The wooden ladder rungs creaked and groaned in protest as Joe's muscular 17-year-old body's weight seemed too much for its frail and minutely quaking frame. Fortunately for both the ladder and Joe it indeed held and then some as he continued to climb higher and higher till his short blond hair brushed softly against the attic door stuck in the ceiling. Joe grinned in triumphant and mentally sent a I told you it would hold me to his Aunt Trudy who had vocally and slightly loudly rebutted his claims that the ladder would hold him.

Though it had been Trudy's idea for Joe to retrieve a box of old things from the attic for her as soon as she saw the old, dusty, wooden ladder that Joe was going to use she had shaken her head in disbelief. Joe being stubborn told her he could do it. He was after all never one to back down from a challenge or a claim that he couldn't do something when he was absolutely, positively sure that he could.

He wasn't prideful, NOPE he was just very faithful in his capability to do things that's all. After all he had to bring something to the table or else, he would never be able to compare himself to Frank's freakishly brilliant mind. At least that's what he thought in his mind. A giant conversation could go on as to why Joe felt that way and why he always tried to measure himself against Frank, but this is a fun story (really it is) so lets get back to it.

Taking one hand off the top for the ladder a sudden thought of caution was pushed to the back of his mind. His hand reached up for the handle getting closer, closer till the tips of his fingers brushed against the metal loop. Just as his hand wrapped round it he nearly fell as his body jerked in surprise at hearing a suspicious voice float up from a few feet down the hall saying, "What are you doing Joe?".

His arm attached to the metal hoop in the attic door swung back and forth as he tried to gain his balance back. Finally stabilizing somewhat, he turned around and told Frank in a wincingly slightly higher than normal voice "Gosh Frank! You trying to be an only child here?" Frank chuckled at Joe and when he saw the annoyance starting to seep on his face he sobered up and shaking his short, dark haired head in the negative said.

"Though it would be immensely quieter around here and I wouldn't have to find out that someone used my toothbrush last night by accident" at that Joe grinned at him. Frank looked at him suspiciously. "Or not an accident." Joe just grinned a dazzling smile that looked so angelic Frank wasn't entirely sure he wasn't going to see a halo over his head as Joe said defensively.

"Hey, I forgot that I had to throw mine out and it was there so… I'll buy you a new one! Promise! After I buy me one of course. I can't keep using yours now can I. Yuck!" Frank looked at him annoyed, but Joe kept grinning that enamored smile at him and against his will Frank chuckled again accepting the unspoken apology by Joe.

"Anyway…" Frank pointedly glares at Joe. Joe just smiles wide back at him and starts to slightly tug at the attic door handle. "No, though it would make my life easier I didn't mean to scare you Joe. Sorry." Frank looks at Joe and Joe is plain oblivious to Frank. Frank starts to feel annoyed again. "Joe are you even listening to me? Joe!" Joe turned his head so fast it was like a rocket, going sideways though not up that would be weird.

"Huh? What? Oh!" recognition dawned on his face and he smiled for the millionth *at least it seemed to Frank to be the millionth time* at Frank before going back to tugging on the attic door though harder now as it seemed to be stuck. "Yeah, no big deal Frank. Its all in the past." Frank snorted. It had literally happened 3 minutes ago. Frank looked back at him in surprise when he asked "Thought you were at Callie's Frank? Something happen?" a bit of concern seep into Joe's face and Frank got reminded why he would hate being an only child. It would be for one and only one reason. No Joe.

Getting back to Joe's question Frank said lightly "Yeah I was. we were going to hang out for a while until she pulled out one of those magazines that your supposed to ask your boyfriend and you'll find out what they really think of you?" Joe nodded in acknowledgement. Iola his own girlfriend had sprung them on him more than once. Though he might love Iola those quizzes made him want to run away screaming. Like literally. She already knows what He thinks of her and some of the question on the different quizzes she gave him sounded so stupid like 'What's your shoe size?' and 'do you like to floss?'. What the heck man.

"Ahh so you ran like the brilliant coward you are? Smart my brother. Smart." Frank started laughing and shook his head at him.

"No, I was about to though, but she got a call from Iola and she had to go. She had forgotten that a month ago she and Iola bought tickets to go see a new movie that's coming out, today. So, she left, and I scrammed." Joe was tugging fiercely on the handle now, but it still wouldn't budge. The strong, muscular, and VERY capable person he was he tugged harder and harder and harder. "Joe you really should be care- "

Frank didn't get to finish his sentence as Joe let out a yelp of surprise as the floor flung open just missing his face by him swaying back away from it and unfortunately that meant away from the ladder. Not able to keep his balance anymore he tumbled off the ladder and onto the floor on his back.

His head hit the floor and a circle of Hawaiian dressed dancing Iola's danced around his head until he gained his sensed back. Don't ask him why Iola was dressed like she was in Hawaii. He just fell off a ladder and hit the floor. Give the dude a break. As the Iola's and tiny floating black spots started to fade, he heard Frank drop to his knees beside him and Frank's hands lightly go over his chest, torso, and legs making sure he didn't break anything.

"Joe? Joe, can you hear me? does it hurt anywhere? Joe!" Frank's voice sounded really worried and as Joe's vision finally cleared all the way and he turned his head staring into Frank's concerned face about to respond Frank's eyes got really wide. "Joe ummm does your left arm hurt?" Joe's face shone with his confusion and Frank decided not to beat around the bush "Joe…ummm... your arm is bent behind your back…but its ummm…. twisted and I'm absolutely positive that it is NOT supposed to bed like that."

Joe rolled his eyes at Frank cause his arms felt find and he felt fine except for a tiny headache and maybe a sore spot here and there.

Then what Frank said hit him, hard.

Joe's eyes widening he looked quickly over and down at his left arm and sure enough was wedged under him and the shoulder definitely shouldn't look like that at ALL. Joe almost felt sick cause the shoulder joint looked like it wanted to pop out of its socket and he just knew it was going to start hurting like heck at any second.

But it didn't. sending another puzzled look this one with worry filtered throughout it at Frank Joe slowly go up and felt his arm slowly go from beneath his back at the odd angle back to his socket without him yelling in pain. Actually, Joe thought as he rotated his shoulder pain free except for a small bit of soreness it actually felt fine. Joe stared dumbly up at Frank and said "It doesn't hurt. At all. Why Frank?"

Frank's eyes widened in surprise. Joe scooted further back until he was sitting back against the wall with the ladder still standing where he had set it 10 minutes ago. He scowled at it in annoyance almost wishing it had broken with when he fell. It would have served it right.

Why did he have to be the only one hurt, slightly though it had been. Frank by that time had scooted over to him and leaned against the wall with him their shoulders not touching but close enough. Frank's eyes lit up and Joe looked at him curious and excited. "Joe it can be either 1 of 2 things." Joe nodded eagerly waiting on every word. "1" Joe nodded again his face in a grin. "all of your pain receptors in your arm have been severed and you'll never feel in your arm again…" Joe's face showed his utter horror and he immediately took his right hand and started poking his left arm.

He grinned in relief when he pinched himself hard and jumped when the pain shot through his arm. Frank just looked at him when Joe shot a look at Frank like he had personally pinched him himself. "You didn't let me finish…again. I WAS going to say that it was highly unlikely though since it as a short fall and you seem fine, and your arm isn't cut. The 2nd one is that maybe your double jointed." Joe who hadn't spoken a word after telling Frank it didn't hurt and asking why opened his mouth once, twice in astonishment before he as able to get the words out.

"You mean I might be double jointed?"

"Yeah, I mean it makes sense, right? And it makes even more sense cause remember our last case when we got caught and put in the cell where the lock was at a weird angle on the wall behind us on the opposite side and you had to reach through the crack to get it?"

"Yeah, but you could have done it." Frank shook his head in the negative.

"Remember I tried but I couldn't quite get it. But you could so it kind of makes sense that you might be." Joe sat there digesting the new information about himself… for about 5 seconds before hopping to his feet, offering Frank his hand, and after pulling him up saying "Freaking awesome. Let's get the stuff for Aunt Trudy and go look up how to see if I am." Joe showed him a dazzler smile before scrambling up the ladder like a monkey and easily hoisting himself up through the now open attic door.

"Wait what does Aunt Trudy want in the attic?" Frank called up after him but sighed in defeat when he got no answer. A minute later Joe popped his head out and Frank climbed the ladder and took the box of photo albums that Joe had handed him. he climbed off the ladder and soon Joe joined him only after showing the attic door shut firmly. Joe turned and grabbed the box from Frank. "So?" Frank prompted Joe but just got a questioning head tilt in return. Honestly, Joe could exasperate Frank to no end.

He tried again trying to have some older brother patience for which he was unwittingly known.

"Why does Aunt Trudy want this and was they why you were on the ladder on the first place?" Joe nodded eagerly and told Frank the story while they walked down the stairs to give the box of stuff to Aunt Trudy. Joe made Frank promise not to tell Aunt Trudy that he had fallen cause she would just ell him she told him so. Frank grinned in understanding and promised.

A couple days later Joe went to the doctor and got it confirmed properly. He was double jointed and apparently had been his whole life. Joe thought it was the best thing since Aviator glasses cause now, he could put it on his pile of things he can do and make it useful ANNNNNDDDDDDDD it was finally something that he and only he could do.

Of course, fate can be cruel when a week later Frank got a 100 on his finals test. Dang it! Oh well Joe thought as he only slightly brooded over his 95 on his midterm test. I'm still double jointed and he isn't! with that thought Joe ran into the house and he grinned like a Christmas tree while and Frank sat side by side and told their midterm scores to their family.