Friends or Lovers?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard or any of the characters, not making any money or profit, just cheap thrills.


Warnings: Angst, Slash


Rating: FRM

Friends or Lovers?
Chapter 13


"Cooter are you sure it's safe to go home?" Bo nervously asked as his lover helped him into the pick-up.


Sighing heavily, Cooter forcefully tamped down on the urge to beat Jesse Duke to a pulp. "Yeah Bo it's safe," he patiently answered for the tenth time that morning. Getting his lover settled in the truck, he shut the door and hurried around to the other side. Sliding behind the wheel, he started the motor and pulled away from the hospital entrance. "I know you're worried Bo, ya got every right to be, but I won't let anybody hurt you again. I promise," he added softly, reaching for his lover's hand and bringing it to his lips, brushing a kiss over the knuckles.


"I'm sorry Cooter," Bo quietly apologized.


"Sorry? You ain't got anything to be sorry for," Cooter quickly asserted.


"Okay," Bo mumbled, turning to stare out the window at the passing scenery. He wondered if Cooter didn't see it, or just didn't mind that he was a coward?


Cooter didn't say anything for several minutes, he wasn't sure what to say. Finally the silence that was usually comfortable between them turned oppressive and Cooter couldn't remain quiet any longer. "What do you think you have to be sorry for?"


"You really don't see it do you?" Bo asked, turning towards him.


"See what?"


"That I'm a coward," Bo reluctantly admitted.


"A coward?" Cooter nearly yelled the question. Slamming on the brakes, he steered the truck to the side of the road, roughly throwing the gearshift into park. "You listen to me Bo Duke and you listen good," he began, turning to his lover and grabbing him by the shoulders. "You ain't a coward, you ain't never been and I doubt you ever could be a coward," he firmly told him.


"I ain't huh? Then why am I scared? Why am I shaking more and more the closer we get to the house?" He asked, dropping his head, ashamed.


"Because you're human!" Cooter snapped, kicking himself when he saw his lover flinch in response. "Bo, look at me please," he asked, softening his tone.


Swallowing hard, he forced himself to look his lover in the eye.


"I'm sorry I yelled babe, but ya ain't a coward, believe me. Ya think I'm not scared?" he quielty asked, caressing the younger man's cheek.


"Ya are?" Bo asked. Looking into his lover's eyes, he tried to see the lie that he was sure must be there. "Ya ain't just trying to be nice, are ya?"


"No Bo," Cooter confirmed with a sad smile. "When I came home the other day and found you gone, I was terrified," he admitted. "I didn't know who had taken you or why and then Rosco suggested..." he trailed off, shuddering at the memory.


"Suggested what?"


"He said that, well he told me that I should be prepared that when we found ya, you might not be alive."


"He thought Uncle Jesse would go that far?" he asked, shocked to the core.


"That was before we knew it was Jesse that had kidnapped ya and like Rosco said we didn't know what was in that syringe. The point is Bo, I ain't stopped being scared since that day."


"Even now?"


"Yeah," he replied. "I'm scared of what this is doing to you, scared that I won't be able to protect ya."


"I'm sorry love, I never thought about you being afraid," Bo softly said. "You really don't think I'm a coward for being afraid?" he asked, needing the reassurance.


"Do you think I am?"


"No! God no."


"Then why do you think you are?"


"Thank you love," he whispered, closing the distance between them to brush his lips over the older man's mouth. "Let's go home," he quietly added, scooting back to his own side of the truck.


"Let's," Cooter agreed, a small smile crossing his face as he restarted the truck and drove them home.




Taking a deep breath, Luke climbed out of the General and walked up to Cooter's door. Raising his hand to knock, he dropped it with a smile when a voice from inside called for him to come in. "Hey Bo, Cooter," he greeted as he stepped inside.


"Hey Luke, you by yourself?" Bo asked, looking up from where he sat at the table, his hands wrapped loosely around a glass.


"Yeah, Daisy and Jud were both busy. I think they're both figuring to come see y'all tomorrow," he added.


"Busy with what?" Bo asked suspiciously. It hadn't escaped his notice in the past few days that none of his cousins ever came to see him at the same time and he wondered why.


"Things," Luke evasively replied.


"What kind of things Luke?"


"Why does it matter? Hey Cooter ya got any beer?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.


"In the fridge."


"Why are you trying to avoid answering me?" Bo demanded.


Sighing heavily, Luke grabbed a beer and sat down at the table, scrubbing one hand over his face. "Did Cooter tell you that Jesse is out of jail?"


"Yeah, what's that got to do with my question?"


"Me, Daisy and Jud have been taking turns keeping an eye on him," Luke explained.


"You think he'd do something else?" Bo nervously asked.


"I don't know Bo, but we're not any of us willing to take the chance. Besides, even if he ain't gonna try anything, I didn't figure you probably want to see him any time soon."


"I appreciate that Luke, but y'all shouldn't have to take sides," Bo said, staring at the table.


Luke stared at his cousin in disbelief. "Of course we do Bo, Jesse made it impossible for us not to take sides," Luke firmly told him.


"Have y'all even talked to him? Maybe he's changed his mind," he suggested hopefully.


"We've tried to talk to him Bo," Luke quietly told him. "He ain't changed his mind cousin," he reluctantly added.


"Do you think he'll ever quit hating me?"


"I don't think he hates ya now Bo."


"He's sure doing a good imitation of it then," Bo scoffed.


"I ain't saying he's right Bo, but I really think he's been doing all of this cause he loves you. He honestly believes that Cooter is somehow taking advantage of you."


"So that makes it okay for him to kidnap me? To turn me over to them people to be tortured?" Jumping to his feet, Bo moved to the sink, staring blindly out the window.


Sharing a concerned look with Luke, Cooter stood up, joining his lover at the sink. Wrapping his arm around Bo's waist, he held him close. "Luke ain't saying what Jesse did was okay, only that he ain't doing it cause he hates ya."


"I know, funny thing is, knowing that don't make it hurt any less," Bo dejectedly murmured.


"I know babe, is there anything I can do to help?"


"Can ya figure out how to get through to Uncle Jesse?"


"I wish I could, for your sake," Cooter softly replied. He didn't give a damn what Jesse thought of him, not anymore, but he hated what this was doing to Bo.


"Thank you." Turning his head away he tried unsuccessfully to cover a yawn, hating how tired he still was.


"Why don't ya go get some more sleep," Cooter quietly suggested.


"I'm tired of sleeping," he snapped. "Damn it!" he slammed his hands down on the counter, punctuating his frustration. "I'm sorry love, you didn't deserve that."


"It's alright Bo, I know you're frustrated," Cooter soothed, rubbing his hand over Bo's back.


"Yeah," he tiredly agreed. "Think I will get some more sleep." Drawing closer, he lightly kissed his lover's lips, "Wake me in a little while?"


"You got it babe."


"See ya later Luke," squeezing his cousin's shoulder as he passed him.


"Yeah, have a good nap cousin." Watching him walking towards the bedroom, he couldn't help being concerned by his cousin's obvious exhaustion. "Has he been sleeping any at all?"


"Yeah, he sleeps all the time. That's why he's getting so frustrated, seems like the more sleep he gets the more tired he is."


"Maybe he should see the doctor," Luke carefully suggested.


"I already talked to the doctor, he said that it's normal. He said that Bo was kept awake for more than 48 hours and it's gonna take him time to recover from it. He also said that all the stress of worrying about Jesse and the trial ain't helping."


Luke had to admit that made sense. "He's sleeping good though?"


"Mostly, he's had a few nightmares, not as many as I was expecting. I figure he's too tired to dream most of the time."


"Guess that's something to be thankful for," Luke said, shaking his head. "God what a mess," he tiredly mumbled.


"Sure is," Cooter agreed. "Luke could I ask a favor of ya?"


"What ya need Cooter?"


"Well I was wondering if you could stay here today. I don't want to leave Bo alone, but I really need to go to the garage. I just can't afford to have it shut down for too long," he quickly explained, afraid Luke would think he didn't care about Bo like he'd claimed.


"I understand that Cooter, ya ain't got to explain. I don't have any problem at all staying here during the day, seems like a good solution for all of us."


"Thanks Luke, I appreciate it." Relieved that he wouldn't have to force Bo to come to the garage with him so he could work, he gave Luke a grateful smile. Finishing his coffee, he went to the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, he gazed at the younger man with eyes that were filled with love. "I love you Bo Duke," he whispered, brushing the hair back from his lover's face. "Be back later babe," leaning down he kissed him on the temple. Reluctantly he stood up and walked out of the bedroom.




Three weeks later Bo stood in front of the federal courthouse in Atalanta, Cooter and most of his family at his side. Taking a bracing breath he began the climb up a staircase that suddenly rivaled the highest mountain.


"You okay babe?"


"I'm scared to death Cooter," he softly admitted.


"They ain't gonna be able to get near ya Bo."


"I know love, it's the idea of facing Uncle Jesse that scares me. Don't worry I ain't changed my mind," he quickly added when he saw the looks on the faces of those around him.


"Good," Luke spoke up. "I know it's hard Bo but it has to be done and Jesse brought all of this on himself. The truth is he's damned lucky that the feds cut him a deal. They could've sent him to prison for the rest of his life, instead of giving him probation." Luke didn't try to hide the anger he felt about that, feeling as though a serious injustice had been done to his youngest cousin.


"I know ya don't like it Luke but I'm glad they did that, I don't think I could've stood the thought of him rotting in prison," Bo said.


Luke sighed heavily, they'd been over this so many times in the past few weeks. He knew, heck he even understood, that Bo was still holding out hope that Jesse would apologize for what he'd done. Luke hated to think it, but that wasn't likely to happen, no matter how much his cousin wanted or deserved it. "Let's just go on in, I think we should get you into the witness room before people start showing up."


"Yeah," Bo agreed. "I'd just as soon avoid the reporters," he added. The moment the news had hit the papers they'd been bombarded by nosy reporters who refused to leave them alone. He could understand that they had a job to do, and he knew his story sure had people talking, but it didn't mean he had to like it. Walking into the courthouse, he let Cooter lead him to the elevators and upstairs to the courtroom he would be testifying in. Stepping off the elevator he saw the prosecutor standing near the courtroom talking to Sean Harrison.


"Looks like your star witness is here," Sean noted, nodding towards the group that had just stepped off the elevator.


"Good, good," Stan Lawson muttered, relieved that the young man hadn't changed his mind. Hurrying over to them, he held out a hand, "Hello Bo, I'm glad you made it. If you'll follow me I'll show you where the witness room is," he quickly added, leading them down the hall to the room where they would wait.


"Mr. Lawson will we all be able to stay together?" Luke asked.


"Up until the time you testify yes, once you've testified you will be escorted to another witness room. The reason for that is to avoid any accusations of perjury."


"Perjury? Ya think we're lying about what happened?" Cooter demanded.


"No sir I don't, however we don't want the defense to have any grounds for appeal or to ask for a mistrial. However I understand that y'all need the moral support of each other, especially Bo. So the only way I could see to do that was this; you'll all stay in this room until you testify, then you'll go to another room. Cooter will testify first, then Bo will testify, followed by Luke and Jud."


"So I won't ever be alone?" Bo asked.


"That's right, this was the best I could do and still avoid giving the defense any amunition they could use," Lawson explained.


"We appreciate it too," Bo quickly said before any objections could be raised.


"Y'all just get comfortable, it'll be a little while before testimony begins. If you want anything to eat or drink just let the bailiff know, he'll get it for you. Are there any questions?" It didn't take long to determine that nobody had any questions, after telling them that the bailiff would get them when they were needed he left the room.


The atmosphere inside the small room become more tense as the morning wore on. When the bailiff opened the door and called Cooter's name they breathed a collective sigh of relief. The relief didn't last long though and soon Bo was pacing the too small room.


"Bo sit down," Luke quietly ordered the younger man.


"Too nervous," Bo responded, continuing to trek over the small space. "How long do ya think it'll be?" he asked, glancing towards the door.


"Ain't no way of telling Bo, it could be a few minutes or it could be a couple of hours."


"Hours?" Bo squeaked through a suddenly dry throat.


"Bo calm down now," Luke soothed, taking him by the shoulders. "I tell ya what why don't we play some cards while we're waiting for them to call you," he suggested.


"You got cards?"


"Sure do, ya think I wouldn't be prepared?"


"Guess the Marines taught ya well didn't they?" Bo asked, a small smile crossing his face.


"Of course, that and all the times spent waiting with you in emergency rooms when ya was little."


"Alright, maybe it'll help pass the time." Walking over to the table, he took a seat and waited for his cousin to deal the cards. They had only played for a half an hour when the door opened and the bailiff called Bo's name. Taking a deep breath he stood up and walked towards the door, wiping suddenly sweaty palms on his pants.


"Bo," Luke quietly called his name, taking his arm. "You'll be fine, just tell them what happened and remember Cooter is waiting for you when you're finished."


"Thanks Luke," he said. Giving the hand on his arm a gentle squeeze, he squared his shoulders and left the room.




Inside the courtroom Bo kept his eyes straight ahead as he walked to the front of the room, ignoring the stares and whispers as he moved. After being sworn in, he took his seat, only then noticing that his uncle was sitting in the courtroom. Reminding himself of all the things his cousins and lover had been telling him, he met his gaze without flinching, determined to live up to the name Duke. The moment that thought went through his mind, he couldn't help wishing that his uncle had done the same.


"Could you state your name for the record?" Mr. Lawson asked as he stood in front of the witness box.


"Yes sir, my name is Beauregard James Duke but I go by Bo."


"Bo could you tell me of the events that led to your encounter with the defendant?" he asked, pointing to Pastor Jensen.


"Yes sir," Bo replied. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat and began. "I was at my lover's house when my uncle showed up. He said he wanted to talk, but he wanted to go somewhere else. I told him if he couldn't talk to me there then I didn't have anything to say and I turned away. That's when I felt a sting in my arm and when I looked down I saw a needle sticking out of my arm. I remember asking why, then everything went black. When I woke up I was in a room strapped to a chair, actually it looked like one of them electric chairs ya see pictures of."


"How did that make you feel Bo?"


"Scared, terrified. I didn't know who these people were or what they were planning to do to me. I couldn't believe that my uncle had brought me here, but he had. If I'd had any doubts about that they confirmed it when they told me he had, that he wanted me to get help."


"What kind of help?"


"I had figured out I'm gay and had fallen in love with a man I've known most of my life. My uncle didn't approve, he was convinced that I was being manipulated so he..."


"Objection! Calls for speculation on the part of the witness," the defense attorney called out, rising to his feet.


"Mr. Duke did your uncle actually tell you that?" the judge asked.


"Yes sir he did."


"Objection over-ruled."


"Continue," Mr. Lawson encouraged Bo.


"Anyway he had brought me to Pastor Jensen and his group. They told me they were gonna lead me back to the right path. Jensen said I couldn't leave until I accepted that I wasn't gay. Even though I knew it wouldn't do any good I tried to say okay I wasn't gay. He just laughed and let me know it wouldn't work. They started playing this tape, over and over again and whenever I started to fall asleep this other guy would poke me with a cattle prod, shocking me awake."


"What were your thoughts during all of this Bo?"


"At first I kept thinking how much it hurt that my uncle had betrayed me like that and hoping that my cousins and Cooter would find me soon. After awhile though all I could think was that I wanted to sleep, I was begging them to let me sleep."


"Did they?"


"No sir, they wouldn't let me sleep until I agreed that I wasn't gay and that I should find some nice girl to marry and have lots of kids with, just like the tape was saying. I was trying so hard to resist, but it was getting harder and harder. Luckily I was rescued before I gave into their brainwashing." Bo was looking down by the time he finished, shaking as the memories of that time threatened to overwhelm him.


"Are you okay Bo?" Mr. Lawson kindly asked.


"I just want to get this over with," Bo replied, nodding his head.


"Alright, I have no further questions your honor," Mr. Lawson said, moving back to his seat.


"Your witness Mr. Wilson," the judge told the defense attorney.


"Thank you your honor. Bo how can Pastor Jensen be guilty of kidnapping when it was your uncle who took you to him?"


"But he kept me there, even after I told him I wanted to leave," Bo replied.


"Now Bo isn't it true that you're simply blaming the good pastor in an effort to keep your uncle out of jail?"


"No sir." Bo kept his reply short, biting his tongue to keep from adding to his answer, remembering that Mr. Lawson had told him to only answer the questions that were asked.


"You want your uncle to go to jail?"


"He has to take responsibility for what he did."


"That's not the question I asked you Mr. Duke."


"No I don't want him to go to jail," Bo admitted.


"So it stands to reason that you would shift the blame for your kidnapping to Pastor Jensen in an effort to save your uncle from the fate he deserves," Wilson asserted.


"No sir, I don't lie. I might not want my uncle to go to jail, but I accept that it might happen and if it does it's his own doing, not mine."


Jesse sat in the courtroom listening with rapt attention to his nephew's testimony. He couldn't believe what a fool he'd been. How could he have turned his boy over to people like this Jensen fella? What had he been thinking? He was thankful that his testimony had been the first of the day, allowing him to sit in the courtroom while Cooter and then Bo testified. He was finally beginning to see just how wrong he had been. Startled out of his thoughts, he watched with concerned eyes as Bo made his way from the courtroom, leaning against the bailiff for support at times as he walked. A few minutes later Luke walked into the room and made his way to the witness stand. By the time he was finished recounting the frantic call he'd overheard from Cooter to the sheriff and the events that followed, leading to Bo's rescue Jesse knew he'd been a fool. Standing up he left the courtroom and after fighting his way through the crowd of reporters he pulled out of the parking lot. He didn't head to his own farm though, he drove to Cooter's instead, determined to begin the process of making things right with Bo.


After a long day of testifying and waiting, Bo and the others finally left the courthouse. Mr. Lawson had explained that the next day he would present witnesses who could add to the case. Other men who had been victimized by Jensen and his group, letting the jury know that what had happened to Bo wasn't a one time thing. After that was done the defense would make their case, then would come closing arguments and the jury would then decide if he was guilty or not guilty. Hopefully though Bo wouldn't need to come back for anymore testimony.


"What is he doing here?" he nervously asked his lover as they pulled into the yard and saw Jesse's truck.


"Don't worry babe, I ain't letting him near ya," Cooter assured him.


"Thanks love but I can't avoid him forever. Might as well find out what he wants," he sighed. Reaching for the door handle, he climbed out of the truck and walked over to his uncle, Cooter at his side. "Uncle Jesse," he greeted without his usual warmth.


"Bo, Cooter," he greeted in turn. "I know ya ain't happy to see me and I don't blame ya none. Bo son I came by to tell ya I've been a fool..."


"Ain't gonna get no argument," Cooter mumbled.


"Cooter," Bo softly said, his uncle's teaching about respect for your elders coming to the surface.


"It's alright Bo, I deserve that and more," Jesse sighed. "I don't expect ya to forgive me right away and I know it'll take time to repair the damage I done, but I hope someday it will be fixed."


"This ain't some kind of trick?" Bo asked, afraid to believe that his uncle was really having a change of heart.


"No son, it ain't a trick," Jesse replied, his heart heavy with grief.


"I just want you to know that I'm sorry for what I did and I ain't gonna cause y'all anymore trouble, Duke's honor."


"That's good to know. Now what?"


"Now I go home and leave you boys be. I got some other apologies to make before the day is done, but the one I owed you was the most important." Cautiously he placed a hand on Bo's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You forgive me when and if you're ready." Letting go of his shoulder he climbed into his truck and left Cooter's farm, headed for his own.


"I sure didn't expect that," Bo whispered, watching his uncle drive away.


"Do you want to go after him?"


"No, I ain't ready to forgive him yet. I need to be sure he means what he says, but I think he does. It'll still take time to forgive him and I don't know if we'll ever be as close as before." Leaning against his lover, he wrapped his arm around the older man's waist as they walked inside. "I'm tired Cooter, I want all of this to be over, but I'm not going to forgive him until I'm ready. You don't mind that I'm thinking about forgiving him, do you?"


"Of course not babe. That's one of the things I love about you, just don't forgive him before you're ready."


"I won't love, I promise."




True to his word Bo didn't forgive his uncle easily or quickly. A week after he testified the jury returned a verdict of guilty in Jensen's trial. Surprisingly most of the people in Hazzard weren't bothered by the idea of Bo and Cooter as a couple. There were of course a few who tried to cause trouble, but if they hadn't been causing it over that it would've been something else. Knowing that the only ones who wanted to make an issue were the county troublemakers made it a lot easier to ignore them. Eventually with a lot of patience from everybody Bo was able to forgive his uncle, though they never regained the closeness they'd once enjoyed. Bo never again moved back to the Duke farm, though he did continue to help out with the chores. His home now was with Cooter, the man who had become both friend and lover.


The End.


Hope y'all enjoyed it, please review and tell me what you think.