Because Dandelions Are Pretty

Bill didn't bother looking up at Tom when he heard what was said. In fact, the statement only made him cling onto Aubrey even more. No way was he letting her go.

"Bill, stop being a baby," Tom said in German, thinking that Bill was hiding because he was afraid of his operation. "Come on, we have to leave-"

"Nein Tom!" Bill's voice cracked. "Not until I'm done here."

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, his footsteps approaching the bed. He stopped and looked, shocked at the sight of Aubrey and Bill crying together. "Mein Gott, what happened?"

"Aubrey doesn't want her amputation. She says she'd rather have septic shock and die than have a limb removed," Bill explained bitterly and tearfully.

Tom's mouth fell open, thunderstruck. He didn't even know how to respond. Aubrey looked at him over the top of Bill's hair apologetically before she whispered, "I don't know what he said exactly, but I heard my name and I'm guessing he told you."

"Ja. He did."

Tom couldn't think of anything to say after that. On the one hand, he wanted to run at Aubrey, get down on his knees, and beg her not to do that to herself. Not only would it upset Tom, but the thought of his little brother being forever traumatized was too much to handle. But then again, it was Aubrey's decision. Not her parents, or her brother's, or the doctor's, or Bill's. It was hers, and hers alone.

"Bill..." Tom was so shaken that he even used English, "we have to get moving. The doctor-"

"Fuck the doctor!" Bill shouted. He nestled his head farther into Aubrey's chest and twined his arms around her waist. "Tell him if he wants to start operating now, he has to drag me away."

"Bill, you should go," Aubrey said quietly. Bill shook his head, stubborn.

Tom sighed just before a male doctor, older than Dr. Faust, appeared in the doorway.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Kaulitz? We're ready for your brother's surgery," he addressed Tom.

"My brother isn't exactly cooperating," Tom admitted, motioning to where Bill clung onto the athlete for dear life.

The doctor sighed. "Bill Kaulitz, you'll have to come along with me."

"Nein."

If not for the circumstance that was underlying the situation, Tom would've laughed at Bill's immaturity.

The doctor turned back and looked into the hallway, making a motion with his hands. In an instance, two female nurses entered the room with grim looks on their faces. Tom watched wide-eyed as they approached Aubrey's bedside and grabbed Bill by his upper arms, tugging him away from her.

"Nein! Nein!" Bill began to scream, struggling in their grip. "Bitte, just a few more minutes! Bitte, nein!"

He was lifted off of Aubrey, who by now was looking dumbstruck and horrified. Bill kept his eyes on her, crying hard. Her warmth and body heat had disappeared the moment the nurses pulled him away, and it made him panic. It might be the last time he ever felt that warmth again.

"Tom, bitte, make them stop!" Bill called out to his brother for help as the nurses and the doctor began to escort him out of the room. He tried to rip his arms away but to no avail; their grips only tightened.

"Bill, be careful. They'll have to sedate you if you don't calm down," Tom warned him.

"Aubrey!" Bill began shouting in English. "Aubrey, please! Go through with your operation! Don't give up! Please, Aubrey! For me! I want to see you! I want to see you alive! You don't have to give up! Please Aubrey, I-"

Bill suddenly gasped, his sentence cut off. The male doctor retracted the long needle that he stuck into the skin at the crook of Bill's neck, sedating him instantly. The singer's eyes rolled up to the back of his head and his neck bent backwards as he lost consciousness. Tom gasped and tried to reach out for his brother, but the nurses shoved past him and began to half drag, half carry Bill to the elevator to begin his operation.

"Will he be alright?" Tom asked the male doctor, who stayed behind next to Aubrey's bedside. His eyes were frantic; he needed to know if his twin was going to be okay.

"Ja, ja, he'll be fine. We'll have to put him under more anesthesia for his surgery but the sedative should keep him out for a while," the doctor explained. "Ich bin Dr. Kuhn. I'll be taking care of your brother during his surgery." Dr. Kuhn looked over at Aubrey, who was curled up in her side, sobbing quietly. "Miss, can I get you anything? Are you in pain?"

"I d-don't speak German..." Aubrey said quietly.

"He wants to know if you're in pain," Tom translated for her.

Aubrey shot Dr. Kuhn a glare. "Of course I'm in pain. I'm in a fucking hospital, aren't I?"

Dr. Kuhn brought his eyebrows together sternly but said nothing more. He turned and beckoned Tom to follow him to where Bill would be. Tom shot Aubrey a withering look.

"Aubrey," he began. "I know it's not my place to say this, but you should go through with the amputation."

Aubrey sniffled. "Why? Give me one good reason."

"I'm sure you can think of multiple good reasons on your own."

Aubrey was shocked by Tom's response. She had been expecting something cliché, like 'you can't do this to your family' and blah blah blah. Instead, she got a figurative slap in the face. A slap that she now had to deal with.

Dr. Kuhn gave them both an impatient look, but Tom ignored it and said, "If I don't see you after this...if for some reason, you go through with it..." he swallowed hard, "it was nice meeting you."

"You too."

Tom turned around to leave, but Aubrey called out in a panic, "Tom, wait!"

He poked his head around the doorway. "Ja?"

"Tell Bill..." her bottom lip trembled but she controlled her voice."Tell Bill I'm sorry."

Tom's face fell. He had been expecting her to tell him something else, something more pleasant and along the lines of 'I'll get the amputation if it makes everyone happy.' But no. She just wanted him to relay an apology. Tom was surprised at himself; he felt tears threatening to spill.

"Nein," he answered, making Aubrey's eyes widen.

"Look, I know I may be being a bitch, but-" Aubrey was cut off by Tom's next sentence.

"I won't tell Bill that you're sorry, because I want you to be the one to tell him," Tom made each word loud and clear. "I want you to still be here when he wakes up."