When They Were Young.

A/N: I was trying to write Chapter Six of Danger Down Under, when suddenly this idea came to me instead. A story about George and Joe meeting in Bayport when they were kids. I have ideas for several other one-shots featuring our favourite detectives and sidekicks as children. Is this a one-shot or a series? Your reviews will decide.

"Frank! Come and play football with me!" called seven-year-old Joe Hardy, as he impatiently kicked his Nerf football back and forth.

It would've been a perfect Sunday afternoon if only gloomy grey clouds hadn't been looming overhead, ominously supporting the weatherman's prediction of showers and possible thunderstorms. Unlike many children who would have chosen to spend the afternoon indoors watching cartoons, Joe had asked his Aunt Gertrude to take him and Frank to Bayport Park. No, asked was not the right word. He had begged, coaxed and cajoled. And although Aunt Gertrude had firmly refused at first, Joe's pleading blue eyes and hopeful smile had won her over.

So, here they were in Bayport Park. Aunt Gertrude was sitting on a park bench, reading a novel. And much to Joe's disgust, his brother was curled up on the bench next to Aunt Gertrude, deeply engrossed in a book of his own.

"Frank, we're at the park! Why are you reading? Come and play with me," Joe exclaimed, running to his older brother and tugging at his arm.

Frank barely looked up from his book as he replied, "Just let me finish this book, Joe. The detective's almost solved the mystery and I have to see if I was right about who the killer was!"

Joe rolled his eyes. His brother was such a geek. Who came to the park and did nothing but read a book? His eyes fell on his Aunt Gertrude, who was turning a page at that very moment, as if she had read his mind. Who came to the park and did nothing but read a book, when they were only eight years old? he amended hastily. However he knew there was no use in continuing to pester Frank. Although he didn't understand why, his brother had never been charmed by his smile and puppy-dog eyes in the way that his mother, aunt and female baby-sitters were.

Sighing, Joe decided he'd rather go on the swings instead, as playing football alone wasn't much fun. There was only one unoccupied swing left and he ran towards it. However, he was severely disappointed when a young girl with short dark curls slid into it seconds before he reached it.

"Beat you," she said mischievously, as she merrily began to swing.

"Yeah, you did," Joe admitted in defeat, as he watched the girl swing. He was impressed as she began to swing herself higher, higher than even he might have dared to swing. She didn't look much older than him and plus she was a girl.

"I'm Joe," he said politely, remembering how Aunt Gertrude always introduced him to other children at parties.

"I'm George," she replied breathlessly, as she pumped her legs energetically and managed to swing even higher than before.

Joe laughed. "Your name can't be George! That's a boy's name and you're a girl," he said teasingly.

"So what?" she said challengingly. "My dad always says I'm better than a boy any day. So why can't I have a boy's name, if I want to?"

Joe frowned as he tried to follow George's logic. "So you're better than a boy, but you want to be a boy," he said finally.

George screwed up her nose, as she then tried to figure out if that was what she had said. "Boys get to do things that girls don't," she said eventually. "So I wish I could be a boy."

"Like what?" Joe asked, as he racked his brains trying to think about what boys got to do that girls didn't.

George frowned and looked into space for a moment, as she continued to swing. Then she suddenly noticed the object that Joe was still clutching and her eyes brightened.

"Like play football," she said with a grin.

"Girls can't play football!" Joe exclaimed in surprise. But even as he uttered this statement, he was already wondering if it was true. How would he know whether girls could play football or not? He'd never seen one play, but did that mean that they couldn't?

He glanced up at George again, only to see her glowering at him.

"Says who?" she said defiantly. "My dad taught me how to play football and I bet I can play just as well as you."

She then gave him a scathing head-to-toe once-over. "Actually," she said cheekily, "I bet I can play better than you. I'll bet you that football against my watch." She held up her left wrist and showed off the fancy yellow digital watch that she wore.

Not really believing her, but accepting the challenge simply because he wanted someone to play football with, Joe grinned broadly. "OK, then, let's play and see!"

It was a fast-paced game and Joe was surprised at how agile and quick George was. He began to lose track of the number of times that she darted past him and when she had scored six touchdowns to his one, he finally had to admit that she was a far better player than he was. Being an honest boy, he told her so.

George's eyes gleamed in triumph as she held out her hand expectantly. Joe looked regretfully at his most prized possession and with great reluctance, handed the football to George.

They'd finished their game at just the right time, because a mere two minutes later, Aunt Gertrude was calling Joe's name. Teardrops of rain were starting to fall and she wanted to get the boys home before it began to pour.

"Thanks for the football," George said, suddenly shy, as she gently cradled the football as any other little girl might have cradled a baby doll.

"You're welcome. You deserve it," Joe said honestly. He hesitated before asking, "Will you come back to this park next week? We can play football together again."

Genuine disappointment flooded George's brown eyes as she shook her head. "No, I'm only here for the weekend. My mum and I are only here on holiday."

Joe was surprised to find himself disappointed too. "Oh, well, it doesn't matter," he muttered, glancing at the ground.

George looked at him with an expression akin to sympathy, as she linked Joe's disappointment to the loss of his football. Suddenly her eyes lit up and Joe looked at her in bewilderment, as she carefully took off her digital watch and laid it in his palm.

"It's my present to you," she said quickly. "You're the nicest boy I've ever met."

With that as her parting comment, she suddenly flushed and ran away from him, towards a tall woman with dark curly hair, whom Joe assumed was her mother.

They got into a white Toyota and drove away, as Joe stood and watched them.

"Joseph Francis Hardy, what are you doing standing out here in the rain? You're soaked!" Aunt Gertrude exclaimed, as she quickly hustled Joe under her umbrella. Frank was already standing obediently outside her car.

For the first time, Joe realised it was really raining and hastily put his hand over the digital watch he proudly wore, hoping that it was waterproof.

But even if it wasn't, he knew he'd always keep this watch as a memento of his new friend, George. He hoped she'd always keep the football too.

What do you think? Review and let me know. =)