A/n: So much for waiting a few days to write. But it just started flowing...
All I want for Christmas is You
It was three days 'til Christmas and Joe Hardy was panicking. He'd been driving himself insane for the last month trying to come up with the perfect way to give Halloran her Christmas present. Ordinarily, he'd be driving his brother insane with the constant nagging and pleas for assistance. This whole self inflected insanity thing was new to him. Problem was, he really didn't want to let his brother in on the secret first. Bad enough his mother knew about it and was constantly dropping hints or winking at him at the most inopportune times.
At the same time, he felt it would be a betrayal to involve anyone else if his brother wasn't in on it, so he was really at a loss here. "Nothing should be this danged complicated!" he swore to himself as he drove down the snowy road away from the Bayport Mall and back towards the Agency. He was at least half an hour late due back from his lunch hour and any second now he expected the cell phone to ring with a very exasperated Big Brother on the other end wondering where he was.
Sure enough, as Joe pulled up at a red light, the phone rang. Sighing deeply, he flicked on the hands free device and spoke "I know I know, I am about ten minutes away. Took me longer to find a parking spot than it did to get what I was looking for. Next year I am shopping online. Amazon gift certificates for everybody."
"Likely story. Swing by the Bank and pick up the new checks I ordered last week." Frank's amused voice came over the airwaves.
"Frank you know I hate the bank!" Joe complained. "It's not safe for me to step foot in there, I swear!"
"Don't let your girlfriend hear you say that." Frank laughed. "Otherwise you'll have to explain how you two met was such a bad thing."
"You play dirty, you know that?!" Joe grumped as he passed a little old lady going 15 miles an hour. "Fine. But so help me if there is another bank robbery and I get stuck in the middle you owe me hazardous duty pay."
"It'll be in your stocking."
"Beats coal, I guess." Joe grumbled before hanging up. Luckily the parking lot to the bank was much less crowded than the Mall and he was soon stomping off the snow in the entranceway. beamed at him from behind her reception desk and asked if he was here to see Mr Trumbel. "Not this week, Mrs. R. Just picking up an order for the Agency. Frank said the checks were ready." She stood up and walked back to fetch them.
Pretending to ignore his nervousness, Joe spent the next few minutes glancing around surreptitiously marking possible security threats. He knew he was being silly, but he couldn't help it. Luckily, Mrs. Richards returned in a matter of moments with the large envelope full of the new business style checks and ledger Frank had ordered. With a quick "Thank you" Joe hurried out side, all while trying to appears as if he wasn't in a rush to escape. He also refused to acknowledge the sigh of relief that escapes his lips as he traipsed down the stairs past the two enormous stone lions, who were currently sporting lovely snow hats.
As he walked in to the Agency, he noticed that Frank's office door was shut, which was unusual unless he was with a client. So instead of just walking in, he went to his own office and dropped the envelope off there before returning to the reception area and pouring himself a cup of coffee and raiding the fridge for the zucchini bread Halloran had dropped off the other day. He was slathering a generous amount of butter on a thick slice when Frank's office door opened and he walked out with a middle aged couple who looked as if they were at the end of their rope. The woman had obviously been crying, and the gentleman looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Mr. and Mrs. Applegate, this is my brother Joe. He'll be assisting me on your daughter's case."
Joe shook hands with Mr Applegate and nodded to Mrs Applegate as they departed. "Lemme guess. Missing person slash Runaway."
"Yep. Always seems that around the holidays parents get more nostalgic or desperate. But at least these didn't waste too much time. Their daughter disappeared about a week ago."
"Fill me in." Joe requested as he snatched the checks off his desk and tossed them to his brother.
"Straightforward. 15 year old Daughter Ellen comes home, says she's pregnant. Arguments, fights, the usual reaction from the parents. Ellen takes off, Mom and Dad have second thoughts about how they reacted, want to reassure her that they'll support her. No sign of the girl. None of her her friends have seen her, not even the boyfriend. Mom found an abortion pamphlet in the kid's locker at school when she had it opened."
Joe grimaced in sympathy. "Poor kid. Problem is the clinics are confidential and won't tell us squat."
"True, but we can at least put the word out that the Applegates are sorry about how they reacted and want Ellen to come home. Hopefully she'll get the message and believe it."
"When do I start?" Joe asked.
"Tomorrow's fine, day's almost over now." His brother/boss replied.
"Okieday." Joe spent the rest of the afternoon putzing around, doing a little actual work but mostly just playing Spider Solitaire. He was bound and determined to win a game playing all 4 suits some day. Shortly after 5, he poked his head into his brother's office and said "I'm outta here. You should think about getting a life and emulating my example."
"Oooh, big words, there, Little Brother. Give your roommate a kiss from me." Although Joe had not formally announced he had moved in with Halloran over Thanksgiving weekend, the fact that he no longer slept in his apartment upstairs had not escaped anyone's notice. Joe just grinned evilly and headed home.
It had begun snowing again and there was black ice on the roads so Joe was extra careful as he drove to the house he shared with Halloran. It took nearly twice as long to get there, and Halloran met him at the door, anxious. Her relief as he exited the car was palpable. She quickly urged him inside, where a fire was blazing away in the fireplace. She served split pean and ham soup and a loaf of fresh out of the oven bread drowning in butter. Joe was quite content to play homebody on a night like this and they spent the evening watching "Its a Wonderful Life", one of Halloran's favorite movies. They fell asleep, as they often did, on the huge leather couch snuggled together under the down blanket.
The next day was spent calling around getting addresses for the Planned Parenthood and other clinics that serviced young teenaged girls in Ellen Applegate's predicament. By noon, Joe had a list of 6 or 7 within fifty miles of Bayport. He struck paydirt at the third one he stopped at. In fact, he didn't even need to put his considerable charm to use on the receptionist; the first thing he noticed upon entering was Ellen sitting in the corner of the waiting room looking miserable.
He sat down in the empty chair next to her and leaned back, stretching his long legs out on front of him. He said nothing, just sat there, eyes half closed. Ellen kept sneaking looks at him sideways. She finally broke the silence. "Are you here with any one?" she asked, in a soft voice.
"Nope." Joe spoke matter of factly, and offered no more information.
"Umm you don't have to wait to be seen if you are looking to score some condoms. They keep a box up at the desk."
Joe had to suppress a grin at that, but simply replied. "Not here for that either."
"Well then why are you here?! She cried, exasperated. "You aren't one of those pricks that want to sell some baby to the highest bidder are you?!"
"What ever gave you that idea Ellen?!" Joe let the name slip by mistake.
"There's only three reasons why a somebody like you would be in here. To get protection, to hold his Girlfriend's hand, or you are looking to get some cute white baby to sell to some obnoxiously rich City Folk." Her dark brown eyes flashed with anger. She then did a double take. "Wait. How the hell do you know my name?!" she made to get up and run, but Joe reached out and lightly but firmly grasped her arm.
"Ellen, relax, I am none of those things nor am I some weirdo looking to take advantage of a kid. Your parents hired me. Well, my brother, actually but I always get stuck with the scut work. I'm Joe. I'm a Private Investigator and your parents hired us to find you and bring you home. I get the impression they kind of regret some of the things they said to you." When it appeared as if she wouldn't bolt if he let go, he did so then pulled out his ID and showed it to her.
"What if I don't wanna go back?!" it was a challenge.
"Weeeeel" he drew out the word. "Technically we were hired to find you, not drag you back. Although you are a minor and I would be within my rights to turn you over to the cops, who would then turn you over to Social Services, who would then turn you over to your parents." He sighed dramatically. "But the paperwork is a right bitch and I'd really rather skip all the middle men." That at least got a small smile out of her. "What say we go someplace less public and have some lunch. The expense account is paying, so we can even go whole hog and opt for non fast food!" he smiled at her as he stood up and offered his hand.
"Do I have to come with you afterward?" she asked defiantly.
"On one condition. You let me call your parents and you agree to talk to them first. If, at the end of the conversation you still feel that way, you are free to take off. I won't even follow you." He was taking a gamble here, but he thought she was open to reason now that the initial family dramatics had simmered down. He was pretty sure he saw a sadness and wistfulness in her eyes and she really didn't want to be cut off from her family. He was also all too aware of how something said or done in the heat of the moment led to major regret a short time later.
"Fine." she said almost sulkily.
Joe led the way out of the clinic and down the street, where he had passed by a diner on his way in. He chose a booth in the back and let her decide which side to take. She slid in and immediately grabbed the menu, hiding behind it. He breezily ordered a club sandwich and fries along with coffee, and Ellen chose fried chicken with mashed potatoes and a hot chocolate. Neither spoke while waiting for their food to arrive. Joe studied the girl surreptitiously. She was tall in a gangly, awkward sort of way. Her dark brown skin was blemish free, a fact he secretly envied as his own teenage years were anything but. She was very pretty with her hair in a simple ponytail and no makeup.
The silence was interrupted when Joe's cell phone rang. "Hey Mom, what's up?!" he chirped into the receiver.
"Just wanted to let you know dear, I got the call. It's ready." Laura Hardy's musical voice spoke over the airwaves.
"Sweet!" Joe enthused. "I'll stop by and pick it up later. On the job right now." he winked at the slightly less sullen girl who tried and failed to appear as if she wasn't eavesdropping on the conversation. He said a quick good bye to his mother before pocketing the phone. "Are we having dessert? I saw chocolate cake on the menu. It's not Key Lime Pie, but it'll do in a pinch."
"When are you calling Mom and Dad?" She asked, wary again.
"After cake." Joe waved the waitress over and asked for refills on the coffee and hot chocolate "And two very large slices of chocolate cake, please." Before the cake arrived though, Joe started gently interrogating the girl.
"So I take it things did not go well when you told them?" Joe started by asking.
Ellen scoffed."You could say that."
"Lemme guess. Made all sorts of ultimatums and demands without even asking you your thoughts on the subject, am I right?" Joe sympathized. At her nod, he continued. "So, what do you want to do?"
"I dunno" she said with a shrug.
"what does the father have to say about it?"
"He doesn't know. I was afraid if I did tell him he'd bail."
"Isn't that exactly what you did, though?" Joe's voice held no recrimination or judgement, merely commenting as if on the weather. "Didn't even give him a chance to man up." Ellen opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
"You always this annoying?" she finally said after taking a fork full of cake into her mouth.
"My brother thinks so, yeah." he replied calmly. "But I think he's just jealous."
"Whatever. Make the damn phone call." she sat back, crossing her arms.
Joe pulled out his cell phone again and dialed the number he had written down on a pice of paper. "Mrs Applegate? Joe Hardy here. We met briefly the other day. I have someone who'd like to speak with you." he handed the phone over to Ellen, who gingerly took it and held it to her ear.
"Mama?" she whispered, only to wince and pull the phone far away from her ear to escape the piercing shriek on the other end. Even Joe winced in sympathy. He discretely moved out of the booth when it was obvious there would be tears and sobs and much blubbering. He took with him his half eaten cake and the got a refill on the coffee when he sat over at the counter. He watched the girl the entire time and when she nodded once and hung up the phone he immediately grabbed a few napkins and handed them to the still sniffling teen. The waitress brought over a glass of water, eyebrows raised in inquiry, but all Joe did was thank her and ask for the bill.
Eventually, the sniffles stopped. "So, what's the plan? Do I have company for the drive back to Bayport?" he asked.
"I guess so." Ellen shrugged.
"Okay, then can we get going, I need to stop by and pick something up before the store closes." He urged. Ellen shrugged again but slid out of the booth and let him lead her to his car. The drive back was quiet, it appeared as if she was dozing the entire time. As they entered Bayport, he nudged her awake. "We're almost there, Kiddo."
Ellen gulped, and looked a little panic stricken but shook her head as if to drive away any unpleasant thoughts. Joe pulled up to the front of her parents' home and he put the car into park. "Do you want me to walk you to the door?" he asked gently. She shook her head no.
She unbuckled and got out. Before shutting the door, she turned around and leaned in. "Thanks. I guess. You can go on, I won't run off again."
Joe smiled at her and said, "Any time. And if you feel like things are getting out of hand again, promise me you will try and work things out first." She nodded again, and shut the door. Of course he stayed right where he was until she had made it inside the house. Professional pride and all that. But he did soon pull away form the curb, flicking the hands free device as he did so. "Bro. Mission accomplished, Ellen Applegate is home being fussed over as we speak."
"Howinhell did you manage that?!" Frank asked incredulously.
"Lucky break. I literally saw her in one of the clinics and she didn't run after I blew my cover." Joe explained. "But I have something I gotta do now so I won't be back tonight. See ya in the Morning, Bro. I'll bring donuts." Joe hung up before Frank could get a word in edgewise. He steered the car back towards the Bayport Mall but stopped instead at a store nearby. He breezed in the tiny store just ten scant minutes before it was due to close so there was no one else there.
"May I help you Sir?" the prim middle aged gentleman in a three piece suit behind the counter asked.
"Yeah. I'm Joe Hardy, I believe you have something my mother dropped off for cleaning and whatnot." He smiled. "She called me earlier and said it was ready for pick up."
"Ah, yes, Mr Hardy. I know the very piece." he disappeared into the back but returned momentarily with a small velvet lined box. He opened it, allowing Joe to see the object nestled within. "I must say, Mr Hardy, this is an exquisite item. Who is the lucky recipient?"
"The most beautiful girl in the universe, Mr. Pierce." Joe grinned like a little kid.
"Well, may I be the first to offer my congratulations?" Mr Pierce responded.
"She hasn't said yes yet!" Joe laughed. "Don't Jinx me!" Mr Pierce laughed in response and placed the box in a gift bag before handing it to the Blond Hardy. Joe left the jewelry store with no clue how he was going to propose to Halloran in 2 day's time. But he was giddy at the prospect of doing so.
A/n: Okay so this isn't the one shot I envisioned. but this will not be any more than 2 or 3 chapters.