There's No Such Thing As Happy Endings - Book Three of the Why I Run Series

Chapter One

IMPORTANT: This is BOOK THREE of the Why I Run Series so if you haven't read the previous books, go check them out first!

And for those who read Chapter Thirteen, please don't mention what happened in the comments here (if you NEED to, please at least be discreet) as if they give too much away for those who skipped it, I'll have to delete them :(

ENJOY LOVELIES!!! :D

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Point of View: Virgil, First Person
Timeline: Present Day, AFTER "The Dark Side of the Imagination"

"Oh my," a voice said, and I twisted around as fast as I could, trying to find where it was coming from. "Just – Just stay still for a moment, okay? I'm going to grab Logan real quick, okay kiddo? I'll only be gone a minute at tops."

Patton.

I nodded numbly, exhausted.

Before I could blink Logan and Patton were both at my side, kneeling down next to me in the booth.

"Virgil, can you hear me? Please don't panic, it's just me and Patton," Logan's clipped tone cutting through the fog that was my mind right now. "You've – you've had another seizure and I'd like to move you to my room, but I won't move you until you say that you're ready. Okay? You don't have to respond until you're ready, just stay awake for us okay? I know that it's hard, but we need you to stay awake at least until we move you. Can you see me? It's me and Patton..." he continued, repeating himself – his calm voice giving me something concrete to focus on to keep me awake...

After a few minutes of this, I completely opened my eyes, blinking slowly at ceiling above me.

We... We were in the Common Room. I glanced down to see myself on the couch, a nervous Patton pacing a couple feet to my right and Logan nowhere to be seen.

I grunted, trying to sit up.

"Don't try and sit up too fast," Logan said softly, quickly. "Just take your time. Your body has been under a lot of trauma recently and you need to give yourself time to heal." Where had Logan's voice come from? Was he behind me?

"Wha-" Geez, my voice sounded awful.

Patton spun towards me – eyes wide as he faced me, probably wondering if that pathetic excuse for my vocal chords came from me.

"Hey, hey, hey – it's okay, Virge, everything's fine – you're okay," Patton was saying hurriedly, rushing to my side, as if he was saying all he could as if he was about to start crying.

"What happened?" I croaked.

Logan suddenly popped into the corner of my vision. He wasn't saying anything and his eyes were on Patton, who had let out a small gasp at the statement, meeting Logan's eyes.

"W-Where's Roman?" I grunted, falling back on the pillow tucked underneath my head.

Logan and Patton shared another nervous glance.

My stomach knotted.

Instantly I felt a wave as the memories washed over me. "Oh no," I whispered, mostly to myself – fighting to get to my feet, even in my dizzy state. "I have to stop him!"

Surprisingly, it was Patton who gently grabbed my arm, holding me in place, but his eyes were still wide and I could feel his hand trembling. "Stop Roman from what?"

"Roman left for The Dark Side of the Imagination," I said hurriedly, prying Patton off of me. "He... he didn't tell you?"

Patton's hand come over his mouth, silently horrified. Oh my goodness, had Roman really not told them? Well, things hadn't gone great with me, but he certainly would've told someone, wouldn't he? Oh goodness, was he trying to go solo?! Try and be a hero for all those sides in the Imagination and get revenge on their deaths?

"Please, we need to go after him," I choked out, trying -and failing to push myself up on my unstable legs – which only caused me to fall backwards onto the couch once more with a grunt of frustration and pain.

"...Virgil?" Logan asked quietly.

... too quietly.

Was something else wrong?

I frowned instinctively. "What's wrong? We have to stop Roman!" I argued, surprised by their lack of urgency.  What were they waiting for?! The longer we sat here, the more danger Roman would be in!

"Virgil... you and Roman left for The Dark Side of the Imagination two weeks ago," Logan said softly.  My body instantly tensed as my mind tried to keep up with what Logan was saying.  What did he mean we left?  "We've heard nothing of you nearly that entire time and then suddenly you show up dizzy and feverish randomly in the Common Room and collapse. Three days ago," Logan finished softly.

My mind was soaring with thoughts, trying desperately to understand what Logan was implying.

"W-What do you mean? I – I was in my studio and I – I had a seizure," I remembered slowly.

Logan went completely pale at that. "You don't remember anything since your seizure?"

I started shaking at that. What – What was going on? I can't understand – what? Why can't I remember?

And... if I did go after Roman...

Then where is he now?

"I don't understand," I whispered, tears threatening to roll down my cheeks. "Where is he? Where's Ro?"

Ro? Where had that come from? I've - I've never called him Ro...

"Roman d-didn't come b-b-ack with you," Patton hiccuped, crying much harder now. "You c-came back alone."

"I – I would never leave him," I said, shaking my head.  I was so confused...  "Never."

"I know, kiddo.  I know," Patton said softly, brushing away his tears and adjusting his glasses - a hopeless venture, considering he couldn't stop crying long enough for them to stay firmly on his face.

"Patton and I," Logan started, voice abnormally strained and he adjusting his tie slightly, loosening it. "Patton and I received a skype call from an unknown caller while Roman and yourself were... away.  We answered it and – and it was video of – of," Logan broke off. "The leader of The Dark Side... he was... he was doing... unspeakable things to the both of you."

My mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out.

Patton gently sat down next to me on the couch, lightly resting his comforting hand on my shoulder.  "You remember nothing? Nothing at all?" he tried, not even fighting to smile anymore.

I shook my head.

"I don't remember anything at all."

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