Chapter Fifteen

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

(Because that's the only word that fits)

It'd been a few months since Taylor and Drake had called it off both knowing that it was all for the better.

Christmas came and went and Josh and Mindy were situated back at Harvard attempting to keep her pregnancy under wraps until they could transfer back home for more reasons that just the pregnancy, they both hated New England winters with a passion, it was just too cold.

Drake had decided that it was best he move out of his parent's house and was currently in the process of condo shopping. He'd gone on a few more dates with Lillah knowing the whole time that it felt right with her but he grew worried that things between them would fade like they did with every other girl he'd ever liked.

Lillah was going to UCLA majoring in Film and Media Arts with a minor in music. They hung out on the weekends. Drake soon realized that spending time apart was the key to a relationship. You couldn't just make out with a girl or live with her in your car, for 24/7 and expect every time you met to be special.

Drake had also asked her if she wanted to do a few duets with him on his next CD. He was working on a few songs and only had three. Sunset Records wanted another one out by next Christmas. Girls were apparently demanding his music on MTV so he'd gotten another shot to play live on TRL as a break-out artist. He gladly obliged and sales for his CD shot up as teenage girls around the world were buying it. Lillah asked if she could direct a music video for him for her final project. He agreed figuring that it'd get air time on MTV.

Drake had found the perfect condo on the outskirts of Beverly Hills, close to UCLA but far enough away where he didn't feel like he was living with Lillah.

He was sitting on the counter talking with his manager about the music video coming up.

"I know, I know. What song do you want it for again?" Drake asked as he held a list of his favorite songs in his hand. "No, ugh I hate that song." Drake complained in disgust. "I already told you what I wanted to do; I want to do In the End. No I don't care if you like Hollywood Girl. I'm the artist and I'll do what I want." He yelled as he jumped off the counter to let Lillah in.

"Fine we'll discuss this later but I already have what I want in mind. Yeah, I've got to go." He said as he hung up the phone.

"Sorry I'm late." She apologized a she grabbed a bottle of water out of his fridge. "I was talking to my film teacher about the project it's due in two months."

"I was just talking to Roger about it. He wants me to do Hollywood Girl but I'm fighting for In the End."

"As the artist you should do whatever the hell you want." She said as she sat down at his kitchen table.

"I know right. So back to video talk Roger says he can provide us with all the technical aspects of this project. You know cameras, sound equipment, props, and whatnot." Drake rambled.

"So I've listened to this song and I've come up with an idea based around what you told me." She started but stopped when she realized he wasn't paying attention.

"Lil… stop. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I need a vacation." He sighed being a star wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Drake didn't take into account all the work that went into it. He thought it was all about sitting back and basking in the glory of himself.

"You want to go to the beach or something?" She asked as she walked over and placed her arms around his shoulders.

"You want to watch a movie? Here instead?" He asked as she rested her chin on his head.

"Whatever you want."

"You know what I haven't seen in such a long time?"

"What?"

"Star Wars. I love those movies." He laughed as he stood up. "Come on we'll make pop corn and just eat all this junk food and watch the original Trilogy because that's the best, after we've changed into pajamas and lounge in bed. And once we're done with that we'll watch Blues Brothers or Jurassic Park, or any other movie we want." Drake said as he pulled out his stash of junk food and poured bowls full of candy corn and gummie bears, grabbed bags of Apple Chips, Pop Corn, Cheese Balls, and any other thing else he wanted.

"Here take these." He said as she threw her a pair of his pajama pants as she stood by the foot of his bed. She put them on and took down her hair.

They crawled into his bed and he put New Hope into the portable DVD player that rested between both of them.

She fell asleep during the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back right when Luke was stranded on the Ice Planet Hath and just killed the weird llama thing. He had just started the Return of The Jedi and was at the best part of all time when Jaba the Hut had just been killed and Han Solo is unfrozen and they're fighting in the hovercrafts above the sand monster thing, when the phone rang. He checked his caller ID, Cambridge. It was Josh.

He picked it up, "Hey Josh what's up?"

"Nothing good Drake." He heard from the other line.

"What's wrong?"

"Well Mindy's in labor, she's just not even 7 months yet." Josh said worried.

"Where are you?" Drake asked.

"In the hospital they're trying to stop her labor but nothing's working."

"Did you call Mom and Dad yet?" Drake asked.

"Yeah, they're getting the next flight out of San Diego."

"You want me to come out there?" Drake asked knowing he could afford the flight from Los Angeles to Boston with no problem.

"If you wouldn't mind…"

"Josh, I'm your brother, I told you I'd be there for you." Drake said calmly.

"Thank you so much Drake. This means the world to me."

"I know it does brother. I'll get the next flight." Drake said as he hung up. He turned off the DVD player and woke Lillah up.

"Lil, get up." He said softly as he ran his hand through her hair.

"What?" She asked when she finally opened her eyes.

"I'm going taking the next flight to Boston, you coming with me?" He asked as he frantically threw clothes into a carry on bag.

"I was hoping we could work on the video this week considering it's spring break." She said confused.

"Lil, I've told you about my brother right?"

"Yeah. His girlfriend's pregnant right?" She asked making sure she had the right brother.

"Yeah well she's in labor and he wants me there because she's barely 7 months pregnant." Drake explained quickly as he grabbed a jacket off the kitchen table.

"Do you want me to go?" She asked as she stood in the doorway of his room.

"Yeah, I do." He said as he frantically searched for his car keys which she picked up off the counter.

"I'll drive." She said as she made sure all the lights were off and the doors were locked to his house.

They had gotten the next flight to Logan Airport which left in approximately three hours. They were sitting in a corner on the floor because the chairs were too uncomfortable to sit in. He had his head in her lap and he couldn't help but feel Josh's fear. The two were almost like twins he could always tell when something was bothering Josh and Josh could always tell likewise.

"You want something to eat?" He asked as he sat up.

"I'll go get us something." She offered as she stood up. She got up and walked to the Starbucks stand that was in the middle of the gates. She ordered herself a chai latte because coffee wasn't really her thing, and she ordered both of them a carrot cake muffin because that's what they always got when they went to Starbucks and he always got a Caramel Latte.

She walked back with their food. He was exhausted and she could tell. Ever since she had met him he'd shot almost what seemed like to superstar status and she knew it was hard on him. Everywhere they went people were snapping pictures with their camera phones or the paparazzi would follow him even if he was doing something as simple as going grocery shopping. She didn't care though, it wasn't the fact that he was famous that made her stay with him it was the fact that she knew he needed someone. He needed someone in the worst way, not some groupie that would satisfy him for one night, no the last thing he needed was that. He needed someone who didn't care about a physical romance, she wasn't just a girlfriend, he needed someone that he could talk to, vent to, someone that he could honestly truly love, and she was the one that could honestly give it to him.

She wasn't a needy person and knew that she was working harder than he was because she was still in college and had three years left of it. She never pressured him to be there for her more often and he never did the same with her. They barely had enough time together so that when they did have time it was meaningful. She never once begged him to sing a song for her or tell her about his past. She knew he played things close and she was open about everything. They were opposites she would talk just to have something to do. He'd sit and listen and tell her when enough was enough, but she was also empathetic and listened to him when he needed a shoulder and she comforted him when he needed to cry.

She sat down next to him and he placed his head on her shoulder.

"You are amazing." He said as she handed him the food.

"It happens." She smiled as she ran her hand through his hair.

He sighed he knew he loved her more than he could ever love Taylor. It wasn't that Taylor wasn't his opposite; she was, but an opposite that didn't quite fit him the way that Lillah's opposite did. Taylor needed someone better than him, someone that could support her because she didn't know where she was going, even when he picked her up that day at the diner. She didn't know what she wanted or where she was going and he didn't need that, he didn't. He just couldn't handle being a support pillar for someone. Lillah, she knew what she wanted and she knew who she was and where she was going. He wasn't there to try to make her who she was. Plus her goals coincided with his. She wanted to be the next Stephen Spielberg or the next Spike Lee, she and him both knew where their roads were leading. She needed to love someone and he needed to be loved.

"How long until the plane boards?" He asked. She looked at her watch it read 7:15. They'd been there since 4:50, three hours; the plane would start to board any time now.

"Any time now." She whispered.

His cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his jacket pocket and answered it.

"Josh, how's everything?" Drake asked quickly excited and relieved to hear from his brother.

"It's okay, she had the baby." Josh said a tone of reprieve and concern in his voice.

"So what is it?" Drake asked, he was an uncle, it was an odd feeling but he liked it none the less.

"Not telling you until you guys get here, but the baby's in Neonatal ICU, the lungs aren't fully developed." Josh explained.

"Will it be okay?"

"1 step forward 10 steps back, that's what the doctor told us. There's a chance that the baby won't make it but there's a chance that it will."

"I'm a betting man Josh, and I just have this feeling that everything is going to be okay."

"See you in a few Drake. Mindy and I are going to see the baby. They say the more you're around it the better the odds are."

"See you Josh."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Drake hung up the phone. The plane had started boarding as he was on the phone and Lillah had taken his bag for him. He got up and took it from her.

"Sorry about tonight." He apologized as he hugged her one handed.

"It's okay. You need someone here anyway." She said as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks." He whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

They boarded the plane and endured a long plane ride with bouts of sleep. They'd be at Logan by Midnight or a little after. They'd find a hotel and get directions from Josh in the morning to the Hospital that he and Mindy were staying at. Drake smiled, less than one year the two had traveled the country, Drake had learned how to love instead of 'love', Josh started pre-med, Drake became a rock star, Josh got Mindy pregnant and became a father, Drake an uncle, and once again Drake had lost love, or left it but it was for the better because here he was with the girl he knew he wanted to marry when the time was right.

"Lillah?" Drake asked softly testing to see if she was asleep or just resting. She opened her eyes and sat up straighter.

"We there yet?" She asked looking around the plane.

"No, not yet."

"What then?" She asked as she placed her head back down on his shoulder.

"What would you say if I asked you if you thought that this was it?" He asked slightly confusing the girl.

"You mean what would I say if you asked me if I thought that we were it? Like if this relationship was the last we'd ever have?" She repeated making sure she understood him correctly.

"Yeah, that's exactly it. What would you say because I'm asking you?"

She thought for a minute. She'd dated her fair share of guys and never felt anything like this before. She knew that she did want this to be it. Even though they'd have to wait for marriage they could at least test the next three years until she graduated and had some sort of career under her belt.

"I'd have to say that this feels right, well not really right but if I knew what 'it' felt like then I'd have to say that this feels like it. This feels like the relationship that's the last relationship we'll have." She said confusing herself but life was like that confusing.

"I agree."

She squeezed his hand tighter.

"So does this mean that we're promising each other that this is it?" She asked.

"I never make promises because life comes at you fast and unexpectedly and you never know what will happen. But this time I'll make an exception to that rule because no matter what life throws at me, us, I know we'll be there for each other. So yeah, I guess we are promising each other that this is it." He said as he smiled. It felt good to say that to someone, promising someone that you'd always be there for them. It was commitment; Drake Parker was committing himself to someone for once in his life. Commitment was the one thing that he'd always ran away from but this past year Drake Parker wasn't the Drake Parker that he used to be. He'd learnt to open up and now here he was learning to commit to someone to something. He couldn't back out now, he'd promised, and that was okay with him.

The plane landed at Logan sometime after midnight. Drake and Lillah slept at a Best Western nearby and arrived at the Hospital exactly at 8 when visiting hours started.

"Okay, we've got them a gift, now let's see the maternity ward is on the third floor and their room is 312." Drake said as they stepped into the elevator.

They got out on the third floor and found room 312. They pushed the door open and walked in. Mindy was eating contently in her bed, Josh was watching TV. Both of them had decided to change majors and transfer over to UCSD where they could easily commute and leave their baby with Audrey and Walter during the day. They were both going to become English majors, Josh studying classical literature and Mindy studying more modern.

"Drake, you made it." Josh said excited as he hugged his brother.

"Yeah, I, I mean we did." Drake said noting Lillah whose arm was linked in his. "Josh this is Lillah, my girlfriend." Drake introduced her to his brother. "Lil, this is Josh my brother and that's Mindy his soon to be wife."

"Oh don't go jumping the gun yet." Mindy laughed. "We're pre-engaged."

"Here Mindy, Josh, we got you something." Drake said as he handed a gift bag over to his pre-sister-in-law.

"You didn't have to Drake." She said.

"Oh come on. It gives you something to look forward too."

Mindy opened the bag to find a jump suit that said, 'My uncle is a rock star', she laughed and then opened the tiny converse and the unisex jumpers in yellow, green, and white.

"Oh Drake, you didn't have to." She said once again.

"It was honestly no problem. So am I going to find out if I have a niece or a nephew any time soon?" He questioned.

"Well if you want to see the baby you can. They're only allowing immediate family only and well, I think you count as immediate family." Josh said as he led his brother out of the room. "Mindy you keep Lillah company." Josh added as Mindy just shooed him away.

"So Drake, is she the one that you had that semi affair kiss with?" Josh asked as they walked towards the Neonatal ICU.

"Yeah, she's the one." Drake sighed.

"You love her, I can tell you do. You love her more than you loved Taylor."

"Yeah…" Drake exhaled. "You have no idea how much I love her. Josh we've been together almost half a year and I'm not bored of her yet. I mean, she just understands everything Josh. I don't need to say anything to her; she just knows what I want and what I need. Josh, we haven't even had sex yet." Drake explained as they stood outside the door.

"Drake…wow, that's impressive." Josh stated in awe. His brother normally judged how much he liked a girl by how good their sex was.

"Yeah I know. So when do I find out?" Drake asked changing the subject.

"Now, you'll find out now. You've just got to take some precautions such as washing your hands first." Josh informed his brother as they entered the room.

Something that should be celebrated, the birth of a child, seemed as though it was something to fear in this room. There were 5 babies in here, 3 out of the 5 in incubators with tubes and monitors everywhere, the other 2 were twins, their parents holding both of them, the doctors telling them that they could take them home in a few more days.

"Here we are." Josh said as they walked up to one of the more closely guarded incubators. "She only weighs 3lbs." Josh smiled as he looked at his daughter who was fighting for her life at that very moment. "If you look closely you will see that she looks just like me, only a hell of a lot smaller." Josh laughed.

"So I have a niece to spoil." Drake smiled as he looked at the tiny girl in the incubator. "She's like the size of your hand." Drake noted as Josh put his hand inside the incubator.

"I know, it's crazy right?" He asked as he motioned for Drake to put his hand in there too. "She won't bite and you won't hurt her." Josh added as he noticed Drake's hesitation.

"Does she have a name yet?" Drake asked as she attempted to wrap her tiny fingers around his pinkie.

"No, but I think she likes you. She hasn't done that with anyone else." Josh smiled and Drake smiled back at him.

"You have any names in mind?" Drake said looking down at the girl. Josh was right she did look a lot like him and not a lot like Mindy. "It's insane how much she looks like you." Drake stated.

"I know. She doesn't look like Mindy at all. We'll we don't know what color eyes she has yet. If she has brown then she won't look like Mindy at all."

"So any names yet?" Drake asked again.

"You want to name her?" Josh asked his brother.

"Are you serious? You'd let me name your first born?" Drake asked astonished that his brother would even think of that.

"Yeah, I talked to Mindy about it; she doesn't care as long as you don't name her something stupid like Candy or after some guitar." Josh said confirming that he meant it when he said that Drake could name her.

"So I can't name her flutternutter or Mocha Cola?" Drake joked as he seriously thought about it. "But can I name her after a musician?" Drake asked his brother. He needed to make sure that her name was one that Josh and Mindy liked because she'd be stuck with that name for life.

"Um…sure as long as it's not like Paul or something."

"Don't worry, I've thought about this name for awhile." Drake said because he knew exactly what he'd name her. "I was going to name my first daughter, if I ever have one, this, but she deserves it more." Drake said.

"So what is it?" Josh asked looking his brother in the eyes.

"Lennon, after John Lennon, but don't worry it's a girls name too. I looked it up in a book of baby names." He explained.

"Lennon…" Josh breathed testing it out.

"Do you like it?" Drake asked as he placed his free arm on his brother's shoulder.

"Yeah, I do. But what about a middle name?" Josh asked.

"Lennon Noelle." Drake said.

"What I want to know is when and where Drake Parker thought of baby names." Josh joked. He knew that Drake was sensitive underneath it all; he just needed to be out of High School where impressions meant everything to who you were and what your life was like.

"Like I told you earlier, I've changed Josh. Sure I love playing in front of thousands of screaming girls who occasionally throw themselves at me; I don't like chasing them anymore. After Taylor I realized that all I needed was someone to love me unconditionally. Someone who needed to love someone and be loved back but not all the time, because Josh I can't love someone all the time, I just can't."

"I know. And let me guess Lillah doesn't need you to love her all the time, she's fine loving you because that's all she wants is someone to love."

"Confusing isn't it. I mean we love each other in every aspect of the word. But I just can't give her attention 24/7, she knows that and she understands that and she respects my space when I need it. But she knows what I want before I know what I want. She knows what I need before I do. And I don't know how I can be so close to her and not want to be any closer, at least physically."

"Hey, let me see if I can get them to change this sign." Josh said indicating the name sign. As of now it said 'Baby Nichols'. "She has a name now."

Drake smiled. Her fingers were still wrapped around his pinkie. She was so small and so frail. She needed machines to do everything for her. Drake knew that she was going to make it. He had no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't. Josh never gave up and neither did Mindy. She'd make it, she was surrounded by family that loved her and had supported her from conception. Sure Mindy and Josh weren't exactly prepared for her both at the time of her conception and her birth. But Drake knew better, everything happened for a reason and this was happening for a reason. Josh needed to let go of trying to be perfect because he wasn't, Mindy too. Hell Mindy was institutionalized for a year because she had to be perfect.

Drake had felt the change the day he realized that Taylor wasn't the one. He'd felt that instant gratification part of his brain shut down. When he kissed Lillah he felt the Drake he'd hidden long ago come back in all his glory. Drake had realized that it was time to grow up, that his game of I'm going to be cool charades was over, he'd won, and he'd fooled the masses but he'd ended up fooling himself in the process.

"There got it changed. Did I spell it right?" Josh asked. The sign now read Lennon Noelle Nichols.

"Yeah, you spelled it right."

"She's still holding on."

"Yeah, it's still amazes me how tiny she really is."

"Maybe you should consider staying here. I mean, they did say that anything helps, singing and what not and since neither Mindy nor I can sing I was wondering if…." Josh began but Drake shushed him.

"I'll stay. Josh I wouldn't want anything else at this point in time." Drake said as she finally let go. "Look she knows that I'll stay here." Drake laughed as he took his hand out of the incubator. "Mom and Dad coming soon?"

"They should be here by now." Josh said looking at his watch.

"See you later Len." Drake whispered as they left the room.

"Drake, you surprise me sometimes." Josh said when they were in the hallway.

"Yeah I've surprised a lot of people."

A/N: Haha, wow I am on a role here. Don't say I didn't promise you that once summer vacation came around I'd be writting more, because I did and I kept that promise. Okay so I know Drakes kind of becomming a little OOC but I figure that I told you guys that in the summary, if you had read it. So you can't get all pissy at me because of it. And I figure that Drake Parker would soon realize that his life was going to be empty and devoid of any feeling if he kept up with his usual antics any longer. So read and enjoy because I've given you enough to keep you satisfied for a while what with my other story about Megan...achlem, check out the M ratings.

-Morgan