Chapter Nine

Remember that time...

Drake awoke to the pinking, early, dawn that was rising over the ocean. That little one on one he and Josh had last night really put him in an okay mood for once. He knew that there'd have to be no more explaining between them, they'd always had that sort of unspoken bond. Drake never tried to question it, it was sort of like he and Josh belonged together in a weird way. They were the ying to the others yang, or something like that.

Drake gently woke Josh up and traded places with him. It was good to be behind the wheel of his baby again. He remembered saving up the money needed to buy the car and the pride he felt driving the car all his friends envied. His car was in no way a soccer mom van, it was almost as cool as the blue Mustang his father drove, but in more ways than not, cooler.

His watch read 7:45, he knew it was early, early for him, but he wanted to spent some quality time with Josh in DC, even if it meant he had to go on those stupid tours of the White House and the Pentagon, maybe he'd get to make out with the Presidents daughter or something. As long as Josh didn't try another magic trick with a fork, he'd be okay.

Drake Parker was finally driving down Interstate 95; this highway could take him from Maine to Florida in all of two days. 85 miles later and he'd be in DC, closer to where he wanted to go, closer to home, closer to his band, and closer to everything he knew and loved.

By 9:00 he had reached the hotel they were staying at on Madison Avenue.

"Guys, we're here." Drake said as he turned off the ignition. Taylor and Josh both stretched and got out of the car.

"I vote we go eat." Josh said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Count me in." Taylor added as she stretched her arms.

"I'm just glad to be off that highway." Drake yawned as he put the keys in his jacket pocket. "Where exactly do you want to eat?" He asked surveying the metropolis for a familiar, yet cheap place to eat. They were running a little low on cash.

"There's an IHOP down a little way." Taylor pointed out.

Many, pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, toast, and milkshakes later all three sat in the booth at IHOP and discussed where they should tour for the day.

"All I want to see is the Pentagon and the White House." Josh stated as he circled the two places on the map they'd gotten at the information center, in red crayon. Drake had insisted on coloring the little paper place mats they give five year olds.

"I don't care." Drake said as he worked on his third plate of pancakes. "I still say they should merge the pancake and the waffle into a waffle cake." He stated as he triumphantly finished his third plate. "That's it I'm full for once."

"A waffle is a pancake, with more flour." Taylor said as she looked at Drake.

"Don't care."

"I want to see the Washington Memorial." Taylor added as she circled it. "I want to see if I get in trouble for going in the reflecting pool." She laughed.

"If you get arrested, it's not my fault." Josh said.

… A few hours later

"Alright if you would like to tour the Pentagon please remove everything from your pockets and place it in this cubby. The only thing we'll allow you to keep is your money. We'll need to take cell phones, chap stick, anything that could be a potential hazard." The brunette tour guide stated. "We ask that you please leave all bags outside." She added.

"I'm totally not going to put my poster of the Constitution down where some 10 year old will steal it." Josh stated as he clutched his bag closer to him. "I'll just hide the bag in my pocket." He said victoriously as he folded the bag and stuck it in his back pocket.

"Josh, what about the poster?" Drake pointed out. "You obviously can't hide it. Just put in down, I don't' think anyone will want to steal a copy of the Constitution."

"I'd rather not risk it." Josh said. "I'll just hide it up my shirt." Josh whispered as he shoved the rolled up poster into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Josh, you look ridiculous." Drake stated as he rolled his eyes. "There is no way I'm getting arrested because you refused to listen to the security guards at the Pentagon.

"Please, form a single file line for a quick frisk." The tour guide said. It was obvious that she hated this job.

"Josh…you'll get us kicked out." Drake repeated.

"Don't worry I've got this under control."

"YOU!" The guard yelled towards Josh.

"Me?" Josh whimpered as his face went stark white.

"YES YOU. YOU HAVE EARS? We asked that you leave all items here."

"Can't I just take my bag with me?" Josh asked.

"Are you trying to be smart? We cannot allow into the Pentagon if you have your bag with you."

"It's not like I can blow anything up with a plastic bag. What am I going to do strangle Government Officials?" Josh said getting defensive.

"Josh stop." Drake moaned as he placed his head in his hand. "You're going to get us into trouble.

"IS THAT A THREAT?" The guard yelled.

"No…"

"Security we've got a potential terrorist here. Code red, I repeat code red." The guard said quickly into his radio.

"We have teams on the way. I'm ready to evacuate the Pentagon." A voice replied back.

"Just great Josh, look what you did." Drake sighed as he looked away from his panic stricken brother.

Alarms went off and red lights flashed as swat teams entered the building as everyone else left.

"Are you two with him?" The guard asked Drake and Taylor, who just looked at each other and nodded. "Then we'll have to search you guys too."

…45 minutes later

"I hope you guys have learned a valuable lesson today. And that is to always obey orders, especially at the Pentagon."

"Yes, yes I did learn a valuable lesson." Josh stated. "I learned that not only are airport strip searches very thorough, but Government ones are even more so."

They walked out the door, Josh without his bag and Constitution poster.

"Great Josh, you got us another strip search and you got us permanently thrown out of the Pentagon." Drake stated as he kept walking away from his brother.

"I said I was sorry." Josh added. "Why can't you guys just forgive me?"

"Because it was simple, you put down the bag and you're okay. You refused to put down the bag. There's no room for –sorry- here." Drake said. "Just don't talk for the rest of Washington okay?"

"You just like making me feel bad don't you?" Josh shouted at his brother.

"Yeah, I like making you feel bad when you do stupid things Josh." Drake retorted back.

"You know what; I take back what I said last night. You're not number one."

"I don't care Josh. I don't care. Just shut up okay? I don't want to fight." Drake said as he walked faster.

"Don't you walk away from me Drake Parker, you started this fight, I intend on finishing it."

"You always have to get the last word in don't you? You started this fight Josh; you didn't listen to what they told you to do at the Pentagon."

"You always run away from your problems Drake."

"What?" Drake yelled as he stopped in his tracks. "You name one time I've run away from my problems."

Josh stood there and thought. He'd never really thought of an example to use. Drake hadn't really ever run away from his problems much; he just stopped doing anything and let people do his work for him.

"I meant, you just let people do your work for you. You never do anything yourself."

Drake froze, Josh had a point. His whole life he expected people to do things for him. He never really took initiative, until someone made him. The only reason Josh had to help pass Algebra II was because he was threatened by his parents that if he didn't pass it for the second time, he would get his driving privileges taken away until he had an A average in that class.

"Well I'm doing this for myself." Drake said as he broke out into a run. Sure in a sense he was running away from this problem, but he didn't want to start anything else with Josh. He didn't even know why Josh was overreacting to him being angry about getting thrown out of the Pentagon; he wasn't even sure why he was pissed about being thrown out of the Pentagon.

"Drake wait!" Taylor yelled as she watched Josh run after him. She herself ran too.

Drake reached the reflecting pool of the Washington Memorial, a long run he knew but he wasn't going to stop until he knew he'd outrun Josh, and the Washington Memorial was that place.

"Drake…" Josh stated as he caught up and grabbed Drake's shoulder.

"Don't touch me." He yelled as he pushed Josh's arm off of him.

"You know what…fine be that way." Josh said as he pushed Drake for pushing him.

"I said don't touch me."

"I'll touch you all I want."

"That just sounds wrong."

"Shut up."

"You shut up Josh."

"You know what." Josh said as he pushed Drake into the reflecting pool.

"That tears it Josh." Drake said as he pulled him in with him. The pool was only knee deep but both boys began to push each other down, reminiscent of the times the fought in the chocolate pool after they'd caved on their bet and the time in Helens hot tub.

"BOYS!" Taylor yelled hoping that they'd stop. They were beginning to draw a crowd of spectators watching them fight. It was rare that two teenage boys fought in the reflecting pool outside the Washington Monument. A few people were clicking pictures. A group of school kids watched in awe. Egging both of them on with chants like, "HOLD HIM DO WN!" "YEAH! Spit in his face."

"BOYS!" Taylor shouted as she jumped in the pool. "YOU TWO ARE SO IMMATURE!" she screamed as she pushed them apart, both staring at her, amazed that she had the power to make them stop. Drake and Josh were both soaked and panting. " THIS WHOLE TRIP YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT AT EACH OTHERS THROATS! GOD…One minute you're best friends, the next your about to kill each other. Can we just get back in the car and drive the next six hours in peace?" She yelled at first but then quieted down towards the end. She was wet from pulling them apart and her eyes had this flare in them that said that she meant business.

Drake looked at her then to Josh, then back at Taylor. He had a mix of fear and resentment in his eyes.

"I should have known." Was all Drake managed to spit out as he pulled himself out of the pool. "I should have known."

He walked away leaving Taylor and Josh standing there confused.

Back in the Hotel Room…

"Drake, he said he was sorry." Taylor yelled through the bathroom door. Drake had gotten back to the hotel before Taylor and Josh had and locked himself in the bathroom. "Drake, other people have to use the bathroom too." She repeated as she slid down the wall and sat next to the door.

"He knows this is so much more than not listening at the Pentagon."

"You know it too Drake. Just make up already okay."

"No."

She sighed and got back up. Josh had decided to sit in the car and wait for Taylor to coerce Drake out of the bathroom.

"Drake, Josh isn't in the room. Just let me in." She said softly. She heard the door unlock and she pushed it open to find Drake sitting on the floor, still in the wet clothes. He looked like a helpless puppy like that. She hated being their mediator, she hated how they fought the way they did. Though she knew better than to get mad at them, she knew they were only fighting like this because they were both scared to lose each other. She fought with her mother like that before she'd died, just so she could prove she still cared.

"Drake…" She began but quieted when he put his hand up.

"Sorry, I'm so goddamn sorry that you had to mediate every fight between us. Sorry that this trip sucked." He acknowledged as she bowed her head.

"It hasn't sucked at all. I know you two are scared to lose each other. I've been through it. I fought with my mother all the time before she died. It was the only way I could hold onto her. If she fought with me it was like normal, it was like she wasn't sick." She explained as tears formed in her eyes. She hadn't talked about her mother in years.

"Sorry. I know what it's like to lose a parent. You're right tough, I don't want to lose Josh either. This trip isn't long enough. We're there in like three more days."

"Then enjoy them. You'll have better memories if you just have fun. Tomorrow we're going to Hershey Park, okay. It'll be like old times for you. I recall you being excited to ride the Mustang."

"Yeah…I guess."

"Here, put on dry clothes." She whispered softly as she handed Drake a pile of dry clothes as she got up to leave. Drake placed the clothes on the floor and grabbed her arm.

"Taylor…" He began as he stood up.

"Yeah?" She questioned as she turned around as Drake pulled her closer to him.

"Just don't say anything about this to Josh."

"I don't plan on it, but I'm sure he feels the same way you do." She said delicately. She didn't want to upset him.

"You can tell him that, just don't tell him this…" He whispered as he kissed her. It felt right to kiss her, it just did. She didn't fight it, she knew it was better to kiss Drake than it was to kiss Josh. She felt his hands fall onto her waste, like she knew it had for many other girls. She ran her hand through his hair. He felt her lips part and her tongue enter his mouth, she was forward, and he liked it. Kisses like that one were hard to come by, even for Drake Parker, the king of kissing.

'wow…' both breathed as they broke apart.

"I swear I won't tell Josh." She said as she looked into Drakes eyes, they spoke all the words he didn't need to say. "I'll be in the car."

Drake stood there in the bathroom as he watched Taylor walk out the door. He'd finally done what he'd wanted to since he saw her flirt with the Mexican back in Santa Fe. He'd finally kissed a girl that had meant something more to him than sex. Josh could never know that they'd kissed the same girl.

Drake put on the clothes and walked to his car. He was going to drive, no matter what. They'd reach Hershey in two hours. He checked his watch, it was 2 in the afternoon, and they'd get there by 4. Enough time to tour the factory and hang out at the park, just to leave the next morning and reach New York in 2 more hours, than 3 more until Josh was at home in Cambridge with his beloved Mindy by his side.

Drake hopped into the front seat. Josh didn't even acknowledge Drake's presence in the seat next to him. He was way beyond pissed this time.

Drake drove down I-83, it was around 3:30, and they'd be there in another hour or less. He was driving a little fast; it was like a release to him. Josh was asleep in the seat next to him and Oh! Darling by the Beatles was playing on the radio. Drake turned it up a little bit, he was a sucker for any classic rock song.

"Drake…" Taylor began as she scooted up to the edge of her seat.

"Yeah?" He replied, part of him knew what she was going to ask.

"What happened back there…was that for real or was it another one of those moments because you were pissed. Because you seem to…" she stopped when she noted his hand on hers.

"It was for real. I realized that I had sort of a crush on you back in Santa Fe."

"Really, because I realized that I liked you when you stumbled into that diner barely able to speak."

"Doesn't surprise me." He laughed. "I have that way with people."

"So, does that mean we're like…you know?" She paused as he held her hand tighter.

"When Josh is off at Harvard, back with his beloved, that's when."

"So you want me to finish this trip with you?" She asked softly.

"Only if you're willing to deal with me as we go all the way back to San Diego."

"I'm totally willing." She replied as she sat back into the back seat. "If you don't mind I think I'm going to sleep the rest of the way. I want to keep my energy up for touring the chocolate factory." She smiled as she stretched out on the back seat.

Drake smiled, he had no idea why Taylor was the only girl he didn't see as a sex symbol, well she was in retrospect, but it didn't mean that Drake wanted to get in her pants at that exact moment. She was going to be the girl that sex meant something with, no ifs ands or buts. She would be that one.

Drake took the U-Turn at Cocoa Ave, onto West Chocolate Ave, he rolled down the window, it was true, and Hershey really did smell like chocolate, only mixed with car emissions. He looked up at the little kisses that topped the street lights. They were in Chocolate Town USA and he was as excited as he could be as he pulled into the parking lot of the Hershey Factory. He didn't bother to wake Josh and Taylor up yet. He liked things peaceful.

A/N: And there you go Chapter Nine...okay so yes I know, Taylor and Drake. That was the whole premise of the story when I introduced her. Now it kind of takes a shift from Drake and Josh to Drake and Taylor. But don't worry, Josh will still be in here. I'll jump between them when Josh is off at Harvard. Now I'm done giving things away. Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks Allyson for correcting the Craig/Carl thing, at least Carl was kind of close...I'll be updating that chapter soon.

-Morgan