Shot Through the Heart

[Miss Texas 1967]

JR has learned nothing about trust and communication if he keeps this opportunity a secret and pushes one way with a hidden agenda.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-one:

***

JR stepped out of the shower and dried himself off roughly.

Taking cold showers was becoming a new way of life for him.

Sue Ellen had slept in his arms again last night. This morning he had been unable to resist temptation and had woken her up sweet kisses and the intent of making love to her. They'd engaged in some seriously heavy petting before John Ross had woken up and demanded his mother's attention from his playpen in the corner of the room.

JR clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. He was tense and frustrated. He'd promised Sue Ellen that he would give her time and space, but he didn't know how much longer he could hold out.

He wanted her.

And time was running short for him.

He only had two weeks to repair his marriage and to get his family back on Southfork according to Jick's terms.

He was going to have to ramp up his seduction campaign of his wife; promise to take it slow or not.

***

"Are you going to the hospital this morning?" Bobby asked, straightening his tie in the mirror.

"Yes," Pam nodded. She was sitting at her vanity putting on her jewelry. "Although not sure why I should bother. He doesn't even know I'm there."

"I'm sure he'll wake up soon," Bobby assured her, slipping on his jacket.

"Yes. And then he'll be facing a lot of serious questions from the police. Not to mention have to deal with all his health problems."

"Yeah. Wouldn't want to be in his shoes," Bobby sighed. "Pam, I'm going to skip the family scene this morning and have breakfast in town."

"Why?" She asked. "Does it have something to do with whatever kept you up all night?"

"Yes. I'll tell you about it later. Let's just say I don't trust myself to be in my father's presence right now."

"Bobby…"

"Honey, please. I don't want to get into it right now."

"Alright. Just remember I love you."

"That's the one thing in this world I know I never have to doubt."

***

"JR!" Sue Ellen yelped at the sound of breaking glass.

"Sorry," he grunted testily. They were having breakfast at her kitchen counter. JR had slammed his glass down hard and it had shattered.

She sighed and began cleaning up the glass. "You're certainly in a mood this morning."

"Well, what do you expect, Sue Ellen?" He sneered. "Am I supposed to be all sunshine and rainbows when Bobby is running my company and I'm not allowed to touch my wife?!"

Sue Ellen stood up straight and narrowed her eyes on his face. "Well, JR, if you want your company back, I suggest you stop moping around here and get into the office and fight for it. As for not being allowed to touch me, you agreed with me that we needed to work on our marriage before we jumped back into bed together. Maybe if over the years you had spent more time touching me and less time touching my sister and your other whores, we wouldn't have so many wounds to heal!"

"Yes," JR couldn't deny the truth of her words. "I know our problems are my fault. And I know we have to talk before we make love. But, I'm a man, Sue Ellen. I have needs that aren't being met. You can't expect me not to be frustrated about it!"

Sue Ellen's eyes darkened with worry and she turned away from him. JR was a man's man. He needed sex almost as much as he needed to breathe. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she continued to deny him sex. Would he go to another woman?

Of course he would, she answered her own question in her mind.

JR growled under his breath and stood up. He knew her too well not to know what she was thinking. "I'm not going to cheat, Sue Ellen," he told her. He put his arms on her shoulders and gently turned her around to face him. "I want to save our marriage. Taking another woman into my bed would kill any chance of that."

"JR…"

"I can wait, honey. All I'm saying is you need to cut me some slack when I get a little testy."

"Why do you cheat, JR? Don't I please you?"

"Sue Ellen…"

"I need to know. If I don't give you what you need…"

JR shifted uncomfortably and struggled with his own emotions. He and Sue Ellen had never talked about their sex life. She was his wife. She was a lady - dignified and classy. She wasn't one of his lovers who he could just instruct to do what he wanted…

"JR? I don't please you, do I?" She asked again, her eyes full of tears.

"You please me," he told her. "But maybe.."

"What?" She pushed when he hesitated.

"Maybe I wasn't always as honest about what I wanted as I should have been."

"Why?"

"Because… oh hell, Sue Ellen, I can't talk about this!"

"Why not?"

"Because you.. you're…"

"I'm what, JR?"

"Nevermind," he said shortly and released her. "I gotta go to the office."

"JR, please!"

"I'm sorry, Sue Ellen," he crammed his hat onto his head and moved to the door. "I just can't talk about it with you."

Sue Ellen felt her tears on her cheeks as she watched him walk out of the apartment.

If he couldn't even talk to her about their problems, there was no chance they could ever save their marriage.

***

Kristen was bored out of her mind.

How much longer was she going to be stuck in this hotel room? She needed to get out.

She needed to see JR.

Mostly she needed Sue Ellen to be out of the picture for good.

She sighed and reminded herself of the need for patience.

Sue Ellen would be dealt with shortly. Then it would be only a matter of time before she would be installed as the new queen of Southfork.

The plan was already in motion.

All she had to do was sit back and wait.

***

Sue Ellen wanted to lock herself in a dark room and cry her eyes out.

Bobby had just left. He'd told her all about Jock's offer to JR and how JR had jumped at the opportunity.

Her marriage was beyond saving.

JR had made it clear this morning that he was unsatisfied with their sex life. Even if she agreed to sleep with him, it would only be a matter of time before he went to other women for what she couldn't give him. On top of that, he was willing to use and manipulate her love for him to get back on top at Ewing Oil.

"He'll never change," she cried softly. "Not ever."

***

"Oh, good, Bob. Glad you're here," JR stuck his head into Bobby's office. "Got a minute?"

"What is it JR?" Bobby snapped. "I'm busy."

"Too busy to talk about the future of Ewing Oil?"

"What do you want?" Bobby asked again.

"To talk to you about our father and his crazy scheme to give me back the company."

"Wh...What?" Bobby stammered.

"You heard me," JR came in and sunk down into a chair. "He wants to kick you out as President and put me in instead - and he wants to use my wife to do it."

***

"Sue Ellen, don't do this," Pam said softly.

Pam had left the hospital upset and worried over Cliff. She'd stopped by Sue Ellen's apartment to see if the other woman wanted to go to lunch and had found her packing her things.

"I can't stay here," Sue Ellen told her. "This apartment is just like everything else in my life - bought and paid for by JR Ewing."

"You're overreacting," Pam told her. "JR loves you."

"Does he?" Sue Ellen wondered, "or is it just that I'm a possession that he doesn't want to lose, like Ewing Oil?"

"I know he's a jerk, and the deal he made with Jock is just awful. But did it ever occur to you that he only agreed to it because he's already made up his own mind to heal your relationship and bring you home?"

"Stop defending him! He wants to use me to get Ewing Oil back and he won't even tell me.."

"Tell you what?"

"Why he doesn't want me."

"What?"

"It's true, Pam. He isn't satisfied with…"

"With what?" Pam's eyes narrowed.

"He cheats because I can't please him in bed!" Sue Ellen burst out.

Pam couldn't help herself. She laughed out loud and shook her head.

"This isn't funny, Pam!"

"No, I guess it isn't," Pam caught her breath and forced herself to stop laughing. "Sue Ellen, you're my best friend in this world and I love you. So, please don't get offended by what I'm about to say."

"What?"

"Sit down," Pam sighed heavily. "It's time you and I have a talk about men and sex and love and marriage."

"Pam, I can't…"

"Yes, you can," Pam insisted. "Sit down, Sue Ellen. We have a lot to talk about and it's going to take some time."

**"

"Mrs. Sheppard, you have to realize that like all invasive medical procedures this one comes with risks. I don't see why your daughter would want to put herself through this when it isn't medically necessary."

"Don't worry about the whys," Patricia told him. "Just take the cash and do what you're told.'

"You don't even know if the results will turn out like you want them to.

"I know exactly what the test will prove, because you are going to see to it that it does."

"You're asking me to put the life of a pregnant woman and her unborn child at risk for no medical reason. On top of that, you're asking me to manipulate the results of the test."

"I'm not ASKING you to do anything," she said cooly. "You will do exactly as I say. Unless of course you want the medical board to see that tape of you having sex with a patient right here in your examining room."

"No," the doctor sighed, defeated. "When are we doing it?"

"Tomorrow afternoon as soon as you close the office for the day."

"Alright."

"Don't look so glum," Patricia laughed. "After tomorrow, you'll be done. You'll never see me or Kristen again."

"If that's true," the doctor sighed, "then tomorrow will be the happiest day of my life."

Patricia nodded and walked out the back door of the office to her waiting car. Part of her hated what she was doing. Sue Ellen was her daughter and she loved her.

But she also loved Kristen.

The only way to keep Kristen out of jail was to make sure JR had a reason to keep her free.

She was sorry for Sue Ellen. But it had to be done.

And it had to be done quickly, before Kristen lost patience and did something that would make them all suffer.

***

 

[Honkytonkangel]

Shit, JR and Sue Ellen really got screwed over in the mum and dad department.
And the brother and sister one too.
Still wanna smack JR upside the head. He REALLY needs to learn to TALK to Sue Ellen, no matter how uncomfortable it is.
Never thought I'd say (write) it, but, YAY for Pam. I hope she can get through to Sue Ellen, and then my girl can sort out that husband of hers.
My hatred of Kristen is fast ramping up to Winger level, and my hatred of Jerk and the Witch may have surpassed it.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

I almost forgot that this was taking place pre-post-shooting reunion so we really hadn't seen the beginnings of the JR/SE proper sexy relationship. Here, the pool splashing and delight at how JR was manipulating Bobby's downfall haven't happened. I always imagined JR must have been surprised with Sue Ellen post-Cliff, post-Dusty and post-shooting as it seemed the first time they really just had fun (thanks Cliff and Dusty????). If they haven't reunited and JR's been off with Kristin for a long time then he likely does have some awfully boxed in ideas about what his wife is like, what she might like and what they can discuss and do in private without it being a shameful thing.
Pam is being kind here
Kristin and Patricia are just as evil as each other it seems. To get JR is to hurt Sue Ellen, their actual relative and reason why they know JR in the first place. Awful.
JR finally being decent and telling Bobby only to have it turn out Bobby has already spilled the beans to Sue Ellen is...

 

[Karin Schill]

Finally caught up with this story. Great drama!

I was surprised to find out that JR was her benefactor as I had suspected it might be Dusty like on the show.

Patricia has never been mother of the year material but you've succeeded with making her even more unlikable in this story. Poor Sue Ellen that even her own mother turns on her in favor of Kristin.

Also Kristin is just unbelievable. She's down right evil.

Glad that JR came clean to Bobby about Jock's plan instead of letting their father play them out against each other for once.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

@Honkytonkangel - Yeah, Sue Ellen and JR did get screwed over in the parent department. I know I am making Jock mean here, but he really was mean and selfish. Patricia I am pushing more evil than she was in the show, but she wasn't much of a mother. We never get to see WHY JR and SE are so messed up. Since this timeline breaks so early, I thought I would explore how their bad parents affected their relationship.

@Miss Texas 1967 - Yeah, we hadn't seen JR and SE with an active sex life at this point. Wanted to explore JR's hang ups and what caused them.

@Karin Schill - I thought about brining Dusty back, but kinda felt like it would be harder to make JR softer and more considerate of he showed up. Trying to mature JR a little here. Jealousy would ruin that.

As for Pam, remember this is fairly early in the timeline of the show. She hadn't turned so whiny and selfish yet and she did seem to care for Sue Ellen all throughout the show.

Thought maybe JR might see her in a new light if they had a common purpose (Sue Ellen).

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-two:

***

"Bobby Ewing, have you lost your mind!"

Bobby looked up from the papers on his desk and frowned. Pam had come bursting into his office without warning and she looked furious.

"It's alright, Phyllis," he nodded at his secretary, who was standing behind Pam with a stricken look on her face.

Pam waited for Phyliss to leave and close the door, then turned her angry eyes back to her husband. "I hope you're proud of yourself."

"Been talking to Sue Ellen?" He asked her.

"Yes! Didn't it ever occur to you that she's too emotionally fragile to get pulled into the middle of a fight for Ewing Oil?"

"I didn't drag her into this. My father did."

"And you should have confronted HIM, Bobby, not Sue Ellen."

"It doesn't matter now. JR came in here today and confessed the whole scheme."

"Why would he do that?"

"He said he knew Daddy would never give either one of us total control of the company and he would keep using Ewing Oil to hang over our heads so he could bend us to his will."

"He's right."

"Yes. And I should have had more faith in him."

"JR has done so many sneaky and underhanded things I can't blame you for not giving him the benefit of the doubt. Sue Ellen on the other hand…"

"How badly did I screw up?"

"I don't know, Bobby," Pam shook her head sadly. "When I got there she was packing her things."

"God, no. She's leaving JR?"

"I tried to talk some sense into her," Pam sighed, "but she's still on the fence."

"Maybe I should go talk to her again."

"No. You've done enough damage. But we need to warn JR that she knows."

"He isn't here. He said he was going to have a drink before he went home."

"Did he say where he was drinking?"

"The Cattleman's Club. Why?"

"I'm going to talk to him."

"Pam, JR has been softer towards you, but he won't take well to you interfering in his marriage."

"Well, that's just too damned bad!" Pam snapped. "Sue Ellen trusts me and confides in me. If he truly wants to save his marriage he'll sit there and listen to what I have to say. Besides, I'm not going to give him a choice."

***

Sue Ellen splashed some cold water on her face and reached for a towel.

She didn't know what to do.

She's made up her mind once and for all to leave JR, but then Pam…

She loved JR. She knew she'd never be truly happy without him. But he…

He couldn't seem to be honest with her - not about his feelings, not about his business, not even about their sex life.

What kind of marriage would they be able to have if he never trusted her enough to tell her the truth?

"Oh, JR," Sue Ellen cried softly. "You should have told me."

***

JR slammed down his third drink and waved at Cassie to bring him another.

He knew he needed to get home. His argument with Sue Ellen this morning needed to be smoothed over. Plus, he needed to tell her about Jock's crazy scheme and how he intended to deal with it.

He'd thought about her all day. She seemed to think he didn't want her. The idea of that would be hilarious if it wasn't so dangerous for their marriage for her to think that way.

He'd always wanted her - from the moment he'd laid eyes on her in that beauty contest. But…

Sue Ellen had been so innocent. And so sweet. And so incredibly dignified.

In the early days of their marriage, he had been consumed with her. No matter how many times he took her, he always wanted more.

But then…

Then had come that stupid night of drunken sex with Julie after he'd closed a major deal for Ewing Oil. JR had been so guilty. He couldn't even look his wife in the eyes when he'd seen her again.

After that night, they had drifted further and further apart. And he'd taken his pleasure wherever he could find it, using Julie and all the other women to give him the things he could never expect his wife to provide.

After a while, he'd stopped making love to Sue Ellen all together. She'd reacted with anger and coldness. Eventually their marriage had become a complete and total sham.

Now he had the opportunity to fix things; to set them right. He just didn't know how he was supposed to talk to Sue Ellen about any of this.

"JR?"

JR looked up and arched his eyebrows in surprise when he saw his sister-in-law. "Pam? What are you doing here."

"We need to talk," Pam slid into a chair across from him. "And if you really want to save your marriage, you'll pay very close attention to what I have to say."

***

"McSween? Call on line four."

Harry nodded at the young officer and picked up the phone. "McSween here. Yeah. Yeah. Wait. What? Who is this? Okay, no. Stay where you are. I'll be there in 30 minutes."

"Phillips!" He yelled at the other detective across the squad room. "Let's go."

"Where?" Phillips called back to him.

"We have a lead on Kristen Sheppard. Got a caller who says he knows how to find her."

***

"You know I want to strangle your husband," JR growled.

"Yes," Pam sighed, "and you know I can't let you do that."

"How was she when you left her?"

"Upset. Sad. Scared. I don't think she'll leave without telling you, but I wouldn't stake my life on it."

JR finished his drink and shook his head. "It'll be a scene. She'll have worked herself up into quite a tizzy by now."

"Yes," Pam agreed. "You have to be careful with her."

"I'll do my best. Listen, thanks for warning me. Things would have gone real bad it an real hurry if I'd walked in there not expecting her to be angry."

"You're welcome, JR," Pam smiled at him.

"How's your brother?" JR asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"No change," Pam said sadly. "Everyday that he stays in a coma, the chances are less and less that he'll wake up.*

"You know me too well to believe I care one bit what happens to that bastard. But believe it or not, I am sorry for you."

"I believe you, JR. Listen, there's one other thing I need to tell you about Sue Ellen…" she hesitated. JR might be grateful she'd told him about Bobby, but he wouldn't be pleased if she brought up his sex life.

"What?"

"She thinks...she doesn't…"

"What?" He snapped. "Spit it out."

"She thinks you don't want her... sexually."

"Yes, I know," JR laughed, pulling his wallet out of his jacket, throwing some bills on the table, and standing up. "Don't you worry about that. By the time I'm done with her tonight, she'll never question how much I want her ever again."

***

"Thank you, Lucy" Sue Ellen hugged the younger woman. "I really appreciate this."

"No, worries," Lucy hugged her back. "Grandpa and Grandma will be thrilled to see John Ross."

"Yes," Sue Ellen sighed. "I'm sure they will be."

"Sue Ellen, are you coming back to Southfork?"

Sue Ellen walked away from her niece and stared out the window. "No, Lucy. I'm not "

"Have you told JR?"

"Not yet. I plan to tell him tonight. That's one of the reasons I wanted you to come get John Ross. I don't want him to hear the fight I know is coming."

"JR won't like it," Lucy said softly.

"I know," Sue Ellen shrugged. "But if wants to stay married to me, he'll accept my decision."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then I guess I'll be needing a good divorce attorney."

***

 

[Karin Schill]

Looking forward to seeing JR trying to convince Sue Ellen to stay.

Pam and JR do get along a lot better in this story. It's nice but also a little strange. I don't think Sue Ellen and Pam were all that close until Pam helped Sue Ellen get hold of John Ross after she had left JR though. After that they became friends.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

That's true. Although Pam and Bobby both showed softness toward SE when she was pregnant. And I guess I just used the shooting and the trial to make them closer.

I always saw Pam as decent and tender hearted...just annoying at times.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-three:

***

The nurse jumped back from the beside, startled. She'd been checking Cliff's vital signs when he had moaned and opened his eyes.

She moved back to the bed and placed a reassuring hand on his chest. "Welcome back, Mr. Barnes," she smiled at him. "I'll go get the doctor and call your sister. She'll be so happy to know you're awake!"

***

JR growled under his breath when he entered the apartment and saw it was dark. All the lights were out. Had she already left him?

He flipped on the lights and walked from the living room to the kitchen. Nothing had changed. It looked exactly as it has when he'd left for the office this morning.

He moved back through the apartment and settled his gaze on the closed bedroom door. He grimaced and prayed she was in there. He wasn't going to be pleased if she had tucked her tail between her legs and run away. He didn't want to have to chase her down.

He was just about to open the bedroom door when he heard someone come into the apartment. He turned his head and saw his wife coming through the door, carrying paper bags.

"Hi, honey," he smiled at her. "What's all this?"

"Take out," she answered. "I don't feel like cooking tonight."

"Let me help you with that," he moved to her and took the bags from her hands. "Where's John Ross?"

"I had Lucy take him to Southfork. We need to be alone tonight."

"Is that so?" JR asked in a low, silky voice.

"Yes, that's so," she snapped at him. "But don't get any ideas, JR. This isn't going to be a romantic evening for two."

"What's it going to be then?"

Sue Ellen's eyes narrowed to angry slits. "It's going to be the night you decide once and for all if you want to stay married to me or to let me go."

***

"You and JR need to be careful," Pam said thoughtfully. "It's still Jock's company. He can kick you both out if he wants to."

"Yes. But he won't do that. He needs us. He just needs to be clear that he can't manipulate us like we're still scared little boys who are terrified of displeasing their father."

"Jock won't just sit back and accept your terms, Bobby," Pam warned him.

"Well, that's up to him. If he decides being able to control us is more important than saving his company, that's on him."

"Bobby…"

Pam was interrupted by a knock at the bedroom door. Lucy popped her head into the room and apologized. "Sorry to barge in. Pam, there's a call for you. It's the hospital."

"Thanks, Lucy."

Pam walked over to the phone and picked it up. "This is Pamela Ewing. Really? Oh! No! I'll be right there!"

She hung up the phone and smiled widely. "Cliff is awake!" She beamed. "And he's asking for me!"

***

"What do you think?"

McSween studied the doctor sitting across the room carefully for a moment then shrugged. "He has no reason to lie," McSween told Phillips. "In fact, he has every reason to hide the truth."

"Agree," Phillips nodded. "How do you want to handle this?"

"I have no idea," McSween grunted. "But we're going to have to call JR."

"Agree," Phillips said again. "He won't be happy."

McSween shook his head and bit back a groan. "That's probably the understatement of the year."

***

Sue Ellen finished setting the food on the table and then sat down across from JR. "Dig in," she told him.

JR started serving himself, careful to keep his eyes on her face. He wanted to grab her and shake her until she talked, but he knew he needed to be patient. "It looks good," he told her.

"I know you don't care one bit about the food, JR," she said, her voice cool.

"It's not that I don't appreciate all the trouble you went through," he said carefully. "It's just that I have other things on my mind."

"What things?" She asked him. "Ewing Oil? The chance to be president again?"

"Sue Ellen…"

"Don't," she stopped him. "There's something you need to know before this conversation goes any further."

"What's that?'

"I'm not going back to Southfork," she said evenly. "Not tonight. Not in two weeks. Not ever. You can either accept that or you can leave right now and we'll go our separate ways for good."

He sat back in his chair and struggled to keep from losing his temper. She was angry, and rightfully so. Still, he wasn't used to her laying down ground rules and giving him ultimatums.

"Sue Ellen, I know Bobby was over here today and I know what he told you. What you need to understand is...damnit!" he threw his napkin on the table and cursed at the ringing phone.

He stood up and snatched up the receiver from the phone on the kitchen wall. "What?" He snarled. "When? How reliable? Fine. No. Be there when I can."

"Be where?" Sue Ellen challenged him when he hung up the phone. "Somewhere else you want to be, JR? Find something more important to you than saving your marriage?"

"That was Harry," he told her, keeping his voice controlled. "They found Kristen."

***

 

[Honkytonkangel]

I HATE Jock Ewing.
Loved my girl standing up for herself....... I hope to see JR do the same.
They deserve to be happy.
Can't wait to see what happens with Kristen.
Don't care about Cliff.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-four::

***

"I'll stay if you want me to," JR told his wife.

"No," Sue Ellen's voice was cold as stone. "Go tend to my baby sister. You're good at that."

JR's eyes narrowed, but he decided to let the smart assed comment slide. "That's it. I'm staying. Harry can update me in the morning."

"No, JR," Sue Ellen sighed. "You need to go. If you don't, she might get suspicious that they're onto her and disappear again before you have a chance to figure out how to catch her."

"I don't want you to be alone."

"Why? I'm fine."

"I don't think so, Sue Ellen," he said lowly, "you're mad as hell and hurt to boot."

"I'll live," she grumbled.

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what?" She snapped.

"I'm afraid you won't be here when I get back."

"JR, if I was going to sneak away from you I would have done it earlier today. I'm not going anywhere until we talk and you make your own decision about whether or not you want me to stay."

"I already know I want you to stay," he said softly

"I don't believe you, JR. But I'll be here when you get back."

"Promise me," he demanded.

"I promise."

JR nodded and reached for his hat. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Sue Ellen nodded and watched him walk out of the apartment. "It's a good thing for you that at least one of us can keep a promise, JR," she muttered at the closed door.

***

"He's in and out," the doctor told Pam. "But it's a huge improvement."

"And he can talk?"

"No. The feeding tube prevents that. But he managed to write your name down to let us know he wanted to see you."

"How long will he need a feeding tube?"

"Hard to say," the doctor sighed. "Several days at least. Mrs. Ewing, you should know…"

"What?"

"I had to alert the police when he woke up. They're going to want to question him as soon as possible. I read the papers. You might want to get him a lawyer."

Pam nodded her understanding and reached out to take Cliff's hand. "Oh, Cliff. What are we going to do?"

***

"What do you want, Bobby?" Sue Ellen asked when. She opened the door.

"Just to talk. Can I come in?"

"That depends," Sue Ellen sighed heavily. "Are you here to tell me something else that will utterly destroy my marriage?"

"No. Just the opposite," he promised.

"Where's Pam?" She asked, moving aside to let him into the apartment.

"At the hospital with Cliff," Bobby told her. "He's awake."

"That's good news. I'm very glad for Pam."

Bobby nodded and sat down beside her on the couch. "I made a huge mistake this morning, Sue Ellen. I should have never told you what I overheard between Daddy and JR."

"It's fine, Bobby," she told him. "I'm glad you told me. At least now I know what I'm dealing with."

"That's the thing, Sue Ellen. You DON'T know what you're dealing with. JR came to see me this morning. He confessed what Daddy and offered him and told me he wasn't interested."

"What?"

"It's true. He had a lot of reasons. The first was that he didn't believe Daddy would honor his agreement no matter what. But the most important reason…"

"What?" She asked again.

"Sue Ellen, he said he wasn't going to risk losing you for good - not even for Ewing Oil. He said he'd been tempted, but after thinking about it, he decided forcing you to live under his father's roof and be miserable would destroy you and he wouldn't have any part of that."

"Oh, Bobby…" she gasped. "I thought…"

"I know," he reached out and covered her hand with his. "I thought the same thing. But we were wrong, Sue Ellen. Both of us. I think this time JR is really and truly trying to do right by you."

"I have been pretty hard on him today."

"Yeah, well he deserves that for the past. But don't let what I told you today ruin your future."

"JR and I still have other problems to work through."

"Do you want to work through them?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then fight for him, Sue Ellen. You are in a very rare position. You have power over JR right now. He wants you back and I'm betting he'd do just about anything to make you happy. Remember what JR always tells us about dealing with people?"

"What?"

"We all use what we've got," he reminded her. "You have all the power right now, Sue Ellen. If I were you, I'd start using it."

***

JR shook his head in disbelief. He was stunned at what he'd just heard.

Dr. Robert Micheaks was Kristen's OBGYN. He'd had an ongoing sexual relationship with her, in violation of all kinds of medical ethics. He'd given her fertility drugs and confirmed her pregnancy. Now Patricia and Kristen were insisting he perform an amniocentesis to determine paternity. And they had instructed him to manipulate the results to prove JR was the father.

"Why come forward now?" JR asked him. "Why not just do what they asked you to and be rid of them."

"Two reasons," Michael answered him. "First of all, I don't believe I'll ever be rid of them. They have a tape of me and Kristen having sex in my office. As long as that tape exists, they can blackmail me at any time. Secondly… I know I broke my oath as a doctor and my career is done. Having sex with a patient is a horrible thing to do. But even I'm not willing to endanger the life of an unborn child just so his mother can lie about paternity."

"The procedure would be dangerous?" JR asked.

"Yes. There's a large increased risk of miscarriage after an amniocentesis."

"How do you want to play this, JR?" McSween asked him.

"Is Patricia coming with Kristen to your office tomorrow?" JR asked Michaels.

"Yes. Kristen won't be able to drive after the procedure."

"Let them come. Prep for the procedure as if nothing has changed."

"And then?"

"And then McSween and Phillips will show up and arrest them both."

"It'll make the paper, JR," McSween warned.

"Yes. Well, that can't be helped," JR grunted. "I want Kristen behind bars where she can never hurt Sue Ellen again."

***

Sue Ellen studied her reflection in the mirror and was satisfied with what she saw. She looked beautiful. And sexy. JR wouldn't stand a chance.

Except…

Her mind flashed back to the last time she'd put on sexy lingerie and tried to seduce her husband. It had been a disaster. JR had rejected her and she'd ended up having drunken sex with a ranch hand.

Hopefully JR's feelings about her had changed enough that this time would be different.

Part of her was terrified, but another part of her was excited.

She wanted to save her marriage, but it could never happen if JR refused to touch her.

She had to know the truth. If JR truly didn't want her, then there wasn't really anything left between them to save.

***

JR sat in his car in the parking garage and tried to organize his thoughts.

He had to tell her.

She would be crushed. It was hard enough on her that her sister had betrayed her, but now he had to tell her her own mother had as well. He wished she never had to know, but McSween was right; once Kristen and Patricia were arrested, it would be all over the news. JR had thought about simply paying them and sending them away with the threat of jail if they ever came back, but that would never work. If it was only McSween involved, JR could pull off such a scheme, but Phillips was straight as an arrow. He would never go along with it.

She was still angry with him about Ewing Oil. He needed to make her understand that he had no intention of forcing her to live at Southfork against her will.

They had so much to work through and such a short time to get it all out in the open.

Plus, she still had the silly idea in her head that he didn't want her.

A grin broke across his face when he realized that particular problem would be very easy to solve.

"No time like the present," he muttered, getting out of the car.

He would make damn sure Sue Ellen never questioned his desire for her again after tonight.

And everything else could be dealt with afterwards.

***

 

[Honkytonkangel]

YAY now I'm proud of my boy again. I just hope his decision to wait to tell her what her 'family :tv:' has done doesn't blow up in his face. Better be some fabulous sex, just in case.
And cool to see Bobby using his need to be all up in everyone's business for good for once.
Still very proud of my girl too. Go get your man sweetheart.

I HATE Patricia.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

You're teasing us @CeeCee72
Kristin is even more messed up than I thought.
JR and Sue Ellen are about to have a lifechanging night.
Cliff...

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-five:

***

JR walked into the apartment and looked around. It was dark.

Had she given up waiting for him and gone to bed?

"So, you finally decided to come home."

JR's gaze jerked towards Sue Ellen's voice and his eyes struggled to adjust to the lack of light. "Sorry it took so long."

"Did you get my little sister handled?"

"Not yet," he told her truthfully. "We have something set up for tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh," she sighed. "I suppose you'll need to tell me all about it."

"Yes," he said flatly. "But not right now. Right now I have another problem in mind that needs to be dealt with."

"Is that so?" Her voice was low and husky. "Well, are you going to stay rooted in that spot like a tree all night or are you coming over here close to me?"

JR sucked in a deep breath and walked to stand in front of the couch where she was seated. When he saw her, all the air left his lungs and his eyes darkened with pure lust. "Sue Ellen…"

"Hush, JR," she commanded softly. She rose gracefully and stretched, allowing him to get a good look at her body. She saw the raw, pure want in his eyes and was encouraged by it. "I have a problem that needs to be dealt with too."

She tangled her hands in his hair and pressed herself close against him. "Are you going to help me solve my problem, JR?"

JR's entire body shuddered with desire and he almost lost complete control. "Yes," he ground out, pressing his mouth against her lips.

He kissed her roughly, all plans for a gentle seduction lost. She had come to him. She wanted him. The shock of her aggression was the most arousing feeling he had ever experienced.

Their kiss went on and on. He moved his hands down to cup her bottom and pulled her even closer against him. "Feel that, Miss Texas?" He asked her between placing hot kisses down her neck. "Feel how hard you make me."

"Yes," she moaned, grinding her hips against his erection. "God, JR!"

She was totally unprepared when he reached down, grabbed her nightgown, and pushed it up around her waist in one swift motion. "Let's see if you want me as much as I want you," his voice was a gutteral groan. He shifted to spread her legs slightly, slipping his finger into her without warning. He laughed lowly when he felt the moist heat that was proof of her desire. "Yes," he growled, moving his head down to her breast. "You're already wet and ready."

"Yes, JR! Please!"

"No," he laughed at her again. "Not yet, Sue Ellen."

He pushed her down into a sitting position on the couch. He sank down onto his knees in front of her, positioning himself between her legs. ""Wider," he grunted at her. "Spread them wider."

Sue Ellen obeyed him immediately. Bolts of pure pleasure crashed through her body. She'd known that men sometimes did this for women but no man had ever put his mouth on her like this. She made sharp crying noises as the pleasure went on and on. JR kept taking her to the peak of pleasure, only to pull back, slow down, and then take her there again.

"Please!" She cried when she felt as if she would die if he didn't let her finish.

"Had enough?" he whispered against her hot wet skin. "Ready to let it go, Miss Texas?"

"YES, JR, YES!"

He placed his tongue in her most sensitive spot, teasing it lightly. "Say please," he ordered her. "Ask me nicely to finish you, honey."

Sue Ellen was on fire. She bucked wildly against his face. He laughed louder and brought his hands up to clamp down on her hips, forcing her to hold still. "Ask me nicely," he demanded again.

"Please JR!" Her voice was hoarse and low. "Please!"

"Please what?" He flicked his tongue over her teasingly again. "Say it Miss Texas. Tell me exactly what you want me to do to you."

Sue Ellen's head was thrashing back and forth, side to side. "Please, JR? Please make me...please, I want to explode!"

JR growled in satisfaction, increased his efforts, and gave her exactly what she wanted.

Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over Sue Ellen's body. Her entire body shook with satisfaction. It went on and on, she actually thought her heart might give out from the excitement. "JR…"

Her voice was a soft whisper. He stood up, swept her up into us arms, and carried her to the bedroom.

He laid her on the bed, quickly removed his clothes, and positioned himself on top of her. "You're mine, Sue Ellen," he told her. "You belong to me."

"Yes," she nodded frantically, wrapping her long legs around his hips. "I'm yours."

"Sue Ellen, open your eyes, honey. Look at me."

Sue Ellen forced her eyes open and almost fainted when she saw the mixtures of lust and love in her husband's eyes. "I'm yours too, honey," vowed softly, entering her with one swift, fluid motion. "From tonight until forever, I belong only to you."

***

Sue Ellen moaned softly and stretched gingerly. Her whole body was sore, but it was a deeply pleasant ache. She and JR had made love over and over and still she wanted him again.

She frowned slightly when she realized his side of the bed was empty. She sat up, found her robe, stood and fastened it tightly around her body.

She found him sitting at the kitchen bar, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Well, good morning, Miss Texas," he flashed her a mischievous grin. "I thought you'd sleep in all morning."

"I guess I missed you," she smiled at him.

"I won't ever be far enough away from you to make you miss me again," he said softly. "Fix yourself a cup not coffee, honey. We have a lot to talk about."

Sue Ellen poured herself a cup and sat down beside him. "I don't even know where to start," she sighed.

"I do," he told her. "Let's start with what happened between us last night."

"JR…"

"Please, honey. I know it's uncomfortable. It is for me too. But we have to get everything out in the open."

"Alright," she blushed and looked down into her cup.

"Sue Ellen, don't ever doubt that I want you. I do. I always have. But I…"

He paused, took a drink of coffee, and silently prayed for strength. "I always thought...well hell, Sue Ellen. You're a lady. My wife. I never figured you'd be interested in...being…"

"Wanton?"

"Something like that," JR laughed.

"JR, I can be a lady and still be a woman. I have... needs. Just like anyone else."

"Yes. I realize that now. The truth is that we probably would have long worked through my hang-ups about sex with you if I had never cheated. But I did. And after that my guilt...I needed to justify it in my head, so I convinced myself that you wouldn't be interested in pleasing me."

"JR, all I have really ever wanted was to please you. In bed...and in every other way."

"I know that now, honey."

"Why did you cheat?"

"I got drunk," he told her truthfully. "I had closed a huge deal and wanted to celebrate. Julie was there and I knew what she would do for me."

"Please stop, JR," she whispered shakily. "I'm sorry I even asked."

"Don't be," his voice was low and gentle. "Like I said, we need to get it all out in the open."

Sue Ellen nodded and turned her head away. "Want to know why I cheated?"

"I suppose it was because you weren't getting what you needed from me," he said bitterly.

"Yes, that was part of it. But mostly it was to punish you. To hurt you as badly as you'd hurt me."

"It worked," JR confessed. "Your affair with Barnes almost killed me. I was so cruel to you to cover up my own hurt and jealousy."

"So, where do we go from here, JR?"

"We rebuild," he told her. "We forgive each other for the past and focus on our future."

"And the sex? Can you be satisfied with me and only me?"

JR laughed shortly and shook his head. "Honey, after last night, I swear you've spoiled me for any other woman."

"Do you really mean that, JR?"

"Yes, I do. Sue Ellen there has always been a...spark between us. Some kind of deep pull that I have never felt with another woman. Now that I have truly tasted your passion, there's no way another woman could ever satisfy me."

"I hope you mean that, JR," her voice was both hopeful and fearful, "because if you cheat again…"

"I know, honey. And I won't," he sighed heavily and leaned back on his stool. "We have plenty of time to work on building our sexual trust. But right now we need to talk about our families - yours and mine."

"Alright, JR."

"This is all going to be hard for you to hear," he said gently, "just remember how much I love you, okay?"

"Okay, JR. And just for the record, I love you too."

***

"Are you going to be alright?"

JR and Sue Ellen had moved from the kitchen to the couch. They sat close, side by side and her head was resting on his chest.

"Yes," she sobbed softly. "I will be."

He'd told her all about Jock's attempt to manipulate him with Ewing Oil and how he intended to handle it. That had been hard enough, but then he'd told her about Kristen's scheme and Patricia's part in it. She'd been devastated to hear how her own mother had turned against her.

"Are you okay with my plans?"

"Yes," she hugged him tightly. "I just hope Mama doesn't have to go to jail."

""That'll be up to the new DA," he told her. "But I'll push for probation and a suspended sentence."

"Thank you, JR."

He kissed the top of her head and grunted when the phone rang. He gently pushed her away from him and stood up to answer the phone.

"JR Ewing here. Pam? Wait! PAM! Slow down! I can't understand you!"

He listened intently for a few minutes and his whole face broke out into a dark scowl. "He's sure? There's no doubt at all? Jesus. No. No, I'll tell her. Are you still at the hospital? Good. Can you bring John Ross back and stay with her while me and Bobby take care of all this? Yes. Bring Lucy too. I don't want her in the house when we confront Daddy. Alright."

He hung up the phone and walked back to the couch. "Honey," he said softly, taking both of her hands in his and pulling her close. "I'm so sorry, but you're going to have to forget about probation for your mother."

"What happened?" She asked tearfully.

"The police questioned Barnes. They asked him if he knew who shot him. He wrote down the name…"

"And?"

"It was Patricia, honey. Cliff said your mother is the one who shot him."

***

 

[Honkytonkangel]

Aaw my babies. That was totally hot (though frankly I think it was JR who should've been asking nicely to come), but I wish they'd talked like that on the show.
Love that JR was so sweet telling her about Jerk, the Witch, and that slutty sister of hers. My heart broke for her.
And then the end...... I did not see that coming. I was sure it was Kristen.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-six:

***

"Sue Ellen, sit down and relax. You're going to wear a hole in the carpet with all that pacing."

"I'm sorry," Sue Ellen sighed and sat down on the couch. "I'm just worried about the men."

"They'll be just fine," Pam told her. "They can handle Jock."

"I doubt it," Lucy grumbled. "Are you two going to keep ignoring the elephant in the room?"

"What are you talking about?" Pam asked.

"HER mother shot YOUR brother. You guys aren't even going to talk about it?"

"What's to talk about?" Sue Ellen shrugged. "I'm not responsible for what my mother does and Pam isn't responsible for what Cliff does."

"Yes," Pam agreed. "Still…"

"What?" Sue Ellen prodded.

"It just...it just doesn't make any sense that Patricia would shoot Cliff. What possible reason could she have? He had been helping Kristen."

"Pam, take it from me," Sue Ellen her, "if you try to figure out why my mother does anything, you'll just end up driving yourself crazy."

"You're probably right," Pam sighed.

"Hey, what is all this stuff?" Lucy pointed to a stack of folders on the coffee table.

"Kristen's medical files," Sue Ellen answered. "JR brought them home last night after his meeting with her doctor and the police "

"Have you looked at them?"

"No," Sue Ellen shook her head. "I have no desire to see my sister's medical information."

"Mind if I take a peak?" Lucy asked.

"Knock yourself out," Sue Ellen shrugged. She looked at her watch and growled.

"Try not to worry, Sue Ellen," Pam reassured her. "I'm sure they'll call soon."

***

"What's this all about boys?" Jock demanded.

JR and Bobby had gathered with Jock and Miss Ellie in the living room at Southfork. Miss Ellie sat beside her husband on the couch, stiff as a board. She had a bad feeling that she wasn't going to like what her sons had to say.

"Bobby and I have been talking a lot recently," JR began. "This whole mess with the shooting and Sue Ellen's trial, it made me take a hard look at my life and I saw some things that needed changing. My relationship with my brother was one of those things."

"I'm so happy to hear that, JR," Ellie smiled at him.

"I'm glad," JR told her, "because you definitely aren't going to like what I have to say next."

Ellie frowned and JR took a deep breath and continued.

"Our whole lives has been nothing but one big competition - competing for Daddy's approval and Mama's love. The two of you made us fight each other for affection and attention."

"Now, you just wait a minute, boy!" Jock raged and jumped off the couch. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to this!"

"Yes, you are," Bobby said evenly, "because if you don't, JR and I are leaving here together. And neither one of us are coming back."

"I won't be threatened by you.."

"Jock, please!" Miss Ellie raised her voice. "Let them speak."

"Ellie I won't.."

"Sit down, Jock!" Ellie's voice was low, but firm. "I mean it."

Jock sat down with a grumbled protest and JR cleared his throat and continued.

"We're not little boys anymore. We're grown men. We love you both but we have families of our own now. We have to put them first."

"JR, if this is about Sue Ellen…"

"Yes," JR interrupted his mother. "It's about Sue Ellen. And Pam. And Ewing Oil."

He leveled his gaze on Jock's face and his voice got lower. "Daddy, I love that company. I've worked my ass off my whole life to make you proud. I'm a damn good Oilman and I was a damn good president. But you took it away from me and gave it to Bobby just because Mama wanted him and Pam to come home. That's your decision, but it wasn't fair. Just like it's not fair to Bobby to offer me the presidency back if I make Sue Ellen come back to Southfork against her wishes."

"What?!" Ellie gasped.

"That's right, Mama," Bobby cut in. "Daddy promised JR could have my job back if he brought Sue Ellen and John Ross home."

"Jock!" Ellie's voice was shaking. "How could you?"

"I don't know, Ellie," Jock snapped, "how could you make me replace JR when he was hurt just to make Bobby and Pam come home? There's no difference."

"There's a world of difference!" Ellie insisted.

"No, Mama," Bobby's voice was soft, "he's right. You both used the company to manipulate us into doing what you want."

"Bobby… I… I just wanted you home."

"I know, Mama. And Daddy just wants JR home."

"I can't belIeve you told him," Jock groused at JR. "You should have jumped at my offer."

"I was tempted," JR admitted. "And there was a time I would have done it without a second thought. But the shooting, the trial, it all changed me. Bobby and Pam stood by me. They stood by Sue Ellen. They stood by Lucy. The two of you both looked out for yourself and what you wanted without a single thought about how it would affect the rest of the family. I've been a rotten husband and a rotten brother. I'm done with all that."
.
"Where is all this going, JR?" Ellie asked tearfully.

JR looked at his mother and struggled to find the words to answer her question.

"Mama," Bobby began when JR hesitated, "JR and I want to be a part of this family. We want to keep working in Daddy's company. But we need to do it on our own terms. No more destructive competition. No more fighting for approval. We're both good at our jobs. We can work together. But Daddy has to stop interfering."

"What about… are you both leaving Southfork?"

"Pam and I have talked," Bobby told her. "We want to stay. But Sue Ellen…" he paused and looked at JR.

"Sue Ellen isn't coming back here," JR told them flatly. "And I won't make her."

"What about what you want, boy?' Jock barked. "You want to come home. You gonna let your wife make you do something you don't want to?"

"I love Southfork," JR replied, "and I'll miss it. But what I want is for my wife to be healthy and happy. I want to be a good husband to her and a good father to my son. What I want is to be with her."

"Ewing Oil is still my company. The two of you don't get to tell me how to run it."

"That's your decision," Bobby shrugged. "But understand, you refuse to allow us to run it our way and without your constant interference, we're both out."

"That go for you too, JR?" Jock demanded.

"It does," JR nodded.

"Alright," Ellie stood up, mustering as much grace a s strength as she could manage. "You've made your point. Your father and I need to talk everything over."

JR and Bobby stood up. Both men walked over and hugged their mother then walked together to the foyer and out the front door.

"Can you believe the nerve of those two?" Jock snarled when they were gone. "How dare they come over here and start handing out ultimatums to me!"

Ellie didn't reply. She squared her shoulders and walked from the room toward the stairs. JR and Bobby had given her a lot to think about. She needed to be alone for a while to sort through her thoughts and her emotions.

***

"Well," Pam sighed into the phone, "it seems like it went as well as could be expected. I know. Yes. No, no change in Cliff's condition. Alright. I love you, Bobby. Sure. Hold on a sec."

"JR wants to talk to you," Pam handed the phone to her sister-in-law.

"JR?"

"Hi, honey. You holding up okay?"

"Yes. What about you? How did it go with your parents?"

"It was hard. But it's done. They're going to talk things over and get back to us."
.
"JR, I don't understand why you have to be there when they arrest Kristen and mother. Can't you please just come home?"

"Honey, we talked about this already."

"I know… but, JR, we know Mother has a gun. She's already shot Cliff and.."

"Sue Ellen, the place is going to be crawling with cops. Bobby will be with me. I'll be fine. I need to be there. I have to make sure nothing goes wrong and I need to see Kristen in cuffs with my own eyes."

"Please. Just be careful," she whispered shakily.

"I promise I will. See you soon, Miss Texas."

"See you soon, JR," she hung up the phone and choked back a cry.

"They're going to be fine, Sue Ellen," Pam hugged her friend.

"Hey, guys?"

Pam and Sue Ellen broke apart and turned their attention to Lucy. The younger woman had been sitting at the kitchen counter reading through Kristen's medical records for a very long time. "Did you know Kristen was on fertility drugs? How come that never came up at trial? Didn't Kiefer have these medical records?"

"He had a sanitized version of them," Sue Ellen sighed. "This Dr. Micheals didn't send the entire record. Why?"

"Just wondering... there's some stuff in here that doesn't add up."

"Like what, Lucy?" Pam asked.

"Well, I mean, for sure I'm not a math genius. But JR testified that he broke it off with Kristen before the shooting."

"So?" Sue Ellen's voice sounded annoyed. The last thing on this earth that she wanted to talk about was JR's affair with her sister.

"So… like I said, this isn't adding up."

"Lucy, will you stop talking in riddles and just spit out whatever you're trying to say?" Sue Ellen snapped.

"Come look," Lucy beckoned her.

Sue Ellen and Pam walked over to the kitchen counter and fixed their eyes on the papers in front of Lucy.

"Well?" Sue Ellen prodded.

"Here. She was prescribed the fertility drug. Look, she refilled the prescription here. She tested positive for pregnancy here. And look at the ultrasound she has here."

"I don't understand what I'm supposed to be seeing," Sue Ellen said.

"Look closer," Lucy told her. "Look at the date on the ultrasound. Look at the estimated age of the fetus."

"Lucy...this is a waste of time…"

"No," Pam breathed out. "Sue Ellen, don't you see? This ultrasound was taken during the trial. The baby is estimated to be only seven weeks…."

"Seven weeks?" Reality suddenly dawned on Sue Ellen.

"She was telling men she was having their baby and cashing their checks long before she ever got pregnant. And if she's only seven weeks along and JR stopped sleeping with her before he was shot…" Pam's voice trailed off.

"JR can't possibly be the father of her baby," Sue Ellen finished for her.

"Bingo," Lucy said. "Whoever the proud papa is, it isn't JR Ewing."

***

Ellie pushed her food around on her plate and sighed heavily. "We have to talk about the boys, Jock."

"There's nothing to talk about," Jock grumbled. "I run my company my way. If they don't like it that's just too damned bad."

"They'll both leave."

"No they won't," Jock shot back. "It's an empty threat, Ellie."

"Like it was an empty threat when Gary said he was leaving?"

"That was different," Jock told her. "Gary is weak."

"Who made him that way?" Ellie demanded. "We were terrible parents, Jock. We have to face that. I've lost Gary. I won't lose Bobby and JR too."

"What are you saying, Ellie?"

"You do whatever you want with Ewing Oil. You're right. It's YOUR company. But you will NOT interfere when the boys leave and go to work somewhere else. You will NOT try to force JR to drag Sue Ellen back here. You will NOT continue to treat Pam like an outsider. I could care less what happens to your precious company. But my family is a different matter altogether. Back off, Jock. Leave our boys and their wives alone. Or so help me, you'll be the one needing a good divorce attorney."

***

JR handed the phone back to Harry and shook his head in disbelief. Sue Ellen had tracked him down and told him about Kristen's medical records.

There was no way he fathered Kristen's baby.

He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

He glanced at his watch and took a deep breath. Kristen and Patricia should be arriving at Dr. Michael's office any minute now.

This would end today. And JR was bound and determined to make dead certain Sue Ellen would never be hurt by her demonic little sister ever again.

***

 

[Honkytonkangel]

YAY. Go JR...... So proud of him and Bobby right now, and if I could jump up and down I would.
Jerk is such an arsehole. At least Miss Ellie is willing to own her screw-ups and try to do something about them.
Can wait for JR to sort out Patricia and Kristen too.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

Kristin is honestly a complete nutter (which we knew but...). She should have just stuck to the original plan of marrying rich instead of settling for the mistress role and then whoops baby thing.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

I don't own any of the characters in this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

This fic is an alternate timeline and features a totally different resolution to the "Who Shot JR?" plot.

The timeline breaks at episode four of season four of "Dallas."

***

Shot Through the Heart

Part Twenty-seven:

***

Everything had gone perfectly. Patricia and Kristen had shown up at Dr. Michaels' office right on time and had been taken into custody without incident.

They were at the Dallas police station now, being questioned by McSween and Phillips separately.

JR had called Sue Ellen and told her he was safe and that he'd be home as soon as he could. She'd cried with relief, told him that she loved him, and asked him to hurry up and get back to her and John Ross.

JR glanced at his watch and grimaced. He needed to talk to Kristen and Patricia and he wanted to get it over with.

He wanted to get back to his family.

He was beyond ready to put all this ugliness behind him and start their new life together.

***

"Your husband coming home tonight?"

Pam stiffened at the sound of Jock's voice. She glanced over at Lucy. The younger woman rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"He's with JR. He'll be home soon."

"Surprised he's got the guts to face me after what he and JR pulled this morning."

Pam stood up and walked from the room without another word.

"Keep it up, Grandpa," Lucy told him. "Bobby and Pam will leave Southfork too, you know."

"And you?" Jock demanded. "Seems like you already chose their side."

"The only side I have chosen is the side of my family, Grandpa," Lucy shot back at him. "Seems a shame you're not on that same side with me."

*"*

"Miss Ellie?"

"I'm sorry to come by unannounced, Sue Ellen," Ellie stood in the doorway and wrung her hands nervously. "I was afraid if I called first, you'd tell me not to come."

"I would never do that," Sue Ellen told her. "Please come in. Can I get you anything?"

"No. I only want to talk."

"Alright," Sue Ellen gestured for Miss Ellie to sit down. "What's on your mind?" Sue Ellen asked, sitting down beside her mother-in-law on the couch.

"I understand why you don't want to live with me and Jock anymore. You and JR are trying to save your marriage and make a new life for yourselves. You don't need me and Jock hovering over you and constantly interfering."

"Miss Ellie, I hope you know how much I love you. I promise John Ross can spend as much time at Southfork as possible."

"Sue Ellen, you're a good mother. You know in your heart that Southfork is the best place in this world to raise your son."

"No, it isn't," Sue Ellen sighed. "If I'm always miserable, he won't ever be happy either."

"I agree. But...well, I think I have a solution to our problem. Are you willing to hear me out?"

"Of course," Sue Ellen nodded. "But understand that if your solution involves me living under the same roof with Jock, I won't even consider it."

"Yes. I know. And it doesn't. I think you will be very interested in what I have to say."

***

"So, Patricia shot Cliff because he was going to blow the whistle about Kristen's baby?"

"Yes," McSween nodded at Bobby. "Cliff saw an ultrasound and realized JR couldn't be the father. He also realized that he COULD be."

"Wait. Cliff swore he wasn't sleeping with Kristen."

"One night stand, after a bunch of booze," McSween shrugged, "at least that's the story Patricia is telling. Cliff never thought he could be the baby daddy because he thought Kristen was already pregnant when he slept with her. After he saw the ultrasound…"

"He figured out the truth," Bobby muttered. "God what a mess."

"Yeah. This does narrow down the list of possible fathers though. Has to be Jordan Lee, Cliff Barnes, our former DA, or the good Dr. Michaels. The rest of Kristen's lovers stopped sleeping with her when she started blackmailing them."

"Good Lord. I'm going to have to tell Pam."

McSween didn't reply. This was yet another scandal the Ewings were going to have to deal with. He was sick and tired of having to give them bad news.

***

"Maybe the ultrasound is fake, JR," Kristen laughed.

"Maybe. We'll know for sure when you have another one tomorrow."

"I'm not having another one," she told him. "It's my body. You can't make me."

"You're right," JR agreed with her. "I can't make you. But a court order from a Texas state judge can."

"Good luck with that," Kristen grumbled.

"I don't need luck," JR laughed at her. "I already have the court order."

"You bastard!" Kristen raged.

"What do you want, JR?" Patricia spoke for the first time. "You wouldn't be here if there wasn't something we had that you wanted."

"I can't help either of you," JR told her. "Kristen is going to jail for fraud. The men she blackmailed will insist on it. And you...how much time you serve is going to depend on whether or not Barnes lives or dies."

"Then why should either of us talk to you at all?"

"There is no legal reason. But Sue Ellen is still your daughter. I don't know what she ever did to Kristen to make her hate so much. But you're her mother. Surely you must have some warm feelings for her."

"I love Sue Ellen," Patricia shot back angrily.

"If that's true then you'll tell me the truth. Is there anything else out there that will hurt her? Any other scheme? Any other nasty surprise?"

"Don't you dare say one word, Mother!" Kristen seethed.

"Shut up, Kristen," JR snapped.

"Why do you care, JR?" Patricia challenged him. "You've never cared whether Sue Ellen was hurt in the past. In fact, YOU are the one who has always hurt her!"

"Yes," JR didn't deny the truth of her words. "But I love her. I always have. The trial… look, I don't have any intention of explaining myself to you. Just know that I love your daughter and I'm going to take good care of her and John Ross from now on."

"I wish I could believe that," Patricia said softly.

"Believe it," JR told her. "I won't ever hurt Sue Ellen again. Can you say the same, Patricia?"

Patricia studied her son-in-law's eyes carefully. He seemed so sincere.

Kristen's life was over. She'd done all she could to save her younger daughter - including shooting a man. But Kristen was in too deep.

Sue Ellen on the other hand - she still had a chance. She still could have a happy and productive life.

Kristen watched as her mother struggled with what she should do. "Don't tell him a thing," she said, her voice a little panicked. "He's a snake in the grass."

"Yes," Patricia nodded, "but Sue Ellen loves him. And I believe he loves her."

"Then you're a damned fool!" Kristen shouted angrily.

Patricia ignored her daughter and took a deep breath. "Steven Farlow is still alive," she said in a rush. "And he's coming back to Dallas."

"Who is Steven Farlow?" JR asked her.

"You probably know him as Dusty. The rodeo cowboy."

"Rodeo cowboy?" JR's eyes narrowed as he remembered.

"Sue Ellen's lover. Sue Ellen thinks he's dead. But he isn't. And he's coming to get her and take her far away from you."

***

"There you go," Sue Ellen smiled as she laid John Ross down in his playpen and covered him with a blanket. "Your Daddy will be home soon. I can't wait to tell him what me and your grandma talked about. He's going to be so happy!"

"Is that so?"

Sue Ellen jumped a little, startled at the sound of her husband's voice. "JR!" She smiled widely. "I didn't hear you come in."

JR grunted and moved past her, shrugging off his jacket and jerking off his tie. "Been talking to my mama, huh?" His voice was rough and angry. "That's interesting, Sue Ellen. Because I've been talking to your mother too."

"What's wrong, JR?" Sue Ellen knew this mood - this tone. JR was angry with her and spoiling for a fight.

"What's wrong?" He repeated in a mocking voice."Why don't you tell me about your cowboy, Sue Ellen. He sounds like an interesting man. Your mother claims he's the love of your life."

"JR…" her voice was wounded and shaky, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" He laughed. "The name Dusty Farlow doesn't ring a bell?"

She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head. "I told you there was someone else, JR," she reminded him. "And I told you he was gone."

"Yes," JR turned away from her, unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it into the closet. "Killed in a helicopter crash."

"How did you know that?'

"I know a lot more than just that, Sue Ellen," he turned around and looked her in the eyes. "I know he survived. I know he's been recovering and getting his strength back. And I know he's on his way back to Dallas."

Sue Ellen felt faint. All the color drained from her face. "No...that isn't possible…"

"It's true," his eyes were cold and dark. "Your true love is coming back to get you and take you far away from your evil, abusive husband."

"JR…"

"Why do you look so sad, Sue Ellen. Isn't this your dream come true?"

"Please…"

"You know, Sue Ellen, the funny thing about all my affairs is that I never thought about leaving you. I never cared one bit about those other women. But you.. I guess you fell head over heels, huh? Dusty is the man of your dreams. Handsome, sensitive, and almost as rich as me."

"JR, I didn't…"

"Save it," he put on a clean shirt and jacket and headed to the door.

"Where are you going, JR?" She asked, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I need a drink, Sue Ellen. I just found out the only woman I ever loved is in love with someone else."

"JR, that's not true…"

"Deny it then," he challenged her. "Tell me it was only sex and that you don't care for him."

"JR…"

"That's what I thought," he crammed his hat onto his head and strode from the room. "Don't bother to wait up."

"JR, please don't leave me like this!" She followed him out of the bedroom to the front door.

"If you get lonely, just think about your cowboy. That ought to keep you warm in your cold bed."

He walked out the door, slamming it so hard behind him that the apartment's windows rattled.

Sue Ellen sank down onto the floor, buried her head in her hands, and sobbed violently.

Everything had been so perfect - and now it had all been destroyed.

***