Walk With You
Title: Walk With You
Author:
easybeing_green
Fandom: Drake & Josh
Pairing: Drake/Josh
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Drake & Josh
Rating: Its pretty PG
Summary: The boys make a trip back home...
A/N: The song is "Walk With You," by Dispatch. This is the final installment of the series that I've been calling "Love on Economy", but its now called "Ride of Your Life", however I kind of love this verse (which I am calling "Completeness") I've created, so I'm adding "My Same" to it, and there will definitely be more stories in the 'verse in the future (but I'm definitely never embarking on another beastly series...)
So here is the whole verse in an organized manner, mostly just for my benefit because I'm extremely unorganized and this one entry can pretty much be a catalogue for everything D/J I've ever written...
The Completeness 'Verse
My Same (standlone)
The Ride of Your Life Series:
Love on Economy ( Part I) ( Part II) ( Part III)
It Beats For You
He Said He'd Never Break You Heart ( Part I) ( Part II)
I 'm Not Impressed
Walking
Back to You
Cliche ( Part I) ( Part II)
Make You Feel My Love
And finally, the final chapter (although not the end of the 'verse)..."Walk With You"
And I will walk with you,
Using the stars as guides.
On a homeward path we go
Knowing our time is nigh
I, and I will walk to be with you.
All I've done,
To be with you...
Drake smiled with a strange sense of calm and ease. Considering what was about to take place, he should be on the verge of a panic attack. But with his hand in Josh’s, standing in front of the familiar white door in the cool evening March air, he couldn’t help but feel a little giddy. Perhaps it was the terror being disguised as giddiness, but when Drake glanced over to Josh, who also had an easy smile across his face, he decided he didn’t care either way. And that was their whole plan, anyway: to not think.
Josh returned Drake’s glance and they shared a moment of calm reassurance, lined with adoration, before he raised his free hand to the doorknob. Before he could turn it, however, the door swung open by itself.
“Hey, boobs.” Megan greeted them in her usual manner, but the contempt in her voice was noticeably feigned. Every time she saw them, she was forced to cover up her softening tone more and more, and the boys had picked up on this. This is why they smiled at their now 17 year old younger sister as they stepped into the familiar home and made to pull Megan into a hug. She scurried away into the living room, yelling, “Mom! They’re here!” up the stairs as she went. The boys smiled in a self-congratulatory way as they closed the door behind them and stepped into the living room, fingers still entwined.
“Boys!” Audrey’s excited voice came from the bottom of the stairs. They turned around to find her walking towards them, arms outstretched. They disconnected their hands for the first time to hug her. “It’s good to see you boys.”
“You too, Mom,” Drake said. Josh smiled and nodded in enthusiastic agreement.
“Hey, where’s Dad?” Josh asked as he eagerly looked for Walter.
“Oh, your fathers just out picking up food from BF Wangs. He should be back soon. Come, come, sit.” She ushered them into the living room then walked back through the swinging kitchen door as she called, “You boys want anything to drink?” Josh took a seat on the couch and Drake perched himself on the armrest next to him. “I’ve got a nice bottle of wine,” Audrey offered from the kitchen, but she was already pulling down three wine glasses. The boys chuckled and agreed. They had realized since they became twenty-one that their mother was quite a lover wine. Somehow she had been able to keep it from the boys when they were younger, but now that the kids were all older, she didn’t even appear to attempt to hide it. In fact, she seemed to use every time the boys came home as an excuse to open a nice bottle of wine.
“I’ll have one too, Mom,” Megan added hopefully yet nonchalantly from the couch.
“Yeah, right, I’ll get that to you in four years,” Audrey replied as she reentered, skillfully carrying three very full wine glasses. The boys accepted their glasses as Megan sunk back into the couch and pulled out her cell phone to begin texting furiously. Audrey took a big sip of her wine and sat down in a big comfy Starbucksesque-chair that had replaced the old wicker one and engaged in small talk with her boys.
Fifteen minutes later, they heard the latch on the door and smell of the Chinese food wafted through the house. “Oh, your fathers home!” Audrey and the boys stood up to greet him by the door. “Hey, honey,” Audrey said with a kiss. “Here, let me help you.” She took the large bag of food from Walter and walked into the dining room.
“Thanks. Hey boys!” Walter and Josh leapt into a big hug. After they parted he playfully, yet awkwardly, gave Drake a friendly punch on the arm. Josh tried to stifle a laugh. Drake and Walter had never really gotten over that new stepson/stepfather relationship awkwardness.
“Hey, boys,” Audrey said she passed them into the kitchen, “help me set the table?”
“Sure, Mom,” Drake replied, almost too enthusiastically. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Walter, (in fact, he was growing to like him more each day, and could see the kindness and compassion that he had passed on to Josh, and frankly, anyone who raised Josh to be so amazing had to have some pretty amazing qualities himself), it was just that sometimes he didn’t exactly know what to say to him. So he was glad to usher Josh into the kitchen to help Audrey.
“Josh, could you get those plates up there? I can never reach them.”
“Sure.” The cupboard was positioned above the silverware drawer Drake was currently working at. Instead of asking Drake to step aside, or Drake doing it himself to allow Josh clear access to the plates, Josh reached above him, placing a hand on the small of Drake’s back to brace himself. As he came back down from his tippy-toes, his hand lingered on Drake’s back as he handed the plates to Audrey. She glanced down and there was no way she could not have seen Josh’s affectionate grip, but she just smiled and said, “Thanks, sweetie.”
The Parker-Nichols clan took their places at the table, Audrey and Walter on either long end, Megan with a whole long side to herself, and the two boys situated quite close to each other on the other side. Drake playfully nudged Josh’s knee with his own as the food was passed around and dished out.
“So, boys, it’s been a while since you were both home for spring break. Any reason?”
“Naw,” Josh shrugged and smiled. “Just felt like being home with everyone.” Audrey smiled in appreciation.
“Yeah, just thought I’d take some time off to relax before the summer tour,” Drake added. “And Josh only brought two school books home!”
“Really?” Walter chimed in, surprised. “That doesn’t sound like you, Josh.”
“Yeah, well, I thought I could use some relaxation too, ya know, before gradation and my summer internship and everything,” Josh said with a smile.
“Yeah,” Drake scoffed, but then leaned forward to say with an air of pride and awe, “what he’s not telling you is that he’s already got all his credits to graduate, plus some, AND he already finished his senior thesis, a month early.” He beamed at Josh as the other boy ducked his head and blushed.
“Really?! Oh, Josh, that’s wonderful!” Audrey said, obviously very proud of Josh.
“AND,” Drake continued, “he’s graduating with honors.”
“Well done, Josh!” Walter chimed in.
Josh chuckled as his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “It’s, it’s not really a big deal.”
“Yes it is! This calls for more celebration. Walter, go get the wine?”
“Oh, no, really, we don’t need any more wine,” Josh insisted, but Walter was already out of seat.
Josh looked at Drake in a “why did you have to bring that up?” way, but couldn’t help the smile lining his face. Drake returned the smile and moved his hand to cover Josh’s. Audrey noticed the gesture and furrowed her brow in a moment of confusion.
“Hey, Mom?”
“Huh?” Megan’s voice interrupted her fleeting thoughts and she shook her head. She looked over to her daughter, who still clutched her cell phone in her hand. “Oh, what sweetheart?”
“Can Brad come over later?”
“Oh, uh, sure, that’s fine.”
Walter reentered with the wine that Audrey eagerly accepted.
“Oh!” Audrey exclaimed, forgetting about the little gesture she had witnessed. “I forgot to tell you boys. Megan wanted a bigger bed, so we got rid of hers and moved your old one, Drake, into her room, so now there’s only one bed your room. You can use the guestroom, although it’s a mess right now, but that couch is pretty big, too.”
“That’s ok,” Drake replied with a smile. “We’ll just share the bed. No problem.”
“Yeah, its not much smaller than our bed at the apartment, so it’ll be fine,” Josh added.
Audrey’s eyes widened ever so slightly before she rose her wine glass and took a giant gulp.
“See,” Walter said, smiling, oblivious, “I told you it’d be fine, Audrey.”
There was a knock on the door and Megan practically sprang up to answer it. “I’ll get it,” she said as she was already half way to the door. She swung it open and took the boy on the other side of the door by the hand and started walking towards the staircase. “Let’s go upstairs, Brad.” The boy stood frozen though, as he peered into the dining area and a goofy grin spread over his face.
“Oh my god…ohmygod! It’s him, its really Drake!” Brad began walking towards the dining room, but Megan’s freakishly strong arms pulled him back and began dragging him up the stairs. “Drake! Drake, I have all your albums. Drake! Drake, I LOVE YOUUU!!!” Brad shrieked as his fading voice was carried up the stairs and out of sight.
Drake and Josh burst out laughing. “Who was that?” Drake asked through chuckles.
“Brad, Megans boyfriend,” Audrey answered.
“And you just let her go upstairs with him, unsupervised?” Josh inquired.
“Well, we trust her,” Walter piped in. “Just like we trusted you guys.”
Audrey finished off her wine and said, quietly, almost to herself, “Perhaps we shouldn’t have.” She began picking up the plates, but Josh stopped her.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he took the plates from her hand. “We got it. Come on Drake.” Drake stood up and began clearing the table with Josh.
“Thanks boys,” Audrey said as she made her way back to the big chair in the living room. From the corner of her eye, before she sat down, she saw the boys at the sink, rinsing dishes, standing side by side, smiling and quietly talking. Part of her wanted to be thankful that the boys were actually helping out, but when she heard them laugh lightly and saw Josh lean over and give Drake a peck on the cheek she nearly fainted. She landed softly in the chair and attempted to regain her composure as she softly said, “Walter?”
“Yes?”
“Do uh, do the boys seem…different to you?”
He glanced into the kitchen before answering. “No, they seem pretty much the same.”
“No, I know, but I mean, are they just…different? From…normal?”
“What do you mean?” Walter asked, thoroughly confused. Audrey shook her head and said, “Nothing, never mind.”
Drake and Josh reentered the living room, taking a seat on the couch, Josh’s arm around Drake, Drake’s hand on Josh’s knee.
Audrey cleared her throat before saying, “So, Josh, have you found a place to live in New York yet?”
“Oh! Yeah! We found a great place that’s just a subway ride from my internship and only a walk from grad school next year,” Josh answered.
“We?”
“Yeah, Drake and I.”
“Drake? But, what about your tour?”
“Well, it’s a northeast tour, so I thought it would be nice to have a home base, and we’d always wanted to move to New York eventually anyway, and there’s a Spin City Records office there, so it works out really well.”
“That must be pretty expensive,” Walter joined the conversation.
“Not really. With Drake’s income these days, a one bedroom isn’t that bad.”
Walter nodded in agreement, but Audrey swallowed before she said, “One bedroom?”
“Yep,” Drake answered.
Audrey swallowed again and grabbed the armrests of her chair. “So - ” her voice cracked as she attempted to speak. She cleared her throat before trying again. “So…this…you two…it’s…it’s real.”
Drake and Josh looked at each other before looking back to Audrey. “Yeah,” Josh said smoothly.
Audrey took a deep breath to calm herself and stop the tears that threatened to come out. “How long?”
“Senior year of high school,” Drake said in the most soothing voice he could muster.
Audrey’s eyes widened and she bit her lip to prevent it from warbling as she looked away. “When you still lived at home? And for four years…” she said almost to herself, as if saying it would make it easier to accept.
Walter blinked as he tried to keep up with the rest of his family. “Four years what?” he asked desperately.
“Well,” Drake began, ignoring Walter, “there was about a two year gap when…well…” He looked over to Josh, who was staring back at him. They didn’t like to talk, or even think, about those two lost years. Josh gave a weak smile and squeezed Drake’s hand. “We had a rough patch a couple years ago,” Drake finished.
Audrey momentarily looked like she wanted to cry, but suddenly a look of “aha!” crossed over her face instead, and she leaned forward in her chair. “Wait, so, is that why…that summer…when you spent the entire summer sulking and miserable on the couch?” she asked Josh, already knowing the answer. Drake immediately turned to look at Josh, a look of shock mingled with hurt and love all at the same time. Josh blushed and looked down at his and Drake’s intertwined fingers. Josh had never told Drake about his year of depression and hermitage. They didn’t have time to linger on the thought though, because Audrey was talking to them again.
“But now,” she began in a tone that neither boys could really read, “you boys are happy.” It wasn’t really a question, but both boys involuntarily smiled and nodded.
“Couldn’t be happier,” Josh said quietly but resolutely as he stared into Drake’s eyes.
“And what if,” Audrey went on, “something happens? If you…if you br…” She couldn’t finish without her voice cracking. If she said “break up” it would make it real. They would be a normal couple.
The boys noticed her struggle, so instead of making her say it, Drake responded, “It won’t happen. I can’t live without him,” he finished with a smile as he squeezed Josh’s hand. They looked at each other with complete and utter adoration and content.
Audrey studied them for a moment, taking in the expressions on their faces and the joy that they obviously gave each other. She took a big breath before slapping her knees and standing up. “Walter, I think this is yet again another occasion for some wine.”
“Huh?” Walter stood up, completely bewildered and miles behind everyone else in the room, but slowly trying to catching up.
“It’s a celebration,” Audrey said, her voice beginning to crack again. She held out her arms and slapped them on her sides in a relinquishing manner as she forced a smile and said, with tears welling in her eyes, “Our boys are in love!” Drake and Josh beamed and bolted up to walk over to her and pull her into a giant hug. Walter, finally beginning to understand what was going on, paused momentarily, but then broke into a goofy grin and joined in on the group hug. The boys laughed as they slowly pulled away. Audrey let out some light chuckles as she wiped away a tear.
“What about Megan? Does she know?” she inquired.
“I’m pretty sure she knew before we did,” Drake answered with a snort and chuckle. Audrey reciprocated the action.
“I’ll go get that wine,” Walter lovingly offered, patting both the boys on the shoulders as he walked by.
When he returned with four glasses, Drake, Josh, Walter, and Audrey cheered to love and the future.
And that was it. Drake and Josh knew it was going to be ok, that they had done it and the rest was all a piece of cake...
So put your hand in mine,
And lay your head to rest.
We'll light the candles now - they won't be lit for long
We'll know our day was blessed
…they would go back to Boston; Josh would graduate and go onto his summer internship while Drake wowed the world with his music. He would return to the apartment in New York that would be their home for the next eight years, all through Josh’s postgraduate work and first teaching job. They would come out to the world the same way they came out to their family. It wouldn’t be a big deal, and lots of people wouldn’t even catch on at first. There’d be momentary uproar, but ultimately Drake would be loved for his music, and as he matured, so would his music and his audience. Eventually they would move to a bigger place, closer to the university Josh taught at, but still in the heart of the city. Maybe they would get a dog that would keep Josh company while Drake was on tour. Maybe eventually a dog wouldn’t be enough to fill their empty nest, and they would ask Megan to donate her eggs for a surrogate so they could start their own family. Or maybe they would adopt. Or have two kids, a boy and a girl (the girl named Amy, for Josh’s mom, the boy named John, for Drake’s favorite Beatle and idol). Maybe Josh would start to grey at the temples and publish a book, as Drake began to don thick rimmed glasses and tour less to start his own record label and spend more time with the kids, who were growing up lovely. Maybe Josh would still meet up with Benj every now and then, and thank him for forcing him to call Drake all those years ago. Maybe Drake and Josh would moan over the price of little Amy, who wasn’t so little anymore’s, wedding, but really just be happy she had found the man (or woman) of her dreams…
And I will walk to be with you.
All I've done, all I've done
Just to be with you...
And as they watched her say her vows, they would think back to the first time on that plane they had said they loved each other.
Josh would remember Drake’s wet, near sobbing face in science class when they were sixteen, saying he needed Josh.
Drake would remember Josh’s proud, smiling face at the side of the stage on TRL, and every subsequent concert Drake played in high school.
Josh would remember the first time Drake sang their song, and when Drake stopped dedicating it to “my manager” and instead to “the love of my life.”
Drake would remember the time he gave Josh Oprah tickets and Josh kissed him, giving him that first rush and recognition and tingling and giddiness that still spreads throughout his body every time he and Josh kiss.
They would remember the night they told Audrey and Walter about their love, and the night they spent together on Josh’s old bed after that…
Snuggled up in Josh’s embrace, slowly caressing his arm, looking at an old Zero Gravity poster, Drake whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?” Josh softly replied.
“About when we…we weren’t…” Drake still didn’t like to think about it, or even acknowledge it.
“I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to talk about it anymore once we were back together.”
Drake shifted so he was facing Josh on the bed. “Last time we didn’t talk you were just fine, though. Better even.”
“I wasn’t better. Things may have worked out better for me, but I wasn’t…I dunno, complete, I guess. And when it happened again, well, the emptiness just consumed me more.”
“Wow. We really can’t live without each other, can we?”
“I guess not.”
“Well,” Drake said as he gave Josh a soft kiss, “good thing we never have to.” Josh smiled and pulled Drake into him more.
“Yeah, good thing.”
Drake kissed Josh once more before he turned back around so Josh’s arm was protectively wrapped around his waist. With a smile on his face, Drake dozed off to a peaceful sleep.
And years from now, Drake and Josh would remember and know that they had lived their loves completely. Together.
I will walk to be with you.
All I've done,
And all I say
To be with you
Author:
easybeing_green
Fandom: Drake & Josh
Pairing: Drake/Josh
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Drake & Josh
Rating: Its pretty PG
Summary: The boys make a trip back home...
A/N: The song is "Walk With You," by Dispatch. This is the final installment of the series that I've been calling "Love on Economy", but its now called "Ride of Your Life", however I kind of love this verse (which I am calling "Completeness") I've created, so I'm adding "My Same" to it, and there will definitely be more stories in the 'verse in the future (but I'm definitely never embarking on another beastly series...)
So here is the whole verse in an organized manner, mostly just for my benefit because I'm extremely unorganized and this one entry can pretty much be a catalogue for everything D/J I've ever written...
The Completeness 'Verse
My Same (standlone)
The Ride of Your Life Series:
Love on Economy ( Part I) ( Part II) ( Part III)
It Beats For You
He Said He'd Never Break You Heart ( Part I) ( Part II)
I 'm Not Impressed
Walking
Back to You
Cliche ( Part I) ( Part II)
Make You Feel My Love
And finally, the final chapter (although not the end of the 'verse)..."Walk With You"
And I will walk with you,
Using the stars as guides.
On a homeward path we go
Knowing our time is nigh
I, and I will walk to be with you.
All I've done,
To be with you...
Drake smiled with a strange sense of calm and ease. Considering what was about to take place, he should be on the verge of a panic attack. But with his hand in Josh’s, standing in front of the familiar white door in the cool evening March air, he couldn’t help but feel a little giddy. Perhaps it was the terror being disguised as giddiness, but when Drake glanced over to Josh, who also had an easy smile across his face, he decided he didn’t care either way. And that was their whole plan, anyway: to not think.
Josh returned Drake’s glance and they shared a moment of calm reassurance, lined with adoration, before he raised his free hand to the doorknob. Before he could turn it, however, the door swung open by itself.
“Hey, boobs.” Megan greeted them in her usual manner, but the contempt in her voice was noticeably feigned. Every time she saw them, she was forced to cover up her softening tone more and more, and the boys had picked up on this. This is why they smiled at their now 17 year old younger sister as they stepped into the familiar home and made to pull Megan into a hug. She scurried away into the living room, yelling, “Mom! They’re here!” up the stairs as she went. The boys smiled in a self-congratulatory way as they closed the door behind them and stepped into the living room, fingers still entwined.
“Boys!” Audrey’s excited voice came from the bottom of the stairs. They turned around to find her walking towards them, arms outstretched. They disconnected their hands for the first time to hug her. “It’s good to see you boys.”
“You too, Mom,” Drake said. Josh smiled and nodded in enthusiastic agreement.
“Hey, where’s Dad?” Josh asked as he eagerly looked for Walter.
“Oh, your fathers just out picking up food from BF Wangs. He should be back soon. Come, come, sit.” She ushered them into the living room then walked back through the swinging kitchen door as she called, “You boys want anything to drink?” Josh took a seat on the couch and Drake perched himself on the armrest next to him. “I’ve got a nice bottle of wine,” Audrey offered from the kitchen, but she was already pulling down three wine glasses. The boys chuckled and agreed. They had realized since they became twenty-one that their mother was quite a lover wine. Somehow she had been able to keep it from the boys when they were younger, but now that the kids were all older, she didn’t even appear to attempt to hide it. In fact, she seemed to use every time the boys came home as an excuse to open a nice bottle of wine.
“I’ll have one too, Mom,” Megan added hopefully yet nonchalantly from the couch.
“Yeah, right, I’ll get that to you in four years,” Audrey replied as she reentered, skillfully carrying three very full wine glasses. The boys accepted their glasses as Megan sunk back into the couch and pulled out her cell phone to begin texting furiously. Audrey took a big sip of her wine and sat down in a big comfy Starbucksesque-chair that had replaced the old wicker one and engaged in small talk with her boys.
Fifteen minutes later, they heard the latch on the door and smell of the Chinese food wafted through the house. “Oh, your fathers home!” Audrey and the boys stood up to greet him by the door. “Hey, honey,” Audrey said with a kiss. “Here, let me help you.” She took the large bag of food from Walter and walked into the dining room.
“Thanks. Hey boys!” Walter and Josh leapt into a big hug. After they parted he playfully, yet awkwardly, gave Drake a friendly punch on the arm. Josh tried to stifle a laugh. Drake and Walter had never really gotten over that new stepson/stepfather relationship awkwardness.
“Hey, boys,” Audrey said she passed them into the kitchen, “help me set the table?”
“Sure, Mom,” Drake replied, almost too enthusiastically. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Walter, (in fact, he was growing to like him more each day, and could see the kindness and compassion that he had passed on to Josh, and frankly, anyone who raised Josh to be so amazing had to have some pretty amazing qualities himself), it was just that sometimes he didn’t exactly know what to say to him. So he was glad to usher Josh into the kitchen to help Audrey.
“Josh, could you get those plates up there? I can never reach them.”
“Sure.” The cupboard was positioned above the silverware drawer Drake was currently working at. Instead of asking Drake to step aside, or Drake doing it himself to allow Josh clear access to the plates, Josh reached above him, placing a hand on the small of Drake’s back to brace himself. As he came back down from his tippy-toes, his hand lingered on Drake’s back as he handed the plates to Audrey. She glanced down and there was no way she could not have seen Josh’s affectionate grip, but she just smiled and said, “Thanks, sweetie.”
The Parker-Nichols clan took their places at the table, Audrey and Walter on either long end, Megan with a whole long side to herself, and the two boys situated quite close to each other on the other side. Drake playfully nudged Josh’s knee with his own as the food was passed around and dished out.
“So, boys, it’s been a while since you were both home for spring break. Any reason?”
“Naw,” Josh shrugged and smiled. “Just felt like being home with everyone.” Audrey smiled in appreciation.
“Yeah, just thought I’d take some time off to relax before the summer tour,” Drake added. “And Josh only brought two school books home!”
“Really?” Walter chimed in, surprised. “That doesn’t sound like you, Josh.”
“Yeah, well, I thought I could use some relaxation too, ya know, before gradation and my summer internship and everything,” Josh said with a smile.
“Yeah,” Drake scoffed, but then leaned forward to say with an air of pride and awe, “what he’s not telling you is that he’s already got all his credits to graduate, plus some, AND he already finished his senior thesis, a month early.” He beamed at Josh as the other boy ducked his head and blushed.
“Really?! Oh, Josh, that’s wonderful!” Audrey said, obviously very proud of Josh.
“AND,” Drake continued, “he’s graduating with honors.”
“Well done, Josh!” Walter chimed in.
Josh chuckled as his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “It’s, it’s not really a big deal.”
“Yes it is! This calls for more celebration. Walter, go get the wine?”
“Oh, no, really, we don’t need any more wine,” Josh insisted, but Walter was already out of seat.
Josh looked at Drake in a “why did you have to bring that up?” way, but couldn’t help the smile lining his face. Drake returned the smile and moved his hand to cover Josh’s. Audrey noticed the gesture and furrowed her brow in a moment of confusion.
“Hey, Mom?”
“Huh?” Megan’s voice interrupted her fleeting thoughts and she shook her head. She looked over to her daughter, who still clutched her cell phone in her hand. “Oh, what sweetheart?”
“Can Brad come over later?”
“Oh, uh, sure, that’s fine.”
Walter reentered with the wine that Audrey eagerly accepted.
“Oh!” Audrey exclaimed, forgetting about the little gesture she had witnessed. “I forgot to tell you boys. Megan wanted a bigger bed, so we got rid of hers and moved your old one, Drake, into her room, so now there’s only one bed your room. You can use the guestroom, although it’s a mess right now, but that couch is pretty big, too.”
“That’s ok,” Drake replied with a smile. “We’ll just share the bed. No problem.”
“Yeah, its not much smaller than our bed at the apartment, so it’ll be fine,” Josh added.
Audrey’s eyes widened ever so slightly before she rose her wine glass and took a giant gulp.
“See,” Walter said, smiling, oblivious, “I told you it’d be fine, Audrey.”
There was a knock on the door and Megan practically sprang up to answer it. “I’ll get it,” she said as she was already half way to the door. She swung it open and took the boy on the other side of the door by the hand and started walking towards the staircase. “Let’s go upstairs, Brad.” The boy stood frozen though, as he peered into the dining area and a goofy grin spread over his face.
“Oh my god…ohmygod! It’s him, its really Drake!” Brad began walking towards the dining room, but Megan’s freakishly strong arms pulled him back and began dragging him up the stairs. “Drake! Drake, I have all your albums. Drake! Drake, I LOVE YOUUU!!!” Brad shrieked as his fading voice was carried up the stairs and out of sight.
Drake and Josh burst out laughing. “Who was that?” Drake asked through chuckles.
“Brad, Megans boyfriend,” Audrey answered.
“And you just let her go upstairs with him, unsupervised?” Josh inquired.
“Well, we trust her,” Walter piped in. “Just like we trusted you guys.”
Audrey finished off her wine and said, quietly, almost to herself, “Perhaps we shouldn’t have.” She began picking up the plates, but Josh stopped her.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he took the plates from her hand. “We got it. Come on Drake.” Drake stood up and began clearing the table with Josh.
“Thanks boys,” Audrey said as she made her way back to the big chair in the living room. From the corner of her eye, before she sat down, she saw the boys at the sink, rinsing dishes, standing side by side, smiling and quietly talking. Part of her wanted to be thankful that the boys were actually helping out, but when she heard them laugh lightly and saw Josh lean over and give Drake a peck on the cheek she nearly fainted. She landed softly in the chair and attempted to regain her composure as she softly said, “Walter?”
“Yes?”
“Do uh, do the boys seem…different to you?”
He glanced into the kitchen before answering. “No, they seem pretty much the same.”
“No, I know, but I mean, are they just…different? From…normal?”
“What do you mean?” Walter asked, thoroughly confused. Audrey shook her head and said, “Nothing, never mind.”
Drake and Josh reentered the living room, taking a seat on the couch, Josh’s arm around Drake, Drake’s hand on Josh’s knee.
Audrey cleared her throat before saying, “So, Josh, have you found a place to live in New York yet?”
“Oh! Yeah! We found a great place that’s just a subway ride from my internship and only a walk from grad school next year,” Josh answered.
“We?”
“Yeah, Drake and I.”
“Drake? But, what about your tour?”
“Well, it’s a northeast tour, so I thought it would be nice to have a home base, and we’d always wanted to move to New York eventually anyway, and there’s a Spin City Records office there, so it works out really well.”
“That must be pretty expensive,” Walter joined the conversation.
“Not really. With Drake’s income these days, a one bedroom isn’t that bad.”
Walter nodded in agreement, but Audrey swallowed before she said, “One bedroom?”
“Yep,” Drake answered.
Audrey swallowed again and grabbed the armrests of her chair. “So - ” her voice cracked as she attempted to speak. She cleared her throat before trying again. “So…this…you two…it’s…it’s real.”
Drake and Josh looked at each other before looking back to Audrey. “Yeah,” Josh said smoothly.
Audrey took a deep breath to calm herself and stop the tears that threatened to come out. “How long?”
“Senior year of high school,” Drake said in the most soothing voice he could muster.
Audrey’s eyes widened and she bit her lip to prevent it from warbling as she looked away. “When you still lived at home? And for four years…” she said almost to herself, as if saying it would make it easier to accept.
Walter blinked as he tried to keep up with the rest of his family. “Four years what?” he asked desperately.
“Well,” Drake began, ignoring Walter, “there was about a two year gap when…well…” He looked over to Josh, who was staring back at him. They didn’t like to talk, or even think, about those two lost years. Josh gave a weak smile and squeezed Drake’s hand. “We had a rough patch a couple years ago,” Drake finished.
Audrey momentarily looked like she wanted to cry, but suddenly a look of “aha!” crossed over her face instead, and she leaned forward in her chair. “Wait, so, is that why…that summer…when you spent the entire summer sulking and miserable on the couch?” she asked Josh, already knowing the answer. Drake immediately turned to look at Josh, a look of shock mingled with hurt and love all at the same time. Josh blushed and looked down at his and Drake’s intertwined fingers. Josh had never told Drake about his year of depression and hermitage. They didn’t have time to linger on the thought though, because Audrey was talking to them again.
“But now,” she began in a tone that neither boys could really read, “you boys are happy.” It wasn’t really a question, but both boys involuntarily smiled and nodded.
“Couldn’t be happier,” Josh said quietly but resolutely as he stared into Drake’s eyes.
“And what if,” Audrey went on, “something happens? If you…if you br…” She couldn’t finish without her voice cracking. If she said “break up” it would make it real. They would be a normal couple.
The boys noticed her struggle, so instead of making her say it, Drake responded, “It won’t happen. I can’t live without him,” he finished with a smile as he squeezed Josh’s hand. They looked at each other with complete and utter adoration and content.
Audrey studied them for a moment, taking in the expressions on their faces and the joy that they obviously gave each other. She took a big breath before slapping her knees and standing up. “Walter, I think this is yet again another occasion for some wine.”
“Huh?” Walter stood up, completely bewildered and miles behind everyone else in the room, but slowly trying to catching up.
“It’s a celebration,” Audrey said, her voice beginning to crack again. She held out her arms and slapped them on her sides in a relinquishing manner as she forced a smile and said, with tears welling in her eyes, “Our boys are in love!” Drake and Josh beamed and bolted up to walk over to her and pull her into a giant hug. Walter, finally beginning to understand what was going on, paused momentarily, but then broke into a goofy grin and joined in on the group hug. The boys laughed as they slowly pulled away. Audrey let out some light chuckles as she wiped away a tear.
“What about Megan? Does she know?” she inquired.
“I’m pretty sure she knew before we did,” Drake answered with a snort and chuckle. Audrey reciprocated the action.
“I’ll go get that wine,” Walter lovingly offered, patting both the boys on the shoulders as he walked by.
When he returned with four glasses, Drake, Josh, Walter, and Audrey cheered to love and the future.
And that was it. Drake and Josh knew it was going to be ok, that they had done it and the rest was all a piece of cake...
So put your hand in mine,
And lay your head to rest.
We'll light the candles now - they won't be lit for long
We'll know our day was blessed
…they would go back to Boston; Josh would graduate and go onto his summer internship while Drake wowed the world with his music. He would return to the apartment in New York that would be their home for the next eight years, all through Josh’s postgraduate work and first teaching job. They would come out to the world the same way they came out to their family. It wouldn’t be a big deal, and lots of people wouldn’t even catch on at first. There’d be momentary uproar, but ultimately Drake would be loved for his music, and as he matured, so would his music and his audience. Eventually they would move to a bigger place, closer to the university Josh taught at, but still in the heart of the city. Maybe they would get a dog that would keep Josh company while Drake was on tour. Maybe eventually a dog wouldn’t be enough to fill their empty nest, and they would ask Megan to donate her eggs for a surrogate so they could start their own family. Or maybe they would adopt. Or have two kids, a boy and a girl (the girl named Amy, for Josh’s mom, the boy named John, for Drake’s favorite Beatle and idol). Maybe Josh would start to grey at the temples and publish a book, as Drake began to don thick rimmed glasses and tour less to start his own record label and spend more time with the kids, who were growing up lovely. Maybe Josh would still meet up with Benj every now and then, and thank him for forcing him to call Drake all those years ago. Maybe Drake and Josh would moan over the price of little Amy, who wasn’t so little anymore’s, wedding, but really just be happy she had found the man (or woman) of her dreams…
And I will walk to be with you.
All I've done, all I've done
Just to be with you...
And as they watched her say her vows, they would think back to the first time on that plane they had said they loved each other.
Josh would remember Drake’s wet, near sobbing face in science class when they were sixteen, saying he needed Josh.
Drake would remember Josh’s proud, smiling face at the side of the stage on TRL, and every subsequent concert Drake played in high school.
Josh would remember the first time Drake sang their song, and when Drake stopped dedicating it to “my manager” and instead to “the love of my life.”
Drake would remember the time he gave Josh Oprah tickets and Josh kissed him, giving him that first rush and recognition and tingling and giddiness that still spreads throughout his body every time he and Josh kiss.
They would remember the night they told Audrey and Walter about their love, and the night they spent together on Josh’s old bed after that…
Snuggled up in Josh’s embrace, slowly caressing his arm, looking at an old Zero Gravity poster, Drake whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?” Josh softly replied.
“About when we…we weren’t…” Drake still didn’t like to think about it, or even acknowledge it.
“I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to talk about it anymore once we were back together.”
Drake shifted so he was facing Josh on the bed. “Last time we didn’t talk you were just fine, though. Better even.”
“I wasn’t better. Things may have worked out better for me, but I wasn’t…I dunno, complete, I guess. And when it happened again, well, the emptiness just consumed me more.”
“Wow. We really can’t live without each other, can we?”
“I guess not.”
“Well,” Drake said as he gave Josh a soft kiss, “good thing we never have to.” Josh smiled and pulled Drake into him more.
“Yeah, good thing.”
Drake kissed Josh once more before he turned back around so Josh’s arm was protectively wrapped around his waist. With a smile on his face, Drake dozed off to a peaceful sleep.
And years from now, Drake and Josh would remember and know that they had lived their loves completely. Together.
I will walk to be with you.
All I've done,
And all I say
To be with you