I woke to the sound of quiet voices. Yawning without opening my eyes, I stretched, unable to keep from smiling as the events of the night before replayed themselves in my mind. I was still a little sore in some places, but I knew down in my deepest heart that I wouldn't have traded what we had shared for anything. We were more than friends now, more than cousins, bound by something even deeper than the blood we had shared as children. We were tied together, attuned spiritually, in a way we never had been before. We were lovers.

Lovers. I tried that word out silently on my tongue, and smiled. It felt good to be able to say that. Finally. I now suspected that I had longed for this for much longer than I'd consciously known. I stretched again and blinked my eyes open, pushing myself up on one elbow to look around. Was it just me, or was the sun a little brighter this morning, the light, warm breeze a little fresher? I knew it had to be me... but oh, wow, did life ever feel good right now.

Luke had been up for some time, obviously; he was already dressed and there was a pot of good-smelling something over a low fire. I just watched him for a bit while he finished his low-toned CB conversation next to the General Lee, taking a secret, or maybe not-so-secret, pride in everything about him, from the way his dark hair was still somewhat tousled to his smooth, relaxed movements as he set down the CB mike finally and walked back toward the campfire. I had learned things about him that I hadn't known before last night. Like just how shy he was about some things, where he was so bold most of the time. Or how light his hands could be even when holding back was a visible effort. Or how easily I could make him come completely apart with just a touch, a few words. And above all... how wonderful it felt to finally be with him. Not really that difficult at all, although definitely different. Of course, it had hurt a little at first on the receiving end; we had both known it would, although it had actually been easier than I'd thought it would. But the rewards had definitely been worth it. It hadn't hurt at all after the first time; I smiled to myself as I thought that it was about equal to, and in truth was, my losing my virginity in that way, to the only man I ever wanted to be with.

And actually, it was nice to not have to worry about keeping my strength too much in check so as not to harm my partner; he was stronger even than I was. It was incredible, that feeling of becoming one in body and soul when he claimed me with more gentleness than I had ever imagined, then later offered himself in the same fashion. And it was magical, when our hearts, our spirits, intertwined and sent us toward the stars emotionally even before physical pleasure caught up with us. I knew now that if I had said no last night, I would have missed out on the best thing that had ever happened to me. I never wanted to lose this closeness, this love that I felt now, stronger than I had ever been able to imagine, strong enough to bring tears of joy to my eyes. I quickly blinked them back, deciding then that that was enough thinking for now. I had cried enough last night. We both had.

"Good morning," I spoke up cheerfully, my smile widening as I brushed my hair back from my eyes with one hand.

My best friend turned and smiled back at me, the most peaceful expression that I had seen on him for years in his eyes. "Mornin'. You sleep well? During what little sleep we got, anyway." He chuckled.

"Very well." I grinned and scooted up in the bed to sit up, rubbing at my eyes with the hand that wasn't bracing me. "You?"

He came over to kneel beside me, leaning in for a warm, lasting kiss. I grinned happily when he pulled away, and he grinned back, still as open emotionally as he had been last night. Seeing that look in broad daylight made my heart soar. "Same here. Look, you'd better get up and dressed, though. We've got stuff to do today."

I sighed and lay back, feeling utterly comfortable with the way his fingers began to trace light patterns on my chest and stomach. His touch felt so good… "Aw, can't we just stay here and do that again?" I only half-joked. We had spent over half the night up making love… it was like we were making up for lost time. And to be very honest, I was still tired. I wished we could just stay here, alone, all day, even if we did nothing but curl up and talk... even though I knew we couldn't. Luke smiled knowingly, then chuckled and tickled me briefly. Squealing, I curled up in a ball as he stood up again.

"As much fun as that might be, no. We do have some criminals to catch and our names to clear, remember?"

I remembered. Question was, did I want to remember? But then again, he did have a point. What would be the purpose in loving each other if we couldn't be free as well? Like the wild creatures that lived in the woods behind the farm, we Dukes couldn't stand being caged up.

So I just sighed and nodded, pushing myself up and to my feet. I stretched again, quietly reveling in the way that my cousin's... my lover's... crystal blue eyes glowed as he just looked at me for a moment before turning back to what was apparently our breakfast. To take my mind off places it really didn't need to be going again right now, I grabbed my clothes and a small bag of other stuff and headed just a few feet into the trees to where a clear stream fed into the swamp, using a very small amount of soap to wash quickly in the cold water before shaking myself off, shivering but fully awake now, shaving, and dressing. I came back just in time to take a bowl of instant oatmeal mixed with some fresh fruit from Luke's hand as he served us both.

"What was that all about, anyway?" I asked as I jumped up onto the General's hood, settling myself and stirring my breakfast with the spoon.

"What?"

I swallowed the bite I'd already taken in order to answer. "The CB talk when I woke up."

"Oh. Yeah." He came over to sit beside me, and my skin tingled at his nearness, making me wonder how I could never have been so aware of his simple presence before. If he felt it, though, he didn't show it. Except for the gentleness in his gaze and the almost empathic warmth held between our souls, he was slipping back into his usual emotional disguise now. I was a little disappointed at that, but at the same time I knew that if we were to not attract any unusual attention today out in the county, I would eventually have to do the same. I wasn't really looking forward to it. "That was Uncle Jesse, actually. He couldn't get anything out of Boss Hogg, or anyone else for that matter, yesterday that might be able to clear us. He says that for now we should work as though Boss might not even be responsible, cause he seems pretty serious about all this... doesn't have his usual smirk, as Jesse put it."

I chuckled. "That'd be a switch."

He smiled. "Yeah. He did get a good description of events, though."

"Oh?" I raised both eyebrows, nodding as I forced my thoughts off my companion and to business. It was not easy. "So, what happened?"

Luke shifted to face me, eyes growing distant as he narrated. "Well, according to some people sitting in the square green at the time, the van was parked by the curb. The driver got out, made sure everything was locked up, and headed for the diner. Less than two minutes later, the General, or the General's twin, squealed into town. That's the wording he used, anyway, I guess they were speeding. Anyway, the two men driving the car had ski masks over their heads; no one could really tell if it was us or not. One of the men apparently picked the lock on the back of the van, cause he got the door open real easy, and then they grabbed a metal box and ran. It all happened pretty fast."

I grimaced. "Yeah, and it leaves us sitting right in the spotlight for the state police or FBI to pick us up and throw us into prison for the next ten years."

"More likely life," Luke frowned. "If it really was government stuff in that van like Boss says."

I winced. "Ouch."

"Yep."

I sighed. "Well, at least we have a place to start, kind of. At least we know what happened. What do we do today?"

"Well, we still have to try to find that other car. And talking to the driver of that van might help too, if we could get him alone someplace where he couldn't get Rosco to arrest us."

"And where we could counteract him if he tried it himself." I nodded. "Maybe there's something he saw that the other people didn't, if he was keeping a close eye on his stuff. And if he was carrying anything top-secret, you can bet he would be keeping an eye on it."

Luke smiled at me, ruffling his hand back through my hair, then trailing it down the side of my face. His voice was very soft as he spoke. "And they say I do all the thinkin'." I smiled back and kissed his fingers, and he chuckled, leaning forward to touch his lips gently to mine and then pulling back to dig into his breakfast. "Come on, quit givin' me that look and eat up. I don't need you doing that to me; we got stuff to do."

I just smiled in satisfaction as I complied, enjoying the new power that I had over him... and that he had over me. Thinking about that, suddenly the smile widened again to the grin I'd been sporting nearly all morning. Oh, yes, I was in love... and I was so happy I could yell.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

The government van, and its driver, were not hard to find. The man had stayed in town, demanding (according to Uncle Jesse) that the Hazzard police start a full manhunt for two men in an orange stock car. All we would have to do would be drive into town and pick him up.

There were a few problems with that plan, though. If Bo and I set one foot into town, we would both end up in jail, or at least chased by one or more howling white patrol cars, faster than it takes a fox to find a chicken coop. That wouldn't help our cause at all. So, what we needed to do was get the driver alone for a while so we could talk to him. Without police, without FBI, without anyone to hinder our detective work.

Ha. Easier said than done.

But with some shuckin' and jivin' from Cooter and Daisy, we got the van driver out on the road racing toward where they had 'accidentally' let the man overhear a comment about us hiding out in Jensen's Hollow. It was simple from there, relatively so, anyway. Daisy managed to keep Enos' attention off the fact that the guy was even leaving town. When Cletus tried to follow him, Uncle Jesse came out of a connecting road and 'accidentally' sent the police cruiser into a pond. And Rosco was cooped up guarding Boss' house, unwittingly out of our way. So all me and Bo had to do was relax on the hood of the General Lee and wait. That wasn't exactly a hard task, seeing as we spent most of the time snuggling and talking. We seemed to have so much to say to each other. I was more amazed every time he looked at me with those soft sapphire eyes of love that I had managed to win his heart... and that he had managed to win mine. I loved him so much, more than I could ever say, and now that I'd found this, I never planned on letting go.

But eventually the sound of a car engine came from around the bend, and we moved apart to sit up on the hood in anticipation. The man of about my age driving a blue sedan didn't seem to have expected us to be sitting out in the open, waiting for him, when he pulled up. He threw his car door open, at the same time fumbling for something under his jacket. I recognized the movement, and flew off the General in a sudden fierce, instinctive, rush to protect my mate (which I had decided Bo pretty much was, always in soul and now in body as well), knocking the small pistol out of the man's hand before it ever completed its arc toward my cousin. I kicked the gun into the bushes, and its owner backed up slowly.

"Your names are Lukas and Beauregard Duke?" he started, sounding a little nervous now. When I nodded, still barring the way between him and Bo, he pulled himself to his full height of about an inch shorter than I, his face darkening into a frown. "I am duty-bound to inform you that by the power given to me by the Federal government of the United States of America, you are both under arrest. Surrender peacefully and there will be no shooting."

Bo came back from where he'd gone to pick up the gun, giggling a little. "Looks to me like you don't have much to shoot us with." He opened his other hand to display the shells he'd removed from the pistol, then threw the bullets away toward a small pond, where they landed with a series of tiny splashes. He handed the gun back to the government official. "Here you go."

The man just looked at his useless weapon for a moment, then reholstered it under his arm, running his hand back through his medium-brown hair in a quick, sharp gesture. "The craziest crooks I've ever seen, not pulling the gun on me," he muttered.

"That's because we're not crooks." I stepped backwards, between him and his car in case he tried to make a break for it before we got to explain. "We've been framed."

"That sure looks like the car I saw," he frowned, gesturing toward the General. "How many vehicles in this town have that paint job?"

"There's only supposed to be one." I met his gaze firmly. "But there have been replicas of our car made before. Criminals that pass through seem to think that we make good scapegoats. Probably because the General Lee does stick out so much." I didn't comment on Boss and Rosco's frequent money-making plots. I didn't want to get them in real trouble; they'd never hurt anyone, and we Dukes could keep them enough in line.

He stared at me in open disbelief. "You expect me to believe that, young man?"

Bo shrugged, coming around to stand beside me. I ignored my involuntary reaction to that, mostly, but I still reveled inwardly in the warm emotional connection that seemed to strengthen between us when the physical distance between us lessened. "It's the truth. But sometimes the truth is the craziest sounding, cause a lie is made up so that it sounds believeable."

The man turned his stare to Bo now. He nodded, a look of begrudging admiration slowly crossing his face. "Pretty smart, kid." He sighed. "All right. Saying you two were telling the truth, who really stole the equipment for the Atlanta FBI office?"

Bo and I stared at each other. "So that's what that electronic stuff was," I said out loud.

"How did you know it was electronics?" The guy frowned suspiciously.

"Cause JD Hogg can't keep a secret. Besides, we've been doing a little snoopin' around of our own," my blond cousin half-grinned. "We're good at that; we're kinda like local detectives." At the federal man's disbelieving frown, he added, "We've helped the FBI before, even. Go ahead, check us out." He gestured to the sedan behind us.

The other man just looked at us for a moment, then suddenly nodded, coming toward us. I tensed to defend myself, and even more Bo, but he only went past to reach inside his car to pick up the car phone. I kept a close eye on him just in case he decided to jump in and race away, but he only stood still and talked to someone for a couple of minutes, that frown never leaving his face. Finally he nodded and set the phone down, walking back toward us.

"All right. All right. Your story has been verified, and it appears I have little choice but to trust you. My name is Roger McClain, and I could certainly use some assistance in tracking down these criminals before they can sell our latest technological crimefighting advances to who knows what syndicate. If it requires accepting the aid of two backwoods private eyes, I will. Will you Dukes help me?"

I looked at Bo, and he looked at me. Numerous things passed between us without a word. A question, a shrug, uncertainty, then finally acceptance. I turned to McClain, and nodded. "All right. But we'll need some extra info. We actually did bring you out here for a reason... we wanted to ask you exactly what you saw yesterday morning, when you were robbed."

He frowned for a moment at the statement that his 'surprise attack' had actually been by our design, then tucked his hands into the pockets of his businesslike slacks. "Well... all I saw, really, was that car pulling up behind my van." He gestured to the General Lee, behind us. "Then two men jumped out... dressed rather simply, in jeans and shirts much like yours, except for that the color of all the clothes was rather dark. They had what looked somewhat like ski masks over their heads... couldn't tell anything about what they looked like. I jumped up to run out of the diner and shout for the police, but by the time I got out the door, they had already grabbed my cargo and were closing their car doors to roar out of town."

Bo and I stared at each other for a second, then both slowly grinned. "Mr. McClain?" my companion spoke up. "We can prove that it wasn't our car used in that robbery."

He stared at my cousin. "You can? How?"

The young blond crooked one finger at the man, then turned and sauntered back toward our racer. McClain followed, and I brought up the rear, chuckling. Bo jumped practicedly into the passenger seat and raised both eyebrows at the government agent. "Cause the General's doors don't open."

A startled, disbelieving laugh. "What?"

"Go ahead, try 'em," I gestured. He did, tugging on the handle from several different directions, before finally stepping back and scowling at the unrelenting side of the car. Only then did I lean against the rear fender and explain. "We welded the doors permanently shut when we first built the General Lee. He's a racecar, and we do a lot of stunts, jumps and the like, with him too. Welding the doors shut strengthens the frame, makes it safer."

Bo nodded, climbing up out of the window to sit crosslegged on the roof, right in the middle of the flag. "Ask anybody in Hazzard and they'd tell you that this car's doors haven't opened since the day we first drove him out of the garage."

McClain just looked at me, then at Bo, his eyes flicking over our casual positions, then finally shook his head with a low chuckle. "Ah. Well, I won't pretend to understand that reasoning, because I wouldn't do those kinds of things with a car. But I suppose it is rather obvious that it wasn't this car that I saw."

I nodded. "If we're gonna be working together, then call off the local cops, will ya? They've been on our tail since yesterday morning."

He sighed and nodded back. "All right, I'll do that. And I do thank you for your help, you two. If you do find and capture whoever stole that equipment, your entire country will be in your debt."

Bo laughed a little. "We've heard that one before."

"Bo..." I scolded gently. "Yes, but it was true then, too." I glanced back at the Federal official. "Can we at least tell our family about it this time?"

"Tell them whatever you want. There's no secrets here, except from the people we're hunting." McClain slipped his hands into his pockets, looking us over appraisingly. "I'll tell the local law that you're working with me, and you get on the ball and start doing whatever sleuthing necessary to get US property back. Understand?"

Bo turned around to slide across the roof and down into the driver's seat without another word, almost disdainful. I was hard put not to smile in amusement. "That's what we were doing when you started hunting us," I commented dryly before following my cousin's lead. I slid in through the racer's passenger window, and Bo gunned the engine. We pulled out of there with a roar and a flurry of dirt and dust. As soon as we were far enough away, we both broke out laughing.

"He didn't like us very much," Bo giggled, keeping just enough attention on the road in order to keep us on it. "I think he's a bit upset about working with us instead of chasing us."

I leaned back with a chuckle and rested an arm comfortably along the back of the seat, managing to calm down somewhat more than my blond lover was. "I don't think he's quite as cold as he acts. He's nervous cause he's out here alone in a world he don't understand. Inside, he's probably glad we're helpin' out, cause we're locals and we know the territory."

"Then maybe he ought to follow us instead of striking out on his own," he suggested.

Shrugging, I looked over at him, lifting my hand to play lightly with the fine hair at the base of his neck for a moment before dropping it again and flicking my eyes back to his face. "Maybe he should. But I ain't gonna be the one to tell an official of the United States government that two down-home country boys know better than he does." I paused for effect, glancing away out the windshield. "Even if they do."

Bo had been smiling at me. Now he laughed out loud.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

We started a full search right away, now that we had immunity from the 'dipstick squad', as Bo had so eloquently put it the day before. We were honestly enjoying that fact, too. It was the first time in years that we could pass a patrol car twice in one morning without getting howled down. Enos waved back cheerily as we drove in opposite directions; he was our friend and likely never thought we were guilty to begin with. Rosco just sat in his speed trap and glared at us as we purred a legal fifty miles per hour past.

Just after we'd left McClain, I got on the CB and explained everything to Uncle Jesse, Daisy, and Cooter. They all promised to get out on the roads and join the search, and we divvied up the county into sections. This didn't seem like it would be so hard after all, now that we were free to do what we needed to in order to find these criminals and clear our own name. We all met at lunchtime to put away the contents of a big picnic basket that Daisy had prepared, and to compare notes. No one had found anything yet, but that didn't discourage us much. At least we were getting somewhere, cutting down rapidly on the area left to go over. We'd always known they weren't in the swamp; if they went in, they'd never come out. But now we also knew that they weren't up in the series of abandoned tiny mining towns from long ago. We knew they weren't anywhere around town, or between town and Chickasaw County. By that evening, we would have a good half of Hazzard covered. If the criminals were still in the county at all, which was quite likely given the Federal roadblocks on all roads leading out, they would not escape. No matter who they were, they couldn't outdrive or outhide a group of ex-ridge-runners.

It would take a good couple of days to comb every cave and hollow, though. Cooter suggested sometime during dessert that I take one of his rental cars and split up from Bo, so as to cover more ground. I wasn't too sure I liked that idea, to be honest... I kind of had a bad feeling about it. But I had no logical reason I could possibly give to explain saying no, and even Bo, as possessive of my presence as he had been all day, seemed willing to let me go, so I agreed.

The sun was just beginning to go down as I pulled up slowly to park behind a stand of bushes at the foot of a steep hill. For a moment, I just looked upward at the thin trail of fire smoke coming from the top, lit from behind by the reddish rays of the setting sun. Then I reached for my CB. "Lost Sheep 1 calling the flock, LS1 calling the flock," I said softly. "Y'all out there?"

"I'm here, Luke," Uncle Jesse's voice came first, followed soon by all the others. "What's goin' down?"

I glanced upward again. "I got some smoke trail up on the top of Spearpoint Ridge. It could be nothing, but I'm going to check it out."

"Be careful, Luke," came Bo's worried answer. "If it's somebody's still site, don't let yourself get shot."

I quirked a small smile. I knew how to get around all the tripwires and traps; I used to be the one to set 'em. "Right... I ought to be back on to you in about twenty minutes. I think. Could be more..." I thought and calculated for a couple of seconds, then nodded to myself. "Depends on what I run into. If it's more than an hour, though, no holds barred, come and get me. But be careful!" I warned, aiming the admonition directly at my two impetuous younger cousins. Then I took a deep breath, holding it for a second before letting it out. I aimed my last words generally at my family, and more specifically at my new lover. "I love you, I swear I'll be careful... and I'm gone."

I set the mike down and switched the CB off to keep any accidental broadcasts from being overheard by anyone else, then shut the car door quietly and started scaling the side of the hill. The closer I got to the top, the more little bits of human voices I could catch. Finally I was near the edge of a clearing. I glanced around for a good place to hide yet get closer at the same time, and finally chose the vantage point of a wide limb sticking partway out from a nearby oak. Leaping up and grabbing the lowest branch, I gritted my teeth in an effort to haul myself up, and the rest of the climb was easy. As I slid out to lay flat on my stomach against the branch, I couldn't help but smile at the memory of Bo doing precisely this, though with quite a bit more grace, in order to escape my wrath when he had teased me too far as a youngster. Bo was still the best tree climber I knew. Although he often didn't pay attention to exactly what he was doing and therefore sometimes appeared clumsy, he was really quite the opposite when he put his mind to something. He could climb faster, move with more agility, and drive more safely at full speed than anyone else I knew. Including myself.

Dragging my thoughts back to the here-and-now, I shook my head at myself, smiling slightly in amusement. I was so hooked on my younger cousin that I hadn't been able to get my mind off him all day. But I would have to, for now at least... because there was no margin for error in this game. At the level these crooks were working at, one mistake would likely mean death; they would have few qualms about shooting eavesdroppers. Nevertheless, I scooted a little further out on the tree limb and settled in to listen.

There were three men sitting around a campfire, talking quietly over what looked like a pot of coffee. Sleeping bags were laid out nearby, and a dark-colored muscle car sat parked not far away. The thing looked like it could give the General a run for his money. After checking out the situation, I returned my full attention to the men, frowning as I tried to pick out what they were saying. All I needed was one sentence, even one slipped word that would prove I was spying on the right camp. I wasn't going to bother them if they were just hunters...

Then one of the men stood up and came toward me, shoving his baseball cap back and rubbing his forehead as he called to his friends something about 'using the outdoors room'. I froze in place as he went past, using lack of motion to hide. And then he took off the cap altogether and glanced upward, as if to look at the clear night sky -- and I couldn't hold back a gasp as I recognized the face.

Ex-sergeant Rick Henson spun around at the sound, a gun suddenly in his hand. He began to scan the trees and bushes with the narrow-eyed training of a good Marine, and I bit my lip, knowing that I was lost now. Pain filled my heart at the thought of what Bo would feel when he found me... but I would take as many of them out with me as I could. For once, I embraced the darkness that hid deep inside of me, letting all my training come to the fore at once. Emotion shut down. Narrowing my own eyes and pulling all my reflexes tightly together, I slowly moved into a crouch, gathering all my strength behind me. Henson's buddies were now on alert as well, up and prowling the perimeters of their camp. I waited until one was right below me, praying silently that I could get them all, so that my family would be safe... and with a sudden, designed-to-freeze-someone-in-his-tracks scream, leaped. It worked. I landed squarely on one man's shoulders, old, never-forgotten fighting skills coming back with a rush as my hand moved quickly and unerringly to the back of his neck. He was dead before he hit the ground.

A sudden shock of horror hit me as I realized too late what I'd just done. When I came back from Vietnam, I had sworn never to take another life again. But I shoved the guilt back for the time being, needing a clear head. I leapt clear without a glance back and flew at the thug who was running to his comrade's aid. This time I kept control, not letting my war-honed instincts overrule my sense of conscience, and managed to land a kick to the side of his jaw that would knock him to the dirt, unconscious for some hours to come. Then I spun, realizing to my surprise that I'd done all that in a matter of seconds... and came face to face with the business end of a long, black, deadly barrel.

I straightened slowly, my mind flashing from thought to thought as I tried to figure out how to take Henson out before he got me. But the second cold barrel I felt pressed into my back told me that it was over. I'd somehow missed seeing a fourth enemy... and one unarmed man against two with guns had no chance. I raised my hands, forcing my emotions back, away, where they wouldn't get in my way, and met cold ice blue eyes with my own, just as cold.

"Henson," I simply said.

He just looked at me, seeming almost surprised, then slowly grinned, and chuckled. I forced a shiver back as well, not liking that laugh at all. He took two steps forward, the gun still trained on my heart. "Well now. Lukas K. Duke. So nice of you to drop by. Pity you had to take out two of my men on your way in, isn't it?"

"Only one," I found myself saying, almost automatically. "The second is still alive. The first would be too, if..."

"If your training hadn't taken over." He nodded, sagely. "I know, boy, I know. It happens. Nobody can come back from the 'Nam Marines and not have a killer streak in him, can he?"

I didn't reply, not wanting to say it. But I knew, had always known, that it had always been there. I had never let it control me before, never had let myself be put into a situation where I would have to even begin to use the savagery I inwardly knew I was capable of. I hadn't wanted to. I was afraid of that streak; I, myself, Luke Duke, was not a murderer. I'd been taught a respect for life from the time I was very small, one that I had always refused to let go of despite what I had been forced to do to survive in the jungles. But this one time, against this one enemy, I had let the warrior out. And I knew, given another chance, I would do so again. I simply narrowed my eyes at him, without a word.

Henson chuckled again. He came up to me and patted me down quickly, like a police officer inspecting a suspect, then stepped back with one eyebrow up. "You came unarmed? Now, that's against regulations, boy, to ever go without a weapon handy."

"This isn't Vietnam," I finally spoke up, drawing on my inner, calm Duke pride to hold me up, to push back the fighting instincts, put them back in their place. "This isn't war. This is Hazzard County, Georgia, USA. The rules are not the same." I paused. "And I don't live by military ways anymore, Henson. Maybe that's why you're fleeing from the law... and why I live free on my family's farm."

He spat into the dust, off to the side, then looked back at me, lip curled in scorn. "You've gone soft, Duke. You ain't no fightin' man no more. You're just a country plowboy."

"That's all I want to be," I answered softly. "It's all I was born to be."

The backhand came so fast I hadn't braced for it. Tears of pain stung my eyes, but I stood glaring at him until I was shoved suddenly from behind. I fell onto the ground on my hands and knees, looking up to see a small wiry man come around to aim his pistol at my forehead. It sunk in that I was staring my last moments in the face. Somehow, that didn't fill me with hate or panic. I was calm. Not cold calm... not military. I was no longer military. I had chosen not to be. I was a Duke. Nothing else. It was all I wanted to be. If this would be the end, then I would die as nothing more than a Duke. I looked straight at Henson, and smiled a little. You haven't broken me, my gaze said, and a look of fury crossed his face.

The small man cocked the hammer back, smiling tightly, and prepared to fire. I stared him in the eyes, waiting. But then Henson held up a hand, and we both looked over at him, surprised. "No," he shook his head, still looking at me with hate. "No, I don't think I'll kill this boy. Not yet. He needs to learn who's in charge first... and besides," he walked up to me and grinned down cruelly, "I think we have a little unfinished business to handle, he and I. We've been waiting for years, haven't we, Luke?" He turned back to his partner. "Get some rope to tie him with; we don't need him either escaping or fighting back."

Something cold settled in the pit of my stomach as I recognized the meaning behind his words... and realized that this time, there was nothing anyone would do to stop him.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

Something was wrong. What it was, I wasn't sure. Uncle Jesse seemed a little worried, since Luke hadn't called in nearly thirty minutes, but not too much so. Daisy and Cooter were playing cards on the pickup's hood, just passing time chatting. But I was sitting curled into a ball on the roof of the General Lee, legs hugged close to my chest, staring out at the deepening night. I couldn't explain why I felt like I did. But I knew, deep inside of me, that something had gone terribly wrong.

Tears stung at the back of my eyes, my emotions as always too close to the surface for my own liking, as I wondered if I would ever see him again. It was about twenty-four hours exactly now from the time when he had taken my hand in his last night, looked me in the eye, and asked me to give up something I was only too willing to give. The thought that that might just have been our last as well as first time together hurt more than I'd known anything could. I needed Luke in my life. What would I do without him? I'd never been all that strong on my own; he was my strength, the one I could always turn to for help. I'd learned to depend on that back when I was very small, before I could even clearly remember. Without him, I'd be lost.

I bit my lip, pain and premature loss giving way grudgingly to a slow, hot anger. Anger at whoever might try to take Luke away from me, anger at myself for giving up before I even started to fight. No. I wouldn't do this, I wouldn't just sit here feeling sorry for myself. Something was wrong, Luke was in trouble... and I was going to go get him out of it. Or die trying.

I glanced over at my family, toward where Uncle Jesse was talking to Cooter and Daisy now, all three looking a little worried. I sighed. This was crazy; I shouldn't even be thinking of going alone. But something inside of me told me I had to. So before I could think about it any more, before I could talk myself out of this crazy scheme, I slowly slid down off the roof and climbed into the General's driver's seat. I prepared myself to move quickly, taking a deep breath before suddenly turning the key in the ignition, shoving the gearshift into Reverse, and hitting the accelerator, in a quick one-two-three motion. A hurried spin-stop put me facing forward in the opposite direction, then I stepped on the gas again to blast out through the brush cover onto the road. I ignored the shouts I heard from behind me, hoping that they wouldn't be too mad when they got ahold of me. But I couldn't explain now. I reached over and switched off the CB set so I wouldn't be distracted, and narrowed my eyes at the road ahead, keeping the accelerator jammed to the floor like I hadn't in a very long time, pushing the General Lee to his limits, and mine. It wasn't easy to keep control of a vehicle this powerful that was moving this fast in the dark. But I knew I could, I was the best driver in the county. Even Luke admitted that. I just had to keep my mind on nothing else but the road ahead, not letting my thoughts stray once from the path I was blazing toward Spearpoint Ridge, where he had last called in from.

I pulled to a halt in the bushes not far from the foot of the hill, sliding out and praying that whoever was up there hadn't seen the headlights coming up the road. Not far away, I found Luke's car, sitting empty, tucked behind the shrubbery like only a ridge-runner could hide it. I turned my gaze up to the top of the hill, my eyes narrowing, feeling something that was almost amusingly a low growl starting deep in my throat. The reason it wasn't a laughing matter was the sheer, cold fury I felt that had birthed it, a fury that honestly frightened me in its intensity. I realized that I had fought for my cousin before, yes... but never for my life-partner, never for the other half of my soul. It was different now. Getting Luke back, alive, was the only thing that mattered.

Shivering at myself, I shook my head sharply, trying to fight the feelings back enough to pay attention to what I really needed to do. I looked up at the steep hill, started toward it, then went back to the General and pulled my bow out of the back seat, making sure it had a full quiver of arrows before I slung it over my back. Then I ran up to the incline and began to climb, with the silent skill that Jesse had taught all his kids back when we used to travel up and down the hill to his nearest still site to bring him lunch while he was preparing for a big run. My whole attention was on each step, each movement, keeping it quiet, moving to the next one as fast as possible. Then suddenly the ground was leveling out, before I expected it to, and I realized that I was at the top of the hill. I paused to get my breath back, crouched next to a wide tree, then peered around it, squinting my eyes at the dim glow of firelight coming from an open patch in the trees not too far away. When I was sure that my panting wouldn't attract attention, I straightened, slipping my bow over my head to hold it in my left hand, ready to grab an arrow and pull back with my right. Then I jogged, still moving quietly, to where I could see a wide clearing. My eyes fastened on the burning firepit, then on the makeshift beds off to one side, then on what could easily be a getaway car. I didn't see anyone, though, except for two men that looked to be asleep over on the other side of the fire.

Setting my jaw and notching an arrow into the string, lifting my bow to where I could fire at a moment's notice, I stepped forward, into the clearing. My eyes flicked all around in nervousness, but no one jumped out to attack me, so I moved cautiously over to where the two men lay, ready to leap back should they awaken. But neither stirred, and I frowned slightly, reaching out one foot to nudge the nearer one with the toe of my boot. He rolled over limply, and I gasped, jumping backwards, as I realized that he wasn't sleeping after all. The man was... he was... dead.

Swallowing hard, I stepped backwards toward the clearing's edge, eyes darting all around, my heart in my throat. Whoever was responsible might still be here. I turned and fled into the safety of the trees, stopping half-under a bush when I was sure I was hidden, then turning to look all around for signs of the others, where they might have taken my cousin. Only now did I see the feeble flicker of light from another direction, off to my left. I stood up from my crouch and moved stealthily toward it, to a much smaller open area. What I saw when I paused outside the ring of torchlight made my heart skip a beat... in horror and sheer fury.

I recognized two of the three men there. One was a stranger, a small, weasly type who looked like he'd do anything for a buck. One of the others was Henson, the man that I'd hated since the day Luke told me this was the one that had tried to destroy his life years ago. The third... I bit my lower lip hard to keep silent, tears springing to my eyes, as I saw my lover leaning back against a tree, looking very quiet, almost... resigned. No. It was more than that even. There was an unemotional, defeated look on his face. His gaze followed Henson for a moment as the other man moved away from him, as though they'd been speaking together; except I suspected that if anyone had been talking, it had been Henson. Luke didn't look like he was about to say anything. My stomach tied itself in a cold knot as my eyes traveled over him again, seeing now what I hadn't seen at first -- his shirt undone and untucked, his belt missing, hung over a branch on the other side of the clearing, presumably so he couldn't use it to defend himself, his legs drawn up as if he was curling into himself, his arms wrapped around his chest as though he were cold even though the night was warm, his eyes staring off into the trees vacantly. I clenched my jaw, fighting hard to keep back the urge to fly into there and do instant bodily harm to ex-sergeant Henson. It was obvious to me that I'd been too late in one respect at least. I supposed I should be glad that Luke was even still alive, that Henson hadn't just killed him afterward. I wasn't quite sure what more the guy had in mind for my cousin, but I knew one thing. I wasn't going to let him do it, whatever it was.

Narrowing my eyes, I resettled the arrow I held into the bowstring, raising my weapon to eye level and sighting on Henson. For a moment, my arrow wavered near his heart, then I swallowed and moved my aim to his shoulder, disgusted at myself for not being willing to kill him, yet at the same time disgusted at myself for even pondering taking another man's life. I took a deep breath, then let it out, and simply opened my right hand.

The arrow flew straight and true. Henson yelled as he grabbed at his shoulder with his other hand, fumbling across his body for a concealed gun even as he spun to face the threat. I leaped out of the trees, my bow held out like a staff into front of me, throwing the heavier-set man to the ground and knocking his gun into the bushes with a sharp snap against his wrist. I just stared at him for a moment coldly before spinning around to kick out viciously at the hand of the weasly one that had tried to sneak up behind me. The pistol he held went flying, and then he was clutching his stomach and moaning, dropping to his knees as my boot planted itself firmly in his stomach. I stepped back, holding my bow loosely at my side, but with a tense note to my body that threatened that I could fire in a moment's notice if need be. And would.

"Good evening," I said, unable to keep a note of danger out of my voice if I wanted to. "Just stick around; the police ought to be arriving soon." I was pretty sure that my family would call for help when they saw me racing off like I had. I was willing to bet money on that one.

Henson clenched his hand around the shaft protruding from his shoulder as he stared up at me with an insane hate I had never seen on anyone before. "You. Why did you have to get involved?" he spat.

"Ruined everything, huh?" I didn't even try to hide the fury in my gaze. "Well, am I supposed to say thank you for almost ruining my life by almost killing Luke? Thank you for hurting someone that means more to me than anyone? Thank you for the years of nightmares you gave him?!" My voice was raising now, in volume and pitch, but I didn't care. The more I said, the madder I got. My fist tightened on my bow as I verbally challenged the injured man lying on the ground. "You don't care about anything, do you, you don't care about life!" I spat, my fingers curling slowly around my bowstring, an arrow suddenly in my hand although I didn't remember pulling it from the quiver. I brought the weapon up slowly as I spoke, the world tunneling into nothing but me, the arrow, and the chest of the man that had hurt my lover. "You think people are just there for you to do whatever you want with. You think you can just take a man, or a woman, and make them do what you say just cause you have a gun. You think you're the big bad Marine, and you don't have to fear anyone or anything! Well, I've got news for you, buddy!" I suddenly jerked the bowstring back as far as it would go, my breath coming so hard, so fast, that my stomach was beginning to hurt. I was almost dizzy with my rage, the edges of my vision fuzzing into red. "I'm not scared of you, I'm not gonna run from you, and you are the one in trouble now."

"Bo..." The soft voice not far from my side surprised me, but I didn't let go of the hold I had on my arrow, or my aim.

"Lukas, get out of my way," I bit out, tossing my hair back from where it was falling wildly over my eyes, not moving my stare away from Henson. "You out of anyone should want this man to get what he deserves! Don't try to hide it from me! I know what he did to you tonight!"

Silence for a moment, then a hand reached out and closed around my arrow. I glared over at Luke, trying to jerk it away. He met my eyes quietly, not letting go. "Bo, nothing is worth killing for. Believe me in that. If you let that arrow go, it will scar your heart for life."

"And he hasn't scarred more than your heart? Let go." It was a quiet warning. I wouldn't ever hurt Luke, but I was going to kill Henson for what he had done.

"No." The flat statement surprised me, as did the way he suddenly wrenched the bow out of my hands, using his superior strength to force me to release it even though I didn't willingly do so until he'd pulled me halfway around. His crystal eyes bored into mine, cool, pained, and… haunted. I hesitated, knowing suddenly that something more had happened to him than anything Henson had done. I reached out and touched his chest gently, wincing at the way he flinched away from my hand for a split second.

"What happened?" I whispered, more worried and hurt for him now than I was even mad at the injured man on the ground behind me. "Lukas..."

"How touching," came a sardonic drawl. Gasping, I spun around, silently cursing myself for forgetting that neither one of the men was really out of the way. The small one had a good-sized knife in one hand, and a gun that he'd retrieved from the bushes in the other. It was Henson, now standing next to his partner, that had spoken, however. His eyes flicked back and forth between me and Luke appraisingly. I set my jaw and moved closer to my cousin, ready to defend him at an instant's notice. Henson just nodded at that. "I hadn't noticed... I wonder why. You two aren't just cousins... you're lovers, aren't you? No wonder Luke there was so easy earlier with me. He was used to it."

I almost flew at the man then, but Luke caught my arm to hold me still. I glanced sidelong at him to see a strange, quietly confident look in his eyes as he stared directly at his worst enemy. "Not exactly, Henson. What it was, was..." He hesitated, frowning slightly, as though he wasn't quite sure how to word what he wanted to say. "I knew that you could only hurt my body. Never my heart. Because my heart is safe, held away where you will never get ahold of it. It belongs to Bo... and I know you can't kill him to get to me, because I took the bullets out of that gun earlier while you were too busy congratulating yourself on successfully forcing yourself on another man to remember to get the holster out of my reach. I was not as unconscious as you thought I was."

The weasly man snarled at that, and aimed the pistol he held at my face. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the bullet to come tearing through my flesh, but there was only an empty click. I opened my eyes, slowly grinning. Luke hadn't been bluffing. I didn't waste any time; I leaped straight for the guy, knocking the knife away as I slammed into his light build in a tackle I'd learned in high school. We went sprawling on the ground, wrestling fiercely for advantage until I managed to get crouched on top and balled up one fist to strike out as hard as I could at his jaw, feeling rather satisfied as he went limp under me. Then I jumped up, spinning around to help Luke in his struggle against Henson, who had somehow gotten ahold of the knife I'd sent flying and was wielding it with his good hand to keep my cousin back. I sprang straight for the battle, swinging at Henson, missing, and ducking as he sliced in my direction. While he was paying attention to me, however, Luke grabbed his wrist, squeezing tight enough that I could see the white on the other man's skin as he gasped in pain. He let go of the sharp blade, and I drew back to hit him hard in the stomach, ducked to let Luke get in a blow at his jaw, then leaped up and backwards to get room for a vicious kick at Henson's groin. With a strangled scream, he dropped, and I stepped backward, feeling an almost crazed satisfaction as I hoped, shocked at myself even as I thought it, that the damage was somewhat permanent. If anyone deserved that fate, it was someone like him, someone who would cheerfully hurt another human being in the way that he had.

I scowled his way, then bit my lip in pain at the motion, reaching up to gingerly touch my forehead. My fingers came away red… seemed that knife had gotten a little too close. I decided it wasn't worth worrying too much about, though, and turned to meet Luke's eyes, defiant, not sorry at all for what I'd just done. But he only smiled, and held out a hand to me. I gladly came into his embrace, resting my head against his shoulder and slipping my hands under his shirt to touch his skin. He flinched, and I scowled, pulling back to meet his gaze again.

"When we get home, love, I'm gonna study you till I find every bruise and mark on your body... so don't even think about hiding them from me."

He only smiled back, chuckling slightly, and combed his fingers gently through my hair. "They only hurt my body, Bo... they didn't touch my soul. I'll be okay." Then he frowned at the cut over my eye. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… hurts but I'll live. You sure you're all right?"

He chuckled again, sounding amused this time, and pulled an old handkerchief out of his back pocket to dab at my cut. I swore at the pain before I could stop myself, and he shook his head, pressing the cloth to my forehead. "Watch your language. Yes, I will be all right. Quit fussin' about me and hold this."

I obeyed, half-glaring at him. "I'll make the decision about whether or not I need to fuss," I grumbled, though my mood was lightening somewhat. He'd worry about me if he were dying, but if he was feeling good enough to think I was being funny, he'd be fine. What I really wanted to do right then was pull him close and kiss him, but I had a feeling that wouldn't exactly be best right now. He needed a little time to get his mind to accept me without seeing Henson. I knew that it might take a while before he could even accept my touch again in any more than a brotherly way. But that was okay, cause to be honest, I was just glad to have him safe and alive.

I jumped, startled, when I heard other voices coming from the direction of the other clearing. Luke and I looked at each other, and I laughed slightly. He shook his head. "I guess they really did follow you."

"I figured they would. We Dukes are kinda predictable in some ways." I stepped away from him just in time for Daisy to come flying through the trees and launch herself at first me, then Luke. I saw my lover's sharp wince as she squeezed him somewhere that obviously hurt, but before I could get her attention away, she had already moved back to glance us both over.

"You boys look terrible," she stated.

Even Luke couldn't keep from laughing a little at that one. "Well, thanks for the compliment," he replied dryly.

Uncle Jesse, Rosco, Enos, Cooter, and Cletus all trooped into the clearing just then, along with McCaine, the FBI man... who was holding a handled square metal box about a foot to a side and six inches deep. I blinked, surprised. In fighting for Luke, I had forgotten all about the reason he had been here in the first place. McCaine misread the reason for my expression, though, and chuckled.

"Apparently you busted the right gang. Yep, this thing's pretty small, isn't it? But it is what all this fuss has been over. I guess I have a lot of thanks to give you Dukes... and an apology to make, because I honestly didn't think you could do it." Then he frowned at us, Luke in his visible state of disarray and me with my shirt ripped from sometime during that last battle, blood on the handkerchief I was gingerly wiping at my forehead with, and my hair in my eyes. I brushed my bangs back with my free hand as I thought about the fact that I probably looked nearly as bad as my cousin did. "You boys are all right, aren't you?"

Luke took a deep breath, then let it out. "We will be now," he replied.

Uncle Jesse came over as McCaine and our local law all went over to handcuff Henson and his buddy, reading Henson his rights while he glared painfilled lasers in my direction. The other guy was still out cold... my now-bruised knuckles had made sure of that. "Are you really all right?" Jesse asked, his voice soft with worry. "What happened up here?"

"I don't really think-" I started, but Luke cut me off, giving me an understanding but somehow strange look before returning his gaze to our uncle.

"That's a very long story, Uncle Jesse. It started years ago." He sighed. "Let's just say Bo might have saved my life. I'll tell you the rest later."

"Why not now?" Jesse scowled at us both. I looked at the ground, unable to meet that stare. Somehow, though, Luke did.

"Because I don't think Daisy should hear it," he said seriously, quietly. "I couldn't hide it from you if I tried; I think I might even need some medical attention. I will be okay, no, I didn't lie to you," he hurriedly told me when I looked up and gasped at that. Then he turned his gaze to Uncle Jesse again. "But I'll be very honest... I'm not okay right now."

Only then did I notice the grayish tint to his skin, as if he was on his last reserves and might crumple at any moment. I quickly reached out and put a supporting arm around him, being careful not to hurt him in any way. He leaned part of his weight against me, for once without complaint. I couldn't help but worry at that; he usually fought help even if he was about ready to keel over. I shot a pleading look at Uncle Jesse.

Jesse slowly nodded, his features turning serious. "Then I think I'll put you boys in the pickup and head for Capitol City Hospital to have you looked over. I'll get Cooter to watch over Daisy. Wait here, and don't move."

"I don't plan on it," Luke muttered as our uncle went across the clearing to talk to the others. Daisy started our way, looking worried, but Jesse stopped her with a hand on her arm, shaking his head. Frowning, she nevertheless nodded and went back to the group, picking up my bow off the ground on the way. Then Luke and I were herded out of the clearing and back to where the rescue party vehicles had been parked next to the crooks' car. I was glad for my cousin's sake that we didn't have to climb back down that hill to the General.

On the way through the quiet night to Capitol City, Luke explained everything, starting back in the Marines with the first time Henson had attacked him, and how he'd escaped that time. Then he told the whole story of how his old nemesis had come to Hazzard, apparently with one heck of a crime on his mind, and how they had met up again. The only part he left out was about the new relationship between me and himself. I couldn't hold back a gasp when I heard briefly about the battle that had taken place when he had first come to the criminals' camp, understanding suddenly the reason for that haunted look in his eyes. Life was very important to my older cousin. Uncle Jesse said that he was sure that Luke wouldn't be prosecuted for what he had done, though; it had been in self-defense from men that were apparently known killers, from what McCaine had said. Luke didn't go into detail about what had happened to him at the hands of Henson and his weasly partner, but he did say enough to make Uncle Jesse grip the steering wheel hard, mutter something I don't think he would want us to overhear under his breath, and shove the accelerator a little closer to the floor. I just leaned my head on my love's shoulder, offering up a thankful prayer that I even still had him, injured or not.

Back at the hospital for the second time in a year, which was really two times too many, they counted a number of bruises and small cuts on both of us, but the slash over my left eye was the worst of the damage on me. Luke, however, also had a few welts where it looked like he'd been struck with something, maybe his own belt, a couple of only recently healed ribs recracked where he said he'd been kicked while trying to escape (I couldn't figure out how in heck he'd managed to hide the pain from that one long enough to fight beside me), and some painful but not too serious swelling and slight bleeding where Henson had forced himself on him. Obviously the man hadn't been near as gentle as we were with each other; I wouldn't be surprised if he had even been trying to cause pain. I knew that I wouldn't even try anything with Luke for some time. The last thing I wanted was to cause the man I loved more than anyone more pain than he'd already suffered. The staff wrapped up his ribs, taped my cut, gave us some salve for the welts, clucked their tongues at the rest, and sent us home.

Daisy met us at the door when we pulled into the yard, and Luke and I left Uncle Jesse to explain as much as he chose to to her while we headed for bed. I never did find out just how much he told her; then again, I never really cared. I helped Luke with the salve, rubbed out some of his tense muscles where he wasn't bruised, made sure he went to sleep, and then turned out the light and went to my own bed. If he was going to try to act strong, tough... then I'd let him. I couldn't be that strong, though. Now that I was alone and in the dark, I finally let the tears that had been threatening all evening come freely, tears of pain and sorrow that such a thing had happened to my best friend, tears of anger at Henson and those like him, tears of thankfulness that Luke was still alive. All of my mixed-up emotions came out at once, and I let them, burying my face in my pillow and just crying it out. Sometime, somehow, I fell asleep, because I woke up sometime around two to find Luke curled into my arms. Sometime, he had joined me in my bed, and I had apparently automatically reached out for him. To be honest, I wasn't all that surprised, nor did I mind. We were in pretty close quarters, because my twin bed was hardly designed for two grown men, but I didn't feel like complaining, so I just tightened my hold around him, closed my eyes, sighed deeply, and went back to sleep.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

Henson and his two remaining partners went to prison for the rest of their natural lives for stealing 'classified information' from the United States government. I was glad about that part, in a detached way... but I was more personally satisfied by the extra thirty years the judge tacked on for what they had done to me, even if in logical reality that didn't make much difference in the sentence. They had me testify at a small, private trial of just me, Henson, the judge, the jury, and Bo since I'd asked for him to be there. I told the whole story three times, the memories getting easier with each telling. My cousin didn't say much, just sat beside me and silently offered a love and support that I appreciated more than he might ever know. Henson didn't say much either. He'd been caught in both of his crimes red-handed. He only stood on the other side of the room and glared at me in a way that made me glad he was going away for life, that I wouldn't have to look over my shoulder ten years later only to find a sniper's gun.

I was also tried, for the death of the man I had first leaped on up at their camp. My entire family, Cooter, Enos, and even Rosco and Boss, who this time really hadn't been to blame, came to testify as character witnesses on my behalf for that one. At first it seemed like I might be in trouble, since my Marine training obviously counted for something against me in court, but then it came out that the guy I'd attacked had had an Army background, which put us back on the same level legally. And when it came to light that Henson and his men were wanted in five states for murder and rape on several accounts, I easily got off the hook for self-defense, just like Jesse had thought. We all breathed easier after that was over. The law never did find that replica of the General Lee that the criminals had used in their robbery. But a good week after the court proceedings were over, somebody called Cooter about a burned-out wreck at the bottom of Misty Cliff that looked like it could have been a Dodge Charger. It made sense that Henson's gang would have gotten rid of the car that everyone would be looking for, especially since Henson was apparently trying to frame me and Bo for the job... possibly out of some sense of revenge for me putting him in jail years ago.

My personal life was slowly getting back to normal as well, as wounds both physical and emotional healed with the help of my family, mostly Bo. I had almost expected to have another bout of nightmares after what had happened that night. But, a bit to my surprise, I didn't. It was almost as if facing Henson directly, keeping my dignity intact despite all circumstances and later defeating him in hand-to-hand battle, had strangely purged me of my fears. My cousin not letting me out of his sight all day for days, or out of his arms at night either, probably helped too. For over a week, we slept together like we had as children when one of us had had a bad dream. Things got better, slowly but steadily, every day. Three weeks after the incident, my ribs were still a little sore, but our town physician, Doc Petticord, shook his head and muttered something about the resilience of youth when he saw how fast I was healing. That was probably because Bo had been babying me, doing as many of my chores as I would let him get away with. But, as much as it annoyed me in some ways, it also warmed me, because I knew it came out of genuine caring... and love.

By the one-month anniversary of that ordeal, I was ready to pull the last piece of my life back together. I'd been thinking about it all week. I was a little hesitant in a way, understandably since I'd been so recently 'traumatized', to use the doctors' term. But inside, I was missing terribly my lover's touch, his soul laid absolutely bare to me in his eyes like it was at no other time. The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that I was ready to stop acting like we were just cousins again. We'd played that game for so many years, that I only wanted more now. I wanted his kiss in more than an innocent way, I wanted his touch as more than a friendly hug or pat on the back. I was just waiting for the right moment... and that came late that Saturday night.

Bo and I had joined Cooter at the Boar's Nest for an evening of music, laughter, and drinks paid for in full by our mechanic friend. After all, how could we pass up that combination? The three of us were sitting at a table by ourselves, joking around and just generally enjoying a guys' night out. Bo had gone off once for a dance, but I don't think his heart was really in it; he came back instead of staying out on the floor until closing time like he would normally do. He even admitted it when I asked him, saying that he didn't really feel like spending time with anyone else right now. I didn't think he'd been with a girl all month. I wasn't too worried about him blowing our cover, though, because he was still pretty good at sweet-talking any pretty female that came his way. I had a feeling his abstinence came mostly from being so worried about me that he wouldn't leave my side. But I could also sense somehow that that wasn't quite what he was longing for inside, either. It wasn't even really a physical want that I saw in his gaze. More emotional. He was being patient, giving me all the time and chance I needed to heal, but he seemed almost desperate for my touch, with the way he would lean against me or keep his arm around my shoulders sometimes just a second too long. Or like now, with his hand taking advantage of the fact that we were in a dim corner of the room to rest almost possessively high on my thigh. To be honest, I was enjoying it there, and hoped he wouldn't remove it too soon. Soon, if things went the way I was planning tonight, it would be elsewhere as well.

We got home at about one in the morning, closing the front door quietly and soft-stepping down the hall to our room so as not to wake up Uncle Jesse or Daisy. They had better stay unaware of the world for what I had in mind. Once we had our door closed, a dim bedside lamp could be turned on, though we still had to whisper our conversation as we prepared for bed. I paused once I'd gotten my shirt off, though, watching as Bo finished pulling off his jeans, still talking about something or other that I wasn't paying attention to. Without saying a word, I reached behind me to lock our bedroom door. He turned around at that, looking a little surprised, as if he didn't understand. I just smiled and walked over to stand in front of him, putting my hands on his shoulders and pressing my lips to his warmly, not breaking away for quite a few seconds. When I did pull back, he just looked at me. Understanding had dawned in those beautiful sapphire blue eyes, but uncertainty was vying hard with hopefulness there too.

"Lukas," he worried quietly, shifting slightly closer to me as if soaking up my presence, "are you sure? I mean, after what Henson did..."

Shaking my head in fond annoyance, I moved to shut him up the fastest way I knew how -- I kissed him again. Hard. He stayed frozen for about one whole second, and then suddenly he was warm, strong, and willing against me, his arms surrounding me, pulling me close to him. I pressed closer still, closing my eyes as the kiss deepened quickly into pure heat and reveling in the feel of his entire body held against mine, my hands rubbing in firm circles over his bare back. One of his hands slid into my hair, the other holding my groin tightly nestled against his. I wanted this more with every touch, every movement that either of us made, especially when I felt his body's reaction to the passion in our kiss, and my own aching response to him. Somehow I pulled back before it became too much, stepping away and meeting his eyes. I was sure that my eyes were about as hazy with mixed love and desire as his were. He was the only clear thing I could see.

"You're sure," he whispered after a moment to get his wits back together, no more questioning in his voice.

I smiled, caressing his face with one hand, lingering for a moment over the white streak over his left eye. His body had far too many scars now, after this past year. I determined to myself that this would be the last. If he was mine, then he was also mine to defend and protect. And suddenly, I wanted that more than anything in the world. "I'm more sure than I was that night in the swamp... lover." I used that term on purpose, and my smile widened as it made him catch his breath. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm ready, I don't want to wait any longer. I want to spend as much of tonight as I can stay up for with you. You got any complaints about that?"

Slowly, a grin spread across his face, and he shook his head. "Nope."

"That's what I thought." Laughing quietly, but with a sudden sense of joy, I shoved him backwards toward my bed, where he willingly fell, midnight eyes dancing up at me until I finished undressing, turned out the light, and came down on top of him. Then there was nothing to see, only feel, as gentleness flowed into urgency, and playfulness became fire, as we affirmed to each other once again our love.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

As the first rosy fingers of dawn finally stretched across the sky, I looked down at where Bo had fallen asleep about ten minutes ago. I felt every bit as tired... except that I'd stayed awake, mind wandering, for just a little bit longer. I combed the fingers of one hand gently through his tousled hair, seeing in the pre-dawn light how the blond was darker than normal in places, damp with the exertion of our passion. I smiled gently down at him and bent to kiss his forehead, then yawned, comfortable exactly where I was, and scooted down under the covers, my arms still around the young man who meant so very much to me -- younger cousin, best friend, blood brother, and now my dearest love, the one who held not only my heart but all of me. And I was quite content to have it that way.

"Beauregard," I whispered the name that he hated so, yet that fit him so well. "Beautiful view. You are beautiful, inside and out, and I love you so much." I touched my lips to his briefly, then lay back, singing softly the chorus of a song that we'd heard on the jukebox the night before in the Boar's Nest, a song that had seemed too intimate for that wild, playful atmosphere, but that seemed perfect for us, here, right now. "Face to face, heart to heart, body to body. Tingling, tangled feelings..." I paused, and smiled as I finished almost silently, more mouthing the words than singing them. "Lovers, face to face."

I wasn't quite sure where our life might go, what might happen to us, what the future might bring. Life tended to be unpredictable in Hazzard County. But I did know that, through all of it, we would have each other. We were family, we were friends, and we were lovers, and between those three, there was no greater bond. We could always hold on to our dreams, as long as we held on to each other.

For the first time, I really knew what forever meant. It meant… forever. And for the first time, that word didn't scare me one bit.

Epilogue