The intensity of the morning sunlight forced J.R.'s eyes open and, rather unexpectedly, he felt well-rested, in spite of his late return home and presumably waking before his alarm call. He rolled over and discovered his wife rearranging the curtains, whilst she observed he morning movement of the ranch-hands. His eyes travelled to the bedside clock and adrenaline pumped through his body, when he noticed the time. "Sue Ellen, it's late! Why the hell didn't you wake me? I have a meeting in a half-hour!" He violently kicked back the sheets and leapt from the bed, scrambling to make himself semi-presentable for the office.

"I decided to let you sleep in," she calmly replied. "I let Bobby know you won't be goin' into the office, so he's not expecting you."

"Who in the hell put you up to that?" J.R. irritably growled, "Listen, darlin', if you expect those furs and diamonds to keep comin' in, then a man's got to work. My little brother may have been appointed President of Ewing Oil while I was indisposed but I'm back on my feet, and I need to work ten times harder, if I'm to prove myself to daddy. How am I supposed to do that, if I'm not there, Sue Ellen?" His near-death experience had permitted him many favours - not least, a reconciliation with Sue Ellen, temporary as it may have been - but J.R. feared his sanctimonious baby brother would work his absence to his own advantage. One narrow-eyed look from his wife and he buckled, his favourite tie draped over his shoulders, "Alright, Sue Ellen, obviously you have gone to great lengths to have me stay home from the office, so what is it? What's so damn urgent?"

"There's something you and I need to discuss, J.R.. Get dressed, meet me down at the stables in ten minutes." She hurried from the bedroom, before her husband could challenge the request, and started her own way toward the stables. At her request, Ray had given the ranch-hands strict instructions not to venture near the lake on the far south side. By the time she had saddled up her horse and J.R.'s – Aphrodite and Ares, respectively – her husband's powerful stride came into view from the house. "Perfect timing!" His harassed expression communicated his predicted dissatisfaction, but Sue Ellen brushed off his dismal attitude and climbed onto her golden horse. "Jump on, cowboy!" She held his darker-haired ride in place, in order to aid his ascent.

What could only be described as her spontaneous attempt at a romantic gesture would most likely cost him his position at his father's company, and J.R. rebelliously remained rooted to the ground. "Sue Ellen!" His whine alone caused Sue Ellen to release the reigns of his mammal and gallop off into the distance. Reluctant curiosity provoked J.R. to mount his horse alone and, once steadied in the saddle, follow Sue Ellen's dust trail. A fifteen minute ride to the south border of Southfork ensued; they rode beneath the avenue of evergreen, before they reached his mother's cherished lake. In the height of summer, he had often found solace from the unbearable Texan heat in the refreshing ripples of the reservoir, which had thawed from the recent winter chill.

Sue Ellen hopped from her horse and loosely attached Aphrodite to the nearest low-hung branch. She was silently relieved J.R. had followed her lead, when he moored Ares beside Aphrodite, since he infamously despised riding horses. It had been a skill J.R. had only bothered to learn the basics of, in another unmerited attempt to impress his father. "Isn't it beautiful here?"

"What in the hell is so important that we couldn't discuss it when I came back from the office?"

"Do you remember the first week we were married?" She dismissed her husband's brash demand, leaning against the tree bark in a dreamy state. "We barely had a honeymoon because you didn't want to leave Ewing Oil in your daddy's hands. I wasn't too happy about that, so you flew me to Austin and bought us Mr. and Mrs. horses. Did you ever wonder why I named them Ares and Aphrodite?" Expectantly, her head turned and J.R. shook his own. "Because Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love. She loved Ares, the God of war. Now... his parents were Zeus, ruler of all Olympian Gods, and Hera, Queen of the Gods." Sue Ellen smirked, "Remind you of anyone?" Again, J.R. shook his head, swallowed whole by his inability to connect the relevance. "That's what you and your family were to me. The Ewing's were as mystical as Greek mythology to me; I had never met anyone like you, not before and certainly not since." The honesty in her voice captivated him, as firmly as her beauty had the first time he had ever laid eyes on his Miss Texas. "It wasn't the money, or the power, or the respect. You were a forbidden fruit; one bite and I became enchanted by you forever. My loyalty to you has been undying since the day I made my vow to you."

A hostile harrumph erupted from his throat, "You're a little young for your memory to start failing, aren't you; or have you forgotten your little tryst with Cliff Barnes? I know, I won't," he warned her. "I strongly suspect Mr. Barnes is not the only man you've shown affection over the years, either."

"I'm a saint, compared to the company you keep, J.R.," she brashly defended her past behaviours and, momentarily, her calm façade momentarily shattered. "Look... I didn't ask you here to throw the past in each other's faces. We've both done things we're not proud of, but it can't carry on. John Ross might not be old enough to understand right now, but it won't be long until he does and I do not want my son raised in that kind of environment."

"Well, what would you suggest, my dear?" J.R. sneeringly inquired.

"If you expect your daddy to restore any faith he once had in you, then you damn well better get our house in order first." Sue Ellen's approach became more aggressive. "I'm pregnant, J.R.." His head snapped in her direction, his eyes zoned in to her stomach and Sue Ellen's hands dropped to her waist, intimidated beneath his scolding stare. "The doctor confirmed it yesterday. I'm six weeks along, and the baby and I are in perfect health." She could practically see the wheels turning inside his brain, "Don't look so worried, J.R., I know for a fact it's your child."

He recalled how furiously she had reacted to his faith in Kristin's paternity claim, as opposed to her own, and he quickly hid his suspicion. A hearty chuckle escaped his lips and he kissed her on the cheek, "I don't doubt it, honey!" It was a crystal-clear sign for him and Sue Ellen to reconcile. "Well, would you believe it? Another Ewing on the way! C'mon, darlin', let's go back to the house and give everyone the good news!" When he grabbed her hand, he noticed his pulse of enthusiasm didn't match hers. His vibrancy faded, as he anticipated the delivery of counterpart bad news, "What is it? The doctor said the baby's alright, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did." Sue Ellen evaded his touch, "Physically, the baby and I are in perfect condition. Emotionally... I wonder how long it'll be before it all comes crashing down again," she referenced the devastation her first pregnancy had caused. "J.R., I won't bring another child into this marriage, until I'm certain it can last." It still horrified her when she considered the possible damage her weakness for alcohol had caused their son; it didn't faze her that she might not be so lucky the second time, and she didn't entirely trust herself not to start drinking again.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Sue Ellen collected a semi-heavy stone near her feet and nonchalantly propelled into mid-air. Inevitably, it hit the the surface and sunk to the bottom of the lake. "Once the stone has been thrown, it can't be taken back, J.R.. Believe me, there are plenty of ways to rid myself of this child and make sure you and I never have another." J.R. menacingly stepped forward but quickly contained his anger, which merited a small smirk from his wife. He was in a catch-22. "Now, I'm going to give you one week to find a suitable solution to our problem, or I'll be forced to take matters into my own hands."

Dumbstruck, J.R. watched Sue Ellen reposition herself on Aphrodite and ride away. There was only one possible solution – a reconciliation.