I'm back! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! Here's a day-after-Christmas present for you all! As always, thanks for the reviews and support! Was looking over my story, and I'd say we're about half-way! Hope you'll all continue the support :) This chapter's a bit more fluffy/filler than before, but there will be more action later, I promise! Please review!

I've been looking around some of the other book/movie fanfic sites, and I'd say that the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys community is one of the best!

Disclaimer: I do not own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. I do own more sweaters, thanks to Christmas.

Nancy turned to look at Frank, her face looking less tired and worn.

"Thanks for listening and not judging me," she said, and suddenly hugged him quickly. Before Frank could even react to the contact, she stood up and walked to the playground, leaving Frank gazing after her.

"Nick, Zoe, I need talk to you," Nancy called to them. They ran over, cheeks rosy from their exertions in the cold air, smiles wide on their faces.

Yes. This is the right thing. Nancy reassured herself.

"Alright, this is very serious," Nancy said. "We're going to go and stay with Frank and his brother. We're not going to live with Dad anymore."

"Won't that make Dad mad?" Nick asked wide-eyed.

"It won't matter, because we're not going to see him for a little while." Nancy tried to gauge their reactions.

"You're staying with us, right Mommy?" Zoe looked worried, tears beginning to pool. At the question, Nick also began to look alarmed.

"Yes, of course, I'll be with you," Nancy smiled, drawing Zoe closer in a hug. "We're going to all go together, you, me, Nick, and Lizzy."

"But not Dad," Nick checked.

"Right," Nancy confirmed.

"Will we eat there? Will we sleep there?" Nick asked.

"Yes. It's going to be our new home for a little while," Nancy said.

"Is it because Dad tried to hurt Lizzy?" Nick asked quietly.

"It's because Dad has hurt all of us. We're not going to let that happen anymore, so we're going to leave Dad," Nancy said gently.

"Okay." Nick nodded. He hesitated. "Do you think they ever eat spaghetti at Joe an' Vanessa's house?" he asked hopefully. Nancy laughed.

"I'm sure they do," she smiled. "Alright, I want all of you to know that I love you all so much, and we're going to work this out, so don't worry about Dad at all. We're going to be just fine with Joe and Vanessa and Frank."

Nancy wondered if she was trying to reassure herself.

Joe heard the door open and quickly got up and headed over towards the entrance.

"Hey, Vanessa, they're here!" he said excitedly. Frank had called saying that Nancy was going to come stay with them, and Joe felt more relieved than he had since Frank had run into Nancy at the grocery store.

"Hey guys!" Joe smiled widely as Frank ushered the family in. Nancy looked dead tired, holding the toddler on one hip, the two older children crowded around her legs. "C'mon in!"

"Wooow, you live here?" Nick asked, blue eyes wide. Joe glanced at the warmly lit carpeted room and realized that the house probably seemed very nice compared to wherever they had been.

Joe was suddenly hit by how lucky he was. Not just with the house, but in everything.

"Yep, this is our home, and now it's your home too!" Joe smiled, crouching down beside the boy. "Sound okay?"

"Yeah!" Nick nodded enthusiastically.

"Look Mommy, they have a Christmas tree!" Zoe squealed. Nancy smiled tiredly.

"Go ahead and look, sweetheart," she said. Zoe and Nick went over to admire the tree.

"Hello! Welcome! I'm Vanessa," Vanessa came up behind Joe, smiling widely. "I'm sorry I didn't meet you earlier, we had to go to Ivan's doctor's appointment."

"Thank you both so much," Nancy said earnestly. I'm so sorry for imposing and barging in..." Vanessa waved off her apology.

"Don't be silly! When Frank told us you were coming we were so excited! It'll be great to have some more people to fill up this empty house." Vanessa's smile was genuine, and Joe noticed that Nancy visibly relaxed. "Your children look so much like you," Vanessa marveled, gently leading Nancy into the kitchen. Joe lagged behind, glancing at Frank.

"How'd it go?"

"She told me everything. And she gave me permission to tell you because she doesn't want to have to tell it all again but she wants you to know." Frank's expression was unreadable. Joe felt warm pleasure that Nancy had thought of him.

"How are you holding up?" Joe asked.

"I want to find a certain guy and beat him up." Frank's expression was so serious that Joe was momentarily taken back. "Joe, it's a crazy story, but she basically was trying to do what was best for her kids in an impossible situation."

"You'll have to tell me later, bro," Joe said lightly.

"Oh, and Joe, we should activate the alarm system. You have one, right?"

"Are you kidding? You're talking to a famous cop here. We've got the best of the best." Joe grinned. His smiled faded quickly. "Is she afraid he'll come after them?"

"Yes." Frank's jaw clenched.

"We need to talk," Joe said, clapping his older brother on the shoulder. He could tell by Frank's restrained manner that his brother was angry. He realized it was probably hard for Frank to hear whatever Nancy had told him.

"Yeah. Thanks, Joe," Frank's face relaxed. They walked into the kitchen, where Nancy was sitting at a chair chatting with Vanessa, while Lizzy was toddling around the kitchen.

"Hey boys, want to wash up for dinner?" Vanessa asked. Lizzy looked up and shrank back, running to Nancy as she saw the two men enter the kitchen.

"Mama..." she whimpered, clinging to Nancy's leg.

Frank and Joe exchanged a worried look.

"I'm sorry Nancy, I didn't mean to scare her..." Frank began, looking horrified.

"Not your fault," Nancy smiled tiredly, lifting up Lizzy. "You look a little bit like him," she explained softly, not stating who him was, but they all knew. "She'll learn who you are soon though. Right Lizzy? It's our friend Frank," she said reassuringly, cuddling the two-year-old.

"Where's Dad?" Lizzy asked, looking at Frank again.

"He's not here." Nancy looked up at Frank. "I'm sorry, you probably just startled her when you walked in. Definitely not your fault."

"Okay," Frank said, sitting down at the table a few seats down. Joe could see that he was shaken by the fact that he had scared Lizzy and was trying to give her some space.

Lizzy continued to stare at Frank from Nancy's lap. Joe decided to sit next to Nancy.

"Hi Lizzy," he smiled. Lizzy looked at him suspiciously, one small hand gripping Nancy's arm in the cast. "How are you?" No answer. "Did you have fun at the park today?" Joe tried again. The little girl stared at him with large blue eyes. Joe was struck again at the resemblance to Nancy.

Suddenly Lizzy began to smile. She pointed at Frank with a small hand.

"Dat's Frank."

It was a start.

Nancy was absolutely and completely exhausted. She had managed to make it through dinner, but could tell her energy was fading fast. She felt emotionally drained from telling Frank the entire story. However, she wasn't feeling as worried about her decision to go with the Hardys anymore. Being in a safe environment finally made her realize how bad things had been.

Tom knows we're gone by now, Nancy thought to herself, shivering slightly.

"Nancy, how about I show you your rooms?" Vanessa suggested. "Frank and Joe can do the dishes," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Joe and Frank groaned good naturedly.

"Thanks Vanessa," Nancy smiled. The bruises on her back were aching like crazy, but she managed to bend down and do her now perfected ritual of picking up Lizzy with only one arm. She bent down, and Lizzy tightly clasped her arms around her neck, while Nancy quickly wrapped her free arm around her and shifted her so that she was resting on one hip.

"Want me to take her?" Vanessa asked. Nancy hesitated.

Her first instinct was actually to say no. Had she really become that protective of her children? she wondered. That was silly. She could trust everyone in this house, and she firmly reminded herself of the fact.

"Alright," she agreed. However as soon as Vanessa reached out to take the girl, Lizzy burrowed her head in Nancy's shoulder and clung even more tightly. "I'm sorry, she's a little tired," Nancy apologized.

"I totally understand," Vanessa smiled warmly. "Ivan does the same thing." Vanessa chatted about her son as she led them to the rooms.

"Here are the two rooms," Vanessa said, opening one of the doors. Inside was a large bed, a couple chairs and a soft carpet. A bookshelf occupied one wall, filled with books, and there was a huge picture of a field of daisies on the cheery yellow wall.

"Wow, this is our room?" Nick turned to Vanessa. "We get a real bed?" Vanessa just smiled.

"Here's the other room," she said, showing them a light blue room which had two twin beds in it. There were toys placed around the room, and bright quilts and stuffed animals on the beds.

"Whoa!" Zoe and Nick ran into the room, and even Lizzy wanted to be put down to see.

"Vanessa..." Nancy turned to look at the woman beside her, not sure what to say. The generosity of the rooms made a lump suddenly rise in her throat.

"Don't say a word. It was fun to put it all together," Vanessa smiled.

"Thank you."

Vanessa slipped her nightgown over her head, yawning widely. Joe came into the room behind her, expression stormy with anger.

"Bastard," he swore under his breath, yanking his shirt off.

"Frank told you what happened to Nancy?" Vanessa turned around, instantly recognizing who his anger was directed at.

"Yes." Joe flexed his shoulders, blue eyes clouded. "Nancy is like my sister, so it was kind of hard to hear."

"Why did she stay with him so long?" Vanessa wanted to know.

"She had no financial means to support her children, and she had left her papers at home. She was afraid to get help because she thought that her children might be taken away from her. She had cut off relations with her old friends long ago, so she was alone and financially trapped ." Joe heaved a sigh. "I know I've been called several times to scenes of domestic violence... but it hits so much harder when it's someone you know."

"I'm so glad they're here," Vanessa murmured.

"Me too. Gosh, her kids are adorable," Joe grinned, remembering Nick's enthusiasm when he had found out that they were having spaghetti for dinner.

"Did you put Ivan to bed before you talked to Frank?"

"Yes."

"Did you read him a story?"

"Three," Joe said smugly, settling down under the covers. Vanessa slipped in next to him.

"Did you sing him the Beddy Bye Bunkins song?"

"Yes."

"You're such a softie," Vanessa smiled, nuzzling his neck.

"Vanessa, you're hurting my manly ego," Joe complained.

"I'm going to tell all your big cop friends that you sing Beddy Bye Bunkins," Vanessa laughed, curling up beside him on the bed.

"You wouldn't!"

"Mhmm..."

"Well, then I'd tell all your nurse friends that you play Halo with me."

"Then I'll tell them about the time you let Ivan put make-up on you." Vanessa grinned. "I even have the picture."

"You don't! I thought I made you erase it!"

"Nope. I still have it."

"You play dirty," Joe pouted. They both laughed and settled down under the covers. "Seriously though, can I have that picture?" Joe asked after a bit.

"Not a chance, Hardy."

Why are Joe and Vanessa are such a cute couple?! Making my heart melt :)

Please leave a review!

Hope you all are having happy holidays!