Silver Stars and Dusty Bars

a WTR Soap Opera

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season one:

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Alex Cahill, (intrepid and dauntless but blonde bombshell ADA of Dallas,

Texas) finally landed her dream man, Cordell Walker, (fearless and fearsome

mighty Texas Ranger) after more than six years of courtship followed by a

lengthy engagement (the nuptuals having been frequently delayed unavoidably by

her intended's tendency to get himself admitted to ICU on the day immediately

preceeding the planned date).

Once she'd finally gotten him to the alter (or more correctly brought the

alter to him, having shown up at his hospital bedside with the minister and

entire wedding party demanding the ceremony go as scheduled), Alex thought her

troubles were over. This hope had been rapidly dashed as she discovered that

Walker, while pleased enough to be married at last, became no more likely to

share his feelings with her than he had been before formalizing their

relationship. He also didn't cut back on his undercover operations and was no

less inclined to take off for weeks at a time chasing down whatever criminal

had caught his attention, or simply disappearing into the badlands for a

'camping trip'.

All in all, while she loved finally being 'Mrs. Cordell Walker', it was

almost as frustrating at times as it had been before the wedding.

Lonely, she turns to her dear friend, (not to mention her husband's partner)

Jimmy Trivette (computer master and rising Texas Ranger star) for consolation.

Before they realize what is happening, the two find themselves involved in a

torrid affair, unsuspected by the trusting Walker. Aside from pangs of guilt

on both their parts at the betrayal of the straight shooting Walker, things go

along smoothly enough until Alex discovers she's three weeks

pregnant. Unfortunately, her husband has been on an undercover mission for the

DEA for the last six weeks. Not much chance the child is his.

Though she dearly loves her husband, his dedication to duty has kept him away

too long, and since she has come to believe that he no longer loves or desires

her, Alex meets with Jimmy and tells him about the baby. Determined to do the

right thing, they go together to Walker to tell him of their affair and the

impending birth. While shocked almost beyond words, (though it was difficult

to tell if that was shock or merely his normal less than

talkative self) Walker takes the entire blame on himself, admitting that he

paid too little attention to his bride; thus forcing her to look elsewhere for

affection.

Jimmy, who was sure he was a dead man for messing with his friend and

partner's wife, offers to put in for a transfer to another Ranger unit. Walker

assures him this isn't necessary, all he wants is for Alex and Trivette to be

happy together. Jimmy next offers to resign as Walker's partner, but is told

sternly that that is absolutely unacceptable. As Walker wants Alex to be

happy, he would never trust anyone else to see to the protection of the

father of her child. Walker insists that they remain partners, as they have

done so well together for so long it wouldn't do to break up a winning team

anyway.

That night, Alex moves off the ranch and in with Jimmy--filing for divorce

the next day from Walker. They live together happily enough, buying a small

house to share. They take in an old dog, which they name Gordy, after he

follows Alex home one day with a 'Please Love Me' look in his eyes. Later they

also adopt a scruffy kitten which is given the name of Bob. Bob is very young,

but already a precocious mouser and Jimmy, not much into the mousetrap

thing, figures Bob'll come in handy around the place.

Due to the amicable nature of the split between Walker and Alex, the three

friends continue to socialize together, and, as would happen with any good

team, Walker finds himself frequently invited to the cozy house Alex and Jimmy

share for dinner or simply to visit.

Bob the cat, who in general is rather independant, takes one look at Walker

at the ranger's first visit since the cat's arrival and meows questioningly.

Walker simply looks back as the kitten meows again. Perplexed at the behavior

of the kitten, Walker looks askance at Jimmy, who merely shrugs in confusion

then picks Bob up and puts him outside.

A few minutes later Bob's cry can be heard at the door, demanding entrance.

After ignoring the yowling for as long as they can, Alex finally opens the

door and Bob rushes inside with a mouse clamped in his mouth. He heads

straight for the visitor to his house and generously lays the prize at

Walker's feet. Chuckling, Walker scoops up the 'gift' and dumps it in the

trash, telling the cat, "Thanks, but no thanks, it's not to my taste."

The kitten merely stares as the offering is rejected, but as soon as Walker's

back is turned he releases a small angry hiss in the man's direction before

retrieving the mouse from the trash and scooting outside with it. Unnoticed by

Alex, Jimmy, or Walker, Bob hops into the open window of the ram, leaving the

rodent hidden under the driver's seat before nimbly jumping out again.

During dinner, Gordy, who normally has to be pried from Alex's side, parks

himself at the guest's feet. The the only time he leaves Walker is when, as

they all step outside to say goodnight, Gordy goes and gets his favorite new

toy, dropping it in front of Walker with a hopeful look. The ranger merely

shakes his head, replying, "Not this time, boy."

As Walker turns away, Gordy releases a low growl, which disappears and is

exchanged for a quick tail thump when Walker glances back for a moment.

Waiting until Walker is not looking, the old dog ambles over to the ram,

lifting his leg on the driver's side front wheel hub before going back to the

porch, retrieving his new toy and wandering over to a warm sheltered spot to

doze contentedly.

Though she often longs for Walker, the true holder of her heart, Alex is

determined to try, for the sake of the coming baby, to make a good life with

Jimmy.

Seven months later, when the divorce is at last finalized, she and Jimmy

marry, and none too soon as Alex goes into premature labor that same evening.

The baby, a girl, is tiny but very strong and thrives. They name her Kimber.

While Alex and Jimmy are very proud of their tiny bundle of love, they soon

notice that she's a little--unusual.

Kimber grows fast, faster than the average baby, and has nearly a full set of

sharp little teeth by the time she's four months old. Temper tantrums seem to

cause the baby to burst into flames, forcing them to call their new neighbor,

Scott the friendly fireman, to extinguish little Kimber frequently. Kimber

also has a nasty habit of spitting up worms and spiders when her stomach is

upset. Talking by six months, little Kimber's vocabulary is

extensive but somewhat limited as it is nearly exclusively words that would

make a construction worker blush. This causes nothing less than amazement to

her bemused parents, as Kimber has never heard most of the words they find her

spouting.

Kimber's one true friend is Gordy. With utter devotion he stays at her side

constantly. By day they sit together on the floor, Kimber picking fleas from

Gordy's matted fur and crushing them between her teeth. At night, Gordy sleeps

at the foot of Kimber's crib, defending her with a ferocious growl (which is

all bark and no bite) from her nightmare encounters with a beautiful angel

named Dee, who appears in the child's room each night singing songs

of love, offering Big Ol' Hugs, and otherwise tormenting poor Kimber.

As Kimber's behaviors grow more and more strange with each passing day, Alex

and Jimmy begin taking her to specialists, looking for a cause (or at least

something that will stop the worm spitting, which is really quite unattractive

and difficult to explain to strangers).

Finding no answers from traditional doctors, they eventually begin calling in

practitioners of more arcane arts in an attempt to solve the problem. After

spending thousands of dollars, the final diagnosis comes from CD (curmudgeonly

and crusty but kindhearted Barkeep and semi-retired Ranger), who spends an

afternoon looking after little Kimber, only to meet Alex and Jimmy at the door

with the words, "That Gol-danged girl is POSSESSED!"

Meanwhile -- back on the ranch -- Walker has discovered that he actually

misses Alex. After six years of dancing around the courtship issue, followed

by several years of extended engagement, he'd come to rely on her rather

heavily in the 'loving support' department. He's also realized just what a

prize he had in Alex. The dating scene, which he was never much good at in the

first place, has changed a LOT while he's been 'off the market'.

He has rapidly learned that finding a woman willing to put up with his 'crazy

cowboy Ranger' behavior isn't all that easy. Not to mention that the women he

asks out seem to have no inclination to spend any time learning what his needs

might be, but at the same time expecting him to know exactly what they need,

and provide it. The Ranger finds the whole situation extremely confusing and

decides to lay off the dating game for a while until he can

figure it out a little better.

At loose ends, and not enjoying the solitude of his home as much as he once

did, Walker tries to throw himself into his work, but soon exhausts the

majority of the criminal element of Dallas and three quarters of the rest of

the state of Texas. Fearing that at the rate he's going Texas will soon be

crime free and the Rangers deemed unnecessary, his superiors force him to

spend less time working. With little recourse, the mighty, but bored, Texas

Ranger retreats to CD's Bar and Grill where he spends much of his time in the

booth that he and Alex habitually shared trying to maintain his 'strong,

silent type' image.

Having confirmed CD's diagnosis of baby Kimber, Alex and Jimmy realize their

precious little one's only hope lies in an exorcism, otherwise she's probably

going to grow up to spit snakes, so they set out to find someone to perform

the ceremony.

The stress of having a demon possessed child, however, proves too much for

their already fragile marriage (What? You don't think Jimmy KNOWS she's still

in love with Walker? of COURSE he does!). After a long talk the couple decides

to split amicably. Alex takes Kimber and Gordy, who won't suffer to be

separated from either of them, and Jimmy takes Bob the cat (who is more

attached to the Ranger anyway, seeming to take great delight in leaving large

clumps of his scruffy fur on Jimmy's sharp looking suits). They place the

house up for sale, hoping the asbestos lined nursery will help bring a better

price in spite of the scorch marks.

Alex, still planning to work full time as Dallas' most gorgeous (not to

mention effective) ADA, realizes that she's not going to be able to do that

with just her and baby Kimber. Hoping to solve her dilemma, she approaches CD

asking if the the two of them (along with devoted Gordy) can stay with him

while they figure out what to do next.

CD, wanting to help but a very old-fashioned sort of guy, agrees but asks

Alex to marry him 'in name only', to make sharing his home with her

'respectable'. Alex accepts, and since she's been down the long divorce road

once before she opts to get a quickie Mexican divorce this time. This clears

the way for the three of them to move right in after the simple civil marriage

ceremony, held during Happy Hour at CD's. Intent on trying to keep Kimber's

little 'spit-up' thing under control during the joyous event, Alex fails to

see that Walker is still inhabiting the booth in the back and watching

longingly as his mentor and former partner takes the plunge with the one woman

who ever understood him.

He takes up drinking, often downing as many as THREE beers in a twenty four

hour period, causing his colleagues to begin to whisper the word 'drunk' when

he passes by.

Determined not to be any sort of burden on CD, who has given up the quiet

existance he has enjoyed for so long in order to offer refuge in her time of

need, Alex uses the child support money Jimmy provides to hire a full time

Nanny for the baby so that she can continue her work as highly respected

Tarrant County ADA. In the evenings she helps out at CD's as a barmaid,

putting her tips into a special jar she keeps marked 'Exorcism Fund'.

Jimmy joins Walker in the booth at the back of the bar where they share the

long evenings. During breaks and slow spells Alex frequently visits with both

her ex-husbands there, often accompanied by CD, who's looking much more trim

lately (caused by Alex's insistance that she do the cooking at home - not

exactly her strong point - since he does all the cooking at the bar.)

In fact, except for the confused marital history between the four, it often

seems like old times. Sharing both work and down time, Alex finds herself

often wishing that she and Walker could be together. Walker, oblivious to what

is written all over Alex's face and not realizing how much she wants him,

waits until her attention is focused elsewhere before giving long, longing

glances at the ADA.

Jimmy watches these interchanges and realizes that the connection between the

pair is as strong as ever. In fact, the only two people in Dallas who don't

seem to realize that Alex and Walker are in love are Alex and Walker. He

decides that something is going to have to be done to force the pair to

somehow resolve the feelings between them. To that end he begins plotting ways

to get Walker talking about Alex, to get Alex talking about Walker, and to

get the two of them to spend time alone. This, he knows, will have to take

place in the booth at CD's, since it's the only place outside of work where

they are ever together. Determined to see them a couple once more, Jimmy

approaches 'Big Dog' to enlist his aid in the plan.

CD is also beginning to have serious regrets about the 'respectably married'

thing. His old flame Mabel has returned to Dallas and is showing interest in

his new, leaner build. She's looking pretty good herself, and the old Barkeep

would like nothing better than to invite her over to his place, but the

presence of a 'wife and child' puts a damper on that plan. Recognizing Jimmy's

scheming might not only reunite Walker and Alex, (setting to rights a

split that everyone knows shouldn't have happened) but would also allow him to

gracefully exit his own sham marriage and free him to take up with Mabel

again, he eagerly joins in.

Gradually the continued efforts of the pair are rewarded as Alex and Walker

begin to recognize the electricity building between them again. The ADA,

however, is determined not to reconnect with Walker unless he learns to

express at least some of his feelings to her, particularly his feelings about

her. The stoic ranger at first doesn't realize what it is she's looking for,

but a long stern talk from CD finally sets him straight and Walker realizes

if he wishes to win Alex back, he's going to have to tell her what he's

thinking.

At last Walker decides to take action, and waits one evening for Alex to join

himself, CD, and Jimmy in the booth, knowing that in their less than subtle

fashion his partner and the older ranger will find excuses to disappear as

soon as she arrives.

Things happen as Walker knew they would, and left alone together the two

star-crossed lovers sit in a tension packed silence, staring across the table

at one another. Finally Walker begins to speak. After much hemming and hawing

and waffling back and forth, he at last looks Alex straight in the eye and

tells her he 'really likes her alot'. This admission of his affection is, of

course, all Alex was waiting to hear and she flies into Walker's arms as

she tells him how she has longed for him to tell her he cared.

Emboldened by the success of his words, Walker speaks again, telling her that

he 'missed her' and then, slipping her original engagement ring on her finger,

he asks, "Would you marry me, Alex? Again?" She agrees enthusiastically, much

to the delight of Jimmy and CD, who have been evesdropping from nearby and

proceep to whoop and holler with delight while dancing a little jig around the

bar.

Alex gathers Kimber and their personal possessions, (not to mention the ever

faithful Gordy) and moves back to the ranch with Walker that very night. The

next day she and CD, with Walker and Jimmy as witnesses, head across the

border to arrange for another quickie divorce.

When they are free to marry once more, Walker gallantly offers to supply the

full church wedding Alex has never had. The bride turns him down, (well

recalling the rangers proneness to mortal injury just before life changing

events such as a wedding) preferring instead to slip away with him to be re-

wed at a quaint little chapel outside of Dallas before leaving little Kimber

with Jimmy and CD for five days while they take a honeymoon trip into the

badlands. (Walker having promised to include Alex more in his favorite

activities.)

After they return home, Jimmy arrives with Kimber and a special wedding

present for the happy couple, Bob, explaining that he's an excellant mouser

and that Jimmy figured they could use a cat around the ranch. Besides, he

continues, Bob has missed Gordy. (He neglects to mention that Bob has given up

leaving clumps of fur on Jimmy's suits, preferring instead the delight of

hairballs.)

Finally a couple again, things settle down to as normal as can be expected

for the ranger and his bride (late night ER visits remain a staple of course,

as do bombings, kidnappings, death threats, high speed car chases and shoot-

outs with desperate criminals). Walker does ask Alex not to take Kimber inside

the barn until the exorcism is performed, reducing the risk of it burning.

The couple sits down with Jimmy, discussing Kimber's future, and Walker

decides to pitch in on the exorcism thing so it can be done sooner. They find

someone to perform the ceremony and everything is progressing as planned.

Then, the day before the event is scheduled, Walker answers the door and is

surprised to discover himself facing an extremely embarrassed young Tarrant

County Deputy. Stammering, he asks for Mrs. Walker to come to the door as

well, and then serves them both with notification of intent to file for an

injuction prohibiting Kimber's exorcism. As the pair reel in shock over this

turn of events, wondering who on earth would want to prevent it, the

officer haltingly hands them a second set of legal documents and leaves.

The second sheaf of pages, which Alex quickly skims through, cause her to

blanch alarmingly. Walker, confused, helps her quickly to a chair and then

questions her on the contents of the documents. Disbelieving, the stunned

woman explains that Dalton Reed and Merilee Summers are behind both the

injunction and the papers she now holds, which require them to go immediately

to the courthouse with Kimber for a preliminary hearing on the matter.

Unable to fathom why their former flames would band together in an attempt to

prevent Kimber's demons from being exorcised and thus allowing her to live a

normal life, (well, as normal as will be possible as the daughter of two

famous Texas rangers and one of Dallas' most prominent ADAs) the couple

gathers their things and climb into the ram for the drive to town.

On the way, Walker calls Jimmy, giving a brief rundown of what's happened.

Jimmy informs them that he, too, was served with the legal documents and is

already on his way to the courthouse. He's already spoken to CD, who is going

to meet them there as well.

The foursome, and Kimber, meet on the courthouse steps, hurrying quickly

inside where they are directed to a hearing room. There they find Dalton and

Merilee waiting, but before they can begin to ask what is going on the judge

enters and asks them all to sit and come to order so they can get the hearing

underway.

Since they brought about the hearing, the judge asks Dalton and Merilee to

explain why they feel that the exorcism shouldn't go as planned, given that

Kimber's parents agree to it. Dalton rises and says he will speak for the two

of them.

Dalton explains that he and Merilee met some time after they had each been

left behind by their former love; in his case, Alex; and in Merilee's, Walker.

Discovering this common ground, they talked longer, and found they enjoyed

many of the same things. They fell in love and were married within a year.

Shortly after that, Merilee discovered she was pregnant and nine months later

she gave birth to a little girl, whom they named Gina.

At this point Alex interrupts, asking the judge what this has to do with her

daughter, Kimber, and the much needed exorcism. (Alex is a little annoyed at

this point; the ride into town, combined with the excitement of the courthouse

has conspired to upset Kimber's stomach, causing the worm and spider spitting

to begin in earnest.)

Dalton tells the judge that the relationship between the two will be

explained soon, and is allowed to continue. Little Gina was the light of their

lives until a freak accident stole her from them at the tender age of only

two. (Mommy and Daddy took Gina to the rodeo, she was toddling around outside

a practice area when a stack of hay bales collapsed on top of her.)

The parents were completely devastated until a local psychic contacted them

several months later to tell them that due to the sudden and unexpected

accident, Gina's spirit had been reborn almost immediately. Further follow-up

with the psychic indicated that the couple that now held the child which held

Gina's spirit was none other than Alex and Cordell Walker.

The Reeds came to Dallas immediately, where they learned about the planned

exorcism, and then filed for the injunction because they don't feel that Alex

and Walker should be allowed to make that sort of decision. Since the child

the Walker's and Jimmy call Kimber is ACTUALLY Dalton and Merilee's daughter

Gina, the Reed's believe they should be given custody of the child, with all

the rights and priviledges due them as her true parents -- Including

the decision of whether or not an exorcism is called for.

As Alex, Walker, Jimmy, and CD sit in stunned silence (and Kimber plays with

a worm that she found in her lap) the judge rules that while the issue of

custody is certainly one that is too complicated to be resolved at this time,

he believes the Reeds have enough grounds to proceed with their plans. And

since they seem opposed to the exorcism, he feels that it is a reasonable

request on their part that the ceremony not be performed until it is

determined to which parents the child actually belongs.

"Temporary injunction granted! Court is adjourned!"

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end of Season One

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