"To lose a friend is hardship, but to forget them is as if you died too." -Anonymous

One day earlier...

Allentown, Pennsylvania:

Tony

"Would you give it a rest already? You've been trying to unlock that door for like twenty minutes straight," I said, not one ounce of optimism in my voice.

"Since when have you been such a pessimist," Biff grumbled, rolling his eyes, and turning back to the door.

"Since I've been tricked, betrayed, and dumped into this hell hole," I replied cynically. He turned back around to face me as I slid back down to the floor.

"Tony I'm--"

"I know. You're sorry. Don't worry about it."

There was a moment of silence that was almost deafening. I stared at the floor and Biff stared at me. I could feel his eyes baring down upon me.

"So you're just giving up?" he whispered. I looked up at him, emotion heavy in my mind.

"No," I muttered.

"Nic's really worried about you. Your dad too, everyone is," Biff told me.

"I bet," I said, this time more sincere.

"Yeah. That's why we've gotta get out of here."

I looked at him and smiled, "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Trying so hard to unlock that damn door." He laughed at the response, because he knew exactly what I was thanking him for, and it wasn't about the damn door...

...

"There's a man here to see you Mr. Prito," a woman's voice came through the speaker on my desk phone.

"Hmmm?" I mumbled, still coming back from my thoughts, "Oh," I pushed the button on my phone, "Who is it Ms. Boyd?"

"He says he's a friend," Ms. Boyd replied.

"Mmm...okay, send him in." The door to my office slowly opened and a tall figure walked in.

"Hello Mr. Prito, it's good to see you again," the man said, as I looked up from my papers, and gasped. He hadn't changed much since the last time I saw him. He looked older of course, maybe a different hair cut, but he was still the same kid I grew up with in Bayport.

"Allen Hooper? Biff is that really you?" I croaked, my eyes wide.

"No one's called me that in a long time. It's good to see you Tony," Biff said. I got up from my seat and gave him a warm embrace. Stepping back I smiled.

"Really? So it's just Allen now eh?" I joked.

"Well, I suppose you can still call me Biff, I'm trying to bring it back," he laughed, "But Hope hasn't called me that since, well about fifteen years ago."

"Fifteen years ago. Yeah. I remember now," I said lowering my eyes, "Is that why you're here?"

"Well, yes and no. I did come just to see you. You know I don't think we've seen each other in person since your wedding," he paused and looked at me hesitantly. The memories of my first love came flooding back. The thorn of my past, but I had to look beyond that and that's when I met my wife. I then smiled and Biff went on, "By the way, how is Louisa? And the twins? Benji and Mia?"

"Has it really been that long? Seven years? Wow," I replied, "Well, Louisa's doing just fine thanks, and the twins just celebrated their sixth birthday. How's Hope doing? I know Louisa and her have been keeping in touch better than we have," I said with a grin, "And Reghan, she must be...fifteen right? Wow, and Audrey and the boys?"

"They are all doing wonderful. It's ironic, Audrey just had her sixth birthday too," Biff said. Just seeing him again sent me back in time. Back to Bayport and The Shack. The memories about what happened that summer came flooding back. But I tried to push past the bad thoughts and only think of the good ones. We reminisced for a good hour or so before Biff got down to business about why he was here.

"Hope and I were talking and we decided that we wanted to find them," Biff said in a serious tone. I just stared at him in disbelief.

"But we've tried before Biff, they are just too good at covering their tracks. Even Fenton couldn't find them. I guess it's the detective in 'em," I said. Biff looked at me with a glint of humor in his eyes, and raised his eyebrows, "Okay, okay, so it's Joe's ability to know exactly what we are going to do next that's hidden them so well. But you are just proving my point Biff."

"I know Tony but this time we found them. We found Frank and Joe."

...

Bayport, Massachusetts:

Nic

"I'm home Nat!" I called as I entered the house.

"Hey Nicko," Natalie said, coming down the stairs. She wrapped me in a warm embrace and kissed me lightly before I was attacked by my son Luc and daughter Sophia.

"Daddy! Daddy guess who's here?" ten year old Sophia exclaimed as she and her six year old brother, Luc, pulled at my arms. I glanced over at Natalie who just smiled. I saw my fifteen year old Clarissa standing in the doorway as well, a large smile on her olive face.

"Who?" I asked, as they dragged me into the living room.

"Uncle Tony!" they replied in unison. Sure enough sitting right there in front of me was my older brother Antonio.

"Nic, it's good to see you little brother," Tony said, standing up and wrapping his arms around me.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too Tony. It's been what? Three years?" I commented.

"It has. I missed you Nicko."

"I've missed you too." I replied, still in shock.

"And these kids are so grown up," he said grabbing Luc in a playful hug, "You were just a baby when I saw you last Luc."

"I'm not a baby any more Uncle Tony!" Luc said with a smile.

"Of course not, why you are a handsome young man," Tony said with a glint in his eye. Behind him Sophia gave a dramatic throat clear and Tony turned around and met her with a grin, "And you Sophia, are a lovely young lady."

Clarissa sat on the couch next to where Luc was on the floor her smile never fading. Natalie came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I pulled her close and we watched Tony and the kids. He's a great uncle...I wonder what the surprise visit is for?

"Hey Nic?" Tony said standing up, "I think we need to talk about why I'm here."

"Okay," I said, "Do you want to come upstairs?" He nodded and followed me upstairs to the guest bedroom.

"Nic, Biff Hooper came down from Bayport two days ago to see me," Tony explained.

"Biff? Well you haven't seen Biff since..." I started.

"Since my wedding," Tony finished my sentence for me, "Yeah I know, that's why it struck me so odd."

"Antonio?" I said sternly, "What's going on?"

"You know, we always thought they were untraceable, that we would never see them again. I guess after all these years they finally let their guard down a little. Joe must have slacked up on the whole 'premonition' deal," Tony said, gazing off out the window, "I decided to come and tell you myself, considering. The kids and Louisa will probably want to come visit for a while anyways," he drifted off, thinking of future plans he'd half to arrange.

"Antonio? What are you talking about?" I asked again.

"Biff and Hope, they found them. They found Frank and Joe, Nic."