"Step by Step, Brother"
By Lorrie
Chapter 9 – Help Me!
Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Drake & Josh". The characters belong to the creators and Nickelodian, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)
Megan and Josh flattened themselves against the wall of the ICU, waiting for the lone nurse at the nurses' station to leave. "There she goes." Josh whispered.
"Come on." Megan pulled at his hand and they crept towards ICU 2. Just as they were about to push the door open, it opened from the other side.
"Josh! Megan!" Walter exclaimed. "What are you two doing up here?"
Josh tried desperately to get a glimpse of Drake, but Walter was blocking his view. "We wanted to check on Drake." Megan replied.
Walter escorted Megan and Josh to the waiting area and sat them down. He stared at them quietly, searching for the words to tell them what had happened.
"Something did happen, didn't it? Megan was right." Josh asked, his eyes darting from Walter to Megan.
Walter placed a hand on each of the children's shoulders. "Drake had a seizure and right now, he's in a coma."
Megan's eyes grew large and she brushed Walter's hand away. "Don't say that!"
"Megan, sweetheart, Drake's body needs time to heal." Walter soothed as he swept her hair from her face.
Tears streamed down her face as she looked up and met Walter's eyes with her own. "That's what they said about dad when he was in a coma. His body didn't heal. He died!"
Audrey stood quietly in the doorway of the waiting room, listening as Megan poured her heart out to Walter. She watched as Walter wrapped his arms around the little girl and pulled her close. Megan beat at his chest with her fists. "It's not fair! First dad and now Drake! It's just not fair!"
Tears fell from Josh's face as he looked up and saw Audrey standing there, watching them. "Mom?"
She took a seat next to Josh. Megan turned from Walter and found comfort in Audrey's arms. Audrey found herself burying her head into Megan's neck and pulling her second child close to her. "Mom, is Drake going to be OK?" Megan asked softly.
Audrey rocked back and forth, tears streaming from her eyes. "I hope so honey. I sure hope so."
Walter stole a glance at his wife. Their eyes met and instantly he knew that he should go and check on Drake. "I'll be right back." He said as he got up.
"I'll come with you." Josh said as he followed his dad out.
As they approached Drake's room, Walter turned to his son. "Josh, I don't know if it's such a good idea for you to see Drake like this or not."
"He's my brother and I promised him that I wouldn't leave him. I need for him to know that I'm still here." Josh replied.
Hello. Is anyone there? Geez, somebody help me, please! Drake's subconscious mind pleaded.
Josh audibly gasped when he saw his brother. Drake's broken arm had been propped up on a pillow to keep him more comfortable, but Josh wondered how he could be comfortable with the numerous visible bruises on his face and upper torso, the oxygen tube in his nose and all of the monitors hooked up to him. He slowly stepped towards the bedside and felt his father move a chair up behind him.
"Talk to him." Walter said quietly.
"Can he hear me?" Josh asked.
Yes Josh, I can hear you! Why can't you hear me? Drake's mind screamed.
"Drake. I really wish you were awake. It's sort of hard to talk to you when you're sleeping." Josh began. "If you were awake, I'd tell you how sorry I am that I didn't go with you when you wanted to find a way out of the woods. I'd tell you that I wish it were me laying there instead of you and I'd tell you . . ." He began to sob. He recomposed himself and continued. "I'd tell you how much I love you, brother. You, Megan and mom are the best things that could have happened to me and dad since my mom died."
Walter closed his eyes for a second and the quietly stepped out of the room, bumping into Audrey and Megan as he did so. "Where's Josh?" Audrey asked.
"Could you give him a minute with Drake?" Walter asked. Audrey nodded and leaned into Walter's chest.
"I want to see him too." Megan insisted.
Walter and Audrey's eyes met and Walter took Megan's hand. "Megan, sweetie, you're too young to go into ICU."
Audrey noticed Dr. Thomas walking in their direction and started towards him. "Dr. Thomas?"
"Mrs. Nichols. How is your son? I haven't been in to see him this evening."
"There's no change." She said wistfully. "Dr. Thomas, is there anyway our daughter can go in and see Drake. It's very important to her."
The doctor eyed Megan from a distance. "How old is she?" He asked.
"Ten."
Dr. Thomas could see how distraught Megan was and nodded his head. "We'll make an exception." He nodded towards the nurse at the nurses' station and she acknowledged him with a nod as she heard his conversation with Audrey. "I have a couple of more patients to see before I get to Drake, but I'll see you in an hour, OK?"
"Thank you doctor!" Audrey replied gratefully and returned to Megan and Walter. "Dr. Thomas has arranged for you to see Drake." She told Megan.
Audrey quietly opened the door and found Josh with his head leaning on the bed, his hand still gripping Drake's even though he had fallen asleep.
"Son." Walter gently shook Josh. "Josh, wake up." Josh groaned slightly and stood up to stretch.
"No change?" Audrey asked Josh. The teen shook his head.
"Josh, why don't we give mom and Megan some time with Drake? I'll walk with you back to your room." Walter suggested.
Josh scratched his head. "OK." He replied sleepily.
"Hey! Where are you going? Hey! Josh, I'm talking to you!" Drake's mind was screaming out again, but went unheard.
Megan studied each of the monitors connected to her brother. Her eyes paused on the one measuring his brainwaves. She laughed slightly through closed lips, hoping that her mom hadn't heard her. "I wasn't sure you even had a brain." She thought as she gently touched his hand.
"Go on honey, don't be afraid." Audrey encouraged as she stroked Drake's hair. "Drake, Megan is here. She really misses you. We all do."
Megan misses me? That'll be the day. Drake thought as he heard his mother speak.
Then it was almost as if she had heard him. "I do miss you Drake, more than I ever thought I would." She paused as a tear ran down her cheek. "I want you to wake up. You can't leave us like dad did."
Drake felt like he had been slapped. His face stung and he suddenly felt very warm. Leave you like dad? Oh man, this is just like dad! I can't die like this, I won't. I'm not ready to go. He felt as if he were yelling to the top of his lungs. What do I need to do to get back? Somebody help me!
As Megan sat beside of her big brother, she held his hand, much in the same fashion as Josh had earlier. "I'm here Drake and I need you to wake up." Her little voice pleaded. Suddenly, she felt Drake's hand grip hers ever so slightly. "Drake!" She called out his name.
"Honey what is it?" Audrey asked.
"He gripped my hand!" Megan exclaimed.
"Are you sure?" Audrey asked, taking Drake's hand in hers. "Drake? Honey, it's mom. Can you squeeze my hand?" She waited with baited breath and then she felt it, a soft grip from her son's hand. Tears of joy began to flow down her face. "Drake, can you try to open your eyes for me? I'd really love to see those big, brown eyes."
Dr. Thomas walked in as she was talking. "Mrs. Nichols? Has there been some change?
"He gripped my hand." She stated. "First he gripped Megan's and then when I asked him squeeze mine, he did."
Dr. Thomas took Drake's hand. "Drake, I'm Dr. Thomas. I want you to squeeze my hand, OK?" He waited for a moment and just as he was about to release Drake's hand, he felt it, a slight squeeze from his patient. A smile spread across his face. "Mrs. Nichols, I think your son is going to be just fine. Don't get me wrong, he has quite a ways to go, but this is the most positive sign I've seen in the last 24 hours."
To be continued . . .
