by: MacSas

Dear Red,

It’s been three months since you left Hazzard. Three months since you left me. Well, three months since I told you to leave. I know I didn’t say the words out loud, but I sure didn’t leave much room for imagination, did I? You didn’t have to leave. I know that sounds pathetic since I gave you no reason to stay, but I kind of feel like you gave up too quick. You promised me forever, was that just a dream? Or have we reached forever already?

Daisy sighed as she re read the letter. This was the fourth time she had tried to write to Martin. She missed him desperately, yet couldn’t pluck up the courage to call him. She had thought that writing things down would help. But, no matter how she worded it, she came out sounding whiny and spoilt. Like someone had taken her prized toy away. She sighed again. Maybe that’s what she was, whiny and pathetic. Why miss the man when you didn’t want what he wanted? Or did she…

“Hey”

Daisy turned at the soft sound of Luke’s voice. He stood just inside her door, arms folded, his stance casual. She smiled at him as he walked further into the room.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Luke said, sitting on the side of her bed. He pretended not to notice as she discreetly turned over the paper she had been writing on. He knew she was writing to Martin, or trying to, again.

“What do you mean?” she asked, fiddling with the pen on her desk.

“You know” Luke said, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his thighs. “You’ve been like a bear with a sore paw ever since Martin left. Bo and I can’t say a word in case you jump, and Jesse is getting more and more agitated because he doesn’t know the whole story”

Daisy shrugged. True enough, she had been snappy at the boys, and had managed to shut Jesse out a lot since he had returned to the farm.

“Life goes on,” she said carelessly.

“Right” Luke sighed. “I’m free, Jesse’s home, Bo’s dating the waitress he thought hated him, Boss and Roscoe are issuing tickets whenever they see us, and your just a happy bunny. Sorry, honey, but we’ve had enough. Three months is too long to be walking on egg shells.”

“I’m trying Luke,” she whispered, tears overflowing silently.

Luke knelt beside her desk chair and put his arm around her waist. “But you don’t have to” he said. “Just call him. Tell him you had a moment of insanity, but now you’re over it”

“He won’t listen,” she said, putting up a hand to stop any further comment. “I wouldn’t even know what to say to him Luke”

Luke rose to his feet, pulled a tissue from the box that sat on her desk and handing it to her said, “Just tell him what’s in your heart”

She dabbed her eyes as he left the room. If only it were that easy. What she wanted to say and what came out of her mouth were very different things. If only there were a way Martin could just read her mind.

She suddenly straightened in her chair. What would she write if she were a friend talking on her behalf?

Picking up her pen she added to what was already on the paper.

I don’t know how to tell you in my own words, so I hope these will do:

If you see me trembling because you’re near, please come closer, it’s not you I fear; If you hear me crying in my sleep, kiss me gently, hold me while I weep. Because you’re near me, I’m so much braver, no longer lost with you with me. So, if you feel me pushing you away, that’s me simply begging you to stay. Find me, Never let me go; Find me, Love me, because I love you so. I’ve grown cold, won’t you hold me?

Reading it again, Daisy decided it was best not to send it. After all, it was just a sappy love song she had heard somewhere long ago. This was never going to work. Better to take the loss and heal the heart. She got up from her small desk and grabbed her jacket. Maybe a walk would clear her head.

*   *   *   *

It was later in the day that Boss and Roscoe were at the Boars Nest doing a stock take. As Roscoe placed the last beer glass back on the shelving behind the bar, he asked Boss about the bail money for Luke. “What made you do it?”

“Does it matter” Boss huffed, lighting another cigar. “I did what I thought was right”

Roscoe chuckled. “Your only saying that because you got your money back. See, it would be a different story if the judge had ruled in Lex’s favour and the court had kept your money. You’d be demanding it back from Luke”

“And with interest” Boss mumbled. “I knew Luke was innocent. What judge could put a man away for protecting his kin?”

“True” Roscoe noted, as the pay phone shrilled.

“Boars Nest” Boss barked, annoyed at being disturbed during the counting of whiskey tumblers. How often were they used in a place like this anyway? “No, I haven’t seen Clark, Bo. And if I do, I won’t be putting my day on hold to tell you either. Bye”

“That’s right neighbourly of you” Roscoe sighed.

“Just because I can’t stand outside crooks doesn’t mean that I will be breaking bread with the Dukes”

Roscoe smiled. Clark had decided to stay on in Hazzard for a break after the case had been tied up. Privately, Roscoe thought it was more to do with the city cop not being happy that the Feds had declared Lex’s death closed. No evidence had been found, no leads, no witnesses. Yet someone had gone to the cell and shot Lex. Truth be known, it simply wasn’t a high priority. If something came up, then the case would be looked at again. But until then, things were getting back to normal. From the corner of his eye, Roscoe noticed that Boss stubbed his finger into the coin retriever of the pay phone.

“Why’d you just do that?” he asked, somewhat amused at seeing Boss check for change, despite knowing him for so many years.

“Do what?” Boss asked, as he opened another box of unused whiskey tumblers.

“Check the phone for change”

“Everyone does it” Boss closed the lid of the box. Looking up at Roscoe, he frowned. “What’s the big deal? First the questions about the bail money, then this?”

“I just find it interesting that you check for change”

Boss sighed loudly. “Not everything a person does has some hidden meaning” He gave Roscoe a knowing look. “Sometimes a jackass is just a jackass”

Roscoe shook his head. Some things in Hazzard would never change.

*   *   *   *

“Daisy, Jesse’s about to dish up,” Bo hollered as he walked to his cousin’s room. Finding it empty, he was about to walk away when he noticed the letter on her desk. He walked over and unashamedly read it. It might help him and Luke figure out how to handle their prickly cousin. After reading it, he realised what it was. The big black biro line through it also gave him a good idea that Daisy wasn’t going to send it. He stood in thought for a moment.

“Bo” Jesse called from the kitchen. “Grub’s getting cold”

“Be right there Uncle Jesse” Bo folded the letter and put it in an envelope he found on the desk. He would later swear that the devil made him do it, folding the envelope and hiding it in his pocket. After dinner he made a flimsy excuse to go into town, where he bought an over night stamp from Miss Tizdale and sent the letter off. As he drove back to the farm, he hoped Daisy would understand. Or at least, that Martin would come back before Daisy killed him!

*   *   *   *

Three days later, there was a knock at the door of the Duke farm.

When Bo opened it, he was amazed to see Martin standing there. “Hi” the Mountie said simply.

“Hi yourself” Bo laughed. He turned towards the lounge. “Daisy! Someone here to see you” He then turned back to Martin. “Good luck” he whispered.

Martin turned away from the door and walked to the edge of the porch. He looked out over the vast landscape. There was a real feel to this land, a feel that told you that you were home, even if you’d come from somewhere else. He stuck his thumbs in the corners of his pockets as he eyed the area. Tapping his fingers against his thigh in restless movements, he walked from one end of the porch to the other. Finally, Daisy approached. He could hear her footfalls, smell her light perfume. He turned in time to see the welcoming smile on her face dissolve in to stunned surprise.

“Daisy” he said softly, in greeting.

“Marty” she returned. “What are you doing here?”

He frowned. After reading her letter he had assumed that things were different. He didn’t expect her to fall into his arms, but he had expected a little warmer greeting. “You asked me to come,” he said.

Now it was her turn to frown. “Okay” She walked over to where he stood. “Why did I ask you to come here?”

Unbelievable, he thought. “Nothings changed has it?” he asked. “I thought we would talk and maybe spend some time together, see how things went now that there’s no outside influence in our way” When Daisy remained silent, Martin shook his head. “Okay, I’m leaving…again” He walked to the edge of the porch, then stopped. “Do me a favour,” he said softly, the hurt evident in his brown eyes. “Don’t write me anymore letters. I don’t want your empty words”

As he walked down the path Daisy shook her head. “What the … Where is he going?”

She turned to see Bo standing in the doorway, bathed in the soft light from the kitchen. “Back to Calgary, I guess”

“What are you doing?” Bo exploded at her. “Are you crazy?” His movements became agitated as he paced in front of her. “I didn’t go to all this trouble to get him out here, just so you could kick him in the guts again!”

“Wait” Daisy held her hand up. “What trouble did you go to?”

Bo stopped suddenly. He turned to Daisy with a boyish grin, hoping the killing would be quick. “Well, I kind of found this letter, and it seemed like something that Marty should read …” Bo flinched as Daisy huffed, stamped her foot and turned away from him. “Come on Daisy, I did it for you”

“I can’t believe you did this, you, you …” she pursed her lips, looking for the right word, “ JACKASS!”

Bo looked affronted. “Now hang on a minute. There’s no need to get personal here”

Daisy laughed out loud. “Right. Like you didn’t get personal when you blamed me for Luke shooting Lex”

“HEY!” Bo yelled, furious now. “I thought you said we were okay with that, we got past it. You can’t just drag it up again”

“Oh yes I can. Call it women’s prerogative”

As the two started yelling at each other in earnest, Luke appeared on the porch. He let them vent for a few minutes before putting two fingers in his mouth and releasing an ear-piercing whistle that brought prompt silence to the porch. Both Daisy and Bo turned to face him.

*   *   *   *

“Hey Marty” Daisy greeted the Mountie with a smile, as he approached her in the hotel foyer later that day.

He didn’t respond in kind. “When they told me there was someone here to see me, I thought it would be Clark. You’re the last person I expected to see again”

Daisy hid the wince. “I deserve that,” she said softly. “But I really need to talk to you”

He scoffed. “Why don’t you just write me another letter then?”

Seeing Martin was about to turn and walk back towards the elevators, she desperately grabbed his arm. The touch ignited her senses, making her shiver slightly. He looked pointedly at her hand on his forearm. “Please, Marty. I just want to talk”

He looked into her eyes and, seeing the genuine request there, he nodded. “Come up to my room”

She walked with him to the elevator, her heart in her mouth. She had gotten him to agree to talk, but would it be too little too late?

Things had definitely changed in the short time that she had come back to Hazzard. Lex had died under circumstances that still troubled Clark, yet the FBI wasn’t rushing to investigate too deeply. The death of a drug dealer who had tried to kill a prominent CSI just didn’t register too high on anyone’s to-do list. Luke had been acquitted of charges the following day; Martin had been right in presuming Lex’s lawyers would be more interested in his killer than his attacker. Jesse had arrived home just a week after the excitement of Luke’s release. He had been told story after story about the events leading up to Luke’s arrest, all by old timers who swore they knew their version of events ‘for a fact.’ Luke and his cousins had decided to tell Jesse the truth, just not the entire messy story. Daisy was more than happy with that. The less people knew about what a fool she had been the better. Of course, the entire population of Hazzard seemed to know exactly what had happened, and they had their thoughts about why it had happened. Gossip had never worried her before, but this gossip hit the heart.

When she reflected on the trouble between her and Martin, she realised that it was surprising the amount of hurt a person could cause by trying to do what they thought was right. Now she had, what was possibly her last chance, to make it truly right. She discreetly looked at Martin as they rode the elevator to his floor; greedily taking in the way his black hair curled just slightly over the collar of his denim shirt. Her gaze roamed over the width of his shoulders. She knew his chest was solid, that well-worked muscles defined his biceps, and that his stomach was washboard flat. She took in the perfect fit of his blue jeans, topped off with a belt that was the same off brown colour as his boots. His long legs ensured him the height advantage over her, by at least a foot.

“Finished?”

Daisy jumped at the sound of his soft query. Embarrassed at being caught in her appraisal, she looked up at him. No emotion showed in his eyes as he met her look.

She fumbled for an answer. “This is my floor,” he said, saving her the trouble. She followed him down the corridor to his room’s door. He opened it and motioned her through. She entered a large, well-lit room that had two comfy looking sofas angled in front of a television. To her immediate right was a small kitchenette. To her left there was a door that was partially opened, revealing a bathroom. On the other side of the room was a bedroom. The wall behind the television was glass, showcasing a bird’s eye view of Hazzard. Martin closed the door behind him and walked past her. “Would you like something to drink?” good manners had him asking.

He really didn’t want to be here with her. She was too close, no matter where in the room he stood. He would never be able to rid the room of her perfume once she left. And, knowing her, she would leave. He had no idea what had possessed her to write that letter. He had been so awed by what she had written he had taken the next flight back here. He had kept the letter in his pocket, pulling it out and reading it over and over, until the paper was wrinkled with folds. Hell, he had the damn thing in his back pocket right now. He had hoped that by returning to Calgary, he would be able to forget her and maybe pick up where he left off; as the bachelor loved by many but caught by none. It hadn’t worked that way. Clark had once teased him about falling hard for Daisy. Now he knew it was true. He had spent three months taking case after case in order to leave no time in the day, or night, to think about her. Just before receiving her letter, his Inspector had told him that he was risking a burnout, and had suggested he take a holiday. Martin smiled inwardly. A holiday? Right. He turned to face the only person who had the ability to haunt both his dreams and his consciousness. “No thanks” she said in reply to his offer.

“Well,” he said, motioning her to one of the two sofas. “What would you like to talk about” Did that sound formal? he asked himself as Daisy sat on the edge of the sofa. She twisted he fingers nervously.

“I really need to clear this mess up between us,” she said finally.

“Okay. And how do you propose to do that?”

“Uh, I’m not sure.” She looked out the window at the view, then looked at the floor, and finally out the window again.

Right, Martin thought. This was going to be a one sided affair if he didn’t help her a little.

“No idea whatsoever?” he asked. “Then why did you come?”

Daisy looked at him for the first time since entering his room. “I don’t want to loose you Marty,” she whispered.

Now we’re getting somewhere, he thought. “That’s not the impression I got at the farm earlier” he said.

Daisy frowned. “That letter was never meant to be sent to you. I was writing things down and trying to get my emotions sorted out … Luke suggested writing stuff down, er, I used to write a lot when I was younger, you know, songs and stuff. I even had one of my songs recorded. Well, that was only after the guy that published my song decided not to pay me the royalties, and then he wouldn’t return the fifty dollars I’d given him to publish the song in the first place, so Luke and Bo went to Atlanta to get it back. Except they ended up discovering that the guy was the front man for a pirate operation that Boss was involved in and …” She stopped and took a breath. Realising she’d been talking non-stop from nerves, she smiled at Martin. “This is difficult”

“It is?” he asked, still trying to get his head round the piracy story.

“Yes” she insisted. “I’m so churned up I’m babbling! I never babble”

“Only like a brook” Martin said, hiding a smile behind his hand.

Daisy started to say something, then stopped again.

“Look, lets make this a little easier” Martin said, sitting on the sofa across from her. “Just tell me about the letter” At her quizzical look he added, “I read that thing so many times…I like to think it was your heart speaking in a true candid moment.”

“Bo sent it to you” When Martin raised his eyebrows in question she told him, “Apparently I haven’t been that easy to live with these past three months. The boys have been dying for me to get out of the house so they can just breathe without looking over their shoulders. When Bo saw the letter on my desk, he saw it as a way to get me out from under the dark clouds. I didn’t see it as that though, and we ended up having a big fight that Luke had to put a stop to …”

Martin held his hand up to stop her. “Babbling again” he smiled.

“Sorry” she sighed. “I just don’t know what to say to you. I mean, I want to be with you, but I don’t know that I can fix what I’ve done”

She stood and walked to the window overlooking Hazzard. Martin stood and walked up behind her. “We’ve danced around this for long enough” he said simply. “The only reason we have problems is because you keep running” When she turned to say something, he put a finger against her lips to stop her. “You run because you’re scared. Scared that you will actually have to commit to someone. Someone who is more than ready to commit to you. It scares you that someone can love you that much, and most of all, it scares you to think that you could love someone that much”

He felt the breath of Daisy’s sigh against his finger. She took his hand and smiled. “How’d you know all that?”

“Simple” he said, taking her in his arms. “I read your letter”

“Daisy” he said, looking down at her.

“Yes?”

“Do you love me?”

Daisy sighed and looked up at him. “Oh” she breathed, “Let me count the ways”

He held her tight against him for a few moments, enjoying the feel of having her in his arms, knowing this time she would stay.

“Will we be okay?” she asked.

“Eventually” he said, kissing her forehead. “We’ll work on it, together”

Martin leaned in to kiss her. He stopped just short of touching her lips, whispering, “If you’re going to run from this, tell me now”

Daisy smiled up at him, her heart in her eyes. “Where in the world could I possibly run to that you wouldn’t follow?”

“Damn right” Martin whispered, finally kissing her.