Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Gregory rubbed his eyes as he sat up, glancing around his room with bleary eyes.  The hum of the Pizzaplex had quickly become a comforting sound since he started staying over.  It was a constant reminder that he wasn’t alone.

After giving himself a few more minutes to wake up, he reached for his Fazwatch, strapped to the frame of his makeshift bunk bed.  It would be eight o’clock soon, which meant the Glamrocks were about to do their last show of the night!

It didn’t matter to Gregory how many times he’d seen them perform; it never stopped being exciting!  Maybe it was because he never got to experience something so fun before they took him in.  Or maybe it was seeing his new family so happy.  Whatever the case, Gregory didn’t want to miss it.

He slid down his ladder and began getting dressed for the day.  Or.. night.  It was still kind of weird getting used to his schedule, but it was way better this way.  He didn’t have to worry about being alone while the animatronics worked and Vanessa slept.  At night, he could do whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted.  

Sometimes he got up in the day to roam the Pizzaplex like all the other guests.  The staff knew him well by now, offering snacks and letting him explore the back rooms.  He was even given a level one security badge—as long as he didn’t mention it to the manager—and a VIP pass that let him go into any attraction.

Gregory pulled on one of Glamrock themed sweaters, put on his shoes, and headed out of his storage-room-turned-bedroom.  He went down the tunnels, passing STAFF bots without a care.  They paid him no mind, now.

After winding through, he found himself in the construction partitions by the Roxy Raceway entrance.  He used to get lost in them, but after a month in the Pizzaplex, he figured out where he was going.

In no time, Gregory was in the atrium.  It was somehow weird to see it so full of people.  Most of the time he was awake, the place was vacant.  But now the atrium was quickly filling up as everyone waited for the last show of the night.

Gregory checked his Fazwatch.  Only five minutes!   He decided to watch from the third floor because it had the best view, though most guests wouldn’t know that.  Everyone just flooded the ground floor.

As he made his way up, Gregory found himself grateful that the escalators were on.  After hours, they shut down.  Stairs were always difficult since his injury; something that frustrated him to no end.  But.. he had people to help him most of the time.  Vanessa was always there when they went out or back to the apartment.  The Glamrocks always offered to carry him up, or at the very least a paw to help him along.

The workers at El Chip greeted him as he passed, offering a treat he couldn’t resist before helping out the last few stragglers who had wandered over for food before the show.

Gregory went up to the sound booth, munching on chips and peeking up at the employees, waiting for them to notice him.  It didn’t take long.

“Well, well, well, look who’s back again for the final show.”  The man with the bushy beard pulled down his headphones.  Gregory remembered his name was Lorenzo.  He had a perpetually grumpy face, but he was always kind.  “Are you just gonna stand there?”  He reached over and opened the little gate.  “You remember there’s the—”

“I know, I know.  The snack tax.”  Gregory smiled before going into the booth, shaking a few chips onto Lorenzo’s paper plate.  It was a little deal they had, and Gregory didn’t mind.  The other employee in the booth gave him a nod before returning to their job.

Gregory pulled up a seat and bounced excitedly as he waited for the show to start, watching the two press all sorts of buttons and push a million diles.  How the hell do they know what to do?

He felt a nudge at his arm, and turned to look up at Lorenzo.  “You want to start the show?”  Gregory stared owlishly at him before the man pointed to a button.  “Press this and the whole show begins.”

“Really..?”

“Yeah, just don’t press anything else.”

Gregory grinned, leaning forward and smacking his hand eagerly on the button.

Music suddenly blared through the atrium, immediately followed by cheers and screams of the hundreds of guests below.  “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!  Fazbear Entertainment would like you to put your hands together for the one.. the only.. Freddy Fazbear!”

Gregory bobbed his head with the opening music, letting out his own cheer when the Glamrocks rose up from the lift.  He jumped to his feet, waving wildly at them.  Even from across the atrium and through all the flashing lights, Freddy spotted him and grinned, waving back.  The guests would think he was waving for them.  But Gregory knew it was for him.  It would always be for him.

“I messed up my guitar solo!  I played one note that I didn’t mean to and it totally threw me off!” Chica squawked as the stage lowered below the crowd.

Roxanne stretched her arms above her head.  “You still sounded great.  Everyone just thought you were being creative.  I did. ”

Monty grinned.  “Felt extra crazy; I liked it!”

Freddy smiled at his friends.  His family.   Their final performance had been so bright, especially since they’d spotted Gregory in the show booth again.  They always played better when he was watching.

Freddy loved having Gregory stay at the Pizzaplex with them.  It made his nights full of joy and purpose, while giving him something to look forward to during the day.

It wasn’t always easy, though.  He was still learning about the boy’s needs, and what it took to be a guardian.  Being an animatronic programmed for entertaining children didn’t prepare him for raising one, but he was more than happy to take on the challenge for Gregory.  So were his friends.

“You all did a wonderful job!” Freddy complimented his bandmates, wiggling his tail as they stepped off the stage and into the hall.

Roxy rolled her eyes, but struggled to hide her smile.  “Of course we did.  We’re the best!”

“Ya think the little guy liked it?” Monty asked, absentmindedly tapping the strings of his bass.

As if on cue, Gregory leapt out from around the warehouse hall corner, crashing into Freddy’s legs and wrapping them in a tight hug.  Roxy snickered when Chica bawked in surprise; the wolf had probably seen him with her special eyes.  “You guys were awesome!” he cried.

“Hello, Superstar!” Freddy exclaimed, beaming at his boy.  Freddy crouched down to return a hug before picking Gregory up in his arms.  Freddy pressed his muzzle to the top of his head, making Gregory giggle before he pulled away to look down at him.  

“I got to push the button to start the show, this time!” Gregory announced proudly.

“Did you really?   That must be why it felt so special!” Freddy praised, his heart soaring at the glee on Gregory’s face.  Freddy wiggled his ears, unable to contain his own elation.

Gregory squinted up at him.  “One of your ears isn’t working,” he pointed out.

“Well that is no good!  I will have to get it fixed!”  Freddy chuckled as they entered Parts and Service.

“Nice performance, Glamrocks,” one of the techs—Derek—said with a lazy thumbs up.

Another technician named Talia spoke up.  “Anyone need a tune up?”

Roxy nodded, walking right into the cylinder.  She always took the tune up, never wanting to let herself be anything less than perfect.  Talia went to the computer and began checking the wolf over.

Freddy approached Derek, setting Gregory down.  “It appears one of my ears is not working properly,” he explained, wiggling his ears again to show him.  Freddy decided to get a regular tune up, too.  He wanted to be in tip top shape if Gregory was going to ride in his stomach hatch.  It was still something the boy liked doing.  “A full tune up would be appreciated, as well.”

“Sure, no problem,” Derek replied easily.  “We’ll just wait till Roxy’s done.”  The man paused to take a drink of FizzyFaz before catching Gregory’s eye.  “Hey Gregory, I got a Lemon Chica Bar if you want it.”  Gregory took it and looked it over.

“What do we say?” Freddy chimed.

“Thank you, Derek,” Gregory said, the sentence sounding rehearsed.  The boy suddenly grimaced.  “This doesn’t look like Chica at all. ”  Monty stomped over to examine it, snickering at the sight.  Chica followed behind him.

“It is featuring the very first Chica Chicken design.  Just like the Freddy Fudgebar had mine,” Freddy explained.

The boy glanced up at Chica, wrinkling his nose.  “She looked awful. ”

Chica burst into giggles.  “Hey!  Don’t be mean to her!  I bet she was fun, especially with her cupcake!”

“Don’t get her started on that,” Monty grumbled.

“I just think it’d be cool to have a little cupcake animatronic friend!  We have the Bakery themed after them, so I don’t see why I can’t have one!”

The room filled with collective groans.

“It is the company that is in charge of that sort of thing,” Freddy reminded her.  “The technicians cannot do anything about it.”  

Bonnie is not their fault, either, he told himself sternly.  Sometimes Freddy found himself being difficult with the technicians because of the misplaced resentment.  He was trying his best to stomp it out, but sometimes it was.. difficult.

Gregory bit into the bar, his face scrunching up at the tartness.  Monty started barking laughter, pointing at the boy’s reaction while he struggled with the sour candy.

“Yuck!”  He held the bar out for someone to take, shaking his head and sticking out his tongue.  “It’s horrible! ”  Monty only laughed harder, Chica clucking, and Roxy snickering inside the cylinder at his rather dramatic reaction.  Even Freddy couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Guess you can’t handle sour stuff~!” Chica chortled, taking it off his hands and finishing what was left.

Roxy exited the cylinder, giving Gregory a pat on the shoulder as she rejoined them.  Freddy took her place inside as Derek hooked him up.  The technicians got to work, and Freddy heard his friends chattering through the cylinder.

Talia opened Freddy’s hatch for ease of access during the tune up, while Derek started working on his ear.

Talia’s brows knit in confusion.  “Freddy, what’s this?”  She held up his red heart box.  Alarm immediately shot through Freddy’s circuits.

“Th—That is private! ” Freddy stammered.  Bonnie’s chip was in there.  He didn’t want anyone touching it.

Derek peeked at it from his spot near Freddy’s head.  “Looks like a ring box.”

“What, are you getting engaged to someone, Freddy?” Talia snarked.

“Please put it back,” Freddy begged anxiously.  It was the last shred of Bonnie he had left.  It was all he had.

“Trying to find a partner to raise your kid with?” Derek joked, grinning and wiggling his eyebrows.  If the manager discovered his chip hadn’t been destroyed, Bonnie would be ripped from his paws and smashed to pieces.

“ Please put it back ,” Freddy growled insistently, gritting his teeth.  The room went silent.  The two technicians dropped their teasing and did as he asked, not making anymore comments after realizing how much it upset the bear.

“Sorry, Freddy,” Talia mumbled, finishing the tune up in his chest while Derek finished his ear.  “You’re all set.”  Derek opened the cylinder, and Freddy followed the technician out to rejoin his friends.

“Yeah, sorry big guy,” Derek apologized, giving him a pat on the back as Freddy left for his elevator.  Freddy tried not to clench his paws in frustration.  “Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

“Almost time for photo shoots.  You four better move out,” Talia muttered.

Freddy nodded, exiting the room and entering his lift with Gregory without a word.

Gregory frowned up at Freddy, his eyes round with worry.  “Were they being mean?”

“No.. they simply did not understand what they were doing.  I am sure they will not repeat it.”

“If they do, I’ll beat them up! ” Gregory shouted, looking furious.

His serious expression looked cute on the boy’s face.  It made the weight lift off Freddy’s shoulders. “I do not think that will be necessary, Gregory.  And I do not want you fighting people you disagree with…  But thank you.”  Freddy ruffled his hair and smiled down at him.

“If anyone’s mean to you , just let me know.  They’ll regret it. ”

Freddy hummed.  “I will let you know.”  

He certainly wouldn’t.  He had no doubt Gregory would bite anyone who even looked at Freddy—or any of his friends—the wrong way.

The boy had already bitten a child who was rude to the workers in El Chip.  Now Gregory received a free snack whenever he passed by the employees that adored him.

On one hand, Freddy was glad Gregory was coming out of his shell more; standing up for others and making friends.  On the other, it probably wasn’t the best thing for Gregory to go around biting people he had disagreements with.  I will have to talk to him about that .

The elevator door opened, and they entered Freddy’s backroom.  They already knew the routine well, by now.  Freddy had to stay for another thirty minutes for the guests with Photo Passes.

Gregory said goodbye and immediately popped into the vent to escape.  It was the very vent Freddy had sent him through when they’d first met.  Goodness, that was so long ago!

Freddy entered his room and began his meet and greet with the guests while the other Glamrocks did the same.  He found it a bit tiresome always getting the biggest crowd, and Freddy wished it was more evenly divided amongst his friends.  He knew the large crowd outside his door was only because he was the face of the Pizzaplex.  He was just.. advertised more, and it wasn’t fair to the others.

When the guests finally left for the night, Freddy headed out to find Gregory in the lobby.  Freddy liked to say goodbye to the employees as they went home, and whenever Gregory stayed over during the day, the boy would join him.

Gregory was already saying goodbye to one of the cashiers who had recently graduated from high school.  They were always very nice to Gregory, and often brought games he could borrow.

“This game’s great,” the cashier said.  “It’s a dungeon crawler, and you can find a bunch of new partners as you go.  You’re gonna love the story, man.”

“Thanks!” Gregory replied with a smile, taking the cartridge.

The cashier waved to Freddy and left for their car.  “That was very nice of them.”

The last few employees left, and Vanessa came in, locking up the doors behind her.  Gregory ran to her for a hug that she was quick to reciprocate.  It warmed Freddy’s heart that they’d grown so close.  Their bond was good for both of their recoveries, and it showed.

“Hello, Vanessa.”

She smirked.  “Hey, Freddy.”

“Can we get breakfast now?  I’m starving! ” Gregory exclaimed dramatically.

“Of course!  What would you like today?” Freddy asked, unable to stop the grin spreading across his face.

“French toast?”

“Damn, you’re really gonna make me work, huh?” Vanessa joked as they headed towards the kitchens.

“Then I wanna play some games!”

“First you will need to do your stretches with Chica,” Freddy reminded him, watching Gregory’s smile turn to a pout.  “Otherwise we will not play any games tonight,” Freddy scolded.  Gregory grumbled, but didn’t complain anymore after that.  Freddy smiled.  “Cheer up, Superstar.  Today is going to be lots of fun!”

Chapter Text

Chica went over to the food station and grabbed Gregory a water.  They’d just finished up with his stretches for the night, and he was completely tired out.

She was happy to take over his physical therapy routine since he started coming over a month ago.  Exercise and stretching were in her programming.  It was her area of expertise!  It was clear Gregory hated it, and she knew it was very uncomfortable and sore for the boy.  Nonetheless, Chica tried her best to make it fun, and she thought he looked a bit proud after each session.

She handed him the water bottle and sat down beside him.

“What are you and Freddy going to do?”

Gregory took some sips before giving her a shrug.  “I was thinking of playing some games with him.”

“Ooh, that sounds fun!”

“You wanna join us?”

Chica hummed.  “Well, I’ve got a few things I want to do, but I’ll pop in when I’m done!”

Gregory smiled.  “Okay!  I’ll pick a game that can have more than two people, then.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”  When he finished his drink, Chica picked Gregory up and put him on her shoulders.  She felt his hands cling to her fluff as she left Mazercise and went down to the first floor of the atrium.

She spotted Freddy waiting by the main stage and waved to him.  The bear waved back, and even from across the room she could see his ears wiggle.

“Hello Gregory and Chica!” Freddy said with a smile in his voice.  “How was your exercise today?”

Chica lifted the boy off her shoulders and put him down between her and Freddy.

“Everything aches ,” Gregory complained.

“He’s making super good progress, though!” Chica chimed in, giving him a pat on the head.  Gregory beamed back, making her innards feel all warm and fuzzy.  Or maybe it was just her biofuel system filling her second battery…  Either way, she was glad Gregory was happy!

Freddy took his hand and headed towards the stage.  “We will be in my room if you need anything,” Freddy said, giving another wave to her.  Chica gave them a double thumbs up before spinning on her heel and heading back through the atrium.  She heard the stage go down behind her, and the two disappeared.

Chica clicked her beak and checked her batteries.  Sure enough, her container was full, and the food was all used up.  She decided to stop by the kitchens for any leftovers.  She was in the mood for pizza!

She went back to the service lift and followed the tunnels, humming quietly to herself.  She wished she could let loose and belt out the song, but the STAFF bots would totally freak.  Not to mention there was an important server room right by the kitchens, and she couldn’t afford to mess that up.

Part of her really wanted a newly designed voicebox that wouldn’t cause all the glitches to others, but on the other hand…  She sighed, fidgeting with her fingers as she remembered that night.  Her usually troublesome voicebox had saved them more than a couple times.  If something bad were to happen again…

Chica shook herself.  Don’t think like that, silly!  We’re all safe now!  They’re even going to install a special new AI to the network so we’re all safe from something like that ever happening again.

She put on a brave smile and nodded, trying to reinforce the positive thinking.

Pushing through the doors, she entered the kitchen.  “Hello, sweetie!” she chirped to the wet floor bot, giving it a little tap on the head before going further in.  There was a cleaning bot sweeping the area, but otherwise, the room was rather empty.

Chica went up to the compactor and emptied her container of trash.  The smell of pizza wafted from inside the machine, and she squinted to get a closer look.

“Well goodness, who left that?!”  She climbed up and crawled further in, sitting over a nearly full box of pizza.  Only two pieces were missing.

She furrowed her brows.  The employees knew to leave leftovers out for her each night, and that she would either eat them or dispose of what she couldn’t finish that night.  They knew better than to put food in the trash compactor, let alone so much!   She hated wasting food.

“Maybe it was the new cook,” she reasoned aloud.  “I’ll remind him tomorrow!”

Swishing her tail, she grabbed a slice and took a bite.  Pepperoni and mushroom!   Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing to discover the pizza there.  It was easy to find and it was just what she’d been hoping for.  How lucky!

She heard the floor bot whirring around behind her, beeping loudly.  Chica giggled, turning around to see what it was so excited about

The little yellow bot was spinning frantically around the STAFF bot cleaning the floors, trying to reroute its course.  Realization hit Chica too slowly.

She whipped her head to the side, and her eyes widened in horror.  The safety beam is down .

Chica scrambled to get out, but the STAFF bot bumped the button, and the compactor roared to life.

“ No! ” she cried, slipping on the garbage and reaching out in desperation before a crushing weight slammed down on top of her.

She could feel her casing shatter, her beak splintering apart and her endoskeleton snapping under the pressure.  All her systems were struggling with warnings popping up everywhere, so overwhelming that she couldn’t even process the pain.

The weight slowly lifted, though it took a while for her to notice.  Chica tried to drag herself out of the compactor, glitching eyes trying to keep focus on the little wet floor bot spinning anxiously in front of her.

But again, she was too slow.

The second wave came in from her left, pushing her swiftly off course, pinning her against the edge of the compactor and the crusher.

She screeched as it squeezed her, head wedged between two solid objects she couldn't fight against.  She felt her voicebox being destroyed, her calls being drowned out by electronic shrieks and static.  The pressure was too much on her head, and her vision blurred even more.  The last thing she heard was a horrifying pop before all her systems went dark, and she fell unconscious.

When Chica woke up, everything was hazy, and she couldn’t even move.  It was dark and damp, and she could feel her circuits sparking.

She was having trouble trying to figure out where she was; her systems kept stuttering and looping.

Wherever she was, Chica was terrified .  From where she lay face down in a pile of garbage, she thought she saw some electronics, though her eyes weren’t synced, and they were horribly broken.  Is this a place for scrapped animatronics?!

She tried to call for help, but the only thing that escaped her voicebox was a strangled screech.  Sparks burst from her endo, and she forced herself into silence to lessen the damage and pain.

Please, someone help me..!

Chica attempted to send messages to her friends, but was bombarded with a slew of errors.  She kept trying until she felt dizzy, unable to see through the warnings anymore.

She tried again to move, but pain just shot through her endoskeleton until she stopped.  Chica was truly stuck.

An hour went by with nothing but the roaches to keep her company.

Will they ever find me?  What if I’m stuck down here forever?  Who’s going to help Gregory with his exercises?  And comfort Freddy when he’s sad?  Or boost Roxy’s confidence or calm Monty down?  Will they get used to living without me..?

She let out a tiny sob that crackled in her voicebox.

Why was I so stupid?!  I should’ve just left it to be thrown out!

Chica began to wonder how long it would take for the company to wipe her face and name from the Pizzaplex.  Will they give up on me like they gave up on Bonnie when he disappeared?  Or when they said his chip was too broken?   

She whimpered, but it sent sparks through her throat.  Even if they find me.. will they even care?  What if I’m too damaged for them?  Will I end up right back here and left to rot?

Her hope was dwindling as time went on.  Two hours, three, and now approaching four.  How long will I count until my battery runs dry?   She had no idea what her percentage was.  It was too glitchy to tell.  I might be awake for days or weeks.  Or.. maybe there’s just a few more minutes until I shut down for good.

She felt a little snap in her programming.  Stop thinking like that!  It won’t do me any good!   Chica tried to huff in frustration, but it came out as more of a strangled wheeze.  We beat Glitchtrap, so I can survive this.  My friends will find me.  Bonnie was different.  He was being hid!  I’m just a little stuck…

Really stuck.

And lost.

And broken and scared and all alone.

Chica let out another breath, her fans scraping against her innards that were smashed to pieces.

Please, she begged, trying once more to connect.   Someone find me.

Chapter Text

Gregory was dozing off against Freddy when something beeped, jolting him back to wakefulness before he could really fall asleep.

A big paw gently landed on his shoulder.  “It is alright, it was just your Fazwatch,” Freddy rumbled softly.

Rubbing his eyes, he squinted at the watch.  “Wha..?”

Freddy leaned down to get a closer look.  “Hmm, that is strange.”

Gregory frowned, wondering if he had just read it wrong.  But no, it was a text message of nonsense.  It was like somebody smashed their keyboard and sent the gibberish.

“Is this some weird robot code?” Gregory asked with a frown.

Freddy stared at it a moment longer before shaking his head.  “I am not finding any secret meaning…  There are no coherent patterns to follow.”  He paused, his brows lowering.  “Who sent this?”

“Uh.. it says Chica did.  But why would she do that?”

The bear’s confusion began to shift into worry.  “I fear that something is wrong…”  Gregory watched his eyes flash briefly, something the animatronics did when they were connecting.  “I cannot get a hold of her…”

Gregory tried his Fazwatch, calling the others.  “Has anyone seen Chica?  I got a really weird message from her that doesn’t make any sense, and Freddy can’t get ahold of her.”

“She said she would come to the Daycare to help us with a craft but never showed up!” Sun fretted.

Roxy’s growl came through the call.  “Why didn’t you tell anyone?!”

Moon’s scratchy voice replied.  “We simply assumed she got distracted or found something else to do.  It wasn’t a very concrete plan.  We only mentioned it briefly during the day.”

“Chica ain’t here with me and Roxy.  Haven’t seen her since she left her room after closin’.”

Gregory glanced up at Freddy and saw panic in the bear’s face.  “ Not again, ” he whispered to himself, a tremor in his paws, a haunted look in his eyes.

“Let’s look for her,” Gregory suggested quickly.  “Maybe she just went into sleep mode or ran out of batteries.”  The silence on the other line made it clear no one thought that was the case.  “I can look in the kitchens,” he began slowly, trying to get everyone to jump in.

“Right.  I’ll look on the third floor,” Roxy decided.  Gregory was relieved when she started taking charge.  “Monty, you check the second floor, and Freddy can take the first.  Sun and Moon, you look in the lobby and Rockstar Row.  We are not losing her!”

Vanessa cleared her throat.  “I’ll go through all the security cameras and check service tunnels.”

Everyone agreed, and Freddy shook himself.  “If we do not find her, we can meet in the atrium and determine where we have not looked yet.”

They all hung up, and Gregory looked up at his guardian.  He was so distressed…

“It’s okay, Freddy.  We’ll find her.”  He jumped off the couch and headed into his back room to use the elevator, the bear slowly following behind.

“I am not so sure it is safe to split up,” he murmured, ears low.

Gregory pressed the button.  “I’ll be fine!  I know my way around this place super well!”  He beamed up at Freddy, hoping to boost his mood, but to no avail.  Gregory hummed.  “We could stay connected on the Fazwatch so you can hear me the whole time.  That’d make you feel better, right?”

The doors opened and they made their way through Parts and Service.  “It would help…”  They entered the atrium, and Freddy guided him over to the vent that led to the kitchens.  Gregory had to bypass the security requirements since he started coming back to the Pizzaplex.  Though he was given a VIP pass and a level one security badge, he still wasn’t allowed in many passages.  He was quick to learn all the workarounds, usually using vents, or just asking one of his friends to let him in somewhere.  “ Please be safe, Gregory…”

“I will.”  Freddy gave him a pat on the head before parting ways.

Gregory climbed into the vent and slowly crawled through.  Eventually he reached a point where he could slide down the rest of the way, and landed on a cushion he’d put there a few weeks ago.

He went through the tiny break room and past the console room where he’d originally shocked Chica on the night he was trapped.  He shivered, recognizing the dents where she’d crashed into them.  The power was disconnected now, so there was no danger anymore. 

Gregory entered the room with the giant vats, and called out for Chica as he peered around, using his flashlight to try and spot a flash of white, pink, or green.  Nothing.

The office room had no chicken either, so he shuffled onto the catwalk overlooking the kitchen.  A STAFF bot rolled around the room.  That was normal.

What wasn’t normal was the wet floor bot spinning in circles.  “Is that thing malfunctioning or something?” he mumbled.

Freddy’s voice came from his watch.  He’d forgotten the bear was connected.  “What is malfunctioning?”

“The little yellow bot.  It’s just spinning in a circle.”

“Hmm, that is strange.  It is worth investigating.  Maybe it knows what happened to Chica…”

“I’ll go look.”

He went through the little hall and limped down the stairs, turning into the kitchen and going up to the seemingly broken robot.

It started beeping frantically at him, zipping around the boy and wheeling further into the kitchen before returning to repeat the process.

Gregory wrinkled his nose.  “Do you know where Chica is?” he asked.

It beeped louder, so Gregory followed it.  The bot stopped at the trash compactor, spinning again.

Gregory peered into the compactor, but she wasn’t there.  He was about to turn to leave when something caught his eye.  Taking his flashlight, he lit up the machine and saw chips of plastic.

Pink, white, orange, green…

“Ch-Chica!” he gasped, clambering into the compactor and searching wildly for her.

“ Gregory?!   Did you find her?! ”

“I-I found some pieces i-in the compactor,” he stammered.

“The.. compactor..?”  Freddy’s voice was so quiet.

Gregory staggered over to the big opening on the left where he guessed the trash went.

“Chica?  Are you down there?  Can you hear me?”  He knelt down and leaned forward, gripping the edge and trying to listen for any sign of life.  A faint, electronic screech echoed up from the darkness.  His eyes widened.  “ Chica! ” he cried, a grin stretching across his face in relief.  Gregory brought the watch up to his face, pressing the tophat and connecting to everyone.  “I found her!  I found Chica!  She fell in the trash compactor and she’s—”

His heart lurched as his grip slipped on the greasy metal, and Gregory was sent tumbling down into the pit.  He yelped as he fell into a mound of garbage, rolling down it until he smacked into a different pile.

He groaned, rubbing his head and trying to clear the dizziness before looking around.  He was hit with the horrible rotting smell of garbage, decaying food, and sewage, having to slap a hand over his mouth and nose to stop himself from throwing up.    Even then, the stench was overwhelming.

The place was dark and damp, with massive piles of rubbish scattered about.  Gregory’s eyes widened when he noticed some of them had giant beams and sharp pieces of metal sticking out of them.  I’m really lucky I didn’t hit one of those…

Everywhere he stepped, the ground shifted and squelched, and roaches would scatter wherever he pointed his flashlight.  Gregory looked down at his Fazwatch, but it was broken.  Great.  Perfect.  Just what I need!

He swept his light around, searching for any sign of the chicken.  “Chica, where are you?”

More high pitched electronic sounds came from his left, followed by the zapping of circuits.  Gregory stumbled towards the sounds, making his way around the heaps of debris.

He sucked in a shocked breath, immediately regretting it as he coughed at the fumes and wretched smells that entered his lungs.  Chica lay face down, crumpled up against some trash bags.

She was covered in filth, and her casing was smashed apart.  His gut twisted.  It reminded him of when he saw Bonnie last, and Freddy told him all about the company refusing to fix the bunny…

If they won’t fix her, I will!

A little voice in the back of his head filled Gregory with guilt, making his steps falter.  Like you said you’d fix Bonnie..?

Gregory grit his teeth and shook his head.  He couldn’t think like that, now.  Chica needed him!  He hurried to the chicken’s side, kneeling behind her and gently putting a hand on one of her shoulders.

“Chica, can you hear me?  I’m gonna roll you over, okay?”

A choked sound came from her voicebox, but he had no idea what she was trying to say.  He took both hands and grabbed her upper arm, pulling towards himself with all his strength until she tipped onto her side and rolled to lay on her back.  Part of her leg fell off with the movement, making him feel sick.

He couldn’t help the little whimper that escaped him at the sight of her.  Chica’s beak was gone, nothing but a gaping crater where it should’ve been, revealing a damaged endoskeleton mouth underneath.  Her eyes were misaligned and didn’t fit right in her head.  Cracks spidered out from the damaged areas, the most notable being one that split down the center of her face.

It was hard to tell what she was thinking, but one of her eyes managed to lock onto him.

“I-It’s okay, they’re gonna come get us.  We’ll fix you up,” he assured her, forcing a smile on through his own worry and gingerly taking one of her hands in his.  One of her lower lids rose slightly, and Gregory liked to think she was trying to smile back.

“Gregory!” a voice called from above.  “If you’re down there, say something!”

Nessa!   “I’m here!  I found Chica, too!”

“Thank goodness,” Moon’s voice rasped; they were probably with Vanessa.

There was a heavy sigh of relief from the woman.  “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, but Chica’s pretty beat up.”

“If you’ve got so much as a scratch you better tell me.  You’ll get an infection faster than—”

“I’m fine!   Where are the others?”

Vanessa sighed.  “We found another entrance to the sewers and they’re coming to get you.  We’re just here to make sure you’re not dead. ”  She paused.  “Is Chica conscious?”

“She’s awake, but her voicebox is broken and I don’t think she can really move.”  He jumped when sparks flew from her chest.  “It’s okay!  They’ll be here any minute!”  The sparking dissipated.  He wondered what she was trying to do.  Chica’s eyes drifted around their surroundings before the one returned to Gregory.  “Don’t worry, Chica.  We’ll get out soon.”

“I wish I could go down to help,” Moon sighed.

“Techs still haven’t fixed that cleanup program, huh?”

“Unfortunately not.  We’re worried if we go down there, we won’t be able to leave. ”

They waited for a while.  Vanessa and Moon kept asking questions, though at some point Gregory suspected they were just trying to distract them from their situation more than anything.

Eventually they heard guttural grunting from somewhere in the distance, followed by complaints.

“Can’t you two move any faster?!   Chica and Gregory need us!  Hurry up! ”

“Stop bitchin’!  We’re movin’ as fast as we can in this shit!”

“If Freddy would just let me go ahead, I wouldn’t have to keep telling you to move your asses!  Also, you’re literally an alligator.  Aren’t you made for sewers?”

“Please stop arguing.  We are moving as fast as we can, and we must stay in a group so nobody gets lost.  Roxy, can you see them yet?”

The wolf groaned.  “I told you, there’s too much shit down here to tell.”

A door on the far side of the room slid open, and in came Freddy, followed by Monty and Roxy.

“Over here!” Gregory called, standing up and waving his arms.

Freddy’s face lit up and he raced over, the ground shaking under his footsteps.  Gregory felt a little jolt of fear at the glowing eyes and thunderous noise, stumbling back and tripping over Chica.  He landed on his butt with an “oomph”, and Freddy slowed a halt.

“Gregory, I am sorry.  I did not mean to scare you…”

He got back onto his feet, wincing at his now sore bottom.  Gregory looked up at Freddy, seeing guilt and worry on the bear’s face.  “I’m fine, it was stupid.”

Freddy, now with Roxy and Monty beside him, approached more slowly.  Freddy cautiously offered a hug that Gregory gladly took, already feeling better.

“Chica…”  Roxy got down on her knees and gently stroked her damaged head.

“We’ll get you outta here, Cheeks,” Monty assured her, putting down the stretcher he had tucked under his arm.

Freddy knelt down opposite to Roxy and held Chica’s hands.  “It will be alright, Chica.  You are safe now.  Vanessa and Moon are calling the emergency technician right now.  They will be here before the night is over to fix you!”

She tried to say something, only coming out with ear-piercing electronic screeches and sparks.

“Damnit, how could I let this happen?” Roxy growled, looking away and pinning back her ears.

Monty shuffled over so he was looking down at Chica.  “Don’t worry ‘bout it, Chica.  I got smashed by the Splash Bucket, now you got broke by the compactor.  I bet Roxy’ll get run over by a go-cart when her raceway opens.”  He squinted at Freddy.  “I dunno how Freddy’ll get wrecked, though.”

“Monty, what the fuck? ”

“All I’m sayin’ is that this kinda shit happens!”

Gregory snickered at the furious looks Roxanne was throwing Monty.

“Let us get Chica on the stretcher and get everyone out,” Freddy interrupted, his ears low.  “Do not worry, Chica.”  He squeezed her hands before getting his paws under her legs.  Roxy put her paws under Chica’s back and the two ever so carefully moved her onto the orange stretcher.  Even with their slow movements, pieces fell off, and she left behind half of her right arm.  “I will be with you the whole time.  You will not be alone during the repairs, I promise.”

Vanessa called down again.  “Do you guys have a safe way back up?”

“Yes,” Freddy called.  “We are heading out now!  Do not worry, Vanessa.”

Roxy grabbed one end of the stretcher, and Freddy grabbed the other half.  Together, they lifted the little chicken, and began to move back into the tunnels the way they came.

Monty grinned down at Gregory.  “Wanna lift, little guy?”

Gregory nodded eagerly, and was promptly lifted into the air and put atop the gator’s shoulders.  Monty lightly held onto his ankles to keep Gregory secure, wary of his sharp claws.

Monty followed the others, heading towards the door that looked a little too low…

“Duck!” Gregory cried.  Monty immediately obeyed, bending down just before Gregory could hit his head.

“Whoa, that was close,” Monty laughed, making Gregory bounce.  He couldn’t help but giggle in response.

They trudged through the disgusting tunnels, though Monty was making it more bearable.

“I am so sorry it took so long for us to get down here,” Freddy apologized ahead of them.  “We had to find generators to open the gates, and they were not very easy to find in the dark.” 

“That’s okay,” Gregory replied easily.

They approached a rather precarious bridge—if pieces of old plywood set between scaffolding could even be called one—and the animatronics began discussing the best way to cross it.

“I’m the lightest out of you two.  I can carry Chica across and you boys can follow,” Roxy suggested.

“That may be too much weight in one place,” Freddy fretted.  “The stretcher might even out Chica’s weight when we go across.”

Monty let out a rumbling hum.  “I can jump across with her.  It ain’t that far.”

“That’d jostle her too much!” Roxy snapped.

While they argued, Gregory glanced around at their surroundings.  He squinted, something blue-purple sticking out of the trash near the drop.

He opened his mouth to say something, but it got choked back when Monty roared and reared back.  Gregory clung tightly to Monty’s head as the gator kicked and stomped until there was a heavy crunch underfoot.  Monty stumbled back, and Gregory got a good look at what had happened.  At the edge of the pit, one of the monstrous STAFF bots from the hideout had tried to crawl out.  It must’ve grabbed at Monty’s leg to elicit such a reaction.

“Let’s just get the hell outta here!” Monty shouted, clearly spooked.

Freddy and Roxy gave each other a quick nod before they stormed across the wooden structures.  It trembled under their weight, and they only just made it across before it began to collapse.

Gregory began to quiver as he peered down into the pit, seeing some more STAFF bots shifting under the debris.

“W-What do we do now?”

“Gotta jump,” Monty huffed.  Gregory was plucked off Monty’s shoulders, and the gator held him tight against his chest.  “Hold on, little guy.”

“Have you ever done this before?”

“Nah, not with a kid.”

“Uh, Freddy… ”

Monty let out a rough laugh and launched them across the chasm.  Gregory cried out in terror before Monty landed on the other side with a heavy thud.

“Gregory, are you alright?” Freddy asked anxiously.  He was itching to check him over, but the bear wasn’t going to put the stretcher down.

“Y-Yeah,” Gregory stammered, hardly noticing that he was put back on Monty’s shoulders.

“Sorry, little guy.  It was that or fight through a bunch of those freaky bots, and I really hate those things.”  Gregory shivered, deciding he preferred the jump over that idea.

Their group wound through the rest of the tunnels, getting past another gate, and finally saw a staff door.

“Ugh, I feel disgusting,” Roxy grumbled as Freddy pushed through the door and the two lifted Chica up the stairs.  It took a while to weave through the mostly abandoned basement, but eventually they got to a door.

It led to an empty room with stairs going up.  And up.  And it felt like it was never going to stop!  Until they got to a little storage room, much to Gregory’s relief.

Finally out of that freaky place!

Freddy nudged open the gate.  They went through the laundry room, and eventually got back to the service tunnels that lead to the kitchen.

“We got ‘em!” Monty shouted, and Moon and Vanessa came through the doors moments later, the woman looking exhausted.

“You could’ve called me on the network,” she huffed.

Monty shrugged, bouncing Gregory again from his spot on the gator’s shoulders. “Too borin’.”

Vanessa hurried over, as Monty began taking Gregory off his shoulders.  “Are you hurt?” Vanessa asked, looking him up and down.  “I’m serious.  If you have a scratch, we need to clean it up immediately.”

“I don’t think so.”

Freddy hummed.  “We should still double check.”

Gregory looked up at the bear.  “But don’t you have a fancy thing that detects blood?”

Freddy glanced to the side.  “Er.. yes…  But we cannot be certain it is not malfunctioning.”

“You all have that!  It can’t be broken for all of you! ”

“Did your leg get jostled when you fell?” Vanessa worried.

Gregory shrugged.  “It’s not too bad.”

Moon twirled their head at the wet floor bot that had followed them in.  "What's this little bot doing here?" Moon wondered. 

“Oh, they helped me find Chica,” Gregory said, pointing to the bot as they all began walking towards the service elevator.

“What a good little friend,” Moon hummed, giving it a pat on the head.

Roxy snorted.  “We’ll give it a badge of honor for its heroics.”  She looked down at Chica and wagged her tail.  “I’m glad we found you, Chica…  I don’t know what the hell I would’ve done if we lost you.”

They piled into the elevator, and no one said anything when the floor bot joined them as they headed off to Parts and Service.

Chapter Text

Freddy gently lifted Chica from the stretcher and into the service chair.  Vanessa turned on all the lights in the room so it wasn’t so spooky.  Moon switched over to Sun.

“I’m going to go meet the technician so I can let them in,” Vanessa said with a yawn.  “Come on, Sun.  You’ll go crazy trying to clean everyone if you don’t get out of here.”

“Oh, you’re right.  But it’s such a mess! ”  Vanessa rolled her eyes at them and grabbed their wrist to tug the Daycare Attendant after her.  She paused, looking over at Chica, and sighed.  “I’ll make sure the tech moves their ass.”  They went around to the Glamrocks’ elevators and left to open the entrance.

Since Gregory got trapped that night, the Pizzaplex made changes to their system so that the security guard had special permissions to open the doors.  Something that should’ve been in place from the start.

Freddy pulled some heavy chairs into the cylinder so everyone could keep Chica company.  Gregory jumped up and sat on his lap.  Freddy glanced around at everyone and noticed how filthy the tunnels had made them.  They would all need special cleaning, and Gregory would definitely need a bath.  It looks like he will be going home with Vanessa in the morning.

Freddy wiggled his ears as he looked down at the boy.  “You are sure you did not get hurt?”

“Yep, I’m fine.  Just soggy socks!”

Freddy moved his gaze up and saw Roxy carefully pulling gunk and debris from Chica’s feathery fluff atop her head while murmuring reassurances.  “They’ll be here soon, Chica.  I’ll make sure they repair you perfectly. ”  She sighed.  “You’ll always be the prettiest chicken in the Pizzaplex, no matter what.  Got it?”

Freddy smiled softly when Roxy leaned down to give Chica a gentle hug.  Roxanne had never been a fan of physical affection, Gregory seeming to be the only exception.  But it warmed Freddy’s heart to see her pushing past that to comfort Chica.

Meanwhile, Monty was pacing outside the cylinder alongside the floor bot, grumbling to himself, his brow furrowed.  His mood had dropped significantly when they’d entered Parts and Service.

“Monty, come sit,” Freddy called, giving the gator a warm smile in an attempt to appease him.

Monty huffed and crossed his arms. “Can’t the tech hurry up?  It ain’t comfortable to be all smashed up like that.”  His heavy tail swayed irritably, nearly smacking the floor bot, but eventually he gave in and sat down.  He reached over and grabbed Chica’s hand.  “Sorry Chica, I just hate seein’ you like this.”

She could only reply with a slow blink.

Everyone’s heads swiveled at the sound of the stage lowering.  The floor bot immediately zipped to the doors, wheeling in circles while they heard Vanessa’s voice explaining the situation in the hall.

Gregory should not be seen!   Freddy opened his hatch, and Gregory slipped inside, understanding without a word being said.  His hatch only just closed as the doors opened.

Monty jumped to his feet.  “‘Bout time you got here!  C’mon, fix her!”

The technician squinted up at him.  “You know it’s like three in the morning, right?  I live twenty minutes away.  I got here as fast as humanly possible, and you’re complaining that I’m too slow? ”

Monty growled.  “Well.. you could’ve drove faster!”

“They literally got here faster than we found her, Monty!” Roxy shouted.

Freddy mimicked the sound of clearing his throat.  “Thank you for coming here on such short notice, June.”

“Sure.  I didn’t want to just leave her for three more hours.”  They scrunched up their nose.  “You all smell horrible.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes.  “I told you they had to go in the sewer to get her.”

June waved them off.  “Okay, everyone out.  Let me work.”

Freddy lowered his ears.  “We promised her that she would not be alone during the repairs…”

“I’ll be here, it’s fine,” June shrugged.

Freddy and Roxy made brief eye contact before Freddy stood up.  A while ago he would have obeyed and left the room without a fight.  Not this time.

He clenched his paws and shook his head.  “I am afraid that is not what I meant.”

He caught an impressed look from the wolf.

June sighed.  “Freddy, really, it’s too crowded.”

“Then please let at least one of us stay.  Whoever it is will keep out of your way.  But we do not want to leave her alone.”

The technician put their hands on their hips and looked down.  “Is this about Bonnie?  I keep telling you it wasn’t my decision.  If I were in charge, I would’ve tried to save him, but you know how those damn corporate techs—”

“Just one of us stays.  Please. ”

June grit their teeth.  “Fine.  Roxy can stay.  She’s the only one I trust not to knock stuff over.”

Freddy glanced over at Roxy who gave him a small smile before turning her gaze to Chica.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me a little longer, Chica,” Roxy joked, running her claws through her fluff.

“We will be back as soon as we can,” Freddy reassured her, giving her a soft pat on the shoulder before leaving the cylinder, Monty trailing after him and grumbling.

They passed by the technician, and Gregory sneezed inside Freddy’s chest cavity, making them stall.  Freddy side-eyed June who gave him a funny look and opened their mouth to say something, but Freddy bolted for his elevator.

Monty followed close behind, yelling out goodbyes to drown out any questions June was asking until the elevator closed and the cheerful tune started up.

Freddy and Monty both let out heavy breaths of relief, and he opened his hatch to let Gregory peek out.

“Sorry,” the boy whispered, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“We got outta there before they could figure anythin’ out.  It’s all good, little guy!”

Freddy nodded.  “Yes, I think we avoided detection.”

“Hey, what ya got?” Monty leaned down to peer at Gregory who was now sitting with his legs hanging out.

“Bonnie’s box.  I didn’t want to sit on it.”

Freddy startled.  “Oh, goodness I had not thought of that!”

“It’s okay, I saw it before I could.  Here.”  His little hands stuck out of his cavity, holding the box for him to take.

He gingerly took it in his paws, frowning down at it sadly as the doors opened and they moved into Freddy’s room.

Monty growled.  “I don’t get why they couldn’t try fixin’ him.”

Gregory slipped out of Freddy’s hatch and sat on the couch instead.  Freddy opened the box to look at his chip, shaking his head.  “June is right, it was a corporate decision, and the company does not think we are alive.”

If we were human, a doctor would have tried everything to save him, he thought bitterly.  It wasn’t fair.

Gregory shifted in his seat, drawing Freddy’s and Monty’s attention.  “What.. would it take to fix him?”

“The corporate technicians destroyed what was left of his body…  They do not make his parts anymore, and what little we had in storage was thrown away after he disappeared.”  Freddy lowered his ears, staring down at the chip.

“Well, what about his chip?  Can we fix that? ”

Why is he asking this?  Does he not understand that this is so difficult to talk about?   Freddy looked up, and softened his gaze at the sight of Gregory’s big doe eyes.  Of course not, he is a young, curious boy.  He is just trying to help.

“I am afraid I do not know how to bring him back, Gregory.  I would have done it already if I knew how…”

“What if we put his chip in an endo?  That’d work, right?”

Freddy felt a chill run through his circuits, but Monty spoke up for him.  “Oh yeah, and how’d you like to wake up bein’ a human skeleton that’s all the wrong sizes?  Huh?  That’d be pretty fu—messed up!”  Freddy appreciated that Monty caught his slip up.  “It’d drive you nuts!   First, you’re just a bunch of creepy lookin’ bones, and then nothin’ feels right!  It’s the same thing, but, y’know, metal.”

Gregory grimaced, getting the picture.

It didn’t matter to Freddy how Bonnie looked.  He would love Bonnie if he were put into an endo.  He would love Bonnie even if he were nothing more than ones and zeros on a screen, and Freddy would make sure he knew.   How could he not?  But both options would be pure misery for Bonnie, and Freddy could never do that to him.  He’d had enough of that to last an eternity…

Gregory furrowed his brows in thought.  “Well.. you said you saw him when I put his chip in with yours, right Freddy?  Can’t we put him in so he can be awake and talk with you?  Like Sun and Moon?”

Freddy lowered his ears.  He’d already asked the technicians for that many times so they could at least be together in some way, even if it was just in his head.  But the techs told him that it was too dangerous.  That their chips weren’t made to share for long—like the Daycare Attendant—and that it would slowly eat away their programming until Bonnie became nothing more than fragmented lines of code and Freddy was broken beyond repair.  And even then, they wouldn’t even get a year.  

Part of him wanted to take the risk.  If it was Bonnie’s only way of living, even if it was for a short time, Freddy would gladly lose himself to spend the last of their days together.

But once again, he didn’t want to put Bonnie through any more pain, and he certainly didn’t want to force his family to be burdened with losing another friend.  Freddy was sure it would break some of them…  He had to look after his friends.  He had to look after Gregory.  He loved them all so much.

“I.. appreciate that you are trying to help, but.. there is no good way to bring Bonnie back without causing him great distress.”  He looked away.  How many nights had he sat in his room, asking the same questions?  Trying to find some way for his Bonnie to return.  But it hurt so much.   It tore Freddy up inside trying to make an impossible future where Bonnie was with him.  

Eventually, Chica had to sit him down and have a long talk about accepting that Bonnie was gone…  That he had no body to return to, and even if he did.. his chip was badly damaged.  Freddy remembered how his image glitched and stuttered the very last time he’d seen his bunny.  He had to shut his eyes for a moment.

“Hey, uh, let’s go do somethin’ fun together,” Monty suggested, trying to change the subject.  “We could do some golfin’, or do some crafts with Sun, or rock out?”

Freddy felt Gregory’s tiny hands grasp one of his paws.  “I didn’t mean to upset you, Freddy…”

The bear let out a breath.  “I know you were just trying to help.”  He smiled softly and petted the boy’s head before he put the box back in his chest and turned to Monty.  “I would not mind some golf.  We can check back with the girls after we have finished.”

Monty grinned, clearly thrilled that his favored suggestion got picked.  “I’ll bring back some Mystery Mix for Chica!”  He leaned down and hid his mouth behind his claws.  “I know where they hide it,” he whisper-yelled to Gregory, lowering his glasses to wink.

I hope they repair Chica quickly.  She must be so scared.

Chapter Text

Gregory scowled, sitting in Mazercise with Vanessa after just finishing up his stretches; he wished Chica had been there to join them.

But Chica was still in Parts and Service.  It had been two days, and the technicians said some parts needed to be special-ordered.  Not only that, but her beak and voicebox would be backed up even more because the company was in the middle of changing the design.  They didn’t want her causing interference if she got too loud or tried to sing again.  June said something about the damage to the DJ tipped them into making the change.

“Do you need help getting back to Freddy?” Vanessa asked, giving him a water.

“No, I’m fine,” he mumbled.

“Alright, well I’ve got to get back to work.  Call if you need me.”  She got up and ruffled his hair before leaving Mazercise to patrol the Pizzaplex.

Gregory debated what to do.  He could go down to Parts and Service to keep Chica’s spirits up.  Or…

Or he could actually do what he’d been thinking about since they’d left the trash tunnels…  He couldn’t get his mind off it.  The bit of indigo peeking out from under the garbage.  

They’re all busy, so maybe if I do it now, I can make it a surprise!   Gregory grinned, jumping to his feet.  He peered out into the atrium to make sure the coast was clear before he entered.  Gregory hurried down to the first floor.

The sound of the stage rising echoed in the giant room.  He zipped to the vent and dove in, hoping whoever was on the stage hadn’t seen him.

Gregory crawled through and slid down.  He weaved through the usual route—annoyed at how long it always took because of his leg—but went into the utility tunnels instead of the kitchen.  Creeping as quietly as he could, Gregory moved into the laundry rooms.

He went through the weird flaps in the doorways and turned a corner.

Gregory yelped when he ran right into someone, falling back into the strip curtains.

“Whoa, careful, little guy!”  His arms were pinned to his sides as he was picked up and put back on his feet.

“Monty?  What are you doing here?!”  He hadn’t meant to sound accusatory, but the gator didn’t seem to notice.

“I saw you goin’ through the vent in the atrium,” he said with a shrug.  “Whatcha doin’?  Laundry?”

Gregory glanced around.  “Uh, yup.  Laundry.”

Monty squinted.  “That was a joke, little guy.”  Gregory squirmed as Monty lowered his sunglasses to look down his snout at the boy.  “I’m not leavin’ until you tell me what’s goin’ on.”

“Can you keep a secret..?” he asked, fidgeting with his sleeves nervously.

Monty brightened.  “Yeah, people tell me secrets all the time!   I haven’t told anyone that Roxy thinks Chica’s cute.   I’m great at keepin’ secrets!”

Gregory stared at Monty.

Monty just grinned back.

Gregory blinked.  “Great.”  Shit.

“So, what’s the secret?”

Gregory closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  This is the worst idea ever.  As much as he hated to admit it though, he’d probably need help if he was going to pull this off.  “I’m going back into the trash tunnels to find.. something.” 

Monty frowned.  “What’d you lose?”

Gregory swallowed anxiously.  “I.. thought I saw.. something that looked like.. Bonnie.”

Monty’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened.  “What?! ”

“Shh!   You can’t tell anyone!   I want to try to fix him and surprise the others.  That’s why you can’t say a word.”

“You sure it was him?!”

Gregory looked away.  “Not really…  It was just something sticking out of the trash that looked like his color.  But.. if it is him, I can’t just leave him down there.  I made him a promise…”

Monty growled loudly, startling Gregory.  He was picked up and thrown onto the gator’s shoulders as Monty headed for the gate.  “Let’s go dig that bunny out,” he snarled as he kicked it open and went down the spiraling stairs.

“So you’re gonna help me?!”

“Damn right I am!”

“But.. what if I’m wrong?  It might just be junk and you’ll get dirty again for nothing!”

“Those fuckin’ corporate assholes trashed Bonnie and threw him out like garbage!   If there’s a chance he’s down there, I’m draggin’ him out.”

They went through the basement and entered the door that led into the tunnels.  Gregory almost gagged when the putrid smell hit him again.  “Eugh.”

Monty went further in.  “So where’d you say you saw him?”

“It was by the creepy pit with the bots,” he explained, plugging his nose.

Monty bobbed his head in understanding, trudging on until they reached the pit.  Gregory pulled out his flashlight and scanned the area for anything that might be the right shape or color.

“There!” he gasped, pointing the beam of light at the oblong blue-purple object.  Monty set him down and knelt down beside the garbage-filled trench.  He reached out, his claws just brushing the item.

Gregory grabbed his tail and leaned back, trying to help Monty stay balanced.  He didn’t want him falling in.

Finally, Monty’s claws managed to snag a crack in the plastic, and he reeled back to safety, nearly squashing Gregory in the process.  Luckily, he managed to scramble off to the side.

“Shit,” Monty huffed, handing Gregory the item.  “Those damn bots were watchin’ me like I was their lunch!”

Gregory stared at the object.  He wasn’t quite sure what it was.  He looked up at Monty, who seemed to have recovered for the most part.  “Is this Bonnie’s?” he asked, holding it out.

Monty pulled down his sunglasses and squinted.  His eyes widened and he carefully plucked it from Gregory’s hands.  “Yeah…  It’s one of his ears.”  Monty fidgeted a little with the hinge connecting the pieces.  He frowned, lost in memories.

Gregory looked around any nearby piles for more parts.  Another bit of indigo caught his eye, and he dug through the junk until he unearthed it.  He let out a gasp.  “I found his head!  Or.. part of it.”

Monty stomped over to see, and Gregory showed it off.  The face was badly damaged, just like when Gregory had met the bunny.  There was a huge hole in half of his face, stretching from where his left eye should’ve been to his cheek.  The jaw hung on at an awkward angle.  All he had was half an ear atop his head, and he was covered in grime.  Monty carefully opened his eyelid to check how damaged his eye was.  It looked filthy, but otherwise workable.

“Damn,” Monty muttered.  “It’s really him…”

Gregory grinned up at Monty.  “If we find the other pieces, we can fix him up, right?”

His face brightened at the idea.  “Yeah!  Let’s keep lookin’!”

They started a little pile and searched all night on their side of the pit.  The two decided they would try looking across it the next day if they couldn’t find everything.

By five in the morning, they found a foot, most of a hand, and a shoulder pad, all in horrible shape.

Gregory was exhausted and hungry .  “Do you have any food?”

Monty shook his head.  “No, but we should get goin’.”  He scooped up the parts in his arms and they made their way back up to the surface.  They stashed them under the stairs leading up to the laundry room, and went up.

When they got out into the light, Gregory grimaced at their gross state.  “They’re gonna know where we were,” he mumbled, peeling off something slimy that stuck to his sweater.

Monty hummed.  “I got an idea.  Follow me, little guy.”

They entered the staff bathrooms and found the showers.  “What’s the plan?”

Without warning, Monty turned on the water, and Gregory yelped when the icy cold water hit him.  The two stood under the stream until most of the grime was washed away before Monty shut it off.

Gregory shivered violently, his clothes soaking wet, heavy, and clinging to his skin.  Monty looked relatively normal, but his mohawk flopped over to the side, and there were still stains that would take some elbow grease to get out.

“Now no one will know we were dumpster divin’!”  Gregory’s teeth chattered as he hugged himself in an attempt to warm up.  “Oh, you’re cold.  Shoulda checked the temperature.”

Gregory grumbled as they sloshed back into the laundry room.  Monty snagged a towel and threw it over the boy, though it wasn’t much help.

I shouldn’t have said anything, Gregory thought, rolling his eyes as they went back up to the atrium.  How am I supposed to explain this?

They sat down at a table by the food court, and Monty went into one of the booths, returning with a burger that had been reheated in a microwave.

“Thanks,” Gregory breathed through shivers before chowing down on his meal.  He hardly noticed that it was cold in some spots.

“Sorry ‘bout the water,” Monty apologized.  “I forgot you’re not made of plastic.”  Gregory almost choked on his food as he let out a laugh.  “What?!   You’re around here all the time, it’s like you’re one of the animatronics!”  Gregory’s laughter turned into giggles.  “Look, I’m not used to takin’ care of a kid!  I don’t know all the rules of how you work, yet!”

Gregory finally got a hold of himself to reply.  “Now you know not to drench me in cold water! ”

“Yeah yeah, I’ll remember.”  The gator smiled, leaning back in his chair as Gregory finished his meal.  “I can’t believe we found him.  Some of him, but better than nothin’.”

“Remember, we can’t tell anyone!”

“Can’t tell anyone what exactly?”

Gregory and Monty spun around, staring owlishly at Vanessa who stood with her hands on her hips.

“Uhh, Vanessa!  Hi!” Gregory greeted quickly, trying not to look guilty.

“Why the hell are you two soaking wet?! ”

Monty glanced around.  “Well, um…”

Gregory butted in.  “I tripped and fell in one of the ponds in Gator Golf!”  Monty nodded a little too enthusiastically.  “And then Monty jumped in to save me from drowning! ”

Vanessa gave them a dubious look.  “Those pools aren’t even a foot deep.”

“Big splash..?” Monty suggested with a shrug.

Vanessa smacked herself in the forehead.  “I.. I’m just not dealing with this right now.”  She shook her head and glared down at Gregory.  “Looks like you’re coming home with me again.”

“Aww, c’mon Nessa..!”  Normally he wouldn’t protest, but now he had this huge secret project!

“No way, you smell awful and you’re shivering like crazy.”  Gregory side-eyed Monty, making brief eye contact before returning his attention to Vanessa.  “It’s going to be six in like forty minutes, so grab anything you want to take home and say bye to the others.”  She paused.  “I think Chica missed having you there today.  Maybe hang out with the others until we go.” 

Vanessa waved as she left, finishing up her route around the Pizzaplex.

Monty let out a heavy breath before smiling down at him.  “I think we fooled her.”

Gregory groaned.  We’re so screwed.

Chapter Text

Roxy and Freddy were sitting with Chica again for the fourth night in a row.  She was getting sick of waiting on all the parts, and Chica was looking more and more miserable with each passing day.  Roxy wished they would’ve closed the Pizzaplex until she was fixed so they could stay by her side during the day, too.

It didn’t help that Monty and Gregory kept disappearing all the time, either.  She could excuse Gregory; he was just a little kid after all, and it was difficult for him to stay still too long.  But Monty?  It was something she expected from the old Montgomery who didn’t give a shit about anyone.  But nowadays, he would’ve stuck by her side like glue.

Something’s up, she thought, clenching her paws.

“I heard that your new chip circuitry is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow,” Freddy rumbled, giving Chica’s hand a little squeeze.  “You will be able to move around again!  It will be so nice.”

Chica’s lower lids lifted into a smile.  Most of her cosmetics had been fixed, all her casings replaced, endoskeleton switched out, eyes patched up.  

The circuits that received chip commands got badly damaged, which made it near impossible for her to move without great strain.  It also meant she couldn’t send or receive messages, so she had no way to communicate.  Luckily, the chip itself was miraculously unharmed.

But her beak and voicebox were still being worked on, and it was clearly taking a toll on her programming.  It must’ve been difficult not to be able to say a word—let alone communicate—for almost a week, and Roxy knew how much she enjoyed eating.

Why can’t those assholes just hurry up already?!  Just send us the regular stuff and figure out the fancy new design later!

Roxy saw the wet floor bot’s ‘ears’ pop up at Freddy’s side, then its screen peek over the chair.  Roxy smirked.  “It’s back again.”  Even though the little yellow bot was constantly called away for its job or shooed off, it always managed to wander back to Chica’s side, and it was always the same one.

Freddy chuckled and gave it a pat on the head.  “I think it has grown rather attached to you, Chica.”  The chicken’s eyes seemed to smile again.

Ugh, why the hell does she have to be this cute?  It’s ridiculous.

“Roxanne,” Vanessa said as she opened the doors into Parts and Service.  “Can I talk to you?”

Roxy growled, pinning back her ears and gripping Chica’s hand.  “No, I’m busy. ”

Freddy frowned.  “Is something wrong, Vanessa?”

Vanessa waved him off.  “No, everything’s all good, but I need to talk to Roxy about something important.”  

Chica glanced over at Roxy, and the wolf let out a heavy sigh.  “Fine, but you better make it quick!” she snapped, getting up and following Vanessa back through the doors.

When they neared the stage lift, Vanessa stopped them and looked around.  “I’ll get straight to the point,” she said hastily.  “The boys are up to something weird.”

Roxy crossed her arms and scowled.  “Gregory and Monty?  Yeah.  Those shits have barely stopped in to see Chica and I’m fucking pissed.”

Vanessa put her hands on her hips.  “They’re either nowhere to be found, or when I do see them, it’s at the end of the night and they stink.”  She shook her head.  “The techs keep complaining about Monty to me, and Gregory’s been getting sick.  I don’t know what the hell to do.”

“So what do you want me to do about it?  This sounds like something you’d go to Freddy about.”

Vanessa shook her head.  “You and I both know he’s not in the best place right now…”

Roxy lowered her ears.  She was right.  Freddy had been completely shaken up since Chica’s accident, spending every possible second with her before he was forced back out to perform and interact with guests.  Roxy noticed how his paws trembled when a technician came in to work on her.  Big softy’s scared shitless…

Roxanne let out a defeated sigh.  “Do you have any clue what the boys are doing?”

The woman bit her lip.  “The sewers,” she muttered.  “That’s all I can think of, but why would they go down there? ”

Roxy pushed her out of the way and stepped onto the stage lift.  “Let’s go find out.”

Monty and Gregory were back in the tunnels again.  Since they started searching, they’d found a lot of parts.  That wasn’t to say much of it was salvageable…

Monty even brought one of his bent golf clubs to help them reach things in the pit.  Both of them were still too freaked out by the bots to go down there, and Gregory wondered if they’d been manually inserted with the Showtime Virus instead of infected through the network.

“It’d explain why they’re still crazy,” he’d muttered.

“Hey!  I think I caught the endo!”  Monty hooked the club under one of the metal ribs, and slowly tugged it towards himself until he could pull it up with his claws.

“Is it his?”  Gregory started coughing, and Monty began to question if being in the sewers was bad for the kid’s health.

Furrowing his brows, Monty scowled.  “Damnit, that’s a Freddy endo.”  Monty tossed it aside into an assortment of things they’d found that definitely weren’t Bonnie’s.

“Would Bonnie’s endoskeleton even work?   He was pretty smashed up when I saw him…”

Monty frowned.  He hadn’t thought of that.  “Let’s just keep lookin’ for parts,” he grumbled.  “We’ll worry about that stuff later.”  

They went back to the search.

“Hey, what color were his legs?” Gregory asked with a loud sniffle.

“The bottoms were like his vest,” Monty replied.  “Kinda like a raspberry red with some yellow and pink stripes.  The upper pieces were his regular color.”

“I might’ve found something then!”

Monty glanced over his shoulder and saw the boy’s head pop up from behind a mound of trash.  He lifted up a piece of casing with spidering cracks on the edges, but might otherwise be of use.  It was definitely one of Bonnie’s lower leg pieces.

“Good job, little guy!”  He took the heavy plastic from him and placed it in the pile.

“What the fuck are you two doing?!”

Monty froze, slowly turning his head until he was staring guiltily at Roxanne, with Vanessa right behind her.  Both looked furious.  He quickly shifted so he was between them and Bonnie’s parts, trying to block their view.

“Oh shit.”

“Yeah, ‘oh shit’,” Vanessa scolded.  “Why have you been coming down here?!”  She frowned at Gregory when his little body was wracked with coughs.  “You know this is why you’re sick, right?”

Gregory shuffled closer behind Monty, trembling.  The gator tried his best to shield him from their anger and cover for them.  “Look, we can’t really tell you—”

“You better start giving us answers or I will personally decommission you, Montgomery!” Roxy barked.

Gregory immediately scrambled out in front, eyes wide and spreading his arms in an attempt to protect Monty despite the fact that the boy only reached his mid thigh.  “It was my idea!  Don’t hurt him!”

Roxy and Vanessa glanced at each other.  Vanessa sighed and stepped forward.  “What’s going on down here?  We’re worried.”

Gregory looked back up at Monty, unsure what he could say.  Monty frowned and spoke up.  “It’s a secret.”  Roxy bared her teeth, so he hurried on.  “You’ll find out soon!”

“We’re almost done here anyways!” Gregory blurted.  “We’ve almost got everything!”

Vanessa sighed.  “You’re still recovering from your injuries and being malnourished!  I’m not letting you risk your health for whatever you’re doing down here.  This place isn’t safe. ”

“This is important!”

Vanessa and Gregory started bickering while Roxy just glared at Monty.  His tail swayed anxiously.  How’re we gonna get them outta here?

His tail smacked into the pile, making a loud clatter.  Both him and Gregory froze as the bunny’s head tumbled out of the pile and into plain view.

Monty stared at it from the corner of his eye.

Vanessa gasped, pointing her flashlight at the head.

Roxy’s eyes went round.

“Hey, how’d that get there..?” Monty tried weakly, though he and Gregory both knew they’d been caught.

Roxy stumbled towards the head and got down on her knees to hold it.

“What the hell..?”  He could hear the pain in her voice, and had to look away.

Gregory shuffled over and sat down beside her.  “We’ve been trying to find all of Bonnie’s parts so we can bring him back,” he mumbled as she gingerly looked the head over.  “We found a bunch more pieces, too,” he explained, pointing to their pile.

Vanessa came over and looked down at their collection.  “So you two have been digging around for broken parts all this time?”

Monty nodded stiffly.  “We wanted to surprise everyone by fixin’ him up.”

Roxy let out a soft whimper.  “Thank you,” she sobbed, pulling Gregory into a tight hug.  Over the boy’s shoulder, she gave Monty a wobbly smile.

Monty couldn’t help his own grin from forming.

Vanessa went to Monty’s side and put her light over their pile.  “I don’t want Gregory looking down here anymore.  It’s not good for him.”  She peered up at him.  “What else do you need?”

Monty shrugged.  “We can’t find most the endo, and there are still casin’s missin’.”

“I don’t think there will be much else,” she said quietly.  “Even if you find his endo, you won’t be able to use it.”  Vanessa paused.  “Trust me.  When.. she.. looked at the damage, his endoskeleton was beyond repair.”

Gregory stared up, a big frown on his face.  “But Bonnie needs one to wake up!  Can’t we find another, at least?”

Roxy shook her head, still hugging the boy.  “They got rid of the Bonnie endoskeletons when they ‘retired’ him from the Pizzaplex.”

Monty felt like he was struck in the head by an image.  A memory…  “Wait.”  It was something from the night everything went to shit.  “When I woke up in the warehouse after Gregory zapped me, I swear I saw a Bonnie endo.”

Roxy’s ears perked and Gregory’s face lit up.  “Really?!” the boy exclaimed.

“I mean, I remember thinkin’ it was super weird to still be there.  Big ears, taller than Chica, shorter than you…  I don’t think I’m imaginin’ things.”

Roxy’s tail was wagging.  “Let’s move our asses and go get it!”  She stood, picking up Gregory with her.

Together, the four of them hauled the parts they found into the room under the storage space for safe keeping, deciding they would attempt repairs there.

After cleaning themselves up a bit, they crept through the work tunnels, the atrium, and to the stage, heading down so they could check out the warehouse.  Monty could hear Freddy singing in Parts and Service, trying to entertain Chica.

Vanessa glanced around at their group.  “We don’t need all of us to get the endo.  Gregory, why don’t you go see Chica and Freddy.  They both really miss you.”

Roxy nodded.  “I’ll go with him.  We’ll join you when we go to get Gregory a meal.”

Monty grinned.  “Rock and roll!”  He spun on his heel and headed into the warehouse with Vanessa while the other two entered Parts and Service.  Monty heard Freddy’s enthusiastic greeting before the doors closed.

“I hate this place,” Vanessa muttered as they walked through a hall of boxes and crates.

The two went down the halls, checking each endoskeleton carefully to make sure they didn’t miss the one they were looking for.  They turned down some corners, and Monty loudly pointed out the still-wrecked machinery that had shocked him.

Vanessa was looking rather uncomfortable the deeper they went.  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked.

“Nothing.  I’m fine.”

Monty frowned, grabbing an endo to check it before shoving it away.  “You don’t look it.”

She stayed quiet for a long time, and Monty wondered if she was even going to answer.  Just as he was about to give up, Vanessa sighed heavily.  “It’s just.. freaky.  Bringing him back.  I know Bonnie isn’t him, but…”  She closed her eyes and took a breath to calm herself.  “When I see him, I think about Glitchtrap.  I’ve known Bonnie so long as his vessel, and I only talked to him a handful of times.”

“Bonnie ain’t that murdering son of a bitch!” Monty snapped furiously.  How could she compare his friend to that monster?!   He really tried to push down his harsh thoughts.  That Glitchtrap never would’ve come to the Pizzaplex if it weren’t for Vanessa.  It ain’t her fault that mind controlling bastard got her, he tried to reason with himself.  Someone else woulda come around, right?   Monty took a breath in an attempt to calm himself.  “We’re gettin’ Bonnie back, not the.. uh.. other guy.”

The woman grit her teeth in frustration.  “I know that, but it’s still.. hard.”

Monty worked his jaw, trying not to get irritated.  “Like Gregory gettin’ scared when he sees us?” he ground out.  It was half question and half trying to convince himself it was the same.  She ain’t got anythin’ personal against Bonnie…

“Yeah.”

“The little guy’s gettin’ better about it,” he grumbled.  “You’ll stop seein’ that asshole when you get to know Bonnie more.”

“I sure hope so,” she muttered, continuing on through the tunnels, Monty following close behind.  “I don’t know how the kid does it.”

They turned into a big room full of endos, and Vanessa flashed her light across them.  So many of them were damaged from that night, missing parts or scratched to hell.  The Pizzaplex decided to keep what they could to use for extra parts.

Then Monty saw it: tall endoskeletal ears sticking up from a shorter frame.  “Hell yeah!”  Monty shouted, storming into the room, shoving aside the desk so he had a straight shot at the Bonnie endo.  Vanessa came up beside him, checking it over.

“I can’t believe they had one left.”

Monty roared in laughter.  “We’re gettin’ the bunny back!  Fuck corporate!”  He threw the endo over his shoulder.

“Don’t wreck it before we even put him back together,” Vanessa grumbled as she led him back out.

They peeked in the direction of Parts and Service before making a beeline for the stage.  It took a while for them to return to their secret spot under the laundry rooms, but they didn’t run into any trouble.  On the way, they grabbed a folding table to put Bonnie on for work.

They set up the table and put the endoskeleton on top.  

Vanessa tinkered with the voicebox Gregory had found, using Monty to test it.  For a long while, the only sounds they could get out of it were garbled static until they could finally hear words.

Monty’s voice finally came through, warped by Bonnie’s tone.  “Why’s it so tinny?” Monty asked, scratching his head.  “I thought you said you could fix it.”

“I said I might be able to fix it.  The thing’s beat up and it’s been sitting in the sewers for months.   This might be the best I can do…”

“Sounds like an old radio,” Monty said with a static filled laugh, startling himself at the grating sound.

“At least it’s clear enough to understand,” Vanessa murmured.  “Let’s put it in.”  She switched out the voiceboxes so Monty’s voice was back to normal.  They got Bonnie’s back in his endo.  “I think this is all the electronic stuff we can do for now.  We’ll need a computer for more advanced repairs.”

Monty grunted, mostly trying to readjust to his own voicebox.  “Ah, we’ll worry ‘bout it later.  What else can we do?”

“We should figure out what casing is actually usable,” Vanessa suggested, looking over their horde.  “A lot of this might cause more damage than anything.”

Monty frowned.  “What are we gonna do about parts that are uncovered?  He can’t go around with all his endo showin’.  And what about the cracks?”

Vanessa put a hand to her mouth and chin.  “I might have some stuff at home we could use for the cracks, but I’m not really an expert on what we’re trying to do.”

“Can you bring it tomorrow?” Monty asked hopefully.

Vanessa shook her head.  “I’m off this weekend.  The other night guard’s coming in.”

Monty let out a deep growl.  “Damnit.”

“Besides, I want Gregory to get some real rest.  I’m still mad at you for getting him sick!”

“It ain’t my fault!  It was his idea and nobody told me sewers will make kids sick!”

“It’s kind of common sense…”

“Not for animatronics!”

Vanessa gave him a pat on the arm.  “Let’s sort through these parts so we can come up with a list of what we need.  I want to figure out what I should bring on Monday.”

Monty gave her a thumbs up, his excitement for Bonnie’s return washing away his resentment.  “Let’s get workin’!”

Chapter Text

“I’ll be back later tonight,” Vanessa said as she drove up to the Pizzaplex entrance.  It was still pretty early, being ten in the morning, so there weren’t any visitors.  Just employees coming in for work.

“Bye, Nessa!”  Gregory hopped out of the car and hurried into the front doors, waving as she left the parking lot.

He spotted Chica waiting in the lobby, looking anxious.  She’s finally up!   Chica perked at the sight of him, and she knelt down to catch him in a hug.

Her voice echoed from his Fazwatch.  “Hi, sweetie!”  He noticed the surgical mask covering up her face where her beak was supposed to be, being held on by her earring pins.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, smiling up at her.  

She nodded enthusiastically.  “Everything’s in place and working!  Except my beak and voicebox…”  Gregory thought she looked embarrassed.

“The techs said I could help put them on!”

Chica’s eyes lit up.  “You’re going to do a great job, sweetie.  I just know it!”

“Where’s everyone else?” Gregory asked, looking around for his friends.  He had to hold back a snicker when he saw the floor bot whirring nearby.  It looked like it was trying to appear busy while staying close to Chica.

“They’re getting ready for the show.  Oh!  There’s Roxy!”

Gregory turned and saw the wolf approach.  “Hey kid, heard you’re fixing up Chica today.”  She immediately ruffled his hair, grinning down at him.  “Don’t screw this up, got it?  She deserves the best repair job.”

“Oh no, he’ll do perfect!” Chica chirped, giving him a more gentle pat on the head.

Roxy smirked at the chicken.  “I better get to hear you sing tonight.  That new voicebox is going to be great for you.”

“Aww, Roxy~!”  Chica jumped into a hug with the wolf.  “You’re such a sweetie!”  Roxy looked mortified, and thanks to what Monty told him, Gregory knew why.  From behind Chica, he smiled at Roxy and gave her a thumbs up; something he’d seen Monty do.  She pinned back her ears and glowered at him before Chica released her.

Gregory glanced back at the entrance and saw the technician entering the building.  “They’re here,” he told the animatronics.

Roxy fixed her hair and tail.  “I better get going,” she said in a flustered tone.  “I’ll see you two tonight.”  She waved as she left, trying to look casual, though Gregory noticed how stiff her movements were and couldn’t help but snicker.

The technician, June, came up to Gregory and Chica, a coffee in one hand.  “Okay, if anyone asks, for legal reasons you gotta say you didn’t help with any repairs,” they said, pointing a finger at Gregory.  “Y’know what, just say you weren’t even in Parts and Service.  My boss would have my head if he knew I let you help out.”

“Thanks for letting me,” Gregory grinned.

They nodded.  “It was Chica’s idea.  She said you helped with repairs before.”  They squinted at Gregory, but he looked down and shuffled his feet.  He didn’t want to talk about that night, especially to someone who wasn’t there.  He was always afraid he’d let something slip and get someone in trouble.

“When can we get started?” Chica asked suddenly, holding out a hand that Gregory gratefully took.

June sighed heavily.  “Let me punch in and then I’ll go down to the dock to grab your parts.”

“We can get the parts,” Gregory suggested quickly.

The technician paused for a moment to think before nodding.  “Sure, they’ll probably give it to her.  I’ll go to Parts and Service and get us set up while you do that.”  They glanced over at the floor bot circling nearby.  “Hey, get out of here.  Go do your job.”  There was an almost annoyed beep before it wheeled off.

“Come on, sweetie!”  Gregory and Chica went through the lobby, taking the elevator up to the atrium.  She was trembling with anticipation.  He could only imagine how frustrating it must have been to be unable to eat or talk for so long, and that’s not even counting the days on end that she was basically paralyzed, not even able to speak through a Fazwatch or the network.

Gregory squeezed her hand tighter as they made their way through the kitchens and into the docks where a couple of workers were unloading the pallets.

One of the workers noticed them.  “Hey, it’s Chica and Greg!”

He hated the nickname since that night.  “Gregory,” he corrected.

“Right, right.  What can I do for you two?”

Chica’s voice came from the worker’s tablet.  “June said my beak and voicebox came in on the truck last evening!”

The man began to look through his tablet.  “Ah, yup.  It’s on pallet six.”  He started walking through the area, waving them to follow.  He brought them to one of the big stacks of items, and took out a safety knife to cut the plastic wrapping.

Gregory stumbled back.  Chica squeezed his hand and shifted herself between him and the man, though the worker didn’t seem to notice.

“It’s okay, he won’t hurt you,” her voice whispered from his Fazwatch.  “I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry, sweetie.”

The man finally pulled out a box from the stack, handing it over to Chica.  “Here they are.  Box ain’t even dented.”

“Thank you!” Chica replied, waving and whisking the boy away.  They got back into the service tunnels, and Chica bent down in front of him.  “Are you alright, honey?”

Gregory nodded, looking away.  “Yeah,” he mumbled quietly.  “Just got a little freaked out.”

“It’s okay, it happens to all of us.”  She paused for a moment.  “I get really nervous when I’m in Parts and Service,” she admitted.

“Really..?”

“Yeah.  It’s scary even though I know it’s safe!”  She wrapped him in a quick hug.  “But I’ve got you to make it better, just like I’ll always be here when you get scared.  Okay?”

Gregory hummed in agreement.  They headed back to the atrium and onto the stage, entering Parts and Service.  June was there, chatting with another technician who Gregory remembered was called Derek.

“Hey!” Derek greeted.  “Did you get the parts?”

The third tech, Talia, came out from a corner, carrying some supplies in her arms.  Her hair was different every time Gregory saw her, and today it was yellow like a highlighter.  She gave them a nod of greeting, continuing on with her task.

“Sure they did, they’ve got the box.”  June waved them over, and Chica handed them the package.  The tech opened the box and carefully pulled out the pieces.  They inspected them closely for any damage, but didn’t seem to find any flaws.  “Chica, you know the drill.”

Chica shuffled into the cylinder, Gregory still clinging to her hand as she laid down across the chair.

She really wasn’t lying, Gregory realized, noticing how she fidgeted and eyed the room with apprehension.

Derek hopped on the computer while June entered the cylinder with them, the door closing.  Chica went limp, though her eyes moved sporadically.  “She’s immobilized!  You’re ready to start,” Derek called.

“She can’t move?” Gregory asked with a frown.

“Nah, Chica’s a nervous one in repairs.  Technically we’re supposed to do it for everyone, but Freddy and Roxy are real good about it.  Monty though…”

“Okay, push right here,” June interrupted, pointing to a panel just under Chica’s neck.  Gregory pressed it until there was a click and the sounds of hydraulics loosening Chica’s casing.  June grabbed her front chest plate and took it off.

Gregory glanced up at Chica.  “Don’t worry,” he reassured her, trying to copy what she’d done for him.

June handed him the voicebox.  “Put this in here.”  Gregory did as they said.  “Good, now we need to connect all the wires.”  The technician showed Gregory the order and where they would be inserted.  Gregory followed the instructions with ease.

“Now what?”

“We’ll lock her chestplate back in place.”  June grabbed the casing and the two worked together to put it back on.  The connection clicked, and the casing was held on tight.  “Nice job.  Let’s get the beak.”

Chica looked more anxious than before.  “Hey Chica, when we’re all done, we should get ice cream!” Gregory proposed, hoping to cheer her up.  It seemed to work because her eyes lit up with excitement.

Gregory carefully pulled the surgical mask off Chica, not wanting to tug her earrings.  He swallowed back his nerves at the creepy endoskeleton mouth gaping underneath.  He kept a smile on his face to help her nervous energy.

“We’ll take off the face plate, now,” June said casually.  Gregory bit the inside of his cheek as they showed him where to press to release the casing.  June took it off.

So freaky!   Gregory had to constantly remind himself that this was Chica.  She looked nothing like herself without her face, and it made his stomach squirm.  He always forgot that under all that casing, the Glamrocks were just endoskeletons like the ones from that night…  Gregory forced down his anxiety, gritting his teeth and keeping focus on her eyes.  At least those were safe and familiar.

“Here’s the beak,” June said, handing it off.  “You put it right in this slot.  It should be a perfect fit.”

Gregory swallowed and nodded, taking her beak and placing it down.  They were right.  It fit snugly onto the endo.  “Is it the wire thing again?” Gregory asked quietly.

“Mhm.  I’ll show you the order.  This one’s a little different.”  Gregory plugged in the wires, and was relieved when they got to put Chica’s face back on.  Judging by her expression, he guessed she felt the same way.

June reached up and pulled out a strange button panel.  “What’s this?” Gregory wondered.

“We need to test that everything works.  Derek, start up the program.”

One of the buttons blinked, and June ordered him to copy it.  Gregory pressed the button, and a squawk came from Chica’s mouth.  Gregory blinked at her in surprise.  “We’re forcing her to make sounds..?  Why don’t we just let her talk?”

Derek spoke up from outside the cylinder.  “This is the most efficient way to test the programming.  We’ll be done in just a minute.”

More buttons blinked, and Gregory reluctantly followed along until the pattern stopped.  Derek threw them a thumbs up, unlocking the cylinder and returning autonomy to Chica.

As soon as she sat up, Gregory jumped on her for a hug which she immediately reciprocated.

Chica grinned.  “Thank you so much, sweetie!” she chirped, tightening their embrace.

“Can we get some ice cream now?”

“We’ll get ice cream and pizza and chips!” Chica practically shouted, her tail swishing.

June rolled their eyes.  “You should be able to sing, too.  If what the engineers say is true…”

Chica gasped.  “We can have a karaoke night with everyone!  I’ve always wanted to join those!  I hope Roxy likes my new singing voice!”  She suddenly burst into song, singing one of the more popular songs Gregory had heard them perform before.

“Oh my god, I hear that stuff enough.  Get going, you two,” June grumbled.  “And don’t tell anyone I let you do this, Gregory!”

Gregory and Chica hurried to the stage lift, taking it up and into the atrium.  It was almost opening time, so they rushed to each of the food counters before the guests arrived.

Gregory held their cups of ice cream while Chica balanced a mound of chips on the box of pizza.

“Let’s go back to my room to eat!” Chica decided.  Gregory moved as fast as he could, though Chica kept getting ahead of him, stopping to look back and wait for him to catch up.  She bounced on her toes impatiently, though she said nothing about his pace.

When they reached her door, they both noticed the clingy little wet floor bot waiting nearby.  Chica giggled, ushering it in to join them, locking the door and closing the curtains behind them.  Chica set her food on her table, quickly grabbing her ice cream from Gregory.

Gregory scooped a spoonful of ice cream, Chica doing the same.  She hummed at the flavor gleefully.  Gregory knew from experience that food always tasted insanely good after you haven't had any in a while. 

The wet floor bot let out a beep beside them, drawing his attention. "Chica," Gregory began, taking another bite, "why does it always follow you around?"

"Hmm?" she hummed, mouth full of food.

"The bot.  None of the others are like this one."

Chica swallowed down the ice cream.  "I'm not sure!" she chirped.  "Maybe it's awake."

"I thought only you guys could do that.  Think and feel and stuff."

Chica hummed thoughtfully, spoon sticking out of her beak.  "I mean, they have little personality chips so they can recognize spills or hear about them and jump in without a command."  She smiled, patting the floor bot on the head.  To Gregory's surprise, it beeped happily.  "It also makes kids like them more by making them friendly!"

"So, is it like you guys, now..?  It doesn't follow all the rules anymore and I think it likes you."

Chica clicked her beak.  "Don't get me wrong, I totally think it feels and wants!  Just look at the sweetie!"  She gave it another pat before reaching for the pizza and taking out a slice.  "But I don't think it's quite as complicated as we are…"

Gregory furrowed his brows.  "Like a dog?"

Chica somehow brightened even more.  "I've never seen a dog, but maybe!"  She giggled, patting its side before it spun in a circle.  "It's like a pet!"

Gregory set his bowl down, grabbing some chips.  "We should make it look special so we know which one it is.  People do that to their pets with collars."

Chica beamed.  "Great idea, honey!"

The two stayed together the rest of the day, snacking on food, chattering about nothing important, and decorating the little yellow bot with stickers.  Gregory took a nap in the middle of the day so he’d have energy for the night, and Chica even offered to sing him a lullaby, which was really loud and didn’t help calm him down at all.

When the other Glamrocks finished their work for the day, they had a karaoke night just as Chica hoped.  They sang for what Gregory guessed was the whole night.  He couldn’t be sure because he passed out around one in the morning, but his dreams were filled with song.

Chapter Text

The next night, Gregory scurried down to their secret room after his exercises with Chica.  She looked a bit miffed that he ran off so quickly, but he knew she’d understand when he had Bonnie to show her!

Roxy was already down there, looking over the parts.

“What’d I miss?” he asked, huffing for breath.

“Not much,” she replied with a shrug.  “We cleaned everything up this weekend and sorted through all the pieces.  We’re lucky so much is usable.  I fixed his jaw, too.  Just a little wire and popping it back in place worked fine.”  A frown spread across her muzzle.  “I still can’t figure out what to do about his face.  It’s stuck to the endoskeleton underneath, so we can’t move the casing onto the new one, and I have no idea how to fix the hole and eye problem.”

“Can’t we just take one of the eyes from the endo?”

Roxy shook her head.  “I looked into that.”  She picked up Bonnie’s head and pointed a claw at the spot where the eye would plug in.  “The eye holder is fucked up.  Even if I could get everything connected, it’d just freak out and damage the circuits.”

Gregory furrowed his brows.  “And the casing’s stuck?”

“Yup.  There’s some weird fusing going on—my best guess is from sitting in whatever chemicals were down there—and we’d probably destroy the casing trying to get it off.”

Gregory grumbled.  “Please tell me the chip slots work.”

“Other than cosmetics, they seem fine.”  She went quiet for a moment.  “I think his chip took the brunt of the damage.”

Gregory jumped at the sound of the chain link fence being thrown open above them, and Monty’s grunts as he walked down the stairs.  Roxy rolled her eyes and gave Gregory a smirk as the gator arrived.

“How’s it goin’, little guy?” he called, taking long strides over to the table.

“We’re just looking at Bonnie’s head.  It’s kind of messed up,” Gregory muttered, scrunching up his nose.

“Yeah, Roxy and I were talkin’ about it over the weekend.”  Monty ran his claws through his mohawk.

Roxy slammed her paws on the table, making Monty and Gregory jolt.  “Okay, enough moping, let’s start fixing up these pieces.”

Gregory peered into the bags until he found the modeling clay.  “Vanessa said we can use this to help with the sharp edges and cracks,” he explained, handing one package to each of them.  Monty ripped his open with his teeth while Roxy sliced hers with her claws.

Monty gave Gregory a shoulder pad, and the boy got to work, filling the cracks and covering up jagged edges.  He did his best to smooth it out and make it look clean, though he kept in mind that they’d paint it later.

When he was done with his work, Monty handed him another piece to work on.  Gregory noticed the gator had covered his claws in clay in an attempt to keep himself from damaging Bonnie’s casing even more.

Gregory had to stop for a meal break, but they finished up most of the pieces with time to spare.  It was probably because not all of what they found was salvageable.  Some of them still had large holes, but the clay made sure the broken plastic wouldn’t catch or damage his innards.

The three were now stumped, staring at his torso pieces, along with his head.

“You sure we can use these..?” Gregory asked doubtfully, tilting his head to get a different view of the gaping craters and cracks.

“We have to,” Roxy huffed.  “The chest and torso pieces are integral for stability and keeping the other pieces in place.  Let’s just do what we can and we’ll discuss it with Vanessa.”

Together they filled up the cracks the best they could, and smoothed things out.  They tried the same for Bonnies’ face, too, but there was only so much they could do with clay.  Not to mention, they were afraid to mess up the endoskeleton underneath. 

They started putting the pieces on, just to see how complete his casings were.  There was still a long way to go, but Gregory thought it was good progress.

“When can we start chargin’ him?” Monty asked, scratching his head.  He looked confused for a moment before remembering the clay on his claws.

Roxy frowned.  “First we have to attach his head.  Besides, we’ll need to get a charging station down here, but I don’t know how the hell we’d do that.”

“Can we run a wire down?” Gregory suggested.

“Maybe…  The closest station is all the way by the service lift, so it’d take a lot of extension cords.”

Gregory received a rough pat on the back and turned to look up at Monty.  “C’mon, little guy.  Let’s get some stuff.”

Monty and Gregory made it to Parts and Service, searching for all the extension cords they could find.  Monty already had four coiled over his arm, but they had no idea how many they would need.  Gregory also snagged a toolbox so they could attach Bonnie’s head.

The sound of one of the private elevators coming down drew their attention.

“Hide! ” Monty hissed, both of them diving behind the caged endoskeletons and using the shadows for cover.

Freddy and Chica came in through her elevator.

“I am just worried.  He has been so distant, and for so much longer than usual.”

“He was real sweet yesterday!  He helped fix up my beak and then sang karaoke with us until he fell asleep on your lap!”

Gregory felt his face flush with embarrassment.

Freddy shook his head.  “Yesterday was different.  You were up and running again, but today he is back to hiding.  I have hardly spoken with him all week!  It usually only takes a day or two for things to go back to normal…”

Chica hummed.  “Recovery can be difficult…  I think it’s safe to say we’re all struggling a little, and there are always ups and downs.”

“I know, but what if something is wrong?  He may have developed a fear of me…  I thought we were making progress, but could I have done something to halt it?”  Freddy fidgeted with his paws.  “Or.. has it always been inevitable after that night..?  I do not want him to be afraid of me, but I do not know what I can do…”

Chica and Freddy left the room, heading to the stage.

Guilt stabbed at Gregory’s gut, and he felt Monty’s eyes on him.

“Go hang out with ‘em,” Monty said, giving him a nudge.

“But.. what about fixing Bonnie..?”

“He can wait.  He’s still sleepin’, and we don’t even have his chip yet.”  Monty waved him off.  “I’ll bring this stuff down and we’ll see if we can get that bunny’s head and batteries workin’.”

“Are you sure..?” Gregory mumbled, glancing anxiously at the doors where Freddy and Chica disappeared.

“Yeah!  Bonnie’s got all the time in the world, but I think Freddy needs ya now.”  Monty gave him a push.  “C’mon, get outta here, little guy.”

Gregory zipped out the doors and hurried to the lift.  It had already gone up, so he called it down and entered the atrium.  He spotted Freddy and Chica walking towards Gator Golf and Kid’s Cove.

“Freddy!” he called, both animatronics turning around to watch him approach.

“Gregory..?  Is something wrong..?”

He panted, still not in the best condition to be running.  “No.. I was just looking for you guys…”

Chica’s beamed.  “You want to join us, sweetie?  We’re getting a snack at the Bakery!”

Gregory nodded eagerly, slipping in between them and holding their hands.  Freddy looked pleasantly surprised and had to shake himself to respond.  “What kind of treat would you like, Superstar?” he asked, the glee in his voice making Gregory grin.

“I dunno, maybe a chocolate cupcake?”

“Mmm!” Chica exclaimed.  “Chocolate is always yummy!”

They went up the stairs and down the hall, finally entering the Bakery area.  Chica decided to make them a fresh batch, so the three started preparing the batter.  

They made a mess on the counters, and everyone got absolutely covered in flour when Freddy underestimated his strength opening the fresh bag.

Freddy mixed the dry ingredients while Chica helped Gregory whisk the eggs and add the other wet ingredients until they were ready to combine everything into a batter.

Chica expertly poured it evenly into the tin, and popped it in the oven.  She clapped her hands together.  “Now let’s make the frosting!” she chirped excitedly.

She showed Gregory all the steps, and they worked together to mix it all up before Freddy came over with food dye.

“What color would you like, Gregory?” Freddy asked as Chica split the frosting into two bowls so they could have multiple colors.

“Blue!”  The two animatronics helped him add the coloring to his mix, Chica making the other half pink.

By the time they finished making the frosting, the cupcakes were ready.  Chica pulled them out and left them to cool while they cleaned up the big powdery mess they’d left on the counters and on themselves.

They got wet towels and started wiping off the flour.  

“Come on, sweetie, let’s get that off you,” Chica doted.  Freddy and her bent down and started cleaning his face, careful not to get flour in his eyes.

“I am not sure how we can clean your shirt or hair,” Freddy chuckled, pulling the towel away from Gregory’s face and smiling down at him.

Gregory grinned back.  Chica took their towels and washed them off, returning and giving one to Gregory.

“Let’s get Freddy now,” she decided.

“Yeah, you look like a ghost!”

Freddy wiggled his ears as the two wiped off his casing.  They then turned to Chica, though it was a little harder to tell on her white face.  When Freddy thought they got most of it, Gregory gave her hair tuft a pat and flour poofed all over her again, the chicken letting out a loud giggle.

“Oh dear,” Freddy rumbled, trying to hide his laughter.

Once everyone was as clean as they could be, the cupcakes were cooled off, and the trio began to decorate them with the frosting.

Gregory sneakily swiped his finger in some of his blue frosting.  “Hey, Freddy!”

“Yes, Gregory?” the bear asked, leaning down.

Gregory whipped around and bopped Freddy on the nose with his frosting filled finger, a loud honk going off in the kitchen.  Freddy crossed his eyes to look at the frosting, ears wiggling.  Gregory burst into laughter, not expecting the silly noise to come from the bear.

Chica joined in, followed closely by Freddy.  Gregory was surprised by frosting landing on his own nose, with Chica giggling in his face.

Freddy grabbed a bit of frosting too, dabbing it right on Chica’s beak.

It took longer than expected with all their shenanigans, but eventually they finished decorating their cupcakes, the kitchen all cleaned up.

They sat down at a table, enjoying their cupcakes.  Freddy couldn’t eat them, but he could admire their work and indulge in the company. 

“Can we do this every night?” Gregory begged as he stuffed his face.  Freddy wiped some pink frosting off his cheek.

“It’s not healthy to eat cupcakes every night,” Chica clucked.

Freddy hummed.  “Perhaps we could cook meals, though.”  He grinned.  “That would be very fun.”

“We can get Roxy and Monty to join us!” Gregory jumped in.  “Maybe even Vanessa and Moon or Sun and—!”  He stopped himself.  He’d almost said Bonnie. Gregory was so excited to bring the bunny back for these two, but he still had to keep it a secret.

Freddy and Chica dismissed his little slip up, likely seeing it as a mistake in his enthusiasm.

“That is a wonderful idea!” Freddy agreed.  “I think we should bring Vanessa a cupcake right now.  She would appreciate it.”

Gregory nodded, getting up while Chica grabbed the tray and Freddy took his hand.

Pulling out his Fazwatch, Gregory made a call to Vanessa.

“What’s up, bud?” she answered.

“Where are you?” Gregory asked.  “We have something special to show you!”

Freddy leaned down to talk more clearly into the watch.  “Gregory worked very hard on it.”

“I’m in the security office in the lobby,” Vanessa replied casually.

Chica’s tail ruffled.  “We’ll be there in a sec!”

Vanessa hung up, and they began to make their way there, leaving the Bakery building.  Gregory stumbled a bit; his leg was bothering him again.

“Gregory, would you like me to carry you the rest of the way?”  He was about to refuse, but Freddy opened his hatch, and an idea crossed his mind.

“I guess, yeah,” he admitted.  Freddy helped him up, and Gregory sat down, his legs dangling out as the bear kept his hatch open.

They walked through the atrium, and Gregory slowly picked up the heart box beside him, trying to be as subtle as possible.

“Which do you think she’ll want?” Chica wondered aloud.  Gregory tried to make his moves while they talked so no one would notice any noise he made.  “I can’t tell if she’ll like pink or blue more!”

Gregory opened up the box.  “Perhaps she will want one of both,” Freddy guessed.  Gregory pulled out Bonnie’s chip.  “All of the cupcakes look lovely.  I am sure it will be very difficult to choose!”  The boy slipped the chip into his pocket.

“I want to show the others, too!” Chica declared.  “I know they can’t eat, but I’m sure they’ll appreciate food art!”  Gregory closed the box and set it back down, trying to ignore the guilt gnawing at his insides.

“Yes, I think they are quite nice looking.”  Freddy let out a rumbling hum that Gregory felt in his core.  “It is a shame I cannot taste or eat them.”

Gregory looked up and saw they were just approaching the security office.  Gregory slid out of Freddy’s chest and knocked on the door.

Vanessa opened it.  “So, what’s this big surprise you’ve got?”

Chica held up the pan of cupcakes behind Gregory.  “We made these and wanted you to have some, too!” he all but shouted.

Vanessa smiled.  “Hey, these look really nice!”  She squinted at everyone for a moment.  “You’ve all got frosting on your faces.”  She reached out and ruffled Gregory’s hair, sending a poof of powder into the air.  “And is this flour..?”

Freddy chuckled.  “It would appear that baking is messier than expected.”

The woman smirked.  “Thanks, guys.”

Gregory wanted the night to last forever, and he wanted so badly to do it again tomorrow.  But he had work to do, and he hoped that they would have a bunny joining in on the fun when he was finished.

Chapter Text

The next evening, Gregory scrambled down to their work room before the Glamrocks were even done with their last performance of the night.  He was restless all day, struggling to sleep with the excitement of bringing Bonnie back.  

The staff in the kitchens hardly batted an eye at him, though he heard a couple greetings as he passed through.  Gregory had to slow down when he reached the stairs.  It took all his willpower not to sprint down them, but he was already straining from his run to the kitchens.  As he was going down, he noticed the long extension cords trailing into the room.

When he got to the bottom, Gregory saw they’d put up a curtain to hide the project, though it wasn’t subtle at all, and he thought it would just attract attention if anyone wandered down.

Gregory slipped through the red curtains and looked down at Bonnie.  He grinned.  “Hey, they got your head on!” he exclaimed mostly to himself.  He also noticed the plug in his back and the little battery packs strapped to his upper arms.  

 He was itching to insert the chip, but decided to wait for the others.  He didn’t want to mess up Bonnie’s delicate hardware.  Gregory gingerly placed it on the table beside the bunny’s head.

Searching through one of Vanessa’s bags, he found the paint and brushes.  The paint wasn’t an exact match—Bonnie’s casing was faded and stained, even after thorough washings—but they were his original colors.  Roxy had searched through the warehouse and managed to find his leftover touchup paint that hadn’t been thrown away yet.

Gregory began painting over the clay.  He tried his best to keep the lines straight when two colors bumped up against one another.

“You down with Bonnie, little guy?”  It was Monty calling through his Fazwatch.

“Yup, I’m painting the clay.”

“I’ll be down in a sec.”  He paused.  “Roxy might be a little longer.  Chica’s talkin’ her ear off.”

Freddy’s voice came through, sounding more distant.  “Monty, do you know where Gregory is?”

“No…  Why the hell would I know?!”

“I—Monty I was just asking if you had seen him…”

“No!   I’ve been performin’.”  Freddy let out a heavy sigh.  Monty waited for a while before speaking up.  “See ya in a bit, little guy.”  The gator hung up and Gregory was left in silence.

He pulled at his sleeves, trying to ignore the way his insides churned.  Gregory hated hiding from Freddy—and Chica—but he needed all the time he could get fixing Bonnie…  And if he hung out with them too much, he might let the surprise slip.

Gregory was trying so hard to give them the perfect gift; a reunion with their friend.  Freddy tried to hide it, but Gregory noticed he was awfully sad some days, even with Gregory staying at his side.  He wanted them all to be happy, but he couldn’t help but notice he was just upsetting them more in the process…   

I just have to keep going.  The sooner Bonnie’s up and running, the sooner everything will be better.

Monty clomped down the stairs, and soon he entered the curtain.  “How’s it goin’?” his rough voice asked behind him.

“The paint’s brighter than the rest of his casing.”

“Oh, yeah, he looks kinda dull and grungy…  It’s cool, but not really Bonnie , y’know?”

Gregory shrugged, handing Monty a brush. “I dunno.”  He hardly knew the bunny, and what little he did know was from what his friends told him and his pitiful talk with him that night.  

Together the two painted away at the clay until they heard footsteps and voices above.

“I’ve got some tutorials for plastic welding on my phone to get us started.  You got everything else ready, right?”  It sounded like Vanessa.

“Of course I did.  I know what I’m doing,” Roxy huffed.  The girls entered the curtained area.  Vanessa gave Gregory a pat on the shoulder while Roxy ruffled his hair.  “Hey, kid.”

“So,” Vanessa started.  “Once we get all this casing done, we need a plan to get Bonnie’s chip.”

“Um—”

Roxy lashed her tail.  “Freddy’s never going to let it go.  We’ll have to tell him.”

“I—”

Monty quickly butted in.  “We can’t tell ‘em!  Don’t you know what a surprise is?! ”

Gregory grit his teeth.  “I already have it!” he shouted, everyone whipping around to stare at him.

“Excuse me?” Roxy snorted in disbelief.

Gregory looked down at his shoes.  “Yesterday we were making cupcakes and I took it when he let me in his chest cavity.”

“You stole Bonnie’s chip from Freddy?! ”  Monty’s jaw hung open, his sunglasses slipping down his snout.

“Look, I just.. I saw the chance so I took it, okay?”

Vanessa put a hand to her forehead, shielding her eyes.  “Please don’t make this kind of stuff a habit…”  She groaned, shaking her head.  “Okay, let’s just put it in.”

Roxy looked torn, but she helped Monty pull Bonnie into a seated position so they could access the back of his head.  Vanessa carefully took the chip from Gregory’s hand, treating it as if it would fall apart at the slightest touch.  She slid the chip into its slot slowly.  It looked to be having a bit of trouble, but it eventually worked into its place with a click.

“Please work,” Monty muttered, reclining the rabbit into his lying position.

Roxy gave the gator a pat on the back.  “It’s going to take a while.  His systems have been down for a long time.  Everything needs to boot up.  Give him some time.”

Vanessa took off her hat and ran a hand through her hair.  She went over to the most damaged casing they’d removed from his endo, sitting down on her knees to get to work.  “Let’s get more casing done while we wait.”

Roxy and Monty hesitantly joined her.  Vanessa explained the process to the animatronics while Gregory stayed to keep painting.

“See?  We’re gonna bring you back.  Just like I promised,” Gregory whispered, smiling at the sleeping bunny.  This was probably the first sincere promise he’d ever been able to keep—or at least, the first verbal promise.  He’d made lots of silent promises to himself regarding his new family.

Eventually, everyone found a groove and they seemed to be making decent progress.  “I still don’t know how to smooth out the seams from welding,” Vanessa muttered.

Roxy fluffed her tail.  “Do you have any friends who might know about this kind of stuff?”

Vanessa deadpanned.  “Do I look like the kind of person who’d have friends?”

“Why not?” Monty shrugged.

“I was mind controlled for three and a half years…   It kind of killed my social life.”

“You’ve got us,” Gregory chimed in.  Vanessa glanced over her shoulder at him and gave him a soft smile.

“Yeah, I guess I do.”

The sudden sound of static and whirring fans beside him made Gregory jump, paint smearing.  He stumbled back in surprise as everyone rushed to his side, staring at Bonnie.

His limbs began to twitch as his systems booted up.

Bonnie’s brows furrowed and his mouth opened to let out a breath.  His eye slowly peeled open.

Bonnie was awake.

Bonnie groaned, overwhelmed with alerts popping up that he couldn’t even process.  His mind felt scrambled, and he couldn’t make sense of anything.  It took him a while to finally dismiss all the warnings and for his vision to clear.

He took in his surroundings, though it only confused him more.  Four figures were standing over him, and he heard his fans whirring with effort as his programming tried to decipher who they all were.

“Bonnie?” one of them breathed.  The voice sounded low and feminine.  Bonnie squinted, determining that it came from the grey figure.  Red outfit, fluffy hair, a green swoop, and yellow eyes…

Suddenly, it clicked.  “Roxanne..?” he rasped, surprised by how his own voice came out muffled and tinny.

The wolf leaned down and gave him such a gentle hug that Bonnie wondered if he was made of glass.

“I can’t believe you’re back,” she whimpered, slowly pulling away, a wobbly smile across her face.

“Holy shit, it worked ,” a deep, rough voice said.  The tall, green figure raised a hand to run through their mohawk.  It was so familiar…  Something about golf…

“Montgomery..?”

“Yeah! ” the gator yelled, a giant grin growing.  “You’re actually alive!   This is fuckin’ crazy!”  He wrapped Bonnie in a hug, much rougher than Roxy.  Bonnie’s casing struggled under the pressure, but Monty let go before anything cracked.

Bonnie wasn’t so convinced that he got the second person right.  He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was off about him.

He gazed up at the other two, his mind drawing a blank.

And some of his friends were missing…

“Where’s Freddy..?  And Chica and Foxy?”

His two friends stiffened, glancing at each other before staring back down at him.

Roxy mimicked the sound of clearing her throat.  “Uh, Bonnie…  I used to be Foxy, remember..?”

Bonnie frowned in confusion, his programming a jumbled mess as he tried to understand what she meant.  He dug through his memories, but everything was so muddled and disorganized.  It took him a while to figure it out.

Oh.  Oh!   “R-Roxanne I’m so sorry!   I-I don’t know how I could’ve forgotten..!  I—”

“Hey, it’s fine.  You didn’t mean anything by it.”  She gave him a reassuring smile and set a paw on his arm.  “Don’t worry about it.”

Monty scratched his head.  “You havin’ trouble rememberin’ stuff?”

“I—”  Bonnie searched his memory again.  It felt like there were gaps everywhere , and what little he could remember was all mixed up so he had no idea when anything happened.  Bonnie knit his brow.  “Y-Yeah, I think so…”

The taller of the two he didn’t know shook their head.  “I don’t know what we can do about that,” they sighed.

“It’s okay, we’ll fix you up, Bonnie!” the kid said, eyes lit up with excitement.

“Heh, no offense.. but I have no idea who you two are…”

The older one looked surprised, but the kid shrugged.  “That’s okay.  We only talked for like two minutes.”  The boy’s smile returned.  “I’m Gregory, and that’s Vanessa,” he said, pointing a thumb back at the woman.

Bonnie tried his best to remember their names and faces, but he felt his programming struggle to file it away.  He wondered if he would forget.

“Why are you two here..?”  He took a moment to think.  “Better yet, where is here?”

“We’re under the laundry room,” Monty supplied helpfully.

Vanessa nodded.  “I’m the nighttime security guard during the week and Gregory’s legal guardian.  He stays at the Pizzaplex part time.”

“He.. lives here?”  Bonnie might have been a mess, but he knew that wasn’t normal.

Roxy picked up Gregory so casually, holding him in her arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.  “Think of him as an adopted band member,” Roxy snorted.

Bonnie went quiet for a while, processing everything.  He tried to shift to a more comfortable position, but found his endoskeleton responding sluggishly, and he had trouble getting it to do what he wanted.  He noticed one of his eyes wasn’t working, and audio muffled in one ear.  How had he missed that..?

“What happened to me..?”

A tense silence followed before Roxy spoke up.  “You got attacked,” she murmured.

“What?   By who?   When did this happen?”

Vanessa put a hand over her mouth, looking sick.  She walked away, leaving through the curtains.  Gregory stared after her, looking worried.

“It’s a long story,” Roxy began slowly.

Panic suddenly surged through his circuits.  “Freddy and Chica!  Are they okay?! ”  He tried to sit up but was hit with a wave of warnings.  

Monty quickly grabbed a hold of him and helped Bonnie lean back down.  “They’re fine!  Don’t worry, they’re all good!” the gator hurried to reassure him.

“Where are they?”  His voice strained to get the words out.

Roxy set Gregory down, and the boy went up to the table.  “They’re somewhere around the Pizzaplex.  We wanted to surprise them by bringing you back,” Gregory explained.

Monty nodded.  “Yeah, it was his idea.  He saw your parts in the trash tunnels and snatched your chip from Freddy.”

Bonnie only felt more confused.  “Freddy had my chip..?”

Roxy let out a heavy sigh.  “You were gone for a long time .”

“Please.. tell me what happened,” he begged, with a tremor in his voice.

The three glanced at each other before Roxy stepped forward.  “It all started almost two years ago…”

Chapter Text

Freddy trudged slowly after his friends towards the stage lift from Parts and Service.  It was the first performance of the day.  Chica and Monty were making sure their instruments were tuned while Roxy fussed with her hair.  Freddy wasn’t feeling his usual elation to perform, though.

He’d felt down all morning, just going through the motions of his routine, letting his basic programming take over for him.

All Freddy could think about was Gregory.  He hadn’t seen him all day or night yesterday, let alone find him.  It was like he just disappeared after their cupcake night.  Freddy really thought things were looking up.  That they’d go back to normal after that.

Monty and Roxy had disappeared often, too.  He’d asked them where the boy was, but they never told him, only assuring him that Gregory was fine, or flat out denying him an answer.

Did I do something to upset them..?  I cannot figure out what I did, and Chica does not seem to know, either.

More than once had the thought of Gregory being afraid of him crossed his mind.  I will have to talk with Vanessa…  Maybe it is best for his health if he stopped staying here…

Freddy let out a heavy sigh.  He opened his chest cavity and pulled out the velvet box.

What am I supposed to do, Bonnie..?

He opened the heart.

Freddy’s systems stuttered to a halt.

“No…” he breathed, closing it and opening the box again, hoping it would magically reappear.  “No no no..! ”

Bonnie’s chip was gone.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the halls.  “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!  Fazbear Entertainment would like you to put your hands together for the one.. the only.. Freddy Fazbear!”

Freddy stared in horror at the heart, his paws trembling.  He didn’t notice his friends stepping onto stage, or hear them calling him over.

Static was filling his vision, the music in the background turning to white noise.

A hand touched his arm, snapping him out of his daze.  Freddy whipped his head around to see one of the techs giving him a look of concern.

Gritting his teeth, Freddy pushed by him, charging back to his elevator and taking it up to his room.  He yanked the curtains closed and locked the door to Rockstar Row.  His circuits and fans were deafening as he scanned the room frantically.

Freddy ran to his vanity, rummaging through the drawers in desperation.

Deep down, Freddy knew it couldn’t possibly be in his room.  It couldn’t be anywhere.  He always kept the heart in his chest cavity, and he never took the chip out of its box.

But he had to do something.

He ripped the drawers out of the vanity in frustration, throwing them across the room.

Please, where are you..?!

Freddy yanked the desk away from the wall, not caring how it fell on its side as he searched every corner behind it.  He pushed his chair over, begging that the chip had just fallen underneath.

Freddy stormed to his couch, tossing the plushies over his shoulders.  He pulled off the cushions, hoping it had just slipped between them.  

But of course not.

Growling, Freddy dug his claws into the couch and tipped it over, ignoring how it smashed into the arcade cabinet and crushed his table.

I cannot lose this!  It is all I have left of you!

There was nothing but a handful of candy wrappers underneath.

Freddy crashed to the ground, clutching his head and leaning heavily against the wall as he squeezed his eyes shut.

Bonnie, I am so sorry…

His back door opened, and someone ran to his side, a hand rubbing circles in his back.

“Freddy, what happened? ”  It was Chica, sounding panicked.

“It is gone.  He is gone!”

“Who’s gone?”  She sounded so much gentler.

“Bonnie,” he sobbed.  “I opened the box and his chip is just gone.”

Chica wrapped him into a tight hug, though he could feel her tremble.  “I-It’s okay.  We’ll find it.  It’s got to be somewhere around here…”

“I never take it out!  Where could it possibly be?! ”

She shushed him softly.  “We’ll get everyone to help us look,” she murmured.  “I’m sure Roxy can use her special eyes to find it.  We’ll have him back to you in no time.”

Freddy buried his face in the crook of her neck, clinging desperately to Chica.

They sat like that for a while, just holding on tight, sobbing in Chica’s embrace.  He’d lost Bonnie.  Then lost him again.  He’d almost lost Chica nearly two weeks ago.  He was so scared that he was losing Gregory, though he didn’t even know why.  And now he’d lost the last piece of Bonnie that remained.

Everything was so bleak.

His attention was pulled to the sound of his back door opening again, and looked up to see Gregory peeking in with owlish eyes.  The boy swallowed nervously and entered the room.

He tugged at the hems of his sweater.  “Um, Roxy and Monty said something was wrong,” he began, slowly approaching them.  “Are you okay, Freddy..?”

“I—”  Freddy choked on his own words.  “I lost something very important to me,” he forced out, shutting his eyes again.

There was a beat of silence.  “What did you lose..?” Gregory asked warily.  It sounded like he’d gotten closer.

Freddy just shook his head, unable to answer.  Chica shifted, likely so she could look at Gregory, and answered for him.  “Freddy said Bonnie’s chip isn’t in his box…”  He heard her voice wobble, and Freddy knew she was trying to keep herself together for him.

“Th-This is because of the chip?!” Gregory stammered.

“It was all I had left of him and I lost it!  How could I be so careless?!  I do not even know where I could have dropped it!  I—”

“I took it! ” Gregory blurted.

Freddy froze, and he felt Chica stiffen in their embrace.  Freddy slowly lifted his head to stare at Gregory, the boy’s face full of fear.

“You what..?” Chica whispered, eyes wide.

“Gregory.. why would you do that..?”  He didn’t reply.  The boy just stood there, quivering.  “You know how important his chip is to me…  Why would you take it..?”

Gregory sucked in a breath, looking away.  “I think it’s better if I showed you…”

Chica began to stand up, tugging at Freddy to do the same.

They followed Gregory at a slow pace, Freddy’s mind trying to make sense of it all.  Why would Gregory steal Bonnie’s chip away from him like that..?  He tried so hard to push away the sense of betrayal grasping at his heart.

“Gregory, what’s going on?” Chica asked as they moved through the service tunnels.  She held onto Freddy firmly to keep him moving.

“We were going to tell you, but we wanted to wait until we finished.”  Freddy’s wires twisted.  “We didn’t think you’d notice the chip was gone so soon…  We were gonna show you before you even found out!”

We?  Did Roxy and Monty know he stole the chip?  Were they in on this too?  Was all our fun in the Bakery the other night just a ploy to take it?  Why?

Freddy clenched his paws and he felt Chica squeeze his arm.

They stopped near the laundry room.  By the entrance to the basement and where they’d taken Chica out from the trash tunnels.  Gregory turned around at the chain link fence.

“I didn’t mean to get you upset,” Gregory apologized.  “It’s a really good surprise, I promise, but.. it’s not done yet, so.. uh.. yeah.”

Gregory led them down the stairs, Freddy’s apprehension growing.  What could they possibly want with Bonnie’s chip?  What have they done with it?  Why is it all the way down here?  Is this where he has been running off to for so long?

They reached the bottom, and Gregory stopped them.  “Um, wait here, I gotta check on the surprise real quick.”  The boy ran to the curtain, slipping inside.

Chica squeezed Freddy’s arm again, looking up at him with eyes full of worry.

“Hey,” Gregory whispered.  Freddy was sure they weren’t supposed to hear, but being animatronics, their hearing was more sensitive than that of humans.  “Wake up! ”

“Huh? Wha—?” a muffled voice mumbled back, far louder than Gregory’s whisper.  Freddy’s ears perked.  He knew that voice.

“Shh!  You need to be quiet for a sec! ”

“Geez, I just got outta sleep mode, gimme a minute for my systems to settle.  I’m still a little scrambled, y’know.”

No.. it cannot be…   Chica held Freddy’s arm in a deathgrip, ogling at the curtain.

“Will you shut up?!  They’re gonna hear you! ”

There was a burst of static that somehow resembled laughter.  “Who’s gonna hear us down here?  I thought you said it was super secret~.”

Freddy’s heart soared at the familiar voice, the sound quality low, but it was him.  He took a step forward, his legs feeling heavy as lead.

“Bonnie..?” Freddy breathed, staring at the curtain with hope flaring in his chest.

A long beat of silence passed.  “Freddy..?” a quiet voice replied.

Chica tore away from Freddy, lurching forward and ripping the curtains off their wires in her excitement, revealing Gregory standing next to a table.  And on that table was a very damaged Bonnie.

Chica squealed, immediately jumping into a hug with the bunny.

Bonnie wheezed at the impact, though it bubbled up into what Freddy could only assume was a laugh of glee despite the static lacing it.

“Bonnie! ” she wailed, clinging to him like her life depended on it.

“Chica..!  Geez, I really missed you.  Feels like I haven’t seen you in forever…”  He was grimacing at the weight, but didn’t say anything.  Freddy watched in awe as he slowly brought a shaky arm up to hug her back.  All casing was missing from it…

“Oh!” Chica gasped.  “I’m totally squashing you!  I’m sorry!”  She pulled back with a wobbly smile, and Freddy could tell it was taking everything she had not to crush him again.  “I just—You’re alive! ”  She grabbed one of his paws—the one that had a scrap of casing—and squeezed.  “Y-You know how insane this is, right?!   You were.. dead!   The stupid corporate techs said they destroyed what was left of you! ”

“My death was greatly exaggerated,” Bonnie joked.  “C’mon, corporate always lies.  Have you seen this company?”  He gave her a lopsided grin.  “The uh—He—”  Bonnie’s brow furrowed as he thought.  “This kiddo said he found my parts and put me back together.”

“I’m Gregory,” the boy supplied.

“Ah, right.  Sorry, Gregory.  I’m trying,” Bonnie said with a sheepish look.

Chica and Bonnie chattered excitedly about anything and everything they could think of.  Freddy put a paw to his chest, stunned at the sight.  He hadn’t seen them interact like that in nearly two years, and he was certain he’d never see it again.

A little hand tugged at his other paw, and Freddy’s bubble popped.  He peered down and saw Gregory looking up at him anxiously, before pulling his hands close to himself to fidget.

“Um, I’m sorry for scaring you so much, Freddy.  I didn’t mean to upset you, and I just thought if I kept working on him, that it’d all be fine.”  Gregory frowned, looking away.  “I’m really sorry.”

Freddy knelt down and put his paws on the boy’s shoulders, waiting until he looked him in the eyes.  “I am not happy that you took his chip without asking, and I wish you would have told me that you were working on a project instead of disappearing…  But your intentions were good, and you have given me something I thought I would never get back…  Thank you, Gregory.”  He pulled the boy into a hug, shutting his eyes.  “Just do not scare me like that ever again.”

They separated and Gregory wiped his face, trying to erase the evidence of tears.  “W-We’re still working on him,” he sniffled, looking back at where Bonnie and Chica were giggling.  “He’s got some memory problems and he kind of takes a while to understand stuff sometimes, but Vanessa said that might just be the chip damage.  He seems really nice, though.”

Freddy watched the bunny longingly.  “He is…”

“I think he forgot you’re here.  Aren’t you gonna talk to him?”

Freddy felt his endoskeleton stiffen.  What do I say?  It has been so long since I have seen him!  Does he remember that night?  Does he remember me telling him I love him?   Freddy frowned and shook himself.  If he does not, then I will simply get to do it all over again!   A shaky smile crept back over his face.  He deserves a better confession than what I gave him.  I can make this one perfect!

Freddy took a deep breath, letting his fans settle before he clomped towards the bunny and chicken.  He tried to stand up a little straighter, look a little taller.  Chica turned as he approached, and Bonnie tilted his head to follow her gaze.  Bonnie’s eye widened and sparkled, his face breaking into such a warm smile full of awe.

Freddy’s chest swelled with affection, and he sped up.  He couldn’t wait any longer!

And then he slipped on the curtains, stumbling awkwardly to avoid falling over completely.  He caught himself with his paws on the edge of the table, his face mere inches from Bonnie’s.

Freddy stared, horrified by his own clumsiness.  So much for a perfect reunion!

Bonnie’s shocked expression burst into staticky laughter, and the bunny managed to lift his head enough to bump their noses together with a silly honk.

Still stunned, Freddy could only gawk.  It was one thing to see Bonnie, but to be so close, to hear his laughter echo in his ears, and feel his touch…  It was overwhelming.

“I—I—”  He couldn’t even string a sentence together, let alone one word.

“Heh, I thought I was supposed to be the broken one,” Bonnie teased, his ears perking despite one being half gone.  His voice sounded like it was coming from an old radio, something Freddy found cozy and charming.

Freddy was worried his systems would crash if he didn’t say something.  He placed his paws ever so carefully on Bonnie’s cheeks.  “You are perfect to me,” he murmured with a wobble as he pressed their foreheads together and shut his eyes, trying so hard not to break down.

“Aw geez, you’re such a sap.”  Freddy could hear the smirk in his voice.

“I think it is perfectly reasonable considering how long you have been gone,” Freddy defended, his voice cracking with emotion, unable to keep his eyes closed for too long.  He just wanted to see him again.  They could stay locked like that for the rest of their lives and Freddy would be perfectly content.

A breath of air came from Bonnie’s mouth that fluttered across Freddy’s muzzle.  From this close, Freddy could hear his fans whir.  “I love you so much, Freddy.”

The bear’s eyes went round and he pulled back a bit.  “You remember? ”

Bonnie snickered.  “I don’t know when it happened, but I remember exchanging that a few times.”  He blinked, suddenly looking mortified, his ears dropping in an attempt to cover his face.  “Unless I’m just remembering daydreams in which case you can throw me back in the sewers to die, please.”

Freddy laughed, his heart feeling so light.  Bonnie seemed to melt at the sound.  “I can promise you that it was real.”  He couldn’t help but wiggle his ears.  “But I certainly did not get to say it enough!”

“Hmm?  Say what~?”  For a moment Freddy wondered if he’d already forgotten, but the mischief in Bonnie’s eye said otherwise.

Freddy grinned, pressing his muzzle against the bunny’s less damaged cheek, unsure just how delicate he might be.  “I love you, Bon.”

Bonnie began slowly reaching up.  Freddy gently took his paws and helped lead them to his own face.  Bonnie gave him a soft smile, his ears flopping to the side.

The sound of footsteps climbing the stairs made the two glance back to see Chica and Gregory leaving.  Gregory caught Freddy’s eye and gave him a little wave before they disappeared.

“Looks like we were too mushy,” Bonnie chuckled.

“They will just have to deal with that from now on.”  Freddy checked his internal clock.  “It is no surprise they left; it is nearly time for Chica’s Mazercise lunch buffet.”

Bonnie’s ears perked.  “Wait, it’s the middle of the day?”  Freddy nodded.  “Don’t you have work?  You’re the star of the show!”

Freddy peered up at the stairs again.  “They will be fine without me.  Chica can sing, and I will simply tell the manager that I was malfunctioning.”  When he turned his gaze back to Bonnie, the bunny’s face was filled with astonishment.  “What is it?  Is something wrong?”

“You’re.. skipping your job—your purpose —because of me..? ”

Freddy hummed.  “A long time ago that was my purpose, yes.  And the company would still say so, but I have found much more fulfillment in my friends; my family.”  Freddy softened his gaze.  “And now I have you back, and you are far more important than any performance.”

Bonnie let out a shaky breath.  “Geez, things have really changed around here while I was gone…”

Freddy wiggled his ears.  “For the better I hope?”

The bunny beamed.  “Definitely.”  Bonnie began to lean forward, and Freddy guessed he was trying to sit up.  He gently wrapped his arms around Bonnie’s back, slowly helping him up until Bonnie managed to bump their noses together again.

“You have no idea how much I have missed you,” Freddy murmured with a tremor in his voice.  He couldn't contain himself any longer, a weak sob shaking his body.  He clung to Bonnie, his bunny hugging him back as tightly as he could.  “It has been so hard to go on without you…”

“I'm here…  I’m not going anywhere, love.”

Chapter Text

Bonnie leaned against Freddy, his eyelid drooping.  At some point, Freddy had pulled over a chair and sat down beside him, helping him shift so the bear’s strong arms held him in a warm embrace.

He felt Freddy’s head rest against his own, Bonnie’s back supported against Freddy’s sturdy chest.  Something about it was all so familiar, though Bonnie wasn’t sure why.

From this more upright angle, Bonnie could look down at himself for the first time since he woke up.  It was a little scary seeing himself in shambles.  So much of his casing was gone, and what was left was cracked and held together with clay and glue.  All his colors were dark and dingy, and it was even more noticeable when he compared it to Freddy’s bright orange arms wrapped around him.

But the way Freddy murmured soft words and held him close, Bonnie knew he’d be okay.  He might’ve looked like a pile of scrap, but he was loved, and that was all that mattered.  At least for now.

Freddy let out a hum that shook Bonnie’s endo.  He titled his head back to peek up at Freddy.  A smile quickly spread across Freddy’s face when their eyes met, and Bonnie returned it.

“It does not feel real having you here,” the bear rumbled.  “I keep wondering if this is a dream.”

Bonnie squinted, trying to decipher what Freddy meant.  “Last I checked we couldn’t do that…”

Freddy chuckled, and it made Bonnie’s heart soar.  “No, but I suspect mine would be a lot like this, if I could.”  One of Freddy’s paws twined with his own, giving a gentle squeeze, mindful of his incomplete casings.  “It is so wonderful to have you back, Bonnie.”

“How long was I gone, again..?”

“Far too long,” Freddy replied, pressing his muzzle to the top of his head.

Bonnie hummed.  “Everyone else is still here, right?”

Freddy nodded.  “They will come down when they are done for the day,” he assured him.  “The last performance will be over in a few minutes.  Then they will finish saying goodbye to the guests and join us.”  His ears suddenly perked, and an embarrassed expression crossed his face.  “The Pizzaplex manager is contacting me…  One moment.”

There was a soft click.  “Freddy, where the hell have you been all day?” the manager’s voice snapped.  Bonnie lowered his ears in guilt.

“I—Did the technicians not tell you..?  I have been experiencing a.. malfunction since this morning…  I am in no condition to perform or greet guests…”

Bonnie had to hold back a snicker at his horrible acting skills.

“Why does no one tell me these things?  Do you know how many angry parents I’ve had to deal with?!”  Freddy rolled his eyes, and this time Bonnie couldn’t stop himself from cracking up at the unusual sight.  They both froze, staring at each other.  Oh no…   “Freddy what the hell was that?”

“I-It is the malfunction I have been telling you about!  I cannot stop this static..!”

“Shit.  Well tell those techs to stop goofing off and fix it before tomorrow!  This is Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex, not Freddy’s Friends’ Mega Pizzaplex!”

“That would be quite a silly name.  I think it would sound better as Chica, Roxy, and Monty’s Mega Pizzaplex.”  Freddy’s face lit up when more giggles escaped the bunny.

“Jesus Christ, get that static under control.  And tell those techs to fix your programming while you’re at it!  You’re being obnoxious.”

Freddy wiggled his ears with a grin.  “Unbearable you could say?”  There was a groan from the manager, and he immediately hung up before both Freddy and Bonnie burst into laughter.

“What a jerk!” Bonnie managed to say through his amusement.

Freddy quieted to a chuckle.  “Yes, he is rather rude.”  He paused, shifting to better support Bonnie.  “I have just sent a message to the technicians to cover for me if the manager asks.”

Bonnie’s ears perked.  “They’d do that?”

Freddy nodded.  “They are kind people.  I have told them I needed a day to recollect myself.”  His eyes flashed briefly.  “They have sent me a thumbs up!  I think we are in the clear.”

Bonnie looked away.  “I don’t want you getting in trouble cuz of me.”

“Do not worry about it.  If it means I get to spend more time with you, I am happy to do it.”

“I can’t believe that my Freddy Fazbear has become such a troublemaker!” Bonnie gasped dramatically.  Under his humor, he really was having a hard time believing it.  All of it was hard to believe.  And yet here Freddy was, defying expectations.

Freddy shook his head, trying to hide his smile.  “I suppose I surround myself with too many bad influences.  Yourself included.”  Bonnie snickered, and he felt a soft paw brush against his cheek.  “It does not hurt to laugh, does it?” he asked, suddenly so gentle.

“Nah, it feels a little weird, but it doesn’t hurt.”  He gave Freddy a lopsided smile, brows lowering.  “It’s really horrible, isn’t it?”

He was hugged a little tighter.  “No, I think it is sweet.  I just wanted to make sure it was not painful.  I love hearing you laugh, honeybun.”

Bonnie wondered if his circuits were fried as he stared up at Freddy.  How was he so perfect?!   He lovingly nuzzled the top of Bonnie’s head.  “Heh, never expected you to be so affectionate after you woke up…  You’re really living up to the whole ‘teddy bear’ thing, huh?”

Freddy shifted a bit, his eyes glancing to the side.  “Is.. that a good thing..?”  The anxiety in Freddy’s voice made Bonnie want to faint.  Oh my gosh, he’s adorable.

“Of course it is, sweetheart!”  Bonnie let out another staticky laugh, his circuits heating up when Freddy pressed a kiss next to his eye.

“That is a relief.  You had me worried for a moment.”

Bonnie’s ears swayed happily.  “That I thought you were overbearing?”  The two of them chuckled before melting into each other again, listening to their mechanisms run.  Letting out a heavy sigh, Bonnie shut his eye and nestled deeper into Freddy’s embrace.  

Geez, I'm the luckiest guy in the whole world.

He felt Freddy’s head shift above him.  “Why is that?”  He blinked open his eye in surprise.  He hadn’t meant to say it aloud.  Bonnie peeked up at Freddy who was watching him expectantly, his head tilted to the side.

Bonnie tried to calm his whirring fans.  “Because I’m a Bonnie,” he began slowly, watching the bear closely.  “Which means I get to be by your side.”

Freddy’s face went impossibly soft with adoration.  “Oh, Bon…”

There was a loud crash above them, making Bonnie jolt in panic.  Freddy held him securely against his chest, murmuring soft words of reassurance.

“It is alright, it is just our friends coming down to see us.  They will not hurt you, you are safe.”

Bonnie squeezed his eye shut, the sudden terror making his circuits fizzle.  He had no idea why he overreacted so much to the noise.  He focused on Freddy’s gentle touch, letting it calm him down.  It only took a few moments for Bonnie to get ahold of himself.

His ears twitched as he listened to his friends descend the stairs.  Chica wouldn’t stop thanking everyone, Roxy sounded flustered, Monty’s laughter boomed, and the boy just giggled.

When he caught sight of them, he saw the boy being carried under Monty’s arm like a sack of flour.  Both of them seemed to think it was hilarious.

Chica was clinging to Roxanne, bouncing up and down once they reached the bottom of the steps.

“Freddy,” Bonnie whispered as they approached.  He hummed in response.  “What’s your kid’s name, again..?”

Freddy smiled and squeezed his paw.  “His name is Gregory,” he reminded him kindly.

Chica ran over and jumped into their hug.  “I still can’t believe you’re back! ” she cried, tail swishing.  She pulled back, still squirming in excitement.

Roxy huffed.  “We were going to reunite you guys eventually.  We wanted to glam him up, first.”

Freddy scowled.  “You should have told us as soon as he woke up.  Better yet, when you wanted his chip.”

“Yeah…  We didn’t really have a big plan for bringin’ you back together,'' Monty admitted, scratching his head and looking away.

Bonnie squinted.  “Are.. those my sunglasses..?”  How had he missed them yesterday?

Monty’s eyes widened from behind the shades.  “Uhh, yeah.  You gave ‘em to me when I came to the Pizzaplex.”  Monty took them off, stepping forward and offering them up.  “You should have ‘em back…”

“No way,” Bonnie replied with a chuckle.  “They suit you!  Besides.. I don’t think they’ll do much to hide this huge crater in my face.”

“You do not need to hide a thing,” Freddy rumbled, making Bonnie gaze up at the bear.  Freddy was looking down at him with so much fondness in his eyes…

Roxy gagged.  “Oh my god, have they been this gross all day? ”

“They were when we left~!” Chica chortled.

“Like what?” Monty asked, putting his sunglasses back on.

“Uh, corny?  Romantic?  Gross?   Hello?!   Do you not see how Freddy’s holding him?!   How they’re looking at each other?!”

“I think it’s cute,” Chica chirped.  “They’re so happy together.”

Bonnie raised his shoulders in embarrassment while Freddy glared at the wolf, holding tight.

“Wait,” Monty began, furrowing his brows.  “You two are together?   Like, together -together?”

Roxanne smacked the gator on the back, ignoring his roar.  “You’re such a fucking idiot!” she cackled, fluidly moving the smack into a punch in his arm, ignoring Freddy’s scolding.

“Stop hittin’ me!   How was I supposed to know?!  I wasn’t awake back when Bonnie was around!”

Bonnie’s ears perked.  That’s why Monty seems so different!   He felt a bit of frustration that he hadn’t caught on earlier.

His eye shifted to the boy—Gregory—who went up to them and casually hopped onto Freddy’s lap.  Freddy removed one of his paws from their embrace to pat Gregory’s head before returning it to keeping Bonnie stable.  Gregory smiled at them, turning his attention back to the bickering.

“Monty,” Roxy said slowly.  “Freddy literally kept Bonnie’s chip in a box shaped like a heart, and put it in his chest. ”

Bonnie quickly glanced up at Freddy.  “Really?”

Freddy gave him a sheepish chuckle.  “Well.. yes…”  Bonnie stretched up to bump his muzzle into Freddy’s chin affectionately.  He caught Gregory staring at the two, one brow raised in confusion, though he made no comment.

“Hey, Bonnie,” Gregory started.  “Can you connect to my Fazwatch?”

“Sure, kiddo!”  Gregory pressed the little tophat and Bonnie attempted to connect.  

His vision blurred, and he was met with a slew of errors.  He felt himself jerk and twitch as the glitches overwhelmed him, static filling his ears.

Everything went dark for a moment.

His systems rebooted, and Bonnie woke up, feeling groggy—or as close to it as an animatronic could feel.

He peeled open his eye, everyone’s faces crowding his vision, filled with concern.

“Bonnie..!  Are you alright?!  Can you hear me, Bon?!”

“Y-Yeah,” he managed, trying to focus his eye.  He felt paws on the sides of his face.  Big and gentle.  Freddy.

“I-I didn’t mean to!” a little voice wailed.  It had to be Gregory.

“It’s not your fault, sweetie.  Come here.”  Bonnie’s vision was clearing, and he watched Chica pick up the boy, hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

“I—What happened..?”

Freddy ever so gently caressed his face.  “You tried to connect with Gregory’s Fazwatch and your systems did not agree with it…”

Roxy snorted.  “That’s putting it lightly.”

“You feelin’ okay?” Monty asked with worry in his tone.

“Yeah I—I just need a minute…”

Roxy shook her head.  “This is going to be a problem.”

Chica hummed.  “Why don’t we just get him his own Fazwatch?  Then we can all keep in contact without hurting his chip!”

Bonnie watched Freddy’s ears wiggle and couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face.  “Chica, that is an excellent idea!”  Freddy beamed down at the bunny, and even through the fog, Bonnie still felt warm and fuzzy at the sight.  “How does that sound, Bon?”

“A Fazwatch..?  Sure…”

“We should probably disable his connection program when we can get him up to Parts and Service,” Roxy suggested, paws on her hips.  “We don’t know how many fuck ups his chip can take.”

Bonnie winced.  Geez, I really am a burden, aren’t I..?

He caught Freddy’s eye, and for a moment he worried he’d said his thoughts out loud again.  Freddy leaned down and pressed his muzzle to Bonnie’s forehead.  “We just need to be a little careful,” Freddy reasoned, glancing over his shoulder at Roxanne.  He returned his gaze to Bonnie.  “Do not worry, we will make sure you will not get hurt again.”  Bonnie relaxed at Freddy’s reassurances.

Roxy ground her teeth.  “Just messaged Vanessa to grab a Fazwatch on her way down.”  She let out a huff.  “Shit,” she muttered, stepping away to pace the room.

Bonnie’s ears drooped, but Freddy was quick to comfort.  “She is just worried.  You gave us all quite a scare…”

“Sorry ‘bout that…”  Bonnie glanced at the others.  Chica and Monty were calming Gregory down, insisting that he didn’t do anything wrong.  It seemed to be working, too, much to Bonnie’s relief.  “Hey, Gregory,” he called quietly, everyone turning to look at him.

They brought the boy over, his face red and blotchy from crying.  “Y-Yeah..?” he hiccuped.

“I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Bonnie said with a weak smile.  “It’s not your fault I crashed.  My system’s just busted.  Anything could’ve set it off, so don’t feel bad, alright?”

“B-But you’re all messed up cuz of me,” he whimpered.  Bewilderment filled Bonnie’s head.  How could this poor little kid be responsible for his destruction..?  It didn’t make any sense.  He peered up at Freddy, quirking an eyebrow, but the bear shook his head.

“It was not because of you, Gregory.  I do not want you blaming yourself for anything like that.”

“Yeah, little guy,” Monty joined in.  “It was that shithead Glitchtrap’s fault.”

Shivers ran down Bonnie’s endoskeleton at the name.  Glitchtrap…   He knew that name, but it was shrouded in mystery.  All he knew was that it terrified him.  He reached blindly for a paw to hold, and Freddy was quick to accommodate, giving him a gentle squeeze.

Freddy’s other arm reached around and helped him sit up, pulling Bonnie back against Freddy’s chest.  He let out a hum of appreciation, leaning his head on Freddy’s shoulder.

The sound of the chain link fence opening captured Bonnie’s attention.  Roxy huffed.  “I’ll help her bring the stuff down.”  Chica nodded, giving her a pat on the back before scampering back to Bonnie’s side.

There were muffled greetings, followed by their footsteps descending. 

Vanessa let out a sigh.  “Roxy, do you know what’s going on with Freddy?  The manager sent me a message saying he was malfunctioning and to keep an eye on him.  Then I get to work, and he’s not in the lobby like usual.”

“I have a few guesses,” Roxy grumbled.

“It better not be another virus…”

Roxy snorted, and the two finally came into sight.  Vanessa’s eyes went wide as she stared down at them, clutching the railing.

Freddy grinned.  “Hello, Vanessa!”

The woman breathed heavily.  “Holy shit, thank god.”  When she got ahold of herself, Vanessa continued down.  

Roxy scoffed as they reached the bottom.  “They’ve been so gross it might as well be a virus.”

Monty leaned over, hiding his mouth behind his claws.  “She’s jealous,” he hissed to Bonnie, throwing a thumb at Chica as the chicken joined Roxy’s side.

Bonnie couldn’t stop the spurt of giggles that escaped his voicebox.

Roxy growled, pinning back her ears.  “What are you two dipshits gossiping about?!”

“Us?  Gossip?” Bonnie feigned innocence.  “Roxanne Wolf, whatever are you suggesting?”  Monty barked out a rough laugh while Freddy rested his head on Bonnie’s with an affectionate chuckle.

Gregory glanced around at everyone, not understanding what was going on.

Vanessa set her bags down beside the pile of supplies.  She put a hand to her forehead and shook her head.  “When did you two find out about Bonnie?” she asked, looking at Freddy and Chica.

“Just this morning,” Chica announced, bending down to look at what Vanessa had brought them, her little feather tail swishing in the air.  Roxy stared for a moment before whipping her head away, looking anywhere but the chicken.

Vanessa let out a sigh of relief.  “Well, that makes my job easier.”  She pulled something out of her pocket.  “What did you want the Fazwatch for..?”

Roxy took it from her, likely looking for a distraction.  “For Bonnie,” she snipped, handing it off to Freddy.

The bear wiggled his ears.  “Now you will be able to call whenever you need us!”  Freddy pressed the tophat and Bonnie noticed all the animatronics’ eyes flashing.  Gregory pressed some things on his own watch, too.  “We will find a way to attach it to your casing.  I think the strap is too small.”

“Thanks, love.”

A clap burst his bubble.  “Okay,” Vanessa began.  “Let’s get to work on that casing.  I want to work in the basement so we don’t have to smell all that burning plastic.”  She glanced back at Freddy and Bonnie.  “I assume you’re staying with him..?”

Freddy nodded.  “Yes.”  Freddy nuzzled the side of his face with a smile.  “Thank you for bringing him back…”

Bonnie hummed, closing his eye and leaning into the bear’s touch.  He could get used to this.

Chapter Text

Bonnie’s eye fluttered open as he was awakened from sleep mode.  He blinked away the annoying errors until his sight cleared, revealing a thrilled looking Chica standing over him.

“Hi, Bonnie Bun!” she chirped.

Bonnie chuckled at the nickname.  He couldn’t remember when he’d last heard it, but it sure felt like a long time.

“Hey, Cheeky.”  A giant grin spread across her beak, and he could hear her tail ruffle.  She leaned down and gave him a quick hug, bouncing back to avoid damaging him.

“Oh, you should’ve seen Freddy today!  I don’t think he’s ever been so happy at work!”  She bawked in laughter.  “Some of the employees kept asking us why we were all so chipper!”  Chica shook her hands by her face, unable to contain her excitement.  “It was so hard not saying anything!   I just wanted to sing to the world that Bonnie’s back!”  She squeezed her eyes shut and bounced from foot to foot.  “How have you been, honey?”

Bonnie smirked.  “I’ve been super busy.  Lying on the table, sleeping, more sleeping.  It’s been crazy.”

Chica giggled.  “Looks like Gregory might’ve come by!”

Bonnie quirked an eyebrow.  “Huh?”  The chicken pointed down at him, and he craned his neck to look.  A fuzzy blanket covered his body, complete with cute decals of Freddy’s face all over it.  The sight of the blanket sparked Bonnie’s memory.  “Oh..!  Yeah, the kiddo came down and talked for a bit.”

“He’s such a sweetie!  You’re going to love him.”

“Yeah, he seems nice.”  He was slowly remembering more as he talked.  “Heh, he said I must have been cold because I keep shivering and thought I could use a blanket.  I kept trying to tell him that animatronics don’t get cold, but he insisted I take it.”

“Aww~!” she cooed, grabbing the blanket and tucking him in it further with a mischievous look.  “Well, we need to keep little Bonnie Bun warm~!”

The two snickered together.  Bonnie had missed that.  “What about you, Cheeky?  What’s new?”

She giggled.  “I have a little floor bot following me around.  I bet it’s waiting at the top of the steps right now!   I think the honey likes me.”

Bonnie blinked in surprise.  “Wait, a floor bot's awake?”

Chica nodded excitedly.  “Crazy, right?  I think it woke up from me being crushed in the compactor, poor thing.  The sweetie's real protective.”  She turned her head to look up at the stairs.  “Right, Patpat~?” she called, a loud beep returning from above.

“C-Compactor?!”

“Oh, it's all okay now,” she reassured him.  “I mean, without that happening, Gregory never would've found your casing down there!”

“Geez, Cheeky…”

Chica gave his paw a squeeze and opened her beak, but the sound of heavy steps on the stairs drew their attention.  Bonnie’s ears perked when he spotted the rest of his friends.  Roxy and Monty called their greetings, heading over to his table. 

Freddy came down more slowly, and beamed when his eyes met Bonnie’s.

“Hello, Bonnie!”  Freddy wiggled his ears.  “Gregory told me he visited you!”

Bonnie grinned. “Yeah.. where is the kiddo?”  Freddy stopped in front of the table and opened his chest cavity.  Bonnie’s eye widened in surprise when the boy leaned out.  “Wha—?”

“Hi, Bonnie,” Gregory said casually, climbing down from the hatch with the help of Freddy’s paws.

Bonnie gaped up at Freddy.  “You put the kid in there?  I thought it was for—”

“Oversized birthday cakes and piñatas?” Freddy finished for him with a chuckle.  “I suppose it has become a bad habit.”  He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Back when Bonnie had still been around, Freddy never would have let a child in there.  He always followed the rules to the letter.  No exceptions.  But here he was, breaking a dozen rules every time Bonnie saw him, and Bonnie was pretty sure he’d only been back online for a few days.  It was jarring.  

It was amazing.

Roxy butted in.  “We had him bring the kid down here like that because the staff are already getting suspicious.”

Monty nodded.  “I got a few askin’ me why I keep comin’ down here without chattin’ with ‘em before closin’.”

“They definitely know something’s up,” Chica sighed.

For the first time, Bonnie wondered what would happen if he were discovered.  It had never crossed his mind; he was too busy putting all his processing power into thoughts about his friends and his bizarre situation.

Bonnie furrowed his brow, trying to think, but his questions fell into a useless loop.  He grit his teeth in frustration, snapping out of his confusion when a hand landed on his arm.  He blinked, recognizing it as Chica’s.

“So.. uh.. what would happen if they found out..?” he finally asked.  He wished he could work it out himself, but he was at a loss.  Dang chip.

Freddy stiffened, and the others glanced around at each other.

Chica squirmed in her seat.  “We’re not really sure, but, well…”

“Oh please, we know exactly what would happen,” Roxy scoffed.

Monty frowned.  “The people who work here are great, though!  I bet they’d let him stay!”

“Yeah, until someone accidentally lets it slip, the manager finds out, corporate finds out, and they come back to scrap him for real.”

Bonnie tensed, eye wide and fans whirring to keep himself cool.  He felt Freddy’s paw slip into one of his own, giving him a gentle squeeze.

“We will not let that happen,” Freddy insisted sternly.

Gregory nodded.  “Yeah, none of the staff but Vanessa know that I stay here overnight, and I’ve been here for a whole month!”

“Minus most weekends,” Monty added.

Chica clapped her hands together, earning everyone’s attention.  “So!  We have a very busy night ahead of us because of all this!”

“Busy..?” Bonnie queried.

“Yup!” she chirped as Monty and Roxy disappeared behind the door to the basement.  “We need to move you so the staff won’t be so suspicious of why we keep going into the laundry room and vanishing.”  Freddy wrapped his arms around Bonnie’s chest, moving him into a sitting position against the bear, again.

Monty and Roxy reentered the room, and Bonnie sucked in a breath of surprise.  They had the casings they were fixing up.  Monty grinned.  “You like ‘em?  The weldin' seams are kinda rough, but better than nothin’.”

“Geez, you guys are the best,” Bonnie breathed.

Roxy lashed her tail.  “Of course we are!”  She set the parts down, fluffing her hair.  “Let’s put them on.  We’ve got a time limit.”

Gregory took his blanket back as all his friends slipped on the fixed up casings.  On his right arm’s cuff, a Fazwatch was attached with a velcro sticker.  Almost his whole left arm was bare—he guessed the casing just wasn’t salvageable—as was his right lower leg and foot.  There was still a gaping hole in his torso, and one in his face.  Based on feeling, he guessed half of his right ear was gone too.

It was.. unsettling that after everything was put on, he was still so exposed.  What did Freddy think..?  Maybe he expected a more complete chassis, and was disappointed Bonnie wouldn’t look.. nice again.  But Freddy’s not that kinda guy.  He wouldn’t like me less because of this.

But I know the old Freddy.  He’s different now.  He’s awake, and he thinks beyond his programming.  Can I really say I know him anymore..?

But Bonnie’s fearful thoughts were thrown out the window when Freddy pressed his muzzle into Bonnie’s, hugging him close without a word; just a smile.  A laugh crackled out of Bonnie’s voicebox at the affection, his anxiety drifting away.

He shouldn’t be ungrateful.  His friends had tried their best with the pieces they had, and Freddy didn’t seem to mind.  “Thank you all so much,” Bonnie murmured, looking down at their work.

“So is he going to my room right away?” Gregory asked.  Bonnie glanced at his friends in confusion.

“Gregory has offered to let you stay in his room until we can find you your own place,” Freddy rumbled quietly.  Bonnie’s heart soared at the boy’s kindness.  He reached out and gave Gregory a gentle pat on the head in thanks.

Chica swayed, playing with her earrings.  “I guess it’s up to Bonnie.  We can take him there or give him a checkup in Parts and Service!”

Monty put his claws on his hips.  “What do ya think, bunny?”

“I’m not really sure…”

Freddy hummed.  “Would you like to focus on getting up and walking again, first?”

Bonnie blinked.  He hadn’t thought about how he’d get to either place.  I haven’t even tried to move much, let alone walk…   Eventually he nodded in agreement.

“Let’s try to move a chargin’ station into your room, little guy,” Monty suggested, offering a hand that the boy quickly took.  “Roxy, you wanna help?”

The wolf scoffed.  “Well, I kind of have to.  If I don’t you’ll just break it.”  She glanced back at Bonnie, giving him a pat on the shoulder.  “We’ll come back when we’re done.”  Roxy paused, throwing on a subtle smirk.  “You’ve got this.”

The three went up the stairs and left Bonnie with Freddy and Chica.  Bonnie gazed up at them with nostalgia seeping into his coding.  “Original three, eh?”

Chica beamed.  “Oh yeah!  I never thought we’d have this again!”

“Our family has certainly grown.”

Chica pumped her fists.  “Okay!  Exercise time!  Let’s get you up, Bonnie!”

Freddy kept his back supported while Bonnie moved his paws to the table.  He shifted them back and began to slowly push himself to a more upward position.  He grit his teeth at the strain.

Chica cheered him on while Freddy kept him steady, giving soft words of encouragement.

“Why is this so hard? ” Bonnie hissed, lowering his brows.  “I thought this was a fresh endo…”

“I mean you haven’t moved in months,” Chica pointed out.  “Maybe your chip just needs to get used to it again!”

Freddy nodded.  “Gregory has had a similar issue, but Chica and Vanessa have been helping him with stretches to get him back in working order.”  He wiggled his ears.  “Perhaps you can join them sometime!  I know humans and animatronics work differently, but it is worth a try.”

Bonnie wanted to ask what he meant, but his train of thought was immediately lost to his focus on moving.

“You’re almost there!” Chica cried as Bonnie finally pushed himself to sit up.  Freddy cautiously moved his paw away from Bonnie’s back to make sure he was able to sit on his own.  He wished the bear would put it back.  It felt so nice.

“Well done, Bonnie!”  Freddy praised when he decided the bunny was stable.

“Heh, I can’t believe I’m getting compliments for sitting.  And so slowly.”

He caught Freddy’s eye.  “I believe a very smart bunny once told me that everyone moves at their own pace,” he hummed.

Bonnie snickered.  “I bet he was good looking, too, right?”

Freddy grinned playfully.  “Oh yes, very.”  Freddy bumped his nose into Bonnie’s muzzle, his voice becoming far more sincere.  “And he still is.”  Bonnie sputtered, almost falling over at the unexpected flattery.  “Careful, Bon!”  Freddy returned his paw to Bonnie’s back to keep him upright.

“ Aww~!   You two are so cute~!” Chica cooed.

Okay, bunny.  Focus.  Bonnie switched his attention back to moving his legs.  It took a while of shuffling before he finally managed to swing his legs over the side of the table.  Chica pulled the charging plug out of his back.

Freddy stood in front of Bonnie and offered his paws while Chica bounced behind him.  Bonnie took a deep breath, grabbing onto Freddy’s big paws for support as he pushed himself off the table.

Bonnie’s legs crumpled at the sudden weight, but Freddy immediately caught him, drawing him back up and keeping him supported.  He stared up at the bear, inches from his own face.  It was still so strange to be so close.  So right.

“H-Heh, looks like I couldn’t help falling for ya…”

Freddy’s face lit up, his ears wiggling.  “I suppose a shooting star must land somewhere!”

Bonnie felt like his circuits had burst into flames.  He opened his mouth to say something— anything —but all that came out was a weak strangled sound that made Freddy chuckle.

Bit by bit, Freddy lessened how much of Bonnie’s weight he held up as Bonnie’s programming slowly readjusted so he could stand on his own.  Eventually he managed to support himself with nothing but his paws in Freddy’s for stability.  It was hard to keep balanced with the uneven weight distribution, making his whole body feel unsteady and confused.

“Would you like to try to walk?” Freddy asked gently.

“Yeah, I just need a sec.”  Bonnie wanted a sturdier hold, so he moved his paws up so that he could grip Freddy’s forearms instead.  Freddy understood, and copied him to accommodate.  His grip was extra gentle with his left arm’s exposed endo.

“You can do it, sweetie~!” Chica sang.

“Whenever you are ready, Bon.”  He nodded up at Freddy who took a minuscule step back; a prompt to start.  Gritting his teeth, Bonnie threw all his processing power into moving his legs and staying balanced.  His eye widened in awe when he managed to move one foot forward.

Bonnie slid the other one, left right, left right.  He let out a breathy laugh of disbelief.  He was walking.  Well, more like shuffling or shambling.  He chanced a look up at Freddy, his heart soaring at the bear’s expression of pure bliss and pride.

“You’re doing it!” Chica nearly screamed, jumping up and down around them.

“Chica, you are making the ground shake,” Freddy chuckled.

“Oops!”

Bonnie huffed, a grin playing on his muzzle.  “Is it weird that I think this is crazy?”

“Of course not!  This is a wonderful achievement, Bon.”  Freddy leaned down and bumped their noses, wiggling his ears at the squeak.

They heard Monty’s loud voice carry down from the laundry room, followed by the sound of the fence and stomping of feet.

“Bonnie up?” the gator called before they were even in sight.

“We haven’t been gone for long.  Don’t hold your breath,” Roxy replied as they came into view.  She was holding Gregory as they descended.  All three of their faces lit up when they saw Bonnie standing.  “Holy shit, I thought that’d take a hell of a lot longer.”

Chica ran to meet their friends.  “Isn’t it great?!  He’s been amazing!  Can you believe he walked to the middle of the room all by himself?!”

Bonnie snorted.  “Heh, I don’t think Freddy keeping me steady counts as all by myself.”

“He didn’t help you move your legs! ”

Freddy just chuckled.

“We got the charging station set up,” Gregory announced proudly as Roxy let him down so the boy could walk over.  “And we got a mat from Mazercise and some blankets for you to sleep on, too!”

Freddy shifted so his arm wrapped around Bonnie’s back to keep him upright, his other paw reaching down to pat Gregory on the head.  “That was very thoughtful, Superstar.”

Bonnie’s systems stalled at the nickname.  Superstar?  Isn’t that what I call Freddy?

“So,” Roxy butted in, “are we taking you to the room, or Parts and Service?”

As much as he wanted to relax and spend quality time with his friends, Bonnie was getting frustrated by his confused memory, processing problems, and struggling movements.  “Parts and Service,” he decided.  Maybe they can fix me more.

Monty gave him a thumbs up.  “You need help gettin’ up the stairs?”

Bonnie frowned.  Another thing he hadn’t thought about.  Sure, he could walk a little with help, but he wasn’t entirely sure he could make it up.   He opened his mouth to reply, but Freddy spoke up.

“I would be happy to carry you, Bon,” Freddy offered.

Bonnie’s circuits fizzled and he covered his face in his paws.  “Oh my gosh,” he sputtered.

Roxy cackled at his embarrassment, Chica joining in with a chortle.

“What’s everyone freakin’ out about?” Monty muttered.

“I dunno,” Gregory replied.

“Okay, let’s get moving,” Roxy said, sending a mean grin back over her shoulder.  “C’mon lovebirds.”

“They’re not birds, idiot!” Monty laughed.

Freddy glanced down at Bonnie again.  “Is it alright to carry you?  I am sure we can find another way if you are uncomfortable—”

“In what world would I say no, love?”  With a broad grin, Freddy easily scooped Bonnie up bridal style.

Freddy was covered in scratches and grime, his face twisted in despair, calling his name in a panic.  Something muffled his voice: a horrible static, and Bonnie realized it was coming from himself.

He could hardly see through the errors and pain.  He couldn’t even let out a sob through it all.  It was too much.  His shredded wires, ripped from his broken body, sent agony through him with every spark.  His voicebox tried to cry out, but all that left it was strangled static that only hurt him more.

Bonnie blinked, and the terrible vision was gone.  He breathed hard to keep himself cool.

Freddy knit his brows with worry.  “Is something wrong?  I did not hurt you, did I?”

Bonnie had to take a moment to try to calm down.  Never could he even imagine something so nightmarish.  He stared down at his broken casing.  It had to have been a.. memory of his destruction…   Bonnie shuddered, struggling to get it out of his mind.

“N-No.  I’m fine,” Bonnie lied, letting out a shaky breath.  Freddy frowned, clearly not believing him.  “I’ll tell you later,” he mumbled to the bear, though he really hoped he would forget about it by then.  Freddy gave him a serious nod, following their friends up the stairs, holding Bonnie tight.

Bonnie took deep breaths, slowly relaxing in Freddy’s arms, his systems calming with each heavy step the bear took.  He listened to Freddy’s mechanisms working in his chest.  It was soothing; reassuring.  A small smile began to spread.  I’ll get to hear that every day…

Light streamed in from above, and it didn’t take long for them to make it to the top.  Monty pushed open the gate, entering the laundry room with the others behind.  Bonnie had to squint as his eye readjusted to the brightness.

“Would you like to walk again, or should I keep carrying you?”

“I’ll try and stretch my legs,” Bonnie decided.  “You shouldn’t have to drag me around like luggage,” he snickered.

Freddy smiled, carefully helping him back on his feet.  “I would never!   I would carry you like the treasure you are!” Freddy brought an arm around his back, offering the other for Bonnie to take, which he gladly did before they set off into the Pizzaplex.

Chapter Text

Bonnie’s ears drooped as he listened to his friends argue outside the cylinder.

“He’s literally missing that part of his programming!  I can’t fix what’s not fucking there!” Roxanne snapped.

Chica flailed her arms.  “Okay, okay!  What about his memory?”

Bonnie glanced up at Monty who stood with him in the cylinder.  The gator knew the least about coding—aside from Gregory, but the boy wanted to learn all he could, so he was helping at the computer.  Monty’s arms were crossed, a deep furrow in his brows.  Bonnie caught his eye, and Monty just shrugged.

The clacking of keys made his wires twist, and even worse was Roxy yelling: “Fuck!”

“That’s a lot of errors,” Gregory mumbled.  Bonnie winced, and forced himself to close his eye.  Maybe it was better not knowing…  Now they’re all gonna see how messed up I am inside, too.

“It’s all corrupted,” Chica breathed.  “The whole memory system is just—”

“A few things look fine, but there’s no organization…  There are massive holes everywhere, too.”

There was a deep hum from Freddy.  “There are.. no memories of Glitchtrap…”  Bonnie stiffened at the name.  “There are a few corrupted ones, but for the most part, it is like they never existed…  That seems so specific…”

“Might not necessarily be a bad thing,” Roxy muttered quietly, and Bonnie was only able to catch it because of his extra sensitive ear.  He didn’t disagree with her; he felt horrible ghosts of emotions, and images of events he had no recollection of.  Events he would probably prefer to stay lost considering the distress he felt from just brief flashes.

But what about all the good things I might have lost?  Might still lose?

There was a pause before Chica spoke up.  “Maybe it was Cassidy making sure he was gone…”  There was a long beat of silence.

“Can we put the good stuff back together?” Gregory asked hopefully.

Freddy spoke up with a soft rumble.  “It is not so easy, I am afraid.  Memories are.. difficult, and very delicate.”

“Yeah, kid.  It’d be safer to leave it and try to condition his AI.”

“What does that mean?”

Chica jumped in.  “Think exercises for your mind!”

Roxy huffed.  “What about his mobility?  It’s great he’s trying, but he’s not exactly getting places.”

Bonnie startled at Monty’s sudden roar beside him.  “Shut up, Roxanne!  So what if he needs help walkin’?  He’s doin’ fine!”  Bonnie felt a surge of respect for the gator.

Roxy scoffed, but said nothing.  Chica spoke up instead.  “It looks like that’s tied to his CPU problems.”  She paused.  “Which just means he’ll be a little slower and sometimes have trouble executing actions and stuff.”

“Can we fix that? ”  Gregory sounded frustrated.

“I do not think so,” Freddy replied quietly.  “It is not a coding issue so much as an issue with the physical chip damage.  But that is alright.  We can always help.”

“So he’s got broken coding and a broken chip, neither of which we can fix.  Great.”

“Bonnie is not broken,” Freddy growled at Roxy.  It was so strange to hear…  “He may have difficulty with some things but that does not make him any less valuable.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Roxy mumbled, ears low as she looked away.

“We know, we’re all just stressed,” Chica reassured the wolf.

Monty grunted to gain everyone’s attention.  “When can we get outta here?  It’s gettin’ stuffy,” the gator grumbled.  Bonnie let out a huff of amusement.

He heard Chica’s tail feathers ruffle.  “We’ll just disable the connection program and get him out!”

“What about Vanessa?  She knows coding stuff,” Gregory suggested.

Freddy lowered his voice.  “Vanessa said she was not comfortable helping with the programming today.”

“Oh, okay.”

Chica grinned.  “Everything’s all set!  We just have to reboot you and all the changes will be made!”

Bonnie grimaced, his anxiety making him wonder if he would even wake up.  Monty leaned down over him, tilting his glasses down his snout.  “You okay, bunny?”

“Heh, yeah.  Just nervous.”  Monty nodded and put a clawed hand on his shoulder.  Bonnie shut his eye and used the touch to keep him grounded.  He felt the command go through, and his systems went dark.

Bonnie was being pulled down, desperately reaching for an escape.  A golden rabbit stood above him with an eerily wide grin, waving slowly at Bonnie in an almost taunting manner.

Bonnie tried to break whatever was between them.  Glass?  Ice?  He didn’t know.  But whatever it was, his pounding did nothing.  He felt like he was choking.  Drowning.  He’d never felt that before.

Shadows swirled around him, thick and heavy like oil in water.  He kicked desperately to keep close to the barrier, but felt a hand wrap around his ankle and drag him back down into the depths.

He looked down at his attacker, and let out a gasp when he saw the golden rabbit again, pulling him with ease.

‘Please!’ he tried to yell.  ‘Stop!  Let me go!’

He was met only by warped laughter before he felt himself disappear under the darkness.

Bonnie’s systems rebooted, and he opened his eye in a panic.  Claws gripped his arms, holding him down, so he thrashed more to escape.

“Bonnie!  Calm down!  It’s Monty!  Stop freakin’ out, I don’t wanna hurt you!”

“Open the cylinder!”  There was a hiss and the ground trembled before heavy paws landed on both sides of his face.  “Bonnie, it is alright, you are safe!  We are all here.  You do not need to worry anymore.  No one will hurt you.”

Bonnie’s fans struggled to cool him down as he tried to focus on the voice.  On the touch.  The paws on his face were gentle and grounding.  The claws on his arms loosened, but kept him secure.  They didn’t feel so threatening anymore.

“Oh, sweetie…”

Bonnie calmed enough to function.  His vision was covered by errors that he slowly dismissed one by one until he could finally see.

There was no golden rabbit.  It was just his friends.  He was safe.

“Bonnie, are you okay..?” a little voice asked.  It had to be the boy.  Gregory, right?  “Did he have a nightmare or something?”

“Just give him a second, kid.”  Definitely Roxanne.

Bonnie let out a shuddering breath.  “S-Sorry about that,” he stammered, still trying to shake the fog.

Freddy, whose face was so close and filled most of his vision, gave Bonnie a gentle smile.  “Do not apologize.”

“Shit, I scratched up your casin’ a little,” Monty grumbled.  “Sorry, Bonnie…  I’ll help ya fix it later.”

“Heh, better than letting me fall off the chair and shatter,” Bonnie chuckled weakly.

“Do you want to go back to Gregory’s room, or do you need some time, sweetie?” Chica asked gently.

“I want to get outta here,” he admitted with a lopsided smile.  He glanced over at Gregory.  “You’ll need to give me a tour, kiddo.”

“It’s really cool!” Gregory exclaimed with a grin.

Bonnie began to push himself up, struggling more than before.  Freddy and Monty helped him up on either side, and Freddy supported him while he stood.  He tried to ignore the way his endoskeleton tremored, though he couldn’t pinpoint whether it was from his panic or just from the strain of standing.

Freddy stayed at his side to keep him steady as they slowly shuffled out of the cylinder, heading over to the personal elevators to Rockstar Row.  Bonnie couldn’t help but notice his symbol was missing; replaced by the green alligator.  I really have been gone for a while…

“Oh!” Chica cried.  “I wanted to do something before Bonnie got to the room!  Freddy, are you okay with Bonnie?”

Freddy nodded.  “We will be fine.”  Chica grinned, beaconing the others over to her elevator before they left.  Freddy guided him to his own elevator, pressing his nose into the side of Bonnie’s head as they entered.  “Would you like to talk about anything..?” Freddy asked gently.

Bonnie’s ears perked and he tilted his head to look up at the bear, his expression full of concern.  “Ah, that’s okay…”  Part of him wanted to know more, and to ask for comfort.  But the other part of him wanted to bury those dark memories until they never resurfaced.  To keep everything hidden from Freddy and himself.

Freddy’s ears lowered.  “I sometimes have terrible visions as well,” he admitted quietly, making Bonnie’s eye wide.  “I believe it may be my programming attempting to brace itself for.. Glitchtrap to take over, even if he is long gone.  Or perhaps it is just.. trauma.”

“The golden bunny,” Bonnie mumbled as the elevator rose.  Hopelessness washed over him.  He couldn’t remember what had happened to him, but he knew it was bad.  “He.. was in your head, too?”

Surprise quickly turned into remorse.  “Yes…  Only for one night, but.. he made me hurt Gregory and the others.. and you before we were able to destroy the monster.”

Bonnie’s own ears drooped.  “You’re sure he’s gone, right?”  The images felt so real.

Freddy was silent for a moment before nodding sternly.  “I promise he is gone.  He must be.  I checked my code every night for quite a long time, and I still check every week.”  A smile crept over his muzzle.  “Roxanne insists I am paranoid; she may be right, but I would rather be safe,” he rumbled.  “And do not worry, we checked your code as well and found nothing.”

Bonnie nodded, feeling better at his reassurances before the elevator opened into Freddy’s backroom.  They made their way in, and Freddy’s door opened.  Freddy’s greenroom.  It felt like forever since he’d been there, and he couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face.  Freddy returned the smile, bringing them over to the couch to sit.

To his surprise, Bonnie noticed claw marks in the cushions, and what looked to be a generic table from the cafe instead of his usual star-shaped one, though it was covered by a knit throw blanket in all of Freddy’s colors.

“Where’d you get that?”

Freddy’s eyes followed his gaze.  “Oh, Gregory made that for me!  Vanessa taught him how to knit and they made these wonderful blankets for all of us!”

“Aw, that’s sweet.”  Bonnie glanced back at the damage.  “So uh, what’s with the table and couch?”

Now Freddy looked embarrassed.  “I.. had a moment of panic,” he sighed, standing up and looking away. “I thought I had lost something important.”

Bonnie tilted his ears.  “What was it?”

Freddy peered back down at him.  “You.”  Bonnie furrowed his brows in confusion, watching the bear approach his vanity.  He picked something up in his paws and returned to his side on the couch.  Bonnie squinted at the heart shaped box.  “I kept your chip in here before they brought you back,” Freddy rumbled.  “I did not know they took it, and I thought I had lost you.”  A soft smile graced his face.  “It is still difficult to believe you are here.  Sometimes I find myself still going for the box during the day.”

Freddy peeled his eyes away from the heart, turning them to Bonnie’s face.  It’s hard to believe you’re looking at me like that…   “Yeah,” was all Bonnie could manage, feeling breathless.

Most of the memories Bonnie still clung to were nothing like this.  Freddy never gained his sentience—or never accepted it—but there were little specks that he remembered being huddled up against the bear, soft kisses, and exchanging I love yous.  It was all so confusing.

“Is something bothering you, Bon?”

“Just a little scrambled.  Heh, nothing new.”

A paw went to his more damaged cheek, light as a feather.  “I would be happy to answer any questions.”  Bonnie fidgeted with his claws, looking down.  “I will not be offended if it is something you have forgotten.  And I do not mind clarifying anything that you are having difficulty processing.”  Freddy’s other paw covered both of Bonnie’s.  “I will always love you, and I will always be here to help.”

Bonnie stared down at their paws.  “Geez, this is gonna sound stupid.  But, uh, when did we start..” Bonnie waved a paw in the air, trying to emphasize his thoughts, “..this?”

Freddy gave himself a moment to think, and Bonnie turned his eye to him.  “I think we have always.. felt something special.  But I was very stubborn.  I was too afraid, and then you were gone.”  He pulled Bonnie closer.  “It was not until the night Gregory arrived that we were reunited.  We were trapped together, and that is when I told you that I love you for the first time.  Then we just.. gave in.”

Bonnie pressed against Freddy’s chest, leaning into his touch as the bear wrapped his arms around him.  “Good thing we did, love,” he murmured.

Freddy wiggled his ears and the door to Rockstar Row opened.

“Ugh,” Roxanne grimaced.  “We leave you two alone for ten minutes and you’re already getting mushy.”

Bonnie smirked mischievously.  “Oh, you think we’re bad?  I know you want to do the same thing to—”

“Shut up, you shithead! ” Roxy snapped, eyes wild with alarm.

“Do not call Bonnie that!  And you should watch your language with Gregory around!”

Roxy pinned back her ears, grumbling to herself as Chica pushed past her in the doorway, a little yellow floor bot wheeling behind her.  “We got everything ready to go!  Just wanted to add a little pizazz! ”  Gregory slipped past the girls and hurried over to the couch.  Bonnie noticed a limp in his step, and wondered if it was caused by Glitchtrap…

“Do you wanna see my room?”

Bonnie raised his ears.  “Sure do, kiddo!  Sorry for butting in…”

“That’s okay.  It’ll be like a sleepover!  I’ve never had one of those before.”

Freddy helped him up and they exited the room.  Chica and Roxy each took one of Gregory’s hands, swinging him back and forth and making the boy giggle.  Freddy’s expression softened at the sight.  Geez, they really just adopted this kid, huh?

They entered the rehearsal room, making their way over to the service tunnels behind it.

“There they are,” the security guard announced.

“Oh goodie!  Friend Bonnie Bunny!  We are so happy to see you again!  It’s been so long, and everyone said you were dead!”  Bonnie’s ears perked at the sight of the Daycare Attendant, Sun fronting.  “Oh goodness, did you know there’s a giant hole in your face?”

“What~?  A hole in my face~?  Couldn’t be!”  He received a few concerned looks before he let out a staticky snicker.  In truth, Bonnie didn’t really know how bad it was.  He still hadn’t looked in a mirror since he was brought back, and he had no idea how he’d react to whatever he’d see.  But it was easier to pretend he wasn't worried.

“Don’t be an ass, Sun!” Monty hissed at their side.

Everyone made their way to the side of the hall to make room for them.  Gregory went up to the first door of the tunnels.  Several loud signs were stuck to it: ‘Caution!’, ‘Out Of Service!’, ‘Danger!’, ‘Do Not Enter!’, ‘Asbestos!’.

No one seemed worried, though.  Gregory brought his Fazwatch up to the small pad above the handle, making a ding and click.  Gregory turned the handle and opened the door, heading in with his smile broadening.

Freddy walked Bonnie in, and he gasped in surprise.  It wasn’t a storage room like it was supposed to be.  It was definitely a makeshift bedroom.  In the right corner, across from the entrance, a charging station was set up, emitting a soft glow and hum that paired nicely with the cartoon string lights around the walls.

There was shelving turned into a bunk bed, the top filled with blankets and plushies.  Gregory climbed up the stepladder and sat on his perch, legs swinging over the edge.

Underneath that shelf was a much lower one.  An exercise mat with blankets and comforters, layered and fluffed to look almost like a nest.  Giant plushies of everyone separated it from the wall, and at the end of the makeshift bed was a hand knit blanket in purples, raspberry red, pink, and light yellow.  

Bonnie’s colors.

He brought a paw to his muzzle, touched by his friends’ thoughtfulness.  Bonnie could hardly process it, let alone say anything.

“Sorry I couldn’t make the blanket all on my own,” Gregory apologized.  “I had to get Nessa to help me cuz it was so big.”  He swung his legs.  “We also found some plushies of you.  Monty and Roxy found one in storage and Nessa got one online, but it looks super weird.”  The boy grabbed two plushies by his pillow, showing off the little blue-purple bunnies.  One of them was definitely fake, with goofy, bulging eyes that seemed to wander aimlessly, and an uncomfortable expression that made Bonnie snicker.  “We also found a Freddy one that looks like he ate some bees.”  The boy snatched the Freddy plush, and it absolutely held up to that description.

Bonnie couldn’t help the short burst of laughter that escaped his mouth at the sight of the two bootleg disasters.  Freddy chuckled beside him; “I knew you would like them.”

Bonnie looked down at his makeshift bed, admiring all the love that went into making it for him.  Finally, he managed to take a breath.  “Thank you…”  He peered over his shoulder at the rest of his friends behind him.  “Thank you all so much…”

Freddy gently led him to the mat, assisting him in sitting down on the low shelf, the bear beside him.  “We could not find another mattress so quickly, but we hope this is alright for now.  We will set up the next door storage room to be yours this weekend, and hopefully put in a better resting place!”

“It’s perfect,” Bonnie hummed, pressing his head against Freddy’s shoulder as the others filed into the small room.  

Gregory’s legs disappeared, replaced by the boy peering at them upside down from his bunk.  He stuck out his arms, each hand clutching one of the bootleg plushies.  “Do you want these or the nice ones?”

Bonnie grinned up at the boy.  “Oh, definitely the crazy ones.”  Bonnie slowly reached up, Gregory placing the plushies in his paws so he wouldn’t have to grab for them.  Bonnie pulled them back down, trying to suppress his laughter.  They were even worse up close.

“I certainly hope we do not look like that,” Freddy rumbled with a smile.

Chica plopped down on the ground in front of them, her floor bot beside her.  She leaned forward to get a better look before recoiling.  “Ew!   Why do they look like that?!” she giggled.  Monty barked out a laugh while Roxy sneered at the horrible plushies.  The Daycare attendant—who had switched to Moon when they entered the room—just twirled their head in confused circles.

“I bet I could get my hands on more if you really like them,” Vanessa said with a roll of her eyes.

Bonnie nodded mischievously while the other Glamrocks groaned and protested.  Roxy looked particularly furious at the idea.

They spent the rest of the night in the room, chatting and catching up.  Realistically, Bonnie knew it had been hours, but the time flew.  Morning had come, and Vanessa needed to open the doors for the employees.

“We will be back tonight,” Freddy assured them.  He tucked Gregory in, murmuring a soft “I love you, Superstar,” to the boy.

“Love you, too,” he mumbled with a sleepy smile.

Freddy stooped to help Bonnie lie down on his mat.  “Are you comfortable?”

“Heh, way better than the table.  Thanks, love.”  Bonnie pressed his muzzle against Freddy’s, not missing how the bear’s ears wiggled.

Freddy stood at his full height and wished them a pleasant sleep before leaving the room as quietly as a heavy animatronic bear could, shutting the door behind him.

Bonnie activated sleep mode, his consciousness drifting away into a soothing, peaceful buzz.

Chapter Text

Bonnie woke up to the sound of music.  Not any music he was familiar with, either.  It had no words, and was almost.. intense?

“Shit,” someone whispered above him.  Bonnie squinted, but couldn’t see who was there.

What the heck..?   He grunted as he slowly rolled onto his side and pushed himself up.

Whoever was above him scuffled around, and suddenly a head popped down in front of him.  “Oh geez!” Bonnie gasped, falling back in surprise.  He recognized the boy.  Freddy’s kid.  Gregory.  Bonnie let out a breath of relief.  “You scared the crap outta me, kiddo…”

“Sorry,” he said, though Bonnie could tell he was trying to stifle laughter.  “Did I wake you up?”

Bonnie flicked his ears.  “I keep hearing some weird music.”

The boy cringed.  “Oh, yeah.. that was me, sorry.  I’m playing a game…”

Bonnie smirked.  “What game?”

Gregory brightened.  “I’ll show you!”  His head disappeared, and Bonnie heard movement from above before he watched Gregory climb down the ladder.  The kid plopped down beside Bonnie, shuffling close so he could show the bunny his game.  Gregory glanced up at Bonnie.  “Are you cold, again?”

“Heh, no, it’s just my busted programming, I think…”

Gregory ignored him, grabbing the knit blanket and throwing it over both of their shoulders before pulling out his game.  It was a little hand-held device.  “I’m in the middle of a battle right now,” he explained.  “But you get to collect monsters and fight them and stop bad guys!  Vanessa gave it to me.  She said it was hers when she was a kid.”

Bonnie leaned in to peer at the tiny screen.  “Are ya winning?”

“Yeah, I’ve got really strong monsters.  Here, I’ll show you how to fight!”

They chattered about the game for a while, and eventually Gregory got comfortable enough to lean against Bonnie while he played.  Bonnie tried his best to keep his annoying trembling to a minimum, but the boy never complained or pulled away.

But at some point, Bonnie started to feel sluggish.  He couldn’t follow the game, and he struggled to process everything the boy was saying.  What..?

“Bonnie, are you okay..?”

He furrowed his brow.  “I—Something…”

There was a pause.  “Maybe it’s your battery.”

Gregory got to his feet, grabbing his paw and trying to help Bonnie up.  The tug helped him figure out what to do, and Bonnie managed to stand after a bit of a struggle.  Gregory pulled at his paw again, leading him towards the charging station.  He shuffled a few steps before he was in, and the boy shut the cylinder.

His battery connected, and Bonnie felt a zap of energy.  The fog began to lift, and everything got so much clearer.  “I—Thanks, kiddo…  I guess I didn’t realize my battery was low.”

“That’s okay.  Are you feeling better now..?”

“Heh, I think so.”  Bonnie frowned, realizing he had no visual on his battery life.  Even when prompting it, nothing appeared.  They waited until the charging station opened up on its own, letting them know that his battery was full.

Gregory grabbed one of his paws again, bringing him back to the mat.  He’s trying to help me walk, he realized, noticing how slowly the boy went, and how it almost seemed like he was trying to bear his weight.  Geez, he’s probably copying Freddy.

When they got back to the mat, Bonnie sat down with a heavy oomph.  Gregory returned to his place at Bonnie’s side, bringing the blanket back around them and taking up the game.  Bonnie’s heart melted when the boy chose to keep close despite his shaking.

Bonnie squinted, noticing some discoloration on the boy’s left hand in the dim lighting.  “Did you get hurt..?” Bonnie asked, worry filling his circuits as he pointed a claw.

“Huh?”  He glanced down.  “Oh, that’s old.  Just a scar from.. a while ago.”

Bonnie looked down at his own patchwork paws.  “Heh, yeah, I guess I’ve got some, too.”

Gregory peered up at him, considering something before continuing.  “Roxy says scars are cool.”  He grinned.  “She says they make you look badass!”

Bonnie snickered, hoping the staticky laughter wouldn’t scare the boy.  “Sounds like something she’d say.”

“I’ve got a bunch, now.”  He pointed to his cheek, then his neck, then his arm…  Bonnie lowered his ears, concern shooting through his programming.  “This is the worst one,” he said, rolling up a pant leg to show off a grizzly scar on his left calf.  They looked like.. claw marks.  “Chica and Nessa help me with the stretches, though, so it’s getting better.”  He frowned.  “I have a hard time remembering what happened with that one.  It’s all kinda blurry.”

“Heh, you and me both.”  Bonnie forced a smile.

“I think yours are cool,” Gregory said, pointing at Bonnie’s face.  “You look like a robot from the apocalypse!”

“The wha—?”

“It’s when the world is all wrecked!  Everyone looks cool in apocalypse movies.”

“Uh, thanks kiddo.”

The sound of a door slamming drew their attention, followed by stomping and grunting.  Bonnie watched their locked door anxiously as the sounds grew louder outside, but to his surprise, Gregory beamed.

Someone banged on the door, making Bonnie jump.  Gregory slid to the ground before scrambling to his feet.  He hurried up to the door, and to Bonnie’s horror, swung it open without a moment’s hesitation.

“Hey, little guy!”  A green and purple hand came down and ruffled the boy’s hair with a rough laugh, though Bonnie could tell he was being careful with his claws.  It was just Monty.  Nothing to worry about.  Bonnie let out a breath as the gator entered the room, shutting the door behind him.  “How’s it goin’?”

“I’ve been showing Bonnie my game.”

“Nice!”  Monty flashed his teeth at him in a smile.  “Hey, Bonnie.  You doin’ okay?”

“Heh, yeah.  I had a little battery scare earlier, but we’ve been having a good time.”  Bonnie flicked his ears, suddenly confused.  Why is Monty here?  Where’s everyone else?  “What time is it..?”

“Finished the last performance.  Now we’re just doin’ pictures and autograph shit.”  Monty crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall opposite to Bonnie.  Gregory climbed under the blanket once again, back at Bonnie’s side on his mat.

“Why aren’t you out there, then..?”

Monty’s brows furrowed and he shrugged.  “I don’t get many fans wantin’ to waste their Photo Pass on me.  I just fuck off early and talk with staff or visit Gregory.”

Bonnie frowned, his ears drooping.  “Why wouldn’t you get fans?  It doesn’t make any sense…”

Monty barked out a laugh.  “No, it makes perfect sense.  I’m too loud and angry and scary for ‘em.  I ain’t exactly the nicest guy, or a ray of sunshine, or a damn cool badass.”  He looked away, scratching the back of his head.  “I gotta lot to live up to and I’m not doin’ it very well.”

Bonnie opened his mouth to ask what he meant when Gregory’s Fazwatch went off.  “Hey Gregory, can you meet me at Mazercise?  I want to get your stretches done early for tonight!” Chica chirped.

“Sure!” Gregory agreed, and Bonnie watched him save his game.

“We’re almost done signing pics, so I’ll be with you in a bit, sweetie!”

“Okay, bye Chica.”  They hung up and Gregory peeked up at Bonnie.  “Um, do you need anything before I go?”

Bonnie gave him a wobbly smile, his heart warmed.  “I’m fine.  Thanks, kiddo.”  Bonnie hesitantly lifted a paw to pat the boy on the head.  The motions were stiff, and Bonnie inwardly cringed at how awkward it must’ve been.  But once again, Gregory made no complaints and showed no discomfort.  If anything, he seemed to lean into it.

Gregory got up and waved before leaving his room.  “Bye!”

Bonnie peered up at Monty after a few moments of silence.  “You still into golf?”

“Fuck yeah, I am!”  A wide grin broke out, making Bonnie snicker.

“We’ll play a few rounds sometime.  I don’t think I’ll have much luck with my crappy chip, but it'll still be fun.  Just like old times, eh?”  Monty’s tail swayed at the prospect.  

There was a loud clang from behind the gator, making both of them freeze.  Monty glanced back at the charging station where his tail smacked into it, wincing at the dent.  “Sorry ‘bout that…”

Bonnie shrugged.  “It still works.  Could be worse.”  Bonnie smirked.  “Heh, now the pod matches the bot.”

To his relief, Monty laughed, yanking him into a rough side hug and nearly making the bunny fall over.  Bonnie was grateful Monty didn’t give him pity; he didn’t want any.  The less he got, the less he'd feel sorry for himself.

There was a knock on the door.  “You dumbasses in here?”

“I ain’t answerin’ to that, Roxy!”

The door opened, and the wolf snorted.  “You just did.”

“Hi, Roxy,” Bonnie said with a smile, still being held up by Monty’s side hug.  He opened his mouth to ask how her day went, but was immediately cut off.

“Before you ask, your boyfriend is saying goodbye to the employees.”

Bonnie stiffened, letting his ears drop over his face to hide his embarrassment.  “I-I was gonna ask how you were!” he stammered, sucking in a breath to cool his systems.  Boyfriend!

Roxy cackled.  “You were going to ask eventually.”  She threw a fist towards him for a punch, but seemed to think better, stopping a few inches away and going for a light tap on his arm instead.

Monty sneered.  “Yeah, well when’re you gonna get a girlfriend?”

Roxy’s mean grin immediately dropped into a growl.  Bonnie’s ears perked, his lower lid raising with his smirk.  “Ooh~, you still haven’t asked her out~?”

Her tail bushed.  “Sh-Shut up, assholes!  You took forever to get with Freddy!”

Bonnie frowned, pointing a claw at Roxy.  “Hey, that wasn’t my fault.  I was waiting until he was ready for that kinda thing, and then I got kidnapped.”

Roxy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.  “Ugh, whatever.”

“She’s scared,” Monty snickered.

“No I’m not!  Fuck off, Monty!”

There was a new knock on the door, and everyone went still.  Roxy glared at the two, swiping a claw across her throat as a threat before turning to open the door for whoever was behind it.

“Hello, Roxanne!”

She let out a huff, her ears lowering.  “Hi, Freddy.”  She squeezed past the bear.  “I’m going to join the others.  I need a break from these idiots.”

Freddy frowned at her as she left, clearly offended by what she’d called his friends.  Bonnie decided to interrupt the bear’s disgruntled thoughts.  “Hey, love.”

He immediately brightened.  “Hello, Bonnie!  And hello, Monty!  We will be setting up a room for you, today.”  Freddy looked away and smiled to himself.  “I would offer that you stay with me, but I am afraid my room is not very private during the day.  You are always welcome, though!”

Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “Thanks, Freddy.”

Freddy’s smile softened.  “Gregory told me you had a brief battery issue.  Is everything alright?”

“Oh, yeah, that.  Heh, I can’t see my battery so I had no idea how low it was before everything got weird…”

“Maybe we should charge ya before we start,” Monty suggested, earning a nod from Freddy.  The gator helped him into the station, closing the door up while he charged.  Bonnie caught Freddy’s raised eyebrow at the sight of the dent, but didn’t mention it.

“Well, you are on reduced power for your chip’s safety…  Perhaps it would be wise to charge every hour, just to be sure you do not go offline.”

Bonnie smirked.  “That’s a great idea, except my clock doesn’t work.”

Monty scratched his head.  “Don’t you have one on your Fazwatch?”

Bonnie glanced down at the little watch on his armband.  “Oh…”  Embarrassment twisted his wires and made his ears flop to the sides.  So stupid.

“I have an idea,” Freddy rumbled, catching Bonnie’s attention.  “I would be more than happy to call you every hour to make sure you remember to charge!”

“Aw geez, thanks Freddy…”  Bonnie put a paw where his heart would be.  “That’d be real sweet, but I don’t wanna bother you while you’re working.”

“You could never bother me,” he chuckled.  “It would be nice to hear your voice throughout the day, as well!”

Why is he so cute, dangit?!

The cycle completed and the door popped open.  Freddy walked forward and put out an arm for him to take.  They followed Monty out, side by side.  The three entered the room next to Gregory’s, peeking inside.  Just a regular old storage room.

Monty stomped in first, grabbing a crate and dropping it in the hall.  Freddy assisted Bonnie in sitting down on top of it before the bear turned to join Monty in clearing out the room.

“Is there any way I can help..?” Bonnie asked.  He felt useless just sitting there, watching.

“Nah, we got it,” Monty replied, grabbing a tower of boxes.  Bonnie’s ears drooped.

Freddy came out of the room with some strange decorations in his arms.  “Actually,” the bear began, catching Bonnie’s eye,  “would you help us keep things organized?  It will make it much easier to find a new place for all these things if it is sorted right away.”

Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “Sure thing, Superstar!”

They began to make piles, discussing what types of storage items should go together.  Eventually, Chica, her floor bot, Roxy, and Gregory returned, the boy getting a piggy-back ride from the wolf.

The girls joined in, taking the boxes out to other rooms to clear the hall.  Gregory sat beside Bonnie, looking tired.  Bonnie silently offered Gregory a side to lean on, which he immediately agreed to.  Surprise shot through Bonnie’s circuits when the boy took it as far as to sit on his lap, resting against the crook of his arm and chest.  He gently wrapped Gregory in a loose hug, ensuring he was supported and comfortable, but with an easy way out if he wanted.

With the other’s help, the room was emptied after an hour.  Freddy took Bonnie to charge again—which disgruntled Gregory greatly—before they returned.

Chica grinned up at him.  “Why don’t you three go have some fun while we set up your room?”

Freddy glanced down at Bonnie and Gregory before returning his gaze to the chicken.  “Are you sure..?  That is a lot of work to do, and I would like to help.”

Roxy scoffed.  “Do you remember the disaster that was Gregory’s room?  We already have Monty’s claws of destruction.  We don’t need a big clumsy bear making things worse.”

Monty barked out a laugh.  “You knocked over the big metal shelf like three times!”

Bonnie and Gregory snickered as embarrassment flooded Freddy’s face.  Chica went up to him and gave him a hug for comfort.  “It’s not that we don’t want your help,” she assured him.  “It’s just.. too many cooks in the kitchen, y’know?  Like when we’re all piled into the same elevator!”

Freddy still looked put out.  Bonnie elbowed him gently with a smirk.  “What, don’t you wanna hang out with your favorite bunny and kiddo?”

“Of course I do!” he defended quickly, reaching down to pick up Gregory.

“Can we get something to eat?” Gregory asked.  “I’m starving.”

“Well if you’re ‘Starving’, then where the heck is Gregory?” Bonnie joked with a grin.

Freddy wiggled his ears, deciding to play along.  “Perhaps some breakfast will help us find him.”  A soft smile crossed Freddy’s face as his eyes went back to the boy.  “Let us get you some food.”  He opened his chest cavity, and Gregory easily climbed in, dangling his legs over the edge.  Freddy turned to Bonnie and helped him up.  They began the slow walk out, and Freddy glanced over his shoulder.  “Please message me if you three need any help!”

“Yeah yeah, get out of here, already.”

Chapter Text

Gregory stuffed his face with the waffles Freddy had made for him.  They were all in the shapes of the Glamrocks thanks to the special waffle irons in the kitchen.  There was even a Bonnie-shaped iron that Chica apparently begged the cooks to keep. 

“Gregory, please slow down.  You are going to choke or get a stomach ache!”

He grumbled, but did as Freddy said.  Gregory was still used to eating as much as he could whenever he could.  He could never be sure when the next meal would come, or if his current meal would be cut short.  He’d gone countless days on an empty stomach, nights often ending the same.  Of course, now he didn’t have to worry about that anymore.  But it was still a hard habit to drop after years of doing it for his survival.

“So what’s the plan after your.. breakfast?  Dinner..?  Heh, what the heck do you call it?” Bonnie asked.

Gregory scrunched his brows as he shoveled another waffle into his mouth.  “I o’n’o,” Gregory mumbled, but based on Bonnie’s puzzled expression and the way his ears stuck out to the sides, he guessed the bunny hadn’t understood him.  He swallowed and tried again.  “I dunno.  I guess it’s breakfast cuz it’s what I eat when I wake up..?”  He shrugged and continued eating.

“We could play some games,” Freddy suggested.  “Or watch a movie in the theater.  Perhaps arts and crafts?”

Gregory gave himself a moment to think, glancing around the atrium.  He spotted the big Bonnie picture on the wall of the third floor, and turned back at the bunny at their table.  Gregory and Freddy hadn’t gone anywhere near Bonnie Bowl since that night.  He shivered, remembering how wrong Freddy was before Glitchtrap revealed himself and tried to kill him.  Then Bonnie came in and ended up getting torn apart…  Maybe another night…

He peered around for more options.  Fazerblast?  Not anytime soon…  Roxy’s Raceway?  I don’t think they’ve made Freddy a cart yet.  Gator Golf?  Monty would be mad if we played without him.  Mazercise?  I was just there.

Gregory finished his meal, finally making a decision.  “How about some board games?  I think Vanessa gave Sun and Moon some.”

Freddy grinned.  “That is an excellent idea.  I will contact the Daycare Attendant right now.”  Freddy’s eyes flashed as he connected through the network.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played bored games,” Bonnie joked, leaning towards Gregory with a snicker.  “You sure this is gonna be any fun?”

Gregory giggled while Freddy gave the bunny a smile.  Freddy’s blue eyes flashed again, and he began to speak to the Daycare Attendant.  “Hello, Sun.  I was wondering if you had any games we could play tonight?”

“Oh yes, I can bring you some!  We were about to leave the Daycare to help with Bonnie’s room, but we can meet you in the lobby to give them to you!”

“Excellent!  We will be there in a moment.  Thank you Sun, and thank Moon for me as well.”  The call disconnected and Freddy wiggled his ears at Gregory and Bonnie.

“I think it’s gonna take more than a moment, honeybear,” Bonnie said with a skeptical look.

Freddy grinned.  “I can get us all there in no time.”  Freddy got up and plucked Gregory from his seat.  The swiftness made laughter bubble up, and before he knew it, he was on Freddy’s shoulders, clutching his ears for balance.  The bear quickly scooped Bonnie up in his arms, earning a shocked squeak from the bunny.  “Hold on!”  He ran at full speed, climbing the escalators with ease.  Gregory cried out in joy as Freddy barreled into the elevator, skidding to a stop before they could crash.

“Geez!   You trying to get me killed?!” Bonnie yelped, but immediately burst into static laced laughter.  It was too infectious, Freddy and Gregory joining in.

“Do it again!”

Freddy chuckled.  “Patience, Superstar.”  Gregory missed the odd look Bonnie gave them, too focused on the excitement.

The elevator dinged, and Freddy marched out, still carrying the two of them.  Sun was waiting in front of the Daycare entrance, hopping from foot to foot with a stack of board games.

“Oh my, looks like you’re already playing a fun game, there!  Here are your games!  Let me know if you like them.  I haven’t played the bottom two yet!”  Freddy momentarily set Bonnie back on his feet so they could put the games into his chest cavity before sweeping him up again, making the bunny squeak a second time.

“Thanks, Sun!” Gregory called from atop Freddy’s shoulders.

“Yes, thank you very much,” Freddy said with a smile.  Vanessa was approaching, and Sun waved at her enthusiastically.  “We must be off, now!”

Gregory grinned, shaking Freddy’s ears.  “C’mon!  Let’s go!”

Vanessa looked at them with a confused frown.  “What are you—”

Freddy charged past Vanessa and down the stairs, Gregory screaming in glee and Bonnie crackling with laughter as they tore off for Rockstar Row.

The whole ride was a blur, and it felt like no time had passed when they arrived in front of Freddy’s room.  Gregory whooped when Freddy slowed to a stop.  Bonnie’s voice was completely taken over by static, though the way he beamed showed it was still from laughter.  Freddy grinned and walked into his room, stooping so Gregory didn’t hit his head.

He set Bonnie on the couch, and then Gregory felt his big paws around him as he was plucked off the bear’s shoulders and placed down beside Bonnie.  Freddy wiggled his ears.  “That was quite a rush!”

“When can we do it again?!” Gregory asked, vibrating with excitement.

Freddy chuckled.  “Later, Gregory.  I think I knocked the wind out of poor Bonnie.”

“Takes more than that to scare this bunny,” Bonnie smirked, his voice warped with white noise.  Gregory glanced up at Bonnie who had a twitch in his ears and paws alongside his usual shakiness.  Probably battery again.  It was almost the top of the hour.

Freddy opened his chest cavity and set the games on the table.  “Why don’t you choose a game for us to play while Bonnie charges up?”

“Okay!”  Freddy helped Bonnie up and they walked into the back room.  Gregory looked over the games, quickly deciding on Super Fazbear Party.  He began to set up the board when he heard laughter coming from the back room.  It was so weird.  Every couple Gregory knew were constantly at each other’s throats.

Maybe it’s just a robot thing…  He’d thought that about all the love and care he was getting, too, yet Vanessa was nice like the animatronics.  So maybe it wasn’t just a robot thing..?  

Gregory huffed in frustration.  Nothing made sense, anymore.  Yeah, life with his new family was amazing, but it felt like everything he knew was constantly being put on its head.  It was confusing, and sometimes he felt like he knew nothing.

The back door opened, Freddy and Bonnie returning.  “What game did you choose, kiddo?” Bonnie asked with a smile as Freddy helped him sit on the couch.

“Super Fazbear Party,” he replied as Freddy sat down on the floor on the other side of the table.  “I was gonna choose Tumble Tower, but I dunno if your paws are too big for something like that.”

“Might be a great choice if you wanna win every round,” Bonnie joked.

The bear picked up his figurine and looked over it with amusement.  “I believe these are the Toy Animatronic versions,” Freddy hummed, setting his back down at the start.  Gregory handed him the rules and Freddy quickly read them over before they were ready to begin.

They got in a few rounds before Gregory really got the hang of it.  Or.. he thought he’d gotten the hang of it…  “Aw man!  Not another red space!” he groaned, tossing his coins into the pile.

“Geez, you’ve got some horrible luck, kiddo.”

Freddy chuckled.  “It is alright.  I am sure you will get an extra good luck streak to make up for it!”  Gregory couldn’t help but smile.  It kind of felt like that was how his life was going.  A few months ago, everything was awful.  Now he was the luckiest kid in the whole world, with the weirdest family ever.

Gregory glanced up at Bonnie beside him, the newest addition to said family.  Or, maybe not technically the newest addition.  He was there with Freddy and Chica from the beginning.  But for Gregory he was new.  The bunny’s return made everyone happier, too.  Gregory couldn’t wait to get to know him more.

“So,” Bonnie began, seeming to have the same idea, while Freddy rolled his dice.  “How old are you, again?  Six?”

Gregory tried not to take offense.  Bonnie hadn’t meant it in a mean way, and he didn’t have a great memory.  It was just that everyone thought he was younger than he was.  “I’m eight and a half.   Almost nine,” Gregory answered, trying to keep the bite out of his voice.  

He was about to announce that his birthday was a few months away, but kept his mouth shut.  A small part of him worried that if he told them, they’d find his Missing Person page—if he even had one—and send him back.  He knew it was stupid, that his friends would never betray him like that, but his instincts kept him quiet.

“Ooh~, almost nine, huh?  We’ll have to throw a big party for you,” Bonnie beamed.

Freddy wiggled his ears.  “That would be lovely.  Is there anything you would like for a gift, Gregory?”

Gregory grabbed the pizza box they were using for dice rolls and brought it over to Bonnie.  “Not really…  I already have everything I want.”  How could he want anything more?

He glanced up at Freddy, whose smile had grown soft.  “I do too,” he rumbled, gazing at Gregory and Bonnie fondly.  Freddy took a breath, focusing on Gregory.  “Still, if you think of anything, we would be happy to get it for you.  Otherwise we will just have to surprise you!”

“Surprises are the best,” Bonnie said with a snicker before turning back to the game.  The bunny shook the dice, one of them falling between his casingless fingers, and counted up his points.  “Hey Superstar, could you move me five spaces to the left path?”

Gregory nodded, reaching forward for the blue bunny figure.  Freddy’s paw came into view as he went for the same thing, and Gregory stopped, looking at the bear in confusion.  Freddy glanced up, his brows quirked until they rose in realization.  He let out an embarrassed chuckle.

With a frown, Gregory peered over at Bonnie, whose ears were perked and eye round with interest.  “Uh.. what’s going on..?” Gregory asked.

“I—Well…”

Bonnie beamed, leaning forward and wiggling his eyebrows.  “So, we’ve got Mr. Superstar and his little Superstar, eh?”

Anxious laughter escaped Freddy’s voicebox.  “I suppose so…”

Oh.  Bonnie calls Freddy that.   Gregory sat back so Freddy could move Bonnie’s piece.

He felt a nudge at his arm and looked up at Bonnie.  “Sorry for the confusion, Gregory,” Bonnie apologized with a smile.  “Heh, I guess I forgot it’s your nickname, too.”

Gregory shrugged.  “That’s okay.”  In truth, Gregory kind of liked that they shared the nickname.  It made him feel closer to Freddy.

Bonnie scrunched his brows in thought while Freddy took the dice to roll.  “When did that start? ” Bonnie mumbled.

Freddy moved his character.  “What?  The nickname?”

“Yeah…  I can’t remember why I started calling you that.”

Freddy chuckled.  “I believe it started as a joke to fluster me before it turned into a genuine nickname.”

Bonnie grinned.  “Sounds about right.”  

“So why do you call me Superstar?” Gregory asked, looking up at Freddy curiously.

“I.. suppose I missed hearing it, so I started calling guests that.”  Freddy gave Gregory a soft smile.  “Then I met you, and you became my only Superstar.”  Freddy reached out a paw to pet his head lovingly.  Gregory couldn’t stop himself from jumping out of his seat and giving the bear a hug around his neck.

After they eventually separated, Freddy handed off the dice to Gregory, and they continued on with the game.  He rolled an eight and managed to land on a star space.  Gregory gasped at his luck.

“Way to go, Superstar!” Freddy cheered, wiggling his ears with a big grin.

Bonnie joined in with a laugh.  “Nice job, kiddo!”  He received a pat on the back, and Gregory turned to look up at the bunny.  Bonnie threw him a shaky thumbs up and what looked like an attempt to wink.  “I knew your luck would turn around!”  Gregory beamed before grabbing the pizza box and holding it up for Bonnie to roll his dice.

At the end of their game, Freddy still had one star while Bonnie and Gregory had two.  The tie was broken by the amount of coins they had left, and Bonnie won by only six coins.  Definitely a close game.

They ended up playing another round, Gregory winning the second game.

They cleaned up the board and put it away before Freddy approached Bonnie.  “Time to charge,” he reminded, pulling Bonnie up and walking them into the back room.  Gregory followed the two as Bonnie entered the station.

“Heh, sorry I keep interrupting the fun,” Bonnie apologized, flicking his ears and looking down at Gregory through the window.

“That’s okay.  Sometimes I have trouble sitting still for a long time, so the breaks are nice.  Besides, I have to do lots of human stuff to recharge, so I kinda do the same thing,” he replied with a shrug.

Gregory thought Bonnie looked a little relieved.  “Thanks, kiddo.”

Freddy offered a paw for Gregory to take.  “Speaking of which, we should get you some lunch.  What would you like, Superstar?”

Gregory hummed, trying to think of something that Freddy would be able to help him make.  He was still learning how to cook, and his big paws made some tasks more difficult.  Usually Chica or Vanessa made his meals, and occasionally the Daycare Attendant would help, too.

His thoughts were cut short by Bonnie’s Fazwatch going off.  “Hey Bonnie!  You there?  Can ya hear me?”  Gregory grinned at the sound of Monty’s rough voice.

“Huh?”  Bonnie blinked, looking down where the sound was coming from.  His face lit up with realization.  “Oh..!  Yep, loud and clear, Montgomery.”

“We got yer room ready, so hurry up and get down here!”

Chica squawked.  “They don’t have to hurry!  What if they’re doing something fun?”

“Maybe I wanna do somethin’ fun like golfin’.”

“Ooh!” Sun exclaimed.  “Can we do that when we’re done?!”

There was a heavy sigh from Roxy.  “What these clowns are trying to say is we’ve got the room done, so it’s ready whenever you are.”

“Geez, thanks guys,” Bonnie said sheepishly.

Freddy wiggled his ears, leaning close to the window.  “This is excellent timing.  We have just finished a game.”

“Perfect!” Chica squeaked.  “We’ll see you boys in a bit!”  The connection was dropped, and it only took a few minutes for the cylinder to pop open.  Freddy offered an arm for Bonnie as they walked out of the room.  Freddy’s other paw was already held by Gregory.

They went through the rehearsal room and into the back halls, easily spotting the other four waiting outside the second storage door.  Chica scampered up to them, vibrating with excitement.  Her floor bot, Patpat, spun around behind her.  Bonnie chuckled.  “Hey, Cheeky.”

“Bonnie Bun, you’re going to love it!”  She stretched out an arm and glanced between Bonnie and Freddy, as if asking if it was okay for her to guide him.  Bonnie took her offer, and she helped him to the door with Freddy and Gregory following behind.

Gregory peered up at Freddy.  “What do you think it looks like?”

Freddy turned his gaze down and wiggled his ears with a grin.  “I do not know!  I am sure it will be wonderful, though.”

Sun was bouncing from foot to foot when Roxy opened the door for Bonnie and Chica to walk in.  Bonnie let out a shocked gasp, his eye wide as he took in the room.  “How did you—?”

Chica pressed against the bunny’s side, beaming.  “We found them when we were putting away the storage stuff.  Do you like it?”

“Geez, of course I do!”  Bonnie turned and hugged the chicken as tightly as his trembling endoskeleton would allow him to.  She happily exchanged the embrace.

Freddy and Gregory shuffled in, and Gregory couldn’t help the smile spreading across his face.  It looked like a mini greenroom.  On the wall across from the door, some shelving was put up with a mat, blankets, and plushies to mimic his couch.  It was a little higher up than the temporary spot in Gregory’s room so the bunny wouldn’t have so much trouble getting on and off.  In front of it was a little table from the cafe, with a rushed paint job of stars in purple-blue, raspberry red, pink, and yellow.

Above the sleeping shelf was a bright neon sign in purple and pink saying: ‘Glamrock Bonnie’ with a big star behind the letters.  Gregory glanced at Bonnie who seemed overwhelmed with glee.

In the far left corner, they’d squeezed an arcade game between the bed and the wall, with a heavy duty chair sitting in front of it so Bonnie wouldn’t have to stand while he played.  In the left corner closer to the door, they set up his charging station where his vanity might’ve been.  Beside the door was another neon sign on the wall, this one with Bonnie’s head outlined.

On the ceiling, they’d managed to install fluorescent tube lights in the shape of a star to mimic the ones the greenrooms had.  And much like Gregory’s room, they strung fairy lights of all the Glamrocks along the edges of the ceiling.

Between his charging station and the arcade was another shelf for him to store his things on.  There was an old boombox on the top shelf, and miscellaneous items scattered sparingly on the others.

Gregory's attention was pulled back to his friends at the sound of a choked sob coming from Bonnie.  “Y-You guys did all this…”  Roxy and Monty hurried to his side with Chica.  He let out a shaky laugh.  “I-I don’t know what to say!  Th-Thank you just doesn’t cut it..!”  Another laugh, this one weaker.  “Geez, I love you guys,” he blubbered.

Chica immediately wrapped her arms around him, Monty joining in, followed by Roxy.  Gregory felt Freddy’s paw gently squeeze his hand, and the bear looked down at him with a soft smile.

Gregory beamed.  He knew he’d made the right choice in bringing the bunny back to them.  It was the least Gregory could do after everything they’d done for him.

Chapter Text

Bonnie awakened from sleep mode to a knocking sound.  He glanced around in confusion while his programming tried to catch up.  Where am I..?  Wait.. this is my greenroom.  But.. it’s smaller..?

Another soft knock on his door.  “Sweetie?  It’s Chica.  Can I come in?”

Bonnie put a paw to his forehead and scrunched his brows, willing the sleep mode fog away.  “Uh, yeah, c’mon in,” he replied, not fully paying attention.  The door opened and the little white chicken peeked inside before entering, followed by one of the floor bots.

“Hi Bonnie Bun!  How are you?” she chirped, standing at his side while his systems settled.

Bonnie blinked up at her.  “Kinda confused,” he admitted.

Chica sat down beside him.  “That’s okay.  Maybe you just need some time after waking up.”  She clapped her hands.  “So!  Today’s going to be a bit different from other nights.”

“Why..?”

Chica glanced around the room before returning her gaze to him.  “Vanessa doesn’t work today, so the other night guard is here.”  She began fidgeting with her fingers.  “And he doesn’t know about you, so we have to be careful that you don’t get caught.”

That woke Bonnie’s systems right up, static filling his ears.  They’ll scrap me.  I’ll be taken away all over again.  I can’t go back.

Gentle hands reached out and touched his arms.  “Bonnie, it’s okay, sweetie.  We’re not going to let anyone hurt you.  Come back, honey.”  Bonnie used the soft murmuring to ground himself until the static went quiet and he could make sense of his surroundings.  “That’s better,” she cooed, pulling him into a gentle hug that he loosely returned.

“Sorry,” he croaked.

“Don’t apologize!  You’re as bad as Freddy!” Chica scolded.  Her gaze quickly softened.  “Do you want to go on a walk?  The security guard usually stays in the lobby’s security office for another hour, and I know what camera views he can see from there.”

Bonnie’s ears twitched nervously.  Going out?  With some strange security guard hanging around who could get him scrapped?  He’d rather hide away for the rest of the night.

But.. do I really want to spend my second chance at life hiding in fear..?  I’m already hiding all day long, and if my friends say they can keep me safe…

Bonnie took a breath.  “Sure.  Just.. not too far.”

Chica beamed.  “Great!”  She tugged him onto his feet and brought him to his charger.  Once he was ready, they headed out with their arms linked.  Chica checked every corner before guiding him out into the halls, the floor bot at her heels.

“Where’s everyone else?”

“They’re out acting normal so he doesn’t get suspicious.  We figured one of us can hang out with you at a time.  If we’re all missing in his patrols and cameras, he’ll know something’s up!”

“Right.”  Bonnie stumbled a few times when Chica’s eagerness sped up their pace, but she kept him upright and slowed their walk appropriately.

“Oh!” she chirped suddenly.  “One of these nights we should jam together; just like old times!”

“Heh, that’d be fun.”  I don’t know if I could still play the bass anymore, though.  And my dang voicebox might make my singing worse than it already was.

“Monty would totally let you borrow his bass.  Maybe the DJ would want to join in, too!”

“DJ..?  Who’s that?”

Chica blinked in confusion before her face lit up.  “That’s right!   You haven’t met him yet!  He arrived a few months after…”  She trailed off for a moment, looking grim before her peppiness sprang right back up.  “He lives in the Fazcade and he plays the coolest music.  He comes up with it all on his own!  He can’t speak because he doesn’t have a voicebox, but he knows sign language, and he’s super friendly!  Sun and Moon hang out with him all the time.”

Bonnie’s ears perked.  A new animatronic in the Pizzaplex?  A new friend?   “Geez, why haven’t I seen him around yet?  I’d love to meet the guy!”

“Well, he can’t really leave the Fazcade.”  Bonnie gave her a quizzical look, urging her to continue.  She let out a little giggle.  “He’s too big.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm, let me put it this way: his head can’t even fit through a doorway.”

“Geez!”

“Yep!  Super big~!”

An alarmed beep came from Patpat, and Chica froze, her eyes going round.  “What’s wrong?” Bonnie asked.

She sucked in a breath.  “The security guard!  He’s coming this way!” she squeaked. 

“What?!”  Then he heard it.  A door being opened and swinging closed behind them.  Footsteps growing louder.. and closer…

Bonnie’s vision began to stutter with glitches in his panic as Chica grabbed him roughly and pulled him along as quickly as he could move.  His programming struggled to keep up, and at one point he tripped with a yelp.

Chica caught him and broke his fall so he wouldn’t damage his delicate casing and hardware.  She clambered out from under him before quickly drawing him back to his feet.  “Who was that?” the security guard called out, their footsteps speeding up.  Chica whipped her head around to look for an escape before making a beeline for the bathroom door.

“In here!” she hissed, pushing Bonnie inside.  “I’ll distract him!  Stay put!”  She shut the door in his face, and Bonnie was suddenly left alone in the dark.  “H-Hi!” Chica greeted from outside.

“Chica?  Why are you down here..?  And what was all that ruckus?  Were you.. running from me?” the guard asked, suspicion present in his voice.

“I wasn’t running from you!” she insisted.  “I was just.. having a walk with Patpat!  And then I, um, remembered I promised Roxy that I would race with her!  I’m late!”

“You know you’re going the wrong way, right..?  It’s that way.”

“Oh!  Yes, you’re right!  Um, I don’t go down these service tunnels a lot, so it’s very easy to get lost…  Can you show us the way?”

There was a heavy sigh.  “Yeah, sure.  Come on…”  Bonnie heard wheels and two pairs of footsteps—one animatronic and one human—heading off.

Bonnie’s fans whirred, trying to calm his terror.  He’d almost been seen.  And if he got caught, he’d be scrapped.  He couldn’t let that happen.  He didn’t want it to.  I only just got my life and family back.  I can’t lose that again.

He put a paw to his chest and took deep breaths to cool off, keeping his eyes trained on the floor.  Bonnie could still hear them chatting in the hallway, but they were a bit farther off.  He brought his other paw to his forehead and worked his way into the bathroom, the motion sensor lights turning on.  Pacing might soothe his nerves.

He managed to walk a few circuits around the bathroom, one of his paws touching the stalls and sinks to stay steady, until he couldn’t hear them anymore.  Letting out a sigh of relief, he relaxed and looked up from his feet.

His eye widened in shock at the sight that met him.  Right.  Bathrooms have mirrors.

Ears ragged and fractured, the right ear half gone.  Dull casing, highlighted by brightly painted clay to poorly hide cracks.  His neck was missing its casing entirely, revealing the endoskeleton holding his shambled chassis together.  And his face…  The right side of his face above his muzzle was just.. gone.  He could see all the way to the eye connector, deformed to the point where no eye could be put in place.  The endoskeleton surrounding it was also visible, leaving him with a gaping eye socket and a crater of grey and black.

Bonnie brought his shaking paw up to touch his face, gingerly tracing the edge of the worst damage.  Not for the first time did Bonnie wonder what could’ve possibly done this.  His friends gave him vague answers, but he never truly got a solid explanation—at least, not one he remembered.

He leaned closer to the mirror, one of his paws clutching the edge of the sink for stability.  It was terrifying seeing himself like this.  He knew he was missing casing on his face; that his eye was gone and couldn’t be replaced because of the damage.  Even knowing this, he’d never really pictured it, and it was painful to look at.

Bonnie let out a weak breath, tilting his head to either side to get a view of how it looked from different angles.  A wobbly, desperate smile spread across his muzzle at the sight of his star.  At least that’s still here…   He turned his head again so his damage was in full view.

Bonnie jumped when the door opened, gripping the sink with his claws in panic.  Freddy stood in the doorway, staring at him.  He watched the bear’s ears lower, and Freddy slowly approached.  Bonnie let out a huff of air, turning his gaze away.

Freddy’s paw gently covered Bonnie’s right paw as it clutched the sink.  “I am sorry…  I did not mean to startle you.  I should have knocked first.”  He hated that his blind side was facing the bear.  His sickening wounds on full display.

“S’fine,” Bonnie mumbled as Freddy stroked the back of his paw with his thumb.  Bonnie noticed how careful he was of the cracks.

“This is the first time you have looked…”

“..Yeah.”  He wanted so badly to make some sort of joke to lighten the mood; to get the sadness out of Freddy’s voice and make everything seem okay.  But he couldn’t think of anything, and he was too tired.  It was just too much.

There was a long beat of silence, and Bonnie began to wonder if nothing else would be said.

“How do you feel..?” Freddy finally asked.  It wasn’t what Bonnie was expecting to hear.

“I—I’m not really sure,” Bonnie admitted, looking up again, seeing Freddy’s concerned expression in the reflection beside him.  “Heh, don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad I’m back…  That I get a second chance and all, but this is.. a lot.”  Bonnie’s ears drooped.  “I can’t even remember how this happened.   I just woke up one night and suddenly I’m a broken mess.”  He let out a shaky breath.  “Sometimes I even forget I’m like this because the few memories I have left feel like they’re just a couple days old.  But I keep getting told those are from years ago…”

A deep, sorrowful frown etched Freddy’s face, and Bonnie had to look away.  “I am sorry…  I had not thought about what you were going through beyond the physical struggles.  I suppose I have been a bit blinded by getting you back.”  Freddy brought a paw to Bonnie's chin and tilted it so he would meet his eyes.  “For what it is worth, I do not think you are a broken mess.”  Bonnie averted his gaze, brows lowering.

“I dunno how you can look at me like that when I look like this,” he mumbled.

Freddy cupped his left cheek, and Bonnie impulsively leaned into the touch.  “That is simple,” the bear rumbled.  “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes upon, no matter what condition you may be in.”  Freddy pressed his muzzle into Bonnie’s forehead.  “Your scars show that you are strong and brave.”

“Heh, more like I’m weak and got sacked.”

Freddy pulled away, his eyes sad.  “Would you like to know how you got this way..?”  Bonnie blinked in surprise, staring up at Freddy as he waited for the answer.  “You were hurt because you saved Gregory’s life.  He would not be here if it were not for you.  So when I see your scars, I see the bunny—who I love so much —that threw himself into danger for a child he did not even know.”

“I-I did that..?”

Freddy nodded, his ears low.  “You should not have to be injured while the rest of us look as if nothing had happened.  I wish that I could take on the injuries you two are burdened with if it would make you happier.”

Happier..?   Bonnie scrunched his eyebrows.  Aside from.. this mess, I’m happier than any time I can remember.   Sure, it was distressing to look so rough, and frustrating that his chip made everything more difficult.  But he had everything he’d ever hoped for, now.  Freddy was awake, and they were in love.  Bonnie felt like he had an actual family in his friends; they weren’t just a handful of animatronics lumped together.  He didn’t feel a lingering loneliness anymore.  They even adopted a kid who Bonnie already adored.

Though he would likely never again be part of the band, never interact with guests, and have to hide away…  With his broken chip, he would always struggle with everyday things.  And he’d never really look great with his casing in the shape it was.  But after a moment to think, Bonnie thought those were a fair trade for all he was getting in return.

Bonnie took a deep breath, putting on a determined expression.  Freddy’s ears went high as he stared at Bonnie in surprise.  “I’m getting a second chance.  I can’t mope around and waste it just cuz I look like a scrap pile.”  Bonnie glanced back at the mirror, pushing away the urge to cringe.  “I just gotta get used to it…”

Freddy pulled him into a hug and hummed, the sound shaking his endo and making Bonnie melt into the touch.  “I must disagree with the idea that you look like scrap.”  Bonnie peered up at Freddy.  “I personally find you very handsome; cracks and all.”  Freddy slowly lifted a paw to trace the damage around his eye.  His movements were so careful, and he watched Bonnie closely for any signs that he should stop.  “I love you, Bon.”

Bonnie’s ears fell back and he gave the bear a wobbly smile.  “I love you, too.”  He leaned up and bumped their muzzles together.

Freddy’s lower lids rose with his warm grin.  “Let us go hide out somewhere better than a bathroom.  I am sure we can find somewhere the security guard will not think to patrol.”

“Heh, yeah…  Bathrooms aren’t the best place for romantics, huh?”

“If all else fails, we may stay in my room or yours.”

“Ooh~, the two of us alone in your room~?   Can you imagine the headlines if we’d be found?  Freddy Fazbear, caught kissing his thought-to-be-dead bandmate!   It’d be the scandal of the year!”

Freddy chuckled, making Bonnie’s heart soar.  “I think we would be put into the ‘Top Ten Celebrity Couples’ listing after the initial shock wore off,” he joked back, making Bonnie snicker.

“We better make number one!”

“Of course!  There would simply be no competition.”

Bonnie beamed, resting his head against Freddy’s chest, the bear setting his head on top of Bonnie’s as they calmed.  “Thanks, love.”

“For what?”

“Everything, I guess.  I’m glad I’ve got you.”

“Me too.”

Chapter Text

After getting lost in the construction partitions for way longer than he’d admit, Bonnie found the Glamrock Salon.  He stumbled inside, one paw finding balance on anything he passed, while the other clutched the duffle bag hanging from his shoulder.  After a quick charge, he sat down at Roxy’s personal station with a heavy ‘oomph!’ and gave himself a moment to rest.

Once his systems had enough time to cool from the long walk there, Bonnie set the duffle bag on the vanity.  His paws fumbled to grab the zipper, but with a little patience and lots of concentration, he managed to open it.  Bonnie looked through the cans of touchup paint and the assortment of brushes.  After some consideration, he pulled out a medium sized brush, and the pale yellow paint.  It was much easier to find the cream and pink; he shared them with Freddy and Chica, so he didn’t have to worry about running out of them.

Bonnie leaned forward to examine himself in the mirror.  It was a sight he was slowly getting used to—even if he hated it—but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use some improvements.

After a bit of a struggle to open the paint, Bonnie dipped the brush in and leaned close to the mirror.  He frowned at his trembling paw, wishing he could will it to stay still.  He tried holding it with his other paw, or brace it against the vanity, but nothing worked.

Geez, this is gonna be impossible, he thought with a sigh.  He just wanted to repaint his star, maybe the tip of his ear.  He couldn’t fix his whole casing—there just wasn’t enough paint—but he could at least brighten up his markings.

Furrowing his brows in determination, Bonnie carefully dabbed the brush onto his star that lay across his left eye.

Just.. gotta stay.. in the lines…  He kept his strokes short and slow, but even then, it was wobbly and uneven.  Bonnie frowned, not sure how he could manage to go around the edge of his casing that gave way to his eye.

“You’re going to go blind if you keep fucking that up.”  Bonnie froze, eye widening as he shifted his gaze in the mirror to see Roxanne standing in the doorway behind him, paws on her hips.

Bonnie’s ears drooped.  “Hey, Roxy…”

She rolled her eyes and began to approach.  “What made you think this was a good idea?  You shake like a leaf and half your face is just exposed endo that can’t be replaced.”  She scoffed, snatching the brush and paint away from him.  “Don’t tell me you’re catching Monty’s stupidity.”

Bonnie let out an anxious laugh, trying to hide the self pity threatening to wash over him.  “Geez, can’t a guy do some touch ups to look nice for his boyfriend?”

“Yeah, but only if he can do it.”  Bonnie felt the chair begin to lift with the hydraulic pumps. “Why didn’t you ask for some help?”  Just as Bonnie glanced up, his seat was whirled around, making him gasp until it was yanked to an abrupt stop.  Roxy’s face was right in front of his, her paws clutching the arm rests.  “You know that’s why we’re here, right?”

“I thought you were here to perform for kids,” Bonnie smirked.  Roxy rolled her eyes, pulling away and dipping the brush into the paint.

“Smartass,” she muttered, using a claw to tilt his head before beginning to paint over his star.  He tried his best to stay still, watching her yellow eyes as they followed her brushstrokes.  “So,” she began, “is this just for Freddy?  Or do you want this for you?”

“Little of both, I guess,” he huffed with a weak smile.

“Freddy’s going to like you either way.  Just focus on yourself.”

Bonnie narrowed his eye.  “Uh huh…  Is that what you do?  You put on pink nail polish the other day to make yourself happy, and not Chica?”

“Don’t you get started with me, you little shit!  I will fuck up your paint job!” she snapped.

“Okay, okay!”  Bonnie put his paws up in surrender, trying to hold in his laughter.  “We’ll talk about that another time…”

“Yeah, you wish.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, their electronics and faint brushstrokes the only sound filling the space.  

Eventually, Bonnie gave in to his thoughts and decided to say something. “You seem a lot more confident than I remember you.”  Roxy just snorted.  “Heh, maybe you took some of mine when I disappeared.”

Roxy’s brushstrokes stilled, and her eyes trailed down to his.  Bonnie lowered his ears, suddenly wishing he had taken the time to think of a less self deprecating joke.  She stared at him for a moment before returning to her task.  “Trust me, I don’t have it.”

Bonnie gaped.  “What?  But you’re so pretty!  And you’re an amazing friend, and you’re talented, and your fans love you.”

Roxy clenched her jaw, but didn’t stop painting.  “Some fans preferred me as Foxy.  They say he was cooler, and that I’m a cheap knockoff.  I’m only talented because I’m programmed to play music.  All those trophies in my room are lies to make me look better than I am.  And what kind of ‘amazing friend’ lets one of her friends get kidnapped and used for a year and a half?   What about failing to protect her other friends from a horrible monster?  All of them nearly got killed because I couldn’t do my damn job.”

Bonnie stared at her, but she refused to make eye contact.  Frowning, Bonnie reached out and grabbed her free paw.  That made her look.  “That’s how you see yourself..?” he asked quietly.

Her eyebrows furrowed.  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” she muttered, her gaze shifting away.  “Close your eye.  I’m going to paint around the edge of your casing.”

Bonnie did as she said, his ears twitching as he thought.  “I’m sorry I didn’t notice…  For what it’s worth, I think you’re amazing.”  Bonnie paused.  “I, uh…  I’ve been having some issues, too, so I guess you’re not alone,” he admitted softly.  It took a great deal of self control to keep his eye closed as he felt the brush’s delicate strokes.  “I’m so used to tying my self worth to the company’s standard of perfection, and then I wake up and I’m.. well…”  He gestured to himself awkwardly.  “Heh, you know what I mean.”

“Great.  One more insecure animatronic to add to the Pizzaplex,” she snarked before driving them back into silence.  Her painting was slow and methodical; sometimes she had a paw hold his head steadier.  Just as Bonnie was getting used to the quiet, Roxy spoke up, her voice nearly a whisper.  “I’m working on getting better about it…”

Bonnie’s eye opened without thinking, and he was met by a very annoyed look as Roxy swatted at him until he closed it again.  “Sorry,” he couldn’t help but chuckle.  He heard a snort, so he took it as a win.  “So, uh, what do you do to feel better?”

Roxy lifted the brush away, and she tapped his cheek as a sign that he could look.  She carefully grabbed his ear and bent it forward before dipping the brush and beginning work there.  “It’s stupid,” she grumbled.

“Heh, you know I’m never above doing something dumb,” Bonnie said with a smile and earning one in return.

“Oh, I’m well aware.  I still remember when you tried juggling bowling balls.”

“I did what?!” he giggled.

Roxy cackled.  “You don’t remember that one?!  Oh my god, it was a disaster.  One landed right on your head and all your casing got shattered.  Chica couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry, and Freddy was freaking out!”

More staticky laughter bubbled up.  “What was your reaction?”

“Calling you a dumbass and making fun of you,” she said with a mean grin.  Roxanne set the paint and brush down, reaching for a smaller brush and the light pink paint.  “You wouldn't stop making stupid puns about it the whole time.”

“Geez, I wish I could remember that…”

Roxy’s face turned serious.  She seemed to be considering something.  Roxy mimicked the sound of clearing her throat.  “I.. talk to myself.  To feel better.  I just say good things.  I figure if I say something enough it’ll eventually come true; or I’ll at least believe it.”  She began to brush the light pink outline of the markings.

Bonnie drew a paw over his exposed arm subconsciously.  “Does it work..?”

She paused, seeming to consider it.  “Sometimes,” she sighed.  “Other times I’m just painfully aware that I’m lying to myself.”

Bonnie frowned.  “What if we worked on this stuff together..?”

“What are you talking about?”

“We could try to figure out all the different things we can do, and then try them together.  Like, uh, trying to think more positive, or just talking to each other like we are now.  That sorta thing.”  Roxy finished up the lining on his star, moving up to his ear.  “It’s always good to have each other’s backs, right?”

“I guess so…”  She peered down at him.  “But you can’t tell anyone, got it, Bonnie?”

He beamed at the wolf.  “No problem!”

“Not even Freddy.”

“I promise.  Besides, I’ll probably forget by the time I see him again,” he snickered while Roxy rolled her eyes.  “Hey, maybe if we make enough progress, you’ll be confident enough to ask Chica out!”

Her ears immediately pinned back.  “If you don’t shut up, I’m going to drag you out of my salon by your big stupid ears!”  Bonnie laughed at her empty threats, even while she aggressively pointed the brush at his face.

“Oh no~!  You’ll ruin my dashing good looks~!”

Roxy growled at him, grabbing the chair’s armrests and whirling him around.  He immediately got dizzy, and his systems needed a moment to settle.  “Here’s your damn makeover.  What do you think?” she grumbled.

After a few more seconds, his chip caught up, and he was able to see.  Bonnie let out a tiny gasp at the sight of his bright star and ear tip.  He leaned forward for a closer look in the mirror, bringing up a claw to trace his markings before Roxy reminded him the paint was still wet.

The brilliant colors against his dull and dingy casing was a shock, but he felt so much more like himself.  He felt like he had something pretty again.  “Roxanne.. I don’t know what to say…”

He watched her shrug behind him in the mirror.  “No problem.  I haven’t given a decent makeover in a while, so it was fun.”

Bonnie brought a paw to his chest, his smile wobbling.  “Geez, it looks so great,” he breathed, voice shaking.  “Thank you so much, Roxy…”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Roxy wrapped him in a hug from behind his seat.  “Stars are supposed to be bright, anyways.”  She glanced around.  “I know I’ve got some nail polish around here.  Want to paint your claws, too?”  Bonnie nodded wildly, making her laugh.  “I’ll go find the stash.”

She went off into the salon, leaving Bonnie waiting in the chair.  He leaned towards the mirror again with a grin, admiring Roxy’s work.  He couldn’t wait to surprise Freddy with his bright new star.  His tail wiggled as he imagined Freddy beaming at him in glee, Freddy telling him how wonderful he looked, then getting a warm hug and a kiss.

Bonnie sighed, resting his elbows on the vanity and propping his head in his paws.  He was already feeling better.

“Found it!” Roxy called across the salon, returning to his side with the box of nail polish.  She shooed his arms off the vanity and set the box on top before pulling out the colors.  “We still have some of your colors in here.  Otherwise we can just do whatever.”

Bonnie looked over his choices.  “Heh, I think I’ll go with my original raspberry claws.”  He wanted to feel like his old self again, though part of him knew that would never fully happen.

Still, something familiar and comforting was what he needed.  I’ll try something new when I’m ready.

Roxy pulled out the cool red, and took his paw with the casing in her own.  His ears lowered in embarrassment at how much he shook and how much casing was missing.  He only had three claws on this paw…  His other fingers were just naked endo, and his whole left paw was completely bare.  Geez, I totally wasted her time…  Having her get the nail polish with hardly anything to work with.

She didn’t mention it though, and began painting.  “Do you want me to brighten up your freckles with this, too?” Roxy asked without looking up.

“Uh, sure.”  He brought his other paw to his muzzle, peeking up in the mirror at the little pairs of three dots on each side.  He wouldn’t mind seeing them sparkle…  “Do you think Freddy will like it?”

Roxy rolled her eyes.  “He loves everything about you, Bonnie.  The guy will not shut up about you.  And it’s so obvious when he’s talking to you on the job; you can just see that dopey smile on his face.”

Bonnie giggled.  I can’t believe I got with the cutest guy in the world.  Roxy made a gagging sound, drawing Bonnie from his thoughts.  He groaned.  “I said that out loud, didn’t I..?”

“Ugh, yes.”

He snickered.  “Hey, if I can get with someone like Freddy Fazbear, I bet you could get with Chica.”

Roxy glared, pointing the polish brush at him.  “Don’t start that shit.”

“C’mon, if anyone’s gonna understand, it’s me!”  She just growled, so he kept going.  “Do you know how long I pined for Freddy?  I get it.”

Roxy pulled away, her ears low.  “I know how close you and Chica are.  You’ll just tell her.”

“Geez, I like to think I’m a little more considerate than that.  I’m not a total jerk.”  

Roxy crossed her arms and scowled.  “Telling people secrets never ends well.”

Bonnie copied her pose and expression to the best of his ability.  “I’m pretty sure a certain fox’s life got way better after she told her secrets…”

Roxy’s tail bushed out.  “That was different!”

Bonnie sighed.  “Look, you’re helping me with my.. problems.  You even brought me back from the dead!  So if I can lend an ear—and a half—and offer advice, it’s the least I can do.”  Roxy glared at him for a moment.  “Heh, also you two would look adorable together, ” he admitted with a giggle.

“I’m going to smear this stupid polish all over your stupid paws!”  Bonnie laughed louder at her empty threats.  She moved onto the next claw, gripping his paw tighter.  “Now hold still, you little shit.”

Bonnie relaxed as she returned to painting.  “Thanks, Roxanne,” he hummed sincerely.

“Yeah, yeah.  Stop talking so much.”  He smiled and did as she said.  He tried to keep as still as he could, but his shaking made it difficult.  Roxy seemed to manage though.  Once in a while she’d grab a cotton ball with polish remover and gently wipe away a mistake.  Eventually she spoke up.  “Do you think she could like me that way..?” she asked quietly.

Bonnie beamed.  “Sure!  You’re a great gal, Roxy.  Don’t sell yourself short.”

“But what if she doesn’t?   What if I ask Chica out and she rejects me?  It’d be so awkward; she’d hate me!   And we’re animatronics.   We don’t exactly have an entire world of people to choose from, and we damn well don’t have much privacy.   I couldn’t separate myself from her, or give myself time to get over it without her constantly being there to remind me of my failure.”

Bonnie’s ears drooped.  “Chica wouldn’t hate you.  I don’t think she ever could.  Even if she doesn’t like you back, she would still love you as her friend, and I’m sure she would give you space.  You know how understanding she is.”

Roxy moved onto the last claw.  “Okay, fine, even if that all goes great, I.. don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life. Romantically, I mean.”

Bonnie frowned, knowing that feeling all too well.  He had shards of memories where he worried Freddy would never accept his sentience, and he’d be left longing for someone who would never want back.  But this was different.  Roxy and Chica were both fully capable and willing to feel and think for themselves.

“Well, you’ll definitely be alone if you never ask.”

Roxy scoffed.  “Yeah, I’m not ready to find out yet.”

“Fair enough,” he sighed.  “Thank you for trusting me,” he tried quietly.

Roxanne snorted, and Bonnie felt the mood lighten.  “Yeah, let’s just hope you didn’t catch Monty’s gossiping along with his stupidity.”  Bonnie snickered.  “Ugh, half the damn staff knows about my crush thanks to that idiot.”  She suddenly pointed a claw aggressively in his face.  “But seriously, don’t tell anyone!”

“I promise!” he squeaked, throwing his paws up in surrender.  “Heh, I’ll probably forget by tomorrow,” he joked.

Roxy gave him a mean grin and a cackle.  “You better. ”

Some time passed in silence, broken by small talk about work.  Bonnie stared down at his left paw.  Bare endoskeleton.  He sighed, wishing he could join his friends back on stage and entertaining guests.  But that was in the past…  So was having a complete chassis.  Freddy deserves better than having to look at me everyday.

Bonnie felt a paw take hold on his jaw, turning his face so she could start on his freckles.  “You know, you don’t look as bad as you think,” Roxanne mumbled, seeming to have caught on to what he was thinking.  Or maybe he’d said it aloud.  “You still look like Bonnie.”

“Heh, some days feel worse than others.”

Roxy huffed.  “God, I know what you mean.  Some days you feel like you can move past it, maybe even like it.  Then the next, you can’t even look at yourself.”

Bonnie watched her closely.  “Back in the Foxy days..?”

She nodded.  “Yeah, every once in a while I still feel it a little.  Sometimes I wish I’d gotten a new endo with everything else, and other days I feel amazing.”  Roxy smirked.  “But before all my new casing…  Those days were rough.  I’m glad I had you three helping me through it.”  She paused, taking his other paw.  “Time to return the favor, I guess.”

A smile pushed its way onto his muzzle.  “Heh, maybe the Pizzaplex should hire a therapist for us.”

Roxy barked out a laugh.  “We all fucking need one!”  She moved the next freckle, carefully painting it over in polish.  “Trust me, Bonnie, you are not the only ‘damaged’ one here.  So don’t think you’re broken or useless or whatever else you tell yourself.”

“Kinda hard not to think that when the company says otherwise…”

Roxy rolled her eyes.  “What is all this bullshit about the company?   Since when do you care to what they think?  You’ve always said they’re heartless idiots that can’t see beyond their piles of money.”  She snorted, bopping him on the nose to lighten the mood.  “Damn, I was making a joke when I said Monty was making you dumber, but if you’re listening to those shallow fucks, then I hit the nail on the head.”

Bonnie giggled.  “You’re so mean to him!”

“Oh, please.  Monty and I became best friends since he woke up.  He may be an absolute idiot, but he’s my idiot, and if anyone else insults him, they’ll wish they’d never entered the Pizzaplex.”

“You used to hate him!”

“I also hated Chica before I opened up.  Shit changes,” she shrugged.

“Yeah.. it sure does…”  I’ve missed so much time with them.  What would’ve happened if I never disappeared?  Would everyone be better off?  Or would nothing have changed?  Would we all be as close as we are now?

Roxy pulled away, her eyes alight with pride.  “Perfect,” she smiled to herself.  Roxy stepped to the side, allowing Bonnie to see himself in the mirror.  “What do you think?”

Bonnie’s ears perked.  His freckles were so shiny!   He looked down at his claws and admired the color on what little that remained.  “This is great, Roxy.  Thank you so much.. again.  Heh.”

She gave him a gentle tap on the arm with her fist.  “We can do this again, sometime.  I’ll see if they’ve got some more of your paint hiding somewhere in storage.  Otherwise I can talk to Vanessa and see if she can find some paint at the store in the same colors.”

Bonnie tried to get out of the chair, but his programming struggled under the pressure.  Roxy noticed and took his arms, helping him up.  As soon as he was on his feet, he immediately crashed into a hug, squeezing tight.  “You’re such a good friend, Roxanne,” he murmured.

She stood frozen in the embrace for a moment before returning it.  He noticed her tail wagging.  “You too, Bonnie.  We’ll get through this shit.  We’ve got each other’s backs.”

“Til the day we get scrapped for real,” he joked as they separated.

“Oh fuck no, I’m fully planning on all of us outliving this damn Pizzaplex.  I’m not letting a company decide when we’re done.  Not again.”

Roxy took his arm and they began to head out of the salon.  “Thanks, Roxy.”

“Yeah, same to you.  Now let’s go join the others for Gregory’s lunch before your boyfriend starts wondering where you are.”

Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “I can’t wait to see the look on Freddy’s face!”

“Gross,” Roxy muttered.  “I’m regretting this already.”  Bonnie didn’t think she was based on the smile she was trying to hide.

Chapter Text

His friends had told Bonnie about the retheming of his bowling alley.  They removed most of his art, and were even planning to give it a new name: “Rock ‘n’ Bowl!”  It made sense.  Bonnie had been gone for a long time, and as far as Fazbear Entertainment and their staff knew, Bonnie was dead.  He couldn’t blame them.

But that didn’t stop his ears from drooping as he went through the memorabilia hall.  Couldn’t they have at least put his favorite bowling ball on display to remember him..?  Instead, they were trying to pretend he never existed, and he couldn’t say it didn’t hurt.

“Do they still hide the Mystery Mix in here?” Roxy asked, popping Bonnie’s bubble of dreary thoughts.  She’d spun around so she could look at them while she walked backwards. 

Monty, who supported Bonnie at his side, grinned.  “Yep!  You thinkin’ of givin’ some to Chica when she comes?”

“If she comes…”

Bonnie frowned.  “Why is everyone so hesitant to bowl..?”

“Same reason Gator Golf is too scary,” Monty huffed.  “Bad shit happened.”

“Bad shit happened all over this stupid Pizzaplex.  If we hid from every place something went wrong, we wouldn’t leave our damn rooms.”

“C’mon Rox, give ‘em a break.  This one was real bad…”  Bonnie felt two pairs of eyes turn to him, but he couldn’t bring himself to meet them.

Bonnie took a breath as they went through the arcade.  “Is this where I.. got broken..?”  He heard Monty’s jaw click shut, and saw Roxy’s paws clench.  “Heh, it’s okay, you can give it to me straight.”

Roxy sagged.  “Yeah, Bonnie,” she answered, her voice almost hoarse.

Bonnie’s ears twitched nervously, though it made everything make more sense.  His friends had looked horrified when he suggested they go bowling.  Gregory immediately tapped out, running off to find Vanessa for the night.  Freddy had told Bonnie that he got wrecked protecting Gregory…  Of course he wouldn’t want to return.

“Heh, kinda ironic I got scrapped in one of my favorite places in the Pizzaplex…”

“What’s yer favorite?”

“Hm?”

“You said one of yer favorites.”

Bonnie laughed anxiously.  “Ehh, I dunno…”

Roxy spun around and stopped them.  “It’s Freddy’s room, isn’t it?”

Bonnie spluttered.  “N-No!  I didn’t say that I—”

Roxy cackled.  “You’re so lovesick.”  She went to Bonnie’s side, opposite of Monty, and took his arm.  The two patiently helped him down the little steps so they could reach the lanes.

“You’re one to talk~,” Bonnie sing-songed, making Monty roar in laughter as they brought him to a chair by the first lane.  Roxy growled at him before stomping off.

“Always bitin’ but she can’t stand it when ya bite back,” Monty jeered, claws on his hips, tail swaying.  Bonnie let out a staticky snicker.

The main lights in the room turned on, making the neon stars just cute decorations instead of fun lighting in the dark.  Music started playing from the speakers in the ceiling.  “Monty!” Roxy called.  “Heads up!”

Something whizzed through the air, making Bonnie squeak in surprise as a heavy, dark green and purple bowling ball thunked into Monty’s open claws.  He tossed it around a few times before putting it on the ball return rack.

Roxy returned, looking disgruntled as she put her own black and red ball in the rack.  “I can’t figure out how to start a damn game in the system,” she muttered.

Bonnie’s ears perked.  “I can do that.”  Roxy shrugged and pulled him up.  She brought him to the staff desk, and Bonnie went to the computer.  The staff in Bonnie Bowl had given him his own staff account so he could open a game whenever he wanted at night.  Though he wondered if it was still valid after all this time…

His paws hovered over the keys, shaking like a leaf.  He had enough trouble with keyboards regularly…  Roxanne seemed to notice.  “Tell me what to do,” she said, nudging him aside so she could use the computer.

Telling her the username and password, Bonnie was thrilled to see he was still in the system, and even more so when he successfully guided her through it to start their game.  And of course, he made sure the gutter guards were up.

Bonnie grinned.  “Heh, can’t believe I remembered everything…  Looks like we’re all set!”

“Not quite…”  Roxy turned to him and nodded to the counter behind him.  Bonnie saw nothing, but when he looked down at the shelving under it…

Bonnie gasped.  “My bowling ball!”  It was set on a small, round base so it wouldn’t fall over, with a plastic plaque that said ‘Glamrock Bonnie’.  He trembled with emotion.

“See?” Roxy said, putting a paw on his shoulder.  “The redesign of the alley may make it look like you’ve been forgotten, but you’re not.  Tons of staff miss the hell out of you, and we still get kids and regulars asking where you are.”  Roxy picked up the ball and handed it off to him.  “Come on, the big idiot’s waiting for us.”

Bonnie smiled down at his bowling ball the entire walk back.  He had been sure it was destroyed, but the employees kept it…  And people asked for him?  Even after all this time?

Roxy helped him sit back down while she and Monty examined the keypad.  “Hey Bonnie, you wanna go first?” Monty asked.

“Uh, I’ll go after you guys, actually.”  Monty shrugged, typing in his name.  Bonnie and Roxy gave each other mischievous smirks when they noticed he’d forgotten the ‘n’.  Roxy pushed Monty aside and filled hers in as ‘Winner” before giving Bonnie the name ‘Dipshit’.

“Don’t start yet!”  Bonnie’s ears perked and he whipped his head around, beaming.  

“Chica!  Freddy!”  The two approached from the arcade—Patpat following—bowling balls in hand.  Bonnie struggled to push himself out of his seat to greet them.  “You came!”

Freddy’s nervous expression turned into a soft smile.  “I am sorry we took so long…  I needed to gather my courage to come back here…”  Chica subtly took Freddy’s bowling ball from him, leaving his paws free.  Freddy went to Bonnie, taking his paws.  They were shaking…  And his poor bear had such a haunted look in his eyes.

“Freddy, if this place brings back bad memories, you don’t have to be here.”  Bonnie brought a paw to Freddy’s cheek.  “It’s okay, honeybear.”

Freddy stared for a moment before shaking his head.  “I want to be here for you.  And perhaps making good memories will change how I see this place, again.”  Bonnie thought he didn’t look so sure, but Freddy forced his expression to shift and his ears to wiggle.  “Besides, we have not bowled in nearly two years!  It will be fun.”  They bumped noses before sitting down, Bonnie leaning against Freddy, who wrapped an arm around his back.

I’ll protect him, Bonnie thought seriously, glaring down the lanes for whatever Freddy feared.

Monty glanced over at Chica.  “Anyone else joinin’ us?”

“Nope, just a Glamrock game!”  Monty threw her a thumbs up before heading towards the lane to start while Roxy filled in ‘Chica’ and ‘Fatbear’ to their player list.

Chica hummed, and Bonnie could immediately tell she was trying to distract Freddy.  “Hey, Bonnie.  Do you remember the first time the three of us bowled?”

Bonnie scrunched his brows.  “Not.. really…”

Freddy seemed to soften as he leaned down towards him, a subtle smirk on his face.  “I threw the ball so hard it dented the floor and bounced a few lanes over.”

Bonnie’s eye widened at the image and he burst into giggles.  He could all too easily imagine a look of pure mortification on the bear’s face.

“Oh no,” Chica interrupted, her feather tail swishing.  “It gets better.”  Both Bonnie and Freddy gave her a look of confusion.  “That was the day we figured out Bonnie loves~ you!”

“What?!” Bonnie shouted, eye round.

“Really?” Freddy breathed in awe, turning his gaze back to Bonnie.

Chica snickered. “Mhm~!  He just kept staring at you, and then he was all touchy.”  Roxanne cackled as Bonnie buried his face in his paws, ears flopping to hide more of himself.  “And, you know, he’d been like that for a while, but this was ridiculous!  So I totally called out his weird attitude, and then we figured out he was in love~!”

Bonnie groaned, too busy trying to hide from the world to notice Monty had returned.  “What’s goin’ on with cottontail?” the gator huffed.

“This guy’s been in love with Freddy since before I was here!” Roxy snickered.  Chica shooed the wolf off to play her turn.

I can’t believe I don’t remember that..!  It’s such an important memory, and it’s just gone…  And now Freddy’s gonna think I’m a massive creep!

“Oh sweetie, I didn’t mean to embarrass you…  I was just trying to lighten the mood!” Chica apologized.

Bonnie felt Freddy turn towards him and wrap his arms around him impossibly close.  Then Freddy’s muzzle pressed into the top of his head, and his hug tightened.  “Oh, Bon…  I love you so much.”  Bonnie just grumbled, still too humiliated.  It made Freddy laugh, and Bonnie felt it in his core.  “If it makes you feel better, I am very sure I had feelings for you, as well…  I know for a fact that I was quite flustered the rest of the week!”

Bonnie couldn’t help the little chuckle.  “Geez, I thought bowling would be fun, not psychological torture.”  He chanced a look up at Freddy, relieved when he saw nothing but pure adoration in the bear’s face.

Roxy came back and rolled her eyes.  “You’re up, ‘Dipshit’.”  She pulled him up and gave him his ball before sitting between Chica and Monty.  He heard a clang and a snicker, followed by: “Ow!  Monty what the fuck?!”

Bonnie approached the lane, his steps unsteady, but the excitement zipping through his circuits helped him ignore it.  He got up to the line, beaming.  This was his favorite game in the world!  It didn’t matter that it was a pre-programmed enjoyment.  He liked to think his programming was just a stepping stone for his passion for the game.

He stared down the lane, ready to examine every detail and for his code to run through the equations.

But.. he didn’t.

He couldn’t.

It.. was like looking at anything else.  His programming wouldn’t activate properly.  Suddenly, he didn’t have any idea where to start.  He felt lost and useless…  

What was the point of an animatronic that couldn’t fulfill its purpose?  This was why the company thought he was better off dead.  Why would they keep an animatronic made to bowl that couldn’t bowl?  Or an animatronic made to play the bass that just couldn’t play the bass anymore?  An animatronic made to entertain children who couldn’t keep up?

This was where he had been destroyed.  Where he’d failed.  So why would he ever think coming back would be a good idea?  It was just further proof that the company had been right…

Bonnie stared down the lane at the pins.  I can’t do this.

Just as he began to lower his arms, ready to drop the ball, he felt a paw gently catch his own.  Another landed softly on his left shoulder.  Bonnie’s breath caught in his throat.  The paw led him into careful swings with the ball, up and down, back and forth.

Bonnie’s eye went round, and he slowly tilted his head to look up at Freddy’s soft smile that deepened when their eyes met.  Bonnie stared, lost for words as the bear helped him practice the swings.

“Does this bring back any memories?” he asked with a warm rumble.  It did.  They’d done this before.  Bonnie took a breath, but couldn’t find any words.  He just nodded numbly.  Freddy’s eyes brimmed with joy.  “You did this with me when I was too nervous to throw.”  He chuckled quietly.  “It was after I dented the floor with my first one…”

Bonnie looked back down the lane.  But I’m broken.

There was a beat of silence, and the swinging stopped, the ball held close to Bonnie’s chest.  He didn’t realize he’d said his thought aloud.

“You are my Bonnie, not broken.  Yes, some things may be more difficult, now.  But think of everything that you do.  You love your friends—your family.  You spend your days enjoying life.  You feel, you think, you love, you care.  You help and heal.  You fight against the people who tossed you aside by living, and you make those around you happier for it.”  Bonnie felt Freddy’s muzzle press to the side of his head.  “Something broken does not get up and keep going.  But that is exactly what you do.”  Freddy hummed.  “You always said that we are so much more than our programming…  This is no different.”

Bonnie took a breath and chanced a glance up at Freddy.  “Yeah, well.. sometimes it’s hard to follow your own advice.”

“I know.”  Freddy planted another kiss to his forehead before wiggling his ears.  “But look at it this way.  You will get to spend time relearning your favorite game!  And this time it will be all talent and skill; no programming.  You used to complain that it felt like cheating, sometimes.  Perhaps this is a good thing.”

Bonnie looked down at his bowling ball.  “Will you.. help me figure it out again..?” he asked tentatively, watching Freddy closely.

“Of course, Bon,” he murmured, bumping their noses together.  “Whenever you’d like.”

Bonnie shifted his paws, Freddy immediately catching on.  The bear guided him into a swing.  One.   Bonnie took a breath, feeling warm and safe against Freddy’s chest.  Two.  He could do this.  With Freddy by his side, Bonnie could do anything.  Three.

They swung forward one last time, Bonnie letting go of the ball.  It rolled across the lane, hooking with the oil patterns, bouncing off the bumpers.  Freddy hugged him closer from behind, taking one of his paws and squeezing as they watched it hit the pins.

They took out a little less than half the pins.  Bonnie let out a breathy laugh of relief.  It wasn’t that bad.  And when it came down to it, it was just a game…  What really mattered was enjoying his time with the ones he loved.  Having fun instead of putting himself down.  Sure, it was scary losing all that special programming, but he couldn’t let that stop him.

He heard his friends cheer behind him, and Freddy spun him around to kiss him, his smile bright.  Chica ran up with his ball from the return, handing it off with a grin.

“Get a birdie, bunny! ” Monty shouted.

“This isn’t golf you idiot!” Roxy scoffed.

The pins were set, and Freddy brought them back into position.  “Do you still want my help?” the bear asked.

Bonnie grinned.  “Mhm~!  It’s more fun with you here, anyways,” he replied with a wink, though he realized it might’ve looked ridiculous with only one eye…  Freddy didn’t seem to think so, beaming brighter than ever down at the bunny.

They went through the practice swings again, Bonnie leaning into the movement.  Freddy lowered the paw on his shoulder down to his waist.  They swung with the song playing from the speakers above them.  It almost felt like dancing.  All of Bonnie’s doubt and regret washed away.  Bonnie let the ball go, content even when he only knocked down three more pins.

His friends cheered as he and Freddy returned to their seats.  Chica scampered up to the lane with her ball, deciding to squat down low to roll the ball with both her hands.

Freddy went up after her, attempting his turn with his eyes closed.

Then Monty went, taking out a golf club from nowhere and somehow managing a strike!   Bonnie couldn’t believe his eyes as he laughed.

Roxy took her shots backwards, and then it returned to Bonnie’s turn.

Throughout their game, his friends joined him for fun shots and shenanigans.

He and Chica stood on opposite sides of the lane, swinging the ball in between them and letting it fly.  Monty let Bonnie use his long tail as a ramp for his bowling ball, and Roxy helped Bonnie get his ball to spin unpredictably all the way down.

Bonnie knew he had lots of holes in his memories, but he was sure that this was the most fun he’d ever had bowling.  At the end of their game, nobody even bothered comparing scores.  Not even Roxanne who was chronically competitive.  It just didn’t matter.

They played a few more games before six o'clock started drawing near.  Then they cleaned up the area before heading out.

Freddy walked at Bonnie’s side.  “Hey, love,” Bonnie began.  Freddy hummed in response.  “Are you okay?  I know the bowling alley is difficult for you to be around…”

Freddy smiled, giving his paw a squeeze.  “I think this helped me feel a bit better about it, especially with you here and in one piece.” he rumbled.  

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Freddy chuckled softly, pecking a kiss to his cheek.  “Are you feeling any better?”

Bonnie nodded.  “Yeah, I am.  I still have a lot to get used to, but as long as I’ve got you, I’ll be okay.”

Freddy’s affectionate grin reached his eyes.  “We will be alright as long as we have each other.”

Chapter Text

Bonnie watched Roxy and Monty swing Gregory between the two of them as they walked, the boy giggling and begging them to swing him higher.  Freddy chuckled at Bonnie’s side.

Sun stepped into Bonnie’s view.  “I told the DJ this morning that you’d be coming over to meet him!  Oh, he’s so excited to get a new friend!”

Bonnie grinned.  “Me too.”

Chica bounced along at Bonnie’s other side.  “Don’t forget, he speaks using sign language!  Do you still know it?”

Bonnie hummed.  “Heh, honestly, I’m not sure…”

Sun spun so they could walk backwards while facing Bonnie.  They brought their long, thin hands up, and began to sign.  ‘Hi, bunny!  Can you understand me?’

Bonnie’s ears perked.  “Oh, yeah I got that!”

Sun clapped excitedly.  “Wonderful!  This will make your meeting much easier!  Not that it would be bad if you’d lost your sign language programming…  Moon and I have been teaching Gregory, so it would be no trouble at all to help you, too!”

“Heh, thanks Sun.”

They reached the elevator, and split into groups.  Monty and Gregory waved goodbye before heading off to hang out with Vanessa.  Chica told Patpat to join them; the Fazcade had too many stairs.  Those left split into twos to ride the elevator up.  It was just too small for everyone to fit comfortably.  Freddy, Bonnie, and Sun went in first—leaving Chica and Roxy to follow—riding up to the Fazcade.

“The DJ is a very large animatronic, so do not be alarmed,” Freddy reminded him gently.  “I promise you, he is a very nice fellow.”  Bonnie nodded as the elevator dinged and opened.

He blinked, trying to get his eyes used to the fancy lighting in the room that was admittedly hard on his eyesight.  Sun switched out for Moon.

They waited by the statue for the girls to ride up.  When they arrived, Moon led the way over to the dance floor.

“DJ, we’re here with Bonnie,” Moon called.

Alarm zipped through his circuits when he thought a horrible glitch was wracking his endo until he realized it was the ground quaking.  Freddy wrapped an arm around his back, the other holding his paw, to ensure he didn’t lose his balance.

He noticed Chica anxiously cling to Roxy’s side, the wolf mumbling gently to her.  Before Bonnie could even begin to wonder what they were talking about, a giant face suddenly loomed out of the hole beside the dancefloor.

Bonnie gasped in shock, and couldn’t help the step back he took.  Freddy gave his paw a reassuring squeeze.  “Hello, DJ!” Freddy called as the rest of him came into view.  He looked almost like a giant spider.

The DJ’s permanent piano smile seemed to broaden.  ‘It’s good to see you all!’ he signed with a musical hum.

Geez, he’s huge!  Bonnie took a few steps forward, pushing down his worries with Freddy at his side.  “Er, hi there!  I’m Bonnie.”

The DJ lowered his head to get a closer look.  ‘Nice to finally meet you.’  Bonnie noticed he was signing slowly, making sure he could follow along.  He appreciated it greatly.  ‘I’m glad you’ve returned so I could finally meet our legendary bowling bunny.’

Bonnie let out a crackly snicker.  “I wouldn’t go that far…”  Not so much anymore.  And if that were true, the company wouldn’t have trashed me.   “But geez, we finally get a DJ in the ‘plex and you’re huge!   I-In a good way…  Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so rude, heh.”

A chorus of instrumental sounds echoed from the DJ, resembling a laugh.  ‘No worries.  My size makes DJing for such a big room easier, and I can keep an eye on guests.’

Bonnie frowned.  “Does it get lonely here?”

The DJ shrugged.  ‘I enjoy my alone time after guests leave, and I always have my closest friends Sun and Moon visiting me, along with the Glamrocks.’  He paused.  ‘My battery is very large and slow to charge, so I spend most of the night sleeping, anyways.’

“Heh, that makes sense.  I sleep most of the day so I don’t have to worry about being alone or my battery running out.”

The DJ nodded.  ‘It’s a good thing we have an overlap of time to chat.  I’d like to get to know you better.’

Freddy jumped in.  “DJ, you should tell Bon about your music!”

The DJ nodded, but Roxanne spoke up before he could sign.  “Yeah, you got any mushy romance songs?  He loves that shit.”

Bonnie’s ears stuck out to the sides.  “Roxanne..!”  She just cackled in response.

“I like love songs, too.  They’re so sweet!” Chica chimed.

‘My music doesn’t have lyrics, but I would be happy to replicate common patterns found in the romance-genre.’

“Please don’t,” Bonnie squeaked, earning a soft chuckle from Freddy.

“You should surprise us with one of your on-the-spot songs,” Moon suggested.

The DJ gave himself a moment to think before turning to his mixer.  He started up a song with ease.  It was catchy, with a perfect mix of sounds that worked surprisingly well together.  It couldn’t just be programming.  Music like this couldn’t be automatically generated; this was art.

The DJ finished up the song, throwing on a pleasant background sound while he turned his attention back to the other animatronics.

‘Did you enjoy, bunny?’

“Heck yeah I did!  That was crazy!”

Moon twirled their head.  “He always comes up with something new.  We like to play musical games when we come to visit.”

Bonnie snickered.  “I used to do karaoke here a lot.”

“Always those sad, sappy love songs,” Roxy snorted, rolling her eyes.

Embarrassment flooded Bonnie’s systems.  He didn’t want Freddy to know that.  Romance songs were one thing, but sad ones?  Freddy already had enough guilt over not waking up until Bonnie was gone.  He didn’t need the bear to know how dejected it had made him feel; all that time pining and wishing for something more…

Freddy’s ears lowered, and he held Bonnie a little tighter.  Bonnie leaned closer, bumping one of his ears into Freddy’s.  He looked down at him, regret etched into his face.

Bonnie gave him a tiny smile.  “Cheer up, sweetheart,” he whispered.  “We’re together now.  That’s all that matters.”

The Daycare Attendant switched to Sun, using the lights of the dance floor to bring them out.  “I know what we should do!” they exclaimed, bouncing from foot to foot.  “Let’s play some arcade games!  It will be so much fun!”

Roxy interlocked her fingers and stretched her arms out in front of her.  “I could always beat my old score in Midnight Motorist.  I’m in.”

‘There’s a new rhythm game I think you’ll like, Sun.’

“Oooh, I can’t wait to play it!  Bonnie, would you like to join us?”

Bonnie grinned.  “Sure!”  Chica and Freddy joined Roxy at Midnight Motorist while Bonnie chose to hang out with the Daycare Attendant and the DJ.  Freddy pecked a kiss on his cheek before they left.

Sun cartwheeled towards the rhythm game—which was luckily on the first floor—and the DJ went into his tunnel.  Bonnie made his way slowly to the game, wishing he had a paw to hold and help him along.  When he reached the game, Sun and the DJ had set it up, waiting for him to arrive.

“Here are your drumsticks!” Sun said, shoving them into his paws rather impatiently.  “Let’s get started!”

The DJ bobbed his head along with the song.  Bonnie watched the cues on screen, and listened intently, but found himself lost and frustrated, dropping the drumsticks at the most inconvenient times.

He was a bass player, rhythm was his whole thing!   But he couldn’t keep up, and he fumbled awkwardly through the whole song.  He’d totally lost it…  The game and his skill.  Bonnie lowered his ears in shame.

Sun whooped in victory while the DJ leaned down.  ‘Does your music programming need recalibrating?’

Bonnie sighed.  “It’s probably just another broken thing,” he muttered.

The DJ made a strange sound that could be taken as a hum.  ‘You’ve been gone for nearly two years…  Maybe you need a refresher.  Sun, please put it on the beginner level.’

“You don’t have to do that—”

‘It’s no trouble.  I’ll give you extra cues for when to strike.’

This is stupid, Bonnie thought ruefully, but he played along.  He followed the DJ’s cues, slowly catching on.  Eventually they managed to go up one level with Sun cheering him on while they played together.

At some point, Bonnie forgot about his frustration, getting lost in the fun, his tail wiggling with the songs.  He wanted to sing along, but he didn’t know the lyrics.

Bonnie’s scores began to drop again as the hour neared.  “Friend Bonnie, we need to recharge you!  You’re getting all sleepy on us!”

Moon’s voice snickered from Bonnie’s Fazwatch.  “We best hurry before he’s forced to have nap time,” they joked.

‘I can bring you to the recharge station,’ the DJ offered.  Bonnie nodded, truthfully too out of it to understand what that entailed until he was gently scooped up into the DJ’s massive hands.  Sun sat down beside Bonnie on the DJ’s palm as the spider animatronic slowly carried them into his tunnels.

Moon fronted in the dark passages.  Bonnie couldn’t see five feet in front of him, but somehow the DJ knew exactly where he was going.  They ended up near the back of the second floor where a charging station was set up in a corner.  Moon jumped down and helped Bonnie get off the DJ’s hand and into the cylinder.

A spark, and the fog lifted.  “Heh, thanks guys.  Geez, I always forget about my dang battery.”

Moon waved him off.  “We don’t mind.”

The DJ shrugged. ‘I’ll have to charge myself for the rest of the night in another hour.  Don’t worry about it.’

Bonnie fidgeted with his paws.  “Thanks for helping me out with the game.”

‘It’s fun.  And you just need to get back into a groove with music, again.  You’re welcome in the Fazcade whenever you’d like to practice, and as long as I’m awake, I’ll join you,’ the DJ offered, looking pleased.

“Sun and I would also enjoy playing, too.  Just give us a call on your Fazwatch.”  Moon’s head spun in excitement.

“Geez, I’d really appreciate that…  Thanks you three.”

The cylinder dinged, opening for Bonnie to leave.

‘I think we can fit in several more games before I have to retire for the night.  Are you up for it?’

Bonnie nodded.  “Heh, yep!  Let’s keep pushing it!”

Chapter Text

Bonnie couldn’t help the wiggle in his tail as Freddy walked him through the atrium towards Gator Golf.  A while ago, Bonnie had promised Monty they would start playing golf again, and he was finally going to fulfill it.  His mobility was getting a little better, though he still needed help for long walks, and something to stabilize himself on when he was alone.  But he felt confident enough that he could manage some minigolf, now.

“Are you sure this is a good idea..?” Freddy fretted.

Bonnie quirked a brow at him.  Freddy didn’t usually question his capabilities like this.  Sometimes the bear would remind him of his state so he could reevaluate, or offer assistance where it was needed, but he wasn’t usually this doubtful.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Bonnie asked with a frown, his ears twitching irritably.  “I’m not that useless.”

Freddy’s eyes went round.  “That is not what I meant!”  His ears lowered with guilt and he brought them to a halt.  “I am sorry…  I did not mean for it to come across that way.”

Bonnie glanced away.  “Then what do you mean?”  He was met by silence.  He waited for Freddy to answer, but none came.  “Freddy.”

The bear let out a heavy sigh.  “Bad things have happened in there,” he mumbled.  “I just.. do not want to lose you, again.”

Bonnie stared up at Freddy before bringing his paws to his cheeks.  “Aw, sweetheart…  I’ll be okay.  The danger’s gone, right?  You’ve got nothing to worry about, love.”  Freddy still looked unsure.  “Hey, Monty’s gonna be there.  If anything happens, we’ll have each other.  Okay?”

“I could join you…”

“No way.  You told Sun and Moon that you’d hang with them.”  Bonnie threw him a teasing grin.  “You’re getting a little clingy, Fazbear.”

Freddy finally let out a quiet chuckle as they entered the elevator to Gator Golf.  “For good reason,” he replied, pushing his muzzle into Bonnie’s forehead.  “Just promise you will stay safe.”

“Yeah yeah, pinky promise.”  Bonnie leaned up and pressed their noses together with a honk.  “I’ll give you a call when I take a charging break.”

The elevator dinged and the door opened.  Freddy stared at the dark golf course anxiously.  “I should at least escort you to Monty…”

Bonnie gave him an exasperated look.  “Freddy.”  But seeing him…  Geez, he really is scared.  What happened in here?   Bonnie gingerly took Freddy’s paws.  If it makes him feel better…   “Okay, love,” he agreed softly.

They entered Gator Golf, Freddy holding his arm tight, eyes shifting as if he were looking for some hidden enemy.  Bonnie lowered his ears, wishing he’d been gentler with Freddy about his fears.  Sometimes he forgot his friends also had issues under their shiny casings and fluid movements.  I need to get better about supporting them, too.

“Montgomery..?” Freddy called warily as they walked the course in search of their friend.

“Monty?  Where are ya?”

There was a grunt, followed by a heavy boom from behind them, making the ground shake.  Freddy immediately whipped around, shoving himself between Bonnie and the sound, ears pinned back and growling.

Bonnie watched Monty emerge from the shadows, looking confused.  Freddy’s aggression instantly dropped.  “M-Monty!  I am sorry, I did not know it was you…”  Embarrassment flooded Freddy’s face, and Bonnie gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder for reassurance.

“What’re you two doin’ here?” Monty asked, scratching his head.

Bonnie took a step forward and put on a smile to lighten the mood.  “I promised we’d play golf!”  He smirked, drawing a paw close to his muzzle.  “I kinda forgot if we ever set a date, so I figured I’d just come by while I still remember the promise…”

Freddy slowly peeled himself away from Bonnie.  “I should be off…  Call me if you need anything, Bon.”

“I will.  Thanks, Superstar.”  Freddy waved with a wobbly smile and headed back to the exit.

Bonnie turned his gaze back to the alligator in front of him.  He.. didn’t look very excited.  “Oh, geez, is this a bad time?  I can come back another night.”

“No, it’s fine,” Monty muttered.  “I was just thinkin’ ‘bout stuff before you came.”  He began to walk back down the path towards the first hole.  Bonnie’s ears twitched as he sluggishly followed behind.  He used the railings, walls, and decorations to help him, but he was still falling far behind the gator’s long strides.

Bonnie panted to keep his systems cool from the strain.  “Monty, can ya slow down a little..?” he puffed.

Monty halted and spun around.  “Shit, sorry Bonnie.”  He hurried back to Bonnie’s side, offering an arm for him to take.  “Wasn’t thinkin’.”

They made it to the first hole, and Monty brought out some golf balls and clubs.  He searched through his golf bag, looking disgruntled until his eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for.  Monty pulled out a pink club, handing it to Bonnie with an almost hopeful look.

“Thanks!” Bonnie said with a grin, leaning on it slightly.  Monty deflated, his shoulders sagging, tail hitting the floor.  A gloomy frown came with.  Bonnie’s ears stuck out in surprise.  “Did I do something wrong..?”

“Nah…”  Monty sighed, seeming to be debating whether to say anything more.  “Just.. kinda hoped you’d recognize yer old club…”

Bonnie’s ears drooped as he stared down at it.  Please.. just remember something.   But he drew a complete blank.  If someone asked if he’d ever seen it before, he’d probably say ‘never’.  “I…  I’m sorry Monty.”

Monty shrugged.  “Doesn’t matter.  It’s just a golf club.”  A smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth.  “The first—and only —time you gotta hole in one, ya threw it in the air and it got stuck in the catwalks…”

Bonnie let out a staticky chuckle.  “Cross your fingers I don’t do that again!”  Monty snorted.  Bonnie took a moment before speaking up again.  “Even though I don’t remember it.. thanks for keeping it safe for me.”

Monty’s smile dropped.  “One thing of yours I didn’t break…”  Bonnie opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but was cut off before he could make a sound.  “You need help puttin’?”

Bonnie snickered.  “Heh, I hope not.”  He shuffled up to the ball, Monty watching him closely.  Bonnie grit his teeth as he shifted into position.  His programming struggled a bit when he tilted his torso forward.  He already had problems staying balanced just standing regularly.

“Hold on, yer stance is all wrong.”  Monty told him what to do and mirrored it so Bonnie could see.  When he finally got it right, Monty leaned back on his tail and golf club to watch.

Bonnie let out a huff before putting the ball.  It didn’t go very far, but it was something.   Over the past few weeks, Bonnie tried his best to count every little success.  It was something Chica suggested to help him stay positive.

Without a word, Monty put his ball down and did a fancy trick shot, getting it right into the hole.

“Hey, nice shot!”

“Thanks,” Monty grumbled.  Bonnie’s ears drooped at the curt reply.  He tried to ignore the way his wires twisted as he went up to his ball to take another shot.  It took him six more putts to get it into the hole so they could move onto the second.

Again, Monty made a perfect shot.  He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and looking irritated as Bonnie reluctantly took his turn.  “Hey, uh, Monty…”  A grunt.  “If I’m bothering you, you can tell me.”  Bonnie pushed on a fake smile.  “Heh, I’ve been told I can be a little annoying.  I won’t be offended if that’s what you think…”  Bonnie knew it was a possibility.  Monty was.. basically a different animatronic than the one he remembered.  The guy who never cared about anything was now full of thoughts, emotions, and opinions.  One of them could easily be that he just didn’t like Bonnie.  Or maybe he saw him as a broken nuisance that was just wasting his time…

Bonnie chanced a look up at Monty, and stiffened when he saw clenched fists, a furious scowl with sharp teeth bared, and fiery eyes glaring at the floor.  Bonnie quivered, wishing he hadn’t said anything.  His golf club slipped out of his paws, and landed with a heavy thump, making Bonnie squeak.  Monty’s head snapped up to stare at Bonnie.

All his programming screamed at him to run, but he kept his feet planted as firmly as he could.  He’s not gonna hurt me.  He’s my friend, even if he doesn’t really like me…  He won’t hurt me.  Right?

Monty’s rage melted into guilt.  “Shit…   Bonnie, you don’t annoy me…  Fuck.  You were my best friend!”  Monty ran his claws through his mohawk and looked away.  “I didn’t know it until you were gone, but you were.”  The gator shut his eyes tight, his glasses slipping down his snout.  “And then I took your fuckin’ place and became a total fuck up!”

Bonnie gaped, and he reached out a paw.  “Monty…  You’re not a screw up…  And you aren’t a replacement.  You were just taking your rightful spot in the band.  You always deserved to join us on stage, and they needed you—”

“You don’t get it!” he snapped with a roar.

Bonnie flinched back.  He tried to steady his breath, focusing on his paws as he calmed his nerves.  “Then please help me understand,” he begged quietly.

Monty let out a growl, going back to crossing his arms.  It was all so unfamiliar.  “When you went missin’,” he began, trying to keep his voice level and anger under control, “I got new claws and new programmin’ so I could play the bass within one fuckin’ week of your disappearance.  They threw me on the stage as soon as they could, with your bass, your claws, your programmin’.  And right on stage—in front of everyone —I lost my shit; I woke up.”

Bonnie’s eye widened.  “Monty, I—”

“I destroyed your bass!   I freaked out because I was fuckin’ pissed that you were gone and that I had to take your place!”  He was shaking.  “Wakin’ up was supposed to be somethin’ great and freein’ like you said every night we golfed, but I fucked that up and became a shitshow!   Everyone was terrified of me!   The damn company even tried to wipe my memory cuz I became the Pizzaplex’s resident monster.”  He let out a bitter laugh.  “It didn’t even fuckin’ work.  If anythin’ it made me worse!   Look at you!   You’re scared of me right now!”

“No, I—”

“Y’know, some of the staff thought I killed you…   Some of ‘em still do.   It took two fuckin’ months for me to get anyone to know I wasn’t gonna hurt ‘em, and that was only cuz I got broken by the stupid fuckin’ Splash Bucket and the other animatronics felt bad!   Two months alone and tryin’ to figure out what the fuck was wrong with me!” Monty seethed, his fiery eyes staring into nothingness.

Bonnie took a staggering step towards him, grabbing hold of a wooden railing to help him.  “Montgomery—”

“And now look at me!   You’ve got your own problems, and I’m rantin’ to you about mine and just puttin’ more on your shoulders!   I’m a fuckin’ asshole!”  Monty let out a guttural growl that turned into a roar, whipping around and slamming his fist into the wall.  He threw another hit, then another.

Bonnie approached slowly as the gator took out his rage on the wall.  It was a terrifying sight, but Bonnie forced down his fears.  Monty won’t hurt me.  He’s the one hurting…   The gator turned to the decorative partitioning for the course, scoring his claws across the wood, sending splinters flying everywhere.

Bonnie reached out a paw and gently placed it on Monty’s shoulder pad.  The tallest animatronic whirled around, claws flexed and ready to strike, eyes wild, jaws open with heavy breaths.  His eyes went round at the sight of Bonnie.

“Fuck!   I could’ve killed you!   What are you—?!”

Bonnie wrapped his arms around Monty, resting his head against his yellow chest.  “I’m so sorry, Montgomery,” he whimpered.  The gator stiffened at the embrace.  “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.  I’m sorry for going missing, and that you felt like a replacement.   I’m sorry for making you think that waking up was some huge important milestone.  You didn’t mess up.  You’re a good person, Monty.  I’m so, so sorry they blamed you and left you alone.  You didn’t deserve any of this…”

Monty slumped into the hug, returning it hesitantly.  It took a few minutes for him to calm down enough to talk.  “I don’t blame you,” he finally mumbled.  “Wasn’t your fault all this shit happened.”

Bonnie’s ears drooped low behind him.  “For the record, I like you a lot, even if I don’t know you too well, anymore.”  He smirked.  “You were kind of a jerk back then.”

Monty growled.  “I didn’t destroy shit and have tantrums.”

“Sure, but you didn’t care about anyone.  Heh, definitely coldblooded.”

Monty's chest rose as he let out a tired huff of amusement.  “Still makin’ stupid jokes?” he mumbled.

The bunny snickered.  “Oh, always.”  Bonnie pulled away so he could look up at his friend, though he kept a grip on his forearms for stability.  He was glad that Monty made no remark.  “If it means anything, I’m really eager to get to know you, again,” Bonnie admitted sincerely.  A weak smile tugged at the gator’s snout.  “Are you still up for continuing our game..?”

Monty gave him a wobbly grin.  “Yeah, bunny…”  He resettled his sunglasses and ran his claws through his mohawk.  “Sorry ‘bout bein’ such an ass, earlier…”

“Don’t worry about it.”  Bonnie beamed up at him.  “But you’ll have to forgive my horrible golfing skills.”  He let out a staticky giggle.  “Was I always this bad, or is my stupid chip making me worse?”

Monty snorted.  “You were always kinda shit, but yeah, yer definitely worse.”  More white noise came from his mouth, and he heard Monty join him in barking out a laugh.  “C’mon, let’s try to get that shitty score down!”  Monty pulled him back to the second hole.  The gator squinted, his tail swaying as he examined the path.

Bonnie watched him with a quirked brow.  “Whatcha looking for, big guy?”

“Tryin’ to line up your shot,” he answered.  Bonnie went up to his ball and tried to mimic the stance Monty had shown him earlier, but it definitely wasn’t perfect.  Monty seemed to notice his struggle, and went over to help him find a more comfortable pose so he wouldn’t have to trade his balance for the game.

Monty went behind the ball and got on his stomach to see where it could go.  “Heh, you really take this seriously,” Bonnie snickered.

“It’s your first game since gettin’ back.  You deserve some kinda good score under your belt,” Monty joked.  He grinned up at Bonnie before getting back to his feet, suddenly towering over the bunny once again.  He stomped over to the edge of the path.  “‘Kay, you’re gonna want to aim here.”  He pointed a claw at the wooden border.  “And try not to hit it too hard.  Don’t want it bouncin’ over.”

Bonnie grinned and wiggled his tail, squinting and focusing in on the spot.  He took a breath and putted; way too soft, and not quite hitting its mark, but the ball still rolled far closer to the hole than it would’ve without the gator’s help.

“Nice shot, Bonnie!” Monty shouted, yanking him into a side hug from around his neck.  Bonnie yelped as he was thrown off balance.  Monty put him back on his feet, but kept him head-locked with a sharp grin.

“Heh, maybe I’ll get a spare if I make this next shot!”

Monty roared in laughter.  “Wrong sport, cottontail!  Yer not bowlin’!”

Bonnie’s ears flopped over his face in embarrassment, but it didn’t stop the white noise giggles that followed.  “Geez, I can’t believe I screwed up that bad!”

“When we go bowlin’ next time, I’ll use golf terms the whole fuckin’ time!”

“No~!   It’ll be awful!” Bonnie snickered.

Monty quickly grabbed him by his upper arms and shook him.  “We’ll switch the terms when we play with everyone!” he yelled.  “Maybe we can trick ‘em into thinkin’ they had the words switched!”

Bonnie gasped dramatically.  “You want to gaslight our friends about sports?!”  Monty’s fangs glinted with his smile.  Bonnie couldn’t believe Monty had become such a troublemaker.  “Geez, that sounds awful!   Where do I sign up?”

“You just did,” Monty grinned.

They continued their game, though it was going very slowly because of Bonnie’s pace.  Monty didn’t comment on it, though, and they filled the time with jokes and laughter that echoed through the course.

It was shocking how much fun Bonnie was having with the gator.  He’d never said it, but back in the old days, Bonnie was always a bit bored when he played golf with him.  Monty never laughed or joked back.  He never tried trick shots or gave Bonnie pointers.  It was just dull and quiet and awkward.

But now, when Monty was guiding him to the recharge station for a quick break, Bonnie couldn’t wait to get back into their game.  As he charged, Bonnie gave Freddy a call, reassuring him that everything was fine.  By the time they finished talking, the station opened up and let him out.  Monty brought him back to their game, and they continued playing.  

When they got to hole ten, he began to feel a sense of dread prickling his circuits.  He grit his teeth and tried to ignore it, focusing on his friend as he tried a crazy trickshot that definitely didn’t work as it bounced against the far wall and rolled away.

Bonnie powered through the hole, trying to hide his unease.  “C’mon!  Next ones are through here!” Monty shouted, stomping into the dark tunnel.

Fog effects on either side, aquatic-colored lights swirling around the walls.

Bonnie took a step through the fog.

Monty stood at the end of the tunnel.  “Hey, you comin’?”

Bonnie’s wires constricted as panic and terror seized his programming.  

It wasn’t Monty.

A human figure.  But with big floppy ears that hardly stood up on their own.  Buggy red eyes.  A smile stretched too far.  His senses overwhelmed with static, a warped voice with a childish, yet somehow menacing giggle.

His world falling to a dark, twisted figure of shadows.

His own body wasn’t his own.

Bonnie jolted when he felt claws clutch his shoulders.  He tried to pull away, but he was held firm.

“Bonnie!  Can you hear me?  C’mon man, it’s Monty.  Wake up, bunny.”

He took deep breaths to try to calm himself.  It was just a dream.

No, animatronics couldn’t dream.  So.. was it a memory..?

“S-Sorry,” Bonnie stammered.  “I—”  He didn’t know what to say.  He could hardly process what he’d seen, and he was still wrapped in fear.

“Uh, c’mon, let’s get you somewhere better…”

Bonnie nodded numbly, letting the gator bring him somewhere— anywhere —else.  It was only when he felt Monty sitting him down that he took the effort of taking in his surroundings.  It was a little trailer.  Monty’s old trailer.

Bonnie slowly looked up to see Monty sitting beside him, looking worried.  Bonnie took a shaky breath.  “W-What.. was that..?”

Monty’s brows furrowed.  “What’re you talkin’ about?”

“The.. other bunny,” he whispered.  “At the end of the tunnel…”

Monty took off his sunglasses to reveal his eyes round with surprise and sorrow.  He grimaced, looking away.  “Uh, I think it was a memory…”  Bonnie watched him closely, silently urging him to continue.  Monty let out a heavy sigh.  “Was the bunny white?  Or gold?”

Bonnie frowned.  “I couldn’t tell.  But.. it had horrible red eyes.”  Monty winced.  “Is that why Freddy was so afraid for me to come here..?”

The gator scratched the back of his head.  “Yeah…  This place is kind of a breedin’ ground for bad luck.”  He balled his claws into fists and clenched his jaw before looking Bonnie in the eye.  “This was where you went missin’.”

Bonnie brought a shaky paw to his chest.  “Here..?”

“Security logs said Gator Golf was the last place you were seen before you got nabbed.  You were.. probably rememberin’ it…”

“It happened in that tunnel,” he breathed, hardly making a sound.

“It ain’t gonna happen again,” Monty assured him.  “Glitchtrap’s dead, and Vanessa’s free.  You’ve got nothin’ to worry about.”  Vanessa..?  The security guard?  What does she have to do with this?   Was that why he felt like he knew her from somewhere?  “Sorry, Bonnie…  You shouldn’t’ve come back here.  I shoulda just told you to go away for yer own good.”

Bonnie blinked up at Monty in surprise.  “Monty, I don’t regret coming here to golf with you.”  He tried to calm the tremor in his paws.  “I’ve just.. got some stuff I need to work through…”  He didn’t want to linger on his dark thoughts and let his fears fester.  “I still want to finish our game,” Bonnie said quietly.

Monty stared at him for a moment before giving a nod.  “‘Kay, but we’ll skip the holes by that tunnel.  I don’t wanna upset you more.”

Bonnie pushed on a smile.  “Yeah, that’d be best.  Thanks for getting me out of there.”

“Yeah, no problem.  You wanna jump back in, or do you need a sec?”

“Let’s get back into it.  The more time I spend having fun with my buddy, the better.”

Monty beamed.  “We’ll get ya a hole in one before the game ends!”  Monty pulled him up, and the gator took them back through the course.

Bonnie wiggled his tail eagerly.  He was already starting to feel better, and Bonnie was sure of one thing: he and Monty were going to be really good friends.

Chapter Text

Gregory had just finished his stretches for the night, and Bonnie had decided to join in this time.  He really struggled to get his body to move right, even with Chica helping, and ended up falling over on his side half of the time.  At the very least, Bonnie was content that he made the boy laugh.

Roxy stopped by to take Gregory off for racing with her and Freddy, leaving Bonnie and Chica in Mazercise, Patpat the floor bot wandering the room.  Bonnie glanced over at the chicken.

“Got any plans?” he asked, leaning against a pile of pleather blocks from where he sat.

Chica nodded.  “I’m hanging out with Monty and Sun!  We’re going to make arts and crafts with paint and glitter glue!   I also want to make something for Roxy.  I think she’d look super cute with some sparkly hair clips!  Want to join us?”

It was tempting…  “I’m pretty sure glitter glue and I don’t go well together,” Bonnie snickered.  “Besides, I kinda wanted to talk with.. the security guard.”  Bonnie scrunched his brows.  What is her name..?!   

“Vanessa?” Chica piped up, making Bonnie’s ears stick out to the side.

“Yeah!  Vanessa..!  I wanted to hang out.  At least for a little bit…”  Bonnie noticed that she avoided him a lot, and she didn’t say much when they were in the same room.

Which was fine.  Bonnie understood that not everyone liked him, that he was sometimes deemed annoying by parents or the manager in the past.  But Vanessa was a.. strange case.  Bonnie felt like he knew her.  And he could only assume it was from his time away from his friends; his disappearance.  Monty had said something—though Bonnie couldn’t remember what it was exactly—that sent an urgent desire to speak to the woman through his circuits.

But even beyond the mysteries she surely knew, Bonnie just wanted to know her.  He wondered why she’d taken Gregory in, why she treated the animatronics like real people, why she helped bring Bonnie back to life and promised to keep him secret at the risk of her job..?  

Bonnie didn’t have many people left in his life after he was brought back, so he wanted to make sure that those he did have were safe and happy.  Maybe that meant befriending Vanessa.  Or maybe it meant just a polite greeting when they passed.  Or maybe it meant staying across the Pizzaplex from her so she didn’t have to deal with him.  Whatever the case, Bonnie just wanted to know.  This awkward limbo was too confusing for him.

“I can take you to her!” Chica suddenly chirped, popping his bubble.

“Huh..?”

“I can bring you to Vanessa!  She hops around a lot, but I know her patrol routes and all the security office stops!”

Bonnie blinked.  “Really?  You’d do that?”

“Sure, Bonnie Bun!”  She offered a hand and pulled him up.  They linked arms and headed out of Mazercise, Patpat running circuits around them as they walked.  “She’s kind of quiet,” Chica explained. “You might need to work a little to get her to chat, but that’s just the way she is, so don’t take it personally.”

Bonnie nodded seriously.  “Got it.”

They walked down a hall, and suddenly Chica stopped, a grin spreading across her beak.  “I know what’ll break the ice!” she gasped.

“Break the—Chica what the heck are you talking about?”

Chica giggled mischievously.  “We’re going to scare her!   Here, you go down that hall, and I’ll go down the other!”

Bonnie felt a spark of excitement.  “Have we done this before?  It feels like we have…”

“We used to play this game with the old night guard!” Chica chortled.  “She hated it!”

“So why are we doing it to Vanessa?”

“Because it’s funny,” Chica answered simply.  Bonnie shrugged.  He couldn’t argue with that.  “Okay, now sneak down that hall, and you’ll show up on her left…  I’ll give you a signal when to jump out and scare her!”

Bonnie snickered and headed down the hall, trying his hardest to keep quiet.  It was difficult.  He kept a paw on the wall and took it slowly.  He cringed at his mismatching footsteps, and the way his casing clunked against itself and his endo.

He spotted the office, and crept closer.  He peeked into the window, spotting Vanessa with her feet kicked up on the desk, messing around with some yarn in her lap.  Her head bobbed subtly to the music playing in her headphones.

Bonnie then saw Chica peeping through the other window.  She gave him a thumbs up before showing him an open palm.  She put one finger down.  Then another.  A countdown!  Two… One…

Bonnie jumped to the open doorway while Chica smacked into the window with a caterwaul.

Vanessa shrieked, the yarn flying from her grip as she slammed her fist on the lockdown button.  The door slid shut in Bonnie’s face, making him laugh.  He went to the window, watching Chica giggle uncontrollably while Vanessa yelled at her and banged angrily on the window.

Bonnie laughed harder, Vanessa whipping around to glare at him.  She grabbed the craft she’d been working on and threw it at his window, making him fall back in surprise.

When he reoriented, the doors opened, Vanessa’s hands on her hips.  “You assholes!   What the hell was that for?!”

Chica giggled, going through the office and helping Bonnie back up.  “We thought it’d be funny!”

Vanessa scowled.  “Yeah, giving me a heart attack is hilarious,” she grumbled.  “Did you come just to mess with me?”

The static eventually died down from Bonnie’s voicebox.  “Heh, no.  I wanted to hang out with you!”

Vanessa crossed her arms.  “Uh huh…”

“Okay, I’m going to go meet up with the others!  Cya later~!” Chica sing-songed, already scampering down the hallway with her floor bot.

“Hey, hold on—!”  Chica rounded the corner and was gone.  Vanessa sighed heavily, heading back into her office.  She grabbed her yarn from the floor and plopped back down into her seat.  Bonnie saw another chair, a heavy one made for the animatronics.  Bonnie snagged it and sat down, watching Vanessa as she checked the security cameras.

When she decided everything was clear, Vanessa turned to the yarn.  “Whatcha doing?” Bonnie asked, trying to clear the awkward silence.

“I’m knitting,” she mumbled, not looking up.

“Oh, yeah!  Gregory said you taught him how, right?  Y’know, I really love the blanket you two made for me.  It’s nice and comfy!”

“Glad you like it,” she said, the smallest smile creeping onto her face before disappearing.  Progress!

“Heh, I’d ask you to show me how, but I don’t think my paws would agree with me,” he chuckled, lifting his shaky paws to show her.  Vanessa’s mood immediately dropped, and she turned away, making Bonnie’s wires twist.  “But, I mean, hey, better than not being here at all!  I really appreciate you helping to bring me back.  A few chip problems are nothing next to the great second chance I’m getting in exchange.”

Vanessa stayed quiet.  Okay, so Chica said she doesn’t talk much…  Maybe she doesn’t like small talk.  Maybe she’d prefer if I just got straight to the point.   Bonnie gave her a little while before taking a breath.  “So,” he began slowly, “I’ll be honest with you if that’s okay.”  Her knitting needles stilled.  “I mean, I think everyone knows I’ve got some memory issues, heh.  And, not to offend you or anything, but I don’t really remember you before..”  Bonnie gestured to himself, “ ..this.   But I feel like I know you.  I guess I kind of want to fill in some gaps.”

Vanessa still wouldn’t look at him, but she replied with a quiet voice.  “You were probably the closest thing I had to a friend since they took over.”  She paused, a tremor in her voice.  “He had us trapped and under his control for.. a while.  It was more for our sanity than anything that we latched onto each other in the little time we were ourselves.”

Bonnie looked down at his paws and frowned.  “So.. the golden rabbit took both of us?”  Vanessa nodded.  “Why..?”

“Power, control, I don’t know.  He had plans, and he needed help making them a reality.  He needed a physical presence…”  Bonnie’s ears drooped at the haunted look in the woman’s eyes.  He reached out to comfort her, but she flinched back.

“S-Sorry…” Bonnie stammered, scooting away.  “Heh, sometimes I forget I’m a little scary looking…”

Vanessa let out a shaky breath as she looked away, giving herself a moment to calm down before speaking up.  “It’s not that…  It’s just.. bad memories.”  Bonnie’s ears twitched as he waited for her to continue.  She did, though her voice was hardly a whisper.  “It’s not.. you that did anything wrong, and I know you’re not him.  But I still see him when I look at you, and all the horrible memories just come flooding back.”

Bonnie’s ears drooped.  What was he supposed to say to something like that?  Vanessa continued.  “And then I see the damage, and I keep thinking about how I did that to you.  Your chip was damaged because of me, and now you have to hide away and live with all these problems.”

“What..?” Bonnie asked, ears falling low behind him.  I misheard her, right..?  That’s got to be it.

“Vanny was in control, and she called the bots to disassemble you,” she whispered.  “I destroyed you…”

Bonnie fidgeted with his Fazwatch nervously.  “Freddy said I got hurt protecting Gregory…”

He heard Vanessa sniffle.  “And Vanny wanted to stop you.”

Bonnie frowned.  “Hold on…  Who’s Vanny?”

“She was a piece of Glitchtrap.  He made her in my mind so he could control me.  Vanny was his loyal servant,” she spat.

Bonnie tapped his foot and scrunched his brows as he thought.  “Doesn’t that mean she was the one who broke me..?”

“But it was my body that did it..!  My hand pressed the button!  My voice made the command!   My hand held the knife to Gregory’s throat!   I ki— ”

“Vanessa,” Bonnie interrupted, trying to keep his voice as soft as he could.  “You didn’t make those decisions…  It’s not your fault.”  She opened her mouth to protest, but he kept going.  He couldn’t let her dig herself deeper into the pit of despair.  “Vanessa, I don’t blame you.  I don’t think Gregory blames you for that night, either.  That kid loves you!  And do you think Freddy—or any of the Glamrocks for that matter—would let him stay with you if they thought any of this was your fault?  Huh?”

“No,” she mumbled.

Bonnie’s ears perked proudly.  “Exactly!”  She chanced a look at him before returning her gaze to her lap.  Bonnie thought for a moment.  “This doesn’t change that I want to know you better.  Heh, you brought me back to life and you take care of that little gremlin kid I love so much!”

Vanessa smirked.  “Gremlin …  Sounds about right…”  She set down her project and turned her eyes to his.  Bonnie saw the tremble in her hands and the fear on her face.  She had to look away.

“Vanessa..?”

“Look, you’re great.  I like you.  You were a good ‘friend’ back when we were trapped.  But I don’t know if I can bring myself to.. spend time with you.  I-It’s not personal; please don’t think I hate you.  It’s just…”

“..The golden bunny,” Bonnie finished for her.  She nodded, distressed.  Bonnie tapped his foot again, trying to figure out how he could accommodate her.  Then an idea hit him.  “It’s looking at me that gets you nervous, right?”

Her eyes shifted awkwardly before nodding slowly.  “Yeah…”

“You’re okay with hearing my voice?”

“He talked differently…  The radio sound helps, too.”

Bonnie grinned, suddenly grateful for his glitchy voicebox.  “So we’ll just throw a blanket over me!” he half-joked.

Vanessa couldn’t help but snort.  “God, that’s ridiculous.”

“But if you don’t see me, you won’t get bad memories!”  Bonnie wiggled his tail.

“We’re not doing that,” she scoffed with a bit of laughter in her voice.

“I don’t hear a better idea~!”

Vanessa absentmindedly played with her ponytail.  “Sitting back-to-back,” she mumbled.

“Hmm~?”

She rolled her eyes.  “We could sit back-to-back,” she said louder.

Bonnie tried to jump to his feet in excitement, though he just jostled clumsily in his chair, his chip unable to carry out the action.  “That’s perfect! ”  He began struggling to get up, and felt hands wrap around his endoskeletal forearm.  He glanced up and saw Vanessa helping him up.  He gave her a smile.  “Thanks.”  She returned one, though he didn’t like seeing the guilt still in her eyes.  Something to work on, he supposed.  They turned his chair so it was facing away from Vanessa’s.  “Hey, maybe we can try watching a movie sometime!  I feel like I’ve done that before…”

Vanessa nodded, helping Bonnie sit back down.  “Chica said you used to do that with the retired night guard I replaced.”

“Night guard friendship tradition!”

“Oh god, never say that again.”

“Heh, no promises.”  Bonnie leaned back, shutting his eye with a grin.

“Thank you for forgiving me,” she whispered.

Bonnie’s ears flopped to the side.  “There’s nothing to forgive, Vanessa.”

Chapter Text

It had been bothering Bonnie since he was brought back.  His disappearance.  His friends told him that Glitchtrap had taken him.  Vanessa said he’d taken her, too.

He’d never said anything to his friends, but sometimes he woke up afraid that he would do something awful.   Not like he had the urge to, but just that it would happen…  Like it would be out of his control.

Nothing ever did, but that didn’t stop his worrying.

Then there were the weird glitches.  Not the usual stutters in his systems or struggling of his endo, though.  A few days ago, Bonnie went to give Gregory a pat on the back when his whole body locked up, systems shrieking with warnings, nearly making him black out and shut down on the spot.  It didn’t.. feel like it was from chip damage…  Especially when one of the warnings burned ‘ murderer ’ into his vision.

There was also Vanessa…  The night he sat down and finally talked to her, she was absolutely terrified of looking at him, and Bonnie could tell it wasn’t just guilt.  She told him more than anyone had, but still left him wondering.  

The two of them were under Glitchtrap’s control for a long time…  She—like everyone else—didn’t go into specifics.  Just that Glitchtrap did ‘horrible’ things.  But what did that mean..?

Bonnie hugged himself tight, his ears dropping low in front of him.  He’d been told that he.. protected Gregory.  But protected him from what exactly?  Bonnie thought back to all the painful scars the boy had shown him.  Poor kid looked like he’d been through hell.  Had.. Glitchtrap and Vanny been trying to.. kill him?

Bonnie stared at the floor, trying to keep himself calm, but more dangerous thoughts came pouring into his systems.

If Glitchtrap tried to kill Gregory just that one night, what had he been doing with me and Vanessa for over a year?  What exactly did Glitchtrap want?  What did he do?!  What did I do all that time?!

Bonnie whimpered, getting lost in the despair he’d felt.  Painful emotions were all that remained from his ruined memories.  Guilt, horror, desperation, panic, fury, agony, hate, sorrow…  It was all so strong.

There was a knock at Bonnie’s door, and the bunny whipped his head up to stare.

“Bon,” a deep voice called, “it is Freddy.  May I come in?”

Bonnie took a shaky breath.  He needed answers.  He let out a strangled sound that had meant to be words.  Still, Freddy got the message, the door slowly opening, the bear peeking inside.  Freddy’s ears were low, his brows knit with worry, a deep frown across his muzzle.  He knew something was wrong.  Bonnie couldn’t help but wince at the sight.  He hated seeing Freddy so upset.

Freddy shut the door behind him, slowly making his way to Bonnie’s side.  He sat down, drawing Bonnie against his side and taking Bonnie’s paws in his own.  There was a kiss at the corner of his eye.  Then there was just quiet.  Freddy held him, waiting patiently for Bonnie to make the next move.

Bonnie shut his eye, taking a few breaths to cool his systems.

“Who was he..?” Bonnie rasped.

Freddy’s shoulders sagged.  He knew.  Maybe he’d even been expecting this talk.

“A monster…”  Freddy began.  “Vanessa said his name was William Afton.  He.. helped build the first Fazbear animatronics…  He designed the first.. Freddy and Bonnie…”  Bonnie turned his gaze to meet Freddy’s eyes, wishing that what his bear was telling him was some sick joke.  But the pain in Freddy’s face said everything.  They existed.. because of him.   “You.. remember what some guests sometimes say about us?”  Bonnie nodded weakly.  “Bad things happened in the past…  He is why.”

Bonnie grit his teeth.  “What did he do?”

Freddy stayed quiet for a long time.  “Children.. disappeared,” he rumbled.  “And they never returned home…”

“What about Glitchtrap?” Bonnie whispered, his whole body trembling.

Freddy gently squeezed one of his paws.  “We are not entirely sure.  All we know is that Afton was somehow able to make this virtual version of himself.  We do not know if Glitchtrap was an AI copy of him, or some amalgamation of a human soul and coding…”  Freddy sighed and shook his head.  “Whatever he was, he wanted to carry out the same acts that Afton did while he was alive.”  The bear’s eyes unfocused as he stared into space.  “And he could not do that without a foot in the physical world.”

Bonnie turned his face to Freddy’s chest.  He needed comfort.  He needed his Freddy.  “Vanessa and me,” Bonnie managed to choke out.  He felt Freddy nod.  “H-How m-many..?”

Freddy’s arms suddenly became tight around him as he was swallowed up by his embrace.  “I do not know.”  A paw went to the back of Bonnie’s head.  “But.. I do know that some escaped in no small part to you…”  Bonnie shifted to peer up at Freddy.  The bear gently placed Bonnie’s face between his paws.  “You and Vanessa…  You worked together to change your coding.  To make it harder for Glitchtrap to harm them.  To find loopholes that allowed children to escape.”

Bonnie’s ears drooped impossibly low.  “That’d explain the ‘murderer’ errors I got a few days ago…”

“Those messages were meant for Glitchtrap.   Not you,” Freddy insisted sternly.  His face went soft.  “Your programming just got a little confused…”

“D-Did any kids survive..?”

Freddy nodded.  “Vanessa said there were two children other than Gregory…  That is three children saved by you, Bon.”  Freddy kissed his forehead.  “You are a hero.”

How am I a hero when my claws still carried out his acts..?

“I know it is hard not to blame yourself…”  Bonnie stiffened, realizing he’d spoken his thoughts aloud.  “I.. tell everyone that nothing that happened that night was their fault, but I still blame myself…  And Vanessa struggles the same way.”  He paused.  “We have some days where we just talk about the guilt together.”  A small smile graced Freddy’s features.  “We do not tend to be as kind to ourselves as we are to others…  It always helps to get a second opinion.”

Bonnie leaned forward to bury his face in the crook of Freddy’s neck.  “Why did no one tell me..?”

There was a beat of silence.  “We did not want you to carry a burden you did not deserve.”  Freddy sighed.  “But we should not have kept it from you…  You had a right to know what happened.”  A paw gently rubbed Bonnie’s back.  “I suppose I am still a selfish coward when it comes to emotions.  I did not want to see you so upset, but it was wrong of me to use that as an excuse not to tell you.  I cannot let my fears hold your memories and knowledge hostage.  I.. am sorry, Bonnie.”

“A-Are you.. really sure he’s gone?”

“All evidence points to yes.. but I think the emotional side of me fears he will return.”  Another deep sigh.  “I doubt that worry will ever leave me, but Vanessa and I have determined that may just be an effect of the trauma…”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone…  I don’t wanna hurt Gregory.”

Freddy made their embrace tighter.  “It will not happen, I promise.   I would die before that happens.”

Bonnie shuddered.  “Geez, don’t even say that.”

Freddy pulled away just enough to look Bonnie in the eye.   “That is what you did…”

Bonnie huffed out a weak laugh.  “Heh, sorry ‘bout that…”

The bear leaned forward, pressing their muzzles together in a kiss.  “I would say I do not want you to ever blame yourself for what he did, but I know too well that that is easier said than done.  Guilt has such an easy way of worming its way into your thoughts, even when it does not belong to you.”  Freddy carefully cupped Bonnie’s more damaged cheek, his other paw on Bonnie’s arm.  “So instead, I will ask that you talk to me and come for reassurance when you are feeling it on your shoulders.  Will you do that for me, Bon..?”

Bonnie nodded weakly.  “Same for you, love…  We’re a team, after all.”

A large paw took one of Bonnie’s, the fingers interlacing perfectly.  “A team.”

Bonnie was surprised to wake up; he hadn’t realized he’d even gone into sleep mode.  After blinking away the usual errors, he found his vision blocked by something right in front of him.  He couldn’t tell what it was in the dim lighting.

He shifted, trying to get a better look, but found a heavy weight on his back.  “Wha—?” he mumbled blearily.

Whatever he lay on top of began to move, and something landed on top of his head.  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” a deep voice rumbled, Bonnie feeling the voice in his endo.

Bonnie craned his neck up, catching sight of Freddy’s beautiful face above him.  The paw atop Bonnie’s head gently played with his more damaged ear, the paw on his back rubbing circles.  “Morning love…”  He still felt cloudy from sleep mode.  Bonnie glanced around tiredly, realizing he was laying against the bear’s big warm chest.  “When did.. I fall asleep?”

Freddy pressed a kiss to Bonnie’s forehead.  “We.. were talking about your disappearance.  Do.. you remember that..?”  Bonnie thought for a moment, a deep frown crossing his features before he nodded.  Part of him wished he hadn’t, but then he’d have to go through it again.  Freddy sighed.  “It was.. very difficult, so afterwards we spent time calming down and comforting one another.”  The bear nuzzled him, making Bonnie squint.  “You said you needed a little time to rest your eye, and then you just went into sleep mode.”

“Oh…  Sorry…”

“Do not apologize.  I had a little sleep myself, and I was more than happy to hold you in my arms and keep you safe.”

Bonnie went to check his Fazwatch, but found himself too comfortable against Freddy.  He melted into the bear a little more.  “What time is it..?”

“Just three.  You only slept two hours.”

There was a knock on the door, both animatronics turning their gaze to it (or trying in Bonnie’s case).  “It’s Vanessa.”

Freddy glanced down at Bonnie, waiting for his answer.  “Uh, yeah, you can come in,” Bonnie called back.

“Let me help you sit up so you can see her properly.”  Bonnie nodded gratefully as they began to shift.  The way he’d been laying on Freddy, his blind side faced the door.

He heard the door open.  “Oh, god, if I’m interrupting—”

“Bonnie has just left sleep mode,” Freddy responded easily, helping Bonnie back to sitting on his couch beside him.  “It is no problem.”

Bonnie peered up at Vanessa, the woman staring back.  She took a breath.  “Freddy.. told us what you were talking about…”  Bonnie nodded.  “I figured I would see how you’re doing…”

“Heh, kinda freaked out still, but.. y’know…”

“Yeah.”

Bonnie fidgeted with his claws.  “I.. feel kinda crappy for forgetting all of it.  All of them…”  He took a shuddering breath.  “And forgetting about you and all we went through to fight him…”

Vanessa stared for a few more moments before approaching, sitting beside him on the couch, her eyes downcast.  “You’d feel worse with it.”

He lifted a paw to comfort her but stopped himself.  He looked down at his paws.  She was afraid of him, and he took Bonnie’s body…  Bonnie chose to reach across his lap, gently taking her hand in his endoskeletal paw.

She stiffened, but immediately relaxed upon seeing which of his paws it was.  She didn’t associate the endoskeleton with Glitchtrap.  This was safe.  She gave his paw a squeeze.

“Still, I’m sorry,” he murmured.  “You shouldn’t be the only one remembering all that.”

Freddy quietly mimicked the sound of him clearing his throat.  “We are all here to help each other.  That is what families do.”  The bear stood up, the ground shaking as he stomped in front of the two.  “Would.. talking more help, or would some distractions be better right now?”

Bonnie caught Vanessa’s eye, the woman giving him a little nod to choose.  Bonnie took a breath.  “I think I need a little more time to talk if that’s alright…”  Freddy and Vanessa murmured agreements, the bear returning to Bonnie’s side on the couch.  “It’s just a lot…”

“I know,” Freddy whispered.

“I’ll try to answer anything Freddy couldn’t,” Vanessa promised quietly.

Bonnie’s ears twitched.  “The.. kids who got out.  Can you tell me ‘bout them..?”

He chanced another glance at Vanessa, spotting a bit of relief in her face.  “Sure, Bonnie.”

Vanessa got in her car, her hands clutching the wheel as she leaned back and shut her eyes.  She was exhausted.   More than usual.

Bonnie finally asked for details about his time under Glitchtrap’s control.  He’d started easy, asking about the kids who made it.  But his questions kept getting heavier as the night continued.

She hated talking about it, needing to force down her guilt and panic to answer.  But he needed to know…  She couldn’t leave him wondering.  It wasn’t right.

As Vanessa was getting ready to leave, Gregory had run up to her, asking if he could come back to the apartment with her tonight.  She'd smiled weakly, knowing Freddy would’ve told the boy she wasn’t doing well.  But she didn’t want to throw anything on the kid’s shoulders.  

She could already tell she was going to have a rough time trying to sleep.  Nightmares were a given.  Hardly a night went by that she didn’t have them.  But after reliving so much pain, Vanessa knew night terrors were going to plague her dreams.

Gregory shouldn’t have to care for someone who’s supposed to take care of him.  Not like I did…

Vanessa bit her lip, pushing away the emotions threatening to break the dam.

Breathe…

She was startled by a knock on her window, whipping her head around.  Just June, she realized as she let out a huff of relief.

They waved.  “Hey Vanessa, you okay?”

She rolled down her window, giving the technician a pathetic smile.  “I’m surviving.  What’s up?”

June smirked, lifting up a paper bag.  “Freddy called while I was driving over.  He said you skipped a meal again and asked if I could bring you something.  Good thing I caught you.”  Vanessa’s jaw dropped.  June opened the bag and peered inside.  “Only place open was a gas station, so it’s just some shitty donuts and a few granola bars.”

“You…  What..?”

“You better eat them all.  Don’t want you starving yourself all over again.”  Vanessa bit the inside of her cheek.  That had been her only way to fight against Glitchtrap for a long time.  Just try to prevent Vanny from having enough energy to carry out his orders…  She hadn’t realized her coworkers had noticed.  “Oh, and lucky you, they had a strawberry jam filled one.  Big guy said you like strawberries.”

Vanessa blinked.  “I.. don’t have any cash…”

June laughed.  “You don’t have to pay me for this.  It’s just a favor for a friend.”

Vanessa played with some hair that had fallen from her loose ponytail.  “Freddy’s a good guy.”

An arm went to the top of her window as June leaned closer.  “I wasn’t talking about Freddy.”  Vanessa gawked, her exhausted brain trying to make sense of it.  “Look, I know we haven’t always gotten along in the past…”

“Understatement of the year,” Vanessa mumbled.  June had been prying for information since Vanessa arrived at the Pizzaplex, sticking their nose where it didn’t belong.  Vanessa had to push them away hard so they didn’t discover something that would get them killed…  She had to push everyone away.

June shrugged.  “Since you took Gregory in, I’ve actually started to like your company.  No more of that ‘high and mighty’ crap.”

“It was never personal,” she replied quietly.  “I was going through.. a dark time.”

“Looks like the animatronics and Gregory pulled you out of it.”  June glanced to the empty backseats of Vanessa’s car.  “Speaking of Gregory, he’s at a ‘sleepover’ huh?”  

Vanessa froze.  Her mind fumbled for a lie.  “Yeah…  Sleepover with his friends…”

“Mhm.  The kid who’s been having so much trouble making friends with other kids.  Or at least, that’s what Freddy says.”  June winked.  “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.  He’s in good hands.”  They gave Vanessa the paper bag of food before grinning.  “Or should I say good paws? ”  Vanessa stared, lost for words.  “I’ll let Freddy know you got your breakfast.”  June backpedaled away before giving a lazy salute.  “Cya ‘round Officer Vanessa!”

June spun around and walked towards the entrance, leaving Vanessa completely bewildered.  She turned her gaze down to the bag in her lap, the sweet smells wafting from it.

“Thank you,” she murmured too quietly, a smile crossing her face.  She would properly thank June tomorrow.  For the meal and for keeping Gregory’s sleepovers secret.

It’ll be okay.  Things are getting better.

Vanessa turned her eyes to the Pizzaplex entrance.  She had new friends.. new family…

She took a deep breath.

She and Bonnie had been partners fighting an overwhelming darkness for so long.  But that dark past was behind them.  Now all that was left was healing.  For everyone.

We’ll make it.

Chapter Text

Bonnie made his way towards the Faz-Pad.  He wanted to make a special treat for Gregory; maybe a slushy or something sweet.  But he couldn’t remember the kid’s favorites, so he decided to ask Chica.  Roxy told him that she saw Chica go to the Faz-Pad a little while ago.

Bonnie glanced around, admiring the remodeling.  It felt crisper, with a more mature look to the cafe.  The last Bonnie saw it, the place was geared more towards serving sugary drinks to kids.  He thought the menu sounded tasty—even if he didn’t know what most of it was—and decided he liked the upgrade.

Freddy said that Gregory usually got his dinner or lunch there because the options were healthier than most other restaurants in the Pizzaplex.  But Bonnie eyed the dessert menu, wondering what they tasted like.

The sound of doors opening on Bonnie’s right made him jump.  He didn’t like when things snuck up on his bad side; he had no eye to watch his periphery, and he’d found his damaged ear wasn’t as receptive to sound anymore.

He let out a huff of relief and annoyance when he realized it was just Chica’s wet floor bot, Patpat, entering the Faz-Pad.  “Geez, ya scared me, buddy!”  Patpat beeped at him, bumping into his foot.  “Hey, careful.  My casing’s kinda fragile.”  The eyes on the bot’s screen squinted.  Is it.. mad?   “You’re usually with Chica, right?  Do you know where she is?  Or are you looking for her too?”  Another beep.  “We can go look for her together if ya want.  I’m a bit slow, though.”

Just as he reached out to pat its head, a loud clang rang out from behind.  Bonnie squeaked and tried to whip around, but ended up whacking into the counter, knocking down the neat stacks of glasses with an ear piercing crash.

Bonnie stared at the mess of glass littering the floor.  “Crap!”

The doors to the Faz-Pad’s kitchen flew open, with Chica ogling for a moment before she rushed over.  “Sweetie, are you okay?!”

“Y-Yeah.”  His ears flopped to the size.  “Heh, I think I just took Freddy’s spot as the clumsiest animatronic,” he joked, trying to calm his nerves.

Chica looked away and grabbed something from behind the counter.  “Let me help you clean this up,” she insisted, handing Bonnie a broom while she got down to hold the dustpan and collect any shards he missed.  Patpat spun in circles, its ‘ears’ lighting up to warn them of the dangerous litter.

“Geez, I’m really sorry, Chica,” Bonnie apologized weakly as he swept.

“Don’t worry, honey.  They have tons of spares in the back.”

They continued cleaning the mess in silence; it was unsettling.  Bonnie and Chica never ran out of things to talk about with each other.  But something felt.. off.

At first, Bonnie wondered if she was upset at him for the mess.  He certainly was.  But that didn’t seem right.  Chica wasn’t the type to get mad over mistakes like that, no matter how frustrating.

But I’ve been gone for so long…  Everyone’s a little different now.  Maybe Chica’s changed, too.

Bonnie swept more glass into the pan.  “I’m sorry about this, Cheeky,” he tried again.

“You don’t need to apologize for a little accident, Bonnie.  It’s okay, really.”  There was a slight wobble in her voice that made Bonnie’s wires twist, and she wouldn’t meet his eye.

He watched her closely as they cleaned, and Bonnie’s ears drooped when he realized how dirty she was.  She hadn’t looked like that at the beginning of the night, so it couldn’t have been a messy workday…

And the way she was positioned…  She faced slightly away from him, her head down.  She was trying to hide it.

Bonnie set the broom aside, and Chica froze.  He shuffled closer to her before leaning down to put a paw on her back.  “Chica.. are you okay?”  No reply, just a tremble.  “You know I’m here for you, right?  You can tell me anything, sweetheart.”  He paused.  “You’re my closest friend.  If something’s wrong, I want to help.”

Finally, Chica let out a shaky breath.  “I don’t think you can.”

That felt like a stab to the gut, but Bonnie pushed away his own dismay.  “I mean.. maybe I can’t fix whatever’s wrong, but I can at least listen…  Remember when we used to do that?  Just talk and figure out how we feel and stuff?  Kinda helped processing it all, right?”  He was met by silence again.  “You can trust me.  I’m.. still the same old Bonnie.”  Right?

Chica slowly turned her gaze up to him.  “Okay,” she whispered.  Bonnie offered her a soft smile before attempting to pull her up.  He didn’t seem to have the strength to do so anymore, but she followed his lead.  The floor bot stayed by the glass to warn anyone else who might enter.

They went to the more secluded booths by the pool table and sat down.  Chica anxiously fidgeted with her fingers, stained sickly colors.

“Chica, what’s going on..?”  She tensed.  Bonnie decided to switch focus; he’d ask about the garbage later.  “What’s got you so upset?”

After a moment of silence, Chica built up the courage to answer.  “The manager yelled at us again, today,” she began quietly.  “Monty wasn’t feeling up to dealing with guests today.  Roxy was scolding some kids for bullying another kid, but that riled up the parents.  Freddy was.. apparently in too good of a mood—but he’s always yelled at for not being happy enough.  And.. I was a bad role model for being a slob…” 

“What..?  That’s ridiculous…  You guys shouldn’t be yelled at for stuff like that…”

“And then he complained about our performances, again.  The manager says they’re too wild and that we need to tone it down.”

Bonnie’s jaw dropped.  “But we—you’re Glamrocks!   It’s in the name!  You’re supposed to play fun rock music!  What, does he want you to play like we used to before we woke up?  Play without any heart behind the music?  Doesn’t he realize business picked up after we started letting loose?”

Chica quivered.  “H-He wants to play it safe…  He wants us to be what we were first programmed to be so there aren’t any.. business risks, I guess.”

“How could he say that?  That’s horrible…”  Bonnie covered Chica’s hands in his paws.  It made her look up.

“I-I’ve messed up so many times,” she whimpered.  “And so has everyone else, and I’m just…”  Chica let out a quiet sob.  “I’m so scared that they’re going to decommission one of us again.”

Bonnie scrambled out of his seat to Chica’s side, immediately pulling her into a hug as she cried into his shoulder.  “Chica…”

“A-And I can’t talk to anyone about it because everyone’s stressed enough as it is!  And I need to help them and keep everything together because if I don’t, I don’t know what will happen to us!” Chica sobbed, clinging to Bonnie with an iron grip.

Bonnie rubbed her back in circles.  “Chica.. we’re gonna be okay…”  He rested his head against hers to keep them close.  “You’ve got so much on your shoulders, sweetheart…  You can’t carry all that…”

She let out a sound like a hiccup.  “Th-That’s why.. I’m so gross.”

“What do you mean?” Bonnie asked gently.

“I e-eat garbage.  I just get so overwhelmed b-by everything and I have to find s- something to get my mind off it,” she stuttered.  Bonnie hugged her tighter.  “It’s awful and I hate it, but it’s the only thing that works…”

Bonnie’s ears drooped behind him.  He wished more than ever that he’d never disappeared.  Chica needed him, and he was just.. gone.  He wondered how much of her positivity was a show to keep the other’s spirits up.  It was sweet of her to do that; care so deeply about her friends and do everything she could to help.  But.. at the cost of her own health..?

“Chica, you’re not alone,” he murmured.  She let out a sob, but no words, so he continued.  “Y’know, we’re a family.  We’ve all got each other’s backs.  You don’t have to do this without help.”

“B-But everyone’s struggling.   I need to be there for them!”  Chica gasped, pulling back,  “I-I’m being a terrible friend.   I’m throwing this all on you—”

“No, Chica, I’m fine.  But you’re not, and I—”

“But everything is different for you, and you’re dealing with this big adjustment!  And here I am, crying to you about my problems, but yours are so much more important!”

Bonnie frowned, putting his paws on her shoulders and trying to will his endo to stop shaking.  “You should never compare difficulties.  This isn’t a competition for who deserves support.”  Chica opened her beak to protest, but Bonnie immediately cut her off.  “So I’m no longer out in public and I’m a little messed up.  I’ve got everyone at my side to help me get used to it.  Do you really think no one would be willing to help you?”

“B-But they all have their own issues, and then they have everyone else’s to help with…  I can’t add to that.”

“Chica, how many of us are there?”

She stared up at him for a moment.  “F-Five Glamrocks,” she began slowly.  It took Bonnie a moment to realize she’d included him in the count.  It made his wires squeeze, but he pushed that aside.  That wasn’t important.  Not right now.  “Three other animatronics, and two humans…”

Bonnie tilted his head to the side, ears flopping.  “That’s a pretty big support system, isn’t it?”  She hesitantly nodded.  “I think it’s big enough that everyone could be helped, and no one would have to sacrifice their wellbeing.”

“But—”

“Look, you’re just as important as everyone else, Chica.  It’s great that you want to help, but you have to learn your limits and that it’s okay to ask for support.”  Bonnie paused, thinking about something Freddy had told him before.  “You’re.. not a burden for needing help.”

“It feels like I am,” she mumbled.

Bonnie took a breath.  “Is Freddy a burden because he struggles with ups and downs?”

“N-No! Of course not!”

“Is Roxy a burden because she wrestles with self confidence?”

“No, that’s horrible!”

“Then is Monty a burden because he gets mad and breaks stuff?”

“No!”

He took a moment.  “Am I a burden because my chip is broken?”

“Bonnie, why would you say that?  You’ll never be a burden.”  He couldn’t say he wasn’t relieved by her answer.

“So are you a burden for getting scared and upset?”  Chica shut her beak with a click as she stared.  “It’s no different, Chica.  You’re just as hurt and in just as much need as everyone else.  We all love you so much.   I bet if you didn’t hide your pain, they’d all come rushing to your side.”

Chica slumped forward into a limp hug.  “I don’t know how to stop hiding it,” she whispered.

Bonnie rubbed her back again.  “You’re doing it now.  That’s a step, right?”

“I guess…”

“It’s okay, Chica.  Just let it out,” he murmured.

Bonnie wasn’t sure how long she sobbed into his chest.  At some point, her pet bot abandoned its duties and returned to her side, beeping quietly in an attempt to comfort her.  

Eventually, Chica began to talk again, her voice quivering.

“I’m so scared Bonnie,” she whispered.  “E-Ever since you got taken, I’ve been so scared to lose someone else…  Or me to be next…”  Bonnie moved a paw up to cradle the back of her head in their embrace.  “A-And then I started going crazy b-because of the virus t-testrun; I thought that was it…  That they were going to d-dump me in the garbage and forget I ever e-existed..!”  She trembled in his grip as Bonnie’s heart broke.  “And then everything from that night…  And then I was so stupid and I got destroyed in the trash compactor.”  She shuddered.  “I just kept thinking about you.   They wouldn’t repair you, so why would they repair me after getting crushed to pieces?”

More sobs wracked her body.  “Let it all out, Chica,” Bonnie repeated.

“A-And then with everyone else…  We’re all costing the manager so much money, and I’m terrified that he’ll just decide one of us is causing too many problems and just get rid of one of us…  H-He tried to wipe Monty’s memory after you disappeared because he got so angry.   W-What if he tries th-that again on one of us?  What if it actually works this time?”

“If something like that happened, we’d work with them.  Try some memory exercises, give reminders…  It’s helping a bit with me, isn’t it?  And even without all those memories.. I’m still Bonnie, right?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“And if there ever came a situation where someone got decommissioned, we’d do everything to bring them back.  Just like you guys did for me.”  He paused.  “But truthfully, I don’t think anyone’s getting decommissioned.  I was.. thrown out because they were already phasing me out and my chip was broken.  You guys are still going strong.”

She made another hiccup sound.  “And now you have to hide all day and—”  She shuddered.  “I almost got you caught.   The other nightguard almost saw you because I was stupid and selfish!   I almost got you killed!”

Bonnie shushed her softly.  “Hey, it was a simple mistake, and no harm was done,” he reassured her.  “Now we know I just need to stay in my room on the weekends.  That’s okay, Chica.  And it wasn’t your fault.  Everyone thought it would work.  We just made a mistake, but everything turned out okay.”

“But—”

“Chica, I got to spend the rest of that night with Freddy.   Me and him alone in his room~.   It was great.  Romance and kissing and snuggling all night long.  If anything, you did me a favor.”

That made her giggle; granted it was weak, but it was still a step forward.

“I just…”  She pulled away slightly to look at Bonnie’s face.  “I wish things were more certain.  I wish we had more control and freedom and didn’t have to worry about this kind of stuff.”

“I know…  I do too.”  Bonnie’s ears twitched.  “We’ve got each other, and the employees sound nice from what you guys tell me.  We’ll get through it.  We always have.”

“Yeah…”  Chica let out an exhausted sigh.

“Heh, that was a lot to get out, huh?”

“I feel like I just woke up after being offline for three months with my battery at five percent,” she huffed.

“Heh, I know what you mean.  Getting all that out is hard, but you did it.”  He hugged her again.  “I’m proud of you, Cheeky.”

They separated, and Bonnie was met with a wobbly smile.  “Um, I should get cleaned up…”

Bonnie smiled back.  “No problem.  I’ll sweep up the rest of the glass while you wash up in the back.”  He struggled up from the booth and took Chica’s offer to help him back to the counter.  “When we’re done, you wanna grab a snack together?”

Chica gave him a grateful look.  “Sure…”  She went back into the kitchen, and he heard the sink run.

Bonnie really wished he’d known about all this earlier.  She’s been hiding everything for so long…  The others need to know so they can help, too.   He decided he’d have a private talk with them later.  But right now, Chica needed him to boost her spirits and ease her worries.  And he needed to make up for all the time he’d been away.

After her snack—which Bonnie wished he could share with her—Bonnie and Chica headed back to her room.  They sat together on the couch, the little chicken leaning against him.

“Bonnie..?” Chica nearly whispered.

“Hm?”

“I really missed you.”

Bonnie gave her arm a squeeze.  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“I wish we’d found you earlier…”

So did Bonnie…  All that time he’d lost with them…  And all the pain everyone went through…  Bonnie may not have had many—if any —memories from his disappearance, but he could always feel the distressing emotions lingering in the back of his mind.  And he knew what he—what Glitchtrap —had done…  Bonnie had force down the despair threatening to drown him.  Chica needed him.

Bonnie shook himself.  “No use wondering what could’ve been,” he sighed, turning his gaze back to Chica.  “I’m here now.”  She was trembling again.  “I’m here to stay, Cheeky.”

Chica stared up at him, the doubt in her periwinkle eyes making Bonnie’s wires twist.  I’m gonna be fine, he told himself.  They won’t find me.  We’ll be safe and smart.  I won’t break down.  They’ll fix me up if I do.  My memory won’t get worse.  It’s gonna be fine.

Bonnie forced on a grin, deciding to change the subject.  “Hey,” he began, “I don’t think I’ve heard you sing since you got your new voicebox~!”

Chica blinked in surprise.  “Oh…  Yeah, you’re right.”

Bonnie wiggled his tail when he noticed her beginning to brighten.  “So, do I get to hear the little birdie sing~?”

Chica giggled, a smile reaching her eyes.  “Only if you join me!”

Bonnie’s circuits sparked with anxiety.  He hadn’t attempted singing since he was brought back—or, he hadn’t remembered trying to sing, yet.  He’d never been the greatest singer to begin with, but now he constantly sounded like his voice was coming from an old radio, with a laugh overtaken by static.  Bonnie could only imagine how awful his singing would be.   But he truly missed it; he’d stopped himself too many times.  And out of all his friends, Chica would be the easiest to try letting loose with…

Taking a breath, Bonnie nodded.  “I’ll do it.”  Chica jumped up, tail swishing.  “But you’re probably gonna wish you’d never asked!”

She bawked in laughter, making Bonnie’s heart soar.  There she is.   “You can’t be so bad that you short circuit your friends!”  

Bonnie snickered.  “Did that ever happen?”

Chica grabbed his paws and pulled him off her couch.  “Yep!  It was a little before I totally woke up.  I got too excited when we were rocking out after hours.  You and Freddy fell right to the floor!  It was awful!”

“Good thing we don’t have to worry about that anymore!” Bonnie said with a wink.

They began to head out at a slow pace, arms linked, Patpat at their heels again.  “What kind of songs should we sing?” Chica asked.

“Hmm…  Maybe a bunch of different stuff.”

Chica nodded enthusiastically.  “Vanessa let us download a ton of songs from her library.  We’ll have so much to choose from!”

They got to the Fazcade, saying hello to the DJ just as he was heading into sleep mode, before going up the stairs to the karaoke rooms.  It took a good five minutes for Chica to help Bonnie up all the steps, but he made it.

After searching through their options, they agreed on a song, standing side by side on the little platform, microphones in hand.  

Bonnie tapped his foot with the beat before opening his mouth.

And then the two began to sing, letting out the emotions trapped inside, feeling freer than they had in a long time.

Chapter Text

Bonnie sat in the atrium with Roxy, Gregory, and Chica, the latter two eating breakfast after a difficult stretch routine.  Bonnie joined them most days, figuring it might be good for his endo.  Freddy was off with Vanessa; she was having a particularly rough day, so the bear was making sure she was alright.  Monty was nowhere to be found, which wasn’t all that unusual.  And the Daycare Attendant…  They were heading right for the table.

“Hello, friends!” Sun greeted cheerfully.

“Hi Sunny and Moony~!” Chica chirped back before shoveling more bacon and eggs in her beak.

Gregory attempted to say hello, but no one could make out his words through the food in his mouth.  “Don’t talk with your mouth full, kid,” Roxy reminded him.  Gregory scrunched up his nose, swallowed, and stuck his tongue out at the wolf.  

Bonnie snickered at the exchange.  “Your face is gonna stay like that, kiddo~!” he teased.

“Friend Bonnie,” Sun said, drawing his attention back to the Daycare Attendant.

“Hm?”  Sun was bouncing from foot to foot, hardly containing their excitement.

“We have something very important to show you!  You must come with us right away!”

Chica and Roxanne gave each other quizzical looks.  Bonnie scrunched his brows.  “Like, right now?”

Sun nodded too enthusiastically.  “Yes!  Right now!”  They were already tugging at his arm, attempting to pull Bonnie from his seat.

Roxanne immediately stood up and nudged them away.  “Be more careful, asshole!” she barked.  Far more gently, Roxy helped Bonnie up.  Sun was already cartwheeling away.

Gregory pouted.  “But we were gonna play videogames!”

Bonnie gave him an apologetic smile.  “Hey, don’t worry.  I’ll be back to play later, kiddo.”

“We can make the spawn area safer and do some exploring to find the perfect place to start building!” Chica suggested chipperly.

“Fine…”

Sun cartwheeled back.  “Come on, Bonnie!  We have to go!”

Roxy growled, but then Moon’s voice replied over Bonnie’s Fazwatch.  “I’m sorry about them.  They’re too excited for their own good.”

Roxy helped Bonnie cross the atrium, and easily lifted him up the many steps.  Bonnie had forgotten how strong she was.  Eventually they reached Sun, who bounced in front of the Fazcade elevator.

“Thanks, Roxy,” Bonnie puffed, receiving an affectionate eye roll.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Moon spoke over the Fazwatch again.  “I can help him along once we’re in the Fazcade where the lights are low.  Thank you for your help, Ms. Wolf.”  Roxy turned and left, giving them a lazy wave as she returned back to Chica and Gregory.

The Daycare Attendant entered the elevator when it arrived, and Bonnie followed.  “So,” Bonnie began, “are you going to tell me what’s going on..?”

“Nope!” Sun answered cheerfully.  Bonnie’s ears twitched irritably.

The doors opened, and Sun stepped out.  The Daycare Attendant switched over to Moon, who offered a gangly arm for Bonnie to take.  “I’m sorry we dragged you away so quickly,” they apologized.  Moon walked far more slowly at Bonnie’s side.

“Heh, it’s alright.”

They spotted the DJ, who waved them over.  ‘Welcome back, you three.’

“Hey, DJ.”  Bonnie paused.  “Do you know anything about this?”

The DJ glanced to the side guiltily.  ‘Maybe a little.’

“Uh huh…”  

Then the DJ offered one of his giant hands.  ‘If you'd come with me, we can figure out what’s going on.’

Moon helped Bonnie up, and they sat down in the DJ’s palm.  He took them into his tunnels, and Bonnie waited anxiously until he saw light again.

They were on the second floor, near the back of the Fazcade by the charger.  The DJ let them down, and Moon guided him towards the karaoke rooms.

“Uh…  I uh, don’t sing anymore, guys…”  Only Chica knew.  It took a lot of encouragement, but he actually managed it with her at his side.  And she gave him praise, saying the radio-quality of his voice made him sound better than before.  He wasn’t sure he believed her…  Chica liked to sugarcoat stuff; food and words.  He wanted to get more comfortable before he shared his singing with anyone else.  Especially Freddy.

“That’s fine, we have something else planned,” Moon replied with a shrug.  The DJ followed them slowly, careful not to knock over any arcade cabinets.

They entered a karaoke room and in it was— “Monty?”

The gator whipped around, looking nervous.  “Oh shit, you’re here!  Didn’t know you’d get here so fast…”

“Sun was too impatient to let him finish talking with Gregory and the girls,” Moon explained.

‘And I helped them here through the tunnels.  It’s much easier than the stairs,’ the DJ added.

Monty ran his claws through his mohawk.  Was he.. shaking?  “Right…”

Bonnie left Moon’s side, approaching Monty.  “What’s going on?  You okay, big guy?”

“Yeah…  I’m just…”  He grit his teeth, looking frustrated.  “Just bein’ stupid.”

Bonnie put a paw on one of Monty’s shoulderpads, giving him a reassuring smile.  “Heh, I know the feeling.”

Monty took a breath.  “Alright, you’re gonna wanna sit down for this one, cottontail.”  He helped Bonnie sit on the couch, facing the karaoke stage.

Monty stomped towards the lyrics screen, grabbing something from the ground that Bonnie hadn’t noticed earlier.  It looked like a rather long box, wrapped clumsily in gift paper with a little bow tied around the middle.  Monty stared at it for a moment before handing it to Bonnie.

It was heavy.  Then Bonnie gasped.  It was covered in a discontinued gift wrap from back when it was only Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie living at the Pizzaplex.  It had little decals of their faces all over the pastel blue background.  Bonnie brushed his paws over it, amazed that it still existed after all this time.  “Where did you find this?” he breathed.

Monty scratched the back of his head, but Moon spoke up.  “I found it in the warehouse while patrolling with Vanessa.  There’s a little left in the roll; we could pin it up on your wall if you’d like.”

Bonnie nodded.  “That’d be amazing…”

“Gift wrap ain’t the main gift…  Go ahead and open it,” Monty grumbled anxiously.

“Oh, heh.  Yeah.”  Bonnie tried to pull off the paper as delicately as he could, though it still ripped and tore.  When he finally removed the wrapping and opened the box, Bonnie gawked, too stunned to speak or process what he was seeing.

Sun’s voice echoed through his Fazwatch.  “Bonnie, are you okay, friend?”

The couch dipped as Monty sat down beside him.  “I thought it was destroyed,” Bonnie whispered.

Monty’s claws clicked against each other.  “Yeah, it was…  And I’ve been feelin’ awful about it for a long time.”  He paused, and Bonnie felt the gator’s eyes on him.  “I know it ain’t the same, and I wish I could just let you take yer place back on stage…  But right now, this is the best I can do…”

It was a bass.  Hand painted red and white, with a black outlining.  Just like his old one…  But this one had sparkly, yellow stars painted on at random, and the head of the bass was pink.

“H-How—?”

“Techs always keep extra basses in storage cuz I break ‘em so much,” Monty explained.  “Sun and Moon helped me paint it to look more like yours.”

“We hope you don’t mind the extra decoration we added,” Moon murmured. 

Bonnie delicately traced the edge where the red met white, making a soft line of pink.  What was he supposed to say to such an amazing gift?  “I—”  His words were choked back.

Moon went to his side, placing a hand on his back in concern.

“Bonnie..?” Sun tentatively called from the Fazwatch.

A wobbly grin spread across Bonnie’s face, and he looked up to meet his friends’ eyes.  “Th-Thank you so much,” he breathed, unable to control the overwhelmed trembling in his paws.

Moon beamed while Monty gave him a weak smile.  “You must try it out,” Moon insisted.

“I—I haven’t played in so long…”

The DJ made the sound of a guitar string, drawing their attention before signing.  ‘You’ve been relearning rhythm, so you can relearn the bass.’

“Yes!” Sun cried.  “And you’ve been relearning to bowl, too!  This is just another thing to try!”

Bonnie let out a chuckle.  “I’m gonna need some help from my favorite bass player,” he said, peering up at Montgomery.

Monty snorted.  “Favorite?”

Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “Sure!  I’ve heard you play.  You’ve got some real talent, Monty.”

The gator took off his sunglasses.  “I just copied what I heard from you and let the programming run til I got it…”

“Monty, you have a completely different play style from me.  That’s all you, and you’re amazing.   You bring an edge that I never could!”  Bonnie noticed him trying to hide a smile.  “Look, Monty…  If I have to relearn the bass, I want my teacher to be you.”

The guilt on Monty’s face was starting to wash away.  “Fer real, bunny?”

“Geez, what do I have to say to convince you I’m telling the truth?” Bonnie joked, nudging the gator with his elbow.  “You got me a bass, and I need you if I’m gonna play it.  C’mon let’s rock!”

Monty couldn’t resist any longer.  “Hell yeah!”  He jumped to his feet, gingerly picking up Bonnie’s bass from the box.  A simple black strap hung down from it.  Moon took the box and moved it aside before they helped Bonnie put on the strap and set the bass in his lap.

It felt so right there, and Bonnie was flooded with memories of playing on stage at his friends’ sides, for a crowd of hundreds of guests.

Monty grabbed his own bass from under the couch, sitting on the edge of the stage so they faced each other, his teeth glinting in the neon lights.

“Rock and roll!”

It wasn’t the epic bass playing he’d hoped for.  Bonnie couldn’t handle much beyond a simple one note beat.  But he was able to keep relatively decent time with the songs.

It was obvious though, that Bonnie wouldn’t be making a triumphant return to play on stage.  It was disappointing, but Bonnie tried his best to rewrite his saddened thoughts.

I can still rock with my friends.  I don’t have to be perfect if I’m just having fun.  Besides, I’d never want to kick Monty out of the spotlight.  He earned it!  I’m on a different path now.   Bonnie’s fame and work life might’ve been over, but his life with his family and friends was brighter than ever.

And Bonnie had to admit that he and Monty playing their basses together was amazing.   Bonnie kept the basic beat while Monty got creative and wild.  The sound thrummed through Bonnie’s ears, filling him with glee.  He’d missed this so much.  He couldn’t stop his foot tapping or tail wiggling as they played, and Bonnie could see Monty’s grin growing broader with each song.

Monty was making sure to pick songs with a simple beat so Bonnie could keep up, and he never commented when Bonnie messed up or got lost.  They stayed carefree and focused on the fun of it.

So maybe it was pretty great.

Chapter Text

It was just another day.  Entertaining children and putting on shows.

It was all going fine apart from a few spoiled kids, but there was always at least one each day.  The parents were usually worse.  Freddy found himself being harsher with the parents since taking Gregory in.  Call it parental instincts.

Their performances so far had been excellent, especially Monty’s.  Freddy suspected that he’d been practicing after hours with Bonnie the past few nights; he had new tricks that were clearly inspired by Bonnie’s old performances.  It warmed Freddy’s heart that the bunny would share his techniques with the gator who took up his mantle.

Roxy and Chica had a giant makeover party in the salon that day, tons of kids getting bright nail polish, stickers on their cheeks, and ribbons in their hair.

It was a lovely day, and the only thing that would make it better was being able to share it with Bonnie and Gregory.

But.. things took a turn, ruining it all for Freddy.  No one else batted an eye.  Why would they?  It was just a little fruit punch spill.  Children ran around it, the wet floor bot made sure no one slipped before a STAFF bot could arrive.  This was normal.  Kids playing and having fun were bound to spill a drink or two.

But with the lighting in the room, it made Freddy’s wires constrict and his endoskeleton lock up.

He told himself over and over that it wasn’t blood.  His injury detecting program would’ve gone haywire if it had been.  No one was hurt.  He knew that.

But the rational side of his programming wasn’t strong enough.  All he could see was blood.  And he could far too easily imagine Gregory lying in it.  Just like that night.  In the security office above FazerBlast.

A STAFF bot brushed past him, mopping up the mess, pulling him out of his daze.

Breathing heavily, Freddy left the area, deciding to head back to the atrium.  The performance was soon…  He needed to calm down.

Freddy managed to get through the show, relying heavily on his pre-programmed actions.  He hardly had any autonomy on stage, just letting the commands run while he tried to keep it together inside.  There was no passion or glee in his performance, and it showed.  His friends kept glancing at him, asking him through the network if he was alright while they played.  He just replied with a simple ‘yes’.

The others were making up for his mediocre singing, which took a little weight off his shoulders.  Though it was short lived.  As the stage began to lower into Parts and Service, he was immediately surrounded by his concerned friends.

“Freddybear, what’s going on?” Chica asked, a hand on his arm, eyes full of worry.

“You were awful,” Roxanne said, crossing her arms.  “You’re usually great.”

“Yeah,” Monty agreed.  “What’s wrong with ya today?”

Freddy kept his eyes focused on his microphone.  “Nothing is wrong…”  Chica’s grip tightened, drawing his attention to her deep frown and furrowed brows.  Freddy sighed.  “I am just.. tired today.”

The lift came to a stop, and Freddy hurried off, heading down the hall.

“Hey!” one of the techs, Derek, called out with a wave.  “You need a tune up, Freddy?”

“No.  I am fine.”  The other Glamrocks came in behind him.

Derek blinked.  “Ah, but one couldn’t hurt right?”

Talia joined in, chewing her gum and speaking up with her constantly monotone voice.  “You sucked.  Tune up would help.”

June threw a paper cup at the back of her head.  “Fucking rude!”

Freddy ignored them.  He just needed a moment to himself.  He heard Chica call his name, but the door shut behind him.  He went to his elevator and rode it up.  When he reached his room, he made sure his curtains were closed and door locked.

Finally alone.  Freddy dropped onto his couch, covering his face in his paws.  Do not think about that night.  It will only make you feel worse.   Why can I not turn off emotions like I can cancel a command?

He took a deep breath and pulled his paws away, immediately regretting it.

Green, purple, black.  Blood, so much blood.   Soaked, dripping.

Freddy leapt to his feet with a gasp, his systems giving him warnings of overheating.

The image was gone.  Everyone was safe.  They were his paws, no blood.  But he knew this was just a lull.  The sight would return, no matter how many times he told himself it wasn’t real.

He’d asked the techs about it nearly three months ago.  Seeing things that weren’t there.  They checked his code over and over.   They even looked while it was happening, but they couldn’t find a thing.  They didn’t understand how it could be happening, even going as far as to suggest his chip get sent to the corporate techs to take a look.  He wouldn’t trust anything those cruel, money hungry monsters did or said.

Freddy sat back down, taking time for his systems to cool.  He wished there was some way to stop it.

I will talk with Vanessa…  She will help me.   The two had spent lots of time together doing more research on issues associated with PTSD.  Freddy was sure he knew something that he could use to help himself, but he couldn’t think clearly.  Not right now.  He needed outside help.

But.. it was nearly time for the Photopass meet and greet.  He would have to hold out.  Until closing.  Which was in five hours.  And then Vanessa wouldn’t arrive until eleven.

Freddy groaned, burying his face in his paws again.  Why couldn’t animatronics get sick days?  There were only so many times he could tell the manager he was malfunctioning without drawing suspicion.  Too many times, and the manager might just scrap Freddy and replace him with a new one.

The Pizzaplex is safe.  No one will get hurt ever again.  I must be strong…

Something was bothering Freddy.  That much was clear to Bonnie.  The way he kept himself separate from the group.  How he didn’t offer a paw for Gregory to hold, or support for Bonnie to walk.  Avoiding eye contact, talking in a quiet, almost tired voice.

The other Glamrocks looked concerned, too, but did their best to make things feel normal.  Chica immediately took on the role of being there for Gregory, holding his hand and giggling with him while Patpat rolled alongside them.  Roxy was at Bonnie’s side, making sure he could keep up with the pace as they walked, a scowl on her face.  Monty was trying to talk with Freddy, but kept huffing frustratedly when the bear replied with short, non-answers.

They’d told Bonnie how everything had been fine until the five o’clock show.  Everything just went downhill from there.

Chica fretted that it might’ve been about that night.  They all struggled with it, but Freddy seemed to have been hit the hardest out of the four Glamrocks.  And Bonnie could easily understand why.  Bonnie knew that Freddy had been controlled and forced to hurt everyone.

Bonnie shuddered at the thought, and he had to bury the little voice in his head asking if he’d done the same.

They entered the Superstar-cade, spreading out to choose their games.  Bonnie quickly found Freddy standing in front of a random game Bonnie wasn’t familiar with.  Bonnie approached slowly and noticed Freddy’s ears twitch.  Good.  He knew he was there.

Ever so carefully, Bonnie wrapped his arms around Freddy’s waist, pressing against him in a hug from behind.  He rested his head between Freddy’s neck and shoulder.  Freddy went still, letting his game fall to a game over screen.

“Today a rough day?” Bonnie asked gently.  A nod.  “Do you want to talk about it..?”

He seemed to debate whether to say anything.  Eventually, Freddy let out a heavy sigh.  “Being awake is just.. very difficult sometimes,” Freddy mumbled.

Bonnie nuzzled his neck.  “I know, sweetheart…”

A sudden yell pulled them out of their heart-to-heart.  “The little guy’s about to beat Roxy’s high score in Street Skate Superstar!” Monty roared.

“You little shit!”

Bonnie grinned up at Freddy.  “C’mon Mr. Superstar~.  Let’s go see our little Superstar beat her score.”

That made Freddy smile.  They walked to the others crowded around the boy.  Gregory wore a scowl, his tongue sticking out as he concentrated that made Bonnie snicker.

“Don’t fucking do it, Gregory…” Roxy growled.

“You got this, sweetie!”

“Kick her ass!”

He crossed the threshold.  Gregory officially beat Roxy’s score.  She let out a furious yell while everyone else cheered.

“I did it!” Gregory cried, throwing his hands in the air.

He crashed his skateboard not thirty points after, but it was a high score nonetheless.  With a huff, Roxy ruffled his hair, giving him a side hug.  “Even though you’re a pain in the ass for beating my score, you did pretty good, kid.”  She smirked.  “At least I can say I taught you well.  You learned from the best, didn’t you?”

“Roxy finally loses somethin’, and she still finds somethin’ to brag about,” Monty barked in laughter.

“You’re amazing, Gregory!” Chica cried.

Gregory had just beaten Roxy’s high score.  Freddy wanted to congratulate him.  He deserved it!  Even if he hadn’t beaten the score, Gregory always deserved praise and love.  And Freddy would always give that to him.  It was what.. parents did…

Freddy proudly reached out to pat Gregory on the back before stopping, inches away.  Freddy stared, horrified by the sight.  His paw, green and purple, with long, black claws, covered in blood.  He took deep gulps of air, trying to calm his overheating system in his panic.

Bonnie surged forward, planting both his paws on Gregory’s shoulders, giving him a playful shake and making the boy giggle.  “Nice job, kiddo!” Bonnie cheered, drawing the boy’s attention.

The other Glamrocks continued smothering him with adoration, shouting and hugging, high fiving and messing up his hair.

Freddy could hardly process what was happening around him, but suddenly Bonnie’s shaky paw took hold of his wrist.  “Geez, I need to get a charge in!” the bunny announced loudly, giving Freddy a tug.  “Help me out, love?  I can’t remember where the closest one is.”  Freddy stared at him with round eyes before letting Bonnie lead him away in a daze.

Roxy spoke out with an edge of annoyance in her voice.  “Uh, didn’t you just—”

“‘Kaywe’llbebackinabitbyeee~!”  Bonnie practically dragged Freddy off, bringing them to a security room and shutting the doors.  Freddy immediately felt Bonnie’s mismatching paws on either side of his face, concern twisting his expression. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

“I-I…”  Freddy took a breath, struggling for air.  What could he possibly tell Bonnie?  That he was terrified of himself?  That he had flashes of horrid images far too often to be considered healthy?  That he worried every day that Glitchtrap would return and take everything away?  “It is nothing…”

Bonnie’s ears drooped.  “No, it’s not.”  He pulled Freddy closer so they could bump their foreheads together.  Normally, Freddy would cherish the intimacy.  But this was frightening, with the memories still fresh in Freddy’s mind.  “Y’know we’re a team, right?  That’s what couples are…  You’ve done so much for me, so please let me be there for you…”  Bonnie moved a paw down, reaching for one of Freddy’s.  As soon as they brushed against each other, the memory of slicing those claws across Bonnie’s face burst into his mind.  Freddy flinched away, pulling back and hugging himself with round eyes.  “Freddy…”

“I.. do not want to hurt you again,” he breathed, trembling with terror.

Bonnie searched his face.  “Love, you could never hurt me,” he murmured gently.

“But I did,” Freddy whispered.  If Bonnie didn’t remember, was he safe around Freddy?  Safe in the Pizzaplex?  He didn’t know what Glitchtrap had been capable of.  What Freddy had been forced to do under his control.  Bonnie hardly remembered that monster.  He wouldn’t be familiar with the signs.  If Glitchtrap wasn’t truly gone, Bonnie would be at the greatest risk.  Gregory would at least be able to recognize the danger and hide.  He could probably run for a moment if he really needed to.  He could escape the Pizzaplex.  But Bonnie?  He couldn’t run.  He couldn’t hide.  He wasn’t familiar with Glitchtrap to know his tricks, anymore.

Bonnie looked lost.  “Freddy, you can’t blame yourself for what happened that night,” he began, keeping it vague.  “Nothing that happened was your fault.  You would never hurt me.”  He slowly took a step closer.  “Come on, love.  Let’s talk.”

Freddy shut his eyes, feeling Bonnie’s paws gently take his arms.  Gritting his teeth, Freddy nodded, letting Bonnie lead them to sit on the floor together.  Bonnie waited patiently, his paws over Freddy’s.

He looked at their paws in his lap.  Bonnie covered them carefully, and it helped him block out the images.  After a while, Freddy finally spoke up.  “Sometimes I see myself wearing the wrong claws,” he mumbled.  “The blood staining them…”  Freddy squeezed his eyes shut again.  “How easily they were able to slice through casings and flesh…”  He let out a sob.  “I could have killed all our friends.   I nearly killed Gregory..!”  Freddy didn’t want to look up.  He didn’t want to see an expression of horror and disgust on his bunny’s face.  “And now.. I see him suffer every single day, all because of me.”  Freddy pulled his paws out from under Bonnie’s, burying his face in them.  He felt as if he were crumbling to pieces.

Not three seconds passed when Bonnie leaned forward and pulled Freddy into a hug.  He tried to resist, but after a few seconds, melted into it, sobbing.  “It’s not your fault,” Bonnie soothed.  “That wasn’t you.  You’re the sweetest, gentlest guy I know.  You didn’t.. choose to hurt them.  Someone else did.  And knowing you, you fought the whole time.”  Freddy nodded weakly into the crook of Bonnie’s neck.  “No one could ever blame you for what happened.  I know Gregory doesn’t.  And he’s making so much progress!  Have you seen how happy he is?  He isn’t suffering.”

“I—”  Freddy’s voice caught in his throat.  Bonnie rubbed his back, murmuring soft words until he could try again.  “I am so scared that I will look in the mirror one day and see his eyes looking back…”  Freddy shuddered.  “Or worse: seeing that horrible purple glow in yours…”  He hardly got the words out before he was wracked with sobs.

“Sweetheart, look at me.”  Bonnie carefully peeled them apart, but Freddy wouldn’t look up.  Bonnie put his paw under Freddy’s chin and gently tilted his head up.  “Love…”  Freddy’s shoulders sagged.  “What color are—”  Bonnie caught himself.  “What color is my eye?”

Freddy let out a trembling breath.  “The most beautiful raspberry red…”

Bonnie smiled softly.  “And yours are the prettiest blue I’ve ever seen.”  Bonnie pressed their noses together with a honk, making Freddy’s heart melt.  “We’d know if something was wrong,” he murmured.  Freddy’s ears went low again.

“Ch-Chica said she did not realize she was under the virus’ influence when it controlled her…  And there was n-no difference in eye color for the others.  What if it happens again..?”  Freddy looked away, imagining every possible way something could go wrong.

“Heh, I think I’d notice if the love of my life started going crazy.”  Bonnie reached out a paw and cupped Freddy’s cheek.  He couldn’t help leaning into the comforting touch.  “Is there anything I can do to help you feel safer..?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, his ears flopping with it.

“Just.. this.”

Bonnie smiled, pulling him back into their hug.  “Anything for you, love.”

Minutes passed, and Freddy was beginning to get disgruntled messages from Monty asking where he was.  “We.. should head back,” Freddy rumbled, trying to ignore the way it made his wires twist.

Bonnie searched his face.  “We don’t have to, love.”

“I should be there for Gregory.”

“Freddy, he’s got all of them to keep him company.  You can take a day for your programming health.”

He knew Bonnie was right, but he hated the idea of leaving the boy when they were having so much fun…  He always tried to push through rough patches.  It was Freddy’s responsibility to take care of him.  But maybe Bonnie was right…  He wasn’t the sole animatronic raising Gregory.

Reluctantly, Freddy nodded.  “I.. would like to be back to join him for dinner, at least.”

Bonnie planted a kiss on his cheek.  “Sounds good, Freddy.”

They headed back to Freddy’s room after sending a message to the other Glamrocks.  They would explain it to Gregory.  He would understand…

Freddy curled up on the couch against Bonnie, listening to his systems and fans whir.  They were noisier than anyone else’s, through a combination of open casing and that everything had to work a little harder to keep running.  It was so comforting to hear.  Like proof that Bonnie was alive; that Freddy wasn’t just lying to himself and creating a fantasy.

Freddy shuddered.  He couldn’t imagine life without him.  Not again.  He couldn’t even fathom how he’d kept going the first time Bonnie disappeared.  He’d been hanging by a thread, and it was a miracle it didn’t break.

“How.. do you do it..?” Freddy asked quietly.

“Do what, honeybear?”  Freddy felt a kiss on his forehead.

“You have been awake longer than all of us…  How do you deal with all the pain that comes with it..?”

Bonnie comfortingly rubbed Freddy’s arm.  “Heh, don’t get me wrong, being awake makes life a hundred times harder.  But all the good that it comes with?  That’s at least a thousand times stronger.  It makes it all worth it.”  Bonnie nuzzled his head.  “Don’t you think?”

Freddy nodded weakly.  “The bad is just so scary and exhausting.”

Bonnie hummed.  “I know…  I find spending time with the people I love helps out…”

“Even that is hard…”

“We’ll make it through.  I promise.”  Bonnie took one of Freddy’s paws in his own, lifting them above them.  Bonnie tilted his head even closer to Freddy’s.  “Hmm…  I love how big your paws are.  Mine fit perfectly in them.”

Freddy gazed up at them.  Bonnie’s patchwork paw against his…  Freddy curled his fingers between Bonnie’s, holding him delicately.  They really did fit perfectly.  If he didn’t know any better, he’d say they were made to go together.  Maybe it was just fate.

Bonnie lowered their paws, still locked together, bringing them towards himself until he could press a kiss to Freddy’s.  “I love you,” the bunny whispered.

Freddy tilted his head to peer up at Bonnie, an affectionate look on his face that only softened when their eyes met.  They touched their muzzles against each other’s before Freddy rumbled out a response.  “I love you, too, Bon.”

They’d been lying together for hours, only pausing to get Bonnie charged before Freddy returned his head to his bunny’s chest.  Bonnie’s arms around him.  Listening to each other’s systems run.  It was so peaceful.  Freddy could stay like that forever.

But all of a sudden, Bonnie took a deep breath.

And then Freddy heard it.  Tinny, slightly muffled, with a subtle echo.  The notes were off, the voice was strained.

And it was the most wonderful sound Freddy had ever heard.

Bonnie was singing to him.

A song about living together, working through the hardships.

“I’ll be brave when you are frightened.

You’ll be strong when I am weak in the knees. ”

Freddy craned his neck to stare up at Bonnie, watching the grin spread across his face when their eyes met.  Freddy bumped noses together, joining in on the song.

“We’ll take turns to untangle the knots,

Though our hands may be tied,

It’s all a part of the plot.”

Bonnie let out a crackly laugh as Freddy pulled him up.  Bonnie wrapped his arms around Freddy’s neck as they sang together, keeping their foreheads and noses pressed against one another’s.  

Freddy feared he would never hear his bunny sing again.

His anxieties lifted as they held each other close, pouring out their hearts in song.

Things would get better.  Together, they could face anything the world threw at them.

“As we learn to enlace for the rest of our lives.”

Chapter Text

An alert forced Bonnie out of sleep mode, and he woke up with a sense of urgency under the sleep mode fog.  Something’s wrong.   He shook his head, trying to wake his systems the rest of the way.  Once he had his bearings, he searched for the alert that had popped up, but the message was corrupted.  Typical.

It wasn’t sent by anyone; it couldn’t be.  He wasn’t connected to the network anymore, let alone any of his friends.  So it must’ve come from himself…  His programming had to have sent it out.  But why?  He checked his Fazwatch, blinking in surprise when he saw the time was only four in the evening.

Bonnie stayed still, warily watching his door.  Had someone passed through the hallway?  He’d woken up a few times to it.  One afternoon, someone even tried to get in , rattling the door handle until they realized it was locked.  He didn't go back into sleep mode that day, too afraid that they might return with a key or some tool to break down the door.  Luckily they hadn’t…

His sensitive ear suddenly perked, catching onto a faint sound.  Bonnie sat up and stared at the floor, trying to identify what he’d heard.

Bonnie stiffened.  There it is!   He swiveled his head to stare at the wall to his right.  He struggled to his feet and shuffled over to his arcade game.  No, it’s not that…   He poked at the boombox on his shelf, but it was off, and nothing else on it made sound.  His charging station had a soft hum, but nothing else.

What the heck?   He frowned, pressing his head and ear against the wall, wondering if it was coming from the other side.  Realization kicked in.  Oh!  Gregory’s in the next room.  Maybe he’s just moving around or playing a game.   Bonnie let himself relax.

Just as he began to pull away from the wall, he heard it, and another frantic alert zipped through his circuits.

A sniffle.  A whimper.

Bonnie knew what the alert was trying to tell him, now.  A child is upset.  A child is crying.   Comfort him!

He stumbled to his bed, grabbing the sweet gift the boy had made for him.  A blanket was perfect for making a child feel safe and warm.  A plushie…  His favorite animatronic would cheer him up.  Bonnie grabbed the bootleg Freddy plush, deciding that if anything, he might distract Gregory with a little humor.

Anything else?  What else does he need?  A snack?  I don’t have any here…   Bonnie grit his teeth at the sound of another whimper.  Hurry up, bunny!

Bonnie rushed—as quickly as a broken animatronic could—to his door.  He almost swung it open to run to the boy’s aid, but a wave of fear stopped him.  He needed to be cautious.   Bonnie listened for any sounds before carefully peering out.  The coast looked clear, so he took a deep breath and bolted to Gregory’s door.

He tried to ignore his panicked shaking as he knocked gently on the door.  The overwhelming need to help a distressed kid, and the powerful fear of getting caught fought back and forth in his mind like a horrible game of tug of war.

Bonnie knocked again—a little louder this time—and tentatively called out.  “Gregory..?  Kiddo, are you okay?  Can I come in?”  Any noise from inside when silent.  “Kiddo..?”

Steeling himself, Bonnie put his paw on the handle.  It recognized his Fazwatch and unlocked the door.  Then he peeked inside, begging his programming to be wrong.  He hoped that he’d misheard it.  For once, he really wanted his chip to just be bugging out like usual.

And at first, that’s what it looked like.  A boy fast asleep in the top bunk of his bed, swaddled in blankets, warm and cozy.

But then he looked closer, and Bonnie knew something was wrong.  He was hiding under his blankets with a hardly noticeable tremble.  His plushies had fallen—or rather, had been thrown—from his bunk, scattered across the floor.  And then there was a quiet hiccup to interrupt the forced silence.

Bonnie glanced back at the hallway before entering the room and closing the door.  “Gregory, are you hurt?  Did something scare you..?”  He approached cautiously, giving the boy plenty of time to protest before he reached the side of his bed.  “What’s going on, kiddo?” he asked softly, to the back of his head.

Gregory sniffled, and Bonnie waited patiently as he slowly turned to face him.  Bonnie’s wires twisted at the sight of his blotchy face, puffy eyes, and tears streaming down his cheeks.  He let out another hiccup that shook the boy.

“Oh, kiddo…”  Bonnie spread his arms out, an offer for a hug.  He didn’t want to risk upsetting Gregory more by initiating something that might scare him.  “Did you have a bad dream?”

Gregory’s frown wobbled and he crashed into Bonnie, wrapping his arms around his neck and sobbing.  Bonnie quickly returned the embrace, holding him close.  “Geez, that must’ve been real scary.  But it’s okay, now.  Nothing’s gonna hurt you.”

“I-I’m s-sorry,” Gregory blubbered, squeezing tighter.

“Hey, hey…  Don’t apologize.”  He rubbed his back and cradled the back of his head.  “Sometimes I get scared by memories.  I know it’s not exactly the same, but it’s okay to be upset by that kinda stuff…  I get it.”  Bonnie waited for a while, letting Gregory calm down.  “Do you want to come back to my room?  I can sit on the couch with you if it’ll make you feel better.”

Gregory responded with a nod, still clinging to Bonnie’s neck.  Bonnie wrapped his knit blanket around the boy’s shoulders before shifting his arms so he could hold him up.  He lowered his ears and grit his teeth at the strain as he lifted him off the bed.  His chip protested at the difficulty of balancing, walking, and carrying a child all at once.  He was heavier than his unsteady body was used to lifting, but he pushed on, knowing it was comforting the boy.

He made it to the door and fumbled with the handle.  He peeked out anxiously, ears twitching, before deciding it was safe.  Bonnie was out in the open for far longer than he should’ve been, but eventually he made it into his room and nudged the door shut behind him.

Bonnie carried Gregory to his makeshift sleeping spot and practically crashed into it when he sat down.  He breathed heavily to cool his circuits but refused to take a moment for himself.  Bonnie immediately returned to gentle back rubs and soft words.  Gregory needed him, and he wasn’t going to let the boy down.

“Do you want to talk about your bad dream?” Bonnie hummed softly.

Gregory buried his face deeper into the crook of his neck, not seeming to care that he had no casing there.  He trembled, but eventually answered, his voice hardly a whisper.  “Everyone was trying to get me, again.”

Bonnie’s heart dropped.  Geez, what the heck did Gregory go through?  This poor kid…   He knew full well about the virus and.. the golden rabbit.  That he made everyone hunt poor Gregory down.  Try to kill him.   It didn’t sound real.

Oh crap, does ‘everyone’ mean me, too?  Is he scared of me right now?  Did I do the wrong thing?  Maybe I’m making it worse!

“Do you need me to leave y—”

“No!” Gregory cried, hugging tighter.

“Okay…  I won’t go.”  Bonnie pressed his muzzle to the top of the boy’s head.  “I’ll stay as long as you want me, kiddo.”  He shifted so that he could lay down across his mat, holding Gregory against his chest, murmuring reassurances and rubbing his back.  He listened as the boy’s breathing slowed until he drifted back to sleep.

Bonnie ensured that Gregory was tucked snugly in the blanket.  “I’ll keep you safe,” he murmured before letting himself fall into sleep mode.  I’ve got you.

Movement woke Bonnie up, and he peeled his eye open to find a boy curled up on top of him, groaning as he rubbed his eyes and glanced around.  It took Bonnie a moment to realize who the kid was; sleep mode always left him scrambled.  This was the kid that was welcomed into the family with open arms and brought Bonnie back.  Their kiddo.  Gregory.  Bonnie offered a soft smile when he finally looked up, receiving one in exchange.

“How’d you sleep, kiddo?” Bonnie asked.

“Better,” he mumbled, still looking exhausted.  It had been a nightmare that caused this, right?  That sounded right.  “What time is it..?” Gregory asked.

Bonnie’s ears twitched in confusion before remembering his Fazwatch.  “Uh, looks like it’s a little after midnight.”  Gregory frowned, his brows furrowed.  “Is something wrong?  Do you need me to call Freddy or—”

“Can you just message them that I’m having a.. bad day..?” he requested, looking away.  “They’ll know what it means…”

Bonnie’s ears drooped.  Sweetheart…   “Sure, I can do that.”  Bonnie sluggishly sat up, Gregory sliding down into his lap.  The boy closed his eyes and leaned against his chest as Bonnie tapped at his Fazwatch.  Eventually he figured it out and sent the text to his friends.  Bonnie looked down at Gregory.  “You want me to hang out with you, today?”

Gregory opened his eyes and stared up at Bonnie, one of his cheeks still squished against his casing.  “But.. you and Freddy had plans…”

Bonnie blinked.  Did we?  Geez, I can’t believe I forgot…   “That’s okay,” he said with a chuckle.  “He won’t mind.  We can do.. whatever it was tomorrow.  You’re top priority, kiddo.”

Gregory scrunched his brows and muttered something Bonnie didn’t quite catch.  Before he could ask him to repeat, Gregory spoke up louder.  “Are you sure..?”

Bonnie grinned.  “Of course!  I’m a little slow, so you’ll have to be patient, but I’ll stick with you as long as you want me around.”  Bonnie threw the kid a wink, hoping to raise his spirits.

A smile crept onto the boy’s face.  “Okay.”  He glanced around.  “Can we get breakfast..?”

“Sure!”  Bonnie paused.  “Where do we get that?”

Gregory quivered with quiet giggles.  “The kitchen.”

“Heh, that’d make sense, wouldn’t it?”  He ruffled the boy’s hair, glad the mood was lifting.  “We should get moving if we want to get there before the end of the night!”  Gregory slid off him, waiting while Bonnie tried to push himself to his feet.  Gregory grabbed one of his arms and tugged; an attempt to help.  Bonnie swore he had a heart because it was definitely melting.

When he was finally standing, they headed out the door, Gregory’s hand in Bonnie’s paw.

The trek to the kitchens was slow, but Gregory didn’t seem to mind.  The boy moved comfortably with Bonnie’s pace; maybe it was because of his injury.  Gregory let go of Bonnie’s paw so he could go ahead a few steps to open one of the kitchen doors for the bunny.  Bonnie puffed out his thanks as he went through.

They entered the kitchen, and Bonnie put a paw on the wall.  They were met by a loud, angry beeping, and a flash of yellow zipped towards him.  Bonnie yelped, stumbling back.  “What the heck?!”

“It’s Patpat!”  Gregory intercepted the yellow bot as it aggressively circled Bonnie.  “It’s okay, he won’t fall in,” Gregory assured it.  Its silly LED eyes squinted before it wheeled back to patrol in front of the compactor.

Bonnie twitched his ears anxiously as Gregory turned to look at him.  “Why the heck was it attacking me?”

“You got too close to the trash compactor,” Gregory explained, pointing to the gaping machinery.  “It tries to stop anyone from falling in, again.”

Dread filled Bonnie’s circuits.  “Again..?”

Gregory gave the bunny a funny look before realization dawned on his face.  “Oh, yeah, Chica fell in and got hurt.  Then I fell in trying to help her.”  Bonnie’s eye widened in horror.  “She’s okay, now, and it’s how we found you,” Gregory hurried on.

Bonnie nodded distractedly, deciding to step away and further into the kitchen.  Gregory wandered the kitchen, and Bonnie followed slowly.  Why did it smell like breakfast was already made?  Was it leftover smells from earlier?

“Psst!”  Bonnie’s ears tilted towards the sound, his eye following.  He blinked in surprise when he saw Roxy and Chica peeking from around a corner.  He opened his mouth to greet them, but Roxy immediately put a claw to her mouth.  Oh, right, Gregory wouldn’t want to know they’re here.

Chica gave him a smile before pointing to his right.  Bonnie turned around and saw a plate of food waiting on the counter.  Bonnie gave them a grin before approaching the breakfast.

“Oh, hey, is this your food?” Bonnie called to Gregory across the kitchen.  Gregory turned as Bonnie picked up the plate.  Bonnie beamed.  “Heh, it’s got a cute little face, too.”

Gregory went to the bunny’s side, peering at the plate.  It had bacon, eggs, and berries all set up to look like a smiley face.  Bonnie watched Gregory’s own smile wobble at all the love and thought that went into it, even when he was too scared to see the ones who did.  “Thank you,” the boy murmured softly.

Bonnie snickered.  “Oh yeah, you’re totally welcome.  I’m an amazing cook.  Made it in two seconds!”  He gave Gregory a gentle side hug.  “I’m sure they know, kiddo.”  Gregory nodded, but a frown started to make its way onto Gregory’s face, followed by tears.  Bonnie knelt down in front of the boy, his endoskeleton protesting.  “Hey, what’s wrong, Gregory..?”

“I—” he wiped his eyes on his sleeves and took a deep breath that broke into a sob.  “I just hate being so stupid,” he whimpered.

Bonnie took the plate and put it back on the counter before gently placing his paws on Gregory’s shoulders.  “You’re not stupid, kiddo.  You went through some scary stuff, and it takes time to get better.  They get it…”

“B-But if I keep having bad days like this, they’re gonna get sick of me!”

“Oh sweetheart…”  Bonnie drew Gregory into a hug, pressing his muzzle to the side of his head.  “We love you more than anything in the whole world.   Nothing that you do could ever make us love you any less.  We’re never going to abandon you.”  Bonnie paused, pulling away so he could look down at the boy.  Bonnie smirked.  “So yeah, we love you.  Got it, little Superstar?”

Gregory let out a shaky laugh, wiping his eyes again.  “‘Kay…”  

Bonnie handed him his plate.  “Let’s go find somewhere for you to eat.  I bet you’re starving.”  Bonnie kept a supporting paw on Gregory’s back, the boy leaning his head against Bonnie’s side as they left.

After breakfast—which Gregory said was delicious—and an attempt at Gregory’s stretch routine, Bonnie asked where he wanted to go.  “The theater..?” Gregory suggested quietly.

“Sounds good, kiddo!”  Bonnie grinned and tried a thumbs up.  It took a moment for him to get his paws to do what he wanted, but eventually he got.. close enough.  Gregory seemed to think it was funny, so Bonnie took it as a win.

Making a charging stop, they walked hand in paw to the theater.  Bonnie hoped it wasn’t too uncomfortable for Gregory.  Half the fingers on it didn’t have casing, and he worried about his endoskeleton pinching his skin.  But Gregory didn’t say anything, and he kept a hold on Bonnie’s paw.

They made it inside the theater, and the projector was already on, showing Vanessa’s digital library of movies and shows to watch.  Gregory sat down cross-legged on the play mats up front, Bonnie following slowly.  He put a paw on a stack of big pleather play blocks, trying to use them to help him sit. 

“Do you need help?” Gregory asked.

“Nah, that’s okay,” Bonnie said with a strained grin.  “I don’t wanna squash you by accident,” he chuckled, static lacing his voice.  Gregory scrunched his brows and grabbed another pleather shape, pushing it behind Bonnie.

“Here, you can sit without getting hurt, now.”  Bonnie gave him a grateful smile, lowering himself down until he finally plopped onto the cushion, and let out a relieved sigh.

“Thanks, kiddo.  I owe you one.”  Bonnie looked up, his ears perking in surprise.  “Hey, there’s some stuff on stage.”  There were some boxes where the Comedy Bot usually stood between shows.  Gregory pulled them down and brought them in front of Bonnie before rummaging through.  A remote, board games, a bowl of candy, needles and yarn, paper and coloring tools, and every kid-friendly craft material Bonnie could think of.

Gregory pulled up a pleather block for himself to sit on while Bonnie looked inside.  “Oh geez, not glitter glue,” Bonnie groaned.

“What’s wrong with glitter glue?”

Bonnie blinked, suddenly unsure.  He just had this unease about it.  “Gonna be honest with ya, kiddo.  I have no idea.”

Gregory squinted at him before putting it aside.  “So what do you wanna do?”

“Heh, that’s up to you, Gregory!”

“Um, okay…”  Gregory began looking for something to watch, deciding on a cutesy old cartoon that Gregory said he watched a lot with Vanessa.

Gregory had difficulty just sitting and watching; it seemed he needed something else to do.  Getting down on his knees, Gregory began choosing crayon colors while the show started up.  Bonnie gently petted his head before turning his attention back to the screen.

Bonnie let himself relax as he watched the show, occasionally glancing down at Gregory affectionately.  Bonnie asked questions about the characters and the story, which the boy was more than happy to explain.  Luckily it was a mostly episodic show, so he didn’t need to know much to understand.

He noticed Gregory kept slyly glancing up at Bonnie, and how he hunched over his paper protectively.  Bonnie had to force down a laugh at the boy’s suspicious and secretive demeanor.

The episode was coming to an end, and Bonnie noticed out of the corner of his eye that Gregory had stopped coloring.  Bonnie’s endoskeleton hissed slightly as he leaned forward.  “Whatcha make?  Can I see?”

“Um.. well…  I guess so…”  Reluctantly, Gregory picked it up to show him.

Bonnie let out a tiny gasp, staring at the drawing, eye wide, ears low behind him, mouth agape.  It was a drawing of Gregory and Bonnie, holding hands with big smiles on their faces…  Gregory had meticulously drawn Bonnie with his endo showing, cracks and all.  Bonnie also couldn’t help but notice the boy had added his own scars to the drawing.

He made this with so much love and care.  That’s how he sees me…  He likes me how I am now, not what I used to be.   Bonnie let out a breath.  Gregory doesn’t think I’m wrong like this…

Gregory bit his lip nervously.  “Do you like it..?” the boy asked, his eyes looking anywhere but Bonnie.

Bonnie gently brushed a paw across the drawing, taking it in his other.  “It’s perfect…”  Bonnie pulled the boy into a hug, trying to calm his overwhelming emotions.  “Th-Thank you so much, Gregory,” he whispered, slowly separating, giving Gregory a wobbly smile.  He looked back down at the paper in his paw.  “Th-This is the b-best drawing…”  He let out an anxious laugh full of static.  “Geez, I’m sorry…  I’m such a mess!   This probably isn’t the reaction you were hoping for…  I just—”  Bonnie shut his eye and took a deep breath before giving Gregory a look of adoration.  “This means the world to me, Gregory…”

Gregory stared in disbelief.  “You like it that much?”

“Of course I do!”

“But.. it’s not even good.”

“Gregory, why would you say that..?”  Bonnie reached out and took one of Gregory’s hands.  “Geez, you put your little heart and soul into this.  I love it.”

Bonnie watched Gregory closely as the boy stared down at his hand in Bonnie’s paw.  He then glanced over at the drawing in the other paw.  Finally, Gregory turned his gaze up to Bonnie, likely searching his face for whether he was lying or not.  We’ll be the family he deserves…  We can at least try.

Gregory relaxed, seeming to have found peace of mind.  He got to his feet and fussed with his sleeves for a moment before turning his eyes back to Bonnie’s.  “Well, um, you can keep it then.”  He let out a breath and tugged at his hair.  “Do you wanna go play some stuff in the arcade..?”

Bonnie grinned.  “Sure!  I’ll show you my high score in Fruity Maze!”  He paused, suddenly unsure.  “Or.. was it Fredbear’s Nom Nom Bits ..?”  Bonnie squinted, trying to dig into his scrambled, patchy memories.

“That’s a really stupid name,” Gregory giggled, interrupting Bonnie’s frustration.

Bonnie snickered back.  “Heh, isn’t it awful?”  He pushed himself to his feet after a bit of a struggle.  “You can show me all of your favorites, kiddo.”  Gregory jumped to his side, immediately grabbing hold of Bonnie’s free paw as they left the theater.

Bonnie held onto the drawing for the entire rest of the night until they got back to his room.  Gregory helped him pin it to his wall, seeing as Bonnie’s paws couldn’t quite hold the thumb tacks.  His heart felt so much fuller when he looked at it.  Even with a broken chip and less than friendly-looking casing, he was still able to fulfill a core desire built deep into his programming.  He got to make a child happy.  Give him a day full of fun and joy.  Let him know he’s loved and wanted.  

Bonnie glanced at the drawing on his wall, then down at himself.  A genuine smile crept across his muzzle.  For the first time since he woke up, he didn’t hate the gaping hole in his chest, the sparseness of his hand casing, or the bare endoskeletal leg and arm.  He wasn’t even tolerating it.  He actually liked what he saw; all of it.  And all it took was a silly little crayon drawing by one special kid.

Morning was on its way, so Bonnie took Gregory back to his own room.  The boy climbed into his bunk where Bonnie tucked him in.

“Hey, Bonnie..?” he mumbled, eyes drooping as he clutched his plushie of the bunny.

“Yeah, kiddo?”  Bonnie brushed the hair out of the boy’s face.

“I’m really glad I kept my promise…”

“What promise was that?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet.

Gregory was overtaken by a yawn before he was able to respond.  “Bringing you back…”  His breathing was slowing, eyes shut.  “You’re.. cool…”  Another yawn before he mumbled something Bonnie was sure the boy wouldn’t say if he were coherent.  “Love you…”

The boy drifted to sleep, Bonnie softly petting his hair.  “I love you too, Gregory.  Thank you for everything…”

Chapter Text

Freddy sat with Gregory, Chica, and Monty in the atrium, chatting about their day while Gregory enjoyed his breakfast bagel.

“That kid wouldn’t stop pulling my tail feathers,” Chica huffed frustratedly.  “I kept telling her to stop but she thought it was so~ funny~.”

Monty growled.  “Damn brat.”

“I would’ve stopped her!” Gregory insisted, taking an angry bite of his food.

Chica giggled.  “I know, sweetie, but you’d be too scary!”  Freddy had to hold back a chuckle at the smug look Gregory had on his face.  

“Didja yell at her or somethin’?” Monty asked.

“No!  I don’t like yelling at kids, even if they’re pains in the tail.”  Chica finished off her own bagel.  “Besides… I don’t want another reason to get in trouble…”  She grabbed a napkin and cleaned off her beak.  “Patpat started blocking her when it saw what was going on.  It’s no big deal.”

Freddy softened his expression, putting a paw on Chica’s shoulder.  “Sometimes it is necessary to stand up for yourself.  And it sounds like she certainly needed to learn a lesson.”

Chica peered up at Freddy.  “Like you did today with that lady?” she said, trying to hide her smile.

Freddy’s ears lowered with embarrassment as Gregory’s head swiveled to meet his gaze.  Monty roared in laughter.  “Oh shit, you weren’t there!” he exclaimed to Gregory, ignoring a plea for child-friendly language.  “You shoulda seen it.  This lady was yellin’ at Freddy for not stoppin’ for a picture right before we were scheduled to go on stage.  So Freddy kept tellin’ her that they had to wait for the show, and then they could get a Photopass and go to Rockstar Row, right?  That’s how it always works!”

Chica butted in, grinning wide.  “Then she was like: ‘But it’s my baby’s birthday!   You wouldn’t make him wait in such a long line like that!’, and Freddy was like: ‘Many children come here on their birthday.  I cannot make exceptions for everyone.’”  She snickered after trying to mimic Freddy’s deep voice.

Monty smacked a fist into the table, making Gregory’s plate jump.  “That really pissed her off!”

Gregory stood up, his hands braced against the table.  “So what happened then?!”

“She started screamin’ at Freddy for bein’ a ‘stupid broken animatronic’ and how she wanted to speak to the manager for a refund and a free VIP pass!” Monty shouted.

Gregory’s face immediately went from excited to furious.  “Who the hell was this lady?!”

“Gregory!” Freddy scolded.  “Watch your language!”

Chica beamed. “Oh, it gets better!  Freddy got sick and tired of her and started mocking her!”  She bawked before attempting to mimic Freddy’s deep voice again.  “‘Well if I am just a ‘stupid broken animatronic’ then I certainly cannot help you seeing as I need to check in to Parts and Service immediately!  And you should set a better example for your child and be patient.’”  Chica burst into giggles, unable to contain herself anymore.

“I ain’t ever seen Freddy do somethin’ like that,” Monty snorted.  “I think Gregory’s sass is rubbin’ off on you, Fazbear.”

Freddy glanced down at the boy with an embarrassed smile.  “Perhaps a little…”

“She left after that, right?” Gregory huffed, still fuming.

“Do not worry, the security team escorted her out after she started.. yelling obscenities…”

Gregory pouted.  “If she ever shows her face again, I’ll—”

“Gregory, what have I said about starting fights with guests that upset you?”

“..That I should talk it out or find an adult instead of biting them,” he grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at his breakfast.  “But the people who work at El Chip give me free food cuz I bit the kid who was being mean to them!”

Freddy sighed heavily while Chica and Monty laughed.  Parenting was hard.

A tinny voice sounded behind Freddy.  “Geez, you better watch it, kiddo.  You’ll get sick if you go around biting everyone who upsets ya.”

Freddy spun around, face lighting up in a grin.  “Hello, Bonnie!”

Bonnie threw him a one eyed wink that made Freddy’s circuits fizzle.  He is so adorable…   The bunny then stood behind him, paws on his shoulder pads.  Bonnie planted a kiss to the side of Freddy’s head before turning his attention back to the group.  “Freddy’s got the right idea,” he said with a smile.  “Mock ‘em a bit until they realize they’re being jerks or until they freak out and have to be dragged out by security!  Psychological warfare~!”

“Bonnie!” Freddy huffed in exasperation, making the bunny laugh.  Gregory grinned mischievously.  At least it is a step away from biting…

Bonnie sniffed, ears perking.  “Geez, that food looks great!  How’s it taste?”

“Rea’y ‘oo’!” Gregory.. tried to say.  His mouth full of food made him nearly impossible to understand.

Freddy chuckled.  “Superstar, please swallow your food before you talk.”

Gregory groaned and rolled his eyes, but Chica gave a clear answer to Bonnie, instead.  “It’s super yummy!”

Bonnie gave them a soft smile before shaking himself.  “So,” he began, changing the subject.  “I need to ask a favor of you, Monty.”

Monty quirked a brow.  “Yeah?”

“Heh, I need some help breaking something, and I’ve been told that’s your specialty.”

Freddy and Chica gave each other quizzical looks while Monty flashed his fangs.  “You got it, cottontail!”  He immediately stood, his chair screeching against the floor.

Gregory bounced in his seat.  “Can I help?”

“Sorry, kiddo.  I don’t want you getting hurt,” Bonnie apologized.

“We’ve still got to do your stretches today, Gregory!” Chica reminded him.

Freddy nodded.  “We will find something fun to do.  Do not worry.”

Monty and Bonnie waved them goodbye as they left, Monty helping Bonnie along.  Freddy noticed the slight spring in the bunny’s step, his heart filling with glee.  He seemed so much happier the past couple days…

Chica and Gregory had just finished up their stretch exercises for the day, with Freddy following along as best he could.  His large frame certainly wasn’t made for it, though.

“Excellent job, Superstar,” Freddy praised, ruffling Gregory’s hair and receiving a grin.

Just as Chica was grabbing Gregory some water with Patpat, a voice came from Gregory’s Fazwatch, as well as over the network for all the Glamrocks and Vanessa.  “Hey guys, we gotta cool surprise in Bonnie’s room,” Monty announced.

Roxy’s growl replied through the network.  “We just got to the good part!”

“We can pause the movie.  It’s fine,” Vanessa answered.

Freddy wiggled his ears excitedly.  “We will be there in just a moment!”  Everyone hung up, and Gregory climbed into Freddy’s open stomach hatch.

Freddy, Chica, and Gregory made their way down to Rockstar Row and behind the rehearsal room.  Bonnie and Monty stood in front of Bonnie’s door, with Roxy, Vanessa, and Sun waiting.  The Daycare Attendant seemed to be ranting about a.. spill in the Daycare that they were still cleaning up.

Gregory hopped out of Freddy’s hatch to greet them all, getting hugs and pats on the head.

“You’re here!” Bonnie gasped, wiggling his tail.  Monty opened the door, and Bonnie went inside, waving everyone to follow.  Nothing seemed different…

Chica scrunched her brows.  “What’s the big surprise?”

Bonnie grinned.  “Okay, turn around.”

Freddy’s eyes widened.  Bonnie’s neon sign of his face had been broken!  Freddy's ears lowered with a frown.  It was the only one they had left of the bunny…  Had it been an accident?  Poor Bonnie…

“Oh my goodness!” Sun exclaimed.

But then Freddy looked closer.

The neon lights that had been removed were specific.   The top half of Bonnie’s right ear…  His right eye and the lights around it…

Freddy’s heart soared when realization hit him.  They’d fixed the sign to look like Bonnie now.   The missing lights were where he was missing his casing.  Bonnie is finally loving himself again…

Freddy whipped around to gaze at Bonnie who wore an anxious smile.  “Heh, I got the idea from your drawing, Gregory,” Bonnie explained, glancing over to the paper pinned to his wall.  “Figured I’d make the sign look more like me, too.”  Bonnie peeked up at Freddy, his ears lowering.  “What do ya think?”

Freddy went up to Bonnie, putting his paws on the bunny’s shoulders.  “It is just like you.  Beautiful.”  He leaned forward to bump their noses together, the silly honk filling the room and making the two of them smile.

“Definitely cooler, but you could at least do that sappy shit in private?” Roxy huffed.

“I am not going to hide my affection for Bonnie,” Freddy retorted with a glare.  “If you do not like it, you can leave.  And what have I told you about swearing when Gregory is present?”

Roxy threw her paws up in exasperation, stomping off while Chica and Monty laughed at her.

Freddy noticed Vanessa approaching, so he moved to Bonnie’s side, taking his paw instead.  “I like it,” Vanessa said quietly, not quite making eye contact with Bonnie.  “It suits you.”  She smiled before glancing at the door.  “I better go.  Roxy’s going to start the movie without me if I don’t hurry up.”

Gregory scrambled up to them and grinned.  “It’s way better this way!” he exclaimed.

“Mhm!” Chica agreed.  “Super cute!”

“Can we draw stuff today?” Gregory asked, glancing at the sign, his drawing on the wall, and back up at his friends.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Freddy praised.  “What do you all think?”

Sun and Chica whooped, Monty threw him a thumbs up, and Bonnie wiggled his ears back and forth with a grin.  “Let’s do it.”

Freddy couldn’t get rid of his giddiness as he walked through the atrium.  It was a few days after Bonnie had shown him the improvement he’d made on his sign.  His bunny was truly happier than he’d ever seen him, and it was making Freddy feel the same.

They’d just done an afternoon performance and finished with the meet and greets, so Freddy had a little time to roam.

He headed straight for Bonnie Bowl, shocking all the employees inside.

“Freddy?!   You haven’t been here in years!”  Ravi—an employee who had worked in Bonnie Bowl since its opening—practically shouted.

Freddy chuckled nervously.  “Ah, yes, well…  I thought it was time I returned.  How have things been around here?”

Ravi blinked.  “Business has been fine.  Lots of kids still ask about him, and I wish they weren’t changing the name…  More importantly, how are you..?”

Freddy scratched the back of his head.  He wished he could tell Ravi that Bonnie was alive.  They’d been good friends back in the day.  But he couldn’t risk it.  “I have been.. alright,” he tried.

“So, what brings you back all of a sudden..?”

Freddy’s ears perked.  “I was told that you might have Bonnie’s old merchandise in storage here!”

Ravi gawked at him.  “You.. want Bonnie merchandise..?”

Freddy glanced awkwardly to the side.  “Um, yes…”  Am I too suspicious?   “I would like to have some to.. remember my friend,” he lied.

Ravi softened.  “Yeah, I can understand that.”  He glanced at Bonnie’s bowling ball where it sat under the counter.  “Follow me, Fazbear.”

Freddy followed the man towards the cafe, waving at guests as he passed.  They entered the back room, and Ravi led him down some steps to a room with boxes and broken bowling balls.

“This is where you keep his merchandise?” Freddy asked.

“The manager wanted it all thrown out, so I grabbed as much as I could and hid it down here.”  He opened a box and showed Freddy some plushies.  “You can take whatever you’d like, but don’t let the manager find it.  He’ll just toss it.”

Freddy beamed.  “Thank you, Ravi!  This is wonderful!”  The man gave Freddy an odd look.  Oh, I am not appearing sad enough!   Freddy tried to throw on a more depressed look.  “These, um, will be perfect for remembering him…”  It was a struggle to keep the glee out of his voice.

Ravi nodded, though he still looked doubtful.  “I’ve got to get back to work, but feel free to call if you need me.”  As soon as he left, Freddy began rummaging through the boxes, his tail wiggling.  

He found magnets and keychains, eagerly stashing them in his chest cavity.  There were masks for children, piñatas, and even a deflated balloon at the bottom!  

Then there were shirts!   He made sure to grab any that might fit Gregory, or ones he might grow into so he could have as many as he wanted.  He was so small for his age; he’d made comments hinting at not having much to eat back at his old home or on the streets.  But now he was recovering and eating well in a much safer environment.  He would certainly need bigger shirts for when he had a growth spurt!

Then came the plushies.  He took one for everyone before digging deep to find any silly ‘defective’ ones, knowing those were always Bonnie’s favorites.  To his luck, he managed to find one with a particularly goofy expression and awkward pose.  Perfect!

It took a lot of rearranging, but eventually Freddy was able to fit everything in his hatch.

Freddy left Bonnie Bowl, thanking Ravi and saying goodbye to the other employees.  Now came the hard part.

That night, Freddy asked Gregory to distract Bonnie while he talked with the others; a task the boy was more than willing to take on.  The two had grown close since Bonnie was brought back, and it was nearing one month since they reunited!

“So what’s this all about?” Roxy asked, crossing her arms.

Freddy glanced at everyone in his room before taking a breath and opening his chest cavity to reveal his stash.

“Holy shit!” Monty laughed.

“Where did you find all this?!” Chica squealed, taking one of the plushies and giving it a squeeze.

Freddy smiled.  “They were under Bonnie Bowl.  It turns out the employees hid his merchandise down there.”

Vanessa picked up a keychain that had fallen out.  “I’m assuming you have some sort of plan with all this or you wouldn’t have called us all here.”

Freddy nodded.  “Yes.  I would like to.. customize them to look more like Bon nowadays.  At least, the ones for him.  I also grabbed some merchandise for all of you if you want it.”

Sun bounced from foot to foot.  “Arts and crafts!”

Roxy’s tail was wagging.  “That dumb bunny’s going to love this.”

They began taking everything out and sorting it, discussing how they could change them.

“The piñata is no problem,” Chica said.  “We can just paint and add more tissue paper.  And taking off his ear will be a piece of cake!”

“The mask just needs some paint and a little cutting, too!  Same for the magnets!” Sun chimed.

“The balloon’s gonna be kinda hard unless we can seal off the ear and get some shiny stuff to cover the eye,” Monty grumbled.

Moon butted in, their voice coming from Vanessa’s Fazwatch.  “We have some foil paper we can use.”

Roxy fluffed her hair.  “I can paint the keychain no problem.”

Even Vanessa was starting to smile.  “I can bring some fabric and sew it onto the plushies.  And I’ll talk to Gregory about the shirts.”

Freddy beamed.  “Thank you all so much…  I know he will love this.”

“C’mon Freddy, what do you want me to see so badly? ”

Freddy chuckled, giving Bonnie a quick peck on the cheek.  “I cannot tell you!  You are not supposed to know the surprise!”

Bonnie rolled his eye affectionately.  “Don’t tell me you already told me and I just forgot.”

“No, no.  I promise that is not the case.”

“Honeybear, we’ve been walking around the Pizzaplex in circles the whole night.   What’s going on?”

Freddy laughed.  “It has only been ten minutes!”

“Well it feels like it’s been the whole night.  Ya can’t just tell a guy you’ve got a surprise for him and then not show him!”

Freddy’s ears perked when a message popped into his head.  It is ready!   “Alright, I will take you to it now.”

Bonnie squinted at him suspiciously but didn’t protest.  They made their way back to Bonnie’s room where Gregory was waiting for them in the doorway.

“Hey kiddo!” Bonnie greeted.  Gregory ran up and hugged their legs, filling Freddy’s heart with affection.

“Hello, Superstar!  Is the room ready?”  

Gregory nodded eagerly.  “C’mon!”  Freddy and Bonnie followed him into the room, everyone waiting inside, standing in front of his makeshift couch.

“What’s going on here?” Bonnie asked curiously.  Everyone shuffled aside, revealing the gifts they’d personalized for the bunny.

Bonnie gasped, eye wide as he stared at them.  He staggered forward, Freddy taking hold of his arm to keep him steady.  “We thought your old merchandise could use an upgrade,” Freddy rumbled as he looked over them.

Gregory grinned.  “Aren’t they awesome?”  He unzipped his hand-me-down hoodie to show off his Bonnie Bowl t-shirt.  Then the boy grabbed the mask they’d painted and put it on.  “See?”

Bonnie reached a shaking paw down to take some of the gifts.  Freddy grabbed a plushie and a keychain, putting them gently in Bonnie’s paws to make it easier for him.

“Heh, they look like me,” he breathed, a smile spreading across his muzzle as he brushed a thumb over the felt sewn over the right side of the plush’s face.  He looked over all the merchandise before turning back to his friends.  “You all did this..?”

“Of course we did, Bonnie Bun!” Chica chirped.  “Freddy found all the merch and asked us for help!”

Bonnie blinked up at Freddy.  “This was your idea?”

Freddy nodded sheepishly.  “Do you like them..?  If you do not, there was more in storage that I could get—”

“This is perfect! ”  Bonnie threw his arms around Freddy’s neck, pushing their muzzles together.  “I love it!”

Laughter bubbled up from Freddy’s voicebox, and he wrapped the bunny in a hug.  “I am so glad, Bon.”

“Thank you all,” Bonnie breathed, glancing back.  He pulled away from Freddy so he could give Gregory a hug, followed by a big group hug that struggled not to crush its more delicate participants.  “Geez, you guys are the best…”

Chapter Text

Bonnie stretched his arms above him before pushing himself to his feet.  He double checked his Fazwatch, making sure it was after hours before humming to himself as he made a slow circuit around his little room.  He’d started doing it to begin his days—or rather, nights—to get himself more used to walking by himself.

As he made his lap, he couldn’t help but stop to admire his once blank wall.  It was where his window might’ve been in his old greenroom.  But now, he had drawings.  So many drawings from Gregory.  All of Bonnie, sometimes with the boy, sometimes with the others.  There was even a drawing done on extra big paper with everyone there.

He loved how Gregory drew him…  He didn’t sugarcoat it; try to make him more perfect than he was.  It was just Bonnie, and that’s how he liked it.

Vanessa had given him a drawing too!  It was almost like a photo taken in pencil.  So realistic…  Vanessa had asked him if it was okay to draw him, saying it might help to get her used to seeing him, so of course he said yes.  It would help both of them.

Bonnie smiled at his reflection in the star-shaped mirror they’d put up in the center of that wall.  The past few weeks, his life had felt so bright.  Well, he thought it was the past few weeks, but he couldn’t really be sure.  Time and days were hard to keep track of since he was brought back.  But it didn’t really bother him anymore.  It wasn’t important for loving his family.  And if it was, they’d be there to remind him.  It was more ‘forgetting things that happened’ that bothered him.

Bonnie glanced back around his room, admiring the new decorations.  There was always something he’d forget, but that just meant he got a pleasant surprise every time he looked at the merchandise his friends personalized for him.  Today it was the magnet stuck to his charging station, surrounded by magnets of the other Glamrocks.

A knock at his door brought Bonnie out of his bubble.  “Coming~!” Bonnie called, his tail wiggling as he slowly made his way to the door.  He placed a wobbly paw on the handle and pulled the door towards himself, peeking out to see Freddy’s bright grin.  Bonnie beamed back, opening it all the way so he could see his love.

“Hello, Bonnie!”  Freddy’s ears wiggled as he placed his paws on Bonnie’s waist, pressing their noses together.  “How are you, today?”

“Heh, I was already peachy, but then I got a visit from the handsomest guy I know, and everything got better from there.”

Freddy chuckled.  “I understand exactly what you mean.”  Freddy took both of Bonnie’s paws in his own.  “Bon, do you know what today is?”

Bonnie snorted.  “Sweetheart, I don’t even know what day of the week it is.”

“It is Tuesday.”

“Oooh~!  Tuesday!”  Bonnie snickered.  “Is it a special Tuesday, or do we just like them all of a sudden?”

“It is Valentine’s Day!” Freddy announced, his smile impossibly thrilled.  Bonnie returned a smile.  He’s so dang cute.   “Do you remember what that is..?”

Bonnie glanced to the side awkwardly.  “I’ve.. heard of it.”

Freddy didn’t seem put out.  “We celebrated it once before.  You make little cards that are shaped like hearts to tell your loved ones how much you care about them!”

“Aw~, that sounds cute.”

Freddy was getting giddy.  “But there is another way that couples celebrate!”

Bonnie’s ears perked, watching Freddy open his chest cavity and pull something small from it before closing up.  Whatever he had, it was small enough to fit in his paws, though that wasn’t saying much.  “Whatcha got?” Bonnie asked curiously.

He opened his paws to reveal little flowers.  One indigo, and the other orange.  Bonnie gasped, eye round as Freddy carefully attached the orange flower to the left side of Bonnie’s chest, above the rough hole in his casing.

“I originally wanted to get real flowers, but I thought something more permanent would be better for memory’s sake.”  He then put the indigo flower on himself before pressing a kiss to Bonnie’s cheek.  “You look magnificent,” he murmured.

Bonnie gazed up at Freddy.  Nothing could possibly compare to him.  The bear offered an arm, and the two slowly headed out into the hall.  Bonnie rested his head against Freddy’s shoulder, taking in the moment.

Through the rehearsal room and into Rockstar Row.  Bonnie’s ears wiggled at the sight of the pink and red heart decorations scattered around.  Still grinning, Freddy pressed his muzzle to the side of Bonnie’s head, making him giggle.

“So where are we going, Mr. Superstar?  Whatcha got planned for us~?”

“I do not want to ruin the surprise!” Freddy replied, giving his paw a squeeze.

“Aw c’mon, can’t you tell me anything?”

Freddy chuckled.  “For someone who loves surprises, you are very persistent in ruining them.”

Bonnie rolled his eye with an affectionate smile.  “I’m just asking for a little hint!”  They entered the lobby, heading towards the escalators.

Freddy hummed, considering Bonnie’s request.  “Well…”  Bonnie beamed at him, his ears perking and tail wiggling.  Freddy laughed.  “Bon, I cannot think straight with you looking at me like that!”  

Bonnie cocked an eyebrow, looking Freddy up and down.  “Mhm~, I bet you can’t.”

They both burst into giggles, Bonnie laughing so hard that he lost balance.  Luckily, he had Freddy’s strong arms to catch him.  He was suddenly lifted up bridal style as the bear carried him up the stairs.  “You have just lost your hint-privilege,” Freddy announced with a smug look.

“You’re killing me, love!”

“Well that is just a shame!”  Freddy shook his head, unable to hide his smile.  “Perhaps we will just have to turn around and try again next year,” he teased.

“Nooo!” Bonnie wailed dramatically, his voice overtaken by static.  Freddy hit the elevator button with his hip before bringing them inside and setting Bonnie back on his feet.

As soon as Bonnie was stable, he gazed up at Freddy.  It was like he had stars in his eyes.  Bonnie reached up, wrapping his arms around Freddy’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss.  Freddy melted into the touch, bringing his own paws to Bonnie’s back to pull him closer.  It felt so right to be so close.  How perfectly their muzzles locked together, how perfectly their casings pressed against one another.  Bonnie could stay like that for the rest of his life.  Til the end of time.  He was certain it was where he was meant to be.  Nowhere else.

It was only when the elevator dinged that they separated from the passionate kiss, staring into each other’s eyes with such adoration.  A soft smile spread across Freddy’s face.  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Bon.”  He turned his head to the open door, Bonnie’s gaze trailing after.  Bonnie sucked in a breath.

The atrium was dim, with warm, pink lighting from the spotlights above.  Bonnie felt Freddy take his arm before leading them in.  Fairy lights were strung from the balconies and ceiling, with little paper hearts hanging low from the railings.  The bottom floor of the atrium was cleared out, turning it into a giant ballroom with pink, red, and white flower petals around the outskirts.

“This is…”  How could Bonnie possibly find the words?

He hardly noticed when Freddy scooped him up again, gently bringing him down the escalators and to the open floor.  Freddy set him down, keeping him steady.

The spotlights suddenly swept across the center, one catching Freddy and Bonnie in its rays while the others outlined a path.  At the same time, soft music started up, making Bonnie’s ears drop low behind him in awe.

Bonnie was almost too stunned to move when Freddy took a small step forward.  “Are the lights too much?” Freddy rumbled gently.  “I can have them toned down if they are too hard on your vision.”

He’s put this incredible thing together for me, and here he is, still making sure I’m okay?  Geez, he’s wonderful…   “N-No,” Bonnie breathed.  “It’s.. amazing…”  Bonnie had to tear his eye away from the room to look up at Freddy’s enamored expression.  For a moment, Bonnie worried his legs would give.

Giving Freddy’s paw a squeeze, Bonnie returned his stare to the atrium.  He felt a squeeze back, and they began making their way towards the center.

He felt like royalty, walking down the shimmering path, being treated like he was the most important thing in the world.  And all of this, with Freddy at his side?  It had to be a fantasy.  It was all so unreal…

They kept walking, taking their time as they headed straight for the stage.  The stage!   Bonnie hadn’t stood upon it in.. who knows how long?  Sure, he would’ve walked across it to use the lift, but that wasn’t special.  This was.   Freddy stepped in front of Bonnie, taking both of his paws as he guided him up the steps.  The way Freddy looked at him.. Bonnie felt so special.  So loved.  He felt like he was being swept away by the stars themselves.

The moment Bonnie reached the top of the steps, Freddy pulled him into his arms, pressing their noses together.  The music was slowly getting louder, humming throughout the atrium.  The stage rose above the atrium floor, reaching its full height, reserved only for the most phenomenal of performances.  Freddy shifted his right paw so it rested against Bonnie’s back.  Then he moved the other paw, gently taking Bonnie’s and bringing them up together.  Suddenly, it clicked, Bonnie’s eye blown wide.

“Will you dance with me, Bon?” Freddy murmured, his warm breath whispering across Bonnie’s face.

Bonnie stared.  Any words he wanted to say were trapped in his throat.  Freddy waited patiently for Bonnie to find his bearings.  To find some sort of answer.  All he could manage was a pathetic nod and placing his endoskeletal paw on Freddy’s shoulder.

Bonnie’s heart swelled with affection as Freddy beamed, his eyes nearly closing at the strength of his glee.  They stood as close as they could without losing sight of each other’s faces.  

And then they began to sway.  Side to side, keeping it slow, keeping in time with the music.  The fairy lights above them made Freddy’s casing sparkle; he looked like a constellation, his eyes filled with dozens of tiny stars.

The spotlight above washed them in soft pink hues and created a halo around him.  You’re so beautiful…

A smile crept across Freddy’s face.  “Not nearly as beautiful as you are, Bon.”  Bonnie blinked in surprise, realizing he must have said his thoughts aloud, again.

With a chuckle, Freddy drew him into another kiss.  Soft and slow.  Bonnie shifted his paw from Freddy’s shoulder to the back of his head, keeping him close.  He felt a bit of relief knowing they wouldn’t need to separate for air.  Not for a while.  They could kiss until their systems overheated.  Though the way Freddy made his circuits fizzle, Bonnie knew that wouldn’t take too long.

The song had ended, the next one beginning when Freddy finally released the kiss.  Bonnie moved his paw to Freddy’s cheek, cherishing how he leaned into the touch without a care in the world that it was bare of casing.

They returned to their waltz, Freddy carefully leading them in a circle around the stage, making sure it was at a pace Bonnie could easily keep up with.  Circling the stage and spinning together.  “I hope this is not a dream,” Freddy murmured.

Bonnie tilted his head, his ears flopping to the side.  “I’m looking at mine right now.”

Freddy let out a breath, his blue eyes round.  His shock quickly turned to adoration.  “Oh, Bonnie…”  He pushed a kiss into the damaged side of Bonnie’s face, right above his missing eye.

Small, slow steps.  They twirled together, paws twined, holding tight.  They moved so perfectly with one another, completely in sync.  They danced as if they were one, matching each other’s footsteps and turns.  Eyes locked, only breaking away to look at the rest of their partner’s face.  It came so naturally.  

The lights were dizzying, confusing.  Enchanting, lovely.  Though the bear in front of his eye was a thousand times more.  Bonnie leaned forward, pressing their chests together and resting his head in the crook of Freddy’s neck.  He shut his eye, just taking in the moment.

Worry started to crawl its way through Bonnie’s circuits.  “Freddy..?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t want to forget this,” Bonnie whispered hoarsely, clinging tighter.  “I don’t want to forget how much I love you.  How much you love me…”

There was a kiss against the side of his head as Freddy brought them to a stop.  “I will never let you forget that.  Never.”  He paused, the determination in Freddy's voice turning tame.  “I know it must be scary for your memory to be so uncertain, but I will make sure that you do not go a single second without knowing how much I love you, Bon.  Not one.   No matter what it takes.”   

Bonnie shuddered, hoping Freddy was right.  “I just wish I didn’t forget so much…”  

Freddy stayed quiet.  Bonnie could feel the frown on his face, and he could so easily picture the furrowed brows.  After a moment, Freddy let out a sigh.  “This.. was meant to be a surprise, but I think giving you peace of mind right now is far more important,” Freddy began.

“What..?” Bonnie croaked.

“We have set up a.. recording.  Well, actually several recordings, but that is not the point.”  Bonnie pulled back just enough to look up at Freddy.  “The plan has been to compile the recordings into a video, using my memory bank for the audio.  I wanted to put it all on your Fazwatch so that you could always look back on this night, whether it leaves your memory or not.”  He smiled softly, nudging Bonnie’s muzzle with his nose. “A reminder.”  A paw straightened the flower pinned to Bonnie’s chest.

“Really..?”

Freddy grinned.  “Vanessa told me how humans make recordings of special events so they can look back on them.  She said pictures and videos are very helpful for remembering things.”  Freddy hummed.  “And even if you.. do forget this night, you will get to experience it as many times as you would like.  We could also start taking pictures with the FazCam!  I am sure we can disable the flash…  We can write down what we were doing and the date on the back of the photos and pin them to your wall.”

Bonnie gaped up at Freddy.  “You…  You’d do all this for me..?  The dancing, the decorations, the reminders…”

“Anything and everything for you, Bon.”  Their noses bumped together with a squeak.  “My Bonnie.”

“Heh, you’re such a sap,” he murmured weakly, earning a smile.

Freddy took up their dance again, taking their time getting back into the rhythm.

“We should do this every night!” Freddy announced excitedly.

Bonnie snickered.  “And what about everyone else?”

“Well, perhaps we can do one dance a night,” Freddy reasoned, his ears wiggling.

“I like the sound of that.”  Bonnie paused.  “That wouldn’t make it dull, would it..?”

“With you?  Never.”  Freddy’s eyes shifted to the side.  “Would it be dull for you..?”

“Maybe a little…”  Freddy stiffened, looking mortified while Bonnie let out a mischievous laugh.  He pecked a kiss on Freddy’s cheek, hoping to ease his worries.  “I was joking, honeybear.  Of course not!  I’d dance with you til the world stops spinning.”

Freddy’s shoulders relaxed.  “That is a relief…  You had me worried.”

Bonnie hummed.  “I love you, Freddy.”

“I love you too, Bonnie.”

They had been dancing all night, stopping only to charge Bonnie’s battery.  Freddy had never been more in love.  He just wished he had given in to his feelings earlier.  But.. now was not the time to wonder what could have been.  Freddy had everything he’d ever need or want, now.  His dearest friends, his wonderful boy, and his beloved bunny.  Life really couldn’t get any better.  It was perfect.

The charging cylinder hissed open, making Freddy’s ears go high on his head.  He took Bonnie’s paws and helped him out, beaming down at his bunny and receiving a grin in return.

“It’s not six already, is it?” Bonnie asked, ears twitching anxiously.

Freddy felt his wires squeeze.  He is adorable…   “Not quite,” Freddy replied.  They still had two more hours before they needed to end the night.  “There is one more surprise for you, though.”

Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “Geez, you really went all out!”

Freddy chuckled.  “How could I not when it is for you?”

It was a long, slow walk from the first floor to the Prize Counter, all the while Bonnie poked at Freddy for more hints.  It took all of Freddy’s willpower not to give in, but he reminded himself it would all be worth it in the end, getting to see Bonnie’s cute look of astonishment again.

They reached the spot, standing before the heavy metal doors.

“Where does this go..?” Bonnie asked curiously.  It seemed Bonnie didn’t remember.  He used to go up there all the time.

“You will see,” Freddy rumbled, giving him a kiss at the corner of his eye.  Freddy opened the doors, revealing the stairs spiraling upwards.  Bonnie stared up, gawking at the height.  He stumbled a bit, but Freddy kept him secure.  “Ready to go up?” Freddy asked.

“Ready, Freddy~!” Bonnie teased with a wink.  Laughing, Freddy scooped the bunny into his arms before climbing upwards.  “Geez, how high does this go?”

“Not too far,” Freddy assured him.  He noticed Bonnie stretching his neck to get a better view.  “Do not look down,” Freddy warned.  “It may make you dizzy.”

Bonnie switched his gaze to Freddy.  “Good thing I’ve got such a big, strong bear here to protect me from falling~.”

They reached the top, halting in front of the door.  Freddy helped Bonnie back to his feet before swinging open the exit.

A gust of frosty wind and a chorus of voices greeted them.  Bonnie ogled at the sight he was met with.

It was the roof.  The Glamrocks, the Daycare Attendant, Gregory, and Vanessa sat around a little campfire in a raised metal fire pit.  And above them, the night sky sparkled with stars.  Real stars.   Freddy hadn’t seen them in years, but he could only imagine how magical it was for Bonnie.  Did he remember sneaking up here to watch them?

Completely awestruck, Bonnie could only stare, his jaw dropped and eye wide, ears low behind him.

Gregory, bundled up in his puffy Freddy-themed winter gear, scrambled to his feet and ran to meet them.  “Happy Valentine’s Day!” he yelled, crashing into their legs and hugging them.

Freddy grinned, wiggling his ears.  He easily plucked Gregory into his arm, the other holding Bonnie’s paw.  “Hello, Superstar!  Have you all been having a good time?”

“Yeah!  We made cards in the Daycare, and we shared some with the DJ before he went to sleep, and we played games in the theater, and then we came up here to make s’mores!”

“S’mores, hmm?”  Freddy glanced at Bonnie, chuckling when he saw his bunny still stunned by the blanket of sky above them.  “That sounds delicious.  I wish I could have some.”  Freddy gently nuzzled the top of Gregory’s head.  “Let us go back by the fire where it is warmer.”

Freddy guided them towards the fireplace, the light layer of snow crunching underfoot.  “Hey Bonnie,” Gregory called.  Bonnie finally snapped out of it, sucking in a chilly breath and turning to look at the boy.  “Watch this!”  Gregory let out a huff of air, the cold making it look like a little cloud.

Bonnie’s ears immediately shot up.  “Whoa!”  The bunny beamed, trying it out for himself, laughing at the sight.  “That’s crazy, kiddo!”  Freddy chuckled.  What he wouldn’t do for those two…

“How was your date?” Chica chirped, shuffling closer to Roxy—even going as far as to lean against her—so they had room for everyone.  She didn't seem to notice how Roxy’s tail fluffed out and claws scraped the roof.  Freddy helped Bonnie down between him and Chica, while Gregory sat on Freddy’s other side, near Vanessa.

Bonnie sighed blissfully.  “Amazing…”  He seemed lost in thought again, admiring the fire and the stars above, even running his paws through the snow.

“It better have been with all those hearts I had to cut out,” Roxy grumbled.

“C’mon, quit bi—” Monty stopped himself, eyeing Freddy and Gregory.  “Uhh.. quit.. complainin’ ‘bout it.  We’re havin’ a good night, so don’t fuck it up for the rest of us!”  Bonnie burst into giggles, and Freddy fought to keep his own down.  He decided to let that one slide…  The gator must have been having an exciting night, too; the snow behind Monty had been swept to the sides by his ever-swaying tail.  Freddy was almost positive this was the first time Monty had seen stars or touched snow.

“How was the light show?” Vanessa asked as she handed Gregory his marshmallow stick back, grimacing when the boy let it dip too low and immediately caught his treat on fire.

“You did a wonderful job programming it, Vanessa,” Freddy complimented, helping Gregory put a new marshmallow on the end.

Bonnie’s tail wiggled, turning to Vanessa with a grin.  “Did you choose the music, too?”

She smirked.  “Yeah.  We’ve been hanging out enough for me to know what you like.”

Freddy hugged Bonnie against his side, resting his head on top of the bunny’s.  “It was perfect to dance to.  Thank you all for your help…”

Moon peeked their head over the fire.  “Should we share cards, now?”

“O-Oh, I didn’t make any,” Bonnie stammered, looking embarrassed.

“That’s okay!” Gregory dismissed easily, grabbing the pile of cards Moon handed the boy.

Roxy fluffed her hair before taking her cards from Moon.  “We decided the surprise was more important than stupid paper hearts,” she explained.  She opened one of hers, immediately looking as if she were on the verge of tears.

Monty barked out a laugh.  “Stupid, huh?”

“Shut up!”

Freddy took his own and Bonnie’s cards from Moon.  He placed Bonnie’s in his paws, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Open mine first!” Gregory insisted.

Nodding, Bonnie carefully picked through until he found the heart-shaped card marked ‘From Gregory’.  He opened it up and let out a gasp.

The drawing inside made Freddy’s heart melt.  Gregory in the middle, holding hands with Bonnie and Freddy.  It was littered with heart stickers, and ‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’ written almost illegibly in glitter glue.

Bonnie brought a paw to his muzzle, trembling with emotion.  “Gregory…”  With an equally wobbly smile, Freddy pulled Gregory into his lap so the two animatronics could envelop him in a hug.  Gregory let out a little laugh at their affection, hugging back.  “Thank you, kiddo…”

This had to be the best night of Freddy’s life.  Everyone together, having the time of their lives, sharing their love for one another…  It was all he’d ever wanted.  He had everything.

Chapter Text

Bonnie tapped his foot, humming along with the music coming from the boombox and strumming along.  He’d started making a habit of getting up in the middle of the day for a little bass playing when Gregory was back at the apartment.  

Maybe he could get better at it with some practice.  Maybe even good enough to play for Freddy.  He longed to play on stage with them.  Not for an audience.  Not anymore.  But on that stage, his friends at his side, the lights flashing and music ringing in his ears…  He missed it.

At least he felt like he was still contributing to the performances thanks to Monty.  They’d started playing a round of golf or bowling a few times a week, ending their game with some bass practice.  Bonnie was more than happy to share all his secrets and tricks with the gator, and Monty always seemed eager to pick up more for his shows.  And in exchange, Bonnie was learning new and old things from him.  Programmed skills he’d lost, new techniques that were easier on his paws, and just having fun.  They were growing closer as friends, too.

Bonnie kept the volume low as he played with the beat, holding back the urge to belt out the song.  He mouthed the words, even getting on his feet to really get into the music.  If he closed his eyes, he could imagine himself performing for hundreds of guests again.

He grinned, his tail wiggling as he got to the best part of the song.  He couldn’t bring himself to care when he missed notes or his claws slipped.  No stupid manager yelled at him for messing up.  No lesser applause for mediocre performances.  Playing the bass was even better when he had no one to worry about.  Perfection was overrated. 

Bonnie finished his last riff as the song came to an end, his smile full of pride.

He opened his eye and looked up, his smile immediately dropping.

No…

Slack jawed, eyes wide.  An employee stood in the doorway.  Bonnie had forgotten to lock his door.

Bonnie’s bass clattered to the floor.

Dread and horror flooded Bonnie’s circuits as they stared at one another.

A single thought screamed in his programming.  One that lit a fire under him.

Run.

Bonnie immediately sprang forward, shoving the employee aside and tearing down the hall as fast as he could on his unsteady feet, crashing blindly through the staff tunnels.

I’m dead.  I’m done.  They found me and they’re going to kill me all over again!  I’ll never see them again!  They’ll make sure I’m gone for good this time.  I’m not ready!

He was getting lost in the halls, his panic rising.  Where do I go?  Where can I hide?!   Everything looked the same in the twisting maze.  And there wouldn’t even be an exit for him.  Bonnie was forever trapped in the Pizzaplex.  Even if he managed to get out, he wouldn’t last.  All he could do was hide and plead that no one would find him.

I thought I’d have more time to live!  I’ve finally got everything I’ve ever wanted, please don’t take this from me!  I just want to live my life with them!

Bonnie’s ears shot up when he heard voices to the left.  He immediately ducked away, his clunking footsteps echoing in the halls around him.  There would be no mistaking it was him with the mismatching sounds.

Bonnie struggled for breath as he stumbled deeper into the labyrinth of tunnels.  He wouldn’t be able to find his way back, even if he wanted to.

He turned down a corner, smacking right into a STAFF bot that began blaring alarms.

No!  Stop!

He trembled before dashing off, breathing hard to keep himself from overheating.

Bonnie’s footsteps were becoming more unsteady with each path he turned down.  His thoughts were getting distorted.  Like someone had written them on a whiteboard and smeared them with their hand.

It was getting harder to move, but he kept pushing himself.  Just.. run.  You’ll die if you stop…

His vision was blurry, his shaking getting worse, and he had to fight his endoskeleton’s threats of collapse.

But he could only go on for so long like that.  One of his claws caught on an uneven tile, sending him tumbling forward and clattering to the floor.  The sound of plastic cracking and metal crunching echoed like a gunshot through the halls.

He clawed at the ground, trying desperately to get himself back up.  But his limbs wouldn’t work like he wanted them to.  Bonnie couldn’t even figure out why this was happening, his head wrapped in such a thick fog.

Gritting his teeth, he crawled his way to a dark offshoot of the service tunnel, wedging himself in the corner and letting out a quiet sob that he tried to stifle with his paws as he stared at the entrance, waiting for his death to arrive.

Please…  Just let me.. say goodbye.. this time…

“What do you think, Freddy?”

Freddy’s ears perked.  “Hm?”  

Talia, the technician with the ever-changing hair color, glanced up at him.  She was replacing some wiring in his paw.  This week, her hair was an acidic green.  “Do you think I should get a cat or a snake?” she asked again.

Freddy squinted, pondering.  “I am not sure.  I am not very familiar with either.  I only know that cats are more conventional.”

Derek pointed a wrench at him from outside the open cylinder.  “Oh yeah, you’ve never even seen a real animal, have you?”

“No, no,” June interrupted.  “He’s seen rats before.  We used to have a problem with them the year after the Pizzaplex opened.”

“Hmm.. maybe I should get a rat.”  Talia finished the repair and closed up Freddy’s casing.  “Test it out.”

Freddy flexed his paw, smiling when it moved smoothly.  “Perfect.  Thank you very much, Talia.”  Freddy wiggled his ears.  “Also, for the record, I have seen a raccoon.”

“What?  No way, how’d you see one?  It wasn’t in the Pizzaplex, was it?” Derek asked.

Freddy scratched the back of his head anxiously.  “Ah, well…  Bonnie used to drag me up to the roof back in the day to look at the stars and the scenery.  But one night he came running down, yelling about a little creature in the dumpsters!”  Freddy chuckled.  “He and Chica thought it was very cute.”  Freddy glanced around at the techs, suddenly noticing the drop in mood.  He stiffened, realizing he’d mentioned Bonnie so casually.  They were giving him odd, sad looks that made Freddy’s wires twist.

June’s staff-issued Fazwatch went off, making them roll their eyes.  “Oh great, our favorite person is calling.”  Talia and Derek groaned, Freddy even letting out an annoyed huff, his ears lowering.  No one liked the manager.  June pressed the tophat, and the four were immediately bombarded with shouts.

“June, what the fuck did you do?!  Why is that thing back?!”

“The hell are you talking about?”

The manager scoffed.  “What am I talking about?  What am I talking about?   I’m talking about the six-foot purple rabbit animatronic that was supposed to be decommissioned five months ago!”

No!

Freddy immediately shot out of his seat, bolting for his elevator and ignoring the technicians calling his name.  He was already trying to connect to Bonnie’s Fazwatch as he slammed into the back of the elevator, too panicked to slow down or worry about damage.

After too long, he finally connected.  “Bonnie!  Where are you?!  We must get you out!”  He was only met with strangled, glitchy static.  “Bonnie?!”  Freddy practically pried the elevator doors open before rushing out.  Freddy grit his teeth.  It is past the top of the hour…  They must have found him when his battery was low!   “Bonnie, just hang on!  I will find you through your Fazwatch and get you out!”

Locking onto his tracker, Freddy barreled through Rockstar Row and into the service tunnels.  How will I get him out?!  Where will we go?!  I cannot lose him, not again!  I will not lose him again.  If the Pizzaplex wants him gone, they will not have me, either!

Freddy stormed through the winding halls, ignoring the manager’s attempts to call him.  A STAFF bot got in his way, and Freddy threw it into the wall without a care, not even glancing back to see its crushed head and sparking remains.

It was too easy to remember Bonnie’s disappearance.  Then his disassembly.  Then hearing that he would not be brought back after everything they’d gone through.

They would make sure, this time.  That he would never return.  All they had to do was get a hold on his chip and it would all be over.

I will not let that happen!  I must get to him first!

He was forced to take longer routes to avoid the searching employees.  He couldn’t let them follow him right to Bonnie.  Freddy knew the tunnels better than anyone after spending every night for a year and a half searching for Bonnie.  And now he was racing to save him.

Freddy charged down the hall, skidding to make the turn down the tunnel Bonnie’s Fazwatch pointed him to.  Horror clawed at Freddy’s insides when he saw the chips of plastic on the ground.

“B-Bonnie?!”  His eye caught sight of the side room for maintenance.  Freddy surged towards it, both paws gripping the frame of the entrance, claws scraping the wall.  “Bonnie!”

His bunny laid crumpled in the farthest corner, eye round with terror.  His poor body was wracked with trembles and twitches.

Freddy rushed to his side, cupping Bonnie’s face in his paws.  Bonnie let out a frightened jumble of static, trying to pull away.  “Bon, it is me.  Your Freddy…”  His battery must have been so low.. and Freddy could feel he was overheating, his casing hot, breath scorching.  “Shh, it is alright, Bon.”

Somewhere under his haze, Bonnie must have recognized him.  Or at least felt he was safe.  A staticky sob escaped his voicebox as he sagged in Freddy’s touch.

“I am going to get you out of here, Bonnie.  I will not let them hurt you.  They will not take you from me as long as I am still alive.”  As gently as he could, Freddy scooped Bonnie into his arms and stood up.  “I will keep you safe.”

How am I going to do this?  Where can I take him?  The fire escape?  But after that, where do we go?  I.. do not know anything about the world outside the Pizzaplex.  How can I protect him?  How could I even charge him?

But Freddy didn’t need to answer those questions when footsteps sounded right behind them.

Dread washed over Freddy, threatening to drown him.  Freddy let out a shaky breath, slowly turning his head to look over his shoulder with eyes wide.  And there stood the manager, backed by at least a dozen other employees.  A remote in his hand.  One Freddy knew had the capability of taking him, and all the other animatronics down with the click of a button, all because of one stupid line of code in his head.

“About time we found that walking pile of garbage.  Nice job, Freddy Fazbear.  For once you did what you were supposed to.”

There was a painful spark, and all the fog lifted off Bonnie’s mind.  Freddy was hugging him.  They were kneeling on the ground in Freddy’s greenroom, a plug in Bonnie’s back to charge him.

And Bonnie had been caught.  They were going to decommission him.  He was going to die…

Bonnie let out a sob, clinging to Freddy with his claws in desperation.  Freddy hugged tighter, cradling the back of his head.

Bonnie shuddered.  “W-When—?”  He choked on his words.  He couldn’t finish.

Freddy buried his face in the crook of Bonnie’s neck.  “Th-The manager is closing the Pizzaplex early…”  Freddy trembled.  “We a-are locked in m-my gr-greenroom,” Freddy sobbed.  “You were caught because of me and now they—”  Neither of them could bear to say it.  “I am so sorry, Bonnie!”

Ever so slightly, Bonnie pulled back.  Just enough that they could look at each other’s faces.  One last time.  The pain in Freddy’s eyes hurt more than the threat of death ever could.

Bonnie glanced down at himself, taking a breath.  “I-It’s not your fault…”  His ears drooped.  “We all kinda knew this was gonna happen eventually…”

“No…  No, we can still escape..!”

No they couldn’t.  Freddy knew it.  Bonnie knew it.

“I’m.. kinda past my expiration date, yknow..?  I have been for a while.  Was only a matter of time till I got scrapped again…”

Freddy gripped Bonnie’s upper arms tightly, his eyes lit like fire.  “No!  Do not say things like that!” he shouted.  “I will fight every last one of them if it means saving you!  I will not let them take you from me!”

Bonnie quivered.  The very thought of death was terrifying.   It didn’t matter that he’d already.. died once before.  This would be permanent.   And he would never know what his death would do to his family.  He would never be able to ease their pain.  He would just be gone.

I can.. at least try to comfort him before it’s too late.   “Freddy.. it’s okay,” he lied quietly.

“How is any of this okay?!  I have only had you back for a month, and now they want to take you away forever!”

A whole month..?  It’s felt like half that…  How much have I forgotten?  Bonnie tried not to shatter as he brought a paw to Freddy’s cheek.  “Love, you’ve given me everything I ever could’ve wanted.  This past month has.. been the best time of my entire life.”  Bonnie paused, trying to keep his voice steady.  “I couldn’t have asked for anything more…”  I just want more time.  I don’t want this to be over.

“No, please stay.  I cannot lose you again…”

Bonnie brought both paws to both sides of Freddy’s face.  The bear gripped his wrists, his expression twisted with sorrow.  “Freddy, I would stay if my chip broke down and I could no longer speak or move. Just to see you when you walked by, or hear you sing from across the Pizzaplex.  So I could watch Gregory grow up and see my friends' lives blossom.  And I would stay if I lost my sight and hearing, just so I could feel you hold my hand and kiss my head. And if I were to lose my sense of touch, I would stay just because the very thought of you would keep me going.”  Bonnie tried— really tried —to force down a whimper, but it still escaped.  His voice wobbled with emotion.  “The last thing I ever want to do is leave you, Freddy…  If I had my choice, I never would…”

“Th-There must be a way..!”  Freddy’s eyes darted desperately around his room for an answer.

Bonnie’s shoulders sagged, his paws dropping into his lap.  What could we possibly do?  Even if we somehow managed to get out of the Pizzaplex, we’d be caught before we could think of where to go.  Even if they didn’t find us, my battery would drain within an hour.

“It’s okay, sweetheart.  I had a good life.”  Half of it I can’t even remember.

“Stop saying that!” Freddy cried, making Bonnie flinch.  “W-We can figure this out..!”  Freddy gripped his own head, his claws scratching the paint of his casing.  “We c-can switch chips!  You can keep living in my place!”

Bonnie recoiled, horrified at the very thought.  “Freddy, that’s insane!  I would never do that!  Why would you even—”

“I-It is the best plan we have..!”  Bonnie stared.  His desperation was driving him mad.

“Freddy, stop!”

 A growl escaped Freddy.  “I will not live without you again!”

“W-What, and I’m supposed to live without you?!”

“You will have everyone else!  They need you!”

Bonnie grabbed Freddy’s arms, trying in vain to stop him from clawing up his own casing anymore.  “No.. they don’t.”  He took a shaky breath.  “I’ve been gone for a year and a half.  You’ve all managed without me.  You can do it again.  You have each other.”

“I cannot stand to live another moment without you!”  Freddy trembled.

Bonnie grit his teeth, balling his paws into fists and struggling to his feet.  “Think about Gregory!” he yelled, panting to keep himself from overheating.  “Are you really willing to leave him?!”

Freddy went silent, his eyes round and jaw slack.  “Gregory…”  He sounded dazed, his paws dropping to his sides.

“You’re everything to that kid!  He’s already been abandoned by family before.  Are you really going to do that to him again?”  Freddy stared at the floor.  “Don’t do that to him.  He’s already gonna be hurting because I’ll be gone, but you?  Freddy, you’re the closest thing he has to a father.”  Freddy’s eyes rose to meet Bonnie’s.  “He can’t lose you.  You have to be there for him.  He needs you.”

Freddy’s eyes trailed to something behind Bonnie.  He glanced back, spotting the drawings Freddy had lovingly pinned to his wall.  Bonnie’s heart ached.

The soft sound of his endoskeleton hissing drew Bonnie’s attention back to Freddy as the bear stood up.  Bonnie felt so small under Freddy’s gaze.  He could see it in his love’s eyes that he would be more broken than Bonnie’s chip and casing had ever been.  But there was nothing they could do…

“I love you, Bonnie,” Freddy whispered.

It felt like claws were ripping at his innards as he stared up at Freddy.  These last moments would be more painful than the death that awaited him.  Bonnie couldn’t hold it back.  He began to sob, both of them wrapping each other in an embrace that dented their casings.  “I love you, too, Freddy…   P-Please take care of them for me…”

They could hear shouting and crashing.  They could hear arguing.  They could hear footsteps growing closer.

Bonnie and Freddy clung tighter, pressing their muzzles against one another’s for their last kiss.

This is it.

Freddy’s door slid open.

Chapter Text

Freddy pushed Bonnie behind him, his stance wide as he growled at the intruders.  “Freddy!” Bonnie gasped.  Freddy knew he had to stay around.  His family needed him.  Gregory needed him.  But that didn’t mean he would let Bonnie be taken from him without a fight.  Some act of defiance.  Anything.

The manager rolled his eyes.  “Move out of the way, Fazbear,” he ordered, his voice full of annoyance.

Freddy pinned back his ears, taking one of Bonnie’s paws and growling.

“Freddy, stop,” Bonnie whimpered.

“Hand over the rabbit,” the manager ground out, holding up the remote.

“Freddy, stop it, they’ll hurt you!” Bonnie begged, pulling at his arm.

“Last chance!”

Freddy didn’t care.  Being overloaded would be nothing compared to losing Bonnie.  He tightened his grip on Bonnie’s paw.  Would this be the last time he’d ever feel his touch..?

Freddy shut his eyes, waiting for the wave of electricity.

“Whoa whoa whoa, hold on.”  Freddy opened his eyes, gaping when he saw an employee standing between him and the manager.

“June, you better move out of the way before I fire your ass for bringing that thing back.”

“Hold on…”  June held their arms out in front of them.  “First of all, I had no idea about him.  Secondly—”

“If you start spewing more shit about these oversized kid toys being alive, I swear to God—”

“Fine, fine.  Let’s say they’re not alive like that.  Great.  But this is advanced technology.  It’d be a waste to scrap him…  And he’s clearly still in working condition if he’s still walking around like this!  Corporate was wrong!”

The manager glared.  “Look at that thing!”  June glanced back over their shoulder for a peek.  “It’s a piece of junk.  I’m not throwing that back out in public to scare guests away!” the manager shouted.  Freddy snarled furiously.  How dare he say that about his Bonnie?!

Another employee squeezed through the doorway, standing beside June.  Mara, from the Faz-Pad.  She was a friend of Chica’s.  “The whole Pizzaplex is understaffed.  We could use an extra hand.”

The manager scoffed.  “That’s what the STAFF bots are for.  Keeping that thing up would be too expensive.”

More employees made their way into the room.  “STAFF bots are useless,” Lorenzo—who was in charge of electronics for the shows—muttered.  “They can’t do anything more complicated than a glorified fetch quest.”

“Bonnie used to help out in Bonnie Bowl between shows,” Ravi added.  “He already knows the ropes.  He could help us there.”

“The Prize Counter needs stockers!”

“We’re overworked in the kitchens!  We always get backed up on the weekends.  And we all know what happened when you 'helped' us close early for the staff meeting...”

“Yeah, that wouldn't have happened if we had enough workers!”

“Could use some extra muscle at the docks.  We got two guys out with injuries this week.”

“Cart repair is gonna be a problem when the raceway opens.”

“We’d love the big guy to help in the bakery!”

Freddy stared in awe as more and more employees stepped forward, offering reasons to let Bonnie stay.  Hope began welling up inside him.  Did they actually have a chance..?  He glanced back over his shoulder to look at Bonnie.  His bunny stared blankly, too overwhelmed to even process what was happening.  Freddy shuffled closer, keeping their paws locked together.

“You’d save money giving a job to him instead of taking the time to hire another person.  Less work for you, too cuz you’re so busy~,” a younger employee snarked.

A longtime employee of Mazercise bobbed her head in agreement.  “The other animatronics would one hundred percent perform better, too.  They’ve been so good this past month.  Could be because he’s back.”

“They’ll become pretty difficult to deal with if you take Bonnie away, again,” June warned with a shrug, trying to act nonchalant as if Bonnie’s life wasn’t on the line.

Freddy watched as the manager considered his options.

Please.  Please let Bonnie stay.

The wait was painful.  The only sounds were the cries from the other greenrooms.  Their friends were fighting so hard to escape and save Bonnie…  Freddy tried to connect to them, but found himself blocked from the network.

The manager let out a heavy sigh, and Freddy squeezed Bonnie’s paw.  “June, I want you to do an analysis on the chip to see just how fucked up it is.  I want a full, undoctored report with all the data you go through.  Then I want a list of jobs it could do.”

Freddy could hear the grin in June’s voice as they nodded.  “I’ll make it happen.”

“I don’t want you to spend any money on repairs for this thing.  If it breaks, it breaks, and we toss it.  That includes casing.  I’m not sinking money into something that’s already broken.”  He paused.  “I’ll give it a week.  If it does more work than its upkeep costs, it can stay.”  The employees who had stepped forward began murmuring to each other excitedly before the manager cut them off.  “If it doesn’t, it’s done.”

“Yessir.” June gave him a lazy salute, annoying the manager further.

“The rest of you, we’re having a meeting now.”  The manager left the room, employees following after him.  The ones who stood up for Bonnie gave him waves, expressed their glee he had returned, and welcomed him back before leaving the greenroom.

It was just Freddy, Bonnie, and June.  The sounds of distress from his friends had quieted down.  Someone must have told them the good news.

Freddy whirled around, immediately enveloping Bonnie in a hug.  It took all his willpower not to crush him.  “Bon, did you hear that?  You get to stay…  You get to live.”

Bonnie was trembling, but that was all.  He just stared, struggling to get air.  Freddy rested his head on top of Bonnie’s, trying to give him as much comfort as he could.  He rubbed circles in his back, murmuring gentle words and trying to pull him out of his shock.

“Shit, I can’t believe that worked,” June huffed noisily behind them.  Freddy spotted them trudging to the backroom, unlocking the elevator.

Freddy pressed a kiss to Bonnie’s forehead.  “Just focus on breathing, Bon.”  His breath was hot.  He couldn’t let Bonnie overheat after everything.  He’d been through enough stress.

“Elevator’s ready to go,” June announced from the doorway.  “We should get down to Parts and Service before the manager decides to come back and accuse us of something ridiculous.”

Freddy gave June a little nod before returning his attention back to Bonnie.  His poor bunny was still in a daze.  “Bon, do you think you can walk, or do you need me to carry you?” he asked gently.  Bonnie’s eye trailed down, and he managed to shuffle a foot forward.  “Alright, I will lead you.  Just keep breathing and try your best…”  Bonnie nodded numbly.  It was progress.

At a snail’s pace, they made it into the elevator, June watching them closely before they pressed the button that sent them down.  Freddy felt Bonnie lean into him as they waited.

“Can.. he hear me?” June asked a bit nervously.

Freddy opened his mouth to answer but stopped himself when Bonnie gave a tiny nod.  “Y-Yeah,” the bunny managed to rasp out, his voice a wobbly whisper.  Freddy beamed proudly at Bonnie before pressing a kiss to the side of his head.

June smiled sheepishly at the display of affection and glanced away.  “Well that explains a few things,” June mumbled to themself with a chuckle, scratching their neck.  “But, I mean, damn, I never thought I’d see you again, Bonnie!”  June got closer to them in the elevator, their face lighting up with glee.  “God I missed you…  I still remember the day I started my internship.  You completely flipped my idea of animatronics on its head.  I never thought I'd be friends with a robot back then!”  Bonnie stared at June, looking almost scared.  The technician’s grin slowly melted away.  “You.. don’t know who I am…”

Freddy caught Bonnie’s eye.  Neither of them were sure how much they could say…  What would make the manager want him scrapped?  What would let him stay?

June took a breath, shaking themself.  “That’s.. not important, right now.”  The elevator dinged open.  “I’ll go fill in Derek and Talia while you two follow.”  June looked Bonnie up and down.  “No rush.”

June left, heading down the hall and through the door.  They could hear the greetings of the other techs.  Freddy gave Bonnie’s paw a squeeze, receiving a weak one in return, before they made the slow walk down the hall.

Bonnie was extra shaky and very slow.  All the stress and anxiety couldn’t be good for him.  “My legs feel like jello,” Bonnie whispered.

Freddy chuckled.  “Do not tell Gregory that; he loves jello.  He may just bite you!”  Bonnie gave him a tiny smile as Freddy nuzzled his cheek.  “We can take as much time as you need…”  The bunny shut his eye and nodded.  He stumbled a bit, but Freddy kept him from falling.  “We have all the time in the world…”

Bonnie’s smile dropped, his frown deep.  “We gotta week, max.”

“The manager said—”

“If I’m not profitable, I’m done.”  Bonnie trembled, letting out a breath.  “I think we all know how that’s gonna end.”

Freddy stopped them in the middle of the hall.  He turned Bonnie, holding him out by his shoulders.  “Do not give up hope, yet.  And do not underestimate yourself.  You have been doing wonderfully this past month!  There will be something out there that you can learn to do.  If you would like, we can help you practice and work on skills at night.”  Freddy paused, his wires twisting.  “And.. we have time to make a backup plan in case the manager does not keep his word.  We can do this, Bon.”

Bonnie finally gave him a weak smile.  “Hope so…  I don’t think I could take another goodbye…”

“Neither could I, Bon.”

Bonnie held Freddy’s paw in an iron grip as they entered Parts and Service.  He snapped his mouth shut, too afraid that he might say one wrong word and get decommissioned.

One of the techs shot out of their chair.  “Holy shit, you were serious?!”  Bonnie recoiled in fear when the tech began jogging towards him.

“Derek, I literally just told you not to crowd them,” scoffed another.  The one who had helped them.  What was their name..?  Whatever it was, they’d stopped Derek, who now stood gawking at Bonnie.

“Guess this is why Monty and Roxy kept looking like dumpster divers last month,” muttered a third with bright hair, making a deep growl roll through Freddy’s voicebox.

The tech who had helped them— saved Bonnie— stood up and threw a paper cup at the third technician.  “Can you not be an asshole?!  He was about to die and that’s what you have to say, Talia?!”

“Dunno what I’m supposed to say…”

Freddy gently coaxed them deeper into the room, patiently helping him down the steps one at a time.  Too many eyes were trained on him.  Watching him.  Seeing how broken he was.  Bonnie’s circuits sparked with anxiety with each second that ticked by on the stairs; each one made his stay at the Pizzaplex seem less and less certain.  They’re never going to bother with someone like me.

His wires felt like they were twisting themselves apart.  He’d finally accepted himself.  Finally found some self-worth.  And in one fell swoop, it was all stripped away.  Suddenly his survival depended on how much money the company could save.  It made him feel sick.

“So,” the lead technician began slowly when Bonnie finally reached the bottom, “I’ll need to check your chip and code in the computer…”  Freddy quickly put himself between Bonnie and the employees, his ears low.  “I won’t touch it!” they hurried.  “I just need to let the system run through and file everything for the manager.  Then I can see what’s—err, if—anything’s wrong.”  They put their hands up in surrender.  “I won’t even touch the keyboard while it’s running, and the cylinder stays open.”

Freddy glanced back at him.  “It is up to you…”  Bonnie took a breath and nodded.  It wasn’t like he had much of a choice…

Freddy guided him into the cylinder, making sure Bonnie was secure in the chair before hurrying to the computer and techs.  They made sure he saw and understood every click, every press of a key.  When the program began to run, they even handed Freddy the keyboard to guard alongside Bonnie so no shady business could be done behind their backs.

Bonnie immediately clamped his paw onto Freddy’s when he returned to his side, squeezing tight with anxiety.

The lead tech sat in a computer chair, wheeling away from the screen so they could look inside the cylinder.  “I don’t want to invade your privacy by looking at every damn line of code that computer logs.  Seriously, I wouldn’t even be running this program if the manager didn’t demand a report of all that data.”  They twiddled their thumbs.  “I thought I’d ask you stuff instead.”

“That is.. appreciated, June,” Freddy rumbled.  Bonnie tried his best to remember the name to the face.

“So, I know from months ago that your chip wasn’t in the best shape.  Are you having.. difficulties because of that?”  Bonnie kept his mouth shut, brows furrowed.  June sighed.  “Look, you’re going to have to trust—”

“Trust you?” Bonnie finished quietly.  “When whatever I tell you is gonna get relayed back to that jerk who wants me dead?”

The room went silent, the only sound was the whirring computer.

“Talia, Derek, can you two check up on the other animatronics to make sure they’re okay?” June asked.  The techs glanced at each other before nodding, heading for the elevators.  

When they were gone, June spoke up again.  “I don’t want anyone getting decommissioned.  I argued with the corporate dicks for hours trying to keep you around.  I put my job on the line today.  You need to trust me.”

“Heh, cuz I’m advanced technology that would be a waste to lose,” Bonnie muttered bitterly.

Freddy squeezed Bonnie’s paw.  “June is not like that.  They were only saying that because the manager refuses to accept that we are awake.  June has always been good to us, I promise.”

Bonnie peered up at Freddy, searching his blue eyes.  June cleared their throat.  “So..?”

“I trust Freddy,” Bonnie mumbled.  Freddy brushed a paw against his damaged cheek.  Bonnie couldn’t help leaning into the touch.

“We can answer June’s questions together if that would help.”  Bonnie nodded, his ears twitching anxiously.

Bonnie took a breath.  “My memory is.. not.. great… ”  He shut his eye, trying to stay calm.  “There’s a lot of holes, and I gotta hard time knowing when things happened, and I’m still forgetting more…”

June nodded.  “That’s why you don’t remember me.”

“But,” Freddy added, “we have been doing memory exercises and taking photos to help!  And you have been relearning skills you have lost.  You have made wonderful progress, Bon.”

Bonnie really wondered if animatronics could blush.  His ears stuck out to the side sheepishly.

“Have you looked at his code?”

Freddy nodded.  “His memory system was damaged.  It was not a simple matter of fixing code, and I do not want to risk damaging his current memories in trying.”

June brought a hand to their mouth, brows knit as they thought.  “Okay.  What else?”

Bonnie fidgeted with Freddy’s claws, trying to calm himself.  “Walking is kinda hard.  I mean, I can do it on my own if I really work at it, but I have to think about every step, and try to stay balanced, and I usually hafta put a paw on the wall or a railing.  I’m.. pretty slow.  And geez, don’t get me started on stairs.”

“Your walking is improving,” Freddy hummed.  “I think the exercises with Chica are helping.  You are getting better at walking farther without help!”  The bear wiggled his ears, looking proud and making Bonnie’s heart melt.

“Okay, so we can find a job that doesn’t take too much walking…  Maybe we can get you something to help you walk when you need to.”  June bit their lip, scribbling down possibilities.  “Any other issues?”

Bonnie sighed and raised his paws.  “They’re really shaky…  I have a lotta trouble doing anything delicate.”  June frowned.  “And uh, I can’t do much with heavy stuff…  Or switching between sitting and standing a lot…”  Bonnie grimaced.  In other words, I’m useless.

“You are not useless, Bon,” Freddy insisted sternly.

“Geez, why can’t I keep my stupid thoughts private?” he mumbled.

Freddy planted a kiss on his exposed endo, right above his missing eye.  “Because I need to tell you when they are wrong.  You are worth just as much as everyone else.  Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.”

June tapped their notepad thoughtfully.  “Anything else I should know?”

Bonnie shrugged, but Freddy rumbled out a reply.  “Bonnie is in reduced power, and it is not safe to take him out…  So he cannot connect to the main network, and he must recharge every hour.”  Freddy paused to look into Bonnie’s eye.  “However, he has a Fazwatch that has allowed us to keep in touch, and I have been giving him reminders to charge.”

June opened their mouth to respond but was cut off by a furious roar.  The ground trembled before Monty burst into Parts and Service.

“Monty, calm down, man!  I’m telling you he’s fine!” Derek shouted behind him.

Monty ignored him, storming down the steps and grabbing June by their shirt collar.  June yelped in surprise as they were lifted out of their chair and off the ground.

“Where the fuck is Bonnie?!” he yelled, his black claws digging into the cloth.  His fangs glinted with a snarl.

June flailed helplessly before Freddy rushed out.  “Montgomery!”  The gator whipped his head to the side, spotting Freddy.  Another guttural growl escaped Monty’s voicebox before he noticed Bonnie.

Bonnie waved awkwardly, his grin the same.  “Hey big guy…”  Monty’s sunglasses slid a few inches down his snout, revealing shocked eyes.

“Cottontail, yer still here…”  He dropped June, who landed on their rear with a loud oomph.   “Fuck…”  Monty ran his claws through his mohawk as he approached.  “Thought you were gettin’ decommissioned…”

Derek helped June up, shaking his head.  “I told you he was fine.”

“Yeah?!  Well that’s what they told us the first time Bonnie got brought in to be ‘fixed,’” Monty snapped, still baring his fangs.  His tail swaying irritably, Monty stomped into the cylinder to stand at Bonnie’s side, opposite to Freddy.  “Ya alright, bunny?”

“Heh, still traumatized by the whole ‘they’re gonna kill me’ thing, but other than that I’m okay.”

Another door opened to sobbing.  “We should’ve been more careful!” Chica wailed.

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Roxy soothed.  “And thanks to the techs, he gets to stay.  Isn’t that great?”

Bonnie heard them descend the stairs and saw them approaching.  At first, it looked like just Roxy.  But then he noticed a splash of pink, and the extra legs walking beside her.  Chica was huddled up against Roxy, wrapped in her arms as the wolf guided her to the cylinder while calming her down.  Roxy’s larger frame, big hair, and fluffy tail nearly made Chica invisible.

Her periwinkle eyes rose to meet Bonnie’s gaze.  Her frown wobbled for a moment before she broke away from Roxy, sobbing her heart out.  “B-Bonnie!”  The chicken crashed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging to him desperately.  Bonnie brought his arms around her back and squeezed.

“It’s okay, Cheeky…  I’m not done just yet.”

“I th-thought I-I’d lost you a-again!” she blubbered, burying her face.  Bonnie noticed Roxy shuffle in, standing beside Monty.  The gator put an arm around her shoulder, drawing her into a side hug that she didn’t fight.  If anything, she leaned into it.

“Hey, don’t worry about me.”

June brushed off their clothes, looking annoyed.  “C’mon man... You ruined my shirt...”  They huffed, shaking their head in defeat.  “Where’s Talia?”

“She went to comfort the DJ and Daycare Attendant,” Roxy mumbled as Chica slowly peeled herself off Bonnie, returning to the wolf’s side.

The techs gave them time for their reunion, letting them calm down before anything else changed.

After a while, June took a sip of coffee before sighing heavily.  “I’ll send a message out to some of the better heads of their departments to see who would have a job for you, Bonnie.  We could probably let you do whatever you feel like each day or go wherever you’re needed most.”  They checked over their notes once more.  “Honestly, we wouldn’t mind having you in the tech department.  I can teach you whatever you need, and you can just let me know if there’s something you don’t feel you can do.”  June shrugged.  “But again, I’ll see if there are other openings that might work.”

Bonnie stared.  “Really..?”

June shrugged.  “I don’t want you getting kicked to the curb again.  You used to be my friend.”  Bonnie winced, hating that he’d forgotten.  How much would it hurt to find out a friend didn’t know you anymore?  How many other employees would Bonnie have to break it to?

“That is an excellent plan, June!” Freddy praised, wiggling his ears to lighten the mood.  “See, Bon?  The manager will see how wonderful you are, and you will get to stay!”

June clapped their hands together, startling Bonnie out of Freddy’s deep blue eyes.  “Okay, let’s get started on that casing.”

Bonnie blinked.  “M-My casing?”

Derek grinned.  “Yeah, screw whatever the manager said.  We’ll use spare pieces we have for the others.”

“And we could probably order some parts from that new Pizzaplex they’re building out in Florida.  I think they’re going to have a pink bunny that uses the same casing molds,” June pointed out.  “We can paint over it.”

“Oh, and we should figure out that voicebox while we’re at it,” Derek suggested.  “It’s got a weird echo.”

June snorted.  “Like an old timey radio.”

Bonnie stiffened.  He didn’t know why the idea made his wires twist, but he didn’t like it.  He startled when something covered his paws and looked down to see Freddy’s paw over his own.  His eye trailed up to the bear’s, Bonnie’s ears lowered with embarrassment.  Freddy always knew when something was wrong…

Freddy leaned forward, pressing their foreheads and noses together.  “I will love and support you no matter what you choose, Bon.  Just think what you would like.  No one else,” he murmured softly, pressing a kiss to his muzzle before pulling back.  Bonnie was grateful he kept his paw in place.

What do I want..?   Bonnie frowned, trying to think.  On one hand, I could look pretty again.  No one could call me a walking junkpile if my casing’s all fixed!

But, on the other…  Why should I have to look how they want me to?  Just so they aren’t as mean?  Those same jerks would just talk crap about my broken chip behind my back, anyways.

But maybe new casing would make me more confident.  I mean, they say if you look good, you feel good, right?  It helped Roxy feel better.  That was a little different, though…

Freddy always tells me how beautiful he thinks I am…  He actually loves me the way I look.  And everyone worked so hard personalizing all that merchandise for me, too!  It makes me feel like I can be proud of how I look.  I mean.. I got all this damage from saving Gregory, after all…

And Gregory likes how I am, too.  He’s given me so many drawings, and he compares his scars with mine an awful lot.  I think it’s something he can relate to…  Makes him feel less alone.  Getting all that fixed would send him the wrong message, wouldn’t it?  That you have to fix and hide your flaws?  Feel ashamed of differences?  Ashamed of surviving?

Is it wrong to say I’m happier like this..?

Bonnie clenched his paws while he returned to reality.  June and Derek were still discussing possibilities for cosmetic repairs, the Glamrocks watching in silence.  Bonnie glanced up at Freddy, throwing on a determined expression.  Freddy just gave him a smile and a nod, knowing he’d made up his mind, but did he have any idea what he’d decided?

Bonnie took a deep breath.

“I don’t need fixing,” Bonnie announced, his voice as strong and steady as it could be.  Freddy beamed, his ears high, tail wiggling.

“What?!” Derek sputtered, nearly choking on his FizzyFaz.  He coughed, trying to clear his airways before he managed to speak again.  “You’ve seen your casing, right?” he wheezed.

“Yeah,” Bonnie huffed.  “I’ve been seeing it for a whole month now.  I used to hate it, but.. it’s grown on me.”  Bonnie glanced at his friends, all looking proud.  “It’s part of who I am now.  And my family helped me learn to love it, cracks and all…”

Freddy pecked a kiss to Bonnie’s damaged cheek, making him snicker, the static filling his laugh.

“You don’t even want something to cover your endo..?”

“Nope.”  Bonnie felt Roxy pat his shoulder with a grin.

“What about your eye?”

“Eye am fine without it.”  Monty barked out a laugh at the pun.

“Your voicebox..?”

“Heh, I’ve been told it’s charming.”  Chica gave his arm a squeeze, smiling so hard her eyes shut.

June and Derek glanced at each other.  Geez, they think I’m crazy.   June finally sighed.  “Okay…  Let us give you a good cleaning and a new coat of paint, at least.”

Bonnie’s ears perked, excitement zipping through his circuits.  Clean and shiny, and he’d still look like the new him!  He couldn’t even remember what his colors were supposed to look like.  Were they bright like everyone else’s?  The markings Roxy always painted on were bright, but what about his other colors?

Bonnie nodded eagerly, tail wiggling as he leaned forward.  Freddy chuckled, gently pushing him back.  “Do not move too much.  The machine is still connected to your chip,” he reminded him.

“Speaking of…”  June went to the computer, examining the information on screen.  Bonnie pretended he didn’t see them wince.  It didn’t matter.  Sure, he was a little messed up, but he could do this…  Peering up at his friends, he felt far more confident in himself.  “Looks like we have everything.  I’ll take a look through later to see if there’s anything we can make easier for you.”  June finished up with the code and the report (after Freddy returned the keyboard), closing off the program and releasing Bonnie from the machine’s plug.  “All set, bunny.”

Freddy and Chica helped Bonnie out of the chair.  They were about to get Bonnie a power wash and a sparkly new coat, when one of the doors to the Rockstar Row elevators slid open.

“Bonnie!” a little voice cried between sobs.  Vanessa and Gregory stood in the doorway.  Gregory raced over, bawling his eyes out and stumbling on the steps.  Vanessa bolted forward, catching him before he fell.  The boy immediately pushed out of her arms, crashing into Bonnie’s legs and sobbing.  “ Bonnie..!  N-Nessa said they c-caught you!”

“Aw kiddo…”  Freddy helped Bonnie kneel down so he could meet Gregory at his height.  He wrapped his arms around the boy, hunching over him as if he could hide him from all the fear on his little shoulders.  “It’s okay, kiddo…  I’m not getting scrapped.  June over there talked to the manager, and I’m gonna be working at the Pizzaplex.”

Bonnie felt tears roll down his chest.  “Y-You’re just saying that s-so I feel b-better and then tomorrow y-you’ll be gone.”

“Hey…”  Bonnie looked down at Gregory, wiping the tears from his cheeks.  “I wouldn’t lie to you, Gregory.  None of us would.  I’m so sorry for scaring you.”  Bonnie pressed his muzzle to the top of Gregory’s head, gently petting his hair with one paw while the other rubbed circles in his back.  “I’m not leaving, ‘kay?  I’m staying right here.  I gotcha.”

He glanced up, spotting Vanessa by the base of the steps, wiping her own tears out of her eyes and giving him a wavering smile with Chica offering her comfort.

Gregory finally sagged in the embrace.  Poor kiddo got all worked up.

He knew Gregory would’ve been upset by Bonnie’s decommissioning, but he didn’t realize the kid loved him this much.   Bonnie imagined a few tears, a bit of moping, and then life would return to normal for the kid.  Gregory only knew Bonnie for a month, after all.  

But that wasn’t fair of him to think.  Bonnie had only known Gregory for a month, but he loved the kid more than anything.  He’d do anything for him.  It was silly to ever assume their bond was inequal.  They were a family now.  All of them.

Freddy knelt down to join the embrace, slowly followed by the other animatronics and Vanessa.

Bonnie couldn’t let them down.  He couldn’t give up.  He’d make up for his costs and stay at the Pizzaplex.  Convince the manager he was worth keeping.

He wasn’t fighting for his life.  He was fighting for his family.  Fighting to keep them happy and whole.

Chapter Text

Two weeks.  It had been two whole weeks since Bonnie’s second brush with death, and the whole day had been a nightmare for Gregory.  Waking up in the middle of the afternoon to Vanessa frantically talking to someone on the phone.  Her sitting him down and telling him Bonnie had been found…

He didn’t know how long he’d sobbed into her shoulder, begging to go save him.  He couldn’t even remember the car ride.  The next thing he knew, he was running to Parts and Service, hoping he could stop it.  And then he was in Bonnie’s arms…  Everyone safe and sound…

After everything, Bonnie got to work at the Pizzaplex like a regular staff member.  Every night, Bonnie would tell them all about whatever jobs he did, and the places he worked each day.  Parts and Service, Gator Grub, Bonnie Bowl, El Chip, the Faz-Pad, the theater.  Those were some of his favorites that first week.

He attempted work in the docks and with the janitorial crew, but he explained they were too difficult with all the walking and heavy lifting.  Bonnie also tried working in the main kitchens, but he ran out of battery and passed out after only thirty minutes because it was so fast paced.

It was because of that that Gregory decided to keep an eye on Bonnie, but after two days of not getting enough sleep—staying awake for Bonnie’s work hours and awake for nighttime—Bonnie insisted he would be fine and that he’d have someone check up on him throughout the day.

The last day of that week was the worst.   Everyone was terrified that the horrible manager would just toss him.  As bright as Bonnie acted about the jobs, Gregory heard the bunny expressing his worry to Freddy when they didn’t think Gregory was there.  That he could hardly keep up.  That he just didn’t know what he was doing most of the time.  That he wished the manager would let him find his footing in one job before trying out the others.  That it felt like the manager’s game was rigged against him.  That he just wished he had more time… 

So, Gregory snuck into an unused security office during the last performance on the last day.  He hoped he could make Bonnie’s work stats more appealing by breaking into the system, only to find Vanessa and June hunched over the computer with the bunny’s file open, the black and green code scrawling across the screen.  Their eyes comically wide from being caught in the act until they realized it was just Gregory.

Much to everyone’s relief and surprise, Bonnie was allowed to stay.

After it sunk in that he got to live, Gregory could tell Bonnie was really happy making friends and feeling like he was part of the Pizzaplex again.  Everyone else was happier, too.  Especially Freddy.  He made sure the entire Pizzaplex staff knew that he and Bonnie were together.  They got teased a lot for it, but that only made Freddy more obvious with his displays of affection.

Gregory did hear one employee talking shit about them behind their backs, but Gregory quickly dealt with him, giving him a vicious bite on the hand until the jerk managed to push Gregory away.

But now everything was fine.  He’d made a habit of joining Bonnie for the last show each night, and tonight wasn’t any different.  

Gregory zipped out of Freddy’s elevator and down the hall before entering Parts and Service.  He could hear Bonnie and the techs chatting before spotting Bonnie’s big ears perk through the cylinder.  The bunny peeked around it, grinning when he saw Gregory.

“Hey, kiddo!” Bonnie called.  Beaming, Gregory ran right into his outstretched arms for a hug.  Bonnie shook like he usually did, but it didn’t ruin anything.  It felt familiar, now.  So was his sparse casing and endoskeleton.  There was no doubt who it was, and that felt safe.

Bonnie’s bare paw ruffled his unruly hair, making Gregory giggle and look up at the bunny.  It was still strange seeing him with bright, shiny colors.  But he’d chosen to keep his damaged chassis, so it wasn’t too much of a change.

“How was work?” Gregory piped up.

Bonnie grinned.  “Oh, it was great, kiddo.  Got to work in the Bakery today!  I even made some cookies for tonight, so you’ll have to tell me how they taste.”  

Gregory grinned.  “What flavor?” he asked excitedly.

Bonnie hummed.  “Y’know, I can’t remember.  Guess it’ll be a surprise for all of us!”  Bonnie stood up straight and stretched his arms above his head with a little hiss.  “What do ya say we go up to the third floor and watch the show?”  Gregory nodded eagerly, taking one of Bonnie’s paws as they began heading out of Parts and Service.

“Don’t forget this,” June said, handing Bonnie his pink golf club.

“Thanks, June!”  Bonnie flipped his golf club upside down, using the head as a handle.  He’d started using his golf club like a cane to help him around since someone in Gator Grub suggested it.

Gregory led the way, knowing how to get anywhere in the Pizzaplex through the staff tunnels.  They passed a few employees, Bonnie calling out cheerful greetings.

“What songs do you think they’re gonna play?” Bonnie asked as they walked.  The pace was comfortable for Gregory’s leg; nice and slow.

“I dunno.  I think it’s Freddy’s turn to pick the songs.”

“He’ll probably choose the popular stuff,” Bonnie snickered.  “He loves to stick to the Fazbear brand.”

“I like all the songs they play,” Gregory announced, turning them down another path.

“Really?  All the songs?  Geez, even I don’t like a few.”  Bonnie’s ears swayed back and forth at him.  “Okay, which song’s your favorite?”

Gregory scrunched his brows.  “I dunno…  There’s like a million!”

Bonnie grinned.  “You’re right, you’re right.”  Bonnie pondered for a moment.  “Okay, what’s your favorite snack in the Pizzaplex?”

“The Freddy Fudgebar is tasty.”

“Ooh, chocolate, huh?”  Bonnie wiggled his tail.  “Favorite arcade game?”

“Street Skate Superstar!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, just because Freddy calls you Superstar?”

Gregory giggled.  “No!”

“Uh huh, sure kiddo.”  Bonnie nudged him playfully.  Gregory pulled them into a lift, riding it up to the third floor.

The elevator opened, and Gregory could already hear the intro music.  “I think they’re about to start!” Gregory gasped, trying to tug Bonnie along faster.  The voice introducing Freddy began to echo through the halls.  They didn’t have much time!

“Run ahead, kiddo.  I don’t think I’m gonna be fast enough.”  Gregory rolled his eyes at the bunny.

“Come on!” he insisted, keeping his grip tight on Bonnie’s paw.  He spotted the door ahead of them that led to the back of El Chip’s kitchen, pushing through it.

An employee glanced over at them.  “Hey, Gregory.  Hi, Bonnie.”

“Hey, whatcha making?  That looks good,” Bonnie complimented as they passed through.

Another smiled.  “You two better hurry.”

“I know, I know!” Gregory hissed, practically dragging Bonnie through the kitchen.

“‘Kay see ya later!” Bonnie called to the employees.  Gregory peeked out to the front, double checking that Bonnie was in the clear.  The shitty manager didn’t want guests seeing Bonnie for whatever stupid reason.  What an asshole…  I wish Freddy would just let me beat the shithead up.   But Freddy always warned him that Gregory would get kicked out of the Pizzaplex if he did anything against him.  So he had to stay on his best behavior around the manager…  Rules are stupid.

One of the cashiers spotted them and waved them over.  “Howdy.  The third floor’s empty.  You can come watch the show.”

Gregory gave Bonnie’s paw another tug.  “Come on, Bonnie!”

“Whoa, kiddo.  I shouldn’t leave the store.  Restaurant.”  Bonnie shook his head.  “I can see the show from here.”

Gregory pouted.  “Come on!  It’s Monday, there’s hardly anyone here!  Pleeeeaaaassse~?”

Bonnie stared down at him before finally letting out a heavy sigh.  “I wouldn’t call several hundred guests ‘hardly anyone’, but alright, kiddo.  If there’s any guests who have a chance of seeing me, you need to let me know so I can get out of sight.  ‘Kay?”

“Yeah, whatever, now come on!”  Gregory tugged them out into the open, looking down at the stage from the railing.  Gregory leaned forward, wanting a better look.  He felt a paw land on his shoulder to keep him grounded.  The stages had just finished rising; the Glamrocks were just about to start their first song of the night.

Gregory and Bonnie waved.  Freddy raised his microphone, pointing a claw at them with his other paw.  “This one is for my Superstars!” Freddy exclaimed, the crowd going crazy, thinking it was for them.  The audience always assumed it was for them.  But it wasn’t.

Gregory glanced up at Bonnie, watching his ears fall behind him, a wobbly smile spreading across his muzzle.  Gregory let out a cheer, Bonnie building up the courage to join in.

Bonnie pulled him into a side hug, beaming down at the performance.  Gregory leaned into him. 

He never thought that bringing Bonnie back would be this great.  He figured it’d just make his friends a bit happier, especially Freddy.  And it did!  It worked a million times better than he’d expected.  And then Gregory and Bonnie became family, too.

That promise he’d made Bonnie all those months ago—to fix him and bring him back—had been the best decision he’d ever made.  How ridiculous he had been to ever think things were perfect before.

The last guest had left the Pizzaplex, and Bonnie could already hear Freddy’s hurried footsteps stomping towards the staff tunnels where he waited.  Bonnie snickered, opening the door to see the bear rushing at him, his eyes alight with glee.

Before he could even think of greeting him, Freddy grabbed Bonnie by the waist, picking him up and twirling them around.

Laughter bubbled up from Bonnie’s voicebox as he wrapped his paws around Freddy’s neck to stay balanced.  The spinning slowed, and Bonnie lowered his head to bump his forehead and nose into Freddy’s, a silly squeak making them both smile brighter.

“Bonnie, you have no idea how happy I was to see you up there cheering for us!”  Freddy’s ears wiggled.  How cute.

“Ah, well, y’know, Gregory convinced me to come out of El Chip to watch.”  Bonnie nuzzled him softly.  “You were dazzling, honeybear.”

Freddy carefully set him back on his feet, keeping his paws around Bonnie’s waist.  “Not nearly as dazzling as you, honeybun.”  Freddy chuckled, never able to say the nickname with a straight face.  He took Bonnie’s arm and walked them back through the lobby.  “I have something to show you.”

Bonnie glanced back over his shoulder, watching a few employees leave.  “Aren’t you gonna say goodbye to the staff?”

“Well, this is a special occasion.  I am sure they will not mind.”

Bonnie squinted up at Freddy.  “You’re being awfully suspicious, love.  What’s up?”  Freddy refused to look at him, keeping his view straight ahead, his expression trying to hide a smile.  Bonnie’s ears perked when he noticed Freddy’s tail wiggling.  “Is it a surprise?!”

“Perhaps…”  Freddy picked Bonnie up in one fluid movement.  It was so practiced, something they’d been doing for a little over a month.  And yet, every time, it made Bonnie’s imaginary heart pitter patter with each step Freddy took up the stairs.

His eye widened when he spotted something on Freddy’s tophat.  A little splash of indigo against the black and cyan.

“Freddy, is that a flower?”

Freddy chuckled.  “It is the one from our Valentine’s date.  Do you remember that?”  Bonnie nodded.  Some of the memory was a bit fuzzy, and he didn’t really remember the flowers, but the dancing and kisses stayed strong in his mind.  “I thought the flower looked nice up there,” Freddy rumbled before setting Bonnie back down.

Bonnie smiled as they locked paws again.  “It looks adorable.”

They got in the elevator, bumping their noses together while they waited, their tails and Freddy’s ears wiggling while Bonnie’s ears fell back.

“This is just a small surprise, so we can do whatever you would like tonight.”

“A little dancing, a little family time, maybe some kissing and snuggling.”  Bonnie sighed, his ears flopping to the side.  “Anything with you is a dream come true, love.”

Freddy pulled them into a comforting embrace.  “I am so glad they did not take you,” Freddy murmured into the crook of Bonnie’s neck.  Bonnie gently rubbed circles into his back as best his shaking paw could.

“Me too.”

The elevator dinged, and Freddy pulled them apart.  The bear searched Bonnie’s face for a moment, his more joyful expression returning, his eyes lit up.  They left the elevator, Bonnie leaning into Freddy’s side to keep them close.

He blinked in surprise when he saw his family all at a party table in the middle of the atrium.  Even Vanessa had come early to join them, and a laptop screen was put up so the DJ and Moon could enjoy the celebration, too.  Some of the staff were there, as well, all of them chatting and laughing with one another.  Freddy helped Bonnie down the stairs, approaching the group.  The closer they got, Bonnie realized the employees were people who he’d been working with, people who treated him like everyone else.  People Bonnie would consider friends.

And then he saw the banner hanging from the ceiling on wires.  ‘Congrats on the Promotion!’

Bonnie brought a paw to his chest, touched by their thoughtfulness.  “Geez…”

“Freddy!  Bonnie!” Gregory shouted excitedly, followed by cheerful greetings from everyone else.

Bonnie let out an anxious, crackly laugh as Freddy helped him sit down at the head of the table.  Everyone smiled down at—or up at, in Gregory’s case—him where he sat.  “You guys didn’t have to do this…”

“Ah well, we wanted to give you a little celebration for everything,” June shrugged.

Vanessa gave him a soft smile.  “You deserve better, but this was all we could put together in two weeks.”

 Monty and Gregory shoved a large bag over, the gift inside hidden by tissue paper.

“Yer gonna like this one, cottontail,” Monty said with a grin, Gregory nodding wildly.

Bonnie stuck his paws in the bag, finding something soft and pulling it out.  He was immediately met by the worst looking Roxanne Wolf plush he’d ever seen.   Bonnie blurted out static, unable to contain his laughter. 

“I told you assholes not to get that!” Roxy yelled furiously, her tail and hair bushing out.

“Roxanne, watch your language,” Freddy scolded.

Monty barked out a laugh while Chica giggled.

“Sorry Roxy.  Majority rules,” Vanessa sighed with a smirk.

Bonnie searched in the bag, finding more.  A horrifying Chica, an awkward Monty.  The Sun plush looked like they were trying not to throw up, and Moon looked shocked.  They had even found a bootleg DJ Music Man plush, his face completely scrunched up, legs all over the place.

“Oh my god, those are horrid,” one of the employees mumbled.

“Vanessa, where the hell did you find these?!”

“I’ll send you a link to the seller’s page.  They have all sorts of crap like this.”

Bonnie tried to quiet his staticky laughter.  Eventually he managed to quiet it enough that his words could be heard through the white noise.  “Geez, these are awful.   Heh, I love ‘em!  Thanks guys!”  He wiggled his ears and tail in delight.  There were some laughs as the plushies went around the table for everyone to see.  Chica showed off the terrible plushie of herself to Patpat, the floor bot looking unimpressed. 

Ravi, from the bowling alley, grabbed a gift box, putting it in front of Bonnie.  “I hope this gift doesn’t look that bad,” Ravi joked, making Bonnie grin.

With shaky paws, Bonnie tore away the wrapping paper, snickering when Gregory got excited and graciously decided to help.   He took the top off, sucking in a breath at what was inside, staring in awe.

“This…”

It was a shirt.  A bowling shirt.  The one all the employees in Bonnie Bowl wore, and what he wore on what little artwork was left of him in the alley.

His paws fumbled to pick it up, so Roxy lifted it up to show him, her tail wagging.  “We did some measurements and ordered the biggest size, so it should fit,” she explained.

“If you’re going to be working here, you need a good uniform,” Ravi said with a nod.

His friends pulled Bonnie up and helped him put it on.  June took his shoulder pad, assuring him it was easy to put back on.  Freddy tried to button the shirt up, but his big paws made it impossible.  They couldn’t help but giggle, bumping their noses together before Vanessa stepped in to assist him.

Looking down at himself, Bonnie felt a swell of pride.  “This is amazing…”  The yellow and cool red, with little pink accents, was perfect.   It fit him well, and his bowtie worked perfectly with it.

He could wear this while he was working.  Or when he wanted to look extra nice.  Or whenever he wanted!  He’d never had a choice on what he looked like—aside from keeping his cracked casing.  But this choice wasn’t even permanent.  He could put it on, change his mind, switch it up!  Did his human friends realize how freeing this was..?

“You look very handsome, Bon,” Freddy rumbled beside him, pecking a kiss on his cheek.

“Geez, I dunno if you guys know how great this is…”  Bonnie ran his paws across the fabric.  “To have something.. and control how I look whenever I want..?”  He let out a little laugh, trying to hide how overwhelming it was.  “Th-Thank you…”

Some more coworkers stepped forward.  They were all from the various restaurants around the Pizzaplex.  Chica was at their sides too, grinning. “We also thought you could use a little something for your culinary career, too!” Chica chortled, handing him another box.

And inside was an apron.  It was black, with a print on the front.  It was the symbol he had on his elevator door in Parts and Service before he’d disappeared…

“Guys…”  Chica brought it over his head, letting it rest atop his new shirt.  It looked perfect…  “How did you manage this..?”

“A little paint, a little artistic ability, and a little bit of love,” Chica chirped.

“It can be hand washed or thrown in the washing machine on low,” Mara from the Faz-Pad added.

“I-I’m definitely gonna wear this every time I cook…  Heh, and maybe whenever I feel like it, too.”

Then June brought forward a tiny bag.  Bonnie pulled away the tissue paper, finding an employee nametag with his name on it.  And attached to it was an orange flower that matched the one on Freddy’s hat.  The flower from their date.

June pinned the metal name tag to his apron, the flower sticking out the top.  “Hey, there you go.  The flower can be removed, but Freddy said he wanted to see what it looked like with the nametag.  I also put you in the system and hooked your Fazwatch up with it.  Official employee: Glamrock Bonnie Bunny.”

Bonnie let out a choked laugh, trying to hold himself together.  He had to fight back the urge to cry at their generosity.  Freddy gently rubbed his back, giving him an encouraging smile.

“Heh, you guys trying to short my circuits..?  Cuz this is how you do it…”  His voice shook with emotion.  Bonnie brought his paws to the sides of his face, looking down at all they’d given him.  “Geez, this is just.. so nice.”

“Eh, you earned it.  You’re a good worker,” one of the Gator Grub employees said with a shrug.

“You’re one of us now.”

“Welcome officially to the crew, Bonnie!”

Freddy lay on his couch, listening to Bonnie’s fans whir, and Gregory’s slow breathing.

After a night of celebration, they’d tired out quickly.  And now, Freddy had both of them laying on top of him, both in their own versions of sleep.

What a perfect night…

His other friends were trying to play a silent game of Uno on the floor beside them.  It almost made Freddy laugh to see Monty throw his claws in the air, his jaws open wide, but with no roar to accompany it.  Roxy looked like she wanted to insult and strangle everyone.  Chica was elbowing Patpat, showing it her cards and holding back giggles.  Moon pulled at their hat, shaking their head in despair.  And Vanessa had an expert poker face, checking her Fazwatch as the text messages came in to keep up with the over-the-network chatter.

Gregory shifted, drawing Freddy’s attention back to his sleeping loved ones, one of the boy’s little hands clutching the soft fabric of Bonnie’s new bowling shirt.  To imagine his family had ever been anything less than what he had now seemed impossible.  How had he ever gotten by without them all?

Freddy nuzzled Bonnie’s head and petted Gregory’s hair.  What he wouldn’t do for them…  The love of his life and his little Superstar.

What did I do to deserve all this happiness?  I thought I had ruined my chances for it long ago…

The only thing Freddy could possibly wish for now was that his family was as happy as he was.  That everyone would recover from all that had happened.

“Uno~!” Chica sing-songed before clamping a hand over her beak and receiving several hisses for silence.

Bonnie stirred, his eye slowly opening.  “Huh..?  Wha—?”

Freddy gently shushed him, kissing his forehead.  “Gregory is sleeping,” Freddy whispered, forever grateful that his vocal range had been expanded.  Bonnie blinked a few times, looking confused, before spotting the boy at his side.  A soft smile crossed the bunny’s sleepy face.

Bonnie craned his neck to peer up at Freddy again.  He raised a paw, slowly moving his claws around.  Was his endo getting stiff?  Perhaps he needed a tune up.  Or was it his chip acting up?  It would not be the first time, but that was alright.  They could work through it.  They always did.

And then, Freddy’s heart filled with affection.  Bonnie had signed, ‘I love you.’

“I love you, too,” Freddy murmured.  I always will.