Greater Love, ch. 7

by: Numb3rsfan

 

Luke was back at home, crying on Bo’s bed.

After the coronor had carted Bo off, Luke had hitched the General to the back of Jesse’s pickup instead of driving it home.

Once they had gotten home, Luke had pushed, rather than drove the General into the old barn.

He couldn’t bare to look at the car again, so he had just placed it in the barn and pulled an old tarp over it.

Luke decided to leave the keys in the ignition, just like Bo had always done.

Going to their…no..his bedroom, Luke had sat carefully on Bo’s bed and had started to cry.

Glancing over at the family photo, Luke picked it up.

Everyone was so happy, so carefree…not anymore…because one of their own was gone.

“Oh Bo. Why’d this have’ta happen ta you?” Luke whispered.

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault, cuz’.  You know that.” A voice said from somewhere behind Luke.

Spinning around Luke saw Bo standing there!

“Bo!  I thought you’d been…” Luke couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

“Killed?  I was cousin.” Bo replied softly as he put a comforting hand on Luke’s shoulder.

“Then how?” Luke asked, indicating Bo and the fact that he was there, in the room.

“I jus’ can’t stand ta see a grown man cry.” Bo replied as he hugged his cousin, who was still crying.

————————-

Meanwhile, Jesse was on the phone with the coronor, who had some shocking information.

“I’m serious Jesse, Bo is gone! He was there, laying on the table, an the next minute he was gone!” Jim Cox, the coronor said.

Jesse nearly dropped the phone in his anguish.

How could someone take his nephew? Even if the young man was dead?

Placing the phone in his hand, Jesse bent his head in shame as he nearly broke down in sobs, but something stopped him.

It was a voice in the boy’s…..no, Luke’s bedroom.   Was Jesse hearing things?  It sounded so much like…..no it couldn’t be!

Dropping the phone, Jesse walked down the hall and looked through the half open door to see Luke, enveloped in the arms of his cousin Bo!

Jesse’s jaw dropped as he fell to the floor and promptly fainted.

Bo and Luke heard something impact the floor, so they turned and glanced at the floor in the hallway to see Jesse lying there.

Chuckling slightly, Luke and Bo made their way over to Uncle Jesse and propped him up against the wall.

“Uncle Jesse.” Luke said through tear filled eyes.

Jesse didn’t make any sound, so Luke got up, fetched a bucket and filled it with water.

Going back to Bo and his uncle, he said, “If this don’t wake him up, nothin’ will.”

Promptly the contents of the bucket was thrown all over the uncouncious Duke patriarch.

Jesse opened his eyes and focused them on to Luke.

“I swear I was seein’ things, Luke!” Jesse muttered.

Luke lifted his eyes to Bo for a second, before returning them to his uncle.

“I swear I saw…”Uncle Jesse began as he turned and nearly ran smack dab into Bo’s chest.

“Bo!” Jesse said as he gazed up into Bo’s smiling face.

Stumbling back Jesse muttered, “Yer not dead!”

Clearing his throat Bo replied, “Not hardly…sir.”

“Then what did ya mean scarin’ me out’a ten years of my life down at the creek?!” Jesse roared.

“Uh, lemme explain.” Bo said.

“You do that!” Jesse ordered.

————————————————–

The warm sun caused Bo to open his eyes, and once they were open, Bo looked around and found that he was on the shore, facing the pond.

‘How in the world did I get here?’ Bo thought as he stood up and looked at the water. ‘Last thing I remember was losin’ conciousness while tryin ta get that net off.’

Sobs inturrupted Bo’s musings.  He turned and saw Rosco, Enos, Uncle Jesse and Luke all standing infront of something lying on the ground.

Walking over to them, Bo looked down at the thing his close friends were standing around, and nearly jumped in fear when he saw that the thing was him!

“Scary isn’t it?” Someone asked.

Looking behind him, Bo saw an elderly couple walking towards him.

“Ma, Dad!” Bo said happily as he hugged the newcomers.

“It is so good to see you again, my son.” Mrs. Amanda Duke, Bo’s mother, said to her son as she placed her hand on Bo’s cheek.

“Ya have no idea how much I missed you.” Bo said softly as he gazed at his parents.

“We know, son. But do you have any idea of what you have just done?” Bo’s father, Malcolm Duke, asked.

Bo looked at his father questioningly, so Malcolm turned his son around to watch the scene unfolding before them.

Kneeling down, Luke laid his hands on Bo’s shoulder.

“Bo..I’m so so sorry for what I did, what I made ya do, but I guess ya knew what you were doin’. Ya look so peaceful now, as if ya were asleep.  Looks like all ya have ta do is open yer eyes, flash that crooked grin.  Please Bo, please…jus’ open yer eyes…please cuz’.” Luke said as his voice broke and he lowered his head to rest on Bo’s chest.

By the time Luke was finished, Bo was in tears!

He was a little suprised and honored that Luke thought that about him, course he always knew that he and Luke were close.

“But I can’t go back…I’m already dead!” Bo said, gesturing to his body being placed in the body bag.

“It will be difficult, but not impossible to go back.” Malcolm said.

“But what am I supposed ta do?  Go back to th’ farm an say ‘rumor’s of ma dead have been greatly exaggerated?'” Bo asked.

“Can you afford not ta go back?” His mother asked him.

“What do ya mean?” Bo asked as he faced his mother.

“Son, if you let things continue on their present course, within two years your cousin will be a steady drinker, an within another year, he will be dead!  You’re Uncle Jesse will let the farm fall into a state of disrepair and Daisy…within one and a half years, she will be found dead in her bedroom!” Amanda said.

Bo blanched at this news.

He certantly didn’t want his family to change just because he had died, and if going back would prevent what his mother described, then so be it!

“Son, you were never supposed ta die in that accident.  Just two more whacks and you would’a been free of the net, but ya ran out’a oxygen to fast.  That was an anomaly, jus’ a freak accident.” Malcolm said.

By the time Malcolm finished explaining things to Bo, the rest of his family was at the farm, and the coronor had just arrived at his office.

With a sigh, Bo sealed his fate and went back to protect his cousin and his family.

———————————————————

“An then I found maself here, in the bedroom.” Bo finished as he looked at Luke and Uncle Jesse, who had remained silent throughout the whole story.

“That’s amazing….absolutly amazing!” Luke said as he mulled over the story.

Jesse just sat there, he to was thinking over Bo’s words, wondering if they were possible.

“I’m jus’ glad yer back, cuz’.” Luke said hugging Bo again, just to make sure he was real.

“I’m real Luke. Flesh an’ blood, jus’ like you.” Bo reassured with a smile.

From behind them they heard someone approaching.

“Uncle Jesse, I’m..” Daisy said as she looked up and saw Bo, alive and in the flesh, standing beside Luke.

“AAHHHHH!” Daisy screamed as she too, fainted.

Luke and Bo lunged, and managed to catch her before she fell on to the floor.

“This sure is the day for people faintin’.” Luke said as he and Bo carried the unconcious Daisy to her bedroom and laid her on the bed.

Bo smiled slightly at Luke’s words.

After they left Daisy’s bedroom, Bo turned to Luke.

“Cuz’, I’m sorry for the way I’ve been actin’ the past few days.” Bo said.

“That’s ok cuz’, I understand completly.  What happened would have shakin’ anyone up!” Luke replied as he took Bo outside and to the barn to get out the General.

“I swore nev’a ta drive em’ again.” Luke muttered as he took off the tarp and stared at the gleaming finish of the car.

“I know, I would’a done the same.” Bo agreed as he ran a hand over the car.

With a gleam in his eye Luke said, “Let’s go fer a drive.”

“Yes, sir!” Bo said as he climbed in to their beloved car.

Luke also climbed in through the dented drivers side window.

Within seconds they roared off to share the joyeous news that their loved one was still alive.

—————————————————

A/N:  Ok, so I know that what I wrote isn’t really possible, but I couldn’t leave Bo dead, and heck it’s Hazzard, and in Hazzard, anything’s possible!

 

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