DISCLAIMER: See the First Chapter and I do not own any rights to 'Savin' Me' by Nickleback.

Sorry about last time….I wasn't paying attention when I uploaded the chapter and didn't space it out! Sorry guys!

(Also the stalker guy, Kevin Ferrall, belongs to Emeralds and Rubies, not me…)

\(\/)(',' ) Enjoy the story… (+'.'+)( o ) \(")(")0-

Chapter 2

A grumbling noise came from under the covers on the bed. "I hate mornings…" Nancy said in protest to her alarm. It flashed six a.m. "Come on Drew, get up and get in the shower. You have a long day ahead of you." She said to herself. She threw the covers back and swung her legs over the side and dragged her self into the bathroom and took a shower. When she was done in the shower she wrapped her self in a clean towel and went to put on her clothes for the day. "There is no way I am wearing heels two days in a row. I am not Bess." Nancy said to herself.

She finally decided on a light blue V-neck shirt with her black slacks and her matching flats. She moved to her jewelry box to see which necklace would look good on her today. As she was looking for one her fingers landed on a certain gold ring, the one that she used when she was-pretended to be Frank Hardy's wife in Egypt. A smile spread across her face as the memories from the case came back to her.

The phone rang. Her smile that once inhabited her face was gone. She picked up the phone.

"Hello"

"Hey Nancy! Good morning to you too!" said a cheery perky voice Nancy only knew as Bess's.

"Hey Bess. Sorry, I guess I was just spacing out. So what's up?" Nancy replied to her perky friend as she unconsciously slipped the ring on her finger and grabbed a turquoise and leather necklace.

"Uh-huh…spacing out about what? Hmm… or should I say about whom?" George inquired.

"Nothing" Nancy insisted. "Now what did you call about?" Nancy wanted the subject to change. Bess and George were cousins and Nancy's best friends since probably before kindergarten. Bess is the fashion diva and boy crazy and George is the tom-boy, computer geek.

"Well I was wondering since that new guy at the bookstore asked me to go dancing tonight at that new jazz club and I was wondering if I could borrow that really pretty ice blue dress you got last month?" Bess asked.

"Sure Bess, Why not. I'll leave it out on the bed for you." Nancy was happy to help her friend with her problem. She glanced at the clock. '7:00! I'm late!' "Uh, hey Bess, I'm running a bit late so I'll leave you the key in the usual spot. And the dress is on my bed."

"No problem, and Nancy," Bess replied. "You're the best." and on that note they hung up and Nancy grabbed her bag and an apple from the basket and rushed out the door, putting the key under the mat for Bess.

Fifteen minutes later, Nancy unlocked the door to the agency and set her bag next to her desk. She sat in a big office where there were three desks. One belonged to her, one to Frank and one to Joe. The room looked just like a Private Investigator's office would look like.

She was happy to be in a familiar place at the moment. The entire walk here she felt as if someone was following her. She started up the computer. She looked around the huge room. The quietness calmed her a little it also made her feel alone.

"I need some music" Nancy said to herself as she turned on the radio. Nickleback started to play 'Savin' Me'. It calmed her a bit as she tapped her foot to the song.

When the computer finally started she checked her e-mail. '4 new messages' it said. One from her dad checking in with her, one from Hannah as well, a long one from Bess and George talking about what Bess's new boyfriend was like, and one from Frank checking in and saying that he misses her. She was in the middle of reading Frank's when the ringing of the phone startled her. She reached for the phone and answered.

"Hardy and Drew Detective Agency, Nancy speaking."

"Don't you 'Nancy speaking' us." Bess said. She was calling from Nancy's apartment, and apparently George was with her.

"What are you talking about Bess?" asked Nancy. She was utterly confused.

"Maybe this might refresh your memory…

Your hair is like a ray of golden sunshine,

Your eyes remind me of the ocean,

Where I could just drown,

You are a dream come true,

True Love

And there is a red long stemmed rose here on the table." George said.

"Is there something we should know about Miss Drew?" Bess said.

"I completely forgot about the letter this morning. I was in such a hurry to get out and I forgot to grab it!" Nancy exclaimed.

"So… Who is it from? Hmm…" George inquired. "A secret admirer? Or a secret lover? Hmm…"

"Don't tell me you're cheating on our cute Frank Hardy!" Bess joked.

"Never!"Nancy was appalled. She would never cheat on someone she was seeing, especially not on Frank. HER Frank. She cared for him too much. He was always there for her, even when they couldn't be together he was still there for her. "I can't believe you guys would ever think that I would do anything like that! And to Frank-"

"Whoa, Whoa, calm down Nancy. Bess was only joking! We know you would never do anything like that" George said, cutting Nancy off.

"Trust me Nance, I was only joking! I'm sorry! I know how much you care about Frank! I remember Egypt just as much as you do." Bess said hoping her friend would calm down.

"It's okay Bess, sorry I didn't mean to snap at you guys. I guess I'm just a bit hungry. I forgot to grab a second apple for a snack." Nancy apologized.

"It's okay Nance, how about we bring you a snack and hang out down there for lunch, you know if it isn't busy or you are working on a case." George offered.

"Nah, come on over here. I could use the company. It gets pretty lonely over here with Frank and Joe out of town." Nancy replied.

"Sweet. We'll be over around noon, that way we can talk about Bess's new boyfriend." George said.

"Any preferences for lunch?" asked Bess.

"Nope, anything you guys want is cool with me. I trust you guys to know what I like." Nancy Replied. "So I will see you guys around noon?"

"Most definitely!" the cousins said in unison. After they said their good byes they hung up and Nancy finished checking her emails and began on the last bit of paper work from her last case. Before she knew it, it was noon and Bess and George were waltzing into her office with 2 bags of Chinese takeout.

"Hey Nancy! You busy with paper work?" Bess asked as she set one of the bags on one of desks and began to unload it.

"Nope. Just finished the last bit of it. So what did you get?" answered Nancy.

"You know the usual. " George replied.

As the girls grabbed their carton of choice and found a comfy seat they started chatting aimlessly. Some times about Bess's new boyfriend, or about George's new addiction with Sudoku, or on some other random topic.

"So Nance, You never told us what was up with that Love letter…" Started Bess.

"Yea you didn't….Do you have any idea who it's from?" Inquired George.

"Actually no I don't. I found it taped to the door of my apartment door last night when I was coming home from a late night here, along with the rose. I have no clue who gave it to me." Nancy answered.

"Well who ever he was I bet he is really cute and loves romance and has great taste and-" Bess rambled on.

"-and he loves sports and isn't afraid to show his true self and is the absolute perfect guy." George finished for her cousin. "You always say that about a guy who leaves roses."

"Plus I bet this was left by some kid in the neighborhood who has a silly little crush on me, and that's it." Nancy said as she finished off her lunch. As she was moving to toss the carton in the trash Bess said something that was quite unexpected.

"Nancy, Nancy honey what are you wearing?"

Nancy was confused in the tone her friend was using. She looked down at her blouse and pants then back up at her friend with confusion written on her face.

"What do you mean? You've seen me in this before Bess. What's wrong?" Nancy said. She looked to George to see if she knew what was up with Bess but apparently she also knew what Nancy did not. "What's going on guys? You guys are starting to freak me out here. Some one say some thing, please." It almost sounded like a beg. Nancy was really wondering why the cousins were acting like this. Bess was the first to break the silence.

"Shiny-Thingy on finger…"

"wha-" Nancy began before George cut her off.

"Nancy you have on a freaking gold diamond ring! What the heck!"

Nancy looked down at her finger and there was the ring she had used when she had pretended to be Frank Hardy's wife a few years back on an Egypt case. 'Oh man! I forgot that when I was looking for a necklace this morning I came across it and I must have slipped it on when Bess called. This is going to be hard to get out of."

"Funny story. See-" Nancy started.

"Oh no you don't Drew. You're not talking your way out of this one." George said as she cut Nancy off.

Nancy looked to Bess for any help. She knew that it was the ring from Egypt, at least Nancy hoped Bess remembered.

"Don't look at me…I am surprised to see that thing on your finger as much as she is." Bess said as she shot Nancy down. After a few seconds of thinking Bess's face was over come with shock. "Wait a second…Nancy, can I take a closer look at that ring?"

"Sure…" She was more then welcome to let her friend help her find a way out of the sticky situation she was now in. Bess took Nancy's hand and held the ring closer to her face. She glanced up once looking at Nancy for confirmation.

"Hold your horses George. It's a false alarm. Nancy isn't getting married. At least not in the fore see able future." Bess said in a kind of glum voice.

"What do you mean?" George asked.

"That ring maybe a wedding ring or an engagement ring, but it is from Nancy's jewelry box." Bess said in a matter-a-fact voice.

"How do you know?" George asked. Nancy shot Bess a warning look but she just shrugged it off.

"Cause a few years back the Hardy's asked for our help on a case that was out of the country and Nancy and I pretended to be their wives. I was married to Joe and Nancy was married to Frank. This was of course back when Frank had Callie and Nancy had Ned but that didn't stop them from flirting with each other like crazy. Any way this is the same ring that Nancy was given to her to wear as her wedding ring. She keeps it in her jewelry box."

"And how did I not know about this?" George asked, but thankfully for Nancy the phone rang. Interrupting their conversation. Nancy dove at the phone, accepting the needed escape from the conversation.

"Hardy and Drew Detective Agency, Nancy Speaking." Nancy rushed out.

"Well hello to you too Nancy." Said a familiar voice. The second Nancy heard the voice she immediately relaxed.

"Hey Frank. How's Bayport?" Nancy asked. Bess and George looked up from the conversation they were having when they heard Nancy say Frank's name.

"We'll leave you and your 'Fiancé' alone…"George joked. Nancy was about to retort when Frank said something.

"It's been great, we were just about to leave to go say happy birthday to mom when I thought I would call and see what you were up to." Frank said.

"That, the fact that he misses you and we have and hour to kill before we actually have to show up." Nancy heard Joe shout in the background. Then she heard Frank try to shush him.

"Well I miss you to. Bess and George were just here keeping me company. It's been kinda slow since you guys left." Nancy said.

They continued their conversation for a while. It varied from the weather to Bess's new crush to Joe's loud annoying sighs from the other side of the car.

By the time they finished their conversation it was five thirty in the afternoon. 'Well it's about time to close up.' Nancy thought to herself. And on that thought she moved to turn off the computer and all of the lights, grabbed her stuff double checking that she had everything she needed. Once done she stepped out on the sidewalk and locked the door to the agency. She looked at her watch. 'Six o'clock on the dot. That's a first.' Nancy thought as she started down the street. She was just about to cross the street to her apartment building when she bumped into a tall man in an over coat.

"Sorry" Nancy said.

"Quite alright miss." He replied and continued walking.

Nancy made her way up the stairs and to her apartment door. She was humming, she was ready to go relax in bed with a good book. She got to her door. She grabbed her key and put it in the lock and unlocked the door and pushed it open. She stepped into her apartment set her bag by the door. Shut the door, took off her coat and hung it up in her closet, took her shoes off and let her hair down. She was walked into the kitchen and grabbed herself a glass of water. When she turned around she froze.

A bright pink envelope was sitting on the counter. Along with another red rose.

Duh duh duh duhhhhhhh!!! Cliff Hanger!!! Kinda…sorta…any way…

Sorry it took me a while to update…I had a little bit of writers block…twice…any way I am better now…I tried to space it out more. Remember to Review…