Timekeeper

13. It means you have a home.

As soon as the darkness faded I was bombarded with frantic knocking. I rushed over, opening the door, only to get hit in the face by Patton.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He cried out as he tried to look my eye over. I just waved him off. 

"What do you want Patton?" His eyes went dark and cringed. That's never a good sign. No matter who's eyes they are.

"I can't find Deceit." My heart sank with Patton's words. It's not Christmas yet. I'm back in the present. He should be gone yet. He wouldn't have even thought of it. Wait, why was Patton looking for Deceit anyway? I narrowed my eyes and he punched my arm. "There's no time for this. My son is missing."

"Ok calm down, Patton. I'm sure he's fine." He has to be it's too early for him to leave. "He probably stepped out for a bit."

"Deceit... leave his room? Your kidding right?" I gave him a dirty look and he looked away in guilt. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about him."

"I understand that but think. He's left his room before. If only for a moment..." Patton's eyes widened and he ran back towards Deceit's room. I literally just got back. I left the room and headed for the kitchen. Don't ask me why, I just did. I walked into the kitchen, grabbed a jar of Crofters, and sank down. 

I stood there in utter shock. There was Deceit cuddled up next to Thomas, wrapped up in a blanket. I just sighed and set the jar on the coffee table beside the two of them. I seriously have no idea how I knew he was here. Thomas looked over at me and his eyes when wide.

"Logan?" I pulled my eyes away from Deceit for just a second. Long enough to look over at Thomas and see his worry. "What happened to him?"

"What do you mean Thomas?" He moved the blanket slightly and I cringed. He wasn't wearing his usual outfit. You could see his scaring clear as day. "It... it happened before..."

"Before what?"

"Before he joined us in the mindspace. Look it's not my business to tell you." He gave me this look and I instantly shut him down. "Why is he out here?"

"I was feeling off and You weren't answering..."

"So you called Deception?" He shook his head but stopped shortly after Deceit started to stir.

"No, then I called Patton. But I got nothing from him either. I didn't want to bother Virgil and Roman... Well, I didn't think he'd be the right help." He looked over at Deceit and frowned. "I guess I just figured that if I only asked him yes/no questions, I could take everything he said as the opposite."

"I'm sorry..." Thomas went stiff as Deceit started to get up, the blanket slipping off him as he did. He looked over at me and blinked several moments before going all white. He hadn't known I was there. He quickly scrambled to cover himself back up with the blanket but the movement caused him to cry out and Thomas freaked. "I'm fine."

"No your not." I said stately. He just looked away and I frowned. I grabbed the jar of Crofters and handed it to him. He looked at it confused like it was some sort of foreign object. "Eat it."

"But this is Crofters." I gave him a 'duh' look and he just sighed. "You think I'm going to eat your's and Roman's favorite food?"

"Well considering I was the one who brought that here just for you..." He looked over at me and frowned. "... I would hope so." He placed the jar back on the couch and wrapped himself up again.

"I'm not hungry."

"Yes, you are." Again he just stared at me.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes. You. Are." His stomach growled and he looked away. "Deceit. You are hungry. you are not ok. Lying to yourself isn't going to change that. It only makes it worse." Thomas slowly made his way off the couch and left the room. He could tell that this was something I need to do alone. 

"You do realize who you're talking to, right?" I sighed, remembering the things I've seen. He's been through hell and found his way here, but to him, nothing changed.

"Yes, I do." He rolled his eyes and started fidgeting with his hands. "Your name is Cassidy. Your 17." His eyes went wide and he started to shake as I repeated his mantra. "You are Deception. You live in the mindspace. Your old friends with Virgil." He looked away as he clenched his fists, trying to compose himself. "He's 17. He's Anxiety. He lives right down the hall. And Deceit..."

"Yes?" I placed my hand under his chin and moved it so that he was looking right at me. 

"You are safe. You always will be." I saw as tears started to fall from his eyes. "Your apart of our family. We'll never let anything happen to you EVER AGAIN."

"But... b-but what about..." I pulled him in and felt him grip the back of my shirt.

"Nothing will ever happen to you again. Patton's claimed you as a son, did you know that?" I felt him shake his head no and I laughed. "He has. He practically beat me up looking for you... and my poor door. You really had him worried."

"I'm sorry..." I held him closer, and rubbed circles on him back.

"Don't be. It means your loved. It means you have someone waiting for you." He started to shake again and I smiled. Because this time I think the tears he was crying where happy ones. "It means you have a home."

"Congrats, Scrooge. That's three down." I looked over to see Chris standing by the window smiling. "Thank you."