Let the Bass Boom and the Lights Flicker

I had just taken a break from dancing and I was heading over to the bar for a drink.

“What’ll ya have little lady?” A cute bartender with a snakebite asked. I put my finger to my lips, thinking for a few minutes before I answered, “Can you recommend something sweet, fruity and virgin? I’m deathly allergic to alcohol, so please be careful.”

My allergy was kept tightly under wraps, not even my parents knew about it. I really didn’t like to make anyone worry, so I didn’t tell anyone.

Bill came up behind me and gave me a small hug.

“I saw a girl out on the dance floor, come and get me when you want to leave, ‘kay liebe?” I just nodded and smiled a big, fake grin and watched him leave.

I turned back to my drink just as a different bartender set it down on a coaster with a thunk. She wore a scowl, and a pair of fake plastic boobs. She let go of the drink oddly, showing a little bottle I didn’t notice, before throwing me a sickly sweet smile and walking away to serve another customer.

Shrugging it off, I downed my drink and ate the little cherries on the parasol quickly, eager for the sugar rush.

That was when I felt something I hadn’t felt since my eighteenth birthday. Something very, very bad.

My green eyes widened in terror as I grasped for where my epi pen would be, and I felt tears of fear burn my eyes as I realised it wasn’t there.

Desperately trying to scream for help through my swollen throat, I tried to grab my cell phone, but it was too late.

Falling to the floor, my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

Bill . . . help . . . please . . .

~*~*~ Bill’s P.O.V.

I had just finished dancing with an airhead of a girl, she was pretty but ugh, so now I was heading back to the bar. I really didn’t want to leave Tora there (something about the bartender seemed a little off) but I didn’t want her to catch on that I liked her as more than a friend.

Walking slowly through the dance floor, I spotted a huge circle of people around someone . . . Was someone calling for me?

“BILL!” It was Tessa, and she was kneeling next to a slim girl with a pale face and bright . . . orange hair.

“TORA!” Pushing through the crowd, I dropped to the ground and grabbed her hand, pushing her hair out of her face, which was contorted in a terrible mask of intense pain.

Terrified, I squeezed her hand, “Come on liebe! You can’t leave! I haven’t told you I love you! BITTE! DON’T LEAVE!” I screamed the last words, doubled over to hug her.

I faintly heard the paramedics arrive on the scene. I watched in horror as they pried me off of her and jammed a needle painfully into her thigh. My hand clutched hers tightly as I saw her convulse and her chest rise to take in a huge gulp of air.

They ripped my hand away from hers, “YOU CAN’T! NEIN! BITTE! DON’T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed, tears falling down my face and smearing my makeup down my cheeks. It took Tom, Georg and Gustav with all their strength to pull me to the escalade so we could tail the ambulance. They slammed the door and the sirens wailed as they raced away. I dropped to my knees in the parking lot, the only words escaping my lips, “Nein, mien liebe . . . nein . . .” Gustav and Georg tearing slightly as they picked me up easily and buckled me in behind Tom in the driver’s seat. Tess sitting beside him, sobbing, and Georg and Gustav on either side of me, silently crying.

This would be a night I would never, ever forget

~*~*~ 11:59 PM

I paced the room, my tears having long ago stopped to make way for a sense that the whole thing had been my fault. My eyes were bloodshot and puffy.

I heard a small scrape as Tom got up from his seat next to Tessa, who was staring blankly at one of the walls. He walked up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder, “Sit down, she isn’t out of I.C.U. yet, and I’m worried about you little brudder.” He said, wrapping me in a brotherly hug. Shaking, I turned and hugged my best friend, my twin brother, sobbing into his shoulder. He stood there, rocking me like he did when we were kids, letting tears leak from his eyes as well, showing that he was worried about our little orange haired spaz too.

~*~*~ 4:35 AM Tom’s P.O.V.

My nerves and emotions were shot.

Tess had fallen asleep on my shoulder after crying for nearly four hours, and she was completely wiped.

Bill, I had finally gotten to sit down. He looked like a zombie, pale and staring lifelessly at the floor. For the first time in my life, I was seriously worried about my baby brother. The bags under his eyes and make up smeared face scared me. Not long ago Georg tried to get him to eat, but he wouldn’t respond, not even look at him. I had to get a nurse to come in to cut his nails and bandage his forearm because he just paced and dug his manicured nails further and further into his arm.

My head shot up from making sure he was still ok as I heard footsteps stop beside my chair.

“Mr. Kaulitz? You can see Ms. Ketsueki now, but first I need you to answer some questions. First, did you know that Ms. Ketsueki needed an epi pen for an allergy to alcohol?”

My eyes widened, as did Bill’s and he moved quickly over to the doctor, the first move he made since 2:15 this morning.

“N-no, we had no idea . . .” He spoke, his voice hoarse and scratchy.

“Well, she is deathly allergic to it. She was issued an epi pen, so we know she knew about it. So either she was slipped something or . . . it might be hard to hear this, but she might have meant for this to happen.” He said dryly.

I don’t think I have ever seen Bill so angry in my life.

The doctor rose from his seat, holding up a hand to stop the angry tirade from happening as my brother put his hand on his cocked hip in his “diva” pose. “You are wasting the time you could be with your friend Mr. Kaulitz. She is awake, but the only words she is saying are your names. She is down the hall, second last door on the right.”

Before I could blink, or even sigh in relief, Bill was halfway down the hallway and almost to her door. Laughing quietly in serious relief, I picked up my little Tessa ( . . . my? Where did that come from?) and walked to my baby sister’s room, trying to gently shake her awake, “Liebe, Tora is awake, and perfectly fine. Come on liebe, I know you’re tired but she’s okay.”

Tess moved, rubbing her eyes and stretching a little bit, making it slightly harder to hold her, but I managed and kept walking.

She yawned looking up at me(Which had to be the cutest look I had ever seen, completely beating out mine and Bill’s when we were kids), and I couldn’t help a small smirk at her squeak and blush when she realised what was happening.

“Good morning liebe. Tora is awake and I figured you would want to see her when you got up.”

She squirmed a little, “You know I can walk on my own.” I smiled and laughed a deep laugh, that vibrated through my chest and into her body, “And if I don’t want to put you down?”

“Too bad!” She laughed, blushing harder and trying half heartedly to get out of my arms as I walked into the hospital room to an interesting sight, making me really wish I had my cell phone charged so I could take a blackmail picture.

~*~*~ Tora’s P.O.V.

My head felt fuzzy and light. All I could smell was hospital nastiness and I started to tear up. I hated hospitals, and they were a serious fear for me, that and needles.

I forced my eyes open to take in every bright light, tube, needle and morphine pack in the room.

“Oh! Hello Ms. Ketsueki! You gave us quite the scare!” The smiling doctor of death said, “Where was your epi pen?”

I growled, “If I knew I wouldn’t be here, now would I? Where are my brothers and sister? I want out of here now.”

He looked slightly confused, “Umm, aren’t you an only child? Or do you mean your friends in the waiting room? That one boy, Bob or something, we had to cut his nails all off and bandage his arm because he wouldn’t stop scratching himself!” he went off onto a rant about how I should be more careful, but I didn’t really listen. The only thing going through my mind was, hospital, gotta get out, gotta get away from the smell, the tubes, the wires the beeping where’s my brothers? Where’s my sister? Get me out of here!

“Now then, do you have any pain in your throat?”

“. . .”

“Umm okay? How about breathing problems?”

“. . .” “Migraine?”

“. . .”

He gave an aggravated sigh, “Ms. Ketsueki, you aren’t helping me help you.”

“I won’t speak to you until you’ve told my worried siblings that I am fine, and they can visit me.” I spoke venomously, looking out the window and calculating if a jump from this height would kill me.

“I can’t do that, visiting hours are well over and you need rest. Now please answer my questions.”

“Mr . . .” I squinted at his nametag, “Duchento, I don’t care about anyone or anything more than I care for those people in the waiting room right now. I am currently calculating how many broken bones I can survive with if I jump out this window because, frankly, I am terrified of hospitals, doctors and needles. I have told you I care for those people more than anything and they are the only people who will keep me in this room long enough for you to ask your questions, so why don’t you help me to help you help me?” I smiled cockily and looked out the window at the ground far below.

He gave an irritated look at me and I chuckled under my breath as he sent a nurse to lock the window, “I’ll be back.”

“Hurry back sweetie! I’ll tell you all about my aches and pains!” I called mockingly, looking at the lock and asking myself whether or not I could pick it and jump before the nurse pulled me back to the bed.

Minutes later, I heard the thundering of a pair of footsteps stop outside my door, tear it open and dash into the room.

Bill’s frantic eyes searched the white box of hell before he spotted me, I smiled at him, “Hey Billa!” He shook visibly, slowly got onto the bed and I was overwhelmed with his scent.

He crawled up to me on the bed, lay down, and put his ear right on my heart. His arms wrapped around my waist and clung to me for dear life. That's when I felt his whole body shake with silent sobs, his tears wetting my ugly hospital gown. I frowned sadly and ran my fingers through his hair, massaging his neck and scalp, to try to soothe his fears.

That was when Tom walked in carrying a blushing, squirming Tessa.

“Hey guys,” I whispered and winked at Tess. She jumped out of his arms (as much as I know it hurt her) and raced over to my bedside.

“OH MY GOD TWIN!” She yelled, I immediately put my finger to my lips as the nurse turned from my charts, looking livid. I laughed, “C’mere twin,” I smiled gently and motherly.

She teared up almost immediately and got into the bed as well, mimicking Bill’s position, only on the opposite side. I gently said, “Don’t worry Tess, I’ll be fine Hun,” playing with her hair as I did with Bill.

Not much later, my two missing brothers had joined me, and Tess and Bill were sound asleep, clinging onto my torso for dear life. I looked sadly down at his tear stained face, smudged with makeup, and a long white bandage wrapped around his forearm. Almost crying I looked up as Gustav ran his huge hand through my hair.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Tor?” His voice sounded hurt, deeply hurt.

“I don’t like to make you worry. It really makes me feel bad. I am your sister! You are supposed to cry on my shoulder, not the other way around.” I whispered the last few words, looking guiltily down at two of my favourite people in the world, with red, puffy eyes and passed out cold.

“We are your brothers! We are supposed to worry! Otherwise, I wouldn’t be your Tommitom!”

“Or your Hungry Hungry Gusti,” Gustav chuckled and played with my hair some more.

“Or your Hulk,” Georg snickered, crossing his arms.

Laughing quietly at my nicknames for them, the doctor finally deemed it safe to come into the room. I immediately looked out the locked window. “Umm, if you don’t mind? They aren’t supposed to be in the bed with you.”

“Look Mr. Douche-fag-o, I don’t care where they are or aren’t allowed. I love these people more than my own life. Fuck off.” I growled, sounding like an overprotective mother as I hugged their shoulders closer to me.

I gave the newly dubbed ‘Dr. Douchefago’ a dark, sinister glare, and I saw him shrink back. I was mildly surprised, I didn’t think I was that scary, but then again, this was Tess and Billa.

“Miss, do NOT make me sedate you.” He growled.

Laughing humourlessly I looked right into his eyes and tried to pierce them with lasers from my eyes, “You can’t do that, you aren’t allowed. I need to be awake for the tests and I think some people would be pissed if you did the tests wrong. . .” I trailed off as Gustav turned from playing with my hair, to glaring at the doctor, flexing his muscles and crossing his arms.

The doctor’s eyes got slightly wider and I chuckled, “This is one of my brothers, his name is Gustav.”

Georg walked from behind him, scaring him half to death, and standing on the other side, crossing his arms. His brawn vividly depicting why I called him my Hulk, “This is my Hulk, he is also my brother. His name is Georg. He is very, very protective of me.” As those words left my lips, Georg gave the most dooming look I had ever seen him pull off.

Tom walked up to my bed as well, I had never seen him look more menacing in my entire life, “and this is Tom. He never looks this scary so you must’ve really pissed him off.”

Still stroking Bill and Tess’ hair, I looked at the doctor of doom, “A little pain in my throat but that is normal. No breathing problems and a slight migraine because of this horrible, rude, doctor from hell, pissing me off in my least favourite place on earth.” I stated, smiling completely fake, “And you’d like to keep me for observation overnight but I find that hilarious as I can’t sleep in my own bed at the best of times.”

Dr. Douchefago looked intrigued, “Really? How often do these sleeping problems occur?”

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t get excited, I just always have someon—something on my mind.”

He gave another irritated sigh, “Fine, you’re free to leave whenever, Ms. Ketsueki.” And with that, he left.

I smiled and tried not to jump in excitement.

Georg ruffled my hair and asked, “Time for your sleeping beauties to wake up?”

I smiled down at them, “Tommitom? Can you carry my sister?” I asked innocently as I gently shook my other arm, trying to gently wake up Bill.

“Yea sure!” He agreed enthusiastically and smiled as he gently picked her up.

I went back to shaking my arm, and giggled when he yawned cutely and muttered, “Five more minutes Mom . . .”

“Come on Billa, it’s time to get up,” I said softly.

“Neiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn mein liebe. . .” He whined.

Tom, Georg and Gustav all burst out laughing and Bill shot out of the bed, almost taking me with him.

I chuckled as I looked up from a grumbling rock star sitting on the ground, to Tess, who moved closer to Tom, and buried her face in his neck, taking a deep breath. Tom was beet red and I was close to tears from holding in my laughter.

Getting up slowly I let my breath out in a huge whoosh of painful air. Smiling fakely, but trying to cover it up, I looked toward the door.

“Come on guys; let’s blow this house o’ death.” I joked.

Changing quickly, I walked into the room and tried to walk out the door as fast as possible. Bill insisted on carrying me to the escalade to make sure I was safe from fainting, even though I swore up and down I was fine.

~*~*~ 5:47 AM at the Hotel

Bill opened the door while balancing me in the other hand.

“Bill! I can walk! Put me down!” I laughed as he gently plopped me down on the bed, “and I need a shower.” I wrinkled my nose in disgust, “Both of us reek of hospital. So you invade our twin’s room and use their shower and I’ll use ours.” I said as I pushed him out the door connecting our room with theirs.

Giggling as I heard Tom whisper-yelling at Bill, I stripped and jumped into the shower quickly, washing the grime and gunk off me. Getting out into the big bathroom that barely had time to get steamy, I dried off and wrapped the towel around myself. I opened the door and peeked into the room cautiously, running over to Bill’s suitcase and stealing a black tee shirt and dark green plaid pyjama pants.

Just as I had pulled the tee over my head (it reached my knees, hey! Bill is tall!) I heard the door unlock. Quickly pulling on the pants, I went to the balcony to greet him.

I was met with a gorgeous sight.

Bill was speaking to Tom through the door, drying his hair in nothing but his boxers. A few lone water drops from his hair running slowly over his shoulder blades and down his back. The low cut of the waistband of his boxers showed off the sexy star tattoo on his hip.

Tom saw me and smirked, “Hey little sis.”

Bill looked at me and frowned, “I’ll let that go just for today,”

Tom shook his head at his brother’s obliviousness.

“Night, I’m goin to bed.”

“G’night big bro!” I smiled and gave him a hug.

“Ewwww, you smell like yucky hospital,” I wrinkled my nose.

He chuckled, “Yea, well you don’t have to sleep with me. Just make sure to use protection kids.”

My eyes narrowed playfully as I blushed and stated, “Just because we’re sleeping together doesn’t mean what your dirty mind thinks Tommi. Just like you, Bill is my brother and close friend. Besides, he doesn’t talk to the one person who knows who I like about . . . well, who I like. Therefore, he wouldn’t know what I like in a guy. So . . . yeah! I’m gonna stop rambling and go to bed, night night Tommitom.” Embarrassed, I slipped into the bedroom and yelled back at them, “Don’t rape my twin!”

Smiling, still a big fake smile I heard him fuss to Bill about it, then the door close. Pulling the covers up over my shoulders I watched the sky get lighter.

“Tora?” Bill whispered and kneeled in the bed.

Taking my silence as a sign I was asleep, he sighed deeply. A few seconds later, I felt him start to shake, and heard his breath catch.

My eyes widened, he’s crying . . . over what?! My answer came when he gently lay next to me and hugged me as close to him as possible, while whispering, “Don’t ever scare me like that again, Tora. Do you hear me?”

Feeling absolutely horrible and wracked with guilt, I rolled over and buried my face into his chest, still pretending to be asleep.

He ran his dingers through my hair and soon enough, he was asleep.

I couldn’t do it though; five of the people I love more than anything were worried and hadn’t slept, all because of me.

I got up and watched the sun rise on the balcony through tired eyes.

Looks like I won’t be sleeping tonight, or tomorrow.

~*~*~ 4:56 PM The same day.

Walking around the kitchenette, I was trying to find something to do, that wouldn’t wake anyone (I already caused enough trouble and lost sleep) and didn’t involve eating (When I'm upset, I don’t eat because I feel sick when I do.).

Walking back to my bag for the thousandth time, I took out my sketchbook and went to sit on the balcony and draw the city.

Halfway through the drawing I realised I wasn’t drawing the cityscape but instead, five pairs of harsh eyes stared back at me. Tokio Hotel, and Tessa were standing there, glaring out of the page at me. Before I could stop it, a tear fell right onto the page. Wiping the rest off my face and titled the drawing ‘The Aftermath of the Reaction’

After I had sufficiently reassured myself that they would all hate me, I went over to the railing and broke down, my tears falling to the city below. My always happy, hyper and strong image was broken.

~*~*~ Two hours later

Everyone was awake and sitting at the table in Bill and my room.

“How about we throw stuff off the balcony at people again?” Tessa suggested.

“Nah . . .” Gustav said, “We did that in France.”

“How about we pull out the sing star I modified? Every song in the world is on there now and I played around with it to make characters that look exactly like all of us. We can have a contest!” I plastered a fake smile on, jumping into the air.

“Wow Tor, that's amazing!” Georg exclaimed.

“No big.” I said, and with that I looked at Tess and we both started humming the Kim Possible theme song.

“Alrightey then! It’s already hooked up and I’ll get some popcorn. I’m not gonna eat any mkay? I’m not feelin so hot.” I lied.

Everyone piled into the living room with the huge TV, and Tessa was matched up with Gustav for the first battle.

That’s when I noticed Bill looking at me weirdly as I passed the bowl of popcorn away without taking any. I have to admit, making popcorn wasn’t the smartest thing to do, because it’s my guilty pleasure food and even if I'm puking up my guts I’ll have a handful.

I looked away and hoped he hadn’t noticed that my stomach growled.

This would be an interesting night of avoiding Tess and Bill, the only two people who would be able to tell that I hadn’t eaten since we had first gotten to the hotel.