A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews. I don't deserve them after my long absence but I sure do appreciate the heck out of them. Ya'll are the best. (The same disclaimer still stands from the last chapter…re: the medical stuff. My apologies in advance for offending the experts on bone marrow transplants…I try, but I know I get things wrong. )

Quintessential Bliss

Chapter 31

"No," Joe shook his head. "No, I have to see Frank before his procedure."

"Joe, it's too late," Laura rested a hand on her youngest son's shoulder. "You'll be able to see him when he gets out."

But Joe was still shaking his head as he spun quickly on his heels and rushed down the hallway, back toward the elevators. He stopped at the nursing station, "Please, where are they taking my brother, Frank Hardy? What floor?"

"Um…3," the nurse replied after consulting her computer. "But you're probably too late!" she called after Joe's retreating back.

Everything took forever. The elevator was too slow. The floors clicking by seemed to take minutes instead of seconds, "Come on, come on" Joe said under his breath as he watched the number four fade into the number three. The doors of the elevator had barely opened when Joe had his shoulder shoved in between the crack and he was rushing onto the busy floor. He looked up and down the hallway for any sign of his brother…where was he? There! No, too old…

Finally, Joe saw his brother lying by a door toward the end of the hallway while a group of doctors and nurses stood nearby consulting various clipboards. "Frank!" Joe ran down the hallway toward his brother.

"Joe?" Frank's face showed his confusion for a split second before it lit up with a huge smile. "Joe! You made it!"

"Of course I did bro," Joe stopped next to his brother's hospital bed and smiled. "I can't believe you let them take you down here before I got here."

Frank rolled his eyes and looked more like the older brother Joe remembered before he saw Frank's slight wince of pain. "I delayed them all day little brother, you're the one who is late."

A doctor detached himself from the others and walked over to stand beside Joe, "Are you ready Mr. Hardy?"

"Yes," Frank replied. He turned to Joe, "I'm glad you're here."

"This sure beats a muddy forest full of stupid trees," Joe replied.

Frank laughed, "What?"

"Never mind," Joe shook his head. "You better get a move on and besides, I have a test to get to."

Frank's face darkened when he realized what test Joe was referring to, the test that would tell them if he was a match for the bone marrow transplant Frank needed. "Joe…" his voice trailed off and Joe shook his head.

"I'll see you when you get done," he said as he started to move away from the bed and back down the hallway.

"Wait." Frank said and put his hand out toward Joe. He walked back and placed his hand in his brother's. "I love you, little brother."

Joe smiled and to his horror could feel a lump forming in his throat, tears threatened, "Love you too, Frank." He squeezed Frank's hand, "You're going to be fine. You'll be back to your know-it-all self in no time."

Frank rolled his eyes and sighed, "I hope so."

"I know so," Joe replied and started to step back. "See you soon, brother."

Frank nodded weakly as the nurse began wheeling his bed away.

Nancy stood at the window looking into Frank's recovery room, her arms crossed over her chest protectively. It had seemed to take such a long time, but Frank had finally finished his treatment and been sent to his room for recovery. Joe had finished being tested to see if he could be a bone marrow donor and they were all sitting around the hospital anxiously awaiting the results.

She didn't even know what time it was. Was it 9? Was it midnight? 3 AM? Time didn't seem to matter now and even though she had been bone-deep exhausted for days she knew there was no way her mind would let her body rest.

"Here," Joe shoved a cup of the nasty hospital coffee into her hands. "Drink this…mud." Nancy laughed but it was humorless and murmured her thanks. "Anything?" Joe asked nonchalantly as he raised his own cup to his lips.

Nancy shook her head, "No, nothing." She glanced over at the muddy shoes and pants Joe still wore. "You're pretty GQ right now," she commented.

Joe looked down at his pants and snorted; "It's the latest in detective fashion. Think it's too late to ask for new sneakers for Christmas?"

"Christmas," Nancy murmured and took a sip of her coffee. The holiday had barely entered her mind the last few days and she knew that this holiday would be unlike any other. They would either have something to celebrate or…she couldn't bear to finish the rest of her thought.

"Can't believe it's coming up so soon," Joe commented and placed one hand on the windowpane separating him from his brother.

"I know," Nancy replied. "It certainly doesn't feel like Christmas."

Joe didn't have anything to say to that. He knew that if anything happened to his brother, he would never celebrate Christmas again. He visibly shook off his dark mood and turned to Nancy. "My ass hurts."

His statement surprised a bark of laughter out of Nancy, "Excuse me?"

"That needle was really big," Joe declared and rubbed his hip gently. "It was freakin' huge."

Nancy laughed and rolled her eyes, "You'll live Hardy."

Joe snorted, "The nurse wanted to bash me over the head to keep me in the hospital bed to rest. I'm basically a walking medical miracle right now."

Nancy just shook her head, she was grateful for Joe and his unique sense of humor. Otherwise, she just knew she'd fall apart completely.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hardy?" the doctor said as he walked into the waiting room the next morning. Everyone had sprawled around the room in various states of sleeping but at the doctors entrance they all stood to their feet quickly.

"Yes," Fenton replied and clutched his wife's hand. Laura squeezed his back until their knuckles were white. "What's going on with Frank?"

"After days of grim news, I have something good to share," the doctor smiled at them all. "The results of Joe's test are positive, he is a perfect match for Frank."

There were gasps of surprise and delight all around the room. Joe and Nancy turned to each other and embraced, both of them with tears in their eyes. They pulled apart and soon the rest of the family was sharing hugs. Fenton pulled away from his son for a moment and turned back toward the doctor, "How soon can Frank get his first transplant?"

"Tomorrow morning," the doctor replied with a smile. "I suggest you all go home and rest. We are going to keep Frank sedated the rest of the day and the next couple of days will be long ones. You'll need all the rest you can get."

"Thank you doctor," Laura said with a watery smile. The doctor nodded and left the waiting room.

"I want someone to stay here with Frank, regardless of if he's awake or if we're allowed to be in the room with him. I'm going to stay with him, but you should all head home like the doctor suggested." Laura said as she looked at all of the people in the waiting room. Not only were Joe, Nancy and Vanessa there but also Bernie and Mary Ann, Bess and Chet, Phil, Biff and Carson Drew had shown up hours ago.

"Honey, you should come home and rest too." Fenton said gently.

Laura was shaking her head before he finished talking, "No, Fenton. No. This is our son and I will not leave him alone here." She stared into her husband's eyes until he nodded in agreement, years of marriage allowing them to communicate silently with each other. Laura turned to Nancy and Joe, "Now, let's pretend you both argued your case for staying at the hospital, I listened and then gently persuaded you to go home. You argued further but I won in the end because I'm the mama." She smiled gently at them both, "Go home. Sleep. Come back in the morning. That's an order, don't fight me on it."

Nancy sighed in resignation as did Joe, "Yes Mom."

"Good boy," Laura brought both of her hands up to clasp her youngest son's face, "Go home and rest. I love you."

"Love you too," Joe mumbled.

A few minutes later and everyone was filing out of the waiting room and saying their goodbyes. Nancy stood by, unable and unwilling to move as Fenton lightly kissed his wife's hand, "I'll call you in a bit." He murmured.

"You better," Laura replied with a soft smile.

The tenderness in which Fenton looked at Laura brought fresh tears to Nancy's eyes. What is wrong with you lately, Drew? Pull yourself together! Crying at the drop of a hat all the time. She sniffed and dashed the tears away as Fenton left the room followed by Joe and Vanessa.

Laura turned toward her, "Mrs. Hardy…Laura…I…I can't leave."

"Sure you can," Laura smiled gently. "You need to rest, Frank would want you to rest."

"I know," Nancy mumbled and closed her eyes. "I can't leave him, Laura."

"Oh honey, you're not leaving him. You'll be back soon and you're only a short drive away if you just can't stand it and want to come back and sleep in one of these chairs with me." Laura smiled and leaned in to kiss Nancy's cheek. "My son is a very lucky man. I know he loves you very much. Because of that and as his mama, I'm sending you home. He would be so unhappy with me if he knew I let you sleep another night in one of these awful chairs. Go. Sleep at home and come back first thing in the morning. I promise I'll keep my eye on Frank."

"Thank you Mrs. Hardy," Nancy said and hugged her fiercely. Despite her earlier self-talk she found her eyes once again filling with tears.

"Hey," Joe called out when he saw Nancy walk through the doors of the hospital.

"You guys are still here?" Nancy asked as she walked over to where Joe and Vanessa stood.

"We knew Mama Hardy would kick you out," Vanessa smiled sympathetically. "We thought we'd wait around and see if you'd mind if we crashed at your place tonight." She and Joe had talked about it and they both agreed that it would be best for everyone if they were all together tonight.

"Of course," Nancy replied and led the way to the parking garage. When they got there she stopped short and laughed, "I'm glad you guys stuck around…I just realized I didn't drive myself here this morning."

Vanessa laughed and slung her arm around Nancy's shoulders, "Forgetful Nancy. That's a new one."

Joe came up between them and slung his arm around both of their shoulders. "Come on," he started walking them toward the car. "One of you can draw me a bubble bath while the other one puts ice on my sore ass. You guys can fight over who does what."

Nancy and Vanessa both started laughing hard, "Good luck with either, Hardy." Nancy said through her first honest laughter in days.

"You're on your own babe – on both fronts," Vanessa laughed and pulled away from him to open up the passenger door.

"You're both cruel," Joe said with a pout. "That needle was really, really big."

Nancy was still chuckling when she climbed into the car. It felt good to laugh, even if her chest was still tight with worry.