Summary: There's always someone who's loyal. And loyalty can get you killed. Loyalty can save a life. But there are always consequences.

For this story I decided to make the Hardys a little younger. I mean, can you imagine Joe 14 and Frank 15?! Me: AWW! It really fit the plot that I wrote!

Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!

Chapter One
3 Years After the Prologue

"Hey Tony," Joe greeted his friend as he slid into the booth in the corner of his dad's pizzeria. "What's up?" He had just gotten out of school for the day. He couldn't believe he was in ninth grade already.

"Nothin'. You?" Tony Prito was the same age as his older brother, Frank. Joe shrugged before tapping his fingers on the table.

"Frank said he was coming."

"I don't think so," Tony shook his head, with a strange smile on his face. Joe craned his neck to see Frank and his girlfriend, Callie Shaw making out. Joe rolled his eyes, muttering "Yuck" under his breath. Ever since Dad and Mom said that Frank could date a year ago, Frank acted like a know-it-all...but then, he always acted like a know-it-all sat down beside Joe as he pondered on the weird things of his life.

"So where's Iola?" Joe shrugged not wanting to answer the question. "Did you have a fight?"

"No," Joe said quickly before changing the subject. "Where's your date?"

"...She's coming..."

"Didn't you pick her up?"

"No, she has a job across town." Joe bit his lip wondering if he should still do this triple-date thing. "And Dad wanted me to stay longer so I could help him out."

"Oh, that's nice." Joe said absent mindedly. He looked up to see Frank and Callie standing over the table. They were holding hands making Joe's stomach feel a little sick.

"Hi, Joe," Blond headed Callie smiled sweetly at him. Joe faked a smile at her before sliding over for more room. "Where's Iola?" Joe sighed, opened his mouth to speak when Frank started talking about science and all that geeky school stuff. He sighed quietly until he heard Iola's voice.

"Hey Joe," She smiled at him with all her teeth showing. "Can I sit with you?" Joe nodded, surprised that she even came after the fight that they had at school. Frank, Callie and Tony got out of the booth to let her sit beside Joe. She slid in beside him and smiled at him.

"How are you doing?" She asked him.

"I'm doing okay."

"Oh, well... you do forgive me what I said right?"

"Yeah, of course," Joe answered lamely. He was still kinda hurt about it but he didn't want to ruin the evening.

"Great... Let's order some pizza." Usually Joe loved eating pizza with his friends...but with a date...and two other couples including his brother and his girlfriend... It made his stomach feel sick.

"You can order for me... I need to go use the restroom." Joe slid out of the booth quickly before Iola even answered him. He ran to the resturaunt's bathroom and splashed cold water on his face.

"Well, isn't it Joseph Hardy?" An annoyingly familiar voice said. Joe turned as he felt his body stiffen like a board.

"Hi Wayne," Joe said, his stomach feeling even worse. Wayne Peterson was the biggest jerk in Joe's freshman class...and somehow he decided to pick on Joe whenever and wherever.

"What are you doing here? This is my spot for dates."

"Uh, this is a public place, Wayne."

"But I don't like it that you're here... You're ruining the mood of my evening."

"What? Just because I'm here?" Joe rolled his eyes, tired of this guy and his stupid remarks. All he wanted to do was hang out with Iola and the other couples. He inwardly cringed as he thought of the word, couples.

"I'm warning you, Hardy, if you try out on the football team, I'll get you. I promise."

"Whatever." Joe answered, walking past the muscled guy. He was supposed to be in the tenth grade but he was always missing school so...Joe was stuck with him. Wayne grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. He leaned close to his ear threateningly.

"If I ever see you here again, I'm gonna beat ya to a pulp. Got that?"

"I don't care, Wayne, just leave me alone." Joe snapped angrily. He was tired of getting pushed around by this guy. Wayne's eyes narrowed at him as he lowered his voice.

"Or maybe I'll hurt Iola instead." Joe's eyes widened at the thought of Wayne hurting his girlfriend. "Got that, Joe?"

"I...yeah, I got that." The bully let go of his arm and Joe left the bathroom, running his hand through his hair worriedly. When he got to the booth, everyone was eating pizza...and there was only two pieces left.

"Sorry, Joe, I meant to save more but Tony and Frank..." Iola glared at the two older boys. Joe shrugged and sat down.

"It's okay. I wasn't that hungry anyway." Frank looked over at Joe and gave him a look.

"What? I just went to the bathroom." Joe said, annoyance in his voice.

"It took ten minutes?"

"Well, I want to look nice for Iola." Joe lied giving a smile to her who smiled back at him.

"Joe?"

"What?" Frank stopped walking on the sidewalk, making Joe stop in his tracks and turn around.

"Joe, what's going on between you and Iola?"

"We had a fight, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Will you stop doing that?!"

"What are you talking about?" Joe threw his hands up in the air, frustration on his face.

"I'm talking about...you're always trying to fix every problem! Its annoying!" Frank opened his mouth to speak but Joe wouldn't let him. "Ever since that year, you haven't let me even breathe without you not knowing it. I can't even go on my social media without you looking over my shoulder. I'm tired of it."

"I'm sorry, Joe, really. That year was horrible, you know that. You didn't speak at all. You were frozen...scared to death and I couldn't do anything - nothing - about it. I'm sorry if I seem over-protective now but I made a promise after that...That I would help you, protect you in any way shape or form so nothing would happen like that again."

Joe's eyes glistened as he heard his older brother speak. "I didn't know you promised yourself, Frank. I'm sorry." Frank walked to Joe and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Let's go home..."

"Yeah, okay... but how about we race?"

"And the loser will...?"

"Eat thirty ice cream cones!"

"Hey, that's not a punishment for losing!" Joe laughed and started to race down the sidewalk near Elm Street where the Hardys lived. He gasped as he saw a man looking through an open car window. He had seen that man before. His heart pounded as his knees turned into jelly. The man stared at him with creepy dark eyes. Evil.

"Hey, Joe, what's up?" Frank asked as he caught up with him, his backpack hitting his back. Joe shook his head as the guy drove off normally.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

-To Be Continued -

What do you think? I hoped you like it! Please review! :) ~VRT