The Hardy Boys

(Heartless)

Sequel: A Friend in Need

Chapter 12

Frank guided Joe into the living room. Little Antonio was laying on a blue blanket on his stomach, playing with a teething ring. Tony was sitting on the couch watching the baby. Dr. Stevens sat in a chair across from Tony.

"Good morning boys," he greeted," We've been waiting for you."

"Joe, How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better. Thank you," Joe answered as he sat down on the couch next to Tony. He could not explain it, but suddenly an uneasy feeling came over him. He could feel tension in his friend's whole body. Joe didn't know if it was from him or the situation.

"Hey buddy," Joe greeted, gently shaking the baby's hand. Little Antonio looped his little hand around Joe's finger. "How are you doing?'

Then he turned to Tony, saying the first thing on his mind. "Hey Tony. How are you?"

Tony didn't respond, instead continuing to watch his son play. Joe could see the anger on his face. He knew the reason for that anger. Joe shot Frank a look, pleading for him to do something.

Little Antonio, with his fingers in his mouth, just responded in gibberish, and smiled cutely up at Frank.

Frank could not help but smile back. He knelt next the baby to gently shake his little hand.

"Hey Buddy," he said. Then he turned to Tony, asking, "He's eight months now, right?"

"Yep. He's teething and hopefully crawling soon."

That was all Frank got. Tony turns to Joe with anger in his voice.

"Glad to hear your doing better, Joe."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. Ask me anything?

"We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Yes, Of course."

"Oh really?" Tony shot back. "I've been here all summer."

He started counting off with his fingers, starting to look angrier by the second. "I've gotten letters from Frank, Chet, Biff, Phil, Callie, even Vanessa...your girlfriend! All letting me know how they were doing, about home and school. All except you!"

Tony's voice trailed off, and the room suddenly became very silent.

"When I do finally here from you," he continued, "Sam tells me that someone from Heartless attacked you at school. And that you were in the hospital not doing well."

Tony swallowed a lump in his throat and said, "I thought you were dying Joe. I drove myself crazy wanting to come see you. To make sure you were alright. No one would let me."

"I'm sorry, Tony." Joe apologized, "I really tried writing to you. The words just wouldn't come out right. This whole thing with Heartless is driving me crazy."

There was still silence. No response.

"Please Tony," Joe went on, "I really am sorry, and I'm going to make it up to you."

"What do you mean?" Tony just looked at Joe strangely, unsure of what he meant. "Make it up to me... how?"

"Joe, don't..." Frank shook his head, not sure how Tony was going react to Joe's plan.

"I know how to get you out of Heartless." Joe continued, ignoring the evil eye from his big brother, "I'm giving myself to Heartless. In exchange for your freedom."

"What?" Tony's eyes widen, and he looked at Frank in shock. "Is he serious?"

Frank glared at Joe, " I'm afraid he is."

"Joe, Are you crazy!" Tony shouted, standing up and frantically pacing back and forth. "You can't! They... will... kill... you!"

"Tony, calm down," Dr. Stevens ordered as he sat on the edge of his chair, ready to aid his patient.

"You're not... going to... let him do that..." Tony started breathing heavily as he gave Frank a pleading look."Are you?"

"Tony, I promise you. There is no way I'm letting Joe join Heartless," Frank said, trying to calm his friend.

All of a sudden, Tony grabbed his chest, gasping for air. "I... can't... breathe!"

"Tony!"

Immediately, Frank went into action, rushing to Tony's side.

"I... can't... breathe!" he repeated frantically.

Hearing the commotion, Fenton, Sam, Aldo, and Laura rushed into the living room, each looking very worried.

"Tony!" Aldo cried, rushing to his son's side.

"He's having a panic attack," Dr. Stevens said. He quickly went to Tony's side, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder.

In a calming voice he said, "Tony, listen to me. Take slow breaths into this bag." Then he handed Tony a small, brown paper bag.

Tony did as the doctor instructed.

"Tony, look!" Laura exclaimed, getting everyone's attention.

Frank looked to see his mother pointing at the baby. He watched as Little Antonio pushed himself around on his stomach. With his little hands and knees, he started scooting his little body across the blanket.

Little Antonio was crawling!

Frank turned to see Tony start to calm down.

"Tony, are you okay?" Frank asked, concerned for his friend.

After a few minutes, Tony was breathing normally again and smiling.

"Yeah, I'm okay. That's my son's first time crawling."

"Waaaa!" Little Antonio started crying. Laura picked the baby up in her arms, "Shh... It's okay."

She handed him to Tony. "Looks like someone just hit a milestone. Now you're going to have to start baby proofing everything."

Little Antonio looped his little hand around Tony's finger, trying to eat it. He gave Tony a toothless smile.

"Well, I think it's time to celebrate." Laura said, cheerfully.

Everyone gathered around to celebrate Little Antonio milestone. Out of the corner of Frank's eye, he caught Joe disappearing into the kitchen.

Suddenly filled with concern, Frank followed Joe to the kitchen. His heart dropped when he found Joe sitting at the table, with his head bared under his arms. Frank heard the sound of crying.

Joe was crying.

It broke Frank's heart to hearing his little brother cry like that.

Frank, going into big brother mode, started rubbing his little brother's back.

"Joe?"

"Go away, Frank. Please... just go... away."

"Joe, talk to me."

"No!" Joe sobbed, "Just go... away.

"I'm not going anywhere," Frank argued, "Joe, this is me you're talking to. Don't you dare start shutting me out. Please talk to me, little brother."

Joe sat up, glaring at Frank, "Why should I? Everything I say or do is wrong."

Joe pointed towards the living room. "I just sent Tony into a panic attack!"

Sympathetically, Frank squeezed his little brother's shoulder, letting him vent.

"It's happening all over again, Frank. Just like Iola. Now, Tony. All I do is hurt the people I care about! Who will I hurt next? Mom, Dad, Chet, Biff, or Phil? Callie or Vanessa? You?"

After a long break of silence, Joe spoke up again, voice sounding extremely hopeless and sad. He turned away as he said it.

"Maybe I should join Heartless. That's what I am: Heartless."

"Joe, Stop it!"

Frank put his hands on his brother's shoulders, making Joe face him. "You are not heartless. None of this is your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself."

"Joe," said another voice as Dr. Stevens came into the kitchen, "Your brother is right."

"Oh great," Joe grumbled, folding his arms to his chest. "I guess it's your turn now. Are you going to use some physiological crap, to make me change my mind about joining Heartless?"

"I'm not going to make you do anything," Dr. Stevens said, kneeling besides Joe, "You have to decide that for yourself."

"Whatever you say, doc." Joe turned his head away. "Shouldn't you go check on Tony?"

"Right now, Tony is doing fine," Dr. Stevens replied, "I'm more concern about you."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"I'm still joining Heartless." Joe said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "No one can stop me."

"Why?" Dr. Stevens asked, "Help me to understand, Joe. Why do you have to join Heartless?"

"Because... I couldn't save her..." Joe's voice trailed off, thinking of Iola Morton, his late girlfriend, "I can save Tony. I won't let it happen again. I know everyone keeps telling me that it's not my fault, but I can't help how I feel. It was my fault...If I hadn't flirted with some girl at the mall, I wouldn't feel so incredibly guilty."

There was silence again, and Joe continued.

"You didn't see... the hurt look on Iola's face," Joe said, starting to choke up on his words, "I... did."

Tears forming in the his eyes, Frank reached over to squeeze his little brother's hand in comfort. He waited patiently for Joe to continue

"Now she's gone... I can't make it up to her."

Joe let out a heavy sigh, wiping the tears in his eyes. "I wake up everyday worrying, Who will be next? But I think I already know the answer to that."

Joe looked at Frank.

"Me?" Frank's eyes widened. "Joe.."

"Oh come on Frank! I'm the one always rushing into a situation without thinking. You are always bailing me out. I'm going to get you killed!"

Frank sat beside his little brother, completely stunned by Joe's words.

"Joe, I am your big brother. It is my job to look out for you. That is never going to change. No one makes me do the things I do for you."

"But Frank, you shouldn't have to look out me."

"I do it because I love you, Joe. You're my best friend, my partner. We are a team."

"Joe, look at me," Dr. Stevens said in a stern voice.

Joe looked at Dr. Stevens. "You can't always prevent bad things from happening. If you spend your whole life worrying about the bad things, you're going to miss out on all the good things."

"What good things?"

Dr. Stevens was about to answer when Tony walked into the kitchen with Little Antonio in his arms. "I can answer that."

"First, I have to ask you a question." Tony nodded at Frank, "Frank already gave me his answer."

"Ask me what?" Joe looked at Frank, who had a smile across his face, then back to Tony, "What's going on?"

"Being a father, I realize my life isn't mine anymore. The choices that I make affect my son." Tony looked at Joe, "I talked it over with my Dad. He thinks I've made a really good choice, and so do I."

"Choice about what?"

"Will you be Little Antonio's guardian?"

"Me?" Joe's eyes widened in shock, "Like a godfather, or something?"

"Yes." Tony replied," We all grew up together. You guys are the closes thing to brothers that I have."

Tony looked at his son, saying, "God forbid something were to happen to me, I need someone I can trust to care for my son."

"You saved my son's life and mine." Tony continued, his eyes starting to mist, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I was going through a rough time. I lost hope and almost gave up..."

Tony's voice quivered, fighting back tears. "You gave hope back to me."

"You saved my life, Joe. You really did."

There was a heavy sting of silence in the air.

"Please Joe... Frank said yes." Tony said, giving Joe a pleading look, "Will you be Little Antonio's guardian?"

Frank could see the wheels turning in little brother's head. Before Joe could turn down the offer, Frank decided to try one last approach.

"Joe, Hold the baby."

Tony placed the baby in Joe's arms.

Tony and Dr. Stevens took a step back, to give Joe time alone with the baby.

Little Antonio just responded in gibberish, smiling up at Joe.

Joe could not help but smile back. His eyes started to mist. This time they were tears of joy. Frank silently prayed for this to work. Then he saw it: a flicker in Joe's blue eyes. Frank knew he had him.

Joe looked up at the faces in the kitchen. Fenton and Laura were standing in the doorway, along with Sam and Aldo, and he glanced to Frank and back to Tony.

Everyone let out the breaths they were holding when they heard Joe say, "Yes. Tony my answer is yes."

Joe couldn't help but smile at his own words.

"Besides, I'm the only one who can stop Frank from turning the kid into a computer geek," said Joe, grinning slyly at his brother.

Little Antonio starts laughing.

"See, Little Antonio still agrees with his favorite Hardy boy."

"Yes!" A big smile spread across Frank face. "Joe is back!"

to be continue...,Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I hope everyone is enjoying my story. Sorry if it seems like my story is at a slow pace. I promise things will pick up. I had to end this part of the my story, and get Joe back.

Now on to Heartless. Here's a little trivia ( What tactic do you think Heartless would use to reel on Joe? Who do you think Joe's heart is? If you know the answer, review and see if your right?

I don't own the Hardy Boys