Gone III

WARNING: PTSD, panic attacks, angst, general fear

Roman sat in the back of the ambulance, tracing his thumb in a circle over the back of Virgil's hand, messaging Patton with his phone in the other hand.

Roman: I'm in the ambulance, we've got V

Patton: Okay kiddo

Logan: The police have got the man under arrest, Patton and I need to fill out a few forms and then we'll head to the hospital

Roman: Okay, see you there

Roman has gone offline

Roman looked to his boyfriend, lying on the stretcher next to him. He looked like all he wanted to do was sleep, but was refusing himself.

"Stormcloud, you can sleep y'know," Roman said softly. Virgil turned his head towards Roman, fear obvious in his eyes.

"I can't.. I can't sleep, what if he comes back, he'll punish me for sleeping, I-" Virgil's breathing picked up the pace. "He'll come back and he'll hurt me, I'm not allowed to sleep, if I do then he'll hit me or he'll cut me again-" Virgil's one unharmed eye seemed to glaze over, looking at Roman but not seeing, as he breathed hard and his heart beat out of his chest.

"Virgil? Virgil!" Roman gripped Virgil's hand tightly and sat up. "Virgil listen to me. Name five things you can see."

"Uh.. Y-You.. Hands.. Th-The ambulance.. The stre-stretcher.. and your ph-phone.."

"Name four things you can feel."

"P-Pants.. The stretcher.. The way the ambulance is mov-moving.. And- and my bl-blood.." Virgil starting crying again, what had just happened now sinking in.

"Virgil, Virgil! Listen, you're doing so well! Three things you can hear!" Roman was really worried. His boyfriend was going to have PTSD, no doubt about that.

Virgil did his best to control his crying. "My-my crying.. your v-voice and th-the cars on the ro-road.."

"Two things you can smell, Stormcloud you're almost done."

"Uhh.. The antis-septic and your-your cologne.."

"And one thing you can taste."

"B-blood."

Roman hugged Virgil. "You did that so well, it's okay Virge."

Virgil nodded, hugging Roman back.

"He can't find me?" Roman pulled back and Virgil was looking at him, silently praying for confirmation.

Roman smiled at his boyfriend. "He can't find you Stormcloud, I promise."

Virgil slowly nodded, leaning back and letting his eye slide shut.

Patton nodded and tried to make it look like he was listening as the police rambled on about forms and papers and can-you-tell-us-this-this-and-this when really he just wanted to get to the hospital, his son could be dying and probably was, and he was stuck here, filling out forms and files.

"...Thank you, we'll leave you to get to the hospital now."

Patton's head snapped up. He grabbed Logan's hand as he thanked the police.

"Logie, come on!" Patton pulled him out the door to the car waiting on the curb.

He waited, allowing Logan about fifteen seconds to buckle himself in, before slamming his foot down on the accelerator and driving as fast as he could towards the hospital.

Roman paced back and forth in the hallway, praying Virgil would be okay.

He.. He was going to be okay. He had to be.

Logan stood up and walked to Roman, holding a small colouring book. "Here," he said in a low voice. "Might take your mind off things."

Roman gratefully accepted the book and sat down, beginning to colour, not allowing his thoughts to stray anywhere near how his Stormcloud was doing...

It seemed like an eternity when a doctor slowly walked out of the room. In an instant, the three friends were on their feet.

"How is he?" Patton almost yelled.

"He's okay, he's sleeping now," the doctor said. "He'll most likely have some form of PTSD, but he'll be fine. Did he have any pre-existing mental conditions?"

"Yes, he has bad anxiety," Roman said.

"Then his anxiety will most likely be heightened for a while. I trust that you three will help him?"

The three nodded vigorously. The doctor nodded in response. "You can go in and see him if you want."

Roman rushed into the room, closely followed by Patton and Logan.

Seeing Virgil lying there, in contrast with the pristine white sheets, he looked so much worse.

He had stitches running all over his arms, bruises and minor cuts not worth stitching out in the open, a red hand print on his cheek, a large patch over his left eye.

Roman sat down in the chair closest to Virgil, taking his hand and silently sitting there, willing himself not to cry.

Patton sat in the chair by Virgil's feet and openly cried, praying his son would be alright, that he would get better.

Logan sat in the chair next to the door, resolutely staring at the ground.

A small groan filled the room. "R-Roman?"

Roman stood up immediately. "Virgil?"

Virgil smiled.

"Hey Stormcloud," said Roman quietly, placing a hand on Virgil's cheek. "You okay?"

Virgil thought for a moment. "I think so."

Roman opened his mouth to continue talking when he got pushed to the side, Patton taking his place. "Virgil are you okay? What did he do to you? How are you feeling? Do you need a hug?" Patton gasped. "Am I asking too many questions?"

Virgil shut his eye. "Too many questions.." He mumbled.

"Sorry, kiddo.." Patton whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"Everything hurts.. Completely terrified he's gonna find me.. Bone tired... Otherwise fine."

Patton hugged him, not letting him go for a while after Virgil hugged back. Logan stepped forward. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Hello Virgil. I hope you're okay. I.. I will do my best to help you recover from this."

Virgil smiled. That was almost the best you could get out of Logan. "Thanks Lo.."

There was a knock and Virgil's head whipped towards the door, eye wide. "It's okay Stormcloud, it's just one of the doctors," Roman said, noticing Virgil's fear. Virgil nodded and tried to relax back onto his pillows. Logan opened the door and several hospital workers were standing there.

"We have to take Virgil upstairs to another room," One of them said. Logan and Patton moved out of the way as the workers wheeled the bed out of the room, followed by Roman.

Virgil lay in bed, listening to the breathing around him, feeling the circles Roman was tracing on the back of his hand with his thumb. Patton and Logan were sitting on chairs near the end of his bed as the curtains were pulled back by a young lady holding a clipboard. "Hello, sorry for the interruption but our Visiting Hours are over."

Patton and Logan stood up, saying goodbye to Virgil and making their way out. "Please can I stay, I'm his boyfriend and I really need to be here for him," Roman said, hoping he could stay with Virgil.

The lady looked conflicted for a moment. "I can allow you to stay another half hour. That alright?"

Roman and Virgil nodded. "Thank you so much." She nodded and left. Roman quickly pulled his phone out.

Roman: I'll be out in a bit, wait for me

Patton: Okay kiddo! See you soon

Patton has gone offline

"Ro?"

Roman looked up, his boyfriend was looking at him. "Yes Stormcloud?"

"I don't think I can sleep here.."

Roman smiled softly. "Want me to sing you a song?"

Virgil nodded, repositioning himself in bed. "Yes please."

Roman cleared his throat as quietly as he could, before singing him a softer, shorter version of Taylor Swift's "How You Get The Girl".

"And then you say, I want you for worse or for better."

Virgil smiled, letting his eye close.

"I would wait for ever and ever, broke your heart, I'll put it back together."

Virgil's breathing had slowed, he looked completely peaceful.

"I would wait for ever and ever."

Roman kissed Virgil's forehead. He must have been exhausted to have fallen asleep that quickly.

Roman quietly got up and made his way to the end of the bed, whispering, "Goodnight Stormcloud," before quickly making his way out of the hospital and out to the car waiting for him.