Forbidden Love

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


Warning: Slash, Established Couple, Mild Violence


Rating: FRT


* indicates thoughts


Forbidden Love
Chapter 17


Exactly one week after Rosco was cleared in the shooting death of Steve Olsen, Boss Hogg was sitting in his office, relieved that his part in that fiasco had never been discovered. Just as he was reaching for a stack of papers on his desk, there was a sharp knock on his office door. "Come in," Boss called, expecting it to be Willie Parsons, who was now in charge of collecting Boss' take from various operations. Looking up, the welcoming smile on Boss' face faded when he saw two strangers coming through the door. The first man through the door was about six foot tall, with straight black hair, blue eyes and a full beard and mustache. His companion was nearly the same height as the first man, though slightly overweight. With red hair, blue eyes and black-rimmed glasses he looked exactly like an accountant.


"Hello Mr. Hogg, I'm Agent Thompson, this is Agent Larson, we're with the FBI." The first man spoke, making the introductions, the nasal quality of his voice making Boss inwardly wince.


"Hello, and what can I do for the FBI? I'm always happy to help the government in any way I can," Boss said in a syrupy voice.

"Well I'm glad to hear you say that Mr. Hogg," Agent Thompson replied. "Now Mr. Hogg, we've recieved some very disturbing information concerning you and your dealings within Hazzard county."

"Oh my, what type of information could that possibly be?" Boss managed to ask, trying to hide his worry from the agents.


"I'm glad you asked that Mr. Hogg. Let's start with this report that you faked a robbery of your own bank, allowing you to collect on the insurance," Thompson suggested. Luke smiled under the mustache and beard, enjoying the way Boss squirmed at his words.


"Why Agent Thompson I don't know what you're talking about," Boss replied, clearly offended. "I'm afraid some scurillous person has been filing false reports and I assure you I will do all I can to find out who would do such a thing."

"I suppose the evidence we received is also false?" Agent Larson finally spoke up, his accent marking him as a yankee. Cooter too was enjoying the sight of Boss Hogg trying to worm his way out of trouble with the feds.

"Of course it is!" Boss snapped at the agent. "I mean it must be false evidence, on account of I've never done any such thing."



"Then I suppose these reports of your involvement in record piracy, making and selling of illegal whiskey and counterfeiting are also false?" Thompson asked, throwing a piece of paper on Hogg's desk.


"What is this?" Boss asked, nervously picking up the piece of paper.


"That is a search warrant Mr. Hogg, allowing us access to your offices, here and at the Boar's Nest." Thompson explained. "I'm sure you won't interfere with our investigation, will you?"

"I wouldn't dream of interfering with the FBI, no sir. You just tell me what files you'd like to see and I'll be happy to find them for you," Boss offered.


"That's alright Mr. Hogg, I'm sure we can find what we're looking for without your help. Now if you'll just go home and let us do our job, that's all the help we'll need from you. Oh and Mr. Hogg, Agent Larson will be going to the Boar's Nest, I'd suggest that you don't," Thompson instructed as Boss was moving towards the door.


"Oh no, I won't, you can be sure of that," Boss replied. *Dang it, how did he know I was going to the Boar's Nest? Now how am I going to keep my files away from them?* Leaving the office, Boss carefully closed the door behind him. Chomping down hard on his cigar, Boss angrily stomped towards the door. As he stepped into the hallway he saw Rosco coming towards him.


"Rosco, I want to talk to you," Boss snapped at the other man, grabbing his arm and dragging him into the nearby records room. "You did it didn't you?"


"Did what?" Rosco asked.


"Called the FBI that's what," Boss answered.


"Oh that, yes I did."


"Why would you do that Rosco? I thought you weren't going to use the evidence you had collected, if only for Lulu's sake." Boss reminded him, hoping to make him feel guilty.


"That's true, but I also told you that if you did anything against the Dukes, especially Bo, I would turn you in."


"I know that ya knucklehead, and I haven't done anything to them," Boss insisted.


"That's not what Steve Olsen told Bo," Rosco informed his brother-in-law. Watching the other man pale and nearly pass out gave Rosco a small bit of satisfaction, though it wasn't nearly enough.


"What do you mean Rosco? Surely you don't believe I had anything to do with what that man did to Bo?"


"I don't just believe it JD, I know it. I don't know why I was surprised though, it's just exactly the sort of scheme you'd come up with. You know what the worst part is? You were willing to destroy two lives, just so you could get what you wanted."


"Now Rosco, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I certainly didn't tell Steve Olsen to attack Bo like he done, why I even heard that he had raped the poor boy. Surely you don't believe I would have anything to do with something so horrible?"


"Oh I know you didn't tell him to attack Bo, but you did tell him to seduce Bo away from me. You never cared a bit about my happiness, you just wanted your pet sheriff back in your pocket."


"Alright, I won't deny it, but it's not like you're thinking. Olsen told me that he was in love with Bo and had been for years. I simply thought that with them being closer in age, they were more suited to each other. That's why I suggested that he talk to Bo alone, let him know how he felt. I knew it would hurt you if Bo left you for Olsen, but I was sure it would be better than him leaving you later. You surely don't believe that Bo Duke is going to stay with a man like you, when there are so many younger men he could be with?" Boss asked, hoping to plant seeds of doubt in Rosco's mind.


"You know JD not everybody thinks like you do, I have no doubts about Bo and you're not going to change my mind about that. Now you might not have told Olsen to do what he did, but you helped him to get Bo alone and that led to the attack. Although thankfully I was in time to prevent a rape from occuring, Bo was still badly injured and Steve Olsen was killed. I admit I blame Olsen for most of what happened, but I don't think you should simply get away with what you did. Since I can't have you charged for what happened at the Perkin's place, I'll just have to settle for turning you into the FBI for your other crimes."

"Fine, that's just fine Rosco. You know you accuse me of not caring about your happiness, well what about you? You're doing all you can to send me to prison, with never a thought to what it will do to your sister." Boss pointed out, trying one last time to make Rosco feel guilty enough that he would change his mind.


"Oh I thought about Lulu, and I know it'll hurt her, but frankly she'll probably be better off without you," Rosco told Boss, refusing to rise to the bait. "Now if that's all, I've got work to do," Rosco said, pulling open the door and heading on to his office.

Watching his last hope for freedom walking away, Boss removed a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. With his life spinning out of his control and not daring to go to the Boar's Nest, Boss did the only thing he could. Leaving the courthouse, he climbed into his Cadillac and drove home to his wife, seeking comfort in his hour of need.


Looking out the window of Boss' office, Luke saw him get into his car and drive away. Walking out of Boss' office, he saw Rosco and Enos both in the outer office. "Excuse me Sheriff Coltrane, could I ask you to step in here for a moment?"


"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" Rosco asked before closing the door, knowing that Enos would be listening. "What is it Luke?"


"I suppose Boss talked to you before he left, do you think he bought it?"


"Oh yeah, he bought it, I can understand why too. Heck if I didn't know it was you and Cooter, I'd never recognize either one of you. Where is Cooter anyway?"


"He went to the Boar's Nest, just in case Boss decides to go over there. If he does what we told him to, he'll go home. Now Rosco, how long do you want to make him sweat?" Luke had discussed this with Bo last night, and had decided that this should be Rosco's call.


"Well I don't know Luke, um, maybe a couple of days," Rosco said uncertainly.


"Okay, well in case he goes asking questions, why don't you get us some empty file boxes. I'll carry them out of here, make sure I'm seen and then I'll go to the Boar's Nest and help Cooter do the same thing there."


"Now Luke, I don't know if it's a good idea for you to take any of his files," Rosco began to protest.


"I'm not Rosco, just the empty boxes. I'll just carry them so it looks like they've got something in them," Luke explained.


"Oh I see now, well that's alright then. I'll just go get you them boxes then," Rosco said, leaving the room. A few minutes later, he returned carrying several empty file boxes.


"Thanks Rosco," Luke said after Rosco closed the door. "Guess I'll just hang out here for an hour or so and then I'll take my boxes and leave. Now to make it look right, I'll chain the door shut and tell Enos that nobody is to go in until you say they can."





Two days later, Boss was nearly at the end of his rope, and his nerves were stretched to the breaking point. He had spent the last two days jumping at every sound, sure that any minute FBI agents would be arriving to lead him away to jail. Boss considered running, but the one time he had worked up his nerve, he had seen Rosco watching his house from across the street. Realizing that there was no way for him to escape Hazzard without being caught, Boss resigned himself to the inevitable. When the phone rang late on the second day, Boss jumped so hard he nearly toppled from his chair.


"Hello, JD Hogg here," Boss nervously answered the phone halfway through the second ring.


"Mr. Hogg, this is Agent Thompson. I would appreciate it if you could come to the sheriff's office, or do I need to send an officer to get you?"


"No sir, that won't be necessary. When would you like me there?" Boss asked, thoroughly resigned to his fate.


"As soon as possible," Luke told Boss, smiling at the defeat he could hear in the other man's voice.




Ten minutes later, Boss was pulling up in front of the sheriff's office. Stepping out of his car, JD took a deep breath, sure that it would be one of his final chances to breathe free air. Slowly walking towards the front door of the sheriff's office, JD climbed the steps defeatedly and went inside. Opening the door to the booking room, JD was surprised to see that the room was empty. Before he had a moment to think about what that could mean, the door to his own office opened and Rosco motioned him inside.


"Rosco, what are you doing in here? Where are those FBI agents?"


"What FBI agents?" Rosco asked, crossing his arms and leaning against a wall.


"You know dang good and well what...they were fakes?" Boss asked, surprised that he had been fooled by Rosco of all people.


"That's right they were fakes...this time. Now you sit down, don't argue, just sit," Rosco interrupted JD before he could say a word. "The only reason you aren't sitting in a jail cell right now is Bo Duke. That's right the man your actions and plotting could've destroyed, he convinced me not to turn you in. He said that, even though you planned for Steve to seduce him and break us up, you didn't know he would go as far as he did. I didn't like it, but he's been through enough and frankly I don't want to see him having to deal with anything else upsetting. So I agreed not to turn you in, but I thought you needed a lesson. Now you listen and you listen good Hogg, if you ever do anything else to hurt Bo, his family or me I will turn you in, no matter what Bo says. I just hope you'll remember the last couple of days, remember how scared you were, how sure you were that you'd be in a cell before it was all over. After you remember all that, there's one other thing you should never forget. Don't you ever forget, you owe your freedom to a man that you've spent years trying to frame into prison. Because of a man you've done nothing but wrong to, you get a second chance, and never forget you don't deserve it. Now why don't you go home and let Lulu know that you won't be going to prison after all," Rosco suggested, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.


JD sat behind his desk, staring at the door in amazement for several minutes. Finally, he snapped out of his shock and picked up the phone. Calling his home, he let Lulu know that it had all been a misunderstanding and that he would be home later. Leaning back in his chair, JD took a long drag on his cigar, blowing the smoke towards the ceiling he thought about Rosco's words. *So I owe my freedom to Bo Duke do I? I don't deserve a second chance, well maybe not Rosco, but I've got one and I'm going to make the most of it.*

That evening Rosco and Bo walked down to the creek that ran through the Duke property. Wrapping his arms around Rosco's waist, Bo stood behind his lover, leaning his head on the older man's shoulder. "Do you think Boss learned his lesson?"


"I don't know sweetheart. I'd like to think he did, I know he was surprised and relieved. When he came to the jail this afternoon, he was convinced he was on his way to prison. So finding out that it had been a trick designed to teach him a lesson, well he wasn't expecting that. I just don't know if he'll stop trying to cause trouble for any of us, all we can do is wait and see," Rosco answered quietly.


"Guess you're right, I sure hope he learned something though," Bo spoke quietly, hoping that Boss would let them live in peace. "I think that's enough talking about JD Hogg, I can think of much better things to do," Bo whispered. Tilting Rosco's head towards him, he brushed his lips in a gentle kiss, slowly turning the other man in his arms, until they faced each other. Deepening the kiss, Bo slowly lowered his lover to the ground as he ran gentle hands over Rosco's body.


"Bo, what if somebody comes along?" Rosco asked, reluctantly pulling away from the younger man.


"It's alright cowboy, ain't nobody gonna come down here. They know I brought you here so we could be alone, they won't bother us," Bo assured his lover, bending over him for another kiss. Moaning with need and desire, Bo explored his lover's mouth with his tongue, loving the taste of the other man. Moving his hands to the snaps of Rosco's shirt, Bo began to open it, exposing his lover's skin to his touch. Trailing kisses down the older man's body, Bo slowly made love to Rosco, thrilling at the sounds of pleasure coming from his lover's throat.


Afterwards, they lay in each other's arms, sated and deeply relaxed. Looking up at the stars above them, Bo thanked God for letting them find each other.


"What are you thinking sweetheart?" Rosco whispered, drawing his lover closer to him with one arm, until Bo's head rested on his chest.


"Not thinking, thanking God for letting us find each other."


"You too, I thank Him for that every night. I love you Bo Duke," Rosco whispered, lowering his head and giving his lover a slow, loving kiss.


"I love you too Rosco Coltrane, don't you ever forget that," Bo replied softly. "Rosco, can I ask you something?"


"Sure Bo, what is it?"


"Why are we whispering?"

Laughing lightly, Rosco tightened his hold on the younger man. "I don't rightly know, guess it just feels like it'd be wrong to break the peacefulness of this place with anything louder."


"That's beautiful cowboy, and fitting," Bo whispered, snuggling against his lover. Smiling in contentment, he slowly drifted to sleep, knowing Rosco would keep him safe.

Lying on the grass, Rosco smiled as he heard Bo's breathing deepening as he drifted to sleep. He knew they couldn't stay here long, but Rosco couldn't bring himself to wake Bo and end their evening. So he simply held the younger man in his arms, allowing him to rest, relieved that he still had him to hold. "I love you sweetheart," Rosco whispered, laying a soft kiss into Bo's hair. Holding Bo in his arms, Rosco began to think over the last few months, particularly all that had happened since they'd revealed their love to the town. Although Rosco would never forgive Steve Olsen for what he'd done to Bo, he was grateful to him for one thing. Because of his actions, the entire town now accepted their relationship. They might not all approve, but they accepted it, giving them one less thing to worry about. Now if JD had learned his lesson, everything would be perfect. *Well like I told Bo, we'll just have to wait and see about that. In the meantime, it sure is nice not to have to live our lives hiding our love from the world.* Rosco smiled at the thought, finally relaxed enough to enjoy the freedom of being able to show his love without fear of discovery.

Thirty minutes later, Bo slowly woke up. Raising up on one elbow, he gave Rosco a soft kiss, before reluctantly moving to his feet. Reaching down, Bo pulled Rosco to his feet and the two men began to get dressed. Wrapping one arm around Bo's waist, Rosco started them back towards the farm, ready to begin the next step in their life together.


The End.


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