Kira woke up first the next morning and did her best to slip away without waking Bo. The last two days replayed themselves in Kira’s mind as she proceeded to get ready for work. With the exception of Jebb no one had ever made her feel so at ease so readily. And it had taken Jebb years to make her love him. As an adult, touch has always meant a professional handshake or two; nothing more for the most part.

As a child, Kira had learned to dread touch. Usually touch came in the form of pain. Usually... Kira shook the thoughts away. Looking over at Bo’s sleeping form, she worried that she’d hurt him the first time she’ll pull away. She knew it will happen. She’d had fought it a couple of times already. It felt so strange to want, love, even need that closeness and fear it at the same time. She’s come a long way in the last several years and it had only because her boyfriend was too bullheaded to let her push him away. Something told her that Bo would be just as bullheaded.

After she finished pulling her hair back in a low ponytail, Kira walked over to the stereo, turn it to rock station, then blasted the volume. Kira watched on in amusement as Bo literally jumped off the couch. He quickly looked around trying to figure out what was going on until his eyes fell on Kira. She turned the stereo off laughing. “Mornin’ Darlin’. Rise and shine!” Kira parroted Bo’s greeting from the previous morning.

Bo ran his hand through his blond hair smiling as he understood that this was her slight revenge for yesterday. “Mornin’. Been up long?” Obviously she had by looking at the way she was dressed. “You should’ve woke me.”

“I just did, Bo-bear. Besides, I ain’t been up longer than about half an hour. I figured I’d leave the truck for you use today. If you’re stayin’ a few days, you’ll need to go get a couple changes of clothes. Otherwise, Daisy’ll have just burn that there outfit you’ve been wearing since Saturday.” Kira saw Bo look away. Oh she knew that he planned on being stubborn about her not spending more money on him. Duke Pride and stubbornness. Well, she had her own share, too. “If it makes you feel better, you can keep them here when you go home. That way, the next time you come for an impromptu visit, you won’t have to worry about packin’.”

Oh, Kira knew how to read people, knew how to state her argument and set out reason in front them before they could argue back. That’s what made her so good at what she did. So of course, Bo couldn’t fight with that kind of logic. Actually, he liked the idea of leaving physical proof that he had been here and planned to come back.

“Alright. What time do you think you’ll be gettin’ back?”

“I should be done by lunch. It’ll be a slow week. Really I only need to run a few quick errands. Deliver some paperwork, have some signed, and answer a few calls, that kind of stuff.” Kira went over to her Bike and did a quick once over out of habit. Bo picked up her helmet and noticed it was painted with a bird of some kind on it.

“What’s this? I’ve never seen this before.” Bo traced the bird with his finger as Kira came over to him.

“It’s a Phoenix. I was told that she and I are a lot alike. The Phoenix is said to be nearly impossible to kill. If you do succeed in killing her, her body bursts into flames. She is then reborn of the ashes of her own death. Thus, alive and well to take revenge out on who ever had brought her harm.” Kira took the helmet that her boyfriend had given her last Christmas from Bo and took it to her bike. Bo was silent for a minute; thinking on the comparison.

“It fits. After all, just this weekend you were reborn in a sense from your own death. Remember it was only two days ago you were a ghost. Now, well...” Okay, Bo had intended on being light about it but he had to stop as his voice cracked. Instead, Bo pulled Kira into a hug. Words weren’t his usual way of showing how he felt. So he fell back on his usual manner of communicating. He felt Kira stiffen slightly before she relaxed into the hug. Some of the shared memories of Kira’s childhood floated up into his mind. He wasn’t sure if it was him or Kira that were remembering them, but he understood that they were the reason for her stiffening. Bo gave her one last squeeze before letting her go. “You better get goin’ I guess,” he said as he stepped back.

“I guess so. I left the keys on the table for you. I’ll be back in a while.” With that, Kira walked her motorcycle out the door. Bo went to the kitchen to get breakfast and saw the truck keys on the table. Along with the keys was the money Kira expected him to use to buy some clothes. Dang it, he was a Duke. He can’t just spend her money. But he agreed to Kira’s request, and he had to admit, he did need a change of clothes. So after he ate, he headed out to go find a place to get some clothes.




“Judge Barclay!” Kira practically ran to catch up to the judge before the elevator closed. Barclay put a hand on the elevator to hold it for the young woman headed his way.

“Miss Kyle, how are you?”

“I’m fine. How’s Sam been doin’?” Sam was his daughter. She had gone through a rough patch a while back and Kira had sort of become her mentor. It was her help with Sam that Kira hoped would help her now. “And you of course.” Kira smiled at the older man as his face lit up.

“She’s made a complete turnaround. Her teachers all say she’s like a different person. I’ve been meaning to call to ask you to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done to help Sam. What with no family and all of your own, I’d be happy to have you come out.”

“Oh you don’t have to worry about that none. In fact, I need to talk to you about something.” Kira paused before adding, “And I need a favor.” Kira wasn’t in the habit of asking favors of anyone. Judge Barclay knew that. He looked at her for a second before answering her.

“Well come on up to my chambers and fill me in on this favor of yours and I’ll see what I can do.”




Meanwhile, back in Hazzard, despite Bo’s call to stop worrying for him, the search party still worried. Now it was because they hoped they could find him before Hogg did. He had traced Bo’s call to Atlanta. The call had been too short to get an exact location though. But just knowing Bo wasn’t in Hazzard was enough for Boss. And in spite of Rosco’s pleas to go easy on the Duke just this once, Boss was insistent that Bo was to be arrested the moment he showed back up in Hazzard.

Back at the Duke farm, the three remaining Dukes were left knowing that this time; there would be no wiggle room in getting Bo out of trouble. Once Bo showed up, the reunion would be short lived for sure. But even with all that was going on, they continued to prepare for the onslaught of Dukes that would begin to filter in over the next couple of mornings. Coy and Vance were coming tomorrow to help set up the extra cots and whatever else would be needed to be done as the majority of Dukes would be coming in throughout Wednesday. Judd would be the last to arrive, not scheduled to arrive until Thursday morning.

Daisy sat at the table trying to plan out what else she needed so she’d be prepared for Thanksgiving but just couldn’t seem to put her heart into it. Just a couple of days ago she had sat in this very spot teasing Luke about his pictures. Been in this spot when Bo had learned abruptly that he wasn’t born an only child as he had always been led to believe. It was here, that the family seemed to crumble as Bo ran out of here in blind anger. And it was here that Daisy just sat thinking about her lost, baby cousin.

Alright, he could hardly be called her Baby Cousin anymore. He had long since out-grown all of them. Even Luke, who had always seemed larger than life to her. But Bo was by far the most sensitive of the Dukes. He seemed to feel everything on the extreme. When he was happy, no one could seem to do anything but be happy with him. But when he cried, it could break the heart of anyone nearby. Even Boss had been known to fight back tears as the youngest Duke cried. Daisy looked out the kitchen door as she once again wondered why Bo went to Atlanta and how he’d gotten there. She only hoped that she could ask him before Boss had Rosco put him under the jail.




Bo headed back into Kira’s apartment building with his lone bag. The prices here in Atlanta were nearly double of those at Rhuebottom’s. He had grudgingly purchased two pairs of jeans and two plain blue T-shirts. The only bright part of the whole ordeal was when he had gotten to flirt with the cashier. She was already looking a bit frazzled so early in the day due to the other shoppers who seemed to go out of their way to be rude to the sales staff. So of course, when it came his turn to be waited on, Bo had turned his southern charm on in high gear. By the time he had gotten his change the woman was alternating between various shades of red.

Once inside, Bo hastily changed into one of his newly acquired outfits then set about to doing the laundry so his clothes would be ready for him when it was time to return to Hazzard. Just because he didn’t usually do laundry didn’t mean he COULDN’T do laundry after all. With that done, Bo began to wander the apartment to really take in his sister’s home. It had no pictures or personal touches really. It reminded Bo of a set for a play. A place made up to look like someone lived here but lacked real substance. True, at least Kira had set up a keyboard in the bedroom. He should have known. Music was in a Duke’s blood just as much as racing is.

Bo knew he was snooping but he figured he’d be forgiven. On the top shelf of the closet, Bo found a scrapbook that held Kira’s GED and college diplomas. Go figure, a Duke went off to college and no one even knew she was alive. It also held various articles from some of the races she’d participated in. In the back of the book, Bo found an Obituary to the first person that had ever really tried to help Kira. Bo sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the long since gone, self-appointed guardian angel that had taken Kira in as a teenager. He stared at the picture of the man who had helped Kira turn her life away from the hopelessness that usually comes with having lived on the streets. Closing the scrapbook, Bo replaces it on the shelf in the closet.

Turning back to keyboard, he notices that it had a record feature. Bo pushed play to hear the last piece that Kira had recorded. The melody that flowed around him was a sad, soulful sort. It seemed to convey all the emotions that had been so prominent in Kira’s life. Fear, sadness, dread, and anger. Halfway through though, the melody changed. Bits of lighter strands began to filter their way into the piece. Almost like it symbolized a recognition of a turning point in life. Slowly, the lighter strands over took the melody giving it a happier sound despite the dark undertones that still played in the background. So lost in the music, Bo never noticed it when Kira came in. Realizing that she hadn’t been seen, Kira slipped back out and headed to the kitchen and began to make sandwiches for lunch. Standing here in the kitchen as Bo listened to the piece that she had not allowed anyone else to hear, it just seemed right that Bo hear it. After all, he was the only LIVING person that knew of everything that she had been through during her childhood. Kira recorded this piece for the first time shortly after Ben died.

Ben Kyle; a stubborn old man that took great pleasure in getting one over on his selfish kids. He told them that if they were too busy and self-important to give him grand kids, he’d just go out and pick one. Kira still could hardly believe that fate had put her in the right place at the right time. It had irked his kids to no end when the old man had taken in a street urchin. It had totally ticked them off when she had been name in his will, too. With conditions of course. But she hadn’t minded them. She had no interest in his money. She fulfilled those conditions out of respect, though, for the man that saw her as being worth something more than street litter. So through her, Ben had gotten in one last jab at his spoiled kids. They never forgave Ben, or her, for his parting shot at them. But that was their problem, not hers.

“I didn’t hear you come in. How was work?” Bo came in and unthinkingly he gave the customary greeting that he usually gave Daisy. A kiss to the forehead. This time though, unlike this morning, Kira didn’t shy away from his touch.

“I just got in, and work was actually a little boring what with most everyone already gone for the holiday.”

“I didn’t know you played the keyboard. That piece have any lyrics to go with it? I like it.” Bo fished around the fridge to pull out the milk and got a couple of glasses out as Kira put the sandwiches on the table. “You should try your hand at song writing, I think you’d be good at it.”

“No there ain’t no lyrics. It’s a piece that just sort of played itself. As far as knowing how to play, I sort of taught myself to play by ear. I just like to mess around with it some is all. It’s nothing really.”

“Do me a favor; bring your keyboard when we go to Hazzard. We’ll play together. You on the keyboard, me and Luke can join you with our guitars. It’ll be fun.”

“I don’t know...” Kira had tried to call Jebb to let him know of her change of plans for the holiday. He must still be out of town because the couple of times she’d called out to his house she only got his mother. Kira claimed she had the wrong number since she wasn’t quite ready to meet the woman or even have her know that she even existed. Jebb had asked her to meet his parents a few times already but Kira just wasn’t ready for that. Families in general made her nervous and here she was about to go meet HER family. A family that she hadn’t even known that she had when she had left out of the hotel room Saturday after the race.

“Come on, please.” Okay, she was definitely going to have to find some sort of defense against those big blue eyes and puppy dog face. Kira got the feeling that THAT look tended to work for him a lot. Just like it was going to now.

“Oh, alright. But I ain’t promisin’ to actually play it.” Bo grinned his assent. He knew he’d won half the battle. He’d win the other half later.

During lunch, the two talked about everything and anything. From Kira’s clients to Bo’s shopping trip, from which it was obvious that he had enjoyed the fact that even in rumpled, dirty old clothes, he had still been able to get a color show out of the cashier. Kira teased Bo about how one day, someone was going to tame the playboy he’d become. If someone had peaked in, no one would of ever guessed that the siblings HADN’T spent their entire lives together.

As the day wore on, Bo convinced Kira to play the keyboard. She played Johnny Cash’s Boy Named Sue to which Bo sang along. By the end though they had started laughing so hard that they couldn’t finish the song. Afterwards, Bo wheedled Kira into singing a song herself. After a moment of thinking, Kira played and sang Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’ with perfect pitch. Bo tried, unsuccessfully, to convince her that she had sang it great. Despite her lack of confidence, though, Kira sang a few more songs with Bo as she allowed herself to enjoy the afternoon with her brother. Both were all too aware that Wednesday was fast approaching. With its arrival, Bo would be returning to Hazzard and the opportunities to spend time together may be few and far between.




The next morning, Bo woke up first. Looking at the clock, he saw it was time for chores. Chores that he wasn’t home to help Luke do for the third morning in a row. He had never been away from home so long, alone at least. Anytime he had been away, it had always been along-side Luke. Bo had to admit, he was homesick. Walking into the living-room, Bo watched Kira sleeping on the couch, thinking about everything that had happened the last several days. How could he tell her he was homesick? They had a life-time of catching up to do and here he wanted to cut it short. Oh he could wait ‘til tomorrow. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to. He wasn’t meant to be cooped up in an apartment all day. Still thinking, Bo went to the kitchen to look for some breakfast. He was washing his bowl when Kira walked into the kitchen.

“Mornin’ Darlin. Rise and...”

“Say it and choke on it.” Kira grabbed the cereal and headed to the fridge as Bo tried his best NOT to laugh. “How long you been awake? By the way you’re actin’, I’d say a while.” Kira poured herself some milk and set to eating her cereal.

“About an hour.” Kira gave Bo a look and shook her head. There ain’t no reason to be up so early in the morning in her opinion. Of course, she never grew up on a farm. She may feel differently if she had been.

“Got up for chores, huh? Only to realize there were no chores.” Bo looked down; not wanting to look at Kira, afraid what his face might give away. Kira softened as she saw him like that. “It’s alright Bo. I know you miss your home. In fact, if you want, I can drive you back after lunch.” Bo was about to tell her that she didn’t have to, but stopped. He knew that he couldn’t honestly say he didn’t want to go home. “I can have ya’ home in time for evenin’ chores.” Kira grinned as she thought that maybe, just maybe, he’d be doing them alone if Luke decides to get back at him for missing three days worth of work. “I’ll go pack. Things’ll be slow today again. If you want, you can hang out at the office instead of being bored sitting around here. That way we can leave straight from there and get you home faster.” Kira left her half eaten cereal on the table to go pack. It was too early to eat anyway.




“Who’s the stud in your office? Don’t tell me that you’re dating him. I thought you were dating what’s-his-name instead. I can’t believe that you’d be seeing another guy behind his back.” Tanya, the legal aide that had gone through every man in the building, practically was drooling at the prospect of a new guy to place her attentions.

“I’m not, he’s my brother and he’s off limits, so back off.” Kira was beginning to rethink the idea of having brought Bo to work. Not thinking it had been a good idea at all. Oh sure, he was certainly enjoying the attention that he was getting from the single women, along with some of the married ones too. But when it came to women like Tanya, Bo was out of his league. She’d eat him alive.

“After seeing you dating that country hick of yours I’ve begun to wonder if all they say about country boys is true.” Tanya was already heading back towards Kira’s office when she grabbed a hold of Tanya’s arm and spun her around.

“You’re not going to find out. You’re going to be busy all morning with the work I done gave you to do. And you’re staying away from my brother if you know what’s good for you.”

“That almost sounds like a threat.” Tanya tried to size Kira up. Obviously, she was stronger than she looked, judging by the grip she had on her arm.

“You bet your boots it is.” Kira stared down the aide, not about to let her get her hooks into Bo for one minute. “Find a new hunting ground, Tanya, just make sure it ain’t my family.” Kira let go and turned back to her office. Maybe she could rush through her paperwork and be done before Tanya returned to the office.




The drive back to Hazzard passed too quickly for both Kira and Bo. Despite wanting to go home, he wasn’t looking forward to the lectures about running off and worrying the whole family that each member was bound to issue him the moment he arrived. The one good thing though, no one spotted him as he re-entered the Tri-County area. Of course with the tinted windows, they could have driven right by Rosco unnoticed.

Bo couldn’t miss the fact that neither he nor Kira had really spoken once they hit the county line. Not except for Bo giving the directions to take them to the farmhouse. Finally the farm was within sight. Bo was almost home. He only hoped Kira would one day feel the same affection for the farm and those that lived there as he did.




“What do’ya want Boss? Ya done seen that Bo still ain’t here. You just can’t wait to lock a Duke up can you? Well it looks like you’ll just have to. ‘Cause even IF I knew where Bo’s at, I wouldn’t tell the likes of you!” Luke had lost all patience with Boss Hogg. He had come out several times a day since Sunday. With Thanksgiving just two days away, he had too much to do to be wasting time with the over-anxious commissioner. There was still only a little over an hour left of daylight and Luke didn’t intend to use it talking with Boss.

“You don’t really think I’d take the word of a Duke and believe that your no good cousin still ain’t showed up yet now do you?” Boss went on puffing his on one of those blasted cigars that he seems so fond of.

One of these days, Luke would love to shove one of those things right down Boss’s gullet. After going for so many days with little to no sleep, Luke’s fuse was significantly shorter than usual. He was so tempted to blow up at Boss like Bo might have if he’d been here. Of course if he was here, Boss would order Rosco to cuff ‘em and stuff ‘em. Rosco had yet to return to his typically annoying self in Bo’s absence. Luke guessed harassing the Dukes had lost its fun for Rosco while Bo was missing. Unfortunately, his sudden case of conscience hadn’t rubbed off on Boss.

“I don’t rightly care what you believe Boss. I ain’t got time for this. Look around if you must, but don’t get in the way.” With that, Luke went back to helping Coy and Vance with tables that they were setting up in the farmyard for the feast that was scheduled in a couple of days. Boss didn’t let Luke’s show faze him. He just KNEW Bo was here somewhere. And when he found him, he would finally have one less Duke to worry about. So he proceeded to look around inside the old farm house, despite the protests coming from Jesse Duke.

Just before Hogg was about to leave, Vance noticed a dark green pick-up pulling up the drive. “Hey Luke, friends of yours?” Luke looked up and saw the truck too. He tried to see who was inside but the windows had been tinted, making it impossible to see inside the cab.

“Nope, never seen ‘em before.” Luke started to walk in the direction of the truck as the passenger’s door opened. It was only when he saw the distinctive blond hair did Luke break out into a run towards the vehicle.




Bo took a deep breath to steady himself before opening the door. Not really sure if coming home a day early was a good idea after all. Looking in the drive, he’d seen that Coy and Vance’s yellow car was parked alongside The General, but he also saw Boss’s White Cadillac. As Bo stepped out of the truck, he saw Luke running his way. He had to admit, he’d missed Luke something fierce. Luke engulfed Bo in a huge hug just as Rosco’s patrol car pulled in and Boss came out of the farm house.

“Your timing is impeccable as usual, Cuz.” Knowing that Bo had finally come home only to be arrested.

“Luke, I-”

“Ha! There he is! Rosco, git him! Arrest to him! Arrest Bo Duke!” Boss couldn’t believe his eyes as he walked out of the farmhouse only to find the prodigal Duke finally skulking back home.

“What?” Bo pulled back from Luke and swung around to face Hogg. “You ain’t got no cause to arrest me. I ain’t done nothing!”

“Oh, but I DO. You broke your probation and went to Atlanta without permission.” Bo stood there opened mouth at hearing that. How’d J.D. know where he was at?

“The phone call, Bo. Boss traced it,” Luke told Bo seeing his confusion.

“Alright, Rosco, do your duty. Looks like I’ll have one more thing to be THANKFUL for this Thanksgiving. He-He!” As Rosco stepped forward to take Bo into custody, the family, (Coy, Vance, Daisy, and Jesse) all seemed to come out from wherever they had been working and looked on knowing that for once there was nothing they could do to help their kin.

“I’m sorry about this Bo, but I got ta take ya in.”

“That won’t be necessary Sheriff.” Kira stepped out of the truck as she spoke. Okay, dealing with family maybe uncharted territory for her, but dealing with the likes of Hogg? She did that nearly on a daily basis. “Seeing as no violation has been made.” Luke looked back at the woman that brought Bo home as she drew everyone’s attention away from Bo and towards herself. She walked past the two cousins and gave Bo a squeeze on his shoulder before continuing her march toward Rosco while keeping her gaze, through dark glasses that resembled Sheriff Little’s, on Boss. In her hand was a legal size, manila envelope.

“What do you mean no violation has been made? Bo Duke ain’t to leave Hazzard without the expressed permission of his probation officer, namely ME. And I ain’t given no permission. So little lady, you just step aside so Rosco can arrest ‘em.”

Kira couldn’t help it. She was going to enjoy this immensely. She didn’t bother hiding her smirk but modulated her voice to match that of the same tone that she would often use while cross-examining a witness that had just revealed their hand and gave her what she needed.

“Actually, Bo needs expressed permission of his probation officer, namely you, OR an authorized officer of the court; which he did.” Handing the envelope to Rosco, Kira continued. “This is a signed and sealed document from Judge Brian Barclay in Atlanta giving Bo a week long pass to visit Atlanta due to exigent circumstances. So you see no violation has been made. Therefore, no arrest is in order.”

With hearing this, Boss got over to Rosco as fast as he could waddle and grabbed the envelope away from Rosco and began to read over the document that Kira had furnished. “This is obviously a forgery. Dukes will do anything to keep their kin outta jail.” Boss made a move to rip the paper as he spoke.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Judge Barclay tends to get his feathers ruffled when anyone disrespects the office of his robes. He has jailed better men than you for far less when it comes to contempt of his court. Of course, if you’d prefer to spend the holiday in lock up, by all means, go ahead. Besides, that there is only a copy. The original is on file back in Atlanta.”

Bo couldn’t help it, he nearly laughed out loud as he saw the expression on Boss’s face. He was as surprised as Boss to learn about the document, but he was sure glad Kira had it. Bo looked at Luke’s face of confusion and smiled. Well no time like the present. Bo left Luke’s side and walked towards Kira.

“Just who do you think you are coming to my county like this-”

“Who am I,” Kira smirked, leaned into Boss and lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I am your worst nightmare. A Duke with a Law Degree.”

“Dat-Dat! What?”

Bo threw his arm across Kira’s shoulder, a silent thanks passed between them as Bo smiled so brightly that it rivaled an August sunrise. “Boss, I’d like to introduce you to someone very special. Kira Duke! My sister.”

Everyone in the farmyard stood stock still as they took in what Bo had just said. Rosco and Jesse seemed to come out of their trances first at about the same time. Since Rosco was closest to Kira, he beat the Patriarch to Kira. Rosco pushed pass Boss and he made a grab for Kira’s hand and began to pump it up and down as if he was trying to get water from a well. “I don’t think I’ve been so glad to see a Duke in all my born days!”

“Rosco you Dodo brain, what do you think you’re doin’?”

Jesse pushed Rosco aside as he tried to get a better look at the woman who just might be his long lost niece. Kira removed her sunglasses as Jesse stood before her. He seemed to look so hard that Kira barely kept herself from squirming out from under his gaze. Bo tightened his grip on her shoulders as he silently said to her, ‘It’s alright’.

After a moment, Jesse reached forward to pull Kira in to a hug while softly saying, “Welcome home, baby.”

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