Summary:

Things turn bad when Drake ends up in the hospital because of Josh; a mysterious stalker from Drake's past returns, stopping at nothing to get revenge, perhaps even murder. Drake falls for a sweet girl, but is scared to let her in his heart because of old heartbreaks. Read and review it!

Disclaimer:

DRAAAAKE BELONGS TO DRRAAAAKE, AND JOOOOOSH BELONGS TO JOOOOOSH! --sings song--

Note to Readers:

Story: "Party in a Box"

Chapter: "Meeting"; Thirty - Three

Written By: Ginger

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In a clean, plain room, in a dark, shadowy corner, in a rather simple, barred hallway, he sat.

He was livid with mad rage.

It wasn't as if the cell was actually very dark at all—there were florescent lights all the way down the paths just outside, and the only shadowy places were the corners of the space and the dark lines that the bars drew on the wall.

…But to him, it was as dark as the sky is in the country, when it is an overcast, moonless night and all the stars are hidden.

It wasn't at all cold—of course, there were a ceiling fan or two mounted in the top of the corridor, but really it was more uncomfortably warm than cold.

…To him, it was the coldest night in winter, in some northern place, without a coat or shoes or a place to keep warm.

And he wasn't really hungry, either, but he managed to imagine that he was starving for food… desperate for anything to nourish him.

Then, he began to wish he was high. It was easier to imagine things when he was high.

He'd been that way before, many times, on Marijuana and even Heroin. So high infact, that he had gotten sick and stayed sick for two weeks—over and over.

The drugs had messed up his mind and he had let them. He didn't care! But it wasn't that something terrible had driven him to doing this, or as if he had some half - palatable excuse not to care. No, the truth was that it was simply fun for him.

And this heartless, feeling less, careless man sat there, by himself, day - dreaming of the things he had dreamed of with Heroin.

Horrible things… too horrible for anyone with a feeling or a heart left inside them to even think about for a moment.

But he did think of them and he did so with a crooked, odd smile at the edge of his lips that would have made an irrepressible shiver crawl straight up anyone's spine.

Then suddenly, the dreaming stopped. A thought went shattering up from the back of his mind and everything slowed to a halt.

"…I hate you."

The words slid from his lips as the thought went on.

"You were never mine… never mine, you worthless trash. Never anybody's! You never will be, boy."

The 'boy' was Drake Parker, and the man was (of course), his father Joe.

Even the very thought of his sweet face made Joe want to beat him—and beat him to death. He had almost succeeded earlier that day, but even the vicious punches and kicks he had served him hadn't satisfied his thirst for punishment.

If anyone could possibly explain why he hated Drake so much, it might have only been by a miracle. …And in other words, I suppose that there really wasn't a reason, or if there was, it was too complicated and ill-logical to understand.

And as he began to think about the things he would do to Drake if he could ever get his hands on him again, he slipped back in to his tranceish existence and cracked his knuckles, staring blindly through the barred door with the vilest, most disturbing grin anyone has ever seen.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A call on the cellphone of Jonathan Becker alerted the whole group that Grammy and Meghan were now in the hospital lobby, and would soon be seeing them all.

Drake felt extremely glad that Grammy was coming, because though a while back they had had a rough start, now they both were really very fond of each other (even if they didn't always show it outwardly).

And besides that anyway, it would be nice to see someone sensitive and nice that he knew, with all of the sometimes unkind strangers he had dealt with today.

Josh had leaned over to whisper in his ear about something (probably a thoughtful question about his brother's comfort), but he didn't get past the few words: "Drake, I just wanted to ask—" before his step mother stood from her place and came over to speak to them, interrupting his words.

"Boys? I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I wanted to make sure and warn you before our visitors arrive."

"Sure, Mom. What is it?" Josh asked, looking up and leaning against the arm of Drake's chair, subconsciously.

"Well, nothing very important. Just try and remember when Meghan comes up here, not to say too much about what happened. I plan on filling her in eventually, but she is only a little girl and I'm afraid you might… scare her." Audrey answered, laying a hand on Drake's knee as she spoke.

"We promise to say as little as we can. Probably Grammy will do most of the talking, anyway." he returned quietly, spawning a grey smile and nodding a single time.

Satisfied by this and another nod from Josh, she patted her son's leg once more before turning and walking away.

"It's a little funny," Josh began to whisper again, when their Mom was out of hearing - range: "To think of Meghan being 'scared'. I think it may even classify as an oxymoron…"

For the first time in a while the brown eyes of the tired teen sparkled a little, if noticeably at all and he let a weak chuckle escape his lips: "I just hope she has some sympathy. And if she happens not to, forgive me if I lean on you for reassurance."

Josh smiled back and gave him a gentle poke in the arm, and with a wink he added: "That's somethin' I'm actually pretty cool at."

This brightened Drake's considerably, but almost as soon as it had, a policeman in the corner of the room pulled a walkie-talkie from his belt to hear the voice coming from the speaker.

"Alright," the voice said: "I have Miss Parker and her Grandmother—we're coming up the elevator."

"104." the officer replied, and at another thought of Meghan coming, Drake's features paled again.

His brother noticed at once and stood up, taking his hand and leading him to stand from his chair to meet the coming guests, but not without taking a second to catch his gaze, squeeze his hand and giving him a knowing smile.

Josh only had a few seconds to worry himself, but the truth was that he was a bit worried about how Meghan would behave. Usually she lacked any real compassion and was very harsh, and he knew that 'harsh' was the last thing Drake needed now.

But no one could do anything except hope for good manners now, because with out any final warning, the foursome (the expected visitors guided by two mildly handsome police officers) arrived.

In only a moment, Grammy was across the room and (just as his parents had done), grabbed Drake in a tight hug, hardly letting him get even a glimpse of her before she had done so.

He was delightfully taken by surprise with her sweetness, but he gladly accepted the empathic hug and hugged her right back.

The woman didn't let go of the hold her arms had around his shoulders for a long time, but in her strangely much less gruff voice she said firmly: "Ya' know that it's nothca' fault, don't you, Drake?"

He was just as taken aback by her quick question as he had been about the hug, but when she moved back a little to look at his face, he knew what to answer.

"…Well, I didn't do it."

"You know that's not what I was asking." She began, raising a brow, but then apparently she decided to wait until later to make her point to him, because she seemed to remember the little girl still standing in the doorway and turned back to see both her parents greeting little Meghan with thankful embraces of their own.

Drake's step - grandmother finally let him go and then finding a view of Josh over the brown eyed boy's shoulder, she raced around him, saying in a keyed up voice: "Joshie!"

"Oh, Grams," he sighed, nearly melting with thanks in to her steady arms and smiling a wry smile at her: "I'm so glad you're here, with us."

"Josh, you can't be as glad as I am." came the understanding reply.

A moment later, the just-over-middle-aged woman turned to put an arm around each boy's neck, pulling them close to her side and grinning: "I've found you much better off than I thought I would. It's a good thing too—I was getting your little sister very worried about you. …Meghan!"

She called the pre-teen's name softly, yet she hardly needed to because Meghan was already scowling at her from her place across the room, for even implying she was going soft.

She already knew Grammy's meaning instantly, and was walking slowly toward them before the lady could say anymore about her that she didn't like.

Stopping a few feet in front of them and wearing a completely unreadable expression on her face, she waited for Grammy to pass her and the woman patted her shoulder before joining her son and his wife on the other side of the space.

Meanwhile, Josh stared hard at the eleven year old, trying to figure out what her silent stare meant. It told him nothing.

At last, Drake sucked in a breath and looked at her, breaking the silence:

"H—hey, Meghan."

His voice sounded so tired and a little bit frightened, that the girl looked straight up at him and bent her brow in contemplation.

Finally though, she rested her frown and nodded once, her face softening in to the closest thing she could produce next to a smile.

"So you guys are okay?"

Her question made Drake apprehensive because he didn't know what she meant, but he only answered with the truth: "…Yeah, we're both pretty okay."

Suddenly a sort of shadow that had been there before fell from her face, and she suddenly stepped forward to catch the wide eyed teenager in a hug.

Drake (and Josh, for that matter) was so stunned that he hardly even knew if he should try and hug her back.

Finally after a moment, he thought it safe enough and managed to bring his arms cautiously around her little shoulders.

But only for a minute, before he let go, afraid of what she might do if he hugged her in earnest.

Josh just stood there, with his mouth open and his hands dangling at his sides until she gave him a quick hugs as well and then stepped back.

Her face fell back in to the rough, foxy grin she usually possessed and before anything else was done, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at them, as if to warn them not to mention her actions, ever.

Her blazing look had worked, and Josh was the first to recover and speak up.

"Uh, so Megs—I guess you should know that Anita is out of surgery now. …Her injuries weren't too serious or anything. We're all going to go see her in a little bit. …Maybe you and Grammy will still be here and then you could come with us."

"Nah, I don't think so," she said matter-of-factly, although still apparently glad to hear of Anita's health, glancing at her watch and going on: "It's already nearly ten o' clock and Grammy said with traffic and all, we'll need to be back home by twelve."

"I guess you guys'll be like… leaving in only a little while, then?" Drake spoke somberly, plainly sad about loosing them so quickly (or loosing Grammy atleast, because he didn't much know what to think of his sister and was starting to run out of normal, chattery conversation.)

"I guess so. …So, did you get to ride in the police car? Did they handcuff you?-!" Meghan asked, with disturbing joy and a little too much excitement dancing in her eyes.

"Meghan!"

She ignored Josh's reproach, leaning against the plush chair beside her and continuing on: "Riding in the cop car must have been so awesome."

This brought to Josh's mind the image of being in the vehicle, and at the thought of Drake laying his head weakly and limply against his shoulder, hardly restraining from a deeply shattered sob; he could think of no word further from the truth than "awesome".

Drake thought for a second or two (probably with ideas quite alike to Josh's) before he finally answered in a thoughtful tone: "It was very… interesting. I think I was kind'a too distracted to notice how um—'awesome' it was."

Halfway through his brother's sentence, pleased that Drake and Meghan seemed to have found something to converse over, Josh turned and slipped away to ask his Grandmom how she was and perhaps to gain a little strength from her.

Meghan noticed Josh leaving, but only looked back at Drake after the other boy was gone to where Grammy sat, and said in a slightly mysterious voice: "Well, Josh is gone…"

Drake turned to look, but the girl grabbed his arm and drug him a few steps in the other direction.

"Don't go get him, you boob—I'm glad he left! I want to talk to you!"

Drake wondered dazedly what she wanted to 'talk' about with him, but he could hardly resist her incessant pull on his arm, so he walked to the chair furthest from the crowd and sat down, while Meghan sat in front of him, in another.

"Now," she breathed, in a lower voice, yet still full with no less of her usual toughness, "I want to know why you look so freaked out right now."

The brunette teenager was taken aback, not knowing that the 'freaked out' feeling he had inside him was showing on the outside, but finally he answered.

"I… I dunno, I guess I just thought that maybe… maybe you would think I did something wrong by…"

"By fighting Dad?"

Her efficient sentence-ending abilities made him gape momentarily, but he slowly shut his mouth and then spoke: "Yeah, I guess so! …Exactly. But how would you know--?"

"I just do. And—" her reply came flatly and plainly: "I don't think you were wrong for it. Dad used to like me best, but I always knew he was just playing me for what I could give him. …You were pretty darn good at fighting him apparently, because he didn't break anything," she glanced him up and down, indicating his bones: "And, you're still alive. I'm just surprised he didn't try to stab you, too."

"He did, actually." Drake said honestly, and then turned to glance at the figure talking with Grammy: "Josh saved me. He brought the police."

Meghan looked surprised and then turned to get a look at him herself before shaking her head: "He saved you? …I always knew he was weird."

Drake didn't exactly understand what she meant (like a lot of the time), but he did know that Meghan was atleast still her old self.

…Maybe that horrible man had not really changed everyone's lives, as he had thought.

Drake, Meghan, Mindy, Josh and Grammy joined his parents and the pair of doctors; and the detectives laid out a few of the established facts (about Anita and a bit about Drake's father) again for the newcomers who had missed the discussion earlier about Joe Parker.

All but the details of the drug rings and the murder of Great Uncle Gavin were told, and they only reason no one spoke much of those things was to spare Meghan.

Though really, if they had known her as well as Drake and Josh had, they wouldn't have thought even twice about mentioning it.

Drake was listening to the others catch up with Grammy for a while, and sat quietly looking on from his seat.

He was getting a little tired, but he was not discontent or irritated about not being spoken to because even just sitting in the midst of his family was comforting.

But suddenly, someone spoke his name and his stare shattered as he looked around, wondering who it was.

"Drake!" the voice repeated and he realized that it was Grammy herself: "Ya' listening?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Grammy," he sighed, giving his head a shake: "I must have been thinking pretty hard. Did you say something?"

The poor boy looked so sweet and worn out that all of them felt sorry for forgetting him for a while.

"I just thought you might want to take a little walk down to the atrium with me. You must be getting sick of these closed - in places." the older woman said, with a kind smile in return.

Drake heart seemed to sigh a breath of relief at the invitation and to his surprise too, because hadn't even noticed how sick of sitting and waiting in tiny rooms he had become.

"Yes Drake, that would be a very nice idea. By the time you get back, perhaps you could see Miss Prescott." James Barlow nodded and Grammy went on.

"It's ten thirty and you and I just have time for a nice break before I have to take your little sister back home."

"I would love to go to the atrium—an open space and a look at the sky would probably refresh me a lot, too." Drake said, with a nod.

"Good then! Come on, sweetie," she began kindly, standing, picking up her purse and turning to Josh before they started to leave: "Josh, do you wann'a come along with us?"

The light eyed teenager stared off for a few seconds, seeming to contemplate this, but he finally smiled at his brother and shook his head: "No, I don't think so. You two go ahead."

It was evident Drake was very thankful for his company and encouragement, but Josh understood that it was good for him to go on and walk with someone different for a little while and that of all people, Grammy would certainly help him feel a bit better.

The boy sensed his thoughts and he slipped him a sweet smile of his own, silently thanking him, before he and his step Grandma departed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The pair walked a long way down a hall, and turned to take the elevator as far up as it would go—to where (on the top floor of the building), the atrium stood.

They took up walking again, and slowly they neared a dramatic archway with a little door in the center, to keep out the light in the hall.

Until they stepped inside it, they had been completely silent, because though there was plenty to talk about, they had almost grown weary of 'talking'… or atleast Drake had, and Grammy felt it.

The atrium was so beautiful and peaceful to the eye, that it didn't seem possible that it was in the middle of a hospital, and for a moment Drake just breathed in a slow breath as he wished he could simply capture the freedom in a jar and take it out to have again whenever he wanted it.

The walls in front of them, in seemingly the five hundred foot room were made of frosted glass, tented dark to keep the glaring ugly city lights outside out, but just the least bit sheer to lend a gentle blue glow to the room.

Apart from the glow of the glass wall, there were little, low burning lights along the walls, around waist high.

Drake noticed too as they sat down amid a clump of black colored, stylish futons and ottomans in the middle of the room, that while the lights on the walls were bright enough to navigate the room by, they didn't distort the view through the thick glass roof at all.

…And what a lovely view, it was. They didn't say anything even then, for a minute, because they were busy taking it in.

Apparently the clouds of the day had gone long ago, because through the big dark blanket of sky the North Star glittered brilliantly along with the moon and they seemed to wink down at the earth below them.

"Ah…"

Drake didn't need to sigh to let Grammy know how he felt. To even be in an open space was good enough for him, but for his hungry, space-starved eyes to be allowed such an amazing scene made him sigh anyway.

"I thought you would like to break out of that little room, no matter how 'cozy' it may have been." she smiled, glancing at him a second before returning her attention to the panorama.

"This is beautiful." he whispered back, for some reason not feeling like he could possibly dare to speak in a normal tone and take away from the awe of the picture framed perfectly in the ceiling.

"I can't say that I don't agree…"

Her voice paused for a moment but then she shook the dreamy feeling away and sighed a sigh of her own: "But… I didn't only take you here to stare in to space."

Drake looked down from the skylight and gathered his brows together, slowly speaking.

"You didn't?"

She shook her head no and for a split second, her manner reminded him so much of Josh that a pale smile spread his lips.

"…Then I'd have to say, you chose the wrong place to come. This whole room is made for staring off in to space." pointing in an upward direction, he watched her laugh softly, and she reached up to slap him gently on the shoulder.

"I came here on purpose. I wanted to talk to you and I thought it'd be easier away from all the lights and sounds of the hospital."

A pause came and then went away again.

"I know this sounds very dramatic and all and I'm aware that Josh has been taking extremely good care of you. But he probably hasn't 'talked' to you about all this, yet… not really. And I think it's more an old lady's gift than a young brother's, anyway."

"Oh, I see." he said, looking back up at the night sky very soberly and feeling his shoulders sag tiredly at this thought.

"What good will that do?" he thought to himself, be restrained from saying it aloud.

Apparently though, he didn't need to bother restraining, because the woman went on just as if he had said it.

"Oh, now… talking is important. If you bottle all your pains inside, eventually you're just gonn'a run out of room in there."

She rested a hand on his shoulder and said her words slowly and compassionately.

"It's just the way you're made, Drake. And no matter what someone has told you, your feelings don't belong kept up inside, hidden from everybody."

And a whisper full of her soft Brooklyn accent and with all the kindness she had, floated to his ears and seemed to reach even deeper down inside of him, answering a question he'd struggled with for so long.

"The world is a bad place, Drake Parker, and it's true that you must guard yourself. What you have taught yourself about that is true. …But there are good people living in it too. Like Anita and your parents and friends… and Josh.

"I don't know exactly what your life has been like, but I know that that man hurt your heart so deeply that he has made you afraid. Afraid of that hurt coming upon you again, and scared of such a pain. But no one can hurt you like he's hurt you, ever again, because though some one could so the same thing to you, you have learned from the hurt that he gave you."

He looked up and conveyed his feelings with his sad eyes, yet never spoke a word.

"You learned not to depend so fully on anyone and everyone, and learned to look for red flags instead of ignoring them. Those are lessons that you will never cast aside and that many people (unfortunately) never learn. …But you have, and it's all for the better."

Drake sat quietly for a long time, and she had almost started to wonder if he was asleep when he began to shiver and turned to her with a face of mingled truthfulness and confusion.

"You're right… I know. I have to let go, I know I have to let myself cry if I feel it—and I guess I do feel it. But…"

His brown eyes showed deep meaning and held such a look of agony that it would have melted anyone's heart:

"But I can't cry! I can't even feel! Grammy, I know I should try harder, but it doesn't help—or, or maybe… I don't know. Something… something must be wrong with me."

A note of regret panged in the woman's heart and she instantly rebuked herself for perhaps leading him to these confused feelings, as she laid her hand on his arm and spoke as gently as her rough core would allow her to.

"You have nothing wrong with you, dear Drake. And you will feel again. It may not be today or tomorrow, but your soul can heal—and it will. Don't be so sad." she leaned over to plant a butterfly kiss on his cheek (and was a little surprised when he didn't wipe it off, for she didn't know how extreme his need for comfort of every kind was at the moment) and then finished:

"I know Josh's heart hurts very badly when you are so pained. …Come on now, we can't stay here forever, as beautiful as it is. We should get back—perhaps, my Grandson, your anxiety won't sting so deep when you see the girl he's hurt most, feeling better."

At the thought of Anita, the boy calmed considerably, but as they stood up and reluctantly began their journey back, he could feel a slight pull in his middle and he knew that before long the pull would wind itself in to a solid knot.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Drake's guess about the knot had proved itself correct and now (even though he was with Josh and his parents again), he not only felt his stomach flip - flop, but his throat seemed to take up the trend and it was so tight and dry that he could barely even swallow.

Doctor Reilly had gone when Drake and his step - Grandmother had returned, to check with the anesthesiologist. He had said that if Anita was awake and settled in her hospital room when he arrived, then he would send someone back to get them and they could all come to see her.

This information was relayed to Drake and he seemed to take it well enough to his parents and the rest of those with him, but as only he (and perhaps his brother) knew, he was inwardly terrified.

Indeed maybe Josh had taken notice of his dearest friend's mood, because though he didn't speak a word, he stationed himself beside him and refused to stand anywhere else.

Seeing for herself Josh's obvious dedication and Drake's seeming contentedness, Grammy sighed and decided it was time enough to take her leave.

"Drake, I wish I could stay longer and see your friend in her room, but if you don't mind too much, I think you're little sister should be getting to sleep soon, so I had better start home. And anyway, too many people might tire the poor girl."

Grammy's voice gently broke the murmur of soft words among the parents and Mindy (who were remarking on his strength and resilience in the situation).

Drake, still standing against a wall with his brother, stepped slowly forward and sighed: "Oh, Grammy, if you have to leave, alright."

He let her hug him and his own family stood from their seats to say their goodbyes, but before they could take her over, he whispered an exclamation of thanks for her encouragement, in her ear.

Smiling mischievously, she pulled back and said in a tone full of her old spunk: "Ya' welcome. …But before I leave, ya' gott'a promise me you'll do somethin' very important."

Her face turned in such a look of seriousness that Drake's eyes widened in apparent curiosity: "…What is it?"

She grinned ear to ear and suddenly laughed, reaching out and gingerly roughing up his soft hair: "Getcha' self a hair cut."

A thankful smile played his face and he shook his head in amusement before saying thoughtfully: "Alright, maybe. …'Bye, Grammy."

Meghan was drastically less playful and only gave he and Josh polite hugs before telling each a hasty "Goodbye—see you tomorrow", then turning to say her temporary farewells to her Mom and step Dad.

Both the little girl and the older woman were swarmed with goodbyes, and at last, when it seemed no one should say anymore, Audrey let out a little chuckle and held up a hand.

"Enough! Let them go home, we'll see them both again tomorrow evening and we'll hear from them even sooner."

Mindy, Walter, Josh and Drake all stepped back from her and all exchanged laughs before they repeated a last "Goodbye!" and the duo finally left the room, under the care of Officer Becker.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For once, Drake found things to fill the time they had to wait for someone to come and take them to visit Anita.

He had so many things that were occupying his mind, that he had no time to even think about being bored.

He was feeling very surreal and could hardly believe he would see her again, but at the same time he wondered what he would possibly feel like.

All of the sudden, he was hit with the realization that it wouldn't be long before he did see her, and though he tried, he couldn't stop himself from quivering violently.

Josh was the only one to take notice, and he leaned over to ask him if he was okay, but before he could even speak, Drake turned and whispered frantically: "J—Josh, what can I say to her?"

Alas, Josh's own question was answered, and now he laid an understanding hand on his shivering arm.

"You'll know when you see her."

His reassurance, spoken in even the softest of tones, was not enough to calm Drake's quaking.

"But—but, I'll freeze up! I—I have no idea what I could say to her to—"

Again, his brother interrupted his genuinely terrified sentence and rubbed his arm as he spoke, as if to say in the action itself that he need not worry so much.

"Trust me, and don't be so scared. All you have to do is look at her—you don't even have to talk if you don't want to."

Josh reminded him gently that though she was alright, she would still be very tired and perhaps slightly out of it from the pain - killers she was being given, so the fact remained that she might not be so very talkative herself.

This only slightly slowed the torturous spin in Drake's thoughts, but certainly the edge on his worries had been taken off by these statements, for it seemed Josh always had a special way with soothing him.

Drake still wished that Grammy could have stayed to be with all of them, and wished for her presence and comfort even more when a nurse suddenly came in to the room.

It all happened in a whirl in Drake's mind—the nurse reported that Doctor Reilly had sent her back to get them and take them up to see Miss Prescott.

She seemed to be addressing Drake, but in his misery he thought she was speaking to his parents—so because he hadn't listened, he was caught off guard when everyone stood and began to file from the room.

Josh sensed his deep confusion and carefully took hold of his elbow and guided him toward the door. Drake realized where it was they must be going, and looking to Josh standing near him; he sighed and managed a wistful smile.

He was so unready that he felt weak and apathetic, but still the time that he dreaded yet longed for drew closer and closer.

The way he felt is hard to describe with words—but the closest description that can be offered was this.

He was numb, yet he knew that he needed to be alert; he was tired yet awake as he had ever been; scared, but most of all confused.

And instead of walking from the room and down the hall (or having the memory of walking), he only seemed to himself to be floating or bumping dazedly along.

Anita, Anita, Anita…

A shiver found his spine and up the elevator shaft they went—the whole crowd stuffed in to one space.

Audrey, Walter, Josh, Mindy, Doctor Thorton, Officer Becker, Barlow and Drake. …But Drake was slumped so inconspicuously in the corner of the tiny place that he barely even counted as taking up any room.

Even Josh seemed to miss the depth of turmoil that was twisting itself inside the dark eyed teenager, now.

I suppose it wasn't entirely Josh's fault that he didn't check again to see how his brother was—because for a long while Drake had somehow seemed almost normal. So really, the raven-haired boy hadn't guessed that he would feel this horrible. …But he did.

They trudged down another hall—this one was more open and bright and the ceilings were much higher, lending a more breathable feel to the wide corridor.

But poor Drake didn't notice. He hardly even noticed when the group stopped walking and Doctor Thorton began to talk to a nurse standing in front of a closed door.

"Yes, this is the boy and his family…" the young Doctor's words murmured past: "No, Miss Prescott's parents aren't here—"

He went on to give a brief explanation of the delayed flight, and then after another moment of conversing with the nurse, she and the Doctor disappeared quietly through the door. Drake lifted his foggy, questioning eyes first to his brother, but when he didn't respond, to Detective Barlow.

"They're checking if the coast is clear." he replied, in as little words as possible, so he wouldn't lose Drake's attention.

With a nod, the brunette slipped back in to his disturbed silence and offered no counter-reply.

Audrey, (who seemed very interested by now), spoke up and asked: "Excuse me for being so inquisitive, but I think I should like to see her, myself—her poor parents aren't here yet, and I know she must want them terribly by now. …Would it be impossible for Walter and Mindy and I to see her as well as my boys?"

A smile crossed Jonathan Becker's professional features and surprised everyone except Drake, and he answered in a simple but oddly soft way.

"Of course, m'am. I think that with Doctor Reilly's consent, there would be no problem in all of you seeing Miss Prescott."

"Oh, wonderful," Mindy added, in genuine thoughtfulness: "I would like to visit with Anita, too. She is so kind and though we have never had much of a chance to talk, I consider her a very good friend."

Walter said nothing, because being the truly awkward weatherman that he was, he wouldn't really know what to say to his step-son's girlfriend. But still, he had an honest desire to know how she was doing and wouldn't mind the visit (as long as Mindy and Audrey did the majority of the talking).

"Then you shall certainly get your chance to talk to her—that is, as long as the doctor does approve." James agreed, almost as afraid as everyone else that his partner's near - good mood might be spoiled.

A call came up on Becker's special phone however, before he could have a chance to say anything, and though he assured them that it probably was nothing important, he decided to answer it, anyway.

From what the others heard after that, the whole thing must have been about the rest of the police force acquiring permission to leave the Parker-Nichols' house.

The conversation mostly consisted of the Detective agreeing upon orders with the head of the local law enforcement, and explaining what he wanted to do with the photos of the disheveled house in court.

But all that were in ear-shot were taken aback when Jonathan's voice rose in to a stern growl and his brows bent together in annoyance as he practically yelled in to the telephone.

"What?-! I don't really care, O'Connor! Get 'em out of there! Whatever it takes, yes! I won't have those stupid reporters parading around that house! …No, police tape is not necessary. Just get them out of there, okay? Alright!"

With a pause and a few more gruff parting words, he hung up and looked toward the group, his face reddening noticeably.

"I'm very sorry," he began, "For my loudness, but this is very frustrating business. …'Seems that the local cable news channel and papers already have an itch for a story on your crisis. I don't know who could have passed the story to them…"

In to Josh's mind an image of sniveling Lyn, pink-clad and whining in her lisping manner instantly flooded, and biting his lip in anger, he mumbled: "I bet I do…"

Becker looked to him and then continued, to everyone: "I've taken care of it for now, but I'm afraid that within a few days, they'll all be after you for their scoops."

"Well, it's alright. I mean, it's expected they would want get their own stories. It really isn't a very usual situation, but I hope the press won't track us down for a while… I'm not sure it's the best of times for us all to become stars." Walter joked a little, definitely lightening the heavy burden of depression bearing down on everyone because of this announcement.

Josh was still worried about the whole thing. Up until now, it hadn't even crossed his mind, but it was true--people would want to know what had gone on. The local news, the cable shows, the school paper. …Perhaps "Miss Nancy" might even have to write a column to get the true story out.

Surely Josh's entire family and the huge attempted-murder-thing would be the talk of the entire area for weeks. After all, it wasn't everyday that a cute guy's estranged, drug-addict father went totally psycho and tried to kill several people.

Audrey and Walter had begun to think about it a bit apprehensively themselves because it would naturally be their responsibilities to shield the boys from publicity as much as they could.

But all of the sudden, Doctor Thorton came back though the door and everyone's thoughts jolted to a stop.

Now would they finally get to see her?

The look on the man's face was still cheerful, but a somber light in his eyes made the heart of one in the assembly pump.

"Alright," he sighed, with a placid smile as he surveyed each face: "Doctor Thorton says that Miss Prescott is ready to see some guests."

He paused, and his face grew a bit less bright before he went on: "She is very tired, though. And because of that, we will simply have to split the visitors in to two sets. Too many people at once might cause her to grow weary."

At this, Drake was deathly afraid that he would be separated from his brother, but when he looked up at Josh, he seemed completely pre-occupied and not at all interested in how Drake was doing and the poor brown eyed boy's heart ached silently in his chest as he looked back down at the floor.

"I propose to send Mr. Walter and Mrs. Audrey to go in, and then maybe Miss Crenshaw can come along with the boys." James' voice came fourth, in its sensible, rational way.

This only slightly lightened Drake's load.

"Ah-- a good suggestion. Is that alright with everyone?"

Nearly everybody added a chorus of yes's and Thorton intended upon leading the younger group in first, but when the Doctor caught sight of the one panicked glance in the crowd, he changed his mind and turned to the adults.

"Okay--how about you two heading in first, with me? I'm sure Miss Anita would enjoy your company in the temporary absence of her own Mom and Dad."

He exchanged a meaningful (and even reproachful) gaze with Josh as he spoke to them, and suddenly the light-eyed boy understood something.

A moment later as Audrey and Walter took in their breaths and patted each boy's back before following the physician through the door, a deep, dark cloud of guilt filled Josh's heart.

The two older people by now had vanished, and the door was closed, but Josh hadn't known it because he was so overcome with remorse for a discrepancy he had found in himself.

The police had also gone to walk a short distance away from the young trio to talk about something minor and it took him until a full moment later to recover, turning slowly around to find his step brother.

The instant he saw the pale, drawn face full of gloom, he knew that he had done a great injustice by forgetting Drake entirely for such a long period.

Without thinking at all, he shook his head in disbelief at himself and impulsively darted fourth in a hug, as if to scream an apology.

By the time he realized how random the act must have seemed, it was just a little too late, but he didn't have an opportunity to pull away with embarrassment because Drake was already wrapping his trembling arms around his shoulders and grasping him warmly.

Mindy watched Josh swallow back at the lump in his throat as he softly embraced his friend, yet holding to him lightly enough that he could have easily escaped Josh if he had so wished.

Instead, Drake just stood like that for a minute more, finally straightening up and sighing sadly as he let go.

That was all the conversation that was needed between Drake and Josh, to say "I'm really sorry" and "Hey, it's fine because I forgive you anyway".

"Josh…" he finally spoke in a serious way, brushing his amber hair away from his face: "I'm scared. Is that stupid?"

The little, odd voice that spoke hardly reminded either of the other two of himself at all, and it took some doing before Josh could respond back.

"No, Drake." he paused, to try and find the right words, but gave up and went on anyway: "It's far from stupid. You should feel scared--I mean, that's what the normal reaction would be to this chaos. But the thing is, you can be scared with out being ruined. Just try to slow down, even though I know how hard it is."

Drake closed his burning eyes and sighed so deeply that he nearly feared his sore lungs would burst, and for a second, imagined only sinking against Josh's strong shoulder and letting his knees give out as they pleaded for him to.

"I think…" Mindy began, still a bit shaken by witnessing such an emotional scene: "I think it would be a good idea for us all to sit down for a while."

They looked for a place to sit, and they most unfortunately found none--but Drake had become so tired that he contented himself with sliding down to the floor and leaning against the wall behind him.

It was a rather long wait, and in the end both Josh and Mindy had come to sit on the teen's left side (Josh in the middle, Mindy to his left), they were sitting along the right side of the hall, and to Drake's right stood the frame of Anita's door.

He couldn't manage to narrow his mind down to thinking one thought at a time, because so many were hitting him simultaneously as he sat there. He was at least to say, very worried about the girl lying beyond that doorway and what she might say when he saw her.

Alas though, that thought didn't last long, as all the rest.

Anita!

They rested there a long while like that, just thinking for maybe ten or fifteen minutes. Regrettably, the silence didn't endure, either.

Suddenly, before anything more could be said between the three, or before another deliberation had time to seep through Drake's brain, the door (perhaps two inches from his right shoulder) swung open and three people emerged, from inside.

His face snapped to attention and he scrambled up from the floor all in a rush along with the couple just behind him.

At first glance, the boys realized that their Mom was barely restraining tears, and their Dad looked dramatically serious and completely devoid of any of his usual goofiness.

All in a second, identical shudders passed through them both a sick feeling in the pit of Drake's stomach became sicker.

Audrey saw him first, and stepping forward she quickly embraced his shoulders, taking great effort in loosening her tight grip and whispering very softly: "Oh, Drake, Anita looks quite fine. She is weak and sleepy, but she will love to see you so much. I just know it."

Rather than letting Drake say what he wished to his mother, Doctor Thorton spoke he and Josh's names and they drew their lagging eyes to look at him.

"Okay, you three, right in here." his voice went on, and he motioned toward the open door, hastily.

He had barely given them time to breathe, before these words and now Josh (instead of Audrey) had his hands gently on his companion's shoulders, murmuring a kind: "It's… it's alright."

Standing tall again, he let go, and after a time they started forward through the door after Thorton.

Their parents presented them forced, sweet and encouraging smiles as they passed, but they felt no better all the same.

Suddenly, a consideration flashed before Drake so savagely that he wanted to turn and run, but his brother was inhibiting him.

"She's going to hate you. She'll look at you, and only wonder why he couldn't have killed you instead of your Great Uncle Gavin."

And like the speed of light, they were in the room.

Such a dread and feeling of being horribly unprepared filled him, that he actually turned around in the doorway to face Josh, about to beg with all that was within him to allow him just to go home, but Doctor Reilly's firm voice called his name before the words could hasten out.

"There you are, Drake Parker. …Turn around and come over here to me."

The voice he possessed was full of firmness, but yet held such a tone of wise understanding, that it seemed to summon the poor boy.

And so with a heart beating nearly out of his chest, he slowly turned and took in the room for the first time.

Three walls of the place were painted white, (or cream—in the light he couldn't tell), and the one wall on which the bed sat was painted in a deep, hospital teal.

Doctor Reilly sat in a plain chair on the left of the bed, and around the room were various pieces of medical equipment, along with a cot for sleeping and vanity counter with a sink and a mirror hanging over it.

But at last, his weary eyes glanced over the sight he had been so afraid of seeing, before.

In a special hospital bed, with several tubes and monitor cables attached to each of her arms, dressed in what looked like a cotton hospital gown and beneath a set of sheets and a woven blanket, she was lying back.

No one could have told from her face if she was asleep or not—her eyes were closed and apart from the rise and all of her chest and the blip on the heart-monitor every few seconds, one might assume she was dead.

She had a light blue bruise streaked across her temple, which had apparently only become visible after she was taken from the house.

It wasn't that she looked horribly battered, but it was the air in the room, or—or maybe the way she struggled for each breath that made your skin crawl.

Drake took all of this in in no more than five or ten seconds, but the thing that struck him hardest was the sight of her.

It was almost a mirror image of how she had looked dropping to the floor in a faint in front of the brothers, in their hall this morning, and the memory for Drake was so violent that he stopped in his path to stare at her.

He stood there looking for so long that Josh feared that one of the two Doctors would snap at him, but instead they let him stand in silence until the light eyed boy himself stepped up and gently touched his back.

He responded by looking back despondently for a moment and then slipping his hand in to his.

Understanding he was very troubled at the moment, Josh clasped his hand and carefully led him to Doctor Reilly at the bed's side.

"She… is… is she… awake?" Drake whispered at last, his eyes wandering back to her face.

"Yes, she's only napping. You can wake her. But she is more than exhausted and may lapse in and out of coherency. Be careful and don't tire her." he replied, in a voice so low that Josh and Mindy both had to strain to catch the words.

Waiting a long time, Drake sighed silently and turned toward the bed. He slid his hand from Josh's, reached out reluctantly and moved to take her's.

Suddenly (before he could do anything) he shrunk back and turned away, murmuring a pained: "I can't…" and began shuddering ever harder.

But then his shaking seemed to stop for a minute, when a barely hearable, raspy whisper came.

"D--Drake…?"

Anita's mumbled stutter tumbled out and boy felt his heart stab in his chest with the sound of her voice.

"Miss Prescott, I am sorry to wake you up from your short rest, but we have three people here who would like to see you very much."

At the kind voice of Doctor Thorton, her eyes slowly opened and she squinted at first, before her sight adjusted to the light.

Drake felt his face soften and he carefully turned back around, thinking that perhaps he could just this thing over with.

He saw the light of recognition draw a frown in to her brow and for a second, he was afraid he might loose control and slide to the floor in weakness, but somehow he kept himself from doing so.

"…Hey, there! We've come to say hello! How are you feeling?" Josh said in a very sweet voice, succeeding to break the heart-straining tension.

It took a long time for the girl to say anything, for she had her hazy green eyes locked on Drake.

At last, she spoke a very quiet answer.

"Thanks… I'm…" she stopped to blink very tiredly and bite her lip: "…Okay."

Josh piped up again and said: "Meghan would have come, but Grammy insisted on her getting to bed before two in the morning."

Anita's face clouded and she parted her lips to ask: "W--what time is it?"

Josh looked down and replied "About one fifteen."

The wounded girl fell quiet and looked very surprised for a while, but soon tiredness stole the expression away. Her state was so obviously worn out and still extremely delicate that all three teenagers were secretly afraid of a relapse.

Worst of all was Drake, because though he tried to get it out of his head, he couldn't help but wonder if this might be the last time he saw her.

"What if she… dies?"

It was the most painful thought that had hit him all day, and he knew if he thought about it much longer, he'd feel as if depression had swallowed him. …Still, he had to wonder.

She looked alright. But Reilly had told him that there was always the danger of infection of wounds, and in the worst scenario, it could weaken to the point of death. Loss of so much blood had effected her system and her risks were all high.

No!

He wouldn't think about it. No matter what.

…Yet he couldn't stop it from nagging at him from the back of his mind.

Everyone was very quiet, and an uncomfortable silence followed.

Drake was beyond frightened, now—too frightened to look directly at her, though he felt her nearly–closed eyes on him almost the entire time.

Looking up, Mindy finally broke the quiet (to the relief of everyone) and began to say something.

"Anita, I'm Mindy Crenshaw. I heard about you and couldn't help but drop by to come visit. I couldn't blame you if you remember not much more about me than my being Josh's girlfriend… and a history enthusiast." her kind way of humor was strangely not taxing on the girl at all.

Josh chuckled and an almost - smile came slowly to the frail girl's lips, but all Drake could do was grip his knuckles until they turned white and glance up at her face for a single instant.

"I remember you, Mindy. …T—thank you for visiting me. Thank… thank all of you."

Drake felt his heart split at her emphasis on these words and wondered why she refused to say his name.

"That's silly… she's too tired to say that much. What's the big deal? …Now say something! What should I say? Gosh, she looks so tired… Anita please don't hate me."

Thoughts whizzed by in his head and he dropped his gaze when Josh said: "Well, we were all happy to come! Weren't we, Drake?"

Maybe he was thinking his brother ought to say something, as well, but Drake's tongue seemed glued and his words caught in his throat.

At last, he squeaked out a piecy sentence and smiled wanly, grabbing his messy hair at his neck, in nervousness.

"Yes, Anita, we are very happy. We—we—I was worried about you. I'm glad you're doing okay…"

A weak, melancholy smile drew across her dead white mouth and she blinked again slowly, she lifted one or two fingers and touching his arm, and then lost all her strength and dropping both—her hand and her smile.

He felt such a pain crack at his chest that he became queasy and he locked his knees so he wouldn't fall the ground in an inconsolable, hysterical ball.

"I'm glad you came to visit me." Anita said, very sleepily.

Drake looked at her for a long time, trying to restrain himself, but all in a rush, he gasped in a breath and words started to tumbled from his lips, before he could stop them.

"Oh, Nita—" he said quickly, shaking his head: "I know that you did get hurt, and that he is my father, but you're going to be fine anyway and I can't—"

Suddenly the color of her face fell greenish-white and she closed her eyes, sinking back in the pillow behind her; and Josh reached forward, grabbing his brother's wrist and making his words stop: "Drake!"

It wasn't that he meant to do it, but his heart was aching so badly to talk to her that he didn't even really know he was doing wrong until it was over.

"I don't… please—please… just go away." her eyes flooded and she whispered: "I don't want to talk… Please leave."

It was then that Drake realized what he had said and his breath seemed to stop in his lungs.

He shrunk back, brushing against Josh who stood very close behind him still clutching his wrist, and tears came to his eyes with hearing her heart - rending plea.

"…S—sure, Anita." he stepped backwards, around his brother and felt his hand shaking with his brother's grasp.

The Doctors both stood near, signaling the three to leave, but before they could be shown out, Drake spoke in a low, husky voice: "…But I'm sorry."

He thought she had heard him and was too angry to respond, but in reality, he had spoken so softly that she hadn't heard him at all.

The time it took to get from the room to his Mother's arms seemed to ebb, and as to how he was suddenly in her embrace, in the hall, he drew a blank.

Josh looked on at him, wrapped in his Mom's hug, and thought that Drake was much like an innocent puppy that had toppled over an expensive vase.

…He hadn't meant to hurt the girl by what he said, and he certainly had no control over what his father did, but yet he felt like it was all his doing.

"Oh, Mom," he murmured: "I ruined it—I ruined it all. I'm horrible."

"Drake! I can't stand to hear you speak of yourself in such a way. …It's not ruined." Audrey replied, sensibly.

He insisted: "Yes it is! She's afraid of me—she—she told me to get out. I'm so… so…"

He seemed to be searching for a word bad enough to describe himself, when she said something else.

"No, no. Don't Drake. It's alright…"

Walter even came to lay a hand on his weak shoulder, saying: "You're far from any of those things. You are just tired and upset, that's all."

Almost everyone tried to offer comforts to him, but Josh stayed right where he was, beside Mindy, still looking across the little group and frowning in deep concern for the teen.

Audrey gently stroked his hair and then stepped back a half-step to look in to his face. She was surprised when she found no tears in his eyes, and he only looked back at her, saying a very somber: "I'm sorry… I couldn't get control of myself."

Both his parents assured him that he had nothing to apologize for, and he nodded a gray "Thank You." before stepping from her embrace.

The policemen had stayed back, away from them all for a few minutes to give them as much personal space as possible, but as soon as they realized that the situation was calm again, they returned to the others and reported hat they had received a call from the airport.

Anita's parent's plane had just come in, and would be there eventually, but because of security and bag-checking, it would be near to three in the morning before they arrived.

At the thought of facing her parents, Drake's face quickly went ashen and he glanced anxiously at his wristwatch.

One twenty-five. He'd been awake a little more than twenty hours straight now, and he desperately wanted somewhere to lie down--especially after such an emotional event as the one that had just recently transpired.

But he couldn't, because he had to stay and try and explain the whole thing to her parents.

How much they would hate him!

He was feeling the wit and stamina that awakeness had always held fading fast and he was honestly very afraid of loosing his head in the future meeting.

"How many hours will I have been awake by then?" he wondered, "Nearly twenty-four? A whole day? Surely I won't make any sense by then!"

Genuine worry had arrived.

Drake was as preoccupied with his own thoughts as he could be, but even he had noticed a certain growing restlessness in his step-father.

It was when one of the detectives was talking briefly of a file of drug-use they had found on Joe, that the middle aged man started to glance even more nervously about.

"Well, we found a list of the known names and aliases he used during the run of several drug schemes." James was saying (mostly for Drake's benefit) in his down-to-earth but still firm "FBI" voice.

He looked down quickly and began to read the names off a clip-board.

"Robert Polk, Timothy Fischer, George Boyd, Landis Grange and Burt--"

Suddenly Walter let out a choke and he looked very prompted to speak, as the boys looked at eachother, thinking of the significance of what had just been spoken.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen," he began, in a shaky voice: "For interrupting your conversation, but I feel I must say something."

Their father paused, biting his lip and going on as everyone drew their attentions to him.

"I... know I should have said thid earlier, but... I actually talked to Joe Parker over the telephone just a week or so prior to my sons' car accident."

Shock passed around the crowd along with several gasps, and Josh turned a most stunned face to his Dad: "W--What are you talking about?"

Looking very uncomfortable, Walter shifted on his feet and placed his hands in his pockets.

He looked unsurely around and brought his voice down in to a low, blameworthy tone.

"Well, it was supposed it be a secret, but I think it might be a good thing to reveal, now."

Josh and his stepbrother were very anxious for him to go on, and confirm one idea that was now nagging at them, and Becker obviously sensed that, looking at the man and nodding: "Please go on."

A confession is always easier if you atleast have a decent place to sit to talk (like on soft couch or in a close circle on the middle of a bed) but with not a seat in sight, Walter was forced to go on and forgo the comfort aspect.

"Drake, Christmas isn't so far from now, and I had told your Mother that I wanted to get you something special, just from me."

"Oh!" Audrey agreed: "I remember! You thought you should start thinking early about what the perfect gift would be, and I said that perhaps if you listened around carefully to the boys, they might give you a clue about what would suit."

"Exactly! So... for the next day I sat around, just listening very closely to what you said." Walter replied turning and indicating the two teenagers.

"But, you both were so busy and quiet that I learned very little, except that you seemed to want nothing. I got discouraged and didn't try to listen so hard."

He caught his breath and slowly started to explain the next turn of events to all with hearing range.

"I was in the upper hall a few days later, getting some extra towels for your Mother, and I heard the sound of you guys talking. Your door was open wide, and even though I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I heard Drake lament over the fact that he no longer had a notebook full of songs he had written at twelve or thirteen."

"Yes! I remember looking for it and remarking that I must not have had it anymore like a lot of my stuff..." Drake murmured, still trying to piece together this oddly confusing puzzle.

"Well," the father sighed, "I began to wonder what you meant about all your 'old stuff' being gone, and I realized that your old Dad still must have had it."

He blushed and wrung his hands, in embarrassment.

"I had become so determined to find the ideal present, and I knew how much you must have missed a lot of your childhood possessions, that I guess that's where I made my mistake."

All in a mad frenzy, his next statement fell out of his mouth, and then he was finished.

"I found his name and called him on the phone to ask him to send the toys and everything back to us. It was obvious that he was drunk when I called, but I thought I'd try and talk to him anyway. When I told him who I was and asked him my question, he got extremely angry and screamed that he didn't care if he never saw... 'never saw any of Drake Parker's stuff again' and that he'd get it out of the house that very day."

All was very, very still and for a long time no one spoke of moved, shocked but mostly lost in each of their thoughts.

And even stranger was the fact that Drake was the first to speak.

His tone was quiet and steady but amazed when he began, straightening it slowly out in his own head.

"That was the box... the box of my stuff, Josh! That's... that's how it got there. Walter, you sent for it! Our hiding it was silly... we should have just told someone. This whole thing may have been avoided if..."

His sentence trailed off in to silence and Josh took it away, himself, taking his brother's arm in surprise.

"And if 'Landis Grange' was one of his aliases, then it was his note on the box."

"But-- but it can't be his note! It wasn't in his handwriting. It was scratchy and wild, and his was always so clean..." Drake replied slower, his face clouding in confusion.

Barlow snapped up and suddenly exclaimed: "But, yes, it was his note!"

"What do you mean? How do you know about the--"

Drake had no time to finish before James went on, to explain.

"An officer searching your home today found a note on the floor of your garage before we all came here, and gave it to me. It said something about 'keeping the front up' or...?"

"Well, do you have it with you?" Mindy jumped in, clearly agitated at the delay in solving this mystery.

Jonathan seemed just as excited as James.

"Here!" he replied, fishing a paper from his black coat's pocket: "You gave it to me to keep a hold of, because it seemed to involve itself in the case."

Everyone rushed around to look intently upon the words, and instantly both Detectives' faces lit up in understanding.

"Look..." Barlow murmured as all read the words:

Walter--

This is what you sent for.

Hope you have a good place

to hide it-- police have been

searching for it ever since I

heard you wanted it.

Keep the front up--

Landis

"I understand it all now," Josh said, suddenly smiling a smile of comprehension and looking his brother in the eyes: "The reason why you didn't recognize this writing was because he was drunk when he wrote it. See how scribbly it looks? That's the whole key! Drunk enough to think it was back to the time when he used to import drugs for his partners. He began to get interested in hurting you some more when the request for you was made, and when we hit him in the wreck by some freak accident, he transformed in to a madman. Now do you see why it's so confused?"

"The... the wording! I get it! He mixed up the past with the fact that Walter wanted my junk shipped back. That's why used his alias and mentioned the police searching for it."

The boy sighed and sunk back against the wall, out of weakness.

"I--I can't believe how crazy this is!"

That was all he could manage to say, and he sighed again in his shaky manner, closing his eyes.

All at once, a deep, remorse filled voice roused him and he looked up to see the perplexed face of his stepfather.

"Drake... he came after you because I reminded him of you. ...If I hadn't been so selfishly obsessed with getting you a gift worthy of your fondness, then I wouldn't have come so close to loosing what I care about-- you and your brother."

He hung his head and shook it softly, at last adding: "I'm sorry. ...I am the one to blame for all of this misery."

Audrey felt tears well in her eyes (as well as Mindy did) as she watched, because to see the meek man so sorry for his stepson, was enough to do so.

The next moments following were quiet and stabbingly slow, but at last, the brunette teen's shoulders dropped their stiff posture and he sighed once more. It was a gentle sigh, quiet unlike the sad ones he had breathed out through this day--and maybe for a minute, he had forgotten all the aches he held in his heart.

Finally resting his arms over Walter's shoulders and pulling him in to a hug, he talked just above a whisper.

"You know, if you asking for a bunch of my old things back made him want to kill me, Dad, I don't think of it as any of your doing."

Bringing a smile to his lips of relief, Drake hugged him a little more.

"Don't sweat it, now."

But as he looked on from a distance of a few feet, Walter's son was smiling a smile for a whole other reason.

"Drake... Drake called him Dad." thankful tears threatened him, but he couldn't get rid of the smile as his thoughts rode on.

"He's is your real Dad, now. The man who hurt you so badly could never be. Thank you... thank you for giving Drake another Dad." he lifted his eyes to the ceiling and thought: "The only true Dad he's ever known."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Even if the shadow of Anita's feelings hadn't completely disappeared from Drake's countenance, and even though the worry wouldn't leave the back of his mind, the next hour was noticeably less miserable.

Maybe it was the relief of solving the mystery of the box, or maybe he was just getting too tired to feel his misery anymore.

Not to say he wasn't psychically worn down. Infact, he was getting very weary of standing, and had once again taken a seat (along with Josh and Mindy) on the floor, while they all waited for the Doctors in the next room to come and give their report on how the girl was.

Audrey and Walter didn't ask about what had happened within the room between Drake and Anita, because they didn't want to trouble any of the three teens, but by the way he had acted after he came out, they knew she had rejected him, and surely the result on her end hadn't been good, either.

The Mother stood just behind her brown eyed son, gently rubbing his shoulders every now and then, leaning against the wall as they all waited.

And waited...

And waited.

Drake had begun to worry, because though nobody came out of the room, several nurses and one man carrying a medical bag went in.

At length, all was mostly quiet, but Josh (who was feeling the pressure as well as Drake), spoke up.

"Detective Becker."

The man looked up from his wristwatch and nodded: "Yes, Mister Nichols?"

"How much longer are we expected to wait here?" it was obvious he was referring more to his brother than himself, as he went on honestly: "It is well past two o' clock and sitting here on the floor until dawn is not my greatest desire."

The detective blanched and cleared his throat, trying to respond with an answer to show how professional he was: "...I do apologize for the wait, but I'm sure it will end at any moment. Until then, the only thing we can do is wait."

This only added to Josh's irritations and he thought about saying so, but when he remembered his earlier outburst at the man, he bit his lip and slipped in to quiet.

At last, when they were all just about ready to yell at Becker, the sound of the doorknob of the door behind them turning filled their ears and when it opened, Doctor Reilly emerged, along with the nurses and nameless other Doctor that Drake had seen going in earlier.

The doctor's face looked very stern and after he spoke a few indiscernible words to his colleges they departed down the hall, and he turned slowly back to the family.

"Doctor Reilly-- is... is she alright? It's been so long since we've heard anything and--and so many people came in, but nobody came out to tell us about..."

Drake (who was greatly relieved that the Doctor was here), had begun to ask his question but suddenly let it fade in to silence as he caught the drastically hard stare that he was given in return.

"Drake Parker," his voice was rough and much harsher than what he expected as he finally filled the quiet: "She is very well in body, and is still alright, no thanks to you and your hasty words."

His eyes glared so deep that Drake could almost feel the icy holes boring through him.

"You were very ignorant to speak like that to a recovering person. Depression can hurt the recovery more than a lot of things. Because of what you said, she has been crying her heart out (which is possibly very bad for her delicate condition)--and until her parents arrive, I'm afraid there's not much anyone can do to console her."

"I--I..."

The boy's heart skipped and he stepped a stride backward, looking for any words to say while feeling the taunt of oncoming hurt twinge through his middle.

"How you could do such a thing to her after she has been in the very throes of such mental shock, I'll never understand."

Everyone was completely stunned over the man's strange attitude and even though Walter and Audrey had become quiet angry, they couldn't manage to speak either.

At last, a strong and unwavering voice lifted from the group and a warm hand clutched Drake's shoulder.

"Doctor Reilly, I don't know what you mean by that, but Drake never meant to do anything wrong at all," Josh had said, coming forward and shaking his head: "I honestly don't think anyone is more 'depressed' than he is. I mean, we are talking about what his own father did, here... it's not a happy thing."

"If that is your assessment, young man, then perhaps--"

Walter cut the indignant speaker off: "I apologize for asking," he frowned and then went on to pose a very good question: "But why should Drake be held responsible for her set back? I'm quite certain he said nothing to her but apology and the truth. ...And the truth, I'm told is stronger than any medicine."

Strange as it may seem, meek Walter, the weatherman had somehow silenced the insults of the strong-willed medic, and had even made Drake himself feel less guilty.

"I... I--I see. ... And I believe that I have to look in on another patient now. I'll see you all later, then."

With no more said but these plain words, he was gone in an instant and the boy in question shook his head, saying only a simple: "Thanks, Dad."

It was understood all around that little crowd that Walter was not as stupid as he seemed sometimes.

Becker and Barlow led them all around a corner, in to a conference room in which stood a large, U-shaped table, with padded chairs lining it all around. It was certainly not as nice as the lounge on the lower level had been, but it was somewhere to sit, and most importantly there were both a coffee pot and a high-caffeine soda machine standing in the corner.

Drake despised coffee (unlike Mindy and his parents) and claimed that it would turn his teeth the color of leather, but he knew he had to have something to keep him up and he and Josh guessed that twelve ounces of Mocha Cola might do just as well.

He tried to drink as much as possible, but he was so exhausted and sick-feeling that each sip seemed to taste like drinking an equal amount of motor oil.

And it didn't seem to be helping with his energy, anyway.

He sighed at thinking about this and spoke in a whisper: "Josh... I'm so tired. I need to keep awake, but when I try to make my eyes stay open, they start to go all crossed."

Josh leaned close to answer and whispered back.

"Do you want me to pinch you?" he suggested.

"No," came the soft reply: "That won't work, either--I already hurt all over and even that's not doing the job."

"It'll be three a.m. in another forty five minutes or so and Anita's parents will get here not long after."

"But that's maybe a whole other hour and a half I have to sit here in this horrible chair," he groaned in a low return: "And Josh, I have never longed more for a bed in my life. ...Even though I know I wouldn't sleep much at all once I laid down, the mattress would be so nice."

Josh looked up to watch his face as he said these things, and his worry for him certainly increased.

He seemed more fatigued, and paler than he had been all night. And when Josh gazed in to his charming eyes, he realized even they had even lost their famous glitter. It was not only the tone of his face that was pale though-- it was 'pale' more in a sense of his entire self... his body and spirit.

"You look tired..." he found himself saying, as he worriedly reached up to lay a hand on his arm.

"...You're frowning--do I look that horrible?"

"You don't look 'horrible' at all. Just... just really weak."

"I am." he sighed, resting his head on the table as Josh took away his hand: "...But I just have to stop being that way."

Two other troubled pairs of eyes were watching Drake from across the way, perhaps even more intently than his brother was.

The police (Becker, Barlow and another two officers) were asking Audrey and Walter questions about Joe Parker, but though they answered as best as they could, they weren't listening with all their power.

Mindy had drifted to sleep for a moment with her chin in her hand and elbow resting on the table, and continued to nap for a few minutes while her boyfriend conversed with his brother.

"Mindy, wake up," his kind voice was saying a moment later, as she stirred and shook her head.

"...Oh, Josh. I'm sorry. I just slipped right off. It's okay, I'll keep alert by myself. I don't want you to have to keep two people up."

"That's more than fine. But look, Minds, you have to be tired and now that you've seen that I'm fine and Anita's fine, why don't you go on home? There's no reason you have to stay, now." Josh smiled, patting her shoulder.

"Really? ...I mean, are you sure you can hold it down, here by yourself?" her tone was reluctant and she raised her brows, as if to clear her sleepy vision.

"'Course I can. And--and anyway, I'm not alone. Mom and Dad are here now and we can all three take care of everything."

"Well," she began, nodding carefully and pulling her sweater around her shoulders: "I think I should go then. I'm going to need some sleep, 'cause I was thinking about taking little Miss Megan to the mall and getting her out from under foot for a while tomorrow. ...That is, if you're parents wouldn't mind."

Josh's face lit up with thankfulness and he stood with her: "Oh my gosh, that would be such a help. I'm sure they wouldn't 'mind' at all. Thanks, Mindy."

He leaned in to shyly peck a kiss on her cheek before finishing: "But for now you just go home and rest."

"Alright, Josh." she smiled, gathering her purse under her arm and turning to slide from behind her chair.

Drake was too dazed to take much notice of the two rising, and until he heard his name, he hadn't paid any attention.

"Drake!"

"Huh?"

"I just wanted you to know that I am actually sorry for you. You'll be in my thoughts."

Mindy saying such a thing highly surprised him, but he felt his abhorrence for her fade for a minute as he nodded a genuine, "Thank you." and watched her turn to his parents.

It was explained to Audrey and Walter that she was going home for the night, and (argued, but finally agreed on) that an hour or two after Megan had been returned home by Grammy, Mindy would take her for a little "girl's day out".

Audrey especially thanked her, and after hugging her and wishing her a safe trip home (as well as everyone else did... except Drake), the young girl opened the door and began to make her way out of the building.

...How much the tired amber haired boy longed to make that trip, as he once again thought of the dreaded event--the arrival of Anita's parents.

Josh stood by Audrey a moment, telling her more about what Mindy had planned for Megan; but afterward, (as Barlow moved over to talk Drake away from sleep), she pulled him closer to where she and her husband sat and asked plainly: "Has Drake mentioned anything to you about being tired?"

"He looks near dead." Walter agreed, just as worried.

Josh only nodded, telling them briefly of Drake's earlier complaints and then telling one of his own theories:

"I think the idea of having to face her Mom and Dad is really, really freaking him out. He knows they always liked him, but he also knows how protective of their daughter they are. When I mentioned that they'd be here in another hour or so, he started looking so sick."

"Oh, Josh, I hadn't even thought about that..." his stepmother murmured, placing one hand on his forearm and her other on her husband's: "Walter, he must be terrified."

"Josh, we don't want to know it all but what did happen between the girl and our Drake, earlier?" his father sighed.

"It wasn't so good, actually. He blurted out something about how he was sorry over what his father had done to her, and I stopped him... but then she started asking for him to leave, and then told him to go away." he replied, trying to sum it up as best as he could and then adding: "And with Doctor Reilly being so harsh to him, I can't imagine how scared he is of her parents."

Both parents seemed to be in deep contemplation for a long time, and Becker moved over to stand next to them.

He leaned down and looked at Walter, then Audrey and at last Josh and spoke quietly: "I couldn't help but hear your talk about that young man."

He motioned discreetly toward Drake and an understanding smile suddenly formed on his lips: "And he's too tired. ...Take him home."

"...But, he can't go home," Walter began: "Anita's mother and father should be here in an hour and--"

"And what? He's afraid, he's sleepy and he's liable to say something he doesn't mean in his state. I think in this case, a few hours away to patch feelings might help both sides--both him, and the Prescotts. ...And, as chief detective on this case, I give him full permission to go home for a while. My officers have already questioned him to death."

Josh let out a grateful breath and said slowly: "Officer, I think I misjudged you."

"Thank you very much, Mister Nichols." the kind smile returned, followed by thoughtful stillness.

"Alright, look Josh--your Father and I are more than rested (we got up very late today), and we should stay here. There are places to sleep, if we get too tired, and the cafeteria is open all night. You take you poor brother home and do your best to comfort him."

Walter spoke up: "Exactly my thoughts. It would be wrong to leave Anita here without anyone she knows, even if she is too upset to visit with us. And when her parents do arrive later, it would be a gentler affair to have us explain the main facts of what went on. That way, when you and Drake come again later, they will already know and he won't have to tell them."

"But--but it feels so wrong leaving you guys up here." Josh protested, for a moment.

"I know, sweetie, but you brother needs your love and help more than we do, now. ...Do you think you can take care of him?"

He paused, thinking and then he began to softly nod: "Of course. It would only be right for me to help."

"Thank you, so much, son." his Dad said, standing and taking his shoulder: "Now we can rest assured that he'll be fine."

"You're welcome, and it's no problem." a little smile came to the edge of his lips: " ...Comforting Drake kind of just comes naturally for me, you know? It maybe sound stupid, but I almost get a kick out of letting him know that he's gonn'a be okay."

"That's because you love him, Josh. I thank heavens that I have you now, to be there when I can't be."

Audrey's soft words brought tears to her own eyes and she quickly brushed them away, sniffling: "Ah, now there I go again. Go tell him the relieving news while I get a hold of myself."

"Hey, buddy."

The warm, gentle words made Drake jump, looking a little startled as he gazed up to see who had spoken.

He met the soft green-blue eyes of his brother and managed a: "Hi. 'Came to wake me up again?"

"Nah, not anymore. Come on, I'm going to take you home." Josh set his warm hand on his wrist and smiled a reply.

"W--what? We--we can't go home, Anita's parents are comi..." Drake was suddenly more awake than he had been for hours.

"Mom and Dad have decided to take care of them. You're going back to that soft place to rest that you want so badly."

"...Josh, did you do this?"

Drake's own hand rested softly on his brother's arm as he stood shakily up and looked in to his light eyes.

"I told them how tired you were, and told them I'd make sure to get you home and take the best care of you." he answered, honestly.

"But you don't have to--Josh, I can stay awake; I can tell Anita's parents. I could do it if I tried; I'm not that bad off." Drake began to reason, obviously amazed at his offer and yet unsure, absentmindedly squeezing Josh's arm with emotion.

"Look, Drake, I promised I would watch over you, but not just because I wanted to do the right thing or obey Mom and Dad. ...You're my brother and I care about you, and I worry even more about you."

Josh paused, feeling a little twinge of tears gathering in the corners of his eyes, and after releasing a smile, he rubbed his shoulder.

At length Drake was silent, fighting back his own tears and letting his heart skip with reassurance instead of more pain, but at last, he steadied his voice and sighed a thankful: "Josh... Let's go home."