Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 23 - Come Back

Amelie's POV

My parents were back at work, so I popped over to the hospital to visit Gabi after school. Unsurprisingly, Toni was there, sitting by her bedside, dark circles around his eyes and a book in his hand, reading out loud to her. Felix had left for Bremen, and his parents to Rostock, so he was all alone again.

"Toni...the doctor said she can't hear us," I told him as I put my things down on the couch at the corner.

"I don't care," he said, his voice hoarse. "I'm going to try."

"Toni," I went over and sat next to him. "It's been a week. You've been here every day. Do you want to get some rest? I'll be here."

"No," he whispered, tears brimming in his eyes. "I can't leave her. I can't."

"Hey," I said softly. "Have you looked in the mirror? I'm sure Gabi doesn't want to see you like this, even if it means you're by her side every moment. You've got to pull yourself together, Toni. You've got to go out there on Friday, and play as well as you always have, and make Gabi proud, okay? Please get some rest."

He leaned his head on my shoulder, his eyes never leaving Gabi. "I miss her so much," he whispered.

I felt a lump rise in my throat. I didn't know if it was the sight of him so dishevelled and distraught, or if it was just the entire situation with Gabi. But ever since Toni moved in all those years ago, he'd been just like my little brother. And seeing my little brother like that, it broke my heart.

"Yeah, me too," I told him. "We all miss her, Toni. Do you want to get some sleep? I'll stay here with her."

"Okay," he finally said. "I'll just...just let me clean her first."

He grabbed the little plastic basin at her bedside and left the room, coming back a few minutes later with warm water. He picked up a washcloth and wetted it, and then he started wiping Gabi off gently, starting from her face.

"Hey, baby," he said softly, his hands travelling slowly across her face. "It's time for your bath, stinkypants. How are you today? Is it really dark? Please wake up soon, after you're done repairing yourself, okay? I know you can do it." He rinsed the cloth and used it to dab her dry lips. "Your hair has already started growing. Hurry back, so we can give you a nice haircut, okay baby?"

He moved down to her arms and her legs, turning her body around gently so that she wouldn't have bed sores. "Julius and Lennox miss you, you know?" he continued. "They've been sitting on your shoes for the past week. Sometimes they even fight over who gets which shoe."

His voice lowered to a whisper as he started choking on his words. "Please wake up, baby. I miss you so much. I miss your eyes, and your smile, and your laugh, and your voice. I miss you, Gabi. We're going out there on Friday, and we're going to win it for you, okay baby?"

He put the cloth and the basin aside and picked up the medication for the scratches on her skin. "Your wounds are healing, you know?" he said as he applied the medication for her. "Remember you always said that you have too little wounds and scars, and you hated it, because getting injured makes you feel more alive? You're so weird, Gabi. But now you have all these wounds, and that means you're more alive than ever, right? And that means you'll open your eyes and look at me, and tell me you love me once again, right?"

He paused, closing his eyes as his tears fell on her blanket. "I'm so sorry, Gabi. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, even though protecting you was all I've been living for the past four years. I'm sorry I didn't see it coming, and that you had to do this, that you had to end up like this. I'm so sorry."