Author's Notes:

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Just a little note from Corona Pax too: Hello all new Readers! If this is the first chapter you've gotten a notification for/saw the publishing of, then in our Discord server you get the new Funtime reader's role.

Just to clear up a slight misunderstanding from the last author's note.

Chapter 123

We're not Talking about This

Ruby probably wasn't getting out of Foxy's hug anytime soon but she didn't look bothered by that. Bonnie was sitting next to them, constantly glancing at her like he was making sure she was really there. Chica and Freddy hovered close by while Goldy and Foxy were stuck in a glaring contest since the fox wouldn't let the night guard go so the others could hug her.

The Toys were scattered around, sitting or leaning against a wall or table. Everyone looked exhausted. Timmy was mostly hiding from the Originals. Not that they didn't still see him as he didn't exactly turn invisible, just hid behind the furniture.

Hedy got the sense they just weren't sure how to respond, They clearly knew him though. Goldy was twitchy and anxious and couldn't keep her sorrowful eyes off him for long.

"Shouldn't we clean up?" Mike asked timidly. "So we can open?" He trailed off when Ruby's sharp glare landed on him.

"Like the bots are working in their condition. We're not opening," she scoffed.

Mangle smiled, a slow and ominous thing. "Ruby," she almost purred. "You might need to talk to the manager about that."
The teen straightened up, eyes locked on the other fox. "What?"

Mangle cocked her head, outright smirking now. "He's been rather disrespectful to Hedy lately."
"Oh, is that so?" Ruby growled lowly.

Hedy mumbled some curse under her breath, then winced as she readjusted the ice she held to her head while she one-handedly tried to sort her tools. "Not something to bother about right now. But yeah, we're not opening."

Mike relaxed (only a little with Ruby glancing at him suspiciously). He only suggested it because the Manager had threatened to fire Hedy if she even suggested closing again.

She had unhappily backed down for the bots' sakes at the time, and he had followed her lead. If she was confident saying they weren't opening, then he knew they sure as hell weren't opening. Not like the scary teenager looked like she would let it happen anyway.

"I'll call the staff and tell them," Hedy said.

Jeremy frowned as he handed her some pain medication. "You don't need to be calling anyone. You need rest."

"Well, I don't want any of the day shift freaking out about Ruby being back and you shouldn't call them. No one even knows you or that you've been spending the night."

"But-"

"I can call them," Mike suggested. "I know Jerry, at least. He and most of the cleaners were working at the last location when I did. I can tell him I'm calling for you?"

"My brain isn't going to explode if I put a cell phone up to it," Hedy deadpanned.

"Will it though?" Mangle asked dryly. "You already puked your brains out."

Bonnie managed a weak laugh, but Chica squinted. It was hard to tell if she was in pain or suspicious.

"What happened to you, Hedy?" Freddy asked cautiously. He eyed Ruby. It wasn't like he forgot that they needed to ask Ruby that too.

"I'm okay. That's what matters."

"Michael may have crushed her larynx."

"Puppet!" Hedy snapped, then immediately hacked up a scratchy cough, which didn't help her case.

Spring let out a pained moan from where he had been lying on the floor, too hurt to move for the moment, even if he wanted to get up and see that Ruby was back and everyone was okay. He was settling for trying not to cry and just listening to everyone's voices for the moment as he finally woke up.

"Mew," Kitty greeted him and immediately shifted to purr and knead his chest.

Hedy cracked a smile as Spring relaxed a moment, one hand shakily reaching up to pet the kitten.

"It's over?" he murmured. "Hedy, are you okay? Ruby's okay?"

"I'm fine, Spring," Hedy said.

Ruby rolled her eyes like the dramatic pest she was. "I'm fine," she groaned. "It was just a coma."
"Liar," Timmy murmured, and suddenly an awkward silence fell over them.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the ghost, who stared back, unafraid.

"Aren't you chatty tonight?" she snapped.

"Well, I don't want it to happen again."
It alarmed everyone that Ruby visibly flinched at that.

"It won't," she all but growled.

The kid only continued watching her, and Ruby was the first to look away.

Hedy resisted the urge to swallow as her body tensed and her hand numbed at the memory of what happened when she touched Ruby, her laying in that hospital bed. That hadn't just been in her head. The pain had made her black out.

Ruby, what the fuck happened…

Her eyes darted to the little boy, but she still didn't ask who he was. With Goldy awake, she could sense the grief and guilt and so much...love?

Ruby was glaring at a random patch on the wall. "What even happened while I was out? I thought the brats would at least listen to Hedy. What the hell made them decide to work with Michael?" she sneered out the name and Timmy gave an inaudible sigh at her changing the subject. "And the new guy. Explain the new guy. My contract pretty clearly says that they can't hire a new night guard unless I quit or I'm dead. No other situations."

"Hm. Oh does it?" Hedy mused coldly. She wasn't aware of that.

Mike winced, and some Toys looked confused.

"Well…" Hedy continued. "For once, I'm glad the Manager was an ass. Just for that matter. Mike helped a lot, Ruby."

The teen looked skeptical. "Riiiight. I saw him trip on thin air a couple minutes ago. What was he? Bait?"

Her morbid humour was both horrifying and welcome. But still…. Really? Foxy rolled his eyes.

"Basically," Mike joked, feeling a little braver.

"Hey, he's not so bad," Mangle defended him. She quite liked Mike.

Hedy smiled gratefully. She had a feeling she was going to have to keep Ruby a bit 'leashed' until she warmed up to the man. That was, if he was willing to even stick around now that his moral obligation was fulfilled. The thought suddenly made her feel a little sad. He seemed like a good friend to have and there was value in a friend who knew how crazy their life was. She couldn't mention Freddy's or the details of her trauma to any of her other well-meaning friends.

Ruby squinted at Mike when no one was looking and made the universal 'I'm watching you' gesture.

"By the way," Ruby's tone was far too casual. "On a scale of one to ten, when I get the full story, how fucked is the manager?"
"Language," Freddy half-heartedly scolded.

Bonnie snickered but was finding it hard to move and winced.

"Twenty," Mangle deadpanned.

If he still had the other half of his mouth, Foxy might have grinned like a shark at that. No one was very happy at how the Manager had treated their mechanic.

Suddenly Hedy's phone rang.

"Does Doctor Cecil have you on speed dial or something?" Ruby wondered as Hedy recognised the number.

"After this week? Yes," Hedy said, answering and deciding not to mention that Cecil demanded her number that morning after she had collapsed in Ruby's room. "Hello hello?"

Mike tilted his head at her odd greeting and blinked in curious recognition.

Ruby just grinned at the familiar quirk.

"Please tell me Ruby somehow is with you or contacted you?" the poor doctor practically begged, sounding frazzled. "Her bed's empty, the window is open and she flat-lined earlier tonight! No one saw her leave so I can only imagine what that girl did."

Hedy's breath caught at 'flat-lining' and she stared at the teen for a tense moment before answering. Ruby stared back quizzically. The calm tone Hedy had been mentally practicing as she answered the call broke in to a few pieces but she still somehow managed to sound even, if just a bit quieter than if she was really calm. "She's here. Ruby here at our work. She's...okay, as far as I can tell. No external injuries. Just...very tired looking."

Jeremy frowned, seeing her reaction.

"Oh thank goodness," Cecil almost sobbed. "I don't know what possessed her to leave in the state she's in but I'm glad she got somewhere safe." she took a few deep breaths to steady herself. "Hedy, you know how good Ruby is at acting like she's fine. I don't care what she says, she needs to rest. Her vitals… they weren't good. It's a flat out miracle she woke up at all after this night. No exerting herself. I'm sending a paramedic to check her out since she most likely will refuse to come back to the hospital."

Hedy couldn't even hide her pained and horrified reaction to that. A miracle she woke up? She supposed it was a miracle twice over. They wouldn't have survived either if Ruby hadn't woken up. Hedy wouldn't have, at least.

Flat-lining.

By some definitions, Ruby died. And Hedy hated herself for even clarifying that.

"O-okay. Please do. I don't think she's leaving here for...a while."

Ruby just raised an eyebrow at her. That expression very clearly said, 'you will have to physically drag me out of this building and we both know that's not happening'.

"Right, thank you. Just… Just keep an eye on her Hedy." Cecil still sounded shaken.

What had happened at the hospital tonight? "I'll contact Alice and Clint but you should check in with them too. They need to hear her voice."

"I will," Hedy promised, hoping Cecil was too upset to notice how shaken she was too. But it was a fair reaction on both their parts.

She hung up and Jeremy immediately turned on Ruby with the look of an older brother who wanted to know who or what had hurt her. It was actually kinda shocking. Hedy had only seen it used for her before.

Naturally Ruby bristled since it was usually her looking at kids or the bots like that. "I'm fine, she blurted automatically.

"Bullshit," Jeremy hissed. He was very good at reading Hedy and his sister was upset at what she heard about Ruby.

"I am fine! No injuries, no blood or gore. I'm fine. It was just a couple of… of nightmares." Her voice broke on the last words and she bit her lip, angry at herself for the slip.

Jeremy looked ready to push and prod until he had answers, but faltered at the sudden crack in Ruby's harsh composure. He swallowed whatever anger he had at something that had hurt the teen and caused this and looked at Hedy. She would be able to get it out of Ruby better than him. That crack in her voice frightened him…

But Hedy didn't say anything. She couldn't just yet. Not in front of everyone. Ruby never wanted her bots to see her in pain. And she didn't want to talk about what a hell her week had been either and knew she wouldn't be able to escape the full discussion if she started it.

Everyone could see the relief Ruby tried to hide when Hedy didn't push and that worried them more than anything.

"Um," Mike spoke up, drawing their attention. "Is anyone going to mention the new ghost?" he gestured at Timmy.

"He's not new," Ruby shrugged. "He's always been here."

The broken sound Goldy made… Timmy flinched and looked away.

Ruby looked between him, Goldy and Puppet before throwing her hands up in exasperation. She immediately winced at the movement.

"This is Timmy Afton. Younger brother of Michael but definitely less psycho killer and a hell of a lot nicer than the brats. Well, when he's not being a snitch."

Hedy was staring now.

"Oh…" Jeremy murmured, earning him a look from Puppet. Did he know? Jeremy's quick but guilty glance at Goldy answered that.

Mangle tilted her head and all the other Toys looked curious too. They knew who Timmy was. They had just never met him.

Mike looked uncomfortable. "Uh...okay I'm guessing this is some other backstory stuff I don't know about…"

"Sorry, Mike," Hedy said. She had told him bits and pieces over coffee, like why Michael was after her and a little about Scott because he asked. But not very substantial information.

And then Ruby opened her mouth.

"Ages ago Michael and Timmy's dad founded Freddy's. He built the bots. Michael ended up killing Timmy-"
"Accident," Timmy interjected, making Ruby roll her eyes.

"Killing Timmy in an accident. Apparently he got a taste for it though since he killed five kids years later using Spring as a suit. Those kids' bodies got stuffed into the Originals because Michael is a sick bastard. As a result, they got connected to the Originals and they can possess them. Since Michael was working as a night guard, their admittedly traumatised minds figured they'd kill all the night guards and close the place in revenge. Meanwhile, Michael managed to get himself killed when Spring's springlocks malfunctioned," she glanced at Spring, "and he died. But since his body wasn't removed from Spring he could permanently possess our favourite golden bunny. Places kept closing down but coming back. Eventually I got the job and kicked the brats to the curb and did the same to Michael later. Apparently Timmy's just been hanging around this entire time." She shrugged. "That's story time over. Can I eat? I'm starved. I haven't had a pizza in a week."

Mike looked at Hedy in horror. "You said it was a long story." He recoiled a little at the look she shot him.

"That's the Ruby-Abridged version," she said dryly. She stiffened as Chica tried to get up. "Chica! What are you doing?"

"Getting Ruby some pizza. What's it look like?"

"Chic-"

"I'm okay." She nearly whined, desperate to do something helpful.

"Chica, sit the fuck down," Hedy demanded with no room for argument.

Bonnie glanced at Toby. "Oh, that's the scary mechanic voice."

"No, that's the Mama voice," Mangle corrected as Chica didn't have any choice but to cautiously fall back on her butt as her legs buckled underneath her.

"No, moms don't swear at their kids," Toby argued while Chi nodded.

"They shouldn't," Puppet distractedly added.

Hedy looked irritated and like she wanted to argue with Mangle suddenly, but took a deep breath and gestured at the kitchen. "There's some extra pizzas Frank tried to leave out for me and Mike."

"I can go get it," Mike offered. He smirked nervously. "Designated gofer is my new job I think?"

Ruby squirmed out of Foxy's hold, patting his arm when he protested. "I can get it. I'm fine," she shot a look at Jeremy.

She ignored how she wobbled on her feet for a moment before straightening up and marching out the room.

"I'm not the only one having a panic attack now that she's out of sight right?" Bonnie asked, eyes wide.

"No…" Hedy admitted quietly, rubbing her hands. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times.

Foxy was bouncing his foot and they could have sworn there was the tiniest growl coming from him.

Mangle was pacing, staring at the door while Toby's ears flicked back the second Ruby disappeared.

"I can hear her in the kitchen," Puppet deadpanned, as if that would comfort any of them.

"Who used my big glitter bombs?!" Ruby yelled from the kitchen and they heard a door bang shut.

Everyone winced.

"What did the doctor say?" Freddy asked quietly.

Hedy glanced at the door, trying to judge if Ruby could hear or when she would walk back out. "She flat-lined." It was a blunt answer, but she never tried to lie to the bots, even when she had to tell them about the coma in the first place. She looked at Timmy for confirmation, rightly guessing that he had been there.

Foxy stiffened and looked about to surge to his feet and race after Ruby. Everyone looked horrified and Mangle and Bonnie looked like they would follow Foxy. Puppet was unreadable.

They all froze at a sudden yelp from Ruby in the kitchen.

"Ruby?" Freddy called in alarm.

There was a moment of silence that nearly sent them into a worse panic. "Nothing," she sounded shaken. And… petulant? "I tripped over a paint can. And you guys complain that I don't clean up after myself."

"...oops?" Mike said, genuinely not remembering if he or any of them had left paint cans in the kitchen. That sounded reasonable.

A few moments later, the teen stalked back into the room sans pizza. She looked highly annoyed with something and was glaring suspiciously at Timmy, who ducked his head.

Hedy looked confused, but to Jeremy's frustration, still didn't comment.

"Right… well," she started. "I'll call the employees. Then I'll get started on Spring first."

Freddy frowned.

Chica beat him to it first. "Hedy, you should go get your head looked at and something to eat at home first.

Hedy didn't look like she agreed.

"I'm not worse off," Spring pointed out. "I can wait."

Ruby got pulled back into Foxy's hold, the bot still shaken by the news from Cecil. She twisted her head to frown at him slightly but seemed to brush it off.

"Cecil sent someone to check on me didn't she?" she asked when they could hear an ambulance siren getting closer.

Hedy's unimpressed look was all the answer she needed.

"Two stories," Timmy added.

"You would have never survived prison," Ruby muttered to the ghost and leaned back petulantly, crossing her arms.

"And you'd be the top of the food chain," Timmy answered back dryly.

"Course I would," she scoffed.

There were some eye rolls and exasperated sighs, but for the most part they were fond and relieved. Things weren't fixed… but they were better. They'd hit rock bottom earlier in the night so it was only up from here.

Right?