Forbidden Love

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


Warnings: Angst, slash, established couple, mild violence


Pairing: Bo/Rosco


Rating: FRT-17


Forbidden Love
Chapter 2


"Bo? Hang in there cousin, hang on. Rosco, call an ambulance!" Luke yelled at the sheriff, terrified of losing his cousin. When Rosco didn't respond, only stood there staring at the growing red stain on Bo's side, Luke began to get up.


"It's alright Luke, I called for an ambulance, they'll be here soon." Boss Hogg quietly told him. "Come on Rosco, come over here and sit down now." Boss gently ordered his brother-in-law, leading him to his patrol car and forcing him into the seat. Looking at Rosco, Boss was very worried about the man, he had never seen him act like this before. "Rosco, snap out of it now!" Boss ordered, shaking the silent man, hoping to get a response.


"Boss? What happened?" Rosco asked, obviously confused and then he saw Bo lying on the ground. "Oh God, I shot Bo, no...no I couldn't have...no. I'm dreaming, that's it...I'm just having a nightmare, wake up now!" He slapped himself in a desperate attempt to end the nightmare, and looked surprised when it didn't work.


Just then the ambulance pulled up and the attendants began to assess Bo's condition, while preparing him for transport. Within just a few minutes, they were loading Bo into the rear of the ambulance, stopping Luke when he tried to climb in as well. "I'm sorry sir, you can't ride with us, we need the room to work. We'll be taking him to Tri-County Emergency, you can follow in your own car."


"But that's my cousin, you have to let me...." Luke trailed off as the door was shut in his face. Staring forlornly after the ambulance when it pulled away, he stood there unmoving. Snapping out of the daze he was in, Luke ran for the General and climbed inside. Speeding away he threw gravel and dust into the air with his tires, uncaring of anything except getting to the hospital. "Lost Sheep to Shepherd, come in Shepherd," Luke called on the c.b..


"You got your Uncle Shepherd, what's going on Luke?" Uncle Jesse's voice came through the radio.


"Uncle Jesse, ya got to get Daisy and meet me at Tri-County. ...Bo's been shot," he told him, nearly whispering the last words.


"What? How in tarnation did that happen? Never mind you can tell me later, we'll be there as soon as we can Luke. You hang in there," Jesse told his nephew, having heard the fear in his voice.


Jesse and Daisy arrived at the hospital twenty minutes after Luke got there. Rushing into the emergency room, they scanned the room looking for Luke. "Luke! What happened?" Jesse asked coming over to the younger man and sitting down beside him.


"Bo was shot," Luke answered in a flat, emotionless voice.


"You said that on the radio Luke, but how did it happen?" Jesse gently questioned.


"Boss was trying to frame us for robbing the bank."


"Yeah I know that."


"Well we caught up to the real robbers, same time as Rosco, Boss and Enos caught up to us. My plan worked perfectly, Rosco didn't have any choice but to arrest them since they were the ones with the money. Heck it was still in the bank bags, anyway he arrested them and Boss let him so he could save his own fat neck. Enos had put them in the patrol car and Boss was yelling, you know how he is. Rosco started rambling on about, I don't even know what. So he was rambling, and waving his gun around, he started walking towards Boss and that's when it happened. He stepped in a hole or something and started to fall, Bo reached out to catch him and..... Oh God, Uncle Jesse there was so much blood, too much blood. I ain't real sure what happened after that, I remember holding onto him and yelling at Rosco to call an ambulance. Next thing I know the ambulance is there and they took Bo away, wouldn't let me come with them. I know he was still alive when they left with him, but I don't know anything else. I'm sorry Uncle Jesse," Luke finished brokenly, turning away from his uncle in shame.


"Sorry? You ain't got nothing to be sorry for Luke, it was just an accident, that's all." Jesse gruffly reassured him, forcing the younger man to face him. For several seconds, Luke just looked at him, the need to accept responsibility warring with the need for comfort. Looking into the kind eyes of his uncle the need for comfort won out and he collapsed into arms that had always been there for him. "That's it, let it out son...let it all out," Jesse soothed.


Daisy looked on, concerned for both her cousins and wishing there were someone to comfort her. As though reading her mind, and maybe he had, Uncle Jesse held out one arm to her. Sinking into the seat on the other side of her uncle, Daisy basked in the warm comfort of being with her family. Praying to the Lord above to keep her family complete, she lay her head on Jesse's shoulder, listening to the words of comfort he offered them.


For six hours they waited for news of Bo's condition. All of them wondering, but not daring to say it aloud, if they would be planning a funeral by day's end. Several times Luke had looked over to the other side of the waiting room and seen Rosco sitting there. He wanted to hate the man for shooting Bo, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. In all the years he had known Rosco, Luke had never seen him looking so lost. Not even when Sue Ann had conned him into marrying her, so her real husband and partner could rob the bank. As much as he wanted to be angry with Rosco, he couldn't. He knew it had been nothing more than an accident. An accident that if anybody were to be blamed for, it would be Boss Hogg. True Rosco could refuse to go along with his schemes, but he'd still be doing the same stuff, just without Rosco. Which when he thought about it, he realized that might be worse. At least with Rosco's ineptitude, most of Boss' schemes didn't work. It was just bad luck that this time, somebody had been seriously injured that's all.


"For Beauregard Duke?"


"That'd be us. How is he doctor? How's my nephew?" Jesse questioned, jumping to his feet and rushing towards the doctor, Luke and Daisy right behind him.


"Hello Mr. Duke, I'm Dr. Phillips. Your nephew came through the surgery fine. I'm sorry nobody came to you sooner but there honestly wasn't time. Although the bullet went through, there was quite a bit of internal bleeding, most of it from Beauregard's spleen which was knicked by the bullet. Luckily the damage to the spleen wasn't extensive and we were able to repair the damage, saving his spleen in the process. Now he has lost quite a bit of blood, which required a transfusion, however barring complications he should make a complete recovery."


"Thank the Lord, can we see him doc?" Jesse asked, hopefully.


"Well he's in recovery right now, they'll be taking him to his room in about an hour. You can see him then, the nurse can tell you what room number. In the meantime, I suggest you take the opportunity to get something to eat, you all look like you could use the break." Dr. Phillips told them, before walking back through the doors he had just entered from.


Grinning in relief, none of the Dukes noticed Rosco, leaning back in his chair, nearly collapsing with the news that his young lover would survive. "Come on Rosco, now you know the boy's gonna be alright, time for you to go home." Boss Hogg told him, slapping his back and making him jump with surprise. Realizing that to stay any longer would start Boss' suspicious nature going, Rosco stood up. Nodding his head in agreement, he walked out of the hospital and drove home.

Stepping into his house Rosco headed straight for his room. Stopping only long enough to grab clean clothes, he went to the bathroom and started the shower. Running the water just as hot as he could stand it, Rosco stripped off his blood stained uniform, shoving it into the trash before stepping into the shower. Scrubbing roughly at his skin, he couldn't stop the events of this afternoon from replaying in his tired mind. The look of shock and pain in Bo's eyes when that bullet hit him, the feel of the younger man collapsing in his arms. His blood soaking Rosco's shirt in a matter of seconds, before Luke had shoved him away. Standing under the hot spray, he began to shake as the memories assaulted him. Falling to his knees, Rosco sobbed out his fear, swearing to himself that he would make it up to Bo. He didn't know how, but he would find some way to get out of working for Boss. He was through letting the lack of money rule his life, wasn't going to keep up the act of bumbling sheriff. There was no way he could, not now that he knew his act was a danger to others. As though he were coming awake from a long sleep, Rosco finally noticed that the water had turned ice cold. Reaching for the controls, he turned off the water and began to towel himself off. As he got out of the shower, he spotted his bloody uniform in the trash. He had planned to throw it out, but now he had another idea. A better idea. Removing the shirt from the trash he took it into his room and hid it in the back of his closet. Something to remind himself of the decision he had made, if he ever felt the need for it.

Late that night, after a small meal, that he only picked at, and a restless sleep, Rosco headed back to the hospital. He had wanted to see Bo earlier, but wasn't sure how the Duke family would take that request and unable to tell them the real reason for it, he hadn't tried. Now though, it was two o'clock in the morning and Bo would be alone. He knew the younger man would probably be asleep, sedated most likely during this time when the pain would be at it's worst. Rosco didn't care though, even if Bo was unaware of his presence, he needed to see him. Needed to know without a doubt that his lover would live. With these thoughts in mind, Rosco made the drive in record time.

Quietly walking through the hospital corridors, Rosco made his way to room 425. He strode through the halls as though he belonged. He had learned long ago that people rarely questioned you if they thought you were supposed to be where they saw you. Softly pushing the door to Bo's room open, Rosco was relieved to see that Bo was alone in the room. Stepping over to the bed, he gently picked up one of Bo's hands in his own. Unconsciously caressing his lover's hand, Rosco began to speak to him while he had the chance. "Bo, sweetheart I'm so sorry that this happened. I would give anything if I could take your place...anything," he choked out. Swallowing back the sobs that threatened once again, he went on, hoping that Bo could hear him. "I love you so much, I know it sounds corny, but ya make my life complete Bo. I don't know what I'd do without you, I know my life wouldn't be worth a dang without you in it. The doctor said you're gonna be alright, so you listen to the nice man and get better. Come back to me Bo...I'm gonna make this up to you. I promise, I don't know how yet, but I don't plan to pretend to help Boss with anymore schemes, I do know that much. I won't take the chance again of something like this. Next time might not...well there just ain't gonna be a next time that's all there is to that. I got to go, can't stay any longer but I had to see you, had to tell you how sorry I am. Had to make sure you know just how much you mean to me, I love you sweetheart, please forgive me." Rosco knew he shouldn't, the nurse could walk in at any moment, but he couldn't help himself. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on Bo's lips, one hand unconsciously resting on the younger man's inner thigh.

"You bastard! How dare you touch him like that!" Luke snarled at Rosco, pulling him away from his baby cousin and slamming a fist into his jaw. "I can't believe you Rosco, it ain't enough you shot him. Now you're in here...taking advantage of him...trying to molest him and God only knows what else. You're a sick man Rosco P. Coltrane and if I see you near him again, I swear I'll kill you!" Luke growled out, as he stood over the older man, looking at him with disgust. "Now get out before I call Sheriff Little and have you thrown in jail for what you tried." Luke ordered, pulling Rosco to his feet and shoving him out the door, never giving him a chance to explain.

TBC

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