Trigger Warning: I'm sorry in advance.

"What do we do? He's going to get himself killed!" Logan said, his voice cracking as he panicked.

"Let's go get Roman and Virgil. Then we'll all go after him." Patton said in a scratchy voice.

Logan took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded, the two of them quickly sinking down to go find Roman and Virgil.

When they appeared they found themselves surrounded by black energy and quickly grasped what was going on.

Logan walked over to where Virgil was curled up while Patton approached Thomas.

"Virgil? It's me Logan. Jacob woke up and told us he was going after Preston himself. You need to snap out of it so we can help him."

Something within Virgil stirred at the sound of Jacobs name. He vaguely remembered someone called Jacob being injured.

"Please Virgil. He's gone to confront Preston by himself!" Logan begged.

Suddenly everything came flooding back and the energy which had been swirling across the floor at ankle height began to retract back towards Virgil who raised his head and looked at Logan with blazing eyes.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Virgil asked in a croaky voice.

"I tried, both me and Patton tried but he used his ability to shut us up and then said he was going to find Preston and if we wanted to come get you and Roman to help then we could but he wasn't going to wait. He walked off before we could do anything so we thought we'd get you." Logan explained, not wanting Virgil to lash out at him with his energy.

Virgils eyes drifted over to Patton who was holding Thomas in a tight embrace whispering words of comfort in his ear. "you snapped him out of it then? That's good. We should probably try and snap Thomas out of it before we go after Jacob."

Roman was happy Logan had calmed Virgil down but he did feel a bit resentful that Virgil had snapped out of it at the sound of Deciets name.

He shook off his jealous thoughts and walked over to where Patton and Thomas were.

"Everything is ok, come on Thomas." Patton murmurred, already having tried to snap him out of it with tons of other words. He sighed and turned to the others. "It's no good, he's not responding at all."

Logan frowned for a second as he thought then exclaimed "You could use your ability to project feelings into him."

Patton gasped and grinned "And that's why I love you, you're brilliant!"

Roman and Virgil looked between the two traits in shock as Logan blushed and Patton began gathering up as many positive emotions as possible to project.

"Since when...?" Virgil asked, trailing off in disbelief.

Logans face went bright red and he muttered "We kind of confessed about 10 minutes ago. Well Patton had confessed many times before hand but I managed to sort my thoughts and feelings out enough to say it back and mean it."

Virgil couldn't help a small smile appearing on his lips. After the disaster of Patton walking in on a drunk Logan kissing him he'd thought they'd never confess to each other. Especially considering Logans relationship with Preston.

Virgil glanced over at Roman who was seemingly deep in thought himself. Roman had said he loved him but was that just something he'd said to get him out of his delusional state?

Virgil wasn't sure, at the time it seemed genuine but he wasn't exactly in his right mind so for all he knew Roman could have just said it to snap him out of it.

Before Virgil could start thinking himself in circles Patton let out a small sigh. "I can't seem to do it."

"what do you mean?" Roman asked, instantly coming out of his thoughts.

"Well I can project the feelings to him but they seem to just disappear." Patton said with a worried expression.

Virgil shuddered as he remembered his previous idea. "I.... I can try with my energy if you want? I know it'll hurt him and I really don't want to but... Maybe it can help kick start his emotions again and then you can project all the positive ones afterwards."

Patton looked at Virgil for a few seconds before nodding.

"Wait, are you sure? I mean is this really a good idea?" Roman asked and Patton hung his head with his eyes closed as he replied. "It's the only plan we have Roman. We need to hurry if we're going to get to Deciet before he finds Preston."

Virgil took a shaky breath and closed his eyes, willing his energy to appear. He managed to produce a small whisp of black energy but it dispersed after barely a second.

" Um.... I think it only works when I'm angry or anxious or something like that." Virgil said in a worried voice.

Roman looked even more concerned, he didn't want Virgil to lose it again, what if they couldn't snap him out of it and he hurt someone badly?

Patton had a grim face as he suddenly said "Think about what would have happened if you hadn't walked in on Preston when he had Deciet."

Immediately Virgil let out an angry growl and black energy began to pour off of him. It curled and wound its way around the legs of the furniture and Virgil directed it upwards with a wave of his hand until it hovered around Thomas like a cloud.

As the cloud drew closer to Thomas, Virgil was finding it harder and harder to keep his energy in control.

The second it touched Thomas's skin there was an agonised scream and Virgil felt his energy pulse and expand.

"That's enough Virgil!" Logan shouted over Thomas's scream as Patton was focusing on projecting positive emotions.

Virgil managed to pull his energy away from Thomas but he was quivering and gasping as his energy seemed to have a life of its own and wrapped around him like a blanket.

Thomas stopped screaming the second the energy was removed from his skin and Patton quickly projected all the positive emotions he could muster.

Roman and Logan were glancing from Thomas to Virgil, their eyes wide in concern as Virgil seemed to be struggling to control his energy.

"What.... What's g....going on?" Thomas stammered, his entire body shaking as he rubbed his arm where the energy had left a burn like mark.

"Preston damaged the emotion room in the mindspace so both you and me went into a state of shock. Virgil managed to get you out of it just enough for me to project emotions into your mind." Patton explained but before he could say anything more Virgil let out a small cry of pain.

Roman gasped as he noticed the grey from before starting to spread up Virgils neck and his energy seemed to be constricting around him.
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Jacob stalked down the halls towards the imagination forest. That was where he'd last encountered Preston so that was where he would start his search.

He stood at the edge of the treeline among the rubble from the barrier and as he took a step forward his foot hit something. He looked down and noticed a phone.

He frowned, picked it up and then recognised it as Virgils. He guessed the password with a knowing smirk and decided to type out a text to send to the main traits in a group chat.

When he was done he carefully tucked Virgils phone into an inside pocket and continued on his way, his yellow eye peering around at the trees cautiously.

He made it almost to the other side of the forest when he spotted Preston limping towards him with a nasty smile.

"Ah, you're looking more awake than last time I saw you." Preston said. "Less bloody too. That's a shame."

"What are you planning?" Jacob growled, his eye narrowed as he glared at the one responsible for his ruined eye.

Preston just grinned and tilted his head to the side. "Aw, you think I'd tell you? That's cute."

Jacobs hands curled into fists as he hissed "You're a vile piece of shit! Tell me what you're planning or I'll..."

"If I didn't have things to do I'd probably spend a lot of time trying to trade insults with you but duty calls." Preston said, cutting off Jacobs threat.

He took a step forward and pulled out his knife, causing Jacob to instantly back away a few steps.

"hmm, I was beginning to wonder if you had any sense of self-preservation left in that empty head of yours. I was starting to think I'd grazed whatever tiny organ serves as your brain when I stabbed you in the eye." Preston taunted, grinning at Jacobs furious expression.

Jacobs eye darted around the area and landed on a sharp looking branch laying at the foot of one of the trees. He made a lunge for it and held it in front of him pointing towards Preston.

"You know what they say, an eye for an eye." he said and jabbed the stick at Prestons face.

Preston smacked the branch away and swung his knife at it so it broke in half. "Good attempt but this is getting silly now."

Suddenly everything began to get dark and a familiar scream echoed through the trees.

Thing went back to normal after ten seconds and Preston had a pleased expression on his face. "Seems like dear little Virgil attacked Thomas. I bet the others are having to pin him down, or maybe Roman had to put him down. He's a danger to Thomas after all."

Jacob snarled "The only danger is you and you're going to die."

Preston laughed "That's quite possibly one of the funniest things I've heard. You're merely a bug under my foot."

Jacob took a step forward, raising the half of the stick he still had in his hand ready to strike.

Preston rolled his eyes "catch a hint, I have way more important stuff to do than deal with you."

Before Jacob could respond the mindspace shook again and Preston suddenly stated sinking down, a vicious looking smirk on his face.

"No!" Jacob roared and launched himself at Preston meaning both of them sunk down.

They reappeared in Thomas's lounge behind the couch. The others hadn't noticed them because Virgil was writhing around on the floor, his skin the same shimmery black as his energy.

Preston shoved Jacob away and took a step towards Thomas who was standing next to the couch watching the others trying to help Virgil.

"No!" Jacob shouted as he saw Preston readying his knife and everything seemed to go in slow motion.

Thomas turned around at the sound of Jacobs shout and spotted Preston with the knife.

Jacob jumped at Preston and tackled him to the floor as he produced his cane and began hitting Preston as hard as he could.

Preston let out a screech of pain as the weight of Jacob and the impact of Jacobs cane caused his previous injuries to twinge.

"You're a coward! Trying to stab someone when their back is turned! What sort of Creativity does that? Oh wait, nevermind you're a failure of one!" Jacob hissed.

Preston struggled underneath Jacobs weight and let a growl before crazed laughter began bursting from his lips.

The other traits had spun round too and were watching frozen in horror as they realised Preston had managed to gain enough power to materialise in front of Thomas.

Jacob felt a searing pain in his gut and then again just under his sternum but ignored it in favour of lashing out as hard as possible with his cane.

The cane made contact with Prestons head and he had a slightly dazed look as he suddenly vanished, leaving Jacob laying on the floor.

Jacob glanced down at himself and noticed two patches of dark red starting to soak into his clothes. He vaguely wondered if Luni was pissed at him for lying but shoved that thought away as Thomas suddenly knelt next to him.

"I... I don't know who you are but... You just saved my life." Thomas said, his eyes widening in horror at the blood. "Oh no! Guys? Help!"

Jacob sighed "I'm a part of you, If you die we all die. I was being selfish."

"That's not true Jacob." Logan said quickly coming to kneel next to Thomas.

Jacob rolled his eye. "Don't make me out to be someone I'm not. I only care about myself and Virgil. I also have an amount of respect for you Logan but the other two can piss off."

Virgil was still twitching and whimpering on the floor as Jacob glanced over at him.

"Virgil?" Jacob called his voice shaking.

Virgil didn't respond and Jacob grit his teeth as he forced himself to crawl over to Virgil, ignoring the way Logan and Thomas told him to stay still.

"Virge, it's me." he whispered placing a hand on Virgils shoulder. "You've got to snap out of this, Preston almost stabbed Thomas but I stopped him. I... I don't think I can do that a second time though."

Virgils eyes opened and as they locked onto Jacobs face the black energy seemed to evaporate as if it had never been there in the first place.

"Jake?" Virgil asked in a small voice and Jacob grinned.

"You know I hate that nickname."

Virgil managed a small smile "Don't call me Virge then." his eyes took in Jacobs full appearance and he sat bolt upright in horror. "You.... You're bleeding!"

Jacob glanced down at himself again and sighed "That's kind of why I can't stop Preston from trying to stab Thomas again. I don't think I'm gonna make it."

"No! Don't say that! You have to, I.... I just remembered you and the others, I'm not about to lose you again!" Virgil cried.

Jacob felt tears start running down his face as he realised Virgil didn't know about Unwin or Luni. "Virge, the others.... They're...." he started to say but a small sob burst from his lips and cut him off.

Virgil shook his head not wanting to believe what Jacob was trying to say "No, you're lying. That's what you do! They're both fine!"

Jacob felt his arms give out and he lay on his side with a small groan. "I'm... I'm sorry. They tried to stop Preston. He came into the secondary mindspace and both Unwin and Luni tried to stop him. Luni managed to get me out at the last second and that's when Logan found me."

Virgil had tears in his eyes as he crawled closer to Jacob. "If... If that's true and they're..... Gone.... That means you have to make it! I can't lose you too.... Please.... You're all I have left."

Logan and Thomas had walked over to the two of them now and Roman and Patton stood slightly behind them, unsure how to react to the situation.

"Don't worry Virgil, he'll be fine I can heal him." Logan said rapidly, dropping to his knees and putting his hand over the wounds.

Jacob grabbed Logan by the wrist and shook his head. "Don't bother. You've already healed me multiple times and I bet you haven't had a second of rest. Don't do what I did and try to tough it out or you'll end up passing out."

Logan opened his mouth to deny that but Jacob raised an eyebrow at him and said "I know when someone is lying, I am Deciet after all, so don't even think about saying you're not starting to feel worn out."

"This can't be happening!" Virgil sobbed and grabbed Jacob in a hug.

Jacob winced but wrapped his arms around Virgil tightly. "You'll be OK Virge, you'll still have Logan and the other two assholes." he whispered.

"B....but they aren't you! I don't want to lose you, you're like my big brother!" Virgil cried, his shoulders shaking.

Jacob closed his eye and sniffed, trying to hold it together for Virgils sake. "I know, no one is as good as me, but you won't be alone. The others will be there for you and if they aren't I'll come back as a ghost and haunt them."

Virgil managed a weak little laugh at that as he clung to Jacob. "I... I'm going to miss you so much."

Jacob smiled sadly. "Me too Virge."

Virgil pulled away from Jacob who was now struggling to keep his eye open as his breaths came in shaky gasps.

"I... I can still save you." Logan said, forcing back tears of his own.

Jacob shook his head. "Not without exhausting yourself. I'm not worth you becoming an easy target for that psychotic fuck."

Logan sniffled and was pulled into a hug by Patton who had a guilty expression on his face. "I... I'm sorry, for what it's worth, I misjudged you and I regret removing Virgils memories of you."

Jacob managed a half-hearted sneer. "I don't need your apology, just make sure you take care of Virgil better once all this is over."

Virgil was holding one of Jacobs hands tightly, foolishly hoping the tighter he held on the more chance Jacob would stay.

Roman knelt next to Virgil and wrapped a comforting arm round his shoulders as he looked down at Jacob with a guilty expression of his own.

Jacob noticed and rolled his eye "Don't even bother katana boy. I don't want or need your apologies, just promise you'll take care of Virge, that's all I want."

"I promise." Roman said gravely.

Jacob nodded and his eyelid began to droop as he murmured "Oh and Virgil?"

Virgil sobbed and stuttered out "W...w...what?"

"Promise me one thing."

"A... Anything." Virgil responded and Jacob forced his usual smirk on his face. "Kill that son of a bitch but don't die in the process or I'll... Be... Pissed."

"I... I promise." Virgil wailed and Jacob whispered "Also... You should... Change your... Phone's password.... 'Roman' is easy to..... guess."

Virgil let out a mixture of a sob and a laugh as Jacobs eye shut and he let out one final breath, his hand going limp in Virgils grasp.

I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! This was something I'd planned for a while yet when it came to actually writing it I felt horrible. Planning a characters death is easier than actually writing it, I almost made myself cry.

Also this chapter is pretty long because I didn't post yesterday and I didn't want to split it in two because that'd be horrible. So yeah, here you go.