A/N: This story takes place after The Light Needed to Heal and is based on the ink!Henry AU created by shinyzango and themarginalartist on tumblr. This is just a silly little idea that a reviewer gave me. I haven't made up my mind if it'll stay apart of my Shadows series or not.

Disclaimer: Bendy and the Ink Machine belongs to TheMeatly. I only own my Ocs.

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When The Devil Come Knockin'

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Almost two months have passed since Henry and his family escaped the Studio. June still has a noticeable limp and she gets a twinge in her side from her healing ribs. But other than that, life had kinda returned to normal. Well as normal as having a living toon as a nephew, the girls writing letters to inky creatures in a haunted cartoon studio, or her brother having ink flowing through his veins. Yeah, y'know…normal. Well, they all agreed that their lives will never be dull.

Henry kept his word. He visited his sister more, much to the delight of his toony companion. Beth and Sarah were more than happy to show Bendy the things they've learned in school so far. The weather was still comfortable enough for them to go to the park or explore around the lake. The little toon loved that because he always found something new whenever he went out there. And even though the lake still scared him, he had to admit, the shimmering waters were beautiful.

June swallowed her pride for a few weeks so that her mother-in-law could help her around the house and with the girls. In reality, it wasn't that bad. Sure, the two women got into heated arguments from time to time. Mainly because June thought Momma Anderson was being too pushy when it came to helping out. After calming down and thinking things through, she knew the elder Anderson was right…but darn it if it didn't burn her up to admit that.

Jason knew how she felt about the situation and would comfort her during those long, quiet nights. She was so grateful for him. June knew how difficult she could be at times and her husband had been nothing but patient with her. Every day she thanked her lucky stars that they all got out of that studio alive. She didn't know what she would have done if she had lost any of them. Thank goodness she never had to find out.

June was able to move around and do things around the house without assistance. She still couldn't drive her car because of her ankle, but even she could admit she wasn't ready for that yet. The stitches was taken out and she still had a nasty scar on her shoulder. It was a little stiff but she was getting stronger everyday. Still, Momma Anderson seemed satisfied with June's progress and decided it was time to head home with the promise that if they needed her, she would come back.

So June finally had the house to herself again. The girls were in school, Jason was on the road, and she was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Henry on the phone. He was making it a habit to call her more and she was happy for that. She never wanted to loose touch with him. The whole reason she had that fateful visit with him all those months ago was because she could feel him pulling away. She didn't know why at the time and it scared her. Needless to say, she had no idea that things would snowball the way it did. Still, she didn't regret meeting the little toon that not only changed her brother's life, but her own as well.

There are times when June would have a nightmare, then the next day she'd be jumping at shadows and sudden noises when she was home alone. She felt incredibly silly once she calmed down and kept those instances to herself. She really didn't want to worry anyone because she got scared from time to time. She knew she could never forget those ink covered floors or yellowing wood…or the cold touch of the demon…

June shut her eyes tightly as she fought to keep those memories from dominating her mind. If she let those fearful thoughts creep in, she would probably end up curled up in the corner…again. That's something else she kept from her family. June figured she just needed time and she would be alright. Even the girls woke up some nights screaming because of a nightmare, but June and Jason was there to make sure they were alright. Beth and Sarah seemed to bounce back from it all a lot quicker then herself. She was willing to put up with a few nightmares if it meant the girls didn't have too.

As for Jason, he only admitted once to having nightmares and it was mostly about not being able to get to his family in time. It was one of the few times where his laid back façade would crack and she could see the anger simmering just underneath. After that, he didn't want to talk about it anymore. The only way she knew he had a nightmare was when he became extra clingy. June wouldn't say a word. She would just hold him until he realized she was fine. That they were all fine.

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-The Next Day-

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June got up early to fix breakfast. Jason would be hitting the road that morning and she didn't want him to leave on an empty stomach. Beth and Sarah came downstairs and rushed into the kitchen so they could all eat together before the school bus showed up.

June really cherished moments like this, especially when her brother and nephew were there. It was so much fun to have everyone talking and laughing at the same time. It's a little chaotic but she wouldn't have it any other way.

The school bus pulled up in front of the house just as the girls finished eating. They hugged their mother and father before grabbing their backpacks and running out the door. Jason kissed June, grabbed his duffle bag, and he was off to work. She had the house all to herself. At least for a few hours. This was the best time for her to get some work done in peace.

June went from bedroom to bedroom, picking up toys off the floor and returning them to their proper place in the toy box. She gathered up the dirty clothes and headed down to the basement. June turned on the light. There was a little bit of sunlight pouring through the small basement windows. It warmed up the space and made it nice and comfortable for her. She even kept a small radio down there so she could listen to music while she worked.

June found a nice jazz station to listen to and got to work sorting the clothes. Jason set up a bench and chair so she wouldn't have to be on her feet for too long. She was surprised how relaxing she found this to be. There was a certain peace to be found in folding clothes, as strange as that might all sound.

June had just placed a load in the washing machine and afterwards, she was going to hang it on a line outside. It was early enough and the weather was still mild. It was perfect for infusing a bit freshness into the clothes and sheets. She took this time to close her eyes and listen to the soft jazz music drifting from her radio. The bus wouldn't be dropping the girls off until that afternoon so June tried to enjoy this while she could.

She could feel herself drifting off to sleep. The sounds from the washer and the radio was lulling her into a profound sense of calm. That was until a strange static sound came from her radio. The sound startled her out of her light slumber. The static was growing louder. June grabbed the radio and moved the antenna around but couldn't get a signal.

"Oh great." June grumbled. She tried different stations but all she got was more static. She was about to turn the radio off when the lights started to flicker. "What's going on?" June looked at the light hanging from the ceiling. The bulb kept blinking on and off. Each time it did, she could have sworn it was getting dimmer and dimmer. Not only that, but the room felt cold for some reason.

June stood up. Maybe the fuse was starting to go. She started to walk towards the fuse box when the lights went out. She knew something was really wrong because there was no sunlight coming in through the windows either. June could see…something slithering across the glass. It was just too dark to see what it was. The static from the radio grew louder all of a sudden and she dropped it. June could feel her heart beating quickly. That familiar fear was creeping up on her. She began to stumble around as she moved towards the stairs.

The lights flickered a few more times before they finally steadied. What June saw made her stop dead in her tracks. There were inky veins crawling up the walls and across the windows, casting eerie shadows all around her. She gasped and stumbled back towards the washing machine. Ink was dripping from the ceiling and creating puddles on the floor.

"No no no no…this can't be real!" June was shaking badly. It had been awhile since she had an episode like this. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her breathing. Her heart was beating so hard, it hurt. All she had to do was head for the stairs. She'll be alright if she could just make it to the stairs…

Her already scattered thoughts ground to a halt when she heard wheezing laughter coming from across the room. June shook her head. It couldn't be him! This was just in her head. It wasn't real. She refused to open her eyes, even when she heard footsteps shuffling her way.

June almost stopped breathing when she felt something looming over her. 'Don't open your eyes, don't open your eyes, don't open your eyes…' She knew she shouldn't have, but she couldn't help herself. June could feel the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes as she looked up into the face of the creature she hoped she'd never see again. The ink demon, 'Bendy'!

'Bendy' growled softy and reached out to her with his large gloved hand. June stumbled back. "NO NO NO NO NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed at the demon but he continued to moved towards her. June couldn't take her eyes off his face. The way the teeth in his ever present smile seem to chatter and the ink continuously ran down his face.

June stepped back and tripped over the radio she dropped earlier. She fell and her back hit the washing machine. It was hard enough to knock the wind out of her. She gasped when the ink demon suddenly knelt in front of her. He made a strange, garbled sound as he reached out to her again. June curled up with her arms wrapped around her legs and her face pressed against her knees.

"You're not real, you're not real, you're not real…" she repeated over and over again. The vibration from the washing machine against her back, helped to keep her grounded. That monster couldn't be here. She knew that. It was all in her head…all in her head…IT WASN'T REAL!

June jumped at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. "And in local news: A massive fire broke out at the Smith & Co's canning factory. Eleven people were hurt-". It was the radio?

She dared to open her eyes. The basement was back to normal! There was no ink to be found anywhere. The light was just as bright as it was when she first turned it on. Warm sunlight was streaming through the windows, the only sound that could be heard was the newscaster on the radio, and the washing machine that was just finishing up its load.

June stood up slowly but winced at the pain in her back. She took a few moments to catch her breath and tried to calm down. She hadn't had an episode this bad in weeks. It left her very shaken.

The alarm on the washing machine went off, letting her know the clothes were done. June grabbed them, threw them into the basket, and hobbled up the stairs as fast as she could. The quiet moments she loved to spend down in the basement didn't seem so peaceful anymore.

After what happened that day, June had been a little skittish when it came to going down in the basement by herself. She often waited for the kids to come home from school or waited until the weekend to do the laundry. She would use the excuse of getting the girls to help her with the chores to hide the fact that she didn't want to be alone.

Jason began to notice her odd behavior and asked if anything was wrong. At first she denied it, but after a lot of prodding from her husband, she finally broke down and told him what happened. He pulled her into a hug. He held her tight and told her that everything will be alright. That what happened was just her mind playing tricks on her. June knew he was right. It was just an old fear getting the better of her, except-

Lately, June began to notice that when she was alone in the house, strange things would happen. Well, it would be little things, like the pictures on the mantle being moved slightly, or toys she thought she put away would be sitting out again. Books in the shelf would be misplaced and someone even got into the cookie jar that she left in one of the high cabinets in the kitchen.

One morning, while the girls were eating breakfast, June had asked if they had snuck into the cookie jar. Both girls said "No.". She knew they were telling the truth. Beth and Sarah were both too short to reach the cabinet, even if they were standing on a chair. She needed to ask for her own peace of mind. The fact that they couldn't have done it made June very uneasy.

Jason told her that she was just being paranoid. Maybe he was right, but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was purposely moving things around the house. June would even send him into a room just to make sure someone wasn't hiding in there. He did it without hesitation or making fun of her. She knew he was just humoring her but she really appreciated it. June was practically jumping at her own shadow the first few days they escaped the Studio. He knew how much that place scared her and he did everything he could to help.

After a few days, she just chalked it up to being absentminded. Maybe she was the one misplacing things or bumping into stuff. Ever since the day she had in the basement, her nerves had been a little frazzled. It was entirely possible that she was doing this stuff herself. She almost believed that, until-

Beth and Sarah had just left for school. Jason was in the backyard, working on 'Lucy' and June was in the girls' room. This was the perfect time to change the sheets and pick up stray toys here and there. She giggled when she heard the big rig stuttered as Jason tried to start it up. Every time something went wrong, he let loose a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Good thing the girls weren't around to hear all of that or she might have to implement a Swear Jar.

June took a small break and was standing near the window. She could see her husband waving his arms in the air and it looked like he was having a rather lively conversation with 'Lucy'. Thank goodness that truck can't talk back. She'd be telling him off right about now.

She chuckled softly but nearly choked on it as she watched inky veins slither across the window. As she backed away, the entire room grew dim and was covered in shadows. "No, no, no this can't be happening again!"

A soft hissing sound caused June to whirl around, only to come face to face with the ink demon, again! He was blocking the only way out of the room and he had that sinister grin plastered on his face.

June just knew she was seeing things because he looked different from the last time she saw him. He was still tall and very imposing, but his body was skinner. The demon seemed emaciated, like a skeleton coated in thick ink. His ribs looked like they were broken and healed wrong but was practically collapsing in on itself. For a split second, she wondered how he could even breathe like that.

'Bendy' tilted his head to the side, like he was studying her, before shuffling slowly towards her. June backed up until her back hit the window. He had her trapped! Just like before in the Studio. When he reached out and grabbed her face. She couldn't breathe! The demon was going to kill her…NO! This wasn't real! He wasn't real. He was just a hallucination. She wasn't going to let this nightmare control her life! Not anymore.

June gathered up all her courage, stepped away from the window, and marched right up to the ink demon. "You don't scare me!" this declaration seemed to amuse the figment of her imagination. "You're not real!" she yelled out as she raised her hand. She swiped at the hallucination to prove to herself that nothing was there, only-

Said hallucination grabbed her hand mid swing! For a moment, June just stared as her small hand was engulfed by his larger, gloved one. Her brain was screaming that you can't touch a hallucination. He's real! She needed to run, or scream, or do anything except stand there and shake like a wet puppy!

'Bendy' held her hand in a grip that wasn't painful, but he made sure she couldn't pull away. He hunched over and held her hand up to his face. The demon twisted her hand about as though he were studying it. If he had eyes underneath all that dripping ink, she couldn't tell. June watched as the black substance rained down from the top of his horned head and down his body. That's when she noticed that even though he was dripping ink on the floor, it wouldn't stay for long. He seemed to absorb the ink back into his body so none was left behind. 'Is this why he never left footprints?'

June's thoughts were derailed when something cold covered her hand. She looked up to find 'Bendy' pressing the palm of her hand against his cheek. His smile seemed different but she was too scared to figure out why. Her hand was getting a little too close to his blocky teeth for her comfort. She wasn't sure if he could open his mouth wide enough to bite her, but she didn't want to take that chance.

The demon made a strange sound. It sounded like humming, but it was garbled. She didn't understand what was going on and this set her mind reeling. June was surprised she was still standing from the way her legs were shaking. Just feeling the cold slickness of his 'skin' made her own skin crawl. Images of him grabbing her and pushing her into the darkness, made her heart beat painfully in her chest. What was he going to do to her this time?

'Bendy' stopped rubbing his cheek against June's hand when she whimpered softly. He leaned in closer as though to get a better look at her face. The smell of rancid ink got stronger the closer he got. June was on the verge of a breakdown and wasn't sure how much of this she could take. Luckily, a familiar voice became her salvation.

"Hey Juniper!" It was Jason! She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. "Honey, are you up there?" The ink demon looked over his shoulder for a moment, then turned back to the frightened woman. "June? Is everything alright?" There was a slight pause, then they could hear Jason coming up the stairs.

'Bendy' let June's hand slip out of his grasp. He straightened up, put a single finger to his mouth, and made a hushing sound. He slinked back into an inky portal that formed into the wall next to him and he was gone.

By the time Jason made it to the room, all evidence that the ink demon was there, was gone. Not a trace of ink on the walls, floors, or the window. Not even a footprint was left behind.

At some point, June's legs finally gave out and she collapsed to the floor in a sitting position. Her eyes were wide and slightly glazed over as she just stared at her hand. She looked absolutely shell shocked. Jason ran to her side.

"June? Juniper? What's wrong?" She blinked a few times as she looked up at him. Her voice trembled as she tried to tell him what happened. Jason began to panic at the state his wife was in. He wrapped his arms around her and helped her to her feet. They sat down on Beth's bed and he rubbed June's back to get her to calm down.

Slowly, her body began to crumble against him and she broke down in tears. This caught Jason by surprise and he didn't know what to say, so he just held her.

"Honey, what happened? What's wrong?" June sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. She looked up at him with fear written all over her face.

"He-He was here!"

Jason looked confused. "Who?"

June tried to swallow passed a lump forming in her throat. She looked around the room as though just saying his name would make him appear.

"The demon! The one from the Studio. 'B-Bendy'."

Jason frowned slightly. "Juniper…"

June shook her head franticly. "He was here, I swear! He grabbed my hand. I thought I was seeing things, b-but he was real." Her eyes were pleading as tears ran down her cheeks. "I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me…" Jason pulled her into another hug and told her that he did believe her.

Jason took a moment to collect his thoughts. "We need to talk to Henry." He ran his fingers through her hair. June pressed her head against his chest and said nothing. Locked doors didn't seem to stop a creature that could teleport right into their house. She just hoped her brother had some mystical way to keep the demon out or she could loose more than just her mind. She could loose her family.