Joe gaped at his brother. Had he lost his mind? There was no way that Frank had just proposed to Taylor, was there? Mrs. Hardy and Aunt Gertrude were now welcoming Taylor to the family. Joe blinked once, twice and then a third time. Had he misheard? Was his mother and aunt now planning a wedding? What had just happened? "I wish your father was here. He'd enjoy this." Mrs. Hardy told Frank who was now next to Taylor, holding her hand and staring at her. Taylor was blushing as Aunt Gertrude started talking to her about wedding cakes, dresses and everything that had to do with a wedding. Joe shook his head and tried to recover. First Frank breaks up with Callie, then starts dating Taylor the same day (both claiming it was love at first sight), then Callie ends up in trouble, Taylor rushes off to the rescue while her uncle helps Chet who was wounded, and now this! Joe finished the meal in silence, unable to figure out what was going to happen next. Taylor waited until the meal was over and asked if anyone wanted to return to Bayport that night. "I had planned for us to stay here in New York for the night, but if anyone wants to go back…" Everyone, except for Joe, was for staying in New York not just for the night, but for the week-end. After a quick trip to a clothing store when the bill was paid (Taylor refused to show it to them) clothing was purchased and a hotel was found. Joe waited until his aunt and mother dragged Taylor away in order to start planning for a small and fast wedding before he walked over to Frank. Before he could say a word, Frank told him, "It was Taylor's idea to invite you. Believe it or not, but she wants you to like her."

"I believe it." Joe took a deep breath and added, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I know exactly what I'm doing." Frank turned and looked at his brother. "I did care for Callie, but it was more or less like…going through the motions. Part of me wanted it to end, but I didn't want to hurt her. But it's different with Taylor. I want to be around her. I want a normal life so I won't have to worry if she's in danger from just talking to me. I can't explain it, but…"

"It's the same way for you now that it was for me and Iola." Joe caught on and looked thoughtful. He then added, "I saw someone that looked exactly like Iola today."

"Where?"

"The mall." Joe sighed and added, "That was when it hit me that you had a point. That I was starting to make a big deal out of everything. Maybe what Taylor told us tonight is why her file is so classified."

"It might be. We are talking about a lot of money." Frank turned and looked thoughtful. "Sorry about decking you."

"Hey, next time, there is no way you're getting that lucky." Both brothers looked at each other and started laughing. Joe stopped and then said slowly, "I have a feeling that the rumors are going to fly big time on Monday."

"Don't remind me."

"Follow me." Joe led the way to a jewelry store that he had spotted as they had arrived. A moment later, the two walked out with a small bag with a small box in it. Joe glanced at Frank and told him, "Don't expect anything for your birthday or for Christmas for the next nine years."

Taylor opened her door slowly and smiled at Frank. "Your mother and aunt are in here and they're talking about china patterns."

"I won't be long." Frank opened the bag and pulled the box out. Handing it to Taylor, he added, "This is Joe's way of proving you right." Taylor opened the box and stared at the sapphire and diamond engagement ring. She smiled as she put it on and then hugged Frank before hurrying back into the room to try and talk Aunt Gertrude out of canary yellow bridesmaid dresses.

Down the hall, Vachel-Thiery smirked in his private room. He knew that sooner or later, everything would turn out just as he wanted it to.

On Monday, everyone stared at the ring on Taylor's finger. Girls squealed in delight at the sight of the engagement ring. Teachers raised an eyebrow and guys thumped Frank on the back. The rumor mill spread it around fast: Frank Hardy and Taylor Westbrooke were going to be married in a small ceremony in order to keep Taylor's feet firmly planted in America. A modern day Romeo and Juliet. But in this version of the classic, they would live. The principal, a hopeless romantic, insisted that the small ceremony would take place in his school, and not at the Justice of the Peace the way that Frank and Taylor had planned. Taylor gave Mrs. Hardy full control of the arrangements and a blank check. Between the Hardy women, Mrs. Morton (another romantic), the Drama teacher (she had her students act out drama scenes every day) and the principal, the ceremony was ready. Chief Collig pulled what strings he could and the marriage license was ready the day that it was needed. The drama teacher had the home ec teacher use her class to make the wedding dress. Taylor and Callie (who were on speaking terms still, even though Callie was amazed by the speed everything was going) laid to rest any rumors that they disliked each other when Taylor asked Callie to be her Maid of Honor. As the day grew closer, Taylor was spending more and more time at the Hardy household. She confessed that she was afraid that if her uncle learned what she was doing, he would send her back to England.

The next four days passed quickly. On the day of the wedding, Taylor paced, nervous in the white dress that had been made for her. The press had been kept off the school grounds with twice as much man power by the police. It was the end of the school day, and no one went home. Instead, parents and family members were pouring into the school. Noone leaked to the press the reason and all the reporters could only guess as to what was going on. Taylor turned as Joe walked into the classroom where she was. "You wanted to see me?" He asked her, amazed at how she looked.

"You may get angry with me."

"Try me."

"Frank told me what had happened at the mall, and I felt so badly that I did some research and checked all burn clinics in the area for anyone that may have been brought in as a Jane Doe."

"Taylor…you didn't have to…"

"There was one. A Jane Doe taken to the Saint Mary's Center of Love. She had no memory of who she was and was treated for third and second degree burns. She left AMA a week ago. From what they described, I'd say it was Iola. That means she's alive and staying somewhere here in Bayport. They wouldn't tell me anymore than that once they guessed that I wasn't a relative. I then tracked down a man that also saw her. He led me right to the door of the apartment building where the burn patients live and all it took was showing her your photograph. I went early this morning and to make a long story short." Taylor pointed to a corner. Joe turned and stared for several minutes. Dressed in a pale violet dress and looking nervous was none other than Iola. Moving slowly, she walked closer and whispered, "Hi, Joe."

"Iola….you're…you're…" Unable to speak, Joe rushed over and gathered her into his arms. Iola returned the hug and Joe released her long enough to take a step back and turn to look at Taylor. "You did that…for me?"

"Yes."

"Despite how I acted?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I thought that you would do the same for me." Joe turned to look at Iola. She looked almost the same as she had when she vanished, except for a tiny scar on her left cheek. Iola touched the scar and said, "I had some pretty bad burns on my arms and legs. My face was scratched up very badly from the way that I fell when I was thrown clear. All I remember is getting up and trying to find you. I thought that you were right behind me and that you…that's all I remembered until Taylor found me."

"She must have thought that you had been killed and went into a type of shock and blocked out all of her memories. When I showed her that photograph, she remembered and was happy to hear that you're alive. We came here and she stayed in this classroom because she didn't want to face anyone just yet. We decided to wait until the wedding was over before scaring her family."

"Good idea." Joe hugged her again and then added, "I missed you."

"And I missed you too." There was a knock at the door. "That's your cue." Joe nodded and left with Taylor.

After the wedding, Joe led the Morton family to the classroom, and waited outside. Chet and his parents walked in and gaped for a moment before welcoming Iola back with open arms. They then smuggled her out so that they could figure out how to reintroduce Iola back to the world. Frank was told by Taylor during the first dance, and Frank was amazed and impressed with Taylor even more. Taylor gently placed her head on his shoulder and tried to image her father there, proud of his daughter and tried to banish the ghost of her mother. Taylor remembered very little of the woman, but remembered her uncle telling her that she looked exactly like the woman. Taylor had dyed her hair in order to escape the shadow of her mother, and despised her very memory. Now, she found herself wishing that the woman was there so she could meet Frank. 'Odd, is it not. You met my father through a lie, and here I am in the arms of my own husband thanks to a lie. You have ruined my life again.' Taylor thought, feeling a stab of betrayal toward her mother. She then sighed again, and tried to enjoy the moment again.