Can't believe it's the fourth challenge already. Time flies like the birds only it never takes a break.
Having my own big brother I think the 'Blood is thicker than water' was the best one.
There were things he couldn't change. He always would be the different one. He would always be the third favorite to most of the fans.
He also would always be the big brother though and that always outshined everything else. Including his own happiness.
Blood is thicker than water
No one ever knew why. The Paparazzi and their fans at least didn't know the answer. Only the brothers and a certain blonde knew.
The Lucas brothers drifted apart one month and the next month acted like nothing ever happened.
It was very strange you could say.
Kevin had been the first.
With February gone, the weather started perking up and Horace Mantis saw less heavy coats and sweaters. Only a few light ones were soon needed.
Along with the change of month though came a few new students. One that had stolen the oldest brother away.
Kevin, Nick, Joe and little Frankie were raised right. Kevin always seemed to be the nicest though.
So when Derrick Masters slid up and asked if he wanted to join his club of bird watchers, Kevin agreed.
Apparently, Derrick came from a wealthy family and with a generous donation to the school came a brand new club. Exclusive membership though.
After that, Horace Mantis's students saw Nick, Joe and Kevin Lucas walk the halls alone. They saw the three eat lunch alone. Kevin sat with his new friends.
At first, everyone was supportive, it all looked innocent. Then it got worse before it got better.
The boys music got laid back in other words. Kevin was just so busy.
Kevin and Derrick became close friends. The kid always had a lot of money and the two were always together. Derrick even brought Kevin gifts.
Derrick wasn't good at making friends. He used his money to impress people and when it finally backfired, the little prince changed schools.
His plan was working. Nick and Joe weren't his BFF's anymore.
Nick decided to go at it alone then. Angry, he locked himself in the recording studio and wrote alone.
That left Joe playing the blues. On a tambourine.
The second oldest brother never realized loneliness till then it seemed. One day, the firehouse was empty. He suddenly missed his goofy older brother.
The boys parents went out with Frankie and his friend to the movies. Nick was in the studio again and Kevin was with the bird geeks as Joe called them.
That left him to entertain himself.
So he did the first thing he thought of. Joseph Adam Lucas had been awarded his permit a few weeks ago after failing it during winter break. His parents then decided to get a second car.
With a license in his wallet, keys in his hand and a jacket to keep warm, Joe slid down his pole and left.
He knocked on the glass first and told Nick his plan first though. No kid liked getting into trouble after all.
Trouble though always happened to young, careless, crazy Joe. His brother's didn't call him Danger for a reason.
To sum it up, Joe kind of got into an accident. Kind of being someone cut him off, Joe swerved, hit an ice patch that hadn't dissolved and then hit a pole.
The only good thing was he didn't get badly injured. The airbags didn't work though and he hit his head on the wheel but a small bump wasn't his biggest problem.
For one, he was pretty sure his parents didn't want him to drive alone yet. His mother had told him a few times, he was stubborn though.
He was also sure that he was in huge trouble. Nick had gotten his permit but Joe didn't want his opinion on how dumb he was.
There was only person, he had a remotely chance of not being judged with.
Joseph wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with him though. But blood was thicker than water right?
His initial shock wearing off, Joe climbed out and groaned at the huge dents he created.
He pulled out his cell and dialed a number.
Kevin listened as Derrick rambled about a blue jay they spotted. He was out a few miles with him and the four other members on a nature walk.
His phone buzzed then and Kevin grabbed it. He saw his brothers name and turned around. Derrick had strict rules. No one was to talk unless about the bird that especially meant cell phones.
Kevin answered anyway. "Joe?" he said softly.
"Kev? Thank the lord you answered, I am in such big trouble" Joe said. He sounded scared, something Kevin rarely heard in his little brother.
"Kevin! Are you listening!" Derrick cut in and Kevin lowered the phone without answering.
"I….I….I have to go Derrick…I think Joe needs me" Kevin stuttered. His voice was high. It seemed it did that when he was nervous too.
"I don't give a damn if your lame ass brother needs you, you're on my time or did you forget about my generosity?" Derrick asked.
Kevin finally saw the light. He had really been avoiding his brothers, his two best friends for this punk?
"I have to go" he said again. His voice normal with a little edge attached.
"No! If you walk off, you're out of the club and were no longer friends as well" Derrick threatened and Kevin chuckled.
"I don't care, you're nothing but a jerk anyway, I have more fun in an hour with Joe, Nick, Stella and Macy then this whole month with you" he answered.
Kevin took off the binoculars Derrick gave him and then everything the brat had given him as acts of 'friendship' and made a small pile on the grass.
"See ya Derrick, I'm done with you" Kevin then said and walked away. He then remembered the phone was still on.
"Joe? You still there?" he asked and he got an exasperated sigh.
"Yeah I'm here Kev, but I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you forgot me, you been doing that a lot" Joe said.
"Not anymore, where are you?" he answered. It was time to be the big brother again. Joe told him.
"Kevin, I screwed up" Joe then moaned. He sounded like he was holding back tears.
"Nick's been super quiet even for him, mom and dad are with Frankie and I'm…" Joe cut off and it sounded as though the tears were falling.
"I got bored, no one was around so I left….Kevin I…I got…" Joe went on.
"What Joe? Joseph talk to me buddy" Kevin urged him.
"I…I got into an accident" Joe finally said. Kevin stopped walking.
"Its….its okay Joey…I'll be right there" he finally said and hung up.
He called a taxi and a half hour later Joe was in his arms.
"I'm such an idiot" the younger sibling sobbed. Kevin stroked his hair as he paid his tab.
"Easy Joe, the damage isn't that bad, we'll fix this" Kevin said. Joe pulled away and wiped his eyes.
Kevin let him go and inspected the car. The car had taken damage but Kevin was pretty sure it was fixable.
He got on the phone and called a few other people. Stella Malone was the easier of the two.
Nick glanced at his phone. He couldn't believe who was calling him.
"Kevin? Why the heck you calling me?" he asked. He had an edge to his voice.
"Because I need you, Nick I'm sorry for letting you down but I need you" he heard his older brother say.
Part of him wanted to angrily say why? Why should I help you? But he couldn't.
Siblings were supposed to be their for one another. No matter what.
"Okay" he said.
"Stella should be there soon, go meet her" Kevin said.
Nick wanted to know why but by his brother's voice he had a feeling it wasn't good.
He then remembered Joe had rapped on the glass and told him he was going out. He had been wrapped up in his angry mood he forgot his brother had a permit.
"All right, Is he okay?" he asked. Kevin smiled slightly. His brother really was a genius.
"He's a little shook up but you know Joe, he'll be fine" he answered.
Nick sighed with relief. He said his goodbye and grabbed his jacket and shoes.
He slid down the pole just as the bell rang. He opened the door and Stella nearly tackled him as she threw her arms around his neck.
"Oh Nick, I knew your brother was crazy" she started and Nick rubbed her back gently.
"Stella relax, I just talked to Kevin, don't worry you still have time to tell him your madly in love with Joe" he said and Stella pulled away.
"I am not" she defended and Nick rolled his eyes. "Whatever, we don't have time" he said and grabbed her hand. He locked up the house and the two ran to the car.
Luckily they made it without being mobbed by fans.
Twenty minutes later the two found them.
"Good work Danger, glad to see you're living up to your name" Nick congratulated Joe.
Joe gave him a look. "Not helping Nicholas" he said as Stella hugged him first then smacked him.
"The hug was because I'm grateful your alive and this is for worrying us" she said as she hugged and punished him. Joe winced. "Okay, I get it, can we please get moving, its still winter you know" he said.
Stella nodded and opened her truck. Kevin had told her to bring something he could tie the car to, they didn't have enough money for a tow plus a cab ride.
She took out a tow rope, grateful her mom had one in her trunk. The woman was an ex girl scout and always planned ahead.
It was another hour later when Stella dropped them off. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas were waiting for them.
Joe immediately took all the blame and lets say he'll be in his room for a month. He nodded to his brothers and they went upstairs while he took his scolding.
Half hour later, Joe moped into the room.
"I guess I won't be having much of a life for the next month" he said as he flopped onto his bed.
"Sorry Joe, if anything this is my fault" Kevin muttered.
Joe sat up and looked at Nick. Nick looked at him. The two seemed to have the same thought. Kevin glanced up from his chair.
"I'm not Derrick's friend anymore" he said. It seemed he knew exactly what they were thinking.
Both brothers seemed happy about this.
"Sorry dude" Nick said only half meaning it.
Kevin rolled his eyes. "No your not and you shouldn't be, that dude was a jerk" he said.
Joe got up and sat next to his brother and Nick took the third chair.
"I'm sorry guys, really" Kevin said.
Nick and Joe nodded. "I'm glad you came to your senses" Joe said.
Kevin nodded. "Thanks to you Joey, the jerk didn't even want me to go" he said.
"You…you didn't have to Kevin, but I'm glad you did, I missed you" Joe said.
"Me too, wasn't the same without you two driving me crazy" Nick added.
"Awe guys" Kevin gushed. "And Joe, of course I had to, blood is thicker than water, you two, mom, dad and Frankie matter the most" he added.
The three bumped fists and Kevin pulled them into a hug.
"Feels good" he said.
The car was fixed with only four hundred dollars worth of damage. Which Joe would work to pay every cent back to his loving father.
The three brothers hung out at lunch the first day of April and while the students didn't get why or how, everything just went back to normal.
Blood really is thicker than water you know.
Longest one-shot I ever did but I couldn't resist.