Love Betrayed

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


Warnings: Slash, Established Couple, Angst


Rating: FRT-17


* indicates thoughts


Love Betrayed
Chapter 7


Bo spent several hours driving, hoping the feel of the powerful car under him would soothe his soul, as it always did. It wasn't working today though, of course he hadn't been this upset in a long time.


"Oh good news, good news, it's the General Lee and I'm gonna get 'em this time," Rosco chortled. The moment the General passed his speed trap, he pulled out and flipped on his lights and sirens. "Khee, khee, hot pursuit, I love it, I love it!" he told his dog Flash.


"Dang it Rosco, I ain't in the mood to play today," Bo called over the c.b..


"Neither am I Bo Duke, so pull it over," Rosco ordered.


"For what?"


"You're speeding and I'm gonna give ya a ticket," Rosco chortled. "Now pull over or you'll get more than a ticket when I catch ya," he warned.


"I don't think so Rosco," Bo refused, stepping on the gas.


"Don't you worry Flash darlin, your daddy's gonna get him today, I got a surprise for him." Picking up the c.b. mic, he called Enos and told him to get ready.


"I don't know if this is a good idea sheriff..."


"And that's why I'm sheriff and you're just a dipstick deputy, now do what I tell ya, ya dipstick."


"Yes sir," Enos unhappily obeyed. Picking up the spike chain that the sheriff had made himself, since he couldn't get Boss Hogg to pay for one, he prepared to throw it out on the road. As the General Lee rounded the curve, Enos tossed the chain out. The ones that the state police used easily rolled out across the roadway, the spikes sticking straight up, flattening the tires of any car that ran over it. This one didn't work quite right though and when Enos threw it out instead of rolling across the road, it whipped through the air, directly into the General's windshield.


Bo's eyes widened in alarmed surprise when he saw something that Enos had thrown suddenly flying towards him. Unable to see through the shattered windshield, he instinctively hit the brakes and turned the wheel. The sound of metal on metal could be heard as the General came to a sudden stop, tossing Bo forward against the steering wheel.


Enos watched in horror as the General slid towards his patrol car on the side of the road, slamming into it. Running for the car, he prayed that nobody was hurt. "Bo? Talk to me buddyro, ya okay?" he called to his friend.


Leaning back, Bo rubbed gingerly at his chest, "Enos what was that?"


"That was the sheriff's new spike chain, guess I didn't throw it right, sorry."


"Spike chain?"


"Yeah it's something the state police use to stop cars during high speed chases. They throw it across the road and when a car runs over it the tires get flattened."


"How'd Rosco get Boss to spring for something like that?"


"That ain't none of your business Bo Duke," Rosco snapped as he walked up to the car. "Now you get on out of that car, you're under arrest."


"Arrest? For speeding?" Bo asked.


"No, you're under arrest for fleeing, resisting arrest and destruction of public property," he added as he looked at Enos' patrol car.


"I don't think you want to do that Rosco," Bo said, staying in the car.


"Wrong, wrong, wrong, arresting Dukes is one of my favorite things to do."


"Okay," Bo shrugged, climbing from the car. "Guess you can explain the lawsuit to Boss," he added, holding out his hands for Rosco to cuff.


"You bet I can," slapping the cuffs on Bo's wrists. "Lawsuit? What lawsuit?" he asked, looking up from his task, a startled look on his face.


"The one I'm gonna be bringing against the county for damages to the General and for endangering my life."


"You can't sue the county for that Bo, you were running from the law, ain't the county's fault if you get hurt or your car gets damaged," Rosco protested.


"Sure I can Rosco, you had Enos using a dangerous device without proper training didn't ya?"


"Well even the dipstick ought to be able to throw a chain across the road."


"He didn't though and cause of that I wrecked the General."


"He's right sheriff," Enos piped up. "I know ya worked hard to make your own spike chain sheriff, but I don't think we should use it again, Bo could've been hurt real bad."


"You made it?"


"Enos would you hush," Rosco said, exasperated with the younger man. "So what if I did, you still was running from the law and you're going to jail," he told Bo.


"Just one more thing to add to the lawsuit," Bo mumbled.


Huffing angrily and puffing out his chest, he released the cuffs from Bo's wrists. "Fine you're free to go," he growled, attaching his cuffs to his utility belt. "I better not catch you driving that clunker on the road with a busted windshield either," he warned.


"I'm real sorry about this Bo..."


"Enos don't be apologizing to the lawbreakers, get on back to town and do some filing," Rosco snapped. Stalking to his car, he mumbled under his breath, "Maybe he can do that without messing it up."


"I'm sorry Bo."


"It's alright Enos," Bo said, running a hand through his hair. "You better go."


"Yeah, alright, see ya later?"


"Sure Enos, see ya around." After Enos left, Bo reached into the General and called Cooter on the c.b..


A short time later Cooter was parking in front of the General. Getting out of the truck, he gave a long whistle when he saw the damage to the orange car. "What in the world happened to the General?"


"Rosco and Enos happened," Bo sourly answered.


"Huh?"


"Rosco made himself a spike chain and when Enos threw it out in the road, it whipped up and hit the General's windshield."


"Ouch," Cooter said sympathetically. "So what'd ya crash into? No wait, let me guess...Enos' patrol car?"


"Got it in one," Bo replied.


"You okay?"


"Yeah, hit the steering wheel with my chest but it's just bruised."


"You sure? Maybe ya ought to see the doc," Cooter suggested.


"I don't need to see the doctor Cooter, it's just a bruise," Bo insisted. "Can you tow me back to the farm?"


"Sure can," Cooter answered and in no time at all he had the General hooked up, and ready to go. "Hop on in the cab and we'll get going."


Bo climbed into the truck, and leaned against the door, staring out the window.


"Everything alright buddyro?" Cooter asked after several minutes of silence.


"Could I ask you something Cooter?"


"What ya need Bo?"


"What would you do if somebody you trusted betrayed that trust?"


"I don't know how to answer that Bo," Cooter honestly replied. "I mean there's a lot of things to consider. Who it was and how they betrayed me for starters. I guess why they betrayed me would matter too. You want to talk about what's going on?"


"Well I can't tell ya everything, but somebody I thought I could trust hurt me, bad. This person thought they had a good reason for what they did, but they were wrong about what happened. Now he...the person wants to make things right, but I don't know if I can forgive what was done," Bo explained, never looking at his friend.


"This have something to do with why Luke was getting drunk last night?"


Bo shrugged, not sure what to say, only knowing that he didn't want to put Cooter in the position of taking sides.


Pulling to the side of the road, Cooter parked the truck and laid a gentle hand on Bo's shoulder. "What happened Bo?" he softly asked.


"It don't matter, I shouldn't have said anything."


"Bo please talk to me, I'm your friend, I want to help."


"I don't want ya to feel like ya have to take sides," Bo softly said.


"I appreciate that buddy, but I want to help, let me," Cooter plead. He sat waiting for Bo to say something, even if it was just to tell him to shut up. Just when he'd decided that his friend wasn't going to tell him anymore, he began to talk.


"Luke thought I did something that I didn't do and he," Bo paused to lick suddenly dry lips. "He punished me for it, without even giving me a chance to explain things. He found out that he was wrong a few days later, says he's sorry but I don't know if I can ever trust him again."


"What do ya mean he punished you?" Cooter demanded. "He hurt you?"


"Yeah," came the nearly whispered reply.


"What'd he think you did?"


"He thought I was che..." Bo bit off what he was about to say as he realized what he had nearly revealed.


"This have something to do with you and him being involved?"


Bo turned to Cooter, his eyes opened wide in surpise, "You know?"


"Y'all are my best friends Bo, I figured it out a while ago."


"It don't bother ya none?"


"Ain't none of my business, I figured y'all'd tell me when ya was ready. So it have to do with y'all's relationship?"


"Yeah, he thought I was cheating on him, but I wasn't."


"He hit you?"


"No, it was a lot worse than that," Bo dejectedly answered.


"Worse?" Cooter squeaked, wondering what could be worse than that. "Bo, what'd he do to you?"


"He hurt me, made me feel worthless, like Kathy Sue did," Bo said, his voice soft with pain.


"No wonder ya don't know if ya can forgive him," Cooter quietly said. "Do you want to forgive him?"


"I don't know," Bo miserably answered. "I guess what I really want is to pretend the last few days never happened."


"I ain't no expert Bo, but I don't think that's the best way to handle this," Cooter advised. "I think it does kind of give ya a clue about what to do."


"What do ya mean?"


"Well if you're wanting to pretend it didn't happen then I think you want to forgive him and to trust him again. I think ya ought to just be willing to try and give him a chance to prove that he's learned his lesson, that he'll never betray your trust again."


"I guess so, thanks Cooter," Bo gratefully said.


"Anytime buddyro," Cooter acknowledged. Putting the truck in gear, he pulled onto the road and drove towards the Duke farm.


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When Luke saw the condition of the General, he swore his heart stopped beating. Running towards his younger cousin, he stopped short of hugging him when Bo took a step backwards at his approach. Feeling as though his heart was breaking, he stood back and let his uncle be the first to reach Bo.


Giving his youngest a strong hug, Jesse pulled back and held Bo at arms length, examining him with a critical eye. "Where are ya hurt?"


"I ain't hurt Uncle Jesse."


"Don't you lie to me boy," Jesse gruffly said.


"It's just a bruise, that's all," Bo told him.


"What's just a bruise?"


"My chest," Bo reluctantly admitted.


"Your chest?"


"Yes sir, I hit the steering wheel."


"You sure it's just a bruise?"


"Yeah, I'm sure."


"What happened?"


Bo quickly explained everything. Seeing the anger on his uncle and cousin's faces, he was glad he wasn't in Rosco's shoes.


"I swear I don't know what Rosco uses for brains sometimes," Jesse grumbled. Glancing at where Cooter was unhooking the General, he called to him. "Lunch is almost ready Cooter, would ya like to stay?"


"That sure is tempting Uncle Jesse, but I ain't really got time today, thanks anyway."


"Cooter I ain't your Uncle Jesse and you're welcome anytime."


"Yes sir, Uncle, uh, Mr. Jesse," Cooter corrected himself, hiding a small smile from the older man. "Guess I better get going, y'all call if ya need anything," he said, addressing them all, but looking only at Bo.


Nodding in acknowledgement, Bo watched as the mechanic climbed into the truck and drove away. "Ya need me to do anything Uncle Jesse?"


"No son, I got it under control," Jesse replied, patting him on the back.


Stepping over to the General, Bo went to the trunk and took out a tire tool along with an old blanket. Laying the blanket across the hood, in front of the windshield, he proceeded to use the tire tool to knock the shattered glass from the frame, letting it fall onto the blanket. "Cooter knows about us," he suddenly said.


"What? You told him?" Luke asked, surprised and concerned. "How'd he take it?"


"I didn't have to tell him, he figured it out on his own a while ago. He said he didn't think it was any of his business and he thought we'd tell him when we were ready."


"Then why'd he say anything?"


"Cause I was trying to ask for some advice without telling him what it was about, he figured out that it had to do with you, with us."


"Oh, so what'd he tell ya?"


"Nothing I didn't already know deep down," Bo replied.


"And?"


"I don't want to lose what we have Luke, but I don't know if I can ever trust you again. Maybe I'm just proving Kathy Sue right, maybe I really am worthless and pathetic, but I'm willing to give you a chance to make amends."


"She ain't right Bo, you're a beautiful person, inside and out and ya deserve so much better than me. I'm too selfish to let ya go though, so if you're willing to try, then I'll make sure ya never have reason to doubt or fear me again," Luke promised.


"It ain't gonna happen overnight, and I can't promise I'll ever be able to get past it, but I'm willing to stay open and see where things lead."


"That's all I can ask, heck it's more than I hoped for," Luke honestly told him. "I love you Bo Duke and I'm gonna earn your love and trust again, if it's the last thing I do."


TBC


Hope y'all liked it and if anybody has any ideas for things Luke could do to win Bo's love again, feel free to let me know. I won't promise to use them, but you never know what they may spark. Please feed the muse with reviews.