A/n: slightly on the short side, but it is just a lull until they get back to work.
Chapter Seven
The next three days the boys went about their business; meetings, stakeouts, lots and lots of paperwork. Joe made it a point to keep in touch with Bruce, he genuinely liked the guy, and not just because he had saved his life. His calls were often just guy talk and if Bruce made any mention of the situation in the Park, fine. He never brought up the subject himself, although he did duly pass along the seemingly offhand comment that Melody had expressed regret about how things ended between herself and Halloran. Halloran's face fell when she heard the news but remained steadfast in her commitment. Melody would have to make the first move. Joe felt bad for her, knowing that she had effectively cut herself off from what was left of her past with that assertion. He made it a point to encourage her to spend time with the various lady friends and spouses of the guys he grew up with so she wouldn't feel too lonely.
Frank waited as well, but with far more reservations and a selfish hope that the FBI would not call back. It wasn't that he was morally opposed to finishing what they had started, but some teeny tiny part of him felt vindicated that he had been proven correct. Of course he would agree to help if the call did come, there were both personal and professional reputations at stake here. But when he had quizzed his father on the subject, he had found out that even Fenton had turned down clients due to personality conflicts once or twice. "There's no shame in admitting you cannot work with or for someone, Son." Fenton had assured his eldest. "Of course, I also went that extra bit and referred them to one of my colleagues." Frank had accepted that information and chewed on it for a while.
The door bell rang, jolting Halloran out of the light doze she was enjoying on the couch. When she hastened to answer it, she was mildly surprised to see Frank there. "Frank!" she exclaimed as she swung to door wider to let him in. "What brings you here at this hour?"
"Sorry, Hall, I hope I didn't disturb you. Is my wayward brother still awake?" Frank apologized.
"Not sure, I was napping myself." She walked into the kitchen and peered out the window over the sink. "He's on the deck." She looked at him questioningly, but all he did was smile at her and head towards the back door. With a shrug, she just said. " Don't spend all night out there. I am going to bed." She headed upstairs with a good bye smile.
Frank made his way outside, silently sitting in the Adirondack style deckchair that matched the one that Joe had been lounging in. The blond brother turned his head at the sound of the door, but merely raised an eyebrow in silent question. "What're you doing out here in the dark?" Frank asked, postponing the reason he had come. Joe shrugged.
"It's a nice night. Just felt like relaxing out here. I'd offer you a beer but that was my last one" he gestured towards the empty bottle sitting on the little table between the two chairs. "But something tells me you aren't here for socializing."
"Connely called." When he heard that, Joe sat up and turned in his chair to face his brother.
"And?!" Joe asked eagerly.
"Melody has been officially suspended, with pay, until the investigation is complete. Apparently she pissed off not only the FBI, but her bosses at the Park Service as well. According to Connely, she's been told to not only stay out of the investigation going forward, she's going to have to do some serious groveling to stay on as the Lead Ranger period. She's being held directly responsible for the Trainee's death." Frank wasn't sure how to take that last bit, while he held no love for her at all, and even less respect, he wasn't convinced it was entirely accurate. Joe apparently agreed.
"Damn. That's harsh. Unless she's involved with whatever shady goings on, I doubt she's liable, not unless she completely disregarded protocol." Joe actually felt the teeniest bit sorry for the woman.
"Hmphf." Frank was noncommittal. "Anyway, Connely almost begged. It was kinda funny. I channeled my Inner Joe and led him on for a bit before accepting." Frank looked over at his brother.
Joe's grin swiftly faded. "But you still don't really want to, do you?" he surmised.
"I dunno, Joe. On the one hand I agree with you, about reputation and finishing what we started. On the other, I just don't need the aggravation." Frank sighed.
"I can do it alone, if you really have that big of an issue."
"And I hate the thought that you are willing to do that!" Frank cried, more exasperated at himself than at his brother. "We work better together, and I would never forgive myself if something happened cuz you didn't have competent back up."
A year ago, Joe would have made a smart ass comment about how that left Frank out of the running and then ducked the punch Frank would have thrown with only a little force. But that was the younger, more impudent Joe. The current version was a lot more willing to admit to sentiment and acknowledge he preferred working with Frank over any other option. He supposed Halloran was to blame, or was that credit? Either way, Joe was a lot more willing to take his big brother's feelings and thoughts into consideration, instead of his usual offhand dismissal and insistence that some people needed to lighten up. "Not that I will ever admit this in front of anyone else, but I'd rather do any case with you than alone, Bro." Okay so maybe he wasn't quite ready to leave all his earlier attitudes behind...
He continued, turning slightly so that he was facing the dark haired figure who was slumped dejectedly in the other chair. " So, you said Mel's been warned off. Okay. That means we won't have to deal with her, and if she tried to horn in anyway, we would be legally within our rights to have her removed. Bruce has been saying all along he'd be willing to give us whatever help he could and even suggested Mitch and his co workers would be game." He ticked off each comment with a finger. "He knows the area almost as well as Melody does. And he has Marine training, which can come in mighty handy. Also, he appreciates my cooking." Joe said with a smirk.
Frank chuckled despite himself. "So basically you are trying to tell me I have nothing to worry about."
Joe sobered. "No. These guys, whoever they are, mean business. Shooting at me, I get, I was headed straight for them. But the teenagers? Who were just fooling around? I don't buy it.. there was a decent chance those girls would never have seen a damn thing, and even if they did, could have easily been distracted or bluffed into thinking nothing was up." Joe stood up, stretching before reaching down a hand and pulling his brother upright. "In fact, I think you should wear too." his voice was serious and his eyes, usually sparkling with repressed mischief, were sober and intense.
"Why Little Brother, is that concern?!" Frank tried to make a joke of it, which fell flat as Joe continued to look at him earnestly, not a hint of his normal exuberance to be found. Frank found himself a little unsettled at the intensity of his brother's gaze. "Joe?!" he whispered. "What is it?"
"I just..." Joe fumbled to find the right words. "Look," he finally said. " You and Hall are my life, okay? I couldn't survive losing either one of you. A few weeks ago, Hall and me, we had a conversation, about ,well, her brother dying. And I came to the realization that over the years I had been a real ass, scaring you as much as I did with all my antics. I do not ever want to put you through what she went through, and I sure as hell don't wanna experience it first hand. So if your Spidey sense still has the willies, we can call Connely back and tell him deal's off."
"Oh, Joe." Frank said, almost a sob. "If I started doing that every time my 'Spidey Sense' started having conniptions we might as well close the Agency and become librarians." He placed two strong yet slightly trembling hands on his brother's shoulders. "And we both know we'd end up bored out of our skulls in a month. No. You were right, just like you often are. And I will deny admitting that in public vehemently. As long as we put our considerable training and innate talent to use, and take a few precautions, we can do this. And besides, those lowlifes tried to kill you. I take umbrage at that."
"Umbrage?!" Joe snorted. "My brother, the thesaurus." Joe brought his own hands up and pulled Frank into a quick man hug. "So, we are doing this?"
"Yeah. For all the reasons you have mentioned, and more." Frank looked fondly at his brother. "And we'll both be careful, deal?"
"Deal." Joe stepped back and headed inside, Frank following. "Tomorrow morning, or do you have to make arrangements first?"
"Meet me at the office. I'll bring Sam up to speed on what to keep an eye on with our other cases. But I think we should stay someplace in town. Not the cabin."
"Yer probably right, the cabin is slightly inconvenient." Joe frowned. "I'll call Bruce and ask his opinion."
"Okay. Lodging is your assignment. "I'll get Connely to put together a brief." Frank said as he reached the front door and walked out. "Try to be at work on time ish for a change."
"And break my streak?!" Joe teased, mock affronted. "Never!" With a final grin he pushed his brother out the door and programmed the alarm after. He plodded upstairs after turning off the few lights that had been left on. Halloran was already asleep, her short hair tousled on the pillow and the covers half off the bed. He smiled tenderly and brushed his lips against her smooth cheek, barely causing her to stir. Joe quickly stripped everything but his boxers off before slipping in beside her on the huge king size bed. In minutes he was asleep, a half smile on his face as instinctively they had each moved closer to one another and cuddled.
A/n: Joe's feeling both sentimental and maudlin due to his impending nuptials. He's also come to realize that despite his upbringing and chosen lifestyle, he's been really lucky to have only lost one person that he loved. and he's selfish enough to admit he doesn't want to go through it again, or to be the reason anyone else does.