Changes

By: Aubrie1234


Because Fenton had work to do the next day and his friends were worried about Joe, Frank invited Chet, Iola, and Callie to come with him to visit Joe the next day, being, as it was, a Saturday.

"So, what happened, exactly?" Iola asked from the backseat, which she shared with her brother as Callie rode in the front. Frank glanced at them; because they didn't know about A. T. A. C., he couldn't tell them the entire truth, but he would tell them as much as he could.

"Joe and I were working on a case about a wolf that was disturbing the nearby neighbors. I'm not sure why no one called Animal Control to work on this, but anyway, we found it, but I accidentally stepped on a twig and got its attention. It chased us and I tripped over a root, where Joe saved me, but the wolf hurt him. His neck was really injured, but I feel like its my fault for what happened, even though Dad said that it wasn't my fault."

"Well, you aren't usually that clumsy-" Iola hit Chet over the head before he could say anything more damaging.

"It wasn't your fault, Frank." Callie counseled, "And what were the extent of Joe's injuries?"

"He's had to have stitches and painkillers, of course, but the main thing the doctor told us is that Joe's barely able to talk and has had some trouble breathing. The good news, though, is that he should come out of there in a few weeks with maybe only a scar or two."

"That's great! Then maybe you guys can go back to doing what you love best: solving cases!" Chet said. Frank frowned.

"I'm not so sure, Chet. Like I told Dad last night, this is going to be our last case for a while. This is the worst either of us have been injured, and it's got everyone worried, like if this happens again. I'm pretty sure Joe will want to go back to solving cases, but I'm just not so sure." he gripped the steering wheel harder, "You didn't see the worst of Joe's injuries like I did. I nearly lost him, and I don't want to try for a second chance at that happening again. Or, at least, not too soon, if I do go back to solving cases. And even if I don't, I'll do them if Joe wants to go back to solving cases. I'm not going to leave him alone for a long while once he gets out of the hospital." Frank glanced at the rear-view mirror to his friends in the backseat, "Chet, Iola, if anything happened to either of you, the other would feel the same as I do. You'd worry about your sibling so much that you wouldn't be able to sleep at night and wouldn't leave their side for a long time. That's how I feel right now; I wouldn't stop Joe, but I'd keep a very close eye on him." It was quiet between them for the rest of the trip until Frank pulled into the hospital's parking lot.

"I hope he's awake." Frank said, "He wasn't last night, so if he is, I'm hoping to find out how he feels about what happened, even if his speech is limited."

"Even if he isn't, I bet he knows it wasn't your fault for what happened. And if he is, he'll try to tell you that." Iola said, "Stop blaming yourself, Frank." The brunette only sighed as he parked the car.


It didn't take them long to reach Joe's room, and when they opened the door, the blond was awake and reading a magazine someone had brought him, probably a nurse, and the breathing tube was gone, surprisingly. Upon seeing them, Joe put down the book and waved a bit.

"How do you feel, Joe?" Frank asked, taking the chair beside the bed as the others stood around the room. His brother gave a thumbs up and a smile.

"I guess the painkillers are helping, huh?" Callie said. Joe shrugged; how was he supposed to know if the stuff was working or not?

"So the doctor must have already told you not to use your voice. Is that why you're just making signs and stuff?" Chet asked, to which Joe nodded.

"Pretty weird not being able to use your voice, isn't it?" Iola said. Joe just crossed his arms.

"I'll take that as a yes." Joe rolled his eyes at the statement, like he was saying 'duh'.

"I know this might be a bad time, but do you remember what happened last night?" Joe nodded sadly at Frank's question, then pointed at his neck.

"Your injuries?" Joe nodded again.

"You needed stitches and the bandages are probably to keep you from bothering them, and the doctor said that you could barely talk and that you had trouble breathing. How are you breathing regularly now, anyway?" Joe shrugged.

"You don't know?" Callie asked. Joe crossed his arms again.

"What about the breathing tube?" Joe looked at Iola, confused.

"There wasn't a breathing tube when you woke up?" she asked, surprised, to which he nodded.

"Maybe your breathing got better during the night, so they took it out." Chet said.

"But the doctor, Philips, he said that it would take a few weeks at the least for you to heal, Joe. Your breathing couldn't have stabilized during the night; it's just too soon." Frank said. Joe rolled his eyes and gently pushed his brother.

"I think he's trying to tell you, Frank, that you're thinking too much." Callie said, smiling with the others. Frank smiled as well.

"You're probably right; I'll think about this later." he said, to which his brother smiled.


For the rest of the hour, they interacted until Laura and Aunt Trudy came over after work to visit Joe, so Frank and the others left, despite Joe's pleading looks.

"I can't help but feel sorry for him, with your mom and Aunt Trudy there now. They'll baby him so much he'll have wished you had stayed." Callie said, "Why did we leave, anyway?"

"A few reasons." Frank said, "One, there's no way I want to get stuck with both Mom and Trudy, with all their questioning, even with Joe and you guys backing me up; two, it was getting too crowded; three, I want your help on investigating the wolf Joe and I encountered. I think it might be connected to how Joe's breathing steadied so fast."

"Why do you think that?" Chet asked.

"Think about it. It was too soon for Joe's breathing to steady, based on how long it would take for him to heal. He's had trouble breathing after cases before, but it never stabilized this fast, and this is after our encounter with the wolf."

"I know it's just a legend, but do you think it could be a werewolf?" Iola asked.

"From what I've seen so far, even that seems possible."

"So, now you want us to help you do more research on werewolves and see if the wolf that attacked you guys last night was one." Callie surmised.

"That's right. And, if there are werewolves around again and my brother was bitten by one, then you know what that means."

"We'll have to deal with a werewolf Hardy." Chet sighed, "This is crazier than any of your other cases, so much so that I'm starting to wonder why I'm still your friend, but I'll gladly help out."

"Callie and I will help out too." Iola said, "And don't hesitate to call us if something else happens, like if Joe transforms."

"Sure." They then stopped at the library, where they began their research.


After about an hour, they gathered in front of the library to report their findings.

"Anything?" Frank asked.

"Nope, at least for me." Chet said.

"Callie and I found a few books." Iola said, the two girls carrying about two books each, "Each one has different views on werewolves and the only ones we could find in the Nonfiction section."

"And we only checked them out for the week." Callie added, "We might need to look over them more than once if Joe gets well enough to leave the hospital this week."

"Good idea, Callie." Frank said, taking one of her books, "These might help us out a lot. But, hopefully, this is just a very rare occurrence and there was no werewolf."

"Let's just get reading." Iola said, "Preferably at your house, please."

"Why?" her brother asked.

"Do you want someone to overhear us?"

"Good point..." Frank glanced at his watch and frowned.

"Guys, could you look over these books for me, please? We took longer than I thought we would have and I want to visit Joe one more time, if I can." Callie smiled and motioned for the others to do so.

"Sure, Frank. Just drop us off at your house right quick." The brunette smiled back.

"Thank you, Callie. Let's go." With nods, they hurried to Frank's car.


After dropping them off at his house like he had agreed to, Frank went to the hospital. When he had checked his watch, it showed that there were only two more hours before visiting hours were over, giving him plenty of time, but he wanted to make sure, adding in traffic and other things that could slow him down. It also didn't take him long to get to Joe's room, where he also found his father; made sense, since Fenton had gotten out of work a few hours before.

"Frank." Fenton nodded.

"Hey, dad, Joe."

"Hey." Frank did a double-take.

"Joe, did you just speak?!" The blond nodded.

*"Yeah. Ca' 'ay 'o'e 'hi'gs, 'u' I 'ry."

"I was surprised, too." Fenton said, "I was almost certain Joe still should have been on the breathing tube, but when I got here, he was talking like he is now." Joe nodded to confirm.

"So, it doesn't hurt when you speak?" Frank questioned, "When I came by with Chet, Iola, and Callie, you didn't make a sound."

"'o' 'e'er."

"Got better?" Joe nodded at Frank's translation, "Hmm..."

"You've been researching the wolf, haven't you?" Fenton asked.

"Yeah, we went straight over to the library. Joe and I talked last night about how it might have been a werewolf, though I didn't believe so at the time, but now, with the speed healing... I think Joe may have been right." His brother grinned, showing off his teeth.

**"'o'd you 'o." Frank smiled at his brother, but had his eyes looking at Joe's teeth. They seemed...sharper, somehow; maybe a trick of the light or his imagination? Frank made sure to note it to the others later, but not now.

"I guessed something was wrong myself when I saw how well Joe was doing, but a werewolf?" Fenton shook his head, "I believe you, Frank, but it seems impossible that a werewolf, of all things, was what attacked Joe last night."

"Maybe you should have A. T. A. C. investigate the case, like you were saying last night." Frank said, "And anyway, yesterday was a full moon. We still have tonight and tomorrow before the werewolf disappears, if it only appears during the full moon. And," Frank looked at his brother, "If that was a werewolf that attacked you, Joe, you might be one too, now." Joe's eyes widened before he looked crestfallen.

***"I 'o' wa'a hur' a'yo'e."

"We know, Joe; we know." Fenton comforted his son with a pat on the back, but Joe didn't look any better.

"And while I'm here, it might be best to make a list of the letters you can't sound out." Frank said, "That way we have an easier time of what you're saying, at least for now." Joe nodded and together, the three started to make a list.


"B, D, F, G, J, L, M, N, P, S, T, V, X, and Z. A little over half the alphabet, and many important letters." Frank said after finishing the list. It hadn't taken long, since they had asked Joe words with strong emphasis on certain words.

"You might not be able to talk correctly, Joe, but at least can talk." Fenton encouraged before looking at the clock on the wall, "And visiting hours are almost over, so I guess we'd better be leaving. Good night, boys." They waved goodbye to their dad as he left, and Joe looked at Frank.

"Wha' o'a ha'e'?"

"What's gonna happen?" Frank translated, to which Joe nodded, "Honestly, I don't know. But, I've been wanting to tell you this ever since you got hurt yesterday, Joe; I've already talked it over with Dad, but I knew you'd want to hear it to." Frank sighed, "With what happened, I'm think of taking a break from sleuthing."

"Wha'?!" Joe said, shocked, ****"Rake, 'o'! 'ay a 'eu'h!"

"I know you'd say that, but with what's happened..." Joe shook his head fiercely, earning him an ache in the neck. He rubbed it, trying to stop the ache, and Frank shook his head.

"Now look what you did. Be more careful with yourself, Joe. And one more thing, before I leave," Frank looked at his brother in confusion, "I understand you were trying to say my name, but why Rake instead of the way you're saying the words now?" Joe smiled.

*****"You're 'ecia'." Frank smiled.

"Thanks, little brother. I'll see you tomorrow, and because of how quick you're healing, you'll probably be discharged then, too." Joe nodded as Frank left, but then dropped the smile and sighed.

If I am a werewolf, then I don't want to hurt anyone, especially not my family and friends. he thought.


My second chapter, and I've got some translations down here for what Joe is saying, if you want to know. They'll be needed later, and you'll see why. Also, Rake is going to be the name Joe gives Frank at certain times, like what I'm doing with the translations. But for now, read and review, readers!

*"Yeah. Ca' 'ay 'o'e 'hi'gs, 'u' I 'ry." = "Yeah. Can't say some things, but I try."

**"'o'd you 'o." = "Told you so."

***"I 'o' wa'a hur' a'yo'e." = "I don't wanna hurt anyone."

****"Rake, 'o'! 'ay a 'eu'h!" = "Frank, don't! Stay a sleuth!"

*****"You're 'ecia'." = "You're special."