Right before daybreak, JR opened his eyes. He turned his head to the other side of the bed but Sue Ellen wasn't there .He put on his bathrobe and went down to the kitchen. He found Sue Ellen sitting in her chair while her fingers circled over her hot tea cup.

" Good Morning my dear! Why are you up so early?" asked JR as he touched gently her shoulder.

" I couldn't sleep JR. I'm glad you're also awake. I have to tell you something" answered Sue Ellen thoughtfully.

" Is everything alright Sue Ellen? You sound so glum. You know you can tell me everything" JR sat next to her and took her hand.

" Shortly after you fell asleep I pulled myself back into my chair and called Pamela. You didn't notice it as I spoke with her in the living room for a quiet long time"

JR looked at her for a few seconds before he answered. " Why you didn't call me Sue Ellen? I could help you to bring you back in you chair. You don't need to strain yourself."

" Stop JR! That's the reason I have to talk with you! I can't endure that anymore. I became a cripple and we both have to face with the truth that I probably never be the same woman again I was on our wonderful night in New York" Sue Ellen's hand trembled as she pulled it away from him and lowered her head.

" Don't say that my love. I love you and nothing can change that." Said JR while his breathing became faster

" Pamela suggested me a clinic in California which is specialized for injuries like mine. She spoke more quietly. " I thought about it the whole night and decided to go there. Pam organizes everything for me."

" That's wonderful Sue Ellen. I will support you in everything during your stay."

She looked at him with an expression that made JR frightened. " JR, I have to explain you something. I will go alone. That's the best solution for both of us. "

JR stopped her " How do you mean that Sue Ellen? Don't be stupid. Of course I accompany you."

Sue Ellen closed her eyes. " No JR, Please! The way you look at me since the accident. It hurts you. It's almost unbearable for me seeing that. I love you too much to let you watch me in this position. "

JR kneeled down at her side " Don't do that to us my dear. I almost lost you once because of my fear and cowardliness and I can't make the same mistake twice. Hear you?"

She took a deep breath that ended in a sigh as she struggled to control her emotions in front of JR. " It have to be that way JR. It's impossible to endure your presence around me and a cure is uncertain. She stuttered while trying to hold back her tears that covered her eyes. She took his hand in hers then continued " But I promise I will come back to you. I suppose I can't be long separated from you. I will come back to you one day no matter how the things will be. If I'm sitting in this wheelchair the next time we see each other I will ask you if you want me take back in your life. If your eyes still reflect the depth of your eternity love to me like they do it now I would be willing to give all my sorrows the past and be only yours. If I will discern someone else in them or pure blankness what will make me aware that the last sparkle that bound us to each other finally belong to the past, rest assured I will disappear from your life forever. Or maybe the stars will stand more favorable for us and I will run into your arms but then I will also let you decide about our future."

JR stood there motionless. He never heard Sue Ellen speaking like that before and it made him uncomfortable. He looked down to her as he cried out her name " No Sue Ellen. You can't do that. Not with me. Not with John Ross!"

Her tears finally flowed down her cheek" I'm not the same woman since the accident. I'm only a shadow of myself and wasn't even able to tell my son what happened. I can't be the mother for him I want while sitting in that chair. You have to take care of him. I can't. I really can't" JR looked at her with such a love and forgiveness that made her ache even stronger.

" I want you to be happy Sue Ellen. I suppose I deserve that punishment for how I treated you over the years but it's incredible hard for me seeing that you have to suffer because of my behave.

Sue Ellen could feel how much she's loved by this man. It wasn't the same JR she had known for so long. She believed he has to prove his love towards her with deeds to forgive him one day but the fact that he could look at her now wit the same desire and love he looked to the woman she was on their last beautiful togetherness meant more than anything to her. JR picked her up without words and placed her on his lap. His fingers playfully went trough her hair as Sue Ellen took his hand and sucked on his fingers. She kissed them one by one then JR stopped her by touching her mouth and kissing her lips. His lips slowly brushed hers that gave Sue Ellen a wave of weakness and pleasure which grow stronger as he started kissing every inch of her soft face while her eyes were closed as she enjoyed the wetness of his tongue all over her skin. JR licked her earlobe and whispered " I love you my darlin! I will never stop loving you!" Their mouths move deep together and the tongues melted into one another as they kissed each other endlessly until they became breathless and hold each other trembling in arms. Both lost in the moment without thinking about tomorrow.

The next day JR packed Sue Ellen's clothes. Pam organized the stay for her and both found it's better starting the cure as soon as possible. JR and Clayton drove her to the airport and promised each other a see again. "Take care of yourself Sue Ellen! Please promise me that!" The last time JR washed up the tears that blurred her eyes before she went with Clayton's help on board. " I will JR. I will. Give John Ross a big hug from me. He's a good boy. I'm so proud of you both!" Said Sue Ellen with a brief laugh as she buried her face in JR 's neck. They made John Ross believe that Mommy will be on a long holiday and he has to be a very good boy until she comes back to him. It was the hardest decision she ever made. " We will see each other again JR. I love you!" yelled Sue Ellen before they were finally separated from each other. But not their hearts.

JR stepped back and stood there motionless for a while. She's gone. God knows for how long.

The days passed and JR had to live a life again. He started a new business with Ewing Oil, took John Ross on baseball games and even visited Serena one night but it didn't give him pleasure. Not this time. The weeks, the months passed and he was still alone. Alone with a heart in which only Sue Ellen ever could find her place. After a year JR had a meeting in New York. The city that bears the memories of beautiful nights and infinite suffer. He had to stay in the Plaza again, in the room, they had the most unforgettable togetherness. On his first night in the hotel as he couldn't sleep he went to his desk and searched for a sheet of paper. He turned of the table lamp and began to write to Sue Ellen. Not that he would send her the letter. He couldn't speak with her since he gave her the last goodbye kiss on the airport. He wrote it because this was his way to be in touch with his wonderful wife and the woman of his life.

My dearest Sue Ellen,

It's almost midnight and I'm still awake. My eyes hurt from the light of the lamp but I couldn't wait until tomorrow to speak with you. I think the first letter I ever wrote was to you my love and I know I will also write you the last at the end of our days. A year has passed since the moment we touched each other the last time but I live every day only for our memories. I close my eyes and remember the day you walked into my life, my heart. I looked at all the girls on the Beauty Pageant Show, how they strove to be the best, the most beautiful girl that night. And then there were you who made nothing. You only stood there and smiled to the audience. The beauty of your being with the combination of pure naivety and innocence were devastating. From that moment I saw no one except you. The only star in the room. After the show I walked towards you and asked you for our first date. You looked at me from your chair and I helped you to stand up. The first time I touched you. It was like my heart found a home. A home which was only gifted with infinite love and kindness and I knew we were supposed to be together.
Do you remember the afternoon we spent on the meadow when we were courting? We never mentioned it again but I remembered it every day. You looked up to the tree under which we sat and observed it quietly for a while. Then I hugged you and said "I would be that tree if you're his blossom only that our souls can unite" and you laughed. But I meant it then in the same way I mean it today. We're away from each other but I only have to look around and it seems you're here with me. This year as the spring occupied the place of the winter I smelled the fragrant of your skin on the blossoming flowers everywhere. I can't hear the silk of your voice but when the sigh of the wind touches my ear or I listen to the bird's singing I know it's your warm whisper that speak to me my dear. Last week as John Ross and I visited the sunflower fields my heart was overcome by a feeling of unbearable longing for you. The sunflower that slowly turned his head to catch the rays of the rising sun to keep itself alive, it was the same way how you turned to me as you begged for my kiss on your delicate mouth. All those little things on which I would have never placed value seem so important since your absence. But when I watch the sun go down, it makes me ache inside because of what I had done to us. It would never have happened if I had been the man for you I actually always wanted. It's too late for regrets but it's not too late to say that I love you. I loved you then and I love you now more than I ever did and always will. I admire you as my wife, as a friend and as a mother. I perceive your goodness in our son's eyes every time I look at him that makes me remember how wonderful I had it with you but then my inside burns from the demand to hold you close in my arms again. But before you ask yourself what the heck is with that man that he write these cheesy words I now finish my letter not to bore you with more sentences but before I do that you have to be sure that when we see each other the next time, no matter how, I will look at you while I spread my arms and whisper with a smile "Welcome home my dear!"

With Love, JR

He put down the pen and didn't see through his wet eyes how much the tears blurred the words on the paper as he leave it on the desk and went to his bed. The next afternoon after his meeting with a business partner in the hotel's lobby he went with slowly steps to the bird cage. The cage by which he and Sue Ellen met on this particular morning. He observed that little creature from close as suddenly a bright laugh touched his ear. He looked around but of course he couldn't see anybody from the guests laughing that loudly. The laugh was more and more clearly that it almost stings his ear and only stopped when Randy touched his shoulder.

"Mr. Ewing? Is everything alright with you?"

JR closed his eyes as he answered " Oh, em... yes, it was only… the memories, you understand…?

Randy's face was serious and thoughtfully " I do Mr. Ewing. You know what? The bird, it's yours, you can have it"

" Do you mean that seriously Randy?" JR looked surprised but gently.

Randy smiled " Of course JR! I will look for a smaller cage and it is yours. I like Sue Ellen too. She's the most wonderful woman I ever met and I know she wills recovery. I feel it"

JR touched his shoulder. " Thank you Randy. You're really okay for a hotel staff"

JR took the cage with the bird and left the Plaza. He walked with bowed head trough the city as he suddenly looked up and his gaze met the Empire State Building. He smiled as he went to the roof of the building and looked at the expanse. It was late in the afternoon and the sky shone in warm colors. While he was in thoughts, in one moment he seemed to hear someone's voice behind him.

"JR?"

He turned himself and couldn't believe his eyes. It was Sue Ellen who stood there motionless while smiling to him with that warm, familiar smile that made his heart beat faster so often. Tears of joy flowed down his face as Sue Ellen came closer to him and fell into his arms. He squeezed her as hard as he could while his body trembled against hers. He took her face in his hands and caressed her cheek as he admired her indescribable beauty. Her eyes were alive from the sparkles as she looked at him while a mild wind went through her hair. " I love you Sue Ellen" whispered JR but then she stepped back while her being slowly faded away and JR turned back with breaking heart to the expanse. It was only a vision. He took the bird out of the cage and placed it on his fingers and said " Sue Ellen loves little birds. She would take care of you. She was always the kindest woman out there. That is one of the million things why I'm so madly in love with her. "

After he spoke out his words the bird lifted itself away from his fingers and flew out into the world. JR looked after him and shouted

" Tell Sue Ellen I'm waiting for her" Hear you my dear? I'm waiting for you!"