Reunion
Part 12
J.R. and Sue Ellen walked outside on the veranda, under the stars. J.R. held his arm around Sue Ellen's waist as she looked up at the night sky. J.R. glanced at her, as her head was looking away from him. He loved Sue Ellen, almost more than he dared. He recalled how alone and isolated he felt when she left for London with Don Lockwood. He felt even more alone when he called her home in England, to speak to her and found out that she was on her honeymoon with Don. He shook his head, trying to shake the pain those memories stirred within him. Things had changed between them since Sue Ellen returned from London. He smiled as he thought about the fact that she had agreed to marry him, again. He was determined to make this their last marriage. It had to work, they had both changed, they were different people than they used to be. Their relationship was deeper and stronger than either of them thought possible. Sue Ellen snapped her fingers in front of J.R.'s face, and said, "Darlin', what on earth were you thinkin' about?" J.R. said, "I'm sorry, Sugar. I was just thinkin' about when we get married." Sue Ellen took his hand as they continued to walk around the ranch. Sue Ellen stopped by the interior fence and leaned against the top rail. J.R stood behind her and put his arms around her waist, resting his fingers on her hips. Sue Ellen leaned her back against his chest. She loved how it felt being held in his arms. She closed her eyes as J.R. kissed her neck. "God, you smell delicious," he whispered in her ear. Sue Ellen pulled his hands around her waist and turned her to the side to face him. He kissed her so gently, she wasn't sure if she felt his lips against her mouth, or not. She looked deeply into his eyes. His blue eyes were dark as they held her gaze. J.R. turned her around and held her. He tried once more to fight the emotions she stirred inside him. He finally found his voice, and said, "I need you, Sue Ellen." He pulled her mouth to his and kissed her, aching to feel her body against his. Sue Ellen enticed J.R. to go back upstairs.
Sue Ellen closed the door to J.R.'s bedroom. J.R. gave her a wistful smile as she reached for his hand. He pulled her against him and she kissed him. Her lips were eagerly seeking fulfillment. J.R. met her kiss with his own escalating need. Sue Ellen pushed him back onto the bed and removed her shoes. J.R. edged his body back toward the head of the bed, as Sue Ellen slowly slid the gown she was wearing over her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. J.R.'s intake of breath told Sue Ellen that she had his full attention. J.R. lifted his finger into the air, and motioned for Sue Ellen to join him on the bed. Sue Ellen tilted her head back and laughed. She crawled over J.R. on her knees and sat on his lap. J.R. sat up in bed and pulled her to him. He said, "I want you, Sue Ellen." Sue Ellen replied, "What are you waitin' for?" J.R. pulled Sue Ellen over and laid her on her back. He tugged at the straps of her slip with his hand, as his other hand unbuttoned his shirt. Sue Ellen reached up and touched his chest as he tossed his shirt over the side of the bed. J.R. grinned a wicked smile, as he possessed Sue Ellen. J.R. still had the ability and intensity to take Sue Ellen to the place she always wanted, and needed to go. She was out of breath when he finished making love to her. J.R. said, "That was incredible, Sugar." Sue Ellen said, "I'm glad you approve." J.R. laughed - a deep and hearty laugh. Sue Ellen rolled over, and sat up in his bed, and asked if J.R. was thirsty. J.R. said, "No, but I'll join you downstairs, if you'd like?" They put on their robes and walked downstairs.
J.R. walked over to the fridge and asked Sue Ellen what she wanted to drink. Sue Ellen rested her chin on the arm he held the fridge door open with and said, "I think I'd like some tea." J.R. looked at her and said, "Hot or cold?' Sue Ellen touched her fingertip to her lower lip and said, "Hot, J.R. I like it hot." J.R. turned red at her remark. Sue Ellen giggled, she had never seen J.R. embarrassed in all the time they had been together. J.R. hugged her to him and said, "You think that's funny, don't ya, Sugar?" Sue Ellen nipped at his bottom lip and said, "Mm-hmm, I think it's hilarious, Darlin'." Sue Ellen rubbed J.R. shoulders while she waited for the teakettle to whistle, signaling that the water was boiling. J.R. handed her a mug from the cupboard. He asked her, "What flavor of tea did you want, Sue Ellen?" She said, "Chamomile, I need to calm down, before I can get to sleep." J.R. handed her the tea bag and said, "What makes you think I'm gonna let you sleep, Sugar? You started somethin' this Mornin' in the stockroom at the Valentine Boutique, and I'm gonna make sure you finish what you started." Sue Ellen looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and said, "J.R., are you suggestin' that I am a tease?" J.R. said, "I'm not suggestin' anything, Sue Ellen. I'm just tryin' to keep you honest, Sugar." Sue Ellen almost choked on her tea. J.R.'s comment caused her to laugh. She never imagined that J.R. Ewing would ever lecture her on the virtues of honesty. She patted his cheek with her fingers and said, "Now, that's funny, J.R. Very, very funny." J.R. kissed her neck as she was drinking the rest of her tea. "How do you expect me to finish drinkin' this, if you keep distractin' me?" J.R. said, "I hope my kiss is more than a mere distraction, Sugar?" She shook her head from side to side and said, "I've always said that you are incorrigible, J.R." J.R. shrugged his shoulders and grinned, he could live with that.
They walked balk upstairs to J.R.'s bedroom. J.R. stopped in the hallway, next to the door to Sue Ellen's room, and looked inside. He said, "Why don't you have Teresa bring your things into my room - er, I mean our room in the Mornin'?" Sue Ellen hesitated for a brief moment, and asked, "Are you sure? I don't want to crowd you out of closet space." J.R. said, "Sue Ellen, you know damn well there's plenty of room in our bedroom for all of my things, and all of your stuff, and then some." Sue Ellen nodded in agreement. She said, "Fine. I'll have Teresa help me in the mornin'." J.R. smiled and said, "Let's go to bed." Sue Ellen followed him across the hall to their bedroom. J.R. closed and locked the bedroom door. He untied the sash on his robe and said, "I meant what I said, earlier, Sugar. I'm gonna hold you to finishin' what you started this mornin' at Valentine's." Sue Ellen said, "I think you'll be very pleased with what I have in store for you, Darlin'." She removed her robe and dropped it on the bedroom floor. In one graceful stride, she was standing in front of J.R. He touched her shoulders with his hands. She lifted her hands and tenderly touched the sides of his neck. She kissed him, a profound and scintillating kiss. J.R. picked her up and carried her to their bed. He removed his robe and her eyes scanned his chest as she flashed him a seductive smile. J.R. was dizzy from her kiss. Sue Ellen continued her seductive behavior, until J.R. could no longer control his need for her. Sue Ellen fulfilled everything she had promised him, and more, leaving J.R. exhausted and satisfied beyond anything he ever anticipated.
Sue Ellen lay awake, watching J.R. sleep. He wore a smile, and seemed extremely content as he lay by her side. She gently traced the outline of his ear with the tip of her fingernail. Her touch was so gentle. J.R. didn't move. She watched him sleep for what seemed like hours, but as she peered over his shoulder at the clock on the night stand, it had only been forty-five minutes. Her thoughts traveled back to when she first arrived in Dallas from London. She was terrified of seeing J.R. again. She was not afraid of him, necessarily, she was scared to death of lingering feelings for him and unresolved emotions she'd never quite been able to sort out. Her attraction to J.R. was at times powerful and all consuming, even when she was angry with him, J.R. still appealed to her. She wondered if it was a basic need for the touch of a man, or if it was her emotional and physical need for J.R. Ewing, in the flesh? There had been times when she could refuse J.R., difficult though it may have been, but if he were to ask her to make love to him on any of those occasions when she needed him, she would have had even more difficulty refusing him. She smiled as she considered a fact that they had both admitted - they needed each other. J.R. had become her weakness. He had also become her strength. She wallowed in the way if felt when his arms encircled her. She felt that nothing, or no one could hurt her when she was in his arms. She was staring off in deep thought when J.R. opened his eyes. He asked, "Is everything okay, Sue Ellen?" Sue Ellen looked down at him as he lay next to her on their bed, and said, "Everything is wonderful, Darlin'." J.R. pulled her into his arms, and held her hand against his chest, as they both fell asleep.
The peace and calm of the summer morning was disrupted by a delivery to the ranch. Teresa answered the door. It was registered mail for Mrs. Sue Ellen Ewing-Lockwood, in care of Southfork Ranch, Braddock, Texas. J.R. was curious when he heard the doorbell. He put on his robe and went downstairs. He caught a glimpse of the courier truck as Teresa closed the front door. J.R. asked, "Teresa, who was that?" Teresa replied, "It's a registered letter for Miss Sue Ellen, sir." J.R. said, "If you wouldn't mind, I'll take it to her, she's still asleep." Teresa handed him the envelope and walked back into the kitchen. J.R. tried to read the postal stamp location, but it was smeared and illegible. He slowly walked back upstairs to give the envelope to Sue Ellen. J.R. walked back into the bedroom to find Sue Ellen sitting up in bed, waiting for him. "Who was at the door, J.R.?" she asked, her voice still heavy from sleep. J.R. walked over to the bed and handed her the envelope. He said, "Teresa had to sign for it, she said it arrived by registered mail." Sue Ellen turned her head and covered her mouth, stifling a yawn. She opened the envelope, and looked inside. She pulled out another envelope. It was addressed from Her Magistrates Judicial Systems, London, England. Sue Ellen flung the envelope onto the bed, as if it had burned her fingers. J.R. asked, "Do you mind if I read it, Sugar?" Sue Ellen shook her head and said in a shaky voice, "No, please. I can't bring myself to read it." J.R. read out loud, "The London Court System hereby issues a subpoena to Sue Ellen Ewing-Lockwood to appear before the Magistrate, Hon. Preston Hardwicke II, in one week time. The case pending against Miranda Barrington will be heard at that time." Sue Ellen had tears of frustration and anger in her eyes when she looked at J.R. and asked, "What the hell am I supposed to do about John Ross' birthday party next week? J.R. I don't want to go back there." J.R. hugged her to him, trying to calm her down and said, "Don't worry, Sue Ellen, I'll call Harv, maybe he can come up with . . . I don't know, maybe, he can have you sign a sworn affidavit, or somethin' like that. Hell, he might even be able to call the presiding judge and take care of it from this end."
J.R. spent the better part of the morning on the phone with Harv Smithfield. Harv had been the Ewing's lawyer for as long as J.R. could remember. Sue Ellen stared blankly out the bedroom window, while J.R. paced back and forth holding the phone, and barking orders to Harv. J.R. hung up the phone when he was satisfied one of the alternatives Harv had suggested. Sue Ellen and J.R. could sign sworn affidavits regarding any and all information they had to attest to either the guilt, or innocence of Miranda Barrington. Harv told J.R. that he would do whatever it takes to contact the presiding judge and explain the situation. J.R. walked over and touched Sue Ellen's shoulder. He said, "Sugar, I don't like this any more than you do. But before we get all bent out of shape, let's wait and see if Harv has any success from contacting the judge?" Sue Ellen lifted her hand and touched J.R.'s hand. He pulled her to him as she started to cry. She shed tears of frustration, anger and desperation. J.R. felt helpless. He continued to hold her as she cried against his chest. J.R. lifted her face to see her as the sound of her crying subsided. He said, "Sugar, we're gonna get through this. I swear it. That Barrington woman isn't worth any of these tears you're cryin'." Sue Ellen wiped at her eyes and said, "I know, I just can't understand why, when everything is going so good between us, that some outside force tries to pull us apart." J.R. kissed at the tears that stained her cheeks and said, "It'll take a hell of a lot more than some British court to come between us, Sugar. You have my word on that." Sue Ellen hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. She felt that their entire future rested in the hands of Harv Smithfield, and his ability to contact a judge fifteen hundred miles away . . .
