I'm snapped out of my memories as Luke places a hand over mine on his knee. I pull back from where I've been half-lying against him and push myself upright. He just looks at me for a second. "What were you thinking about?" he asks softly.

I smile over at him, turning my hand to squeeze his. "Stuff... the past," I reply honestly.

He leans back against the barn wall, settling himself into the hay more comfortably near the wide window and looking out at the sunset, the golds and oranges that are painted across the sky catching and reflecting in his crystal blue eyes. He is still so gorgeous, I have to think to myself, smiling. "What part of it? We've got a lot of past," he chuckles.

I have to shake my head at the truth of that. "Yeah... that we do." I take a deep breath, letting it out again in a relaxing sigh. "I was thinking about that first year we were together... you pretty much cut my imagination off about the time you were just proving to me you were okay after Henson after all."

"Oh, Bo..." He rolls his eyes, pretending to groan. I have to grin to myself. If there is one thing that hasn't changed in all these years, it's that he still complains about my more amorous tendencies, and still secretly (he thinks secretly, anyway) enjoys them just as much.

No… that's only one of the things that hasn't changed. Thinking about it, I would have to say that the one greatest fact of our lives that has remained the same is simply that I love him; he owns my heart and soul. And he loves me every bit as much. After all these years, I'm only more in love with him. The sentiment goes both ways.

As though he feels that I'm thinking about him, he glances over at me, and I have to smile back at the depth of the warmth in his gaze. Without saying a word, I scoot closer, sliding down in the hay so that I can lean my shoulder against his chest. He puts his arm around me, holding me close, and I close my eyes, snuggling in and listening to his strong, slow heartbeat.

I'm not sure exactly how he feels about life right now, though I know he's rather content, but I feel like I've finally set my boat in a peaceful lake, and I never want to leave again. Cause that's how I feel inside, peaceful. Deep inside, beyond the laughter, taunts, worries, etc., that Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane still brings, just like when we were kids. Life was fun back then, even exciting. But peaceful at the same time. And it could be that way again. Yeah, I'm ready for that old life again. Or at least something like it. I smile, thinking about that... but then a small pang touches me. There is one part of our past I could do without returning to…

"Luke?" I finally speak up again.

"Hmm?"

I change position and he accommodates me, until my back is against his chest and my head leaning back on his shoulder. He closes his arms and legs gently around me, and I move one hand to stroke a powerful thigh, feeling very content at being surrounded. "Just thinking... about our decision to stay here in Hazzard."

He shifts away slightly, and I smile, knowing from nearly eleven years of experience what my touch does to him. "What about it?"

I sigh. "All the time we spent here, the life... it was wonderful. Everything here is better than the world outside... almost." He's silent, waiting for me to continue, and so I sigh again. "But the years we spent out of Hazzard... even though we were mostly separated, there was one thing I loved."

"What's that?" His voice is soft next to my ear, sending a thrill down my spine, and I turn slightly to nestle my forehead into the side of his neck.

"The fact that we didn't have to hide... this. Us. When we were together, we could be together... and it was okay." I pause, frowning as I figured out how to word this. "Luke... do you think maybe things will have changed enough, even here in Hazzard, that we could be accepted as we are? As a couple? I don't want to play and pretend any more, I really don't. Maybe I've finally grown up, maybe that's it... but I'm a one-person man now... and I want to be yours. Without having to hide it. You... you know?"

He's quiet for a bit, then he sighs. "I know what you mean. I was thinking about that when we first came home."

"Do you think there's a chance?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know, Bo. Maybe. We could try... that's really all we can ever do. I don't want to leave Hazzard again."

"Neither do I. But I don't wanna be a secret anymore, either."

We're both silent for a couple of minutes, then he finally speaks again. "I guess the first place to start is with Jesse and Daisy."

"I hope they understand." Looking down, I trace designs on his leg half-absently, moving from the knee upward. When I reach upper-thigh, he makes a sound that I can only describe as a squawk and slaps my hand away, though I can feel his silent laughter. It makes me grin too.

"Cut that out, Beauregard Duke!"

I make a face, punching the knee I've been playing on. "I still hate that name."

"That's why-"

"You still call me it, I know." I roll my eyes, leaning back into him, and receive an unexpected hug for it. Smiling, I shift to touch a light kiss to the side of his neck, feeling him smile back at the gesture. "Idiot," I complain fondly.

He cuffs me across the top of my head, open-palmed, for that, and I scramble out of his embrace to spin around and retaliate with a mock-blow at his jaw, laughing. He grins and jumps at me then, tackling me backwards, and a practical all-out brawl of a wrestling match ensues. Neither of us is any weakling; we're grown men bred and raised on a farm, with all the muscular ability that implies. I'm aware of the fact that either of us could easily hurt someone like Daisy (or any other girl) even by accident, but Luke and I are both tough enough, familiar enough with every aspect of each other, that we would never be injured in a friendly game like this. Finally though, too tired to play anymore, we drop into the hay next to each other, both panting for breath, but both grinning. He turns his head to capture my gaze, and I willingly lose myself in that warm pale blue, rolling onto my side to put my left palm in his, remembering when we shared blood there at ten years old, and the bond between us that has changed so much with the years, yet never lessened... only grown. We're a part of each other, and I don't just mean because I still carry his kidney. We belong to each other... forever.

Luke just lays there, understanding my thoughts and feelings without me having to say a word. His only reply is to wrap his fingers around my hand, as I do the same. Sighing in contentment, I close my eyes, listening to the rustling of the animals below in the barn, the warm breeze outdoors, the steady breathing of the man lying next to me, and smile. It's the sounds of home, of a safety I never want to leave again... but I still want Luke by my side. I open my eyes again and reach out to brush my fingers across his forehead and down the side of his face. He doesn't say anything, only reaches out to run his fingers back through my hair. I've retired from NASCAR racing now, but so far I'm still keeping my hair somewhat shorter than I used to. Somehow the wild look doesn't fit me anymore. I've grown up too much.

Without saying a word, I slide my arm around his middle and move closer, snuggling into his embrace. I rest my head against his shoulder as he puts his arms around me, and glance over, out the loft window. The sun must be dipping behind the hills now; orange and pink are beginning to paint the eastern sky. I smile to myself, thinking about how the picture somehow fits me and Luke. Our life is like that sky right now; calm, bright but not overwhelmingly so anymore, just the slightest hints of age beginning to show in our bodies. But like that summer sunset, I know it will take a long time for the light to go out. We'll have many more years together, years that I wouldn't trade for anything, even if I had the chance to go back in time. Being young was great. It was fun, crazy, a wonderful time. But life now is good too, in a different way. As years have passed, the world has changed, we've both changed in some ways. I treasure the memories of days gone by. But I also treasure the moments of the present.

Finally he sighs and moves to get up, and I roll away from him and to my feet, stretching. We still have some chores to do; we were really supposed to be finishing them the whole time we've been sitting up here in the loft. But they're not that important. They'll wait till tomorrow. Right now, it's heading for dinnertime. In that way we still have of reading each other's minds, we both move for the ladder to the lower level, making our way down with the ease of long familiarity. Three rungs from the bottom, I smile down at Luke, who went first, as he holds a hand up to me. Once I would have scowled at him, even laughed, and jumped down all three rungs in direct defiance of any need for help. But nowadays I understand that the gesture isn't really because he thinks I need help; it's one of his ways of showing affection, to take care of someone. As long as I'm that someone, I'm not gonna complain too much. I guess I've gotten a little romantic in my 'old age'... as if thirty-seven is old. I sure as heck don't feel old. But I do enjoy quieter moments more now than I used to. I can still be energetic, but I don't need to be that way all the time anymore. Sometimes it's nice.

So, I hold out a hand and let him take it, steadying me down the last few rungs until I'm standing close to him, close enough to kiss him if I wanted to. I meet his eyes and ponder the idea for a moment, and I can tell he's doing the same, but before we can act on that mutual decision another familiar voice yells from the house.

"Bo! Luke! Come eat dinner before it gets cold!"

Chuckling, I step back, reaching up to pick hay out of Luke's dark curls. "Perfect moment, eh?"

"Was," he agrees, looking slightly annoyed but still smiling. He returns the favor, then moves in quickly, before I can react, to capture me in a quick, fierce kiss. I make a little surprised noise in my throat, but just as I start to reach for him, he pulls away, grinning. "Consider that a preview of coming attractions," he teases, then brushes past me. I stand there in the aisle of the barn, mouth hanging open for a second in disbelief, before spinning and running after him.

"Lukas Keith Duke, you come back here! I'm not finished with you yet!"

Laughing, he dashes for the house, and I take off after him, cutting him off from the side by taking a shortcut over the fence. Seeing me coming, he changes direction and heads for the old oak in the center of the yard. I follow him around the tree, through the goat pen, across the General Lee's roof, and back for the barn, laughing as the memories of childlike games and wonderful times fill my mind. I feel almost as though I'm running back into those days... back into a world that has changed on the outside, but still has a beautiful, old-fashioned spirit that the rest of the world has lost. Hazzard County is still one very special place, and I am as glad to call it home now as I was twelve years ago. And as for Luke and me... well, we'll see. Some things have changed here... chances are that now we might just be accepted as we are. Life is going to be wonderful from now on, I have a feeling.

Finally, we give up the chase, walking back to the house side by side, arms around each other. Together. Where we'll stay from now on. Here. Home.

Living a life as beautiful and intertwined as a mosaic of sapphire and crystal.

THE END?