Step by Step, Brother "

By Lorrie

Chapter 7 – Recovery & Relief

Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Drake & Josh". The characters belong to the creators and Nickolodian, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)

The sky was dark, emulating Audrey's feelings at the moment. Her eyes never left the road as she kept her foot on the gas wanting to get to Drake as soon as possible.

"Mom, are you OK?" Megan asked from the backseat.

Audrey nodded slightly. "Yeah honey, I'm fine."

"You do realize that you just went through a red light, don't you?" Megan asked as she tightened her seatbelt.

Audrey shook herself back to the present. "I did?" She asked, looking at the speedometer and realizing she was running over 70 mph, pulled over to the curb and sat there for a moment, her hands on the wheel, unmoving.

"Mom, are you sure you're OK?" Megan asked again.

"I'll be fine once I know that your brother is OK." She pulled her cellphone from her purse and dialed Walter's number.

The siren from the ambulance could be heard as Walter answered. "Hello."

"Walter, how is he?" Audrey asked, frantically.

Walter didn't speak, but placed the phone to Drake's ear. "Mom." Drake said weakly.

Audrey's body jerked slightly as she cried at the sound of her son's voice. "Drake, oh my poor baby. Are you OK?"

"I will be." He said quietly and Walter took the phone back.

"Audrey, he has a concussion and a broken arm. There's also the possibility of broken ribs, but we'll know more once we reach the hospital. Where are you?"

She cleared her throat as she tried to compose herself. "We're still a good hour and a half from the hospital."

"OK. Honey, I have to go, we're pulling into the hospital now." Walter said. "I love you."

"Love you too." She said softly as she closed her cellphone.

Megan's head popped up between the two front seats. "So, Drake's OK?"

"At least he's awake right now." Audrey said as her hand rubbed her daughter's head softly. "They just pulled into the hospital."

"How bad is he hurt?" Megan asked.

Audrey smiled slightly. "Dad said that he has a concussion and a broken arm for sure and they'll know more once they check him out at the hospital." She wiped a lone tear from Megan's cheek. "Why don't you get buckled in and we'll get going."

Walter sat in the waiting room, waiting for news on both Drake and Josh. "Mr. Nichols?" A nurse questioned.

"Yes. The boys, they're OK?" He asked.

The nurse smiled. "I wouldn't know about that. I need to have you complete these papers on each of the boys." She handed him two clipboards. "They're planning to admit both of them."

Walter took the clipboards and pen, his hands shaking uneasily. "I thought Josh was OK."

"They want to keep him overnight for observation." The nurse smiled. "Can I get you anything?"

Walter shook his head. "No thank you." He began to complete Josh's paperwork and then turned to Drake's. After glancing through the questions, he realized that he knew virtually nothing about Drake's medical history. Frustrated, he took the clipboard back to the nurse's desk. "I can't complete this." He said, handing her the clipboard.

"They're relatively simple questions just so the doctors have a brief summary of your son's medical history." The nurse explained.

"Yes, yes, I know that. You don't understand. Drake is my step-son and I don't know if he's allergic to any medications or if he's had surgery before. I don't even know his blood type or for that matter if he's had chicken pox before." Walter explained.

The nurse nodded. "Is there someone you can contact to obtain the information?"

"My wife is on her way here. If she's still making good time, she should be here within thirty minutes or so."

"I really need to get this information to the doctors now. They're concerned that they may have to operate if they can't get the internal bleeding under control and we need to know if he's allergic to any medications, if he's had surgery before and if so, how did he react to the anesthesia, things like that." The nurse explained.

Walter nodded. "I'll see if I can reach Audrey on her cellphone." He stepped away from the nurse's desk and sent into the hallway.

Before he could finish dialing, Audrey and Megan stepped out of the elevator. "Walter, where are they?" She asked, running towards her husband.

He pulled her into a tight embrace and then held her at arms length. "Honey, we need to complete some paperwork on Drake. I couldn't answer any of the medical history questions. He may need surgery."

"Surgery?" Audrey gasped. "What for?"

"I don't really know all of the detail, the doctor hasn't come out yet and . . ."

"Mr. Nichols." A doctor at the far end of the hall called out.

"That's me." Walter raised his hand and hobbled towards the doctor with Audrey and Megan in tow.

The doctor nodded towards a bench beside of him. "And you're Mrs. Nichols?" He asked. Audrey.

"That's right. What can you tell us about ours sons?"

"I'm Dr. Thomas. I've been with your son, Drake. His injuries are fairly serious; he has a concussion and some minor internal bleeding caused by a broken rib." He stopped briefly to let the news sink in. "The bleeding is currently under control, so unless it gets worse, we won't have to operate."

Audrey gasped and brought her hand to her mouth.

"I know it sounds bad, but it could have been a lot worse." The doctor explained. "I can let you see him for a minute, but he is a bit groggy."

Audrey composed herself before speaking. "Thank you doctor." She, Megan and Walter followed Dr. Thomas to the triage room. "Megan, maybe you had better stay out here with me and let your mom see Drake first, OK?" Walter suggested.

Megan humbly nodded and watched as Audrey stepped behind the curtain with Dr. Thomas. "Remember, he's groggy. He may not understand everything you say."

Audrey had to fight back the tears as she stared at her oldest child lying in the hospital bed. He looked pale and she cringed as she noticed the stitches in his forehead. Very gently she took his right hand in hers and softly caressed his face with her other hand. "Drake honey it's mom. Open your eyes for me."

Very slowly the teenager's eyelids opened. "Mom." He said softly. "You're here." He squeezed her hand as tightly as he could. "Scared."

"Shh." Audrey comforted. She noticed a small drainage tube that had been placed in his side and cringed again. "It's going to be fine, honey." She jumped as a nurse touched her back.

"I'm sorry, but we need to get him up to ICU." The nurse said as she lifted the bed railing. Audrey watched, helplessly as two orderlies wheeled Drake away.

Walter's comforting arm went around her shoulders. "Let's check in on Josh. It'll be a while before they'll let us in to see Drake again."

Josh was sitting up, watching TV, or pretending to. "Hey guys!" He greeted as Walter, Audrey & Megan walked into his room.

Audrey kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm fine. How's Drake? Have you seen him? Is he awake?"

"Whoa! Slow down, son." Walter said, giving him a hug. Josh looked at him blankly.

Audrey sat down at Josh's bedside with Megan right behind her. She gently took Josh's hand in hers. "Your brother is in ICU right now. He has a nasty concussion, a broken arm and a broken rib." Josh squeezed her hand tightly as he saw tears welling up in her eyes.

"But, he'll be OK, right?" Josh said slowly.

Walter nodded. "He needs time to heal." He stared at his son for a moment. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"A little tired and a little hungry, but I'm fine." Josh replied quietly.

Audrey turned her attention to Megan. "What about you, honey? Are you OK?"

Megan nodded mutely. She thought about all of the mean things she had recently done to Drake and Josh and the other mean things she was planning for them when they returned home from their camping trip.

"Megan, honey?" Walter questioned as he knelt down beside of her.

Megan wrapped her arms around her step-dad. "I just want everything to be back to normal. I want Drake to be OK and I want to go home." She began to cry.

Josh sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Everything will be back to normal soon, Megan. You'll see. Drake will be fine and we'll all go home, soon . . . " He looked at Audrey. "Right?"

Audrey nodded and tried to smile, but her thoughts were on Drake. "Walter, I'm going up to ICU and see if they'll let me in to see him."

"I'll come with you." He said.

She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "I need to do this alone."

It had been a little over an hour since she had been allowed to see her son and after a brief elevator ride, Audrey found herself on the 5th floor. She paused at the nurse's desk while she waited for the doctor to finish checking Drake over again.

"Mrs. Nichols, you can come in now."

"How is he?" She asked Dr. Thomas as she entered.

"A lot better, actually. He seems more alert and he said he's a little hungry." Dr. Thomas smiled.

"Hey mom." Drake said. His voice a bit stronger than the last time she had seen him.

"Hi honey." She smiled and took a seat next to his bed.

"How's Josh?" Drake asked.

"He's fine. They're keeping him overnight for observation, but he's fine."

"Where's Megan and Dad?"

"They're in Josh's room. I guess I'm being a bit selfish, but I wanted to see you alone for a little while." She stared at him.

"What?" He asked. Questioning her stare.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again." She scolded as she gently brushed his cheek with the back of her hand.

"Sorry." He said meekly.

She ruffled his hair on the uninjured side of his head. "You know I love you, right?"

Drake smiled. "I know. I love you too."

The nurse opened the door. "OK, I have a bowl of nice hot chicken broth for you."

Drake wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Chicken broth? I asked for a cheeseburger and fries."

"Not with that concussion. Not until we know what your stomach can handle." The nurse said, setting the chicken broth on the table and then moving it until it was just in front of Drake. "Do you need any help?" The nurse asked.

Drake shook his head. "No thanks. I can manage." When the nurse left, he turned to his mom. "Do I have to eat this?"

Audrey rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid so."

"I hate soup." He replied as he tried to get comfortable enough to feed himself, although the cast on his left arm prohibited him from moving himself close enough to the table to eat.

Audrey laughed slightly as she picked up the spoon and dipped it into the broth. "Open up."

"Mom." Drake whined. "I can feed myself."

"Humor me." She said with determination.

Drake opened his mouth. As the broth began to fill his stomach, he had to admit that it was better than nothing and that he really didn't half mind his mom babying him a bit, at least while no one else was watching.

To be continued . . .