Just when they thought that the night was finally over, the nightmare resumed. Those words felt like a fever dream for William; all he had on his mind as he was making his way home were Gron's screams, the sounds he couldn't throw away from his mind, even though the realization of the gruesome event that occurred in the halls of the pizzeria still hasn't fully struck him. All he wanted after suffering this shock was to see his family and make sure they were safe, a relief that would make him sleep for one night before truly opening his eyes to the nightmare this night turned into. But this was far from the end.

The road to the hospital couldn't have been long, but it certainly felt like an eternity. William couldn't drive with the wound in his hand, so they had to take a taxi, making for a shameful moment of allowing the driver to see all of their anguish, although thankfully, he didn't make a big deal out of it. Elizabeth could barely believe what they told her, and despite the fear that brimmed in the girl's eyes, she remained hopeful, looking down in silence and occasionally speaking of 'mommy' under her breath. Mike couldn't hold his anger, sitting with a clenched fist and teeth, trying not to rage because of the stress he was put through tonight. Elizabeth tried to calm him down sometimes, but it wasn't enough. And then there was Chris…Sitting quietly and peering out the window as his tears were reflected in the moonlight. All of them wanted an answer, wanted to see her. William should've tried to calm them down, perhaps, but with the shock and continuous pain, all he could be sitting there silently in dreadful anticipation.

No prayers would be enough today.

When they walked into the hospital, the anticipation tormented Will. What it is he will see, how scarred will his beloved woman be? The undertones of the man on the phone and even what he said out loud were a clear indication that the situation had been extremely dire. The injuries he described were horrific enough, but if there was even more…She had to survive through this; she had to. This couldn't end like this.

"Will…" Elizabeth spoke up faintly as they walked through the pale halls to the designated room. "Will they help her?"

"You asked that already!" Mike snapped. "I don't fucking know, how am I supposed…"

"Enough." William undercut him, doing his best to sound confident. Being the head of the household for so long, William got used to taking charge when it was needed, pushing his own fears aside. "I don't need you making it worse."

"Says someone who made us hide in the dark in fear for a night…"

William didn't grace him with an answer. Michael had his reasons to fear, just as William had his reasons to hide the truth for now. He looked at Chris, who remained the quietest out of the three, with tears still falling down his eyes and staining the floor. He was never one to hide his emotions, but he never wanted to bother others with them, either. It was at moments like this when he was the most anguished, the most hurt…

William held his hand, making the boy look up into his father's eyes. The surprise and distraction in his son's eyes were soon replaced by another feeling, a faint yet soothing one, the one that allowed him to breathe again. William wasn't sure what it was the boy saw in his eyes at that moment, but it put him at relative ease before he looked away yet again.

When they reached the room, they didn't have to wait for long. A man in a white coat emerged from behind it, looking at the family with eyes drained of any energy.

"Mr. Afton?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm here to see my wife." He claimed, knowing full well that they might advise against it, but he did not care. "How is she doing?"

"We're working on keeping her stable, though her injuries are severe…" The doctor spoke. "I was told that her engine exploded, setting the car in flames." This was even worse than he assumed.

"Then let me see her."

"I am not sure if it's in your best interest for now…"

"She's my wife!" William's voice rose up and grew angrier. He wasn't there to play games with them and have his eyes spared from seeing something he didn't want to. "Will my presence there interfere with your work?"

"Not really, but you have to understand…"

"Then let me in," William demanded, leaving the doctor no other choice but to sigh.

"Are these all her children?"

"Yes, ours."

"It's better if they wait outside."

"I…Alright." They didn't need to get any scarred.

"What?" Elizabeth's voice of dissonance rose up. "I want to see mommy, too!"

"Not until I've seen her." William denied her and stood up, throwing a glance at Michael.

"Stay here; I won't take long."

With those words, William followed the doctor as his heartbeat increased. He was within seconds of seeing her, within…

He stood there, watching with his eyes wide open and his body frozen in primal shock. Clara lay on the medical bed with a few droppers connected to her arms, allowing the medicine to circulate. Her skin was scorched. There were but a few spots left untouched. The rest of her was consumed by flames. The crust, colored dark pink, formed around Clara's body and face, with some spots having no surface skin left at all, exposing the dried-up blood on the body's tissues. But this wasn't the end of it. There were deep wounds on her body as if metal parts of the car plunged her at the moment of the crash, the doctors were attempting to stop the blood, yet she was still losing it as it dripped through the openings. One of her legs was broken, and the cuts were deep enough to see the bone tissue showing. Most of the head was covered in bandaids, some of which were already dripped in crimson. Her eyes were closed, and he could hear faint breathing. It was her, still alive and still fighting.

William didn't remember if he shed tears or if he simply looked at her, slowly coming closer, one step after another, until the doctors themselves held him back.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Afton. We will do everything in our power…"

"I want to see her!" A voice echoed from behind them as someone rushed through the door, making William quickly turn around. It wasn't Elizabeth this time. It was Chris. William saw that Mike tried to stop him in the hall, but the boy couldn't hold the pain inside anymore. He rushed inside the room without permission and, in a few moments, was standing by William's side. It was too late to hide anything now.

"For God's sake, I told you to stay…" Mike's annoyed voice echoed from outside as he and Elizabeth followed Chris, getting inside as well. Now they were all here to see her.

"No…" Mike's lips quivered as he saw her, immediately diverting his attention from Chris. Elizabeth was startled the moment she saw Clara, though her naivety did not allow her to realize her refusal to believe it.

"Oh no…" She said with fear as she looked upon the scorched patient. She looked away, swiftly examining the room. "Did we come to the wrong room… Where's mommy?"

"It's…" Chris attempted to speak up, but his faint, echoing voice could not break through the veil of horror.

"No, it's not mommy, it's someone…So…Someone else…" Elizabeth stuttered as her voice grew quieter; she wouldn't deny it for much longer. William could do nothing to console them, nothing but look upon his dying wife, grasping at any opportunity for the life she could muster while inevitably fading away. Just like he looked into her eyes in their moments of joy and passion, he will remain by her side now. William was not religious, yet this night he prayed. Prayed for her to open her eyes, prayed for her to live.

No one heard his prayers.

…

"I'm sorry."

How easy it was to invoke feral fear in his mind, how agonizing the realization was. Gron remembered saying those words, for once feeling certain about his actions. He failed; he made a horrific mistake and ruined any prospect of life. He wanted all of this to end, even when he ran to the spring lock suit, looking for any way to die, even if it was the most painful one…At least the physical pain would allow him to get distracted from the mental anguish.

It was not worth it, and by the time Gron realized it, it was already too late.

To feel his entire body crushed, one part after another, to feel as the metal parts pierced his body and tore him apart. He could scream for a few short moments, just before his neck was split, making him drown in his blood, but the pain didn't stop there…If he had any strength, he would've prayed for this to finally be over, lamenting his suffering every coming second. Each of them seemed like an eternity.

He expected to be at hell's doorstep, surrounded by hellfire that would forever make him relive the torment…How fitting for a murderer to die in an animatronic, the one not unlike those he stuffed his victims in.

But then, he was alive again.

No, no, it could not be called life, but he felt his eyes opening without his desire, allowing him to see the very same room before him once again. This time, there was no pain, not a single source of ache. The world around him changed. It felt like a fever dream, like an image that he had witnessed through someone else's eyes or even a screen. Those weren't his eyes; no, it must have been the last image, a momentary hallucination people see at the moment of their death. But then he realized that he could move. And that he wasn't alone.

He remembered grabbing Will. Although he couldn't remember his reasons for doing so, it must have been pure fear and despair that drove him to do this, as well as shock. It was his hand that he still moved, moved with ease and without pain, even after feeling it crushed and broken. He still didn't feel it, didn't feel himself touching William, yet he could see it. He knew those were his thoughts that manifested…This couldn't be real.

And then he talked.

Somehow, he talked.

This was the moment when panic overtook Gron, forcing him to toss his friend aside and run as quickly as possible, away from this pizzeria, away from this nightmarish place. He was still in the suit, a suit that was too quick and mobile for an animatronic…This made no sense; this was a dream, a hell that he was sent to, anything but reality.

He still tried to run into the darkness, breaking through the door and making his way to the darkest alleyways, desperately trying to avoid the light. Gron didn't know if he was in control, whether some part of his brain was directing this, or whether this was the machine. He couldn't know anything anymore; everything around him became a chaotic, nightmarish blur. There was nowhere to go but away, away to a place where he could be alone and could finally think, finally try to collect his thoughts, whatever remained of them.

Gron didn't know how far he ran. The town that he believed to know well became a collection of identical houses that all merged into one in Gron's mind. But when he discovered a dark alleyway devoid of people, he could finally feel safer, if only by a little. There he could finally look at his hands, the machine's hands. Their golden hue was stained in fresh blood, as its endoskeleton must have been. He was still inside, but…Gron didn't feel like it was him. Whatever was pierced by the metal skeleton was not him anymore; it was a broken husk that was no longer part of him. All he had now was his conscience.

And his voice.

"I…I…" Gron attempted to speak once again. He could hear his own voice. Even though the mouth and vocal cords of his body were sliced and broken, it could not possible. Yet it was still his voice, even if tattered by the robotic echo. "I am Gron…Takaliken…"

And it was at this moment he realized something that made him realize. His voice was the only one he could hear. Other than that, there was nothing but silence. The silence he heard since leaving the pizzeria, the absolute emptiness in his head, not a single word. Everything was expunged, broken down, and eliminated. There was no twisted one anymore. There were times when he got silent, but Gron could still feel his presence. Now he was gone completely, and two voices became one.

"Ha-ha…" He let out a robotic laugh, finally grasping the irony of his situation. Broken by the very source of his nightmares, the animatronic he witnessed that night and that never left him since, becoming the twisted voice in his head. Now, he was one with the animatronic forever. And in this fusion, he could finally taste the sweet sound of silence.

"Ha-ha-ha…" Gron could feel it. He fell to his metal knees, continuing to laugh with his voice echoing throughout the alley. It could reach some bystanders if they weren't far, but Gron couldn't care less. He was finally free; he didn't know how he couldn't explain this, and yet the chains didn't bind him anymore.

He was a being that reclaimed the silence and was able to transcend the pain; it died along with the voices inside the golden suit. But something hadn't died there but instead got only stronger.

Gron thought of Alison, thought of the facility, thought of Lynda and Charlie…

Whatever happens, he will have his vengeance.

…

The next days became a time of anguish for everyone in the Afton family. It was as if their life stopped in a single night, forcing William and his children to go into a nightmare from which they couldn't wake up. They were given time by their schools and workplaces to grieve together, of course, but it seemed that the wedge between them was nowhere near to getting mended. The thoughts of intrusion into their house and even those of Gron became secondary to the image of Clara lying there, breathing faintly and in pain. She was never able to open her eyes, never able to see them again before her death. William didn't know if their words ever reached her or if she died in silence and pain, not knowing that they had been there for her.

All of them shed tears during those days, of course, together and apart, but nothing was worse than the moments of silence. When he had to sit near his children as they looked into each other's eyes, saying not a single word but knowing who it was they all thought of. Then the tears would come again, but they were not a reprieve, not a real one. There were times when a father had to be strong and protective to give his children hope, and others when he needed to show his vulnerability so they knew they were not alone in their agony. He wasn't ashamed to show it to Chris and Elizabeth, always being there to embrace them when tears and pain overtook them again and again. Mike left the house for most of those days, saying that he needed some time alone. Yet he was just as heartbroken as the rest of them. He simply wanted to be stronger than them, for better or worse. All of them tried to distract themselves with anything they could, but nothing would allow them a blissful escape from the dreaded reality.

It was only when the days had passed, and William was once again called in by Alison, that the veil began to clear, and another thought crept into his head. This could not be a coincidence; it couldn't be. She died on the same day Alison's men intruded on his house and found his notes and research; the same day, Alison himself spoke with William and said that their conversation was unfinished, already knowing the truth by that point. He wasn't careful enough and now had to pay the ultimate price. William wasn't sure why Alison called for him this time, but he would not leave without answers, no matter how dire they were.

He arrived at the same office where he and Gron visited both for their interview and signing of the contract, a room whose walls oozed with painful memories that were once hopeful prospects. There were two armed guards waiting for him at the doorstep, and after conducting a search for weapons, they allowed William in a while, still following in his footsteps. Alison was at the desk, reading a newspaper and waiting patiently. The moment he saw William, he immediately put it away and looked into the engineer's tired eyes.

"Ah, Mr. Afton, thank you for coming," Alison said calmly and pointed at the chair in front of him. "Don't torment yourself and sit down. We have something to discuss." William obeyed and sat on the chair, still unable to look up from the floor, but Alison didn't care. "I believe you remember I said our conversation was left unfinished last time, and it was for the better considering how much…Has passed since then. Please accept my condolences about your wife. Gone too soon, but I am sure she is in a better place now."

"Did you do it?" William spoke quietly, making Alison and the two guards turn toward him.

"Pardon?"

William finally looked up; his eyes were burning with spite and rage, he struggled to form sentences as his thoughts were in utter chaos, but he wasn't about to back down.

"I know your people were in my home, and I know that they found." He stated firmly. "Clara…She is a good driver, and her car was in perfect condition. I keep hearing about the crash that happened that night; it couldn't have been her fault…No, I don't believe that." As William spoke those words, he saw an impressed half-smile emerge on Alison's face.

"Very, very lucid, Mr. Afton," Alison said as he reached for the drawers, taking out a few sheets of paper, confirming all of William's suspicions in an instant. The engineer clenched his fist, he knew that he wouldn't sit there and listen for too long, but he wasn't at that point just yet. "So, those are the documents we found in your house. It reads, 'They take them underground, from where they do not leave. They are forced to partake in 'experiments,' as Alison calls them. I do not know of their purpose yet, but I know they include forcing some of them into spring lock suits. I witnessed a man get crushed by the animatronic whom Alison, 'Dr. Stein' and a few armed guards were forced to die in suffering. I assume that after that, the bodies are taken into an incineration chamber. The state of bodies I saw there made it evident enough that they went through major disfigurement." Alison read out a part of his notes, with his voice growing gradually more disappointed and fuming, even as he tried to put on a facade of politeness. "Care to provide an explanation?"

"Isn't it clear enough?" William responded spitefully, there was no point in hiding anything about this, but he knew that Alison would've studied those documents thoroughly.

"I suppose it is." Alison shrugged before putting the paper aside. "Along with a number of photos, notes about the schedule of our deliveries, descriptions of the facility, the animatronic design…You even managed to discern the real content of our cargo, though it is a shame; I was certain no one would hear their breaths through those holes. There can be on,y one reason for all of this, and if you don't want to explain yourself, you might at least confirm it. Was your plan to go to the police in secret with the evidence?"

"Yes…Yes, it was."

"Thank you for your honesty; I'm glad I assumed correctly."

"You haven't answered my question."

"There isn't much to speak of, alas." Alison shook his head. "I was acting within the bounds of our contract. I'm sure you remember the rules. My men were closely following everyone in your family on that day; there were countless 'accidents' in my mind that I could invoke." Alison spoke of it so calmly and smoothly, like it was nothing more than an intriguing project for him to experiment on. Nothing more than a trivial matter. "As it is your first offense since the contract was signed, I made a choice to go easy on you and leave your flesh and blood untouched, settling in for Clara. I had one of my best shots snipe the engine here, causing an explosion and a slight crash. There were a few collateral injuries among others, but it was only her that actually died from them." William looked up at Alison, watching him with eyes of disbelief and hatred. This was the man that ordered the murder of his wife, killed an innocent woman because of his actions, because of the contract she had no idea of. "Oh, do not look at me like that, Mr. Afton. While I've never been married or had children, I am fairly certain coming to terms with a loss of a spouse is much simpler than that of a child. It is a mercy…"

This was the moment when William couldn't listen to this anymore. He jumped at Alison, knowing full well that there were no weapons in his arms but fists and pure rage. Alison recoiled reflexively, pushing his chair back to the wall moments before William's hands would reach him. He didn't care about the consequences at that moment. All he wanted to do was to make Alison suffer, so tear life away from him, and make him feel the agony he forced him to feel. He wanted it to be more painful than what Gron went through on that night…But it was too late.

The guards rushed to their boss's defense, making William immediately feel the pain in his back as they ruthlessly hit him and pulled him away. The engineer wasn't willing to give up yet; however, he would punch and kick them even as he was pushed onto the floor.

"Let me go! I will kill him, I'll kill him… I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!" William's screech echoed through the office, but he couldn't continue for long, the guards pushed him down and punched his face. They couldn't allow any loud screams to get too far outside the walls.

Eventually, he couldn't fight anymore, feeling blood streaming down his nose and pain across his entire body. The guards were merciless in their job while Alison looked at this beating with disappointment in slight anticipation.

"Well, it's quite a mess we've made…Help Mr. Afton get up; we aren't done here yet."

They helped William and got him to the chair again, forcing him to look at Alison once again, completely powerless and broken.

"You will pay for this…I promise."

"Maybe, but not today and not in the near future, and that's exactly the period I would rather discuss if we are to renew our contract. Not to mention…You are not alone in your sorrow, Mr. Afton. I lost something very important on that night, too." For the first time, real anger sparked in Alison's voice.

"Frankburt?" William asked, getting a faint nod from Alison. "You dare to compare a robot to…To her?!" His entire body ached, yet he felt like attacking him once again. Such disrespect, such carelessness…He had to pay for it.

"Of course, that's something you would say. You don't know the true extent of Frankburt's importance, nor are you ready to comprehend it…" Alison shook his head with disappointment. "But you witnessed something that you shouldn't have on that night, something that shouldn't have happened at all. As much of an annoyance you proved to be, compared to that mischievous friend of yours you are a saint, Mr. Afton…Yes, I know Mr. Takaliken did it, the method and the outcome left little room for doubt. Now he took Frankburt with him, and we have a problem on our hands."

"You have a problem on your hands." William scoffed. "I don't know how to explain what I've seen…It cannot make sense, it shouldn't, but it was…"

"I saw him escaping the restaurant on cameras, but I need to know more. I need to know exactly what happened in the safe room that led to this in meticulous detail. So please, recount the story to me while I am in the mood to ask politely."

"And what if I refuse?"

"Then I will demand rather than ask. If you still refuse after that, I will have my agents find your favorite child when they're alone, kill them, and then continue this conversation. You care about your family, Mr. Afton, and as long as at least one of them is alive, you would do what I ask you to, am I not right?" There was no hope nor point in denying this fact; Alison was right.

"I came to the restaurant to try and talk sense into him…He was in the safe room, training to get inside the facility again." William began.

"Ah, poor Mr. Takaliken, his insanity truly caught up with him…Continue, please."

"He confessed to all the murders, and why he did them, he wanted to attract the police's attention to this place and have them discover the facility and whatever you are doing there."

"A plan that has been foiled due to your timely help!" Alison exclaimed with a tone of sarcastic congratulation, making William sick to his stomach.

"You bloody…"

"No, that's for later. For now, I need you to finish the story."

"I…I almost succeeded, but when I reached for his gun, he snapped, shit me in the elbow, and…God…"

"I know it can be hard, considering how close you two were, but don't cut it off wt the key part," Alison demanded.

"He tried to shoot himself but ran out of ammo, and then…He got into the suit and released the crank just like that." William's voice shook. "I saw him die in agony, screaming and bleeding out as I could do nothing to help him. I tried, but…God knows I tried!" He remembered this moment once again, remembered the horror of seeing his friend die before him, a gruesome tragedy that would further serve to break his spirit.

"And then?"

"He was alive…I don't know how; I heard his body getting crushed, but…He was." William sighed, finally admitting that he saw what he did, and there must have been some explanation. "He moved seamlessly and even spoke in his voice, though it was coming from the animatronic itself. He grabbed me and looked into my eyes. It seemed like he was in a panic…He left me there and ran, and that's all that I saw." William concluded his story.

"What was it that he said?"

"He spoke my name as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening." William tried to recall.

"How very interesting…" Alison spoke as he clenched his fist. "This leaves me with a lot of questions, though you are not the one who I'd ask them."

"Is that what the purpose of the experiments is? The people inside those suits…" William tried to make a connection.

"Indeed." Alison chuckled. "I see you're getting to the point finally. Suffice it to say, Frankburt was the first in a long line. All of the suits you saw at the facility, all the animatronics are made in his image, that's why I gave you very specific instructions when making them…You may not believe me, Mr. Afton, but humor this thought for a moment. What do you know of souls? Most people see it as an abstract concept or do not believe in their existence at all, but what if souls could be connected to reality? That it be quantified, transferred, or controlled? This was the purpose for which Frankburt and so many others were created, so many experiments to ensure a successful infusion, but the results were never perfect in more than a year." Alison shook his head in anger. "And now, a suicidal madman attempts to end his life in such a farcical and gruesome manner…And succeeds in every single regard where we failed?! How, do I ask, have we spent so much time uncovering the truth, and this is the result we get? The suit is lost, and that psychopath took control! That and…" Alison began to cough, kneeling and leaning on the table. After that, he took a deep breath before looking at William once again, calming himself down. "But that's enough of that…Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Afton. Now, let's discuss our future plans for our partnership."

"Huh…" William sighed in defeat, knowing exactly where this led. "You killed my wife, and now you expect me to…Well, of course, you do."

"Is that resignation I hear in your voice? Good, exactly as we need to be. Our contract is still in power, you betrayed me and conducted research behind my back, and I confiscated it and administered a fitting punishment. We are even now, and your children are safe and well-protected." Of course, that's how it would be for him, just a normal occurrence that he was eager to get over with. "That is unless you choose to rebel again. I like you, Mr. Afton. I truly do. You have a sound mind and a clear vision, the one our company so desperately needs. And I would very much like to keep that talent. Alas, it's a shame that we found ourselves amidst such an unfortunate situation all around, but with work, I believe we can grow from it and undo those mistakes."

"I don't care about your pretense." William scoffed. "I don't know when, but I will make you pay one day. Somehow, someway…"

"If that day ever comes, you might find that you have no family left," Alison responded coldly. "But I get your point. Let's get to the specifics that actually matter. Of course, we need to catch the real villain and separate him from the suit. Mr. Takaliken is a man with a declining psyche, which I underestimated, but I will not allow him to evade true justice once again. I am hesitant to use his family as a means just yet, I have no idea how much of his old self is retained inside that monstrosity, but we will see…But I have no doubt that together, we will deal with this villain."

"He was my friend; if you had me help you find him, you would show some respect," William demanded. He wasn't in the mood to allow Alison any more ground over him than he already had.

"Respect for a serial child murderer? How interesting…I wonder what Clara would think if she heard you sing such high praises of him."

"Does it matter to you?"

"No, the terminology is irrelevant, I guess, but whatever you might think of him, he is an enemy of Fazbear Inc now, and your loyalties lie here. Understand?"

"Yes…"

"Good! Now, the last point I wanted to discuss is your next task, Mr. Afton; there is a number I would like you to perform in the coming days. First and foremost, the spring lock suits…After reviewing the concept, I came to the conclusion that after Mr. Takaliken's interference, it would be better to minimize the presence of the spring lock function in our animatronics. He used his knowledge of how to operate the suit to stuff children there; were it a non-mobile animatronic carcass, he would never be able to disassemble them. They also may end up causing accidents when employees wear them, and suffice it to say…We don't need any more attention garnered, not this type anyway." Alison explained, finally saying something semi-rational, but William hardly cared at this point.

"And what do you want me to do?"

"It is too late to change Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, but the same can't be said about your animatronics. I want you to work on all of them and remove the locks, changing their structure into that of a fixed endoskeleton. You are the creator, so I'm asking you, is it possible?"

"It is."

"Good, that would be your first task. From there on, it's simple…We need to expand." Alison smiled. "We need new animatronics, new locations. The stigma of missing children will stay for a while, but we must outgrow it. It must become so influential that this incident will become nothing but rumors in the minds of the masses. There are countless new characters we could use. What about the cats from the neighboring valley? I'm sure children will be delighted to see Sugar and Kitty on stage, and even when it comes to the villains, they have their own fans. A separate location for the Beast herself and her gang, a spectacularly mysterious place." Alison spoke of those dreams with true passion, and it disgusted William, even though, at this point, he got used to it. Those dreams were built upon countless lives, including Clara's. William would be one of its pillars, whether he wanted it or not. "You know…" Alison paused. "What Mr. Takaliken did might be crude, but it does give me an idea, a child can seamlessly fit inside without anyone noticing, and if Dr. Stein's theorem about younger souls being more durable is correct…But I forget you. Good news for you, as a small compensation for Clara's demise, I have given you a small part of our facility, all to your use, so you could work on the animatronics with all the tools at your disposal. It is an underground bunker, not as deep as where you have been but large enough for you and the animatronics."

"Very well." William couldn't bring himself to thank him. "Is that all?"

"Almost…There was something interesting my men found in your drawers, something I must say, I took a liking to." Alison took another sheet of paper from the drawers before placing it on the table for William to see. As if all that happened in the last few days and this meeting was not enough, as if he wasn't mocked enough. Those were the sketches and design elements for Ballora, his personal project, the memory of which waned, consumed by the horror that transpired. But now he saw it, and the memories flooded back to him; it seemed as if he was staring into Clara's eyes once again. Those designs were a reflection of her being, the only one that remained.

"There's nothing sacred for you…" William took a deep breath. At this point, he didn't even want to fight. All he yearned for was for it to be over and for him to be able to return home and support his children in any way possible.

"Not true; I am simply using everything I discovered," Alison responded. "It is an interesting design, based on her, I assume? A robot ballerina, I imagine that if we were to see it realized, it would attract more girls to our franchise, a smart move for the time of our expansion."

"She was never meant for other's entertainment. I wanted to make Ballora for her as a gift, as a monument…Not for your talk of profit."

"I see, but she is dead anyway now, and it would be a shame to let such a unique animatronic design go to waste," Alison concluded. "It is something to think about for later. Either way, she isn't our first priority though I think I know the characters from the show she might work well with…"

"Why?" William let out, still unable to properly control himself, still staring at Alison with drained eyes.

"Why what?"

"All of this, the franchise, the restaurant, profit, experiments, and torture…Why?" William said desperately, making Alison pause before he sighed and looked into Will's eyes.

"Why does anyone do anything? Duty, entertainment, desire…"

"I am not talking about anyone. I'm talking about you."

"Speaking of me…You might not think so, but I believe that you, of all people, would be able to understand my plight better than many others."

"Do you expect to understand after what you did? If only you knew how much I fucking…"

"I know." Alison sighed. "I respect you, my friend; I truly do. You have a big family to manage and protect in those turbulent and traumatic times, and no one can deny that you're trying your very best…You have a duty before your family, a promise to keep, especially now, a promise symbolized by you signing your contract for the sake of their protection. I gave a promise to family, too, and I intend to keep it…" He paused before once again changing his demeanor to that of an eager and headless monster. "Well, that is enough for today, I believe. I am expecting you to come back to work after the burial; I hope you understand that."

"I do, very well." William sighed before standing up; there wasn't a single second he wanted to spend in this wretched place. "And do not call me your friend. Don't even try."

"As you wish, Mr. Afton."

It was time to leave in defeat, a defeat that William Afton will never forget.

…

The day of the burial was a rude awakening, the one where moments of realization were not fleeting but was omnipresent throughout the process. Seeing her disfigured body put in a coffin after everything was done to ensure a safe passage to the afterlife was the last time William would be able to see her face, at least in this life. There were many that gathered. Friends, colleagues, pupils, and co-performers of them knew Clara and respected her, and each had their own positive memories of her. They lived far away, in the United Kingdom, yet they were here to grieve their daughter's untimely demise.

They spoke of her past deeds, of her hopeful and caring self that was always able and eager to share her positivity and aspirations with others. They listened to prayers, and a hymn in her honor as a priest stood before her coffin, relaying God's blessing upon her. Everyone got a moment to say goodbye to her, though no moment was enough to truly let go. Many broke down, allowing their tears to stream as they spoke their words to her. No one could hold their emotions in check.

No one but William, for the whirlwind of thoughts and shame that ravaged his mind left him no power to cry.

He was standing there with his children, watching his beloved wife embark on her final journey, yet he was the only one in that graveyard that knew the truth. Not only was her death not a tragic accident, but it was William that killed her. Alison gave the command; his sniper pulled a trigger, and the fire scorched her body…But it was William that decided to begin this research, foolishly believing that he could outplay Alison in his own game. He was careless and allowed the truth to slip through the cracks, cracks that would eventually reveal Alison the truth. And then came the swift punishment, as explained by the contract William signed.

Even now, as the bells rang and the sermons were read, as all guests walked to the graveyard, tears still falling to the grass, he was staying silent. William had shed many tears in the past days, but he couldn't force himself to show any emotion now, and he didn't know why. Perhaps he knew that all of this was but a scene with all but one being unwitting actors, a way to conceal the truth of her death. Even now, William was playing the role Alison assigned to him, a role of a grieving husband who believes in a tragic accident, believes that died due to a malfunction that could not be foreseen. This procession simply didn't reflect the truth, and William could not get truly invested in it, as cold as it would seem to others.

"Daddy…" His endless musings were interrupted by a girl coming from behind and gently grabbing his hand. She wiped her tears and looked up at her father with her reddened eyes. Losing a loved one was agonizing at any age, but for a young child to lose her mother…It would leave a scar that will never truly heal. Elizabeth let out a quiet sniff before continuing. "They say mommy is in a better place…Is it true?" She pleaded. "Did she become an angel? Is she…Watching us now? Do you think she's happy that, that…"

William put his hands over Elizabeth's shoulders, at first wanting to respond honestly.

"I…" But then, a thought stroked him. If Alison was truthful and people had souls, and there were ways to establish a connection with them, it means that Clara had a soul, too; they all did. And there must have been a place where those souls went after their passing. "She did, I believe it," William said firmly, for once allowing genuine hope to sip through his voice. "And one day, I know we will all reunite with her."

"I don't want it to be one day…I want it now, I want to see her, I want to…" More tears streamed down from her eyes, making William kneel and embrace his daughter, gently stroking her hair for a few moments.

"She wouldn't want us to come to her so quickly… She'd want us to live long and fulfilling lives and come when we are ready." William reassured her. "She would be looking us from the heavens…Somehow, someway, I know she will look at us from the heavens every step of the way."

"R…Really?"

"I have reasons to believe it." William let out a faint smile as to cheer the girl up if only a little. Chris and Mike weren't far, although they kept some distance. Chris was the quietest one, as always, standing away from the crowd and staring at Clara's coffin with occasional tears falling down his eyes. William attempted to speak with him, but he didn't reciprocate and said he just wanted to stay alone. This wouldn't stop Mike, however, whose shadow was looming above his brother.

"Hey…You alright?" Mike attempted to gently hold his brother's hand and soothe him, but all he received in response was a faint nod. "Do you want to come over to father and Liz?"

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"I…I don't know. I just want…" Chris stuttered as he was barely able to form words. "Can you leave me alone…Please?" The boy pleaded, making Mike sigh with disappointment.

"We can't help you if you don't allow us, you know." The teen crossed his arms. "And you aren't the only one who is devastated, you know? So you'd better not try to play the saddest boy game and…" His voice grew more agitated, though he didn't have time to finish. There was someone else there; a woman with two children approached their family, hastily rushing into the graveyard while still trying to be as careful and non-disruptive as possible. It was Lynda, Charlie, and, to William's surprise, Lily.

"Hello," Lynda said with a faint voice. "I'm sorry we came so late." She didn't feel the need to pretend and keep up appearances for dreadful occasions like this, and William respected her for that.

"Lily!" Chris exclaimed and rushed towards his friend. The two kids hugged each other, with Chris finally allowing himself to cry freely.

"Now he's more talkative…" Mike shrugged. "Good to know. Hello, Lynda, I wondered if you'd show up."

"Of course, I would come," Lynda stated firmly. "I knew Clara for years thanks to our husbands' friendship, and I know she was a good woman and a wonderful mother…She deserves all of us being by her side."

"Thank you, Lynda," William said as he stood up and shook her hand.

"My condolences for your loss; I won't pry too much…I just wish your family all the best." Her lips quivered as Lynda looked at the children before them. "I was told about this girl who was one of Clara's students and Chris's friend, but there was no one to take her here, so I decided to help her with that." She explained, garnering Mike's attention.

"Thanks, truly…Any news about Gron?" He asked, only to have Lynda shake her head.

"No, not yet…But the search has already begun, and I am not going to stop until I…Until someone finds him." She clenched her fist, making William think of Gron's robotic screams, of the sounds of his bones being crushed and flesh being torn apart in the most gruesome of manners. He knew the truth, and yet he wouldn't speak of it, not now, perhaps never. In an attempt to distract himself, William looked to his own children.

"I'm sorry we came so late…" Lily soothed Chris. "I didn't hear about it until yesterday. I couldn't believe it; it was so, so… I'm sorry."

"It's not fair!" Chris said angrily. "She didn't deserve this. She didn't! Why does it have to happen to us…She didn't do anything wrong. We didn't! And now we can't adopt you and…"

"Please, don't worry about me; it's your family…" Lily shook her head. "I don't want you to fear even more."

"But we could've become a family." Chris wiped his tears. "My parents said they would think about it and, and…"

"We can still play with each other as friends." Lily smiled. "Like we always did…And it will still be wonderful."

"Maybe, but…I don't know."

On the other side, William could see Charlie coming to his daughter and gently holding her hand.

"I'm sorry," Charlie said with warmth and kindness in his voice, though there wasn't anything else. As mature as he was for his age, having to deal with this trauma was not something either of them was prepared for.

"Thank you…" Elizabeth said as she wiped more of her tears. "I… I'll try not to be sad; daddy said she's in heaven now, so I have known I shouldn't be crying, but I can't, I just can't, it's all so…"

"My mom says it's okay to cry," Charlie reassured her. "Even adults cry sometimes."

"I know…Daddy said it's alright if I cry, even if I do it a lot now. I heard about your father, too…I hope they will find him."

"I know they will…Maybe father just had a really bad day, and he doesn't want anyone to see him yet, but he will return; he will come back to us…"

At least William and Gron did their best in raising caring children that were always ready to be there for each other, though William wondered if that was more of their mothers' influence.

"Will," Lynda spoke when the two were left alone with all of the children distracted. "I know that this is not a good time, but I don't know when another opportunity like this will arise… It's about Gron." She spoke, forcing William's musings to end and pulling him back into reality. He hoped that he could avoid direct lying today, but it would seem that this was a futile hope.

"I am as shocked by this as you are."

"There was something he didn't tell me," Lynda said. "I knew there was something that plagued him, made his condition worse…I don't know if it had to do with his job and the stress it brought, but there was something there. He never told me what it was, but he admitted to it. And the last time we met…He said he was going to do something very important, but the end of which we will have all the time in the world." Lynda recounted the tale, making Will realize that there could only be one explanation. Gron's second murder, he must have decided to do it days prior.

"He didn't speak to me at all outside of work, and even then, those were purely trivial matters," William responded quietly. "He became more reclusive, that's true, and I decided not to pry…It is a busy job, and we couldn't afford any distractions."

"Don't you think there is something very wrong with this? Four children, then Gron, disappearances just continue to happen, and all of them lead to that pizzeria."

"My family was asking the exact same question not too long ago."

"And what do you think?"

"I…Think that tragedies happen." William looked into her eyes without shame. It wasn't the first time he had to lie. "Perhaps some psychopath chose this place as his target; perhaps they seek to kidnap children… It's a shame that the company didn't find the culprit yet, but…I know my boss, and I know he is doing his best to uncover this situation and bring it to light."

"It doesn't seem like this to me."

"I'm sorry, Lynda, but you aren't the one working there and seeing the inner workings of the company. I understand why it would be suspicious, but it doesn't change the fact that it is simply a tragedy outside of our control." William spoke firmly and convincingly, eventually making Lynda back down.

"Alright, if you say so…I just hope they find Gron before it's too late."

"As do I…As do I."

William had no desire to continue this conversation, there was no need to tarnish this moment even further, and Lynda must have understood it as well. Eventually, the hour of a eulogy was at hand. After some deliberations, it was decided that William would be the one to read it out, as most of Clara's last years were spent away from her parents, and with him, he knew her more than most others. And he would give her the send-off she deserved, even if this meant he would have to lie. As William stood before her coffin, he could feel a myriad of eyes staring at him, each of them expecting…Something. Many expected his words to give them hope, to reignite their bright memories about Clara, yet it was hard to read them out when William knew that a crucial part of it was built on a lie. Perhaps all they wanted was for him to show emotion, show pain and grief that were now shackled by fear and despair.

"Grace. Warmth. Love." William spoke the first words, bracing himself and trying to talk loudly. "Those are the words that come to mind when I think of Clara Afton née Birling, a woman whose passion and care have always inspired those around her, a ballerina of unmatched talent…And my beloved wife." William paused, seeing a few people shedding tears, Chris and Elizabeth among them. "Taken from us in a terrible tragedy, a display of fate's cruelty and injustice that claimed her life too early. But we came here to reminisce on her life, not the tragedy that claimed it." There was no point focusing on that which wasn't true. "Ever since her school years, Clara was always known for her talent and dedication, as well as an eagerness to help those in need, and all present can attest to that, and I know that her entire family was proud of her and with good reason. But despite her flawless marks and countless leadership roles in the activities with peers, that was not what she took the most joy or pride in. It was her desire to perform, to grace others' lives with an experience that will forever remain in their memory, evenings of romance, passion, and pure appreciation. She dreamed of theatre and ballet, and while it took years, she saw her dream realized. Traveling to America to study and earn her place among famed ballet performers, a new world opened before her, but she didn't tremble for a moment. This was when we met…" William stuttered, closing his eyes for a moment and thinking of that library the first day he looked into her eyes and saw her smile. A smile he needed by his side in his life, the light of hope. "I am certain that this was the reason I grew attached, for she dreamed big, and no obstacle scared her. I remember coming to her performance back when she was one of a small group at the university, and even then, I was stricken by her dedication. Truth be told, everything worked against her that day, the rain, the illness that one of her co-performers caught, the less-than-perfectly built decorations…But she still gave everyone who came a night to remember, including me. Since that day, I remember watching her rise. Not all her attempts were successful, but in each failure, Clara wanted to find something to learn from, something to pick up on and make even better next time. She never doubted her success and in the end, she got everything she dreamed of." As William spoke those words, he made himself forget the grim truth of the situation and, for a moment, believe that all it was was a tragedy. A gruesome, scarring tragedy, yet the one that was ultimately an accident. "But this was not her only dream…She wanted to marry and become a mother someday, and she saw it realized too. It all began with us going to a concert or two together, a few lectures on robotics, taking part in the organizational events at our university, maintaining contact after it was done…And, well, we ended up much closer than either of us could've expected. The excitement in her eyes as we traveled across Spain after our wedding still lingers before me, as if she is still here, watching us from above and smiling, as I know she would…I also remember the days after our son was born. Clara was finally able to realize herself as the nurturing mother she wanted to be, and despite hardships that came through it, our bond only grew stronger. She wanted to see them grow, to realize their own dreams, just like she realized hers…And I believe that one day she will, even if it will be from the other side." And if she did, indeed, watch them from the heavens, there were no secrets that could be hidden from ascended souls. She knew the truth now. "And…If you are listening, Clara." William felt his lips quivering as something got shattered inside of him, as the weight of Alison's words dawned upon him. Her soul was free, and she ascended to Heaven. But could she truly be happy, knowing the grave danger her family was in? What if she would have to watch with fear, knowing that every day that their children lived and grew, they would be endangered and always at risk of becoming a madman's victims? All while her beloved man works with an organization as horrific as this…

William wasn't religious, yet some feelings could not be denied. And he felt that she was listening at this very moment, both fear and hope overtaking her soul. William felt tears falling down his eyes as the secret was unveiled. All those days, she wondered if he lied and kept secrets from her, and now both of them knew the truth. She died because of his arrogance and rashness, a life that he doomed while knowing all the consequences.

"I promise you, swear on everything that is dear to me…I will protect our children."

She ascended to Heaven, yet her family was descending into hell.

…

As Alison said, there was a place for him. A place of shame and regret, which William, nevertheless, descended to like an obedient puppet.

He felt disgusted walking into that elevator. He remembered looking to the floor in shame as the suspicious gazes of Fazbear Inc employees cast their harsh judgment upon him. Those on the upper floor were among those who knew of the facility's existence, a viper's nest that William was officially allowed into. He wondered what Clara could think of it…Weeks later, he would still think of her. The images of her smile and the soothing sound of her voice echoed in his ears over and over. William could feel her walking beside him sometimes, a shadow following in his footsteps. Would she despise him for submitting to her murderers, or would she understand the lengths he would go to protect their children?

Those thoughts persisted inside the elevator, the one William followed at Alison's directive. There was a choice of a few floors, but William's access card could only allow for one, the technician's bunker. It was time to see his new workplace, the one of darkness and solitude, with plenty of time to spend with his own regrets.

As the elevator began its descent, William could only wait until he arrived. The cleaned-up suits must have awaited him there, ready to be remade into the animatronics.

And while the echoes of the elevator sounds echoed in his eyes, William tried to close his eyes. The last time he was here, he was escaping the facility along with Gron, so confident that it would be the end of it once they reported to the police and uncovered the truth of Alison's work. Now he was a slave who descended here at his master's behest. No strength, no will, no resolve. Just a fainting hope that whatever he has to do, it would mean that Mike, Chris, and Liza would grow up without knowing the truth and never knowing that they were always being watched. It would be difficult to keep up the lie, incredibly difficult, but he had to try.

"Please…Save them…"

It was her voice echoing in William's mind once again, startling the tired engineer. He knew it wasn't real, and yet a part of him wanted to hear more. Wanted to feel her gentle touch again, to hear her talk about the upcoming performances with wide eyes and passion. They were both there for each other when they started their long paths in life, always uplifting one another in their hour of need. Clara was there to see William's first animatronic creation come to life, and he was there to see her debut performance. It's as if they held their hands together as they went through the maze of life and never once let go. Ever since that day in the library when she got interested in his research, ever since the fateful invitation, all of this led to a prospect of a joyous life for them and their children. He remembered looking into her eyes as she walked up to the altar, brimming with joy and anticipation. A day when both of them could reflect on the past and dream of their future together.

"…I now pronounce you husband and wife!"

He remembered their kiss, remembered embracing her in his hands with a smile, remembered how she taught him to dance under the moonlight. Her tears were of joy as she saw William holding her baby, their first son. Consumed by his memories, William started to re-enact their first dance, step after step, but this time there was no light above him, and there was no one to hold his hand. Life would never be the same without her, and every time this realization would strike, causing a few faint tears drop from William's eyes. He would let go of this pain eventually, but every day it would return at the moment he least expected it. He thought of how painful it must have been for Chris and Elizabeth, how many tears had fallen down their eyes while he wasn't looking, forced to work upon this wretched job…An endless cycle of pain all of them were forced into.

"Greetings and have a good time of the day!" A cheerful robotic voice echoed from the elevator's dynamics. "It would seem that you have taken a venture to the technician's bunker, and if you are doing so in this presumably wonderful way, you must be Mr. Afton." This wasn't a human voice too smooth and emotionless for it. It must have been some sort of synthesizer. "Mr. Bairren has set me up to provide an introduction and remind you of your goal here. With the Missing Children Incident unjustly tarnishing Fazbear Inc's reputation, a new measure has been put in place. As you may know, the murderer used the spring lock suits to hide the victims inside them. Their mobility allowed for such incidents to occur. Henceforth, to avoid any other faltering in the future, any new animatronic will not have a suit form, starting with the four involved in the incident."

William didn't care to listen to it. He was well aware of why it was he was here. To begin his work on remaking and remodeling the animatronic endoskeletons, removing the cranks and locking them in a robotic state forever. Luckily, it was possible without completely remaking the animatronic, but it would still require a lot of effort. Not to mention that every thought about his coming work made William rage and fume inside. This murder was a tragedy, but it could've been used to bring the horrors of Fazbear Inc to light, and now it was all for nothing…Clara was dead, Gron was missing, and he was left alone in a sea of this anguish, obediently cleaning up any traces at Alison's orders…The choice was an illusion.

The bunker housed a number of large rooms, each of them possessing its own glass overlook and setup. Each of those rooms had a panel beside it with two buttons, one blue one for the lights and another for the electricity output. William was given a map of the place before venturing down here, and he knew how it was structured. His office was at the level above, from where he could oversee each gallery and other places, like the scooping room in their entirety, though it wasn't where he went just yet.

William made his way to the nearest two displays to see the animatronics that was inside. There were two, Bonnie and Foxy, one to the left and another to the right. It was the first William saw his creations since witnessing them bloodied and tarnished. Now all of them were clean, however, all shiny and new as if nothing ever happened. Time to remove any possible proof that someone could even be inside them.

Those animatronics were already in place for testing; each had a wire connected to their leg with two terminals appearing on each side of the windows, all for William to investigate and tamper with. Alison said that those are the devices he could use to enter commands that would make the animatronics move or speak to test them. Perhaps now was the time to check it out.

William moved towards Bonnie, looking at his terminal. With a single click of a button, the animatronic was online, and a green screen appeared before him and above the keypad attached to this terminal. He knew of the commands that could be used, and it was time to test them.

"Now, let's see…"

He entered a simple command for the animatronic to move his legs, immediately hearing the echo of a metal sound emerge in his ears as Bonnie took a step forward in an orderly fashion. It seemed that it was working well enough. Now, it was time to test the sound. William entered the command.

"Oh, you've lost your way, kids? Don't worry, I will help you get back home. I know where to go!"

The voice was operational too, then, good; Alison's engineers must have gone through their own maintenance process. Now he would do the same for Foxy before moving on to the neighboring room that housed Freddy and Chica. However, as William looked away from Bonnie, something incredibly unexpected happened.

"To go…To go…"

Bonnie's mechanical voice continued to echo from behind, even though William did not give him any command. The engineer shook and immediately turned around to check if he was mishearing, but all of his doubts were immediately dispelled. The animatronic mouth moved, even if weakly, still echoing the previous sound it let out, making William come a little closer while still maintaining caution. This movement was definitely not prompted, it was impossible for it to be. Other times he would try to rationalize this, but after seeing what happened to Gron and remembering Alison's words, William knew that those weren't just machines…Perhaps there was a reason for the shock function beyond simply restoring their circuits to their normal state.

He stood before the glass window, staring at the bunny animatronic. For a few moments, it remained still, instilling some faint hope in William that this was nothing but his imagination, but soon he saw it with his own eyes. The animatronic moved his hand and head in an unrestricted fashion. It was slow yet distinct, and there could be no mistake about it. He didn't let out any more sounds, but there was something else William focused on. There was a new text that emerged on the terminal, something that he didn't put there.

- To go to go to go

William approached the terminal as a curious thought piqued his mind.

- Can you see what I'm writing?

A slight pause occurred before William saw another line appear.

- Yes.

The animatronic was talking to him. The machine had a conscience…It continued to do so.

- Where am I…

- In the bunker beneath the pizzeria.

- Why? Don't you know?

- I don't remember…I just woke up…Why am I here? Why can't I talk?

If Gron dying inside an animatronic caused them to fuse, then there could be only one explanation for this phenomenon.

-What's your name?

- Liam…

One of the missing children. The thought of this made William recoil, but he quickly returned back to the terminal as he was overtaken by both disgust and curiosity. Could it be that the four children didn't die? Instead, they became one with the animatronics Gron stuffed them in?

- Okay, Liam. Can you answer a few questions?

- I remember you…

- You do?

- You were there. You bought a Fredbear toy.

The memories immediately flooded back to William as he remembered the day of getting Chris a present. There were four children that he met and talked to a little; this must have been one of them. Such innocent souls were doomed to this existence by his best friend, now at his mercy. Fate truly was a cruel force.

- Yes, I remember you too.

- Can you help me…Please? I want to go home. I really want to see my dad…

- I need you to answer something first.

- Okay…

- What did you see when you awoke?

- I was here…It was very dark.

- Were there any people with you?

- I think so…I saw them leave.

- And what happened before you woke up?

- I was with Jessica.

- And what did you do?

- We…Followed.

- Who?

- Bonnie.

- Spring Bonnie?

- Yes.

- What happened next?

- We walked with him in the hall…

- Where?

- I don't remember.

- To the back room?

- I don't remember!

The first time Liam used an exclamation mark showed another movement in the animatronic's carcass. It was his leg this time. He was restricted by the programming, but the child's conscience continued to fight.

- I think he was a very bad man…Can you help me?

This was a difficult question to answer. William didn't have anything in mind except breaking the suit, but this would be another act of sabotage and would result in Alison killing one of his children…No, even if he tries to lie about the suits, Alison will not be eager to give him another chance; this is out of the question. But what William wondered was if Alison knew the truth about those souls. He still seemed to set those animatronics back to the stage, and there was no mention of them when they spoke last time. Was it another lie, or did something finally evade his eye? And what would happen if he knew? William still didn't quite know how this worked, if this could be called a soul, but there was certainly something that allowed humans to be preserved inside of those machines. Something sinister and beyond understanding. After a moment of hesitation, William sighed and braced himself.

- I'm afraid I can't.

- Why?

- I'll see if removing some of the parts will free you, but other than that, I can't interfere.

- Parts?

It only now occurred to William that the child was still oblivious to his gruesome fate in its entirety, making the moment all the more bitter. He would realize someday that there was little point in lying.

- What do you think happened to you?

- I…I don't know. I think that man caught me and Jessica and brought us here…I think he put us in a box; I can't move…

- It's not what happened. You died.

Even typing this felt cold, but William wasn't going to sugarcoat it.

- W…What?

- That man killed you and put your body into Bonnie. They found yout body later and probably burned it.

- B…But…

William saw Bonnie raising his arms and looking at them with a blank robotic stare, yet it was enough for William to note his anguish.

- You became an animatronic yourself, and I think it might have happened to others, too.

- No…No, no, no! I'm alive, I'm not dead, I didn't die, I didn't I didn't die, I…

- I'm sorry. NO NO NO, I DIDN'T DIE! It's me, it's me, please let me go, please! Get me out, pleaseeeee!

This was the end of his message, making Bonnie make a few more steps toward the wall, overriding his programming. It was disturbing and intriguing at the same time, but the pain this child felt must have been immeasurable. There can never be justice for what happened to them, nothing that will give them the lives that got stolen from them at such a young age.

"Le…Le…" Bonnie spoke with his robotic voice, coming close to the glass; this wasn't one of the programmed lines. He outright forced the machine to speak.

"Listen, I will look for a way to set you free without destroying the animatronic, but..."

If there wasn't one, then he would not touch those machines again. He doesn't have to tell Alison about them; he might figure this out on his own, but destroying the animatronics would be too much of a risk. It was a choice between letting their essence rot inside the animatronics and going insane and potentially losing his own children. Perhaps some people with stronger ethics would pretend this is a hard choice, but not William.

"Ple…Le…"

"Stop and get back in your place, or I will have to force you," William said sternly, but Bonnie didn't listen, still making his moves.

William administered a controlled shock.

The animatronic stood still, twitching from the electrical current that ran through his body before finally getting pacified, forced to stand still. He didn't know if the child could feel any pain in his body, hopefully not, but at least he went silent.

"Good enough…"

William's sighs we're interrupted by another robotic screech.

"YAAARGH!"

It was Foxy, and unlike Bonnie, he charged to the glass with rapid speed as if there was nothing to hold him back. Moments more, and he would've plunged into it, but William couldn't let that happen. He ran to another monitor and pressed the necessary button, administering yet another shock. Foxy didn't give up immediately, even after an electrical surge was already piercing his body. A second shock was enough to pacify the rage duo animatronic, however, and William was left standing in front of his gallery, watching the monitor before him.

You should die.

Those were the only words that appeared there, and the message was as clear as it could be. William felt a temptation to communicate with this child, too but decided against it. There was no point in tormenting either them or himself any longer. He was here to do his job, not to talk with the spirits of the dead.

"I know those words will mean nothing to you, but I'm sorry. I truly am, and yet…I have to do it, and I will do it. For those who still…Still have a chance to live."

With those words, William turned around and walked to the exit; there was another room to check, two more souls to see. But whether they would try to speak to him, he wasn't sure if there was any point in responding, he wouldn't give them false hope, and the endeavor was nothing but a waste of time. He will do his job, he will repair his animatronics, create new ones, would do this, and much more that Alison demands of him until he is confident that the time to strike has come. And throughout this nightmare, he would think of Mike, Chris, and Elizabeth.

Even if he cannot be saved from the dreadful truth, they will. It was his duty and his promise to see to that.

...

This concludes act one with three more in the planning, thanks to everyone who read and left comments and kudos, I would love to hear your thoughts on the story so far. I will be taking a break from this story for at least a month and at most two months, but I will definitely come back to work on it once I get a reprieve, there will be new chapters late May to early June with further regular uploads, so I hope you come back then to enjoy the rest of the story. Have a good time, everyone!