Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

"I am Dr. Matthews, by the way, and I have been the one treating Joe since he was brought in," the doctor explained. "Now I have to make it clear to you all that when Joe first arrived at the hospital, his condition was very serious, critical even. His blood pressure was dangerously low due to a massive loss of blood from his wounds. He was dehydrated and suffering from exposure to the cold." The doctor paused briefly to allow them the chance to absorb the information. "We have given him several units of blood by way of transfusion and he is currently hooked up to an IV to replenish the loss of fluids."

"His wounds -- ?" Fenton began.

"He has a severe knife wound to his right thigh which is the main reason for the heavy blood loss. There has been some fairly extensive damage to the muscles but I think with time and proper physiotherapy, it should heal without permanent damage. There is also a wound along his right upper arm caused again, I believe, by a knife. It required twenty stitches to close the wound, but it should also heal with minimal scarring."

"Is that all?" Laura asked in a quivering voice as she gripped her husband's hand fiercely.

Dr. Matthews shook his head. "No, your son also has some lacerations to his chest area. I believe a knife too caused them but the cuts are shallow and do not require stitches. They will in all likelihood heal fairly quickly and without scarring. Joe also has bruising to his ribs and abdominal area, some of which are quite severe and will no doubt remain painful for some time, but there are no signs of fractures or internal bleeding. The bruising appears to be caused by repeated trauma, most likely kicks, to the affected areas. And lastly, there are some bite marks to your son's hands and wrist areas. We have determined them to be rat bites and have therefore started the series of anti-rabies injections."

"Rats?" Laura repeated, shuddering. "Aren't anti-rabies injections terribly pain?"

"No, they are now injected into the arm area and have few side effects which might include fever, nausea, dizziness. We have already given him the initial shot, known as RIG, at the site of the wounds and this will neutralize the rabies virus. He will receive five other injections over the course the month to complete the treatment. He might suffer minor discomforts like the ones that I've mentioned, but nothing too traumatic," the doctor explained. "Your son will be transferred to the ICU shortly at which time you may see him, but no more than two persons at a time, in accordance with hospital regulations. Barring further complications, Joe will be transferred to a private room some time tomorrow. Are there any other questions that you wish to ask?"

"What complications might there be?" Laura asked.

"Your son has been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours and though we believe he is at the moment stabilized, each individual's body reacts differently to trauma. We will be on the constant lookout for any sign of infection, pneumonia or even possible internal bleeding which might have escaped our detection so far," the doctor explained. Seeing their concerned looks, he quickly added. "The prognosis for Joe at this time is not one to cause any undue concerns. He is young and appears to be in great physical condition. Those are probably his best defenses against any possible complications. My suggestion is that once you've seen him, go home and get yourselves a good night's rest before coming back tomorrow. Hopefully by then we will have him moved to his own room and you will be able to spend more time with him."

"I want to stay with him tonight," Frank said immediately.

"And you are?" the doctor asked him.

"I'm his brother, Frank Hardy. I don't want him to stay here by himself," Frank replied.

"Well, Frank, your brother will not be by himself, believe me. We will be keeping a constant watch over him," Dr. Matthews said kindly. "And hospital regulations dictate that no one other than medical personnel should be attending the patient within the ICU. So even if you stay here for the night, you will be spending it in this waiting room. You will not be at your brother's side. Believe me, you would be much better off spending the night in your own bed."

"But-" Frank protested.

Fenton laid a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "The doctor is right, Frank. There is really nothing for you to do here that can help Joe tonight. You look exhausted and I think we all need the rest as well. We will be back here first thing in the morning."

"Your brother is heavily sedated at the moment and will not likely awake until some time tomorrow. Even if you do stay by his side tonight, he will not be aware of your presence," Dr. Matthews added.

"He may not be aware, but I want to there for him just the same," Frank maintained stubbornly.

"Honey, these are hospital regulations," Laura said gently to her son as she slipped her arm through his. "And your father is right. You look tired. Let's go home for the night and rest. Your brother will be needing us tomorrow and it's not going to help him if we all show up here exhausted."

Frank bit his lower lip and nodded reluctantly. "All right, Mom."

Dr. Matthews stood up. "Right, let me check to see if Joe has been moved to the ICU."

"Thank you, Dr. Matthews," Fenton said gratefully. "Thank you for all that you have done for our son."

The doctor shook his head. "No need to thank me. I am just glad that I have good news to deliver to the patient's family. I will have a nurse notify you when Joe is ready for your brief visit, and I do mean brief."

"Thank you, doctor," Laura added her words of appreciation. After the doctor departed, she turned to Sam and Ethel.

"I don't know what to say to you both. Words seem so inadequate for all that you have done, but I will say it anyway - thank you," Laura addressed their two close friends with heart-felt gratitude.

Ethel gave her a brief but firm hug. "Nonsense, Laura. I would have been insulted had you tried to keep us away. You are all like family to Sam and me. Where else would we be if not by your side at times like this? And you know how we feel about Frank and Joe. I am just so thankful that everything turned out for the best."

Sam nodded agreeably. "Ethel took the words right out of my mouth. And don't even think of telling us to go home first. We are waiting for our turn to see Joe, as soon as you three have finished. The hospital people don't need to know that we are not exactly blood relatives. And like it or not, Ethel and I are spending another night at the Hardy residence."

His wife added quickly. "Of course we are. I want to make sure that each of you eats something decent before this night is over. None of you have eaten anything substantial since this whole thing started. I don't want Joe to blame me for neglecting his family in his absence."

Laura smiled at their friends, though the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over. Wordlessly, she reached out and took each of them by the hand.

Sam patted her on the back and smiled with understanding. "We know, Laura. We know. No need to thank us again."

Fenton and Laura approached the bed hesitantly. The first glimpse of the still figure that was her son made Laura gasp audibly. The composure that she had fought so hard to maintain over the past twenty four hours at last broke down and silent sobs shook her small frame as she stared down at her son's colourless face.

"Oh, baby!" she gasped between sobs. "What did they do to you?"

She reached out with a shaky hand and caressed the unresponsive face, stripped bare of its familiar mischief and endless energy.

"Oh, baby," Laura repeated. "We are here, baby. Your dad and I are both here. You will be all right, okay? You are safe now." She bent down and kissed her son gently on the cheek. "We love you, Joe."

Fenton tightened his grip around his wife, even as his heart ached at the sight of their youngest son. His own eyes burning suspiciously, as he too stooped down to kiss his son.

"Hey, Joe, you rest here for the night. We will be back first thing in the morning to be with you. We love you, son," Fenton whispered into his son's ear, hoping that somehow his words could reach him even though the barrier of unconsciousness.

Sniffing back his own threatening emotions, he tugged gently at his wife's arm. "Come, honey, let's go. Frank is waiting for his turn."

Laura bent down once more and brushed her lips across her son's forehead. "Bye, baby. We will be here tomorrow when you open your eyes."

Frank slipped into the room and stared with apprehension at the bed that contained his brother. Taking in a deep breath, he closed the distance to the bed in a few quick steps and looked down. Unable to control himself, he let out a small choked sound at what he saw.

"Oh, little brother, they really did a number on you, didn't they?" Frank whispered, struggling to breathe past the growing lump lodged in his throat.

He reached out with a shaky hand and laid it on his brother's throat, fumbling for the reassuring feel of a pulse to negate the threat of imminent death. It was an absurd fear, of course, but Joe was looking so pale and vulnerable amidst the white linen that Frank had feared for the worst for a breathless second or two.

He could see little of his brother's injuries as the sheet covered most of Joe's body, but Frank's eyes strayed time and time again to the bandages wrapped around his brother's wrist. Frank shuddered as he thought of his brother being bitten by rats. His eyes fell on the painful cuts that began at the base of Joe's throat and continued, presumably, down to the chest area that was now mercifully covered by the hospital sheets. The thought of someone deliberately cutting his brother sent a surge of anger through him.

They did more than cut him - they damned near killed him!

Frank reached out to touch his brother's face. It felt cool and strangely bloodless.

"Hey, kid, you are safe now, you know. We got you out of that hellhole," he whispered softly to his unresponsive brother. "Those creeps can't hurt you again. They got what they deserved. The doc says that you will be fine." His voice hitched with a sob at the last words. "You got that, kiddo? You are going to be fine!"

Frank sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped angrily at his eyes. Taking one of his brother's hands, he gave it a gentle squeeze. "I can't stay here with you tonight. I tried, but they won't let me. Some hospital regulations, they say. But hey, I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning and there's no way they can keep me away then, little brother. Once you have your own room, I'm staying with you until you can come home. And that's a promise, kiddo. Okay? I've got to go now. Sam and Ethel want their turn with you. I'll see you tomorrow then, okay?"

With one last reluctant look at the still form of his brother, Frank turned and quickly left the room. He paused briefly at the doorway, and made an effort to compose himself. Joe was going to be all right. The doctor had said so. Joe was going to be all right.

God, he had nearly lost his brother this time, and that very thought shook Frank Hardy to the core.

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.