Love Betrayed

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


Warnings: Angst, Slash, Incest, Violence


Rating: FRAO


* indicates thoughts


Love Betrayed
Chapter 9


Bo climbed into the passenger seat of Rachel's car, taking the opportunity to watch her as they drove. He didn't like the way her hands gripped the wheel until the knuckles were white and wondered what had her that upset? "Rachel, are you sure ya ought to be driving?" he quietly asked.


"No," she tiredly replied. "Guess I should pull over somewhere," she thoughtfully mused.


"We ain't far from Widow's Peak, want to go up there?"


"I don't know Bo, I'm not really looking for anything romantic," she doubtfully answered.


Bo chuckled at that, "Trust me darlin neither am I. Just was thinking it'd be a good place to talk in private," he explained.


"Oh, okay," pulling onto the path that would lead to Widow's Peak, Rachel wondered why Bo had reacted the way he had. Parking the car, she killed the engine and sat with her hands still gripping the wheel.


"Rachel?"


"I'm sorry Bo, I shouldn't have come to you, I don't want to cause you any trouble."


"Ain't like I'm any stranger to trouble," he said, reaching for her hands. Gently he pried her hands from the wheel, lightly massaging them as he did. "Now why don't ya tell me what has you so upset?" he quietly asked.


"I don't know where to start," she softly said, swallowing back her tears.


"The beginning's usually a good spot."


"Yeah," she whispered. "You know I married a man from Cedar City?"


"Yeah I know," Bo confirmed.


"Everything was good for the first six months, but then he changed. Or maybe what I should say is he let his true self be seen," she corrected.


Bo bit his tongue to keep from saying anything. He had an idea where this was going, though he prayed he was wrong.


"It started with little things, he'd yell at me over stupid stuff that didn't even matter. Like when he fell asleep in his chair watching television and I turned the t.v. off, he woke up yelling at me. Called me stupid for not knowing he was awake and accused me of being selfish."


"How bad did it get?"


"This bad," she replied, turning her back to him and raising her shirt.


Bo gasped, reaching out to gently touch her bruise covered back. "Ya got to get away from him Rachel," Bo softly advised.


"I've tried Bo, he finds me and brings me back every time," she said, lowering her shirt and facing forward.


"What about yer family, can't they help you?"


"They won't, or I should say daddy won't. Mama wants to help, I can see it in her eyes, but daddy told me not to marry him so now he says I made my bed and I've got to lie in it."


"What can I do to help?" Bo asked, carefully wrapping an arm around her.


"It helps just having somebody to talk to."


"I know that Rachel, but you know that's not what I meant. How can I help you to get away from him?"


"You can't," she quickly protested. "You saw what he does to me Bo and he claims to love me, he'd kill you if you helped me."


"Rachel I've been where you are, you know that and I can tell ya, it ain't gonna get better."


"I know that Bo!" jumping out of the car she sank to her knees a few feet away. " Sorry, I got no right snapping at you," she apologized, as he came up behind her. "I guess that's why I came to you, I was hoping you'd have some advice for me."


Sitting down beside her he quietly spoke, "Well you and I both know you can't stay with him, so I guess you need someplace safe to stay until you can get a divorce. Have you thought about pressing charges against him?"


Rachel nodded her head, "I've pressed charges a couple of times, but he always makes bail and a restraining order doe't bother him any."


"He comes after you and makes you drop the charges?"


"Yeah, oh Bo I just don't know what to do," she cried, leaning against him. "I want to leave, I'm so tired of being scared all the time but I can't figure out how to manage it."


"Rachel, if you could be safe until he was convicted and sent to jail, would you press charges and stick to your guns?"


"In a heartbeat," she quickly answered.


"Are you living in Cedar City or here?" he asked.


"We got a place just inside of Hazzard county, almost to Chickasaw county."


"That close?"


"I know, strange isn't it? But he never wants me to go anywhere without him and we usually do our shopping in Chickasaw county since we're so close to it."


"Then we need to get you to Rosco so you can press charges against him for assault."


"Then what Bo? He'll just get out on bail and come after me, and you."


"No he won't," Bo assured her. "Oh he can try, but it ain't gonna do him any good cause he won't find you."


"How can you be so sure?"


"Simple, I'll take ya up to one of my uncle's old still sites, if the revenuers couldn't find it your husband isn't going to."


"I don't know Bo," looking doubtful, she turned away. "Gary's always managed to find me before."


"Where did you hide before?"


"My folks place the first time, after that a friend's or the rooming house."


"All places where he could easily find you, this time you won't be nearly so easy to find. Look Rachel I can't force you to press charges against him, but trust me if you don't get away from him now it's just going to get worse."


"So what do I do once I press charges?"


"As soon as we get done talking to Rosco, you go see Ken Williams and file for divorce, then I'll take ya to still site number four and you'll be safe. Once he's sent to jail and your divorce is final you can do whatever you want."


"Alright, let's do it," she agreed.


Standing up, Bo offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet. Casually wrapping an arm around her waist, he led her back to her car.


"Bo can I ask you something?" she asked, leaning against the door.


"Sure ya can."


"Earlier when I told you I wasn't looking for anything romantic, well your reaction was a little, um, odd I guess is the word. You ain't still letting what Kathy Sue did stop you from loving are ya?"


"No honey, that ain't it at all, I swear."


"What's her name?"


"Huh? Who?"


"Well if ya ain't letting Kathy Sue stop ya from loving, and you're not interested in anything romantic I figure you must be in love," she smiled. "So what's her name?"


"Actually she's a he," Bo quietly replied.


"You're gay?" Rachel was shocked, that was a possiblity she'd never considered.


"I don't know if that's the right word, I mean I ain't never been attracted to any other man."


"Are you happy? Does he treat you right?"


"Let's not talk about me right now, let's worry about you," Bo replied, avoiding the question.


"Bo?"


"I was happy and he does treat me right, but there was...something happened a little over a month ago that caused some big problems."


"Did he hurt you?"


"Rachel please just let it go alright?"


"No I won't let it go," she declared. "How can I let you help me out of a bad marriage while standing by and watching while somebody hurts you?"


"It's not like that Rachel, Luke was just reacting to something that he thought I did and he had good reason for thinking it. I really don't think he'd ever do it again, but I don't know if we can ever have what we did before either. Right now we're just trying to be friends, he ain't pushing me or nothing and if I tell him I can't ever be with him again, he'll accept it."


"Luke? As in your cousin Luke?"


"Uh, yeah," Bo replied uncertainly. He couldn't help wondering if maybe he shouldn't have told her that part.


"I should've known," she grinned at him. "Well I can't fault your taste any that's for sure. So what happened?"


"I...Boss Hogg had me hypnotized so I'd be with this man that he was trying to bribe. Luke saw us together at Boss' fishing cabin and he thought I was cheating on him..."


"That little weasel, how could Boss do something like that?" she asked, shocked for the second time tonight.


"How's he do anything Rachel? He did it because it would benefit him and he didn't care about anything else. It didn't work though, the guy accidently said the phrase that broke the hypnosis and when he figured out what had happened he was furious." Bo explained, going on to explain the actions Doug Lewis had taken to extract revenge from Boss.


"Bo, did Luke hurt you for what he thought you did?"


"Yeah, but not like you're thinking. I ain't excusing what he did, don't know if he can ever prove to me that it won't happen again, but I do understand it."


"I used to say the same thing Bo," Rachel pointed out.


"This is different Rachel," Bo insisted. "For one thing, Luke really did have reason to think I'd cheated on him. For another thing, we been together for a few years and that is the one and only time he's ever hurt me in any way."


"I hope you're right Bo, I really do."


"Right now it doesn't matter anyway, cause right now we're just cousins and friends and we may never be anything else. So what do you say we get you into see Rosco?"


"Okay," she agreed, sliding into the driver's seat and waiting for him to get in.


"Does anybody else know about you and Luke?" she asked as they drove.


"My family knows and Cooter, now you."


"Nobody else?" Rachel was surprised, the Bo Duke she'd known wore his heart on his sleeve and his love in his eyes. She couldn't believe he'd kept this a secret from everybody for all this time.


"No, Luke never thought we should tell anybody."


"What about you?"


"I'd love to tell everybody we know, well I would've anyway."


"So does Luke make all the decisions?"


"No, but I couldn't decide to tell the whole town about us if he wasn't comfortable, that wouldn't be fair."


"Did he ever say why he wasn't comfortable with it?"


"He's worried that other people wouldn't like it and that we might get hurt, though I really think it was me he's worried about."


"Well I guess that makes sense," Rachel had to admit Luke might be right about that. As they neared Hazzard, Rachel became quieter.


"It'll be alright Rachel," Bo soothed, reaching over and squeezing her hand.


Smiling at him, Rachel nodded and tried to focus on her driving. After what seemed an eternity they were pulling up in front of the Hazzard county sheriff's office. "Maybe I should wait to do this," she nervously began.


"Waiting ain't gonna make it any easier sweetheart."


"That's not it Bo."


"What is it then?"


"Well I just realized that if I press charges tonight, I'll have to come back to town tomorrow to see that lawyer."


"Why is that a problem?"


"What if Gary's already out on bail and he sees me?"


"I'll come with you then," Bo quickly decided.


"You'd do that for me?"


"You're my friend ain't ya? That's what friends do for each other."


"Thanks Bo," taking a deep breath, she turned off the car and opened her door. After telling Rosco everything that had been happening, and letting him take pictures of her bruised body for evidence, Rachel signed her complaint.


"Don't you worry none Rachel, I'll bring that husband of your's in," Rosco assured her. "He ain't never gonna be hurting you again."


In a bit of a daze by the speed of everything, Rachel let Bo lead her from the building and back to her car.


"Why don't you let me drive this time Rachel?"


"I can drive Bo," she protested.


"I'm sure you can, but I know where we're going."


"Oh, yeah I hadn't thought of that," she conceded. Handing him the keys, she climbed in the passenger seat and let Bo take control.


"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"


"Would you mind?"


"Of course not."


"What about Luke? I don't want to cause more trouble between the two of you."


"He'll understand," Bo assured her. Deciding that he shouldn't discuss this over the air, Bo drove them to the farm.


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Luke looked up from the magazine he was pretending to read when he heard a car pulling up outside. Though every fiber of his being wanted to jump up and hurry outside, he forced himself to wait patiently for Bo to come in. He was surprised when he heard two car doors being shut. Telling himself that maybe Rachel just needed to use the restroom, he tried not to worry. The sound of the backdoor opening had him dropping his eyes back to his magazine.


"Hey Luke, ya can stop pretending yer reading that magazine now," Bo greeted his cousin.


A sheepish grin spreading across his face, Luke looked up at Bo, "That obvious?"


"Only to me."


"Hi Rachel," he greeted the young woman who stood uncertainly behind Bo.


"Hi Luke," she nervously responded.


Looking between them, Luke couldn't help wondering if Bo were about to tell him that he was dating Rachel now. "Something going on I should know about?" he asked, forcing himself to stay calm.


"Is Uncle Jesse still up?"


"No, he's been in bed for at least an hour. What's up?"


"Well..."


"It's okay Bo, you can tell him."


"Rachel's got a problem that I'm trying to help her with. Her husband hurts her Luke and she's tried to leave him, but he finds her and makes her go back with him."


"I'm real sorry to hear about that Rachel."


"Thanks Luke."


"So how are you helping her Bo?"


"For starters I took her to the jail to press charges and tomorrow I'm gonna go into town with her so she can see Ken Williams about filing for divorce. The main thing she needs though, besides some moral support, is a place to stay that he can't find her."


"What'd you have in mind?"


"I was figuring to take her up to still site four, it's got that little cabin, even got a small wood-burning stove so she'll be able to cook. I don't think her husband'll ever find it, ya think Uncle Jesse'd be okay with me taking her up there?"


"You know he would Bo. You gonna stay with her tonight?"


"Yeah I was figuring on it, she's kind of nervous," Bo explained.


"Well let's get you some supplies together then. You go get the camping gear you'll need out of the General and I'll get y'all some food together."


"Thanks Luke," Bo brightly said, hoping that Luke knew he meant for more than the help.


"No problem Bo, now go on and get the stuff you'll need." Going into the kitchen, Luke started gathering together the things he thought Rachel would need.


"Thank you Luke," Rachel softly said, startling him.


"You're welcome Rachel," Luke simply replied.


"You really do love him don't you?"


"What?"


"It's alright Luke, he told me about the two of you. Don't worry I think it's wonderful, but I also know the two of you have had some problems recently. He told me what Boss Hogg did and that it caused some serious problems, though he didn't give me the details of what happened."


"Why did he tell you?" Luke asked. He tried not to, but he couldn't help feeling a little hurt that Bo would turn to somebody he hadn't really talked to in years for support. *Well what did you expect? That he'd come to you for it?* he harshly asked himself.


"We went up to Widow's Peak to talk and well when he suggested it I thought maybe he wanted something other than talking, so I told him I wasn't interested in anything romantic. He laughed and told me neither was he, I wondered why he reacted that way so I asked him. I admit I was worried when he told me that you had hurt him, though he said it wasn't really physical. Seeing the way you were looking at him when he came in the door I realize he's right and it really was a one-time thing."


"You damn right it was and it ain't never gonna happen again. Of course he may never let me be anything but his cousin and friend again, but either way I'll die before I hurt him anymore."


"I think if you stick with it the two of you will find your way back to each other."


"I hope you're right Rachel, I really do," Luke softly said as he completed his task. "There ya go, you're all set," he said with a smile. "How long do ya think you'll need to stay up there?"


"Hopefully not long," Rachel replied. "The sheriff will arrest him tonight, but he'll probably be out on bail tomorrow which is why I need a safe place to stay. Once he's convicted and the divorce is final then I'll have to decide on whether to stay in Hazzard or move away. Guess all the time I'll have to spend alone at that cabin will be good for that," she mused. "Should give me plenty of time to think and figure out what I'm going to do once the threat from Gary is gone."


"Got everything loaded in your car Rachel," Bo announced as he came through the door.


"Here's the food Bo," Luke said, handing it to him.


Taking the food, Bo surprised Luke by leaning forward and gently kissing him. "Thanks for trusting me," he quietly said.


"You're...welcome," was all Luke could say. Smiling gently at him, he reached up and softly caressed his face, "Y'all better get going now, I'm sure Rachel would like to get some sleep."


"Yeah," Bo distractedly replied. Giving himself a mental shake, he stepped away from Luke and held the door open for Rachel. "You ready Rachel?"


"Yeah, thanks again for all your help," she told Luke, kissing him on the cheek and walking out the door.


"Bo?" Luke called as he started out the door after her.


"Yeah?"


"You be careful, I don't want to lose ya," he said, his voice thick with emotion.


"I will," Bo assured him. "See ya tomorrow."


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Early the next morning Bo and Rachel pulled up in front of Ken Williams' law office. "You want me to come inside with you?"


"I appreciate the offer Bo, but I think maybe it's better if you don't," Rachel replied. Climbing out of the car, she took a deep breath and squaring her shoulders walked through the office door.


With nothing else to do, Bo walked down the street to Cooter's for a visit.


Inside the law office, Rachel nervously asked to see Mr. Williams. Luckily he had no appointments set and so was able to see her right away. "Hello Mr. Williams, my name is Rachel Hawkins," she introduced herself, shaking his hand.


"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Hawkins," Ken greeted her. Motioning her to a chair, he sat back down, "Now what can I do for you?"


"I need to file for divorce."


"I see," Ken said. "May I ask why?"


"I suppose you'll need to know for the paperwork?"


"Yes ma'am I will."


"He," swallowing past the sudden lump in her throat, Rachel proceeded to tell him everything. By the time she was finished the tears were freely falling from her eyes, as she tried to stem the flow with a tissue.


"I'm sorry to hear that Mrs. Hawkins..."


"Please call me Rachel," she interrupted.


"Alright Rachel," he smiled at her. "As I was saying, have you gone to see the sheriff yet?"


"Yes sir, last night. He took pictures of the bruises and took a report, I don't know if he's arrested him yet though."


"Do you have a safe place to stay?"


"Yes sir."


"Good, good," mumbling to himself he jotted down several notes. "If that changes you let me know, I can get you into a shelter for battered women in Atlanta until everything's settled."


"Thank you," Rachel quietly said, dropping her eyes as the shame of her situation colored her features.


"Rachel I know this is a difficult situation, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nobody can know when they get married that the person they marry will become abusive. Rather than being ashamed, you should feel proud that you have the courage to escape an intolerable situation."


"Thank you Mr. Williams," smiling softly she stood to leave. "Oh I just thought of something, if you need to reach me you can call the Duke farm, they'll know how to get in touch with me."


"The Duke farm," he confirmed, making a note of the information. "I'll be in touch if I have any further questions, if I don't then I'll call when I know our court date."


Nodding her acknowledgement, Rachel left the office and stepped outside.


Bo had spent some time visiting with Cooter and Luke when he showed up unexpectedly. After enough time had passed, he headed back to the lawyer's office to wait for Rachel, unaware of Luke following him protectively. "Hey Rachel," he greeted a couple of minutes later when she stepped out of the lawyer's office. "Everything taken care of?"


"Yeah, he said he'd call your farm when he has a court date or if he has any more questions," she answered quietly,


"You okay sweetheart?" Bo asked, wrapping an arm around her and tilting her head up.


"No, but I will be," she honestly answered. "I know I'm doing the right thing Bo, the only thing I can do, but it's hard."


"I know sweetheart, I know," he soothed. "You want me to drive?"


"Please," she said, handing him the keys.


"I should've known," a voice snarled, startling them both. "So this your new boyfriend slut?" Gary snarled the question.


"Gary," Rachel cried out, frightened as much for Bo as for herself.


"Don't you talk to her like that!" Bo snapped.


"She's my wife and I'll talk to her any way I want blondie. If you're smart, you'll walk away while ya can," Gary sneered.


"In case you ain't noticed I ain't a small woman, maybe you're the one that should walk away," Bo snidely suggested.


"You think you can just walk in and steal a man's wife?"


"It's not like that Gary, Bo's just a friend," Rachel said, her voice rising.


"Right, you really expect me to believe he ain't fucking you?"


"He's not, I swear it," Rachel insisted.


"Don't bother trying to explain it Rachel," Bo advised, turning to face her. "Let's just get out of here, he'll be in jail where he belongs soon enough."


"You're right," Rachel agreed, moving towards her car.


Opening the door for her, Bo waited for her to get inside.


"You ain't taking my wife nowhere," Gary said, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around.


Up until that moment, Luke had been willing to let Bo handle the situation. As he rushed forward to defend Bo from the unwarranted attack time seemed to slow. Coming around the other side of the car, he saw Gary bring a knife around from behind him, aimed for Bo's chest. "No!" he screamed, running as fast as he could to stop the attack though it felt like he was trying to run through a lake of mollasses. As he ran forward he saw Bo grab Gary's arm, struggling to keep the knife from cutting him. As though a switch had been flipped, time suddenly sped up again as the knife stabbed into Bo's body, a red stain blossoming on his shirt as he collapsed to the ground.


TBC


Muahahahahahaha Another evil cliffhanger. :) Hope y'all liked this chapter, please feed the muse with reviews.