With Every Breath - Chapter Two
Kayd had gone from never going to see Tom on the road to visiting every couple of weeks. It was crazy but she'd made some good connections. It was those connections that got her into Tom's hotel room where she planned on waiting until after the show.
She killed time by writing out what she wanted to say on the pale blue hotel stationery, but each time she'd sigh, wad it up and toss it carelessly toward the trash can. After a few hours she gave up hope of finding the right words. She flopped down on the bed to watch some television. She sat through two complete reruns of Friends before her eyes drifted closed and she tuned the sound out.
Tom yawned and pushed the door to his hotel room open. He grumbled under his breath as he stumbled over the backpack placed right inside the door. Tom kicked his shoes off as he rubbed the side of his face with his right hand. He walked into the bathroom while pulling his sticky shirt over his head. He clumsily turned the water on in the shower and continued to undress himself as the door swung shut.
Tom stood under the stream of water as he soaped himself up. He felt covered in grit and grime after signing a half dozen items that were thrust in his face, cameras flashes blinding him, an impromptu game of ping pong and a show. Tom stepped out of the shower onto the bathmat and slowly dried himself off with the fluffy yellow hotel towel. He wrapped it around his waist as he stood at the counter and brushed his teeth.
Tom rubbed his eyes as he walked into the main room of his hotel suite and reached into his suitcase for a clean pair of boxers. He pulled them on quickly after he dropped the towel on the floor. He thought of picking up the towel and tossing over the curtain in the shower, but that would require effort he just didn't have.
That was when he noticed that the television was on. He didn't remember turning it on at all that morning before he left. He frowned as he sat on the dark bed.
"Ow!" Kaydie screeched as she felt as though her hair was being yanked out at the roots. Tom had seated himself on her curls without realizing she was even there.
"Whoa! What the fuck?!" Tom jumped up as he reached for the lamp on the nightstand and turned it on. Kayd sprang from the bed as she rubbed her head delicately.
"Tom!" Kayd frowned as Tom frantically attempted to call security from the hotel phone.
"Kaydie?! What are you doing here? Shit! You almost gave me a heart attack." Tom placed one hand on his chest as he placed the phone back on the cradle.
"I came to talk to you." She said softly as she sat back on the bed.
"Kaydie-"
"I didn't want to do this over the phone." She explained. Tom remained standing as Kayd sighed and straightened her shirt. "Don't you think we need to talk?"
"Yeah- No- Kaydie, I don't even know any more." He shook his head and sat beside her. "But right now I am so tired and so confused. I don't think tonight would be a great time to talk." He rubbed his temples and hung his head.
"Tom, we have to."
"Can't we do it tomorrow?" His bloodshot and swollen eyes looked up at her. She could see the fatigue in his face. "I seriously can't even function right now."
"We have to talk about this." Kayd said a minute later.
"Tomorrow?"
"You'll be busy tomorrow." She stood her ground.
"I'll get out of doing the things I have to do tomorrow." He covered his mouth as he yawned.
Kayd and Tom sat there in silence for a minute just staring at each other. "Are you sure?" She finally asked.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Does, um, does Bill know you're here?"
"No." She shook her head slowly.
"Then you take the bed. We'll talk in the morning." Tom snatched one of the pillows off the bed and tossed it towards the short couch by the window.
"Tom-"
"What?" Tom pulled a spare blanket out of the tiny closet and unfolded it as he sat on the couch.
"You're too tall. You'll never fit on that couch." Kayd laughed quietly and looked at the couch which could actually be considered a love seat.
"I'll manage." He yawned and curled his legs up to his chest as he lay down.
"Tom, come on." Kayd shook her head and pulled the blanket back on the bed. "I'll take the couch."
"Knock it off, Kayd! Just take the bed!" He was tired and getting cranky.
"Tom, you need a good night's sleep. If you don't take the bed I'm going to sleep on the floor right by your little couch there." She threatened.
Tom sat up and glared at Kayd. "Why are you making such a big deal about this? I just want to go to sleep!" He really just wanted to forget that she was even there. He stared her down for a minute before finally relenting. "Fine." He mumbled as he tossed the pillow back at the couch and flopped down on the bed. He reached up and flipped the light off sending them into darkness.
"Thank you." Kayd whispered with a small smile. She'd won that one. Kayd sat on the edge of the bed for a minute as Tom tossed and turned trying to get comfortable on half of the bed.
The couch really was tiny, but the alternatives weren't looking much better. Kayd sighed and kicked her shoes off before curling up on the short couch.
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Early the next morning the phone beside Tom's head rang with a shrewdness that reached new levels. Kayd sat up and rubbed her stiff neck as Tom blindly fumbled for the phone. "What?" He growled into the phone. "No, I feel like shit. Can I catch up with you guys later?" He asked with his raspy morning voice. "Yeah, I'll meet you guys at the signing thing." Tom hung up the phone and groaned as he pulled the blankets up and over his head.
"Tom?" Kayd asked softly.
"Not now, Kayd. I need another half hour." She could barely hear him from under the covers.
"Okay." She whispered as she stretched her arms over her head and stood up to move her cramped legs. She pulled a chair over to the window and opened the curtains just a few inches to let the silver early morning light in. Kayd sat in silence and watched as the morning fog burned off of New Orleans.
True to his word, half an hour later Tom rolled himself out of bed and hauled himself to the bathroom where he cleaned himself up and pulled on his jeans from the night before. He came out and sat in the chair across from Kayd wearing only his jeans. "So-" He started slowly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"So-" Kayd took a deep breath. "What happens now?"
Tom sat and stared at her for a minute as he tried to formulate in his mind what to say next. He'd played this scene over in his head hundreds of times, but now that the moment was here staring him in the face, not a thought came forward. "That's your call, Kaydie." Tom said.
"But it isn't though." She shook her head slowly and scooted her chair closer to the table. "You- you sent me those flowers, and that- that note- and well, how did you think I would react?"
"I don't know." He said honestly. "I didn't think that far ahead."
"To be honest I don't know how I should react. We've been friends for so long I just never thought that you-"
"I never thought either." He shrugged.
"I don't want to hurt you, Tom. You should know that. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you." Kayd whispered as tears sprang up in her eyes.
"I know." He said softly as he shifted his gaze to his hands in his lap.
"But I just don't see how to get through this without you getting hurt." Kayd shook her head and wiped her eyes quickly. "I can tell that just seeing me with Bill hurts. I understand that now. But what should I do? Break up with him? I don't think that would help."
"I'm not some fragile little doll, Kaydie." Tom said with a frown.
"No, I-"
"I can handle seeing you and Bill together. Give me some credit." Tom glared at her.
"Well it's just that you've been kind of edgy around us lately."
"There's more going on in my life than you and Bill, Kaydie." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Then tell me about it! Tom, I haven't talked to you, like really talked to you, in so long. I miss that. I miss you. I miss the 'us' that we used to be."
"I've been here." He said softly.
"You haven't." She shook her head. "Not the Tom I know and lov-" She stopped, cutting the word off quickly. "Love." She completed her thought.
"Kayd." Tom shook his head and sighed. "I think you're making this a bigger deal than it is."
"How can you say that? When I read that card it sent chills through me. I knew that whoever wrote that really meant it."
"Yeah, but you thought it was Bill." He mumbled quietly.
"It doesn't matter who I thought it was. The words still had the same effect."
"I did mean it." He looked up at her quickly. "I do mean it. You save me with every breath you take, Kaydie. No one else has ever done that to me and now you have." He gave a short laughed and shook his head, "And I went and hooked you up with my twin brother."
"But I-"
He cut her off and said, "It took that to wake me up. I've been looking at you and not really seeing you for years now. In my mind you were stuck at that awkward stage between prepubescent geek and a beautiful, mature woman." Tom reached out slowly and tucked a stray curl behind Kayd's ear. "I don't know how I missed it before, Kaydie. As corny as this may sound, you're everything I never knew I always wanted." He smiled sadly as Kayd sat there stunned.
"But I'm seeing Bill." Kayd whispered as she averted her eyes and gently moved away from his touch.
"I know." Tom whispered. "But you don't love him." One side of his mouth turned up in that cocky smile of his.
"I practically just met him." She said quickly as she caught his eye.
"I've said my piece, Kayd. You will always be my best friend and Bill with always be my brother. No matter what happens." Tom said as he traced his finger down her cheek. "That much won't change."
"Tom, I-" He silenced her quickly as he placed his lips over hers and gently kissed her soft lips. They were as satiny as he had imagined they would be and just as sweet. It took a second for Tom to register that Kayd wasn't pulling back.
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"Tom!" Kayd said quickly as she broke from their kiss. She closed her eyes and licked her lips quickly. She stunned by how quickly Tom had moved in to kiss her and how slowly she had moved away. "What are you doing?"
"I'm saying I love you, Kayd." Tom sighed and stood up. He left Kayd sitting at the small table. He went over to his luggage and picked out clothes to wear for the day, then went into the bathroom to change.
Kayd sat there unable to catch her breath for a second. "When did my life turn into a soap opera?" She thought to herself. She couldn't erase the words Tom had just said. She also couldn't erase the feeling of his lips on hers. Kayd slowly reached up and ran her fingertip over her bottom lip as her hand shook.
"Tom!" A voice shouted through Tom's door. Kayd looked up quickly as her cheeks burned deep crimson red. It was Bill. "Are you feeling okay, Tom?" He asked again through the door.
Kayd immediately felt guilty as Tom came out of the bathroom. "Can you answer the door and make him shut up?" Tom asked with shaving cream over half of his face.
Kayd stared at him for a second. Her mind was still reeling from the kiss and everything he had just said. Now he expected her to face her boyfriend? "Kayd? Can you answer that?" Tom repeated as Bill started knocking the beat to "Break Away" on the door.
"Yeah." Kayd said softly as she stood up and straightened her clothes. They had that wrinkly, slept in look. She ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath as she opened the door slowly.
Bill stopped his hand in mid-knock with a surprised look on his face, "Kayd? What are you doing here?" Bill smiled uneasily and looked past her into the room.
"I, um, I, uh, came to, you know, talk to Tom." Kayd said as her cheeks burned. She couldn't have looked more guilty.
"And?" Bill whispered.
"And nothing. That's all. I just came to talk to Tom." Kayd looked up quickly.
"What did he say?" Bill asked softly.
"I, uh, he didn't really say-" Kayd started.
"Hey Bill." Tom walked out of the bathroom fully dressed and shaved.
"Are you feeling okay, Tom? Georg said you didn't feel good this morning."
"Kayd and I needed to have a talk." Tom said as he took his bathroom stuff over to his duffel bag to pack it away. "I feel okay. How did the radio interview go this morning?"
"It was quick. We were only there for like 20 minutes." Bill explained as he continued to stand in the hallway.
Kayd tried to manage her curls by tucking them behind her ear as she nervously looked back at Tom.
"So you guys talked?" Bill asked.
"Yeah." Tom said.
Kayd turned back to Bill, "Yeah." She nodded.
"And everything's okay?"
"Absolutely." Tom said.
"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Bill asked as Kayd cast him a wobbly smile.
"I, um, I'm going back home this afternoon. I only came out to smooth things over with Tom." Kayd explained. "Sorry I didn't mention it to you."
"It's okay. Were you guys finished talking?" Bill asked.
"Yeah." Kayd nodded and looked back at Tom who nodded. "Do you want to go get some breakfast?"
"Sure." Bill smiled and took a step back as Kayd grabbed her backpack off the floor and stepped into the hallway. "You coming, Tom?"
"No thanks." Tom shook his head and zipped his suit case closed. He walked over to the door and leaned on the door frame, "Thanks for coming over, Kaydie. I'm glad we talked." He pulled Kayd in for a tight friendly hug and held her for a second.
She stiffened at his touch and forced a smile. "Thanks. You too." She mumbled into his shoulder.
"Call me later." Tom stepped back and looked at Bill. "I'm gonna meet you guys for the signing. Are we meeting at the car?"
"At the car, yeah." Bill nodded and waved over his shoulder as he and Kayd started down the hall. "Are you okay?" Bill asked as he looked over at Kayd.
"Yeah."
"You seem kinda weird. Tom's back to almost normal and now you seem all weirded out."
"I'm fine." She smiled and tried to calm her nerves. She was way beyond weirded out at that point. Tom loved her. Tom kissed her. And she didn't stop him. "What the hell is wrong with me?"
Kayd frowned and sighed as she and Bill stepped onto the elevator. "What? What's wrong?" He squeezed her sweaty hand in his.
"Nothing." She shook her head.
"Kayd, come on." He tried to laugh and catch her eye. "You look like someone punched you in the stomach."
"I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well last night." She faked a yawn. She then kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I just need a nap or something." She tried to brighten her mood as her thoughts kept drifting back to the 20 seconds Tom's lips were on hers.
"Are you sure?" Bill put his index finger under her chin and lifted her head to look her in the eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure. Let's go eat. I'm starving."
Bill and Kayd ate breakfast. Bill carried most of the conversation. He talked about the tour and some of the things they'd been able to do. Kayd tried to pay attention, but she couldn't concentrate.
"Kayd, seriously? Are you sure you're okay?" Bill asked as they headed back towards the elevators.
"Yeah." She mumbled a second later. She would need to be more convincing than that. "I just have a lot of stuff on my mind."
"About Tom?"
"Kind of." She nodded. "Kind of about Tom. Kind of about everything! She thought to herself.
"What did he say? Or what did you say? Whatever it was, it worked for Tom. He seemed like the regular ol' Tom this morning. Something must have been said to change him."
Kayd shook her head slowly. "I don't know. We just talked."
"He's okay with us dating now?" Bill asked.
"I don't know." Kayd said under her breath.
"You don't know? Isn't that what you guys talked about?"
"Yeah. Yes. He's okay with it. With this or us, I mean." She sighed softly and adjusted her backpack on her shoulder. "I'm going to head out now."
"When is your flight?" Bill asked as the doors to the elevator opened.
"Eleven." She glanced at her watch and saw that it was only a little after 9. "I'll call you tonight, okay?" She leaned in and gave him a tight hug.
"I have a show tonight, but I'll call you after?"
"Yeah." She whispered and nodded. She loved the feel of his arms around her holding her close. "Thank you, Bill." She kissed him softly and let her fingers trail in his hair.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine." She forced a smile and hugged him again.
Bill didn't know what was up with Kayd, but he knew it had something to do with Tom. He'd have to ask Tom his side later.
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Kayd flew the whole way home with a permanent frown. She didn't know why this upset her so much. Or maybe she did. She loved Tom, but as a friend, as a real true best friend. Him loving her other than a friendly way only made this whole situation harder. It was hard enough for her to date his brother when she knew that he was jealous because she wasn't spending as much time with him, but now knowing that Tom was jealous of Bill's relationship with her? That didn't make anything easier.
Kayd unlocked her apartment door and dropped her backpack on the floor by the door. She was still in the same clothes she was wearing when she left and she felt like a bum. She quickly undressed and took a long hot shower. She wrapped herself in her very thick, very comfortable full length robe from Victoria's Secret. It was a deep pink and fell all the way to her ankles.
Kayd tied the long belt around her waist and walked barefoot to her kitchen to get herself a much needed wine cooler. She popped the top on her watermelon drink and leaned against the counter. She reached up and slowly closed her mini blinds before catching a glimpse of the big bouquet of flowers on her dining room table.
Kayd sighed and tucked her still wet hair behind her ear and sat at the table in front of the flowers. She took another drink of her wine cooler and just stared at the three day old flowers. They really were beautiful.
"... With every breath you take, you save me ..." She read for the millionth time. "Love," She could now see how the squiggle below that word was a T. She wasn't sure before.
"Damn it, Tom." She sighed and lay the card on the table in front of her. She pulled one of the white roses out of the bunch. Water from the stem dripped on her blue and white plaid place mat as she began to slowly pull the petals off. She let them fall around the tiny card as she frowned at them and what they meant.
When Kayd had pulled all of the petals off, she tossed the stem to the other side of the table and rested her head in her hands. "Why is this bothering me so much? He's Tom. Tom Kaulitz: my best friend. Okay, so he has feelings for me? It's not like it's such a rarity. I had a huge crush on him years ago when I was all geeky, so what's the difference? The difference is that because he was seeing gorgeous Kiara at the time, so I didn't say anything. I knew I couldn't compare. So who was right? Me for not saying anything? Or Tom for saying something? What would have happened if I had told him years ago? Nothing probably." Kayd thought to herself and sighed. "And besides, I'm way over that and dating Bill. Bill, Bill. Wonderful Bill."
Kayd silenced her internal monologue and took a silky petal in her fingers. She methodically tore it into tiny pieces and started in on another petal. Before she knew it she had shredded all of the petals from that one rose. It made the room smell heavenly.
Kayd brushed the small pile of petal pieces aside and picked up the little card again. It was nice to know that someone cared that much, even it if was Tom. She tucked the card in the pocket of her robe and stood up from the table with her wine cooler in one hand. Kayd delicately touched the remaining roses and sighed as she turned to head for her room.
The phone rang as she shut her bedroom door. Kayd immediately looked at the caller ID. It was her mom, but she just didn't feel like talking. Kayd let it ring through to her voicemail and pulled a book from her bookshelf before laying under her covers. She was more than ready to just close her eyes and drift away into dreamland where everything was right.
She read for an hour before she fell asleep with her cheek resting on the paperback pages. Hours later she awoke to the sound of the phone ringing beside her head. She untangled herself from her robe and reached for her phone. Bill's number flashed on the caller ID.
"H'lo?" She mumbled as she propped herself up on one arm. She clumsily reached for her bedside lamp and turned it on low.
"Hey, baby." Bill said softly as the bus rumbled beneath him. "I'm sorry to wake you up."
"S'okay." Kayd yawned and stood up to take her robe off. She dropped it to the floor and shivered as she opened her dresser drawer and pulled out clean underwear and her flannel pajamas. "How was your show?" She asked as she pulled her clothes on.
"It was good. Nothing exciting tonight." Bill yawned and pulled the curtain on his bunk closed. "Are you feeling better?"
"Hmm?" Kayd pulled her flannel shirt over her head they lay back in her bed.
"You seemed blah when you left today. I just want to make sure you're feeling better."
"Yeah, I'm feeling better." She said unconvincingly.
"Okay." Bill nodded. "We only have a couple more weeks left on tour. I was thinking it'd be cool if you could come out for the last show. We're going to have a big party after. I'd like you to come."
"Yeah. I can do that." Kayd nodded. "Just let me know where and everything."
"As soon as we get the details for the party I'll let you know. Our last show is in Las Vegas." Bill said excitedly.
"Yeah. Hey, do you think you'd be able to stay for a couple days after the tour's over? We can make it like a little vacation before you guys head out to Asia. Just you and me."
"I don't know. I'll have to check on that." Bill frowned. He really hoped he could. He didn't get to spend hardly any time at all with Kayd. "I just wanted to call and check up on you. I'll let you go back to bed now." Bill said softly.
"Okay." Kayd yawned and switched her light off. "Good night, Bill. I miss you."
"I miss you too, Kaydie." They said goodbye and hung up.
Tom grumbled from the bunk toward Bill and rolled over. He'd left his iPod in his backpack so he had no way of blocking out their conversation. He could play nice in front of everyone, but that didn't mean he had to happily sit and listen to all of that. He pushed the thought from his mind and concentrated on the fake wood paneling that lined his bunk. He let the rocking of the bus put him to sleep.
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Kayd went for more than a week without hearing from or talking to Tom. She was starting to get worried. She was on the verge of calling him when her text alert went off on her nightstand. She flipped it open as she sat on the edge of the bed and read the pale glowing message:
Tom: Hi there! Remember me?
Kaydie smiled to herself. She always wondered if Tom had ESP. She pulled the covers back on her bed and slid her feet underneath as she text him back:
Kayd: Your name is Todd, right? :) What's up? I'm home. Call me.
She waited for a few minutes before her phone rang beside her. She turned the volume on her radio down as she clicked the phone on. "Hi."
"Hey, Kaydie." Tom said softly. Wherever he was it was quiet which was odd for Tom.
"Where are you?" Kayd asked.
"In my hotel room." He smiled and leaned back in his chair.
"Where are you guys?"
"Don't you have our schedule?" He asked.
"Yeah, but not in front of me." She said slowly.
"We're in San Francisco." Tom answered. "I haven't talked to you in a while, so I just wanted to see how things are."
"Things are fine." Kayd nodded.
"Yeah? With you and Bill?"
"Tom-"
"What?" He asked defensively.
"Come on."
"I can't ask? You and I always used to talk trash about our significant others. Now because it's Bill it's off limits?"
"No." Kaydie sighed. "It's just- I mean, come on, Tom."
"Come on what?" He laughed. "All I did was ask how things are going. It's not like I asked for gory details."
"Tom-" Kayd frowned. "Things are fine. Can we talk about something else now?"
"If you want." He nodded.
"How are things with you?" She asked as she inspected her nails. The paint was chipping. She would need a manicure soon.
"Things are good here too. We're getting ready to wrap this tour up. We'll get a couple days off to see our families and everything."
"That'll be nice. You haven't seen them in a while." Kayd said softly. It was painfully obvious how they skirted the topic of the kiss. Tom didn't seem weird about it so she left it alone.
"Yeah. Bill says you're coming out to Vegas for the last show?"
"Um, yeah, I was thinking about it."
"You have to come. Vegas is always wicked and since it's the last show there will be a big party afterward." Tom smiled.
"I- okay-" Kayd frowned at the phone. "Okay, this was just a little too 'normal' for Tom."
Tom sighed for kept the forced smile on his face as he tried not to grit his teeth. He was playing happy for Kayd, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up. He knew he had to do it to keep the peace with everyone. So far he knew Kayd hadn't said anything to Bill about the flowers or the kiss and Tom wanted to keep it that way. "I'll see you then for sure unless you plan on coming before then?"
"No, that'll be as soon as I can travel. I'm busy with school and everything." Kayd explained.
"Okay." Tom nodded as he pinched the bridge of his nose tightly. "I, um, I don't want to keep you up. I know it must be getting late there. I was just calling to say hi."
"Okay." Kayd said slowly. "I'll let you go then."
"Okay. Good night, Kaydie."
"Good night, Tom. Thanks for texting me. That really made my night. I had been thinking about calling you."
"No problem. Sweet dreams."
"You too." Kayd smiled and hung up the phone. At least they'd made contact. Maybe now things wouldn't be so weird.
Tom clasped the phone tightly in his hand and set it down slowly. He took a deep breath. He then rolled over in his empty bed and pulled his pillow tight to his chest. For now that would have to do.
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Two weeks later, Kayd was in a taxi on the way to the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. She arrived the day before Tokio Hotel's last show so that she would have time to see some sights and hang out with the guys for a bit. Georg and Gustav would be leaving in the morning after the show and she wanted the chance to see them too.
She was met at the curb by Saki who pulled her in for a hug and grabbed her bag. "It's good to see you again." He smiled.
"It's good to be back." Kayd smiled. She caught a glimpse of the entrance to the hotel and was completely amazed at the massive crowd of girls waving signs and T-shirts in the air at the huge glass doors. "What the hell?"
"It's a casino. They don't have enough security to cover the floor so they're making the girls stay outside for now." Saki smiled.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah." Saki laughed. "The guys are on the floor. That's why. Playing a little poker, shooting craps, that type of stuff."
"They're gambling?"
"Sure. Why not?" Saki laughed and pushed his way through the thick crowd of girls as Kayd followed close behind. "You're over 21 right?"
Kayd laughed and said. "Just barely."
"Good." He pulled the door open and followed her through. "You want me to go put this up in the room?" Saki asked as he motion to the suitcase in his hands.
"Sure, thanks. Where is Bill though? I wanna find him before you go too far." She laughed nervously.
"You can't miss them. Bill and Georg are at the last craps table. They've pretty much taken over there. I think Tom and Gustav are over by the slots. They were losing last I checked."
"Typical." Kayd laughed and said, "Can you come back down and make sure I'm not completely lost?"
"You bet. You have your pass on you though, right?" He asked.
"Yeah." She patted her back pocket.
"Put it on. You're gonna need it."
"Okay." She reluctantly pulled it out of her pocket and slipped the nylon cord around her neck as Saki took off with her luggage.
Kayd walked slowly across the casino floor keeping her eyes open for anyone she recognized. She finally spotted Georg standing at the last craps table, just like Saki had said. The table was surrounded by a handful of fans that must have been over 21. They giggled too much though and she could tell Georg was starting to get annoyed.
She walked toward him with a big smile on her face and was within five feet when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" Bill asked in a mock gruff voice.
"Hi!" Kayd turned around and wrapped her arms around Bill tightly as he kissed her neck. "Are you winning?"
"You know what they say. In order to win big you've gotta lose big. What are we doing right now? We're losing big." Bill laughed and kissed Kayd again quickly.
"Are you having fun?"
"I'm having a great time." Bill wove his fingers through Kayd's as they walked over and stood behind Georg.
"Kayd, blow on these for luck." Georg held the dice out to Kayd.
"Blowing on them makes them lucky?" Kayd smirked.
"That's what I've heard." Georg smiled sweetly, holding the dice in front of her mouth. She blew seductively on his dice. "Nice." Georg threw the dice and groaned.
"Sorry." Kayd shrugged.
"Your girl has unlucky breath." Georg said to Bill.
"Her breath works fine on me." Bill smiled and draped his arm over Kayd's shoulders.
"Oh yeah?" Georg asked as he reached for the dice again.
"Yeah, she blows on me and I get lucky." Bill laughed as Georg rolled his eyes and shot the dice again.
"Don't be telling our business!" Kayd shook her head as they headed away from the craps table. A lot of the fans were giving Kayd death glares.
"So are you going to the show tonight? Or just tomorrow?"
"I don't know. I wasn't planning on going tonight, but I guess I can."
"If you want." Bill shrugged as they walked towards the slot machines.
"But the party is tomorrow after the show, right?"
"Yeah." Bill covered his mouth as he coughed dryly into his hand. "It's here at the hotel at Studio 54."
"I heard it's supposed to be a wicked party."
"Yeah." Bill nodded. They cruised around the casino floor for a while. They stopped to play some slots and a few hands of black jack. Saki came through with Tobi to round everyone up. They were all ushered back stage where the guys were sent to visit with people who were there for the meet and greet. Kayd was sent to the dressing room to wait it out.
"You must be Kayd." A tall blonde said as she extended her hand.
"Yes, I am." Kayd said as she tried to register where she knew this girl from.
"I'm Danielle." Kayd shook her hand and smiled.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you. Have we met?"
"I don't think so." Danielle smiled and sat down in the corner of one of the couches. "You're trying to figure out how you know me, aren't you?" She laughed lightly as Kayd sat on one of the metal folding chairs.
"Yeah, you look so familiar." Kayd shook her head.
"I'm Danielle Andrews. I played Brianna on 'All My Children' for 3 seasons." Danielle laughed and tucked her straight hair behind her ear.
"That's it!" Kayd laughed. "Wow, do you get that a lot?"
"Yeah." Danielle smiled and nodded. "But it's okay. It's not so bad now."
"I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?"
"Gustav." She said simply.
"Gustav?"
"We're dating." She said shyly.
"Oh! I didn't know that. Gustav is the nicest guy." Kayd laughed and straightened her T-shirt. "Are you staying for the party tomorrow?"
"Yeah, that's the main reason I came." Danielle tugged at the cuff of her jeans and re-tied her shoe.
"Are you staying here for the show?"
"I don't know." Danielle scrunched up her nose. "I was thinking about it. Are you?"
"I don't know. I'm going to the show tomorrow so-"
"Yeah, me too. We should just leave and go do something." She shook her head and stood up again.
"Do you want to?" Kayd asked enthusiastically.
"Sure, why not?" She headed for the door and Kayd followed close behind. They ran into Tobi a few feet from the door and let him know that they were going to head out for a little while and, if anyone asked, they'd meet them back at the dressing rooms after the show.
The two girls left the arena area and straight through to the exit. "Where do you want to go?" Danielle asked as she placed her hands on her hips and looked up and down the street.
"I don't know. I've never been here before. I'm from Germany." Kayd looked at the huge castle across the street. "Whoa! Can we go there?" She pointed.
"Sure." Danielle smiled as they headed across the street. Kayd took the laminated badge from around her neck and carefully placed it back in her pocket as they crossed the street.
Kayd and Danielle spent the next few hours checking out the gift shops in all of the hotels near by. They chatted about what it was like to date a member of Tokio Hotel. They had completely different perspectives about the whole thing. Danielle understood more what it was like to be a celebrity and how hard that was to work into a relationship where Kayd had more real relationship experience to share.
They made it back to the arena shortly before the concert ended. They were waiting happily in the dressing room when the guys ran off the stage covered in sweat and pumped.
"Hey." Gustav panted quickly as he placed a quick kiss on Danielle's cheek.
"Don't you smell delightful." She laughed as he and Georg ran by.
"You missed one hell of a show." Tom said as he walked by with a towel over his head.
"There will be another one tomorrow." Kayd laughed. "Where's Bill?"
"He had to find Saki to get some cough stuff." Georg said loudly from behind the clothing racks.
"Is he sick?" Kayd asked loud enough to be heard over the noise in the room.
"Yeah. A little." Georg shouted back.
"He'll be okay. He's a trouper." Tom said softly as he came up behind Kayd. "I hope he's not too sick to party tomorrow. Party!" Tom laughed as he tore his shirt off and flung it towards the growing pile of dirty laundry.
"Hi, Tom. How are you?" Kayd reached out to touch Tom's arm.
"Fine." He smiled as he face glistened with sweat. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up. I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, I'm here for a few days." Kayd nodded.
"I meant tonight. We're meeting up in Gustav's room in about an hour."
"Oh, um, I'm not sure." Kayd said as Bill walked quickly into the room with a bottle of purple cough syrup. "Hi, sweetie." Kayd reached out and took Bill's free hand, "You're sick?"
"I'm trying to not get sick." He said as he coughed into his shoulder.
She frowned. "You need to get some sleep."
"I know. I'm working on it." He held up the bottle of syrup and tried to smile.
"I'll catch you later Kaydie." Tom said over his shoulder as he headed for the changing area.
"Okay." She waved lamely as she turned her attention back to Bill.
"You going to Gustav's room to party tonight?" Bill asked before he coughed again.
Kayd winced and said, "I was invited, but we don't have to go. You really just need some hot tea and some sleep."
"And a lot of this." Bill tore the protective plastic seal off of the cough medicine and leaned in quickly to kiss Kayd's cheek. "I don't want to give you whatever it is I've got." He wiped his brow.
"Okay." Kayd frowned as she watched Bill walk back towards the changing racks. He didn't seem sick earlier. This must have come up during the show.
Kayd waited with Danielle as the boys wandered out 20 minutes later. They were showered and dressed in their casual clothes. Gustav came out bouncing. The boy was a bundle of energy after a show. He and Georg laughed hysterically at something no one else got.
"So you're coming over too, right?" Gustav asked.
"I don't know. It depends on Bill."
"He's gonna go to his room and sleep off that cough medicine. You should come over anyways." Gustav shook his head.
"I don't know. Maybe." Kayd smiled as Bill walked slowly from the changing area over to her. "Feeling any better?"
"Not really." Bill coughed.
"We should just head on up to your room. You need to go to bed."
"You can go to Gustav's room to the party." Bill said as his eyes started to drift closed.
"No, I don't mind." Kayd argued as Saki fell in step beside them. They walked across the back stage area to the elevators and they all rode up to the 19th floor together.
When they got off the elevator Kayd walked with Bill down the hall to his room. She unlocked the door for him and followed him inside where he collapsed face down on the bed. "I just feel like a train wreck." Bill mumbled into the bed spread.
"You took that cough stuff?"
"Yeah." Bill nodded.
"That ought to knock you out pretty soon."
"I don't think I needed the help. I'm exhausted." He laughed lightly. "Seriously, Kayd, go on down to Gustav's room. You'll have fun."
"I don't mind staying here with you, really." Kayd said as she sat on the bed beside him.
"Tom will be there. It'll be fun. Go."
"Bill, I don't want to just leave you here." Kayd frowned as she reached for his warm hand.
"I'm just going to sleep. I won't be any fun." Bill coughed into the pillow by his head and frowned. "Just take the key with you. I don't wanna have to get outta bed at the ass crack of dawn to let you in." He forced a smiled and handed her the room card.
"Bill-"
"Stop it." Bill rolled onto his side and squeezed her hand. "Go, leave me alone." He smiled and nodded toward the door.
"Fine, but only because you told me to." Kayd smiled and stood up. "I won't stay too long."
"It's alright. No offense, but I won't notice." Bill folded the pillow under his head as Kayd leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Have fun."
"Thanks, Bill. I'll be back soon." Kayd took the key card off the bed and headed for the door. She waved back at Bill as she left, but he was already asleep. Kayd took a deep breath and checked her watch. It was 11:30 as she headed down the hall towards Gustav's room. She gave herself 2 hours. She'd be back in Bill's room by 1:30.
-----------------------------
Kayd slowly walked down to Gustav's room and pushed the slightly open door inward. "Hey! Kayd's here! Let the party begin." Gustav danced toward Kayd with a beer in one hand.
"Wow." Kayd smiled broadly as she walked into the semi-crowded room. Aside from the 3 remaining guys from Tokio Hotel and Danielle there were two other girls in the room. One, the young looking redhead, was sitting on the floor beside Georg talking animatedly with her hands. And the other, a tall brunette was sitting at the table in front of a large tray of dixie cups.
"Come on in!" Gustav laughed and draped his arm over Kayd's shoulders.
"Hi Kaydie." Tom waved as he tipped a dixie cup back emptying the contents into his mouth. He swallowed and made a face then laughed, "Damn, Danielle! These are stronger than last time."
"I know. Did you try the margarita ones?" She asked from her position on the couch.
"I don't know. What color are they?" Tom smiled and offered Kayd a dixie cup with blue stuff in it.
"They're red. Strawberry and Tequila." Danielle laughed as Gustav sat beside her. He pulled her into his lap and playfully tickled her side.
"What is this?" Kayd asked cautiously.
"Jello shot." Tom said as he picked up another blue one. "The blue ones are the best. What are they again?" He asked Danielle.
"Those are Berry Blue Jello and Everclear. They are the dangerous ones. Don't have too many."
"I won't." Tom smiled and tilted his head back. "Try one." He said to Kaydie with a big blue smile.
"You know I don't like the taste of alcohol." Kayd sniffed carefully at the cup in her hand.
"You can't taste it in these. Trust me." Danielle said as stood up and walked over to the little table and took an orange shooter. "Have you met Julia?"
"Not yet. Hi, it's nice to meet you. I'm Kayd." Kayd smiled at the brunette.
"I'm Julia. Hi." She smiled and licked her stained green lips.
"How long have you guys been here?" Kayd laughed still holding the cup in her hand.
"Only about a half hour. We just got started." Georg said from his position on the floor by the window.
"Take a shot, Kaydie." Tom laughed and reached over to raise her hand to her mouth. She opened her mouth and poured the sweet, Jello into her mouth and swallowed.
"Whoa! Wait, there's really alcohol in that?" She asked Danielle who simply laughed and nodded. "I can't even taste it."
"Which is why Jello shots are dangerous." She shook her finger playfully and walked back over to Gustav.
"Come on, Tom. Let me finish kicking your ass." Georg said as he flopped down on the over stuffed couch and grabbed a Playstation game controller.
"Dream on." Tom laughed and walked over to the couch.
"What kind of party is this?" The redhead asked playfully. "We've got those morons over there playing video games, Gustav is getting a woody in the chair and Bill is high on cough syrup."
"And you're just standing there doing nothing." Tom laughed.
"Let's do something." The redhead said and leaned against the window. "Isn't this the city that never sleeps? Let's go out there." She waved her hand casually towards the Vegas strip.
"You can go out there if you want. I'm staying right here." Gustav nuzzled Danielle's neck.
"We could always play truth or dare." Tom said as his arms flailed wildly with the controller.
"Watch it." Georg frowned at Tom as the cord smacked him in the face.
"No truth or dare." Kayd sighed and rolled her eyes. "That always get everyone all bent."
"Quit your bitching." Tom mumbled. He gave one last triumphant swing with the controller and stood up to cheer, "Yes! 10,241 points. Kiss my ass, Listing!"
"Bite me." Georg grumbled as he took another swig of his beer. If that was all he was drinking Kayd was sure he'd be the most rational one of the night. She decided to hang out by him.
She sat on the couch between Tom and Georg and leaned back on the cushions, "So Bill left you all alone tonight, huh?" Georg asked.
"He was beat. That cough medicine knocked him out." Kayd smiled. "I don't want to stay here too long tonight."
"Okay." Georg nodded and finished his drink.
"Do you want another one?" Tom asked as he stood up and headed for the shot table.
"No, thanks." Kayd shook her head. Tom grabbed two more of the Berry Blue shots and carried them back to the couch. "In case you change your mind." He handed one to Kayd and downed his.
"How many have you had?" Kayd asked.
"Three, Mom." Tom gave Kayd a look and picked up the controller again, "You up for a game of Tekken Tag?"
"Me?" Kayd asked as she played with the cup in her hand.
"Yeah you." Tom smiled.
"You wanna humiliate yourself in front of all your friends?" Kayd gave him a playful, yet daring grin.
"Oh really?" Georg's eyebrows shot up. "You play?"
"I introduced Tom to the wonderful world of Playstation." Kayd laughed.
"Really?" Georg sat there stunned.
"Yeah but who puts hours a day into learning the game?" Tom asked. "We sit on a bus with nothing else to do but video games and movies."
"I'll make you a deal, Tom, if you win, I will-" She thought for a second.
"Do four more shots?" Tom asked hopefully. His playful side was coming back. Without Bill around it was easier to pretend it was just good ol' Kaydie.
Kayd laughed as the attention in the room turned to her and Tom, "Sure, if you beat me I'll do four more."
"And if you kick his ass?" Danielle asked from across the room.
"He has to do four more." Kayd shrugged.
"I've already had four!" Tom protested.
"I thought you said three?" Kayd asked.
"Lightweight." Georg rolled his eyes and grabbed another beer from the mini fridge.
"Make him run naked down the hall again." Gustav suggested. The room erupted in laughter and Tom blushed.
"No!" Kayd covered her eyes in mock fear. "I've seen that already."
"What?!" Tom asked.
"We used to bathe together when we were little, Tom." Kayd laughed.
"Shit, I hope I've changed a little since then." Tom rolled his eyes. "I will not run down the hall naked again."
"Again?" Kayd smirked. "Does your mom know that's what you do for fun?"
"It wasn't fun." Tom shook his head. "Drink that one and let's play."
Kayd took her Berry Blue Jello shot and downed it then reached for the controller. "So when I win, what do I get?"
"I don't know. I'll buy you a car or something." Tom shrugged.
"Sounds fair." Kayd nodded.
"No, really, I'll pay for your plane ticket home." Tom said.
"Where's the fun in that? You win and I have to get shitfaced. I win and I get to go home? No way."
"I'm already half shitfaced." Tom argued.
"So if she beats you, Tom, you have to, uh, sleep in the bathtub." Gustav offered from his chair.
"Been there done that." Georg raised his beer.
"No! I have the perfect thing!" Kayd laughed and played with the controller in her hand. "When I win, you have to go get your batman cape and wear it for the rest of the night."
The room erupted with laughter and Tom blushed. "Oh come on!"
"Yes!" Georg laughed. "That would be perfect. A drunk Tom in a batman cape? Hell yeah!" Georg high fived Kayd and she just grinned at Tom.
"Are you afraid you'll lose?" She asked innocently.
"Not at all." Tom smirked.
"Let the games begin." Georg scooted over on the couch to give the players more room.
Tom re-loaded the game and smirked at Kaydie, "You're going down."
"Don't hold your breath, cowboy." Kayd shook her head slowly. She held his gaze until the menu screen loaded on the TV. They made their selections and the war began. Slowly the others in the room made their way around the couch to watch the neck to neck battle.
They played steady for a good fifteen minutes, each taking their turn on the top. They smirked at each other and laughed hysterically as they threw their controllers around, trying to manipulate the figures on the screen.
"Hey, Tom?" Kayd asked calmly. Her eyes were glued to the screen.
"What?" He asked. His mind was set in the game.
"You do have the cape with you, don't you?"
"Um, yeah." He said as he frowned at the screen.
"Good." Kayd smiled. Tom looked at her with a confused frown as she licked her lips, laughed, and ended the game.
"No way!" Georg laughed hysterically as he draped his arm around the red head.
Tom sat on the couch with the controller in his hand just staring at the screen. Kayd stood up and triumphantly lay her controller on Tom's lap. She unintentionally brushed his leg with her fingers. He looked up and blushed quickly, "How'd you do that?"
"Practice." She kissed the top of his head quickly and said, "Now how about that cape?"
"It's down in the bus." Tom sighed as he leaned back on the couch.
"Go get it!" Kayd laughed and gave high fives to all everyone in the room.
"I can't go out there!" Tom complained.
"Oh! Stop it. They're fans. You can't make a mad dash to the bus?" Kayd said with mock sympathy.
"Let's get five shots into you and see how well you 'mad dash'." Tom smiled slowly.
"I thought it was three?" Kayd asked.
"Three, five, seven? What's the difference?" Tom pushed himself up to a standing position and scratched his stomach lightly.
"Two." Gustav said softly.
"Huh? Tome turned to look at him.
"Two. The difference between three, five and seven." Gustav smiled and tipped his beer back.
"Nerd." Georg shook his head and looked at Kayd. "Why don't you run out and get it so poor Tomi doesn't get mobbed in his drunken state?"
"I'll go get it. I don't care." Gustav spoke up.
"No, I'll go." Kayd stood up and got directions from Tom as to how to get on the bus and where the cape was once she got there. She smiled and took another Jello shot before heading downstairs to get the cape.
Kayd pushed her way through the mob of girls to the bus. She flashed her badge and climbed in, shutting out the sounds of the screaming girls. She slowly made her way to the bunks and frowned. She didn't know which one was Tom's? She looked into the bunk to the right and knew right away they couldn't be Tom's. This one was actually cleaned up. The dark blue and black quilt was tucked neatly under the mattress and the pillows were fluffed at the head of the bed. There were a few stuffed animals on the bed. This had to be Bill's bunk.
She pulled the little curtain back on the bunk to the left and smiled, "Tom you're so cute." She laughed and shook her head. There was a well loved teddy bear propped up in the corner and the dark blue blanket was one she recognized from all the times he'd spent the night at her house as kids.
She leaned onto the bed, reaching under the covers to find the 'hidden' cape. Kaydie looked around at the pictures he had taped to the wall and ceiling of his bunk. His mom and step-dad, other family members, one of him and Samy Deluxe, one of a full arena and the top of Bill's head, and one of Kayd and Tom together at his new house right outside of Loitsche sitting poolside. She was sitting on Tom's lap with her arms wrapped around his, their cheeks pressed together, both of them laughing.
Kayd stared at the picture for a minute, smiling at the memory. About three seconds after the picture was taken Tom rolled sideways and dunked her into the pool, then cannon balled right beside her. "Why can't we be like that again, Tom?" She whispered with a sigh.
Kayd pulled the cape out from under the covers and shook it out in front of her. It was big, black and even had the mask attached. It would look great on him. She laughed quietly and tucked it under her arm as she headed for the exit.
A security guard showed up out of nowhere and escorted her back into the building as fans from the entrance screamed at top volume. "That's crazy. They're freaking out because I went on the bus?" Kayd laughed.
"Kayd!" She heard her name being screeched.
Kayd stopped in her tracks and studied the crowd, looking for a familiar face, someone who she would know well enough that they would scream her name. She saw no one she knew, but then she heard her name being screamed in unison by a pack of about 5 girls.
"How do they know my name?" Kayd asked the security guard, still rooted to the concrete.
"They know everything." He laughed and reached for her elbow.
"But they know what I look like? That's kind of scary." Kayd cast a worried glance at the girls, then continued into the hotel with the security.
He took her back up to her floor and let her off at the elevator, "You're going to want to see about having security go with you when you leave the building, especially around here."
"Are you serious?" Kayd laughed with disbelief.
The guard just shrugged, "You'd be surprised."
"Thanks for seeing me up safely." Kayd laughed again and headed down the hall, shaking the cape out in front of her. She let herself back into Gustav's room and tossed the cape at Tom. "There you go Batman. Let's see if you can fly."
Tom held the cape in his lap as he sat on the couch and looked up at Kayd slowly. He had trouble tracking her as she walked across the room thanks to all the shots he'd had.
"Duh nuh nuh nuh duh nuh nuh nuh BATMAN!" Georg sang as he spun Julia around the room like a ballerina.
"Okay, okay-" Tom signed and draped the cape across his shoulders. He tied the straps around his neck and stood up to model it.
"What a hottie you are." Gustav laughed as Tom held the cape out behind him and circled the room.
Danielle had laughed so hard she had tears running down her face as Tom rounded the couch and fell back into his seat "You're next, Tom." Gustav laughed and shook his head.
"What?" Tom asked.
"Truth or dare?" Gustav asked.
"Ummm-" Tom thought about it for a second.
"I thought truth or dare always got everyone bent?" Kayd asked Danielle who was slowly regaining her composure.
"Truth." Tom answered.
No one answered Kayd as Gustav smirked and asked, "Is it true that you pissed in a corner of the dressing room after a show because you couldn't find the bathroom?"
Tom blushed shook his head vehemently, "No! I did not. I don't know who started that shit! I didn't pee anywhere. Except in the bathroom."
"You pissed in the corner of the bathroom?" Gustav laughed.
"No, it the thing." Tom laughed, "I didn't pee anywhere on the floor."
"Okay okay." Georg laughed, "Next!"
They played truth or dare for a little while longer while they finished off the Jello shots. By the time it got around to Kayd she was beyond tipsy and laughing hysterically with Danielle and Gustav off to the side. "Kaydie, truth or dare?" Georg asked.
"Dare!" She laughed and leaned back against the side of the couch.
"I dare you to kiss Helen." Georg laughed.
"Hey!" Kayd protested.
"Yeah, baby, we're gonna get some hot lesbian action!" Georg laughed.
"Wait, who's Helen?" Kayd asked, looking from girl to girl.
"That would be me." The redhead giggled, sitting directly across from Kayd.
"Okay wait, are we talking like a small kiss or a full on make out session?" Kayd asked.
"Just kiss her." Georg laughed and watched with anticipation. Tom sat quietly in the corner of the couch and watched being careful not to move his head too much.
"Hi, I'm Kayd." Kayd laughed as she shook Helen's hand. "I'm sorry about this." She laughed and quickly kissed the other girl on the lips. Nothing more than a grandmotherly kiss, but the guys thought it was the best thing in the world.
"Yes!" Georg cheered and high fived Gustav.
"Okay, okay, my turn. Georg, truth or dare?" She smiled evilly and rubbed her eyes, trying to keep herself awake.
"Dare." He said mysteriously.
"Okay." Kayd laughed quietly, then spoke quietly in a sinister tone, "I dare you- to kiss- Tom."
Danielle and the other girls cracked up laughing and watched Georg's reaction. "No! Nooooo way! Nu uh, I don't think so! No." Georg shook his head and laughed.
"Dude, Tom's okay with it." Gustav laughed and pointed at Tom who hadn't changed expressions.
"Huh?" Tom asked snapping back to reality.
"Georg's gonna kiss you." Gustav laughed.
"What?! No, he's not!" Tom held up his hands and shook his head. "Ain't gonna happen!"
"You guys have to!" Helen laughed.
"I kissed Helen." Kayd argued.
"Yeah but that's-" Tom was at a loss for words.
"That's nothing. Kiss him or the girls win." Kayd smiled smugly and crossed her arms over her chest.
Georg looked at Tom and shrugged. "No way, Georg! Do not even look at me like that. You are not touching your lips with mine. I don't know where those have been!" Tom said quickly.
"Mine?! I'm the one who should be worried here." Georg laughed and stood up.
"I'm serious, Georg! You keep your lips away from me." Tom held up his hands defensively.
"I'm not going to kiss you, relax." Georg laughed.
"Yes you are!" Gustav shouted as he grabbed a bottle of water, the only fluid left in the room, and opened the top. "I'm not sleeping on the floor because you're a homophobe."
"I'll go back to my room and sleep I don't care." Georg shook his head.
"So are you forfeiting the game?" Danielle asked.
"Yes." Tom and Georg nodded.
"You guys suck." Gustav scowled and laughed as the girls cheered and jumped up and down on the beds.
"We get the beds. Move your ass." Helen kicked at Gustav sitting on the foot of the bed.
"Good thing too. I'm tired." Kayd crawled up onto the empty bed and lay her head on the pillow.
"Party pooper." Gustav rolled his eyes as he stifled a yawn.
"Shut up." Kayd mumbled into the pillow. It wasn't long before everyone settled down and half of them fell asleep.
Julia and Kayd took the bed on the right while Helen and Danielle took the other one. Kayd fell asleep first, followed by Julia, and the others dropped like flies as the sun began to rise.
Tom woke up after a very short sleep and looked around the room. His back was sore for laying flat on the floor behind the couch, so he stretched carefully and looked at the inviting bed. In an alcohol haze he walked over to the two sleeping figures and climbed into bed beside them. He pulled the closest body to him and sighed as he fell back to sleep, happy to have a pillow under his head.
-----------------------------
Tom woke up the next morning to the shrill screaming of the phone by his ear. He groaned and pressed his face harder into the pillow under his head. His arms were wrapped around someone. He pulled the body closer and kissed the neck that was pressed against his lips. Tom ran his hand slowly up her front and cupped her breast in his hand as the ringing continued.
"Shit." He growled as he pried his eyes open and allowed them to focus. He suddenly recognized Kaydie's profile inches from his face. "Oh shit." He sat up quickly and reached for the phone. "Yeah?" He answered in his gruff morning voice.
"Are you all in Gustav's room? No one is picking up in the other rooms and everyone's cell phones are off." Bill frowned and rested his head in his hands on the table.
"Wh- huh?" Tom looked around the room. "Yeah, I think we're all here." He saw Georg curled up in a ball on the couch. Gustav was sprawled out on the other bed with Danielle snuggled up close to his chest. Helen was snoring lightly against the front of the couch with Georg's socked foot wrapped in her arms. "Yeah. We're here." Tom sat on the edge of the bed and scratched his chin.
"Is Kayd there?"
"Yeah." Tom looked behind him at the two girls sleeping on the bed. Julia was facing Kayd who was lying on her back beside him.
"Okay. I was just making sure. We gotta be downstairs 2 hours. Consider this your wake up call."
"I'm awake." Tom yawned.
"Get out of bed, Tom."
"I'm up."
"Then flush the toilet." Bill coughed away from the phone and winced at the pain in his throat.
"What?"
"Walk into the bathroom and flush the toilet. That way I'll know you're awake."
"I'm awake." Tom protested.
"Flush. The. Toilet."
Tom sighed and pulled himself up off the bed. He stumbled across the messy room to the bathroom. His head spun as he flipped the light on and reached for the toilet.
Bill smiled as he heard the flush over the phone line and said, "Thank you. Now get the others up."
"I will."
"Do I need to make you get Gustav up before I hang up?" Bill asked.
"No! Seriously, you're annoying."
"Thank you. Can you send Kayd back here when she gets up? I've got all her clothes."
"Sure." Tom said. "I'll do that now."
"Okay. See you guys downstairs."
"Okay." Tom nodded and hung up. He sat back down on the bed next to Kayd. He stared at her as she lay there sleeping. He knew nothing had happened between them last night but he still felt like he should be guilty. He almost wished something had happened.
"Who was that?" Georg growled quietly from the couch.
"Bill." Tom answered as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "We have to be downstairs in two hours."
"We can't call in sick?"
"No." Tom shook his head and yawned as he headed back to the bathroom.
"Can we call in hung over?" Gustav asked as he rubbed his eyes and sat up.
"You can, but I don't think it'll work." Tom scratched at his jaw line and shut the door behind him.
"What time is it?" Danielle asked sleepily as she rolled over and ran her fingers down Gustav's back.
He closed his eyes slowly and smiled. "I don't know but we have to get up."
"Ugh!" Danielle frowned and pulled the covers up to her shoulder.
"You don't have to get up. Go back to sleep." He leaned down and kissed her quickly.
Tom came out of the bathroom and picked up someone's sock. He tossed it lightly at Georg's head, "Get up, G."
"I'm up." Georg frowned as the sock bounced off his cheek and turned his back toward Tom.
"Georg!" Tom kicked Georg's foot. He didn't make a sound so Tom kicked a little harder.
"Hrmgrrmph." Came his primal response.
"Get up. You look like shit." Tom walked over to Julia's side of the bed and shook her shoulder lightly. "Hey." He whispered.
"Ow!" Helen cried as Gustav accidentally kicked the back of her head as he rounded the couch in an attempt to get to the bathroom. The room seemed to come alive as people woke up and stumbled around looking for lost articles of clothing and shoes.
"Kaydie? Kayd?" Tom sat on the bed beside her and pulled his shoe on over his bare foot. He didn't want to look around for his socks. Kayd didn't make any kind of sound that would acknowledge that she heard him. "Kayd, wake up."
"Let her sleep." Georg frowned as he stood and became human.
"Bill wants her." Tom explained
"I'll bet he does." Georg smirked still half asleep.
"Tell Bill I died and I'll call him later." Kayd mumbled from the bed. "What kind of ungodly hour is this?"
"It's 8:30, I think." Tom said as he reached behind him and shook her leg. "You can go back to Bill's room and go back to sleep.
"No." Kayd whined. "If I go he'll make me stay up."
"No, he won't." Gustav said as he appeared from the bathroom. He helped get the others up and out of his room. He pushed them all out the door and wished them well as he went to his suitcase to get his clothes out for the day.
Kayd stood in the hall and leaned on the door frame as she slowly slid the room key in the little slot. She pulled it out again but the lights didn't even blink. She tried it again and still nothing. She closed her eyes and sighed. "That key's not going to work." Georg said softly as he walked up beside her and pulled his key out.
"These things suck." Kayd frowned but kept her eyes closed as her head pounded.
"They don't suck. I'm sure that key it will work in Bill's door but this is my room." He smiled and slid his card in. The lights flashed green. He pushed the door open and looked back at Kayd. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yes." She yawned and opened her eyes. "I just need a shower and some aspirin."
"Okay." Georg laughed lightly. Kayd stood there leaning against the door. She wasn't quite willing to stand up straight. "Bill's room is one more door down."
"I know." Kayd nodded and looked down the hall. "I would have found it eventually."
"I'll see you later." Georg laughed again and waved over his shoulder as he softly shut his door behind him.
Kayd pulled herself away from the wall and walked down to Bill's room. She slid the key in and waited for the lights to turn green. "Damn these green lights!" She grumbled as she tried it two more times. "Come on, you stupid bitch." Kayd mumbled under her breath as Bill pulled the door open.
"Hi, Kay-" Bill stopped and looked Kayd up and down. She stood there in her wrinkled clothes, barefoot and hung over. "You look like I feel."
"You still feel bad?" Kayd asked as she walked slowly into the room.
"I feel like shit." He corrected her.
"You saying I look like shit?" She asked with a small smile.
"I'm saying that on a scale of hot to shit, you're definitely tipping the scales on the shit side." He laughed lightly and pulled her close to kiss her cheek.
"I must smell awful." She gently pushed him away and rubbed her eyes. "Can I take a shower? Or do you need to get ready?"
"Go ahead. I have an hour before I have to leave." He coughed into his hand.
"Thanks. I'll be human in about twenty minutes." She smiled and walked past him into the bathroom where she turned the water on as hot as it would go. She stripped down to nothing and ran a brush through her hair to get the tangles out.
When the room was filled with steam, Kayd turned the water a little cooler and climbed into the shower. She washed the night before off with the sweet smelling hotel soaps and shampoo. When she was done she stepped out onto the bathmat and wrapped a thick towel around her body. She brushed her teeth and started working on her hair.
She looked in the mirror and decided was as close to human as she was going to get. Her damp hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and her skin glowed as she stepped out into the room. "I feel much better." She smiled and sat on the bed beside Bill as he put his shoes on.
"Did you have fun last night?" He asked as he tied his shoe.
"Yeah. It was fun. I think Danielle tried to kill us though. Have you had her Jello shooters?"
"Yeah." He laughed and shook his head. "How many did you have?"
"I don't know but it was one too many." Kayd yawned and adjusted the towel. "Did that medicine help?"
"A little. I actually got some sleep last night."
"Good." Kayd reached out and placed her hand on the back of his neck. "Do you have a lot to do today?"
"We have some things that need to get done but I'm going to try to sneak back for a nap." He said softly as she scratched his neck gently. Bill sighed with content and smiled as he dropped his chin to his chest.
"I'll probably just hang out around here today. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine. You wouldn't want to come with us anyways." Bill whispered as her fingers trailed their way up into his hair. "You know, if you would scratch my neck all day I'd stay here with you."
"I can do that, you know?" She smiled and caught his eye as he glanced up.
"Don't tempt me." He laughed quietly.
"This isn't me tempting you." Kayd smiled. "This is." She leaned over and kissed him slowly.
"I'm sick." Bill tried to complain. "But that is very tempting."
"See? You could stay here all day and do this." She kissed him again. "And watch some television and maybe some other, uh, stuff."
"Stuff, huh?" Bill smiled. "I would love to stay here. Trust me."
"But no?" Kayd pretended to pout.
"No." He shook his head. "I have work to do." He sighed and kissed her quickly. "If you get sick just remember that you kissed me first."
"I'll remember." She smiled.
"Okay." He placed his hand on her thigh and pushed himself up off the bed. "I've got to go to a meet and greet press type thing but that shouldn't last more than a few hours."
Kayd nodded and lay down on the bed as she pulled her towel down to cover her thigh.
"After that I think there's an hour or so before we have to start with show preparations."
"That sounds fun."
"It will be if I can sneak a nap in and stop coughing for a couple hours." Bill coughed into his hand and rolled his eyes.
"I might go downstairs for a bit but right now I'm happy just to lay down."
"Okay." Bill whispered as he leaned over and touched her cheek softly. "I'll be back around one."
"Okay." Kayd smiled and fluffed the pillow under her head.
"There's aspirin in my bag in the bathroom. Take some and get some breakfast."
"I will." She nodded and closed her eyes.
Bill leaned down and kissed her forehead quickly. "See you later."
"Bye." Kayd sighed as Bill headed for the door. She waited until the door shut tightly before groaning and pressing her temples. She hauled herself out of bed and into the bathroom. She rummaged around in his bag to find the aspirin. She shook three capsules out of the bottle and swallowed them with a big swallow of cold water.
Kayd rested her head on the cool tile of the bathroom wall and took a few deep breaths. She went back to the bedroom and fell back on the bed. She prayed the pounding in her head would stop or at least ease up for a few minutes. She closed her eyes and pulled her towel off. She slid naked under the covers and it wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep.
Two hours later a knocking at the door woke her. She opened her eyes and frowned. She pulled the covers back and reached for her towel on the floor. Kayd wrapped the towel around her and walked sleepily towards the door. "Yes?" She asked loudly.
"Kayd? It's Danielle and Julia." Danielle said loudly through the door.
"Oh!" Kayd unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Come in. I need to get some clothes on." The two girls followed Kayd into the room as Kayd dug through her bags and pulled out clean clothes. "Where's Helen?"
"Home probably. Or at her hotel." Danielle shrugged.
"She didn't want to hang out?" Kayd asked confused.
"She's not a girlfriend." Julia explained.
"Oh." Kayd nodded. "I didn't know you were dating Georg. I'm assuming you're dating Georg. Right?"
Julia nodded. "He and I have been together for years."
"Oh!" Kayd smiled and took her armful of clothes to the bathroom. She changed quickly and came out dressed in jeans and a Tokio Hotel T-shirt.
"Nice shirt." Danielle laughed.
"Thanks. Bill gave it to me. Free advertising." Kayd shrugged and retied her ponytail.
"You feeling okay?"
"Yeah. I had some trouble earlier, but I'm feeling better now." Kayd laughed and sat with the others at the little table. "So what's up?"
"We were going to go downstairs and get something to eat, you know, one of those all you can eat buffets." Julia smiled.
"Awesome." Kayd smiled as her stomach growled.
"The guys will be done in an hour or so. Do you guys have plans for the afternoon?" Danielle asked.
"Bill is still sick, so I think we were just going to hang out here so he can rest some before the show."
"We're going to go see some of the sights. Do you want to come with us?" Danielle asked as she twisted a lock of hair around her finger.
"I'm just going to stay up here with Bill."
"You're no fun." Julia laughed.
"Yeah but I came here to see him." Kayd smiled.
"Okay, okay. Are you're going to the party tonight? You can't miss that." Danielle shook her head and laughed.
"Oh, I'll definitely be there." Kayd stood up and stretched her arms over her head. "Let's go eat. I'm starving." She grabbed her bag and followed the other two out of the room.
The girls ate a quiet lunch in the buffet at the hotel. They were accompanied by two security guards and a small amount of fans. They were approached for pictures a couple of times. The other girls were used to that but it was a whole new experience for Kayd. She smiled for the cameras but was still stunned when the fans knew her name. It was as if she was famous by association.
After the meal Kayd went back up to her room to wait for Bill while Julia and Danielle went to find the guys in the arena. Kayd pushed the door open and saw Bill lying on the bed already half-asleep. "You're back early." She said softly.
"I just got here a few minutes ago." He said into the darkened room. The thick curtains were drawn so the room was almost completely dark.
"Nap time?"
"Yeah. There are two hours before the sound check." He sighed and rolled onto his side to face her.
"Can I join you?" She asked as she crossed the room. She kicked her shoes off and climbed onto the bed beside him. They lay on top of the covers together and she wrapped her arms around his middle snuggling him from behind. He coughed into his hand and sighed. "I feel like shit."
"I'm sorry." Kayd whispered. He placed his arms over hers across his stomach. She kissed his warm neck softly at his hairline. "Get some sleep. It'll make you feel better."
"I feel better already." He smiled, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Kayd held him close as he slept and eventually she fell asleep beside him.
Two hours later Bill's cell rang beside the bed to alert them that it was time to head downstairs to the arena. Kayd silenced Bill's phone and shook him gently as she flipped the bedside light on to offer a little light. "Did the nap help?" Kayd stretched her arms over her head and ran her fingers through her curls.
"Yeah." Bill stood up and ran his fingers through his hair as well. His hair stood on end and he yawned. "I just need to get through this show then I'll feel a lot better."
"And the after party." Kayd said as she walked into the bathroom.
"Yes and the after party." Bill nodded and took his shirt off to replace it with a non-wrinkled one.
"So where to now?" Kayd asked when she came out several minutes later.
"Sound check. Wanna watch?"
"Sure." Kayd smiled and followed him out to the hall. They met up with Georg and Julia and rode down the elevator to the arena level. The guys got together with their sound manager to go over the plans for the night. Kayd stood to the side and watched the guys talk business while Julia went out to the casino floor to find Danielle.
Kayd leaned against the opposite wall and watched the guys talk. If the outside world could see this, the people who spewed negativity about the guys, they would completely change their minds about Tokio Hotel. They worked hard for what they have and they deserved every bit of admiration that was sent their way. No one had to like their style or appreciate their art form but they should respect the blood, sweat and tears that went into everything they did.
Kayd watched as Gustav leaned over the sound manager's clipboard, pointing things out and shaking their heads. Georg sat tuning his bass and chatting with a stage hand. Bill stood with his back toward Kayd talking to Tom and coughing every now and then. Kayd watched entranced. Tom leaned in to hear what Bill was saying and laughed casually. He nodded in response to whatever Bill had said and laughed again.
Tom looked up slowly and caught Kayd's eye for a fraction of a second. He caught her staring at him and smiled knowingly. Seeing the smile, Bill glanced over his shoulder to see who had made Tom smile. He saw Kayd standing alone by the exit and smiled. Bill sort of half waved over his shoulder then coughed again. Tom got a concerned look on his face and patted Bill on the back before they continued their conversation.
Kayd blushed suddenly and averted her eyes as she opened the side door. She walked quickly toward the back of the arena and took a seat in the second to the last row. She'd heard great things about the sound check and couldn't wait to see one for herself.
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Kayd watched the silent stage for a few minutes before Georg and the sound manager came out on the stage alone. The manager said something to Georg and handed him the microphone headset. "Check check?" Georg said into the mic. His voice echoed through the arena.
Kayd smiled to herself and listened as he warmed up a little. He suddenly broke into a song, "I'm a leading man and the lies I weave are oh so intricate, oh so intricate. I'm a leading man and the lies I weave are oh so intricate, oh so intricate."
"Sounds good, Georg. Your mic is ready." The sound manager waved Georg off stage as Bill took center stage. "You feeling okay, Bill?" The sound manager asked.
Bill shrugged. "I'll be okay." He said into his mic.
"Are you ready?" The sound manager asked.
Bill nodded and cleared his throat then smiled. "I walked across an empty land. I knew the pathway like the back of my hand. I felt the earth beneath my feet. Sat by the river and it made me complete. Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on. So tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin."
"Amazing, Bill. You sound great even as sick as you are." The sound manager waved him off the stage and shouted, "Next! Let's keep it moving."
Tom sauntered to the center of the stage and sat on the barstool. He slipped his mic headset over his ears. "Why are we doing this solo stuff if we're doing a run through of the show before the actual show?" Tom asked. Kayd sat forward with her elbows resting on her knees as she watched.
"Because I said so. Oscar over there-" He waved at the sound technician sitting off in the shadows. "Needs to be sure each mic is tuned correctly since this isn't our sound board."
"Oh." Tom nodded and ran his hand over his face.
"So let me hear what you've got." The sound manager crossed his arms over his chest as Tom closed his eyes and sang.
"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing. Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming. I could spend my life in this sweet surrender. I could stay lost in this moment forever. Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure. I don't wanna close my eyes. I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you, babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing. Even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do. I'd still miss you, babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing."
Kayd watched speechless. The sound manager asked Tom to give him another round, a little more up-tempo. Tom shifted his feet uncomfortably and took a deep breath. He exhaled into the mic causing it to echo through the arena.
Tom was not supposed to affect her like this. She stood up quickly and draped her purse over her shoulder. She clumsily made her way to the back of the arena and down the stairs. She was set to go distract herself with a few dollars worth of nickel slots. She passed Saki on her way through the halls back to the main casino floor and grabbed his arm. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" He asked as he laughed and followed behind her.
She stopped but didn't let go of his arm. "Do you have an hour?"
"For what?" He looked back to where he had been standing.
"I need to get out of here for a little and play some slots or something." Kayd sighed and shook her head. "I know I need security and you're my favorite person in the whole world. Please?" She smiled with pleading eyes.
"Sure. Let me just let the team know I'm re-assigning myself." He moved out of her grasp and opened the small door behind him. He shouted to the other guards that he was heading out with 'Kayd the girlfriend.' Then turned back to head out.
"Kayd the girlfriend? No cute nicknames?"
"None that I'd say while you can hear me." He laughed.
"I'm intrigued." She glanced over her shoulder and asked, "So?"
"Ha! I'm not incriminate myself!" He laughed and shook his head. "This is business." He straightened his face and pushed the wide door leading to the casino open. Kayd stepped past him and into the brightly lit loud casino. She frowned slightly and glanced around at the $1 and $5 slots.
"Where are the nickel slots?" Kayd stood on tiptoe to look around.
"Nickel slots are for wimps. Just do the dollar slots." Saki glanced around keeping his eye on the crowd.
"Dollar slots are the rich people." Kayd sighed and continued to look around. "I think they're over there." She headed off to the right and Saki followed at her side. They walked what seemed like circles before coming to the small bank of nickel slots by the elevators.
"There you go." Saki laughed as Kayd sat on one of the bright purple stools and slipped a ten-dollar bill in the slot. "Ten bucks? On nickels? We could be here all night."
"Quit complaining and guard me." Kayd smiled sweetly and concentrated on hitting the 'bid max' button repeatedly. She didn't pay any attention to her winnings as they added up slowly.
"What's on your mind?" Saki asked as he leaned against one of the stools. He didn't look at her, but instead watched a small group of girls huddling at the edge of the casino.
"Would you take a bullet for me?" She asked monotonously. Three diamonds stopped in front of her and her winnings doubled.
"That's what made you need to get out of there?" Saki smiled. "Are you expecting someone to shoot you?"
"No." Kayd shook her head. "But would you?"
"Depends on where." Saki said with a smile. "In the arm? Sure. In the stomach? Probably. In the head? No." When she didn't respond he tapped her shoulder lightly. "I'm kidding. There aren't too many gun toting fangirls out there."
"Yeah, but you never know." Kayd sighed.
"That's what you've been worried about?" Saki asked not believing for a second.
"No." Kayd shook her head but said no more.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Why do guys suck?" She asked a minute later.
"Because they're guys." Saki shrugged and glanced at Kayd. "Is there a specific boy that is sucking right now?"
"All of them." Kayd sulked in the little chair and hit the 'bid max' button again. The reels spun in front of her and she tried to concentrate on her game. "Mainly Bill and Tom."
"Both of them? That's gotta be tough. Your boyfriend and your best friend."
"I know." She stopped playing for a minute and looked at him. "The problem is that Tom loves me."
"Sure he does. You guys have been friends forever it seems."
"We have. But I mean that he loves me, like loves me loves me." She said softly. It felt good to finally explain it to someone who wasn't directly related to her.
"Oh." Saki said softly. He glanced over Kayd's shoulder and stood up straight. "Incoming. Do you want to deal with a fan?"
"Huh?" Kayd followed his gaze and saw a girl about her own age walking toward them. Kayd nodded slightly. "Yeah. But stay here though."
"I'm not going anywhere." Saki smiled as the girl walked up and nervously cleared her throat.
"Hi." The girl said as she walked up nervously.
"Hi." Kayd plastered a smiled on her face and started to stand up.
"You're Kayd right?" She asked.
"Yes. Hi." Kayd continued to smile and shook the girl's hand.
"Hi. I'm Dominic. Or Domi. I was wondering if I could take a picture with you? Is that okay?" She looked nervously over at Saki.
"Yeah! It's fine." Kayd smiled and quickly ran her fingers through her curls, trying to make herself look presentable without the help of a mirror. "Saki? Can you take it?" Kayd asked.
"Sure thing." He took the girl's tiny camera in his hands and held it up as Kayd draped her arm over Domi's shoulder. Saki snapped two pictures and handed the camera back to the girl.
"Thanks so much." She laughed nervously.
"No problem. Are you here for the show?" Kayd asked. She'd learned from the other girlfriends that chatting with the fans won you many points. There are already enough 'anti-Kayd' websites out there so she needed all the points she could get.
"Yeah." She nodded. "So how is it dating Bill?"
"It's fun." Kayd smiled. "When I get to see him. The guys are really busy all the time."
"I'll bet." Domi laughed and seemed to lose some of her nervousness. "Do you hate when people come up to you and ask about the guys?"
"This trip is actually the first time I've ever been approached. I've been out of the spotlight until now. I heard there are websites about me."
"Yeah, I saw some of those. Half of those people have never even met you."
"None of them have." Kayd shook her head. "I've never talked to fans until I got here the other day."
"Really?" Domi asked.
"Really." Kayd smiled.
"You're really nice, I'll have to let them all know."
"Thanks." Kayd laughed and looked over her shoulder at the growing crowd of girls gawking at the other end of the casino. "I better get going."
"Oh sure. Thanks for letting me get a picture and everything." Domi smiled.
"You're welcome. Have fun at the show." Kayd waved as Domi headed back to the little crowd. "We should go." Kayd eyed the crowd.
"It looks like Julia and Danielle are here now." Saki heard the crowd start to make noise and took a step closer to Kayd.
"Can I just go back up to my room?"
"Sure thing. Don't forget your nickels." Saki handed her a big plastic cup and she cashed out her winnings. They went to the cashier's booth to get it changed into $23 in bills. Saki then escorted her up the elevator to her room. "You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah." Kayd sighed.
"Did you want to finish our talk?" Saki asked softly as they stopped in front of her door.
"No, that's okay." She shook her head. She wasn't sure how she was feeling. "I'm okay." She forced another fake smile and pushed her door open. She slid in and shut the door.
"I've been looking for you." Bill said softly from the recliner in front of the TV.
"Oh!" Kayd placed her hand on her chest as her heart beat furiously in her throat. "Bill! You scared me!" She laughed nervously and walked over to his chair. "I thought you guys were busy all day?"
"We were. We are. I just came back to relax a little before the show. I still feel like shit." He grabbed the remote and muted the TV.
"I'm sorry." Kayd sat on the arm of his recliner and took his hand. "You still going to the after party, right?"
"Yeah." Bill nodded. "I can't miss that."
"Cool." Kayd smiled. "What time do you have to go back down?"
"Twenty minutes." He covered his mouth as he yawned and began to cough again. "Man, whatever this is, it's kicking my ass."
"Do you still have the cough medicine?"
"Yeah, but it knocks me out. I can't be asleep out there tonight."
"Do they have non-drowsy stuff?"
"I don't know." Bill shrugged and looked up at her.
"Want me to go check?" She asked.
"No, I'm okay." He smiled and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm just sorry I've been such a looser this trip. We haven't done anything."
"It's okay. We'll have fun tonight."
"Yeah." He lightly nuzzled her neck causing her to giggle. "Do you know what you're wearing tonight?"
"Nothing. I'm going naked." Kayd laughed. All her of concern from earlier was gone in the time it took Bill to nibble from her shoulder to her earlobe.
"Works for me." Bill laughed.
"Either that or the outfit I bought."
"Is it as cute as you naked?" He smiled and kissed her neck softly.
"I don't know. It hides a little more."
"A little?"
"A lot." Kayd smiled and wrapped her arms around Bill's neck. "A little red satin shirt and black leather pants."
"Mmm. Hot."
"I thought so."
"I don't want to go back down there." Bill mumbled into Kayd's neck.
"You have to." Kayd whispered.
"I know." Bill nodded.
"You'll have fun."
"Promise?"
"Promise." Kayd smiled and smoothed down his hair as he lifted his head.
"Okay, I'll go." Bill reluctantly stood up and coughed. "I'll see you in a little bit." He leaned down and kissed her quickly.
"Okay." She smiled and pulled him close for another kiss before he left.
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Once Bill was gone Kayd went into the bathroom. She looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. She decided that she should change her clothes before the show since they would most likely be going straight to the club when it was over. She got her clean clothes out of her bag and hopped in the shower for the second time that day.
She primped and prepped herself for an hour before she felt presentable. She only had about an hour before the show started and she realized she was starving. Kayd poked her head out of the room and glanced up and down the hall. Saki was manning his post at the elevator. "Saki, do you know where Julia and Danielle are?" She asked.
"They're already at the arena." Saki glanced up.
"I need Mexican food. Can we grab them and go get some?"
"They ate with the guys." Saki said nonchalantly.
"Shit, how come no one came to get me? I'm starving." Kayd stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind her.
He shrugged and stood up and she approached him. "Danielle knocked on your door but there was no answer."
"Ugh." Kayd scowled and placed her hands on her hips. "Wanna go get some food?"
He glanced at his watch. "You only have about 30 minutes before you need to be inside."
"I know but there's a place across the street." She whined.
"Roberto's? You know how much grease that place has?"
"Please?"
"Have you looked outside?" Saki asked.
"Don't make me beg." Kayd gave him the pout lip and tried not to smile.
"Fine but you'd better inhale your food." He sighed and stood up. "Let's go." He poked his head in the room beside the elevator and let the other guard in the room know that he was taking Kayd across the street for food.
"Oh! Bring me a carne asada burrito!" Said the voice inside.
"See? He wants food too." Kayd laughed.
"Hey Tobi? You wanna take her?" Saki asked.
"Sure." Tobi said as he stepped into the hall. "I love Mexican food."
"Wicked." Kayd smiled.
"Thirty minutes." Saki called after them. Kayd waved over her shoulder as the elevator doors shut and they were on their way.
Kayd and Tobi walked unnoticed across the street to the little Mexican food place and sat outside on the picnic benches to eat their burritos. Kayd crossed her legs and sighed. "Is this not the best food ever?" She wiped her mouth with the thin napkin and laughed.
"This is pretty good." Tobi agreed as his eyes darted over the parking lot. They finished their meal and washed it down with water as they headed back across the street to the MGM hotel.
"And we're even back on time." Kayd looked at her watch as they walked through the heavy front doors.
"Awesome." Tobi grabbed her elbow and led her off to the side to avoid the crowd of fans that were waiting in line to get into the arena. "Over here." He said softly.
Kayd followed him through a side door and around the back way to the arena. They emerged in the backstage area and almost immediately ran into Tom and Gustav as they sprinted to the sidelines of the stage.
"Where's Bill?" Kayd shouted after them but they didn't hear.
"He's probably back there getting prettied up." Tobi nodded over his shoulder. "Let's get you situated out in your seat though."
"With Danielle and Julia?"
"Yeah." Tobi nodded and pulled another security guard to the side. He handed Kayd off to him and waved as he headed toward the stage. The other guard smiled and escorted her out to the arena floor where the friends and family area was sealed off. She ducked under the barrier and sat beside Julia on the little couch provided.
"Now this is sweet." Kayd smiled and sat back in the deep cushions.
They sat on the comfortable couch and drank the catered drinks for the duration of the show which was phenomenal. During the last song, Tobi and Saki came over to retrieve the girls to head to the after party. The security led the way through the arena to the backstage area where they waited in the wings for the guys to complete the show.
"Wicked awesome!" Georg laughed as he ran off stage in front of the others. "That was awesome. He hugged Julia and spun her around quickly. He kissed her before he said. "We're gonna shower and get cleaned up. Give us 20 minutes."
Julia nodded as the three other guys ran past without so much as a glance towards the girls. Kayd followed Danielle and Julia down the hall to wait outside the dressing room. The boys emerged a half hour later. They were showered and dressed to impress.
"You look delicious." Bill said softly as he pulled Kayd close.
"Thank you." She smiled and kissed him slowly. "Are you ready to party?"
"I'm always ready to party." He smiled and rested his forehead on hers.
"How's your cough?"
"I'm ignoring it." He shook his head and coughed into his shoulder. "But it's not going away." Bill shrugged and let his arm fall around Kayd's waist.
"Hi Kaydie!" Tom called as he bounced out of the dressing room. He pulled his jacket on. "Did your mom get in touch with you?"
"My mom? What? Today? No. Why?"
"I talked to my mom this afternoon and she said that Diogee was hit by a car." Tom frowned and fell into step beside her and Bill.
"What?!" Kayd stopped walking and looked at Tom. "What? When? Is he okay?"
"Who's Diogee?" Bill asked.
"Her dog. His name is Diogee. Get it? D-O-G. It spells dog." Tom said shoving his hands into his pockets.
"You don't have a dog." Bill looked at Kayd confused.
"The dog I grew up with. He lives with my parents." Kayd explained quickly. "Is he okay?" She asked Tom.
"I think so." Tom nodded. "I only talked to my mom for a minute after the sound check."
"Shit, I need to call." Kayd looked around for a phone.
"Here." Tom reached into his back pocket and produced his cell.
"Thanks." Kayd walked away from the two men in her life to find a quiet corner backstage.
She finally let herself into the dressing room and sat in a chair in the corner. She dialed her parents' number and waited nervously. "Mom?" Kayd asked when her mom answered. "Is he okay?"
"He's going to be fine." Her mom reassured her.
"What happened?" Kayd asked as tears rose in her eyes.
"He got out the side gate when the gardener was moving the mower we think. He was trying to cross down by the Boehm's house and he was hit by someone turning that corner."
"Are you sure he's okay?" Kayd wiped her eyes quickly and sighed.
"I'm sure honey. Dad took him to Dr. Müller. He didn't break anything. He's just bruised and he'll be stiff for a few days."
"He didn't break anything? Wow." Kayd sighed with relief as the dressing room door opened. Bill walked in and sat beside her to hold her hand. "I'm so glad he's okay."
"We are too." Her mom smiled.
"Okay. I just wanted to make sure he was okay." Kayd wiped her eyes again and smiled.
"He'll be good as new in a week or so."
"Okay. I'm going to come out and visit at the end of the week since I'm using up my vacation time anyways."
"That'd be great sweetie. Why don't you give me a call tomorrow and we can talk more then. I'm sure you're busy."
"Okay, I love you." Kayd said softly.
"I love you too." She smiled and flipped the phone shut.
"He's going to be okay." She said to Bill.
"That's great." He leaned over to hug her tightly. Kayd smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She glanced up at the door to see Tom leaning on the door frame. He quickly straightened up. Tom gave her a questioning look as an indication that he wanted to know if everything was okay with her dog.
Kayd smiled and gave him a thumbs up behind Bill's back. Tom returned her smile and waved quickly before he disappeared from the doorway. "I don't know why I'm getting all emotional." She sat back and wiped her eyes again.
"Because he's your dog." Bill smiled. "I'd be the same way if something happened to one of my babies."
"Really?" Kayd laughed lightly and stood up.
"Absolutely." Bill took her hand and they left the room, "Are you ready to party now?"
"Yes." She shook her head and laughed as they joined up with the security at the exit and headed over to Studio 54.
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"Where do they get this energy?" Kayd shouted over the noise at the club.
Danielle laughed and shook her head. "I have no idea." She followed Kayd's gaze to the dance floor where Julia and the guys were dancing in the center of a ring of people.
"It's insane." Kayd laughed and shook the ice in her glass. She took a piece in her mouth and set the glass on the table between her and Danielle. "Cover me. I'm going in." Kayd said as she stood and forced her way through the crowd to the dance floor.
"Hey there, sexy! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Gustav smiled seductively and let his arm fall over her shoulders.
"Nice try." Kayd rolled her eyes and ducked out from under his arm, "That way, Romeo." She spun him by his shoulder and directed him in the direction she'd just come. She pointed at Danielle still seated at the table.
"There you are!" Bill shouted over the music. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled as he led her to the side of the dance floor. "I've been looking for you."
"I'm right here." She smiled and held her arms out.
"I see that." He looked her over. "I was gonna go back to the room. Wanna come?" He leaned close and spoke into her ear.
"It's only one thirty." Kayd frowned. She totally missed what he meant.
"I know but I was thinking-"
"Do you feel okay?" She interrupted him
"Not really." Bill frowned.
"Let's stay a little longer." Kayd pouted and swayed to the music.
"Kaydie, c'mon. Let's go up." He tugged at her hand and gave her his best puppy dog eyes. That usually worked, but Kayd was pumped and ready to party the rest of the night like everyone else.
"One more hour." She pleaded and pulled him back toward the dance floor.
"Fine. Here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a room key. He slid it into her hand and closed her fingers around it. "I'll see you in an hour."
"Okay." She smiled and leaned in to kiss him quickly. Bill ran his hand up through her hair and held her in for a deeper, longer kiss. Butterflies danced around in her stomach as the beat from the music shook her externally.
Kayd's mind immediately returned to Tom's kiss. She pulled back sharply. Bill looked at her with confusion clouding his face. She felt guilty and kissed him again. She tried to squash any lingering feelings she thought might show on her face. "Let's go." She smiled at his surprised expression and followed him off the dance floor. He waved quickly to one of the security guards and signaled that they were leaving. They headed for the elevators.
Tom stayed in his position against the wall where he had watched the whole scene take place. He shook the mental pictures from his mind and picked himself up off the wall. "Hey G!" He shouted as Georg walked by.
"Yeah?" Georg asked. He raised his near empty glass in a silent toast to Tom and said, "What's up?"
"Point me in the direction of the party. I need some lovin'." Tom forced a smiled as Georg laughed again and pointed with his glass towards the opposite end of the room at four scantly clad young ladies. "That's exactly what I'm looking for." Tom smiled and high-fived Georg as he headed across the room. Tom was intent on only one thing: getting back his "Tom status."
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Tom awoke out of a hazy sleep to a feeling of dread. The feeling was intensified as he stretched his arms under the covers and felt a warm body beside him. He squinted at the sunlight coming in through the uncovered window and winced as he caught a glimpse of long red hair.
The girl mumbled something unintelligible and rolled over to face him. She was nude from the waist up. She was beautiful but Tom felt miserable. He sighed and pulled the covers back on the bed. He didn't care that he left her exposed in the process. He stumbled toward the bathroom where he showered quickly and dressed in his clean traveling clothes.
Tom put his electric shaver away when he was done and rubbed his eyes once more before stepping back into the room. He had been in there 20 minutes which was enough time for the girl to get the hint. Apparently she did. When he stepped out the bed was empty.
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Bill propped himself up on his elbow and brushed Kayd's hair off of her cheek. The soft curls practically covered the entire pillow behind her. Bill smiled as he watched her lips move silently as she dreamt. Bill leaned forward slowly and nibbled on her earlobe. He circled the tiny earring with his tongue and whispered, "Hey."
"Hmm?" Kayd mumbled with a half asleep smile.
"How would you-" He paused to lick his lips and kiss her neck. "Like to meet-" He rolled her onto her back and supported himself on his hands placed on either side of her face. "The president?"
Kayd giggled mischievously and glanced down to where his hips met hers. "We've been introduced."
"I meant the actual president of the United States! Not my penis!" Bill laughed and tickled her side.
"Oh!" Kayd laughed. "Is that what you meant?"
"Yes, that's what I meant." Bill smiled and shook his head. He picked up his pillow and smacked her lightly with it. They wrestled for the pillow for a minute before they fell to the floor in a heap of blankets.
"What are you talking about?" Kayd asked breathlessly as she tried to untangle her legs from the sheets that had followed them.
"I'm talking about meeting the president." Bill laughed and kicked the blankets away from his feet.
"Are you guys friends or something?"
"We've been asked to perform for the president at some event he's having."
"Really?" Kayd asked excitedly.
"Yeah, it's formal. A black tie event."
"Sure! The president will be there?"
"Yeah." Bill nodded.
"Yeah, I'd love to go." Kayd smiled and pushed herself to a sitting position. "Are you serious?"
"I'm totally serious." Bill kissed her quickly then wrapped the sheet around his waist as he headed to the bathroom. "So you'll get to see us in our suits." He said as he shut the door.
"I'd pay good money to see that." Kayd laughed and tossed the blankets back on the bed. She straightened them out as well as she could and adjusted her over-sized T-shirt as she sat at the little table to order up some toast and juice.
She and Bill ate the light breakfast and dressed before they began to pack up for their move to Caesars. "What time are the others leaving?" Kayd asked as she zipped her backpack.
There was a knock on the door and Bill said, "Right about now I suppose."
Kayd laughed and pulled the door open, "Perfect timing."
"You guys are sticking around here for a couple days, right?" Gustav asked.
"Yeah, at Caesars." Bill said from inside the room.
"Well, there's been a slight change of plans." Gustav said slowly as Danielle yawned and rested her head on his shoulder.
"What?! No way! Two measly days free is all I want." Bill whined and hopped over his suitcase to talk to Gustav at the door.
"No, it's not like that. You can stay for two days but instead of meeting up in New York to go to Asia on Friday, we're leaving from here. Las Vegas, I mean."
"Friday?"
"Yeah." Gustav nodded.
"Okay. That's cool. You'll call and remind me though, right?"
"Yeah, someone will call." Gustav laughed and took Danielle's hand. "Our van leaves in about 10 minutes though, so I'll see ya later."
"Wait, I'll go down with you so I can say good bye." Kayd stepped out into the hall with them. "Coming?"
"No, I'm going to finish up in here." Bill smiled and kicked his suitcase out of the way.
"I'll be right back." Kayd said as she followed Danielle and Gustav to the elevators and then on down to the lobby.
"Hey Kaydie." Tom forced a smile as he leaned on the black lacquered planter beside the valet booth.
"Hi Tom! You look like hell."
"It's the price to pay for partying." Tom yawned and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
"Worth it?" Kayd asked with a smile.
Tom shrugged and looked over his shoulder at the van by the curb being loaded with all of their stuff. "It's better than the alternative."
"What's that?" Kayd asked.
Tom just shrugged again and looked back at Kayd with bloodshot eyes, "So things are going pretty good with Bill, huh?"
"It's harder than I thought it would be." Kayd said and tried to force a smile.
"You haven't said a word." Tom frowned and shifted his bag from one shoulder to the other.
"I don't- I mean, I just feel kind of weird coming to you for help with- well- Bill."
"If anyone would know how to help, it'd be me." Tom mumbled. "I know him better than anyone."
"I know." Kayd nodded and stuck her hands in her pockets, "It's just-"
"I can help you out. All you have to do is ask." Tom pulled her in for a quick hug, "I know both of you better than you think."
"Thanks, Tom. I'll see you when you guys get back from Asia." She kissed his cheek quickly before he hopped into the van and sat beside Georg. Tom threw his body into Georg and body slammed him as the door shut. Georg playfully shoved Tom away from him and smacked his head.
Kayd smiled and watched the van pull out of the driveway. She turned to go back up to the room where Bill was waiting for her.
-----------------------------
"So where to first?" Kayd asked after she and Bill checked into Caesars.
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Bill asked.
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Kayd laughed and fell face first onto the bed.
"Hey, do you like roller coasters?"
"Um, no. Me and roller coasters don't mix well."
"You don't like them?" Bill asked as Kayd rolled onto her back. She let her head fall over the side of the bed so that she was looking at Bill upside-down.
"Not really." Kayd said.
"We should probably keep a low profile for a little while though." Bill said and smiled down at her bright red face.
"Hmm. Maybe they can bring some slot machines up here for us to play." Kayd laughed.
"Maybe not." Bill sat on the bed beside her and batted at her hair that hung almost to the floor. "How about we go to a show tonight? Oh and there's this M&M factory thing."
"That's keeping a low profile?"
"It's not as obvious as gambling." Bill smiled and shook his head. "You're going to get a bloody nose if you hang like that for too long."
"Blood is good for your brain." Kayd explained as she pulled herself back into a sitting position. "Okay, I think tickets and M&M's make for a good night."
"What show do you want to see?"
"Cirque de Soliel? I've heard it's amazing."
"That works for me." Bill called down to the concierge and arranged to have tickets for the show for that night. It was amazing what being 'Bill Kaulitz from Tokio Hotel' could get you. "Done." He kissed her quickly and they headed out for the M&M factory.
When they got out to the street Kayd squinted into the bright afternoon light. "Can we walk?" She smiled and pulled Bill's hand toward the sidewalk.
"I dunno." He looked nervously up and down the street. He was expecting to see a mob of fans. He supposed the fans weren't aware that he'd stayed in Las Vegas. He relaxed and fell into step beside Kayd.
An hour later they had finished with the M&M factory tour and were in the gift shop surrounded by a rainbow of M&M's. "They have pink M&M's!" Kayd excitedly grabbed a gift bag and ran over to the pink chocolates.
"How bizarre. Who would want black M&M's?" Bill asked as he held up his little bag with the offensive M&M's on the bottom.
"You apparently." Kayd laughed and scooped up another handful of pink M&M's.
"Okay, so they interest me. I'm into weird stuff like that." Bill shrugged and headed over to the 10-foot tall gumball machine.
"Ahhh! Tom look at these!" Kayd said as the held up a bag of multicolored M&M's. Bill looked at her for a second and she realized her mistake. "Bill." She laughed. "Sorry."
"It's okay." Bill smiled oddly and reached for the bag that Kayd was holding out to him. "Wicked. Are you gonna to get them?"
"Chyeah." Kayd laughed and turned back to the counter. She was embarrassed she'd accidentally called out the wrong name and she tried to hide her blush.
They spent the rest of the day taking in the excitement of Las Vegas. They'd done a great job at avoiding the fans that were lingering around the city. They enjoyed the show that night then headed back to their hotel to play the slots.
Kayd dropped some quarters into the machine she was seating in front of and sighed. She was having a great time with Bill but somehow during the last couple days something changed. She wasn't sure exactly what it was that was missing but she was sure it had to do with Tom. Kayd frowned and stared at the slot machine. She hadn't made any kind of move to push the button or pull the handle.
"Kaydie?" Bill said as he waved his hand in front of her face. "Kaydie." That was Tom's nickname for her. She suddenly felt irrationally ill that Bill was using it now.
"What?" Kayd snapped out of her trance-like state and focused on Bill.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked with a playful smile.
"Nothing." She shook her head and hit the 'bid max' button.
"Are you okay?" Bill looked worried as he rubbed her back softly. "You seemed like you were having fun earlier but now you seem kind of sad or something."
"No, I'm fine." Kayd smiled and faked a yawn. "I think I'm just tired."
"Okay." Bill said. He wasn't sure whether or not he should believe her. He decided to let it go. "Let's just go up to our room then."
"Okay." Kayd nodded. She played the last of her quarters before she grabbed her bucket and followed Bill.
They went up to the room and Kayd immediately stripped her clothes off and jumped in the shower. She let the hot water run over until the water ran cold. When she finally made it back into the room Bill was asleep on top of the covers.
Kayd sighed and watched him sleep as her mind raced. "I really don't wanna feel anything more than friendship with Tom but how can I help it? If he just hadn't said anything. If he hadn't sent me those stupid flowers. If he hadn't spilled his heart out like he did. If he just hadn't kissed me like that. It would just be a lot easier if things could go back to how they were before."
But that wasn't going to happen. Now Kayd had to deal with her changing feelings toward both Bill and Tom. She sighed and switched the light off before she slid into bed beside Bill. In an attempt to spark something inside her, she wrapped her arms around his middle and kissed his bare shoulder softly. He remained asleep, but snuggled closer to her and pulled her arms tighter around him.
Kayd brushed her hair out of her face and wiped her eyes as she began to cry softly. "This isn't how I imagined my life. This is way too dramatic for me. I wanted a plain life. A regular boring life where I would meet and fall in love with just one man. One man who didn't live in the spotlight, didn't have cameras crammed in his face on a daily basis. A man who would love me and we could buy a small house and live without worrying about getting the most advance security system to keep stalker-fans out. I don't like this hysteria surrounding me and my boyfriend and my best friend. My best friend who is in love with me... and I love him too."
She clung to Bill throughout the night in hopes of holding him tight enough to change everything she felt inside. She awoke to a feeling of sadness and the smell of cinnamon. Kayd slowly opened her eyes and rolled over to find where the smell was coming from.
"Good morning, babe." Bill smiled as he wheeled the room service cart into the room from the hall. "Are you hungry?"
Kayd's stomach growled loudly as she sat up. "I am."
"Good! I've got cinnamon rolls, french toast and some fruit." Bill smiled and parked the cart beside the bed. "You looked kind of sad last night and I know you like sweet stuff for breakfast." He said softly. Bill had heard her crying last night but he would never let on that he did. She obviously didn't want to talk about it.
"I was. A little." She shrugged as she smiled as she reached for a sticky cinnamon roll.
"Anything I can do to help?" Bill climbed onto the bed beside her.
Kayd thought for a second and chewed intently. "Yes." She licked her icing coated lips and smiled. She really hoped it would work. "Kiss me."
"I can do that." Bill smiled and ran his hands up into her hair as he kissed her deeply. He could taste the sweetness of the cinnamon roll and the warmth of her mouth. He gladly continued for the next few minutes before she pulled back and took a bite of her breakfast to calm her growling stomach.
"Thank you. I needed that." She smiled and licked her fingers.
"Anytime. You know that."
"I know." She set the roll down on the tray and kissed him again. As long as their lips were touching she could forget about Tom and focus just on Bill.
"Are you better now?" Bill asked as he brushed Kayd's hair off her forehead.
"Yes." She nodded slowly. "I'm sorry if I've been acting Strange. It must be PMS or something. Mood swings can be brutal." She laughed softly.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"No." She smiled and shook her head. "Can we go for a drive today? I wanna see the Hoover Dam."
"You want to see a dam?"
"Yes." Kayd smiled and reached over for her cinnamon roll.
"It's a big wall that holds water."
"Lots of water."
"Okay, it's a big wall that holds lots of water." Bill frowned.
"It's a tourist attraction." Kayd argued playfully. "How often am I gonna be in the US to see a big wall that holds lots of water?"
"Hmmm." Bill took a piece of french toast and poured syrup on it.
"We only have today, right? You leave tomorrow right?"
"Yeah." Bill nodded. "You're leaving too, aren't you?"
"Yes but I'm going to my parents." She explained as she headed for the bathroom. "You leave Friday for Asia?"
"Yeah." Bill took a few bites of his breakfast and sipped his room temperature coffee.
"For two weeks?"
"Sixteen days."
"Then?" Kayd asked through the door.
"Then we go back to Germany for a little break, then to the studio to work on the new album, then to Washington DC for that thing with the president."
"Right." Kayd walked into the room with her hair in a ponytail.
"You still coming with me?"
"Yeah." Kayd nodded and sat on the side of bed.
"Awesome."
"Yes." Kayd laughed lightly and shook his foot. "So let's go. We need to leave pretty if we're going to see the dam."
"The damn dam." Bill rolled his eyes.
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Yeah. Anything would be better than a dam."
Kayd shook her head and reached for her bag. "C'mon."
"Awww, mom, do I have to?" Bill whined.
Kayd smiled and gave him her best 'mom' look.
"Okay, okay. We'll go see the damn dam." He took his last bite of french toast and pulled himself out of bed.
Kayd dragged Bill through the entire tour of the dam. That included the gift shop and museum exhibit. They spent the evening packing up their room and eating another dinner from room service.
In the morning they shared a cab to the airport. Kayd said goodbye to Bill at his gate. "I'll see you in a couple weeks?" He asked.
"Yeah. Call me when you get back from Asia."
"I'll have my people call your people." He smiled and kissed her quickly.
"Do that." She laughed. "Just let me know when you have some free time."
Bill nodded and hugged her tight. "I can call you from Asia, you know."
"Oh! Wait." Kayd opened her purse and dug around to look for the pen she knew she had in there. "I have a card that I use for work. If you call the number and then have them connect you to my number, it costs half the price of a normal international call." She explained as she pulled stuff out of her purse and handed it to Bill to hold.
"You know I can just call."
"Whatever. Saving money is way better." Kayd sat next to Bill and set her purse in her lap to use both hands.
Bill looked down at the stuff in his lap. There were at least twelve receipts, a plastic photo holder that obviously fell out of her wallet and a little business card. Being nosy he flipped the business card over and saw that it wasn't a business card at all. He realized it was a greeting card that is sent with flowers. "With every breath you take, you save me." He read it slowly. He immediately recognized the handwriting.
Things suddenly became very clear for Bill. Of course Kayd had been acting a weird. If Tom had sent this to her, and he obviously had, she would have felt awkward. She hadn't wanted to say anything to Bill so that he wouldn't feel awkward around Tom either. She had kept this to herself and didn't want to do or say anything to hurt his and Tom's relationship.
"Here." Kayd handed him a scrap piece of paper with the calling card number written on it. "Use this."
"Thanks." Bill quickly tucked the card into the photo holder and handed the contents of her purse back to her. "You've got a lot of stuff in there."
"Just the stuff I don't want to lose." She smiled and kissed him quickly as his flight was called. "Talk to you soon."
"I'm gonna miss you." He kissed her again and smiled.
"I'm going to miss you too." She said softly as he walked toward the tunnel to board the plane. She sighed as she watched him walk away. She shook her head and walked to her gate to board the plane that would take her home.
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"Mom, seriously. I can't just say, 'Hey, Bill. I'm gonna date Tom now. K-Thanks-Bye'." Kayd rolled her eyes as she sat across the table from her mom two nights after returning from Las Vegas. She always told her mom everything and was now seeking advice.
"Kayd, you know that's not what I mean." Her mom placed a cup of coffee in front of her and sighed. "If being with Tom is what you want, stringing Bill along isn't helping."
"I know but what if I don't know what I want?" Kayd dropped her head onto her arms and pretended to cry. "This sucks mom." She whined.
"Of course it does. Life in general sucks." She smiled.
"I like Bill though. I really do."
"But?"
"But I've known Tom forever."
"That doesn't really mean anything." Her mom shook her head.
Kayd sighed and lifted her head. "I'm back to the same problem. I don't want to hurt either of them. Staying with Bill is hurting Tom. Leaving the relationship for Tom would hurt Bill." Her mom didn't say anything. She slowly nodded and looked at Kayd, "Maybe I should get rid of them both and find some other guy." Kayd laughed softly.
"Yes, you could do that."
"No." Kayd shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. "I can't to that. I love him, Mom."
"I know you do." Her mom smiled. "You just need to figure out which 'him' that is."
Kayd paused for a second. "Yeah." She said as she sighed.
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Kayd stood in her room staring down at the black dress laying on her bed. She smiled and placed a deep red wrap beside it and cocked her head to the side. "It's missing something." She frowned and opened her jewelry box on top of her bureau. She pulled a few drawers open as she searched for an old piece of jewelry that her grandmother had given to her. It was only colored glass, probably not worth anything, but it was pretty and it matched with the outfit. She dropped the ruby red pendant necklace into her suitcase and smiled.
She had only a half hour until her ride would be there to take her to the airport, but she wasn't even close to ready. Kayd looked down at her faded jeans, T-shirt and bare feet. "This look just would not be appropriate for tonight." She mumbled to herself. "But it'll be just fine for the plane trip and cab ride to the hotel." Kayd finished packing her bag and was waiting by the curb when her ride came to pick her up.
She hadn't seen Bill since the guys had returned from Asia. It had been almost a month. They'd been so busy in the studio. She was anxious to see all the guys. It was almost strange how close they'd all become since she started seeing Bill.
She hadn't seen Tom since the day he left Las Vegas. The separation seemed good for her. She was a little more sure about her relationship with Bill. Kayd was thrilled to see Bill again after so many weeks but she was also excited to see Tom. She hadn't even talked to him over the phone in three weeks.
Kayd relaxed for the plane ride to Washington DC and listened to her iPod. It was going to be a great night.
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Kayd climbed out of the taxi in front of the Capital Hilton in Washington DC. She squinted her eyes as the setting sun peeked through the clouds and reflected off the building. She draped her bag over her shoulder and headed into the lobby.
Kayd looked around cautiously. This was totally out of the ordinary for a hotel where Tokio Hotel was staying. There wasn't a single screaming fan, not one fangirl, not even any hand made banners. "Shit, I have the wrong hotel." She mumbled to herself as she crossed the lobby to the front desk. "Um, hi." She smiled at the woman behind the counter. "I'm not sure if I have the right hotel. I'm looking for- well for Tokio Hotel." She smiled and blushed.
"Any one of them in particular?" The woman asked.
"Bill. Kaulitz. Bill Kaulitz." Kayd stuttered.
The woman keyed a few letters into her computer. She smiled and said, "Would you like me to ring his room?"
"I have the right hotel?" Kayd asked with a surprised look.
"Yes, can I connect you?" She handed the phone to Kayd and smiled.
"Yes, thank you." Kayd touched the leaves of the silk plant in front of her and waited as the phone rang in her ear.
"This is Bill." Bill answered the phone.
"Hi! Guess where I am?" Kayd smiled and curled the silk leaf around her finger.
"Abu Dhabi?" He laughed.
"Not even close." Kayd shook her head and adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
"I'll be down in a minute." Bill laughed again and turned to the others in his room. "Who wants to go to the lobby?"
"Oh oh! Me me!" Georg laughed.
"Me too! Me too!" Tom joined in.
"I'm bringing the kids with me." Bill laughed into the phone and said, "I'll be down in a few."
Kayd waited by the front desk and fiddled with the straps on her bag. When the elevator doors opened she heard the guys before she saw them. "I did not!" Tom insisted as they walked around the corner. "I wasn't even drunk!"
"Yes, you did! And, yes, you were!" Georg laughed and playfully shoved Tom into the wall. "Ask Kayd." Georg said looking in her direction, "Kayd! When Tom was drunk in Las Vegas didn't he run up and down the hall in a Superman cape?" Georg winked at Kayd and smiled.
"Batman cape." Kayd corrected him and smiled. "I don't remember him running up and down the hall."
"Ha!" Tom smacked Georg in the back of the head as they walked across the marble floor beside Bill.
"I do, however, remember you ballet dancing up and down the hall with the Batman cape, but not running." Kayd laughed and watched Tom's face turn bright red.
"I did not!"
"Yes, you did!" Kayd laughed and started to walk towards them so they wouldn't have to shout. "And for the record, you were drunk."
"And I missed all that!" Bill smiled.
Kayd hesitated as she looked up and watched the three men walking toward her. Her boyfriend and her best friend were walking side by side. She had to hug one of them first. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she looked from one to the other. This shouldn't have been a problem, Bill was her boyfriend. He should be hugged first. But deep down she was more excited to see Tom.
As they came near she could tell that both of them expected a hug. Without hesitation she opened her arms and hugged Georg first. "I've missed you so much!" She cried into his hair and laughed at Bill and Tom's reactions.
"Oh Kayd! I've missed you too! C'mon! Let's get rid of these two and run away to Utah!" Georg spun Kayd out in a dramatic dance move then laughed.
"Ugh, Utah? No thanks." Kayd made a face then released Georg's hand and hugged the nearest of the two.
"Hey, babe." Bill said as he kissed her quickly, "You brought your dress, right?"
"What? Dress? You mean I can't wear this?" Kayd looked down at her dirty pants.
"I like the shirt." Bill smiled and shook his head. "But the pants just don't work."
"Maybe I can borrow a pair of yours?" She asked Tom.
"Sure. I doubt they'd fit you. They barely fit me." Tom laughed. "I'll go pantsless."
"Oooh, I like." Kayd laughed and gave Tom a big hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. Her arms lingered for a second around his neck. She hoped no one noticed. "Is Julia here?" Kayd asked Georg as they headed back to the elevators.
"Yeah, she's over at the Hyatt getting ready with Tom's-"
"Date." Tom said quickly. "With my date."
"Oh they're not here? I have to get ready with you morons?" Kayd frowned and stepped onto the elevator behind them.
Bill tapped the button for their floor and said, "Well Gustav's girlfriend is here, I think."
"Danielle?" Kayd laughed.
"Yeah." Georg shrugged.
"That's okay. I'll just kick Bill out and take over his room." Kayd shrugged.
"Then where am I supposed to get dressed?" Bill asked and looked at his watch. "We have to leave here in 2 hours."
"It'll take you that long to fix your hair." Georg laughed as the doors opened on their floor.
"Great. So where should I meet you?" Kayd held out her hand for the room key and Bill just stared at her.
"Seriously? You're kicking me out of my room?"
"Yes." Kayd laughed and kept her hand out. Bill sighed and reached into his pocket for the key card. "Thanks. Tom, where's your room?"
"3434. At the end." Tom nodded down the hall.
Kayd turned to Bill. "See you have a place to get ready now. I'll meet you in two hours then?" Kayd asked.
"Wait, I need to get my clothes." Bill sighed and followed Kayd into the room. He grabbed his garment bag and his overnight bag from the bathroom. "Have fun."
"You too." Kayd giggled as he headed for the door.
"You know, putting me and Tom together to get dressed could be a bad idea."
"I figure between the both of you, you should be able to make yourselves look presentable." Kayd smiled sweetly and shut the door.
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Two hours later, Kayd put the finishing touches on her hair. She spritzed on a light spray of perfume and she was ready. She draped her wrap over her arms and held her purse in her hand as she stepped out into the hall and pulled the door shut behind her.
"Kayd! Hi!" Julia smiled from the end of the hall. Georg stepped into the hall beside her and tucked the room key into his pocket.
"Hi! How are you?" Kayd asked as she walked toward Tom's room.
"I'm doing great! How about you?" Julia hugged Kayd quickly as she walked past.
"I'm good." Kayd nodded and smiled. "You look great."
"So do you." Julia took Georg's hand in hers and smiled even bigger.
"It's just you and Bill and us. We're stuck in the last limo together." Georg smiled.
"Okay. I'll just get Bill and we can go." She tapped on Tom's door and waited as Bill ran his fingers through his hair getting it to stand just right.
Bill made a face at the reflection in the mirror before he shook his head and opened the door, "Hey, I think we're go-" He stopped and took in the sight of Kayd standing in the hall. "You look amazing."
"You sound shocked." Julia laughed.
"No I- I just. You really look great." Bill said quickly. She did look great. Her dress fit her as if it had been sewn just for her. The deep red of her wrap made her skin glow. Bill definitely noticed how beautiful she was but something seemed missing. He had noticed it last time they were together.
"Great. Yeah we all look fabulous. Can we go now?" Georg asked as he pulled Julia's hand down the hall.
"What's the hurry?" Kayd asked.
"Everyone else left 20 minutes ago." Georg smiled over his shoulder. "To get drinks and stuff."
"I'm going to need a serious drink to get through this event." Bill rolled his eyes.
"You're performing tonight." Julia and Kayd said in unison.
"So?"
"If you didn't want to come why'd you drag me all the way from Germany?" Kayd asked Bill as they all stepped onto the elevator.
"I had to come." Bill explained. "And I figured you would want to come."
"Can you believe this guy?" Kayd said to Julia as she shook her head.
"I know, right?" They laughed lightly and headed out for a night of music and celebrities.
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As the limo stopped in front of the Kennedy Center, Bill and Georg stepped out first, then reached back to help Kayd and Julia out. Kayd took Bill's hand and stepped from the limo. She adjusted her wrap to cover her shoulders as the cool air hit her bare skin.
"Have I told you how fabulous you look tonight?" Bill asked softly as they walked up the steps to the entrance.
"Yes, a few times." Kayd laughed nervously. "But thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiled and held the door open for her. She stepped into the grand foyer where she was met with a large crowd of celebrities and dignitaries. Georg and Julia led the way through the hall to where the rest of their party was waiting off to the side.
"Hey you." Kayd smiled as she walked up beside Tom, "You're looking quite dapper tonight." She tried not to stare at him in his simple black and white tuxedo. It was the first time she'd ever seen him in formal attire.
"Thanks. So do you." He smiled and turned to the side. Kayd caught a glimpse of his 'date' for the night.
"Simone! Hi! How are you?" Kayd smiled and hugged Tom's mother tightly. "I didn't know you were coming! What a surprise!"
"It was a last minute thing." Simone laughed and stepped back from the hug. "My little baby over here couldn't get a date." Tom blushed and looked away as Simone continued. "So how have you been?"
"I've been good." Kayd said slowly as the others began chattering around them.
"Well, you look wonderful." Simone beamed. "Tom, doesn't she look great?"
"Breathtaking." Tom said softly with a slow flirty smile.
Kayd blushed deeply and tried to maintain her composure as her heart melted into a tiny puddle of love for Tom. "How is it that he always says the absolutely perfect right thing?" She cleared her throat quickly and fidgeted with her wrap. "Um, th-thank you." She forced a wobbly smiled and turned back to Bill who was standing there with a half confused smile on his face.
Bill had seen the changes taking place over the last month or so and tonight it was clear that he'd been right. If Kayd didn't say something, he would have to.
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Tokio Hotel had put on an amazing performance. The guys cleaned themselves up quickly and rejoined their dates to enjoy the rest of the event. Bill held Kayd's hand throughout the performance but he noticed her casting sideways glances at Tom most of the evening. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled.
When the event had ended they followed the rest of the guests out to the grand hall and stood in a small group to themselves. "Do you want a drink?" Bill asked as he nodded toward the bar set up in the corner.
"Sure." Kayd smiled and adjusted her wrap to cover her bare arms. "Hey Gustav." She smiled as the blonde walked over with a glass of champagne. "How was Asia?"
"Oh it was great. Have you ever been?" He smiled and casually leaned against the wall.
"No." Kayd shook her head. "Coming here to the US was the first time I'd ever left Germany." She laughed and reached for the clasp on her purse. "But I keep my passport on me at all times."
"You have it in your purse?" Gustav laughed and leaned over to watch as she pulled it out and handed it to him.
"You never know when you'll have to leave the country suddenly." Kayd laughed and blushed as he looked at her picture then back up at her. "I know. I look like an axe murderer."
"No one takes a good passport photo thought." Gustav laughed and shook his head. "You should see mine. I look like an sheep." Kayd laughed out loud and took the passport back.
"Well Gustav, I can sorta see the resemblance-"
"Shut up." He laughed again as his cheeks turned red.
"So where's Danielle? I thought for sure I'd see her here."
"No, she's in Vancouver taping." He shrugged. "Plus, I don't think she likes the US president. I'd hate to see what she'd have to say if she met him."
"Oh." Kayd fumbled in her purse to get the passport back in. A tiny card fell out. "Shit." She said under her breath as she knelt to pick it up. She turned it over in her hand and realized it was the flower card that came with the roses Tom sent. The roses that started this whole mess. She stared at the card for a second as she read and reread the words quickly scribbled on the front.
"You okay?" Gustav asked softly.
"What? Oh, yeah." Kayd stood up and tucked the card back in her purse. Her cheeks flushed suddenly as her hand shook slightly by her side.
"Here you go." Bill said as he appeared at her side. He handed her a glass of champagne and smiled. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Kayd nodded and took a sip of her champagne. "Let's go outside." She nodded toward the door leading to the balcony that wrapped around the building.
Bill nodded and followed her across the room and out the thick glass door. They walked to the railing and Kayd leaned her elbows on the rough concrete. She sighed and looked out over the city.
"Bill, I've been thinking-" Kayd started slowly as Bill wrapped his arm around her waist. He leaned on the railing beside her and rested his chin in his other hand.
Bill paused for a second and smiled slowly at Kayd as she pulled her wrap tighter around her bare shoulders. "About Tom?" Bill asked softly.
"Bill, I thi-" She stopped short and said, "Wait, what?"
"You've been thinking about Tom." Bill said matter of factly. "I'm not completely daft, you know." He let a small smile slide across his lips.
"Bill-" Kayd crinkled her forehead and shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Bill looked out over the city and squinted at the Washington Memorial. "He's been thinking about you as well."
"I- I know."
"You know?"
"Long story. I'll have to tell you some time."
"About the card?" Bill asked with a sly smile.
Kayd just stared at Bill for a second with a confused look on her face. "Are you psychic? How do you know everything?"
"I saw the little card in your purse and I know Tom's handwriting. I just can't figure out when he gave it to you."
"A long time ago. At the beginning." She said softly.
"And you've- you-"
"No." She shook her head slowly and met his eye as the wind blew a stray curl across her cheek. "No. I've only felt like this for a few days. I guess it's been coming. I don't know." She said.
"That's okay."
"Bill, I've had a great time with you. You're the best and I can see why Tom considers you as more than his brother. No one can make a better best friend than your twin brother."
"And I can see why he loves you so much." Bill touched her hair gently and smiled.
"I feel terrible, Bill."
"Why?" He asked with a soft laugh genuinely confused.
"Because you brought me here as your girlfriend and- and it just feels like I've been so dishonest with you. I'm sorry, Bill. I really am."
"Don't be sorry, Kayd." Bill shook his head. "You're a great friend. I've had an awesome time with you but it's been obvious someone else was on your mind."
"I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing." Bill laughed. "Tom's a lucky guy. And you're a lucky girl."
"Can't you at least be a little distraught over this? I just broke up with you." Kayd smiled and looked up at him quickly.
"Oh Kayd! Please don't leave me! Please! I can't go on without you." Bill said in mock desperation.
"That's more like it." Kayd laughed. "Seriously, Bill, I'm sorry if I've lied to you."
"Kayd?" Bill looked over his shoulder quickly and back to Kayd.
"Yeah?" She asked softly.
"I think you should go inside now. It's getting cold out here."
"But-"
"Go on, Kayd. Tom's waiting for you." Bill took her by her shoulders and turned her around so that she was facing the plate glass windows where Tom stood watching quietly.
Kayd turned around quickly and threw her arms around Bill's neck and held him tightly. "Bill, you're the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I hope that doesn't change."
"Go, before he leaves." Bill smiled and kissed her cheek softly.
"I love you, Bill."
"I love you too, Kayd." He smiled as she kissed him quickly then took off running towards the building.
Tom witnessed the entire scene from the silence of the hall. He didn't know what was said but, whatever it was, was just what Kayd wanted to hear. She hadn't been able to contain her happiness as she threw her arms around Bill. She'd held him like he'd just given her the world and she couldn't wait to open it. Tom frowned and looked at the cell in his hand. His text alert hadn't gone off in a long time. Bill and Kayd were happy together. Kaydie didn't need Tom anymore.
Tom sighed deeply and turned away from the window. He had seen enough. He tortured himself enough over the last few months. He had to put on the happy face around them when he'd rather just grab Kayd and shake her to make her see that he wasn't going to stop loving her. He was ready to stop that now. He slowly dropped his hands in his pockets and started towards the exit. He needed to get away from the happy couple.
Kayd threw the doors open in time to see Tom walking towards the exit at the other end of the dim entry hall. He had his hands in his pockets and was concentrating on each step. "Tom?!" Kayd called down the wide hall.
The few people still waiting around stopped and watched as Kayd walked quickly in her high heels. She carried her wrap by one end as the other end fell dangerously close to the floor.
Tom stopped walking but didn't turn around as Kayd drew nearer. She knew he'd heard her. There was no question about that. He just didn't know what to expect or what to say when he turned around.
"Tom." Kayd stopped beside him with a big smile on her face. "Do I-" She paused out of breath. "Do I still save you with every breath?"
"What?" Tom asked his heart lifted in his chest. That wasn't what he had expected her to say. "What?" He repeated again.
"Just answer me." Kayd smiled. She stood less than a foot away from him. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Do I still save you with every breath?"
"To me, you'll be forever sacred." He smiled and reached for her hand to pull her close to him.
"Good answer." Kayd laughed lightly and raised her lips to his as they shared their first real kiss.