Story Name: Taking a Chance

Author: PorscheDsgn

Warnings: Not sure yet, but may will contain violence and maybe a few adult situations – nothing graphic, however, as well as some angst, some hurt/comfort...

Rating: PG

Characters: Joe, Vanessa, Nancy Drew... others to be determined...

Plot Blurb: Joe learns that everything he knew about his brother Frank's death is not as it seems. If he learns the truth will he and his family be able to deal with it and cope with the consequences of everything that has happened?

Disclaimer: The Hardy Boys are owned by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Simon and Schuster. I promise to return the boys to their rightful owners when I'm done playing with them for a bit. I'll even put them back in one piece!

FYI: This is the first story I have ever posted to the internet. I've been writing since I was twelve but haven't been brave enough (before now) to try to post a story. I hope everyone enjoys it and will leave me a review. I'm always interested in improving my writing skills.

August 3, 2004: There was a little bit added to this chapter in various places since first uploaded. Please feel free to check it out.

Chapter One

Two-years, two months, twenty-four days.

Several hours and several minutes.

Joe Hardy sighed as he looked at the calendar sitting in front of him, mocking him. Two years, two months, twenty-four days. Days of grief, followed by days of loss and days of loneliness. Joe sighed as he brushed back his blonde hair and shook his head again, wishing – wishing – he'd done something to stop it. Wishing he'd been there to prevent it.

Wishing he had done something, anything, to save his brother's life.

"I'm sorry, Frank," Joe said, softly as he said everyday, regretting. The pain, sometimes dampened by busy days and friends and family, never totally went away. He felt that pain now, quite keenly.

It was Frank's birthday. He would have been 21 today. Everyone deserved their twenty-first birthday, didn't they? Nobody should have to die when they were only eighteen.

Joe shivered and closed his eyes. He saw the explosion again. Heard the cry that cut off in a sound of pain. Saw the inferno that had engulfed his brother whole and cut Frank off in the prime of his life. Joe vowed that day to find his brother's killers, to make them pay, to make sure that, no matter what else happened, they would never hurt another person again.

Too bad it wasn't him that had eventually found Marcius Ras-Alman. The F.B.I had found him – and Joe had never seen his brother's killer, had not been able to attend whatever trial was held, did not, to this day, know of Ras-Alman's fate, despite several attempts by Joe and his father, Fenton Hardy, to discover the truth.

Joe's life changed. He had found himself totally unable to become the detective that he and Frank always dreamed of being. It wasn't the same without Frank. He and Frank had been the best of teams. Frank, smart, intelligent in ways that scared Joe sometimes and Joe, the brawn of the group, willing and able to leap in where angels feared to tread. The ultimate yin and yang partnership ever conceived.

A part of Joe died the day his brother died. Some days he was so angry he wanted to hurt something, or someone. He never did. Days like that he got into his brand new Corvette and drove it, sometimes at speeds too dangerous for the roads he was on, daring God to call him to task for it. When he couldn't drive anymore he stopped, usually somewhere that he could be alone, and cried, or sobbed, or yelled, or ranted, whatever he needed to cleanse the demons building up within him.

Then he would go back to his life and start to live it again. College, working on a degree in law, something his mother approved of, something that somewhat disappointed his father. Fenton Hardy always dreamed of "Hardy and Sons Investigations" but there would be no sons now. Not without Frank.

Joe wasn't going to be a detective without Frank, but he would be a lawyer. He'd find people like Ras-Alman and bury them – legally. One way or another, he would fight crime, but he was going to do it in a different a way. A way, he hoped, Frank would be proud of if he were here.

"Joe?"

Joe looked up, blue eyes meeting the concerned tawny-amber eyes of the woman who spoke to him and he smiled warmly while he reached out a hand in her direction. The blonde-haired young man pulled the young woman close and kissed her, eyes expressive in their desire and love for this tall beauty that stood beside him and he touched her cheek, gently.

"Hi," he said. "When did you get back into town?"

"Today," Vanessa Bender slid onto Joe's lap and kissed him before settling there and studying him. "Just a few minutes ago. That conference was dead boring; I wish I hadn't gone."

Joe grinned as he stroked her cheek. "Really?"

"Totally," she said. "I mean, I know it's for a grade but... everything in that conference I learned in high school. I'm supposed to be in advanced computer classes here and, instead, I have to deal with idiots who don't know ROM from RAM."

Laughing, Joe kissed her again, welcoming her home more fully. He settled her on his lap and held her close; she rested her cheek against his and they snuggled for a few minutes. The anxiety of only moments before faded slightly; again it never quite went away. He felt better, though. Much better, actually.

"You were thinking about Frank again, weren't you?" Vanessa asked, feeling much more at home in her lover's arms. "I could see it in your eyes."

Joe shrugged, then nodded, not denying it. "I was," he admitted. "It's his birthday today."

Vanessa agreed. "That's why I wanted to go ahead and get back here. I knew you'd need me."

Joe smiled, hugging her more tightly. Joe gently stroked Vanessa's hair, as he held her in his arms. He snuggled against her cheek. "I love you, baby," he said. "I still can't believe he's gone, you know? I keep thinking I'll look up and he'll be standing there with that dopey smile on his face. "

"I miss him too," Vanessa said, softly. She enjoyed a few caresses of her own, stroking Joe's neck with her hands before she kissed him again. "I know how hard it's been for you. I just wish I could make it easier."

Joe laughed. "Baby, you are the only thing that makes any of this easier. If you weren't here, with me, I think I would have gone insane months ago. Years ago. I would have lost it, Van, I really would have."

Van smiled, blushing slightly. "Well, maybe you would have, sweetheart, but I think you would have made it through without me. You're stronger than you think, you know."

"Maybe," Joe said, dubiously "Maybe not."

Van considered for a moment. "What do you want to do tonight? How about we go out to eat? Then we can go see your parents."

"I... all right, that sounds fine," Joe agreed. "Let's get out of here. If I have to study one more case I'm going to turn into a manila folder.

Vanessa laughed as she stood and pulled Joe to his feet. "Then let's go. I'm not dating a manila folder, no matter how much I might love him."

"Joseph Hardy!"

Joe grinned at his mother as she ran out the door and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight before pulling him down to her level to kiss his cheek. The young man blushed slightly as he heard Vanessa's giggle and he fervently hoped that none of his friends chose that moment to drive by. It was really embarrassing for a guy in college to get kissed in public by his mom; at least it was for Joe!

"Hi, mom," Joe returned his mother's hug, as he gently and carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly. "We've come in search of sustenance. I don't suppose you want to take pity on two wayward college students, who haven't had a decent meal in weeks, do you?"

Laura Hardy laughed as she backed up away from Joe. Joe knew she wouldn't tell him but she really missed him when he was away at college. Granted, the school he went to was only across town but with him living in his own apartment, rather than at home, they didn't see each other nearly as often as they probably should and Joe felt slightly guilty about that.

"I was hoping you would come today," Laura admitted softly as she led the way inside of the warm confines of the Hardy home on the corners of High and Elm Streets. "I thought maybe you would."

"Yeah," Joe hooked an arm around Vanessa's shoulders and pulled her close. "I couldn't miss coming home today. It's... it's his day after all."

Laura went quiet and Joe hoped he hadn't ruined her mood by mentioning Frank. She rarely talked about him now, choosing to grieve in private rather than in front of her son. Joe sometimes wished she would open up to him, so that they could grieve and talk it out together but he didn't force the issue with her.

She's hurting too, he thought. As much today as she was back when it first happened. As much as I am.

Joe swallowed and fought for control again. He felt Vanessa grab his hand and hold it tightly. Joe turned to her and kissed the hand holding his own before turning back to his mom.

"Hello, son," Fenton Hardy appeared at the bottom of the stairs that led to the second story and he hugged his son.

"Hi, there, Dad, what's happening?" Joe asked.

"Heard something about dinner," Fenton grinned. "And my stomach is reminding me I skipped lunch."

"Been busy?" Joe swept Vanessa into the room and they went into the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands.

"Working on a new case is all," Fenton said. "I had to make a lot of phone calls today, looks like I'll have to go out for some leg work tomorrow."

"Just be careful, would ya, pop?" Joe studied his father for a moment. Fenton looked fit, now, but he had been in ill-health for a month after Frank's death. Joe feared, at the time, he would lose his father, too. Joe was grateful that Fenton was all right now, though and strong as ever.

"Always," Fenton promised.

"Come eat," Laura called out from the dining room. "Food's on the table."

Dinner was companionable but still different. It had been since Frank's death, when it was obvious that there was something lacking at the table. Today being Frank's birthday made the loss more palpable, harder to ignore and harder to think about as well. The conversation occasionally lapsed off into silence as they all looked at the chair that had always been Frank's, so absent now without the oldest Hardy boy in it.

"How's school coming?" Fenton asked as Laura served dessert; she'd made Frank's favorite, chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, topped with chocolate chips.

"Good," Joe said. "I think I got A's on all my midterms. I'll let you know when I get the grades. That's why you haven't seen me much lately; I had major studying to do. And I have Vanessa to thank for the grades, too."

Vanessa laughed. "No you don't. You're brilliant, Joe Hardy."

"She quizzed me, tutored me, did flash cards, asked questions over and over again," Joe said. "I'm glad, too. It really helped."

"You'll make a great lawyer, Joe," Laura told her son, proudly. "I know you will."

Joe nodded and finished his slice of cake. "I didn't think I'd like being a lawyer, at first. I mean, think about it. All those facts and laws to memorize. But it's really more interesting than I thought it would be. And, well, it helps to have a goal."

They all knew Joe's goal – to become a prosecutor. He wasn't going to go into law to help criminals get out of jail. He wanted to be responsible for putting them into jail.

Fenton nodded and settled back in his chair, sipping on a glass of milk. He wiped his milk mustache with a napkin and studied his son.

"Are you really happy, Joe?" Fenton asked.

Joe studied his father, and then nodded. "As happy as I can be without Frank, Dad."

Laura's tears welled up and Joe reached across the table to hold her hand, squeezing it as he stroked her long fingers.

"I love you, mom. I know you miss him. You don't have to be afraid to tell us, you know that, don't you? We miss him, too. I think we will always miss him."

"I just get so angry!" Laura exclaimed as her fist suddenly slammed onto the table. "I get so mad, I want to hurt something. To have him killed like that... he should be here, not dead!"

Fenton got up and went around the table, drawing his wife into his arms. Joe and Vanessa watched them, with sad expressions on their faces. They hugged each other but Joe had no tears left for the evening. He might cry again later; or he might scream, or throw something, or hit something, but not now.

"I'm sorry," Laura sniffed. "I'm sorry, Joe, Fenton, Vanessa. I didn't mean to break down."

Joe got up, then and went to join his parents, holding them.

"It's all right, mom. We'll get through it. The pain gets less. It may never go away but it gets easier to bear. That's what we have to remember – and remember that Frank wants us to be happy."

The quiet moment lasted for several minutes, the three Hardys wrapped up in each other, basking in the love they had for each other – and mourning, again, the loss of the one that wasn't there.

Finally, Laura squeezed both of her men and got up, letting them go as she did. Joe smiled and kissed her on the cheek and went back to Vanessa.

"Love you, mom," he said, again, not caring if Vanessa heard him. At least she wouldn't make fun of him for saying it. "Love you, dad. Call me if you need anything, promise?"

"Promise," Fenton and Laura said, together. They exchanged a smile with each other and laughed. "Go on, son," Fenton continued. "Have a good day at school tomorrow."

"We will," Joe agreed. He put his arm around Vanessa's shoulders and went out of the house.

"That was a great night," Joe admitted as he walked with Vanessa toward her car. "Mom and Dad were really happy to see us."

"Yeah, they were," Vanessa walked slowly beside him, content to enjoy the still warm evening. She looked upward at the stars shining down on them and then turned to Joe, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I've got to come visit more," Joe said. "I get so bus..."

He was cut off by the ringing of his cell phone. He turned slightly away from Vanessa, apologizing as he answered the phone.

"Joe Hardy," he said.

"If you want to learn more about Frank Hardy," the voice said on the other end. "Meet me at Porter Wharf in one half hour. If you aren't there, I'm leaving and taking my information with me."

Joe's eyes went wide, then he protested. "Frank Hardy is dead. What kind of game are you playing?"

"Is he?" the voice laughed. "Is he really dead, Joe Hardy? Or did someone want you to think he was dead. If you want to know, come. Come or you won't learn anything, and I'll be gone. If you want to know. Half Hour. Porter Wharf."

The connection went dead and Joe stared up at Vanessa, repeating the conversation.

"Joe," Vanessa said. "You aren't going to go are you?"

Joe nodded and stood, brushing the pleats on his slacks until they were straight. He reached for his jacket and pulled It on, then swept Vanessa into his arms and kissed her.

"Have to, love," he confessed. "Someone is playing games with me and they're going to pay."