Wow, guys, this story has gotten so popular as it's about to finish, I'm so proud! So, just a disclaimer for this chapter, I have no experience with panic attacks or any symptoms of depression or anything, so I am writing this as best as I can from not knowing anything about it. I'm sorry if it's not completely accurate. I've written so much Joe whump, I gotta show that Frank's just as broken as he is. So yeah, just a disclaimer that I am not an expert on the topic.

Other than that, reviews!

rebeccareneesharplake: Me too, man.

ErinJordan: Yeah, I am going to leave it there. I hate reading cliffhangers but writing them is a different story. ;)

Candylou: Frank does have a lot on his plate. I guess you'll just have to find out.

t4swp: Maybe? Maybe not?

Highflyer: Yeah, Frank's pretty kick-butt these chapters.

Alrighty, I'm going it leave that there. This'll wrap up soon, I think, but I'm not done yet, there will definitely be more Hardy Boys stories in my future. The question is, what are they going to be about? Hmm, I don't know, but I will figure that out. Enjoy!


As the gunshots went off, Frank stood in front of the two guards, eyes cold as smoke drifted away from the barrel of his gun. The bodyguards looked down in shock, staring at the matching bullet holes in their chests, before dropping their gun and falling to the ground. Frank stood over their bodies and watched as the light slowly drained from their eyes. He watched, his mind completely blank: no thoughts, no emotions, no feelings.

He was stuck in the back corner of his mind, a place where he had only been once before, where he was given the same situation; protect his family at all costs, no matter what.

In that place, he had no filter. Every thought filled his brain, the good, the bad, the ugly. Things would never even consider thinking about became the main focus, up and in front. He felt empty inside, while at the same time he felt heavy. It was a feeling he couldn't describe, but it was familiar.

Faintly he heard his father's voice calling his name over and over, trying to bring him back. Frank just turned around and stalked towards his father, gun gripped tightly in his hands. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing, his mind was acting for him. He needed to regain control, but it was too powerful. As Frank stomped towards Fenton, inside he was fighting for control against his own mind.

Fenton noticed something was off and put his hands up in the air as Frank got closer to him, and backed away slowly. "Frank put the gun down," Fenton commanded fiercely. Frank scowled and Fenton tried again quieter this time.

"Frank put the gun down. It's done, we won. You're okay." Frank heard his father's words, but they went in one ear and out the other. He couldn't process what was going on, he had started to gain more control over his thoughts but it was slipping. He started to have a panic attack, his heart was racing and he couldn't seem to keep his grip on reality. His head pounded and his lungs seemed tiny, making it harder and harder to breathe. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

'Oh god, what did I do? I just killed two men. I just-I just I can't believe-'

"Frank."

Frank's head snapped up, the soft voice bringing him back on the ground. Joe struggled to sit up in the grass, his hand barely holding him up.

"Frank, listen to me." He called again, knowing that if Frank would just listen, he could bring him back. Joe had seen this side of Frank before when they were on a different case. It was scary at first, but Joe had brought him out of it then, so it would work now. At least, he hoped it would.

Frank was back, and he immediately dropped the gun, the metal clattering against the concrete. He backed away from the weapon carefully as if it was about to explode. It was a dark place where he had come from. He shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts out of his head for good, but they just retreated to the back of his mind. Even small fragments of those thoughts, in reality, scared Frank, but Joe had helped bring him out. Leave it to his little brother to save the day again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bodies of the two bodyguards, blood pooling on the ground underneath them.

Frank remembered what he did, staring at the bodies. He had killed them. He told himself it had been the right thing: they were the bad guys. They had kidnapped them, tortured them, and tried to kill them. They deserved to die. But it wasn't Frank's place to do it. They should've been taken to jail, put through the system, and locked up for the rest of their lives. Frank didn't know what to feel. He felt bad, he had just killed them, but again, he didn't. They had done some horrible things, and they wouldn't be able to do them anymore.

It didn't feel good to have the weight of two dead men on your shoulders.

Instantly, Frank remembered the condition Joe was in and ran over to him. Fenton searched for a phone in their crushed car to call the police and get them down here. Frank kneeled next to Joe as he groaned and laid back down on the grass. The world spun in front of Joe's eyes, the feeling familiar but not any more fun that it was the last time.

"Joe, you alright?" Frank asked cautiously, looking over the damage.

"'m good," Joe said, eyes only half open. "You good?" He asked, one eyebrow cocked upward. Right now he was more concerned about his older brother than his current state.

Frank know he wasn't talking about physically and he signed. "Yeah, Joe. I'm alright."

"Good," Joe mumbled sleepily. "Tell the Doc I said hi."

Joe's eyes slipped shut and Frank shook his shoulders. "No, no, don't-" Frank tried to stop him but Joe passed out again, completely unresponsive. Frank sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, before standing up and walking towards his dad, who was finishing up a phone call.

"Yep, right outside of the hospital." Fenton laughed out loud. "Yeah, dumb luck, I know. They'll be out here, we're going back in to see the doctor. Bye." Fenton hung up the phone and looked towards his oldest son.

"That was Collig," He explained, "They'll be down here in a few minutes. We should get going."

Frank nodded, but hitched his thumb over his shoulder, pointing in Joe's direction. "Joe's not really in walking condition right now." Fenton shrugged as they walked over to the unconscious boy.

"That's alright, I got him. It's not that far of a walk." Fenton, with a boost from Frank, picked up Joe bridal style, his uninjured arms thrown around his father's neck and the other lying across his chest. His head was pressed up against Fenton's shoulder, to keep from bouncing around. Together they started the short trek back to the hospital where they had just gotten released from.