Joe stood, munching on his cupcake, as he waited for the explanation to come. Frank turned towards him and straightened his back, trying to hide the overwhelm he was feeling in his posturing.
As clearly as he could, he enunciated: "Joe, I need some space, can. you. please. leave. me. Alone?" gesturing towards the door.
Joe's brow crinkled as he finally paused and appraised his older brother. As he finished his cupcake and licked each finger clean, he finally noted that Frank's face was flushed and he looked, astonishingly, close to tears. Joe felt unsettled and vaguely alarmed as he noticed for the first time that Frank's hands were trembling and a light sweat had formed on his brow. What was happening to his brother? His leader, confidante, and friend was looking like he had never seen him before.
Joe had a brief rush of memories as he thought of all the times where he was scared and found himself comforted by the sureness of Frank. Stoic, calm, and rarely emotional, Frank brought Joe confidence he would not have alone. On missions, in situations of danger he would look for Frank to direct their next steps and he would do so quickly, serenely, and logically. When there were multiple options, Frank would methodically discern which course was both the most efficient and effective. Normally it would be Frank comforting Joe if something were going wrong. Of course, Frank was human and had emotions but they were so rarely visible or outside of his control. Seeing him like this was almost completely foreign to Joe.
"Frank….I…"
"Joe," Frank choked out, breathing heavy and waving Joe towards the door, "please. I can't… I need some… please…". The hot tears started flowing down his face and Frank could hardly catch his breath. His breathing increased in both speed and intensity. Joe's mouth fell slightly ajar in surprise as his brother leaned over the side of his hospital bed, trying to regain his breath in vain.
Frank's pleading and frightened brown eyes met his brother's wide blue ones and the brothers regarded each other in a juxtaposition of their normal positions. The older's eyes begging for help from the younger.
Joe wordlessly opened his arms and, after a moment's hesitation, Frank collapsed into them, sobbing.
"I don't know what's happening to me, Joe"
Joe shushed into his taller and lankier brother's hair as he rocked the sobbing man back and forth. "We'll get through this together, Frank. I've got you."
Frank had no idea how long they stayed like that, but the sun had long set by the time Joe tucked him into his bed, completely spent and exhausted from the unfamiliar display of emotion that had overcome him.
Uncharacteristically gentle, Joe placed a soft kiss on Frank's forehead and whispered his promises to return at morning light. As Frank quickly drifted off to sleep, Joe tiptoed out of the room, softly closing the door behind him. He pulled out his phone and immediately dialed his parents, simultaneously flagging down Frank's doctor as she was doing her final rounds. This recovery process would likely need to involve a bit more than physio to get Frank back to health and Joe prepared to share what he had just witnessed for the last few hours with all three.
The next morning dawned and, true to their word, all the Hardys gathered in Frank's room while the Doctor outlined the proposed treatment plan that would work to support Frank with his new emotional symptoms while meeting his goals for recovery.
Many tears were shed between the four family members, apprehension, fear, relief, and vulnerability running their course through the loving group. The road may be predicted to be long, but they were in it together and that was all that mattered.