Ewing Empire: Season 2

[Toni]

@Karin Schill, there we go with the "re-run" of Season 2 of "Ewing Empire".
Tonight, Episode 7 of the show, and Season Premiere of the season: "My Best Enemy´s Wedding" (Part 3: Funeral March)

Gary and Bill were waiting in the street, still dressed in their wedding tuxedoes, but they had put their ties and jackets off. When the corpse was being moved into the ambulance, Bill walked down the corner and began to vomit. He was James´s best friend and personal mechanic, and the experience was turning out traumatic to him. A wedding had been planned but somebody had been murdered instead. Gary looked up inside the house, looking for his younger brother Bobby. As he could not see him, tried to get into the place again.

- We´ve already told you to keep away, never mind you are a Ewing. It´s not a family reunion... – said one of the policemen rather abruptly. Bobby heard his brother´s complaints and joined them outside.

- Take it easy, nobody else is needed in there – he said quietly. Gary stared at him and asked him what he had longed to know for half an hour impatiently. From the moment they arrived at James Beaumont´s apartment in Dallas - What´d happened in there? Who´s been murdered?

Bob looked him back sadly.

- James´s mother, Vanessa. Somebody killed her.


Meanwhile, in the gardens around the Southfork House, the guests were beginning to get nervous. Pamela and Valene were just trying to calm them down, until Bob finally called and gave them the answer to their questions.

- Honey, I need your help. A tragedy happened: James´s mother is dead. His apartament is upside-down, as if destroyed by crazy people...and nobody knows where James and Cally are.

- Oh mine Bobby... – Pam said, keeping her emotions inside - I´ll tell the guests that the wedding is post-poned and they´ll be informed about it.

- Pamela: tomorrow it will be on the papers. You´d better tell our friends what happened, you and family. We´ll be right back. Love you.

- Me too... – he hang up and Pam looked around. At Sue Ellen, Valene and, a bit further, the boys. Sue Ellen walked on to her and put her hands onto Pam´s shoulders.

- Please Pam...tell us what happened – Sue Ellen begged her impatiently. They all looked at each other and John Ross asked:

- My brother, isn´t it? Something´s wrong with him...

- No John Ross. The police found Vanessa dead in James´s apartment…and he and Cally gone...


Outside the house, Madeleine, Clayton and Lucy were chatting ignoring what had happened.

- What an odd thing! I would ever be late for my wedding in a scene like this! – Madeleine assured.

- Darling, probably something happened with the limo and Bob and the boys are driving them here.

- It seems that the Southfork weddings´ jinx still lives...Just hope it isn´t anything irreparable, as Cally being stuck at the aisle or somewhatever...

- I don´t see you glad about this marriage, maybe you´d like to take the bride´s place? – Madeleine maliciously remarked.

- Gotta believe me: I could be married with someone better and more mature than James. Besides he´s half my cousin...I´d never sleep with a guy of my own family... – Lucy said, sure of one thing: nobody around knew her former passionate relationship with Ray Krebbs in the past...

- Here come the girls, and for the way they look, I´d say there´s bad news... – Clayton noticed as he stood up.


Half an hour later all the guests were gone except Alan Beam, who found Lucy in the living-room, alone.

- Hello Lucy – he kindly said.

- Oh hi – she answered, with her third gin tonic in her hand. – Why are you still here?

- I just wanted to set up a meeting with your father for tomorrow and we couldn´t talk yet. Sorry what happened...though I didn´t know the lady.

- Thanks – Lucy said coldly, as she finished her drink up. – You can bet she was a real lady...

- You too Lucy. You have become an attractive, independent, mature lady. And a good mother for your son Peter.

- Why every time we talk my son´s gotta be mentioned? You tell me and end this now...

- All right. But not now, it´s not the best moment. – Alan looked away at the room´s door and expressed what he was thinking. – You do know I am your son´s father.

After that, Alan left the room and looked for Gary. Suddenly came in a shocked Valene.

- Lucy...is that true? Is Alan Beam your son´s father?

Lucy just couldn´t hear anything. She was curled up in the couch and whispered senseless words. The combination of champagne and gin had worked out...


At her Turtle Creek home in Dallas, Sue Ellen and John Ross were making themselves comfortable. The young man was obviously worried about his older brother missing after his mother´s death: she had stood by James all the way.

- Do you wanna talk about it honey? – Sue Ellen asked as she put her elegant black high-heeled shoes off.

- No why should I. Sure James and Cally are okay, getting married in a tacky chappel in Vegas. – John Ross tried to play the hard guy, though actually he was afraid about his brother´s life...and because they had become apart since his engagement was announced. Remorse, panic and the obligation to look strong, all these things were turning his logical worries into an unreachable coldness. – Don´t worry any more.

- I always wanted to meet Vanessa Beaumont, even before to know she existed - John Ross´s look obliged her to continue – All those years married to your dad, I had the feeling that there had been one woman, the woman, who´d ultimately made him the man he always was. A heartbreak in J.R. Ewing´s life, unbelievable but true: our relationship had been worsening but not because of me, because he´d already decided nobody would ever break his heart again...

- Why are you telling me all this mother? – Sue Ellen twinked: so far her son had been calling her “mum”.

- Let´s not look for guilty ones. We left him make us the way we are. Just the way he wanted us to be. But you rebelled against him and that sank your marriage. I understand now but I did not then. Dad was like a God to me. Remember the first time he took me to an oil rig, in a village called Pride, still married with Cally... – John Ross´s voice sounded lower and lower, until it silenced. He only added: Night mum. Once alone, Sue Ellen smiled and closed her eyes... J.R. always ended up being the talk subject when something was wrong. Some way or another, it always was her, her son and J.R.

Back at Southfork, Bob gathered all the family except John Ross. On one side were Clayton, Madeleine, Lucy and Barbara. On the other Gary, Valene, Pam and Christopher. Bobby was standing up explaining his talk with the detective of the Dallas Police Department...

- I´ll let out the nasty details, so this is what happened in James´s house, upon the police. The first thing I knew was that Vanessa fell to death, surely as tried to skip a shot. She instantly died. The person responsible hasn´t been identified by her clues yet but everything seems to accuse Michelle Stevens, though it can be hard to believe.

- That whore who stalked James years ago? – Lucy rudely said, still on her hangover.

Bob looked at Pam and Val, who were missing those years – Michelle was not a whore, but my wife April´s sister. She was a very ambitious passionate girl who didn´t overcome his sister´s death and killed the woman responsible for it. She was in love with James and eventually sentenced to several years of prison for her crime.

- Do you mean that Michelle was out of jail and none of us knew it? – Christopher asked.

- Yes. At that time Pam and I were up in Toronto and the rest of you were trying hard to start over here at Southfork. A few months ago Michelle was mistaken for dead when a woman who looked alike her was picked up on the street, on drugs: a completely hopeless case. This woman had James and Michelle´s marriage license and a photo of James´s on...Then the police thought the case was easy: a homeless woman dies overdosed in a no way out street. But that was not Michelle. Michelle is still alive...

(Fade out)

The Southfork living-room was deadly quiet. Suddenly Barbara began to feel curious about it:

- Do you mean she faked her death to accomplish some sort of revenge?

- That´s the police´s opinion: before going to jail, James visited her and, don´t know what he told her, but she promised to revenge and kill him someday.

- And what a better day for her than his wedding to another woman... – Bob nodded.

- Anyway I think James outta have suspected something. He´d talked with the detective who was at charge of the case and knew that the dead girl was not Michelle at all. They also found out through a prison informant that both women had planned to murder him when out... – Valene put her hand over her stomach – Sorry Val. If you wanna go out of the room, please do. I don´t wanna see you still more upset – Madeleine, Valene and Pam went to the kitchen to get something hot to drink.

Bobby resumed his story:

- But something went wrong since their relationship turned out to be closer than it seemed to. They used to defend each other in prison...but once out, something went different and Michelle injected a lethal overdose to the other girl, whose name allegedly was Sheree. She made her drink huge amounts of alcohol and also gave her synthetic drugs: that was her last drop... – Bob breathed in and continued - As I was saying, I think James outta be suspecting something since the ad published in the Dallas press specified that James was going to be driven in the limo and not Cally. Obviously they made last minute´s changes...

- Are you hinting that they might have got married elsewhere and be enjoying their honeymoon after all, ignoring everything?

- Clayton, that´s what the police thinks. In fact that´s what they even suggested him to...

Clayton put his right hand on his eyes as Lucy tried to transmit him that she was on her side in spite of everything...and still loved him.

- There´s something I don´t get from all this mess. As you told us, the apartament was really upside-down, as if someone had gone crazy, right?

- Yeah – Bob assured – they even torn apart some of Cally´s paintings hung around.

- Therefore, what stopped somebody crazy from kidnap two people who maybe saw her to committ a murder, and then kill and get rid of them?

Bob shook his head as he was thinking it was time to join his wife and rest after such a moving day...or at least try to.


A quarter an hour after that, Bob was coming just out of the shower and drying out his body and proceeding to get into bed. A sad-looking Pam was cleaning her make-up off...

- Maybe Lucy was right all those years... – she said.

- About what?

- About the Southfork weddings´ curse...It seems that all the couples married here get somehow jinxed...

- Nonsense, just watch us.

- Should I remind you that our last wedding was celebrated at the Dallas town hall, in case you´re losing your memory...Besides, the only time we married here at the ranch, everything worsened from that day on...Jenna carrying your child, the loss of Ewing Oil, my accident...

Bob kept quiet as if remembering something or somebody he hadn´t thought about for a long time...

- You still think of him, don´t you? – when she saw her husband´s fakely innocent look, she added: - Lucas, I mean...

Lucas was the son that Bob had had with late Jenna Wade, not long after that second Southfork wedding. He had been given in adoption, as his mother had stipulated in her last will, though that was against the wishes of his natural dad Bob as well as his adoptive dad Ray´s.

- From times to times. But Christopher and you are my real family. Who sometimes worries me is Charlie, she wasn´t too centered the last time I saw her...I wonder where she must be now...

- I hope James and Cally are alive and well, and especially far away from Michelle...

Bob silently devoted a few minutes to his son Lucas. Ray would soon be returning from Australia and might know how to contact Lucas´s adoptive parents...


The next morning, John Ross and Barbara went to ride at the East Southfork lands...John Ross´s horse seemed to be putting resistance to the pace of his rider and Barbara realized that...They kept on riding fast until Barbara checked out the hurt left side of his second cousin´s horse. She asked John Ross to stop by and so he did.

- My God darling...Look what you´ve done him with your spurs... – the horse´s side was bleeding, to John Ross´s surprise.

- I didn´t think I was pushing so tight...He seemed to be out of control and going through the wrong way...

- John Ross, my mama´s daddy used to say that the horse always is right...not the rider.

The young man sat down on the ground after leaving his horse´s reins tied up to a nearby fence. He looked angry and sweaty...

- Your dad surely bought you this horse about fifteen years ago, when still riding a pony, and made the best wrestler of Texas train him for you. He´s a thoroughbred and a winner...just like you.

John Ross smiled and said: “My pony was easier to ride...”

- But the problem is not horses, right?

- No it´s not – John Ross´s look was lost into Southfork´s horizon. – It´s our first field: we should´ve found crude by now and there´s no signs of it yet...and now James disappears.

- My dear second cousin John Ross Ewing III – Barbara joked while surrounded his back with her arm – Beginnings never are easy to anyone. You gotta try, you gotta make a mistake and you gotta start over. It´s like this with everything: you have to feel pleasure with whatever you do: drilling a field, riding your favorite horse or trying to seduce a girl. That process is a part of the pleasure, not just a way to it. If your dad didn´t have your horse trained, today he´d have kicked you off in your ass...and you´d have gone out flying...

Both of them laughed out loudly...

- I think I caught the message, auntie Barb.

- And don´t worry about your brother James. Something´s telling me that he´s much better than us...

- I wanna ask you one thing: remember the videotape J.R. you gave me not long ago?

- Sure. How was it? Did you watch it already?

- No, I felt a sort of panic every time I took it out of the box. But I think it´s time to watch it now...


Pamela arrived at the Turtle Creek manor where she had an appointment with Sue Ellen for lunch. She had begged her to come and help her with an urgent issue...

- You don´t look good Pam – she sincerely remarked as they sat down at the table.

- Yes, I´m not feeling alright lately, I don´t know if it´s due to what happened yesterday or just the wedding´s stress...So what´s that urgent issue? I´m intrigued about it...

- Compared with yesterday´s tragedy, it´s nothing. But it´s about my business. Specifically a small publishing company I acquired a couple of years ago. We edited a country-wide women´s magazine that had an amazing welcome. Its editor Deborah is about to birth a child and asked me off for one year. The truth is that I don´t rely on anyone else for the job, I´ve got too many investments to control and thought about you: since you worked in fashions for so long and then in business with Cliff, you´d be the right person to replace her.

- Oh... – a surprised Pam smiled – I´m really flattered Sue Ellen. Since we came back from Toronto I haven´t been working but now I was thinking about something here in Dallas.

- I must warn you Pam: it´s not an easy job: it takes a lot of travelling several times per year around Europe, following the most reknowned fashion showings. Besides I´d like to change the focus and fit it better to 21st Century. You´re totally free to make changes and hire a new staff.

- Sounds interesting...but, why don´t you run it yourself since the publishing company is placed here in Dallas?

- My first priority is helping John Ross at Ewing Oil, even if I have to sell all my companies out. Hope I won´t but failure is out of his plans...and mine. James will be very useful, he´s got a lot of energy and they are very close. What´s more he started in oil business with master J.R. Ewing.

Pamela laughed as she got the irony in this Sue Ellen that almost had nothing to do with the one she met 22 years before, at the old Southfork Ranch.

- I´ll give you an answer tomorrow. I´d like to comment it with Bobby and...with my couch too.

- That´s what I expected to hear...Think about all that we could do with a new focus: there´s a lot of women out there who still think that men like J.R. are what they call “a good chance”...

Both women laughed out loudly again as they began to eat...

In his room in the same house, John Ross was ready to watch the video her aunt Barbara had given to him. He put the tape into the VTR and pushed the “play” button. The label on the tape side had called his attention. In the bottom of the box he found a note signed by his dad.

“Dear son – said the note – It´s time for you to watch closely this videotape. As you can see, its title is “The J.R. Ewing Story”. At the end of the movie, you´ll see the name of the person and only responsible for it, credited as “executive producer”. I want you to study it and get your own conclusions. What kind of person could ever do anything so cruel to your daddy? The answer is at the end of the movie.”

John Ross saw the first images with some cowboys driving cattle and made himself comfortable in his bed...

(Fade out)

 

[Toni]

Monday morning Sue Ellen came into the Ewing Oil offices and said her usual and silent “hello darlin´” to J.R.´s portrait. Her secretary Kelly reported her his son waiting for her at her office.

- Good mornin´ honey – she said kissing him. Suddenly she noticed coldness in his mood and voice. – Are you angry with me for any reason?

- I´ve seen that movie – he roughly said – The movie you filmed about dad.

For years Sue Ellen had been hoping that John Ross would live unaware of the fact that, before leaving Dallas, she had produced a film exposing his ex-husband´s real personality. Now he had even watched it. Probably, his years of search had worked out and J.R. had got a copy of the movie by bribing or blackmailing someone...

- What do you think of it? I want you to understand...

- I just understand that shooting him thrice wasn´t enough for you, but also tried to ruin his reputation with a pack of lies...

- The movie never was released if that may calm you down. But there wasn´t the smallest lie in it, apart from a few changed names...

- It was then was when you met Don Lockwood, right? He was your accomplice...and your lover.

- Don was a great writer-director and we did team work. No plot, only something...I had to do. Someday you´ll understand.

- I used to know who my father and my mother were, and that they couldn´t live together despite of having a son in common. Now I don´t know who my father was neither the way he felt about me...and, what´s worse, I don´t know who my mother is...or what I feel about her...

John Ross picked up his briefcase and threw away the documents inside as he said: “Look mother: this is Ewing Oil, and it´s all yours now. You run it because probably that´s what you intend to...” After that, he walked out slamming the door.

Sue Ellen stood still until got enough strength to sit down in her armchair and started to cry in silence...


That same morning, the Southfork residents got a pleasant surprise: the Krebbs family, Ray, Donna and teenage Maggie had returned from Australia.

- We´ve been missing you... – Pam said.

- We wanted to come back one day before the wedding but something unexpected happened and postponed the flight – Donna commented.

- I guess you know what happened... – Bob said, reaching for Ray´s complicity in his look.

- Yeah, it´s a tragedy. Poor Vanessa... – he exclaimed, showing him the newspaper they had seen at the airport.

- And poor James and Cally: the wedding was off... – Pam added.

- Any news about their whereabouts, where might they be? – a worried Donna asked.

- The police suspects they might have been kidnapped by a former girlfriend of James´s...But now make yourselves at home and put comfortable clothes on ´cause you gotta a lot of things to explain to us – Bob said picking up one of Ray´s bags and calling Raúl to help them.

- James´s mother, killed. Oh God mama...it´s just horrible – Maggie said, still in a shock.

- Yes, babe. We´ve got to be strong and giv´em all our support when they´re back. We should pray for them to be alive and well, wherever they are – Donna embraced her daughter.


It was a sunny morning and Lucy had invited her mother to go out with her and the children: Pete, her son, Ellie, Cally´s daughter, and Jimmy, James´s son. She drove to a place often visited in the past, in a very concrete time in his life. It was a playground not far away from Dallas, located near a troubled children´s camp called Windsor Meadows. Mother and daughter were talking as the kids were running ahead of them.

- Lucy, this is a great place for the kids. How did you find it?

- In 1983. By those days John Ross was learning to swim and J.R. thought he needed a personal instructor. In fact the boy had been traumatized by the ranch´s fire shock...and the psychologist advised them to bring John Ross at the camp.

Valene was listening up to her. She had been for weeks hoping her daughter would make some sort of confidence to her...

- John Ross´s tutor during that summer was Peter Richards. Blonde, athletic, very attractive... – Lucy felt she couldn´t finish her story. She had a lump in her throat.

- Tell me Lucy, did anything happen between you two?

- I tried the hardest I can remember but he was more interested in another person...Finally we tried to become friends but, due to one of J.R.´s revenge plots, he was forced to leave to New York.

- Very much like old J.R. Ewing´s style...

- But that wasn´t the worst. Not long after Grandma died, John Ross needed a therapist again and Peter re-appeared in our lives. With one difference: now he was a widower...and had few months left to live. He had got aids through his wife.

Valene got mute and hold her daughter´s hands.

- Please Lucy, whatcha wanna tell me?

- Then we our friendship began to grow and, when he died, during a vacation trip we did together on the Caribbean, I got into a serious crisis. I only wanted to have a baby so I wouldn´t feel so alone, no heartbreaks, no marrying knots.

- What did you do baby?

- I became obsessed with getting pregnant. First I tried to with somebody we casually met at the Caribbean...

- Alan Beam, am I right?

- How can you know it?

- The wedding´s day I heard Alan telling you that he knew that Pete was his son...though you were “sleeping” in the couch...

Both women smiled. They were getting the confidence level they had always wanted to have with each other.

- You are right but Alan isn´t the father. I knew him too well to take any chances and get pregnant with his son...I turned to Mitch too, and I´m ashamed of it now. That was a mistake. There was a third man, but I´ll always keep it secret, mama.

- Did you love him? – Val enquired, guessing her answer.

- No – she answered – I never saw him again. Never know if I could have loved him...

- It´s your right to keep his name secret but also Alan has right to know that he´s not Pete´s dad. Men feel the call of fatherhood as we women do Lucy. Don´t play with him as I played with your daddy when the twins were born...


At the Wentworth Manor, Pamela was talking to his brother´s maid Jennifer.

- We don´t know when they´ll come back, but my brother told me to let you at charge of the house on a permanent basis. They´re gonna spend some time travelling and want everything to remain the way it is now.

- I hope they won´t be away for a long time, this is a very big house and, when the journey´s tasks are finished, I feel alone here, especially without the girl...

- I know that very well. I also lived here years ago and, before me, my mother Rebecca. You don´t have to come up every day, feel free to take the weekends off and go to see your family...

The woman, about forty years old, was devoted to take care of the Barneses and deeply thanked her gesture, but couldn´t help adding:

- When you say they´ll come back, are you including Mrs. Barnes too?

Pamela caught the meaning of her question:

- Hopefully so, Jennifer. We can´t lose our hopes...Never.

Far, far away from there, at the heavenly Aruba Island, James Beaumont was looking up at the horizon, melted with the deep blue sea. Suddenly he heard someone calling him out. It was his brand new wife Cally bringing news from Dallas. A phone call have been received at the hotel, requesting their urgent comeback to Dallas.

Cally looked scared as James got her closer to his hairless muscled chest. She holded her warmly, thinking to himself: “Maybe we weren´t smarter than Michelle were we?” But what he told her was: “Be quiet, everything is under control, Mrs. Beaumont...” (Fade out)

Night fell over the Southfork Mansion again, and everybody seemed to be afraid of darkness coming. Almost the whole family had gathered for dinner: there were Bob, Pam, Chris, Lucy, Gary, Val, Ray, Donna and Maggie, Barbara and even little Ellie and Jimmy, who had been kept at Lucy, Val and Pam´s care until James came back.

- Well I hadn´t met you...I´m glad you returned before we leave – Madeleine confided to Ray and Donna.

- We also really wanted to meet you Madeleine...Bob told us you used to live in Switzerland. I spent several years there too, in Berna, more precisely.

Donna was listening to her husband´s words, though she couldn´t avoid feeling strange when she heard him talk about the years he spent with Jenna and her children.

- Yes indeed, that´s where we first met...

Lucy rolled her eyes afraid of hearing the story about her “bumping” into Clayton and love at first sight blah blah...all over again. Barbara was silently listening too, until she made a question:

- Madeleine, honey, I gotta meet a friend in Switzerland next month. What´s the name of your hotel? So I´ll save her the trouble of let me a room.

Madeleine kept quiet for an instant. All of them were staring at her and she finally said:

- “D´urhamme”. My late husband, let him rest in peace, used to run it...We sold out the business before coming to USA. But I´m sure you´ll find what you´re looking for in any standarized american hotel...

- Thank you, I´ll keep that in mind... – Barbara smiled a fake smile.

Teresa walked in and announced that there was a call for Bob. He got up and came back to the living-room a few minutes later.

- Good news family: we´ve tracked James and Cally down. They flew on the Ewing jet to the Venezuelan Island of Aruba, where they got married. Afterwards they sent the pilot and the jet back to Dallas. When the pilot learnt about what had happened, he began to feel he had to report us of this mysterious flight, though James tried to assure his silence.

- Fine. When are they coming? – Pam asked.

- Tomorrow in the early morning. We should get Vanessa´s funeral ready for the afternoon, in case he wants her to be buried in Dallas.

Donna stood up, followed by Val.

- Don´t worry Bob. We´ll take care of that – Donna assured. Maggie looked down and then at Christopher, sitting in front of her. Her sad-looking face called up his attention...

Bob walked on and said to the whole family there:

- I want to take the chance to thank you for your unconditional support before this tragedy. Wish you Clayton will have a reason of happiness instead of sadness, next time you call on us...

Madeleine looked up to Bob and admired his nobleness and goodness. Then she looked back at Clayton and, deeply in her heart and for a minute, she was glad to belong to that family, in spite of all that she was hiding from them...


Barbara knocked on Lucy´s room´s door. Not long after, she opened it and let her in.

- I´m happy you asked me to talk Lucy... – Barbara said.

- We gotta a very serious issue to discuss. I wanna know if you´re on my side...

- If you mean Madeleine, I´m with you Lucy. I don´t think her intentions are precisely good...

- Know something I ignore? – the oldest of the Ewing grandchildren wide-opened her eyes.

- The wedding´s day I was so lucky to hear, of course by chance, a cell conversation of our friend...

“Love – she said – listen up. That man has had two heart attacks and enjoys one of the biggest fortunes in the State of Texas. Our plan is working out but I need more time. He´s slowly getting weaker by the family pressure and wants us to visit his son at his ranch...Oh, wait, I think I´m hearing some noises. I´ve got to hung off. Ciao.”

Lucy was astonished: that confirmed her worst suspicions: Madeleine was not in love with Clayton at all, she only was a fortuneseeker and his was one of the biggest fortunes in Texas...which also included a fifth of Southfork and the Ewing Group.

- We gotta do something Barbara! – a worried Lucy begged – When her previous husband died, he left her the hotel. If anything happened to Clayton, she would inherit much more than a second-rate hotel...

- Leave the hotel to me. With a couple of calls I´m gonna know what her life was like before meeting powerful Clayton Farlow...But you must help me: if I´m not wrong Clayton had had a couple of heart attacks and must be having some kind of medication. We gotta know what he´s exactly taking, and before they leave to San Angelo...If we wanna end that farce, there´s no time to waste...

- My ex-husband Mitch is a plastic surgeon. Sure he could contact me with some cardiologist friend of his...Leave the rest to me.

- I just knew I could count on you Lucy. If there´s something better than one Ewing that´s two Ewing women...


At the Love Field Airport, Bob and Ray were waiting for James and Cally to come out of the Ewing jet. At last the couple disembarked...They couldn´t talk with them previously so Bob asked Ray to come, since he had always had a good relationship with James.

- Hello Bob, Ray – the young man said – Wanna kiss the bride?

Bob and Ray looked surprised and kissed Cally.

- So you don´t know what happened? – Bob asked.

- Sorry we stood you up at Southfork but were afraid of Michelle trying to do something to sabotage the wedding and we decided to marry in paradise, or so it looked like...

- James please listen up: so you´re saying, you went for Cally to your apartment before they left in the limo and drove her straight to the airport, letting your mama there, didn´t you?

- Yup. Bob, whatcha trying to tell me?

Ray interfered to help Bob with the hard task of telling James his mother had been killed.

- James boy: obviously Michelle came a little after you left...

- My mother is o.k.? – James began to get nervous as Cally was holding his arm...

- Your mother is dead James – Bob finally said – Everything points at Michelle...who´s still at large.

At Southfork, Clayton and Madeleine were about to leave to Dallas for an appointment with his lawyer. During breakfast, Lucy had been closely listening to whatever the couple said to each other and had been especially kind to Madeleine. When they got into the limo, Lucy ran to Clayton´s house. She needed something to prove that the woman was scheming something related to his husband´s delicate condition. She hurried up to the the couple´s bedroom and began to check the labels in the medicine little bottles she found in their bathroom.

All of sudden Lucy heard the limo stopping by the house and two heels stepping closer and closer to the room. She did not think twice: she left the bottles down and put herself under the big bed, keeping her breathing. Madeleine opened the door and firmly stepped in. After a few seconds she stood by the bed. She noticed a parfum´s smell and it was not hers. She remembered that Clayton was waiting for her downstairs and took a couple of aspirins out of a bottle and swallowed them. Then she left in a hurry...and Lucy breathed in again when the limo had left. She got out of the bed, put the names of the medicines down in a paper, checked the night table´s drawers and got out of there in a hush...

James drove by his father J.R.´s graveyard, near the Southfork lake...

- Mum is gone...you can´t be in the same place but wish you´re happier than used to when alive. Never could build up a life in common in spite of the love you felt for each other... Just hope that won´t happen to Cally and me...Rest in peace you both...

James dried up his tears with his forearm and got into his car. At that moment his cell rang: it was his brother´s phone number...

- Hi James. John Ross here. I´m at the Ewing Oil parklot, got car problems. Pick me up...Right then the communication went off.

- You´re a swell actor honey. If I were you I´d pack off and go to Hollywood – Michelle said as paid the cash to the cleaning man for posing as John Ross as agreed, making him believe she was playing a joke on someone – I´ll always thank you for this...


At the same time Pamela was talking with Cliff on the phone in her own room.

- All right Cliff. Yeah I talked to Jennifer, don´t worry about it. Yes, I´ve understood your instructions, I´m not your baby sister any more – she said as trying to make it sound less serious – You want me to make an offer for the TV channel Afton works at. All right, if that´s what you want, it´s fine for me. I´ll call you when the contracts are signed. Do you know if Mitch already spoke with the surgeon you talked to me about? I know that, it´s a very small possibility but Afton has changed her mind and you´ve gotta keep your hopes...I know Cliffie. I love you too.

After hunging up, Pam went into her bathroom: she had left something there that probably had given the predictable result. She just wanted to let all the chances out before going to the doctor´s.But the result was contrary to what she expected. Pam was standing up there, in front of the mirror, looking at the test´s result...

- My God...It can´t be...I´m pregnant.


Half an hour later James parked his luxury sports car in the Ewing Building underground parklot. He got out of the car, locked it up automatically and started to look up for his brother´s car. At last he found one of the same make and color but, as he came closer, saw no Ewing 8 plate. Right then James heard somebody´s footsteps and slowly turned around, and found a gun pointing at his head.

“Say goodbye to life James Beaumont...” - the person who was about to shoot him was none other than Michelle...

End of Episode 7

Next:

FRENZY​

Also Starring

SCARLETT JOHANSSON as MAGGIE (Match Point)

Guest Stars:

RANDOLPH POWELL as ALAN

SETH PETERSON as BILL (Burn Notice)

KEHLY SLOANE as KELLY

and

KIMBERLY FOSTER as MICHELLE

@Karin Schill, would you please change the number of the season in the title, from Season 1 to "Season 2"? Thank you!

 

[Toni]

Thanks for correcting the title @Karin Schill! Looking forward to reading your comments!

 

[Karin Schill]

Poor James having lost both of his parents. That can't be easy for him. But at least he has a sweet wife like Cally to help him through it.

Yikes John Ross saw the movie and turned against Sue Ellen. Definitely not good.

I wonder if Michelle really was behind Vanessa's death?

It's interesting how different stories have different takes on the same characters. I've read another fanfic where Michelle was written like a victim quite recently.

But yeah since she showed up with James. I guess she's gone crazy.

I'm intrigued by the paternity of Lucy's son. Who is the daddy?
It was not Alan Beam at least.

Also Pam is pregnant?
Which year does this story take place?

I thought she was close to 50!

 

[Toni]

Poor James having lost both of his parents. That can't be easy for him. But at least he has a sweet wife like Cally to help him through it.

Yikes John Ross saw the movie and turned against Sue Ellen. Definitely not good.

I wonder if Michelle really was behind Vanessa's death?

It's interesting how different stories have different takes on the same characters. I've read another fanfic where Michelle was written like a victim quite recently.

But yeah since she showed up with James. I guess she's gone crazy.

I'm intrigued by the paternity of Lucy's son. Who is the daddy?
It was not Alan Beam at least.

Also Pam is pregnant?
Which year does this story take place?

I thought she was close to 50!

Thanks a lot for your feedback Karin! It means a lot to me.

The truth about the cliffhanger mystery is revealed in the second episode, which I´m about to publish here. I´m not trying to make Michelle more sympathetic but she indeed was a damaged person who was constantly torn between her money ambitions and her love for James. The successful coup d´état to get Ewing Oil ended badly for her when she couldn´t forget her obsession for "justice" (killing Hillary Taylor). In the original series she wound up alone, but owning a big empty ranch house and a millionaire bank account. If only for this, she is a much more defined, much better developed character than her very lame sister...

I allowed myself to re-write (retcon would be the right word) the following months of Michelle´s soap life, with Cliff bent on revenge against her, manipulating the district attorney, and getting her a long jail sentence. Ten years after she´s out, with a well-laid plan in cahoots with a cellmate. That´s what you have read and what will develop a bit more in this episode.

I do know that Pam thinking she´s pregnant is a bit of a wacky fan-wank, but for a woman who´s spent many years trying to get pregnant, I thought that just having that sting inside her would be something that Pam would feel and Victoria would love to have played. It´s all solved in one single scene, don´t worry. Oh and Pam doesn´t have any age at all!! Stay tuned in!

 

[Toni]

Episode 8:

FRENZY

​

"If you wanted to kill me, I´d already be dead. You used to be a very impulsive girl" – James answered, holding his arms up. – "By the way, you looked better as a blond..."

Michelle pointed with the gun to the driver´s seat. "Get into the car. We got a long way to go..."

James carefully got into it, watching out for some other driver who might make Michelle nervous. But she was very self-assured: she sat at the other seat, pointing at James´s crotch. "One false move, I´ll shoot this..."

James swallowed saliva and drove the car off, still nervous. The woman by his side was not that former girlfriend he had had both great and bad times with...

"We´re leaving Dallas, darling. We´re going to the sea: to Galveston."


At the Southfork manor, Bobby and Cally were reporting the detective about James´s suspicious absence.

- I don´t think that´s reason enough to order your nephew´s search, Mr. Ewing...

- But it´s clear that there´s a killer at large, and Michelle is the prime suspect...

- Sorry, but it´s not that clear: she is the prime suspect, but it still might be a case of unlawful entry...

- You mean that it could be just a burglary? – a surprised Cally asked.

- Yep: some paintings that Mr. Beaumont had in his house were very valuable, especially the ones you gave him – the Detective looked at Cally, trying to put a smile in his face – though the safe box was intact.

- Isn´t that reason enough? James has been part of a very big company, until recently...

- You´ve been questioning Teresa, – Cally remarked – she told you that someone called pretending to be my brother-in-law John Ross, and asked for James, but his voice sounded differently though...And nobody could track him down in the last hours. Neither him nor John Ross...

- What was I supposed to be tracked down for? – John Ross had just entered the room and surprised everyone.

- Have you met James today? We must know right now... John Ross looked at Bob, then at Cally and, finally, at the detective...

- No, I´m sorry. I ain´t seen him for a few days.


Far away, near another highly populated Texan city, Houston, a sixteen-year-old girl was smoking one cigarette after another, as she waited for his brother to come out of the closest office. Her name was Betsy Ewing, but she preferred the name of Beth. Suddenly the door opened and the private school principal called her in to join her brother.

- Young lady, you must know that we´re going to call your parents and tell them our decision. It was uneasy, because your family is very appreciated all over the State, but this school is not the right place for you: you are going to be expelled.

- Expelled? but why? If nothing was going on...

- That is not the version we have. You do know that there was a third person involved in it and he confessed the truth. Our center has an impeccable reputation in the Dallas´s society...especially about female education...

Bobby, her brother, looked at her in a shock and she looked back, feeling under control of the situation.

- Please expel me but not him, Mr. Principal. Don´t blame him...

The man put his glasses off and got up:

- I wish I hadn´t to make this choice but you earned a troublemaking reputation and only have been here for 3 months...Your absences have been rather frequent and your qualifications do not justify your...behavior.

Once they were out and the door closed, Beth changed her look and walked faster than her brother, who followed and asked her to wait for him. When they turned the corner, bumped into another student of their same age: a dark-haired, blue-eyed young man who looked at Bobby and then at her, blushed up:

- We´re off – he told him – Sorry, I had no choice: my family would kill me if they knew the truth.

- Can we talk for a minute Bobby? – he asked. Beth started to cry mockly, but the principal asked them to leave.

- It´s not the 20th Century, sweetheart – Beth interfered – As far as I know, you´d complete the family history... – she said, leaving them alone.

- There´s nothing for us to talk about. Too late... - Bobby ran away and tried to reach his sister...


Meanwhile, on the Dallas streets, James was driving the way out of the town.

- You´re a swell driver James. Just forgot how good you use your hands...

- Tell me something Michelle: did ya kill my mother?

- You mean if I´m a killer? Or just sorry I spoiled your big Southfork wedding...? That ranch ain´t what it used to be...I liked the other house better...

- OK – James tried to go the point – How much? Say and you´ll get it tomorrow...

- You won´t have to. If everything goes fine, I´m gonna be out of the country by then. Just take me to Galveston...

James noticed a scar that could be barely seen under Michelle´s T-shirt. She showed it off to him:

- This is the palpable proof of my prison holidays. It was the result of the most thrilling moment I lived...during the week one.

The young man frowned and looked ahead. The lights went don´t walk again and the couple continued their drive...


The sun was down when the Southfork entry welcomed a car, unfamiliar to the Ewings, going under the "SF" sign. It belonged to Will Barnes, Cliff and Pamela´s cousin. Once arrived at the manor´s front, she got out of the car, indeed driven by Will.

- Come on, don´t play the hard guy; I know you´re dying to say hello to Bobby and the others.

- Oh sure. Only that maybe it´s not the best moment. Besides, I´m still thinking that something worries you...

- Entering the Ewing ground thinking about worries is a bad way to enter, that´s for sure. Come on in. – she said as was holding his arm.

- Please keep us informed.

Bob was saying goodbye to the detective when they walked into the main door.

- I will Mr. Ewing. We´ll immediately give the order for it.

- What happened Bobby? – she asked.

- We don´t know yet – Bobby looked at the stranger coming with his wife. She did not wait for him to ask and made introductions. Behind Bobby came Lucy.

- Hi – she said, smiling – So you´re old Jimmy...

- Nobody calls him Jimmy now, Lucy. – Pam corrected. – He´s my cousin Will.

She said hello to him and they all went into the house. Will admired the luxury entrance of the manor, decorated tastefully and not tacky at all.- I´m glad you finally called on us. Though it´s not our best day maybe...

- After twenty years away, any day is good...to meet Ewing family again...

Lucy stood behind, watching the newcomer...and muttered to herself:

- Who knows? There might be another interesting Barnes in the family...This can be fun.


Half an hour later, Gary came into the main house. He had left Valene at the airport, from where she was going to fly to California. Bobby, Pam, Lucy, Ray, Donna and Will were sitting at the dinner. As he saw his brother´s serious-looking face, Bobby invited him to sit down with them and introduced him to Will. Gary agreed to, though hesitantly, as he explained the reason of Val´s absence:

- His mother Lilimae is sick: today we´ve got a call from our former neighbor Karen Mackenzie about it.

- I remember her. She was that hospitable, fast-talking brunette who welcomed us the day we arrived at Knots Landing, wasn´t she? – Bobby asked.

- She still is, both things. We have been thinking that Val would better stay with her mother for a while, until she´s recovered...

- Hope it´s not serious Gary – Pam said.

- Will is a top executive at Cattlemen´s Bank...The family worked with them for many years, especially with Franklin Horner...

- ...What about your marital status? If we may know...

- Lucy, don´t push on our guest! – Gary said.

- My dear grand-daddy Jock used to say: no business talk at dinnertime...and just wanted to keep the tradition – she graciouslyremarked.

- Single, though actually I should say separated.

- You didn´t tell me that, cousin – Pam complained.

- We haven´t brought each other up to date, I´m afraid – he apologized.

Gary stood up and excused himself to Will.

- I´m sorry but I have an early meeting tomorrow. Glad to meet you Will. – Bob looked at Pam with complicity and added:

- Sure you don´t wanna stay with us a little longer? - No, thank you Bobby – Pam watched her husband and noticed a concern expression, probably about his brother. But she couldn´t guess anything more...


At that moment, James and Michelle were checking in a road motel, about sixty miles away from Dallas, as Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Once inside the room, she exclaimed:

- You don´t know how I´ve longed for this moment, James Beaumont...

James looked all over the room and stopped at the not too big double bed.

Then he looked back at Michelle...

(Fade out)

- You don´t think I´m silly enough to sleep with you in that bed, do you?

Michelle smiled openly .

- Sleeping is not what I was thinking about – then she took the gun out of her purse. – Turn around right now – she said as took a pair of handcuffs out with her other hand. James wide opened his eyes.

- What´s on your mind? – he said.

- Just taking a shower. But not gonna take any chances and find you´re missing when I´m finished in the bathroom. Lay down on the bed, your arms upside.

James did so and then she made him put his fists together to be able to put him the handcuffs. Afterwards she tied them to one of the bed´s legs.

- Well well James darlin´. Wait has been worth awhile I think – Next she tore his shirt off and got him bare-breasted.

- I´ll get a shower honey. And remember I never fail when shooting...


The next morning Clayton and Madeleine went over the graveyard of Miss Ellie´s, located at the familiar cemetery, close to J.R.´s. Respectfully Madeleine left the man alone with his memories.

Clayton´s mind travelled ten years back: right before his second wife Ellie died of cancer. The illness was in its last phase, after the couple had spent a couple of years searching for a proper treatment.

- Ellie you gotta rest, everything´s under control at home, more quiet than ever. And they´re all waiting for you impatiently.

- You´ve always been the kindest man I ever met, Clayton. Even before we married...Remember when we first met at Southern Cross?

- Don´t force yourself, you know what the doctor said...

Clayton looked at her wife: even being over seventy, her face always looked luminous and happy.

- Please listen up: it´s important to me.

- All right – the old man tenderly smiled.

- You´ve been under a lot of pressure since we married and tried hard to get along with everybody, even J.R. I wanna thank you for keeping my illness secret during last year. So many tragedies had happened that this would just have worsened things, if they knew...

- Your family is as strong as a rock, Ellie. They all overcame their hardest times...But I respected your decision...

- Bobby...my little Bobby...he belongs to Pamela, and Christopher should be living with both of them...A few days ago, I asked Bobby to give Pam another chance, forget about the past and understand her accident´s consequences... Nobody should spend life alone. Neither should you. If anything happens to me, I want you to continue your life, Clayton, and, if you would find another woman, try to be happy with her...Don´t waste the rest of your life. If I had, I wouldn´t have married you...

Clayton returned to present. His emotions had overflown, beneath his strong, quiet appearance. Madeleine got closer, silently.

- Are you alright Clayton? – she asked, when noticed his tears. He looked down, as he dried his tears with a handkerchief.

- Yes... – he whispered – it´s time to go...

"See you soon sweet Ellie" – Clayton muttered. Never the Southfork meadows had looked lonelier...


At the Southfork stables, one mile away, Bobby was looking for his brother Gary. He eventually found him at his old horse Banjo´s stable.

- Hi Gary. Though you were in Dallas...

- Nope. Actually I gave you an excuse yesterday... – he admitted to his younger brother – it was a real tough day.

- Is Val´s mama that bad?

- I didn´t specify anything because of Will, but Lilimae came up at our old house in Knots Landing and settled down there...

- But, if you sold it out years ago, when moved here...

- Yeah I know. We don´t know how but she got in there and its current owners couldn´t make her out. Val is afraid of her suffering Alzheimer...

- Oh mine Gary...If I can help you anyhow...

- Thanks. One more thing. Yesterday the high school Principal called me to tell me that Bobby and Betsy have been expelled.

- But what for?

- They seem to be good students but got several reprimands for improper behavior and, a couple of days ago, they found Betsy...with a boy. - Bobby half-smiled.

- Wow, I got it now...Weight of years suddenly fell over you...

- Something like that. It´s been changing times lately: the Ewing Group being split off, the boys sent to the academy, the trouble with James...and now, all this.

- I admit that going thru this phase can be difficult, but it´s temporary: your new company will soon run alone and the kids will fit in the academy. If you want me to talk to the Principal just say it, and about James...James only wants to do what I wanted to do when married Pam. And your reaction reminds me J.R.´s sometimes: James is not a threat to you at all and never has. He´s lived without a dad most of his life and made a lot of mistakes after J.R.´s death. He must do a number of things by himself, not against ya.

- You´ve always been my fav brother, Bob, but got one fault: sometimes you lose sight of reality.

- If you really believe that, you´re less clever than I thought you were. All Jock Ewing´s sons have been getting ahead out of heart and courage, not led by wrath or fear. Count on me for whatever, Gary, but I won´t listen to your complaints without telling you what I thought. This old horse Banjo, remember the way you tamed it and made everyone believe I had? That´s what you gotta do Gary: take your problems and do with them what you did with the horse...


At the offices of the TV network recently acquired by Cliff Barnes, Pamela Ewing proceeded to interview each and every one of the candidates for director. She still felt a little dizzy, but obliged herself to do the interviews personally, as asked by her brother. One of the first interviewed persons was Debbi Porter, a slim thirtysomething woman who caused an excellent first impression on Pam.

- I´m really impressed by your CV, Debbi. We´re looking for a person who gives a more cosmopolitan focus to the network, but keeping some hit shows...

- Like the Afton Cooper Show? – Pam was surprised about the woman´s hindsight.

- Yes, exactly. Afton will return in some months and we assume that she´ll get her show back. Honestly, Debbi: Cliff Barnes, Afton´s husband, is the network´s new owner and my brother too. He´s asked me to find the right person for this job to take care of all the responsibilities, for both successes and failures. We want to innovate and avoid a certain kind of sensational TV so frequent currently...

- Talking of what people cares about without getting the camera inside their homes, I know what you mean, Pam. When I was working in a Californian network, I produced a show like that: “Open Mike”. Her host was Karen Mackenzie, maybe you heard from her... – Debbi smiled showing her perfect teeth off.

- In California? Well...if it´s the same person, yes, my husband do know her. As far as I know, she couldn´t be a better reference...We must end now, but I´ll make a choice today and call you tomorrow to tell you one thing or another.

Pam shook hands with Debbi and she walked to the door. Seconds later, she heard Pam fainting, falling by her desk. Debbi called the secretary and she called an ambulance.

(Fade out)

 

[Toni]

Michelle and James were getting closer and closer to Galveston. They had intended to arrive that day, though Michelle couldn´t have confirmed the ship´s departure, that would take her away from there, illegally, indeed. Suddenly a motorized policeman came up after them. James decided to take all chances and asked Michelle:

- Did you kill my mother? Tell me the truth or I´ll turn the wheel and hit that tree and you´ll get the policeman on you in a minute.

- At long last, your J.R. gene is up, James. If you wanna straight answer, truth is I didn´t...

James slowed speed until the policeman drove away from them and he eventually parked the car at a nearby open field. Leant on the wheel he asked:

- Will you explain to me what happened?

- Yeah...before leaving: tonight...


At the Southfork living-room, Lucy found Cally depressed.

- What´s on Cally? Don´t worry about James, they´ll find him for sure. You heard the detective, they´d been tracked down at a motel and...

- And they missed´em again. Maybe it´s still not a good idea being together Lucy...

- Don´t speak nonsense and listen to me. James is not my fav cousin but he survived J.R. and that takes a lot of credit. As you told me, he even put him into a sanitarium to get even on him...and take a look at him now: the young execs special shows fight for him. Your daughter got a new dad and a new brother, and that´s the main thing: being happy all together. We never could make it in my family.

- But Lucy, how shall I tell Ellie that James is her stepbrother too, besides of a dad and a daughter?

- Oh babe, relationships were not simple here at Southfork...Worry about that at the right moment. Soon James shall be here and you´ll live here at Southfork if you like to...

- Lucy, you´re a real pal...I wish you got all you´re looking for...

- By now I´m OK with little Pete...tough it´s time to face truth...and Alan.


That night, at the darkest corner in the Galveston harbors, a small woman wearing a black leather jacket walked as fast as a pray bird. Michelle got aboard the ship that would take her away from Texas, more specifically to Shanghaii. She had contacted with a Chinese young girl in prison whose father used to make clandestine sea trips for former jail mates of his daughter, indeed for a big sum of money. Michelle had got it through an account she had opened after leaving Dallas, before April´s death. She had made a pension scheme and it had generated its interests. Enough for the ticket. Michelle walked by the car robbed the previous night, parked at a corner. Inside James was thinking over and over wondering if Michelle had been honest to him...How could he get to know how his mother had died?


Gary Ewing was driving through the Dallas´s streets heading for the highway that led him out of town, to Southfork. Suddenly he saw a lit small bar and decided to stop and go in. He didn´t know why but needed to go into that bar. It was practically empty but the bartender offered to serve him the very last drink. Gary kept on reading the bourbon and vodka branches exposed in front of him and finally said to the bartender as he gave him a five dollar bill:

- A Ginger Ale, please no alcohol...


At the Galveston harbor, Michelle was telling a sad tale:

"I´d been spying on you and intended to cause a little havoc at the wedding, not killing anyone. When I was out of prison, found that my jail mate Sheree was obsessed with the idea of killing you, but I didn´t want that, I wanted to get you back. So I just had to get rid of her. She was hooked on and

it wasn´t hard to me, nor either making believe that I was the one that had been killed. I slowly brought myself up to date about your executive and family man career and I decided to make you apart.

"At the wedding´s day, when you came into the apartment, I was hiding in the house´s garden already. You picked up your bride Cally, and took her away from your mother, leaving her alone. Then I came in from the terrace.


- Michelle...! – a shocked Vanessa exclaimed.

- Wow the groom´s mum... – Michelle watched around and saw the house´s decoration – You didn´t disappoint me, James is living a higher way of life than he used to, when repaired bikes...

- I´m so sorry Michelle... – Vanessa had took a little gun out of her purse. – I am determined to do anything to make this wedding happen – Vanessa pulled the trigger and a bullet skimmed Michelle´s shoulder. Then she threw herself onto the woman and they began to fight for the gun. All of sudden Michelle got the gun and pushed her away. Vanessa fell down and her head knocked a metal fixture that immediately killed her...Michelle, as she saw the blood all around, went frantic and began to destroy everything she saw, until noticed Cally´s signature in some pictures, picked the fireplace poker and torn them in a rampage...”

-...And all this could´ve been helped just if I had arrived sooner and had killed your blushing bride...from the terrace. So I did not murder your mum James...you did. - A police car was watching them from the distance, protected under the night´s darkness...


Far away, back to Dallas, Lucy was ringing on the bell of Alan Beam´s apartment...He had put Peter and Lucy´s photo in a drawer before he opened the door.

- I didn´t expect to see you here... – he said as let her in. – In fact, you´re the last person I expected to see here.

Lucy looked all over the apartment and said:

- I didn´t know you were such a well-paid attorney to afford an apartment like this Alan.

- You don´t know a lot of things about me... – he added as poured himself a drink and made her a gesture as an invitation. Lucy refused it.

- You´re right...That´s why I´m here – she made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, as did Alan in front of her. After that she took a photocopied document out of her handbag. – Since you returned to Dallas, our encounters have been rather strained...especially on the wedding´s day. So I made up my mind – she said showing him the document.

Alan read it carefully, looking serious, and then darker and darker, expressing disappointment.

- Sorry, Alan. I know you thought Peter was your baby, because we had an affair nine months before he was born. But the baby was premature: he was 7-months born, casually too at a wedding that never happened: James´s and Mandy Winger´s. I didn´t wanna be forced to do this but, after all, if you´ve got right to know if you have a son, you´ve also the right to know that you don´t...Peter was fathered by someone else...

Lucy got up and said:

- Don´t worry: I will agree to have a paternity test done if you want it...Hope you´re happy with your new life in Dallas, working with my father...

After saying those words, Lucy walked out of the apartment. Alan stood up, took the photo out of the drawer and threw it onto an ashtray, and then set it on fire with a match.

- This will change my plans... – Alan muttered to himself, as he dialed a number with the California code in it. – Hello, this is Alan Beam. Yes, everything´s ready here. Gary Ewing is longing for meeting our friend. Right. No better place than the Oil Barons´ Ball for someone like Richard Channing to debut in Dallas...

Once he hang up, Alan whispered:

- All right Lucy. I´ll forget you and your son. But not your dad. He´ll pay for all that J.R. Ewing did to me, and the family will go back where it belongs...


In Galveston, Michelle was about to say goodbye to James, as the ship´s owner hurried her up...

- Well James...I think it´s time to say goodbye...– the young man tried to look her straight in the eye, but his resentment didn´t let him to – Your mother seemed to handle guns very well, I´d never have expected it from someone so classy...

- You don´t deserve to name my mother. I hope you´ll get what you deserve, wherever you go... – James turned around and heard a noise, near a warehouse – Wish I could say that I loved you, but instead you made me hate you...more than I ever hated my father...

Michelle was chilled, and turned to the ship´s direction. Then she turned around and, when looked back at the ship, she realized that it was moving. The oriental little man had cast off. She had already given him the money so began to run towards the ship. At that moment James looked back, again towards the warehouse, and saw several gunned men coming out of there.

- Stop, police! Throw your guns, hands up! – a voice shouted. Michelle took her gun out of her pocket as called out the ship´s captain: "Please wait for me". Suddenly James gave up seeing Michelle as the person who had kidnapped him, or might have killed his mother. He saw April´s sister, felt protective about her and put his hands up, standing between the police and Michelle...

- Don´t shoot! – he desperately shouted – her gun is unloaded – he assured, showing them the bullets he had taken out of it, in one of her scarce careless moments...

Michelle was paralyzed, while the ship was sailing away. A little further, the harbor´s patrol boat was awaiting...

The police quickly came closer and handcuffed Michelle, as her right were being read, and so did later with James, whose left wrist was bleeding. The lesion caused by the car accident had worsened due to the pressure of the handcuffs used by Michelle. The couple was put into the police car and it went straight to the closest police station.

Two days afterward, Vanessa´s funeral eventually took place in presence of all the Ewings except Val, still in California, and Clayton. James was also there, wearing his wrist plastered again. After the funeral, Bobby and Pam walked away from the others, while their friends expressed condolences to James and Cally.

- Hope everything´s over for good... – she said.

- Sure it is. Michelle will go back to prison and, fortunately, the police have believed James´s version: he was just Michelle´s victim. Poor Vanessa...

Somewhat aloof of the situation, twins Bobby and Betsy chatted near one of the limousines...

- So now we´ll see how we´re gonna get out of this...

- Watcha mean, little sister?

- Come on don´t pretend you don´t know: you were lucky I could get into the room before the Principal, and turned things over...but I won´t help you next time: you´ll gotta accept what you and I know, and before the whole family. You got us out of the academy...

- I´ll compensate you for it Beth...I promise.

- You better will. Cause, when it´s time, I´ll ask you to return me the favor...

Betsy got into the limo, as Bobby stood up looking at James, dressed in black, not too far from them...Betsy pulled the window down and watched her brother:

- Sometimes I think you´re not my brother, despite of being twins...

- Do you? Why?

- I´ve never been keen on brunet guys as you do...- Bobby smiled, slightly blushed up, as looked at his cousin James again.

The family Ewing had entered into a new age, full of unsolved enigmas...though they ignored it. Was the frenzy of the past coming back?

End of Episode 8

Next:

PRINCES, BARONS AND FALCONS

​

Special Guest Stars:

HOWARD KEEL as CLAYTON

and

SUSAN SARANDON as MADELEINE (Alfie)

Also Starring

SCARLETT JOHANSSON as MAGGIE (Match Point)

Guest Stars:

KIMBERLY FOSTER as MICHELLE

RANDOLPH POWELL as ALAN

GAYLE HUNNICUTT as VANESSA

SETH PETERSON as BILL (Burn Notice)

KEHLY SLOANE as KELLY

Introducing

JENSEN ACKLES as BOBBY (Supernatural)

EMILIE DE RAVIN as BETSY (Lost)

and

HALLE BERRY as DEBBI PORTER (X-Men)

Special Appearance By

BARBARA BEL GEDDES as ELLIE

@Karin Schill, I hope you enjoy this episode! The title is an homage to Alfred Hitchcock´s last movie.

 

[Karin Schill]

Poor Michelle she seems absolutely nuts. Even if Vanessa's death was an unfortunate accident.

Poor Lilimae too being all confused. It must be tough on Val trying to help her mama. I think Alzheimers is really a disease that affects the whole family and not just the one who has it.

I wonder what Betsy and Bobby did to get expelled from their boarding school?
If I read between the lines correctly Bobby is gay?

I really miss Miss Ellie, so it's good to read that Clayton misses her too.

I'm still intrigued about the paternity of Lucy's baby.

 

[Toni]

Poor Michelle she seems absolutely nuts. Even if Vanessa's death was an unfortunate accident.

Poor Lilimae too being all confused. It must be tough on Val trying to help her mama. I think Alzheimers is really a disease that affects the whole family and not just the one who has it.

I wonder what Betsy and Bobby did to get expelled from their boarding school?
If I read between the lines correctly Bobby is gay?

I really miss Miss Ellie, so it's good to read that Clayton misses her too.

I'm still intrigued about the paternity of Lucy's baby.

Thanks for your feedback @Karin Schill!

About Michelle, she really seemed to be madly in love with James in TOS, and I guess that going back to jail wouldn´t help at all! Her last scene showed her crying and cursing James in the McKay´s house. You probably realized that Vanessa was carrying a gun in her purse. This was going to be a subplot with her links to the Russian mafia, because they said in "Dallas" that her husband was Russian and had connections with KGB. But I eventually thought it might turn out to be too old-fashioned and became a red herring only.

Don´t worry about Lilimae, maybe she´s just calling Val´s attention as usual, lol! I will address it soon and you´ll be happy to hear it. Undoubtedly, Alzheimer is one of the most terrible diseases nowadays, hopefully scientists will find some kind of cure to it. You are right about Bobby being gay. However, being twin siblings, he and Betsy will have a very close relationship and be accomplices sometimes. I tried not to make them unidimensional characters. Bobby is a bit like Gary at first, and Betsy like Auntie Lucy, if you know what I mean...

Unless you want to be spoiled about Lucy´s child´s father, don´t read "Return to Knots Landing"! Though I have only written one scene so far, it´s obvious who it is there. I will reprise it soon. Keep tuned in, I´m going to publish two episodes today, and one of them will feature a crossover from another of the supersoaps of the 80s.

 

[Toni]

Episode 9:

PRINCES, BARONS AND FALCONS


Special Appearances By
DAVID SELBY as RICHARD CHANNING (Falcon Crest)
HALLE BERRY as DEBBI (X-Men)
and
LOIS CHILES
as
HOLLY HARWOOD ​

Three months later. Spring 2001.

Sue Ellen got out of her limo carrying her exec briefcase, perfectly dressed to kill and ready to face an especially busy workday. Her agenda was full and, to make things worse, James had left to Europe a couple of days ago, letting her weight the whole responsibility for the company, since John Ross was finishing her career final exams.

When she came into the offices, kindly said hello to her secretary Kelly and she followed her to her office to show her what the messenger had brought: there was a basket full of white and red roses on her desk, along with a bottle of wine whose label read: “Falcon Crest. Cabernet Sauvignon vintage 1981.” The note attached to the mysterious present read: “I´d like to discuss a very important deal as soon as possible. Would you honor me having lunch with me today? Signed: R.C.”

Sue Ellen looked at the note as she took one of the roses from the basket and smelled its fragrance. Her spontaneous reaction was giving Kelly the bottle of wine, since she “was not a drinker” and asking her to use the roses to cheer up the offices´ reception.

Before going back to her table, Kelly reported her about a call she had received from Mrs., Ewing to make an appointment at the office.

- Pamela? She doesn´t need an appointment to talk with me...

- No, Sue Ellen. It was Valene Ewing, Pam´s sister-in-law, who called...

Sue Ellen looked surprised about it. She had never kept any sort of friendship with Val, except a somewhat embarrassing encounter, ten years before, when Sue Ellen was associated to Gary on a Wind Energy Company.

- Don´t like surprises - she said to herself – and I´ve begun the day with two of them...


At lunchtime, Sue Ellen went to the restaurant “Les Saisons”, where she used to have lunch at. She was surprised by the mysterious gentleman who wanted to meet her just there and was longing to know what it all was about. The maître d´ accompanied her to the table where a fiftysomething man was waiting for her: short gray hair and small intense blue eyes. The man stood up, gently.

- Mrs. Ewing, my name is Richard Channing. Thank you very much for coming.

- I almost couldn´t. Actually I have a very busy day and can´t stay too long.

- Did you like the wine and the flowers?

- I loved the flowers...but wine, sorry but I don´t drink.

- Wine is one of the few pleasures we can enjoy all our life, you should try our branch...

A little bothered by his insistence, Sue Ellen asked:

- So you are a winemaker...

- I was for a long long time, in fact it´s a family tradition. My mother controlled the wine business to the very last day of her life...

- What if we order and tell me what brought you here from California?

- Right now – Richard said, staring at Sue Ellen.


At the Cattlemen´s Bank Building, its Vice President Will Monahan was welcoming an unexpected visit: it was Lucy.

- Hi! Hope it´s alright for you my coming here...

- Absolutely, I was just about leaving for lunch...

- I wanted to ask you for advise...but I could come by another day, if you´re busy.

Will closed a portfolio and smiled gently at her:

- I´m all yours.

- Not long ago I sold out my share of a business I devoted many years to, and wanted to put that sum on some really good investment. I figured out you´d know how to guide me with my finances...

- Sure I could. What sum did you have on mind?

- One million. For now – Lucy smiled innocently, as if she talked about a meaningless sum.

- You brought me down to the Ewing world. Though I don´t see you just like the others...

- Then how? Better or worse?

- Remember when we first met at that Southfork barbecue. You were a very pushing young woman and, though we dated for a month, we never really knew each other well...

- Not half well as I´d loved to, sure...I was quite hyperactive those days...and very aggressive with guys. Now I´ve changed.

- Lucy, now I´ve settled down back in Dallas, I want to make as many friends as I can and see the family I have left, though it´s limited to Pam and Cliff, and their families.

- That´s why I´m here partly. Would you like to come with me to the Oil Barons´ Ball next Saturday?

- The Oil Barons´ Ball...I´ve been reading for years the news about the incidents happened at those Balls, nearly always started by our families...

- Both your cousin Cliff and my uncle J.R. always called a lot of attention...So I have a date for the Ball?

- Bet you do. And also my investments advice. Out for lunch?

- Great. And better get a tuxedo, ´cause you can´t get into the Ball without one...


At the same time Sue Ellen and Richard were finishing their meal. She looked surprised when Richard ordered a glass of milk instead of coffee.

- Your proposal is a real tempt, Mr. Channing...

- You can call me Richard, please Sue Ellen...

- Mrs. Lockwood, if you don´t mind – Sue Ellen looked up to him directly – Ewing Oil has not planned to make such an investment, an oleoduct doesn´t get into our politics, though we could be interested in acquiring those oil fields you own in California.

- I feel you´re anxious. I hope not to have said anything inconvenient.

- Oh, no. What worries me is what you didn´t say. Ewing Oil has been working for half a year with we the new management. Maybe you were expecting the company my ex husband J.R. Ewing used to run, but not any more...

- The company or your husband?

- He WAS the company. He devoted all his life to it but it´s been our son who had to rescue it from ashes and bring it back to business. We move on other levels. My companies also work on fashion, publishing, movie production and so on. Ewing Oil is looking for steady project now, not multi-million deals. We´ve come to Dallas to stay and become a business leader again.

- You know something? When I decided to fly to Dallas, I thought I´d find an ultraconservative society where women would take care of PR, but it´s a shock to me to find top executives as you are, so self-assured...

- I am, with no doubt. But it took me a lot of time to get where I am now, and I won´t risk anything: this is a family company, and the family´s stability always comes first. Therefore I must refuse your proposal and thank you for remembering us...

Sue Ellen made a sign at the Maître d´, stood up and shook Richard´s hand:

- Ewing Oil invites you, Mr. Channing. I hope you find your partner here in Dallas.

- Would I seem too bold to think of tempting you again? – Richard said, with a half smile.

- You can tempt me whenever you want to, Mr. Channing, but you won´t get anything more than today. In every sense.

- Please call me Richard...

Sue Ellen´s patience was almost over. She smiled and said:

- Try with the Yellow Pages. People offer any service you might need...


Richard looked frozen, as if the conditioned air of that restaurant had suddenly lowered the temperature. Indeed Ewing Oil could be erased from the list...

(Fade out)

When she returned to Ewing Oil, Sue Ellen suddenly needed to disconnect from business. She remembered that working out was fine for those moments and, after making a couple of calls, she told Kelly that she would be at the gym, on the first ground of the Ewing Building. Once she changed her clothes, walked into a big room where Step sessions were being done. As she entered the place, casually met Pam:

- Hi Pam! It´s a day full of surprises...

- Yes, I had no idea you come to this gym too...

- I don´t only come. Actually I own it since last month – she said as twinkled an eye to her- . When we moved the editorial staff over, I just met a chance to buy it. Being so close to the Ewing Oil offices, it seemed to me a good idea. Besides, all our employees get a special discount...

Both women walked on to the gym´s bar, where they asked for isotonic drinks. Pam was sweaty but happy to see her friend again, after her fortnight out of town. Suddenly she looked closer to her face. Sue Ellen looked splendid, almost perfect. Pam opened her mouth, but put her hand on it right away.

- The answer is yes, Pam. – Sue Ellen raised her head proudly – I´ve taken profit of these mini-holidays to “get rid of some parts of me” - she whispered, looking for complicity... – I didn´t feel so good about myself since I divorced J.R...

Pam began to babble, trying to be spontaneous and honest altogether.

- I´d ever imagined if you hadn´t told me – she said, smiling graciously.

- Haven´t you thought about doing it yourself? – Sue Ellen looked at her friend, who suddenly felt uncomfortable – Oh, Pam. I´m sorry, I really am. I forgot what a bad time you went through after the car crash...

- Don´t worry. When I bumped into you, you looked angry...Anything wrong?

- Nothing I can´t control. I´ve had lunch with someone who has put on my nerves...

- You mean a man? Tell me more.

- It´s not worth awhile. Everything´s going fine with the magazine? I´ve been told the sale numbers have increased lately, and I owe that to you.

- You´ve got true pros working for that magazine, they are responsible for it. I just...give´m some motivation.

- What about your brother´s television network? I tuned in a couple of times and I loved its style...

- That´s not because of me neither. Thank the director, Debbi. A fine girl...


Not far away Debbi Porter was reading a report in her WKB office. Her secretary informed her about an unforeseen visitor. It was John Ross Ewing III. Debbi asked the young woman to let him in. Debbi introduced herself to John Ross, and then offered him a coffee. He politely refused. Once alone, she was the first to talk:

- So Mr. Ewing. How may I help you?

- Please call me John Ross – Debbi smiled. She knew that the young man belonged to one of the biggest families in Dallas, and was intrigued about his reason to come on her, besides without a previous date. – I´ll get to the point Debbi...

- Miss Porter, if you don´t mind John Ross...

He raised his eyebrows and continued.

- One of your reporters talked to my brother James last week, in order to interview him for a show devoted to the Dallas young executives...

- True, but we didn´t put a date because Mr. Ewing had planned to make a trip...

- Yep, he´ll be away for a couple of weeks, on a family vacation. During his absence I´ll assume his engagements...

- I thought you co-ran the company with your mother...

John Ross slightly blushed and added:

- It´s a family company and my brother also owns a share of it. But I am the president myself. Just wanted to tell you that I will take my brother´s place at the show if that´s o.k. for you.

- Are you offering yourself...for an interview?

- Yeah but with one condition: – Debbi looked really interested, for the first time since he came into the office – being interviewed by you, but separately.

Debbi was surprised but kept on smiling.

- I am sorry but our politics prevents us from promoting private companies out of the ad time, much less on prime time. I´ll contact you with the advertising department...

- I think you didn´t quite understood my offer. Obviously you are not a Texan native, otherwise you´d know what being a Ewing really means. What if I explain it to you as we have dinner...?

- I think, Mr. Ewing, that you´re wasting your time. We choose our guests and, of course, I decide who I have dinner with. No, I´m not having dinner with you. Now you´ll excuse me...- she said, as pointed at the door.

- We´ll meet again and then, you´ll regret to have said no to me. "Debbi".

Debbi remained serious until John Ross walked out through the door. Then she smiled and caressed her nape.

- Excuse me Miss Porter.

It was the secretary again, telling her about an important waiting call...


- Debbi Porter here – she said, alone again – Oh, hello Mr. Barnes. How are you? Is your wife better? – Debbi listened to the answer, showing she was interested in it – You´d never tell who has come to see me: J.R. Ewing´s son. He wanted him to be interviewed for our Sunday News Special. What? But are you sure? All right, I´ll keep you informed. – Afterwards she hang off and put her earring on again. One of the morning newspapers´ front page mentioned the Ewings:

“Five new fields beat up previsions. Ewing Oil rises from ashes.”


Unaware of that, Gary Ewing´s only son was hiding away on the top of one of the barns, reading the last pages of a book with interest.

- Does he marry the girl at the end? – a youthful sharp voice said.

- At the end the girl remains married: to her husband – the newcomer was his sister Betsy, who knew where to locate her brother when nobody else could find him.

- Do you like her writing? – she asked, not too interested.

- Evelyn Waugh was a male author, not a woman – he corrected as closed the book, entitled “Brideshead Revisited”. – Yeah I enjoyed it, but I thought the two boys´ relationship was a bit less...platonic. At least so it seemed, on the television series we watched on the sat Channel...

- You and your old-fashioned romanticism...I prefer Danielle Steel. Speaking of corny things, Maggie´s here: as you know, next Friday she´ll be sixteen and has decided to hold a party at home. But on Saturday instead, since everyone will be at the Oil Barons´ Ball.

- An evening party?

- No, just a usual dinner, a sort of night barbecue for her friends. Besides, Maggie is not the type of girl who holds that kind of parties in her parents´ house...not even on her birthday. Maybe for the horses but not for herself...

- Don´t be so tough to her, she´s a great girl. Intelligent, pretty, sensitive, environment concerned...The opposite to you, really.

Betsy picked up a pack of hay and threw it on him.

- You bastard.

- You bitch.

- Come on down. Maggie asked us to help her to prepare the party, you know, decoration and things like that, and wanted to talk about it today...

- O.k. – he said as he stood up, buttoning his shirt up – Do you know who she´s inviting?

- Nobody with a police record. What´s more, they´ll have to go through her daddy´s lie detector...Poor Maggie, she´ll suffer a lot when she´s got a boyfriend...

Bobby and Betsy came out of the barn and she put her arm around his shoulder, as they kept on joking. On the distance, you could see Donna, Maggie and Val, sitting by the pool...


That night at Southfork, Pamela was taking her make-up off, pensively. In bed, her husband Bob was reading a book about the Texas history, taking a look at his wife once in awhile. Pamela passed her hand on her right cheek, noticing the small winkles her face was beginning to show.

- Something wrong, Pam?

- No. Guess not. I was just thinking about something Sue Ellen said this afternoon. I met her at the gym. By the way, now the gym belongs to Ewing Oil and the “Woman Today”´s publisher.

- Oh how is she? Everything´s fine at Ewing Oil, ain´t it? James looked somewhat concerned when he left with Cally a couple of days ago.

- No, it´s all under control. But she...don´t tell anyone but, when she took her holidays recently...she had aesthetic surgery done.

Bob looked funnily amazed.

- Word of “boy-scout”...Have you chosen the gown for the Oil Barons´?

- Tomorrow I´ll pick it up. Hope you like it...

- Sure I will. Now...come on here – he said, shaking off her bedside.

Pam got into the bed and kissed her husband.

- I helped him to carry his stuff to his old condo, but promised he´d come on us before the weekend.

- Do you think he might feel closer to that woman, that Lisa, than us, for being his own blood?

- Don´t worry about it. For what he said, Lisa is a much more stable girl than she was then, she´s got her own family. I´m sure counting on each other will be good for both of them. Remember that she was the one who eventually made the decision to let Christopher with us...

- Sure, there´s nothing to worry about...

Bob kissed his wife as he turned the lights off...


At Turtle Creek, Sue Ellen lit her bedside light on. She had heard a car parking by her house, and thought it could be John Ross. It was almost twelve, and decided to come down to the kitchen and get a glass of milk, and say hello to her son.

- Hi son – she said when saw him come in, wearing the tie in his jacket´s pocket, looking tired.

- Hi mother– he said, as he opened the fridge door and picked up the milk bottle – Want some? – he asked, looking at the bottle and then at his mother.

- Yes, thank you, I´ve come down for this. – Sue Ellen excused herself. John Ross sat by her side and began to drink.

- Everything´s o.k.?

- Sure. Why shouldn´t it?

- I´be been worried about you these days: you know, the exams, your job at Ewing Oil, and about the movie too...

- Mum, don´t worry: I do understand, know why you did it and know the way daddy treated you. I just didn´t thought fair you pretended to tell the whole world about it...and through such a movie...

- I wanted to make sure he wouldn´t hurt us again, me or you. Don´t know if I´d ever had it released. Everything´s different now, but I know the making of that movie helped me to re-examine my life all over and see what my part was in that. Besides Don was a great friend since day one and he still is. I was outraged because you thought I was plotting against your father...

- Let´s forget it. Do you already have it all for the Ball?

- Yeah, I´ve been brought the dress today. Hope you like it. Are you sure you don´t rather go with somebody else, instead of your mama? Let´s say, with a girl?

- Nope. You are my favorite girl – John Ross said, holding her hand – Now I´m going to bed. Tomorrow will be a hard day at college.

- Hold on darling: you´re on the final path and will soon work full-time at Ewing Oil and, what´s more, your daddy´s testament will be effective...

Sue Ellen finished her drink, kissed her son and went back to her room.

- Yeah – he muttered to himself – it´ll be effective, if I get my degree. But what if I don´t...?

(Fade out)

To Be Continued

 

[Toni]

On Friday morning, Richard Channing met Gary Ewing and Alan Beam to present the pipeline deal´s offer. Dressed in a brown suit and a black tie, he helped himself to walk with a silver-handle stick, since a former back injury had affected his spin again. Richard was accompanied by a young blond assistant, in charge of making the presentation itself, with the help of a magnetic board showing the drilling zone map.

Gary was listening up to him, as Alan did some comments once in awhile, since he had already met with Richard in his San Francisco offices. Once he finished, Gary said:

- It´s a really ambitious project Mr. Channing. But I guess you offered it to other Dallas companies, didn´t you?

- Yes I did Mr. Ewing. I almost canceled our meeting when I found out you belonged to the Ewing family.

- Yes I do, though Ewing Oil has nothing to do with us currently. We work with different energy sources and move on a nationwide level. We´re looking for a project similar to this but, anyway, we´d always be interested in investing on those California fields.

- Well, we´ll communicate our decision to you in a few days – Richard said, winking at the blonde, who unfolded the plans and put them into a briefcase – The best offer till now has been made by Ewing Oil, in fact the deal is almost signed. But let me study the numbers deeply. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Ewing. Mr. Beam.


Alan went after Richard to lead him to the elevator. Gary called his secretary and told her:

- I need you to research Mr. Channing´s past, personally and discreetly. I know you´re very skilful finding information on the Net. If you had any trouble please contact my nephew Christopher´s company.

Once inside the elevator, Richard looked askance at his assistant and told her sarcastically

- Incredible. Absolutely incredible. 90% of the Dallas executives are alcoholic. Believe me, I can recognize one when I see him...

The young woman giggled as if he had told a joke and then pulled down her mini-skirt...


At the same time, John Ross was pursuing his cousin Christopher on the streets of Dallas...

- That idea is nonsense, John Ross. And unethical too.

- It´s about my company, my heritage. The company my dad devoted himself to. And I don´t want everything depending on an exam´s result.

- Are you asking me to install a system on the Ewing Oil intranet to control any movement, from both your brother and your mother?

- Right, but only the movements related with the company: transferences, phone calls, meetings, etc.

- I repeat it: it´s unethical, it´s wrong. Besides, I can´t give you access to their bank accounts, even if I knew how to...

- Tell me how much and you´ll have the money transferred into your account tomorrow.

- It´s not a matter of money. Don´t you understand it John Ross? It´s about principles. What´s more, I don´t need the money, nor you need to control your family...

- I never asked you a favor Chris, and I didn´t expect you to stuck me...

- Let me think about it and maybe I can find an intermediate solution...

John Ross wondered what that solution could be, as Chris got into his sports scar and drove off away from there.


Next Saturday afternoon, the young people gathered to celebrate Maggie´s birthday. Her father put a scarf around her eyes to give her his present. When he finished, waved out and a trailer truck drove onto the road leading to the mansion.

Maggie´s friends were there, as well as her closest family: her mother Donna, her aunts Pam and Val, her uncles Bob and Gary, and her cousins John Ross, Chris, Lucy, Bobby and Betsy. The truck stopped about 5 meters away from the group, and Ray himself opened the gate down: one minute later, the present was standing in front of Maggie, nervously neighing before the crowd, and tied up to the reins hold by Ray.

- Open your eyes honey – Ray said to Maggie, after putting the scarf off. The girl looked amazed, admiring that thoroughbred horse. – He´s an Australian Waler.

- I remember, we saw horses of this breed when we visited the sheeping farms down under...I love him, thanks dad – the girl said, holding his father. - He whispered: The present is from your mama too. – Maggie looked at her mother, smiled and embraced her too – May I ride it? – she asked.

- Sure, they told us that he´s very quiet and fast. – Ray helped her daughter to get on the horse. – You gotta make out a name...

- I got one already: Asfaloth, like Arwen´s steed in Tolkien´s books...

Bobby and Betsy looked at each other and she raised an eyebrow. Maggie and the horse rode away from the group and into the stables. Once there, they turned around and re-united with them.

- Well well, now come you all to the back patio, where you´ll find food and drinking. Meanwhile, we the girls are gonna get ready for the Oil Barons´ Ball... – Donna announced, leaving the boys alone. Gary, Bob and Ray were chatting about the horse. From a distance, Chris and John Ross were watching the group.

- Have you been thinking of what I told you?

- Please not now John Ross. It is not the right time. Try to enjoy yourself and, above all, don´t spoil Maggie´s party.


One hour later Sue Ellen gave herself the last touch in front of the mirror: she had chosen a white gown for the Ball, wearing luxury platinum earrings and an elegant pearl necklace. John Ross knocked on her door.

- Come in darling – she said. John Ross had dressed up in a tuxedo, as the association´s rules dictated.

- You look so handsome, honey.

- You do look breathtaking. Time to leave to the Ball. The limo is at the front door, waiting for us.

Sue Ellen held her son´s arm and said him warmly:

- I´m so proud of you son. Your daddy would, too. John Ross Ewing III attends his first Oil Barons´ Ball...

- Come on mother, don´t make feel like a debutante...

- Oh ain´t you? – she laughed, as stepped down slowly with his son, through the mansion´s majestic staircase.


At another mansion, Gary and Val´s at Southfork, the couple was ready to join the others. Several limos were expecting at the main house porch as well.

- Gary, we must talk... – she said, putting her second earring on.

- About what? – he asked, not too interested, as he tried to tie up his bow tie for the umpteenth time.

- You know that. Three months have passed by and we haven´t discussed the issue seriously.

- We haven´t because you spent two months in California taking care of your mother.

- But she´s in a rest home and, thanks God, healthier now. I think we should handle the kids´ problem. They were expelled from the academy and they complain about the Braddock high all the time. Education is very important in life and we should keep it in our minds.

- I think what you´re really keeping in your mind is what happened with our daughter, and don´t know how to face...“that”. – Val blushed up. Gary knew her deeply and, this time, he was right. - I know it´s not the right moment, but promise me that we´ll talk with them about it tomorrow.

- Promised – The doorbell interrupted them and the servant said that the others were waiting for them.


One minute later, Gary and Val joined the other couples: Bob and Pam, Ray and Donna, and Lucy, who was coming to the Ball with Will. Before to leave, they toasted to Ellie and Jock´s memory with champagne: they had attended those Balls so many times in the early years...

(Fade out)

The Oil Barons´ Ball was crowded as usual. There was half an hour to dinner, but most guests had arrived and were having the first cocktail. The family came up at the right time, not too soon nor too late, as usual too. First to come in were Sue Ellen and John Ross.

- You´ll knock everybody out, the man, with your business skills, and the women, with all the rest...

- Mother you´ll get me blushed...

- Just wait to step up to the stand to give the Jock Ewing memorial scholarship, that will make you even lovelier...

John Ross puffed and pointed at the table the Ewings had been placed at. After them came Gary and Val. The latter, dressed in a sleeveless black gown, looked dazzled, as had happened in the previous years...

- Oh Gaary...It´s fantastic, this Ball is one of the few things I´d really miss if we returned to California. Apart from family, of course...

- Sure... – he answered, sarcastically. – When I was John Ross´s age, my mama and daddy wouldn´t have moved one finger to let me go to the Ball with them. Probably they would have spent the whole evening concerned about me getting drunk.

- Forget that. Now they´d be proud of all you´ve achieved. Of what we´ve achieved. And their grandchildren too, in spite of everything...


Behind them followed Pam and Bobby. Undoubtedly she was one of the prettiest women in the Ball...especially, among her own age´s. Suddenly Bob heard someone to call out his name:

- Hello Bobby Ewing. – It was a woman´s voice.

Pam turned to her first and then Bob did. She was an old acquaintance of them: Holly Harwood, oil baroness and a woman to be reckoned with. She didn´t wear a curled short hairdo, as she used to at the 80´s, but longer and straight. She had not attended the Oil Barons´ Ball for over twenty years.

- Hi... – Bob took a few seconds to remember her name and, when he did, tried not to express any special sympathy towards her, who was already in her fifties, but had kept her magnetic charm and, above all, her bubbly personality. – Oh Pam, remember Holly Harwood?

Pam looked at her politely, even with envy. At last she remembered who that woman was: the person who had interfered in Sue Ellen´s marital life, and whose deeds have led her back to the bottle, not to mention her responsibility about the accident that made Ray´s cousin a vegetable.

- How do you do? Glad to meet you. Bobby, our table is over there - Bob looked at Holly hinting an apology and left with Pam.


Ray and Donna came in afterwards:

- So, Ray Krebbs, here we are again. Who do you think that´ll start the fight this year?

- I bet on a girl, whoever she is. Besides, this is the first year a woman is rumored to be winning the Oil Man of the Year Award.

- Which would make her the Oil “Woman” of the Year...I bet they´ll choose Sue Ellen or our friend Marilee Stone. Look at her, over there, trying to butter the Association´s Prez up...

- And why couldn´t they choose you? We also belong to the Oil Industry.

- True, but in that case, it´d be a shared award, be sure of that...shared with you, Maggie and...

- Asfaloth. – Donna nodded and openly smiled as they walked to the table.

Finally came in Lucy and Will, both very elegant too.

- So this is the famous Oil Barons´ Ball. I suppose that oil is the only talk at these tables, isn´t it?

- Are you kidding honey...Oil doesn´t makes Dallas go around as it used to. Now there is a lot of alternative energy companies replacing the old wildcatters like my grandpa...And, people here only gossip, business deals are made in the offices and the beds...

- I love your style for sure Lucy. I didn´t enjoy myself so much for a long time...

- You ain´t see nothing yet, Will Monahan...

Lucy walked on, holding his hand, as they were saying hello to the people they knew and making introductions to each other.


At the Southfork party, there was a completely different atmosphere. The music was not played by a live orchestra, nor was the same style heard at the Ball either. It was pop and country music, especially by young bands, and its volume was a lot higher.

- Maggie, do you know Johnny Lee Stone? – Bobby asked her sister.

- No, hi. Welcome to Southfork. Are you Marilee Stone´s son, by chance?

- No...her grandson – the boy specified, as old as Maggie was, dark-haired and very thin...though not attractive at all.

- Oh sorry...Johnny Lee.

- My grandma is sorrier, believe me... – he answered.

- Johnny, darling – Betsy came into the scene – have you already seen the horse Maggie has been given?

- No, I just arrived...

- Come on, I´ll show you it. Let´s walk to the stables – Betsy took the boy´s hand and Bobby moved his head.

- My sister is hopeless. Look here comes Chris...

- Hello, I´ve been in Dallas picking up my gift. Here you are, happy birthday Maggie.

The young girl unwrapped the present her cousin had given to her and, to her surprise, found a jewelry box in it.

- It´s...just beautiful Chris, thanks a lot... – it was a silver bracelet with her name engraved on it. Maggie kissed her cousin and he embraced her.

- Well, I´m gonna see...if we need more...whatever – Bobby said, and left discreetly.


At the Oil Barons´, the atmosphere was warming up.

- Can´t believe it. How can that horrible woman come up here... –Sue Ellen complained about Holly.

- I don´t know, maybe she has some friend from oil business... – Pam tried to reason.

- That Holly only has friends of one kind: the wife-cheating kind...

Val and Gary did not know what she was talking about and Bob tried to help them to understand the situation:

- About twenty years ago, Holly inherited her dad´s oil company, Harwood Oil, but she had no experience at all so she hired J.R. as her advisor. Things drove wild when he and I were fighting for getting Ewing Oil, upon daddy´s will. J.R. used Holly´s company to put a lot of obstacles before me and, as it seemed, their relationship went beyond the professional thing, though Holly really hated J.R

- If that´s what she did with her enemies, I´d like to know what she did with her friends – Sue Ellen added as she stood up...

- Obviously – Bobby said looking how Sue Ellen walked away – J.R. was still married to Sue Ellen, and when she found them at Holly´s place, Sue Ellen began to drink, again...The worst of all was that she had an accident driving J.R.´s car, along with Ray´s cousin, Mickey Trotter, who was trying to stop her. Mickey went into a comma and died not long afterwards...

Val looked up at Ray, not too far from them, having a drink with Donna.

- Oh mine, it should´ve been awful to Ray...and Sue Ellen too – she aid - J.R. turned everybody´s life into a hell. It was a miracle his not destroying Sue Ellen...- Gary added.


At another corner of the place, Sue Ellen was talking with old acquaintances. Suddenly she heard a familiar voice. Unluckily familiar.

- Sue Ellen honey! What a big nice surprise!

She slowly turned around: right there, as if time had frozen, was an artificial-looking Marilee Stone, holding a glass of champagne in her hand.

- Oh, Marilee...It´s been a long time... – Sue Ellen said, with a false smile in her face.

- It´s become more obvious for some than for others... – Marilee answered, with her usual sarcasm.

- I heard your grandson is sixteen. Congratulations, “honey”, Seth would be proud of him...at least.

- Tell me something Sue Ellen. I´ve been told you work on tabloid press now. Is that true, Ewing Oil is just a front? You already sold sexy lingerie so nothing about you would surprise me...

Sue Ellen was trying to repress her wrath. She had always hated that gossipy manipulative woman.

- So I was told you went to the surgeon so often that ended up marrying him...just to get special discounts.

- At least, only pros put their hands on me – she said, lowering her voice, and then spoke louder again. – Unlike you, I can see he was a real butcher, darling...

Sue Ellen picked up one of the champagne glasses over a table...

- Oh, babe. I had no idea – Marilee said, noticing the glass – Be quiet, I´ll make believe I haven´t seen you...Take a sip, if you need to...

That was really the last drop. She pretended to trip and threw the champagne on Marilee´s gown. Some friends came over and asked if everything was alright.

- Yes, course. Sue Ellen´s just a little dizzy and poured her glass of champagne on me, casually, that´s for sure...

Sue Ellen got angry and walked in a hurry to the ladies´ room.


Meanwhile, Bob had bumped into Holly when came over to say hello to some old family friends. Holly took him away to talk with him privately.

- Bobby, I´m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, especially Sue Ellen.

- Don´t worry, it was just a matter of time. What I don´t understand is...what are you doing here? Thought you had sold out Harwood Oil after all that...

- I almost did. After our last meeting down in Galveston, I went on a cruise through the Nile, and met my future husband there: a very handsome, very rich British man who ran my company, but after marrying me and changing its name. If you knew how often I regretted the things I did during my time at Dallas...

- Are you here with your husband? What´s his name? Maybe I know him...

- Simon died last year and now I run the company again. But oil is only a part of the business. We might have dinner together one these days and bring each other up to date...So, what about it...?

Suddenly Pam came up:

- What about what, if I may know?

- Hello Pamela. I´m happy to see ya again. You look great...

- You too. Sorry but I´m gonna steal my husband away from you.

Bobby said goodbye to Holly and they returned to the table. Once they sat down, Pam made up an excuse.

- Gary wanted to know...which of you won at the Ewing Oil competition.

Bobby looked at Gary surprised, and he looked at Pam astonished.


Unaware of that, Sue Ellen entered the ladies´ room, where a dark-haired woman with feline green eyes was sitting in front of the mirror, touching her make-up. The woman, known as Alexis, instantly recognized her and used he big mirror to watch her all over without being noticed, nor losing a detail of her mature beauty.

- Good evening – Sue Ellen politely said, as she took the seat by her to check her make-up out.

Alexis answered equally politely but with no intention of beginning to talk with her, smiling at her as she renewed the red lipstick on her still alluring lips. Sue Ellen took the nearness to find what the press photos could not show, some sort of scar proving what everybody took for granted, one of her many aesthetic surgery operations...but she did not find any. That woman seemed to have made a pact with the devil to remain forever young, because watching her o closely and remembering the social events she attended during her early years as the ColbyCo Chairwoman, you could say that no more than five years had passed by...since it actually was twenty the time separating that woman from the other sitting by her side.

- Excuse me...you are Alexis Carrington Colby, aren´t you? –Sue Ellen finally dared to say, as she had recognized her.

- Yes I am darling...and better forget my other married surnames, too many and make my name something very long and boring...just like a marriage itself – Alexis added sarcastically – And you, if I´m right, must be Sue Ellen Lockwood. I´ve got to congratulate you for reaching the top in this competitive world...so controlled by men.

- I cost me a lot...and I don´t mean only money... – Sue Ellen answered as thanking the compliment from an almost legendary woman in oil business – Know something? Some way you inspired me to become what I am now...

Alexis was flattered, closed her eyes and smiled at her again, picking up her powder compact from her purse and softly applying it on her cheeks.

- I was very young when my mother followed every social event the Carringtons of Denver attended– Sue Ellen said, now indirectly watching Alexis´s reflection -. She used to admire you Mrs. Carrington, and wanted my sister Kristin and I to be like you some day...

The false smile got frozen on Alexis´s sophisticated face after such a confession. But she soon recovered, if Alexis was expert on something, that was to react extraordinarily fast to those subtle offences...even when they only were such under her point of view, since Sue Ellen had not intended to make that comment that way.

- How funny! Your mother said? Don´t fool yourself sweetheart...There´s no such age difference between us... The only difference is that you, sick of being J.R. Ewing´s cheated wife, got your first dollars selling lingerie, I was making multi-million deals at the other side of the world.

- Yes true...but J.R. didn´t die in a mysterious way on our wedding´s day nor I took advantage of his fortune...I´ve raised my empire on my own.

- Sure! I forgot it...you made pictures too... How was the name of that bloody film? You wed the director, didn´t you? Am I mistaken or your only production never got released...?

Sue Ellen had finished her make-up touches and was tired of that empty conversation with a woman she would not possibly meet again, so she took her purse and walked her way out to the Ballroom and enjoy the evening. Alexis was not going to leave it there and laid the powder on the table to brush her hair and give the coup-de-grâce.

- My dear Sue Ellen, you do know that don´t look like me at all, you´ve got plenty to learn yet...You´d rather remind me of that kept blond that Blake decided to make the final Mrs. Carrington...

Sue Ellen smiled at her, before to blow on the powder and throw all its content on her face, now covered by the pink powder and prevented from seeing, though not hearing the laughs of that woman who was returning to the Ball.


A few minutes later, John Ross was stepping on the stand to give his grandfather Jock Ewing´s Memorial scholarships of the year.

- Before proceeding to read the holders´ names, I´d like to mention several people missing here for different reasons. One of them is, obviously, my grandfather Jock Ewing. – Everybody at the room began to clap in a polite though unenthusiastically way. – I also want to name two people who are not here, but also deserve to give the scholarships: I´m talking about my brother James Beaumont-Ewing and my cousin Christopher Ewing. – Pam and Bob happily applauded. – Finally, I can´t but tribute the person who taught me all I know about oil, my everyday inspiration.

Marilee raised an eyebrow as Sue Ellen smiled proud of her boy.

- I mean my father J.R. Ewing. I just hope a son of mine can ever tell the same thing I´m going to say of him tonight: though some people might disagree, he was a role model: dad, I want to dedicate this applause to you. – John Ross cheered up the attendants to clap along. Gary and Val could not help look into each other´s eyes, motivating each other to keep on clapping, although J.R. did not deserve it. Right away, John Ross read the names of the students from the envelopes.


At a private airport near Dallas, a jet plane was ready to take off. On it, Richard Channing was drinking his usual glass of milk when got a call. He picked up his cell phone and, seeing Alan Beam´s number in display, he called out the pilot:

- David, hold on a minute. Got an important call. – After saying that, he accepted the call - Richard Channing here.

- Hello Mr. Channing, Alan Beam speaking – the man said, dressed in a tuxedo, since he was calling from the Oil Barons´ Ball – I only wanted to confirm you that Gary Ewing is morally at the best moment to close the deal. He has just been thrown in his face what a big man his brother J.R. was. If I know him a little, Monday morning he´ll ask me to contact you to insist for his company being the perfect choice for your proposal.

- Congratulations Beam. Tomorrow I´ll give the order to make a transference of two million dollars. One of them, to your account in a Swiss bank. The other million, to your personal account in the “First Commercial Bank”, specifying that the transference has been made by your dear late Aunt Gladys from Connecticut. You´re a lucky boy: every good student has his reward. Now remember that all will depend on you...

- Don´t worry Mr. Channing. All is going to work out fine. Gary Ewing will end up biting the dust...

Richard hang up and said to the pilot:

- David, we can take off now, please bring me back to San Francisco. I need to get detoxified of this town as soon as possible. Too many Lady Macbeths for my taste...


In the meantime, Bobby had served himself a drink from the Krebbses´ bar at Southfork, though alcoholic drinks were not allowed at the party. Betsy found him holding the glass in his hand.

- What the hell are you doing? We´re not allowed to drink alcohol at the party.

- Aren´t we? So what can I do? Talk to the cows, or maybe to you, sister dear, and interrupt your attempts to seduce that wimpy Johnny Lee?

- Bobby, you know booze doesn´t become you at all...and if what used to happen at the academy, I won´t make myself responsible again. You´ll gotta face the truth and your own problems...

- You know nothing...

- Sure I do. I know the Principal almost found out your involvement with the Art professor. To cover you, I had to make believe I was the one who had been fooling around with one of your friends...

- And did you have to blackmail him to get his collaboration...?

- That was my only choice: I wanted to stop us to be expelled, but it was too late. From now on, think everything you do twice, because, though you don´t like the country high we´re going nor those wimps dancing out there, this is what we got, and better get used to it...

Betsy left her brother at the Krebbses´ living-room, with his half-empty bourbon glass. That was the way he had been feeling too: almost empty. Then, he went outside and walked to the main house. At the front door, he saw Chris´s bike. He noticed the key was on and looked up to check if his cousin was around. He wanted to ask him for a ride, but he did not see Chris anywhere so he decided to ride the bike himself, and drove off. Then he took the way out to the local road.


In Dallas, Bob was up at the stand now. He was the person chosen to give the Oilman of the Year Award. After making a couple of jokes very kind of him, Bob was given the envelope by the hostess and opened it. After that he read the name written on the card.

- And this year´s winner is... – he said, slowly pronouncing the words, to create some suspense - ...Mr. Simon Thompson. This award is given posthumously, and will be accepted by Mr. Thompson´s widow, Mrs...Holly Harwood-Thompson...

The Ewings looked at each other...until Sue Ellen exclaimed:

- Undoubtedly, these awards are not what they used to be...

In spite of everything they clapped and the woman stepped on very smartly and, when she accepted the award, kissed Bob´s cheek...which was noticed by Pamela. Sue Ellen looked at her, and so did Val...Gary finished his Perrier glass and the Krebbses stared at each other.


- It´s been a reasonably quiet Ball – Lucy sentenced, half an hour later, looking at Will, who was driving his green Mercedes on the way to the ranch – my uncle J.R. once threw a cake to your cousin Cliff in the middle of one those balls. Years later, Sue Ellen herself punched J.R. in front of everybody.

- After all, this year´s has been a really quiet Ball – he said as turned to smile at her...

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a motorcycle crashed onto the car and the couple stopped, quickly getting out of it.

Over there, on the ground, there was lying the bike´s young driver. Lucy remarked:

- It looks like Christopher´s bike...

Will took his helmet out, and checked he was bleeding...

- My God! – Lucy screamed, when she saw the boy´s face – He´s my brother Bobby!

- He isn´t breathing – Will told her after listening to his beating. Lucy was horrified...

- No, he can´t be dead! – she said.

End of Episode 9

Also Starring
SCARLETT JOHANSSON as MAGGIE (Match Point)
JENSEN ACKLES as BOBBY (Supernatural)
EMILIE DE RAVIN as BETSY (Lost)
Guest Stars:
RANDOLPH POWELL as ALAN

FERN FITZGERALD as MARILEE STONE
KEHLY SLOANE as KELLY
And
Surprise-Cameo by
JOAN COLLINS as ALEXIS COLBY

​

Note: Alexis scene co-written by E-JULIAN.​

 

[Toni]

Episode 10:
THE TRIGGER EFFECT


Special Appearances By
LEIGH McCLOSKEY as MITCH COOPER
and
LOIS CHILES as HOLLY​

In the middle of the night, a gray Mercedes was parking at a plain, near the point where the accident had happened. Lucy ran out of the car to the placewhere his brother Bobby was laying, and Will, put on his knees by his side, was doing mouth-to-mouth to him.

- Don´t worry Lucy – Will calmed her down, as he was taking his pulse. – He´s breathing again and not seriously damaged. Have you called an ambulance?

- Yes, I´ve called at Braddock Hospital, the closest. – An upset Lucy smiled at her friend and put her hand on his arm, as a way of thanking...

Suddenly Bobby opened his eyes and looked at his sister...

- Lucy...What happened?

- We´ve crashed into you on our way back to Southfork.

- Answer me one question: Have you had any alcohol drink Bobby?

- Well...who the hell are you? – the teenager asked, abruptly.

Lucy advanced him and said:

- He´s Will, Pamela´s cousin. We´ve been together at the Oil Barons´ Ball. Bobby kept on looking at Will and, suddenly, he blushed up. He took Lucy apart and told her:

- Your brother will get into trouble if they find out he had been drinking. His injuries are not bad, maybe we should take him to the ranch and call yourdoctor.

- No – she said right away, looking serious – I´ll be responsible for everything: he´s my brother and I was inside the car too. After all, it´s too late and the road hadn´t the best lightning...

Will agreed and looked at the hurt boy again, who tried to get up. Lucy ran to him. Will kept on staring at him as he was feeling strange...The ambulance´s siren could be heard from far away, driving from the Braddock Hospital. Will walked to the car and took his black vest...In its pocket, he found the bow tie he had thrown away from himself before to make artificial respiration to Bobby...


In Dallas, the Ewings and Sue Ellen had just arrived at Longview Club, the place where most attendants to the Barons´ Ball used to go after the dinnerand the award gala. Gary, Val and Sue Ellen looked radiant, maybe because they were the only ones in the group who hadn´t had alcohol at the party. They were determined to have fun dancing, chatting with their friends and family, and didn´t want anything to spoil that special night.

- Well, cell phones turned off, post-poned business talks and dazzling women by my side...

- It´s a nice compliment Gary – said Sue Ellen – God knows that every Dallas man thinks the best way to show his love for a woman is letting his dealings and pay attention to her...

- I guess that´s a compliment for them as much as for us the women – added Val.

- Ah, by the way – Sue Ellen reminded – my secretary told me that you had called for an appointment. We´ll meet next Monday but, if you like, you maygive me something in advance now...

Val looked at the crowd in the place and smiled.

- No, we´d better talk it all on Monday...

- All right – Sue Ellen smiled and looked back to Pam and Bobby, coming after them.

- Any problem darling? – said Gary.

- Not at all. Just something...Sue Ellen had to know.


Meanwhile, at Southfork Ranch, the party was over all of sudden when Lucy called on there with her cell phone, before the ambulance drove off. Theyoung men and women still talking cheerfully left home, and only remained at the Krebbses´ Christopher, Maggie and Betsy.

- Oh my, I can´t believe it – said Maggie, with tears in her eyes.

- Don´t worry, I´m sure it´ll be some scratching only. My brother is so lucky that he always overcomes all his problems...though he´s been close this time – said Betsy trying to calm her down...

A dejected Chris had walked by one of the windows and looked at John Ross´s motorbike, parked near the main entrance.

- It´s my fault. If I hadn´t left the key in, sure they wouldn´t have had the accident.

Beth came close to him, plucking up courage. Somehow she knew that she had to slap him twice for what he had said...

...But she didn´t.

- Listen Chris. It´s pointless for you to feel guilty for what´s happened. It had no serious consequence and, what´s more, the only responsible for it isBobby: I found him here having a bourbon...

- You mean he´d been drinking and even so, he took my motorbike?

- Right – she said looking at Beth, who was sitting at the couch. – By now let´s keep it between us, o.k.? Do not blame yourself: this is our home, we didn´t have a reason to take security measures as we were in family...

Chris thanked her and kissed her cheek. Maggie noticed the gesture. Seconds later, he asked her cousins to get closer...
- Please take me to the hospital...

- It´s not necessary, besides we won´t be allowed to see him until tomorrow, Maggie...- said Chris.

- She´s not saying it for Bobby...look, she´s trembling...

Chris and Beth looked at each other, and he nodded. Something was wrong with their cousin.


At the hospital, Will and Lucy were sitting at the waiting room. Bobby had been moved to the Emergency Room. Suddenly Will looked at Lucy, and asked:

- I know it isn´t the right time but, you know it, don´t you?

- Know what, that Bobby will be alright or you, being gay?

Will smiled, slightly blushed up again.

- Although we hadn´t talked about it until now, I had the feeling that you were the only one in the family acting as if you had assumed it.

- Honey, you´ve been missing for a long time...I almost wed one a homosexual young man more than twenty years ago, and since I´m on the “Artbusiness” – she said ironically – I´ve met many more gays than heterosexuals. Why do you think I haven´t re-married?

- I never make guesses about people´s private life, and when I get close with someone, things always happen naturally... or they just don´t, and we become friends...

- Like us, you mean... – Lucy used a magazine laid on the table as a fan – You´re so different from the rest of my family or friends, yes you are, and I wouldn´t have cared if you had tried to seduce me. But believe me, sweetheart: I´m not the easy girl I used to be...

At this moment, Lucy and Will laughed off and one of the nurses pointed them the “Please keep silent” sign.


Minutes later, another nurse walked in:

- Miss Lucy Ewing?

- Yes I am – she said, as they both got up.

- The doctor will come out to talk to you in a minute, though you have nothing to worry about. Anyway I think they have just brought someone else from your family, from Southfork.

- What´s his name?

The nurse checked out the income form and read the name:

- Margaret Krebbs.

A surprised Lucy looked at Will .

- Something´s happened to Maggie...


At Longview Club, Sue Ellen and Pam were talking in front of a fruit drink adorned with little umbrella.

- I had never been in this club before – said Pam.

- It was opened a couple of years ago, as I´ve been told. It belongs to our former friend Dora Mae, who had to bear so many fights of the Ewings at OilBarons´ Club...

- I had no idea... – Pam reached out for Bob, who had received an urgent phone call from the ranch...

- Pam, what´s wrong? – the woman decided to take a chance – Since you knew that Holly was at the Ball, you´ve been acting...so to say...very possessively to Bobby...

Pam pretended to be surprised.

- I don´t know what you´re talking about... – Pam remembered that she was in front of one of the persons who knew her better, and stared at her – Well, I do know, but you´re wrong...

Sue Ellen raised her eyebrows...looking skeptic. - It´s o.k., but I´ve seen Holly Harwood around, and she has come around to talk with Bobby in privateand...

- Pamela... – Sue Ellen sweetly smiled at her – You won´t tell me you´re jealous, will you? You perfectly know that you have the best husband of the whole Texas State and that we the rest of women are who are really jealous...

Pam sighed, pensive...

- I´ve been thinking over about taking the job at the magazine, lately. I gotta have to travel often and, so far, I hadn´t realized what it means...

Sue Ellen nodded: at last she understood it.

- You mean, you are not jealous but afraid of leaving Southfork...and the peace and quiet you get from your family and husband...

- Something like that. Next week I´ve got to attend the Paris Fashion Week, and I really want to, I know the city and I can speak French...

- So, Pam, what´s the problem?

- It´s so simple: I am afraid. Afraid of waking up one day at the hotel and not to find Bobby in the shower...Handing the cell phone and not being able tocall Chris and say good morning to him...

- Pam, listen up: I always was the “Ewing wife” who depended on her social position and her husband. Remember all the nonsense I did when I was with J.R., especially re-marrying him...Just because I felt insecure, as if I wasn´t worth at all...on my own. I know the car accident took you away from your family and caused you damage inside, harder to cure than those outside. Think that you just have to enjoy today and value what we got. Don´t be like that old Sue Ellen, Pam...I had nothing to offer, but you do.


In the meantime Bob and Val were dancing, until someone came from her behind: it was Holly Harwood.

- Hello, Valene. Would you allow me to steal your brother-in-law for one dance?

- All right, as long as you remember you´re a happily married man...

Bob couldn´t help laughing about Val´s comment. But Holly did not.

- My God, what have I done to the Dallas women! They have welcomed me as coldly as was James Bond in “Moonraker”...

- Well, I guess you must be the only available pretty woman who doesn´t rely on them, yet. That almost equals being the “enemy”.

Holly laughed out loudly.

- I always loved that delightful sense of humor of yours. Sue Ellen...seemed to be still bitter to me...

- She must have her reasons...

- Oh mine Bobby! If almost twenty years have passed by since then. You´ve got to forgive and forget. That´s what I did with myself, after years of therapy though. I couldn´t forget that I was partly guilty of Ray´s cousin death...

- Well, if you stay in Dallas, maybe we could meet again once in awhile. Why don´t you come toour next barbecue...Besides, who knows if Sue Ellen, Gary or Ray will find out they´re working with a company called Thompson someday...

Holly smiled slyly and, suddenly, Ray interrupted them. Time to get back home: Bobby and Maggie were at the Braddock Hospital (Fade out).


Not long after that, Gary and Val came with Pam directly from the club. Beth calmed them down about the accident, though they weren´t so sure aboutMaggie´s condition, since she was under observation. A few minutes later, walked in Ray and Donna. They went to talk with the nurse who had checked the young woman into the hospital for that night, and found out that Maggie had suffered an increase of sugar in her blood, worsened by the guilt about what had happened to Bobby.


At Southfork Manor, Will was saying goodbye to Lucy:

- Well, Lucy, I hope we´ll be as good friends as we´ve been ´til now.

- You bet your best billiard stick we will...oh, by the way, you owe me a billiard game. In case you had forgotten the infamous 1978 barbecue, you told that billiard was the most important thing to you...

- That´s a proof of how high my I.Q. was then. Well, I hope your brother will soon be alright, and your cousin Maggie too...

- Sure they will...We´re all Ewings. – said the tired young woman as she smiled and kissed her friend´s cheek.


Next Monday a very self-assured Gary Ewing walked into the Westfork Industries offices. He asked if Alan Beam had arrived and told his secretary to call him at his office. One minute afterwards, appeared Alan:

- Good morning Gary. What a party last Saturday´s...Hope your son is o.k. now.

- Sure, just was some scratches when he crashed as driving his motorbike...Changing of subject, Alan, I want you to call back Mr. Richard Channing – Alan´s face enlightened – and hint him that we can surpass any offer to get the pipeline deal...

Alan felt like a winner: that was what he had foreseen Gary was going to say that morning. Before going back to his office, he added:

- Gary, I thought I could join the business as an active partner of the company. I´ve got some savings I´d kept for something like this...

- You wanna join the company as an investor...That´s always welcome, Alan. Though you must know that our politics prevents our lawyers to invest on the company, due to conflict of interests...

Gary offered his right hand to shook Alan´s, who suddenly looked somewhat surprised.

- You can call Channing and tell him that Westfork from Texas is intent on winning California...



At Ewing Oil, a slightly nervous Sue Ellen was welcoming her ex-sister-in-law Valene:

- Hi Val. Make yourself comfortable... – she said, showing the big couches in one of the corners of the office, adorned with feisty bouquets of flowers.

- You must be surprised to have me here...

- Oh no. You´re a part of the Ewing family, God knows what we both went through due to my ex-husband...

- Yeah, but I´m not here to talk to you about J.R., but your sister: Kristin.

- About Kristin? I didn´t know you got to meet her.

- Bobby has always been very discreet about...delicate subjects.

- I missed something. I´m sorry Val.

- I read what happened to Kristin in Dallas, how she died in the Southfork pool. Just wanted to tell you that, by late 1980, not long after J.R. was shot,Kristin made us a call at our home in Knots Landing, in California. - Sue Ellen wide-opened her eyes and paid real attention on her.

- She´d been arrested for cocaine possession and, in jail, she

remembered that we were the only Ewings she had near. We went for her and stayed with us for a few days...and the last day, before leaving, she confessed that she was pregnant...

Sue Ellen´s face looked gloomier and gloomier.

- She said that she wasn´t sure of wanting the baby, but she couldn´t return to Dallas...She was feeling lost, helpless, as if she were looking for a father for her baby. And she tried with one of our neighbors, Kenny. But I already told you what I came to tell you. Then she left and we didn´t know about her until her death was in the papers.

Sue Ellen got up and looked through the window, towards the skyscrapers standing in front of the Ewing Building.

- So...that is what happened...since she left and up until she met Farraday...she thought that he could play daddy for her son, but he turned out to be a con artist who got her into the drug underworld...The rest, you know already.

- But, did she leave Dallas only ´cause she was pregnant?

Sue Ellen looked up at the woman´s eyes.

- No. Kristin left Dallas because she had shot J.R. and, what´s more, she was carrying a baby, possibly his.

Val was speechless and she leaned down in her couch.


At the same time, at SMU in Dallas, John Ross made a terrible discovery: he had failed two of the most important final exams. He would have those pending subjects for next year and he could not inherit his father´s fortune until then, as stipulated. He immediately got into his car with “Ewing 8” plate anddrove to his cousin Christopher´s.


At the Braddock Hospital, Ray and Donna were picking up their daughter Maggie, who had suffered a slight diabetic crisis, aggravated by the Saturday night emotions.

- Sorry dad. I could´ve helped it. It´s my fault.

- What do you mean sweetie? It´s logical that strain raised your sugar levels.

- If you mean Bobby and Will´s accident, that ain´t your fault too.

Christopher oughta have watched over his motorbike and, above all, Bobby oughtn´t have drunk.


Suddenly the three of them found a small group of reporters handing big microphones who began to ask them about Saturday´s accident. Donna tried toplay down the importance of it and made Ray and Maggie head the park lot, ahead of her.

- Is true that the two drivers had surpassed the blood alcohol limit and Bobby Ewing had stolen the motorbike?

- Stop it! – Donna said– You won´t stop until you take a casual minor accident to the front page...

- Is true that the Ewings are going to suit Mr. Willard Monahan for driving intoxicated?

- For God´s sake, please let me go...and go anywhere else to get the dirt you need...


Cliff Barnes´s TV Station, WKB, was also reporting about the incident. Debbi Porter was listening to the noon news when she had a great idea. He asked her secretary to call John Ross Ewing III. He was at Chris´s home when he received the call.

- Wow, miss Porter, I´m glad to hear your voice again...

- I wanted to tell you that we came to an agreement so we can include you and Ewing Oil at the Special Show you were so interested in...

- Perfect. When and where?

- Tomorrow we´ll send you a cameraman and a reporter to your office at Ewing Oil. Then we will record a complete interview to be previously aired before the live show...

- Are you gonna make the interview yourself...? – Debbi shut up, pensive.

- Yes, I´ll go myself, though I will have very little time for it. I hope you appreciate it, John Ross.

- Sure I will, miss Porter.

Debbi hang up and picked her mobile phone from the table. She dialed another mobile number and a female voice answered:

- May I talk to Mr. Barnes, please?

(Fade out)

To Be Continued

 

[Toni]

The next morning, at Southfork Manor, the family was finishing their breakfast, and Lucy offered to drive Pam to town. Pam had been almost threemonths at charge of the magazine edited by Sue Ellen´s publishing company, and she had devoted herself to her new job, above all after knowing that shehad passed through a phase as a woman.

Ewing 8 car, belonging to John Ross, crossed with Lucy´s. It was Christopher, who came to talk with her father Bob.

- You know that you can talk to me of anything, anytime...

Father and son walked to the stables. Chris still kept his horse there, and her motorbike as well.

- I wanna ask you something that only you can answer. – Bob raised her eyebrows. – You are the only family member who ever could work with Uncle J.R. at Ewing Oil. I know he had a reputation of being a tough guy with no scruples, and screwed a lot of people to get his own way...

Bob was wondering if he had been underestimated his son, since he was giving a rather precise definition of his late brother J.R.

- Tell me what you wanna know, Chris.

- Not an easy question, just wanna know...how can you know if something is ethical or not, although you only ease someone else the means...What does really matter, each person´s principles or being able to helping someone who needs ya?

The mature man, whose hair was whiter every day, put his hand over his son´s shoulder and told him what he thought:

- That´s the million dollar question...for whomever that knows the right answer. I can tell you that I fought with J.R. to make every deal in Ewing Oiltransparent, and the harder I had to get, the further this took me from my family, especially Pam. It´s a personal choice to affect the course of your life. Do youhave to follow your principles and keep your sense of ethics, or just devote yourself to make money, close deals at any cost and care about yourself? Youruncle was very clear-minded, and me too, I think. You should find out what really matters for you: family or business, and to act consistently. All of your life,there´ll be moments when you´ll gotta think a lot of these principles over but, basically, whatever you do in the next years will mark you for the rest of yourlife, not the mistakes you may have made so far...

- And about the accident, I could have prevented it if I had taken the keys out...

- That makes no sense, especially because you ain´t gonna change anything thinking that way. It had nothing to do with you and, besides, Bobby is only a bit scratched...Keep it in mind, you live in Dallas or anywhere else: we are here to help ya whenever you need us, both Pam and Ray, Lucy or myself...and now, let´s see how my horse Banjo is, they told me his condition is rather delicate...Bob and Chris kept on walking towards the Southfork stables...


That evening, Gary and Val gathered the twins.

- You´ll see, now they´ll send you to a military academy and me to a Swiss boarding school. They need a shock, something to get them confused, and make´m think it all over again – Beth whispered.

- Are you hinting that this is the best time for me to get out of the closet?

- They´re just three words: I´m a homosexual.

- And then you could add three more...

At that moment, Val and Gary came into the living-room. They had been talking in private and the time for the family meeting had finally arrived.

- Bobby wanted to tell ya something very important... – Beth advanced to them.

Bobby´s look could have kill her. But their parents made them sit down...

- Dad, I...I... – Bobby stammered.

- Listen to your father, kids – asked Val.

- Bobby, Betsy, I am alcoholic. I´ve been one since I was your age.

Bobby and Betsy looked at each other and then looked at Val.

- I´ve ruined so many things in my life with booze that I just gotta confess it clearly, honestly. Don´t be so silly to make the same mistake I made.

- But if I didn´t...

- Bobby, the blood analyses from the hospital revealed you´d been drinking, and not lemonade... – explained Val.

- Your mama and I were separated for a long long time because of the same reason and the time we wasted, is gone forever. Take as an example and build up a future, instead of raising one wall after another...

Val held her kids and then reached for Gary to hold them too. Once they were at the door, Beth turned around and said to them:

- By the way, Bobby is a homosexual...Meet ya at dinner time...

A satisfied Beth smiled and the two walked out, letting their parents perplexed, without knowing where to look at...


- Hi, my name is Betty Lewis and Mr. Barnes is sending me to interview Mr. Ewing.

Debbi Porter looked at the blond woman all over. She was forty-something but still quite attractive, despite of her green eyes´ coldness.

- There must be some misunderstanding ´cause I´m going to make the interview personally...

- You please call him and confirm this...

Debbi remembered she had read that Cliff´s wife, Afton, was going to have surgery done that week and softened the situation.

- Look, Betty, I will go to Ewing Oil and you, if you like, may take charge of the report edition, but, following our story closely...

- I can´t really wait for, John Ross Ewing is so hunky...

- Aren´t you mistaking him for his brother James?

- Oh...I´m afraid so. But still he is a Ewing, and getting to know him will help my career.

- I see you just don´t get me: you won´t be less than 5 miles away of John Ross Ewing III. Am I clear enough?


At the Westfork Offices, Alan was faxing to California a pre-agreement contract with Richard Channing´s company to associate with him at the pipeline´s construction. Alan had signed himself as new partner of Westfork, but he had also faked Gary´s signature, since he hadn´t found him all the day long, not even by cell phone.

But he had his word that they were “intent on winning California” and, for him, that was the last sign. This way, Channing would transfer his million dollarimmediately and another million into an account on his name in Switzerland. His plan was working out fine. In fact he didn´t care about which Ewing would get more hurt, all of them were part of the same clan who had manipulated him years before, included Lucy. Very soon, Phase 2 of his vengeance would follow, thanks to the very ungenerous collaboration of his wife Betty.


That night, Bobby was waiting in bed for his wife to end his shower.

- Pam, didn´t you tell me you had to travel for that job at Sue Ellen´s magazine?

- Yeah – she said, as she was drying her hair – wait a minute, I´m thru right away.

Pamela put a blue nightdress on and got into bed with her husband.

- Actually I wanted to talk to you about it. My first travel will be the day past tomorrow: I´m going at the Paris Wedding Fashion Week, accompanied by two of the boys of the stuff.

Bobby suddenly looked pale and repeated “Paris...”

- Yep, and after that, Milan and Barcelona. It´s the worst side of this job, just when we had returned to Southfork and everything seemed to be back tonormal...

- Why doesn´t Sue Ellen go, if she is the owner?

- Partly, because I also am a co-owner of the company, and it was a part of the initial agreement.

- But, if next week we´ll hold the Ewing Annual Barbecue...

- Shut up silly boy, I´ll be back by then. Besides Donna and Val are working on it already. Now let´s sleep, I´m exhausted...

Bobby kept on listening “Paris” as an echo that made him return to the past and see images he thought he had forgotten: his previous wife April,murdered twelve years before...the investigation following her disappearance, and that horrible woman, Hillary Taylor, responsible for the terroristattack...How would he be able to let Pamela get onto an airplane and fly to Paris?


Lucy and Will were saying goodbye at the Southfork porche when an unidentified car drove through the ranch´s entrance. It was a lush green Porsche.Lucy looked at the man driving it and smiled when she recognized him.

- Wait a minute, don´t leave yet, I´m gonna introduce ya someone very important to me...

The car parked behind Will´s new Mercedes and the driver got out: he was a man in his early forties, wearing a beard. His name was Mitch Cooper. Lucy jumped onto him to hold him tight. Soon she brought him to Will and introduced each other. One minute later Will got into his Mercedes and drove away.

- So, Mitch...Suppose you´re bringing good news for us... – said Lucy, who looked more serious now.

- Actually not. The Houston specialist who´s been treating Afton got to remove the tumor in her throat...but the cancer has expanded to the lungs andpart of her right lung is going to be removed too. Afton is in the operating room as we speak...

(Fade out)

Lucy and Mitch sat down by the Southfork pool, as they had iced tea and kept each other up to date.

- I was really surprised when you called me some weeks ago, making so many questions about medicines.

- Yeah, in fact all of us thought it was rather odd that Clayton Farlow showed up one day, married with a woman younger than he is...

- And do you think she has bad intentions, maybe going after his fortune?

- We wanna cover ourselves up, so we investigated the medicines he was having then...

- ...So I found this: Vioxx. Patients with arthritis and severe pain usually take it. But this current year, the alarm sounded: patients who take Vioxx have ahigh risk to suffer circulatory and heart disorders. It can affect especially the heart coronary arteries...I´ve checked it out with a specialist from an Atlantahospital...

- Clayton went through two heart crisis, a heart attack more than twenty years ago, and then another attack which ended in surgery back in 1987. What do you think that might happen to somebody with this record if he abuses Vioxx?

- Honestly, Lucy, I think he might die in a few months...

Lucy closed her eyes and Mitch held her hand to cheer her up.


At Gary and Val´s, the couple had sat down in the sofa, holding each other.

- Who´s gonna be the first to speak of the subject?

- Your confession, you mean, or the fact of Bobby being gay? – said Val.

- You know well. They´re just 16, do you think you can know what you want in life at that age?

- Maybe didn´t you know what you wanted when you were 16, Gary? We were already married and had a baby daughter...

- Does it make a difference...? Being homosexual, I mean...?

- Both of us went through big trouble with parental acceptance. Even from our families by marriage. Bobby and Beth are living in a much more stableenvironment. If we handle the issue naturally, without giving much thought to it, everybody will soon get used to the idea...

- My daddy never got used to my poetry writing...

- Maybe Bobby will like it too...Let´s be their friends, instead of keeping the family tradition of the Ewings and the Clemments. It´s reallyimportant...

Someone knocked on the door. It was Bobby, who came in shyly. Gary and Val smiled at him and seemed to be wanting to hear what he had tosay:

- Dad, I wanna thank you for being so honest about...

- ...My alcoholism. I owed it to you both. I wish you had been so honest to us regarding...

- Do you think that having a sister like Betsy, you can be honest? She knew that I was determined to explain it to you and, even so, she let it go just like that. She is a big-mouth...

- You must forgive her, darling. Your daddy and I are happy about you telling us that, and we hope we can help you to solve any problem you can everfind...

- You know, son: safe sex, honest relationships, don´t drive drunk...

- And the healthiest possible food...

Bobby closed his eyes and put his hands under his cheeks. Sincerely, he hoped cure not to be worse than illness, so to say...Because, after all, would hisparents be prepared to have a gay son?


At that moment, WKB was airing its special show devoted to young executives with several generations of tradition. As he had agreed with Debbi, John Ross would only appear on one single report inserted into the show, to be aired after the first publicity break. John Ross was reunited with his mother at his office in Ewing Oil. They were going to watch that report which was supposedly a good ad campaign for Ewing Oil. After the last commercials, the cap came in again and the host introduced the report devoted to Ewing Oil...


Not too far away from there, Debbi Porter was also following the live show from her office´s private TV set.

“John Ross Ewing III. The heir to an oil-based empire that started over 70 years ago. It all began with Digger Barnes and Jock Ewing, and then continued with Jock´s son, late John Ross Ewing II, also known as J.R.”

It was then when a few clips from the movie Sue Ellen produced about her life at Southfork were inserted in. They featured J.R. calling Sue Ellen names and she ended up leaving him. At Ewing Oil, the woman felt humiliated. The off voice went on. “Despite of living in a household full of violence and going through their parents´ double divorce, John Ross Ewing III made it and followed his own way. First, at the Braddock High, where his father had studied, and then at SMU, where he has recently got a degree in Business Management.”

Sue Ellen´s look changed. Suddenly, she had discovered that her son had already passed his final exams at college and could join the company as itsPresident. But the report continued: “During the time he was running Ewing Oil, J.R. Ewing almost led his company to bankrupt in several occasions: heinvested on Asian oil fields after mortgaging her mother´s ranch, he ruined his friends as he sold out these oil fields when he knew they were going to benationalized, thereafter he became a suspect of dealing with embargoed Cuba, and, eventually, the Government took Ewing Oil away from him when hisinvolvement with a dangerous terrorist was proved. The company was run with different names until Bobby Ewing made the choice of selling it out, after hiswife April´s tragic killing at a Paris OPEP convention.”

Debbi pressed her intercom and asked her secretary to get her Betty Lewis. A few moments later, she told her that her cell phone was turned off. Debbi was beginning to think what she could do to stop that disaster.

"John Ross´s mother, who was committed into a detox sanitarium due to her severe alcoholism, overcame her problems through a years-long therapyand, eventually, was able to help her son when he was dragged by a similar addiction after his father´s death. The boy was a chemical drug user and haddeveloped a strong allergy to alcohol due to his mother´s habit. During the tragic torrent week over the Dallas and Braddock areas in 1994, John Ross almost died when the family ranch Southfork began to sink, since he was lying unconscious, presumably because of illegal drug abuse.”

At that moment, Sue Ellen stood up impulsively and turned the TV set off with the remote control.


- But what is this, son? A sort of bad-taste joke? Did they have to come here to interview you so they could air that trash? I´ll tell Kelly to call the network´s director...we´re gonna suit them.

- Take it easy mama...We gotta think that Cliff Barnes might be behind all this. It´s his network, right?

- Cliff´s wife is about to die in some Houston op room and I seriously doubt that Cliff is backing this...

- You are right: I´m not backing this. - Mother and son turned around and right there was Cliff Barnes, dressed in a black suit.


Meanwhile, a fancy silvered Volkswagen was driving into the Southfork main entrance. Once stopped in front of the house, got out of it a beautifulbrunette in her fifties, smartly dressed. Bob and Pam had heard the car coming and were waiting for her at the porche. After them came Lucy, who was intenton talking with her in private as soon as possible.


- Hello kids...It´s so nice to be home again...Anything new Lucy since the last time I was here?

Lucy answered her with complicity, letting her guess that there was plenty of news.

- So come with me to my room, darling, and tell me about them. - Pam and Bob carried her bags. She stopped pensive.

- What´s wrong Pam? – he asked.

- Nothing, I just didn´t know that Barbara and Lucy were so close...


Not far away, at the town of Dallas, Will Monahan received an unexpected visit: the convalescent Bobby Ewing, who had an arm and a leg in bandages.

- Don´t worry: this time I´ve called a cab – said Bobby, as trying to break ice. Will reacted to the appearance of the handsome young man and let himin.

- You´ll be comfortable here – he said, pointing at the sofa, as he made the gesture to help him. Bobby nodded to let him to.

- It´s a surprise you came here. Neither you nor your family had been here, hadn´t you?

- No, and it´s really great... – Bobby looked all over the room, noticing the exquisite decoration, the simple furniture and the pleasant atmosphere – Do you live here alone Will?

- Yes, at least until I find someone to share it with...How do you feel?

- Much better, the doctor says that the wounds will be healed in a couple of weeks...Besides, you were at the hospital all the time, right?

At that instant, their eyes crossed and Will felt impressed by the boy´s blue eyes and his strong constitution; he was in good shape and not too tall. That was his type of men.

- Sure you have your own workout room...- Bobby hinted.

- Yes I do, wanna take a look at it? It´s not a big gym, but since I spent all day at the bank, even at lunchtime, I don´t have time to work out until I comehome...

Suddenly Will had the impression that the boy was about to fall down. He held his arm to help him to walk...

- At Southfork, we also have a room full of workout machines, but my sister doesn´t care about get in shape, she thinks she´ll always look as thin as she is now...

Will and Bobby came into the gym: there were several bodybuilding machines and an aerostatic bicycle. Bobby sat down on one of the mattresses. Will put on his knees by his side.

- Actually I´ve come to apologize about wrecking my cousin´s bike onto your car. I brought you a check from my father to pay all the repairs. He´s also asked me to tell you that he´s sorry he can´t come himself...Right now he´s too busy with his business as usual...

Will kept on looking and smiling, feeling something stronger and stronger to that boy. Bobby himself started to talk without looking at him:

- When I came to after the accident and I saw you, don´t know, I suddenly stopped being scared, I felt like you were keeping everything controlled and...the way you were drying my swear and cleaning my blood, made me feel very quiet and relaxed...

- Well, Bobby, I must confess that my mama always wanted me to be a doctor when I was a kid, though I finally chose Finances...but that didn´t prevent me from enrolling on lot of First Aid courses...

- Maybe you saved my life... – Bobby stared at his eyes. Will was speechless and astonished. At last they kissed, and Bobby let himself fall onto the ground...


The next morning, John Ross had a meeting with the Rector of SMY, the College he had been attending until then.

- Mr. Ewing, I am really sorry about your final exams...

- I am really sorry about the unlucky way you choose your professors...

- What do you mean? – the man carefully asked.

John Ross took a portfolio out of his suitcase and gave it to the man. He slowly read the first page, and quickly passed the next ones.

- I do not understand. How has be been able to keep it hidden so long...

- It would be a scandal for such an important university if this were known by everybody...I´d love to help you to work this out...

- Help me...how?

- That professor has stopped me from passing the last course. The dossier proves his ethics and decency. It belongs to you and you can do anything you want to, whenever you...change my note in those two last exams and get me the highest qualifications.

- Are you blackmailing me John Ross? I was the Rector already when you Uncle Bobby got his degree. I was a teacher myself when your father J.R. was studying here...

- Then you know what my father and grandfather used to say: get the friends close...and enemies still closer. I have the feeling that you and I are going to get along. Tomorrow I want my qualifications corrected...and, of course, I hope to meet you at the graduation.

John Ross picked back the portfolio and put it into his suitcase:

“Remember: quid pro quo. One thing for the other....” This suitcase will be waiting for you tomorrow...The young man walked out of the office very self-assured and, as he was passing through the university corridors, he smiled and said: “I made it dad. I almost made it...”

End of Episode 10

Next:
BARBECUE 2001


Also Starring
SCARLETT JOHANSSON as MAGGIE (Match Point)
JENSEN ACKLES as BOBBY (Supernatural)
EMILIE DE RAVIN as BETSY (Lost)
Guest Stars:
RANDOLPH POWELL as ALAN BEAM
Introducing
LAURA JOHNSON as BETTY LOU BEAM​

 

[Karin Schill]

You're welcome about the feedback @Toni

I must say that I was suprised to see Alexis make a guest appearance in this story but it sort of fit that she showed up at the oil baron's ball. I like the way she was written here too. It seemed very true to character.

Except for that I am having a hard time to understand why several fans want the characters from the "supersoaps" to crossover in their stories as to me they exist in different universes. The only characters I have crossover in my stories are the ones from Knots Landing since there are family ties there with Gary and Val so it fits. They do exist in the same universe as Dallas. But if I am reading a Dallas fanfic I just don't see the need for Falcon Crest or Dynasty characters to show up. So are there gonna be many more crossovers like that in this story or was it a one time thing?

Ouch they sure got trouble with Bobby junior. Getting into an accident and ending up in the hospital. Poor Maggie getting sick on her birthday too.

I think Gary and Val took the news about their son being gay rather well though.

Typically John Ross blackmailing someone to get what he wants. He sure is JR's son from tip to tail!

Good that Lucy had Mitch look into Clayton's medications. I hope they can stop his new wife from killing him.

Clever remark about "Moonraker" and Holly Harwood. I could see the intertextuality that you played upon there!

Anyway I look forward to read more. So thank you for reposting this story for me.

 

[Toni]

You're welcome about the feedback @Toni

I must say that I was suprised to see Alexis make a guest appearance in this story but it sort of fit that she showed up at the oil baron's ball. I like the way she was written here too. It seemed very true to character.

Except for that I am having a hard time to understand why several fans want the characters from the "supersoaps" to crossover in their stories as to me they exist in different universes. The only characters I have crossover in my stories are the ones from Knots Landing since there are family ties there with Gary and Val so it fits. They do exist in the same universe as Dallas. But if I am reading a Dallas fanfic I just don't see the need for Falcon Crest or Dynasty characters to show up. So are there gonna be many more crossovers like that in this story or was it a one time thing?

Ouch they sure got trouble with Bobby junior. Getting into an accident and ending up in the hospital. Poor Maggie getting sick on her birthday too.

I think Gary and Val took the news about their son being gay rather well though.

Typically John Ross blackmailing someone to get what he wants. He sure is JR's son from tip to tail!

Good that Lucy had Mitch look into Clayton's medications. I hope they can stop his new wife from killing him.

Clever remark about "Moonraker" and Holly Harwood. I could see the intertextuality that you played upon there!

Anyway I look forward to read more. So thank you for reposting this story for me.

Happy New Year 2021 to you @Karin Schill (and everybody else here, if there is someone!). Thanks a lot for your feedback and kind words.

I agree with you about the crossovers with the non-Dallas universe shows. This was my first attempt at it because I wanted to do something funny and special for the OBB episode and thought about Alexis´s cameo and Richard´s one-episode appearance in a business-related subplot.

I will tell you that Alexis will make another brief cameo in the future, and only Richard´s two sons will appear next season in a couple of scenes. From then on, I preferred to take old characters from both Ewing series, or make up someone completely new, like Madeleine, her bodyguard Julian or Sue Ellen´s assistant Shania (the two last for next season too).

I have more fun writing for the Dallas characters though it was very interesting to write for Mr. Channing too! I have occasionally tried to read "other" fanfics (not from here, aside from yours) and as soon as they turned to the characters from other shows, my interest disappeared and I stopped reading. I´m going on with yours and Jenny´s fanfic, but I will write about it in its thread. Oh and you are the first person who got my "meta-references", I put a lot in it for my own amusement, and yes, Holly mentioning Lois Chiles´ movie was one too big to miss!

So keep tuned because tonight I´m gonna post the three episodes left from season 2, I hope you like them. No pressure at all...

A big hug from moi and Da Pig!!

About EE, I think it will be better to post the rest of Season 2 (3 more episodes) here this week, and the other seasons as soon as I can, since I want to reprise my story where I left it in season 6.

 

[Toni]

In the following episode of Ewing Empire,
one of these characters will meet his/her fate.​

Episode 11: BARBECUE 2001

Three weeks later. Southfork Ranch in Braddock, Texas. Summer of 2001.
The Ewings´ black limo drove through the arc over the ranch´s entry, featuring letters S and F rounded by a circle. Though the property had been under major changes during the last fifty years, that arc stayed as a proud welcome from its owners...At the breakfast table by the pool, were reunited almost the whole Ewing family, as a Saturday tradition. There were Bob, Pam, Chris, Gary, Val, Betsy, Ray, Donna and Maggie, besides Lucy and her little son Peter. They were waiting for welcoming the new married couple James and Cally, together with their kids. They had been away in Europe for a few months, after his mother Vanessa died at Michelle Beaumont´s hands. The first to get out were the kids, 12-year-old Jimmy, and 10-year-old Ellie. Their parents followed them.

- Welcome home Jimmy! – said Bob as he walked to him smiling, and shaking his hand. James sadly smiled him back.
- Oh Bobby! We missed you so!.- said sincerely Cally as she held him. Pam, Lucy and Val also embraced Cally, more beautiful than ever, and the kids soon began to play with 7-year-old Peter.
- The reading of the testament was quickly over, but then we thought that it would be a great chance for the children to know Europe.
- How exciting! Where did you go, exactly? – asked Maggie.
- We´ll tell ya all once we´ve made ourselves comfortable.
- Your bedroom is ready and we hope that you make this house your home from now on – added honestly Pamela, while Donna and Val nodded at once.
- Sure. Family is important...What about John Ross?
- James, he asked me to apologize for him, he had some business to do, but he´ll be here for lunch...

John Ross was driving his sportscar with plate Ewing 8 towards the new WKB Studios. There he was going to meet Debbi Porter, still head manager of the station.
- Hello Debbi! – he said, as he walked into her office.
- Hello John Ross! – she answered, looking at the bunches of flowers placed all around the office – It´s been really kind from you...
- It´s not! Just a way to welcome you back. I knew that you´d be interested in your job at the station. My mother and my uncle Cliff came to an agreement when they almost went to court because of the famous, not to say infamous, trashy report.
- I do thank you for trusting me and defend me before them. I had nothing to do with that mess...
- Right, it all was part of a revenge plot made up by Alan Beam to put down my family´s and Ewing Oil´s reputation... Some people just can´t admit their mistakes and overcome them. Now the station belongs to my mother, since Cliff wanna get rid of everything he can´t control on his own.
- And are you sure that your mother will ever trust me? – shyly asked Debbi.
- If you let her know your inner-self and you come at tomorrow´s barbecue, she probably will.
- All right...John Ross. I think I owe you one, maybe a big one. Perhaps it´s time for us to meet each other...

At the Ewing Building, not very far away from there, Sue Ellen and Cliff were signing the contract to give her away the station.
- Never thought I might get to do business with you Cliff.
- Sue Ellen, you know this is not a business, I´m saving my neck. That Beam bastard had it planned all the way to ruin the Ewings and make the feud with the Barneses start over at once...but it backfired on him...Did you track him down?
- I...I am not sure but I think he might be in California. He and the two millions he got for closing a fake deal for Westfork with that presumptuous winemaker from San Francisco...
- Have you heard anything from him...what´s his name...that Channing?
- Gary talked with him by phone a couple of times, but he couldn´t get anything definite. Alan faked Gary´s signature on the pre-contract, and he considers that his company didn´t commit with the pipeline business at all.
- Never trust anyone on the other side of the line, especially if it´s a cell phone. Look at poor Debbi, she spent months believing she was following my orders, when actually she was talking with Alan.
- Well Cliff, glad to see you, and sorry to make you come on Saturday, but I wanted to work this out before James´s return...You´ll be welcome at the barbecue and hope that Afton will fully recover...

Back at Southfork, James and Cally were emptying their suitcases with Teresa´s help. Once she finished, quietly exited.
- How are you feeling honey?
- Maybe it´s the jet lag...but I´m feeling just as if I didn´t know where I am, as if I couldn´t recognize this house or these people.
- It´s logical, we´ve been exchanging hotels for months and touring in Europe...I´m glad that Ellie and Jimmy get along so well.
- They´re swell kids...I wonder how John Ross must be...
James took out a picture of Vanessa and put it on the bedtable. Cally noticed it and caressed his cheek with her hand:
- James, you´re soon gonna feel better, do not feel guilty for your mama´s death. You had nothing to do with that, Michelle was crazy...and Vanessa´s death was probably accidental...
- I´m o.k. now. Now I only care about you: my family. And Ewing Oil.

Gary and Val were walking around the Southfork lands, and noticed that their son Bobby was helping the ranchhands in the stable. They waved at him.
- I can´t believe how Bobby´s changed in the last month...
- Since he had that accident, really.
- Since we talked about his homosexuality...
- ...And my alcoholism. Do you think he´s seeing someone?
- Well, in a way, I was beginning to think the same. Betsy seems to be a little jealous because they don´t go to the movies together as they used to.
- He ain´t late at high school nor goes out on Saturday nights, nor has had any kind of trouble at all.
- What really calls my attention is that he´s writing again. You know, drawing and writing always were his favorite hobbies...Since about one month ago, I´ve often found him writing, though he doesn´t let me read what...
- Perhaps that´s his real vocation. Perhaps we got another writer in the family.
- I wouldn´t mind at all. I wish Betsy were more focused now, the way Bobby is...

At the Krebbses´, near the main house, Donna and Maggie were moving some boxes filled with old papers. Maggie picked up one of them and, when she walked into the kitchen, several letters fell down. Below one of them, appeared a book reading “Diary. 1946”.
- Is everything o.k. sweetheart? – asked Donna, from the storeroom.
- Yeah mum. – Then she took the diary and kept it in the bag she had left on the table.
- Well we oughta quit for today. I´m exhausted...and you too babe.
- May I make you a personal question about dad?
- Like when did he learnt that he was a Ewing and not just a foreman?
Donna came out by the pool along with her daughter and sat down comfortably:
- It was back in 1981. The one everyone thought was Ray´s dad came up one day and gave proofs to Grandpa Jock about his being his real father.
- Who was his mother?
- A nurse from Kansas that he met overseas during the War whose name was like yours, Margaret.
- So you named me after her?
- Yes indeed. Though your dad and I were divorced already when you were born, it seemed to me a good idea to tribute his mama. She died when Ray was just 15...
- What a romantic story! Jock and Margaret falling in love during the War...Tell me more...
- Sorry but the rest is top secret...Maybe someday someone will write a book about it, but I doubt it...
Donna walked into the house as Maggie looked pensive. What could there be behind that diary she had found?

Half-way between the stables and the houses, Bobby took his cell out and made a call:
- Hi Will.
- How are you?
- Fine but can´t talk right now. Meet you tomorrow at the barbecue...
- May I call you tonight?
- I´ll love that...
Bobby pressed the end call button and took a deep breath, and then smiled and ran off home...

(Fade out)

At lunch time, the Ewings gathered again.
- We have delayed the barbecue a couple of weeks for you to attend – said Val.
- That´s very kind from you – added James.
- Hope everything just went the way you expected in Vienna, James – indirectly asked Bob.
- Yes, everything was worked out for once and all. Though I never thought that my mother had diversified her investments so much...
- Vanessa´s friends and lawyer were very sweet to us Bob. I couldn´t help remember our holiday trip with J.R.
Pam looked out of the corner of her eye at Bob...He smiled a too happy smile.
- Yeah, we had fun after all.
It was then when Cally realized that she oughtn´t have said that. April´s memory for Bob would be linked to Vienna forever.
- Have you invited to the barbecue any young executive? – said a provocative Lucy.
- No, Lucy, just the usual friends: the old oil barons, their sons and grandsons, and some friends we haven´t seen for a long time.
- I invited Will, Lucy – she smiled, pretending to be surprised.
- Your cousin Will Monahan? – asked Gary.
- Yes. He´s been here for awhile and, Lucy aside, he doesn´t have many friends out of the financial circle...
- Is there any special reason? – intervened Betsy.
- Not that I know, but you can ask it to him yourself honey.
- I sure will little sister – said Betsy.

At the Wentworth Manor, Cliff was calling to Houston, to the hospital where Afton was checked in. He was passed on to Mitch, who was accompanying her.
- Hi Mitch. Glad you´re there. Tell me, how´s Afton evolving? Really? It would be great that she could forget chemo completely...What about the last tests? Fabulous. Do me a favor, give me my daughter Becky. Too bad. Then I will call her at her mobile phone. I think it´s time to go back to normal. Say to Afton that I called, as soon as she´s out of chemo.
Cliff served himself a glass of iced tea and looked all over that luxurious place, once bought by her mother Rebecca. After so many years, he was still feeling as insecure as he was feeling when she died at a plane crash, though he could eliminate his guilty...

At the Southfork Manor, it was time for the last cocktail after the lunch...
- I hope that Dusty will be able to come over this year, Barbara feels like seeing her daughter Carrie again – commented Lucy.
- Why did she leave so suddenly yesterday? – asked Val.
- She didn´t leave. She had a meeting with her broker, obviously it´s trendy to make your business on Saturday...
- Speaking of business – said Cally – I want to make you an offer...
- O.K. Would you like to swim with the kids in the pool?
- All right, I´m gonna change...

Bob, Gary and James had their own talk subject: business.
- James, I want you to know that I´ve finally understood why you left us to move on Ewing Oil. Count on me for any question...
- And me too – added Bob – Oil industry is very unstable: today we can be at the top, but tomorrow something might happen that´ll put us down.
James finished his bourbon.
- I guess I should take that as a gesture of encouragement and support to join back Ewing Oil...
- We meant that – said Bob.
- What I just don´t get is why this is coming from my uncles instead of my brother and partner in business...
- James, don´t worry, John Ross must have had some sort of unavoidable commitment, you know how young men are at that age...
Suddenly, they heard the roaring motor of J.R.´s heir´s car, and he parked near the pool. He said hello to the women and kids and then walked into the house to meet his brother...
- Speaking of the Devil,.. – joked Bob.
Hi little brother – said John Ross, while he took his sunglasses off.
James turned around to him and, after some tense moments, they embraced each other endearingly...

That night, in her bedroom, Maggie opened the Diary she had found dated in 1946. She soon realized that it was her grandmother´s Diary and very often mentioned her grandfather Jock...Maggie fell asleep, holding the Diary with her hands...

At that very moment, at the Ewing-Clemmens´ house, Betsy had slipped into his brother´s bedroom while he was showering. She looked for his cell phone and began to press buttons, until she reached the “realized calls” option: there she found a number often redialed that she quickly memorized. Afterwards, she silently left. At her own room´s privacy, Betsy modified her cell´s settings so it wouldn´t be showing its number, and called the number she had memorized.
- Good evening, I´m calling from the Yellow Pages´ Customer Service, we are checking out if your number appears correctly assigned to your name in the professional section. Am I talking to Mr. Matthew Ackles, aren´t I?
He cleared his throat and eventually answered:
- Well, I think you´re mistaken, young lady: my name is Willard Monahan, and I am a financier.

(Fade out)

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[Toni]

The next morning Chris was turning the pages of the newspaper before to get back at his apartment and his office, both in the same Dallas building. Pam and Bob joined him right away along with Lucy.
- Any interesting news, Chris?
- Well dad, apart from the oil prices going down, the Middle West crisis and the holes in the ozone layer, yeah, one thing has called my attention...
Chris gave to his father the paper wide opened by the specific page. The headline said “SMU professor involved in net sex scandal.”
- Was he your professor, Chris? – a curious Lucy asked.
- No, actually I didn´t attend SMU...but I´d say that John Ross did know him.
- My God, it must be horrible to be involved in such a scandal and lose your reputation at his age... – Pam remarked.
- Anything wrong Chris? Look kinda worried... – his dad noticed.
- No, not all...I gotta go. – Chris stood up, kissed his parents and said goodbye to his cousin Lucy. Then he grabbed his briefcase and got into the car with the “Ewing 9” plate.
- So, must be leaving too – said Lucy – Want me to drive you to Dallas, Pam?
- No – she answered – I´m going to stay home to help Val and Donna with the last arrangements of the barbecue.

At the Krebbses´, Maggie kept reading fervorously his grandma Margaret´s diary. Suddenly, the door was opened and Maggie quickly covered the book with a magazine. It was her mother.
- Hi honey. If you don´t leave now, you´ll be late at school. Want me to drive you?
- Yeah, yeah, oh thank you, I´ll be ready in a minute. – Donna left and Maggie took the diary and put it in a music box she locked afterwards.
- Mum – she asked her on the way to school - do we have any relative, apart from the Ewings, I mean from the Krebbs´ family side?
- No, your daddy´s aunt Lil died a few years ago and her son Mickey was very unlucky himself too... – Donna chose carefully her words because she didn´t want to explain her daughter Mickey Trotter´s tragic story in Dallas. - And, well...
- Go on... – said the girl with interest.
- Though they weren´t his children, Ray always considered Jenna´s kids Charlie and Lucas as if they were his own...
- Had she been married before?
- Yep... – Donna hated the possibility of her daughter thinking that she didn´t fully relied on her so she decided to tell her a secret – I want you to know something, but it must be kept between you and me. Lucas, Jenna´s daughter, was actually your uncle Bobby´s baby.
- But how could that happen...? Wasn´t he married to Pam?
- Pam and Bobby were divorced for a couple of years and, on their second wedding´s day, they learnt that Jenna was carrying Bobby´s baby. I want you to know the truth because these kind of things
sometimes happen, and we don´t have to be worse persons for that.
- Does...Christopher know that he has a stepbrother...?
- Don´t know Maggie. Maybe yes, maybe not...

Far away from there, in Houston, Barbara Baxter was receiving a visit at her luxurious apartment.
- Hello mother.
- Hello babe. Come on in... – said Barbara as she held a glass with her hand – And don´t worry about this, it´s only Perrier with lemmon...
- I gave up intruding your life a long time ago, mother. I´m here to talk about other stuff.
- All right, make yourself comfortable - Barbara sat down in the coach and her daughter Carrie in the armchair next – How´s your sweet husband?
- Steven and I...are getting a divorce.
Barbara stood up and pointing at the liquor cabinet, she asked:
- Maybe you oughta have something heavier than my Perrier...
- One bourbon, and make it double...

At the same time, John Ross was having dinner with Debbi at a very fashionable restaurant in Dallas.
- I never thought I´d get to see you out of that station office...
- Nor that I could survive to what happened with the fake report. I´m very grateful to you and your mother for keeping me in the job when you bought the station, despite I was partly responsible of it.
- You were no less cheated than me or Cliff Barnes, though in Barnes´s case, it´s already a habit...
- I made the mistake to feel almighty because I came from California, so different from Dallas...to Texas. Things are done here in a big way, but in the deep, many things still are like they are in a small town.
- Obviously you saw through us. I want to invite you to come at the barbecue we will be holding at my family´s ranch next Saturday.
- I don´t know if it would be a good idea to be seen together there...at least by now. I understand that the Ewings fiercely protect each other from the outsiders...sorry if my comment bothers you.
- You´re completely right Debbi. Even so, I want you to come. We´re going to celebrate my graduation at SMU and it´s going to be a special occasion. It would mean to me a lot you coming over...
Debbi smiled, slightly blushed by the young man´s sincerity.
- O.k. then...but, don´t you think that your mother could be resented to me for what I had to do after that airing?
- Are you talking about her appearance on that talk show and her speech on behalf of A.A. and against the wife abuse? – Debbi nodded. – My mother had been looking for an excuse to do something like that for centuries. She´s been sober for many years but never turned to A.A. nor had made any public statement neither.
- So, how could she stop drinking?
- She replaced alcohol with something much more effective: revenge.

Back at Houston, Barbara and Carrie kept on talking...
- You must know that this puts me in a very complicated situation...
- Of course I do mother. But you won´t believe that I´m going to back up just to make your life less complicated...
Barbara looked at the liquor cabinet:
- Wanna another drink?
- Why not? – the younger woman answered. She was about 40 years old.
- I can´t do anything but taking care of that lonely ranch all day long. I miss my job and Steven and I can´t talk without beginning to shout each other...
- What about your new stepmother? – at last she asked what she wanted to know since she came in.
- Don´t know, she looked kinda bored at Southern Cross and only stayed for supper. The next morning, after Clayton argued with his son, they packed up and hit the road...
- Where to? Do you know?
- Switzerland I think. At least, that woman couldn´t stop talking about her dear Switzerland...But, why are you worried about Madeleine?
- Hope to be wrong, but I think that what your grandfather´s marriage is not what it seems to be, and this could affect all of us Ewings and Farlows...

At Sue Ellen´s Turtle Creek mansion, she was welcoming her former sister-in-law Valene.
- It´s a wonderful house, Sue Ellen...You must be so happy to live here with your son...
- Well – she answered – maybe it´s too big for one person. John Ross has a condo of his own at downtown, so I don´t see him around many nights. Besides he also stays the night at Southfork...
Sue Ellen made her guest come outside to the pool patio and offered her iced tea...
- I´ve asked you to come, first, to thank you the right way for telling me your meeting with Kristin...It was such a hard time for me: I was divorcing from J.R. and couldn´t believe that my sister had been so out of control...
- I do understand you. When we settled down in Knots Landing, Gary hit the bottom a couple of times, but, luckily, he´s been sober for many years. He was so panicked to lose control again and ruin our relationship one more time...
- I´ve been reading all your books, Val – Sue Ellen went inside the house and brought them over: “Capricorn Crude”, “Nashville Junction”, “Hostage”...You´ve got a very straightforward style that could fit in my plans right now...
- Are you looking for a writer? – asked Val.
- Not really, I´m looking for a female writer to research the past of two very dear people...
Val wide-opened her eyes, while she stared at her...
- I´d like you write for my publishing company a biography of Jock and Ellie Ewing´s, beginning with the early years. As a tribute to them and their love story, quite unusual for their times. But, you ought to use their real names and do a research with my help, in whatever possible way...
Val got up and walked to the tennis court at the downside area of the property. Sue Ellen followed her, intrigued.
- I´m so flattered, Sue Ellen. But I just gotta say no. A long ago another person asked me to investigate the beginnings of someone close to her, and what I found out, might have ruined their lives forever, so...I´d rather refuse your offer...Thank you for recalling me...It was so admirable your statement after that awful report about John Ross...and I´d love us to be friends, but no, I can´t write that book...

After while Val got into her car as she recalled the moment when she made that discovery and understood what it really meant, hesitant about telling someone or refusing her proposal. That time, she had told Donna what she had found out. But this time around, with Sue Ellen, things would be different: she wanted Jock´s and Ellie´s memory to be kept the way it had become through
the years, once forgotten the old resentments: two persons who were the most important thing for each other, and who loved each other until the last day they were together...

(Fade out)

The Ewing Annual Barbecue was welcoming its first guests...
- Hi Punk, Mavis, we´re so glad you could make it... – Pam gently said.
- I wouldn´t miss it for anything in the world. Where´s that husband of yours...?
- He´s inside Punk, with Ray – a smart Donna answered.
Punk and Mavis entered the house to say hello, while Val came by the two women.
- All looks really fantastic girls. I hope everybody will have a great time...
- Sure they will Val, thanks to you and Donna. My new job at the publishing company is letting me a little free time – commented Pam.
- Isn´t that your cousin Will? – asked Donna, looking at a handsome 40 in his early forties, who had just walked in, dressed in jeans, a striped shirt and a gray cowboy hat.
- Yeah, he is.

At other corner of the area accommodated for the barbecue, Bobby had also noticed Will´s arrival. He stared as him until Will smiled, and then Will lost him of sight when Pam warmly embraced him.
Sue Ellen came with John Ross, both dressed in Texan attire for the occasion.
- Ready for another Ewing Bar-b-q, mother?
- Yep, I missed them badly in these last years...Southfork always was my home, despite of everything.
- I´ve invited a girlfriend myself, hope you it won´t bother you.
- No, not at all – she said, smiling – do I know her?
- Yeah, look over there – John Ross pointed at a young, pretty woman with dark skin, surrounded by several young men who were trying to invite her to dance.
- Did you invite Debbi Porter...? – Sue Ellen was speechless.
- Well, if my uncles can invite their secretaries, I don´t see why I can´t invite Debbi, who´s our employée now at the station...but please, no business talk...
John Ross walked towards the woman and she kissed his cheek. Afterwards, she innocently waved his hand at Sue Ellen.
- You didn´t tell me that she´d be here...
- My mother missing a Southfork barbecue? Also we´re gonna celebrate my graduation, and I decide who´s coming at my parties...

Val and Donna kept on welcoming the newcomers. Now it was time for Marilee Stone and her grandson Johnny Lee.
- Hope you´ll enjoy the barbecue. Make yourself comfortable – kindly said Val.
- Where´s Betsy? – anxiously asked Johnny Lee.
- She´s by the pool I think. She´ll come over right away.
- I´d better go for her...
A self-satisfied Marilee looked at her grandson and then at the two women:
- Ain´t be great if these two would tie the knot someday? – right after that, she walked forward to ask for a drink.
- That woman makes me chill...- said Val.
- Believe me, you´re not the only one, and what´s more, she must be angry: Sue Ellen and she had a horrible fight at the Oil Barons´ Ball. If I do know her, she´s come with a revenge in mind...
Val looked at her astonished. As she was seeing, there was a lot of people in Dallas who belonged to the same kind of J.R.´s.

John Ross was showing Debbi Porter the main house pool when they found Betsy and Johnny Lee in a compromising position, on a deck chair.
- I told you it´s over! – the girl suddenly stood up and jumped into the pool.
- Please ask Teresa for a bathing suit, otherwise my aunt Val is gonna have a heart attack if she sees any kind of show at the pool...
Debbi laughed about his remark and realized that she was liking more and more that young man. He was a few years older than her, maybe over 10, but he was treating her so respectfully and devotedly that she couldn´t refuse his invitations. Besides, he and his mother had saved her reputation when they declared on a press conference that Debbi had nothing to do with that faked broadcast report.
- You wanna see my room?
- Maybe next time, but now we could ask Teresa for bathing suits...
- Could we? But you´ll gonna swim with me, ain´t you?
- Not for us, for them...
Debbi pointed at Betsy and Johnny Lee, who were fooling around naked in the pool...John Ross was speechless.

At the Krebbses´, Maggie was giving herself the last touches to join the barbecue. She thought about the diary she had been reading, Margaret Hunter´s, her father´s mother. Probably there were more somewhere. She walked into her parents´ bedroom and snooped at the lower side of the closet.
Her mother had been re-placing a lot of boxes during the last month. Then she went up to the attic, which was filled with packages with notes reading its contents. At last, she found one that read: “M.H.” She opened it and there, wrapped in paper, there were three more diaries written by Margaret. From
1947 to 1950. She picked them up and, when she was going to put them safe in her room, she heard Christopher´s voice.
- Maggie! Are you up there? Aren´t you ready yet?
- Right now Chris. You go ahead...
Barbara and Lucy were having a friendly chat but with plotting tones in it.
- So when are we holding the meeting?
- When the barbecue is over. We must report your family about our suspicions, Lucy, and contact Dusty. Things ain´t goin´ too good at Southern Cross...
- Have you talked to your daughter Carrie?
- Yeah, there´s trouble in paradise. Madeleine reportedly had a frozen reception there. Afterwards they flew back to Switzerland...
- Sorry this is affecting so many people...
- Lucy, this is gonna affect all of us if what we suspect is confirmed. The sooner we talk with the others, the better...

Sue Ellen and Marilee clashed into each other, as usual lately.
- I´m sorry...- said Sue Ellen, before to see who it was...
- I understand your condition honey – Marilee abruptly said.
J.R.´s ex-wife pretended to have not heard her and walked towards Pam.
- So...ready for your journey to Italy?
- Oh yes, Sue Ellen. I´m so excited. We had fun in Paris...and we´ve prepared a outstanding report, for both "Woman Today" and your new TV channel...
- I´ve noticed Debbi Porter was John Ross´s date...What do you think of that?
- I think it´s o.k. for now. He´s almost all grown up and she...was involved in something that might have hurt her.
- Alan Beam´s personal vendetta almost works out...
- Actually and please don´t tell anyone - she said in whisper – but I think a Richard Channing is rather angry with him and Westfork Industries...
- Poor Gary...

At Gary´s and Val´s house, Bob was waiting for his brother to finish a phone call. He eventually did.
- Gary, everyone´s asking for you...Are you ready for the Ewing barbecue?
- Wait a minute Bob. Just want to tell you something – Bob changed his look as he arched his eyebrows – Remember that Richard Channing venture that Alan Beam had so hard wanted me to take?
- You mean the California pipeline?
- Right. Today I´ve found out that Richard Channing is blaming me for the contract breach. As it seems, Alan faked my signature on that pre-contract and faxed it to him the day he left Dallas. Channing told me that he had also transferred into an account I had in California...
- California?
- Yep, but...I cancelled all my accounts there long ago. Alan seems to have been posing as me to open an account and get that million as a first payment of the pipeline deal...
- You´re not saying that Alan has conned Channing using your name, aren´t you?...
- Not only that. As he told me, a second million was going to be paid to him if he got the deal closed. That million has been cashed by Alan at a Swiss bank...
- I.e., we have Alan Beam running away from Dallas carrying a briefcase worth 2 million dollars...
- That´s right, though not precise. The day he left, I was very nervous about Bobby´s crash. I told Alan to go ahead with the Channing deal. Later on, my secretary brought me a dossier about him that I had asked her to do: what I found in it scared me to death. Even if only half of it was true, that individual is not the best partner one can have...
- What was it about?
- Connections with a European multinational corporation with a terrorist past, also with a Mafia-like group called The Thirteen, his life was attempted several times, he was sentenced to jail for a few crimes and, even his third wife died mysteriously...So I backed down and rejected the deal. Tried to contact Channing but he wasn´t reachable and Alan was gone. You know the rest...
- Do you mean that Channing might come back and demand you those 2 million dollars back?
- Not only that Bob. He wants us to be his partners in the pipeline, at any price. I´m fed up with this business...Every day I´m more fed up with it, I mean it Bob...

Outside at the barbecue, Chris and Maggie were dancing.
- Didn´t anyone tell you that you´re very mysterious lately?
- Thanks, nice compliment. – Maggie hesitated.
- What were you gonna say?
- Nothing – the girl changed her mind. She remembered her mother´s words about Lucas´s existence. - Have you ever missed to have a brother, Chris?
- Well, John Ross has been the closest to a brother to me, at least concerning the negative side... – both laughed the joke – Why are you asking?
- Not long ago I learnt by chance that a friend of mine had a stepbrother he never met.
- Must be hard to live isolated from your brothers and parents, especially as a child. My daddy, as far as I know, never had any other son but me, and I´m adopted. – Maggie looked at him tenderly, trying to decide what was the right thing to do.
- Christopher, you have a brother, your dad had another son with Jenna Wade.
Christopher stepped back, looking confused. When the young woman began to stutter an apology, Chris ran off towards his father. Donna, who had been watching them, rushed by her daughter.
- Darling, tell me you didn´t say it to Christopher...
- I´m sorry, I thought he had to know...
Donna embraced her daughter and looked out for Bob, who was standing near to one of the tables, with Gary.
- Seems like the old times, eh Gary?
- More or less, only that we´re the daddies now...
- I´m sorry Bob, may I talk to you for a minute?

Bob and Donna walked apart from them.
- Some days ago, Maggie found an old diary of Ray´s mother, Margaret, and, when I was explaining to her about her grandparents backstory, I slipped out that you had another heir, Bob.
- You mean Lucas?
- Sure.
- And?
- Well, I thought that you never told Christopher so you didn´t have to explain the circumstances of your breakup with Jenna and your second wedding to Pam...
- You weren´t living here any more Donna, but I did. When Jenna and Ray got married, Christopher and I talked about Lucas. In fact, he found about it by chance through Jenna´s daughter Charlie. It was too hard for him to accept it but I think he did. At those days he was suffering a big deal and put the blame of everything to his being adopted.
- I had no idea...Then, why has he reacted so oddly when Maggie´s told so?
- I´ll talk to him. Thanks for caring Donna – Bobby warmly kissed her in her lips.

Will and Bobby had finally said hello to each other, in the middle of the crowd of guests. Their faces didn´t show it, but what they were whispering expressed quite a lot. Not far from there, Betsy was watching over them.
- I missed you a lot – Bobby broke the ice.
- Me too. I got your letter...and your drawing – Will revealed – you´re good, with both things.
- You too...
Will blushed up and asked him plainly:
- When shall I meet you...in private?
- Within fifteen minutes, at the Southern Stables. John Ross will make his big speech...
- Something´s telling me that you don´t like him very much...
- Chris and James are nice guys but John Ross always look at us, Betsy and me, as if we were two freaks, just for being twins...
Will raised his glass and toasted to Bobby. Then he walked to Pam. At the same time, Betsy got closer to her brother.
- Interesting that cousin of Pam´s. Do you thing I´m his type?
- You got Johnny Lee hang up on you. Let someone for the others...
Betsy smiled while her brother walked away. He couldn´t suspect that she knew how to lip-read and had “read” everything they have said to each other, including that about their meeting at the stables...
- At the Ewing bar-b-q´s, the big point is: who´s gonna fall into the pool? – said a gay Marilee. – Hi Bobby – she said impulsively.
- Hi Marilee... – Bob scowled...
- I´ve heard that Pam is away very often lately. If you´re feeling alone, call on me and we might have lunch together...at home.- Marilee wide-opened her big mouth.
- You´re obviously having a great time, as usual. You haven´t seen my son Christopher, have ya?
- No, he´s too young for me. But he´ll look terrific in a couple of years...
The thought of Marilee trying to seduce Chris was so panicking to Bob, and he couldn´t help laughing...
- I said it´s over! – cried out Betsy.
- Just a minute ago you didn´t think the same... – said Johnny Lee, both with their hair still wet after the pool swim.
- I don´t wanna see you again, let me go. You haven´t got enough class for me, neither does your family.
Marilee´s eyes were popping out. She rushed over near the pool.
- Take back your words right now, you spoiled brat... – demanded
Marilee.
- I don´t want to. You´re such a creepy old woman who have nobody to go with at a party and always has to go with your hick grandson hanging on...
Marilee raised her hand to slap her, but Bobby stopped her.
- Let it go Mrs. Stone. Go back with the others.
The shouting had called the attention of several guests, and also family members like Will, Val, Lucy and Maggie.
- You´re such an unfit slut just like your sister Lucy.
Lucy stood in front of Marilee, her arms firmly planted around her waist. She looked at Will with complicity and both of them pushed Marilee into the pool. An angry Johnny Lee tried to knock out Will but hit Bob instead. Will quickly reacted and punched Johnny Lee, who ended up joining his
grandmother in the pool.
- Keep it in mind, ´cause my granny always said that: “We the Ewings may be right or wrong but we keep together like a family and support each other.”
Once alone, Johnny Lee tried to help his grandma to get out of the pool, but she got rid of his hands while murmuring: “Damn Ewings, I´ll get even on them...”
When Marilee was walking out of the ranch towards the park lot, Sue Ellen ran off to say goodbye to her:
- Oh darlin´. Just hope you got what you deserved. Your gown is obviously shrinking. Must be rather cheap...Read my mag so you´ll learn how to dress with class.
Sue Ellen turned around as Marilee was fuming...

Minutes later Ray loudly whistled to call the people´s attention. By his side were Bob, John Ross and Sue Ellen. A little further were Maggie, Lucy, Betsy, James and Cally.
- Friends and family – requested Bob in loud voice – Since we are reunited for this annual barbecue, we want to announce that my nephew John Ross has just got his degrees at SMU and will immediately join Ewing Oil, now as the CEO...
They all clapped, encouraged by Ray, Bob and Sue Ellen.
- I´m very happy to be able to follow my dad´s and my grandpa´s steps, and return to the business that saved these lands, long time ago: oil.
Cally was curiously watching James. He looked at her and walked towards them. He congratulated his brother and added:
- I´m so proud of John Ross, my dear little brother, not so little any more, able to reach such high places. Besides, I think that his mother Sue Ellen has something else to announce...
Sue Ellen was surprised at first, and then smiled and proudly stood up, as she said:
- Yes I have. Very soon, I´m going to quit Ewing Oil and it will belong entirely to my son, and his brother James. They both will own the company 50%...
Now John Ross was the surprised one...Why had his mother kept that decision away from him, and also her new agreement with James?
The family and the guests clapped again.

Lucy and Barbara had decided to reunite the family and report them of their enquiries. Chris, Will and Bobby seemed to be missing.
- You must trust him honey. Especially after his change he has been through lately.
- And I do trust him, Valene. But I gotta find him. Sudden runaways are a bad sign...
- I think he was heading to the stables the last time I saw him...- reported Betsy...
- Thanks baby...
Betsy put her hand on her mother´s shoulder, as she smiled a bit wickedly. James served a drink to Cally and they joined the others at the living-room.
- What´s going on?
- It´s something very important that you oughta know, but we better wait for Gary back...- remarked Lucy.
- Believe me, James, darling: it´s worth awhile waiting to know what it is about...
- Can´t you smell the old smell of conspiracy Ray? – asked Donna in a low voice. He reluctantly raised his eyebrows.

At the higher ground of the stable, Bobby and Will were talking, unaware of that...
- I know only for a month and you´re like my family...
- I´m actually from your family, by marriage though, Pam´s and Bob´s...
- I feel so close to you. Maybe I shouldn´t tell you, but there was another person a few months ago...A professor from high school...I thought I felt something about him but I was fooling myself. Now I know that for sure...
- I´m much older than you, Bobby, and you´re under age too...Honestly, do you think that we could have a future together? Aren´t I taking you away the opportunity to do other things, to meet people your age?
- I only know that, right now, I wanna be with you...in more than one sense...
Will and Bobby kissed passionately, as they began to unbutton their respective shirts...

At the Southfork Manor, the elders kept on waiting as the young ones were having a swim in the pool, while the night was falling...
- The boys have set up a good fight before, poor Marilee...
- Poor, are you kidding? – ironicly said Sue Ellen.
- She always cheers the Ewing barbecues up. Many years ago, my cousin Jamie pushed her into the pool, at a barbecue too...
- She was a very brave girl, cousin Jamie... – recalled Sue Ellen sympathetically.
- Where´s she now? – asked James without thinking.
- One day, we got a call from California. Jamie had been killed in a mountain-climbing accident, one year after that...- reported Pam.
- My God, how terrible – said Cally, firmly holding James´s arm.
Suddenly, the telephone rang. Sue Ellen and Pam stared at each other. Bob caught the complicity gesture and walked out to answer the phone, strongly wishing they were good news. Silence could be cut off when Bob began to talk. Ray kissed Donna, Cally held James even stronger, Barbara, Lucy and Val were watching the couple and Sue Ellen and Pam finally stood up, unable to wait any longer. Both
women had felt a bad foresight...

Bob hang up. With tears in his eyes, he informed the family...
“It was Dusty, calling from Southern Cross...He has been reported from Switzerland, that Clayton had a skiing accident...He had a fatal heart attack...He´s dead.”

End of Episode 11

Next:

THE STEPFATHER

Special Guest Stars:
JESSICA LANGE as BARBARA (A Thousand Acres)
HALLE BERRY as DEBBI (X-Men)

and
JARED MARTIN as DUSTY
Also Starring
SCARLETT JOHANSSON as MAGGIE (Match Point)
JENSEN ACKLES as BOBBY (Supernatural)
EMILIE DE RAVIN as BETSY (Lost)
Guest Stars:
MORGAN WODWARD as PUNK ANDERSON
ALICE HIRSON as MAVIS ANDERSON
Introducing
MOLLY HAGAN as CARRIE FARLOW (Dallas: The Early Years)

Special Appearance By
FERN FITZGERALD
as MARILEE STONE​

 

[Toni]

Episode 12:

THE STEPFATHER​

Silence could be cut off when Bob began to talk. Ray kissed Donna, Cally held James even stronger, Barbara, Lucy and Val were watching the couple and Sue Ellen and Pam finally stood up, unable to wait any longer. Both women had felt a bad foresight... Bob hang up. With tears in his eyes, he informed the family...

“It was Dusty, calling from Southern Cross...He has been reported from Switzerland, that Clayton has had a skiing accident...He had a fatal heart attack...He´s dead.”
Everyone there was speechless. Finally Pam asked:
- But who was on the phone Bobby? What did happen, exactly?
- It was...Madeleine´s personal secretary, calling from Zurich. Yesterday it seems she had to leave Clayton alone in a ski resort and he was found unconscious...He died of a heart attack...
Sue Ellen stepped forward and looked at Bobby, then at Pam with complicity, and then back at Bobby.
- Oh my God, I can´t believe it...
- I´m gonna bring Gary – said Valene, suggesting Beth with a gesture to accompany her, but she gave her an excuse.
- He said that he´d call again in about an hour to concrete the details...
Ray and Donna came closer to Bobby and, very interested, asked to him:
- Is there anything we can do to help ya Bob?
He looked outside as the children were playing by the pool, and answered:
- No, I think you´d better go home with Maggie, and you Lucy should go get Peter...I promise you I´ll keep you all informed...
Barbara held Lucy´s arm and said:
- Yeah, I´m goin´ with you. Come on babe...
Lucy was mute, without knowing what to say or what to do...

Meanwhile, Gary was walking towards the stables, looking for his son...
- Bobby! Are you there? – he cried. He kept on walking through the main entrance. He heard a neigh and turned on the left. He called out his son again and then he changed of direction.
- Father? – it sounded like the young man´s voice.
- Yep! Where the hell are you?
- I´m here! – he said – I´ve come to see if my horse was feeling better, you know that the vet was here yesterday and took a look at his wound...
- Ah yeah, course... – Gary stared at his son and then looked at the horse... – But that is not your horse...
Bobby smiled and started to laugh. – I know father. It´s Asfaloth, Maggie´s horse. When I was leaving, she has beginning to neigh...she must have been jealous of my horse, and just thought that she could calm down if I brushed her back carefully...
Gary smiled at his son and held his arm.
- Barbara wanted to talk to us of something important, let´s go to the main house...
- All right...What a barbecue eh?
- Yes indeed...Our little Knots Landing barbecues weren´t so agitated as the Southfork ones, were they?
Father and son walked away as, at the upper ground of the stable house, Will Monahan was silently watching them. Will breathed out relieved and took his hat off to dry the sweat on his forehead with his scarf. He got quite a surprise when he checked his hat and realized that, inadvertently, he had exchanged his cowboy hat with Bobby...now wearing his hat...

Lucy and Barbara were sitting at the table by the pool, while watching over Peter, Ellie and Jimmy.
- Tell me we weren´t too late to stop it Barb...- whispered Lucy.
- We were not. Whatever happened to Clayton is not our fault. But let me tell you something: if that Madeleine has had anything to do with his death, we´re gonna make her pay...
Lucy shaked her head as she remembered another barbecue, celebrated twenty years before...
- I´ve got a strange feeling of “déjà vu”...
- Whatcha mean?
- I met Clayton at one Southfork barbecue, about twenty years ago...It was made to welcome back my grampa Jock, but he did´t...return. We were told by phone that he had disappeared in South America...
Barbara stood up and embraced Lucy, who started to cry...
- Honey, let yourself go...Cry as much as you like... – The children suddenly shut up to see Lucy cry.
- No, I must not cry...Peter needs me now – Barbara looked surprised when Lucy took her child and got into the house.
At that moment, came Bobby and Gary, who got shocked when saw a crying Lucy walk inside with Peter, ignoring both of them. Gary noticed Barbara and she walked onto them, looking serious...

That evening, Bob phoned John Ross at his mother´s in Dallas. He was worried about Christopher, who had vanished during the barbecue.
- O.k. John Ross. But promise me that you´ll call me as soon as you hear of him, right?
Bob hang up and turned around to Pam, who had just put her night gown.
- Any news from Chris? – Bob denied with his head – This is very odd. He wouldn´t let us worry about him like this...Something must´ve happened to him.
- I´m sure there´s a reasonable explanation for all this...What I just can´t understand is...that about Clayton...He had had two heart crisis and I didn´t even know that he could ski. Nor did Sue Ellen neither, and she lived at his ranch for a long time.
- Are you hinting anything about Madeleine?
- No, I´m not – he said as he put his shirt off. – Maybe Clayton didn´t dare to talk to her about his health condition...he could be a very proud man sometimes...
- I can´t believe he´s dead, it´s so nightmarish... – Pam hold onto Bob as she felt a chill. – I remember the first time I saw him, he was inside his limo with Dusty. They and Sue Ellen had gone to pick up John Ross at the motel where O had taken him...
- Yeah, bad times for us – Bob realized that Pam had never spoken of those times until then: that was the time she almost lost her sanity because of her breakdown...
- ...I saw him when they were leaving and he waved me through the car window, I just could read in his lips “thank you”...

Bob kept on holding Pam, while he remembered another moment he had shared with Clayton, more recently...

Eight years ago, at the former Southfork Ranch, Bob came home from town after finishing some legal business. His mother Ellie had been deceased for two weeks and they were still mourning for her loss. Bob had been watching how Clayton was getting isolated from the other members of the family, including the children, and he had been thinking over that matter.

- Hello Clayton – said Bob as he walked onto him. The old man smiled, and said hello to him too. –I gotta talk to you...
The two men sat down by the pool. It was windy but the sun was not down yet.
- Clayton, I´ve got an offer for you...I´ve been talking with Ray and Gary about it and they agree with me. I want you to be co-owner of the ranch and Southfork to be split between all the family, including your son Dusty.
Clayton looked surprised. He looked away at the horizon, searching for a familiar face he would never see again...
- Bobby, you own Southfork yourself, your mother wished so. Remember when I came back to change the deed just by your mother´s will?
- Of course I do, and also what J.R.´s feeling like before he died. He told me that he had lost everything, including his home. I don´t want any of my brothers to have ever that feeling. Nor you too. I wanna share the Southworth land with you, Gary and Ray, with Lucy and also with Dusty. You´re family, and our kids represent our family´s future.
- Does it...has to do with them or just with the fact of me thinking of leaving the ranch for awhile?
- We don´t wanna keep you here against your will – Bob smiled sympathetically. – Besides, that would be a kidnap, and we´d end up in jail...! – Clayton laughed out: though he was almost fifty, Bobby still kept his side most tender and childish. He would be missing that naïvety if he´d leave the ranch...
- That´s relieved me... – Clayton openly smiled – Then he looked away again while he confessed: - Even if I were at the other half of the world, I´d never forget this place, or you all...especially your mother... – The old man remembered for an instant the two women he had loved: his first wife Amy and untamed Miss Ellie Southworth... – You´ll have me around for a lot of time, Bobby James Ewing...
Bobby smiled as he clapped his arm...Back to the present, the youngest of the Ewing brothers felt the same way than his wife, unable to believe that he would never see the man who was his stepfather for many years... (Fade out)

The next morning, Dusty and his wife Carrie arrived at Southfork on the Farlows´ limo. Bob, Pam and Barbara welcomed them very warmly. Once they made comfortable themselves at the house where the Farlows used to stay, the couple reunited with the others. On the way to the main house, Dusty and Carrie began to argue.
- Please don´t cause trouble and don´t mention the divorce, at least by now...- he said.
- For your information, my mother already knows – Carrie smoothed her hair down, without looking up to her husband, visibly offended.
- Thankfully you think of everything, darling. It´s the last thing we need now: more bad news...If you really respected my dad, please keep your mouth shut up...
Carrie stopped, furious, but then accompanied her husband until the house. They entered the living-room and joined Bob, Pam and Barbara, who was staring at them. They put them a drink and began to speak of the arrangements to bring Clayton´s body.
- I really appreciate you took care of everything, Bob. It means a lot to me.
- You still belong to this family and we care about you, Dusty – he answered. Deeply in his mind, Bob was thinking that he still belonged to his family, yes, although he had given away his share of the ranch to Clayton, a few years before. – Stay here as long as you like.
Barbara, holding a glass of ice tea in her hand, kept watching her daughter Carrie. At the end, she felt bothered and caught her mother´s intentions: she wanted her to let them alone, the four of them...but Carrie did not intend to let that happen.
- Sweetheart – said Barbara to her daughter – why don´t you ask Teresa help you to do unpack your things?
- Unpacking can wait mother – she answered. Pam noticed that something strange was going on between the two women...Suddenly she thought she knew what and said to Carrie:
- Why don´t you come with me to the kitchen and have a cup of coffee?
- Thanks, Pamela, but caffeine makes me nervous...besides, we´re tired and will leave soon...- Pam nodded and sat down at one of the sofas.
- There´s something I wanted to tell you Bob... – Dusty hesitated... – It´s about Madeleine. As you know, she and Clayton called on us a few months ago. They had been some days here and my dad felt like introducing his new wife to us.
Barbara payed all her attention on what she was listening to...
- The truth is...that woman was inspecting the ranch with my dad and making plans to re-construct it. On a given moment, I bluntly told her that nobody was gonna make any change in Southern Cross: it had been my idea to get it back and I had invested on it all my time since I quit the rodeo circuit...
- What did she answer? – anxiously asked Barbara.
- She started an argument with his dad...- intervened Carrie, to surprise of Bob´s and Pam´s – they eventually left that same day, instead of staying for one week, as planned.
Bob watched Dusty´s complexion, which suddenly looked somber...What ever happened between father and son?

At that moment, inside one of the next mansions, Gary and Val were resting on their bed looking sad.
- Are you o.k. Gary? – she asked.
- Yeah. I just...I feel as if I´d been missing from here during my whole life...and I guess I have.
- You say it because you hardly knew Clayton?
- Yes, my mother´s second husband...These last years, since she died, we hardly talked either, everyone was in a different place, just like if mama had not existed...
- How can you say that?
Meanwhile Lucy and Will were talking on the phone about the same subject:
- Say what?
- That you let Clayton down. You are raising a child alone and established as a business woman...
- Will, you don´t get it. Clayton didn´t walk in one day saying that he had married my grandmother, as did Madeleine...
- So, is it about Madeleine?
- Yes and no. Clayton helped all of us much before he married my grandma. He was a friend for Sue Ellen, a granddaddy for the kids, a protector for my grandma. But I never knew exactly what kind of relationship I had with him. We had some trouble...
- Let trouble from the past go. You have enough reasons to go ahead and remember him with love.
- Yeah, I know, but I feel so selfish...
- You selfish, Gary? – answered Val as she got out of the bed and sat down by her husband.
- Yep...when mama married him, I was glad for her: I was sure that Clayton wouldn´t be as wild as my dad used to be. Bobby had talked to me about Clayton and I felt o.k. about it. But we never came on to see him until J.R. died...
- And you didn´t meet him in person until then...
- Yeah, and mama was already sick.
- What´s really wrong with you Gary?

- Nothing honey – Lucy answered to the identical question from his friend Will – I guess I´m like always. But I wanna more: I wanna give financial stability to my son and enjoy my family´s company, get to know my parents better, and especially my brother and sister. I hardly know what they´re like...
Will smiled, as he looked at a picture of Bobby´s he had given to him.
- They´re grown-up, though your parents can´t see them that way...
- Hum, I´m sure they don´t. My mama still calls them “sweetie”, “honey” and things like that...Bobby gets pissed off and Betsy pulls my mother´s leg shamelessly ...
- I can´t remember my dad. But I do remember Cliff´s and Pam´s, uncle Digger. He was always kicking up a row at some bar at the outskirts...
- Yeah, poor old Digger...I met him too. I hope that Clayton didn´t suffer...

Back to the Ewing Ranch, Bobby and Betsy were switching off the television before to go to bed. They had been chatting too.
- Do you think the old man suffered...?
- No. But our dear sister Lucy and her partner in crime Barbara seem to know something we don´t know – said Betsy suspiciously.
- Don´t start with your conspiracy theories, sis...It´s too late to listen stories...
- If this were a daytime soap, Madeleine would´ve poisoned Clayton and he´d had a fatal accident...And probably, Madeleine would have stood up watching him die arm-crossed, right? You´re unique, Betsy: you´ve watched too many Bette Davis´ goldies...

- I got that old feeling again... – said Gary at that moment, upstairs – The feeling that I´m doing something I don´t really care about.
- You mean the Westfork Industries? – asked Val.
- Yep. That obsession about making a big business, Jock Ewing style, or J.R.-like, is consuming me. I don´t wanna devote more and more time to the company, but you three.
- I love that idea, if you are...absolutely sure. – Val caressed his husband´s grayish hair. – Why don´t we go on a vacation all together? So you could get disconnected, change of scene and have a good time with us...What about a cruise on the Nile, for example?
Gary smiled from ear to ear.
- You know something: I think it´s a great idea... – He stood up, took her in his arms and put her tenderly on her side of the bed, as he kissed her with passion. – We´ll get the tickets tomorrow...

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Sue Ellen was resting in her bedroom. John Ross knocked on her door.
- Mama? – he said, showing his head. – Are you alright?
- Come in darling. – The woman sat up and reached for his son´s arm. He responded by holding her hand in his own hands.
- Are you thinking of Clayton?
- Yeah – she passed her right hand on her cheeks. She had been crying but didn´t care for her son to know. – You don´t know but, the first time I divorced your father, he and Dusty helped me to bring you back to me...
- Do you mean...they kidnapped me?
The woman smiled, at his son´s naivety. – No, not actually. I asked Pam to take you away from Southfork, since your dad had forbidden me to trespass... – Sue Ellen´s mind returned to 1981, to the red and white Ranch of the Farlows, Southern Cross...

J.R. was arriving by car along with the sheriff of San Remo.
- I want you to bring me my son to take him away from here. – J.R. said.
- I´m sorry, but you can´t take him away – answered Clayton, as he blocked the entrance to the house...
- What do you mean with that? If you don´t give him to me right now, I´ll make the sheriff arrest you and your son Steve Farlow for kidnap.
At that moment, Dusty, walking with crutches, got closer to the group from the house inside...
- Are you still looking to make trouble Mr. Ewing?
- I can handle this... – Clayton calmed his son.
- You're that rodeo rider, made a pass at my wife? – said J.R. sarcastically. Dusty nodded – I don´t care, I want my son...
- Not this time J.R. – said Sue Ellen as she came out of the main house. – This time John Ross stays with me. I'm suing you for divorce...

Back to present, John Ross embraced his mother while he said to her:
- Don´t you worry: we´re still together and now, I´ll be the one who will fight to give you strength...
Sue Ellen felt proud of her son and held him still tighter...

(fade out)

The next morning, Sue Ellen had invited Pamela home to play tennis. On a certain moment, the guest remarked:
- If you go on like this, you´re gonna end with all the tennis balls in the State...
Sue Ellen smiled as she apologized. She put her racquet on one of the chairs and offered Pam a glass of iced tea.
- You´re worried about Clayton, aren´t you?
- I´m worried...about us, actually. I´m worried about us not knowing what has really happened, and not having any news from Dusty, who must have arrived at Zurich.
- I know what you mean. When we got the call, I couldn´t help thinking of Jamie and Jock, we were told about their deaths by phone too, and we had no chance to say goodbye to them...
- Yeah, I knew you were thinking along. Suddenly, I feel like if I´d realized that he´s the best person I´ve ever met...
- Sue Ellen...you must have got a lot of support from him when you first divorced J.R...
The woman smiled a bitter smile, and answered:
- Did you know that Clayton was in love with me? I mean, before he began to go out with Miss Ellie...
Pam was speechless, and denied shaking her head. Sue Ellen reminisced a conversation she and Clayton had almost twenty years ago...

Clayton had arrived at Southfork to pick up Miss Ellie. J.R.´s and Sue Ellen´s second wedding had took place a few weeks before. Sue Ellen was reading a magazine by the pool and was happy to see Clayton. However he didn´t seem to be that happy to see her, especially when Sue Ellen told him:
- I thought you were my friend...
- You mean, to the exclusion of everyone else?
- No. It's just that our relationship was so...
- One sided?
- Well, just how do you feel about her?
- I don't think that's any of your business, Sue Ellen.
- I...I just don't understand – she stuttered.
- Not then. And not now...” – concluded Clayton, turning around and going inside the house...

Sue Ellen looked up to Pamela, and she held her hand. Their longtime friendship allowed them to handle this kind of situations without words...Even so, Pam added:
- I don´t know what would ever happened to Miss Ellie without such a loyal companion as Clayton. Let´s only think that...
Sue Ellen nodded, glad to have such good friends as Pamela...

Somewhere else in Dallas, Lucy was visiting Will at his Cattlemen´s Bank office.
- You look the most appealing with that suit, dear Will... – joked a flirtatious Lucy.
- Thanks, Lucy, so do you...with those... – he looked at her, noticing her low neck – with those smart shoes.
- They´d better be, ´cause they´re very expensive...Well, I know time is gold, and even more for bankers, so I´ll go to the point. I´ve been thinking of what we talked about yesterday, and I wanna expand my little “empire”. I don´t only want to acquire Cally´s gallery chain, but also new ones, but not here: in New York. That´s where everybody big in the art´s world is showing their work...
- It sounds good, Lucy, but you know that it´s one of the most expensive cities in the whole world...
- I know. I´ve been talking with my lawyer and he´s suggested me not to touch my pension funds, neither the investments I made for Peter´s future. So, and as I´m a big spender, I had thought I could ask for a loan to a very good friend of mine´s bank...
- Excuse me Lucy but – said Will, getting serious for a moment – why don´t you become partners with someone of your family, or ask them for a loan? You wouldn´t have to pay any interests.
- I want to leave my son something valuable, not only a lot of expensive works of art. I don´t wanna sell them to make my own business deals, nor asking for help to my family. I was a spoiled brat for a very long time, maybe too long, and now I wanna be completely independent. I though I could use my share of the Southfork lands as a guarantee...You must know that, some years ago, Bobby – Will looked surprised to hear that name – splitted the property among all the inheritors...Uncle Bobby, I mean.
- Yeah, sure... – Will smiled from ear to ear, as tried to fix up the misunderstanding...
- Do you think that 10 % of Southfork would be enough guarantee for the sum I need to invest?
Will studied the property documents that Lucy had brought and then he nodded, and added:
- I think it will be okay to start with. With your share value, you could buy the whole Broadway...By the way, have you already checked any interesting place in New York?
- Oh yeah – Lucy smiled enthusiastically – I´ve seen a smaller place at Soho, and another absolutely fabulous at one of the most impressive buildings in the city...
- Really? What is that? The World Trade Center, on one of the first floors...

James parked his sportscar in front of the main house, and Jimmy and Ellie ran out to happily welcome him.
- Hi kids... – he said as he took them in his arms and kissed them – Where´s mama?
- She´s at the studio, painting a new picture... – reported Jimmy.
- Wow...I´m gonna kiss her and will join you at the pool right away...
James walked into Cally´s studio, which Pamela had accommodated for her when they came home after their honeymoon.
- How´s my favorite artist?
- Hello sweetheart – she said, putting the paintbrush down on the table.
- Jimmy told me you were here.
- Yeah, what do you think...? – Cally turned the canvas around for James to see it: it was a portrait of Clayton´s, still unfinished.
- Great, I´m sure everyone´s gonna love it...
- I was so blue that I came in here and aired the place, then it came to me the idea of doing something to tribute Clay...
- He was very good to you when you were married to my dad, didn´t he?
- Yes. And Miss Ellie too. They taught me to speak properly and behave myself in public, and dress with elegance...If you had seen at my brothers´ farm in Haleyville...
- I´m gonna have a swim with the kids in the pool...wanna join us?
- No, I´d rather get my work advanced a little...Ah, James. We´re going to have dinner with the family...at the usual time.
- I love you – he said, winking his eye at her.

At seven thirty p.m., the family had already finished dinner and was enjoying the last drink at the living-room... Cally, Val, Pam and Donna were talking on one side, and the men had gathered on the other.
- I find wonderful you´re going to dedicate a painting to Clayton – honestly commented Donna – Where have you thought to hang it on?
- Well, that will depend on Bobby – she said looking at Pam - ¿do you think that he, or Gary, or Ray would be bothered if we would place it next to Miss Ellie´s picture, here, at the living?
Pam looked at the matriarch´s portrait that Cally had given to Clayton a little before her death. Although she was living almost at the other side of the country, down in Florida, she had deeply regretted the loss and had wanted to tribute her in one way or another. Now the same thing was happening to her with Clayton...
- Well Cally – answered Pamela, slowly speaking – I´m sure that Bobby won´t say no, and, if he does, he´ll have to confront myself...
- Neither Ray too, be sure of it – added Donna, with complicity.
- And poor Gary if he dares to say anything against it – Val´s tone made the other women laugh out loud, while she played innocent...

Meanwhile, the telephone rang at the hall and Teresa hang it down. Once again, it was a call for Bobby. He rushed right away. The women looked at each other, somewhat afraid...
- I´m Bobby Ewing. Ah, hello Dusty. Yes – they all stop talking at the living-room, but Donna volunteered to serve them another drink, to lesser the tension of waiting. – All right. I´m so sorry Dusty, I really am...
Bob hang up and returned to the living-room. Pamela asked him what everybody wanted to know:
- It was Dusty from Switzerland, wasn´t he?
- Yeah. When he arrived at Zurich, he had a meeting with Madeleine´s secretary and he told him that she was the one who had identified the body and...he had already been incinerated...
- Incinerated? That´s not kind of someone like Clayton – remarked Ray.
- I think along. But, well, everything has passed by. We can´t do anything for him. Dusty will come back tomorrow to Southern Cross.
- How did he sounded like by phone? – asked Val.
- Down. Absolutely down. Without energy, he sounded like a different person...I guess that´s the usual thing when you lose your daddy...
At that instant Ray and Donna looked at each other, and then at Pamela. Bobby indeed remembered that Clayton was not Dusty´s real father, and felt still sorrier for him...

(Fade out)

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[Toni]

The night had fallen when Dusty was arriving at the Southern Cross Ranch in San Angelo. The Farlow limo left him at the main door and the butler took the baggage out from the trunk. After exchanging a few cold words with him, Dusty walked into the living-room and got close to the liquor cabinet. He took a short glass and put a rock of ice in it. Then he took the bottle of bourbon and filled the glass of it. After the first swig, he loosened his tie and finished his drink.
He walked through the living-room as he was feeling lonelier than ever. Over the mantelpiece, there were a couple of pictures: one featuring Clayton and Miss Ellie, and another of his mother Amy. At least, so he had believed most of his life...His mind travelled back in time, until he was ten years old...

In 1954, the Wayne family was one of the most powerful families in the State. The business of oil refineries had increased their wealth, especially since their only daughter Amy, wed Clayton Farlow...Once deceased the Waynes, the couple was living at the Southern Cross Ranch, outside San Angelo, at the San Remo County. That day, they expected a mysterious visit: it was the aunt of little Steve, later known as Dusty. Jessica Farlow had changed the Texas wealth for the English noblesse. Now, Jessica was returning to the ranch where she had been raised with his brother and his wife...
Jessica was a redheaded, beautiful woman with a funny nose and brown eyes. Her years in London had become her and turned her into a sophisticated woman, although she had not lost her intense look.
- Oh, Clayton, I´ve been missing you so much, and you too, my dear Amy. I hope you´re feeling better now... – Amy was a beautiful woman too, quite refined, but had a rather fragile health. – When Clayton told me that you were sick, I couldn´t help to take the first fight to be here.
Clayton surrounded Amy with his arm, and Dusty was hiding behind them...
- And where is that little devil...Steven?
The boy started to tremble and Amy took his arm with tenderness to make him say hello to the woman they introduced her as his Aunt Jessie.
- Oh, what a handsome little boy...it´s so obvious he´s a Farlow...
Clayton took at Jessie a killer look as she was giving instructions to his brother´s maids.
Some days later, Clayton and Jessie went out for a ride until McKinney´s Hill, a few miles away from San Angelo in north direction. They had jumped off the horse to have a little break...
- Jessie... – Clayton began to say, looking very serious.
- Little Steven is so healthy and has eyes as blue as heaven. You don´t know how I longed to come this moment, brother...
- Jessie, why have you come? – Clayton tended to be too blunt to the persons closest to him. – And why isn´t with you your husband Henry?
- He just wouldn´t have understood it. I didn´t wanna share this with him but you Clay dear. After so many years...getting to meet my son Steven...
The family secret had come out again on that lonely hill.
- You promised not to ever return to Texas, nor doing anything to see the boy again...
- But Clay, you can´t understand. Amy is sick, she could die and my son would be motherless. He´s only ten years old...
- And do you really think that we´d tell Steve you´re his real mama if Amy died? If you really believe that, then you must be crazy...
Jessie strongly grabbed his brother´s arm and scratched him unwillingly.
- Just wait and see which of us is the crazy one... – after saying that, she got on her horse and rode to the ranch, pushing it to the top...

Back to present, at the Krebbses´, the couple had been left alone after Maggie kissed them goodnight and went upstairs to her bedroom.
- Have you thought the same thing I did when Dusty called before? – asked Ray.
- If I thought about whom, Jessica? Sure I did...I don´t know why, but all of a sudden, I felt that Dusty might have had serious problems with his father due to that incident with Jessica...
In 1984, Jessica had returned all over again to call on her brother, but nobody knew by then that she was Dusty´s natural mother. Her mental instability had led her to kidnap Miss Ellie and try to meet Dusty at Southern Cross, with the nonsense idea of living there happily with Clayton. But Miss Ellie was an obstacle to her...
- I hadn´t thought about Jessie for years...It´s funny, she has come into our lives three times, and all of them her appearance had serious consequences...
- Remember that last time, when she died, Dusty became her heir and thanks to the Montford fortune, we the Ewings could keep Southfork...
- Yeah, it was a rough time...Barbara was also very helpful at that time: without her, maybe Southfork had been embargoed by the Government...
- Yep... – The unity of family has been vital for the survival of Ewings, minus our dear J.R., course – ironicly said Donna.
- Jessie´s diary...All is coming back to my mind again...

San Angelo, 1956. Amy Farlow was already recovered from the pneumonia that almost had killed her, partly thanks to the care of her sister-in-law Jessie. She had taken profit of circumstances to spend more time in Southern Cross and win her son Steven´s affection.
One summer afternoon, Jessica Farlow Montford went to Fort Worth to meet her former lover Atticus Ward. Actually, he was his son´t father, the son he had to let go twelve years before.
- It´s been a surprise for me to see ye again Jessie. My wife wouldn´t probably think the same though... – said Atticus, offering her a glass of champagne.
- I´m sure she won´t dear Atticus. We haven´t met for a very long time but I´ve been thinking of you a lot. About the holidays we spent together at Cry Hoover Lake in 1943, above all. During one of your leaves – Jessie tested the champagne – Not bad but there in Europe, this brand is or should, be forbidden...
- Some people never change, Jessie, and you´re one of them...
- You´re wrong, because I do have changed: I have a son now...your son. And, if you appreciate your marriage, both of us are gonna get what we want...
- Tell me what´s on your mind at once, and go to the point babe...
Jessie smiled a naughty smile and toasted to their future relationship...

One week later Clayton had to interrupt one of his business meetings in Houston because of an urgent call: the Southern Cross ranch was burning to ashes...
When he arrived at the place, Clayton was overwhelmed to know that his wife Amy had been killed at the fire...Of the main house, only remained the structure, and Clayton ordered to put it down and build a new house. That house would become the red and white Southern Cross the Ewings would get to know...When he joined his son and sister, Clayton still was down...Alone with Jessie, the man was blunt again:
- Jessie, thank you for the help you´ve given to us in these two last years but I think it´s time for you to go back home to London...
- Clayton, my beloved brother...I know you´re confused and that´s not what you really wish. Who´s gonna take care of little Steven? What about you? – Jessie embraced her brother tightly and closed her eyes... – I am grieving for sweet poor Amy, but you must carry on darling...as we did when mama and dad died. I watched over you...and you watched over me.
Clayton separated from Jessie quietly, and reaffirmed his decision:
- Early in the morning, my foreman will drive you to the airport and you will return to London...
Clayton opened the door and walked out of the room. Little Steven looked out then to see if there was someone else in there...What he saw, marked him during many nights: her Aunt Jessica had taken some scissors and was tearing apart the dresses in her suitcases, one by one...Steven, then known as Dusty, ran away in silence towards the stables...

Dusty Farlow filled his glass with bourbon by umpteenth time, but now without rocks. He was completely alone in the house and, when he heard the bell ringing, he pretended not to. He looked at the picture of his daddy holding Miss Ellie, and murmured:
- This is to you: my dad, my uncle, my stepfather...?
The bell kept on ringing. Finally Dusty opened the door: it was Barbara.
- Hi Dusty.
- Sorry but...you´re coming at the worst moment.
- We must talk now. I got proofs that your dad has been murdered.
Barbara firmly walked in and closed the door.

End of Episode 12
and Season 2

Next:
36 HOURS

Special Guest Stars:
JESSICA LANGE as BARBARA (A Thousand Acres)

SUSAN SARANDON as MADELEINE (Alfie)
and
JARED MARTIN as DUSTY
Also Starring
JENSEN ACKLES as BOBBY (Supernatural)
EMILIE DE RAVIN as BETSY (Lost)
MOLLY HAGAN as CARRIE FARLOW (Dallas: The Early Years)
Special Appearances By
LARRY HAGMAN as J.R.
ALEXIS SMITH as JESSICA FARLOW
DONNA REED as AMY FARLOW
JOHN LARCH as ATTICUS WARD
and
HOWARD KEEL
as
CLAYTON FARLOW

​

Notes about the flashbacks:
- The first of them (Bob and Clay) comes from my first fanfic SOUTHFORK, just like the scene mentioned by Cally about the first portrait.
- The second one (JR at S.Cross) has been excerpted from the episode 78 of the original series, “Missing Heir”.
- The third of them (Sue Ellen and Clay) comes from episode 122 of DALLAS, “Legacy”.
- All the flashbacks from the last act have been created purposely for this episode, from facts and scenes appeared in the original series.​

​

 

[Karin Schill]

I have occasionally tried to read "other" fanfics (not from here, aside from yours) and as soon as they turned to the characters from other shows, my interest disappeared and I stopped reading. I´m going on with yours and Jenny´s fanfic, but I will write about it in its thread. Oh and you are the first person who got my "meta-references", I put a lot in it for my own amusement, and yes, Holly mentioning Lois Chiles´ movie was one too big to miss!

So keep tuned because tonight I´m gonna post the three episodes left from season 2, I hope you like them. No pressure at all...

A big hug from moi and Da Pig!!

Thanks Toni.
I have been trying to catch up on this story but have gotten stuck in season three, as there was so much posted at once that I literally spent two hours reading it one night before going to sleep. Anyway I will give you my thoughts on season two here, as I did manage to finish that part.

It was nice how you used JR to stop John Ross from killing himself. It was like he was still watching out for his son from the other side.

Ugh! I got a really bad feeling reading that Lucy got a gallery in the WTC, knowing what happened.

It seems out of character for Christopher to just take off like that, I wonder why he would do that?

Clayton shouldn't have married Madeleine. She seems like a bitch. It wouldn't surprise me if she was the one who killed him.

Speaking of which, I was sad to see you kill of Clayton.
Also your teaser for the episode reminded me very much about the "which Ewing will die" debacle at the end of the Dallas TNT show. I really hated the TNT plot. I don't like it when they kill of main characters on television shows that I love to watch. So when I write my stories I never kill of the main characters, with the exception of Cliff Barnes in my Dallas TNT story, since well the actor had just died so I felt it was appropriate. Speaking of my stories, when you write that you are still reading mine and Jenny's story do you mean "Dallas in the 90s" or "Dallas TNT - Forgiveness?"

The reason I am asking is because Dallas in the 90s is the one I co-wrote with Jenny. The TNT one I wrote all by myself.

Anyway I look forward to your feedback too!