John Ross sat on the back of a horse, quite a distance away from the ranch, watching the construction. Pamela Rebecca was next to him, and even though she had ridden before, it was like moving heaven and earth to get her back on one. Both had agreed that it would do them some good to get out in the open for a while.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?"

"Yeah it is," said Pamela Rebecca. "John Ross, there's something that's been bothering me lately." She brushed her windblown hair out of her eyes as she looked at him.

"What would that be?"

"You proposed to me back in December, but it's February now, almost March. When are we getting married?"

John Ross spoke after getting over his initial surprise.

"Well, so much has happened. Christmas was hectic, with the ice storm and all. Then we had the explosion and Megan's been in the hospital. We really haven't had the opportunity to get married."

"I guess you're right. But let's get married soon, okay?"

"Why don't we take a little vacation first, maybe go some place tropical? We could take Megan with us, call it a pre-wedding honeymoon. I'm not in any hurry to get married."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Hawaii, the Bahamas, somewhere -- ANYWHERE. Let's get out of Dallas."

"What about your 25% of Ewing Oil? Surely you don't think the world is going to stand still why you go off on a vacation."

"I'm sure my Dad will be more than happy to assume control of that until I return. I'll talk to him today."

They would be crossing over into Europe any second. Sue Ellen originally did not want to stay in Dallas as long as she did, but with Pam and Bobby's wedding, the explosion at Southfork, and Cliff's death, the family needed her. Cliff's funeral had been almost two weeks before and Sue Ellen had left Dallas as soon as she knew Megan was going to be okay. She had done a lot of thinking since then, about Cliff, and their past. Their relationships over the years had never worked out, mostly due to Cliff's incessant need to beat J.R., but, in reflection, there was a part of her that always would hold affection for Cliff in her heart. Afton's words about her late husband were cutting, but Sue Ellen felt on the whole untrue. Cliff had his negative qualities -- very vibrant and noticeable negative qualities -- but he was a good man at heart, just like Dusty. He had been acting so strange before she left. As her thoughts turned to worry, Sue Ellen told herself that she would have to take immediate action upon returning to France.

Sue Ellen strode down the hall of the French Hotel that she and Dusty had been occupying for the past few weeks. As she took her key out of her purse, she took a deep breath, prepared to confront Dusty on what was worrying her. She entered the room, the silence permeating the air.

"Dusty?" She called out, peeking her head in the bathroom.

Sue Ellen walked into the bedroom and screamed.

Even though the funeral had only been a couple of weeks ago, Lucy Ewing was still having difficulty getting her self up in the morning. The motel room was beginning to bring her down. "I need to get the hell out of here. Thank God Southfork will be ready soon." Lucy did get up, showered and dressed. There was one thing keeping her going, and that was trying to make her relationship with Cliff mean something. Her talk with J.R. had surprised her. Yes, he had laughed, but had also agreed to meet with her. That meeting was today and Lucy prepared herself, prepared to sell herself to not just a new boss, not just an uncle, but to the man she hated more than anyone in the world.

Afton Cooper was up with the sun and feeling great. Today was the day...dress rehearsal. Afton showered, dressed, and headed to the kitchen.

"Morning sweetie, how did you sleep?" Arliss Cooper poured her daughter a cup of coffee as she spoke.

"Like a baby. I am so excited about today, we're putting the final touches on the show and tomorrow we tape, audience and all!"

"I am so excited for you dear, you have waited a long time to get your much deserved success."

"You're right mother. Roy and I are fighting though. I want to sing the theme song, but he is determined to get another singer, but it is my show, and I will get my way."

Arliss rolled her eyes. She loved her daughter, but was never too keen on her singing ability. "Well Afton, he is the producer, he might know best."

"Believe me he doesn't. My show, my way, he will just have to get used to that. Mother, what are you doing today, why don't you come by the studio and watch me in action?"

"Afton, you know I am not ready to face the world yet, it isn't time."

"I know, I know!" Afton was getting a little frustrated with her mother's refusal to show herself. "Mother, I am getting worried about you. You sit home all day, doing nothing but watching television. It is time. You came to Cliff's funeral, no one saw you. You saw what Lucy did to me that day, treating me like a damned piece of dirt, it is time to pay her back for all she has done."

"Afton, I know how you feel about Lucy, believe me I know, but Lucy will get hers, you just have to relax, the timing is not right.... I am not ready."

"What do you mean, 'the timing is not right?'" Afton stared at her mother and slowly a grin spread across her face. "You have a plan, mother, don't you? Tell me, tell me what it is!"

"Not yet Afton, I will tell you when you are ready to hear it. I think I hear the limo, you had better get out there."

"No, you can't leave me hanging like this, the limo will wait, tell me what you are planning."

Arliss turned toward the stove and picked up a large butcher knife from the counter. She slowly picked it up and waved it slowly around in front of her chest. Afton stood motionless watching her mother. Arliss took the knife and carefully and deliberately began to scrape the sharp edge along the inside of her arm, as it got close to the vein, she added pressure from her other hand, breaking the skin allowing small trickles of blood to fall to the floor. Arliss looked at her daughter, standing quietly a few feet away. She smiled. "Afton you look shocked. Don't worry my dear, it's just a little pain, a little pain never hurt anybody. But..." Arliss's smile grew larger, and more evil. "A lot. A lot of pain, well...that will hurt, and we do want Lucy to hurt don't we?"

The police had taken moments to come after she called them, Dusty was dead. The police had confirmed what she suspected, but was too afraid to admit: suicide. Dusty had overdosed on some heavy tranquilizers, painkillers that the doctor had described. After some initial questioning, the police let her be, giving Sue Ellen time to herself.

The loneliness was piercing. Dusty was really gone.

"Why was I so stupid?" Sue Ellen asked herself. "I should have come back sooner, I should have come back sooner." It was repeating in her head over and over. She pulled out the note that had lain on the nightstand, next to Dusty's body. It was the only reminder of him that she had right now.

Sue Ellen,

The secret was hidden too long, and it had to come out. I am just sorry this is the way that it happened. I've had suspicions that you've known about my disease for a while (after all you're not stupid -- as J.R.'s wife you could never afford to be), but it was time that I dealt with the problem directly. As you may (if my suspicions were correct) or may not know, cancer was running rampant through my body. It had spread to my brain. I tried to keep it a secret from you, perhaps in vain, because I did not want you to suffer. I love you too much for that. The doctors informed me long ago that the cancer was terminal, so I knew death was impending. I was angry at first -- furious -- and I think that I mistakenly took that anger out on you. For that, I am truly sorry. I am also sorry that you have to read this note. What I am saying, Sue Ellen, is that I am sorry things have turned out this way. It seemed like we had a chance to be happy, but it was fleeting. Right now you must be feeling incredible anger at me for doing this to you. This was not a gallant act, rather, it was the bane of selfishness. I am too selfish to see YOU suffer as I suffered. The months that I was going to be laying in a hospital, dying, I did NOT want you to be there holding my hand, in almost more pain than I was. For I knew that you loved me Sue Ellen, and that my long, agonizing death would be worse for you. That is how I die Sue Ellen, knowing that you love me. Please tell my father that I love him very much, and die with only the utmost respect for him.

Remember me always,
Dusty

Sue Ellen put away the note, a tear staining the page as she folded it.

"There is absolutely nothing to do in this hotel suite! Mother, can we please go shopping or something?" Margaret looked at her mother with the most desperate, pouty, little girl face that she could put on.

"Give me time sweetheart, I am almost through with these enrollment papers for your school," her mother said in her southern flair.

"You know, I'll absolutely die if I have to talk to that moron, Lucas, one more time!"

Come on Maggie, you know that you are going to have to go to school with him everyday. I really want you to try to get along with him, he is a fun guy. Remember, he has been through a lot recently. You guys have a good bit in common, whether you realize it or not!"

"Mom, you know as well as I do that Jenna was a psychopath, and my daddy died a respected Senator. Jenna hung herself for God's sake!"

"Maggie, you know how much I love you, and I know that Andrew Dowling loved you more than life itself. He raised you and helped give you a wonderful life. I am forever grateful to that man for loving us the way he did. Sweetie, Ray is your daddy, I have never told you anything else. He loves you very much! Now, I know that you may not feel the same way about him right now, but give it time. Please promise me that you will at least give him a chance. As for Lucas, I think he will grow on you with time."

"Yeah, like a tick I'm sure."

"Let's go dear, I am in the mood for some major shopping!"

"Now that's something that we both can agree on."

Margaret laughed as they left to attack the mall.

Lucas was working out in the hotel gym as he greeted his dad. "Hey pops, what's up?"

"Not much scrawny, what's up with you?"

"Scrawny, you tell me another 16 year old that has a bod like this," Lucas said as he pointed to his well- developed physique.

"Just kidding, you know how proud I am of you for keeping in shape the way you do, but you have been overdoing it a bit, lately."

"It helps me to keep my mind off of mom and everything else that is going on."

"Son, I know that you have had a lot on you, but do you have to push yourself so hard?"

"Don't forget, I have that wrestling competition coming up, and I would die at baseball practice if I didn't work out on my own."

"I want you to show Margaret around school Monday, I am sure she is nervous about switching schools halfway through high school," Ray looked concerned for his daughter.

"Maggie is in good hands, all I have to tell everybody is that she is a Ewing, her looks will do the rest. She will be an instant success."

"She is a doll. When you get through working out, you can go to the front and ask the valet to get your car and we'll go for a ride." Ray waited for a response.

It took a minute to register with Lucas what Ray was talking about. "WHAT, a car, no way, you mean it!"

Lucas flew past Ray into the lobby, totally forgetting that he didn't have a shirt on, getting several looks from well dressed people in the lobby. He did remember, however, when the cold air hit him at the doors.

"Oh my God!" There, parked in front of the hotel, was a brand new red Mercedes M-class SUV with a huge bow on the hood. Lucas just stood there and looked at the vehicle.

"Since you are going to be hauling Margaret back and forth to school, I figured you needed something to ride in that is safe and reliable."

"Wow, I don't believe it. But, the money?"

"Don't you worry about money anymore son. I took some of the money that McKay paid me for the ranch last year and went in with some oil boys that your Granddaddy Jock and I did business with in Takapa years ago. It was a great deal, and anyway, money is not a problem anymore. There will be plenty of it for a very long time."

"Well, whatever, thanks dad, you are the best!" Lucas hugged his dad and took the keys from the valet. "Let's see what this baby will do."

"Hold on, take it easy. You need to get used to it first." Ray had his family all together in Dallas, things were finally looking up for Jock's son.

Pam walked out of the medical center and found herself breaking out into a huge grin. She went to sit down on the bench and relived the last 30 minutes.

She had to come in to see Dr. Danvers, as she hadn't been feeling well while on the honeymoon, which worried Bobby but Pam had cheerfully chalked it up to the different food and all the turmoil that had led up to their going away.

But when she had nearly fainted, that sent Bobby into worried mode and he had made the appointment for her.

Oh Bobby isn't going to believe this. As she got up from the bench, Pam found herself staring at a little boy and suddenly froze as a memory from long ago came unbidden into her mind.

"He's MY child Pam." She spun around to face someone, cuddling the tiny bundle closer to her. "No he's NOT. He's…"

The memory faded as a hand came to rest on her arm. Surprised, she jumped and then she looked up to see a worried Bobby standing there.

"Karen!"

"Go away, Christopher. You and I have nothing else to discuss."

"This is far from over Karen! Please, let me in."

Christopher stood outside of Karen's hotel room, their hotel room. The night before, Carla had confronted him at the Oil Baron's Club. After he saw her, and heard her story, the memory of New Year's Eve all returned to him, leaving him feeling empty inside. Carla had explained everything and Karen had fled, taking their car, leaving him at the Oil Baron's Club.

"Christopher, I never want to see you again. You betrayed me, betrayed us."

Lucy had been waiting around the Ewing Oil reception area for almost 30 minutes. She had an appointment with her Uncle at 10 a.m. and she was beginning to get angry. She walked back and forth, driving the receptionist crazy. Finally when she could wait no longer, she burst past the desk into J.R.'s office.

"J.R., I have been waiting for almost..." Lucy stopped when she saw her uncle. J.R. was not deep in a business meeting, on the telephone, or wrapped up in front of the computer, J.R., good ole Uncle J.R., was sitting on his sofa, with a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper. "What the hell are you doing, just sitting there, keeping me waiting?"

"What am I doing? Currently trying to find out if Charlie Brown will actually talk to that little red-haired girl."

"J.R. It is not going to work. I am not giving up. I want a career and I want it at my family's company, I want to work for Ewing Oil."

"Yes I know and I've been giving it deep thought. I think I have the perfect position for you."

"What would that be?"

"Well, a couple of your bubble-head relatives did okay at the job. Jamie...Kristin, thought you might like to answer phones, I know how you love to yack. "

"You're so funny. Listen you old goat, I do not want a job, I want a career." Lucy sat behind her Uncle's desk and put her feet up on it. "This feels pretty good. J.R., I want to work for you.

"Well honey, you really got me confused now."

"Alzheimer's? J.R. it is simple. I know that if I want to be an important part of Granddaddy's company, if I want to actually learn more about the business, I mean really learn, I need to work along side you."

"You want to be my assistant, if so my coffee is getting a little cold."

"Not an assistant, a student maybe. I know that there is a lot I can do to make your job a whole lot easier. And... I know once I am here for awhile you will see that."

"Lucy, you surprised me. I expected this meeting to be just a big waste of my time, but I am actually a little impressed with you, shocked, but impressed nonetheless."

"So...you will give me a shot."

"Not so fast, impressed yes, but I still need to give some thought to what it will be like to have you under foot all day long."

"Ok, fair enough, well, I will be in touch." Lucy walked out of the office, as abruptly as she had entered it, leaving her Uncle, still on the couch. He had finished Charlie Brown, and moved down one to Blondie as John Ross walked in.

"Hi Dad."

"Well, hello Son. I expected you in earlier today."

"I need to talk to you and ask you a favor."

"Have a seat."

John Ross took a seat in front of J.R.'s desk. "I want to take a little vacation with Pamela Rebecca and I want you to assume temporary control of my 25% of the company. I trust you know what to do with it."

J.R.'s eyes glistened at the thought. "If you want a vacation, then go right ahead. You're 25% will be in good hands until you get back."

"Thanks Dad, I knew I could count on you. Akbar is back in town and you'll need to finalize that deal. All it needs is a signature to complete it, but unfortunately, he won't be able to come in until Friday. Pamela Rebecca and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon."

"Shouldn't be a problem. You two kids have fun and don't hurry back. Stay as long as you need to."

"Thanks Dad," said John Ross, leaving the office.

J.R. smiled and laughed. "John Ross, I hope you'll stay a while. It's going to be so much easier running the company alone, with no one else to help make the decisions." J.R. let out another laugh as he folded up his newspaper.

Todd Foster folded up the business section of the Dallas Herald, announcing Bobby Ewing's purchase of NorthStar Oil from Abby Ewing. He left change on the table and walked into the diner payphone, calling information. Within a minute, he had the address and phone number for the offices of NorthStar. Todd planned to pay Bobby Ewing a little visit.

Screen freeze on Todd's face

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