Patton, Logan and I were sitting on the couch looking at Deceit who tugged at the magical binds that were around him. "This is so comfortable." He rolled his eyes, "I hope you keep me in these for a while."

Anger courses through my body and part of me was glad that Patton was holding me back. I was ready to tear this dude apart. He had stolen my memories. What right did he have to choose what I remembered and what I didn't? A hiss escaped my lips but Patton put a hand on my shoulder, trying his best to calm me. Each of us were staring at him, demanding an explanation that he didn't willingly give. Instead, he continued his sarcastic comments, a defense mechanism I was all too familiar with and none too happy to deal with right now.

"The three of you are looking at me like I'm some sort of villain, whatever am I supposed to do" Even without my memories I could tell I have never liked this guy and if Patton wasn't doing his best to keep me calm I would have added claw marks so the side of his face. "Look, in my defense, I was trying to help," Deceit sighed, finally dropping his sarcastic facade.

"Explain." I had only heard Patton's voice that dark and low once before. Just like my memory, it terrified me and instinctively my ears lowered and my anger subsided into fear. His normal sweet lilt was now threatening, commanding respect. I fought back a whimper as I felt his gentle petting of my head began to coax me out of my fear.

"Fine, fine," Deceit took in a deep breath and began to explain. His words felt familiar, clawing at the back of my mind. I could feel little pieces floating back into place. It hurt. I could remember something, just barely, like grasping at the mist. It barely took form until it hit me all at once. It was like remembering someone else's memories, but I knew they were mine. I didn't want them to be mine.

Flashback 3rd Person POV

Virgil walked down the street, holding his arms close to his body. It was broken in at least two places and each step made it hurt more. The vibrations of the earth echoed through his body, traveling through each injured piece. Everything hurt and nothing felt real. The world around him seemed like a swirling cloud of colors and sounds, though the sounds of the world did not drown out the words in his head.

"Bad Cat, monster, mistake," He repeated under his breath, over and over again, shaking as the cold air chilled every bone in his broken body.

Bad.

Monster.

Mistake.

"Need to behave, shouldn't have run," but his feet continued to move him forward, away from the place he had just left. He wasn't sure what had snapped in him. One moment he was being beaten for a mistake he made, then the next he was running. He had been running for so many hours now, but once in the crowded city, he began to slow down. His thoughts were hazy at best, and the pain did nothing to sharpen details outside of the words in his head.

"Bad bad Cat, should return, shouldn't have run," but he didn't want to go back. Another hateful thought crossed his mind and he let out a mewling sound of pain, ears pinned to his head. The physical pain was tolerable but the thoughts were too much. "Nowhere to go. Not wanted, not needed."

His body abruptly stopped when he collided with a figure and the figure held on. "No, must go, need to go." This was not the first time in his journey he had collided with someone but this was the first time the person grabbed him.

"Virgil."

That voice was quiet and familiar. For just a brief moment Virgil was focused on trying to remember the voice. Then, like lightning, he remembered. The snake, the beast that had chased him out of the garden. No, no, not the snake, the snake was bad. "No... no, won't go back, not wanted, not needed. Not wanted. Not needed. He is mad at me, doesn't want me."

"Virgil calm down." The hands around his arms grew tighter as he began to focus on the figure in front of him. A golden eye stared Virgil down with, seemingly, malicious intent.

"No, no, not wanted, not needed." He fought harder, thrashing about.

"I will wipe you." The low voice threatened, and after another minute of fighting, Virgil felt warmth spread through him. It was a pleasant emptiness that filled his body, every inch of him was comfortable, until the warmth fell away.

Suddenly there was nothing, an empty void, a blank canvas. He couldn't remember anything about his past, somehow his general knowledge was still there but anything personal was gone.

"Virgil, let's go." The person in front of him was holding tightly to his arms, it hurt. His voice was soft, but it hurt. There was rain falling from the sky, hitting his damaged ears. They hurt. His feet were bare on hard cement. His left ankle felt broken. It hurt. In the world around him was nothing but pain. As the remaining hand on him began to slowly pull away, Virgil ran.

That was his name, Virgil, and it was all he knew.

Present Virgil's POV

"After I wiped his memories he should have been docile enough for me to lead him home. I could have returned his memories when we knew he was safe." I could just barely hear Deceit's words as he continued to talk. My breath came in labored gasps. Had it always been this hard to breath? My hand went to grab my pendant. I clung to it, a single point, anchoring me to this world.

In my delirious state, I could hear someone curse and the silence returned again. Why was it so quiet, the silence was crushing in on me. I can't.

It hurts.

I can't.

Please.

Help.

Help.

Help

I thought no one would come, the tomb of isolation would enclose on me, but I felt a gentle hand on my back, rubbing lazy circles, enough pressure to provide me a focus. Someone was kneeling in front of me. Their hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look into their eyes.

It was Patton.

"It will be okay Virgil, I am here, everything will be okay." The hand was still on my back but my focus was on Patton. He was breathing slowly and exaggerated. I tried to copy his movements, breathing in time with him. My breath shook and faltered. I wanted to cry in frustration but he remained patient. He continued to breathe with me until I could breathe on my own. He was patient. I needed patience.

He smiled, a gentle smile and I felt so relieved. Leaning forward I hid my head in his chest, the hand on my back finally pulling away slowly. I was tired. What had I been running from? The thought terrified me? What had made me feel so broken and docile?

"Deceit, what was that?" Logan's calm and collected voice sounded behind me.

"He pulled out one of the memories. I swear it wasn't me," Deceit hissed. "If the call to the host is too strong the memories return, but not all of them, just bits and pieces." It was unlike the snake to speak so rapidly and frantically. "I swear, I didn't do this. I was trying to help when I took his memories away."

"Your version of help, made me lose three years with my son." Patton's voice was harsh, it wasn't doing anything for my anxiety right now. I knew he was just being protective but I needed him to calm down. I also needed to know what was going to happen. 

Looking up slowly I could see a yellow glow in Deceit's jacket. I was too tired to care right now, but were those my memories?

"Pat, I'm fine," I told him softly. "I'm fine." It was a lie, but I needed someone who was calm.

Deceit was giving me a strange look. I wasn't sure if I liked it. I preferred when he sneered at me. This was a mix of pity and guilt. "Give me my memories you snake."

"I don't think that is a good idea."

AN: I know that you were wanting to know what happened to Roman, but hopefully this will suffice for the time being. With us having a holiday break in my country, I might be able to get another chapter out before the end of the weekend. No promises though.