The house was empty when Jade returned home from filming. She came home to a note saying Drake had had a friend watch Shark the past few days. An emergency had come up at home. Jade crumpled up the note, throwing it in the trash just as her giant German Shepherd bounded over to her, asking for her to scratch him behind the ears. She let a smile come to the surface. She had really missed that dog. She was pissed Drake had left him in someone else's hands while he ran off to take care of his stuff. He should have at least called her and told her.

An hour after she had unpacked, she gave Beck a call, asking if he would like to come over and stay for the weekend. Drake had already let her know he wouldn't be home for a few more days. He didn't mention what was going on at home, but he had booked a small local tour across the state that was beginning immediately. He had taken the job, even though it meant playing at high schools and colleges for the next three weeks. Jade hadn't bothered responding to his text. She had things to do.

Beck arrived not too long after Jade called him. She opened the door, greeting him with a steamy kiss, and pulled him inside.

"You know, this distance thing really might be killing me." she said softly. Her love for him shone vividly in her eyes. Beck treasured moments like that, when Jade actually let her heart show. They were rare, and special. She was an amazing woman, and he wouldn't trade her for the world.

"I'm here now," he smiled. "Want to make up for lost time?"

Jade grinned a hungry grin and locked the door.

X

"Hey. I'm Drake Parker. I'm on tour right now, and I just got a call that my dad is missing." Drake stared into the cold eye of the camera, his face as somber as ever. He didn't have much fame anymore, but he had to use it for what it was worth now. "He's a San Diego weatherman. His name is Walter Nichols. If you have any information, please use the hashtag 'whereswalter.' Or, contact me and my brother, Josh. Please. Anything helps. I just want to find my dad."

Drake sighed as the camera clicked off. "Got it," Noel murmured, loading the memory card into the camera to upload to Drake's YouTube channel. "He'll be home soon. Don't worry, okay?" She smiled at him reassuringly, but it had no effect on Drake. Before he could reply, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Drake, you ready?" The other musician had no idea he had been interrupting something serious. He looked at Drake through the black hair that fell into his sea-green eyes. "I just finished my set. You're on. I warmed the crowd up for you."

"Thanks, Blake." Drake straightened up. Noel handed him his guitar, and nodded. She knew he could do this. "I'll be right out."

"Don't keep them waiting too long." Blake reminded him, before popping out. He let the door close behind him.

Drake had never met Blake before this tour. He had heard a couple of his songs floating around, though, and he had to admit the guy had talent. Blake Carter was Drake's opening act for this tour. His sound was a little more edgy, a little more gritty, and a little more unique, but Drake wasn't threatened. The guy was still new to the industry and only had a few singles out online. Drake had two cd's out. Blake had been happy to learn from him. In fact, he had insisted on it. As soon as they had booked the tour, Blake had called him up and offered to take him out to dinner so they could get to know each other a little better. He had asked Drake for any tips regarding getting a record deal, and Drake had told him what had always worked for him. "Just keep plugging away, and someday some one's going to hear what you've got and call you up. Unless, you know, you have a really awesome stepbrother who was just pushy enough with an MTV guy – in the restroom, of all places. Then, he might be the one to get you noticed."

"Whoa! Is that what happened with you?" Blake had asked.

Drake nodded proudly, grinning at the fantastic memory. "Oh yes. It was legendary."

He shook his head, clearing it of both his Walter-related worries and the memories in his mind. He kissed Noel goodbye and headed out to rock the stage.

"Hello Los Angeles! I've got a new song, just for you!"

As soon as Drake launched into the opening chords of his first song, he knew he'd be all right. Sure, the things on his mind were weighing him down. It didn't seem to matter, not at that moment. The music lifted him up, taking him far, far away from his cares as it always did. Songs set him free. He let himself go on the journey, sinking deeper into his art as he performed to a cheering crowd of college kids.

X

"Want me to order us some dinner?"

Beck looked over, his phone already in his hand. He met Jade's eyes as she stared at him, her expression peaceful. She nodded, and he dialed. He knew what she'd like.

He hung up the phone after he placed his order, and slid back over to her. He settled on top of her, pressing his lips to hers, tangling his fingers in her soft black hair. The tiniest contented moan escaped her lips as her hands explored the muscles on his back.

"I've missed you so much, Jade." Beck whispered, catching her face in his hands. "Come live with me. I'll get a place off campus. They don't have to know."

She groaned and pushed him off, only to flip and keep him underneath her. She stretched out on him as he smirked, her hand cold on his chest. "You know we can't afford that right now. You get free housing because of your scholarship, remember babe? If I moved in with you, we'd be broke and probably end up living under a bridge with the homeless people. Plus you've got that intense program…" her voice trailed off into a sigh. "Beck. You know I want that more than anything."

"So do I." Her eyes captivated him. They'd been together since their Hollywood Arts days, and she'd only grown more beautiful, inside and out. Well, to him, regarding her insides at least. She still could be as much of a – well, she'd been described as a 'gank,' as she had been back then, but Beck had never thought of her that way. To him she had always been fiercely independent, strong willed, confident, and a million other things. She was a storm with skin, a thunderstorm wrapped in a hurricane, preceded by a

tornado. He was a storm chaser. But, he liked it that way. "So say yes."

"No." she said firmly. "If I blew that for you, I'd never forgive myself. And then, I'd have to kill the guy who kicked you out of school, and then we'd be on the run for the rest of our lives, which I'd actually enjoy… okay, maybe I can do that…"

"No." Beck replied, just as firmly. "You're not killing anyone."

"Not even Drake?" she teased.

"Especially not Drake. Wait. You didn't poison him, did you? Is that why he's not here?" Beck's eyebrow quirked as he asked that question, half joking, but half nervous. He had to wonder if her next sentence was going to reveal Drake was in the hospital or something.

"I didn't poison Drake." Jade said flatly. "Yet."

"Okay."

"He's at home. Had some kind of emergency. Then he's going on a short tour or something. He'll be home in three weeks."

"How nice for you."

"Yeah, I'm happy about that."

"But you hate being happy."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Anything's better than having him here."

"…Yet you choose to live with him, over living with me…"

"Beck-"

Jade was interrupted by a scratch at the door, followed by a soft whimper. She sighed, grabbing something to wear as she left Beck. "Shark has to pee. Back in a moment."

X

The show ended with two encores and three standing ovations. Drake was very pleased with himself. His earlier worries completely forgotten, he decided to grab dinner with Noel, Blake, and the band members. It wasn't long before they ended up at a bar. Bar food was good there, really good. Or maybe Drake was just that hungry. Two beers and half a burger in, his phone rang. He didn't hear it until the second call. "Yup." He answered, his mouth full of burger.

"Drake." Josh's voice sounded so small and far away. "It's Dad."

A/N: Look who's still here! It's me! I pop up every now and then. This story helps relax my brain when I'm working on serious writing projects. I will admit Drake's #whereswalter videos really helped with this chapter. I had been wanting to update for a while, but those vids gave me the spark I needed to continue. Plus my DVR has been filled with episodes of Drake and Josh and Victorious for the first time in ages. (We switched companies and just got them back.) SO YAY! A new chapter. I hope y'all enjoyed it. I also hope you guys had a very merry Christmas. Happy New Year! Or, Happy No Longer Old Year. This might reveal how old I am, but does anyone remember when Drake Bell and Josh Peck hosted TeenNick all those years ago? (Does anyone remember TeenNick...?) They did a segment on five alternative ways to say happy new year, and being a very Drake and Josh obsessed 14/15 year old back then, I wrote all of them down. Every now and then I find the paper, but never around new years. I think I remember most of them... "Happy No Longer Old Year." "Let me be the first to wish you Happy Valentine's Day." "On Planet Josh we celebrate New Years on (insert date I forgot here)." "I like soup." I don't know. It was cute and funny, and it made me laugh. So Happy New Year to you all, and all of the above! :D