A/N: Check this out! A new chapter in less than a week after my previous one! Yay! I couldn't help it though. I was excited about this chapter. It's a very emotional chapter. If any of you are waiting for major action, just wait till the next chapter. It's gonna be good.
Anyway, thanks again for all your reviews. You all are my inspiration, I swear! Enjoy the next well-earned chapter!
Chapter 6
Three Weeks Later…
"Ten bucks says I can beat you to the administration building," Nancy yelled. Her voice was slightly winded, but in no way out of breath.
"Deal," Frank yelled back grinning. The next thing he knew Nancy gave him a wicked grin and took off at sprint. Frank smiled at her back before doubling his own speed. He quickly closed the distance Nancy had used to separate them and they ran with synonymous rhythm, both within thirty feet of the building.
Frank watched as Nancy made a move to stick her hand out. She was within ten feet of the building and was preparing for impact. Frank smiled and with the devil's aura surrounding him, he extended his leg out towards his right; directly in Nancy's path. Nancy gave a surprised gasp as her legs got caught up in his, and both of them went tumbling. She fell to the ground with a heavy breath while Frank's laughter filled her ears.
"You dirty, rotten, no-good, scheming, rat—cheater!" Nancy shouted, glaring at Frank. This just caused Frank to laugh harder.
"Rat cheater?" Frank asked, finally rolling over to face her. "What's a rat cheater?"
"You are," Nancy shot back with failing irritation. She hated how his smile could always bring down her defenses and make her forget any reasons why she might be angry with.
"Ohhhh, okay," Frank said grinning and rolling back onto his back silently laughing at her childish behavior.
Nancy flipped over and stood up just enough so that she could straddle him. She plopped down on his chest almost as if she thought she weighed nothing, even though she knew she didn't. Her movement had her desired affect as he curled up slightly, tucking his knees and clutching his chest as the air rushed out of his lungs. He coughed slightly.
Nancy leaned forward bringing his face close to his. "See, I know the only reason you cheated was because you were insecure about winning. So you had to make it a tie so that everyone wins."
"You've got me all figured out, Drew," Frank said smiling. Nancy leaned forward even closer.
"There's only one problem, Hardy," she breathed. She was so close that Frank felt his eyelids instinctively close. Her words were warm against his lips. "Someone's still got to touch the building." The next thing Frank knew, the weight off his stomach was lifted. His eyes shot open as the realization set in that she'd tricked him and was now closing in on the remaining distance. Frank got up and was half way through the remaining distance when Nancy touched the wall. She turned around and faced him, her hands on her hips in satisfaction.
"You're in for it now, Drew." Frank caught up with her and let his hands run across her stomach, up her sides and to her underarms where she was forced to double over in laughter.
"No-no fair!" She yelled through the laughter.
"Call it a tie and I'll stop," Frank coaxed, enjoying every minute of being the torturer.
"Okay, okay, it's a tie, it's a tie," she relented. She took in deep breaths as Frank moved his hands away from her ticklish spot and wrapped them around her waist.
"You are a mean mean man, Frank Hardy," Nancy gently scolded as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Mean?" Frank said faking hurt. "I'd like to think I'm a hard bargainer." Nancy shook her head and grinned as she leaned forward as before, her lips searching his and her eyes closing. But Frank pulled back.
"No tricks?" Frank asked.
"Truths," Nancy conceded with a laugh her eyes opening again and sparkling with happiness.
"Truths," Frank agreed, as he closed the remaining distance and met Nancy's lips with his own.
Their next moment of awareness came when the sound of someone clearing their throat repetitively, almost purposefully, disturbed the moment. Frank pulled away and looked over, shock spreading all over his face. He broke away from Nancy so fast he threw her off balance and almost into the wall.
"Joe!" Frank said happiness and nervousness suddenly overtaking him. He'd neglected to tell Joe that he and Nancy were seeing each other. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he took Joe in a hug. The two brothers pulled away and Joe gave Frank a confused glance as if to say, What's going on here?
Before Joe could answer however, Nancy stepped forward and took Joe into a hug as well. "It's great to see you, Joe! How've you been?"
"Good," Joe responded, still thoroughly confused. "Callie wanted to see you," Joe finally answered, turning his attention back to his brother and letting his tone become slightly cold.
Frank swallowed. He'd been keeping in touch with Callie almost every other day during the week. From what it sounded like, her mother wasn't showing any improvement, and his girlfriend was sounding increasingly depressed. He'd thought of telling her almost every time he'd picked up the phone and heard her voice on the other side, but what kind of man would do that to someone who was already dealing with so much?
The thought had also come up several times of just stopping things with Nancy. He knew it was unfair to be hanging out with Nancy, leading her to believe that they were going out and the things they were doing didn't have consequences. His feelings cut so deep that he couldn't bare the idea of telling her that they couldn't be together. Meanwhile, the guilt of hiding things from his girlfriend and pretending with Nancy were starting to get to him, and now they'd come together. He didn't see how he'd get through this without someone getting hurt.
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"Good morning," Director Robert Lennox greeted them. "Please take your seats." Frank and Joe headed for the right side of the conference room, looking at the three other agents already seated with curiosity. Frank and Joe both had worn black suits and ties for the occasion, their visitor badges glimmering from their breast pocket. Nancy walked into the room dazzling Frank with the dark blue pants and what looked to be a light blue silk blouse underneath a matching dark blue coat. Without looking at the Hardys' she purposely sat at the opposite end of the table as them with one of the unfamiliar agents.
"I would like to introduce one of my agents, Nancy Drew and from the Bureau, we have Agents Frank and Joe Hardy," Director Lennox said making no effort to try to distinguish the brothers from each other. Director Lennox walked towards the end of the long white room to the chair in front of the table that overlooked the city. Buildings rose up distinctly behind him from all directions as cars and people made the effort to weave through the intimidating structures.
He took the head seat with a grunt as he forced his large body mass into the chair. "With us today, representing distinguished members of the Board are Senior Officer Agent Tom Madison," Lennox said gesturing to the tall white haired men with intimidating blue eyes who sat to the Director's left. "Director of Agency Affairs Don Parsons." Lennox gestured to a much younger looking man than Agent Madison with dark brown hair. He was situated in between Frank and Agent Madison. "And Director of Human Resources Ellen Bordeaux," Lennox said concluding introductions by gesturing to an unreadable woman with large brown eyes and tight red lips sitting next to Nancy.
"I would like to get started by—" Director Lennox began.
"Sir?" Nancy interrupted. "I was under the impression that this review would be just between us."
Director Lennox eyed Nancy as if he were a parent scolding a child. "The Board as well as myself, wanted to see the result of your progress so we can determine how long we thing this investigation should continue.
"Now as I was saying I would like to start by hearing from you, Agent Drew. Please tell us what progress you've made on your case." Frank watched as Nancy took a deep breath. She knew what was on the line. If she couldn't convince these people that the case neither Frank and she was pretty sure Joe, no longer believed existed then there was no way that they would spend any more time or money on it. If she couldn't keep this case open, he didn't know what she'd do.
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"Callie?" Nancy asked looking at Frank with the same confused look Joe had previously bestowed on him. "Frank, what's going on?"
Before Frank could answer, Callie herself walked up. The only way Frank could describe her was limp. Her hair fell with little to no volume at her shoulders, her face was devoid of her normal make-up and almost fixed in a permanent frown.
"Oh, Frank!" Callie cried running into his arms and taking him into a hug and crying into his chest. "I'm sorry for coming, I know we're not supposed to, but I needed to see you, I-I don't think I can d-do this by-by m-myself," Callie sobbed.
"Shh, it's okay," Frank soothed rubbing her back and trying to avoid the shocked looks Nancy was giving him.
Callie pulled away for a brief moment to look at him. "She died, Frank. My mom died last night." Her head fell back onto his chest as a fresh boat of sobs overtook her. Frank held her tightly against him as her body shuddered with her tears. He looked up to find Joe shaking his head and Nancy no longer there.
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"During Agent Frank and Joe Hardy's stay, we've been focused on the Senator's death. Further investigation revealed that one of the nurses there, Rhonda Cunningham, may have vital information in determining the people responsible for the Senator's death," Nancy stated.
"Pardon me, Agent Drew," Nancy looked over to Director Bordeaux who'd spoken. "You mentioned in your proposal that you believed the deaths you've been researching into were a result of terrorist activities. Have you found any more evidence leading to that conclusion?"
"No, but for these murders to be connected, it's the only proposal that makes sense. Now—"
"I'm sorry Agent Drew, but what evidence is there that these so-called murders are connected?" Director Parsons broke in.
Nancy looked slightly nervous, but somehow she managed to keep her voice controlled. "The belief is that an unidentified terrorist group is trying to seek revenge on the government for initiating the War in Iraq. They're doing this by murdering government officials to look like accidents. Since none of the deaths have occurred in the same hospitals of by the same physicians or nurses, it's led me to believe that more than one person is contributing," Nancy explained.
"Terrorists tend to make their message clearly than by performing covert operations. Any reasoning to believe why they haven't made themselves more open?" Agent Madison asked.
"I believe that their message in this case is being made more efficiently. No one seems to believe that any connection is present, so they don't have to worry about exposure. Meanwhile, they're effectively making their point by killing people who are involved in the creation and prevention of this war," Nancy answered.
"It seems to me, Agent Drew," Agent Madison argued, "that there are a lot more beliefs and theories than evidence for your case."
Nancy struggled to control herself from becoming angry. These were all arguments she'd been fending off from Frank and here she had to go and defend herself all over again for the validity of the case. She knew in order to keep it open she had to stay calm.
"I beg your pardon, but I've been working on this case for almost a month. I've done the majority of the research and investigations myself. With the approval of you and your colleagues I've been given the chance to have more help on a very preliminary case. Director Lennox has asked me to bring something concrete in the three days I've had with the Hardys'. Three days is not enough time to give you the results I'm sure you're looking for. If perhaps, I had another month—"
"A month!" Director Lennox shouted. "Agent Drew, seeing as how you've been working on this case for a month and have nothing but speculation, I'm not seeing the benefits of supplying you with another."
"There are cases that have been open longer than mine," Nancy argued. "Cases that have gone on for years looking into dead-end leads—"
"Yes, Agent Drew," Director Bordeaux spoke up, "leads. Those cases had leads. I'm not seeing many potential leads aside from this Rhonda Cunningham you mentioned. Please, why have you not been able to come in contact with her?"
"She's been unreachable. However, I believe that she will—"
"We've heard enough of your beliefs, Agent Drew," Agent Madison argued, his face cold. "I want to know if you have any solid evidence that brings any of the ideas you've brought into this room today to have any sustenance."
Nancy looked into the unrelenting eyes of the Board members, her director and Frank and Joe. None of them believed her, believed in her. "I'm sorry if all you feel as if this is a waste of time, but the fact is, if this terrorist group exists, we're in big trouble, because there's no telling how far into the system these people have infiltrated. If—"
"Agent Drew, answer Agent Madison's question," Director Lennox growled.
Nancy looked at her director and then past him, out into the city. "No, Sir."
"Agent Joe Hardy, what is your opinion about this case?" Director Lennox asked.
Joe looked uncomfortable, glancing at both Nancy and everyone else in the room. "Honestly, Sir, I don't know what to believe. Agent Drew has brought up some interesting points to consider, but the lack of anything concrete is hard to see the truth in her claims." Nancy looked at Joe stunned. She'd thought that Joe would giver her some sort of chance, be her miracle in somehow changing everyone's minds.
"Do you believe, Agent Hardy, that it would be worth the Agency's time and money to research further into this case?" Director Parsons proposed.
"I don't think it would be asking too much to give Agent Drew a little more time to find evidence to satisfy the Agency," Joe answered honestly. Nancy relaxed a little, inwardly thanking Joe, but immediately found herself becoming tense again as Director Lennox's eyes fell on Frank.
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Frank walked up to the door of Nancy's cabin, hesitating before opening it. After Nancy had run off, Frank had managed to escort Callie and Joe back to their hotel rooms, promising to find a way to meet them for dinner, insisting he needed to change. In actuality, he was dying to find Nancy. He didn't know what was going through her mind right now, but he needed to tell her something, the problem was he didn't know exactly what.
He gave one last hesitation before turning the knob and walking inside. The cabin was completely wooden and inside everything was symmetrical. Ten iron post beds were aligned with the headboard against the walls on either side. An identical chest rested at the foot of every bed. Three perfectly square windows on both long walls were the only source of natural light. In the back, a doorway was led to the showers and bathrooms.
A few women looked at him curiously. It was a general rule that men and women weren't allowed in each other's cabins, so the looks weren't unjustified. However, he was there for a reason, and he wasn't turning back. He caught sight of Nancy sitting on a bed near the back of the room. He walked towards her till he was standing in front of her. If she saw him, she gave no indication, causing Frank to drop down on one knee before her.
"Hey," he greeted, not really know what else to say.
"Hi," she responded back moodily. A moment of silence fell between them, until Nancy finally looked up. "So, what's going on Frank? Why did Callie travel five hours to see you?"
"Her mother just died, Nan," Frank answered, knowing that by answering the question that way he was also purposefully not answering.
Nancy eyed him with disbelief. "Okay, I would understand that after breaking up with her, you two may have agreed to stay friends, and she'd want your comfort, but I need to know if you guys are just close friends or is there something more between you two?"
"Are you jealous?" Frank asked surprised and trying desperately to avoid a direct answer.
Nancy's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't under the impression the two of you were on such good terms since the break-up. You never mentioned her…situation."
Frank bit his lip before taking a big sigh. He gently took Nancy's hands into either one of his and forced himself to meet her eyes. "Nancy, I never broke up with Callie," Frank finally admitted honestly. "The day you saw me on the phone with her, she told me that her mother had just fallen into a coma and after hearing that and hearing how upset it made her, I couldn't add to her misery. She felt alone enough as it was, I couldn't sit there and not support her."
Nancy's eyes turned icy cold as she snatched her hands out of Frank's grip. "So, you thought lying to me would make it all better? Until Callie's mother either died or got well again you thought it'd be fun to have it both ways for awhile?"
"It's not like that, Nancy," Frank argued. "I didn't want to hurt either of you, but I couldn't stand the idea of telling you we couldn't be together for who knows how long, and God knows I couldn't have told Callie that we're no longer together while her mom is the hospital. What would you have done?"
"I would have been honest," Nancy hissed. "If Callie really respected you as a friend as much as you say she does then it wouldn't have mattered. Or how about this? You could have told me the truth instead of leading me on and making me believe that we were in a relationship. I told you how I felt and I would have waited, Frank." Frank's heart clenched painfully. She would have waited.
"Tell me, Frank," Nancy said standing. "When your little plan had worked itself out and you finally did break up with Callie were you going to tell me the truth?" Frank didn't answer, because honestly, he hadn't thought that far. He believed when that moment came it wouldn't matter because then all his words would be true.
From Frank's absence response Nancy knew she had her answer. "Please leave, Frank."
"Nancy," Frank said desperately, almost feeling as if this would be his last chance to explain.
"Go!" Frank saw the anger in her eyes and also the tears she was holding back. He knew that they were because of him and that made it hurt so much more.
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"Agent Frank Hardy, please tell us your opinion," Director Lennox requested. Frank could feel the intensity of Nancy's gaze. He wanted to believe her, he wanted to help her with this case, but that was hard to do when very little evidence supported that there was one. If he was going to help her, he had to be honest, he decided. He had to tell them exactly the way he understood it. He knew she wouldn't support him, would probably never talk to him, but he told himself it was for the best.
"I believe that Agent Drew would have had ample time to gather evidence for this case if it existed," Frank stated. Frank kept his eyes off Nancy, knowing that he wouldn't be able to continue if he saw her looking at him that way again.
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Frank glanced over at Nancy from where he was standing in the line-up but she was looking directly forward with perfect posture, not even aware of his presence. As soon as their commander dismissed them he headed for her. He however, was forced to wait when their commander reached her first. He stood impatiently, but nearly froze when he heard the word transfer. She gave him a smile and a firm handshake before turning and heading back in the direction of her cabin.
Frank was pretty sure she'd seen him, but she gave him no attention. He hadn't talked to her for almost a week. She'd made sure that she wasn't easy to find, but everything he'd prepared to say to her during that span of time suddenly seemed insignificant after hearing that word.
"Nancy!" He called. She didn't pay any attention, at least, not until he ran directly in front of her path.
She came to an instant stop, arms crossed. "What, Frank?"
"Are you leaving?" Frank asked.
Nancy nodded. "I've decided to transfer to the CIA. I thought that I would fit-in better there. That's where I'll complete my training. Anything else?"
Frank looked at her passive demeanor angrily. "So is that your solution, Nancy? You're just going to run away because of one little mistake?"
If Frank thought he'd seen Nancy angry, he was wrong. "One little mistake?" Nancy articulated, her voice dangerously low. "You lied to me, and not only that, but if you hadn't gotten caught, you were never going to tell me! I thought our friendship at least meant more to you than that! I don't want to be here, around someone who treats me that way."
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"Sir, if I may—" Nancy started.
"Relax, Agent Drew. Agent Hardy is free to express his opinion, and I wish to hear his reasoning," Director Lennox said calmly. "Anything else you'd like to add, Agent Hardy?"
Frank swallowed. "Yes." Nancy's glare in his direction changed to widened eyes.
"Agent Drew, during the duration of our stay has made mention that she was searching for her father's murderer. I believe that her theories have been derived from a need for closure," Frank explained.
"You think I'm crazy!" Nancy yelled standing up, her eyes on Frank.
"Sit down, Agent Drew!" Director Lennox ordered.
"No, but I think you need help," Frank responded. If there had been any hope of reconciling the moment Frank said those words all hope had been obliterated. Nancy stood there, stunned.
"Take your seat, if you please Agent Drew," Director Lennox requested once more, this time with a low threatening growl. Nancy responded slowly, shock and anger manipulating her features.
"Are you a psychiatrist, Agent Hardy?" Agent Madison asked.
"No, I am not," Frank answered. "But I worked with Agent Drew a long time ago, before she joined the Agency. Her instincts were almost always right, but they usually had some basis. In emotional situations, she has a tendency to put her work ahead of everything, including herself. I don't believe that Agent Drew has had sufficient time to recover from the shock of losing her father before jumping into her work."
"If no one has any more questions," Director Lennox paused. The members of the Board shook their head as Director Lennox's eyes passed over them. "Alright, thank you all for coming in. Agent Drew," Nancy looked up, "You will be hearing within the week the results about the Board's decision to allow a continuance of your investigation."
"Yes, Sir," she answered quietly. Without another word to anyone, she left the room.
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"I'm sorry I lied to you, that was wrong, Nancy, and I know that, but aside from postponing the break-up it wasn't like I was trying to have it both ways. Nothing would have happened between Callie and me. I just couldn't break up with her while her mother was dying and I honestly can't believe you'd do something like that to Ned."
"I would be honest with Ned. I was honest with Ned. Why be in a sympathetic relationship? There's nothing there. It wouldn't be fair to him. If he didn't want me there fine, but sooner or later we would talk about it and know it was the right thing to do," Nancy said.
"That may work for you, but I couldn't do that to Callie." Nancy stared at him for a second, measuring the truth in his words and looking as if she didn't believe him.
"Fine," Nancy answered before turning to walk away.
"I made a mistake, it doesn't mean you need to leave, that we can't work this out," Frank insisted pulling her back.
Nancy shook her head. "Frank, I gave you all the time you needed to make a decision; work things out with Callie. Do you know why I did that? Because it made sense. You would have a chance to keep people from getting hurt by making a decision you wouldn't regret. You couldn't even do that! And now you've hurt me." Nancy took a deep breath.
"It still doesn't mean you have to leave. We'll take things easy for awhile. Take a break if you want, but you don't need to leave, Nancy, please."
Nancy took a deep breath as if she was struggling to keep from crying. Frank's pleas cried out to her heart it was all she could do to keep strong and turn away from them. "I'm not leaving because of you Frank, I'm leaving for me." She released a shuddering breath. "Leaving may be a mistake; you and I make mistakes. We find out we're wrong and we move on and make new mistakes all over again. If this is a mistake, I'm following it until I know for sure it is one, otherwise, I'll never know. Good-bye, Frank."
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Frank slammed the phone down onto the receiver. "Dammit, Nancy!" He'd already tried calling her three times and stopping by her office and her house. He couldn't find her anywhere. The decision had come in yesterday, three days after the hearing. The Agency was suspending the investigation and Nancy was to take the next three weeks off to recover from her father's death. During that time, she would be required to see a licensed therapist twice a week. Her leave was to start immediately.
During those three days before the Board's announcement, Nancy refused to speak to either Frank or Joe. Neither of them had seen or heard from her. Director Lennox had called to give them the Board's conclusion and tell them they could return home. Their plane was to leave in two hours and he had lost all hope of attempting to explain himself to her. He believed in what he said at the hearing. The Nancy Drew he saw over the last few days of his visit was not the one he knew, or used to know he should say. He honestly thought something was wrong with her and he hoped that therapy could help straighten things out for her. He knew she probably hated him, but hopefully it was for the best and maybe at some point she'd see that too.
"No luck?" Joe asked glancing at the phone as he exited the bedroom, his suitcase in hand.
"No," Frank answered wearily. Joe put his suitcase down and came over and sat next his brother.
"You can't help but to understand why she might be taking this a little personally," Joe said.
"That's not funny," Frank grumbled.
"I'm not trying to be funny," Joe insisted. "But this is all hard for her."
"Do you think I wanted to be the bad guy in all this, Joe?" Frank demanded.
"No, and she'll see that eventually. She's just got a grudge against you," Joe admitted. "However, it wouldn't have killed you to give her just a little more time and suggest therapy."
"My job isn't to make things easier for her," Frank answered. "They asked for my opinion and I gave it."
"It's not your professional job to make things easier for her, but what about as a friend?" Joe asked. "Just a thought."
"Since when did you become all psychoanalytical?" Frank asked.
"Took a psych class in college," Joe answered. Frank looked at him in disbelief. "Fine, you want a real answer? Because somewhere along the line your people skills have gone out the window," Joe stood up and walked towards the living room and stood in front of the television. He picked-up the remote off the table and paused for a moment before hitting the power button. "Or maybe your people skills just suck when you're around Nancy," Joe said thoughtfully. Joe shrugged at his brother. "I dunno, something to think about." Joe pushed the power button and stretched out, placing his legs on the coffee table to use as a foot rest. Frank looked at his brother in amazement before glancing at the phone one last time and making his way into the bedroom to finish packing.