A/N: I told you I'd redo it... it just took longer than excpected. Probably because I made so many changes - it'll probably look like a completely different story now, lol. Anyway, let me know what you think!

"I'd better be going," Laura Hardy announced, leaning back in her chair as she stretched, pushing her long blonde hair back over her shoulders as she looked at the clock.

"Now? It feels like we only just got started!" her friend complained, dropping her head on the table theatrically, "do you have to?"

"Nat, you always say you're not ready and then you get better grades than all of us," Laura rebuked, "and yeah, I have to. Fenton and I have an arrangement, and I have to get back if I'm going to hold up my end of it. Besides, we both have exams, and I can't leave him alone with Frank all night can I?"

Frank was the eighteen year old's one year old son who, although he never caused any trouble, was a handful as he was just beginning to learn to crawl and, with both parents attending university and working part time, they had had to work out a system that they could share the responsibilities while trying to leave him with a babysitter as little as possible.

"I can't believe you're married with a kid," Susan remarked as she came back from the kitchen with a coffee in her hand, "there are some eighteen year olds still hiding at home with their parents and trying to hang on to high school."

Laura smiled, looking embarrassed as she tossed the last of her books into her book bag. "We got married, and had a son, so we're working with it. We're not trying to impress anyone."

"Good for you," the fourth member of their small study group, a rather quiet and reserved girl who was standing by the window watching the dark street outside as they took a break, spoke up, "you want a ride? I should be going too."

"And stay put this time? Mommy'll be home soon, I promise," twenty year old Fenton Hardy put his son back in his cot for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes.

As much as he had always liked kids, and found Frank's determination to get to wherever he thought he was going was amusing, it didn't help to have the constant interruptions when he was trying to write a paper. And when his wife was out much later than she had said she would be when she had been planning to walk home alone, late at night, in New York City. At least, I hope she will be, he thought to himself, gently trying to pry his pen out of the child's suprisingly strong grip, which he had somehow managed to grab when he had picked him up.

He sighed as he went back to the table and reread the last thing he had written, trying to pick up his train of thought and push out thoughts of Frank and Laura. Five minutes later he had given up, and was dialling his wife's cell phone number. He would rather have her annoyed at his being 'overprotective' that have to keep wondering where she was.

"You have a son here who's starting to think his daddy's a liar."

Laura chuckled as she heard Frank repeat 'Mommy!' in the background. "I'll be back soon, I just left. Everything okay otherwise? Sorry I stayed late, I know you've got a paper to do..."

"Yeah, we're fine. But if mommy doesnt get to Frank, Frank is going to come to mommy,"

"Put him in the cot."

"Have I ever mentioned our son's going to grow up to be a great escape artist? He's almost as good at picking locks as I am, and I've got twenty years detective experience over him."

"Better be careful if you want to keep that reputation of yours. He's not supposed to be following in your footsteps until he's at least a teenager." the girl teased. "Anyway, I'll see you soon."

"Okay. Be careful."

However, soon would turn out to be longer than either of them had expected, and by the time she got back, the obstinate Frank would have escaped again and have curled up in his sleeping father's lap. Which would work perfectly for Laura.

Fent is going to kill me, the boy thought as he looked at the small, still figure on the ground in front of him. He's taught her well, they don't usually know I'm there... wish he hadn't, she'll recognize me and tell him. Then he'll never talk to me again.

"Sorry Laura." he murmured, turning away and unconsciously looking toward the upper windows of the surrounding buildings, wondering where the people were that he knew were watching.

Fenton stirred as he felt his wife sit up suddenly, no doubt from another nightmare, and sat up beside her, gently rubbing circles in her back.

"You okay? You've been having these nightmares a lot lately," he said softly. I know something happened the other night, why won't you talk to me about it?

"I'm fine...I'm going to go check on Frank, you go back to sleep."

"Okay."

I don't want to lie to you, but how can I tell you someone... Jake of all people... did that?

A/N: nah, it's not a different story, just taken from a completely different angle. And sped up to the Frank and Joe parts too... it'll be a regular HB story starting next chapter, which even I'll say is better than it was before... :D

read and review!