Mighty Oak

[StuntMan23]

Cully meanwhile, was trying to find Brian. His battered cream colord Grand Prix, prowled around the debris and tree limbs in the road. As Cully looked around the neighborhood, he realized he didn't really know who he was looking for. He didn't know what Brian looked like.

And more than likely, Cully realized, Brian didn't know what *he* looked like either. Now wasn't this just gonna be cute....

Cully leaned his head out the open window of his car and let out a loud whistle. "Hey! Brian!! MaryAnne's got amnesia n' she don't know you 'r Rosco 'r anybody for that matter! I dunno what the misunderstandin' was but ya don't have to sign up fer witness pertection 'r nothin'!"

The Grand Prix slowly prowled along the street...

(cue Brian!)

[Brian Coltrane]

....and ferreted out by the tidbit of news, Brian ventured from the temporary refuge he'd found in a battered garden shed. While knowing that curiosity could kill a Coltrane, he couldn't resist the explanation that was being offered. He jogged up to the Grand Prix and signaled for it to stop. "YO! Hang on there, man..."

The car stopped, and Brian walked up to the driver's side. "Awright, what's this about amnesia? How did - GAAAH!!"

Brian's dark eyes narrowed, and a frown came to his face. The man looking at him from behind the wheel looked a helluva lot like Rosco. Brian figured he'd been duped, and he gave a slow nod at the conclusion. He had no idea that he was about to deliver a rant to an innocent look-alike.

"Clever," he said with a soft growl, "Very clever, cousin Sheriff. Ya baited me with that one. Amnesia, eh? Amnesia, mah posterior! An' don't think that you bein' outta uniform is gonna give me any reason to get into that car with you. I ain't givin' out no free arrests today!"

Brian carried on, venting his agitation. "I don't know what the hell MaryAnne radioed to you, but it's all a damn mistake! I wasn't stealin' nothin'! But nooooo, y'all assume worst-case scenario n' get all itchy because I was seen holdin' a damn two-slice toaster. It's a good thing it wasn't one of them dee-luxe four-slots! That'd be a Federal case! Well. if you're gonna bust me over diggin' through junk in an effort to try n' find MaryAnne....you can just go ahead and try yer luck! An' don't expect me to be home for dinner, either! There's somethin' about a police-issue Colt bein' pointed at me that dulls mah appetite!"

Fully engaged in his triade, Brian didn't notice the person who had walked up behind him to overhear the whole thing....

(Oh, whattaya think, should we cue......Rosco? Heh heh...)

[MaryAnne]

Rosco stood just behind Brian, looking at the young Coltrane and then at Cully, who was sitting with his arms leaning out the open window of his Grand Prix giving Brian his full rapt attention. Cully hadn't been too surprised that Brian thought he was Rosco and he wore a smirk through most of the rant, especially once he saw Rosco out of the corner of his eye. When Brian paused long enough for air, Cully made eye contact with Rosco and the Sheriff spoke...

"That so? Well, what does the idea of MaryAnne havin' amnesia and not knowin' who any of us are do to yer appetite?"

(Hungry Brian? No? LOL)

[Brian Coltrane]

"Oh, so now yer a ventriloquist!" Brian took a step closer to Cully. "Throwin' your voice, thinkin' I'll turn around so you can get the drop on me. Like hell! Cheap parlor tricks ain't gonna fool me! An' if MaryAnne has am-nesia, then ah've got deja vu'....'cause I've heard this all before!"

Brian paused, seeing that the object of his wrath - whom he still believed to be Rosco - was holding back a grin with obvious effort. Annoyed, Brian folded his arms and asked a single question. "Awright, what the hell is so damn funny?!"

(Cue Rosco!)

[MaryAnne]

Rosco tapped Brian on the shoulder. "I'll tell ya what's funny. You've been dee-liverin' that finally tuned rant to the wrong audience. KHEE!"

(Cue Brian!)

[Brian Coltrane]

"GAAAAAAAH!!" Brian jumped and spun around like a spooked cat, startled by the sight of Rosco standing there in uniform. Brian's dark eyes were a little wild as he glanced from Rosco, to Cully, and then back to Rosco again. Finally, Brian cleared his throat and managed to speak.

"Rosco, I gotta hand it to ya. You really got me surrounded this time."

(Cue Rosco or Cully!)

[MaryAnne]

"This is definetly one of his better cheap parlour tricks," Cully said with a grin. He popped open the driver door of his Pontiac and stepped out.

"Brian, this Cully Dawson, one of our long lost cousins," Rosco said. "Cully, this is Brian."

"Some may argue I'm still lost," Cully said. He put his hand out to Brian. "Nice to meet you, Brian."

(Khee! Cue Brian)

[Brian Coltrane]

Brian accepted Cully's handshake, and looked at this newfound relative with friendly curiosity. "Long-lost cousin, eh? Ya know, MaryAnne had tol' me once about Rosco havin' an identical cousin, but I thought she was just pullin' my leg. Khee! The way this family tree works, I'm gonna find out that I'm my own uncle or somethin'...."

After the handshake, Brian regarded both Cully and Rosco for a second, stopping his banter and becoming serious. "Awright, y'all had mentioned somethin' about MaryAnne havin' am-nesia. Given the recent misunderstandin' I had with her in town, I'd say that's likely. She thought I was ransackin' the store and pulled her gun on me. I reacted kinda strongly to that, not knowin' what the hell was up....an' now the whole damn thing's a mess. "

Brian turned his dark-eyed gaze to Rosco. "Under the circumstances, I'd best avoid MaryAnne for awhile. I'm gonna ask you to take me at my word that I wasn't lootin' the store. I was lookin' to see if anybody was trapped in there....an' when MaryAnne showed up and accused me of theivin', I kinda played it up, thinkin' she was horsin' around. It's my word against hers, cousin Sheriff. But until MaryAnne gets her marbles back, there ain't gonna be no sortin' it out."

With a parting glance at both Cully and Rosco, Brian took a step back, preparing to leave. "Take care of her."

[MaryAnne]

Cully looked at Rosco and saw he looked stunned. Cully was surprised too. Not for the events of the misunderstanding...but because Brian was just gonna go hide somewhere.

"Brian, wait a minute," Rosco said, "it was a misunderstandin'. I don't believe you were lootin' the store. MaryAnne's injured, she don't know who any of us are. Daney just took her over to Doc Walker's..." The Sheriff's voice went soft. "Don't bail on me now..."

[Brian Coltrane]

Rosco's quiet plea held Brian to the spot. Abandoning his family in their hour of need wasn't what he wanted to do....but MaryAnne's cold, unknowing expression had shaken him. What if she never remembered him? What if she never remembered Rosco, or anyone in Hazzard again?

As Brian looked up into the worried blue of Rosco's eyes, he saw the unspoken pain within them. Rosco must be having the same kind of thoughts...

The decision was made. "I ain't gonna bail on ya," Brian promised the Sheriff. "Sorry I even thought of it. It's just that...well, MaryAnne's pointed a gun at me before, but she's nevah pointed one as cold."

Brian stepped up closer to Rosco and Cully. "I'll get over it, tho'. She needs us...even if she don't know who the hell we are."

(cue Rosco or Cully)

[MaryAnne]

Rosco put an appreciative hand upon Brian's black jacketed shoulder. He gave a nod, agreeing with Brian's statement that MaryAnne's family needed her and also a nod of understanding. Rosco too had faced a cold barrell from MaryAnne once before. Although she didn't have amnesia at the time, the event was unsettling nonetheless.

But even more unsettling to Rosco was the idea of MaryAnne never remembering any of them again. It felt almost like a death, compounded by having to look at the same face and hear the same voice but never seeing the same person again. It was possible others in Hazzard would find themselves staring down that same cold barrell.

Rosco shivered. "Awright," he said softly. "Let's get over there and figure out how to get her back to her old self again."

Both Brian and Cully nodded and the three cousins got into the Grand Prix. Cully turned the car around and drove back into the square. Rosco spotted Chance's black Bronco parked infront of the courthouse and pointed Cully to it.

(cue anybody!)

[pendragon1980]

While all that was going on, Chance had been busy setting Hilery's leg in a plaster cast. The doctor had set up temporary shop at the courthouse, stopping only briefly at the damaged office to pick up some needed medical supplies.

Fortunatly, the casualites in Hazzard seem to be limited to a few bumps and bruises. Most of the more serious cases had been already sent to Tricounty. Chance couldn't help but feel guilty that she, the town doctor, hadn't been in town when needed most.

She had just gotten Hil situtated on one of the long benches of the courthouse to let the cast set when she looked from her work to see Daney bringing MaryAnne over. After giving the deputy a quick once over, as well as checking pupil response, reflexes and motor control for any further signs of head trauma, Chance gently bandaged the wound, frowning slighty as she did so.

"Well, MaryAnne, there doesn't appear to be a serious internal damage. I'd like you to go to Tricounty as soon as possible for further tests. But you're up walking and talking, which is a good sign. As for your amensia..." Chance paused and sat besides the deputy. Her concerned gaze never left the deputy's as she spoke. "There's no medical cause or cure for amensia. The best treatment I can suggest to give your brain time to heal and let the memories come back on their own."

[MaryAnne]

MaryAnne looked at the doctor and slowly nodded. "Thank you, doc..." she said softly. Her gaze broke from Chance's and MaryAnne closed her eyes, sighing and opening them again to look down to the floor. She hoped it wouldn't be too long before the memories started to return....

[DaneyDuke]

Daney felt helpless. She hated that MaryAnne didn't know who anyone was. As for what Chance had said about time, what if months or years before the bright eyed Deputy regained her memory. The former private investigator wasn't willing to wait that long... MaryAnne being without her memory was terribly upsetting. She walked down the hall and bumped into a familiar face.

[countrygirl1986]

"Hey Chance," Hilery called from where she sat. "Why don't you try a tap on the head, though, albiet a lil' hard. It worked to cure Boss adn Bo Both when they had amnesia... seems like osmething Hazzard is prone to," Hilery said. "And... has anyone seen Cooter? I know you guys were talkin' on the CB, but wouldn't he have been here by now ... well unless there was a lot of debris on the road."

Right about that time, Cooter was walking down the hall and seen Daney. "Hey, is Hilery in there??" He said worridly. It was written all over his face as he hurridly appraoched her.

[DaneyDuke]

"Yes, Cooter." Daney nodded. "Doc got her all fixed up..." She paused and pointed down the hall. "Please excuse me." She hurried away. And didn't stop until she nearly ran over a friend. Hazel eyes blinked and stared at the gentleman and his companions... "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I wish it was me with no memory instead of MaryAnne."

[MaryAnne]

Rosco had grabbed a hold of Daney as she came flying down the hall. "Woah...easy now..." He put a gentle hand on her shoulder as she apologized.

When she expressed her wish for it to have been her with no memory instead of MaryAnne, Rosco just shook his head. "Now, now...she'll...be awright." If anything it was false bravado. Rosco was scared as hell.

Cully tried to offer some encouragement. "Most of what I've read about amnesia, folks get their memory back but it just takes some time. Maybe a few hours, maybe a few days...."

"Let's hope it's not *that* long," Brian spoke quietly from behind Cully. Cully glanced back at Brian, silently agreeing.

Rosco looked at Daney and glanced down the hall toward the booking room. "Has the doc looked at her? Is it okay if we go in to see her?"

[DaneyDuke]

"Yeah, Chance checked her over. It's either retrograde or traumatic form," Daney paused. Hazel eyes stared into the dark ones peering around Cully's shoulder. "She could have her memory back by the time we walk in the room." She sqeeuzed Rosco's hand. "Thank you- do you think maybe if she seen Bandit that might help?"

(Cue Brian or Rosco)

[MaryAnne]

"I suppose anything would help..." Rosco said.

"Why don't Cully and I go get 'em?" Brian suggested. "That way you can see MaryAnne first. Seeing all three of us at the same time might be too much for her, and seein' the two of you..." Brian looked back and forth between Cully and Rosco, "I think might just confuse her even more."

Cully nodded and looked at Rosco. "He's got a point. I know we're all kin...but, you are closest to her, Rosco."

Rosco looked down the hallway for a moment and then back to his cousins. He nodded. "Awright..."

"We'll be right back with Bandit," Cully said.

"No," Brian said. "Bandit will be right back with us."

Cully looked at Brian and saw the young man's grin. "Ya like dogs, Cully?"

"Only if they like me..."

"Bandit will love ya," Brian said. "C'mon...."

Rosco couldn't help his chuckle as we watched his two cousins walk back down the hallway. He then turned back and looked at Daney, giving the young woman a smile. "Thank you," he said. He patted her shoulder and and then walked to the doors of the booking room.

[DaneyDuke]

Daney followed the Sheriff. *You're welcome, I'd have went and got Bandit but Brian is right, it was probably best for him and your doppleganger cousin to go.* She paused in her thoughts. She blinked seeing MaryAnne and the Doc...

(cue anyone!)

[MaryAnne]

...standing in the middle of the booking room. MaryAnne was removing her gunbelt. Although Chance had not taken any action to relieve MaryAnne of duty...MaryAnne had decided to relieve herself of duty. Handing the gunbelt and badge to Chance, the doctor would have no choice but to turn them over to the Sheriff. And Rosco had seen the whole thing as he came into the booking room.

MaryAnne said nothing as she sat back down. Rosco looked at Chance.

(cue the good doctor!)

[pendragon1980]

Chance handed Rosco the rolled up gunbelt and badge with an apolgetic expression, noting the play of emotions on his face at the simple act. "I'm sorry, sheriff, but MaryAnne and I agreed this is for the best. Your cousin has what's called retrograde amensia. The good news is there's no major physical head trauma so her injury be healed in a few days..." Chance hesitated before adding "...the bad news is that retrograde amensia has no known cure...except time."

The young doctor turned back towards her patient, her voice was edged with concern. "I can help you with the physical injury, MaryAnne, but my best advice is to surround yourself with what was familiar and try to trigger your memories to return. I'm sorry this is one of those things that I can't simply give you some medicine and make it go away. You should know however, that if your memory doesn't return in a few hours, the chance of it ever returning...drops below 5%, and gets worse as each day goes by."

[MaryAnne]

(apologies to Chance for a little character movement...)

MaryAnne nodded grimly. "I understand," she said softly and looked at Chance. "You've done everything you can and I thank you for that."

Chance nodded and stepped back, leaving Rosco and MaryAnne to themselves, as she went to check on her other patients.

Rosco stared down at the gunbelt and badge in his hand and then looked at MaryAnne sadly. *Five percent? Dear Lord, please let her get her memory back....I ain't sure I could take her not knowing any of us. Not knowing me... Almost 30 years worth of memories and she'd know none of it...*

MaryAnne could feel Rosco's eyes on her and she looked up at him. He looked absolutely miserable, so much so that it saddened her. She pressed her lips together and pointed with her thumb to the chair next to her. "Have a seat, Sheriff..."

Rosco sat down beside her, putting the gunbelt and badge on the chair beside him. He then looked at MaryAnne, who was studying him. "Is there anything?" he asked. "Anything at all that's familar about me, to you?"

MaryAnne studied him a moment longer. "Echoes," she said. "I ain't sure if it's because somewhere in the fog of my head right now I remember you...or if it's because where folks have told me you're my cousin, it's my mind 'thinking' it remembers..." She looked away, staring down at the floor.

Rosco took a deep breath. "I hope it's because somewhere in there, you can remember me."

"Me too," MaryAnne said, without looking up. "Because I ain't so sure I'd like the idea of not knowing who anybody is around here." She lifted her head and then gazed at the tail of the gun belt that was hanging off the chair next to Rosco. "Which is why it's best I not be wearing a badge or carrying a gun right now."

Rosco looked at the gun belt and badge for a moment and then turned back to MaryAnne. He sighed and then hesitently reached for her hand. She saw the gesture held back and she turned her palm upward on her knee. Slowly, Rosco took a hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. It was the most he could do at the moment, as words were completely failing him. He hoped the simple gesture would maybe help jump start the return of her memory.

(cue anyone! )

[countrygirl1986]

Meanwhile, on the ohter side of the room, a young Davenport and her big second cousin were having a reunion of their own. Cooter was sititng next to his little cousin, Hilery, fussing over her, and yelling at her for scaring him half to death, but that only shows how much he loves her and worries about her.

"Don't you ever scare me like that 'gain little lady!"

"I won't cuz, I won't," Hilery chuckled and gave him a hug. "Believe me, I shoulda made a run for it much sooner than I did. I"m paying the price."

"Yeah, the only thing I'd ever do is yell at you for it, but only because I care about you. I know it isn't your fault though," Cooter said and ruffled her long hair even though she was 18 years of age.

[MaryAnne]

Rosco and MaryAnne sat in silence for a long spell. MaryAnne looked around the booking room wishing something would look familar to her. Suddenly a commotion could be heard in the hallway, the sound of a whining dog and clicking claws mixed with the sound of somebody trying to slow the dog down....

(Brian? Cully? Having any trouble?? ROFL)