Adding Shadows

When The Party's Over

"Virgil. Hey, kiddo, wake up."

Patton's whisper was soft but urgent. Virgil sat up and read the glowing alarm clock, four in the morning.

"What's wrong?" Virgil whispered back, yawning. Patton smiled, but it wasn't quite as reassuring as it was meant to be.

"I'll tell you in the car. Here, get your shoes on." Patton handed him his shoes, standing up from his kneeling position next to the child's bed.

"Where are we going?" Virgil asked, pulling on his shoes and standing up. He followed Patton who cleared his throat quietly.

"The hospital."

- - -

"You didn't tell me.." Virgil said, his voice at almost a whisper in the dark cold car. The street lamps they passed momentarily lit up their faces.

You know what happened. Think about it. What happened yesterday? You can't really believe it's coincidence. Nothing's ever just a coincidence.

"Virgil.." Patton trailed off, clearing his throat before carefully continuing "It's Roman, kiddo."

Told you.

Virgil swallowed hard, he was lost. Hopeless. He could tell that Patton kept glancing at him at every stoplight, but he didn't return the look. He didn't speak a word until they had arrived at the hospital.

"Can we see him right now?" Virgil asked quietly, his voice rasp from the lack of speaking and the fact that his throat was dry from just waking up.

"We'll ask the nurse, okay?" Patton responded, stopping Virgil right before they got to the entrance.

"I'm not sure what happened. All I know is that his dad was arrested and Roman wouldn't stop asking for you."

Of course he was. He has to tell you what happened, how it's all. your. fault.

"Okay."

Patton have him a sympathetic smile and opened the entrance doors. The sounds and smell of the interior the building was something Virgil knew well, and hated.

Crying everywhere, some from losing family and friends, others from the birth of their child, others just screaming of impatient children who don't know what's happening.

Rushing nurses and doctors, distraught because if they don't do their job correctly someone loses someone else.

Phones ringing and people talking, nurses to doctors, family members to other people they hold dearly.

The sweet scent of flowers for loved ones, candies for when they awake. Putrid smells of medicine, cleaning supplies, and the salty smell of tears.

Patton led Virgil to the front desk and smiled kindly at the stressed late night worker. She smiled back and asked who they were here for.

"Roman Phillips." Patton and Virgil responded in unison, Patton's voice much smoother than Virgil's though. The girls face immediately saddened and she gave them the room number.

"Thank you." Patton turned to Virgil "Let's go, kiddo." He held a hand out which Virgil hesitantly took, allowing himself to be led through the hospital and to the room.

Before they had reached the door Virgil could hear the steady beep, beep from the heart monitor. He swallowed.

They walked inside. Roman lay on the hospital bed with an IV and other machines attached to him, and he looked quite angry looking opposite of the door. A woman Virgil recognized as Mrs Phillips was sitting, sad and frustrated, in a chair beside the wall.

Patton cleared his throat and both the Phillips looked towards them. Patton waved, and Roman's eyes brightened.

"Virgil!"

Patton leaned over and whispered a soft "Careful, he's hurt." Before Virgil slipped out of his grip and almost ran to Roman's side.

"Princey." He said, blunt and quietly. Roman gulped and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" Roman responded, failing to cover up the stutter in his voice.

"Where are you hurt?"

"Mostly my arm, and my head hurts. My ribs would hurt a lot more but they gave me pain medication. Why-"

Virgil rapped his arms around Roman the best he could without hurting him. Roman blinked twice but was quick to return the embrace.

Patton asked to talk to Mrs Phillips in the hall, shutting the door behind them leaving the two ten year olds alone.

Finally Virgil pulled away "You can't even go a day without me?" He asked lightly, laughing slightly, but he sounded hurt and worried.

Roman shrugged "No, I definitely could.." he watched as Virgil sighed before growing slightly embarrassed "But I didn't like it at all. I'd rather not, and what the prince wants goes, so I guess you're stuck with me."

Virgil rolled his eyes "Yeah, like you could do anything without your knight. If I want you to live I have to stay with you. Besides, can you even feed yourself?"

Roman giggled, wincing, and nodded "Very true. Very true indeed." Virgil smirked, climbing onto the end of the bed where Roman's legs didn't reach and sitting crisscrossed.

"What happened?" Virgil asked carefully after a hot minute. Roman cleared his throat and looked down.

"I don't want you to blame yourself.."

Well, that's exactly what I'll do, so please continue.

"I won't. Just, please tell me what happened."

"After you left my dad gave me some questioning looks, which I pretended not to notice. When we got home he asked me what happened, and I didn't want to lie.. so I told him you found out what was happening and he hit my arm and pushed me over.."

"You told him!" Mr Phillips walked over to the fallen child, cradling his injured arm.

"It's okay, daddy, he won't tell anyone! He promised he-" Roman was cut off by a sharp kick to his side, he cried out in pain, hearing his own bone crack.

"Of course he'll tell! They always do. So I guess I'll just have to finish you off before I get taken away!"

Another kick, throwing him backwards and into a wall, hitting his head to the painted drywall.

"Apparently my mom heard and called the cops.." Roman finished, looking at his lap and playing with his fingers. Virgil's fists balled and he bit his cheek hard.

"Why.. what.." Virgil was at a loss for words. Roman looked up at him slowly, begging him not to blame himself again.

Told you you'd blame yourself! I mean, it is your fault.

Virgil swallowed and smiled forcefully "I'm just glad your okay. You are okay right?" Virgil checked cautiously, Roman nodded.

"Physically? Mostly. Mentally? Mostly. So yeah. Mostly okay." Roman smiled back, his looked a little less forced and more relieved.

"Good."