If I Had Only Known

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


Warnings: Slash, Angst, Mild Violence


Rating: FRT


If I Had Only Known
Chapter 6


Luke sat in the waiting room of Tri-County Emergency wondering why Ernie had beaten Bo? Sure Ernie had hated the Duke boys since junior high when they had proven him to be a bullying coward, but he'd never done anything like this. Glancing at David, he couldn't help wondering what part he played in his cousin's beating. "What do you know about this?"


"I don't know anymore than you do," David replied, his eyes focused on the doors leading to the back.


"Why did Bo go to your house instead of home?"


David sighed, looking down at the floor he wasn't sure how to answer the other man. "He wasn't making a lot of sense when he got there, maybe you should ask him," he finally suggested.


"Luke!" Jesse called out as he and Daisy hurried up to them. "What happened?"


"I don't have all the details Uncle Jesse, the only thing I know for sure is that Ernie Ledbetter and a couple of his friends beat Bo badly enough that he needed medical care."


"And you don't have any idea why?"


"No sir, your guess is as good as mine," Luke replied.


"Any word on how he's doing?"


"Not yet."


"How bad was he hurt?"


"I don't know Uncle Jesse, but he looked pretty bad," Luke reluctantly answered.


"What's your part in this?" Jesse asked, turning to David.


"Bo came to my house after he was beaten, I brought him to the hospital."


"That doesn't make any sense, why didn't he just come home?" Daisy asked.


"Like I told Luke, he was pretty confused when he got there, maybe you should ask him," David replied.


"Excuse me," the admitting nurse interrupted them.


"Yes ma'am, do you have news about my nephew Bo?"


"Yes sir, but first is one of you David?"


Surprised by the question, for a moment none of them answered. "I am," David finally responded.


"Could you come with me please," she said, turning and leading him to the double doors. "Mr. Duke is in exam three, second door on your left, he's been asking for you," she explained.


"Just go on in?" he asked.


"Yes sir," she replied before turning back to the waiting room, nearly running into the Duke family.


"What's going on here miss? Why did he get to go back and see Bo? We're the boy's family, shouldn't we be the one's to be seeing him?" Jesse fired questions at her, confused and annoyed by what had just happened.


"If you'll give me a moment I'll explain what I can," Lisa told him. "Perhaps we could move into the family room," she kindly suggested.


Following her into the room the three members of the Duke family stood with their arms folded over their chests, waiting for answers.


"The first thing you should know is that Bo is being prepared for surgery..."


"Surgery? Why?"


"There's a small amount of internal bleeding and Dr. Branson feels that surgery is needed to stop the bleeding. Which brings me to why David was allowed to see Bo," taking a bracing breath, having a feeling her answer would only cause more questions. "Bo was asking for David and the doctor felt that if he could see his friend before surgery it would help him to make it through the operation."


"Are you telling us that Bo could die?" Jesse bluntly asked.


"Internal bleeding isn't anything to be taken lightly Mr. Duke and any surgery carries a certain amount of risk. Dr. Branson simply wants to do all he can to insure Bo's well-being and he feels that if the patient is calm when he goes into surgery, he will do better," she explained.


"So this Dr. Branson figures that if Bo is allowed to see David, it'll calm him down?" Luke asked.


"Yes sir."


"I don't understand though, why would Bo be asking for David instead of his family?" Daisy asked.


"I'm afraid you'd have to ask him that," Lisa answered. "If you'd like to wait, the surgical waiting area is on the second floor. Dr. Branson will meet you there when the operation is over, now if you'll excuse me I must get back to the desk."


"Thank you miss," Jesse said. "Come on kids, let's go on up to the second floor," he said, pulling the door open.


"Uncle Jesse, should we wait for David?" Daisy asked.


"I'm sure the nurse will tell him where to wait," Jesse gruffly replied. Without another word he led them from the emergency room and to the elevators.


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Pushing the door to exam three open, David stepped inside, gasping slightly at the colorful bruises covering his lover's body. "Bo?" he quietly called as he moved closer, taking the younger man's hand in his own. "Hey," he said with a smile, "I hear you wanted to see me."


"You okay?"


"I'm fine, you're the one that got hurt," David answered.


"He said...knew bout me...leave," Bo gasped out in obvious pain.


"Shhhhh, don't try to talk Bo, you need to save your strength," David soothed, gently brushing the blond hair back.


"Be here...I wake up?"


"I'll be here, I'll see you just as soon as they let me, okay?"


"Okay, love you," Bo whispered, unaware of the audience they had.


"I love you," David said, his eyes filled with love and concern for the younger man. "Now you let the doctor take care of you and I'll see you when you wake up."


Nodding tiredly, Bo gave David's hand a light squeeze and closed his eyes.


"If you'd like to wait, the surgical waiting area is on the second floor," the doctor told him.


"Thank you," David said. Reluctantly stepping away from the bed, he walked to the door and opened it. Turning back he gave the doctor a serious look, "Take good care of him doctor," he softly said.


"I will son, I will," Dr. Branson replied.


"That's disgusting," one of the nurses said as soon as the door closed.


"You can leave," the doctor immediately said.


"Excuse me, but won't I be needed to assist?"


"No you won't, I'm sure I can find somebody who's more concerned with the patient's well-being than with his love life."


"Fine," she snapped. Roughly tossing her gloves into the trash, she hurried from the room.


"Does anybody else have a problem?" Looking around the exam room, Dr. Branson was pleased to see the others in the room shaking their heads. "Good, now let's get this young man into surgery and stop that bleeding."


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Leaving the exam room, David went out to the waiting area, looking for the Duke family. Not seeing them, he went up to the admitting desk, "Excuse me miss, could you tell me where Bo's family went?"


Looking up, Lisa smiled at the man in front of her, "Yes sir, they went up to the surgical waiting area. It's on the second floor," she replied.


"Thank you," David said. Leaving the E.R., he headed to the elevators. Soon arriving on the second floor, he followed the signs to the surgical waiting room. Stepping into the small room, he was relieved to see that the Duke family were the only other ones there. Unsure of his welcome, he cautiously let the door close behind him and moved to sit in a chair on the other end of the room.


"How's Bo?" Daisy anxiously asked.


"He was awake and talking, I think it's a good sign that the doctor let me see him."


"How do you figure that?" Jesse asked.


"I don't think the doctor would've taken the time to let anybody see him if he was in such bad shape that the surgery couldn't wait for even a few minutes. So I'm taking it as a good sign that he took the time to allow it," David calmly explained.


"What I'd like to know is why Bo wanted to see you and not his family?" Luke demanded.


David shifted uncomfortably under Luke's penetrating gaze, unable to answer the other man without possibly upsetting his lover, he didn't know what to do.


"Well?"


"I can't answer that Luke," he softly replied.


"Can't or won't?"


"Both."


With an angry growl, Luke pulled the taller man to his feet and slammed him against the wall. "Damn you, what do you know? What have you got to do with my cousin getting hurt?"


"Luke let go of him son," Jesse ordered, grabbing his nephew's arm.


"No! Uncle Jesse he knows something, hell for all we know he's the one who hurt Bo."


"I thought you said it was Ernie Ledbetter," Jesse reminded him.


"I didn't actually hear Bo say that, he told me," he said, nodding to David.


"That's what Bo told me," David insisted, struggling to break the enraged man's hold.


"How do we know that? Especially when we know you're not being honest with us," Luke pointed out.


"Well how would I know to say this Ernie's name if Bo hadn't told me, I'm new to Hazzard remember," David reminded him.


"He's got you there Luke," Jesse calmly said. "Now let him go son," he said again.


With a disgusted snort, Luke let the older man go and stalked to the other end of the room. "I still want to know why Bo asked for you and what you know that ya ain't telling us?" Luke demanded, turning to face David.


"I can't tell you, not without talking to Bo first," he added.


"Does it involve something illegal?" Jesse asked.


"No sir."


"Is he in any kind of trouble that you know about?"


"No sir, other than whatever this Ernie character has against him."


"Alright then, we'll wait to talk to Bo," Jesse decreed as he sat back down.


"Uncle Jesse," Luke protested.


"Sit down Luke, we can't ask David to betray Bo's trust."


"Yes sir," Luke sullenly obeyed.


For a while nobody spoke, all of them consumed with their worries for Bo. Finally David couldn't take the silence any longer, "Once we know that Bo's going to be okay, are you going after Ernie?" he asked Luke.


"Damn right I am!"


"Good, count me in."


"You?" Luke scoffed.


"What's the matter, you don't think I can handle myself?"


"Frankly no I don't, you're an artist and...well how many fights have you ever been in?"


"I admit I ain't been in many and none at all for at least the last ten years, but that don't mean I can't fight."


"Yeah well when I go after Ernie, I don't need to have you slowing me down."


"Slowing you down? This guy had to have help to go after Bo, he can't be that tough," David pointed out.


"He ain't but he'll probably have that same help with him, so thanks but no thanks."


"Then you'll need somebody to watch your back."


"He's got a point Luke," Daisy said.


"Yeah well I'd rather have somebody I trust to guard my back and I don't trust him," Luke said, his words clipped and angry.


"You can't face Ernie and his friends alone Luke," Daisy protested.


"I won't, I'll get Cooter and Brody to help me, them I can trust," he said, looking pointedly at David.


Before another word could be said the door to the waiting room opened and Dr. Branson stepped inside. "Are all of you here for Bo Duke?"


"Yes sir, I'm Jesse Duke, Bo's my nephew and these are his cousin's Luke and Daisy. How's my boy?" Jesse anxiously asked.


"Hello, I'm Dr. Branson," he introduced himself. "He came through the surgery with flying colors and barring any complications I expect him to make a full recovery."


"Why exactly did you have to operate?"


"Most of Bo's injuries amount to nothing more than severe bruising and some minor cuts. Amazingly, even with having taken several blows to the face and head he managed to avoid a concussion. However there was one serious injury. While most of his ribs are severely bruised, one did break and that was what caused the problem. It nicked a small blood vessel, which is what was causing Bo to bleed internally," he explained. "We were able to correct the problem and as I said he should recover fully, barring complications."


"When can we see him doc?" Jesse asked.


"He'll be in recovery for about an hour and then he'll be taken to his room, you can see him then."


"What room?" Luke asked.


"I'm not sure of the room number, but he will be on the second floor post-op ward. Just follow the signs and ask at the nurse's station, they can tell you what room he's in. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I have other patients to see to."


"Let's go down to the cafeteria and get something to drink," Jesse suggested. "Hopefully by the time we get back Bo will be in his room."


David watched as the Duke family left the waiting room, not wanting to intrude he walked down the hall to the vending machines. Getting himself a coke, he went back to the waiting room, deciding to pass the hour there.


An hour later, David was standing at the nurse's desk on the post-op ward, asking for Bo's room number. Quietly pushing the door open, he stepped to his lover's side and gently picked up the hand that was without an i.v., bringing it to his lips and brushing a gentle kiss across the knuckles.


"Hey, you're here," Bo whispered.


"Told you I would be, didn't I?" David softly asked.


"Yeah ya did," Bo smiled at him. "You okay?"


"You need to stop worrying about me," David admonished him.


"Didn't answer," Bo said in a weak voice.


"I'm fine beautiful, keep telling you that."


Smiling up at him, Bo brought his lover's hand to his lips, kissing it gently, "I love you."


"I love you too," David softly responded.


"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Luke suddenly demanded from the doorway. Striding angrily into the room, he pulled David away from the bed.


"Leave him alone Luke," Bo said, trying to sit up in the bed, groaning in pain as the movement pulled on his incision.


"Stay still Bo, you'll hurt yourself," David called.


"This is what you were hiding wasn't it?" Luke demanded. "You've got my cousin's head all twisted around, got him thinking he's in love with you and see what it got him!"


"What makes you think he's not in love with me?" David calmly asked.


"Cause I know he ain't gay!"


"Luke stop it now!" Jesse ordered.


"You can't approve of this," Luke protested.


"That ain't the issue, you're in a hospital room and this ain't the place for it." Looking at David he sighed heavily, "I think you'd better leave," he gruffly ordered.


"No," Bo protested, "I want him to stay."


Stepping over to the bed, David took his hand and smiled down at him, his eyes filled with love. "It's alright Bo, I'll be back," he assured the younger man. Bending down, "I love you beautiful," he softly whispered into his lover's ear.


"Love you too slick," Bo replied.


"Bo how could you do this? Don't you know it's wrong?" Luke asked as soon as the door closed behind David.


"Why's it wrong Luke? Because you say so?"


"Because the bible says so," Jesse answered from the opposite side of the bed.


"Bible also says it's okay to own slaves," Bo countered.


"That's different," Jesse protested.


"Why?"


"Cause slavery's wrong, and that ain't got nothing to do with what you're doing."


"So you just listen to the parts of the bible ya want to?"


"I don't think now's the time for this discussion, you're obviously not thinking straight. You get some rest and we'll come back later." Without another word, Jesse left the room, followed closely by Luke.


"It'll be alright honey, they'll come around," Daisy softly assured him.


"I hope you're right Daisy," Bo quietly responded.


"I better go, we'll be back to see you later okay?"


Nodding, Bo sadly watched as his cousin left the room, wondering if this would be the last time he would see his family.


TBC


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