"Virgil? Are you ready to leave?"

 Virgil trembled as he saw Patton and Logan get out of the car along with another little boy. He didn't know that they had another son, and it only added to his growing anxiety. 

"I..what if they decide to....what..I..." The matron sadly smiled and knelt down next to the trembling young boy. 

"They already love you Virgil. You know that right?"

The door bell rang and Virgil felt like he needed to throw up. He desperately looked over at the woman who had been taking care of him while Patton and Logan completed the adoption process and nodded. He could do this. 

"Hello! Come in come in." Virgil felt his shoulders relax slightly as he looked at Logan's calm face and Patton's bright eyes again. He didn't realize how much he missed them...Or how much he thought they weren't going to come back for him. 

 "Thanks Mrs. Clara. It's raining cats and dogs out there," Patton joked as he unfolded his umbrella. Raining cats and dogs? Virgil looked at the window and frowned when he only saw normal rain. 

"Yes I suppose that's one way to say it." Clara laughed and gestured for Virgil to join them. Virgil looked around the group and saw who the boy was. He surprisingly looked a lot like Patton and Logan. He had dark blonde hair that was elegantly pulled away from his face and bright blue eyes, just like Patton. 

"Hi! I'm Roman," The boy stated a bit louder than was needed as he struck a heroic pose. Virgil flinched away from the enthusiastic child, slightly startled. "Are you okay?" No! I'm not! I'm so scared, Virgil's mind screamed at him. But he simply nodded at the older child. 

"Okay well everything's checking out on my computer. So...you're free to go." Virgil trembled again and tightened his grip on his small backpack. Patton let out a small cheer, and naturally, Roman mimicked his excitement. 

"Thank you so much for all you've done Mrs. Clara," Logan responded as he walked over and gave her a formal handshake. 

"Oh my goodness, of course. He was amazing the whole time and I'm so glad he found such an incredible family." Virgil weakly smirked in appreciation and embarrassment as Logan gave him a proud smile. A smile that said, 'see, we knew you could do it'. He turned to face Mrs. Clara but quickly looked down when she made eye contact. "Bye Virgil. I'm going to miss you." Virgil looked up in shock and smiled before awkwardly waving goodbye. 

---

An hour later they pulled into a small neighbor hood. It was crammed with houses that practically looked the same and each one of them stood firm in the rain and wind. Cozy lights lit them from the inside and occasionally you could see a small family having dinner through windows. Virgil nearly gasped as they pulled into the driveway. He'd never lived in a house that looked nice before. He was so used to the run down house in the middle of a neighbor hood where everyone hated his family. They all got out of the car and made their way to the door under the umbrella. Virgil could feel the tension in his chest building. 

What if you screw this up? Can't handle it? 

Once they got to the door, Roman and Logan immediately went into the house. But Virgil hesitated. 

You'll ruin everything! 

He tensed up when he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was only Patton but he was still so worried.  "Wanna come in buddy?" Virgil nodded and followed Patton into the house despite wanting to run the other way.  "Okay it's almost time for dinner. Why don't you go play with Roman?" Roman waved from the living room, he was already surrounded by small action figures set up around a castle. Virgil had never played with anyone but Remy before. He shook his head. 

"Geez didn't mean to offend you or anything," Roman mumbled as he turned back to his action figures knocking a couple over in disapointment. What was the point of having a brother if he wouldn't play with you? Logan stood up and lightly flicked Romans knee. No one noticed that Virgil flinched away. "Ow! Father!" 

"Be nice to your brother Roman, if he needs time to adjust before playing with you that's perfectly okay." 

"Yes Father." Patton let go of Virgil's back and walked into the kitchen to finish dinner. 

"You should probably apologize to Virgil Roman," he suggested as he washed his hands and checked on the oven. 

"Sorry Virgil," he mumbled as he rearranged the toys around him. Virgil nodded and pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands. 

"Virgil, if ya don't want to play, Roman can show you your room instead okay?" Virgil nodded again, excited about having his own room again after months in the hospital and the time in the orphanage. 

"Dad. Why can't father do it?" Logan massaged the bridge of his nose as he felt slightly agitated with Roman. 

"I'm finishing some work Roman. I want to be able to eat dinner with you guys and I just have to finish this last section of paper work. Just do it really quick please." Roman groaned as he got up off the floor. 

"Come on. You're staying downstairs. My rooms upstairs and the dads are right down the hall from you." Virgil nodded for what seemed like the hundredth time. "You don't talk much do ya?"

"D-d-does y-your da-dad a-a-a-always h-hu-hurt you?" Roman snickered and Virgil backed away from him.

"No. Logan generally doesn't touch me, I deserved it this time though. I shouldn't have been so rude to you." Roman opened a door and noticed Virgil was no longer following him. "Virgil?" Virgil ran down the hall and towards the door. 

This was a mistake. Why do you think people would want you? 

"Patton honey, Virgil's running away!" Logan stood up from his chair and raced towards the door. "Virgil!" 

They're coming for you! Run! Faster! 

Virgil threw open the door and ran into the freezing rain and wind. 

"Roman! What happened," Logan asked as Patton looked out the door, shocked when he saw Virgil was already gone. 

"He, asked if you hurt me often and oh man-" Roman looked confused as he tried to remember exactly what had happened. 

"Son. What is it." 

"I'm taking the car," Patton declared as he stepped out into the pouring rain. "Honey! That's a bit excessive," Logan called out, but Patton was already gone. "Well when are you not excessive," he added as an after thought, sounding defeated. Roman looked down at the floor, guilt eating away at him slowly.

"He asked if you hurt me and I made a joke, but I didn't think it would hurt his feelings or anything like that I promise." Logan kneeled next to his son and smiled. 

"I know Roman. I was the one who messed up by flicking him. I don't know how I could've been so careless already," Logan muttered, mostly to himself.

"I'm sorry." Logan hugged his son. 

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about Roman." 

--- 

58 minutes later, Patton walked in the door holding Virgil's hand. "I got him." Logan sighed with relief and turned off the television. 

"Thank god. Virgil are you alright?" The small child nodded and clenched Patton's hand tighter. "I'm sorry Virgil I didn't mean to upset you earlier when I flicked Roman. It was a careless mistake." 

They hate you. 

Virgil nodded again and shuddered. "Oh yeah. Let's get you into dry clothes kiddo." Virgil absentmindedly let Patton lead him to his room. "I hope ya like it kiddo." Virgil nodded again and walked into his room to change his clothes. As soon as he was in his dry sweat pants and a black sweatshirt. He lay down on his bed and fell asleep, ignoring Patton calling him down to dinner.

The coughing started an hour later. Virgil rolled over in his bed, trying to locate a cool place. "I-I'm sorry-I'm s-sorry Dad." Virgil stirred and started to cough again. "D-dad. Dad stop. Dad?!" 

Virgil sat up and covered his mouth with his hand to stop himself from screaming as he remembered the burning sensation in his gut. The cold metal, the blood, the screams, the adrenaline, the fact that his own parents tried to kill-

"Virgil? Virgil are you alright?" Virgil lay back down quickly and pretended to be asleep despite his shaking hands and the cold sweat running down his neck. 

"Patton, look he's asleep. I told you he's fine. You just -yawn- are overreacting to a small noise." Patton sighed and closed the door slowly. 

"Yeah. I suppose you're right." Virgil sat up again and felt a sneeze tickling at the back of his nose. He stood up and covered a small sneeze, almost falling over as  He looked over at his alarm clock and noted that it was 4 am. 

Well we're not sleeping anyways. Virgil put on a pair of socks and shivered in the cold. He reached into the small backpack of possessions he had, and pulled out a plain black notebook. As he sat back down on his bed, he turned to the first blank page and doodled without a true plan. About 20 minutes later he noticed that the character he was drawing looked a lot like his new dad, Patton. 

He's too nice to you. Virgil pushed the thought back and continued to doodle. Adding his other dad and his new brother Roman. He closed the notebook and checked the clock again as a low rumble made its way across the sky. It was 6 am. Sounds like thunder. Virgil's thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack of lightning. He ran away from his window, threw open his door and stumbled out into the hallway with his hands clasped over his ears.

"Virgil are you okay?" Virgil looked up the stairs and saw Roman, who also looked afraid. Virgil nodded his head and coughed heavily. "Are ya sick?" I hope not. I don't want to be a burden. 

"Oh n-n-no. I-I- y-y-ya know. A-a-al-allergies." Roman nodded his head as another crash of lightning flowed through the house. 

"Dad," Roman yelped as he fled to the kitchen where Patton was cooking some kind of muffins. 

"Oh buddy it's just lighting. And besides. You're braver than the lighting." Roman smiled and hugged his dad. 

"But did ya hear that Father? It sounded so close!" Roman ran over to the kitchen table and sat next to his other father. 

"It is probably very close." Virgil entered the room and covered up a sneeze. "Oh good morning Virgil. I do hope you got an adequate amount of sleep."

"I-I- o-of course L-l-Lo-Logan." Patton looked Virgil over and frowned. 

"Buddy. Are ya okay? You look kinda pale." Virgil shivered. 

"Y-y-yeah...I-I'm fine. I-I don't..I don't get m-m-much s-sun," he tried to joke, hoping that everyone would stop looking at him. Patton poured some kind of batter in the cupcake tin. 

"And he has allergies," Roman bluntly declared as he took an orange from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table. Virgil started backing away slowly. 

"Oh...there were none that showed up in the medical records. But I want to fix that so that we can care for you as best as we can. What are you allergic to," Logan questioned as he placed his empty mug in the sink. 

Out! Now! Room! Virgil turned and ran towards his room, feeling weaker with every step. "Virgil? Virgil are you okay?" Virgil's lungs felt like they were on fire. He coughed as he threw open his door and locked it behind him. The room was spinning around him. Knock knock knock! 

"I'm-f-fine. I S-s-swear. Fine." Virgil clasped his head as he coughed some more, his chest burning almost as bad as the night his parents had-

"Virgil! Please let me in. So we can help you." Virgil collapsed to the ground and sneezed. 

Oh god oh god oh god why? Why why why WHY! Then there was the sound of a key turning in the lock as well as the sound of deep rolling thunder. "Virgil honey," Patton coed as he knelled down next to Virgil. 

"T-th-the room. Spi-pinning. N-no...Don't b-be m-m-mad." Virgil sneezed and groaned in agony. Logan ran in the room next also kneeling next to the small child. He placed a gentle hand on Virgil's forehead and sighed. 

"He's burning up. I'll go get the things we need, you stay here." Virgil trembled in Patton's arms. 

"S-s-so s-sorry p-p-Patton."

"Shhh. You're fine kiddo. I gotcha." Logan returned to the room holding a wet washcloth and some medication. 

"Patton up on the bed please." Patton started to raise Virgil from the ground but the small boy flinched away. 

"N-n-no! D-don't! P-p-p-please!" Patton stroked Virgil's hair. 

"Okay. It's okay baby, no one's going to hurt you..But you need to stand up then." Virgil nodded and did as he was told, immediately grabbing onto Patton's supportive arm. "That's it kiddo. Nice and slow." Virgil staggered over to his bed with Patton by his side. "S-s-" Virgil sneezed, and Patton . "Sorry." 

 "It's quite alright Virgil. You're safe now, we just want to help. We just want you to be okay." Virgil sat down on his bed and immediately regretted it. 

We can't stand up on our own. You can't escape now. Virgil stood up and fell back down onto the floor as his body felt like it was floating. "Whoa Virgil. You're okay."

"L-leave. E-esc-escape." Patton sat down on the bed and helped Virgil up. He noticed Virgil's eye were wide and frantic, full of fear. 

"Calm down Virgil. You're okay. Just lie down." Virgil reluctantly did as he was told, coughing a couple times before placing his head on his soft pillow. "Here," Logan said as he placed a cool rag on Virgil's forehead. 

"I-it's c-c-cold." Logan sighed. 

"I know. But please don't take it off." Virgil shivered and Patton wrapped a blanket around him tightly. 

"Is he going to be okay," a small voice from the doorway questioned. 

"R-Roman?" Virgil rolled over and looked at the door. 

"Is he going to be okay?!" Everyone in the room felt suddenly guilty. In the rush to care for Virgil they had forgotten to comfort Roman through the chaos. Virgil tried to sit up but swayed and fell back down on his pillow. 

"I'm...okay," Virgil responded slowly, controlling his stutter to help Roman calm down. Roman smiled and sighed in relief. Virgil shook again and drew in closer to Patton. "I-it's c-c-cold." Virgil's eyelids were fluttering rapidly as he clearly struggled to stay awake. Patton looked at Logan with worry in his eyes. 

"Lo. This is bad." Logan nodded in agreement. 

"It could be pneumonia. If it's bacterial it could be extremely bad. We need to go just in case Patton." With that Logan walked towards the living room. 

"Father! Father what's going on?" Logan sighed. 

"I need to call your aunt and see if she'll come babysit you while we take Virgil to the hospital." Roman looked down. 

"But dad, aunt Nancy is weird and I-" Logan sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"I know you don't like her. I don't like her watching you but what other choice do we have?" A silent tear ran down Logan's cheek. "What would it say about us if we lost him? Especially with my profession?" Roman shifted his weight awkwardly. And Logan embraced him. "I know this is a lot to ask-but please don't tell Patton about this. I need to be there for him and be the one who's calm. If he heard about this..." Roman nodded and grabbed his fathers hand. 

"Father?" Logan looked down at his child and wiped a tear from his cheek. "He's going to be okay."

---

"Alright Nan. We should be back tonight hopefully." 

 "Ah its all good Lo. I'm gonna take care of what's his face." Logan massaged his temples. 

"Roman. His name is Roman and-" There was the sound of loud, dry coughing from Virgil's room. "Excuse me Nan." Logan rushed into Virgil's room and saw Patton crying as he wrapped a sleeping Virgil in another blanket. "Patt...you're okay.." Virgil stirred and sniffled. 

"He...he..." Logan ran over to Patton and took Virgil into his arms. 

"Come on. Let's get to the car." Logan ran out of the room. "There's food in the fridge! Have him in bed by 8." Nancy nodded but didn't look up from the screen of her phone. 

"Wait...it's like 7...how long do you think you'll be gone," Roman questioned as he ran up to his Father. Logan leaned over and kissed Roman on the cheek. 

"Who knows. There hopefully won't be a lot of people int eh ER tonight, but you never know. I'm sorry, I love you son. Make sure aunt Nancy stays out of trouble," Logan muttered partially sarcastically and partially as an actual request. 

"Love you too father." Patton ran out next carrying a tote bag. 

"Love you Roman. Stay safe, please." Roman kissed his Patton's cheek and smiled. 

"I'll be fine dad." With that there were two in the house and three in the car.

---

"There's good news and there's bad news." Logan sat up straight, his back popping several times. 

"Babe, it's your call." 

 "Bad news first," Patton mumbled as he placed his head on Logan's shoulder. 

"Well it's not bacterial yet. So we can't do anything about it. He's going to be quite miserable for a week or two." Patton sighed with relief and agony. "The good news is that it's not bacterial so you're able to go home tonight." Logan nodded and looked at the frail, pale figure in the hospital bed. "I'm sorry we can't do more." Patton smiled. 

"You've helped enough."

---

"So Rodger it's 11:11. Time to make a wish." Roman sighed and rolled over in his bed. 

"I wish you would leave me alone so I could actually sleep." Nancy snorted. 

"Oh Ramon, you are way to much fun." 

 "Nan? We're home!" Roman sat up in his bed and raced down the stairs. 

"Father! Dad!" Roman hugged Patton first because Logan was holding a shaking Virgil. "How is he?" Patton smiled. 

"He'll be okay. Just a bit miserable." Roman nodded. 

"Son you should be in bed and Nancy you can leave now." Nancy smirked as she walked down the stairs. 

"Pay up bro." Logan rolled his eyes. 

"I'll pay you tomorrow. I swear." Nancy groaned. "Well I'll leave then. See ya nerd." She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. "Bye Patt! Bye Rodrick!" 

 "It's Roman!" Logan chuckled as he placed Virgil on the sofa. 

"You sound like you had a lot of fun." Roman exhaled dramatically. 

"I swear it's like I'm the 35 year old and she's the 7 year old." Logan nodded. "That's how it felt when I was 10 and she was 17." Roman looked at Virgil who was still shivering. 

"Would you like to watch a movie with us? It might calm you down a little bit." Roman smiled and sat down on his fathers lap. They sat there in silence besides an occasional cough or sneeze from Virgil. By the time the final scenes of bolt were rolling, Everyone was asleep besides Virgil who was deeply enjoying the movie.

---

"Where's Virgil!" Patton sat up from the sudden noise and fell off the couch. 

"Lo? What do you mean where's....Virgil?" Patton held out his hand and Logan helped him to his feet. 

"I mean he was on the couch with us last night and now he's gone." Suddenly there was a quiet sneeze and a loud crash from the kitchen. "Virgil!" Patton raced to the kitchen and saw his son cleaning up pieces of shattered glass. "Virgil what happened?" 

T-they hate you. "I-I-I-" Patton must've noticed the way Virgil's hands started shaking because he immediately knelt down and started calming him. 

"Hey...buddy it's okay...I'm not mad...just worried...." Virgil coughed and leaned on Patton's shoulder for support. "I-I was g-getting w-water....a-an-" 

 "You sneezed and dropped the cup," Logan finished as he sat down next to Virgil. Logan raised his hand to embrace Virgil. 

He's gonna hit you! Run! Leave! Go! Virgil did what his anxiety told him to do running to his room and locking the door. "No no no no n-no. N-need to l-leave." 

 "Not again. What did we do wrong," Patton complained as he got up from the ground. 

"I think he just needs time Patt. He probably thought I was going to strike him or hurt him in some way because he dropped the cup on accident." 

 "B-but doesn't he know we love him. We would never do that." Logan hugged his boyfriend tightly. 

"He does. He just is having a hard time right now." Patton leaned into Logan and slowly started putting more weight on him. "Babe it's like 3 am. Go get some rest and check on Roman. I'll go calm Virgil down." Patton nodded drearily and let go of Logan. 

"Knock knock." Virgil tried his best to be silent but a sneeze escaped his exhausted body. "Okay you didn't run. That's really good Virgil...Can I come in?" 

 "Don't...hurt....me....please..." Logan opened the door slowly. "Vee. You didn't stutter. I'm so proud of you." Logan slowly started walking towards Virgil. 

"I-I k-know..." and it's back-Logan thought not realizing Virgil was backing away from him. 

"Am I scaring you right now?" Virgil backed into his dresser. 

"A-a li-little." Virgil coughed and leaned on the dresser, his knees buckling beneath him. 

"Virgil. I'm not like your dad." Virgil looked up at Logan and tears filled his eyes. "And I'm sorry for what he and your mother did to you. It is terrible how broken and frightened they have left you." Virgil sat on the floor, frozen with fear. "And..I have only known you for about 2 months now, but I do love you." Virgil sobbed and fell to the floor. "We all love you Virgil. And if anyone ever even thinks about hurting you...they'll have a problem with me." Logan was now close enough to touch Virgil, but Virgil beat him to it. The shaking child clasped onto Logan's arm with a deathly strong grip. 

"I-I don't want him to come back. I-I never-never w-w-want to be hu-hur-hurt again!" Logan stroked Virgil's forehead, triggering the pressure point that makes you sleep easier. 

"He won't. I swear. I swear you're safe now." Virgil yawned and coughed again. 

"What if he-d-does?" Logan smiled and picked Virgil up. 

"He'll have to get through me, Patton and possibly Roman's hero stance." Virgil smiled as well and started to go limp. 

"T-thanks F-Father-" Logan smiled. 

"I love you son."

AN: if you read the changes, i don't think you know how much I appreciate it. i hope this is easier to read and possibly even better. Be on the lookout for more editing/changes in the near future. This was exhausting tbh, ok...byeeee

-Talented_trash