Chapter Text
"Ohhh, I can't wait to see the look on his face!" Chica squealed, bouncing on her heels as a small group of them stood in yet another elevator.
"He's really missed you guys..." Roxy murmured. "Gonna be a real surprise to see ya again."
Skylar huffed with a smile, arms crossed as she rested against the wall. "I can't wait to see 'im again... how's he been with all this?"
Monty frowned a little. "His music's been a lil' off since y'all... soon as the buildin's closed he ain't do a lot 'cept mope 'round."
The white wolf hummed, her smile fading gently. "Mm, yeah... sounds like him when he gets upset."
"Can ya blame 'im?" Roxy mumbled, glancing at her.
A black paw gently took her gray one, yellow eyes meeting indigo. "Not at all..." Skylar murmured.
The gray wolf squeezed her paw with a soft huff through her nose.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing everyone else on the other side already waiting for them.
"He's awake." Gregory murmured, nodding towards the dance floor entrance.
Bonnie smiled softly. "Ready to surprise the big guy?"
"Aye." Foxy grinned quietly, Skylar nodding gently.
Roxy released Skylar's paw. "You guys lead the way."
DJ Music Man tilted his head at the voices coming from just beyond the dance floor door.
He could hear all his friends... and yet... there was something different. Something... from a distant memory.
Footsteps approached.
He turned his head to look...
And he felt his systems freeze.
"DEEEEJAAAAY!!" Bonnie. I- it was Bonnie! Walking straight towards him, arms raised over his head, a big grin on the bunny's face. B- Bonnie...
DJ's eyes shifted to who came in next.
A red fox and a white wolf.
His leg joints trembled.
"Laddie, good t' see ya!" Foxy cheered, raising his hook to wave.
Skylar simply smiled, tail wagging. "We missed you!" She chirped.
The room fell silent other than their footsteps coming closer.
DJ was barely aware of everyone else filing in the door, eyes locked on the three in front of him.
They all stopped, quieting as they studied him with care.
Skylar stepped forward, expression gentle. "DJ...? You alr-"
He cut her off by lunging at them, momentarily forgetting about his size in his desperation.
He ignored the way some of them jumped and scrambled out of the way to not be accidentally crushed in his haste.
Piano notes rapidly played from his mouth, almost in a simulation of crying, as he wrapped Foxy, Bonnie, and Skylar in both his front hands.
And he just... held them. Head bowed, eyes closing, hands trembling, music notes still playing.
"Awww..." Chica whimpered, eyes shimmering as a feather came up to cover her beak. "Buddy..."
"Oh..." Bonnie murmured, frowning in understanding and reaching up to pet his friend's massive face. "Sorry we've been gone so long..."
Skylar hugged the spider's thumb that was closest to her, tightly, voice barely above a whisper. "We're right here, Sweetheart..."
"Breathe, Lad... breathe." Foxy added softly, gently stroking DJ's chin.
DJ lowered himself even more, careful not to harm anyone, but far enough to hover his face right over the trio in his hands, almost shielding them from the outside world entirely.
"Never seen him like this..." Gregory murmured, frowning.
"Poor guy's never been the same after they were gone..." Monty crossed his arms, though his voice and eyes were soft.
"And now..." Roxy mumbled, blinking back the tears that pricked her eyes. "It's overwhelming that they're home."
Freddy took a deep breath before placing his paws on Gregory's shoulders from where he stood behind his son. "We should give them a minute."
Chica stepped forward to gently touch Foxy's arm. "We'll be outside." She murmured softly.
Foxy, head resting against DJ's cheek, lifted his arm and caught her feather in his paw, squeezing in silent thanks.
Chica squeezed back before they let go, turning and gently ushering the others out of the room with her.
A low groan escaped DJ's throat, a sound mixed with relief and sorrow.
Skylar held his thumb tighter, nuzzling closer. "It's okay, Stardust..." She soothed in a whisper, tears trickling through her fur as she shut her eyes.
The spider shuddered, notes strained. "Y- you were g- g- gone."
"Shh... Aye know..." Foxy hushed softly, never stopping the strokes of his hook and paw. "Aye know."
"We're home now, pal..." Bonnie whispered, leaning fully against their friend's face. "Never leavin' again..."
"P- promise?" He whined lowly.
All three of them answered at the same time. "Promise."
And for a while, they all simply stayed like that, wrapped in the warmth of each other.
Eventually, DJ pulled back enough to look down at them, a silent question in his eyes.
"We never meant for this to happen..." Bonnie sighed and met his gaze, ears drooping. "Never... meant to hurt you."
"Things happened... the STAFF bots went unexpectedly haywire, n' they..." Foxy took in a sharp breath, ears flattening, paw curling to a fist in anger that was simmering inside him. "They took us out. Fer reasons unknown..."
Skylar whimpered softly from where she was still in DJ's folded hand, refusing to let go or even look out at them yet.
Bonnie rested a paw on Foxy's shoulderpad. "Next thing we knew, we were in the sewers... trapped with no way out."
DJ made a low humming noise, raising one hand just enough to touch them both with a finger. "I'm sorry."
They both patted his finger. "Yeah... us, too." Bonnie murmured.
The spider turned to Skylar, gently shifting his fingers to stroke her back.
A soft huff of laughter left her, and she lifted her head just enough to look up at him with wet eyes. "I'm okay..." She promised in a whisper, giving his thumb a squeeze. "Thank you."
A slow nod.
Then, with what was a fraction of his strength, he cupped his two front hands around the three of them and gently pushed them close together. His head lowered over them, resting very lightly on top of their heads, careful not to crush.
They all huddled together, Bonnie wrapping his arms around Foxy and Skylar, pulling them in tight.
A few quiet minutes passed before Foxy broke the silence in a soft voice. "Arr, 'nough o' these sunken emotions..." He lifted his head without pulling away from the embrace, looking at his friends with a small smirk. "Who be ready t' celebrate?"
Bonnie snorted, squeezing them both. "Let's make it the party of the year." He challenged, grinning mischievously.
Skylar giggled, wiping her tears. "Only if DJ hosts!"
DJMM lifted his head away from them, a subtle grin spreading across his wide piano mouth. He gave a melodic trill. "Grab the family, and let's paartaayyyy!"
It didn't take very long before music was filling the dance floor, lights flashing across the room in splashes of uncountable colors that made everything feel even more alive than it was.
Roxy laughed as Foxy dipped her to the music. "You sure haven't lost your moves, Pirate!"
Foxy grinned, bringing her back up and guiding her into a spin. "Yer pretty sharp on yer feet as well, Lass!"
Nearby, Bonnie danced with Chica, making her giggle with some of his spontaneous moves.
"Bonnie, what're you doing?!" She squawked with laughter when he swung her around at arms length.
"Hey, someone's gotta keep things interesting!" Bonnie laughed, ears flopping with their movements.
Monty grinned from where he was at the sidelines. "Y'know, fer bots that've been outta commission for years, y'all are really somethin' out there!"
Foxy, who was waltzing Roxy around the room now, flicked his tail at the gator as they passed. "Can beat ye in dance any day o' the week, ya scallywag!"
Monty barked out a laugh. "That a challenge, Ol' Man?!" He turned to Skylar, who was leaning against a table, and offered a claw to her. "Whaddya say, Dizzy Dog? Show 'em who rules the dance floor?"
Skylar smirked, pushing off the table and reaching out to take his claw. "Thought you'd never ask, Crazy Croc."
He chuckled and led her out onto the dance floor, gliding with surprising grace as they danced in sync with ease.
Gregory grinned, watching his family from his seat at a table at the edge of the floor. "I didn't know Uncle Monty could dance!"
Freddy, sitting beside him, chuckled. "He is more elegant than he likes to admit."
The boy looked up at him, a mischievous glint in his eye. "My uncle? The one who trips over his own tail when walking? Elegant?"
Freddy laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Be nice, he is clumsy simply because he is silly. Now..." He stood up and rolled his shoulders. "I believe we have a dance party to attend, Superstar."
Gregory raised his arms in a request to be lifted, causing the bear to chuckle and scoop him up.
Freddy spun them out onto the dance floor, moving with ease across it as he playfully swung and swayed his boy, reveling in his giggles.
The others glanced at them, all grinning a little more at the sight.
And as DJ played on, they all danced in the lights, their joy making the room glow a little bit brighter as music continued to flow through the room.