It was the last day Natasha and her family would be visiting the Stein household as they would be leaving early the next morning, so the kids and toons decided to end it with a splash. They set up a large inflatable pool and filled it with water from the garden hose. The boys and the toons had a great time splashing around and playing games, though the toons made sure to stay out of the water every so often so not to let their inky bodies stay too wet for too long. The only one that never went into the pool himself was Bendy. He still played with everyone, using small buckets to suddenly splash some unsuspecting victim and he laughed from atop a high branch as he pelted everyone with water balloons before a great shot form Alice knocked him down. But he still gave the pool a wide birth. Eventually, everyone started to get hungry. The Butcher Gang went inside to help Linda make lunch while Alice, Boris, and Bendy started setting a table outside.

"Join us in the pool Bendy!" Simon said as he and Lewis splashed around in the pool. Bendy was putting a cloth on the table while Alice and Boris went inside to get plates and cups, leaving the demon alone with the boys.

"I'm fine, I'd rather stay dry right now," Bendy replied, shaking his head though he gave the boys an assuring smile. "Besides, we're about to eat so there's no point in me jumping in when I would just have to get out again."

"'Come on! It's fun!" Simon insisted only to get another shake from Bendy. While Bendy and Simon were talking, Austin started to sneak up behind the toon with a mischievous smile on his face. The little Ink Demon didn't see Austin until the boy grabbed him from behind and threw him into the pool.

Bendy hit the water with a large splash, making the boys laugh at the prank. But within the water, Bendy was assaulted with memories of the mob in the church, remembering how the water ate away his body and the severe pain it caused. The boy's innocent laughter twisted in Bendy's mind to the angry yells of the mob and the demon was filled with fear and began to panic. He let out a loud fearful shriek as his body responded instantly to his distress and partially transformed. With the help of his wings, Bendy shot out of the water, his newly formed claws cutting Austin's arm as the demon scrambled to get away, making the boy scream in pain.

Henry was the first one to appear at the door and Bendy instantly leaped into his arms. The little Ink Demon curled against Henry's chest with his wings folding around his body like a protective cocoon. His tail wrapped around Henry's arm and held on tightly as he quaked in fear. Henry barely had time to hold the distressed toon close and start rubbing him comfortingly before Natasha and Mike pushed past him to get to Austin. The boy was crying and clutching his still bleeding arm as his parents came to help him.

"I thought you said that thing was safe for our kids to be around!" Mike yelled once he had made sure Austin wasn't seriously injured while Natasha was quietly trying to calm Austin down so she could get him inside. Bendy flinched at the loud accusation and curled tighter against Henry.

"He is," Henry replied calmly, carefully turning so Bendy faced away from Mike just incase the angry father wanted to hurt the poor devil. "I'm not sure what happened, but Bendy would never hurt a child on purpose. It was just an accident…"

"An accident that will leave a permeant scar on my son!" Mike snapped back. "He's lucky the cut wasn't any deeper or he'd need to get stitches! That thing is dangerous!'

"Don't call Bendy a thing!" Alice said, coming to Bendy's defense with Boris standing behind her in support. "You have no idea what he's been through! You have no right to judge him!"

"It's my fault!" Austin spoke up, tears still streaming down his face. "He didn't want to go into the pool, but I pushed him in!"

"But that's no excuse for hurting you!" Mike replied, still glaring at the demon hiding against Henry's chest. The conversation dissolved into a full-on argument with Boris and Alice defending Bendy while Mike insisted all the toons and ink creatures stay away from his family. The yelling upset all the boys and soon they were all crying, keeping Natasha's hands full as she tried to calm them while still tending to Austin's wound. Henry did his best to remain calm and tried to stop everyone from arguing, but was having little success, leaving him with a trembling toon that was only getting more upset as everyone yelled about him and at him.

"Enough!" Linda said in commanding voice as she came out, with the Butcher Gang huddled behind her. She hadn't been very loud, but the authority in her tone and instantly caused the yelling to stop. "Henry take Bendy up to his room and help him calm down. Alice, Boris, take the boys inside to help calm them down and take care of Austin's wound. You know where the first aid kit is. Charley, Barely, Edgar, you three finish up preparing lunch and bring the boys some food. I'm sure they'll feel a lot better once they have full stomachs. I'll explain the situation to Natasha and Mike."

Everyone nodded and followed Linda's instructions and disappeared inside the house, leaving Linda alone with the two adults. They just stared at each other in silence for a while before Mike eventual broke it saying. "I can't believe you still trust those things to be alone with our children after what happened."

"I know you might not believe me, especially after that accident. And it was an accident," Linda said, narrowing her eyes slightly when Mike opened his mouth to protest only to snap it shut at her look. "But the toons love children and will do everything they can to keep them safe. Many of my neighbors will tell you that they trust their kids to be around the toons more then they do anyone else."

"I'm sure that's true mom," Natasha said, standing next to her husband and taking his hand in hers to help keep him calm. "But then how can an accident like this happen?"

"The toons have been through a lot since the day they were first brought to life in this world," Linda began to explain, taking a seat and gesturing for Mike and Natasha to do the same. "Henry told you a bit about the condition he found them in and how they've been recovering from all their trauma. And though they've come a very long way since their time trapped in the studio, there are still things that can cause them to lash out instinctively. Bendy especially can have the most extreme and violent reactions simply because he went through a lot more than the others and the nature of what Joey did to him."

"Did being pushed in the pool by Austin cause one of these instinctual reactions?" Natasha said as she thought it over getting a nod from Linda. "We did hear that terrifying sound, so that must have been Bendy. What happened to him to make him react like that to water?"

"Water has always been a tricky subject when it came to the toons," Linda sighed gazing at the pool. "The toons might seem solid, but they are still ink on a fundamental level. While they can enjoy being in water or splashing each other for a while at a time, there has never been any doubt to anyone that too much exposure could cause serious damage or even death. It had never been a serious issue though until a mob tried to kill Bendy not too long ago. They splashed him with Holy Water and he was half-melted by the time he had made it back to us."

"That's horrible!" Natasha gasped and even Mike looked disturbed.

"Bendy never says it, but we all know he nearly died that day," Linda continued sadly. "For days afterward he couldn't even look at water without freaking out. It's been hard but he's gotten better, even to the level where he can play and splash himself and others like they were doing early. The only thing he still can't do is be fully submerged in it and I wouldn't be surprised if he never can."

"So when Austin pushed him, he thought he was dying again," Mike concluded in realization. "I guess… that makes sense why he would react so violently… Is there anything we can do to make it up to him?"

"Unfortunately no," Linda sighed, looking the two in the eye. "He doesn't trust you two nearly enough for you to be able to help him like that. The best thing you can do is just be there for your sons and help them understand that it really was an accident on both sides. And if Henry is able to calm Bendy enough that he'll join us, just treat him like normal. He fears being seen as a monster, but he doesn't want pity from people that can never really understand what he's gone through. Just act like this incident isn't a big deal or even pretend it never happened. We'll deal with it more once you're gone."

Natasha and Mike were reluctant but they agreed to do as Linda said. The three went inside and joined the others in the living room. The boys immediately came up to their parents, both for comfort and to explain that it wasn't Bendy's fault. Natasha and Mike assured their children everything was okay and that it was no one's fault and soon the toons were able to get the kids playing games.

It was several hours later before Henry came downstairs with Bendy. The little ink Demon stayed close to his Creator, keeping a wary eye on Natasha and Mike especially. But as the two followed Linda's advice an acted as if nothing had happened, Bendy was eventually able to relax and even joined the others in their games. When the family finally said their goodbyes, they were able to do so on happy terms though not nearly as comfortable as they would have liked. Still, Natasha and Mike promised to bring the boys again sometime and even said Henry and Linda could bring the toons to visit them.

With a final farewell, they left to return to their own home while those in the Stein household went to bed, ready for whatever adventure the next day might bring.