“Sue Ellen! I feel like I haven't seen you in a million years!” Pam smiled.

“I know. Things have been crazy with work. I don't know if Cliff told you, but I'm not at the Clifford Group anymore.”

“Yes, he mentioned it. Are things that crazy at Ewing Oil? J.R. usually rules with an iron thumb.”

“He's not the only person that has an interest in Ewing Oil,” Sue Ellen retorted.

Pam hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke. “Is it hard working with him? Seeing him like that everyday.”

“I can handle J.R.”

“I know that, but doesn't it get hard. I know it's not the same, but when I first moved to Southfork, it was hard to see Ray all the time. It's like your past is always coming back at you. Especially with the history that you share with J.R.”

Sue Ellen sighed. “It's hard to look at him sometimes.”

Pam could tell there was something in her voice, something that she wasn't saying. “What is it?” Her voice was filled with empathy.

“I don't know….” Sue Ellen put her head in her hands. “Everything's just a mess.”

“Is this about Jack?”

“Partly, yes. I don't know why I feel so guilty.”

“Well what happened? We've never really talked about it, about what you'd decided to do.”

“I don't know what happened. It wasn't anything specific. He didn't do anything that made things go to hell.”

“Did you guys just grow apart?”

Sue Ellen started to get a little teary. “It was me. Jack wanted too much. He wanted to take things farther, you know, make them more serious. I just couldn't.”

“Why?” Pam tried to sound as sympathetic as possible, but she didn't fully understand what was going on.

“I just didn't feel the same. The last few months have been so crazy.”

“They have been for all of us. Clayton's gone, Bobby was for a while….”

“I know, but emotionally, I've been all over the place. I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt like I was lying to Jack. I couldn't give him what he wanted.”

“What did he want?”

“For me to love him. I….I didn't.” It was hard for Sue Ellen to get the words out.

“Oh Sue Ellen…”

Tears were forming in her eyes. “It wasn't fair to him to lie anymore. Not after everything that's happened. There's been too much dishonesty. I couldn't do that to Jack; it wasn't fair to him.”

“But you did the right thing. If you weren't feeling what he was feeling, you're right, it wasn't fair to either of you to pretend that things were fine.”

“I guess you're right…”

“Was there anything that caused this? Like a catalyst of some sort?” Pam asked quizzically.

Sue Ellen's lip trembled. What was happening to her? Why was she feeling this way? “There was someone else.”

“You've been seeing someone else?”

“No,” Sue Ellen quickly responded. “I haven't been seeing anyone. It's just so complicated. I've been so confused….”

“Sue Ellen, what's going on?” Pam knew that there was something she was scared to say.

“I kissed J.R.”

“WHAT!?”

“It was when we were in Arkansas and the plane had to do an emergency landing. There were only a few hotel rooms. We started talking and one thing led to another…”

Pam quickly got out of her seat in a wave of shock. “I can't believe this! You kissed J.R.?”

“Pam, I know. But the last few months have been so strange. Ever since I started at Ewing Oil, I've seen this side of him. It was the side I knew all those years ago, when we fell in love again, after I stopped drinking.”

“Are you listening to yourself? How many times have you thought he's changed? I can tell you he hasn't. This is J.R. we're talking about!”

“Don't you think I know that?” Sue Ellen snapped back.

“Don't even go down this road! He's going to do the same thing that he did to you so many times, all those years ago. He did it to Cally, from what I understand.”

“Pam I know! But I can't help it. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me!”

“And you're working at Ewing Oil!” Pam wasn't even listening to her. “That's the worst thing you could do! Go back to the Clifford Group...I know Cliff would have you back in a second.”

“We are just partners. There is nothing else going on. A kiss doesn't mean marriage.”

“I hope not. You've made that mistake twice already. Sue Ellen, are you listening to yourself? It's J.R.!” Pam was flabbergasted.

“I know. The logical part of me is saying exactly what you're saying. But I just feel something. I don't even know how to explain it…” Suddenly, she stopped. Hearing the words come out of her mouth was a shock to her. “You're right. This is ridiculous.”

Pam sat back down, having calmed herself down a bit. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone crazy like that. I just don't want to see you hurt. I know what he's done to you in the past.”

“No, you're completely right. This is stupid. I don't know what I'm talking about…He's slick. He always has been. But I'm not going to fall for his routine. I'm not going to.” It was almost as if she was trying to convince herself. “You're completely right. I'm just going to sit this thing out, and nothing is going to happen. I'm not going to let him hurt me again.”

“I think that's the smartest choice.”

“You're right Pam,” Sue Ellen said with conviction. “J.R. is my partner, and the father of my son. That's all he'll ever be.”

Secretly though, she wasn't convinced.

One reporter shoved a microphone in her face. “Mrs. Lancaster, is it indeed true that your husband, who allegedly attacked Afton Cooper, is now dying himself?”

Lucy's jaw dropped. The nerve of this man! “My husband did not attack Afton Cooper and that's all I have to say about that.”

She attempted to push her way through the crowd, but another reporter stepped in her path. How on earth had the news of Neil's sickness spread so quickly? She'd only known herself for a day now!

“Mrs. Lancaster…you do go by that name, don't you? Or are you Lucy Ewing now?”

Lucy continued walking; deciding that the best approach would be to ignore these annoying people. Another one stalked after her. “Mrs. Lancaster, we all know that Mr. Lancaster moved out of the house for some unknown reasons, but that came before he allegedly attacked Afton Cooper, care to shed some light on why he moved out? Or you and your husband not on good terms now?”

“I said I don't have anything else to say…”

The reporter raised his finger and started to speak.

“To ANY of you,” Lucy finished.

“But Mrs. Lancaster, we just have a few questions for you, that's all. We just need a comment…”

“What is your problem!” Lucy shouted, finally losing her cool. “I said I had NOTHING else to say!”

The cameras continued to roll in Lucy's face, but she tried to ignore them. “I understand the way you feel Mrs. Lancaster, but please, just a few questions...”

“Listen you asshole, I said I'm not answering another freakin' question and if you ask me anything else, so help me I'll…”

“You'll what?” the reporter asked.

Lucy hauled back her arm and punched him in the jaw, full force. The reporter's microphone went flying into the gathering crowd and the reporter himself went flying into the cameraman. Both fell into a tangled heap on the ground and the camera lens burst on impact.

The other once-eager reporters took a few cautious steps backwards as Lucy shook her now aching hand. “That's my comment,” Lucy said through tears. “And if anyone else would like another comment, I'd be happy to oblige, just speak up…”

The crowd went silent and Lucy took a second to mop away her tears. “If any of you people bother my husband with your stupid questions, then I will personally make sure you never work in Dallas again, no matter what I have to do.”

The crowd widened into a path as Lucy walked toward her car and there were a few nervous murmurs amongst the reporters as Lucy's tires signaled her departure. They all knew very well what any one of the Ewings was capable of.

“Mr. Ewing, hi. What can I do for you?”

“Well for one thing, you can stop calling me Mr. Ewing, it makes me feel like your grandpa or something!”

Elayne leaned forward in her chair and looked him straight in the eyes and smiled. “Trust me, you're nothing like my grandpa!”

“Okay, okay, just call me Bobby. I wanted to talk with you about this report.” He waved a folder in the air.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, in fact, it's great. Your idea on how to increase our profit margin is innovative. And I actually think it might work.”

Elayne was thrilled, some of the men in the company had been giving her a hard time about being Vice President and she was anxious to prove herself. She picked up two other folders that were sitting on her desk. “Thank you. I have some other proposals here relating to how to implement that profit sharing plan.”

“That's another thing you can do for me, stop working so hard, you're making the rest of us look bad.”

Elayne put down the pencil she was holding, smiled and leaned back in her chair, “Whatever you say, boss!”

“But then again, since you've already done the work, I'd hate to see it go to waste.” Bobby took the folders from her hand. “I'm on my way home; I'll read them tonight.” He turned to go.

“Mr. Ewing…Bobby,”

Bobby stopped and turned around, waiting for her to say something.

“I… just wanted to say thank you, for hiring me and giving me a chance. That's all.” She looked down, slightly embarrassed.

“Don't thank me, you're earning your pay. See ya.” Bobby walked out of her office. He had been worried that he'd made the wrong decision… that maybe Daryl should have been Vice President instead of upper management. But after seeing her work this week, and seeing the self assured way she handled herself during meetings, he was confident he'd made the right decision.

“Hello, Mr. Ewing.” Daryl was walking down the hallway toward Bobby. “Are you headed home?”

“Yes.”

“Well, say hello to that lovely wife of yours.”

Bobby looked at him quizzically. “How do you know Pam?”

“Um… well… her picture has been all over the news, you know, when she came back to Wentworth and all.”

Bobby slowly nodded his head, as the elevator doors in front of him opened. He quickly stepped in.

“Have a good evening, sir.” Daryl said, as the doors were closing. He was glad he'd run into Bobby, every meeting they had helped to remind him that Daryl was there. Still, he hadn't come up here looking for Bobby; he was looking for the woman who stole his job.

Daryl knew that he and Elayne had been interviewing for the same job. Being in that position would have made it easier for him to reach his ultimate goal. His desire right now was to make life at Wentworth so unbearable for her that she would quit – leaving the position of vice president vacant. Daryl turned around and walked straight to Elayne's office. He didn't knock; he just barged in.

Elayne looked up from her computer. It was hard not to groan or roll her eyes when she saw him. They'd only been working together a week, but after a few run ins with him, Elayne knew how annoying he could be. “Yes, Daryl?”

Daryl smirked, “I just saw Ewing coming out of here.”

“So what's your point?”

“Yeah, right, you work.”

Elayne didn't try to hide her irritation. “Daryl, I don't recall asking to see you and I know we don't have a meeting, so why are you here?”

“Oh, I just wanted to give you a warning. I know how you got this job. It should have been mine, but I'm not as pretty as you are. I hear that the Ewing men have a reputation for hiring pretty women.”

“That's what this is all about! I knew you wanted my job. Well back off! Bobby likes the way I'm handling things.”

Daryl's smirk turned into a leer. “Oh, yeah, I'll bet he does.” He took another step toward her desk and put his hand up to his chin, as if deep in thought. “So you're calling him Bobby now? While the rest of us call him Mr. Ewing? Isn't that interesting. I've got some advice for you why don't you quit now before you get your pretty little self fired?!”

“How dare you come in here and make such accusations! We both interviewed for this job, and Bobby chose the best person for it - Me!

I interviewed, I'm not sure what you did to get hired!

You're really a toad, aren't you?” Elayne stood up. “Get out of my office!”

Daryl took a step back. “Fine, I'll go, just heed the warning. Pretty-boy Bobby doesn't own this company, his wife does. And I don't think she'd approve of the way you do your job!” Daryl turned on his heels and left her office quickly, before she could find anything to throw at him.

Elayne was furious! Just who did that little runt think he was coming in here and insinuating that she was sleeping with Bobby! She told herself that what the little troll thought didn't mean anything. She should let it roll off. She sighed and sat back down at her computer. She had a lot of work to do and it was going to be a long night.

His attention shifted to a gorgeous woman dressed in red who strode across the room and stepped up to the bar, finding a seat two stools down from Doug.

“I'll have a strawberry daiquiri, virgin please…I have to keep my inhibition up tonight…” Iris Wentworth nonchalantly turned to Doug and smiled at him.

Doug, never shy with a woman, patted the stool next to him, inviting Iris to come closer.

“Perfecto.” Iris thought. She slid over onto the stool next to him and swiveled around, crossing her leg so that her split skirt revealed just enough of her smooth leg to grab his attention. Iris tapped Doug's glass with her red fingernail. “You look like a man who could afford much more than just a beer…am I right?”

“My boss pays well.”

“Oh? What is it that you do? Mr…”

“It's Doug.”

“Doug.” Iris let the name roll off her tongue. “Sexy name…it fits you. It suggests strength…a real man.”

Doug let himself smile just a bit. This woman was really getting to him, but there was something about her that was very familiar. Where had he seen her before?

“I'm a private investigator of sorts,” Doug said, answering the rest of her question.

The bartender handed Iris her daiquiri and Doug quickly paid for it, which in turn earned a smile from Iris. “Private investigator? You might say I do sort of the same type of thing…in a roundabout sort of way.” God, I'm doing this for you J.R…please forgive me.

“I think I gotcha,” Doug commented, finishing off his beer.

Iris looked back to the darkened windows of the bar, rubbing her bare arms as she did. “It's an awfully cold night out. I know I could use a little something to warm me up.” Iris ran her hand across Doug's leg.

Not able to stand it anymore, Doug stood up. “My place is right down the street…why don't we go back there for a little while.”

Iris stood and wrapped her arm around Doug's waist. “I thought you'd never ask.”

In complete silence, the spy crept down the darkened hallway. When the door was reached, the spy slid the card in the slot. “Click.” The sound signaling the opening of the door made the spy jump. The now-unlocked doorknob was quietly turned and opened.

The plan was to look for software with the design and materials used in making the new Wentworth off shore drilling system, the problem was that, just as they had expected, the discs were all marked with numbers instead of words. The spy had two choices, try to break the code, or start loading the discs into the computer to try and figure out what they were.

The spy chose a desk toward the back of the room, grabbed a few discs and sat down at one of the computers picking up the first disc. Just as the disc was about to be slid into the computer, the lab door opened. Luckily, there were other rows of computer desks and lab equipment hiding the spy from view. At the front of the lab, a janitor entered and began whistling and performing his nightly task of emptying the garbage cans.

The spy sat motionless for a moment and waited. The sounds were getting closer. The spy slid from the chair onto the floor and crawled to the end of the row of computer modules and carefully looked around the corner.

The janitor was methodically emptying each small garbage can into a bigger one. He kept moving from row to row. The spy had to get out of there quickly!

The spy quickly crawled to the other end of the row stopping only to grab a few of the discs that were sitting out on a desk. When the spy got to the end, they took a peek around the corner and when it was clear, ran silently, hunched over, pausing at each row to check for the janitor. When the spy got to the row where the janitor was working, they paused until he headed back down the row to the other end. While his back was turned, the spy made it back to the front of the lab.

Now the only problem was getting to the door without being seen by the janitor and then hoping that the coast was clear out in the hallway. 1…2…3! The spy took off for the door, the janitor turned around, just in time to see the door shutting. The spy took off the gloves and slowed their trot to a walk as they turned a corner headed for the stairs. But the spy picked up the pace again when the voice of the janitor was heard yelling, “Who's there?” The question hung in the air and echoed in the darkened hallways.

She hadn't had much of a chance to look around before Doug had drawn her into a love-making frenzy, but she hoped she'd still be able to find what she had come here to look for.

Iris slid open a drawer in Doug's desk and began to filter through the papers, but found nothing of interest. Losing hope, she moved over to the next drawer. What were the chances that Doug even kept information this important here in his apartment? He'd probably already delivered it to J.R.!

Iris hoped not. She had to get those folders from Doug and give them to Rex. If she didn't, then she knew Rex wouldn't hesitate to make good on his threats. J.R. and John Ross would both be in grave danger.

Iris froze when she heard Doug's voice, but she relaxed once again when she realized he had just been talking in his sleep. She had to do this and she had to do it quickly…this would probably be her only chance.

Iris smiled when she finally located the folder with the damaging information inside that Doug had found on Rex. She searched through the drawer and came across another folder. Iris closed the drawer, relieved that she had found it.

Iris stuffed the folders into her purse and located a pen and notepad, where she quickly wrote out a lie-filled note to Doug:

Doug,

Thanks for a fabulous night of passion. Sorry I couldn't stay longer, but I was paged (family emergency). Perhaps we can meet again some other time.

Passionately yours,

Irene

J.R. smiled and picked up the line. “J.R. Ewing here.”

“J.R.” On the other end of the line, Doug's head hung in shame. How was he going to tell J.R. that all the files dealing with the investigation with Rex were missing? More importantly, what was J.R. going to do to him?

“What've you got for me Doug? Nailed Rex Wentworth yet?”

“J.R., I don't know how to tell you this…” J.R. could hear the fear in his voice.

“Don't joke around with me boy. What's going on.”

“J.R., the files are missing. All the evidence about Rex.”

“So replace them. I've got the money.”

“That's the problem. A lot of them I got, er, well….not in conventional ways. Some of them are irreplaceable.”

“What the hell did you do?” J.R. yelled into the phone.

“I don't know. It's like they disappeared. I didn't do anything with them! They were in my apartment….I locked it and everything!” Doug briefly flashed back to last night, the one he'd spent with the woman in red. Could she have had something to do with the disappearance of the files? Doug had also hired a maid to stop by and clean up the place…maybe it had been her?

“Don't give me excuses boy.”

“J.R., I didn't do anything. I wasn't lazy and I wasn't stupid. I'd hope that working me this long, you would know this.”

J.R. took a deep breath. “You're going to pay for this.”

“I think Rex Wentworth was behind it.”

“How do I know you're not working for him?”

“I'm not! J.R.—“ Doug was panicking. “I know I can't prove it to you, but I wouldn't betray you…”

“You think Wentworth was behind it?”

“He owns an international conglomerate. He's got the resources. I wouldn't be surprised.”

J.R. rubbed his forehead with his fingers. He felt like he was going to burst a blood vessel. “Doug, I'm warning you…I don't care how those files got lost, but you'd damned well better find them…or come up with something else.” He hung up the phone.

It seemed like Rex Wentworth was winning. J.R. was damned if he was going to let that continue.

Lucy managed a small smile as she pulled away. “No…you and Melissa have the rest of your lives together, don't let my problems ruin this day for you.”

John Ross sighed and looked out the window at the gathering wedding crowd. “My own problems are ruining this day enough already.”

“What? John Ross, what's the matter?” Lucy was concerned and welcomed the chance to divert attention away from her own problems.

“Nothing, it's okay.”

“Well, let me give you a piece of advice. If there's a problem…something between you and Melissa, then you have to go to her and talk about it before you two marry. Neil and I didn't do that and our marriage almost fell apart because of it.”

“That's not really what I wanted to hear, but I guess I've known it all along.”

But, for the most part, that was just like Patricia Shepard. Still, Sue Ellen worried. Her grandson was getting married today and Patricia didn't even know about it. Not only that, but she didn't know that she had a great-grandson and she'd never even met Melissa.

Sue Ellen was surprised when Kaitlin let herself into the room and Sue Ellen greeted her sister warmly. “Kaitlin, hi, it's been a while.”

“Yeah, it has, but I've been busy…lots of politics mainly.”

“Oh? You never struck me as one to be interested in politics.” Sue Ellen stood up and slid her chair back in place under the vanity. “So what brings you to Southfork today?”

“My nephew is getting married, remember?”

“Oh! Of course…” Sue Ellen hoped she wasn't going senile when she needed a pen and paper just to keep her own family tree straight.

“I mean, I don't really know John Ross all that well, but still, I thought I should be here. If that's okay with you.”

“Of course it's okay with me Kaitlin.”

“I know you guys still have to take a second glance whenever I'm around…after all that Kristin did to this family…plus the fact that she's dead and I'm her twin sister, I'm sure that can't be easy sometimes.”

Sue Ellen gave her sister a reassuring smile. “Kristin is a part of the past.”

Kaitlin nodded. “So how's Christopher doing? I didn't see him when I came in and we haven't talked in a while.”

“He's doing much better now…hasn't taken a drink in months.” Sue Ellen said, reflecting back on her own battle with alcoholism as she talked to Kaitlin.

“I knew he could do it. Christopher's a strong young man…and he has a wonderfully supportive wife.”

Sue Ellen nodded in agreement. “I just hope John Ross and Melissa will be as happy as Christopher and Karen are now.”

“So what about you Sue Ellen. Are you happy?”

Kaitlin's concern caught Sue Ellen off guard and she stuttered for a moment. “I'm happy enough…I have a wonderful son who's getting married today, a new grandson, and I'm back at Ewing Oil fulltime. What more could I want?”

“A man. Whatever happened to Jack?”

“Jack's another thing of the past.”

“But from what I saw, he made you so happy. I know he was crazy about you. What happened?”

Sue Ellen wasn't about to tell Kaitlin about kissing J.R. She wasn't sure that she could completely trust her. After all, Kristin had seemed totally innocent at first too. “I just got bored with him…he was a good friend, but he wanted more than friendship and I wasn't willing to go any further.”

“It's J.R. isn't it?”

Sue Ellen turned back around to the mirror, knocking over bottles of perfume in the process. The hesitation that followed lasted long enough to confirm Kaitlin's suspicions.

“I saw you two having dinner one night at the Oil Baron's…I could see the way you both looked at each other.” Kaitlin kneeled over and began to help Sue Ellen pick up the perfume bottles that were strewn across the floor.

“Then your eyes were deceiving you Kaitlin. That flame died down years ago…and there's no match in Texas…or on this earth…that can light it back up.” Sue Ellen put the last bottle back in place and stood back up. “Now if you'll excuse me, my son's getting married in less than an hour and I'd like to go see him.”

Kaitlin turned around and watched Sue Ellen disappear into the hallway. “Who are you kidding Sue Ellen? Time is the match that lit that flame back up…and now it's burning brighter than ever. Everyone can see that; why can't you?”

J.R. grinned to himself ever so slightly as he thought back to June 1998, to John Ross' first attempt at a wedding.

“So, son, do you want a drink? Because you sure as hell sound like you could use one.” J.R. poured up a bourbon and branch and shook the glass in front of John Ross.

“Maybe just a little sip,” John Ross said, caving, “have you seen Karen?”

“Not since that fool Beam broke up the wedding,” J.R. replied.

“Oh, well, I'd rather not talk about that right now.” John Ross took a sip of the drink and then washed it down with another.

“Of course not son, but you have to face it, you do have my genes in your blood.”

“I know Dad, I know.”

“So, what are you going to do with 25% of Ewing Oil now?”

John Ross looked at his father and took another swallow of his drink, “I don't know...I don't even care anymore.”

“Well son, it's important that Ewing Oil has a good, firm leadership. Not like Bobby or your mother. Bobby's always out on the ranch with Ray and your mother doesn't know the first thing about the oil business. How the hell could those two run a company? If they keep this mess up, then Ewing Oil, will be ran into the ground in no time. Do you want that to happen to your granddaddy's company John Ross?”

“Hell no, but I don't know how to run an oil company, what do you suggest I do?”

J.R. smiled to his son and said, “Sell me your shares in Ewing Oil.”

J.R. rolled his eyes and stepped back when he saw Isabel coming toward him with a tray of drinks. “Mr. Ewing…would you care for a drink?”

“No thank you,” J.R. said condescendingly. “I didn't think to wear a raincoat, so why don't you take your little self over there and serve drinks to somebody else.”

Isabel bit her lip and resisted the urge to go ahead and spill the whole tray on him, just for the heck of it. As she walked away, she passed Lucas and he pulled her off to a secluded corner of the yard.

“Didn't think I'd ever find you!” he said.

“What's up?”

“Gimme a drink first, I think I'm gonna need it.”

Lucas reached for the tray, but Isabel pulled it back. “I don't think so, you're underage.”

“Like that ever stopped you,” Lucas said, swiping a drink from the tray. “Anyway, I was about to tell you. I saw that old lady on the news this morning.”

“Don't tell me you're still thinking about that! We got away and no one will ever be the wiser.”

Lucas sighed. “If my Dad ever found out about that…” Isabel suddenly started shaking her head, confusing Lucas. When he turned around, he realized what she'd been trying to tell him. “Uncle Bobby…hey. Whassup?”

Bobby looked from Lucas to Isabel. “If Ray ever found out about what?”

“Ohh, it's awful Mr. Ewing,” Isabel confessed. “Lucas has gone and done the most awful thing and I bet if his Dad finds out about it, he'd skin the poor kid alive.”

Perplexed, Bobby continued to question her. “And what has Lucas done that's so terrible?” Bobby almost had to laugh at the irony of the situation. Here Lucas was worrying about his Dad finding out something when actually, Ray wasn't even his father. Isabel was about to confess this terrible deed to his real Dad.

“Isabel!” Lucas whispered, “you're not gonna tell him!”

“Yeah, it was awful I tell you…”

“Well?” Bobby asked, looking at Isabel. “That's about enough beating around the bush. Now tell me what's going on here.”

“Are you sure you're ready for this Mr. Ewing?” Isabel continued. She looked around and found a folded up chair, which was going to be used for the wedding. “Here…maybe you should be sitting down for this.”

“Isabel, tell me now or else J.R. won't be the only person threatening to send you back home.” What had Lucas done that was so awful?

“Ok, here I go,” Isabel said, defeated. “We went out on a date last night and Lucas came home ten minutes after his curfew. He had to sneak in the house and pretend like he'd been upstairs all along.”

It was all Lucas could do to keep from passing out. Why did Isabel love to torture him like this! “Yeah…please don't tell my Dad, he's really strict about curfews and stuff.”

Bobby smiled and broke out into a laugh. “My lips are zipped. I know for a fact that Ray's done a lot worse than that back in his day.”

Bobby walked away, still smiling, when Theresa came up to him, “Mr. Bobby, there's a phone call for you, the person said it's an emergency.”

“Thank you, Theresa.” Bobby walked over to one of the patio phones. “Hello.”

“Mr. Ewing, I'm sorry to disturb you at home,” it was Sandra, his secretary from Wentworth Tool and Die.

“Sandra, whatever this is, can't it wait until tomorrow? My nephew is getting married today.”

“Mr. Ewing, there has been a theft in the research lab.”

“What? When? How?”

“No one is sure yet, but the police are here already.”

“What was stolen?”

“It looks like only a few discs from the research lab.”

Bobby's heart rate suddenly sped up. All of the plans for the new drill were down there. “Does anyone know which discs they got yet?”

“Um, no, I don't think so. At least I haven't heard anything.”

The person had to be looking for the drill plans. “Damn! We didn't need this! Not now that we're so close to getting that drill finalized!”

“I'm sorry Mr. Ewing….” Sandra's voice trailed off.

“Thanks for letting me know, Sandra. Keep me posted.” Bobby hung up the phone. He didn't know for sure that the thief had been after the drill, but it was a good bet. He'd have to up security. That drill was the best, and possibly only, chance they had to get Wentworth back on its feet again.

“Chill, man. I hate to work with someone looking over my shoulder all of the time – gives me the creeps.” Ace sat back and watched as the Wentworth Tool and Die logo came up on the screen. “You've got to admit, man, that's one cool logo!”

“Come on Ace, get on with it. See if it's the right disc.” Eric was pacing the floor now.

“Okay, okay.” The menu screen came up and Ace laughed, “It's the right disc, all right! It's all of their secrets about lab rules and routines. Ha ha ha ha!”

“What?” Eric ran up behind him to look for himself, and there was “Benny the Beaker” ready to take them on a tour through the Wentworth laboratory. “Damn it!” He pulled the disc out and threw it on Ace's desk. “Try the other ones.”

Ace quietly checked the other two, when he was done, he turned to Eric and said in the most serious tone he could muster. “You got it, man. It's a three part series!” Ace convulsed with laughter.

Eric wasn't amused.

“Hey you two!”

Melissa opened the cage and attempted to separate them with her hand, but Juliet took a leap and flew directly out the cage opening. “Juliet!” Melissa shouted, running after her.

The bird answered with a squawk and Romeo squawked back at her from his perch in the cage.

“Melissa?” Angela McSween stepped in the apartment as Juliet made a beeline for the nearest open window.

“Mom! Close it!” Melissa yelled, running toward the window as fast as she possibly could in her wedding dress.

Angela sprinted over to the window, but she was too late. Juliet had escaped.

“Melissa, how many times did I tell you that you should've had their wings clipped?” Angela dropped a shopping bag on the couch and sat down.

Melissa craned her neck to look out the window, but didn't see any sign of Juliet. “I can't believe this…”

From his cage, Romeo let out a forlorn cry.

Angela shook the bag to get Melissa's attention. “Come on, no time to cry over a bird that flew the coop…we have a wedding to get to and you're still not ready.”

Melissa reluctantly closed the window and then followed her mother into the back bedroom.

But his 'problem' would go away over time, wouldn't it? John Ross knew that Angela would never tell Melissa what they did…she stood to lose too much if she did.

He adjusted the bowtie on his tuxedo and then walked over to the window where he stared down at the gathering crowd. They'd all come to see him marry the woman of his dreams, but could he do that with a guilty conscience?

He barely heard the knock at the door and he made no hasty attempt to answer it, thinking that it could be someone telling him to hurry and come downstairs for the wedding. John Ross knew he wasn't ready to make the choice yet, but he would have to soon.

“Hey!” Jillian said when he opened the door. She was wearing a cream-colored dress and her blonde hair was pulled up on top of her head and tied up with a ribbon.

“Melissa's not here yet is she?” John Ross spurted out, not bothering to return his sister's greeting.

“She wasn't when I was downstairs, but she'd better be here soon…the wedding starts in fifteen minutes.”

“Oh God,” John Ross muttered.

“Nervous?”

“I wish that was all it was, but it's not.”

“Don't tell me you've got cold feet…you're not going to back out of this are you? Melissa would be heartbroken!”

John Ross massaged his temples in an effort to thwart a rapidly advancing headache, but with all he had to worry about, he sincerely doubted it would work. “No, I'm not backing out…I just need to talk to Melissa before the wedding…I think.”

“You think? John, you're sweating…”

“I know…it's hot in here.”

“No it's not, it's freezing.”

Christopher burst into the room without knocking. “John Ross, come on!”

“It's time? And Melissa's not here?” John Ross' voice was barely a whisper.

“Yeah! She'll be here though, but we need to get everybody in their places, especially you.” Christopher disappeared as quickly as he'd arrived and once again, John Ross was alone with his sister.

“Something's bad wrong isn't it?” Jillian asked.

John Ross nodded, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he did so. “Yeah…and this wedding can't go on until I talk to Melissa…until she knows what I've done.”