Author's Note:

:)

Chapter 162

Forget

The tension was thick in the room as everyone stared at the television again.

The video started once more and they watched Hedy go over to the group.

"Hi Wiggy!" Ginny said around a piece of cake in her mouth.

Wiggy looked around and frowned. "Did you save me a cake? Jeremy and I didn't get any yet."

"Uh huh," Benji said, rubbing his eye and yawning. "Mr. Michael was helping Cheryl's mom cut it. He made sure everyone got some. He even counted out the pieces. I told him you were coming back so I think he got one for you. It's around here somewhere." The little boy, still with cake in his hands got up on his chair to look over the messy table for the cake slice.

"See it?" Frederick asked.

"...no? I thought it was right here."

"O-oh," Wiggy said, clearly disappointed. "It's okay."

"You can have mine, Wiggy," Cheryl said, holding out her piece.

"Nah it's your birthday."

"It's okay," Cheryl said, she leaned closer and whispered. "Mama said if I eat only a little bit now, I can have more later. She got another one at home all for me!"

"Really?!" Felix said. "You got two cakes! That's so cool."

Cheryl nodded excitedly and handed Wiggy her cake.

"Thanks!" Wiggy nodded. She suddenly perked up and set down the camera to wave at someone. "Hi, Mrs. Stone!"

Hedy made a horrified choking noise and sat up straight. Everyone froze as the horror started setting in while Ruby cursed the building with every swear word in her vocabulary.

"Ugh. Why you got to bring a baby around all the time?" Felix pouted

Rose smiled when she saw Hedy and walked over with Ruby in her arms. The toddler was looking down at them curiously.

"Hello there, I see you're having a little party here. Is it someone's birthday?" she asked.

Ruby waved cheerfully at Hedy.

Foxy's voice box had straight-up cut out on him as he mouthed 'no' over and over again.

Bonnie had frozen, staring with wide eyes. Spring whimpered softly.

Ruby really, really hoped that this was her only appearance. It would bother them all that she was there but that was bearable.

It just bugged her that she remembered nothing that had happened back then. She didn't even vaguely remember them. She'd tried but she came up with nothing every time.

She violently yanked at a strand of her hair in frustration, eyes dark as they watched the screen.

Cheryl nodded. "I'm five!" She held out her hand like Hedy showed her.

"Are you now? You're such a big girl."

"I have two cakes." Cheryl beamed at Ruby's mom.

"Really? That's amazing."

"Mrs. Rose, can Ruby play?" Hedy asked even as Ginny looked a little annoyed and Felix outright glared.

Hedy shook her head violently as she watched. This hadn't happened. This couldn't happen.

Rose chuckled and set Ruby down. "Oh alright, but don't let her out of your sight, Hedy. And no cake. Ruby, you listen to Hedy and don't go running off without her okay?"

Ruby nodded so hard her hair went flying as she latched onto Hedy.

Rose smiled fondly and waved to them as she walked away.

"Shit shit shit shit," Ruby was muttering under her breath and no one even called her out on it.

Felix waited until Rose was gone before complaining. "Great."

"Be nice," Wiggy said. "You don't have to be so mean to her!"

"Meanie!" Ruby said, pointing at Felix. She stuck her tongue out at him and he did the same back.

Ginny nudged Cheryl. "You think your mommy would let us have more cake if we went to your house?"

Cheryl pouted a bit. "But it's my cake..."

"Cherry cake?" Ruby asked and looked at Wiggy with big eyes. "Cake?"

Hedy hesitated. "You can have a little of mine. I'm sure your mommy won't mind a little bit."

Hedy tried to pass the plate to Ruby but overestimated the toddler's ability to hold it.

She sure tried, but it hit the floor with a clatter.

"Oh no!" Benji said as Hedy's face fell.

"See, babies are dumb," Felix scoffed.

Ruby looked at Hedy with big sad eyes. "No cake?"

Hedy shook her head, looking sad too as her lip trembled. "N-no more. It's okay." She smiled a bit. "I know, we can go play with the bots while everyone else finishes."

"No, stay!" Benji said and shoved his whole cake piece in at once. "ShEE? Done." He immediately started coughing on the cake.

"Ew!" Ginny laughed at him while the others joined in.

Everyone sat in silence while the kids messed around and teased each other. The video skipped forward a while.

Jeremy still wasn't back and it was clearly still rush hour. It didn't look like there was enough staff.

The camera got jostled as Frederick reached to get one of Cheryl's new toys so they heard the children but didn't see the whole group as a figure appeared in the hallway to the side of the camera's frame. It was the hallway that led toward the service area and was empty of customers except for a few stragglers searching for the restroom.

Spring froze and stared at the screen in horror.

Spring, but obviously not Spring to those watching, waved a little to get Hedy's attention.

She was the only one who noticed him and they saw her face brighten in joy at seeing him out of his room and working again, or so she thought.

He gestured for her to come with him.

Spring stood up and scrambled over his chair, almost falling over it. Worst day of his life. Right in front of him.

No one was going to stop him if he wanted to leave.

He seemed to consider it before making a sound like a breathy cry and settled for fidgeting next to Goldy at the back of the group, his chair overturned beside Hedy.

It was like watching a horror movie, where you knew something terrible was going to happen, but this was a thousand times worse.

Hedy jumped down from her perch and raced to Spring in excitement, before stopping halfway.

Hedy froze. She sucked in a breath. No.

Wiggy ran back, still excited.

"Please don't take Ruby. Please don't take Ruby," Hedy begged herself frantically, not realising she was speaking out loud. She wanted to focus on one horror over the other.

Ruby grunted a bit as Bonnie clung to her but she didn't argue. Why didn't she remember this? She had a damn good memory. So why? Even at her age, there should be something. How come no one else remembered anything?

She glanced at Puppet.

Ruby was giving 'Spring' an odd look. "Bunny's eyes not right," she mumbled softly.

None of the kids really heard her but the camera picked it up. She stuck her thumb in her mouth as she watched Hedy race back. She was sitting on one of the chairs, holding a stuffed toy that Cheryl let her play with.

"Is that the broken rabbit?" Benji asked.

"Spring" paused a moment before tilting his head in a friendly manner and gesturing for them again.

"That's my friend Spring," Wiggy said happily. "If he's out of his room Daddy must have fixed him! Come on. I want you to meet him. He's super nice and his room is really cool. The door is secret. You can't see it when it's closed."

"Like a secret clubhouse?" Ginny asked.

"I guess?" Hedy shrugged.

"I wanna see," Felix demanded.

Frederick nodded.

"Come on, Ruby," Wiggy said happily, reaching out to help Ruby off her chair.

No.

No!

Hedy clamped her hand over her mouth and let out a heartbroken sob, tears trailing down her face as she leaned over, sick and stifling a scream.

It was her fault. It was her fault! Michael was only gesturing for her. She went back for the rest of them!

She got Benji killed. She got all of them killed. Ginny. She got her best friend killed. Every one of them.

Her heart nearly stopped at another thought and she sobbed.

Ruby. She almost got Ruby killed.

Ruby was with them. How did she get away? How? Why did none of them remember?

Did the kids know it was her fault they died? Why didn't they ever tell her?!

The kids.

The night guards.

The Originals being tormented.

The Toys in storage.

Scott.

Spring trapped with Michael.

None of it would have happened if she went by herself.

Goldy was hugging Spring while Jeremy tried to comfort Hedy.

The bots were all sitting tense and worried.

No one had quite grasped the horror cycling through the mechanic's mind. The connection between Hedy coming back for the rest and everything that happened wasn't as obvious to them. Why should it be? Why would they ever blame Hedy for any of that?

Ruby looked back at 'Spring' with a small frown.

"Not da bunny Wiggy," she shook her head, "Not da bunny." She pointed to her eyes like that made any sense. "Stay?" she reached out to catch Hedy's hand, looking at her with wide green eyes.

"Hedwig," Jeremy said, holding his sister in a hug near him. "It's okay. Just breathe."

She was half out of her chair and in his lap as he held her. It was his turn to calm one of them down. For the moment, he ignored his own guilt and broken promises.

"You're okay. Shh."

"It w-was my fault. I..I went back," Hedy whispered shakily as Mike helped Jeremy get her to the floor where her brother could hold her better.

She wasn't crying so much anymore. She stared at nothing in horror. She stared at Jeremy's chest, unseeing but her eyes wide.

Eyes snapped to her in shock, and Jeremy jerked back. "What?...No, Hedy. You can't…" He was cut off as Hedy sobbed and shut her eyes.

The kids were quiet and let Jeremy calm her down first, but they didn't seem surprised by her realisation.

Benji was crying softly while Cheryl was hugging herself and rocking side to side with her eyes closed.

Frederick was staring at the screen, actively trying to piece his memories together.

Ginny was next to Jeremy and Hedy, crouched down and looking at Hedy, silently wishing she wasn't so upset.

Maybe they didn't remember Ruby for some reason, but they remembered Hedy. It never occurred to them to hurt her by mentioning this.

Wiggy seemed confused but stopped and let Ruby pull her back. "But you like Spring, Ruby. Come on, I promised your mommy I wasn't going to leave you alone."

"Wiggy! Don't bring the baby," Felix complained, coming back to tug at Hedy's sleeve. "She's too little to be in the clubhouse anyway. It's only for big kids."

Felix tore his eyes away from Hedy and Jeremy and looked at the screen, confused at the words he didn't remember saying. They vividly remembered this day. Every moment. Every scream. Every cry for their parents.

He didn't remember saying that.

"Can...can I come?" Cheryl asked.

"Yeah, cause you're a big kid now," Felix said with an emphatic nod.

"But Ruby knows Spring too. She's his friend too," Hedy said, missing how Ruby worriedly shook her head. She smirked at Felix. "She was part of the 'clubhouse' before you."

"Then she doesn't need to meet him anyway. You gotta come. It's weird if we just say hi by ourselves," Felix insisted, whining.

"Wiggy," Ruby said, tugging at Hedy' hand. "No. No. Stay? Please?"

Hedy still looked torn. "You really don't want to talk with Spring? Just for a minute?"

Ruby shook her head and tugged at Hedy's arm harder.

Felix groaned. "Ugh. Fine. What if Wiggy just introduces us and you stay here? Then she can be boring and come right back and play dolls with you."

Felix's eyes widened a little bit. Was...was he the one who got Ruby left behind?

He glanced at Ruby, his eyes still very wide.

The teen didn't look away from the screen, fingers tangled in her hair as she watched the screen intently.

"I'm supposed to watch her," Wiggy said, still unsure.

"It's just for a minute!" Felix complained.

Hedy looked between them for a moment. "Ruby," she said hesitantly, "You stay right here. I'll be right back."

"Nooo. Stay?" Ruby looked about to cry.

"I promise. I'll make you a deal okay? You stay here for five..." she held up her hand, "...minutes. And I'll be right back."

Ruby sniffed. "Five?"

"Yeah."

"Okay...one, two, thee."

"No, not seconds. Minutes," Hedy said, not grasping that Ruby didn't understand minutes yet.

Hedy set Ruby down and grabbed Felix's hand, leaving the camera. She waved at Ruby, still obviously hesitant about leaving her alone.

Ruby hugged the plushy and waved. "Bye-bye...Deal…"

"Be right back Ruby!" Cheryl called.

The kids disappeared down the hallway, several of them waving at the toddler.

Ruby sniffed, crying a bit at Wiggy leaving her as she hugged the plushie.

Michael stared, clearly a little bit stunned. Ignoring the prideful fact he put so much planning into this, he wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh at the pain they were all reliving, especially Hedy losing it on the floor with her brother and the look in Spring's eyes the moment they saw past-him wearing Spring in the hallway. But he also wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

Ruby was almost one of his? The shock and irony were almost too perfect.

But he wisely, for once, kept his mouth shut and just watched. He even bit his lip hard enough to bleed, if he still had blood, to avoid any smiling.

For once, Ruby wasn't keeping an eye on him. She was too focused on the video.

Hedy was trembling but completely silent.

Ruby miserably poked at the camera, holding the plushie close to her. She obediently stayed put though.

"Ruby? What are you doing here by yourself?" Puppet's voice sounded after a couple of minutes.

For once the toddler didn't light up when she saw him. The camera caught her turning to face him but he remained off-screen.

"Deal," she told him, sounding out the new word carefully. Like she knew it was important. "Wiggy come back from not bunny. Eyes funny."

Ruby hadn't said a word in a while, letting Bonnie cling to her and Foxy grip her hand. She wasn't even looking at Michael anymore.

Hedy had calmed down enough to stare wide-eyed at the screen, still in Jeremy's arms. She looked over her shoulder to meet Ruby's eyes. She still looked panicked, helpless, and like she wasn't entirely there.

"Funny? His eyes were funny?" Puppet asked, mildly concerned but mostly confused. "What sort of...deal?"

"I stay. Wiggy say f-five min..." she struggled with the complicated word. "Min...minit. Five and she come back."

"I see. Well, how about you and I go look for her, hm?" Puppet suggested, reaching to take Ruby's hand.

"No!" Ruby slapped his hand away. "Stay. Deal."

Puppet was quiet for a moment, clearly even more confused about the toddler's insistence. "Alright, well...I'll go look for Wiggy and you wait here alright?" Puppet came into the frame to get down on her level and pointed at something offscreen. "See that clock?"

"Uh-huh..."

"When the big hand is pointing at the next big number you can get up and find your mother alright?"

"Five?"

"Yes."

"Wiggy," Ruby hugged the plushie tighter.

"I'll find her. Look at the clock. You understand?" Puppet didn't sound convinced she did.

Ruby was much too young to grasp the function of a clock but it was possible she understood what he was asking about the big hand.

Ruby nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to go look for Wiggy now."

"Okay."

Puppet left and they all watched Ruby stubbornly stare at the clock they couldn't see.

Puppet's whole body was stiff from his tension wire wound tight around his gears. How could he possibly not remember this? He remembered that day so clearly it made him sick and yet Ruby was nowhere.

The intense focus in those green eyes was familiar to everyone who knew the teen.

Eventually, she looked away from the clock after a few more minutes had passed. "Five," she mumbled, looking hopefully towards the door. Her face fell when no one appeared. She huffed softly and carefully climbed down from the chair. There was a moment of indecision before she left the toy on the table and took the camera with her. She clearly had no idea how to hold it so the picture was all over the place as she started walking towards the door.

"Wiggy?" she called down the dark hallway. Why were the lights off anyway? "Mari?"

She hesitated when she didn't get a response but a familiar stubborn look settled on her face before she started walking forward. The camera was now pointing up at her face and occasionally forwards as she walked.

Their hearts practically stopped when they caught a glimpse of a tall figure ahead. Ruby stopped, the camera tilting enough to show 'Spring' mostly hidden in the darkness.

"Bunny?" she didn't sound so sure though.

"No. Fuck," Jeremy breathed, about to have a heart attack.

Michael looked completely shocked now. He could understand not remembering some random kid Hedy occasionally hung out with, but there was no way he'd forget something like this.

Hedy made some strangled noise while looking to Ruby in a panic. Unable to speak, she desperately twisted and held her hand out, basically begging Bonnie and Foxy for Ruby, despite even in her panicked state knowing they didn't want to let go of her right now. She needed to hold Ruby or her hand or something.

"Please!" she begged them more than Ruby.

BB startled at the fear in her plea. He had been so quiet throughout the entire thing. He didn't know what to do… He didn't like Hedy sounding so scared.

Foxy looked a bit worried by the cry too.

"I'm fine, I'm alive, I'm here," Ruby murmured to the bots and after a moment they reluctantly let go of her. She moved to sit next to Hedy, taking her hand. "I'm fine Hedy. I'm fine." her voice was soothing. How the hell was she remaining so calm?! Everyone else was on the brink of a panic attack. Even Michael was freaked out because none of this made sense!

"Hello Ruby," Michael's voice came from the suit, probably not concerned about a toddler noticing a difference in his voice. "Did you come to play too?"

"Wiggy?" Ruby's voice edged on scared. "Where Wiggy?"

"She's playing with her friends just back here. Why don't you come play too?"

He held out a hand and they caught a glimpse of red.

"Run!" Ginny didn't even think about it as her shaky voice whispered, hissing in terror as she watched Ruby see the exact same thing she did so long ago.

For a moment, the rest weren't sure if the word came from her or the recording.

Michael leaned a little more into the light and they could see blood slicking Spring's fur. A lot of it. There were some patches that Hedy struggled to match to the rest of his fur to this day.

Spring was holding himself and shaking his head as he held his ears, unable to look. "No. No."

Goldy held his shoulders. "Shh. Spring, I-I know. You're okay. You're safe."

"I was awake. I-I was watching. I couldn't do anything. The kids...I couldn't..." he cried. He didn't remember this. Ruby. But he knew, he knew, on the video, he was silently screaming for the toddler to stay away. To run. But Michael had his voice off. He was just there. Watching. Helpless.

Spring risked looking at the screen, hoping there was some expression that belonged to the past him, but there was just Michael, wearing him.

"No. No this isn't right," Michael said, too shocked to shut himself up. "This...this didn't happen. It didn't. I-I killed them, locked the door, and went to Parts and Services. I hid the bodies, cleaned up, left Spring unlocked, and that was it. I didn't...this didn't happen." He wasn't even trying to be malicious. It was like he was talking to himself, looking for a memory that wasn't there.

No one even told him to shut up. They were too caught up in confusion and fear. It didn't make sense!

Ruby took a small step back, making the camera waver and giving them a better view of the suit. "Not...not da bunny," her voice cracked. "Where Wiggy?"

"Come now Ruby, come play with old Spring hmm?"

"Not bunny!" the toddler shouted this time. "Why...blood? Hurt?" Her voice wavered again.

Michael had paused at the sudden shout and now tilted his head. "Yes..." he was clearly thinking as he spoke, taking a step closer to her. She didn't move back and they all cursed her inherent stubbornness. "Just got a little hurt. I'll feel a lot better if you come play with me." He stepped closer again.

Mike wanted to puke.

He was the calmest, almost on par with Ruby but it wasn't as impressive as he knew he was only a witness. He only cried when the kids left Ruby behind but hadn't said anything as he didn't think it was right for him to. He couldn't make Hedy laugh right now. But hearing Michael's words made him sick and he snarled in disgust, turning to glare at the murderer while the rest were panicking.

Hedy was a mess, the rest were only a little better, and even Ruby had to be freaking out no matter how much she was hiding it for now for Hedy's sake.

He was going to find some way to hurt Michael for making Hedy cry. Ruby can beat him up all she wanted, but that didn't stop him from wanting a turn. He wasn't a violent guy, but actively seeing a little kid in danger was pissing him off and the pain of seeing the other kids' almost-last moments was twisting a vicious rage he didn't know he had. He felt sick to his stomach watching Springtrap (or what would be Springtrap later) inch closer to the toddler. He had to remind himself that Ruby was there, with them. She was fine.

She was fine. She was going to be okay.

Ruby stared at the bloodied hand that 'Spring' was holding out. "Mags got black blood," she almost whispered. "Not red."

Michael faltered. "Well, I'm special right?"

Ruby took a step back. "Where Wiggy?"

"Come here Ruby." The voice was still sweet but they could hear the stress in Michael's voice. He was worried, probably of someone else turning a corner and seeing him.

"Where Wiggy?" panic was creeping into her voice.

"We can play a fun game."

"Where Wiggy?!" the question was a shout now and Michael took another step forward, close enough to grab her now.

She jerked back slightly, causing the camera to focus on her face now. Michael's hand entered the frame and gently stroked the toddler's cheek, leaving a streak of blood behind.

"You can join the others, little girl," he murmured, all sanity gone. There was a thread of excitement in his breathy voice. He sounded thoughtful, in a strange sense of calm.

Michael remembered the almost eerie calm he had right after, the adrenaline still coursing through him from the fight and wrangling six children. Even after, the threat of being caught had dragged the feeling out. He had been so clearheaded. It was the most peace he'd ever felt and damn he missed the feeling.

But he almost couldn't even enjoy what he was reliving, the confusion was too strong.

The building was probably doing that on purpose.

"Wiggy is waiting for you."

There was a moment of silence as Ruby kept her gaze down, staring at the lens of the camera. "Wiggy pwomised." she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. "Five...and she back. Deal."

"She's just having so much fun," his hand moved to land on her shoulder, spreading the blood. "Come along now, you'll love this game."

Ruby hiccuped. "Mags got black blood," she whispered. "Wiggy got red. Liar."

With that, she ripped out of his grip and ran, the camera showing a dizzying view of the halls as they heard Michael's surprised and angry shout. It seemed like only moments later that Ruby slammed into something. She lost her grip on the camera and it skid across the floor, stopping facing the toddler.

Ruby looked up at Puppet, tears dripping down her cheeks and someone's blood smeared down her cheek, neck and shoulder.

"Mari..." her voice wavered as she hiccuped again.

Puppet was shaking, the white lights in his eyes flickering wildly as he looked around for danger. There were spots of brownish-red on the white parts of his stripes and he was clearly relieved to find her.

"Ruby!" his voice cracked in fear at the blood. "Are you hurt? Where were you...Hedy...she..." He took an almost human-sounding breath, but it rattled as he crouched down and took her hands, checking her over. "We need to go right now. I...I need...to get you back to your parents..." he began speaking to mostly himself. "I need...I need to find them. This can't...I can't do this again. I can't let this happen again. They're okay. They have to be okay. They have to be safe." His voice was weaker and he seemed to forget Ruby could hear him in the last couple of sentences.

The toddler broke down crying at the mention of Hedy, sobbing.

"Wiggy gone! Wiggy say five but Wiggy no come back!" she clutched the bot. "'M scared, 'm scared of bunny but not bunny." she was struggling to get her turbulent thoughts across with her limited vocabulary. "Mari...don't wanna 'member." she looked up at him with tears streaking her face. "Hurts..." she pointed at her chest over her heart. Something shifted in her eyes and they distinctly heard the building shudder.

"Mari, deal. No one 'member so no one sad."

Puppet put his hand to his head. There was a buzzing pressure, his version of a headache. A deal. He made a deal…

Ruby stilled completely beside Hedy.

"No. No, Ruby shh," his voice was softer as he tried to calm her down, ignoring his panicked self. "It...doesn't work like that. Okay? You...can't make people forget..." He paused to reset himself. "Listen...I'll take you back to your mommy, alright? You just...go home for now. Everything will be better when you come back."

The toddler still looked distressed and she shook her head. "Don wanna 'member. Not bunny did...somethin bad. Don wanna...'member." she grabbed his arm tightly, eyes desperate. "'M 'fraid of bunny. Don WANNA be 'fraid of bunny. Wanna forget. Please?"

The building shuddered again. "Please Mari please. Ruby forget, Mari forget, bunny forget, ev'ryone forget..." she sobbed. "Wiggy forget. Ev'ryone forget. Wanna come back but can't...not come back if 'fraid. Come back if forget? Always come back if forget. Always."

The building quieted and then it almost...whined? They'd never heard the building make that sound before.

Puppet shuddered and glanced up at the ceiling almost pleadingly. There was pain and more fear in his eyes. He understood.

"Ruby, I...don't want to forget you...I can't...I can't agree to that." Puppet stopped and looked at the little girl for a minute. The blood. Her big green eyes clouded by something she never should have seen in the first place. He closed his eyes and took a breath. He put his hands on the sides of her face and looked for a long moment. "Alright, dear. Just let me look at you one more time." He chuckled weakly at himself and let go of her teary face to hug her. "What am I worried about?" He scoffed into her hair. "None of us should remember you like this either. One little mercy. I'll be right here when you come back anyway. We can all make new memories. Hmm? Isn't that right?"

He paused.

"Alright, deal. You come back if you forget what you've seen and everyone who belongs to the building forgets you were here. Whoever did this forgets too. A fresh start for you at least, right?"

Ruby nodded weakly. "Deal. Don wanna 'member." And the building shifted.

Puppet made a noise somewhat like a gasp and held his head like he had been struck while Ruby whimpered.

"L-lets g-get you to your mother." Puppet groaned softly, a little weak. "Th-Then I can forget, okay?"

Puppet picked the little girl up and started walking away from where the camera lay forgotten on the floor. Ruby was hugging him tightly around the neck. Just before they were out of hearing distance they heard Ruby mumble.

"Love you Mari. Come back. Always come back."

And the screen faded to black.