Nancy waited nervously as the phone rang on the other end. She hadn't come up with any lead on her end, so she figured she'd have to start with everything from the past. Only, that meant going through Frank's old things.

"Hello?" A much younger woman answered than the one she was expecting.

"Vanessa?" Nancy questioned in surprise.

"Nancy! You need to tell Joe about what you saw," she immediately stated, but her voice dropped to low whisper.

"No, I told you before, I can't until I have some kind of proof! Any proof!"

"But." Nancy could hear Vanessa breathing heavily with frustration. "Look, something happened. Joe's been suspended from work because of some bogus charge. What if it's related to…you know."

"And what if it's not?" Nancy argued, but at the same time shocked because she couldn't understand why Joe would be suspended in the first place. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "And even if it is, although I don't see how, what am I supposed to tell them? Hey, I think Frank's not actually dead, but so sorry, he's in prison awaiting an execution!"

Nancy was just as frustrated as Vanessa, but again, without anything to go on, she couldn't stand the thought of breaking the Hardys' heart. The man from the prison, 'Leon Hart,' had been transferred to Guantanamo. In the CIA's books, he was as good as dead now anyway. She sighed heavily. Saying a little calmer, "Look, I'm sorry. I just don't want to cause them any more pain."

Vanessa was quiet, but with a small sigh of her own, murmured, "I know. I don't, either. Why were you calling?"

"I was hoping I could find some sort of clue if I went through Frank's old things."

"Hold on," she immediately replied, and then Nancy could hear her calling for Fenton Hardy.

"Hello? Nancy?" Fenton said into the phone after being told who it was.

"Hey, Mr. Hardy. I hear this might be a bad time."

There was a small huff over the phone and Fenton's warm voice replied, "Our family's are used to complications. What can I do for you?"

"Um," she hesitated, hating the idea of using subterfuge. The Hardys were almost like a second family to her, she hated lying to them, but then, it wouldn't really be a lie, just an omission of the whole truth. "With the time of year and all, I kinda was wondering if it'd be alright for me to look through some of Frank's old things? Do a bit of reminiscing."

Fenton didn't answer right away, and Nancy was afraid he'd tell her to try back some other day, but then he said, "It wouldn't be a problem. We've got a full house, Laura's even convinced Joe to stay for dinner. You might as well come, too. Maybe you can knock some sense into Joe while you're here."

"I heard he was suspended, is it that bad?" Nancy asked with worry.

"Worse," Fenton stated, but his voice sounded almost humorous. "I thought he'd matured over the years, but he's as headstrong as he always was. I'll let him explain when you get here. You did plan to come over tonight, right?"

"Yea." She didn't know what to think. Just what had happened with Joe?

What Fenton had said bothered Nancy the whole way over, a drive that suddenly seemed way too long! Half the afternoon was gone by the time she got there. Parking against the curb, she spotted the strange car she assumed was Vanessa and Ned's, and looked around for Joe's. It wasn't around, making her think she might not get to find out from Joe, after all, but as she got out and headed for the front door, it opened, and Joe stepped out.

He stopped short when he saw her, annoyance briefly crossing his face, as he half demanded, "Did they call you in to try and change my mind, too?"

"Joe, I have no idea what you're talking about," she honestly told him, once again feeling the worry rise.

He sighed, his expression instantly softening as he leaning against the front porch. "Sorry, Nan. Things are just tense right now."

"What happened?" She leaned against the porch beside him, giving him her full attention. Her own selfish reason for being there could wait. Frank wasn't there anymore, but his brother was, and she had to take care of the people in front of her, first.

Joe shook his head, confusion lining his face. "Someone's framing me, and I can't figure out why." Nancy didn't have to prod to get the details out of him. She just had to listen. He told her the basics of everything that had happened that day. She'd been shocked when he'd mentioned the FBI Agent, but held her questions till the end. When he finished his tale he sighed heavily. A slight smile touched his lips as he remarked, "Since I don't have my car, I think mom intends to hold me here as her prisoner. She's making my last meal as we speak."

Nancy flinched at his uncanny choice of words, and then commented, "Maybe it's a good thing." He gave her a sharp look and she explained, "You're a cop now, Joe. There are rules we have to follow that we didn't have too, before."

"Is that what they teach you in the CIA? To always follow the book?" He sarcastically asked.

She bristled in the face of his anger. "Joe, you trust your co-workers, don't you?"

"With my life," he automatically stated.

"Then let them help you!"

His face tightened, but he didn't say anything. Nancy knew it was the best for Joe if he did stay out of it. Involving himself in an issue as sensitive as this would more than likely dig him in worse. Yet, as she thought about it, she knew if she were in his place, she wouldn't be able to wait and watch as other people fought for control over her fait, either. She sighed, a small smile gracing her lips as she finally asked, "What have you got, so far?"

He looked at her, catching her smile and returning it with one of his own, although it slipped away again as he got serious. "This Agent Fuller is legit. Dad even talked to the head of Fuller's department, but they're being really tight lipped about the whole 'case.'" He looked out across the yard, his face scrunching up in thought. "You know, at first I was thinking they just wanted to search my apartment, for…whatever…reason they had."

"But?"

"But now I'm thinking they had just intended to use the search as an excuse to plant evidence, only when my dad's tapes debunked their false 'arrest' they had to come up with something else."

Nancy nodded slowly, following his train of thought. "Makes sense, only-"

"Only," he cut her off, caught up in his own words, "why frame me at all? And they sure came up with the warrants awfully fast!"

She thought about it a second. "What cases were you working on? Maybe you were getting too close for comfort on one of them?"

Joe's eyes lit up and he touched his pocket as if reaching for something only to exclaim, "Crap!"

"What?"

"Stewart still has my phone!"

Nancy immediately handed hers over and listened as Joe called his partner, Geoff. The man would have the files put together and be over 'in a jiffy.' This place was certainly seeing a lot of people today, Nancy thought as she turned to look up the front of the Hardy home. She hadn't visited the house too often in her youth, but it still seemed an integral part of her history. Like a rock that never moved.

As Joe was handing the phone back, the front door opened again and little Kelly poked her head out the door. "Nancy!" she happily cried out. Nancy herself was shocked the three year old had remembered who she was. "You coming in?" She asked in child's high-pitched voice.

Nancy smiled widely. "Yes, I'm coming in."

The girl just turned and went back the other way, leaving the door wide open for them. Nancy turned to invite Joe in with her, but was surprised to see a new emotion across her friend's face. "You okay?" She immediately asked.

"Yea," he said with a husky voice, and then smiled, the fleeting look of longing completely gone now. "We better let mom know we're expecting one more for dinner now."

She frowned, confused as Joe walked past her into the house. Then he half turned, saying over his shoulder, "By the way, not to complain or anything, but, why are you here?"

"Um…well…"