Remember My Dreams

29. Back in business

The night had already bled into the early morning when Bill and I were still working on perfecting the song "Strange." The guitar lay beside us on the bed, its wooden body reflecting the faint light from the lamps we had left on. We were so focused on every detail—each chord, every lyric—that we completely lost track of time. It felt as though the hours had vanished in a cloud of creativity, and we forgot that the outside world still existed.
Eventually, we fell asleep, exhausted but satisfied. The guitar remained beside us, a silent witness to the effort and passion we had poured into the song. It was a beautiful, serene chaos of musical notes and loving glances, but now it was time to rest.
Suddenly, the quiet night was interrupted by the sharp ringtone of Bill's phone. The sound pierced through my dreamless sleep, like an insistent alarm dragging me out of a deep slumber. I opened my eyes and saw Bill still lying next to me, a peaceful expression on his face.
"Bill," I mumbled, trying to gently shake him. My fingers reached for his shoulder, giving him a light nudge. "Bill, your phone."
Bill muttered something incoherent and turned over, clearly still half asleep. "Hmm," he groaned, "it's probably just Tom checking where I am."
"Turn it off," I complained, the ringtone far too loud for this time of night. My eyes were still heavy with sleep, and I wasn't quite ready for a conversation. Bill made an attempt to wake up and reached out for the nightstand next to the bed. His fingers fumbled clumsily over the surface until he finally found his phone. The ringing stopped as he picked it up, but he shot upright in bed when he saw who was calling.
"Hans," Bill whispered, now fully awake and concerned. "I have to take this."
Bill climbed out of bed and pulled on his pants as he walked out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. The silence that followed was welcome, and I tried to lull myself back to sleep, but it was too late; my own phone began to ring.
Dazed and still half-asleep, I opened my eyes again. My phone was on the nightstand, and I saw that Paul was calling. With a sigh and a hint of irritation at the interruption, I reached out and picked it up.
"Hello?" I said, my voice still hoarse from sleep.
"Hey Elise," Paul's familiar voice came through the speaker. "I hope I didn't wake you."
"No, it's fine," I answered, sitting up in bed. "What's going on?"
Paul's voice was reassuring, but there was an undertone of concern that immediately made me more alert. "I just wanted to check how you're doing."
I leaned back against the pillow and let out a deep breath. "Yeah, everything's fine. I've got my memory back, and things are starting to fall into place again."
"Elise, we just got a call from the management of Tokio Hotel. They really want us back for the Humanoid Tour. I understood from Bas that you're up for it too?" Paul continued.
A smile broke across my face, and I could barely contain my excitement. "Yes, of course! That's amazing news!"
Paul's voice sounded relieved and energized. "Great. The tour starts in three months, and they want us to start rehearsals within an hour."
I nodded in agreement, even though Paul couldn't see me. The fatigue that had overtaken me earlier was quickly replaced by a surge of energy. The thought of being back on stage, rehearsing, and working on new music filled me with genuine happiness.
"That sounds fantastic," I said, my voice brimming with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to get started."

Bill returned to the room after his phone call, a huge smile on his face. "You're coming with us on tour?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement. I nodded eagerly, my grin matching his.
"I just got a call from Paul too," I said. Bill climbed back into bed and kissed me. His lips felt warm and reassuring against mine.
"Since everything's set in motion for the tour to continue, unfortunately, I'll have to leave soon," Bill said, his voice full of regret. I glanced at the clock on my phone screen and, to my surprise, it was already eight in the morning.
"Yeah," I sighed. "I need to be back in the studio in about an hour too."
"Oh," Bill said, a playful gleam in his eyes. "An hour... that's still time."
"Hmm," I teased and jumped out of bed. I pulled off my T-shirt and walked naked, without looking back, toward the bathroom.
I immediately heard Bill's footsteps behind me. The tension between us was palpable, a mix of excitement and desire. As I stepped into the bathroom, I turned on the shower, feeling the warm water flow over my skin. Bill followed, his eyes filled with admiration and a hint of mischief.
"You're making it hard for me to leave, you know that?" he said as he joined me under the shower.
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Maybe I don't want you to leave."
He leaned in and kissed me, first tenderly, then more hungrily. The warm water mingled with the heat between us. His lips moved to my neck, his hands sliding down my back. I moaned softly, my fingers running through his wet hair.
"Elise," he whispered against my skin, "you're irreplaceable."
I felt his desire and responded with just as much passion. Our bodies found each other under the shower, every touch intense and full of love. Bill lifted me, my legs wrapped around his waist, as his lips found mine again. We lost ourselves in each other, forgetting the world around us.
His hands explored every inch of my body, our breathing quickening. "I want you," he whispered, and I felt the sincerity in his voice.
We surrendered to the moment, the water enveloping us like a warm blanket. The passion between us burned brightly, every touch and kiss deepening the bond we shared. Finally, exhausted but content, we stood together in the shower, the steam swirling around us a testament to our love and desire.
Bill held me close, his forehead resting against mine. "This is what I want," he whispered. "With you, every day."
I smiled and kissed him softly. "Me too, Bill. Me too."