C'est Toi, C'est Moi

by bijoukaiba

The summer of 1987 is drawing to a close, and Jeremy Fitzgerald needs a job - or two - to make it through college. Freddy Fazbear's Pizza doesn't exactly seem like the coolest place to work, but Jeremy doesn't have much of a reputation for being cool anyway. But the friendships he forges? Unbreakable. The memories he makes? Unforgettable. Falling in love? Indescribable.

7. Let the Good Times Roll

"Five Nights at Freddy's", its sequel, and all related canon characters are property of Scott Cawthon.

Also features some OCs and my own interpretations of the characters and plot events that may or may not be canon depending on the story of any potential FNAF games in the future. That's what fanfiction is for.

... Especially now that FNAF 3 is out.

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Chapter 7: Let the Good Times Roll

September 18, 1987

Already dressed in a pair of khakis and a violet business shirt with short sleeves, Phil let out an exasperated sigh as he finished tying his red bowtie in a lopsided knot. He could get neckties to look somewhat decent with one hand... bowties, not so much.

But it would be okay, he reminded himself, tucking his nametag and car keys into his pocket, before swinging his bookbag over his shoulder. He had bigger priorities than bowties this morning. Phil smiled, grabbing an apple from the kitchen, before heading out the door for his car.

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"If only fixing cars were as easy as straightening bowties," Phil remarked, briefly smiling over at Jeremy, seated beside him. "And Lisa won't mind you coming in early, right?"

"Leslie? Nah, she's fine with it. My shift won't start for another hour or two, but... I didn't want to get in the way of your classes," Jeremy replied. "But, yeah, the mechanic's supposed to call me back this afternoon, give me an estimate."

He swallowed and adjusted his glasses.

"... Both on the price and the time it'll take to fix. But... I should be able to afford it."

"A-are you sure?"

"I'm... pretty sure," Jeremy said. "... And if not, I'll ask my parents for help. Don't worry about me, it'll be fine."

Phil nodded, starting to pull into the Picnix parking lot. As he did, they noticed a girl, in uniform, kissing a boy out in front of the store in broad daylight.

"Probably Dinah and her boyfriend," Jeremy stated.

"That's not very, uh, professional of them..." Phil commented.

Jeremy looked down for a moment.

"Hey, uh... pull around to the back of the parking lot, okay?"

"Huh?" Phil looked out the window, having pulled up to the front of the store to drop Jeremy off.

"Please?"

"Okay," Phil agreed, shifting the car back into drive. He looped around to the far end of the lot, where there weren't many cars. "Um... is everything all right, Jer?"

He had been glancing behind them, out the rear window.

"Yeah... I don't think they were paying attention to us. I sure hope not, anyway..." Jeremy mumbled, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I just wanted to say... uh..."

He placed a hand on Phil's shoulder, leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. For the ride and everything."

"Oh!" he quickly unbuckled his own seatbelt, leaning over to gently clutch Jeremy's apron. "... You're welcome."

They both smiled, exchanging a quick and gentle kiss.

"So..." Jeremy commented, pulling back. "Thursday is still good for you, right?"

"Mmhmm..." Phil hummed dreamily. Jeremy chuckled softly.

"All right, I better let you get to class. Work hard, okay?"

"Okay."

Jeremy smiled, opening the door.

"See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy."

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With one last tiny tug to make sure his bowtie was straight, Phil stepped into Freddy Fazbear's Pizza with a little extra spring in his step, still humming as he strolled down the hallways, punched in, and entered the game area.

"Well, look at you!" Heather remarked in a chipper voice, her hands on her hips. "This is quite the change."

"Hey, Heather?"

"Hmm?"

With a grin, Phil threw his arms around her in a hug.

"Thank you."

She patted his back, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Wow, wow, wow, wooowww!"

Phil stiffened, letting go of her, at the sound of his uncle's voice. He hadn't been speaking; rather, he had been trying to mimic the sound of the funky guitar notes in a Marvin Gaye song.

"Well, well, well!" Frank remarked, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "So the smarty pants security guard was your sweetheart all along!"

"Uh..." Phil exchanged an embarrassed look with Heather. "N-no, remember what I told you? I-I'm just happy because I spoke with Heather knew about my situation with... the, uh, girl at Picnix."

She looked over at him in confusion.

"Well... last night, I spoke with that Picnix, uh... girl... and I owned up to my, uh, feelings," he explained, looking Heather in the eyes, with a smile and a wink. "And now everything is okay between us, a-and we're going to start dating."

"For real?!" Heather hugged Phil again. "I knew you could do it! I knew that... uh, she liked you!"

He laughed as she let go of him.

"Oh, and before you ask, Uncle... I, uh... I am going to call my father about this. I-I'll even do it tonight."

"That's great!" Frank declared with a laugh. "Well! This day's off to a nice start! It's certainly a pleasant change from yesterday!"

Phil's smile faded a little.

"Uh, yesterday? Did something happen? There weren't any, uh, issues with the children, were there?"

"No, no, don't worry about that," Frank waved it off with a snort. "... it was actually John."

"John?" Phil repeated incredulously. "B-but he's never been a problem...!"

"That's right, you weren't here yesterday. Well, yesterday morning, John's waiting for me in front of the pizzeria. Starts yammering about the animatronics trying to get in the security office."

"That's odd," Phil commented, looking over at Heather. "They're only programmed to roam from the stage to the party rooms, aren't they?"

"Yeah, except for that one time with Chica, but... she's also got that glitch in her system that makes her walk off the stage, you know?"

"Well, whatever. The point is, he's claiming that their technology is funky. And he doesn't feel safe if the animatronics aren't going to leave him alone."

"Which doesn't sound right at all," Heather added. "Why would they go against their programming like that? I mean... I guess it's possible that it's due to the lack of guests and lighting, but... they still shouldn't be wandering into the office. Unless it's the presence of a person that overwrites it? UGH! I don't know! I'm not a programmer!"

"I'm not either, but... that sounds like a good guess," Phil commented. "That they work differently at night because of the lack of guests, I mean. Heh, maybe we should actually call the programmers and see what they think."

"I've already done that. For now, the gang'll just run on their usual codes and John will just have to suck it up," Frank muttered. "Anyway, I think we've got a few parties planned, since it's a Friday, so we'd better start getting ready."

Heather cast one last look over at the trio of animatronics, motionless on the stage, before heading for one of the party rooms with Phil and Frank to see how she could help out.

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Since it would take a few minutes for his dinner to cook in the toaster oven, there was no point in continuing to wait for the right time to call. Phil took in a deep breath before dialing the phone, listening to the other side ring for a while, before someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello, hello?"

"... Hello, hello, Dad."

"Phillip! Oh, it feels like forever since I last spoke to you. You sound quiet, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I-I'm good," Phil stated, resting the phone against his right shoulder. "I'm healthy, and eating well, my job and my classes are fine..."

"Are you happy?"

Phil smiled.

"Definitely! I have several good friends around the workplace, and, uh, I have a few friends on campus, like my lab partner... and..." his voice trailed off.

"... And?"

Phil twirled the telephone cord around his finger.

"I, uh... as of last night, I finally have a... a-a girlfriend."

His father gasped on the other line.

"Phillip! Oh, do you really?"

He could hear another voice in the background, and he recognized it all too well - his mother.

"... Yoko! Honey, Phillip has a girlfriend!"

His parents conversed in the background for a little while, Phil weaving the coiling cord over and under his fingers a few times, as he waited for his father to get back on the line.

"Phillip?"

"O-oh, hi, Mom..."

"What's her name?"

"Oh, um..."

Shoot. He really should've planned this lie a little more carefully.

"Uh..." he looked around the kitchen, his wallet on the counter the first thing to catch his eye. "... Penny."

"Penny?"

"Y-yeah..." Phil continued, looking over at the knife holder. "Penny... Sharpe."

"Come on, you gotta tell us more than that!" his father pleaded on the other line. "What's she like?"

"Well, she's uh... she's really smart. So I guess you could say she's, uh, as 'sharp' as her name implies, heheh," Phil laughed weakly, looking over at the fridge. "A-and she's got a magnetic personality. And... um... she has beautiful chocolate-brown eyes... and she's got the sweetest smile... and, uh, Penny is just a great girl all-around!"

"Sounds great! You're a good man, Phillip, I know you'll treat her well. I'll even slide a few dollars your way for a nice date-"

"Federico-"

"I know we're supposed to let him do his own thing, dear... but it's his first girlfriend! This is kind of an exciting affair for everyone. Are you her first boyfriend, Phil?"

He frowned.

"Um... I'm pretty sure, uh, she's dated someone before. But I don't think i-it went very well, because he - uh, h-he being the ex, uh, I mean - he has only been mentioned once. And, uh... Penny didn't seem too happy about it. So I'm not asking any questions about the ex because it's clear she has bad memories of the guy. I'll wait for her to open up about it when she's ready... you know?"

"I think that's a good idea. You let Penny know we'll keep her in our thoughts, okay?"

"Uh, sure!"

Phil went quiet, his fingers no longer toying with the phone cord.

"Hey, Dad... you and Uncle Frank are pretty close, right? Like... uh... do you agree with each other on a lot of things?"

"Not EVERYTHING, naturally... but for the most part, yes, I think my younger brother and I agree with each other on a lot of things. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it was just... something he said a-a few nights ago," Phil dismissed, his heart racing. "Well, the weekend's coming up, so... I'm going to do a little more studying before bed. Uh, gotta have plenty of sleep for the weekend rush, you know?"

"All right. Get plenty of rest, okay? We love you."

"Yeah..." Phil said, his chest starting to hurt. "Love you too. Bye."

He hung up the phone and slid down to the floor against the wall. Penny Sharpe, huh? He'd have to memorize more than just vocabulary terms for the next few days...

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September 24, 1987

It was late afternoon by the time Phil had parked outside the movie theater.

"Hey, quick question..." Jeremy said, as they both unbuckled their seatbelts. He gently pressed a fingertip against Phil's arm. "Did that hurt?"

"... No...?" Phil replied, confused, as they both stepped out of the car.

"Wow! Then you've got some pretty tough skin! Since I'm... you know... Sharpe," Jeremy teased as they walked up to the box office.

"Pfft," Phil playfully shoved him away. "I was desperate, okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay," Jeremy reassured. "So... what are we going to watch today?"

"Well... to be honest, I-I don't really want to see anything scary, like Hellraiser..."

"Thank you," Jeremy replied, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I did get a movie recommendation from Sophia..." Phil's voice trailed off, as they passed the movie posters.

"Yeah? And what did she recommend?"

"Well, she went out with Ronaldo to see..." Phil's voice trailed off, stopping by a poster depicting Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. "... Dirty Dancing."

Jeremy studied the poster a little while longer, before looking back at Phil.

"... All right, let's give it a shot."

Phil bought their tickets, Jeremy bought their snacks, and they both grabbed seats in a relatively full theater.

"You don't think someone will say something, do you?" Jeremy whispered, as the lights began to dim.

"Nah, I'm sure everyone will be watching the movie."

Everyone being the single ladies or the couples who had also been in the theater. Johnny Castle earned the occasional sigh or squeal from a girl in the audience, and Jeremy even found himself transfixed during a couple of scenes.

But it was Baby confronting her father that drew the most reaction from Phil.

"There are a lot of things about me that aren't what you thought. But if you love me, you have to love all the things about me." (1)

It was hard to make out his facial expression in the dark, and the sound that had passed his lips... he couldn't tell if it was a sigh or a very faint sob. Jeremy lowered his hand to the armrests, gently placing it over Phil's. His hand turned palm up underneath Jeremy's, and he let their fingers intertwine with a small squeeze, which Jeremy returned.

Their hands stayed that way up until the end of the movie, when everyone applauded as the credits rolled.

"Why do people clap when movies are over?" Jeremy asked, clapping anyway. "The actors can't hear them."

Phil shrugged in reply, applauding by clapping his hand against his forearm just below the wrist.

They left the theater together, Phil driving Jeremy back to his apartment as the sun started to set.

"I liked it... what about you?" Phil finally asked.

"Eh... it was all right. I kind of wish there was some more comedy to it. I'd give it a six out of ten."

"I just realized... you remember how I told our friends that my first date was at a movie theater?"

"Yes?"

"Well... going to the movies, i-it made me remember... not the actual date, but the drinking game we were playing when we brought it up..." Phil commented, as he pulled into the parking space outside Jeremy and Pat's apartment. "I started talking about it because I was the only one who hadn't been kissed at the table."

"... Oh," was the only thing Jeremy could say, as he came to the same realization.

"Yeah, uh, last week... in this car... e-even in the same parking spot, too, I think... you gave me my first kiss," Phil stated with a smile, unbuckling his seatbelt as Jeremy did the same. "So, uh... thank you. It was a good one, heh."

He closed his eyes, starting to lean in, but he felt Jeremy's hand on his shoulder.

"Jogger," he stated, looking over Phil's shoulder.

Phil leaned back, turning around. Sure enough, he spotted the young man who had just turned the corner and was heading in their direction. He let out a disappointed sigh.

"... really makes you wish things could be a little easier... you know? L-like those coworkers of yours... who can kiss in front of the building and go to work like it's no big deal," Phil let out a wistful sigh. "On Tuesday, my uncle caught Anita kissing Jason, one of the waiters, over by the security office. A-and all he did was scold them. If it was me... us... I-I'd probably be fired on the spot."

"I know it's not going to be easy... keeping it secret from so many people. But we've got friends who support us. And I'm here for you, too. I want to make this work," Jeremy reassured, giving Phil's shoulder a gentle pat. "Your exam's in less than a week, and my car will be ready by tomorrow, so... I'm available on Monday, if you want to meet in that window of time between your classes. I'm thinking The Wizard's Brew... and we'll have a proper study date?"

"I-it would beat spilling hot coffee in a car," Phil said with a small chuckle. "Sounds like a plan."

"I'll see you then," Jeremy replied, getting out of the car as the jogger passed. "See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy."

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September 28, 1987

"How many essential amino acids are there, and can you name them all?" Jeremy quizzed him from across the table.

"Th-that's way too much information to memorize, you know?"

"Phil, it's your exam, not mine."

He growled, chewing on the eraser end of his pencil.

"... I know there's nine."

"Right, that's a good start."

"I remember, uh, tryptophan is one of them... because that one's common in turkey. Um... and the 'phen-lalaline' something or other, is the one that some people are sensitive to and it gives them seizures."

"Good start... only seven more to go."

"What, like you name them all?" Phil asked skeptically.

Jeremy gave him a knowing smirk.

"I learned them all, thanks to Private Tim Hall," he stated in a rhyme.

"... Come again?" Phil asked, opening his textbook.

"Private Tim Hall. PVT, TIM, HLL... phenylalanine, threonine, valine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, lysine," Jeremy recited.

Phil looked up from his textbook, narrowing his eyes as Jeremy grinned.

"Show-off," he mumbled, trying not to smile. "Right, so... let me write that down. 'Private Tim Hall'?"

"Private Tim Hall. P-V-T, T-I-M, H-L-L," Jeremy repeated. "Okay, can you do the taxonomy system?"

"I think I almost have that one down pat," Phil stated. "It's kingdom, phyla... then order, family, and class in some order... and then genus and species."

"Very good. Kingdom, phyla, class, order, family, genus, species."

Phil leaned his head against the end of his right arm.

"... Okay, hot-shot, what's your word trick this time?"

"King Paul came over for great spaghetti," Jeremy recited.

"Umm... excuse me?" Phil put on an offended face. "I think you mean King Phillip, thank you very much!"

They both laughed as the barista brought over their coffees and a coffee cake, the exact same order they had made nearly three weeks ago.

"Oh, this is so much nicer," Phil commented, lifting the cup to his lips. "Mmm..."

"... Do you still remember the defining qualities of a living creature?"

Lowering the cup of coffee from his lips, it was Phil's turn to give him a knowing smile.

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October 1, 1987

"Are we there yet?" Jeremy asked, annoyed.

"Oh, shush. We're almost there," Phil confirmed, flicking his turn signal on. "You still have your eyes closed, right?"

Jeremy let out a heavy sigh.

"... Yes, Phil."

"I'm telling you, this would have been so much easier if you agreed to wear the blindfold," Phil nagged jokingly.

"Yes, but people have a tendency to call the police when they see a person blindfolded in a car," Jeremy argued.

"Fair enough," Phil said with a laugh, as they arrived at their destination. "Okay, when I tell you, you can open your eyes."

He made sure to find a parking spot near the front, so Jeremy would have a great view, and finally parked.

"All right, you can look!" Phil announced excitedly.

Jeremy opened his eyes, recognizing the tan paint job on the stone building, and more importantly, the words on the sign out front.

"'The Museum of Natural History'," he read aloud, a smile starting to spread on his face. "... you took me to the museum?"

"Yeah, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course it's okay!" Jeremy exclaimed. "I haven't been here before!"

"Oh, well... then you're really in for a treat!" Phil added. "See that greenhouse-looking attachment? It's got all those plants because it's a butterfly habitat. Or, uh... I know you said you don't like spiders or stinging insects... are butterflies okay? Because if they're not, we don't have to - "

"Butterflies, I can handle," Jeremy assured, putting a hand up.

"That's great! Because they're having a promo this week, and usually it costs about five dollars to go see the butterflies, but for this Monday through Friday only, they're letting students with IDs come in for free. You, uh, did bring yours, right?"

"Right," Jeremy confirmed, reaching into his pocket and pulling it out.

"Great! And since the museum is free to students all year, we've got nothing to worry about! We can stay as long as you like. And, if you're worried about people asking..." he nodded over his shoulder to the backseat, where there were two spiral notebooks. "... we just tell them we're taking notes for class!"

"Wow, you really planned this out," Jeremy marveled, as Phil passed him a pencil.

"I-I had to get something right eventually, didn't I?" he teased with a laugh.

Jeremy frowned.

"Hey... don't say it that way. You're doing a great job."

"You think so?" Phil blushed, looking off to the side.

"I know so," Jeremy said with a smile, before frowning again. "... That sounded so corny. I guess that's why people only say it on TV and not in real life."

Phil just laughed, finally getting out of the car, making sure they had their notebooks. After presenting their IDs and entering the museum, they took a look around the lobby, noticing the signs for the various wings, as well as a small group gathering for a tour.

"Should we take a tour?" Phil asked.

"I... don't think we should," Jeremy opined. "That way we can go at our own pace and look at stuff in whatever order we want."

"Fair enough. So, uh, what should we look at first?"

"I think we should save best for last, which is probably the butterfly habitat."

"Agreed," Phil said with a nod.

"So... maybe we'll go look at some archaeological stuff first?" Jeremy suggested.

"Yeah, sounds good!"

They spent their afternoon wandering through the exhibits, finding themselves interested in the archaeological history of the surrounding area, and in the displays presented in the other wings. Broken pottery from ancient civilizations... stone tools... it was when they got to the science exhibits that Jeremy completely changed, like a giddy schoolboy on his first field trip.

"Look at that one," Jeremy commented, pointing at what Phil thought was just a finely grooved orb in the glass display case. "You usually see fossil molds of trilobites presented flat... I've never seen them display one rolled up like that. They could curl up into little balls, like pill bugs, as a form of defense."

"Oh, do they share a common ancestor?" Phil inquired, earning a nod from Jeremy.

It almost felt like they had taken a tour; with Phil content to walk around and listen to Jeremy gush excitedly about one thing or another in the display cases. Egg shells, bones, feathers, teeth, even pointing out the occasional inaccuracy in exhibits.

"Like this, see?" Jeremy commented, pointing at a tiny turtle shell. "It talks about how 'like other reptiles, the infants are left to fend for themselves'. But that's not true. Mother alligators actually raise their young until they're about two years old."

"I'll keep that in mind if we study reptiles," Phil replied.

"If the course structures are the same, you'll study them next semester," Jeremy stated. "That being said, the third part of the semester deals with evolution, so remembering that there's a trade-off in caring for young versus the number of young produced might help."

Phil opened the notebook he had brought along, resting it against one of the display signs, to try and write down everything Jeremy said.

"If the mother gives birth to a large amount of offspring - like with insects and fish - they can just leave them be. Because while it's likely most of them will die, the few who survive will go on to do the same thing and produce large amounts of offspring. On the other hand, animals that typically produce small numbers of offspring, like elephants or birds, will focus on raising the infant to ensure it survives and has a chance to breed."

"Maybe being an only child has its perks after all," Phil commented with a smile.

They finally made their way out of the science exhibit, leaving only the butterfly garden for them to visit. Displaying their IDs and picking up two information pamphlets, they made their way out into the building, its walls constructed of reinforced glass to allow plenty of sunlight in. The tropical trees inside reached up to the ceiling, forming a green canopy over their heads. All around them, however, were colors from all over nature's spectrum in the form of butterflies and flowers.

"Oh, look at that one! It's a..." Phil pointed to a black and yellow butterfly at one of the feeding stations, before looking it up in his pamphlet. "... Three-tailed tiger swallowtail!"

"How about that one," Jeremy placed a hand on Phil's shoulder, turning him to look a little more to the left. He pointed upward, at a beautiful butterfly with iridescent blue wings. "Now THAT is a blue morpho butterfly if I ever saw one."

"... I'll probably study insects next semester too, huh?" Phil asked.

"Yep."

Phil glanced at Jeremy's hand, still on his shoulder, then up at Jeremy.

"... If it's all right with you, will you keep helping me study?"

"Absolutely," Jeremy confirmed. "It's been helping me stay sharp - no joke intended - for when I return to classes, you know? Oh, speaking of class... if you don't mind me asking... how do you think your exam went yesterday?"

"There were one or two questions I got hung up on... but otherwise, I felt pretty confident about the whole thing. I think it's safe to say I at least passed."

"That's good. You'll probably have your exam back by... next week, right? Let me know how you did," Jeremy said, gently pulling Phil a little closer to whisper into his ear. "... If you did really good... I'll, uh, make sure you're rewarded."

How fitting that they were surrounded by butterflies... Phil's face turned about as red as the wings of the Callicore pitheas, and he felt his heart flutter.

They wandered through the habitat, Jeremy pointing out all the different kinds of butterflies or just making general small talk, until they had made several laps around the area.

"This afternoon has been great!" Jeremy commented, as they finally left the habitat.

"It sure has," Phil agreed, casting one last look behind him at the butterfly habitat. "... Do you think we saw all the species?"

"It says there's at least sixty species kept here, so... probably not," Jeremy pointed out, then laughed. "It's all right! We'll come here again someday and see some new ones. Maybe Sophia or Ronaldo can come with us, too. Heather doesn't strike me as the butterfly type, although I could be wrong."

"I guess we'll wait and see," Phil said with a shrug.

"... Did you want to see anything else one more time while we're here?" Jeremy asked. "... Or... would you like to call it a day?"

"You know, there's one thing we technically haven't seen..." Phil remarked.

"What's that?"

"The gift shop," Phil suggested with a bright grin.

"Might be fun to at least look around," Jeremy added, as they both headed to the small section near the front of the museum.

They wandered around the gift shop, content to admire children getting excited about books and science-related toys. There was even a large bin of stuffed animals, most of them reptiles curiously enough, but there were a few mammals thrown in. Phil tried to hide a little squeak of delight when he found a small plush fox among the stash. He was content to hold it in his hand and admire the texture of the soft orange fabric before placing it back in the bin. He spotted Jeremy in a corner of the store that actually had a window; there was also a sign by the display indicating a sale. It seemed he had been examining various potted plants, specifically flowers, ideal for starting a butterfly garden. However, due to the upcoming fall and winter, the small plants were being sold at discounted prices.

"What do you think?" Jeremy asked, as Phil came walking up.

"Oh, they're all really pretty," Phil commented, admiring the colors. "... were you, uh, thinking of getting one?"

"The prices aren't half bad, and... I am kind of feeling inspired after all that walking we did," Jeremy admitted. "I think I'll take... this one."

He lifted a potted plant with tiny flowers arranged in spherical clusters. There were five petals on each of the tiny flowers that were darker pink near the center, fading to a light shade of pink - practically white - near the tips of the petals.

"Pentas," Phil read the tiny tag sticking out of the soil. "They're really pretty! But... uh... do you think the plant will be okay? Winter is coming, after all."

"It'll be all right. I'll move it indoors when it gets cold out. We have a sliding glass door to our porch, so it can get plenty of sunlight there when it's too cold to keep it outside."

"But what happens when it gets too big?" Phil asked. "Plants grow, Jeremy."

"I know, I know. And if that's the case, then I'll just plant it outside our apartment. It probably violates some kind of code about the property, but let's be honest, there's only trees and plain bushes around the complex, nothing but greens and browns. A little color would be a nice change. The complex might even thank me," Jeremy remarked.

"Can't argue with that," Phil smiled up at him.

"If you want to..." Jeremy looked over at the opposite corner of the store. "... wander around a little more, I don't mind. I'm going to look at a few other things before I check out."

He appeared perplexed for a moment, but Phil smiled and nodded, heading over to the other side of the store to check out the shirts.

"'Natural selection'," Phil read from the front of one of the t-shirts. "... 'good things come to those who mate'. Ha!" (2)

He browsed through shirts contentedly until Jeremy came up behind him, a shopping bag on the arm he used to carry the pentas, its plastic pot wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent soil from spilling on the floor.

"You ready to go?" Jeremy asked.

"Ready if you are," Phil confirmed, then looked over at the other bag. "What's in that one?"

"This one?" Jeremy asked, raising the bag by lifting his arm. "Well, you know how some gift shops are... they sometimes have free brochures, and I wanted to take a few. Other than that, yeah, I'm ready to go."

Phil drove Jeremy back to his apartment, this time allowed to keep his eyes open, chatting about everything they had seen that day and about what their next plans should be.

"All right, so... another Thursday date? A... Thursdate? No, that sounds silly..." Phil stated. "So, um, what would you like to do?"

"Depends on what you'd like to do," Jeremy said. "I'm treating you, remember?"

"Oh, um... I don't need anything special," Phil commented, as he pulled into the complex. "... why don't you just surprise me?"

"Hmm..." Jeremy scratched his chin. "... I think... I have an idea for something. I'll see if I can make it work."

"Sounds good! I can hardly wait!" Phil said, as he parked outside Jeremy's apartment. "Will you, uh, be able to get your stuff up to your apartment?"

"It's fine, only a plant, won't be a problem at all," Jeremy dismissed, picking up the bag with brochures by his feet. "I will confess... I lied to you earlier."

Phil appeared concerned, but Jeremy grinned and elaborated further.

"No, no, it's okay... no need to give me that look. Ha, don't give me that look either," Jeremy said, reaching into the bag. "I guess you could say that the surprise starts now?"

Phil gasped, a small smile on his face, as Jeremy removed the plush fox he had seen at the gift shop from the bag and handed it to him.

"I saw you eyeing it earlier, so I just... went ahead and got it for you. Like my way of congratulating you for getting through the first exam, and more importantly, for taking care of yourself."

"Oh, Jeremy..." Phil cooed, still gazing at the stuffed animal he held in his arms.

He lifted his gaze, beaming at Jeremy, who smiled back. He cast a quick glance out the front window - only to spot a man cleaning up after his dog on the lawn. Phil let out a small sigh.

"... Better let you go before this car stalling here gets too suspicious, huh?" he asked, looking down in disappointment.

Jeremy reached out a hand, gently tilting his chin up so their eyes met again.

"Hey..." Jeremy spoke gently, lowering his hand. "... pass or fail... celebration or comfort... I'll make sure you get a kiss next Thursday, if not earlier."

That adorable excited smile returned to Phil's face.

"Now I really can't wait!"

Jeremy laughed and stepped out of the car.

"See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy."

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October 8, 1987

Phil ran out of his apartment, exam in his hand, the moment he saw Jeremy's car pull up outside. He'd gotten the score back yesterday, and he had been waiting for Jeremy's afternoon shift to end so he could finally show him in person. Even if it was dark out.

"I can only presume you did well," Jeremy commented, opening the door, the interior lights of the car turning on.

"Oh, I did more than just well, Jer! Look at this!" Phil's voice nearly squeaked at the end, as he practically shoved the paper in Jeremy's face. "A ninety-eight percent!"

"Very nice!" Jeremy complimented, holding the paper at a more acceptable distance to read over the exam.

"So, uh... what are we gonna do?" Phil asked quietly. He didn't really want to stand outside for too long, as October was quickly proving to be much chillier than September.

Jeremy placed the paper aside in the front seat, then held out a hand to him. Phil took it, Jeremy gently pulling him in closer.

"Should I, uh... get in the car...?" Phil asked, his face inches from Jeremy's.

"Yeah."

"But, uh..." he hadn't really noticed before, but Jeremy must have been doing some kind of side job for work, because the backseats and even the front one were loaded with boxes. "... there's no room..."

Silently, Jeremy let go of Phil's hand to unbuckle his seatbelt and pull on a small lever underneath his seat. Pushing with his legs, he slid the driver's seat as far back as it could go.

"It's okay... I didn't plan to take us anywhere, anyway. Save some money," Jeremy explained with a mischievous smirk, extending a hand to Phil again.

He couldn't help but grin as he took Jeremy's hand, stepping into the car and closing the door behind him. His knees straddling Jeremy's lap, he placed his hand on his shoulder and leaned down to kiss him. Jeremy's hands glided up and down his back slowly as they kissed, a deep moan rising in his chest. Then his hands trailed around to the front, finding the top button on Phil's shirt, and slipped it out of its hole.

"Very nice..." Jeremy mused thoughtfully, as their lips separated.

Phil leaned back a little, content to watch Jeremy's handiwork, as he continued undoing the buttons all the way down his shirt. He kissed him again, this time placing his hands on his waist, cool against his bare skin. Jeremy gently traced his hands up, past his ribcage, bringing them around closer to the front of his chest. Phil moaned against his lips as Jeremy's thumbs pressed against his nipples, kneading them, massaging tiny circles around them.

"You're still okay with this?" Jeremy asked, pulling out of the kiss, lifting his thumbs for a moment.

"Oh, G-God, yes," Phil whispered, resting his forehead against Jeremy's.

Jeremy let out a satisfied chuckle, before moving his hands down to the waistline of Phil's pants. He undid one final button, content to let a hand slide teasingly down the front of Phil's stomach. Phil shuddered, his breath shaking and his hand trembling on Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy gently let his lips trail down Phil's jawline, down to his neck - God, he was so sensitive there - planting his lips against one side before he sucked, Phil letting out a pleased moan, as Jeremy's hand finally trailed down below the line of his pants. The way his mouth moved, it was sure to leave a -

At that moment, logic suddenly took over, and Phil tried to gently separate himself from Jeremy with a light shove, but he pushed off too hard and fell backwards, his hand hitting the knob that controlled the volume of the car's radio.

All of a sudden, the voices of Chicago filled his ears, and all of a sudden, Phil was pulling himself up out of bed. Turning off the radio alarm and throwing the covers off, he hurried over to the mirror by the dresser, checking both sides of his neck. No spots. He let out a relieved sigh, gathering his clothes for the day.

Heading into the bathroom, he placed his clean clothes on the counter, stripped down, and stepped into the shower.

A ninety-eight percent? Phil smiled wryly, turning on the faucet and letting the hot water rain down on him. In his dreams.

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It was finally six o'clock, and this time it was Jeremy's turn to pick up Phil. Dressed in his Pirate Cove shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants, Phil hurried out to the parking lot. Sure enough, Jeremy's Ford Escort was already waiting for him. He slowed down a little... just to make sure he didn't see anything occupying the passenger seats. Nope, it was just Jeremy.

"Hey, you," Phil said, as he opened the door to the front seat and crawled into the seat beside Jeremy.

"Hey, you," Jeremy replied, shifting gears and pulling out of the parking space once Phil had buckled his seatbelt. "... Don't leave me hanging, how'd you do?"

Phil smiled proudly.

"King Phillip... made an eighty-eight!"

"Nice!" Jeremy exchanged a high five with him before they pulled out of the complex. "And your other classes are still going okay?"

"Yeah," Phil confirmed. "Sooo... where are we going?"

"Hey, come on, you know how this stuff works," Jeremy said with a grin. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Not even a hint?"

"Nope."

Phil rolled his eyes but smiled, content to look out the window until the scenery started to look familiar.

"... We're going to Lakeview, aren't we?" he asked.

"I'm not saying," Jeremy teased, his eyes on the road, unable to conceal the little smile on his face.

Sure enough, Jeremy activated his turn signal as they approached the sign outside the park, and he pulled in. The trees that had been mostly green exactly a month ago had now turned yellow, starting to lose their leaves as the weather got colder. He could even hear acorns cracking underneath the tires as Jeremy drove the car, until at last they were greeted by the view of the lake, its waters aquamarine as the sun started to set.

Jeremy pulled into the same parking spot they had used a month ago, but didn't completely turn the car off. He opened the compartment hidden in the armrest between their seats.

"How about some music with dinner?" Jeremy asked, removing a cassette tape from the compartment.

"I'd love it," Phil agreed with a smile. "... I take it, uh, the music on the tape is a surprise?"

Jeremy just smiled and popped the cassette into the built-in player. A few moments of static later, the rich tones of a trumpet floated out of the speakers.

"Is that..." Phil raised an eyebrow. "... is that ol' Satchmo?"

"Yep," Jeremy confirmed, unbuckling his seatbelt.

He waited for Phil to get out of the car before turning up the volume, then he pressed the lever to pop open the trunk. Jeremy stepped out as well, leaving the windows rolled down so they could still hear the music. He walked over and opened the trunk all the way, revealing two foldable chairs and a cooler.

"Just please be careful with handling your chair, like avoid spills and stuff. I'm sure you will, but I wanted to be safe and ask," Jeremy requested, handing one of the chairs to Phil. "... Pat let me borrow them."

"Oh, nice!" Phil commented. "And yeah, no worries, I-I'll be careful."

Jeremy nodded in agreement, tucking a chair under his arm and carrying the cooler in his free hand. They both walked a few steps away from the car, out into the grass, stopping a safe distance from where it sloped down to meet the lake's water.

"Nice view of the lake. We can watch the sunset. The park... technically closes at dark, but there's still some light out even after the sun goes down," Jeremy commented, setting down his chair to the left of Phil's and placing the cooler in front of him.

"All right, what's for dinner?" Phil asked, leaning over in his seat to try to sneak a peek.

Jeremy opened the cooler, two plastic bags on the top. He reached into them to pull out two sandwiches wrapped in paper.

"Two Picnix half-subs," he stated, handing one to Phil. "... I figured you'd be okay with an Italian?"

"That is fine by me," Phil confirmed, eagerly taking it from him.

"And for drinks..." Jeremy dug around in the ice, before fishing out two glass bottles of root beer. "... sorry. I came here on Tuesday on my day off to double-check the park rules, and sure enough, they don't allow alcohol. So I thought these might compensate. I probably would've bought a root beer for myself anyway, since I'm driving."

"Can't go wrong with a frosty root beer," Phil chimed in, as Jeremy handed him one of the bottles.

Jeremy removed a keychain from his pocket with a bottle opener attached. Showing it to Phil, he smiled and held out his bottle for Jeremy to pop the cap off. After doing the same to his own bottle, Jeremy held it out towards Phil with a smile. Phil smiled as well, tapping his bottle of root beer to Jeremy's with a harmonious clink.

"So, what kind did you buy?" Phil asked, setting his bottle down on the ground near his feet.

"I went for the ultimate," Jeremy replied. "Turkey, roast beef, and ham."

"You know, I actually haven't tried that one," Phil commented, now patiently unwrapping his sub. "Maybe I'll get it next time."

They sat there silently, content to eat and listen to the sprightly trumpet and deep rumbling voice of Louis Armstrong as the world changed color around them. The park ranger did drive by, giving them a heads-up about the park closing in about fifteen minutes, but Jeremy assured her they were close to leaving, the sun now looking like an orange slice lying on the horizon.

"Are we really leaving already?" Phil asked, lowering the now empty bottle of root beer from his lips.

"Not really," Jeremy confessed, walking over to take his seat again. "We gotta wait for it to go all the way down."

The slice was looking more like a sliver now, Phil trying to time when the sun would completely disappear.

"Five... four... three... two..." he laughed and started over, the sun not quite down. "Five... fo-"

Phil's voice cut off when he felt Jeremy take his hand.

"... Countdowns are childish, anyway," Phil dismissed with a chuckle.

They both leaned in, exchanging a quick kiss as the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the sky and lake now shades of lavender and blue. As soon as it had happened, it was over, both of them looking over to make sure the ranger or any other departing visitors hadn't been gawking.

"Looks like we're clear," Jeremy stated softly, standing up. "... though we should probably head back now."

"Yeah," Phil muttered reluctantly.

Throwing away their trash, and tucking their chairs and cooler back into the trunk, Jeremy quickly turned down the volume on his car's stereo before he and Phil sat down inside.

Louis Armstrong serenaded them quietly as Jeremy drove Phil back to his apartment.

"... Was it okay?" Jeremy asked quietly.

Phil looked over at him, smiling.

"Of course it was, I had a good time," he reassured.

"You did?" Jeremy seemed to be in disbelief.

"Yes, really," Phil placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I-I know the money situation is tough, and I know that you're worried about trying to, uh, put on a good impression or something... but, really, after all the stress of this job and class... nothing makes me happier than just being with you. Money can't buy that, you know?"

He rubbed Jeremy's shoulder.

"Just take me to... the park, the library... uh, anywhere that's free, really. Save the money for your needs," Phil reassured, giving Jeremy's a shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I-I want what's best for, uh, my boyfriend."

Jeremy smiled, reaching over with his left hand to gently squeeze Phil's hand in his own for a brief moment as he drove.

They finally reached Phil's apartment complex, but... Jeremy stalled in the lot instead, looking up at one of the streetlights.

"Hey, Phil..." Jeremy said, looking away from the light so his vision could return to normal. "... Are there any parking spots further away from these lights?"

"Um..." Phil thought for a moment. "Well, it isn't exactly far away from a light, but... down in the next lot, there's a really big tree that might offer some shade..."

Quietly, Jeremy drove ahead, sure enough spotting the large tree. And there was one parking space available underneath it, on the side further away from the streetlight. Jeremy pulled in and parked the car, even turning the engine off.

Phil sat there quietly, waiting for Jeremy to say something.

"... Backseat?" he asked, his voice above a whisper.

Phil nodded silently, his heartbeat starting to speed up, as both of them stepped out of the car to move to the backseat. Closing the doors, they waited until the automatic light overhead went off, Jeremy checking out each of the windows one last time.

They both sat there quietly for a moment, waiting for the other to make a move. This time it was Jeremy who took the initiative, gently resting his hands against Phil's cheeks like their first kiss.

"Umm..." Jeremy mumbled. "... May I...?"

He could feel Phil's cheeks move against his hands as he smiled.

"Yes."

Closing his eyes, Jeremy leaned in slowly and kissed him, Phil's hand scooping underneath his arm to rest against Jeremy's shoulder, pulling him in a little closer. They hadn't ever been this close before. Save for Phil's dreams, but... he wasn't quite ready to talk about that. Just the thought of it, though... his fingers curled slightly in Jeremy's shirt and he let out a soft moan.

Jeremy's lips parted against his own, brushing against his upper and then his lower lip. Phil tried to move his mouth to match... it sucked not having any experience kissing... it would probably make things a lot less awkward. But Jeremy slowed down his pace, kept his movements smaller... and Phil was starting to get the hang of it. A warm rush was starting to spread through his body, and he let go of Jeremy's shirt.

Phil gently took hold of Jeremy's hand and lowered it down to his waist, just... curious... to see what would happen. Jeremy placed his other hand on the opposite side, gently drawing him in a little more. It felt pretty good, Phil decided, letting a hand run through Jeremy's brown hair. God, he just wanted to pull him in closer somehow, reel him in, just -

Phil had started leaning backwards as his thoughts raced through his head, to the point that he lost his balance, falling against the car door with a grunt, Jeremy on top of him.

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked, helping Phil sit up straight.

"Yeah, mmhmm," Phil said, now rubbing the back of his head. "Probably won't even leave a bump."

"Okay..." Jeremy said, straightening his glasses. "So, um, how was it?"

"It felt really good," Phil complimented.

"I-it did?" Jeremy asked. "Oh, uh... thanks."

"... What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Jeremy assured. "I-it's just, well... just because I have kissed someone before doesn't mean I'm good at it."

"You've kissed more people than me, so I can't judge," Phil shrugged. "... but really, I did enjoy it."

Jeremy fiddled with his glasses with a modest laugh. Phil leaned in for another kiss, but Jeremy pulled out of it shortly after.

"Sorry..." Jeremy apologized. "I just think it's getting a little late..."

"No, it's fine. You're right," Phil agreed. "Although... uh... maybe we could make plans for next week?"

Jeremy let out a disappointed sigh.

"Of all the possible days... Picnix is going to work me to the bone next Thursday."

"What? Really?!" Phil asked.

"I'm in from eight until seven," Jeremy groaned.

"Yeesh, and I thought Freddy could be cruel. I'm sorry, Jer," Phil sympathized. "Maybe next week will be better?"

"... Maybe," Jeremy replied, though he didn't seem convinced.

Phil reached out his hand, gently resting it on Jeremy's cheek, leaning in to give him a kiss on the other. Jeremy placed his hand over Phil's, gently holding it there, Phil leaning in to press his lips against Jeremy's one more time.

"I-I'm here for you too, okay?" Phil whispered. "If things are getting rough, just... call me and let me know."

"... I will."

Jeremy leaned in to give him one more kiss, before letting go of his hand.

"Alright, I'm gonna let you go. See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy," Phil replied, before climbing out of the backseat.

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October 12, 1987

Curiosity ate away at Phil as he drove down the road, remembering Jeremy's phone call last night.

"... So, I wanted to call and ask if you were available for lunch tomorrow?"

"This is kind of sudden, Jer, but... yeah, my schedule's open."

"Great! Um, just head to The Wizard's Brew, and look for us when you get there. This is going to be great! Have a good night, okay? See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy."

The sudden invitation was certainly curious, but he was far more intrigued by one word in their conversation.

Us.

Jeremy would have said something if it was one of their friends, like Heather, so why the vagueness? Was it meant to be a surprise? Perhaps he was finally going to meet Pat?

Well, he was sure to get an answer soon, as he pulled into the parking lot. Right next to Jeremy's car, no less. His feet pattered up the wooden steps as he ducked inside the main store, the floorboards creaking welcomingly, as he walked into the cafe portion of the shop.

Phil spotted Jeremy at a round table on the other cafe, looking over something in a notebook with the girl seated next to him. She wore glasses, like Jeremy, although hers were circular compared with Jeremy's elliptical ones. Her hair reached down to her shoulders, and it was a lovely shade of brown... like Jeremy's hair.

It was at this moment that Jeremy looked up and immediately spotted Phil, eagerly waving him over with an excited grin. Phil walked over, still slightly shocked, as Jeremy said something to the girl.

"So... you're Phil, right?" she asked, her voice light and friendly, as she extended her right hand to shake. Jeremy gently nudged her with his elbow, and she pulled her hand back, sticking out her left one instead.

"Yeah, uh, it's nice to meet you, too..." he shook hands with her. "... Rachel...?"

She beamed and nodded.

"Grab a seat," Jeremy invited. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh, uh... maybe... I might try something new," Phil commented, looking over at Rachel as he took a seat across from Jeremy. "What did you order?"

She shrugged.

"Water," she stated with a small laugh.

"You know, I've got plenty of coffee at home, even if it isn't this fancy stuff. A glass of ice-cold water would be a nice change of pace."

Jeremy got up to place Phil's order with the barista, leaving Phil alone with Rachel for a moment.

"So, uh... what brings you here?" he asked. "I mean, don't you have classes?"

"Nah," Rachel waved it off. "Don't you know? It's Columbus Day, so we have the day off."

"Oh... kinda wish the university did the same thing," Phil muttered, earning a laugh from Rachel. "But, uh, anyway, how did you get here? Like... you're in ninth grade, right? So, uh, you don't have your license yet..."

"No," Rachel admitted. "... but my boyfriend drove me here, since the university is already trying to recruit him for the football team."

"Oh, so he's, uh, older than you by a few years, huh?"

"That's probably why Jeremy's so protective," Rachel sighed, shaking her head. "... Then again... I could be the junior and he could be the freshman, and he'd still be a worrywart."

Phil couldn't help but chuckle slightly. Before he could ask another question, Jeremy had brought over his glass of water.

"So, you know, I'm studying biology right now, just like you," Rachel commented, quickly changing the subject. She was a pretty smart girl.

"... Did I miss any details about your boyfriend?" Jeremy inquired, raising an eyebrow. Scratch that, both the Fitzgerald children were pretty smart.

She stuck her tongue out at her older brother indignantly, before resuming her conversation with Phil.

"Anyway, I think Jeremy said that you were studying genetics right now...? We aren't going as in-depth as you, since you're spending about a third of the semester on it, but maybe you'd like to help me with my homework for practice?"

"I, uh..." he looked over at Jeremy, who nodded encouragingly. "Yeah. Show me what you're working with right now."

She sketched out a square in her notebook, then divided it into four sections.

"Punnett squares," Rachel stated.

"All right, um... what are the potential genotypes that can come from..." Phil thought it over in his head a moment. "A dominant heterozygous parent and a recessive heterozygous parent?"

"I think you mean homozygous," Rachel corrected. "Because the letters are the same - two capitals for the dominant gene and two smalls for the recessive gene."

"Oh, r-right, uh... sorry. So, um, we write the letters along the sides," Phil instructed, writing out the letters 'AA' and 'aa'. "... And then- "

"Oh, all the children will have the same genotype!" Rachel exclaimed. "Because every potential offspring is heterozygous!"

"Okay, but you have to write it out," Jeremy stated. "High school teachers want to see your work... even if you can figure out stuff in your head."

"Like math," Rachel grumbled, starting to fill in the square. While she had her head down, Jeremy smiled and winked at Phil.

"They have you learning about just monohybrid crosses," Jeremy commented to Rachel, before looking over at Phil. "You learn about dihybrid crosses when you get to college. Wanna see?"

"Yeah!" Rachel piped up excitedly.

Jeremy sketched out a larger square, big enough to create sixteen squares inside it.

"Now, we could do this the easy way and combine parents with homozygous genotypes on two traits - two, because it's dihybrid - but let's do this the fun way with heterozygous genotypes. Because we have two traits we're working with, however, we have to take all the possible typings into account. So one parent might pass on... 'dominant A, dominant B', but the other might pass on 'dominant A, recessive b'."

He wrote out the various combinations along the top and the side - 'AB', 'Ab', 'aB', and 'ab' - one per column and row.

"After that you just kind of make the matches and determine the phenotypes," Jeremy stated, drawing a circle and a square, writing 'A' in the circle and 'a' in the square. He also wrote out the letters 'B' and 'b', lightly running the edge of the pencil tip over the 'b' to give it shading. "How many of each shape and color will you get?"

With that, he passed the paper back to Rachel. As she began to fill in the table, Jeremy looked over at Phil.

"I should have you do one of these too," Jeremy commented.

"I'll just, uh, watch and learn from the pro," Phil replied, content to watch Rachel work, already halfway through filling out the letters. "... Hey, Jeremy?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you've said you're not really interested in, uh, pursuing medicine... but what about grad school in general?" Phil asked. "I mean... you really seem to like teaching this stuff, so... why not become a professor? Or maybe just do research?"

Jeremy's lips tightened, slouching forward to rest his chin against his hand.

"Actually? I've... I've been considering it more and more, lately. Maybe helping you study is helping me remember why I love the subject so much," Jeremy let out a sigh. "... I don't know. I kind of feel like I should focus on getting my bachelor's degree first. And that means making it through this year first, too. It gets harder to get scholarships when you reach grad school, and the fact that it already costs more doesn't help."

"... But... you're okay with money now... right?" Rachel asked quietly, tilting her head away from her paper to look up at her brother.

"Yes, I'm fine, don't worry," Jeremy reassured quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't forget to draw the phenotypes, okay? You remember the difference between phenotype and genotype?"

"'Ph' for physical, 'ge' for genetics. I got it," Rachel replied, lowering her view to the notebook.

"'Ph' for physical, 'ge' for genetics. I'll remember that too," Phil stated.

"How about you, Phil?" Jeremy asked. "You're taking business classes, but you still haven't declared your major."

"This conversation got deep really fast," Phil observed, taking a sip of water. "I, uh... I-I always thought I would just inherit the company from my father... I mean, I just figured that was e-expected of me, so I... I-I thought I'd plan accordingly..."

He watched a small droplet trail down the side of the glass.

"... But...?" Jeremy asked.

"I-I don't know... I've never really felt like the kind of guy meant to run a business... and my psychology of happiness course just made things even more, uh, confusing. I've worked as a dish boy, a cashier, and a party host at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza over the years prior to becoming an assistant manager. And out of the four positions... I'd probably say hosting parties was my favorite thing to do. I-It's a lot less stressful than management, first of all. And second, the reason I loved it so much was simple... I just really liked making people happy."

Jeremy smiled and nodded.

"So it's like... I want to help people find more joy in their life, maybe share some of my happiness with them, you know? So, um... I don't really think being a psychologist or counsellor would be my thing... too complicated. And too much education," Phil scratched his head.

"I know it's kind of... putting you back at square one... but maybe that business degree would be a good idea," Jeremy offered. "But instead of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, maybe you could start your own business."

"My own business?" Phil repeated.

"Yeah, and then you would just do business stuff, like... offer products or services to make people happy."

"... Like toys? O-or maybe a little shop that sells cards and little gifts, like those tiny paperweight statues people give out when they don't know what to give the other person?"

"Or flowers!" Rachel suggested, then looked over at Jeremy. "Done. There's a nine to three to three to one ratio."

"One hundred percent correct," Jeremy commented, grinning over at her. "Looks like someone could be on their way to valedictorian in a few years."

Phil gasped in excitement.

"Jeremy...! What about, uh, that butterfly garden, like at the museum last week?" Phil exclaimed. "What if I make it like an outdoor shop, where people can wander through the flowers and admire the butterflies?"

"Putting a restaurant or a drink stand in there might help, too," Rachel added. "Who doesn't love the thought of drinking a tall glass of something nice and cool surrounded by flowers and butterflies?"

"It certainly sounds beautiful," Phil marveled, picturing himself sipping lemonade and surrounded by yellow daffodils and tiger swallowtails.

"And what would you call it?" Rachel asked.

"Phillip's Kingdom," he stated with a snicker, earning a laugh from Jeremy. "... Hmm... I'd have to think about that. It would be best if customers knew what they were getting when they came to the store."

"The Mellow Morpho," Jeremy stated quietly, looking up at Phil in surprise as if he hadn't meant to say that.

"Oh, that's lovely! Uh, lemme write that down..." Phil stated, Rachel immediately tearing a page out of the notebook and passing it to Phil with her pencil. "Oh! Thank you, Rachel."

He wrote the name down on the paper, adding a few notes, then folded and tucked it into his pocket. As he handed the pencil back to Rachel, she noticed his watch.

"Oh no!"

"What's wrong?" Phil asked, checking his watch.

"My boyfriend..." Rachel stated. "I think he's probably almost done with the interview... he said it would be around one... so I need to head back to the stadium, since he's my ride home!"

Jeremy let out a sigh.

"Okay, fine... I'll take you back to campus to see him," he relented. "But I'll make sure he- "

"He knows his boundaries and respects me," Rachel recited, rolling her eyes, as they stood up at the table. "I get it, Jer, I'll be fine."

"Sorry, Phil," Jeremy apologized. "We probably should've spent more time studying."

"No, no, it's fine!" he reassured. "With Rachel here, I think it was for the best that we just had fun talking for a while."

Phil walked with them out into the parking lot - he would have class in under an hour anyway - to bid them farewell.

"Bye, Phil!" Rachel said, hugging him. "It was so nice to meet you."

"Oh, heh, it was nice to meet you too," he replied, awkwardly patting her back.

"And we can keep in touch through Jeremy," Rachel added, as she let go of him.

"Oh, um, how about if I just jotted down your number really quick?" Phil suggested, starting to reach into his pocket for the sheet of paper, but cast a glance at Jeremy. "... or, uh, does that sound too weird?"

"Phil, I trust you. Of course I'd be okay with it. The problem is..." Jeremy let out a sigh.

"... I'm still in high school, remember?" Rachel said, looking over at her brother. "You'd technically also have our parents' number as well, and... they might not be too happy if they knew who you were."

"Oh... right..." Phil recalled, looking over at Jeremy. "We're always having such great times together and... sometimes I-I forget how hard it is."

"You guys will find a way," Rachel encouraged. "You've got my support."

"I... think I'm going to take her over to the stadium now," Jeremy stated. "I'll talk to you later, okay? See ya, Phil."

"Bye, Jeremy."

The Fitzgerald siblings climbed into the Ford Escort, Jeremy (and Rachel) waving to Phil one last time before they pulled out of the lot. He stood in the lot for a little bit longer, noticing the breeze whirling around him briefly, and he remembered just how cold autumn could be.

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October 16, 1987

"You're up early," Jeremy commented, as Heather stepped into the checkout line.

"Eh, figured I'd grab a little bottle of OJ before heading to Freddy's," she remarked, waving the bottle around before setting it on the belt. "I heard about that terrible shift they gave you on Thursday."

"I needed it," Jeremy replied. "They gave me Monday through Wednesday off, as well as Saturday, and I'm in for only two more hours today."

As he scanned the bottle of orange juice, Heather's eyes narrowed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the phone. Are... are your hours getting cut?" she questioned.

"Your total is ninety-five cents," he stated, keeping his eyes down. "... Someone with connections to the manager was hired... he let them come on as full-time, so all the part-timers are getting their hours cut. I was already short an hour or two because of the new part-timer, but this was a dramatic change."

"Oh, Jeremy..."

Jeremy couldn't help but smile wryly.

"I've never seen you look so worried before, Heather."

"Well of course I'm worried about you, damn it!" she snapped. "... are you going to be able to afford food and rent this month?"

Jeremy sighed and shook his head.

"I can pay this month, and I've got a good share of food with a few dollars left in my budget," he tightened his lips as Heather handed him a dollar. "But I'm probably gonna have to find a second job in November if I'm going to keep eating. The sooner, the better. Here's your change."

He handed her a nickel.

"Jeremy, listen, I know there's some stubborn or proud part of you that doesn't want to ask for help from us, but PLEASE. JEREMY. We can lend you money and HELP YOU."

"I can borrow money, I know, but where does it stop? If my hours keep getting cut, to the point that they just let me go, what about borrowing then? We're all basically in minimum wage jobs at one of the most expensive points in our lives. I appreciate the concern, I do, but I still have a little time left... and I'd like to try to figure things out on my own. If I can't, I will ask you guys for help, okay?"

"Alright," Heather replied, taking her juice, keeping her eyes on Jeremy. "See you later."

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"Oh... thank goodness... you're just in time...!" Phil panted, running up to Heather in the Game Room. "I-I managed to... get the kids out... but-"

"Loxy?" she raised an eyebrow.

Phil nodded, still trying to catch his breath, as Heather shook her head.

"Let me clock in first."

After punching in to work, she hurried to the Parts & Service room. She collected her toolbox and met up with Phil in the hallway, before they headed back to Kids' Cove. Upon their arrival, however, they were surprised to find that a girl, possibly about ten years old, had returned to Kids Cove, attempting to put one of the eyeballs back in place. Upon noticing the adults in the room, however, she gasped and backed away.

"I-I didn't do it!" she exclaimed. "My little brother was one of the kids in here earlier... I just wanted to see if I could fix anything."

"You're into fixing stuff?" Heather asked, walking over and sitting beside her. "Well, first of all, you can't just shove it into place."

She held up the eyeball, turning it to reveal the peg on the other side.

"See the grooves? You gotta twist it in, like a screw," she handed it to the girl, who began trying to twist it back into place to no avail. "Nope, other way - 'lefty-loosey, righty-tighty', okay?"

Heather worked and chatted with the girl, showing her where the parts went together and talking about mechanical work. Phil smiled, wondering if this was similar to how Heather developed her love of engineering, before he turned to leave.

"Another break, huh?"

He had almost walked straight into his uncle.

"U-Uncle, uh, yes... I-I was just about to report this to you. I found Heather just as she arrived, uh, and had her come take a look as soon as she clocked in."

Frank looked over his shoulder.

"That girl actually trying to help fix it?"

"I... w-well, I don't think at her age and uh, skill level, she'd be able to do much... but at least it's a good learning experience, you know?"

Frank raised his eyebrows.

"... Learning experience, you say?" he rubbed his chin. "Carras!"

"Yes, sir?" Heather asked, standing up abruptly.

"Step away from the animatronic. It's fine the way it is," Frank stated. "We aren't wasting another dime trying to fix that thing."

"But, sir," Heather protested. "She's just a mangled mess of parts now!"

"What's wrong with that?" Frank asked, shrugging. "Kids like puzzles and hands-on activities. Think of this as like... an educational attraction. Parents these days are DRAWN to that educational stuff. And when the kids talk about how 'I learned how robots work thanks to... uh, Mangle', their parents will think about how glad they were they sent their kids to this Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location."

"But Uncle, those teeth are kind of sharp... and if Loxy's getting broken apart, what about sharp metal edges or, uh, fingers getting pinched?"

"What about kids getting stepped on in a ball pit? What about kids getting hurt because they chose to go down a slide the wrong way? Let kids be kids and get some bumps and bruises. If there's anything real bad, I'm sure Troy or Sophia can just slap a bandage on it," Frank laughed. "Freddy better watch out... Mangle might be the new face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza after this!"

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October 22, 1987

It was a little hard to move furniture with two arms and only one hand, but Phil had finally managed to adjust the large TV in his living room to face the sofa, recliner, and two of the chairs he had dragged out of the small dining room, all circled around a mahogany coffee table with a take-out menu placed on it. Phil had already decided he wanted the 'Happy Family' special, and would order some steamed dumplings for everyone to share as well.

Shortly after the 'Mangle' incident on Friday, he'd had a chance to speak with Heather, Ronaldo, and Sophia about their schedules, pleased to find they all had Thursday night available. He had called Jeremy and was excited to hear that he would be available that evening as well. Phil even went a step further, telling Heather and Jeremy to invite Fritz and Pat, but neither of them had been available. He considered even inviting George, but... Phil decided to be selfish and just stick with the same four friends as always, since he knew they wouldn't judge if he and Jeremy got a little... 'cuddly'... during the movie tonight.

Far less expensive than going out to eat, they had decided on following Sophia's original suggestion of getting Chinese take-out, leaving the decision of renting a movie to Ronaldo, suggesting he pick something in Spanish that everyone was familiar with so no translations would be necessary. All that was left was deciding on whose apartment to crash... and considering that one of Heather's roommates was already having guests over, and that Pat had declined due to the stomach flu, it left Phil's apartment as the prime choice for the get-together.

There was a knock at the door, and Phil hustled over to get it, hoping it would be who he thought it was.

"Hey... I hope you don't mind if I showed up a little early?" Jeremy asked, holding up one of the pentas clusters between his finger and thumb. "I even picked a whole bouquet of flowers for you."

"Get in here, you," Phil chuckled, closing the door behind Jeremy before leaning up on his toes to give him a little kiss. "How've you been?"

"Uh... pretty good," Jeremy said, gently placing the pentas on one of the sofa's armrests.

He pulled Phil in for a longer kiss, his hands against the small of his back, a small but pleased moan passing from Phil's lips.

Of course, that wasn't going to last for long, as a knock came at the door once again.

"I'll get it," Phil stated, opening the door.

Ronaldo, Sophia, and Heather were all waiting outside excitedly.

"Hi, Jeremy!" the trio exclaimed when they saw him.

"... Hello to you guys too," Phil muttered, but laughed.

Some hugs were exchanged as everyone chatted briefly, before settling in the living room.

"Okay, so, uh... maybe we should have everyone pick out what they want to order first," Phil commented, taking a seat in one of the dining room chairs as he pointed to the menu on the table.

"What are you doing sitting on that?" Sophia asked, pointing over to the sofa. "Sit on the couch, it's much comfier... and has room for two."

She winked at the last part, as Phil tried to hide a smile as he sat down on the sofa by Jeremy, who draped an arm over his shoulders.

"Okay... I'm going to get the Szechuan chicken... and you probably want the beef and broccoli, right, sweetie?" Sophia said, looking over at Ronaldo, who nodded.

"General Tso's chicken for me," Heather stated. "What about you guys?"

"Oh, uh, I already know what I'm going to order," Phil stated, then looked over at Jeremy. "What would you like, Jer?"

"O-oh... um..." he looked over the expansive menu - chicken, pork, beef, seafood, vegetables, lo mein, so many choices... "... um... I just want a small order of white rice."

He noticed the look Heather gave him.

"Pat's sick, okay? I just want to be easy on my stomach in case I get sick soon," Jeremy defended.

"It's okay, Jeremy, you can order whatever you want. But, uh, my order's pretty big, so maybe you can have some of that if your rice isn't enough? Oh, and I also plan to order dumplings for everyone, too."

"Awesome, this is the life!" Heather sprang up and flopped down into the recliner, popping out the footrest.

"Heather! Be careful! The apartment was pre-furnished, so that's not my chair!" Phil scolded, standing up, before heading to the kitchen. "I'm gonna call in the orders..."

"Sorry man, I'm just kind of excited... we haven't all gotten together for like... what, almost two whole months? Geez, be nice to your guests, tu casa es mi casa and all!"

"That is... not how you say it," Ronaldo stated slowly, sitting in one of the dining room chairs with Sophia by his side.

As Phil called in their order, Heather looked over at Ronaldo, tape still in his hand.

"So, what'd you pick for us to watch?"

"I found this at the library," he stated, holding up the tape. "It is called Rosemary's Baby." (3)

"... I've never seen that one, have you?" Jeremy asked, looking over at Heather, who shook her head. Sophia shrugged as well.

"Oh, this is good!" Ronaldo exclaimed. "I have not seen it either. But it says 'subtitulos en español', so that means I can read Spanish words on the movie, but the people speak English. It will be a new experience for us all!"

"All right, the orders are in, they'll deliver our food in about half an hour. Should we start the movie, or should we eat while we watch the film?" Phil asked, sitting down next to Jeremy again. "By the way, what are we watching?"

"Rosemary's Baby," Jeremy explained.

"Oh, uh, I haven't seen it..." Phil commented.

"Neither have we!" Sophia exclaimed. "So it's going to be a new experience for everyone!"

They turned on the TV, watching part of an old Star Trek episode, until the Chinese food arrived. Once the delivery man was paid and tipped, the food was set out on the coffee table for everyone to enjoy as Phil popped the tape into his VCR.

It was a charming tale of newlyweds moving into their new apartment and meeting the fellow tenants... even though the first one they met was keen on telling them eerie stories about previous residents. It got worse when the couple heard chanting one night... and then a few nights later, Rosemary's friend, Terry, was found dead shortly after they had met.

Things lightened up for a while, Phil even taking a moment to pause the tape and tuck leftovers in the fridge, just in time for Rose and Guy to enjoy chocolate mousse together.

"Makes me wish we could've gotten dessert," he whispered to Jeremy, leaning against him.

"NO," Jeremy whispered loudly, clinging to Phil, catching the attention of the others.

"No dessert?" Phil asked wryly.

"No, th-the mousse... sh-she said it tasted chalky..." Jeremy stammered.

"OH," Heather gasped in realization, a hand over her mouth. "Oh shit..."

"What?" Phil asked.

"... I'll explain later, just watch the movie... I'll... I'll let go in a sec," Jeremy said in a low voice.

Phil shrugged, even snuggling closer to Jeremy on the couch.

One dream sequence later and they were clinging to each other.

"Ro-Ro-Ronaldo... I don't think this was the best choice of a movie...!" Sophia whimpered, tightly grasping his hand.

"No, it's okay! It isn't real!" Ronaldo reassured.

"The effects were kind of silly-looking," Heather added. "... But, uh, let's keep the lights on."

The rest of the movie continued to fuel the fear and anxiety of the protagonist, until the very end of the film, when everyone was admittedly chuckling.

"I didn't really like the stereotyped Japanese guy," Phil commented, as the credits rolled, shaking his head with a laugh. "But when he took out that camera... I couldn't take the film seriously anymore."

"I know, right? And all the old people cheering or standing around naked... fucking weird," Heather chimed in.

"Also! Don't forget that lady at the end, I think everyone has the common sense not to rock that fast," Sophia added.

"It left me kind of paranoid, but the part where she was trying to solve the mystery... like the anagrams, and trying to do her research without being seen... that was pretty interesting," Jeremy admitted, still holding onto Phil's arm. "But yeah, the ending kind of killed the mood of the movie. It did a good job of being scary, just not as much at the end."

Everyone mumbled in agreement, Phil reaching over to pick up the large bag that had been used to bring their take-out food, only to notice the sound of something shifting inside when he moved it.

"Oh, how could I forget?" he commented, tilting the bag to spill its contents onto the table - five fortune cookies. "We all gotta have one."

Everyone took a fortune cookie from the table, opening the package and splitting open the cookie to remove the paper inside.

"'Don't stop to smell the roses... there is work to be done'," Ronaldo read aloud.

"That's weird," Sophia commented. "Mine says 'Stop and smell the roses, it's nice to enjoy the little things'."

"'New opportunities are coming your way'," Heather read hers next.

"I think this is the laziest fortune cookie factory ever, I have the exact same 'new opportunities' one," Jeremy remarked.

"And mine is... 'Big changes are coming, be strong'. Okay," Phil shrugged.

"All right, now you have to eat the cookie or it won't come true!" Sophia declared, before proceeding to eat the cookie.

"... It's a good sentiment, at least," Jeremy stated, eating his cookie.

Phil ate his as well, switching the TV from VCR mode to television mode, the news appearing on screen.

"... if you have any more details regarding the robbery, please dial the number on screen, all tips will be kept anonymous and you may be eligible for a reward."

"The news is boring," Sophia complained. "Find something else."

Before Phil could change the channel, a new story came up. The remote fell out of his hand as he stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Last night, new video evidence was released regarding the Martin Burgess case," the reporter on screen stated.

Phil's eyes grew wide as he watched the video footage roll. It was a clip from one of those funny home video shows, but despite the teenager crashing after an attempt to do a jump on his bike, all his focus was on the background. On a man, staggering like he was drunk, out from the door of the house to the car in the driveway. He could audibly be heard saying "Holy -" before the censor cut him off.

"What was thought to just be an ordinary home video may actually bring new evidence to the case, providing an eyewitness account that Martin Burgess was indeed home at the time the murders occured. Martin Burgess was a former security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a restaurant and children's entertainment center, and was accused of murdering five children there two years ago. He plead not guilty, however the jury found him guilty and Burgess was charged with five accounts of first degree murder and tampering with evidence, as security footage was edited to the point that he was only present on screen for a split second."

Sure enough, the news played that familiar security footage, the halls appearing empty, save for when the screen paused on the fuzzy image of a mustachioed man with a similar build to Martin heading down one of the hallways of the facility.

"The bodies of the children were never found, and Martin was sentenced to death row. We will release more details as the investigation continues. In other news - "

The television shut off, Phil holding the remote in a shaky hand.

"That... That was him," Phil whispered. "O-Oh god, th-that was Martin, voice and all..."

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked, as Phil set the remote down on the coffee table. The room had become uncomfortably quiet.

"I-I don't know what to think... he was nice - I mean, he wasn't expressive and charming about it like John, but he-he was still, uh, he had a gentle heart. Then the murders happened and I-I was so confused, I-I hated the idea that someone who seemed so genuinely nice was just... manipulating everyone all along. A-And I still wanted to hold onto the idea that he was nice, but I had to accept that he wasn't... and now everything's changed."

Jeremy gently patted his back.

"Not only that!" Phil exclaimed suddenly. "But what is this going to mean for those parents?! They obviously want justice, and I don't - I don't blame them! Where do they pick up looking? And what is this going to mean for the business... a-and my dad...?!"

"It's okay, it's going to be okay," Jeremy reassured, rubbing circles against his back. "We'll figure something out. Your father's too nice to get involved with this stuff, so there won't be any troubles in your family, okay?"

"We're here for you too, Phil!" Sophia affirmed, Ronaldo and Heather nodding.

Eventually, it got late, and everyone bid farewell to Phil, thanking him for the fun evening and wishing him the best with the new investigations surrounding Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

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October 24, 1987

John drummed his fingers against that same old bear head. Heather had conducted an experiment on a Sunday night, when the animatronics would be less active, to see how they would respond to the sight of another animatronic. She had borrowed the top of the old Bonnie's purple head for that experiment, taking a seat in the dining area, music box at her table, with a dazzler in hand to stun any animatronics that became too hostile. However, Bonnie, Chica, Freddy, Balloon Boy, and "Mangle" had been content to ignore her. Frank had applauded the experiment, save for the idea of the dazzler potentially damaging the internal cameras in the eyes of the animatronics. She had argued that while she valued technology, she valued her life a little more.

He turned around to face the monitors, adjusting the remote to wind up the music box in the Prize Corner. Heather had also stated... that a different head should be used to conceal the identity of the security guard, because Bonnie stank too much of 'dead raccoon'. Frank did not like the tone she had used to describe the odor, and it even made John uneasy when he heard the story from Frank himself, but he was given a clean Freddy Fazbear head to wear when he needed to hide from the animatronics.

Sure enough, he could hear garbled static coming from the vents, meaning that Mangle was on her way. With a soft exasperated sigh, he slipped the giant head on to disguise himself, glaring out of the eyeholes at the vent. The head of the animatronic peeked out, staring at him for a moment, before crawling backwards, retreating into the vent.

That's right, get out of here, you shit excuse for a Swiss army knife.

John froze at the sound of metallic footsteps in the hallway - these ones were coming from the left. They weren't supposed to come from the left.

The sound of metal against the tile floor began to speed up. And get louder. God, no, it was almost 6 am and he was almost done for the night, why was there suddenly this thing he didn't know how to deal with?

He clicked on his flashlight, quick enough to spot Foxy down at the end of the hall. Foxy?! John was pretty damn sure Foxy wasn't supposed to be active! Well, time to put on that stuffy head again.

... But the footsteps returned, accelerating, and before John could let out a scream, Foxy leapt.

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"Look, I'm sorry the old ones attacked you," Frank apologized in a half-assed manner. "I thought reactivating them to walk around and scare kids would be great fun for Halloween. I thought Heather would be in on it for sure, I even told - "

"You know something? No! I'm not having this today!" John snapped, standing up. "It was just like last month, when the new ones started wandering off course, something ain't right with these things!"

"John, please!" Sophia pleaded. "Sit down, so I can bandage your arm."

He had a thin but long gash along his right forearm, where Foxy had managed to drag his hook before the clock rolled over to 6 am and his programming dictated his return to the Parts & Service Room.

John complied, letting Sophia dab some hydrogen peroxide along his arm before wrapping it in gauze.

"What do you want from me, John?" Frank asked.

"Well, you know I need a job, but I sure ain't working the night shift anymore, you hear me?"

"John, there's no one who can fill in for you, it's either this or nothing."

"Fine! I'll stick around. There's bound to be some employee who fu- who messes up a lot. The next time he or she screws up - " John dragged a finger across his throat. "... Fire em. I'll take any spot you got, whether it's in the game room or a janitor. Just not this."

"... I'll keep that in mind. Until then, you gotta be patient, John," Frank cautioned. "It's gonna probably take a while to find an opening for you."

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October 25, 1987

Phil had been right to worry about the news story; several parties had been cancelled, mainly the Friday and Saturday ones. However, all of Sunday's parties were still good to go, and with only three of them to host - one for Daisy, one for Anita, and one for Emmett, who was now being praised for his hosting competence rather than being part of the football team - it seemed like today was off to a good start.

As Phil stepped inside, removing his jacket, he was surprised to see Heather in casual attire heading towards him.

"Hi, Heather," he greeted with a smile.

"Bye, Phil," she replied with a grin.

"I'm a little surprised to see you, I-I thought you had the day - " he froze in mid sentence, his expression falling. "... Bye?"

"Oh, right, I should probably tell you, too!" Heather realized, placing a palm against her forehead. "Fritz found a great new job for me! It's about 30 minutes away from my apartment, but I get to build and fix animatronic dinosaurs for a theme park! Dino Lagoon, you've heard about it opening in March, right? Yeah, it pays better, and I actually get to do my job instead of pace the building and be a security guard that sometimes reattaches a beak or screws an eyeball back into place. So, all that was left was to file my resignation form... which I just did."

"Wow... that's... that's a lot of information to take in first thing in the morning," Phil commented, trying to smile again. "But it sounds like it'll be great! Although... I'm gonna miss you."

"Hey, come on!" she reached over and gave Phil a hug. "Ronaldo and Sophia did the same thing, and I had to hug it out with them too! I'm just changing jobs, not moving away! I mean, I might move eventually, to be closer, but I'm still gonna be in the area for now! You guys have my number and I've still got all of yours. We'll keep in touch, maybe do something fun before Thanksgiving break."

"Oh, right... hard to believe it's gotten that late in the semester already," Phil let out a groan. "Almost forgot about the bio exam on Wednesday. I'll be ready for it, though, I've been studying frequently with Jeremy, and I'm even going to see him tomorrow."

"Sounds good. Once I'm done with this week, I'm done with Freddy Fazbear's Pizza," she affirmed with a nod. "... Just not with you guys."

Heather started to exit, but paused at the door with a smile.

"Make sure goofy ol' George doesn't forget to tuck the wires away. I didn't see him, so... tell him I'll miss him," she said. "Also... just a thought... but after hearing about the drama from yesterday, maybe you can offer John the spot on daytime security once I'm gone? He's always been a good buddy to me, so I'd like to do something nice for him as well once I'm gone. Anyways, I better get going. See ya 'round, Phil."

He smiled and waved farewell.

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October 27, 1987

That lab had gone excellently, Phil told himself, as he stepped into Freddy Fazbear's Pizza for the day. He could hardly wait to see his paper, when -

All of a sudden, a newspaper was shoved into his face.

"Phil!" John grumbled from the other side of the paper. "What does your uncle think he's doing?!"

"John?" Phil asked, lowering the newspaper from his face. "Uh, it's kind of late for you to be here, shouldn't you be slee-"

"I would have a much easier time sleeping if I didn't go to bed thinking each night might be my last!" he snapped, taking a few deep breaths.

Phil looked over the newspaper, realizing it was the classified section - specifically, the job listings - and finally found the ad in question.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizza seeking new daytime security guard. Must be flexible and be available on weekends. Contact Franco Fazari at -

Phil didn't have a chance to read the rest of the ad, as John had snatched the paper back.

"John, I... I know this job is stressful. The way it affects your sleep probably doesn't help either... b-but to be fair, I think my uncle was trying to do what's best for the business... i-it's probably easier to hire someone for the day shift than it is to try to find someone for the night sh-"

Phil was cut off when John lunged forward, grabbing him roughly by his shoulders.

"You listen to me!" John growled, shaking Phil. "I'm not putting up with that shit anymore! You saw what they did to my fucking arm!"

Underneath his mustache, his lips curled into a twisted little smile.

"We've known each other so long, Phil... I thought we were friends. Surely a nice guy like you knows that friends do each other favors, right? So you're going to do me a favor and tell your uncle to change that goddamn ad to the night shift. You cannot let your uncle hire a new day guard, okay?!" John demanded, giving Phil's shoulders another shake for emphasis. "YOU. CAN'T."

"I... I-I..." Phil was too scared to think straight. "O-okay, I'll see what I can do. But even if we, uh, change the ad, i-it's still probably going to take a while."

"This is a college town, there's probably some student desperate enough for the money that he'll take it," John let go of Phil's shoulders, finally simmering down enough to smile. "Thank you, Phil, I'm sure things will be fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go home and get some rest."

With that, he briskly walked out of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

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November 1, 1987

Jeremy took a seat at the dinner table, placing the Sunday morning paper in front of him. His application for the evening shift at a gas station had tanked, and The Bird & Barb hadn't called him back about the waiting position for the dinner shift, so it was likely that application had sunk as well.

He flipped through the pages to find the classified section, jumping when a mug of coffee was placed beside him.

"... I noticed you skipped dinner last night," Pat commented quietly, placing a plate with a fried egg and a slice of toast on it near Jeremy as well. "I can't afford to feed two people, but I can fill in a meal or two for you if it helps you save money."

"Thanks," Jeremy replied quietly. "Do you want a section of the paper?"

"Gotta have my Sunday morning comics," Pat remarked with a grin.

Jeremy shook his head with a smile, handing over the rest of the paper, before browsing through the job listings.

Accountant? No. Bartending? He didn't have the experience and the thought of bar fights was... unpleasant. CNA, CNA, CNA... he wasn't certified in anything...

He froze once he saw the 'F' section, recognizing three familiar mascots.

Come be a part of the new face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza! Security guard needed for night shift, 12am-6am, $100.50 per week! Call 1-888-FAZ-FAZBEAR for more information.

Jeremy stared at the ad a little longer. If he took a job with evening shifts, he had to cut back on his availability at Picnix, which could affect his hours. However, this... this didn't overlap with the hours Picnix was open at all.

Of course, dealing with Frank again would be an issue... Jeremy could already feel his stomach twisting in knots (or was that just the hunger?) at the thought of it. But maybe...

He swallowed.

Maybe he could talk him into it. If he wasn't comfortable with Jeremy being around kids because he was gay... surely the argument that he wasn't around the restaurant during the day would be enough. He couldn't keep borrowing bagels every morning. Circling the ad with a red pen, Jeremy quickly finished his small breakfast and put his dishes in the sink.

"Thanks for breakfast, Pat," he stated, as he stepped into the small hallway between their rooms. "... That might've been the boost I needed to make this call."

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November 6, 1987

"... police are now starting to question additional suspects or anyone familiar with Martin Burgess or the victims' families. We tried to contact Martin's brother for an interview, but he was unavailable f - "

John clicked the television off, not wanting to feel any more anxious about starting the day shift than he already was. Yes, Frank had said he had managed to pass the night shift over to 'some loser', but he still remembered their arguments, the way he was treated like a coward for being rightfully afraid of that job.

Cowardly... weak... he gingerly traced his fingers against the gauze bandage. No, powerless was more like it. Powerless as a desperate college senior caught cheating on a final exam and subsequently expelled. 'Powerless', 'worthless', 'pathetic', and 'weak', his mind bellowed at him for several days, until he had finally grown so sick of the feeling that he purchased a gun, planning to end his life.

Powerless, powerless, he had told himself, driving back from the firearm store that day. He looked out the window, at some rinky-dink restaurant called Fredbear's Family Diner. Some kid, probably about eight years old, was crying on the doorstep. Probably not invited to a party, or didn't want to eat his vegetables, or whatever made kids cry.

There was roadwork ahead, so John had to take a detour to the left, driving down the road behind the diner. That stupid child... he thought one simple party was worth crying over. Didn't he know there were worse things? He didn't know just how cruel the world could be, and quite frankly, it pissed him off. He pulled over, picking up the gun from the passenger seat and loading a few bullets, before pulling back onto the road, one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the gun.

John had turned left again, looping back around to the front of the diner, slowing down a little. The child had moved, now peering in through the front door, probably still crying his eyes out.

"If you think your part of the world is cruel," John muttered, rolling down the window and aiming, his finger on the trigger. "You might as well not live in it at all."

Then he pulled the trigger, watching the child slump to the ground as he drove off. Now all that was left was his own life, but... suddenly he was feeling different. He had been through so much worse than some little boy... but he was the one still alive. He was more than capable of deciding who lived and who died, like he had decided just now. Nothing was stopping him from making that decision. It was bizarrely empowering... and he liked it.

I'm the one who lived, John reminded himself with a smile, morning after morning, as the years passed. It's me.

He had run into some financial troubles and was taken in by his brother. But since it was his house and he was the one with the job - go figure it was at some other Freddy Pizza place - Martin was the one who called the shots. Sure, he could have just killed his brother, but he was happy and confident and didn't know what it was like to be powerless. So, why not frame him for a crime and let him sit in jail for a while? He'd slipped an assortment of drugs into Martin's coffee that morning, before slipping on a fatsuit and then his brother's purple uniform, taking care to firmly attach the rubber molds to his face to make it look round and thick, like Martin's. As for the crime, well, he'd already killed one child, why not another? John had snuck in, switching out his disguise for... one of the character costumes in the storage area. There had been a ruckus at a party, and this was the perfect time to come in and distract a child. Only he wound up luring away not one, but five. And they were all in for a marvelous surprise backstage.

He had even botched the security footage beautifully. He could have easily deleted all the footage, but why not make it look like it was sloppily done in a hurry? John left one little snippet of himself disguised as Martin, just to fool anyone checking for evidence before slipping out.

But no, that home video had come along and thrown everything out of balance. The media had already tried to contact him. Sure, he could run away - he could run away any time he wanted - but that was for the weak.

John was a smart man, a strong man, and if he was going to run, he was going to make one final display of his power before he left.

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(1) Quote is from the movie Dirty Dancing (1987). Obviously, I don't own that.

(2) There is, in fact, a real shirt like this. Obviously, I own one.

(3) Since it's 1987, they're watching the one that came out in the 1960s with Mia Farrow, so I don't know what was changed in the 2014 remake with Zoe Saldana. If the description of the character's reactions didn't give it away, it is a horror movie, so if you want to watch it, you may want to proceed with caution, especially since there is a scene where a character is raped.

Something I feel is worth mentioning - while I can't reply to every comment or simply don't have a reply (since there are some comments that are just 'Update soon!'), please remember that I appreciate all the feedback I get! You all are great!