Amazing. I loved it.

Oh, my gosh… Oh, my gosh…! OH, MY GOSH! You stopped my heart on the last chapter!

Jerk

You sir (or ma'am) are a sadist… Nah, I'm just kidding, sorta…

Freaking heart on my sleeve… You're good. I can tell if you're good if it's a fanfiction and it's making me CRY. Then again, I'm already a rather emotional person… But good… You made the boys just the right age; mature, but still in that stage between teen life and childhood.

Excellent. PHenonmenal. Characters are head-on. Add a sprinkle of barbeque sauce. You really ought to think about changing your major.

Tromendus job!

"A well rounded critique is often the most rewarding gift a reader can give . Please use this golden opportunity to offer a well deserved praise and/or tips for improvement."

I can't think of any tips for improvement because I thinks you're already amaing. ;0

awesome job!

Excellent work.

Mom, I’m so glad you’re ok,” Joe interrupted his father, allowing his lip to quiver slightly so that his parents would switch from “let’s get mad at Joe” mode to “let’s make dear little Joey feel better, the poor thing!” mode. “When he called that other guy… and said… when he said to… I thought you were...” he sniffled, a single tear coursing down his cheek.

Frank rolled his eyes, apparently the only one not fooled, but he had to admit his little brother was good at getting the required pity. His parents both immediately melted at Joe’s tragic little face and pulled both boys into a family hug again, all thoughts of Joe’s misbehavior forgotten.

Such awesome characteristics!

This was a wonderful story. It was not only true to the characters, but way too plausible. Great job with Frank's posttraumatic stress after inadvertently killing a man while defending Joe and himself.

That nightmare scene where you got into Frank's private Hell with all of those never-ending corridors was truly frightening.

Thanks for the exciting read, Beth Palladino

Oh you are an evil one! Poor Frank is finally 'back' and you put him in the hospital AGAIN? Evil, evil, evil...

Frank rolled his eyes, only vaguely listening. The hospital… Frank shoved the blankets back, spattering bright red on the clean white sheets and rolled out of the bed. Ignoring Joey’s confused questions, he padded quietly out of the door and down the hall.

-Aw, he's STILL seeing blood on his hands? :-(

“Joe, go back in case Mom and Dad wonder where I am, ok? I have to talk to the doctor alone,” Frank said, slipping in and shutting the door behind him, leaving Joe outside. Sniffing like his Aunt Gertrude did when she felt affronted, Joe turned and went back to Frank’s hospital room, grumbling the entire way about ungrateful brothers.

-ROTFL! I loved Joe's reaction! :p

“But I can still see the blood,” Frank said in a low voice. “And I’m still the only one who can. I just… I want to be fixed. I was mad at first, that they were making me come see you, but… I’m tired of the blood. I… can’t you fix me?”

-Aw, man! Poor Frank thinks he needs to be fixed! But at least, if he's still seeing blood, he's now asking for help to get rid of it! That's progress, right?

Frank nodded. He still believed it. He had committed murder, surely he would have to be punished.

-Will someone please explain to this poor, tormented boy the difference between murder and self-defense? *sniff,sniff*

“Have faith, Frank.” Richardson’s composed voice cracked slightly, causing Frank to glance up at him. The doctor shook his head. “It was never your fault,” he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. “It should never have belonged to you at all. It was that Paulson who is to blame. Give the blood to him, Frank. It was always his.”

-Oh, I LOVE this doctor! Listen to him,Frank!

Chief Stalans had been rather irate when he learned the federal agents were truly going to take all credit on the arrest, and had already stormed out of the building. Fenton honestly didn’t care who took him away, as long as he was gone. It was rather satisfying to see him limping along, handcuffed between the two agents.

-Pooh! Stalans was a pain sometimes but I still wanted HIM to get credit for the arrest! Pooh on the Federal agents!

“Paulson,” Frank continued, stopping in front of the criminal. “This is for you. I don’t want it.”

The officers in the room all stared at him in confusion, not understanding what he meant, but Frank didn’t care. Paulson didn’t say anything but merely glared at the young Hardy. Possibly it was only Frank’s imagination, but for a second – just for the swiftest part of a second – the criminal’s eyes flickered down at the blood that coated Frank’s hands.

“That’s right,” Frank whispered. “It’s on your soul, not mine.” With that, he took hold of the front of Paulson’s shirt and used it to wipe all the blood from his hands.

The odd move finally elicited a reaction from Paulson. Jerking back out of Frank’s reach, he glared at the young boy, trying to shake off the officers’ hands which held him in place.

-YAY! I hope he's covered in blood!

Frank glanced around at the loving faces around him and it was all too much. He didn’t have to be strong... they were there to be strong for him when he could not be. You need to grieve…For the first time since the warehouse in Atlanta, the tears which had been dammed behind Frank’s stubborn eyes were set free, and he let them come. Every life deserves to be mourned… Allowing the strong arms that surrounded him from three sides to enfold him in a warm blanket of comfort, Frank broke down and sobbed.

-Oh, that is so touching! Absolutely wonderful! Good for you, Frank, for letting them comfort you! They needed it as much as you did!

“Let’s settle for we saved each other,” he offered. Frank smiled back and nodded.

-Aw... and so the partnership begins! :-)

He remembered with dread the cold, dark corridor, filled with walls that seeped and oozed blood. He remembered the macabre, dancing body of Bill Steinway. He remembered the voices that taunted him, calling his name until he nearly went crazy. He remembered how much he had just wanted to die right there, just to escape the most horrible nightmare of any nightmare he had ever had or ever would have again.

And then, for the first time in his life, Frank told Joey a lie.

“I’m sorry, Joe… I can’t remember.”

-Oh, I think my heart just broke! *sniff, sniff* And I'm not even sure if it's because Frank lied or becuase he did it to protect Joe!

Frank had been affected the most. His eyes never did regain the youthful impishness that Joe’s still held. Those dark eyes, so much like his father’s, regained their warmth but would forever be veiled and careful. There were still moments when Fenton’s older son would stop talking and just sit back, listening quietly and thoughtfully. He was no longer an impetuous teenager, but a responsible and intelligent young man with a new wisdom and respect for life.

-Oh, I LOVE that! I love how you wove all the happened into the start of the young man we know Frank will become! Well done!

Steeling himself, Frank looked down at his hands. He smiled. No more blood. His hands were clean.

-BRAVO!

That was an AWESOME story, Polaris! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! I hope to see more Hardy stories from you in the future! :-)

that was a brilliant ending to a brilliantly written fanfic. the emotions have been so subtly said that they leave you thinking.

thanks a lot for such a great fanfic. looking forward to a sequel or any another hardy fanfic

Applause! Bravo! A standing ovation!

That was a fantastic story: well thought out, superbly plotted, nail-biting from start to end. Just brilliantly written!

I really, really hope that you will thrill us with another Hardy Boys fic in the (near) future.

Congratulations on this incredible piece of writing.

Good ending, I'm glad Frank is on the road to recovery. I loved how he turned the symbolism of giving the blood to Paulson, into a physical act. I could easily see a young boy's mind working that way, especially one as logical as Frank. Take care,

Mouse

I got the sense that the ending chapter was rushed a bit - nevertheless I enjoyed the story. And it was made all worthwhile when Frank wiped his hands on the guy's shirt. 8-)

What a sight it would have been to be standing there as a spectator watching this kid do this. But even those around him didn't understand, Frank did, and that's what matters.

Nice job.

I love happy endings! So glad Frank was able to grieve and pass the burden on to someone else. I'll look for more stories in the future.

cool way for Frank to get rid of the blood...I like it...I thought "His eyes never did regain the youthful impishness that Joe’s still held." was a great line an spoke well of the changes that Frank went through...really enjoyed this story...thanks!