I'm back! Yay! This story was very challenging to start because of all the different perspectives and people I want in the story, but I'm happy with what I have so far. There might not be a lot on Helen, just because I'm trying to balance so many characters, but I promise to do my best to get her story in there. Laura and Fenton are in this story and play a larger role.

Yes there will be action, not just relational issues. There will be a mystery, danger, etc.

If you haven't read Moving Forward, I would recommend it, although I suppose it would be possible to read this without that back story. It just might be kind of confusing... (yes, Nancy has three children, Nick, Zoe, and Lizzy, and she is divorced, Joe and Vanessa are married with one son, Ivan, and Frank and Nancy are dating) The pace of this story will be somewhat different though.

I'll be updating regularly like always. I go about every other day for updates, although that isn't fixed in stone.

Please enjoy! And please take the time to leave me a review telling what you think! Makes my day :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys


"And that's what a police officer does," Joe finished, glancing over the classroom of first graders. To be honest, he was pretty happy with the impression he was having on the little kids. He knew he cut a striking figure with his neat uniform and badges, along with the handcuffs and taser securely fastened to his belt, not to mention the gun. Most of them were staring at him as if he were some sort of god.

Joe caught the eye of a strawberry blond boy near the back of the class and winked. He was immediately rewarded with a huge smile.

"Any questions?" Joe asked, shifting slightly, his heavy black boots making a dull thudding sound against the tile floor. A wave of hands went up.

"Have you ever arrested somebody?" a small blond girl wanted to know.

"Yes, many times," Joe nodded, trying to look professional. The class stirred with excitement, and the admiration on the little faces grew. He was about to call on another child when the bell rang, signaling class was over.

"Alright class, can you thank Officer Hardy for coming and talking to you all?" the teacher, a gentle young woman asked.

"Thank you Officer Hardy!" the class chorused. For a moment it was mass chaos as the first graders swarmed out of the room, several pausing to talk to Joe or admire his uniform.

"Hi Joe!" The strawberry blond boy trotted up to him with a large smile.

"Hey Nick! I'm taking you home today since I'm already here!"

"Yay!" Nick cheered.

"How did you think my talk was?" Joe asked, taking his small hand and walking with Nick down the loud hallway and out the school door.

"It was good," Nick nodded approvingly. "I liked the part when you talked about how you tackled that robber and saved a kid from a burning building at the same time."

"About that... I might have exaggerated that story a little bit..." Joe cleared his throat guiltily, unlocking his car. "Don't tell Vanessa."

Nick gave him a solemn look.

"I thought you might have changed it," he sighed, looking very disappointed. "I'm going to have to tell Mommy and Vanessa if they ask."

Joe helped Nick get into his carseat, trying very hard to look properly admonished.

"Alright, I suppose you'll have to," Joe sighed, getting into the front seat, desperately trying to stifle the laughter that was causing him to physically shake. Six year old Nick was always a blast to be around. "Just try not to get me into too much trouble."

"Alright," Nick agreed. "I'll try. Are we picking up Zoe and Lizzy?"

"Yes, and Ivan too." Joe started the car, his thoughts briefly flicking to Frank. He was thrilled his brother was living in town now.

"Is Frank at work?" Nick asked, causing Joe to start. He didn't know how the boy did it, but Nick always seemed to be able to guess what people were thinking about. It reminded Joe of Nancy, and it was obvious where the boy got his observational skills.

"Yep. You'll probably see him later though," Joe said, pulling up at the daycare. He glanced at his watch and saw that they were a couple minutes late. Well, he didn't do this routine every day like Vanessa, only when he had a day off work. Because Vanessa worked as a nurse part time, she was able to pick up the kids usually, including Nancy Drew's children, since Nancy didn't have a car yet.

And Joe was happy for the opportunity to spend some time with Nick, Zoe, and Lizzy.

He was even happier that after a month and a half of carefully building up relationships with Nancy's children, they were finally starting to trust him enough that he could be alone with them without them being afraid or uneasy. Part of him was hurt that they had accepted Frank so quickly, but looking back, Joe realized it made sense. Frank had been with the children more, and he had played with them in some pretty tough times, making them associate him with happiness and playing. Not to mention the way that Frank made Nancy happy. Nancy's children could definitely pick that up.

But that was all of the past, and Joe was just satisfied that Nick was becoming his buddy as well.


"Hmm, can a debtor be held responsible for lien after discharge?" Nancy mused, flipping through her law book.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea. I don't even know what a lien is." Frank shook his head, looking up from his laptop. Nancy glanced his way, blue eyes glinting mischievously.

"C'mon. I helped you find that lead on your case." She leaned towards him, and Frank's pulse rose.

"Sorry Drew. You'll have to look it up because I have absolutely no idea," he murmured, leaning to meet Nancy's lips with his own. After a second Nancy broke off the kiss and leaned back.

"We're horrible work buddies," she laughed. Frank smiled, but a troubled expression passed over his face.

"It's more that I'm at a dead end on this case," he sighed, trying to stifle his frustration. His first case at his new job as Detective of the Oakfield Police Fleet was not going well.

Almost as soon as he took the job, the case of a young man who died of drug overdose was given to Frank. The death had been re-filed as suspected homicide after the police had received an anonymous tip that Theo Salder had been murdered.

However, other than that, there was little information to work off, and Frank was becoming to be a bit frustrated with the dead ends he kept ending up at. Not only that, but he had wanted to impress his new boss. After all, this was his first case on his new job.

Nancy's expression softened.

"I know. I was just kidding. I think we actually work pretty well together."

"Any chance you want to join the detective field?" Frank asked hopefully, half kidding. Goodness knew he could use some help on the case.

"You need a haircut," Nancy ignored his question and stared at him thoughtfully, her chin rested in one slender hand.

Frank ran his fingers through his thick dark hair and noted that it was in fact getting long.

"I'm trying to go for a hippie look," he tried with a smile.

"Well, lose it." Nancy brushed a strand of strawberry blond hair out of her face, her eyes already flitting back to her textbook.

"It's my hair," Frank protested.

"As your girlfriend, it's my job to make sure you're presentable," Nancy informed him. "So go through what you know about the case," Nancy changed the subject, putting down her book again.

"Again?" Frank groaned. Nancy crossed her arms and looked at him steadily. "Slave driver," Frank pouted. Gosh, how was Nancy so beautiful even when she was staring him down?

His hand went subconsciously to his coat pocket, fingertips brushing against the velvet jewelry box there. It had been sitting in his coat pocket for almost a week.

"Deal with it, Hardy." Frank felt his pulse rise again at Nancy's smile, but he took his hand out of his pocket. Maybe it was too soon. After all, they had only been dating for about two months. But somehow it felt like much longer.

Frank felt like he was home when he was with Nancy.

You can face criminals with guns but you can't ask her a question?

Frank ignored the thought and tried to focus on what Nancy had asked.

"Well, Theo Salder was found dead February 15th in his apartment room by his girlfriend. It was later discovered that he overdosed on heroin. The case was filed as possibly suicide or an accidental overdose, but the police received an anonymous tip on February 17th that Theo Salder was murdered."

"Anything else?" Nancy prompted, twirling her pencil.

"Well… I didn't have any leads until I got some advice from a close friend to talk to the relatives and friends of Salder and see if there was any information I could get from them…"

"And then?"

"I have a lot of information, but I'm not seeing anything suspicious…"

Suddenly loud music began playing, startling both Frank and Nancy.

"Hey I just met you. And this is crazy. But here's my number. So call me maybe…"

Frank scrambled for his phone, his face flushing, tearing it out of his pocket. "I swear, I'm going to kill Joe. He keeps changing my ringtone…" Frank finally got out his cell phone and opened it, trying to ignore the fact that Nancy was laughing hysterically beside him.

"Hello?"

"Hey Frank, it's Ryan."

"Hey, Ryan, what's up?" Frank asked. "Is it important, because I'm kind of working right now?" Frank glanced at Nancy who was once again buried in her books, smiling.

"Um, yeah it's important. Frank, we found a body that we think might be related to your case."

Please review! :)