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

Rating: FRT

italics and/or indicates thoughts

bold and/or indicates the balladeer

Surprising Love

Chapter 7

"Rosco I'm sorry that J.D. is acting like this, I'll try to make him change his mind," Lulu apologized.

"There ain't no need for that sis, we got it covered," Rosco said with a grin.

"You do? How?"

"Uh, actually Miss Lulu I think maybe it's best you don't know just yet," Luke interrupted.

Startled, Lulu turned to look at Luke, not sure whether or not to be insulted. After a moment, she decided that Luke was probably right, "That may be true. Well I guess I'd better get home now, good luck Rosco." Wrapping her arms around her brother, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and with a cheerful goodbye, left her mother's home.

"When we gonna let Boss know that he won't be firing Rosco?" Bo asked.

"Rosco?" Luke asked, turning to the Sheriff.

"Yeah?" Rosco distractedly responded. Standing near the fireplace, Rosco held Daisy in his arms as he gazed lovingly into her eyes, barely aware of the others in the room.

"Rosco!"

"Huh?" Rosco said, snapping his head toward Luke.

"Ya think you could stop staring at Daisy long enough to pay attention?"

"Sorry," Rosco mumbled, blushing with embarassment at having been caught acting like a love sick teenager.

"It's alright Rosco, we understand," Bo said, giving his older cousin a nudge and a pointed look.

Realizing how he'd sounded, Luke quickly apologized, "Bo's right Rosco, we understand, I didn't mean to snap at ya. We do need to finish our plan though, so when would you like to let Boss know that he won't be firing you?"

"I was thinking tomorrow morning I'll just show up for work like usual and drop it on him then. That'll give us time to make copies too," Rosco pointed out.

"Yeah that's a good idea, and you can take the copies, not the originals when you talk to Boss."

"Why don't you give it to me and I'll take care of the copying," Luke suggested.

"You don't have to do that Luke, you've already done so much to help," Rosco protested. "Or is it that you don't think I can handle it?" he asked, sounding offended.

"It ain't nothing like that Rosco, I just figured you and Daisy might want some time alone," Luke explained.

"Oh, well yeah I would like that," Rosco smiled down at the woman in his arms as he spoke. "Thanks Luke," he said, handing Luke the tape recorder that was still inside the coffin. Turning back to Daisy, he was unaware of the others leaving the room.

"I can't believe how good your family's been about this," Rosco softly said.

"They want me to be happy Rosco, and they know you're not really a bad guy. I know at first they weren't thrilled about us dating, but that scheme that Enos and Boss pulled made a big difference. I think they realized then that me dating you ain't that different from Bo and Luke being together. Plenty of people objected to that, and you know what Jud did to try to keep them apart," she reminded him.

"But you don't love me."

"Not yet, but I sure could," Daisy whispered, pulling him down for a gentle kiss.

Rosco reluctantly pulled his mouth away from her's, "You could?" he asked in disbelief.

"Mmmm-hmmmm," she replied, pulling him back for another, deeper kiss.

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"Hey Luke," Bo said, getting his cousin's attention as they drove home.

"Yeah Bo?"

"How long's it gonna take you to make copies of them tapes?"

"Not long, maybe an hour at the most, why?"

"Good, means we've got time for a little detour," Bo replied, his eyes shining mischievously.

"Bo...what are you up to?"

"I just thought now that we're not on probation, and we've got the papers Agent Roach sent to prove it, we should take a little trip," Bo replied, emphasizing the word little.

"Ya got the papers with ya?"

"Yep, in the glove box."

"Let's do it!" Luke agreed, laughing as he thought of the look on a certain sheriff's face.

Without another word, Bo tromped on the gas and raced to the county line. As he saw the sign for Chickasaw county up ahead, he slowed down since he didn't want a speeding ticket. Driving across the county line, he grinned with anticipation when the familiar green and white patrol car pulled out behind them, lights flashing. Glancing over at Luke, he slowed up and pulled to the side of the road, chuckling at the the confused look he was sure Sheriff Little was wearing right now.

Flinging open the door of his patrol car, Sheriff Ed Little pulled his large frame from the vehicle and stalked up to the orange stock car. "Alright you Duke boys, out of the car!" he ordered.

"Yes sir," Bo replied, pulling himself out through the window. "Uh Luke, you want to get them papers?" he called to his cousin.

"Sure thing Bo," Luke answered, climbing out through his own window, papers in hand.

"Papers? What papers?" Little demanded.

"These papers," Luke replied, handing them to Bo who handed them to Little.

"You boys must think you're dealing with that fool Coltrane," Little snapped as he read the papers in his hand.

"Huh?"

"Handing me forged government documents, don't you know that's a federal offense? You boys are going away for a long time," he explained, grinning at the thought.

"They ain't forged Sheriff, if ya don't belive me why don't ya give Agent Roach a call?" Bo suggested.

"Alright I'll do that, you boys are gonna wait in the back seat of my car while I do though," he insisted, reaching for his gun.

"Ain't no need for that Sheriff, we're going," Luke said as he and Bo climbed from the General and walked towards the patrol car.

Waiting until the Duke boys were in the back of the car, Little grabbed the cb mic and radioed the jail. "Buford, this here's Sheriff Little, come back."

"Buford here Sheriff, what ya need?"

"Buford patch me through to the ATF in Atlanta."

"Yes sir, it'll take a minute."

"Bet you boys didn't think I'd check it out did ya?"

"Sheriff Little, I've got the ATF on the line."

"Thank you Buford, patch me through."

"Go ahead Sheriff."

"This is Sheriff Ed Little of Chickasaw County, I need to speak to Agent Andy Roach please."

"Just a moment Sheriff Little," a pleasant voice acknowledged the request.

"This is Agent Roach, what can I do for you Sheriff?" a new voice asked a moment later.

"Well sir I've got the Duke boys here for violating their probation and for forging government documents."

"Sheriff Little I don't know what government documents you think they forged, but I can guess. You don't have them for violating their probation though, because as of eight o'clock this morning they're not on probation."

"You mean them papers that say they're off probation are real?"

"Yes sir they are, I'd suggest you let them go before they sue you for false arrest."

"Thank you Agent Roach, you've been a big help," Ed Little growled, throwing the cb mic onto the seat in disgust. Opening the back door, he ordered the Duke boys out of the car. "Y'all think you're pretty smart don't ya?"

"I don't what you're talking about Sheriff, we's just out for a little drive," Bo denied the hidden accusation.

"Well you may not be on probation, but that don't mean you're welcome in my county so git!"

"Yes sir, just as soon as you give us our paperwork back," Bo replied, holding out his hand.

Slapping the papers into his hand, Little scowled in frustration as he watched them walk to the General and climb inside. With a blast of the Dixie horn, Bo pulled back onto the road and headed back to Hazzard, leaving a very angry Sheriff behind them.

You know he looks mad enough to chew steel and spit nails

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"Well all done with the tapes," Luke informed his uncle and cousin as he stepped into the living room. "Just in time to meet Daisy and Rosco at the Boar's Nest too," he said, glancing at the clock.

"Yep, ready whenever you are," Bo responded.

"Let's go then." Grabbing Bo's hand, he pulled him to his feet and headed out to the General.

A few minutes later, they were pulling into the parking lot of the Boar's Nest. Climbing from the car, they waited for Daisy and Rosco to arrive. They didn't have to wait long, only a couple of minutes later and Rosco's car was pulling into the lot, Daisy seated beside him.

"Y'all ready for this?" Luke asked, pulling open the passenger door for Daisy.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Daisy replied.

"Guess so," Rosco answered at the same time.

"Let's go inside then," Bo suggested.

Stepping into the bar, Bo and Luke led the way, not surprised when all conversation stopped at the sight of the couple behind them.

"Rosco? Daisy? Y'all ain't dead? But how?" the questions began to fly from around the bar.

Whistling shrilly, Luke got their attention. "If y'all will give us a minute we'll explain the whole thing."

"Okay Luke, what's going on?" Cooter asked for the entire bar.

"Well ya see Daisy and Rosco started dating...hold on y'all," Luke said as the whispers of shock grew in volume. "Yeah they're dating," he quickly confirmed. "Enos and Boss weren't either one too happy about it, but for different reasons..." Luke explained as simply as possible the events that had led to the scene they had witnessed the previous day in this very place. When he had finished, most of the customers began to talk amongst themselves, and Luke knew that by the next morning, everybody in Hazzard would know the truth.

"So that was all a trick to teach them a lesson?" Cooter asked.

"Yep, had to do something," Bo answered.

"And y'all are okay with them dating?"

"We weren't at first, but then we realized that we didn't have any right to keep them apart."

"How's that gonna work? I mean Rosco's always trying to put you two in jail for violating your probation, Daisy ain't gonna like that."

"No probation," Luke replied.

"Come again?" Cooter asked, wiggling a finger in his ear, sure he must've heard wrong.

"We ain't on probation anymore. Rosco called Agent Roach and told him about all the things Boss has done over the years and he got our probation lifted," Luke answered.

"Yeeeeehaaaaaw!" Cooter yelled, grabbing his two friends in a bear hug and lifting them a couple of inches from the floor.

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The next morning, Rosco entered the jail, in uniform and armed with two cassette tapes.

"Rosco! What are you doing here dressed like that?" Boss roared from his office doorway.

"Working."

"Oh no you're not, I told you yesterday, you're fired!"

"I think we should talk about that in your office," Rosco said, holding up the tapes in his hand.

Swallowing hard, Boss glared at him as he wondered what was on those tapes. Turning around he stalked back to his desk and sat down. "What've ya got to say?"

"It's actually what you have to say," Rosco replied. Taking the tape recorder from Boss' desk drawer, Rosco put one of the tapes in and pressed play.

Boss nearly fell out of his chair when he heard his own voice tearfully confessing to his part in the scheme to keep Daisy and Rosco apart. "So what? Ain't no crime been committed," Boss reminded his brother-in-law when he got over the surprise.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong. Ya see I've also got a tape of Enos confessing his part, but he was a little more detailed. You plotted this in your office Boss, with a county employee on county time, that could be seen as fraud. At the very least the voters ain't gonna like it none," Rosco pointed out.

Paling slightly as he realized he had been completely out-manuevered, Boss continued to glare at Rosco, "What do ya want?"

"Nothing much Boss, just want to keep my job...without a pay cut," he added, knowing how Boss thought.

"Fine, you got it. Now get out of my office!"

"Gladly," Rosco said, removing the tape and going back to his own desk.

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Three months later:

"Rosco it's beautiful?" Daisy whispered in awe.

"Thank you, but it's not as beautiful as the original," Rosco replied, his arm wrapped around her waist.

Blushing at the compliment, Daisy turned to him and kissed him deeply. "I love it Rosco, and I love you," she softly spoke as she turned back to the portrait of herself. "I don't remember posing for it though."

"You didn't, well not exactly," Rosco admitted. "After our first date, I kept remembering the look on your face when you saw the meteor shower and I wanted to capture that memory." Rosco explained. Glancing again at the canvas, he smiled at his masterpiece; standing beneath a starry sky, meteorites streaking overhead stood the woman he loved, a look of rapture on her face as she looked upward to the heavens. "I'm just glad ya like it," he whispered, pulling her close. "Daisy, did ya mean it?"

"That I love you? Of course," she quietly replied, a gentle smile on her face.

"Good, cause I love you too," he replied, his eyes shining with warmth as he bent his head for another kiss.

Well folks, hard as it is to believe, Daisy and Rosco continued to date, falling deeper in love everyday. Enos was able to repair his friendship with the Duke family and the sheriff. But, he couldn't stand to keep seeing the girl he'd loved for so long with Rosco, so he moved back to Los Angeles, leaving Hazzard behind him. Once folks got used to seeing a Duke dating the sheriff, things in Hazzard went back to normal, or what passes for normal in Hazzard County.

The End.

A/N: I got the idea for the scene with Little from something Elenhin mentioned in her review, thanks nephew. ) I want to thank HazzardHusker for her invaluable help as beta reader for this story.