Summary:
He didn't know he would be gone for Christmas. No one did. Three shot.

Penlew: I haven't read that story in a such a long time! Unfortnately, her's ended happily...mine won't. Thank you for reviewing!
Candylou: Yup...lots of regrets... Thank you for reviewing!
Sophia: Yayyy! You reviewed! Yessss...there is gonna be a lot of regrets and guilt involved. I don't know...I'm thinking I'll kill him ..yay! ;) Thanks for reviewing, Sophia! Its good to hear from you!.

Thank you so much for reviewing, ya'll! Thanks to HNB FRJAY for the help.

Warning! - major character death, angst, tragedy...

I'll Be Gone for Christmas -Part Two- by VintageRoseTaylor

The Christmas lights in Walmart were literally blinding Joe's sight, as he clutched his side that was bleeding from the gunshot wound. He needed to stop the masked guy from hurting anybody else.

"If you try to do something sneaky, I'll kill you..." The bad guy whispered in Joe's ear. "..Or worse, I'll kill your girlfriend." Joe stiffened, pain coursed through him as he took another deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"Please, he'll die if he looses more blood, please." Iola begged, tears slowly falling down her face. She didn't bother wiping them away to show any sign of courage.

"I. Don't. Care." The ski mask dude spat and jabbed his gun into Joe's shoulder making the teen detective let out a hiss of pain.

"Do you really want to be a murderer?" Joe's vision swam again, making everything feel strange as he heard the Christmas music playing overhead.

"If only he hadn't tried to stop me, then he would be okay!"

"But he's not and you can't do anything about that...but please...let him go.." Joe felt warmth in his side as he shifted on his foot trying not to put much weight on himself. He was practically leaning against the robber.

"I can't, girl." Joe blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision when he saw... Frank, Auntie G, Mom, Dad. He groaned aloud when he thought of his dad. The dad who didn't say hello or goodbye anymore. The dad who only cared about Frank's career and not his. The dad who cared only about criminals getting justice and not family time. Joe hadn't been the smart one in the family...it was Frank. The logical, bright young man, his teachers would always say. If only he hadn't gone off at Frank for teasing him about his grades and Iola. He could be dying and he could actually be dying. Dying was a scary thought, even if he had been in tons of life and death situations. Probably thousands over the years. It came with being a teen detective and the son of a PI and former NYC cop. He glanced up at Iola who stared down at her feet. He knew that look. It was that look when she was making a plan. He smiled thinking about the time when he had accidentally...well... not accidentally put gel in her shoes and when she put them on...She screamed at him. A lot.

"Keep moving!" The guy ordered making Joe get closer to the entrance of the Walmart. He didn't want to leave Iola behind. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to say goodbye to his parents and his family. He didn't want to leave his family behind. He couldn't care less if they hated him or not. The last words he had said was in that letter that he wrote to Frank when he had sneaked out his bedroom window.

Iola whimpered as she pulled out her phone, and quickly clicked on the Frank Hardy contact. She hid behind a shelf, trying to spy on Joe and the robber at the same time.

"Hey, Iola," He said, picking up on the second ring.

"Joe is in trouble, you need to get here fast."

"Where are you?" His tone changed from curiosity to fear.

"Walmart and its a hostage situation."

"Is anyone hurt?" Iola paused before taking a deep cautious breath.

"He got shot." My boyfriend got shot. No. No. No.

"Who!?"

"I have to call the police. Bye." She hung up then hurriedly call the police. Her boyfriend's life was in trouble and she had to go save him.

"I'm tired, Mom, I'm think I'm sick," Joe whispered as he staggered forward. He was trying to confuse the criminal as much as he could.

"Keep walking!"

"Ohhkaayyy, if ya say so," It was strange what happened next. He was confused as he felt himself being pushed away from the robber, and saw the bad guy getting knocked down to the ground. The clothing on the person who had just rescued him was...It looked so familiar. It was Iola, his girlfriend had just taken the guy down. Joe gasped nearly choking. He clutched his side, pain hitting him in waves. Once Iola had gotten the upperhand, which was impossible... It was as if she had become a Wonder Woman/Jedi/ninja in just a few matter of minutes.

"...Iola...?" Joe whispered, leaning against the wall before his legs gave way. Iola ran towards him, crying out his name. She knelt beside him, gently putting his head into her lap. She touched his cheek before taking one of his blood stained hands into her hand.

"Baby, it's okay,"

"You saved my life." Joe said weakly. Iola nodded trying to keep Joe awake as long as possible.

"I guess it was brave,"

"Yeah, it was...Braver than anything I've ever seen,"

"Aw, you're just saying that," One of the brave shoppers was tying up the robber. Joe shook his head.

"No, no, I'm not." Iola smiled at him, tears staining Joe's clothes.

"C'mon, c'mon! We need to get there!" Frank shouted.

"Son, calm down," Fenton said glancing at him as he sped down the road, Christmas lights everywhere. "We don't know if Joe's really hurt."

"But she said-"

"Don't assume, son,"

"But I had a fight with him! What if he's dead!? What if he dies and the last thing I told him was...was..." Frank looked out his window, eyes tearing up.

"That he was stupid," Fenton said quietly.

"You heard it?"

"So did your mom and aunt."

"Oh no,"

"He'll be okay, Frank. He's a Hardy. He's going to survive like he always does. He's a fighter." Frank shrugged and read the letter in his hands. I am so sorry, Joe. I really am. I hope I can save you.

"I'll be gone for Christmas," Joe muttered as pain hit him again.

"What?" Iola asked, taking a bandage to his wound. Joe laughed stupidly until it hurt...which made him hurt worse.

"I'll be gone for Christmas,"

"No, you won't."

"But if I die, I will never be home for Christmas,"

"But you won't. So you might be gone for Christmas because you'll be at the hospital." Iola said firmly, her eyes watering at the thought of Joe dying.

"I'll be gone for Christmas," Joe began to sing weakly. She hadn't heard him sing in such a long time, it made her heart hurt.. "I'll be gone for Christmas, you can count meee..."

"Don't say that," She scolded. "You'll be all right."

"No, I won't."

"Yes you will." Iola braced herself for him to say it again but he didn't. He hummed the classic Christmas song until his throat was sore.

"I love you." Iola blinked and looked down at her boyfriend. "I wish I could marry you."

"What?" Her boyfriend's blue crystal eyes were watering.

"I'm dying, Iola... Face it. The police won't get here in time."

"I'm sorry," Iola sobbed. "I'm sorry, Joe, I'm sorry." Joe lifted his hand from hers and wiped her tears off her face, gently.

"Don't be. At least I die with someone I love."

To Be Continued in "I'll Be Gone for Christmas Part Three"

Would you review please? Pretty please!? Surprise! I'm gonna make this a threeshot! ~VRT