Author's note: Yes! I am done! Since I am, I need to thank all of you who are reading, you are fantastic! And a very, very special thanks to all of you who are reviewing, you have no idea how muck it means! So a big, big thank to Drumboy100, Candylou, Penlew, Semi1001, OinBed, CommentOfErrors, Exactly and Caseykam! You are all awesome! Last, but not least, Frank Joseph Haydn (by the way I love your name:-)) deserves an enormous applause! What would this story have been without you? Nothing…

Well, as I promised you, the answer of the quiz is to be revealed here. Here it comes:

Mr. Chuck's eye colour(s) is:

Sparkling black

Cat-green

Piercing blue

Dreamingly violet

Hard brown

Red-hot

Intense orange

Burning crimson

And, when this chapter is done with, silver. Impressing, don't ya think? ;-)

Candylou: Congratulation, you were (nearly) the only one with more than one eye colour! Also, thank you very much for all your reviews, it means so much!

CommentOfErrors: A metaphor? What shall I say...

OinBed: Well, well, thanks for paying attention! ;-) Anyway: I am sure he has an eye colour. Sorry.

Caseykam: You have to be a real detective! Black was the first colour he was described with. Glad you liked the story, and stay safe and healthy!

Exactly: Congratulation, you too have an answer with more than one colour! And by the way, I don't think I will write that story you asked for, but thanks for your idea anyway. Really glad you liked the story!

Drumboy100: Yeah, I know you didn't answer the quiz (perhaps you was the one with the best answer in spite of everything ?;-)), but I wanted to drop you a message anyway: Thanks a lot for all your reviews, it means so much to me!

And now, last chapter! (Do I seem a little hyper? Well, I am...)

Chapter 25

Joe felt his face being pressed to the ground. Mr. Chuck's strong hands pushed him… Wait, Mr. Chuck? The person in top of him was not at all Mr. Chuck. And strong hands? No, trembling, weak, brave hands. And the lock of hair tickling him?

"Vanessa?!" Joe quickly sat up, his eyes filled with both shock and relief.

"Joe?!" Vanessa looked at him, feeling completely numb. Had she lost her mind? Joe was in coma. Joe was dying. And this was Mr. Chuck. Mr. Chuck had run away. And she needed to catch him…

"My dear Vanessa, you are the bravest person I know!" Before she could think another thought, Joe had pulled her into a tight hug. Holding her close, he could feel her tremble. "Did you believe I was Mr. Chuck?" he asked softly. Feeling her head nod against his shoulder, he new he was right. "And you tried to catch him?" he asked again. Another nod. Feeling a smile spread across his face, Joe knew he was the luckiest person on the planet, having the bravest and most beautiful girlfriend in the universe.

As they sat in the grass, Joe heard a shy cough. Looking up, his eyes met Callie's brown ones. She looked nearly as shocked as Vanessa had done seconds earlier. She was about to open her mouth, when running footsteps caught both their attentions. Happily, it was just Frank, Fenton and Sam Radley.

"What's happening? Has Mr. Chuck run away? You okay?" It was Frank asking.

"Everything is okay" Joe assured smilingly "We just had a little… well, shall we say… argument?" Winking at Vanessa, both busted into laughter. Frank, who had finally noticed who was with Joe, just stared. "You here?" he asked unbelieving.

"Who else?" Callie smiled and stepped closer. The look of her made Frank's heart pound twice as fast. What should he say? Would she believe him? Would she forgive? "Callie, I am so sorry. I didn't mean it, not one thing. Please know I love you more than anything in the world, and I will do whatever you want me to if you just…"

He didn't get to finish, but was cut of by a smile. "I know" her voice was soft "I know you didn't mean it. I should have noticed something was wrong at once. I am sorry I didn't. I am the one to be sorry, not you. I just… Just couldn't bear the thought of you leaving me. You mean so much to me…"

Two brown glances, two burning hearts melted together in an eternal second of happiness. Finally, everything was going to be all right…

F&J F&J F&J F&J F&J

One hour later, the old, white house in Elm Street was filled with burning candles and happy faces. Everyone was present despite of the fact that it was past midnight. Callie, Vanessa, Phil, Chet, Biff, Tony, Jerry, Laura, Fenton, Sam, and even aunt Gertrude was placed comfortably in chairs and the big sofa. No one wanted to move as much as an inch. If the truth should be revealed, though, they were all pretty tired. But they had waited too long for this moment to just let it go.

As he felt the warmth spread through his body, Frank was as happy as he could possibly be. Joe was alive, Callie loved him, Phil was still his best friend and he was a part of a family. What more could he wish for?

He was so grateful they had managed to escape. When he and Joe hid in the box… Wait, he and Joe in a box? Joe in a box? A box? Joe with his awful claustrophobia? This didn't make sense at all. He had been too busy to think about it when it happened, but now as he had the time…

"Joe? There is something I need to ask you about." Joe lifted his head quizzically when he heard Frank's voice. It seemed a little… strained?

"No problem, ask as many questions as you wish!"

Instead of a smile, he got a scrutinizing look. "You know that box? The one we escaped in?" Joe nodded, and Frank continued "I just wondered… Like, I didn't think about it before, I suppose I was to busy getting inside, but how did you manage? You still have claustrophobia, haven't you? I just don't understand."

A small smile spread across Joe's lips "I really wondered how much time it would take you to notice! I thought you were a detective! But yes, I still have claustrophobia. And yes, I was terrified. Really terrified. But did I have any choice? Not really. And should I try to overcome my fears? Yes. So, I did it. To be honest, I am rather proud of myself. You should be too, big brother." Showing his usual teasing smile, Frank couldn't help but smile too.

Felling the tension in the room melt, Fenton spoke up "Well, well, ladies and gentlemen, finally our latest mystery is solved. As usual, the heroes of the event are the famous detectives Frank and Joe Hardy! Congratulation to you two, my boys!"

Frank and Joe busted into laughter. Joe was about to answer with a blooming acceptance-speech, when he suddenly stopped, his eyes resting at Vanessa with a shocked expression. Feeling every eye on him, he slowly turned to face his brother.

"I don't like to say it, Frank, but this mystery isn't exactly solved, is it?"

Frank searched Joe's face for a joking glance. He saw none. Confused, he asked "Whaddya mean, Joe? If you speak about my sentence, it won't be a problem now as Mr. Chuck is under arrest."

"No, not that. I mean the girls."

Suddenly, Frank understood. The girls! They were here, safe, but they had never managed to find them. How? With a sickening feeling in his stomach, a thought popped into his head. By the sheepish look on his brother's face, he knew Joe had the same thing in mind. But was is true? Had they really been so… stupid? "Joe, which car did you drive? Our is in workshop."

Joe stared back, his face filled with amusement, unbelieving and sheepishness. "May I ask you the same, brother of mine?"

'Okay' Frank thought 'so we really are stupid then. How could we forget such a thing?'

He was interrupted from his thoughts by Fenton's confused voice "What is it? To be honest, you both look rather… well, dumbfounded."

The brothers quickly changed glances, before Joe answered, shrugging "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all."

"Right" Frank added "absolutely nothing. In fact, it could never have happened anything less interesting. Don't you think so too, Joe?"

Putting up his most serious face, Joe answered "Indeed I think so!"

What else could they say? No reason to shatter the image of "the perfect detective-duo"! A few secrets weren't too bad, after all…

Winking at each other, Frank and Joe thought back at the events of the past few weeks. Their lives were clearly anything but calm! But that was exactly how they liked it. Born to be detectives, nothing was better than some drama - and of course getting out alive afterwards. They had managed this time too, hadn't they?

F&J F&J F&J F&J F&J

Caught off guard. Fooled. Locked up.

Mr. Chuck stared out on the black night ski. They had won. His revenge was still not complete. Still, the guilt burned inside him. The hate was as strong as before. The vindictiveness even stronger. He was never going to give up. Never.

The pale moon shone down on his sparkling silvereyes. They burned. A dangerous fire was lit in them. The fire of revenge. The fire of evil.

'I swear I will kill them. All of them: Joe, Frank, Fenton. Without mercy. No more mercy! I will break them, shatter them until there aren't a piece left. They shall die. Die! I will chase them, pursue them, haunt them, drive them to madness. Push them, push them over the edge of sanity, over the edge of life. I swear I will.'

An evil grin crossed Mr. Chuck's pale face. He forgot everything: That he was caught, that prison was awaiting him. All he remembered was his hate. Through gritted teeth, a low whisper rose from the depths of his soul:

"I am watching you…"

Done! What shall I say? To be honest, I am rather proud of myself. To quote Joe Hardy: You should be proud of me too! This is my longest story ever, and my first story in English. (By the way a golden opportunity to apology for all my spelling errors. I know there are lots of them! Sorry)

And again: If anyone have ideas for a new story, just tell me! I am planning to start a new one very soon, just as you know. Also, if anyone of you want to drop me a message and let me know you have read this story, I would be really happy! It is so inspiring to know someone is actually reading my books without being forced ;-) Last, but not least: Thank you so much for your reviews and support throughout the chapters. Especially Frank Joseph Haydn deserves an enormous applause. She is just fantastic!

Well, suppose I should say… ehm, goodbye? Do you say goodbye on occasions like this? I doubt it. But being unique is good, isn't it? Therefore: Goodbye! Or, as the French: Au revoir!

HNB FJRAY