After Frank and Joe had made sure the girls were in safe for the night, and the goodbyes were said, Vanessa headed upstairs to shower and change. Her clothes were stained with Joe’s blood. While undressing for her shower, she quickly decided to throw away the bloodstained sweater. Although it was one of Joe’s favorites, she didn’t want it to be a reminder of that awful night. As she thought back, the terror she felt when she had first seen Joe bloodied and unconscious resurfaced. Vanessa knew that she loved Joe, but she had no idea how deeply until that moment. Joe and Vanessa were still young, but she knew she could happily spend the rest of her life with him.

While she showered, memories of their developing relationship ran through her mind. From the first day she and Joe had met in the parking lot of Bayport High, they had been inseparable. At first, it was a sweet friendship; Frank and Joe had helped her and her mother through a pretty rough ordeal. Andrea Bender had been a suspect in a crime, and the boys cleared her name and brought the real perpetrator to justice.

Vanessa had fallen hard for Joe; but Joe moved very slowly, which made Vanessa wonder if the relationship could move past friendship. Finally, Callie who had quickly become one of her closest friends, told Vanessa the truth about Iola. Vanessa had heard the rumors about the tragedy, but every time she had tried to get Joe to open up to her, he would masterfully side step the subject; he was still a pro at it.

Early in their budding romance, she realized it was best to let Joe set the pace, and she decided not to bring up the subject of Iola. It was now over a year later, and she was thankful that she hadn’t pushed Joe into dredging up the painful memories. But still, she longed for the day that Joe would finally let go and love and trust her with ALL his heart. Vanessa was startled by a knock at the bathroom door.

"Vanessa, are you alright in there?" Callie asked concerned. She had seen the worried look on her friend’s face, and knew Vanessa was having a hard time dealing with things.

Turning off the water, Vanessa replied, "Yeah, I’ll be out in a second." Within minutes, Vanessa rejoined Callie and Cassidy in the Shaw family room.

After leaving the Morton farm, the girls had intended on spending the rest of the evening watching a chic flick, and doing things typical teenage girls did; but they had learned long ago, that when you date a Hardy, there is no such thing as typical. Vanessa found Callie in the middle of telling Cassidy about one of the Hardy’s many exploits. She giggled out loud, as she noticed the wide-eyed look on her cousin’s face. Both girls looked up when they heard Vanessa giggle.

"What’s so funny?" Cassidy questioned her cousin.

"Well, your reaction to Callie’s story was priceless…correct, but priceless," Vanessa replied.

"I’m sorry, it’s just that I had no idea their cases were so dangerous. I assumed that they only assisted Mr. Hardy. How do you to stand it?" Cassidy had to ask.

"It’s not easy," Callie replied, as she looked at Vanessa who nodded her head in agreement. "When you are in love with a Hardy, it’s all part of the package. Uh, Cassidy, I’m afraid I left out one little detail…Chet is usually right beside them."

Cassidy was not sure of what to say, but the look of sheer terror on her face said it all. When she received sympathetic looks, followed by smiles from her cousin and new friend, she had to laugh. "Maybe we should form a support group for worried girlfriends." All three girls laughed lightheartedly, but each secretly wondered if it wouldn’t be a good idea.

For the next hour, the girls exchanged a few more stories with Cassidy before turning in for the night. As Vanessa lie there in the dark looking at the ceiling, she decided she felt a little better after talking with Callie and Cassidy. However, she was still concerned about Joe. The concern she felt was not only for his safety; Vanessa knew something had been bothering Joe at the party that night.

‘Why won’t he open up to me? Does he think I won’t understand his feelings for Iola?’

The next thought that ran through her mind almost made her heart stop…

‘Maybe he doesn’t love me as much as I think.’

Fighting back the urge to cry, Vanessa chided herself. She knew better! Joe DID love her, and he proved it everyday; he treated her with respect, and told her he loved her everyday… and Joe Hardy did not say things he did not mean.

Before she finally closed her eyes, Vanessa silently prayed, ‘Please God, give him the strength to open up to me, and bless me with the right words when he does.’

Morning came all too soon. The girls were exhausted from the late night girl-talk, but each girl was looking forward to spending the day with the boys. Cassidy was especially excited…she couldn’t wait to see Chet again!

It didn’t take the girls very long to get ready; their only assignment for the day was to pack a picnic lunch. With a large lunch packed and ready to go, the girls sat patiently, waiting and wondering what was taking the boys so long.

*****

The early morning meeting with Webber Ryland had been quickly concluded, with neither Kevin nor Robert mentioning the accidental witness. The problem would soon be taken care of, and there was no need for Ryland to learn of their rookie mistake.

Kevin and Robert made their way to the little park on Elm Street and quickly parked out of sight to begin their surveillance of Joe Hardy.

"Looks like they’re going somewhere," Robert told Kevin. He watched through high-powered binoculars as three young men loaded a black van.

Kevin cursed and said, "Yeah, this may not be as easy as I thought. It will be much harder to get to him with those two around, but I don’t care what I have to do…he’s not going to ruin my chances with Ryland!"

Robert was floored! "Kevin, Ryland’s the least of our worries; we killed someone, he could send us to prison!"

Kevin glared at Robert and replied with determination, "That will NEVER happen, Joe Hardy dies today…one way or another!"

Robert was starting to feel very uneasy. He was in over his head. He had not actually seen them shoot Ben, and knew he probably could not kill someone in cold blood if it came right down to it. He had also realized that he had to play along with Kevin, or he would likely face death, too.

*****

While Joe and Chet continued to load the van, Frank decided to call Callie to let her know they would be late picking them up. He quickly told her about the difficulty he and Chet had when they tried to wake Joe.

"Are you sure we should go?" Callie asked worriedly.

"No, but he says he’s going with or without me," Frank said bluntly, "and, I ‘d much rather it be with me. Listen, Callie, please don’t say anything to Vanessa. Joe would kill me, if she found out."

"Okay, Frank, but I think she should be told. Joe might have been seriously hurt last night. Do you think it’s just a concussion?’" Callie replied.

"Probably, but he promised me he would take it easy," Frank said, not even believing it himself. He would have to watch his little brother like a hawk.

"Hold on Frank, I hear Cassidy and Vanessa coming."

Frank could hear a conversation going on in the background, and then Callie came back on the line. "Since you guys are running late, Vanessa’s going to drive us over. We’ll be there in half an hour. Tell Joe and Chet that we packed a very nice lunch."

Frank laughed and said, "I can’t wait to see you Babe!" As he hung up the phone, he thought to himself, ‘Maybe this will be a good day after all.’

As the boys were loading the last of the provisions, the girls arrived with the picnic lunch in tow. Frank had made sure that the first aid kit was in the van. Actually, he had also put a small one in each of his and Joe’s backpacks. The survival course he and Joe had gone on taught them a lot. With the picnic lunch added to the load, they were on their way.

Joe and Vanessa were seated in the back of the van. Joe was acting like himself again, and Vanessa was trying to relax. Joe still looked pale, and she could see the tell-tale signs of two black eyes developing.

‘He must have landed face first when he fell’ Vanessa thought.

But after a few passionate kisses and a few tender words from Joe, Vanessa’s worries were gone, if only for the moment. Joe was glad to see Vanessa smiling, and vowed that she would be smiling a lot that day.

Frank was driving, with Callie in the passenger seat. Cassidy and Chet were seated in the middle, holding hands. Chet was animatedly telling the group about his waking Frank up, and everyone was laughing, sans Joe and Vanessa. They were happily in another world.