Episode: Flickering Torch
Author: Robin Gurl
Fandom: 1977 Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries
Warnings: slight burn injury
Notes: I wasn't too comfortable writing this one so I had to tone it down. The original prompt was a little harsh for me. I also changed one of the keywords to make it match the 70s better. So instead of "this is gunna suck" I reworded it to something like "alright this isn't going to be fun."
More Daddy!Fenton if anyone is interested in it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea to hurt Joe.
"Are you both sure you aren't hurt?" Fenton asked again as he shut the door after Frye left. He turned back around to his sons looking them over. Besides being covered in ash and smoke they seemed to be okay.
Frank nodded as he sat down on the hearth near the fire place. He knew better than to sit on or near the couch. Their Aunt Gertrude would definitely have something to say about that. He looked up and watched Joe curiously.
As soon as they had left the burning building he had noticed his brother was having trouble holding things in his hands. When he had been the one to radio to the concert venue, Joe looked like he was in pain holding the radio.
Then once they got home, Joe had waited for someone to open the door to the house. Usually he was the first one in and would proudly announce it.
Fenton seemed to understand partially what was going on. He followed Frank's gaze to his youngest son. "Joe, are you ok?"
Joe looked up trying to hide the wince. His hands really hurt. When he had jumped out of the room, the flames had touched them briefly. At first he didn't think anything about it but now… now it really hurt.
"Joseph, answer me." Fenton pressed gently walking over and sitting beside him on the couch. He looked down noticing his son was keeping his palms up right… they were red and starting to blister a bit. "JOE! What happened?!"
"I-I think it happened when we escaped…" Joe responded lowering his gaze a bit embarrassed. "I lost my footing a-and tripped into the desk… Frank had to help me off it. I think my hands grazed the fire."
"Frank, go get two wet wash clothes and the first aid kit." Fenton ordered as he looked over the two hands in front of him. "Well, I can say it's not going to be fun for a week or so but you should heal fine."
Joe let out a sigh of relief, "S-Sorry for scaring you dad… we didn't know we were going to be in a fire. We were being really careful. We just were in the wrong place at the wrong time." He looks up at his father, "Though you would have been really proud of Frank. He spliced the power tools into the wall to get power. That's how we got out."
"And what did you do?"
Joe grinned weakly, "I handed him the tools and held the flash light."
Fenton only smiles shaking his head, "Why am I not surprised." He then turns serious, "I want you to do an asthma treatment before bed. Smoke inhalation isn't good for a normal person but even worse for someone with asthma. No buts."
"I got it!" Frank hurried over and sat the medical kit in front of Joe and their dad. Then gently placed the cold cloths on Joe's hands. He nervously watched as Joe winced. "Sorry, Joe…"
"I know it hurts but keep them there. We need to cool the burn off before I wrap them up." Fenton explained as he started to open the medical kit pulling out gauze, medical tape, and burn cream. "Frank, I'm going to need your help with this."
"Sure dad. How can I help?"
"Once his hands are cooled off we're going to put Lidocaine on the burns then a pad lining then wrap it in gauze."
"You're going to look like a mummy, Joe."
"Terrific. Just what I've always wanted to do." Joe groans.
"Okay now this may hurt, Joe but after we're done you can take some aspirin to take edge off. If they wind up hurting a lot, we'll go to the doctor and get something a bit stronger." Fenton lifts the cloths off his hands then tears open a small container of lidocaine and starts to put it on Joe's hands being as careful as possible.
Frank watched nervously, Joe looked like he was in a lot of pain. "So what song are you going to listen to first on the 8 track? The one from Tony Eagle?" He asked hoping to keep Joe's mind off it.
Joe glanced up at his brother, "A-Any of them? They a-are all new.."
"We should listen tonight, I'll bring the player into your room, how's that?" He watches his brother look back at his hands and tries to get his attention again, "I'm impressed you jumped so high up and got on the stage. Not even the guards Dad trained could catch you."
This got a small smile from the youngest Hardy. "Yeah? Well you got yanked pretty hard."
"It took at least 2 or 3 of them to get me though!"
Fenton only smiled as finished rubbing the cream on, "Ok, Frank, this is where I need your help. As I put the pad one, I need you to wrap the gauze around it ok?"
Frank nodded and got the gauze ready watching his dad closely. "It'll be ok, Joe. Once it's all wrapped, it probably won't hurt anymore!"
Fenton knew otherwise but nodded. He started to gently place pads around his son's fingers holding them as gently as possible as Frank wrapped the gauze around them. He could hear Joe trying to hold back cries of pain. "Easy, son. I know how much it hurts. We'll be done soon."
15 minutes later, Joe's hands were wrapped up, he did look like a mummy. He looked down at them impressed with how well his father had done the wrappings. "…if it were halloween this would be great," He joked weakly. "But now I can't use my hands."
"You can, just be careful. Frank or I can help you up the stairs." Fenton explained standing up. He helped Joe to his feet holding his elbow to keep him up right. "Frank went upstairs to set up the 8 track player. I'll help you get the asthma treatment started."
"T-Thanks Dad.."
*~*
It took a bit but Joe was finally settled in his bed. The new album playing softly in the background as he finished his asthma treatment. He had taken some pain medication Frank had left over from having his wisdom teeth taken out earlier that year and it had helped with the pain immensely.
"Joe? You ok? Are you in pain?" Frank asked worried. He watched for a few seconds before shaking Joe's shoulder, "Little brother are you awake?"
Joe moaned sleepily as he opens his eyes, "I'm just tired, Frank…"
"You should go to bed." Frank stands up and turns the player off. "We can listen more tomorrow ok? Want me to sleep in here with you incase you need help?"
"I-I think I'll be okay." Was the sleepy response.
"Okay, I'll turn the lights off then. Call me or come in if you need any help." Frank turned the lights off in the room and watched his brother sleep for a few seconds before heading to his own room, "Good night Joe."
He heard a soft "Good night" from his brother before he knew Joe had drifted off.
