TW: drugging, parent-child separation, scar, cursing

Thomas blinked his eyes drowsily open. Something was different. 

This wasn't his and papa's room? It was different. The colors were brighter and the crib was too soft. He didn't like it. It was too squishy, and the bars went higher than before and everything was different. 

Where was Papa and Dada? Why weren't they here? Did they leave him? Did they leave him alone? 

Even the ceiling was different? It was smooth instead of bumpy and made it so he couldn't find the constellations papa had shown him? Did papa bring him here? Was something wrong? Where were papa and dada? Why weren't they here? 

Cries traveled downstairs to where everyone else was asleep. The drugs had started to wear off, making it easier for Remus to hear the cries coming through a baby monitor. He shot up from where he had been unconscious on the floor and desperately searched around the room for Thomas, instead finding almost everyone else. Roman, Virgil, and Damien. No Logan or Thomas. 

"He's not down here," Remus found Patton sitting in a chair close to the door, "I'm assuming you're looking for Thomas, like any good parent would." Virgil was awake already, leaning against a wall and fiddling with the zipper on his hoodie. 

"Where is he?" Patton ignored the question. 

"Well, that's saying you're a good parent. What kind of parent leaves their baby with a stranger while a known criminal has escaped prison? For all you know that kid could have been working with me! Honestly, if it was me and Logan going on a date I wouldn't have left Virgil or Damien with a stranger under any  circumstances." 

"Where is he Patton! Where's my son? What did you do with him?"

"Oh calm down Remus, you always over react. He's just upstairs. I'll take you up to him soon. Just wait for Damien to wake up. You guys sleep like rocks."

"That can happen when you drug people. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's the point." Roman was as far from Patton as he could get, rubbing his stomach where the scar would be. 

"Oh shush Roman. You're so damn overdramatic," a groan came from Damien as he started to wake up. "Sorry Virgil."

"It's ok, Dad." Virgil looked like he was far away. 

"Well, since Damien is... almost completely awake suppose we can start. Since Remus is so anxious to get to Thomas." Remus let out a breath he'd been holding. He needed to get back to Thomas, and find Logan. They were probably terrified. 

"It's almost six, so there's food upstairs. Virgey, why don't you follow me and I can take you and Damien upstairs. You guys can eat in your room and I'll explain the rules to you guys up there." Virgil nodded and stood up. Patton scooped up Damien and Virgil followed him up the stairs and to their room. He set Damien on one of the two beds in the room and Virgil sat down on the other, on the opposing side. 

Patton left and Virgil looked around. The room was much bigger than the one they had before. the beds had gone from bunk beds to separate beds. The sides of the room were matched piece by piece of furniture. They desks on opposite sides and nightstands. Most of the furniture was black. The sheets and blankets on Virgil's bed were purple. 

Virgil walked over to a window, surprised that there was one even on the same floor as them, Patton had never let them anywhere near a window. They were on at least the second floor of a house. There were so many trees. Even if they went outside, there was no way they could find their way around that. 

"Virgil!" Virgil shot around to face Patton, "Stay away from the windows! You're not allowed near them unless I say!" 

"S-sorry Dad, I was just interested in the outside!"

"It's fine, just don't do it again." Damien had fully woken up now, glaring at Patton like he had laser eyes and cut through him if he tried hard enough. "Now, let's talk about the rules.  I've been thinking about them for awhile and I think that I really need them this time." 

"Ok..." Virgil went back and sat on the corner of his bed. 

"...And you need to eat when there's food. Don't say you're not hungry or anything else, you need to eat right. You can't just eat snacks like I know you would Virgil. Oh, and bedtime is at 8:30. Any questions?" They'd been here for an hour, Patton almost seeming to come up with more out of thin air. 

"What happens if we break a rule?"

"We'll deal with that at that point. I shouldn't have to figure out that for now, unless I have to. do I have to Virgil?" Virgil shook his head no. "Ok, now I need to go talk to your uncles."

"Where's Logan?"

"What Damien?" Patton turned around to face him, anger flitting across his face before it went back to normal. 

"Where's Logan? He wasn't downstairs with the rest of us, and you aren't talking about him. You only mention Roman and Remus, but I know you took Logan, because he was with us in the storage unit, So where is he?" 

"Your father, is still asleep. You can see him soon."

"When can we see Logan." Damien put extra emphasis on Logan, just to see how much it would piss off Patton. Instead of answering Patton went downstairs to Roman and Remus. 

Remus was pacing from one side of the room to the other waiting for Patton to come down. He'd left them awhile ago, and Thomas was still crying. 

///957 words