Summary:

Typical Drake & Josh storyline. Drake and Josh plan to go to a concert where a famous singer will be, but get sidetracked when a mysterious box addressed to Walter shows up and Meghan's pranks take over. Drake also must deal with an annoying girl (who says everything with a "w") from his class, that also shows signs she has a crush on him. When he & Josh go to the concert, something terrible happens.

Disclaimer:

Not Drake, Josh, Meghan, Walter, Audrey, Scottie, Trevor nor the creepy mystery dude belong to me. Wah. Stupid copyrights. Stupid laws. Stupid government. –Government comes after Ginger with big stick-- --grin-- J—just kiddin'! Heeh.

Note to Readers:

I hope ya'll are starting to get all like "WHO'S THE MYSTERIOUS DUDE!" because that's what I'm going for—complete suspense. Bhwhah. I like worked until like 5am last night writing the end of this chapter. So be thankful for my persistence! LOL. Anyway, hopefully you all will like this one—and be suspense-filled when you finish reading this chapter. –wink--

Story: "Party in a Box"

Chapter: "Pick You Up When You're Down"; Seven

Written By: Ginger

Extras:
Italics in "quotation marks" symbolize thoughts of Drake's.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Josh's eyes got big: "Hello? Drake! Are you there? Drake?"

Drake's eyelids flicked open. It took him a minute to remember what had happened. He sat up shakily from the steering wheel and rubbed his forehead, trying to ignore the pain in his middle that once again seemed to grow in intensity by the moment. "Why did you leave that hospital? Were you insane? You knew you weren't well enough!" He tried to suppress a moan that seemed to clog his throat as his ribs throbbed. He looked around him, figuring out he was in the emergency lane and remembering when he had pulled over into it. He had barely made it over to the lane and engaged the parking brake before stars started to form in his head and he blacked out.

He sighed and held his head in his hands trying to figure out what to do. He didn't want to try driving again for the risk of having another spell and getting into another wreck. He knew that if he did have another car accident, he probably wouldn't be so lucky. He even doubted if he'd make it through another one. The memory of spinning off into the on coming truck sprang up in his mind and made him shudder.

His eyes faintly drifted over to the cellphone lying in the seat beside him. Quickly picking it up and recalling his phone conversation with Josh, he pressed re-dial. "Everybody must be going crazy to know what's happened to me!"

Except the cellphone wouldn't make any noise. Drake held it out from his ear and looked at it. It's screen was black. "What the—?" Drake muttered aloud, pressing the power button over and over, but to no avail. The cell simply wouldn't turn on! Finally after pressing the button atleast a dozen times, it came on. As his finger neared the "redial" button, the "low battery" light began to flash erratically and suddenly it shut of. But this time there was no getting it back on. "Of all the times for the stinking battery to die!" he moaned loudly to himself, throwing the cellphone angrily into the backseat. He let out another moan, but it had nothing to do with the cellphone—his ribs were hurting really bad again. He grabbed his middle with both arms and bit his lip so hard that a single droplet of blood formed on it.

After the torturous pain had mostly subsided, he sat back in the seat and closed his eyes, trying to figure out what to do now. He had no cellphone and was afraid to drive again for the fear of causing another accident and possibly coming to the close of his life. "If I had just stayed at the stupid hospital, none of this would have happened." his mind seemed to chant, over and over. He really couldn't think of anything to do. As if his mind was completely stuck. He couldn't even focus. The only solution he could think of that would even possibly work was walking to somewhere where he could use a telephone to call Josh.

Walking. With excruciating rib pain so bad at times that he almost wished he were under anesthetic. How could he walk like that? But there were no other options! "Oh, why did I ever leave that comfy bed?" Suddenly the pains were back. It was so intense this time that Drake closed his eyes and winced with a teeth-clenching moan. "Why is it hurting so bad?" Then he realized it. At the hospital, they had kept giving him medicine all the time. That's why it was so much worse now, and there was no stopping it. "Just great…" Drake muttered, opening his car door an inch or two as he laid back in the seat again and contemplated on getting out and walking or not.

Suddenly behind him a frantic car horn honked. He couldn't turn and look back because of his ribs, but he quickly shut his car door and waited for something to happen. He had no idea who it might be. His father? His brother? His mother? Or just a stranger who wondered if he was okay, maybe? He wished he knew—all of this anticipating and mystery was making his heart beat fast.

A quick and unexpected tap on his window made him jump, causing him to instantly look up and grab his ribs at the same time.

With glad relief, he opened the door and turned, setting his legs outside and putting his head in his hands for a moment, murmuring a quick: "Thank goodness it's you." "Drake! Oh my gosh, we were so worried about you! Thanks heavens you're alright." Anita exclaimed, instinctively touching his cheek fleetingly, making his look up at her. "You came looking for me?" he asked in bewilderment. "Yes. They all didn't know where to look. I figured you were heading home. Then—Josh got your call. I was there. I had come to see you, but when I arrived, they were already looking all over the hospital for you." She answered. "I was so stupid." He muttered, shaking his head. He was going to say more, but he had to stop speaking to wait out the moment of ache in his middle.

"Are you okay, Drake?" Nita said, worry threading her voice's tone. "I… my ribs like really, really hurt." He said in a slightly choppy voice: "I shouldn't have left the hospital. Nita… could you—would you please take me home? I have no cell to call anybody with—its batteries are completely dead." "Of course, Drake! I wouldn't even think about it twice." She answered: "Come on, get in my car." He nodded: "Hold on, it might take me a minute or two." He reached out his hand with a soft, muffled groan: "Help me?" Anita unconsciously let a smile drift to her lips as she also held out her delicate hand and he clasped it, slowly standing up. He took a step from his own car by himself and walked as quickly as he could to her's. "Maybe if I walk a little faster, it won't hurt quite as bad."

He reached his friend's car door and opened it, easing himself inside with a little help from her. Once he was settled in the seat, Anita paused for a second: "I think you should call Josh. He was really upset when I left to find you. I don't know why, but he looked like he was feeling guilty for some reason." She handed him her cell from her purse and looked at him a moment before closing the door and walking to her side, getting inside.

Drake sighed and laid his head weakly back on the seat and took in a deep, throbbing breath. He held up the thin, chrome-plated mobile phone that belonged to Anita and closed his eyes after dialing Josh's number, holding it to his ear.

The phone must have only rung once before a voice quickly answered: "Anita! Where is he? What's happened? Have you found him?" "Josh? I'm glad you answered. It's me." Drake answered. "Oh my God! Drake! You're—you're okay!" Josh's voice wavered over the phone. Drake's painful look instantly left his face for a quizzical, puzzled look. He had never heard such raw emotion and fear in his step-brother's voice.

"Yeah, bro, I'm okay." Drake answered, rubbing his closed eyes and speaking in a tired voice, but being unable to stop a little smile from floating to the surface. "Where are you?" Josh asked quickly. Drake spoke into the cellphone as the girl in the seat beside him started the car and began to slowly drive back into the highway lane: "I'm with Anita. I took your advice when I called you earlier—I pulled over and passed out. I'm sorry I hung up so quick, I had to get to the emergency lane as fast as I could. When I woke up, I tried to call you but my cell batteries went dead on me. I need you or Dad or somebody to come pick up my car though. Nita is taking me home." "You sure you're okay?" Josh said in a bleakly joyful voice. "Yeah, I'll be okay. I'm going straight home." Drake answered. "I'm so glad you're fine. I'll go with Dad to drive you car home. Take care of yourself on the way home, brother. Or I guess there's no point in saying that; I know Anita will take care of you. Well, see you at home. Bye." Drake smiled and sighed a "bye" into the cell and turned it off, setting it back down and leaning his forehead wearily on the dash board as Anita rode down the San Diego interstate.

Inside the car was silent for a long moment as they rode together down the highway. Drake winced and muffled a slight grunt every few minutes, but other than that and the hum of the motor, everything was quiet. Drake had to think for a moment before he managed to bring the words to his lips: "Hey… Anita?" The girl who was leaning closely over the steering wheel, quickly turned to glance at him and then back at the highway: "Yes, Drake." "…You know, you're—I mean, it was awfully sweet of you to do this for me. And you came to the hospital, and came after me when I was gone, and even got Kathy McGin to come and see me!" Anita blushed a bit and stared out at the road, not able to bring herself to look at the boy who was sitting so close beside her: "Look, Drake, don't thank me. Really. I just… I just did it because—well, I did it because—" she was on the verge of forcing the surprising statement out of her mouth, but was interrupted by her cellphone ringing.

"Shall I answer it?" Drake asked her, thoughtfully. "Yes, please do." she smiled, fleetingly looking toward him: "I don't like to talk and drive at the same time." Drake reached down in the seat beside him and picked up the phone, holding it to his ear. "Eh, Hello?"

"Hey, bro, how are ya'?" Josh's voice asked. "Just about as… alright as I was 15 minutes ago, Josh." Drake snickered quietly. "Well, that's good. I was just calling because me and Dad just picked up your car. I'm driving it home right now. We both should be home almost right after you get there." "Thanks, brother, that's a big help. I guess I'll see you at home in about five or ten minutes, right?" Drake answered. "Sure will! And, again—be careful until you get back home and in to that bed. …BE CAREFUL DRIVING WITH HIM, ANITA!" Josh screamed suddenly in to the phone, to the driver, making his brother wince and instantly rip the cell phone far away from his head. Rolling his eyes with a quick sigh, Drake brought the phone back to his ear and said: "Goodbye, Josh." And listening just long enough to hear his brother speak a "Bye!" before turning the call off.

"We're almost home, Drake. I mean, we're almost there." Anita replied, after a long pause and a swift side ways look at him: "Will you be alright until we get there?" He let out a barely legible chuckle: "What other choice do I have besides that, Missy?" "I meant the pain isn't too bad, is it?" she said, answering a question with yet another question. "No, not too bad. It's bad, but I'll manage to keep myself together." he answered, finally settling the posed query. "Well, I'm certainly glad of that." she said, feeling an uncomfortable silence coming on and staring hard out the windshield.

"So… what did you want to say to me earlier?" Drake asked pointedly, leaning back in to the car's seat and resting a slightly shaky hand on his aching ribs. "Huh?" she said back to him, unsettled. "Before Josh had called. You were talking to me about my not thanking you. I believe you were about to tell me something, when the silly phone started ringing. What was it?" he reminded her. "Oh? Well… I um, suppose that I must have forgotten it or something. I think." she faltered. "Aww, come on! Sure you do! Think really hard." he pushed on. "Oh. Well… I guess I was about to say that I had… done all of that for you because of… because um, of the fact that—well, I kind of, maybe, li—"

"Oh, good grief." Drake muttered as the silver cellular sitting on his knee began to ring louder than life itself. Snatching it up, he smashed down the "talk" button and began to speak, but before the words could form themselves in his throat, he was cut off by the voice on the telephone. "Don't talk—just listen to me. I happen to know that you are friends with Drake Parker. I want to warn you—stay away from him." the voice that Drake heard chilled him thoroughly and gave him goose bumps. It wasn't Josh and the call wasn't meant for him to answer. The tone of the voice on the other line sounded coarse, deep and raspy. It was spiked with disturbing recognition in the ear of the teenager. Again, before he had a chance to respond, the phone on the other end of the airway disconnected, leaving a dead, shallow phone line tone in place of the voice. As he clicked off of the call and looked at the cell-phone's caller ID with a puzzled look, Anita noticed and asked: "Is something the matter?" "…No. Just… it was Josh. He just wanted to make sure I felt okay again." Drake answered slowly. "What happened? Did he hang up on you?" the girl questioned. "Yeah. –No! I mean, the signal must have just gotten weak on us and cut off." he said, quickly backing up his story. Anita merely nodded a satisfied nod and returned back to her driving, leaving Drake to his worried thoughts.

"The caller ID said "Pay Phone", crap. Now there's no way to block the number from her phone. And she just can't find out about it! How did he find her number? Why is he doing this?"

He shook his head lightly and sat back, leaning his weary head against the side-window and turning off his friend's cell phone. Suddenly another thought struck him. "What about Anita's safety? What if he tried to come after her? Maybe I should try to warn her? But then I would have to tell her about—everything." After thinking for a little while about that, he decided that she probably wasn't in any danger, so he thought it best to not mention this call and hope and pray that he didn't try to call her again. "Oh, well. I can't think about it, now. I have way too much on myself, at this moment. I just have to deal with it later."

Later always worked for Drake. And as his friend pulled her car in to his drive way and his mother and sister ran out to meet them, he closed his eyes and thought only upon this one particular thought.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888

"Well, Mister Parker, you took a very foolish risk when you left the hospital before you were ready to be released." "Yes sir." "And, since the doctor said you must stay in bed for another week and a half, your mother and I have decided that you can be grounded during that period and an extra three days after that." "Yes sir." "Yes, Drake! That was one of the stupidest things you could have done! If you hadn't been able to pull over, you would have gotten into another accident and possibly not escaped with your life!" "Yes, m'am."

"And—ya' scared me half ta' death!" Josh countered, pointing a finger at Drake who was lying back against some pillows, and crossed his arms. "To you, I ain't saying anything." Drake said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms as well. "Anyway, Drake, if you need anything, just use the walkie-talkie to get one of us downstairs—don't get up and try to get it yourself. You hear me?" Walter asked seriously. "Sure, dad. I gotcha." Drake nodded, with a little smile as his mom patted his cheek and she and his step dad walked out of the room. After a moment of looking after them, Drake stared up at Josh and said: "I can't believe I have to sleep in your bed!" "Why? What's wrong with it?" Josh asked, raising a brow. "I dunno! It just has… Josh germs!" Drake shuddered, squirming in the bed. "It does not! Mom washed every single blanket and sheet on that bed today! And anyway, you would kill yourself trying to get up on the bed of your's!" Josh exclaimed. "Yeah… well… whatever. Your's still has germs." Drake laughed sarcastically, wrinkling his nose.

"Aww, Nita, make him give me a break for a while!" Josh whined toward the girl who stood slightly behind him. "Draaaake." Anita disciplined him. "I'm sorry—I'm sorry. For you, I'll quit griping about Josh's germy bed." Drake shrugged, with a playful smile. Josh growled and then walked out of the room, as well. Anita and Drake laughed after him and she came to sit down on the edge of the bed.

"You, know," she began, looking at him with one brow raised a little: "You really shouldn't have tried to escape from the hospital. What ever were you thinking about?" "I was so bored and sick of it I guess it kind of drove me out of my mind. But boy, when I woke up in the emergency lane and I was slung over the steering wheel, I certainly knew how wrong it was to have tried to leave." he replied, laying his head back on the soft pillows. "You won't try any more crazy stunts, will you?" she asked seriously, looking worriedly in to his face. "If you don't want me to." he replied. The last six words that had come out of his mouth made her skin shiver with pleasure. "I'm glad."

The two found themselves staring at each other for a long moment and finally Drake cracked a smile and said in a voice slightly above a loud whisper: "…Gosh, Nita, it's good to be friends again." "I know." she nodded distantly. "You never did get to tell me why you did all this for me, in your car." he said. "Do you really even want to know?" she asked, smiling a foxy smile and staring at his glistening brown eyes. "Yes. I really do." he prodded her on, persistently. "Well," she look down at the blanket on the bed and blinked a few times before looking back up again: "I guess I was going to say that I really have found myself feeling—"

"Hey, Drake! Do ya' read me? Hellooooo? Do these things work?" Josh's voice shrieked through the walkie-talkie. Drake sat up angrily and grabbed the piece of plastic, clicking the talk button: "What the heck do you want, Josh!" "I was just testing to see if they worked or—" "Look, I call you, you don't call me. Not unless the house it burning down or there's a tornado outside—GOT ME?" Drake exclaimed. "But I—" Josh began, being cut off by his brother: "Uh oh, there—must—be—interference of some kind—" Drake made some scratching sounds into the walkie-talkie and then sat it back on the night-stand.

"…I was saying that I thought that I might be kind of falling for—" Anita began. "DRAKE? Is it working now!" Josh's voice screamed over the small speaker. Drake quickly reached foreword, sitting up all the way and took Nita's shoulders, pulling her toward him and locking her lips in a sweet kiss. "Hellooooo?" Josh asked in to his own walkie-talkie, starting up the stairs quickly. He rolled his eyes when he got no answer and ripping open the door to he and his brother's room, he paused it the doorway. Drake had Nita in a tight hug. "Ahhem!" Josh exclaimed with big eyes, stepping about two or three steps into the room. Drake spotted Josh and frowned, still clasping on to Anita and managing to murmur: "What's your problem, spaz?" "I was trying to call you and test out the walkie-talkies, Mister Don Juan!" Josh said, tilting his head side-to-side and motioning with his hand. "I'm busy." Drake mumbled, closing his eyes and rocking Anita side to side within his arms with a smile. "You know, if mom and dad saw this, they'd—" "Aww, go watch Oprah!" Drake exclaimed with a displeased frown as he finally let go of Anita. "It's okay, Drake… I'll go. I'll call you later. Really." Anita managed to say, standing up and walking backwards toward the door with a smile. "Okay, Nita… bye." Drake grinned, watching the girl walk slowly out the door and out of sight.

"Now what was that about!" Josh asked, stepping down from the steps and into the lower part of the room. "She's so beautiful…" Drake sighed, laying back and hugging a pillow to relieve the pain in his middle that had finally brought back to reality. "Yeah… not answering my question." Josh said, frowning and raising a brow as he sat down at the computer desk. "Whatever." Drake laughed, sighing again and closing his eyes tiredly. "And anyway, since when have you ever referred to a girl as "beautiful"? I thought you preferred "hot"." Josh mimicked Drake, with a roll of his eyes. After not getting anything from Drake but a mutter of some words that Josh couldn't quite hear, he gave up asking him any questions and returned to the computer, turning it on and logging on to the internet.

With an aggravated moan, Josh exclaimed: "Can't you please fix this instant messenger so it won't pop up every time I sign on to the internet!" "No. I like it that way." Drake chuckled evilly. A moment of silence filled the air for a minute and then Josh sighed: "Draaaake." "What?" "Anita's iming you from her cell." "She is!" "Well, not anymoooore…" Josh said, clicking something as the computer replied out loud: "Are you sure you want to sign off?" Drake gasped, sitting up in the bed: "JOSH! DON'T YOU DARE!" Josh let out a cackle. "You have signed off." the automated voice spoke through the computer speakers. He let out a louder evil laugh but suddenly stopped when a flying pillow slapped him in the head.

"HEY!" he exclaimed, throwing it to the floor: "Why did you do that?" "You can't just cut off Anita!" Drake yelled. "Why not? She doesn't own you!" "Oh, I see! So are you jealous of her now?" Drake shouted back. "Jealous! Why should I ever be jealous of Anita!" Josh laughed sarcastically. "Because she's my girl friend and you don't want anybody dominating me except you!" Drake exclaimed. "Girlfriend! Oh, that is funny…" Josh said: "Ha, ha, ha!" "Well funny or not, it's true!" his brother combated. "Drake, just because she let you hug her without slapping your face doesn't mean she is you're 'girl-friend'! Get a grip on life!" Josh said. Drake narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms: "Your bed is infected with 'Josh-ish-ness'." Josh began to shout: "Well, thank you, Drake Parker, for your little explanation of biology! But just to let you know—"

"BOYS!"

The shout made both teenagers turn toward the door and stare in surprise. "Can you two ever be civil to each other for five minutes!" Walter exclaimed, walking with Audrey into the room. "He signed off when my girlfriend was iming me!" "He was callin' me filthy!" Josh exclaimed. "I did not say that!" Drake exclaimed. "You did too! I remember—" "BOYS!" Audrey shouted over them: "I'm sure you BOTH were wrong!"

"Oooo!" a girlish giggle was heard from the doorway as Meghan ran up to her parents: "Did they slug each other yet? Did I miss it?" "Nobody is going to slug anybody, Meghan." Walter said, turning back to the brothers: "Josh, you apologize to Drake for signing off… whatever you signed off of and Drake—you apologize to Josh for… doing whatever it was you did." The boys turned to each other and both said simultaneously: "I'm… sorry." "Now, Josh, you go downstairs. I think Oprah re-runs are on channel 5." Audrey said. "OH!" Josh shrieked, running out of the room. "And, Drake, lie down and rest up. Today has been an extreme day for you. If you want anything, just give us a holler." Walter said, pointing to the walkie-talkie and stepping with his wife out of the room. Drake snorted after a second and whispered to himself: "'Holler'…"