Ransom

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


Warnings: Slash, Angst, Established Couple


Rating: FRT


* indicates thoughts


Ransom
Chapter 11


As much as Rosco wanted to head back to the Duke farm, he didn't. Knowing he was still on duty, he drove into town and parked in front of the jail. Walking inside, he was relieved to find the office empty, giving him a chance to think about his relationship with Bo. Sitting at his desk, he pulled out his wallet, taking out the picture of Bo that he carried. *Aw Bo, I don't know what to do. I love you, don't want to hurt you, but I don't want you to be hurt either. Is Jesse right? If I leave you, will it really keep you safer, or just cause you pain for no reason?*


"Sheriff, I'd like to speak to you about this ticket," a man in his thirties said as he stood in front of the desk. " Sheriff!" he yelled a moment later.


"Huh? Oh, sorry, didn't see you standing there," Rosco apologized, quickly sliding the picture into the top drawer. "How can I help ya?"


"I wanted to talk to you about this ticket one of your deputies gave me," the man explained, holding out the ticket for Rosco to see.


"What about it?"


"What about it?" the man yelled. "A speeding ticket for going five measly miles over the limit!"


"Were you?"


"That's not the point Sheriff, most places the cops allow ya a window of five miles or so. Now I want you to do something about this!" he demanded.


"Well according to this, you were going five miles over the limit, in a school zone. Now maybe my deputy would've let you off with a warning if it had been anywhere else, but not in front of a school. The fine on this ticket is sixty dollars, pay it or spend a few days in jail," Rosco informed him, the man's tone making him angry.


"Fine, I'll pay it! I should've known a hick town like this would be operating a speed trap," he snarled.


"A speed trap?" Rosco yelled, coming to his feet. " Now you just hold on a minute, I don't figure my deputy forced you to speed through a school zone, did he? What would you have done if one of the kids had ran out into the road? You think sixty dollars is too much, compared to keeping the kids safe?"


"Well no he didn't, but..." he broke off, as Rosco continued to hammer him with questions. Giving up his offended motorist act, he drew out sixty dollars and laid it on Rosco's desk. "Could I get a receipt for that Sheriff?" he politely asked, beginning to see what his rush could've cost.


"Of course," Rosco replied, counting the money before writing a receipt. Handing the man his receipt, he sat back down, only to jump when an unexpected voice called his name.


"Rosco," Boss called. He had been coming out of his office when the other man had first tried to get Rosco's attention and had seen the whole thing. "You want to tell me what that was about?"


"Oh, that was just some city man that thought he could get out of a ticket."


"Not that, I'm talking about you not even hearing him until he yelled at ya."


"Just got a lot on my mind," Rosco explained, embarassed to have been caught, and by Boss, of all people.


"Uh-huh, and what was that you put in your desk?" Boss asked, stepping to the desk and reaching for the top drawer.


"Nothing," Rosco denied, pulling himself closer to the desk, preventing Boss from opening it.


"Nothing, was it? Then why don't you just let me see this nothing you were looking at?"


"Not that it's any of your business, but I was looking at a picture of Bo," he snapped.


"That's what I thought," Boss smirked, pulling a cigar from his pocket and lighting it. "You may not be helping me out in my businesses anymore Rosco, but you are Sheriff and as County Commissioneer I want to know why you're mooning over your boyfri, well whatever ya call him, at work?" he sneered.


"I ain't mooning over him! Ya make me sound like some lovesick teenager," Rosco protested.


"Well then, what was ya doing? Cause it sure wasn't your job."


"I was just thinking about something," Rosco cryptically replied.


"Rosco, I know we ain't exactly talked much in the last few months, but I am your friend ya know," Boss said, obviously concerned. "Ya ain't really been yourself since Bo got kidnapp...oh I see, that's what's bothering you, ain't it?"

"What do ya mean?" he asked, sounding defensive. His anger at the question left as quickly as it came, and he sagged back in his chair. "I just hate that he got hurt cause of me," Rosco sadly explained.


"It wasn't your fault Rosco," J.D. assured his brother-in-law.


"Wasn't it? If he wasn't with me, them men never would've taken him and he wouldn't have gotten hurt."


"No they wouldn't have, that's true. Of course then they would've just taken somebody else ya care about, like Lulu or your mother," Boss pointed out. "What are ya gonna do Rosco? Cut yourself off from everybody, just so they can't be used against ya."


Rosco looked at his brother-in-law in surprise, it sounded like the man was encouraging him to stay with Bo. "Boss, you feeling okay?"


"I feel fine, why do ya ask?"


"Well it sounds like you're saying I should stay with Bo," Rosco answered.


"And so I am," J.D. confirmed.


"You are?" Rosco asked, obviously surprised.


"Well like ya said I got a second chance cause of Bo, and I ain't planning on wasting it, or forgetting it. Don't get me wrong now, if you and him was to break up for some other reason, I'd probably be the first one celebrating," he explained, lest Rosco think he was going soft. "I just don't want to see ya making yourself miserable cause of what a couple of mangy polecats did. You just think about it Rosco, are you gonna hurt somebody ya claim to love? I ain't never had no use for no Duke, and you know that, but they ain't none of them weak. Do ya really think Bo would appreciate ya treating him like some delicate flower that needs protecting?"


"I hadn't thought of that, thanks Boss," Rosco said, a smile spreading across his face.


"Just don't you be telling anybody about this, I've got a reputation to uphold," J.D. uncomfortably replied. Without another word, he stalked back to his office, slamming the door behind him.


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"You're awake! How ya feeling?" Luke asked, moving to the bed where is youngest cousin lay, wide awake.


"Okay," came the soft reply.


"What's going on Bo?" Luke asked, hearing the sadness in his cousin's voice.


"Ain't ya heard? I'm blind!" Bo snapped.


"The doc said it probably ain't permanent," Luke reminded the younger man.


"Probably, not for sure. What if it is Luke? I don't want to be a burden to everybody," he moaned miserably.


"Aw Bo, you could never be a burden," Luke assured him, sitting down beside him and gently patting his arm. "We love you cousin, taking care of someone ya love isn't a burden. Besides, there's things ya can do if it was to be permanent."


"Oh yeah? Like what?" Bo asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.


"I don't know Bo," Luke admitted. "There's got to be something though, I mean they got schools for the blind..."


"Yeah? They gonna teach me how to work on the General without eyes? Gonna teach me how to drive? Hey I know, they can teach me how to tell the difference between the crops and weeds, so's I can help Uncle Jesse on the farm," Bo spoke bitterly. "Just leave me alone Luke," he ordered, closing his eyes and jerking his arm away from his cousin's touch.


"Bo, what brought this on?"


"Guess I just realized how useless I am now."


"You're not useless Bo, and you're gonna get your sight back."


Ignoring his cousin, Bo threw his good arm up over his eyes, making it clear he didn't want to talk.


Sighing heavily, Luke left the room, frustrated by his inability to reach his cousin.


"Everything alright Luke?" Jesse asked, looking up from his paper.


"No," he replied, flopping down on the couch.


"What's wrong?"


"Bo, he thinks he's a burden, that he's useless. I tried reminding him that the doc said it's probably temporary, but he doesn't want to hear it. I just don't understand why he's talking like this," Luke said, looking at his uncle, his blue eyes filled with sadness. "He was fine earlier," Luke began, stopping as he thought of something.


"Luke?"


"He was acting funny when he woke up earlier and Rosco wasn't here."


"You think there's a connection?"


"I'd bet on it," Luke replied. With a determined look, he pushed himself to his feet and headed back to the bedroom, "One way to find out." Pushing open the bedroom door, he stood looking at his cousin, the tears streaking his face making him even more determined to get to the truth. "Bo, does this have something to do with Rosco?"


"Told you to leave me alone Luke," he mumbled, refusing to answer his cousin's question.


"Not until you talk to me," Luke said, sitting down on Bo's bed. "Bo, you were fine earlier and then something changed after you passed out. The only thing I can think of, is that Rosco was gone when you woke up."


"So? Ya think I can't survive without him?" Bo asked, barely holding back a sob at the thought of a life without his lover.


"No I don't think that," Luke denied. "Is that what you're upset about?"


"Huh?"


"Ya think Rosco left for good, don't you?" Luke softly asked.


"It don't matter none," Bo replied.


"He didn't leave ya Bo."


"How do ya know that?"


"I told ya earlier he just went to the hospital to talk to them about your bill."


"No ya didn't."


"Sure I did, right after you realized he wasn't here, didn't ya hear me?"


"I...are ya sure Luke?" Bo asked hopefully.


"Yeah I'm sure, he said he'd be back later," Luke told him, repeating his earlier words. "Ya feel better now?"


"Guess so," came the soft answer.


"Bo," he said, his voice holding a clear warning.


"I ain't so sure I'm wrong though."


"What do ya mean?"


"He's been pulling away from me, I can feel it, I just didn't know why. I think maybe I do now."


"You think Rosco's worried about ya being a burden? I can't believe I'm saying this, but Rosco loves you Bo, there is no way he'd ever think of you like that."


"Then why's he pulling away?"


"Maybe you should ask him that," Luke suggested.


"Yeah, maybe," Bo mumbled his agreement. Moving his arm away from his eyes, he winced at the sudden pain in his head.


"You okay?" Luke asked.


"Just a headache."


"Let me get ya an aspirin, be right back."


"Thanks," Bo acknowledged, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed. He nearly collapsed at the intense pain that came from nowhere. Grabbing his head in his hands, he cried out, bringing his cousin and uncle running into the room.


"Bo!" Luke cried out, catching his cousin as the younger man collapsed forward.


"What's wrong with him?" Jesse asked from the doorway.


"I don't know Uncle Jesse, he said his head hurt. I was getting him some aspirin when I heard him cry out, when I came back he was holding his head."


"Ahhhhhh," Bo cried out, the intensity of the pain increasing. "Luke...hurts...make it stop," he plead.


"It's gonna be alright Bo, just hang on," Luke soothed. Glancing towards the door, he shared a concerned glance with his uncle. "I think we better get him to the hospital."


"I think you're right," Jesse agreed, stepping into the room and taking Bo's right arm as Luke supported his left side.


"No...no hospital, please," Bo protested, trying to pull away from them.


"Bo, ya need more than an aspirin, now let us help ya," Jesse replied.


"No hospital, no," Bo said, shaking his head and continuing to pull away.


"Maybe we could just take him to Doc Appleby's," Luke suggested.


"Would that be okay Bo?" Jesse asked, willing to compromise if it meant getting his boy the help he needed.


"Doc's?"


"That's right," Jesse confirmed.


"Okay," Bo quietly agreed. Moaning in pain, he allowed them to help him outside to the truck. Stepping off the porch, he screamed as a pain more intense than anything he'd ever felt struck him, nearly bringing him to his knees.


"Bo!" Jesse and Luke both cried out as they struggled not to drop him. As quickly as possible they helped him to the truck. Putting him in the center between them, Jesse climbed into the passenger seat as Luke got behind the wheel. Wrapping his arms around his youngest, Jesse prayed for the Lord's help as they raced towards the doctor's office.


TBC


Hope y'all liked it. Please review and I promise to finish it next year. ;)