The next six weeks were the hardest in Joe’s life. He went through extensive physical and occupational therapy and impressed everyone with the single-minded energy he put into his rehabilitation.  

Joe knew something was very wrong and he was determined to find out what. And he needed to go home to do it.  The only thing he did know for sure was at the center of it all was Frank.  

The blond boy hardly ever saw his brother and when Frank did come to the hospital, he was very cold and indifferent and Joe was still haunted by what happened the first day – it’s nice seeing you again…  

I might as well have been an old acquaintance instead of his brother, Joe sulked after a particularly hard workout. He finished peeling an orange and sucked on a section.  

Naturally intuitive, Joe picked up on his brother’s reservations towards him and by the time he was ready to go home he was sure of one thing. Frank hated him.  

Fine, the younger boy thought, if that’s the way he wants to be… I don’t need him anyway! But even as he was thinking it, Joe knew it wasn’t true. In truth he needed Frank so intensely that it was what drove his rehabilitation – when Joe was working out, it gave him something to focus on.  

And in the back of his mind, he kept thinking that somehow he had let Frank down and maybe he could do something to make him proud of Joe again. So Joe kept pushing himself – and six weeks later, when Dr. Bates was ready to discharge him, the youth was impressed at his new body and decided that maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.  

Joe had put on quite a bit of muscle, and as he brushed his honey blond hair out of his electric blue eyes, he sized himself up for the first time and decided he didn’t look too bad at all.  

In fact, he mused, flexing a muscled bicep, I’m pretty buff!  

The teen flashed a bright smile at his reflection and then sighed. The only thing that didn’t fit was the look in his eyes. They look too naive for his body, he thought but couldn’t explain it any further.  

Joe was still pretty pale but seeing that he had hardly been outdoors in six years, that wasn’t too surprising.  

His parents had given him sunglasses to wear and he put them on and then looked once again at the reflection in the mirror. Now it fit.  He looked every bit a confident, handsome young man – too bad, Joe thought as he reached for sun lotion, I don’t really feel it at all…  

Dr. Bates had cautioned Joe that he should use sunscreen everyday until his skin got used to being outside again. He’d be at increased risk to the elements – sun or wind - right now.  

Hmmm, thought Joe as he spread some lotion on his face, smells like coconuts.  

“Joe honey, are you ready?” his mom called out, “Your father is downstairs in the car!”  

Joe didn’t bother to ask if Frank was there. He wouldn’t be.  

Actually Joe had not seen Frank in about two weeks now. He was either at school or doing something for school, and didn’t have time to drop in. Their mother made a ton of excuses for his brother and Joe always just smiled, nodded and said he understood.  

Which he did… Frank hated him so it only made sense that he didn’t want to come to the hospital.  

As the blond teen sighed and pocketed the sunscreen, he wondered if things would be different when he got home and Frank saw how hard he had worked, or how good he was looking now. Joe hoped so because he really missed his brother.

* * *

Frank sat at his desk and stared at the teacher, without actually hearing or seeing her. He knew that at this very moment, his parents were picking Joe up to bring him home. And he was terrified about that.  

When he got home from school, his brother would be there… and then what? So far, no one had pressed Joe very much about what he recalled from that horrible day, and Frank wondered if his brother even remembered anything.   

But what were even more disturbing to the older boy were his own conflicted emotions over his brother.  

While he wasn’t trying to be mean to Joe, whenever he thought about his behavior so far, Frank knew he was. And that made him very uncomfortable – a feeling he enjoyed even less.  

Once again Phil, Chet and Tony were great about it and listened when he did talk about it – which was rare – and they didn’t press him when he didn’t; although both Chet and Tony were anxious to see Joe again.  

But because of their loyalty to Frank and everything he had been through, they never asked about Joe or went over to see him yet.  

Frank loved his younger brother. That was not the problem.  

The problem was he was terrified to admit that he still cared or to show Joe any affection because he didn’t want to open up old wounds or ever be hurt like that again. But still no matter how much he tried to ignore it, he felt a growing guilt over his brother… but he couldn’t do it.  

He could not be there for Joe.

* * *

“Joe’s coming home today”, Frank announced to his friends at lunchtime. In addition to Phil, Chet and Tony, Frank’s longtime girlfriend, Callie Shaw, and her best friend – and Chet’s younger sister- Iola Morton were sitting with them.  

“No way”, Chet said quietly, knowing how hard this whole thing was on Frank.  

“Yeah, way”, Frank said pushing his food away, without eating any.  

“Is he coming back to school?” pretty brunette Iola wondered. She didn’t remember a whole lot about Joe as he hadn’t been to their house much before the accident.  

However, her curiosity about the boy who had lain so still and silent for six years in Frank’s house was boundless. And if her memory served her correct, she had thought he was kind of cute back then…  

Frank just shrugged, “I don’t know.” He felt a bit uncomfortable admitting that, because in all honesty he never asked his parents anything about Joe. It was easier to not care that way.  

“Uh oh”, Phil said, interrupting Frank, “Here’s trouble.”  

The dark haired boy turned around and frowned. Phil was right.  

Coming towards them was about the last person Frank wanted to see right now – Alan “Biff” Hooper.  

18-year-old Biff Hooper had been Joe’s best friend before the coma. Although he was older then Joe, they were in the same grade and had become fast friends when they met in grade one.  

But after the coma, Biff had stopped coming around after he and Frank had words over an angry comment Frank had made about the unconscious Joe. And things had never been the same.  

Biff usually just snorted and left whenever Frank was around. So the dark haired boy was surprised to see Biff coming right towards him.  

The older Hardy sighed and stood up when he saw the angry look on the muscular teen’s face.  

Biff stopped in front of Frank and said heatedly, “So when were you going to tell me?”  

“Tell you what?” Frank asked tiredly, his back going up immediately.  

“That Joe was awake”, Biff spat, “or do you think its funny that I overhear it in the bathroom?”  

Frank paused. It had actually not occurred to him to tell Biff, and he felt a bit embarrassed about that. Just because they had fought, Biff and Joe had been very close and he should have been told.  

Almost as close as we used to be, Frank thought and surprised himself when a twinge of sadness got past his well constructed emotional shield.  

But he shut it down immediately – can’t get hurt again, he reminded himself before he shrugged and answered, “Well what difference does it make? You know about it now.”  

Biff’s face reddened, “What difference? Frank, Joe is my best friend!! I deserved to know. I want help him!” he paused and added,” And just how long has he been awake?”  

Frank snorted, “He was your best friend six years ago. A lot has changed since then, Hooper.”  

Biff was stung by the amount of venom in Frank’s voice but he pressed, “How long Frank?”  

Without batting an eye, Frank said, “Six weeks.”  

The face that was so red only moments before paled as Biff actually took a step back and said incredulously, “Six weeks? He’s been awake for six weeks and I’m only just hearing about it now??”  Frank didn’t say anything and Biff snorted softly, “I’m going to see him.”  

Frank shook his head, “Don’t.”  

Biff’s face reddened again as he said coldly, “Excuse me Frank, but unlike you I’m still glad that Joe survived. And no one… least of all you, are going to stop me from seeing him!”  

The dark haired boy sighed impatiently, “That’s not it. Don’t because Joe isn’t ready yet.”  

“What do you mean ‘isn’t ready yet?’ I don’t care what’s wrong with him; he’s still my best friend! And friends don’t turn their backs on friends!”  

Frank knew the words were supposed to hurt and they did. He actually winced but in all honesty, he knew he deserved it, so he ignored the remark and said, “That’s not what I meant either. Joe is okay mentally. However, he still thinks he’s 11 years old. When he saw me, he became hysterical… I just don’t know if he’s ready to see you yet-“he turned to his other friends, “or any of you guys yet. Dad and Mom are only just picking him up today. So I don’t know honestly.”  

“When then?” Biff demanded impatiently. He wanted to see Joe again, desperately. He missed his best friend terribly – even now six years later.  

“I don’t know”, Frank admitted and was once again nagged by a twinge of guilt that he tried to ignore, “Call my Mom later. She might have a better idea.”  

Biff seemed placated by this, for now, and turned to leave. But then he sighed and turned back to Frank, “That’s great Frank. It really is, “his eyes were shining, “I’m so glad he’s back… even as an 11 year old. This is just so great!” And then he turned away again and left.