Stuck In A Story (Sanders Sides)

~Chapter Four: Regret and Recover~

**tw: cursing**

He couldn't believe it.

Logan always knew he was the least qualified when it came to emotions, but the one time he needed to accept them, he failed. He failed himself, but more importantly, he failed the one person he cared about more than himself.

He failed Patton.

The other four had tried consoling him, telling Logan it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have done anything different, but he knew they were all lying. Just trying to make him feel better.

Logan was sitting on a fallen tree trunk, running his fingers through his hair, trying to formulate a plan for what seemed like the fifteen-millionth time. Roman found him and sat next to the logical side. "Anxiety isn't a good look on you Lo. That's Virgil's thing." he chuckled at his own remark, but Logan didn't respond. Roman sighed and put a hand on the others shoulder. "Look, there was nothing you could've done-"

Logan clenched his fist. "Yes there was, dammit!" he yelled. "If I wasn't so...I don't know..emotionless, if I wasn't so wound up in the idea that I can't have feelings, then Patton would still be here right now!" Roman tried to say something, but Logan cut him off. "I failed him, Roman. And now, Paranoia has him, we have no idea where they are, and now he has leverage over us. And it's all my fault." The fanciful side took a deep breath. "Look, Logan, that may be true, but we can face this together. As a group. We can do this."

Logan looked at Roman and nodded gratefully. "Let's go find this son of a bitch and get Patton back."

Somewhere deep within the forest, was Paranoia's 'headquarters'. After taking Patton, that is where he went. Going inside and setting the moral side on a bed, he went to work on his next course of action. He heard a knock at the door, and looked through the peephole to see who it was. When he did, he happily opened it.

"Ethan! So good to see you!" said Paranoia. Ethan, the side he was addressing, stood at the door, with an orange tee shirt and black leather jacket, matched with jeans and black combat boots with orange laces. He had light brown hair and dark brown eyes, with little orange glimmers in them from time to time.

Ethan looked confused. "What are you doing here?" Paranoia smirked. "Just having a bit of fun." Ethan walked in and saw Patton, and his eyes went wide. "Holy shit, did you kill Morality?!" Paranoia chuckled. "No, genius. He's just under a little sleeping curse is all." Ethan looked back at Paranoia. "Valdis-" Paranoia cut him off. "Don't use my real name. No one has in over five years, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Ethan ignored the comment. "Valdis, you're taking this too far. I understand wanting to mess with the others a little, but this is way over the line!" Valdis just looked down. "Look, even if I wanted to wake him up, I can't. Only true loves kiss can." "Have you tried Logan? It's obvious he has feelings for him." Ethan asked. Valdis nodded. "Yep. But he didn't accept his feelings, so it wasn't true. But that doesn't matter! I'm doing what I want to do, and you can't stop me."

Ethan looked at the other. "I know you have a past with them, though I don't know what yet, but this isn't the way to solve it. Vengeance never is. Believe me, I learned that the hard way." Valdis rolled his eyes. "You're pretty boring for being the anger side." Ethan shook his head. "Because I've learned from my past, Val. I think you should too." And with that, he left the hideout, leaving Valdis alone with a sleeping Patton.

Back at the camp, Logan and Roman emerged from the forest, Logan being in a visibly better mood. Janus sighed. "Finally, you aren't depressed anymore. We need to make a plan, and frankly, Remus isn't making any good suggestions." Remus threw his hands up exasperated. "I'm just saying a human canon would be a GREAT idea!" Virgil shook his head and looked up at Logan. "Please help me."

Roman chuckled at the behavior, and a small smile spread across Logan's face. He crouched down, hand on his chin, thinking. "There's a path in this forest, so it must lead somewhere, or at least we'll find something along the way. So I suppose we just follow it until we reach whatever the goal of this whole experience is." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Still think we could do a human canon.." Remus muttered under his breath.

Virgil tugged at Logan's sleeve. "What about the tests and challenges?" Logan looked back at the anxious side. "We shall face them as best as we can. They're made to target each of us individually, so just know your strengths and weaknesses." Virgil nodded and walked forward. Roman smiled at Logan and nudged him with his elbow. "Told ya you could do it." Logan smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Guess I just needed a push in the right direction." After walking for about five minutes, Logan turned back to the other. "Thank you, Roman. What you said really did help." Roman smiled. "Eh, it's what I do, Teach. Save people and all that." Logan rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. They were going to find Patton, and get him back. No matter what it took.