10:08 AM

I woke slowly. Very slowly. Bit by bit I pulled myself away from the crazy dream I was having. I shifted my gaze to Joe's empty bed. Wait- Joe's gone! I shot up and went into the hall. Mom and Dad were sitting on a bench, and it looks like they fell asleep as Dad was comforting her. I entered Karen's room and found my sister alone. Janessa was nowhere to be found. I sat down, breathing a sigh of relief. It seems Jen and Joe must have left together. I think I'll go back to sleep for a while.

12:00 PM

"Frank. Frank get up. Do I need to get a bucket of water to dump on your head or something? Earth to Frank."

"She will go get the water you know."

"Not necessary…" I mumbled, after hearing squeaky wheels turning and water running.

"Too late."

I opened my eyes just in time to see my sister upend a bucket of water over me. I blinked a few times and clarity was restored to my eyes. I saw my brother and sister in wheelchairs, but somehow still able to have moved me from my chair into the bathtub in the bathroom. Janessa stood behind the troublesome twosome, shaking her head in disapproval and holding back a smile.

"Well good morning to you too," I quipped.

"Told you she would do it," Joe chuckled.

"Like you'd pass up on the golden opportunity to give him that perfect wake up call, Joe."

"Do as I say, not as I do little sister."

Karen stuck her tongue out at him, folding her arms. I laughed at their banter. A pang of sadness hit me, followed by a wave of thankfulness. I knew if they had died, I'd really miss how we played jokes and teased each other. Dad walked in.

"Why is Frank soaking wet?" He asked.

"He needed to be woken, Dad," said Karen honestly.

"You guys," our father chided gently, "He could have woken up perfectly well on his own. He stayed up all night looking after you. Janessa took naps here and there, but I noticed Frank didn't go to sleep until after 1 AM."

"Sorry big brother," Karen and Joe mumbled, snickering.

"I knew you two were just joking."

"Hey Dad," Karen asked, "When can we go home?"

"As soon as the police get your statements, and the doctor clears you as well enough for home treatment."

"Well that's good," Karen chirped, "The doc said we were good to go about an hour ago."

"Yeah. You can send Collig in if you want to," Joe told Dad, "We're ready, and we'd like to go home."

"Alright. I'll call him."

"Thanks for the wake up call," I joked.

"Your welcome."

"But I need you two pranksters and your overseeing accomplice to skedaddle so I can change into something drier."

"You heard him," Janessa affirmed, "Let's go."

"Who uses words like skedaddle?" Karen snickered.

"Our older brother apparently." Joe finished, the three of them heading out the door.

I changed into my dry clothes quickly and sat down on the bed for a moment thinking about what Joe had said to me the night before about the accident. Something was tampered with in the car, and I won't stop until I figure out who was behind it.

Whose computer sucks? Mine. This is meant to be a line break.*

Sorry about not posting for a while, I'm working on three fics at once, plus babysitting. I know that's no excuse, but here I am. Quick Hardy family fluff chapter before we break into arguments and Frank gets knee deep into the mystery of who tampered with the car!