Chapter Seven

                                    

                                          
(POV: Roman)
                          
The hour hand on my golden trimmed grandfather clock was nearing midnight and I had yet to get an ounce of sleep.
                          
My mind kept bouncing back and forth between all the thoughts clumped together in my head. Virgil. Deceit. The others. The Dark Sides. Thomas. Abuse. Pain. Neglect. It was all becoming too much.
                          
I finally sat up, bunching my knees to my chest, and running a hand through my thick, moist hair. Ever since we had read Virgil's old diary, I couldn't get it out of my head. He went through so much in his past. So much we didn't know about. So much I didn't know about.
                          
He hid his trauma so well. It made my stomach sick thinking about everything I had still yet to learn about his past. But that puzzled me even more. Why would he dare go back? After all of the things that the others had put him through, he still went back to them.
                          
Didn't Virgil know how much we all cared about him? How much I cared about him?
                          
Without Virgil, Patton, Logan...I would be completely lost. Virgil helped us to get back on track and reminded us all of the things that were important. Not only did he help Thomas, but he helped me. Ever since he arrived, he has helped me to become more confident in myself. If he could be accepted for who he was, maybe I could too.
                          
"Virgil," I whispered into the darkness of my room. "Why did you leave us?"
                          
I waited patiently, maybe for a response or an idea, but nothing came.
                          
He left because of how cruel you were to him. It's all your fault, Roman.
                          
No, that couldn't be it. Virgil and I had pushed past all of that, right? We were friends now. We had to be.
                          
I stood up and began to pack a small bag with a pair of clothes and some food. I got dressed and crept over to the door.
                          
"Oh my god. What am I doing?" I gasped, freezing in place. "Am I seriously going to go there?!" I had to. It was the only way to find Virgil. I had to go visit my brother. He will know where Virgil went.
                          
I swallowed everything holding me back, opening the door and walking out. I ran my fingers along Logan and Patton's doors as I passed them. It hurt to do this to them, it really did. But Virgil cannot wait in that...that hell any longer. 
                          
Hopping down the stairs, I proceeded out the door and headed in the same direction as Virgil. As I came closer to the area, I could see burn marks in the grass where his portal was. My arms were shaking as I snapped my fingers to create a portal like his. Letting a deep breath of air fill my lungs, I walked through it.
                          
***
                          
"Roman? Roman, wake up!" I heard a fuzzy voice call out to me.
                          
Hands pressed against my chest and shook me, slowly helping my body rise. My eyes peeled apart, making me dizzy as the world spun around me. Everything became clearer; I was able to make out the figure in front of me.
                          
He had a striking gray line in his hair, along with neon green accents in his outfit. It didn't take much to realize who the person was. 
                          
Immediately I sprang up, summoning my sword and sticking it in his face. Shock relished Remus, his hands partly up in surrender.
                          
"What did you do to me?" I seethed, gripping my sword tighter.
                          
"What are you talking about?"
                          
"You know what I mean! How did you knock me out?"
                          
That seemed to trigger his memory. Remus laughed, pushing the sword away from his face. "You've never been to the Dark Sides' Mind Palace before, what did you expect?" He explained. "The energy shift is a massive change from light to dark. Any one of you would pass out while crossing over here."
                          
I rubbed my forehead, trying to clear away the fog that shrouded my mind.
                          
"Can you take me there?" I asked. "I... don't exactly know the way."
                          
Remus chuckled and grabbed my arm. "Well why didn't you just say so?" My brother pulled me to my feet, his grin sending an uncomforting chill down my back. He gave my arm a soft punch before beginning to walk into the darkness. 
                          
I slowly followed behind, not wanting to get lost in a place like this. I could hardly see my hand in front of my face, but that didn't seem to bother Remus.
                          
"What brings you here anyway, Ro Ro?" He asked, breaking the eerie sound of nothingness. 
                          
"I-I'm trying to find...someone," I stated bleakly. 
                          
"Just someone? Pssh, that's vague," Remus commented. "Do you not know who you're looking for or something?"
                          
"I'm looking for Virgil, okay?!" I blurted. My brother almost froze, an interesting expression painting his features. "H-He came back over here a-and we have no idea why. I'm just trying to get him back. You know this place, where could he be?" 
                          
Remus's eyes glanced over to the left for a moment before focusing back on me. "Nope! I've been patrolling all over the Mind Space and I haven't seen him. He probably went back to your place knowing him."
                          
My brother began tapping his fingers together nervously. I was about to open my mouth to say something when he interrupted me.
                          
"Although, now that I think about it, he might be on his way back still. It's quite a long journey."
                          
"Remus! Just tell me where he is!" I demanded.
                          
Remus shrugged and skipped around me. He repeated that he didn't know and I should keep checking. He seemed to be directing me away from the house. He had to be hiding something.
                          
"Okay, fine. I'll go back. I'll go look somewhere else since my brother apparently doesn't know where Virgil is," I sighed, spinning around.
                          
I took a few steps forward away from Remus.
                          
"Wait!" he called out. "I may not know where he is, but I might be able to help."
                          
I whipped around, his burgundy eyes meeting my own.
                          
"What do you mean by, 'help'?" I asked.
                          
He flashed a smirk at me, coming closer. "Why, I want to help you out. You said it yourself, I know this place much better than you. Plus, I'd hate to see Thomas plummet because his creativity got lost and corrupted out here!"
                          
Unfortunately, Remus was correct. I'd get lost out here faster than Patton could make a batch of cookies. I looked back to my brother, giving him an assured nod. 
                          
"Lead the way, I guess," I replied. Remus squealed in excitement, running off with me following behind at his heel.