A/N: I hope you'll bear with me on this experiment. In this story Ann and Harris are divorced but he didn't kidnap Emma and she was about ten when they split. This is quite a different Ann you'll see at least in the beginning. Reviews are appreciated but please be respectful. Like I said this is just an experiment.
/
"Harris, just exactly what have you gotten into with this Cliff Barnes?" Judith Ryland asked seated elegantly on the sofa sipping a brandy
"He wants my help taking over Ewing Energies." Harris explained
"And why would he need your help?" She asked, "The man is a multimillionaire from what I understand."
"He needs help getting close to the Ewings to find out anything that could help bring them down." He explained
"And how did that bring him to you?" She asked, "And what exactly is in it for you?"
"Certain financial considerations." He said carefully, namely giving me enough money to take over Ryland transport from you forever, "And I have a secret weapon."
"Well aren't we full of ourselves." She mocked him, "And just what is this secret weapon."
"Not what but who." He said just as the doorbell rang, "And that should be her now." He said heading to the door
Her? Judith thought, He didn't do what I think he did. No sooner had the thought entered her head than there she was in the doorway, "Hello, Ann." She said through gritted teeth
Ann Ryland smiled, a fake smile that might have gone unnoticed by a stranger watching this scene unfold, "Hello, Judith. So nice to see you."
"Would you like a drink, Annie? Harris offered
"A brandy would be nice, thank you." She said as Judith continued to eye her with suspicion
"Mom?" came a voice from behind her and Ann turned to see her twenty year old daughter Emma
"Emma!" Her face brightened instantly as she embraced the young girl, "Oh, I've missed you my darling girl."
Emma reluctantly returned the hug, "I've missed you too, Mom."
Ann pulled back, "My Lord, you are gorgeous." She took Emma's chin gently in her hand, "I'm surprised one of the college boys hasn't snatched you up." She said as Harris handed her drink to her
Emma blushed self consciously, "They don't really notice me." Emma was studying Equine Science at the University of Texas in Dallas
Ann took a seat on the other sofa opposite Judith, "Well, you've got to let 'em know your interested, honey. But not too interested."
Emma sighed, "What are you doing here, Mom?" She asked, "I thought you were in the French Riviera with what's his name."
"Paul." Ann corrected, "And I was but your father here called me frantic about somethin' and said he needed my help."
"I do need your help. Actually maybe both of you." He explained
"Both of us?" Ann queried
"Harris thinks you're his secret weapon or some such nonsense." Judith chimed in
"Well, I am packin'. But I wouldn't say that's a secret." Ann quipped
"Let's focus, ladies, shall we." he said, "And I use the term ladies loosely."
"Ouch." Ann said taking a drink, "You might wanna change that tune if you really need my help."
"Okay, I am involved in attempting a hostile takeover of Ewing Energies. But this situation calls for a rather unorthodoxed approach. It calls for someone to get real personal with certain members of the Ewing family."
"And this is where I come in?" Ann asked
"It would be helpful if we could get someone to say, charm Bobby Ewing and find out all his secrets. There are things men will tell a beautiful woman that a mole at the office might not be able to find out."
"Well Harris, as flattered as I am, why exactly would I agree to do this?" Ann asked, "Not that I'm not intrigued." She said with a smirk
"Because it could makek me very, very rich." He explained, "And since you didn't seem to want to give up the lifestyle to which you'd become accustomed when we divorced this will benefit you as well."
"Oh Harris, the only thing I was willing to give up in the divorce was the sex." Ann said and her smirk morphed into a wicked smile
"Oh god, Mom." Emma groaned and Judith nearly fell off the sofa as she choked on her drink but recovered quickly
"Emma, you're a grown woman." Ann chided her, "Surely your very existence is a clue that your father and I..."
"Ignoring you. Ignoring you." Emma said putting her hand over her ears
"Oh stop it." Ann said, "It's not like when you were five and you walked in on us."
"Okay, I'm leaving now." Emma turned
"Wait." Ann said, "I'm sorry. I sometimes forget how sensitive you are."
"Okay, could you two please reign it in." Harris snapped
"Sorry Harris." Ann apologized, "So what exactly are you wanting? That I 'date' Bobby Ewing just to see if I can get information you can use against him?"
"Date, marry. Whatever it takes." He said
Now Ann was the one who nearly spit out her drink, "Marry? Now hold on."
"If it's necessary. I just want information. I don't care how far you have to go with him to get it." He explained
"Harris, you do realize this is the most mind numbingly stupid idea I think you've ever had." Judith said
"You have a better idea?" he asked
"Wait Daddy, why do you need my help?" Emma asked before Judith could answer
"Bobby Ewing has a son, Christopher." he said, "He's developing this new technology that could make the company millions. If we could get our hand on it that would be millions for us."
"You want me to somehow get that for you?" Emma questioned, "By dating his son?"
"Harris, wait a minute." Ann stood up, "It's one thing to drag me into this but our daughter?"
"Ann, we stand a better chance if you both do this." He said
"Why is this so important to you?" Ann asked, "I mean what is your grudge against the Ewings?"
"Annie, I know you've been trapsing around Europe for years but this is the Ewing family. They've had this comin' for a long time."
Ann thought for a moment then crossed the room to Emma, "My darling girl, I often wondered how you got such a good heart bein' around the three of us. I had hoped it would stay that way. So if you don't wanna do this, then your father will understand. Right, Harris?" She gave him a look with those eyes that told him there was only one answer to that question
"Of course, sweetheart." He assured her
Emma thought for a moment, "No, I 'll do it." She agreed
Ann gave her a skeptical look, "Are you sure?"
Emma nodded, "I want to help Daddy." She'd never felt useful to anyone and she wanted to please her father
Ann sighed, "Well, just remember, don't let your heart get in the way. Always be in control. Even if it means letting them think they have control." She advised, "And I'll be there if you need any help, okay?" She asked and Emma nodded
"Harris, how do you propose they 'meet' Bobby Ewing and his son?" Judith asked, "I mean what if they don't take the bait?"
"Well, then we'll have to drop back and punt, Mother." He said, "But I've got an idea. Bobby's sister in law, Sue Ellen, has a non profit foundation. She's always lookin' for volunteers and you'd be perfect, Annie."
"Would I now?" She asked
"Yes, but you'll have to get yourself some new clothes." He said as he eyed her designer blouse and pants
"What's wrong with my clothes?" She asked
"Well I would imagine that most people who volunteer there don't go around wearin' Versachi." He explained
"It's Dolce and Gabanna, thank you very much." She said, "But I see your point."
"Good, now I hear Bobby does a lot of work to help her foundation. My thought is you can meet him casually that way."
"What about me, Daddy?" Emma asked
"You are going to get to do something you love to do." He explained, "They are looking for someone to help work with the horses at the ranch. You just finished school for the summer so it's perfect."
"Okay, Daddy." She said, "I'm just gonna go now." and get the heck out of dodge
"Sweetheart." Ann said hugging her daughter, "You know I love you."
"I know, Mom." She said, "I love you, too."
Ann pulled back and brushed Emma's hair away from her face, "Now if you change your mind it's okay."
"I know but I won't." She assured her and turned to leave
"Oh Emma, you can't use your real name." He said stopping here
"Why not?" She asked turning around
"Because everyone knows the Ryland name." He explained
"Well, I'm using my maiden name." Ann said after thinking a moment, "So you really need a different one."
"Use my maiden name." Judith suggested
"Emma Brown?" She asked, "Okay, if you say so." she said as she left
Ann turned to Harris as soon as she was sure Emma was out of earshot, "I can't believe you want to drag her into your twisted little schemes, Harris."
"You're the one who said she's a grown woman." He said, "Besides she said she would do it."
"Harris, she is just tryin' to please you." Ann said, "She'd do anything you asked. But I don't think she's emotionally mature enough to handle somethin' like this."
"She'll be fine." He insisted
"Well, I intend to see to it that she is." Ann said with a determined look in her eyes
/
Sue Ellen had just shown Ann around the volunteer center and Ann was assigned to answer the phones to first get her feet wet. She'd done as Harris suggested and bought some new clothes and toned down her makeup. Wearing jeans and a sweater, not her normal fair, but at six feet tall she looked like a model no matter what she wore. She was organizing some files during a break from the busy phone lines when he approached the front desk.
"Hi." He said with a friendly smile, "Is Sue Ellen around today?"
She looked up and smiled as genuinely as she possibly could, "She was here earlier but I think she went back to the office."
"Oh, I thought I might catch her here. She said she'd be showing around a new volunteer and I had some things I needed to drop off. Stuff the center could use."
"Well, I guess you can bring them in here." She said
"That's gonna be hard." He said, "I don't think the horses would fit in here."
"Horses?" Ann asked intrigued
"Yeah for the ranch. You know, the women who live here have therapy using horses."
"Oh, that's right." She said, "I'm sorry, this is my first day."
He smiled again, "You must be Ann. Sue Ellen told me about you."
"She did?" Ann asked
"Yes she did." He said, "I'm Bobby Ewing, her brother in law."
Ann's smile widened, this is just too easy, she thought and extended her hand, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Bobby Ewing."