(POV: Roman)
"H-He went back to the Dark Mind Palace?!" Thomas cried worriedly. Patton gently hovered his hands around his back, trying to keep him calm. I could tell the weight of the situation was not helping his headache in the slightest. "W-When? How? Why would he do that?!" Thomas grinded his teeth together, the pain in his head beginning to overwhelm him.
"Easy there, kiddo. We don't know," Patton whispered. Logan ran off into the upstairs bathroom, probably looking for something to kill his headache with. It pained me to see Thomas like this. I mean, I know how it affected him when Virgil ducked out, but why is it causing him so much pain now? What was happening to Virgil to make Thomas like this? The thought was making my knees weak.
Logan eventually came back, pill bottle in hand along with a small cup filled with water. Slowly, as to not spill the water, he handed the cup and medicine to Thomas. "That should aid your headache, Thomas," Logan told him. Our host nodded, silently downing the water and medicine. Patton stood from the couch and joined us by the stairs in a small huddle. "I think we should head back to the mind palace and see if our hypothesis on Virgil's whereabouts is correct," Logan suggested.
"Agreed. We need to find Virgil before Thomas begins to plummet more," I replied. We all glanced back over at Thomas, seeing him on the edge of falling asleep.
"Patton, maybe you please stay with Thomas until he is asleep while Roman and I search?" Logan asked.
The dad-like trait nodded sadly and draped a blanket over Thomas before sitting down next to him. He ruffled Thomas's hair gently and told him that everything was going to be okay.
Thomas smilied sleepily and curled up in the blanket.
"Thank you, Pat," he said as he drifted off to sleep.
I nodded my head at Logan and the two of us marched up the stairs. The first place that we needed to check was Virgil's room, after that, our own rooms to see if he left anything behind.
When we reached the anxious side's door, I stood in front of it, unsure of what to do.
"Roman, are you alright? You seem a bit pale," Logan worried beside me.
"N-No. it's nothing," I said, opening the door and stepping inside.
The moment I walked through, I was hit with a cold breeze drifting it through the open window. I rushed over and shut it. Instantly, the room began to get warmer.
"Hiya! Did you guys find anything?" Patton wondered, bounding into Virgil's room. Warmth was radiating off of the young man, causing the
sudden shift in temperature.
"No, not yet," I mumbled, opening the drawer of Virgil's nightstand. I felt bad for snooping, but how else were we supposed to find out what made him leave?
I lifted up a few cards that we had made for his birthday, and underneath was a black journal, painted to look like the night sky. My heart began to beat rapidly as I opened it.
Why was I so nervous to look inside?
The first entry was dated back to several years ago, back when Virgil hadn't joined Patton, Logan, and I. This was about a year before he left the Dark Sides. I wonder what he wrote about.
"Hey, guys? I think I found something," I called to the others.
Patton and Logan stood next to me as we read the first few entries. Just by the texture of the pages, as well as the way the ink seemed cracked against the paper, I could tell that Virgil hadn't revisited this journal in forever. Almost as if with time, this thing would fade from his memory entirely.
September 27th, 2015 - I can't stand this much more. The others won't stop messing with my head. Not to mention, me getting anxious is only affecting Thomas worse. I'm gonna do something awful to him accidentally, I know it. They're putting so much pressure on me, not realizing how hurtful it is. I don't know what I'm going to do. They're bound to kill me if things don't change soon. If only my head was clearer. Maybe then I wouldn't be such an idiot and ruin Thomas' life. But I can't. I only hurt him, at least, that's all that he says.
December 17th, 2015 - I can't do this anymore! I'm going crazy! They're hurting me. And by result, I'm hurting Thomas. I can't go on like this. Something has to change before I die. Before Thomas loses his sense of anxiety forever. But, I think I have a plan.
I quietly shut the journal, looking back at the other two. Logan looked shocked, a look he never wears. Patton was covering his mouth with his quivering hand. I was completely speechless. The others...they made him feel worthless and awful all his life. Then why did he go back?
"I never knew he went through all that!" Patton finally spoke, biting through the suffocating silence.
"None of us did. Yes, we understood it was bad. But we were all unaware of the level of pain and suffering he underwent," Logan added, doing his best to comfort the fatherly figure.
"So what does all this mean?" I questioned, setting the book down.
"Perhaps Virgil went back to the dark sides to 'level the playing field' as one might say. After all the things he went through, perhaps closing the barrier is his way to triumph over all his suffering," Logan suggested.
"Or maybe to protect us. You saw how angry he was when Deceit finally did show up!" Patton commented.
"I'm thinking it's both," I said, gliding my fingers along the worn cover of his journal.
"Don't worry, Roman. We'll find him!" Patton assured me. He gave me a loose hug before exiting the room with Logan at his heel.
I clenched my eyes shut. Maybe it was Virgil's room getting to me, but I couldn't help but worry. He doesn't deserve this. After everything that's happened. I feel like I owed it to him to save him. I know what Patton said, but Virgil can't wait any longer. Who knows what's happening to him right now.
This can't wait. I have to save him. And I have to do it now. With or without Logan and Patton