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Discoveries	By : vinsmouse Category: G through L > Hardy Boys Series Views: 2987 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hardy Boys, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Chapter List
- 1-Discoveries
- 2-Two
- 3-three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 9
- 10
- 11
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hardy Boys, not making any money, just cheap thrills.
Warnings: Angst, Slash
Rating: FRT
Discoveries
Chapter 10
Laura felt nearly giddy with relief as she listened to her sons relaxed conversation as they came in the front door. She heard them separate at the bottom of the stairs, one going up and one moving into the kitchen. Many years ago, when the boys were very young, she and Fenton had agreed not to interfere in their arguments. They both felt that it was important for the two brothers to settle their differences without any parental controls, as long as the fight didn't become serious or continue too long. Even then, they had never forced the boys to make up, feeling that to do so would defeat the purpose of reconciliation. So, rather than force, they had simply spoken to the boys with respect and encouraged them to resolve the argument before it became too serious. Laying aside her knitting, she stood and walked to the kitchen. "I take it you boys have resolved your differences?"
Frank turned to face his mother, a sheepish smile on his face, "Yeah we..."
Laura gasped, the bruise on the jaw of her eldest telling a story of its own. "Oh Frank," she sadly whispered. "I wish you boys could have resolved things without resorting to violence," she went on in a normal voice. While she spoke, she opened the freezer, quickly removing the ice pack and wrapping it in a towel. "Here, put this on your jaw," she ordered as she handed him the cold compress.
Frank gratefully accepted the ice pack, placing it on his aching jaw with a relieved sigh. "It wasn't Joe that hit me," he gently corrected her.
Laura glanced up at him, surprise written on her face, "It wasn't?"
"No, it was Chet and before you say anything, I had it coming."
"He hit you because of your argument with Joe?"
"Sort of," he replied.
"That isn't right Frank, you are allowed to disagree with your brother and this was quite a bombshell he dropped on us. Chet had no business hitting you," she firmly declared.
Frank sighed, "Yes he did Mom, trust me on that."
Laura arched an eyebrow at that assertion, "Why do you say that?"
"I'd rather not say, please."
Seeing a look of lingering shame in Frank's brown eyes, she reluctantly gave in. "All right honey, but if he hits you again I want to know why."
"He won't," Frank assured her. "I'm glad he did anyway."
"You are?"
"Yeah, knocked some sense into my hard head."
Laura's eyes twinkled merrily, "I thought Joe was the one with a hard head."
"Oh he is, but every once in a while I have to be foolishly stubborn just so he won't feel alone."
Joe flopped down on his bed, opening his cell phone he dialed a familiar number. "Miss me love?"
"Joe," Dale smiled, the sound of his lover's voice instantly lifting his spirits. "You know I did," he replied. "Is everything okay?"
Joe smiled, "Better than I hoped for."
"Tell me," Dale softly requested.
Joe quickly filled Dale in on the reactions of his family and friends. "I just hope Biff comes around soon."
"I know baby, I hope he does too, for your sake."
"At least everybody else is taking it well."
Dale smiled, "I got to admit it's surprising, but I'm glad."
"Maybe you can talk to Global about transferring sooner than we'd hoped."
"Monday too soon for you?" Dale grinned.
"Are you serious?" Joe excitedly asked.
"I started missing you even before you left," Dale softly responded. "By lunch time I'd decided, that unless you told me differently, I was putting in a transfer request first thing Monday."
"I'll start looking for apartments for you, furnished right?"
"No, I own all the furniture in my place."
"You do?"
"Yeah, most of it's second hand; I got it a little here and a little there," Dale explained.
"Unfurnished then and I already know what kind of price range to look at. I can't wait for you to be here."
"Me too, I'm going through withdrawals," Dale teased.
"I love you," Joe said, his voice thick with emotion.
Dale smiled, he wished, not for the first time, that Joe was right here beside him. "I love you too. There any chance you could come up tomorrow?"
"I was hoping you'd ask," Joe grinned.
"That a yes?"
"You know it is," came the soft reply.
"You'll spend the night?"
"I'd love to." They talked for a while longer, each reluctant to let the other go. Joe knew he should say good-bye, there was bound to be yard work that needed done, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. It wasn't until he heard his father's voice downstairs asking about supper that he finally, reluctantly, said his good-byes.
Dale looked around the apartment Joe had found for him. The younger man was right, it was perfect. "Are you sure I can afford this?" he asked again, doubt coloring his words.
"I told you, it's less than you're paying now," Joe replied.
"I can hardly believe that Joe, are you sure you heard the guy right?"
His eyes twinkling mischievously, Joe cupped his hand around his ear and tilted his head. "What's that ya say sonny?"
Laughing, Dale playfully smacked his lover's arm, "Very funny."
"I thought so," Joe grinned. "The rent is just what I told you, your problem is that you're forgetting the cost of living isn't as high outside of the city."
"There is that," Dale admitted with a sheepish grin. "This is a great apartment, especially the second bedroom." Stepping away from Joe, he again opened the door into the second bedroom. He'd never seen a bedroom with no windows in it before. "It's going to make a perfect darkroom."
"I know," Joe said as he came up behind Dale. "That's what I was thinking when I saw it."
"I'll finally be able to move around my darkroom without worrying about knocking equipment or chemical trays over."
"That mean you're going to take it?"
"Of course," Dale smiled. Turning around, he wrapped his arms around Joe. Lowering his head, he claimed Joe's lips in a passionate kiss.
"Oh hell."
The two young men broke apart, one blushing furiously, the other just furious. "Then again maybe not," Dale growled, glaring at the landlord. "You got a problem Mr. Lawson?"
Bill Lawson, turned from his study of the door, though he didn't look at the two men. "Problem?"
"Yeah," Dale snapped. "With us?"
"No, no problem," Lawson replied, his eyes still not on Joe and Dale.
"Look Mr. Lawson I know the law says you can't refuse to rent to me cause of who I love, but if you have a problem with it I'll find someplace else to rent. You don't have to worry about a lawsuit either, I don't need to be where I'm not wanted."
"You think..." Bill trailed off as laughter overcame him.
Joe and Dale exchanged a confused look, neither of them understanding what was so funny.
"Sorry boys," Bill apologized, his hand coming up to wipe tears of laughter from his eyes. "I have a son a little older than you boys and I love him very much; the fact that he's gay makes no difference to me." Bill smiled, the confusion on their faces amusing him, "I wasn't angry to find you boys kissing, just embarrassed, the same way I would have been with any other couple."
Dale blushed, "Sorry I got so mad."
"No need to apologize son, I know what kind of prejudices you've probably encountered. I'm sure I would have assumed the worst too if I were in your shoes. So, do you want the apartment?"
"Yes sir, will you take a check from Global Import/Export?"
"You don't look like you're in management," Bill observed.
"No sir," Dale confirmed. "I'm transferring from New York and they're paying the relocation costs, including the first months rent and security deposit. They gave me an expense account to make it easier, but it's only good for moving expenses."
"I see, you have something to prove that?"
"Yes sir, they gave me a letter that confirms what I just told you," Dale replied. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out the letter and handed it to the other man.
Bill read it over carefully, "Looks to be in order. You write out the check and I'll get you a receipt."
"That was embarrassing," Joe mumbled after Bill left the apartment.
Dale laughed, "Yeah, but it was worth it."
"Worth it?"
"Sure, got to see you blush again," Dale teased. Ignoring Joe's indignant look, he took out the checkbook, and quickly wrote out a check for the rent and security deposit. As he pulled the check loose, Bill Lawson returned, handing him a receipt. Reaching out, Dale shook the older man's hand, "Thank you Mr. Lawson."
Bill nodded, "I don't expect you'll have any trouble from the other tenants, but if you do, let me know."
"Yes sir, I will."
"Good, see you boys later."
"You gonna help me move?" Dale turned to Joe.
"Of course," Joe smiled. "You got boxes yet?"
"No, I didn't see any reason to get any until I had a place."
"Afraid you'd jinx it?"
"Something like that," Dale admitted with an embarrassed laugh.
"Never took you as the superstitious type."
"I'm not," came the quick denial. Seeing a raised eyebrow, Dale found himself blushing, "Well, not usually."
"Just about moving?"
Dale shook his head, "About getting what I want."
"What do you mean?" Joe asked, all signs of teasing gone from his voice.
Dale sighed. Pulling Joe close, he brought one hand up, caressing the side of his lover's face. "Whenever I know something good is going to happen I get nervous, afraid that something will happen to mess it up."
"So you think if you prepare for it..."
"That it won't happen. You know when you were going to move in with me?"
"Yeah?"
"I still hadn't cleaned the extra bedroom out and wouldn't have until you started carrying boxes through the door."
"I guess I can understand that," Joe mumbled thoughtfully.
"Can you?" Dale didn't see how he could, not the boy who had grown up in a happy family, loved and cared for. How would he know what it was to fear that if you dared to want something the universe would snatch it away from you just as you reached for it?
"I know I didn't grow up like you, but for a month I thought I had." Joe sighed, how to find the words to make Dale understand? "During that time I thought I was Joe Harris, the only memories I had were the ones that we'd created for him. I honestly believed I had grown up in foster care, never really wanted, just tolerated. I know it isn't the same Dale, but it gives me an idea of what you went through and how scared you'd be that what you want will be taken from you."
Dale smiled, "You really do understand, don't you?"
"As much as I can," Joe softly replied.
"I love you," Dale whispered.
"Love you back," Joe grinned. Pulling Dale's head down, he eagerly kissed him, putting all the love he felt for this man into the kiss.
"Wow," Dale smiled.
"Ready to go back to the city and pack?"
"You coming with me?"
"You bet."
"Then I'm ready, maybe we better bring your friend Chet with us though or we might not get much packing done," Dale joked.
"That would be one way to make sure we packed, but I'm not sure we can afford to feed Chet. Actually, if you don't mind, I was thinking maybe Frank could help us with the packing."
"You think he would?"
"I think he wants to make up for the way he acted and I know he's trying to accept us being together."
"And you think if he gets to know me better it'll help?"
Joe shrugged, "Couldn't hurt."
"If he's willing it's fine with me, but if he says or does anything to hurt you I'll toss him out on his ear," Dale cautioned.
Joe smiled, when he'd been with Iola and Vanessa he had done the protecting; he couldn't believe how good it felt to be the one who was being protected. "Thank you love."
"So how much time is Global giving you for the move?" Frank asked the next day as he packed boxes.
"They're giving me ten days."
"That much?"
"Yeah, apparently it's standard for a short move like this one. They said if I was transferring to the other side of the country I would have gotten six weeks."
"I'm glad they give you that much time, it'll give me time to show you around Bayport before you have to start work," Joe commented.
"When are you going to rent a moving van?"
"If we get everything boxed up in time I'll go rent one this afternoon, otherwise first thing in the morning."
Frank nodded, "Sounds like a good plan." Opening the closet, he expected to see the normal coats and umbrellas, maybe some Christmas decorations. "I didn't know you had a darkroom," his voice tinged with surprise.
"I've had it for about a year, gonna be great to have that nice big room in the new place to work in."
Frank stepped forward, absently examining the equipment as he packed it up, he couldn't help noticing the quality. "This is a pretty high dollar set-up," he commented.
"Frank," Joe snapped, the warning clear in his voice.
"It's okay Joe, don't tell me you didn't wonder how somebody like me could afford stuff like that," Dale scoffed. "Either of you ever heard of Phillip Winslow?"
Frank shook his head, but Joe instantly recognized the name. "The photographer?"
"The same," Dale smiled. "I met him one day in Central Park when I was taking pictures. Even though I only had a cheap 35mm he saw something, a joy he said, in what I was doing." Dale's face had taken on a wistful look as he remembered that day in the park. Shaking himself from his memories, he continued, "Anyway, he came up to me and introduced himself. He asked if I had any examples of my work and when I told him I did, he gave me his card, told me to come see him and bring some samples. I almost didn't do it, thought he was just humoring me."
"You did go see him though?" Frank asked.
"Yeah, got to thinking about it and decided I didn't have anything to lose. When he saw my work, he gave me a few pointers and told me to come back in a week with new pictures. He told me later that it was a test, he wanted to see if I could take instruction."
"What happened when you came back?" Joe asked.
"He offered to teach me. You can bet I jumped at the chance, I've never regretted it either. He died last year," Dale continued, turning sad. "He didn't have any family, except for some distant cousins." Something else they'd had in common, he thought to himself. "So, when he found out he was dying and could no longer work, he gave me all of his equipment. He didn't want people he'd never known to get it and he wanted to be sure it would be used by somebody who would appreciate it. I would have rather kept him around," Dale sighed, once again missing his friend and teacher.
"It must have been hard for you," Joe whispered, his arms encircling the older boy's waist.
"It was, but I'm glad I got the chance to get to know him. Spending time with him was almost like having a father again," he sighed.
Frank glanced away. He felt like an intruder on a very private moment. Grabbing a box, he stepped into the small space of the makeshift darkroom and began packing. As he did, he could hear Dale and Joe talking quietly. Though he couldn't make out the words, he recognized the comforting tone of his brother's voice; it was a tone he'd heard his mother use with his father when a case went bad. After a few minutes, he heard them moving away from each other as they got back to work. From within the confines of the darkroom, Frank listened to them teasing and joking, each word laced with the love they felt for each other and it suddenly struck him. Joe wasn't confused; he wasn't fooling himself; this wasn't some phase he was going through; his little brother was as in love with Dale as he'd ever been with Iola or Vanessa. No, hearing the deep love and contentment Joe's voice held, Frank realized the love he felt for Dale went deeper than what he'd felt for his girlfriends. The sudden revelation was quickly followed by understanding and acceptance. All Frank had ever wanted for his brother was happiness, if that was Dale, and it obviously was, then he would do all he could to support Joe's choice.
- 9
- 10
- 11
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