Author's Note:
I'm running for the insanely crazy scheme! Enjoy!
Warning: A little mature themes (yeah sorry)

CHAPTER FOUR: Just an ordinary day...NOT

"School doing okay?" Joe was bent over the garden beside his Aunt Gertrude pulling weeds out and putting them in a pile.

"Yeah,"

"Anything happen today?"

"I got into a fight," Joe replied ripping out a gigantic weed as if he was taking out his anger on it.

"Oh? With who?"

"One of the jocks,"

"Then you must be sore," Joe looked up at his aunt who was standing over him with a kind look on her face. Not even a stern voice which was odd for Aunt Gertie.

"It's okay. I've gone through worse."

"All right. Does your brother know?"

"No, I took care of it. I don't always need him. I need to learn to take care of myself, Auntie."

"How about we have some lemonade?"

"But I've only been out here for a few minutes,"

"Joseph," Gertrude warned sternly before putting her hands on her hips. Joe smiled and shook his head as he walked inside the house. She watched him sadly as she shook her head. She shouldn't be so hard on him even though she wasn't his real aunt.

The next morning, Joe was pulling a t-shirt on when Frank walked inside his bedroom unannounced.

"Joe we're gonna be late for school..." His voice drifted off when he saw Joe's black and blue blond Hardy pulled it down as fast as he could.

"What's wrong with your face, Frank?" He asked passively. Frank blinked a few times before answering him.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing, we better get going."

"Nothing?" Frank sighed and put his hands up. "I'm tired of this. What's going on, Joe?"

"...Zero! Zip! Nothin'! We're gonna get in trouble."

"Tell me what happened. Why were you fighting?" Frank stepped forward and put a hand on Joe's shoulder. The younger boy looked down and his face flushed, embarrassed. "C'mon, I'm your brother. You can tell me anything."

"They said I...oh never mind! Who cares anyway?"

"They said...?" Frank prompted.

"They said I wasn't a Hardy!" Joe said all in one breath. Frank gasped in shock as Joe stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"They said that?"

"Yeah,"

"And that's when you punched him?"

"They were taunting me about it... That's when I asked him to take it back.."

"They didn't, did they?" Frank stated. Joe nodded before continuing his story.

"They said no and I gave up. I tried to leave them alone...That's when they started punching me."

"Oh, well, can I tell you something, Joe Hardy?"

"What?"

"You are always a Hardy, no matter what. Okay?" Joe smiled and the two brothers did a fist bump.

"Thanks, bro," Joe said as he hoisted his backpack on his shoulder.

"Your welcome, kiddo!" Frank said ruffling the blond's hair.

"Whoa, whoa, hold it. Don't touch the hair. My hair is my greatest look." Frank rolled his eyes and ruffled it again, laughing when Joe groaned.

Xavier didn't feel quite well, he felt queasy in fact. But he would be okay. He had to be okay to finally meet Shaun. He was looking at the picture of Shannon in her hands. He had been so surprised that she told him at her death bed that there was a child.
~FLASHBACK~
"Shannon, I'm here," He was holding her hand as she breathed deeply.

"...Xavier," She rasped. "I had a son,"

"What?" He was surprised.

"...When I thought you were dead...I gave the baby away to a couple...I couldn't live without you..." Xavier gasped quietly and leaned in closer. "...Forgive me..."

"I forgive you, honey,"

~END FLASHBACK~

She had said that she "gave" the baby away...that meant it wasn't officially legal. Maybe he would be able to take back Shaun Stevenson as his only heir.

I promise you, Shannon, I will find him and claim him.

Caine had not known all those years ago about his brother being a drug seller until he had researched Nate's death. He was killed by the police because he resisted arrest for drugs, kidnapping, violating women... Evan shook his head in disbelief. He had held Nate in such high regards. He had respected him so much as an older brother. How could he have been so...distant to normalcy? Nate had been using Xavier Stevenson for a cover and that was all. Nothing more according to the journals Evan had found in a box in Nate's old vacant house.

Revenge Day. Today was Revenge Day against Fenton Hardy. He had been the one who found evidence against Nate and that was not excusable.

"Okay, boys, the kid's about to leave for school. Grab him."

"Yes sir!" His goons grinned and walked away from him.

The morning of Revenge Day was set and ready.

Joe kicked a stone with his tennis shoe as Callie's car stopped in front of him and his brother.

"Hey, Frank, Joe! Do you want to come with me to school?" Frank's eyes brightened as if he wasn't going to another chemistry test today. He was always a little stressed on those days.

"Sure, I'll go with you," Frank grinned then turned to Joe. "What about you?" Joe shrugged and gave a thin smile.

"I'm fine, you go ahead."

"Are you sure?" Joe nodded and watched his older brother go inside the Chevy. They left him in a matter of minutes with his own thoughts.

I wonder what those boys really meant... Joe thought replaying the scene in his head. You're not a Hardy! Everyone knows it!

"Who do we have here?" Joe stopped dead in his tracks remembering the guy's voice, he slowly looked up from the cracked sidewalk to the jocks standing before him.

"Jack," Joe greeted hoping that this encounter would be short.

"Joseph," Jack spat.

"Its Joe,"

"But is it really?"

"Yes." Joe snapped.

"That was rude, wasn't it boys?" The three other jocks nodded in agreement. "I think we should teach him not to be so rude, don't you think?"

"I got to get to school, Jack, leave me alone." Joe insisted.

"You know," Jack circled Joe like he was the prey but the Hardy glared at him. "You don't have the greatest grades like Frank...why don't you have great grades like your supposedly real parents do?"

"Who cares?" Joe's heart quickened at the mention of his family.

"I think you know it too, Joe, don't you?" Jack shoved him in the shoulder making Joe stagger backwards into another much bigger jock.

"That I'm what? A loser?"

"Yeah!" The other jocks shouted. Joe looked around hoping for someone to come by...but he was already far away from Elm Street. It was eerie knowing that no one was here.

"Well, I'm not and I don't care what you think."

"Hold him still for his lesson." Jack sneered.

Fists flew.
TO BE CONTINUED...

Well? Did you like it? Please review! ~VRT