Okay, guys, here's what you've been waiting for!

I expect a lot of comments! LOL. Just kidding.

But here comes the Frank/Nancy fluff, and horns blare HERE'S JOE!

Ever Yours in Writing,

Song

Hours later, everyone had awoken and knew of Nancy whereabouts the night before. Frank had asked Nancy if, from now on, he could go with her. He didn't feel safe leaving her alone.

The chief had called, saying that there were no fingerprints on the note, which meant it probably had been planted. He apologized for his behavior, claiming to have been tired. Nancy understood.

Ned was doing better; his neck was only sprained and he would be out the next day. Dan, however, would be out that day. He did have a concussion, but his head was much better and he was able to leave. As much as Nancy didn't want to, Nancy knew she had to talk to him. She was glad that Frank was coming with her.

"Hey, beautiful," Dan greeted Nancy. Nancy ignored his remark and cut to the chase.

"Dan, what happened last night? Did you see who knocked you or Ned out?" The teenager scratched his chin, as though really pondering the thought.

"I can't seem to remember, sorry."

Nancy grew impatient. "Dan, what happened? I know you know and it's not funny that you're holding it against me!"

"Actually, it is funny. You look so cute when you get angry."

Frank interrupted. "Come on. Don't you wanna know who knocked you out?"

Dan finally seemed to have broken down. "Yeah, I do. Alright, we were following Hal and Connie and they led us into this room. Then, suddenly, they disappeared. We couldn't find 'em. Next thing I knew, I saw someone raise something over Ned's head. I told him to watch out, but I was too late. And then, I felt this hard blow to my head. And I was out." He laid down on his hotel bed.

"Could you recognize them?"

Dan shrugged. "Kinda. They weren't that tall; not that strong either. But the person who hit me had to have been tough. Hey, he actually knocked me out." Bragging was one of Daniel's key points. Nancy wondered what Bess had seen in him.

Well, THAT was helpful. "Okay. We'll see ya later." Nancy nearly ran to the door.

"Don't you wanna stay with me a bit?"

"No!" Nancy ran out before she could hear another word. She reached the elevator and waited for Frank. When she saw him, he was laughing!

"He's got a thaaang fer yoooouuu," Frank spoke in a terrible southern accent.

Nancy punched him and stepped into the elevator. Frank gave Nancy a small smile, and whispered, "I can't blame him."

Nancy looked at him. At that moment, she finally knew Frank Hardy's true feelings. She secretly hoped he didn't know hers.

Throughout the day, Nancy tried as hard as she could not to think about Frank, though it seemed unavoidable. When she really thought about it, she knew she was crazy about him. And who wouldn't be? He was tall, dark, very handsome, athletic, smart; a dream guy. But Nancy had her own dream guy, who was also tall, dark, handsome, athletic and smart. This was unfair. How dare God put two perfect men in her life!

Nancy visited Ned on the 3rd floor. He was doing much better, especially once he saw Nancy. His voice was so wonderful, Nancy melted to the floor like a popsicle over a fire.

She went to bed as soon as she got home, missing dinner. She was too tired to think, yet her dreams thought for her.

That night, she dreamt that some guy was about to push Frank and Ned off a cliff, and she was allowed to save only one. Ned was begging her to save him, and Frank gave her a look of hurt. The bad guy counted to five and then, pushed both guys off! They fell into darkness, screaming.

"If only you had chose," the unknown person whispered, "Now you will have nobody!"

She recognized the person. It was Dan! No, it wasn't Dan... it was Mitch! He grabbed Nancy around her neck. Nancy tried pushing him off but had no energy. With a laugh he threw her over the side. She cried as she fell.

Nancy awoke with a start. Gasping for breath, she found someone comforting her. It was Bess. "Nancy, are you okay?"

Nancy looked at her clock. It was 5:00 am. "Yeah," the reddish-blonde took deep breaths.

Bess seemed unsure. "You looked terrified, Nan. You've never been so scared about a case. Maybe we should go back to River Heights and leave this case to Frank."

"No, Bess. It's not the case that's scaring me: it's... something else."

"What?" Nancy sighed and sat up. "I don't know if I can talk about it now. All I know is that after losing Ned once, I don't wanna see him hurt again. But at the same time, I..." Nancy had admitted too much.

However, for once in Nancy's life, Bess shocked her. "You don't want a certain Frank Hardy to be hurt, either."

Nancy was flabbergasted. "How did you... when did you..."

Bess smiled. "Nancy Drew, I have known you for 12 years now and I have yet to not know your feelings. The way Frank looks at you, and the way Ned looks at you; they are exactly the same. How Frank hasn't managed to spill his guts, I will never figure. All I know is, you care for them and you wouldn't let anything happen to them. Nan, would it be possible for you to just be friends with them both?"

Nancy didn't even consider it.

"No, Bess, I'm afraid I can't. I'll have to choose, and I know that one way or another, I'll choose right..., even if I have to loose one. Hopefully, I can be friends with the other." Nancy stood up and walked towards the door. Bess did not join her.

"I know you'll make the right decision. I'm going back to sleep for a bit; I'll see you in a few hours."

Nancy nodded and left.

Joe Hardy awoke. He groaned as his head throbbed with pain. He looked around, and found himself in an unfamiliar place. It wasn't dark, but just barely lit with one light in the corner.

He soon realized he was in a boiler room. The boiler lay to his right. He was bound very tightly on the feet, but not on his hands, nor was he gagged. At first he thought of screaming, but held back. Since he wasn't aware he was in the school, he didn't know if anyone would here him... or if the bad guy would.

Joe remembered going out one morning, almost a week before, and he had gotten a call from Nancy to meet him... privately. Something big she could only discuss to him about. He had gone to the 7-11, and was jumped and knocked out from behind.

The first time he woke up, he was in a closet. Food had been left for him, and he wasn't tied up or gagged, though he didn't have a bathroom. (It got very messy.) He had been there for two days. And then he had heard voices, followed by thuds and groans. He tried banging on the closet, but found it covered with sound-prove wrap. It was no use. He had fallen asleep later that night, and he awakened here.

Joe Hardy saw a sandwich and juice laid out beside him. He began to devour. The first day he had been worried about eating it, but had soon figured that if they wanted to kill him, they would have done so before.

After finishing his drink, he reached for his pocket knife, but found it gone. He then looked around for a tool to cut his legs, but found none. Unable, to pull them off, he figured for now he would hop. He got up and, feeling silly, hopped over behind the boiler. There he noticed... a trap door! The door was open and had a ladder going down.

Carefully, he hopped onto the first step and slowly made his way down. He was almost halfway when he heard a snap. Suddenly, the steel door above him fell shut. It had been rigged.

Cursing himself, Joe tried pushing on the door, using one hand to hold himself up, and the other to push. He found he needed both hands. He leaned his back on the wall and pushed. He got it partly opened when his back slipped and he found himself falling. He landed harshly on his side.

The wind knocked out of him, Joe groaned and rubbed his waist. Sighing, he got up and tried climbing again. Though, since his feet were tied, it took twice the time. He didn't know how he was going to open the door. But if he didn't soon, within 20 minutes, he would suffocate!