Come Back Home

Chapter 5

Light

"WHAT?!" yelled Roman, startling both Patton and Logan. "No! No! We have to help him!"

He jumped up and pulled out his sword.

"Roman, calm down," said Logan with sideways look towards Patton, whose eyes were rapidly filling with tears at the sight of Roman losing control. "You're upsetting Patton. And do you really think we're just going to sit by and lose Virgil? Really, do you?"

Roman took a deep breath. "No, I- I guess not."

"Exactly. Come on, Roman, sit down."

Roman didn't.

"R-Roman," squeaked Patton. "We're gonna get him back, it's okay..."

"How?" roared Roman with tears in his eyes, waving his sword around, like that would help.

Patton burst into tears and ran from the room.

"Roman!" Logan snapped. "Enough! You've upset Patton, and there's no way we're going to be able to help Virgil if we're fighting between ourselves."

Roman took deep breaths. "You're.." He took another giant breath, breathing out slowly. "You're right, Teach. I'll go and apologise."

"Good." Logan leaned back into the pillows of the couch, rubbing his eyes tiredly. His anxiety was mounting.

Roman left the room, looking for Patton. "Pat? Patton, where are you?" Roman heard the sounds of quiet sobs from behind Patton's door.

"Pat..?" Roman knocked on the door, pushed it open and stopped in the doorway, watching the scene unfold before him.

Patton had pulled up the hood of his cardigan, that had cat ears on it, and was sitting on his bed sobbing, clutching a small purple bear. Roman looked around and saw that there were bears in red, grey, dark blue and pink on his shelves. Roman guessed they represented him and the others.

"Pat.."

Patton started, looked up and hurriedly wiped his face. "H-Hey Roman.." His voice was shaky.

"Patton, I came to apologise," offered Roman, walking over and sitting down on the side of his bed.

Patton sniffed and gave him a small half-smile. "Th-thanks Ro."

"Anything for my biggest inspiration," Roman quipped, giving Patton a hug. Patton hugged him back, hard, and went back to tears.

"S-Sorry, it's just... What if w-we don't get V-Virgil b-back? Wh-What if he stays there?"

"He won't, Pat." Roman rubbed his back. "We will get him back. I promise."

Dark

Virgil felt sick.

He appreciated how the Darks had taken him back in, but..

He was sick of being their object of pity.

He was sick of being regarded like a china cup, which could shatter at any moment.

He now preferred to stick to the shadows, skulking in the corners of rooms, not showing up for meals, that way they didn't bother him with "Virgil are you all right?" "Virgil it's okay, they won't hurt you anymore" "Virgil, what do you want to do tonight, you can pick"

He made his way quietly downstairs. He could hear the others talking in the other room. He sighed and went to the kitchen. He grabbed a box of snacks, and got out of there before they could find him and send him through another round of pity.

Light

"Okay, are we all clear on the plan?" Roman asked.

"What plan?" asked Logan. "All you said was you were going to go to the Dark Sides and see if you could figure anything out. What more is there to discuss?"

Patton looked like he was struggling with himself, before bursting out, "Roman, be careful!" and throwing his arms around his neck. Roman hugged him back with one arm, the other reaching out, grabbing Logan and squishing him in with them.

"No- I don't- no-" Logan tried to protest.

Roman let them go. "I'll see you soon. I promise, Patton." And with that, Roman sank down.

Dark

Roman rose up into the shadows of Remus' room. He had a certain bond with Remus' area here, being his brother and all. Remus didn't seem to be around.

Roman quietly opened to door, and crept outside, like he was on some kind of secret mission.

He quietly went downstairs, and saw something that made him stop dead.

A flash of yellow in the darkness.

Followed by Deceit walking through the room.

"Ugh," he heard Deceit whisper. Roman leaned in from the top of the stairs. "Why does this have to happen? Every time!"

Roman's eyes widened. He understood.

He clamped a hand over his mouth at the sound that escaped him.

He stood frozen in the gloom.

Deceit had heard him. He looked suspiciously up the stairs. Roman shrank back into the shadows.

Deceit seemed to decide it was nothing, and continued on into the next room.

Roman sank down, to the Lights. They needed to know.

Light

Roman rose up.

"Guys!" Roman yelled, prompting a small scream from Patton, sitting on the couch a few metres away. "Sorry Pat.. Logan! Come downstairs! Now!"

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked Logan, hurrying down the stairs.

"I know why Virgil left."

"Why?" Patton asked.

"Deceit- He was controlling us, that's why Virgil left." Roman was talking very fast. "We were treating him badly, but only because Deceit was controlling us, to get Virgil back."

"How do you know?" asked Patton, voice barely higher than a whisper.

"His eye, it was flashing. Specs, didn't you say that was a side affect of using his powers? His eye will occasionally flash for an amount of time after he stops?"

Logan blanched. "Yes- yes I did."

"Well, what are we gonna do? How do we tell Virgil in a way that doesn't make him hate us more?" asked Patton.

Logan looked at Patton sadly. "I- I don't know. E-Excuse me."

Logan walked away, thankful no-one had mentioned the few tears that had slipped down his face before he could leave.

We're coming to get you, Virgil. Don't you worry.