If I Had Only Known

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


Warnings: Slash


Rating: FRT


// indicates thoughts


If I Had Only Known
Chapter 13


Bo smiled at David as they walked through the woods to the Duke family farm. "This is nice," he whispered, reaching for his lover's hand.


"Very, glad there's at least one place we know Phillip couldn't be watching us."


"You sure he is?"


"If he isn't I'd bet he hired somebody to watch us," David replied.


"You got any idea how we're going to find out?"


"I'm hoping Luke can help with that."


"How?"


"Well the way I see it is that strangers in small towns usually stick out."


"So we have Luke and maybe a couple more people look around town for any strangers?"


"Beautiful and smart," David smiled, pulling him close.


Blushing, Bo ducked his head. He loved that David thought of him like that, but he wasn't used to being called smart. A smart aleck maybe, but not smart, Luke had always been the smart one, everybody said so.


"Ya are smart, I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it."


"I know ya do, just ain't used to anybody thinking of me that way."


"I know, maybe someday you'll believe it too."


"Maybe," Bo whispered, laying his head on David's shoulder as they walked.


"About time y'all got here," Luke greeted them as they came into the farmyard.


"What do ya mean Luke? We ain't late," Bo pointed out.


"Bo ya said you'd be here at five-thirty and it's ten of six."


"Still ain't late for supper."


Luke chuckled, "Of course and we all know yer stomach is the only clock you really pay attention to."


"It's the important one and I ain't never been late for a meal so it must work," Bo joked.


"Better get used to that David, if yer wanting to get places on time Bo is always running late. He's worse than Daisy for last minute primping," Luke teased.


"Well we make a good pair then, cause I'm usually late too. One of the advantages of being an artist, people expect you to be late so they don't get upset when ya are." David tried to keep his tone light, but in spite of his efforts the words came out clipped, his irritation showing.


"Hey man there's no need to get upset, I'm just teasing. Bo knows that, don't ya cousin?"


"Sure Luke, I know."


"Bo?" Luke didn't say anything else, knowing Bo would understand what he was asking.


"It's alright Luke."


"But...?"


"Sometimes ya treat me like I ain't worth a whole lot, just somebody to help ya with your plans as long as my part ain't too complicated."


Luke looked and felt like he'd been pole-axed, he'd had no idea Bo felt that way. "I'm sorry Bo, I didn't know it seemed that way to you. I love you cousin, your worth everything to me," he quietly assured him, placing one hand on his shoulder.


"I love you too Luke, let's just forget it okay? Besides me and David need your help," he continued, wanting to end the awkward moment.


"Sure cousin, what ya need?" Luke asked, anxious for the chance to make it up to his youngest cousin.


"Maybe we could explain at supper, gonna need all of y'all's help."


"Okay, well we better get inside or Jesse may not let us eat," Luke joked.


"Yeah and this time it'll be your fault if we're late," Bo teased.


Luke chuckled, glad Bo was able to joke about it. As they walked into the house, he vowed that he would be more careful in the future. He hated it when he hurt Bo, the fact that he didn't mean to might help Bo deal with it, but it didn't make him feel any better.


By the time supper was over with, the rest of the Dukes were as angry as they'd ever been. "What are you going to do if you find out this Blanchard fella is in town?" Jesse asked after the situation was explained.


"We're gonna teach him a lesson Uncle Jesse, and we'll need Luke's help with that."


"You got it cousin, whatever you need," Luke quickly agreed.


"I knew we could count on you Luke," Bo smiled. Quickly outlining their plan, Bo beamed with pride when Luke pronounced it a good one. Even going so far as to say he couldn't have come up with a better plan himself.


"It was all Bo's idea, I just wanted to ignore him until he gave up and went away," David said. "Bo thought Phillip needed a lesson though."


"I'd say he's right," Luke growled. He was angry enough right then that if they'd asked him for a plan all he could've offered was confronting the man and beating him to a pulp. //How dare that jerk play with people's lives like this? Ain't even like he disapproves, he just doesn't want to lose part of his income.//


"You haven't had any other problems have ya?" Jesse asked.


"No sir, folks have been real nice. We've got a few dirty looks, but most folks seem to be okay with it, even if they ain't completely comfortable," Bo assured him. "There's even been a couple that have told us we make a cute couple," he added with a small chuckle.


"Good, that's a relief."


"Yeah."


"What are y'all gonna do while we're looking for this guy?" Daisy asked.


"Just gonna keep living our lives," Bo replied.


"The hard part is going to be having to keep acting like I'm watching Bo for suspicious behavior, treating him like he's a suspect," David added.


"It's only in public slick, and hopefully it won't be for long," Bo soothed him.


"I know," giving Bo's hand a small squeeze, comforting them both.

________________________________________________________________________________________________


Bo stepped out of Rhuebottom's, a bag held in his arms.


"Hey Bo," Becky May greeted him brightly.


"Hey Becky, how have you been?"


"Not bad," she smiled. "I sure have missed seeing you around though, even if ya ain't on the market anymore you're still one of the best dancers around Hazzard."


"Well maybe me and David can stop in the Boar's Nest this Saturday, if you're there I'll give ya a dance," he offered, his smile friendly and easy.


"That'd be real nice Bo," she grinned. Standing on tip-toe she kissed his cheek before moving on her way.


Heading for the truck, Bo frowned when he saw the look on his lover's face.


David had watched Bo talking to the young woman as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the general store. Seeing the way Bo spoke with her, so comfortable with her touch, brought a scowl to his face. "You ready to go?" he nearly growled as his lover slid into the seat beside him.


"Yyeah," Bo stuttered, taken aback by the older man's tone.


"Good, let's get out of here." Turning the key, he started the truck and pulled onto the street, squealing the tires as he did. "Oh great, that's just what I need," he complained as the sirens sounded behind him.


"It's Rosco," Bo informed him.


From the window of the hotel, Phillip watched, smiling gleefully, enjoying the suspicious way David was watching his lover. His grin only grew when he saw the local sheriff turn around and hit his siren, pulling the pick-up to the side of the road. Rubbing his hands together, he knew this was likely to cause more problems for the couple. David never could stand having to deal with the police, most of them had a habit of giving anybody with a bit of celebrity a harder time than they would anybody else. Phillip knew that fact, combined with the way many cops felt about gays was one of the things that made David angry.


"Is there a problem sheriff?" David asked, his tone just barely civil.


"There sure is. For starters you can't be racing through town like that..."


"Racing? I wasn't racing?"


"I said racing and I meant racing."


"Rosco what are you trying to pull?" Bo demanded.


"I ain't pulling nothing Bo Duke, you just hush," he scowled. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, racing, wreckless endangerment, fleeing and absconding." Rosco chortled gleefully as he filled out the ticket. Ripping it from the book, he handed it to David.


"Don't take it David, you ain't done nothing wrong," Bo said.


"Why don't you let me handle this?" he snapped. "I think you and your flirting have caused enough problems for one day, don't you?"


"My flirting?" Bo asked in disbelief.


"That's right your flirting, now would you please let me handle this?" David grabbed Bo's arm and gave it a hard squeeze, not caring that the sheriff was watching.


"Yes sir," Bo snapped. Pulling his arm loose, he rubbed at it as he sat watching his lover signing the ticket and taking his copy from Rosco.


Rosco watched the truck pull away, a thoughtful frown on his face.


"Everything alright Rosco?"


"What?" Rosco turned startled eyes on Cooter Davenport.


"I said is everything okay?"


"Yeah, just seems like maybe there's some trouble brewing between Bo and that artist."


"What ya mean Rosco?"


"I don't know for sure Cooter," Rosco frowned. "That city fella sure seemed awful jealous. He accused Bo of flirting, wouldn't surprise me none. Ya know them Duke boys ain't no good at long relationships and they're always flirting. I tell ya Cooter I don't know if Bo really means it when he says he wants to be with this man. I keep wondering what kind of shuck 'n' jive he's got going."


"Rosco ya got no call to be gossiping about Bo and David like that," Cooter snapped.


"Gossiping? You're the one that was asking, I ain't gossiping," Rosco protested. Mumbling to himself as he got back in his car and headed back to the station.


Cooter watched him going, making a note to call Bo, knowing that Rosco would be spreading his story. He figured by the next time David and Bo came to town, everybody in town would be talking about it.


"Hey Bo, David," Cooter greeted them two days later.


"Hey Cooter," Bo greeted his old friend.


"What can I do for y'all?" he asked, wiping his hands on an oily rag.


"My shocks feel funny, I was wondering if ya could take a look at them," David replied.


"Sure I can do that, y'all are welcome to wait in my office while I'm checking them."


"Why don't you wait here David and I'll just go get us a couple of burgers from the diner," Bo suggested.


"Alright, maybe by the time you get back Cooter will be done."


"Be back in a few minutes," he smiled. Giving his lover a chaste kiss, he turned and headed for the diner. The diner was fairly busy and as he waited, Bo naturally flirted with the pretty girls sitting in a booth near the front door. Enjoying the pleasant conversation, he didn't pay any attention to the bell over the door ringing. He jumped a foot when his lover's heavy hand landed on his shoulder.


"Which one is she?" David growled, squeezing his shoulder.


"Huh? What do ya mean David?" Bo asked, clearly confused.


"You can stop the innocent act Bo," David snapped. "I know all about your girlfriend, guess you thought you could play me for a fool. Good thing you're not that smart," he sneered.


"I don't know what you're talking about David. I haven't been playing any kind of game," Bo protested. He was so upset by his lover's accusations he didn't even notice the looks of the other diners. Some of them sympathetic, some gloating but most just interested.


"I don't want to hear it. I'm through with you and with this hick town," David growled. Storming out of the diner, he stalked back to the garage, leaving a devasted man behind him.


For several minutes Bo didn't move, too shocked and hurt to think, his lover's words replaying themselves in his head. Finally, almost by instinct, he began to walk, stepping out of the diner and onto the sidewalk. He stood there for what seemed an eternity, unsure of what to do.


"Bo, ya okay cousin?" Luke asked, joining him in front of the diner.


"Luke?"


"Yeah Bo?" he asked, speaking softly, the way he would to a nervous horse he didn't want to spook.


"He's leaving me Luke," Bo mumbled, his voice thick with emotion. "He thinks I've been playing some kind of game."


"Oh Bo," Luke soothed, wrapping his arm around Bo's shoulder. "All couples have fights cousin. I tell ya what why don't you come back to the farm with me and in a few hours after David calms down you can try to talk to him."


"Okay," Bo absently agreed. Not really aware of what was going on around him, he let Luke lead him back to the General.


//Well, well, looks like the rumors are true. Phillip you are a genius, a certified genius. There is no way David will stay here now. I'll bet he's at that farm right now packing his things. Alright Phillip stay calm, give him a couple of hours and then you can show up to apologize for the things you said.// Grinning as he imagined the scene, Phillip began to pack his own bags, anxious to be out of this place.


__________________________________


Phillip pulled up at David's house exactly two hours later, his face schooled in a mask of contriteness. Getting out of the rental, he walked up to the door and raised his hand to knock. When the door opened under his hand, he stumbled back in surprise. "Now David I know you probably don't want to see me and I don't blame you. My behavior a few weeks ago was deplorable. I had no right to accuse your Bo of being anything less than sincere in his affection for you," he quickly apologized.


"Maybe not but turns out you were right," David told him, shouldering past him. Walking to the truck, his long strides quickly eating up the ground. Placing the box in the bed of the truck, he turned back to Phillip. "What are you doing here Phillip?"


"I was in Atlanta on business and well I felt bad for the way our friendship ended. Are you sure I was right?" hoping he didn't appear too eager.


"Yeah I'm sure. His girlfriend called here and let some stuff slip. I've been watching him ever since, and I sure noticed that he was still flirting with girls. Then I caught him red-handed with some girl at the diner just a couple of hours ago. I told him then it was over. He even had the nerve to call just a little bit ago, tried to deny what I saw with my own eyes."


"I'm sorry David, I really didn't want to be right."


"Not your fault Phillip," he dismissed the apology. "I just wish I'd listened to you, maybe then I wouldn't have gotten hurt."


"What did you tell him when he called?"

"I told him that if I wanted a whore I could get one in New York, for less money and better sex." He turned at the sound of a powerful engine coming up the drive. "Damn it! He just doesn't give up," he complained. "Maybe you should leave Phillip."


"No, I won't turn my back on a friend when he needs me." Phillip was careful to keep the glee from his face and voice.


Luke slid to a stop behind David's truck and pulled himself out of the General. "You bastard!" he yelled, stalking towards David.


"You can just go on home Luke, I don't want to hear anything any of you Dukes have to say."


"I don't give a damn what you want, not after what you done to my cousin," Luke growled.


"What I did to your cousin?" David asked in disbelief. "That cousin of your's ain't no better than a common whore. Actually I take that back, he's worse. At least a whore is honest about what they're doing."


"You son of a bitch, how dare ya talk about him like that. He loved you, he gave everything for you and you just threw him away."


Phillip put his hand over his mouth, hiding the triumphant smile as he listened to the confrontation. His eyes widened in horror, his triumph turning to dust before his eyes.


Pulling a gun from behind his back, Luke pointed it straight at David's heart. "I'm gonna kill you for what you did to him."


"Don't be ridiculous Luke. Besides you wouldn't want to leave your cousin alone while you're in prison would you?" David asked, trying to hide the fear he was feeling.


"That won't be a problem. Bo loved you enough to want to spend eternity with ya and when you threw him away like ya did it broke him. He can't live without ya, at least that's what his note said."


"His note?" he asked, beginning to feel sick.


"Yeah his note," Luke confirmed. "The one I found next to his body, his blood splattered all over it," Luke continued, tears beginning to streak his cheeks. "I figure the least I can do, since I couldn't help him while he was alive, was to give him what he wanted. Eternity with you," as he spoke his finger tightened on the trigger. Smiling in grim satisfaction, he watched as David collapsed to the ground, a red stain spreading over his chest.


"David!" Phillip cried out in horror, rushing to the fallen man's side.


"It's too bad you're here," Luke quietly said.


"What...what do you mean?" Phillip asked, looking up at him.


"Can't have any witnesses," he absently replied. Bringing the pistol to bear on Phillip, he slowly pulled the trigger, the sound of the shot nearly deafening.


Phillip screamed with terror, grabbing his chest as he fell back. It took a moment for him to realize that he wasn't bleeding, by that time Luke had stalked over to him and jerked him to his feet. "What? Why? I don't understand."


"I'm sure you don't Phillip," David said, climbing to his feet.


"You're not dead? I'm not dead? But...why?"


"Why? You conniving bastard!" David yelled.


"Calm down slick," Bo soothed, placing a hand on his lover's back. It had been so hard to stay in the house, waiting for the moment to be right. Seeing the shocked look on Blanchard's face he was sure glad he had.


"You're alive? I don't understand why would you play such a cruel trick on me David?"


"Why would you try to ruin my life? I shouldn't be surprised really Phillip, even after the lesson we just provided you on the dangers of playing games with people's lives all you can think about is you. Fine, the lesson is lost on you, now get off my property."


"I can explain David," Phillip tried to argue.


"You don't need to explain Phillip, I understand. You couldn't stand losing and you didn't want to lose me as a client. Well you've lost me for sure now, even if Bo and me were to break up tomorrow I'd never let you manage me again. One more thing before you leave Phillip. If you ever try to hurt me, Bo or anybody either of us even knows I'll make sure everybody in the art community knows what you did. How many clients do you think you'll have then?"


Paling even more, which nobody there had thought possible, Phillip stumbled to his rental and left while he still could.


"Ya think he'll stay away?" Luke asked.


"Yeah he'll stay away. I might not be able to take him to court, but if I start a rumor about this around the art community nobody will hire him. More importantly Phillip knows it too and there is no way he'll risk it. I think it's safe to say we've seen the last of Phillip Blanchard. Thanks for your help Luke," he added, holding out his hand.


Taking the offered hand, Luke gave him a sincere smile. "You're welcome David, it was the least I could do after the way I acted when I first found out. Besides you're part of the family now and us Dukes stick together."


"I can live with that," David grinned.


"I'm gonna get back home now, let Daisy and Jesse know that everything's been taken care of. See y'all later," walking back to the General he climbed in. Laying the starter pistol on the seat he drove home, anxious to get the old pistol put up before Rosco caught him with it. Pulling into the farm a moment later, he took the old gun into the house and handed it to Jesse.


Wrapping his arm around David, Bo kissed his lover deeply as soon as the General was out of sight. "I'm glad that's over with," he sighed.


"Me too," David whispered. "Why don't we leave those boxes of magazines in the truck and go have some make-up sex," he grinned.


"I hear that's the best kind," Bo mumbled, kissing his lover's neck.


"Let's go find out," came the heated reply. Wrapping his arms around the younger man's waist, David led him up to the porch. Suddenly he gave a loud whoop and without warning scooped Bo into his arms, carrying him into the house, their lips locked in a passionate kiss.


The End.


Wow, I can't believe it's over. Hope y'all enjoyed it, please review and let me know.