A/N: I'm baaaaaaack! Did you miss me? ;)

So this is my first posted multi-chapter fanfic. Prologue is short, but the rest of the chapters should be roughly 1,000-1,500 words, give or take a few hundred. I plan to update every Monday and Thursday, but I'll let you know if that changes.

Rated T for some violence and thematic elements.

So... I guess this is where I have to say I don't own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. I do own a bag of Reese's, though.

Fourteen months ago...

"You're really going to go, aren't you?" Frank asked quietly amidst the crackling of the fireplace. The place suddenly seemed too cold and quiet.

"Yeah," Joe's face was serious; his tone was serious. Everything about him was finally serious for once in his life, and that scared his big brother. What happened to that irresponsible nutcase that had lived there just months before?

He grew up. That's what happened.

"I have to go, Frank; I want to go."

The older man shook his head. "Joe, you're not going to Tahiti! We're talking about a middle-eastern war zone here!"

"If you were asked to go fight for your country, wouldn't you go?" he was for real about this. There was no turning back. "If you had the chance to go and defend the people you love, to serve in the Army, wouldn't you go?"

Frank couldn't say no.

Told you it was short.

Sorry about that.

Review? :D