"Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or your work, all you have to do is change your mind." -Anonymous

Joe

My head was swarming.

There's no other way to explain it.

It's sort of like having a wasp's nest inside your mind. Thoughts buzzing around in every direction. Ugh.

It was 7 o'clock the next morning. The earliest I dared pounding on my brother's front door.

Callie answered the door, her face extremely happy for the early hour. Morning people.

"Hi Joe, you're here early," she said in cheery surprise.

"Hi, I hope it's okay," I replied before hesitantly stepping into the warm house. The smell of bacon wafted in from the kitchen and made me sick to my stomach. Not a good sign.

"Frank!" Callie called as we walked towards the small kitchen/dining room at the back of the house.

Seth was sitting in his high chair, Cherrios everywhere. Every time one would land on the floor, Frank would smile and pick it up, his eyes not leaving the article he was intent on finishing in the morning paper.

"You're here early Joe," Frank said, finally peeling his eyes from the paper.

"I hope I'm not intruding," I said, trying hard to hide my paranoid feelings.

"Of course not, want some breakfast? Coffee?" Frank asked.

"No, no, no. I'm fine," I said, trying not to let my face pale anymore.

"Joe Hardy turn down a free breakfast?" Callie said in mock horror and shock, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said smiling lopsidedly. I could tell by the look on Frank's face that he wasn't buying it.

"Want to talk about--well, whatever is going on Joe?" Frank asked, waited about three seconds for a silent response on my part and shook his head, "Actually, it doesn't matter if you want to, your going to."

Frank excused himself from the table, Callie gave him a smile and held back a giggle when she made eye contact with me. I followed Frank, still silently, out of the kitchen and to the small living room in front of the house. The clanking of dishes in the other room could be heard faintly, but I'm sure Callie was eavesdropping nonetheless.

"Joe," my brother gave me a stern look as I slumped unceremoniously onto the couch, trying to act as casual as possible.

"Frank," I replied, hiding any bit of inhibition in my voice. He rolled his eyes at me and sat down in a chair diagonal from where I sat.

"Are you going to let me in on what has you so freaked out Joe?"

"I'm not freaked out."

Frank gave me a Whatever-Joe-don't-lie-to-your-brother look and I let out a large sigh, preparing myself for the long explanation to come.

Ten minutes later, Frank's expression was of total shock. And not, "Oh my gosh my little brother basically just told me he is psychic" shock, but rather "Oh my gosh, call in the psychiatrists, my little brother is totally delusional and insane" shock.

Now naturally Frank, being as rational as he is, isn't one to believe in all this clairvoyant mumbo jumbo. I get that. But still, I'm his brother. And I'm not--at least I think I'm not--crazy!

"Frank?" I asked after a moment of silence. His hand slowly moved to his temple as if a huge migraine had suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"So...what you're saying is...actually, Joe, I don't really know what you're saying at all," Frank said not even making eye contact with me.

"I'm saying that I know where Hope and Tony are," I replied, silently pleading with him to just say "okay Joe, let's go find 'em." Of course, that was just a worthless hope.

"But...Joe...it was a dream."

"I know you think I'm nuts Frank, but honestly, I believe what I saw, I know where they are."

There was a long pause. Frank looked at me, studying my emotions. I willed him to believe me. He had to...he was Frank.

"Okay," he said finally, "but I'm still not sold on the whole 'clairvoyant thing.'"

I know him well.

"That's okay, neither am I," I said jumping up excitedly. I probably looked and sounded like an idiot, but I didn't care, Frank believed me--for the most part--and all I cared about now, was finding my friends.

...

One hour later we were sitting Nicko Prito's apartment, his face filled with the same shock Frank's had been when I had first related my dream to him.

"Oookaaay," Nic said, his eyes darting from mine to Frank's and then back to mine.

My brother and I had known Nic since we were in grade school. He and Tony were the same ages as Frank and I, and were just as close. So I knew exactly how he was feeling right now.

However, Nic was the epitome of common sense, even more so than Frank. This is what made me nervous.

"So..." Nic started but paused, taking a good long look at the floor before going on, "You saw Tony and Hope in your dream Joe? And you know where they are? And about the Bernheart's involvement?"

"Exactly," I smiled. I saw Frank giving me a skeptical look. He still thinks I'm crazy.

"But...how?"

"Joe thinks he's psychic," Frank quickly commented.

"I don't think I am. I know what I saw Frank. You just don't believe me!"

"Well Joe, it's just a little absurd don't you think?"

"Oh sit on it Potsie," I grumbled.

"Oh yeah, 'cause you're such a Richie Cunningham," Frank shot back. We were both growing irritable.

"No. I'm more of a Fonz, but if you're not careful your gonna get a taste of my fists not a thumbs up big brother!"

"Hey! Can we hold off on World War III for a minute! I think we have bigger problems here than making wise ass comments about Happy Days!" Nic yelled at the top of his lungs, getting our full attention.

Nicko Prito, the level headed enforcer.

"Okay Joe, we need to go to this...place, that you...saw," Nic said, composing himself.

He smiled at both of us and we couldn't help but to smile back.

Just then my cell phone started to ring. I took it out of my pocket and looked at the caller ID.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was Akacia Bernheart.

A/N: Sorry for the late update and short chapter, but this is the building up to the climax so it will just keep building and building! I can't wait! Can you? LOL! Okay rambling now...so I haven't had tons of writing time, but I will try to update again soon! Thanks for your reviews, however miniscule they are I appreciate them!