Some years earlier

Virgil was curled into a fetal position holding the pale little girl's cold hand. Remus lay on his back next to him, shivering violently. Virgil could feel them both slipping away. The others were already gone. One of the boys had been taken away just yesterday.
He was so far gone they hadn't waited for him to stop breathing.

Virgil was terrified. He couldn't loose Remus or her. They were all he had left.

He sniffed, trying not to cry. A weak green flicker of mist curled around his face and brushed his hair out of his eyes. It was meant to be a comforting "hey, I'm here" gesture but instead Virgil started to cry because Remus wasn't sleeping through his suffering. The mist flickered and then shaped into a hand making a rude gesture. Virgil coughed out a laugh.

The girl stirred. Virgil was distressed that she was waking up. Remus wanted to help and had no respect for personal space so he scrambled over Virgil and in between them, wrapping his arms around them and pulling them both close. The three of them twined their hands together on Remus's stomach.

Eventually Remus and the girl drifted to sleep, even though Remus was still shivering. But Virgil didn't. It didn't make sense but Virgil thought if he didn't fall asleep he could somehow give his rest to the others.

So instead he observed the dimly lit room for the millionth time. The candle set high on the wall and out of their reach cast dancing shadows on the wall. Virgil listened to everything. Rats scurrying through the walls, a far off banging noise, and Remus's breathing. He couldn't hear the girl's.

Virgil reach out with his mind and felt for other people. Someone down the hallway was confused. He could feel a doctor who was bored. That made Virgil angry. He reached out and poured crippling anxiety over the man's head. The man started to have a nervous breakdown and Virgil moved on, feeling around for others.

And then he stopped. Someone was in the room with them. The person felt... agitated.

Virgil slowly raised his head and looked around. No one.

"Hello?" He whispered.

There was no answer but the person's mood shifted to confusion.

"Who are you?"

Still no answer. The person walked closer and stood by Virgil, hovering over him in wonder.

"Are you here to help us?"

The person's emotions shifted a few times as if trying to decide. Then it felt warm and comforting.

Virgil smiled and faded into sleep.

***
Time in story

"Why is Virgil so angry at you?" Patton asked.

Janus sighed and together they walked back into the quiet London street to keep looking.

"The thing is, Doctor Lovegood-"

"Patton."

"The thing is, Patton, I'm not... real?"

"What?"

"You see, I died several centuries ago in the American Salem Witch Trials. I was a burn victim."

Patton walked to the nearest lamp post and slammed his head against it.

"Oh dear." Janus ran over, scared he had actually broken the man.

"I'm okay," Patton rubbed his head. "But if you're a ghost then why can I do this?" Patton booped him on the nose and then grabbed Janus's arm, seeing if he would go through.

"That's where things get confusing." Patton still had Janus's arm so he led him away from anything he could bang his head on. "When I died it was so, well, shocking and sudden I had no idea I had died for awhile. So I just wandered around the earth."

"You... were stuck in limbo?"

"Something like that. But after awhile I started to feel a pull to certain things and places, like most, er, "ghosts" are. When electricity was found and controlled I wasn't the only paranormal being that went nuts." Janus smiled.

"Ghosts are attracted to electricity?"

"It's the closest we get to actually feeling something. But people also attracted me. There are people with brighter auras. Like," Janus tipped his forward so that the shadow his hat was creating covered him a bit more. "You."

"I have a bright aura?"

"As I become more human they're harder to detect but yours is especially strong."

"Oh. Okay."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Janus studied Patton's face.

"I'm fine," Patton laughed breathlessly. "Y'know it just one of those days where one of your best friends has powers, you're looking for an insane guy who tried to kill his brother who is actually your other best friend, ghosts are real and can become physical, and..."

"And?" Janus nudged.

"And your other best friend thinks you're an idiot." Patton rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses.

Janus could feel Patton wanted to cry but was holding back.

"Hey," Janus lightly touched his shoulder. "It'll work out. It always seems worse than it is."

"How can you get any worse than this?"

Janus has long since learned no one wants the answer to that. So he just stayed silent. Patton was different from Virgil and Remus. He was in a way more fragile but... somewhat stronger in a way.

"Anyway, it still doesn't make sense that I'm not going through you." Patton took a deep breath.

Janus realized he had his arm around Patton and was grasping both his shoulders, a supportive position he taken more times than he could count whenever Remus or Virgil had a nervous breakdown. Janus let go and stepped back.

"Well, when the experiments were happening on Virgil and Remus I started to feel emotions. Because of their mind powers that was continually growing and their pain I could hear them calling for help. I could feel all six of them screaming for help. I finally found them and just floated around them, not really sure what to do. I watched the other three slowly die. I met them. They were strong but their time on earth was up."

Patton shivered.

"I'm sorry, is this to much for you? I can tell you about it later." Janus's hands hovered over Patton's shoulders just in case he needed a little support.

"No, keep going." Patton straightened and continued walking.

Janus had to walk faster to keep up.

"Well, anyways. They didn't feel me at first but did eventually. They needed someone." Janus adjusted his grip on his cane. "And that someone ended up being me. It was strange. As I was around them more I could start to actually touch stuff. I could knock vases off of tables, make lights flicker, open or slam doors shut.

"Then they could see me and once in awhile I would be seen by nurses and doctors too, and that, combined with the two's strange powers, they would get too scared to do experiments on them. Once I was physical enough I was able to forge some documents and help the two escape. After that we just traveled from place to place, picking up odd jobs, stealing, anything to keep them alive."

"I still don't get why Virgil is so angry at you. He kind of owes you one."

"Virgil doesn't do debts. I taught him that. It's how he's being treated at the moment that decides who he trusts. And besides, that isn't all."

"Oh?"

Janus straightened the buttons on his cloak.

"I used them," he finally admitted.

***

"What's he like?" They had been quiet for too long and Roman was dying of curiosity.

"Remus?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. He's... um... a cool guy?"

"Really?"

"No," Virgil admitted, tugging at his bangs. "He's weird. He'll say and do anything that comes to mind. And since he can project his thoughts into others' minds it's not always fun to be around him."

"Oh," Roman frowned.

"And," Virgil continued. "He has a really weird sense of humor and will eat anything and everything he can. Janus," Virgil's face darkened "really is the only one who can keep him under control."

"So, I'm lucky I didn't finish growing up with him?"

Virgil stopped suddenly. "You're glad he was in the asylum?"

"I mean... I don't know."

"We were tortured, Roman." Virgil clenched his fists.

Roman felt the need to defend himself. "Look, I don't know. He tried to kill me a couple hours ago so I'm not sure how I feel. Maybe it's a good thing we grew up apart."

Suddenly Virgil's eyes started glowing purple, switched on as if by a light switch. Roman stumbled back and leaned against the wall, his heart beating fast.

"What are you doing?" He gasped, holding his head as his vision fuzzed. He was... terrified.

Virgil's eyes stopped glowing and he stumbled back. Roman's heart slowed.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Virgil grabbed Roman and he looked like he wanted to cry. "I was angry! I-I wanted you to feel how we felt. I'm so sorry!"

Roman slowly shook his head. He ran his hand through his hair. "You did that?"

Virgil swallowed and nodded.

"You both felt like that? You and... my brother? For four years?"

Virgil nodded again.

"Wow, that's... that's... Ugh."

"Yeah," Virgil smiled at Roman's loss of words. "Ugh."

"L-Listen. I'll forgive you if you forgive me, okay?"

Once again, Virgil nodded.

"Do you want a hug?" Roman offered.

Virgil snorted. "I'm good, but thanks, your majesty."

Roman laughed. "Just thought I'd ask."

Suddenly Logan screamed. Roman and Virgil stiffened. They had been aware of him following them at a distance but had momentarily forgotten him.

"Logan?" Roman called.

"Help! No- that can't! No!" Logan screamed again.

Roman and Virgil took off in the direction of his voice.