Five Nights at Freddy's: Obsolete Chapter 17: Secrets That You Keep, a five nights at freddy´s fanfic

Night 16

Secrets That You Keep

''When you close your eyes and you go to sleep; and it's down to the sound of a heartbeat. I can hear the things that you're dreaming about; when you open up your heart and the truth comes out! You tell me that you want me! You tell me that you need me! You tell me that you love me! And I know that I'm right, 'cause I hear it in the night! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep!''

– Talking In Your Sleep by The Romantics (Five Nights at Freddy's Movie)

xXxXxXx

''Sam, about what Matt said…''

''Hey, the weather is really nice tonight isn't it? I can see the stars! Sure, it's a bit cold, but it is November…''

Great, he broke her.

Springtrap sighed as he remembered the very awkward car ride back to the Blackburn residence. It was really quiet and he actually felt quite nervous about bringing up what Matt had said, only to get startled when Sam suddenly rose her voice, clearly NOT wanting to talk about what Matt as she had an internal panic, and tried to change the topic to something nonsensical. Springtrap then resigned himself to just turning towards the window and watching as they drove past the houses. Currently, he was waiting for the sunrise, not looking at all forward to the conversation with Emma. Obviously, she would eventually learn what he and Sam were up to, and he figured it would be better to just rip off the band-aid now rather than later.

Sam also refused to talk to him the next morning, insisting how she needed to her homework, as it was due for Monday, and she had a ton of work to do and demanded to be left alone. Emma had noticed the sudden change in her behavior and immediately glared at Springtrap.

''Okay, Afton, what did you do now?'' she asked, as Sam was going upstairs.

''I swear, I had done nothing,'' Springtrap protested, with Emma rising an eyebrow, clearly not believing him. Unknown to them, Sam stopped, eavesdropping the conversation.

''Really? Because I doubt that she would just not talk to you if something didn't happen,'' Emma replied. Springtrap sighed, well aware that Emma's Mama Bear instincts kicked in and that she was refusing to let this go until she got a clear answer. He couldn't really argue with her when she was in such a bad mood, so he decided to just tell her the truth.

''Fine. Sam is behaving like this because of something her friend said,'' he told her. Emma blinked in surprise.

''You mean Matt?''

''Yes. To quote the kid: 'Sam, it seems like your father doesn't like me very much'.''

Emma stared at him for a moment, clearly baffled and trying to process what Springtrap just told her. Then, a smile spread on her lips and she burst into laughter. ''Wait! That's why-'' After seeing Springtrap's look of displeasure, she started to laugh even harder. ''Y-Yeah, I can imagine why- This is hilarious!''

''It's not funny!''

Both of them were startled when Sam suddenly yelled at them from the staircase, being completely red in her face.

''Sam, it's fine!'' Emma responded in an attempt to calm her down, still amused by the revelation, but Sam looked even more embarrassed.

''No, it's not! Stop embarrassing me like that! You're the worst parents ever! Both of-'' Sam suddenly cut herself off, realizing just what she said and quickly ran upstairs, slamming the door behind her shut. Emma and Springtrap winced at the loud noise.

''Huh, she took that well,'' Emma said, the corner of her lip still curved upwards.

''I'm amazed that you didn't yell at her for slamming the door,'' Springtrap told Emma in a deadpan tone.

''Well, we have rules set for that kind of behavior. If she breaks the door, she pays for a new one,'' Emma shrugged. Springtrap stared at her for a moment, and then sighed.

''I'll be honest, I had not expected such reaction from you,'' he told Emma, who rose an eyebrow. ''I thought you'd be angry, not amused.''

''I won't lie, I had actually expected for this to happen at some point,'' Emma responded. ''You might consider yourself just as Sam's friend, but frankly, you've been acting more and more like you're her father. I have noticed, and I'm certain that Sam has had noticed it too, but wasn't comfortable enough to acknowledge it.''

''I can imagine all the reasons why,'' Springtrap replied in a sincere tone. ''Honestly, I… I wasn't really planning on for any of this to happen.''

''I know, but given how you two had bonded over time, it was inevitable,'' Emma replied. Springtrap felt a little unnerved by just how calm and casual Emma was over the whole thing. It was as if there was something unsettling looming over him. On the other hand, this was the usual feeling he got from Emma.

''Trust me, I'm not planning on taking her away from you or anything like that,'' Springtrap quickly added. Emma just kept a calm expression.

''Oh, I know you won't, because if you did, I'd shred you into pieces.'' Emma glared daggers at Springtrap, who instinctively backed away. He had no idea how, but Emma still remained the only person who managed to genuinely frighten him. Emma's glare than turned back to a calmer expression, leaving Springtrap quite unsettled. ''So, what are your thoughts on it?''

''I… I suppose I will have to talk to Sam about it… once she feels comfortable talking,'' Springtrap replied, then added as an afterthought, ''For some reason, I also feel bad for being called 'embarrassing'.''

Emma chuckled. ''Seriously? That's what you're focusing on?''

''I'm used to being called a 'murderer' or a 'monster', but I don't remember ever being called 'embarrassing'. It just feels weird,'' Springtrap responded, folding his arms, his eyes narrowing.

''Then you should get better used to it, considering the situation,'' Emma replied as she sat down on the couch. ''As for Sam, I believe that she will talk to you once she calms down. After all, she was willing to talk to you again after you had returned… which makes me wonder how you had even managed to convince her to have a normal conversation with you?''

''I didn't really do anything besides giving her space until she approached me,'' Springtrap replied, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch. ''It was just a matter of time. Sam isn't exactly the kind of person who can hold grudges for a long time.''

''That is something we both agree on, especially given how close you two are,'' Emma added, sighing and then giving Springtrap a questioning look. ''Speaking of which, haven't you promised me an explanation in regards to what is going on?''

''Oh, right…'' Springtrap knew that this was coming. He still didn't like it, though, as he dreaded Emma's reaction to the truth. ''To make one thing clear, I had only returned because I wanted to apologize to Sam for abandoning her. Nothing else. I don't have any malicious intentions.''

Emma stared at him for a moment, clearly not believing him, while Springtrap just stared at her with an annoyed expression, well aware what was going through her head. Finally, Emma relented and, as if reading his mind, responded, ''Whether you like it or not, Afton, I will be always wary of you. However, in this case, I do believe you, mainly because I know that, if it is a situation that involves Sam, you wouldn't lie to me even if you don't want to share any information with me.''

''You are correct in that regard,'' Springtrap replied. ''I actually had no idea what to do once I did apologize to her. At least, until I had learned what Sam had been going through these past few weeks.''

''You mean the constant nightmares and sleepwalking?'' Emma asked. Springtrap nodded.

''However, from what I've understood, Sam is doing better now, isn't she?'' he asked, clearly waiting for a confirmation.

''In comparison to the past month, yeah, she is doing much better,'' Emma replied, narrowing her eyes and adding in a bitter tone, ''I hate to say it, but it seems like your presence had improved her mental state. She used to be quite overwhelmed and had barely talked to me about anything, but it feels as if she's back to her old self now.''

''I don't believe that her being back to her old self has just to do with me, but with her finding something that interests her,'' Springtrap responded. To his surprise, Emma had agreed with him.

''Yeah, you're right, and I believe that her interest is connected to Freddy's,'' she replied. ''I had asked her whether she wants to quit her job, given how miserable she was, and take a break, but she refused. She claimed that she was the only one who could handle the animatronics, as they wouldn't trust any other technician with them, so I let it go. She did seem to feel better, and I suppose she just liked to interact with the animatronics considering she didn't really have anyone else to talk to besides myself and Aaron. Even then, it was something she wanted to keep to herself, and I decided not to push her to tell me what she was going through. Maybe I should've done it, but Sam is stubborn enough to just not tell me anything.'' Emma shook her head. ''That's why I was so glad that she befriended Matt. At least she now had someone normal to talk to.''

''Maybe, but I'm not sure whether that kid can be trusted,'' Springtrap replied, his eyes narrowed. Emma rose an eyebrow, scoffing.

''You're the one to talk about trust,'' she said in a deadpan tone. ''I think Matt is a nice kid, and Sam really needs a friend her age who isn't dead.''

''I'm just saying that last time Sam had such a friend, they basically took advantage of her,'' Springtrap pointed out. ''It is better to be a bit careful.''

''From what I've seen, Matt is trustworthy. Besides, you had also met him. Did he appear as someone who would take advantage of Sam?'' Emma asked.

''Well, I suppose…'' Springtrap muttered, only for Emma to cut him off.

''Not to mention, if Sam trusts someone like you, then Matt should be no big deal,'' she added, giving Sprintgtrap a side-eye. ''Besides, you have just met him, while Sam knew him for weeks. If he had tried to take advantage of her, I believe something would've already happened.'' Emma then smirked, with Springtrap hating the knowing look she gave him. ''Or, don't tell me that you're jelaous that she has another close friend.''

''Emma, at this point, you're grasping at straws,'' Springtrap growled, now really irritated at Emma for teasing him and talking nonsense. ''I had already told you, I'm just looking out for Sam. Honestly, haven't you thought of what kind of trouble two teenagers could get themselves into, especially when one of them is a teenage boy?''

Emma stared at him for a moment, only to snort in amusement as she realized what he was talking about. ''Yeah, now I get why Matt has called you Sam's 'Dad'. You literally talk like you're an overprotective parent.''

''Unlike you,'' Springtrap said without even thinking, but given how annoyed he felt, he didn't even care about Emma's reaction. Speaking of which, Emma's amused gaze quickly turned into an intense glare as she stared at the animatronic.

''You want to run that by me again, Afton?'' she growled in a threatening tone. Springtrap did feel a chill running down his endoskeleton, but he tried to ignore it.

''Let's just drop it. It's clear that I made my point,'' he said, genuinely wanting to move on from this topic. After all, he would have to go through a similar conversation with Sam later on. ''But, if it makes you happy, Matt also knows who I am and he is willing to help Sam however he can.''

''Now, that's good news. However, you still haven't told me what is going on,'' Emma said, only for her eyes to narrow. ''Don't tell me that Connor or his animatronics are back.''

''No, they're not. Connor is deader than dead, and as for the Drawkill Animatronics… I don't really know where they are,'' Springtrap responded, figuring that the Drawkills' whereabouts would be an issue to solve later. ''Instead, the actual problem we ran into has to do with Fazbear Entertainment.''

Emma actually looked genuinely surprised when she heard that. ''What have they done?''

''You know that video game Sam had been playing?'' Springtrap asked.

''Oh, you mean the one Aaron had worked on? Yeah. Why?'' Emma gave him a questioning look.

''Fazbear Entertainment wanted to make a game mocking their own past, the murders, myself… so they took a shortcut with the programming and used old circuit boards, some of which actually had belonged to the animatronics that were affected by what had happened,'' Springtrap explained. ''One of those circuit boards had also belonged to the old Spring Bonnie suit inhabited by my own corpse and soul. At the same time, while I was in Hell, I suffered from what could be described as a complete breakdown, one that resulted in my soul being shredded. To make things even worse, a piece of my soul got stuck in one of those circuit boards, and now a virus version of myself is haunting that video game.''

''What?'' Emma was genuinely stunned by these news. ''W-Wait, how is this- I-It doesn't matter- Okay, if a piece of you is stuck inside the video game, can't you just delete it?''

''I'm afraid that this isn't as easy as you think, Emma,'' Springtrap responded. ''As a matter of fact, Sam and I believe that my other self, Glitchtrap, as we call him, may have already infiltrated Fazbear Entertainment. We don't really know how, but it is possible that one of Aaron's co-workers, a woman named Vanessa, had something to do with it.''

''If someone else is involved, then we should call the police,'' Emma pointed out. Springtrap shook his head.

''Do you really think they'll believe any of this? Besides, I know Fazbear Entertainment, and even if the police attempts to launch an investigation, they won't find anything because the company will try to cover it up. They had done it before, they will do it again,'' he replied. Emma sighed, leaning back as she rubbed her temple.

''What are we supposed to do?'' she asked, only to pause for a moment, then turned towards Springtrap, changing her question, ''What are you and Sam going to do?''

''So far, all information that we got points towards the Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex, and both Sam and I plan on investigating it. She had told me that she would be sent there for training as a technician and even work on the new animatronics. I hope that this way, we would gain access to their systems and whatever computer network they're using to find Glitchtrap and permanently delete him,'' Springtrap explained.

''I see… There is something I'm still curious about, though,'' Emma said, giving him a look of interest. ''If, as you called him, Glitchtrap, is a virus version of yourself, can't you… I don't know, control him somehow?''

''Unfortunately, that is not how this works,'' Springtrap replied. ''I wish I could've gotten ridden off Glitchtrap, but I have no control over him… or whatever he has turned into at this point.''

''Okay, but what about the video game?'' Emma asked, with Springtrap shaking his head once again.

''I believe that the Glitchtrap in the video game was just there to send a message. The real trouble that awaits us is at the Pizzaplex,'' he replied. ''Ironically, this is one of the few things I had never intended to happen.''

''Well, that is good to know,'' Emma said in a slightly snarky tone. ''Still, you two will be going up against a whole company this time, rather than just one man and a bunch of robots.''

''Fortunately for us, I had been working long enough alongside Fazbear Entertainment to know what to do. Besides, we wouldn't be there to bring down the company but to find a virus. All I need is to examine the Pizzaplex and its inner workings to figure out a proper plan,'' Springtrap responded, only to fall silent for a moment. ''Although, Fazbear Entertainment might pose as an obstacle in other ways.''

''What do you mean by that?'' Emma asked.

''Fazbear Entertainment has a habit of digging up the past and covering up anything that would tarnish their reputation. It is very possible that at this point, several people have already become new victims, and no one would ever know. Their disappearances, or deaths, are going to be hand-waved, and there won't be any investigations, and there is hardly any way for more tragedies to happen,'' Springtrap explained, with Emma shivering as she heard that. ''Now, imagine how things will be once the Pizzaplex opens up. There is no doubt that things will be fine for a while and we'll hardly find any evidence of there being something wrong. However, I can imagine that the animatronics are going to eventually start act more erratic, their movements and interactions becoming more and more unsettling…'' Springtrap trailed off, an image of the old Freddy Fazbear's Pizza flashing in his mind as he stared down Freddy, Chica, Bonnie and Foxy. ''They would be fine around children, but aggressive towards adults, to the point of lashing out at them if they believed that a child got hurt.''

''That's what happened at the older locations, right?'' Emma asked, feeling unnerved. Springtrap nodded.

''However, in this case, these animatronics might as well be the first generation that isn't at all haunted by the soul of a deceased child… or an adult for that matter,'' he explained. ''Admittedly, the Showtime Animatronics aren't haunted either, but they were influenced by the Glitchtrap virus, and that virus is the reason why Sam is the only animatronic technician at this location. I can only imagine what might happen once the Pizzaplex opens.''

''Honestly, I don't want to imagine anything,'' Emma said, clearly disturbed, even though she tried to mask it. Springtrap sighed tiredly.

''I'm just glad I don't have to deal the other spirits. Preventing more from getting trapped is going to be a challenge,'' he said. Both were silent for a moment.

''I suppose there isn't much I can do,'' Emma finally said, then gave Springtrap a determined look. ''Afton, just make sure that you keep Sam alive during this ordeal.''

Springtrap gave her a curious look. ''You know, I'm still surprised with how fast you have accepted this situation, and furthermore, how willing you are to trust me.''

''Frankly, I don't have much of a choice in this now, do I? I know that I can't stop Sam from doing what she wants, and I can be always around to keep her safe, so this is my only option left,'' Emma replied. ''Besides, you're the expert here when it comes to haunted animatronics.''

''Not to mention the fact that you had called me an overprotective parent,'' Springtrap added in a slightly amused tone, with Emma raising an eyebrow. ''I promise, I'll keep her safe.''

xXx

''Hey, Sam!'' Sam was placing her books into her locker and preparing for the next lesson when she saw Matt running up to her. It was Monday morning, a normal school day for her, and even though the day had just started, Sam already felt exhausted. ''How are you doing?''

''Oh, I'm fine…'' Sam started in a nonchalant tone, only to start glaring daggers at Matt. ''Except for the fact that what you had said left me in the most awkward and uncomfortable situation I've ever been in, and trust me, I've been in all kinds of situations!''

Matt gave her a nervous look, smiling awkwardly. ''Well, I was just describing the situation the way I saw it; and Mr. Afton does act like your father.''

''He's not my father!'' Sam hissed under her breath angrily, with Matt holding up his hands in defense. He was certain, to some extent, that Sam wouldn't hit him, even if she did look furious.

''So,… did you two even talk about it?'' Matt asked carefully, with Sam still glaring at him, only to sigh.

''No, we didn't. I've been avoiding Will like a plague,'' she admitted, all of the anger she wanted to feel suddenly being gone. ''I just feel too awkward to talk to him about the statement you made because I don't know how to even address it. Admittedly, this wasn't the first time I've heard something like that, but I'm still not comfortable talking about it considering all the implications.''

''But, you two are still as close; having a father-daughter relationship?'' Matt asked, lowering his hands. Sam closed her locker, then leaned against it.

''Yeah, I suppose we're like that… If anything, Will did mentor me, and…'' Sam trailed off, thinking back to her birthday present that was buried in the drawer in her room, a locket her mother bought her. She had left it there at some point after the fire in which Connor, Raven and Springtrap had perished, not wanting to carry it around for a very specific reason. However, now she had to wonder whether she should dig it out again and wear it. She took a deep breath. ''I guess I should just talk to him. I mean, Mum also knows what happened and she wasn't too upset about it.''

Matt was relieved to see that Sam had calmed down and wasn't angry at him anymore. ''I suppose that would be the best course of action. Speaking of which, where is Mr. Afton?''

''Will is at Freddy's, at his own request. He had figured that there is no point in spending the whole day home alone when I'm at school and Mum is at work,'' Sam told him, with the two starting to walk towards their classroom. ''I guess I have the whole day to think about how to start this conversation.'' She took a deep breath. ''I'm more anxious about this than the exam we have today.''

''Exam?'' Matt froze.

''Well, duh, the maths exam we have today,'' Sam said, a pained look forming on her expression. ''My head hurts from all the constant learning. I hate maths.''

''Oh, shoot, I totally forgot!'' Matt panicked, giving Sam an alarmed look. ''We have a free period before maths, right? Do you think I can do some quick studying at the library?''

''Uh, sure,'' Sam said, having to admit that she was both amused and feeling sorry for Matt about forgetting about an exam.

xXx

''When you close your eyes and you go to sleep; and it's down to the sound of a heartbeat. I can hear the things that you're dreaming about; when you open up your heart and the truth comes out!''

Springtrap was standing at the entrance to the back of the building, observing Freddy, Bonnie and Chica on the stage as they had started one of their performances for the audience. He recognized the song as Talking In Your Sleep by The Romantics, noting how, while the animatronics did have a song specifically written for them, they would also sing other songs, mostly older ones that sounded like what you would hear on the radio. Their audience didn't seem to care, evidenced by a group of small children attempting to dance in front of the stage, albeit with their dancing looking more like they were just jumping around.

''You tell me that you want me! You tell me that you need me! You tell me that you love me! And I know that I'm right, 'cause I hear it in the night!''

Springtrap noted how Freddy, Bonnie and Chica genuinely enjoyed themselves singing for the patrons, their movements being incredibly fluid, especially in comparison to the older generations of animatronics. The staff even gave Chica a tambourine, which she played in the rhythm of the song and to complete the band aesthetic with the microphone-wielding Freddy and guitar-playing Bonnie. As for Foxy, while he was on his own little stage, he was still singing along with them.

''I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep!''

Springtrap averted his gaze from the stage, leaning against the wall and folding his arms across his chest, staring instead at the hallway that led to the back of the building. There were other things on his mind, one of them being the fact that Sam was avoiding him once again right after he thought that they had repaired their relationship. He had decided to just give her space to process her thoughts and if she wanted to bring up the topic again, he was fine with talking to her. If she never wannted to address the topic again, he would be fine with it too.

''When I hold you in my arms at night! Don't you know you're sleeping in the spotlight! And all your dreams that you keep inside! You're telling me the secrets that you just can't hide!''

The other thing that was on his mind was that his own presence at Freddy's. He knew that, while people did ignore him as he kept to the parts of the building where he couldn't be seen, he did also overhear them talking about ''this weird bunny animatronic'' and wondering why he wasn't part of the main cast. He knew well that he needed a good excuse as to why he was here to not arouse any suspicion. Admittedly, neither the children and the staff cared that much, and the parents could make their own assumptions, but they would never know what was going on.

''You tell me that you want me! You tell me that you need me! You tell me that you love me! And I know that I'm right, 'cause I hear it in the night!''

However, Springtrap had planned on using the same excuse when he would infiltrate the Pizzaplex. If anyone questioned him, he could easily pretend that he was a member of the Showtime Animatronics, but the issue was that he didn't know what his role in the team would be. Nevertheless, he was certain that he would figure something out.

''Hey, Spring!''

Springtrap was startled when he heard someone calling out for him and quickly turned his head towards the source. To his surprise, he was met by a very familiar brother-sister duo, the twins Kathy and Kyle, whom he had met several months ago at Ricky's Wonder Shack after they were almost abandoned by their neglectful aunt.

''I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep! I hear the secrets that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep!''

''We had no idea that you were also here!'' Kathy said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

''Yeah, Sam had told us that you were broken,'' Kyle added.

''Well, she had managed to fix me, but it took a while,'' Springtrap replied, going along with the excuse Sam had come up with.

''That's great! Are you going to join us?'' Kathy asked, pointing at a table in a far part of the room. Springtrap hadn't noticed it due to the angle of his own position, but he then spotted a group of adults and children talking over a cake. ''We have turned six today!''

''Yeah, and we got this awesome cake that Freddy had delivered! Do you want to see it?'' Kyle added.

''First of all, happy birthday!'' Springtrap congratulated them, with the twins responding with a joyful ''Thanks!''. He then continued, ''While I would like to see your birthday cake, I'm currently a bit busy.''

''With what?'' Kyle asked.

''It's… complicated,'' Springtrap responded. While he was genuinely happy to meet the two again, he didn't want to drag them into his own problems. He knew that their own family had dealt with a heavy loss only a few months ago, with the twins having lost their cousin to Connor, and both of them having witnessed his demise. They really didn't need him getting involved more than he already was in their lives.

''When you close your eyes and you fall asleep, everything about you is a mystery!''

''Why? Do you want to be on the stage with the others but you can't for some reason?'' Kathy inquired, only to gasp and clasp her hands at the sudden realization. ''Oh, you have stage fright!''

Springtrap snorted in amusement, shaking his head. ''No, I don't have stage fright. I just don't see myself singing along with them.''

''Then, what do you do?'' Kyle asked.

''You tell me that you want me! You tell me that you need me! You tell me that you love me! And I know that I'm right, 'cause I hear it in the night!''

''That's something I still need to figure out,'' Springtrap responded, only for Kathy to stare at him curiously.

''Then, do you know what happened to the children that went missing a long time ago?'' she asked.

Springtrap froze, and if he had a still beating heart, it probably would've stopped beating right this moment. He stared at Kathy, his eyes wide and a faint glow of purple shimmering within them. ''Why would you ask me something like that?''

''We had asked Terry to find out more about Freddy's and she found some guy on YouTube saying how bad things had happened here,'' Kyle explained. ''However, she turned the video off before we could learn more.''

''Yeah! She said that some bad, bad stuff happened here and that we are too young to watch stuff like that,'' Kathy added with a pout. Springtrap's eyes narrowed.