#by the time bonnie settled into his new life Gregory and Freddy’s head are out and about

[laxi0v0]

Roller baby

He’s popular with the girls, perhaps it’s the purple?

[angelofrainfrogs]

Going Back: Ch. 23

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

Fandom(s): Five Nights At Freddy’s: Security Breach

Description: Things are looking up for Gregory. After putting the soul of a formerly-immortal killer to rest, he and his new family can finally begin their lives anew. Sure, Gregory might have been cursed with mysterious Remnant in exchange for being involved in this mess—not to mention his caretakers consist of sentient robots and ghosts… But there’s no doubt that the bond they share is unbreakable. They love him, and he in turn. 

All in all, life is finally starting to go right for once. 

…Unfortunately, true peace is a hard-won battle. There are other things to contend with besides William’s decrepit soul, and Gregory will learn that his role in the lives of the Aftons and Emilys is far greater than anyone could’ve imagined. 

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

It was officially reopening day at the Pizzaplex. Mike and Charlie had headed out early to help with the chaos; with no stage shows scheduled in lieu of their missing front man, Freddy and Gregory were given a pass to skip the morning rush. However, they couldn't stay cooped up in the hotel for long and headed out to join their friends at lunchtime. As usual, they went straight for Sam’s office to check in, snagging Mike and Charlie along the way who'd come to greet them at the entrance. Freddy was admittedly a bit nervous as he knocked on the CEO’s door—a feeling that he wasn’t a fan of at all. But he had his family by his side, so he knew everything would work out in the end.

“Afternoon, boss!” Michael called through the door. “Hope the day wasn’t too chaotic?”

Things were looking up for the Pizzaplex. With the large number of cars lining the parking lot, it was clear the morning shift was a success. Most of the families visiting were already at attractions and party rooms, so running into a huge crowd was unlikely. Even so, Gregory found himself scanning the halls they trailed down as if it was his first night here. Following directly behind, Charlie made sure he got to Sam's office feeling a little safer than he might have walking alone.

“Hey everyone! No—nothing too crazy yet. The day's still young, though,” Sam joked, knocking against the wood of his desk with a superstitious rap. “Sophie’s been busy. Bonnie Bowl has been pretty popular today! And Foxy's been a huge hit with the older kids, too.”

“That is wonderful to hear!” Freddy exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement. He was itching to go out and pace the floor, greeting guests every chance he got… but in his current form, he’d only come off as an over-enthusiastic employee. He’d just have to settle for the next best thing: watching over his doppelgänger in his stead.

“I’m glad things are turning out so well.” Mike clapped Sammy on the shoulder. “Any animatronics giving you trouble? Malfunctions, weird responses… being places they shouldn’t be?”

This last part was a clear dig at Ennard, who should have remained in the attendant’s little room above the stage all day. Until they got an official okay, they were only meant to observe, not interact. It was a win-win: they got to watch how humans acted, and Michael got to keep from tearing his hair out for the next few days with anxiety.

This little arrangement kept everyone happy overall. Ennard was oblivious to Michael's deep-seated hatred—or in denial; Sam really couldn't tell. Should Ennard have already broken his promise, it would be awkward for all the patrons to watch the security guard scold a grown man for trespassing on the first night of their reopening.

Sam thought for a moment, then told Mike with a sigh: “Bonnie—that bunny has ants in his pants about something. I found him smuggling a chest full of whole inflated balloons through the backrooms this morning.” The harried CEO shook his head. “Could one of you go check and make sure the party schedule in his internal calendar is working right? Just ask him what the day and time is. I don't want him filling up a room with extra party favors when there’s no birthday.”

“On it.” Michael gave a salute, then turned on his heel to search for the rabbit. The last thing they needed was an over-enthusiastic animatronic worrying Sam and spoiling Gregory’s birthday surprise…

“Is my old body ready for the personality download?” Freddy asked. Running a hand through Gregory’s hair, he looked to Sam with a soft laugh. “Have the children been asking for him? I was hoping Bonnie and Foxy would be a good distraction…”

He didn’t mean to sound conceited at all, and it was clear from his tone. It was a simple fact that Freddy was the most popular—he was still the face of Fazbear Entertainment, after all.

It was time to get to work again. Sam rolled up the sleeve, nodding to Freddy.

“Yes!” he answered, a bit frazzled and frayed due to the stress of people asking him where Freddy was. “Constantly. The kids are getting a little suspicious—either that or I’m just being paranoid."

In the animatronic stand beside the workbench and computer, Freddy’s old empty model was propped up under a canvas sheet. Sam carefully pulled the sheet away, proud of his work for polishing and fixing Freddy’s paint job. He looked as pristine as the others now; all that was left was to download him again.

Gregory had quietly slipped next to the workbench as Sam booted up the computer. Of course there was no way to replace his dad—Gregory couldn’t idolize a Freddy more than the one he called ‘father’ and went to for comfort. Still, he was excited that the whole band would be reunited soon.

“Let’s not keep them waiting, then!” Gregory exclaimed, quickly checking the cable connections before booting up the personality folder and beginning its data dump.  

Freddy stood with Charlie, watching the bear carefully for signs of life. The redhead’s face was pinched in concentration. There was no way this shouldn’t work, but he couldn’t help but worry.

It happened like all the others—gradual movements that worked up to full awareness. First, a subtle twitch of a finger. Next, a wiggle of an ear. Then a slow blink of those ice-blue eyes as the bear perked up and automatically scanned the room to assess the situation. There were four people present. The face of Samuel Emily, his creator and CEO of Fazbear Entertainment was recognized instantly. However, he didn’t know the others: a man with red hair and a bright, fixed gaze; a younger girl with dark brown hair standing at his side; and a little boy sitting by the computer workstation.

The man’s children, perhaps? Although the girl looked a bit like Sam, in all honesty… They were all watching intently, clearly waiting for something.

“Hello!” the bear greeted after flexing a few more limbs. He scanned the room with a wide grin on his face, mainly focusing on the unfamiliar faces. Guest protocol dictated he acknowledged new patrons first and foremost, especially if there was a child present. “It is a pleasure to meet you! My name is Freddy; what are yours?”

Charlie held her breath. The other animatronics waking up was routine—predictable. No one knew how much this Freddy knew. She hoped that the extra data wipe Sam had done to this particular model kept untoward memories at bay, especially over the past few weeks. Gregory would be the first to test this, getting up from the chair besides the computer with a confident strut. He had faith that this Freddy model would be just like the one he first met, friendly and endearing.

“Freddy? Can you hear me?” he asked curiously, wondering if his audio systems were online. Sam took a more silent approach, an amiable grin on his face as he came around to observe the  interaction. The animatronic turned at the voice, his smile bright as he crouched down to be on Gregory’s level.

“Hello, superstar!” he said, that familiar voice once again undercut with robotic feedback. It was a subtle difference, but those who knew the original Freddy would be able to tell which one was talking without too much effort.

As programmed, the animatronic bear performed a cursory scan of the child in front of him. He blinked once—

Accessing guest databank…

—twice—

Performing facial recognition cross-reference…

—and then his eyes focused again and he held out a claw.

Match. Guest profile: male, 12 years old, name—

“Gregory Fitzburgh—that is a name fit for a rockstar!” the bear said cheerfully, waiting to see if the child would take his proffered shake or if Gregory was less hands-on. If so, he’d adjust his interaction accordingly.

Freddy’s shoulders sagged with relief at the confirmation that both the facial recognition software worked and Gregory was officially in the guest book under their new last name. Now, to see how his son responded to the friendly bear…  

Gregory met his hand with a warm and receptive shake. All systems seemed good to go from the outset. His dad never needed to worry about how the Glamrocks were going to perform without him.

“Heck yeah! Thanks, Freddy!” Gregory exclaimed, excited that his favorite animatronic could continue bringing joy to the other kids at the Pizzaplex. Naturally, he was trusting of Fazbear—but that didn’t mean he wasn’t watching the newer version of Freddy scrupulously.

Charlie could finally let herself breathe, or rather simulate the action. Freddy was never infected with the virus—but that didn’t mean there wasn’t still a smidgen of William’s viral footprint anywhere. Everything seemed alright to her, and she allowed herself to smile. Sam, satisfied so far, came around to the newest iteration of Freddy.

“It’s good to have you back online,” he welcomed warmly. “I’ve got a few surprises for you, buddy!”

Sam would act as if Freddy was powered off for routine maintenance and upkeep. Nothing strange had happened in the past few weeks since his last update.

“Oh? I am excited to hear!” Freddy 2.0 responded, getting back to his feet. When his gaze swept around the room, Fred thought it only prudent to greet the other new faces. Performing a quick scan of the girl and the redhead by her side, he was surprised to note they were in fact new employees!

...They were also not human, but it seemed like none of them thought to point out that fact so Fred decided that was a question to ask Sam when they were alone. Or, perhaps some of the other animatronics could give him some insight later.

“How nice to make your acquaintances!” the bear said kindly, reaching out both paws for Freddy and Charlie to take. “Charlie Emily...” He paused, sparing a questioning glance at the CEO. “I did not realize you had a daughter, Samuel.”

And there was that ever-learning AI at work, giving him a hint of distinct personality. With a hum of acceptance the bear turned back to acknowledge the other man. “And... Freddy Fitzburgh.”

That tilt of the head was back, coupled with a definite question in those illuminated eyes. The android watched carefully, shaking his hand with a slow greeting. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Freddy. I am a big fan of the name, by the way.”

The bear's expression shifted at his voice. It was... weirdly similar to his, but again, he wasn't going to question it—not right now, at least. He already had much to catch up on without worrying why this man seemed so disarmingly familiar.

“As I am of yours—and the pleasure is mine,” the bear responded, and it almost seemed like the pair had started a contest of wary formality. Turning back to Sam, he acknowledged his creator with a nod. “Now, what were these surprises you wanted to show me?”

For a brief moment of unease, Gregory swallowed thickly as he watched them interact. Only when his dad complimented his bear counterpart did his shoulders relax, a soft sigh exhaling through his nose. There was nothing to fear here; two of the friendliest guys ever manufactured were standing in the same room. There would be no hard feelings between people so warmhearted and good of nature.

Catching their bear friend up to speed on things might take more than a night, given his special circumstances. Sam would take it slow, knowing the more he lied the harder it was going to be to tell Freddy the truth... If it ever needed to come to that.

“Oh—how rude of me. Yes, this is Charlie! She should be uploaded into your employee file. Right along with her sister, Mari.” Sam placed a hand on her shoulder as Charlie extended her arm with a wide grin. Sam cleared his throat, moving on from the subject of family and why everyone was here to watch Freddy wake up. “The surprises! Yes—” He moved for his desk and dug through his coat pocket for the security tablet he kept. “—you're going to love this. It's something you were asking a lot about...”

Soon, a security feed was presented to Freddy 2.0, showing the front of Bonnie Bowl where an official-looking guard was chatting with his good friend, Bonnie Bunny.

“Mari... ah, yes, I see now,” the bear responded, staring into space for a moment as he accessed the employee database. There were a surprising number of new recruits, and it led him to wonder what in the world happened while he was out... However, this train of thought was soon derailed as Sam pulled up the camera feed. Freddy 2.0 gasped, eyes growing wide as he looked upon the familiar rabbit and one of the new employees he'd just read about.

“Is that... Bonnie?!” he asked in awe, glancing up to Sam in disbelief.

According to the last data point in his memory banks, Bonnie had been out of commission for a few months. It'd been a sudden replacement, his removal and transfer of bass-playing status to Monty, but to Fred it was just a sad but inevitable fact of being an animatronic performer.

“May I see him?” he asked eagerly. “I know there are still some tests we must run before I can be released onto the floor, but... is there time in Bonnie's schedule for a quick hello?”

Sam couldn't say no to that face. He supposed that was his fault for creating, in his own opinion, the sweetest iteration of Freddy Fazbear. “Of course you can! Feel free to free roam today; I freed up your schedule for you to better acclimate.”

Sam figured it would be a nice treat for the kids, too—if Freddy wasn't tied down to a party, anyone that might've missed him could get a free moment with their favorite cartoon bear. It wouldn't hurt Freddy either to get as much socializing in as possible.

“I bet you won't even guess the next surprise...” Sam laughed quietly to himself, switching the camera feeds over to Pirate's Cove. A few clicks and he was there, turning the tablet back around to show who else had joined their Glamrock crew.

Foxy stood tall with his peg leg perched on the very point of the bow, watching over a few of the older kids as they ran about the play area. A few parents took pictures, flashes from their cameras temporarily causing Foxy to appear woozy. Sam scrunched his eyebrows together at the sight.

“Ugh. Poor Foxy...,” Sam muttered under his breath, knowing he'd have to find those people later and ask them to stop flash-bombing his robots.

“Oh dear...” the Freddy's murmured in unison, then quickly shot a glance at each other.

“Come on, then—no time to waste!” the original soul laughed brightly, hooking his arm through the bear's. “We will accompany you to help control the crowds. You have been sorely missed!”

If there was anyone who knew how to handle the inevitable mob that was about to surround Freddy, it was the old bear himself. Looking to Gregory, he asked: “Superstar, are you going to stay with us for a bit, or would you like to find your friends?”

The animatronic glanced side-eyed at the redhead clinging to him. That was his term of endearment for children... although he supposed anyone could use the phrase. It's not like it was a branded trademark of Fazbear Entertainment.

The look that Freddy 2.0 gave his dad did not go unnoticed by the teen, and Gregory had to suppress a laugh. Gregory didn't want to wade through a crowd of kids that would probably tear his head off to get to see Freddy Fazbear, live and in the mechanical flesh. With a mock salute, he told his dad: “I'm gonna go find Evan and see what he's up to. Later Freddy! It was nice meeting you!”

When he turned to leave, Charlie stopped him with a grasp to his shoulder.

“Before you go—take some cash. Get a water before and try to lay off the sodas; they're bad for your teeth, kid,” she reminded, cramming a few bills into Gregory’s hand.

“And I can also get cake with this…?” he asked with raised eyebrows, trying to persuade one of his caretakers into letting him indulge in one snack.

“You can totally have cake later. But eat some actual food first,” Charlie said before opening the door for the rest of their little group. She was confident that Gregory could navigate the Pizzaplex by himself now. With friends at every turn, he would be a-okay. As Gregory passed through the door, she found herself checking his wrist and making certain he still had Mari's bracelet secured.

“Bye, Gregory!” the bear called after the excitable kid. He'd barely talked to him for ten minutes, but he liked him already. Turning to Sam, he gave him an appreciative little bow. “And thank you for the repair, Sam—I will be sure to check in later tonight.”

With Freddy and Charlie also bidding Sammy adieu, they took a collective deep breath and led the bear out into the Pizzaplex. As expected, it was chaos on sight. Most patrons were simply happy to see an animatronic up close and personal as Freddy weaved through the crowds with the two rather strong employees by his side like robotic guard dogs. The guests would shout and wave to try and get the bear's attention, but kept their distance overall.

Then, there were the ones who'd come specifically to see the lead singer. These kids—and some of their parents—swarmed the trio instantly, and it took a combined effort to push through the crowd little by little with short greetings and photos. Freddy had to lecture a few parents for flash photography, happy in the back of his mind that he was no longer affected by such an issue but knowing it threw his old body for a loop when the lights spiked in front of his eyes.

Eventually, they were riding the escalators up to Bonnie Bowl. It seemed like its namesake and Michael had retreated into the attraction, which was fine—less people around for the meeting of old friends. Soon the bear was stepping out of the elevator with Charlie and Freddy on his heels, searching for the rabbit. Upon spotting him still speaking with the man from earlier, he let out a gasp.

“Bonnie!” The bear waved brightly as he rushed over, not hesitating to pull the bunny into a tight hug. “Oh my goodness, I have missed you, old friend!”

Bonnie managed to turn Michael's lecture into a free bowling lesson somewhere around ten minutes ago. It started as a way for Bonnie to sort of escape the consequences of being caught with random party favors for Gregory, the charismatic bunny now nonchalantly standing beside the lane as he coached Mike on the way he flicked the heavy ball down the alley. 

When Bonnie heard the familiar, garbled voice he jumped a little. He nearly told them that this seemed like déjà vu, but quickly held his tongue and came around to meet Freddy in the middle of the bowling parlor. Arms were held open wide, and Bonnie hugged his best friend-2.0, giddy with excitement over seeing Freddy the way he always remembered him.

“Fredbear! You've finally come out of hiding. I missed you too, ol' sport!” the friendly rabbit drawled, floppy ears resting against the bear's head and directing a wink to the original. “Thanks for bringing Freddy here, you two!”

“Well, well!” A voice that 2.0 didn't recognize spoke, and over Bonnie's shoulder he could see the man in the security guard uniform striding over. Mike tipped his hat, grinning widely up at the bear. “Good to see you up and running, Freddy. I'm Michael—new head of security and night guard. Although, you should already know that.”

“Michael...,” the bear murmured, pulling back from the rabbit's embrace to stare down at the guard quizzically. A quick scan proved his words to be true, and the usual smile lit up his face. “Ah, yes! Michael Afton, Jr. It is wonderful to make your acquaintance—I believe we will be seeing a lot of each other from now on.”

“You bet." Mike laughed, reaching up and giving the bear a firm pat on the arm. Even it wasn't his true friend in there, it was relieving to know the animatronic was still just as sweet.

“We thought we would take Freddy to see the new additions to the line-up,” the redhead explained, catching Michael's attention. He frowned slightly, recalling what he'd seen on the camera. “...Perhaps you should join us—there are some people taking flash photography in Pirate's Cove and Foxy looked a bit unsteady.”

Michael heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I'll come along... Wrangling the crowd is part of my job, after all.”

“Good thing, too; I know I’m supposed to help manage things, but I don’t think people will listen to me very much,” Charlie remarked, walking beside her old friend with a flash of disappointment that quickly turned into a teasing smile. “They're way more scared of Mikey over here!”

Bonnie couldn't exactly leave Bonnie Bowl when there were customers enjoying the games, and he’d already gotten in trouble for wandering today. With one lasting squeeze around his friend's hand, he felt that dull aching inside his chest—knowing full well that the inseparable human part of him wanted to ditch the bowling alley to follow his friends. “Come back soon, pal.”

“It's because you're too nice, Charlie,” Mike remarked as the group walked off, jamming the elevator button to take them back to the main area. “You've gotta put your foot down a little more—show people who's boss, you know?”

After a beat of silence, Freddy 2.0 looked down at the android inquisitively. “Michael, you are a head of security and night guard?”

The silent question clearly being: How in the world do you sleep with two equally taxing jobs?

“Mm-hmm,” Mike responded, stepping out as the doors opened with the animatronic close behind. “I'm kind of an insomniac, so—hey! Hands off the bear, ma'am!”

Michael's explanation was cut off as a rather enthusiastic mom tried to rush the bear and he physically stepped in her path, barring her from practically throwing her kid into Freddy's arms.

“Sorry!” Charlie said to the very impatient mother, the good-cop to Michael's bad-cop while proving his point from earlier. “Freddy's not doing photoshoots right now!”

It was so odd how popular all the Glamrocks were, to the point that her and Michael had to strong-arm people from knocking into the heavy robots and hurting themselves. After they shooed her away, much to the apparent chagrin of that particular mother, it seemed Michael's official guard outfit warded away the crazies in the crowd. Charlie made sure to tell the disappointed parent that both Foxy and Bonnie were available to play, and quickly rushed to move Freddy along towards Pirate's Cove. There, at least they could introduce Freddy to more kids in little increments.

Arriving to the attraction, one thing was obvious—Foxy was walking very strangely. Uneven in his gait as he finished up a story, even seeming somewhat twitchy to other kid's movements. His one eyepatch was flipped up, and the glow in his eyes was uneven. He’d clearly been flashed recently and was just trying to work through it, his optics unable to adjust to the ambient lighting in the room now.

“And that's the end of my tale! I hope you enjoyed it—I can't tell if you did. I also can't tell if anyone stayed or listened! 'Fraid my sight's gone with the tide...,” Foxy told the small gathering of youngsters who laughed at what they thought was just a quirky joke.

“Oh god…,” Michael groaned at the sight of the shambling pirate. He quickly hopped on the little dock that served as a stage, spouting instructions. “Freddy, take care of Foxy—uh, both Freds, please. Attention!”

Cupping his hands over his mouth, Mike yelled to the crowd. “Flash photography is not permitted in the Pizzaplex! It damages the animatronics and then they can’t mingle with the public! Plus—” A rather threatening smile spread across his face. “—anyone caught disobeying the rules is subject to be fined for repair costs!”

“My goodness…,” Freddy 2.0 murmured as he and his counterpart moved to Foxy’s side. “He is rather, ah… ruthless, is he not?”

“He is good at his job, that is for certain,” Freddy responded with a laugh, finally latching onto the pirate’s shoulder and looking up at him. “Hello, Foxy; it is Freddy and… Freddy! Let us lead you into the backroom while you regain your sight and we can introduce you properly…”

Anyone at that point who had their phones out was quick to shove them away inside a purse or pocket. The kids watched as both Freddies came to help Foxy down from the large boat back to the ground floor. Foxy raised his hook in the air in agreement with the security guard.

“Yeah! My eyeballs are sensitive, ya scallawags!” he confirmed, nearly doing a double take at the two sets of arms. He hoped that through combined intimidation, Foxy and Mike cemented the rules yet again for the few misbehaving parents.

Charlie was surprised at the odd amount of inconsiderate mothers and fathers. It was as if this place brought out their inner children in the worst ways. She heard one say as she passed them to help guide Foxy backstage: “We paid—we should be able to take as many pictures as we want…”

Which made the normally calm and reserved Charlie inhale sharply through her nose. Mike had already explained the situation to them, but she did mention to the father in passing: “Interacting with animatronics when they’re stationed in their attractions is free, sir. You just can’t take flash photos of them; as our head of security said, it hurts them.”

Charlie found that she and the others had to hurry Foxy along as quickly as possible before she fought the guy, the attitude rolling off of him as he openly complained about the policy of the store. Though she tried her best to ignore everyone and focused solely on helping Foxy to the backrooms. Once inside, the pirate gently felt around for both Freddies—his heroes for helping him down.

“Freddy? Thank you for being my seeing-eye bear… And Human. Heh heh…” He chuckled gratefully to himself. The blinded fox reached around once they stopped to hug the animatronic, happy to finally meet the bear version of his dearest friend.  

“I am here to help anytime, Foxy,” the bear reassured, quick to hug him back. Though this was their first meeting, he too felt like they’d been friends for years. “It is so nice to make your acquaintance; I am happy Samuel brought you into the lineup!”

“These people…,” Michael grumbled as he slipped into the back rooms shortly after the others. “I swear, if there’s trouble the parents are worse than the kids most of the time.”

His thoughts echoed Charlie’s, and Freddy had to concede as well. Ironically, despite the kids usually being the ones to physically cling to the animatronics, it was often their guardians who got the most aggressive when things didn’t go their way.

“We can take a rest back here until you reset, Foxy,” Freddy reassured, patting the pirate’s hook arm before looking up to his bear counterpart. “Then perhaps we can roam the Pizzaplex and try to find the other animatronics?”

Foxy was feeling a might dizzy after the paparazzi-like flashing he received upon his public debut. Though he wouldn’t lie, the blatant harassment did make him feel like a rockstar. “Thanks for the help—my optics will reset fully in just a few, then I can go back to my adoring fans.”

He certainly sounded like Roxy’s brother—even if he shared the same voice as Security Guard Mike…

“Oh, Fred! If you see Roxanne, will you tell her I stole her comb? She’ll be angry, but just say it was important. I didn’t have a teasing comb and needed one badly.” Despite being unable to see, Foxy plumped his long mane up with his more articulate hand. Soon, he was blinking in time again, lights in his eyes turning off and on again to signal his full reset. “Thanks you all! I feel much better now!”

“I will do my best to spare you from Roxanne’s wrath,” the bear laughed, watching to make sure Foxy reset properly.

Michael was doing the same, observing even more closely. He rocked back on his heels with a satisfied smile with the fox blinked in the familiar pattern. “Perfect! Ready to go back out? Oh, and feel free to tell people off if they try to use flash again. Note their faces and names too, if you would.”

Foxy stood, amazingly balanced with one inarticulate peg leg. He straightened up and made sure to pat Freddy's shoulder on his way past the small group.

“Aye—we'll all catch up after closing,” he assured his ursine friend. Looking to Michael, Foxy relaxed some with the express permission to speak his mind, and a surprising amount of self-awareness considering his short lifespan so far inside the Pizzaplex. “It's indeed fortuitous that I'm equipped with a profanity filter, First Mate Mike...”

Charlie laughed at this, attempting to hide her mouth slightly. “Just getting their customer profiles should be enough, Foxy. If you get really mad, go take a break—play the drums a little.”

Foxy smiled appreciatively, thanking the little team before heading back out into his Cove. With arms opened wide, he'd kick the swinging door open to catch the attention of the kids. Their cheers could be heard from down the hall now.

“I'm down to help Freddy acclimate to the Pizzaplex again! Where do you wanna go first, big guy?” Charlie asked the rockstar bear.

“Hmm…,” Freddy hummed in thought, tilting his head as he shuffled through all the attractions and animatronics he could visit. He wanted to see everyone in time, but one name stuck out from the rest in order of preference. “I think I would like to visit Chica, if that is alright.”

He’d never claim to like anyone more than the others, though it was no secret there was something about the original quartet that just had a special bond those made for the Pizzaplex wouldn’t quite understand.

Charlie quickly checked her phone, looking over the downloaded work schedule for all the characters at the Pizzaplex. “Roxy's doing make up tutorial's in the Salon for another 40 minutes. That'll give us enough time to swing by Mazercise and Monty golf!”

In agreement, the group quickly hurried for the door before the kids noticed he was leaving. Following behind the bear and Michael, Freddy slipped his arm through Charlie’s and grinned down at her.

“I think this is going quite well, do you agree?” he murmured under his breath, leaning close as they stepped into the ambient noise of the Pizzaplex’s atrium. There was a hint of fondness in those ice blue eyes as Freddy gazed up at his double. “He seems to be performing without a hitch, all things considered…”

All things considered, Charlie wasn't surprised at how well Freddy was acclimating. He was an agreeable person too, happy to listen to the management of this place. It shouldn't have been such a huge change for the last updated version of Freddy anyway—to him, the Pizzaplex only made some management updates and additions to their character lineups.

“Agreed,” Charlie whispered back. “Hopefully he doesn't ask too many questions about Vanessa or Sammy's 'kids' showing up out of nowhere... not to mention, y'know—us."

Charlie always felt a little weird when lying. Though this was obviously for Freddy's best interest to keep him in the dark. Eventually, when things were a little calmer there might be a good time to explain things. For now, they would be tight-lipped and give politely neutral answers for hard to answer questions. She loosely held to Freddy's arm, happy to walk beside him through the backrooms and reveling in how much better the Pizzaplex looked with patrons to populate its fun-filled corridors.

Freddy had a feeling his counterpart wouldn't pry too much. Without anything to be concerned with, nor a ghost subconsciously whispering in the back of his mind, the robot was quite amenable to whatever changes management dictated appropriate. Arm in arm with one of his dearest friends and a soft smile on his face, Freddy trailed along after the animatronic bear as he reacquainted himself with the Pizzaplex.

***

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[star-going-supernova]

The Pizzaplex's museum gets a strike of luck in a new attraction- the original Freddy Fazbear's Pizza animatronics, opening for the weekend! Surely this will lead to nothing bad, especially when a certain night guard brings her new ward in for work Friday night to see his papa bear.

now expanded on ao3

Something Old, Something New

The aftermath of… everything… took forever to clear up, if you asked Gregory. Going to the hospital, having to explain to police about the actual child murderer living inside the pizzaplex, getting adopted—it was a tiring two weeks.

But so worth it. Vanny was found and arrested, the virus that had taken over the animatronics was removed, and the pizzaplex took advantage of being closed for the investigation to get some much-needed renovations done. By the time both he and Vanessa were released from the hospital, it was ready to open again, and therefore, ready to welcome its night guard back into its shiny new halls.

There was some event going on that weekend to celebrate, and it was stirring up as much chatter as the investigation had, but Gregory couldn’t have cared less. He missed Freddy, gosh dang it. Could anyone really blame him?

One night might not seem like long enough to become deeply emotionally attached to someone, but considering he’d also gotten an actual legal guardian out of that same night, Gregory figured it was the trauma. Really brought unlikely people together, y’know?

And it seemed he wasn’t the only one to have gotten attached. When he raced ahead of Vanessa and burst through the front doors of the pizzaplex, Freddy was already there, pacing with his head down. He turned to Gregory the moment he stepped inside, and they met in the middle, Freddy falling to his knees to better hug Gregory.

Arms flung over Freddy’s shoulders, Gregory buried his beaming smile against Freddy’s neck. “I missed you,” he whispered.

“And I missed you,” Freddy replied softly, one hand resting on the back of Gregory’s head.

He heard Vanessa come in behind him, but he had no interest in moving, so he just listened as she and Freddy greeted each other. He gasped in surprise when Freddy suddenly stood, taking Gregory with him, but he settled into the secure hold the animatronic had on him with ease. Vanessa was great and all, and he couldn’t thank her enough for taking him in, but this—this felt like coming home.

The next hour passed in a blur of proper introductions, explanations from each side to try and piece together the whole picture of what exactly happened on the night Gregory broke in, and hugs. Lots of them.

Only under duress would he admit to likening it to paradise.

(Gregory wasn’t stupid. He knew what “touch starved” meant. He knew he, as a previously homeless orphan, was practically the poster child for it.)

He only left Freddy’s side when nature called.

“You remember where the bathroom is?” Vanessa asked, passing him her flashlight. The pizzaplex’s night cycle might not make the building completely dark, but he genuinely appreciated it. Flashlights worked wonders at chasing away looming shadows.

“Think so,” he said, bouncing off, in too good of a mood to mind needing to wander a bit, if it came down to it. “I’ll be right back!”

When he wasn’t running for his life, being in the pizzaplex after closing was actually pretty cool. The quiet hallways might freak some people out, but living on the streets had desensitized him to unnatural silences. It was like a whole different world after dark, and he was one of the few lucky enough to be part of it.

Gregory was still smiling to himself when he stumbled upon it—a new exhibit in one of the museum-style sections. The special event, he guessed, based on the signs and balloons surrounding the miniature stage tucked against the wall. He paused, flashlight flickering over the attraction.

According to one of the informational signs, the four deactivated animatronics standing before him were considered the originals. These exact Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy models were all that remained of the pizzeria location that really kickstarted the whole animatronic band concept. It put Fazbear Entertainment on the map.

They were smaller than the Glamrocks, these animatronics. About the size of an adult human. Covered in dirty fur, too, instead of the sleek metal and plastic Gregory was used to. Overall, very dull looking, with minimal accessories or anything. But then, they were the foundation for the bots he knew today, so he supposed they deserved a pass. It wasn’t their fault their creators didn’t make them cool-looking.

It was weird, though, to see these old versions of Freddy and Chica. How different they were, even at the most basic level, being dark brown and drab yellow respectively instead of the bright orange-brown and white of his friends.

Shaking his head, Gregory continued on his way to the bathroom, leaving the past behind him.

Had he lingered, or glanced over his shoulder as he went, he would have seen a pair of glowing eyes flickering to life and a head turning to follow his footsteps.

(So much for being deactivated.)

• • •

Gregory had just finished drying his hands when he heard the door creak open on the other side of the wall in the middle of the room.

He wasn’t sure exactly what tipped him off, but goosebumps immediately rose along his arms. The Glamrocks weren’t very quiet, and he hadn’t heard any of them approaching. And he couldn’t imagine why Vanessa would come in here.

He especially couldn’t imagine why any of them would come looking for him without calling out.

Heart racing, he wondered if he should say hello, ask who it was, just—something. But the thought of alerting whoever—whatever—it was to his presence… it made him afraid in a way he hadn’t been even with the infected Glamrocks on his tail.

There was the sound of shuffling, and the quiet click of the door closing behind the newcomer. Silent as a mouse, Gregory crept across the tiles and slipped into the end stall. He locked the door behind him and sat on the seat, knees tucked up to his chest.

A moment later, the bathroom lights shut off. He tightly clutched his flashlight but didn’t dare use it yet.

He listened, trembling, as the movement got closer. It had a fabric quality to it, but there was weight in each dragging footstep. He didn’t recognize the sound of this intruder. The daycare attendants were light-footed, the Glamrocks rattled and clanked, and Vanessa was only human.

Staring down at the gap between the stall door and the floor, Gregory watched, paralyzed, as the faint shadow of something lumbered into view, little more than a silhouette in a room lit only by the emergency exit signs. It came to a stop just outside the row of stalls.

Gregory’s eyes slowly trailed up. Visible through the crack, angled to zero in on him, was a glowing eye with a blue iris.

It wasn’t the right height for Freddy. For his Freddy.

He flicked the flashlight on, pointed at the door. Brown fur surrounded the eye, deep shadows casting the socket into darkness. The head tilted slightly, watching him.

A large brown hand raised to curl over the top of the door, metal shrieking as it was twisted apart.