For the people who have reviewed, thank you very much-- I appreciate it! As I indicated, I have updated every day or so. I will continue to post here as long as there is some indication that people are reading the story; thus far, I don't really know based on the lack of reviews.

"Fire and Ice"

Chapter 7

Once they arrived at the hospital where Charlotte had been taken, they found themselves in the midst of a great deal of activity. Members of the press were swarming around the hospital looking for details of the emerging story, as fear was beginning to get widespread throughout Bayport and the surrounding areas. Chief Collig and the rest of the police staff were doing their best to obtain as much information as possible, while, at the same time, trying to protect the identity of Charlotte and the path the killer was taking towards his next victims.

Over the next few hours, everyone divided focuses, trying to attack the case from different angles, hoping for some sort of solution.

While Joe headed off to try to contact Vanessa, and Ned was being questioned by the police about what he had seen, Nancy and Frank headed over to the hospital cafeteria to discuss what they knew.

For a few moments, they sat together in silence, and then Frank turned to Nancy and inquired, "Nan?" He looked at her with concern in his dark eyes.

Nancy looked over at him, noting the expression on his face. "Hmmmmm?"

"Are you okay? I mean, really okay?" He asked her, seriously. "The details of this case are… well, they're pretty horrifying, and I'd understand if you wanted out."

Nancy gave a small smile. "Why? Because I'm a girl?"

Frank blushed. Clearing his throat, he admitted, "Actually, yeah. I mean, all things considered, I don't know if…"

"Frank, stop," Nancy interrupted, holding up her hand. "I'd expect better from you. YES, I'm a girl. YES, this case deals with the brutal rape and murder of at least two girls, and at least the rape of one other one. YES, it's unimaginable. But NO—I don't want out. Even if I am 'just a girl.'" Noting Frank's hesitancy, she added, "But thanks for caring anyway."

"You know I care about you," Frank responded, almost automatically. For an instant their eyes locked before Frank broke the awkward silence.

"Anyway…" he began, hoping to remain focused. "So what do you think is the next step?"

Nancy cleared her head. Why oh why was it always so hard to concentrate on a case, on anything, when Frank Hardy was in her midst? She was fine when there were others around. As a matter of fact, they appeared to work in unison, seemingly parts of one machine. But when they were alone, some dynamic changed. And she didn't know if she liked it, if she wanted it, or if she was afraid of it. In any case, it was something she was trying consciously to avoid.

Using logic was her weapon in time like this. Unfortunately, it was also Frank's. Still, it was worth a try.

"Okay," she began, turning so Frank didn't see the color creep into her face. "Charlotte was kidnapped from her place of work. The police are already looking into surveillance cameras. She was taken away—apparently, she didn't remember how long it had been while she was in the van before the… attack."

"But, according to the doctors, she reported only one attacker," Frank added.

"Just like in the second attack," Nancy agreed. "And that means that, for whatever reason, this guy seems to be working alone now, independent of the other two men whom the girls saw flee the scene."

"And since there was only one, and no one heard anything, he must have either been pretty strong…" Frank started.

"…Or he used chloroform or some other agent to knock her out," Nancy finished. There they went again—finishing each other's thoughts and sentences.

Frank shook his head sadly. "She's in pretty awful shape, though," he went on. "Apparently, she escaped after the attack and was able to make it to the side of the road before someone found her to get help. The few statements she made were garbled, but she did say something about "average height and weight" and, most importantly…"

"Ice blue eyes," Nancy finished again.

After a few moments, Frank said, softly, "That's the one thing that Callie kept saying to me, and Vanessa has also mentioned. Those eyes—he looked at them with this fiery glare, yet his eyes were ice cold." He looked down at his hands, and he realized that he was tapping his fingers nervously. He stopped. Looking at Nancy, he stated, "I need to get this guy, Nan. I can't let anything happen…" He choked back the rest of his sentence, but the words lingered, unsaid, in the air. To Callie.

Instinctively, Nancy covered his hand with hers. "It's okay," she said gently. "I know."

Looking down, Frank felt her hand on his and reluctantly smiled. "Thanks," he said. Then, having no idea where it came from, he felt the next words leave his lips, almost as though he had no control of them. "Ned's a lucky man. I don't know how he does it."

Nancy felt the heat rise in her face again. With a struggle, she met Frank's eyes. "I guess," she replied softly, "he does what Callie does. He supports me. He encourages me. He wants more than anything to protect me. I think I'm pretty lucky." Nancy's heart was beating wildly in her chest, but it was the strangest sensation. She was anxious being with Frank but, at the same time, she knew what she had told him was true. She really was lucky.

"Yeah," Frank agreed slowly. "I know what you mean."

"You always do," Nancy conceded.

There was a moment of intense stillness, and then, slowly, they leaned in towards each other….

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

They did not see Callie or Ned, both of whom had arrived at about the same time to speak to them.

Ned saw it first. Rather, he thought he saw exactly what he didn't want to see, but his attention was diverted by Callie Shaw, whom he almost bumped into, with the look of pure shock on her face. Whirling around, he watched her take off faster than he thought humanly possible. Taking a deep breath, he ignored Nancy and took off after Callie. It was easier to focus on her now than his own torrent of emotions.

After several flights of stairs, and many a hallway, he finally caught up to her. Grabbing her by the arm, he huffed, "You ought to be in a marathon."

She whipped around to face him, and her expression froze him. She looked absolutely humiliated, horrified, and sick to her stomach at the same time. She was simultaneously fighting back tears and letting some slip through. She's shocked, he understood instantly. Feeling her shaking, he helped her over to a chair in the corner of the lobby.

As soon as she was sitting, rubbing her forehead with a trembling hand, Ned ran over and got her a cup of water. "Have this," he said, gently. "You'll feel better."

Callie looked up and choked out her words. "I will NOT feel better!" she challenged. "What… the hell.. was that all about?!" She could barely catch her breath.

"You don't have to be nasty!" Ned snapped back. "This isn't my idea of a perfect scenario, either!"

Callie silenced herself and, after a few minutes, she met Ned's eyes. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. She had to keep her words short, for she didn't trust her own voice not to falter.

"Me, too," Ned responded sadly. "I was praying this wouldn't happen."

Callie was dumbfounded. "Wh.. what do you mean?" she stammered.

Ned bit his lip, and then replied, "You didn't know?"

"Know WHAT?" Callie half shouted, half choked out.

"About Nancy and Frank?" Ned hated to say this, but he couldn't believe that Callie didn't have any clue. Looking at her, though, he realized immediately that she had no idea what he was talking about.

She looked so heartbroken, much like he felt, that he found it hard to go on. He'd come this far, though—he might as well finish.

"Are you okay to listen?" he asked, genuinely concerned. She was trembling badly, and had the classic "deer in the headlight" look of someone who honestly had had her world turned upside down in a matter of moments.

Callie nodded. Please God, please God she heard her inner voice say over and over again. She couldn't believe what she'd just seen—or almost seen. And if Frank hadn't kissed Nancy, the look on his face was one she had been positive had only been reserved for her. She couldn't believe it. Her Frank. Her boyfriend, fiancé, best friend, soul mate… had betrayed her? It didn't seem possible. The moment had a sort of dentist chair unreality to it.

She had been devastated to learn about Charlotte, and she had been terrified about what it meant for both her and Vanessa. Upset, she had asked Mr. Hardy to drop her off at the hospital since he was headed there to speak to Collig. She needed to see Frank, her rock—the one steady and reliable thing in her life for close to a decade. If there was one thing she had never doubted, it was Frank's love… and loyalty. What was real anymore?

She forced herself to focus on Ned. His eyes were pained, but kind. He must be feeling the same thing, she thought, miserably. What does he know?

"Callie," Ned said quietly to her. "I've been with Nancy for just about as long as you have been with Frank. I love her—very much." He swallowed hard, forcing himself to relay the facts, not choke on his emotions. "I trust her," he continued, "In every facet of our lives. Except…" He paused for a moment before continuing, "…Except when it comes to Frank."

"I thought they were just friends," Callie whispered, unbelieving.

"They… well, they ARE friends, Callie," Ned said with a sigh. "And sometimes, through the years, I believe that to be the case. I've been with Nan and Frank and Joe when they've been on cases. Most of the time, things are great. Frank talks about you—a lot, and Nancy and I are always together."

"So?" Callie asked, trying to hear through the heartbeats that seemed to make their way to her head.

"So," Ned went on, "There are other times when—I don't know. They're like two sides of the same coin. They think alike, they seem to always be in sync. And I just know that there have been times when they've been more than friends…" Ned had to stop. This was getting too painful.

"Like what, more than friends?" Callie thought she was going to throw up. She had never, ever even thought of cheating on Frank, and the thought that he would have cheated on her was unbearable.

Ned swallowed, hard. "Callie," he continued, "I honestly don't know. I have no proof. I don't know what they have or have not done. I just, in my gut, know that they have feelings for each other. Joe does too, you know," he added.

Shocked, Callie gasped. "Joe?" she managed. My good friend? My almost brother in law?!

Ned felt horrible. Not only was his own heart breaking, but he realized that Callie had been totally naïve about the whole… thing… and he wished he didn't have to talk to her about it—to be the one.

"Why?" she asked, tears pouring freely now down her face.

"I don't know," Ned replied. "It's such a weird situation. I love Nancy; I know she loves me. And Frank? I've heard him talk about you … and I know he's crazy about you. But there's this weird... lure.. between them. Do you know something?" Ned asked, gently. He'd come this far; he felt no need to hide anything else.

"What?" Callie asked, wiping her eyes.

"This trip for me… it was kind of a test. I was going to ask Nancy to marry me this Christmas season. Actually, right after your wedding to Frank. I needed to see, in coming here, that she had no reservations. That she was over feeling for Frank what she's never actually admitted to feeling. I... I don't know what to do," he finished.

"Me either," Callie responded, numbly.

"I feel like some sort of fire just died, you know? Like my world is over," Ned managed.

"Like ice," Callie mumbled.

They sat together, quietly, pondering how to repair their broken hearts.