Thomas Connor took a shaky breath upon seeing the monstrosity before his very eyes. From all that time wasted in creating the ink machine, and getting unexpected results in return, it was something Joey Drew never dreamed of. Thomas thought it would've worked, considering all the amount of effort and commitment that'd been put into creating the mechanism, but for some odd reason, it didn't go the way as planned. Needless to say, their attempts of bringing Bendy to life had been far from availing.

Thomas would hear the monster pleading through yowls of distress to be released, but that wasn't the true iniquity of it all. The worst came when Joey would have another employee electrocute the creature whenever it made sound or annoyed him.

And unfortunately for Thomas, he wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bendy heaved with sheer exhaustion as he pressed himself against the bars of his cage. Hearing him trying to withstand the torture Joey inflicted upon him sickened Thomas. How much longer will this creature be mistreated? It was already foul enough when Tom had witnessed Bendy being hauled to a room of private executives, who just so happened to scream in horror at the monstrosity before their very eyes. Needless to say, hearing those screams that day disturbed Bendy. He didn't understand why they were so afraid of him? What's wrong with him?! He didn't know why they were reacting to him like this, but he didn't like it! He didn't like it at all!

The most haunting feature from Tom's memory was seeing Bendy stare helplessly in his direction, with the creature's body language shaking and pleading to not undergo this torture. The presence of the human before him frightened the Ink Demon, and whoever it was, he would do his best to remain passive. He wasn't a threat, and neither was a monster. Thomas caught onto these signs, hesitating with the taser in his hand, and couldn't help but feel absolutely remorseful.

"Whaddya waiting for Connor? Just hurry up and zap the damn thing already!" Joey barked after removing his cigar while in his office chair.

Thomas knew he couldn't get himself out of this one. Not if he wanted to risk losing his position in the company, or worse, his entire occupation as a result. The only thing pushing him was the idea of looking forward to the date with Miss Pendle tonight. He was going to be bringing her a bouquet of flowers, accompanied by a heartwarming note of the feelings he suddenly has.

"Thomas!"

And Joey's booming voice was the remaining ingredient needed that sent Thomas to finally go ahead and commit an act of absolute cruelty.

Tom was startled back into reality after recalling that traumatizing experience. He wouldn't have admitted this to Allison, had she still been around, but torturing and feeling somewhat responsible for the Ink Demon's corruption made him repentant. Of course, it was too late to change things now, but if he could alter the past in any way, he'd easily have decided against Joey's authority that day.

Perhaps another one of those consequences finally caught up to Tom. And now, here he is trying to find new shelter with a child that shouldn't exist.

Tom finally found a new place to call home close to the failed Bendyland project, and settled there soon after. Since then, he learned to adapt to his new role as a father figure. Getting through the fresh months was tough, but Tom quickly understood the routine. No problem, for parenting wasn't as hard as he initially thought!

Tom also ensured to keep Ben separated away from the Ink Demon. However, there were times when the toddler began displaying Bendy's traits, including sensing his presence before Tom could. Occasionally, Ben would start crying with fear, but Tom was quick enough to cease his cries before Bendy could discover their whereabouts. Another important factor in protecting Ben was making sure he didn't partake in anything ink-related.

It also seemed that when Ben stepped foot into a puddle of ink, Bendy was always alerted of his presence. Tom knew this was true since he caught Ben playing in one, and despite the fun, it was no longer entertaining when the Ink Demon was charging through the vents to reach the baby. Fortunately Tom and Ben escaped, and when they reached home, the wolf immediately wiped away any ink stained on the toddler.

The most disturbing part of being like Bendy came one night when Ben was around five years old. The distraught child led Tom to a corner of their home where scratches were present on the wall, and the pages from the books Tom always brought him were torn to shreds. The boy solemnly explained that he got a little too angry when he messed up on one of the colorings he drew of him and Tom. And because Tom wasn't present to witness what had happened, he knew Ben had let his monstrous genetics take control.

And since then, it hasn't happened again.

For twelve straight years, it's always been about living under a code of isolation – with Tom going out on essential missions and Ben staying home alone. Old enough to know of the dangers that lurked outside their door, Ben did his best to please his father. Today also marked a very special and tragic day for both Tom and Ben. Not only was it Ben's thirteenth birthday, but today also marked the thirteen years since Allison. Although Tom tried his best to not dwell too much on her death, he knew that this was an important day for his son, and had to think of what's best for Ben's future.

Which was the reason why he found the perfect gift for a boy like him…

Lost Harbor was one of Ben's favorite locations to interact with ink creatures, and the kid was clever enough to always arrive home before Tom ever did. In fact, this has been one of the boy's many kept secrets for years. Tom hasn't the slightest idea, and the plan was to keep it that way.

Of course, Ben would protect his identity with a creative mask he made with some cloth fabrics from Bendyland. The Lost Ones were easily fooled by the disguise that they mistook him as another member in the village. Ben was even here often enough that the ink beings actually seemed to enjoy him around. They didn't know why, but there was just something about that kid that made him different.

Like a candle shining around a sea of darkness.

"Why you little–"

Sammy oofed when he was faced with a sharp blow to the head by a gent pipe. Rushing out from Sammy's den with a book in his possession, Ben hurried as fast as he could to flee the village. He was going to be late to the shack before Tom arrived! He couldn't risk getting in trouble and losing his freedom right now! As much as he wanted to stay and drive Sammy's anger, Ben had no choice but to get home.

A few villagers watched with surprise as Sammy angrily stepped from his hollow, holding his cheek for comfort. Searching for which direction the child went, he quickly spotted Ben taking off towards the boat in the distance.

"How dare you take what's mine! Give that back!"

As Ben looked back and chuckled at Sammy's rage, he reached the dock, pulled the switch, and sent the barge on its way to the river. As soon as it began to speed off, the boy quickly leaped inside. When the boat splashed its way into the ink, Ben panted and placed a hand to his chest before turning his attention to an outraged Sammy Lawrence.

"Come back here!"

"Not my fault you're too slow!" Ben called back with a laugh. "Sorry, but I have to go! It's my birthday! Thanks for the souvenir!"

Needless to say, Sammy shouted words that no child should ever hear, nor repeat, under any circumstances.

Traveling along the river was risky, especially with the monster that lurked underneath, but Ben always knew when was the best time to travel. After all, he could sense the creature underneath that thick ink, and it just happened to not be near the area today.

Ben gazed down at Sammy's cookbook and kept reading each recipe. He didn't know what kind of reading this was, but it sure had to do with food that the outsiders known as humans liked to eat.

"Baked potato..." Ben read to himself, completely amazed. "Wow, so wicked cool!"

At this point, relying on bacon soup as a daily diet wasn't favoring Ben anymore. He liked the food, but his appetite was eager for something fresh. Eating bacon soup forever was already a curse of its own, however, that's all there was to eat in this studio. So really, Ben didn't have any other option, and it was getting to the point where cardboard sounded interesting as an alternative.

As he flipped his way through other dishes of the 1920's, Ben stopped and beamed at a dish that sounded absolutely intriguing. However, he frowned and tilted his head when he wasn't sure how to pronounce the name.

"Hey, what's this? S-Salid? S-Salud?" He corrected himself. "Alad? Salad? Salad."

Confident he finally got it, Ben couldn't help but feel eager to try this dish with its unusual items. What was lettuce? What were onions? Eggs? Dressing? What were these things, and what did they taste like? The possibilities were endless!

"This has to be good then." Ben smirked before fantasizing over the taste. Will his head explode into diced bits like the onion? Will he turn green? Is the dressing toxic? Daydreaming, the boy sighed in admiration whilst holding the book to his chest - pondering about this goal that he'll one day achieve.

When the barge docked, all the fantasizing quickly faded as Ben forgot he had a curfew to beat. Snatching the book, he raced home and figured he only had less than a minute to get there before Tom.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Ben panicked.

Just on the other side of the storage room, Tom was content to finally be arriving home. The surprise he had for Ben was pretty heavy in his arms, but he knew it'll be something the kid will appreciate having. Especially since Tom felt somewhat remorseful for leaving Ben alone half the time.

Ben arrived inside first, quickly kicking open the backdoor before rushing to change out of his cloaked disguise. Shoving his mask underneath his bed pillow, Ben took all the steps he needed to rid himself of any ink stains. His senses then began to pick up Tom's footsteps coming right to the front door. Believing he hid his evidence, Ben hopped onto his bed and pretended to be asleep, but not before his eyes burst open in remembering Sammy's cookbook.

Quickly reaching for the large book on the bed, Ben grew anxious when he had absolutely nowhere to hide this. His pillow was too small and there was no space under the bed, which was already used by him and Tom as a storage stash.

This is where the mind becomes desperate, and decides to make an unwise decision...

Ben knew he had some advantage in using his ink abilities. Although using them meant possible consequences, he didn't know that such risks existed since Tom forbade him from ever using them. However, Ben was fed up with this lifestyle expected of him and decided that it was time to pursue one for himself.

No more hiding…

No more isolation…

He wanted to be free!

Ben had a secret hideout of his own, a place neither Tom nor any other being knew about, and decided that would be the best place to hide this magnificent find he'd stolen. Looking down at the book in his hands, the boy smirked and nodded confidently. Holding the item before him, Ben shut his eyes and began to focus hard on sending the book with the use of ink teleportation. He opened an eye and grinned ecstatically when a blotch of ink appeared, enveloping around the book before dissolving it away.

"Yes!" Ben cheered as he pumped a fist in the air.

He immediately gasped and threw himself under the covers as Tom turned the doorknob. Thankfully, he missed Ben by a second and still remained oblivious of the underlying truth. Ben was super clever too, for he was quick to control his breathing state, giving Tom the impression that he was sleeping underneath the blanket. The wolf was relieved to see that Ben was here, safe and remaining indoors as a son who greatly respected the wishes of proper authority. And for this reason, it only made Tom feel like a proud parent in protecting the only part of Allison he had left.

Gently placing the gift down on the dinner table, Tom walked over to sit alongside his son's bed and placed his mechanical hand on Ben's slumbering form. He then rubbed him softly before reaching over to pull the covers, revealing the sleeping boy that began to awaken.

Yawning, Ben smiled as he sat up and rubbed a tired eye. "Hey dad."

Ben could easily tell that Tom was happy and satisfied through his body language. The wolf then stroked Ben's cheek before playfully pinching the bridge of his nose and ruffling his dark hair. Ben laughed upon the positive greeting, knowing this is his father's way of expressing affection.

The child's eyes then caught sight of the mysterious object hidden underneath a sheet on the table. Curious, Ben immediately threw the covers and walked over as Tom watched. Ah, this kiddo – quite inquisitive like his mother.

"Is this for me?" Ben asked, gesturing to the object.

Tom sent a soft nod his way.

"For my birthday?"

Another nod.

"Wow, thank you!" Ben exclaimed as Tom came to reveal the gift underneath. "I wonder what it is!"

The excited grin Ben had been holding up was immediately wiped into pure disappointment. He didn't know what to think of it, nor how exactly to respond.

"A...Bendy bot? Dad, you're kidding."

Tom was unaware of Ben's reaction and nodded matter-of-factly. Even though it was slightly repaired, Ben knew this was something the wolf had been secretly working on, and he couldn't help but muster an annoyed frown. He didn't want to admit it, but he secretly wasn't a fan of another Bendy object in his life. From the cutouts, worship statues, Sammy's obsession, and even to the label of food, Ben was indeed weary of the mascot.

However, he was also smart to realize this gift was another reason to keep him indoors. He figured Tom probably felt pity and believed Ben didn't have any kind of entertainment – let alone someone to talk to.

In all honesty, Ben secretly wished he could've got something better, but didn't want to hurt his father's feelings. Knowing Tom, who worked hard in keeping both himself and the boy safe, Ben knew he couldn't upset him. Not here…not now.

"Gee dad, I dunno what to say," Ben lied with a soft smile. "Thank you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

Tom was glad to hear Ben appreciate his gift. He didn't think he was going to like it, but there was no need to worry about that anymore. Now, Ben's future starts here.

Opening his arms, Tom got to his knees and embraced his son. Ben smiled upon the loving gesture and gave in, but his smile easily downcast itself into guilty disappointment.

One day, he hopes he'll be able to pursue a life of his own.

After dinner, Ben was ultimately drained and needed rest. With a yawn, the young boy smiled when Tom came to tuck him in. Stroking his head, Tom expressed his way of saying G'night sport before leaving the room.

"Night dad." Ben replied with a faint smile.

Tom switched off the light and silently shut the door behind him – leaving Ben alone in complete darkness. Too tired to lie awake, Ben slowly shut his eyes and easily succumbed to peaceful slumber.

No more than thirty minutes had passed when an unusual sensation bothered Ben. He frowned and shifted in bed uncomfortably, trying his best to fight the sharp ringing now invading his ears.

Groaning, the young boy threw his pillow over his head as he continued fighting for his sleep.

Then, the ringing abruptly stopped.

However, Ben was too tired to care. All that mattered is that whatever that noise was had finally stopped. Now comfortable, he continued to keep his head underneath his pillow, sighing tiredly as he continued to dream on.

Unbeknownst to him though, the reason for silence was now a foul thing.

For the Ink Demon was here.

Standing at the foot of the bed, grinning with pride.

He had finally found his son.