Drake woke to a soft kiss on his lips and brown curls falling into his face. He smiled, his eyes filled with affection. "Morning, Noel."

"Good morning, Drake." She smiled, sitting up. "I hope you slept well."

"I dunno," he grinned mischievously. "When you're around, I get the feeling being awake is a bit more fun."

She laughed, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Mhmm. Listen, don't be late. You don't want to screw up on your first day."

Drake flipped over onto his stomach to glance at his watch on the night stand next to him. He groaned at the time. Noel's bed was far too comfortable to leave, but work was fast approaching. He sighed, running his hand through his wild, auburn hair. "Yeah. I know."

She put a hand on his back, her touch cold against his skin. She bent down, lightly kissing his shoulder blades. "If you're that stressed, maybe five minutes to relax you couldn't hurt."

"I think ten would really do the job."

X

Drake made it to set fifteen minutes before call time. Despite his delayed start to his day, he had finally managed to be early for something for once in his life. The musician practically leaped up the stairs after showing his identification at the gate, ready to start. He muttered his lines under his breath, barely checking the script anymore. He had worked hours with Noel to get them exactly right.

He was taken straight into makeup. It was a new experience for him. Even when he had been in that theater thug sketch, they hadn't bothered to make up his face. Maybe since this was a commercial and not a low budget show, it was a little different.

Drake sat back in the chair, rehearsing his lines in his mind. He only had about a paragraph to know. He could do it. He had to be able to do it. He needed the money.

The theater thug reenactment had been exactly what had led to this job in the first place. The director of the commercial was a big fan of 'FBI'S Most Wanted.' He had remembered Drake's episode and told the casting directors to hire him immediately at the audition. It had been a lucky break.

Drake had never really wanted to get into acting. Music was his thing. Music was the blood in his veins. But those veins had a body, and that body needed a place to sleep and shower. Crashing at Noel's was nice, but if he couldn't afford the rent to his own place, he would be screwed.

"You ready?" A guy with a headset and a clipboard popped into makeup, distracting Drake from his thoughts.

"Yep."

"Come with me."

X

"My brotha!"

Drake grinned as he walked into the coffee shop, unable to contain his delight. "Hey man! What are you doing this far from home?"

Josh kicked a chair out for Drake, giving him a spot to sit. "I had some work in the area. I'm glad you were free! How'd the shoot go today?"

"It was good!" Drake was relieved it had gone as well as it had. He didn't exactly have a ton of acting experience, and he had been worried about blowing it. "The director was a really cool guy who made me feel really comfortable. It was just a small commercial, but I felt like the star of the show."

"You were the star of the show." Josh pointed out.

"Yeah." Drake said happily. "But hey! What's going on with you?"

Josh rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Well. I have some big news."

"What?"

"I'm going to ask Mindy to marry me."

Drake blinked. "I thought you said 'big news,' not bad news."

Josh's face fell. "Are you kidding me? I thought we were past this."

Drake's face split into a massive grin. "I'm just messing with you! That's awesome! Congratulations, man. I'm really happy for you."

Relief flooded Josh's features. His usual boyish grin returned as he exhaled. A weight lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you so much."

"I mean, you've been together, what, ten years? You had better ask now before she has to eat a kid to maintain her youthful immortality."

"…Drake."

"Okay, okay." Drake held up his hands in surrender, but his smirk did not give up so easily. "That was too far. I'm sorry."

Josh took a sip from his coffee, the hot caramel mocha filling his mouth with delicious flavor. "Say how you really feel, why don't ya."

"Do you think she'll say yes?"

"I hope so." Josh said softly. "Or I'm going to have to make a really awkward trip to the ring store."

"I hope she does, Josh. I know she makes you happy. I don't understand it, but-"

"There's lots of things you don't understand." Josh scathed his brother with a zinger of his own, unable to resist the opportunity.

"But." Drake continued. "I think you should go for it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"That means a lot to me." Josh hadn't come for Drake's blessing or his permission, but it still felt good knowing he had his brother's support. Asking Mindy to marry him was easily going to be the most terrifying, exciting, thrilling, and intimidating thing he had ever done. "Remember when we rode the Deamonator? This feels like that, times ten."

Drake shook his head, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "Josh. I promise, you're going to be just fine. Mindy would be a fool to turn you down."

"Okay, that's it." Josh grinned. "Come here. Bring it in."

"We're in public."

"Doesn't matter."

"C'mon."

"Hug me, brother!"

Drake conceded. Josh's hug was way too tight because of his joy. He nearly lifted Drake off the ground. The musician laughed, returning his brother's enthusiastic hug before settling back into his seat.

"So, when do I get to see this commercial you're starring in?"

Drake shrugged. "Should be out in two weeks. I'll let you know."

"Sounds good."

"You ever notice the guy on Grandfathered looks like you?" Drake pointed across the room to a poster advertising for the TV show. "If you squint… he could've been your twin."

"John Stamos? Nah." Josh shook his head.

Drake rolled his eyes. "No, the other one."

"Oh. Him? Really?" Josh took his brother's advice. Even though squinted eyes, he couldn't see the similarities. "No. Not seein' it. He seems like a cool guy though."

"I guess."

"How're things with Nora?"

"Noel."

"Sorry, Noel."

"Pretty good. We've been together about six months now."

"So, your longest relationship ever?"

"Uh, not quite."

"Right." Josh nodded. "Carly."

"Yeah."

"Whatever happened to her?"

"I don't know." Drake shrugged. "She kind of hated me for a long time. We lost touch, but I heard she's doing good now."

"Well."

"Well, what?"

"Doing well."

"Really? You're going to go all grammar-police on me?"

"It's always a good time for the grammar police." Something nudged Josh on the inside, telling him it was time to change the subject. "Do you still have your crazy roommate?"

"Ugh." Drake's head fell into his hands, rising up again after a moment. "Crazy doesn't even begin to cover it. It feels like a vendetta, like my very existence pisses her off to no end. She goes out of her way to make my life miserable, but I have no idea why."

"I'm telling you, get rid of her. Find someone else to live with. Move in with Noel."

"I don't know." Drake had thought about it, but he'd only been dating her six months. "It's too serious, too fast."

"Whatever, just find a way to get rid of Jade before she pushes you to the point of no return. You can't put up with her forever."

"I'll find a way." Drake promised. "I'll find a way."

"Any idea why she's so crazy?"

Josh's question triggered a memory, a nearly-forgotten statement Jade had made a while back. "Because I deserve it."

"What does that mean?"

"No idea." Drake answered. "I forgot she had said that until now."

"Hmm." Josh said. "Going to have to ponder that for a while."

X

The door to the apartment opened softly. Light spilled across the floor. Shark slept on the floor in the warm glow, content in his chosen space. His eyes opened for a moment as Noel entered, closing again as she gave him a light scratch behind the ears. He exhaled, letting her know he liked it.

"You're such a sweet dog," she said. "I wish you and Drake could get along. Sleep well, good boy."

Jade leaned in the doorway to her own room, greeting Noel with an unsmiling face. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi." Noel shifted uneasily. Jade's dog was a sweetheart. Jade herself was not something Noel could get used to.

"Relax. I'm not going to bite you." Jade said flatly. "Drake's not here."

"I'm early." She explained. "I came to see how his commercial went."

"There's this thing, called a phone. Use it." Jade vanished behind her bedroom door. Noel was nothing more than an irritating mosquito to her, one she could easily remove with the swat of a hand. She left the girl alone in the main room, whistling for Shark to join her. The German shepherd obeyed, shaking his sleep away as he rose and stretched before trotting away to his Jade. She closed the door upon his arrival, sealing him in with her.

Noel decided she'd be better off tucked away in Drake's room, out of sight. She found a stray acoustic guitar, a nice black one, leaning against the wall. Sitting on his bed, she leaned it across her legs, placing her hands in the proper positions as she began to play. Light music filled the room. She got lost in thought easily as her hands moved up and down the neck of the guitar.

A short time later, Drake returned. He came in quietly, listening to her play. He closed his eyes, taking in the music. "Is that one of my songs?" he asked after she had finished.

"Of course it is." She grinned. "That's all you're teaching me how to play."

"Is there really anything more you'd need to know?" he joked, kissing her hello. His hands travelled down her back before the kiss broke.

"How'd the shoot go?" She was too excited to wait to find out. "Do I get to see any of it?"

"Two weeks." Drake promised. "It airs in two weeks and I can show you exactly how I did."

"I can't wait."

As they kissed again, a knock on the door interrupted them. Drake let out a small moan of displeasure. "Yes?"

"Just a heads up, my cousin is coming over for dinner." Jade's voice cut through the wood. "She should be here-" The buzz of the front door broke into her sentence. "Now."

"Go," Noel kissed him, long and hard. Her fingers tangled themselves in the longest bit of his hair. "Say hi. I'll be here when you get back."

Drake relented, but only when Noel promised they could pick up where they left off. He entered the main room, prepared to introduce himself.

"That's your roommate?"

Everything about Jade's cousin screamed judgmental, from the way her arms were crossed over her thin chest to the way her eyebrow was arched and the purse of her lips in between it all. "Looks like a Beatles wannabe."

"This place is awesome!" The very tall man next to Jade's cousin positively dwarfed her. His wide, joyous grin filled his entire face. Every extra bit of joy he had fit into his eyes. "Wow! This is really awesome, Jade! Babe, this apartment is like, one and a half times the size of our house!"

Drake was glad he had remained unnoticed. He pulled out his phone to send a quick text to his brother.

Jade's got family. Apparently we are having a big dinner tonight. Come over? Free food.

A/N: Did anyone else completely adore the Drake and Josh reunion on Grandfathered tonight? I am not ashamed to say I definitely celebrated. I watched Drake and Josh Go Hollywood, then Grandfathered, and then an episode of Drake and Josh on my DVD of DJGH. Of course I had to write a new chapter after that! I am so, so sorry that I let a year - over a year - slip by without an update. I have actually had a few chapters just sitting in my computer collecting dust that I had completely forgotten about. I'll be posting those soon. (After I write/post the chapter this one is leading into. Trust me, you won't want to skip that dinner.) If any of you readers are still here, I love you. Thank you for sticking around!

So! How did you guys like seeing the guys back together? All the references to the show were absolutely perfect! Plus Drake said in an interview they got a whole bunch on camera. Like him, I'm hoping the release a supercut!

Anyway! Thank you again for taking the time to read. You are all awesome! God bless you guys. So much love from me. x3333

Love,

Mirage