Joe stood outside of Frank's room, not daring to go inside. He was afraid of startling Frank, or waking him if he were asleep…hell he was just afraid to go in and see Frank.
"Suga' ya know he's not getting any younger," said a friendly nurse from the nurse's station. She was dressed in scrubs, with her hair pulled back showing off wide, friendly gray eyes. For the last five minuets she'd been watching Joe trying to make up his mind, and though it amused her slightly to watch him go from the door to the elevator and back, it also worried her.
"Somebody ya know suga'?" she asked, coming over to him.
"Yes ma'am. My brother, the doctor said he's bad…" Joe trailed off, looking hart broken at the door.
The nurse was quiet for a moment as she took in the haggard youth, understanding all to well what was going on inside. "Ya know, I've seen a lot of people die, it's part of being a nurse," She said softly, drawing Joe back to her. "And if you ask me, the ones who die the most peaceful and are less afraid are the ones who have family and friends with 'em."
Joe's blue eyes flashed, "He's not going to die, Frank's always pulled through."
"Alright, I'm not saying that he is. I'm saying that if he did die, if there was a complication, God forbid, he'd probably want you there with him. And you'd probably want to be there to."
Joe looked at her, letting her words sink in. He could feel the tears beginning to fall, and he bite his lip trying to stop them. Though it did work, and he chocked out, "but I'm scared."
The nurse put her arms around him and held him close, letting him cry. Joe didn't resist. "You and him both suga'. But you'll hate yourself if you don't go in there."
"I…I can't," Joe said, pulling away from her.
"I'll go with you. I'll help you, come on. He aint getting younger," She said holding out her hand. Joe took it, and she gave him a soft squeeze. "I'm Millie by the way, Millie Johnson."
"I'm Joe Hardy. It's my brother Frank in there."
"Nice to meet you Joe. Shall we?" Millie said as she pushed open the door to Frank's room.
Joe took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as he took the first steps into the room.
It was dark, and a little to hot. Once Joe's eyes got use to the light, he could make out a few chairs, a TV, a bathroom door, a ventilator, IVs and of course, the bed.
Joe stopped dead as his eyes landed on Frank. Even in this light he could tell Frank was deathly pale except for where Kolplay had hit him. Bruises marred his good looks while bandages covered newly stitched cuts and a cast covered most of his right arm. He was still, the only signs of life coming from the hart monitor and the forced chest falls from the vent.
There must have been something in his face because Millie gave his hand another squeeze and the put her free arm around his shoulders. Gently she lead him towards Frank's left side and stayed with him until Joe reached out for Frank's hand.
"H…Hey bro. You in there?" Joe whispered, fighting the erg to scream. To Joe's indescribable delight, Frank squeezed his hand. Not hard, but enough that Joe knew he was there. "Well, I guess you always sis have to many brains to lose them all at once," Joe said with a bitter sweet smile. He didn't even notice Millie making a quiet exit to allow the brothers some privacy. "Will you open your eyes for me bro? Can you do that?" Joe asked. "You see mom's on her way up, and well, if you don't do it for me, then you'll have to do it for her."
For the second time in five minuets Joe felt indescribable joy as he watched his brother struggle to open his eyes, although Frank never quit managed to. "Ah well, close enough," Joe sighed as his brother gave up. "Guess you're just tired huh?" Joe felt another squeeze on his hand and smiled.
"You know you scared the shit out of all of us? You had Phil, Chet, Biff, Dad, Sam, Con, Ezra, and the rest of the Bayport PD out looking for you. And mom was about ready to lose it. As it is you're not going to be able to leave the house for a year," Joe could have sworn he saw a smile on Frank's face. "Don't do it again young man," Joe said in his best 'grown up voice.'
Joe fell silent, not knowing what else to say, just looking at his brother. More tears threatened to fall as he thought about everything they'd gone through, everything Frank had done for him, what exactly they meant to each other, and how he'd almost lost that, not once but twice that day.
"I'm sorry Frank, I'm so sorry…" Joe sobbed, no longer able to keep the grief and guilt inside. "We had you, I had you and I let them take you again…God Frank I'm so sorry…I let you down…I failed…."
There was another squeeze to Joe's hand, though this time it was stronger, more intense. So intense in fact, that it made Joe look at Frank. Tear rimed blues, met drug glassed browns as the brothers locked eyes. And as always, the two didn't need words, they didn't need langue, they had their connection.
"You didn't fail, you didn't let me down. You saved me. I love you."
Joe swallowed the lump in his throat, "I love you too bro. But I swear to God I'll kill you if you die." This time Joe knew he saw a smile on Frank's face, as his brown eyes drifted close and his hand slackened.
It was nine the next morning by the time Fenton and Joe had made it back to the house. Laura had stayed behind, not evening leavening Frank's side to say goodbye to everyone. No one could blame her; Frank was due to have surgery in the next twenty four hours, depending on his lungs.
The doctors that the boys and everyone who wasn't family, get back to Bayport. It was Fenton who had insisted that Joe and he go back as well to get some rest.
"I'll make some eggs," Fenton said as he headed for the kitchen upon their arrival.
"Good, I'll take a shower," Joe responded.
"Thank god, save us from another trip the ER," Fenton teased.
"Hey!" Joe was about to continue when the phone rang. "I'll get it," he announced, forgetting his father's joke. "Hardy residence."
"Hello, Joe? It's Callie. Is Frank there? I tired calling last night, is he alright?"
Joe sighed, "Callie, uh, sit down, this is going to take awhile."