Sanders Sides (power rangers au)

Chapter 86.

Patton woke up back in his cell with Virgil, but he could move again. He wasn't chained either, instead laying on the floor with a scared friend staring down at him.

"Patton, you're awake!" Virgil said as Patton smiled at him.

"Yeah. I thought I got-"

"Already healed." Virgil said, gesturing to his own back as Patton looked up.

"Why would you-"

"Pat, I can't stop it, right now." Virgil said, looking at Patton with an exhausted expression.

Patton couldn't imagine how his friend felt. It was one thing to be chained and chipped, but it was a whole other story to be forced to heal people while in that state. Virgil was swaying as he sat on his knees, staring at Patton and smiling down at him. How on earth could he smile right now?

"What are you smiling for?"

"Not getting in trouble for healing you, mostly." Virgil answered, a glint in his eye that reminded Patton of Remus. "But also 'cause you're awake and I'm glad you aren't like, dead or something."

"I'm fairly certain dead isn't on either of our itineraries." Patton laughed. It felt weird to laugh right now. This wasn't ever a place he'd wanted to be, and he was absolutely terrified that the Dragon Witch would come back at any moment, but he laughed anyway.

"Patton." Virgil said after a moment of silence. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, kiddo."

"It is though." Virgil said, pulling his knees to his chest as Patton sat up. "I should never have left the Sanctuary."

"Then she still would've gotten me, and probably have made Remus take her straight to you in an attempt to catch you anyways. Virgil, her being absolutely fucking crazy is not your fault."

"You cursing will never not be weird."

Patton smiled, scooting over to the wall and sitting beside Virgil. "It's weird to me too, but it seems to be the only language that conveys my point completely around you all."

"Fair enough." Virgil said, leaning against Patton and huffing. "What happened when she made you leave?"

Patton felt his breath hitch. Logan. Had he hurt Lo? He'd had to morph in front of his parents. What if they forced him to go to some military lab? "I went with Heogguar to get Logan."

"Patton," Virgil mumbled, "oh my god. I thought if I had told her, she would've left you alone."

"It was probably punishment for her eye, honestly."

"I hear it was a good shot." Virgil answered. "But still. I'm so sorry."

"We didn't get him, thank god. I was able to force myself to catch the poison instead."

"Jesus." Virgil said, "when I had imagined my life at this school, I was expecting less fighting and more-"

"Being kids?"

"Call me crazy, but yeah." Virgil scoffed.

"So much for that."

"Here I was thinking the reason I was never gonna find friends was because of my mom being the principal."

"Now?" Patton looked at him. Did Virgil not see them as friends?

"Now I found a family."

"And you all say I'm mushy." Patton giggled, and Virgil gave him a soft shove.

Then Patton heard the lock on the door open, and he watched the Dragon Witch come in. She turned on her band, and Patton felt his body ignore him.

"Stand."