Disclaimer - Where it always is in chapter 1 Avelyn Lauren - Thanks for the review! My muse is ever changing for this story, I promise Nancy and Frank will talk about what is going on between them, just where and when are the key factor. That's the only spoiler you are going to get so on to the story. Oh Iola is also 20 because she too hasn't had her birthday yet.

Chapter 6: Bayport Babies and Blues

Less then an hour after pulling out of the airport, Iola pulled into the Hardy's

driveway and stopped the car. "I thought you guys would like to spend a little time at

home before your next flight out. When is that by the way?" Iola asked.

The guys were getting out of the car, and had opened the trunk and were bringing

the suitcases inside so they hadn't heard Iola's soft spoken question. Nancy who was still

in the backseat answered, "It's at two tomorrow afternoon with long layover in Michigan

I think. Joe made all the travel arrangements."

"Nancy, are you okay? Hun, if you need to talk I am here for you. I promise Joe

will never know what we discuss," Iola offered as she got out of the car and pulling her

seat forward to let Nancy out. "Thanks Iola, but I am just going to take a walk around the

block for a little while. I need to sort some stuff out before I can talk to anyone. I do want

to talk to you, just right now. I can't." Nancy replied as she got out of the car. "Alright

hunnie. I will be here for you when you get back. Don't go too far it's getting dark soon!"

Iola called as Nancy walked down the driveway and headed down the street.

Iola locked up her car and headed into the house. "Iola, do you want to order out?

Or find something homemade to make here?" Joe called from the kitchen. Iola laughed to

herself, "That boy is always thinking about his stomach." "Let's eat in. I am sure you

haven't had any good home cooked food in awhile. In the freezer I am sure Aunt

Gertrude has a pan of baked ziti or macaroni and cheese that we can heat up quickly in

the oven. Let me look." Iola said as she came into the kitchen and started taking charge.

Joe set the table and laughed, "I found a good one, and I can't let her get away."

Frank meanwhile had started doing a couple loads of laundry so they would have

clean clothes to take to Riverheights with them, and had begun checking his email. "Man,

I shouldn't have yelled at her. Just because I didn't get to ask her first, and I made the

mistake is no reason to take my anger out at Nancy." Frank silently admonished himself

as Joe came in. "Hey bro, dinner will be ready in a half an hour. I need to tell you

something first though." Joe said as he closed the door and could hear Iola singing in the

kitchen making a salad for dinner.

"What is it Joe? Why are you being all secretive?" Frank asked. "Well, I am

going over to Iola's house real quick to ask her dad for her hand in marriage. I mean I

know its old fashioned and such, but Iola and I have talked about marriage and she

thought that was sweet. So I am going to head out real quick and do it now. Frank - are

you going to say anything?" Joe finished. "Wow - congratulations, little brother. I wish

you nothing but the best. No, it's not old fashioned it's proper. Do you know when you

are going to ask her yet?" Frank said as he stood and gave Joe a hug. "No, not yet. I am

going to head over their now. I just wanted you to be the first to know." Joe said as he

opened the door and headed into the kitchen to let Iola know he had to go grab something

and he would be back in time for dinner.

Frank went back to checking his email and was surprised to see that the last one

was from Carson Drew. He opened it and it read:

Dear Frank,

I am pleased to note that you are asking me for my daughter's hand. I gladly give it to you because I know you both love each other. Yet, you are a little too late. Nancy is engaged to Ned. I am sorry. Son, just remember this if you love my daughter then she is worth fighting for.

Sincerely,

Carson Drew

Frank quickly closed the email and let it sink in. He had to find Nancy, and tell her.

"Wait, where is Nancy? I never saw her come in the house. Iola will know." Frank

thought as he closed down his computer and headed into the kitchen.

Back home on the Riverfront,

The five weary parents, (a/n - I use the term parents because Hannah is like

Nancy's mom, and Aunt Gertrude has helped raised the boys.) trudged into Carson's

home. The answering machine was blinking, to let them know they had missed a call.

Hannah reached over and hit play as she hung up her coat, and took off her shoes.

"Hello, my darlings! Aunt Eloise, here alive and well. Just got home from the cruise and

was surprised to hear the wedding had to be rescheduled. I am on my way up! I will be at

the house by ten or so! Look forward to seeing you all then! Ta ta, for now my dears!"

Aunt Eloise's voice cried out through the tiny speaker.

Carson just started laughing, and soon everyone else was too. "That is my sister

for you, always with a smile and in a good mood." Carson laughed. "Well, I better make

up the couch for myself and change the sheets in my room for Ms. Drew." Hannah said

before scurrying off. The mood and the raising tensions had seemed to vanished while

waiting for Aunt Eloise to arrive. Gertrude and Laura excused themselves and went on

up to bed, as Carson and Fenton went into the study and turned on ESPN.

On the evil side of town.

Ned and Callie had been talking for hours. Callie telling him the real reason she

wasn't with Frank anymore.

*FLASHBACK*

Three days before Nancy joined the guys overseas to help finish the case.

Frank paced his hotel room, after hanging up the phone with Nancy. After hearing

how she would drop everything and be there in three days to help him, he knew it was

over with Callie. Callie would never do that for him, she wasn't his best friend anymore,

she didn't care what he did anymore, they had grown apart and it was time to end it. It

was his time to be with Nancy. He sat down at his computer and sent a quick email to

Carson Drew asking for his daughter's hand in marriage. "Now all I have left to do is call

Callie, and tell her." Frank thought to himself.

Joe came in the room, and gave him a brief update on the case before heading out

to do the night surveillance, perimeter check. Frank gave no indication to Joe just what he

was about to do. Frank picked up the phone and got comfortable on the bed, he knew this

was going to be one long conversation. He dialed Callie's number with the five hundred

minute phone card.

"Hello, is Callie there?" Frank asked.

"Yes, who's this?" Callie asked.

"It's me, Frank." Frank replied, as he thought, "She doesn't even know my voice."

"Hi hunnie. How are you?" Callie asked.

"Not good, Callie. I need to tell you something." Frank said. "She doesn't even ask how the case is, which was one of Nancy's first questions." He thought.

"Frank, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Did you have a fight with Joe?" Callie asked bored out of her mind.

"Joe and I are both fine. I need to talk about us, I am sorry Callie. We both have grown apart, you can't stand that I am away on cases all the time, and I fell in love with someone else. So I may be a heartless bastard and an ass, but I am ending our relationship here and now." Frank finished and waited for the onslaught of name calling, crying, and the questions.

"Well, I see Nancy finally worked her magic. Good luck getting her to drop Ned. Or did too already arrange this? Are you two getting married over in Europe, and just decided to call me and let me know? Is that? Wait, I don't care. I hope you two have a miserable life together." Callie spat with so much venom, before she hung up the phone.

Frank slowly hung up the phone, before calling his father to send his great-grandmother's ring to him.

*END FLASHBACK*

"So that's what really happened. That's the real reason Frank and I are no longer a

couple. I can bet my life that he has put his moves on Nancy. Don't count on your

wedding to happen Ned, I know Frank. When his mind is set to something, nothing gets

in his way. He wants Nancy. I have to go; here is my number at the hotel that I am

staying at. Call me if you need me. I'll see myself out." Callie said as she wrote her

name, room number, her hotel, and her hotel phone number before walking out of his

apartment.

Ned sat there amazed, and his brain went into overdrive.