by: A.L. Reynolds
6/16/05-7/01/05

Uncle Jessie saw them start the jump and saw the two men in the car approaching fast.

Time stood still for every Duke involved right then and there. That jump was longer than either Bo or Luke had made before… everyone only hoped that Bo would make it.

Billie Jo closed her eyes tight and squeezed Bo’s hand, and didn’t open her eyes until she felt the General land. Her eyes opened immediately and took in all the sites around her. They had made it to the other side!

“Oh, Bo!!” she exclaimed happily, Bo pulling quickly off to the side and she jumped over to his side of the General, planting one of the biggest kisses she had ever given anyone on his lips. Bo, almost surprised at her reaction, wrapped his arms around her waist and didn’t waste the moment any in the least.

Uncle Jessie and Luke saw the successfull landing and let out a proud laugh as Uncle Jessie put the petal to the metal, successfully blocking off the blue car and causing them to go into a skid and crash into a tree. The old white pickup kept going on back to the Duke farm, knowing Bo would be along shortly.

Billie Jo pulled back and smiled, “You did it, Bo, you did it!”
Bo blushed, then smirked, “Yeah, but I saw you with your eyes all closed up – I thought you trusted me, li’l lady?”
Now Billie Jo blushed, “Of course I did, Bo… but, well, you know…”
“I know, I know, just because you’re a tomboy doesn’t mean there isn’t an ounce of woman in there,” Bo replied with a smug look.
“Bo!” she slapped his arm and crossed her arms, pouting, “That wasn’t nice…”
“I know, honey, but who says we always gotta play nice?” he laughed as he started the General up and getting on back to the farm.

Meanwhile, in the blue junkheap, the two creeps were getting out to survey the damage and tried to mend their damaged pride. And, you guessed it, Adrian got his back first.

“We’ll get ‘er, Dylan – this was only a minor setback. I get the feeling the guy in the pickup are part of this Duke family. Well that’s alright, we’ll get her… and if we have to, we’ll get them as well,” Adrian said smugly, the two of them walking back to town to find their other decoy car.

~*~

When Daisy got home that night, she was regailed to everything that had happened that afternoon, including how Bo managed the jump across Fox Crossing’s miniature canyon.

“Wow, Bo, I’m so proud! Billie Jo, what on EARTH were those men after you for?” Daisy asked her friend.

Once again, Billie Jo told the story of how Dylan and his manager, Adrian, had always been jealous of her just because she was good at what she did and Dylan couldn’t ride worth a flip for five minutes.

“But why would they just kill you for it?” Daisy wondered.
“Because that’s how some of the competition is, Daisy; I mentioned dealing with big egos and male chauvenists? Well, Dylan combined with that manager of his are some of the biggest egos this side of the big cities,” Billie Jo replied truthfully, causing everyone at the table to laugh.

After dinner, Billie Jo was going to help Daisy with the dishes, but she sent her away, letting her know she and Uncle Jessie had it covered and not to worry. So she went up to Daisy’s room where she had some sugar cubes for her pride and joy and came back down to go out and see her horse for a minute.

Luke studied her as she went up the stairs then back out again. She spoke not a word, but seemed very nervous in her own skin. Of course, someone had tried to kill her, who wouldn’tve had their nerves shot by now? Though he knew it was highly unlikely that anyone would find her on the Duke property, he figured it would be best if he went out and ‘kept her company,’ seeing as Bo was showering and shaving at the moment.

He stepped outside into the mild night air, noticing a scattering of stars shining up above and the moon casting a pale glow all its own. He looked farther down the trail to their barn and found the door slightly open where she had went inside to see Beauregard. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he made his way down there to make sure she was okay.

Billie Jo was lovingly cooing to her horse and feeding him a sugar cube to keep him happy because seeing him happy made her happy. And boy, did she need all the happiness she could get right about now.

When she heard the barn door groan in protest to being opened, she gasped loudly and jumped, but sighed and smiled sheepishly as she discovered that it was only Luke. “Sorry, ya startled me.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Luke said in apology while holding his hands up in front of him, “shook ya up pretty bad, huh?”
“Yeah… I really didn’t think they would go so far as to try and KILL me, you know? And I really hate that you guys are involved…”
“Ah, it ain’t nothin’ we haven’t dealt with before; with me an’ Bo, trouble always manages to find us no matter what.”
Billie Jo laughed good naturedly, “So I’m just a li’l trouble, eh?”
“That’s not what I meant…” Luke began, not meaning to have offended her.
“I know you didn’t, it’s okay,” Billie Jo smiled, continuing to stroke her horse.
Luke smiled as well, “Bo really likes you, you know…”
Billie Jo sighed, “I know… what’s worse is that I like him, too.”
“I know how the rodeo goes…”
“Yeah… c’est la vie.”
“I know whacha mean.”

Another groan from the door and in came Bo. Ain’t it funny how with someone you can trust, you don’t feel as nervous?

“Hey, no one told me there was a party or I wouldda joined sooner,” Bo said with his boyish grin.
“Naw, no party, Bo, just keepin’ her company while she was feedin’ ol’ Beauregard here,” Luke replied, patting his cousin on the shoudler, “I, myself, think I’m gonna start turnin’ in for the night; been a long day and sleep looks good.”
“Alright, ‘night cousin.”
“‘Night, Luke.”

Luke waved and was off into the night bound for the farmhouse to go to bed.

Bo turned to Billie Jo and smiled, “How ya feelin’?”
“Oh, a little jumpy and tired, that’s all,” she replied.
“That’s to be expected, though,” he nodded, then wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Yeah… wish I didn’t though, he’s just some jerk… I hate myself for even letting him feel as scared as I honestly do…” Billie Jo trailed, letting her forehead fall onto his collarbone.
Bo rubbed her back, “You have a right to feel jumpy though, I mean, considering what happened today and all.”
Billie Jo leaned back from him a bit with his arms still encircling her, “You really like feeling protective, don’t you?” she asked sassily.
“Well of course, isn’t that what men are made for?”
“No, men are made to stay out of the way,” she giggled, her eyes sparkling.
“Aww, no fair,” Bo pouted adorably.
“You’re too cute,” she pinched the tip of his nose lightly and affectionately.
“Well li’l missy, so’re you… when you wanna be,” Bo replied, caressing her cheek with his hand.

Her arms went around his neck as she stood on tippie-toe to reach his lips with hers. He supported her with his arms around her, leaning back slightly against a stall post so she wasn’t standing all on her own.

When they came up for air, Bo made a solemn vow to her, “You don’t have to be afraid of anything – not if I have anything to say about it…”
She almost blushed at his nobility, “Bo, you’ve done enough helping me this evening…”

But Bo cut her off with another kiss and neither of their thoughts were any longer on their minds.

A little ways down the road from the Duke farm, the two creeps were in another vehicle, still not their slick ride, watching the stable she had gone into. They had been planning to make a grab for her then, but the young man with dark hair went into the barn with her, then the blonde one. Boy their timing’s just lousy, ain’t it?

“That’s alright – there’s always another way to skin a rabbit,” Adrian said hauntingly, quietly pulling away from the Duke farm with their headlights off so as not to be spotted.

Bo lead Bille Jo out of the barn a few minutes later by the hand and walked her to the front steps before they went inside. He kissed her lips gently and held her close to him once again.

“I ain’t had this much fun with a girl in so long…” Bo admonished.
“Really? I figured they would flock around you,” Bille Jo said absently.
“Eh, some do I guess – they’ve mostly been after Luke here lately, though,” Bo replied.
Billie Jo giggled, “Aww, poor baby got his ego busted,” she mock-pitied him, then settled another kiss on his lips. “We’d better go on in, before they wonder what’s happened to us.”
“You’re right, don’t need the third degree…”

So they made it inside and bade eachother goodnight at Daisy’s door with a quick kiss before she dismissed herself inside.

~*~

Later on that night, thunder clapped and lightening struck over the distant mountains. The mighty winds outside were blowing a storm in and Billie Jo awoke to the thunder. She was about to go back to sleep when she looked outside during a flash of lightening and noticed that Beauregard had gotten out. Oh wonderful, tonight of all nights, right when a thunderstorm was about to hit…

Quickly, she pulled a pair of jeans on under her thin-strapped, low-cut nightgown and quietly tip-toed downstairs and out the back door so she wouldn’t awaken anyone else in the Duke household. Running around to the front of the house, she saw Beauregard by the tree near the mailbox.

The wind whipped all around her, her hair blowing in her face and the lightening flashing up above, allowing her to see that Beauregard was still by that tree. ‘Just stay where you are,’ she thought to herself, ‘let me get to your halter and lead you back to the barn, please…’

That thunder woke Bo up right away. Luke could sleep through just about anything, possibly even a tornado. But Bo was a light sleeper.

He got up from his bed and looked out the window and saw the trees blowing around in the wind, which howled like a banshee through the hollers of Hazzard county. But on the next flash of lightening, Bo saw a sight that just didn’t belong out there at all.

‘Billie Jo?’ he mused to himself sleepily, but then came around and heard the wind still howling, and another roll of thunder almost as powerful as the one that had awoken him. He grabbed the jeans he had had on just a few hours ago and pulled them on, quietly walking out of his and Luke’s room, downstairs, and out the back door so as not to make any more noise than needed.

“Oh come ON, Bo,” she said impatiently to her horse, but almost fell over when she realized what she had called him, “come on, you ol’ rascal, look what you’ve gone and made me do!”
“Isn’t it a bit late to be goin’ out ridin’, and especially in this weather?” a voice asked above the wind from behind her.
She just about jumped out of her skin and screamed, but she got a hold of herself when she realized who it was, “Oh, Bo, don’t scare me like that…”
“Well I’m sorry, honey, but I just think you’re a might crazy for bein’ out here in weather like this!”
“I ain’t, Beauregard got out of the barn, I’m tryin’ to get him to go back; while you’re out here, could you help me, please?” Billie Jo asked wearily.

Bo went to helping her the best he could. He climbed on Beauregard’s back and coaxed him along with his bare feet, Billie Jo leading them along until they finally got into the barn, lighting a kerosene lamp hanging inside and put the horse back in his stall, double checking that it was locked good.

“Thanks, Bo, I really didn’t wanna end up stuck out there in the rain,” Billie Jo said with relief in her voice, “I would hate to have to take a shower this early in the morning, and in a storm, just to go back to bed.”
“No problem at all; just make sure he don’t go a-thinkin’ he’s gonna go for a ride during a thunderstorm,” Bo replied with his boyish smile. He took notice of her wind-blown hair all around her face and on her almost-bare shoulders, “Ain’t that a bit cold to go horse-chasin’ in?”
“You have no room to talk, Bo Duke, at least I have somethin’ on!” Billie Jo replied, also having noticed that he had no shirt.

In their temporary lap of silence, a sudden constant beating on the roof above them. They looked up simultaneously, then back to eachother.

“Well, I guess we’re stuck in here ’til the rain’s over,” Bo mused to Billie Jo.
“Now look what you’ve done, Beauregard,” she playfully lectured her horse, “keepin’ us from sleep, you bad little boy!”
“Aw, now don’t be too hard on him – stayin’ in a barn alone with me ain’t so bad, now is it?” Bo asked with his smile.
Billie Jo raised an eyebrow, “I dunno – is it?”
“Well, I guess we could find out…” Bo came up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist; she could feel his sinewy hands through the thin cotton of the nightgown she’d worn outside over her jeans. She smiled up playfully at him through her eyelashes. “Uh oh, what’s on your mind, Billie Jo?”

She slinked out of his arms and walked over to the place she was keeping all her tack and pulled a transistor radio out of one of her bags.

“Let’s see if we can find us a real good station… or a real good song, either one…” she grinned up at him as she sat down on a hay bail and turned the radio on, trying to find a station that was playing good music. She found one with a song ending and the intro to another one and she waited to see what the song would be.
“Well, tonight seems to be a good night for those sweet, slow songs… and here’s to the night with this one, “Amanda” by Waylon Jennings,” the DJ announced softly, then let the song play.

Bo took Billie Jo by the hand and back into his arms, the two of them once again gliding along to the music as they had done before. Their eyes met and held a steady gaze for a few moments before Billie Jo began to blush and looked down a little. That was when Bo pressed his hand against the small of her back and brought her closer to him, catching her eye once again and each one holding their gaze for what seemed like an eternity.

As the song came to an end, the light of the kerosene lamp had begun to dim and the pair’s lips met, Billie Jo’s arms going around Bo’s neck and holding onto him as he held her close to him. Bo discreetly turned the transistor to a lower volume as their kiss intensified and he led them into an unoccupied stall, hay scattered all over the floor so when they landed, they landed in a soft bed of hay. Even after their landing, their kiss never stopped, but only continued to grow in passion. His hand went to cup her face, her hands spreading out all across the broadness of his chest.

Well folks, it’s anyone’s guess what happened there. Now, back to the story.

The next morning, Billie Jo awoke with hay in her hair and a warm body sleeping next to her. She smiled as Bo slept peacefully beside her and couldn’t resist running a hand through his hair. This awoke him and he turned back toward her with his boyish smile, “Mornin’, honey.”
“Mornin’,” she replied softly, planting a featherlight kiss on his lips, then leaning back to smile at him, “sleep well?”she whispered.
“Well, didn’t expect that I’d wake up here, or that last night had been real, but it sure feels good wakin’ up next to you,” he replied with a shy smile, something Billie Jo hadn’t really seen much of. She was just about to comment when she heard something.
“Bo, someone’s comin’ into the barn!” she slowly crawled over to the stall door and peeped out of a hole to see someone who didn’t look anything like Uncle Jessie, Luke, or Daisy. Bo happened to peek over her shoulder and saw the same thing. They were unarmed, so it would be easy to scare them.
“Hey!” he called out, causing the trespasser to look around in surprise and start running out the door, Bo leaping to his feet and following. Billie Jo, feeling helpless, followed until her still-bare feet touched the wet grass. Bo continued running, but to no avail, the person had run clean down the road by now. Bille Jo, seeing that he’d been defeated, came running up beside him. He saw her there and wrapped his arms around her.
“Bo… it was someone who was gonna hurt my baby… I just know it was…” she said sadly, speaking of her beloved horse.
“I get the feelin’ it was too, honey,” he replied softly, holding her closer and kissing the top of her head.

Uncle Jessie, Luke, and Daisy came running out of the house right about this time.

“What in tarnation is all the yellin’ about?” Uncle Jessie asked with incredulity.
Bo slacked his hold on Billie Jo a little, “Someone came ’round the barn, so Billie Jo was about to go out alone, but I came out with her and chased ’em off. Gave her a bit of a scare that someone might’ve been tryin’ to hurt Beauregard.”
“From the stuff that happened yesterday, I wouldn’t be too surprised,” Luke replied nonchalantly, his hands on his hips.
Daisy wrapped an arm around her friend’s waist and led her inside, “Come on in, honey, let’s get you somethin’ hot to drink…”
Bo watched them go into the house, then looked to the concerned face of his Uncle Jessie, “I tried to catch ’em, but whoever they was, they was long gone by the time I got out here.”
Uncle Jessie noddded, “Well, we’ll keep a good eye out on the place today – make sure nothing else happens to either her or Beauregard,” he said as he shuffled back to the house.
Bo then looked to his cousin, who had his tongue stuck in his cheek, “What’s up, cousin?”
“Oh nothin’… just don’t believe that ol’ shuckin’ an’ jivin’ ’bout Billie Jo comin’ out here alone and you goin’ with her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I believe you two were out here a little longer than just to chase down a supposed horse spook,” Luke smirked, “I know you better.”
Bo’s expression became once again a shy smile as he looked down at the ground, “Alright, ya caught me. Beauregard managed to get out of the barn and out into the storm, so Billie Jo had gone out to get him back in. I woke up and saw her and went out to help, so we both got caught in the barn when the rain came pouring down… we just never made it back to the house after the rain ended.”
Luke laughed, “I knew it! Bo, you sly ol’ dog!”
“Yeah… but the guy comin’ into the barn about to harass the horse was true,” Bo said honestly.
“Oh I believe ya on that one, cousin; just had to get the rest of the story while the others weren’t listening,” Luke replied, clapping his cousin on the back as they made their way back to the old farmhouse where Bo went back upstairs to his room to get something to change into after his shower. Needed to get the hay and dirt off of him, it had been a miracle that Uncle Jessie hadn’t noticed…

~*~

At the Boar’s nest, Daisy told Boss that someone had tried to kill Billie Jo the day before and that someone had come up to bother Billie Jo’s horse that morning.

“Oh good gracious, is he alright?”
“The horse is fine.”
“No no, I mean Billie Jo!”
“Oh yeah, just fine,” Daisy managed to hold back a laugh.
“Good, well, I’ll expect to be seein’ him at the ceremony tonight – the whole town’s a-gonna be here, you know,” Boss Hogg replied in his usual arrogant manner.
“Oh, it should be interesting,” Daisy replied, dismissing herself back to work.

Meanwhile, Boss got on the CB to Rosco to let him know that Billie Jo had had some trouble the day before.

“With the Duke boys? Ya want me t’ go git ’em, Boss?” Rosco asked with childlike excitement.
“No no no, you numbskull! I want police protection at that ceremony tonight! We can’t loose our main attraction!” Boss Hogg replied uregently, making his point more than clear, but then a sudden dawning of realization crossed his face, “At least not until the show’s sold…”
Rosco looked at the CB like it had grown two heads, “What d’ya mean, Boss?”
“Hahaha! Why didn’t I think of it before!!” he exclaimed happily, then keyed up the mic, “Rosco, come on back to my office, we have some mighty big plans to plan!”

~*~

Meanwhile, Bo and Luke decided to take the General out for a drive around town after their chores were done. Bo asked Billie Jo to come along with them, saying that it would be good for her to get out and about some, and he and Luke would be right there with her if trouble happened to follow.

But of course ol’ Luke was a little more clever than to buy that whole story – maybe about a fourth of it, but he knew the rest was mainly for Bo’s novelty.

“Let’s head on up to Cooter’s garage, see what he’s into,” Luke suggested.
“Oh yeah, Billie Jo’ll like Cooter,” Bo replied.
“Yeah, keep on talkin’ about me like I’m not here, Bo!” Billie Jo teased.
“Oh hey, where’d you come from?” Luke asked, teasing her back.
She lightly slapped him on the arm, “Aww shut up!”

Luke laughed and Bo tried to hold one back, but snorted and gave his own amusement away as they pulled the General up into Cooter’s garage and parked.

Ol’ Cooter was out back taking a junk car apart for the parts. He was covered in oil and grease from his cap all the way down to his boots and didn’t notice Bo and Luke pull up.

“Hey, Cooter!” Luke called out his greeting.
“Hey-hey, Luke, Bo, what’s happenin’? Whoo, who’s this you’ve got here?” he asked, refering to Billie Jo.
“The one and only Billie Jo Dooley,” Bo replied with a broad grin.
“Well howdy, Cooter’s the name, mechanics is my game,” he said with a tip of his hat as he wiped his hands off and offered one to shake.
“‘Lo, Cooter,” she replied quietly as she shook his hand with a smile.
“It’s been pretty interesting out at the farm here lately with her around -” Luke began, but Cooter cut him off.
“I’m sure it has, ‘specially for Bo!” Cooter elbowed Luke and they shared a chuckle, causing Billie Jo and Bo to blush a little.
“Well what I meant was someone went after her and Bo yesterday with the intent of murder,” Luke added.
Cooter’s eyes widened and he became more serious as he leaned against the opened door of the car he was taking parts from, “Really? Well what fer?”
“Jealoulsy,” Bo replied with a sarcastic half-smile, “pure jealousy.”
Cooter shook his head, “Ain’t that a shame…”
“Yeah, and we think someone was gonna either harass or steal her horse this morning,” Luke replied, leaving out all the other incriminating details of that morning.
“Girl, you just ain’t had no luck here in Hazzard, have you?” Cooter asked.
“Not with my career, it seems…”
“Ol’ Boss Hogg’s got a whole ceremony goin’ for ya tonight, you know,” Cooter reminded, “still thinks you’re a man or somethin’…”
Billie Jo rolled her eyes, “Well I guess he’ll find out tonight whether I’m a man or not – if he still thinks I am, there’s something definitely more wrong with that man than any of you have let on.”

This caused the men present to laugh as the Duke boys took their leave, Billie Jo following and letting Cooter know it had been a pleasure to meet him and that she hoped to see him that night at the ceremony.

From another car across the street, the creeps in black and white suits were watching as all three of them got back in the General.

“We gonna get her now, Adrian?” Dylan asked.
“No,” Adrian replied, pulling off his sunglasses, “I’ve got a plan for our little starlet. Later.”

They then pulled out and left the area, so as not to be seen and possibly reported to the cops.

This time, Luke took the wheel and Billie Jo climbed in before Bo got in the other side he wrapped his arm around the small of her back and held her close to him. They drove along in the General Lee and went off to take a spin on the backroads.

Meanwhile up ahead, Rosco was sitting at one of his favorite speed traps when the Dukes drove by and he sputtered, “It’s them Dukes! Ooooh, hot pursuit, hot pursuit!” He put on his sirens and let them know that he was after them, laughing all the way.

He’d make a good Santa Claus for the orphans if he weren’t so malicious… don’t you agree?

“Damn, what’s he gettin’ after us for this time?” Luke asked, thumping the side of his fist on the dashboard.
“I dunno, but we ain’t stickin’ around long enough to find out!” Bo replied, encouraging his cousin to loose him.
Billie Jo noticed their gain in speed and looked back to see Rosco dropping behind, “Aren’t you gonna stop??”
“Of course not, he’s always tryin’ to get us on some phony charge that he can’t get away with, anyway,” Luke replied with a twist of the wheel as they turned a curve.
Billie Jo just shrugged and Bo grinned, “We do this all the time, don’t worry.”

She turned to him and poked her tongue out, causing him to do the same and make a grab for hers, but not before she poked it back into her mouth.

More fast-paced action and high-stakes driving ensued before they discovered that a nursery truck was in their path. With quick thinking, Luke manervered them sideways onto the bank to the left, managing to squeeze themselves past the truck. He looked back in the rearview mirror to see what Rosco’s next move would be.

Rosco almost panicked when he saw himself about to collide head-on with the nursery truck, but steered to the right and managed to miss, letting the truck go past before advancing his chase.

Luke laughed a little, “Well I’ll be danged, he’s still chasin’ us!”
Bo looked back and saw, laughing as well, “Let’s give him a chase he won’t forget!”
“I thought y’all did this all the time?” Billie Jo asked inquisitively, raising one eyebrow.
“We do, honey, but each time we try and find the perfect way to loose him,” Bo replied with a grin.
Rosco got onto his CB and called Enos, “Enos, this is Sherriff Rosco P. Coltrane, ya gotchyer ears on?”
Enos had been sitting near the pond enjoying the view and watching the ducks play when Rosco radioed him, “Enos here, what’s up, Sherriff?”
“Enos, quit lollygaggin’, I’m after them Duke boys and I’ma gonna git ’em! Take Riverside Crossing and we’ll cut ’em off at the pass!”
“What pass, Sherriff?”
“Nevermind, Enos, over and out!”

The boys had no idea that they were about to be a General Lee sandwich. Hmm, wonder how that would taste with mayonaise?

All of a sudden, the boys looked out the window to see Enos trying to cut them off.

“Dang it all, Enos, what’d ya go an’ do that for?” Bo fumed slightly.
“Hang on, guys,” Luke replied, indicating that he was going to have to turn pretty sharp to avoid getting in the middle and hit by either car.

And indeed he did; he cut the wheel to a sharp left and pulled out of the area, allowing Enos and Rosco’s cars to crash into eachother right as he did. He looked back to make sure they were alright and laughed.

“I think they’ll be fine,” he said, then looked over to Billie Jo and Bo. Billie Jo’s face was blank and she was staring straight ahead. Luke, figuring that he had scared her, pulled off somewhere where Rosco and Enos wouldn’t find them any time soon.
Bo saw the look on his cousin’s face and looked around to Billie Jo’s face himself, “Billie Jo, you alright?”
Billie Jo just looked up toward Luke for a moment before breaking out into a wide grin, “Luke, that was SO amazing!”
Luke and Bo blinked at eachother, then relaxed, “Guess she’s alright after all,” Luke replied with a proud smile toward Bo.
“I bet I couldda done that better…” Bo started to pout, playing that he was jealous.
Billie Jo ran a hand through his hair, “You jumped that jump – I already know you’re a superb driver, yourself.”
“Don’t go doin’ that, Billie Jo, he’s already got a big ego as it is,” Luke warned playfully, getting a smack on the back of his head from his cousin.

~*~

Later that night, Billie Jo and Daisy were in her room gettin’ all dolled up for the ceremony being held for Billie Jo down at the Boar’s Nest. It was gonna be a grand event in Hazzard, the one before the whole county fair.

“Oh Daisy, that dress looks great on you!”

Daisy wore a red strapped number, with a slightly pleated skirt that flared out just a little, perfect for twirling in, that came up a couple of unches above her knees and hugged her frame in all the right places.

“Well thank you, sugar, I think yours’ll look good on you, too,” Daisy replied, taking the dress from its hanging place on the door. Billie Jo had realized that she had nothing to wear, so Daisy took her to a nice shop so she could look around. It was more Daisy than Billie Jo who picked out the dress, but Billie Jo bought it, knowing she had no other choice and that Daisy would make her get it no matter what.
“Aww, you know how I feel about dresses…” Billie Jo protested with a slight pout.
Daisy laughed at how much it was ‘mysteriously’ starting to resemble Bo’s, “But I promise you it’ll look good! Now go on, put it on, I wanna see!”
Billie Jo knew she couldn’t win, “Dang, you never give in, do you?” she sighed, going into Daisy’s small closet to get into the dress.

Daisy giggled to herself as she thought about what Luke had told her earlier. He’d mentioned that Bo and Billie Jo seemed rather smitten with eachother, though that was nothing new to Daisy, and she could only guess what they had been up to when the man had came into the barn.

Nothin’ don’t get past Daisy, no matter how sneaky they think they are.

Billie Jo stepped out of the closet with the dress on. It was a lovely blue, which brought out the color of her eyes, with straps and a slant-cut skirt, which started out a couple of inches above her right knee and slanted down to a point right at her left knee. It complemented her frame well, but she seemed very uncomfortable in it.

“Awww, honey, it looks lovely! Now don’t argue with me ’cause you know you won’t win,” Daisy smiled affectionately at her friend and turned her to look into the mirror. She stood beside her friend still wearing her smile and hugging her close by her shoulders, “See? You’re gonna make Bo’s jaw hit the floor!”
Billie Jo didn’t try to deny it this time, for she knew Luke must have told her how she and Bo had been acting with eachother that afternoon, “You think?”
“Oh, I know,” Daisy laughed, “I know. Now, let’s get our hair put up and go show ourselves off?”

Billie Jo laughed at Daisy’s playful wink and submitted as Daisy started playing around with her hair.

Daisy stepped out of her room with part of her hair clipped up in a hair clip, the rest flowing loosely on her shoulders. Noticing that Billie Jo was nowhere behind her, she turned back and hissed, “Come on, honey, I promise no one’ll bite!”

Billie Jo came out behind her friend, her hair having been curled at the ends and half of it being pulled back away from her face, leaving a few whispy poeces that served as her bangs when Daisy gave them enough TLC.

The girls walked downstairs and Luke, dressed in a nice blue button-down shirt and jeans, looked up; he whistled, “Well well well, look at you!”

Daisy grinned and gracefully made her way down the stairs, being accustomed to wearing high heels. Meanwhile, Billie Jo smiled shyly and looked almost as if she wanted to hide, and had just a little trouble walking properly in the high heels she had borrowed from Daisy.

Uncle Jessie ambled into the room and smiled, “You girls look mighty pretty this evening – Billie Jo, you alright?”
Billie Jo seemed almost like a deer caught in headlights, but smiled pleasantly, “Oh, I’m fine, sir – just havin’ a little bit of trouble with these high heels.”
He laughed, “Aww, don’t call me sir, ya make me sound old or somethin’. And quite frankly, I can’t say that I blame ya for havin’ trouble. Them things look painful.”
Daisy giggled, “Oh, Uncle Jessie!”

But just then, Bo, dressed in a red button-down shirt and faded jeans, walked in, “Hey any of you seen my b-” he was abruptly cut off by himself when he got a look a Billie Jo.
“Your boots, Bo? They’re in the wash room, dunno why, though,” Luke replied almost as if everything was as usual, but with a grin.
“You girls are lookin’ might nice tonight,” Bo said with a smile, his eyes noticing Daisy’s dress, then going back to Billie Jo.
“Well, let me go get my coat and I’ll be right along,” Uncle Jessie said, then ambled back into the other room to grab his coat.
Bo walked over to Billie Jo and smiled down at her, “You really do look pretty tonight,” he said sincerely as he brought one of her numerous curls over her shoulder.
She blushed, “Thanks…” she replied shyly.
“Whatcha gettin’ all shy for?” Bo asked with a teasing grin, which only made her blush more.
“Alright, come on, let’s go,” Uncle Jessie said as he came back into the room, all present going out to the General Lee and getting in. Uncle Jessie and Daisy sat in the back, while Bo drove, Billie Jo beside him, and Luke in the passenger seat.

When they got into the Boar’s Nest, Boss Hogg was serving drinks, some of his best in fact, which was very rare unless it was a special occasion.

He noticed the Dukes coming in and his eyes went wide, a smile spreading across his face, “Aha, Dukes, Dukes! Where’s Billie Jo, hm? I wanna get the festivities started!” Rosco came from the other side of the room to stand beside Boss Hogg.
“Well right here she is, Boss Hogg,” Daisy replied, pulling Billie Jo up beside her, “may I present to you Miss Billie Jo Dooley.”
“What?! You mean she’s, she’s a girl?” Rosco asked in surprise, but with a smile.
Boss Hogg looked just as surprised as Rosco, but then his lips tugged into a smile, “Of course, you numbskull, I knew she was one all along, how come you didn’t?! Come with me, Miss Dooley, and we’ll get our festivities started! Rosco! Get me my finest!” he commanded, of course meaning some of his best beverages.

He pulled her to the front of the Boar’s Nest while the Dukes made themselves comfortable at a table with Cooter, and the two creeps in the black and white suits made themselves comfortable at a secluded booth near the back where they wouldn’t be noticed.

“Folks, folks of Hazzard County! This here ceremony is in honor of our veeery special guest in town, rodeo star Miss Billie Jo Dooley!”

This rounded applause from everyone inside the Boar’s Nest, asside of the two creeps. Bo and Luke simultaneously whistled, along with a couple of other guys. Boss Hogg then started trying to get everyone to simmer down.

“Alright, alright, simmer down! Now, I’d like to propose a toast to our guest, and wish her the best of performances in the rodeo ring at our county fair!”

Along came another round of cheers, as well as Rosco with two shot glasses of Boss Hogg’s best. He and Billie Jo each took a glass and the room toasted whatever they had, whether it be water or otherwise. Billie Jo faked knocking the shot back. She wasn’t fond of alcohol, but didn’t want to appear rude.

Music from the juke box in the corner started playing and some people got up to dance, some just sat back and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. Boss Hogg had taken Billie Jo’s hand and started dancing with her, causing the few who had noticed to laugh. Rosco was standing on his own doing his own custom shuffle, soon mixing in with the rest of the Boar’s Nest occupants.

Bo had lost sight of Billie Jo among all the dancers and turned to Luke, “Say, wonder what ol’ Boss Hogg would think if I cut in,” he grinned.
Luke laughed, “He’d probably have you arrested for disturbing the peace!”
“Come on, Bo!” Daisy laughed, taking her cousin by the hand to dance, hoping to keep him occupied while Billie Jo was currently ‘stuck’ with Boss Hogg.

Luke couldn’t help but laugh as he watched them dance, but what made him laugh more was when Bo would occasionally look around, trying to find Billie Jo.

“We gonna get her here, Adrian?” Dylan asked from their secluded booth.
“No, too many people… don’t WORRY, Dylan, I’ve got a plan!” Adrian replied reassuringly, the two slipping out, unnoticed, or so they thought.

Enos had been standing by the bar, smiling and watching everyone dancing and having a good time, but out of the corner of his eye noticed the two shady characters leaving the Boar’s Nest. Curious, he looked out the window and noticed they were the same two men that had asked Boss Hogg about Billie Jo. He’d put two and two together between them and the attack on Bo and Billie Jo a long time ago, but Rosco didn’t have time to listen, nor Boss Hogg, so he was at a loss of what to do, except for keep an eye out for them himself.

“By the way, dearie, did your cousins ever find you?” Boss Hogg asked Billie Jo as he danced around her, which amused her.
“Cousins? What cousins?” Billie Jo asked, sincerely not knowing what Boss Hogg was on about.
“A couple of young men came askin’ of I knew where you was, said you was their cousin and they wanted to see you,” Boss Hogg replied.
Billie Jo took a moment to figure that one out, but then realized, “Mr. Hogg, those men weren’t my cousins! They found me and Bo ridin’ around and tried to kill us!”
Boss Hogg looked almost panic stricken, “What?! THEY were the ones that tried to kill you and Bo Duke?”
“Yes, and I think one of them came up this morning to harass my horse,” Billie Jo replied.
“Rosco!” Boss Hogg called out to his merrily-dancing sherrif.
“Yes, little fat buddy?”
“I am NOT your little fat buddy! Those two men that came in lookin’ for Miss Billie Jo here, claimin’ to be her cousins, are the ones who threatened her life!”
Rosco frowned a little and patted Billie Jo’s arm, “Aww, well that just ain’t no good, but you’ll be safe here, Sherriff Rosco P. Coltrane is on duty!”
“Thank you, Sherriff, but if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go find the little girl’s room,” Billie Jo replied with a smile, heading off her way.
“Go right ahead, dearie,” Boss Hogg smiled understandingly, and almost a bit to sweetly, as Billie Jo walked away.
Rosco laughed in his usual manner, “Ooh, the plan’s perfect for the rodeo tomorrow! Lettin’ those men git Billie Jo at the – ”
“Rosco! Will you pipe down, someone might hear you, you numbskull!!” Boss Hogg hissed violently, sticking his cigar back in his mouth.

Enos came over and sat with Cooter, Luke, and Uncle Jessie. He seemed a bit disturbed, not looking directly at any of them.

“Hey, Enos, what’s bothering you?” Luke asked.
“Oh, nothin’, Luke, just thinkin’.”
“About what?”
Enos knew he could tell Luke and he would listen, “Well, two guys came in as Billie Jo’s cousins and asked about her. From the way Daisy talked about the attack, it sounds like the same two men might’ve been the ones who went after Bo and Billie Jo.”
Luke’s eyes widened, “They did? And Boss told ’em?”
“Sure enough, Luke.”
“Man… then I have no doubt in my mind they were the same ones who were in the barn this morning…”
“I just saw ’em walk out the door -”
“Out the door? From here? Now?”
“Well, yeah. Oh no, I don’t think I shouldda told you that…”
“No, no, it’s alright, thanks a lot, Enos; and by the way, don’t tell no one else, alright?” Luke got up and searched for his cousins. He found them and pulled Bo asside, whispering to him, then the two took off out the door of the Boar’s Nest.

Daisy, not knowing what to think, went over to Uncle Jessie and sat down.

“Hey Uncle Jessie, what’s with Bo and Luke?”
“I dunno – they just took off.”

Bo and Luke were searching around outside, looking for any trace of the two men. None could be found, not even the vehicle they were in.

“Well, they couldn’tve gotten too far, maybe…” Bo trailed, but Luke cut him off.
“Bo, it’d be like goin’ on a wild goose chase,” he replied logically, “and besides, we don’t wanna leave them all here just to go on a wild goose chase.”
“Yeah, I know,” Bo sighed in frustration, “dang it all…”
Luke patted his back, “Don’t worry, cousin, they’ll get their due – I’m sure of it.”

They went back inside, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary. By now, another song had started playing and Bo still couldn’t find Billie Jo. She wasn’t with Boss Hogg either. His mind assuming the worst, he went charging back out the door, about to leap into the General and take off looking for the creeps when he heard a soft voice calling his name.

“Bo?”
He looked up in relief to find that it was Billie Jo. He smiled and ran back to the Boar’s Nest entrance, where she stood, and hugged her tightly against him, “I couldn’t find ya, I thought…”
“That the bad guys had gotten me or something? Bo, the guys are nowhere around here, come on back inside, we were all starting to worry,” Billie Jo coaxed, the two going back inside. Bo decided not to mention that the creeps had been there, allowing Billie Jo to have this time to not have to worry.

Daisy and Billie Jo went to the ladies’ room and Bo ambled over to the jukebox, looking through the selection of songs trying to find something interesting. He smiled when his eyes found just the perfect song and he got it programmed, to be played after the current song.

It wasn’t too long later that the girls came back and, just as the first strains to “You Look So Good In Love” played, Bo offered his hand out to Billie Jo, “Care to dance?”

Billie Jo smiled shyly, allowing him to take her hand and lead her to the dance floor, pulling her close as their bodies swayed to the song, gliding along in perfect harmony just as the last time they had danced. His eyes met hers and she almost cast her eyes to the floor, but he raised his hand from around her waist to put a finger under her chin.

“Why you so shy this evenin’?”
“I dunno…”
“Is it the dress?”
Billie Jo nodded sheepishly, “I’m not a dressy kinda girl.”
“Well I’ll be honest: I think you’re a VERY dressy girl. It suits you. Besides, if a dress can make you act like a lady, I welcome the change!”
Billie Jo knew he was only teasing, but she still couldn’t resist giving him an affectionate smack on the arm, “Lady my ass.”

He let a laugh go before he settled a kiss on her lips, their dancing stopping for a moment as he cupped her face in his hand, the two sharing a slow, endearing kiss before they went back to dancing, just as the song was beginning to end.

After that came a few faster, fun songs that they danced to. At one point, Luke broke in to dance, leaving Bo looking slightly jealous as he twirled Billie Jo round and around. And of course Cooter couldn’t help but cut in, laughing a little at the expression left on Bo’s face when he did. Bo knew they had no intentions with her other than to dance, but he loved that feeling of her being so close to him, almost tempting him in a way.

But then, “Again and Again” came on, and they found eachother. Billie Jo didn’t keep her eyes away from Bo’s eyes as the song continued and their bodies meshed together, swaying in place, their feet only moving every once in awhile. Her arms wrapped around his neck, only causing her to look deeper into his eyes, reveling in their beautiful blue. He smiled his charming smile, which made her only melt more. She leaned her head on his collarbone and could feel the beating of his rapid heartbeat pulsating throughout his body.

His arms pulled her closer and he nuzzled her temple, causing her to look up at him again. His eyes softened and his lips seeked hers, gently massaging hers with them.

Back at the table, all the other Dukes were deciding it was time to go home, and Billie Jo and Bo didn’t seem to mind one bit.

But of course after everyone said goodnight to everyone else, Billie Jo and Bo met in the barn; Bo scooped her up into his arms and twirled her about in an embrace while the two laughed freely, forgetting all their cares and the things they were and needed to be.

Bo stopped them and held her close to him, smiling down at her like a child who just found his favorite toy again, “Did I tell you just how beautiful you look tonight?”
Billie Jo blushed slightly, realizing once again that she was still in the dress, “I vaguely recall hearing it a few times…”
This made him laugh a little as he kissed her cheek, “Well, I’ll tell ya a few more times for good measure… you look so beautiful tonight…”

Billie Jo couldn’t help but giggle at Bo’s playful affection as she broke away, running for the other end of the barn where she spied a ladder and began to climb up. Bo’s grin widened as he realized that she was climbing into the hayloft, where he would surely catch her.

He took to the rickety old ladder soon as he reached it, climbing up to find Billie Jo nowhere in sight. Puzzled and intrigued by this game of hide and seek, he looked around in every possible hiding place she could be but came up empty, and even more puzzled and intrigued before.

Bo knew that most likely Billie Jo was somewhere watching him and giggling at his expense. And he couldn’tve been more right…

Suddenly, Bo was brought down into the hay of the hayloft by a soft body landing on him unsuspectingly. Billie Jo straddled his hips and giggled behind her hand as Bo recouped from his attack and stared up at her.

“Where did you come from?” he asked.
She pointed up, “The beams up there make for interesting hiding places.”
Bo rolled his eyes, he should’ve known, “Oh, of course… But you’re gonna pay for that!”

He quickly rolled her over on her back and pinned her down with his body and arms. His hands went around her wrists and held her hands above her head, looking down at her and trying not to smile.

But she was laughing almost hysterically, “Aww Bo come on, let me up!”
“No way, sister, not ’til you apologize for nearly scarin’ me witless,” Bo replied, doing his best to not show amusement, which wasn’t at all easy.
“Not on your life!”
“Then I guess we’ll be stuck here all night,” Bo said, sounding very much like a spoiled child.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
That caught Bo off guard, but not more than the kiss she met him with that melted him like nothing else. When they broke apart, all he had to say was, “You’re forgiven.”

He let her go and she flopped over on her stomach, laying her head on her arms and Bo immitated her.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked her.
“Well, that rodeo’s tomorrow… Things have been to quiet, Bo,” Billie Jo replied, letting him in on only part of her thoughts.
Bo understood what she meant, but he didn’t want her to worry and also knew that that wasn’t all on her mind, “What else? Come on, I know there’s somethin’ you’re not tellin’ me.”
Billie Jo sighed, rolling over on her back and laying her head back against her arms, staring half upside down at the stars above through the hayloft opening, “Tomorrow’s also my last day in Hazzard. After the rodeo opening tomorrow, I’m gone, movin’ on to the next town.”
This revalation tore Bo to pieces, anyone could see it, “What? You mean you can’t stay around a little longer?”
“No, Bo, the rodeo goes on,” Billie Jo replied, turning toward him and running her fingers through his hair.
He shrugged away from her, “That ain’t fair, Billie Jo, not to me.”
Billie Jo sighed again, then followed to where he shrugged to, “I know it’s not, that’s why I was hoping this wouldn’t happen… but Bo, you’ve shown me that a man can really care and be true, and have a good time doin’ it. I think I’ve needed a little more of that kind of faith in my life.”
“But you’re still leavin’… you need me, and I need you… why can’t you just stay?” he asked, his arms wrapped around his knees.
“Because rodeo’s my life, and I ain’t ready to settle down just yet, I wanna have fun and do what I love while I’m still young,” Billie Jo replied honestly, then made him look into her eyes, “I know you understand that, right?”
Bo nodded; of course he understood, that’s the exact same way that he had been living. “I do… but I’m gonna miss you, Billie Jo.”
Billie Jo almost wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn’t, “Well I’ll miss you too, but I ain’t sayin’ goodbye just yet!” she strived to make the mood a little more light hearted and succeeded when she captured Bo’s lips with hers.

Unbeknownst to Billie Jo, Bo had brought the transistor radio along and turned it on, to find the DJ announcing the next song, and their bodies came close together as their lips joined once again when “Feels So Right” began to play. It almost depressed Bo that it was that certain song. The feeling was there, it all felt so right and wonderful… but yet, it would most likely be the last time that they would be together like this. So he vowed with every bone and fiber in his body that he would make this night worth it all to Billie Jo in the end.

~*~

The next morning, Bo discovered that Billie Jo had slipped out of the barn sometime before he himself had awoken. So having no choice but to go back inside himself, he did, and took a quick shower when he did. By the time he got out, everyone was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him so they could start breakfast. His and Billie Jo’s eyes met briefly before Bo went to his place at the table and bowed his head to say grace.

Everyone could see the tension between Billie Jo and Bo and didn’t have to wonder why it was there. Luke intended on having a talk with his cousin and find some way to get him back to his old self when it was all over, though he knew that it would probably take a long time.

Back in town, Boss Hogg was supervising the construction of the entire fair, including the rodeo ring they had brought in. He laughed in glee as he thought of all the extra money he would be getting, though he still wondered exactly what in the world would distract everyone long enough that he could get ahold of it.

He spotted Rosco and Enos getting an early bag of cotton candy apiece and rolled his eyes with a grunt as he padded over to them, “What d’you think you’re doin’?”
“Well, Boss, we uh, well Enos and I were just gettin’ some uh, cotton candy,” Rosco replied with a grin.
“It’s good, y’ want some?” Enos asked, holding out his bag to Boss Hogg.
“No, I don’t want none! Now you two get on with your jobs, makin’ sure nothin’ goes wrong with that rodeo!” Boss Hogg commanded, sticking his cigar in his mouth and padding off once again. He found a young man who was part of the rodeo crew wandering around and smiled, walking in his direction. “Young man, I’m J.D. Hogg, county comissioner of this fine place called Hazzard; tell me, who’ll be sellin’ the admission tickets for the rodeo this evenin’?”
“Uh, that’d be me, sir,” the lanky young man replied.
“Well, would you like to make some extra money? A little more than you would be gettin’ from your bosses in the crew, that is?…”
“How much more?”
Boss Hogg smiled wickedly, knowing he had the young man hooked, “Siddown, let’s discuss the details…”

Bo lay on the bed in his and Luke’s room with his arms behind his head as he gazed at absolutely nothing on the ceiling.

Now do you see why it’s not good to fall in love with a rodeo rider?

Luke came in without knocking, not surprised at the state he found his cousin in as he sat on his bed with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together.

“Bo, I know you’re upset about Billie Jo leavin’ an’ all, but it doesn’t mean that you can avoid her like the plague until she’s gone,” Luke stated, “it won’t make either one of you feel better.”
“Well just in case you ain’t noticed, I don’t wanna talk about it,” Bo replied stubbornly, turning his back to Luke.
Luke sighed and got up, “Fine, be that way about it, but mark my words, you’ll find that I was right if you keep avoiding her.”

With that, Luke walked out, glancing once back thoughtfully at the forlorn figure that was his cousin before shutting the door.

Outside, Billie Jo was putting all of Beauregard’s things in the small bag she carried her transistor radio in.

Her transistor radio! It was still in the loft! She ran to the ladder, at once recalling running to that very same ladder for a very different reason the night before. Pushing the thought from her mind, she climbed up and into the loft, looking through the hay for the tiny radio, finding it after almost five minutes of searching. She sighed as she looked down at it, recalling the songs that had played and just what she and Bo were doing while each song played. She smiled and tears came to her eyes. What had made her do this? She wasn’t supposed to become attatched, she wasn’t supposed to fall for every good-looking, sweet-talking man that walked into her life one way or another.

“Billie Jo, where are the – Billie Jo?” Daisy looked around the barn, knowing the girl had just been there. She suddenly heard a board creak over her and knew exactly where she was. Climbing the stairs, she found she was right as Billie Jo sat looking thoughtfully at her transistor radio. She smiled sympathetically for her friend and came closer to her, “Whacha thinkin’ about, sugar?”
Billie Jo sighed and willed her tears away, “Not much of anything. You know… sometimes, you wonder if it’s worth it every day or not. Gettin’ up and goin’ all the time, always leavin’ somethin’ behind.”
Daisy nodded, “It must be… I don’t see how you do it.”
Billie Jo turned to her with some of the saddest eyes Daisy had ever seen on a person, but smiled wryly, “Sometimes I don’t either.” She got up and walked past Daisy, who knew exactly what she meant by her statement and followed her as she went down the ladder.

It was soon time for Billie Jo to go, and everyone was going to go with her to watch the show and see some of the fair’s other early attractions.

Bo and Billie Jo still weren’t speaking. Bo felt awful for not talking to her, especially since Luke had had that talk with him not too long ago. But he didn’t feel as though he could. He couldn’t say goodbye to her. He would never let her go. And he knew he was selfish for even thinking that way; he knew he had to let her go, but he couldn’t.

Luke sighed aggravatedly as Bo silently started the General, “Bo, would you stop moping and just talk to her? Like I said, it would do you two a lot better than how you are right now…”
“Luke, I don’t need you tellin’ me what to do!” Bo snapped at his cousin as they shot up the road behind Daisy and Billie Jo, Uncle Jessie tagging along in his pickup. “You don’t know how I feel right now.”
“I think I just might…” Luke replied, giving him a look, “remember, Bo, everyone’s been in love at least once.”
“I know, I know, but no one knows what I’m goin’ through; I won’t, I mean I can’t… Man, I don’t wanna talk about it, okay, just, just let me be,” Bo quietly pleaded, concentrating on his steering.
“Alright, alright, I won’t ask anymore,” Luke put his hands up in what seemed like surrender.

In the meantime, Uncle Jessie drove Daisy and Billie Jo, who were consumed in womanly conversation. He knew about Bo and Billie Jo’s feelings all along, he just didn’t let on.

With a laugh at something Daisy had just said, Billie Jo then looked in the rearview mirror to see how Beauregard’s trailer was holding up, but when she did, she caught sight of the General Lee as well. Her heart became heavy again as Bo crept back into her thoughts. She wanted to talk to him before she left, be held in his embrace just one more time; but he didn’t seem to want to really be around her much, which she could understand considering the cruel blow that she had given him last night as well as leaving him all alone that morning. She just sighed and pushed it out of her mind once again.

A pretty huge crowd had already begun to pile into the fairgrounds although only the smaller attractions were open to start with, as well as the rodeo that was due to start in the next hour. Bo and Luke pulled into customer parking while Uncle Jessie pulled into the parking near the rodeo arena so Beauregard could be put in a stall and Billie Jo could dress in the ladies’ room nearby. As Billie Jo and Daisy led Beauregard around into the stall area, a concreate building mostly reserved for county horse shows held in the exact same spot the rodeo was being held in.

When no one was near the Dukes’ vehicles, a very souped-up hotrod drove up and parked in a very well-hidden area behind some bushes, sitting idly.

Look familar?

“What’re we doin’ all the way back here, Adrian?” Dylan asked, confused.
“Don’t worry, Dylan, just let me handle this,” Adrian replied smoothly, pushing his sunglasses a little more up the bridge of his nose and leaning back in his seat.

Bo and Luke saw Daisy and Billie Jo walking around from the stalls and Luke looked over to his cousin, knowing he didn’t really want to see her right then, “Wanna go look at some of the other stuff they’ve got around here before the show?” he asked.
“Sure,” Bo replied half heartedly as they walked onward.

Billie Jo saw Bo and Luke walking along, and it hurt when she saw Bo look right at her, but then look away and keep on walking. Daisy noticed her and smiled sympathetically for her friend, “He’ll come around, I promise.”
“Huh? Oh… well, if he doesn’t wanna speak to me, that’s fine, I’m not gonna go looking for a conversation with him,” she replied, but then looked at her watch, “hm, only fifteen more minutes til show time, I’d better go start gettin’ ready.”
“Alright, I’ll go find Uncle Jessie and get our tickets and seats,” Daisy replied, hugging her, “good luck, sugar!”

Billie Jo nodded with a smile as she made her way toward the ladies’ room so she could change into her rodeo outfit.

Bo and Luke had circled back to the stands about to make their way in to buy their tickets and find Uncle Jessie and Daisy, but Boss Hogg, Enos, and Rosco talking amongst themselves a few feet away from a telephone booth standing nearby. Upon hearing Billie Jo’s name, the two snuck up behind the booth and concealed themselves as they eavesdropped on what was being said.

“What’re you wantin’ now, Enos?” Rosco asked impatiently.
“Sherriff, d’you want me to go keep an eye on the ladies’ room until Billie Jo makes it into the ring?”
“No no, Enos, I’ll do that; you go over there an’ watch the crowd ’til I say otherwise,” Rosco replied.
“Yessir,” Enos replied reluctantly, walking toward the stands.

“Wonder why they were tryin’ to get rid of Enos so quick…” Bo murmured when Enos walked the other way rather than taking the way past them.
“I dunno, but I don’t like it…” Luke replied, motioning for Bo to be quiet.

“What now, Boss?” Rosco asked eagerly.
“Well, I just saw those two men that came by the other day hidin’ in the bushes over there; watch them close, but from a distance so they won’t notice, then when they make their move, let ’em have a little time to get away before you go after ’em – don’t want her gettin’ hurt, just a diversion to get the money,” Boss Hogg replied sneakily, “an’ when I come back tellin’ Enos to announce what’s happened, no one’ll notice that I’m gettin’ the extra money from the ticket booth boy!”
“But Boss, how do we know they’re gonna kidnap her?” Rosco asked sensibly.
“I had someone sittin’ in a booth behind ’em at the Boar’s Nest last night and they heard that was what they were gonna do,” Boss Hogg replied as he stood behind Rosco, they both watching from behind a tree.

Bo’s eyes became dark and his heart started pounding in his ears, “Why that no good…”
“Bo, no time for fumin’, let’s go!” Luke grabbed his cousin quickly and they went to get the General Lee.

“Let’s go,” Adrian said, pulling the car out from behind the bushes and up to the ladies’ room so they could grab Billie Jo and clear out before anyone could realize what was going on.

When Billie Jo stepped out the door, a hand grabbed her arm and she had time to emit a scream before a hand was clamped over her mouth, a blindfold was put over her eyes, and she was shoved roughly into the hotrod.

Bo heard her scream as they were climbing into the General, “Damn!” he slid into the driver’s seat faster than Luke could slide in and took off with him still getting in.
“I heard her too, cousin, but ya couldda waited until I was inside!”

But Bo wasn’t listening, he was concentrating on where he was going and trying his hardest to think of a plan. As they passed the stands and Boss Hogg telling Enos that Billie Jo had just been kidnapped, he blew their Dixie horn to let Uncle Jessie and Daisy know that something was wrong and they were gone. Enos was already gone and about to announce before Boss Hogg realized what the Duke boys were doing.

Rosco had just gotten into his car and started off from behind the restrooms when the Dukes sped by.

“Ooooh, it’s them Duke boys! What’re they doin’ gettin’ in my way??”
“Rosco! J.D. Hogg here, them Duke boys done heard our plans!!”
“They did??? I just saw ’em drive past me, and…”
“Will you just git goin’ an’ catch those criminals before the Duke boys do??”
“I’m on it, Boss, over and out!”

So Rosco sped off, in hot pursuit of the Dukes and the kidnappers. And Boss went after his money. Typical, huh?

“Folks! Folks, Billie Jo Dooley’s been kidnapped!” Enos yelled over the crowd.

Daisy and Uncle Jessie shot up immediately, already knowing something was wrong when Bo and Luke sped by. They went running as fast as they could from the stands and climbing into Uncle Jessie’s pickup on the other side, meeting Cooter on their way there.

“Keep in touch on the CB, I’ll get on Miller’s Crossin’ and see if I can be any help,” Cooter said to the two remaining Dukes before heading for his old tow truck.

As soon as Uncle Jessie and Daisy got going, Uncle Jessie cued up the mic on the CB, “This is the Shephard callin’ the Lost Sheep, come back.”
Luke heard Uncle Jessie and picked up, “We read ya, Uncle Jessie; Billie Jo’s been kidnapped.”
“I heard that much from Enos, now explain how in the world you knew before anyone else did.”

So Luke explained what Boss had wanted to do and how Rosco was supposedly going to catch the men, but was nowhere in sight.

“Well we just caught up with him back here at the ol’ fishin’ pond,” Uncle Jessie replied.
“What?? We’re about a mile ahead of him, right now we’re tryin’ to figure out where in the world those guys are and might be takin’ her – Uncle Jessie, they’re intent on killin’ her and makin’ sure no one finds out where or how.”
Daisy swallowed and Uncle Jessie’s eyes creased with worry, “Cooter, you got yer ears on?”
“He’s not on this channel, Uncle Jessie – meet us on Route 66,” Luke replied, meaning for them to switch stations to the one station Cooter mostly occupied, so as to avoid the law.
“Cooter, you got yer ears on?” Uncle Jessie tried again after they changed channels.
“This’ere’s Craaazy Cooter, I’m on Miller’s Crossing; what’re we huntin’ exactly?”
“Cooter, you ain’t gonna believe it when I tell ya,” Luke replied, “in fact, I don’t think either me or Bo really do right now – but we’re lookin’ for that hotrod you’ve been workin’ on all weekend.”
“Whaat? Those fools had me workin’ on their getaway car? Shoot, I’d give anything if I could give their money back and take back anything I did…”
“Cooter, it wasn’t your fault; just keep your eyes peeled and let us know if you see anything,” Luke then thought of a plan, “we’re gonna keep goin’ on straight ahead. Uncle Jessie, you go on down Old Mill and we’ll all meet in the middle – if nothin’ else, maybe we can trap ’em three ways.”
“That’s a roger,” Uncle Jessie replied, turning off on Old Mill a moment later.

Bo put the pedal to the metal and they kept their eyes peeled, looking for the hotrod up ahead, on the sides, and in the vast ditches along the road. They still hadn’t seen a sign of them and were wondering if their hope was lost.

“They couldn’tve just disappeared into thin air!” Bo sighed frustratedly as he hit his fist on the steering wheel, “if only I hadn’t been avoiding her all day like a jackass, she’d be in that ring right now…”
“Bo, that’s just about like Cooter blaming himself! It ain’t your fault no matter how you look at it,” Luke tried to calm his cousin, “now let’s keep lookin’, they couldn’tve gotten far.”

Not too far ahead, Billie Jo was discreetly feeling her fingers along the door panel, trying to find the handle blindfolded so when the time was right, she could maybe open her door and jump out. She bit her lip and sat calmly as Dylan sat in front keeping a gun aimed at her, but not really watching her very close.

Where’s a distraction when you need one?

And just a ways behind them, ol’ Rosco was catching up to the Duke boys, but was worried for Billie Jo’s safety as well. He hadn’t meant to be as behind as he was and only hoped that Boss’s scheme didn’t end up getting Billie Jo hurt.

Up ahead of him, he saw a flash of orange going around a distant curve. Aha, he was indeed getting close to the criminals if he was this close to the Duke boys!

Back in the hotrod, Adrian said, “Alright, let’s turn off up here, we can take care of her up here.”

Billie Jo felt a tug in her gut, letting her know to pull the handle and jump. She trusted her instincts and did, and to her amazement, the door wasn’t locked! She launched herself out of the car and pulled the blindfold away as she landed, getting up and running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

Adrian noticed and stopped the car as fast as he could, he and Dylan both getting out and running after her.

Around this time, Bo and Luke rounded the next curve and saw what was going on up ahead of them.

“Well hot dang, she got away!” Bo laughed and smiled happily, hurrying up so she could jump in with them.
Luke was just as happy as his cousin, but when they got closer, he saw Adrian pulling something from his belt, “Bo, Bo step on it!”

Bo saw what was about to happen and did, but a second later a gun shot rang out.

Billie Jo screamed and hit the dirt road face first. Bo’s heart almost stopped beating as he blindly stopped the General and jumped out, not fully realizing that the man still had the loaded gun in his hands as he ran at them with an intent to hurt them very badly.

“Bo, wait!” Luke exclaimed, running to them as well.

Just as Adrian was about to pull the trigger, Bo kicked the gun out of his hand, causing it to go off in the air as Bo’s fist made contact with Adrian’s face. Luke laid a left hook into Dylan’s cheek just as Bo and Adrian took it to the ground, wrastling around and getting equal punches in the face and gut. Bo never felt a single punch he recieved, he felt numb of all feeling when he saw Billie Jo hit the ground. He was sure she was hurt, so he wanted to see Adrian hurt as well. Luke had Dylan slammed up against the car and, by now, Bo had managed to pin Adrian to the ground.

Rosco pulled up at this time and saw Bo and Luke fighting with the culprits and Billie Jo laying low on the dirt road. Assuming she had been hurt, he got out and ran to her, “Billie Jo! You alright?” he lightly shook her shoulder, not seeing any blood.
“Is it over?” Billie Jo asked in a small voice, getting up slightly when she knew the sherriff was there beside her.
“Go over an’ stand by the General Lee while I cuff and stuff these two culprits,” Rosco told her, going to where Bo, Luke, Adrian, and Dylan were.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you,” Bo growled down to Adrian.

Adrian now looked scared, but said nothing.

Bo shoved him roughly away from him, letting Rosco tend to him, “Here, Rosco, he’s all yours, get him outta my sight.” He looked around, trying to find Billie Jo’s possibly injured, or worse, body, but was surprised when he saw her running up to him from the General Lee and throwing her arms around him.
“Oh Bo, you got here just in time!”
“Billie Jo??? I thought they’d… well, you know…”
“God, no! I got down when they shot AT me, but I didn’t get hit, just stayed low ’til it was all over,” Billie Jo replied happily as Luke came over.

Bo laughed at how clever she had been and picked her up into his arms, spinning her around happily as she laughed along with him.

Rosco shuffled past and put the two culprits into his car, “Well, I’ll get these two on over to the jailhouse if you’ll take Miss Dooley here back,” he said almost nervously, knowing that they knew about Boss Hogg’s plan.

Tell you the truth, I don’t think he wanted Bo to be on him like he was Adrian, don’t you?

Bo and Luke merely nodded, “Sure, Rosco,” Luke replied before Bo went and said anything in front of Billie Jo.

He took off as Uncle Jessie, Daisy, and Cooter pulled up. “Hey hey, she’s alright!” Cooter said, spotting Rosco driving off.
“How’d you guys know where we were?” Luke asked.
“Well seein’ as no one ever came our way, we figured we’d check up your way, make sure we DID trap ’em if need be,” Uncle Jessie replied with a smile.

Bo took Billie Jo asside and hung his head sheepishly, “Billie Jo, I’m sorry ’bout avoidin’ you all day, it’s just… well, it hurts that you’re leavin’, really, ’cause I think I’ve, you know, fallen in love with you.”
Billie Jo blinked a little in surprise, “It wasn’t meant to be, Bo… the rodeo’s my life. I could never let it go right now,” she replied sadly, but when she saw his eyes reflecting her sadness, she smiled a little, “I’ll come back through someday, though, visit once in awhile. I’ll never forget you, Bo, or the rest of your family. You ‘fallin’ in love’ with me saved my life…” she blushed, then kissed his lips for a long, lingering moment, not caring that Uncle Jessie was nearby; she figured he already knew, anyway. “Now come on, let’s get this show on the road!” she grinned.

So they hopped in the General, taking off back to the fairgrounds while the rest rode back in Uncle Jessie’s pickup and Cooter’s tow truck.

And that’s how the Dukes saved the rodeo; turns out the bad guys got put in jail and would be going back where they came from to be tried on counts of attempted murder and kidnapping.

Boss never got his money, either. Bo and Luke threatened to tell the rodeo crew about his plan if he didn’t put back every single bit of money he tried to take from the show, which would have gotten him some jail time as well.

Billie Jo was saying her goodbyes to the Duke family and she saved Bo for last, taking him asside and taking his lips gently with her own for a moment before letting him go, “I’ll never forget you, Bo; thank you for showing me there are still decent men in this world.”
“I’m glad I could help,” he replied, pecking her lips then taking them one last time before she packed up with the rest of the rodeo and left, the Dukes waving after them.
“Don’t worry, cousin,” Luke patted Bo’s back, “there’s more fish in the sea.”
“I know,” Bo sighed sadly, but then smiled, “I guess that’s what I get for fallin’ for a rodeo girl, huh?”
“Eh… I guarantee you next week there’ll be a new girl – after all, love’s never stopped you before!”

Bo playfully punched his cousin on the shoulder as the rest of the bunch chuckled behind them.

And that, my friends, is the end of an exciting weekend in Hazzard County.