Chapter 15

The Hardy family found themselves once again in the frightening familiar waiting room of the Bayport hospital. Joe had been back with the Doc getting a head scan and getting stitched up for about half an hour. Laura was sitting in one of the hard, uncomfortable chairs that Hospitals are associated with. Frank's head was leaning on her shoulder and his brown eyes were soft with a mix of sadness and angst.

Fenton stood in one place for a minute before he started to pace again. He just couldn't get the image of Joe getting free from his arms and then slipping his head connecting with the ground. And the sound it kept repeating itself over and over in his head the sickening thud as Joe made contact. Fenton sneaked a peek at his wife, but her eyes were downcast, and she refused to look at him.

She blames me for it he thought to himself as he stopped pacing for a moment. She's right to though. It was my fault. If only I hadn't picked him up! If I could have just let him go upstairs, then maybe he wouldn't be back here in the hospital hurt again. It might be my fault but there was something wrong with Joe he confirmed with himself. He started to pace again going over every detail of Joe's behavior ever since he had gotten back from the hospital.

Laura's thoughts weren't far behind Fenton's as she too thought about Joe's recent change in behavior. Why would Joe say such horrible things to frank? She internally mused to herself. She looked at Frank's face and saw his teary eyes. Her heart cracked just a bit as Frank was still so upset.

"He will be okay Frankie" Laura said as she tried to comfort her oldest. "Soon he will be back, and we can go see him. I'm sure Joe didn't mean what he said." Laura was startled slightly as Frank lifted his head up and with tears building in his eyes, he said

"He did mean it Mom and…and… I deserved it"

"Why do you say that Frank?" Fenton asked his sharp ears picking up on his wife's conversation and then his son's mystifying words.

"Because…I…I yelled at him when we were back at the house after Mom got shot. I tol…told him that it was all his fau…fault. I… I was really, really mean to him. I wa…was scared because Mom got sh... shot and I took it ou… out on him. I left the house and… and I left him alone and then he got hurt. Joe got hurt because of me!" The tears streamed down his face and his words stuck in his mouth and on his tongue making him stutter with shame and sorrow.

"You left Joe alone in the house! I told you to stick with him Frank. Especially because me and you Mom weren't there." Fenton's slightly angry words were cut short by his eyes catching Laura glaring at him as she held onto Frank. Fenton took a deep breath and with as calm a voice as he could muster, he asked "Why didn't you tell us this before Frank?"

"I was afraid you would get mad at me because I… I left Joe alone and because I was ashamed that I let my anger get the better of me." Fenton was a bit taken back that his son was ashamed of his angry actions the weeks before, but he was also proud that Frank was unhappy that he had let his anger cloud his judgment. That Frank knew that letting his anger cloud his thinking was wrong.

Before Fenton could tell Frank that It was alright a Doctors voice broke through the noise of the busy waiting room.

"Family of Joe Hardy."

TBC

A/N I hope you all are well! If you could review or PM me and let me know what you thought of the chapter, it would be great!

To Exactly i don't mind you talking to your friend in the reviews at all. I'm just happy to be of service Bows from the waist down

To all the Christians

Can I just say YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I am so happy that there are other Christians on here besides me! we should all chat together about something, anything really!

Okay that's all for me for now

By everyone and have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!