Chapter Text
Following the fateful night in the Pizzaplex when Gregory freed the animatronics from William Afton’s control, the boy fell into what he thought would be a quick power-nap. The evening’s harrowing events had sapped most of his supernatural energy, and he needed a solid rest before he could begin to process what might lie in store for his future.
The realization that he was a ghost with unidentified powers certainly added to the boy’s exhaustion, too.
His sleep was deep, but not completely blank. At some point, he heard… voices. Whispers in his hear, unintelligible but insistent. They sounded like children, almost greeting him in a way. Some were shushing, trying to keep the other's voices down, while others were attempting to speak over the crowd. Gregory knew this was important somehow, but he had a feeling that when he woke, he still wouldn’t be able to make sense of the words.
Gregory’s “power-nap” lasted three days. To Freddy’s great relief, he was able to watch over the boy as he slept with no fear of guests seeing him. Since the other band members were so damaged, Fazbear Entertainment put a temporary hold on live performances and Meet & Greets, so Freddy only needed to leave his room for minor refurbishing a few times a day. The techs replaced Monty's claws with Freddy's usual blue-nailed-paws, but they were so preoccupied with the obviously dire states of the other animatronics that they left Freddy's new voice box and eyes alone.
Freddy was okay with this, as it still allowed him to keep Roxy's vision and access areas that only Chica could previously. Plus, he wasn't too keen on staying in Parts & Services longer than necessary due to what happened last time...
Freddy was resting in his chair in front of the mirror when Gregory finally awoke. He immediately went over to kneel down next to the boy, a smile on his face.
“Good morning, Gregory! Or, I should say, ‘good evening?’ Did you have a productive rest?”
Gregory’s eyes fluttered open as he slowly lifted his head and sat up on the couch, letting out a content yawn. Rubbing at his eyes, a small smile formed his lips at the sight of the familiar face.
“Hi, Freddy! Oh, yeah... I feel great!” Gregory replied, his eyes lit up and bright. He soon let go of the pillow before crawling forward and hugging onto Freddy tightly. “You look squeaky clean! How long was I asleep for?” He guessed it was only for a few hours, though to him it only felt like a few seconds.
“You were out for almost three entire days!” Freddy answered, hugging him back. “I checked on you often, but you seemed content, so I left you be. I and the others have been going through repairs; thankfully, I did not need much treatment except replacing my hands.” He released Gregory to hold up a paw, now back to the way it was supposed to be. “I was given a thorough wash as well, but my new eyes and voice box were left alone. I do not think the technicians noticed them, honestly; they have been mostly focused on repairing the others.”
Gregory was shocked to hear Freddy's answer about how long he’d been out, but figured this was how long spirits usually took to completely recharge. He really wouldn’t know, though, as he had no basis for his new state of being… At least he hoped his energy would drain a lot slower now that he wasn’t constantly running for his life.
“So... they're okay now, right? The other animatronics?” the boy asked, twiddling his thumbs nervously. He was worried he’d caused irreversible damage, but as long as the others were back to normal, that was all that mattered to him. “And... you're okay, too?”
“I am perfectly fine,” Freddy reassured him. “The technicians still have me in Safe Mode since they are unsure of what caused the virus that infected everyone, but otherwise I am back to my old self. I have tried to explain the situation but—” Freddy shrugged. “—I am just an animatronic. No one would believe my story. As for the others, Roxanne and Chica have been fully repaired, and Monty is currently undergoing the last few stages of restoration.” His eyes softened, genuine relief obvious on his face. “Everyone is back to themselves again. They do not seem to remember much of the other night, although bits and pieces still come through.”
“That's great!” Gregory exclaimed, relieved to hear that the virus had been stopped with his and Freddy’s help. Still, there were a few questions lingering in his mind. “…So, what happened to Vanessa? Er, Vanny?” He couldn’t help but glance at the door to Freddy’s room, worried that she would somehow appear and try to attack them again.
Freddy grimaced, shaking his head. “That... I do not know. No one has heard from Vanessa since the other night. However, the cyber-attacks have stopped, so we can assume that she is no longer trying to hack into anything, at the very least.” He sighed. “I do hope she made it out; she was likely being controlled like the others, so perhaps she was not a bad person deep down…”
Gregory hummed, gently nodding his head in agreement. He believed Freddy was right about Vanessa also not being in control of her actions, just like the animatronics—Vanny seemed to be a different side of her born entirely from the virus’ influence. Though he could never forgive her for what she’d done, if Vanessa’s true self didn’t understand her actions, the last thing Gregory wanted was for her to be trapped down there forever with that blob... or with William.
“They have already replaced the position of nighttime security guard,” Freddy commented, wanting to bring Gregory back from whatever memories he was reliving. The bear paused, tilting his head in thought. “I met the new guard once before his first shift; he seems alright, if a bit... skittish.”
“Hmm... Will I have to hide from him?” Gregory asked curiously, moving to flop backwards onto the couch. Staring up at the ceiling, he sighed softly. “Hide from a lot of the people here?”
Freddy sat next to him on the couch heavily. This is another thing he'd been thinking about while Gregory was asleep: the logistics of keeping a ghost child around in a place that's known for having thousands of people in and out every day.
“I think that we need to be cautious during the day so as not to arouse suspicion,” Freddy explained. “As long I am not conducting Meet & Greets, or they need to open the curtains for display purposes, you should be able to remain here. As for when this room needs to be utilized... I am still coming up with a solution.”
He paused, thinking about the new guard. Freddy really hadn't met the man for long, but he seemed more terrified of being there than anything judging by his wide-eyed stare and slightly trembling hands. It led Freddy to wonder why he'd taken the position in the first place… but it wasn't his job to speculate. “You should be cautious of the new guard until I get to know him better. There are less S.T.A.F.F. bots patrolling the building now, and those that are still around are back to normal; all they will do if they spot you is alert the guard directly, but they will no longer send other animatronics running for you.”
“It sounds like everything’s back to normal, then,” Gregory murmured softly, sitting up and letting his legs dangle off the couch. “I'll be as careful as I can, I promise! But I'll be really bored without you all day—I wish I could come with you, or do something fun…” He kicked his legs lightly, a soft huff leaving his lips.
“I am sure you will be able to wander to your heart's content soon enough; we simply need to sort out a few logistics first.” Freddy gave him a smile. “We do not even know the extent of your powers yet! Who knows what kind of things you may be able to do that you could not before!”
Freddy tried his best to make light of the situation, since he'd already gotten a few days to dwell on Gregory's many demises at the hands of Vanny, the other animatronics and, apparently, his own. However, he wasn't sure how much Gregory had actually been able to process his current state of being, so he wanted to remain as positive as he could. Thankfully, his reassurance worked, and Gregory’s usual brightness returned.
“You're right!” the boy agreed with a smile. “I just wish I knew how to do the stuff I do—it just… happens!” He shrugged his shoulders, then gave an involuntary shiver. “Even if I can’t go with you… don’t leave me at the daycare, okay? That Moon guy scares me still…”
“Yes, well, I do not know if you are even allowed back—Sun still says that you are banned.” Freddy met Gregory's gaze, then laughed. “He surely is an odd one...”
Gregory laughed awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Well, he kept following me… and I didn’t mean to turn the lights off!”
Freddy chuckled, then met Gregory’s gaze. “Speaking of animatronics—” He raised his eyebrows questioningly. “—would you like to visit Chica or Roxy? They are in full working order by now. Or, we could simply take a walk, if you do not think you are ready yet—it is after hours, so there are no guests to worry about running into. Perhaps you can see things as they were intended to be seen before the system-wide glitch. It is completely up to you.”
“Oh, yeah! I wanna see one of them!” Gregory agreed with a grin, although this slipped into a small frown as he recalled their previous encounters. “As long as they won't bite me or anything...”
“I can assure you, they will not,” Freddy confirmed. He stood, holding out a hand for Gregory to take. “I believe Chica is in her room and Roxy said she was going to her raceway tonight; who would you like to visit first?”
“Hmm, I guess… Chica,” Gregory said, taking Freddy’s hand without hesitation. Understandably, he still felt a bit worried.
“Alright, then we shall pay her a visit first,” Freddy replied, giving Gregory’s hand a reassuring squeeze as he led the way through Rockstar Row. “She has been asking about you this whole time, you know; she is very excited to meet you properly!”
The walk was short, and they soon found themselves outside the door to the Chica’s room. Freddy looked down at Gregory, hoping he wasn’t too stressed about encountering the other animatronics again. “Just so you are aware, I gave everyone a brief summary of the other night's events, but I left some details out. They do not seem to recall anything more specific than 'an accident' that led to their previous state, so I did not want to mention anything they did not need to know.”
Gregory gently nodded his head as he lifted his gaze up to meet Freddy's. He was honestly kind of glad that they had no recollection of what truly happened that night... he didn’t want to think about it, and he doubted anyone else would either.
“Should I not bring up anything about what happened to them? Like... what I did?” Gregory asked curiously, rocking back and forth on his heels. He couldn't help but feel the need to apologize for trying to decommission them, despite them not knowing all the details.
“...That is up to you,” Freddy said after thinking it over. “I have seen them get flashes of memories, recalling bits and pieces of how they acted while under the virus's control, but they have not shown any signs of actually reverting to the way they were. Explaining what you had to do might cause them to recall something, but I doubt it will be enough to make them truly angry. And, if something does happen, I will be right here to whisk you away from danger.”
Freddy squeezed Gregory's hand again, putting all the reassurance he could into the gesture. He wanted Gregory to make his own choices, but there was always some risk when one dredges up unwanted memories. Still, he was almost certain that Chica, at the very least, would not overreact to the news. At least, he hoped she wouldn't.
Gregory gave Freddy's hand a light squeeze in response. “Okay... Maybe if they a—”
Before Gregory could finish his sentence, he watched Chica's door swing open, revealing the animatronic in neat and pristine condition. Her face was fully reconstructed, not a single spot out of place, and she was as shiny and new as Freddy.
“I knew I heard something out here! Hello, Freddy and Gregory!” she chirped happily, crouching to meet Gregory's eye-level. The boy smiled nervously, moving closer to Freddy's side.
“Hello Chica!” Freddy replied cheerfully, grinning from ear to ear. He was so happy to have his old friend back—Chica was the only one of his remaining bandmates that had been with him from the very beginning of the Pizzaplex, and he felt the closest to her.
“Well, aren't you a cutie?!” Chica said as she looked Gregory over, soon standing up straight and ushering the pair through the doorway. “Would you both like to come in?”
“Yes, thank you,” Freddy said, gently ushering Gregory inside and allowing the boy to cling to him as much as he needed to “We are very happy to see you! How are you feeling tonight?”
Chica waited until they entered before shutting the door and sitting down at her vanity, turning the swivel chair to face the two with hands clasped in her lap. “Oh, I'm feeling a whole lot better! I hope I didn't frighten you, Gregory.”
The boy was understandably hesitant, staring up at Freddy for a moment before turning to face Chica as he muttered quietly: “I-It's okay! I'm okay... I'm just—I'm sorry.” He hugged onto Freddy's arm, staring down at his shoes. “While that virus attacked you I got scared and I... I had to find a way to fix you! But… I hurt you.”
Chica, still unaware of all that had happened, tilted her head in confusion—the boy clearly felt guilty for something.
“It's okay, sweetheart! I'm not mad at all,” she reassured, her smile softening. “From what Freddy told me, I wasn't acting like myself. If anything, you saved us! And in the end, I'm not permanently damaged, so… I'd say you and Freddy make amazing superheroes!”
Freddy still felt a strange mixture of guilt and pride at Chica's words. Guilt because he'd also been a part of her getting damaged, but pride because it was his superstar who was able to push through and do what needed to be done. Chica's words reaffirmed what he'd been trying to get Gregory to understand—that even though he'd done something bad at the time, in the end it was for the greater good.
“Gregory is my superstar! He did a wonderful job helping us,” Freddy said, ruffling the boy’s hair with his free hand before meeting Chica's gaze. “I know I said this to you the other night and you likely do not remember what we are apologizing for, but... I am sorry, too.”
“It's okay, Freddy—I accept both of your apologies, even though I seriously don't need one! You two did what you had to, and now we're back to normal!” Chica waved away their concerns before resting her hands back in her lap.
“Yes, and I am grateful for that!” Freddy grinned at her, then noticed that Gregory was still clinging to his arm. He bent slightly, asking the boy quietly: “Are you alright? Feeling any better?”
Gregory glanced up at Freddy, gently nodding his head. “Yeah, but... Did you tell them that I'm uh—dead?” He said the last part in a quiet whisper, grimacing slightly.
“Ah, well...” He glanced at Chica, who obviously could hear every word but was pretending not to listen. “I have tried to explain the situation, but it is a bit difficult; I do not know if they fully comprehend how you can be... not alive, yet still fully present... partially because I do not fully understand it myself.” He shrugged apologetically. “They all seem willing to understand, though! Especially our friend right here.” He smiled at Chica, knowing that she would accept Gregory just as much as any other child, whether he was alive or not.
A small sigh left Gregory’s lips. He knew it would be difficult for them to understand without knowing the exact situation, which was only confirmed by Freddy admission that he was struggling with the concept, too. Gregory glanced at Chica, who simply waved and smiled excitedly.
At least he knew that her true personality was quite nice—a far cry from the twitching entity he’d met before.
Hesitantly, Gregory let go of Freddy's arm. He cleared his throat softly, speaking to Chica directly. “Thanks for, um... trying to understand anyway."
Chica beamed, noting that Gregory already seemed more comfortable around her than a few minutes prior. Although, his previous fear made her realize that maybe she’d scared him quite badly. It made her wonder what she could've possibly done to him...
“You certainly picked the friendliest member of the Fazbear band to visit first!” Freddy commented, glad that the boy was warming up to her as well. He noticed that Chica seemed to be thinking about something, so he waved a hand to get her attention. “Chica?”
The animatronic lifted her head as she heard her name, smiling softly and waving a dismissive hand. “Oh! Sorry, just lost in thought; I'll have to ask you about it later, Freddy!”
“…Are we going to see Roxy, now?” Gregory asked after a moment of silence, looking up at Freddy and rocking back and forth on his heels.
“We can, if you would like,” the bear replied, though he gave Chica a concerned look. While he was happy that Gregory was ready to meet Roxy as well, he also wanted to make sure that Chica was okay. He had a feeling she may have gotten an unpleasant memory and wanted to put her mind at ease. “Although, Gregory, would you mind stepping out for just a moment? I would like to speak with Chica alone, if that is alright—you can wait just outside the door.”
Gregory shifted his gaze between the animatronics before shrugging and making his way to the door.
“Mm, okay! I'll wait outside…,” he said, sparing one last look at Freddy before exiting the room and plopping himself against the wall, extending his legs out in front of him and trying not to think about anyone popping out to surprise him.
“What a sweet boy,” Chica mentioned, turning back to Freddy once the door closed.
“He is,” Freddy agreed with a smile. “I... I care for him greatly; so much so that I do not quite understand it, if I am being honest.” He chuckled softly, then focused his attention on Chica. “Are you alright? You seemed to be in a different place a moment ago. Did you... remember something?”
Chica's smile brightened upon hearing how much Freddy cared for the boy. Then, she let out a small sigh as she heard his question.
“Well, everything's still fuzzy but…,” Chica started, soon looking back at the door as if Gregory would suddenly reappear. “I’ve had a very small amount of children be timid or frightened, even cry when meeting me but... Gregory's different. I've never gotten a look like that from a child before.
“What… What did I do to him?” Chica’s voice softened to an almost pained tone, clearly distraught at the mere thought of harming a child. She stared down at the floor, unable to look Freddy in the eye. “I'm aware that I wasn't myself, but... what did I do to make him so scared of me?”
Freddy was silent for a long while, debating how much to say. Ultimately, he decided that Chica deserved the truth. He heaved a sigh, before telling her in a quiet voice: “You, as well as the others, relentlessly pursued him throughout the night. It was not of your own volition, of course, and Gregory knows that—you were all being controlled, and somehow I was the only one unaffected, which is why I was able to help him. The only way Gregory could avoid you was by hiding, but that did not always work; he was constantly on the run. And, from what I gather...” Freddy paused, still having trouble accepting the fact that Chica could do such a thing to an innocent child. “Well, it... it seems that you may have actually captured him—possibly more than once.”
Chica remained silent as Freddy explained, wincing at his last accusation. She still couldn't remember exact details, but flashes of memories came to the forefront of her mind as the bear spoke: wandering around the whole building, aimless except for the instruction to find and capture; calling out to a lost child—Gregory, she’d learned his name; falling down somewhere dark and being unable to speak... They were bits and pieces, but the story made enough sense with all the context Freddy had given her over the past few days.
“I... see. I should be the one apologizing, then,” Chica murmured, keeping her head lowered. “You know I would never intentionally harm anyone, right?! Especially Gregory, he seems like such a good boy...”
“Of course I know that, Chica!” Freddy stood, walking over to pull her into a hug. “You are my dear friend and I know that under normal circumstances, you would do anything you possibly could to keep all the children safe.” He pulled back a little but kept a loose grip on her shoulders, smiling down at her. “Gregory knows that now, too. He just may need a little time to fully warm up to you, alright?”
Chica was quick to stand and return the embrace, hugging onto Freddy tightly. Gently nodding her head as he pulled back, she offered a hopeful smile. “I understand... Then I'll try not to push myself on him too hard.” Her smile brightened as she met Freddy’s gaze. “Thanks, Freddy. You're such a good friend—to us and Gregory!”
Freddy beamed at her. “You are welcome; I know that you two will become close friends in no time as well.” He released her shoulders and stepped back, nodding towards the door. “I should go; I think he is still a bit nervous on his own. Please do not hesitate to find me if you need to talk again, alright?”
Chica nodded her head as she took a seat at her vanity again, waving as Freddy walked towards the door.
“Thank you for everything,” she murmured as he left the room, soon turning towards the mirror with a smile. All she could hope for was that she’d be able to make it up to Gregory soon.