JR stared at her intently. She made to stand, realising her mistake, but he grasped her wrist and sat her firmly back down in her seat. "Come on, Sue Ellen, you can't just throw that out and then leave." She pulled away from him petulantly but remained silent. "You said there isn't a baby?" he asked eventually, perplexed, not sure whether he actually wanted the truth.

She shook her head and sighed. "There isn't" she replied wearily. "It's a ruse to get you to marry her. She hopes she will then quickly fall pregnant and you will not know the difference." "How do you know all of this?" She stared into his eyes and was met by a darker, angrier expression, one that she knew all too well. "Sugar?"

"She came to me for help. She was desperate, JR. I felt sorry for her." Sue Ellen knew that her explanation was glib and unacceptable but, at that moment, it was all she could muster. "I saw a doctor's report" he argued, stung that he had been fooled. "My doctor" she answered but did not elaborate.

He exhaled loudly. "Why?" he then demanded angrily, causing the waitress to lift her head from the gossip magazine she was reading at the counter. Sue Ellen waved her hand reassuringly before the young woman smiled weakly and returned to what she had been doing. "Because I could, JR. Because I wanted to hurt you, to get revenge. Call it what you will. You and I have played our twisted games with one another for over twenty years. You hurt me and I hurt you back. That's probably the best reason for staying apart, so that it stops, once and for all."

"So, you were going to push me into a marriage that I didn't want, have never wanted?" "Yes, just as you pushed me into the arms of Nick, a man I never really wanted, all for the sake of taking over West Star" she retorted annoyedly. "You have no idea of the pain that your affair with Kimberley caused me, have you?"

JR shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sue Ellen. I know I should never have done that. It was the biggest mistake of my life." "Why did you do it?" she asked, tears pricking her eyes. It was the one matter that they had never spoken about. The fallout from JR's defeated takeover bid had led to nothing but acrimony between them. There was no opportunity to explain that revenge, served by her in such dramatic fashion, had been her way of surviving, of paying him back for the ultimate in betrayal.

"We had been getting on better than ever" she continued. "I finally felt that you and I understood each other, respected each other even. We could have been so good together but you threw it all away…" JR nodded sadly. "I know. I didn't even like her. It was the stupidest thing I have ever done and not a day goes by that I don't regret it."

Sue Ellen held up her hand. "God, JR. How many times have I heard that one before? And here you are, saying it all over again. Do you know how hollow it sounds after all these years? Why should I believe you now?" "Because for the first time ever I feel that we're both on the brink, of making decisions that will change everything between us. It will be the end, darlin, no going back and I, for one, can't bear that."

"It won't work, JR. We are both too flawed. I can't expose myself to the risk any more. I've come too far to sink back into the desperation of a bottle. It's time to call it quits, to admit it's over. I'm sorry for what I did, please believe me. Good luck, whatever you decide to do."

She stood and this time he made no effort to stop her. He watched as she weaved her way between the tables and out of the door, brushing away her now incessant tears. As she opened her car door, she clumsily dropped her keys to the ground. "Damn" she cursed as she stooped to retrieve them.

Suddenly, JR knew. He threw a ten- dollar bill on the table and ran out of the diner. "Sue Ellen? Please?" he shouted. She turned, shook her head sadly and got into the car. Reaching the vehicle, he flung the door open. "No!" he told her. "It doesn't end between you and I this way. We are meant to be together. I won't give up, sugar. You know me and you know I mean what I say." He leaned over and took the key from the ignition, ignoring her protest. Then, he took her hand and pulled her firmly from the car, sweeping her into his arms.

"I love you, Sue Ellen. I always have and I always will and I know you feel the same about me." She tried to resist, pushing against him to release herself, but the truth was just as he had said it. She didn't want Don, not in the way that she wanted him. He was right. They shared a common destiny- to be together. Relaxing in his arms, she dissolved once more into tears and buried her face in his chest.

He held her for what seemed like an age before she lifted her head to face him. He gently brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb before their lips met. It was natural, imperceptible and inevitable that they would kiss. At first it was tender, hesitant even, as if they were still getting to know each other but, before long, it deepened, marking just how they truly felt about each other.

The waitress peered through the window and smiled to herself. She wasn't sure quite what was going on with the rich-folk she had just served but they now seemed much happier than they had been when they first arrived, she mused as she pocketed her generous tip and began to clear the table.

Breaking from their kiss JR was suddenly uncertain. "Are you sure?" he asked worriedly. Sue Ellen nodded firmly. "Let's go away somewhere, get to know each other all over again?" she asked. JR smiled. "Definitely, but there are two difficult conversations that we need to have before we do."

Tbc

Thanks for the reviews. I do appreciate them. I'm sorry I have been very slow to update my ongoing stories. Life and work are just so busy these days. I'm going on holiday tomorrow but will try to update more frequently when I get back : )