Together Again a Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew One Shot
By Kazzyflovesthehardys
This takes place shortly after the episode Sole Survivor, a little look at the brother's recovering from a
Tough case. Be warned, Laura Hardy is in this, I never felt it was right she was not in the TV shows. This is also a crossover with Nancy Drew. Also this is a little Frank and Nancy Fluff as well as Joe and Bess.
Frank and Joe Hardy returned home with their father from Hong Kong. Joe was fairly smothered by his mother. "Joe Hardy!" a high pitched screech came from the stairwell. Joe wriggled out of his mother's embrace just in time to be bear hugged by Aunt Gertrude. "Auntie, it's so good to be home." He said quietly. His Aunt was never one to display this kind of affection, and it touched him.
"Aunt Gertrude is that them, dinner's hot on the table!" A jovial voice called from the dining room. Chet Morton! Chet had been the brother's friend since kindergarten. Everyone filed into the dining room where Chet Morton, Nancy Drew and Bess Marvin. Bess came close and shyly pecked Joe on the cheek. "It's glad to see you. Alive that is. " Joe's eyes were bright. "Believe me, it's good to be that way, alive that is. " He said and flashed a smile back at her. He returned her peck on the cheek and they all sat together at the table. Then everyone burst into happy conversation and dinner soon turned to desert.
One thing kept nagging Joe throughout the happy dinner. He'd been tricked into believing his father and brother were dead. Joe, although knowing his brother and father were close by, kept them with eye distance at all times. He didn't want to lose sight of them for even a second. Frank watched his brother, concerned that he seemed hesitant to letting him or his dad out of his sight. He would talk to him about it when his younger brother was more relaxed about everything. For the time being he stayed wherever his brother went to comfort him.
Chet took the girls back to their hotel when the boys started yawning. Frank got a kiss from Nancy and Joe kissed Bess. Chet put an arm around both of them and said simply, "I'm glad you two are back. What's a guy to do without his two best buddies around " They smiled and quickly hugged him, surprising him? He hugged them back and took the girls to their hotel.
Finally, the boys fell into their beds, exhausted. Joe and Frank lay surrounded in the comfortable darkness of their room. They listened to the sounds of their mom and dad going to bed, and their aunt bustling around, cleaning up before she herself went to bed. "Joe." Frank said quietly. "Yeah, Frank?" He asked comforted by the sound of his brother's voice. "I can't tell you how good it is that you are just across from me. I wish I could say what I mean." He said. Joe smiled in the darkness. "It's okay big brother. I already know because I can feel it and that means more to me than anything." He said. Frank smiled and they said good night. They fell into sleep and dreams.
Joe woke in the night, very disoriented and unsure of where he was. Was he in the hospital again; was he home, and more importantly, where were his father and brother? He thought he heard Leta's voice, telling him that they were dead. "No Frank. Please don't be dead. Don't be dead please. Dad, where are you Dad?" He cried out. He looked in the bed next to him and didn't see Frank there. He was going to get up and go find his father and brother if it was the last thing he did. He stumbled out of bed and fell to his knees. He tried to swallow back tears but he couldn't. He called for Frank again. He felt barely able to breathe. Suddenly, the door burst open and the light switched on. There, standing in front of him, was Frank.
His brother lifted him to his feet and held him tightly. "I'm here Joe. I'm not going to let anything happen to you ever again." Frank said softly. He knew it would take some doing for him to keep that promise, but he would do it. Joe wasn't going to suffer like this ever again. "Frank, Dad, where is Dad?" He asked still feeling a huge ache inside of him. "He's okay Joe; he's in with mom, sleeping." Frank said reassuringly. "Actually, I'm right here. I got up to check on you two. I know you both probably don't want your old Dad checking on you anymore, but, well this has been a heck of a week." Fenton Hardy's voice came from the doorway.
"Dad!" They both cried and they ran to him. He hugged them both to him. "It's alright now, we're all home safe." Fenton said. Joe felt much better upon feeling his brother and father so close to him. "Let's get some sleep boys." He said and all three were yawning furiously. He watched his sons get into bed and they smiled up at him. For just a moment, he remembered when he and Laura used to tuck them in at night. "What is it Dad?" Frank asked curiously. His father was smiling and looking at them with such love in his eyes. "I was just remembering when you two were little and your mom and I would tuck you in." He said and the brothers remembered, smiling.
Quickly they scurried out of bed to hug him again. "We love you Dad. " They said in unison. Then they each kissed a cheek. "That's for mom when she wakes up." They said and Fenton shooed them back into bed. "You need your rest and your mom and I love you too." He said and turned the light back off as they covered up again. The darkness of the room, the warmth of their comforters and the knowledge that they were close to each other again did much to lull the brothers back to sleep again.
Later on, Frank awoke, disturbed as to what was happening. What time was it, and just where was he anyway? He bolted upright in his bed, feeling as though some vital part of him, were missing. "Joe? Joe, where are you?" He called. He swung his legs out of bed and cringed at his brother's empty bed. No he thought, no! Joe was dead and he was never coming back. He'd lost his brother forever.
He got up and faltered. What was he going to do now? How would he ever feel whole again? All of a sudden Joe came racing back into the room and barreled into his brother's hug. "I'm sorry man, but a guy has to use the bathroom." He said as Frank's breathing steadied. "I, I'm sorry Joe. I'm the older brother, I'm supposed be able to handle this. I'm supposed to keep everything together and under control." Frank looked down, ashamed of not being able to keep himself more calm and rational.
"Frank, come on. Nobody can keep it together as much as you do and not break once in a while. You thought I was dead. You don't just get over that right away. Just face it brother, we need each other and it's okay to admit it. "Joe said and at his words his older brother cracked. "I'm here as long as you need me." Joe said and stayed in his brother's tight hold until all of the emotion he'd been keeping pent up broke free. Finally, Frank managed to say" I don't ever want to feel like that again Joe. I kept looking for you at my side. I wanted you to be there so badly it was like I had this dull ache in my chest that would never, ever go away. I felt like I'd never be happy or whole again. " He said, stammering for the right words to express himself.
Joe was deeply touched by his brother's words. "I don't want to feel like I've lost you either Frank. And there's something else, something we need to say more to each other. I love you Frank. There's no one else I'd rather have as my big brother. "Frank kept tight hold of his brother. "I love you too and there's no one else I'd rather have as my little brother. You make life fun Joe. And you know what was really awesome?" He asked quietly.
"What's that Frank?" Joe wondered. "The way you tackled that guy over the boat. Dad and I saw you come flying out of nowhere. We moved to see if it was really you. It felt like everything was in slow motion. Then, when you jumped up to hug Dad, I knew everything was going to be okay again. I knew it was really happening and you were really alive." Frank floundered, wishing he could say what he meant. Joe smiled. Finally, after seventeen long years, he had managed to impress his older brother. His smile was huge as he said "We're never going to be separated again Frank. The Hardy Brother's are back in action." "You bet, we're a team again little brother." Frank said and finally let go of his brother.
Suddenly Frank's stomach growled rather loudly. The brother's laughed. "I'm starving. I haven't eaten to much in the past few days. Now that you're back I feel like I could eat a horse." Frank joked. There was a knock at the door. "If you two lazy bones are outta bed, lunch is being served." Came Chet's voice. They opened the door to see Chet standing there, hands on his hips. "Come on, give a guy a break. I've been worrying about you two so much; I've barely eaten a thing. I'm gonna waist away. "He said dramatically. Two pillows came flying at him. He flung them back and soon it was all out pillow warfare.
Nancy and Bess, whom had been invited to lunch, came up to see what the holdup was. They broke into laughter upon seeing the pillow fight. They wound up being smacked by pillows and the group wound up in a tangle of arms and legs on the floor. "Okay, Okay. I give. I'm starving. Come on Frank and Joe. Please." Chet begged. "Alright, okay. We'll be down in a minute." They promised and Chet scrambled from the room. Joe collapsed on the floor, his sides aching from laughter. It felt so good to be a normal teenager and have fun with his brother and the girls. Bess kissed him and Nancy kissed Frank. It was wonderful to not have to worry about his brother, to look over and see him having fun too. After a few more kisses the group went down stairs and fairly attacked lunch.
The brother's were sad when Nancy and Bess had to leave, their father as taking them to the air port. They said good bye on the porch. "I wish you didn't have to go." Joe said to Bess. "I do too but we'll be back to see you again soon. Be careful please. "Bess said softly and Joe promised her he would be. Frank was holding Nancy and kissing her when Joe stole a peek at the two. He was glad to see his brother content and happy. The feeling of wanting to be a normal teen ager grew and grew inside him. As the brothers watched the girls being driven away, Joe knew he'd have to talk to his brother about taking a break from mysteries for a while. He only hoped his brother would understand…
Chet came out to join them and as he did their Aunt's irritated wail came from the house. "Frank and Joe Hardy!" She called and they quickly ran into the house with Chet following. He was fairly gasping with laughter. "She must have got a look at your room. " Chet said. They all ran up the stairs to find Aunt Gertrude pointing at the brother's room. Their aunt pulled them to the door way. "Alright you two, get to work! The only mystery you'll be solving is the mystery of how to clean your room!" She exclaimed.
She turned and marched down the stairs. "No rest for the weary detectives. I love it; the only mystery you two will be solving is the mystery of how to clean your rooms." Chet said with his best Aunt Gertrude imitation. For this two pillows followed his quick exit from the room. They could still hear their friend's laugher as he disappeared down the stairway. It was two hours later when the brothers had their room clean. They could only hope it was enough to satisfy their Aunt. They took turns showering and changing for bed. They collapsed onto their beds, not even caring enough to eat dinner.
They fell into a deep sleep. Joe awakened once during the night to see that Frank was awake and watching him. He felt comforted and smiled at his brother. He knew that in time his bad memories of thinking his brother was dead would pass. He was feeling something he would share with his brother in the morning. He wanted to give up solving mysteries and prayed his brother would understand. All that mattered that his brother and father were safe. As far as he was concerned, he was through solving mysteries. The brother's dozed back off and Joe slipped into contented dreams of a life without mysteries…
Look For The sequel to Together Again. No More Mysteries, coming soon!