"Hi… Frank…" Vanessa stood outside the door carrying a beautiful girl no more than two years of age with the brightest pair of wide sapphire eyes that Frank had only seen in two people before. Without doubt, he knew he was looking into the inquisitive eyes of his niece.

He lost his heart immediately to Hallie- she looked like both her father and mother and yet, nothing like them. She had Joe's eyes and hair, Vanessa's gorgeous lips and her skin was the healthy color of peaches and cream. Vanessa smiled blissfully at the struggling girl in her arms. Gently, she set her down and without any reserve, Hallie squeezed past Frank and popped her head into his apartment to take a peek.

"Vanessa… where's Joe? Come in… please…"

And she entered his apartment with Hallie who had returned to her mother's side and was pulling on her mother's jeans as she trotted a step behind. Frank guided them to his living room which was a minimalist's dream with only a long white couch and a large- screen television. Vanessa sat down on the sleek couch before hoisting Hallie onto her lap.

"She's Hallie?" Frank smiled widely at the little girl who was now scrutinizing him piercingly. Soon, satisfied that he did not look funny most probably, Hallie set him very at ease with a big, charming grin baring a full set of small little white milk teeth.

"C'mon, tell Uncle Frank your name? He's your daddy's brother." Vanessa cajoled her daughter lovingly and playfully shaking Hallie's slightly chubby upper arms. "Be a good girl…"

"Hallie!" The little girl obviously needed no such encouragement. When she was assured by her mother that Frank was a good man, Hallie dropped the rest of the little defenses she had and proudly proclaimed her own name. Frank laughed softly and reached over to ruffle her hair.

It was so soft. He was addicted to stroking its silkiness.

"Hallie… I see… how are you, Little Lady?" He wasn't expecting a two year old to answer back in complete sentences but Hallie did without any halts.

"I am happy but mommy and daddy Greg won't buy me ice-cream."

And neither was he expecting a two year old to get her father's name wrong. Vanessa threw him an uncomfortable smile before placing a slender finger on Hallie's lips. Hallie shook her head and jumped off her mother's knees. She trotted over to Frank and the cute squeaking sounds her shoes made only emphasized her innocence. Frank reached down and sat her on his lap.

"Yes, Hallie?"

"I wanna eat ice-cream. Do you have some?"

"Hallie..." Vanessa chided her daughter. "I taught you to not be rude…"

"Me no rude! Me asked nicely…" Hallie retorted before biting down on her lower lip, an action she learned from her father most probably. Bambi eyes gazed into Frank's again as Hallie whispered softly. "Please?"

Frank laughed albeit a little preoccupied by the name, Greg, which Hallie had spouted. It was then the door opened. Callie, who had a spare key to his apartment, always had the knack for choosing the most appropriate time to make her entrance.

"Frank, you must listen to this… oh… Vanessa! NESS!" Callie squealed with happiness and dashed over to her long-lost friend side. Vanessa smiled widely and, with shining eyes, stood up to hug Callie fiercely. Callie pulled away and jumped in place a couple of times, giving Vanessa an approving once over, hardly able to contain her jubilant. They used to be best friends and Frank was sure that Callie's phone would be smoking tonight if Callie could not convince Vanessa to board with her.

If he wanted to talk to Callie tonight, he would have to make an appointment quick.

"NESS!!!! Look at you!!! That's a gorgeous bag… Where's Joe?" She glanced around the room before resting her sight on the curious girl on his lap. " And that must be little Hallie! Isn't she adorable… Frank… she has Joe's eyes…" Callie hunched over and pinched Hallie's rosy cheeks rather enthusiastically. Rather than being annoyed, Hallie was enjoying the attention and compliments very much. Vanessa tucked a lock of hair behind her left ear while Frank passed Hallie to Callie's adoring administrations.

"I wanna ice-cream… no one give me any." Hallie was already finding it so easy to complain to her worshiping auntie. Callie bounced Hallie up and down in her arms as she turned around briefly and wrinkled her nose at Frank. He caught her silent message and smiled a little sadly.

Yes. She's exactly like her father.

"I'll give you some ice-cream…"Callie carried Hallie into the kitchen. "By the way, I'm your aunty Callie..."

"Ice-cream!" Hallie shrieked happily. "Aunty Callie, you're very pretty." Callie laughed heartily at the flattering. When the happy chatters dissipated into the kitchen, Frank motioned for Vanessa to sit again. There was so much she needed to explain.

"I know. You're going to ask me where's Joe and who's Greg."

"Yes." Frank nodded. "Where's my brother? Why didn't he come home with you? It's almost three years already, damn it! All we get are the occasional phone calls, emails and letters with no return addresses and now, they have become as rare as dodo sightings!"

"Joe and I divorced when Hallie's a year and 2 months old. Eight months later, I applied for an annulment because Greg's a Catholic and…" Vanessa pulled her lips thin tightly as she gazed onto the floor with downcast eyes. "Greg's an Economics Professor at UCLA- he's actually the renowned young economist, Gregory Bunhill. We are getting married soon and… before I go over to California for good I… I thought I'll just bring Hallie here."

Frank knitted his brows. "Joe will just let you take Hallie away with who this Greg is?"

"I won custody but he can see Hallie anytime… he loves Hallie to death…"

"Is he staying anywhere near California? Where is he?" Frank pressured her. "Do you even know?"

"We were in Maryland all along. Went there instead of Vegas to get married because Joe checked out the laws and realized Maryland is one of the few states that will allow minors like us who are with child to marry without parental consent.  I think he should still be there. We're not exactly speaking to each other…though he calls me when he wants to see Hallie." Vanessa cringed in her seat as Frank shook his head.

"What happened between the both of you? You two left to get married and have your baby. We thought you'll come back soon. And now, after all the efforts both of you put in to keep Hallie with you, after all the hearts you've broken in your trail…"

"Joe didn't want to come back, Frank. Not me. We have… irreconcilable differences…"

"What differences?"

"Please, Frank… don't force me to say things that you may not be ready to hear." Vanessa stood up abruptly. "I have been to your parents place beforehand… Greg's coming to fetch me now and Laura asked me to let Hallie to stay with her and Fenton for a week which I agreed."

Frank sank back into his seat. "Just tell me, is Joe ok? He keeps saying he is when he does call and now you bring this news…"

Vanessa smiled sadly before nodding. "Yes. He's on his way to being ok and I know he will be. Joe… Joe has grown up quickly in a very short time."

Frank could only clench his fists in frustration that he was not getting the whole truth about his vagrant brother. Vanessa decided that it was best to leave him alone and went into the kitchen to say her goodbyes to Callie and Hallie.

That week with irrepressible Hallie brought much deserved laughter and joy to the Hardys household. Everyone fell in love with her and through her, everyone missed her father more. Hallie talked about Joe all the time too, referring to Joe as daddy and Greg as daddy Greg. Never once did she mix up their identities. When Vanessa picked her up, she asked her mother if they were going back to "daddy." Vanessa's fleeting look of anguish told Frank much.

And yet, nothing at all.

***

"Buddy you're an old man poor man. Pleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day. You got mud on your face. Big disgrace. Somebody betta put you back into your place." Tony finished the verse, slammed his hands down on the car boot and pointed at Chet and Frank.

"WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU! ROCK YOU!" Chet and Frank yelled the chorus at the top of their lungs with almost bloodthirsty lust while Tony beat the rhythm on the soapy car boot.

"Sing it!"

"WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU! ROCK YOU!"

"EVERYBODY!"

"WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU! ROCK YOU!"

"SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Callie screeched, covering her ears. "It's enough! We've been washing this car for ages and it's not done! NOT DONE! And you guys know why? Because you guys kept singing and yelling; doing anything but work!!!!"

"Now… she's the one shouting…" Chet nudged Frank's side. "I wonder how you put up with her…"

"I'm just a henpecked little fiancé." Frank winked at Chet while he plastered his totally drenched body- a result from hosing down the suds off the car earlier, a task which escalated into a full fledge water fight- onto Callie's. She was naturally peeved because she was driest of them all.

"ARGH! I had it! No more car washes for me. Boys!" Callie pushed him away and stormed inside the house. Tony raised a sympathetic brow while Chet could hardly control his guffaws as he imitated Callie's indignant gait. He paced around the driveway, stalking in a circle while throwing his hands up in the air at intermittence lamenting, "Boys!" in a mocking falsetto. Frank laughed with gusto but had to dash inside to mollify his fuming fiancée after he caught Callie staring out of the window to find the guys making fun of her tirade.

"C'mon, Callie… you know I love you…" Frank slipped his arms around her waist and rocked her side to side gently. "Don't be angry... we're just fooling around…"

"Fooling around. Right. I have the meeting tonight and I need to fetch my boss in your Lexus that's supposed to be gleaming by now!! It's already two p.m. and we haven't even waxed it!" Callie hissed sharply. "You guys said you'll help… I should have sent it to the car wash instead of allowing you three to use it as an excuse for male bonding. Why don't you male bond over a couple of cans of beer while you belch and curse at some stupid football thingy on television?"

"Yes Mam!" Frank let go of her and jumped back a step in a mock salute. "I shall go relay the message to my platoon. We are going to drink beer, get fat and be couch potatoes!"

Callie tried to sulk but failed as an uncontainable smile crept up the sides of her rosebud lips. She pretended to ignore him, turning away to peer out of the window. Tony and Chet grinned at her from the outside and she pretended to scowl at them. Feigning extreme fear, Chet and Tony hurriedly wiped the car dry for its waxing.

"Let's go join them, shall we? I promise to sing Norah Jones only from now on." Frank cuddled her close to him and she nodded, relenting.

"Boys never grow up. You guys are just like who you were in high school." Callie groused. "Never taking anything seriously."

"I take you seriously. We take you seriously! See, Tony's starting on the wax now… Come away with me on the bus… come away with me where they can't tempt us… with their lies… I want to walk with you… on a cloudy day…"  Frank croaked her favorite song to coax her sweet smile fully out from hiding. It worked and they made their way out of the front door a loving couple again. He knew she was feeling stressed up over the meeting which she hoped would land her the position of Creative Director in the advertising firm she had been slogging in for two years. But her boss was a female hater who would rather promote a male paper-pusher than her. If she did not like the company so much, Callie would have split long ago.

Together, the four friends had a great deal of fun teasing Callie and waxing Frank's Lexus which would be vital for Callie's image later because her humbug boss had a liking for Lexus and Callie was hoping to make an impact on him with that.

Frank remembered telling Callie to never grovel for a position but Callie shot back and said it was a coveted position. If she could just get his essential recommendation, she would be promoted and effectively, he would not be her immediate boss anymore and she would be rid of him forever. Frank shook his head at her logic. He hated being under anyone's employment, even his dad's. After he graduated with top honors in Criminology; he forged ahead and obtained his PI License. He did not want to join his dad at first and Fenton knew the reason. Fenton had a discussion with him and gave him an offer he could not resist.

Frank would be a partner instead of his subordinate. He would never order Frank around and Frank could pick and choose the cases he wanted and they would be on equal standing in their little establishment. Besides, Fenton was looking to retire already. That was a few years back. Now, at the mere age of twenty-five, Frank's reputation preceded him especially after he solved a case which the police dubbed "A Perfect Crime" all alone. To him, it was pure luck. To the police and especially Chief Collig, it was a stroke of genius they begrudged.

Alone. That was how he worked. He would back Fenton up all the time but for his own cases, he rather worked alone. He only had one partner and the last he heard of that brat was a few months ago. Joe called home to tell them that he was fine. What else did Joe said? Nothing. Joe asked a lot about them though and Frank thought he caught his kid brother sighing with some regrets.

"You can always visit us. It's close to seven years. Surely you don't want to hide from us forever."

"I'm not. I… I called mom a week ago."

"And made her the happiest person in the world. Joe, come home. You said before you needed to straighten yourself out and that was when? A few years back? If you have any problems, why not come to us and let us help you sort it through?"

"Because it's something I need to do for myself… don't worry, bro. I'm coming back sooner than you can spell ahmm… hmm… you spell very well… AH HAH! Sooner than you can spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

"S-U-P-E-R-C-A-L-I-F-R-A-G-I-L-I-S-T-I-C-E-X-P-I-A-L-I-D-O-C-I-O-U-S. You're not here yet!"

"I got to go. I have something to do… and… congratulations on that case you cracked! Am proud of you!"

"Don't humor me, Joe."

"I'm not. I visit Bayport's website on the Internet very often and printed out that article. You told me the Internet's good for much resources."

"I also told you I want to drive the black van again."

"Oh… right. Black van… you know something really funny? Well… you don't… of course. Okies! Got to go! I'm going down to California next week so I won't be calling soon… going to see my baby Hallie! She's so pretty now…"

"I'm sure she is."

"Bye bro and… and send my regards to mom and dad."

"You'll have to send them yourself." Frank muttered into mouthpiece to a ringing tone.

"Well, Callie! I guess we'll be celebrating your promotion tomorrow night after your fantastic presentation!" Chet draped an arm across Callie's shoulders and Callie playfully punched his side.

"Oh… come on! You haven't even seen my project… don't curry favor with me, Chet. I know all you want is a free dinner."

"It's been a long time since we had dinner as a gang together. If Phil and Biff were here… and Joe… well, we'll be complete." Chet exuberated tone abruptly rolled off into a somber cadence as he eyed Frank cautiously. Frank understood perfectly- they always felt that any mention of Joe was like a ton of bricks hovering over Frank, ready to tumble down and crush his spirits.

Frank shrugged it off. Yes, he would always feel a prick in his heart at the mention of Joe, no denying that. He turned down recommendations to FBI. Gray Man had sought him out to dangle an exciting, fulfilling and life-threatening career in the Network in front of him with the promise of a huge paycheck and he refused right into Gray's face though he was, in a way, tempted. He knew the reason why he stayed- he had no idea where Joe was and if he should leave, he wondered if Joe would know where to find him. So he would stay and wait for his partner to return.

But he was getting rather sick of waiting, holding on to Joe's empty promises to return. With each broken vows, Frank would lose a little more faith. Bayport was beginning to seem stifling and if Callie was indeed promoted, she would be posted to Manhattan. The metropolis, with its the hectic, breathless lifestyle, was actually starting to look very good.

Besides, I can always ask mom and dad to relay to Joe where I am. Why should I stay?

Because Frank Hardy…you know he's coming back. Each promise he made, though broken, sounded more resolute than the last. You have to have faith in that.

"I'll go reserve a table at 'Fridays'. Four of us." Tony offered.

"I can't wait to sink my teeth into a hunk of their juicy steak…" Chet smacked his lips. "Food! Glorious Food!"

"Why not make it five?" A familiar, husky voice called out- sounding still as young and yet, much wiser and rougher. "Why not make it now? I'm famished!"

Frank spun around a nanosecond before the rest of them. He saw Joe standing there, grinning lazily back at all them before half-shrugging. Callie screamed first and raced over to hug him. They all did, well, except for Frank, and almost suffocated a taken aback Joe with their affection. Joe actually had the wind knocked out of him from Chet's overly excited friendly punch to his stomach.

He could not believe his eyes. There his brother was- a little slimmer, a little wilder looking but still, there. Joe embraced his friends before he squeezed past them and strode over to Frank who was immobilized onto where he was standing, holding on to the cloth which he was waxing the car with. The sunlight glinted off Joe's short blond hair done up in spikes and scintillated off the two earrings on his left ear. His jeans were strategically torn and his orange t-shirt angrily proclaimed, "We are Poisoned!"

But at least, despite his rebel image which Frank always knew was lurking somewhere inside, he was still wearing the wooden cross Frank gave him.

"Yo, bro! Finally! I can't take your nagging and returned! Aren't you happy to see me?" Joe clapped a hand heavily on Frank's shoulder and the grin melted down into an apologetic smile.

Letting out a low chuckle, Frank embraced his brother tightly as he had done when they said farewell seven years ago.

"Glad to see you too, little bro."

*****

*We Will Rock You by Queen, Greatest Hits I and II.