Chapter Fourteen

Evening had settled in casting colorful, muted shadows from the stained glass windows across the room. Frank looked up at the altar before him, a simple prayer running through his mind. He had just left the ICU and needed a place to think without anyone bothering him. Closing his eyes, Frank thought about Nancy and how she still hadn't woken up yet. Was she ever going to? He knew it had been only about twelve hours since she was found and brought to the hospital but he still worried about her.

Frank sighed. He wondered if she really did squeeze his hand earlier. Was it his imagination? His own wishful thinking that Nancy was going to be all right? Why was he thinking this way?

Several minutes passed and he was so deep in thought that Frank didn't even know someone had sat down next to him. It wasn't until he felt a hand tenderly touch him that he realized he was no longer alone. Frank jumped then turned to see his mother sitting next to him.

"What are you doing here in the dark, sweetheart?" she asked softly.

"Oh, I'm just…thinking things through," he said quietly. "I needed to get away from it all."

"Is that it?" Laura chuckled and he gave her a strange look. "I would have thought you wouldn't leave Nancy's side. It's not like Carson is going to tell you to leave."

"I know," Frank shrugged. "I…I just didn't want to sit there and watch her whittle away."

"Why would you think that, dear?"

"I…I don't know, Mom."

"Nancy's a strong young woman, Frank," Laura reassured her son. "Give it time. It's not like she has to wake up right this very second but you know she will. She's too stubborn like her mother to let something like this get the better of her. Besides, you have to admit that she put up a good fight against this guy. If she can do that, she can beat this. She's not dying, Frank."

"You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." Frank stared at the ground and sighed. There was something else on his mind. He had told Nancy his feelings about her but he wasn't sure if she reciprocated them.

Sensing what was on his mind, Laura wrapped her arm around her son once more and squeezed him toward her. "You really do care about her, don't you?"

"Well, yeah. I've cared about her for a while."

"I know you have, sweetheart," she smiled. "And I'm glad you met someone whom you care so deeply about. Nancy is a wonderful girl, Frank."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Now, your father is here," Laura announced. "He wants us to head to the hotel that's about a block from here. Your brother and your friends have already left. If you want to stay here, that's fine but I think you should come with us. You need some rest, honey."

As if in answer, Frank yawned and the two laughed together. "You're right, Mom," he smiled. "I guess I'm more tired than I thought I was. What about Nancy though?"

"Carson is staying here. He and Officer Carlisle will be on guard along with an FBI agent who got here about five minutes ago. She's in good hands."

Frank nodded then rose from the pew. Laura followed suit but he stopped her before they left. "Mom?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Do you think it's too early?"

"Too early for what?"

"Never mind," he shook his head. Frank walked to the door not seeing the look on his mother's face. She had a feeling what he was asking but wasn't going to press the issue. Laura smiled as she followed her son out of the chapel. The future was definitely looking brighter.

It was nearly ten in the morning as Carson dozed in the chair. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before sitting vigil beside Nancy's bed the entire time, his head shooting up at the slightest sound. When he finally fell asleep, the sun was already coming up.

His head bobbed waking him up. Carson opened his eyes and glanced at his watch for the time. Stretching, he heard the crackling ripping through his back. His chiropractor was going to have a field day with him at his next appointment. Carson looked over at his daughter and sighed. Still asleep. He leaned forward to listen to her breathing, the only respite he had in knowing she was alive.

"When are you going to wake up, Baby girl?" Carson said aloud. After kissing her forehead, he settled back into his chair and rubbed his face. He wondered if Hannah and Frank had returned yet. The two went to the hotel down the street the night before so the two could get rest. Frank had protested but Laura and Fenton stepped in and practically dragged him away. Carson knew though that both he and Hannah would be back sometime that morning.

As Carson shifted in his chair, he thought he saw movement coming from the bed. He stopped and stared at Nancy when her hand twitched. She took a deep breath and moved her head. Carson's heart pounded as he leaned closer again.

"Nancy?"

She let out a soft groan, her eyes tries desperately to open. It was several minutes before Carson saw the blue hue of Nancy's eyes staring at him.

"Hey, Dad," she said groggily. Her voice was soft and raspy but he could at least hear her.

Carson smiled, a tear escaping down his cheek. "Hey, Baby girl."

Nancy smiled and closed her eyes again as if she was having trouble keeping them open. Carson took his daughter's hand and held it tight. She responded by squeezing back briefly then yawned.

"What day is it?" she mumbled.

"Sunday," he answered relieved that she didn't fall asleep again. "You're going to be fine, Nancy. You're in Springfield Hospital."

"How'd I get here?"

"You were found yesterday by a good Samaritan," Carson answered. "You're safe now and that's all that matters."

Nancy shifted her head towards him and blinked. He could see the pain behind the drugs she was on but she still looked determined. "Dad, Candace…" she said finally before breaking down in tears. "I'm sorry…I had to leave her behind. It was the only way to get away from him."

"Shh, shh, shh," he said calmly, gently touching her hair. "Candace is fine. Fenton, Chief Durham, and Sam found her yesterday afternoon. No one blames you for leaving you, honey. Why would you think that? We're just thankful you're alive."

Nancy's eyes glazed over. There was something else she needed to say but the drugs in her system were fogging her mind. She closed her eyes trying to envision everything that happened. There was the club then…nothing. What happened? Why can't I remember?

Then she thought of something else. It was from the day before but it had nothing to do with the Bridal Killer. Frank…he had been there the night before and he told her something. She was barely awake and wanted to say something to him but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't let her so she just listened to his words as he poured his heart out to her. Nancy smiled at the thought of his words and how he possibly looked as he spoke.

"Nancy?"

She opened her eyes to see another man standing next to the bed, her father a few feet away. The man had a kind face, his genuine smile reaching his eyes.

"I'm Dr. Lords," he introduced himself. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a million bucks," she answered sarcastically with a smirk.

The doctor chuckled. "I see we have our sense of humor. That's good but I think I'll turn back the meds a little so you can think a little better, Nancy. Do you have any pain or discomfort?"

"Maybe a little." Nancy shifted in bed, trying to get a little more comfortable. Dr. Lords and her father assisted her in sitting up a little better much to her chagrin.

"Better?"

"I guess," she shrugged. "What happened to my leg?"

"Right," Lords nodded. "You were hit by a car yesterday morning. When you were found, your leg was bent at an odd angle so we had to repair it. Dr. Plumb, whom you will meet later when he arrives for his next shift, inserted several pins into your leg in order to help the bones heal. I'm sorry to say this but it's going to be a long journey but you should make a full recovery." He went on to explain everything that was to happen over the course of the next few months.

Nancy took it rather well though she was overwhelmed with the news. She didn't expect to be in crutches for a long period of time or have physical therapy to deal with. She wanted to get back to solving mysteries, not healing.

"Do you have any questions?"

"How long will it be before I'm back to normal?"

"That's a good question," the doctor smiled. "Normally it would be about 12 to 18 months before someone with an injury like this can get back to normal."

"12 to 18 months?" she cried sitting up in protest though she regretted it instantly. "No, no, no. That's not possible. I…I can't be out of commission for that long!"

"Nancy, calm down," her father soothed, pushing her gently back down. "Listen to what he has to say, honey. He knows what he's doing."

"Your father is right," Dr. Lords stated. "I'm just here to help. Honestly, I think that with the support of your friends and family you'll be back on your feet much sooner than that. You don't come across to me as someone who would take this news sitting down. Dr. Plumb will be in later and he can explain more about the physical therapy time. Maybe you can get started earlier but it depends on what he says. Unfortunately there is another surgery on the horizon to remove the pins." When Nancy didn't say anything more, he glanced at Carson who rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I'll leave you be for now, Nancy but I'll be in and out every so often. And when Dr. Plumb arrives, he'll be able to answer any more questions that you may have."

"Thank you," she mumbled though she didn't look at him. The doctor nodded then left the room. Carson stepped forward and sat down on the bed.

"Nancy, I know this is going to be tough for you but I know you'll get through this," he said gently. "I'm here for you and so is Frank. He should be here soon. Is there anything I can get for you, honey?"

Nancy was silent, staring out the window. The sun peeked through the blinds casting shadows around the room. She longed to be outside, going for a run or swimming in the pool. Not lying in a bed with a severely broken leg and a long recovery time.

"Sweetheart?"

"Um, yeah," she stammered. "A glass of water would be nice."

"Of course. I'll be right back."

The moment he was gone, Nancy looked down at her leg. She tried to move it only to have pain shoot through her. Although she just moved, she could still feel the stiffness in her joints, wincing as she shifted her body again. Flopping back onto the pillow, Nancy closed her eyes. Even from that small amount of movement she felt like she had just ran a marathon. She dozed off, her dreams vivid.

A man's face came into her mind, hovering over her like a winged demon. He morphed into another face and then another. Before long, he looked like friends and family before returning to the first person she saw in the dream. He was familiar but she couldn't remember who he was or where she had seen him before.

Then another face loomed behind him, one that was far more menacing than the first. One whom she immediately recognized and cringed whenever she saw him. Martin Davenport smirked at her, his eyes dark and demanding. He advanced towards her, his hand out, beckoning her to take it. Nancy tried to back away only to find she couldn't move. Looking down, her leg was stuck, unable to move in any direction. The only thing she could do was flail her arms, trying to get the man away from her.

Suddenly a hand stretched out and took her own. It was gentle and tender, a thumb caressing her skin. Nancy knew the touch immediately and calmed down. She opened her eyes, turning her head to see Frank sitting next to her, a smile etched on his handsome face.

He sighed and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it affectionately. "Hey, blue eyes. It's good to see you back."

"Frank," she whispered touching his chiseled face. It was then that she realized she was parched and licked her lips. Sensing her thirst, Frank reached up and got the water bottle that was sitting on her bedside table.

"Your dad brought it in earlier," he explained. He held it for her as she sipped through the straw. The water went down cold, soothing the dryness that had settled into her throat. When she was done, Frank set it back onto the table then took her hand once more. "When he returned, he noticed you fell asleep and he didn't want to wake you again so he left. He's out in the hallway if you want to see him again."

"No," Nancy shook her head, smiling. "I'm fine with you here."

Frank smiled back though she could tell he was worried about her. Her suspicions were correct when he spoke again. "I thought I lost you, Nancy. I…I was heading to a bad place not knowing if you were alive or dead."

"It's okay, Frank," she replied. She touched his face and he leaned into her hand. He didn't want the moment to end. She was alive and awake. That's what he cared about most.

"It's not okay, Nancy," he sighed. "I watched Joe descend into the same state years ago and it took him months if not years to get back to normal. I…I didn't want to go through that."

Frank paused when Nancy placed her hands on his face and brought him closer to her. She looked into his eyes and saw the anguish that he was reliving. She wanted to take it all away from him. When her lips touched his, it was like everything had melted away. His worry for her suddenly dissolved into nothing, the kiss remedying it. When they broke apart, Nancy gazed into the depths of his eyes and smiled. She couldn't hold back anymore.

"I love you, Frank," she finally whispered. His eyes went wide in surprise and he bowed his head, his heart full. It was the three words he wanted to hear from her lips hours before and he finally did. When he looked back at her, she was biting her lip as if she was unsure what he was going to say. He leaned in kissed her once more.

"I love you, too," he said huskily leaning against her forehead.

Nancy took a deep breath as Frank settled back into the chair. He didn't want to leave her side again until she was leaving the hospital. His thoughts shifted to the man who had done this to her. He wanted nothing more than to find him and kill him for it.

"What are you thinking about?" Nancy asked interrupting his thoughts. Frank looked up at her, her blue eyes shining bright though a haze of pain was evident. He didn't want to upset her but he also knew she wouldn't let go until she found the truth. Sure enough, the next question Nancy asked proved that the killer was on her mind as well. "He's still out there, isn't he?"

Frank bowed his head then nodded. "The FBI, police, Dad, and Sam are doing everything they can to find him. It was Jasper Wilkes the whole time. Well, at least that's the name he used. Would you believe that Whitney Stanton is the reason how we found out? He was staying with the Stantons but we don't know where he went. There's a BOLO out for him though and they'll find him." He paused when he noticed the confused look on Nancy's face. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," she shook her head. "You said it was Jasper Wilkes?"

"Yeah," he nodded then realization hit him. "Wait…he's not who you saw, is it?"

Nancy slowly shook her head, fear coming into her eyes. She tried her best to relive those hours at the club but all she could remember was vaguely seeing the man's face right after she got away from him. It was plain as day and she remembered who he was from her encounter with him in Chicago months before.

"Do you know who he is?" She nodded and then changed everything when she told him.

"Mr. Hardy!"

Fenton turned to see Harrison Brady rushing over to him from the concierge desk. The detective's face looked tired and gaunt from a night of restless sleep. Fenton could also see the glimmer of a bruise on the man's face, putting him on guard. Was he the killer they'd been looking for?

"Oh, I'm so glad I caught you!" Brady said breathlessly. "I…I wanted to apologize about not being on hand to help find your friend's daughter and Miss Miller. It's not like me to do something like that but my son was in danger. I needed to get him out of that situation."

"I understand, Detective," Fenton answered though he kept his mind on the gun concealed in his jacket. He had to be ready for anything at any time. "Family is important to me as well. Is that what brought you here this morning?"

"Not just that," the detective shook his head. "I want to help in finding this guy. I heard what he did to the girls. I'm glad they're alive but I don't want him to harm another person ever again."

"Thank you, Brady," he nodded. "I appreciate it. We need all the help we can get."

Fenton looked around the lobby for Laura. She had come downstairs earlier with Joe and Vanessa to get a table for breakfast in the restaurant. He insisted that she didn't go down alone and since Frank had already left for the hospital, Joe was the only one he trusted at the moment. Sure enough he saw her standing just outside the hotel lobby with Joe and Vanessa though there was someone else with them whom he didn't recognize right away. Brady followed his gaze and was taken aback by the man who was with them.

"What's he doing here?" he mumbled. Fenton glanced at him then realized who the mystery man was.

Waylon Jones smiled at Laura though she didn't really reciprocate the gesture. By the time Fenton and Brady arrived, Laura was about to walk away, annoyed by Jones for some reason.

"Fenton!" she cried relieved moving over to him and taking his hand. "There you are! I was wondering if I had to go get you since you were taking so long."

"I'm sorry, Laura," he apologized though his eyes were settled on the reporter. Waylon smiled though he was intently watching the Hardys, interested in everything they had to say. "Mr. Jones, isn't it? What brings you here?"

"Oh, I happened to be in the neighborhood, Mr. Hardy," the reporter said, his voice slithery. "I happened to run into your wonderful family here and was hoping for some update on the two girls who were found yesterday. Maybe an exclusive?"

"An exclusive?" Fenton eyed him. Something about Jones was sending alarms through his body. He turned to Brady and felt a little more at ease with the detective being there though trust still hadn't been reached with the man. Turning back to Waylon Jones, Fenton studied the man. His expression seemed odd, almost phony. "I don't think so, Mr. Jones. You'll have to wait for that kind of information. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to go get breakfast."

"Sure, Mr. Hardy," Jones replied icily but he didn't walk away right away.

Fenton's phone suddenly rang and the reporter took an interest, shifting himself closer to the others as Fenton stepped away to answer. Brady spoke with Laura, Joe, and Vanessa while they waited though he kept an eye on Fenton as he was on the phone.

Moments later the phone call was over and Fenton returned to the group though he was a little stiff. Joe noticed the change and cocked his head, studying his father.

"Dad? Everything all right?" he asked.

"What? Oh, yes, it's all good," Fenton answered though Joe knew his father well. Something was up.

Fenton suddenly pulled his gun aiming it behind Joe. The young man turned just as his mother cried out in alarm. A nasty-looking knife was pressed against the tenderness of her neck, her head as high as she could hold it away from the serrated blade. An arm was wrapped around her waist pinning her arms to her side, her captor hiding behind her.

"I wouldn't do it, Hardy," the man smirked, pressing the knife further into neck. Laura cried out again as blood trickled down from a puncture. "You shoot me, this knife goes through her neck."

"Drop it!" Brady boomed, his own gun aimed at the man.

"I think not, Detective," he smirked then glared at Fenton. "She woke up, didn't she?"

"Yes," Fenton nodded. "But she didn't have a name. Only that it was a reporter."

Waylon Jones laughed again. He had been found out but it was no matter. The Bridal Killer was not going to be taken easily and if he had to kill to get away, he would.

Author's Note:

Ahhh! So we now know who the killer is and Nancy is awake! We don't have much left in the story but I am not giving an actual time frame here. I'm hoping by the end of the year that this story is over but I can't make any promises. You never know. I still have a few more days of school left, if you want to call it that. Sitting in front of a screen all day is not what I had planned for the school year. Anyway, I plan to work on my story a little more during break so you never know what will happen! I've been trying to get these chapters out as quickly as possible but life seems to take precedent. Thank you so much for the continued support in reading the chapters and to those who left reviews. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and if you will, please leave a review to let me know what you think! Have a great weekend and God bless!