Darrel stepped into the room where Mike had been staying, stopping for a moment to smirk at the sight of Mike playing with the front legs of his age-old stuffed giraffe. "Aren't you a little old for stuffed animals?" he asked.
Mike froze and looked up at him, hugging the giraffe to his chest, "Makes me feel better when I'm in the hospital- which… y'know, happens entirely too often." He said, "Dad always brought it for me."
Darrel shrugged, "Whatever works." He sat down in the chair beside the bed, "How're you feeling?"
"Better… all things considered." Mike shrugged, "I'm either on some really good drugs, or I heal abnormally fast."
"Both, from what I understand." Darrel leaned back, "Talked to your dad."
Mike flinched, "How bad did he freak out?" he asked.
"Actually, he handled it a lot better than everyone gave him credit for." Darrel replied, "I mean- he's mad, but I would be too." Darrel crossed his arms, "He says that you two are gonna have a long talk when he sees you again."
Mike sank, "Yeah, I guess I had that coming…" he sighed.
"Now- back to business, since I'm running on limited time. I'm going to need your address and the address of your psychic." He pulled out a notepad again.
"I never moved. I'm still in that house that I was in growing up."
"Oh- okay, then." Darrel nodded, writing down the address from memory. "What about your psychic?" he asked.
"Uh- I couldn't tell you her address…" he said, "But I could probably have her meet you at my place. She's an old family friend."
Darrel shrugged, "Okay then…" he tapped the pen to the notepad, "Any coworkers I can talk to? Besides you and Olivia?"
"Rhythmi and Jarvis Reeves." Mike said.
Darrel nodded, "Phone numbers?" he asked.
"I'll call them and have them meet you at my place." Mike said, "They have a thing about people giving their numbers to random people."
"Fair enough." Darrel shrugged, he took a deep breath, "This is almost over, Mike…" he said, "You'll be able to see your dad soon."
..xxXxx..
Olivia stepped out of her car, cradling the marionette doll in one arm. The plot of land had been deemed cursed, meaning no one wanted anything to do with the lot since there had been so many deaths and murders linked with the establishment. The fire at Fazbear's Fright was the nail in the coffin. The rubble remained untouched, now that no one was trying to scavenge it for parts, props or any knick-knacks that seemed 'creepy' enough. Olivia was relieved to see that people had the decency to leave the bodies of the broken-down animatronics buried. The marionette's head drifted and rested against her chest, seeming to nuzzle her while she held him. It disheartened her that there were absolutely no records of his or his mother's remains or deaths. Like they never existed. No family to speak of… nothing. She approached the mounds where the animatronics had been buried, walking to the end of the row of four, the final one being Foxy, if she remembered correctly. She sat him against Foxy's mound and picked up the shovel Mike had used, starting to dig a small, marionette-sized trench. Once she had finished, she picked the doll back up, giving him a light kiss on the forehead before laying him in the trench. "I hope you can rest now…" she whispered before covering him up. Once she was finished, she returned to her car for another party hat and a single cupcake to rest on the mound.
"Knew I'd find you here." She heard call out behind her.
Olivia jolted before whipping around and locking eyes with Lori. "You know you're trespassing."
"I know you're not gonna do anything about it." Lori replied, her hands shoved into her over-sized pockets. "I'm being escorted by an officer." She said smugly. "Thought you could use some reassurance." She stepped around the piles of rubble and stood next to Olivia by the mounds.
Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but paused when she realized that Lori was playing her by giving her a play-by-play of the future. "Whatever…" she scoffed.
Lori looked down at the mound. "Finally put Benny to rest, huh?"
"Hopefully."
Lori put a hand on her back, "He appreciates it more than you know. He and his mother were the last ones in their family, so he's grateful you're doing this for him."
Olivia nodded, "I mean- you told me this would help Jeremy."
"I know and so does he. Doesn't mean he's not grateful." She smiled, "This is almost over." She said, "We can almost have peace."
"You think so?" Olivia asked.
Lori smiled, a genuine smile, "It's a promise." She said. "When have I ever been wrong?" she asked, "That trial on Tuesday?" she smirked, "Darren's got this in the bag. The only concern would be your current job, but you'll be fine. It's Jeremy who'll be worried."
Oliva smiled, "Thanks, Lori." She straightened up, "It's late. Do you want a ride home?"
"Yes, please." Lori nodded.
..xxXxx..
In Mike's living room, Jarvis had just about finished tightening the last bolt in Mangle's shoulder, a toolbox and a case of spare parts sat next to him, some parts strewn about. Rhythmi sat on the couch anxiously, nervous to speak to this lawyer Mike had called them about. Lori should have been on her way, with Olivia, apparently.
Jarvis shut the panel on Mangle's back and gave her a good pat on the shoulder, "You're all set." He said.
Mangle rotated her arm and moved it about as though she were trying to test out a sore joint. "Thank you!" her voice was clearer than ever, even before she was destroyed all those years ago at the pizzeria.
"And you have that video in the storage drive, right?" Jarvis asked.
"And the 9-1-1 call I made." She confirmed.
"I'm sure the police would already have that." Rhythmi added.
"Wouldn't hurt to have." Jarvis shrugged, starting to put his tools away.
There was a knock on the door before Lori and Olivia walked in, "Mangle! Looking good!" Lori greeted with a smile.
Olivia's eyebrows rose, "She looks great." She set her hands on her hips.
"Liv, you're covered in dirt, what happened?" Rhythmi asked.
"She was putting Benny to rest." Lori gently examined Mangle's face as though she were just an extra-large animal, which… wasn't entirely wrong.
A final knock came upon the door, the guests grew silent. Olivia opened the door and revealed Darrel. She stepped aside to let him in.
Lori smiled, "Almost done…"
**Almost done… I'm gonna be honest, guys, I've been at this fic for so long, I feel terrible that it's taken me this long to finish/update it. I have a kid now, I had a falling-out with a friend, a falling-out with my dad, I've moved like- twice since the last update… I just want it to be done. The next chapter is the final one, guys. I am going to continue writing fanfiction (and original fiction, but I never get any activity on that), I just won't be updating consistently.**
