FF: Presumed Guilty
Author: Kim
Disclaimers: I do not own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys copyright (although I do own @ 250
of the books.) The characters within my story belong to the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Simon
and Schuster. This was just for fun, trust me - there is no money to be made here.
Author's Notes: Okay - this is the deal. Ever since I started collecting these Super Mysteries back
in the late 80's (dating myself here, I know) I always wanted Frank and Nancy to get together.
Ned and Callie were just too boring for my taste. This is not the first F/N story I've written. But
it's currently the only one in existence. If you're not a F/N fan, this is not the story for you. If
aging the entire gang a few years into their mid-20's bothers you, this is not the story for you.
If you're appalled at the idea of adult relationships between any of the characters, again - this is
not the story for you. Now keep in mind, that even though I've always wanted F/N to get
together, I just can't bring myself to write them "together". Anything beyond passionate kisses
and suggestive wording is left to your imagination. Joe doesn't appear for the first few chapters,
but the rest of the ND gang and Frank is around. Patience is a virtue, all you Joe fans. If you like
the story - respond and I'll write more. If you don't like it - that's fine too. Just keep the flames
to a minimum folks, please. Okay - enough with the rambling ---- on with the show!
'What a night,' twenty-four year old Nancy Drew thought to herself, as she removed her jewelry. Her mind exploded in vivid color with the events that had transpired that evening.
The evening had started out so innocently enough. Bess had invited her to go out to dinner with her and her Bess's cousin George. Nancy had agreed readily. It seemed all three girls had been quite busy lately, never really getting a chance to connect. Nancy had been putting in tons of overtime at her job as an investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Bess was busy with wedding plans, and George was busy with classes as she attempted to finish her Masters in Exercise Science.
The three friends had decided to try a new sushi place they had heard about for dinner. During the course of the meal the had caught up on the goings on of the past few weeks. Suddenly, Bess had looked nervous. She leaned over next to her cousin and whispered something in her ear that Nancy couldn't hear. George glanced over Nancy's shoulder, and the same expression appeared on her face. Turning her head Nancy didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Um, Nancy..." George began. "What did you say Ned was doing tonight?"
Curious Nancy responded, "He told me he was having a working dinner with one of the guys from the office, which was fine, because I had already made plans with you guys. Why? What's going on?"
Timidly, Bess pointed to a corner booth in the restaurant. "Look over there, Nan. It doesn't look like a working dinner to me."
Slowly, Nancy turned around to where Bess had pointed. Shocked at the sight before her, Nancy's eyes widened in amazement. Ned and some girl that Nancy recognized from his office, but couldn't put a name with the face, were cuddled up next to each other in the booth, feeding each other sushi, and looking quite enamored with each other.
Nancy turned back to her two friends and closed her eyes. 'How could he do this to me?' she thought. Although she and Ned had not made any definite marriage plans, they had been living together since Nancy had graduated from college last year.
George covered Nancy's hand with her own, "Nan? Are you okay?"
Nancy shook her head yes but didn't say anything. Inside her head, the pieces were beginning to fall into place. All the late nights Ned spent at the office, not coming home until Nancy was in bed. It hadn't even occurred to her before now that something might be going on. She was often out late herself or called out of town on investigations. She had just thought they were both busy with their professional lives. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. But, obviously, Ned hadn't been putting in overtime, he had been cheating on her for God knew how long.
"What are you going to do?" Bess chimed in. She was shocked when she had looked up and seen Ned walk in with the gorgeous brunette. Ned had always seemed to be head over heels in love with Nancy, and this just wasn't like him.
Putting her napkin down, Nancy arose from the table. With more confidence than she felt, she said, "I'm going over there."
"Nan, don't make a scene," George pleaded with her friend. It was bad enough that they had caught Ned out with another woman in public, but they didn't want to add insult to injury by their friend fighting with her boyfriend in the middle of the restaurant.
"I'm not," Nancy answered calmly. As she walked across the restaurant, Nancy thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest. The tears began to well up in her eyes, but she forced them away. She strode up to the table, and the happy couple was so engrossed in each other, they didn't notice her approach.
She sat down next to Ned in the booth and at the same time reached out her hand to the unknown brunette. "Hi, I'm Nancy," she said, "Ned's girlfriend."
Both the girl and Ned had the same horrified expression on their faces. Ned turned to face her and said, "Nan, I can explain."
"No, Ned, I don't think you can." She shook her head at the sheer idiocy of the man in front of her. Did he honestly think he could explain this away?
"Nan, please, just listen to me," he began to plead. The brunette, looking quite chastised turned her head away, not wanting to be apart of the conversation.
"No. Do you honestly think I would believe you even if you tried? Working dinner, my ass, Ned." Nancy snorted as she continued. "I can't believe I didn't notice. All these working dinner and staying late at the office. Now, I really know what's been going on."
"Well, you know Nan," Ned replied suddenly angry, "Maybe if you had been around a little more, I wouldn't have had to find someone else to spend time with."
"Me?" Nancy said in disbelief. "You're trying to say that I'm the one to blame? Absolutely, unbelievable." Shaking her head, she held out her hand. "Give me your keys, Ned."
"What?"
"Your house keys, Ned. Fork them over. I want you out."
"Nan, you can't be serious. Where am I supposed to go?" Ned pleaded to a stoic faced Nancy.
"Not my problem," she replied. "Maybe if you had thought things through with your other head, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. The keys, Ned."
Digging into his pocket, Ned pulled out his key chain and removed the apartment keys from the holder. Placing them in her hand, he looked miserable and attempted at an apology. "I'm sorry, Nan."
She closed her fist tightly around the keys in an attempt to let her anger subside. "So am, I." She rose from the table and nodded to Ned. "Come over to the apartment tomorrow at noon and get all of your stuff. If you don't make it, it's going to Goodwill."
"Oh, and whoever you are," she spoke to the brunette. "Have fun. He's all yours." And with that Nancy walked back to the table where Bess and George were waiting.
"Come on Nan," Bess said, putting an arm around their friend. "We took care of the bill, now let's get out of here."
Nancy managed to keep her tears at bay until they reached the parking lot. Bess and George managed to get most of the story of what happened between Nancy's sobs. She quit crying halfway through the drive back to her apartment. Wiping away her tears, she apologized to her two friends.
"Nan, there is nothing to be sorry about. You guys were together a long time. It's okay to cry over it," George told her.
"Well, I'm done crying over him. What he did was absolutely unbelievable, and then he had the nerve to blame it on me! He's not worth the tears," she replied.
Bess shook her head in agreement. "I still can't believe, Ned, of all people, would do something like this."
"Well, guess it shows how much I really knew about him. Boy, am I glad we decided to live together for a while before getting married." She laughed at the thought. "Much easier to kick him out, than file for divorce."
The two other girls laughed. "That's our Nancy," George quipped. "Always looking on the bright side."
Just then the car pulled up at Nancy's apartment. "Do you want us to come in for awhile and keep you company?" Bess asked.
Nancy shook her head no. "Nah," she told the two. "I'm just gonna pour myself a glass of wine and soak in the bath and attempt to forget this night ever happened. I'll be okay, really." She explained to her friends.
"You sure?" George asked.
"Positive. Thanks for letting me vent. I owe you guys," she said as she climbed out Bess's car. "I'll call you guys later this weekend, okay?"
"Okay," the girls echoed. "Call us if you need anything, Nan," Bess said.
"I will," Nancy promised. And with that she shut the door and walked inside of the building that she and Ned lived in.
"Evening, Ms. Drew," the doorman said as he held the door open for her.
"Evening, Carl," she replied. "Can you do me a favor?"
The doorman answered, "Yes ma'am. What can I do for you?"
"If Mr. Nickerson tries to come home tonight, don't let him in."
The doorman looked shocked, "Ma'am?" he questioned.
"He's moving out tomorrow, Carl. And he's not welcome back in this building until tomorrow at noon, when he comes to collect his things. Can you promise me that you won't let him in tonight?"
"I'll make sure you're not disturbed, Ms. Drew," he replied.
"Thanks, Carl," she answered and then smartly turned around towards the elevator.
Author: Kim
Disclaimers: I do not own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys copyright (although I do own @ 250
of the books.) The characters within my story belong to the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Simon
and Schuster. This was just for fun, trust me - there is no money to be made here.
Author's Notes: Okay - this is the deal. Ever since I started collecting these Super Mysteries back
in the late 80's (dating myself here, I know) I always wanted Frank and Nancy to get together.
Ned and Callie were just too boring for my taste. This is not the first F/N story I've written. But
it's currently the only one in existence. If you're not a F/N fan, this is not the story for you. If
aging the entire gang a few years into their mid-20's bothers you, this is not the story for you.
If you're appalled at the idea of adult relationships between any of the characters, again - this is
not the story for you. Now keep in mind, that even though I've always wanted F/N to get
together, I just can't bring myself to write them "together". Anything beyond passionate kisses
and suggestive wording is left to your imagination. Joe doesn't appear for the first few chapters,
but the rest of the ND gang and Frank is around. Patience is a virtue, all you Joe fans. If you like
the story - respond and I'll write more. If you don't like it - that's fine too. Just keep the flames
to a minimum folks, please. Okay - enough with the rambling ---- on with the show!
'What a night,' twenty-four year old Nancy Drew thought to herself, as she removed her jewelry. Her mind exploded in vivid color with the events that had transpired that evening.
The evening had started out so innocently enough. Bess had invited her to go out to dinner with her and her Bess's cousin George. Nancy had agreed readily. It seemed all three girls had been quite busy lately, never really getting a chance to connect. Nancy had been putting in tons of overtime at her job as an investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Bess was busy with wedding plans, and George was busy with classes as she attempted to finish her Masters in Exercise Science.
The three friends had decided to try a new sushi place they had heard about for dinner. During the course of the meal the had caught up on the goings on of the past few weeks. Suddenly, Bess had looked nervous. She leaned over next to her cousin and whispered something in her ear that Nancy couldn't hear. George glanced over Nancy's shoulder, and the same expression appeared on her face. Turning her head Nancy didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Um, Nancy..." George began. "What did you say Ned was doing tonight?"
Curious Nancy responded, "He told me he was having a working dinner with one of the guys from the office, which was fine, because I had already made plans with you guys. Why? What's going on?"
Timidly, Bess pointed to a corner booth in the restaurant. "Look over there, Nan. It doesn't look like a working dinner to me."
Slowly, Nancy turned around to where Bess had pointed. Shocked at the sight before her, Nancy's eyes widened in amazement. Ned and some girl that Nancy recognized from his office, but couldn't put a name with the face, were cuddled up next to each other in the booth, feeding each other sushi, and looking quite enamored with each other.
Nancy turned back to her two friends and closed her eyes. 'How could he do this to me?' she thought. Although she and Ned had not made any definite marriage plans, they had been living together since Nancy had graduated from college last year.
George covered Nancy's hand with her own, "Nan? Are you okay?"
Nancy shook her head yes but didn't say anything. Inside her head, the pieces were beginning to fall into place. All the late nights Ned spent at the office, not coming home until Nancy was in bed. It hadn't even occurred to her before now that something might be going on. She was often out late herself or called out of town on investigations. She had just thought they were both busy with their professional lives. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. But, obviously, Ned hadn't been putting in overtime, he had been cheating on her for God knew how long.
"What are you going to do?" Bess chimed in. She was shocked when she had looked up and seen Ned walk in with the gorgeous brunette. Ned had always seemed to be head over heels in love with Nancy, and this just wasn't like him.
Putting her napkin down, Nancy arose from the table. With more confidence than she felt, she said, "I'm going over there."
"Nan, don't make a scene," George pleaded with her friend. It was bad enough that they had caught Ned out with another woman in public, but they didn't want to add insult to injury by their friend fighting with her boyfriend in the middle of the restaurant.
"I'm not," Nancy answered calmly. As she walked across the restaurant, Nancy thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest. The tears began to well up in her eyes, but she forced them away. She strode up to the table, and the happy couple was so engrossed in each other, they didn't notice her approach.
She sat down next to Ned in the booth and at the same time reached out her hand to the unknown brunette. "Hi, I'm Nancy," she said, "Ned's girlfriend."
Both the girl and Ned had the same horrified expression on their faces. Ned turned to face her and said, "Nan, I can explain."
"No, Ned, I don't think you can." She shook her head at the sheer idiocy of the man in front of her. Did he honestly think he could explain this away?
"Nan, please, just listen to me," he began to plead. The brunette, looking quite chastised turned her head away, not wanting to be apart of the conversation.
"No. Do you honestly think I would believe you even if you tried? Working dinner, my ass, Ned." Nancy snorted as she continued. "I can't believe I didn't notice. All these working dinner and staying late at the office. Now, I really know what's been going on."
"Well, you know Nan," Ned replied suddenly angry, "Maybe if you had been around a little more, I wouldn't have had to find someone else to spend time with."
"Me?" Nancy said in disbelief. "You're trying to say that I'm the one to blame? Absolutely, unbelievable." Shaking her head, she held out her hand. "Give me your keys, Ned."
"What?"
"Your house keys, Ned. Fork them over. I want you out."
"Nan, you can't be serious. Where am I supposed to go?" Ned pleaded to a stoic faced Nancy.
"Not my problem," she replied. "Maybe if you had thought things through with your other head, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. The keys, Ned."
Digging into his pocket, Ned pulled out his key chain and removed the apartment keys from the holder. Placing them in her hand, he looked miserable and attempted at an apology. "I'm sorry, Nan."
She closed her fist tightly around the keys in an attempt to let her anger subside. "So am, I." She rose from the table and nodded to Ned. "Come over to the apartment tomorrow at noon and get all of your stuff. If you don't make it, it's going to Goodwill."
"Oh, and whoever you are," she spoke to the brunette. "Have fun. He's all yours." And with that Nancy walked back to the table where Bess and George were waiting.
"Come on Nan," Bess said, putting an arm around their friend. "We took care of the bill, now let's get out of here."
Nancy managed to keep her tears at bay until they reached the parking lot. Bess and George managed to get most of the story of what happened between Nancy's sobs. She quit crying halfway through the drive back to her apartment. Wiping away her tears, she apologized to her two friends.
"Nan, there is nothing to be sorry about. You guys were together a long time. It's okay to cry over it," George told her.
"Well, I'm done crying over him. What he did was absolutely unbelievable, and then he had the nerve to blame it on me! He's not worth the tears," she replied.
Bess shook her head in agreement. "I still can't believe, Ned, of all people, would do something like this."
"Well, guess it shows how much I really knew about him. Boy, am I glad we decided to live together for a while before getting married." She laughed at the thought. "Much easier to kick him out, than file for divorce."
The two other girls laughed. "That's our Nancy," George quipped. "Always looking on the bright side."
Just then the car pulled up at Nancy's apartment. "Do you want us to come in for awhile and keep you company?" Bess asked.
Nancy shook her head no. "Nah," she told the two. "I'm just gonna pour myself a glass of wine and soak in the bath and attempt to forget this night ever happened. I'll be okay, really." She explained to her friends.
"You sure?" George asked.
"Positive. Thanks for letting me vent. I owe you guys," she said as she climbed out Bess's car. "I'll call you guys later this weekend, okay?"
"Okay," the girls echoed. "Call us if you need anything, Nan," Bess said.
"I will," Nancy promised. And with that she shut the door and walked inside of the building that she and Ned lived in.
"Evening, Ms. Drew," the doorman said as he held the door open for her.
"Evening, Carl," she replied. "Can you do me a favor?"
The doorman answered, "Yes ma'am. What can I do for you?"
"If Mr. Nickerson tries to come home tonight, don't let him in."
The doorman looked shocked, "Ma'am?" he questioned.
"He's moving out tomorrow, Carl. And he's not welcome back in this building until tomorrow at noon, when he comes to collect his things. Can you promise me that you won't let him in tonight?"
"I'll make sure you're not disturbed, Ms. Drew," he replied.
"Thanks, Carl," she answered and then smartly turned around towards the elevator.