Author's note: Thanks so much to Hazzard66 for letting me bounce ideas off her and for getting me back on to this story. I'll warn you now, I wrote half of this without a muse. Don't ask me where it went. I started this story off this so much enthusiasm and it kind of died down from the middle onwards shrug. Anyhow, this will probably be the last of my original Dukes of Hazzard stories, mainly because of my AWOL muse, but I will be writing episode-based stories. Alright, enough with the babbling and on with the story!

Warning: Not beta-ed and I'm very sure there will be grammatical and probably spelling errors in this one, so once again I apologise in advance.

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own Bo and Luke Duke, I don't and neither do I own any of the other characters in the Dukes of Hazzard. The Song in chapter four is Brotherly Love which was written by Jimmy Stewart and Tim Nichols, and performed by Moe Bandy as well as Keith Whitley and Earl Thomas Conley. It was first recorded in 1989 and therefore not in the Dukes' timeline but I love the lyrics and I think it describes the Duke boys beautifully.

Bo was smiling to himself as he sat on his bed, reading the car magazine he and Luke loved so much. He wasn't really reading, more like admiring the picture of a carburettor It was a new design and Bo knew the General Lee would run so smoothly with it. He had already asked Cooter about it and confirmed the exact model needed for the General. Bo tore the page out of the magazine, grinning and he grabbed a pen, writing "Happy Birthday, Luke!" on it, before folding it up and placing it under his pillow. It was exactly two weeks until Luke's birthday and he was turning thirty so Bo wanted to make it special. He knew Luke had been eyeing the carburettor as well but they couldn't afford it. Two hundred and thirty-five dollars and fifteen cents, making them exactly two hundred and thirty-four dollars and fifteen cents short. Bo, however, had a plan. He got real lucky last week while he was in Choctaw county picking up a part from the auto-parts shop for Cooter, he walked past Jimmy's Garage, Choctaw County's local mechanic, Jimmy, was looking for hired-help. Bo was in there in a flash, telling Jimmy he was experienced enough to do the job. He told him about how he and Luke had built the engine for the General Lee themselves and their best friend was Cooter Davenport in Hazzard County. To Bo's surprise, Jimmy Larson was a friend of Jesse's. Back in the Ridge Runner days. Jimmy was only a part of the gang for a year before he had to move to Choctaw, but once a Ridge Runner, always a Ridge Runner. He and Jesse got a long real well during that year. Even save each others tail once or twice. It was one of Jimmy's fondest memories, so it wasn't hard to believe that Jimmy hired Bo on the spot, even if it was for only a couple of weeks.

Bo smiled as he did the mental calculation in his head. Twenty-five dollars for four hours work a day meant he had to work about five days each week to make enough money for the carburettor After the first day of work, Bo would put down a deposit and the auto-parts store to order in the carburettor and on the day of Luke's birthday, Bo will have the best present ever. Only problem is he needed an excuse for why he would be missing for hours almost every day for the next two weeks. This was the hard part, he would, essentially, be lying to his family for two weeks and the one thing he hated was to lie to his family. If it wasn't for such an important thing as Luke's birthday present, he wouldn't even contemplate it. He needed to think of an excuse that wasn't a complete lie, otherwise Luke would see right through him. Bo thought about telling Jesse and Daisy to cover for him, but he knew that if he told them they would want to help out and the last thing he wanted was for his uncle to dig into the mortgage money or for Daisy to work extra shifts. His uncle and cousin did enough for this family and this was one thing he wanted to do for himself. He wanted this present to be from him and only him. It would be his way of thanking Luke for everything he had done for him since Bo moved onto the farm.

Bo sighed. This wouldn't work unless he came up with an excuse that would satisfy his family. He thought about Choctaw County and why he might need to spend some time there. He didn't know anybody in Choctaw, except Jimmy. Not to mention, even if he did, it would be someone the whole family would know, making it easy for Uncle Jesse and Luke see right through the lie. The only time he spoke to someone Luke didn't know was when Luke was in the marines. That's when he remembered! When Luke away in the marines, Bo met a boy who had just moved into Hazzard, but one week later he had to move to Choctaw because of some real estate mix up. He remembered the boys names was...Bo thought hard. He had only spoken to the boy twice in class before he moved but he did have a name that wasn't common. Bo clicked his fingers as the name sat at the tip of his tongue. "Jack...Jay...Jud...Josiah!" Bo jumped off his bed... "Josiah Mekeroy!" Bo grinned, now he had an excuse. This was going to work! He couldn't wait to see Luke's face when he sees the new part for the General Lee.

"Bo! Dinner's ready!" Luke called out. Bo grinned and walked out of the room. Luke looked up from his seat at the table. "What were you doing in there?" It wasn't often that Bo would choose to sit in his room rather than work on the General with Luke.

"Just wanted to do some reading. You've been hogging that magazine all week!" Bo complained, it was true, even if that wasn't the reason. He sat down at the table as Jesse and Daisy served up dinner. "mmm...I've starved!" Bo reached out to grab a piece of bread only to have his hand knocked with a wooden spoon. "Ow!" Bo pouted, rubbing his hand.

"You wait until we say grace." Jesse admonished, pointing the wooden spoon at Bo.

"Yes, sir." Bo knew not to argue. Luke was laughing at him. "It ain't funny! That hurt!" Bo complained, still rubbing his hand.

"I don't understand you. You know what will happen and you do it anyway." Luke shook his head.

"I can't help it. I'm hungry!"

"That's your problem. You think with your stomach and not your head!" Luke said, still laughing.

Bo narrowed his eyes. "Cute!"

"Alright, you two. Knock it off." Jesse and Daisy sat down and said grace. "Amen."

"Amen!" Bo said a little louder than he should of and dug into the food. Jesse shook his head while Daisy and Luke just laughed at their little cousin. Meal time was always fun, because Bo always found a way of entertaining them, whether he meant to or not.

Halfway through the meal, Bo spoke up, "Uncle Jesse? Do you think it'll be okay if I help out a friend in Choctaw County. There was an accident at their farm, and now his dad can't do anything for a couple of weeks. I told him I would help him out."

"Which friend is this, Bo? Didn't think you had any friends that I don't know." Luke asked. This was why Bo needed to find someone who Luke didn't know.

"He's not really a friend. I met him in high school, when you were in the marines. He was only here for a week before some mix up with the real estate agent caused them to move to Choctaw. I didn't think I'd see him again, but he came to Hazzard to pick something up for his dad. We got talking and he told me about his troubles. Figured I could help him out if I'm not needed here. It's just for about four hours a day for the next couple of weeks." Bo looked at Luke to see if he was suspicious. He was relieved when Luke seemed to buy the story.

"I don't see any problem as long as you do your chores here. We Dukes always helps out a friend in need. What's this boys name?"

"Josiah Mekeroy." Bo answered, praising himself for coming up with the answers to these questions before hand.

"Mekeroy?" Jesse said, "I remember something about a family buying a land here in Hazzard but J.D somehow had paid for it first. Somethin' like that anyway."

"That was them." Bo said, that made the story even more believable.

"Seems like they've had hard enough time. You go ahead and help them out, Bo."

Bo grinned, "Thanks, Uncle Jesse."

Daisy gave Bo a kiss on the cheek. "It's real nice of you to help out an old friend."

Bo gave her a small smile. He was feeling a little guilty about lying to them but it was only for two weeks and Luke was gonna get one heck of a surprise on his birthday!

"Just don't work yourself too hard." Luke warned.

Bo rolled his eyes. "It's only four more hours of work a day. Can't be that bad."

"Well, let me know if you want some help." Luke said.

"Don't worry about me, Luke." Bo grinned, "I can look after myself." That was a comment Luke would've argued with but seeing as Bo was helping out a friend in need, he'll let it go this time.

Three days later...

Jefferson Davis Hogg looked out his office window. He was watching Luke and Cooter working on the General. Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane walked in and saw his brother-in-law looking out the window. He was so deep in thought, he didn't even hear Rosco come in. Rosco walked over and lowered himself to Boss's level, trying to see what Boss was looking at.

"Nice day, ain't it?" Rosco said causing Boss to jump up.

"Aaaah!" He threw his arms up to warn off whoever it was. "Rosco! You pea-brain, where did you come from?"

Rosco pointed at the door, "Um...just through that door, Boss. Say, what were you looking at out there?"

"Out there? Oh yes," Boss gestured for Rosco to come closer to the window and pointed to Cooter's garage. "What do you see there?"

Rosco squinted at where Boss was pointing. "Nothing special. That there's Cooter's garage."

"Yes, but who's there?" Boss asked.

"Well, there's Cooter and Luke Duke." Rosco answered, "oooh...I know, I know! You want me to go over there and arrest Luke Duke. Kiew...kiew!"

"No! You numb skull. Who's missing?" Boss asked him.

Rosco thought about that as he looked back out the window. "Well, where there's one Duke there's usually another. Bo Duke must be around somewhere."

"That's the thing, Rosco. I've notice that for the last three days, Bo Duke is never around. And it's always about this time." Boss revealed.

"Well, that is strange, where could Bo be?"

"That's what you're going to find out." Boss said as he turned away from the window and sat in his chair.

"I am?"

"You are."

"ooh ooh, I am..." Rosco grinned, and then stopped, "How am I going to find out?"

"Rosco! Do I have to tell you everything? Tomorrow, you follow that boy and find out where he's going each day at this time!" Boss Hogg demanded.

"oooooh!" Rosco was giddy with excitement, "I'll follow Bo Duke and then I'll come right back here and report back to my little fat buddy!" They both had looks on their faces that would send shivers down any Dukes's spine.