by: Marty Chrisman

Bo knew as soon as Luke rejoined him that something had happened between him and Sierra, something good from the smile that Luke had on his face but Bo didn’t have time to ask. It was time to start the show. The boys took the stage and sang for almost an hour. Since they’d sang at the Boars Nest before most of the locals knew and liked their music. By the time Sierra’s portion of the show started, the crowd was more than ready.

She hit the stage and tore into an upbeat version of Rocky Top that had the crowd yelling and screaming for more. She ran through most of her own hits plus some other current hits and then surprised the crowd when she called Luke back on stage to sing some duets with her. The crowd listened, yelling enthusiastically, as they sang Jackson, Golden Rings, Long legged guitar picking man and Holding on to Nothing. They were even more enthusiastic when Sierra gave Luke a kiss on the cheek before he left the stage. She closed her show with a gospel number Amazing Grace. The concert was a huge success. Afterwards, she sat on the edge of the stage for almost three hours, signing autographs.

Luke hung around backstage waiting for her to finish. He’d told Bo to go on home without him but didn’t reveal his plans for the rest of the night. He still couldn’t believe that things had turned out the way that they had. After eight long years, he finally had the chance he wanted to be with Sierra again.

Finally, she came backstage escorted by two of her band members and her road manager. Walking over to where Luke was leaning against the back of the stage waiting for her, she glanced back at her crew and smiled sweetly “Get lost guys.” She said “I’ll see y’all tomorrow.” As they disappeared into the darkness, Sierra turned to face Luke and said “Now, let’s go back to my RV and finish what we started earlier.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luke said, grabbing her hand and walking with her over to the RV. She unlocked the door and they stepped inside. Sierra paused to lock the door behind them and then turned and slipped into his arms, tilting her head for his kiss. Luke was only too happy to oblige. It didn’t take long for them to end up in her bedroom fueled by the same unbridled passion that they’d always had between them.

Discarding their clothes, they made love with the easy familiarity of old lovers. There was none of the awkwardness that occurs when you’re first learning what another person likes or dislikes but there was an urgent consuming need to belong to each other again in the most intimate way that two people can connect.

Afterwards, Sierra lay cradled in Luke’s arms with her head resting on his shoulder, her hair hanging loose and free around her shoulders. Luke had always loved it when she wore her hair down. He loved the soft silky feeling as the strands brushed against his skin when they made love.

“So where do we go from here, Luke?” she asked in a drowsy voice

“I don’t know.” He told her, gently kissing her on the forehead “I guess we just take it slow and see what happens. You still have a career to think about and I still belong here in Hazzard.”

“We’ll just have to find a way to have what we both want…” she said, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, safe and secure in his arms.

Luke lay there awake staring in the darkness wondering if they could really do that. Could they really find a way to be together and still have the best of both of their worlds. Luke didn’t want to leave Hazzard. Uncle Jesse still needed him to help run the farm and he wasn’t about to let Sierra give up her career just to be with him even though he sensed that she would do that if he asked her to. But that was the one thing he would never ask of her or allow her to do. She was too talented to just throw it all away. Finally, Luke closed his eyes and slept too.

They awoke early the next morning and made love again, slowly this time the way they used to do in the mornings. The way they both liked it the best. Afterwards, they quickly dressed. Sierra pulled her hair back into a ponytail and pulled on a pair of jeans, sandals and a yellow tank top. With no make up on except a touch of lipstick and without one of her fancy stage costumes, she could easily have passed for one of the local girls (just a whole lot prettier) They left the RV and walked hand in hand across the square to the Hazzard Café for breakfast.

They sat down at a booth in the back. The waitress, a skinny brunette named Mindy James, came over to take their order. She smiled at Luke and glanced at Sierra, then quickly did a double date as she realized who she was. She found herself wondering what on earth Luke Duke was doing with Sierra Dawson at nine o’clock in the morning. But she had pretty good idea when she noticed the way they kept looking at each other. Well, if that didn’t beat all. They both ordered coffee and pancakes. Mindy hurried to turn in their order and to start spreading the gossip that Luke Duke had hooked up with Sierra Dawson. Before nightfall, they would be the talk of the town.

“It’s gonna be all over Hazzard before noon that we’re together.” Luke told Sierra with a chuckle.

“The joy of small town life, huh?” Sierra said with a giggle.

“Something like that.”

“So what are we doing today?”

“Well, first I figured we’d go over to Cooter’s garage and get you hooked up with a car to use while you’re in town.” Luke said “And then I wanna take you out to the farm to meet Uncle Jesse and Daisy.”

“I’d like that. I’ve got two whole days free before I make my first appearance at the Boars Nest….and I’d like to spend them together.”

“So would I.” Luke told her “I can show you all the sights….”

“All the sights or all the making out spots?” she said with a teasing tone to her voice

“A little of both…” Luke told her with a laugh.

“You’ve still got my ring…” Sierra said in a surprised voice for the first time noticing the silver band that Luke wore on the pinky of his right hand. “I wondered what happened to it.”

“You put it on my finger the night before I had to ship out…and I forgot to take it off the next morning when I left.” Luke told her

“Yeah…you could’ve woke me to say goodbye….I woke up and you were gone.”

“That’s because I didn’t wanna have to say goodbye….” He admitted. “I just wanted to stay with you instead of going to Viet Nam….” His eyes darkened with the memories of his time in Viet Nam “I came home pretty messed up….I couldn’t sleep…couldn’t stop thinking about some of the things I’d seen over there….I was a P.O.W. for the last four months I was there….”

“I’m sorry, Luke…..” Sierra said, gently reaching out to touch his hand “We don’t have to talk about it….at least you were one of the lucky ones….you came back home…”

“Yeah….and I swore I’d never leave Hazzard again….”

Mindy brought their breakfast and they began eating. When they were done, Luke pulled some bills from his pocket and left them on the table to pay for their food, then he took Sierra’s hand and they walked across the square to Cooter’s Garage.

Cooter Davenport was a close friend of the Duke family, especially Luke. And he was also the best mechanic in the entire state of Georgia. And in town where the sheriff’s department was always wreaking their cars (usually while they were chasing the boys in the General Lee) he had more business then he could handle sometimes. He was under the hood of a sheriff’s cruiser when Luke and Sierra walked into the garage.

“Hey, Coot.” Luke said

“Hey, buddyroo….” Cooter said straightening up with a grin at the sound of Luke’s voice. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized who was with him. “Howdy, ma’am…” he said politely, looking at Luke questioningly.

“Cooter Davenport, this is Sierra Dawson.” Luke said with a grin

“Yes, ma’am…I’m real glad to meet ya.”

“Nice to meet you too, Cooter.”

“Sierra needs a car to use while she’s in town. I figured you could fix her up with something.” Luke explained the purpose of their visit

“Sure can. I got a nice little mustang out back. New tires, just tuned up. You can use it as long as you need to. No charge.” Cooter said, still trying to figure out how his old friend had managed to get together with Sierra Dawson. He knew that Bo and Luke could pretty much have any local girl they wanted but Sierra Dawson was in a whole different league.

Smiling at Cooter’s obvious curiosity, Luke said “Sierra and I are old friends. We knew each when I was in the Marines.”

“You mean before she…uh…uh….” Cooter stammered

“ Went off to Nashville and became a big singing star?” Sierra finished for him with a laugh, crossing her eyes comically.

“Open mouth, insert foot….” Cooter said with an embarrassed flush

“It’s okay, Cooter.” Luke said coming to the rescue “Nobody knew about me and Sierra until a couple of days ago when I finally told Uncle Jesse and Bo.”

“Well, let me get ya the keys to that mustang.” He said, disappearing into the office. He came back out with a set of keys that he handed to Luke “She’s parked around back.”

“Thanks, Cooter.” Luke said “We’ll catch ya later. I wanna take Sierra to meet Uncle Jesse and Daisy.”