Author Note

Oh wow. This took way too long to finish. Anyway, here's the next chapter and I'll be working on the first Ask the Characters chapter next. :) Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 53

Hi Jeremy

As Hedy finally coaxed Jeremy in through the door, manic laughter greeted them (not really new to Hedy).

Ruby went racing past in full pirate mode, outfit and all. She was swinging a very real looking sword as she had a duel with Foxy. Neither really noticed the siblings arrive.

Freddy spotted them though and nodded in greeting. He seemed to be a little less frosty around her lately at least. Mangle was next to him with Teddy and Bonnie. Bonnie was bouncing in place excitedly as he watched the fight while Mangle watched in mild concern.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that Captain!" Ruby announced as she spun under his sword.

"Aye lass. You're quite the swordswoman!" Foxy returned, a very happy smirk on his face.

The other Toys were on the other side of the room (Toby already covered in chocolate) obviously waiting for Hedy. Chica was chatting to Goldy on the opposite side.

Jeremy made an odd little noise that was the very opposite of manly as Hedy patted his arm.

"Relax. No one's in danger..." she said. "Er...except maybe Toby." She frowned as her eyes followed Ruby who was still too preoccupied to notice them.

"Toby?"

"Toy Bonnie remember."

"Right..."

Goldy decided to pop up next to them at that moment.

"Why's there a day dedicated to talking like a pirate?" she asked Hedy with a frown. "Ruby just burst in, announced that the night was about that and started a sword fight with Foxy."

At this point, Ruby had leapt onto a table and was probably re-enacting something from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Most likely something to do with Jack Sparrow.

Foxy just laughed and continued the duel.

"AAH!" Jeremy jumped nearly two feet in the air at the sight of Goldy popping in.

Hedy jumped and squeaked in surprise. "Late reaction much?"

Goldy looked over at Jeremy for a moment, that look in her eyes that reminded Hedy that she was the oldest one there despite her often childish attitude.

"Uh, sorry." she apologised. "I'm used to everyone being... used to it now."

BB ran up to them too and hugged Hedy.

"Hi!" he grinned.

Ruby and Foxy had paused their fight to look over at them along with every single animatronic. Even Mari was in the room, sitting in the corner. His eyelights were fixed on them.

"I suddenly regret this." Jeremy muttered, wanting to shrink into nothingness.

"If you make a run for the guard room and use up the generator with the doors, I will never forgive you." Hedy deadpanned.

"Hello Mr. Fitzgerald." Mari said from across the room.

He tilted his head and played a few notes of his music box.

Ruby turned and threw the Puppet a venomous glare.

If looks could kill...

"Want a repeat of the suit incident?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice.

Foxy snickered at the memory.

Looking around Hedy could see everyone reacting quite obviously.

Toby was switching between glaring at Jeremy and Ruby. Chi was fuming silently at the floor. Teddy was being used as a shield by a nervous Mangle. Bonnie was doing the same with Foxy. Freddy was watching them cautiously. Chica was shifting nervously from foot to foot and wringing her hands. Goldy was still floating near them, expression neutral.

She'd totally known about this. Hedy was sure.

"Yeah I know you have questions. Yes, Jeremy Fitzgerald is my brother and yes I know he was the last guard at the old place before it shut down. My name is Hedy Fitzgerald and I didn't tell you because I didn't want him knowing I was here and because I didn't want you all acting weird around me. And yes Foxy, he was the one who told me about the flashlight trick. He's staying for a couple days, until I can convince him not to commit me to an insane asylum."

"Are you sure he's not a zombie or something?" Toby scowled.

"Lemme check." Hedy quickly pinched Jeremy on the arm.

Hard.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Yeah. He's alive."

Ruby snickered while Foxy scowled at the reminder of the flashlight.

"Bloody light." he muttered. "The rabbit deserved what was coming to him."

The night guard patted Foxy on the arm comfortingly with her uninjured arm.

"Alright. But first some ground rules." Ruby held up a finger, gaining everyone's attention in that unique way despite her smaller size.

She pointed at the originals. "MY 'bots. You mess with them and you're going to wish you only had homicidal robots to deal with. Mangle and Teddy are now included in that group. Oh and BB too. I'm the night guard and I'm also in charge of all the animatronics, so anything to do with them goes through me. Also, you don't make them uncomfortable with any mentions of the past if they don't want to talk about it. Got it?"

Despite her grin, Jeremy got the distinct impression of a shark instead of a teenager.

Hedy saw the look he had.

"Don't push it."

"Make them uncomfortable?" Jeremy crossed his arms and glared at the girl. "I never tried to kill anyone."

Hedy and Goldy shared a glance.

"I nominate you as the ref tonight." Hedy whispered.

Goldy groaned.

"But she's got a sword tonight!" she complained.

Ruby let out a rather animalistic growl that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"And you also don't know the whole story. So don't. push. it." she glared at him.

Foxy's scowl had disappeared, instead replaced with a concerned look. None of them wanted Ruby to get into a fight because of them. Bonnie's eyes were locked on the floor as Mangle let out a barely audible whine.

Jeremy stopped and blinked. "Heh. What makes you think you do kid?"

He put a hand on Hedy's shoulder.

The mechanic glanced off to the side but otherwise didn't react.

The teenager glared.

"Because no one bothered to ask them before me." she answered evenly. "And no one looked past appearances."

She paused for a moment.

"Except maybe Steve. I think he had an idea of what was going on." she admitted.

None of the animatronics moved. They were afraid that Jeremy was going to set her off. She'd seemed even more unstable than usual lately...

"And I'm not a kid grandpa." she added.

Hedy snickered while Jeremy's face twisted into a badly concealed grin. He couldn't help it.

"Yeah, I'm only thirty-two... Who's Steve?"

Ruby shrugged.

"I forget his name. Hedy said he's your uncle? He left tapes that I listened to in the beginning. And thirty two's OLD dude."

She started playing with the sword, tossing it up and catching it. It was a clear sign that she was growing bored now that his hostility seemed to be ebbing slightly.

Jeremy looked toward Hedy with a frown.

She glanced away again.

"Scott. His name was Scott." he mumbled.

Goldy looked between them nervously.

"I-I'm really sorry Hedy." she said quietly.

Hedy shook her head. "Don't apologize until I can understand what's going on please."

"It wasn't your fault guys." Ruby responded immediately and sternly.

She'd obviously had this discussion before. Jeremy could sense the protectiveness that radiated from her.

The originals were all looking down awkwardly though, clearly uncomfortable.

"Scott, Steve, whatever. He sounded like a Steve." she shrugged, turning back to the siblings.

"Then who's fault was it Ruby?" Hedy asked slightly coldly. "I've gotten to know everyone these last couple weeks and while it's obvious you still don't like me," she gestured to the originals. "You don't act like murderers. So forgive me for being confused."

The Toys shared an uncomfortable look while the originals looked anywhere but at the humans.

"I'm confused too." Jeremy said.

"Why? It's your fault." Mari said.

"What?"

"Night guards."

"First of all, I'm not a night guard anymore. Second, how can you blame all night guards for something?"

"Okay. Calm down please."

"I am calm." Jeremy responded a little snappishly.

"Well calm down more."

"Shut up Puppet." Ruby snapped. "And if they don't want to talk about it they won't."

She was starting to get worked up. It really was infuriating to Hedy though that she blocked her every single time she tried to find out the truth. The originals weren't helping either since they were staying silent and the Toys didn't say anything either. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that Ruby would be the only one to talk about it and she was so ridiculously STUBBORN!

Goldy patted Ruby's shoulder hesitantly to try and calm her.

"Why can't you just tell me? I'm the only one here that doesn't know!" Hedy snapped, the stress finally getting to her.

Jeremy suddenly jumped ."Yep. Hehe. Hedy, maybe today isn't the time."

Hedy looked down and nodded with a sigh.

"Fine."

Ruby seemed to relax at that but still kept a suspicious eye on Jeremy.

"Haha right." Jeremy said awkwardly. "So what exactly do you do all night? Or am I going to huddle next to the door all shift and make crazy person noises?"

"We could play pin the suit on the ex-night guard?" Mari suggested, dead set on tormenting the man.

Mangle made a strange noise and clicked her teeth at the Puppet as she came over to the siblings to introduce herself to Hedy's brother properly.

Jeremy looked between the robots, the current night guard, and his sister. He could see that Hedy looked very angry with the Puppet, but largely unconcerned about any danger they could be in.

Oh boy. He didn't like this. At all. Not one bit. But he could trust his little sister for six hours right? He could do that...

…why did one of the foxes decide to come closer? He had the worst memories with them.

Something went sailing through the air and slammed into Puppet's head. It exploded in a cloud of glitter.

"Want some more Clown?" Ruby snarled as the animatronic glared at her.

Her aim was definitely to be feared Jeremy decided.

"Anyway." she turned back to him. "We do whatever. I'm having Pirate's night tonight. Goldy is going to introduce Teddy and Mangle to Harry Potter though I think."

Mangle signed something to her that made her snicker. Hedy still couldn't catch what she said when she signed quickly like that.

"What..."

Hedy was about to ask but a more pressing issue came up as Jeremy laughed.

"Oh really? Harry Potter. That's interesting. Right Hed-"

She elbowed him in the gut and glared. "Say it...I dare you dear brother." Her glare was icy.

Ruby looked VERY interested suddenly.

"Hmmmm? Some sibling secret here? To do with Harry Potter?" she mused, mischievous eyes darting to Goldy.

The bear looked excited.

"What is it?!" she asked.

It was so surreal to see those he'd only associated with murders go back to... other things. Talking, movies, games. It was so weird.

That paranoid part of his brain whispered a about whether it was an act or not.

"Nothing!" Hedy yelled.

"Oh it's something." Jeremy contradicted her, calming the paranoia by checking the exits.

Just in case.

"Jeremy no!"

"Jeremy yes."

"No!"

"What? I'm not allowed to embarrass my little sister?"

"NO!

"You sure? Hed-"

"Tarantulas. Tarantulas in your bed tonight!"

"Worth it."

"Argh! Not a word! Don't say anything! Not a word!"

"I only need one." Jeremy winked.

Ruby had a calculating look on her face.

"I'll torment the blue rabbit all night." she offered. "Permanent marker, glitter bombs, the works. If I get that one word."

Goldy had actually pulled out the puppy dog eyes at this point. HOW did she have puppy dog eyes?

Hedy didn't even flinch. "Not worth it."

Toby tilted his head. Not that he wanted to endure a night of Ruby going all out, but Hedy was still mad at him. What could be so bad that she'd that turn that offer down so quickly?

Ruby looked thoughtful.

"Hmmmm, I'll tell you about the new animatronic that the manager's bringing in?" she offered after a moment of silence.

The 'bots' heads snapped around. Clearly none of them knew about this.

"What? Who?" Hedy asked while Jeremy frowned in confusion.

More animatronics? Geez, how many of them were there?

"Uh uh." Ruby waved her finger, smiling that oh-so-familiar infuriating smirk again. "Give me the word. I'm curious now. And you know that I can threaten the manager into silence so you won't find out from him."

Hedy reached out her hands as if to strangle the night guard.

"You little...No." she wouldn't give in that easily.

She'd find out herself somehow.

Jeremy on the other hand...

"Okay."

"No!"

"But..." Jeremy put up a finger and stared at Ruby. "I also want protection. From her pranks. You may be the prankster here, but you didn't grow up with this demon for a little sister. You don't want to know what she could turn a hair dryer into."

Hedy looked ready to kill someone.

"Sure!" Goldy chirped as Ruby nodded. "I'm always keeping an eye on things. Someone's got to keep Ruby away from the circuit board."

"It was one time!" Ruby cried out indignantly.

She huffed before looking at him. "And I won't target you with any. You should be safe as long as you don't wander into any of the ones aimed at the Barbies."

"Uh. Fine. What do you think Hedwig?"

Everyone froze. Then Goldy's excited squeal echoed through the building.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" she raced around in circles.

A few of the 'bots snickered at the information.

Ruby cocked her head to the side as she absorbed the information.

"Huh, you know. Kind of suits you. Don't know why you're embarrassed. It's better than being called Bellatrix. Kids called me that for a week after they watched the fifth movie." she smirked at the memory.

"Ugh..." Hedy groaned in mortification.

"Hedwig Lamarr Fitzgerald. Yeesh. What was Dad thinking?" Jeremy laughed.

"Oh shut it Jeremy Reginald Fitzgerald. At least I didn't name my daughter after a car."

"Mercedes is a perfect name. And she's named after grandma. Not a car."

Ruby snickered at the sibling bickering.

"You're an aunt too?" she asked, looking far too pleased with herself.

Hedy chuckled dryly, still under a cloud of hatred for her name.

Kill me now, she thought.

"This guy had twins." She jerked a thumb toward her smirking brother.

"And they looooove their Aunt Wiggy."

"I will rip out your tongue."

Ruby tilted her head again.

"Married and kids? Geez, you ARE old." She smirked. "And you named one after a car? Weird. What did you name the other kid after? A motorbike?"

It was kind of weird that she wasn't teasing Hedy more. It was more like she just wanted to know what it was and then she was happy.

"Seriously? Human aging is weird." Toy Freddy whispered to Chi.

"And a little disturbing." added Toy Chica in the same hushed tone.

Teddy grimaced at the idea of a guy they tried to kill having little kids himself.

Meanwhile, Hedy sighed. "Yeah yeah okay Goldy you can stop now please. What's this new animatronics you're talking about, Ruby?"

"Oh yeah." She'd seriously already forgotten… The girl was impossible.

"The manager wants to build up an area for older kids. So it's going to be spooky themed or something. Apparently they found a really old animatronic linked to the restaurants. His name's, um, Springtrap I think he said?"

Goldy's excited babbling cut off with a horrified choke as she turned to look at Ruby. The other originals stiffened in shock, Bonnie and Chica looking abruptly scared and Freddy and Foxy looking angry and worried.

Hedy instinctively looked toward the Toys.

"Him?" Teddy asked hesitantly.

"I thought that guy was scrapmetal!" Toby growled.

"Woah. Slow down!" Hedy commanded. "Who's Springtrap?!"

Out the corner of her eyes she saw Puppet tilt his head down and clench his clawed fists tightly.

She glanced at Jeremy to see it he knew.

From the way Ruby watched their reactions, Hedy got the feeling that she'd been planning to ask this all along and had just taken advantage of it to find out about her name.

Goldy crumpled to the floor at Toby's words and started to cry softly, causing the originals to surround her and comfort her.

Jeremy looked just as confused.

Mangle tapped Hedy on the shoulder.

"What's going on Mags?"

Mangle made a motion as if she was swallowing and shook her head while looking away guiltily.

'I shouldn't say.' she signed slowly.

Hedy looked toward Goldy in concern.

"Ruby." she murmured gently and just loud enough for only the night guard to hear. "You should do something. I think you broke your friend..."

Ruby watched them for a moment longer, her emotions hidden behind that mask again, before she got Freddy's attention.

"Spill. Now." She demanded calmly in that tone that left no room for arguments.

Freddy sighed as Bonnie hugged the sobbing bear.

"Spring... was the animatronic that worked with Goldy. Way back in the first diner. We knew him for a while when he was in storage." He swallowed. "He's also the suit the murderer used to gain the kids' trust. Spring and Goldy were specially designed to be worn as well as be independent animatronics. He… couldn't stop the guy. It broke him."

He paused to take a breath, not looking at Hedy or Jeremy, eyes locked on Ruby.

"There was an... incident... the murderer died. But he didn't leave. He possessed Spring permanently. The kids can only do it to us temporarily on night six. We... never saw the real Spring again. Only Springtrap."

Ruby opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by gasps and a choking sound.

They probably should have been looking at the Fitzgerald siblings.

Both of them looked pale and horrified.

Jeremy stumbled back slightly and Hedy would have done the same if she was standing.

"Hedy?" Chi asked in concern.

The mechanic was having a strange coughing fit.

"H-Hedy," Jeremy stuttered. "Just breath okay? You're okay. You're okay."

"I-I'm f-fine." Hedy whispered shakily.

Her eyes lit up angrily. She was still coughing but she was in more control now.

"W-what are you t-talking about?! Night 6? Possession?" The shout cause her to start coughing again. "T-those kids...t-that...that was ages ago..."

Ruby's eyes were now on her, recognising the panic attack for what it was.

She gave Jeremy a moment to calm her down a bit before speaking. She was kind of annoyed that she had to talk about this now though when they'd established that it wouldn't be happening just a few minutes earlier.

"The kids that died hung around as ghosts and forced the originals into hunting night guards. The murderer was a night guard so they blame everyone who takes the job. If the bots haven't chased the guard off by night six or killed them, the ghosts take over and do it. And they make it messy. My deal makes it impossible for the little brats to do that again since I beat them."

There was a definite edge of anger and venom to her words as she spoke about them.

Y-you're lying." Hedy wheezed.

The Toys were scared for their friend now. However, when they tried to step closer, Jeremy glared at them with way more heat than they expected.

There were now two groups surrounding two emotionally unstable people.

"I'm s-sorry Hedy..." Goldy cried without looking up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you...you deserved to know..."

"I'm missing something here." Toby muttered to himself.

Ruby's expression darkened dangerously at the accusation.

"Lying?!" She hissed. "You're the one who wanted to know why they killed in the first place! They didn't have a choice! Think Foxy would do this to me willingly?!"

She yanked her shirt up and showed them long scars running down her back. The originals flinched and looked away from the sight.

"He quit the game after like one night! He didn't want to do it anymore. None of them did!"

She was furious now, her hot temper flaring.

The Toys actually flinched at the sight too. It was so easy to forget that the teenager wasn't invincible. That she could, and had been hurt.

Foxy's ears fell back.

"Lass..." he reached out to touch her shoulder as she pulled her shirt back into place.

Hedy shook her head and buried her face in her hands.

"It's crazy. You're lying. Y-you h-have to be lying. It isn't true."

"Maybe we need to go home." Jeremy suggested gently while Hedy continued to repeat herself.

Mangle let out a hiss that made him flinch. No way was he taking her best friend right after she just got back.

Hedy no longer seemed aware of any of them. "You're lying. T-they're gone. They've always been gone. They wouldn't hurt..." She trailed off into quiet sobs.

"Hedy. We should go." Jeremy whispered.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed at him suddenly.

The man jumped up and held up his hands in surrender.

"Leave me alone..." she said in a quieter voice as she started rolling toward the door that would lead deeper into the building.

Ruby didn't follow her. She was furious. Sure she was a mischief maker and all but she wouldn't outright lie about something this serious. She huffed in annoyance before moving over to sit next to Goldy and let the bear cry against her shoulder.

…

…

Great, pirate night was ruined. Fantastic.

Author Note

So hope you enjoyed and I'll do my best to get the next one up soon.