Frank

I sat on the edge of the bed, lacing up my boots, when Joe walked in from the bathroom, freshly showered. He stood there with a towel wrapped around his waist, leaving his annoyingly toned stomach exposed as water ran down his chest from his undried hair. "Are you still meeting up with Nancy?" Joe asked before brushing his teeth.

"Yeah, she just texted while you were in the shower saying that she finished gathering the case files," I replied. "Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

Please say no…please say no.

"No way," Joe mumbled through toothpaste. "I'm wiped out."

I stood up and crossed my arms. "Please don't tell me you're going to have cheeseburgers delivered and watch The Ghost Channel all night."

Joe spit out his toothpaste and said, "Then I won't tell you anything because lying is bad."

Grabbing my helmet and jacket from the back of the armchair, I shook my head. "Joe, I will report your credit card as stolen."

"Hey," Joe cried out, indignant, as he pulled on a t-shirt and joggers. "There's worse things!"

I looked back at Joe as I walked out of the room. "Test me and find out," I smirked.

I laughed to myself at the sound of Joe's distorted protestations as I closed the door. Walking downstairs, my thoughts went to Nancy and how excited she sounded on the phone when she first called me for help. I loved hearing her voice whenever she called for help on a case, but seeing her in person was different. Especially now that Nancy and Ned had broken up. Joe and Ned still hung out on the weekends, but anytime I tagged along, Ned got weird and defensive, so I stopped joining them for the most part. Maybe Ned blamed me for the breakup, or maybe he saw Nancy and I becoming closer than ever and couldn't handle it. I shook the thoughts from my head as I straddled my black Harley and started the engine. I need to know where I stand with Nancy, and if I actually have a chance.

Nancy

Clearing space on the coffee table, I laid out what would fit of the case files and records for my current case. I was expecting Frank Hardy at any minute, although I wasn't sure if I was prepared to see him again in person. Frank and I talked almost every day. Sometimes it was texts, sometimes calls, and sometimes even video chats, but we hadn't seen each other in person since Ned and I broke up. It seemed like we had both been traveling for cases recently, so I was doing good to spend time with Bess and George, who lived a couple blocks away, much less Frank and Joe, who lived all the way in Bayport. Maybe seeing Frank in person, right in front of me, would answer some of the burning questions that haunted me. Did he really care for me? Would he be interested in a relationship with another detective? Why did my stomach do flips whenever he said "Nance" in that signature, tender voice of his?

Before I could start spiraling anymore, I heard the low rumble of Frank's motorcycle parking in the driveway. Hannah was out of town visiting family and my dad would be home in the morning from a work trip to Boston. I glanced out the window and only saw Frank's bike in the driveway, no sign of Joe. I guess he couldn't come tonight. Walking to meet Frank at the front door, I froze. Wait, so that means Frank and I will be alone? All evening? If I wasn't anxious before, I certainly was now.

I opened the front door to Frank removing his motorcycle helmet, his short, wavy brown hair flopping into place, as he flashed a grin at me. "Hey, Nance," he smiled.

My stomach dropped to my knees and threatened to fly back out through my chest when he looked at me with those warm chocolate eyes. After a moment of stunned silence, I stepped back and motioned for him to enter the foyer. Unphased by my flustered reaction, he set his helmet on the bench in the entryway and proceeded to remove his jacket as well. I tried, and failed, to not stare at Frank's shoulder blades flexing his back muscles as he slipped off his jacket. Either Frank had been lifting weights, or he was buying smaller shirts, because his biceps pressed against his sleeves as he folded his jacket in half and laid it across the bench.

"It's so good to see you, Nance," Frank said as he pulled me in for a hug without warning.

I struggled to catch my breath at the sensation of his warmth and strong physique so close to me. "It's good to see you too," I finally managed. Pulling away from his embrace, my hands ran down his arms before eventually resting at my side. "Are you ready to see what I have?"

"Absolutely," Frank smirked.

I walked into the living room with Frank close behind. Sitting down at the couch, I gestured to all the files and documents on the table in front of me. Frank sat beside me and picked up some papers, being careful to ask me what they were and organize them back into piles when he was done looking at them. We discussed the case and went through all the papers I had gathered for our research and finally made some progress on the motive and suspect list.

Looking out the window behind the piano, I realized it had gotten dark outside. I rushed to check my phone and felt my jaw drop at the letters 10:37 on the screen. "Frank! It's after ten o'clock," I exclaimed.

"Seriously?" Frank mused. "Time really flies, huh. I don't think I even had dinner."

I put a hand on my stomach as it signaled its agreement with Frank's sentiment. "Me either," I said. "We could order from Rocco's Pizzeria? I know you prefer New York style and Pizza Palace only has Chicago style and thin crust."

Frank nodded with a smile teasing the corners of his lips. "Sounds great to me! I can go ahead and call it in before it gets any later."

I stood up from the couch, glancing at my slacks and blue vintage button down and said, "I think I'm actually going to change into something more comfortable and less likely to be ruined by a pizza sauce stain," I laughed.

"Alright," Frank acknowledged as he dialed the pizza place and stepped aside to order.

I rushed out of the room and took the steps two at a time, pausing halfway upstairs to look at Frank standing in the living room on the phone. He stood tall and confident, like he commanded the room. I realized I didn't even think to tell Frank what pizza to order for me, but I wasn't worried. Frank knew what I liked; surely I would like whatever he ordered for me.

Stepping into my bedroom, I was greeted by the happy cries of a certain canine who had spent most of the past several hours asleep on my bed. After petting Togo thoroughly, I retrieved a pair of comfy black shorts and a cropped sweatshirt from Waverly Academy. Hopefully a red sweatshirt is appropriate for eating red sauce. I clipped my hair back so that only a few remaining wispy layers were present. As I walked back downstairs, Togo followed me and ran straight to Frank's open arms. Frank chuckled, giving Togo belly rubs, as butterflies stirred in my core. Togo shook his head with a little bark and jogged to go curl up on the doggy bed near the fireplace.

Frank stood from his crouched position by the couch and looked me up and down, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "You feel better now?"

"Definitely," I smiled. "Did you get the pizza ordered okay?"

"Yes! It should be here in about—" Frank checked his watch as he sat down on the couch, "twenty minutes? I ordered an Italian sausage New York style and a pepperoni thin crust. Did I get it right?"

I sat down on the couch and fiddled with the hem of my sweatshirt to avoid eye contact. "Yeah, you remembered."

Frank and Joe had come to town last year after I got framed for arson to celebrate my release from jail. I think Frank primarily wanted to make sure I was okay. They met up with George, Bess, Ned, and me at Rocco's Pizzeria. Ned and I were the only two who wanted pepperoni pizza, but he hated thin crust. In the end, Ned and Joe split a regular pepperoni and Frank shared the thin crust with me. I wanted to protest because I knew Frank didn't like thin crust either, but I still remembered the way he looked at me when he offered. Ever the kind peacemaker, Frank would never put his preference first, especially at the expense of mine. I had determined not to let that happen again, as much as the sentiment made my heart melt.

I finally met his eyes and realized he had been watching me. "You always remember," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Frank

I scanned Nancy's face as she excused herself to grab plates and napkins. Strands of her coppery hair swished across her cheeks as she stood up from the couch. I froze when my eyes caught sight of her exposed midriff when she reached up to tuck some of her hair behind her ears. I forced my eyes away, boring them into the cushion beside me as I tried to ignore the heat in my face and the growing pit in my stomach.

Nancy wandered into the kitchen, but I kept my eyes locked in place. I can't do this. I have to get a grip, at least until I know how she feels.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of her voice calling to me. "Hey, Frank, can you come see what you want to drink? Hannah stocked up recently."

I joined Nancy in the kitchen, her figure lit up only by the lights under the cabinets. She turned to look at me and signaled to the fridge. "There's a bunch of different sodas, just take your pick!"

Nancy leaned over and opened the fridge, reaching to the far side to grab herself a grape soda. Her lean stomach escaped her sweatshirt again, her skin practically glowing in the light of the refrigerator. I felt my voice catch in my throat as I tried to speak. Nancy turned around, closing the fridge and looked at me with a quizzical brow. "Is everything okay?"

Stepping closer to Nancy, I nodded, mustering the strength to speak the words on my mind. "I guess I just want to know where you're at," I said, my voice low and husky, as though we'd wake the neighbors if we spoke too loud. I stepped closer once more, causing Nancy to back up against the kitchen counter. "I know where I'm at," I said, my face hovering above hers as I watched her response in the dim lighting.

Nancy reached up and put a hand on the side of my neck, gripping the collar of my t-shirt. "I know where I want to be," she whispered.

Before I could respond, Nancy put her other hand into my hair, gripping tightly to pull me onto her lips. I kissed Nancy back, despite all the air leaving my lungs. My hands found her waist, the sensation of her skin only deepening the kiss. I moved my kisses to her neck, running my hands down her hips to her legs and grabbing below her butt to lift her onto the counter. Nancy moaned as my hands returned to her waist, pulling her as close to me as physically possible. She pulled me back to her lips, her fist tangling up further in my shirt. I moved one of my hands to her jawline, running my hand back into her hair. When my fingertips reached her hair, they were stopped by her hair clip.

I pulled back from the kiss enough to mutter, "This needs to go," and grabbed the clip in my hand, opening it and tossing it aside on the counter. Reaching my hand into the red waves of her hair, I gripped them in my hand and pulled her into a deep kiss.

"Better?" Nancy mumbled into my lips.

"Definitely," I moaned.

I picked Nancy up off the counter, intending to move to the couch, when I heard the doorbell ring like a gong in the middle of the night. Dropping Nancy to the floor, I backed away and looked to the front door as I struggled to catch my breath. I could see the pizza guy parked in the driveway and, presumably, standing awkwardly at the front door waiting for us. "I guess I should go pay the pizza guy," I managed with a laugh.

Nancy reached out and tried to smooth the collar of my shirt. "Sorry, I kinda messed up your shirt," she said in a breathy voice.

I looked at Nancy, staring into her rich blue eyes. "It's okay," I smirked, "it was worth it."

Nancy

I watched Frank walk to the front door to meet the delivery driver before retrieving my hair clip from where Frank had tossed it across the kitchen counter. Slipping into the bathroom, I ran my fingers through my hair, clipping it back from my face once more. Once I was satisfied I looked presentable again, I walked out into the hallway, seeing Frank's tall figure setting the pizza down and retrieving plates.

The sound of my cell phone ringing on the coffee table drew me back to the living room. I raised my brow at the name on the screen. Deirdre Shannon.

"Deirdre, what's going on?" I asked.

Frank leaned around the corner and pointed to the phone with a curious expression. I shrugged in response. "Deirdre?" I repeated.

"Hey, Drew," Deirdre said, her voice dripping in false sweetness as usual. "So, are you with the Hardys?"

"I'm with Frank," I said slowly, unsure what she was after. "Joe stayed at the hotel."

Deirdre groaned. "Is Joe sick or something?"

Why is Deirdre so curious about Joe…

"No, I think he was just tired. Frank said he left Joe watching TV and ordering cheeseburgers…so the usual really," I laughed.

"I see," Deirdre mused. "Well, I'll talk to you later, Drew. Have fun with Frank."

My cheeks flushed as I started to speak, but Deirdre had already hung up the phone. Well that was…weird. Why did she want to know where Joe was? I mean, it's not like Deirdre likes Joe…right?

I heard Frank step into the living room and say, "What did Deirdre want?"

"I don't really know," I said. "She asked about Joe of all things. She wanted to know why he wasn't here."

Frank smiled at me. "Selfishly, I'm glad he isn't here."

"Selfishly, I'm glad he isn't here too." I met his smile, ignoring the heat rising in my cheeks.

Frank and I sat on the couch with our pizza, laughing together over stories of past cases and shenanigans. It felt familiar to talk with Frank. He knew what it was like to solve cases, to see the evils of the world, and to be in dangerous situations you may never feel comfortable sharing with people who care about you. Frank was my solace. I still remembered when Frank called me a few months ago to warn me about Thanos and his mafia connections. I was so scared when Frank called me, but he knew what I was really saying beyond my words and exactly how to respond. I felt in danger during that case in a way no other case made me feel. And, I never said it, but I worried about Frank and Joe too. I worried that Thanos' mafia ties would come after them because they helped me. And I knew, deep down, Frank probably anticipated that possibility as well. Frank's bravery and resilience made me feel like I could do anything.

I looked at Frank's beaming face as he checked to see if Joe had texted him. Frank made me feel known in a way I had never felt before. Maybe even in ways I was scared to let anyone know me. He didn't try to change me; he just accepted me as I was.

"Thank you for paying for the pizza," I said, adjusting in my seat on the couch.

Frank looked up from his phone and smiled. "Of course," he said. "And besides, I intentionally got extra so Joe has a midnight snack waiting for him."

"When are you guys heading back home?" I asked. As much as I needed to know, I feared the answer.

He grew serious and sighed, setting his soda on the coffee table. "Well, I think it sounds like you're in a good place with your case. I'm not sure you need us anymore, so we should probably head out tomorrow. It's a long drive."

But I need you…

Even though Frank and I talked almost every day, it was different seeing him in person. I felt weak when he touched me and melted at the smell of his cologne. There was something about being in the room with Frank Hardy that made me feel like it was the safest room in the world.

Frank started to stand up, but I grabbed his arm, pulling him back onto the couch. "Don't go," I said, my voice quavering.

His head whipped around, his dark eyes searching mine. Frank leaned closer to me and stopped just out of reach. "But you don't need our help anymore," he paused before saying in a rumbly voice. "Unless you're asking me to stay."

I climbed on top of Frank before he could stop me and pushed his back down onto the throw pillows behind him. I let him pull my body flush against his as I grabbed his face at the jawline. "I'm telling you to stay," I said.

Frank opened his mouth to reply, but I tilted my head and leaned in to kiss his ear lobe. I heard him whimper as I exhaled on his skin, kissing down his neck to his collarbone. Frank sat us upright again and broke my kisses, his chest heaving as he tried to collect himself. "Okay, I surrender," he chuckled. "One more day."

Beaming, I wrapped my arms around him and said, "I'll take every day I can get."