"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die." -Edward Kennedy

Joe

One hour later I pulled my motorcycle up in front of the police station. It was still fairly early and there weren't a lot of people about yet. I spotted Frank's maroon sedan and immediately I got a bad feeling in my stomach.

See, Frank has two annoying little vices about him. He has a terrible poker face and he never lies to a man in uniform.

As I entered the station I could feel the negative energy around me, scraping at my raw nerves.

"Joseph," Collig's irritated voice hit me as I entered his office for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

"Yes Chief?" I answered making eye contact with a worried looking Frank.

"Where's the file on Alexander Bernheart?" Collig demanded.

"What file?" I said as innocently as possible.

"Don't play games with me Joe."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Frank told me everything," Collig said with an angry, yet satisfied grin. There was a long pause before I sighed and slumped into the chair next to Frank.

"Snitch."

"What was I supposed to do? Lie to the Chief of police?" Frank hissed at me.

"Exactly."

Frank rolled his eyes at me as Collig kept glaring at me. He tapped his fingers on the desk impatiently.

"Well?" he said.

"Well...what?" I countered.

"Joe! The file!?" Collig growled.

"Oh right," I nodded with a small smile towards Frank which he returned. I pulled the papers out of my coat and handed them to the Chief. He flipped through them, making sure everything was there and accounted for. Then with a nod he looked up at Frank and I.

"I'm letting you two off with a warning this time. But don't ever try anything like this again, got it?" Collig said, directing the last part mainly in my direction.

"Got it Chief," I replied with a smile. Collig then proceeded to put the file back in it's place in his secure filing cabinet. Frank and I got up to leave but then we both stopped short at the door.

"Chief? You don't believe that the Bernheart's have anything to do with Tony or Hope's disappearances do you?" Frank asked, but it sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

"What do you mean? Do you think Alexander Bernheart is behind all this?" Collig said raising his eyebrows at us, "Boys, we have two missing persons on our hands here...not a mass murder. Don't get ahead of yourselves."

"I suppose," Frank agreed, obviously not having anything to do with the Chief's reasoning. I didn't either.

"Well, now what?" I asked as we exited the office and headed downstairs and to the parking lot.

"I think we need to talk to dad about all this," Frank said.

"Agreed," I nodded. Then I reached into my coat again and pulled out more papers and Frank smiled, "Thank God for Kinko's."

...

Frank

My father sat at the kitchen table in the two story house on the corner of Elm and High, the one my brother and I used to call home, shaking his head.

"Boys, you're making quite an accusation," he told us.

"I don't think it's that far off dad," Joe said sitting on the edge of one of the dining table chairs.

"Bless her heart, Hope must be terrified," my mother commented from behind as she started to empty the dishwasher.

"She can handle herself...I hope," Joe muttered under his breath making eye contact with me. I sighed and turned back to my father.

"Dad, we don't have any other leads--" I started to explain.

"No, you don't have any leads at all. You are just assuming that Alexander Bernheart has something to do with this because of his past. And as for Akacia, you have no proof, maybe she doesn't have her cell phone with her and she's busy," our dad attempted to be logical.

"Maybe," Joe scoffed.

"Joseph--"

"You're still treating me like I'm an inexperienced sixteen year old dad," Joe complained, interrupting dad's inevitable lecture.

"Maybe because you act like you're still sixteen--"

"Is this really relevant?" I yelled breaking up the fight. Both my father and Joe turned to look at me, "Now then, dad, I think we do have our facts straight here."

"It's a possibility, but you don't have any proof," dad explained again.

"Then we'll get some," Joe said.

"I don't want you two snooping around, let the police handle this. You've already tested Ezra's nerves, I wouldn't try anything like that again."

"Dad. You're saying that Frank and I, both just as good at detective work as anyone else, including you, should let the police amble around in the dark with no leads or hunches? Hope's life may be at stake. Merrylee and Jim are worried sick about their daughter!" Joe argued, keeping his voice steady.

"They are not ambling in the dark. They are qualified, this is their job," our father said back, matching Joe's even tone.

"But what about Tony? He's missing too, do the police think that's just a coincidence?" Joe pressed, "What will Benito think if we just sit by and let the police fumble with this case?"

"Benito understands that this is police business. They haven't asked for your help, so you don't need to worry. Let them do their job!"

"You know what dad? You're right, Joe and I will let the police handle it," I said standing up and donning my coat. Joe gave me a wild look (he thinks that I never lie) but soon nodded his head, catching on to my sarcasm. Fortunately for us, dad thought I was serious.

Now if Joe had said something like that, dad would have been suspicious from the get go. But I was the "level-headed" son. I would never lie to my father. Yeah right. When it comes to a friends safety, there usually isn't an honest bone in my body when I'm investigating. It's not like I lie all the time. No, that's Joe's department. I only lie when I have to, and right now I had to.

"You're really gonna let the police do their job?" A voice came from behind us. We all turned to see Sam Radley standing in the doorway smiling.

"Yes, don't you think we can?" Joe asked stifling a laugh. Our dad narrowed his eyes after us as Sam laughed with Joe.

"You boys stay out of trouble. Love you!" our mother called from the kitchen as we walked through the front hallway and opened the door to leave.

"Yes, please stay out of trouble, just this once?" our father said as we closed the door and the chilly air hit us. We could barely discern the men's voices inside discussing the new case.

Stay out of trouble? Yeah right.

...

Joe

"How can you ride that thing in this weather?" Frank asked indicating my motorcycle parked on the curb.

"You get used to it," I shrugged, "besides Vanessa has the car."

Frank nodded and unlocked his car. But before we parted I turned to him.

"So, since we're going to let the police handle this, what are we supposed to do?" I asked sarcastically with a grin.

"Well, the police are investigating a missing persons case with no suspects or leads. While we will be investigating a missing persons case with prime suspects, the Bernhearts," Frank explained mirroring my smile.

"I like your reasoning big brother. I have a feeling we're going to catch these criminals red handed...catch them at what? I'm not sure yet, but we can do it."

"Just you and me?"

"Of course, bad guys beware of the crime fighting duo, Frank and Joe Hardy," I said with fake bravado.

"Okay, so what are we going to look into first? How do we know where Akacia is? Or even if Hope is with her? Or Tony?" Frank asked.

"Good question. I'm sure it'll come to us."

"Impossible. It's not like this mystery will just solve itself in your dreams tonight," Frank laughed.

"Well, we're too young to know that most things are impossible...so we do them anyways. I'll be sure to find the solution in my midnight musings Frank," I smirked.

"I like your reasoning little brother."

...

Frank

That evening, after a nice dinner with Callie and playtime with Seth, I sat in the small den at the back of our house while Callie put Seth to bed.

I thought about Hope and how I wish there was some hint to her whereabouts. I thought about Akacia and everything that was strange about her and anything she might have said to give me a clue. I thought about Tony and wondering where he was, what happened to him or if he was okay. I drew blanks.

I also thought about what Joe had said this morning. About the "dream" that would solve this mystery. It unnerved me to think about it, but Joe could very well be right.

After he had told me about the dream he had had about Jared I brushed it off as a coincidence. But deep down I felt something. Maybe Joe could have seen his son before he was born? Was that possible? It's called clairvoyance right? No...couldn't be...

I really wished it was that easy. Sometimes I feel like I'm not quite qualified to be a detective. Like if I didn't have Joe's instincts to balance out my logic, I wouldn't be able to solve any cases. I'm smart enough I guess. But maybe I don't use my feelings as much as I should. Joe's so good at reading people. I suppose that's why we are a team.

I sighed and turned up the radio, it was some jazz song playing. I didn't recognize it at first but the lyrics soon filled my mind. I had to figure out this case. Joe and I had to figure out this case.

I was really hoping that it wasn't a life or death situation. But I had a very very bad feeling in my stomach about it...

After years of expensive education,

A car full of books and anticipation,

I'm an expert on Shakespeare and that's a hell of a lot

But the world don't need scholars as much as I thought.

Maybe I'll go traveling for a year,

Finding myself or start a career.

I could work for the poor though I'm hungry for fame

We all seem so different but we're just the same.

Who knows the answers? Who do you trust?

I can't even separate love from lust.

I don't want to get up, just let me lie in,

Leave me alone, I'm a twenty something.

Love ain't the answer nor is work,

The truth eludes me so much it hurts.

But I'm still having fun and I guess that's the key,

I'm a twenty something and I'll keep being me...

-Jamie Cullum "Twentysomething"

A/N: Uh, school is lame and I am in the play so practices run long and I don't have as much time to write! Ah! So updates may not come quite as often, but keep the faith! 8) Thanks for your reviews! I love 'em! By the way, if you like jazz, check out that song, it's wonderful! Oh and don't forget about my poll!