Hi all! Ok so this is my very first Dallas fanfic but since I've been watching the opening shows for this season, I've gotten hooked and come up with so many ideas that I just couldn't wait to hammer them out! There are some changes…There is an OC I'm bringing into my story…she will be the cousin of Elena Ramos and in my story plot, she was born in Mexico but was moved to the US with Elena and Elena's mother (her aunt) when she was about a year old and grew up with Elena, John Ross and Christopher, until she was about nine. She then is called back to Mexico because her father falls dangerously ill. I'll bring in more of her back story in this story but I just wanted you guys to have a bit of a background first. This is dedicated to mainly JohnRoss, Yay! But will also bring in all the other characters of Dallas as well. Xoxo!

I do not own Dallas or any of its characters.

Flashback…

Two gunshots pierced the brief silence. And then the line just went dead, the only remaining sound being soft, hissing static. John Ross jumped to his feet. "Hello?!"

Nothing.

"Dad, Dad?!" His heart was pounding now—like the beat of a horses hooves thundering against the solid Texas earth. Somewhere deep down inside of him, he knew his father was gone—in that sudden moment, it all came crashing down on him like a deluge. His gut wrenched at the realization but he still couldn't grasp the reality—the horror that he'd just lost everything in less than three minutes…His legs felt heavier than lead and shook as all the strength left his body and his broad shoulders sagged. "…Dad?..." his voice—weak and feeble—trembled as tears of anger and anguish, stung his blue eyes.

End flashback

John Ross stood alone on the open veranda of the family home in South park. Dressed in a well-fitting Armani black suit with his hair flawlessly coiffed, his tall form leaned against the railing as his blue eyes swept the expanse of South park ranch. With one hand shoved in his pocket, he nursed a glass of brandy in his other hand, listening to the soft chirping of crickets and frogs from the pond. The funeral had been…painfully long. So many of his father's old friends and even a few business partners had turned out to bid the old man a final farewell and when the support should have been comforting, for John Ross it was only a bitter reminder of how much had been lost—everything.

The large ranch home was still abuzz with mourners who had lingered afterwards for an intimate dinner and quiet evening of condolences. With so many people coming up to him to shake his hand or offer sad sympathetic smiles while wrapping him in a 'comforting' embrace, soon the faces didn't register in his vision. Voices, faces, words just faded and blurred into the background. At length, he'd felt so overwhelmed and emotionally suffocated that he'd escaped to the solitary quiet of the large veranda, heaving a sigh of relief. He'd been out there for hours but to him, time seemed to stand still and blur together into oblivion.

Just then, his mind became mildly aware of another presence not far from him. Then the faint sound of a female voice echoed through the depths of his mired thoughts and he mutely turned his head towards the sound. Dark flowing hair framed a tanned womanly face. Rounded shoulders were bared above the neckline of a simple strapless black knee-length peasant dress. Slender hands and fingers sporting expertly black nail polish, clutched at a simple brown clutch purse. A slender waist melted flawlessly to voluptuous hips that were visible beneath the black fabric and accentuated by a securely-fastened wide dark-brown belt. Striking curvy legs gave way to petite feet dressed in dark brown mid-calf cowgirl boots. His mind registered Elena but as his vision focused, a pair of innocent, dark penetrating eyes registered as vastly unfamiliar. He turned his tall form more fully towards the owner of these striking eyes and soon discovered that this was indeed not Elena.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to disturb you."

Her voice was rich with a Spanish accent that seemed mildly mixed with something closely akin to a British accent—but He couldn't be certain. However, the sound was so soothing and radiated an unsuspecting warmth through his entire body.

"You probably don't remember me but—I'm Evelyn. Evelyn Ramos, Elena's cousin. I…well we actually sort of grew up together." She took a hesitant step towards him, her hands still clutched nervously to her purse, as if she was using it as a form of protection. "I came here with Elena and her mother twenty three years ago…I was only here for eight years but I remember being here on the ranch…and you and Christopher chasing me around the corral when we all played 'I spy.'" She laughed a little nervously then, her dark eyes not quite meeting his.

Just then, it suddenly dawned on John Ross who this woman was and his eyes sparkled with realization. "Evelyn—it's you?" He inclined his head towards her, waiting for another confirmation. She seemed to relax a little and met his eyes then with a soft smile. "I remember you—you were the shy one!"

His southern accent drifted to her ears and she felt a small hitch in her chest as a warm smile spread across his lips.

"Yes…it's me." Her arms fell away from their previous place around her waist and now hung at her sides as she moved a bit forward to stand in front of him. She gave him a somewhat sad smile and then the pain and grief she'd seen etched on his features only moments before, again passed through his eyes and his features hardened ever so slightly. "I am…so sorry, John Ross…so very sorry; your father and his brother were good to my family while we were here, they treated us with dignity and fairness…I can only imagine what a loss this must be for you."

He felt the emotion rise in his throat and only nodded curtly, pressing his lips together in a tight line. He absently swirled his untouched glass of brandy but his hand froze at the touch of warm, soft fingers, wrapping around his wrist. His eyes snapped up to Evelyn's face and he was dumbfounded at the sight of tears shining in her ebony eyes. Somehow, this woman felt his pain even though she hadn't been a part of his family for over twenty years and his icy heart softened for a moment.

Standing on tiptoes, Evelyn pressed a soft, meaningful kiss close to the corner of his mouth and a few tears slipped down her cheek. In a split second, she had disappeared back inside and John Ross was left alone with his bewildering thoughts and acutely aware of the loss of warmth from her now-absent fingers from around his wrist.