INFORMATION
Written by: Pinkpony4
Chapter Word Count: 7'830
Published on FanFiction: 2nd of August, 2022
Published on AO3: 2nd of August, 2022

Chapter 6: Tomorrow is Another Day

They made it up the stairs slowly, Michael keeping one arm around Jeremy to make sure he didn't fall. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't because Jeremy didn't need it, but these steps were uneven and bits were broken off. The railing was wobbly as well, and wouldn't hold if he was to fall.

The others were starting to move around as the thumping of their footfalls and the clanking of kitchenware started up down the halls. Michael was glad they were already up on the third floor as doors started creaking open.

At his door, Michael unlocked it and stood aside for Jeremy to go first. Once the both of them were inside, his old friend immediately whirled around.

"What happened?" he asked, without even giving the place a once-over.

Michael moved to sit down on the floor, Jeremy doing the same. "I had another one of my episodes this morning. It was pretty bad. It's been a while since I've had one that's made me move around," he admitted.

There was no hint of judgement on his face when he asked: "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, I just ended up in the bathroom." Well, as far as Michael knew, he hadn't. He wasn't sore anywhere. In the past, very rarely, he would end up running into a wall or tripping over himself when things got bad. The worst he had done was spraining his wrist after tripping over Jeremy's carpet when he was twenty-six after the Toreador March started playing from the kitchen radio.

Jeremy nodded, finally acknowledging the baby in his arms. "And how about him?"

"He actually snapped me out of it. He started crying… He's not hurt; I think I just startled him," he admitted, hoping that that was the case. He didn't want to be a danger to his bub.

His friend gave him a sympathetic smile. "You need a shower, Mike. Go have one, I'll watch him."

Michael was about to argue but the look on his face told him it was wise not to. Hesitantly, Michael handed Geh Ge over to Jeremy, who took him as carefully as he could and cradled him in his arms. Geh Ge looked between the two, eyeing the stranger.

"It's alright bub, he's a friend," Michael reassured, rubbing Geh Ge's head before retreating into the bathroom for his shower. Before, he would have been worried about leaving Geh Ge alone with Jeremy, but seeing his old friend again reminded Michael that Jeremy wasn't a glass vase; his survival despite all odds proved that.

Over the sound of the rushing water, he could hear Jeremy immediately fawning over Geh Ge. It made him smile as the cool water ran down his back, forcing him to relax and waking him up enough to get his body under control. He was okay, and so was Geh Ge.

He turned the water off and stepped out, drying himself off before putting his clothes back on. Looking at himself in the mirror, he felt better. The bags under his eyes were still prominent, but he'd sort that out later. Maybe he'd have a nap when Geh Ge did. That sounded nice.

When he left the bathroom, he found Jeremy holding Geh Ge close, tickling his bub. "Aren't you just the cutest! Yes, you are!" he cooed.

Michael grinned and sat down. "He is, isn't he?"

Jeremy jumped, one side of his face going pink before he gave him a lopsided grin. "He is! But," his tone suddenly turned serious. "are you okay?"

"I'm feeling better," he admitted. "But I'm tired."

"You look it. What was it about?"

"Just my father."

"Ah, I see," was all Jeremy said. A tense silence fell over them, but it was one Michael knew that was born out of the hundreds of questions Jeremy must have.

"You've probably got a lot to ask. Shoot."

With his offer open, Jeremy visibly relaxed. "I'm really wondering how he happened," he admitted, pointing at Geh Ge. "How'd you get a baby? I don't mean this in a bad way but you're not exactly… eligible to adopt."

Jeremy was right, of course. Michael was single, had a low income, didn't have an actual place to live until two days ago, and wasn't exactly… mentally stable enough to be trusted. He could control himself, but sometimes things set him off. If he was blanking out like he did that morning, he was dangerous. "It's a long story."

"I'm listening."

"Well, the short version is that I actually found him. Someone abandoned him and I couldn't just leave him so I took him with me."

"You mean that someone left him to die?"

"Yes. I found him in a locker in the woman's bathroom. I heard him crying and when I checked, he wasn't wrapped up in anything."

"When?"

"Last week."

His friend was silent, pondering the baby in his arms. "Why didn't you report it to the police?" Jeremy asked, before realisation dawned on him. "Are you behind that fire at that amusement park?"

Michael shifted in his spot, playing with the sleeve of his shirt. Jeremy knew him too well. "Yes."

"Are you insane? You could've died! Or gotten thrown in prison! Jesus, Michael," he whispered, falling back to lean on the kitchen counter. "Why?"

"Have you seen the news about an animatronic wandering around that area?"

Jeremy shivered, nodding. "What the hell is it? Is it one of the children? I thought you freed them all."

"I freed the original children, including Evan, but Charlie and one of the kids stayed behind. I don't know who the fifth was, but I know one refused to move on." He had also freed the man from the other end of the phone, though he had been harder to find and convince to leave.

Only a few people knew that the urban legends were true. Jeremy included. "Then what was it if it wasn't one of the kids?"

Michael looked down, wondering how to tell him. Only Michael, Uncle Henry, and the children knew it was his father. "I think it was the killer. There was a body in there. I could see its skull in the mask."

"What the fu– Hell," Jeremy whispered, catching his curse. "How can you know?"

"It matched the description of how the killer got away. It was one of the original suits – the Spring Bonnie one."

"From the Diner… I thought they were decommissioned."

"They were, but that didn't stop him. He knew how to use them. I don't know how, but I think something must have happened and he got stuck inside. If I had to guess, the locks must have broken."

"Like… what happened to Evan."

"Yeah… that."

Jeremy winced. "Sorry," he said, quickly diverting back to the original topic. "But how did it get to the park? Was it lured there?"

"No. My employer found a lead. One of the builders told them that every building was built with secret rooms that weren't in the floor plans. I suppose they went through every restaurant and pulled the rooms apart until they found it. That was where the suits were stored in the first place."

"What? And they just brought it back? Wouldn't they notice the rotting corpse inside?" he said, flabbergasted at the owner's stupidity.

"Money's a big motivator. I'm just surprised it didn't kill them when it was being transferred there," Michael muttered.

Jeremy shook his head. "I guess it tried to kill you too?"

"Yep," he said bitterly. "It tried its best but I was able to make it run in circles. It was smart, though – smarter than the kids." It wasn't the nicest thing to say, but it was true. His father had managed to fight Spring Bonnie's programming and wasn't tricked by masks or Balloon Boy's audio all the time. He also knew how to keep out of sight, making it nearly impossible for Michael to see him on those shitty cameras. Only the original Freddy had been that cunning. "I tried to trap it but it managed to escape the fire. Then I skipped town and washed myself off at a public pool and that was where I found Gregory."

His friend looked around the room, thinking. "Do you think you'll be okay? Financially?"

"I've applied for some jobs, but… I am on a strict budget."

Jeremy sheepishly handed Geh Ge back. "You know… someone will have to watch him while you're at work. And if you're struggling I–"

"No!" Michael said a little too harshly. He winced, looking down in shame. "You barely get by as it is. I don't want to take anything from you."

"Mike… I know you don't like this, but you need help; in more ways than one. Take it from me: you're just going to make things harder than they have to be."

"I know I need help. I'm just… scared."

"I know." Jeremy paused, before forcing a smile. "Hey! I do have something for you. And you can't refuse it either!" he said excitedly, rummaging through his bag to pull out two small, gift-wrapped boxes. Michael suddenly felt flustered as the presents were shoved into his lap.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think of getting you anything," he apologised, but Jeremy waved it away.

"Seeing little Gregory is enough of a present for me. Now come on; open them!"

He handed Geh Ge back to Jeremy and unwrapped the smallest one first, staring at what was inside. It was a familiar, yet old plush toy of Mangle when it had still been known as Foxy.

"But– but this is yours! I thought you couldn't get rid of it."

"Trust me, I hate the thing, but if it can be put to better use rather than just wasting away in a junkyard, I'd be happy for Gregory to have it."

He turned the toy over in his hands. He would have thought Jeremy would have thrown it away by now. It had been his sister's, but she dumped it after the bite. For some reason, Jeremy had kept it, even if he hated Mangle. And Foxy. Just… foxes in general.

"Thank you. It can sit with Fredbear," Michael said, trying to smile. He pointed at the dresser, Jeremy following his finger and looking surprised.

"I thought you would have gotten rid of that too."

"Evan loved it. I couldn't leave it behind."

Jeremy smiled in understanding, pointing to the second present. Wordlessly, Michael opened it as well.

Inside sat a book. It was also a guidebook on how to take care of children. "I know it kinda seems stupid, and I hope you don't take offense, but I thought you could do with the extra help," Jeremy admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "And don't worry; it's not one of those amateur ones written by people who think they know what is good for a kid. It was actually written by professionals. I hope it helps."

Michael grinned, setting it down. "I already have one, but it's forty years old. Everything in there is likely to get me arrested for child abuse if I practiced it," he chuckled.

His friend raised an eyebrow. "How did you get that?"

"I visited my home in the hills. I took some stuff from there to help. That guidebook had never been opened."

Jeremy snorted. "Of course."

He stood up, putting the gifts away before kneeling down and hugging Jeremy without hesitation.

"Thank you," he whispered, feeling a lump growing in his throat.

Jeremy hugged him back tightly, making sure Gregory didn't get squished. "It's nothing. I'm just glad you're still here."

They stayed like that for a while before Michael pulled away. Jeremy kindly kept his gaze averted as he wiped away his tears. Sniffling a bit, he finally managed to give his old friend a real smile.

"I'm glad you decided to visit. I feel better now."

Jeremy returned it, handing Geh Ge back. "I am too. Do you want to do something together? It's been a while."

The both of them stood up, Michael letting Geh Ge hold his finger. "I'd like that. But, I need some time to get myself together."

His friend nodded, leaning against the counter. "How are your neighbours? Met them yet?"

"They're… okay. I'm just not used to them. I don't trust them either."

"What are they like?"

"There's a pair of sisters that like art, a mechanic that works at the new Freddy's, a nurse, and an old lady. She lives on this floor. She knows… a lot."

Jeremy tilted his head to the side. "About what?"

"About the missing children, about what happened to my family – she lived in Hurricane. I didn't know who she was at first, but while I was in her room yesterday, I noticed that she had some old family photos. I recognised one of the kids in them. She's Susie's mother."

His eyes grew wide. "Really? I– wow… It really is a small world, isn't it?"

Michael nodded. "She tried talking to me about all of that, but I didn't want to. I think I upset her."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "You only met her yesterday and she expects you to be jumping up and down to talk about that stuff? I mean… well…" he trailed off, hesitant to finish off his thoughts. "It isn't good to keep it all in. She'd understand."

"I'm not dumping nearly fifty years' worth of trauma on a ninety-year-old lady I just met, J."

"I know, I know! I'm just saying that it wouldn't be a bad idea to make friends."

"I think I ruined my chance. I barked at the nurse after he called me Mr. Afton." Michael scowled, not needing to tell Jeremy why that upset him.

Jeremy, ever the optimist, clapped his hands together, smiling. "Well, there's always a way to make things right. I'm sure if everyone tries, you can finally make some more friends." As soon as that last sentence left him, he slapped his hand over his mouth, horrified. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that!"

Michael only laughed at the blunt nature of it. He had long gotten used to the harsh, but true, things his friend would say. Brain damage did that, his head surgeon had warned. "It's fine. I think if we're together, I may be able to handle it."

His friend relaxed, but the guilty expression didn't disappear. "Great! I'd like–"

Before he could finish, there was a knock on his door. Michael walked over, but didn't open it. "Who's there?"

"It's Olivia, dearie. I wanted to ask you something."

Jeremy looked at him curiously. Michael shrugged, slowly opening the door enough to poke his head out. "What is it?"

Today, she was wearing a festive coat and snowflake earrings, and her hair was curled. It reminded him of Susie's hairstyle. "We have a little tradition here where we have a gathering on Christmas Eve on the ground floor. We just spend the day together talking, playing music and games, and eating the food we made. I would like it if you participated. It would be a good way to get everyone to warm up to you."

By the sounds of it, Michael wasn't getting a choice in the matter. He hesitated, looking back to Jeremy, who gave him a big grin and a thumbs up. He looked back to Ms. Olivia, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Sure, that'll be nice, but I don't have any food to bring. Or presents."

Ms. Olivia glowed at his answer and clapped her hands together. "That's alright, dearie! We usually have too much food leftover anyway. And don't worry about gifts – we don't hand any out."

"Alright. I'll be down there in a second," he told her. With that, she walked away, where Ash was waiting by the stairs to help her down.

As soon as he shut his door, Jeremy cheered. "That sounds like fun! Let's go!"

Michael quickly stood aside, raising one arm. "Wait, I have to get ready. I'm hardly presentable."

Jeremy looked him over and nodded. "Yeah. Even after that shower, you still look like trash. Do you have a hairbrush?"

"I do, don't worry. You'll wait here?" he asked, handing Geh Ge over. Jeremy took him and nodded. "Okay. I won't be long."

Michael retrieved some clothes and moved back into the bathroom. Shutting the door, he got changed, brushed his hair, and checked himself over. He looked better: he wasn't as pale anymore, and the bags were slightly less visible. His pupils had gone back to a normal too. Patting the sides of his face, he took a deep breath, bracing himself for the event.

He'd be fine.

-o0o-

It was amazing how quickly things could change in the half-hour Jeremy had been around. By the time they got downstairs, the floor was lit up with lights, the plastic tables were stacked with piles of food, and the tree was being slowly decorated. So far, tinsel was the only thing that had been put on.

The first person to notice him was Ms. Olivia, who had no doubt been looking for him on purpose. Much to his horror, she announced his arrival for everyone to hear.

"There you are, Michael! Good morning!" Everyone turned to look at the three of them, and he froze up. It was only then that Ms. Olivia noticed Jeremy. "I didn't realise Michael had brought a friend. And you are?" she paused, leaning forward with her eyes squinted. "…You're Jeremy Fitzgerald, aren't you?"

Jeremy, with his confidence and lack of shame, was not at all deterred by her sympathetic look. Instead, he strode forward and took her hand, shaking it. "Yep! Nice to meet you, Ms. Olivia!"

Steve and the sisters didn't react, but Ash did. His eyes went wide, and he turned to (what Michael assumed to be) his mother, whispering something excitedly to her. He scowled, immediately annoyed. Great… another medical professional that had nothing to do with Jeremy's treatment that was gonna hound him with thirty questions and make his friend uncomfortable. Michael had thought he wouldn't have to chase those types of people away anymore.

"You too, Jeremy. I wasn't aware you two were friends," she commented, glancing at Michael, who finally pulled his gaze away from the nurse.

"Mike and I have been friends since we were five!" Jeremy said happily, slinging an arm around Michael's shoulders. It was a bit hard for him, what with Jeremy being slightly shorter. "He told me where he was, so I came to visit him and this adorable little baby," he added, poking Geh Ge's nose, who squealed. Michael lifted him up a bit, letting his bub play with the buttons of his shirt.

Ms. Olivia smiled, looking over at the rest of the group. "Well, I'll leave you two to settle in. Don't be a stranger!" she said, retreating to Ash's mum to continue their conversation.

"That didn't seem so bad," Jeremy said, letting go of Michael. "She seems really nice. I'm surprised she recognised me, though. I thought my face was too fuc– messed up. Especially since she's so old," he added in a whisper.

Michael looked over in alarm, but was glad to see that none of them heard the last comment. "You are–"

"Excuse me, Mr. Fitzgerald. Can I talk to you?"

They jumped, turning to stare at Ash, surprised that he'd been able to sneak up on them so easily. Michael felt his initial irritation spring back up.

Jeremy, on the other hand, tilted his head to the side, glancing at Michael before nodding. "Sure. What?"

"Well, I just wanted to ask you some questions. I've heard all about your case. While I was at college, we had to cover all sorts of injuries, and of course, brain injuries came up and yours was the last case we went over. It's honestly a miracle you're alive, and you recovered so fast! All it took was a year and you were on your feet again and apparently, you were completely normal! Aside from some expected handicaps. How have you fared since then? Do you get headaches sometimes or experience phantom pains? Are you capable of doing the things you used to do before the attack? You used to play the saxophone, right? Are you still able to multitask? And h–"

"No offense, but can you please fuck off?" Michael spat out vehemently, putting Ash's line of constant, invasive questions to a halt. Ash looked at him blankly, seeming completely oblivious to how upsetting those questions were. Jeremy didn't mind sharing his experience, especially when children asked things like "What's wrong with your face?" and "Why do you look like that?" because they were children. It was to be expected that kids would be that blunt. But adults were a different ballgame.

Jeremy could handle kids asking those questions, because they didn't know any better, and he was always happy to tell them his tale. They were always in awe after he told them, and that generally led to more personal questions, which he was also happy to answer. But adults… they should ask far more tactfully, or preferably, not at all. It was none of their business.

Jeremy released the breath only Michael had realised he was holding, shaking his head. "I'm glad my history was insightful, but I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me."

"That's not true," Ash said stupidly, making Michael's blood start boiling. He wasn't good with people anymore either, but he wasn't this daft or insensitive. Especially considering matters this sensitive. "There are a lot of things that are wrong with you. You have no depth perception, your hearing has been damaged, you have minor cerebral nerve palsy down one side of your face, an–"

"And none of that is your damn business, so move along," Michael bit out. Sensing the building danger of pissing Michael off, Ash backed up. He paused, the both of them eyeing each other off before the nurse relented.

"I'm sorry I bothered you Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Afton," he muttered, rushing off to the group.

Jeremy placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping Michael from doing something stupid. He took a deep breath, holding Geh Ge closer. His friend leaned over, a sly smirk on his face.

"And what would your aunt say?" he whispered, mirth in his voice.

Michael snorted, remembering his aunt's vulgar language. Michael had learned all of his swear words from her. His father banned her from family dinners after she taught Michael how to say 'fuck'. That ban had quickly been lifted after she gave him an earful.

"Fuck!" he shouted, more out of instinct after kicking his toe into the table and nearly dropping his dinner.

"Michael!" Mummy gasped, Daddy snapping his head around so fast he heard it crack. "Who taught you to talk like that?"

Michael, oblivious to what he had done, pointed at Auntie Alison Afton. Mummy's sister – Auntie April Schmidt – started giggling.

"Alie!" Daddy hissed, glaring at her from where he sat across the table. "I've told you to watch your mouth around Mike!"

Auntie Alison just waved her hand dismissively."Oh, 'e's only nine! It's not gonna kill 'em to say ah few swear words, is it? Besides, 'e asked."

"That doesn't mean you teach him!"

"Now, Honey, I said no more fights at the dinner table," Mummy placated, placing her hand on Daddy's own.

"Yeah, li'sen to yea wife, lil' Willy," Auntie Alison encouraged, smirking at the vicious daggers Daddy was giving her. "An' wipe tha' sour look off yea face. Ya neva were able ta scare me!"

Despite Mummy's efforts, a fight broke out at the table anyways. Michael watched his Mummy cut his steak as he played with Evan, who was sitting on his high chair, picking up his mushy peas with his hands, rather than with the metal spoon beside him.

Elizabeth, who was being held by Daddy, started crying like she always did when they got too loud. Newborns did that a lot.

"He's a righ' fockin' cunt' ain' e?" he whispered. Jeremy joined in his quiet laughter, the both of them ignoring the glare Ash was sending their way. More to Michael than to anyone else, but he didn't care. He seemed to be the only one that noticed their antics.

But all jokes aside, Michael couldn't wrap his head around why people couldn't just mind their own business. It was okay to be curious and to ask questions, but there was a line that shouldn't be crossed.

Jeremy used to have strawberry-blonde hair, green eyes, and a symmetrical face, but that had all been taken away after the bite. Everyone said that it was only the Frontal Lobe that had been damaged, but they were wrong. It was much more than that.

Michael would visit Jeremy nearly every day after the bite. He had learned a lot about what had actually happened there that the company tried keeping confidential.

While a large portion of Jeremy's Frontal Lobe had been damaged it was not as horrifying as the average person would know, because a person's personality was more than just how they felt about things. The Frontal Lobe controlled a person's ability to concentrate, plan, judge, express emotion, create, be self-aware enough to understand inappropriate behaviour, and how easily basic motor functions could be executed.

The security cameras had captured everything, and while he could never have stomached the footage, one of the nurses had recounted the event to him.

Jeremy had been doing what he had been instructed to do the night prior: wear his uniform and supervise the last party being held while keeping an eye on the animatronics. Mangle had been crawling across the ceiling, and the children had taken delight at the display, thinking it was just an act. The party had been held in Kids Cove.

Everything had been normal for the first two hours. Jeremy had stood back and watched the families talk as their kids ran around, but he was always glancing back at Mangle, who had moved to hang just above the tables.

Some staff had come out singing Happy Birthday, and the cake was placed down in front of the birthday girl. She sat up and blew out the candles. The staff member moved towards the girl, handing the knife from the platter so the girl could cut the cake.

That's when Mangle lunged.

It had been fast. So fast in fact, that they had to slow the footage down in order to see what had happened. It was a wonder how Jeremy had reacted so quickly.

Jeremy noticed and grabbed the staff member, tossing her back. She dropped the knife and fell onto one of the chairs a child had been sitting on, leaving Jeremy in Mangle's way. Mangle's full weight had slammed into him chest-first, breaking his ribs. With its weight and the force it had hit him with, he was sent rocketing to the ground, slamming the back of his head on the tile floor, all the while Mangle's jaw was wide open, going for his head.

As he fell, Jeremy raised his hands and tilted his head to try and stop it, but it didn't do much. It broke one of his hands when they made contact, and its jaw swung down, stabbing his left eye. He had gone still as soon as they hit the floor, knocked out from the impact, letting Mangle tear away to its heart's content.

With some of its teeth in his eye socket, and its jaw latched to the top of his skull, it managed to crack it, piercing through enough to dig into his head. It wasn't there for long.

One adult ran out of the room to call for help, while other staff members ran in. Children were being dragged away, while three security guards grabbed onto the rogue animatronic and managed to pull and throw it away. A technician ran up as the animatronic tried to stand, and shocked it with a stun gun. The four managed to dismantle it just as the manager of the place ran in with a first aid kit and tried to do what they could while the paramedics arrived.

Somehow, Jeremy survived, but it took him a year before he was allowed to go back home, and even longer before he was allowed to do anything. He had to learn how to walk, talk, read, write, count, and learn basic social cues all over again. They weren't completely gone, but it took time. Time many in his family weren't waiting for.

Jeremy wasn't a complete one-eighty from who he used to be, but he was different enough that it was hard for anyone that knew him to look or spend time with him. Eventually, it got so bad that his family separated from him because it was too distressing for them to see him anymore.

Michael understood to some degree why they were upset, but he hated them for it. It was selfish of them to abandon Jeremy like that.

Michael had stayed, even if Jeremy had scared him when he saw the state he was in. But he spent time next to Jeremy's bed, talking to him, playing games like chess in order to train his brain, and playing hand games to test his reaction time. Little things like that kept Jeremy happy, but he would never be the same again.

His recovery was phenomenal! By all intents and purposes, Jeremy should have been six-feet under, but the universe had other plans for his friend, it seemed.

While the physical recovery was surprisingly fast for the amount of damage done, it had taken Jeremy some time to get used to his appearance when he had first looked into a mirror.

Jeremy was bald by choice. He could still grow hair, but it looked funny with the way it would grow around his scars, so he decided not to bother with it. As for his left eye, it had been beyond repair, so it had been treated as best as the doctors could do at the time and was now covered with an eye patch. Michael however, knew there was no eye in there at all.

The rest of his face was heavily scared where Mangle had gnawed at him. A scar sat atop his nose, which was bent slightly, and his top lip was cut through. Everything else was slanted to the side, drooping ever so slightly due to heavy nerve damage. Despite all of that, Jeremy still had a wonderful (slightly crooked) smile, and his right eye always seemed to have an excited shine.

"Michael?" Jeremy whispered, knocking him from his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I've said your name eight times. I thought you'd gone into one of your episodes again," he said, voice laced with worry.

"Oh, sorry. No, I'm fine. I was just thinking of you," he admitted, smiling. Jeremy tilted his head to the side like always, before returning it.

"Maybe we should try and talk to them," Jeremy said, after a moment of silence between them. "I'd like to get to know the others if I'm going to be staying here."

Michael stared at him, eyes wide. "What? No, it'll cost too much money to travel back and forth. And hotel rooms aren't cheap. And I don't have a spare mattress!"

Jeremy laughed, hitting him in the side playfully. "Stop being such a worry wart. I'm responsible. Now come on," he said, starting to walk over to the group. "let's have some fun."

-o0o-

It turned out to be far more enjoyable than he thought it would be. Jeremy was the ice breaker, easily slipping into conversations, and with him by his side again, Michael was remembering how to make things interesting.

Of course, there wasn't much to talk about, but he was finally remembering how good it felt to talk to people. Mostly because Jeremy was there… well, only because Jeremy was there.

But Michael would get there eventually.

Currently, they were looking at Jamie and Alex's phones as they showed off their artwork, and Michael was flawed by every piece. The sculptures were his favourite, especially the small one of a Labrador.

"That's Ms. Olivia's Christmas present. Don't tell her," Jamie whispered, grinning.

"What about this one?" Jeremy asked, pointing at a painting of a woman holding a melted key. She was surrounded by five doors.

"The story behind that one's morbid. Not a topic for today," Alex said quickly, swiping to another photo to show the start of a quilt. "Jamie and I have decided to try our hand at quilting, too. It's hard, but the reward is worth it."

-o0o-

Steve also had some interesting stories to tell. What Michael could only assume was his brother was there, the both of them sitting on the couch and drinking from plastic cups.

"They are paying you properly, right?" Steve's brother asked.

"If by 'properly' you mean five cents over the minimum wage, then yes," Steve grumbled, tipping his head back to finish his drink. "I'm thinking of just dropping it after January. I'm sure I can find something better once I get out of this stink hole."

Neither of them were going to butt in on their conversation. Instead, they decided to help decorate the tree (or more, Michael just holding onto the lights while Jeremy walked in circles since his hands were full), but Steve's brother noticed them.

"Hey! You two new?"

"Yes. I only moved in two days ago."

"I'm not though! I'm just here to visit," Jeremy added, popping up from behind the tree. Steve stared at him, taking in his appearance. If he had anything to say, he kept it to himself. Instead, he just smiled, leaning back into the couch.

"I've been wonderin' about you," he said, nodding at Michael. "Good to see you've got company. We all need somebody."

Michael only nodded, thinking about how the day had gone so far. Why was Steve curious about him? "Why?" he decided to ask.

"'Cause you've got a kid," Steve's brother answered for him. "Our Pa was a hardworkin' man, but he was single. It was hard for him to raise us by himself."

Before he could continue one, Steve took over. "We didn't have a mum, but we had our community. They helped Pa take care of us. We don't know you, but we thought we'd let you know."

He looked over to where Ms. Olivia was standing by the table of food, eating some mini quiches. "Did she talk?"

"Only what we needed to know. I know you're new here, but trust me when I say, we've always pitched in to help each other."

"Why?" he asked again before he could stop himself.

Steve's brother scrunched his nose up. "'Cause it's the right thing to do?"

"We've been living together for years. We're practically family. If you behave better than the last guys that were here, then you'll be in it too."

Jeremy caught his gaze, looking pointedly at Ash. Michael shrugged. "I don't think that's happening. Ash doesn't seem to like me."

"Pfft! He doesn't like anyone new. Understandably. The last lot broke into his room and tore up all of these drawings kids had given him when he was still working at the local hospital before it got shut down." Steve shook his head. "Bloody bastards. What did they gain from it? Doesn't matter, because they got fined for trespassing and kicked out before noon."

"Just don't be a dick, and you'll be fine," Steve's brother finished off.

"I think it's too late for that," Jeremy admitted, finished with the lights. "We just had a fight with him."

"Fight?" Steve said incredulously, before bursting into laughter. "That wasn't a fight. He has a good heart, but damn can he be insensitive. Believe me, Ms. Olivia and Ash didn't get along at all. It took four years before she forgave him. Served him right. You don't just bring up that personal stuff out of the blue like what he did to you," he added, nodding at Jeremy.

"I can hear you, you know," Ash said from the table holding some drinks.

"Then you'll know to play nice. And remember to be sensitive," Steve added, leaning forward to emphasise his words. "Ms. Olivia told us all about the little altercation between you over Mike's name, and I heard you make a point of using it." Steve paused, then looked over to Michael. "Is it fine if I just call you Mike?"

Michael only let his closest friends (or more so, friend) call him that. "No, not yet."

"Have to earn that? I respect it. Anyway," he turned to address Ash again. "you being a dick on purpose isn't gonna help. Play nice."

Ash didn't answer. Instead, he turned away sharply, stomping off with his drinks.

Michael sighed, leaning against the wall behind the tree. Jeremy placed a hand on his shoulder while Michael played with Geh Ge. "I feel like I've ruined this for him," he admitted, not looking away from his bub.

"You haven't. Just hold on and we'll be fine in no time," Steve reassured him.

-o0o-

Ash's mum didn't seem interested in talking to him, even if Michael could hear Ms. Olivia trying to convince her that Michael wasn't a bad person.

"He killed his brother. That's all I need to know," Ash's mother said far too loudly. A tense silence filled the room, and Jeremy's grip on his shoulder tightened.

"Mum," Michael heard Ash mutter. "that's too far."

"What? I thought you didn't like him!" she squawked, turning to him in surprise.

Ash shook his head. "I don't, but that stuff stays in the past. It was an accident, anyway."

"Accident? Accident? I know teenagers, and they can be stupid – especially the boys – but not that brain dead."

"Mum, don't!" Ash barked, looking at Michael in alarm.

Ms. Olivia pulled away as Ash dragged his mother outside to talk. She stood a little way beside him, hesitant to approach. While it was still quiet, everyone had the decency to pretend they were doing something else.

"I'm sorry about her. She… blames your family for what happened."

"Were one of her kids part of the incidents?"

"No, but… that's something Ash can tell you when you two become friends," she tried to say with a happy tone, but it was incredibly forced.

Jeremy squeezed his shoulder before letting go. "We haven't eaten yet. Let's take it off our minds," he suggested.

The last thing Michael felt like doing was eating, but he decided that passing up on lunch wasn't a good idea. Taking a paper plate, he used the tongs to pick out some food and sat down on the floor, letting Ms. Olivia have the couch despite her protests. He didn't miss the look of relief that crossed her face at finally being able to sit down.

They ate in silence, and eventually the room went back to normal. Ash came back, with his bitter mother following behind him. She made sure to shoot him a sour look, but he didn't respond and kept eating, occasionally finding himself drifting away as he stared at Geh Ge. All of these people had made his bub tired, and he had fallen asleep.

Evan was brain dead. The doctors said so after two weeks of having him on life support, hoping he would wake up. Despite their best efforts, he had stopped responding to any stimuli halfway through the first week. His father had been asked if he would like them to turn the machinery off, letting Evan die. It was the only thing keeping his heart beating and his chest rising with every artificial breath. The only thing keeping him 'alive'.

His father had eventfully agreed to have everything turned off.

"We want to know if you would like to stay," the nurse asked, the doctor overseeing Evan's progress standing next to her. Michael was sitting next to his father by Evan's bed. He looked so peaceful.

"We will," his father answered for them.

The both of them held onto Evan's hand, even as the heart-monitor flat lined and the oxygen mask was removed.

He was gone. Forever.

"Mike?" Jeremy whispered.

Michael was barely aware of what was going on. All he knew was that Geh Ge was still in his arms and Jeremy was hugging him. Their plates had been set down, and the too cheerful Christmas carols had been turned up to hide his muffled sobs.

"I'm sorry Mike."

They sat like that for a while, Michael not moving at all aside from letting himself return the hug with one arm. He could only feel one pair of judgemental eyes on him. And it wasn't Ash.

"Look what you've done, mum. You're worse than me!" he heard him hiss over the radio. Michael tuned it out, only listening to Jeremy's heartbeat, the occasional mumbling in his arms, and the thump of the carol's steady beat thrumming through the floor.

When he finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to find that the tree had been mostly decorated, but a box had been set in front of them. For a moment, he thought it was a present, and he panicked, but he could see some ornaments and an angel sticking out of the top.

Noticing his movement, Jeremy pulled away and smiled, squeezing his hand. "You good?"

"Yeah… thank you, J."

He was helped to his feet slowly as he looked around. Ash's mum was gone, and he was sitting on the couch, drinking and talking to Jamie and Alex. Steve and his brother were still around, and Ms. Olivia was approaching them, her cane tapping the ground with every step.

"We thought we'd leave some decorations over for you. Wouldn't want to steal all of the fun, would we?"

He gave her a wobbly smile and walked over to the box to pick up one of the ornaments. It was a tacky thing, with a Santa wearing a plaid shirt lazily lying on top of a car. It was so stupid looking, but that's what made it amazing.

Jeremy picked up their plates and set them on the table for later and started decorating the tree with him. There were a few white doves to be clipped to the tree and some fairies designed with snowflake wings to sit on the branches. He had forgotten about ornaments like these. They used to hang them up when he was little. They had a lot of ones that were simply red and green apple-shaped ones, and dancing ice skaters. Even if it reminded him of home, it didn't make his chest ache like usual.

Maybe because he had a new home, now.

-o0o-

Eventually the day came to a close and everyone started to say their goodbyes and head to their rooms. Steve, his brother, and Jeremy helped fold the plastic tables and pack the food to be carried to Ms. Olivia's room, while she and Michael talked.

"I hope you are feeling a little better. I'm sorry for what happened today, and Ash is too, but I know it's not enough."

"It's not your fault, so don't worry," he reassured her. Geh Ge wriggled around in his arms, starting to wake up.

"I know, but I just worry. Will you be okay tonight? I don't mean to pry… but I did hear you cry out this morning," she said softly, making sure no one else heard. "I used to have them too. Not as bad as yours, I'm sure."

He nodded, not needing an explanation. "I'll be fine. Seeing Jeremy helped."

She smiled at him and they both looked over to his old friend who was laughing about something with the brothers. "Just don't forget what Stevie said. It is the truth."

"I won't, thank you."

They finally managed to part ways and they went back upstairs, Jeremy close behind. Once they were inside, Michael sighed, feeling ready to collapse. He felt like that a lot these days.

"Do you want any help tonight? My hotel isn't far, so don't worry about driving or anything. I'll just get another taxi," Jeremy rushed out, fretting over him.

Michael smiled. "I'll be fine. But can you hold Geh Ge for a bit? I need to get him ready for bed."

Jeremy accepted gladly, and started fawning over his bub again as Michael moved around, getting things ready for the night. He didn't feel like cooking since the food had been so filling, so he skipped to getting the formula mixed up. Jeremy stood close by, watching.

The radio was on again, along with the heater that Jeremy was sitting in front of for comfort. Geh Ge giggled, as they played together, and it was an adorable sight. It made Michael feel at peace. Was that what he looked like when he held Geh Ge?

The both of them were yawning by six, and after changing Geh Ge's nappy (with Jeremy watching to see how it was done), washing him, and feeding him, he tucked Geh Ge down in his spot on the pillow. Geh Ge immediately knocked himself out once his tiny head touched the pillow.

"For some reason, it never got through to me how hard this is. I'm tired just looking at ya'," Jeremy admitted, sitting down with him on the mattress. Michael himself still needed to have a shower, but not until he was sure Jeremy would get to the hotel safely.

"It's a lot of work," he agreed, looking back at his bub. "But I think it's worth it, even if I've only had him for a week and a half."

"Hell, you're doing better than most parents these days. Much better compared to whoever left him," his friend added bitterly.

Michael hummed in agreement, touched by his words.

They sat in comfortable silence, as they waited for the taxi Jeremy had called for to arrive.

"You know," Michael finally started, reflecting on the day. "Gregory wasn't scared of you at all."

Jeremy grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "I think he's still too young to recognise a stranger as a danger."

"They're a lot smarter than we think," he said, thinking back on what he had read and watched. "They have to be. But I was wondering… would you like to see him again?"

Jeremy looked at him as though he had grown two heads. "Of course! I'm not letting you hog him all to yourself, you know."

Michael grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that. What do think of being called Uncle Jerry?"

The lopsided grin on his friend's face was all the answer he needed.

TO BE CONTINUED…