A/N: Another week on time! Aren't you proud of me? :D

Chapter 21 - Maybe If I Sing To Her (Posted 13 July 2011)

"Mommy is here?" Nate asked as Josh carried him through the hospital.

"Yes, she's here." Drake answered, putting on his best fake smile so as not to upset the child.

"Noisy." Nate observed, looking around.

"In this part, yeah." Josh said. "But your mommy is in a quieter part in her own room."

"Alone?"

"Yeah." Drake said, almost choking on the word. He raised a hand to wipe a tear away before anyone saw it. "But she has doctors and nurses with her a lot, so she's not really alone."

"This is her room." Josh said, stopping in front of the familiar door. He and Drake could probably find it blindfolded, because the path was forever ingrained in their minds. He pushed the door open and walked inside.

It never got easier. Walking in and seeing Megan hooked up to all kinds of machines with her eyes closed and her chest just barely rising and falling. Every time was just as shocking as the first.

"Mommy... sleeping?"

"Sleeping." Drake nodded.

Josh set Nate on the floor and watched as he walked over to Megan's bed. Her bed had been lowered for her therapy, so Nate was just able to see over it. "Sick?"

"Very sick." Drake said. What had he done to deserve this? All he wanted out of life was to live happily with his family, but here he was, looking down at his 'sleeping' sister and trying to explain to his beloved nephew exactly what was wrong with his mommy.

It calmed him a little when Josh stepped closer and took Drake's hand in his, tangling their fingers together and squeezing tightly.

"What's that?" he pointed to a clear plastic bag.

"That's called an IV." Josh explained. "It feeds her while she's sleeping."

"Can't eat?"

"No, she can't eat." Josh knew Drake would start crying if he had to open his mouth, so he was trying his best to explain things to Nate until Drake was calm enough to take over.

"So no cookie." This wasn't a question. So no one answered. "Looks... sad."

"She is sad." Drake said, finally finding his voice. "She's been away from you, so I'm sure she'll be happy once she knows you're here. Why don't you try holding her hand?" Drake suggested, remembering one of Dr. Borde's theories.

Nate furrowed his brows and reached up, grabbing his mother's heavy arm and letting it fall off the bed. Drake tensed, worrying about the wires and tubes coming out, but thankfully they were all extra long to allow for movement. Nate curled his tiny fingers around one of Megan's. He looked up at her with eyes full of hope... but nothing happened. "Mommy?"

There was a bleep on a machine.

"What was that?" Drake asked, gazing all around.

"Brain wave monitor." Josh pointed to the blue screen.

"She heard him." Drake gasped. "Dr. Borde said it would be months before we reached her."

"He underestimates the power of the bond between mother and child." Josh said. "Either that, or he didn't want to get our hopes up for nothing... just in case."

Drake didn't even try to hide his tears now. They just rolled down his face as he watched Nate stare at Megan. When Josh's arms came around him, he leaned into his chest and continued to cry.

"Maybe if I sing to her." Nate said, looking deep in thought.

"What?" Josh asked.

Drake pulled back a little and used the back of his hands to clean his face. "Megan and Nate always like to sing together. It's really cute. In fact... it's been weird without it..."

"Why don't you give it a try?" Josh encouraged him.

"Sing with me?" he raised his eyebrows at them expectantly.

"Sure." Drake nodded and tried to smile again. "Will you help too, Josh?"

"Me? But I'm not..." Do I have a right to? "a musician..."

"So? She needs all of us. Please?"

"Ok." Josh said, unable to deny him.

"Thanks." Drake walked over to where Nate was standing and pulled Josh with him since their hands were still entwined.

"What are we gonna sing?" Josh asked.

"Her favorite." Nate decided. Then he jumped right into the song. "Twinkle, twinkle little star."

Drake actually smiled for real and joined in. "How I wonder what you are."

And finally Josh completed the trio. "Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are.

More bleeps.

Drake's head snapped up to the brain wave monitor. "Again?"

"And that one too this time." Josh pointed to the heart monitor.

"Those are good sounds though, right?" Drake asked.

"I think so. If they were bad, doctors would be rushing in here." Josh said.

"I don't believe it." Drake was stunned.

"We should tell Dr. Borde the next time he comes in." Josh suggested. "That way he can try to incorporate it into his treatment."

"Yeah. And... I'll bring my guitar tomorrow." Drake said sheepishly.

Josh smiled to himself. He knew Drake had given up his music some time ago. And it made him happy to know that he would get into it more, even if it was only temporarily.

"Ok, it's time to go home." Josh said, scooping Nate up into his arms.

"But... Mommy..."

"Mommy is gonna be fine." Drake said. "She wouldn't want you to stay here and be sad. You need to go home and get some more rest. We all do. We'll bring you back tomorrow, ok? And every day after that until she gets better."