Welcome, reader! Before you continue, heads up that this is the continuation of a long and fantastic fan series written by AlphaTheGriffin17. I give his story a 10/10 rating. On his page, scroll down to 'A Lot Can Happen in Five Nights'. That is the first chapter of a series that was so beyond words that I felt true sadness when his additions to the series ended. I felt so sad that I decided to write some additions of my own, to continue the story.

Relating to that, I recommend you read his series first, but should you choose to dive directly into this chapter, it should still make enough sense that you can understand what's happening even if you don't enter with the understanding of each character's charm.

With that said, here is the first part of Aftermath, which picks up later in the day of Part 8's Chapter 29, after the final battle.

One would have expected the atmosphere of this car trip to be a pleasant one. Typically, Andrew and Elizabeth Schmidt were more than happy to travel this route for a chance to visit their son, but not this time. Instead, the atmosphere was replaced with many things: some fear, a dash of uncertainty, a sprinkle of anxiety, and most of all, shock.

Their son was dead.

Well, only in the technical manner. His body was deceased, yet he was alive. Somehow, and in a manner that both of them were still wrapping their heads around, especially Elizabeth, he was alive. She knew of the synthetics of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and had even recently started to think of them as people, but that had been a slow process.

Now, her son was going to become one of them.

Lost in thought, Elizabeth's head was hanging forward slightly and her gaze was resting downwards. How did this happen? Everything had been as it normally was earlier today until her husband received a call. Suddenly, he was telling her that their son had been transformed like this? How in the hell could something like this happen?

"Elizabeth? You awake over there?"

Her head jolted up and she rapidly blinked her eyes to gain a sense of her surroundings, realizing her name had been called multiple times just now. "I'm sorry, Andrew. I just… I was somewhere else just now."

Andrew smiled sympathetically. "I guess it's a good thing I'm driving, then."

She chuckled despite displaying no change in emotion on her face. "I guess so. No sense in us being killed, too."

At this, her eyes widened slightly as she realized what she said without thinking properly.

"Andrew, I didn't mean to – "

"It's okay, darling."

"Okay? Okay?! How can things be okay! Our son was murdered and now he's a… a…"

Andrew finished the statement for her. "A very caring young man surrounded by friends, Elizabeth."

Trying to hold back tears, Elizabeth turned her head towards her husband, fighting back the sun's rays as it dipped over the horizon. "Nothing is okay about this, Andrew."

He didn't say anything, pretending to be focused on the road but actively holding back his emotions, trying to be strong for his wife.

Elizabeth continued, "Our son was gone, brought back somehow, and his life is going to be changed forever. How is he supposed to even have a job? How do we tell the rest of our family? He's not even human anymore…"

She looked away from Andrew, slumping her head again. She didn't fully believe those last words she said. To her, at least for now, Michael Schmidt was still every bit her son that he ever was, no matter his condition, but she was horrified of everything that had occurred and wanted to somehow relay her concerns to Andrew. Most of all, however, Elizabeth was terrified that Mike had been nearly killed. She just prayed that Andrew understood her.

"I understand you, Elizabeth."

She shook her head, having difficulties believing him right now.

He continued, "He's going to become a synthetic. This is hard for anyone to wrap his head around, but remember what Golden told me – "

"NO!"

He sharply inhaled from surprise and glanced over at his wife whose fists were balled and shaking.

"I don't care what she has to say. As far as I'm concerned, they're the reason he's like this at all! If Mike hadn't taken this job…" She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the rest of her thoughts, but Andrew interrupted.

"Then the murderers of five children would still be free, the synthetics would be enslaved or worse, and it's likely someone else would be framed as the culprit concerning the kids."

Elizabeth slightly eased up upon thinking of the missing children. It was true, Mike had played a role in bringing evildoers to justice, even if it meant costing him almost two months of his life within a cold prison. Unlike the families of those five children, however, she still had a chance to be with her offspring, even if it was in a digital format for the time being.

"He's still a fine, young man, Elizabeth. I think you know this. That hasn't changed one bit."

Her hands were relaxed now, but the stress was starting to become overwhelming. She started to fight back choked sobs.

"There's a rest stop coming up ahead. Let's take a break, get something to eat, and we'll be in town soon. We'll get a good night's sleep, and see our son first thing in the morning."

They had been unable to leave earlier in the day, so they elected to arrive late that day and see their son in the morning instead. It was a long, stressful day for them, but it was definitely more difficult between the two of them for Elizabeth to accept what happened to their son.

She was still fighting back sobs, but nodded her head in agreement with Andrew. As he pulled into the rest stop parking lot, Andrew rubbed her back with his free arm, and fully embraced her once they had parked, letting her cry into his shoulder.

It was a long day with still had a little longer to go. Hopefully, before they rest their heads on pillows tonight, they would be able to relax slightly, but that seemed a difficult task.

At the home of Frederick Fitzbar, Freddy stood on the front porch, observing the sunset. Everything was starting to settle down. There was cause for celebration with their newfound freedom from Sid Hawthorne, and reason for joy at the news that Mike Schmidt was alive and well, merely awaiting a suitable synthetic form, but once everything had fallen into place, an eerie emptiness filled the environment at the modest home.

Freddy imagined himself as his father, standing in his very footsteps in front of his home. How many days had the man stood in this very spot, watching the sunset? It was a lot to take in, but that wasn't half of what was going through his mind. The nemesis of the synthetics whom they feared was no more. Their dear friend, who almost died and had given so much to his family, was okay and going to be given a synthetic body. Finally, they were free to carve their own destiny. Yet, part of him felt empty, and he couldn't yet place his finger on it.

The door swung open behind him as Aaron stepped out to join his old friend. Turning to meet him, Freddy smiled and tried to pretend that everything was A-okay.

"The hour grows late, Aaron. Are you headed back to your loved ones?"

With a chuckle, Aaron said, "Only some of them, Freddy. The rest are still here."

Although it was natural to assume that Aaron held Freddy in such high regard, it never got old for him to hear such an assurance.

"You sure you're okay before I head out?" Aaron questioned.

Freddy cleared his throat and answered, "We have peace here and are free to rest and recover, Aaron. Best of all, young Mike will be okay." He smiled reassuringly at his friend.

With a sigh, Aaron answered, "All of that is true, and a little bit more, but…" He paused to think over his choice of words before continuing, "This is a dramatic life change. Just over two months ago, you were putting on your costume each morning to entertain children, and then you were suddenly taken prisoner at the Fun Palace for a month. Now, here you are, suddenly free as a bird. Don't tell me it's simple to adapt to everything that's happening."

Freddy hesitated. Indeed, it felt like yesterday that their routine was unbreakable. Following Mike's employment, things had never looked better, and almost as suddenly as things got better, everything had changed. He couldn't deny that this was a change that would take time to get adjusted to, even if it came with great news. He was just grateful he wouldn't have to adjust by himself.

"Don't worry, Freddy. I'll be here to help you guys along. Speaking of which, you can expect me here in the morning. Mike's parents informed me that they'll be here as well, and I wish to be here to greet them."

"A fine thing that they should be here to see firsthand their brave son is okay."

Aaron nodded. "You're correct. However, I'm going to ask for a particular arrangement for their arrival. The situation is still a shock to them, so I hope I can trust you to help me on this."

"However you think it's best to proceed, I'll do my best to aid you, Aaron."

Through his tired expression, Aaron smiled brightly, glad to have his friend still at his side after all of their trials and tribulations.

"Firstly, I'm sure you remember that Mike's mother wasn't the most receptive to you and the others. She's still getting used to you and the rest of the originals, plus we now have the newer synthetics, and the fact that Mike will soon be able to count himself among you. I think it's best for his parents, especially Elizabeth, to be eased into the situation as steadily as we can make it happen."

"Naturally. How do you propose we accomplish this?"

"My exact idea is this: You, Chica, and I will greet them here when they arrive, and everyone else is to be hidden for the time being, to be introduced later. Goldie can also be around, to help with explanations and answer questions as necessary, and to show Mike's digital form."

Freddy nodded in agreement. "We are also beginning to mold a synthetic body to be like him. Seeing how you know his parents best, do you think they'd be keen on seeing what will become the body of their son?"

Aaron shook his head. "Likely not, at least for now, but we can play everything by ear. That's the gist of it, though. I'm glad we still have each other for support during these trying times, Frederick Fazbear."

He extended his hand, and Freddy welled up slightly upon grasping it, grateful for their continued friendship.

"I must take my leave, Freddy. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Please give my regards to your family, especially little Annie."

With a parting nod, Aaron set out for his car. Watching him drive off, Freddy continued his previous train of thought. He didn't have a proper chance to explore the home of his father earlier. Perhaps now was a good time to start seeing how the man lived.

Some of the synthetics were still recovering on the mental side of things after their final battle. After the elation of discovering Mike was alive and well as well as discovering the six new AI's in Charlie's core, everyone had started to wind down, but only some of them could truly relax.

In particular, Bonnie had difficulty adjusting. It wasn't just that their lives were going to be so different than they were a few short months ago. The events that started since Golden was woken up had riled her up a little more than the rest of the Fazgang. Especially after they had freed the newer synthetics from Hawthorne and were temporarily forced to work for him, keeping her anger down to manageable levels was difficult.

Now, without something to be angry at as she had become accustomed to, she felt somewhat empty as she trudged through the woods that surrounded their hideout home.

Granted, their existence was now out in the open, so they didn't need to hide anymore, but she hadn't figured out what to actually call their home yet. Calling it Fred Fitzbar's old home felt unceremonious to her, even though her father did once live in it.

That wasn't at the front of her mind, however. She had a lot of rage still building up that she was suppressing, and now that Sid was gone, she had nowhere to vent it, so she took a walk to clear her mind.

It wasn't working well.

Bonnie spotted a rock near her which she picked up and examined. Then, with a frustrated yell, she hurled it as far as she could. She watched until it disappeared beyond the veil of tree branches before her heightened hearing heard it rustle the leaves it landed on.

"Bee in yer Bonnet, Bon?" Came a voice from behind her. Whipping her head around to look, she saw it was coming from Foxy.

"How about I put one in your fedora for the next time you wear it out in public?" She snapped.

Holding his hands up defensively, Foxy responded, "Lass, I thought ye'd be happy. We're free, Mike's okay, Sid's gone – "

"Yeah, I know he's gone! Just don't say his name anymore, got it?" With a frustrated growl, she spotted the tree closest to her and delivered a powerful kick with her heel, knocking off some of its bark.

"Bon, what's gotten into ye?"

Furiously searching her own thoughts for an answer, Bonnie realized she couldn't place her finger on it, so she simply settled for a low grumble while shaking her head.

Foxy was at a loss. Neither he nor Bonnie could figure out what was driving her up the wall, so instead of searching for the cause, he offered a temporary solution.

"Seeing how yer taking out your frustration on everything, how about ye spare the environment and brawl with me instead?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow as she met her friend's gaze, clearly puzzled. "Why would I do that? You're not the one I'm mad at."

"Aye, but ye are mad. Could do some good to get it out of yer system," he said as he stepped towards her with his arms spread wide, leaving himself more vulnerable. "Hit me! Fight me! Give me a – "

He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Bonnie swiftly kicked him in the ribs the same way she had just kicked that tree, sending her pirate friend flying backwards. She vaulted for him, aiming to land a punch right on his head, but he rolled away and scrambled to his feet.

Grabbing her by the front of her collar, Foxy lifted Bonnie before slamming her right back into the ground before stepping back to allow her a moment to right herself. He decided to go hard on her during this fight, but wouldn't fight dirty or kick her while she's down.

Groaning from the impact, Bonnie staggered upwards and composed herself before Foxy came swinging. She dodged a left and right hook and an overhead swing which instead hit one of the trees that Foxy had beckoned her to leave alone. He swung his left fist which she deflected to his right, but he came back around with his right and went low, delivering a sharp punch directly to her right thigh, causing her to yelp and buckle slightly to that side.

With her teeth gritted, Bonnie wound up all of the strength she had and came up with a furious right hook which Foxy intercepted, grabbing it before delivering another sharp blow to her chest, staggering her a fair distance backwards.

"Yer better than that, Bon! I saw you fight in town against the nightmares. Stop trying to hit me, and HIT ME!"

Whether it was the latest statement from Foxy or the energy of being in a fight, something clicked in Bonnie's head. She slowly looked up at Foxy who was beckoning her to hit him with her best shot, and began stalking towards him. Pausing his taunts, Foxy immediately took a great leap directly forwards, aiming for Bonnie's head, but she slid right underneath him, stood up, and delivered a spinning kick to his backside, knocking him on his face.

As started to push himself up from the ground, he growled, "That's the spirit, Bon. Feelin' better yet?"

"Yeah, I am. Let's do this some more!"

She had already closed the distance and delivered a downward kick to the same spot where she had already kicked his back, forcing a pained grunt from him before he rolled over and caught the next kick, aimed at his face. They both grunted and strained as Bonnie sought to drive her boot into Foxy's face and he fought against it, steadily losing. Finally, when it had almost reached his skin, he turned the leg instead, throwing her off balance and causing her to crash to the ground.

Foxy promptly leapt onto her, pinning her arms and dangerous legs, leaving her to furiously squirm for a while before she settled down, still breathing hard.

"I… I think that's enough, peg leg."

"Yar, getting tired of being beat, long ears?"

"Oh, you'll get what's coming," she said with a devilish grin. "I let you have this one."

"If ye say so, lass," Foxy quipped before standing up and offering a hand to Bonnie. She reached up, grasping it…

Before immediately pulling him back down as she punched him one more time in the face on the way down, sending him crashing to the earth. Guffawing despite her fatigue, she announced, "Okay, now I'm done!"

Foxy groaned as he was rolling around a little before staggering to his feet. "Aye, I shoulda seen that one comin'. Well fought, Bon!"

For the first time since she left the house, Bonnie grinned. "I know, but thanks anyway."

They lay there for a time, catching their breath, before Foxy offered, "Bon, if ye'd like to vent with words now, I'm all ears."

Shaking her head, Bonnie responded, "Thanks, but I guess I'm just still angry after everything that happened. Angry and with nothing to punch except your stupid face."

"Oi, it's not that stupid!"

"The point is, peg leg, I just needed a release, I guess. Hey, you think Aaron could get us a punching bag? You know, besides the one lying next to me?"

"Aye, a punching bag sounds grand for ye, but I don't know if they make any that are graded for beings as mighty as us."

Bonnie chuckled. "I guess you're right. Maybe we should just do this from time to time until I feel better?"

Turning his head to his friend, Foxy approved of the idea. "Aye, and next time, I won't go easy on ye!"

Back inside, everyone else was trying to decompress in their own ways which were at least a tad less destructive than Foxy and Bonnie's ordeal. Ted found interest in perusing legal documents that would assist in transferring all of the deceased Sid Hawthorne's assets to Aaron, Hermana was getting cooking lessons from Chica which began with not putting metal in a microwave (as per Bonnie's suggestion), and Billy was running around to check on everyone including Clyde who was making best friends with an armchair in the living room area.

In the basement laboratory, Vevina wasn't resting but instead was already under the tutelage of Lydia, who was going over molding one of the synthetic bodies that previously inhabited one of the nightmares to be a good fit for Mike. Golden was also present, controlling a spare bot while aiding Mike in adjusting to his temporary stay as a purely digital entity and helping to teach Vevina about being an engineer while assisting Lydia with their first challenge: creating a synthetic body fit for Mike.

"Well, we're not exactly working with the cream of the crop, seeing the damage these bodies have sustained, but it shouldn't be too tough to handle," Lydia stated.

"They've seen better days, yes, but I'm sure an engineer of your talents can handle, Ms. Holland," agreed Golden.

"Did you just womansplain me?"

"I suppose I did," said Goldie, turning her bot's head to face Lidiya. "My apologies. I'll try to check myself. You deserve that much for helping us in the end, despite your previous role."

Tensions had not fully evaporated between them, but the lack of outright animosity previously displayed was a welcome sight.

"Right. Thank you. Vevina, help me by popping off the limbs from this one. We'll make sure they're fully usable and then start shaping them to fit Mike's body. Speaking of, Golden, do you suppose you could help with measuring the limbs, so they'll be the proper size for him?"

"Naturally, seeing as he's still with me as a digital entity. Speaking of, say 'hi', Mike!"

"Um… Hi?" His voice came through the speaker of Golden's bot with a degree of uncertainty.

"Relax, Mike, it's just Lidiya and Vev working on your new body. You're not addressing the nation."

The first synthetic they examined was battered in the chest and one of the arms, but the rest was usable. The second had the same bad arm, but by the third, they had enough parts to put together a synthetic body and start fitting it to Mike's specifications.

"Alright, Golden. Got a tape measure?" asked Lydia.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Don't need one. However, the first thing you should do is draw a patchy five o'clock shadow on his face that suggests he shaves with a cheap razor."

"Hey!" came Mike's voice from Golden's bot.

"Next, I think these limbs could be shortened a bit. We wouldn't want him getting in over his head about his stature if we made him any taller."

As Lydia opened a sharpie to mark how much to shorten them by, she and Vev stared at Golden, as if awaiting a response.

"I muted his protest this time. Sorry, you don't get to hear him complaining." Lydia and Vevina both chuckled.

Golden knelt down, directing Lydia as she marked on the limbs where everything should be in terms of length and bulk. The torso was a little trickier, as was the head, but it was all accomplished in due time.

"Don't forget an extra-large nose because he always enjoyed sticking it into people's business."

Vevina spoke up. "Isn't that how you're here at all, because of that nose?"

"That is correct, but it doesn't change the fact that it needs to be extra-large."

Still in a virtual rendition of his apartment, Mike watched with both awe and uncertainty through the virtual TV as his future body was being designed. While he groaned at Golden's teasing, he was also appreciative of her friendship, and the second chance for life.

"What do you think, Mike?"

"Um… It's a body, I guess."

"Eloquently spoken as always. If there are any small modifications you'd like, such as removing a mole or two, feel free to speak up."

Mike chuckled. "Nice of you to offer."

"Just my prerogative, Mike. Also, putting aside any more noticeable changes you might desire, we can also make any smaller changes that you might like. Including unseen 'enhancements' if you desire."

At this, Mike's gaze shot over to Golden who had an amused smile on her face. "I jest, Mike. Remember, I basically lived in your apartment. I know you don't need a boost."

"Goldie!"

"Can you blame me, though? My subscribers needed new footage. How else was I supposed to earn an income to pay my fair share of rent?"

"Ugh… Can I just sink into the floor now?"

Golden placed one of her muscular arms around her best friend. "If I allowed it, yes, but not yet. We just need to finish this and make sure everything is to your liking, and then maybe we can have some fun in your temporary home."

Mike was still struggling to fully believe everything that had transpired. Specifically, while he consciously knew of his current state and the fact that it was only virtual, his subconscious mind was still adjusting, hence why everything still felt real to him. He just felt grateful that Sid was gone and that his friend was here with him. Everyone else being okay after the final battle was also a relief, especially Chica.

Thinking of her made his heart quicken, but why? Did he even need a heart in here? He had wracked his digital brain with many of these questions, but nothing had fully relieved his anxiety as he struggled to fully come to terms with his situation.

"Mike?" Called Golden.

Jolting out of his train of thought, Mike looked up at his friend.

"It's going to be okay, Mike. I estimate between a month or two until you're reunited with everyone."

Mike groaned. That was a long time for a man who just died to wait for new life.

"If it makes you feel any better, here's something to think about: Sid Hawthorne, desperate for immortality, achieved it for less than 48 hours, and now a man he tried to murder gets to live that dream instead."

Even hearing that name made his skin crawl, but he did admire the irony of the situation. However, he was never one to desire immortality. He just wanted to be happy, comfortable, and with his friends.

Sensing his unrest, Golden asked Lidiya and Vevina if they would be okay without her for a while. They gave their thumbs-up of approval, and Golden shut off the TV they were using to monitor the situation.

"Mike, let's go for a walk."

Taking a few seconds to react, Mike stood up, and the two of them made for the door. When they made it outside, Mike was somewhat surprised at being greeted by a breeze in this virtual landscape. He looked around, noticing trees fluttering in said breeze, and the sun indicated it was about noon, but there were no people.

"I thought it might be nice if we took a walk alone. Plus, it would allow me to focus solely on you." With that, she held up her arm for Mike to take, as if she was taking him on a date. He hesitated at this.

"I don't think Chica will mind too much if you indulge me once, Mr. Schmidt."

Mike couldn't help but smile as he did just that, looping his arm through Golden's, before they started walking.

"At last, there's a faint smile on that face."

"Glad to make you feel better, Goldie. Where are we going, anyway? Where can we go here?"

"Anywhere we want, Mike. I could turn the neighborhood into anything. Ever wanted to be in Star Wars? How about I give you your own set of Iron Man armor? Maybe both?"

Mike tilted his head in thought. "Tony Stark with a lightsaber? As if he didn't have enough toys to play with."

"You can never have too much fun with advanced technology used properly, Mike."

They continued, discussing fun crossovers like that, and eventually what technologies they would most like to see implemented in the real world. They both had grand ideas, of course, but were in disagreement in terms of priority. Golden, being used to having the entire Internet at her fingertips, desired easier access to anything you could find there.

"I'm not saying I want people to spend all day browsing the web, but there's no shortage of what you can learn. Even I can learn new things because they appear every day. Everyone should have that chance."

Mike agreed with the sentiment, but his mind was understandably leaning to another advancement: improvements in medical technology.

"Maybe I could still be alive if we had something more advanced that could have saved – "

At that, Golden let go of Mike's arm and turned him squarely towards her with a serious look on her face.

"Michael Schmidt, you are alive, and I forbid you from believing otherwise. You are precisely as alive as you make me out to be, and I know what you think of me." She said this with a stern tone, but immediately softened as she continued. "This is a new era for you, and while it's difficult to adjust, you are still the exact… Same… Person you were before."

She added pauses between those words for extra emphasis. Mike's expression was one of surprise at Golden suddenly being so stern, but he understood where she was coming from.

"I apologize for my tone, Mike, but I need you to believe this before your parents arrive tomorrow and see your digital form for the first time. Do you understand me?"

He nodded without a word.

"I need a verbal response for this one."

"Y-yes ma'am," he stammered.

Normally, she would provide a witty quip, but not this time. She intended to comfort her friend, and she did so with a warm embrace. Even though this world wasn't physical, Mike still felt calmer after a hug. They remained that way for a few moments before they let go and Golden held up her arm again. This time, Mike took it with a little more enthusiasm.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination: Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. However, it was still in disrepair and the windows were still boarded up, leaving Mike a little puzzled.

"Goldie, why did you bring me here?"

"Because I wanted you to see something, Mike."

With that, she tapped her cane on the ground twice and the building was obscured by a brilliant flash that quickly faded, revealing a remodeled location, but without the famed picture and name above the entrance.

"Is this going to be what it looks like in the future?" questioned Mike.

"It could be. I've discussed the idea with Aaron as per Billy's suggestion. It could be our future home while we have our shows and business at the Fun Palace, which obviously needs a much more thorough overhaul. Would you like to go in?"

She gestured for the front door, which swung open at her mental command. With a beat of hesitation, he approached. The insides looked as they normally did when he worked there, but less businesslike. There were no receptionists or customers, but there was one familiar sound: the chattering of his friends.

Mike looked back at Golden in surprise, who explained, "They're not really here, but this is something you can look forward to once your synthetic body is complete. Just to give you an idea of what to expect when you're awake. In time, they could join us later in this digital realm from the physical plane, but for now, these particular creations won't respond to you. They're just for you to observe our future."

She stood behind him, watching as he carefully approached the dining area as if there were intruders instead of his friends, but when he made it inside, he relaxed a fair bit. He wished he could interact with his friends like this, but the sight was enough to give him a sense of calm, and he allowed himself a smile, looking forward to what else the future had in store for them.