"Step by Step, Brother "

By Lorrie

Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Drake & Josh". The characters belong to the creators and Nickolodian, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)

Josh burst into the bedroom and threw his backpack on his bed, hardly noticing Drake sitting on the couch watching TV.

"What's up bro?" Drake asked, his eyes never leaving the TV screen.

Josh stepped in front of the TV set. "Why don't you tell me what's up? I've been looking forward to our camping trip for weeks and now dad tells me that you don't want to go!"

Drake shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, so I don't want to go camping. What's the big deal?"

Josh sat on the arm of the chair. "What's the big deal? What's the big deal?" He repeated, emphasizing the last sentence. "I'll tell you what the big deal is. I always end up doing what you want to do and you never do what I want to do." He pointed his finger at Drake while speaking. "Why is that?"

Drake shook his head slightly and again shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, maybe what I want to do is more fun than what you want to do?"

"Why want you at least give the camping trip a try?" Josh pleaded.

Drake sighed, cut off the TV and put down the remote. "Look, it's not that I don't like camping. I do, I mean, it's been a long time since I've been and well, to be honest, the last time was with my dad." He waited for a response from Josh.

"Your dad liked to camp?" Josh asked, taking a seat beside of Drake.

Drake nodded, remembering his dad fondly. "He lived for it. The last time we went was just a few months before the accident. Mom decided at the last minute to stay home with Megan and so it was the first time, and the last time, that it was just me and dad. It was great!" He sat there for a few minutes remembering the fun times he had shared with his biological father before he had died.

"Drake, why didn't you say something when we first mentioned the trip?" Josh asked, taking a much kinder tone with his brother.

"Because, this is your thing with your dad and I don't want to be a third wheel." He got up and left the room.

After Drake left the room, Josh bounded down the steps, only to be stopped on the landing by Megan. "What did you say to Drake?" She asked.

Josh's hands went up in a defensive move. "Nothing. Why?"

"He's really upset."

"Where is he?" Josh asked.

Megan shrugged her shoulders and headed back to her room.

"Mom!" Josh shouted out as he spotted his step-mother in the kitchen.

"Could we please not shout thoughout the house?" Audrey lamented.

"Sorry." Josh replied. "Have you seen Drake?"

"You just missed him." She said.

"Did he say where he was going?"

"No." Audrey paused. "Are you two arguing again?"

"Not exactly. He just told me why he didn't want to go camping this weekend."

Audrey smiled slightly and stirred the stew she was cooking for dinner. "I guess he told you that his dad loved camping."

Josh took a seat at the kitchen table. "I don't get it, I mean if he didn't want to go, why didn't he just say so?"

Audrey sat down with her step-son. "Josh, you've been around Drake long enough to know that he doesn't always talk about his feelings. He loves to camp, just about as much as his dad did. I don't know if he really feels like he's intruding on that father son relationship with you and Walter or if the thought of camping with his step-dad feels like a betrayal to Michael."

"I guess I need to just give him some space, uh?" Josh asked.

Audrey nodded. "It's probably best." She patted Josh's hand. "He'll let you know soon what he plans to do."

To be continued . . . .