For the next few years, William worked to override Henry's works. However, despite his best efforts, business began to steadily decline. He soon started to lose money and found it difficult to pay bills or buy food. It hurt William to see his family struggle after he and his parents had suffered financially throughout his childhood. It also filled him with rage to think of how Henry had stolen his characters and his ideas. All was well before he showed up.
"Willie, I know it's hard, but you need to swallow your pride and accept defeat," Clara said. They now sat at the dining room table in the early morning, before their sons woke up. Their daughter had been up for hours with them.
"I will never give up," William replied. "And I won't let that man win. I was here first. This was my idea! I won't be pushed out by the likes of him!"
Clara crossed her arms. "William, I don't know how long this feud will last between you two, but it needs to end."
"Clara, I won't give him the satisfaction!"
"Alright." Clara, without another word, moved over to the sink and proceeded to wash dishes.
"Alright?"
"Yeah. While you and Henry work out your differences, I guess there's nothing left for us to do but starve."
"We have food. We have electricity. We have water. What do you want from me?"
Clara turned and looked into her stubborn husband's eyes. "I want you to settle this feud and let him help you. It won't be long until our fridge is empty and our electricity and water are cut off, and I don't want to see our children do without, do you?"
William paused as he looked back to their sons' rooms and then into Elizabeth's soft emerald green eyes. "No, I don't."
"Then why don't you talk to him? See if you two can become partners. Your first mistake was going into business without a partner."
William smiled. "I know. I'm sorry."
Just then, they heard two pairs of feet wake their way through the house.
"Our peace is over, it would seem." William chuckled.
"It would seem so," said Clara, smiling.
Ten-year-old Michael rounded the corner to the dining room first. Following close behind him was his five-year-old little brother, Evan, who was still rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning, Father," Michael said.
William smiled and said, "Good morning, Michael. Hello, Evan." Evan walked over to him and raised his arms, which caused William to pick him up and set him on his lap.
William ruffled Evan's hair, then asked, "How did you sleep last night, Evan?"
Evan kept quiet and leaned on his father's chest. Instead, Michael spoke up when he was seated with his breakfast.
"He woke up screaming last night," he said. He and Michael, at the moment, shared a room. "He stayed awake all night."
"Evan, what's wrong?" William asked as he looked into his innocent green eyes.
Evan remained silent and just looked at the table.
"What do you think, Clara? Should we keep him home from school today?" William asked his wife.
"Whatever you said, Willie."
William rubbed his back, then decided to keep him home. Michael, of course, thought it unfair.
"Why does he get to stay home when he just didn't sleep good?" Michael said. "I was sick last week, and you still made me go!"
"He's five, Michael," Clara said. "When you get older, you'll understand."
"Whatever," Michael mumbled as he rose from the table and stormed off.
"Mike!" William called after him. "He does that again, he'll be sorry."
"Aren't you a little hard on him?" Clara asked.
"If he is to survive in this world without us and take care of these two, he needs to be strong. I'm hard on him for his benefit," William said. "I hope that he will see that one day."
Michael slammed his locker shut. He did not know why his father favored Evan. What was so special about him? He noticed his best friend, Jeremy Fitzgerald, right beside him at his locker.
"Hey, Mike," he said. "How's the crybaby?"
Michael knew that he was referencing his brother. Though he did not attend that school, Michael's friends knew about him. Although, all they knew was that he was constantly crying for some reason. Perhaps, because of his father spoiling him.
Michael groaned. "He got to stay home today because he didn't sleep well. It's not fair."
"I'm sorry, man." Jeremy put his hand on Michael's shoulder. "Look on the bright side."
"What could be the bright side?"
Jeremy paused and thought for a moment. "You're alive?"
"You're real funny, Jeremy." Both of them laughed as they walked to class.
William parked his old rusted car at the diner and got out. He had brought Evan with him, so he retrieved him from the back seat. As he walked with Evan in his arms, he glanced across the street to see a full parking lot at this so-called "Chica's Party World." Crowds of children and parents flooded in and his rival, Henry, standing in the midst, greeting the children. He was even hugged by some. William gritted his teeth and hurried inside his small diner.
The diner was pathetic compared to the rival restaurant across the street. William's heart sank. Not a soul could be found in the building except for workers. When he set Evan down, a worker walked up to William.
"Hey, Bill," he said. "How are you?"
"I've been better."
"Well, you're about to be worse. We don't have money to continue to pay for this building or our assets. We need to sell out."
"No. I'm not letting Henry win."
"We may not have a choice, Bill," the worker said.
William looked across the street at the rival. He remembered what his wife was telling him that morning. He would sooner die than see his wife and children on the streets. He sighed.
"Fine. You all can go home for the rest of today. Evan, let's..." William looked around for his son but did not see him. He turned to the worker. "Have you seen my son?"
The worker pointed to the door leading to the back room. Evan just stood there, staring into the room. William walked over to him to see that he was looking at the empty mascot suits. Evan backed away and began to cry. He turned and hugged his father in fear.
William smiled and picked him up.
"What's the matter?" the worker asked.
"He's afraid of the mascots," William answered.
"Well, that's not good, considering you're the one that made them."
William chuckled as he approached the worker, then whispered, "Clara designed them. I blame her." He proceeded to laugh as he left the restaurant. The rest of his employees prepared to close.
Later that day, he filed for bankruptcy. When Henry found out, he was heartbroken for William. William saw him as a rival and a thief but in reality, Henry had the same desires as he did. The difference was he knew how to achieve it. William knew more about starting a business and keeping it going than how to make his dream come true.
Henry bought him out of bankruptcy to help him further achieve his ambitions, but William was humiliated rather than grateful. Of course, he hid this from his family, but inwardly, he resented Henry for this. He certainly would never forget such an insult.
A/N: Okay, so I will start communing with whoever makes it this far in the chapter. Again, if any of you want to know more about this, watch Game Theory's Ultimate Fnaf Timeline videos. There are four. This story is heavily inspired by them. Of course, some things in this story are not in the theories. Mostly because what is a story without character development? This chapter was set in 1980. Just three more years until this happy family is shattered... And our hearts will shatter with them because even I'm already attached to Evan, William, and Michael.