Hi everyone! Some of you might remember this story and the brief time it was online. Then, for some reason that I can't remember, I removed it. That was a few years ago, and I decided to let it make a comeback! (I hope!)

This story is a sequel to my other HB/ND story, I Fell in Love with Africa. However, I've removed that story due to too many problems. I will repost it when I've finished rewriting it. The pairings in this story are Frank/Nancy (who are married now) and Joe/George, who are engaged. This is mostly about the latter couple.

As always, enjoy!

Ghosts From The Past

Chapter 1: Shock

The fire was crackling softly and cosily in the simple, but elegant and comfortable living room. The two couples in the room were each busy on their own. These four people had been through a lot together, and despite their differences had stuck together like glue.

Snuggled under a blanket on the couch were the newlywed couple; Frank and Nancy Hardy. Each of them had a book, and they were getting a surprisingly large amount of reading done. Much to the amazement of the other couple in the room, they were not big on public displays of affection, even in front of family and close friends. When the couple was alone, however, it was a different matter entirely.

Frank, at 6'1'', was tall, dark and handsome with dark brown hair and chocolate colored eyes. He was slender, but surprisingly tough, and very intelligent. Nancy, also tall and slender, with her strawberry blonde hair and dark blue eyes was the exact opposite of her husband. They made a very attractive couple.

The other couple in the room also made an interesting pair. Georgia (nicknamed George) Fayne has boyishly short, curly brown hair and sharp green eyes. Her fiancé, Joe Hardy, has a thick mop of blonde hair and playful blue eyes that make most girls' hearts beat a little faster. George as well, but she would never admit it. She is well aware of her 6 foot flat beloved's flirty nature and although she trusts him completely, she considers it her duty to keep him down to earth. Their wedding is set for the first of May; in spring.

Neither Joe nor George had ever thought that they would fall in love with each other. They were never really each other's 'type'. Back in High School, Joe used to go for the cheerleader types while George preferred boys to whom sport was #1 on their list of priorities and academics #2. Nowadays though, they both had grown up and matured, and after Frank and Nancy's wedding they had spent a lot of time together. Nobody really knew how it happened, but one day the couple arrived at Nancy and Frank's house with faces that shone even brighter than the diamond ring on George's finger.

"Your turn, George," Joe's voice broke the momentary silence. He and George were sitting on the floor before the fire with the Monopoly board before them. Georges head snapped back from where she had been staring into the fire. Smiling sheepishly at her fiancé, she studied the board with a frown.

"That's not where I was a minute ago," she declared, staring suspiciously at Joe.

"What do you mean?" He wanted to know with his familiar butter-won't-melt-in-my-mouth look on his face.

"I mean, that you moved me within range of the 'Go to Jail' block. I was 13 paces away, and now I am 10 paces away. That means that unless the doggie suddenly came alive – which I doubt for some reason – you moved me."

"What? Me?" He pretended to look offended. "Never! You must have miscounted."

"I did not miscount, Hardy," George said in a perfectly calm voice. Joe knew by now that when she used that voice, he had 2 options: One, come clean and beg for forgiveness with the famous Joe Hardy eyes, or two; distract her. Trying to worm himself out of 'situations' with George Fayne just doesn't work, and he learned that the hard way. She was not a policewoman for nothing.

Joe decided to use the latter option. "Does anybody want some hot cocoa or something?"

"No, thank you," George said without blinking, still staring at Joe with a challenging look in her eyes.

Starting to feel just a little bit uncomfortable, Joe turned to his brother and sister in law hopefully. "Can I get you guys anything?"

"No thanks," came the reply simultaneously, without even a glance upwards from their books.

"I think I'm going to fix myself something," he stood up and started moving towards the kitchen quickly.

"You're going to have to come back sometime, Joe," George reminded him as he disappeared behind the door. Smiling, she shook her head and leaned back against the couch behind her, staring into the flames.

Some things in nature are very hypnotizing, she thought. The waves of the ocean, the flames of a fire...and Joe Hardy's eyes.

~ Ding-dong ~

The sound of the doorbell startled George, and she looked away from the fire at her best friend.

"Who on earth can that be?" Nancy wondered. Laura and Fenton, her parents in law, were away visiting friends for the weekend, and nobody else had said anything about stopping over.

"I'll go see," George stood up and stretched her long, slender frame.

"Hey," she said when she opened the door. A young woman is stood on the other side, with long blonde hair, piercing black eyes and a tired look on her pale face. She had a petite frame, and seemed to be drowning in the overly large coat she had on. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Nancy Drew," her voice was so soft it was barely audible.

"This is the right place," George held the door open for her. "Please come in."

The girl, who looked no older than 21, stepped inside, her eyes darting around nervously.

"Can I take your coat?" George offered, and then hung it on the rack with the others. "Follow me, please."

The blonde girl followed George to the living room, where Joe was seated before the fire again; a large mug of steaming hot chocolate on the floor beside him. Smiling, George noticed that her Monopoly piece was moved back to its original position.

"Who was at the door?" Nancy asked, and then, spottingthe girl just behind George, she jumped up and started walking over.. "Hi, I'm Nancy Hardy."

"Nancy, this is..." George turned to look at the girl, realizing she forgot to ask her name. She frowned when she saw the look on the girl's face. She was even paler than before, and her eyes were big and round, darting from Frank to Joe.

Joe and Frank's expressions were similar. Surprise, shock, disbelief... Nancy and George looked at each other curiously. Who was this girl? And why did Frank and Joe look like they were seeing a ghost?

Finally Joe seemed to have gotten control over his vocal chords again, and a hoarse whisper escaped his lips.

"Iola?"

Well, well, well – who do we have here?

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and more will follow soon. Just a hint: reviews make me write faster.