Hope you like this story as much as I liked to write it. Please, read and review. That story is longer than I have expected so I'm sorry for grammar mistakes. Have fun!
Brother in need
„What do you mean ‚I go'? " Roger asked amused his puny older brother. Heinz Doofenshmirtz ignored his smirk and simply took his suit case which he had with him in his little brother's office. "Simple. I go. I just thought you may want to know. Good bye, Roger." With that Roger watched him leaving. At first he didn't think anything about his behavior. He just had to wait at least two weeks and then his brother will be back in his old self. So he just continued with his life. He did his job as major of Danville, visited his parents regularly and had few dates with nice women. By the time he got a letter from Heinz, he then recognized that the Doctor was away for six month by now. "How didn't I notice?" he murmured as he looked at the letter. From Heinz Doofenshmirtz…He forgot about his brother and here he wrote him a letter-To Vanessa Doofenshmirtz-oh. Well, when he is done with work today, he will pay his niece a visit. A whole hour went around and Roger couldn't hold back his curiosity back and opened the letter. "Vanessa will forgive me…"
Dear Vanessa,
I'm really sorry that I didn't call you for two weeks by now. My students and I were working on a project and I kind of forgot to call back. Ok, not only that, I may or may not have make little damages in my apartment. Little explosions, nothing big! Well, I caused some power failure in the whole building and I have to take charge for it…the neighbors were at least not that mad at me. That accident was caught by our already mentioned project "the portal gun" (I actually wanted to call it Walk-through-with-gun-inator but I was outnumbered). The name comes from a game which seems to be very popular in their age. The project is also based on this. My student wanted to know if a human is able to build a gun which could shoot portals and wanted my help.
Well, that is all I think you should know. I will call this weekend and if it works, in two month you can visit me, but only if you are still interested. Maybe I could get to know this boyfriend of yours, too?
I wish you nice greetings for you and Ferb.
Your father, Heinz
Roger also found photos of them in the letter. Heinz looked…different. At first it was the fact that he was in the group photos. He was in front of the group of young students or he was standing in the center of them. Everyone was smiling at the camera. Heinz never smiled that brightly in the family photos. Did Roger ever saw that smile personally? He doubted it. Another fact is that his body shape was looking different. He doesn't hunch over like he normally did. Is that a walking stick?
His brother couldn't change like that. He never could.
After everything was done and all meetings settled, Roger made his way to Vanessa. She now was living in Heinz old apartment. As he reached his destination he gave with an apologizing smile the letter. With a half heartily glare she read it. Roger watched her sighing in relief and smiling. "Where is your father actually?" He asked. "He didn't tell you? He moved to New York."
"New York?!"
"Yeah, he is working there as a professor in a University. Why do you ask?"
"You know…we both know how your father plans things through…aren't you worried?"
"Not anymore." With that she showed him the letter again with a light smirk.
"Well, ok. I'm heading home now, bye."
"Ok. Bye Uncle Roger! Take care!" She replied and closed the door. On his way to his car, Roger laughed lightly about the thought about his brother in New York. "He won't last long. Heinz's plans never did work out."
And so the major continue his life, his job, his family, etc….
After a year he got a strange visit. There was a group of young people in his office, looking very excited to see him. "Are you Roger Doofenshmirtz?" Roger was chuckling by their behavior, "Yes, yes I am. What do you kids need?" A girl spoke up quickly, "We are planning a party for our professor Heinz Doofenshmirtz and we wanted to invite his family but his daughter is away and we knew nothing about his other family members but you because we noticed that he told us few times about you but not much so we thought that he must be missing you so we-"
"Short sentences, silly." Another chuckled and continued. "Well, he helped us in a project which in the end brought us in the news. Many high people want to employ us now. We wanted to make a surprise party for him as gratitude. And like my friend already said, Professor Doofenshmirtz was talking few times about you but then every time turned quiet. We think that it is because he misses you."
"So we thought about inviting you to surprise him." The boy next to the speaking student finished. "Would you like to?"
"Yeah! Would you like to come with us and surprise your big brother and celebrate with us and have fun and-"
"Nice. When does the party starts?" Roger asked.
"It would be nice if you fly with us tomorrow back to New York-"
"Deal, we'll meet at the airport at 7 ó clock. You like to fly with me in a private plane?" Roger suggested and smirked as he watched the students cheering in excitement.
The next morning, the six students and major were flying in the private plane back to New York. In the group there were two girls and four boys. "So I noticed that we didn't introduce ourselves properly so I'm Katie, the blond girl is my best friend Sophia, the Asian-looking dude is Sulu-"
"For the last time, Katie, stop calling me Sulu!"
"- Okay! Sheesh, his name is Thomas and the brunette guy here is Dan with his black-haired brother Steven and at last, our-shaggy-haired-red-head-friend is Kevin."
For the next few hours, they were chatting with the famous little brother of their professor. Roger couldn't believe it how the young adults are talking about Heinz.
Katie: "Professor Doofenshmirtz is awesome! You always know what he is talking about in his lectures and also find many ways to explain things that even I can understand such complicated things, als-"
Thomas: "He has the kink for self-destruction-buttons, not helpful all the time, but still cool!"
Sophia: "Dan and I once made a project with building an artificial intelligent, but like every other self-thinking machine, it started to attack us! Thank god that professor Doofenshmirtz build that self-destruction-button in it! We never could have destroyed it otherwise!"
Dan: "That man is a life-saver!"
Kevin: "The professor even gave us his living place for our latest project!"
Steven: "Yeah! That was awesome! We had really fun by that!"
Roger just smiled and listened to the group.
Finally, they made it to New York. The young students called Caroline, Heinz's neighbor from across the door. She now has to take their professor out of his flat so they can get in unnoticed. It was possible, their professor gave them his second key. Just for emergencies. They were driving to their destination, Heinz's Apartment, which was high up of the fancy multistory building. Reaching the seventh floor, the students smuggled the major into the flat. "Now hurry up! Professor Doofenshmirtz could arrive any time! It's now or never!" Thomas whispers and every one, beside Roger, started pulling out balloons and decorating the flat and making the food ready. "Come on, Mr. Doofenshmirtz! Hide behind the wall there!" Kevin whispers to the major as footsteps could be heard behind the door. "Ok, now you're acting weird, Caroline. If I didn't know it better I would say that you are hiding some-"
"SURPRISE!" Roger heard the students cheer and a shout from his very surprised brother. "Wha-What's going on here? A surprise party? What for?" Heinz asked irritated. "Oh, you know, just a party for the best professor ever." Katie mused. "So it was planned to go sightseeing with you out of nowhere?" Heinz chuckled. "Well, it worked, didn't it?" Caroline replied. "And we even brought you a present!" Dan spoke up excited. "Oh no…no, that wasn't necessary-"
"Oh yes, it was!" Sophia interrupted, "You managed so many things with us and for us. We now have many possibilities in our carrier because you helped us to realize our project, the portal-gun. A project no one ever believed in full heartily like you and us. For this we are celebrating, for this we planned all this and for this we brought your brother to celebrate with us."
"My brother…!" Heinz chocked as he saw Roger stepping in. His face, so full of happiness and surprise, was turning into horror and shock, than angriness, then finally into a grimacing smile. "Hello, Roger…" he murmured. "Hello, dear brother!" Roger greeted cheery, making the people around his brother smiling warmly. Like in the photos, Heinz stood straight with his cane, but his left hand holding it like for dear life. "It's good to see you, big brother! We didn't saw us since…forever!" Roger continued while he walked up to Heinz and gave him a strong hug. "C-Careful! MY BACK!" Roger quickly let go of the other man, watching him leaning heavily on his cane and holding his back with his free hand. "Oh, sorry brother! Never thought you would ever refuse to my hugs." Roger apologized with a bright smile. "Well, as you can see…" Heinz panted lightly, "Your brother has to take care of his back. You surely know how it was back then."
"Yeah, you were hunching over like some troll, right?" Roger joked, laughing with the other guests of the party. "How about we start this celebration?" the major asked, making the woman and students cheering in agreement. Music was playing, food was eaten and stories were told, and mostly from Roger about embarrassing experiences Heinz had had in his childhood. Not even dancing with the beautiful Caroline was cheering the older brother up, for his little brother came and danced with her. "Such a charming man…" she cued, which made Heinz feeling sick. After all that time, he feels this sick feeling again. He went over to his students and talked about their futures and dreams they want to follow. But he knew he had to answer THAT question.
"And? How is it? You know, to see your little brother again?" Thomas asked him curious.
"Well…" Heinz started carefully, "…it IS a surprise for sure…" he smiled as he saw the boys giving each other high five's. How could he be mad at them? They wanted to make him happy with this party…It was his own fault anyway. All this time with them and in the university, he always talked about his brother as "a popular person" or "someone everyone would like to be" just as "the little brother who makes his family proud". To badmouthed his brother always made him look creepy or crazy back in Danville. Here in New York, he wanted a new life, that's why it's called NEW York, right?
"Your brother is really cool! He was so nice to us in that little town and when we asked to follow us back to the city he even invited us to fly with him in his private plane and I was thinking PRIVATE PLANE? But that was so cool and awesome and he also was so cool and awesome and also funny and kind of sweet-"Katie rambled on. Heinz just listened and nodded, smiling his forced smile and chocking phrases out like "Yeah, that's my little brother," or "I know, you can be really proud of Roger. He is a good man." By evening, Caroline apologized to be heading back to her own flat. "I have some important meetings tomorrow. I wish you all a good night!" She said and left the flat. After an hour, Kevin and the girls were also leaving, having class the next day. In the end Thomas, Dan and Steven also made his way home, "It was nice to celebrate with you Professor Doofenshmirtz! Good night! Also good night, Mr. Doofenshmirtz!" With that, Heinz and Roger were alone in his flat.
Roger watched the other man taking his cane and walking into the kitchen. When he came back, he had a glass of scotch in his hand and sat back in his armchair, while Roger sat on the couch. "I never thought that you would be drinking." Roger commented with a smile.
"Well, I never had a reason till now." Heinz replied monotonous, as he took one sip.
"Now, now, Heinz. Don't be so harsh… I just wanted to see my brother again. You know, I really missed you." Roger smirked lightly at his glaring brother.
"If I ever have the feeling for suicide, I gladly will come back, Roger. But for now, I'll stay here."
"Are you really thinking to stay here forever?"
"As long as I'm away from…yes, forever."
"Sorry, Heinz, but I can't take you seriously-"
"Tell me one time YOU TOOK ME SRIOUSLY!" Heinz now snapped coldly at his brother. Roger didn't reply. He just watched what the other would do next.
"After all this time I finally felt happy! Just as I thought to finally live in peace, I have to see YOUR FUCKING FACE AGAIN! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!? I'M SICK OF THIS!" Heinz screamed.
Roger shouted in shock as Heinz threw his glass against the window. The glass shattered, the scotch spilled everywhere. "What-" Roger tried to ask but was harshly interrupted. "You want to ask of what I'm talking about, right? You are not the first. I never met someone who didn't ask THAT question. " Heinz looked from the window to Roger, his glare became colder as he watched him smirking. "Oh, you think that's funny, hmm?"
"Actually, yes." Roger smirked again. He couldn't hold himself back to provoke his older, yet, still weak brother.
Heinz huffed, taking his cane and stood up. "Obviously you think it's funny." He seemed to want to say more, so much more. Roger had to hold back his chuckle when Heinz looked back to the broken glass. "Sorry to change the subject, brother, but I'm really curious how you changed so much. How did you get your back in place?" He watched Heinz pulling up his shirt and saw bandages around his torso. "Back correction. I went to a doctor."
"Aren't you a doctor?" Roger asked, smiling.
"You know what I mean…" Heinz grumbled.
"And the cane?"
"Supports my health."
"Well, you should know that good-looking isn't everything." Roger watched as the older man snapped his head towards him. "What do you mean by that?"
"You see, mother and father won't change their mind just because you change your attire…" Roger explained with his happy smile while his brother stared at him in horror, "…like they said, try to be more like me. Get a good position in a carrier, do sport-"
"You're kidding, right?" He heard his brother whispering. "You are kidding me, RIGHT?!"
"Here we go…" Roger sighed.
"THE LAST THING I WANT TO BE LIKE, IS YOU! I DON'T CHANGE MY LIFE FOR MOTHER AND NOT FOR FATHER! I DID IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO! I NEVER HAD A HAPPY LIFE WITH ALL OF YOU AND IN DANVILLE-IN DANVILLE NO ONE EVEN NOTICED ME AS YOU BROTHER! AS YOUR FUCKING BROTHER!"
Suddenly, everything went quiet. Roger looked up to see him shivering in rage, glaring at him with teary eyes. "I wanted to be a good brother to you…you know…?" he chocked, his voice broken from his screaming, "I really tried to..." Roger felt strange. This conversation isn't turning out like normal. This conversation is different.
"…but how could I? Tell me, little brother-"Heinz spit the word 'brother' with much rage, "-how can I be a good older brother for someone like you."
Roger swallowed. Never did he feel like that around him. Not around Heinz. This is the tiny feeling of fright and panic and even guilt, which is growing. "I'm heading home now."
"If you like to, you can sleep in my guestroom, let me prepare-"
"No need for it, I booked a hotel here and I want to use it if I already paid for it." He sighed in relief when his brother nodded. He took his jacket and left the flat.
As Heinz heard the door shut, he sighed, shaking his head. He was about to left into his bedroom, when he saw a mobile phone vibrating. Roger had forgotten it. Heinz took it and saw a message from his secretary. "I should give it to him" He said. His brother won't come back anyway. He huffed and threw it on the couch, making his way to his bedroom. Few seconds later he came back, took the phone and his keys and went after Roger. "I feel like I'm going to regret it…" he mumbled.
"Roger! Wait up!" He heard from behind. He just smiled and turned back to his brother. "What is it? Want to say something more? Or do you want to apologize?" He watched Heinz's glare grew cold again. "As if I have to apolo-"
"What do you want then?"
"Our fancy, all-to-perfect, man has forgot his phone. Here."
"And you brought it because…?"
"What, you need a reason? Maybe because it's yours and you need it?"
"Yeah, sure. I could have got it me myself tomorrow."
"Just take it, ok?"
Roger took his phone, watching Heinz silently. "You want to say something?"
Heinz sighed, not looking up. They stood there in silent.
"….I shouldn't have scream-"
"So you want to apologize?" Roger chuckled, which made the other blush in shame.
"ARGH! Forget it!"
"Sure, sure…see you soon…" He said, as he cross the street, when no car was seen.
Suddenly, he heard him shouting his name.
"…rogerRogerROGerROGERROGER!"
Roger was shoved away harshly to the sidewalk and he fell. His head and limbs hurt from the contact of stone and annoyed he looked back, "Sheesh, Heinz, you don't have to-"
There were loud honks, screaming people, a crash. The drunken driver panicked and drove away. Heinz lied there like a broken puppet.
"….Heinz?"
No response. Cars stopped. One person was calling police and ambulance. Other car driver climbed out their vehicles running up to his brother in need.
"…Heinz?!"
Roger slowly stood up. His pain was already forgotten. Was there pain anyway? He numbly stepped towards the victim. He began to run.
"HEINZ!"
People let him through and he kneeled beside the bundle of…
"…Heinz…."
He was bleeding badly, many bones possibly broken. Carefully, very carefully, Roger got hold of his face, taking very carefully the upper side of his body in his lap. If it would be possible, he would even hug him right now.
"…Heinz…talk to me…."
Still no response.
"…Heinz…wake up!"
Eyes slowly and shakily opened. He mouthed something but no words came out.
"What did you said?! Heinz, talk to me!"
His eyelids became heavy…
"No,no,no,NO! Heinz! Stay awake! No-"
He closed his eyes, his buddy turned numb.
"HEINZ!"
…
He is sleeping for two days now.
Roger took the next week off. He sat beside him, watching over his vulnerable appearance. In the last two days, the students and Caroline had been visiting. The conversation with his neighbor wasn't very comfortable.
"I actually knew that you both weren't so close." She said, they were alone in Heinz's room. The group of students comforted the crying Katie on their way out.
"I see. Why did you help to organize the party?" Roger asked emotionless.
"My brother and I had the same situation. We didn't talk for four years. On my birthday, he came with a white horse and in knight amour. He was followed by his children, all daughters, disguised as princesses. All three of them had little boxes. In each of them was my favorite snack, my favorite book and my favorite jewelry. Then my brother climbed off the horse, walked up to me, put gently a crown on my head and pulled up a storybook. My favorite story of "Knights and princess". When I opened it, there was a note which looked like an old scroll. It said, ' I'm sorry for the lost time.'"
All while she told her story, she smiled fondly by the memory. "We had the same problem. He realized that I was neglected by our parents and understood why I left. I began to cry when I realized that he never forgot all my interests when I was young. He missed me so badly that he planned such ridicules but cute idea. We now phone each other once a week and we meet once a month with his family."
"So you wanted the same for me and Heinz?"
She nodded, her fondly face turned emotionless and almost cold. "But I didn't think about the fact that you still didn't see that problem."
"There was no problem. We had a nice childhood." Roger defended himself weakly. Caroline sat beside him. "You both?"
As the major didn't answer, she continued. "Do you want to know what he said once?"
That wasn't really a question, but Roger nodded anyway.
"When he was living with me for a while, that was because his apartment blew up from the project we were celebrating for, we play some asking games. By one question we have to made up a story of how we would save the ones we love. Mines was typical with knights and dragons to save my brother and nieces. When he had to make up a story, he came up with time travel to save the students and me."
She then looked over to the sleeping patient. "When I asked how he would save you, he thought quite long before I heard him whispering, 'I wouldn't save him." She looked back to Roger, who glanced at her miserably. "As stupid as I was, I asked what he was talking about. He didn't answer and went straight to bed. There was awkward silence between us the next day."
There was silence.
"And now, look. He is in a hospital bed because you were almost run over by some drunken driver; by the way, did the police catch him?"
Roger sighed heavily and nodded. She stood up and went to the door. "I have to leave now. Think about what we talked, ok?"
With that Roger was alone with his brother.
That conversation was yesterday. Roger sighed again and walked up to the window. He watched flying birds, clouds and ambulances turning into the drive away towards the hospital.
"He is sleeping for a week now." Roger told Vanessa and Charlene. Both hurriedly walked up to his bed. Vanessa was crying, hugging her mother, who tried to hold back her own tears. Heinz just lied there, a relaxed expression on his face. As if nothing was wrong. He watched Vanessa's boyfriend, that green haired 16 year old teen, walking up to the sleeping person with a look of sorrow. He then walked up to Vanessa and Carlene, hugging in comfort. Roger noticed a platypus sneaking in. It jumped on the major's lap and stood on his hind legs while also watching the patient. He then jumped on the bed, lay between his chest and left arm and made his platypus chatter for comfort.
"Perry, no! Don't do that!" Ferb spoke sternly, taking Perry away from Heinz. Roger watched Perry squirm and chatter sadly as he lost against his owner. Ferb apologized for his pet's behavior but Vanessa smiled sadly. "Let him. Perry just wants to comfort my dad." Perry found his place by the ex-evil-scientist back and chatters and purrs in comfort again. That sight was heartbreaking for everyone. "Well, I have to be back in Danville soon…I'm going now." Roger said. He hugged his family and shook the boyfriend's hand and left the room.
"Uncle Roger is really suffering." Vanessa said when the door shut close. "I think everyone would be when someone is risking his life for yours." Her mother said, looking over to Heinz, gasping as she saw him sitting up, the platypus chattered excited as it lay on his healthy leg. "Oh my god! Heinz!" She shouted relieved, running over to hug him. His hissing made her flinch back. "I'm sorry…"
Vanessa was also by her father's side while Ferb was calling a nurse.
"Wha' happen….?" Heinz slurred sleepily, looking around. When he saw Charlene, he smiled fondly. "Hey…" out of sudden, he kissed her. "…I'm back." Charlene was confused and crying silently. Heinz was in a sitting position and caressed her cheek. "Please don't cry. You know I don't like to see my beautiful wife to cry…" but that made her cry even stronger. Confused by her reaction he apologized and looked over to the other guests. "Hello, may I know who you are?" Vanessa watched her father irritated. "That is Ferb. And my name is Vanessa."
"Vanessa? Funny coincidence!" Heinz chuckled, "My daughter also is called Vanessa. She became 2 yesterday…" Now Heinz is really confused. Both women are crying, looking sadly at him. Suddenly he felt dizzy, his head hurt and the voices around him became too loud. As the nurses appear, he started to scream.
Roger was almost out of the hospital when he heard a scream. He gasped in surprise when many nurses and doctors ran up to him. "You are Roger Doofenshmirtz, right?" they asked franticly. When he nodded, they pulled him back into the building. He stood there in shock when he arrived at his brother's room. Nurses and doctors tried to calm their patient down, but unsuccessful. He was yelling at them in German. 'Why is he talking German' Roger wonders. "I want to see Roger!" He shouted, standing there with all his power. He panted heavily and his body he badly hunching over. One arm was bleeding because of the syringe he carelessly pulled out. "Where is Roger!?" Roger watched Vanessa and Charlene talking to him, trying to explain his situation. They didn't understood what his brother is asking for. Now it is really bad that the women can't speak German. "We only understand 'Roger! Roger!' We thought you can talk to him?" A doctor shouted over to the major, trying slowly to get nearer their patient. Heinz punched him in the face, kneeling for his loose of energy. "Nein!" Heinz shouted again, an annoyed expression on his face as he looked at his family, "He will like his present! No! He will even love his present I made for him!"
Charlene and Vanessa had no idea what Heinz is talking about. For Roger, it was kind of familiar.
He walked up to his pouting brother, "What is it Heinz? You wanted to see me?" Heinz glanced up at him, "Yeah! Mother and Father think it's stupid but I got a present for you!"
"A present for me? For what?"
"For your birthday, silly! You turned four year olds today!"
Nurses, doctors and family were watching the scene. Roger kneeled down beside his brother, both talking in German. No one had an idea what they are talking about. When Heinz held up four fingers, Roger's eyes went wide. As if with no difficulties, Heinz stood up with Roger, holding something up. Roger took the air-object, asking something. When the other answered cheery and pointed at his hands, Roger began to cry silently, forcing himself to smile. He hugged him then. As Heinz commented something, Roger buried his crying face into the other's shoulder. "…I'm sorry…." He mumbled.
Roger watched Heinz standing up and following his antics. "Here, take it!" He said, holding up an air-present. Hesitantly, the little 'three years old' brother took the present, looking at his bare hands. "What is that?"
"It's a book! Look, those are you and me, holding hands! See? And that is you by the lake, see?" Roger could feel tears trailing down his face. Now he remembered.
On his fourth birthday, back in Drusselstein he heard Heinz, who had been seven years old by that time, fighting with his parents. "He will like my present! No! He will love it! " Heinz was glaring at their parents who looked at him annoyed. "Stop this Heinz, its ridicules. " The father simply said. Roger enters the room, all three cheering, "Happy Birthday!" His brother ran up to him giving him his present, a book he made himself. There were drawings of the brothers. Roger looked up at the waiting Doof-brother. He was smiling nervously, their parents looking angry. His mother was shaking her head at him. Roger looked back at Heinz, throwing the present to the floor. "What a stupid present!" He said, his parents smiled at this walking up to them. "See? You made your brother sad." Mother Doofenshmirtz said. "You should be ashamed for such thing!" Father Doofenshmirtz snapped. "And now take your clothes and go back to the garden!" Roger saw Heinz rubbing his eyes and went to his room to get dressed as garden gnome. "Don't feel pity for him, my dear." His mother said soothingly, "you didn't do anything wrong. He is just overreacting."
He forced himself to smile as he saw that same nervous smile on his brother's face. "Thank you…" he whispered, hugging him. "Ha! I knew it. I knew you will love your gift." Roger buried his face in the other's shoulder. "…I'm sorry…"
"What did you said?" Heinz glanced down at his brother, hugging him back with a smile, "Don't you worry, Roger. I'm there for you…"
"Don't you worry, Roger! I'm there for you!" The nine year old brother shouted as he kicked some child's knee. That child let go from the toy of the five years old Roger. Roger quickly took his favorite toy and watched his brother fighting the group of four children. They were dragging his brother's purple dress, laughing and punching him. "Look, princess Doofenshmirtz is all manly today!" One of them laughed. "Run! Call for help!" Heinz shouted to him. He saw them beating him up. When they lost fun in it, they left. Heinz lied there, crying in pain. "Wh-why didn't you c-call for help…?" Heinz whimpered between his sobs. "Father said, a man should fight for himself." Roger replied. "W-well…I'm not a man yet…." He slowly stood up, rubbing his bruises and tears away. "I know…" Roger spoke up. Heinz looked over to him. "You are princess Doofenshmirtz!" He quickly ran away laughing, while his brother ran after him and yelled insults at him.
"I'm so sorry, Heinz…for everything!" Roger sobs. There was no response. He looked up and was shocked as he saw the other loses conciseness again. "Heinz! Stay awake! He faints!" He cried. The doctors and nurses rushed forwards. "He lost too much blood!" one of the nurses said. They were exchanging orders what to do with him. Charlene and Vanessa running up to him, embraced him, crying with him. "We don't know what's wrong with him," Vanessa explained. "He still thought that I'm two years old and he is married to mom…"
"What did you talk about?" Charlene asked. Roger stared at them. "I'm the worst brother anyone could have…" he spoke.
After the next few hours, a nurse walked up to them. "Everything will be fine. He will be sleeping for the next few hours and I hope you don't mind if you will let him rest." Everyone nodded. Roger watched the others leave for their hotel, resting on their own after such happenings. He also took his leave. He already missed his flight back but managed to get another one. He shouldn't stay here. Roger finally understood why Heinz left.
Three month after the accident. Roger continued with his life. Doing his job, doing his job, doing his job…. There was no day where he didn't think about Heinz's well-being. He didn't meet his parents that often anymore, his guilt made him feel sick. He never noticed with how much antipathy they talked about him. When he mentioned the accident, their response was full heartly worry about their younger son. There was no question how Heinz is doing. He felt nauseous by the thought that he also had used to be talking like that about him. "I'm a horrible brother…"
"Don't say that son! Heinz just doesn't see how much luck he has with you. What an ungrateful son…" His father spoke sternly. But Roger new it better. He has been so blind.
While doing his job, he got a phone call.
"Is there Roger Doofenshmirtz?"
"Yes, yes here is."
"Here is Caroline. The neighbor of Heinz."
"Hello Caroline! How is Heinz doing? Is he ok? How does his amnesia?"
"Well, maybe you should come here to us and see yourself." She replied.
"No, I don't think it's a good idea."
"But we're inviting you!"
"The last time I was invited to see my brother caused a horrible accident." He snapped.
"But Heinz is inviting you to come."
Roger froze. He heard some noises, then another voice.
"H-Hello? Roger? Here is Heinz Doofenshmirtz."
Roger didn't reply.
"Are you there? Am I holding it correctly?" He heard Heinz's voice asking the woman.
"I'm here. I hear you." Roger quickly said.
"…Hello."
Roger smiled sadly, "Hello Heinz. How are you doing?"
"You know, I'm fine but I would feel better when you take our invitation. Then we can talk properly."
The major gulped nervously. Did he want to talk to Heinz? He always imagined it how he would say sorry or how they could make up. But now his bravery is long lost. "What if I say no?" He pulled at his hair for such stupid question. "Well, then you'll never know how I'm doing in detail, right?" He then spoke in German, "Do me this one favor, ok?"
"…Ok."
"Come whenever it suits you, ok?"
"Ok, I will come as soon as possible."
"Nice! Ok, take care then, bye!"
"Bye."
He hanged up. That conversation was strange but Heinz sounded fine. He finished his work and booked a flight for the next day. When he arrived in New York, every step he took towards THAT building became more and more difficult. But he managed to finally reach his destination. He knocked the door, waiting nervously. Caroline opened the door, smiling at him. "Wow! That was fast! Come in, I'll get Heinz."
She left into the bedroom while he tried to make himself comfortable on the couch. When he heard steps, he shot up again, seeing Caroline walking up to him. Then, finally, Heinz came into the living room. He had crutches and still few boundaries could be seen around his head, arms and his leg. "I'm happy you made it." He held up his hand to shake the others. Roger stood there, irritated by this gesture. Nervously, Heinz continued. "You are Roger Doofenshmirtz, right? Caroline here is still making fun of me because I can't remember everything. Yesterday I mistook our janitor for my brother because of her." Roger ignored the hand, walked up to him and hugged him. "Yes, I'm your little brother, Roger Doofenshmirtz." He mumbled into his brother's shoulder. "Oh! Ok, I'm relieved to hear that. You want something to drink?"
Caroline brought them all a glass of water and sat with them on the couch. "I actually don't remember you to be so cuddly. Was it always like that?" Heinz spoke up. "Actually, no. But I just felt like it. What do you remember?"
"Oh, you know, my wife is now my ex-wife, my two years old daughter is now twenty two and dating already someone while studying in collage…my four years old brother now sitting in front of me as major of a town with business written all over his face. I can remember my life here in New York perfectly and few snippets of Danville and Drusselstein. The doctor said that I may forget things forever due to the car crash, but I think I have at least to try."
"So I'm here to help you remember?"
"That, and I wanted to apologize." Roger looked irritated. "We had have a fight before the accident, if I remember correctly. I am sorry that I yelled at you. Only because our parents made mistakes I shouldn't give you the fault of my problems. I realized it when you left my home."
"I won't accept it."
Heinz and Caroline gasped, his brother watched him sadly.
"I won't accept it because it was my fault."
"Why was it your fault?" the brother asked confused, surely not believing a word that Roger was saying. "Yes it was my fault. I may have been a good son, but I surely was a horrible brother to you. Only my existence made so many problems for you." Roger felt tears falling. But it didn't matter.
"I'm sorry, Heinz. You tried to be a good brother-"
"I did?"
"Yes, you did and I never gave you a simple 'Thank you'. No, I even say 'It's your own fault'. Please, forgive me. I should be sorry for so much more, for things we remember and even don't remember. I understand why you left Danville and never will I'll be asking again for you to come back."
He gasped when he felt arms around him. "I forgive you." They were hugging each other for a while. Heinz coughed nervously when they broke apart. "So…what should I know about you? Besides that you became a cuddly little brother." He chuckled as he watched Roger blushing by his comment.
They spend their hours talking about the past, cheering when Heinz shouted out that he remembered said situation. They also laughed when Heinz tried to explain that he didn't dreamed to fight against a platypus. "I swear, there was a platypus! He was called…Perry! Perry the platypus! Come on guys, I'm not making things up!"
While they talked, Heinz suddenly slapped Roger's occiput. Everything went silent and Roger and Caroline watched him questionly. "That was for calling me 'princess Doofenshmirtz'." He said.
Silent.
Roger started to laugh, followed by Heinz, followed by a confused look from the woman. Roger embraced his brother again. "Really, Roger, when did you turn all cuddly?" Heinz laughed, but for Roger it didn't matter.
He knew by that comment, Heinz had forgiven him.
Cuddly or not, Heinz forgives him.
Ende
"Do you remember what you said? Back in the accident?" Roger asked his brother. Heinz looked up confused. "I said something?" Roger chuckled and took another bite of his piece of cake Caroline backed. "Forget it."
"No, I forgot too much already, let me think..." He sat there, thinking. "Nope, can't remember."
They ate their cake in comfortable silence. "Hey, Heinz. Why did you save me?"
Heinz looked up, thinking for a correct answer. "When I saw that car rushing towards you...I kind of saw my little baby brother standing there. We may had fought but you're still my brother. Too bad I lost some memories...
...
...
...Roger, I can understand that you're sorry, but I'm eating my cake so please...STOP HUGGING ME!"
Now Heinz Doofenshmirtz could understand what people ment by clingy younger siblings.
