Immediately Frank stepped away from the chain-smoker.  

Joe was right, there was no choice. There never was.  

And then the man holding Joe started to laugh as he squeezed the trigger…  

“NOOO!” Frank screamed… and then Biff Hooper was there, tackling the gunman and knocking the gun out of his hands just as it went off, and the bullet flew harmlessly into the side of the van!  

Biff had gotten there in time to see the standoff, and immediately sprang into action.  Frank saw him locked in a struggle with the man but knew the muscular youth could take care of himself - he had something else to take care of first….  

Joe was still kneeling on the ground but his head was bowed low and he was quietly sobbing, his whole body shaking in distress. In all honesty, he had been looking forward to the release that death would bring from this hell he had been living… and he wasn’t sure how he was feeling to still be alive.  

Frank crouched down in front of his brother and said softly, “Joe?”   

The younger boy didn’t look at him.  

“Joe?” he tried again but still the younger boy didn’t look up.  

Swallowing back the emotion, Frank reached out and gently tilted up the quivering chin, forcing Joe to look at him as he whispered, “Oh baby…. I’m so sorry…”  

Despairing blue eyes finally met the concerned brown ones and then Frank grabbed his younger brother in a tight hug and held him.  

“It’s… it’s okay…” he tried to say but he couldn’t as he felt Joe’s arm slip around his back and then Joe was holding onto him tightly, as he buried his face in his brother’s chest and cried openly – no longer caring who heard or saw him…  

And the brothers stayed that way, locked in a desperate embrace as they finally let everything that they had been holding in, out; drawing from each other, the comfort that they as so desperately needed…. Re-forging the bond that had been stretched so thin, each feared it had been broken…  

Around them the police cuffed the other two men while Biff Hooper stood protectively a few feet away.  His own eyes shone as he watched the healing begin.  

It was still a long road ahead, but with each other, and the support of their family and friends, Biff knew that Frank would truly get past what happened that dreadful day and they would help Joe ease into his new self.  

Biff was saddened when he thought about those years that Joe had lost, and he doubted his best friend would ever lose the childish innocence that early adolescence usually burned out, but he already could see that this would also be a cherished gift…  

And as he caught Frank’s gaze and saw the fierce protectiveness blazing in his dark eyes, Biff smiled and looked away. The Hardy brothers were back.

* * *

By the time the brothers got home, it was late.  Frank had insisted that Joe go to the hospital and be checked out, and the younger boy didn’t protest too much – although he really did not want to go.  

But he was just too happy to have his brother fussing over him… all of a sudden the world didn’t seem so scary anymore.  

Other then bruises, and a nasty bruise on the arm and shoulder that had taken the brunt of the impact, when he hit the road, Joe did have a sprained wrist. And had to contend with Frank’s look of ‘see I told you’ when the older boy saw the bandage.  

Joe rolled his eyes and followed Frank out to his car.  

“Hey”, Joe said with sudden insight, “I’m old enough to get my license!”  

Frank sighed as he unlocked the doors, “May the Saints preserve us!” but then he flashed his younger brother a smile to let him know he didn’t really mean it. Inwardly, Frank was relieved to hear Joe trying to embrace this change.

* * *

Their mother was frantic, as Officer Riley had dropped by to tell her what had happened, but suggested she wait at home as the boys wouldn’t be long at the hospital.  

She insisted Joe go and get some rest and Frank noticed a stricken look briefly pass over his brother’s face before the blond youth headed upstairs, and he wondered what was wrong.  

He waited a few minutes after Joe left and then followed him up. This time it was his turn to watch his brother, unnoticed from the bathroom, as Joe got ready to go lie down.  

Frank had been relieved to find out the men hadn’t had time to go through with their plans for Joe, as that would have been one more thing for his brother to have to deal with.  

But as he watched Joe, he could tell something was still really bothering him.  

Joe seemed to be getting agitated and when Frank saw him take out an almost empty bottle of pills and then fish one out, he decided he needed to find out what was going on.   

He had never noticed Joe taking pills before, but now that he did, Frank wasn’t about to ignore it.  

“Joe?” he said softly and his brother jumped and then smiled when he saw it was only Frank.   

“Hey Frank,” he said.  

“What’s going on?” Frank indicated the pill in Joe’s hand and the younger boy stared at it like he had no idea where it had come from. But he was too emotionally drained to try and make up any excuses, especially since he’d just gotten his brother back.  

So Joe sighed and admitted, “I need them to sleep.”  

Frank was stunned, “What?” And then he felt even more guilty about his negligent behavior when Joe continued miserably, “I’m… I’m afraid to go to sleep. Ever since the coma, I’m terrified that the next time I close my eyes… I’ll never wake up again.”   

Immediately Frank crossed the distance between them and grabbed him in a protective hug. He was actually a bit surprised by his own actions as he wasn’t a demonstrative person and he hated physical contact… but this was Joe… and it felt right.  

And he felt better doing it.  

As he hugged his brother, he said, “Joe, you never have to afraid to go to sleep. That’s a promise. My promise to you.” He pulled away from the younger boy and looked him in the face, “I’m so sorry Joe about what a jerk I’ve been… But from here on in, you’re stuck with me kiddo – whether you like it or not!”  

And then he added softly, “And little brother… I’m so glad to have you back.”  

Joe sniffed, “Thanks Frank… I’ve missed you so much big brother, “and then Frank felt a hitch in his chest when Joe added, “Even when I slept.”

* * *

6 Months Later:  

“Come on Frank, we’re going to be late!” 17-year-old Joe Hardy yelled out to his older brother, “I’m not getting any younger here!”  

“I can’t believe you’re going to let him drive,” the 18-year-old grumbled to himself as he came out of the house and slid into the passenger seat of the convertible.  

With each passing day, Frank was even more impressed with the drive and determination with which his younger brother tackled each new challenge; and today Joe was going back to school.  

It had been a lot of work but the education department, and Joe’s doctors, felt he was ready to go back as a high school junior; and although Joe knew it was going to be tough, as he still has a lot to catch up on, Frank and Phil had already promised to continue working with him, so that he could keep up.  

So with the same unfaltering determination with which he had tackled his physical recovery, he faced his educational recovery as well. And armed with a beginners’ permit, he was ready to drive to High School for the first time!  

“Hey, do you think Dad’ll let us help on a real case? Wouldn’t that be cool?” Joe’s enthusiasm or energy never failed to amaze his brother, and Frank laughed, “Easy there little brother, let’s tackle school and you getting your drivers license first, okay?”  

“Okay”, Joe said agreeably before becoming serious, as he carefully maneuvered the car along the Bayport streets, “How am I doing Frank? Really? Do you think I’ll pass my driving test tomorrow?”   

Frank heard the apprehension in his brother’s voice and smiled. His baby brother was a natural behind the wheel – but he would never admit that to him so instead he teased, “Well as long as you can keep your trap shut.”  

Joe stuck out his tongue and the older boy laughed. The 11-year-old sometimes got the better of his maturing brother but Frank didn’t mind it one bit.  

“Do you think Chet’s sister will be there?” Joe asked thinking of the pretty brunette.  

Frank tried to keep a straight face at his brother’s obvious infatuation with one, Iola Morton, “She usually is.” And then as Joe expertly parked the car and prepared to get out, Frank reached across and grabbed his arm.  

“Joe, “he said seriously, his warm brown eyes caught and held the vibrant blue ones, “If anyone gives you any trouble… and I mean any trouble at all, you tell me okay?  You’re my little brother and I’m not going to let anyone pull any kind of crap with you… got it?”  

Joe smiled, his heart warmed by the protective streak his brother was showing and he assured him, “I will… and thanks big brother.”  

“You never need to thank me for caring about you, Joe”, Frank said softly, “You’re the best little brother that a guy could ever want. I’m just sorry that I made you doubt that for a while… and…” he hadn’t said this in a very long time… but now the time felt right, “And I love you kiddo… don’t you ever forget that… I love you and I am very proud of you.”  

Joe smiled through blurring vision as he just nodded, not trusting his voice to speak.  Instead he reached across and gave Frank a quick hug before he undid his seatbelt, opened the door and then hopped out.  

For the first time since he had opened his eyes from the coma, Joe Hardy felt like he finally fit in… again.  

He was really back.

* * *

Later that night, Frank finished his homework in Joe’s room and stayed there until he was sure his brother was asleep.  

He had started to do that when Joe confided his fear of sleeping.   

Some nights he read… some nights he did his homework… and some nights, when the demons of trying to adjust, threatened the child inside the young man, the older boy would hold his baby brother until he fell asleep.  

Closing his books, Frank started to go back to his own room but stopped. Turning around, he eased himself into the bed and carefully pulled his brother into his arms.  

“Shh”, he whispered when Joe stirred, “It’s okay.” And as Joe settled back down into a deep sleep again, Frank snuggled against his warmth.  

A lone tear tracked down his cheek as he whispered, “Thank you baby brother for waking up… from the longest sleep….”  

And Frank held Joe until he fell asleep… because he needed too.  

The End.