Author's Note:

Hope everyone is having a great Christmas Eve! Posting should return to more or less normal after Christmas. Have a great holiday everyone!

Chapter 155

Visit

The drive to the graveyard was a lot quieter than the other drives.

In one of the other cars, Mike pulled into a parking space beside Hedy.

Chi tapped his arm. "Mike?"

"Hm?"

"What are all those statues and rocks?"

Mike froze, unsure if she was serious or not. The interested look in her eyes didn't say so. He swallowed the lump in his throat to answer. "Those are graves, Chi."

She looked out the window, even more confused. "Well duh. But which ones?"

"...All of them."

Chica and Freddy didn't say anything.

Chi stared at Mike. "There's so many though."

Mike nodded slowly. "There's a lot of people. And everyone dies . Eventually."

They all continued to stare at him in mute horror.

"There's a lot more people than bots," he explained gently. "We all eventually die."

Hedy was quiet and didn't disagree with Mike as she got out of her car.

The sheer number of headstones was shocking to all the bots, even the ones she would have expected to understand the common sense of it all.

"Logically we knew what to expect," Goldy explained softly. "But...It's different seeing it in person."

"It's okay," Hedy said. "Come on."

Jeremy held open the gate for her as they filed into the cemetery.

Hedy took a deep breath before pointing in a direction. The walkway branched off into several paths through the threes, some looping back around through other sections of plots.

"Jeremy and my parents are that way. The Stones are buried near the Hero's walk, where they put first responders. The kids are scattered in the children's section.."

"There's a children's section?" Mangle whispered in horror.

"...No one expects kids to die. Almost no one has plots bought and waiting for their kids. They have a section for children set aside in the nicest part with the trees and garden area close by," Hedy explained quietly. "Timmy and...whoever else...are most likely buried there too."

Most of them flinched. Their core programming was to protect children and make them happy. To be faced with this...was hard.

There was a horrible empty moment where no one really wanted to move.

The humans' extraordinary patience with them made it harder.

Puppet was the first to move, unsurprisingly, heading toward the children's area. He didn't want to immediately set foot among the graves of children. He wasn't entirely prepared for the sheer number of dead around him. He wasn't ready to see how many headstones were in the children's section either. But part of him wanted to get it over with. Another part wondered if he should see Hedy or Ruby's parents' graves first.

Goldy and Spring followed after him next and the others slowly did the same.

They were all hesitant and nervous.

It was pure anxiety looking over the names for ones they recognized. There was neither relief nor disappointment seeing the name of a kid they didn't know. It all hurt either way.

Hedy didn't tell them where to go because they didn't ask. She knew where her friends were but let them look through the rows.

After a few minutes of watching the pain on their faces grow, Jeremy gave in.

"You're next to Felix's, Foxy," Jeremy said, evenly and bit shocking with his calm tone.

Foxy jolted, having been in a bit of a daze over the whole experience.

He looked down, not seeming to know what to do.

Hedy took his hand. "It's okay."

Foxy shut his eyes.

How was Hedy not breaking down? How was she being so understanding and gentle with them, especially here?

Hedy squeezed his hand and he forced himself to look.

"We missed his birthday..." he said, reading the inscription.

"He doesn't remember it," Hedy said, not pointing out how they somehow remembered hers.

"Who brought the flowers?" Teddy asked.

"I did. Yesterday," Hedy said.

A few of them stared at her, understandably confused.

"Why?" Puppet asked.

"There are flowers on the others' graves pretty regularly. I don't like to leave Felix out. I know he doesn't care and none of them are connected to these rocks. But I don't like seeing it empty. His mom died several years ago and they didn't have any other family. I visit his mom's grave too and I'm not about to bring her flowers and leave nothing on his spot just because I know there's nothing of him here."

Or because she was still mad at him, she didn't say.

They all fell silent. It was difficult, especially for the Originals. They had valid reasons for disliking the kids but at the same time being faced with their graves...It hurt.

Puppet shifted on his feet and looked away, not wanting to show guilt for dragging them there.

Goldy nudged him slightly. "You okay?"

"Fine," he said, turning his head down to continue reading the tombstones.

They found Cheryl's grave next and then Benji's.

Bonnie couldn't help his curiosity. "How come Benji's looks…newer?" He regretted asking when he saw Hedy's expression.

She considered her words for a moment. "It was put up a couple years ago."

That clearly surprised them.

"Why didn't he have one before?" Puppet asked with a frown.

Hedy shook her head. "His mom. She…" Hedy's voice cracked but she cleared it and kept going. "She refused to believe he was dead. She thought he was still out there…somewhere. Still alive. She spent all her time. All her money. She never stopped looking. She refused to put a headstone up. Just…denial. Even when Cheryl's parents decided on a headstone even if they also kept looking, she refused. And then she…" Hedy trailed off and shook her head briefly. "We put it up a few years ago."

"We?"

Hedy hesitated. "I helped buy it. His relatives and some of the other parents were pooling a bit of money. I donated."

"They asked you?" Goldy asked, confused why the parents would ask one of the children.

"No. Most of them don't know I helped. I don't have a great relationship with most of them. Ginny's dad helped me. I gave the money to him. I wanted that closure too." Her voice took on a slightly bitter tone.

Bonnie nodded. He got the sense Hedy was keeping some details out but he didn't want to ask. It was already too heartbreaking to hear that someone kept looking for Benji, thinking he was alive. How long did she look?

It was BB who found Timmy's. He hadn't meant to but "Afton" caught his eye first. He stilled before quietly walking two rows to grab Goldy's wrist, avoiding eye-contact.

Goldy at him in confusion. BB was never this quiet.

He mumbled something, but Goldy could hear the name.

BB pulled her over to the plot and silently pointed, glancing at Puppet as he followed them.

Goldy made a small, pained noise as she stared at the grave.

Hedy came over and read the name.

"Oh," Mike said as he and a couple of the other bots joined them before they quickly stepped back.

"You okay, Goldy?" Spring whispered, taking Goldy's hand hesitantly.

Goldy shook her head, tearing up and squeezing his hand.

Hedy watched Goldy sadly. She glanced away and jolted, staring at a space next to the headstone. She opened her mouth to say something, maybe scold someone for startling her, but cut off. She stared at the space for another second before turning to speak to Goldy, looking confused as she glanced around at them looking for a reaction.

"It wasn't your fault. You know that. Timmy doesn't blame you and you know he doesn't like you blaming yourself either," she said, passing on someone else's message. She sounded confused.

Mike stared at her in a little confusion, glancing at the space she looked at. It wasn't hard to guess that Timmy must have sensed them, or sensed Goldy upset, and shown up. But the rest of them not seeing him was strange.

Easily visible ghosts were probably the building's fault.

"It doesn't stop me from feeling guilty. Or remembering..." Goldy whispered.

"We know, Goldy," Hedy said softly. She looked back at the space of air. "He knows."

"Wait, is Timmy here?" Jeremy asked while Mike winced.

Hedy hesitated and wordlessly pointed at the space. "You seriously can't see him? He's not trying to be invisib-" She cut off as Timmy interrupted her and she copied Mike's wince "Sorry. He wanted me to be discreet. I was just a little too surprised to see him here."

"I can't see him," Mike admitted, looking apologetic at the space while a couple of the bots looked surprised.

They all admitted that they couldn't see him.

"We're not in the building," Goldy said softly.

Hedy frowned but nodded. It didn't really explain how she could see him. She wasn't a ghost outside.

"He doesn't like coming here," she explained after listening to the ghost for a moment. "His body is here, but no one's visited in a while so it's just too quiet and it's rare that other ghosts actually stay around here. He sensed us, mainly Goldy, being upset here and left the others to check on us." She looked back. "We'll be okay, Timmy. We all knew this was going to be hard. It's not all upsetting. We were just at the beach and everyone seemed to really love it."

Timmy smiled a little at that image.

"I'll be okay," Goldy murmured. "I'm just sad."

"Can you tell her I love her?" Timmy said to Hedy.

"I will," Hedy said with a gentle nod. "You don't need to stay. We'll be home soon. You can tell her then too."

Timmy nodded. He sat on his tombstone and looked down the rows. "I know who Puppet's looking for."

Hedy was quiet as he swung his feet and looked at his shoes. He gestured to the plot beside him. "This is my sister, next to me, by the way. Puppet cared about her too, but he's probably looking for Charlotte." He pointed to an older area. "Charlotte Emily. Her spot is that way, closer to the end of the row behind this one."

Timmy only stayed a moment longer to look around at the quiet bots before disappearing from sight.

Hedy swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Timmy wanted me to remind you that he loves you," she said, looking up at Goldy and lightly touching her sleeve.

Goldy let out a soft sob, still looking down at the grave. It looked very empty without flowers.

There wasn't anything they could do. Mike made a mental note to bring some now that they knew where it was. He correctly guessed Hedy was thinking the same.

Hedy kept her voice quiet so it wouldn't crack. She carefully took Puppet's hand, ignoring how he stiffened and tried to yank away from the contact with a violent flinch, and pointed it in the direction Timmy indicated.

"He said you want to look over there. Towards the end and the next row over."

Puppet stilled completely at that and the others looked away to give him some privacy.

"Do you want to go alone?" Jeremy asked.

Puppet stared at him, not expecting Jeremy to be the one who'd ask. He glanced at Goldy. He couldn't ask her to tear away from Timmy's grave at the moment, nor was he the keenest on the rest of them watching him. His legs already felt weak.

Spring moved closer.

"Do you want one of us to go with you?" He asked.

Puppet looked at Spring, a flash of guilt behind his eyes.

He hesitated before taking his brother's hand and walking away. He didn't say anything as he headed in the direction Hedy pointed out. They wouldn't be out of sight from the others, but hopefully, Spring could keep him from collapsing. That wasn't fair to Spring, he knew.

Spring just quietly walked with him. He might not remember but he understood this was important.

Spring didn't know who Puppet was looking for so when the older bot halted at a grave, Spring ran into his back.

He immediately backed up a step so he didn't crowd Puppet and looked down at the grave.

He read the inscription.

Puppet kept a vice grip on Spring's forearm, probably using it to ground himself.

Spring felt Puppet start to tremble through his hand.

"Did...did I know her?" Spring whispered, hoping Puppet had the wherewithal not to collapse in a puddle of tears.

Puppet's eyes were dry as he stared at the ground, which Spring actually felt sad about.

This was probably the only chance any of them would ever get to cry real tears. They could cry, and sometimes oil leaked in facsimile, but even then there was just something different about human tears.

"Puppet?" He kept his voice gentle. He wondered what the child had been like. What connection she had with Puppet.

"You knew her," Puppet said eventually, his voice barely audible. "You were working with Goldy when I..." Puppet's paused. "It was my fault Spring."

"...I don't really believe that, Puppet," Spring said, not asking what actually happened.

"It was." Puppet's voice cracked. "I couldn't go to her funeral... I don't...I don't know if I was allowed. I can't remember. Maybe I wasn't. Maybe...I didn't want to scare anyone and I cared what a bunch of stupid humans thought. It was raining when she died. And it rained again when I...I snuck out...trying to come here. I never made it. I got lost. I shorted out and just laid by the road until someone found me."

Spring looked at him in concern, stifling the mild horror of what Puppet put himself through. "She was your kid wasn't she?"

Puppet nodded, never taking his eyes off the ground.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "And I'm sorry I can't remember her."

"I know. It's okay," Puppet said in a rare moment of willing to outwardly comfort someone else.

Spring bowed his head, finally noticing something he thought was a little odd.

There was a small tube sticking out of the ground. He saw flowers in some of them at other graves so he figured that's what they were for.

"Someone else remembers her," Spring said, pointing at the wilted flowers left in the tube. They still had color, though faded. They were probably only a few days old. "Someone brought her flowers."

That caused an odd look to cross Puppet's face. It could be...but then he would have left for Timmy and his sister as well. Was it...

Spring saw Puppet shake his head a little.

"Do you know who it was?" Spring asked.

"No..." Puppet said, but he didn't sound sure.

Spring shifted with a hesitant nod. "Hedy can...Hedy can bring some flowers from you when she comes back."

His automatic reaction was to refuse to ask anyone for favours. But... Charlotte always did like flowers.

The others had already found all the kids' graves and given each sad little spot a moment before Foxy asked if they could see Ruby's parents' site. The rest agreed but also wanted to give Puppet and Spring more space, moving to the other side of the cemetery.

A few of them also couldn't stand another moment in the children's section, though the guilt didn't let them admit it.

Goldy hesitated for a moment before giving Puppet a sad smile and following the others. She'd come to terms with Charlotte's death a long time ago. Puppet needed it now, and Spring might be able to help him when she couldn't.

At the other's request, Hedy guided them to the Stones' graves, but Jeremy took over halfway there.

He'd visited more often, after finding out about their deaths and building up the courage to find where they were buried.

He stopped after a minute of walking and nodded toward two plots side by side.

The bots inched forward. It seemed almost anti-climactic. The graves were so ordinary looking and peaceful. Everything related to Ruby was usually a chaotic whirlwind.

Beloved father and son.

Beloved mother, daughter, and sister.

Hedy always felt awkward when she came. She never knew what to say. She didn't know them. Or remember. Even the Originals knew them more than they did.

Jeremy was the one to show the most emotion as they looked at the graves. She wondered what he was thinking of, what memories came forward when he visited here.

Most of the bots had really come for Ruby's sake, so they were quiet.

"I should have been there..."

Hedy started at the words. "What?"

"I should have been there when it happened," Jeremy said with a shrug.

The bots shifted uncomfortably.

"It's not like you're psychic," Goldy pointed out softly. "You couldn't have known something was wrong."

"Maybe."

"Or you might have gotten murdered too," Mangle said, bluntly. She and Jeremy weren't the most close but he was Hedy's brother and Hedy loved him, so she did by extension. "Not exactly a 'maybe' thing you should want to risk."

Jeremy was silent for too long.

"Still," Jeremy said, "I should have checked in. I should have had Stone's back. Been there for Ruby at least. I would have noticed something sooner."

"Did you even know her?" Foxy asked in confusion. "She didn't recognise you."

"I saw her a couple of times but Derrick and I were so busy that our schedules rarely lined up where I could have met everyone. Amelia knew Rose though and was often at her house. She might have known Ruby." He paused. He looked at them. "Don't tell Ruby."

They all looked a bit disturbed. Ruby must just not think about those memories since they hurt too much. It wasn't exactly healthy to never think about even the positive memories though.

Jeremy huffed through his nose after a moment, continuing to stare at the headstones with a pained expression. After a minute he sighed and walked past Hedy, ruffling her hair a little. "I'm gonna check on Mom and Dad."

"Sure," Hedy said quietly. "I'll be there in a minute..."

Some of them watched him go while the rest kept staring at the graves.

"Why does he visit here if it hurts him?" Chi asked softly.

"...I visit the kids' graves even if I know they aren't here and it hurts me," Hedy admitted. "I don't know why. For him coming here, maybe it's duty. Maybe he's trying to figure out how to make up for not being there. I don't know. Maybe he just misses them."

"Does Ruby ever visit?" Teddy asked quietly.

"I don't know," Hedy said honestly. "I assume so, but maybe not." You never knew how grief affected a person. And Ruby was private about certain things.

They all fell silent again for a moment.

"Does visiting help?" Chi asked.

Hedy took in a deep breath through her nose. "Maybe," Hedy said with a nod as she let it out. "Everyone's different. I'm still not sure if it helps me. I'm iffy on everyone else, but I feel better talking to my parents' graves sometimes. It's silly. I don't even know if they're listening."

Mangle inched closer to Hedy, wanting to comfort but not knowing how.

"I'm okay," Hedy assured her.

"You kind of say that on instinct," Mangle said, a note of disbelief in her voice.

"Well, I'm okay as I can be."

None of them looked very convinced.

"This sucks," Hedy said.

They looked at her for a moment, waiting for her to clarify.

"The building means well. This ridiculousness was meant to distract Ruby from what happened last night. Last night. She just learned from Jeremy that her parents were murdered by someone she trusted. And now we're right here. I wouldn't have wanted to come here either."

Foxy growled. It was a weird sound from human vocal cords. "The lass just has one thing after another. No peace. It isn't fair."

"No it isn't…" Freddy said softly, putting a hand on Foxy's arm. He knew how much the pirate wished he could take away his kid's pain.

"Should we not tell Ruby we came here? I mean, her parents' graves specifically?" Mangle asked.

"I think she knows you'd be curious," Hedy admitted.

"So we wait until she asks?" Goldy suggested.

"That might be best," Puppet said as he and Spring approached, overhearing the others.

They jumped, not having noticed his and Spring's approach.

Hedy looked at him, trying to read his expression. "You guys can head back to the cars if you want. If you're done. Jeremy and I will be out soon."

Mike frowned a little and lightly touched Hedy's shoulder. "I'd like to see your parent's places. If that's okay with you."

Hedy looked a little surprised but wiped the expression. "It's...fine with me. Jeremy probably had his moment with Mom already."

Slowly the others started to head back to the cars. Mangle stayed next to Hedy and Spring lingered by Puppet.

Goldy hugged Hedy as she passed.

Hedy looked at Spring. "You okay?"

He nodded, glancing at Puppet. "You?"

Hedy returned the nod and directed a questioning look at Puppet.

He shook his head. "I'll be fine." He rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see where Joseph is too, if that's all right." He glanced at Goldy's back as she went with the others to keep an eye on them.

Mangle glanced at Puppet in surprise at his request.

Hedy tilted her head. "Okay," she said, a little unsure.

She knew Puppet and her dad used to know each other. Her dad used to know all the older bots. But she also knew they weren't ready to forgive him for what he did to them.

Spring shifted a little uncomfortably. "I knew him didn't I?"

Puppet considered answering. "Yes. You were there when he brought Hedy from the hospital to meet us."

Hedy flinched at her own lost memories.

The rabbit looked away, a sad expression flickering across his face.

Hedy looked depressed for a moment before she wiped the expression and headed in the direction Jeremy went.

Spring hesitated for a moment before following Puppet and Hedy. He wanted to know something about another person he'd forgotten.

The Fitzgeralds' place was far more unassuming. The headstones didn't match, and the plots weren't flush together but still side by side.

Spring didn't want to ask why but Hedy somehow seemed to know what he was thinking.

"We got lucky that the spot next to Mom was free when Dad died," she explained. "We hadn't reserved a plot."

"Oh..." Spring looked at the gravestones uncertainly before glancing at Puppet.

Puppet frowned a little as he looked.

Jeremy didn't say anything when they got there.

Mike startled them all by speaking.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald," Mike said in a friendly but polite manner. "We were just stopping by. You probably can't hear this, but I just thought it'd be nice to introduce myself just in case."

Hedy smiled a little, not bothered, though she found it a little odd of Mike.

Jeremy looked annoyed for a tiny second before he relaxed and just let Mike speak. He shook his head a little in amusement.

Spring looked confused but didn't say anything since Hedy and Jeremy didn't seem surprised.

"I'm Mike. Mike Schmidt. I'm dating your daughter. Sorry, I can't exactly ask for your blessing but I hope it's okay." Mike seemed nervous for a second. "I promise I'm trying my best. I love her very much."

Hedy blinked. "Mike," she murmured with a small smile. "You don't have to..." She stopped and shook her head a little, letting him do as he pleased.

Mike grinned at her before turning back. "I love her. But don't worry. Jeremy's keeping an eye on me, making sure I'm good to her. He'd be the first to kick my ass if I wasn't. And she's got some good friends now. Some of them are a little scary. I probably wouldn't live to see the next day if I hurt her."

They all thought of Ruby for a moment. She'd definitely murder Mike if he deliberately hurt Hedy.

"I don't know how much they tell you but your kids are pretty amazing."

Jeremy blinked.

Spring felt a bit like he was intruding on something personal.

"You know the bots at Freddy's?" Mike asked. "I don't mean to bring up bad memories, but you should know Hedy went back as the mechanic. She fixed them. She takes great care of them and shes good at it. You did some...not great things, Mr. Fitzgerald. You didn't take care of them like you should have but I'm pretty sure every know's it wasn't all your fault. You were doing your best at the time. I know you probably have to be really proud of Hedy. At least I hope you are. She's good at what she does."

They all looked over at Hedy who was blushing a bit.

"Jeremy's a good guy too. He's not the best cop though." There was a hint of a tease in Mike's voice. "You know, tampering with evidence. Hiding bodies. That sort of thing. He's a great dad though and an all-around decent person. Hedy's lucky to have him as a brother." Mike didn't seem to even notice Hedy blushing or Jeremy's stare.

Puppet wondered if Mike was just using the opportunity to look good in Jeremy's eyes, however, the younger man's focus on the headstones didn't waver. Mike sounded genuine, and he wasn't the manipulative type in the slightest.

"Should you really be telling them about the whole hiding a body thing?" Spring asked, genuinely worried.

Jeremy made a noise and ran his hand down his face.

Mike winced. "Sorry."

Jeremy waved him off. "It's fine."

Spring glanced at Puppet who was being very quiet. Well, he was usually quiet but this was a different kind of quiet.

Puppet didn't comment on Mike's speech at all.

"...Are you two going to say anything?" he asked Jeremy and Hedy since Mike seemed done.

Hedy considered it. "Maybe later," she admitted.

"I'm done," Jeremy said.

"Can I say a few words?" Puppet asked.

Jeremy stared for a moment. "Sure..."

"...Alone."

Jeremy frowned. "Why?"

Hedy took his elbow. "Jeremy..."

"I have a couple of unpleasant things to say and I suppose you won't like to hear them," Puppet said honestly. "Joseph was still your father after all."

Hedy didn't look surprised. She nodded in guilty understanding.

Spring hesitantly reached out to pat Puppet's shoulder gently before retreating with Hedy and Jeremy. Puppet wouldn't say what he wanted to in front of Spring. He was always careful of what he said about the past, unlike when he was just around Goldy.

Puppet waited until they were out of sight and out of earshot.

"Hello Joseph," Puppet said, his tone chilling.

The silence was his only answer.

Puppet huffed as he sat down, hugging his legs in front of the graves.

"You probably never expected to see me here. I'm Marionette, just in case you haven't figured that out yet." He felt a little silly talking to air, but strangely enough Mike and his oddly endearing way of doing things emboldened him to make a fool of himself.

Not that there was anyone to make a fool of himself in front of.

Everyone had left, giving him the privacy he needed. He didn't need to censor himself like he always did around them.

"Part of me hopes you can't hear this," he said, glancing at the grave beside Joseph's. He scratched at the dirt and pulled at bits of grass. "It's not like I want to go off on you in front of your family. I made your son and daughter leave after all. If you both are listening, I'm sorry Maren has to hear this. She's one of the few adults I actually have just good memories of. But I suppose maybe that's because she didn't get a chance to disappoint me or hurt any of us. I'm rather cynical now if you can't tell. Part of that's your fault you know, Joseph." Puppet growled a little. "And I know I'm responsible for how I respond to bad things happening. But that doesn't mean you can just...up and die in peace after what you did to us. It was too hard for me. I broke. And you made it just a bit easier to."

The only sound besides his voice was the wind. Even Timmy had left. He knew the kid wouldn't eavesdrop on this.

"You took my brothers and sisters and tore them to pieces. And don't give me shit about the company telling you to. You could have said no. You could have..." Puppet trailed off. "You had a choice."

Puppet stilled, a blade of grass twisted around his finger. "We don't. We're objects to them. Things. Company assets. I can understand why you took Wiggy away from us. I can understand that. But why did you let them toss the Toys away? Did Scott let it happen too? I can't see him being okay with that. The company was always trying to sneak around behind his back and make him do things. Did you? You were there. And you did nothing? The Toys were still basically...toddlers at that point. They didn't completely know what was happening."

It was hard to tell if this was helping or not. Remembering that time hurt.

Puppet thought of the Toys. "You're still a better person than I am," Puppet said quietly.

He pressed his borrowed palms into his eye sockets as he breathed, refusing to cry.

"I should get the electric chair," he eventually said, his voice muffled.

It took a minute for him to speak again. "If I was human...I would. It would have to be the electric chair. Hanging wouldn't work. Firing line? Not likely. A lethal injection would be a joke. Why should I get away with what I've done just because I'm not flesh and bone? Just because no one thinks to look my way because I'm not supposed to be alive in the first place. They're right in that part. I'm not supposed to be alive."

There was silence as Puppet tried to process what he just admitted to open air. "I deserve to die."

He looked at the graves.

"The Originals don't," he insisted. "They were forced. I manipulated the Toys into hurting people. They didn't know any better. But I did. I was hurt and I was willing to kill for it. For some desperate twist of justice, because I felt helpless otherwise. This gift I have. This life." Puppet put his hand over his chest, freezing at the sensation of a heart that wasn't his beating. If he concentrated, he could hear the pounding in his ears. "I don't deserve it. I don't know why I have it in the first place. It's not fair. There's blood on my hands that I can't excuse." He paused to look up at the sky, still gray from the earlier promise of a storm. It was like the outside world itself was reminding him "you shouldn't be here, remember what you've done".

"...I hate myself, Joseph. I hate myself so much."

It was just wind that answered him. What was it saying to him?

"I hope I go to hell with Michael. Where we both belong..." Puppet said. "Maybe Henry was right. Maybe I was hubris. Maybe I was a tragedy waiting to happen. He was right about me being a killer."

Puppet groaned and tilted Jerry's head back. "Why am I telling you this..." he hissed.

Still no answer.

"Maybe it's because you're the only one left. The only one I can find." Puppet bowed his head a little, not able to look at the headstone for a moment. "Father...Will...is somewhere. Same with Henry. They both might be dead. Scott's dead too you know. He didn't even get a grave. Hedy and Jeremy can't even grieve like they could with you. But you're here. I found you. There's irony here but I'm not sure what it is."

It felt foolish to continue talking but he couldn't help it. There was no one there, nothing but dead bodies, and yet he just kept talking.

"Why did it have to be you?" Puppet said. He couldn't tell if his tone was pathetic. "Why'd you get to escape while the rest of us..."

Of course, he didn't get an answer.

Puppet felt deflated. The distant storm made the air itself feel like it was weighing down on him. On his shoulders. His lungs.

His heart.

"Do me a favour," he whispered. "This is the least you can do. If you're up there...there's this little girl...I can't remember if you met Charlotte. I don't know. She's up there, I'm sure. Can you tell her Mari Mari misses her? I hope she hasn't seen what I've become. What I've done. I can't face her. I'll gladly go to hell if it means I don't break her heart. If I already have, then I'll go because I can't bear to see it. I hope she's happy. I hope she isn't thinking about me at all actually. If she is though, tell her I miss her and I love her." Puppet stood up. He turned to go but stopped.

"And I'm sorry I wasn't there when she needed me. I wasn't there for any of them. I'm sorry I wasn't there for Hedy either, Joseph. Even with everything you did, I would never had abandoned Hedy. And I still failed. For that I'm so sorry."

The graveyard was silent as he walked away from the graves.

Was he supposed to feel better after that?

He didn't know. Hedy had looked sad after talking to the graves still. And humans were strange enough to do things that upset them anyway so...he just didn't know.

He straightened up and forced a mental mask over his expression. He wouldn't let them see the cracks.

He was good at hiding behind a mask.