Chapter Four

I hadn't talked to Foxy since that night Chica revealed her painful secret to me. He didn't try to initiate conversation either, as if he understood what I knew. Or he figured I wasn't worth it since our last encounter. I stifled a sigh. I knew I shouldn't want him as much as I did, but some part of me just couldn't let him go. When I was with Chica I managed to hide my true feelings from her, though with great difficulty.

But that night was one of the few I spent alone in Kids Cove, while Chica spent some time with Freddy and Bonnie in the Game Area. I was resting in the back of the room lost in thought when a shadow from the hall caught my attention. I cautiously crept closer to see who was there, and as I neared, the dim light fell on the face of Foxy standing in the doorway.

I narrowed my eyes and suppressed a surprised hiss. "what are you doing here?" I asked, keeping my voice cool and uninterested. "I don't have any wish to see you."

Foxy blinked slowly and hesitantly spoke, "I suppose Chica talked to you." His voice was calm and polite, and he remained expressionless as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"She told me not to trust you," I replied cautiously, choosing my words carefully. "Nothing you can say to me now can take back what you did."

"No," Foxy agreed. "But maybe if you listen, you can understand some things aren't what they seem." My ears pricked with interest, but I made no move to accept his offer. He sighed and shifted on his feet. "I may have made some bad decisions in my past, but what's done is done, and I'm willing to change. Just listen to what I have to say, love." He stepped closer to me and I took a step back.

"Fine. You can explain yourself, but don't expect me to forgive you."

Foxy took a deep breath. "It's true that I hurt Chica, but not in the way you may think. When she first arrived here she was very interested in me, and we became close friends. When she wanted to become more than just friends, I didn't say no, as I should have. I had no interest in her as she did with me, but I was so caught up in the excitement and the rush she gave me I figured there was no harm in it. I didn't use her, I just gave her what she wanted from the start. But I couldn't lie forever, and when she discovered I didn't love her the way she loved me, she was heartbroken. I know I was wrong to lie to her, but I never meant to hurt her. You understand, don't you?"

I didn't know what to say. I appreciated his honesty with me, and hearing his side of the story ultimately gave me a new respect for him. But I wasn't about to forgive him that quickly. "I understand," I whispered. "But Chica is my friend, and she needs time to heal. I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to."

Foxy frowned and his yellow eyes seemed tired and empty. "Chica still loves me just as much as she once did. She will never forgive me until I return her feelings. She will never heal, because I can't give her what she really wants." For once I felt a pang of pity for the old fox. It must be hard seeing an old friend in pain everyday and knowing he was the cause of it, but not having the power to fix it. I wished I could be the one to help Chica, but I knew it was out of my hands as well. The only one who could help her was herself, and I was afraid she wouldn't have the courage to do so.

"I'm sorry Foxy," I breathed. "I wish I could help."

"Vixen," he said, so quietly I almost couldn't hear him. "I may not have loved Chica as more than a friend, but, ever since I met you I can't get you out of my head." He took another step closer and this time I didn't back away. "Vixen I feel things for you that I have never felt before. I really do want to be with you, and I'll do whatever I can to earn your trust. I love you."

Time seemed to stand still, and for a moment I didn't know the difference between reality and my imagination. I stood in silence for a while, trying to understand what just happened. "But you can't!" I blurted out. "What about Chica? She'll hurt even more!"

"Maybe what Chica needs is physical proof that she will never have me to accept it and move on," Foxy suggested gently. "It has been years, it's time for her to come to terms with the truth. And I can't let past mistakes get in the way how I truly feel. I know I want you, and nothing can change that."

"Oh, Foxy," I whispered, still in disbelief of what was going on. "I love you too. You've been haunting my thoughts ever since I first laid eyes on you." It had to be a dream, I knew I would wake up before the night was over, and everything would be as it normally is.

But I didn't wake up. The dawn light flickered into Kids Cove as the sun peeked over the horizon and Foxy kissed my forehead before returning to his place in the storage room. I felt like I could fly, I was so drunk off his love. But another, darker feeling was nagging at the back of my mind, dragging me down like stones. What would Chica do if she found out?