AN: Hello everyone and welcome back to my version of the FNAF universe. I hope you've all been doing well since last I've updated. As you know this is the sequel to my story 'Unexpected Attachment!' so the same rules apply.
1) Bonnie is a girl.
2) Chika is spelled that way because I like how it looks.
3) The children were never murdered thus the animatronics are just robots who have acquired human characteristics over time.
I've got awesome plans for this story, though I'm not sure they will top it's predecessor. Still I hope you'll enjoy it all the same and leave a review if you get the chance. It makes me really happy to see what you think and I read every review I get. Till next time have fun and keep reading :)
PS. I'm so excited that there's gonna be a FNAF movie! That's so amazing!
Disclaimer: Scott Cawthon owns FNAF, not me.
The courthouse fell silent as the jury made their way back to their seats. A young man with brown hair and blue eyes sat nervously in the second row of the audience, eyes roaming every now and again to the defendant. Even in this setting he didn't feel entirely safe being so close to that man and he hoped it wouldn't be much longer before he could escape the oppressing atmosphere pervading the room.
"Mr. Foreman, have you agreed upon a verdict." The judge asked solemnly, bringing the boys attention back to the trial.
An older man with whitening hair stood to address the assembly. "Yes, your honor, we have".
"How say you?" The demand echoed though the still room as everyone awaited the jury's decision.
"We, the members of this jury, find the defendant Ivan Nicolei guilty as charged in Count III of the indictment." The foreman stated seriously before taking his seat to await the judges final verdict.
The court erupted into chaos as reporters immediately swarmed around trying to get a decent photo for their papers. Meanwhile, angry citizens were calling for justice on the charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
The judge banged his gavel loudly, trying to get the attention of everyone present, as he yelled "order in the court, order in the court".
Eventually things settled down enough for him to be heard above the noise.
"The court will adjourn for fifteen minutes." The Judge declared banging his gavel once more before turning to walk out the door behind him.
The time elapsed in a blur as people moved and mingled but all Mike was aware of was a warm hand covering his own. It had been nearly a year since the attack and all he wanted was for this mess to be over and done with so he could finally stop looking over his shoulder every time he heard a sound. He knew that this should be an open and shut case, but even so, there was a part of him that felt like it would never end. That he would never be free of this nightmare. As the judge reentered the room everyone stood until the okay was given for them to take their seats. The blue eyed boy held his breath as they waited for the verdict to be passed.
"Very well." The judge said, turning an impartial stare on the accused. "Ivan Nicolei, You have been found guilty of attempted murder by a panel of your peers. By the jurisdiction granted to me by this state I hereby sentence you to ten years maximum prison and gladly relinquish the custody of you and your case over to the FBI for any other federal charges pending against you".
The judge glanced over the courtroom, hit the gavel and calmly declared "court dismissed".
Everyone rose as the judge exited the room before beginning to wander out themselves. The young man closed his eyes in relief as he breathed a sigh. The Hunter would be locked away and Mike could rest easy knowing that he and his family were safe. It's true that he'd probably be called back in to testify against him for the other two charges... but at least this was out of the way. What's more, he had been given an award of $200,000 by the government for helping them capture the international criminal. He already knew that a lot of the money would be sent to charity... some to help find children who had been kidnapped and some to help improve the lives of children in the foster care program. As for the rest of the money... he knew just what he wanted to use it for. That thought brought a smile to the young mans face as he imagined the looks of surprise he would receive if his plan worked.
Mike broke out of his thoughts and watched as two police officers began escorting the criminal from the room, only to freeze when the man turned his head and glared directly at him. The twenty-three year old felt shivers course down his spine at the sight of those murderous gray eyes which seemed to stare straight though to his soul. But suddenly the mad-mans eyes widened in surprise. Turning his gaze slightly to the left, Nicolei let his expression soften until it nearly resembled tenderness. Mike turned to see what the older man was looking at, astonished to see Mrs. Kittner standing a few feet away refusing to even glance in the criminals direction. She had come with Mike as a sort of moral support since it was impossible for the animatronics to accompany him, but why was the Hunter staring at his former teacher like that. Questions began swirling in the boys mind as the police finally led the condemned man away.
A short while later Mike and Mrs. Kittner were making their way back to the woman's car. As he climbed into the passenger seat, the blue eyed youth discretely studied his companion. She had been on edge since the trial began... nervously fidgeting in her seat the whole while they'd been in the courthouse. Thinking back though, Mike realized that this wasn't a new behavior. No, this anxiety had manifested shortly after he had first decided that he would do his research paper on the Hunter. His bright blue eyes widened as a thought entered his mind. His teacher was hiding something from him... something that involved the man who had tried to kill him less than a year ago! He didn't know how or when, but Mike knew he had to ask the woman about it. The problem was that he was unsure whether she would be willing to even acknowledge it... let alone talk about it. He knew, however, that the longer he waited the more reasons he would be able to come up with for not asking. So, without further ado, he decided that there was no better time than the present.
"Um... Mrs. Kittner?" The young man asked hesitantly, turning in his seat to get a better view of her face.
"Yes Michael?" The teacher relied, keeping a steadfast eye on the road. "What's up"?
"Well, it's just..." He trailed off, unsure how to approached the subject, before deciding to cut straight to the chase. "Do you know Ivan Nicolei"?
Just then a car pulled out in front of them causing the teacher to veer left... nearly swerving into oncoming traffic. Mike's knuckles were pure white due to the death grip he had on his seat. The young mans eyes widened with fear as his companion fought to get the vehicle back under control without smashing into any of the other cars on the road. What had felt like hours to the frightened youth had, in reality, only taken a few seconds before the woman was back in control of the vehicle. Mrs. Kittner rammed her hand down, angrily blaring the horn at the idiot who had nearly caused them to be in a car accident. Neither she or Mike spoke for the rest of the time it took to get to Freddy Fazbears Pizzeria. They were still shaken from what had nearly happened as they pulled into the parking lot. The boy wanted to remind his former teacher of his question but decided it could wait until they'd both had the chance to calm down.
"I'm sorry Michael but I've really got to be going." The woman apologized, eyes filled with a variety of mixed emotions as she parked the car outside the pizzeria. "My daughter is waiting for me back at the hotel. I told her we'd go get a bite to eat once I'd dropped you off and I'm running late as it is".
"Oh, um... that's fine." The boy replied, opening the car door. "How long will you be in town Mrs. Kittner? Don't you have classes you need to teach"?
"You're not my student anymore." The middle aged women reminded him, a fond smile pulling at the edges of her lips. "Please, just call me Laura. We're planning on being in town for at least a week or two... I took an extended vacation. I haven't seen Anya since you both graduated and figured we could make do with some family time. You do remember her don't you? She was in your class".
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
Mike raced though the hallway toward room 217. It was the first day of his senor year of collage and he had overslept, making him nearly ten minutes late for his creative writing class. Rounding a corner the young man was surprised to find that he wasn't the only one running late. Neither had a chance to move out of the way before colliding and landing on the floor in an undignified heap, books and papers scattered around the hall.
"I'm so sorry." Mike apologized quietly, helping to pick up the items that had been dropped. "I should have been paying more attention to where I was going".
"Don't worry about it." A female voice replied, causing the boy to glance up. "I was just as much at fault as you were after all".
Mike quickly took in the girls appearance before resuming his task... he didn't want her to think he was rude for staring. She was about his age with medium length black hair that was slightly wavy. A multicolored butterfly clip secured her bangs so they wouldn't fall into her captivating sea green eyes as she swung her head around, looking for her remaining supplies. The young woman was shorter than him and was also carrying a little extra weight... but to him, she was absolutely beautiful. The girl finished gathering her things and was already hurrying down the hallway by the time he looked up.
"Wait, what's your name?" He called after her, jumping to his feet in the process.
She turned around, a bright smile playing on her lips before answering. "It's Anya".
Then she was gone... leaving Mike standing there in a daze. Shaking his head to clear it, he quickly picked up the rest of his stuff and rushed off to class knowing he'd be getting a lecture for being late.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
Mike could feel the blush heating his face as he stepped out of the car into the cold January air, quickly pulling his jacket tighter around himself.
"Yea, I remember." He said, slightly embarrassed. "Umm... tell her I said hi".
"I will." The teacher replied sincerely. "Take care of yourself Mike. We'll have to get together before I head back".
The boy nodded slowly as the woman put her car in drive and pulled away. With a sigh he walked into the restaurant, heading straight for the manager's office. He knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter before letting himself in.
"Ah, Mike." The older man stated. "How was the trial? Everything go okay"?
"Yes sir, it was fine." He confirmed. "I was wondering... It's just... well I..."
"Come on lad, just spit it out." The manager scolded lightly.
The brown haired man swallowed nervously, before starting again.
"Well, I know Freddy's has been struggling for awhile and you plan on closing it down." He expressed. "I was wondering if you'd consider selling it instead? I've got money... that's not a problem, so please... this place means so much to me".
The manager held up his hand, silencing the worried guard before folding his hands on the table. He took in the young man standing restlessly as he awaited the answer, hope and fear fighting for dominance in his azure eyes. After a few moments the older mans lips formed into a smile.
"Mike, after what you went through here I believe it's the least I could do to let you have the place. I've got enough money saved up in my retirement fund to last for the rest of my days. You should save your money for fixing this place up. Goodness knows it needs it." He declared, holding up a hand to stop the guards protests. "If you still feel you need to pay me back then how bout you help with work around my house. It's in need of some repairs and I'm not as young as I once was... it would be a big help".
"Are you sure? I don't want to take advantage of you." The boy spoke, somewhat unsure.
"Yes, I'm sure. Besides, I don't think the gang would have it any other way." The manager gave a knowing wink.
Mike's jaw nearly hit the floor at that revelation.
"Wait, you know they're alive?" He asked, disbelievingly. "But how? When? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME"!?
"I found out a long time ago when I had the pleasure of watching them bond with a special little boy... but that's unimportant." The old man proclaimed. "You have an extraordinary connection with those four. It's something I could never have dreamed of achieving, even if I'd put the time into getting to know them like you have. I'll stay on for a little while and teach you what you need to know about running the business, but after that you're on your own".
"I cannot thank you enough for this sir." Mike uttered emotionally, eyes bright with unshed tears. "You have no idea how much this means to me"!
The manager smiled and gestured toward the door. "Why don't you go tell them the good news, eh"?
Mike gave a happy nod before turning and quickly making his way out the door, heading for the dining area. He knew that the animatronics would most likely be backstage having just finished the last show of the day. Upon reaching his destination, the young man took a deep breath and readied himself for the big surprise he was about to reveal to his family.
"Mikey, me lad!" Foxy exclaimed as he saw who it was that had entered. "We be wondering where ya had been. How be the trial"?
The animatronics watched as Mike settled on one of the chairs, various degrees of worry on their faces which ranged from Freddy's calm concern to Chika's full blown panic.
"It went really well." The former guard replied, giving them all a reassuring smile. "Nicolei was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempted murder".
The robotic animals flinched as their child spoke the last couple words. The were still upset that they had failed to protect the boy.
Mike gave them each a reassuring smile before continuing. "It will take longer for the kidnapping and human trafficking since they're both federal charges... though they said my research might help speed up the process".
"That is good to hear." Freddy nodded in approval. "I know it couldn't have been easy seeing that criminal again... I am extremely proud of you Mike".
"It wasn't easy..." The brown haired man admitted. "When they first brought him in and our eyes met I couldn't suppress the fear I felt and... I froze. If Mrs. Kittner hadn't been there I probably would have ran from the room".
"Oh you poor dear!" Bonnie said, concern filling her voice as well as her eyes, before she pulled him into a hug. "It must have been absolutely horrible... but don't worry, that monster can't hurt you anymore... you're safe".
"And even if he did come back we'd be sure to kick his butt before he got anywhere near you!" Chika declared, making her way over to them.
Mike pulled back from the bunnies embrace, a loving expression on his face.
"Thank you guys..." He spoke, voice barely louder than a whisper. "Your support this past year gave me the courage I needed to face him at the trial. I'm so glad that we're able to be a family again... I love you all so much".
"And we be loving ya just as much." Foxy asserted, nuzzling his little mateys cheek with his muzzle.
Freddy stepped forward, a curious look in his dark, blue eyes.
"Did you just get here?" The bear asked. "The trial must have taken longer than we had expected".
"No, I had to stop by the managers office." The boy explained. "I had something I needed to ask him".
"About what sweetie?" Bonnie questioned.
"About this place." Mike said as he glanced around, the others doing the same with slightly saddened expressions marring their features. "As you know, the boss plans to close down the restaurant".
"Yea, it's so sad." Chika interrupted, black tears gathering in her eyes. "We might get split up or put out of service"!
"Chika I'm sure that won't happen." Bonnie stated, though her tone was full of doubt.
"It might lass." Foxy sighed, concern showing in his stance. "And if it be coming to that... what of our little laddie? Who be there to protect him if we be gone"?
"That won't happen." Mike stated firmly. "That's what I was talking to the manager about. The FBI gave me an award for helping them catch such a dangerous criminal. I offered to buy this place but he wouldn't take the money. Instead he wants me to use it to fix this place up".
The robotic animals stared in disbelief their ears perking up as they listened to what their child was saying. They couldn't believe it... were they hearing Mike right?
The pirate gazed at his first mate, hope shining in his golden eyes. "Does that be meaning what I think it be meaning"?
"Yup... you're looking at the new manager and owner of Freddy Fazbears Pizza." The young man announced.
"You never fail to amaze me Michael." Freddy spoke in an awe filled voice.
"I couldn't let my family be broken again." The brown haired man replied seriously. "I don't want to be alone again after being with you guys... I don't think I could take it".
Upon hearing that, all four animatronics rushed forward, enveloping Mike in a joyful group hug as the tension they had been feeling melted away with each passing second. Now was a time for new beginnings... a time to leave the past behind them and focus on what was truly important. As the light faded on the outside world Mike banished all the fear and worry he'd been feeling from his mind. He was home with the ones who loved him and whom he loved in return... the nightmare was over.
Unbeknownst to them... a nameless figure lurked in the darkening shadows outside the pizzeria, cold eyes memorizing every detail as they waited. Soon it would be too dark to see and there would be no point sticking around. They were here to gather data after all and with the lack of light that was increasingly difficult. No, better to leave now than to risk getting caught unawares in the blackened night. With that decided, the unknown entity disappeared silently into the shadows from whence it came... leaving no trace that they had ever been there to begin with.
AN: So that's the prologue. What do you think? Who could the mysterious shadow person be? Are they friend or foe? You'll just have to keep reading to find out :P Don't forget to review!