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

Warnings: Angst

Rating: FRC

Summary: The Dukes share special memories on Christmas Eve.

Italics and/or * indicates thoughts/flashback

Christmas Memories

By:  Vinsmouse

It had begun snowing early on Christmas Eve, an unusual occurrence in Hazzard, and snow like this was nearly unheard of. By mid-day several inches had accumulated, with no sign of stopping. Darkness fell and still the snow came down in great, wet clumps, finally about eight o'clock it let up, leaving behind eight inches of the white stuff.

"Oh Uncle Jesse, isn't it beautiful?" Daisy asked, from her perch by the window as she looked out at the winter wonderland.

"That it is baby," Jesse agreed. Coming to stand next to his niece, he wrapped one arm around her waist and silently gave thanks that all of his kids were home safe. Adding a prayer that there would be no accidents, Jesse let go of Daisy and moved towards the kitchen. "I don't know about you kids, but this seems like the perfect night for some hot cocoa, what do ya say?"

"Yeah, that sounds great," Bo and Luke both agreed as they sat reading their car magazines.

"Would you like me to help Uncle Jesse?" came the offer from near the window.

"No that's okay Daisy," he declined. Taking the cocoa, sugar and vanilla from the cabinet Jesse soon had the hot cocoa ready and called the kids to the table.

Sitting around the table, enjoying their cocoa and some fresh ginger cookies, the Dukes discussed Christmas's past.

"You remember the year we caught Santa?" Bo asked, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"I sure do, I don't know who was more surprised you or Hobie," Luke laughed as he remembered Hobie stumbling into the trap he and Bo had built to catch Santa and prove he was real.

"Yeah, I sure was disappointed though, I really wanted to prove to Hughie Hogg that Santa was real."

"Well now Bo, you know Santa's too quick to be caught in a trap like that," Jesse lightly teased.

"You know what my favorite Christmas memory is though?" Bo asked of nobody in particular.

"What's that Bo?" Jesse asked, sure his youngest would say the year he'd got his first bicycle.

"Bet I can," Luke replied, sure it was the year Sally Ann had kissed him under the mistletoe.

"Why don't you tell us Bo?" Daisy asked, positive he would say it was the last Christmas they'd spent with Aunt Martha.

"It was the Christmas I was seven," Bo began, taking them all by surprise.

"Why would that be your favorite memory Bo? You were sicker than a dog that year," Luke reminded his youngest cousin, completely confused.

"I know Luke, believe me you don't forget having the mumps at Christmas time. I remember laying on the couch in Aunt Martha's lap and feeling horrible. I was so mad, I'd been a good kid and here I was sick on Christmas Eve. I could smell the pies Aunt Martha had baked and knew I probably wouldn't be able to eat any of them or the Christmas dinner. I couldn't even sleep away the misery, every time I swallowed it hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt and it'd wake me right up."

"So you like being miserable?" Luke asked, wondering if maybe his baby cousin was coming down with something right about now.

"Of course not Luke and you can stop looking at me like that," Bo replied. "You and Daisy was sitting on the floor watching a Christmas cartoon. Aunt Martha was doing her best to make me comfortable and Uncle Jesse was outside tending to the chores. All of a sudden there was this stomping on the porch and I could hear bells jingling in the yard. Then the door opened, and there was Santa, a bag of toys thrown over his back. You know, I can't even tell y'all what I got that year, but I'll never forgot how Santa came while I was awake and for a little while I was able to forget how miserable I was." Bo ended his story, giving his uncle a tender smile as he thought back to that long ago Christmas.

"That was beautiful sprout," Jesse softly told him, his eyes glistening with moisture.

"So Luke, what's your favorite Christmas memory?" Bo suddenly asked.

"I guess it was the first time I got to pick our tree by myself. I must've been what, fourteen?" he asked, looking at his uncle for confirmation.

"That sounds about right," Jesse agreed.

"I always went with Uncle Jesse up into the woods to pick our tree, but that year you had sprained your ankle and couldn't go," he reminded his uncle. "So I had to go without you, though Cooter went along so I wouldn't be alone. With me being the oldest, you and Aunt Martha had always given me more responsiblity, but that was the first time I really felt grown-up. I liked feeling like that, but I about drove poor Cooter nuts while I tried to find the perfect tree. I was so determined to do a good job, I wanted you to be proud of me. I just couldn't find the one I wanted, no matter how long I looked and Cooter was getting mad the longer it took. Finally I chose the best one I could find, but I was sure you were going to be disappointed."

"I wasn't though," Jesse softly spoke.

"No you weren't," Luke agreed. "The memory of your smile when we brought the tree in, the pride I could see in your eyes, is one I'll treasure for as long as I live."

"Thank you son," Jesse said past the lump in his throat, as he reached across the table and gave Luke's hand a small squeeze.

"So Daisy, what's your favorite memory?" Luke asked, giving Jesse a chance to compose himself.

"Oh, um, well..." Daisy stopped talking, not sure how to go on, afraid she would upset her uncle.

"It's alright baby, you can tell us," Jesse encouraged, having an idea of why she hesitated.

"Well it was the last year we had Aunt Martha with us. At the time I didn't really understand why she wanted to make sure I knew how to make all of the special Christmas treats. Now though, I wonder if maybe she somehow knew that she wouldn't be here the next year. I'll never forget the fun we had in the kitchen that year, while she taught me how to bake the different types of cookies, and the pies. I think we made enough that year for everybody in Hazzard, but I guess she wanted to make sure I got it right," Daisy said with a small laugh. "I loved all the time I got to spend with her that year, and the extra attention was wonderful. The best thing though is that every year since then, whenever I bake the Christmas treats I'm not alone. Aunt Martha is right here in the room with me, whispering in my ear the special little touches that each treat gets. That's a present worth more than all the diamonds and gold in the world," Daisy whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes as she remembered her own special Christmas.

"Thank you Daisy," Jesse whispered, moving around the table and wrapping his arms around his niece. "That's a beautiful memory."

Smiling up at her uncle, Daisy gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "What's your favorite Christmas memory Uncle Jesse?"

"Oh I don't know, I've got so many of them it'd be hard to choose just one," Jesse protested.

"Come on Uncle Jesse, ya got to tell us," Bo insisted, giving his uncle his patented puppy dog eyes.

"Well, let me think a minute," Jesse finally said as he sat back down at the table. "I don't know if it's my favorite, but it's certainly one of them. It was the Christmas Bo was four, we had been into town to the Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve and all the way home you were so quiet we were sure you'd fallen asleep." Jesse said, looking at Bo with a fond smile. "You weren't sleeping though, you were thinking and if I'd known what ya was thinking, I would've tied you in your bed."

"Tied me in my bed? Why, what'd I do?" Bo asked, surprised to hear his uncle saying something like that.

For several minutes there was silence in the small kitchen as they waited for Jesse to explain. Jesse sat at the head of the table, looking back through the years to that long ago Christmas and the scare his nephew had given him. "Well there was a part of the pageant that really got your attention..."

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*Jesse looked in on his small charges, checking to make sure they were all sleeping soundly. Opening the door to Daisy's room, he smiled at the sight of the little girl curled up under the quilt, her small arms wrapped around a favorite doll. Quietly closing the door, he crept down the hall to the bedroom where the boys slept. Peeking inside, he wasn't surprised to see that while Luke slept soundly under his blankets, Bo had once again kicked his aside. Softly walking to the bed, he pulled the covers up, careful not to wake the sleeping child. Satisfied that the children were all sleeping, he headed off to his own bed for a much deserved rest.

Shortly after one in the morning, Jesse was awakened by his oldest nephew. "Luke? What's wrong son, are ya sick?"

"No sir, but I can't find Bo," Luke replied.

"What do ya mean you can't find Bo?" Jesse asked, coming fully awake.

"Jesse, what's wrong?" Martha asked from beside him.

"Nothing Martha, go on back to sleep," Jesse replied, not wanting to worry her.

"Jesse Duke, don't you lie to me. Now what's wrong?"

"Luke said he can't find Bo, I'm sure he's just curled up in a corner of the living room. I'll just go check and be right back," Jesse assured her.

"Alright Jesse, but you let me know if you don't find him," Martha firmly instructed.

"Yes ma'am."

Throwing a robe on over his pajamas, Jesse led Luke from the bedroom. "Now Luke, where all did ya look for him?"

"I looked everywhere Uncle Jesse. He's not in the bathroom, or anywhere in the living room or kitchen, I checked all the corners. I looked in Daisy's room too, but he's not there. I even looked under his bed and in our closet in case he was hiding," Luke tearfully informed his uncle.

"Well if you checked everywhere in the house and he ain't here, he must've wondered outside. You just wait here and I'll go look around out in the yard, okay?"

"Yes sir," Luke quietly replied.

Moving to the back door, Jesse quickly pulled on his workboots and grabbed a lantern before heading outside. After searching the yard, and his pick-up with no luck, Jesse moved to the barn. Stepping inside the old structure, it didn't take him long to find the missing child. Laying in the hay, next to Maudine's stall, Bo slept unaware of the scare he'd given them. Hanging the lantern on a hook, Jesse knelt down next to the small form and scooped him up.

"Uncle Jesse?" Bo sleepily asked.

"That's right Bo," Jesse confirmed. "Bo honey, what are ya doing out here in the barn?"

"I wanted to see if it was true," Bo replied.

"See if what was true?" Jesse asked, puzzled as to what the boy was talking about.

"Like in the Christmas show, wanted to see if the animals could talk," Bo explained.

"Aw Bo, that's just a story," Jesse softly tried to explain, fighting to keep the laughter from his voice.

"Nuh-uh, it's true," Bo insisted. "I heard 'em talking Uncle Jesse, they was saying that God was good and the baby Jesus was a gift."

"No honey, you were just dreaming, the animals can't talk."

"No I wasn't Uncle Jesse, and you got to take good care of Maudine too!"

"Why's that?" Jesse asked, his curiosity was getting the better of him, in spite of himself.

"Cause she's gonna save me someday, I heard her telling the goats so."

"Really?"

"Yep, Maudine said that I's needed and some Christmas I'm gonna need her to save me," Bo explained. "I was real surprised too, cause I didn't even think Maudine liked me."

"You didn't?"

"Nope, cause I'm always pulling on her ears, but you know what Uncle Jesse?"

"What honey?"

"I ain't never gonna do that again, else she might not save me," Bo seriously told his uncle.

"That's good Bo," Jesse absently replied as he opened the back door and stepped back into the warm house.*

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"Uncle Jesse!" Bo protested, his face growing red with embarrassment.

"I remember that, I was so scared when I woke up and couldn't find Bo," Luke said. "I didn't know about him talking to the animals though."

"I knew you'd tease him if I'd told ya then, and ya best not be teasing him now either ya hear me?"

"Yes sir, I hear ya," Luke acknowledged.

"Well, it's getting late, we'd better be getting to bed," Jesse observed. Standing up, he carried his plate and mug to the sink. Giving them a quick wash, along with the cocoa pan, he placed the few dishes in the drainer before going to bed.

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The sound of moans woke Luke a few hours later. Looking over to his cousin's bed, he saw the younger man thrashing about, moaning in obvious pain. Throwing back his covers, he climbed from his bed and moved to his cousin's side. "Bo?" he called as he reached to shake the younger man's arm in an attempt to wake him. The moment he touched his cousin's skin, he jerked his hand back in surprise. "Bo? Come on cousin, wake up now. That's it, can ya tell me where it hurts Bo?"

"Luke? Hurts, make it stop," Bo whined, oblivious to his cousin's question or the fear on his face.

"Bo, where does it hurt?" Luke asked again.

"Belly," came the pained reply.

"Where exactly? Can ya show me?"

Bo's only answer was to move his right hand until it was over the spot low in his belly that was hurting him so much.

"Okay Bo, do you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, ohhhhhhh Luke, gonna be sick," he managed to croak out as he turned to his side.

Acting quickly, Luke was just in time with the wastebasket, placing it under his cousin's face as he was violently ill. After what seemed an eternity, the retching stopped and Luke sat the basket back on the floor. Helping his cousin to lay back in the bed, he left the room for a wash cloth and some water. Stopping to knock on Jesse's door, he told him what was happening. By the time he returned to their room, Jesse was sitting on the bed next to Bo.

"Uncle Jesse, he says his right side is hurting," Luke supplied.

"Yeah he told me," Jesse said.

"What do you think is wrong?"

"I think it's probably his appendix," came the reluctant answer.

"How can that be? He was fine just a few hours ago," Luke argued.

"I know he was Luke, but that's the way it happens sometimes. You go get Daisy up, I'm gonna go get dressed and call for an ambula..." Jesse stopped speaking as a loud crack was heard and the house went dark. "What in tarnation? Luke you stay here with your cousin, I'll get some lanterns and wake Daisy up," Jesse instructed. "Ya might want to get dressed too," he suggested, knowing that as a former Marine, Luke would have no trouble finding his clothes in the dark.

"Uncle Jesse, what's happening?" Daisy asked from the doorway of her room.

"I think a tree fell on the lines. I'm going to get the lanterns, I'll be right back."

"Okay, Uncle Jesse I've already got an oil lamp," Daisy reminded him.

"That's right, I'd forgotten. You need to get dressed then Daisy, Bo's sick and needs to go to the hospital."

"The hospital?" Daisy asked, shocked by her uncle's words.

"I think it's his appendix, now you get dressed while I call for an ambulance and get the lantern."

"Yes Uncle Jesse."

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Jesse stood in the living room, two lanterns on the coffee table and the useless phone in his hand. Slamming the dead instrument back on it's cradle, he picked up the lanterns and headed to the bedrooms.

"Luke, how's he doing?"

"Not good Uncle Jesse, he's burning up, I think he's getting worse," Luke replied. "Did they say how long the ambulance will be?"

"No ambulance, the phone lines must be down too," Jesse explained. "We're gonna have to take him ourselves."

"How? There's at least eight inches out there, we'll never be able to drive in that."

"Dang it! You're right, okay I got me an idea," Jesse began. "You get him dressed and bundled up, good as ya can, we'll just have to get him to the doc the old-fashioned way."

"What do ya mean?"

"The sledge, I'll hook it up to Maudine and we'll pull him to Doc's," Jesse explained.

"The sledge?" Luke asked.

"It's the only choice we got Luke, we have to get your cousin some help. Now you do as I said, I'll be back as soon as I've got the sledge ready."

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Jesse hurried to the barn and pulled the old sledge from it's spot in the back of the barn. Checking to make sure the runners were in good condition, he next began piling hay on the surface that would normally hold wood. Making the sledge as comfortable as possible, he then brought Maudine from her stall and soon had her hitched up to the device.

Hurrying back inside, he helped Luke to carry Bo out to the sledge. Laying him down on the soft pile of hay, they then tucked several quilts around their youngest. With Daisy and Luke walking on either side of the sledge, Jesse held his lantern aloft and grabbed the lead rope, silently praying that Maudine would cooperate. Surprisingly, the old mule made no protest but simply followed Jesse, almost as though she knew the importance of her task this night.

A trip that would normally have taken only a few minutes, took them nearly two hours. Finally though, they reached their destination. Dropping the rope, Jesse handed the lantern to Daisy and hurried to help Luke carry Bo inside. "Daisy, you go wake the doctor, hurry now," he ordered.

Without a word, Daisy quickly made her way to the door. Knocking on it as loudly as she could, Daisy sighed with relief when she heard footsteps hurrying towards her. "Doc thank God you're here," she gasped out when the older man opened the door.

"Daisy? What's wrong?"

"It's Bo," Daisy replied, moving aside so that he could see the two older Duke men carrying the youngest between them.

"My word, Jesse what happened?"

"He's awful sick Amos, it came on him real sudden...I think it's his appendix."

"Well let's get him into an exam room and I'll see what's what," the doctor suggested, leading the way down the hall.

"Bo? Can ya hear me son?" the doctor asked, lightly shaking the younger man's shoulder.

"Doc? Hurts doc, can ya make it stop?"

"I'm sure gonna try Bo," the elderly doctor answered. After a short exam, he turned to his old friend. "I'm afraid you're right Jesse, it's his appendix and from the feel of it, it's about ready to burst."

"What's that mean Amos?"

"It means I'm gonna have to operate on him here, there ain't time to get him to a hospital. I'm gonna need some help too, are you up to it?"

"You just tell me what ya need Amos," Jesse quickly replied.

"Alright, well first of all, Daisy, Luke, y'all need to wait in the other room."

"Yes sir," they both responded as they left the room. They looked back at their cousin, hoping it wouldn't be their last sight of him.

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Shortly after dawn, as the rest of Hazzard was waking up to begin their celebrations, the Duke family was holding a celebration of a different kind. Sitting around the bedside of their youngest, they spoke in hushed tones.

"I can't believe we almost lost him," Luke quietly said as he stroked back the hair from his cousin's face.

"I know, I swear when Amos told me after the surgery that if we'd gotten him here only thirty minutes later he would've died, I almost fainted. Thank God for Maudine, if it hadn't been for her...."

"Uncle Jesse? What's wrong?" Daisy asked, when he suddenly stopped speaking, a strange look crossing his face.

"The dream," Jesse absently replied as he picked up his nephew's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Dream?" Luke asked.

"Remember the talk we had last night?"

"You don't mean..." Luke trailed off, a look of wonder crossing his face as he gazed at his baby cousin.

"I don't know, but he did tell me that Maudine would save his life someday and she surely did."

"Mmmmmm," a soft moan interrupted them, as Bo began to wake up. "Uncle Jesse? Where am I?"

"You're at Dr. Appleby's Bo."

"Why? Ouch, why's my side hurt?" Bo moaned as his movement pulled on the stitches.

"You got a case of appendicitis sprout, Amos had to operate on ya."

"Why'd ya bring me here instead of the hospital?"

"A tree took out the power and phone lines so we couldn't get an ambulance. We knew that with all the snow, we'd never be able to drive, so the only way to get you to help was mule power."

"Mule?" Bo asked, more confused than before.

"Yeah, we hooked Maudine to the sledge and pulled you to the doc's, good thing too. He said you'd a died if we hadn't got ya to help. Looks like you were right all them years ago when you said Maudine would save you," Jesse explained with a smile.

"Wow," Bo whispered in awe, wondering just what had happened all those years ago. "Aw dang it!" he cried out, as a sudden thought occured to him.

"What is it Bo?" Luke quickly asked.

"Why am I always the one who gets sick on Christmas?"

With a relieved laugh, Luke reached over and ruffled his cousin's hair. "Just lucky I guess, but don't worry cousin we'll make sure you get some nice Christmas broth," he lightly teased.

"Broth? Uncle Jesse, can't I have a little turkey?" and so the negotiations began.

The End

A sledge is a device with runners that is used to pull loads of wood from the forest, but in a pinch it could be used to haul a person.

A/N: The story Bo tells of having the mumps as Christmas really happened. The year I was seven, I had mumps on both sides of my neck and was absolutely miserable. Just like Bo, I was on the couch, cuddled up with my mom and still miserable. Then Santa came in while my dad was outside, ;) and for that short magical time my misery faded into the background.