Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys- when in Rome

Chapter 4- The Second Letter

"This days been really interesting." Joe groaned unlocking the door to the hotel room. Room 132.
Nancy was half expecting a rifled through hotel room, cause that's just her luck.
But when they opened the door...

Everything was fine. Better even, since room service came in and tidied up the place.
Nancy heard Frank breath out a sigh of relief.
Seems the Hardy boys were expecting that same.

"Well, who wants to take a dip?" Joe said smiling, working his way to his suit case.
Nancy thought for a minute.

"A dip in the pool sounds amazing."
She sent Joe a cheeky smile, her nose wrinkling.
"Wait- but Nance." Frank started.

Nancy sighed, tired from the day.
"I just want this day to end normal Frank."
The room quieted. Joe even stopped moving around his luggage.

Frank sighed. Moving towards his own luggage.
"Okay." He mumbled. The zipper of the front suitcase pocket, loud in the room.
"Then let's go."
.......
Nancy walked out of the bathroom, her swimsuit was white and cheeky.

'Of course Bess would pack this.' Nancy thought back to all of Bess's teeny bikinis. At least this had more coverage than Bess's swimsuits.

The boys were already waiting by the door when Nancy walked up to them.
"Damn Drew!" Joe whistled, his eyes looking anywhere but Nancy's face.

"Joe! Shut up." Frank scolded, nudging him in the ribs.
Nancy smiled and motioned for the boys to go.

They got to the hotels pool. It was quiet and dark. Not only was it outside but it was ornate.  With mosaic tiled floors and gaudy designs. Only the best in Rome obviously.

Joe hardly took any time when they got there. It was as if Nancy blinking and he'd already splashed Frank from his place in the middle of the pool.
Nancy sighed and let Rome's night lull her to a place of calm.
Today had been rough. On all of them.

Nancy being choked out and definitely bruised.
Frank being possibly concussed.
And Joe....Joe was surprisingly fine.

But the worst thing was Nancy was now more confused than when they were on the plane.
It seems like this rabbit hole is far deeper than she thought.

Frank snapped her out of her thoughts, bumping his shoulder quickly against her.

"-normal night in Rome? What do you say?"

Nancy blinked, finally joining in the conversation the boys were having.
"Say that again?"

Frank chuckled running his hand against the back of his neck.
Nancy traces the action with her eyes. Tan skin, Strong jaw, brown eyes, dark eyelashes and dimples.
Nancy loves the Hardy Boys dimples. Makes then look boyish and young. And Nancy always wants them to stay young. The stress of murders and cases made them, especially Nancy, grow up too fast.

"I was saying, Y'know, tomorrow we can spend time in the day on the case and then go out at night. Have a normal night in Rome y'know. I think it would be fun."

Joe nods enthusiastically and floats around the pool for a little bit before swimming his way towards them.
"And Y'know, the drinking age is 16 here. So that means we can go out and have a good time legally."

Frank rolled his eyes, splashing against the pool with his foot. ¨Shut up.¨

Nancy laughed behind her hand while Joe lunged forward to attack his brother's foot from his place in the pool.

Immediately Frank started wrestling back, kicking his legs while Joe pushed against him. All the while Nancy was laughing on the edge.

Somehow Joe got Frank into the water and was now struggling to submerge him under. Frank was flailing and spitting, now finally reaching the surface with his younger brother monkeyed on his back.
Nancy was still laughing, clutching her stomach with her shoulders shaking.