A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I wasn't that comfortable with the chapter when I posted it, but hearing everyone's feedback made me feel so much better about it. And a special thanks to msnancydrew, my absolutely awesome beta, for always replying quickly despite the holidays, and dealing with my neuroticism on the last chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this chapter. They belong to themselves, the wonderful authors that originally created them, and the publishing company that now owns them.
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Frank drove in silence, Nancy sitting next to him in the passenger seat. Joe had opted for the back, and was now stretched out on the seat, snoring softly. As soon as they had left the diner, Frank had called his friend at the Bureau and made his request for information on the flight records. He had been sparse on the details, and his friend had been wise enough not to press for more, instead promising to let them know as soon as he found something. He had also called his friend in Bayport and made arrangements with him to fly them out to River Heights at seven the next morning.
Nancy looked out of her window at the passing darkened landscape. They had left the city and its glittering lights behind over an hour ago and were now driving through a densely forested area. She turned to glance at Frank and found her gaze riveted to his profile. Only the occasional headlights from passing vehicles shone light on his face, but to her, he looked even more handsome in the shadows. His face was as familiar to her as her own, yet it never failed to cause her pulse to quicken. He had a strong, lean face, with warm, serious brown eyes that sometimes seemed to look into her very soul. And when they lit up with laughter, she could feel an answering happiness spread inside of her. Especially at the sight of his wonderful smile that usually accompanied it. And his mouth…
"Penny for your thoughts, Nan," Frank said softly.
Nancy blushed furiously and quickly jerked her head back to stare blindly at the passing trees. No way was she going to tell him what she had just been thinking -- not for a million dollars, much less a penny! Instead, she tipped her head in the direction of Joe's prone form and said in a low voice, "I was just thinking about how amazing it is that he can fall asleep almost anywhere, no matter what's going on."
Frank chuckled. "Yeah, I always admired that about him, and envied it at the same time. Whenever we went on road trips when we were little, he always fell asleep almost as soon as we hit the road, while I was left to pretty much entertain myself. So of course, by the time we arrived at wherever we were going, Mom, Dad, and I were always tired, while Joe was ready to hit the ground running -- literally."
"Did you guys take a lot of family trips together when you were young?" Nancy tried to hide the wistfulness from her voice, but didn't quite manage it.
"We did, especially before Joe and I entered high school. I used to love that, just getting in the car and driving somewhere. Sometimes, we wouldn't even know where we were going until we got there. Dad called it exploring the hidden treasures of our own backyard of this great country."
His voice trailed off as he thought of his father, now at the mercy of faceless kidnappers. Nancy looked at him, fear and doubt clouding her eyes. "Frank…earlier when you said that we were going to get our fathers back…do you truly believe that?"
Frank's stomach tightened as he forced himself to think about what he had tried to avoid all evening. His eyes left the road briefly to meet hers. "Honestly, Nan?" She nodded. "I don't know what I believe anymore. Before, it used to feel like the three of us were unstoppable. That we could solve any case if we just put our minds to it. But ever since joining the FBI, I've seen so much…wrong. And there are days when I question if good will always prevail over evil, if justice will always be served. So, to answer your question, I want to believe that we'll get our fathers back safe and sound, but I don't know how much faith I truly have in that."
Frank's words, the brutal honesty of them, pierced Nancy's heart. If Frank, the eternal optimist, had doubts, how could she hope to keep her own faith? In her mind, she kept seeing Fenton and Carson as they were in the warehouse, bound and gagged, beaten and bruised, and under a haze of drugs. It had hurt, almost more than she could bear, to see her strong, distinguished father reduced to such a state. If anything happened to him…
Frank's steady voice interrupted her despairing thoughts.
"But I can tell you what I do believe, Nan. I believe that both of our fathers are strong, intelligent men. I believe that they've been able to handle themselves in difficult situations before, and they can do so again. And I believe in us. You and me and Joe. If anybody can get them back, we can."
Nancy gave him a grateful smile. "I'm going to hold onto that thought."
Frank smiled back. "Good. On a happier note, how are Bess and George doing?"
"Having the time of their lives doing what they love. Bess is a fashion consultant for a major department store and gets to attend fashion shows all over the world. George is interning in the physical therapy department of a large hospital in Chicago. She hopes to open up her own practice one day."
"And how about you, Nan? Are you doing what you love?"
Nancy's head whipped around to look at him in surprise. Her mouth opened to respond with the standard, well-programmed assurance, then shut again. He had been honest with her moments before, and he deserved the same from her.
"Honestly, Frank? I'm not so sure I know what I'm doing anymore."
He waited for her to elaborate, but when she remained silent, he decided not to press further. He knew that she would talk to him when she was ready. Instead, despite himself, he asked, "How's Ned doing?"
Nancy sighed. The honesty, it seemed, would have to continue. "He and I broke up about a year ago. We haven't exactly stayed in touch."
Frank gave her a sharp glance, then turned his attention back to the road. His hands clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel.
"You…in your e-mails…you never…"
"I'm sorry, Frank. I should have told you."
Frank didn't respond as he stared resolutely at the road before him. After a moment's silence, Nancy turned to continue her sightless vigil out of her window. She knew that she had hurt Frank, and hated herself for it. When he and Callie had separated, he had mentioned it in an e-mail that he sent her. No details, just that they had decided to end their relationship, and that it was a mutual decision. But there had been an unspoken question in the message, which Nancy had deliberately ignored. She had still been with Ned at the time, and desperately trying to repair a relationship that was falling apart at the seams. When it had all finally unravelled, she hadn't told Frank about it. How could she explain something that she still didn't understand herself? Her thoughts drifted back to that bright, sunny Sunday afternoon a year ago, when the world around her seemed perfect, yet her own was coming crashing down around her ears.
"Nancy, we have to talk."
Nancy had been sitting on the steps of the deck in her backyard in River Heights, staring out at the lake that her house bordered, when Ned walked up and sat down next to her. She didn't turn to look at him. She just wrapped her arms around her knees tightly.
"This isn't working, Nancy. You know it, even if you haven't admitted it to yourself yet. We both want different things, and we can't give each other what we need anymore."
Nancy turned to look at him then, frustration darkening her eyes. "What is it that you need, Ned, that I can't give you? I love you. Isn't that enough?"
Ned smiled at her sadly, reaching out to stroke a finger down a cheek that had gone pale. "I wish it were, Nancy. But I'm selfish. I want the whole package -- the white picket fence, the minivan in the driveway, the 2.5 kids playing in the front yard."
Nancy grasped his hand where it still rested against her cheek. "I want that too, Ned! And I want that with you."
He shook his head, removing his hand from hers. "For how long, Nancy? How long before a case comes along, and you put your life in danger once again? How long before you begin to resent me, or your family, for holding you back? Or worse, what if we can't hold you back?"
"Ned, I can…I don't have to…" Nancy choked on the words that seemed stuck in her throat.
"Nancy, you can't even get the words out to say that you'll give it up. Solving mysteries is as necessary to you as breathing. I know that -- I've always known it. And I thought I could live with it, but I can't. I'm sorry."
A suspicion began to form in Nancy's mind. "Ned, if this is about Frank Hardy in any way…"
He cut her off before she could continue. "It's not, Nan. Or maybe it is, in a roundabout way. He shares your passion, your love of investigating, in a way that I never could, and I've always resented that. Whenever I saw the two of you together, solving a case, it was like the rest of the world ceased to exist around you, including me. I know he means a lot to you, and sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing by asking you to sacrifice that friendship for me. But like I said, I'm selfish. I thought that if you and Frank saw less of each other, you and I could find that connection that you and he always seemed to have. But it's not there, Nan. It hasn't been there for a long time now, but neither one of us has wanted to admit it."
Nancy opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off again. "I love you, Nancy, and I want you to be with someone who can share your dreams with you. And as much as it hurts for me to say this, that person's not me anymore."
The truth of his words rang in Nancy's heart, even as it broke into a million pieces. "Ned…" Nancy trailed off as he got to his feet to stand in front of her. He cupped her chin in his hand and tipped her face up to his.
"You're an incredible woman, Nancy Drew, and an amazing detective. You've solved so many mysteries, but you still have to solve the one of your own heart."
He bent down and kissed the top of her head, then turned around and walked away from her for the last time. Nancy stayed where she was for a long time after, silent tears streaming unchecked down her cheeks.
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Joe awoke as he felt the car slow, then come to a complete stop. He rubbed a fist across his gritty eyes and stared at the car's ceiling as his body registered a thousand aches and pains from the earlier beating that it took in the explosion.
"Where are we?" he asked, his voice still rough with sleep.
"We're home," Frank replied quietly. Beside him, Nancy stirred and slowly awoke from the fitful sleep that she had fallen into. He saw her wince in pain when she moved her stiffened neck, but he didn't say anything. They hadn't spoken since their earlier conversation, and he still didn't know what to say to her. Frank sighed and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. There would be time enough for that later. Right now he had a worried mother to comfort and a kidnapped father to find.
He got out of the car, and Joe and Nancy followed suit. They each grabbed their bags from the trunk and headed for the front door, Frank using his old key to let them in. The first thing that his tired mind registered was the comforting scent of his mother's banana nut bread, freshly baked from the oven. He followed the scent down the hallway towards the kitchen, Joe and Nancy trailing behind. When he stepped into the room, he saw his mother bent over the oven, gingerly removing a fresh loaf of bread. There were four more loaves already cooling on the center island.
"Mom."
Laura Hardy jumped at the sound of Frank's quiet voice, dropping the loaf of bread back into the oven. She spun around and pressed a hand to her racing heart.
"Frank! You scared me! When did you get here? And what are you doing here? Why didn't you call first so that I'd know you were coming? And what happened to you? Your clothes are covered with dust, and your faces are filthy. Nancy, dear, it's so good to see you. I'm so sorry the kitchen's such a mess. I just wanted to bake some bread. Fenton loves banana nut bread, and I thought…"
Frank silently stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his mother tightly. Her nervous words died in her throat as she was pressed against his comforting strength, and tears filled her eyes. She hugged her son back, the fears that she had tried so hard to keep at bay now clawing at her throat. She valiantly fought them back, using a reserve of strength that only the wife of an ex-cop and the mother of adventurous detectives could know.
Frank placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, making her smile a little. Her beautiful, strong son. When she stepped back from his arms, her eyes were dry, her gaze steady. "Just tell me this -- is he alive?"
Frank nodded. "He is, Mom."
"Then that's all I need to know right now. You can fill me in on everything else later. Right now, I think I need to feed your younger brother -- I can see visions of bread dancing in his eyes."
"Mom," Joe groaned. He stepped forward and enveloped her in a bear hug, lifting her slightly off the ground. He placed a loud smacking kiss on her forehead. "You know I'm not here for the food."
"I know." She laid a gentle hand on his cheek, then winked at him. "But that doesn't mean you're not going to eat it anyway!"
Everyone laughed, and some of the tension in the room dissolved. Laura walked over to Nancy, who was standing behind both of the brothers with a somewhat hesitant expression on her face. Noticing this, and ignoring it, Laura wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her tightly. After a moment's hesitation, Nancy returned the embrace.
"It's so good to see you again, Nancy. It's been far too long since we last saw each other. I just wish it were under better circumstances. Did Frank and Joe call you when they found out that Fenton was missing?"
Nancy shook her head. "No, Mrs. Hardy. My father was kidnapped by the same men that took your husband. I ran into Frank and Joe at the warehouse in New York that we were directed to by the kidnappers."
"Oh my God," Laura whispered in horror. She took Nancy's hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. She looked at her sons, then back at Nancy. "On second thought, I think you'd better tell me everything now."
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By the time the three detectives had finished relating the entire story to Laura, it was almost two o'clock in the morning. Joe stood up from the sofa and stretched, yawning loudly.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. I'm going to turn in for the night."
Frank rose too. "I'm right behind you, little brother. We have to get an early start in the morning." He looked down at Nancy, who was still sitting on the loveseat next to his mother. Laura caught the look on her son's face and said quickly, "Nancy, why don't you give me a hand clearing up these dishes, and then I'll show you up to the guest room?"
Nancy nodded gratefully and rose to help Laura clean up while the boys headed upstairs. She and Frank had yet to speak two words directly to each other, and there was definitely still tension between them. It would have been awkward to have him show her to her bedroom and play the role of the gracious host.
Once all of the dishes were stored in the dishwasher, Laura and Nancy went up the stairs and to the guest room. Laura pointed out the guest bathroom and her own room on the way. At the door of the guest room, she gestured Nancy inside.
"Go ahead and get settled in. I'll be back in a minute."
Nancy entered the room, taking in its charming furnishings. It was small, but homey, with a canopied queen bed in the center of the room and a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed. There was a window seat in the bay window, and a small dresser and mirror across from the bed that held an assortment of colorful glass bottles. She sank to the side of the bed, her body throbbing with pain from their earlier experience at the warehouse. She turned as she heard Laura enter the room, a stack of neatly folded clothes in her hands. Laura handed the clothes to Nancy, then sat down on the bed next to her.
"I thought you might need some fresh clothes to sleep in, and some for tomorrow. We're roughly about the same size, so I think these should fit."
Nancy smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Hardy."
Laura's blue eyes, so similar to Joe's, twinkled. "Laura, dear. 'Mrs. Hardy' reminds me of my mother-in-law, the thought of whom is more than I can handle at two o'clock in the morning."
Nancy laughed. "Laura it is, then."
Laura's expression sobered as she took one of Nancy's hands in hers and held her gaze.
"Your father's going to be fine, Nancy. I know in my heart that you and my boys will be able to bring him and Fenton back."
Tears sprung to Nancy's eyes before she could stop them. She tried to avert her face, but Laura gently cupped her chin in her hand and held her in place. "Nancy, I know this is hard. But I want you to know that you're not alone in this. You have me, and Frank and Joe. They both care about you very much, and even though the three of you may have drifted apart, I know that they would do anything for you. Especially Frank."
The pain in Nancy's eyes turned to surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Laura laughed at the expression on her face and patted her cheek gently.
"I know both of my boys well, Nancy, despite them running around all over the world for almost half of their lives. Joe wears his heart on his sleeve, while Frank tends to keep his feelings to himself. But you know what they say about still waters -- they run deep. And his feelings for you run very deep. I see the way he looks at you when you walk into a room, and the way he looks when you walk out. He's looked at you that way since you were both teenagers, and it's only grown stronger with time."
"Mrs. Hardy…Laura…I don't know what to say," Nancy stammered.
Laura squeezed her hand. "You don't have to say anything, Nancy. I'm not telling you this because I expect something from you. I learned long ago not to meddle in my sons' love lives, particularly because with Joe, I would be exhausted by now. I only say this because I want you to know that Frank cares about you very much, and I know he's going to be there for you through all of this."
Nancy let out the breath that she had been holding. "I'm going to be there for him too. He and Joe aren't in this alone, either. We've helped each other get through tough situations before and I know we'll do it again. And…I care about Frank too, very much."
Nancy shook her head at Laura as she tried to interrupt. "No, let me say this. I've made some mistakes where Frank is concerned, and I think I hurt him without ever meaning to. But I'm hoping I can fix that."
Laura smiled at her. "I have no doubt that when you put your mind to something, Nancy, nothing can stop you. My son won't know what hit him."
Nancy laughed. "I'm kind of hoping that's the case."
Laura stood up and faced Nancy. "I'm glad I got to see you again, Nancy, despite the circumstances. I loved you as a teenager before, but now I'm proud to say that I can also respect the woman that you've become."
Nancy's throat tightened painfully. On impulse, she wrapped her arms around Laura's waist and rested her head against her stomach. Laura stroked her hair gently.
"Be safe, Nancy." She placed a soft kiss on the top of Nancy's head, then turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
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A/N: I know there was no action at all in this chapter, but I really wanted to take some time to explore the characters further before I move on with the story. I promise there will be more action in the next one! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!