Going Home -- Again

[bethie88]

"You know, Bo... I'd love to. But... But I just wouldn't feel right about that. Just tell them that I wish them all the best."

Bo nodded. "I understand." He hugged Robin and said, "You take care of yourself. OK?"

"I will." Robin smiled weakly. "I will."

Bo nodded. "You'd better. Mark would go nuts if you didn't."

Robin smiled. "God knows!"

She turned and walked to her car as Bo climbed into Luke's truck. He headed toward the county line wondering just what Luke was up to.

Cue Dixie

[DixieDavenport]

Robin had turned to her car then stopped. It had been years since she had talked to her oldest brother face to face and she wasn't going to let him go back to California without talking to him. She started toward the front door of the Boar's Nest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke had slowed the General Lee down before reaching the County line hoping that Bo would catch up. No such luck since he had stopped to talk to Robin. Luke pulled over into a wide spot just before getting to the County line.

Dixie looked up from his shoulder, "Luke what are you doing?"

"Just be patient. I have a surprise for you." Luke whispered. Almost before he had gotten the words out Bo pulled in behind him. "See, here's part one of the surprise. Come on." Luke said climbing out of the General Lee. He went to the other side and helped Dixie out.

She asked, "Bo do you have any idea what this man is up to?" she asked.

Bo shook his head no. "No, Honey, I have no idea. I just met him here with the truck like he asked."

Luke smiled mischievously and exclaimed, "And, cousin that's all you needed to know until tomorrow!" Luke opened the trunk of the General Lee taking out the two small bags and putting them in the truck.

Bo whispered, "Luke, don't get pulled over. Behind the far back seat is a quart of Jesse's finest. I figured that would be enough so that you could get ride of the evidence by tomorrow!"

Luke smiled, "Booo, I don't know if you are a GENIOUS or a COM -- PLETE I--D--IOT! Thanks Cousin!"

"Genious works for me!" Said Bo as he put one leg into the General Lee. He watched as Luke and his bride got into the pickup. 'Yeah, Robin's best wishes could wait until he and Luke were alone.' he thought. Bo knew Dixie pretty well and was sure she'd understand but just in case, tonight, wasn't the night! He sat in the General and watched Luke pull out heading toward the County line. He had not seen Luke this happy in a long time. What ever the surprise he had in store for his bride must have been a good one. Of course Luke was like this at Christmas too. He enjoyed more the planning and the surprising others than he did actually receiving a gift for himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't suppose there is any point in asking where we are headed?" Dixie asked content just to be alone with Luke.

He answered confidently, "Nope." then asked, "You do trust me, don't you, Mrs. Duke?"

She said simply, "With my life, Mr. Duke."

Luke just smiled and nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin walked into the Boar's Nest. It had been several years since she had been there but though it had been remodeled several times due to fights, 'Ahhhhh, .... that she was sure that Luke had financed at least a couple of times in his life!' she thought, 'because she had watched several such fights he'd been involved in while they were dating -- well, OK, shortly after they broke up.' She let her eyes adjust to the light. Setting in a far table with Cooter Davenport, Jeb, Coy, Vance and several others was a slightly older version of a sandy haired, slim, but well-built man with a great tan that could only be her older brother. She and Mark had had a strained relationship ever since he'd gotten into trouble. She believed Mark but her parents firmly believed that if you made your bed you should lie in it thus they forbit Robin or David ANY contact with Mark. By the time she was on her own she had lost track of him but vowed that this time it would not happen again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

From a back table across the room Milton C. Hardcastle, retired Tri-County Judge and retired Superior Court, Judge in California *********** sat with his older friends missing one particular old fishing buddy, Jesse Duke, while watching his ex-con side kid drink his third beer and loosen up around his friends, that Hardcastle knew he'd not seen in at least ten to fifteen years. He noticed the young lady walk in. She was dressed nicely with short light brown hair. She seemed to take an immediate interest in McCormick. Hardcastle now became more interested. The woman walked over to Mark and said something that Hardcastle couldn't hear. He watched as McCormick turned to her voice, stood up, took her in his arms and hugged her tightly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Robin had said was, "Buy a sister a drink?"

McCormick turned to her voice, stood up, took her in his arms and hugged her tightly! saying, "Robin!! You have yourself a deal!" He said flagging down a waitress. "A 'Jack and Coke' for the lady." To Robin he said, "Man, it's good to see you! What have you done to your hair?"

"Shorter is easier!" she replied.

There was so much that both wanted to say and both felt that their was so little time to say it. Mark swollowed the lump in his throat, and said, "I have someone I want you to meet and you ARE NOT going to believe who it is............"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark and Robin walked to Hardcastle's table. Mark began, "Robin this is retired Judge Milton C. 'Hardcase' Hardcastle."

Looking shocked, Robin almost said something she'd regret, but was stopped by Mark saying, ".............

Mark laid his hand on her shoulder, and said, "Yes! ................ He is the Judge, ......... that put me away not once, BUT twice and ALMOST a third time! BUT, let me tell you he's saved my bacon more than that! I think we are coming to an understanding!" He paused for effect then said, "Hardcase, this is my sister, Robin."

Hardcastle looked at the two, now seeing the family likenesses, said with a warm smile, "Don't let him fool you. He usually pulls my bacon out of the fire more often!"

Confussed, Robin stared at the two.

Mark explained, "See, he's the 'Lone Ranger' and I'm his 'Tonto' which started several years ago. I ended up in his Court one to many times whick happened to be his last case, .............."

Hardcastle interupted, "I gave him a deal he COULD NOT refuse!"

"Yeah!" Mark said, "He's right. ................ Either help him or return to prison for doing the 'right thing' the wrong way!" he paused, then continued to explain, "After the 'trouble here' I went to California to race, I bought a car and the insurance was WAY out of my budget, so I put it in my, ah, 'girlfriends' name. We had a fight, so she reports 'her' car stolen. ............ Of all the Judge's in California, who do I get? The one who knows me! I took a two year 'vacation' to San Quentin!" He let that sink in before continueing, "So then I had a friend who designed MY car the 'Coyote', who was murdered, and the car taken, his daughter talked me into stealing him back, I did, I got caught! Care to guess who I went in front of?? ..... You got it! Hardcastle! .... Care to figure the odds of getting into a 'fix' three times in two states and having the SAME Judge? Anyway, Hardcase, here 'offered' me this kind of goofy partnership? Not even a partnership, more like an indentured servitude arrangement complete with some indefinite custody clause. Indefinite custody--that idea in itself was insane. We couldn't be in the same room together without trading insults, and yet it was clear Hardcastle had expected me to just jump at the offer. The Judge had laid it all out like some grand, logical plan that made perfect sense. Well, it didn't make sense to me. It sounded well...crazy and possibly dangerous and.......CRAZY. See he had 200 cases 'walk' out of his Court room on a minor technicality so after his retirement he wanted to go after them figuring they were still up to their old tricks. Turns out the ones we've went after for the most part either were up to their old tricks or improved on them. So far We got what about 50 convictions? Hardcase?"

Hardcastle looked on, knowing that McCormick had drank just enough to be willing to talk without worrying about what either Robin or he thought. Hardcastle smiled, Mark wasn't causing any trouble but was on his way to felling no pain, ah, at least until tomorrow morning! He replied, "43 convictions, 8 pending."

"Wow! MY brother is 'helping' you, after all the past history?" Robin asked.

Both Hardcastle and McCormick answered, "Yep!"

McCormick added "It was help him or off to another vacation at San Quentin as a three time looser!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke pulled up and parked the truck in the middle of Atlanta. He said, "I'll be right back." He got out of the pickup and entered the Peachtree Plaza. Luke grumbled a bit a few minutes later when he realized that his pickup was too long and tall to park in the garage of the hotel and they'd have to park across the street. He had booked a room on the 70th floor of the 73 story hotel.

After getting to the room both Luke and Dixie went to the window to check out the view of Atlanta.

Dixie spoke first, "WOW!!!!!!!!!"

"I thought you would like it. And, they will never guess we are staying here! I hope they think we are at the Hazzard Inn or camping out!" Luke said taking Dixie into his arms.

"Luke Duke, you are an EVIL man!" said Dixie looking up to Lukes eyes.

"Come here Mrs. Duke and I'll prove THAT!" he said taking his wife in his arms tightly and kissing her passionately!

************** Milton C. Hardcastle, retired Tri-County Judge and retired Superior Court, Judge in California -- In my world I have taken the liberty of having Judge Hardcastle from Hardcastle and McCormick. See this link for more info on Hardcastel and McCormick --- and the COYOTE!!! http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/coyote/

Cue Beth

[DixieDavenport]

I am re-posting my footnote. I left out much of the explanation while looking for the link. Sorry for the interruption in the story. What is in caps is the addition.

Dixie

************** Milton C. Hardcastle, retired Tri-County Judge and retired Superior Court, Judge in California -- In my world I have taken the liberty of having Judge Hardcastle from Hardcastle and McCormick HAVING BEEN A TRI-COUNTY JUDGE IN HAZZARD BEFORE MOVING TO CALIFORNIA WHERE HE BECAME A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE. THUS IT IS POSSIBLE FOR McCORMICK TO HAVE WENT BEFORE HIM IN TWO STATES ON THE THREE CHARGES MENTIONED ABOVE, See this link for more info on Hardcastle and McCormick --- and the COYOTE!!! http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/coyote/

[bethie88]

Me: Meanwhile, back in Hazzard, Beth, Daisy, and Debbie, with the help of Ruth Anne, Laura, and Jessica, were cleaning up the Boar's Nest. Beth was getting aggravated with the others, who kept telling her to sit down and rest. She finally said, "Girls, for gosh sakes! I've been pregnant how many times now? I think I know what I can and can't do!"

Debbie and Daisy had to laugh, and yet, knowing Beth, they knew that they were frustrating her. So they finally gave in and let her help, as long as she left the heavy lifting to them. Beth agreed to those terms. She and Daisy took the tablecloths off the table to be cleaned, and saved by Dixie in the trunk her mother had given her.

Debbie walked over to the others and said, "You know, girls, I've known Dixie a long time. But I have never seen her happier than she is right now."

To which Daisy replied, "I'll say amen to that."

~**~**~**~**~**~

Meanwhile, Bo was driving home from the line...

Cue Dixie

[DixieDavenport]

Bo was driving the General Lee back to the Boar's Nest thinking of 'Luke's Big Day', then his thoughts wandered back to a time, now, he thought, almost twenty years earlier. 'Where had the time went?' It seemed like just yesturday that he and Beth were dating. Yet, he realized that Bo, Jr. right now was older than he was when he'd married Beth. He wondered 'if ' or 'when' Luke and Dixie would start a family of their own, at 'their age'..... He found himself laughing until tears threatened to spill down his face. ....... Aloud he said to himself, "Yeah, at Luke's age? What was he thinking? He was just a couple of years younger than Luke AND Dixie was younger than them both. Here he was, himself, with a new little one on the way -- What was he thinking? Of course Luke and Dixie still had plenty of time to start a family.

It was at this particular moment a young deer decided to get Bo's undivided attention by jumping into the middle of the road just in front of the General Lee. It was a fact that Bo had been drinking a bit and everyone knows your reflexes aren't what they normally are if you have been drinking, but fortunately for the deer and the General Lee Bo had been a race car driver most of his life and even though he had been in a world of thought he still was able to react to the sudden movement in front of him. He locked the brakes and slide the General Lee around in the road to a stop as the young frightened deer headed back to the woods. Bo sighed, 'Yep, that got my attention!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Atlanta, something else had Luke's undivided attention! The only light in the room other than that from the city was from several candles which Luke had busied himself lighting while Dixie changed. Luke had poured two glasses of Jesse's finest to toast his bride. When he heard the door open he turned to see Dixie exit the bathroom wearing a snow white lace trimmed, floor length gown and robe.

At this moment in his life Luke was sure he had seen nothing more beautiful in his life. He crossed the room to his bride handing her a glass of moonshine. "To the most beautiful sight I've ever seen..." he raised his glass.

Dixie blushed deeply like a school girl on her first date, replying, "To my husband, the most amazing man I've ever known."

After the toast Luke took Dixie in his arms, kissing her deeply..................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the Boar's Nest Robin looked from her brother to the Judge. "And you 'helped' him?"

Mark replied, "Yes, and am still helping him. I really didn't have much choice! ........ At the time!"

Robin looked at Mark disbelievingly.

Mark and the Judge smiled at her. Mark said, "You just don't understand. Come on, I'll explain, further." He put his arm around his sister and Mark winked at Hardcastle. "Come on Robin, I'll buy you another drink."

Cue Beth

[DixieDavenport]

It was the wee hours of the morning before dawn. Dixie and Luke were still awake. Dixie snuggled closer and said, "Luke hold me and tell me this is really happening."

Luke put both his arms around her and held her tightly. "Yes, Darling, it is really real."

Dixie sighed, "I know it sounds 'silly' but I don't want to go to sleep......."

Luke knew exactly what she was going to say but felt she needed to say it so he just listened.

Dixie had continued, "because I'm afraid of waking up alone again."

"I can promise you that you won't wake up alone again unless I'm at work and I can promise THAT won't happen tonight." he said still holding her tightly.

Dixie looked up into Luke's eyes. It was time to tell him something she had wanted to tell him since first seeing him at the Boar's Nest. This was the 'special gift' that she had told him she had for him on their wedding night. "Luke ..... You remember I told you I had a special present for you on our wedding night?"

Luke smiled down at her acting a bit confussed, "You mean something else?"

Dixie blushed, "Yeeeessss, Luke." she exagerated. "I still say you are an evil man!"

He laughed at her. "You're right! I probably am!"

She leaned up and propped her self on her elbow, so she was face to face with Luke. "Luke I want to tell you something. You do remember the night we got 'caught' at the lake?"

Luke went to hush her, "We agreed to put that in the past..."

Dixie insisted, "OK, after you hear me out we can. You do know that you were my first?"

Luke nodded, "Yes..."

"Well, then when I came back to Hazzard that first night in the hayloft ........ I wanted to tell you this then, but I wanted us to get back together because it was what we both wanted not because what I'm telling you now. That's why I decided to wait until tonight to tell you this." Dixie knew by Luke's expression he had no idea where she was going with this, she smiled and continued, "Honey, between those two times, ......." she said very quietly, but Luke heard every word loud and clear, "There was no one else...."

He said very suprised, "You mean...."

Dixie smiled proudly, "Yes, Luke, you are the only man I've ever been with."

Words could not say what Luke was feeling right then, but actions speak louder than words anytime. He leaned over kissing Dixie very passionately.........................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the Duke farm, Beth was awaken by Bo sliding out of their bed. She layed very still and watched him. She knew he'd layed awake long after she went to sleep and he hadn't quiet been himself all night after returning from the Boar's Nest. Now he slide on his jeans and walked to the window. He stood staring out the window at the farm. His thoughts were far away. He figured he could think these thoughts safely without fear of a deer jumping in front of him again. He had no idea where Luke and Dixie were going for their wedding night, but remembered his and Beth's wedding night long ago. Luke and all their friends had chipped in and gotten Bo and Beth a hotel room for the night. Smiling to himself, Bo remembered Jesse and Cooter telling him that Luke had been up all night his wedding night. He guessed it was his turn tonight. Luke had stayed awake all Bo's wedding night thinking about how things would change between the two of them and worrying about them being so young. Bo however, was remembering the past and wondering where the time had gone? He didn't think either he or Beth 'old' but with Luke and Dixie just starting their live together. He felt for them and the time that they had 'lost'. Bo hated that they had evidently loved each other all this time but were prevented by Dixie's father from being together all these years. He heard Beth set up in the bed.

"Bo, what are you doing?" she asked out loud, though she didn't have to.

"Do you remember them kidding Luke about staying up on our wedding night worrying? I guess it's my turn." he said, "Sorry I woke you."

Beth smiled. She knew how close Bo and Luke were. "Honey, he's a big boy...."

Bo glared at her, "I know THAT!" then he smiled at her as he came back to the bed. "I was really remembering more than I was worrying."

Beth questioned, "Remembering?"

Bo replied, "Yes, our wedding night."

Beth smiled an evil grin, "Let's see if I can refresh your memory." she moved close to Bo and they began kissing passionately. At that particular moment the 'yougest' Duke must have felt left out and kicked hard enough for Bo to feel it. They both laughed for several minutes.

Remembering the reason that he and Beth had married so quickly (Beth was pregnant with Bo, Jr.) Bo finally said, "Yeah, that does bring back memories! Though it was a little early for Bo, Jr. to have done that on our wedding night!" Beth promtly hit him with a pillow!

She said, "Bo Duke!" as she snuggled closer to him!

[DixieDavenport]

After much thought on the matter and talking to Bethie88 we have decided to end this section of Going Homa Again. We hope to start a new section in the near future that will pick up shortly after this one ends.

DixieDavenport

[MaryAnne]

(Bump - For your readin' enjoyment. This story was voted in our Voting Booth. It is complete)