Previously:
"You're l-leaving?" Hope stuttered, her face melted from crossness to disbelief and then to shock, "What-what do you mean you're leaving? You can't leave."
"We have to, to protect our families. We're taking the boys and splitting up. Trust me, it's not like we actually want to do this," Joe muttered.
"Why did you lock us up Frank?" I asked somberly, laying my arm across the metal bar in front of me, and looking deep into his brown eyes. His face was ridden with dejection and guilt.
"We had to. We already said good bye to everyone else, secretly of course so they wouldn't know what was going on. But you and Hope, you're our best friends. We had to tell someone about it in person. We couldn't even face our own parents," he clarified, "Of course we knew when we told you, you would try and stop us. Don't worry the construction crew will find you both in the morning. That gives us enough time to leave. And if you think you can follow us, we'll know," he added glancing at Joe.
"You're crazy! You know that? Both of you. Crazy!" Hope shouted trying her hardest to hold back the tears that were already welling in her eyes.
"Calm down. It's their decision to make, not ours," I whispered in her ear as I brushed her golden bangs from her face. I found myself holding Hope tightly in my arms, she was trembling.
"Thank you," Joe said softly, obviously knowing what I had just told my wife.
"We have to go," I heard Vanessa say from behind the guys. She and Callie, obviously unable to control their emotions left the building with Jared and Seth to wait for their husbands in the car.
"No, no, no, no, no, no," Hope kept whispering shaking her head, she was right in between furiousness and despair. I couldn't tell if she was going to start yelling or burst out crying. Then her face became red with anger, she clenched her teeth, staring deep into Joe's dark eyes.
"Frank, don't leave me in here with her," I whispered through the bars. He smiled slightly. Then without warning Hope broke down, her face softened, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Make up your mind Love, I don't know whether to be afraid of you, or console you.
"It's okay Hope," Joe breathed just loud enough for her to hear. I could tell this was especially hard on him, he had just gotten back to us, now he's leaving again. I can't let this happen!
"Don't leave you guys, we can work this out," I argued in one last attempt to keep them here. I was holding Hope in my arms wiping her tears from her face. Look at what they're doing to us.
"I'm sorry," Frank said one last time before walking to the front of the station and out to the parking lot. I watched him leave until he was just a silhouette. I can't believe this is happening. Hope clung even closer to me, but then when Joe started to leave she ran to the door.
"Joe," she said softly. She held out her arms through the bars. I could see the pain in both of their faces. Their relationship was an extraordinary one. Like they had known each other forever, like they were brother and sister. Joe walked slowly over to the cell again, his eyes seemed to grow lighter as he stared back at Hope. Then he embraced her in a warm hug through the bars.
"I will always be here for you Hope," he whispered in her ear, "even if you can't see me. Don't lose trust. Promise me you won't forget that." Hope nodded her head pulling herself away from him.
"I promise," was the last thing that was said by her all night. After we both watched him walk away and heard the van pull out of the parking lot, Hope and I sat on the cold cement floor. I held her in my lap the rest of that night, the hardest night of our lives...and she cried...and I cried. I stroked her head and rocked her until finally she had no more tears left to cry and sleep was a release. But I didn't sleep at all. I sat there staring at the bars in front of me, wondering if I would ever see the Hardys again. And I never did...
...BEHIND DARKENED EYES: THE MEMORY KEEPERS...
This story takes place about fifteen years after "Drops of Crimson"