A mystery set in Scotland. The first longer story I ever wrote, dug out of a musty hole in my hard drive. Takes place a few months after Iola was killed and I monkeyed around with the timeline a bit- they are 18/19 but Joe isn't going out with Vanessa properly yet (purely because I think they've already done enough in their 17/18 year!). More story than whump just for a change….. OK, there is still a touch of whump but it's largely incidental…

One thing I don't like about this story now is that I took the easy route of making Callie a bit of a bad guy. I actually like her so sorry, Callie. I never did it again. I think.

Warnings- drugs, beer drinking, swearing (not much by the boys though), poetic licence on geographical location of a castle. No Nancy Drew.

Please be nice- I quite like bits of this...

This one is for max2013- brotherhood issues as requested!

CHAPTER 1- DIFFERENT PATHS

Joe Hardy walked briskly towards his car. The blond-haired 18 year old had a smirk on his handsome face. He had just left his 19 year old brother, Frank, alone in their family home with his girlfriend, Callie Shaw. Callie had Frank pinned up against the wall of the hall, just inside the front door, and was kissing him passionately.

The brothers were due to fly out of the country the following day and would be away for about 6 weeks. They were heading to Scotland to join their father, Fenton Hardy, who was attending a criminology conference in Edinburgh with some of the finest minds in the field. But instead of joining him for the lectures, the boys had decided to hit the trail first and go hiking in the Scottish Highlands for a week. It had been a tough year and they were both sorely in need of a real break.

Callie was obviously going to miss Frank, judging by the way she had thrown herself at him as soon as she came through the front door! Joe had beaten a hasty retreat into the kitchen and out through the back door, giving his brother the thumbs up on his way. Callie was a pretty girl. A bit serious maybe, but so was Frank- they were perfect for each other! Smiling broadly and wondering just how lucky Frank was going to get, Joe put his hand into his jeans pocket, looking for the car keys.

'Aw, crap!' he exclaimed, suddenly remembering he'd left them on the kitchen table.

He crept back though the sunny garden to the back door, opening it quietly so he didn't disturb the young lovers. The kissing noises had moved from the hall into the livingroom. Joe wrinkled up his nose in disgust, then grinned mischievously, wondering if their mother would be home from her meal out with friends early enough to catch them at it. Joe picked up his keys and was about to creep back out again when he overheard something that made his jaw drop.

'Callie, I'm sorry! It's just marriage is such a huge step!'

Had Callie proposed? No way! Joe started towards the door, not wanting to eavesdrop and figuring Frank would fill him in when he got back anyway. The he heard something that made him stop in his tracks.

'It's not a step that used to worry you! We used to talk about it all the time! This is about Joe, isn't it! Since Iola died he's been so over-dependant on you it's like you're his dad not his brother! You'd think he was the only one affected! I need you too, you know.' Callie sounded angry. Then her voice softened. 'Remember how we used to talk about going to college together, getting married, having kids?'

'I know Callie, but we were kids then! It's just too soon. Things have changed. Maybe in time those things will happen. But….well, right now Joe needs me. You know he still blames himself! He really went off the rails. He's only just started to get it back together.'

'Frank, I'm not trying to cause trouble. And I love him too, he's a good friend. But how are you either of you going to have a normal life when you're running about worrying about him all the time? He's a big boy. Let him look after himself! Live your own life. You can't deny it's been hard for you, having to take care of him all the time.'

Joe held his breath.

Frank's hesitant reply came after a moment's silence. His voice was quiet but his words unmistakeable. And Joe felt them like a blow to his gut. 'Well…no it's not been easy. But….'

Calllie cut in. 'So it's hard for you. And what are you going to do now we've graduated? Are you going to limit your choices in life to whatever he wants to do just so you're there for him all the time?'

'I don't know Callie. I need to talk to him, find out what he wants to do. I'm sure I'll get the chance while we're away. But like it or not, whatever we all want out of life, while he still needs me around I'm going to be around for him. OK?'

'So if Joe decides he's going to Yale, or joining the bloody Network, or whatever other crazy whim he has, you'll go too. And if I want to be with you, I have to follow him as well?! Is that how it is? Frank, I don't want to feel like I'm competing with him for your attention our whole lives. It was fine before Iola died, when the four of us went out together. That was great! But now it's awkward if Joe comes and, if he doesn't come, all you do is worry about him. I've had enough! I don't know if I want to stay with you if this doesn't change.'

'Callie, stop. I do not want to fight and I don't want you to give me an ultimatum just before I go away. I do love you but you're not being fair. Joe's my little brother for goodness sake, I have to look after him! Can we not just….kiss.' The kissing noises started again.

Joe had heard enough. He walked silently back out of the house, got in his car and sat heavily in the driver's seat, head spinning. Tears pricked his eyes for a second, but he blinked them back. Frank hadn't said anything unfair. Neither had Callie. Well, maybe a bit. But she had a point. He still felt hurt, like some sort of charity case. He needed to think.

…..

Joe drove to Lover's Lookout- a parking area at the top of a cliff on the outskirts of Bayport. It had an amazing view out over Barmet Bay. He and his girlfriend, Iola Morton, had parked up there often. They made out, laughed and planned for their future. But it had been stolen from them.

Joe gazed out to sea, face expressionless, spirit in turmoil. He thought of Iola. Pretty, sweet, always laughing. Soft and warm.

Then, 6 months ago, she'd been murdered. Blown up by 'The Assassins', a merciless group of terrorists. Joe had felt guilty, angry and grief-stricken. After he and his brother had helped bring Al-Rousasa, the man responsible for planting the bomb, to justice, Joe had floundered and was overcome by a dark depression. Frank had been there for him through it all. A shoulder to cry on, someone to shout at when he needed to shout, someone to pull him back when he felt himself going over the edge.

And Joe had been feeling better, more like himself, over the last couple of months. Not normal by any stretch of the imagination, but the fact he was still alive no longer physically hurt. He'd even had a few dates with a beautiful girl, Vanessa Bender. He really liked her, but it still felt wrong- a little like he was cheating on Iola. Frank had told him it was understandable, it would just take time.

Joe fingered the long scar on his left palm- a parting gift from the knife of Al-Rousasa just before he met his maker. Now had a whole new issue to worry about. One that had snuck up on him without warning. He had taken Frank's support for granted, he realised, without appreciating the strain it had put on him. Now he knew better- he'd heard it from the horse's mouth. Frank was finding it hard, being around to help him. He was putting his life on hold until Joe was doing better. He felt he had to look after Joe. It was touching, but it was wrong. How had he not picked up on it? He realised he hadn't been fair on Frank. Drawing a shaky breath, he resolved to redress the balance.

He knew they had big decisions to make now school was over. They had both done well academically, particularly Frank. Between that and the incredible success they had enjoyed through the years as amateur detectives, they found themselves with several attractive options on the table. They had offers of scholarships to the same good colleges and their father had offered to fund their studies if there was somewhere else they wanted to go. He had also told them he would gladly take them into partnership in his private detective business instead, or after their studies. The wildcard option came from The Network, a government agency they had worked with in connection with Iola's murder. They had offered to recruit them and train them up as undercover operatives. All of the options had their attractions and the brothers had yet to sit down and discuss what they really wanted to do.

For some reason, it hadn't occurred before to Joe that going their separate ways was a realistic prospect. Joe already knew what he wanted to do. He'd known for as long as he could remember. He wanted to be a detective. He wanted to go to college first to study something that would contribute to their work. But he wanted to do it all with Frank- his best friend and partner in crime-fighting. He had never even stopped to think that Frank might want to do something different.

But now he knew if he and Frank had an 'honest' talk about their future, if Frank said he wanted to take the same road in life as Joe, he would always wonder if it was because he felt he had to, not because he wanted to.

Joe knew what he had to do. He owed it to his brother, who had done so much for him, to free him of the burden of caring for him. He had to push Frank away, make his excuses and follow a different road in life. It wouldn't matter what it was. Joe knew he would have to take the initiative and be strong. He would tell Frank he wanted to move on by himself and end their partnership, live somewhere else. He would take himself completely out of the equation so Frank would be able to go ahead and live his life however he saw fit without feeling he had to look after his brother anymore. He could marry Callie, go off to college, work with their father. Anything.

Joe would go it alone.