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 all the reviews! I have a few to replies to catch up on, and I'm going to do that after I post this! Thanks to all who are reading and a special thank you to those reviewing! Just 2 chapters after this one! LOL I thought I had published this hours ago! Sorry!

Chapter Twenty-Four

Three days later…

Joe looked out his window feeling even more like his old self than ever. The drugs that he was being weaned off of were on their lowest dosage and he could feel their effects lessening every day. He did have a slight headache from the process but that was a small price to pay for getting his sanity back.

He had had a steady stream of visitors the last two days: Vanessa, his family, and friends. Seeing Iola hadn't been as bad as he had thought and getting a chance to thank Cassidy before she flew back home meant a lot to him and to her. How long would it have taken the agents to figure out that Greg Parker was really an Assassin if she hadn't been there? He shook his head pushing that thought away.

Looking down at the windowsill his eyes found the book perched there. His fingers traced over the initials that were in gold on the lower corner. They glowed in the sunlight that was streaming in. The initials were Vanessa's and the book was her Bible. He smiled remembering how she had brought it to him the second day that she visited. It was as if she could read his mind when she said, "It's what I use to keep the demons away." His smile faded as he remembered opening it to the passage where the red silk ribbon lay marking a passage. When he saw the Twenty-Third Psalm he had been unable to stop the tears from forming and falling. She had cocooned him in her arms as he held her tight.

The door clicked open and Joe turned to face his visitor: Dr. Childers. "Good morning, sir," Joe said politely as he made his way to one of the chairs in his hospital room. Just a day or two more and he expected to be released.

"Morning, Joe," Childers said amiably as he seated himself.

"What shall we talk about today?"

Childers gave him a searching look. "What the Assassins told and showed you regarding Frank and Vanessa."

Joe shook his head. "Not happening, doc. You've asked me that every day and the answer has been the same." Joe paused, "Tell me why you want to know about that so much?"

"It's what they used in their attempts to break you, Joe. Talking through those events can help clear and remove any hold they have over you."

Joe thought for a moment. "They don't have any hold over me and honestly, doc, talking about them brings up painful memories. Talking about them isn't going to make those memories about what they made me think hurt less."

Childers nodded. "I agree."

"You do?" Joe asked in confusion. "Then why did you ask every time?"

"To get you to say what you just said. I believe you've acknowledged those images and words in your mind for what they are: lies. Knowing that you understand they are just painful memories and not part of your present life gives me hope that you haven't just locked this away in a corner of your mind where it will fester." Childers stared at Joe.

Joe looked him in the eye. "I'm not going to suddenly confront those memories and find them to be real. I know they are lies. They're just another demon of my past and I know how to fight demons," Joe said with certainty as he glanced to the Bible on the windowsill.

.**********..

An hour later a knock sounded on the door and Agent Johnson entered with a smile. Joe stood but Johnson waved him to be seated. "How are things going?"

"Good," Joe said with a questioning glance to Childers who nodded his agreement.

"Excellent," Keo Johnson said. "Then I'm here to tell you that you'll be released the day after tomorrow as long as you agree to continuing sessions with Dr. Childers."

"I already agreed to that several days ago," Joe said.

"Several days ago you had a potent drug cocktail in you and had just returned from weeks of torture."

Joe looked away.

"We're just making certain that you are fully aware of what will happen with your release."

Joe looked to Johnson and then to Childers and back. "Besides therapy, what are the conditions of my release?"

"You have weekly appointments with an ORT physician for a month to check your weight and do blood work. We want to be certain you return to full health as soon as possible," Johnson said.

"And football?"

Johnson smiled, "We've talked to your coach and everything is set for you to return to practice as soon as you are cleared by an ORT physician."

"How soon will that be?" Joe asked with some irritation. He had hoped to return to football quickly as it helped focus his mind.

"Don't know," Johnson said easily. "You know doctors, but they assured me that it would probably just be a couple of weeks. The BC coach will determine if you are ready to play. We just determine if you are ready to return to practice."

Joe nodded, it made sense.

"We're also giving you the rest of football season off from ORT."

"What?" Joe asked sitting forward in his chair. "I'm-"

Johnson cut him off. "You need a break, Joe. Enjoy football. Come to the ORT garage if you like to work on cars but do not come expecting to receive any type of training."

"Shooting range?" Joe asked eying Johnson carefully.

"Completely at your disposal."

Joe thought for a moment. There had been no hesitation in Johnson's response. They trusted him. They weren't trying to get rid of him. At least he didn't think so. "Okay."

"Excellent. Now there's just one more thing." For the first time, Johnson looked apprehensive. "Dr. Childers?"

Childers cleared his throat. "Let me just say that neither ORT nor I have any authority in this next part. We are just saying this as a matter of caution."

"What is it?" Joe asked with a touch of suspicion.

"Once we learned that Jacob Yates had killed his fiancée it made two people who had killed their significant other."

"Yeah," Joe said. "So they assumed I was after Vanessa. It's why she went to a safe house."

Johnson nodded. "That's correct, Joe. But Frank revealed to us that you were considering proposing to Vanessa."

Joe tensed. Logically, he knew that Frank needed to tell that information, but he didn't have to like it. "Does she know?" he asked tersely.

"No," Childers answered. "No one told her and only a few at ORT know. But that's not what we needed to talk to you about." Childers drew a deep breath. "ORT would like for you to take at least a few months before you consider proposing."

"Why?" Joe asked quickly. "Because they think I might go off and kill her after all?" His voice was heated and his hands tapped the armrests of his chair.

"No, Joe. They don't think that. However, you have been through a lot and they just think that you should take some time to recover before embarking on such a momentous and emotional venture." Childers smiled. "Think about it, Joe. They aren't trying to control your actions. They just want you to be able to enjoy what should be an incredibly happy time." Childers tilted his head and looked Joe directly in the eye. "Can you tell me that you feel 100%?"

Joe looked away from both Johnson and Childers. "You know I can't. It's too soon."

"That's all ORT wants you to consider."

Joe nodded and looked up to Johnson. "You think so too?"

The smile on Johnson's face was genuine as he said, "I'll be first in line to congratulate you whenever it happens. You both deserve some happiness."

"I won't rush," Joe said carefully. He wouldn't give them a definite but when Johnson and Childers both nodded and smiled, he knew that he had given them the answer they wanted. He himself had mixed feelings about proposing anytime soon.

"There's one other thing before we leave," Johnson said as he leaned over, his forearms resting on his thighs. "During the transfer from the hospital to jail, Gary Older was killed along with two ORT agents."

"What?" Joe asked in surprise leaning forward himself. "How?"

"Efficiently and quickly. They had barely left the medical facility when it happened. The vehicle stopped at a light. One Assassin came from the left, one from the right. Both had the tool needed to open the door. Traffic had the agents trapped and they couldn't get their weapons cleared before the doors were opened and everyone was dead. The Assassins closed the doors and left briskly while those in their vehicles tried to figure what was going on. Law enforcement was on the scene in five minutes but no trace of them could be found."

Joe stared at Johnson. "Are they coming for me?"

"We don't know, but we don't think so. Older had a cyanide capsule and he didn't use it. He broke their code and was a liability."

Joe nodded.

Johnson stood and Childers followed. "We'll let you know if we learn anything else."

As Joe watched the door close behind Childers and Johnson, he thought about the rings he had in his room at his house and wondered if he had a right to bring Vanessa into his life with his demons. He closed his eyes and leaned his back. He had a lot to think about.