Posted: March 10, 2005

Sue Ellen comes home to Dallas.

Ghosts

Chapter 1

The flight attendant asked her, "Is everything all right, Ma'am?" Immense hazel eyes blankly stared at the attendant, then blinked. "Yes," she replied, "I just haven't been home for a while." Home. There was a word with so many memories associated with itso many memories. How amazing that her life had come full-circle and she was, indeed home in Dallas, Texas. Sue Ellen had returned.

It had been almost two years since she had filed for divorce from Don Lockwood. They had grown apart and their need for each other had changed. It was an amicable divorce, no lawyers, no struggles, simply a mediator who quickly walked them through the signing of the papers. Case closed. Years ago, the thought of a divorce would have sent her straight to a bottle of Vodka. Not now, this was a "new" Sue Ellen.

She was still a stunning woman. The former Miss Texas had legs that could stop midday traffic. She could effortlessly leave men breathless when she entered a room. She had even become quite a successful business woman. She could hold her own in board meetings and had learned to work the stock market the way a sculptor works with clay.

That was yesterday, today was different. It even felt different. She was apprehensive about who might be meeting her at the airport, as she got off of the plane. She knew that John Ross would be there. She had allowed him to stay with his father, J.R. Ewing at Southfork while she finalized everything in London. She didn't realize how much she had missed her son until that very moment.

Blinking back a tear, she slowly walked through the crowded jetwalk. A smile lit up her face when she saw John Ross holding up a sign that read, "EWING." He was wearing some black cowboy boots, a Stetson and a dark gray suit. She thought, how handsome he looked right at that moment. Sue Ellen leaned over to hug John Ross. He even allowed her to kiss him. How mature he had become. He was much taller than she remembered but the twinkle in his blue eyes was the same, and it was the most beautiful sight she had seen in a while, he looked so much like . . .

Her thoughts were interrupted by an unmistakable Texas drawl. "Hello, Darlin'."

J.R. Ewing had the audacity to pat her on her butt. She whirled on him with a clenched fist. The look of absolute terror in J.R.'s eyes caused her to burst into laughter. The exchange was lost on John Ross. He was basking in the moment. His Mamma and Daddy were back together, at last.

"Hell, Darlin'," "I thought you were gonna deck me in front of all of these people." J.R. reached out to give Sue Ellen a more appropriate 'welcome home' kiss on the cheek. She bristled as she felt his breath on her cheek. Sue Ellen Lockwood had been in several relationships with some very powerful men, but none had the ability to cause her to react the way J.R. Ewing could. He still had that power over her. "Damn him," she mused to herself.

It had been almost a year since she had last seen J.R. "How dare he show up to meet her looking so distinguished and still so damn attractive," She thought. "How are you, J.R.?", she asked. "Well, hell, sugar, I'm much better now." She knew immediately from the glint in his eyes that he was flirting with her, again. She could always tell. When J.R. flirted, one corner of his mouth would lift slightly higher than the other when he smiled. Sue Ellen cursed him under her breath. She needed a change of tone and fast. Thank God for John Ross. She put her arm around her son's shoulder and leaned her head into his as they walked the concourse to the limousine awaiting them.

As they sat down in the limousine, John Ross asked his mother where she would be staying while in Dallas. Sue Ellen replied, "I'll be staying at the Hyatt Regency, until my Real Estate agent finds what I'm looking for." "Nonsense," J.R interrupted. "There's plenty of room at Southfork." "We already had Teresa prepare your old bedroom for you." Sue Ellen was about to object when she saw the look of joy on the face of her son. She had seen John Ross smile when they lived in London, but not like this. He had a beautiful smile and it melted any resolve she might have had to refuse her son or J.R., for that matter.

What harm could there be in going back to Southfork Ranch for a few days until more suitable living arrangements could be made? Plenty. She and J.R were both single now and if she was feeling this vulnerable while was he was staring at her from across the Ewing limousine, there would be no hope for her once she was back at Southfork.

J.R. Ewing was many things; he was a liar, a cheat, and he could be a manipulative bastard when he wanted to be, but there was no mistaking the fact that he was a Ewing through and through; and he loved living at Southfork. She had loved living there, too. There were memories that she wished time and tide could erase, but there was one memory that no one could ever take away from her and that was how she felt about the good times she and J.R. had shared as husband and wife. She felt her face flush with embarrassment at the thought of some of those memories.

John Ross smiled as the limousine careened down the driveway of the ranch. J.R. said, "Welcome back, Sue Ellen." Sue Ellen graciously said, "Thank You, J.R.," "It truly does feel good to be back in Dallas." The driver opened the door for Sue Ellen. J.R. took her hand as she stepped out of the limousine. The touch of his warm hand on her hand was almost too much for her to take. She anxiously looked around for an escape, only to see John Ross helping the driver take her luggage into the house.

Turning back around, she found herself face to face with J.R. The look on his face was unlike any she had seen in years and it frightened her. A quick intake of breath restored her nerves, allowing her to break the silence and speak. "Where is everyone, J.R.?" "Well, Bobby and Christopher are off on a fishin' trip and Mamma and Clayton are in San Angelo," "So, it's just you and me and John Ross, the way I've always said it should be." She smiled, in spite of herself because she knew this was quite possibly the most honest thing J.R. had ever said to her.

The smell of the flowers from Miss Ellie's garden filled her senses and lifted her spirits. As she stood, taking in the scenery Southfork had to offer her, she was keenly aware of how much better she felt simply being back in Dallas. J.R gazed at her longingly as the afternoon breeze caused her hair to cover her face. God help him, she was still so beautiful. Her hair was shoulder-length and was streaked blond. "She had become such a striking beauty, a force to be reckoned with, that was for damn sure," he thought. She was a force to reckon with in the business community, as well. Stories printed about her in European newspapers had been reprinted in the business papers here in the States.

"Business is business, and getting reacquainted with this woman is somethin' else, entirely." he chuckled to himself, "This moment and the next few days are an opportunity I've waited years for."

Sue Ellen shivered as the change in the breeze signaled the evening Sun. J.R. invited her to go into the house and get settled in. They entered the house through the kitchen. Sue Ellen looked around. She had spent many moments in this room mulling over her relationship with J.R. Emotions once again welled up inside her and she had to choke back the lump steadily rising in her throat. She coughed in an effort to gain composure. J.R. asked, "Are you okay, Sweetheart?" He had called her that on several occasions, but none had moved her the way hearing it now did. As J.R. stood behind her offering support, she gasped for air as she felt his hands on her shoulders. Such heat, such an intense heat no one had made her feel like this in years. Why this man? Why now?

Sue Ellen continued to walk through the kitchen. Her legs were trembling and so were her hands, but she was still moving. Still trying to escape the heat from his touch searing her skin through the fabric of her jacket. J.R. lowered his hand to the small of her back at they walked upstairs. John Ross stood at the top of the stairs with a bouquet of yellow roses he bought for his Mamma. Sue Ellen once again found herself fighting back emotion. She accepted the bouquet and hugged her son. She must have hugged him a little too tightly because he said, "Mom, you're hugging me too tight. I can't breathe."

"Thank You, God for this boy," she thought; "Once again he has lightened my mood." Sue Ellen walked into her bedroom. A room she used to sleep in, separate from J.R. Long ago she had declared their marriage to be the kind of marriage J.R. had seemed to want - an open relationship. It was her only defense against how she felt toward him when she knew he had been cheating on her. Where were those defenses now?

"Are you hungry, Darlin'," J.R. asked. "No, Thank You." "I would like to take a bath and lie down for awhile." "I had a rough flight and I'm feeling fairly tired," she replied. J.R. said, "Well, If you change your mind, let me know. John Ross and I will be downstairs." As she watched J.R. leave her room, she felt tears streaming down her perfectly made-up face. She undressed as she filled the bathtub. She caught sight of herself in the mirror. "Yep, you've still got it," she quipped, "But how long can you hold back what you're feeling about that man and how handsome he is, even after all these years?"

Sue Ellen felt her tension slowly ease as she stepped into the tub. The hot water felt luke-warm compared to the heat she felt when J.R. had touched her shoulders in the kitchen. She had to get control of herself. Years ago she swore to herself that she would never let him make her feel vulnerable to his touch. Now, here she sat reminiscing. "Stop," she chided herself. "You're just tired from the flight," she grumbled.

She closed her eyes for what seemed like an instant when she heard a knock on the bathroom door. "Yes?" she replied. "Darlin' , I've got some fresh towels for you," J.R. said. She watched the door open and saw the look on his face as J.R. set the towels down on marble table next to the door. She heard his sharp intake of breath as he saw the water glistening on her shoulders and chest, just above the side of the bathtub. He slowly shut the door and walked over to the tub. Sue Ellen felt herself trembling as he approached. He knelt down by the side of the bathtub and started to gently rub her neck and upper back.

"Mmm," she muttered as his hands deftly worked the knotted muscles and nerves of her neck and shoulders. J.R. had some of the strongest yet gentle hands she had ever felt. No one else knew how to massage her strained muscles the way that J.R. could. J.R. lowered his hand to the side of her back as she leaned forward in the tub. With eyes closed, she let her head rest on her bent knees. J.R. found himself aroused by merely looking at her. "God, she was beautiful," he thought as he gazed at the outline of her breasts. "The years had been good to this woman. Too good." he thought.

Sue Ellen realized that his hands were almost on her hips and it frightened her. She sat up in the tub and bumped into J.R.'s nose. "If you want me to leave, just say so," he said. They both laughed at the humor of the moment. "J.R.," she said, but her words hung on the air as their faces moved together for a kiss. It was a gentle, undemanding kiss. It was perfect. Sue Ellen looked into his eyes and was reminded of the look she had seen earlier that afternoon when she stepped out of the limousine. She wasn't frightened this time. This time, the look on J.R.'s face was tender, almost angelic. J.R. cleared his throat. It was the only response he could muster. "I still love this woman," he thought. J.R. stood up and reached to the table for a towel.

He handed her the towel and turned his back to her as she stood up in the bathtub to dry herself off. "Ever the Texas gentleman," she said as she climbed out of the tub. She wrapped the towel around her torso as she reached for another towel to dry her arms and legs. "Feelin' better?" he asked. "Very much. Thank You," Sue Ellen replied."Thank you for the massage, J.R." "Now, If you don't mind, I'd like to get ready for bed," she said, "Good Night, J.R." J.R. closed the door behind him as he left the room.

Sue Ellen put on a silk cream-colored nightgown she had bought a week before leaving London. She liked the way the fabric felt against her skin. She had admired the simplicity of the design. It was elegant and comfortable at the same time. Single straps crossed over her shoulders and met in the back of the gown. She liked the way it caressed the curves of her lithe figure as she walked toward the bed. She pulled down the comforter as she climbed into the bed. She wondered if she would be able to sleep, but she fell asleep the instant she placed her head on the pillow. Sleep was a welcome respite from the day's events. Tomorrow would be here before she knew it and she could use sleep to escape the tangle of emotions she had encountered that day.

J.R. and John Ross had sandwiches and a glass of juice for supper. John Ross asked his father, "Are you glad Mom is here with us?" "I sure am, son," J.R. Replied. John Ross hugged his father and said, "Goodnight, Daddy." "'Night son," said J.R. "We'll see ya at breakfast." J.R. watched as his only son walked around the corner of the kitchen to go upstairs. J.R. stood alone in the room. He smiled as he thought about what John Ross had just asked him. He was glad that Sue Ellen was there. Southfork was a big place and it could get very lonely at times. He had been alone for far longer than he cared for. He had John Ross for company, but he needed female companionship. He needed Sue Ellen. She was his equal now and that turned him on. He was even more turned-on by the fact that she had divorced her movie-producer husband and decided to move back to Dallas. "Yellow roses always bloom best in Texas," he said aloud.

J.R. made a mental note to himself to ask Sue Ellen why she divorced Don as he turned off the light in the kitchen and walked upstairs to his bedroom. "Tomorrow," he thought. "I'll ask her tomorrow."