Dallas, Texas

"…she's been paying for everything in cash and using her maiden name, she even paid the hotel staff to deny that she was staying there. It's as if she knew you'd be investigating, but she didn't go as far as to actually disappear. I have an exact schedule of everything she's been doing and most of her activity has been in public areas, so she's not too worried about being seen, it appears that she just doesn't want to be contacted". JR listened and read over the file as his private investigator relayed everything Sue Ellen had been doing; the man was right, she hadn't been doing anything extraordinary or secretive, mostly just shopping and wandering around Austin aimlessly. JR recognized that some of the places she'd visited in the beginning as places that had special personal significance to her, but now, as the week had passed and she'd had more time to think, he was sure that she was completely lost. He couldn't think of any reason other than boredom for why she would want to spend her time in some of the locations she'd been spotted; if she was bored, then she was lonely, and if she was lonely, then she was vulnerable; now was the perfect time for him to go find her and bring her home. "Thank you, this is very useful information. I want your men to keep following her and keep me updated. I'll be flying down to Austin tomorrow and hopefully bringing my wife back with me. However, if she puts up some kind of fight, then I'm prepared to deal with that too, so I want you to be prepared to stay on her trail for a little while longer if need be". JR had contemplated dragging her back to Southfork kicking and screaming if he had to, but he'd decided against that as soon as he began to think of the disastrous consequences that could have. Combining the anger she would feel toward him if he physically forced her back to Dallas with the anger she was already harbouring, she may not hesitate to let everyone know exactly why she'd left, and he couldn't have that; he needed to take a gentler approach with her than he normally would, whether he actually wanted to or not.

"Delivery for Mrs Ewing", Teresa signed for the furniture delivery and showed the men upstairs to the bedroom that had been painted and wallpapered in preparation for the arrival of the new Ewing baby in just a few months and as the men carried the items upstairs, she began to consider the situation as it was. With the way Mr JR had been acting this week, Miss Sue Ellen's hurried departure last week, and the unusual lack of contact Miss Sue Ellen had had with her husband this week, she was beginning to suspect that it was not entirely guaranteed that the new Ewing heir would actually be sleeping in the nursery. Showing the deliverymen out, she went back to preparing dinner and a few hours later, when Miss Ellie arrived back at Southfork, she informed her of the arrival, much to Miss Ellie's delight, "that's wonderful news, perfect timing too, Sue Ellen's coming home on Sunday". Teresa smiled and nodded, not letting her employer see any of her thoughts and hoping that those thoughts were wrong and Miss Sue Ellen was coming home.

Austin, Texas

"Hello darlin'", Sue Ellen jumped as she heard a familiar voice behind her and turning around, she chided herself for still finding him attractive despite all of the terrible things he'd done to her and the anger she felt toward him, "what are you doing here? Didn't my note make my feelings perfectly clear?" she glared at him and looked around the hotel lobby for an exit, though she found none that appeared to be suitable for getting away from the situation. JR noticed the flash of attraction that crossed her face for a split-second before she glared at him and he grinned to himself; although she was angry at him, all hope was not lost, and with the right sweet-talking, he'd have her back in Dallas before anyone noticed that she'd attempted to leave. "I've never been good at staying away from the things I want", he looked her in the eye as he spoke and grinned at her as he made a decision about how to handle the situation; he had a new approach, instead of being apologetic or aggressive, he'd just flirt with her until she inevitably fell under his spell again. "Yeah, that's the problem. Even in marriage, you pursue the things you want and you don't care who gets hurt in the process. As long as JR Ewing is satisfied, to hell with everyone else", she glared at him angrily, though as she spoke, her deeper emotions came to the surface and she felt like crying, however, she tried her hardest to ignore that side of her emotions, she couldn't show him that she was vulnerable. "Now darlin', that's not fair; I've always taken care of your needs and I never meant to hurt you. I'll admit, what happened last week was a mistake and I take full responsibility for that, but…" Sue Ellen glared at him and put her hand up, silencing him as he began to try to justify his actions, "do not call me darlin' and do not try to justify your actions and make me look like the one who's being irrational. This is your fault and no matter how you try to talk your way out of it, the fact is, none of this would have happened if it hadn't been for your selfish and disgusting actions. I've done nothing but love you and serve you as the best wife I could be. How could you do that to me? Does our marriage mean that little to you?" she paused and turned away from him, walking toward the elevator, "I hate you JR and I don't want to talk to you right now, so please, just leave me alone".

JR was speechless at the way she had spoken to him, he'd never known her to be so disrespectful and the thought of any woman disrespecting him made him angry. "Now wait a damn minute! We're not done here!" he followed her and grabbed her arm, completely ignoring the fact that they were still in the hotel lobby, an open space where everyone could see them; "LET GO OF ME", she turned and spoke in a serious tone, though she did not shout, she didn't want to make a scene. JR slowly let go of her arm as he came to his senses and realised that they'd gathered a small audience; the hotel lobby was not where he'd envisioned their meeting taking place, but he'd been so wrapped up in the moment that he didn't even think of suggesting they relocate to somewhere more private. Considering his options, he realised that she had the upper hand in the current situation and there wasn't much he could do without causing a scene. Although he was her husband and it was socially accepted that he had authority over her, she'd been staying at this hotel for over a week now and the staff knew her and sympathised with her; in their eyes, he was an outsider and he was causing trouble. "This conversation is not over, however, I'll let you have what you want, for now anyway. I'll see you around… darlin'", he grinned at her and called her darlin' just to irritate her before turning and walking out of the hotel. He hadn't been lying, their conversation was not over and his original plan to bring her back to Dallas with him still stood, however, he decided that one small change to his approach was necessary. She was being more stubborn and standoffish than he had expected, but he suspected that would all change once she realised that she wasn't in a position to call the shots; taking a left and then a right, he walked out onto Congress Ave, straight toward the nearest bank.

To be continued…