Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the book characters.I do have some OCs though that are mine.
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Setting is close to blue-spine. Frank is 17, Joe is 16.
Author's Notes: There have been a couple of requests for a chapter having Joe talk with Frank about what happened. I am considering having that as a chapter in my next story, but it won't be here. For now, just go with the thought that Frank knows most of what happened because he listened to the debriefing and access to the transcription. Got to give both of them a little time. ;-)
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The three Hardy men were at the DTW airport on the edge of Detroit waiting for their flight two mornings later. The previous day and a half Joe had been debriefed and Fenton and Frank had paled as they listened in another room to Joe's statements. Now they were going home. The FBI might have more questions as arrests were made and cases went to trial. It was a good possibility that Joe might have to testify. All three of them dreaded that possibility.
As far as Fenton was concerned, he was fine with the criminals plea bargaining, as long as they got a stiff sentence. He didn't want Joe going through trial after trial reliving it and having to face the publicity that would come with it. Journalists were already clamoring to speak with the trafficking victims that had been recovered and Joe Hardy was at the top of the list for most wanted interview. Joe was the one who provided the information that led to Jonathan Byrd that in turn led to Harold Norwood. Norwood's records brought all the buyers out into the light. Most of the buyers were into sexual and/or physical abuse, but Joe's buyer was different. Laird was different and different meant ratings and sales.
Fenton sat in his seat on the plane. They had boarded before the other passengers as Joe had his crutches. So now they were waiting on everyone else to be seated. Fenton had the aisle seat and Frank had the window. Joe had indicated he wanted to sit between them. It wasn't the most comfortable seat in terms of room for his tall and still growing body, but it was most comfortable in how it made him feel. That was what Fenton wanted to insure. He wanted Joe to feel safe.
It wasn't long after take-off that the seat in front of Joe leaned back, making his knees practically touch the seat in front. He turned with a wry grin to his father and said, "Maybe I'll take the aisle after all, Dad."
Fenton grinned back. "Anything you want, Joe. Anything at all."
Joe leaned his seat back a little. "Nah, I think I'm good here." Closing his eyes, he fell asleep quickly.
Looking across his brother's sleeping form, Frank said, "He's still tired."
Fenton nodded, "He's tired of being questioned and asked to relive everything."
Uncertain about what he was going to say, Frank hesitated as he spoke, "Um, Dad…"
Fenton waited and when Frank didn't continue but looked to the side, he prompted, "Yes, Frank?"
"Well, um. This morning when you were finishing the check-out at the hotel…"
"Yes."
"Well, Joe told me he's worried about mom."
Fenton frowned. "Why is he worried? She's ecstatic." Fenton stopped. She IS ecstatic.
"Yeah, well, that's what he's worried about. He thinks he'll be overwhelmed by mom and her doting on him. He's worried that she's going to smother him. And," he paused for a minute, "he doesn't really want to talk to her about what happened."
Fenton's hazel eyes moved to look at the sleeping peaceful form of his son. "He doesn't need for us to cause him more worry. I'll talk to Laura…." He frowned. Laura was meeting them at the airport. She couldn't wait to see Joe. He sighed. He couldn't make a call to her, but he could send her an email. He prayed that it would come across the right way… if it didn't, he'd be sleeping on the couch tonight with an angry momma bear sleeping upstairs. "I'm sending her an email. Hopefully she'll take it the right way."
Frank winced. He wished he had told his father earlier so he could have called their mother in person. But Joe had stuck to him like glue from the moment they left the hotel. Like his dad, he hoped his mom understood.
They were getting ready to land when Frank gently shook Joe's shoulder. "Wake up baby brother." He saw one of Joe's eyes open and then close. He smiled thinking that his brother's sleeping habits were one thing that hadn't changed. "Come on, I know you're awake. You might as well sit up because your neck is going to be killing you from the way you've been sleeping on it."
Joe raised his seat and as sat up, he rubbed his neck and said, '"Ow."
"Told ya," Frank snickered.
Joe gave him the evil eye and said, "You could have put a pillow under my head."
"What? And risked waking sleeping beauty?" Frank had wanted to put a pillow under Joe's head but he really didn't want to risk waking him. Joe needed his rest. Returning to Bayport was going to be exhausting in its own way.
Smiling, Joe said, "That's okay. Since I'll be on my crutches, you'll need to take all the luggage."
Frank laughed. There really wasn't a lot of luggage. He and his father had traveled light and they had bought Joe a few things in Detroit for him to wear. All of their things were in just two medium suitcases and one carry-on. "That's okay with me, brother."
When they made it to the luggage pick-up, there was Laura. Con Riley had accompanied her to make sure she wasn't harassed in case some of the media learned of Joe's return.
Laura watched her husband and two sons come down the escalator. She studied Joe's face and his body language. She had been told of his injuries and Fenton had emailed her to contain her exuberance just a little if she could. Overall, she thought Joe looked okay. This wasn't his first rodeo, so to speak, with crutches. When he reached the bottom, and started toward her, she saw the nervousness on his face. He was back. Her son was back. God had given her the miracle she had prayed for. She'd contain her exuberance later. For right now, she needed to hold him. A huge smile blossomed on her face as she ran to Joe and almost knocked him down as she flung her arms up and around his neck. Frank had put a steadying hand on his brother's back as their mother crashed into him.
Fenton watched Joe carefully. Laura had been restrained and then she couldn't control it. He couldn't blame her. Watching Joe's face, he saw the emotion go from nervousness to fear and then he relaxed. Whatever Laura was saying to him, it was working. Finally, he saw Joe smile.
Releasing her son, she nodded to him as they moved to the luggage carousel. Her hand was on his arm or on his back at all times. She was afraid to let go completely. Afraid that he would disappear again and this time she wouldn't get him back. But she did have to let go when they got into the car. The van would have been easier, but no one wanted to prompt bad memories for Joe as soon as they got home. So Fenton and Laura got into the front with the boys in the back. These were more pleasant kinds of memories.
As Fenton heard the boys laughing and talking in the back, he quietly asked Laura, "What did you say to him?"
With a quick glance to the back, she looked at her husband. "I told him that I loved him and that while I would try not to smother him, I still might do it for awhile." She paused while Fenton laughed. "I also told him that I already knew what happened and he could talk as much or as little as he wanted to me. He knows I'm okay with however much he wants to talk or not to talk." Her eyes turned to the road in front of her.
"Thank you, Laura," Fenton said softly.
Confused, Laura turned her eyes that were a shade or two lighter than Joe's back to her husband's strong profile. "What for?"
A smile formed on Fenton's lips, "For not going all momma bear on me for sending you that email."
A tinkling laugh came from Laura that even drew the boy's attention. "Oh, don't worry, Fenton, the day is still young. I may yet find something else to stir my ire." With that they both laughed. It was a wonderful release that neither of them had felt for almost two months.
