Chapter 2

Drake's cell phone sounded just as he coasted into the parking lot of The Premier. He glanced down at the read out and groaned when he saw his little sister's name. Didn't she know he was in the middle of a personal crisis?

"Yes Megan." He answered after the fourth ring.

"Boob." She greeted him. "I need a ride home from Jenny's."

Drake sighed, "Can't you call Josh?"

"Yeah, tried, no answer." She told him sharply, "why else would I call you?"

Drake glanced at his watch, "Can you wait an hour? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"Whatever." Megan huffed, "Just don't forget me, again." and she disconnected.

Drake jammed the cell phone back into his pocket as he circled the lot searching for Molly's electric blue Neon. He really didn't want to deal with his sister right now, and was tempted to try Josh himself, but knew he would not get an answer. Megan only called him for a ride as a last resort, and Drake knew that.

Ten minutes later Drake pulled out of the parking lot and turned towards home. Molly's car had not been there, and Drake knew that it had been foolish to think that is would be. Traffic was light and he made it to his neighborhood quickly. Thinking that perhaps Molly has just gone home Drake turned onto her street. Once again there was no sign of the little blue Neon. Resigned, Drake turned around and went to pick up his sister.

He knew he should call Molly, but Drake didn't know how to start. It was sure to be an awkward conversation, and Drake decided to wait until her dropped his sister off at home before he tried to find Molly again. Megan was sitting on the front step with Jenny when Drake pulled up. He stared at the two girls for a moment, mentally comparing them. Megan has the same reddish-brown hair as him and though her eyes and skin were slightly darker than her brothers there was not mistaking their resemblance. Jenny, on the other hand, was a pale blonde with large blue eyes and Drake wondered if his child would favor him or Molly genetically. Either way he or she would have dark hair, but would they get his light coffee colored eyes or Molly's blue? Drake shook his head slightly as a slight feeling of panic descended once again, but by the time Megan buckled herself in beside him Drake has managed to control the trembling in his hands, mostly.

Megan started at her brother as he backed the old teal car out of the driveway. Something was wrong, she could tell. The air in the car seemed heavier and she noticed his hand tremble once when he reached down to shift gears. The fact that something was wrong with Drake didn't bother her, but the fact that he hadn't said anything yet concerned her. She knew her brother, probably better than he knew himself, and his behavior was off. Drake was the kind of person who wore his emotions on his sleeve. Whether he was happy, sad or angry everyone knew it but this quiet, trembling, Drake was something she had never seen before.

It was a quiet drive home, Drake's favorite Zero Gravity CD playing softly in the background. Megan glanced up at her brother from time to time but did not speak. Drake chewed on the side of his nail as he drove, his expression tense. When they turned onto their street Megan saw Josh's secondhand, gray Corsica just pulling into the driveway.

"Hey Boob!" she called as she climbed out of Drake's car, "Why didn't you answer when I called?"

Josh stared at his little sister a confused look as he pulled a flat black phone out of his pocket.

"Shoot!" he muttered after a quick glance, " Battery must have died. That's the third time this week." He complained.

Megan shot him an irritated look then turned and closed the car door. Before she was more than a few steps away Drake was backing out of the driveway. He waved absently, then motored off back towards town.

"What's up with him?" Josh asked as he watched his brother drive away.

Megan shrugged, "Don't know." She said quietly, then unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

Drake did not have a particular destination in mind as he drove. All the streets looked the same and cars passed in muted blurs as he wandered aimlessly around his neighborhood. He had grown up here, knew these streets by heart, and couldn't help imagining what type of neighborhood his own child would grow up in. The thought made his fingers tighten on the steering wheel.

I can't do this, he thought to himself. I can barely take care of myself! I'm not ready to be a father…

Drake felt his breath catch in his throat once again as he admitted to himself the thing that scared him the most. What if I screw up?

It took several minutes of deep breathing to fend off the oncoming panic attack, and by the time Drake looked around again the sun was setting and he was nearly to the coast. How long have I been driving around? He wondered glancing down at his watch. It was nearly eight, almost two hours since he had dropped Megan off at home and the needle on his gas gauge was nearly on empty. Drake pulled into a gas station just off the highway, when did I get on the highway? he mused. He sat in the car for a minute once he pulled up to a pump, trying to figure out exactly where he was, then realized that he was only a mile or so from the beach, the beach where he was met up with Molly that beautiful night only a few short weeks ago. It felt like an eternity had passed since that night. As he filled his tank Drake realized that there was a good chance that Molly might be sitting at that very beach, after all, Drake admitted to himself, she was probably just as scared as him.

As Drake pulled away from the gas station a lump lodges itself in his throat. He swallowed hard, trying to clear it, but it was useless. The closer he got to the beach, the larger the lump grew. Drake spent most of the short drive just trying to remember to breathe, but when he pulled into the empty lot the sob that had been caught in his throat broke free blurring his vision.

I should just call her. Drake thought as he shifted into park and unbuckled his seatbelt. This is ridiculous, just driving around hoping to find her. Drake pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and stared at the faintly glowing time. He was out of ideas, he couldn't think of another place that Molly might be, but just the thought of dialing her number made his stomach quiver. I need to talk to her. I need to tell her… tell her what? That he wasn't going to bail on her? That he wasn't going to run away, to shirk the responsibility? After all that's what he was known for, no one ever depended on Drake Parker for anything. You can't do this. The voice in the back of his head told him. They would be better off without you. You'll just screw it up, just like you screw everything else up. Drake coughed choking on the lump that was still lodged in his throat. What if the voice was right? Could he really risk messing up someone else's life? Chicken! Another mental voice yelled. Man up! You helped make this miss and you need to do what's right. Have you learned nothing from your brother? He would do the right thing. Drake cringed at the thought of his brother. He knew that Josh would be there for him through anything, but he could all ready see the disappointment in his brother's eyes when he told him the news. In his mind Drake could hear Josh's voice, you did what? Drake how could you be so irresponsible? Oh my God, how are you going to tell mom and dad? Ok, well that was a shock, but don't worry Drake, I have you're back. You know I'll always have your back.

The imagined conversation ended there, even in his own mid Drake could not admit to Josh just how scared he was. Drake lowered his head to the steering wheel once again, this is getting old, he thought to himself, time to man up, and with that final thought Drake lifted his head, blew out a breath, and opened his cell phone.

His hand trembled as he scrolled past the numbers of countless girls he had dated over just the past two years until he reached the letter M. Madison, Mary, Mattie, Melody, Meredith, Miranda and finally Molly. Each name had a picture attached to it making it easier for Drake to keep track, but the only image he saw was the one of Molly. It had been taken on their third date. He remembered that he had taken her to the fair and won her a fluffy stuffed rabbit throwing darts multicolored balloons. In the photo Molly hugged the rabbit to her chest, and wide grin split her face, her blue eyes sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. Drake was just about to hit the send button when a pair of headlights caught his attention, and a small blue neon pulled up beside him.