"I certainly hope that you are not expecting me to baby-sit, are you?" seventeen year old Adam Kramer said as he leaned his arm against the passenger door. The California countryside had already gave way to the scenes of the city of San Diego.

"Adam, I don't think Frank and Joe are going to need baby-sitters. They are your age," his father, Carl Kramer remarked with a scowl.

"It is just that Alyssa just got back a week ago and I have hardly seen her," Adam commented back. It was apparent that he was not happy.

"Adam, that is not true. You have been out at her house almost every other day! Besides I heard Alyssa say it the other day herself... she can't wait to meet Frank and Joe!" Carl added. "It is just that you want private time and that is going to be a while young man. She still has a lot of therapy to go through and that is a daily commitment."

Adam sighed. It was true. Every time he saw Alyssa, someone was around. He just wanted to scoop her up into his arms and whisk her away to their favorite spot at Orchard Lake. But that was not possible. Alyssa had recently undergone a surgery to help her regain her muscle control. The surgery was a success. However, she still had a lot of work to do before she could try to start walking with a walker. For right now, she was working on walking with her leg braces and had managed to make a couple of steps with the braces and a walker. But the therapy took its toll on her body. Between keeping up with her studies with a school employed tutor and her therapy, Alyssa was usually too exhausted to go anywhere. So Adam just visited her at her house and the young couple watched television, listened to music or just sat on the front porch swing. Adam enjoyed those times, but he longed for the old days.

"Look son, I know that you are not happy about this, but all I am asking is for you to give it a chance for me. It really means a lot to me and I think you are going to relate to Frank and Joe a lot more than you think," Carl said, turning the car on the exit to the airport.

Adam sighed again. He was trying to put his thoughts into words, but things were just not clicking right today. He looked over and saw the San Diego skyline. The last time he saw that skyline was when they went to pick up Alyssa and her guardian, Clara from the airport just a week ago. That was such a happy day for Adam, who missed Alyssa more than words could ever say. He never thought his heart could ache for a girl, until Alyssa went for her surgery in Washington D.C., all the way across the country from their little spot in Emerald Beach, California.

"You are right dad. I am not being fair. I guess I am just really nervous about things," Adam finally admitted.

'What do you mean? What do you have to be nervous about? I have never known you to be shy."

"It is just that this Frank and Joe Hardy are supposed to be pretty well-known. I mean they have traveled all over the world solving cases! Jason and I have just taken care of small cases. You say that we are going to have a lot in common, but I just don't see how!" Adam spilled his thoughts. "Jason and I are small town to them. Boy detectives!"

Carl chucked at his son's revelations. "Adam, I don't see that happening. Their father is more famous than I am. But it is a simple fact of choice. I chose to work for the State of California so the cases I solve don't give me the glory that Fenton's cases would since he is a private investigator. I made that choice because I wanted for you boys to have a stable home. It was also perfect for your mother when she decided to teach archeology at the university and go out on digs. Fenton Hardy chose to go a different route and that is fine Adam. It does not mean that I am not as good as he is and HE would NEVER think that. I am sure that his sons would not either," Carl pointed out. It was true though. Fenton and Carl had both accomplished many goals, but in different ways. 'That is why I look forward to meetings like this. It is going to be great to attend the conference with Fenton."

"I don't see what is going to be so exciting about attending a conference just to hear people talk about their glory days," Adam quipped.

"That is not what this conference is about Adam. I just wish that I could take you boys with me, but it is only for state employees. But I, for one, am looking forward to seeing Fenton again. I have not seen him since he left the New York City Police about nineteen years ago or so. We have only kept in touch over the telephone and now e-mails. That is why I invited him to stay at the house with us. I am looking forward to catching up on things," Carl said with a smile. Fenton offered to stay at a hotel, but Carl would not hear of it. He insisted that the Hardys be their guests for the four-day conference, for which Fenton was to give a presentation on new uses of DNA in crime scenes.

"You gave mom an excuse to strip the whole house down!" Adam smarted back, recalling how his mother, Laura, was frantically barking out the orders all week concerning the state of the house. "I have always liked the smell of pine until now!"

Carl chuckled again thinking back over the week's "spring cleaning" regiment. "At least you did not have to stay behind and do the finishing touches," Carl pointed out.

"Hey, Jason called heads! I won fair and square. But I have to help lug all of the luggage so I don't know who got off with the easy job," Adam replied. Both men stopped and thought about that statement for a minute.

"We did." They both said together. Each knew Laura could be a stickler and she was in top form getting the house ready to house the extra three guests.

"But honestly Adam. I don't think Frank and Joe are going to look down on you boys. You have done a lot to help a lot of people. You both brought Randall Hartley's killer to justice, stopped a car theft and deception ring and saved Alyssa's life. That is nothing to overlook and that is not even half your accomplishments."

'But dad, Jason and I are different. There are things that we, I mean I, just can not do that they can and I am afraid they are going to find that out," Adam said with a sigh again.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know... the... well, my problems...my hands and stuff have not been very cooperative lately," Adam pointed out, holding his hands out. 'I just don't want them to know."

'Know what?"

"I don't want them to know so they won't pity me. I don't want them to know that I am different," Adam said.

"They don't have to know and even if you told them, I am sure that it would not matter Adam," Carl said.

"You mean you never told him?"

"I mentioned that you were in a car accident, but I never went into any details at the time. By the time I spoke to him again, you were fine," Carl replied. "But I don't think you should be ashamed of yourself. No one is ashamed of you, you know that."

"I know, but I just want to... I don't... I don't know," Adam said, looking back out the window in frustration. He had accepted his condition, but there were times that for some reason, it did make him feel ashamed to fumble with his words and fingers. This was one of those times. He did not want his father to be embarrassed of him in front of a peer in his field, the same field that Adam and his older brother Jason was about to enter one day. But he would never let his father know his real thoughts.

Carl could tell that something was eating at his younger son, but Adam was not the type to come out and tell him his inner thoughts. Jason, a year older than Adam, was the only one who was able to get his brother to talk. Carl wished Jason was there in that car, but it was really too late. They were at the entrance of the parking garage and minutes away from greeting his long time friend.

Carl and Adam Kramer parked the car and walked up to the terminal area. Right before they entered the terminals, Carl turned Adam to face him.

"Don't ever think that WE would EVER be ashamed of you. I have never been more proud of you and your brother and NOTHING on this earth will change that," Carl said, looking Adam straight in the eyes.

"Not even a detention or a speeding ticket?" Adam said as he gave his father his innocent look.

'Let's not push it, son," Carl said, putting his arm around Adam's shoulder and leading him to the metal detector and security clearance check area.

They cleared security and walked over to the monitors to check the gate that the flight would come in on.

"CARLY KRAMER! You sure have aged a lot!" a voice boomed from behind. Carl turned around to see the older version of his old friend. Fenton Hardy now had gray hair bleeding through his black hair, but he still stood as tall and straight as he always remembered.

"FENNY!" Carl called out and embraced his old friend.

Adam looked behind the two friends. The only person he saw was an older boy that looked like Fenton's mirror image. That had to be one of his sons. The boy had Fenton's dark brown eyes, stood just as tall with the same frame. His hair was a dark brown, but it was clean cut unlike Adam's longer blond hair.

"So who is this?" Carl asked, spotting the boy behind Fenton. Fenton quickly turned and motioned for Frank to come forward to greet his friend.

"This is my oldest son, Frank," Fenton said. "This is Carl Kramer, an old friend and cohort of mine from the old days."

"Hi!" Frank said as he shook hands with Carl.

"My, my! He is your spitting image Fenton. Just like my oldest son Jason," Carl commented. "How old are you now? I always thought he was born around the same time Jason was."

"He is eighteen, but still very much under my room since he is a senior this year," Fenton spoke up, patting Frank on the shoulder. Frank just grinned and rolled his eyes at his father's comment.

"Jason is eighteen too. Where does the time go!" Carl replied. Then he turned towards Adam and motioned for him to come forward. "Now this is my youngest, Adam. He is the spitting image of his beautiful mother. You remember Laura don't you?"

"Oh yes! You are right," Fenton said as he shook hands with Adam, who just smiled nervously. "I am glad to see you are alive and well after your accident." Adam nodded, wanting to brush that topic off to the side. He also could see Frank looking at him very closely. It was like he was inspecting every inch of his body.

"Where is Joe?" Carl said, looking back towards the gates.

Frank and Fenton both laughed.

"He went to pick up our two suitcases since he lost the coin toss. He ALWAYS picks heads and you would think he would learn by now!" Frank chuckled. It was then that a young boy lugging two huge suitcases came into side from the baggage terminal hall. He looked around and slowly walked over under his heavy load. Adam just stood there in shock.

"Sure would have been nice for my dear big brother to have lent me a hand here!" the boy quipped as he breathlessly stumbled up to the group. It was then that the boy looked up and saw Adam. He stopped in his tracks.

Both boys were looking back at the same color of deep blue eyes and sandy blond hair.

Mistaken Identity