Ringing filled Patton's ears. His head was pounding and his face felt sticky. He began to sit up, reaching with his hand to wipe his face. He blinked his eyes open but his vision was hazy. He'd lost his glasses. His pulled his hand away from his face, dread twisting in his gut as he saw the dark red stains of blood on his fingers. 

"Oh god..." he murmured, feeling fear and panic welling up in his throat. 

He felt like he couldn't breathe as he looked around. Though his vision wasn't clear, he could make out the rubble, fire, and smoke coming from the factory. Patton felt his stomach lurch with horror as he realized what had happened, what they had helped do. Deep down in his heart he knew that the good of doing this would out-weight his guilt, but he hadn't wanted to be here to see the explosion.

Tears rimmed his eyes and began to fall. 

A groan grabbed his attention, making him gasp as he looked toward it. Logan was on the ground too, struggling to get up on his hands and knees.  "L-Logan..." he managed, coughing as smoke caught in his throat. 

His boyfriend looked toward him. He managed to find his glasses, but the lenses were cracked. There was a nasty cut on his cheek. Patton had no idea how many other injuries he'd gotten, but Logan didn't seem to care as he hurried toward him. He pulled him into his arms and breathed deeply. "Thank god you're alright, we- we have to get out of here- come on," he said urgently.

He forced himself to his feet and pulled Patton up with him. He stumbled against the intelligent young man, feeling shaky on his feet. A sharp pain shot through his right leg and he gasped out. "Ow! Ow!" he hissed, falling into Logan.

"Patton, can you walk? How bad is it?" he asked seriously.

He whimpered as he put his foot down on the ground, lifting it immediately. He could feel the shock setting in. "I don't know if I can- I feel like I'm going to pass out- Logan-"

"Okay, okay, breathe, try to stay calm. I'll carry you, we'll get out of here," he said, scooping him into his arms. Patton began to protest because his boyfriend was injured too, but he cut him off before he could. "You're in worse shape than me, I'll be fine. Right now, try to stay calm. You're going to be okay. I'm right here. Focus on me."

Patton swallowed as he took a few shaky breaths. Logan began heading toward the forest once more, carrying him in his arms. He wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face into his chest, hoping that they would be safe soon.

He wanted to go back in time to when they were just watching movies together on his couch.

"Leaving so soon?" a voice boomed.

Logan froze and a stone of dread plummeted into Patton's stomach. His boyfriend's breathing sped up slightly and he could hear his heart racing. He turned around and he saw him. The man he could only assume was Victor Moriarty. 

"I knew I sensed you in my chambers," he said smoothly. He waved his hand, generating a ball of deep red energy. He tossed it around playfully with a grin. 

Patton could feel the fear in his body growing with each passing moment he spent in the man's presence. His boyfriend let out a sigh and looked down at him. He gave him a smile reassuring smile and gently lowered him down onto the ground. It was only once Logan had turned his back to him and faced Moriarty that he realized what he was doing. His eyes widened in horror as he tried to stand but couldn't. "Logan don't-"

"So you're the new Holder of the Watch of Time," Victor stated, looking him up and down. They began circling each other. "I expected more if I'm honest. You're quite skinny."

Logan rolled his eyes as he raised his hands. Faint blue orbs of energy formed around them. "You talk a lot for a man who's supposedly ruthless," he pointed out. "Monologuing isn't flattering on you though, Moriarty. Might I say, you could've picked a more original name, or is stealing from better villains something you're known for?"

"If you're trying to piss me off, you're succeeding," the necromancer replied with narrowed eyes. A devious smirk spread across his thin lips. "But you're distraction won't work."

He whipped around and threw the orb of energy directly at Patton. He watched helplessly from the ground as the magic headed straight for him, spiked and armed to kill him. Tears spilled from his eyes as he squeeze them closed, not wanting to look at his death coming toward him. He didn't want his life to end so soon. He wasn't even finished with high school yet. He never got to open a bakery or start a dog rescue or even go on a real date with Logan. He didn't want to die. 

Patton heard someone yell, but then everything went silent. His eyes blinked open. The orb was frozen a few inches from his face, crackling with energy. He scowled in confusion and then looked around.

Moriarty was frozen in place. The smoke and flames were frozen. Everything was frozen in place except him and Logan. His boyfriend was trembling as he made his way toward him. 

"L-Logan, what's going on?"

"I- It's too hard to explain- I just need to get you out of here-" he managed, picking him up. 

Patton couldn't say another word before Logan pulled out the watch. Time was beginning to resume and he could see Victor Moriarty's furious expression before there was a bright flash of blue. The weightless feeling of the watch traveling washed over him. 

The ground reappeared and they both hit the ground. Patton let out a yelp of pain, clutching his leg. They were back in the Temple of Time. He'd never been more relieved to be in the strange temple; at least he knew he couldn't be hurt anymore here. Patton crawled to Logan and turned his head toward him. His heart kept racing. He wasn't waking up.

Father Time stood up and hurried toward them. "What happened?"

"Moriarty showed up- there was this woman- Logan- he did something- like he stopped time-" he managed. He shook his boyfriend desperately. "Please wake up!"

"Patton, child, he's... he's not going to wake up," the old man said quietly. Patton said nothing as he looked at him in disbelief. "He's not dead, but... he wasn't ready to use his powers to the extent of manipulating time for himself, let alone for his entire surroundings. What even caused him to do that?"

Tears were already welling up in his eyes. They began to spill out as he sobbed. "He did it to save me!" he cried. He buried his face into his boyfriend's chest, his tears soaking into his clothes.

Logan wasn't waking up.

End of Book 1