Houston, Texas

Burrowing under the covers as the sunlight broke through the gap between the curtains, her state slowly changed from sleep to wake, and with wake came memories.

Opening her eyes, gently pulling the cover back, she wouldn't have believed she hadn't dreamt the entire thing had her shoes and purse not been sitting out in the open where she'd dropped them as she'd arrived home.

Getting up, her thirst and lethargy further confirmed to her what she knew to be true; she'd had an eventful evening, one she'd very much enjoyed but was feeling the results of now. She didn't think she'd ever been hungover, a glass of wine with dinner didn't usually have that effect, but she'd read enough and listened to enough people in her life to know that that's what she was experiencing.

Finding some painkillers in her bathroom, she gulped down a couple of glasses of water with them and returned to bed, unable to stop herself from wondering what Bobby was doing at that very moment.

He was easy to picture, she'd committed his image to memory long before she'd ever met him but during their time together she'd been able to fill in the details that a photograph couldn't show.

She'd have liked to stay the night, to remind herself all over again this morning what he was like, up close and personal, but even in her most euphoric state she'd known that wasn't a good idea. They'd shared something special, but it could only be a moment.

He'd thanked her for helping him make a decision, although he hadn't revealed what that decision was, she hadn't asked either, she hadn't wanted to ruin the moment.

If he decided to stay in Houston and pursue answers then she would have to deal with the consequences of their now established history, but if not, then she felt she could sleep easy knowing she'd gotten some of what she'd wanted from him.

She still didn't really know all that many details about his relationship with Pam, but she felt content with what she did know, which was that he'd loved her very much, but he needed to process her loss and move forward with his life.

She hoped that if Pam were looking down on them she understood where their actions had come from, that she certainly hadn't intended to hurt anyone and she didn't think Bobby had either. It had felt right, which surely meant it was right. She didn't regret anything and she hoped everyone involved felt the same way.

Five miles east of where Katherine lay, Bobby too roused from his slumber, the morning treating him better than it had her.

Rolling out of bed, he felt different; he couldn't immediately identify what was different, but soon enough he knew what it was. For the first time in months, he didn't have a gnawing pain in his stomach first thing in the morning, and for the first time in months he felt light.

Stepping on something sharp as he walked into the bathroom, he lifted up his foot, laughing to himself as he spotted the hairpin. In an instant, he remembered everything. Jenna had been right, he had needed to take the first step with someone else to clear his head and start to live his life again.

She'd been lovely, whoever she was, he didn't really know, but it didn't really matter either. That had been Jenna's point, that to be with her and not consider it infidelity he needed to put the past behind him, and a casual encounter might ease him into that.

Doing a lap around his hotel suite, checking to see whether she really was gone, he was mildly disappointed to discover that she was, however, his disappointment didn't last long, because the thought of returning to Dallas with his newfound emotional clarity was exciting.

On one hand he hadn't found what he'd been looking for in Houston, but on the other he'd found something he hadn't known he'd needed or wanted.

Rebecca had turned out to be exactly who Cliff had told him she was, and he didn't think that had Pam been around she'd have warmed to her if she'd presented herself as she had to him. Pam had cared deeply about her family but she'd also expected them to show her the same love and respect in return.

It was a huge disappointment to find out Rebecca was only human, that she was flawed and there was no fairy tale happy ending to the story, but at least now he knew for himself and there were far fewer questions on his mind.

Pouring himself a glass of water, he thought about what was next and one thing came to mind.

Pam had made no secret of how she felt about Jenna and Jenna had made no secret of how she felt about him, and at one point those two opinions had put him in an awkward position, recently though things had changed.

Jenna had been his first love and if she hadn't made the choice she had years earlier he likely never would have met his second love, Pam. In a way, things might have turned out exactly as they'd been intended by something beyond them, although if that was true it was cruel, because Pam was gone now, unable to ever return.

The fact was, Jenna was back, she wanted him, and he could admit now that he wanted her. He missed Pam, but he'd spent years missing Jenna too, and now he had a second chance with her.

It was difficult to accept that if Pam was watching over him she was going to be upset with his choice however, he hoped that she understood why he was making it.

He wasn't trying to hurt her, he never would have made the decision he just had had she been around, but she wasn't, and he owed it to those that were to try.

There was a possibility that he and Jenna were no longer suited, that what they'd had in the past was best left there, but he didn't know for sure and he needed to find out.

To be continued…