Misunderstanding

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


Warnings; Angst, Slash


Rating: FRM


* indicates thoughts


Misunderstanding
Chapter 13


A few minutes before the alarm rang, Bo climbed back into his own bed in what would become a pattern over the next few days.


When the alarm sounded, Luke shut it off and looked over at his cousin's bed. He was relieved to see the younger man had slept with no further nightmares. Luke sat on his bed, debating whether or not to wake Bo up when the decision was taken out of his hands.


Bo lay on his side, his back to Luke, pretending to be asleep. Shortly after the alarm rang, he began to stretch, as though he were just waking up. Turning onto his back, he looked over to his cousin's bed, surprised to see him still sitting on his bed. "Luke?"


"What ya need Bo?" Luke quickly asked.


"You okay?"


"Me? Well sure, why wouldn't I be?"


"Well you're just sitting there, thought maybe there was a problem," Bo explained.


"Trying to decide if I should wake you up."


"Well why shouldn't ya?"


"You've had a rough time of it lately Bo, figured you could use the rest."


"I ain't an invalid Luke," Bo snapped. Immediately he felt terrible for snapping for at his cousin. "I'm sorry Luke, there wasn't no call for that."


"It's alright Bo," Luke told his younger cousin. He hated to see him beating himself up for something so minor.


"No it's not Luke, you're just looking out for me and I ain't got any right to snap at you for it."


"If it'll make you feel better then you're forgiven," Luke finally said. Moving to his dresser, he began to get dressed for morning chores.


Watching him go, Bo sighed tiredly. He'd offer to help, but he was pretty sure that he wouldn't be allowed to, at least not today. Getting up, he got dressed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. "Anything I can do?" he asked Daisy, as he came into the kitchen.


"Sure honey, why don't you set the table?" Daisy suggested, glancing at him over her shoulder as she cooked.


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After breakfast, Cooter headed into town, while Jesse and Luke went to work on some fence repairs. While Daisy worked on her own chores, Bo and L.B. were left on their own. Standing outside, the two men looked at each other, both of them feeling awkward.


"So, um, what ya want to do L.B.?" Bo asked, looking down at the ground and scuffing his boot against the dirt.


"I don't know, I was thinking about going to Cooter's and cleaning up," L.B. replied.


"Want me to drive ya?"


"Nah, I can...oh yeah Cooter took the truck. Maybe I better wait," L.B. hesitated. He wasn't at all sure that Bo should be going to the farm with him.


"I can handle it L.B., I promise."


Looking at Bo, he could see that his friend wanted to be treated like always, in spite of everything that had happened. "Alright, but if it gets to you, ya have to tell me. No holding back, promise?"


"I promise, let's go," Bo said. Climbing into the General, Bo waited for L.B. to join him before starting the engine.


Daisy came out of the house at the sound of the General's motor. She was just in time to see the General heading out of the yard. "Dang it!" Daisy ran back into the house and grabbed the cb mic, "Lost Sheep two, this is Bo Peep, you got your ears on?"


"You got Lost Sheep two, what's up Daisy?"


"Bo, where y'all going?"


"We got some things to do, we'll be back later," Bo replied, without going into detail.


"Bo, where ya going?" Daisy asked again, her cousin's evasiveness making her more concerned.


"Just going for a drive into town, got some things to get. Lost Sheep two out," Bo signed off. Hanging the mic back on the cb, he reached for the button and turned off the radio.


"Bo, what aren't you telling me? Bo? Answer me cousin," Daisy called, concern turning to real worry at the silence.


"Bo, why didn't you tell her where we're going?" L.B. asked.


"Come on L.B., you didn't really want to let me come with you, what do ya think Daisy would say?"


"Yeah, I can see your point, but you shouldn't have lied to your cousin."


"I didn't lie, just didn't tell her everything," Bo protested.


"You said we're going into town..."


"We are, gonna have to get some supplies to clean up the...um, the kitchen, ain't we?"


"Oh, yeah, guess we are," L.B. agreed.


They made the rest of the drive into town in silence. Pulling up in front of Rhuebottoms, the two young men climbed out of the General and went inside. Coming out of the store a few minutes later, they were surprised to see Cooter leaning against the General, waiting for them.


"Hey y'all," Cooter greeted. Pushing away from the car, he stepped over to them, grabbing the top of the bag Bo carried and peaking inside. "What ya got there Bo?"


"Just some things we need," Bo answered vaguely, jerking the bag away from the older man.


"Cleaning supplies? Ain't it the wrong time of year for spring cleaning?"


"Yeah, well..."


"Y'all wouldn't be planning to go out to our place would ya?"


"I wanted to get it cleaned up Cooter, and Bo asked if he could come along to help," L.B. replied.


"No! Look I want it cleaned up as much as you L.B., I just don't think you or Bo needs to be going out there."


"Cooter," Bo quietly said, getting his friend's attention. "We need to..."


"No Bo! Now I mean it, I don't want either of y'all going to the farm. You just give me those supplies and I'll work on it this afternoon." Cooter ordered, reaching out and grabbing the bag from Bo's hands, before he had time to react.


For a moment, Bo just looked at his friend in surprise, before throwing up his hands in exasperation and moving to climb in the General.


"L.B.," Cooter grabbed his cousin's arm before he could join Bo in the General. "Y'all have both been through it, especially Bo. I just don't want either of ya to have to deal with anymore, please understand."


"I understand Cooter, Bo will too, once he calms down," L.B. assured his cousin. Stepping away, he climbed into the General, barely getting into his seat before Bo was stepping down on the gas. "Hey Bo, ya want to slow it down a bit?" L.B. asked a few minutes outside of town, as Bo took another turn at a very high speed. He knew that Bo was a hell of a driver, and could handle himself, but with the state of mind he was in, L.B. was getting nervous.


Suddenly, Bo slammed on the brakes and swerved to the side of the road. "Dang it!" Bo cried out, smacking his hand on the steering wheel.


"Calm down Bo," L.B. said, reaching out and running a soothing hand down Bo's right arm.


"I just want my life back L.B., is that too much to ask?"


"No, but it's not going to happen overnight Bo, you know that," L.B. softly replied.


"Yeah, I do. Sorry, I'm just tired I guess. Well, I suppose we might as well go back home," Bo said. Restarting the car, he put the General into gear and pulled back onto the road.


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When they got back to the farm, Bo disappeared down a path that led to the creek. He stayed there the rest of the day, only returning to the house when his stomach would no longer be ignored. Bracing himself, he slowly walked back up the path.


"Ya okay honey?" Daisy asked when he walked into the kitchen.


"Yeah, I'm sorry I ran off like that Daisy," he apologized, knowing he had worried her.


"It's okay Bo, as long as you're alright."


"No it's not. I ain't got the right to be worrying any of ya like that," Bo insisted.


"Bo, you've got to do what you need to do to heal, I'm not mad."


"Okay, so where is everybody?" Bo asked, as he moved to the cabinet to take out the plates.


"Luke and Uncle Jesse just got back, they're cleaning up now. L.B.'s out on the front porch I think," Daisy answered.


"You feeling better Bo?" Luke asked.


"Yeah, y'all get finished with the fence?" Bo asked in return, wanting to get the attention off of himself.


"Mostly, still got a little to do tommorrow."


"You gonna let me help?"


"Actually Bo, I was hoping you could work on that broken stall in the barn?" Jesse answered as he came into the kitchen.


"Sure Uncle Jesse," Bo replied enthusiastically, glad to have something to do. "I'm gonna go get L.B.." Stepping out to the front porch, Bo didn't see L.B. anywhere. Walking down the steps, he moved around the corner of the house. Seeing L.B. sitting at the old picnic table, he stepped over to him. "Hey buddy, supper's ready," Bo said, coming to stand next to the table.


"Okay. Bo, are you mad at me?"


"No, why would you think that?"


"Ya ran off pretty quick when we got home, and I didn't argue with Cooter about going to the farm. I thought maybe you..."


"Nah, I just needed some time to think," Bo explained.


"Okay, just wanted to make sure we were alright. So, ya said supper was ready," L.B. said, standing up and moving towards the house.


"Yeah, come on," Bo said. Halfway to the house, they heard Cooter's truck as he came up the drive. Stopping where they were, they waited for him to join them. "Just in time for supper Cooter," Bo told him.

"Great, I was hoping I wouldn't be too late," Cooter said, a grin spreading across his face.


"Get everything taken care of?" Bo asked as they walked.


"Mostly, probably gonna take some more scrubbing to get it all done."


They stopped talking as they came to the back door, it wasn't exactly good dinner conversation. Taking their places at the table, the three of them bowed their heads while Jesse asked the blessing. Supper that night was livelier than the previous night, but still subdued. After supper, Jesse went into the living room to read his paper, while the younger men went outside.

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That night, Bo woke after only a couple of hours of sleep with a scream stuck in his throat. Looking over at Luke, he was relieved to see that he hadn't woke him up. Knowing that there would be no more sleep for him tonight, Bo took his blanket and moved to the front porch. For the next two nights, the same thing happened; he would awaken after only a couple of hours of sleep and spend the rest of the night in the porch swing.


Tightening a bolt on the General, Bo jerked his hand back as the wrench slipped causing him to bang his knuckles against the engine. Throwing the wrench down in disgust, he stalked to the back of the barn. Standing there, looking out at the woods, he wasn't aware of L.B. coming up behind him. He whirled around, fists raised in a defensive posture when he felt a hand slap down on his back.


"Whoa Bo, it's just me," L.B. said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture and stepping back.


"Sorry," Bo apologized. "I didn't hear you come in," he explained, lowering his hands back to his sides, and trying to get his breathing under control.


"Guess not," L.B. agreed. "You want to talk about it?"


"Nothing to talk about."


"Sure there's not," L.B. sarcastically agreed. "You always jump a foot when a friend comes up to you."


"Told ya, I didn't hear you," Bo snapped defensively.


"Bo, talk to me, please," L.B. softened his voice, laying one hand on Bo's shoulder.


Turning towards his friend, Bo found himself only inches away from L.B.. Grabbing the other man's shirt in both his hands, Bo pulled him forward. Pressing his lips to L.B.'s, deepening the kiss, he wrapped his arms around the other man.


L.B. hadn't been expecting to find himself in Bo's arms, and without a conscious thought he found himself responding to the passionate kiss. As he felt himself responding, he suddenly jerked away. "Bo, stop it!" he cried out, pushing against his friend's chest as he tried to free himself.


"Don't push me away L.B., please show me what it should be like," Bo plead, trying again to kiss him.


"Not like this Bo," L.B. protested, finally pushing away from Bo. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded.


"I know you want me L.B., I can see it in your eyes."


"I won't say you're wrong Bo, but I won't take advantage of you like this."


"Ya ain't taking advantage L.B., I'm the one that kissed you, remember?"


"Oh I remember, it ain't something I'm likely to forget either. That doesn't change the fact that you don't know what you're doing. Bo, you never even considered the possibility of being with a man before the attack. Now some sick rapist says you're gay and you don't know what to think. Bo, I would love to be with you, to show you what it should be like, but not when you ain't even sure what you want. You gonna tell me what's going on now?"


"I can't sleep L.B., every night I wake up after just a couple of hours."


"Nightmares?"


"Yeah, more like nightmare. It's always the same dream, night after night and I don't understand any of it." Bo said, ending with a whisper as he turned towards the woods again and wrapped his arms around himself.


"Want to tell me about it?"


"I can't," Bo whispered, shuddering at the thought.


"I'm in them, ain't I?"


After a minute, Bo nodded his head miserably.


"Tell me, please," L.B. softly asked.


"Dawson is attacking me, raping me. I'm trying to fight, but it doesn't do any good and then all of a sudden he's not there anymore. You are," Bo finally admitted. "I don't understand it L.B., why would I dream about you doing that to me? I know you'd never hurt me like that, so why?"


"I don't know Bo, I ain't no expert. Maybe it's just cause I was there the last time you saw him," L.B. suggested.


"Do you really think so?" Bo asked hopefully.


"Makes sense don't it? A lot more than you thinking I'd rape you."


"Yeah it does," Bo agreed. "L.B., I'm sorry for what I did. I promise it won't happen again," Bo said, forcing himself to look at his friend.


"Aw Bo, don't promise that," L.B. whispered huskily, taking a step closer. "Just make sure that if it does, it's for the right reason." Leaning forward, he brushed a soft kiss across Bo's lips before leaving him alone. Walking out of the barn, he turned once to look back at the blond. Bo was outlined in the open doorway, the rays of the setting sun washing over him, making him look like some sort of angel. L.B. thought as he watched him that he had never seen a more beautiful sight. Sighing heavily, he turned and walked away, fervently praying that their first kiss, wouldn't be their last.


TBC


So now y'all know who the man in the dream is, hope you like it. Please feed the muse with reveiws. Thank you.