Holy cow, what a warm reception :) Thank you very much for all the supportive comments and reviews. I hope you enjoy this continution and conclusion to the story - let me know :) I will admit I wrote this story a few years agos and apolgoize, in advance, for it not being as polished as some of my newer ones. Again, thanks!

Beware, predictability and mush ahead - read at your own risk :P

Happy Halloween!

Spider's Web

Chapter 2

Frank had no way of explaining it to his father, so he lied. He hated to do it, but he did not have time to listen to his father debate the impossibility of Frank's logic, so instead he told his father that an older model brown Pontiac had been spotted driving away with a blond haired kid in the back seat…a kid that met Joe's description.

"Well, little brother," Frank commented dryly as he hung up the phone, "You should be proud of me. I just lied to our father for you. I just pray to God this works."

* * *

Joe felt a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. He wanted to scratch the spot but he couldn't move his hands because of the stickiness.

Don't scream….Frank please find me…don't scream…Frank where are you….

Please don't let it bite me again….

* * *

Frank hurried back towards the Mortons' farm. He was going to meet up with Biff and they would search together. Callie had stayed behind with Iola but she needed her car back to go home, so he was going to go with Biff.

"Where to?" Biff asked as Frank slid into the passenger side beside him.

Frank chewed his lip and shrugged, "What about down by Old Cemetery Road?"

Biff paled and gave him an alarmed look, "Frank…you're not thinking…?"

The dark haired boy sighed, "No Biff, I don't think Joe is dead…but at this point we have nothing else to go on, and I'd rather check it out just in case. Who knows what kind of sicko we're dealing with? All I know right now is that my brother is missing. And I'm leaving no stone unturned."

"Old Cemetery Road it is then," Biff said, and turned the car towards that part of town.

* * *

Joe started to shiver.

Oh great, just what he needed…as if the intense pain wasn't enough. Chills.

No, don't move, he tried to tell himself….Don't move or it will bite you again….

And as his stomach churned he wondered absently what he would give into first – the nausea…death?

* * *

"STOP THE CAR!" Frank yelled, and Biff slammed on the brakes, making the car fishtail before it came to a complete stop across the road from the cemetery.

"WHAT?" Biff hollered back as Frank was already undoing his seatbelt and running from the car.

He could not see what Frank saw but he followed his friend unquestioningly, as he already figured out it must have something to do with Joe.

* * *

Frank didn't let the closed gates stop him. He quickly scaled them and dropped with a soft thud on the ground on the other side with Biff right behind him.

His eyes were firmly locked on the slow moving figure just ahead of him. It was the trick-or-treater!

Frank had seen him on the other side of the gates, and that was what had prompted his unexplained actions. He knew this kid would lead him to Joe….He knew it deep in his heart. So he wasn't about to let him get away.

Using every bit of stealth that he possessed, the dark haired sleuth tracked him. Biff stayed further behind once he saw what Frank was doing. Although he had helped his friends out on cases before, he did not have their quiet, undetectable ways.

He was the muscle…so he stayed back.

* * *

Joe felt his face flushing. Oh great, something else to add to this growing list of fun – pain… chills… now a fever….

And then he felt the prickling sensation on his chest again….

Oh please god no…not again.

* * *

Frank froze, hardly comprehending what he was seeing.

There was another person in the cemetery – a large man with graying hair that looked to be about the same age as Frank's father.

The man was wearing a long black robe and had candles set up over a fresh grave. Frank could hear him chanting something, but couldn't make out the words.

As Frank watched in horrid fascination, the man reached out to the trick-or-treater, and then made him lie down over the grave.

This is all fine and dandy, Frank thought sarcastically, but where is my brother? I know you know…so come on, give me some sort of clue.…

Biff crept up behind Frank and then gasped as he saw the man and the trick-or-treater. "No…way!"

Frank put his mouth up to Biff's ear and whispered, "What?"

Following his friend's example, Biff did the same and whispered, "I know that guy! That's Max Stagg, he and my Dad play rugby together!"

Frank looked at him and shook his head. The name meant nothing to him. But as Biff glanced back at the man, his face paled and he was frantically whispering in Frank's ear again, "his son Taylor was killed a couple of days ago in a hit and run… but Frank! I swear to god that kid lying on that grave is Taylor Stagg… but it doesn't make sense. Taylor is dead!"

"Okay," Frank whispered carefully as he could see the man, Max Stagg, slowly wave his hands back and forth about a foot above Taylor's body as the volume of his chanting increased, "so if that is Taylor…then who is in that grave?"

From where they were crouched they could just make out the name carved into the headstone: TAYLOR STAGG.

And then Frank turned and bolted back towards the gate. Alarmed, Biff followed him, wondering where Frank was going, but as the dark haired boy fell to his knees near the tall hedges at the edge of the cemetery and started retching, he understood.

Frank raised his face up and whispered miserably, "Biff…I think Joe is in that grave."

"Oh my God," Biff said each word with feeling as he leaned over to keep from passing out, "We're too late!"

White-faced, Frank staggered to his feet. He refused to believe it. Joe couldn't be dead…."No… we have to get him out. If he's been in there all day he won't have much time left!"

Biff was shaking his head, "No, Frank. If he's been in there all day…then he's dead by now!"

Frank refused to believe it as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the cell phone. "Call my Dad! Tell him to get the police here right away!"

"Frank…." Biff tried to make Frank see the truth. Joe was dead. If he was in that grave…he was dead. But Frank yelled at him, not caring anymore if Stagg and his son heard him or not, "HE IS NOT DEAD!"

Hushing him, Biff grabbed his arm. "Okay, I'll call your Dad… what are you going to do?"

"Get Joe out of there!" Frank said, collecting himself, "After you call Dad, go to the groundskeeper's shed by the gate over there," he pointed to a small building, "and get some shovels – we need to dig up that grave fast!"

"Okay…okay." Biff still didn't believe Joe would be alive, but either way, he'd help Frank.

"Be careful," Biff warned, "I'll be back as quickly as I can!"

And then dialing the phone, he put it up to his ear and waited for Mr. Hardy to answer as Frank quickly raced back to the grave.

He had to save Joe.

* * *

Joe felt the cold overcoming his body. His breaths were becoming more labored and he knew he was almost out of air.

Guess I get to die first, he thought miserably but as his stomach revolted, he wasn't so sure anymore.

* * *

Max Stagg never knew what hit him. Frank threw himself at the bigger man, knowing he'd need the element of surprise to bring him down. He had no idea how much resistance Taylor might offer but he knew that if this guy played rugby with Biff's dad, then he'd be in good shape.

Ross Hooper made his son look small. At 6'4, he was a big man among big men.

"NO!" Max screamed, shoving Frank off him, "The ritual is not complete! You're too early!"

Frank ducked a wild swing and brought his fist up into Max's stomach. His eyes were dark with rage and as the adrenaline coursed through his bloodstream, Frank knew this was one fight he would win.

In the foremost of his mind was the fact that only a few feet beneath him his brother was suffocating.

As Frank brought back his fist and connected with Max's chin, he felt the big man go down. Thank God, he thought as he whipped around to see what Taylor was up to.

The other boy was still lying on the grave, and Frank reached down and pulled him off. He recoiled from the feel of Taylor 's skin beneath his hand. The skin was icy and reminded him of the texture of a frog which had been in formaldehyde waiting for some biology class to dissect him.

Taylor offered no resistance and went to stand behind his unconscious father as Frank started to frantically try and dig up the grave with his bare hands. He knew he needed a shovel but until Biff could get there, he'd use what he had.

"Hold on Joe…I'm coming! Hold on, little brother!" he yelled, hoping that somehow through the dirt, Joe would hear him.

And then Biff was there with two shovels, and both boys frantically started to dig. One prayed they were not too late while the other prayed he'd be strong enough for his friend when they opened that casket and saw Joe's body.

* * *

Scratching…horrible scratching noise….

Joe heard noise but he didn't care anymore.

He opened his eyes once just to confirm what he had known all along…he was buried alive. But that would be rectified in just a few moments…he was out of air.

Even the brown recluse spider did not concern him anymore.

As he let out his final breath, he prayed that someone would take care of Frank for him…while he was gone….

* * *

The boys saw the casket lid and using the shovel they pried it off and then gasped in shock.

Their worst suspicions had been confirmed – Joe was in the grave.

Frank immediately reached down to grab Joe but Biff stopped him. "Frank, no. He's gone."

With a strength that no one would have ever thought Frank possessed, he shoved Biff away like he was nothing as he squatted down and picked his brother up. "If you're not going to help me Biff…then you'd better as hell stay away." His voice was a low growl as he started to climb up out of the grave but when he slipped, Biff's hand steadied him and then pulled them both out of the grave.

"Of course I'll help, Frank," he said softly, and then took off his coat and laid it on the ground for Frank to lay Joe down on. Frank was appalled to see something sticky wrapped around Joe's wrists and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

Spiders' thread. It was sticky and hard to break, but Frank pulled out his pocket knife and quickly cut through it.

"He's been bitten by something." Biff noticed the small white blister that had risen at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area on Joe's neck. As Frank checked Joe's vitals, Biff turned back to the casket and shuddered, and then he heard Frank:

"He's got a pulse!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Biff squatted down over the casket and looked inside. Joe had been bitten by something and he knew if he could find out what it was, it would make it easier to treat. He had seen a bite like that a long time ago and he was already afraid that he knew the answer.

Behind him, he heard Frank again: "He's not breathing!" And then the sounds of him starting CPR on his brother.

And then Biff saw the spider. A dark brown color, the spider had a violin-shaped marking on its head. It was about the size of a quarter…and poisonous.

"Damn," he muttered as he heard Frank still trying to revive Joe, "he's been bitten by a recluse spider, Frank."

If the dark haired boy had any reaction to this statement, Biff never saw it as Frank was too busy working on his brother. And then as Biff reached down and picked up the now dead spider he heard a small gasp and smiled.

Joe was alive.

* * *

…breathedamnit…breathedeamnit…breathedamnit… over and over Frank kept repeating those two words as he breathed for his brother, pressed on his chest and breathed again.

Hot tears stung his eyes; he wasn't ready to let Joe go like this….

In the distance Frank heard the sounds of the police and hoped his father had also sent for an ambulance.

Then he heard the most wonderful sound in the world…Joe gasped.

"Welcome back, kiddo," he said softly as he hugged his brother tightly.

Behind him he heard the sound of Max stirring but before he could even turn around he saw Biff straighten up to his full height and growl, "Don't even think about it, Max. I'll lay you out, man."

Frank wondered where Taylor was as he held his shaking brother. But the trick-or-treater had just disappeared….He was nowhere to be seen.

"Its okay, Joe," he whispered, "Shh. I've got you now."

"It…hurts, Frank…" Joe gasped as he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. "it…hurts…so. Bad."

Frank didn't need to ask his brother what he was talking about. Biff said Joe had been bitten by a brown recluse spider. The bites were painful and Joe needed treatment, but as he heard his father shouting and running towards him, he knew that Joe would be okay.

* * *

Once they got Joe to the hospital and he had been treated, Frank finally got to see him again. His father was outside talking to the police, and his mother was on her way.

"Hey kiddo," Frank said as he stared down at Joe.

His brother opened tired blue eyes to gaze up at him, and smiled. "Hey Old Man….Thanks."

"For what?" Frank asked, pulling the visitor's chair closer and sitting down. He saw the bandage over the bite site on Joe's chest and winced. The bite had been deep and had erupted into a 'volcano lesion,' or a small hole in the flesh due to the damaged, gangrenous tissue, and Joe had been started on high doses of cortisone and antibiotics. He would be kept in the hospital until they were sure the tissue damage was under control.

Frank shook his head, hardly believing the amount of damage one spider bite could inflict, as the wound itself was now the size of a thumbnail. The doctor had told them it would take up to six or eight weeks to fully heal.

"For finding me," Joe said tiredly. He had been shocked beyond belief when he regained consciousness and saw Frank's concerned brown eyes gazing down at him warmly… welcome back kiddo… wonderful words to come back to.

Frank's face softened at the brightness in his brother's eyes. "Of course I had to find you…" he smiled gently and tried to lighten the mood, "you haven't fixed the van yet!"

Joe laughed and then groaned; Frank grinned. "Sorry," and then he became serious. "Joe, what happened?"

His younger brother sighed and closed his eyes. For a moment Frank didn't think he was going to say anything, but then Joe started speaking. "I was on my way back from the run when I saw a car on the side of the road with a flat tire. So I stopped to help and then next thing I know he's shoving a rag in my face."

Joe paused and reached for a drink. Frank helped him and then took the cup away when he finished. "I tried to fight the guy but he was too strong."

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Frank mused, thinking of his own scuffle with Max and wondering where he had managed to get the strength to take him down. But then as he gazed back at Joe, he knew. He took Max down because he had no choice.

Joe had needed him to.

"When I woke up, we were in the cemetery and that guy was chanting some stuff and I couldn't move. He'd wrapped some sort of stuff around my wrists…I think he said it was spiders' thread…." Joe shivered at the memory, and Frank leaned across and gave his arm a squeeze.

Joe's voice became a whisper as he continued, and Frank could feel the fear radiating from his brother as he continued the tale. "He told me his son had died but that I was going to give him his son back. I was going to trade places."

Frank moved to the edge of the bed to sit when he saw how upset his brother was becoming. "He s-said that when I – when I died my spirit would g-go into his son's body and his son w-would… be alive again."

"Its okay Joe… " Frank reassured.

Joe shook his head, took a deep breath and tried to continue. "He put the s-spider on me. He said it – ah - it was the carrier of my spirit. It would bite me and then hold my soul until I died…and then his son – his s-son would…would…and he buried me… and…" Joe buried his face in his hands and his shoulders shook.

Frank felt deep anger stir in his chest at the crazy man as he moved to sit beside his brother. He slipped an around the his brother and gently tugged until Joe leaned into him. "Shh," he sighed out, "it's okay, bro. You're safe… There're no more spiders…no more mad Max. Dad is right outside the door and I'm here with you. You're going to be okay…"

Joe pulled away from him and looked up with wide fearful eyes. It shook Frank up to see his brother so badly shaken. "Will I be though, Frank? It was so dark, Frank. Inside….So dark…I was so alone."

Frank's arm tightened protectively around his traumatized brother as he fought back his own emotion. "Joe, you are always in my heart and as long as you keep me in yours, you will never be alone again. And no matter where you go, or how deep you get buried, I will find you. This is my promise to you. My big-brother sacred promise. You are my little brother, and as long as there is a breath in my body, I will do whatever I can to make sure that no one can ever anyone hurt you like this again."

Joe gave a grateful nod; his voice quiet. "Thank you, Frank."

Frank nudged at his shoulder. "Hey, you have nothing to thank me for, bro. We're brothers. That's what we do and don't ever forget that. But I do need to say something to you…." Frank waited Joe was looking at him and then continued, "Man, I'm sorry….So sorry. You were going through all this while I was whining over some stupid brakes on the van. If I'd been home I would have realized you were missing sooner…and found you sooner. I was such a loser…"

"A loser?" Joe stared at him with disbelief. "Frank you saved my life… nothing loser about that. And not like you knew something was up and just ignored it. Even you at your most pissed at me couldn't do that. But – ah – can you just promise me one thing?"

"Anything," Frank said.

"Well… the next time I do see a spider…" Frank nodded in rapt attention as Joe continued, "and decide to do the chicken dance…please don't laugh…"

Frank blinked unsure how to respond for a moment but then as a mischievous twinkle replaced the somber fear for just a few moments, he knew Joe was teasing him. Playfully swatting at his brother's arm, he snorted said, "BRAT!"

"And you love me for it," Joe commented as he closed his eyes and lay back down in the bed. God, he was tired.

"Yeah well, I'll love you even more when you get the brakes fixed on the van!" Frank laughed as he shifted on the bed and into the visitor's chair again.

Joe scowled, then pressed the call button and when the nurse answered he said, as pathetically as he could, "Can you get my Daddy for me, please? My brother is bothering me."

And amid peals of laughter from his sons, Fenton Hardy stepped into the room and smiled.

Things were rapidly returning to normal.

Well as normal as anything could be in the Hardy household.

* * *

And in a newly sealed grave marked "TAYLOR STAGG" the trick-or-treater slept….

Happy Halloween!

The End.