Dallas, Texas

Back where things had properly started, the place where secrets she wasn't supposed to know about had been confirmed and deals to uncover more had been made, this time Katherine Wentworth felt very comfortable with who she was and why she was there.

Acquaintance, partner, confidant, she wouldn't go as far as to call JR a friend, but four and a half months after their first meeting she certainly believed they were more than strangers.

Bobby had appeared in her home earlier in the week and following his visit she'd finally felt mentally at peace, so much so that the weeks of interrupted sleep and anxious churning in her stomach had all but disappeared now.

Emotionally and socially, things were settled with Bobby, they were settled with Cliff, she had little to no control over what her mother did, and she felt her father was entirely back on her side again now that they'd had time to talk alone and the dust had settled. The only loose thread she had to deal with was JR, and being on spring break gave her plenty of time to do that.

"So, may I ask how much you knew?"

A glass of club soda in hand, she studied him from across the desk. He'd dangled all sorts of information in front of her during their last visit and now that she understood a fair bit more about her family history she'd like to make a comparison.

"The report was fairly thorough, although it couldn't incorporate emotions, you'll understand that."

Doing as he did best, talking around the question, JR didn't exactly give her a lot to work with, although she understood how to deal with that now.

"Yes, I do. Considering that it's all out in the open do you think I could see the report, you know, to separate fact from emotion?"

"I'm not sure about that…"

"JR."

Noting the way he spoke, she understood that he wasn't overly committed to the hesitation he was conveying, it was all part of what she'd come to expect in their interactions.

"Ask me nicely."

"Please JR, may I see the report?"

Saying the words he wanted to hear, her smirk as she said them surely told him that she was only playing nice because he'd requested it. If he were to deny her this time, she wouldn't hesitate to find her no-nonsense tone again.

"Well, since you were so polite, I might be able to help."

Standing up, he walked over to the metal cabinet on the other side of the office, making conversation as he looked through the suspension files.

"Are you sure you don't want something more to drink? You might need it."

"No, thank you. I think I'm done drinking with Ewings."

Turning his hear to look at her, his facial expression indicated he'd picked up on her tone and was very interested in understanding what she was saying.

"Meaning what exactly?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," playing coy, she used the same evasiveness on him as he had on her.

"Let me guess, that brother of mine finally made your acquaintance."

"Perhaps."

In a way confirming that he was correct, she didn't give him anything more, she didn't feel like sharing the details of her interactions with Bobby.

"Do tell."

"No."

Chuckling and shaking his head, JR turned back to the cabinet, continuing to search through the files.

Returning to the desk with a manila folder in hand, he didn't immediately address the contents, instead carrying on their conversation.

"Maybe I'll ask him myself."

"See how far that gets you."

Laughing out loud, he didn't seem bothered by her refusal to reveal everything, potentially because he believed he could find out through Bobby or the means he'd found out her mother's secrets, however, she felt safe knowing that what had happened between her and Bobby would stay between her and Bobby, forever.

"So, I take it there's something to tell, something to hide?"

"My lips are sealed."

"I can only imagine they weren't when you finally found Bobby."

Saying it completely straight-faced, which was different for him, his comment caught her off-guard, the memories of her night with Bobby flooding back. He'd talked, she'd talked, he'd smiled, she'd smiled, and then later he'd kissed, she'd kissed, and more.

"Well, I'll say. Something happened. Does Jenna know?"

Feeling herself blushing, sure that was how he could tell she was holding her information close, she knew it was time to end things, before she inadvertently revealed too much.

"This conversation is now over."

"As you wish."

"I do. I think you'd be best not mentioning this to Bobby either, not unless you want him to know where I was getting my help from and who discouraged me from contacting him."

When she'd first met Cliff and then later Bobby as Pam's sister rather than a stranger, neither had spoken much of JR, leading her to believe neither man had any idea about his involvement in the situation. JR hadn't been aware that she'd even met Bobby yet either, further confirming that they might be brothers, but on this subject they were acting as individuals.

"I maintain everything I did was for the benefit of others."

"Would Bobby see it that way? He told me a few stories about your sibling relationship."

Having heard all sorts of stories from Bobby before he knew who she was, she was sure the closeness of the brothers wasn't the only thing JR had misled her about.

Chuckling, JR amusedly dismissed her question. "You grew up an only child, you wouldn't understand."

"Mm, speaking of my sister…"

Aware that he'd not been entirely transparent about his relationship with Pam, she thought now was the perfect opportunity to change the subject, this time to one he wasn't so keen to discuss.

"Were we?"

"JR."

"Fine. But remember, I've always thought you were the more personable of Rebecca's offspring."

Grinning, unashamedly flattering her, his avoidance of the subject wouldn't make it go away, but it did help in keeping their interaction friendly and light, something she suspected hadn't always been the case where he and Pam were concerned.

To be continued…