Powerless

33. My worst fear... (Roman)

"Thank you, Patton." I whispered after Mrs. Winters stormed out. Patton just smiled as he slowly turned back to normal. "I didn't know you were able to do something like that."

"Partial Shift... I actually got the idea from Toast and his Lycanthropy." He beamed as he walked over and placed a hand over Caz's head frowning. "He's cold."

"I know... I... I've been trying to keep the room warm but..." I felt a pair of arms wrap around me as I tried not to break down and cry. "I don't know what to do."

"You're already doing it." I looked over to see Virgil and I smiled brightly running over and pulling him into a hug. "Ok, ok..." Virgil struggled to get out of my grip as I just laughed. "Dude, we get it now... GET OFF!" I just smiled as I pulled away wiping the tears the had fallen from my eyes. "Look I... I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier. We all wanted to."

"All?" Virgil nodded as he handed over this card. I smiled seeing the entire class had signed it. Even Logan, surprisingly enough.

"Logan was actually supposed to come along but he's helping the teachers with a few things so he couldn't." His eyes darkened and I tensed up seeing this dark energy begin to branch off of him. "Patton and I... We actually have to get back."

"What why?" I looked between the two of them and frowned. "You both just got here. I..." I looked down as my hands began to shake. "I... I feel so alone."

"I'm sorry." Virgil took my hand and smiled. It was the first time I ever actually saw him smile. "I know how hard that must be. You're living your worst fear but... You have to be strong." He looked over at Cassidy and frowned. "He's going to need you."

"Roman they're... They're sending us back to Edgewood... We're under lockdown." My eyes went wide as Patton sighed running a hand through his hair. "The Villain really caused quite the scare and with Cassidy getting hurt... They all felt it best if we returned to the University, where well be better protected."

"Wait... What about Caz? He can't be moved and... A-And I'm not leaving him. HE WAS TARGET..."

"Roman, breathe." I fell back against the wall as Virgil knelt down in front of me trying to calm me down. It really wasn't working. All I saw was how broken Cassidy. How hurt he was... HE'S IN A FUCKING COMA! What am I supposed to do? "Roman... Look at me!" He took my hands and drew my attention back to him. "Do you remember what I told you at the resort?"

"Virgil, I really don't want to..."

"I told you he would never choose you. I told you about how I felt for him and that out of everyone you were the last one he would pick. That is if he ever would." I narrowed my eyes as he smiled sadly. "I was scared."

"What?" He let go of my hands and sat back looking at me with this serious expression. 

"I was scared. I was scared of losing him too. You two had gotten close and then you had your past together. I thought that if you ever told him how you felt. That that would be it. That I would lose my best friend." He looked down and I frowned. "I wanted you to give him up but... When those men attacked. When that... Anti, guy was hurting you... I saw something in Cassidy I had never seen before."

"What... anger?" I laughed a little but I saw how serious he was and I looked away.

"Fear." My eyes went wide and he looked back at Caz with a frown. "Not anxiety. Not worry. I saw honest to god Fear. World ending fear. He was petrified. He was afraid..." He looked back at me and I just froze seeing the tears that fell. "... of losing you."

"I thought your powers don't work on him." He narrowed his eyes as I tried to lighten the mood.

"I don't need to see his fears to know in that moment he was scared of losing you. Just as much as you were scared of losing him. Roman..." I looked down at the floor and Virgil sighed. "... you need to stay here with him. When he wakes up, and you're not here..."

"If..." His eyes darkened as my voice shook. "If he wakes up."

"When..." Patton smiled brightly as he helped Virgil to his feet. "When he wakes up, you'll be there for him." He looked back at Caz before sighing and looking back. "I really am sorry but... We have to go." 

I watched them disappear down the hall and I frowned. They're sending everyone back to Edgewood. Everyone... but the one who needs it most... 

Because he's in the hospital. I looked over at Caz and frowned as I took his hand. He was icy... Why was he so cold? He felt like... 

All of a sudden all these alarms started going off and I went into freak out mode. Doctors and nurses came running in going through things an trying to find out what was wrong. When they pulled out the paddles my heart drop. He wasn't breathing. His heart wasn't beating.

He was dying.

"Sir. You need to..." I pushed past the nurse only to have one of the doctors from before grabbing me and pull me back. The alarms... the noise... the people... Every time they used the paddles this jolt of energy burst the air. I wanted to scream. He can't leave me. Don't leave me alone. I have no one else. CASSIDY! 

"Roman, you can't..."

"LET ME GO!" I ripped myself from Dr. Iplier grasp just as everyone stopped. I froze dead in my tracks when Dr. Schneep said to call it. Everything was so... cold. "Caz..." The nurses slowly left the room as the two doctors just stood there waiting.... waiting for me. Waiting for me to say goodbye. But I won't. I can't say goodbye. He can't be dead. "You can't leave me."

"Roman..." Dr. Schneep threw his arm out cutting Dr. Iplier off as I walked over to Caz. I hesitantly reached out and cringed at how cold he was. He didn't feel like ice... He WAS ice. I went to my knees as I held his hand close. He wasn't breathing. His heart had stopped, and they turned off the machines. 

"You can't leave me, Caz." The tears fell from my eyes only to land on his hand and turn to ice. "What would I do without you? You're everything to me, Caz. I can't lose you." I laid my head on his chest ignoring the brain freeze that began to build. "Please don't leave me. Please..." I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder and I just broke. I was wracked with sobs. I was a mess. I gripped his hand tighter practically pulling him into a hug and holding onto him for dear life. "I love you... Don't make me have to go on without you. I won't... I can't do it."

"It's time, Roman." I looked back to see Dr. Schneep with this solemn look an I frowned pulling away from Caz... from his... He really is gone. He left me. I can't... I can't believe he's gone. He... My eyes went wide as his chest rose ever slightly. It was hard to notice... but I did. I saw it.

"Turn the machines back on." I just stared at Cassidy's chest as it rose consistently. I looked back at the doctors with this desperate expression and their eyes went wide. Dr. Iplier ran overturning the heart monitor on and sure enough. A small steady beat... A heartbeat. "He's alive."