I do not own any of these characters . . . I'm just borrowing them.
I hope you like the story though, I grew up on Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and I've loved them forever. I love the super mysteries! I know their characters backwards and forwards and I always loved Frank and Nancy together. They were written by the same author, and he wrote them with very similar characteristics. They just fit; and I think they would be great together. So you can probably make the conclusion by now that this story is all about Nancy and Frank.
I'm even going to do that character-explaining thing that is famous in these books!
"Nancy?" Frank Hardy stood at the open door of Nancy Drew's apartment. He was worried something had happened to her, she never does anything as irresponsible as leaving her door wide open.
"In here!" Nancy yelled back.
Frank closed the door behind him and followed her voice to the kitchen. "Hey," Frank said with a small laugh when he noticed Nancy was hungrily devouring a ham and cheese sandwich, " I thought we were going out for lunch?"
"Oh, we are, but check the time Frank, you're an hour late and I was hungry." Nancy looked at him as if she was daring him to say anymore after his fault, and continued eating her sandwich.
"I'm sorry, they held me later than planned at the office, they have a new case for me." Frank sighed and sat down at the table across from Nancy. He looked at her to see if she was mad, but he saw that familiar twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes, and he knew she understood.
" That's the life of a private investigator . . . I guess I should know!" Nancy and Frank laughed together at Nancy's remark. Nancy was the top private investigator in her firm. She received more awards and recognition then even the great Frank Hardy. But he didn't mind he was happy for her . . . well, maybe he minded just a little.
Frank put on his best puppy-dog face and said, " So you're not mad at me, and would consider letting me take you out for a dessert?"
Nancy looked at him trying to keep a serious face, but burst out laughing. She ran a hand through her shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair and looked up at her handsome boyfriend. He was tall, 6"1 to be exact, with beautiful brown, chestnut hair that hit his forehead in just the right place. He was athletic, and intelligent. He was beautiful inside and out, he was any girl's dream guy. But he belonged to her, and that's the way she intended it to stay.
"Of course I forgive you, you know I'm not mad at you. I'm sure I've done it to you before millions of times. But I take you up on that dessert offer, let's go!"
Nancy put her coat on and ran to the door. Seeing Nancy run to the door reminded Frank of his earlier thought.
"Hey Nancy, why was your door open earlier? I forgot to ask you."
Nancy looked at Frank sheepishly and a faint blush settled on her cheeks. " I was waiting for you and I got bored. So I decided to wait by the door. Then I realized my stomach was growling ferociously, so I left the door open and ran to the kitchen."
Frank smiled at his beautiful girl friend. He loved her so much he couldn't even explain it. " Oh I see," Frank, said teasingly, "you missed me!"
Nancy's cheeks turned even redder, " Is that a crime?"
"No not at all I was just saying," Frank said laughing. Then his tone became more
serious. " You shouldn't have left your front door open though, do you know how many enemies we have? "
Nancy's posture became rigid and she had a defying look in her eye. " You know very well I can take care of myself." She then walked out the door and down the hallway.
Frank sighed and closed and locked the door behind him as he followed. He began muttering under his breath," What kind of world is it when your girl friend gets mad at you for caring?"
Frank stopped at a window of a jewelry store on his way to work. He looked at everything, but his eyes rested on a beautiful diamond, princess cut engagement ring. His thoughts flew immediately to Nancy. Then as he thought about her, he realized he was ready to make that special commitment to her. He loved her with all his heart, and he had for a while. At the risk of being cheesy, he considered her his soul mate. She fit him so perfectly. They finished each other's sentences, and they thought the same. His intelligence matched hers, and her beauty matched his. They were perfect together.
Chapter 2
Frank was really confused. He and Nancy had been dating for a year. They had known each other for much longer. They exchanged I love you's, and they meant it. Even though, there was something wrong with Nancy. She was pushing him away. She was becoming more and more distant. When he tried to kiss her, she turned her head so he kissed her on the cheek. When he said, "I love you," she just said "me too." She didn't want to go out anymore, she claimed she was too tired from work. Frank could read her like a book though, so he didn't buy her excuse, but he pretended to.
"What am I doing wrong?" Frank asked himself. He thought about how he could get Nancy to open up, but was drawing blanks. He thought about how Christmas was next Sunday and thought of an idea. It was risky, but worth it. Every year Nancy visited her Dad for Christmas. This year he was going with her. He wasn't nervous to spend time with her father, because he'd known Carson Drew for so long that he loved him like his own father. Frank needed to call Carson. He had a proposition . . .
"Nancy, are you ready to go? We are going to miss our plane!" Frank asked anxiously while he waited for Nancy on her living room couch.
"We are not going to miss our plane. I'm almost done just be patient." Nancy said this with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Frank noted the annoyance he heard in his girlfriend's voice. He still didn't get what was wrong with her. Maybe his surprise would make her feel better.
"Okay Mr. Impatient, I'm ready to go."
Frank looked up to see Nancy staring down at him. She looked so tired and defeated. He wondered if she was sick, but didn't dare ask. Nancy hated showing weakness, and she considered sickness a weakness.
"Okay," Frank said plastering a fake smile on his worried face, " Let's go."
Frank and Nancy arrived in River Heights on Christmas Eve. They took a cab to Nancy's dad's house. The cab ride was silent. Nancy didn't feel like talking, so Frank didn't push her. When they reached Nancy's childhood home, the first genuine smile Frank had seen in ages spread across Nancy's beautiful face. She opened the door to the taxi, jumped out, and ran to the front door. She knocked until her dad came to answer the door. When Carson opened the door, Nancy threw herself into her father's arms. Her father laughed and kissed his only daughter on the forehead.
Frank watched this scene while he paid the taxi driver, smiling just because Nancy was. He was so happy to see her happy. He got the bags out the trunk and walked towards the door.
"Frank," Carson yelled, "it's so great to see you again." Carson gently placed Nancy on the ground, and quickly walked up to Frank to give him a hug.
" It's great to see you to Carson, Frank replied as he hugged him back, "It's been a long time."
"It sure has," Carson said with a smile, "I hope you are taking care of my baby."
Frank looked at the warning look on Nancy's face. "Oh no sir, Nance can take care of herself."
Carson laughed wholeheartedly at this statement. "It looks like she has trained you well. Come on in you guys, it's a little chilly out here."
"Hannah, this dinner is delicious, Frank said with a contented sigh. Maybe you cook even better than Aunt Gertrude. Don't tell her I said that though.
Nancy smiled. Frank sure knew how to get on her family's good side. She watched her Dad, her Hannah, and her boyfriend interact, and thought about how well Frank fitted into their family. The question was did she want him too.