Okay, so here's my new story! If you like Frank/Nancy, you'll probably like this story. A disclaimer of sorts: This is a fictional story, and I'm not an expert on situations such as abusive relationships, although I will be writing about it. Please no flames! If you don't like it, don't read it, not to sound harsh. I'm an amateur writer, so not everything is going to be realistic. This is just for fun! I'm hoping people will enjoy the story, although I'm not sure because I haven't seen any stories about Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys like this one! But please give it a try :)
Please please let me know what you think! And hang in there, this beginning chapter isn't the most exciting, but I hope you like it!
I don't own the Hardy boys or Nancy Drew.
Frank Hardy slowly looked over the selection of breads, surprised at the huge variety. How the heck are there so many different types of sliced bread? he wondered, running a hand through his thick dark hair in bewilderment.
The handsome dark haired man looked miserably out of place in the grocery store aisle. A bystander might think that perhaps Frank was an athlete, or even a model or actor. Actually, Frank was a little more accustomed to hostage crises, nuclear threats, and having guns being held to his head than anything else. Picking a type of bread was a new challenge.
Darn you, Joe. This is all your fault. Frank sighed then grinned as he recalled how Joe had suggested to his wife that Frank could go pick up the grocery item she had forgotten. And on top of that, take their two year old son, Ivan, with him.
It was all a ploy to get free babysitting out of Frank.
Frank was more than happy to oblige. Since being invited over to his brother's house for the Christmas break, Frank was careful to make sure that Joe and Vanessa had plenty of time alone. And he loved spending time with his nephew, however challenging it would sometimes be. It was such different atmosphere than when he was at work. Since coming to stay with Joe for the Christmas break they had decided to take together, instead of dealing with life or death situations, ugly murders, and kidnappings, Frank had been reading Dr. Seuss out loud, performing puppet shows, and singing kids' songs in a horribly out of tune base voice. There was something about having the small little child sitting in his lap and holding his hand that made him yearn for a family.
"Dis one." Ivan pointed at a fluffy white bread, breaking Frank's train of thought. Frank ruffled the little boy's blond hair and grabbed the loaf. In the other arm he scooped up his two year old nephew.
"Alright, let's head out of this death trap," Frank said, striding towards the check out. As he rounded the corner, he almost rammed right into a little boy. The boy jumped out of the way just in time, but one of his ragged shoe laces caught beneath the other foot, and he tumbled downward with a cry.
"Are you alright, buddy?" Frank quickly knelt beside the boy concernedly, putting Ivan down. The boy pushed himself into a sitting position, revealing a red scrape on his knee peaking through the large hole in his well worn jeans. "Ouch, that looks like it hurts. But I think you'll be alright." Frank put a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Okay," the boy sniffed. He looked up at Frank for the first time, and Frank guessed that he was probably around six years old. His eyes were strikingly blue, and he had red-blond hair. Frank gave the boy a hand up. "Thanks," the boy said, sniffling a bit, and wiping his nose on his frayed sleeve. Quickly he looked around. "Where's my mom?" he said, a note of panic creeping into his voice. "I don't know where my mom went! I just wanted to peek into this aisle and now she's gone!"
"Here, we'll help you look for her. I'm Frank."
"I'm Nick." Nick looked up curiously at Frank with large blue eyes. "Is that your son?" he asked, pointing at Ivan.
"Nope. He's my nephew," Frank smiled. "Alright, let's find your mom. What does she look like?"
"She's the prettiest mom in the whole world," Nick's face lit up. "She has blue eyes an' reddish hair. Like me!" Nick pointed at his eyes.
Frank walked with Nick down the produce aisle. "So, are you excited for Christmas?" Frank asked, scanning the store.
"Chrisssmasss!" Ivan yelled, waving his arm wildly, nearly hitting Frank on the eye. Frank almost regretted using the word. Ivan could go on for hours about Christmas.
"Yeah, I guess." Nick tugged at his grubby shirt and looked anxiously around. "What if we can't find her? What if..." Nick's eyes were wide with sudden fear.
"What?" Frank asked, wondering what was making the boy so frightened. Nick shook his head silently, beginning to walk more quickly.
"Nick!"
"Nick, where are you?"
Two voices rang out, one sounding like a very worried woman, another sounding like it belonged to a small child.
Frank jogged after Nick. The voice had sounded very familiar, tugging at an old memory and begging to be identified. Nick was already scampering around the corner.
"Mom! Mom!"
"Nick! What happened?" The woman's voice was full of relief. I know that voice! Frank thought furiously.
"I got lost, but this guy called Frank helped me find you! Look at the scrape I got on my knee."
Frank rounded the corner. A slim petite woman was hugging Nick. In a grocery cart sat a toddler, and another young child was hugging the woman's leg. Both of the other children had red blond hair and bright blue eyes, just like Nick. Quickly Frank brought his gaze to the woman, who was kissing Nick's forehead.
"You must be..." The woman looked up and stared at Frank, blue eyes widening with shock. "Frank..."
Frank stopped in his tracks, finding himself face to face with Nancy Drew.
She was a lot thinner than he had remembered, her faded shirt hanging loosely off her form. Her face was still beautiful, but now it contained a sort of tired element, and her large eyes conveyed a haunted look rather than the mischievous twinkle that Frank remembered so well.
Neither of us are teenagers anymore, Frank realized with a sense of regret. He wondered if he looked very different.
Nancy looked down, her face flushing, and Frank realized with embarrassment that he had been staring.
"Nan... how are you?!" Frank said finally, stepping towards her. He paused, looking at the three children in a new light. "These are your children! They're..." Frank hesitated to find the right word. "They're beautiful," he said finally, more softly. Nancy finally smiled, lifting up the smallest girl who seemed to be around two.
"This is Elizabeth, she's two," Nancy tightened her grip on the toddler in her arms. "And this is Zoe, and she is four," Nancy gestured at the girl hugging her leg with her free hand. "And you've met Nick."
"They all look so much like you," Frank marveled at the blond red hair and blue eyes.
"Your son is adorable," Nancy smiled at Ivan.
"Oh, he's Joe's son," Frank said quickly. Nancy looked startled. "I'm just visiting Joe and his wife Vanessa for Christmas."
"Mom... You know Frank?" Nick tugged on Nancy's sleeve.
"Yes, we knew each other as teenagers," Nancy told him. She glanced back at Frank, looking uneasy; her posture almost reminded Frank of a deer preparing to flee. Frank took another cautious step forward, putting a hand on Nancy's shoulder in a friendly gesture.
"Yup, we've had a couple adventures together," he smiled.
To his surprise, Nancy's muscles tensed beneath his hand. The toddler she was holding looked at Frank with large frightened eyes and clung to Nancy's neck even tighter.
"Don't be silly, Liz," Nick stepped forward. "Frank's nice. Right Mom?"
"Yes," Nancy murmured, relaxing and looking down at her son.
"Listen, Nanc, I'd love to catch up with you and hear how you're doing! How about we go to a park or something? It's been so long..." Frank offered carefully.
"A playground?" Zoe chirped excitedly. Nick turned and looked at his mom hopefully. Frank felt his hopes rise. Nancy checked her watch. In order to see her watch, she had to pull back her long sleeve a bit, and Frank barely saw the mottled purple bruise on her wrist. A split second later she had covered it back up, pulling her sleeve down, leaving Frank unsure of what he had just seen.
"I'm sorry, but we have to go," Nancy looked up at Frank, her expression unreadable.
Don't let her leave, Hardy. Don't let her leave, Frank's brain was screaming at him.
"Aww," Nick's face fell, and Nancy sighed and drew him closer.
"I know, sweetie. But we can't be late getting home," Nancy told the young boy.
Nick nodded in silent agreement, looking disappointed.
"I'm sorry Frank," Nancy glanced fleetingly at him. "Kids, say goodbye to Frank," Nancy prompted.
"Bye Frank. Thanks for the help," Nick grinned. Zoe whispered something which could have been taken as a bye, and Elizabeth just clung silently to Nancy.
"No problem, Nick. It was great meeting you," Frank smiled. The young boy flushed with pleasure.
"It was great seeing you again," Nancy said.
"Wait, Nancy. Why don't we meet up sometime? I was serious about wanting to catch up with you. It would be fun to chat," Frank suggested. Nancy hesitated. Their eyes met for a split second. Tell me what's going on Nancy. Something's wrong. I know something's don't you want to talk to me? Don't walk away. Frank pleaded silently, concerned.
"I'm sorry Frank. I really need to go," Nancy said, with another quick look at her watch. She smiled briefly, then turned and hurried down the aisle, herding her children along with her.
"Ba bye," Ivan murmured sadly at Frank's side. Frank watched Nancy disappear, worry tightening in his chest.
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