by: BoJames and DaisyMae

A cool, October breeze blew softly scattering the fallen red, yellow, and brown leaves across the yard.  A hard tap-tap-tap echoed in the wind, mingled with casual laughter.  It might have been considered a normal autumn day at the Duke farm, but then this is Hazzard County, and normal here… well it’s just plain unnatural everywhere else..

It was the time of year in which Jesse Duke, the clan patriarch, started getting aches and pains in his big toe that winter would soon be upon them and that, like it or not, it was time to weather-proof the house and barn.  This meant fixing any leaks, mending loose floorboards, replacing window panes…all the things Bo hated most about life on a farm.  It wasn’t that he was lazy…he just didn’t like taking the time to do it, and to be honest he just didn’t have the patience for that type of work.  Luke did.

That was why, on this day, Luke was kneeling on the hot roof, sweat glistening off his bare back as he replaced the shingles that had blown off in the last storm.  Leaning over, he reached for another set of shingles that Bo, in keeping his promise to Jesse to fix the roof along with Luke, handed up to him.  Luke didn’t mind in the least that Bo wasn’t at his side helping.  He knew that his blond cousin hated this type of work and he didn’t want to have to redo the job later, because Bo had hurried through it.  No, it was easier this way.

Bo didn’t feel bad either because he had to admit: sometimes Luke was too much of a perfectionist.  It wasn’t his fault really.  The Marines had drilled it into him.  Even so, Bo knew from experience that as painstakingly patient as Luke could be when it came to carpentry and mechanics, he was not as patient with his fun-loving cousin….especially when there was a job to do.

“Who you takin’ to the Halloween party this year?” asked Luke as he slapped another row of shingles on the roof, taking great care to line it up so that it overlapped the one before it perfectly not leaving any gaps.

Bo shrugged a little.  “Ain’t really thought about it…you?”  He wouldn’t have been surprised if Luke had a date lined up already.  Both cousins had good luck with women, and when they weren’t chasing skirts, skirts would chase them.

Luke flashed a grin at his younger cousin winking.  “Haven’t picked the lucky lady yet.”

Bo chuckled at that shaking his head.  “You know one of these days all those so called lucky ladies’ll be gone an’ you’re gonna end up red-faced…”

“You might be right,” began Luke with a slight smile.  “Don’t much matter anyway…if we don’t finish this roof, Jesse ain’t gonna let Cinderella go to the ball anyways…”

Bo looked up at him, a glint of playfulness in his eyes.  “Wow you finally managed t’learn how to read enough t’read that huh?”

“Hard not to when you used t’ have me read it to you every night for weeks on end,” retorted Luke, hammering away.

Bo smirked.  “Yeah I had ya wrapped round my little finger didn’ I Lukie?”

“Felt sorry for ya is all,” began Luke though in many ways, Bo still had him wrapped around his finger.  It wasn’t so much that Bo had been spoiled by the family, though with his blond curls and big dimpled grin it was hard for anyone not to be won over by him.  No, for Luke it was different.  He loved Bo like a brother, and for that reason he had an overwhelming urge to look after him as such.  It was this protectiveness that drove him to say: “Watch yer step there Bo…there’s a divot in the ground behind ya.”

Bo rolled his eyes.  He loved Luke, but sometimes his protective nature really got on his nerves.  “I do know Luke; I have been standing here for the past ten minutes…”

“Right…sorry,” answered the dark-haired Duke, returning to his hammering.

“You afraid the goblins were gonna jump out of it an’ get me or somethin’?” asked Bo with a smirk.

“Somethin’.”

Bo just laughed shaking his head, handing Luke up another set of shingles.

At that moment, Daisy came running across the yard waving a white envelope in the air.  “Luke! Luke! You got a letter!”

Luke took the box of roofing nails that Bo handed him next.  “Thanks Bo… a letter?” he asked Daisy, his tone a bit posh-sounding.  “Who in the world would send me a letter?!”

“Why gosh…I don’t know Sir Lukas,” giggled Daisy, replying back with her own snooty tone.  “Why doesn’t thou comest down and have a look?”

Bo snorted with laughter, before sniffing at the air and frowning looking at Daisy.  “You wearin’ some new perfume Daisy?”

Daisy shook her head.  “Nope…it’s the letter.”

Luke frowned.  “The letter?  That’s a bit strange ain’t it?” he asked slowly coming down the porch roof, wiping his sweaty hands on his dirty jeans.  “Who’s it from?”

“Gee…I dunno…I plumb forgot to use my x-ray vision to find out,” returned Daisy.

Luke gave her one of his famous not-amused looks as he took the envelope from her.  “Oh ha ha.”  Opening it, he took the letter and started reading, the slight smile he had been wearing soon disappearing from his face.

Bo saw the frown standing up a little straighter.  “What’s the matter Luke?”

Luke handed him the letter.  “Read for yourself.”

Luke,

I love you. I can’t wait to see you again.

Love always and forever,

ME

 

Bo snorted as he finished.  “Aw…ol’ Lukas has a secret admirer…it’s probably one o’those high school girls that saw ya when ya was workin’ on the fence we broke the other day…” he added with a grin.

“Probably…coulda signed her name though.”

“What high school girls?” asked Daisy.

Bo chuckled putting an arm around Daisy’s shoulders.  “Well see Luke and me kinda ran down their fence tryin’ t’escape Rosco, so we went back to fix it. It being a hot day, I went off to get a drink…by the time I got back, Luke had his shirt off and a whole class of girls had their noses pressed up against the window.”

Luke shook his head.  “You’d think they’d never seen a man mend a fence.  ‘Sides…who wants a high school girl?  Bit young for me cousin…”

“Don’t mean t’say they think you’re too old for them,” put in Bo.

“Yeah…young love…don’t matter who they are…or what age…s’long as it’s good lookin’” teased Daisy.

“Well you two would know,” retorted Luke.  “I got work to do.”  With that he tossed he letter in the bin, going next to fix a crack on the side of the house soon hammering away, letting Bo and Daisy know that as far as he was concerned the conversation was over.

His cousins, however, didn’t see it that way.

“Aw…ain’t ya gonna sleep with it under your pillow?”

“Go ahead,” answered Luke brushing off the comment.  “I want a woman who ain’t afraid t’ tell me t’ tell me how she feels t’ my face.”

Bo rolled his eyes looking to Daisy.  “See what I put up with…Mr. Cheerful over there?  Why any girl’d like him enough to send a letter I don’t know…”

Luke started hammering loudly in an effort to ignore them.

Daisy giggled, pulling the letter out of the bin and reading it herself.  “Sounds like she’s got it bad.”

Bo nodded.  “Sure does…sounds like the notes you used t’send Mickey”

“I never…”

“You did so…you used to make Bo slip ’em in his locker,” interrupted Luke as he hammered in another nail.

“Shut up, Luke,” muttered Daisy.

Bo laughed.  “Daisy just ‘cause Luke said it don’t mean I didn’t remember that before.”

“He’s just ornery…but I guess love does that to a man,” explained Daisy to herself with a giggle.

“Actually just to Luke,” said Bo with a smirk.

The dark-haired Duke growled in his throat but said nothing, producing more giggles from his cousins.

“Well…I’ll have a hot meal waiting for the two of ya when you’re done,” promised Daisy giving a peace offering, seeing Luke getting a bit disgruntled.

Bo smiled after her as she headed inside.  “Thanks sweetheart.”

Daisy smiled and walked inside.  Luke meanwhile, had gone quiet, his rhythmic tapping slowing more and more as he became lost in thought.  “Ow!” he yelled out, not paying attention to what he was doing and hammering his thumb instead of the board, his mouth a tight line as he sucked it in pain.

Bo smirked, having seen him lose his focus.  “Knew that was gonna happen…”

Luke grimaced at him shaking his thumb as if to make it feel better.

“Now that’ll teach ya t’pay attention.”

“Yeah,” answered Luke miserably.

Soon enough, he had finished what repairs needed to be done to the house, yawning and stretching his tan form.  He stopped suddenly looking off to the trees.  “Did you see somethin’?”

“See what?”

Luke craned his neck, taking the shirt he had thrown over the porch rail and slipping it back on.  “Thought I saw a flash of light…guess I been in the sun too long.”

“That and ya ain’t eaten in a while…c’mon lets go… I’m starved.”

Luke nodded.  “Sounds good to me.”

Bo swung open the door sniffing the air appreciatively.  “Daisy that smells great.”

His cousin smiled.  “S’all ready, sugar.”

Luke nodded.  “We’ll be right there,” he promised going to the bathroom to wash up.

Bo too started to follow him, but not before sneaking a taste as he passed by the tray of biscuits on the table.

“Bo Duke you’re gonna burn that finger one day an’ I’m gonna laugh!” yelled Daisy.

Luke had to laugh just a little as he shook his head, splashing cold water on his warm face and drying off with a blue towel before moving aside so Bo could wash up next. Grinning, Bo retorted back.

“Well, till that happens you should learn t’guard better now shouldn’t ya?”

“You two get that roof done?” asked Jesse as the boys came laughing to the table.

“Yes sir,” answered Luke.

Bo nodded adding playfully as he sat.  “Yup shouldn’t have to be done again for a long while if Luke did it right…”

“What d’ya mean if I did it right?!”

“Simmer down you two,” ordered Jesse pointing at them both….Bo of course paid no attention.

“What I mean is you were so busy thinkin’ about that love letter that you done smacked yerself with the hammer so who knows what you did to the house…”

Luke scowled.  “Shut up Bo.”

“Love letter?” asked Jesse raising an eyebrow.  “What love letter?”

“Some girl sent him a perfume scented love note signed me,” explained Bo.

Jesse smiled reflectively.  “Your Aunt Lavinia used to write me love notes…”

Bo smiled at his uncle’s reminiscence, sipping his milk.

“You serious about this girl Luke? She must think ya are.  If you been toyin’ with some girl’s affections,” began Jesse gruffly.

“I ain’t…I don’t even know who she is!”

“It just sounds like a high school crush, Uncle Jesse…” said Daisy softly,

Jesse nodded.  “Well ya never know…I always told ya you two flirt too much,” returned the patriarch preachingly.

“I didn’t…honest…” reproached Luke with a sigh.

****

Throughout the dinner things didn’t get much better. Bo seemed to take great delight in making up as many jokes as he could about the letter and Daisy even began joining in after a while. Jesse tried to be fair and tell the two cousins to lay off, seeing Luke getting more and more disgruntled, but eventually he just ended up preaching to them all about how to ‘control’ themselves better.

The end of the meal couldn’t have come sooner and grumbling, Luke excused himself, not wanting to be the subject of anymore talk.  Putting his plate in the sink, he walked into his room. No sooner had he stepped through the door though and he froze at the sight before him…there, resting on Luke’s pillow was a blood-red rose and another perfumed envelope.

To say Luke was furious was an understatement. “Real funny Bo…” he muttered, snatching the items up and going over to his cousin, waving them in his face.  “This your idea of a joke?!”

“Huh?” Bo replied, near choking on his milk at the sudden letter waving in front of his face, looking up with a thoroughly confused expression.

“You put these on my pillow didn’t you?!”

“How can I, I’ve been with you the whole day!” Bo was quick to snap back.  Bo was a bad liar, you could always tell he was because when he actually hadn’t done anything, he’d turn and snap quickly to defend himself. If he was lying, he’d try but would never achieve the same fierce determination.

“I dunno!” Luke snapped back at him, more frustrated than angry that this had happened…another potential suspect though quickly sprang to mind. “Daisy!!!”

“Don’t look at me! Where would I have the money to buy a rose?!” Daisy cried back indignantly.

“Well then who?!” demanded Luke, clearly getting more upset.

As ever, the voice of reason stepped in. Standing up he put a hand on Bo’s shoulder who had once more opened his mouth this time to defend Daisy, silencing the youngest Duke before saying calmly to Luke.

“Calm down an’ read the card son…it probably says on there.”

Luke sighed in frustration, knowing his Uncle was right but having a horrible feeling he already knew who it was going to be signed from.  Carefully, he opened the card with a trembling hand, while the rest of the family watched.

“Well what’s it say Luke?” asked Daisy, watching as Luke swallowed hard and his mouth became a tight line as though he had hurt himself. Slowly, Luke managed to grind out the words that were written before him.

Dear Luke,

I love you. 

Please accept this rose as a token of my never-ending affection for you.

My heart is yours.

Love,

Me

 

A silence fell over the room, Bo could only raise an eyebrow as he contemplated the situation and Daisy was biting her lip on the other side of the table. It was Luke that eventually spoke in a deep growl.

“This ain’t funny,” he stated, crumpling up the paper and throwing both it and the rose in the trash harder than was actually needed. Stepping forward, Jesse placed a hand on each of his eldest’s shoulders and squeezed them gently.

“Now Luke,” began Jesse.  “You tend t’ take things too seriously at times…”

“Uncle Jesse’s right Luke, don’t get all tore up about it…like Bo said earlier, it’s probably just some high school girl with a crush.” reasoned Daisy as gently as she could.

“This ain’t like leavin’ a note in my locker Daisy…she went inta my room!” snapped Luke.

“Don’t snap at Daisy, she ain’t done nothin’! This girl probably just reached in the window! You leave it open!” shot back Bo quickly to take Daisy out the firing line. He knew usually how to diffuse Luke quickly and didn’t really care when Luke snapped at him because he knew then that Luke was upset.

“Well how’d she know that was my bed an’ not yours?!” Luke retorted back at him, though he was starting to calm just a little with the combination of Jesse’s reassuring grip and Bo’s logic forcing him to think about his own.  He knew he was probably over-reacting but still Luke Duke was, if nothing else, a private person.  Very few people knew him well, including family, which suited him fine.  The idea of someone invading his private space unnerved him to no end.

“Who’s to say she did Luke? She probably just put it on the bed nearest….if either one of ya picked it up it’d still get to you in the end.” Daisy commented softly, seeing how upset her cousin was getting.

Luke sighed, knowing that was true though his mind was trying to over complicate the situation which was unusual for him.

“Cuz, you’re jumpin’ over nothing.  When you don’t do anything she’ll probably see ya ain’t interested an’ find some other guy.,” Bo reassured from the other side, seeing the flicker of doubt behind Luke’s eyes still. It wasn’t until Jesse finally managed to get two words in that Luke looked a little more content.

“Son I really think you’re worryin’ over nothin’” The patriarch intoned into the silence gently, feeling Luke relax a little under his hands.

“Guess you’re right…I just don’t like the thought of it, ya know?”

Jesse patted his shoulder.  “Sometimes it’s hard to have that old Duke charm,” he teased, managing to get a small smile out of Luke.

Bo smirked, standing up and taking his plate to the sink, turning away but saying over his shoulder.  “’Course it could be a guy…”

Luke’s answer to that was to land a hard cuff to the back of Bo’s blonde head, drawing an indignant yelp and a head rub from the youngest cousin.

“Hey! I was just saying it could be!”

“Oh yeah you’re right…and maybe they got our names mixed up….maybe they really are in love with you!”  Then, to emphasize the fact, he added in a mock girlish voice, “Oh Bo…I love your curls…let me run my fingers through ‘em.”  He then punctuated his teasing with kissing sounds.

Bo however was quick to turn that back on him, teasing with a smirk.  “Thanks Luke but I don’t swing that way…sounds like it wouldn’t be bad thing if this were a guy, huh?”

Seeing that Bo was being unusually quick with his wit today, Luke did the only other thing he could think of to get back at his older cousin. With Marine trained quick reflexes, he lunged out and gripped him in a headlock, tousling his curls.  “This belongs in the barn with the rest of the hay!”

“Outside boys! This ain’t no arena here!” roared Jesse as he narrowly dodged the two carrying the rest of the dinner plates to the sink.

“Fine Uncle Jesse!” called Bo cheerfully, opening the door with one hand and using his position to tackle Luke out the door, off the porch and to the dusty ground of the yard.

Jesse merely chuckled, shaking his head as he watched out the window.  “Boys’ll be boys.”

For hours, both the boys just wrestled each other in the cooling evening air, not trying to hurt each other, just playing as they had not done since they were boys. Sure they had grown up and matured a lot since then, but the odd wrestling match between them never lost its appeal.

****

Eventually the two could be found lounging on the porch, Luke situated on the swing and Bo just sprawled across the boards in the warm evening sun, his arm slung across his eyes and his shirt hanging open. The sounds of the farm were soothing and relaxing to the ears, especially to Luke.

“What say we go int’ town?” He asked suddenly, looking to his younger cousin stretched out at his feet. He chuckled a little when all he received to the question was something that he was sure was supposed to be speech.

“Whhyyyy?” Bo drawled lazily, not moving his position one inch.

“Ice cream,” enticed Luke, leaning forwards so he knew Bo could hear him, knowing his cousin’s weakness. And indeed, it did catch Bo’s interest as he moved his arm with a raised eyebrow and looked up at him.

“I’ll even buy since you lost to me wrestlin’” Luke offered with a wink, laughing as Bo quickly sat up.

“I did not lose!” cried Bo.

“If you want me to buy you did,” Luke retorted back with a chuckle.

Bo however was not amused and showed it by simply narrowing his eyes with a scowl, causing Luke to relent and poke him gently in the side with the toe of his boot.  “Alright…I’ll buy anyway…c’mon…”

Bo groaned lazily, flopping back down onto the boards and closing his eyes again, whining gently.  “Couldn’t ya go get it and bring it back?”

“I don’t think so cousin…you want some you come with me…”

Bo sighed heavily, sitting up again and holding out a hand to Luke.  “Help…”

Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head. Gripping Bo’s hand in his, he heaved the 6 foot 4 man to his feet. “C’mon Lazybones…”

Stretching lightly, Bo followed Luke off the porch and to the General. “You know, you wouldn’t think that porch’d be so comfortable…”

“Guess it is if you’re that tired… you wanna drive?”

“If you want me to nap at the wheel then sure.” answered Bo with a smirk.

“Guess that means I’m drivin’…get in then.” Luke muttered as he headed to the driver’s side, getting in himself with some difficulty and turning the ignition on.

Bo had the same trouble on the other side though it wasn’t as much a bother to him as it was to Luke, sighing happily as he remarked in a joyful tone.  “It’s so nice not havin’ t’avoid the dang steering wheel sometimes.”

“Know whatcha mean,” returned Luke speeding out of the farmyard in a cloud of dust. In all truth he didn’t really mind driving…it wasn’t very often he partook in the activity, preferring to let his younger cousin have control of the car that they shared. He knew Bo enjoyed it more than he did, but then again it was nice to enjoy it. Especially when Bo didn’t seem to want to talk or sing as he usually did….Luke could just drive and think in peace…it wasn’t until he pulled up in Hazzard Square he found out why.

As soon as they pulled up, Luke slid out the window and headed for the ice cream place, assuming his younger cousin was with him. Turning to look where his younger cousin usually stood by his side, he soon realized Bo wasn’t. Looking back to the Lee, Luke couldn’t help but chuckle…there Bo was… snoring softly where he sat cuddled up in his seat, fast asleep.

“Hey…Sleepin’ Beauty…wake up!” ordered Luke once he’d jogged back over to the orange stock car, reaching in through the passenger window and patting his cheek.

Bo sleepily blinked his baby blue eyes open.  “Wha…?”

“Ice cream…c’mon…”

“Mmm…” Bo hummed as he stretched before sliding out the window and following his older cousin, glancing around the square, his eyes brightening up at what he saw. His thoughts were soon interrupted as Luke nudged him with his elbow.

“Whatcha gonna get Bo?”

“Chocolate.”

Luke chuckled at the answer that hadn’t even been thought about. There were some things Bo Duke never outgrew…chocolate ice cream was one of them.

“Thought so.”

“So…why’d ya ask?”

“Just wondered if ya felt adventurous t’day.”

Bo shook his head going to the counter with Luke.  “Nah…s’too hot.”

“Hey Bo! Hey Luke!” greeted a slim young girl from the other side of the stand.

“Hey there Rachel how are ya?” returned Luke smiling at her.

“Just fine…what can I get for ya?” she asked, smiling up at them both.

Bo leaned on the counter.  “Double chocolate if you’d be so kind…”

“Comin’ right up.  And for you Luke? Lemme guess…Vanilla Fudge swirl?”

Luke gave her a wink.  “You got it.”

Rachel smiled.  “Right away.” With that she turned and quickly started to make the cones.

Bo teased Luke while they waited mocking him.  “Oh you got it,” he said making kissing sounds in Luke’s ears.

“Shut up Bo,” growled Luke.

Rachel soon returned flashing a smile at them both.  “Double chocolate for Bo,” she said handing it to him.  “And vanilla fudge swirl for Luke…with an extra half scoop…’cuz that’s the nicest smile I seen today,” she added with a blush.

“Well…you must not be lookin’ in the mirror Rachel,” he flirted back.

Bo rolled his eyes and fake gagged before pushing off the counter while Luke paid, heading back to the General Lee. As much as he liked flirting with the girls, and he knew that his and Luke’s techniques weren’t that different considering Luke had taught him a thing or two…it was still sickening to here…and so they teased each other about it.

“An ya wonder why ya get stalkers…” He started as soon as Luke returned.

“Not funny Bo…Me an’ Rachel always flirt like that, same as I do with the other girls…means nothin’.”

“Ever thought maybe it does t’some?”

“So you’re blamin’ this girl’s crush all on me?”  He looked at him indignantly. “You ain’t one t’ talk!”

“I ain’t ever got a stalker,” observed Bo with a raised eyebrow, licking his ice cream like some innocent 5 year old.

“You said she ain’t a stalker…just some girl with a crush…so shut up about it!”

“Alright Mr. Sensitive,” said Bo leaning back against the General while he finished his ice cream. For a while, the two just stood in silence gazing around the square, until Bo finally spotted who he had seen earlier. Finishing the rest of the ice cream in one mouthful, he hopped off the General and headed over to the girl.  “Hey Amanda…”

“Well hey Bo!”

“Hey…I just came over t’say I really like yer dress,” said Bo putting on the charm.

“This old thing?” the dark-haired beauty asked with a small laugh, though it was evident that she was pleased by the compliment.

“Old? It looks brand new on you…” returned Bo, having mastered the art of sweet talk at a young age and evidently he still hadn’t lost his touch as Amanda blushed and giggled a little. Taking that as a good sign, Bo gently moved her hair back over her shoulder.  “You know…I need a date for the Halloween dance.”

Amanda smiled.  “What a coincidence …so do I.”

“You do?” asked Bo a glint of excitement in his voice.

Amanda just shrugged a little with a nod, trying to act as calm as she could though the ever deepening red blush in her cheeks gave away how excited she was. It wasn’t necessary, but Bo had to admit seeing girl’s reaction to his compliments was fun…so he continued.

“Well now what’s a pretty girl like you doin’ without a date? I felt for sure you were already gonna have one…”

“Well…the fella I wanted to ask me is takin’ his own sweet time about it…an’ if he doesn’t ask me in the next 5 minutes, I’m gonna tell him no…” she answered softly, her hands clenched together in front of her, swinging a little from side to side on her feet, looking pointedly up at him leaving no doubt who she was referring to.

Bo flashed his dimpled smile at her.  “You want t’go to the dance with me?”

“I’d love to.”

“Pick ya up at 7?”

Amanda nodded.  “See ya then…”

Bo nodded, bending down and kissing her cheek, winking at her before turning and heading happily back to the General where Luke was already sitting waiting for him behind the steering wheel.  “You all done, Cassanova?”

Bo grinned with a nod as he slid in too.  “Yup, got me a date.”

“Good for you.” he said grumpily taking off as quickly as he could.

“Luke c’mon slow down,” said Bo noting his cousin’s mood by the way he was driving with a sigh.

“Why?” asked Luke not taking his foot off the gas.

“Well one we don’t got enough money t’pay an’ on the spot speeding fine…and you know what that means if Rosco gets us…”

Luke sighed, knowing that was true, slowing down to a speed that Rosco could definitely not get them for. Bo was about to continue to badger, but caught the look in his older cousin’s eye that clearly said ‘Don’t talk to me right now’. Sighing he gazed out the window while Luke remained quiet, having a lot on his mind to consider. Eventually though, curiosity got the best of the nosy younger cousin and the conversation flared again.

“Luke what’s up?”

“Just thinkin’” answered Luke quietly.

“’Bout?”

“Her.”

Bo gave him a confused look.  “Her? What d’ya mean?”

“Just everything…botherin’ me…” he admitted softly with a sigh.  “That’s all.”

“Luke you really don’t gotta get so het up over this.”

“When you say I bring it on myself I do,” returned Luke, his eyes narrowing.

“Luke I was kiddin’ around.”

Once more, Luke fell into silence with a hard swallow, facing the road and not saying another word. He didn’t want to discuss this with Bo…but then again he should have known better than to just dismiss it like that…cause once Bo wanted something, he was like a dog with a bone.

“Luke c’mon we kid around all the time…”

“It bothers me,” said Luke softly.

“What? The stuff we been doin fer years?” asked Bo with a frown.

“No Bo…all this stuff…with this girl…”

“Luke…if this were the other way round…you would be teasin’ the ear offa me…” Bo protested gently, to which Luke sighed and nodded, knowing that was true. Why should it be any different for Bo just because it was happening to Luke?

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Exactly…I ain’t doin’ it half as much as I could,” Bo pointed out.  “But if you want me t’stop I will.”

“I just wanna forget it ever happened.”

Bo nodded, but could not resist asking, “Can I talk about it to Daisy behind your back when you’re no where near me?”

Luke shook his head with a chuckle; trust Bo to turn his thoughts around to something funny.  “Sure cousin…all you want.”

Bo grinned.  “Thanks.”  Before long, he found himself yawning again…it sure had been a busy day…passing things up to Luke on the roof, eating ice cream, getting a date to the party, teasing Luke…it had in fact been a very busy day.  No wonder he was tired….

****

 

A few days later, the boys could be found laughing and joking as they headed into the Boar’s Nest, Luke soon finding an empty table and pointing it out to his chattering younger cousin. It wasn’t long before they were sat there, raising hands to their friends who called their names in greeting…Bo eyeing the pretty girls that were around even though he had already asked Amanda to the dance. Despite the fact it seemed like there were quite a few people in the popular social spot of Hazzard, it was relatively quiet for what was known as Happy Hour, something Luke picked up on quickly.

“Kinda quiet t’night don’t ya think Bo?”

“Yeah…mind you with the blitz Rosco’s been on lately…wouldn’t be surprised if most of the folks are in jail…” Bo answered, his gaze still wandering around the room even as he answered his older cousin.

Luke couldn’t help but chuckle with a nod and a muttered ‘Could be…’ He wasn’t laughing at Bo’s comment as much as he was at the fact that the younger man was already seeking out his next date. Obviously he wasn’t planning on keeping Amanda close longer than the dance the way his eyes kept glancing to the girls sitting in the corner of the bar.

He was actually amazed that he and Bo didn’t have an army of angry girls behind them wherever they went, the amount of local and out of town girls they had been through between them certainly was large enough for one to be created. He guessed it was because they weren’t exactly like most other skirt chasers in the county, either the girls left them first or the break ups they had were done in a sensitive and heartfelt way. As far as he knew, break ups were always left on good terms…well he assumed that because so far no girls had come after them.

“Hey boys, what can I get ya?”

Luke near leapt out of his skin at the question, having been lost in thought enough not to notice Daisy arrive at their table. He scowled over at Bo as he heard the blonde give a laugh at his obvious distraction and decided to take the first hit of the evening with a smirk.

“Usual for me…sippy cup for our baby cousin…”

Bo’s grin instantly turned to his eyes narrowing in a playful ‘You’re on cousin’ scowl. Glancing up at Daisy, he leant over and asked in a whisper loud enough for Luke to her.

“ If you could put something in his drink to shut him up again I’d be happy…”

Daisy could only laugh at the playful banter between her two cousins, shaking her head as she noted down the order on her pad.

“Two watered down beers comin up fellas…”

“Thanks Dais…” Luke answered, his arms folded and rested on the table in front of him, watching protectively as Daisy made her way back to the bar before looking back to Bo with a raised eyebrow as his younger cousin muttered something about Luke hitting on Daisy next because he couldn’t get any other girl if he tried.

As she went about pouring the two beers for her cousins, Daisy couldn’t help but notice the girl standing at the bar, trying not to look like she was looking at the two cousins. The girl wasn’t turned towards her though so she didn’t say anything, not wanting to look like she was interfering. It wasn’t unusual that girls came to the bar to just gaze at the guys in the room in the hopes of a date. Shaking her head with a smile, she headed over to the boys again, stopping as a few customers signaled they wanted her.

Meanwhile, the boys were again engaged in a riveting debate of…

“You’re buyin Bo…”

“I am? Oh lemme think a sec…what is the answer I was looking for…urm…oh yeah, No.”

“Well I ain’t buyin’, I’m broke…” Luke retorted quickly back

“Well what makes ya think i’m any better?”

“ Well, I’m broke cuz YOU borrowed my last $5!”

“Well I needed that t’put gas in the General which we BOTH use…”

“Well next time use your money, you use the General more than I do, I’m just the passenger…” Luke argued back with a smirk, knowing that Bo couldn’t argue that fact. The blonde did drive and race the General far more than Luke did.

“I would if you hadn’t borrowed it for your date!” Bo quickly retorted back, knowing he had won the arugment or argued them into a deadlock as Luke just shook his head with a chuckle, soon joining in with him. As usual, it wasn’t long before Luke had formed some kind of plan.

“How bout we split the difference…make Daisy pay?”

“I dont think she’d go fer that..” Bo had to answer with a louder laugh, looking up as Daisy’s shadow fell across the table before glancing to Luke at Daisy’s raised eyebrow, wondering just how much their female cousin had heard.

“Who go for what exactly?” She asked as she placed the beers on the table.

Luke smiled a little sheepishly…there was only one woman who put a small quiver in his liver and that was Daisy when she was angry or riled…she had a nasty tendancy to grab whatever of her favourite cooking impliments was nearest and hit them with it….frying pan, skillet or rolling pin was usually her preferred choice of weapon…in the Boar’s Nest it was the tray.

“Did I tell ya how beautiful you look today cousin?” he asked, trying the compliment approach first…which he should have known wouldn’t work.

“No and no I am not buying your beers…”

Luke sighed, putting on the best pleading look he could though it was no where near as perfected as Bo’s was…obviously he wasn’t much in the mood for helping his older cousin out of the sticky situation they were in.

“Cmon Dais…just this once…”

“No! You two run up enough tabs t’use up all my tips as it is when Boss demands its paid, I aint bailin ya out this time..”

Luke once more looked to his younger cousin who had resolutely decided that looking at the ceiling was much more interesting than paying any attention to what was going on in front of him. Shaking his head with a sigh, he picked up the two beers and put them back on Daisy’s tray.

“I guess ya best take these back then…”

As he did however, a girl suddenly appeared beside Daisy, her hands resting on Luke’s to stop him putting the beers back.

“Hey, it’s ok. I’ll pay for em…”

Daisy frowned a little but nodded, moving away from the table as the girl put the money on her tray for the drinks. Luke however kept his eyes on her, a little taken aback at the forwardness in her touch, even though she had quickly pulled her hands away when she realized what she had done.

“Hi…” He offered gently, seeing her now looking a little awkward. The offer was soon taken up though as she smiled shyly with a small greeting of her own. Smiling back at her supportively, he pulled out a chair on the table and gestured to her to sit down with them, another offer she readily accepted.

“Name’s Luke Duke…this here’s my cousin Bo…” Once again though, Bo wasn’t paying any attention and was instead looking over at a girl by the door, making eyes at her which she obviously was returning. A sharp kick to his shins and a disgruntled yelp soon brought his attention back to the table again though.

The girl shook her head with a small giggle, watching the quick exchange of glances which obviously signified a silent argument between the boys, quickly interjecting before it became verbalized.

“My name’s Becky…”

“Becky…nice t meet ya…” Luke answered back, shaking her hand with a smile before picking up his beer and taking a drink. “So…I don’t recall seeing you round here before..you new to Hazzard?”

“Uh…relatively…my mother was born here but my father moved us away…”

“So…you just visitin’?”

Becky twirled a strand of hair around her finger.  “No- I live here now…Dad’s moved outta the country.”

Luke nodded a little as she said that.  “Well I don’t remember seein’ ya around much.”

“Yeah,” began Becky with a sigh.  “Only got here a couple of weeks ago…been kinda…settling in…”

Luke nodded flashing his dimples at her.  “Well…as the unofficial president of the Hazzard County Welcomin’ Committee…lemme give you an official Hazzard County welcome…”

Becky smiled, unable to help blushing a little, admiring how very blue his eyes were, and how they seemed to sparkle when he talked.  “Thanks…”

Bo meanwhile, took little notice of the conversation, stretching his long legs out in front of him as he leaned back in his chair… that is until Luke suggested that he show her around Hazzard.

“Well sure…I’d like that…” answered Becky readily, at which point Bo lost his balance and fell backward on his chair, landing on the floor with a thud amidst finger-pointing and laughter from the other patrons.

“Bo? You ok?!” asked Luke, getting up to help his cousin, a little worried by the fact that Bo simply lay on the floor staring up at him as if in shock.

“Uhh…no can…you come look at my arm in the bathroom…  I…I think somethin’s wrong…” answered Bo.

“Ok…” answered Luke quickly bending over and helping his cousin to stand.  “S’cuse us Becky…keep it still Bo…” he added walking to the bathroom where the light was brighter and he could better diagnose what had happened to Bo’s arm.

Bo did as he was told,  leaning into Luke a little as the older cousin kept an arm protectively around him, preventing him from being jostled as they crossed the room.

****

Once there, Luke brought Bo under the light and began to examine the arm in question, until Bo jerked it away.  “Hey…quit it.  It ain’t hurt.”

Luke frowned.  “What’s goin’ on?”

Bo  looked at him incredulously.  “You and her!”

“What about us?”

Bo shook his head in disbelief.  “Luke have you not considered for one minute the person sending you those notes might be her?”

Luke laughed.  “No…”

“Well consider it!” cried Bo in exasperation.  He couldn’t understand how a man as smart as his cousin could be so very blind to the obvious.  “She appeared in town a couple of weeks ago, and these notes started about a week ago…”

“You said it was a high school crush, Bo,” interrupted Luke.

“Yeah well the way she’s actin’ makes me think otherwise,” stated Bo emphatically.

“Bo I think yer makin’ a mountain outta a molehill.  You said it was harmless.”

“Since when did ya listen t’what I say?!” demanded Bo.

Luke grew quiet, as he usually did when things bothered him, and at the moment he was bothered, not by the potential stalker, but by the way Bo had spoken to him.

Bo ran a shaky hand through his blond curls when Luke didn’t respond, reading his cousin’s silent language just as easily as if it had been words spoken to him.

“M’sorry Luke,” began Bo, looking down at his feet.  “I just don’t want nothin’ t’happen t’ya is all.”

Luke looked up at him.  “You’re real uneasy about this huh?”

Bo nodded.  “Well lil’ bit…considerin’ how forward she was an’ all…”

Luke sighed but nodded.  “Alright…I just won’t do it then.”

Bo sighed, hanging his head, hands on his hips.  He hated to feel like he was ruining everything.  Then again, he couldn’t help worrying.

“Its ok…we’ll play your arm needs seen to or somethin’…” answered Luke, always ready with a plan.

“Have I got ya paranoid now?” asked Bo softly.  That was the last thing he wanted to do.

“No,” answered Luke.  “But…I guess you got a point,” he admitted with a sigh.  “Ready t’shuck n jive?”

Bo bit his lip.  “I guess…what ya want? Badly in pain, going into shock, pale faced pain or just gonna walk out clutching the arm?”

Luke thought a moment.  “Better make her think we gotta go in a hurry…wincing pain, hardly walk…”

“Pale face?” asked Bo looking at him.

“With tears.”

“Tall order… I don’t wanna cry in public though when I can help it,” hesitated Bo.

“Then be on the verge…don’t matter.”

Bo nodded.  “Right…trembling?”

“Yeah…an’ lean on me…”

Bo sighed looking in the bathroom mirror before closing his eyes. Hugging his arm to his middle, he doubled over a little, breathing deep as magically his face seemed to drain of color.

“You ready Bo?”

Bo nodded as he made his hands tremble.  Luke hugged him with one arm, opening the door, seemingly hurrying out of the bar.

Becky gasped when she saw the two cousins, standing up.  “Is it that bad?!”

“I need t take him to a doc…thanks for the beers…c’mon Bo…stay with me buddy,” answered Luke helping Bo along, who walked at a slowed pained pace beside his cousin.

Daisy, meanwhile had just finished serving a few drinks to customers, smiling sweetly at them and heading back to the bar when she, too, saw her cousins.  “Luke?! Bo?! What happened?!”

Bo groaned loudly as if in much pain.

Luke growled inwardly.  Trust Daisy to show up.  “Takin’ Bo to the docs…c’mon I’ll tell ya on the way…”

Daisy shook her head.  “Well I cant I gotta finish my shift, I’ll call Uncle Jesse and have him meet ya there….maybe you should take him to the hospital!” she added worried at the pale expression her baby cousin wore.

“Come outside… quick…” ordered Luke.

Daisy sighed grabbing some ice in a towel and asking Mary Lou to cover her tables a moment as she followed them outside.

“Well…get well soon Bo!” called Becky with a wave as Bo groaned again for effect.

“Don’t feel so good….” said Bo softly.

“I know…I know, “said Luke waving his hand back and saying loud enough for everyone to hear, “We’ll be to Doc’s soon…”

Soon the threesome was outside the Boar’s Nest, heading for where the General Lee stood.

Luke began helping Bo inside when he suddenly sat him down.  “Coast is clear…”

At this, Bo sighed standing up and rubbed his head ruefully.  “Thank God fer that, I gave myself a headache.”

Daisy frowned.  “Alright what’s going on?”

Sighing Luke quickly explained the situation at which point Daisy turned to Bo.  “You think what?!”

Luke sighed.  “Bo thinks she could be the one leavin’ them letters…”

Daisy narrowed her eyes at her younger cousin.  “Bo for Pete’s sake!”

Luke quickly came to Bo’s defense.  “He’s just worried Daisy.”

Daisy snapped at her dark-haired cousin.  “He’s worried over nothing and now he’s worrying you!”

Luke sighed.  He loved his female cousin with all his heart, but sometimes she could be so difficult.  “I’m not worried…I ain’t gotten a letter all this week…I think she gave up…whoever she was…” he answered, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Daisy sighed.  “I gotta get back to work.  See you at home.”  With that she turned walking into the Boar’s Nest.

Bo shook his head.  “Luke…don’t be so sure…”

Luke smiled, loving his baby cousin for caring so much.  He squeezed his shoulder gently.  “It aint nothin’ t’ get worried over.  Whoever she was…she’s gone now.”

Bo bit his lip pointing to the front seat of the General.

Luke frowned, looking into the General, swallowing hard at what he saw, his face losing all color.  There, taped to the steering wheel was a red heart, Luke’s name written on it.  An ornately decorated box sat on the front seat.

Bo bit his lip.  “You uh…gonna…open it?”

Luke swallowed his eyes not diverting from the gift.  “Don’t wanna,” he answered, his voice hallow-sounding.  Eventually though, he reached in, taking the heart from the steering wheel and looking at the back side.  It read:

To my dearest Luke, 

I got you a gift for Halloween, and it comes straight from the heart. 

 All my love,

ME

 

Luke swallowed hard, reaching in and taking the box  from the seat, opening it, dropping it to the ground and staggering backwards, falling to his knees, looking as though he was about to be sick.

Bo frowned.  “Luke?”

Luke sat kneeling on the ground, shaking.  His heart was beating rapidly.

Bo hurried over to him, putting both hands on his shoulders.   “Luke what’s wrong?”

Luke pointed a trembling finger at the box before turning his head his stomach convulsing, emptying it of its contents, tears in his eyes, shaking like a leaf.

Bo frowned going to the box reeling as he saw what was inside…a heart from something freshly killed.  Swallowing he crossed to Luke kneeling down beside him.  “Luke…..Luke its ok…its just a sheep’s heart…”

Luke shook, trying desperately to pull himself together.  “Wh-wh-why…”

Bo shook his head.  “I dunno,” he said rubbing Luke’s back softly as he felt the trembling beneath his hand.  “Shhh….calm down…its ok…Its Halloween… it’s probably just a Halloween joke…sick as it is”

“Wanna…go home….” choked out Luke, clearly shaken up.

“Okay….okay don’t worry… we’ll go now,” answered Bo, helping him up carefully.

Luke stood shakily, his legs feeling like jelly.  He took hold of Bo’s shirt, averting his eyes from the box.

“C’mon brother,” said Bo softly, helping Luke into the General, before speeding away.

A short while later they arrived at the farm.  Bo helped his older cousin out of the General, keeping an arm around him to steady him.  “Uncle Jesse, Luke needs some shine!” called out Bo as they came into the house.

“Shine? “ frowned Jesse setting down his newspaper as he stood up from the old chair in the living room and going to get the emergency medicinal shine he kept under the sink.  “What happened?”

Luke leaned on Bo as they walked inside, his hands trembling as he still clutched Bo’s shirt.

“I’ll tell ya in a minute Uncle Jesse; c’mon Luke we’ll get ya t’bed…” said Bo, leading Luke to their room sitting him on his bed gently and removing his boots.

A whimper escaped Luke’s throat, tears in his eyes.

“Its ok Luke…its ok…” said Bo softly raising a hand and running it over his cousin’s dark curls.  “Its ok… yer home…its ok.”

“Wh-where… is it?”

“I didn’t bring it home Luke, it’s gone…it’s ok…”

Luke brushed his eyes with the back of his hand, tears starting to roll down his cheeks.

“What in tarnation is going on?!” demanded Jesse as he brought in the cup of shine, handing it to Bo.

“Here…small sips Luke…” said Bo gently holding the cup to his cousin’s lips, supporting his head to help him drink while giving Jesse a look that plainly said ‘I cant say in front of Luke’.

Jesse swallowed, nodding, and left the room leaving Luke in Bo’s capable hands.

Bo continued to soothe his older cousin till he had finished the shine, laying him back against his pillows.  “Try and get some sleep brother…”

“D-don’t go,” whimpered Luke reaching out for Bo’s hand.

Bo nodded taking his and squeezing it.  “Okay….just close yer eyes and try and sleep.”

He was sort of surprised the way Luke was acting.  Luke had been to war, after all.  He knew he had seen far worse things, if by nothing else than by hearing the nightmares that still plagued him from time to time.  Why would seeing a sheep heart bother him so much?

Luke closed his eyes still holding onto Bo’s hand as the shine gently calmed him enough to sleep.  Bo waited a while longer at his side, just soothing him softly, before going back out to Jesse.  “Luke’s asleep.”

“What’s happened son?” asked the patriarch, putting down his newspaper.  He looked at him in utter disgust after Bo explained.  “Why on earth…?” He shook his head.  “I dont like it… not a bit.”

“No…s’got me thinkin though…”

Jesse looked at him.  “Bout what?”

“What if it is a guy doing it like I said?”

Jesse looked stern.  “Bo…”

“Oh come on Uncle Jesse…it’s Halloween…and which one jerk loves t’try and freak Luke out every year and make him look a doofus in front of all the girls?”

“Ernie Ledbetter?”

Bo nodded putting his hands on his hips.  “The one and only…think I’m gonna have some words with him…”

“Now Bo…we don’t know for sure…”

“Well I’ll find out pretty dang quick,” promised the younger Duke with a nod of the head.

“Bo…don’t do nothin’ you’ll regret.”

“Only one gonna be regrettin’ anything is Ernie if he’s done this t’Luke,” promised Bo.

Jesse sighed putting a hand on each of his shoulders.  “You talk t’ him…nothin’ else.”

“Not if he has done it I ain’t…”

“Bo…”

“You can’t expect me t’let him get away with it!” exclaimed Bo enraged.  “I won’t!”

“You don’t know it’s him…” began Jesse reasonably.

“Well if it is…”

“If it is you let the law deal with it…promise me.”

Bo sighed long and hard.  “I promise.”

With those parting words, the youngest Duke cousin made his way to the General Lee.  He slid in behind the steering wheel before saying with a grin, “I’ll let the law deal with it… Bo Duke law…an’ if he did do it, it’ll be the death penalty.”

He ignited the engine speeding off into the horizon.

****

 

“Lead-bottom, I wanna word with you,” said Bo marching angrily over to where a large surly man sat drinking from a mug of beer.

Standing up, Ledbetter looked Bo straight in the eye.  “What for?”

Bo put his hands on his hips, not backing away.  “Know anythin’ about a box, a sheep’s heart and the General?”

Ernie laughed.  “Um….I’ll say Mr. Mustard…in the library…with a candlestick… “

Bo clenched his jaw, in no mood to have his cage rattled.  “One, its Colonel Mustard, and two, if you have had anything t’do with it, yer in trouble.”

“I dunno what yer talkin’ about Duke!”

Bo shook his head in disgust.  “Uh huh… so where were ya like an hour ago?”

“Right here.”

“No ya weren’t cause we were here.”

“I was right here. Duke…though your arm seems t have made a quick recovery,” he observed with a smirk.

“You want me t’test its strength on yer face?”

“You do an you’ll be sorry,” promised Ernie looking as though he’d like to see him try it.

Bo snorted.  “When have ya ever made me sorry?”

“I’m about to,” said Ernie shoving his body up against Bo, pulling back his arm and punching hard to his nose.

Bo jerked, falling back against the post, near where Cooter was sitting, his nose rushing with blood.  “Cooter you saw that right?”

The mechanic nodded.  “Yup, buddyroe, I saw it.”

“Good now it’s self defense.”  With that he tackled Ernie to the floor with a punch to the side on the way down.

Grabbing Bo by the throat, Ernie did the only thing he could think of as they wrestled together on the dirty floor: choke him. Bo turned his head and bit his hand, before punching him across the face.

“I’ll kill you Duke!”

“Oh yeah just like you were gonna make me sorry huh?!

Ernie pushed Bo into a table as they continued to wrestle, knocking it over on them both, popcorn and beer spilling everywhere.

“What is your problem?!” demanded Ernie shoving Bo off him as he got up once more.

Bo held up his hands.  “You started it.”

“What dya want?!”

“I wanna know if you put a sheep’s heart in a box and left it on the front seat for Luke to find,” said Bo his eyes angry.

Ernie chuckled.  “No…but woulda been a great joke.”

Bo lunged at him again only to be caught by Ernie and thrown across the room.

The Duke shook his head a little to collect his wits before standing up again, never one to back down.  “Look…tell me the truth…”

“Truth bout what?” asked Ernie touching a hand to his bleeding lip.

“The heart…”

“I didn’t!”

“Alright…” began Bo, “but if I find out you did we’re gonna have round two.”

“Fine with me!”

With that, Bo stormed out of the Boar’s Nest, slamming the door as he left.  It angered him that Ernie hadn’t admitted to it.  And what angered him even more was the fact that Bo believed him when he said he didn’t do it.

Luke woke a few hours later to see Bo nursing a swollen lip and eye on the bed next to his, alternating the ice from one to another.

“W-what happened?” asked Luke softly.

Bo jumped with a groan.  “Yer awake?”

Luke nodded.

“I went  t’see if I could find who might be tryin ta spook ya…”

“Aw Bo…”

“Hey, Ernie looked a lot worse.”

“Ernie…it was ERNIE?!” exclaimed Luke, jumping to his feet his face a shade of red.

Bo grimaced a little as Luke yelled, his headache from the shuck and jive having gotten considerably worse after the fight with Ernie – Luke’s yell certainly did nothing to help that.
“Luke my head…” He groaned gently.

“He put that…that..” Luke’s tone quieted it was clear that the anger was still there and it much reflected how Bo had been feeling earlier, that if Ernie had done it there was nothing to it but to go and teach him a very physical and painful lesson. Shaking his head a little, he looked to Luke through the one eye that hadn’t swollen up to the size of a golf ball. Thankfully, Luke caught the shake of the head because Bo didn’t feel much like talking with his aching jaw either.

The negative response to his question had caught Luke off guard, having been sure now he thought about it that it would have been Ernie. Who else would want to play such a mean trick as this on him other than Lead-Bottom?

“He didn’t…are ya sure?”

“As far as I can tell cousin…” Bo replied softly back, seeing the almost disappointment in Luke’s eyes…not sure whether it was because he had hoped to find the person responsible for all this and lay it to rest…or because he didn’t have an excuse to go and punch the one very dim light in Ernie’s head out.

Sighing, Bo rested his head back against his headboard, holding the ice to his eye again with a small hiss of pain. This of course instantly diverted Luke’s thoughts and attention back to Bo’s state and with it came the protectiveness the elder Duke had always had for the younger. Crossing the room he sat on the edge of the bed and gently moved the ice, inspecting the injuries Jesse already had with a critical eye and a gentle, “You ok?”

With that, the usual conversation of Bo protesting he was fine and Luke continuing to ‘just make sure’ ensued until eventually Bo pushed Luke’s hand’s away gently with a shake of his head.

“Luke really I’m fine…seriously this was well worth it…even the switchin’ m’gonna be gettin’ fer not paying attention t’what Uncle Jesse said is gonna be worth it just to eliminate someone from this…”

“I still feel bad…” He admitted with a small shake of his head, vowing to get Ernie back at some other point for hurting his baby cousin…the feeling still nagged at him though…they still hadn’t found who had sent the letters…and it really was starting to nag at him. What he really wanted was some more shine, but he knew his Uncle would never let that happen and besides, he knew better than to rely on alcohol for that from experience.

With one final glance over Bo, he stood up and went to his dresser, intending to get changed and have a shower to see if he couldn’t make himself feel a bit better at least.

As soon as the drawer was open,  however, he froze.

“Bo…have you been in my drawer?”

Bo looked over with a frown. “No, why?”

Luke shook his head, looking at the crumple of clothes that had just that morning been in a Marine Corps neat pile. He always made sure his things were arranged properly, it was something he had never been able to drop from his time in the service…this was how he could tell someone had been rummaging through his drawer.

“Someone’s been through my things Bo…” he muttered, moving aside as Bo got out of bed, albeit slowly, to have a look as well.

“Is there anythin’ missin’?”

Those few words instantly seemed to trigger something in Luke, as he practically dived at the drawer and started throwing its contents out, all sense of neatness gone out the window. Bo bit his lip, knowing why…and he hoped that what had been in there wasn’t missing.

Slowly, Luke stood up, his hands shaking just a little that it took someone close to Luke like Bo to see that they were. His jaw was set as he just stared at the empty space in front of him and Bo could see in his eyes that he was fighting hard to keep any emotion back. After a moment, Luke just uttered quietly, “Its gone…my box is gone…”

****

 

Luke’s box…now Luke wasn’t an emotional guy by any means. Hugs were usually sought after from him not just given out by him and to him, crying was just not something he did. The Marines had drilled this stiff upper lip attitude into him long before and had never really been able to get out of it. But this box was something close to his heart…something he treasured which is why he hid it. Inside it contained mementos from the past, pictures, a ring of his mother’s, a jackknife once belonging to his father…. …and now that was gone. It was like someone had cut away pieces of his heart and taken them.

Bo watched as Luke sank onto the bed, quickly squatting down in front of him and putting his hands on Luke’s shoulders.

“Luke…listen it’ll be ok…”

Luke simply nodded his head in reply, his gaze staring at the opposite wall…it was clear though that he didn’t believe what Bo was saying and to an extent Bo didn’t know how to go about getting it back either when they didn’t know what enemy they were fighting. Still, he had to say something to give his older cousin hope, if the roles were reversed – which they usually were – Luke wouldn’t just sit by and let him get upset.

“We will Luke…I promise ya…”

Again, all Bo got was a nod of the head and Luke looking down at his lap…trying to hide tears Bo just knew were threatening to drip down the tan cheeks. Inside he was furious at whoever had taken something so special of Luke’s…it didn’t matter to him whether this was guy or girl now…point was they’d hurt Luke bad and they would pay whoever they were.

“Why would someone take it Bo…s’not worth anythin’ t no one but me?” Luke whispered gently, bearing just a little bit of his soul to his younger cousin who he knew would probably be understand better than anyone else how Luke felt.

“I…I don’t know Luke…I just don’t know…” Bo said softly back, even though he had a pretty good idea. It seemed as though this secret admirer Luke had gained was taking a more sinister turn towards stalker, and stalkers tended to take things. Moving to sit next to his older cousin on the bed, he initiated a brotherly, comforting hug, feeling Luke’s body trembling a little under his hands.  Luke didn’t need to say anything about what he was feeling; Bo understood without any words as he had a tendency to be able to do. Luke’s silence always spoke more than any words ever could anyway…you could tell a lot about him just by looking in his eyes, they were the giveaway, the key to Luke’s emotions but so far only Bo, sometimes Daisy and Jesse, had been able to decipher that key.

He looked up when his older cousin rose from the bed and the comfort that his arms offered, and headed out the room and out the farmhouse, watching out the window as the dark haired man went out to the barn…either to sit and think in the hayloft or to take a few shots at the punching bag. Sighing, Bo ran a hand through his blonde curls, trying to think what they could possibly do next.

“Bo…”

The soft voice caught Bo by surprise, jumping a little before turning and looking to the doorway where Daisy was standing with more ice wrapped in a towel for him. Sighing gently he got up and took it from her with a small smile.

“Thanks darlin’…”

Daisy nodded a little, watching as Bo held it to his eye again before asking quietly.

“Is Luke alright…I said hey to him as he went outside but he didn’t answer …me…”

Frowning, her sentence trailed off quietly as Bo shook his head and sat back down on his own bed gingerly, his body aching from the scuffle. Biting her lip, she headed over to him too, noticing the room was a mess with all Luke’s clothes thrown about haphazardly everywhere.

“What’s happened? This ain’t like him t’make a mess of his clothes…”

“Someone’s been in our room…through Luke’s stuff and taken his box..”

Bo nodded softly as Daisy gasped audibly, as though it was the end of the world. Everyone in the family knew the importance of Luke’s box to him.

“His box?! Why would someone take that?!”

He was starting to think he knew exactly why, and the more he thought about it the more angry he got. He clenched his jaw to keep from saying anything, not wanting to upset or scare Daisy, but had to unclench quickly as it flared with pain…something Daisy noticed instantly.

“Ernie got ya good huh?”

“He got a couple of lucky shots…with any luck I managed t’break his nose…only place he made me bleed was my lip…”

Daisy nodded a little with a small smile, the rivalry between Luke and Ernie was something that was well known throughout Hazzard…but when Bo was mad enough he could get in on that pretty good. Might not always come out so well off, but he certainly tried. Her mood quickly sobered though as she suddenly remembered what she had wanted to tell the boys.

“You know…this is getting really weird. Luke’s box is gone…and after you and Luke left earlier I went to take your glasses back to the bar…and one of them was missing.”

At that, Bo quickly looked to her from where he had been staring thoughtfully at the floor.

“Missing…what do you mean missing?”

“As in not there…I think from where you two were sitting, it’s Luke’s that was missing…and when I came home I noticed that some of the laundry hung out t’dry was missing too…”

Bo sighed shakily, looking to her worriedly. There was no holding this back now; they needed all the help they could get and fast. Things seemed to be turning more and more sinister and Bo didn’t like where it seemed to be going.

“Daisy I’m getting’ the feelin’ more an’ more this ain’t some high school kid…this is turning more and more into stalker behavior…”

Biting her lip, Daisy nodded in agreement, starting to get a little freaked out as Bo obviously was though Bo was doing a pretty good job of hiding it.

“What’re we gonna do…?” he whispered softly.

“I dunno… I never…had anyone obsess over me…well…there was Jim Jacobs…but you an Luke took care of him…” Daisy mused gently, trying to get a smile out the blonde with no success. Bo just continued to mess up his curls with his hand as he ran it through them worriedly.

“Well we gotta do somethin’….even Luke’s gettin’ freaked out by this and he hardly gets freaked by anythin’…and with all this, he’s not gonna be thinking straight either.”

Daisy didn’t say anything as Bo had his ramble. While Luke was a very quiet thinker, preferring to devise a plan in his head than talk it out with people, Bo tended to think through his thoughts verbally as if waiting for someone besides him to confirm it was the right track to be on….and usually that one was Luke.

“I need to find it and the person doin’ this t’him…and fast..”

“Bo..it could be anyone…”

“Not just anyone…what did Becky do while we were in the bathroom?

“Just sat…waited…Well…she did go outside for a few minutes…left her bag in her car..”

“Which is when she could have put the heart there..”

Daisy sighed with a shake of her head, rolling her eyes a little. “Oh Bo not again, why are you thinkin’ its Becky?”

“Like you said Daisy it could be anyone…and don’t ya think it’s a bit strange how she just came up so brazen an’ everythin’?”

“Not really…lots of girls are that way with you two…though bein’ new in town…I guess it is a bit strange…”

“Exactly…somethin’ about her just…don’t seem right…”

Daisy swallowed gently, seeing the wheels in Bo’s head turning quickly as he started jumping to conclusions as he usually did though this time Daisy wasn’t about to stop him. She was prepared to let Bo just jump…they needed to find this person and quickly and so eliminating all possible people until they found the right person seemed like the most reasonable course of action. Shaking her head softly, she carefully hugged into Bo.

“Why would she hurt him like this Bo?”

Bo shook his head with a small shrug, wrapping his arms back around her and holding her as close as his bruises would allow.

“Maybe she doesn’t think she’s hurting him…”

“This is scarin’ me…*softly* What’ll she do next?”

Bo gave a small humorless chuckle, shaking his head.

“I guess anythin’ is possible with her…” He commented gently, his sentence trailing off, leaving a chilling possibility in the air between them.

****

Days later, Luke still wasn’t back to normal. He was quieter than usual and Bo knew he wasn’t sleeping right either. Not only could you tell from the dark circles under his eyes but as they lay in their beds at night, Bo could hear him tossing and turning. He knew Luke didn’t feel safe in their room anymore, he didn’t feel safe anywhere and seemed to be on as strict an alert as if he was back in the jungles of Nam. The smallest things made him jump and scan the area he was in worriedly.

Doing chores, Bo could see just how bad this had gotten. Luke’s muscles were constantly tense and he looked as though something was gonna jump on him at any minute…so it didn’t help when Daisy suddenly shrieked from inside the house.

“Bo! Bo come here quick!”

Bo glanced to Luke out the corner of his eye, seeing him standing tall and looking around worriedly. Biting his lip Bo quickly put his tools down and hurried inside to the bathroom where Daisy’s cry had come from. He soon stopped dead though as he saw what Daisy had been so startled by, swallowing hard and shaking his head.

“Just wipe it away Daisy, Luke don’t need t’see that…”

“I don’t need to see what…”

Daisy stopped in her tracks as she near ran into Luke who was standing in the doorway, his jaw clenched as though preparing to step into the abyss. Bo swallowed gently, moving aside as he made his way in, watching as all color seemed to drain from his cousin’s face seeing the message on the mirror…written in deep red lipstick.

I love you Luke.
Soon we will be together…
Forever.

“Luke…” Bo tried softly as Luke did nothing but stare pale faced. He got no response and neither did Daisy when she tried softly either.

Shaking his head, Bo put a hand on Luke’s shoulder, squeezing it supportively but seemingly still not able to get his attention.

“Luke I ain’t gonna let her do anythin t’you ok?”

Finally that got a response, even if it was just a slight nod of the head, his gaze still transfixed on the cryptic message. Eventually, Bo stood in front of the mirror and started moving out the room, whispering a quick order to Daisy to get rid of the message as quick as she could, something she complied with readily.

“C’mon Luke lets get back t’those chores ok?”

Again Luke nodded, seeming now to be in an almost zombie like state as they both headed slowly outside, doing the chores as if he were a robot. His eyes were now empty, not a single word uttering from his lips. It was as though all he could see in front of his face was the message on the mirror.

Bo sighed heavily, turning to get back to work only to have Luke look to him quickly in panic and whisper desperately.

“Did you hear somethin’?”

“It was me Luke…I was sighing…”

“No…no…”

“Yeah it was…”

Slowly, Luke got back to work and so did Bo, but for ten minutes all Luke seemed to do was jump and comment on every little noise until it got to the point that Bo had to stop him working.

 

“Luke please…calm down, it’s ok…she’s not going to do anything while we’re all around…”

Luke of course wasn’t really listening, trying to hear his surroundings…the situation reminded him so much of Nam, and everything he had ever learned about jungle combat was running through his mind and his reflexes. The only problem was they were working overtime, compensating for the fact that not only did he not know where the enemy was…he didn’t know who it was either.

Eventually, Bo had to lead him inside…or rather try to. Luke started pulling back against him, shaking his head and trying to get back to his work.

“No…not inside..she’s there…”

“She’s not inside the house Luke…” Bo coaxed gently.

“She is…she’s everywhere…” he whispered back desperately.

“Luke c’mon stop it…come inside and lay down on the couch…we can all see you there…”

After a couple more minutes of gentle persuasion, Bo finally managed to get Luke inside and at least sitting down on the couch. He refused to lie down though, stating that he wouldn’t be able to see her coming if he was lying down, if he fell asleep. He needed to see the enemy approach to do anything, always needed his guard up. Sighing, Bo relented, laying a blanket that Jesse handed him over Luke softly as he noticed him shivering a little even though he wasn’t cold.

Moving away, but standing where Luke could see him, he spoke lowly to Daisy and Jesse.

“I’m gonna go into town and get Doc…more than anythin’ he needs t’sleep and he’s not gonna get that if he’s worrying and if he don’t, he’s only gonna get worse.”

“That’s a good idea son, while your down there why not try and see if you can find anything out. Hazzard’s a gossip town, if they seen anything unusual you can bet it’ll be spreadin’ around…”

“I’ll do that Uncle Jesse…” Bo said as he headed out the room, stopping as he heard a quick call of his name from Luke.

“Bo…where ya going…”

“I’s goin’ inta town for a little bit Luke…I need t’get some things..”

“You can’t go…what if…if she gets hold of you?” Luke said, hesitating in the middle. He didn’t want his cousin to think he was as weak as he knew he was acting, pretending to be concerned for Bo’s safety – which to a degree wasn’t a lie – but more concerned for his own. He couldn’t fight an unseen enemy on his own, he needed Bo’s help if she turned up. Daisy and Jesse wouldn’t be any match.

“I’ll be fine Luke…and you will be too…” Bo said gently, reading between the lines as he always could behind what Luke was saying. “I’ll be back before you know it cousin, Uncle Jesse’ll look after you.”

Swallowing, Luke nodded and looked away. He knew he was being clingy, weak…and he despised himself for it. But in all truth he was more scared than he ever had been before, he felt out of control and that scared him more than anything. He had to know what was going on, where and when. If he didn’t, then there was nothing he could do and he hated that.

A knock at the door soon broke the silence that fell, all of them looking to it as though it might jump out of its frame and bite them. They were all on edge from what was happening…it was Bo though that moved forward and opened it, blinking a little as the very man he was going to get was standing on their doorstep.

“D..Doc?”

“Bo…Daisy called…said Luke was looking a bit flushed…might have a fever?”

Bo looked to Daisy, practically pleading her with his eyes to have made that call…his heart sinking quickly when she shook her head.

“No…I didn’t call nobody…”

The Doc frowned as he moved past Bo and headed into the lounge where he could see Luke sitting wrapped in a blanket, trembling and pale faced.

“ Well I thought it was Daisy, it was definitely a female voice on the phone… said Luke was looking a bit flushed and could I come over right away in case it was serious…said be sure not to give him anything with the anesthetic he is allergic to…”

Bo watched transfixed as the Doc sat beside Luke on the couch, who seemed to be staring into space again and, with Jesse, attempted to get Luke to react. He stumbled though as Daisy pulled on his arm and dragged him out to the kitchen, out of earshot from Luke.

“Bo…how would she know his medical history like that?!”

“I don’t know, but it’s bout time I started figuring who did this…I’m gonna need yer help Daisy…”

“My help?”

“Yeah, go get those letters we saved would ya?”

Daisy nodded and quickly hurried into her room where she’d hidden the letters and notes away from Luke, while Bo sat down at the kitchen with sigh, listening to the gentle chatter going on in the lounge between the three men there. He couldn’t make out what was being said, but he knew Luke’s voice, and he knew that him speaking again was a good sign. Looking up, he shook his head as Daisy returned and tried to hand him the letters.

“No, those are for you…” He said, taking up a piece of paper and a pen. “Smell em an’ see if you can tell me what perfume it is…”

Despite everything, Daisy couldn’t help but giggle a little at the order, sitting down opposite him at the table. “And if I guess it right what prize d’I win?”

“Daisy…”

“Sorry…” Sighing, she gently smelt the paper, frowning a little. “I’m not sure…it definitely ain’t like anythin’ they sell in Hazzard…”

“Try an’ think Daisy…its important…and if anyone knows this you do….”

“Oh sure, cause perfume sniffing is my favorite hobby…actually!” softly sniffing it again, she nodded with a grin. “I do know this, it’s called Imagine, it’s from Atlanta which is why I didn’t recognize it straight away!

“That’s great…you think you can tell what kind of lipstick it was on the mirror?”

“No…though going by color…I’d say she must be pretty tan to get away with that dark of shade…or have a darer complexion…kinda like Luke’s.”

Bo nodded, making small notes on the piece of paper. “Try an figure what shade that is would ya…now the thing with the heart shows she ain’t squeamish either…and obviously she has a crush on Luke…we just need one more piece of the puzzle that’ll help us really identify her….”

“What would that be?”

“I don’t know Daisy…but it’s gotta come soon…I don’t know how much longer Luke’ll be able to stand this…but the first place  I’m gonna go is to the post office an’ talk with Miz Tizdale…that first letter that came, came with the mail but it didn’t have an address…so someone must have given it to Miz Tizdale to deliver to us.”

Daisy smiled, noticing how much Bo was starting to sound like Luke…Bo wasn’t as stupid as everyone believed. Sure he had his blonde moments, but then again Luke could come out with them sometimes as well. “Sounds good Bo…sorta sounds like a plan…”

“Yeah it sorta does don’t it…” Bo said with a grin at last. “We might just get this sorted out yet…”

A short while later, Doc Appleby emerged from the living room, putting his stethoscope into the little black bag he always carried.  “Well…he’s extremely run down…looks t’ me like he ain’t slept in a while…”

“No…he ain’t…”

Doc nodded handing Bo a bottle.  “I gave him a couple already.  He’s groggy but can probably make it to bed…keep an eye on him though…his heart was racing when I checked it…his blood pressure high….”

Bo nodded, not at all surprised as he showed Doc to the door thanking him, before returning to Luke.  “C’mon cousin…bed…”

“Don’ wan’ no bread…”

Bo couldn’t help but chuckle.  “No… bed.” 

“Not…tir…” began Luke before becoming overtaken with a yawn.

Bo shook his head with a small smile helping his cousin to lie down on his bed and pulling down the blind, tucking him in gently.  “Get some sleep.”

Bo watched him for a moment, before quietly leaving the room, not knowing that, just outside hidden away in the bushes, a girl crouched, outraged by the way the family was keeping Luke out of sight.

With a parting command to Daisy to keep an eye on Luke, Bo headed outside, climbing into the General and heading for the post office, daring to hope Ms. Tizdale would be able to help.

Lost in thought as he travelled slowly home, mulling over everything he had…or hadn’t learnt on his attempt to discover some truth behind what was going on, Bo jumped a mile as the CB crackled to life with Daisy’s voice an hour or so later.

“Lost…lost sheep you out there?”

Bo shook his head a little and picked it up, driving with one hand.  “Lost Sheep 2 here…I aint had no luck with Miz Tizdale…”

“Bo..”

“She suggested I try Emery Potter as well, which I did, but all Emery could tell me that a girl did come in and give him a letter but all he could remember was she had nice hands…I swear that man…

“BO!”

“What…”

“Romeo just got another note from Juliet, cousin…”

For a moment, there was nothing but silence from Bo’s end…but when he did finally answer, he sounded furious.

“How the hell…you’re supposed to be watching him!” he exclaimed banging the dashboard with the CB in frustration.

“I was! She slipped it under the door!”

“Did you see who it was? What she looked like? Anything?!”

Daisy shook her head.  No…how could I?  I was with Luke…by the time I found it under the door she’d gone…”

Bo sighed hard, finally turning down the dusty road home.  “What’s it say?”

“Hang on,” said Daisy setting down the CB and opening the envelope carefully pulling out the paper inside.  “It…it’s a poem…”

“A poem?”

“Yeah…

The rose I sent is red…
Your eyes are crystal blue…
Your hair is dark as ebony….
My love for you is true…

 

…this is freakin’ me out Bo…” she added softly.

“I know…me too…” said Bo softly.  “Me too.”

****

Later that night, crickets were chirping outside Bo and Luke’s bedroom window when Luke trembled softly in his sleep, the drugs the Doc had knocked him out with wearing off, instantly feeling as if someone’s eyes were watching him.

He jumped a little as a soft voice soothed him gently, tracing a finger down his strong jaw-line.  “Shhh Luke…its ok…shhh…”

Luke quieted but, not recognizing the voice, began to blink and open his eyes.

The voice somehow gained a hand and ran it through his dark curls, as soft as his auntie once did but he knew it wasn’t her. There was something chilling about the touch, about the way this person was whispering…it felt strange…

“No…no…no baby….don’t wake up…its ok…just sleep…rest…”

Luke however was not one to take orders from strangers and blinked his eyes against the darkness, unable to see anything at first.  Slowly turning his head, a shadow came into view, sitting on the bed with him, causing Luke to whimper and attempt to sit up…only to find a hand quickly laid over his mouth and forcing him back down to the bed again.

“Luke…it’s ok…”

Luke shook his head a little, not understanding why he wasn’t able to fight the hands keeping him down. He guessed the drug hadn’t completely worn off him yet, a few more minutes would probably remedy that. Meantime, he quickly tried to wake up Bo.

“Mmm…mmm…”

“You shhh…or i’ll hurt him…,” said the voice without hesitation, almost in a soft, sing song voice…as if she was singing some twisted nursery rhyme more than actually threatening to hurt someone. It sure got Luke’s attention though, as he silenced and stopped moving quickly. The girl moved her hand with a smile, returning her hand to touching his dark curls again.

“There….that’s better.  Why you so frightened?  I’m not gonna hurt you…”

“Wh-who…”

“It’s me…” The shadow girl whispered softly, stroking a finger down his cheek again, tracing his clenched jaw line.

“But who are you?!” he demanded in a whisper.

“You don’t need to know that yet….it’s not important.”

Luke trembled, trying to scoot as far from the voice as he could get as more of the feeling in his body returned. The shadow shook its dark finger at him slowly though, emphasizing every haunting word it spoke.

“Ah ah ah…I’ll hurt him…I will…”

Trapped…that was how he felt as he stopped moving once again, feeling how he had felt in Nam when the enemy had surrounded him and his friends, forcing them down into the mud on their fronts and stripping them of their weapons…tying them so they could not escape…trapped.  He shuddered as the cool finger ran down the side of his face and down his bare chest, his well-defined muscles tensing under the touch.

“There now…just relax…I love you…I’ll take care of you.”

Luke Duke knew a lot of things, but fear had never truly been one of them. Scared, frightened, sometimes terrified…but fearful…pure fear…no…Now though, he could feel his throat tightening, his muscles twitching ever so slightly, his breathing becoming shallower with each word she spoke.

“You’re so handsome…so muscular…brave, “she continued, running a finger over his soft lips.  “We’ll be together soon.”  Leaning down, she brushed a tender, soft but cold kiss across his lips, running a hand though his hair, still enveloped by darkness.  “Kiss me.”

Afraid of what might happen to Bo if he didn’t, Luke complied, though tears he refused to let fall threatened his eyes.

She kissed him happily back, knowing the time was coming closer to when she could finally take him with her.  “Good boy…eventually…when you see me…you won’t need any encouragement… you’ll notice me like you should have done before…”

Luke swallowed hard, his stomach churning, feeling raw…violated.

“Its ok…I know a lot of other girls get in the way…you wouldn’t…notice meek lil ol’ me…but you do now…you will…and we’ll have fun…” she promised.

“F-fun?” asked Luke in a whisper, not at all sure he liked the sound of the word and wishing with all his heart that Bo could this one night be a light sleeper.

The shadow nodded.  “Mmmhmmm…like you do with the other girls…the way you look at them…treat them…”

“You w-watch me…” said Luke in a broken whisper.

“I can’t help it…I love you…all I ever wanted was you, but you never even gave me a second glance.  Even in high school…I did everything to get to you to notice me….”

“H-high school… we was… in school t’gether?”

“Yup.”

“Pl-please…just s-stop…please…” asked Luke softly.

“It’ll stop…very soon…we’ll meet each other properly…then you’ll see,” she began, running her hands over his muscles sending shivers up his spine…in anything but a good way.  “I know I scared you…and I’m sorry…you just make me do crazy things…make me think maybe we could be together…forever.”

Luke shook his head trying to call Bo in his mind, though he knew it would do no good, the way she was talking scaring him more than ever.

“Anyway…it doesn’t matter now.  I’ll give you something to help you go back to sleep so in the morning you’ll only remember a little of this at best…” she said softly.

“No…no…”

“It’s perfectly safe….it’s the same thing I gave Bo…”

Luke swallowed hard staring at her.  “You…you…”

“It’ll only last till the morning, just breathe deep.”  With that she held a cloth over Luke’s nose and mouth, him struggling a little before going limp beneath her hand.

****

The next morning, Bo was sitting in the living room, tapping his foot in time with the pen that was tapping the notepad in front of him.  He was still trying to work out who this stalker was, looking up as Luke stepped into the room in a trance-like state as if recalling a dream he wanted to forget.

“Luke?”

Luke walked around the farmhouse in response, pulling down shades at all the windows.

Frowning Bo stood up.  Something was very wrong.  “Luke what’s going on?”

“She was here…”

Bo sighed.  “We’ve established that Luke…” he said, shaking his head, grabbing hold of his cousin.  “Luke stop…”

The older cousin flinched as Bo touched him, causing the blond to frown worriedly.

“Luke…”

“Sh-she was here…last night.”

“What?!”  Bo scrambled to their room, in the hopes he might find a clue as Luke continued shutting doors.

An earring laid on the floor near the bed…an earring that looked vaguely familiar, though Bo couldn’t place it.  All he knew was that it couldn’t belong to Daisy- she couldn’t afford one like that even if she saved her tips all year long.

Luke meanwhile had wandered back into the bedroom looking a bit pale.

“Luke…” he began hating the fearful look in his cousin’s eyes.  “When you think about it…its just a girl…and I know its weird she keeps leaving ya stuff and somehow getting in the house… I’d be weirded out too but…”

“She kissed me,” interrupted Luke softly.

“What?”

“She kissed me,” he repeated with a shudder.

“When?!” demanded the blond angrily clutching the earring in his hand.

“L-last night.”

“Luke you sure you weren’t dreamin’?”

The older cousin nodded.  “I’m sure.”

Bo sighed, shaking his head.  “This is ridiculous.”

Luke wasn’t sure if ridiculous was the word he would use… terrifying was more like it.

****

 

“Please come…it’ll do ya good t’ get outa the house,” pleaded Bo giving his cousin his best puppy dog eyes.

“I don’t wanna.”

“Luke, come on…Amanda’s friend is countin’ on ya showin’ her around…please Luke…”

The older boy sighed which Bo took as a good sign that he was at least considering it.  It was time to sell the product.  “Amanda says she’s real pretty.  Big blue eyes….dark hair…”

“Bo…”

“Long legs…”

“Bo please…”

“Come on…got yer costume all ready for ya!” he added holding up a red devil’s tail and set of horns with a grin.

Luke couldn’t help but laugh a little.  “If I’m a devil what are you gonna be?”

Bo dimpled innocently up at him.  “An angel…what else?”

Luke shook his head, cuffing Bo playfully.  He could say this about Bo…. the youngest Duke always had a way of making him smile.  “Alright…I’ll go…for a bit…but if I ain’t havin’ a good time, I’m goin’ home…”

“Deal!” grinned Bo.  “C’mon…I don’t gotta make myself pretty but you could use some work…”

“Oh ha ha ha…what a funny guy,” muttered Luke with a smirk as the two walked back to their room to get changed for the evening.

Hours later, the boys could be found heading into the Boar’s Nest wearing their retrospective costumes. Bo was dressed as the Grim Reaper while Luke was, as Bo had showed him, the devil. In fact, Luke thought with a small smirk, Bo must be really taking the role he was playing seriously…seeing as right now he was, Luke was sure, trying to talk Luke to death about the date he had found.

“Now Amanda said she’d have a cat mask on,” Bo chattered away, not realizing that Luke wasn’t really listening to everything, thinking to himself he’d have her purring before the night was over.  And her friend’s gonna be the butterfly…”

Luke nodded, only half hearing him.  It had been a while since he’d been out anywhere and he found himself immidiatly scanning the crowded place anxiously.

“Hey…look,” said Bo pointing as they immediately got waved at when they were barely two steps into the place.

“Hey Bo…Hey Luke…,” called Amanda going to them.  “Luke this is Laura….”

Luke gave a small, almost shy nod.  “Nice t’ meet ya.”

Bo grinned, wrapping his arm around Amanda’s waist and pulling her close, looking down at her with a grin.  “Dance?”

“You bet.” Amanda replied with a giggle.

Together, they went out to the barn floor, two-stepping with the other couples while Luke and Laura stayed behind. For hours Bo could be seen dancing and having a good time…Luke meanwhile had stayed firmly at the bar, not being able to tear himself away from the vantage point he had on being able to scan the room.  He just wasn’t in the party mood as he had tried to tell his head strong younger cousin, and instead of having a good time like he usually would he was bored and tense. Laura had left him long ago, gone to seek out some other form of amusement or a better date he assumed…so was surprised when she headed back over and signaled outside, no one really being able to speak to each other with all the noise.

Although he was tense and wary of just about everything, Luke felt the need to get out of the noise and the claustrophobic atmosphere that had settled in the popular hang out spot and found himself nodding in agreement as he slid off his bar stool and quietly made his way outside with her. Somehow, he noticed, their hands had joined together but he didn’t think much of it as they both slowly and consensually headed away from the Boar’s Nest.

The stars were out that night and so was the full moon, casting its eerie glow over them. However it was still dark, so dark in fact that Luke never noticed that the woman he was with…was missing a rather expensive earring…

To be continued….