To Keep A Promise

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


Warnings: Angst, Disturbing Themes, Violence


Rating: FRT


Italics and/or * indicates thoughts.


To Keep A Promise
Chapter 5


Luke drove away from the farm, his thoughts in turmoil as the words Bo had spoken ran through his mind. *I can't believe Bo would let himself be...how could he do that? I wish I'd never asked him to make that fool promise, I'd give anything if I could take it back.* Luke felt the tears running down his face, but he made no effort to stop them. As the tears became more intense, beginning to turn to sobs, Luke pulled to the side of the road.


Cooter whistled as he drove back towards town. The happy whistle faded when he saw Jesse Duke's pick-up sitting alongside the road. Parking behind it, he got out and walked up to the driver's window, to be met by an unexpected sight. "Luke, ya okay buddyro?" he asked, mentally kicking himself as it was obvious he wasn't.


"Cooter?" Luke asked, sounding lost and confused, his voice hoarse from crying.


Pulling open the door, Cooter placed a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder. "What is it Luke? What's wrong?"


"Bo, he told me something and I...oh God, it's all my fault," Luke sobbed, laying his head on the steering wheel.


"It ain't you're fault, anymore than it's Bo's fault," Cooter assured him, patting his back.


"You knew? You knew and you didn't tell me? How could you keep something like that from me?" Luke demanded, raising his head and glaring at his old friend.


"I didn't tell ya, cause it wasn't my place," came the simple response, robbing Luke of his anger.


"I'm sorry Cooter, you're right and I ain't really mad at you. I'm mad at me, mad at that damn teacher, and I'm mad as hell at Bo, but not you."


"I understand the teacher, but why are ya mad at you and Bo?"


"It's my fault Cooter, none of this would've happened if I hadn't made Bo make that promise to me. But I'm mad at Bo too, how could he do something like that over a stupid promise? Doesn't he know that he's more important than any promise ever could be?"


"Luke, what did Bo tell you, exactly?"


"What do ya mean? He told me what that teacher wanted, and he told me he went to the guy's house, what else does he need to tell me?"


"He didn't tell ya anything else?" Cooter asked, clearly surprised.


"Well, I didn't give him much of a chance. That's when I ran off," Luke admitted, ashamed of his earlier actions. He knew as long as he lived, the sound of his cousin screaming his name was something he would never forget.


"Luke ya got to go back home, ya got to let Bo tell you the rest of the story."


"I can't Cooter, I don't think I could stand to hear it. It's bad enough to be imagining it all."


"Luke you been to war, so I know ya know that sometimes ya got to do things you don't want to."


"I can't," he protested, paling at the thought of hearing more details.


"Bo lived through it, don't ya think the least you could do is listen?" Cooter softly asked, knowing that Luke needed to hear the whole story.


Luke looked at his friend in surprise. As Cooter's words sunk in, he began to feel like the lowest coward. Realizing that the mechanic was right, knowing that it was the promise he'd extracted from Bo that started it all, he nodded his head. "Yeah, guess you're right Cooter, thanks," he said sincerely. Turning the key in the ignition, he waited for Cooter to shut the door, before putting the truck in gear and heading home.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Come on Bo, let's get you inside," Jesse said, slowly helping his youngest to his feet.


"He hates me Uncle Jesse," Bo cried out, his eyes filled with pain.


"No he doesn't Bo, he just needs time to calm down," Jesse assured him yet again.


Nodding, though he didn't really agree, Bo let himself be led inside. He didn't go back to the couch though, but continued on to his bedroom. Walking into the room, he grabbed Luke's pillow from his bed and collapsed on top of his own bed. Curling up, he hugged his cousin's pillow to himself, sure that he'd lost his best friend forever.


"Bo, son please don't do this to yourself," Jesse plead, worried anew for his nephew.


Bo didn't answer though, he only continued to clutch Luke's pillow as he began to slowly rock back and forth while the tears freely flowed.


Silently praying for his both of his nephews, Jesse quietly took the blanket from the end of the bed and pulled it up over Bo. Looking down at him, tears shimmered in his own eyes, and he hoped that Luke's angry departure wouldn't destroy the boy. Reluctantly, he left the bedroom, going back to the living room where he found Daisy curled up in his chair.


"Is Bo okay Uncle Jesse?"


"Well he's not sobbing anymore, but I don't think I'd say he was okay," he sadly replied.


"Do you think Luke will come back?" she asked, looking up at him.


"Yes, I just hope he'll be calmer and listen to your cousin. I'm afraid if he won't, Bo may never recover from it."


Nodding in sad agreement, Daisy stood up and wrapped her arms around Jesse. Snuggling into his embrace, she took comfort from him, wishing there was something she could do for him in return. Pulling back, she looked up into his kind eyes and gave him a small smile. "Why don't you sit down here, and I'll fix you a nice cup of coffee, okay?"


"Thank you baby," he replied, moving into the chair. He smiled as he watched her moving about the kitchen as she prepared the coffee. When the coffee was ready, Daisy brought it to him, carrying a cup for herself as well. Sitting together in silence, they enjoyed their coffee, each drawing strength and comfort from the other.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Luke pulled into the yard, parking near the kitchen door. Looking at the house, he had to take several deep breaths before he was able to climb from the cab and head inside. Stepping into the kitchen, he took one more bracing breath and moved towards the living room. "Uncle Jesse, where's Bo?"


"He's laying down, hold it!" Jesse snapped when Luke stepped towards the bedroom.


Stopping in his tracks, Luke turned back to his uncle and cousin. "I can't see him?" he asked in a small voice.


"Have ya calmed down? Are ya ready to listen? Cause I'm telling ya right now Luke, he can't handle you running out of here again."


"I'm ready, well as ready as I'll ever be, to listen. I know I shouldn't have ran Uncle Jesse, I just was so upset that I wasn't thinking straight. It won't happen again," he promised.


"Alright then, you go tell him you're ready to listen."

Opening the bedroom door, Luke wasn't prepared for the sight of his cousin as he did his best to comfort himself. Gasping in horror at what he'd caused, he slowly moved to the bed and sat down. "Bo? Please look at me."


"Luke? I'm sorry cousin, I'm so sorry. I don't blame ya for hating me, just please don't leave the farm, Uncle Jesse and Daisy need ya. If you can't stand to have me around I'll leave, that's the way it shou..."


"Bo stop!" Luke interrupted as his cousin's words registered. "I don't hate you cousin, I could never hate ya. I'm sorry I ran off, I just wasn't expecting something like that and I needed to calm down. I'm ready to listen now though, if you're ready to tell me the rest," he softly said, reaching out and laying one hand on Bo's hair.


"Are you sure Luke? You don't have to," Bo assured him.


"I'm sure," he promised in return. "Ya want to tell me in here, or do ya want to go out to the living room with Daisy and Uncle Jesse?"


Bo thought about it, he really wanted his uncle there, needed his strength, but he hated to put him and Daisy through more pain. So, steeling himself for the task ahead he remained where he was. "I ttttold ya how he ggggrabbed mmme as soon as I walked in."


"Yeah, ya did. What happened after that?" Luke reluctantly asked.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


March


As Wyndham assaulted him with his lips, his hands moving over Bo's unwilling body, Bo fought the urge to be sick. Somehow he didn't think that would go over very well with the man.


"I'm glad ya changed your mind Bo. I know you're nervous, but if you'll just relax, I'll show you how good it can be," Jonas murmurred in his ear as he kissed at the boy's neck. Bo made no response, he simply stood there, allowing his teacher to do what he wanted, but not participating in any way. "Let me show you Bo, see what you do to me," he whispered, taking the boy's hand and moving it between them.


When Bo's hand came in contact with his teacher's groin, he jerked away as though he'd been burned. Suddenly, as though waking from a dream, Bo knew he couldn't go through with this, not even for Luke. "No! I can't," he cried out, pushing the older man away. Moving towards the door, he wasn't prepared for the hand on his neck as Wyndham slammed his head into the doorframe.


"What are you trying to pull Bo? You think you can come in here and let me think you're going to do as I say and then just leave? I don't think so," he snarled, spinning Bo around and backhanding him across the jaw.


The hit against the door hadn't really been that hard, but the combination of that and the backhand left Bo dazed. Struggling against the older man, Bo soon found himself pinned to the couch. The fog slowly went away, giving Bo more of a fighting chance. Though Wyndham was a couple of inches shorter than Bo, he was more than a match for him when it came to strength. Pinned beneath the other man's weight, Bo's arms were trapped and he could do nothing as Jonas leaned forward and began to kiss him again. Wiggling beneath him, Bo desperately tried to free his hands, finally succeeding as Wyndham moved further down his body. Curling his right hand into a fist, Bo hit his teacher as hard as he could, stunning him. Shoving the older man off of him, he wasted no time in jumping to his feet and running for the door.


He barely gave the motor of the pick-up time to engage, before he was throwing it in gear and speeding away from Wyndham's house. Without conscious thought, he found himself pulling up to his favorite swimming hole, a place he had spent many happy hours at, mostly with his older cousin Luke. Staring out at the water, he began to tremble as the events of the night began to catch up to him. He wasn't sure how long he'd sat there, feeling more lost and alone than he could ever remember. Slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings again, Bo realized that he would have to go home. Starting the engine, he put the truck in reverse and glanced in the mirror. Catching a glimpse of his face, he paused, no longer certain he should go home. *How am I gonna tell Uncle Jesse about this? What am I gonna tell him?* Sighing resignedly, he backed the pick-up out to the road and slowly drove home.


"There ya are Bo, that was an awfully long study sess...Bo! What happened to ya? Who did this?" Jesse cried out as he looked up from his book and saw his nephew's face. Jumping to his feet, he hurried to the boy's side, concerned not only by the bruises but by the pallor of his nephew's skin.


"Uncle Jesse, I...he...I'm sorry," Bo brokenly sobbed out.


"Sorry? I don't understand Bo, why are ya sorry?" he asked, pulling the boy to the couch and gently sitting him down.


"Uncle Jesse, is Bo back yet?" Daisy asked as she came from her bedroom. "Oh hey Bo," she greeted him as she moved to the front of the couch. "Oh my goodness! What happened?" she gasped, sitting down beside her cousin and wrapping an arm around him. She was surprised when he jerked away, "Bo?"


"Daisy, you sit with him, I'm gonna get him a little shine," Jesse instructed. A moment later he was back with a small amount of shine in a shot glass. "Here ya are sprout, you sip this, it'll help."



Nodding his head, Bo carefully held the glass and slowly sipped at the contents.


Jesse watched him, patiently waiting for the boy to calm down. Sitting down on the arm of the couch, he placed a gentle hand on Bo's shoulder. "Bo, can ya tell me what happened now?"


Swallowing hard, Bo began to talk, "I told ya that my english teacher wanted me to do something so I'd pass."


"I remember."


"You said that I had to do what the teacher said and that I had to keep my promise to Luke," he reminded his uncle.


"I know I did, but what's that got to do with you coming home with bruises and your shirt ripped open?"


"I ain't failing english Uncle Jesse, I haven't been goofing off or anything. I've got the same grades in that class I've always had, I know c's aren't the best, but you know it's all I've ever managed in english."


"Then why did ya say you were in danger of failing?" Jesse asked, getting more and more confused.


"I didn't, he did. He said that if I didn't do what he wanted then I'd fail, and if I did then I'd pass. I told him that he'd be sorry when you heard about it, but he said you wouldn't believe me. I tried to tell ya Uncle Jesse, but you said I had to obey him and you didn't want to hear it. I didn't know what else to do, I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't have hit him but I just couldn't do it," Bo hurriedly related, his words nearly running together.


"Bo, just what was it that he wanted you to do?" Jesse gently asked.


"He wanted me to...to be with him, like a girl and a boy would be," he quietly answered, unable to look at his family.


"Oh Bo!" Daisy cried out, wanting so badly to hug him, but not sure how he'd react.


"Is that how ya got the bruises?"


"Yes sir," came the soft answer. "I went there, to his house, planning to do as he asked, but I couldn't. When I tried to leave he slammed my head into the door, and then he hit me. The next thing I knew I was on his couch and he was on top of me, pinning me down. I couldn't stop him Uncle Jesse! I was so scared and I didn't want him to...finally I got my arms free and I hit him. I jumped up and took off, I'm sorry Uncle Jesse I know I ain't supposed to hit a teacher."


"Bo stop! Look at me son," he said, taking the boy's chin in his hand and turning his head towards him. "I'm glad you hit him, that man isn't a teacher anymore than J.D. Hogg is. I'm so sorry that I didn't listen to you earlier. If I had none of this would've happened, well that man still would've got hit but it would've been me hitting him. Are you okay? He didn't...?"


"No he didn't, I got away before he could do more than kkkkkiss me and tttttouch me." Pausing, Bo looked away again, needing a moment to compose himself. "Uncle Jesse," he finally said, "it wasn't your fault, I don't blame ya none."


"I'm glad ya don't Bo, but I blame me. I should've listened, you deserved a chance to explain your side of things even if you had been guilty of goofing off. I'll do my best not to ever do that again," Jesse promised, devasted by his part in the attack on his nephew.


"Okay. I think I'll just get a glass of water and go to bed," Bo said. Standing up, he moved towards the kitchen sink.


"Bo, ya can't go to bed yet son," Jesse said as he watched Bo running water in a glass.


"Why not?"


"I want the doctor to take a look at ya, and you'll need to tell Rosco what happened."


"No! Please Uncle Jesse, can't we just forget it ever happened?" Bo asked, spinning around to face his uncle. Before Jesse could answer the phone rang and Bo hurried to answer it, grateful for the distraction, "Duke farm, Bo Duke speaking."


"Hello Bo," Jonas purred into the receiver.


"What do you want?"


"Oh now Bo, you know what I want. I understand that you're nervous Bo, and because of that I'm willing to give you one more chance. You come to my house in two days, ready to cooperate and we'll forget tonight ever happened. If you don't, well then I guess I'll be seeing you again next year." Without another word, Jonas sat the reciever back on the base, a smile growing on his face.


Hearing the click on the other end, Bo slowly hung the phone up.


"Who was that Bo?" Jesse asked, concerned by the sudden paleness of his nephew's face.


"It was him, Wyndham!" he spat the name. "He says he'll give me another chance, if I don't come back in two days though he'll fail me."


"Well ya ain't going back! I'm calling Rosco right now," Jesse snapped, grabbing the phone and beginning to dial.

"Yes sir," Bo agreed, hoping that the local sheriff would be able to do something to help him.


TBC


Evil ain't I? Hope y'all are still liking the story. Please review and let me know.