A/N: Oh, dear, last chapters are so hard to write, aren't they? Wrapping everything up in a neat little chapter with a cheesy closer and worrying about things like sequels? It's gonna be hard to let go of this one; it's been fun. Wow, I guess we'd better get to the chapter before I find myself in the throes of an emotional breakdown...
Disclaimer: (insert disclaimer here)
"I hate missing out on the action." Joe lamented, lying back on his pillows as Frank, George, and Bess took turns relating their parts in the Network building fiasco. Carson, Laura, Fenton, and the Gray Man were also positioned around the bed, making for one irritatingly crowded hospital room.
Bess eyed the bandages binding his chest and remarked, "No, I think you've seen too much action for one week."
Joe shook his head teasingly. "It's all relative. You think I've seen too much action, I think you own too many shoes... and yet, we always want more." he smiled at the mock indignation on Bess's face as his eyes floated to the door for what seemed like the tenth time that minute.
Joe and Fenton had been frantic by the time the group returned to the hospital, having received a call for reinforcements to the Network building, but unable to go and help. Fenton's fears were easily calmed by the sight of Laura, Frank, Carson, Nancy, George, and Bess, all alive, but Joe had yet to see Nancy, who'd been whisked off to get stitches for her head the moment she set foot in the hospital building, and he couldn't put his mind at rest until he did.
Frank followed Joe's gaze and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, relax, bro. She's fine."
"I know..." Joe said, trailing off as his nurse came into the room with a not-so-friendly reminder that only two visitors were allowed in the room at a time.
"This man needs rest! This is a hospital, not a dinner party!" she reprimanded.
"It's a good thing, too." Joe cracked as his visitors started to get up. "Because the food here definitely isn't up to dinner party standards..." He shot the nurse a wink, but she only gave him a disapproving glance and left.
"Looks like the old Joe Hardy charm is wearing thin." Frank noted with amusement.
Joe shook his head. "Ever since I got married... I don't understand it." His family and friends chuckled at the brothers' banter as they filed out of the room.
The Gray Man stopped in the doorway and turned back to the Hardy Brothers. "I'm afraid I have to be going." he told them. "There's a lot of business to attend to; relocating the Chicago office, first of all."
Frank and Joe, now the only other people in the room, nodded. "Of course." Joe said. "Because god forbid we know where to find you."
The Gray Man smiled tightly. "It's for your safety and ours. Now, I've got to go. Give my best wishes to Nancy and Miss Fayne, and take care of yourself, Joe. I'd say goodbye, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding your way back to us next time you need to be bailed out of trouble." With a nod and a enigmatic smile, he ducked out of the room and disappeared.
Frank and Joe looked at each other in disbelief. "Next time we need to be bailed out!" Frank exclaimed. "More like the next time we need to bail the Network out!"
Joe grinned and shook his head. "I hate that guy..."
"Yeah, but he comes through once in a while." Frank replied. He sat back down in the chair next to Joe's bed. "So, feeling any better now?"
Joe was looking at the door again. "Much better." he said, smiling. Frank looked back and saw Nancy standing in the doorway.
She crossed over to Joe's bed and leaned down to peck him on the lips before perching on the edge of the bed. "Okay," she teased. "How are you really feeling?"
"I feel okay, actually," Joe answered. "I don't know what they're giving me for the pain, but I definitely like it."
"Oh, great," Nancy said, looking at Frank. "He's drugged up."
"It's hard to tell." Frank smirked.
"Everybody's a wise guy..." Joe groaned. He took Nancy's chin in his hand and tilted it down so he could examine her head. Her hair partially obscured the white gauzy bandage plastered on her left temple, but he could see the bruises starting to form around it. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her.
Nancy gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll have an ugly bruise, and a killer headache when the aspirin wears off, but there's no permanent damage." Joe's relieved blue eyes gazed into hers. Unable to help herself, she leaned down again, this time pressing her lips more fully against his. As Joe returned the kiss, she found herself feeling as dizzy as she had earlier, but in a good way. Joe's arms encircled her waist and he pulled her closer.
Frank averted his eyes uncomfortably, the pang of jealousy not entirely gone. Hating himself for being so immature but unable to watch a second longer, he coughed softly.
They separated immediately, stunned at their own callousness, unable, for a moment, to find words to say to Frank.
Frank gave them a sad smile. "Hey, guys, it's okay. I'll be okay."
Nancy and Joe shared a look, then turned their guilty eyes back to Frank. "Frank..." they said at the same time.
They were obviously in love. Frank noticed that the feeling of numbness he had originally experienced was almost gone. She's good for him. He's good for her. he thought vaguely. Looking up, Frank suddenly found himself staring into his favorite two pairs of blue eyes.
Joe spoke up. "Frank, I know it will take time, but I... we... need you to be okay with this." What else can we do? I'm not going to apologize for loving her.
Frank read into Joe's statement and understood. "I know." he said. And I will be... eventually. A wave of self-pity broke over him. He studied the floor.
"But Frank," Nancy leaned forward on her knees. "We're glad you're back, never doubt that."
Frank just looked at her dully; as if those words could have any effect on his mood. "Nancy, we still need to talk..." he trailed off, looking at his brother.
Joe smiled vaguely. "Go, stay... it doesn't matter, I'm half-asleep anyway." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
Nancy laughed quietly, but, turning to Frank, she saw that he wasn't laughing. Nancy tensed and prepared herself for the conversation she saw coming. Neither she nor Frank spoke for a long moment: the calm before the storm.
Frank ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit, Nancy." he said, "I love you!"
Nancy frowned at him, surprised by the intensity of the attack, if not by the attack itself. "Do you?" she asked. "Frank, I'm not the only girl in the world."
"You were!" Frank shot back. "For a long time the thought of you was all I had." He was suddenly unable to look her in the eyes.
"You don't have that now." Nancy said, her voice pleading for him to understand. "Times change. People change!"
"Some things don't change. Maybe I haven't." Frank said.
"You more than all of us!" Nancy cried. "...And isn't it possible that maybe, just maybe, you're so focused on the memory of loving me that you didn't realize when you stopped feeling the actual emotion? You haven't seen me in five years! I could be a completely different person!"
Frank reeled back as if he'd been slapped. Could Nancy be right? Had he stopped loving her without seeing it?
"And furthermore:" Nancy was on a roll now, furiously letting out all the frustration she'd been too timid to release in front of Frank before. "I don't know who you are anymore! I know the Frank Hardy I know would never treat a friend the way you treated George!"
Frank's head snapped up in surprise. "The way I treated George?" he repeated incredulously. "What are you talking about?"
Nancy's anger ebbed away as she realized he really didn't know what she meant. "Oh, Frank..." she sighed. "Are you blind? She's been great to you: giving you emotional support, a place to stay, and you're so wrapped up in this thing with me that you never even look her way!"
Frank took a minute to figure out what she was implying, then looked at her, astonished. "You really think that George...?"
Nancy shrugged. "Why is that so implausible to you?" she asked. "Listen. I'm not trying to push you at her, or anyone else, for that matter, because I know you need time, but you can't hold on to me forever." She saw the irony in the situation: this conversation closely mirrored the one she had had with George on that day, so long ago, when she started to give up Frank and, in turn, allow herself to fall for Joe. " 'You don't have to rush into anything, but at least keep an open mind.' " she murmured, more to herself than Frank.
Frank was feeling a little bit of everything: anger, frustration, confusion, and, most of all, overwhelmed. If the past few days had been an emotional roller coaster, he felt like emotionally throwing up.
Nancy sensed this and, although she wanted to hug him, she thought it was best to let him sort it out on his own. Any tender gestures she made towards him could easily add to the emotional overload he was experiencing. Instead, she tried to lighten the mood. "Do you think we should tell Joe he can stop pretending to be asleep?"
Frank looked up at her, grinning wanly. "I dunno, at least he's quiet this way."
"Not nice, Frank." Joe mumbled, eyes still closed.
Nancy and Frank laughed, and Nancy could see some of the warmth
returning to his eyes. Maybe we can
do this, she thought. We
needed to do this: to yell and talk and laugh. And if we can survive
that, then we're going to be alright.
George gasped, startled, as she came out of Nancy's house to find Frank sitting on the porch swing.
"Hey."
"Hi." George replied slowly. "What are you doing out here? Why didn't you come in?"
He shrugged, not getting up. "I'll talk to Joe and Nancy tomorrow. Just thought I'd come and pick you up here. It's the least I can do." George had shared her apartment, her car, and her time with him for the past month while he'd gotten back on his feet: physically, emotionally, legally, and financially.
George smiled, even though it was hard to see due to approaching twilight. "Frank, I told you, you don't owe me anything. Friends-"
"Don't let friends drive drunk." Frank finished mock-seriously. Since his talk with Nancy so long ago, he had made sure to show his appreciation for George, and it had started to melt into affection.
George laughed. "I think you're getting more like Joe every day."
Frank wasn't sure what to say to that. He supposed he had changed a bit; had gained an appreciation for the light side of things and for life in general: something Joe had had all along. "How is Joe, anyway?" Frank asked. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him today."
George rolled her eyes. "His attitude is back to normal." she said. "Physically, he's still in some pain, I think, but it's getting easier for him to walk and everything. He'll be okay."
"No doubt about it. He'll always pull through." Frank said. "Nancy still fussing over him like crazy?"
George laughed. "Yep," she confirmed. "He's been home a week now and she's still waiting on him hand and foot... I think by this point she's just doing it to drive him nuts. He's begging her to stop."
Frank chuckled. "He really is crazy about her, isn't he?" he mused. "You know, after Iola, he never really had anyone else... Vanessa, maybe, but Nancy...she's good for him."
"Yeah..." George said softly, wondering if this conversation was heading for dangerous waters. "And vice versa." she reminded tentatively.
"I know." Frank said with a half-smile. George relaxed. He looked up at her suddenly. "Hey, George, I need to make a confession." Frank said, motioning her to sit down.
George sat next to him, her movement causing the swing to rock gently. "Yes?"
"I don't have a suit for the wedding."
George grinned. "That's no secret." she said. "No problem; we'll go out and find one tomorrow."
"See?" Frank said. "This is what I mean: you're always taking care of me."
"It's fun." George teased. "Sort of like having a pet dog."
"But without the fetch." Frank reminded, causally resting an arm around her shoulder. They sat like that for a moment before Frank broke the silence. "I can't believe someone is crazy enough to marry Bess." he mused fondly.
"My thoughts exactly." George deadpanned. "And the June wedding: so clichéd."
Frank looked past George's profile at the stars that were beginning to appear and suddenly grew serious. "George, thank you."
"You're welcome." George replied, not automatically, but with the air of someone who has had the same conversation over and over. The next part was new, however; Frank's deep brown eyes were boring into hers, and neither of them could look away. Before they knew it, they were drawing closer, their lips on a collision course, too close to miss. Her breath hitched for the slightest instant as he tilted his head to meet her lips. Before they touched, though, George jerked back as if she'd been burned, sending the swing bouncing creakily. "What are we doing?" she asked sadly.
Frank leaned back, his dark eyes shining with concern. "George?"
"It's too soon." she said. Seeing his confusion, she added, "Not for me, for you. I don't want to be a rebound girl, a second choice because you can't have Nancy."
Frank frowned. "That was never my-"
"I know you don't mean it like that." George interrupted. "But how would you know? It's only been a month; could you possibly be over her already?" It was taking all of her willpower not to just kiss him now and worry about the implications later. On the other hand, she didn't think she could handle it if they found out later that he didn't love her that way.
Frank knew she was being wise. "I understand." he nodded, feeling admonished by and, at the same time, attracted to, her gentle logic. Nancy or no Nancy, Frank knew he would never intentionally take advantage of someone like George, and he wanted her to know that. A twinkle entered his eye. "In the future, however..."
George smiled inwardly. "The future is fair game." she acknowledged.
Frank looked at her long and hard. "Good." he finally replied.
"In the meantime," George continued, "My cousin is getting married in two weeks and I still need a date for the wedding..."
The tense atmosphere evaporated as they returned to their friendly banter. Eventually, they made their way off the porch and down to the car, each harboring their own separate triumphant thoughts.
A/N: That's a wrap! ... (strangled sob) Well, you guys have all been great readers and reviewers, and I hope my ending didn't disappoint you. (If you're one of those people who didn't want George and Frank together, just pretend they drove over a cliff on the way home, you happy-ending nazis! Relax, I'm just kidding.)
Hmm, status report: No sequel in sight for this one. Sorry. (Although for those of you who liked this one, I may write some more Nancy/ Joe in the future. I've got a few ideas, so don't despair!) I'm going to try to pick up on TCC now, but don't hold your breaths, because... well, I just recently started a sequel for LMM, and I'm really excited about it, so look out for that... eh, soonish. Darn, I can't think of any other way to prolong this note, so I'll finish with my usual plea for reviews. What you thought of this chapter, overall opinions, whatever: for old times' sake, please review!