"Where is..."

"Right this way." Angie said as she escorted Dixie down the hallway.

"Colby brought him in a short while ago. He's been complaining of pain in his side and seems feverish."

Angie then went on to explain how Colby had brought J.R in thinking his ailment was far too serious to be just a hangover.

"Wait, no. No I...I don't believe that for a second. J.R swore he'd never touch alcohol again after the last...who told you he was hungover?"

"Well, the same source from before, Babe Carey."

"Oh really." Dixie said skeptically.

"Between you and me Angie, Ms. Carey is not the most reliable source in the world."

"Oh really?" Angie said sounding intrigued.

"We have quite a bit of catching up to do don't we?" Dixie said with a smile.

"Oh, we most certainly do! But for now I'll leave you two alone."

"Wait, can I come in?" Bess asked innocently.

"Um, well sweetie I..." Dixie stuttered.

"Actually Bess?" Angie interrupted.

"If you're interested there's a cable TV in the nurse's station and also a fridge stocked with the best ice cream sandwiches I've ever tasted."

"Really?" Bess asked with a grin.

"Scouts honor. If you'd like Dixie, I can take..."

"Oh Angie, I'd really appreciate it. Bess, hon. I'm just gonna go in and visit J.R alone for a while. So, you go on with Dr. Hubbard and I'll come check on you in a little while. Okay?"

"Okay." Bess said in agreement.

"That's my girl. Make sure you save some ice cream for me alright!"

"Maybe..."

"Excuse me?"

"Just kidding!"

"About ice cream? Not my daughter." Dixie said with a smile as she gave Bess a quick hug before Angie led her to the nurse's station, leaving Dixie alone outside J.R's room.

"Hey sunshine. Mama's here now. Everything's gonna be okay."

Dixie choked out as she made her way across the room and sat at J.R's bedside.

"You know this was not how our reunion was supposed to be J.R. You know that. C'mon, now you have to open those eyes hon. You gotta make a good impression on Bess, your new sister who has been dying to meet her big brother for so long! J.R, just wake up, please! For your ol' mom's sake. We've wasted so much time hon, we both know it. Please J.R. I...I can't lose you. Please God don't take my son away from me!"

Dixie cried, only to see J.R wake up, his blue eyes full of pain that turned to shock and confusion when he realized who was at his side.

"M..Mom? Is that..."

"Oh thank God, yes. J.R, hon, it's me, it's Mama, I..I'm here sunshine! Everything's okay, I promise you."

"No...no, it's...it's not.. Mom? You...you're, dead, Mom. You...you're only a ghost! A ghost can't help me! Why aren't you alive Mom!"

J.R asked looking terrified. Even though he was slowly coming out of his feverish state he was completely confused.

"Oh J.R, no! No sweetie, I'm alive! I'm right here!" Dixie said as she took J.R's hand in her's and kissed it, only to see J.R's confusion turn into anger.

"How...how do I know that it, that it's really you, Mom? How do I know you're...you're not a fake!"

"Because, there's no way if I was a fake, that I would know I stood up and sang O Little Town of Bethlehem at your Christmas pageant after you got stage fright. And I wouldn't know you made Tad and I those key chains at summer camp when you were eight years old, or that you and Jamie snuck a ferret and toy frog into an anniversary party because you were afraid Tad and I weren't having any fun."

"Oh my God, Mom?" J.R said his eyes full of nothing but joy and amazement as he realized his mother was alive and well and sitting right beside him.

"God I never thought I'd hear those words ever again!" Dixie said with a sob as she gave J.R a huge hug.

"But, I still can't...how did you fight it? I mean I...I was there! I...I was in the, the living room when you collapsed! I was there! And then, I came here and Joe told me, that they'd lost you! How did you...?"

J.R asked.

"Sunshine, did you really think I'd let a few bad pancakes hurt me and keep us apart? I fought back J.R. For you, for our family. And I never had any intention whatsoever of giving up."

"But, how?"

"J.R. The Vtak didn't have a chance to do me in 'cause in the ambulance ride over, I got an antidote."

"From, from who?"

"Uncle Palmer arranged the whole thing J.R. He brought me to Pigeon Hollow so I could recover. I was in a coma there for about a year."

"Oh my God."

"But baby I, I woke up last week and I'm just fine now. I'm one hundred percent better. I'm here J.R, and I'm not going any place."

Dixie said as she embraced her son again, only to have him wince in pain.

"Oh hon, I'm sorry!"

"No, it's alright Mom."

"No, it's not otherwise you wouldn't be here in the first place. J.R, what happened to you?"

"I..."

"Angie told me you claimed someone came after you? That someone had set you up?"

"Well...that's the thing, Mom. I don't know!"

"You, don't know? You don't remember what happened?"

"No, but it's...it's not what you think!"

"J.R, I...I don't know what to think. If you did fall off the..."

"No!"

"Be..because if you did, I...I'm not going to judge you or, or get angry. I know I don't have the right anymore."

"No, Mom I..."

"I understand you've been making your own decisions for years J.R. But I...I take responsibility for some of your actions that I know I played a part in bringing about, as far as your reactions to my absence and 'triumphant return' went."

"Mom, no.."

"I know you're a wonderful man J.R. I..I couldn't be prouder of you. There's times I feel like I don't even deserve as great a son as you. You're an amazing father to your son and you have gotten through every obstacle you've ever faced."

"But..."

"But I'm refusing to stand by without helping you beat this alcoholism J.R. I love you far too much to let you fight this alone, and I know from experience you can't get past it by yourself. But I promise you, we'll get through this together."

"Okay, hold up for a minute Mom. I... I swear to you that while I did, fall off the wagon awhile back, I..I swore on my son's life I would never pick up the bottle ever again."

"J.R..."

"And I kept that promise! Mom, I know, that whatever the hell is wrong with me, it's way too painful than any type of hangover I've ever had. I swear to you I have not been drinking."

"I...I believe you, J.R."

Dixie said only to see relief and happiness wash over her son's face.

"So, you, you believe I didn't get here because of my own doing? That I was really set up?"

"Well, given what you just told me I, I don't see how there'd be any other option. I just wanna find out whoever it was so I can come after them personally for landing my son in here and nearly giving me a heart attack after I heard the news!"

"M..Mom?"

J.R stuttered much to Dixie's concern.

"What's wrong baby?"

"It's just, Can you do me a favor? Can you not, joke around when it comes to that sort of thing?" J.R asked nervously.

"Oh my.. J.R, I... I'm so sorry I..."

"I...I just can't deal with that again, ya know?"

"Come here you." Dixie said with a sob as she reached out and embraced her son.

"I'm not going anywhere hon. You're never gonna lose me, you understand?"

"You promise?"

"I swear. I mean c'mon, if poisoned peanut butter pancakes couldn't keep me away than nothing can."

Dixie joked getting a smile out of J.R as his exhausted state began to get the better of him.

"I...I love you Mom." J.R said closing his eyes.

"I love you too sunshine, more than you'll ever know." Dixie whispered as she began quietly humming her chosen lullaby in an effort to calm her son's nerves.

Thinking her plan had worked, Dixie proceeded to sneak away from J.R's bedside in order to check on Bess who was happily watching cartoons on the couch.

"Hey, how 's my best girl doing?"

"Just fine Mom. How's J.R?" Bess asked nervously.

"Well, he's not one hundred percent but he's doing much better."

"That's good." Bess said with a sigh.

"What's wrong sweetheart? You okay?" Dixie asked with concern.

"Yeah, I was just, worried about him before we got here. That's all."

"You wanna know a secret, Bess. You were certainly not the only one worried in that car. When I got that phone call. I was too scared to even breathe.

But now, neither of have to worry. Everyone here, all the doctors and the nurses have assured me J.R is gonna be just fine."

"Good. I just wish the first time I met him he wasn't sick in a hospital."

"I wish that too sweetie. But I have a feeling the second he meets you he'll feel a thousand times better."

"Only a thousand times?"

"No, actually. A thousand times, times another thousand, plus infinity! That's how much better he's gonna be!" Dixie said as she began affectionately tickling Bess.

"You think?" Bess asked mid laugh.

"No, I know." Dixie said with a smile as she gave her daughter a hug.

"Can I come and see him now?"

"Um, listen sweetie, I'll tell ya what. When I go back I'll check with Nurse Julia and if it's okay she'll come and give you the go-ahead. Okay?"

"Okay.."

"Speaking of which..." Dixie said with a smile as she saw a beautiful little girl with long blonde hair pulled back in a clip come into the nurse's lounge.

"Why hello there Kathy! You remember me?"

"Uh-huh! We beat the boys at Lucky Ducks!"

"You remember! Wow, you're such a smart girl! How old are you now sweetie?"

"I'm six!"

"Wow, six years old. Time sure flies doesn't it.

Say Bess, come over here hon there's someone I'd like to meet."

"Okay." Bess said as she jumped off the couch to say hello and was surprised at how familiar the little blonde girl looked to her.

"Bess, this is Kathy. Julia's been taking care of her."

"Hi there. You like cartoons?"

"Yeah!"

"Come on over here. We'll get along fine." Bess said with a smile as Kathy took a seat next to her on the couch.

From her place at the doorway Dixie looked on at the two girls and was amazed at how much of a bond they already had.

Beckoning over to Julia, Dixie's happiness turned to downright fear when she saw her and Joe working frantically in J.R's room.

After bolting inside she saw to her distress J.R was pale and trembling, as if he was having some sort of terrible nightmare.

"J...J.R? What..what's wrong, Joe what's wrong with my son!!"

Dixie asked terror stricken as she looked in J.R's eyes and saw nothing but pain, terror and rage. Before she knew it she saw Julia give J.R a mild sedative. But much to her relief it seemed to do the trick and soon enough J.R relaxed and closed his eyes while his vitals began returning to normal.

"Oh thank God, J.R, thank God!" Dixie cried as she took J.R's hand in her's before turning to Julia and Joe.

"What...what caused this? He...he was fine when I went across the hall! What..what happened?"

"Something, or someone, apparently set him off and he went off the handle. But in his weakened state his fury got the better of him and his vitals shot up." Julia answered.

"So, someone snuck into my son's hospital room, and got him so angry that they could've killed him! For God's sake Joe, isn't there something called hospital security that's supposed to keep things like this from happening?" Dixie yelled.

"Absolutely." Joe said bitterly.

"Julia, I'd like to take a look at the surveillance tape from this wing if you don't mind. We'll get to the bottom of this Dixie, I promise."

"Joe, I'm sorry I went off on you like that, you know I didn't..."

"I understand completely. You have every right to be upset given, well, everything you've been through."

"Honestly I wasn't expecting this at all. The last place I'd want to be reunited with my son is in his hospital room."

"I think the same can be said for any parent, Dixie." Joe said comfortingly as he gave her a reassuring hug.

"It's just, J.R's suffered so much all these years. He's been hurt so many times by Adam, Tad, me."

"And as much as I regret it, there's been more than one occasion I've been a source of J.R's pain too. I know I haven't been as supportive of him as I should be."

"Well I wasn't exactly being supportive when I abandoned him for four years!" Dixie said bitterly.

"But you've more then made up for that. J.R's battled his way back to the land of the living for you Dixie, not once but twice now."

"Yes he has, but Joe I'm just tired of seeing him work so hard just to have fate clobber him again and again.

And right now he's being put through all stages of hell by someone and I haven't got the faintest idea of how to stop it."

"Well I think we've just gotten ourselves a clue."

Julia said as she handed Joe the surveillance tape, only to have J.R wake up from the sedative.

"Excuse me for a sec." Dixie said as she walked into J.R's room and took her usual seat at his bedside.

"Hey handsome. Alright, you mind telling me what that was all about?"

"Mom I..."

"Answer me J.R." Dixie said firmly.

"Who broke in here and got you so worked up you collapsed and scared the living daylights out of me."

"I...I don't even want to say her name." J.R said angrily as he proceeded to wince in pain.

"Can you give me a hint at least?"

"Fine. Her favorite food is a lethal breakfast entree and she shares her name with a talking pig, who she's even begun to slightly resemble."

"What, on earth...Babe? What did she..." Dixie asked with confusion as J.R rolled his eyes.

"Honestly Mom, I thought even you'd have a grudge against the woman who's become determined to rob me of all I care about. I mean she started off with you."

"Well luckily she didn't succeed now did she..." Dixie said with a smile that turned to a frown when she realized J.R wasn't remotely amused.

"J.R, was it Babe who set you up?"

"Like she's that bright." J.R scoffed.

"Leave it to Babydoll to leave all the dirty work up to her psychotic boy toy."

"What? You've lost me." Dixie said with confusion.

J.R then proceeded to explain how he had thought he and Babe were working their way back to one another, but once Babe befriended a certain psychotic newcomer named Ritchie Novak, their relationship had been strained. Ritchie was bent on being with Babe no matter what and knew that would only happen if J.R was out of the picture.

"Mom, I wouldn't put it past this whacko to have set me up and make it look like I was back on the booze. He knows Babe wouldn't tolerate my drinking again and he's playing on that."

"Do you have proof that Ritchie set you up?"

"What do you think got me so worked up I hurt myself?"

"What evidence do you have?"

"Evidence only that son of a bitch could've provided. Enough to make want to strangle him with my bare hands and enough to get me hating Babe with every fiber of my being."

J.R spat angrily as he handed Dixie a court order delivered personally from the newly eloped couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie Novak.

"Oh my God. No." Dixie choked out as she saw to her horror all too familiar papers from Babe and Ritchie requesting sole custody of Adam Chandler III.

"Mom, I...I can't I...I can't lose him, my son! Not to that, cold hearted bitch and her all too fitting psycho of a husband!" J.R sobbed as Dixie quickly embraced him trying to be comforting despite the anger and pure hatred she felt with every fiber of her being towards the woman that was singlehandedly putting her son through the exact hell she'd gone through all those years ago.

"Mom, I..I can't lose A...He, he's my life!"

"And you won't! You understand me? We're going to fight this J.R. We are going to fight that conniving pathetic whore and her nut of a husband in court as long as it takes. There's no way that woman is going to raise my grandchild. And there's no way, on earth that I'm going to let anyone put my son through the hell I went through. Not on your life."

"How do you know?"

"What?"

"How, how do you know we'll be able to fight this? Look at what those lunatics are capable of!"

"This?" Dixie asked, sounding amused.

"Hon, it may look complex, but overall this is nothing more than a blatant setup with more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese."

"Really?" J.R asked with a trace of a smile on his tear stained face.

"Compared to the wringer your father put me through way back when, Babe and Ritchie are pure amateurs. Give them a day in court with us and they'll know that quite well." Dixie said with a smirk.

"My mother with her fight face on. Don't see that every day!"

"Well it's not every day a good for nothing slut dares to take my family and I on. Let's just say this is the only face of mine Ms. Carey's gonna see from here on out."

"God am I glad you're back."

"That makes two of us. Now, I'm no doctor but, I think it's time for you to get some rest." Dixie said as she smoothed J.R's hair and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before picking up her bag.

"And where are you off too, Mom?"

"Just have some things to take care of."

Dixie said with a wink as she walked out of J.R's room, fully prepared to deal with her ex daughter in law once and for all.