Frank moved toward Joe with Callie and Vanessa close behind. Frank asked, "Can you really hear?"

Joe smiled. "I can."

"That’s great," Callie said. "Now we can really celebrate."

"Absolutely," Frank said clapping Joe on the shoulder.

As the music was turned up, Joe put his hands to his ears. "It’s a bit too loud."

"The doctor said it would be at first," Fenton said. "He said it was possible a loud sound would bring it back."

Joe smiled. "I’m glad its back."

"Everyone will be," Frank said.

Fenton put his hand on Joe’s shoulder then made his way into the kitchen. Joe looked at Vanessa. "We need to talk." Vanessa nodded her head and he took her hand. They went out on the front porch closing the door behind them. As they sat down on the steps, Joe knew the talk was long overdue.

"Van, I know I hurt you when we broke up. I didn’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry I did."

"Why did you break up with me?"

"I was thinking about what I had to go through. I felt I had to go through this by myself. I knew it was going to be a challenge."

"I would’ve been there for you. I’ll always be here for you."

Joe took Vanessa’s hand in his. "You know, you’re the first girl in a long time that I have really and truly cared for. It’s taken time for me to feel that way again." He looked at Vanessa. "You made me love again. You mean so much to me. I felt I had to let you go before you left me."

"I won’t leave you. It’ll never happen."

Joe touched Vanessa’s face. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Joe and Vanessa kissed. When they broke apart, Joe suggested they go back inside and did.

*****

Hours later once the party was over, Frank and Joe were alone in the living room. Frank was filling Joe in on what happened with Rachel. He started with finding Joe and ended with the explosion.

"Why did Rachel want to get even?"

"She was always being teased, especially be Matt and Melissa. Rachel couldn’t take anymore and decided to get even."

"It’s still hard to believe. But I still don’t understand why the others were targeted."

"For the same reason. For teasing her."

"I never teased her," Joe said defensively.

"I guess other teammates did. I think you were the innocent bystander when the baseball exploded."

"How do you know all this?"

"I talked with Rachel this morning before school. She wanted to get everything out. She was sorry you had gotten hurt. She only meant for you to leave her alone so she could do her dirty work. She was surprised she hit you so hard."

"Why did she let the teasing get to her?" Joe asked.

"She’s been teased all her life and I guess it got to the breaking point."

"At least she can’t hurt anyone else."

"True."

At that moment, Fenton and Laura came into the living room. Laura stepped behind the couch where Joe was sitting and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"What’s that for?" Joe asked.

"Because I’m happy."

"So am I."

"Don’t stay up too late," Fenton said. "You both have school in the morning."

"We won’t," Frank said.

"Good-night," Fenton and Laura said before heading upstairs.

Frank looked at Joe. "Well, another case is solved."

"In good time. I just hope it’ll be quiet for a while."

"Why?"

"I missed a lot of things when I couldn’t hear. I realized how precious those sounds were." He looked at Frank. "I hope I never have to go through that again."

"I don’t think any of us want to go through that again either."

"Hopefully we won’t," Joe said. "Did Rachel say why she tampered with the baseballs and the van?"

Frank was quiet for a moment. He didn’t remember that in the statement he had read or from what she told him.

"Frank?"

"She didn’t admit to that," Frank said quietly.

"What?"

"She never said she did those things." Frank looked at Joe. "I have a feeling someone else is responsible for those incidents."

"But who?"

"That’s what we’ll need to find out."