Hi everyone! Thanks again for the reviews and I really hope you're enjoying the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Animaniacs or any of the characters. No profit was made off this story.

Chapter 7: The promise

Yakko, anxious for news about his brother, sat impatiently in the waiting room. He just hoped Wakko was awake. After he had passed out in the kitchen, Yakko had tried everything to wake him up, until Dot walked in and saw what was going on. Apparently her head was more clear than his because she immediately suggested taking him to the hospital.

Luckily the hospital they lived by had a floor for toons. Of course, Yakko was only twelve and too young to drive. He had sprinted to the phone and called the first adult he could think of. Scratchy. To his horror, Scratchy was in another state talking to different school's about psychiatry. Yakko had nearly dropped the phone. He really didn't want Plotz to take him. He could already hear the rant. Luckily, Helen, or Hello Nurse on their show, was available. Any other time Yakko would've greeted her with his famous "Helloooo Nurse!" but he was in a serious situation. Besides, he wouldn't say that line if Wakko couldn't say it, and Wakko couldn't really say anything right now.

The toon floor wasn't very busy. Toons usually never got sick, and they could usually prevent themselves from being hurt. The only other toons that were on that floor were a couple of cat toons, one of them just learning toon powers who broke their arm in the process. It reminded Yakko of when he was learning toon powers and broke his leg. That was the only other time he had to step foot in a hospital. But when a very sick young toon star comes through the door, you can imagine the look on everyone's face. Luckily, the people working on the toon floor weren't there just because they wanted an easy job, no, they were prepared. They had immediately taken Wakko to the ER.

"Yakko?"

Yakko was pulled from his thoughts by a soothing voice.

"Sorry, I spaced out," Yakko mumbled.

Helen smile warily at him.

"Don't worry yourself to much now," she said, one hand on his shoulder.

"It's impossible not to worry. I mean, what could be wrong? It all came out of nowhere," he said quietly, as to not wake Dot who was asleep in his lap.

"I don't know, but I'm sure he'll pull through. He is Wakko after all," she reassured him.

Yakko nodded, but wasn't convinced. They had been there two hours already and still didn't have any news on Wakko.

Yakko looked down when he felt Dot turn on his lap. She opened her eyes halfway and looked up at him.

"How long have we been here?" she asked tiredly.

"About two hours," Yakko said.

Dot sighed and climbed off Yakko's lap into the seat next to him.

"This stinks," she mumbled.

Yakko nodded.

"I know, but don't worry sister sibling, I'm sure he'll be ok. This will all pass and we'll be laughing about it before you know it. Well, not laughing, but- you know what I mean."

Dot raised an eyebrow at him.

"Wow Yakko, your just full of comforting words."

Yakko shrugged.

"Hey, I'm tired, so take what you get."

Yakko, Dot, and Helen continued to talk to pass the time. To Yakko, minutes seemed like hours, and he was losing his patience. Yakko almost jumped in the air when he saw the doctor approaching them. He was a human doctor, which kind of confused Yakko since this was the toon floor of the hospital, but he'd take it. For now.

"You can all go see him now. He's awake, but I warn you to be careful. He's in a very fragile state att the moment. You may sit with him on the bed, but please don't be too physical."

Yakko nodded, trying to hide the pain growing inside of him. Wakko wasn't nearly that bad this morning. It didn't make sense. Yakko peered down at his younger sister and saw in her eyes the same fear he was experiencing. He put a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Do you want me to wait out here?" Helen asked.

Yakko shook his head.

"I know if I was in Wakko's position, I wouldn't mind seeing you right now," Yakko said, and winked at her.

Helen rolled her eyes, but smiled at him as they followed the doctor to Wakko's room.

Yakko thanked the doctor and stepped in the room. When he saw Wakko, he wanted to run up to him and embrace him in a hug, but he could tell by how Wakko looked right now that it would be a bad idea.

Wakko was trembling slightly and his face was flushed. His breathing was labored and he was struggling to keep his eyes open. He looked limp and weaker than he was a day ago. Yakko smiled sadly at him. Wakko attempted to smile back, but with little success. He looked so helpless and small on that giant bed. A sickly puppy-like child. Yakko hated it.

"Hi Wakk," Yakko whispered as he sat down next to his brother on the bed.

"Hi," he managed to say, but he was struggling. It seemed when he talked it only wore him out more.

"Wakko!" Dot cried, and ran to his side.

Wakko held out his arms and hugged her. She didn't want to hurt him, but she had to except the hug. She carefully wrapped her arms around him. She reluctantly let go and sat down on the other side. Wakko looked back and forth between them both, then turned to Yakko.

"I'm scared," he whimpered.

Yakko gently ran a hand through his hair.

"I know, but we'll get through this together. Just think of all the fun we'll have when you get better."

"If I get better."

Yakko shook his head.

"No ifs, only whens, got it?"

Wakko slowly nodded. He smiled weakly when he saw Helen. She smiled back at him. Yakko could tell it made Wakko happy that she was there. He was glad she was willing to help them. Wakko closed his eyes and rested his head on Yakko's shoulder. That's when Yakko noticed something.

Small white blotches covered Wakko's arms and part of his head. Yakko remembered how Wakko yelped when he was pulling him up by the arms earlier.

That was why. But what is it?

As frightened as Yakko was, he knew he had to be strong for both Wakko and Dot. He was the older brother, and he wasn't going to lose himself.

The next day...

"Do you like it? I know it's not that great, but really I tried," Skippy said, turning the small red wooden car around in his hands so Wakko could see it all.

Wakko smiled.

"I like it. Thanks."

Skippy smiled brightly and set the car down on the small table next to the bed. The number of toys, gifts, and get well cards had increased dramatically in one night, and they were running out of room on the table. Yakko decided that all the fan gifts were to be sent to the tower. All the get well gifts from their co-stars and friends could be in the room.

All their co-stars had been visiting, and Yakko was thankful that they cared. Slappy had made Wakko a new mallet that had made his day. Yakko could tell he couldn't wait to use it. And Skippy made Wakko the car.

Slappy motioned Skippy towards the door.

"Hope you get better Wakko. Come on Skippy, let's go terrorize the kitchen staff."

"Alright!" cheered Skippy as he followed his aunt out the door.

Wakko sighed shakily and leaned back against his pillow. Dot crawled over closer to him. She didn't touch him, knowing that his whole body was in pain and touch only made the pain unbearable. She wanted to be by him though. Yakko did too. They were Warners, and Warners stuck together. They only had each other after all.

Yakko peered over at all the gifts on the table.

"Wow Wakk, looks like your famous for more than your show," Yakko said, trying to lighten Wakko's mood.

Wakko scowled at the comment.

"I don't want to be famous for dying," Wakko mumbled.

Dot hit the table next to the bed, startling her older brothers.

"No! You are not dying! You're going to be ok!"

Wakko and Yakko stared at her, dumbfounded. There had been times when she'd snapped at them, but never out of the blue like that. She had been relatively quiet up to that point. Wakko set his gaze upon the covers.

"I-I'm sorry," he muttered. "You're right."

Her eyes went from frustrated to depressed. She forced a reassuring smile.

"It's ok. When you get better, you can make it up to me by going with me to get ice cream."

Wakko grinned at the thought.

"You will get better," said Dot confidently. "You will."

Late that night...

Yakko was awakened in the middle of the night by the agonizingly painful screams coming from his younger brother.

"Wakko!"

Dot had woken up as well, and Yakko could see tears glistening in her eyes. Wakko screamed more, his eyes open indicating he was awake and not just having a nightmare.

"M-Make it stop! It hurts Yakko! Dot!"

Dot ran towards him, but Yakko held her back.

"No Dot!"

Five doctors rushed into the room. Two of them quickly pushed Yakko and Dot out.

"You kids need to wait out here for a while, ok?"

But the doctor didn't let them answer as he rushed back into the room. Yakko could hear his little brother calling for them, and as much as he wanted to rush to Wakko's side and embrace him in a hug, he knew he couldn't.

Dot held back tears as she rushed for the door to Wakko's room. She began pounding on the door.

"No! He needs me! Let me in!"

Yakko ran to her and pulled her back. He embraced her in a tight hug.

"Sh. It's ok. It's ok."

He kept repeating the same words until the tension in her shoulders dropped and she calmed down.

He carried her to the waiting room, where they sat for what felt like days. In reality, it was only hours. One of the doctors that had run into Wakko's room, the one that pushed them out, came into the waiting room with a forlorn expression on his face. Dot swiftly jumped up from Yakko's lap and ran up to doctor.

"Is he ok?" she asked shakily.

The doctor's eyes fell upon the floor.

"We're doing everything we can to keep him alive, but we don't know what's wrong. He's holding on by a thread. There's- there's nothing more we can do."

Yakko stared at the doctor, trying to process what he had just heard. He didn't even notice his little sister break down sobbing on the floor. Yakko's head became fogged and his vision became blurry with warm tears. He didn't even notice. The hospital suddenly became very quiet, and Yakko felt like he was in another world. A world where everything was empty. Where everything was gone.

He was pulled from the grey world by the screaming of his sister.

"No! No he can't! He can't d-" she choked off the word. The word that she didn't want to hear.

Yakko walked up to her. He was the older brother. He was supposed to stay calm. He was supposed to be there for his siblings when they were depressed, but now he didn't even know if he could contain his own emotions anymore. No, he had to, for his sister.

"Dot, I know this is hard, but-"

"You don't understand!"

This caught Yakko off guard.

"What?"

"I made a promise! I can't break it!"

Yakko titled his head in confusion. He hadn't the slightest idea what she was talking about.

"Dot, I don't-"

"I- I promised him he'd never lose us again. If he... dies... that promise will be broken. I can't lose him." Her head dropped to her hands.

"I can't," she whispered.

Yakko almost lost control. He wanted to scream in anger, sadness, and hopelessness. He didn't though. He just stood there with his sobbing sister, not saying anything. Everything was silent.

Everything was lost.

Well? Is anyone crying yet? It's ok if you're not. :) Sorry if this was cheesy. This chapter was mainly to show emotion. Anyways, see ya next chapter!