-You Can't-

Chapter 21: Saving Springtrap

Freddy was singing, Chica roaming around the guests tables and giving some cake to the children, Bonnie playing guitar next to the bear on the show stage. The children were so happy that they were cheering and singing along Freddy.

It was just another day at Freddy's. Another day of joy and, somehow, sadness for the animatronics. They missed their friends, more precisely Spring. He was still stuck in the Safe Room and none of them dared to speak with him since the previous week.

Mario and Goldie were in the Back Room, remaining there until the pizzeria's closure every single day. Usually, they were speaking about the old good times. Chica came to see them quite often, making sure that they had everything they needed.

Freddy didn't do that. Fredbear was upset because he couldn't help Springtrap and didn't want to see him for the moment. The brown animatronic could easily understand the situation, so he decided to respect Fredbear's decision. They were responsible, like adults now. If Goldie wanted to remain alone, Freddy wouldn't be the one to reproach it to him.

Bonnie looked at him for the second, seemingly lost in his mind too. They were all quite worried since the beginning. Working again, singing for the children, reminded them when they were still... alive. They had an habit to come everyday, watching their favorite animatronic singing on the stage and singing along before playing with Spring Bonnie all-day long, watching him smile and laughing with them.

Happiness. They had lost it as years had passed. Everything just got worse and worse, Springtrap teaming up with Purple Guy and causing the Bite of '87. After that, the Toys were tampered with and they had to destroy them. It had been really hard for Goldie, by the way. His love for Toy Chica didn't help at all. Fortunately, Spring and Mario were here to comfort him, as were the plushies.

But now they were all gone. Springtrap was certainly dead in the Safe Room, sitting against the door, hoping that someone would come to talk to him. Fredbear was going to be destroyed, as he heard from Mark Frames the previous day, and Mario was always waiting in her Music Box, not allowed to roam around during the day. Freddy knew that she couldn't desobey.

So yeah, the situation was pretty bad. And he didn't even count Foxy's hallucinations. He declared that he saw a purple bear sitting on a chair, with the children. Strangely, none of the children had seen anything and neither did the other three animatronics. Bonnie just said that Foxy needed to sleep more and that 'playing on Internet all night isn't good for your head'. Chica and Freddy didn't know what to think about it since Springtrap had exactly the same hallucinations.

One day, Freddy heard Springtrap talking. He was alone, everyone knew that. But he talked. And he seemed to talk to someone else, as if he was answering questions. What was really weird was the fact that Foxy could hear another voice. Nobody else could.

"Come back to us soon !" Bonnie said from his right, saluting by waving his hand the children that were leaving the pizzeria.

Closure time. Great.

"Hope to see you again, kids !" Freddy greeted, smiling to everyone before sighing when they were out of sight.

Chica walked towards her two friends, kissing lovingly Bonnie before looking at Freddy's reaction. This one seemed to be less involved in Bonnie since a couple of days. Indeed, he was always walking around the Safe Room and wasn't even jealous anymore when Chica showed her love to Bonnie in front of him. That was... good, but they were all worried.

Did Freddy hide something to them ? What could it be ?

Speaking about him, the bear walked towards the Back Room. Bonnie and Chica decided to follow him there, wanting to understand what was going on with him. They walked very silently, looking at the bear without being seen. Bonnie and Chica hid behind a wall, listening very closely.

"Can you forgive me... ? I didn't come anymore because I...feel bad. I'm sure that you can still hear me, even if you don't answer..." Freddy murmured, putting his hand on the wall and lowering his head sadly.

Bonnie hid even more when Freddy looked around him, hearing their breathing. Chica gulped and closed her eyes, hoping that the bear wouldn't come their way. Fortunately, Freddy just raised an eyebrow and turned around, going on.

"I want to tell you... I will always be there if you need someone to talk to. I'm still your friend." He said, sobbing. He seemed so... Heartbroken. "Do you still believe that ?"

With that last sentence, Freddy went back to the Dining Area and saw them hiding. He crossed his arms against his chest, seemingly furious. "Well well well, what do we have here ?"

Bonnie smiled nervously and blushed, feeling really bad.

Goldie felt like speaking with his long lost friend could help him to be, at least, a little bit happy. He just had a pretty bad conversation with Marionette about his 'situation'. That means that he was always alone, wondering without noticing anyone.

Mario was really worried. Fredbear told her not to be but she was always doing what SHE wanted. So she'd spent two hours speaking with him, asking if she could help him with anything and reminding him that the others were suffering because of this situation.

To be really honest, Fredbear didn't care. The others were free, after all, weren't they ? His best friend needed his help to be free again. If he wasn't already dead, of course.

So, Goldie walked towards the Safe room and just stared at the fake wall silently. His eyes filled with tears as minutes passed without any sound coming from the secret room. Maybe it was true. Springtrap was dead. He didn't save him when it was time.

Now it was too late, probably. The last thing he could do now was crying and shouting until his voice dies. He could also try to speak to him, but the idea of talking with a corpse wasn't really appealing, to say the least.

He just stared at the wall, his eyes slowly shutting as he whispered. "It's all okay... Tomorrow is another day."

That was when he heard sobs from the opposite side of the wall. "Springtrap... ?" He asked, not really sure about what he heard.

He slightly heard a voice answering when the Exit door opened. Fredbear startled, stepping back when he saw Purple Guy entering the pizzeria. The man smiled threateningly before approaching him, holding in his hands a hand-crank.

Goldie glanced at the wall, looking for an issue. He needed to escape this situation. Whatever wanted Purple Guy, he didn't want to be involved. He took what was the nearest to him, that is to say an axe, and threatened Purple Guy with it. "D-Don't move !"

"Oh Fredbear..." The guy said, looking at him mockingly. "Fredbear Fredbear Fredbear..."

The bear stepped back, still menacing the man with the purple jacket. "D-don't touch me !"

"I have the power to help you, dear Fredbear. But only if you help me in return."

"I don't want to help you ! Get outta here !" Goldie cried out, looking at the fake wall and approaching it quickly. "Get outta here right now or I'll call the others !"

Purple Guy smiled mischievously, grabbing a set of keys and showing them to Goldie. The bear's gaze came to them, wondering about their utility. The killer showed the lock on the fake wall, preventing it to be opened, and smiled.

Fredbear suddenly understood their utility. "Give them to me ! Please ! I need to save him !"

Purple's smile grew when he said, glancing at the keys: "You see ? I can help you. But only if you help me."

Goldie glanced at him blankly before asking almost fearfully: "And how can I help... ?"

Vincent laughed cruelly before staring at the bear. "If you come with me and obey me at any time... I shall give you the keys."

Fredbear's heart missed a beat when he heard that, stressed. Should he accept ? No, of course not. But if he didn't... Spring was going to die in there. He was his only hope.

Goldie lowered his head, tears running down his cheeks. He was forced to accept. Springtrap would die if he didn't. "... I accept."

"Very well." Purple Guy smiled before throwing the keys to him.

Fredbear grabbed them tightly before trying to open the lock with them. Of course, it didn't work. Goldie tried again, for like twenty times before bursting into tears. "No... !"

It was already too late. He was Purple Guy's ally from now. The murderer laughed and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the pizzeria. The bear defended, trying to escape this grip but Purple Guy was too strong. "RELEASE ME INSTANTLY ! HELP-"

"Fredbear, shut this beautiful mouth of yours, would you ?" Vincent demanded, forcing the bear to go with him.

He couldn't fail this time.

"You didn't respect the deal so it's my right to refuse !" Goldie said, pulling his arm out of Vincent's grip. "I don't want to help you if I don't get what I want first."

Vincent groaned, annoyed by this situation, and looked at the fake wall absent-mindingly. "Fine. We'll have a deal then. If I release him, right now, in front of your very eyes, you'll come along. Deal ?"

Fredbear thought about it. He was going to do horrible things for Purple Guy but, at the same time, he will save his best friend's life. That was why he doubted. If he didn't accept, Spring couldn't leave his room. It was his chance.

But at the same time, Fredbear didn't want to help him if that required hurting his friends. They didn't want what happened. Nobody was happy about Springtrap being locked in a room. Freddy even tried to help, didn't he ? Even though Fredbear was upset, he knew that Freddy wasn't really responsible.

He didn't everyone to get killed because of this. But did he really have a choice ? Letting Spring die in there voluntarily wasn't really appealing either.

It was a very difficult choice to make.

"So ?" Vincent insisted, offering him his hand. "Deal ?"

Fredbear lowered his head and demanded in a low voice: "Promise me we won't hurt anyone..."

"Don't be so silly, Fredbear. Do you accept or not ?"

The bear hesitated but nodded, already regretting his decision. Purple sighed and took the real keys, opening the fake wall and looking at the bear scornfully. "You got what you wanted. Now you come along."

However, Fredbear didn't move. He remained still, glancing at Springtrap lying on the ground. Was he okay ? He didn't seem to breathe... Worried, Goldie walked towards the figure and knelt before it. Springtrap was sleeping, breathing loudly now, and started to moan.

"Why... ?" The golden bunny asked while sleeping. "Why are you doing this... ?"

Fredbear lowered his head, glancing at Springtrap without speaking. The bunny went on, crying and moving slightly. "Shadow Freddy... Stop hiding ! Come over here ! Fredbear is attacking me... !"

Alarmed, Goldie raised his head suddenly and took a look at Purple Guy furiously. "What are you doing to him !?"

"Oh, just some bad dreams. You killing him in thousand manners, him crying and hoping that you will have pity... Nothing very important." Vincent replied, waving his hand. "Now come over here. It's time to go."

Fredbear glanced one last time at Springtrap, squeezing his hand comfortingly before standing up, following Purple Guy. He tried not to think about what he was doing while walking.

When Springtrap opened his eyes, he was blinded by an awful brightness. He wasn't used to that kind of light. He barely noticed Shadow Freddy by his side, looking at him protectively before shutting his eyes too. Spring glanced at the door, wide-opened, and gasped in surprise.

"Another dream ?" He asked, looking at the bear.

This one shook his head negatively, smiling to the bunny happily. "No. We are free. You are free."

To be continued...

Hi everyone ! Once again, I won't have many time to write a note, sorry ^^ I hope you liked this chapter ! If someone's lost, 'cause I know the story can seem a bit difficult, PM me, I'll explain what you want to know or don't understand. ;)

Thanks again for all the support, it warms my heart !

And a note to EmeraldKnight26, I'm glad you like this fic and that your favorite is now Spring ! Welcome to the "family" ;D

Okay, that's all today guys :)

Until next time,

Circle of J.