HEADS-UP! Please, continue reading my comments before you go for the actual chapter:

Thank you for the reviews, folks! Before I continue, I'd like to just put up a few notes and address some things:

First and most important!, for those who don't know yet, Five Nights at Freddy's: Salvaged is actually the second part of a three-part storyline. The first part of that storyline is a story I posted about a month ago, titled Five Nights at Freddy's: Masterpiece, and I suggest you to read it if you haven't done that already.

Second, I am not really a person who writes stories about shipping characters and I certainly do NOT ship Springtrap and Sam (or the other main characters in my previous FNaF stories, for that matter). Get your minds out of the gutter people!

Third, well, it's more of a fun fact, so you may skip this if you're not interested in the origins of Ricky Wolfrun, the mascot of Ricky's Wonder Shack. The name and appearance were partially taken from a character from the anime Smile Pretty Cure!. This character, a grey wolf in blue biker clothes named Wolfrun, is one of the main antagonists of the anime and, as you guessed it, based on The Big Bad Wolf. You probably didn't expect that, but seriously, I do not regret my choice (just google him if you want to know more). Also, Ricky and the Misfits, as an animatronic group, were actually based on the animatronics from Five Nights at Candy's, so there's that.

Fourth, the reason why I went with a animatronic based on the Big Bad Wolf was because I wanted to a Wolf/Little Red Riding Hood dynamic between Ricky and Sam. Or, if you want it more explicit, a dynamic between a predator and his prey (for those who are aware of the darker origins of Little Red Riding Hood, you will know that this makes the whole dynamic between the two only more disturbing and messed up than it already is... or will be). Does that make Springtrap the Hunter in this story, then? NO. This story does not have a Hunter, and I assure you that Springtrap is just a different kind of Wolf. He is certainly showing that he regrets what he had done in the past, but he is still a predator. There is, however, a Grandmother in this story; or rather, a Mother, who is certainly more than capable of dealing with the Wolf who had befriended Little Red Riding Hood. ;3

Now, to some of the reviews:

Dinosaur: I hang out a lot on Reddit, so I'm quite familiar with r/EntitledParents and the term Karen. On the other hand, I am not familiar with Doom (or Doom Senses). Could you please explain that one for me and what it has to do with people in animatronic suits? Also, the ''buddy-cop murder mystery with a murderer helping'' was actually a plot point in the Old!Salvaged fic, which is one of the elements I took and decided to feature here. I'm glad you're down for that! Next, I might also put Henry into the story, but that's not set in stone. Yet.

Kdburke2: Ricky's actor actually has a name, but for now, I'm just calling him Ricky's actor.

Tgonthefiery: To clarify, I still don't do shipping, despite what is written in this chapter. Also, the Drawkills still aren't out of question.

Tisar: If Ricky's actor is freaking you out now, wait until the end of this second part of the storyline (first part was a story I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter).

Melaina: Great to hear from you again! I hope this story will entertain you and everyone else just as my past stories did. :3

Now, I'd say there should also be a fifth point. Pretty much everyone pointed out how William isn't the greatest parent either. That wasn't me hanging a lampshade when I wrote it (or being sarcastic). That was actually me foreshadowing this chapter. I also have to be honest, it was a little hard to write the characters, at least on an emotional level, as this chapter covers a very personal topic for William.

Not to mention, this is also one of the more headcanon chapters, considering which game(s) we are covering in this one.

I still hope you'll enjoy it! (I sincerely hope I nailed it.)


Night 6

It's Never Satisfied

''A story ever vile, such wicked thoughts behind a smile. They wander all the while, I wonder what they're thinking? It's painted faces all I see, they're always haunting me. It's pulling strings of life tonight, it sleeps, please buy us time. Oh, please rewind a tainted rhyme.''

Painted Faces by Trickywi ft. Rezyon

xXxXxXx

''We're dead.''

''Do you have to be so dramatic?''

Sam glanced at Springtrap who, despite the response, looked rather nervous when he saw the black car parking in the driveway. The two were at the guest room, watching as a woman exited the car, then walked over to the trunk, opening it.

''I'll go ahead then,'' Sam said, looking both nervous and eager about the whole introduction thing.

Springtrap felt anxious as he watched her leave. He knew that this was inevitable and he wasn't looking forward to it, but it was something that needed to be dealt with if he wanted to stay here. Still, what was he supposed to do or say? How was he supposed to even behave around Sam's mother? He had been thinking about it the whole night, but couldn't really come up with anything. The only thing he knew was that he needed to stay calm and try not to panic, and especially not say anything stupid. He sighed.

''Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be a disaster?''

xXx

While Springtrap was debating on how to approach the situation, Sam walked outside, noticing her mother struggling with a box labeled ''FRAGILE''.

''Hey, Mum! Do you need help?'' she asked, with her mother giving her the box.

''Thanks! Please, put it in the house and I'll take a better look at it before I meet up with Cassie at the store,'' her mother replied.

''Okay,'' Sam replied, but instead of going inside, she waited, wondering whether she should tell her mother about Springtrap or put the box away first before she somehow breaks whatever was inside it. ''So, what did you find?''

''A porcelain tea set and some furniture. I asked Adam to pick it up for me, since it wouldn't fit in the car,'' her mother replied, taking out another box from the trunk and closing it. Sam knew that Adam was Cassie's husband, who tended to help them out. Cassie was her mother's friend from high-school and worked at her mother's store. ''So, what did you do while I was away? Have you even left the house?''

''Actually, I did…''

''Well, thank God! I thought you'd be holed up in your room forever,'' her mother said, looking relieved. Sam smiled nervously, with her mother noticing it. She frowned. ''What did you do now?''

Sam felt like she shrunk under her mother's intense glare. She wondered how in the world was Springtrap going to survive this.

''Let's just say that I finally followed your advice and found a new friend,'' Sam replied.

''Oh, really?'' Despite her carefree tone, Sam didn't trust the eager look her mother gave her. ''So, who is your new friend?''

''You'll meet him soon,'' Sam said in a quiet tone, taking a deep breath. Her mother narrowed her eyes, looking at her daughter as they entered the kitchen and put the boxes on the table.

''Okay, where is your friend?'' Sam's mother turned to her, crossing her arms. She noticed Sam looking towards the entrance to the kitchen and followed her gaze.
To her shock, a tall golden-green bunny with a purple bowtie peeked into the kitchen, before stepping inside and revealing himself. At first, she thought it was a person in a costume, until she realized that there was no way that those eyes belonged to a human or were even part of a normal costume. They were silver and green, only to start glowing in a soft purple.

Springtrap noticed the look of disbelief Sam's mother was giving him, his mind racing. No matter what Sam told him, he was not prepared for this. He noticed that the shocked expression Sam's mother gave him turned into a glare, with her obviously expecting him to explain himself. He felt his anxiety skyrocketing, knowing he had to say something, but his mind was blank.

Oh, God, how am I supposed to respond to her? This is not good! Okay, keep calm, you can do it!

''Why, hello~,'' he said in a charming tone, waving at Sam's mother.

She was glaring daggers at him, while Sam looked torn between being mortified and laughing. Her expression was screaming Dude, this so wrong on so many levels!. He realized that he completely messed up and attempted to give her an innocent smile. Sam's mother didn't buy it. She glanced at her daughter, who looked as if she had been taken out in front of the firing squad.

''Sam,'' she said in a gentle, sickeningly sweet tone, despite Sam knowing that she was just sharpening the knife before going for the kill. ''When I told you to go out and find some friends, I wasn't expecting you to bring back a robotic bunny.''

She then narrowed her eyes, her arms crossed, with Sam knowing what that look meant. Explain yourself!

''Mum, this is Springtrap,'' she said, trying to sound nonchalant. ''He's a sentient animatronic from Freddy's and he kinda followed me home. Could he stay with us, please? He doesn't really have anywhere else to stay and he won't cause any trouble.''

''Really?'' Her mother then looked at Springtrap, who was startled. Despite her polite, kind tone, she still looked at him as if she was about to kill him. ''My name is Emma Blackburn. Now, I was hoping you would tell me a little more about yourself.''

''Well, I-'' Springtrap noticed that Emma had brown hair, but hers was shorter and lighter than Sam's. However, her and Sam's eyes were precisely the same shade of brown, causing him to panic even more. He had already trouble dealing with Sam whenever she gave him that unnerving gaze, but Emma was worse. She didn't trust him at all and, if he wasn't so sure that he never met this woman in his life before, he would swear that she knew his past, present and future.

''You know, Mum, he isn't exactly the weirdest thing brought to this house,'' Sam interrupted, stepping in between her mother and Springtrap, trying to salvage the situation. Springtrap gave her a look of relief, glad that she saved him. ''Remember the Plague Doctor?''

Her mother's gaze softened as she remembered what she meant, even smiling, but she still shot a glare at Springtrap, who looked like a child who was just caught by their parents with one hand in the cookie jar. At least, that's how he felt. Emma smiled when Springtrap lowered his head, feeling quite embarrassed. He did not want this to happen.

''Fine, he can stay,'' Emma said, glancing at Sam.

''Really?!'' Sam and Springtrap said in unison, only to flinch when Emma glared at both of them.

''Yes, but under one condition,'' she said, walking up to Springtrap, who looked back nervously. He felt as if she was staring straight into his soul. ''You should behave yourself while you're under my roof.''

''Yes, ma'am,'' Springtrap replied hastily. ''I promise.''

Emma looked satisfied, the stern expression she had vanishing instantly. She actually looked quite cheerful.

''Great,'' she said, clapping her hands and looking at her daughter. ''Now that we have dealt with this, do you want me to prepare something for lunch, or…''

''Oh, I have already eaten,'' Sam replied, looking relieved. She then grabbed Springtrap's hand, with the latter looking quite startled. ''Springtrap and I will be in my room, if you need us.''

''Okay, then,'' Emma replied, still smiling.

Sam quickly dragged Springtrap upstairs, with the animatronic forcing himself to not look back at Emma's direction, having the uncanny feeling that she was still staring at him. Once Sam closed the door of her room, he let a sigh of relief. He plopped down on the floor, while Sam dragged the bean bag, placing it and sitting across him.

''You know, when you told me about your mother, I thought you were just exaggerating it,'' he said, shuddering.

''No, I was toning it down for you,'' Sam replied sarcastically, with Springtrap looking really uncomfortable.

''No offense, but your mother is kind of…'' Springtrap wasn't even sure how to express his feelings. ''She is scary.''

''None taken. She has that effect on people, especially if she doesn't trust them,'' Sam said in a comforting tone. ''Nevertheless, she gave you the green light, so you don't have to worry. At least unless she learns the whole truth.''

''How long do you think we have left?'' Springtrap asked.

''I'm giving her until the end of the week,'' Sam said. ''And that's me being optimistic.''

Springtrap sighed, glancing at Sam tiredly. ''Thanks for covering for me.''

''You're welcome, considering how you didn't make a good first impression on her,'' Sam said.

''I can't think clear when I panic!'' Springtrap replied in an attempt to defend himself, with Sam rolling her eyes.

''William, you sounded like you were trying to flirt with my mum,'' she said. Springtrap buried his face into his hands, looking completely embarrassed.

''This was not my intention. I was just trying to be nice and polite,'' he said, glancing at her. ''You're not going to let me forget this, right?''

''I'm not that cruel,'' Sam replied. ''Now, calm down a little. The worst is over.''

''I don't think it is,'' Springtrap sighed, then gave her a curious look. ''Say, what was that about the Plague Doctor?''

''Oh, that one?'' Sam grinned. ''Last Halloween, Mum brought some kind of statue of a plague doctor, with replica clothes and a beak mask, and planned to sell it to someone who was interested in it. The guy said he would pick it up, so we kept it at our house. Since it was Halloween, I thought it would make a good decoration and put it at our front porch.''

''I can imagine that the visitors really loved that decoration,'' Springtrap said in an amused tone.

''Yeah, they really did,'' Sam said sarcastically. ''You see, I messed with it a little. I put a speaker behind the statue and would play hellish screams whenever trick-or-treaters or pranksters would approach the house. It was funny to see them scream and run away. To be honest, it was really loud and I was surprised that the neighbours never came over to check what was going on. I later found out that they were at a Halloween party and that their house was empty.''

''Were there any complaints?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Remember how I told you about my so-called friends? Well, they were the pranksters who tried to throw eggs and silly string at my house. After I scared them to death, I got a call from them and they were threatening to call the cops on me for putting such a horrible decoration,'' Sam said. ''I told them that they had nothing on me, since, first, it was my property and I could do whatever I wanted. Second, the Plague Doctor was just a decoration and not some dead body. And third, it was Halloween – what did they expect? Rainbows and unicorns?''

''That was a really brilliant idea of yours,'' Springtrap said, grinning, while Sam was beaming.

''As said, as scary as it was, it could've been worse,'' Sam replied. ''I'm not completely sure if it's an urban legend, but I read somewhere that people put up dummies on trees to make it look like someone hanged themselves as a decoration. There had been one dummy which lasted days past Halloween, with everyone thinking someone forgot to take it off. That is, until they investigated and discovered that it was an actual corpse.''

''That's disturbing,'' Springtrap muttered. ''Still, I wish I could've seen your little prank.''

''Sadly, SCP-049 had been sold, so there's no way I can repeat that. Speaking of which, I doubt that anyone will try to come to my house this year,'' Sam said. ''Perhaps, it is for the better.''

''SCP?''

''There's a website called SCP Foundation, where people pretend that they are part of an organisation that secures, contains and protects strange beings who are often supernatural and very dangerous in nature. Anything can be an SCP,'' Sam explained. ''After Mum brought the statue, I nicknamed it SCP-049, aka the Plague Doctor, as that was the exact entry I found on the website. Although, it is a good thing that the statue wasn't the actual SCP, because the real deal tends to dissect and infect animals and people in order to find the cure for the plague.''

''I guess that, if that foundation was real, they probably would've considered me an SCP as well, right?'' Springtrap said.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied. ''I can already imagine how that would look like. They probably would try to conduct an interview with you, trying to figure out who you are and how you got yourself into this situation.''

''Speaking of which, this is Night 4, isn't it?'' Springtrap said, with Sam nodding and standing up. She looked past him, at the door. Springtrap quickly turned around, expecting Emma to stand there, but to his relief, she wasn't in the room. He glanced back at Sam, with her shaking her head.

''My mum is not someone who eavesdrops,'' she said in a quiet tone. ''But, she is scarily good at figuring things out, so it would be a good idea to not talk about your past while she's around. Not to mention, she doesn't trust you at all.''

''I figured that out myself,'' Springtrap replied dryly. He stood up, noticing a soft smile on her expression, only for it to change into a more serious look. She sat down on the swivel chair, turning her laptop on.

''You know, a few days ago, I had this really terrifying nightmare,'' Sam said, looking at Springtrap. ''I was alone at home and that someone was trying to get inside my house, so I ran around and locked all the doors and closed all the windows. Once I knew I was safely locked inside and nobody could get in, I realized that the footsteps I heard whenever I would move weren't mine. The last thing I saw before I woke up was a man in black clothes and a hoodie over his face, stabbing me with a knife right in the eye.''

''I guess you must've felt really unsafe in your own home after that, even if it was just a nightmare,'' Springtrap said.

''Yeah, but that's also the point. Sometimes, you don't feel safe in your own home,'' Sam said, with Springtrap having the uncanny feeling that this was related to him. The gaze Sam gave him didn't help. The two got suddenly startled when they heard knocking on the door. It opened, with Emma peeking inside.

''I'll get going then,'' she said, looking at Sam. ''Is there anything you need?''

''No, I'm fine,'' Sam replied, with Emma nodding and closing the door. Springtrap glanced back at Sam, who remained silent until they heard the door downstairs closing. She looked at him, with Springtrap feeling a little concerned as he sat down on her bed.

''I guess we should continue with Night 4,'' he said.

''That also means that only one more Night is left for both of us to make our decisions,'' Sam said. ''I guess that we'll see tomorrow how this will continue.''

''I know,'' Springtrap said. He was a little anxious about it, as he still wasn't sure how the whole thing would end. He knew that, despite the trust Sam had showed him, she was still insecure about his presence. Or even afraid.

Springtrap hated that thought, despite being aware that it was true. He noticed Sam looking at him, her expression solemn. It reminded him of that look she gave him when she asked him about the Missing Children Incident, but it was still a little different. He then realized that it felt as if she was going to ask him about something deeply personal.

''You had a family, right, William?'' Sam said in a quiet tone. Even though he was aware that Sam would eventually ask him about it, Springtrap still hoped that she wouldn't. He could understand her curiosity, but this was something he really didn't want to talk about. He lowered his head, sighing.

''I did,'' he said. ''I assume you're already aware of what happened.''

''For the most part, but there are still a few things I don't understand,'' Sam said, glancing at her laptop. ''For example, there are some things that can be considered nightmares born out of our fears. I mean the type of nightmare that would never exist in the real life. Then, there are those types of nightmares that we know that they can happen in real life. Then, there is this stuff.''

Springtrap knew that, by now, he shouldn't even be surprised anymore by the things Sam brought up or revealed. However, he was still stunned to see an image of Nightmare Freddy tipping his black top hat, with small mini versions of him, known as Freddles, coming out of his torso. He looked as if he was welcoming someone to a party.

''Five Nights at Freddy's 4,'' Sam continued. ''I had no idea what was going on in this game and I spent most of the time debating whether the Nightmare Animatronics were real or not.''

Springtrap noticed the curious look she was giving him. Despite her looking rather nonchalant, the heavy-hearted tone she addressed him with and her mentioning his family, as well as the Nightmare Animatronics, gave him a very good idea what event she wanted to question him about.

Still, she didn't pressure him, nor did she demand answers. She wanted to let him speak for himself, which he was thankful for. He sighed, trying to keep calm. There was no panic, although he did feel a little anxious. He knew what happened and what he had done, but now that he reflected on it, he too felt like it was just a nightmare he would soon wake up from. However, this was never a dream, but cruel reality.

''Those Nightmare Animatronics, as you call them, were my creation,'' Springtrap said, glancing at Sam. She was listening intently to him, her expression showing no judgement whatsoever. All she wanted to know was the full story behind his actions. ''However, there is a reason why I made them like that.''

''Why were they even created?'' Sam asked.

''You asked me about my family. Well, at that time, I had three children: Michael, Sammy and Elizabeth. My wife had just left me, as she was upset that I would keep myself locked up in my workshop and she felt I wasn't anymore the man she knew. Or, perhaps she knew, and wanted to escape that life before it was too late for her,'' Springtrap lowered his head. ''Michael, Sammy and Elizabeth wanted to stay with me, though, instead of leaving with their mother. Elizabeth was always a daddy's girl, so I guess that's why she wanted to stay with me. Michael and Sammy loved the animatronics me and Henry created, so that might be their reason. They wanted to stay with the parent who had access to all those amazing and shiny toys. I once overheard Michael bragging to his friends about the animatronics and how he was happy I made them. He was especially fond of Foxy. Sammy, on the other hand, liked Fredbear more.''

Springtrap smiled at the memory of his children. They looked amazed when they were introduced to the animatronics, if a little fearful. Still, the fear quickly vanished as they explored more and more the world that seemed to be created just for them. Why couldn't I appreciate their smiles a little more?

''This was all before the horror show you know about,'' he added in a dejected tone. ''Before I decided that my own selfish desire to fill the void I felt inside me had priority over the happiness of my own family.''

He glanced at the monitor, attempting to avoid Sam's gaze. He didn't want to know whether she was giving him a look of disgust or compassion until he told her everything.

''Would you believe me that I created those Nightmares to protect my youngest son?''

There was a brief silence, causing Springtrap to look up. Sam looked surprised, albeit it wasn't the kind of surprise he anticipated. Instead of being shocked that he would even think about protecting his own children, she looked more like she had assumed that that might have been one of the possibilities and was simply in the process of accepting the truth. She's open to any theory until it is debunked. But, will she accept the truth the way it is?

''You know, constant fear isn't really the best method of protection,'' Sam finally replied.

''I realized that a little too late,'' Springtrap said. ''I wanted Sammy to stay away from the animatronics for his own safety, hoping tragedy won't struck again. Those Nightmare Animatronics were completely under my control and, despite looking scary, they would never harm him.''

''I guess that being scarred for life was still a better alternative than dying at the hands of an animatronic,'' Sam said in a quiet tone, looking at her laptop and opening another file. ''However, that didn't work out.''

''I knew that Sammy would stay away from the animatronics, but I didn't anticipate Michael trying to play a prank on his brother,'' Springtrap said, noticing the video Sam played. A crying child was struggling as he tried to escape Fredbear's mouth, only for it to close down on his head with a sickening crunch. He flinched and looked away with a pained look on his expression, closing his eyes. There was so much blood.

He could still see it, one of the many memories he just wanted to forget. He was in the back room at that time, when he suddenly heard screams and someone yelling to call the ambulance. He rushed out, only to see Michael and his friends crying and freaking out over the seemingly lifeless body in Fredbear's mouth. Blood was trickling down the suit in small rivers, staining it.

Once he overcame the shock and realized what happened, he had rushed over to the animatronic, turning it off and gently removing the body of his youngest son. He was still breathing, but what was left of his head was a complete mess, a jumble of flesh, bones and blood. People were screaming, children were crying, his older son was apologizing over and over again in fear, the ambulance had finally arrived… He never heard any of it. It was as if he was surrounded by a barrier, severing him from the rest of the world. All he saw was a half-dead Sammy and all he heard was a voice inside his head. Not again… Why did this happen again?!

''Will…''

He looked up, noticing Sam in front of him. He then realized that his hands were shaking and he forced himself to calm down, despite the fear and anxiety lurking in the back of his mind. He noticed the look of concern Sam gave him, mixed with sympathy. He could sense the hollow feeling spreading through his chest, combined with a sudden urge to hug her.

No...

He was taken aback by that thought, resisting it. Why would she still be here after all the horrible things I had done? Why would she even want to comfort me?

He lowered his head. At least, she is here, trying to understand something even I couldn't or I didn't want to understand.

''I haven't seen what happened, but I saw the aftermath,'' he told her. ''It was horrible.''

''What happened to Sammy?'' Sam asked.

''He was rushed into the hospital and ended up in a coma from which he never woke up,'' Springtrap said darkly. His eyes narrowed, and somewhere, in the corner of his mind, he heard the sound of a flatline. ''I hoped I could put him back together.''

''Just like Elizabeth.''

Springtrap looked up at her, then noticed that she was looking at the monitor. To his surprise, it showed an image of Circus Baby, gazing back at them with a sinister smile.

''Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location,'' Sam said. ''There are still a few more things I want to ask you about, but I feel that they couldn't be asked unless I included this into our conversation.''

Of course not. It wouldn't feel complete, after all. Springtrap sighed, feeling a sudden urge to laugh and cry. He still remembered the conversation he had about Circus Baby, the one animatronic he had been proud of the most, aside from his cherished Spring Bonnie suit.

''There's no doubting what you've achieved on a technical level. These are clearly state-of-the-art. There are just certain... 'design choices' that were made for these robots that we don't fully understand. We were hoping that you could shed some light on those.''

''She can dance. She can sing. She's equipped with a built-in helium tank, inflating balloons right at her fingertips. She can take song requests. She can even dispense ice cream.''

''With all due respect, those were the design choices we were curious about, Mr. Afton.''

He knew that they would never understand why he created them.

''Daddy isn't watching.''

He snapped out of his memory, looking at Sam, who glanced at an audio file. The voice he heard, it wasn't Elizabeth's, even though it was similar, but rather a recording from the game she showed him. He noticed the gaze Sam was giving him. Even though the animatronics were long gone, this story was not over yet.

''I know that The Bite of '83 was an accident. I know that the springlock suits were not supposed to maim anyone and yet they did,'' Sam said, shaking her head. ''But, why would you want to create animatronics that are capable of killing people?''

''Maybe because kids would trust more a shiny animatronic than an adult,'' Springtrap replied sarcastically and sighed. ''I understand what you mean. This was just another of my crazy ideas when I decided that murder was the only thing that could satisfy me.''

''Even the death of your own daughter?'' Sam asked darkly. Springtrap shook his head, looking upset.

''I never wanted Elizabeth to die. While I told her I made Circus Baby just for her, I didn't mean that in a literal way,'' Springtrap replied. He felt his hands shaking again and he closed his eyes, but he still saw blood.

''Daddy…''

She was still alive when he found her, all alone in the room and trapped inside the robot. There was no blood, at least not until he opened the animatronic, only to see a blood-covered arm reaching and a quiet voice calling for him.

''Daddy… I'm sorry…''

He gently picked her up, cradling her in his arms. The light in her eyes faded.

''I just… wanted to play…''

He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He just stared at the little body of his daughter as she passed away. He had no idea what he was doing, as it felt as if someone else was controlling him. All he knew afterwards was that he placed the body back into the animatronic and closed it. A day later, Circus Baby's Pizza World was closed due to supposed gas leaks.

''I didn't expect that her soul would possess Circus Baby, although, at that point I wasn't aware that that was even possible. To be honest, her death occurred shortly after Charlie's,'' Springtrap added in a grave tone. ''Henry lost his daughter, so I guess that it would be only fair that I lose mine as well.''

But, that wasn't enough. Even Hell wasn't enough to satisfy whoever wanted to keep on torturing me and watching me suffer. It doesn't matter if it's supposed to be over. For me, this nightmare has no satisfactory ending.

''The only one who was left was Michael,'' Sam said, breaking the silence. Springtrap lowered his head when he saw her unnerving gaze. ''You sent him to his death as well, if indirectly. You made the same mistake just like you did with Elizabeth and Sammy.''

''I think that, at that point, I just stopped caring. Nothing mattered to me anymore,'' Springtrap said, shaking his head. ''I didn't even care for my own life.''

''Michael certainly did seem to care, considering how he decided to stop you, even though he had been scooped and worn as a suit by Ennard, who later escaped once it started to decompose. His soul only remained thanks to remnant,'' Sam said firmly. ''Circus Baby was right when she said that he wouldn't die, although death would be more than welcoming in his situation.''

Springtrap remained silent. He knew that he was a horrible parent and even worse as a person. He glanced at Sam, who, while she didn't look as disgusted as he feared she would, still gave him a look that made him want to crawl back to Hell and stay there so he wouldn't have to face her. He simply felt exhausted, staring emptily at the floor.

''I guess that we can both agree that, as a father, you failed,'' Sam said.

''I think I failed not only as a father, but also as a person,'' Springtrap replied bitterly.

''That too,'' Sam said, with Springtrap being a little startled by how blunt she was. Still, he felt that he had it coming.

''May I ask you something?'' he said. Sam, who was searching for something on her laptop, turned her chair and looked at him, a curious look on her expression.

''Sure,'' she said briskly.

''Does Emma even know about your urban explorations?'' Springtrap asked. Sam bit her lip, giving him a sheepish look.

''Actually, she does,'' Sam said, looking as if she was remembering something mildly unpleasant. ''But, she's fine with it as long as I don't get myself into trouble. Also, I'm not say that she doesn't care, as she does. I want to say that she trusts me and I'm not that stupid to betray her trust by getting myself into trouble or doing something dangerous.''

''Oh, really?'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. Sam rolled her eyes.

''I know that this was a dangerous idea,'' Sam said, frowning and looking a little insecure, with Springtrap feeling bad for causing her to get upset again. ''Still, there is one more Night left, so let's keep it a secret for now, okay?''

''Okay…'' Springtrap nodded. Sam smiled, although Springtrap noticed that she still looked a little insecure. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but there was nothing on his mind. He simply hated it seeing her downhearted. ''Sam?''

''Yeah?''

''I'm sorry.'' He noticed the surprised and curious look Sam gave him. He sighed. ''I don't really know anymore… You looked really uncomfortable.''

''Thanks and I accept your apology,'' Sam said, smiling again, but this time, it was sincere. He was relieved to see her smile, feeling happy, and sensing once again the warmth in his chest. However, he still felt that there was something wrong.

The warmth had vanished.

xXx

''We have pizza for dinner?'' Sam said when her mother put down the box. She then grinned. ''Ah, it's from Mamma Mia.''

''Well, from where else would I want to order it?'' Emma asked as Sam placed the plates on the table. Sam shrugged, deciding to not bother her mother with the fact that she got pizza from Ricky's the previous day. Emma would often tell her how Mamma Mia, despite being a small place, always made the best pizza, and who was she to argue with her mother.

As she put a slice on her plate, she noticed Springtrap peeking into the kitchen. She beckoned to him, only to realize he didn't want to join her because Emma was inside as well. She then shrugged and put another slice on her plate.

''I'll eat in my room,'' she told her mother, who didn't respond. However, Emma did notice Springtrap, glaring at him. Once Sam looked back at the animatronic, she noticed him shaking his head and leaving. A little confused, she went to the living room instead, with Emma joining her as she turned the TV on and switching programs to find a good show or a movie. ''So, is everything okay at the store?''

''Yeah,'' Emma replied, glancing at her daughter, a sheepish grin on her expression. ''Except for that old lady who came inside and started complaining about her son, his wife and her family, then started to cry about her life falling apart. I didn't know that my second-hand store was also the local psychiatry.''

''Really?'' Sam raised an eyebrow, then remembered something. ''Didn't you tell me about this lady already?''

''You're right, she's the same one from a couple of weeks ago,'' Emma replied. ''At least, this time she didn't break a figurine and demanded a discount for it. Me and Cassie were stunned when we saw her again.''

''Wow, who would've thought,'' Sam said. She had already heard from her mother or from Cassie about some crazy customers they had and always enjoyed those stories. Their conversation slowly turned into a banter over two movies, with each wanting to watch a different one and Sam ending up teasing her mother over her crush on the actor.

Both enjoyed their evening, not noticing the bunny animatronic who was observing them with a crestfallen look on his expression. He left for upstairs, knowing he was just an intruder here, no matter what Sam told him.

He had already destroyed his family. He didn't want to destroy another one.

xXx

Springtrap was sitting on the couch, thinking about what he had discussed with Sam. He felt that there were still a lot of things left unsaid. Maybe it was because of his refusal to talk about it, but he also had a feeling that Sam didn't want to press for more answers because she didn't want to know what other horrible things he had done. Now that he thought about it, he too just wanted to forget everything and move on.

I can't, he thought bitterly. It just doesn't work that way. There will always be something that will keep on reminding me of what I did and what happened. There's no way I can ever move on.

He heard the door opening and jumped on his feet, a little agitated. To his surprise, it was Emma who opened the door. She was glaring at him, with Springtrap once again having that uncanny feeling that she was able to see the soul trapped inside the animatronic.

''Hello, Emma,'' he said nervously. ''What-''

He cut himself of when she suddenly approached him, still glaring daggers at him. He involuntarily backed away, only to realize that there was no space for him to retreat due to the couch behind him.

''Keep your mouth shut and listen to me carefully,'' Emma said in a threatening tone. ''I don't know your real name, but I sincerely doubt that you're just an animatronic. I think that you're a lot more than that. For your information, I know what went down at Freddy's. Even though I was a little girl, I did hear the rumor about a bunny leading a child away, only for the child to be reported missing. I am aware that Sam is keeping your true identity secret, but I'm quite sure that I know who you are. Now, give me one good reason to not drag you to the scrap yard and incinerate you.''

At this point, Springtrap felt genuinely scared of Emma. Despite the fact that he was taller than her, she was towering over him. He kept quiet, staring at the floor and fearing that his silence would only anger her more. But, what am I supposed to say?!

''You're… You're right,'' he whispered in a defeated tone.

''So, you are the murderer,'' Emma said in a quiet tone, frowning. ''Honestly, I have nothing to say except that you should be in Hell and burn for this.''

''I've been there and my soul returned for a reason even I don't understand,'' Springtrap replied. The two fell silent. Eventually, Emma sighed.

''For some reason, Sam is content with keeping you around. She even calls you her friend,'' she said. ''I don't know why, but I do trust my daughter's judgement. If she didn't have a good reason for this, we wouldn't be having this conversation now.'' She crossed her arms. ''Therefore, I will let you stay…''

Springtrap stared at her in surprise. However, the look she gave him caused his anxiety to skyrocket.

''However, if you step out of the line, even a little, I'll become your worst nightmare,'' Emma added. ''Have you understood me?''

''I did,'' Springtrap muttered. Emma gave him a look of disgust, turned around and left. However, at the door, she glanced back at him.

''Good night,'' she said in a pleasant tone, which gave Springtrap the chills. He was left in the dark once she closed the door. He plopped down on the couch, still freaked out by the whole exchange. He buried his head into his hands, shaking.

Just how did I get myself into this situation?