Home Away From Home: Columbus Day, Part 1
Jul. 29th, 2009 11:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andverygingerTitle: Home Away From Home: Columbus Day
Fandom: Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys
Pairing: Implied Frank/Nancy.
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Used for entertainment only. Grant-funded government employee. Blood. Turnip.
Notes: I started writing this as a means to an end: A way to explore some events I referenced in an ND/HB mystery I've been working on, taking place after Frank and Nancy graduate university. Last week, I asked a friend if she would like me to write some fic to entertain her while she recovered from what, for most of us, would be a fairly routine injury. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly a few days ago. This is dedicated to her, with hopes that her request will inspire me to at least finish this arc.
***
Three hours. In just a little over three hours, the commuter train would pull into the station in Bayport and for the first time in a year, Nancy Drew would be paying a visit to Frank and Joe Hardy.
The invitation had come as something of a surprise, really. The first week of classes at Marymount University, a small Catholic school outside of Washington, DC, had been brutal. Enrolled as a criminal justice major, with emphasis on forensics, Nancy plunged into her schedule with a positive outlook. She had, after all, picked up a few things through all those investigations over the years. Her first criminal sociology class, however, turned out to be very different, stretching her well beyond her comfort zone...so much so that she was reconsidering her major – and college in general.
A picture on her desk – she and the Hardys with her close friend, George Fayne aboard a cruise liner – drew her back to the times where she felt confident. She longed to feel that way again...or at least be reassured she was on the right path.
She dialed the Hardys’ number without even realizing it.
“Hello?”
Nancy recognized the pleasant voice immediately. It belonged to the boys’ mother, Laura Hardy. A petite woman, crowned with blonde hair and blue eyes, she had the patience of a saint – a trait that was definitely needed when dealing with Frank, Joe, and their father, Fenton. Especially as all three had a penchant for trouble much as Nancy, herself, did. “Laura? It’s Nancy Drew.”
“Nancy!” the older woman said. “Oh, how are you? Settling in okay?”
“Okay, I suppose. Just…very different from what I expected.” Nancy tried to keep her tone upbeat. “How are things there?”
“Well, Joe has what Frank calls ‘senioritis’ -- meaning that he doesn’t want to do anything before graduation. Fenton, he left early this morning for a conference in Chicago.” The amusement in her voice made Nancy smile. “And poor Frank, he’s been miserable all week. It seems you and he are having similar problems."
“Maybe we should start a support group.”
To this, Laura Hardy chuckled. “You might be on to something there.”
There was a pause in the conversation, and Nancy could almost hearthe gears turning in Laura’s mind. “Speaking of,” the elder woman continued, “do you have classes on Columbus Day?”
Nancy glanced at her calendar. “I do on Monday evening, but the Friday before is all clear. University policy is to try and schedule classes for Monday through Thursday.”
“And you’re not going home?”
“Not this time. Dad and Ned are flying here for Thanksgiving, then I’m flying home for Christmas.” Nancy furrowed her brow. “What’d you have in mind?”
“I was just thinking it’s been a while since we’ve seen you – the boys, too. Why don’t you check into taking flying out on Thursday evening, and come spend the long weekend with us? You can commiserate with Frank, and you both can knock Joe down a few notches.”
“Two against one? That hardly seems fair to Joe!” The strawberry blonde detective laughed. “It might be interesting, though. With no mystery to solve, I’m not sure we’d know what to do with ourselves.”
“You’d have a good time, that’s what you’d do. What do you say?”
Nancy hesitated only a split second. “I’ll be there.”
“Great!” Laura exclaimed. “The boys are over at Chet’s right now, but I’ll fill them in as soon as they get back. Just be sure to call me with your arrival information.”
“I’ll book my ticket tomorrow. And Laura?”
“Yes, dear?”
A weary smile twitched across Nancy’s lips and she swallowed back the knot that rose in her throat. “Thanks.”
“It’s not a problem, Nancy,” Mrs. Hardy replied. “You’re one of my kids, too.”
That had been a little over a month ago. The following weeks passed quickly, Nancy charging forward with renewed vigor – especially as she grew more accustomed to her schedule and professors. Now she had only three more hours to wait until she was back on familiar ground with people who knew and understood her. There was a comfort level there she’d been missing for weeks, one she hadn’t felt since leaving River Heights. She smiled. In a strange, comforting way, she was going home for the long weekend.
Fandom: Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys
Pairing: Implied Frank/Nancy.
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Used for entertainment only. Grant-funded government employee. Blood. Turnip.
Notes: I started writing this as a means to an end: A way to explore some events I referenced in an ND/HB mystery I've been working on, taking place after Frank and Nancy graduate university. Last week, I asked a friend if she would like me to write some fic to entertain her while she recovered from what, for most of us, would be a fairly routine injury. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly a few days ago. This is dedicated to her, with hopes that her request will inspire me to at least finish this arc.
***
Three hours. In just a little over three hours, the commuter train would pull into the station in Bayport and for the first time in a year, Nancy Drew would be paying a visit to Frank and Joe Hardy.
The invitation had come as something of a surprise, really. The first week of classes at Marymount University, a small Catholic school outside of Washington, DC, had been brutal. Enrolled as a criminal justice major, with emphasis on forensics, Nancy plunged into her schedule with a positive outlook. She had, after all, picked up a few things through all those investigations over the years. Her first criminal sociology class, however, turned out to be very different, stretching her well beyond her comfort zone...so much so that she was reconsidering her major – and college in general.
A picture on her desk – she and the Hardys with her close friend, George Fayne aboard a cruise liner – drew her back to the times where she felt confident. She longed to feel that way again...or at least be reassured she was on the right path.
She dialed the Hardys’ number without even realizing it.
“Hello?”
Nancy recognized the pleasant voice immediately. It belonged to the boys’ mother, Laura Hardy. A petite woman, crowned with blonde hair and blue eyes, she had the patience of a saint – a trait that was definitely needed when dealing with Frank, Joe, and their father, Fenton. Especially as all three had a penchant for trouble much as Nancy, herself, did. “Laura? It’s Nancy Drew.”
“Nancy!” the older woman said. “Oh, how are you? Settling in okay?”
“Okay, I suppose. Just…very different from what I expected.” Nancy tried to keep her tone upbeat. “How are things there?”
“Well, Joe has what Frank calls ‘senioritis’ -- meaning that he doesn’t want to do anything before graduation. Fenton, he left early this morning for a conference in Chicago.” The amusement in her voice made Nancy smile. “And poor Frank, he’s been miserable all week. It seems you and he are having similar problems."
“Maybe we should start a support group.”
To this, Laura Hardy chuckled. “You might be on to something there.”
There was a pause in the conversation, and Nancy could almost hearthe gears turning in Laura’s mind. “Speaking of,” the elder woman continued, “do you have classes on Columbus Day?”
Nancy glanced at her calendar. “I do on Monday evening, but the Friday before is all clear. University policy is to try and schedule classes for Monday through Thursday.”
“And you’re not going home?”
“Not this time. Dad and Ned are flying here for Thanksgiving, then I’m flying home for Christmas.” Nancy furrowed her brow. “What’d you have in mind?”
“I was just thinking it’s been a while since we’ve seen you – the boys, too. Why don’t you check into taking flying out on Thursday evening, and come spend the long weekend with us? You can commiserate with Frank, and you both can knock Joe down a few notches.”
“Two against one? That hardly seems fair to Joe!” The strawberry blonde detective laughed. “It might be interesting, though. With no mystery to solve, I’m not sure we’d know what to do with ourselves.”
“You’d have a good time, that’s what you’d do. What do you say?”
Nancy hesitated only a split second. “I’ll be there.”
“Great!” Laura exclaimed. “The boys are over at Chet’s right now, but I’ll fill them in as soon as they get back. Just be sure to call me with your arrival information.”
“I’ll book my ticket tomorrow. And Laura?”
“Yes, dear?”
A weary smile twitched across Nancy’s lips and she swallowed back the knot that rose in her throat. “Thanks.”
“It’s not a problem, Nancy,” Mrs. Hardy replied. “You’re one of my kids, too.”
That had been a little over a month ago. The following weeks passed quickly, Nancy charging forward with renewed vigor – especially as she grew more accustomed to her schedule and professors. Now she had only three more hours to wait until she was back on familiar ground with people who knew and understood her. There was a comfort level there she’d been missing for weeks, one she hadn’t felt since leaving River Heights. She smiled. In a strange, comforting way, she was going home for the long weekend.