Desmond was surprised when he entered the house and saw that Logan was not sitting at the table and Patton pulling cookies out of the oven. He had asked Logan to stay hadn't he, and Patton still seemed as happy as ever, though he did sometimes cook when he was stressed. Pounding his hand on the wall, right where the stud was to make sure he didn't damage the wall, Des got Patton's attention. He continued to smile, there was no anger or fear in his eyes.

"Hello Kiddo! Welcome home! Thank you so much for getting food for us!" Something was off, he was talking loudly, which wasn't unusual for Patton but this was still louder than normal. Desmond wanted something to be off right? That had been the whole plan, get Logan to spill the rumors and make Patton nervous around him. Then he could chase him away.

'Where did Logan go?' He signed after putting the bag of food on the table.

"Oh! He didn't text you, I told that silly billy he should. Anyway, he said that he needed to take care of things at home but he would keep working on the project so that you two didn't fall behind. He also asked me to apologize."

Des frowned but nodded, digging through the bag to pull out what he had gotten for Logan so that it could be stuck in the fridge.

"Do you want a cookie?"

'Chocolate chip cookies don't really go well with Chinese food.'

"Chocolate Chip cookies go well with everything! Though, I guess I should have asked if you are allergic to chocolate?"

Des shook his head and fought back a smile. It was a knee jerk reaction. Patton seemed so sweet and kind, even if it was all an act. "I don't think it's an act," Virgil whispered, as he looked down at the food. "You didn't get any fried rice."

He just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Is something wrong with the order?" Patton asked, bringing the plate of cookies to the table.

'No, but I think I'm going to eat in my room.'

"Oh, okay, well if you are certain." A sad pout crept onto Patton's face and Des responded quickly, a bit more force behind it then he really meant.

'Yes.' He turned to leave. Patton was supposed to be skittish around him after everything or at the very least being fake in his kindness, but nothing about Patton seemed fake.

"Maybe he's being honest." Virgil pulled at the sleeves of his jacket, a small frown on his face. "It's hard to believe after everything you've been through but maybe he really is that nice." His black jacket shifted as he slid against the wall.

Des frowned, playing with his food before setting it on his bed. 'No one is that nice. Everyone has an agenda'

"What about the lawyer? He was nice."

'Even if he was, he was getting paid. Sure he helped, yes he was nice, but he was still just doing his job. Besides, he ended up getting in an all too convenient car accident after the trial was over. Anytime I let someone in, they either hurt me or get hurt. I'm not doing it again.'

"Des, you can't blame yourself for everyone who gets hurt in your life. You aren't the bad guy here, and maybe it's time you had some happiness too." He was fidgeting a lot and Des knew he was going to crack. He had always known.

'What about you?'

Virgil froze, nervously biting at his lip. "What about me?"

'You know exactly what I mean,'

A sigh left the quiet man's lips as he went to sit on the bed. "I did everything I could to protect you," his voice was soft. They both knew Desmond's next words. They had had this argument over and over again. Each time that Des thought about letting someone in they had this argument.

'You could have stayed alive!' Tears were sliding down the non-scared side of his face as he looked up at Virgil. The purple patches that had once adorned Virgil's hoodie were not gone, instead showing the patches of burnt flesh that Desmond remembered from the hospital. The pain was fresh each time he saw them, an 8-year-old Desmond staring at his best friend and only family member, sitting in the hospital, hooked up to a ventilator that he would never come off of. Virgil had died a long time ago and this figment of Desmond's imagination was nothing more than a shell, something that he pretended to see so that he didn't feel so alone. He knew he was talking to himself, he had always known. He didn't think he could get through this world without his brother and best friend.

"Des..."

'Save it, we both know this is just in my head.'

He could almost imagine the feeling of Virgil's hand on his shoulder, a comforting weight in this cold world, but when Des acknowledged the truth, his image of Virgil was always a little bit weaker.

"You have Squid, you have Patton, you don't need me."

Des sighed, there was no point in answering his own thoughts, he just curled up on his bed, moving the food to the floor. He was tired, and desperate to keep up the walls he had built to protect himself. 

AN: So yeah... that happened. I warned you all! It was in the warnings! 

Originally, I was planning on holding out on this secret for a few more chapters but I thought now was a good time. Now you know why no one talks to Virgil, and Virgil never picks up anything. So... you all okay?