Author’s Note: A very, very special THANK YOU to hbwgonnabe! Your amazing insight and suggestions made all the difference in this chapter. Now where are those tissues…

Apinelli14@aol.com

Callie sat next to the bed staring at her husband, still trying to adjust to the stunning swiftness of events that had brought them here. Since Frank’s condition had stabilized, he had only one IV leading into his arm, all the other machines and tubes having been removed save for the heart monitor. Other than looking a little pale, anyone would think Frank was simply sleeping.

Holding Frank’s hand, Callie thought back to the night they had talked about their future children. She smiled wistfully, recalling the ‘awe’ in Frank’s voice when he’d said he wanted a daughter – a little girl. Had that really been less than forty-eight hours ago?

Listening to the soft, continuous beep of the heart monitor, Callie was lulled into the daydream that was seared into her memory, every detail etched in her mind. It had been a week before her sixteenth birthday, the beginning of her sophomore year at Bayport High. She had just finished getting the books she needed out of her locker and started walking to her next class, when she had come to a sudden stop. Even now when she remembered that moment, she could feel her cheeks get warm and her heart start to beat a little faster, just as it had done on that day – the very first time she had seen Frank Hardy.

He had been leaning against a wall with Joe, Chet and Biff, laughing and talking. No, she corrected herself. Joe had been talking, relating a story complete with sound effects, wild gestures and exaggerated facial expressions, to Frank, their friends and anyone else who stopped to listen. Frank had been listening quietly, watching his younger brother with amusement, smiling that smile Callie had rapidly fallen in love with.

She often thought of that as the luckiest day of her life. When a passing student announced rather loudly that it was impolite to stare, Callie had quickly snapped out of her daze and hurried to Science class, hoping Frank hadn’t noticed her staring at him. As she said a little prayer that she might run into him again, she felt her heart begin to race once more as her prayers were answered with astonishing quickness. Looking up, she saw Frank walk through the door and take a seat near the front of the room. When the teacher began selecting pairs of students at random and she ended up with Frank as her lab partner for the entire year, she was convinced fate was trying to tell her something.

Callie laughed softly, remembering how it had taken Frank over a month to ask her out, even though she had done everything but hit him over the head with a sledgehammer to let him know she was interested in him. It wasn’t until their freshman year in college that she found out what had taken him so long. Although Frank had been infatuated with her from the day they met, he was too shy to ask her out. It was only after several weeks of prodding, coaching and encouragement from Joe, who by that time had already dated a rather large number of girls in the freshman and sophomore classes himself, that Frank finally worked up the nerve to ask Callie for a date. And they had been together ever since.

"Do you remember that, Frank?" Callie said quietly, squeezing his hand. "We went to the movies. You were so nervous you dropped the popcorn in my lap and spilled your soda all over the floor." She laughed softly. "You were my first date. My first kiss. My first…everything.

"I never told you this but during our senior year, my parents wanted me to see other people. They were concerned that we had gotten so serious and neither one of us had ever dated anyone else. Mom kept insisting I needed to date other guys before I would know if what we had was real love." Callie shook her head, recalling some of the horrendous fights she’d had with her mother that year. They usually ended with slamming doors and flowing tears. "But I didn’t need to go out with anyone else. I knew you were the one."

Reaching out, Callie gently ran a hand over Frank’s cheek. "You have to come back to me, Frank. I’ve never thanked you for all the things you’ve taught me. Like how to share. Being an only child, I never really had to share anything – until you. Do you have any idea how jealous I was of Joe back then? Of having to share you with him?" She laughed about it now, but at the time she was certain her resentment of Joe was justified. "But you taught me how. And later on you taught me again, when you shared Joe with me.

"I always thought that when I did have children, one would be enough. But you showed me how wrong I was. I want our children to know the joy and learn the compromise that comes with having brothers and sisters. I want them to share that same unbreakable bond that you and Joe have.

"I can’t teach them those things, Frank. You have to do it. You have to come back. We still have all those hopes and dreams and plans to fulfill. Children. Grandchildren. You promised me those things and I’m holding you to it. I refuse to live the rest of my life without you, so you have no choice but to come back to me."

Checking her watch, Callie sighed heavily. As much as Laura, Fenton and especially Joe had wanted to see Frank once he’d been brought to a room, they had insisted she go first. She’d been sitting with Frank for over an hour and as much as she hated to leave, she knew she had to. Standing up, Callie leaned down and gently pressed her lips to Frank’s. She gazed at him a moment longer, then turned and left the room.

*****

Joe sat on the chair, staring at his older brother, still in a mild state of shock. Still having a hard time believing this had happened. Still unable to fully comprehend that when Frank woke up he might be trapped…forever.

‘Five years old?’ Joe shook his head.

He could barely remember back that far. Had Frank ever been five years old? Even Joe’s earliest memories of Frank were of the strong, smart, dependable big brother who always looked out for him. From kindergarten, through elementary school, into junior high and high school – even college – Frank had always known just when Joe needed him. Most of the time, Joe never even had to ask. And Frank still had the uncanny ability to seemingly appear out of nowhere, knowing exactly what to say or do to put Joe’s world back on it’s axis whenever it started to spin out of control.

Would Frank still be able to do that when he woke up? Or would Joe now be forced to look out for his brother in some bizarre role reversal gone wrong? If…when…Frank awoke, would he really be held captive in the mind of a five year old, leaving Joe to stumble through the rest of his life without the brother he depended so heavily on?

"You can’t, Frank. You can’t do that." Joe told him. "Sometimes you’re the only one who can keep me sane; the only one who can pull me back when I start to go off the deep end. Which seems to be happening a lot more often these days." He said ruefully. "Besides, you haven’t earned my trust back yet. And you said you’d listen, when I was ready to talk. You said you’d help me work through…everything. You promised."

Despite the doctor’s advice to talk to Frank, Joe found he couldn’t bring himself to do it, knowing he might never get a response; might never hear his brother’s voice again, telling him to be careful, teasing him, joking with him… As Joe got up to leave, he heard Frank’s words in the back of his mind.

"Neither do I, big brother." Joe said softly, then turned and left the room.

*****

Laura Hardy sat next to her oldest son, holding his hand talking softly to him. Lately it seemed, Joe had been the one in a hospital bed, with his family hovering worriedly, praying for a swift and complete recovery. During those times, Frank had been the one reminding everyone of Joe’s fighting spirit and never say die attitude, convincing all of them he would pull through just fine. And Frank had been right every time. Frank had always been Joe’s cheerleader, his champion, his protector…

Suddenly Laura was transported back in time sixteen years. She was sitting on a bench in the park, watching 8-year-old Frank and 7-year-old Joe each playing with their friends. They had broken off into two little groups, yet every few minutes Frank would glance over his shoulder at his little brother, making sure he was okay.

A woman seated next to Laura had struck up a conversation with her. She didn’t know the woman’s name although Laura had seen her at the park before with her own three children. As they spoke, a child’s cry split the air and Laura was on her feet in an instant, recognizing Joe’s voice. Instinctively, she turned towards the group of children taking a few steps knowing it would be in vain. As always, Frank had beaten her to Joe’s side and was now comforting his younger brother, drying Joe’s tears and making everything right in Joe’s world once more.

Laura fought the tightening in her chest and the feeling that rose up out of nowhere whenever this happened. She had noticed it more and more lately but it had only been a few days ago when she realized, shamefully, what it was. She was jealous. She knew it was utterly ridiculous yet she couldn’t help it – she was jealous of Frank.

When the boys were younger, Joe always ran to Laura for comfort, and protection. Yet as they grew and became a little more self-sufficient, Joe began to turn to his older brother more and more. Laura felt as if she were being shut out of her youngest son’s life and even though she knew her fears and feelings were totally irrational, she couldn’t stop them.

Her eyes burned with tears she prayed wouldn’t fall as her baby sought solace in his older brother, ignoring her once again. Fighting for self-control, she became aware of the other woman’s voice.

"You should be very proud of them." The woman commented. "Their closeness is every parent’s dream."

Laura listened intently and couldn’t believe the undertone she heard in the woman’s voice. It was…jealousy. Laura returned to her seat on the bench, her eyes still on her son’s, but giving frequent glances to the woman next to her.

"The relationship those boys have is unheard of. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life." The woman sighed heavily. "Half the time my older son is the one who inflicts pain on his little brother and sister. If that had just happen between my boys, Kevin would have been the first one laughing at David and teasing him for being a baby." The woman turned to face Laura and quirked an eyebrow. "Wanna trade kids for a week or so? Maybe you can work your magic on mine too."

Laura stared, forcing her jaw not to drop open. Frank would never, ever laugh at Joe and if Frank did tease him, they both knew it was good-natured fun. Laura was certain it would be impossible for Frank to purposely hurt his younger brother for any reason. She bit back a smile, suddenly remembering the phone call she’d gotten after Joe’s first day of kindergarten. That night Fenton had to sit Frank down and explain to him why he couldn’t beat up the entire school in defense of his little brother. It was only a few days later that they enrolled Frank in martial arts classes.

As the woman continued her glowing commentary on the very special bond between Frank and Joe, Laura realized she had been looking at the growing relationship between her sons from the wrong perspective. That woman had been the one to make Laura see she wasn’t "losing" Joe to Frank, but rather gaining an ally, someone she could count on unequivocally to protect Joe at all costs – just as she would…for both her sons.

"I never told anyone about those few months, Frank, when I was so jealous of you. I’ve thanked God so many times in my life for letting me cross paths with that woman. But more importantly, I’ve thanked God every single day for giving me a son as wonderful as you. I certainly don’t deserve you, but I am so grateful.

"And I am so sorry for ever feeling that way. I hope you never sensed it, sweetie. Although I think if you did, you probably would have forgiven me for it. You more than anyone showed me how to love unconditionally by the way you treated your brother." Leaning forward, Laura brushed an errant lock of hair out of Frank’s eyes. "He still needs you, Frank. He’ll only share so much with your father and I. Even Vanessa. But there are some things…things that haunt him deeply…he will only share with you. So if you come back, and help him get rid of those demons…I promise I won’t be jealous."

Laura stood and kissed her son’s forehead gently. "I love you, Baby." With an ache in her heart that only a mother could understand, she walked out of the room.

*****

Staring at his son, a mirror image of himself, Fenton Hardy suddenly found himself choking back a sob as the reality of it all hit him with stunning force. Alone in the room with his beloved first-born, he no longer had to be strong for anyone.

"Frank…" he whispered, reaching out and gently brushing a hand across his son’s cheek.

Fenton felt oddly lost and it took him several moments to figure out why. Whenever he was down or depressed, Fenton had always turned to Joe, his golden child, whose outgoing personality, infectious laughter and ability to find the humor in almost anything never failed to put smile back on his face. But at times like these, Frank had always been his rock, his source of strength. Whenever Fenton was close to the breaking point, as he was now, Frank was the one he relied on to pull him through, or to take care of Laura and Joe until Fenton could sort things out on his own.

How many times had Frank been the glue that held their family together when Fenton was on the verge of collapse? When Joe had been on trial for murder and started to remember the trauma he’d suffered as a child, Fenton had made more than one decision in error regarding Joe. Yet, Frank had been the one to bail him out, being the father Joe had desperately needed when Fenton was incapable of it. Recalling the dark days when Joe had been admitted to the Campbell Psychiatric Center and Fenton wasn’t sure if he’d ever see his bright, bubbly son again, he had immediately turned to Frank to make things right. As always, his oldest son did not let him down and brought Joe back from hell. It wasn’t until months later that Fenton came to understand the amount of pressure he’d put on Frank at the time, pinning every hope and prayer for Joe’s recovery on him. And, Frank hadn’t even batted an eyelash at his father’s expectations. Always the trooper, Frank had simply done as he was asked.

"I never thanked you." Fenton said as a few tears slid from his eyes. "You brought my little boy back and I never even thanked you. God, what kind of father am I? Expecting you to do my job, and never even expressing my gratitude when you do. Especially when you do it better than I do."

Thinking back on Frank’s childhood, Fenton realized he’d begun treating Frank almost as an equal very early on. Whether it was Frank’s "old soul" spirit, or Joe’s almost constant need for supervision Fenton wasn’t sure, but at some point Frank took on many of Fenton’s duties within the family.

Fenton realized he’d always thought of Frank as an adult trapped in a child’s body. And now in some warped twist of fate, Frank could conceivably end up as a child trapped in adult’s body. Leaning over the safety rail of the bed, Fenton looked down on the son who’d always been his pillar of strength.

"I have so much to say to you, so much to make up to you, so much to thank you for. And I still need you. So I’m going to ask you one more time, don’t let me down, son. Come back to us, Frank." Fenton stared at son a moment longer. Rising from the chair, he drew in a quivering breath, then turned and left.

*****

"Hey, Frank." Vanessa said quietly. Pulling the chair up close to the bed, she rested her forearms on the rail. "You know the doctor said we should talk to you, that maybe you’d recognize our voices. So, if you get tired of listening to me, you’re going to have to wake up and tell me to be quiet.

"You know I always loved being an only child. I never felt like I was missing out by not having brothers or sisters. In fact, I felt sorry for my friends who did have siblings. I never understood what was so great about it, until I met Joe…and you." Vanessa shifted in the chair a little, smiling at the memories of her life since she had encountered the Hardys.

"I had no idea that when I fell in love with Joe you came along as part of the package, but I’m glad you did. You accepted me right away as a part of Joe’s life, even though I though you were pretty weird back then." Vanessa chuckled thinking of those first few days after she had met Joe in the parking lot of Bayport High School. "Oh, let’s face it, Frank. You’re still weird sometimes. But that’s part of your charm. It didn’t take long for you to go from being the brother of the guy I loved to a surrogate big brother. And I’ll never be able to thank you for that.

"You’ve always been there for Joe. And for me too. I know neither one of us would have made it through the last six months without you." Vanessa shuddered thinking of those first few days in Chicago when she leaned so heavily on Frank for support. "We put up a good front, but sometimes we’re just not as tough as everyone thinks we are." Vanessa stood up looking down on Frank with tears in her eyes.