Author's Notes:

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 106

FNAF 4 Night 2 (Round 3)

Mike had a brief moment wondering if Puppet's damaged neck would snap from the blow.

Puppet made an irritated noise. "That's what I get for saving him from Michael?" he wiped the paint off. "Idiot was already in the office."

"Uh. Hi. Which one's Michael?" Mike asked as he peeked up over the table. He had a pretty good idea though. 'Springtrap' just sounded way too "off brand" for an animatronic name.

Hedy squinted at him but didn't hesitate with an answer thankfully. "That's the name of the psychopath who's possessing my friend. The yellow rabbit."

"...Okay. So an actual ghost...". Mike shook his head but didn't express too much disbelief. He looked over to Puppet, uncomfortable under Hedy's stare. "Didn't I just save you?"

Hedy looked over at Puppet again.

"Semantics," the animatronic hissed.

"I think jabbing him in the knee while you're in a chokehold is a bit more than 'semantics'." Mike pointed out.

"Both of you shut up," Hedy hissed. She seemed alarmed despite the tone. Her voice dropped to concern. "Puppet."

"I'm fine." Puppet waved her off and rolled his eyes. He shot a glance at Mike, daring him to add any more detail.

This was possibly the most surreal moment of Mike's life. But he could freak out later. For now, there were killer animatronics and ghosts(?) in the building. He...knew that already, of course, but the reality of it was taking its time to click.

"Uh," he avoided the Puppet's frankly chilling glare and looked at Hedy, though that wasn't much better. "How can I help?"

Hedy looked at him so long he heard the faint ticks and tocks of the room's clock.

He couldn't read her expression but Puppet seemed able to.

"He could be useful," Puppet said. "At this point, I doubt the building will let us get rid of him."

Hedy's expression switched from coldness to one of irritation as she glanced at the bot. "He's not a game piece to be used, Puppet." There was a strange bite in her tone as she reminded Puppet of actions and attitudes that Mike couldn't possibly know about.

"He has a better chance of survival if you both work together," Puppet's voice took on a strange tone as Hedy subtly brought up Mangle. Game pieces...He supposed it was an apt description given what he did...

"You both have a better chance."

For the first time, Mike heard something in the dry humored bot's voice that caught him a bit off guard. He almost sounded worried. Not for Mike, not really. All the concern was for Hedy. However, it did help Mike's opinion of the bot's trustworthiness.

Sure, it probably meant Puppet would be willing to sacrifice him for the mechanic if it came to that, but it meant he cared about someone and wasn't necessarily completely murderous. That had to count toward something.

Right?

Or was Mike just desperate?

"Why?" Hedy asked, cutting through Mike's thoughts.

Mike looked at Hedy. "What?"

"Why did you come back?"

"...I want to help."

"But why? There's nothing here for you," she sounded genuinely confused. She shook her head. "No, there's less than nothing. You could get killed. Do you understand that you're risking your life for less than nothing?"

Mike tried his best not to make a mental comment about her calling her and her friends "nothing," at least in this context.

"I can't just leave...uh...you when I know I could do something. I really want to help. Maybe I'm crazy but I'm here and so are you. Tell me what you need," Mike risked a slightly sterner tone at the last part.

Hedy tilted her head, frowning. She held the paintball gun out to him and he came over automatically. "Know how to use this?"

"Yeah..." he said, confused at the out-of-place weapon. "Have more paint?"

"Yeah. That black bag over there. If you're going to stick around, there are rules."

Hedy still sounded angry. Very angry. But she was squashing it under irritation.

Mike glanced at her eyes above her plastered-on frown. She didn't even seem all that angry at Mike after a moment. More worried now.

He wasn't sure how much help a paintball gun would be but he went to pick up the bag.

"What rules?" he asked. Maybe he'd get some explanation for all the weirdness happening as well.

The building was sending Hedy waves of smug contentment.

Hedy pointedly ignored it, already thinking of ways to get back at it that wouldn't end with her locked in Bonnie's closet with a recreation of Ruby's cure for his glitch.

"First. You listen to everything I say," she said. "When I ask you to do something specific, you do exactly what I tell you. That includes these next rules."

Mike nodded.

"Second, do not do anything that will seriously hurt or permanently damage any of the bots. The Toys and Puppet here are on our side, and if you do something to hurt them, I will make you regret it. The Originals and Springtrap are the ones we need to be worried about, but it's not their fault. It's not them out there. In the morning they're going to wake up and not remember any of this. We are completely safe when 6 AM hits so all we have to do is run out the clock until then and make sure no one gets hurt."

"You said that Springtrap is a ghost."

"Spring is the name of my friend. He's the bot. Michael is the ghost that's using Spring's body as a host. He was a murderer. A spree killer who died inside of Spring. Spring could be worn like a suit, and Michael used him to lure kids away and kill them."

Mike swallowed, eyes wide as Hedy didn't pull any punches with the "short version". How had he never heard about this? It was always just the rumors about the cursed night guard's position. "...Shit," he murmured. "What about the others?"

"They're the kids. Kids that were murdered a long time ago. When Michael killed them, he hid them inside the Originals while they were offline and the kids' souls became attached to whoever they were inside," Hedy said it as emotionlessly as she could, but even she had to pause at Mike's expression.

"He just..." Mike looked horrified and sick.

Puppet could see the man skip through the visuals in his mind's eye.

"What sort of monster..."

Puppet glanced away at that, staring at a space of wall.

"Th-there's a trash can behind you," Hedy added, quietly, barely willing her voice not to crack as she watched the pain flash across his face.

Maybe Mike didn't notice when she glanced away, unable to really face the horror in his eyes. She couldn't deal with that pain right now. She hadn't felt it in a while, Ruby and the kids (when they weren't like this) being good distractions.

But right now she had neither Ruby nor the kids. Even the Toys couldn't keep her mind off those thoughts for long, not with Michael stalking the halls and the Originals' footsteps faintly echoing.

"I'm...fine..."

Puppet didn't say a single word but Hedy could hear him shift and Mike's expression said that the bot was staring at him with a blank stare from behind her. Hedy looked at Mike for a minute, letting him squirm as she gathered herself. "They went insane. They want revenge. Against the company. Against night guards."

"Why night guards?"

"Michael was wearing the uniform when he killed them, but they didn't really know it was him."

Once again, the short version...

Mike sat down, trying to process it all. He stared at Hedy frowning. "How do you know all this?"

She frowned back. "It's too long of a story."

"But you're friends with the bots? How? You couldn't have just known about the ghosts." Mike lowered his voice, worried he was poking at something private about the story. He wasn't an idiot. He heard what the ghost said. He heard "Michael's" obsession. He had his suspicions.

Hedy made a noise. She couldn't find the least amount of words to explain. It was too much to tell him, right now. And according to Puppet's face, after he had picked up the tablet while they talked, someone was close to their hiding spot.

"Later," Puppet snapped at Mike, saving Hedy.

The guy jumped a bit before nodding.

"Okay, okay...Ghosts, right." He took a deep breath. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

He held the paintball gun a bit awkwardly, but he had used one before at least. This one looked strangely modified though. The barrel was heavier and wider while the pressurised air canister looked a bit bigger than it should have.

"Stay close tonight until I have an idea. Stay alive and help me do the same." Hedy didn't seem the slightest pleased asking a stranger to basically use some of the energy he needed to watch out for himself to help her. "We're about to move to another room. If we run into anyone, shoot or throw anything at them to distract them so we can get away. You're faster than everyone but Foxy so if you see him and we can't slow him down, run and leave me behind and get to a vent where he can't get you."

Puppet looked up, not happy about that idea in the slightest.

Mike couldn't help thinking about the ominous way he overhead Freddy and Chica talking about Hedy. It clearly sounded like they wanted to actually hurt her. Did she know that? Why tell him to abandon her to Foxy?

"The Toys are scattered around the building. Their jobs are to be distractions and annoy the kids into not being able to stick to a plan, but if the kids see you, they will kill you."

Just for tonight, she wanted the guy close until he figured out the rhythm and the other's patterns without her needing to explain each time. She also wasn't sure she trusted him either. Of course she wasn't going to send him off alone.

It gave Puppet the chance to concentrate on the tablet while Mike could learn how to be alert to their surroundings while moving around.

He had been a night guard before, and she knew that counted for something. He was still alive after all. But the pattern he might have learned can't really be much use anymore, right?

"Trial run?"

Hedy nodded slightly. "Yes. Basically."

"I can do that," Mike shuffled in place. Regardless of what she said, he didn't think he could run off and leave her there. He was getting the awful feeling that she didn't know what the...the kids were planning.

He glanced nervously at the Puppet.

Puppet didn't say anything about what they heard and Mike got the feeling it wasn't because he didn't want to.

Hedy wasn't facing the bot, but Mike saw the Puppet shift and glance away.

He stared at a wall blankly for a moment, seemingly thinking. Was he unsure or just careful?

"Hedy," Puppet said with a reserved tone to his voice. "You need to consider that the children are a danger to you as well. The Originals are right. They aren't the most...level headed."

"I don't recall you being much better," Hedy replied but there was a slight smile in her voice.

Mike swallowed.

She really didn't seem concerned. Was that a good sign? Was that confidence?

The Puppet was quiet. He just looked at Hedy, not really caring that Mike was there and had also heard what was said.

Mike kept his mouth shut. He didn't know what was going on here so he shouldn't interfere too much. He'd just help as much as he could.

Over the next several hours, Mike was struck with the slightly amusing realization that these...kids... that Hedy claimed were possessing the Originals were, one: somewhat easily distracted by the Toys, and two: kind of sucked at hide-and-seek.

There were more than a few heart-racing moments where Hedy hid around the corner of a hallway turn while instructing Mike to stay completely still in the dark shadows.

Puppet would just freaking disappear then and scare the daylights out of Mike when they needed to move again.

He was sure Puppet was doing it on purpose. Once was an accident, twice a coincidence but five times? He was definitely doing it on purpose.

He kept his observations on the kids to himself since he didn't think Hedy would find them all that funny.

She really didn't seem to appreciate his 'I'm coping with humour' puns as much as he did. Puppet even less so. However, he still managed to make her crack out a couple of strained smirks that she tried to control but failed. It was a couple small positives in a stressful night. Her amusement meant she was less likely to tase him again right?

Their luck dried out around five.

Puppet and Mike both froze as Foxy quickly ran around a corner, apparently having heard them and sprinting on a whim. He halted at the sight of Mike and glared, baring rows of too-sharp teeth.

"Felix," Hedy said, eerily calm. She glanced at Mike. Why the hell wasn't he making a break for the vent?!

Mike was torn between the safety of the vent and not leaving Hedy to face this alone with just Puppet. That was far too selfish of a move to consider.

"Felix," Hedy said again, trying to draw the fox's attention. "Felix, look at me. What are you doing?" she spoke softly. Her voice didn't even waver.

Mike was jealous. He couldn't even remember how to speak if he wanted to. He just swallowed and shifted the paintball gun in his hand as he glanced around, trying to think of a plan. His mind was racing too fast to make any sense.

Felix only growled as he started to advance on them, a cruel glint in his eyes.

There was nothing of her friend in that glare.

Hedy met his red eyes with pain. "Fe-"

"You're HELPING him?!" Felix snarled at her.

Hedy felt something small twist in her stomach. "What are you doing, Felix? You know this isn't Michael. There isn't any reason to go after night guards again."

"Hedy," Puppet hissed, grabbing her shoulder tightly.

Her answer only seemed to enrage Felix even more.

He paced a few steps. "You..." a growl that was definitely more Foxy's than his slipped out. "I thought you understood!"

"I thought you did…" Hedy said quietly. "Can you see this doesn't make any s-"

"You should have stayed out of it Wiggy," he interrupted, the ominous tone making the humans shiver..

Hedy stared. "No...I...really don't think I should." She suddenly sounded much younger. "Mike. Mike, run."

But Mike didn't budge and neither did Puppet.

Felix snapped. He snarled and sprinted at them.

The only reason Mike was able to react so quickly was that he was expecting it. He and Puppet were standing behind Hedy so he saw Puppet tense a moment before Felix actually moved.

Hedy gasped as someone, either Puppet or Mike, shoved her in the back and out of the way (and out of her chair). She hit the floor on her knees as Felix tried to grab her with Foxy's sharp claws. He nicked her sleeve and stumbled on her chair, righting himself with an angry shout before he could completely fall.

Mike yelped and jumped back as the hook came at him, slamming in the wallpaper and plaster instead.

"Felix, please!" Hedy shouted and Puppet cursed her stubbornness. Or maybe it was her blind faith in her "friends."

She did not need to be catching the ghost's attention at that moment.

Mike stared at where the hook was embedded in the wall. That would have hurt...

"Um, Hedy, maybe we should start moving?" he asked, voice a bit high as he backed away from Felix.

He made a wide berth to get around as Hedy got back in her chair with Puppet's help.

Felix growled, trying to swipe at Mike as he attempted to pull the hook out, ignoring the strange angle his wrist was at now. He glared at Hedy.

There was a terrible moment where all Hedy could see were those eyes staring at her in utter rage. Not annoyance. Pure murderous rage was directed at her. Not Mike. Not Puppet. Felix was mad at her. Why….why did Felix hate her?

He pulled the hook out and advanced on them with chilling clarity in those eyes but only got a step before a bright light shone at his face.

Hedy stared at him with fear in her eyes, her hand shaking as she held the flashlight.

Felix's eyes widened briefly before he crumpled. In the second before, Hedy could have sworn she saw fear and hurt behind that anger.

Maybe she was desperate to imagine that.

Mike stared. "How did you do that?"

Hedy swallowed, staring at the fox with a conflicted expression. After a moment it was gone and she cleared her throat as she looked at Mike.

"The Originals a-are sensitive to flashing lights. It trips a reset. Works the best with Foxy. We should leave. He could wake up anytime and we still have..."

"Thirty-four minutes," Puppet supplied.

Hedy checked her watch and frowned.

Wordlessly, Puppet took her wrist and removed the watch, not daring to comment on her shaky hand. "It's slow," he said as he reset it, timing it to the second. "You can't be having an inaccurate watch right now."

"It needs a new battery," Hedy said as she started moving, Mike following.

"Wish I'd known that flashlight thing before," Mike muttered, staring at the fox. He didn't move closer though. Just to be safe. He nearly slapped himself as he remembered the tape. Well, maybe it was a good thing Hedy didn't know he had heard those.

Hedy didn't respond. She didn't even seem to hear him at the moment. She just looked ahead with a strange expression-wide eyes that didn't seem able to see in front of her, lips thin, and her shoulders coiled with tension.

Mike edged closer, nervous. "Hedy? You okay?" he asked hesitantly, crouching down to her level when she eventually stopped.

Puppet frowned as Hedy simply nodded.

"Fine." She glared at Mike, holding the rims of her wheels. "Why didn't you run?"

Mike jolted at the glare. "I'm not going to run and leave you!" he looked horrified at the suggestion.

Toby and Chi poked their heads around the corner but decided not to interfere with Hedy looking so annoyed. Their eyes widened at the sight of Mike.

"You...!" Hedy seethed. "Ugh! What were the rules! I told you to listen to me and I told you to leave me behind if we ran into anyone." She shook her head and pinched her nose. "Fuck." After a second she whispered, "He could have killed you. Do you understand that?"

Mike shuffled awkwardly. "Yeah, but it doesn't make it better if he hurts you instead."

"He..." Hedy trailed off and looked away with that pained expression again and they sank into an awkward silence.

Hedy noticed Toby and Chi and pulled them out of it. "Guys. How are you doing?"

Mike awkwardly waved at them while they stared.

Toby said he had seen Springtrap but didn't interact, while Chi mentioned her and Mangle's encounter with Cheryl.

Puppet didn't miss how Chi was standing, turned to hide her broken eye and the cracked side of her head from Hedy.

Hedy's mind was trying to keep track of everything and she didn't notice. She would eventually though... And it wouldn't end the best for Chi.

There was a short introduction from Mike, complete with looks of disbelief.

The Toys were weirded out and distant from Mike, staring at him with strange expressions. They just weren't sure what to think of him. Except that he was an idiot for coming back.

Maybe they were more confused over why Hedy didn't try to throw him out again.

The last half hour of the night was quiet and that almost worried Hedy more.

They didn't run into Michael or anyone else.

Mike didn't have a reason not to do what Hedy said the rest of the night, but they all kept a close eye on him, if only to think about something else besides the look in Hedy's eyes.