Chapter Text
The scanning of the little boy, who could be no more than 10, pulled up no records of who he may be. Maybe his guest list of that day had been wiped already, but Freddy did not think so. Even when a guest leaves, he still remembers them. It was very odd that this boy in particular did not come up on his guest list. “Scanning complete. How odd. Your Guest Profile is unknown to me. Who are you?”
If Freddy was unable to recognize him based on him not having a guest badge, then he will ask for the child's name in a different way. The Child looked down at his feet, gripping the front of his shirt in a nervous gesture before saying. “I-I’m Gregory.” It was a nice name for the boy, suited him just nicely.
“Gregory. I will notify the main office. Huh? Connection error. I can not connect to the main network.” Freddy said dumbfounded, was it because he was on safe mode? Even with safe mode on he was always able to connect to the main office. No, this time was different, something was blocking him from contacting the main office.
“It's Her.” Freddy looked back down at Gregory as he continued. “She cut you off. She’s not going to let you call for help until she finds me.” Freddy was astounded to say the very least. Who was this ‘she’, and why did Gregory seem so afraid?
He was looking around like a mouse about to be cornered by a cat.
“Who? Who is after you? Your mother?” Maybe Freddy was being paranoid, maybe this kid was playing hide and seek with his mother, but they took it way too far. “Shh! I hear footsteps.” was Gregory’s only response to Freddy's question. Looking out the window, Freddy could see that it was only Vanessa, the security guard.
She was normally nice, but sometimes her temper could get the better of her. Over the years she's been working at the Plex, Freddy couldn’t help but feel something was off about her. Something had changed the day Monty got his claw upgrades, she was obsessed with making sure they all went and got an upgrade. Chica; her voice. Roxy; Her eyes. Freddy and the daycare animatronic; Sun and Moon, whom everyone called Sundrop and Moondrop based off of their candy, didn’t like the idea of having upgrades.
Unfortunately, one day a kid accidentally spilled their juice onto the daycare attendant making them have to go and get a repair. They haven't been the same ever since, it was either Sun or Moon that began acting weird during the day shift, and even weirder during the Night shift. Freddy was the only one to not have gone down to Parts and Service when Vanessa was working.
Vanessa couldn't be the one who was messing with them right? She wouldn't do that to them would she? So he voiced this. "That is the night guard, Vanessa, she can help you." Freddy was put into silence when Gregory said.
"No, she's the one after me!" Astonished at this, Freddy decided not to pry into Gregory any more. Instead asking Gregory to get him out of his room so he can help Gregory get out of the Plex, before it closes at 12.
Freddy gave Gregory a Fazwatch, then watched as he stumbled into his adjacent room before the door closed. Leaving Freddy only to his thoughts of how he was going to get Gregory out? They can always take the underground tunnels to get him to the entrance quickly.
Yes, what a perfect plan. It'll be a faster way to get to the entrance and get the 10 year old out and back home safely. Though for some reason, Freddy was not ready to let Gregory go. Children came and went and never has he felt like this; the longing to keep a child. Was it because Gregory was a different case entirely? He'll have to figure that out when he gets the kid out.
It only took a few more minutes before the animatronic bear could hear the small sounds of someone walking by, trying to be as quiet as they could be. The door opened up to reveal a disheveled looking Gregory. "Way to go Superstar. I know you could do it."
The way he said it, he saw the effects those simple words had on the 10 year old. Gregory's tight alert form immediately came down from whatever high he was on. He opened up his stomach hatch, allowing the boy to climb inside once again for a faster and safe-ish travels.
Then they were off.
What Freddy didn't realize was, this would be the longest 6 hours he's ever had to go through. He just had to take that detour, feeling something was amiss with Gregory. Not just that,, but talking to Vanessa only allowed the minutes to go faster.
By the time he had reached the entrance of the Pizza Plex, it had shut on them. 12 a.m now read on his hub.
He now had to keep Gregory for six hours.
Why did that make him giddy? He should be horrified that a kid was trapped in the Pizza Plex with him and every other animatronic, but he's not.
He really wasn't.
To keep himself in check, he told Gregory to find another way to escape, while he had to recharge. He felt so sorry for Gregory when he had to be alone, without him, as long as they stuck with the plan nothing bad would happen.
Today was not Freddy's day, as Gregory contacted him again after putting the Mr. Hippo magnet on the card changer, he stated that the card that was given back to him was none other than a daycare pass.
Freddy panicked, he didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think ill of the Daycare attendant, that he has found himself growing close too, after the disappearance of his late lovers, but he wished it was Sun's turn to be crazy instead of Moon; as the generators go off every hour.
Sun was not known to go out of the daycare, even when it was their night to be insane, not only that, but other parts of the Plaza would be darkened to save power.
Freddy found himself waiting outside the titanium doors, waiting for Gregory to come out with the security badge. His non-existent stomach did flips when he saw the lights on, meaning it was Moon's time to be insane. Horror came rolling in when he saw the lights going out and the chilling, panic on Sun's voice going 'Lights on! LIGHTS ON!!' Threw the door.
Freddy stayed rooted to the floor, hands gripping together as he prayed that Gregory will be able to get out of there alive. To be able to escape the moon counterpart un-hurt. He didn’t dare think about what he would do if Gregory got hurt under his watch.
Then it hit Freddy.
A realization as to why he had felt so giddy when the doors closed on the 10 year old, trapping him inside until 6.
Gregory.
This child.
Has broken into his animatronic heart, making him feel only something a human parent would ever get to experience, joy, panic, protectiveness over their charge.
Is this what it was like being a parent? Always worrying if your child was safe or not. Freddy couldn't help it, but he smiled. He liked that, being called a parent, he thinks it fits him as he has heard from many children before he was ‘Dad shaped’.
If he could, he would be Gregory's parent for the six hours he was trapped in here. Keeping him safe.
Only if Gregory wanted it of course. He wouldn't push him if he doesn’t see him as a dad.
The moment the lights turned back on, Gregory was thrown out of the daycare, Sun yelled that he was banned, before yelling. “Security Alert, Security Alert Woo woo woo woo”. Freddy opened up his stomach hatch immediately, allowing Gregory to get inside and become safe from the outside world.
From his friends that were running towards the noise that Sun had made.
Chica is not that far behind, She skidded to a stop, looking around before her eyes landed on Freddy. Her once cold looking eyes brightened as if she was pulled out of something. He went to go and turn around, to start to walk away when his oldest friend spoke up. "Freddy. Have you seen a kiddo? He was like, just here not a second ago?"
"I'm sorry Old Friend. I have not." Freddy said, not looking behind him, afraid she'll pick up on his lying. Being his old band mate, Chica could detect when Freddy was lying based on a part of his body. She hasn't told him what it was yet so he tried to not look at her when he was lying.
"Poor thing must be like, very scared. We need to get him to Vanessa as soon as possible." She said, her normal chipper voice full of worry, but deep down Freddy felt that wasn’t what she truly wanted to say to him, which was uncharacteristic of the chicken. "We will find him Chica." Freddy turned around, finally looking at her as he put a hand on the bird's shoulder.
A determined look, flash threw Chica's eyes as she nodded. "I'll go look upstairs. Maybe the kids in the kitchen? They would like it in there, the oven is still on for late night orders, I bet they’ll be there to eat soon. They must be so hungry."
Chica said, before hugging Freddy tightly, Freddy hugging her back, then as a last goodbye before she let go; place a small kiss on his forehead.
Freddy doing the same.
Just like that Chica was speed walking away back up the steps, humming their theme. When she was almost out of sight, Freddy caught the moment something was taking over her. Making her slouch just a bit and call out in a singsong voice. "Who wants candy~."
Freddy put a protective hand over where Gregory was hiding.
No, not his friends. They can't be? They can't be having the same thing that was happening to Sun and Moon.
They can't.
He can’t fool himself from what he had just seen with his own eyes. Chica had run at Gregory as if he was nothing but praying, then the moment she was away from him. He will get her back, he will get all of his friends back.
Foxy and Bonnie would have done the same.