(Here's more Patton angst. Not sorry)

(The note- Are you, are you, coming to the tree? They strung up a man, they say who murdered three. Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be. If we met, at midnight in the hanging tree. Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where dead man called out, for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be. If we met, at midnight in the hanging tree. Are you, are you, coming to the tree. Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be. If we met, at midnight in the hanging tree. Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be. If we met, at midnight in the hanging tree.)

The one thing neither of them were expecting, was Virgil's scream. They raced upstairs, and into Patton's room, where they had sent him earlier to check on the father-figure.

In there they saw Virgil on his knees on the floor, clutching a piece of paper to his chest while he sobbed and his body shook violently. They ran up to him, Logan immediately trying to get him to calm down while Roman just hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Virgil, look at me. It'll be ok just look at me. Try to breathe, ok? Just watch me. In for four. Hold for seven. Out for eight. Come on, keep it up. You've got it. It's alright."

He wasn't helping. Virgil couldn't breathe. Not very well, anyways. His lungs were on fire and his throat had screwed shut. He could barely breathe. He felt like throwing up.

Roman didn't know what to do. He didn't understand what was happening. Patton wasn't there and surely if he'd have had heard Virgil's scream then his fatherly instincts would've kicked in and he would've been here to comfort Virgil by now.

"Hey, what do you have? Keep breathing, don't answer verbally. Can I see it?"

Virgil shook his head. He didn't want anyone to see it. He didn't want to have to see the horrified faces of his friends. He didn't want to look at anyone, really.

On the other hand, he could breathe a little bit better, so that was a plus. On the other hand, he REALLY felt the need to throw up.

Logan must've noticed, because he ripped Roman away and stood Virgil up. He helped him speed walk to the bathroom, where Virgil proceeded to throw up into the toilet, clutching the small paper close and still shaking.

Logan removed Virgil's hoodie and rubbed his back. He had read about this before. It's when someone gets so worked up, they either pass out or vomit. So, Logan had the smallest of clues what to do. He had never done this with Virgil, so he had guessed which would happen. He was lucky he guessed right.

The only problem remaining, was that Virgil still had a death grip on the note. Also the fact that Virgil was extremely pale, more than usual, and looked like he was about to pass out.

"Hey... Can I see the paper? It's ok, don't worry. I just wanna see it, m'kay?" Roman rushed in with a blanket and a cup of water. He sat next to Virgil, who was sitting. Slouching, but sitting nonetheless.

Roman set the cup on the floor and wrapped the blanket around Virgil. Virgil moved so he could lean against Roman. Roman let him and watched Virgil hand the paper to Logan.

Virgil cuddled up to Roman, said man wrapping his arms around the other. Virgil kept his eyes closed. He didn't want to see anyone. He wanted to run. To get away from everything and everyone.

"Logan, what is it?" Logan was reading. He knew that it was a reference to a book, but he didn't understand why it upset Virgil so badly. He handed the paper to Roman, trying to process it.

By the time Roman finished reading, he had tears in his eyes. He understood. The subtle change in one word was enough to give it away.

Logan was confused when he saw Roman start to cry. He just didn't understand. See, he hadn't caught the change in word. He thought that was just how it was.

"Hey Virge.. Wanna go?" Virgil looked up at Roman and nodded. Virgil understood what he meant. Logan didn't. He was really confused when Virgil and Roman stood and left the room. Logan followed them outside. Nobody talked.

Logan stopped dead in his tracks, his breathing hitched and his hand raised to his mouth. He couldn't believe his eyes...

The other two stopped a second later, looking back at Logan. They were both confused. Virgil looked in front of them, just seeing an open field. Roman moved to Logan and looked him in the eyes. He saw how close Logan was to crying. He saw the horror evident in his eyes.

"Logan, bud, what's happening?" Logan looked Roman in the eyes, tears slowly running down his face.

"P-Patton... He-he wouldn't.."

"He would" Roman looked back at Virgil, connecting the dots. Logan looked confused ever since he read the letter. He must've figured it out.

"Do you understand the letter now?" Logan shook his head. Roman raised an eyebrow and looked curiously at Logan.

"I-I saw h-im" Logan's voice was quiet, more of a whimper than usual. Roman didn't understand. Logan saw Patton.

"What exactly did you see?" Logan looked up at Roman, fear evident in his eyes.

"H-he's ha-hanging from a t-tree by a r-rope. B-blood was dripping from his h-h-hands and p-pouring out of his mo-uth-mouth" They'd never heard Logan sound so terrified and broken. They always assumed that if one of them were to die that he'd be the least affected but there he was, shaking and crying.

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok. Calm down." Logan didn't realize that Virgil was actually hugging him until Roman joined in the hug.

"How about we don't... go to him. I think it  best if we just head back and you both get some sleep. Don't worry Virgil, I'll help you sleep." Logan nodded and Virgil just mumbled ok.

Roman sank down with the two on each side of him and they went to Logan's room first. Roman helped Logan to his bed and then pulled his covers over him.

Roman then took Virgil's hand and walked him to his room, shutting Logan's light off on the way. Once they reached Virgil's room, Roman opened the door and led Virgil to his bed. He helped Virgil get in bed and Virgil tugged on his hand, wanting him to lay down with him.

"You don't wanna be alone, huh?" Virgil shook his head and made grabby hands towards Roman, who chuckled and got in bed with him. Virgil immediately clung to Roman as he pulled the blankets over them.

~bonus~
Patton walked in the palace with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see how the others handled everything with him gone a whole day. See, he and Roman fought about whether or not Roman would make a good father so Patton came up with a plan to leave for a day and then come back at midnight to see how Roman reacted.

He didn't expect to enter his room and see his carpet soaking wet. Or a blanket and glass of water on the floor of is bathroom. Or the paper that read his favorite song laying on the sink.

He read the song again and thought of Roman's creative thinking and Virgil's anxiety. Then he froze. He had a suspicion that Virgil had gone into his room, found the song, and assumed the worst, sending everyone else into a panic.

The first person Patton went to was Logan, creeping into his room only to see him tucked into bed and fast asleep. He sighed happily and crept out of the room, walking to Virgil's room. Roman's room was the furthest from his.

He slowly opened the door and saw Virgil curled up in Roman's arms, both of them asleep. He smiled, knowing that Roman had taken over. He walked out of the room and closed the door, walking back to Logan's room.

He opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind him. He walked over to the bed and laid down on the other side of Logan. He went under the blankets and wrapped his arms around Logan's waist, pulling him closer.

He felt content knowing that if he were to ever disappear, Roman could take his place.

Word count- 1480