Mable: Hello there! First thing's first: Toasterwitch has done a gorgeous picture of Baby with a fixed face on Deviantart. Go check it out, because it is a great reference- great enough that I will be referencing it to everyone I can. XD As I can't remember what else I was going to say, and I don't want to take any longer, I will now go ahead without further ado! Enjoy!

Almost Feels Like Home

Chapter Forty

"-The three suspects; Roger Ganley, Doug Hanson, and Wayne Nevelson have been released from the hospital and are now in police custody. All three are continuing to claim that they were attacked by a man dressed as a clown, but witnesses at the scene claim their injuries were due to a brawl between them and several other unidentified men. If you have any information on the identity of the other suspects involved in the robberies or fight, please contact Hurricane Police Department."

"That be Ennard."

Jeremy slowly looked over at Foxy, who was sitting on the couch beside him. Since the pizzeria was closed and being renovated for the time being, he had invited the captain to stay with him. So far, it was going as well as usual, until the news just happened to come on and this bizarre story had begun to play. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I bet me booty on it. That be him. Whole story don't make any sense unless ya got a crazed clown on the loose," Foxy pointed out. He looked to Jeremy and noticed the other's stare. "…Me gold, Lad. I meant me gold."

"Really? I had no idea," Jeremy playfully answered. Even through the shock at the news, he still managed to get a teasing smile. "I thought you were taking that pound of flesh thing really seriously. I mean, you already don't have a tail, but what the heck, I'll take that bet!"

Foxy scoffed and leaned back on the couch. "That's one way in me pants."

It was only right after this that Foxy realized that was probably not the best joke to use, because something awkward started to creep over the room. He slowly looked over at the human with a single, gold eye. Jeremy had his lips pressed into a tight line, seemingly just as unsure how to react. Well, that was one sort of reaction. The pirate decided to salvage them from what he created.

"Get me the phone? Let's call up Scott's an' see what he's gotta say 'bout all this. Knowin' him, he prob'ly ain't even know yet," Foxy directed. He averted his gaze back to the television and played it cool.

"Right. Good idea. Right on it, Captain." And Jeremy- who acknowledged the comment was just a joke- tried to pretend he was totally unflustered by it. Somehow, he managed to keep from stumbling on his words as he dialed the number. A voice that sounded like Scott answered the phone. "Hey, Scott! I was just calling to see if, I don't know, maybe you saw the news and-."

He was cut off by the voice abruptly changing. "Why, hello Jeremy! Fancy getting your call. It really is a Freddy's reunion today."

"Mari?! Uh, hey! I didn't expect you to answer the phone…" Jeremy covered the receiver and sent a panicked whisper towards Foxy. "Mari's at Scott's! It was Ennard!" Foxy could just stare back in shock, eyes widened, and ears perked. Jeremy raised the phone to his ear again, "Y-Yeah, I'm still here!... Foxy? He's right here… Sure thing. Hold on a second." He looked to the fox and offered the phone. "He wants to talk to you."

"Course he does," Foxy remarked as he took the phone. He looked back at the muted television as he said, "So, were ya plannin' on telling me 'bout this or did ya just hope I'd never check the news?" This got an almost nervous chime on the line. "I'm taking that as a never."

"No, no! I was planning on calling, I just got caught up with some things… Some things I'll explain if you give me a moment," Marionette said, cutting off Foxy before he could speak up. "…So Ennard was right, it was on the news?" he asked hesitantly. Multiple airings were slightly concerning considering the circumstances.

"I knew it was him. Only bloke in town with enough loose wires to try somethin' like that…" There was a long silence as Foxy began to suspiciously wonder why his brother was at Scott's at all. "…Saw that they were all alive, just tied up and bruised a bit. Ya wouldn't think that Ennard'd restrain himself like that. That be somethin' fer someone with patience, an' who knew 'bout tying a good knot."

"I know what you're getting at and no, I didn't go play vigilante bounty hunter with Ennard. In fact, I spent most of last night with Mike trying to beat the most infuriating video game level in existence, so I have an alibi," Marionette playfully defended. "If not Mike's word, then the pieces of carpet I yanked off the floor."

"Then I believe ya… But only cause I know you'd never go runnin' off, fightin' thieves and plunderin' their goods, without yer captain, yer partner, the literal pirate," Foxy said matter-of-factly, clearly angling for something. There was a response of silence. "…Alright, yeah, yer off the hook. Iff'n it ever comes to it, call me."

"Foxy, you know I would. Nobody knows how to tie a Bowline Knot like you do, nor would be as willing to full body tackle someone twice their weight," Marionette playfully chimed.

"It all be in the shoulder. Right in the belly and right to the ground," Foxy answered braggingly.

"But… There is something we need to talk about. Partially about Ennard, but mostly about Baby. See, Baby decided to have her face fixed today! It went wonderful, but last night…" The Puppet hesitated briefly. "Something happened last night."

"Uh huh," Foxy coaxed. He kicked his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back, looking casual even though he knew they were about to sail into some rocky waters. Taking this as a sign that all was well, and still rather curious, Jeremy sat down on the other side of the couch.

"Last night Baby went to her old pizzeria to find her old body, but… Instead, she found something a bit different… She started remembering things, Foxy. She remembers being human."

"What?!" Foxy sat upwards abruptly in alarm. "What? You sure?"

"I don't know the full extent and I haven't talked to her about it yet, but Scott said she remembered her death and… Well, I can believe it from how she's acting alone. She's not been nearly as aggressive as she used to be. She talked to me like a real person." The striped one looked towards the garage door before lowering his voice to a whisper. "She even hugged Ennard. She actually hugged Ennard."

"Ya sure she wasn't just stranglin' him?"

"I thought that too at first, but it was definitely a hug, and Baby used to hate Ennard! Something changed last night."

Though while Marionette sounded elated, Foxy couldn't ignore the feeling of dread that started to crawl down his spine. Something about Baby, stubborn and frustrating Baby, remembering that she was Elizabeth, spoiled and fussy Elizabeth, left him feeling almost claustrophobic. Neither his last memories with Baby nor Lizzie had been good ones, and though he knew they were one in the same, her remembering it herself was pressing. It made him uneasy.

"That's… That's great, Lad. That's what we wanted, yeah? She's comin' around. Maybe she won't act like a salty tavern wench now," Foxy said in a forced joking tone. "But don't go gettin' yer hopes up."

"I know. Mike already forewarned me. I'm prepared for the worst, but I haven't been disappointed yet," Marionette pointed out. "But I haven't directly confronted Baby with the fact that we're siblings… I thought maybe you'd want to be here when I did. After all, you are the one who remembers her best."

"I, uh… I don't think that be a good idea." Foxy started to feel nervous. As though a dark shadow was looming over his shoulder even though nothing was there. The only thing waiting to haunt him were memories he preferred to block out. He swore he was beginning to have tunneled vision but couldn't imagine why that could be. It was just talk about their sister, nothing else. "Not until she's got herself back together. Best if ol' Foxy don't get involved."

"Foxy, what are you talking about?... I know you and Lizzie weren't exactly close, but I do know you loved her," Marionette pointed out. Foxy's hand tightened on the phone as his hook scraped down the couch. "You're the only one who can remind her of who she was, and while I'm not sure if she's ready for that, maybe it would be a good thing to lay down the groundwork. I know Baby's difficult, but all you need to do is just show that you're here for her," Marionette tried to coax gently. "So… Would you do it? Could you come see her?"

He was persistent, so Foxy gave his answer.

"I can't."

He then proceeded to hit the button to end the call and tossed it on the couch between him and Jeremy. The blonde stared down at it as the pirate slumped back on the couch and dropped his head.

"What do you mean you can't?"

Foxy's head shot up and there was Marionette suddenly hovering in front of the couch. He had teleported over instantly and without a sound. It was so abrupt that the pirate jumped back with a cry.

"Fer Freddy's sake, Lad! Give a fox some warning- I ain't as young as I used to be!" Foxy scolded. The Puppet was entirely unphased by it.

"Why can't you?" Marionette asked. He understood why Foxy wouldn't want to and would've accepted that answer or any that just involved him not trusting Baby. The way he said it though- "can't"- suggested something more than simple reluctance. "Something's wrong, Foxy. I can tell when you're hiding something."

"Don't go making a big deal outta nothin'! Who'd really want to go spend time with Baby?" Foxy challenged. Yet as Marionette watched him, the pirate began to slowly cave under his gaze. He was always terrible at bottling up his emotions. "It ain't anything big, I just… I didn't get along with Baby an' I didn't get along with Lizzie. Me bein' there ain't gonna do her any good," he reassured as he continued to keep his gaze at the coffee table, hunched over on the couch.

"Is that the truth?" Marionette prodded.

"The truth?" Foxy twitched lightly. "Yeah, that be the truth."

"Foxy, I know when you're leaving something out. I don't want to push you and I certainly don't want to force you to see Baby, but…" He had to recompose himself to keep his worry from showing on his mask. Briefly he looked to Jeremy, who looked equally concerned by Foxy's peculiar behavior. Then the striped one reached out and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "But I would like you to at least be honest with me, please. We've spent too much time keeping things quiet until the bubble up and pop out at the most inopportune time."

Ironically enough, that coaxing was enough to cause the exact reaction. Foxy abruptly straightened, hand still on his shoulder, and decided to be brutally honest if it meant getting out of the corner he was backing into.

"Ya want the truth? Fine. The truth is that I don't want to see Lizzie," he bitterly snapped back. "Ya prob'ly don't remember, but Lizzie was always Dad's lil parrot. She picked up all those nice things he used ta say and threw 'em round whenever she wanted somethin'. Always got her way, always got all of Daddy's love, always got me in trouble. She was a spoiled, selfish, heartless little brat."

There was a long pause as Marionette and Jeremy just stared at him. They were startled by the outburst. Foxy wasn't finished either and only hesitated to reign in his emotions. He knew how it looked and the last thing he wanted was either of them thinking that he was still bothered by past events. He was stronger than that.

"Don't get me wrong, I loved Lizzie. Still do, always would, and I'm glad she be gettin' another chance… But I got me life back together, Mari. I ain't plannin' on tearin' it all down to reminisce with Baby," Foxy explained.

"Oh…" The Puppet's voice was soft, and his mask showed sympathy. He understood and seeing that look was enough to make Foxy look away. "Foxy, that's okay. I… I wasn't thinking. I should've considered how difficult this would all be before pushing you into it. I was just got a little carried away." He regained his smile and patted his sibling's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I can talk to Baby. You just enjoy your vacation before we're back on the clock!"

"Err, yeah…" Foxy shifted slightly. "Thanks, Lad. Sorry I ain't much help."

"Don't be! Trust me, I'm already risking any progress trying to push Baby into bonding as it is. What a shame too, I used to be so patient," Marionette chimed. "But speaking of time off, perhaps we should take this opportunity to spend more time together. Today is pretty much called for, but maybe tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it fer the world, Lad," Foxy assured with a happier tone. Happier, but not fully happy, and caving after the Puppet said goodbye to both of them and dismissed himself with a spin before he vanished. All at once the pirate slumped again with a low grumble. He noticed Jeremy out of the corner of his eye. "Yar. Didn't really want ya to hear all that, but Mari brought a spring 'round his cable an' put me in a bind."

"…He what?... No, it's fine! You said it yourself, and you were honest," Jeremy assured. He reached out to awkwardly pat his back before daring to take a guess. "But I'm going to go out on a limb and say from your look alone that maybe it wasn't all the truth?"

It took a few moments before Foxy managed to shake his head. "Nah. There be somethin' else."

"Well… Do you want to talk about it?" Jeremy asked. Again, Foxy shook his head. "Oh… Well, okay. As long as it's not going to bother you…" There was an uneasy silence. "You… Want to turn up the news and see how much damage Ennard did?"

That was why Foxy loved Jeremy so much; he always knew how to find a good distraction.

Meanwhile, Marionette reappeared back in Scott's house. It was still as he had left it, with Ennard off somewhere and Mike still returning the tools to the hardware store. He could hear Charlie and Baby in the garage and started to approach. Spurred on his talk with Foxy, he knew he needed to go ahead and tell Baby what he knew. He let himself in quietly.

Baby was leaning against the washer on her folded arms. This was the closest she had gotten to showing weariness. Perhaps to not look weak she decided not to sit down, even though she was probably still feeling uncomfortable. It was hard to explain the sensation of having parts replaced, but it usually bordered between numbness and pain. At least Charlie was keeping her distracted, or at least talking her out of rushing into any more immediate repairs.

"But I don't know, I think you should really consider it before you commit to a wig. I'm sure we could find one that felt close enough to human hair, but they're not exactly durable," Charlie remarked. She was sitting on the washing machine and looked over to the garage door as it opened. "Hey, Mari. Did Mike get back?"

"Not just yet but any moment now," Marionette answered as he approached. "Charlie, would you mind if I spoke to Baby for a second?" Baby turned her head slightly in curiosity, showing that she was listening.

"Sure. Should I step out and give you two a minute?" the other puppet offered. He swore that he could see Baby's claw twitch. Not aggressively, maybe in uneasiness. She had to know what was coming, especially after her questioning earlier. It seemed like the more comfortable thing if Charlie stayed- at least it would make him more comfortable. She would be able to replace the spot he wanted Foxy to fill.

"No, stay! It's not about anything secret. At least, not something that I'm aware we're keeping secret or anything like that." Now he was rambling. A terrible place to start as he stiffly turned towards the clown. "Baby, I was hoping since you're… Since the stress is over, I thought maybe we could talk about what happened last night."

What followed was the same, long silence that had been on the phone. Though Baby broke it quicker than Foxy would've. "About me going to the pizzeria…" she asked, voice low, "or what I remembered?"

"What you remembered. We don't have to talk about the more painful memories, but I was wondering how much you did remember about who you used to be," Marionette coaxed. He rubbed at his arm uncomfortably while Baby's claw twitched with distress, both uncomfortable.

Charlie, meanwhile, knew absolutely nothing about what had happened. She caught on quickly- it wasn't difficult to pick up on Marionette's hints- but was still taken off-guard. Baby and she had been talking since she had been willing to set the mirror down and not once had she even hinted that she had memories return. Though Charlie knew Baby well enough to know she was capable of pretending problems didn't exist and avoiding disputes.

"What is there to talk about? I'm sure whoever it was who told you said already. I remembered how I died," Baby said mechanically. She, also like Foxy, kept her eyes low and refused to look at him. "I was a foolish little girl who got too close to something I didn't understand. That's all it was."

With her reluctance he started to consider letting it drop, but he still pressed on. "But was there anything else you remembered? Your name? Maybe your family?" Marionette lightly coaxed. This was when Baby would have typically become defensive. Even now she considered shutting down his pressing questions. What stopped her was a vague memory, not from the pizzeria but from a more recent time.

"When that man tried to burn us, he called me something," she recalled. Her eyes darted across the top of the washing machine as she mentally searched through that hazy recollection. At the time she had only been paying half attention in her shock and so only did she find herself unsettled by his words. The man had known she had been that girl. "He called me… Elizabeth?" She made a scoffing noise. "But he said many things. You could tell he loved to hear himself speak."

"Oh, I won't argue with that," the Puppet agreed with a light chime. He briefly looked towards Charlie and noticed her watching Baby with a mix of empathy and inquisitiveness. She had no idea that the man they were talking about was her grandfather. That just wasn't a bridge he wanted to cross. For now, he had enough with Baby. "But yes, it was Elizabeth. That was your name."

"…So, you did know who I was." Baby's voice quieted to nearly a whisper. There was something akin to dread in her voice.

"I did," Marionette agreed. "You were my sister."

Baby's external reaction was minimal, but her lack of a response was telling. Her eyes flickered slightly and raised to Charlie's, though dropped as she realized the other was looking at her. She wasn't sure what to think or what to ask, or if she even wanted to know what he could say to her. After the night before she wasn't even sure if she wanted to know more about the girl who literally haunted her. They were both staring at her; she had to say something.

"You are my brother," she echoed, and he nodded. She almost felt like she knew that and silently wondered if he had told her before. Maybe that man had said something that she couldn't remember. "I can't remember you…" she admitted.

"It's alright. I can't remember much of our history either. I think our memories just were lost to time," Marionette suggested. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he intended on abandoning her. "…But I didn't know whether to tell you or not. It would've been a hard thing to believe without the memories to back it up… Though Foxy remembers you well. He's our older brother."

"So, he knew too…" Baby murmured. "Everyone knew except me."

"I'm sorry you had to find out like that. I should've told you myself, but I didn't know if you would even want to remember. That's not an excuse-."

"What else can you tell me about who I was?" Baby asked. Her voice didn't exactly sound interested and her gaze was still downwards, but he accepted the question as a good sign. He smiled and tried to remember what he could through Foxy's less than impressive descriptions.

"Well… You were fond of the color pink. Your entire bedroom was covered in pink. Ask Charlie, she's the one living in it." He chimed it out so easily, seemingly ignorant to when Baby sent Charlie what might've been a confused look. "You had this take apart foxy toy that looked like Funtime Foxy. Or, at least, I remember it being in your room. I think…" He hesitated as the slightest of memories started to trickle back. A mental image appeared of a girl in front of a plastic dollhouse. "You had a dollhouse that we used to play in together."

"What kind of a dollhouse?" Charlie coaxed. Marionette looked to her in confusion. "Following a train of thought can sometimes lead to further recollection. You know, retracing your steps, just on an internal level."

"Let's see…" He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I remember it was big enough for fashion dolls, because Foxy used to get on my case about me playing with them. Funny how I can't remember large portions of my childhood, but I can still remember that," Marionette remarked with a chime. "Now I do remember that your favorite was this princess doll and she was the only one you wouldn't let me touch. Very soft hair, I think she was supposed to be Rapunzel." The odd tangent about toys was cut off by the sound of the front door opening, which announced that Mike had returned.

"I suppose that means our time is up," Baby remarked. This time there was definite disappointment in her tone. The Puppet wasn't yet ready to give up, not when he was getting spotty moments of memories.

"He'll be fine without me for a moment," Marionette assured. Before he could even dare to go on, the garage door opened, and Mike stepped inside. "…That must've been at least a moment."

"I would hate to see how you two get when you have to spend more than a day apart," Baby remarked. It almost sounded like a partial crack at them, but she was at least finally looking in his direction.

Marionette decided to take a playful tone as he threw an arm around the human's shoulders. "Oh, we get all out of sorts! I come unwound, Mike drinks all the coffee in the house, and nobody's sound of mind enough to wind the clock in the hall! Next thing you know, we're getting twelve rings every hour on the hour."

"And then Grandfather Clock becomes Grandfather Firewood," Mike added in without missing a beat. He then glanced back to Marionette. "Did Ennard ever turn up?"

"No, but I don't think he went that far. I think he just went to check on Scott," the Puppet answered quickly.

"Explains why he disappeared for over an hour then," the man quipped. He got the slightest bit of a smirk as the striped one sent him an unenthused look. "I don't know if he wanted us to stick around until he got up. I'm fine with it, but I'd like to know if we're looking at leaving in an hour or leaving at two in the morning."

"Right…" Marionette hesitated with uncertainty. They had been there for hours as it was and yet he felt like he needed more time. Thankfully, there was one possible solution in mind. "Mike, could I speak to you for a second?"

"God, that can't be good." Mike didn't let this immediate thought show and instead agreed, "Yeah, sure." They stepped out of the garage and into the kitchen. "I know that look," he thought as he recognized Marionette's pensive expression. "Yeah, this is going to hurt."

"I don't know what to do… I told Baby that I am her brother and we tried to remember some memories, even if it was a little difficult to do… But I don't know what to do about the warehouse. I don't want to be the one to send her back there…" He gave a tentative look to the security guard. "…Do you think we should offer for her to come home with us?"

"I think we both know that's going to be a disaster," Mike flatly answered. He kept his voice low enough that nobody else would overhear. "Baby's not going to become a different person now that's she remembers what happened to her. Hell, I'm shocked she's not having a total breakdown right now… Then again, maybe that was whatever happened when she woke up and attacked Ennard, but I digress. The point is that I don't want you getting hurt." Marionette nodded in solemn agreement and Mike gave a tired exhale. "That being said, if you really think we should then it's alright with me."

"What?" the Puppet looked to him in surprise. "You just got finished saying it was a mistake."

"Yeah, but that didn't stop me from making tons of other terrible decisions that I later lived to regret. Every twenty or so I stumble on one that turns out good, and most of the time it's the decisions involving you that do. So, I'm leaving it up to you." Mike meant every word and so he ignored the alarm bells at the mere thought of living in close confines with Baby.

"…Then alright. She can stay with us. I don't see Charlie having a problem with it." He tapped his fingers again; it was almost turning into a nervous tick. "How should I ask Baby? She might get defensive."

"Don't overthink it, just go in there and ask her up front. Or I'll do it. I'm not afraid of offending her," Mike offered. Marionette slightly perked at this suggestion. "Alright, then I will. Let's get this over with." With a slow exhale he headed to the garage and leaned inside. He cut off whatever conversation Baby and Charlie were having without shame. "Hey Baby, we're taking off soon. You want to come with us back to the house?"

"No," Baby answered without a thought. Charlie looked to her in surprise while Mike gave a shrug.

"Suit yourself," he simply said before turning back to Marionette. The Puppet looked positively baffled, wide-eyed and lips pressed tightly together. He snickered lightly, "That look alone was worth it."

Inside the garage, as soon as Mike stepped out, Charlie turned her attention back to Baby. She was startled by her quick response. "You want to go back to the warehouse?"

"No," Baby answered a little less abruptly.

"Then why don't you come with us? There's four bedrooms, and I can move out of yours and sleep somewhere else. You would be able to stay in a real house. Your house," the Security Puppet insisted. "Don't you want to see your home again?"

"Absolutely not," Baby vehemently denied. She finally made eye contact and though she couldn't emote well Charlie could see the panic. "I can't imagine what I would remember if I went into that house. I was only in my pizzeria for a short time before I had to relive that terrible moment. My death… I think I preferred it when it wasn't me who was crushed inside that clown."

Charlie was at a loss for words. She understood it as much as she could without context- ignoring the crushed in a clown comment- but on the other hand it seemed strange. After her change she had wanted nothing more than to go home, even if her home wasn't entirely welcoming. To think that Baby was so afraid of remembering that she refused a ticket out of the warehouse was a telling one.

"I understand. I didn't mean to push you into anything, I'm sorry." Charlie dropped down from the dryer. "I guess I'll go see what they're planning on doing."

Baby's pupils contracted in alarm and she straightened from the washer abruptly as she realized what that meant. Charlie leaving, then Marionette and the security guard getting the signal to leave, with Ennard nowhere to be found and Scott asleep- Baby would be alone with herself. She wasn't ready to be alone with herself with minimal distractions. Looking at her new face would only go so far, and eventually she would be back thinking about that dollhouse, dreading the moment she some faded glimpse of the past would slip by. Whether it be of dolls, of the house, or something much more dreadful.

There were things she didn't want to remember, which was why she wouldn't dare ask Marionette about their father.

"You're not leaving yet, are you?" Baby blurted out. She turned to face the other animatronic while trying to not look too desperate. Though when the Security Puppet looked back to her it became apparent that she had failed. "Or go. I can't stop you. Nobody would choose to stay out here with that," she said, gesturing her hand towards the mound of old plates and parts. She leaned against the washing machine again, propping her head up with her hand tiredly. Her fixed plates felt so smooth and complete under her fingertips, almost as smooth as silky ice cream.

Yet before Baby could get stuck in a cycle of ice cream thoughts- which in hindsight was a great way to avoid thinking of anything else- she was drawn out of her thoughts by Charlie leaning on the dryer in front of her. She was giving her a small, friendly smile, though Baby could see the playfulness, the slightest bit of a smirk.

"Oh, don't look so smug," she said with a huff. Charlie gave a jingle of humor and patted her claw.

"You're welcome."

Scott wasn't sure how long he had been asleep. The only reason he woke up was because someone was walking around beside the bed. He assumed Ennard, who probably came to make sure he was still breathing. A glance out of the corner of his eye showed that it was still light out, so he hadn't slept too long, and thus justified closing his eyes again to drift off.

He was just about to fade out when he felt metal brushing over his arm through his sleeve. Someone trying to rouse him, and he knew who it would be. "Ennard?"

So, he never expected it to be Baby's soft voice answering him with an enticing, "Hello, Scott.~"

In an instant, Scott shot upwards, grabbing the hand on his arm and slowly realizing that it was made of wires. He felt over it to make sure before realizing he had been had. "Okay, very funny. I know it's you." The act dropped immediately with Ennard giggling and playfully ruffling Scott's hair. The man exhaled tiredly, "But I don't know if Baby would find that as funny."

"Not like she's gonna notice. She's too busy poking and prodding her new face to care about that!" Ennard pointed out. "She's looking great, by the way. Record time too! You slept way longer than she did."

"You're already finished?" Scott was slightly surprised as he looked back. Ennard was leaning over him, positively beaming through his mask and nearly trembling in excitement.

"Hell yeah, I did!" Ennard exclaimed. "Ha ha, didja have any doubts? I'm the best technician in this city!"

"I don't doubt that. That's- I can't really remember exact times, but that's faster than any of the technicians that worked at Freddy's. They used to drag it out for weeks… Then again, they might've been paid by the hour." Scott laid back down on the pillow and reached down to pet the cats that had curled up in a line beside him. "So, she's alright now?"

"Yup! Just showing off to the puppets and all that good stuff! You're not gonna believe what she did after she saw her face…" Ennard paused a moment as he noticed Scott's movements slowing back down. "Hey, I see what you're doing there. Come on, don't fall asleep on me." He began to poke Scott in the arm again. "I'm not done with you yet, Cupcake!"

"…Cupcake?" Scott was answered by a cold bottle being nudged against his hand. Glancing down he realized it was a bottle of water. He accepted it and started to sit upwards. "Thanks. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's not like I didn't sleep at all last night."

He certainly didn't drink enough if his sudden thirst was any indication, chugging down the water like his only lifeline. As soon as he lowered it for air, Ennard was back to poking him in the arm, but now with a granola bar. Again, Scott accepted it, and unwrapped it as the amalgam sat on the edge of the bed and attentively watched him.

"So… How are you feeling about all this?" Scott asked. Ennard talking would be a little less odd that him sitting there silently and watching him eat. "Working on someone else?"

"I feel great! I can't remember the last time I tinkered around with a piece of hardware that wasn't me! Had to be Funtime Freddy, unless those plates out there count… Nah, it doesn't count if there isn't danger involved," he began to ramble. "And I actually made her look good. I couldn't even do that with my Halloween costume last year, ha ha!" He then looked back to the man. "But I wanted to come check up on ya since you've been sleeping sounder than the dead, cause I love ya that much.~"

"Thanks, I needed this." Scott rubbed his face tiredly. "I'm never going to sleep tonight."

"Aww, sure ya will! And if ya don't, you can just stay up all night with me and Baby watching the tumultuous and desperate affairs of an undead monster and his passion-swept lover." Ennard briefly switched to the voice of the narrator of the soap opera. As usual, it was a spot-on impression. "As much as you gotta put up with me, at least I'm not draining all the women in the suburb, eh? Ha ha! Love ya."

"So, wait, Baby's not going back to the warehouse?" Scott asked. Then he paused as he realized that he still had the van. "Uh, well I guess not if I have the van and I'm still in bed. What time is it?" He leaned back to look past the clown and at the alarm clock. "…Six?! Okay, I know I'm not sleeping tonight." He exhaled in quiet acceptance and looked at Ennard.

Ennard was quietly staring back at him. It was as though he was waiting for something.

"Is something wrong?" Scott asked. There was a delay in the answer.

"With me? Nah! Nothing's wrong! I guess I'm just pretty tired too. It's been a really long night," Ennard insisted. Then his voice lost a little bit of its mirth and grew more serious. "I love you, Scott."

It was only at that moment that Scott realized that he was repeating that for a reason. He was trying to get Scott to say it back. Up until now it had just gone straight over the man's head, both through tiredness and because the amalgam had dropped it so casually. In fact, he had been saying it very frequently, and it was only at this moment- where there were no threats or distractions- that Scott began to wonder why. Maybe he knew it was an emotionally charged phrase because of TV and used it to show how much he cared, not grasping the full extent of what it meant.

To which Scott suddenly remembered what Ennard had said the night before about him always dismissing the amalgam as feeling like a real person. If he said it, whether it be a parental or friendly way, then he obviously meant it. The simple solution was to just say it back. He had done it last night so easily, accidentally, so he should've been able to say it now. Except something was stopping him. Something was wrong and Scott didn't know what it was. Something just felt different.

"Yeah. I, uh…" Scott swallowed thickly as he slowly worked the wrapper down further. He started to raise the granola bar and rushed out a few words before taking a bite. "I love you too."

He braced himself for Ennard to probably pull him into an uncomfortably tight hug, but not the delighted, vibrating hum that coursed through the other's wires. It was almost like some sort of strange animatronic purr; perhaps that most inhuman thing he had done all day. Scott wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but he was too distracted on the strange rush of heat and embarrassment that came immediately after saying those words.

"It's not that big of a deal! I said it yesterday without problems," he told himself. Then was caught off-guard by another fleeting thought: "When was the last time someone told me they loved me and actually meant it?" William certainly never meant it. He would occasionally say it when he needed something, but Scott knew even then that they were empty words. At least he knew that Ennard meant it.

Ennard gave another light laugh. "Aww, I didn't mean to turn ya all red there! But maybe now that I got your blood going ya won't start conking out on me again," he playfully quipped. Just when Scott thought he was in the clear and began to chew at the granola, Ennard swooped in. "Come 'ere!" Then came the tight embrace that he was expecting. Wires nearly cutting off his air supply as he heard the faintest 'squeak' from somewhere. The amalgam with in another fit of giggles, sounding near delirious from the thrill of everything. Yes, he definitely meant it.

And it was while Scott tried to take another bite of the granola, trying to work around Ennard's comforting but smothering grip, that he suddenly realized he meant it too. Maybe that was why it was so hard to say, because he truly did love Ennard. Maybe a little too much. Maybe in a way that Ennard wouldn't understand, more than just a companion or friend. In a way that would break the laws of nature.

Maybe Scott was going to go to hell for this.

He dropped the bar in his stunned state, unsure what to make of the jarring realization. Then he slowly turned and returned Ennard's embrace. He knew it was wrong to feel tremors down his spine at the return of the humming, or to feel so comfortable in the sinful warmth of wires that weren't even supposed to feel warm. Ennard innocently held him close, innocently love him and cared for him, and would innocently assume that the shaking from the man was normal. All the while, Scott just relished in the feeling of being loved again.

He was definitely going to hell.

Foxy didn't usually have a problem being alone. Sometimes he even preferred it, especially when trapped in the tight confines of Jeremy's apartment. His many mini-tronics were constantly underfoot and climbing what they could, so quietness was a relief. Indeed, now should've been comfortable, as most of them were off distracting themselves in the bathroom. He wasn't sure what they were doing, but perhaps that was for the best. All except Max who was stuck in front of the television as he usually was, dictating what they were watching with the remote under his control.

Jeremy had only left a half hour before to go meet up with Fritz and Natalie. He wasn't sure if he was going to try the technician and his girlfriend about everything that happened, but chances were that they saw the news and assumed that it was Baby who went on a rampage. Jeremy would straighten them out. He was good at talking people down, as long as they weren't his relatives. This meant that Foxy was alone. Again, this would normally be fine, but now he was thinking of his earlier talk with Marionette. That and of Baby, of Elizabeth, and about the things he had said to his younger brother.

As usual, Jeremy had been right. There were some things that Foxy had not said to Marionette and now they were eating at him. Gnawing at his insides like the Minireenas had climbed into his suit to poke around at his endo. It was that familiar ache of guilt, because he had lied to Marionette. Or he left out way too much of the truth. Though that still made him as manipulative and heartless as his father in his eyes. All those things he had to pick and choose to say about Elizabeth, scorning her at pent-up frustration that was more at himself than at her, were shameful.

What he had said about Elizabeth was mostly correct. She would call him names and get him in trouble constantly. She was their father's favorite, the golden child, while he had been the forgotten mistake who never got so much as a shred of his parent's love and affection. She and had been an annoying and frustrating little sister that made him feel terrible.

…But she had been a wonderful big sister.

When he was grounded or punished for bullying Marion in his youth, it had been because Elizabeth had told on him. Their father ignored Marion the most, nearly forgetting his existence on multiple occasions, but when his precious favorite drew it to his attention then he would do something. She effectively made Gabriel's life a nightmare by using their father against him, but usually it started because of something he had done to Marion first. If he would steal his toy, Elizabeth would find a way to get back at him, if not get it back for him. If he mocked him in front of his friends, she would brutally repeat her father's cold words in public.

Elizabeth and Marion played together too. She shared some of her toys- even if she did tend to be bossy when he was using them- and frequently invited him in on her games of make-believe. She had always been the better sibling, even when she sometimes treated Marion more like a playdate than a brother, because she still was there for him.

Now that Baby remembered being her it was only a matter of time that she would remember everything else. Then Marionette would remember their time together. The two would bond in a way that Foxy and he couldn't, as he had been the tormentor, forgiven but never forgotten. Foxy could already see it: he would drift back into the role as the unwanted sibling, the black sheep, and they would go on happily without him. It wasn't fair, but neither was he. Everything he had done had been of his own volition. Even now he was willingly lying to his brother, risking that bond they had rebuilt.

So, here he was, laying on a couch and moping while Marionette played the role of the good brother. The brother he should've been. He was going to lose him.

It was then that Foxy realized he had to do something. He sat upwards, staring ahead almost vacantly, and stood from the couch. Max glanced over in his direction but went ignored, with Foxy approaching the phone. He braced himself as he lifted the received and tapped out the number. Hopefully Jeremy wouldn't be too disappointed. He always was the more understanding one. It wasn't too long before there was an answer and the pirate greeted with faux cheer.

"Heya Lad! It be me, ol Foxy! Look, uh, things round here be pretty crowded an' I don't want to get Jer'my bored with me yet, so… Mind if I come stay with ya fer a couple of days?"

He needed to go home.

Mable: Don't worry, Scott's not going to break into a rendition of Hellfire anytime soon. XD Though I wouldn't put it past Ennard. He really goes straight for the dramatic. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!