"We’re going to what?" Joe asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Mom, do you know what you are getting into? You want to bring in a four-year-old boy, and one year old twins! Do you know how much work that will be?"

"Of course I do, Joe. Remember, I did give birth to both you and Frank!"

"I know Mom. But that 19 years ago! You aren’t exactly that young anymore!"

"Are you implying that I am old now, Joseph Hardy?"

"No Mom, of course not!" He looked at his older brother for help, but Frank just stood there and snickered, enjoying Joe predicament. "I’m just saying you are not as young as you were then!"

"Well, I certainly won’t be alone! You and Frank and your Father will help me, right?"

"Uh, uh Mom," Frank piped up. "Not me. I won’t be here, remember. I’ll safely be in California. Away from all the stinky diapers and crying." He grinned at his brother. "Sorry Joe. Guess it’s just you this time. I have to go to college!"

"Oh, but Frank," his mother said. "That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping you could transfer here to the college in Bayport. I know that UCLA is a big deal for you, but it would really help us out if you were in Bayport. Also, you would be closer to Joe, your father, me, Callie, Chet, and all your other pals. And you could help us out at the same time. Please, Honey?"

"Well," Frank sighed. It looked like he was stuck. "All right Mom. I’ll transfer." He looked at Joe and saw that now he was smirking. He sighed again.

"Oh, thank you, dear! Now, we have to get ready. I’ll be leaving tomorrow to go to Milwaukee. When I come back, I will bring the kids with me. We will have to give Jason one of the guest rooms, and for now the twins will sleep in our room in their cribs. Eventually, once they are older, we will turn the other guest room into a room for both of them. The babies already have cribs, so just have to have them moved. I better call the movers. We have to take out all the furniture out of Jason’s new room, and move his own furniture in. We already have bottles, but I think it might be a good idea to buy some more, and we need to buy diapers, and baby powder, because the neighbor that is taking care of them until I get there called earlier and said they are almost out, so we will have to buy some more," Laura’s voice faded off as she started to make a mental list of the things they would need to buy. Frank and Joe turned to each other. Just as Joe was about to speak up, Laura broke in.

"Well, boys, nothing is going to get done if you just stand there! Go on upstairs and move the furniture that’s in Jason’s room to the basement, and then you need to clean the room up. Come on, move it, move it! I’m going to the store." Laura got up and left the kitchen. Just before she left, Joe spoke up.

"Mom, are we going to adopt them?" Laura stopped and turned around.

"Well, yes, we are. But, while the legal stuff is going on, we are going to be their guardians." Her voice quieted down. "That means we are going to have to teach them to call your father and I Mommy and Daddy, and you guys brothers, not Auntie, Uncle, and cousins. It will be easy for the two little ones, because as soon as they learn to talk we just teach them Mommy and Daddy, but it will be harder with Jason. That’s why I want you guys to take care of him. You two are going to have to take where you go and be his pal. Then he will open up. So, we are counting on you guys." A lone tear slid down her face, and she quickly brushed it away. "Well, come on! Get to work!" With those words, she quickly exited the kitchen and Frank and Joe just looked at each other.

"Well, brother," Joe said, "it was looks like we will be up to our ears in little kids. It’s goodbye to life as we know it now!" he said in a melodramatic voice, with his hand over his heart. Frank laughed and slapped his brother on his back.

"Come on, we better get back to work, or it will be goodbye to life period!" they both laughed again as they went up the stairs.

*****************************************

"Boys?" Fenton Hardy called, his deep voice rumbling through the house.

"Yes, Dad?" Frank called as he and Joe came sliding down the banister.

"You, know, you better be careful when Jason comes. He’ll want to learn how to do that too!" Fenton commented watching as they landed on their feet at the bottom of the stairs.

"Aw, don’t worry Dad. We’ll be sure to teach the kids the art of sliding down the banister. They will have to learn how to do it just right!" Joe grinned at his dad. Frank shook his head and smiled.

"What is it, Dad?" he asked.

"I’m leaving to pick your mother and the kids up from the airport. They should be here any minute. Make sure everything is perfect for the kids, okay? Oh Yea! Please stay at home!"

"No problemo Dad. Don’t worry. Go on."

"All right. Bye kids.

"Bye, Dad," both boys chorused in unison.

******************************************

"Boys, we’re home!" Laura called as they came in the house. Frank and Joe came down the steps to greet everybody. When they came down, they saw a sight that made them smile. Their dad was struggling to carry two car seats, while their mom was carrying two diaper bags in one hand, and holding a little boy’s hand with the other. Frank and Joe smiled at Jason.

"Hi Jason!" they said in unison. Jason didn’t say anything. He just stared up at Frank and Joe. Joe smiled to himself. He sure did have to look up! Jason was about three and half feet tall, which is the average height of a four year old, while Frank and Joe were at least six feet tall! He nudged Frank and both of them crouched down so they were the same height as Jason.

"I’m Frank," Frank said, "and this is Joe," he pointed at Joe. "We’re going to be your big brothers! Won’t that be fun?" Jason looked at him then went and hid behind Laura. Frank looked at Joe and sighed. Both of them stood up and looked at Laura. She smiled at them and motioned them to try again.

"Hey, Jase," he began, and then stopped. "Do you mind if we called you Jase?" he asked peering around his mother and looking at Jason. Jason shook his head slowly. Then for the first time, he spoke up.

"My mommy and daddy used to call me that," he said looking at Joe. The room got really quiet as he said that. A slow tear leaked down Jason’s face. Laura started crying, and even Fenton had tears brimming in his eyes. Both of them hated to see the young boy like this. Frank glanced at Joe and bit his lip to keep from crying while Joe swallowed hard to try and get rid of the lump in his throat. Slowly, Joe knelt down and held out his arms for the little boy. Jason hesitated for a second then rushed into Joe’s arms, his whole body shaking with sobs and tears running down his face. Joe hugged Jason tightly and held him close. Soon, Jason’s sobs and tears stopped and all that came out were hiccups. He pulled away from Joe and stood there facing him. Joe took out his handkerchief and cleaned his face up. He smiled again, and this time, Jason smiled back.

"Well, Jason, aren’t you going to introduce me to your little sisters?" he asked. Jason shook his head.

"I can’t. They are sleeping."

"Ohhhh," Joe nodded his head slowly.

"Well, then Jase," Frank spoke up. "Would you like to come with us on a walk? We could introduce you to all the neighborhood kids, and then we could go to Mr. Pizza!"

"What’s Mr. Pizza?" Jason asked him, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"Mr. Pizza is a restaurant that serves excellent pizza. Do you like pizza?" Frank asked. Jason nodded. "Well, then, let’s go! You can meet all our friends and I bet we can even get you a special tour of the back of the restaurant. Do you want to go?" Jason nodded again, this time with a big smile.

"All right!" Joe said, holding out one hand to Jason, while Frank took his other hand. "Come on!" They left out the door, Frank glancing back and throwing a smile at their mom before they closed the door.