"I can't believe I'm doing this with you," Joe muttered grumpily. He frowned at the chessboard, deep in thought and concentration. He shifted a little to the left, glaring at the chessboard. Hmm, if I move it here, I'm dead...how about there? No, bad idea, Frank's bishop is waiting...wait, what if I eat his rook...no, a definite no...Joe moved to the right, trying to look at the pieces from a different angle.

"Come on, Joe, I've been waiting for 10 minutes!" Frank said. He was completely relaxed, not the least bit worried about the game. As always, he was winning. Joe's king was trapped in a corner, the only thing protecting it was the Queen who stood bravely even though surrounded by enemies from every corner. "Give it up, I can take you in about-" Frank glanced down at the board. "5 steps."

"It ain't over till it's over," Joe muttered again. Screwing up his nose, he reluctantly dragged his queen diagonally across the board and took Frank's rook. Frank shook his head, taking his rook back from Joe's hand.

"Hey!" Joe cried indignantly.

Frank nonchalantly tapped a finger on his other rook, readily waiting right in front of the Black king, exposed when Joe took his Queen away. "Open check. Are you blind?"

Joe huffed, and crossed his arms across his chest. "I don't want to play anymore. We've played 3 games straight and you've won all three sets. Why did you bring this thing anyway? I've racked my brains, putting up the best defense ever in the history of chess but still you broke through it." Joe had stared at the board long enough that he was literally seeing everything in black and white now.

"Tough luck, brother. Now finish the game," Frank said, smiling benignly. Joe shook his head stubbornly.

"I said I don't want to play anymore." Joe leaned back heavily against his propped-up pillow, groaning loudly. "I'm BORED!!!! Frank, when am I getting out of this dump?"

"You've asked me that five hundred, twenty-five thousand, and six hundred times already. And I've given you the same answer every time. You can't leave until your stitches have been removed," Frank answered patiently.

"I feel FINE," Joe said miserably. "I just want to go home."

"Of course you do," Frank said in the same patient tone. "If you would stop griping for just one second, and hey, don't move around so much!" Joe froze, looking at Frank quizzically. Frank rose from his chair and walked over to the side of Joe's bed, picked up Joe's CD player that Joe had been reaching for and gave it to his brother.

"You didn't have to get it for me, Frank," Joe muttered crossly, slipping his headphones over his head. He hated it when anyone treated him like an invalid. "I could get it myself."

"You're still not healed up completely," Frank reminded him. As if on cue, Joe felt a sharp pain stabbing his stomach. He glanced at the clock. He counted five seconds silently in his head and as he expected, just as the clock struck 3 o'clock, a beautiful young lady came in with a big smile on her face.

"Alright, Mr. Hardy, are you ready for your shot?" She asked. Joe nodded eagerly. Frank watched as the nurse took hold of Joe's arm and gave him a shot of painkilling drug.

"When am I getting out of here, Nurse Julia?" Joe asked sweetly, looking up at her with his famous puppy-dog eyes. Oh please, Frank thought. Not again! Doesn't this guy ever give up?

Julia smiled and straightened up when she was finished, petting Joe's head affectionately. "Soon, Mr. Hardy."

Joe was still not satisfied. "How soon is soon?" He asked desperately. "I'll go crazy if I spend another minute in here!"

"That's what you said yesterday, Mr. Hardy," Julia answered with the same infuriatingly patient tone Frank had used. "But here you are still, sane and sound." Joe rolled his eyes, relaxing when the drug began to take its effect. There is no point in asking anymore, Joe thought glumly. He was never going to leave this place.

Although amused by his brother's antics, Frank couldn't help pitying him a little. Knowing Joe, and knowing how he'd never been able to sit still for five minutes without fidgeting, he knew how restless Joe must feel, having already spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, recuperating from the operation.

"Tell you what, Joe. What if we go someplace fun, you, me, Callie and Vanessa maybe, after all this is over? You pick the place. What do you say?" Frank asked, trying to lift Joe's spirits up a bit. Joe, who had been sulking and feeling sorry for himself since Julia left, jerked his head up sharply.

"Someplace fun? Fun as in Bayport mall kind of fun or out-of-town kind of fun?" Joe asked.

Frank shrugged. "Like I said, you pick the place."

Joe's face broke into a wide grin.

 

"I can't believe this," Frank muttered. "Why here of all places?"

"Why not here? It's nice enough a place," Joe said. Though the weather was hot and sunny, Joe had opted for a sweater and khaki pants, a pair of visor sunglasses perched on top of his blond hair. Lucky for him, his hair had grown back much to his delight. Back in the hospital recuperating, Joe had lamented the loss of his hair non-stop, nearly driving Frank up the wall. To him, Joe should be grateful to even be alive. "Besides, I've never been here. This thing has been standing here forever. We don't live forever."

Frank glanced sharply at his brother, somewhat disturbed by his words. Joe seemed unconcerned, looking rather enthralled by the looming structure standing before them both. He didn't just look enthralled, in fact he was practically exuding happiness, his face flushed with excitement as he studied the statue with a rapturous expression. Joe was like a little kid who'd been given his first ice-cream cone.

"So how do you find the Statue of Liberty? Something to write home about, ja?" Vanessa asked, doing a poor impersonation of a tour guide. Frank had to laugh at her ridiculous accent. She nudged Joe with her elbow. "Stop staring at her. You're making me jealous."

Joe threw his hands up in the air. "Hey, can't a guy enjoy the scenery without getting distracted?" He shook his head and slid his visor sunglasses down the top of his head and onto his nose. Pretending to ignore Vanessa, Joe walked off with his hands in his pockets, leaving her behind. Ah, fresh air, he thought as he breathed in the sweet smell of freshly mown grass. Just what I need.

Frank had been surprised when Joe suggested they go to Liberty Island first. In fact he had been surprised that Joe would want to go into New York City at all, thinking that it would bring many bad memories. But since he'd made a promise, naturally he obliged, giving in to Joe's request to be taken to Big Apple. Besides Frank was simply too happy that Joe was showing no ill effects since he'd been released from the hospital. He watched with an amused smile as Vanessa chased after Joe, shaking his head a little when they started bickering with each other, looking every inch the perfect couple they once were.

"What are you smiling at?" Frank turned, finding Callie by his side with an eyebrow raised. She followed his gaze and her eyes softened.

"They do seem pretty happy, don't they?" She said, linking her arm with Frank's. Frank nodded. Then he sighed in contentment. Vanessa and Joe had wandered off so far they could barely see them anymore.

"Shall we?" Frank tilted his head and smiled invitingly at his girlfriend. Callie nodded and together, they strolled down the lane, each lost in the magic of the moment.

 

"I love walking around the Times Square," Joe murmured. Frank threw him a curious glance.

"Joe, you've been here a couple of times already, remember?"

"Yeah well...I still love Times Square," Joe said. The brothers were walking side by side, having the entire afternoon to themselves. The girls were off shopping somewhere and would not meet until later in the evening. True, he'd walked through the same busy streets a couple of times already but somehow his visit this time felt different. The buildings seemed bigger, more over-whelming...Joe couldn't explain why. There was something special about this outing.

Frank walked at a leisurely pace, savoring the sights and sounds of one of the busiest cities in the world. At first Fenton refused to let them go, concerned about Joe's wellbeing since he'd just undergone a major surgery. But Frank made Joe promise he wouldn't do anything that would exert himself and in exchange, he did all the pleading, claiming that Joe needed the break. Appointing himself as the chaperone, Frank at last managed to convince his parents that he would take good care of Joe and they reluctantly agreed.

"So where do you wanna go after this?" Frank asked. He stopped. "Joe?" He turned. Joe was no longer by his side!

"Joe!!!" Frank whirled around. Joe had stopped walking about ten feet behind, his body rigid and tense. Frank broke into a run.

"What's the matter? Is something hurting? Are you tired?" The questions came out as rapidly as gunfire. Joe said nothing. He kept staring at the window display of a dress shop. Frank turned his head to see what was so interesting. A mannequin was wearing a beautiful jewel encrusted lavender dress and it was holding up an expensive-looking, jewel encrusted masquerade mask, partially hiding its face. Joe's face was a mask itself, frozen and expressionless like a statue's. His jaws were clenched so tight Frank could see the veins at his temple. "Joe?"

Joe turned to him slowly. Then he began to speak.

 

"What? He can't be serious!" Callie gasped. She clutched the phone tightly. "When does he-Tonight?!"

Vanessa looked up from the magazine she was reading. They were lounging in their hotel room after a long day when suddenly the phone rang. When Callie picked it up and smiled, Vanessa knew it must be Frank. Then Callie's face changed.

"Why?" Callie sounded so stressed Vanessa immediately put down the magazine and rushed over to her friend.

"Is something wrong? Has something happened? Is it Joe?" Vanessa asked rapidly when Callie hung up, a stunned look on her face.

"Joe wants to go see the Phantom of the Opera."

 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Frank asked his brother for the tenth time that night since Joe had told him he wanted to watch the world-famous musical. I knew it, he thought. I knew it was a bad idea to bring him to NYC.

"I've never been surer of anything before in my life" was Joe's only answer. Callie had been equally shocked when Frank told her about it. Not to mention nervous. Why did Joe want to do this? What was he trying to prove?

Frank watched from his side of the room as Joe got dressed, pulling on a heavy sweater over his T-shirt. There was no talking Joe out of it. Frank didn't even know how he managed to get four tickets to the 7 o'clock show. "Joe..."

"Frank, I know what you're going to say. And though you may think it's a bad idea..." Joe hesitated. "I-I just have to see it, Frank. I have to see past all his lies, I just want to let go of it all. And I think I can do that tonight. Let go."

Let go. Such simple words. Such profound meaning.

"Joe, I don't understa-"

"No, you wouldn't. But just come with me, Frank? Please," Joe said quietly. He wanted so badly to push the past behind. Though he might not show it, Joe was actually suffering inside. He wanted so much to believe that everything was back to normal but he knew it wasn't. His past and his pain wouldn't let it. But he knew that if he managed to survive tonight, he'd stand a good chance in recovering his old self. He knew he'd find out if he still had the strength in him after tonight.

Frank stared hard at his brother for a long time. Then his shoulders slumped. "Alright, Joe. If that's what you want, then I'll go. We will all go."

Joe gave his brother a grateful smile. "Thanks, Frank."

 

"Angel of darkness, cease this torment!" Raoul was begging the phantom to release his ladylove. Joe watched in fascination, feeling a rush go through him as the music soared. He had never been to a Broadway show before and he would have enjoyed it much, much more if only the situation had been different. Joe sneaked a glance at his three companions.

Frank, Vanesa and Callie were not enjoying the play at all. They were too busy glancing at him every few seconds. Joe swallowed as the Phantom launched into the first lines of the 'Point of No Return'.

"Past the point of no return..."

Joe closed his eyes. I can do this, he thought, breathing in deeply to calm his nerves. I have not passed the point of no return. Not yet. Not ever. For a while, he imagined himself in Christine, in the grips of the Phantom. The Phantom had Haydin's face. When Joe opened his eyes again, they were wet with tears.

"What raging fire shall flood the soul...what rich desire unlocks its doors...what sweet seduction lies before us..."

With the disguise of this play, Haydin had set the trap for him. And foolishly he'd stepped right into it. Would he be able to return to his old self? Would he ever release himself from the hold Haydin had over him?

"I've fought so hard to free you..." Raoul was singing tearfully, still imploring for the Phantom to let Christine go.

Will I ever be free? Joe wondered. Will I be haunted by the ghost of the past forever? Never knowing another moment of happiness?

Then he froze. Happiness. He had already rediscovered happiness. He turned his head slowly, and three anxious faces stared back at him. Joe didn't realize that he had been looking at happiness all along. He had been looking at it right in the eye.

Frank. Frank's my family. He's given me his support ever since it happened, he was always there by my side, never letting go of me even for one second. He believed in me. Mom and Dad too.

Joe's eyes left Frank's face, resting on Vanessa's.

Vanessa. She loves me. She has never stopped loving me. And she loves me for me.

Callie was the last person he looked at.

Callie. She's my friend. Has been my friend since-forever. She still accepts me as her friend even after all that's happened.

Joe felt a lump rise in his throat. He had been blind all along. I AM free, he realized. That's what my family and my friends have been doing all along. Setting me free. Their support, their love, their strength, their faith in me...those were the things that have kept me going all along. They were the ones who set me free.

Joe looked down at the stage, watching dully as actors and actresses ran across the stage in frenzy. He was no longer watching it. The play did not hold the key to his freedom as he had thought all along. That was why he had chosen New York City, hoping that by watching the play, he would regain what he had lost. His will to live. But now he'd found it again. Not through the play, but through the love and support his family and closest friends had shown him.

Joe breathed in deeply, holding it in as long as he could. And then he released it slowly.

The pain was gone. He'd found himself again. He'd put the past behind him. He'd fought his demons.