Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="CeeCee72" data-source="post: 225809" data-attributes="member: 5055">I don&#039;t own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.This is a &quot;What if?&quot; fanfic. What if in the season eleven episode &quot;Top Gun&quot; Sue Ellen had changed her mind at the last possible moment and instead of teaming up with Kimberly and Wendell to beat JR she voted her Weststar shares to make him CEO?***What IfPart 83***&quot;I can&#039;t believe they&#039;re still up there,&quot; Jack sighed. JR and Bobby both shrugged. Pam had gone to bed long ago and Sue Ellen and Lucy were still locked behind JR and Sue Ellen&#039;s bedroom door.&quot;I&#039;m going to go on and turn in. I have to get up early for work. Plus, I promised April I&#039;d call her.&quot;&quot;You and April,&quot; Bobby asked him, &quot;that getting serious?&quot;&quot;Would it bother you if it was?&quot; Jack shot back.&quot;No,&quot; Bobby answered evenly. &quot;No it wouldn&#039;t. Not anymore.&quot;Jack studied the other man carefully for a few minutes before responding. &quot;I&#039;m glad to hear that, Bobby, because, yes. Yes, it is getting serious. You&#039;re family and I don&#039;t want any trouble. But I love her. And I&#039;ll fight you for her if it comes to that.&quot;&quot;It won&#039;t come to that,&quot; Bobby promised. &quot;April is a fine woman and I care for her, but only as a friend. That won&#039;t change.&quot;&quot;Good,&quot; Jack nodded. &quot;Goodnight.&quot;JR waited until Jack disappeared up the stairs then grunted softly, &quot;What you said true, Bob? No more interest in April?&quot;&quot;If things were different, maybe it would have worked out. But you saw Pam and Christopher today. That&#039;s where my future is. It can&#039;t ever be with anyone else. Not even April.&quot;&quot;Pam has always been the one for you. Might be hard to get it all back on track, but it&#039;s good to know you realize it.&quot;&quot;True love can&#039;t be so easily pushed away, can it? Just like with you and Sue Ellen.&quot;JR frowned and got up to make another drink. &quot;Uh oh,&quot; Bobby sighed, noting the sour look on JR&#039;s face. &quot;Trouble in paradise?&quot;&quot;No. Not exactly.&quot;&quot;But?&quot;&quot;But when that woman took me back, I knew she was always going to have trust issues. I don&#039;t blame her one bit, not with all the times I&#039;ve cheated on her. I knew it was going to be a constant struggle to prove my faithfulness. And don&#039;t get me wrong, I will. But it&#039;s getting really frustrating.&quot;&quot;What do you mean?&quot;&quot;Oh, she&#039;s accused me of having the hots for everyone from Valene to Michelle. Tonight some woman called the house and wouldn&#039;t leave a name and Sue Ellen got suspicious. It&#039;s getting old. I&#039;m home every night. I make love to her multiple times a day. What else can I do?&quot;&quot;Give her time,&quot; Bobby advised. &quot;Listen, you can get frustrated all you want, but this is all your fault. How many times have you two been happy and loving and making love everyday like rabbits only for her to come across some other bimbo in your bed? Hell, JR, I wouldn&#039;t trust you either. Your damn lucky she even attempts to believe you!&quot;&quot;Yes,&quot; JR admitted. &quot;I know. I don&#039;t blame her. It&#039;s just her jealousy is so over the top right now. And there is actually something I need to tell her, but I&#039;m so scared about how she&#039;ll react I can&#039;t seem to get the courage up.&quot;&quot;What, JR? Please tell me there isn&#039;t already someone else.&quot;&quot;Of course not! There won&#039;t ever be another woman, Bobby, not ever again. But a woman from my past, from WAY back in my past has resurfaced. And it&#039;s possible she and I have a child.&quot;&quot;What?&quot;&nbsp; Bobby was so shocked he nearly choked on his drink. &quot;What woman? What child?&quot;&quot;You happen to remember Vanessa Beaumont?&quot;&quot;Who?&quot;&quot;The English lady. From back in my college days.&quot;&quot;Oh, the married woman that Daddy threatened to disown you over?&quot;&quot;Yeah. Turns out she has a son that thinks I might be his real father.&quot;&quot;He&#039;d have to be what...in his early twenties by now?&quot;&quot;Yeah. And he recently found out about me and his mother and our affair. I wish I could deny it, Bob, but the fact is he could very well be my son.&quot;&quot;How did you find out about this, JR?&quot; Bobby questioned him. &quot;And how long have you known about it?&quot;&quot;I&#039;d like to know the answers to those questions too, my love,&quot; Sue Ellen said from the foyer. JR and Bobby both almost jumped out of their skins at the sound of her voice.&quot;Now, honey…&quot; JR began tentatively.&quot;Don&#039;t you dare &#039;honey&#039; me,&quot; Sue Ellen spat at him. &quot;Was that her on the phone tonight? Was it the mother of your child calling to see if you were available to chat about old times?&quot;JR moved forward and tried to take her hand, &quot;Sue Ellen, please…&quot;&quot;Don&#039;t touch me, JR!&quot; she seethed, snatching her hand away from him &quot;You promised me! No more lies, no more secrets! How could you? God! I can&#039;t stand the thought of you touching me right now!&quot;She turned and ran up the stairs. JR and Bobby noticed Lucy for the first time. She had been standing behind Sue Ellen and had heard the whole thing.&quot;Don&#039;t you dare say I told you so,&quot; JR said to her.&quot;Don&#039;t worry, JR,&quot; Lucy said softly. &quot;I don&#039;t have it in me.&quot;&quot;Wait,&quot; Bobby raised his eyebrows at Lucy, &quot;you knew about this?&quot;&quot;Yes,&quot; Lucy conceded. &quot;I guess it&#039;s my turn to go give a shoulder for her to cry on. Better make some coffee, JR. I&#039;m afraid this is going to be a very long night.&quot;***&quot;I have no idea what&#039;s going on,&quot; Jack said into the phone. &quot;Between the drama with Lucy tonight and whatever the hell that was between JR and Sue Ellen in the living room after, I just decided to come upstairs, shut my door, and pretend I never saw a thing.&quot;&quot;God, I hate to hear that JR and Sue Ellen are fighting again. Poor Sue Ellen.&quot;&quot;Poor me!&quot; Jack moaned. &quot;I&#039;m the one you should feel sorry for! I have to live here!&quot;April laughed. &quot;Poor baby.&quot;&quot;That&#039;s more like it,&quot;Jack grinned. &quot;So, still want me to come for dinner tomorrow night?&quot;&quot;Yes. Can you?&quot;&quot;Yes. I&#039;ll even put up with Cliff and Michelle together in the same room if it means getting to spend some time with you.&quot;&quot;Jack ..&quot;&quot;Yes?&quot;&quot;I just… well, I think I have fallen back in love with you. Goodnight.&quot;The line went dead before he could respond. He smiled a wide smile and hung up the phone. &quot;I love you too, April,&quot; he said to himself.***&quot;Sounds like an exciting night at Southfork,&quot; Michelle remarked casually after her sister hung up the phone.&quot;Yes. And not in a good way.&quot;&quot;I know you&#039;re pretty close to Sue Ellen and Lucy. You must be worried. Want to talk about it?&quot;&quot;No. I don&#039;t even know what happened, really. I&#039;ll call Sue Ellen in the morning. I just hope JR hasn&#039;t broken her heart again.&quot;&quot;Yes. They seem so happy together. Would be a shame to see them split.&quot;&quot;Oh. They won&#039;t split. Not for good anyway. But things could get messy. Anyway, I don&#039;t want to talk about them. I want to talk about me and Jack. Michelle, I think we&#039;re really heading in the right direction. I&#039;m so excited!&quot;Michelle smiled at her sister and pretended to listen to her prattle on about Jack, but her mind was on the news that JR and Sue Ellen were fighting. Taking JR from his wife was going to end up being no challenge for her at all. Easy as taking candy from a baby.***&quot;Stop it, Lucy!&quot; Sue Ellen put her hands over her ears. &quot;I don&#039;t want to hear one more word!&quot;&quot;But, Sue Ellen…&quot; &quot;Not. One. More. Word.&quot; Sue Ellen growled. &quot;I won&#039;t have you up here defending him. He is a grown damn man and can speak for himself!&quot;&quot;Well, to be fair, you didn&#039;t exactly give him a chance to speak.&quot;&quot;Because I am so furious I want to break his neck! How dare he? How dare that man lie to me again? After all the promises we made to each other!&quot;&quot;He just wasn&#039;t sure you could handle it…&quot;&quot;What did I JUST tell you! I don&#039;t want to hear it!&quot;&quot;Sorry, Sue Ellen,&quot; Lucy dropped her gaze to the floor.&quot;Lucy, I need to be alone for a little while, okay? I just need to think.&quot;&quot;Okay, Sue Ellen.&quot; Lucy got up off the bed and moved towards the door. &quot;I&#039;m here if you need me. I love you.&quot;&quot;I know,&quot; Sue Ellen attempted a small smile. &quot;I love you too.&quot;Sue Ellen waited for Lucy to leave the room then got up and walked to the window. &quot;You bastard,&quot; she said under her breath. &quot;I&#039;ll be damned if I let you do this to me again!&quot;***&quot;So, were you just venting? Or do you want to know what I think?&quot;It was early morning. The sun was coming up and neither JR nor Lucy had been to bed. They kept waiting for Sue Ellen to reappear in an explosion of hormonal anger and accusations, but she never did.&quot;By all means, JR. Let me have it.&quot;&quot;Mitch was a real bastard to you last night. He deserved the punch Bobby gave him. But there&#039;s some truth to what he said.&quot;&quot;Really? You think I&#039;m a spoiled, entitled, selfish brat who never cared about anyone but herself?&quot;&quot;You have your moments,&quot; JR chuckled, &quot;same as the rest of us. But no. I don&#039;t think you&#039;re those things. But hell honey, I helped raise you. And I helped damage you. I know we made things hard for you, keeping you away from your parents. And we tried to make up for it by giving you material things instead of the discipline and tough love you needed &quot;&quot;So you DO think I&#039;m a spoiled brat!&quot;&quot;I think you could have very easily turned into one. And I think you wear your sarcasm and your tart tongue like a shield to keep yourself from getting hurt. It doesn&#039;t bother me, because I know you. But Mitch? Mitch is a man, honey. You wound his pride, he strikes back. That&#039;s just the way it is.&quot;&quot;He says he loves me. But he doesn&#039;t really know me at all.&quot;&quot;And who&#039;s fault is that? Did you bother to tell him that you wanting to stay at Southfork wasn&#039;t because of wealth and privilege, but because you love your family and need their emotional support? Did you tell him the reason you didn&#039;t want to step up and raise Pammy is because you truly believe in your heart that Cliff and Afton will both be good parents and you have personally had to deal with the consequences of being taken away from parents who loved you?&quot;&quot;Well, no… but I shouldn&#039;t have to say those things, JR! He should know!&quot;&quot;How would he know, honey, if you never bothered to tell him?&quot;Lucy was quiet for a few minutes as she turned his words over in her mind. &quot;You know what, JR?&quot;&quot;What?&#039;&quot;I hate it when you&#039;re right.&quot;JR laughed and poured himself another cup of coffee.&quot;Well?&quot; Lucy prodded him.&quot;Well what?&quot;&quot;What are you going to do about Sue Ellen?&quot;&quot;I honestly have no idea,&quot; JR sighed. &quot;But I am going to have to go up and take a shower and get ready for work. If I&#039;m not back in an hour, assume she killed me.&quot;&quot;Good morning, you two,&quot; Ellie said brightly, coming into the kitchen, followed closely by Clayton. &quot;My you&#039;re both up early. Did you get the car trouble straightened out?&quot;&quot;Car trouble?&quot; Lucy repeated.&quot;Yes, Mama. Everything&#039;s fine. I need to get moving and get to the office. Don&#039;t you need to come upstairs and… check on something, Lucy?&quot;&quot;Um yeah,&quot; Lucy nodded and followed JR from the room.Ellie smiled into her coffee cup and winked at Clayton.&quot;Ellie, you&#039;re not going to tell them you heard all the commotion and the crying and the arguing last night?&quot;&quot;Nope. I am going to stay out of it and let them handle it.&quot;&quot;Good for you,&quot; Clayton laughed. &quot;Good for you.&quot;***JR turned the doorknob and was shocked to find the door unlocked. He opened the door as quietly as possible and snuck inside the bedroom. Sue Ellen was in the bed, snuggled beneath the covers, but he could tell by the stiffness of her body that she wasn&#039;t asleep. He sighed heavily, went to his closet, pulled out some clothes, and headed towards the bathroom.&quot;Are you such a coward that you intend to pretend you think I&#039;m asleep?&quot; Sue Ellen accused him.&quot;I thought you were pretending to be asleep, Sue Ellen. I didn&#039;t want to disturb you in case I was right.&quot;Sue Ellen sat up and glared at him. &quot;Why didn&#039;t you come to bed last night?&quot;&quot;I didn&#039;t think I&#039;d be welcome.&quot;&quot;Oh. So in addition to breaking your promises about no more lies and secrets, you also broke your commitment to working out our problems instead of ignoring them and giving each other the cold shoulder. I guess I shouldn&#039;t be surprised.&quot;&quot;Sue Ellen, Lucy said you wanted to be alone - that you needed some space.&quot;&quot;And you took her word for it rather than manning up and coming to see for yourself?&quot; she huffed. &quot;Like I said. A coward.&quot;&quot;Now listen, woman…&quot;&quot;No. Go take your shower. Go to work. Just be home in time to take me and Pam shopping. I mean, unless you intend to break that promise too.&quot;&quot;You still want me to take you?&quot;&quot;What did I just say, JR?&quot; Sue Ellen rolled her eyes.JR didn&#039;t move for a few silent seconds, considering whether or not he should take his shower and leave like she asked or if he should force a confrontation right this second.&quot;Sue Ellen?&quot; he finally said, &quot;I&#039;ll be home at lunchtime. I&#039;ll take you shopping, or do whatever else you want me to do. Just promise me you&#039;ll still be here when I get home.&quot;&quot;Oh, I&#039;ll be here, JR,&quot; Sue Ellen said snidely. &quot;I promised you I wouldn&#039;t run anymore, remember? Unlike you, I intend to keep my promises.&quot;JR sucked in a deep breath and nodded. &quot;I know you&#039;re very angry with me. And you have every right to be. But please believe me when I say I love you more than anything in the world and I never meant to hurt you.&quot;&quot;That&#039;s the problem with you, JR,&quot; Sue Ellen said coldly. &quot;You never mean to hurt me. But you always do. Please go take your shower and go to work. I can&#039;t stand the sight of you right now.&quot;&quot;Sue Elen… I just need to…&quot;&quot;No!&quot; She yelled. &quot;Please, JR. If you truly do love me and if we have any prayer of saving our relationship, I just need you gone right now!&quot;She finally broke down crying and buried her head in her hands. &quot;Please JR. If you love me, you&#039;ll just go!&quot;&quot;I do love you,&quot; he whispered. &quot;So I&#039;ll go. I&#039;ll be back at lunchtime, honey.&quot;She didn&#039;t reply. She waited for him to.disappear behind the bathroom door, then buried her head in her pillow and sobbed softly until her body gave into exhaustion and she finally fell asleep.***</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CeeCee72, post: 225809, member: 5055"] I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended. This is a "What if?" fanfic. What if in the season eleven episode "Top Gun" Sue Ellen had changed her mind at the last possible moment and instead of teaming up with Kimberly and Wendell to beat JR she voted her Weststar shares to make him CEO? *** What If Part 83 *** "I can't believe they're still up there," Jack sighed. JR and Bobby both shrugged. Pam had gone to bed long ago and Sue Ellen and Lucy were still locked behind JR and Sue Ellen's bedroom door. "I'm going to go on and turn in. I have to get up early for work. Plus, I promised April I'd call her." "You and April," Bobby asked him, "that getting serious?" "Would it bother you if it was?" Jack shot back. "No," Bobby answered evenly. "No it wouldn't. Not anymore." Jack studied the other man carefully for a few minutes before responding. "I'm glad to hear that, Bobby, because, yes. Yes, it is getting serious. You're family and I don't want any trouble. But I love her. And I'll fight you for her if it comes to that." "It won't come to that," Bobby promised. "April is a fine woman and I care for her, but only as a friend. That won't change." "Good," Jack nodded. "Goodnight." JR waited until Jack disappeared up the stairs then grunted softly, "What you said true, Bob? No more interest in April?" "If things were different, maybe it would have worked out. But you saw Pam and Christopher today. That's where my future is. It can't ever be with anyone else. Not even April." "Pam has always been the one for you. Might be hard to get it all back on track, but it's good to know you realize it." "True love can't be so easily pushed away, can it? Just like with you and Sue Ellen." JR frowned and got up to make another drink. "Uh oh," Bobby sighed, noting the sour look on JR's face. "Trouble in paradise?" "No. Not exactly." "But?" "But when that woman took me back, I knew she was always going to have trust issues. I don't blame her one bit, not with all the times I've cheated on her. I knew it was going to be a constant struggle to prove my faithfulness. And don't get me wrong, I will. But it's getting really frustrating." "What do you mean?" "Oh, she's accused me of having the hots for everyone from Valene to Michelle. Tonight some woman called the house and wouldn't leave a name and Sue Ellen got suspicious. It's getting old. I'm home every night. I make love to her multiple times a day. What else can I do?" "Give her time," Bobby advised. "Listen, you can get frustrated all you want, but this is all your fault. How many times have you two been happy and loving and making love everyday like rabbits only for her to come across some other bimbo in your bed? Hell, JR, I wouldn't trust you either. Your damn lucky she even attempts to believe you!" "Yes," JR admitted. "I know. I don't blame her. It's just her jealousy is so over the top right now. And there is actually something I need to tell her, but I'm so scared about how she'll react I can't seem to get the courage up." "What, JR? Please tell me there isn't already someone else." "Of course not! There won't ever be another woman, Bobby, not ever again. But a woman from my past, from WAY back in my past has resurfaced. And it's possible she and I have a child." "What?" Bobby was so shocked he nearly choked on his drink. "What woman? What child?" "You happen to remember Vanessa Beaumont?" "Who?" "The English lady. From back in my college days." "Oh, the married woman that Daddy threatened to disown you over?" "Yeah. Turns out she has a son that thinks I might be his real father." "He'd have to be what...in his early twenties by now?" "Yeah. And he recently found out about me and his mother and our affair. I wish I could deny it, Bob, but the fact is he could very well be my son." "How did you find out about this, JR?" Bobby questioned him. "And how long have you known about it?" "I'd like to know the answers to those questions too, my love," Sue Ellen said from the foyer. JR and Bobby both almost jumped out of their skins at the sound of her voice. "Now, honey…" JR began tentatively. "Don't you dare 'honey' me," Sue Ellen spat at him. "Was that her on the phone tonight? Was it the mother of your child calling to see if you were available to chat about old times?" JR moved forward and tried to take her hand, "Sue Ellen, please…" "Don't touch me, JR!" she seethed, snatching her hand away from him "You promised me! No more lies, no more secrets! How could you? God! I can't stand the thought of you touching me right now!" She turned and ran up the stairs. JR and Bobby noticed Lucy for the first time. She had been standing behind Sue Ellen and had heard the whole thing. "Don't you dare say I told you so," JR said to her. "Don't worry, JR," Lucy said softly. "I don't have it in me." "Wait," Bobby raised his eyebrows at Lucy, "you knew about this?" "Yes," Lucy conceded. "I guess it's my turn to go give a shoulder for her to cry on. Better make some coffee, JR. I'm afraid this is going to be a very long night." *** "I have no idea what's going on," Jack said into the phone. "Between the drama with Lucy tonight and whatever the hell that was between JR and Sue Ellen in the living room after, I just decided to come upstairs, shut my door, and pretend I never saw a thing." "God, I hate to hear that JR and Sue Ellen are fighting again. Poor Sue Ellen." "Poor me!" Jack moaned. "I'm the one you should feel sorry for! I have to live here!" April laughed. "Poor baby." "That's more like it,"Jack grinned. "So, still want me to come for dinner tomorrow night?" "Yes. Can you?" "Yes. I'll even put up with Cliff and Michelle together in the same room if it means getting to spend some time with you." "Jack .." "Yes?" "I just… well, I think I have fallen back in love with you. Goodnight." The line went dead before he could respond. He smiled a wide smile and hung up the phone. "I love you too, April," he said to himself. *** "Sounds like an exciting night at Southfork," Michelle remarked casually after her sister hung up the phone. "Yes. And not in a good way." "I know you're pretty close to Sue Ellen and Lucy. You must be worried. Want to talk about it?" "No. I don't even know what happened, really. I'll call Sue Ellen in the morning. I just hope JR hasn't broken her heart again." "Yes. They seem so happy together. Would be a shame to see them split." "Oh. They won't split. Not for good anyway. But things could get messy. Anyway, I don't want to talk about them. I want to talk about me and Jack. Michelle, I think we're really heading in the right direction. I'm so excited!" Michelle smiled at her sister and pretended to listen to her prattle on about Jack, but her mind was on the news that JR and Sue Ellen were fighting. Taking JR from his wife was going to end up being no challenge for her at all. Easy as taking candy from a baby. *** "Stop it, Lucy!" Sue Ellen put her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear one more word!" "But, Sue Ellen…" "Not. One. More. Word." Sue Ellen growled. "I won't have you up here defending him. He is a grown damn man and can speak for himself!" "Well, to be fair, you didn't exactly give him a chance to speak." "Because I am so furious I want to break his neck! How dare he? How dare that man lie to me again? After all the promises we made to each other!" "He just wasn't sure you could handle it…" "What did I JUST tell you! I don't want to hear it!" "Sorry, Sue Ellen," Lucy dropped her gaze to the floor. "Lucy, I need to be alone for a little while, okay? I just need to think." "Okay, Sue Ellen." Lucy got up off the bed and moved towards the door. "I'm here if you need me. I love you." "I know," Sue Ellen attempted a small smile. "I love you too." Sue Ellen waited for Lucy to leave the room then got up and walked to the window. "You bastard," she said under her breath. "I'll be damned if I let you do this to me again!" *** "So, were you just venting? Or do you want to know what I think?" It was early morning. The sun was coming up and neither JR nor Lucy had been to bed. They kept waiting for Sue Ellen to reappear in an explosion of hormonal anger and accusations, but she never did. "By all means, JR. Let me have it." "Mitch was a real bastard to you last night. He deserved the punch Bobby gave him. But there's some truth to what he said." "Really? You think I'm a spoiled, entitled, selfish brat who never cared about anyone but herself?" "You have your moments," JR chuckled, "same as the rest of us. But no. I don't think you're those things. But hell honey, I helped raise you. And I helped damage you. I know we made things hard for you, keeping you away from your parents. And we tried to make up for it by giving you material things instead of the discipline and tough love you needed " "So you DO think I'm a spoiled brat!" "I think you could have very easily turned into one. And I think you wear your sarcasm and your tart tongue like a shield to keep yourself from getting hurt. It doesn't bother me, because I know you. But Mitch? Mitch is a man, honey. You wound his pride, he strikes back. That's just the way it is." "He says he loves me. But he doesn't really know me at all." "And who's fault is that? Did you bother to tell him that you wanting to stay at Southfork wasn't because of wealth and privilege, but because you love your family and need their emotional support? Did you tell him the reason you didn't want to step up and raise Pammy is because you truly believe in your heart that Cliff and Afton will both be good parents and you have personally had to deal with the consequences of being taken away from parents who loved you?" "Well, no… but I shouldn't have to say those things, JR! He should know!" "How would he know, honey, if you never bothered to tell him?" Lucy was quiet for a few minutes as she turned his words over in her mind. "You know what, JR?" "What?' "I hate it when you're right." JR laughed and poured himself another cup of coffee. "Well?" Lucy prodded him. "Well what?" "What are you going to do about Sue Ellen?" "I honestly have no idea," JR sighed. "But I am going to have to go up and take a shower and get ready for work. If I'm not back in an hour, assume she killed me." "Good morning, you two," Ellie said brightly, coming into the kitchen, followed closely by Clayton. "My you're both up early. Did you get the car trouble straightened out?" "Car trouble?" Lucy repeated. "Yes, Mama. Everything's fine. I need to get moving and get to the office. Don't you need to come upstairs and… check on something, Lucy?" "Um yeah," Lucy nodded and followed JR from the room. Ellie smiled into her coffee cup and winked at Clayton. "Ellie, you're not going to tell them you heard all the commotion and the crying and the arguing last night?" "Nope. I am going to stay out of it and let them handle it." "Good for you," Clayton laughed. "Good for you." *** JR turned the doorknob and was shocked to find the door unlocked. He opened the door as quietly as possible and snuck inside the bedroom. Sue Ellen was in the bed, snuggled beneath the covers, but he could tell by the stiffness of her body that she wasn't asleep. He sighed heavily, went to his closet, pulled out some clothes, and headed towards the bathroom. "Are you such a coward that you intend to pretend you think I'm asleep?" Sue Ellen accused him. "I thought you were pretending to be asleep, Sue Ellen. I didn't want to disturb you in case I was right." Sue Ellen sat up and glared at him. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?" "I didn't think I'd be welcome." "Oh. So in addition to breaking your promises about no more lies and secrets, you also broke your commitment to working out our problems instead of ignoring them and giving each other the cold shoulder. I guess I shouldn't be surprised." "Sue Ellen, Lucy said you wanted to be alone - that you needed some space." "And you took her word for it rather than manning up and coming to see for yourself?" she huffed. "Like I said. A coward." "Now listen, woman…" "No. Go take your shower. Go to work. Just be home in time to take me and Pam shopping. I mean, unless you intend to break that promise too." "You still want me to take you?" "What did I just say, JR?" Sue Ellen rolled her eyes. JR didn't move for a few silent seconds, considering whether or not he should take his shower and leave like she asked or if he should force a confrontation right this second. "Sue Ellen?" he finally said, "I'll be home at lunchtime. I'll take you shopping, or do whatever else you want me to do. Just promise me you'll still be here when I get home." "Oh, I'll be here, JR," Sue Ellen said snidely. "I promised you I wouldn't run anymore, remember? Unlike you, I intend to keep my promises." JR sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "I know you're very angry with me. And you have every right to be. But please believe me when I say I love you more than anything in the world and I never meant to hurt you." "That's the problem with you, JR," Sue Ellen said coldly. "You never mean to hurt me. But you always do. Please go take your shower and go to work. I can't stand the sight of you right now." "Sue Elen… I just need to…" "No!" She yelled. "Please, JR. If you truly do love me and if we have any prayer of saving our relationship, I just need you gone right now!" She finally broke down crying and buried her head in her hands. "Please JR. If you love me, you'll just go!" "I do love you," he whispered. "So I'll go. I'll be back at lunchtime, honey." She didn't reply. She waited for him to.disappear behind the bathroom door, then buried her head in her pillow and sobbed softly until her body gave into exhaustion and she finally fell asleep. *** [/QUOTE]

Verification

6 + 4 =