Adding the Network: Chapter One

Author's Note: The concluding story. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: The author of this story (me) does not own the respective characters. She intends no copyright infringement.

-NDHB-

Las Vegas: Four Months Ago

The sun streamed through the open window, Frank rolled over to escape the light, God I need to remember not to drink this much, and crashed into another body in his bed. Crap, what happened? He racked his overstressed brain and slowly opened his eyes.

Nancy woke suddenly when something slammed into her. Her only thought was Shit as she realized who had rolled onto her. "Frank," Nancy moved to hold her head in her hands and noticed the beautiful ring on her left ring finger. "Hey. Didn't I give back the ring?"

"Yeah. Why?" Frank mumbled, only to have Nancy's hand shoved in her face. "What happened last night?"

Nancy looked at their hands, "Well, evidence seems to say we got married. The only thing I clearly remember is drinking."

"So what are we going to do?" asked Frank.

Nancy pulled a piece of paper that had been stuck between them out, "Well, the good news is I know what definitely happened: we got married. The bad news is I have no idea what else we did."

"My question is how we let this happen? Aren't we supposed to be the responsible people? Not let this happen? I can see Joe doing this…which actually explains some things," Frank quipped.

"I'm willing to bet competitiveness had something to with what happened. What do we do?" Nancy asked.

Frank shrugged, "I have no idea. Deal with the hangover is at the top of my list. We can't stay married."

"Why?" Damn it, Drew! Think before you talk.

Frank looked at Nancy. "You want to stay married?" he begged for clarification.

"Well, I mean, I would've preferred dating first. But, I don't know." She struggled to explain her feelings. "Don't you think this feels right?"

"As usual, Drew, I have to agree with you. But, we're married," Frank stated.

Chicago: Present Day

Nancy was surprised actually that Joe still didn't suspect the marriage. They neither told anyone nor kept it secret: wearing their rings openly enough.

Sometimes Nancy just wanted to hurl the ring at him. "Hey, Bess. How are you?" Nancy questioned when Bess opened the front door.

Bess, at about eight months had decided she needed to take a maternity leave. She transferred her patients and only took emergencies. "I'm fine. A little bored. Come on in," she opened the door wider, closed it and joined Nancy on the sofa. "You know what I realized the other day? That gorgeous rock."

"Yeah? Finally, someone notices it. Does Joe know yet?" Nancy inquired.

"I may have mentioned it?" she told her friend.

-NDHB-

Across town, Frank was meeting Joe for lunch. Joe demanded, actually demanded, the meeting and for some reason that scared Frank.

"You. You didn't tell me you were married!" Joe spat as he plopped into the vacant seat opposite Frank.

"Joe, you didn't exactly tell me either. It stared as a drunken mistake anyway," Frank reasoned.

Joe blinked, "But, you're still married?"

"Well, yeah. It's been going very well. How's your marriage going? Isn't Bess due soon?" questioned Frank.

"Three weeks. Now, don't change the subject, Hardy," Joe interrogated. "How did you get drunk enough-and Nancy, for that matter- to get married?"

Frank explained, "It was a drinking game. Neither of us wanted to lose."

Joe paused, digested the information and decided he could live with that. "I think Bess would say something about your subconscious always wanting marriage to Nancy and getting drunk was an excuse. So, who won?"

Frank laughed, "I don't exactly remember."

-NDHB-

Joe was on his way home from the office when he spotted the car for the third time. They followed him from a client to the office. Joe was not about to lead them to his home.

Using voice activation, he called Frank. "I picked up a tail somewhere," he said when Frank answered.

"Head towards Nan's and my place. Or do you not want to confront them?" asked his more levelheaded brother.

Joe glanced in his rearview mirror before replying, "No, I want to talk to these guys. Give me half an hour." Joe hung up and turned in the direction of Frank and Nancy's.

-NDHB-

"Joe?" Nancy asked coming into the living room.

"Yeah. He picked up a tail. …Feel like interrogating someone tonight?" Frank commented.

"Sure. I haven't interrogated someone in a while. Stupid protective detail," she cursed.

"It can't be that bad," Frank pulled Nancy down on the sofa next to him.

"You haven't ever gone a week without interrogating someone. How would you know? I could be rusty," Nancy teased.

"Of course, The Great US Marshal Drew is losing her technique. You know we could practice that technique," Frank joked back.

Nancy smacked him, "You better not mean what I think you mean, Agent Hardy."

"Now, Deputy…" Frank was interrupted by the phone, which he reached over Nancy to grab. "Hardy," he answered.

Joe's voice came through the line, "Hey, I'm about to park outside. I still got the tail, you want in?"

Frank hung up the phone and helped Nancy uncurl herself. "Let's go practice those techniques on a real suspect. Now, later we can…" this time Nancy interrupted him by shoving him out the door. "You can get violent."

"Yeah, well. I guess it's in the job description," Nancy blamed.

The couple reached Joe's car as he stepped out. Instead of stopping to talk, however, they turned and made the tail. The tail knew he was made, as he had actually not tried too hard to be unobserved, and stepped out of the car. "Frank, Nancy, congratulations," Kip greeted them, "To you to, Joe."

The group paused: Joe was the first to talk, "You tailing me for any reason?"

Kip explained, "Network needs your help. It might be best to talk in private," he gestured to Frank and Nancy's apartment.

They sat, with coffee in hand, and waited for Kip to explain what was going on. "You guys remember Michaela? She was the baby who you used for the undercover job in Vegas. Well, anyway," Kip explained, "the system found her parents. Well, her mom. Marie Scott," he paused to toss a photo on the table.

She had been a very attractive young woman until the fish had gnawed on the flesh of her face, arms, legs… "was dating Ned Nickerson-Nancy's ex, yeah," continued Kip. "He was also the leader of a highly organized group of terrorists. Well, it turns out Marie was cheating on Ned, which is not the smartest thing to do, and she got pregnant. We think he killed her…and probably the father too. But, see we don't know. The Network would like your help finding Michaela's father."

Joe, Frank, and Nancy looked at each other. "What's the catch?" Nancy asked.

"Catch?" At their look he relented, "You would have to protect Michaela…in D.C."

Joe's head popped up, "I can't go to D.C.! Bess is having our baby soon."

"I'm aware of that. You would stay here. Frank and Nancy would take the baby and watch her in D.C. You, Joe, will use your contacts in D.C.-while still here-to help them out." Kip placed his empty cup on the table, "You don't have to leave Chicago."

Frank and Nancy were communicating silently; Joe could clearly see that. It would give us something fun to do, Nancy looked at Frank.

Frank grinned, You want to spend time with the baby. Frank knew Nancy had fallen in love with Michaela. "Nan and I are in," Frank told Kip.

Joe knew what he wanted to do as well, "I'm in. But, I'm not leaving Bess."

-NDHB-

"Hey, Bess," Joe greeted as he shut the door behind him fifteen minutes later.

Bess looked up from the pot on the stove, "I wanted spaghetti."

Joe looked at her: something was up. "Okay," he said nervously.

"Would you hand me that chocolate sauce?" Bess questioned, pointing to the bottle she meant as she plopped noodles on two plates.

Joe had learned to just go with this sort of thing. "Sure," he passed it over to her. "Bess, Kip tailed me today; he has an interesting case in D.C."

"You are not leaving me now!" Bess yelled at him, more hurt than anything.

"I'm not going anywhere, Bess. Nancy and Frank are. I couldn't leave you, sweetheart," he tried to calm her down. "I'm going to stay with you. You might even be able to help. We might need a profile or two."

Bess knew she had overreacted, "Sorry. Hormones. Tell me about the case? I've been bored."

-NDHB-

"Kip, are you sure giving Nan and Frank this case was a good idea?" the young woman Kip had convinced to come back with him asked.

"Yeah. The Network has plans for Michaela. You know them. Personally, I think they're good plans. …Can't you see Nancy, Frank, and Michaela as a happy family?" Kip answered, parking in the hotel's lot.

"I can. Very clearly. I guess it's for the best because Nancy and Frank would have to adopt anyway. Michaela is a sweet baby but…" she paused as a lump caught in her throat.

"She brings up bad memories. I know. You need to come to terms with what happened. Move on," Kip squeezed her hand. "It'll be okay."

"I know. I loved him so much though. And I know it's been four months, but it still hurts so much."

-NDHB-

Edited: 27 December 2008…ladybug1115