesse Duke jumps in surprise at hearing his name called despite having seen the doctor walk into the room a secong ago. Saw him slowly walk in and yet hadn't thought anything of it, too lost in thought over his young nephew in the ER. Of what he had gone through. Of what he must have thought and felt when the gun man pulled that trigger. Too lost in thought to really give much thought about a doctor walking into the room despite the fact that he could be the one to shed some light to his concern and questions over Bo.

"How's my boy, Doctor?" Jesse is quick to ask as he quickly approaches the doctor, followed by the rest of his family and Cooter.

"I'll be Bo's doctor. I'm Doctor McSnaw," he states, readjusting his dark rimmed glasses, "I take it y'all are family."

Jesse eyes him impatiently. "Of course we're his family!" he snaps, "We've been waiting on word on him for three hours now and all you care about is if we're family?!"

"Jesse," Daisy states through a sniffle, "he's only following his instructions. We've been through this before."

Jesse nods and sighs as his thoughts fall back onto another long wait in the waiting room when Bo was fifteen due to him wrecking Jesse's truck when he tried racing a friend. "Yeah. Sadly we have," he admits as the old memory sends chills up and down his back at the thought of how close they came to losing Bo then. Looking back at the doctor, he inhales deeply to regain his composure. "Yeah. We're family. I'm his uncle, these two are his cousins, and he there is a close friend. Might as well be considered family."

Doctor McSnaw nods briefly. "As she pointed out, it's only regulations that we ask, sir. I don't mean anything by it, but I do understand you being upset," he slowly states in a way of an apology, "I am sorry for your long wait. I know that has to make that much harder on you, but it had taken us that long to treat Bo in a fashion that would benefit him the most."

Jesse nods. Impatient with the small talk. "Ok doctor," he states, his voice etched with his harsh emotions, "now that we got that covered, how's my boy?"

"Well at the moment, he remains unconscience, but is stable," the doctor states, taking everyone in, "He was shot just above his right chest and the bullet must still be at the jail because it's not in him or in his clothing. It was a through and through shot. It tore through some muscle and had scraped a lung, but it hadn't gone through any vital organs or anything. Except for scraping his lung, it should cause some discomfort for breathing for awhile, but should be treatable." He pauses once more, listening to the ticking of the clock. "He hit his head pretty hard on something that was hard. Probably the wall behind him when he fell or the ground where he fell. Either way he has a bad concussion and now has twenty-four stitches in the cut.

"But our main concern with Bo when he was rushed into the ER was the amount of blood he had lost. It was apparent that he had been left there awhile to bleed. Left much longer, he'd have bled to death," once more, McSnaw pauses to allow the family to digest all that he has said, "so once we got the bleeding covered and taken care of, we had to find blood matching him and give him a blood transfusion. It took him awhile to react to it, but after a half hour or so, he started to regain some of his complexion back and his heart rate and breathing had increased to safe amount."

McSnaw finally finishes his description and awaits a long moment before Jesse asks, "So, you're saying he's going to be OK?"

McSnaw nods. "He should be. We'll have a better knowledge of his condition once he wakes up and all. As I said, he was still unconscious when I had left his room. I'm sure he won't be feeling his best once he wakes up, but my guess is, that he'll be out of here within a few days. A week at the max. Have a nice scar and story to tell his grandkids."

The Dukes all seem to let out an audible sigh of relief. "Thank you Doctor. That's the best news I've heard all day," Jesse states with a smile, "well not that he got shot and is injured, but that he'll be OK." he pauses to look at his family. Looking back at the middle aged doctor, asks, "Can I see him?"

McSnaw nods once again, a look of sympathy in his green eyes. "Yeah, but I'm asking only for one visitor at a time for at least today. Perhaps tomorrow you all can go in, but for today I would like to limit the stress on him by limiting his visitors to one at a time."

Jesse nods. Looks at Luke, Cooter, and Daisy and back at the doctor. "I'm first," he states.

"Follow me," McSnaw states as he turns back around to walk down the hall he had entered from. After a couple of long minutes of silence they arrive at the closed door t hat holds a card plastered on the wall besides the door that reads: BO DUKE. "He is hooked up to IVs that helps feed him and gives him his pain killers. There is a tube in his nose to help aide his breathing. In other words," he pauses as he pushes open the door, "it looks worse than what it is."

"OK, thank-you doctor," Jesse states as he walks into the shadow covered room, the beeping of the monitors loudly greet him as the doctor closes the door behind him. Walking up to Bo's bed to see him lying silently still on the hospital bed, his head tightly wrapped in a thick bandage that is tickly stained with blood where his injury lies. Thin clear tubes is in his nostrils and runs behind his ears to an air tank that hisses behind Bo's bed. And his complexion is still deathly pale, yet a shade better than it had been when he last saw him being rushed into the ER.

"Bo," Jesse states, feeling a tear escape his eye and down his cheek. He was heavily relieved with the doctor's news on Bo's condition and Jesse is full aware that the news they got on Bo was probably the best they could hope for with Bo's injuries. Yet he remains deeply troubled seeing Bo lying almost dead like in the bed knowing it had came at the hands of Tristian. Troubled knowing that Bo will have to suffer with the pain, nightmares, and with the scar reminding him of it all the rest of his life. Only so that Tristian could rob Hogg of all of his greedy money.

"Hi Bo," Jesse says leaning over to gently brush a lock of hair out of his eyes, "it's gonna be alright, Bo. It's all over."

He is answered by the beeping monitors and the hissing of the air tank and Jesse takes a seat next to Bo's bed, silently watching him sleep. Silently praying for a strong and healthy recovery for Bo.

[Garrett Duke]

CHAPTER SEVEN

Bo Duke awakes with pain screaming loudly throughout his entire body and a loud and irritating beeping and hissing screams in his ear. Only to send a rush of confusion and questions racing rapidly within him of what had happened? Where was he? Why did his entire body throb in violent pain? And why was his vision so dark and everything seeming to spin around him? Questions that only frustrates him and sends fear rushing thickly through his entire body.

Minutes seems to last years before his vision slowly clears and the world around him seems to come to a halt, his breathing remains difficult and painful. Thankful for his vision clearing he slowly glances around the small room to come to the conclsuion that he is in the hospital. The beeping comes from the monitors and the hissing comes from the air tank that breathes air into his nose from the small clear tubes.

Struggling to breathe, Bo attempts to sit up only for the sharp pain to send him lying back down upon the bed. The pain in his chest and his head quickly refreshes his memory and he once again sees the gun man staring through the bars at him. . .

Exhaustion runs thickly through Bo's numb body as he sits silently upon the old ratty cot within the jail, his thoughts remain focused upon the sheriff. The sheriff who lies in the hospital fighting for his life after he had rolled his car in the ditch. Rolled his car in the ditch after trying to pull Bo over for supposedly robbing the jewlry store. And in Bo's mind, he was at fault of the accident. If only had pulled over, he'd be in jail for his framed robbery, but the sheriff would be alive and well. And Bo wouldn't be in jail for attempted manslaughter or murder. It was all the same to Bo.

And despite his uncle's and cousin's stern order to lie down and get some sleep and to eat some food, he has yet to eat much of anything other than a couple of bites last night and has yet to truly fall asleep. And now he is paying for refusing to listen to his uncle and cousin.

But with his guilt eating deeply within him, sleep wasn't an option. Even if he wanted to sleep.

Sighing heavily, Bo glances down at his feet, wishing Luke was here. Luke always knew what to do. What to say. And Luke was always there and willing to listen to Bo when he needed to talk. And now that Bo is alone, he wishes Luke was nearby to talk to.

Bo glances up as heavy foot steps fall upon the ceiling from the sheriff's station and jumps in surprise as a couple of loud noises echo from upstairs. As if something heavy was being dropped or being thrown. A moment later a door is opened and more unknown noises come from upstairs to force Bo to realize that it couldn't be Enos or Boss. It had to be someone else. But wh o and why?

Not that it should matter to Bo. Bo was where he was suppose to be. In jail. So if someone was upstairs that wasn't suppose to be there, that was Boss' and Enos' problem.

Bo shakes his head and lies down, listening to the noises die away for a long moment. Closing his eyes, he focuses upon Rosco, his guilt, of what may lie ahead of him now. In a few days, they'd be transporting him to Altanta to the state pen where he could be spending years locked behind bars for either attempted murder or murder of a law officer. Of Rosco. The only reason he wasn't already there, was because everone was still too occupied worried about Rosco than to make the phone call to get him picked up.

Only to send chills racing up and down his body. Just at the thought of spending years behind bars with hardened criminals at the pen. Deep down, he believed he deserved to be there, but also doubts he'd be able to survive to be locked away in the pen. With people who were known murderers.

Which is what he now was. A muderer. Or an attempted murderer.

Bo abruptly sits up as the foot steps are now moving down the steps and a moment later a tall and muscular man steps down off the stairs, a gun man pointed at Bo. "Well, well, well," the man grins, "the old man's nephew lies in jail. For something I was hired to do. Ain't life funny?"

"What. . .what," Bo stutters, "you talking about?"

The man shrugs smugly. "Hogg hired me to rob that jewlry store to frame you wtih it. And here you are," he grins before shaking his head, "hey guess what?"

Bo stares at the gun man, his mind now on his uncle as the man's words didn't escape him.

"You ain't gonna ask. Oh well, I'll tell," the man waves his gun at him, "I've got your uncle locked up at my hiding place. Your uncle and your commissioner. I was gonna kill you since you are an unwanted witness, but my baby brother would hate me for killing you. For some odd reason. So, I'll tell you what, I'm going to give you a preview of what could happen to your uncle if you were to open that ugly mouth of your's."

Fear penetrates deeply within Bo as he jumps to his feet with little thought. His thought remains focused upon Jesse, his fear aimed for his uncle despite the evil gun pointed at him. "Now wait a minute mister! You won't get away with this! My Uncle is loved by all and -" he yells at the gunman, taking a step forward.

"Just watch me," the gun man grins as he pulls the trigger and a second later Bo screams out in soaring pain as the bullet throws him violently into the brick wall before he slides down the wall and onto the floor. Blood instantly flows down his face from his head, and down his chest from where he was shot. "Better hope someone gets here soon. Otherwise, you'll bleed to death." The gun man pauses as he takes a step towards the stairs, "Just remember, Bo, one word and the old man is dead. I meant to miss with you, I'll make sure not to miss with your old man. You have a chance to live if you're lucky to get help in time. He won't be so lucky."

Bo eyes him for a short moment before the gun man turns around and runs up the stairs and out of sight. Bo tries to yell out for help only for the pain in his lungs to explode and nothing comes out and the world is quick to go black.

A sharp sneeze is quick to pull Bo out of the flashback that has brought him to where he lies now and he glances to the right to find Luke standing silently still at the window. Luke's back is facing Bo as he stares out through the window, recovering from his sneeze.

"Luke," Bo weakly states, relieved at seeing Luke at the window, only feet away from him.

[Garrett Duke]

Staring out the window, Luke Duke once again saw very little that was outside, but instead was looking back at the bloody vision, of his cousin on the jail floor. Of the pain that had captivated his blue eyes, of the blood draining from his head and from his chest, and the words that he had weakly spoken once he had awakened. Bo was obviously in a lot of pain and fear when he had awakened, had seemed somewhat confused, and yet he spoke very little about himself. He was too worried about their uncle.

Luke hears himself let out a deep breath he had been holding. Thankful that Tristian is in jail. Thankful that Jesse and Hogg are safe. And thankful of having his cousin in the bed behind him, resting and hopefully on his way to a speedy recovery.

From his long years in the Marines and at war, Luke had seen first hand all the damages a single bullet could do to a person. Had seen men suffer slowly to death due to a bullet placed where Bo had been shot and seen men die instantly to death. His best friend at war had been shot and went home in a wheel chair due to that bullet.

It would kill Bo to be restricted to a wheel chair.

So Luke knows Bo suffered the least amount of damage he could have suffered with a bullet to his upper chest. It could have been worse.

Not that it was great. He had to go through surgery for the removal of the bullet, blood transfusion, the pain he has and will go through, and the nasty scar it is bound to leave.

But in Luke's mind it should never have happened. Bo was locked away in jail. Had no way of defending himself. And Tristian shot him anyway. If only Luke hadn't angrily forced him into picking him up from town the other day, none of this would have happened. . .

"Luke," Bo's weak voice slowly interrupts his thoughts and Luke feels a small smile of relief cross his face as he forces his hands out of his pockets.

Turning around to face Bo, his heart seems to tighten within him at seeing the pain still radiating in his eyes and his apparent struggle to breathe. Despite the aide of the machine. "Bo," Luke forces a smile as he is quick to make it to side of Bo's bed to slowly bend down and draw Bo into a gentle hug and whispers in his ear, "it's OK lil' cuz. It's all over."

As Bo lies back down he eyes Luke with confusion and shakes his head no at Luke before coming to an abrupt halt, tears of pain enter his eyes. "Jesse," he says in a whisper.

"Jesse's visiting Rosco," Luke states calmly, remembering Bo's worry over Jesse, "Look Bo, Tristian did have him. But thanks to Jesse's call in for help, I found them and helped him. Tied Tristian up and Jesse warned me of Tristian's bragging over dealing with you that tipped us that you needed help. Only reason we were able to get to you when we had," Luke goes silent, clearly recognizing the fact that if Tristian had said anything, Bo would be dead right now. "Jesse's fine. In fact, Rosco's awake and his doctors are saying he should be fine. Give him a few days. A lot like what your doctor says about you."

Bo gives Luke a disbelieving look. "Yeah right," he slowly states skeptically.

"I am right. I am right about him being alright, about Rosco being better, and I was right that all of this wasn't your fault. Rosco stated he over heard Tristian say something on the phone. Tristian cut Rosco's brake lines. He'd have some sort of trouble with his car not braking whether or not he was chasing you," Luke confidently states, patting Bo on the shoulder, "sad all this had to even happen. If Hogg hadn't hired Tristian to frame you as he did nothing would have happened to Rosco. To you. To no one. I'm sorry Bo you had to go through all this."

Bo slightly nods, looking away from Luke as he takes all that he had just said in. "Not your fault," he finally states looking back at Luke, "so everyone is going to be OK?"

Luke smiles and nods at Bo. "Yep," he nods confidently, "how you feelin'?"

"Fine," Bo lies, not wanting to talk about how he feels, "I wanna go home."

"You'll get there soon enough," Luke nods at Bo knowingly. "But for now you should be getting some rest. Why don't you close your eyes and get some rest and I'll run down the hall and get Jesse. He can tell you himself how he is. K?"

Bo tiredly nods his OK before Luke gives him another hug, relieved to see him OK as he forcefully fights back asking the one question he wants to ask. The question of what all had happened. Everything was pretty apparent what had happened, but Luke wanted to hear it from Bo himself, but knows best not to ask right now. Now wasn't the right time. Give Bo some time and he may open up on his own about it. . .

"I'll see you later, cuz," Luke states as he opens the door and slowly walks back out into the brightly lit hall way.

[Garrett Duke]

Rosco P. Coltrane inhales heavily as Jefferson Davis Hogg pushes his wheelchair out through the open doors of the hospital. Looking across the parking lot and beyond, Rosco is hit with mixed emotions that has been trapped within him ever since he had awakened from his small coma.

He has never been one to share much love with the Dukes. His extent of love of the Dukes came from his love and enjoyment of giving them chase and at the few chances he had at arresting them and bringing them off of the road. They were of great stress and annoyance to him and Hogg. And he knew it worked both ways. That the Dukes felt the same about him and Hogg. He also knew that the Dukes were in the right. That he was in the wrong. They were the most lawbiding and honest people that lives in Hazzard and that is why they cause them the most trouble.

But he didn't hate them. Didn't wish any of them harm.

And the thought that Hogg had arrested Bo on charges of attempted muder upon him, the sheriff, deeply upsets Rosco. Hogg knew Bo wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone. Sure he ran from Rosco when Rosco went to pull him over, but who could blame Bo? He was going to pull him over to falsely arrest him for a crime they all knew he didn't do. If he was Bo, Rosco knew he would run as well. And the fact that Rosco had rolled his car while giving Bo chase didn't make Bo a murderer. Even if his brakes weren't cut.

Hogg knew Bo wouldn't intentionally hurt Rosco. Definately knew he wouldn't cut Rosco's brakes in order to clear his name. And yet he had arrested Bo. Arrested the one man who had saved Rosco's life.

If Bo hadn't turned around after Rosco had rolled in the ditch, hadn't acted as fast as he did, Rosco would be dead right now.

And for his effort, Bo was arrested and charged with robbery and attempted murder.

"Why you charge Bo with attempted murder, Boss?" Rosco breaks his silence, "You know damn well he wouldn't have tried to kill me. You definately know that he wouldn't have cut my brakes like that. And yet you did."

Rosco hears Hogg exhale loudly from above him. "I was upset. I had to charge someone," he finally answers, "and if he hadn't chased you, you wouldn't have rolled -"

"I would have done it sooner or later," Rosco cuts him off, "and the only reason he ran from me was because you charged him wrongly. You'd run too if you knew you were wrongly charged. That don't make him a murderer."

Rosco watches an older and rusted car pass by, his thoughts focused upon Bo locked away with such harsh charges and how he must have felt. According to his deputy, Bo ate little and slept less. Only to give Rosco the correct impression of a young man trapped in guilt over what had happened. And the fact that Bo himself didn't argue against the charges, only allowed Rosco to know that Bo agreed with the charges, that he blamed himself for what had happened.

Yet, it was Bo who saved Rosco's life.

"I had to blame someone," Boss finally interupts his silence, "and I guess he fit the charge perfectly when he ran from you as he did. I guess if I had sat back and thought about it, Tristian should have made better sense. But with you lying on the thin line between life and death, I couldn't think properly."

Rosco nods, knowing that it wouldn't help to argue. What was done, was done and there was very little about it that Rosco could do.

"I want to go to the Duke farm," Rosco says, switching the subject, "Jesse tol' me they released Bo this morning as well. I want to go thank Bo for saving my life. And you can apologize for placing such harsh charges upon him."

"I'll take you to their farm if you really want to," Boss spits out as he pushes Rosco across the parking lot and to the patrol car he himself drove out to pick Rosco up in, "but there is no way I am going to apologize to him for what he did! He ran from a sheriff. He ran from authority. He avaded arrest, which is a valid charge, mind you! He -"

"Saved my life, Boss," Rosso sharply interrupts him, "if he didn't turn around and call it in as he did, I'd be dead right now. You'd be in search of a new sheriff. Whether you like him or his family or not, he saved my life and for that you arrested him. He sat in jail. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. Because he was already burdened with unnecessary guilt.

"And because of you," Rosco angrily continues as they reach the passenger side door, "he was shot by your man. He was locked behind bars. He had no way of protecting himself and he was violently shot because you so badly wanted to frame him you went to outside help in Tristian."

"Are you blaming me, Rosco?!" Boss yells as he opens the passenger door, unbelieving that his sheriff would blame him for what happened to Bo, "Tristian went astray! I went with him about what you told me about him and he tied me to a damn tree and let me know he was going to rob me. How was I to stop him? I had no clue what he would do with Bo -"

"Because you were too concerned over all the money he'd be stealing from you. You don't change Boss. It's all about you. You and your money," Rosco shakes his head as he weakly stands up and makes his way into the passenger seat. Sighing heavily he continues, "Perhaps you should let this be a lesson to you the next time you hire people you don't know to frame the Dukes. You may not have known what Tristian was going to do nor told him to do it, but you hired him. You brought him into Hazzard. If you -"

"OK, OK, Rosco. I get your damn point. I did all of this by bringing in Tristian into our plan," Boss pauses for a long moment, "if it'll make you feel better, I'll apologize to Bo. And to you. I'm sorry Rosco for what he did. If I had to do it over again, I would never have turned to Tristian. I'm sorry."

Rosco nods as Boss slams the door shut and walks away with the wheel chair. Rosco quietly watches Hogg wheel the wheel chair up to the front door before disappearing back into the hospital to return it to them.

Despite his anger about Tristian and what he did not only to him, but to Bo, Rosco was also relieved and excited. Relieved and excited to finally breathe in some fresh air. To be on the outside. To be free once again. And glad that it is all over.

"Off to the Duke farm," Hogg states as he throws open the driver's door, startling Rosco since he was too focused upon the future that he didn't even see Hogg exit the hospital.

[Garrett Duke]

Bo Duke sits silently on the front porch swing that overlooks the front lawn of the Dukes and the open farm land that lies beyond. His mind lies thickly wrapped around the past few days' events; from finding Rosco covered in his own blood after he had rolled to getting arrested with attempted murder to seeing Tristian outside his jail. Only to send a wave of emotions heavily falling over him. Emotions of grief and sadness that it all had to happen. Not to him. But to Rosco. That Boss had to stoop so low to place false charges upon him that he relied on the likes of Tristian. Tristian in turn attempted to kill Rosco over what he had heard. That Rosco will have to live the rest of his life with the scars Tristian had placed upon him; physical and emotional scars.

Only to frame him of a robbery everyone knew he wouldn't do.

But also emotions of relief and gladness. Relief at the fact that despite his continual feelings of guilt over Rosco's accident, deep down now he also knows that it wasn't his fault. Tristain's finger prints had confirmed that he had touched Rosco's car, the cut brakes were the obvious reasons of why Rosco had rolled his car. Not because he was chasing Bo.

And just happy and glad that it all is over with. Something that is now put behind them with hopes of moving forward.

"Here you go sugar," Daisy breaks his line of thought as she walks out of the front door with a large glass of tea and hands it to Bo, "how you feelin'?"

Bo shrugs and accepts the tea before taking a long drink. "Thanks Daisy," he answers as he sets it down on the floor besides him and Luke and Jesse walk around the house to join them on the porch.

"How you feelin', Bo?" Luke protectively asks, concern deep in his eyes.

Bo eyes Daisy for a moment and looks up at them and shrugs painfully. "Same as the last time you asked," he finally answers, "I'll be fine. Y'all can stop worrying."

Luke sarcastically laughs. "If it only were that easy. You just got home from the hospital," he finally responds as a car's engine becomes audible in the distance, "no one expects you to be back to normal. You've been shot. You've been through a lot and to hide it from everyone is only going to make it worse for you."

Bo eyes him for a long moment before looking away to find a white car coming towards them in the distance. Looking back at Luke and Jesse, he states, "As I said, I'll be fine."

Jesse nods, knowing that this conversation isn't getting anyone anywhere. "We're just glad to hear that and have you back home. And," he pauses for a long moment as if lost in thought, "and to finally have cleared your name. Of both accounts. We told you we had faith in you. That you didn't do anything of what they accused you of."

Bo nods. "Thanks," he states and goes silent as he looks up to see Rosco's car come into view, "we've got company."

Jesse smiles. "That we do," he states, "Daisy perhaps you should go in and get enough cups and tea for everyone."

"Yes sir," she grins and disappears back into the kitchen, the screen door closes tightly behind her.

"Well," Luke interrupts the silence, "looks like life may be resuming back to normal here."

With that they fall back into a peaceful silence as they watch the oncoming car, everyone relieved that the nightmare to have seemingly to be over with. That life was slowly returning to how it once was before that fateful day.

[Garrett Duke]

Rosco inhales heavily as the patrol car pulls to an halt behind the parked General Lee. "We're here," Boss states to break the silence that had plagued the patrol car as he opens his car door.

"Yeah," Rosco nods as he watches Luke approach his car door, "just remember, Boss. You're here to apologize for what you did. To Bo. To the Dukes."

"I know, I know. Don't remind me," Boss scoffs as Luke opens Rosco's door with a smile and Jesse walks up to Boss's open door.

"Well hi there, Rosco," Luke grins as he helps Rosco to his feet, "how you doin', Sheriff?"

Rosco shrugs as his eyes falls upon Bo who sits upon the porch swing, refusing to look at him. Looking back at the older Duke cousin, he finally says, "I'm doing alright," he pauses as they walk and meet up with Boss and Jesse at the grill of the car, "thanks to Bo there. If he hadn't acted as fast as he did, I wouldn't be here right now."

Jesse smiles proudly and looks up at Bo for a long moment and then looks back at Jesse. "He just did what anyone should have done," Jesse finally states, "for you. For anyone."

Rosco shrugs and stutters momentarily at the Duke's humble attitude. After all he has done, one would think they would blame him. Hate him. Despise him. And yet the welcome him onto their property with open arms and shrugs off Bo's heroism that led him to being shot and in the hospital. As if it was nothing.

Only to reinforce his guilt within him.

"On any count, he saved my life and I owe him and all of you a big one," he hears himself saying aloud, knowing he shouldn't be surprised at Jesse's attitude. At the Duke's attitude. They have always been this way. Towards everyone. No matter who or what they did. He just forced himself to look the other way on their openness, friendliness, and welcomeness in order to fulfill Boss' orders to arrest the Duke boys. "How's Bo doin'?" he brings himself to say as he looks back at the blond haired Duke boy.

Luke shrugs as he places a gentle hand upon Rosco's tense shoulder while his other hand goes into his back pocket. "He's doin' alright," Luke slowly answers, worry laced within each word, "he has nightmares and still blames himself, but give him time, everything will return to how it once was. For him. For us. And hopefully for you."

Rosco nods, appreciative for Luke's honesty. "I'll be fine," he answers as he leads them to the front steps, "I'm just glad all of this is over."

"Same here," Jesse and Luke say in unison as Daisy walks out of the house carrying a tray of glasses and a pitcher of ice tea.

"Well hi there Boss. Hi Sheriff," Daisy smiles as she offers them a glass and Jesse helps pour them their tea, "I got chicken ready to be put on the grill in a few minutes. Enough ready for us all if you have time to stay."

Boss grins. "I've got all the time in the world...especially for food," he says with a grin to recieve a shake of his head from Rosco.

"Sounds good, Daisy. Thanks," Rosco says soberly before he moves past everyone and up the stairs to where Bo sits on the front porch. "May I have a seat?"

Bo looks up at Rosco and offers him a small nod and a shrug at the same time. "Yeah. Of course."

Rosco nods and slowly sits down next to him. "Thanks," he states before taking a deep breath, "Well Bo, I don't know where to start," he pauses for a moment as he watches Boss and Jesse for a moment before turning back to Bo, "so I'll start by saying I'm sorry. I'm sorry for persuing you wrongfully. We all knew you didn't rob the jewlry store and yet I went along with the plan and was attempting to arrest you for it. I'm sorry."

Bo shrugs. "There's no need to apologize Rosco. We both have an understanding of each other. You try to arrest us. We try not to be arrested," he rests back against the bench swing, "the only thing different now is that the man Boss hired to frame me was violent and willing to kill. You didn't know."

Rosco sighs, wishing Bo would be upset at him. "Don't make it right," he pauses for a long moment once more as Daisy goes into the house and walks back out with a plate full of chicken, "Second of all, you saved my life. If you hadn't acted as fast as you did, I wouldn't have made it. It's because of you I am here right now. Thank-you."

"I didn't do anything, Rosco. All I did was go back and call in for an ambulance," Bo pauses for a long moment and Rosco notices the short wave of horror flash in Bo's eyes before fading away, "I know Tristian had cut your brake lines and your brakes would have went out sooner or later. But if I hadn't run from you as I had, you wouldn't have had such a bad wreck. You wouldn't have been hurt as you had been." Bo laughs sarcastically and shakes his head, "You don't need to be thanking me, Rosco. You should be rearresting me for what I done to you."

"I'd have ran too if I were in your position. No one wants to get arrested for something they didn't do. I don't blame you, Bo. No one blames you. I was enraged at Boss when I woke up and he told me what he charged you with. Still am," Rosco states confidently, "I owe you a huge apology and an even huger thanks. You didn't do this to me. You saved my life. Thanks Bo."

Bo eyes Rosco for a brief moment and looks away to find Luke watching them with worry in his eyes. Looking away from Luke and back at Rosco he finally states. "I did what anyone would have done, Rosco. You were hurt and in need of help," he states as he watches Luke, Jesse, Boss, and Daisy slowly make their way up onto the porch, "but you're welcome."

"Well here's Boss," Rosco changes the subject, "I believe he has something to tell you. To tell everyone here."

"I do?" Boss asks, feigning surprise at Rosco pointing him out. Rosco eyes Boss harshly for a moment and Boss jumps back and states, "Ah that's right. I did. How could I forget?" he nervously looks around before eyeing Bo, "I'm sorry, Bo. I'm sorry Jesse, Daisy, Luke. I really am. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. To Rosco. To Bo. You've got to believe me. I just," he goes silent fighting for words, "I just thought if I could get the boys seperated, that things in Hazzard would be easier. For everyone."

"Not for everyone. But for you, maybe," Luke is quick to inject, anger at Hogg's subtle lie.

"OK. For me. So I thought it'd be easier to frame Bo," Boss shrugs as if it was nothing, "but I didn't plan on all of this to happen. Didn't mean for this to happen. I'm sorry Bo. Jesse. Luke and Daisy. I'm sorry."

"Well Boss," Jesse states calmly as everyone else remains silent, "perhaps you should let this be a lesson to you on who you should and should not hire. Who you should make your friends. But," Jesse eyes Bo a moment before Bo nods. Knowing what Jesse was silently asking him. Looking back at Boss he states, "you're forgiven."

"Thanks Jesse. Bo," Boss states with a smile.

Bo nods as he stiffly stands up. "It's startin' to smell good, Daisy," he grins as he goes and pours himself some more tea, ready to switch the subject.

"A few more minutes and it should be ready, sugar," Daisy grins as Bo walks down to The General and opens the hood and Luke is quick to join Bo. Jesse watches from the porch, glad to see things moving forward and away from the shooting, from Bo in jail by himself. To have his family back together.

"Bo's right. It's smells good. Think I smell something cookin' in the house as well," Boss comments, letting their differences to slide away for the moment, "what is it?"

Daisy grins. "Some green bean casserole and an apple pie," she responds, watching the boys talk amongst themselves as the tinker under the hood of their beloved car.

"Thank-you, for everything," Rosco states as he takes everything in, relieved for everything to be over and things seeming to move forward the way he was hoping it would.

Daisy nods and pats him on the shoulder before she disappears back into the house to check on her food that she was making to leave a comfortable silence to cover the Duke porch. A comfortable silence between a couple of old friends. A comfortable silence between the good guys and the guys that make it their business to frame the good guys. Two different sides, now on the same property. Enjoying their company.

Though no one was fooled. Everyone knew once the law left the Duke property, they would fall back upon their old habits. They'd turn back and find ways to frame Bo and Luke in attempt to put them behind bars once and for all. And Bo and Luke would continue to run from them, plan their own ways out of the false charges.

Life that they knew it would return to normal.

And they all were fine with it.

Even sitting on the same porch, talking about old times. About the future that lies ahead of them. Enjoying the fact that the nightmare is over. That despite the scars and the nightmares that will haunt them at night, that life was returning back to normal.

The life that they all enjoyed.

THE END