Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the book characters.
Thank you! To Wendylouwho10 as usual for reading for flow and content. Typos are mine and I find them all the time!
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Started as kinda blue spine with a touch of Casefiles but is now completely AU. Frank is 20 and Joe is 19.
Author's Notes: Thank you for the lovely reviews! I got 14 that time! Awesome! Keep them coming. The brothers haven't bonded back... yet. ;-D But I think you'll enjoy this chapter anyway. The time frame does jump around a little so I hope that doesn't get confusing. :-) Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-One
24 hours later… mid-morning…
Joe lay in the bed in a pair of hospital scrubs. He had refused to wear the open backed hospital gown saying he wasn't sick and didn't need it. He supposed with his appearance and perceived abuse, they had let him have the scrubs.
He hadn't been able to provide them with much. Just descriptions of Hassan and the woman whose name meant 'illusion.' Agent Williams had been especially solicitous and made sure he had what he needed. And for the moment, that meant no contact with his brother and girlfriend. It had been hard enough with his mom and dad. He couldn't bring himself to talk about what had happened with them. Which is why he was watching the clock and the door. Dr. Childers was due in his room in less than five minutes. And he was… apprehensive.
The door opened, drawing his eyes from the clock to the door. Dr. Childers entered and stood just inside the door as it closed. Joe sat up and looked curiously at the man, waiting to see what he would say.
Childers clasped his hands in front of him. "Joe." He paused and shook his head and then began again. "Joe. I can't begin to apologize for what happened-"
"It wasn't your fault, Dr. Childers. Agent Williams told me that you had followed FBI and ORT protocols for documents to the letter." Joe looked at the man. "I appreciate your apology but you need to let it go at that."
Childers stepped further in the room and moved to the seating area that was definitely NOT standard for a regular hospital. The comfortable chairs and love seat gave space and needed comfort to those who were visiting or confined to the room. Childers took a seat and then gestured to the other chair.
Joe moved over slowly and seated himself.
"I understand that you were hesitant about seeking treatment-"
Joe snorted. "I was told that therapy was a condition of my release so I agreed."
"And you wanted me as your therapist?"
"Agent Williams told me that they have already been to your office upgrading security and putting new protocols in place for agent files."
Childers nodded. "They've already been there and put the safeguards in place. I also have new rules to follow in regards to notes and files they give me access to." Childers paused. "So you agreed to have me as your therapist."
Joe nodded. "I know you. You know me." Joe stared into Childers eyes. "But just know, I don't plan on telling you everything. I don't have that kind of trust right now."
Childers didn't say anything for a moment. "I understand. But I can't help if you don't tell me."
"And you won't really know if I'm not telling you everything, now will you?" Joe couldn't help his belligerent tone but he also regretted it. He sighed. "Listen. Your trust was broken as well. It has to get to you that they accessed your notes and information."
Nodding again, Childers agreed. "It did. I welcomed the upgrades from Agent Williams. And while I understand your reluctance to tell me everything, I hope that I can help you. Let's start with this question: what do you want to talk about?"
Joe felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "Something you already know about. Frank and Vanessa's mission." This was something that Childers already knew and he needed to verify his memories about his own thoughts about that mission. Childers was as good a place as any to start.
.**********.
The next day…
Fenton, Laura, Frank, Callie, Vanessa, Andrea, and Cassidy entered the Carrington Center and went to the third floor. Fenton and Laura had both seen Joe briefly the day before as he went through a variety of tests and was settled in his room. He had been adamant that he did not want to see Frank or Vanessa. With his agitation at being restrained, the doctors had insisted that the pair not visit Joe until he was in a more stable frame of mind.
As they exited the elevator onto the 3rd floor, Laura went over to the nurses' station to have them page Joe's doctor. Frank watched her. She was being very strong but he saw her reaction to Joe's condition the previous evening when they had been told to go home. She had stayed quiet all the way home in the car but once inside the privacy of her bedroom, he heard the racking sobs. His mind went back to the night Joe was recovered…
.**********.
Evening, two night previous…
"Are you going in, dad?" Frank asked as his dad entered the hallway.
Fenton shook his head no. "She needs a little time. If I go in before she has a chance to gather herself, I'll just make things worse."
Realizing that things were already 'worse,' Frank asked, "Can it get worse, dad? I know how mom feels about all this."
Fenton took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, Frank. It could be much worse. Your mother is upset at me for all this. But she knows that Joe made a decision to become involved in this. It all goes back to his abduction and for that, she doesn't blame anyone but Laird. That abduction set Joe on the path to ORT. Laura can't take her anger out on Laird, but you and I are here and she wouldn't do that to you."
"But it's unfair-" Frank had begun only to be interrupted.
"It's not about 'fair,' Frank. It's about a mother hurting for her baby." He patted Frank on the arm. "I understand that. You don't have to worry. I've got a set of strong shoulders for her to lean on and while it looks like we're going through a rough patch in our marriage, we're not."
Frank couldn't help the look on his face and his father actually laughed.
"You'll see, Frank. When you get married and even before. You'll know your wife and what her breaking point is." He looked to the door where the sounds of sobs were decreasing. "This isn't Laura's. If something had happened this morning to either of you…" he paused, "that would have been a different story." He stepped forward towards his room. "Time for me to be a good husband," he said as he left Frank in the hallway.
Frank had watched his father quietly enter his room. There was no yelling. No sounds of anything being thrown. He had breathed a sigh of relief; his father did in fact know their mother very well. He could only pray that he would be as good of a husband some day. His thoughts drifted to Callie and then he shook his head as he walked away. He couldn't think about that kind of thing now, but maybe one day soon.
.**********.
Back to the current day…
Frank's attention was brought back to the here and now when his mother returned to the small group.
"Dr. Chatterly has asked for us to wait in Conference Room B over there," Laura pointed down the hallway. "The nurse is paging him now and he should be here shortly."
Frank was uncharacteristically nervous as he walked down the hallway. What if Joe still didn't want to see him? He felt a hand slip into his and he squeezed it. She always knew what to do to comfort him.
The group filed quietly into the room and took up seats on the vinyl covered couch and chairs in the room. Frank glanced around. The walls were a powder blue with innocuous pictures of flowers done in abstract designs. Instead of overhead lighting, this room had a floor lamp and two lamps sitting on the end tables. This lighting was less harsh than the overhead fluorescent and he supposed it was to make the families of injured agents feel better. He couldn't say that it was working.
Thoughts of the décor left his mind as Dr. Chatterly knocked softly and entered the room. He nodded to them all.
"Joe is much calmer today than he was yesterday and our blood screenings have shown a dramatic drop in the drug levels in his system." He paused as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "However, one of the depressants that was in his system is one that causes extreme mood swings if it is discontinued suddenly. We have to give Joe this medication so that he can come down off of it slowly."
"Mood swings?" Laura asked. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Joe may seem to be completely himself at times and other times he may cry for no reason or become irate over a small thing. The swings can be severe but that's if he DOESN'T get the doses to step down."
"How long will it take to do that?" Vanessa asked quietly.
Frank looked over to her. She had been taking things hard. Joe not wanting to see her had hurt her deeply and when Frank explained his hypothesis she had been angry at the Assassins and then she had sobbed against his chest.
"We'd like to keep Joe here about four to five days to provide and monitor the step-down doses as well as provide counseling." Dr. Chatterly glanced around and saw their disappointed faces. "Physically he's fine but emotionally…" he paused. "We want to help Joe recover emotionally from this as well."
"Dr. Childers will be the psychiatrist?" Fenton asked to confirm what they had already been told.
"Yes. And as we told you yesterday, once we found out from Joe that the doctor's files had been comprised, we upgraded his office security immediately." Chatterly looked between Fenton and Laura. "Two days ago you were all right with the doctor continuing his therapy with Joe. Have you changed your minds?"
Frank looked to his parents. They had all been horrified that the Assassins had been privy to Joe's private sessions with Dr. Childers. Anger had been their first reaction, but that gone away upon hearing from ORT that the doctor had safeguarded his files as dictated by the agency. The Assassins were just good at their information gathering. Upon learning this, the Hardys had decided that Dr. Childers knew Joe the best and would be the best therapist to help him… assuming that Joe still wanted him.
"No. We still want him as long as Joe is comfortable with it," Fenton replied.
"Joe didn't want to talk to anyone at first. But when he was told that therapy was a condition of his release he agreed. He then indicated that he would like Dr. Childers to continue as long as the security was upgraded. He met with him yesterday."
Frank breathed a sigh of relief that Joe was open to therapy. Knowing that criminals like the Assassins had access to information on your greatest fears was horrifying. But he needed help and Dr. Childers would be able to help Joe figure out what was fact and what was Assassin fiction. At least he prayed that he would.
"Can we see him now?" Vanessa asked carefully.
Dr. Chatterly's hesitation to answer spoke volumes. "Due to his current emotional state we're going to ask that you abide by Joe's wishes as to visitors."
"Just mom and dad?" Frank asked. He tried to keep his tone neutral, but it cracked slightly drawing a concerned look from his mother.
"Actually, at the moment the only person he wants to see is Callie Shaw." Dr. Chatterly gave her an appraising stare. "Do you have any reason why?"
Callie's face was flaming red at the attention but her expression was clear. She had no clue. "I… I don't know why he wants to see just me."
"Well, if you are okay with it, he'd like to see you now." Dr. Chatterly moved toward the door. "Are there any other questions?" The group was silent. "Hopefully he will be open to more visitors as the drugs leave his system and he meets with Dr. Childers." He opened the door letting in the bright lighting of the hallway and Frank realized that the conference room décor really did work. "You can sit in here or wait in the waiting area. You are free to use either but the waiting room has windows and more openness. I'd suggest a move there." He turned to Callie. "Are you ready? I can take you to his room."
Callie nodded and moved toward the door.
"If you don't mind, doctor, I'd like to talk to Callie for just a moment before she goes." Frank said quickly.
Chatterly looked at his watch and said, "Certainly. I'm going to check back in at the nurses' station. Meet me there in five minutes." With that he was gone.
"What is it, Frank?" Callie asked. "Do you know why he wants to see me?"
Frank didn't answer but turned to his parents. "I'd like to talk to Callie and Vanessa alone if you don't mind." His looked to his mother who was opening her mouth to protest. "Please, mom. Trust me."
Laura bit back any response and nodded. Fenton wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked with her from the room. Cassidy just nodded and followed them out. Andrea gave a questioning glance to Vanessa who just nodded at her and then she followed the Hardy parents and Cassidy from the room closing the door behind her.
"Frank?" Callie asked prompting him to put his thoughts into words.
"I told you that I think that the Assassins tried to convince Joe that Vanessa and I were having an affair," he began. "I think that Joe wants to know if you believe it."
Callie gave a grim chuckle. "Of course I don't believe it. You would never do that."
Frank stared into her eyes. "I need you to convince Joe of that."
Callie's eyes opened wide. "You're serious."
"I agree with him," Vanessa said. "Joe had to convince you once that there was nothing between Frank and I and I think he wants you to do the same."
Silence fell over the room and then Callie walked over to take Vanessa's hands. "Joe didn't have to convince me. I knew in my heart. But his unwavering love for you and Frank made me look at my heart and the facts. Never doubt that he loves you." She squeezed Vanessa's hands as tears fell quietly from Vanessa's eyes. "If he needs to know that I have no doubts, then I'll convince him. She dropped one of Vanessa's hands and reached out to take one of Frank's. "I have no doubts." She looked Frank in the eye. "No doubts about anything in our relationship." She turned back to Vanessa. "I'll convince him."
"Thank you," Vanessa whispered.
Callie dropped Vanessa's hand and gasped as Frank pulled her into a tight hug.
"Help me get my brother back," he whispered in her hair.
"I'm in it for the long haul, remember?" she whispered back. "I told you I'd help you pick up the pieces if things fell apart."
He hugged her tightly and released her. He stood with Vanessa as Callie left the room to find Chatterly.
"Can she do it?" Vanessa asked as she turned watery gray-blue eyes to Frank.
"Yes." He kept his eyes on the door. "She can because she has the truth on her side." He took Vanessa's hand and said, "Let's go find the others and wait for her to come back."