A/N Sorry I didn't stick to my whole update every day thing. I had to rework this chapter, and so it's a tad late. But I have chapter's 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 done. So, I shall be updating daily again.

Thanks for all the reviews everyone:) And a special thanks to my fantastic beta The Silent Rumble, who I am so glad bribed me into writing this story. roflmao.

Disclaimer: I own nada!

She was forgetting something. She just couldn't remember exactly what it was that she had forgotten. The young woman huffed, angry at herself for standing in the middle of her apartment wondering about some forgotten item when she was supposed to have left for work half an hour ago. She was going to be late and her boss would be mad and there went her chances of being promoted from intern who worked on the occasional design to actual computer designer. It was her dream, even just working at this company was her dream, this was her big chance…but, she wasn't happy.

Vanessa shook her head to clear it and laughed shakily to herself. This was insane, she had finally lost it. Lost…she'd lost something…or someone… What was she doing? Wondering about happiness, and forgotten things when she had work to do…

Vanessa scowled at herself for worrying about such frivolous things and hurriedly grabbed her purse and briefcase before rushing out the door.

She finally arrived at work now thirty minutes late. Vanessa all but ran out of the elevator and down the hall to her cubicle where she promptly crashed into Phil who was waiting inside for her. She dropped her briefcase and it snapped open, old, frayed case that it was, not that she'd admit it. Joe gave her that case, the day she got the job as a junior intern at the computer design firm. Joe…Thoughts of her former boyfriend flooded to the front of her mind as she knelt on the ground to pick up her spilled papers. Phil joined her on the floor and helpfully gathered up her papers and handed them to her. Vanessa smiled at him gratefully and reached for her planner, it was laying open on the floor. The smile froze on her face and slowly faded as it suddenly occurred to her exactly what she'd forgotten. Exactly a year and a week ago Frank had died, and she'd forgotten the anniversary of his death. She should've sent the Hardys flowers or something, so they would know someone was thinking about their son, and then there was…Joe, it always came back to Joe.

"Vanessa? Are you okay?" Phil was talking to her but she didn't notice thoughts of Frank's funeral were flooding to the front of her mind, memories of Joe breaking down after the eulogy, thoughts of her life being turned upside down, of losing one of her best friends, and the only man she'd ever loved as a result.

The church was silent, dead silent. St. Emily Church wad hardly ever quiet, it was a small community church and the parishioners all knew each other. During any normal mass or ceremony people would be turning around in the pews and leaning over fellow parishioners in an attempt to catch up with their friends, neighbors, and family members. Today was different; every person in the church sat deathly still their eyes staring straight ahead at the priest…and the casket a few feet to his right.

"It is a tragedy when we lose a member of our community at any time, but it is truly horrible to have lost one so young. We must trust that Frank Hardy is in the hands of our Lord. God has a plan for all of His children and He will take care of Frank now that he is back in His Kingdom." The priest spoke these words in an attempt to console the family and friends of the teenager. Very few seemed to be focused on the words, over half the church was in tears, and the others seemed to be barely holding onto their composure.

Seated in the front row directly behind the casket was the family of the deceased. On the end of the pew sat Fenton Hardy, the father, who was staring straight ahead a look of utter shock on his face, every so often a tear would slide out of the corner of his eye and he would let it slide down his face seemingly not noticing or not caring. On his right sat Laura Hardy, the mother, she was biting down hard on her bottom lip and tears were spilling out of her eyes faster then she could wipe them away. Joe Hardy sat directly between his mother and his aunt. He was staring blankly at the casket, he was the only one in their pew who wasn't crying, and he had long since run out of tears. His mother had his hand in a death grip, and looked like she had no intention of ever letting go. On Joe's other side sat his Aunt Gertrude, she looked like she had aged ten years since finding out her nephew had been killed. She had never thought their detective work was safe, and no after being proven right she wished she had been wrong more then anything else in the world.

"And now, Frank's brother Joe will give the eulogy." Joe snapped out of his trance upon hearing his name and stood up walking over to where the priest was standing. He now looked determinedly away from the casket.

"Frank and I were best friends, we were partners in our detective work, and we worked well together. He was calm, patient and methodical; he always took the time to listen." Joe paused and took a deep, shuddering breath. He had thought he was out of tears, but apparently not. "Frank was the perfect big brother, he would always stick up for me, and he was always willing to help me whether it was a problem with school, or if it were personal, he'd always listen and give me advice." Joe swallowed, pausing for a moment to regain control.

"Frank had always wanted to be a detective, ever since he was little, he'd say I want to be just like daddy. And I, being his little brother wanted to be whatever he was. Frank was always trying to help people, and I don't know anyone who didn't like him," Joe paused for a moment. "Except for a few criminals, of course." This got a few appreciative chuckles from the crowd especially the police officers who took up four full pews in the back. The entire force had shown up.

"We, that is Frank and I, chased after criminals always thinking that we were indestructible, that nothing could ever touch us, until one day, someone finally managed. My brother was taken away from me by a child murderer; he died trying to stop that monster from hurting anyone else. My brother's gone and the world is less because of it." Joe was done with his speech he couldn't bear to stay up there anymore. It seemed so wrong to be there, to be alive when his brother was dead. With that the blond walked passed his family members and out of the church.

Vanessa Bender stood up from her spot in the third pew and headed out of the church after Joe. When Vanessa got out there she found Joe sitting on the cement walkway to the church with tears coursing down his face. Vanessa sat down next to Joe and put her arm around the blond boy. "How are you doing?" She wasn't sure why she asked him that, it was fairly obvious that he wasn't doing well, but she figured that it was better then leaving him to brood over the night Frank died. He didn't answer. She really didn't expect him to.

They spent the rest of the funeral sitting there on the walkway until people started to exit the church. At this point the couple got up and stood silently waiting for Joe's family to exit. When they did Joe silently joined them while Vanessa headed to her car. They were going to the cemetery next and Joe would be riding with his family directly behind the hearse.

"Van?" Phil was calling to her again and she came back to reality with a start.

"Huh?" She asked in a confused tone.

"You zoned out." Phil answered her helpfully.

"It's been a year you know." Vanessa said shoving the last of her papers into the briefcase and standing up.

"Since, you know…"

"Oh." He did know, he knew all to well. Frank, the person he considered to be his best friend, the person who had shared his love of science and computers and the first friend he'd made when he came to Bayport in first grade, was dead, he had been for a year and one week. He had remembered, it had been the only thing he'd thought about for weeks. The more he had tried to push the thoughts of his deceased friend away the more the memories had plagued him.

"How mad is Mr. Fredrickson?" Vanessa asked abruptly changing the subject in an attempt to relieve the tension that had descended on the room.

"Not that mad, actually, I told him you got caught in traffic, as far as he knows the car in front of you got in an accident and the whole street got backed up." Phil said with a small smile.

"Thanks, Phil." Vanessa answered with a sigh of relief with that she plopped down in her office chair and spun around so she was facing him. "What're we doing today?" And with that they began the work day both determinedly pushing memories of their friends to the back of their minds.

A/N Review! Major twists ahead in the next chapter.