Hello everyone! Thank you so much to everyone reading this! This one is back to normal length, I hope you guys like it!

I own nothing but my characters

Chapter Five
Beaten and Bruised...

Leo nearly screamed when he felt someone shake his shoulder. The guard did however flinch hard and recoil back against the inside of the desk. His eyes flickered up at none other than Jamie, who looked severely concerned.

"Leo? Can you hear me?" The younger man asked, Leo gazed at him and opened his mouth, but his tongue felt like lead, his body still shook like he was vibrating.

He could vaguely remember making a noise that sounded similar to the word yeah, but he couldn't be certain.

As his world faded to black, in the back of his head he recalled something odd last night…

The power had gone out.

But he was still here.

Jamie had panicked.

Now that wasn't a uncommon thing for the young man, he was very fidgety and flinchy. Though he was sure that was likely a symptom of working at a place like Freddy's.

But when he left Leo at the pizzeria that night he hadn't been able to sleep a wink. Leo wasn't the nicest person in the world, but Jamie liked to think that he and the older guard had become something that was a bit more than strangers. Not quite friends, but more like acquaintances.

After seeing Mike that night, and watching the older guard slowly realize just what could happen to him and then still insisting to go on working the night shifts.

It had set a feeling of unease and restlessness within Jamie that caused him to remain awake the entire night. He had gotten to work early that day, looked around for the guard, he was going to just put it out of his mind, after all he could be out getting breakfast, but he wanted to check the different rooms first.

The waiter checked the back, he checked all the rooms and finally reached the office...and when he saw the bruised and beaten guard…

He panicked.

The waiter had let out a stressed cry and had gathered the attention of the other staff. It was the cleaning staff, and he almost punched the guy who asked if they needed to get the body bag.

When Leo had barely woken up only to pass out again, Jamie had felt his heart lurch, he tried to wake the man up again, but he got no response. Lucky for him one of the other waiters had enough sense to call the hospital.

The drive there had been a blur, he wasn't a relative so he couldn't go in the ambulance with him. He was so thankful for the lack of police cars on the road that day. The redhead was so sure he had broken about a dozen or so laws. Getting the injured man into the hospital was a blur as well. He remembered one of the nurses asking him to wait and it wasn't until he found himself sitting in the waiting room that he finally broke out of the blurred reality he was in.

He cursed silently under his breath shaking. The young waiter remembered when they found Mike...there had been so much blood...the sound of gargled words and wet coughing still haunted his ears.

Mike had just barely made it out alive, and by the looks of it, so did Leo. Jamie really shouldn't be panicking, he barely knew the guy…

His mouth was dry, and his tongue felt like lead.

Those were the first things he took note of, the second was the sound of a heart monitor.

It was difficult to get his eyes open, such a simple task now was so tiresome it took him several attempts before it accomplished one of the easiest movements. Where was he? Clearly it was a hospital...but how did that happen? Did he pass out again? He didn't particularly want a repeat of last time…

"Leo!" The shout made him wince slightly and look over at the person responsible, he stared at him a long moment before a name came to mind.

"J...Jamie..." he murmured gazing at the redhead. The guard almost winced away, he was smiling so bright it was practically blinding.

"I didn't know if you were going to make it..." the younger man's smile faded as he fidgeted in his seat. Leo gazed at him a moment, but wasn't sure what to say in response...he hadn't been sure either…

He didn't respond and instead took in his surroundings.

The hospital room was fairly bare, it had a seventies feel to it, with the color scheme they chose. Next to him the heart monitor continued to track the beats. There was nothing particularly noteworthy. Not that he expected there to be.

"What happened? Did...did they try..." The waiter's voice made Leo look back at him, the guard paused a moment before nodding slowly.

"Yeah...uh, Bonnie got into the room, I freaked out and ***ked up. I should've hit that button, but when I saw him reaching in..." He swallowed at the memory of the bunny's hand, for some reason that was always the thing that frightened him the most. When he raised it, when it came in too close proximity to him…

The heart monitor started going faster and Leo glanced at it before taking a deep breath to calm the organ.

"...he brought me to the kitchen...threw me against a cabinet, he had called me a cheater? I donno..." with a sigh he raised a hand to his face and rubbed his brow tiredly. "Chica was there...I think she wanted to ask me something but her voice was all messed up. Bonnie's was too. I didn't really care though, first chance I saw I ran...Jamie...it was freaky as # %$...they watched me go back into the office." There was a bit of tugging on his arm and he looked down at it only to find there was a IV that led up to a drip.

So that's why he wasn't in agony…

"***** it to ***l..." The guard continued before lifting his other hand to rub the rest of his face, only to find a weight upon it he was not used to. Blinking, he turned his attention to it. "Wha...what the ***l..."

"Oh...uh yeah, your...um...your arm and leg are broken. You have a few cracked ribs and there is an intense bruise on your head." Jamie informed quietly, Leo turned his attention back to him blinking.

"That...sounds pretty bad." He mused quietly, Jamie blinked at him before taking a breath and rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah! It is pretty bad Leo! They could've done a lot worse!" The shout caught Leo by surprise, and he paused a moment before hesitantly.

"Yeah...but they didn't." He knew he ran out of power last night, there was absolutely no reason they couldn't come into the office.

"Leo! That's not all, apparently you are malnourished as well? Which honestly I wasn't surprised to learn! With your sleeves rolled up you look like a walking skeleton!" Jamie continued, seeming like he had this pent up for awhile now.

"...I told you I needed the money..." It wasn't much of a protest, but it was all he could muster, his body was demanding sleep. He didn't like the fact that Jamie knew all this, wasn't this only for families?

"I tried to find your parents." The young man said, seemingly having read Leo's thoughts.

At the mention of his parents the guard couldn't help but stiffen up.

"I couldn't fin-"

"Stop." the sharp voice of the injured man made the younger one freeze. "They are dead." Leo continued before taking a breath and pulling at his hair.

"I...I figured...that..." the man muttered softly, and Leo let out a breath rather wishing this hadn't come up.

"It doesn't matter. Look I need to get back to work. What time is it?" The guard sat up and pulled out his IV Jamie got up and moved to stop him.

"Hey, hey no, no work for you. Stop, you are going to hurt yourself." The younger man ordered. Leo looked up at him, once again hating the height difference.

"Move." Leo ordered, Jamie frowned crossing his arms.

"What? So you can go back there and get killed? Leo you can't run from them now. What happens if they get into the room?"

"They won't, not this time, that stupid rabbit is getting a door to the face the entire night." He growled before looking around for his uniform, it was folded up on the table, he moved past Jamie only for the waiter to grab his good arm.

"You can't go back there, look, I have money I can get you what you need, just...at least wait until you are better..." the young man offered, but Leo was stiff and gazing at the ground.

"Let me go."

"Le-"

"I SAID LET ME GO!" The guard yanked his arm out of the younger man's grip with intense ferocity. Jamie took a step back startled.

"Leo I-"

"***k off Jamie. I can handle myself." he hobbled a bit to the chair, grabbed the clothes and went to the bathroom. He had glanced at the clock on the wall and let out a breath.. It was only six. Sure, he had missed his dayshift and the money would be sorely missed, but he hoped the manager understood that he couldn't possibly attend.

"...Leo they haven't even discharged you yet..." The waiter said as Leo exited the bathroom heavily limping. The guard was certain he had to be on drugs now.

Leo used the wall as support and took an exhausted breath. It had been far too complicated to get his clothes on.

"Go get the doctor Jamie. I want to go. I hate hospitals." The waiter hesitated at the order before finally giving in and heading to find the doctor. Leo let out a breath and collapsed into his seat.

Last night had been a nightmare, but he had little choice but to go back. He would just have to get better about using the doors, he certainly wouldn't be able to leave the office in his condition.

The old chair groaned a bit as it took on his weight, but his mind was elsewhere. Why...why had they done that? Why hadn't they just stuffed him into a suit and called it a night? There was no way he would've been able to escape from Bonnie, and by all logic if they had been really trying to get to him…

He would be a bloody mess in a spare suit by now.

That thought didn't make him feel good.

However, before he could delve too deep into his stressed mind, the sound of footsteps made him tense up. But looking at the door relieved him that it was merely Jamie and the doctor. The aged man looked Leo over and raised an eyebrow.

"Wish we had employees as dedicated." He mused before coming over, Leo sat up in his seat best he could, suppressing a wince as the drugs started to wear off. Probably because he took out the IV…"look, young man, you just woke up from an eleven hour nap. Your friend here has told me that you want to go to work tonight?" Leo's nod and side glare to Jamie was the only indications of acknowledgment. "Well, your condition is pretty bad Le...oh, by the way, what is your last name? We need it for the documentation. We tried asking your friend here, but he said he didn't know."

The guard let out a breath and rubbed his face tiredly, only to find his cheekbone sore to the touch. Likely a bruise, he'd forgotten to look at the mirror in the bathroom.

"It's Byrd...Leo Byrd." The doctor nodded jotting it down on his clipboard.

"Is there anyone we can contact, a relative? Close friend?" The doctor's hazel eyes flickered up at Leo again and the injured man sighed deeply resolutely looking out the window.

"No. There is no one." His tone was clipped and a blank look had crossed over his face. The doctor nodded again and took a breath.

"Okay, well, you seem to be doing okay, we will be giving you pain medication, don't do anything strenuous, and make sure you stay up for the rest of the day. Tonight you should be able to sleep. We'll get you some crutches and a sling. Do you have an insurance company?" Leo was nodding along up until the last question, he paused and shook his head.

"No. But that's one of the reasons I need to get back to work. Start paying off these bills." The last part was grumbled.

The doctor nodded, writing something else down before leaving the room, "wait till one of the nurses come with the things you need then you may leave." His footsteps faded as the man headed down the hallway.

The waiter and the guard were left in silence, neither sure what to say to the other.

"I'll...take you back to the pizzeria." The waiter mumbled, rubbing his arm. Leo nodded and took a breath.

"I can handle myself Jamie. I understand this is you being concerned, but this is the only job I can get. Especially now." He motioned to his injured self.

"...I see your point." The waiter was silent for another long moment, "do...you want me to stay tonight? Extra pair of eyes?" Jamie looked at the floor wringing his hands together. Leo glanced up at him before sighing and turning his attention to the door.

"Kid, I'm not going to make you stay there at night." At that Jamie looked up at him and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a nurse walked in with the things Leo needed.

"Hello there Leo." She greeted kindly with a smile, the guard nodded back offering a small one in return.

"Hey, I hear you are here to give me the ability to walk again?"

"Yes, though the doctor has suggested that you should avoid walking around as much as possible. But if you have to, use one of the crutches, the other might mess up the healing of your arm." Leo wouldn't like to admit it, but he needed Jamie's help to stand, the younger man was silent as he helped Leo.

Leaning over the nurse placed the crutch under Leo's arm, it was very lucky for him that his injured leg was the opposite of his healthy arm.

It took several attempts and the nurse commented on how they may need to get a child's crutch that they finally got it to the right size. Leo was biting the inside of his cheek to prevent scowling.

"Okay, and again, try and avoid walking, but if you have to, just make sure to put the least amount of weight on your leg...okay?" Leo nodded tiredly, all this movement was making him sore already.

Tonight was going to be a nightmare, and he may very well end up dead.

"Also hun, I understand struggling financially, but eating is also important for a swifter recovery." The nurse advised gently and Leo sighed and nodded.

"I have a lot of allergies. It's difficult to get food I can eat." He mumbled, the nutrition they gave him already made him feel so full already…

"Oh, okay, well, just try your best okay hun? You were very malnourished." Leo nodded feeling the waves of pain starting to hit him. Without even realizing it he found himself leaning against Jamie slightly.

"Um...ma'am can he have some of the medication?" The woman nodded at Jamie's question and went to get some water. "Leo...are you sure about this? You can barely walk..." Worry was laced in the waiter's voice, the older man couldn't help but sigh.

"Yes, I'm sure Jamie...I have to work." He responded tiredly rubbing his face. The young man nodded with a deep breath.

"Okay..."

"Here you are sir." The nurse said as she re-entered the room, coming over she handed him the small cup of water and pills. Leo downed them gratefully and nodded with a breath as he took the pill bottle from her, only to hand it off to Jamie once he realized he needed to walk.

"Uh...thanks, I better get going." He mumbled and the lady nodded stepping aside.

It had taken some difficulty and lots of cursing to get into Jamie's small car, but it had been accomplished and they were heading back into town. The ride started out silent, both men mulling in their own thoughts.

"I uh, well while you were asleep I went out to get lunch..." Jamie started pulling Leo's attention to the younger man, Jamie gripped the steering wheel and let out a breath. "I picked you up a pack of cigarettes." The last part was mumbled, like he knew he had done something he shouldn't.

Leo couldn't comprehend why he felt that way, he was just very grateful he had.

"Really?" the older man asked, and Jamie nodded with a breath.

"Yeah, I figured you'd want some after last night."

"Oh, well thanks Jamie." He took the pack the waiter pulled out of the glove compartment. Automatically Leo started looking for his backpack where he had left his lighter only to freeze in place and look around wildly for it. "H...hey Jamie where is my backpack?" He asked, finally looking up at the driver.

"Huh? oh , your bag? I think it's still back at the office. I think Julie brought it to the kitchens."

"Oh uh, okay, thanks." He mumbled it leaning back in his seat. The guard must've hit his head hard not to notice the absence of his bag until now. He felt so bare and naked without it…

Jamie had tried to convince him to go out and eat someplace before work, but Leo had declined, saying the stuff from the hospital had filled him up enough. The young waiter tried to avoid dropping Leo off early, but the only place Leo wanted to go to was a bar, so Jamie had relented and taken him to the pizzeria.

The guard quickly found just how much he hated crutches. He had barely walked from the car to the doors and the under part of his arm was killing him. He just wanted to get to his bag so he could light his relief and be left in peace.

There was a strange chill about the place when he entered, which didn't particularly make sense, as the place was pretty full with customers even close to eight at night. Though when Leo walked in, he felt a cold feeling blossom in his chest and spread through his body. Inhaling sharply he ignored the look he got from Jamie and continued to hobble inside. He was hoping to avoid everyone, but that dream was short lived when he saw John spot him.

Swearing under his breath Leo waited for the manager to come over. John fidgeted taking a breath.

"I'm kind of surprised to see you here..." he murmured, looking Leo over, the guard half debated growling at the man...but he was still his boss.

"Yeah, I told you, I'm very broke. And if you are coming to ask me if I'm suing, I'm not. Now, good sir, I need to get off my leg if I have any hope of it recovering before I'm in my thirties." The manager nodded and stepped aside. Leo hobbled toward the security room, Jamie shadowing him like the guard was going to fall at any second.

Though he would never say it, a part of Leo was glad Jamie was right behind him.

The guard spared a glance at the stage, there the animatronics stood, frozen as always, his eyes flickered over to Bonnie, and he couldn't help but smirk slightly at the slight dent in his face.

But he stiffened moments later, as he could've sworn the bunny sent him a murderous glare.

He hobbled a bit faster to his office after that.

As Leo sat down, Jamie handed over his bag, the older man grabbed his lighter and lit the cigarette before inhaling and letting out a long breath. The tension in his body leaving him.

"You know those aren't good for you..." the younger man muttered gazing at him. Leo looked up at him a moment before blowing smoke into the waiters face.

"Yes. I know."

Jamie coughed and waved the smoke away from his face, he took a hard breath.

"Okay, well, I'm going to head home then. I'll see you tomorrow Leo." With that the younger man left. Leo watched him go a long moment before shaking his head and grabbing the tablet and started going through the cameras. Everything seemed fine, he saw the aggravated evening guard arguing with the boss about having the take the whole day shift. Leo couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. Like that guy knew anything about how hard this place was.

Putting the tablet down the guard let out a breath dragging out a smoke, this place was so awful. Tonight would be nothing but nightmare fuel, the good thing is that he didn't sleep all that much for the nightmares to happen. Though he knew they would come.

Something was still nagging at him, why? Why hadn't they just stuffed him? Why had Chica been trying to speak to him? He figured out why Bonnie had called him a cheater, it was likely because he had hidden in the cabinet on the previous night.

But Chica...she had been trying to say something, ask him something. But he couldn't figure out what…

The rest of the day was spent either smoking and using the cameras or abandoning his cigarettes and hobbling into the main room when there was an argument breaking out. Luckily it was only an hour left of people and then he was with the cleaners. They acknowledged him, to his surprise, one of them...Jack was his name, he even patted Leo on the shoulder and told him congrats for being alive.

Leo wasn't sure how he felt about that.

While the cleaners dealt with all the messes Leo pulled up a chair in the dining room. He needed to take more pain medication, and the nice thing about being injured, when he asked one of the cleaning staff to get him a drink she smiled and got it for him.

Huh, at least there were some perks.

Honestly he should go back to his office, hide out in there, but he was far too sore to do that right now.

After taking his medication he rested his head on his good arm taking a deep breath. Before moving his head so he was now looking at the bots.

"I would appreciate it if you took it a bit easier tonight." He mumbled, in some weird way he knew they heard him.

He also knew they didn't care.

Pushing himself up in a sitting position with his good arm. Leo looked at them over a long moment, "honestly I don't get it. Why is it that you are so committed to killing me? I haven't done anything to you! I've been good! Sure I chucked some stuff at you but you just about broke my body!" He sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. Leo could feel the eyes of the staff on his back. "Ugh...this is so stupid..." he let out a tired and stressed noise, "all of this is so #$##%$# $ up..."

The cleaning staff was giving him a wide berth, and Leo would swear it was the drugs, because the pain killers had to be the reason his throat closed up and his vision grew blurry.

Because it certainly couldn't be because...

He didn't want to die.

In all logic, he was being stupid, find a job someplace else, there has to be someone who would take him...right?

Leo just wished he could be certain of that.

"It's not like I want to be here! I would love for a job someplace else! But no one else will take me! I've tried!" the guard didn't care at this point if he felt the eyes of the animatronics on him. Let them listen, let them plan their murderous plots. He didn't care.

"Uh...sir, we're gonna get going." The voice of Jack made him jump and look at the boy. He was a young cleaner, recently hired, and Leo only knew that because he had been there for the boy's excited attitude on his first day.

The guard took one look at him now and could have laughed at the amount of change in the boy's face. He now looked tired and worn down, his once bouncy curls seemed to almost be depressed in and of themselves. His once vibrant green eyes were dulled in their color.

Leo couldn't help but wonder if he had been one of the staff to find Mike.

"Oh uh...thanks." The guard couldn't help but rub his eyes a bit.

Jack's eyes flickered up the animatronics, "is it true?" The kid asked, and Leo looked at him.

"Is what true?"

"Do they...move around at night? Did they really do that to you?" The cleaner motioned to his visible injuries.

The guard looked back at the bots, before taking a deep breath, "yeah, freakin' things did."

"That's crazy...I never would've guessed they could move on their own." The kid murmured, Leo looked back at him, he was paler and watching the bots.

"You should probably get going, you don't want to be here when it hits midnight." The guard mumbled and pushed himself to his feet. He put the crutch under his arm and started heading to the office. Leo felt Jack's eyes on him, but as he glanced back at the three cleaners, they were already out the door. The guard took a breath and went to lock the door. While he wanted to have the door unlocked...the last thing he needed was for some stupid robber to come in.

Leo glanced back at the animatronics once more before hobbling to his office.

I hope you guys are liking Leo! I'd love to hear what you all think! :)