New Beginnings

' Chapter 9 '

Chica truly did not remember a thing that night. Everything was blurry, but she remembered feeling fine a few days later.

When she woke up, she remembered what happened to Freddy during the show. She immediately rushed towards his greenroom to check on him. When she made it down rockstar row she knocked and entered when Freddy invited her in. He was sitting on his sofa looking...more gloomy than usual. Chica quietly sat by him.

"Freddy...are you ok-? What happened after you malfunctioned on stage?" She asked. Freddy hesitated.

"...If I told you, you would not believe a word I say." He responded, avoiding her gaze.

"Try me, Freddy. I know you wouldn't lie to me. Really, what happened that night?" She asked. Freddy finally sighed and leaned back on the cushions, keeping his gaze ahead. He seemed unrecognizable. He had always been isolated and downcast since Bonnie, but now he looked...empty. Like he had given up completely.

"You guys...you were practically zombies...a kid had snuck in and I had to protect him from the three of you a few days ago..." He said. Chica furrowed her brows.

She doesn't remember that, but...she does remember being under control a few times in her robotic life. Never for good reason. She was not even sure she wanted to know what happened that night. It had to be pretty bad if Roxy and her were in repairs for a few days...and Monty was still being fixed. They did not even know if they could fix him. Chica pushed that thought aside for now. Right now she was trying to help Freddy.

"So...why are you so...upset-?" She asked. Freddy slouched over again.

"The child...he had to leave again." He said.

Chica blinked, visibly confused. But Freddy continued.

"I...when he was here it was like-like I had someone to watch over again! Someone to care for...and stick by my side..." His ears dropped.

Chica felt intense guilt wash over her. After what happened she had promised herself to be a better friend to Freddy, yet she still was not there for him enough after the incident.

"....he reminded me of Foxy, you know. The kid," Freddy continued, a small and fond smile forming. "You would have liked him, Chica. He was just like him. Stubborn...loyal, blunt..." Freddy chuckled slightly at the last word. Chica giggled as well. She missed her friend so dearly, remembering more fond and happy memories of him for a change felt nice.

"I do hope he returns to visit someday..." Freddy says. Chica nodded. "I'd love to meet him." She offered a smile to him. The bear returned it, facing down again. He suddenly tensed up, his mood visibly changing.

"Is Monty back from repairs yet?" Freddy asked. Chica shook her head.

"I'm worried about him, Fred. They may not be able to fix him!" She fretted. Freddy scowled. He stood up and headed to his vanity, confusing Chica.

"I thought the two of you got along now-?" Chica asked. Freddy's ears dropped.

"Oh, we did," he said bitterly, reaching for something hiding in his vanity.

"Until I found this in his room." Freddy waved the paper. It was the old splash bucket plan.

The one that decommissioned Bonnie.

Chica froze. Freddy continued.

"You did not...know about this, did you?" He asked coldly. Chica opened her beak to speak but quickly shut it. She didn't want to lie to her friend. She settled with lowering her gaze in guilt. Freddy scoffed at that.

"You and Monty...set up a-a deathtrap for me! And Bonnie walked into It!" He growled. Chica shook her head frantically.

"It wasn't that at all! There was no harm intended, it was...Monty just wanted to play a prank, he didn't mean for it to go so wrong!" Chica reasoned, hoping to calm Freddy down. Unfortunately, he grew angrier.

"SO BONNIE WAS DECOMISSIONED OVER SOME SICK PRANK?!" He roared. Chica cowarded.

"Monty is sorry about it! None of this was supposed to happen!" She reasoned. Freddy threw the paper down.

"Freddy, I know it hurts but you have to start...start moving on!" She reasoned. Freddy kept his gaze low.

"Monty is your friend! And surely you don't want him decommissioned too! You of all of us knows how that's like!" She said. Freddy shut his mouth, visibly softening.

"He's loud, he's immature, he can be rude...but he's got a good heart. And you do care about him...you don't want him decommissioned, don't even lie-" she finished.

Freddy finally collapsed in his vanity chair, fidgeting with his claws. Chica took this opportunity to approach him, as she should have done a long time ago. But she was not about to abandon her friend again. Not this time.

She jogged forward to his chair and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He would have wanted you to forgive...you told us this before. That's why I forgave Roxy. And now you have to forgive Monty." She reassured. Freddy sighed, nodding slowly.

"...I suppose you are...right, Chica, I just...I do not really...care anymore." He said. Chica was taken aback.

He continued. "You are right. I should put this behind me...none of it matters anymore..." He said.

That is not exactly what she meant, but she did not have the heart to correct him. She was never the affectionate type anyway.

Chica sighed and pat him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Hang in there, Fred..." She said. He only nodded in response, keeping his gaze low. Whoever this kid was, she could only hope they came back. It seems Freddy cared about them.

Feeling Freddy wanted to be alone, she quietly left the room. She had to find Roxanne, she needed support right now.

~~

Hi guys! Sorry I am so slow with updates it has been super stressful with finals and getting braces, but things have calmed down now and I have not forgotten about this account!

I will try to have more frequemt updates from now on, thank you for being patient and reading thus far!

I am grateful for all of you. :)