Ned Brenden received a phone call at his base in India where he had been doing relief work for the last month, unable to stay at the island with Frank there. Hiding was more like it, but at least it took him away from the anguish that everyday there had brought him. It was Melanie on the phone, informing him of Frank's unfortunate decision.

There had never been much doubt in Ned's mind on Frank's decision. But now he was faced with it: was he really responsible for causing his parents to grieve for two children? Was he responsible for denying a child of a father, a wife of a husband, and many friends of their dear companion? It didn't seem right. And all of a sudden, Ned knew he couldn't go on if he allowed Frank to die today. Numbly, he called the island and told Melanie to send a helicopter. For a moment he contemplated the rift in their relationship if he went through with his plan, but knew if she loved him as he loved her, she would at least understand. He just hoped that was enough.

As the sun rose over the little Pacific island, Frank Hardy stared at it, knowing it would be his last. He knew that Callie would be seeing the same sun, and wondered how she would go on. I'm sorry, Cal, he thought.

The guard next to him cleared his throat a little. "Are you ready?" he asked softly, clearly not wishing to interrupt Frank's last few minutes. Frank nodded and together they walked back to the house where Melanie and a gun would be waiting. She told him she always did her own shootings. A helicopter passed overhead and landed at the pad nearby. Frank wondered about it, but then decided it didn't really matter. It wouldn't affect him anyway...

They were at the door now. He had perhaps five minutes left. The sounds of the copter had ceased; he supposed that it had landed and whoever it was had arrived. The only sound now was their footsteps and the faint thud of the surf. And hurried footsteps coming up the lawn...

"Wait!"

Both the guard and Frank turned and saw Joe, truly Joe, running towards him. All doubts were gone from Frank's mind, the mask that had turned Joe into Ned was gone and there were tears in his eyes.

"Frank!" he shouted running towards him. Frank forgot everything except himself and Joe as they soundly embraced. He had dreamed for fourteen years of this moment. It had finally come true.

The brothers stood there for a moment, simply revealing in each other, each crying profusely. The world had melted away and all that mattered was the fact that they were together at last, and that finally, finally, the thing that had died in Joe Hardy so many years ago was again firm and solid within him. He knew what it was now: his brother Frank's love and respect.

When they finally broke apart, Joe turned to the guard and said, "Leave us. I'll take it from here."

Not about to question his superior, the guard nodded and left. Frank remembered his execution and wondered just how his baby brother was going to get out of this one. "Joe," he began, but his brother cut him off.

"Listen, there is a helicopter waiting to take you home. We don't have much time." He began to head towards the pad and Frank followed.

"What about you? You are coming- aren't you?" Frank asked. He wasn't about to come this far and give up his brother just after he had actually found him.

Joe winced, "No Frank, my life is here now. I don't have anything left in Bayport. Family, yes, but no life."

"You'll have a life with me," Frank said desperately. "Anything and it's yours." But when Joe again shook his head, Frank stopped. His brother had dug his heals in the ground. Pulling wasn't about to get him anywhere. He needed another way. "At least tell me what happened. I can't leave without knowing."

They began to walk again, and Joe took a moment gathering his thoughts. "Ned Brenden was a boy on the Wraith that died when it sank. I joined the attacking ship in his name, trying to less conspicuous. I was given the same choice as you, join or die, and as the investigation was mostly still underway, I joined. And then, I fell in love with what was happening here and couldn't leave. I fell in love with Melanie and the lifestyle and everything. And so to all intents Joe Hardy was dead. You brought him back today to save you, but he is a ghost. I can never go back. But, if I manage to escape the consequence of my actions today, I will stay in touch with you. I must remain dead to everyone else, but to you, well, I don't want to loose a brother again."

There was nothing Frank could say to that. That was a Joe Hardy statement and Frank couldn't go against it. So the brothers hugged again, knowing it would probably be the last time.

"What a pair we'll be," Joe whispered in Frank's ear. "A leader of the Assassin's and a powerful Network agent are friends and brothers. Who would have thought?"

"Who would have thought?" Frank echoed and slipped into the chopper, waving until the island was out of sight.

"I think I would like to be called Joe Hardy again, Mel, and Frank Hardy escaped custody this morning and commandeered a helicopter."

Melanie, who had been waiting for Frank to arrive with trepidation gasped at Joe's words. "What?" she said stupidly.

Joe grinned, "Just as I said, I would like to be called-"

The leader of the Assassins and Joe's fiancée smiled back. "Those darn Network agents," she said in mock seriousness. I guess we'll just have to let this one go and hope he didn't get too many secrets. We'll keep an eye on him though and..."

Trying not to show his relief at Melanie's decision, Joe slipped his arm around Melanie, "Why should we wait until we get married? There isn't anything quite that pressing..."

Melanie turned her head to look at him. "You know what Joe Hardy?" she said. "That is a very good idea."

Smiling Joe bent down and kissed her. "I thought so myself."

A/N: Well, that's it. Definitely not the traditional ending, but I thought it was the only way it could turn out. I hoped you liked it.. all your positive reviews make me think you do and I really appreciate you guys. It was a big motivation. I don't see a sequel for this, it isn't really 'sequelable' but I am plotting a different stand-alone, so keep your eyes out!