Chapter Three

The first thing Josh noticed when he awakened was the shivering lump in Drake's bed and the tuft of dark red hair peeking from the top of the blankets.

So, he decided to come home after all? After worrying their parents to the point where Audrey had nearly called the police to file a missing persons report. Sneering at the sleeping singer, he stood, ready to storm over to him and give him a piece of his mind, only to shake his head.

He was done.

Of course, he'd been done with Drake for nearly three days now, but he was still upset that the older male had made their mother worry as she had. He was so selfish and it pissed him off to see the other sleeping soundly after what he had done. Sending the older boy's sleeping form one more glare, Josh turned away resolutely and left the room, missing the dull lackluster gold gaze that followed him from the room.

Once Josh was gone, Drake sat up stoically, ignoring the dull ache of his multiple injuries and the sharp pain from his back had only been able to sleep for an hour before the memories of the night before had assaulted his mind and forced him from sleep's tenacious grasp. When he'd awakened he had curled up into a fetal position under his blankets, memories and phantom sensations haunting him until he'd seen Josh awaken. He was almost tempted to call the boy back into the room and apologize and beg him to make it stop but he didn't. Instead he stared at the door his brother- no, Josh had left through, replaying the cold glare the boy had shot him in his mind. He must know how dirty he was, how worthless and filthy he was.

Josh was right to be done with him.

He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself, trying to keep his mind from drifting back to memories of the night now he could feel the memories dancing on the edge of his conscious, threatening to overwhelm him.

He needed a distraction, something to keep it all away.

Music?

His dull gaze moved to his guitar where it sat pristine in its case and he flinched, remembering the harsh thud of the case hitting the ground before they-

No. No music.

He glanced around, trying to find anything that wouldn't remind him of ...that. Then his gaze landed on the textbook sitting untouched on his desk.

Homework. It was something neutral, something safe. It had no connections to that, none. It was safe.

In slow, halted movements he got to his feet and stumbled from his bed to take a seat at his desk. For a moment, he merely stared at the papers and the books, remembering a time when he was younger when he had actually enjoyed books. When they had been his escape from his fathers harsh words and bruising fists and his mother's working late. And now, almost five years later, he was finding himself in the position of using books as his escape again. It was almost surreal.

He shook his head and opened the first textbook in front of him and got to work, letting everything around him slip away.

Drake was studying.

Megan blinked and stared at her brother in shock.

Like Josh, she had been extremely angry when Drake had missed curfew and sent their mother into a panicked frenzy. She'd spent the better part of the night trying to comfort her and the rest of the night arguing with Josh about Drake's possible whereabouts. Josh seemed to be under the impression that Drake had gone out to a party with his band but Megan had immediately dismissed the idea. Drake had promised mom that he'd be back before curfew and he knew better than to break such a promise. Instead, she had argued that his show had run longer than he'd expected and he'd lost track of time. Josh had merely scoffed and rolled his eyes, before going to bed.

When she'd awakened that morning she'd taken one look at her mother's worried face and frowned.

"Drake's still not back?" She'd asked and her mother had sent her a smile full of relief and concern.

"No, no, he came back this morning." She frowned, glancing up as Josh and Walter entered the room. Walter had frowned when he saw that Drake wasn't present at the breakfast table.

"Drake still hasn't come home?" He asked worriedly and Josh's face twisted into a sneer that made Megan's hackles rise.

"He came home." He replied. "He's upstairs sleeping."

Audrey frowned at him in warning before turning to Megan. "Go wake him for breakfast. Tell him that he can go back to sleep after he eats."

Which led Megan to the sight in front of her.

Drake was sitting at his desk with one of his textbooks spread open in front of him while he wrote diligently in one of his many spirals. He seemed completely focused on his task, so much so that he was unaware of her presence in the room. He worked with a single minded focus that she'd only ever seem in Josh during exam week and it was slightly worrying.

"Drake," She called.

He didn't respond, instead he continued to work as if he hadn't heard her.

"Drake," She called again.

No response.

Scowling she stormed over to him and grabbed his shoulder roughly.

He spun around flinching away from her violently and she stared at him in shock.

He stared back, murky amber eyes wide and full of fear, which he quickly hid.

"Megan." He greeted and she frowned deeper.

"What the hell was that?"

"Watch your mouth." He chastised.

"What the hell was that?" She repeated and he shrugged, turning back to his work.

"Did you need something?"

The girl's eyes narrowed but she dropped the subject, remembering the true reason she had been sent up to his room.

"Mom said to come eat breakfast."

He didn't turn.

"Not hungry."

She glared at him.

"It wasn't an option, boob."

One of the lack luster topaz hues shifted to look at her and she forced herself not to shiver at the emptiness in their stare. She'd never seen Drake so lifeless. He was always cheerful and full of life a smile always playing on the edges of his lips even if he couldn't recall why. Seeing him so emotionless hurt more than she cared to admit.

Silently, he stood and closed the book and the journal. Then he staggered over to her, one arm wrapped precariously around his middle.

"I'm not hungry." He repeated softly, but he followed he down the stairs and into the kitchen anyways. When they entered the room, Josh immediately glared at him while Audrey watched him with concern bright in her eyes.

"Drake, honey, how'd you sleep."

"Fine." He intoned and Megan shivered again watching as their mother placed a plate full of food in front of the singer who shook his head and stood.

"'m not hungry." He murmured apologetically before turning and leaving the room.

The youngest of the Nichols-Parker family stared after him narrow eyed. Something had happened in those hours Drake had been missing and she feared that it was nothing good.

TBC...