Joe made his way to the Mortons’ little creek, picked a spot on one of the larger rocks and gingerly sat down. His head was killing him and he was still shaking from the confrontation with Frank; well, more from the overwhelming panic that had gripped him after the fall.  It brought back too many reminders of the helplessness he had felt during the beating, and the subsequent events of the next night.

Pathetic, he thought, shaking his head slightly as he chastised himself for his own reaction.  He knew it was a natural response, but he still berated himself about it.

Sighing, he sat on the rock and pulled his knees up to his chest. Resting his arms on top of them, he laid his head on his arms and closed his eyes.  He listened to the sound of the babbling little creek and wished the waters could just cleanse these feelings away.  But every time he tried to forget, Lily’s voice would come back to haunt him…. Just thinking about it again now, sent a shiver coursing through his body.

Joe didn’t know how long he sat there but after a while he heard someone coming up behind him and knew without looking that it was Frank.  He was surprised that his brother had waited so long to come after him – although he had told him, rather bluntly, to leave him alone; but Frank’s stubborn streak – though rarely seen – could be quite formidable.

 ***

Frank watched Joe from the cover of the trees.  He was confused by his brother’s outburst and words.  What did I do? he wondered as he watched the blond boy just sitting there.  He knew the answer was in the painful words Joe had flung at him – but he just couldn’t decipher it.  What is he talking about?  Who does he think I told?  Someone he didn’t like or trust?  Lily?  But I never told her anything.  Not about Joe…oh kiddo, what’s got you so upset??

Finally after about half an hour, he decided there was only one person who could enlighten him – Joe.  So with a heavy sigh, he started to walk towards the quiet form still sitting on the rock.

 ***

Joe lifted his head and peered out at the creek as he waited for his brother to say something.  He really had nothing to say.  His headache didn’t feel any better – that was all he knew. If anything it seemed to have gotten worse.

“Hey,” Frank said, stopping next to Joe and looking out at the creek. The blond teen nodded his head ever-so-slightly but didn’t acknowledge him in any other way.  Sinking down on the ground beside the rock, Frank frowned as he saw how pale the younger boy was.  “How are you feeling?” he asked, and this time – with a twinge of renewed guilt – waited for Joe’s response.

The only response was a wrinkling of Joe's nose and a steadily averted gaze.

"I know you want to be alone, and I'm sorry," Frank said softly, "But – Joe, I'm afraid that if I do leave you alone, we'll never settle this.  I need to understand – I need to know what I did wrong, so I don't do it again.  And the only one who can tell me that is you."

Silence.  Frank sighed, feeling as though he was talking to a brick wall.  But at least Joe wasn't telling him to go away or leave him alone.  Maybe that was a good sign.... “You were right,” the dark-haired boy said, after waiting a bit to see if Joe did want to say anything.  He kept his gaze on the water; it was easier to say it, that way.  “I wasn’t really giving you much of a chance to tell me anything—” he paused and then continued, “partly because I was feeling so damn guilty, but even more so because I was afraid of what you were going to say.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Joe muttered. 

Frank looked over in time to see the sidelong glance Joe was sending his way, and frowned as Joe wrapped his arms around his body.  Was he cold?  Or just keeping himself...isolated from Frank?  The thought made the older boy shiver and he forced his attention back to the question.  Running a hand across his face, he picked up a small stone and tossed it into the creek.

“Joe, I know you’re probably sick and tired of hearing me say this, but I feel so horrible and guilty over everything that happened that—” he gulped, “that I’m afraid you’re going to use every opportunity to remind me of how badly I screwed up.  Say something like ‘well as fine as can be, considering Davis and Evan used me as a punching bag’ – you know, stuff like that.”

Joe turned sharply and shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh.  “Do you honestly think I would do that to you? To purposely try and rub your nose in something I’ve already forgiven you for?  For Pete's sake, don't you know what 'forgive' means, Frank?  I forgave you!  And all for nothing, apparently, because you're expecting me to act as if I hadn't, and be a jerk and make you feel rotten and basically punish you.  So why did you bother to say you were sorry, if—”  He stopped, shook his head, and sighed again.  “I don’t want to do this any more.”

“Do what?” Frank asked softly, looking at Joe, his heart beating harder.  Joe was right.  He was completely right – Frank had heard his brother forgive him, but he hadn't believed it. That's my whole problem, he realized, his heart sinking.  I keep not believing him.

“I don’t want to keep trying to make you feel better. I told you I forgave you about all that, and I do.  It’s a beaten dog, brother, let it lie, please…for both of our sakes,” Joe continued. “If you keep apologizing all the time, then it won’t mean anything, anymore!  ‘I’m sorry’ should be the two hardest words to say – admitting a mistake is supposed to hard; otherwise it would be just too easy to go and do it again.”

Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise and admiration. “Wow, that’s...deep.”

Joe rolled his eyes. “Frank, go away.”

“I’m sorry, Joe, I wasn’t making fun of you,” the older boy said, immediately contrite.  "Honest – and it was hard.  It was terribly hard to – to look at everything I've done, and not done, and realize how much I had to answer for...."

“It doesn’t matter, really,” the younger boy said after a long awkward moment. “I just have to accept the fact that I’m not important in your life anymore – and move on.”  His voice was tired and resigned as he closed his eyes and laid his head back down on his knees.

 ***

Joe wished he had the energy to actually yell or something but he didn’t – he was just too weary.  His brief flight into the woods – including the tussle with Frank – had exhausted him. Coupled with the incessant pounding in his temples, the growing ache in his body, and increasing chill, he really did not have the energy.  He took a moment to wonder vaguely if he’d be able to walk the short distance back to the farm.

 ***

Frank felt as if someone had just torn a hole through his heart and he stared at the forlorn figure hunched on the rock next to him. Ohmygod, he thought, what have I done?

“What – what do you mean, you’re not important in my life?!  Joe, you’re the most important person IN my life!”

He heard the sigh before the words; each cutting him to a new quick: “Yeah, right, that’s why it was so easy for you to dismiss me, ignore me, accuse me of being jealous, all that crap.”

“Joe—” he started, but the younger teen just kept talking, his voice a drained monologue:

“And then to top it all off – as if things weren’t bad enough – You told her, Frank. You told Lily what I said at Mr. Pizza’s.  Do you know what she did then?  She called Davis and told him to work me over. And she watched – I suppose I do owe her in a strange way – or owe you I guess – she did tell them not to actually break anything.  Nothing broken but make him hurt…. I think those were her words. Something like that anyway…but through it all the thing that hurt worse, the thing that broke US was when she told me what you had said – what I had told you…that was a breach of trust, big brother…. And now it’s gone.  All gone.”

Frank stared in horror, wondering for a frightful moment if he was going to pass out or be physically ill.  Bits of that conversation he'd shared with Lily came back to him and hit him with an intensity that drove the breath out of his lungs and he gasped, “No….!  Joe, I – I only said that—”

With painstaking care, Joe slowly got to his feet and sighed, taking one more long look at the creek and whispered, “I just wish it didn’t hurt so much.”  And then he started to walk away.

“Joe, no!” Frank cried out, turning to stare after the slow-moving figure.  "You’re still my brother – please, let me—"

“NO!” Joe whirled, spurred on by the burning pain he felt hearing the anguish in his brother’s voice, “I don’t want to hear it anymore, okay!?  I don’t want to hear how sorry you are!  I don’t want to hear how much you care for me!  I don’t want to hear how I am supposed to fix this!  I just want it gone, Frank!  All this pain I’m feeling – this betrayal – I just want it all gone!  I trusted you – I trusted you more than anyone in my life!  More than Mom and Dad, even!  And you betrayed me!  You took what I was feeling and served it up to Lily to do whatever she wanted with!  And this is what she did—”  He ripped open his jacket, fumbling with the sweater in his haste to show his brother.  His hands were shaking so badly....

Then Frank was beside the unraveling teen, his hands gripping Joe's, stopping him from pulling up his shirt.  “Joe, stop.  No, kiddo, no!”

The younger boy pulled away; hot tears burned his cheeks but he didn’t care – not one bit.  “It hurts, big brother – it hurts so bad—”  He wrapped his arms around his body again, but this time not from any physical pain or cold…and sank back down to a crouch.  “Please,” his voice was choked with emotion, “please just leave me alone…”

 ***

“I – I can’t.”  Frank’s own voice was choked.  “Don’t you understand, I can’t!  I can't just walk away and leave you to think that I don't care about you!  I love you, little brother…I love you…I just wish it hadn’t taken almost losing you to remember that. To remember how important you are to me—” and then he stopped and said slowly, the realization of it making his head spin, “but I did anyway, didn’t I?”

The younger boy looked at him, his cheeks flushed and wet.  "What?" he whispered.

“I never lost you to Lily – but I am losing you to myself…Ohmygod…” he just stopped speaking and stared down at Joe; the magnitude of what was happening descended on him and for the first time in his life, Frank felt what it was like to lose his brother; to really lose him. Past the place where anyone could bring him back…and he had done it himself.  With words…his unguarded words.  "You're still here...but I lost you, I – I drove you away and – and you don't want to come back.  It doesn't...matter to you that I love you, I hurt you too much, I lost your trust..." 

He was babbling, Frank thought dimly.  "And you forgave me for what Lily did, and what Davis did, even though I was partly responsible – but you can't take the chance of trusting me again."   Sick, weak, shaking, he sank to his knees beside his brother.  "Is that...about right?" 

Joe opened his mouth, then closed it, and nodded weakly.  "I'm g-glad you finally get it," he whispered after a moment.

It hurts, big brother, it hurts so bad... the words echoed in Frank's head.  "I didn't tell Lily what you said," he said suddenly.  "I swear, Joe, I didn't tell her.  All that happened was, she asked why I was having second thoughts, and I told her it was something you said that got me thinking.  And that was wrong of me, I should never have brought you into the middle like that.  Even without her reaction – getting Davis to beat you up – even without that, it would have been wrong.  But I didn't tell her the things you – you said to me."

"Frank—" Joe's face twisted in pain.

"I know," the older boy began, and then he stopped, remembering.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," he murmured inanely.

"How can I believe you?" the blond boy almost whimpered. 

Frank bit savagely on his lip, racking his brain – and then it came to him.  "Because you know Lily," he whispered.  "You knew her far better than I ever did.  Kiddo, she had Davis abduct you only because I told her I wanted to stay home with you and not go out with her.  You know how – how extreme she is. The slightest hint of you interfering was enough to send her off the deep end.  She didn't need to know details; all she had to know was that you – you, little brother – were more important to me than she was.  You had too much influence on me."  He stopped, taking a deep breath and watching hesitant hope alternate with the painful uncertainty in Joe's face. 

"I...that's, that's true, she did...overreact badly...." Joe shivered and wiped a trembling hand across his face.  Frank moved closer and gently drew his brother to him. 

"Joe," he ventured softly, as the younger boy didn't pull away.  "I – I'm – I did fail your trust, and I did treat you badly and take you for granted.  And I can't blame Lily for that, it was my own doing, and I understand now why this – pain is so hard for you to forget.  Can you...please?...think about giving me another chance, a – a way to earn your trust back?  I'm not asking you to just toss it all out and go on like we used to; we can't.  Though I wish we could," he added longingly.  "But I did too much damage for that.  Will you – allow me to try and repair that, to prove to you that I'm someone you can trust and depend on?"

 ***

“I – I don’t know,” Joe whispered, shivering again; wanting to pull away from his brother – from the pain of being around him – while at the same time, desperately wanting Frank to make everything better…to help him.  “I’m afraid – just so afraid…that you’ll want to – you know – do this, and things will be fine.  Will get better, even…and than something – or someone else will come along and – and you’ll realize it’s too much work…it’s not worth it.  That I – I’m not worth it…” His voice choked off.

 ***

Frank stiffened slightly at the rebuke but then tightened his grip on his brother, feeling Joe shaking against him.  “Oh baby brother – you are worth it – you are more than worth it!  I know you’re afraid…I’m afraid too.  I’m afraid that no matter what I do, you’re never going to trust me again; but – but I really want this back – us back.  I just wish it hadn’t taken this to remind me of how important you are…”

“Me…t-too,” he heard his brother’s gasped retort, but then the gasp turned to a sob as the younger boy was overcome with grief; mourning what was so precious…and so lost. “I want to,” Joe sobbed, “I want to – to t-trust you again….”

Frank bit back his own tears as he held his miserable brother.  “It’s okay, kiddo…it’s okay,” he consoled, pulling the boy back against him and rocking him gently.  He’s cold, he noted absently even as he continued, “that’s enough for now.  It’s enough to know you ‘want’ to. You continue to ‘want to’ and let me work on the rest, okay?”

He felt a small nod, and he smiled; a tremendous relief washing over him.  Joe was willing to let him try.  And he was more than willing to try, he was determined to succeed!

After a long time, Joe quieted down and they sat together, the older boy with his arms wrapped protectively around the younger boy, enjoying the physical closeness…and then Joe shivered violently.

“Come on, kiddo,” Frank said softly, hating to break this spell of contentment but growing more concerned about his brother.  He’d been outside for way too long now; that, coupled with emotional and physical exhaustion, made it imperative to get him inside. “You’re cold.  We better get back to the farm and get you warmed up.”

 ***

Joe was reluctant to move.  “I – I’m o-k-kay,” he shivered, closing his eyes and leaning back against his brother.  It helped quell some of the pain inside and he was mildly surprised to find that his head was starting to feel better.  But now he was so incredibly tired – all he wanted to do was sleep.  And that is what he tried to do.

“Come on Joe – we need to get up.”  Frank’s voice seemed to be coming from so far away.

“S’okay,” he mumbled in response and barely registered his brother moving until he felt strong hands, gently pulling him to his feet.  And then he felt something warm put around his shoulders, Frank’s coat; and his brother’s hand fumbling with the zipper on his coat, pulling it up.

“Come on,” the older boy’s voice was next to his ear, “it’s not that far.”

Joe felt the sensation of moving, and he did his best to help but his body felt awkward and clumsy and he was sure that his brother was more carrying him than he was actually walking.  And then he heard voices – an alarmed shout?  Moments later, another set of strong hands were helping steady him, and he was moving faster now.

Biff.  His mind barely registered as he opened his eyes just long enough to confirm that it was; and then moments later – maybe an eternity, Joe felt himself being lowered onto something soft, and then nothing.

 ***

Iola hovered nervously as Frank and Biff lowered an almost unresponsive Joe onto the living room couch, and then covered him with the heavy blankets Chet hurried into the room with. They had seen Frank helping Joe stumble towards the house, and Biff had immediately rushed to help them, Phil and Tony close behind.

“Should we take him to the hospital or something?” she asked anxiously as Frank sat on the couch next to Joe and pulled the blankets up to his chin; laying his hand on a cold cheek and frowning slightly. He’s cold but not enough for an ER visit, the teen thought to himself. 

“Here, put these beside him,” Mr. Morton said, his voice brisk, as he hurried in from the kitchen and gave Frank two hot water bottles. The dark-haired teen did so and then smiled reassuringly at Iola.

“He’ll be fine. He just got a bit cold, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?”  The pretty brunette wasn’t too convinced, but Frank nodded his head.

“Yeah. He’s just exhausted – but he will be fine.” Physically anyway, he thought as he looked down at his sleeping brother, but emotionally? That part will be up to me. He smiled at the unresponsive teen and stroked the blond hair, but don’t worry kiddo, that part will be fine too – I promise you that. You will trust me again. And I will never give you reason to doubt again – never!

 ***

Callie watched the non-verbal exchange between Frank and his sleeping brother with a soft look on her face.  She felt something warm inside her, seeing this side of the older boy as she thought about everything that Liz and Iola had told her about the brothers; everything that she had never seen until now.

The tenderness on Frank’s face as he gazed down at his brother, made her own eyes bright with emotion.  And after a few minutes she left the small living room and went outside – feeling like an intruder on a private moment.

Shortly, she was joined by the others until it was only Frank and Joe left in the house.  Callie saw Iola glance back toward the door and moved beside her, slipping an arm around the younger girl’s shoulder and giving her a hug.  “He’ll be okay.”

“I know,” Iola said but leaned against her anyway and sighed, “but thanks for saying so.”

“You’re very welcome,” Callie said softly and then added, “And you’re very right. When it comes to brothers – there are none like Frank and Joe.”

Iola smiled back at Callie and nodded, “Sad loss for the others, huh?”

“Definitely,” Callie laughed, “Most definitely!”

 ***

Joe slowly opened his eyes and looked around in surprise. It took him a moment to realize he was back home in his own bed – he really had no recollection of the trip home, or, come to think of it, the trip back to the farm from the creek.

Sitting up gingerly, he rubbed his hand across his eyes and sighed. The memory of his talk to Frank came back to him and he frowned, wondering if he dreamt it or if it had really happened.

Getting out of bed, he softly padded across the bedroom and into the bathroom – there was only one way to find out.

 ***

“Hey.”

Frank, lying down on his bed, looked up from the book he was reading to see his brother standing in the bathroom doorway.

Joe fidgeted, obviously uneasy as his gaze roamed around the room, everywhere except looking directly at Frank. “Are you busy?” he continued.

Frank put down the book and slowly sat up, unsettled to see his brother looking so uncomfortable around him.  It was blunt evidence of the damage that had been done; they had never had this kind of awkwardness between them before.  “No.”  He wanted to add – never too busy for you – but was afraid of how Joe would perceive it…maybe as pushing too hard, too quickly.  Frank wasn’t used to second guessing himself around his brother – but for now it was too important for him not to.  They couldn’t afford any more mistakes. “Have a seat.”  He patted an empty spot on the edge of the bed and, while the younger boy did sit down after a moment, the spot he chose was physically further away than he would have normally sat, and the older boy noticed; his face saddened, but he never said anything.

“Are you feeling any better?” Frank asked, looking at his brother’s profile as Joe fretted with a loose comforter thread.

The blond teen half shrugged, “headache’s gone.”

Frank waited a moment to see if Joe was going to say anything else. After another moment of silence he nodded, “That’s a good thing. It was probably stress related.”

Joe seemed to give that some thought before he answered slowly, “Probably.”  He glanced across at his brother briefly, before fiddling with the thread again.  “I don’t remember coming home, though, or even leaving the creek for that matter…”

Frank was tempted to reach out and still those fidgeting fingers, but he didn’t dare.  He wasn’t sure how Joe would receive him, yet.  So instead he just answered him.  “I’m not surprised,” he admitted. “You were pretty out of it.  Biff gave me a hand getting you home and settled away.”

Joe blushed slightly as he mumbled, “Thanks.”

“No thanks needed,” Frank assured him quietly. He appraised the unnaturally sullen teen and added, softly, “It’s been a couple of long days for you, hasn’t it, little brother?”

The younger boy let out a shuddering breath and slowly nodded his head.  Frank wanted so badly to comfort him – to reach out to his brother and be accepted like he had been at the creek.  But that was hours ago; when Joe was past the end of his emotional tether, and now he wasn’t so sure…. So instead he hoped he could offer some verbal comfort.  Maybe for the both of them.

Frank spoke quietly but even so, his voice still seemed so loud around them.  “I meant it when I said I will do whatever it takes for you to trust me again.”

 ***

Joe felt his heart pound in his chest.  He looked at his brother hesitantly – fighting to keep hope suppressed, just in case he was wrong.  “So it – it wasn’t a dream?”  He desperately needed more confirmation than an insinuation….

“No dream, little brother,” Frank’s words were soft but sincere.  “Only my promise. You are the most important person in my life and I refuse to lose you to anyone – me included!”  Dark brown eyes gazed sincerely into his troubled blue ones, watching him closely. Joe swallowed nervously under their scrutiny; he opened his mouth to say something, but had no idea what.  After another moment, Frank continued:

“You just remember that, okay?”  His brother’s voice was so soft…pleading…that Joe gulped and just nodded his head.

“I will try,” he finally whispered, wishing he could give more, but right now that was the best he could do, and he wondered if it would be enough.  Maybe his brother would want more…something else…

Frank smiled; gentle and understanding.  “Good.  Then we have our start….”

Joe nodded, surprised to realize that he was shaking as he felt a tremendous relief that Frank understood and he whispered, “Thank you.”

“For what?” Frank asked quietly, savoring this tentative, fragile understanding – a new beginning.  He watched his younger brother carefully, seeing the trembling and fear, and wanting so desperately to comfort them away.

“For caring enough to try,” Joe paused and then choked out, “and for making it not hurt so much….” 

The response caused the older boy to close his eyes tightly as his very breath was catching painfully in his throat. Oh God, little brother, he thought, fighting to keep his emotions under control, if only I could take all the pain away.

 ***

Joe reached out uncertainly with his hand – it wasn’t much…but it was all that he could give right now….

 ***

Frank opened his eyes and saw the outstretched hand…his heart pounding loudly, he took the offering – holding it tightly – as the life line it was, being offered between them.  And when he finally spoke, his words were fierce with sincerity, “I will not lose you, Joe.  Not to anyone.”

And this time, Joe believed.

 ***

Later that night when a blond haired Callie Shaw showed up on the Hardy doorstep, Joe grinned and looked at his brother, shaking his head.  “Uh Frank – your girlfriend is here.”  And then he left the duo sputtering over his choice of words as he went back upstairs….

He was still a little concerned about what was going to happen if – not if – when Frank actually did start to date Callie, but the younger teen had told his brother that he would give him a second chance, and he would. At least this time, he liked Callie.

THE END

An Afterwards:

The Federal prosecutor was more interested in prosecuting and convicting the ‘head’ of the operation than he was in the minions who followed her; so he allowed plea bargains and lesser charges for Seth, Evan and Davis in return for testimony against Lily. In a surprising move, he even called Marian Getty as a witness for the prosecution against Lillian Rose Getty.

Jorgen Fruz was deported back to Iceland. 

Seth and Evan were both given five years of probation, waived when both opted to join the U.S. Marine Corps’ Fresh Start program.

Davis was sentenced to ten to fifteen years in a state penitentiary.

Lily was tried as an adult, found guilty and sentenced to fifteen years to life; remanded to the state juvenile facility until she turned eighteen.  At that time she would be transferred to a woman’s penitentiary.

Darius Getty was never seen once during the trial or sentencing.

***

As Lily Getty listened to the judge sentence her, she turned around and caught the eye of Frank Hardy.  He held her gaze for one long moment, shook his head sadly and then placed an arm protectively around his younger brother’s shoulders.  You made a mistake, his look said, referring to her crossing the line when she went after Joe.

Yes I did, Lily thought as she turned back to look at the judge, next time I won’t be so nice.

And then as the gavel sounded, Lily Getty was led out of the courtroom to begin her punishment.

**A special thanks, as always to JD for being such an awesome beta; and to Stormwatcher for all her help and advice – thank you, ladies!**