In The Dead of Night (REWRITTEN)

by Odd_G0ul

Summary:

Danger is nothing new to Freddy and his group.

But when their greatest enemy acquires something that could put their livelihood in danger, they must reconnect and work together in order to beat this threat...

**this is a rewrite of my Mafia AU! (More info on my Tumblr @Odd_G0ul)

This is part of a series I'm starting, so more is to come!!

If updates seem slow, it's because I am posting chapters of this story and the prequel of it at the same time**

Notes:

Disclaimer (if you already read it on my Tumblr, feel free to skip this): This fanfiction is in no way meant to glamorize and/or disrespect the real mafia and it's victims, and it will remain as historically accurate as I can make it!!

Chapter 1

She hurriedly collected herself and struggled to her uneasy feet, trying to quickly recover from the blow. 

 

The bunny was just slammed through a window of the closed restaurant and onto the pavement. Thankfully, it was in the first story of an apartment building, and was relatively low to the ground.

 

She managed to catch her footing and grab the brief case, menuvering through the broken glass on the ground and darting to the right direction. It was late at night, so there were little to no pedestrians on the road, but it was also dark. Too dark, even with the minimal street lights.

 

She could hear one of the gang members call out, ordering her to stop, but she kept running. The sound of the three workers' heavy footsteps were getting closer.

 

She knew she could not outrun them for long. She had to think of an escape, fast.

 

She made it to a bridge on the road. Around fifteen feet below it was deep, black harbor water.

 

It seemed there were no other options. She hugged the case close to her and stepped onto the wall hesitantly.

 

The aggressors finally caught up and ran at her to try and take the case, but they were not fast enough. She held it closely under her arm and jumped off the bridge and into the cold, dark abyss of the harbor. 

 

"Where the hell'd she go?!" A frog going by 'Happy' ran to the edge and peered down the bridge in alarm.

 

A man stepped forward to stand beside her, following her gaze in confusion.

 

"I-I don't know... but now the case is gone. What are we gonna' do?! This is just like-" A hippo going by Harrison ranted.

 

"This is bad, Mr. Hippo! If the boss finds out we screwed up this badly, we're dead!" Happy panicked.

 

"H-hey! Let's not panic just yet! If she drowned down there, then so did the suitcase! Nothing will get out, anyway!" An elephant going by Orville spoke up from behind them.

 

"Besides, the boss isn't unreasonable. I'm sure he'll understand..." He assured.

 

Mr. Hippo nodded in agreement. Everyone was paused at the sound of police sirens approaching.

 

"We need to get out of here, fast!" He gestured for them to flee the scene.

 

...

 

"Our informants are right, she didn't just jump off a bridge if she didn't know how classified those documents were. She's up to something."

 

 

Freddy hummed. "Couldn't it have just been money? It was likely just a robbery."

 

 

Roxanne shook her head. "Freddy, she and her boss have been on our asses for years... I don't think she's in it for money, I think she's taking it to give to her boss. And that is very bad for us."

 

 

Freddy nodded. "So... we have to get it back from her, then. Before it gets to him." 

 

 

She nodded. "The problem is, we don't know where she's taking it. It'll take her a while to bring it back to him, and she has connections everywhere. She could have taken that case anywhere."

 

 

"So we'll need to find a close informant and figure out where she went." Chica added. 

 

 

 "I have a good idea of who," Chica set down a rolled map of the city, unrolling it to show Freddy. She pointed to one area in particular.

 

"She frequently travels to that one club on the other side of town, the Golden Shell. She speaks to the owner a lot, so he might know something about her whereabouts."

 

 

Freddy hummed. "Well... seems easy enough. We go there, catch the owner, and ask him." 

 

 

Roxanne shook her head with a sigh. "It isn't. None of us are familiar with that side of town, or the club itself. And that's on enemy territory, so any wrong move can put us in danger. We're outnumbered over there, hundreds to one." 

 

 

She glanced back at him. "... Bonnie lived there for years, and he used to perform around there. He must know the area well, so he could possibly help with this." 

 

 

Freddy shook his head immediately. "No, that... that won't work. Surely there is something else we can do?"

 

Chica scoffed. "Not much... you're just gonna' put us in more danger unless we have extra help."

 

 

He scowled. "You guys know the answer already... I've told all of you, we're not getting him involved in any of this." He warned.

 

 

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Come on, Freddy. Don't be like this-"

 

 

Monty hit his arm. "Listen, Fred! Quit the bullshit! We need this." They stated bluntly.

 

 

Freddy went silent, knowing Monty was correct, but not wanting to accept it. He leaned over his elbows on his desk as he thought about it.

 

 

He sighed and turned to Chica. "... You can let him know... but all he's doing is helping you guys get in. Once that's done, you leave him out of this." He ordered. 

 

"But Freddy, we don't know where he is. And Foxy has been unwilling to give us any information on him." She argued.

 

Monty scowled. "I'll talk to him. Let him know how important this is. Bonnie's like a little brother to him, he just wants to keep him safe."

 

Chica nodded and followed Monty and Roxanne out as they were dismissed. Freddy watched them go with a disappointed look.

 

He leaned back into his velvet seat with a long sigh, dreading what was to come. His gaze traveled to a framed picture on his desk.

 

He smiled sadly at it and lifted it up for a better look. It was an old portrait of Freddy and Bonnie with their son, Gregory. He promised himself he would keep them out of this life... but it seemed they always ended up involved somehow. 

 

Freddy made sure the home was spotless, thanks to the workers and maids. It was a large property, a nine bedroom mansion on a cliff looking over the sea. Nowadays, it felt like less of a home to Freddy, and more of a center of operations. It is where he and the others would prepare and discuss plans. 

 

Against his wishes, Freddy was a Godfather now. He ran an entire Mafia he was born into. It was originally run by his father, and he always hoped that one day, he could get out of it. But that wasn't possible. They made most of their money in the 20's, when alcohol was made illegal. They smuggled and dealed alcohol for a while, which gained them a lot of money. Now, they just benefited from public unrest.

 

They had connections with the mayor of the city, who had connections with other government officials. As long as they continued to make the city unsafe, they would make those corrupt goveners more money, and those governers would pay them well. They also made money from buying out casinos and taking their profits, drug trafficking, and by their many 'doners' who had debts to pay to them. It was a massive operation that Freddy was stuck in. That he also got his family roped into. 

 

Having so much power meant he had a lot of enemies. This city had high crime and gang activity. Their only major threat was a massive mob that ruled the other side of the town. The group that the woman belonged to.

 

Freddy paused as one of his closest friends, Chica, called out to him.

 

"Freddy, are you coming??"

 

He sighed and quickly touched himself up by the nearest mirror. He hoped his nervousness would not show as he hurried to the front door where the others were. 

Notes:

"Odd_G0ul, when are you gonna stop using the MediocreMelodies squad to fill random rolls you don't feel like writing OCs for?!"

Never.

Chapter 2

"... and Cassie wanted to go to the festival, so I was wondering if I could go too?" Gregory asked, rocking side to side on the bar stool and leaning his upper body on the counter.

 

Bonnie hummed from the other side of the bar counter as he finished cleaning a glass. The diner Bonnie owned was closed for today, leaving just him and the boy.

 

"You could... but you would have to be back by four p.m. And you have to stay away from that street." 

 

Gregory groaned. "What?? But that's where all the fun is happening! And that's so early!" 

 

Bonnie shook his head. "No buts. It's not safe to be out and about, you're lucky I even said yes." He stood his ground. 

 

 

Before the boy could argue again, he jumped in alarm at the sound of the front door opening, and the bell ringing. Bonnie turned in surprise as well.

 

Foxy trudged in with a tired groan, holding a large wooden box in his paws. He walked over and set the crate down on the counter.

 

"There ya' are. I got the fish ye' asked for." He sat down tiredly. 

 

Foxy worked by the docks as a fisherman, close to where the diner was. Because they were good friends, Foxy would bring him fresh fish from his work to serve at the diner, which made it very popular among locals. 

 

Bonnie smiled. "Thanks, Foxy... are you sure you don't want any money?"

 

Foxy waved him off. "Nah... ye' focus on carin' f'r yer' son... I 'ave enough."

 

Bonnie chuckled. "How about some coffee, do you want that?" 

 

The fox sighed dramatically. "Now yer' speakin' my langauge." 

 

Bonnie rolled his eyes good-heartedly and left to prepare the drink while Gregory looked Foxy up and down in disgust.

 

"You smell like fish..." He complained. Foxy chuckled.

 

 

"Ye', that's the smell of hard work!" He exclaimed, draping his amputated paw over Gregory's shoulder. The boy's nose scrunched up and he whined in disgust, trying to push him away again.

 

Bonnie chortled at the sight and set the warm black coffee down for Foxy, who gratefully accepted it. Gregory watched Bonnie turn his gaze to the stage in the corner, looking rather depressed.

 

"... are you okay, dad...?" He asked hesitantly.

 

Bonnie's gaze fell solemnly, but he nodded to the boy.

 

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine, I just... I have to blow my nose." He sniffled, taking a napkin from the counter and leaving.

 

Gregory wasn't stupid, it was obvious Bonnie was upset about something. He looked back at the stage where his dad was looking at, but didn't see anything amiss.

 

Foxy must have noticed it too and sighed deeply, taking a long sip from his mug.

 

"... do you know why he's so upset...?" Gregory turned to the fox. Foxy shrugged.

 

"Probably 'cause yer dad is comin' today, I reckon." 

 

Gregory shook his head. "He was looking at the stage over there, is there something wrong with it?" He asked.

 

Foxy glanced at the stage then back to Gregory with a thoughtful hum.

 

"Well... Bonnie used to be a performer... and he really loved it. He misses the stage." Foxy stated. 

 

Gregory rested his elbows on the table. "But the stage is right here! We get plenty of other performers on it, why can't he just do it too??"

 

Foxy shook his head. "It ain't that simple, lad. Yer' dad had to stop performing. I dunno' the exact reason, he never told me..." His voice drifted off.

 

"... but he had to leave the stage after he married yer' father." 

 

Gregory's ears fell solemnly. "M-My dad made him quit...?" 

 

Foxy shrugged again. "I dunno'... if I knew, I'd tell ye'. That's somethin' ye' need to ask 'im yerself." 

 

Gregory thought more about it, and felt some old resentment building up again. It seemed like Freddy just ruined everything all the time. Bonnie used to be so much happier, but Freddy made him so depressed.

 

Bonnie finally stepped in again and wiped his nose, putting on a fake smile. He did a poor job hiding his emotions, because his eyes were still red and teary.

 

"So... when are they coming?" Bonnie leaned over the counter on his elbows and turned to Foxy to change the subject.

 

Foxy took a long sip from the mug and sighed thoughtfully. "Any minute now, probably." 

 

Bonnie hummed. "... not looking forward to that. If they all want to meet here on such short notice, it can't be good." 

 

Foxy shook his head. "I don't doubt it..." 

 

He turned back to Bonnie and Gregory in concern. "Are the two of ye' gonna' be okay-?" 

 

Before Bonnie could reassure Foxy, they heard a knock on the glass door and turned to the noise. 

 

Monty waved from outside the glass door with the others behind him.

 

"It's open!" Bonnie called.  

 

The gator opened the door first and Roxanne and Chica followed in after. Freddy came in last.

 

The others stepped forward and shook paws with Bonnie and Gregory in greeting, having not seen them in a while. He was happy to meet all of them, until Freddy finally came forward and held his paw out to Bonnie.

 

"Good evening! I know this was very short notice, but I am glad to see you two!" Freddy held out his paw for greeting.

 

Bonnie glanced at his paw, then back at him with a deadpan expression. "...can't say the feeling's mutual."

 

Freddy lowered his paw again, looking dejected. They all sat on stools at the counter. Freddy sat beside the boy and turned to Gregory while the others spoke with Foxy. 

 

"So, Greg? How have you been doing in school? It's been a while!" 

 

The boy's ear twitched awkwardly. He had a hard time speaking to his dad like he used to. And after a few minutes ago, there was some bitterness. Though, he did not want to cause a scene. 

 

"Uhh... it's been okay. I'm kinda' struggling in my classes..." 

 

Bonnie nodded, going back to cleaning a glass and standing in front of Gregory behind the counter, avoiding eye contact with Freddy. "I've been tutoring him when I can, but I'm usually working." 

 

Freddy hummed, and an idea popped into his head. He was hesitant, knowing it could get him in a lot of trouble, but he did not have much to lose anymore. "... I can help?" 

 

The boy glanced up at him in disbelief, while Bonnie's eyes widened and his brows furrowed in silent rage, giving Freddy a warning expression. 

 

"Shut up!" He mouthed to Freddy silently. This time, the bear chose to ignore it.

 

"...really-?" Gregory asked in amazement.

 

Freddy nodded. "Of course! I used to be quite the scholar. I'll be here for some time, so I would be happy to help!" He insisted. Gregory turned to Bonnie for his thoughts. Although Bonnie was mature and respectful about it in front of him, he knew his parents were on very bad terms. He shifted awkwardly in seat as he watched Bonnie change his expression.

 

Bonnie glanced at Gregory and put on the most tight smile he could manage.

 

"...yep! Sounds perfect." 

 

Freddy cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. "So... why don't we go over the plan?" He turned back to Bonnie.

 

As soon as he spoke again, Bonnie inhaled sharply and dropped his arms that were holding the plate. He glared at Freddy in annoyance. "It's fine. Chica already told me what's going on. Can you just go talk over there?" He gestured for Freddy to leave to another seat and turned to Gregory.

 

"You're excused for now, Greg." 

 

The boy glanced between everyone in confusion. "But I wanted to talk too...?"

 

Bonnie shook his head. "This is grown up talk. I'll let you know when you can come down here again. You should go clean your room, anyway. It's a mess." 

 

Gregory groaned. "It's not that bad, you're so dramatic!" 

 

Bonnie ruffled his bangs playfully as he left his seat.

 

Gregory felt incredibly awkward around his parents anyway. He trudged towards the backdoor and towards the stairs that led to their apartment above the diner. 

 

The others went into more detail with Bonnie. They let him know he would only be helping temporarily, and that he was being paid for it. When Bonnie seemed to understand, they started planning exactly what they were going to do

 

But first, Bonnie offered them to get comfortable while he prepared food behind the counter, which they agreed to.  

 

Freddy shifted in his seat, growing uncomfortable from the heavy tension between them. He felt like they needed to speak alone. He gestured for Bonnie to come over to where he was sitting.

 

Bonnie rolled his eyes but walked up to Freddy to listen to him. 

 

"Can we... speak alone? It's important." He finally asked.

 

Bonnie looked very displeased, but nodded and gestured for Freddy to follow him into a backroom. He took them into a room with cleaning supplies and shelves in it. Once they were in, Bonnie shut the door behind them with his back turned to him. The room was small, but not cramped, so they could stand comfortably without touching. Freddy tried breaking the silence.

 

"So... how have things been for you-?"

 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Bonnie snapped, cutting him off. He turned back and glared at Freddy in seething anger. Freddy held up his paws in defense.

 

"I-I was just speaking to our son! Is that a problem?!" He argued. 

 

Bonnie scowled. "Oh! You've got some nerve!" He pointed an accusing finger at his chest.

 

"You just get to come and go out of his life whenever you please! It doesn't even matter to you!"

 

Freddy growled defensively, his fur standing on end. "That is not true! I wanted to make efforts, but you thought it was a 'good idea' to go hide yourselves somewhere far away! All because of a grudge! If you had told me where you lived, I could have at least sent you money, or anything! But don't you dare tell me I don't do enough for our son! You don't know anything!" 

 

Bonnie backed away, keeping a wild look of anger on his face. "You just got his hopes up! He thinks his dad is gonna' help him with his homework and spend time with him again, just for you to leave when this is all over! Again!" Bonnie raised his voice.

 

Freddy sighed, deciding not to argue that case again. "That won't happen! If you just stop being so selfish for one moment, I could still see him! You're the one keeping him from me!"

 

Bonnie laughed in amazement at the audacity of that comment. "Oh! Y-you're saying I'M the selfish one?! That's so FUCKING rich coming from you! All of us were struggling, and needed you, and yet ALL you could think about was your own pity party! But sure, I'M the selfish one for keeping Gregory away from you so he doesn't get hurt again, after YOU abandoned him!"

 

Freddy had to force himself not to roar in frustration. "Well what do you want me to do now?! Go to his room and tell him I changed my mind??" 

 

Bonnie's eyes shot open even wider and narrowed now. Freddy did not think it was even possible for him to be more enraged, yet here they were.

 

"It's too late, now! You already promised him, now you have to do it!"

 

Freddy sighed, trying in vain to cool himself down. He was already tired from their arguing. "I plan to... But while we're here, why can't we just try to get along again? At the very least, you can stop bashing me for everything?! We can stop fighting and just get this over with!" 

 

Bonnie crossed his arms, his ears pinning back against his skull.

 

"I don't, frankly, give a shit about your feelings, or making this easier for you. This was YOUR fault. I'm only doing this because my son's safety is on the line, and because I was promised money," he approached Freddy to emphasize his promise, who backed away to keep distance between them.

 

"As soon as this job is done, you're never talking to me again, you're never calling us again, and you'll stay out of our lives for good this time! Got it?!" Bonnie finally yelled. 

 

 Freddy forced himself to keep an angry expression, though he could physically feel his heart shattering. "Y-yes..." 

 

Bonnie backed away and scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't act like you're some sad victim, that shit isn't gonna' work on me now. I'm not going to put aside my comfort to cater to you anymore. You dug your grave, now you have to lay in it." He stated coldly. 

 

Freddy stopped speaking, because he knew Bonnie was right. He had to take accountability for what he did. He shouldn't have even yelled in the first place, because he knew everything Bonnie was saying was true.

 

He lowered his gaze and nodded respectfully. He only peeked up to see Bonnie's face for a moment.

 

He watched as the bunny uncrossed his arms, and his gaze softened in some empathy. It only made Freddy feel worse.

 

Bonnie was putting on a tough front, but he was just so kind and understanding. Even after everything he did, and after everything he said to him just now, Bonnie felt some sympathy towards him. 

 

He caught himself staring longer than he should have been, but he couldn't help but glance at the bunny fondly. He hadn't seen his former husband in years, and he looked just as beautiful as he did the day they seperated.

 

Bonnie cleared his throat to finally break the awkward silence. "... is there anything else you needed to say?" He asked expectantly. 

 

Freddy blinked in surprise as he was snapped out of his gaze. "Huh? N-no, I... I was waiting for you to speak." 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows in confusion. "... You were staring at me for like a minute."

 

He felt a twinge of embarrassment and quickly straightened himself. 

 

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just... it's been a long day, I'm tired." 

 

Bonnie nodded and gaze him an odd expression, but let go of the subject and reached to open the door. Just as he was turning the knob, Freddy spoke up again.

 

"W-wait-! Actually..." He stuttered out.

 

Bonnie gave him his attention again, so he nervously continued.

 

"... o-okay, sorry... you were right. I shouldn't have called you selfish... you've been raising Gregory alone and working these past few years..." He started.

 

"I... understand why you feel like it'd be safer to keep Gregory away. If I have to leave you two alone forever after this, I will be sure to send you money whenever you need. Just tell me, and I will."

 

Bonnie was taken aback for a moment before looking at the door again. "I-it's fine, I make enough for Gregory to live comfortably."

 

Freddy shook his head. "It's not just for Gregory and the restaurant, it's for you, too. You should have money to spoil yourself, not just our son."

 

"Besides... you married into wealth, I'm sure this was your plan all along." He teased. 

 

Bonnie glanced down and gave a small amused smile. When he seemed calmer, Freddy continued.

 

"All I ask is for you to just... consider letting me see Gregory again. Just... give me a chance to make it up to him. Please..." 

 

Bonnie's face immediately returned to it's angry expression. He was silent for a moment, before turning to Freddy seriously.

 

"... I dont have much faith in you, honestly. You've had years to change." He snapped.

 

Freddy glanced down in defeat as Bonnie spoke again.

 

"... but I'll think about it." He finally said. "Until then, just leave us alone and let me do my thing. I've been raising him fine on my own." 

 

Freddy nodded gratefully. "Thank you." 

 

Bonnie said nothing more as he finally opened the door and left to join the others.

 

Freddy could see as Bonnie left the room, that he did not seem as angry anymore. Rather, he looked very depressed as he leaned on the counter and stared into the empty resteraunt alone.

 

His instinct and his heart screamed for him to comfort Bonnie, but he knew it was not his place anymore. Instead, he left to join the others.

Chapter 3

"Is everyone clear on the plan?" Roxanne asked. 

 

The others nodded. They were still in the back of the limousine preparing to enter the night club and find the owner.

 

"Wait... Run that by me again...?" Monty interrupted. Roxanne growled in frustration and repeated herself. 

 

"Bonnie told us who the owner is already. Chica will act as a distraction, and we're going to handle security. She'll lure him to a secluded place... most likely to the bar, where we'll all confront him, and demand the information." 

 

"Freddy is going to keep lookout around here and Bonnie is going in to help us get around."  

 

Freddy was not supposed to be here at all. The Don rarely got involved in small missions like this, but he was only coming to look out for Bonnie.

 

Freddy nodded. "And he'll only be helping you guys find the man. Nothing else." He glared at Bonnie knowingly. 

 

The bunny, in question, crossed his arms and turned to him unphased. "Yeah? I heard her the first time, jackass." He snapped. 

 

"Because I know you, Bon. You never stick to the plan." Freddy accused.  

 

Before Bonnie could argue again, Roxanne scowled. 

 

 "Can you two save this for later?? We need to focus." She reminded. 

 

Bonnie rolled his eyes, but nodded as they opened the door to leave. He was the last one out.  

 

Before he followed the others, he turned back to Freddy. 

 

"Don't call me 'Bon' again. You don't get to do that anymore." He reprimanded.  

 

Freddy sighed in annoyance. "Fine. Be safe then, Boniface." He sneered sarcastically, using his full name. 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows in surprise at his supposed concern. 

 

"... Thanks-?" He expressed awkwardly, leaving to join the others. Freddy watched him leave and his gaze softened into one of worry. He hated the fact that he couldn't go in there with Bonnie.

 

Once they snuck in, the four of them left to a more hidden area at the corner of the club, away from the dance floor. 

 

The inside was rustic, like an old beach house, yet it was still grand and spacious. It was rather crowded tonight with all the guests. 

 

 Bonnie's eyes searched the dance floor, until they landed on a certain man at the bar. He knew him as the owner.

 

"There. That's him." He pointed to the man.

 

Roxanne nodded, turning to Chica. "You're ready, then?" 

 

The woman nodded, straightening her short dress out and standing up. She left to approach the man, who now had a drink and was leaning on the bar overlooking the floor. He was clearly very wealthy judging by his suit and jewlery. He was a kangaroo with a tall but sturdy and muscular frame, and a stoic demeanor. 

 

They watched as the bird approached and started speaking with him. She sat on the bar counter and was clearly trying to act as flirtatious and scandalous as possible in hopes of swooning him. 

 

"So why does she make a frequency to this club-?" Monty asked in confusion, referring to Vanny.

 

Bonnie hummed. "He works under her boss, just at a lower level. He's an informant." 

 

Bonnie caught sight of security and gestured for Roxanne and Monty to come closer.

 

"You need to be careful. The guards in this club are usually undercover, and can be difficult to spot."

 

"So what, should we draw more attention to ourselves?" Roxanne asked. Bonnie shook his head.

 

"They'll recognize you guys fast. They may already know you're here, and don't want to start a scene in front of the guests."

 

Roxanne hummed. "So what if we just go somewhere more secluded, and bait them into following us-?"

 

Monty nodded. "Good idea!" 

 

They all turned in surprise as they saw Chica hurriedly storming back to the table. 

 

"What're you doing?? You're supposed to be seducing him-" Bonnie asked.

 

Chica stopped to catch her breath. "It wasn't working! He wasn't into me at all!" 

 

Roxanne scowled. "What?! That always works!"

 

"H-he might be... y'know...?" Chica insinuated.

 

"... oh." Roxanne thought out loud. 

 

"So now what?! Someone needs to distract him!" Chica asked.

 

They were quiet for a minute, before an idea popped into Monty's head.

 

"Bonnie, you go seduce him."

 

Bonnie turned to Monty in disgust. "What?! No, why do I have to do it??" 

 

Monty winced uncomfortably as he tried to explain. "Because, Bonnie, you... you look..." They gestured over Bonnie's figure awkwardly.

 

Bonnie sighed in annoyance. "I look like what, Monty?" 

 

Roxanne exhaled in frustration. "Bonnie, just do it! We're running out of time!"

 

Bonnie sighed deeply in defeat and scooted out of the booth. He brushed himself off as he looked to the man at the bar, realizing he wasn't there anymore. 

 

Bonnie scowled and tried scanning the floor for him. He doubted this was going to work, anyway.

 

His doubt was quickly proven wrong as he felt someone grab his wrist, placing a kiss on the back of his paw. 

 

It was none other than the owner. 

 

The man smiled confidently back at him. "I haven't seen you around here before, doll face~" 

 

Bonnie stared for a moment, dumbstruck that it actually worked. He quickly snapped out of it and focused back on his task. 

 

"Oh, I... I was just here for a date, but I was stood up... now I have no one to dance with me..."  He pouted, putting on his best sad but provocative voice.

 

The man grinned and stood up straight, wrapping an arm around Bonnie's waist and pulling him to his side.

 

"Well, we can't have that... let's enjoy the night, doll~" He eagerly guided him back towards the bar as the others watched in equal surprise.

 

With Bonnie distracting the man, the others had a harder time finding their way around the place.

 

They found their way into a quiet hallway with fewer guests. Sure enough, they noticed two men in suits were following them closely. 

 

They pretended not to notice and walked past even more suspicious men watching them. 

 

They quickly made their way outside towards the gardens, which overlooked the harbor. There were only a few guests here, which made it the perfect spot. 

 

The guards followed them outside and blocked the door behind them. 

 

"Names and business." One of them ordered. 

 

Monty stepped up, holding his arms up in mock defense and covering Roxanne and Chica. 

 

"Relax, guys... we're just enjoyin' the party like everyone else." 

 

The men unholstered their guns as a threat. "You think we don't know who you are?!" The one in charge spoke again. 

 

Because Monty was covering the two women, the men did not notice Roxanne reaching into a handbag and pulling out a small, round object. 

 

Before it could escalate, she threw the device to the men. As soon as it hit the ground, it blew up into a large cloud of smoke, obscuring their vision. 

 

They stopped to cough and try to orient themselves, leaving an opening for them to attack.  

 

The others pulled out their own weapons. They had to stick with melee equipment because gun fire would cause too much of a scene, which would get in the way of getting to the owner. 

 

By this time, the remaining guests outside fled back inside to escape the situation. 

 

Freddy glanced out the window of the car and did a double-take as he saw the smoke bomb in the backyard. He knew it was Roxanne, which meant they were being attacked, but his mind went to the worst-case scenario.

 

"Bonnie-!"  

 

He left the car, running through the doors of the building and shoving past the guests on the crowded floor, his worry getting the better of him. 

 

He always worried for his friends, but he was usually not this scared for their safety since he trusted their abilities. 

 

But now, Bonnie was with them. And the thought of Bonnie getting hurt terrified him. Regardless of how Bonnie felt about him now, Freddy does not think he'll ever stop loving him. He still has his whole heart. 

 

Would he ever admit it to Bonnie? Yes, because he felt no shame in it. But the bunny made it clear what he thought of Freddy. 

 

And he was fine with that. Because he deserved it. Bonnie could hate him forever, and it would be justified for what he did.

 

He finally made it to the gardens and spotted the attack. It was his three friends against around five men. 

 

Freddy slid on his pair of brass knuckles and charged forward while they were distracted, completely knocking out one of the men. 

 

The guard beside him spotted that and quickly unholestered a gun to point at Freddy. He saw this and knocked him out with the knuckles, too. He took the gun from the unconscious man in case he needed it.

 

The others managed to take down the other three rather quickly. He looked between them and felt his heart drop when he realized who was missing. 

 

"Where's Bonnie...?" He asked them. 

 

Chica dusted off her short dress. "He had to take my place and distract the owner. They should still be at the bar, 'cause that's where we told him to wait." 

 

Freddy scowled in frustration. Of course, Bonnie did not follow their original plan. He never did. 

 

"We need to get back to him. Come on," he gestured for them to follow him as he quickly made his way back inside.

 

They tried to be subtle and not draw too much attention to themselves as they crossed the floor to the bar. When they finally made it, they paused at the sight. Or rather, what was not in sight.

 

Bonnie and the owner had disappeared from the bar. 

 

Bonnie may not be the most obedient, and he tended to go off on his own at times, but he knew the whole point was for him to stay at the bar. He was smart. He would not have jeopardized his safety like that. 

 

Something had to have happened to him.

 

Freddy stormed towards the confused bartender. "Have you seen the owner of this place??" He demanded. 

 

"And a blue bunny?" Chica asked by his side. 

 

The bartender thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, the boss was drinking with his new date... what about it...?" He stated casually, though there was a hint of fear in his voice. 

 

"And what?? What happened?!" Freddy demanded.

 

The bar tender glanced away. "I... nothing, I don't know anything..." 

 

Freddy caught him subtly reaching under the table, likely to grab a weapon. Seeing how dark it was, and how the bar was empty, Freddy suddenly climbed and threw himself off the bar counter with the gun he stole from security, clicking and pointing it directly under the bartender's chin. He cornered the man at gunpoint, making him finally give up and lift his paws up in mercy.

 

"You better start talking. Where is he?!" Freddy raised his voice. 

 

The bartender stuttered nervously. "Uh... t-the boss had a new date, and he asked me to make them drinks! He made me drug one of them, and they left with him! I-I think they went to his penthouse above!" 

 

Freddy's stomach knotted in fear as he heard that. Bonnie was in very real danger now.

Chapter 4

He tried to hide his fear and readied the gun again. "Where is his penthouse?!"

 

"S-second story! Just take the stairs right there, down the hall towards the left in Suit One!" He finally admitted. 

 

Freddy let go of him and turned to the others.

 

"Take out whatever security is left. I'll go get Bonnie." He ordered.

 

He left the bar and immediately after, heard open fire start between his friends and the guards. The guests at the club started screaming and fleeing the building in fear.

 

Freddy had to shove his way through the frightened guests as he bee-lined to the stairs. His heart was racing in fear.

 

A million scenarios were racing in his head of what could be happening to Bonnie. Or what had happened, if he was even still alive. The fact that the man brought him to his home was very serious. He wouldn't do that unless he intended on hurting Bonnie. Especially if he learned Bonnie was associated with Freddy.

 

He finally made it up the stairs and down the hall to the room in question. He tried opening the door, hoping they forgot to lock it. Much to his dread, it was locked.

 

That was even more frightening. 

 

He thought of banging on the door, but he realized that could put Bonnie in more danger. Instead, he took the gun he stole from security and used it to blow off the lock, storming into the room immediately without warning.

 

He found himself between the kitchen, living room, and dining room, which was all connected. He looked in the kitchen and dining room first, seeing no signs of them.

 

He made his way into the living room with a large view to the ocean, and froze in dread.

 

It looked absolutely trashed. There was a blanket on the ground and cushions thrown everywhere, and things were knocked over the coffee table like there was a fight. All the lights were off, except for the bedroom light at the end of the hall. 

 

Freddy ran to the room and tried opening the door, which was also locked. He scowled and banged on the door, finally hearing something.

 

"FREDDY-!" Bonnie cried from the other side. 

 

Freddy was quick to shoot the lock off and barrel in. "Bonnie!" He called out.

 

The bedroom was also a mess. He caught sight of Bonnie sitting against the foot of the bed, and he looked to be in pain. The owner was unresponsive on the ground a few feet away. 

 

Freddy knelt down to check Bonnie over. He had a few bruises from the supposed fight and was missing his bow tie, but was relatively unharmed. 

 

Freddy took a shaky breath of relief. "Can you not walk...? What happened?" He asked softly. 

 

Bonnie shook his head. "I-I was almost halfway done with the drink he g-got before I realized it was d-drugged... he took me b-back here when I started showing effects, but... I-I didnt finish it, the dose was t-too low... I fought him o-off before anything happened..." 

 

Freddy did his best to remain calm and to ignore the murderous rage he felt for the man. "Can you get up now.. ?" He asked instead.

 

Bonnie shook his head. "E-everytime I try to stand I-I feel dizzy and fall..." His voice trailed off, and his eyes began closing.

 

Freddy snapped in his face to keep him awake.

 

"I need you to stay up, Bonnie. Just until we make it back to the car." 

 

Bonnie's eyes teared up as he glanced down. "I... I was so sc-scared..." 

 

He looked up to face Freddy again, and his eyes widened in terror.

 

"Freddy, behind you-!" He cried. 

 

Freddy assumed the man must have been trying to sneak attack him. He turned around and immediately punched him in the gut.

 

The owner dropped what he was about to hit Freddy with and doubled over. While he was down, Freddy stood up and slipped his brass knuckles on, striking his head hard enough to draw blood, but not enough to knock him out.

 

When he finally fell, Freddy spotted a knife nearby and took it from the table, using it to pin his shirt to the wall and keep him in place. 

 

The man struggled in a fit of rage as Freddy knelt down to him, dropping the knife and drawing his gun to point at the man.

 

"You better stop struggling, or you'll get a face full of lead." Freddy warned him. He was usually not so harsh, but after learning what he could have done to Bonnie, he felt zero sympathy for him.

 

The man finally went still, keeping a cautious eye on Freddy. 

 

"Vanny's on the run again, and she has an important briefcase on her. We got reports that you're one of her informants. Where is she?" 

 

The man spat at Freddy. "You won't get me to say nothin'! You and your two-faced whore might as well leave before the police get here." He wiped the blood from his face. 

 

Freddy shot beside his ear, making him cry out in shock and grab it. That ear would surely be ringing for a while.

 

"You're not going to speak to him like that. Understand?!" He moved the gun to press directly against the man's forehead. 

 

"What was in that briefcase?!" He demanded.

 

The man finally scowled in defeat. "I don't know, okay?! She came to me sayin' there was somethin' important about it, and she asked for directions to the underground city!" 

 

"And where is that?" Freddy asked.

 

The man struggled against his bind. "I dunno'! I told her I don't know! I'm not a higher up, I don't get no classified information like this! But wherever she is, she's probably there!" 

 

Freddy nodded, accepting that answer. He stood up and aimed the gun directly at the man, intending to shoot him, but he turned to Bonnie first. Bonnie gave him a pleading look to stop. 

 

"I-I hear the police coming... it's not worth getting c-caught." 

 

At the mention of that, Freddy finally heard the sirens outside and scowled, turning back to the man.

 

"B-but he-!" 

 

"Freddy, please! I-I don't wanna' be caught! I just want to go home!" He teared up again.

 

Freddy finally sighed in defeat, turning back to the owner.

 

He flipped the gun and hit him in the head as hard as he could, only knocking him unconscious. He pocketed the gun and brass knuckles before going to Bonnie again and softening his gaze and tone.

 

"Do you need me to lift you...? I don't know if you can walk fast enough."

 

Bonnie hiccuped tearfully. "P-please get me out of here..." He slurred.

 

He was nearly falling asleep, so Freddy took that as confirmation to lift him. He was sure Bonnie wouldn't feel comfortable in a bridal hold, so he hoisted him onto his back.

 

He was about to leave through the exit again, but the police would surely find them. That left the window.

 

"Stay awake and hang on tight." Freddy warned Bonnie.

 

The bunny listened and wrapped himself tighter around Freddy as he opened the window, seeing the gardens under them.

 

He took a deep breath and used some of the plants growing on the walls to drag himself down slower. Thankfully, the second story was not very high up, and getting down wasn't so difficult.

 

When he was down, he ran and scaled the stone wall to make it back to the parking lot, seeing the limousine ahead.

 

He jumped down and ran over to the car, banging on the door.

 

When they saw it was Freddy through the window, they opened the door and helped him bring Bonnie inside. He only stopped to catch his breath when the door was closed, and the car started driving. He set Bonnie to sit on one of the seats while he tried to stay awake.

 

Chica walked over to check him over. She sat by him and hugged him from the side worriedly.

 

"Is he okay...? What happened??" 

 

Freddy sighed. "H-he's alright... they got in a fight. He just needs to sleep the drugs off." He assured. The others were relieved by that as well.

 

"A-and for the r-reccord I... I w-won. E-even while I was high." Bonnie slurred out. Thankfully, that lightened the mood and made everyone laugh again. 

 

"Did we get the information we needed?" Roxanne asked.

 

Freddy nodded. "Sort of... The owner didn't know much himself, but according to him, she has the breif case and is somewhere in the underground city. He didn't know where it was."

 

The others nodded slowly. Freddy turned to Montgomery.

 

"Monty. You know your way around the city well, and you have a lot of connections. Do you think you could find information on how to get there tomorrow?" 

 

The gator nodded. "You got it. It shouldn't be too hard."

 

Freddy nodded. "Good. Let's take Bonnie home first so we can get him to sleep, then we'll discuss this more." 

 

When everything was settled, Freddy looked to Bonnie again.

 

Chica was still sitting by him and talking to him in an attempt to keep him awake. What happened still angered Freddy to no ends. He wished he could have just finished that disgusting man off. Even though everything turned out fine, something horrible almost happened. Bonnie could have been killed, or robbed, or held for ransome, or worse. All because he was dragged on this stupid mission.

 

Bonnie hated being in the Mafia, and he hated the missions, and the crime. That was why he didn't want Freddy to finish the owner off.

 

They made it to the diner, and Freddy helped Bonnie get back into his apartment.

 

"Is Gregory awake now?" Freddy asked as Bonnie sluggishly fumbled through his keys.

 

"... h-he shouldn't be... if he is h-he'll be in trouble." He stated as he finally opened the door.

 

Freddy watched as he nearly fell going up the stairs, so he locked the door behind them and helped Bonnie walk up and enter what looked to be the living room. 

 

He took Bonnie to where he said his bedroom was and set him on the bed, trying to think of what to do. 

 

Bonnie was very out of it right now, so it wouldn't be safe to leave him alone with Gregory.

 

He sighed deeply, taking the keys again. "Wait here." 

 

Bonnie nodded and sat haunched over the bed.

 

Freddy went down and explained to the others that he should stay the night. They understood and left quickly. He made his way back up and found Bonnie falling asleep sitting up. Freddy snapped again to get his attention and turned on the lights, making Bonnie groan in annoyance.

 

"Sorry, I just need to check up on you." Freddy looked through his drawers to find pajamas for him. 

 

He picked a night shirt and pants set and turned to Bonnie again, trying to think of how to get him into it.

 

"Can you put these on? You don't want to sleep in those uncomfortable clothes." 

 

Bonnie sleepily tried unbuttoning his shirt, but could not figure out how to get it off in his current state. Freddy sighed deeply as he realized what he'd need to do.

 

"Alright, I'm going to help you. Stay still." He knelt down to remove his vest and shirt, wrapping the night blouse on him and buttoning it.

 

He helped Bonnie to stand and changed his pants as well. It was difficult because Bonnie couldn't help at all. It was like trying to dress an unconscious person. 

 

When Freddy was finally done, he folded and set the other clothes aside. He tucked Bonnie into his bed and checked his breathing one more time, making sure he was okay.

 

"I-I'm h-hungry..." Bonnie teared up. 

 

Freddy shook his head sympathetically. "You can't eat or drink anything right now. Not until the drugs wear off." 

 

He stood up again and turned off the lamp in the room. "Get some sleep. It's been a long night."

 

Bonnie leaned up on his elbows. "C-check... Gregory-" 

 

Freddy nodded. "I will. Get some sleep, please." He pleaded. 

 

Bonnie finally laid back again and closed his eyes. Freddy sighed in relief and left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

He checked and confirmed the boy was sleeping before looking around the house for somewhere to lay down. There were no other bedrooms, and only one bathroom.

 

Freddy took off his jacket and belt, needing to sleep on the couch in his dress shirt and dress pants.

 

He laid down and stared at the wall solemnly. 

 

He would rather be in his own bed, but he really did not want to leave Bonnie and Gregory alone right now. If something happened, they'd have no way to protect themselves. 

 

He also felt incredibly guilty. He took full accountability for this. For letting that happen. He kept on imagining what could have happened if he was too late, and it made him sick. He hated that his family had to get hurt for this.

Notes:

Woah Bonnie wasn't stabbed??

Nope, I'm keeping ya'll on your toes~

Chapter 5

He woke up, and his eyes were irritated. He barely got any sleep on the uncomfortable couch, and he kept having to check on Bonnie throughout the night. 

 

It had to be early morning now. The sky was still dark, but it was lightening up. 

 

He sighed and sat up, wincing at the cramping in his back. He rubbed his eyes and turned to his side, seeing Gregory staring at him in a mix of shock and fear. 

 

"O-oh! Good morning, Greg..." he yawned.

 

"What are you doing in our house??" He asked quickly.

 

Freddy sighed and stood up. "It's a... long story. But your dad is sick right now, do you want me to make you breakfast?" He offered.

 

Gregory awkwardly sat at the small dining table in the kitchen with only three seats. "I-I guess..." 

 

Freddy got started quickly. There were not many supplies in the house, but he managed to make toast and oatmeal for the boy, leaving it out for him. He heard the door at the end of the hallway open, followed by a painful groan.

 

Bonnie came stumbling in with his pajamas on and winced, holding his head painfully. "M-morning Greg-" he froze as he saw Freddy there.

 

"... why are you in the house-?" 

 

"That's what I was asking!" Gregory agreed with him.

 

Freddy tried thinking of a way to explain it in front of Gregory.

 

"I-it's a long story, everything was settled, though." He made a face to Bonnie to show that he didn't want to talk about it in front of Gregory. 

 

Thankfully, Bonnie understood and merely sighed tiredly. "I'll be able to leave in a second, I just need some pain medicine and I'll bring Gregory to school..." He left to the bathroom. 

 

"Oh! Uh, I can take Gregory, it's not a problem-" Freddy tried insisting.

 

"I'll take him." Bonnie snapped and closed the door.

 

Gregory glanced back at Freddy, then turned down to keep eating awkwardly. 

 

Bonnie came back into the living room a few minutes later and got dressed in warm clothes with a cross-body leather bag. Gregory strapped his backpack on and turned to Bonnie.

 

"So what's dad gonna' do while we're out?" He asked.

 

Bonnie realized the issue and sighed begrudgingly, turning to Freddy in frustration.

 

"... fine. You can come with us." 

 

Bonnie looked Freddy up and down, seeing that all he was wearing was a tuxedo.

 

"... do you need a scarf or anything-? It's really cold." He warned. 

 

Freddy thanked him but brushed if off. He ended up walking with them in the twenty minute walk to Gregory's school. It was a cold, foggy morning in the city, and there was quite a lot of traffic and pedestrians going to work.

 

Freddy tried to keep up with his family, but he found himself trailing behind. Bonnie was holding Gregory's paw and moving quickly to stay in front, avoiding walking beside Freddy at all costs. 

 

Freddy tried to ignore how much it hurt, and just kept walking silently. Bonnie was still clearly lethargic and in pain, but refused any help Freddy offered. 

 

They finally made it outside the school building. Before Gregory could go through the gates, Bonnie knelt down to be at eye level with him and gave him an encouraging smile.

 

"Have fun at school today, Gregory! Make lots of friends."

 

Gregory rolled his eyes good-heartedly. "Yeah, yeah... I'll try." 

 

Bonnie knew he was just fibbing, and chuckled knowingly. He reached forward to cup the boy's cheeks and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before standing again.

 

"Alright, I'll pick you up later, honey!" He called as the boy started jogging to class.

 

Gregory turned back and waved to Bonnie. "Bye dad! See ya'!'

 

The boy immediately left from sight, saying nothing to Freddy, almost like he was invisible. 

 

Bonnie's smile fell into a look of indifference as he held the front strap of his bag and turned to Freddy, gesturing for them to leave. 

 

"There's a trolly nearby. It should take us to your neighborhood." He started walking ahead. 

 

Now that he wasn't holding Gregory and pretending to feel fine, it was easier for Freddy to keep up with him.

 

"So... what happened last night...?" Bonnie finally asked.

 

Freddy sighed deeply, trying to keep his voice steady.

 

"How far back do you remember?" 

 

Bonnie thought for a moment. "I remember Chica and the others telling me I had to seduce the guy instead... everything else is a blur." 

 

Freddy glanced ahead solemnly. "... your drink was spiked. You didn't drink it all, but you got very high off of it. The owner took you back to his place for God knows what reason..." 

 

Bonnie's face shifted into a mix of shock and horror as a paw landed over his mouth. Freddy saw this, and tried to think of some way to cheer him up.

 

"But nothing happened! You actually managed to fight him off on your own, it was quite impressive." He offered him a polite smile.

 

Bonnie took a breath of relief. "Thank God... "

 

Freddy's smile fell, and he turned ahead again as he thought of his next words wisely.

 

"But that... that was a very close call with you. You've been out of the field for a while, maybe it's best if you... sit the next one out." 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows at Freddy. "But you just said I could handle myself fine." 

 

Freddy sighed. "Y-yes, I'm sure you can, I just... I don't think it's a good idea..."

 

Bonnie looked him up and down with a hum as they made it to the trolly. Thankfully, one was already parked. They walked in and paid the driver in coins before finding seats next to each other. 

 

"Well, I appreciate your... input. But, I don't really have to listen to you anymore." He crossed his arms and legs and leaned back in his seat by the window.

 

Freddy glanced down in defeat, not having a response to that. 

 

"Can you scoot over, please? You're really close." Bonnie scooted himself as close to the window as he could, leaving a lot of space between them.

 

Freddy sighed in slight annoyance and did his best to scoot closer to the aisle. They were silent the rest of the ride. Bonnie kept his gaze out the window, while Freddy kept looking ahead. 

 

The trolly was not too crowded, but he still felt the need to lower his hat in hopes of people not recognizing him. He stuck out like a sore thumb. Everyone was dressed to go to work, while he was in a full tuxedo. 

 

...

 

While Monty was out looking for more information, Freddy was discussing plans with Chica.

 

"Well, we don't know the underground city all that well, which puts us at a big disadvantage." Chica corrected him from where she was sitting across from his desk.

 

Freddy sighed and lifted his elbows on the desk surface, resting his head in his palms.

 

Chica noticed this and sat back with crossed arms. "Is something wrong...? You look like you haven't slept in days." She stayed bluntly.

 

Freddy leaned back in his velvet chair sluggishly, glancing up at the ceiling. 

 

"Well... I didn't get much sleep last night 'cause I had to look after Bonnie, but... I don't know. We're still fighting."

 

Chica gave him a sympathetic nod. "Well... you guys haven't really talked since... all of that went down-" She remained vague on purpose.

 

"I'm sure the more time he spends around you, the more he'll warm up."

 

Freddy laughed humorlessly. "It's not just that he's angry at me, Chica. He doesn't even want me to see Gregory. He wants me to have zero contact with my son, and he's not even open to being acquaintances or co-parenting. I don't think a little bit of bonding will change his mind." 

 

Chica was silent as she thought about that. She stood up with a sigh.

 

"I don't know... I feel like the two of you will make up. You guys were just so... perfect for eachother..."

 

Freddy fiddled with a pen from his desk as he thought about it.

 

"Well, even then, I don't think there's any coming back from what I did... and our issues run deeper than that. Being married to me basically... ruined his life..."

 

Chica opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Freddy.

 

"And even if he did, he... hated this life. But being married to me means it's just part of the deal. It forces him to be a part of my job... I couldn't make him live like that again..."

 

Being the Don or the Don's son was hard enough, being married to the Don and brought into the family was even worse. The spouse of the Don not only had to do the same job as everyone else, but there was much less freedom. They were rarely able to leave the home without some sort of escort for safety, they had to avoid the public eye at all costs. They needed to completely cut ties with their own family, and could not have friends that were not associated with the group.

 

They were not paid for their work at all, and were finanically reliant on the Don. They also had to raise the next Don, which was a massive responsibility. They were practically treated like prisoners. And they wouldn't have any idea of the terms and conditions until after they agreed to marriage. Even if they got divorced and managed to get out of the Mafia alive, they still had to forfeit any freedom they had left, and had to go into hiding to avoid being targeted by their enemies. 

 

Freddy did not want that life for Bonnie, and he did his best to accommodate him and give him more independence, but there was only so much he could do without jeopardizing Bonnie's saftey. Divorce was also too dangerous, because the court case would force their information out into the public, and put them in grave danger of being tracked and/or arrested. This is why Bonnie and Freddy were still legally married on paper. 

 

Chica frowned, but accepted that answer. Both of them turned to the door of the office at the sound of a knock.

 

"Come in." Freddy gestured.

 

Monty opened the door and stepped in , giving a nod in greeting.

 

"That was fast... you already know-?" Freddy asked in amazement.

 

Monty nodded with a grin. "Turns out Foxy knew. No surprise there." 

 

Monty moved forward and sat in front of the desk. "But the underground city is very big... there's no way of knowing exactly where she is." 

 

Freddy hummed thoughtfully. "... we may need to send a few spies down there to search... it's not ideal, but time is running out." 

 

"Are you gonna' send any of us down there-?" Chica asked.

 

Freddy shook his head. "Not until we know exactly where. Some of our people hardly do any work, I'll let them handle it... besides, it's a much easier and safer job."

 

There was another knock at the door, but they let themselves in. It was Bonnie.

 

"Are we doing anything within the next two days?" He asked Freddy.

 

Freddy furrowed his brows. "Why...? Is something wrong-?"

 

Bonnie sighed and crossed his arms. "Gregory and Cassie wanted to go to a festival they're having downtown. It's the day after tomorrow, and Roxanne and I are going to have to drop them off and pick them up."

 

Freddy looked over his plans and gave Bonnie a small smile. "Well... nothing is planned as of now, but if something comes up, I will give you and Roxy those days off. It's not a problem." 

 

"So Bonnie has tonight off too??" Chica asked eagerly.

 

"Yes...? Why?" Freddy furrowed his brows.

 

Chica clapped as a bright smile came to her face, and she turned to Bonnie excitedly. 

 

"We haven't been able to talk in forever! We should go out tonight!" She invited.

 

Bonnie chuckled nervously. "And do what...?"

 

"Go partying and drinking! Just like old times!" She exclaimed. 

 

Bonnie seemed like he wanted to say yes, but rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

 

"I-I don't know... I have to pick Gregory up soon, then make him dinner and help with his homework... then I need to put him to bed-" he rambled.

 

Freddy felt that familiar guilt creep up his back. It sounded like Bonnie never got much free time anymore.

 

Freddy cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling worried of rejection, but wanting to help in some way.

 

"You should go have fun, Bonnie. I can take care of Gregory for tonight." He insisted. 

 

Bonnie's smile fell as he turned to Freddy. "How is that even gonna' work? I won't be back until late, and he needs to be in bed by nine." He argued.

 

"Well... he can always stay with me for tonight. And if you come home late, it wouldn't be safe for you to go back to your apartment, anyway." Freddy mentioned.

 

"This estate has nine bedrooms. Gregory can sleep in his old room, and you and Chica can stay in the guest rooms." He assured.

 

Bonnie still seemed hesitant, so Monty playfully hit him on the arm to get his attention. 

 

"C'mon, Bonnie! When's the next time yer' gonna' have this much freetime?" They asked.

 

Bonnie finally sighed in defeat and turned back to Chica, a small smile growing on his face again.

 

"Alright, let's do it." He finally said. 

 

Chica cheered estatically and left to find clothes to get ready. Monty left right after.

 

Before Bonnie left, he turned back to Freddy hesitantly. 

 

"Are you sure you're fine taking care of Gregory today...? There's a lot to do-" He asked.

 

Freddy nodded with a kind smile. "I don't mind it at all! I'm his father, too. It's part of my job. Besides, I already told him I would help him with his homework. Take a break, Bonnie. You deserve it." He insisted. 

 

"... just... please be safe." Freddy's voice shook as he recalled what had happened the night before. Bonnie's gaze softened, and he glanced down.

 

"... I will. Thank you." He nodded before finally leaving. 

 

Once he left, Freddy sighed deeply as he thought of what to do. Gregory was still not very comfortable around him anymore.

Notes:

Bonnie facing the harsh reality of having a Mafia Boyfriend 😔

Chapter 6

"Yeah, and now he wants to have a relationship again, but I don't even know how long he's staying." Gregory vented to Cassie about his situation as they left their classrooms. School was over, and all the students were leaving their buildings. Cassie had come from the girls building, since boys and girls couldn't share classrooms.

 

The girl frowned. "So you don't want any relationship with your dad at all...?"

 

Gregory sighed in defeat. "... I don't know. I really don't. I've got... mixed feelings about him." 

 

Cassie placed a reassuring paw on his shoulder. "Yeah, that's understandable. At least you have Bonnie, though. You like him, right-?"

 

Gregory glanced down and nodded solemnly.

 

"... yeah. He's just... always been there. Right after that night, when I couldn't eat, or even get out of bed... he encouraged me to get up and eat. He did everything he could to cheer me up, even though he was also sad... and even after everyone else left, he still takes care of me..."

 

"What about Freddy...?" Cassie asked. 

 

Gregory scowled, some bitterness returning. 

 

"He locked himself in his room. And then, even after he abandoned us, Bonnie was still there. He's been taking care of me full time ever since. Even while he was working."

 

He glanced ahead again. "... I wish I could help him, too... I know he's hurting, but it feels like I can't do anything. I can't cook, or drive, or get a job... and whenever I try to get him to talk to me, or open up to me, he just acts like he's fine. He won't let me help him, or get involved at all. He just insists on handling everything alone." 

 

Cassie nodded and turned to her right as they left the gates, stopping in surprise. She tugged on Gregory's sleeve to stop as well.

 

"F-Freddy's here for you." She pointed to him.

 

Gregory did a double-take in disbelief, seeing Freddy here instead of Bonnie.

 

"... oh. I'll-I'll see ya' later!" He quickly waved to Cassie and jogged to his dad.

 

"What're you doing here?? I thought dad was picking me up-" he asked more quietly so no one could hear.

 

Freddy smiled down at the boy in greeting. "Chica wanted Bonnie to go out and have fun with her tonight, so I agreed to take care of you today and give him a break." 

 

Gregory nodded hesitantly as they started walking. This wasn't ideal, but at least Bonnie was taking a break.

 

They walked in silence down the pavement, with Gregory keeping his head down to avoid eye contact. Freddy remained patient and tried making him as comfortable as he could.

 

Freddy saw a pastry store, and recognized some of the deserts on display. He could see there was Bonnie's favorite desert, macarons. He also knew Gregory liked chocolate, so there was bound to be something the boy liked in there.

 

"Hey, Greg? I want to go in here and get some treats for your dad. Do you want to go look what you want?" 

 

Gregory glanced between him and the store in surprise.. "I can get whatever I want...?"

 

Freddy nodded, gesturing for the boy to come in with him. 

 

"Go on and pick whatever you want. I'm going to find something for Bonnie." He insisted as they entered the store.

 

"Do I only get one thing? How much can I get?" The boy asked in confusion. 

 

"You can get anything you want for today. This isn't going to be an everyday thing, though." He chuckled.

 

The boy nearly bounced in excitement as he searched through the options. He could rarely go to fancy desert places like this, since Bonnie couldn't afford it. His dad could only bring him home any packaged desert he could find at the store.

 

He took one of the paper bags and filled it with what he wanted. He took some of the little candies for later, and a big chocolate chip cookie for himself. He brought them back to Freddy once he was done, who was already at the desk with a pink box of macarons. Once he paid for everything, he gave Gregory his bag and they left again.

 

"Don't tell your dad I bought him anything, I want it to be a surprise." He whispered.

 

Gregory nodded, moving with more of a skip in his step as he ate his treat. He remembered his manners, and turned back to Freddy begrudgingly. 

 

"T-thanks, dad." He said awkwardly. 

 

Thankfully, Freddy did not take his hesitation personally, and he only nodded with a smile.

 

When they got home, he got two hours of freetime and Freddy sat down with him to start his studying. 

 

He found it quite amusing Gregory was struggling the most in Writing and English. Bonnie was not good at those subjects either. Freddy could only imagine how hard it must've been for him to tutor the boy.

 

Gregory was making a lot of progress within the first few minutes of practice. In an ideal world, where he got any choice, Freddy has always wanted to be a teacher. It felt fulfilling to see him successfully helping the boy.

 

There was a knock at his office door, making both of them turn.

 

"You can come in!" Freddy called.

 

To his surprise, Bonnie came in. He was all dressed up for his night out with a jacquard red vest and white button up with deep blue dress pants. He also had a blue leather jacket draped over his forearm.

 

He approached them with a smile, turning to the boy.

 

"I was coming in to say bye. I'm going to be gone really late, you won't see me until tomorrow." He told Gregory.

 

Gregory turned in his chair to face his dad.

 

"Alright! Have fun!" 

 

Bonnie glanced down at his notes in surprise, picking them up and reading them over in amazement. 

 

"Gregory... did you write all this-?" He turned to the boy again.

 

Gregory nodded. "Yeah! Dad's been helping me. He also bought me candy earlier, and he's making pasta for dinner!" The boy's tail wagged in excitement.

 

Bonnie's smile softened as he passed the paper back to the boy, turning to Freddy. It had to be the first time Bonnie's smiled at him in years.

 

"Sounds like the two of you are having fun?" Bonnie asked Freddy.

 

The bear nodded nervously, unknowing if Bonnie was truly happy with him, or if something was coming.

 

Bonnie chuckled and stepped away. "Alright. You're gonna' have to tell me how it goes later." He waved to Freddy before leaving. 

 

Freddy watched him leave in shock, before being pulled from his gaze by Gregory who needed more help.

 

He finished his work, and made him a good dinner. And as instructed, he put Gregory to bed at nine exactly. 

 

Freddy had to stay up late anyway because he had to finish mapping certain areas for his operations. It wasn't until around 2 A.M. that he heard the front door unlocking. 

 

He knew it was Bonnie and Chica, but he already assumed they both must be drunk, so he left to help them immediately. 

 

To his shock, when he came down, he saw Bonnie helping Chica to walk, who was very heavily intoxicated.

 

Bonnie gave him a strained but amused look. "I-I only had one drink, I don't drink much anymore... but she's plastered right now-" He joked.

 

Freddy chuckled goodheartedly as he helped take some of the weight off Bonnie. A night housekeeper stepped in to take her.

 

"We can help get her comfortable, sir." The maid offered politely and guided her away.

 

He called out a 'thank you' to her before turning at the feeling of a tap on his shoulder.

 

"Since you're up, though... I need to talk to you." Bonnie asked nervously.

 

Freddy was concerned, thought slightly relieved Bonnie did not sound angry. He nodded and gestured for Bonnie to follow him.

 

"Is my office okay? I need to finish some work in there." He turned back to Bonnie.

 

The bunny nodded and avoided his gaze as he followed him. 

 

Freddy opened the door and allowed Bonnie in first, before closing it again behind them.

 

"You can sit anywhere, there are loveseats and arm chairs over there." He gestured to the living and waiting area.

 

Bonnie picked a spot on a deep red loveseat in the small sitting area besides the desk. Freddy took a seat on his armchair on his desk around ten feet away, and tried remembering where he left off. The maps had to be done by tomorrow morning, so he had to work quickly. 

 

Bonnie kept his gaze on his lap, still not meeting Freddy's eyes.

 

"... thank you for taking care of me last night, when I was drugged... you could've just left... or taken advantage of me... but you didn't. You chose to look out for us and fed Gregory in the morning. So thank you..." He nodded. 

 

Freddy smiled kindly to him and nodded back. "I would do it everynight, if I had to. I'm glad both of you were safe.

 

Bonnie nodded slowly before continuing. "And... thanks for watching Gregory today. I had a lot of fun, I... I forgot how good it feels to take a break..." He chuckled to himself.

 

Freddy tried thinking of a response to that, but stopped as Bonnie continued speaking.

 

"... I know I said I make enough for Gregory to be comfortable, but... I hardly do. I put all my money on Gregory, and I barely have enough to feed myself. I'm not a secure parent on my own, and it's not fair to Gregory... he needs someone who can easily support the family..."

 

He fidgeted with his paws as he continued shakily. "... I-I don't want Gregory to grow up like I did... I want him to live in comfort and wealth. I want him to be able to go to high-school, and college... but I can't afford that on my own..." 

 

He sighed deeply before finally turning to Freddy. "... and I want him to have two parents. He needs his dad, and... it looked like he had a lot of fun yesterday. And he wasn't struggling with his homework as much. So... I want to give you one more chance while I'm working here to be a part of Gregory's life... and to take care of him."

 

"If you can do that, then... we can both take care of him. You can be involved in his life again... but if you fuck this up, or leave him again, we're gone. Deal-?" He asked.

 

Freddy could not believe what he was hearing. He nodded enthusiastically, which made Bonnie less tense.

 

"But don't get this mixed up, Freddy. This is not a second chance between us. That's not happening again. And this is only if you actually prove to me that you'll be a part of his life." Bonnie warned, growing guarded again.

 

Freddy nodded more slowly, despite how painful that was to hear. 

 

"I understand... I'll do everything I can to help him... but even if we're not together, I also want to help you anyway I can." Freddy insisted. 

 

Bonnie crossed his arms and glanced down solemnly. 

 

"... it doesn't matter. I don't really care about myself anymore."

 

Freddy shook his head. "Part of being a good dad is taking care of your child, and their other parent. Whether we get along or not, I will always help both of you."

 

Bonnie scowled. "Why?? Why are you pretending to care about me still?! Can you just... stop!"

 

Freddy was taken aback by that outburst. "What...? I'm not pretending, Bonnie! I love you! I always have, and I always will. Whether you care or not, I love you more than you know! It frustrates me to no ends, but yes! After everything, I still love you. That's why I care so much." He stood up from his seat but still leaned over his desk. 

 

It was Bonnie's turn to be stunned into silence. 

 

"So just... accept the help! I'm offering to help raise our son, and practically giving you free money! E-even if you my hate me, or you never care about me again, you might as well benefit off it! I never even asked for anything in return!" Freddy's voice shook.

 

Bonnie stood up as well, at a loss of what to say. 

 

"I... weren't you the one asking for my help on this mission??"

 

Freddy shook his head. "No! I told the others to leave you out of it!"

 

Freddy repeated what he had just said in his head, and realized it came out wrong. It sounded like he did not even want to see Bonnie. 

 

Bonnie clearly took it that way, too. His gaze softened from one of anger to hurt.

 

Freddy sighed as he tried to backtrack. "T-that's not what I meant, let me explain. I meant that I know you didn't want anything to do with me, or with the Mafia, so I didn't want to put you in unnecessary danger and drag you into this!"

 

Bonnie searched his face. "... so if the others didn't come searching for me, you wouldn't have reached out at all...?"

 

Freddy wiped a paw over his face in frustration. "No! I didn't mean it like that, I just-!"

 

"You're the head of the fucking Mafia, Freddy! You can track debtors from across the world, but couldn't even find your son and husband across town?! You weren't even trying!"

 

Freddy growled in frustration. "I couldn't! I wanted to reach out, but I knew it wasn't safe! And it's not like you wanted me to, you've been telling me nonstop how much you're never going to talk to me again once you leave!"

 

"Did you ever think that if you'd showed some effort sooner, I might've been more willing to give you a chance?! Or if you just didn't do it at all?!" Bonnie yelled back. 

 

Freddy scowled and sat back in his chair, having trouble thinking of a response.  He could not figure out how to actually explain his reasoning to him, though he doubted Bonnie wanted to hear it anyway.

 

Bonnie crossed his arms and glanced down.

 

"... just like I thought. You only really care when it's convenient for you. You care about me because you guys need my help, and so you can see Gregory."

 

Freddy's gaze softened. "Bonnie, no... that's not true, I do care! I care a lot!"

 

"Like you cared enough to abandon us?? To never try and contact me again, or check up on me?!" He snapped.

 

Before Freddy could argue again, Bonnie cut him off.

 

"That's just how it was being married to you! I gave up my entire life, my freedom, everything! Because I loved you that much! You never had to give up anything for me!" 

 

His voice shook as he finally broke into a fit of tears. "I-I loved you at your worst! I loved you when no one else would! I spent all day, everyday, trying to take care of you, and cheer you up! A-and you thanked me by a-abandoning me?!" 

 

By now, Freddy had stood up and left his desk until he was facing a few feet in front of Bonnie. His heart hurt with guilt and concern, and he wanted so badly to run up and hug Bonnie. 

 

"B-Bonnie, I... I didn't... I'm so sorry-" He stuttered out.

 

Bonnie vigorously wiped his eyes. "Your dad was right! M-my only purpose to you was to have our son! Now you're just 'caring' about me so you can have Gregory back! That's why I'm not accepting pity-money from you! You can keep your greedy, rotten money, and your fame, and your damn estate and operation, because those are all you care about! You should've just married your money instead!" His voice broke. 

 

Freddy shook his head and came closer. He was still at a loss of how to explain it to him, but he couldn't let Bonnie believe he wasn't loved. 

 

"I promise you that's not true! There's more to this than you think! If you just let me explain-" he tried.

 

Bonnie backed away and created more distance between them. 

 

"J-just leave me alone! I'm done with this! You're not the man I wanted to marry years ago, y-you're just a crook!" 

 

Freddy tried again and reached out to gently hold Bonnie's shoulders, hoping to ground him as he became more and more hysterical. 

 

"Bonnie-" he was cut off by Bonnie shoving him away.

 

"I-I HATE YOU! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME, AND YOU USED ME! I WISH I NEVER MET YOU-!" He sobbed, storming towards the exit and opening the door to leave.

 

He slammed it closed as Freddy started following him anxiously. The comment felt like a stab wound, but he was very worried for Bonnie's wellbeing now. 

 

He opened the door again and followed his trail. "Wait-! Bonnie, please! It's not like that!" He begged. 

 

Bonnie ignored him and only moved faster to his room. When he made it, he slammed and locked the door behind him so Freddy couldn't get in. 

 

Freddy heard him practically collapse on the other side of the door in a fit of broken sobs. It felt like torture knowing there was nothing he could do.

 

He sighed deeply and forced himself to maintain his composure, leaving to look for a night-maid. He asked them to keep a close eye on Bonnie and make sure he was okay throughout the night, and he tried returning to his work.

 

He couldn't do anything now, it would only make Bonnie more distressed. He could hardly see the papers in front of him through his teary eyes, even with his glasses on. He could only stand it for a few minutes before he had to seperate from his work and take his glasses off.

 

He leaned over his desk on his elbows with his paws covering his face and wept. 

 

While Freddy could admit he grew emotional and teary-eyed very easily, he rarely ever cried so hard. 

 

He felt like he couldn't breathe. It was like thousands of tons were crushing him. He was so overwhelmed by intense self-hatred and guilt.

 

How could he have been so blind and selfish, he never realized that's how Bonnie felt. And the reason Bonnie felt that way was all his fault. He let Bonnie believe that for years, which built all of that hatred Bonnie had for him. That Gregory had for him.

 

He's never wanted to just die more than he did right now.

Chapter 7

... "Dad... DAD-!" Gregory cried out in alarm... 

 

... Freddy and Bonnie barely had time to spot the oncoming headlights heading straight for the limousine before their driver swerved off the road suddenly to avoid the collision... 

 

... the sound of a single gun shot and glass shattering rang out, and the next thing Freddy knew, the entire vehicle was speeding uncontrollably off the hill. It all happened too fast for him to process... 

 

...

 

... he could hear his son crying in pain and fear and held him closer for comfort, taking a blurry look around the accident... 

 

... half of his vision was clouded by blood... his head hurt too much to think clearly... 

 

..."honey ...? Bonnie-?!" He cried, trying to force himself to get up... 

 

 

 

... 

 

 

 

 

Freddy jolted awake from the nightmare, sitting up suddenly. He took a moment to catch his breath as he relived that horrible memory. That night was the beginning of the end to their family. The night he lost... everything. 

 

A cold feeling of grief washed over him, but he was used to it. He forced himself to get up and at least be semi-productive today. 

 

What Bonnie said last night felt like a death blow to him. It was like his heart was ripped out of him and crushed in front of his eyes. 

 

He held such a gentle, yet deep love for Bonnie that he just could not explain. He adored his former husband, and one of the many things he loved about Bonnie was his positive outlook on life.

 

The bunny always had a childlike innocence to him. He could see the best in everyone, and he believed everyone could change. He got along with nearly everyone he met, and he loved everyone. Sure, he could be rather naïve at times, but he was so empathetic and wise. Freddy had never met a single person that has disliked Bonnie.

 

Bonnie loved everyone. But now, Bonnie hated him. 

 

The bunny had clearly been through so much heartache after they seperated. His eyes looked exhausted and hurt, and they were never bright anymore. He just seemed so dull now.

 

"You're not the man I wanted to marry..."

 

Those words stuck out to him most. 

 

He is not sure who the man Bonnie was talking about is. Whoever he was, he must have died that night, too. Freddy felt he was a changed man now. Like he lost a piece of himself he will never get back. He wanted to be that man again, and that dad to his son... but he wasn't. He does not think he ever will be. 

 

He stepped out into the cold, empty hallway. It was still rather early in the morning, so he did not expect anyone to be up. He trudged down the stairs towards the kitchen. 

 

There was a time when he considered himself a good man. His family looked to him for love, for protection, for guidance. He remembered the way Bonnie used to look at him. 

 

That look of pure, unfiltered love and respect. He looked at Freddy like he was so special. Like he was irreplaceable. He would kill for Bonnie to gaze at him like that again. To hold his paw, to kiss him, to wake up with him cuddled into his chest... but those days were over. 

 

Bonnie hated who he was now. 

 

Gregory once looked at him with wonder and with respect. Now, the boy seemed indifferent to him. Like he was a stranger. 

 

He knows he deserves it for what he did, but it didn't make it any less difficult. In the beginning, he kept telling himself that he did what had to be done. That he did what was best for his family. 

 

But as the cold, lonely days and months went by, he realized how stupid his plan truly was. 

 

But by then, it was too late. Bonnie and his son were gone. For all he knew, they could be across the world. He wanted to look for them, but he thought it was safer for them to be away. He worried that if he searched and got in contact with them again, then they'd be easy targets. Being related to the Don meant they were very valuable to use for ransome or blackmail. He just wished Bonnie told him where they were moving to at the start, so he could have sent money to them.

 

What he'd give to be with his son again... if he could just read Gregory a bedtime story one last time, or play one more dumb game with him, he'd be content. 

 

Oh, what he'd do to erase that night. To make it so it never happened at all. 

 

If he could just see...  

 

He brushed that thought aside before he finished it. He could not think of them anymore. If he thought too hard about what happened, he'd likely loose his will to live completely. He'd be better off dead. 

 

He wished he was dead. 

 

.

 

Bonnie yawned loudly, rubbing his eyes and sluggishly making his way to the main area.

 

By now, the others had come over, and it was more busy. Monty was currently cleaning up the breakfast he cooked for everyone. The others were still sitting in the guest living room. 

 

When Monty walked back in, they saw Bonnie and smiled. "Mornin, Bon."

 

Bonnie stretched his arms above his head and sat in an armchair in the living room. "Morning! Thanks for breakfast, by the way."

 

Monty chuckled. "No problem! Do ya' want some now, or are ya' gonna' eat later?" 

 

Bonnie's smile turned into a look of confusion. "...what? I already ate, you... left the breakfast by my bed when I woke up." 

 

Monty furrowed their brows. "No I didn't." 

 

Bonnie seemed shocked at that answer. He glanced around at the others expectantly, but everyone else seemed to deny it. They realized Freddy was being very quiet and turned to him. 

 

Freddy shrugged wordlessly, not taking his eyes off the newspaper to hide his expression. 

 

"I don't know. I'll keep an eye out for them." He assured indifferently. 

 

Bonnie gave him a concerned but thoughtful look before trying to change the subject. 

Chapter 8

There wasn't much to do for the next few days. Their spies would take some time to find what they were looking for, so all they could do was wait.

 

Bonnie still hadn't left to his own apartment with Gregory, which surprised Freddy. He figured he would want to stay far away from Freddy after the argument they had. They still were not talking at all. 

 

Freddy trudged into the kitchen to look for something to eat. When he entered the doorway, he was surprised to see Bonnie in there as well searching the cabinet. 

 

He pulled out the pink box of pastries curiously, but noticed Freddy before he opened it.

 

He could now see Bonnie was wearing one of his old pajama sets and had his bangs tied up comfortably. Equally as surprising.

 

Bonnie suddenly seemed embarrassed as he quickly put the box away and closed the cabinet. 

 

"S-sorry! Sorry, I was just... hungry." he stepped away and crossed his arms.

 

Freddy quickly held up his paws dismissively. "Oh, don't apologize! You can help yourself to whatever you want. I was just pleasantly surprised you're still here." He stated as he walked past Bonnie to the fridge. 

 

Bonnie still seemed nervous as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well... I-" 

 

He sighed. "The apartment isn't... a very good place to live in. And it's so small, on the weekends I get no privacy, or time to myself. This place is big, and Cassie's here, so Gregory has his own space, and I have mine..." He glanced down and chuckled nervously.

 

"... I-I know it's bad to want your kid to leave you alone, I just... being alone feels nice sometimes..." He stepped in front of cupboard with his arms still crossed.

 

Freddy shook his head with a reassuring smile. "It's not wrong at all, Bonnie. You should have time to focus on yourself. You can stay here as long as you need. If you want to get anything from your place to stay here, we can." 

 

Bonnie glanced down timidly. "... it's okay with you-? J-just until we're done-?" 

 

Freddy nodded. "Or as long as you want. This is your home too, Bonnie. You and Gregory are always welcome." 

 

He shut the fridge as he took some creamer out for himself. He then started down the counter to get his coffee maker and coffee grounds.

 

"Do you want any drink in particular? I have coffee, tea, wine, water..." 

 

Bonnie was quiet and still seemed tense, though he actually approached Freddy to stand at his side.

 

Freddy remembered what else he had and smiled knowingly. "I have hot chocolate here, too."

 

Bonnie finally glanced at him hopefully. "Y-you do-?"

 

Freddy chuckled and reached up to open the drawers on the ceiling, taking out a jar of dark chocolate bars. 

 

"I made these bars fresh from home, and I still make things like hot chocolate from scratch. I know that's how you liked it best. I can make you some if you want." 

 

Bonnie hummed. "...I don't want to trouble you-" 

 

Freddy waved him off. "It's no trouble at all. I'll have it ready in ten minutes." 

 

He pointed to the cabinet Bonnie was looking in. "You can take that pink box out again, I got that for you yesterday." 

 

Bonnie was surprised again and hesitantly left to take it out. He set it on the island counter and opened it with a look of disbelief. 

 

"Macarons...? And these are the fancy kind??" He laughed in amazement, picking one up.

 

Freddy nodded as he washed his paws. When he finished, he got a cutting board out and took a few of the chocolate bars and a knife.. "Yup. I got them when I took Gregory to get treats. Those are all for you." 

 

Freddy couldn't see Bonnie's reaction as he was cutting the chocolate into small crumbs, though he hoped it was good. He heard Bonnie turn to sit on one of the stools on the island and began eating the small cookies. 

 

They still didn't speak as Freddy finished cutting the chocolate and sliding them into a deep pan on the stove. He heated it up and poured some milk in. He left it to cook while he started making his coffee. 

 

Bonnie finally sighed in defeat and leaned on his elbows on the island.

 

"I... I'm sorry if I scared you last night," Bonnie started.

 

"Sometimes I just... I get so anxious and frustrated, and I... I lose control and panic." 

 

Freddy nodded in understanding. "... I know, you've always been like that, so it's okay. I shouldn't have kept going when I saw you were getting emotional. I just... I was worried you actually believed what you were saying." 

 

Bonnie searched Freddy's expression in confusion. "... but I-I do believe it. I just shouldn't have pushed you, or slammed doors on you. That was just immature of me."

 

Freddy shook his head as he finished his coffee and added more ingredients to the hot chocolate. He added some coffee grounds and creamer, and he kept stirring until it was a creamy, liquid consistency. 

 

"I was trying to tell you that none of it was true. There's so much more that goes into it, I can't... explain it all right now..." 

 

Freddy sighed. "But I do love you, and Gregory. I wanted to reach out, but... I didn't want to risk our situation being public. Imagine if one of our enemies found out we weren't together, and that you and our son lived alone. They could've seriously hurt you guys." Freddy felt himself shiver as he recalled some of the gruesome things he's seen criminals and Mafia men do to people. Even the thought of something like that happening to Bonnie or Gregory made him sick. 

 

"I just thought... if I left it alone, maybe they'd assume we were still living together. That it'd be safer for you two." 

 

Bonnie glanced down thoughtfully as he finished another cookie. He didn't like it, but he's worked with Freddy for a while, and he knew that was true.

 

"... I didn't really consider that... but that's a good point." Bonnie sighed and wiped a paw over his face. 

 

Freddy finally finished Bonnie's drink and poured it in a mug for him. He set it on a matching plate for the cup and brought it over to Bonnie, setting it down in front of him with a small smile.

 

"If I really didn't care about you, why would I make you your favorite drink from scratch? Or buy you your favorite desert? Or volenteer to help watch Gregory so you can have space?" He asked. "Surely, that has to mean something." 

 

Bonnie was silent, though he did not look angry. In fact, his gaze softened as he glanced down at the drink contemplatively.

 

Freddy didn't expect a response from him, though. This was a lot to sink in for Bonnie. Instead, he lifted himself up again and finished pouring his coffee, taking a long sip as he leaned against the counter. 

 

"Do you want anything else to eat? Are the cookies enough for you?" He walked up to Bonnie's side to ask. As soon as Bonnie realized how close he was, he flinched away suddenly. 

 

There was a real look of fear in his eyes for a moment until he realized it was Freddy and straightened himself up again.

 

"Uhm... t-the cookies are already enough, I shouldn't eat anymore." He put down the cookie he was going to eat and closed the box, pushing it away from himself.

 

Freddy was growing very concerned. Bonnie was not acting like himself at all.

 

He was never like this his entire life, even while they were married. He was acting so jumpy and timid, and he was apologizing so often. Bonnie has never seemed so scared and submissive, and Freddy's never given him a reason to be. Not only that, he was clearly lying and wanted more food, but it was unlike him to lie about that. He wondered if something happened to Bonnie that he wasn't telling Freddy. He would need to ask Foxy about it.

 

He shook his head insistently. "I know you, Bonnie. You still look hungry." He pressed gently. 

 

Bonnie's gaze shot around nervously as he evaded eye contact. "But I already had some cookies. That's too much food." He stated. 

 

Freddy nearly laughed in disbelief. He could not fathom what he was hearing. This was not like his former husband at all. 

 

"Nonsense! You shouldn't be worrying so much about eating, you have no reason to. Snacking on cookies once in a while won't kill you." He insisted, walking back towards the cupboards. 

 

"What else did you have in mind? I'll let you know if I have it." 

 

It was awkward and tense, but Bonnie finally ate a few more of the small cookies, and he finished his hot chocolate while Freddy worked on a quick meal for he and Bonnie's lunch. He got Bonnie to agree on a canned, pre-made chili Freddy had. He made a separate bowl for Gregory and put it away. He gave Bonnie his own portion of the chili, and gave himself a separate portion last. 

 

He ate standing up and leaning against the counter to give Bonnie space while he finished his own bowl sitting on the island stool. They even managed to make some small talk. Anything was better than fighting or tense silence. 

 

Though Freddy was still unnerved by Bonnie's new behavior. He couldn't speak to Gregory about it, because the boy would not be close to Bonnie in that way. But the only one he knew who still kept in contact with Bonnie throughout the years was Foxy. 

Chapter 9

Freddy silently pushed past some of the pedestrians in the dark city, occasionally looking behind him to make sure the others were following him.

This time it was was only Bonnie, Chica, and Freddy. Cassie got sick so Roxanne had to stay with her, and they wanted to keep a small, low profile anyway. None of them had their makeup on, and were dressed as casually yet inconspicuous as possible. They were currently traveling through the underground city to the location they were told. There was obviously no driving of course, so they were on foot. 

It was hardly a 'city', more so a shopping district with some crudely made buildings created with metal plating and bricks. All of the residents were homeless by definition, and/or criminals. Very few cops travel down here.

Freddy felt his heart ache with sympathy as he passed through the streets, seeing all the rundown tents and sleeping bags for the homeless. It was very dark, save for lamp lights in this shopping area they were in.

"I don't like this place... it's so dark." Chica whispered.

"Who would've thought the underground city would be dark." Bonnie responded sarcastically with a deadpan expression. 

Chica punched his arm in response while Freddy rolled his eyes in amusement. He looked back down at his map to make sure they were going the right direction.

"If you tell me we're lost, I'm leaving you here." Chica warned Freddy half-heartedly.

Freddy shook his head. "Nono, I know where we are. We're close." 

Chica crossed her arms and stepped closer to Bonnie and Freddy. "There's so many creepy men here, they keep looking at me-" She scowled. 

Bonnie scoffed. "Let them try anything. We have guns." He chuckled and turned to Freddy for a reaction.

Freddy did not notice he made a joke and wanted him to respond, so he turned to Bonnie with a neutral, oblivious expression.

"We shouldn't take out our guns unless we actually need them. Remember the mission." He reminded, taking what Bonnie said too seriously.

It was hard for Freddy to tell the difference between a joke, sarcasm, or a genuine question. Reading tone and facial expressions was very difficult, so if it was not a blatantly obvious joke, he usually took it too seriously. 

He was confused when Bonnie's smile fell, and he looked somewhat offended. He simply turned away again and crossed his arms, avoiding eye contact with Freddy.

Chica chuckled nervously at the tension and tried changing the subject. "So... what's the objective exactly? We're just going in there to get her?"

Freddy made a face to show he was thinking. 

"Sort of...? She's staying with someone in an apartment here, so we're just breaking into that. It will only be two of them there, but we need to be quiet, or we'll cause a panic down here." He kept his voice down. This place was much more crowded than Freddy was expecting, and they were practically bumping shoulders with people.

Chica nodded and turned to talk to Bonnie again. The two of them were whispering about something, and Freddy suddenly felt self-conscious. He tried to ignore the feeling and kept moving. 

They made it to the rundown brick building within a few minutes. It looked to be in squatter conditions, with no electricity or running water. 

Freddy sighed and looked through the eighr apartments until they found the right one on the second story in the front left side.

"How do we get in? We can't just blow the door knob off, it'll draw attention." Chica whispered.

Freddy took a lock pick out of his pocket and showed it to the woman before getting to work on the door. He reached down with one paw to get his gun ready.

"Have your weapons drawn, but we won't shoot unless absolutely necessary." He warned the others. 

Bonnie and Chica nodded and prepared as well as Freddy finally got the door open. 

Freddy put the pick away and took a deep breath before pulling open the door and aiming his gun immediately. 

When he was met with silence, he hesitantly walked in, still having his gun pointed in front of him. Bonnie and Chica followed, and aimed their guns in Freddy's blind spots, and the three lf them were nearly back to back. This way no one could sneak up on them, and none of them could get attacked from behind. The supposed living room and kitchen were empty.

Freddy turned down the hall to look for any other rooms, seeing three doors.

He led the way through the hallway with Chica and Bonnie behind him. Just as they got in, Bonnie yelled out in alarm. 

Freddy turned back quickly and saw Vanny had lunged out from one of the doors, pistol-whipping him in his temple. He fell to the ground in pain. 

Chica grabbed a picture frame from the wall beside her quickly and tossed it at her, barely missing. Just as Vanny ran at her, Freddy shoved past Chica and forced her back with his body.

She fell on her back but caught her footing again quickly. Bonnie winced and forced himself to stand again, taking his weapon from the ground.

She pointed her gun straight at Freddy. "Stay the fuck away! Let me go!" She ordered.

While she was distracted by Freddy, Chica   threw her gun, managing to hit Vanny's head rather hard. She cried out in pain and suddenly, two men emerged from the other room with their own weapons and advanced on the group. 

One man rammed at Freddy and forced him out of the hallway, attempting to knock him off his feet.

He was much smaller than Freddy, though, so he was unable to. Instead Freddy pistol whipped the side of his head and knocked him unconscious from the strength of his hit.

He turned to check on his friends and saw Chica was fighting off the other man, while Vanessa went after Bonnie again.

Both of them seemed to be handling themselves well, but he noticed Chica was struggling, with the man being so much larger than her.

Freddy felt comfortable leaving Bonnie on his own for a second to help Chica who needed it more. He ran forward and hit the nose of his pistol against the man's head, shooting him down immediately. Being pressed so closely against the man's head, the shot was muffled, and could not be heard from the loud people outside.

He was glad to be taller and stronger than average, and also a bear. He hit harder, and most enemies are easy for him to overpower and take out. He got this trait from his family, which is what made them such a formidable crime family. 

Chica breathed out in relief and thanked him, stopping to catch her breath. She rarely fought with the others, so it made sense she got winded easily. 

He remembered Bonnie and turned back to him. 

The bunny was still fighting, this time by the open window. He used this to his advantage and tried shoving Vanny off the second story.

To his horror, she managed to grab him in a chokehold and pull him out with her. He cried out as he was pulled from the window.

Freddy raced over and shoved half of his body out the window, managing to catch Bonnie's arms before he fell.

Holding Bonnie was not a problem on it's own, but he was having a hard time lifting both Bonnie and Vanny, who still had him in a chokehold. Gravity was pulling her down, which tightened her grip on his throat. 

Bonnie was obviously frightened as he tried frantically kicking her off. His neck hurt, and his airway was cut off completely, making it nearly impossible for him to keep holding on. This meant Freddy was the only thing keeping him from falling. 

Vanny tried reaching up to attack Freddy, which made it even harder for him to hang onto Bonnie. 

Still, he refused to let go, even through the pain of Vanny's claws raking against his arms. 

Bonnie's terrified, pleading look as he was running out of air made it even harder as he was beginning to lose his grip.

Thankfully, Chica came in as well and struck Vanny's jaw with her pistol, finally making the woman lose her grip.

She hit her again, and Vanny slid down Bonnie and used his body to slide down safely. 

"She's getting away!" Chica yelled. 

Freddy scowled, being very disappointed she escaped. Though he quickly lifted Bonnie up and carefully pulled him back inside as he gasped for breath. 

"Are you okay??" Freddy checked with him.

Bonnie finally calmed down and nodded. "S-sorry... sorry she got away..." 

Freddy sighed deeply, having a hard time hiding his frustration. "... don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad both of you were safe." 

Chica did a double take at one of the men. "He's still alive!" She pointed out. 

They turned around and confirmed one of the men were struggling to force himself to his feet.

Freddy used this opportunity to rush over and pin him down. Chica stepped in with her weapon to hold him at gunpoint. 

"Where's the briefcase??" Freddy demanded. 

The man wiped the blood off his head and shook. "T-the case is e-empty... she took everything already..." He stuttered. 

Freddy cursed under his breath and turned his attention back to the man. "What was in it?" 

The man took a deep breath to steady himself as he continued bleeding. "I-it's a d-detailed, l-long p-packet of you f-family and c-crimes... I-it has every h-hiding place, ever f-fake name, a-and the a-addresses to all your h-homes... the boss wants it for b-blackmail against y-you..." He coughed. 

Freddy hummed. "Do you have any idea where she'll go now?" 

The man sucked in another breath. "She's... she's going to go to the O-Ocean Front A-Apartment C-complex... she'll stay there for a w-while to b-break the boss out of the p-prison a few m-miles from here..." 

The man trembled. "But I-I have a family at home, p-please don't kill me-!" He begged.

Freddy's gaze softened. He turned to the others and saw that Bonnie shared his empathy while Chica did not look phased. 

Many of these mobsters and criminals were like this. Not exactly bad people, but they were under bad circumstances. Money was difficult to come by in these times, and they had to survive somehow.

He turned back to him and nodded, reaching into his bag for gauze, cotton, and alcohol before passing it to the man.

"You were very compliant, so you're okay. Afton will assume your dead, go back to your family." He stood up.

The man nodded gratefully and began treating himself. Freddy looked to the others. 

"Let's move quickly. We may still be able to catch her if she takes the same exit we entered from."

Chica scowled in annoyance but nodded, walking past him. Before Bonnie passed him, he gave Freddy a grateful nod of approval at his decision to spare the man. 

Freddy nodded back and followed after them.

As soon as they were a few steps out the building, they jumped in surprise as gunshots sounded from behind. 

They turned and could see four more men rapidly approaching them with guns in the middle of the crowded square.

It was not just the guns they had to worry about, but it was the people. The bystanders around them started running and yelling in a massive panic, which made it easy to get lost or trampled. 

This proved to be true, as Freddy lost track of Chica and Bonnie in seconds. He cursed as he was run into by a few civilians, though he was not knocked down. He turned his focus to one of the men storming towards him.

Freddy whipped out his own gun and ran at him. He did not want to shoot from afar because it was hard to aim, and he didn't want to risk shooting an innocent bystander. 

As the man stopped and raised his gun to shoot, Freddy managed to reach him faster and shoved his other arm under his, twisting it in an uncomfortable angle and making him drop his gun. Once he did, Freddy used the gun in his free paw to shoot him point blank in the side of the head. 

The second he did, he was tackled by a second man. Because he was caught off guard, he actually fell to the ground. 

For a minute, he could see through the legs of the running people, and he caught sight of Bonnie, who was fighting another man off. He could not find where Chica went.

He watched as Bonnie fell to the ground, either from being pushed or injured. But while he was down, he was kicked in the head by one of the running people. They both could be trampled.

It looked like the man lost sight of Freddy, so he stood up and tried reaching Bonnie. He was met with resistance, and he was hit repeatedly by mistake, but kept pushing through the crowd until he reached Bonnie. He was caught off guard as he heard the man speak to the bunny.

"... you're the lowest of lows, bitch. You should just stick to what you're good at." The man said with malice.

Freddy didn't have time to dwell on it as he saw the man aim the gun at Bonnie. He ran forward and shoved him away, catching him off guard and nearly knocking him off balance. 

The man dropped the gun but whipped out a small knife instead, striking at Freddy.

The bear was slow to dodge, and the man managed to slice at his upper arm, leaving a deep gash. 

Freddy winced, but he was trained in fighting. He had a high pain tolerance from years of this work, and a knick on the arm wasn't going to stop him.

The man swung again, and Freddy caught the knife in his palm, squeezing and pushing it away from himself. 

The man watched in shock as blood poured from Freddy's paw, yet the bear only grit his teeth and pushed harder, managing to rip the knife out of his paws.

The man stumbled, and Freddy used the opening to slice the knife across his torso. He dropped the knife and grabbed the man by the shoulders, slamming his own head against his. 

The man blacked out after that, allowing Freddy to catch his breath. He dropped the knife off on top of the man so there would be no evidence of him using it, and he wiped the sweat and blood from his head.

He finally remembered he was protecting Bonnie and turned back to him, seeing the bunny gawking at him in a mix of shock and pain from watching their fight.

Freddy jogged over to him and practically fell to his knees to look Bonnie over. Seeing that the crowd was beginning to clear, but was still running over them, Freddy pulled the bunny under himself and shielded him with his own back, taking the brunt of the stampede of people.

He finally got to make eye contact with Bonnie, who rolled and slid over to face Freddy, which meant the bear's entire body was against his back. He had a mix of concern and frustration on his face.

"Are you o-okay?!" Freddy forced out, speaking loudly to be heard from the crowd.

Bonnie scowled in frustration. "I'm fine, Freddy! You're literally bleeding, you need to rest!" He fretted. 

Freddy winced and shook his head. "I-I'm fine... I've had worse, I can handle it. When the crowd clears, I'll move..." He insisted. 

It took nearly a minute before the street was nearly empty, and Freddy straightened his arms so he was on his paws and knees, panting for breath from overexerstion. 

Bonnie tried sitting up, but was stopped by Freddy being on top of him. He realized they were in a very awkward position, with Freddy's hips, stomach, and chest being flush against Bonnie's back. 

"F-Freddy, can we please move...? This is very... uncomfortable-" He finally asked.

Freddy stopped his heaving and stared at Bonnie in confusion. When he looked down and realized what the bunny meant, he blushed in embarrassment and quickly moved off of Bonnie, apologizing profusely. 

Bonnie sat up on his knees and turned to crawl towards Freddy, inspecting the slit in his arm.

"W-where's Chica...?" He asked.

Freddy sighed deeply. "I-I don't know... I couldn't find her anywhere-" 

Bonnie took his jacket off, carefully tying it to protect Freddy's injury.

While he did, Freddy repeated what the man said to Bonnie in his head.

Of course it was uncalled for, and it only fueled his anger for the man. But it was weird, because the man that drugged Bonnie said something similar.

He wondered why Bonnie was targeted with those kinds of insults. Chica got similar insults, but unfortunately that's not surprising, given she was a strong, feminine woman. But Bonnie looked like a man, so it didn't make sense they were saying those things to him. Bonnie never really dressed or acted provocatively, either. He had to assume it was because Bonnie presented himself more femininely, but it was still peculiar. 

When Bonnie finished, he nodded gratefully to him. Just as they were about to stand, they froze in place at the sound of a gun clicking behind them.

When they turned, the two other men were standing over them with their guns drawn, ready to shoot.

Bonnie instinctively scooted over and clung onto Freddy's torso fearfully. Freddy was slightly surprised, but hesitantly wrapped a reassuring and protective arm over him and turned up to the men.

Unlike Bonnie, Freddy was trained to never show fear. Instead of cowaring, he gave the men a serious and intimidating glare.

"How embarrassing, Frederick. A real shame to your family's name." The man taunted.

"Now you're going to lose your life, just to protect him of all people." The man pointed an accusing finger to Bonnie. 

Instead of responding, Bonnie tensed and held onto Freddy tighter, his fear growing. He began shaking and dug his claws into Freddy's torso.

Now Freddy was even more concerned. These men clearly knew Bonnie, and he seemed to recognize them, too. He would have plenty of time to question that later, though. His first instinct was to defend Bonnie's honor.

"Who do you think you are talking to him like that?! Keep his name out of your filthy mouth!" Freddy growled, pulling Bonnie closer. 

Both of the men broke into a fit of laughter, turning back to Freddy. 

"Who we are?! What about who he is??" They gestured to the bunny again.

Before Freddy could respond, a loud sob escaped Bonnie as he held on impossibly tighter and wept into Freddy's coat. 

"P-please-! Please don't!" Bonnie cried at the men.

Freddy stared down at Bonnie in more concern as the men laughed again at the bunny's expense.

The man opened his mouth to speak again, but was stopped at the sound of another man yelling out to them.

Freddy turned and saw three police officers aiming guns at the men. Chica was beside the officers and gave Freddy a reassuring look.

Freddy instinctively turned away and lowered his head to not be recognized. The two men immediately turned and fled, and the police chased after them. 

Chica ran over and knelt down to them when the police were out of hearing range. 

"I ran into officers, and I used the 'innocent woman in distress' story." She giggled. Her smile fell as she saw Bonnie was upset.

"Is he okay...? What happened??" She asked.

Bonnie tensed again and kept his face hidden, still looking very ashamed and scared. 

Freddy had no idea, though he didn't want to embarass Bonnie anymore. Instead, he nodded.

"Yeah, he's okay... he got scared, we were nearly trampled-" Freddy chuckled. 

Chica frowned and gave Bonnie a reassuring hug, who still did not show his face.

Freddy sighed. "I'm not in the best shape, let's leave." 

At the very least, this mission was not entirely useless. They now knew exactly where Vanny would be hiding, and what exactly was in that suitcase. 

He glanced back at Bonnie empathetically and helped him to stand. He was worried about overstepping a boundary and making him more upset, but it looked like the bunny would be okay with it, considering he was still hugging Freddy so tightly. 

Chica started walking ahead of them, and Freddy and Bonnie were slow in following her. He kept his arm loosely over Bonnie's back and tried to speak quietly.

"... please don't let what they were saying get to you. I... I don't know what they were talking about, and you do not have to tell me if you don't want to, but don't listen to them. None of it is true." He whispered in reassurance. 

Bonnie sniffled and wiped his eyes vigorously, finally pulling his face away.

"S-sorry...! T-thanks for sticking up for m-me..." He whispered back.

Freddy gave him a sad smile. "Don't be sorry, it's alright. I just want to make sure you're okay..." He reassured, letting go in case Bonnie wanted space. 

To his surprise, Bonnie hugged his arm and leaned against him again, avoiding his gaze.

"C-can you please h-hold me a little longer...? I don't... I don't want to be alone right now..." His voice shook like he was about to cry again. 

Freddy pulled his arm away and wrapped it over Bonnie's back and waist gently, pulling him to lean in again.

"Of course! As long as you need." Freddy nodded. 

Bonnie whispered another 'thank you' as they walked with purpose towards the exit.

Notes:

Uh oh Bonnie has a secret...? 👀

Chapter 10

Notes:

** TW: Graphic description/recounting of domestic abuse **

Freddy found himself waking up extra early this morning. He was not entirely sure why, he guessed it was from the dream he had last night. 

 

It seemed like it was meant to be a 'dream', though it felt more like a nightmare to him. Being forced to relive such a fond memory with someone so precious to him, that he knows he'll never get to see again. It was just mental torture to him.

 

He was walking silently through the hall of the balcony overlooking the ballroom of the first floor. His fur was a mess, and he was dressed in his typical gray-blue, button-up and long sleeved night shirt. He had matching pants on and wore a deep maroon velvet night robe. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of a door opening, and caught sight of Bonnie leaving the guest room he was staying in straight ahead of him.

 

Bonnie loved satin night gowns, and he didn't like wearing long-sleeved clothes. He was currently wearing his sleeveless, baby-blue, satin tent blouse paired with matching sleeping shorts. He had a few curlers in his hair as he groggily shut the door behind him. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head, not noticing Freddy yet.

 

Freddy noticed some of his stomach peeking out under his blouse as he stretched, and he had to quickly avert his gaze to remain respectful. He cleared his throat to finally get Bonnie's attention, who turned to him in surprise. 

 

"Oh! G-good morning." Bonnie quickly straightened himself up.

 

Freddy nodded back. "Good morning, Bonnie. What are you doing up so early?" He asked.

 

Bonnie furrowed a brow in confusion. "... it's Monday...? Gregory needs to go to school." He let Freddy walk up to stand beside him as he continued talking.

 

"Your house is much farther away from the school than mine, so we need to leave earlier to get there on time." 

 

Freddy hummed. "There are four small cars here, you can't take any of those?"

 

Bonnie chuckled and shook his head. "Morning traffic in the city? We'll never get there on time. It's faster to walk and go by bus." 

 

The bear frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry you have to wake up so early... I can prepare something for you guys to eat while you and Gregory get ready?" He offered.

 

Bonnie glanced away nervously. "Well... actually, I've been thinking," he began.

 

"... I said we could start co-parenting now, so... we should at least be getting along again. And you need to repair your relationship with Gregory..."

 

He finally looked up at Freddy. 

 

"If you're not too busy, you can help me get Gregory ready. And you can come with us when we walk to school? Just so you get the hang of it again." He offered nervously, as if worried Freddy was going to decline.

 

It felt too good to be true at first, but when Freddy recovered from his shock, he nodded quickly.

 

"O-of course! I'd love to, I can still make the breakfast for you guys-" he gestured down the stairs. Bonnie shook his head with a kind smile.

 

"Don't worry about our breakfast, just put something together for Gregory. I was hoping maybe... the two of us could go to a café or something afterwards? We can catch up a little bit, and it's been a while since I've had a really good breakfast." He asked, growing shy again.

 

Now Freddy was very confused. He was convinced there was some kind of joke or catch he was not aware of. Still, he did not want to seem rude, so he nodded in agreement and returned the smile.

 

"I think I know a place by the school. But I would dress somewhat nice, if you can. It is sort of... affluent." He chuckled. 

 

Bonnie sagged in relief and nodded enthusiastically, leaving quickly to the boy's room. Freddy watched him leave with a fond smile, relieved to see Bonnie at least somewhat happy again. When the bunny disappeared into the boy's room, Freddy left to the stairs and to the kitchen to prepare a quick meal for the boy.

 

.

 

"Why do I have to wear the stupid neck tie?! It's useless!" Gregory whined in annoyance.

 

Bonnie was knelt down in front of him and was tying a burnt-orange neck tie around the boy's dark teal, button up shirt. Freddy stood at the side and watched the interaction in amusement.

 

"It makes you look more presentable, Gregory. It doesn't need to be practical." He answered plainly as he adjusted it. Once it was straightened, he moved to brush down and touch up the boy's collar and the rest of his shirt, making him groan.

 

"Why do I care about looking presentable to the other kids?? I don't care about their opinion." He argued.

 

Gregory was always grumpy in the mornings, so his attitude was nothing new to either of the parents. Bonnie only sighed and finally leaned away to look Gregory over.

 

"It doesn't matter if you like the other kids or not. Presenting yourself well makes you look more confident and responsible. It leaves a good impression." He stood up, taking the boy's thick jacket and draping it over him, followed by his scarf.

 

"Now get your jacket on, you'll catch a cold." Bonnie fretted.

 

Gregory huffed as he struggled to put on the layers of warm clothing. Once they were finally on, the boy loudly thumped his foot in defiance and crossed his arms. 

 

Freddy could hardly contain his chuckling as Bonnie's paws rested on his hips and he stared at Gregory expectantly.

 

Whenever Bonnie or Gregory were upset or hissy, they would stomp their foot and put on an attitude. Freddy always found their little temper tantrums amusing. 

 

"Come on, Greg. Leave all that negativity out the door! You're gonna' have a great day at school!" Bonnie encouraged, taking the boy's paw and guiding him to the door. Bonnie had his own corduroy jacket on, but Freddy noticed he forgot his own scarf on his way out.

 

He took it and jogged over to catch up to them, carefully wrapping it over Bonnie's neck as he left the door.

 

"You were just fretting over Gregory's warm clothes, you forgot your own." He teased gently. 

 

Bonnie glanced back at him in surprise and smiled gratefully back, before turning his attention ahead.

 

They made their way to the bus stop, where there was fortunately a bus already stopped. They stepped in, and Freddy paid for the three of them and followed the others as they left for their seats. 

 

Gregory instinctively ran to pick a seat in the middle of the bus, but Bonnie guided him to the very back, much to Gregory and Freddy's confusion.

 

It took Freddy a second before he realized why. Each seat could only sit two people, but the back of the bus could sit up to five. This was the only way they could all sit together.

 

Gregory didn't seem to notice, and still crawled over to the very edge of the seat to look out the window. Bonnie sat in the middle, while Freddy sat beside him for the ride. 

 

There was still space between them, but Bonnie was no longer scooting himself to the far end of the seat to avoid Freddy anymore. He was relaxed as they sat with about an inch of space between them and they sat in comfortable silence, occasionally stealing unsure glances at each other. 

 

They took the bus 70% of the way to save time and finally left in a hurry when they reached their spot, into the busy sidewalk.

 

As usual for this time of year, the air was chilly and misty from the early morning air near the ocean. Freddy personally loved this weather, though he knew Bonnie was not fond of it.

 

He noticed he was not having to walk as fast this time, and realized once again that Bonnie was allowing him to walk on Gregory's other side so he wasn't behind them. Freddy appreciated the gesture so much, he could not even put into words how grateful he was to have this opportunity. Now that Gregory had woken up completely, he began on his old nonsensical, child-rambling.

 

"So why do some people say black is every color, and some say black is no colors?? If black is a shade, how is it a color, let alone every color?? And I thought white was no color! But if white is no color, then what is gray?? Gray is black and white, so is gray both no color and every color?" The boy questioned Bonnie. 

 

Bonnie gave Freddy an amused but exasperated look, making him chuckle in amusement. He stepped in to help Bonnie out.

 

"Black is not 'all of the colors' Greg. Colors are light reflecting off surfaces that we can see. Black is a lack of light, and white is a high concentration of light that we are incapable of seeing. Gray is just a middle shade between white and black." He responded.

 

"Oh." Gregory glanced down in surprise, but accepted that answer.

 

They were relieved, thinking that was all the boy wanted to know. Bonnie nodded a 'thank you' to Freddy. Unfortunately, he was quick to think of something else.

 

"Oh! But wait, how can there be seven seas?? On the globe, I only see one!" Gregory claimed. 

 

Freddy groaned under his breath, making Bonnie laugh this time. But he glanced down to answer his question.

 

"That's the ocean, Gregory. Just like the land is divided into different continents with unique environments and species, the ocean is divided into different sea environments."

 

Gregory looked between them in wonder. "... so the seven seas are like the countries of the ocean??" 

 

Freddy sighed deeply. "... sure. That's close enough." He stuck with that answer to hopefully keep Gregory down. 

 

Before the boy could interrogate them with a new special interest, they finally made it to the school yard. Much to the parents' relief. 

 

"Alright, have a good day at school, Greg! I love you!" Bonnie smiled, leaning down to nuzzle his forehead.

 

The boy scrunched his nose in embarrassment and made a displeased groan, pulling away to fix his hair again.

 

"You too. Bye dad," he waved to Bonnie.

 

He glanced at Freddy in surprise and looked him up and down awkwardly, but nervously waved to him as well.

 

"... and bye, dad." He finally said before jogging off with his bag.

 

Freddy felt a small smile pull at his lips, finally being acknowledged by the boy. He waved and called back to Gregory 

 

"Goodbye, Gregory! I love you too!" He called out.

 

The boy groaned loudly and covered his face in embarrassment as he stormed past the other kids. Despite their son's displeasure, Bonnie found it very amusing as they watched and made sure they saw him walk into the school gates before leaving.

 

.

 

They picked an outside table in the far back corner of the restaurant, wanting to be secluded. It was located on the seventh floor of a building, so they had a nice view of the sea and the skyline. 

 

They were sitting side by side, because sitting across from each other seemed weird. It felt too much like a date, when this was meant to be a casual outing. And they needed to speak quietly anyway so no one would hear them.

 

Both of them were reading the menu. Freddy had just picked what he wanted, being familiar with this place. He set the packet down and glanced at Bonnie patiently. "Do you know what you're getting?"

 

Bonnie shook his head and laughed as he stared at the menu wide-eyed. "... that's a good question. I have no idea what any of these fancy names mean." 

 

Freddy snickered. "Did you want me to order for you? I think I know what you'll like." 

 

Bonnie set the menu down and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and giving Freddy a playful skeptical look.

 

"Really-? I'll hold you to that, then. No pressure." He pat his shoulder. 

 

"W-well now you made me nervous-!" Freddy chuckled, making Bonnie giggle as well. 

 

The waitress came by a second later and Freddy ordered for both of them, passing her back the menus and turning his attention back to Bonnie so they could talk.

 

"So you've really done nothing new since we split...? I thought you would've remarried, or... maybe got a new haircut or something-" he asked Freddy, ending the sentence in a teasing tone.

 

Freddy huffed in amusement. "No, and no... I haven't had an interest in anyone else. It is... hard for me to fall for people, I suppose." He shrugged.

 

He glanced back at Bonnie. "How about you?" 

 

Bonnie's expression fell solemnly, and he glanced down, resting his elbows on the table.

 

"... well, I... I did..."

 

He finally sighed deeply, his ears falling. 

 

"... I did something so stupid... really fuckin' stupid..." He whispered.

 

Freddy had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going, and he didn't think his heart could take it. He dreaded the answer, but pressed on anyway.

 

"It is alright... whatever it is, it can't be anymore stupid than what I did, right-?" He attempted to cheer the bunny up.

 

Bonnie only smiled slightly, but it fell as quickly as it came.

 

"... A-after everything that happened, and after we seperated, my... my self esteem was on the floor. I was... truly at the lowest part of my life..." His voice trembled slightly.

 

"I-I thought the money I asked you to give me would be enough. Foxy found Gregory and I a cheap place to get me back on my feet, but... I just... couldn't make ends meet..." He hugged himself and hunched over slightly.

 

"The money I asked for was barely enough to pay for rent for two months... especially when I also needed food for Gregory, I needed to send him to school, and I needed money for the bus..." 

 

"... Foxy helped the best he could, but he barely had enough money for himself. I got a job for a while, but... I was let off. Because I couldn't work enough hours. I was already working 60 plus hours a week, but I still had to care for Gregory, I-I tried telling them, I physically c-couldn't take anymore shifts!" 

 

He sighed. "But my boss said he found younger, more fit workers who could work the hours he needed... so he fired me..." 

 

Bonnie sighed shakily. "I-I know that seems irrelevant, but... I was desperate... Gregory and I needed money, and... a-a man stopped me on the street. He showed... interest in me... and he had good money." 

 

"He helped me find work, he was willing to let me and Gregory move in, and Gregory could finally have close to his old life again! And he was... he was nice to Gregory. He helped take care of him well, so... I didn't want to lose him..."

 

Bonnie shuddered. "... b-but he was... he was h-horrible to me..." He whispered, dropping his head and making his ears hang off him.

 

"H-he was just so... m-mean! He... he would get so mad if I messed something up, if I said no to him, if I made him upset, if I bought or did something without his permission..." He went on.

 

Bonnie cursed under his breath. "O-one time, we got into an argument in the morning. I don't even remember what it was about, it was so stupid... but he was off, and I had to work in the diner. I was hoping he'd cool off and be fine by the time I was off..."

 

Bonnie chuckled humorlessly. "... he was so mad, he somehow found a way to lock me out of the apartment... I had to sleep on the floor of the diner that night..." 

 

Freddy was tense as a statue as Bonnie went on, and he had his fists clenched under the table in an attempt to contain himself. The guilt and empathy he felt for Bonnie and his son were immeasurable, but hearing how this man was treating Bonnie was making Freddy's blood boil.

 

"... and it got physical. He was... a lot stronger than I was... usually it was just shoving, a punch on the arm, a slap, or he'd grab my arm really tight and dig his claws in... that was less-heated arguments..." 

 

Bonnie's eyes widened, and he curled in on himself more as he relived the memories. "B-but when we would fight, he... he was terrifying..."

 

"H-he'd throw things, p-pin me against surfaces... he's wrapped his paws around my neck to choke me... he would... t-throw me around and b-beat me..." 

 

He wiped at his eyes as he took a breath to compose himself. It looked as though he has talked about this before and it has been a while, since he was not as distraught as you would expect. 

 

"... h-he would threaten to kick me out and keep Gregory, he would threaten to expose me... he's even threatened to kill me..." 

 

Bonnie sat up. "... and then he would turn around, a-and... c-comfort me, t-tell me how s-sorry he w-was... how much he loved me... he would call me i-irreplaceable, and... say he'd never l-leave..."

 

Bonnie finally seemed to compose himself to the best of his abilities as he went on. "... but he was so good to Gregory. It was like a light switch on and off... he would buy him anything he asked for, he'd bring him out to spend quality time with him, h-he'd help him with his homework, b-boost his confidence, and he hid the abuse from him... so I went along with it. I tolerated it. Because I just... I needed a place to stay, I needed money... n-no matter how much it hurt, as long as Gregory was happy and kept out of it, I could... I could take it..."

 

He started growing upset again and glanced ahead. "... but one day, he and I... we had a really bad fight. He's violent a lot, but... he was very drunk, and he was especially loud, and extra aggressive..."

 

"I-I was trying to avoid him b-because I was afraid, but he wanted attention. When I turned him down, it... it sent him into a rage..."

 

"He was throwing things, screaming, waving a glass bottle around... he ended up throwing it at my head and breaking it. It left me disoriented, and I was losing a lot of blood. He continued yelling at me repeatedly, while I could barely stand..."

 

"... Gregory must have heard my distress, and came in to check on us... and he saw the man punch me in the nose. That was the first time he had ever heard or seen the abuse..."

 

"He hit me so hard, I thought he broke it... I fell to the ground, there was blood all over my face, I was nearly b-blacking out..."

 

"And... you know Gregory, he's like you. He's very protective of his family. He got involved and tried protecting me, and..."

 

Bonnie teared up again and his nose scrunched up.

 

"A-and he got hurt... the man hurt him..." 

 

Bonnie sighed. "I was forcing and m-making Gregory leave the room, but he was trying to c-chase G-Gregory... so I had to keep f-fighting him the best I c-could to keep him a-away from our son..." 

 

"... and eventually we got him out. I got to keep the diner and apartment, but... I was low on money again, I had... no self esteem left... and, poor Gregory was now t-traumatized, and..."

 

He wiped his eyes and cursed under his breath.

 

"T-this was all my fault..." He whispered. "I-I never should've l-let it get to that point. I-I shouldn't have e-enabled him..."

 

Freddy shook his head immediately, placing a firm but reassuring paw on Bonnie's shoulder.

 

"No. Don't ever think like that. None of that was your fault." He stated seriously. 

 

When Bonnie glanced at him unsurely, he doubled down.

 

"You were vulnerable, and he hurt you. He took advantage of you. You were doing what you thought was best for Gregory, even at the cost of your own safety. That is never something to feel ashamed of." He said sternly.

 

His gaze and tone softened, and he glanced down and ahead. "... and besides, if anyone is at fault for that, it's me... I was the one who put you in a position like that. In a position that made you need to resort to that. To take that abuse..."

 

He turned to face Bonnie again, no longer attempting to hide his guilt and heartache.

 

"... and I'm... I'm so... so sorry, Bonnie... I'm so sorry this happened to you! I take full accountability for this... but please, never blame yourself for this, okay...?" He spoke softly and quietly, forcing his voice to remain steady. 

 

Bonnie recovered from his daze and glanced down, shrugging wordlessly. "I-it's okay... I made it out in one peice... and Gregory is safe, that's... that's what matters..."

 

Freddy frowned. "It's more than that, Bonnie. You didn't deserve that. You are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for... you are such a beautiful, and kind, and happy person to be around. You don't have to 'settle' for just anyone, you deserve a man who will cherish you. Every. Single. Day. And who will always treat you with respect. And you should never expect anything less from a partner." 

 

Bonnie stared up at him in surprise again. Before he could comment on that, they were interrupted as their food and drinks were brought to them. When the waitress left, Bonnie glanced at his serving in confusion. 

 

Freddy ordered himself a smoked salmon plate for breakfast, and ordered Bonnie what looked to be French Toast with syrup and berries with a side of fruit. For a drink, Freddy got himself a classic hot cup of coffee, though he would drink it after eating his food, and planned to only drink water while he ate the fish. He ordered a warm strawberry tea for Bonnie.

 

While Bonnie tried the food, Freddy took his tea and added a specific creamer to it. He chuckled at Bonnie's curious expression.

 

"Trust me, you'll like it better with this." He assured.

 

Bonnie tried the food, and only nodded in approval, though his face lit up to show he enjoyed it. He drank from his cup of water to get the taste out before reaching forward and trying the tea. 

 

His face, once again, said it all, as he immediately lit up and took a second sip, making Freddy smile.

 

"I'm glad you like your food. It looks like I still know you fairly well." He joked. 

 

Bonnie's eyes darted to the side and he chuckled sheepishly, reaching for a napkin to wipe his mouth off. Freddy noticed that Bonnie was also using the napkin to hide his now flushed face, but he paid it no mind.

 

"T-thank you... and thank you for what you said about me..." He finally moved his paws away from his mouth.

 

Freddy nodded. "He's just lucky we were not talking at the time. If he tried hurting you like that, and I was called over...?" He chuckled.

 

"... I would be sleeping in a jail cell that night." He claimed.

 

That finally seemed to cheer Bonnie up. He covered his mouth with his paw to contain his giggling, and Freddy heard his tail wagging behind him. 

 

"That would be kind of funny-" Bonnie laughed.

 

Freddy leaned an arm over his own seat to face Bonnie better. "Well, it can still happen, you know. All I need is his name." He kept his same joking smile, though he was not expecting Bonnie to actually give it out. 

 

Bonnie shook his head, his laughter not ceasing. "I can't do that, Freddy!"

 

"It can still work! We can make it look like an accident-" Freddy elbowed Bonnie as he playfully 'schemed' a plot to find the man. It was just making Bonnie laugh harder and playfully push him away. 

 

Freddy had to try really hard to hide his actual murderous anger for the man. He's never felt more enthusiastic to hunt a man down and make him pay. But Bonnie was still healing, and that was more important to him than revenge. They continued their playful banter and teasing over their meal.

 

"Okay, okay... I'll stop now, Bonnie..." He chuckled.

 

Bonnie ceased his laughing as well and offered Freddy a softer smile.

 

"You don't have to keep saying my full name, Freddy. If it's easier to say 'Bon' again, you can." He nodded to him.

 

Freddy's heart soared at the sentiment and he nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Bon."

Chapter 11

Notes:

11,114 fucking words. That's all I'm going to say. Goodluck! ✌️

Freddy turned the small knob on the car dashboard to turn on the radio as he drove through the dark, nearly empty streets. He reached down to the handle at his side and turned it, cracking the window open by an inch to feel the cold, night air. He took a sigh of relief as he leaned back in the chair to keep driving.

 

He loved the cold weather. It was late fall, more specifically, November 14th. Winter was just beginning, and the weather forecast predicted they would be seeing snow soon. This season also brought his two favorite holidays.

 

Or, what were his two favorite holidays. Back when he had his family. Now that he was alone, he never celebrated them. 

 

The shops and restaurants around the paved sidewalks and roads were beginning to close. It was almost midnight at this point, and he was just driving home after meeting privately with his family's doctor.

 

He idly listened to the station's hosts and the songs playing over the speakers as he watched the road ahead. Once the man over the line stopped talking, the next song on the track played. Freddy felt his heart drop the second he heard the first few notes. 

 

He shut off the entire radio before the lyrics even got a chance to begin as he began to shake. 

 

His old favorite song, 'Daisy Bell', had began playing. What had once brought him such nostalgia and joy, now carried a deep-rooted sensation of guilt and pure, self-hatred and indignation. He has felt a looming sense of dread the past few days and could not pinpoint why, but this song was a stark reminder. Tomorrow was a very big day for their family. Quite possibly, what he considers the worst day of his life. He had been so focused on the mission and Bonnie and Gregory being back, he lost track of the calendar that would have warned him of this day coming. 

 

He tensed his paws tighter around the steering wheel and increased his speed, deciding he should hurry home as soon as possible. If he was left alone any longer, he feared he would become a danger on the road. 

 

..

 

"I can certainly let them know, sir. When did you need that report by?" 

 

Freddy stole a glance at the clock they had walked by to check the time. He nearly did a double-take as it read 10:45 P.M.

 

He had been discussing reports and earnings from casinos around the area with one of his more influential men. 

 

Crime was very organized in these times. There was usually one crime family that dominated the country, with the Don being the head, of course. But the Don also served as the 'Napoleon', or in more business terms: the 'C.E.O.' of crime, who ran the other criminal networks. The three biggest ones were: The Gambling and Casino Network, the Drug Trafficking Network, and the Prostitution Network. The man he was currently speaking to was considered the unofficial head of the Gambling Network, since he was the most well-known and owned most of the Casinos in the city. He was a well-spoken cat with deep black fur and bright yellow eyes, and he went by the name Fausto.

 

He sighed deeply. "Anytime within the next three days should work... i-it looks like I lost track of the time, I need to return to my family." They started walking to the exit quicker.

 

The feline nodded in understanding. "Very well. I'll get out of your hair, then. I'm sure you two must be tired." He gave Freddy a knowing smile. 

 

Freddy nodded with exasperation. "Yes, it's been quite a lot on us... but we're making it. Little by little." He shrugged. 

 

Fausto hummed in acknowledgment as they made it to the large, cedar front doors. He slipped on his bowling hat again and waved farewell to Freddy as he left.

 

Once he was gone, and the door was locked, Freddy left to the last place he remembered his husband being in to find him. He made it up the stairs to the new bedroom and knocked gently on the door. When he got no response, he slowly creaked the door open to peek in to the dimly lit room. 

 

The only dull, amber light emitted from a standing lamp in the far right corner, which stood beside a large velvet rocking chair that was a shade of deep navy blue in color. On the chair, was Bonnie's laying form draped in a quilt.

 

He was clearly asleep, evident from his mess of hair and his peaceful expression. Gregory was sitting on his lap and resting against him with his arms and legs wrapped tightly around his father's torso. Under the blanket, as well, was a small bundle of cloth sleeping against Bonnie's chest by his collar bone.

 

Freddy quietly made his way to the chair to get a better look, and an involuntary smile pulled at his face at the sight of his family. He lifted a paw and gently cradled the back of the baby's head, lingering there with his gaze on his new daughter, whom was still a newborn, at only four days old. Bonnie had been watching and caring for the children alone for a few hours now while Freddy was working and going from meeting to meeting, so he assumed his husband had passed out while giving the girl a nap. 

 

Freddy finally turned his attention back to his husband. As much as he hated to wake him, he knew there was no way he could bring all three of their sleeping forms to bed. He set a paw on Bonnie's shoulder and shifted him gently, being cautious so as to not scare him, or to wake the children 

 

"Wake up, dear..." He whispered by his ear.

 

Bonnie hummed and began to stir slightly. His eyes fluttered open until they were half-lidded. He glanced at Freddy through his eye lashes and furrowed his brows, still only half awake. 

 

Freddy chuckled in endearment and raised the paw on Bonnie's shoulder up to cradle his cheek affectionately. 

 

"I just finished. Let's get the three of you to bed." He whispered. 

 

Bonnie took a second to process what he said before nodding sluggishly and turning down to the two children holding onto him.

 

Freddy carefully slipped the blanket off and finally got a better look at his baby girl. She was still swaddled in a blanket and held in place by Bonnie's arm on the arm rest. Her round, plump face was squished against him and her breathing was quick, though that was normal for new babies. He felt his heart melt at the sight of her.

 

Her name was Daisy. She was named after the song 'Daisy Bell', which was very sentimental to Freddy. It was the song that made him fall in love with Bonnie in the first place. She was a bunny with pure white fur and Freddy's deep blue eyes.

 

Even though the girl was only a few days old, she seemed to have grown attached to Freddy. As an infant, Gregory clung to Bonnie. Which Freddy expected, since he spent the most time with him. But from the moment he first held her, Daisy was drawn to Freddy. And while it was normal for a kid to be closer to one parent than the other, for Freddy, it was so much deeper than that. It was similar to what he felt when he and Bonnie kissed for the first time. It made him feel like he was more than just a criminal. To Daisy, and to his family, he was a hero. They looked up to him, and could see him for who he truly was, not for what he's done. 

 

Gregory woke up as he felt Bonnie move and groaned in retaliation, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Bonnie chuckled and ran a lazy paw through his bangs while Freddy carefully took Daisy off of him.

 

"Sorry, kiddo... let's get you to bed." He ushered Gregory off the chair before sliding off himself and placing the quilt down. He was about to start folding it, but Freddy stopped him.

 

"Don't worry about cleaning up, I'll take care of it." He held the girl close to his chest to keep her safe from the cold, early winter air as they all stood up to leave.

 

It felt like she was made of paper. That if he moved her wrong, her little form would crumble. She was just so small and delicate, it was so endearing to Freddy. He wished he was able to hold Gregory more when he was this age. 

 

He walked by Bonnie's side as his husband held the boy's paw and they walked to his room. Freddy glanced back down at Daisy again. She was a smaller in height than Gregory was when he was born, though she was much pudgier and rounder. She was also was not as fussy, and required less maintenance. 

 

They tucked Gregory into bed first. They made sure he was warm and comfortable, and both parents left him with a kiss goodnight. Once they closed his door, they brought Daisy to her crib in their room. As Freddy was about to set the girl down, she finally awoke from her rest and began crying out in distress. Her eyes squeezed shut, and her arms broke out of the swaddle blanket. She flailed her arms helplessly in front of her.

 

Freddy lifted her again and tried rocking the baby in an attempt to comfort her. Even though babies were supposed to cry often, it still broke his heart hearing it.

 

Bonnie eased to Freddy that she just needed to be fed, and took her back to briefly care for her until she settled. Freddy hovered beside them to help when he could. Bonnie always found his fretting and concern amusing, and kept reassuring him that this was natural, and both of them were okay. Freddy admired and looked up to his husband for his seemingly endless patience. When Daisy was calm again, Bonnie offered her back to Freddy so he could tuck her in. 

 

Freddy leaned down to kiss Bonnie's cheek affectionately. "Thank you. Please rest, my love..." He whispered. 

 

Bonnie readily jumped at the offer, neither of them having slept well for days since she was born. He offered Freddy a grateful smile before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and leaving to get ready for bed. Freddy watched him before turning his attention back to the baby. 

 

He watched as the infant yawned and lifted her arms to wipe over her face, like she was trying to rub her eyes. It took effort to steady his paws enough to wrap her up in her swaddle, as he was getting overwhelmed with emotion again. When he was sure she was secured, he carefully positioned her in the crib and watched to make sure she was asleep. Before retiring to bed with Bonnie, he kept his attention on the girl for a moment longer. 

 

He carefully lowered his paw to gently caress her face with his finger. The amount of protectiveness and unconditional love he already felt for his baby girl was overwhelming.

 

..

 

"You did it so good before, just try again!" Bonnie motivated gently as he lifted the girl under her arms to hold her in a standing position. He sat cross legged behind Daisy to support her as they tried getting her to walk. 

 

The one-year-old whined in frustration as she struggled to support herself on her feet, even with Bonnie holding her up. She turned down and immediately grew distracted as she tried fixing her pale yellow babydoll dress. This made her lose her balance again, and she immediately fell forward, but Bonnie's hold kept her up. In her eyes, this seemed like a punishment. 

 

Freddy watched from the side and finally walked a few feet away in front of Bonnie and knelt down to face them. He opened his arms and put on his brightest smile to hopefully encourage her forward. 

 

"Go on, babycakes! Go to papa!" Bonnie encouraged, loosening his hold on her and allowing her freedom to move. 

 

When she saw Freddy gesturing her forward, her excitement grew immediately. She giggled and glanced down at her feet again curiously before beginning to slowly menuver one foot in front of the other. Bonnie let go completely after she got far enough away, and Freddy opened his arms wider to keep her attention and engage her further. 

 

The girl's arms were stiff and awkward, and stumbled quite often. She nearly fell forward halfway, but kept advancing towards Freddy enthusiastically. After nearly a minute, she made it and fell forward onto Freddy's lap, finally losing her balance. 

 

He felt a wave of pride in that moment that he could not even put into words. All he could do was lift the girl into his arms and stand up, tossing her lightly into the air and pulling her into a big hug. 

 

"You did it! That's my girl!" He cheered for her, making her bounce and kick her legs in excitement at the praise.

 

Bonnie stood up as well and ran over, cupping her cheeks in his paws and nuzzling her nose affectionately. "Good job, Daisy!" He congratulated. 

 

Gregory had jogged into the room now, hearing the commotion. Seeing that all the attention was on Daisy, and not him, the four-year-old pouted and made his way over to his parents. "What happened??"

 

Bonnie lifted the boy up to hold him on his hip and showed him his sister.

 

"Daisy just walked for the first time! She's going to be walking now!" 

 

Instead of excitement, the boy groaned in annoyance and buried his face in his paws.

 

"Now she'll never leave me alone-!" He complained.

 

..

 

Daisy truly brought so much joy into his life. She was like his little princess. Bonnie had began calling her a 'daddy's girl' in reference to Freddy specifically because as she grew older, she only clung onto him more and more. And Freddy loved it.

 

It was like he was a hero. In her eyes, he was the bravest, the smartest, and the strongest man in the world. The way Daisy saw him was so different than Gregory did at her age. Because Freddy never had a good relationship with his parents, he was not familiar with whatever Daisy saw in him. 

 

Freddy was pulled from his paperwork as he felt a gentle tug on his dress pants. He pushed his wooden and velvet cushioned chair out and glanced down. His dull, working mood was immediately lightened at the sight of Daisy. The three-year-old was in one of her princess dress-up gowns with a plastic, crooked tiara on her head. 

 

Freddy chuckled in amusement and lifted the girl onto his lap to bounce her. He gave her his undivided attention.

 

"Hello, Daisy! How can I help you?" He asked.

 

The girl's arms flew over her head and she bounced on his lap. "Play with me!" She demanded.

 

Freddy's smile faltered as he glanced back at his stack of paperwork, then back to the girl.

 

"I'd love to, sweetie... but I still have a lot of work to do. I can always play later-?" He offered. 

 

The girl pouted and balled her fists up. "Dress up!" She demanded again.

 

Freddy sighed deeply. He could not say 'no' to his children. He lifted her and set her down again, standing up and brushing his pants off.

 

"... alright. Lead the way, your majesty." He played along. 

 

The girl cheered and giggled enthusiastically before scampering off, gesturing for Freddy to follow her, which he did. 

 

Gregory had been dragged into playing, too. The six-year-old wore a blanket tied around his neck to mimic a cape and held a wooden sword. Daisy wanted Freddy to be the 'big, scary dragon'.

 

He knew he was just creating more work for himself later, but the joy and laughter he brought to his kids from playing their game made it more than worth it.

 

He was currently pinned on the ground by both children as they 'finished him off', when the door opened and grabbed everyone's attention. 

 

Bonnie stood at the doorway with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. 

 

"What is going on in here??" He giggled.

 

"We're fighting the dragon!" Daisy stood up and pointed at Freddy.

 

He used this opportunity while the children were distracted to stand up again. Bonnie made his way over to Freddy. 

 

"That's an awfully big dragon you're fighting-" Bonnie teased, elbowing his torso playfully. He giggled as Freddy cleared his throat and brushed off his clothes.

 

"Not that big-"

 

He looked back at his laughing husband because he just couldn't help himself. The way Bonnie's eyes sparkled whenever he laughed was addicting to Freddy. All of his favorite photos of Bonnie featured him smiling or laughing in some way, and he always encouraged his husband to do so for pictures, even if it was considered 'immature' or 'unprofessional'.

 

Not to mention his dimples. Bonnie had the cutest little Dahlia Dimples. Freddy was so overjoyed when they learned Daisy had inherited Bonnie's smile. His dimples paired with his round cheeks, and the way his nose scrunched up whenever he laughed was absolutely tantalizing to Freddy. His smile was one of the most attractive things about Bonnie in his eyes.

 

Freddy felt a surge of love aggression for the bunny. Sometimes, even the sight of his husband alone was enough to alter his brain chemistry and make him act like an excited child. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around Bonnie and pulled him in. He leaned in and began pecking and nibbling on his cheek, making Bonnie laugh harder and half-heartedly try pushing him away. 

 

"The dragon's trying to eat daddy!" Daisy gasped in alarm. Gregory only cringed in disgust at his parents' lovey display and turned away.

 

..

 

Bonnie and Freddy jumped in alarm at the sound of a high-pitched scream from the house, followed by quick running their direction. It was Daisy's voice. 

 

Freddy's protective instincts kicked in, and both parents stopped what they were doing in the kitchen and braced themselves, expecting an emergency. 

 

The girl ran in a moment later. She looked unharmed, but pitiful tears were running down her eyes, and she was cradling something in her paws.

 

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?!" Bonnie approached her cautiously to look her over. 

 

"M-my tooths fell out-!" The four-year-old sobbed, holding out the slightly bloody tooth for her dads to see. 

 

"She's being so dramatic! I didn't cry this much when I lost my first tooth!" Gregory complained as he stomped in a minute later, annoyance visible on his face.

 

Freddy took a breath of relief, feeling calmer knowing both children were safe. He approached Daisy and knelt down to get a better look. Seeing how upset she was, he offered her a sympathetic smile and placed a reassuring paw on her back.

 

"Don't be rude, Gregory... this is new for her. What if your dad and I told you that when you lost your tooth?" Freddy reprimanded the boy.

 

Gregory crossed his arms, though his face softened and he glanced down, realizing his mistake. Freddy used his other paw to wipe away her tears.

 

"Don't cry, sweetie! This happens to every child your age. After you lose a tooth, it grows back stronger!" He encouraged.

 

The girl sniffled. "I-it grows b-back...?" 

 

Freddy nodded. "Of course it does! And you know the best part about losing a tooth?" He asked, taking it from her to clean it off.

 

"... what??" The girl asked in awe.

 

Bonnie stepped in now. "Before you go to sleep tonight, you get to put the tooth under your pillow. While you're sleeping, the tooth fairy comes to take it, and leaves money under your pillow!" He smiled.

 

Daisy gasped. "I'll be rich!" 

 

Freddy chuckled with a nod, gesturing for her to come over to the sink. When she was there, he lifted her up to help clean her mouth out. 

 

"My teeth already grew back, huh?" Gregory asked Bonnie, jogging over to be involved in the event. Bonnie tittered and shook his head, placing a paw on his back. 

 

"Some of your teeth may have, but you still have a few more to lose before you have all your adult teeth." 

 

They gave Daisy a small amount of ice cream to soothe any swelling or pain in her mouth, and got the children ready for bed. They helped the girl set the tooth under her pillow and tuck her in.

 

"How much will the tooth fairy give me??" She asked, kicking her legs under the blanket excitedly.

 

The girl's innocence and wonder was so new and unfamiliar to Freddy. He never got to grow up with that kind of childhood, and he has never seen that in his work. It felt like being wrapped in a blanket of warm, soft love for her. He had seen for himself all the evils of the world, and how cruel people could be, and he was determined to protect this pure ray of light with his dying breath. 

 

"I'm not sure... we'll need to see what she leaves you in the morning." He assured.

 

Bonnie adjusted the pillow behind her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "But she'll only come if she knows you're really asleep. So no faking it." He warned with a soft smile.

 

The girl nodded quickly. "Okay! I'll really sleep!" She promised, curling up tighter in the sheets. 

 

"Goodnight, daddies!" She yawned, pushing her face deeper into her pillow. 

 

Freddy snickered, standing up and leaning down to kiss her forehead gently. "Goodnight, princess." 

 

When they were finished, he wrapped a gentle arm over Bonnie's waist and pulled him in, placing a small kiss on his temple as they walked out and closed the door to her room. 

 

..

 

"Wake up, papa!" 

 

Freddy was jolted awake by the feeling of a heavy weight dropping on his stomach. It took him a second to realize it was Daisy who had jumped on him. 

 

"Daisy! Let your dad sleep, he worked a lot yesterday!" Bonnie chided.

 

When Freddy finally came to his senses, he realized why he felt so warm. He was in bed with half of his body under the blanket, laying with his head and upper back on Bonnie's lap and lower gut. His husband was laying sitting up on the pillows with his legs folded to his side, and he had a loose arm over Freddy's chest. The morning sun was shining through the windows of their room, and their two kids were on the bed in their pajamas. 

 

"Sorry, teddy... the kids came in here to ask for something." Bonnie spoke softly with a gentle smile. He leaned down and placed a light peck on Freddy's temple and began petting his head with his other paw. The corners of Freddy's eyes wrinkled as his own smile grew, and he purred in content. He slid his own paw to hold Bonnie's on his chest and lifted it to kiss his palm affectionately. 

 

"It's okay... I'd rather spend time with you guys." Freddy assured him. 

 

"How much work did he actually do? Cause dad's always tired." Gregory teased, crawling over to kneel beside Freddy. 

 

Freddy snickered in amusement at his son's attitude. He reached his arm out and threw it over the boy's shoulder, pulling him in gently to ruffle his hair. 

 

"I did a lot of work yesterday, brat!" 

 

The boy giggled and squirmed away from his hold while the others laughed at the display. 

 

"What were the kids asking for, anyway?" Freddy collected himself again and looked back up at his husband, taking his paw again. 

 

"Can we see a movie today?! Please??" Daisy asked, bouncing on Freddy's gut again. 

 

Freddy chuckled. "Is there even a movie playing in theaters today...?" 

 

Bonnie shrugged. "We'd need to check... but I can take them if you're too tired." He offered, his look turning to one of concern. 

 

Freddy shook his head and shifted so he could sit up with his husband. When they were at the same level, he pulled Bonnie to lay against his side and kissed his cheek, then turned back to his kids.

 

"It's alright! We should go, I'd love to spend my day off with you guys." He said genuinely. 

 

The girl cheered in delight and hugged Freddy's side tightly. He watched as her tail wagged rapidly in excitement as she did.

 

"Thank you, papa! I love you!" She smiled.

 

Freddy's heart soared at that statement. Even if he was sure she was just saying it to get what she wanted, it meant the entire world to him. He turned to Gregory and pulled him in as well until he was holding his entire family. Once he did, he turned back to Daisy and nuzzled her forehead softly.

 

"I love you more. All of you..." His voice shook earnestly. 

 

..

 

"It was a fun party, but I didn't see Gregory the entire time." Freddy chuckled from where he was sitting in the limousine. Bonnie, who was pressed against his side with his legs folded up, shook with soft laughter.

 

"He was there, he was just hugging my leg the entire time." 

 

Gregory crossed his arms with a huff, sitting in the faux leather seat across from his family. "I just don't like parties! It's too much talking." 

 

Daisy giggled from where she was sitting on Freddy's lap. "Greg-gree's too scared to talk to other kids!" She pointed at him.

 

The boy's ears pinned defensively. "Am not! I just don't like it!"

 

"Cry-baby!" The five-year-old kicked her feet energetically. 

 

Bonnie gently pinched and pulled the side of the girl's ear. It did not hurt her at all, but it was enough to get her attention. 

 

"Don't call your brother names. He has feelings just like you do." He chided gently, but firmly. 

 

Gregory scoffed. "If she called me a name, I should be able to call her a name back!" The boy sat up on his knees and placed his paws on his hips. 

 

Freddy only watched his family in silent amusement. Bonnie chuckled and turned back to the boy. 

 

"There's no reason to call anyone names. Your sister was just about to apologize for saying that to you." Bonnie turned to her expectantly. 

 

Daisy sighed begrudgingly. "... sorry." She forced out. 

 

Gregory sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah... it's fine." 

 

Daisy brightened up again and waved her poofy, sheer yellow princess dress again. "I had the best birthday ever! Everyone loved my dress!"

 

Freddy chuckled and pinched her cheek affectionately. He had rented a nice venue and planned a special birthday for the girl since she was turning five, which they considered a big birthday. Gregory's fifth birthday was also very grand and planned out, though he grew anxious at big parties, so they did not plan one. 

 

"I'm glad you liked it! You looked beautiful tonight, sweetie." He assured.

 

The girl giggled bashfully. She rolled onto her knees and lifted herself up with her paws on Freddy's chest until they were eye level. "I'm getting so old! Soon I'm gonna' be as old as you!" She gasped.

 

Both Bonnie and Freddy laughed in amusement at that. Bonnie leaned in to nuzzle her forehead affectionately. "You still have a while, your father and I are pretty old!" 

 

After a moment, Bonnie's smile fell suddenly, and his eyes widened. He pulled away as his ears shot up in alarm.

 

Freddy knew what that meant. Bonnie's hearing and instincts were never wrong. He immediately lowered Daisy and turned to his husband. "What's wrong?" He watched as Gregory had grown alert as well, having heard something similar to what his father did. 

 

After another moment of silence, Bonnie gestured for Freddy to be silent and looked out the back window. After a minute, he visibly paled in fear and shifted away. He turned to Freddy again and leaned in close to whisper so the kids would not hear. 

 

"There're cars speeding from both ends of the road towards us! We're cornered!"

 

Freddy's blood ran cold at the realization. He acted fast and picked up Daisy, placing her in Bonnie's hold roughly. "Hold onto her!" He ordered, standing up and rushing to the small window to speak to their driver. Bonnie called Gregory over to hold him as well while they watched him nervously. 

 

Freddy warned the driver about the oncoming danger. Once he did, he ran back to his family. 

 

"Daddy, what's happening??" Daisy glanced up at Bonnie fearfully. 

 

Freddy took a deep breath to calm himself. "I-it's okay... we're okay, don't worry." He tried reassuring them.

 

All four of them suddenly flew to the right side of the limousine rather harshly as the driver made an incredibly sharp turn. It was early winter, and snow was already beginning to fall, which made the road slippery. It did not help that the road they were driving on was on the side of a steep cliff in a wooded area. They were strategically targeted in this area because they had no where to go. There were not any buildings nearby for at least another two miles. 

 

Freddy just had to hope their driver knew what he was doing. He was a family driver, so it would not he his first time in a life-threatening situation like this. 

 

But this was the first time his children would be exposed to this. All of their lives, he's fought tooth and nail to keep his children safe. To keep them as far away from this as he possibly could. And yet, it always found a way of coming back to him. 

 

Freddy could now see headlights in the back rearwindow of the limousine driving towards them. He looked closely, and only had a second to react as he noticed one of them open the window and stick an arm out. 

 

"GET ON THE GROUND! STAY AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!" Freddy yelled to the others. 

 

Thankfully, Bonnie was quick to react. He grabbed both of the children and dove onto the ground, shielding them with his own body. The second he did, two gunshots rang out their direction. 

 

Freddy ran to turn off the lights of the car so the enemies could not see them. Only then did he kneel down and help them sit up again. Bonnie and Gregory were still in a state of shock and fear, while poor Daisy burst into a fit of fearful tears. 

 

"Papa, what's happening?! I'm scared-!" Daisy crawled over, looking to him for protection. 

 

Before Freddy could try to reassure her, they were once again thrown off balance by another sharp turn of the limousine.  

 

Freddy saw that Daisy had landed next to Bonnie, and decided it was safer if someone held her.

 

"Bonnie! Hold onto Daisy for now!" 

 

His husband crawled over to her and held her close. He didn't say anything, but his facial expression said it all. He, too, was looking to Freddy with the same fear as the kids were, desperate for some kind of guidance. 

 

More gunshots rang out again, and Freddy had to duck as he heard one of them break through the window and barely miss him. 

 

Gregory had clung onto one of the leather seats of the car for leverage and glanced out the left-side window that was facing the cliff. The boy tensed and leaned away as he saw something ahead.

 

"Dad... DAD-!" He cried out in alarm.

 

Freddy and Bonnie barely had time to spot the oncoming headlights heading straight for the limousine before the driver must have panicked and suddenly swerved towards the cliff end of the road to avoid the direct collision.

 

Over the sounds of his family's screaming, the sound of a single gun shot and glass shattering rang out. Someone had shot the driver through the windshield. 

 

The next thing Freddy knew, the entire vehicle drove through the railing and was speeding uncontrollably off the hill. It all happened too fast for him to process. The limousine suddenly hit a tree head-on and sent the family flying towards the front. 

 

Freddy could not see or keep track of the others, but Grgeory had landed directly on top of him. He used this split second to wrap himself around the boy to shield him as they continued falling. The hit caused the long vehicle to fall backwards, in which it hit another tree from the back. 

 

The car had finally flipped. It tumbled and rolled down the hill, scathing a few more small trees before the center collided with a massive tree at the bottom of the cliff. The force of the crash caused the entire vehicle to split in half, and it sent Freddy flying out onto the cold grass. He blacked out immediately on impact with the ground.

 

He did not realize he regained consciousness again until he was hit with a pounding pain in his head. It felt like his skull was about to implode. 

 

Freddy forced his eyes opened, or rather, attempted to. One of his eyes was stuck closed from the heavy trail of blood pouring down his face. The vision in his other eye was blurry and shaky. 

 

He heard his son's cries of pain, but it sounded like he was underwater. He forced himself to wake up fully and unwrapped his arms, relieved to see his son was still secured in his hold, and seemed relatively unharmed. 

 

Gregory whimpered in fear and dug his claws into his chest, pulling himself closer. Freddy gave him a brief hug back before gently pulling him away. As much as he wanted to comfort the boy more, he had to make sure he and the others were not critically injured. 

 

He held the boy's shoulders and looked him over. "A-are you hurt??" His voice was broken and scratchy. 

 

The boy hiccuped and wiped his eyes. "M-my paw h-h-hurts...!" He sobbed, holding the tense limb out for him to see. Freddy carefully took it to look it over, noting how the boy hissed in pain at the touch. 

 

He could see that his thumb was either dislocated or broken, and the entirety of the back of his arm was bruised and scratched up, but he was otherwise okay. 

 

Freddy took a shaky sigh of relief. He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the injury, doing his best to give the boy a reassuring look.

 

"Y-you're okay! It's just a little injury, it's an easy fix..." He whispered shakily.

 

Gregory nodded shakily and wiped his eyes. Now that he knew the boy was safe, he gazed with a look of horror over the accident. All he could see was half of the now mangled limousine on the dark grass surrounded by shattered glass and metal scraps. 

 

He coughed. "Honey...? B-Bonnie-?!" He cried, forcing himself to uneasy feet. Once he was up, he offered his paw to Gregory and helped him to stand, guiding him towards the others. He wanted to keep him close in the dark, unfamiliar woods. 

 

He ignored his heavy limp as he carefully menuvered the boy through the broken glass on the ground, looking for Bonnie and Daisy in the rubble.

 

He finally managed to catch sight of his husband's pale blue fur amidst the dark wilderness and machinery. Though his condition was worse than Freddy imagined. 

 

He could only make out Bonnie's arm sticking out from under the back half of the car that was crushed against a tree.

 

Freddy prayed silently that Bonnie had space between him and the vehicle, and the car did not land directly on top of him. His chances of survival would be near zero if that happened. 

 

He gathered all the remaining strength he had and forced his shoulders and back under the back of the car, attempting to lift it off of Bonnie. His coursing adrenaline helped, but not by much.

 

Unfortunately, only the trunk broke off, since it was already beginning to crumble. One of the tires also rolled off, which exposed Bonnie's upper body. He was pinned against the tree with only his head, chest, and his left arm free. The rest of his body was under the bottom half of the car. 

 

He was currently unresponsive. His face was also bleeding and cut up like Freddy's, and he had shards of glass caught in his arms and cheeks. He had a small stream of blood running from his nose and mouth, though it did not look too heavy. 

 

Freddy felt his soul shatter at the sight. He limped to his side and knelt down to inspect him closer. He ran a gentle paw over Bonnie's face and tried speaking quietly to wake him. 

 

"Bon...? Honey, please..." His voice shook.

 

"I-is he d-dead?!" Gregory's pitiful voice rose like he was about to cry again, and he walked to stand behind Freddy and peek over his shoulder. Freddy quickly gestured for him to calm down before turning to try and wake him again.

 

After almost a minute of silence and his gentle petting, Bonnie finally showed some sign of life. He suddenly coughed violently and shook as his blood-shot eyes tried focusing on him. 

 

"F-Fre... Fred...dy...?" He choked out. 

 

Freddy laughed tearfully in relief and nodded quickly. "Y-yes, it's me... I'll get you out of here." He bent down to check if there was a way to get Bonnie out safely.

 

"I c-can't m-move... m-my legs..." Bonnie forced out, trying in vain to pull himself out. That only heightened Freddy's fear that his body could be crushed under the vehicle. He tried not to let it get to him as he turned and used his back to lift the car a few inches. Thankfully, the car was not crushing him. As soon as he was given more room, Bonnie's legs began weakly bending and moving in an attempt to scoot himself away. Of course he was unable to, so Freddy used his free paws to grab hold of Bonnie's under arms and tried dragging him out. He was unable to pull him out while lifting the car, but Gregory stepped in and helped Bonnie pull himself the rest of the way out. As soon as he was freed, Freddy dropped the piece of the car and rushed to his husband's side. He propped Bonnie up against the tree to get a better look at his condition.

 

He had more glass fragments caught primarily on the right side and back of his face, arm, and torso, as well as gashes around the rest of his chest. He likely broke through the window and flew out from the force of the crash. He was extremely lucky to land on soft grass and soil, and even more lucky that the car did not end up crushing him, or catching fire. He was taking heaving breaths annd gritting his teeth in pain. Unfortunately, Freddy could not do anything for his injuries, but they did not seem life threatening as of now. 

 

It looked like when the limousine split in half, Bonnie and perhaps Daisy were stuck at the back. Bonnie must have been launched out the window and landed by the tree, then the back of the car rolled over and pinned him under it. Daisy was not in the car part that was on top of Bonnie, which meant she was either on the other side with Freddy and Gregory, or she had flown out in a different direction. 

 

Now that he could see his husband was alive, he felt himself tearing up more in relief. He let out a quiet sob and cradled Bonnie's battered face in his palms, leaning in kiss his temple and press their foreheads together for silent reassurance. Once he pulled away, Gregory immediately dove in to cry into Bonnie's chest, being just as relieved that he was safe. The bunny managed to lift his right arm, that had been under the car, to carefully wrap around the boy in return. 

 

"D-Daisy... w-where's... D-Dais... Daisy...?" Bonnie whispered. 

 

Freddy forced himself to uneasy feet again, catching himself as he almost fell immediately. 

 

"I'm going to find her now... just... stay here. Try to stay quiet." He warned. 

 

He moved to the other side to look through the rest of the rubble. He did not know if she was still in the car or if she had fallen out, and he was not sure which was worse. His heart was pounding in dread the longer he searched for the small girl. Seeing Bonnie's horrific condition, as an able-bodied adult, he couldn't imagine what could happen to a small child. He forced that thought out of his head for now as he kept searching. 

 

He nearly cried out in relief when he saw white fur against the dark grass. He ran over to the girl and picked her up immediately, instinctively rushing her back to the others. Only then did he kneel down to inspect her. He sat cross-legged and carefully set her to lay as comfortably on his lap as possible. 

 

It was worse than he could have imagined. The girl had sustained the most damage of all of them. It was not surprising, but he still could not have imagined this outcome. 

 

Her left arm was very disfigured and obviously broken, which left a lot of bruises in the area. She had a few glass shards and scuff marks all over her frame. But none of those injuries were what concerned Freddy most.

 

There was a steady, nonstop stream of blood actively coming from her mouth and nose. She was having to take deep, slow breaths, but her breathing was shaky, and was making a gurgling noise. Like there was water in her lungs. Her eyes were squeezed shut and rushing with tears, and her whole face was scrunched up in an expression of unbearable pain.

 

Freddy was at a loss of what to do. He reached a shaky paw out to take one of her's, hoping to provide her with some comfort. Whatever was left of his broken heart shattered into million pieces as he watched her small, bloodied and trembling paw attempt to hold his. 

 

Bonnie seemed to take the words right out of his mouth. He was interrupted from his shock as he heard his husband cry out from the side and drag his weakened body across dirty ground.

 

"D-Daisy...!" He stopped and managed to sit with his legs loosely folded and draped lifelessly in front of him at Freddy's side. When he was close enough, he slipped one of his paws behind the girl's head, using the other one to gently run through her bangs. 

 

"Y-you're okay... it's okay, baby, shh..." He leaned down to her ear and whispered to her, leaving a few soft kisses on her forehead. He let his head linger there and continued whispering reassurances to her while Freddy tried in vain to think of some sort of solution. But the cruel realty was, there was nothing he could do. It was all internal. They were a long way from any sort of help, and the enemies that were hunting them in the first place were likely searching the woods for them right now. They were basically sitting, injured ducks. 

 

Daisy finally managed to open her eyes halfway, and the first thing she did was glance at Freddy with a mix of fear and trust. Her grip on his paw tightened exponentially. 

 

Like any kid, she was expecting and hoping that her father was going to protect her. Freddy had always been her hero. Even at this second, she believed Freddy was going to save her, and make everything right somehow. 

 

But he couldn't. 

 

He could only watch helplessly as her trembling began to subside. He watched her bright, innocent eyes slowly dull into empty, soulless lenses. Eventually, her breathing stopped entirely. Her dead, blackened eyes were frozen on Freddy. Looking straight through him, directly into his soul. He did not even process what happened at that second. Not until Bonnie snapped him back into reality. 

 

His husband must have noticed her stillness and lifted his head suddenly to look her over. Seeing her condition, his face contorted into an expression of horror and heartache. In a state of a denial, he gently shook her to get her attention. 

 

"S-sweetie?? B-baby-cakes...? Daisy-!?" He cried desperately. 

 

The girl did not respond to anything. Her cold eyes remained on Freddy.  

 

Freddy was trapped in what felt like a void. Everything around him sounded like static. All he could see were those horrific eyes. He was left in a state of absolute shock. His feelings were too strong, and too intense to even express. 

 

He could vaguely hear Bonnie's wail of anguish at his side. His husband had lost control and collapsed onto Freddy's lap with his head buried in Daisy's shoulder. 

 

Gregory, who had been standing and watching anxiously on his other side, was now frantically questioning his parents in his own shock and denial. 

 

But because Freddy was still stuck in a state of fight or flight, he was more aware of their surroundings than the others were. He froze in dread as he heard more footsteps and voices from further in the distances. 

 

The men had been looking for them, and their cries led the enemies directly to them. 

 

Freddy had to make a split second decision, but it had to be done. He had to protect the rest of his family. 

 

He always had to be the bad guy. That was all he was good for, in the end. He always had to hurt his family. To ruin everything. 

 

Gregory heard the voices as well and turned that direction before glancing at Freddy expectantly. 

 

Without warning, Freddy lifted Daisy and set her down in front of him before standing up. 

 

Bonnie had not noticed anything happening through his weeping, and only turned to Freddy in confusion. This was only short lived. 

 

Within a second, Freddy hooked his arm around Bonnie and threw him over his shoulder, knowing he could not walk on his own. He grabbed Gregory in his other paw and lifted him to his chest. He took his gun with him and darted through a set of trees. 

 

He found one of the mangled car doors beside a few trees and huddled his family between them, picking up the door and setting it on top of them to hide. He used the brush and dead leaves around them as well to create a quick hiding spot. 

 

"WAIT...! BUT DAISY-" Bonnie's cry was cut off as Freddy forced a rough paw over his mouth to muffle his voice. He pulled Bonnie to his chest and held him close, allowing him to weep into his torso while he kept his paw over his husband's mouth to silence him. Bonnie tried pushing him away and ripping his arm off, but Freddy was much stronger than he was. He hated that he had to do this, and he's never had to use his strenght against his husband like this, but Bonnie was not thinking clearly right now. If he let his husband cry, those men would hunt the rest of them down. 

 

He sternly gestured to Gregory to be quiet as well. To his relief, the boy was too much in shock and too fearful to argue, and only covered his own mouth and scooted closer to Freddy anxiously. 

 

Freddy peeked through the shattered window of the door with his gun ready at the rest of the accident. He could see Daisy's body ahead, and he could see light emerging from the trees. 

 

He could not carry his gun, his two kids, and Bonnie all together in such little time. There was no time to make more than one trip, he had to leave something behind. He needed his gun to protect his only living child and critically injured husband. 

 

And besides, if they saw the girl's body, they may just assume the family was gone and not bother searching. 

 

He practically held his breath as five armed men dressed in black suits with dark violet button-ups and ties came and searched the accident. He held Bonnie's mouth shut tighter and tightened his grip on his weapon, preparing for the worse. 

 

He watched as they approached and inspected Daisy's body. They checked her vitals and made sure the girl was gone, as they did with the driver. 

 

And then, Freddy's most horrific nightmare became a reality. 

 

He watched as they wrapped her body and lifted her up, likely to take her back to their boss as proof of their success. 

 

Freddy was shaking. Instinctively, his body was trying to move on it's own. He wanted to throttle each and every one of them and take his daughter back. But he couldn't. 

 

He had a choice. Either he fought for her body back, and likely lost the rest of his family... or he let them take her. The tears finally started coming, and he grit his teeth so hard, he felt like he was about to break his jaw. He could only watch for a few more seconds before he ripped his traumatized, feral gaze away and set down his weapon, holding his grieving husband and son even tighter. The cold, winter night was only growing colder, and they would need to wait some time before Freddy brought them up that hill and walked them back to town. 

 

He thought back to those eyes again, and he felt his soul leave his body entirely. 

 

.. 

 

The funeral was not any easier. Time did not make the loss any lesser. 

 

A few days later, with the help of their friends, and Freddy's many connections, they were able to get the girl's body back for a proper burial. It brought the family little peace. 

 

Freddy could not cry, or smile, or yell anymore. He just felt empty. He felt like a peice of himself was missing. 

 

It was snowing, so they were inside a church for the funeral service. For the burial, she would be buried in the gardens of the estate near the end of the event. Everyone was dressed in black. As to be expected. 

 

Freddy had his arm locked around Bonnie's, and used his other paw to hold his upper arm. His husband kept falling and collapsing in fits of grief. Gregory only stood silently at Freddy's side. He was crying, but was doing so quietly. He did not look at anyone. Or eat, or speak to anyone there. Not even his best friend. 

 

Freddy and Bonnie were given one last chance to see her before she was brought to be buried. They approached the small casket silently and looked in. 

 

She was put together in her favorite outfit. A sky blue, poofy babydoll dress with white polka-dots and a light yellow collar and accents. She had her favorite, bright yellow bow in her hair, her flower earrings, and she wore white tights with light yellow ballerina flats. She was laid in a bed of white satin and daisies, and her arms were folded over her torso in a relaxed position, holding a daisy bouquet. 

 

She looked so peaceful laying in the coffin. It was almost as if she was sleeping, and Freddy was about to wake her up and get her ready. He lifted a paw to carefully brush the bangs from her face as he burned her image into his memory. This was normal grieving. He was grieving as a normal father should normally grieve their daughter. 

 

But she wasn't dead. She was still staring at him. 

 

She turned her head, and her still cold, dead eyes were still burning into his very being. He could still feel the freezing winter air against his pelt, and the cold blood on his face. He could hear her gurgling, painful breathing. 

 

He ripped his paw away quickly, feeling his own breath beginning to quicken. He hoped no one noticed. 

 

Bonnie had reached into the box around the same time he had and cradled her round face. He gently kissed her forehead and whispered something for only her to hear before pulling away. 

 

To Freddy's dismay, Bonnie noticed his distress. His husband turned to face him, and Freddy could see his tired, dulled eyes and dark circles, as well as his tear-stained cheeks from their grieving. The wounds on his face from their crash had not gone away either, and he still wore quite a few small, white bandages over his face. 

 

Of course his sweet, innocent husband, despite his own ailment, immediately turned his attention to Freddy. He placed a reassuring paw on his back, and lifted his other one to cradle his cheek and wipe the oncoming tears threatening to fall as Freddy's breathing only sped up. 

 

"Do you need to sit down...? We can talk somewhere more private..." Bonnie whispered, offering whatever help he could manage. What he did not know, is that the longer Freddy stared at him, the more upset he was becoming. That wave of self-hatred he had pushed away for years was coming back as a harsh tsunami that was threatening to crush him. 

 

He didn't deserve Bonnie's endless love, and forgiveness, and patience. He was almost angry at Bonnie for wasting his time and energy on someone like himself. 

 

The visions of the eyes kept coming back, and he could not take it anymore. He had to get out of here. 

 

Before he could even realize what he was doing, he pulled himself from Bonnie's hold and stormed out of the church and reception without a word. His husband called out to him in confusion, but he did not respond. He slammed the large door of the cathedral behind him as he left. 

 

.. 

 

Freddy sat in his wood and velvet arm chair at his lavish desk with his face in his palms as Bonnie paced back and forth at his side and continued lecturing him. 

 

It had been almost a week since the funeral, and the two of them have been arguing nonstop. It was all Freddy's fault, of course. Freddy essentially locked himself in his office for days. He didn't come out to eat, to shower, to sleep in bed with Bonnie, to spend time with his son. He slept in his office chair when he could, but he usually didn't. His sleep was plagued with constant nightmares about that night. Every second he was awake was a nonstop monolog in his head telling him how it was all his fault. How his family's lives were ruined because of him. 

 

And he was getting furious with Bonnie. His husband was still cooking him and bringing him warm meals three times a day, and encouraging him to eat. Even if he locked the door, the stubborn bunny would just keep knocking and leave the food outside. He would come in with blankets and pillows to make sure Freddy was comfortable, he would brush his fur so it wouldn't matt, he would bring him clean, comfortable clothes, and he would keep patiently encouraging, and practically begging Freddy to come down and eat dinner with them, just once...to come to bed with him for one night... all while taking care of their grieving son and keeping him happy at the same time. 

 

He kept telling Bonnie repeatedly to stop taking care of him. That he didn't deserve it. To just leave him alone. 

 

But he never listened. He cared too much about Freddy. He was so kind and selfless, and it pissed Freddy off to no ends. Bonnie needed to take care of himself, he needed to give up on Freddy. He was a lost cause already, why couldn't the bunny just see that? 

 

Whatever Bonnie was saying completely flew over his head. The bunny was in his pajamas, but he had come in wearing his special red satin pajama set. It was a sleeveless red tent top with ruffles and a dark blue bow on the chest, paired with matching red shorts and a red satin and lace robe. He wore it on purpose because it was Freddy's favorite set of his, and he was hoping it would have at least cheered his husband up a little bit. He clearly did not get the reaction he was hoping for, and it very much upset him. 

 

But Freddy wasn't concerned about pajama sets right now. Daisy was dead. 

 

Bonnie and Gregory could be next. 

 

Afton was behind this... he had to know by now the others lived. 

 

He wouldn't stop at just one of them... he was going to come for the rest of his family, too... 

 

That couldn't happen. Freddy could not live with himself if he let his husband and son get hurt again because of him. Bonnie and Gregory had to be safe. 

 

But they were no longer safe with Freddy at all. 

 

But Bonnie won't get that through his head. He won't listen whenever Freddy tries to tell him to give up. Bonnie was truly the most stubborn person Freddy has ever met, and it was his biggest frustration with his husband. He knew how dangerous Freddy was to them. He knew this was all his fault. And he still loved him. 

 

Freddy had to do something. 

 

And if there was one thing he was best at, it was ruining everything. He'll never not be a bad guy. It's who he was. 

 

"... eddy...? Freddy, are you even listening?!" Bonnie's voice rose in frustration as realized Freddy was not paying attention. The bear took a deep, shaky breath before speaking. He had to force himself to say this, even though it felt like swallowing a bullet. 

 

"... this won't work anymore." He stated flatly. 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows in confusion. "... what? What do you mean-?" 

 

Freddy stood up from his chair but continued facing away from Bonnie. 

 

"... I think it's best... we go our seperate ways. The two of you are better off without me." He tried to break it down as gently as possible. It felt like bile in his throat, and he was praying Bonnie would not make it harder for him to do. 

 

Bonnie stared at him in disbelief. He paced over to Freddy with purpose and placed a paw on his shoulder. 

 

"What the- what are you talking about?!" 

 

Freddy shoved his paw off. "Nothing is wrong with me! Don't you get it?! I've been spelling it out to you for days!" He roared. 

 

"I don't want you guys here anymore!" 

 

After a few more seconds of processing, Bonnie's pupils shrunk, and his paws flew over his mouth in horror. His eyes teared up as he shook his head in disbelief. 

 

"N-no... no, Freddy! Don't do this, please-!" He begged. 

 

"You can't... y-you can't l-leave us-! PLEASE!" He sobbed. 

 

Freddy used all his training to muster the best stern, fierce look he could do. He finally turned back to Bonnie and growled defensively. 

 

"I'm not. You two need to leave." 

 

Bonnie shook his head again in denial and leaned on the table before he could collapse. He had to frantically wipe at his eyes to even see Freddy through his tears. 

 

"Y-you can't-! Where are we gonna' go?! Honey, please! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS-!" His breathing grew more frantic and his sobbing rose in intensity. 

 

"I'M SORRY! I-I'M SORRY, WHATEVER I DID, I'M S-SORRY-! PLEASE, DON'T L-LEAVE ME-!"  He finally fell to his knees, gasping for air. 

 

As soon as those words left Bonnie's mouth, it felt as though someone had just twisted the knife in Freddy's heart. He had gone out of his way to sound as mean as possible, and Bonnie was still looking out for Freddy, and blaming himself. Never in his life has Freddy ever felt like more of a monster than he did now. 

 

But he couldn't go back now. He knew this was what was best for his family. That being said, he couldn't stand leaving Bonnie in this state. The bunny was always his greatest weakness. 

 

He immediately dropped his act and knelt down to his level, scooting over and placing two careful paws on Bonnie's sides. He lifted the bunny's paws away as he had started pulling at his ears out of stress. Only when he caught Bonnie off guard did he trap him in an embrace. 

 

He let the bunny hold him back and cry into his neck to settle down again, all while he whispered reassurances to him. Something he should have been doing for days now. 

 

"... I-I'm sorry... t-this is hard for me, too..." He whispered as Bonnie's breathing started returning to normal. 

 

"I-I'll give you and G-Gregory as much time and money as you need... b-but... you have to leave. You two shouldn't stay here." He said more softly, but still remained stern. 

 

His family wouldn't just leave on their own. They needed a reason. 

 

So he would be that reason. 

 

If they hated him just enough, maybe they'd never come back. They'd be safe forever. 

 

.. 

 

After a week, and with Freddy's help and connections, they found a place to move into. As agreed, Freddy gave them a large sum of money for basic expenses, and promised to send more once they mailed him their address. 

 

After three days, Bonnie had finally given up on reasoning with Freddy. He still brought food to Freddy so he wouldn't go hungry, but he did not even bother knocking anymore. He simply left the food outside the door to grow cold. He and Gregory did not open the door to his office the entire week, and on the rare occasions Freddy left his dwelling, his husband and son avoided him like the plague. Bonnie still slept in their room alone, while Freddy rotted away in his office. 

 

Once Gregory and Bonnie had finished packing, some of the housekeepers had helped them take their luggage downstairs. They were borrowing a truck to move from Freddy. The bear watched them from a distance under the balcony of the second story, almost a hundred feet away from them. 

 

"How long are we leaving for...?" Gregory asked timidly, holding one bag with his good arm. The other arm was still wrapped up from the accident. 

 

Bonnie took a deep breath to keep his voice steady. He knelt down and placed a paw on Gregory's shoulder, forcing a reassuring smile. 

 

"I-I don't know, but we'll be fine! I already have a good place for us, you'll love it! And you'll get to go to school with Cassie now!" He did his best to boost the kid's spirits. 

 

Foxy helped to lift their bags. He was going to be driving them and he and his family would help them unpack and move in to the townhouse. 

 

"We're almost done. The two of ye' take yer' time, let me know when yer' ready." He spoke softly, leaving with the last of their bags. 

 

Now that everything was finished, Bonnie took Gregory's paw and finally turned back to Freddy. They made eye contact one last time. 

 

Freddy was beginning to realize in real time the weight of what was happening. His gaze softened as he stared into Bonnie's kind, beautiful rosey eyes, and he caught himself beginning to second guess. He thought of everything they've been through together, the life they've lived, their children... 

 

There was the love of his life, his beloved husband whom he vowed to spend the rest of his life with, in sickness and in health. And there was one of their beautiful children their love brought into the world. 

 

Both of them were about to disappear. 

 

He almost asked them to stay, but he held his tounge and forced himself to look away, hoping that would make it easier for himself. 

 

It seemed Bonnie finally gave up completely. He gave Freddy the closest to a hateful look he could muster, and his ears pinned back against his skull to further convey his rage. 

 

He grabbed Gregory's paw and tried ushering him out of the house quickly, trying to get him out before he saw Freddy's reaction. Before the boy could see how little his 'hero' cared that they were leaving. 

 

Freddy could not help but glance back at them one last time as they made it to the door. Bonnie's back was already turned, but Gregory was staring back at him in a mix of confusion and heartbreak. He was silently pleading with Freddy to stop them. 

 

Freddy forced himself to look away again. This time, he had to hold a paw over his mouth to muffle the sobs beginning to wrack through this body. It was not until the doors slammed behind them, and the housekeepers dispersed, that he realized it was truly over. 

 

Bonnie and his son were gone now. They hated him, but at least they were safe. Afton knew where Freddy lived. If he wanted to finish the job, at least Bonnie and Gregory would be hidden.  

 

He did what he had to do. He had to keep them safe by all means necessary, even if they didn't like it. 

 

Even if he hated it. 

 

Even if he lost his daughter, his son, and the love of his life forever. 

 

He finally fell to his knees, unable to control the meltdown he was having in his now empty home.  

 

... 

 

Freddy opened his eyes and immediately wished he didn't. He wished he could just go to sleep and never wake up again. 

 

He sat up and forced himself out of bed, beelining down the path he knew so well straight into the gardens. He stopped in front of a well cared for, marbled headstone and platform. The name was titled 'Daisy' 

 

Today was her birthday, and the day she died. She would have been eight now. Freddy took a deep breath and took a kneel in front of the headstone, his ears pinning with sorrow. 

 

"... happy birthday, princess... I'm so sorry..." His voice broke. 

Notes:

The timeline, for anyone who is confused:

Bonnie and Freddy were born in: 1900

Freddy and Bonnie (child age) (6 years old, start of 'Love in Ruins'): 1906

Adult age (18-20 years old, when Freddy returns from college in Love in Ruins): 1918-1920

They had Gregory: 1926 (age 24)

They had Daisy: 1929 (age 29)

They Divorced: 1934 (Gregory was 8) (Freddy and Bonnie were 35) (Daisy died, she was 5)

Current time (at the start of "In the Dead of Night"): 1937
(Freddy and Bonnie are 38, Gregory is 11)

Chapter 12

"Oh take me back to ol' Yazoo~... Everythin' up here is new..." 

 

The radio was on to fill the silence. Freddy almost laughed bitterly at the irony of the lyrics in this song. 

 

He was sat on a royal red, velvet sofa by the fireplace in his bedroom with a gold frame. His room fit the interior of the rest of the home, which followed a dark color pallet of reds, orange, and blues. Though unlike the rest of the home, his bedroom was in dissaray. 

 

He hated messes. In fact, his friends tease him all the time for being a massive clean-freak. But he held an odd, unhealthy relationship with some of the rooms in the home. He had two offices. His professional office, which is kept in prestine condition, is where he has important meetings, or where his friends speak with him about missions. His personal office is completely off limits. Not even the housekeepers can go in there, only he can. This is the office he locked himself in after Daisy died. He doesn't want anything new put in it, he doesn't want anything taken out of it, it must be frozen in time. He uses it regularly, but he doesn't keep up with tidiness or organization, both out of lack of motivation, and his attachment. To him, this room felt like one of his only spaces that held so many important memories, good and bad. 

 

Daisy's bedroom was the second one. None of the housekeepers were allowed in there, but on the contrary to his office and bedroom, he cleaned it regularly and made sure the room was in peak condition for the girl. He simply could not trust anyone else with his daughter's belongings. If even a single thing in that bedroom was to be lost or broken, he'd absolutely lose it. Her bedsheets, toys, activities, and everything was left there. He couldn't give any of it away or get rid of anything, and he especially did not want to take away her room. 

 

His bedroom was probably in the most deplorable condition. This bedroom has been through many drunk temper-tantrums, violent meltdowns, stages of depression, fits of anger, and it showed. The only thing that was somewhat taken care of and cleaned regularly was the sheets and trash. Even then, lots of trash littered the room, stains covered the carpets, sofa, and armchair, clutter was thrown about, there were stains on the walls, and dust collected. There was even food left out here for God knows how long. 

 

It wasn't always like this. It only started falling apart after Bonnie left. It started with him refusing to clean or remove anything from the room, because it was all he had left of he and Bonnie's marriage, but it just kept piling up. The messier it got, the more depressed Freddy grew, and the less energy he had to take care of it again. He hated living in this. He wanted to sleep in a clean room again, but at this point, he couldn't. No one, not even his friends, had seen his room in so long, and he was very ashamed of it. He knew he couldn't fix it alone, but he was too embarrassed to seek help. 

 

Now here Freddy was, spending Daisy's birthday the same way he has the last three years. Hunched over, sitting on his sofa with a full bottle of whiskey, and listening to the radio as he rots away in his room. He'll just keep drinking until he gets plastered, then he'll probably tear his room apart, end the day with one of his pathetic, self-loathing meltdowns, and pass out until tomorrow. That was how these days usually panned out. He was a heavyweight when it came to drinking though, and he was a very large man, so it usually took him a lot of drinking to get drunk at all. This entire bottle of whiskey wouldn't even be enough for him to blackout. 

 

He heard a quick, gentle knock on his door, followed by a women's voice, whom he recognized as one of his housekeepers. She knew she could not come inside, so she left something at his door.

 

He sighed deeply and stood up, knowing exactly what it was. They always did this. He appreciated the thought, since he knew they didn't have to, but he didn't deem it necessary. 

 

As he expected, he opened the door, and there was a wooden tray on wheels with a silver platter on it. It contained a large, glass bottle of water followed by four glass cups. He rolled it into his room but left it at the door before returning to the couch to rot some more. He was still in his typical cotton, long-sleeved, button-up night shirt and pants set. It was solid gray blue in color. He threw his maroon velvet robe over it as well just to cover himself more, though he didn't deem it very necessary either.

 

After another ten minutes, there was another knock on his door. Freddy was halfway through taking a sip from the bottle.

 

He growled in annoyance and ignored it, lowering the bottle and wiping his mouth with his wrist. The housekeepers knew not to bother him today, and he just wasn't in the mood to repeat that to them again. 

 

After a few more seconds of silence, the knocking came back even louder. Freddy sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was very annoyed, to say the least. Then again, if they were continuing to bug him knowing how frustrated he got, it could be an emergency. 

 

"Hold on!" He called, shifting in his seat and lifting the bottle to take one more sip before walking to the door. To his horror, whoever it was opened it and walked in. And of course, of all people, it had to be the one person he wanted to hide this abomination from the most.

 

Bonnie walked in with the same satin, baby-blue, short pajama set. He took two steps in with a solemn look on his face, but that look quickly shifted into one of horror as he saw the sight of their old room, and Freddy's current condition. 

 

Freddy nearly dropped the bottle, but took a breath to contain himself. He quickly set it down and tried straightening himself up. 

 

"B-Bonnie, I..."

 

And then he realized he had no explanation. His body shook in shame, and he turned his gaze down. 

 

This had to be the most humiliating thing to ever happen to him. This was a whole new low. But he was tired. He was so tired, he didn't have the energy to stutter out an explanation, to defend his appalling living situation, his pathetic binge drinking. He simply sat back down and hunched over on the sofa again, his grip on the bottle tightening. He propped his elbows on his knees and did his best to hide his face with his paw, using the other one to lift the bottle and nervously drink again. 

 

He was so stupid. He didn't even have a plan, he was just hoping Bonnie would disappear and forget this all happened by sheer willpower. He kept his gaze down and waited for the lecture, or for Bonnie to leave. He hoped it was the latter.

 

He heard Bonnie close the door, then heard footsteps approaching him. Still, he kept himself low and hidden. He tensed as he felt the cushion sink beside him, and realized Bonnie sat next to him. And still, he said nothing. He still hoped Bonnie would just leave. Freddy's had not even realized he was tearing up from embarrassment and shame until he blinked and felt the tears run down his face.

 

He jumped as he felt Bonnie's touch, and only settled slightly as the bunny gently pulled his paw away from his face so they could finally make eye contact. 

 

To his own shock, Bonnie did not look angry, disgusted, or disappointed. He only offered Freddy a patient and empathetic smile, tilting his head slightly. 

 

"... you don't need to hide from me, Freddy... I know what you're going through..." He spoke softly. Freddy's ears dropped lower, and he glanced down again.

 

"... I-I know... I just... I didn't w-want you to see-"

 

Freddy stopped himself and shook his head, not even having the energy to finish his sentence. Thankfully, Bonnie understood and only nodded. He looked between the bottle and Freddy, and his smile fell. He made eye contact with Freddy and lifted his paws, gesturing that he wanted to touch Freddy.

 

"... we're both going through the same thing, so you don't have to handle this alone now... can I help you-? Do you trust me...?" Bonnie whispered. 

 

Freddy hesitated. He didn't want to burden Bonnie, and he still felt very embarrassed. That being said, the bunny clearly wanted to help him, and this could bring them closer. He worried turning Bonnie down could create a bigger rift between them.

 

He took a deep breath to ground himself and turned ahead, but nodded. 

 

A moment later, he felt Bonnie's right paw rest on his back, while his other one reached out and gently took the bottle away from him. The bunny set it down further away and instead, brought one of the glass cups full of water to his mouth, helping him drink. He only stopped and set it down once Freddy was hydrated and signaled that he was done. 

 

"Let's go to the bed... this can't be comfortable for your poor back." Bonnie chuckled lightly, standing up and taking Freddy's paws in his own. He helped Freddy to stand and guided him towards his bed, where they adjusted the pillows so they could both sit back comfortably. Bonnie brought the water as well. They sat with a little over an inch of space between them.

 

"Take your time... talk to me about anything, open up to me..." Bonnie encouraged him lightly, giving him another patient look. Some of the tension left Freddy's body as he kept his tearful gaze down. 

 

"... it's been a while, so now it's just... self-loathing, I-I guess..."

 

He sighed, resting his head in his palm. "... I just feel like such a failure as a father, and as a husband! The car wreck, leaving her body behind, abandoning you two...! I just... I can't do anything right..." His voice broke. 

 

Freddy still tried not to pay attention to Bonnie's reaction. Because of that, he flinched in surprise as he felt his gentle paw run up his back in reassurance.

 

"... what happened that night wasn't your fault, Freddy... I know I've told you that a lot, but it's true... y-you did everything you could..." His voice trailed off. 

 

Freddy huffed, wiping his eyes frantically. "B-but I should have done more-! She...! E-everyone was counting on me-!" He argued.

 

"And you did what you could! If it wasn't for you, they would've found Gregory and I... if you hadn't c-carried us for hours down that road, a-and nearly froze, we wouldn't have made it!" Bonnie's other paw held his arm gently but firmly. 

 

When Freddy did not have a response, he continued. 

 

"Y-you have plenty of faults, Freddy... but there are also plenty of things you've done right. It's not fair of you to hold things against yourself that you had no control over..."

 

Freddy sighed deeply and nodded. When Bonnie saw he understood, the bunny contemplated for a minute, like he was hesitating to do something. After a few seconds, he glanced back at Freddy.

 

"... that's not all, is it...?" He asked quietly. Freddy visibly tensed, but slowly shook his head. 

 

He chuckled humorlessly and wiped his eyes again. "I-I'm sorry... I'm just so... it's so embarrassing-" 

 

Bonnie sat up on his knees and furrowed his brows. "What's so embarrassing...?" 

 

Freddy gestured to himself quickly. "I sleep in a d-dump, I was b-binge drinking, a-and...! And now I'm just... sitting here, w-weeping like a child! It's so pathetic... I'm d-disgusting-!" 

 

Bonnie glanced around the room, then looked back at Freddy and frowned. He scooted closer until they were sitting against each other before he started talking.

 

"... you know, I'm about to tell you something, but it can't leave this room. Not even Foxy knows about it, and I tell him everything..." 

 

Freddy glanced at Bonnie in surprise and newfound interest, his curiosity piqued. Bonnie was glancing away from him as he recounted a secret. 

 

"I... I don't want to get into all of it now, but something... pushed me into my own rut, similar to your's, and I just... stopped maintaining my personal hygiene."

 

He sighed and leaned back. "... to this day, there are times I have to force myself to shower regularly, or to brush my hair, or my teeth... because I just... hate my body that much. I hate even looking down at myself..." 

 

He crossed his arms, growing slightly tense. "And it's... it's also embarrassing, y'know? I don't wanna' go up to people telling them I d-don't shower all the time! ... I don't want to talk about it, o-or seek help for it..."

 

Bonnie shook his head, breaking himself out of his cycle of thoughts and turning back to Freddy again. "But what I'm trying to say is that you're not alone... you don't have to suffer in here alone." 

 

Freddy felt a chill run through his body as he heard that, and his ears fell. He almost asked Bonnie what could have happened to make him feel that way, but he refrained, deciding now was not a good time. 

 

He was so grateful for Bonnie's help right now, but that familiar frustration was returning. He once again felt himself getting angry that Bonnie was doing so much for him. He put Bonnie in such a vulnerable position now, just because he still wanted to help Freddy. Before he knew it, he started tearing up again rapidly and his face scrunched up. He wiped his eyes and cursed under his breath, facing away from Bonnie as he tried to calm himself again.

 

"I-I'm so... sorry that's happening to you, Bon... and I promise, this will s-stay between us..." 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows at Freddy in growing concern, seeing his mood changing quickly. "What's wrong-?" 

 

Freddy scowled, burying his face in his palms. "I just-! I don't get it...!" 

 

"A-after everything I did, after h-how I t-t-treated you-! Why...? Why do you keep trying to help me?!" 

 

Bonnie's knees that were raised to his chest fell as he sighed sharply in frustration. He buried his face in his paws to muffle his loud groan. 

 

" ...God, not this again! You seriously haven't changed at all, have you?!" He finally looked up to Freddy, and made his anguished expression known. 

 

"I-i'm so fucking tired of this, Freddy-!" He snapped, his voice beginning to break as tears built up around his eyes.

 

Freddy finally broke down into a sobbing fit. He hunched over and lifted his paws to clutch onto his forehead as he struggled to speak through his heaving body.

 

"I KNOW-! I know...! I'm tired of it too! I hate-! I HATE BEING THIS WAY-!" He wept.

 

"... I hate always being miserable! A-and making everyone else miserable! I'm so tired of constantly h-h-hurting you, h-hurting our son...! That's why I told you to l-leave, so I wouldn't hurt you-! And then I just hurt you more...! T-this is what I mean, I can't do anything right!" His voice trailed off and broke completely by the end as he was cut off by more cries. 

 

Bonnie was stunned into silence by his outburst. It was a few seconds after getting no other response from him that the bunny reached a hesitant paw for his shoulder again.

 

"F-Freddy..." 

 

Bonnie retracted his paw immediately as Freddy sat up again very suddenly and looked back at him. He was not sure how he must look right now, but judging by the bunny's almost fearful expression, he had to look utterly insane. Though he was too far gone to contain himself now.

 

"WHY, BONNIE?! WHY ARE YOU STILL WASTING YOUR TIME ON ME?!"

 

His breath hitched as he immediately ran out of energy from his outburst. He was exhausted, and his headache was growing worse by the second. He was just waiting for the second Bonnie would finally give up and leave. 

 

"... you're such a kind, p-patient... b-beautiful person... h-how could you c-care about someone like m-me...? A-after everything I did to you, y-you're still here-!" His voice quieted down until it was almost a broken whisper, and he kept his gaze on his lap to avoid Bonnie's eyes.

 

"... w-what do you see in me that's so s-special...? W-why do you b-believe in me so m-much-? Why not just... l-let me rot in here... a-after all the wrong I did..." His ears fell against his skull as shut his eyes. His chin was resting against his chest as his bawling had quieted down into quiet sobs and whimpers. 

 

Bonnie's silence wasn't anymore comforting, but Freddy had nothing else to say to fill the space. All he could do was wait for the bunny to do something other than sitting there. 

 

He vaguely heard the bunny shifting in bed, then heard a drawer opening and other muffled sounds. In his current state of mind, he hardly cared, and did not move his gaze. He was beginning to think Bonnie had no answer for him at all.

 

That was, until he was pulled from his empty daze by the bunny's paw resting on his arm again. When he turned to glance at him, Bonnie had crawled back into bed and shifted to lean against Freddy's side with his knees lifted towards his chest again. Now, he had some kind of book with him.

 

He opened it and stopped at a specific page, before passing it to Freddy quietly, urging him to look. 

 

The ursine was skeptical, but took it anyway to investigate it. While he had it open on his lap, Bonnie leaned closer against his arm and reached over his chest to point around the pages.

 

It was an old photo album. The bunny pointed specifically at one picture on the top left of the page behind the plastic sheet. Judging by the date at the bottom of the photo, it was taken when Freddy was around age seven. Bonnie sat up on his knees and leaned over to rest both of his elbows and lower arms on Freddy's shoulder. He laid his head down on his arms with a sad, nostalgic smile on.

 

"Y-you know what I see...? I-I see a shy, sweet boy... who loves music, and theater, and reading... w-who dreamed of being a performer, and a father one day... w-who loved his mother, and his friends so much..." 

 

He pointed to a different photo, which was a portrait of Freddy when he had just turned twenty-one. 

 

"... or I see a strong, brave, compassionate man with a big heart... who loves singing and writing songs, who loves romantic books... who dreams of being a teacher one day, and marrying his best friend... and starting a family... Someone who is not... afraid of who he is, and who opens up to people..." His voice trailed off solemnly. 

 

After a moment of silence, Bonnie lifted one of his paws and gently hooked his finger under Freddy's chin, guiding his head to turn so they could face each other. He gave Freddy another small, teary-eyed smile as he still leaned against him.

 

"I've known you your whole life, Freddy... I-I'm sure I know you better than you know yourself..." He chuckled. 

 

Bonnie moved his finger to point down at the pictures again. "And that was you... that was my best friend... t-that's the man I fell in love with... t-the man I wanted to f-father my children..." His voice shook. 

 

His smile fell as he went on. "... b-but you were raised to believe this was wrong... that you were weak. T-they beat it into your head that the only way to protect yourself and your family was to be this... different image. I-it's always been there, and... and when we lost Daisy, it just... broke out of you..." He sat down beside Freddy again as his paw rested against his own chest. He hesitated before finally looking at Freddy again with a more serious look.

 

"... you were trying to be like your dad. H-he's still influencing you..." 

 

Freddy felt as if his entire world shattered as he heard that. All of his life, from the day his mother died, he's vowed to never let himself get to that point. To never be that man. And now, his greatest fear was being confirmed. And it all made sense to him. The fits of rage, the drinking, the self-isolating. He's been picking up all of his father's habits for years, and never even noticed it. After another few seconds of silence, Bonnie continued speaking.

 

"A-and now, the confusion you're feeling is because... y-you're fighting with this n-new side of you that keeps... sabotaging you, a-and digging you further into this hole..." 

 

Bonnie's lifted himself on his knees again and placed a paw on Freddy's chest, his tone brightening somewhat.

 

"... b-but I know you can still be the real you, Freddy. I've seen it o-over the days I've been staying here... you just need to open up to people again!"

 

When Freddy's head fell again, Bonnie grew bolder and raised both of his paws to cradle his face carefully, holding his head up so they could maintain eye contact. Freddy tensed at the physical affection, having grown so touch-starved over the years, but readily leaned into it after a few seconds.

 

"Don't get it mixed up, Freddy... you're not your dad. You'll never be that... monster. But you're trying to be him, when you shouldn't!"

 

"Be-because you are, and always will be a better man than he was. A-and you're a better father to Daisy and Gregory than he ever was." His voice began breaking by the end as he grew more and more emotional.

 

Freddy was quiet again for almost a minute as he let those words not only sink in, but repeat and translate in his head until he truly understood it. And suddenly, it felt like an anvil had been lifted off of his shoulders.

 

That guilt and uncertainty was still there, but for the first time in years, he felt just a little less burdened.

 

It all spilled out as Freddy rapidly began tearing up again. He felt a new crying fit rising up his throat. To his amazement, this time, Bonnie opened up his arms to invite him in for an embrace.

 

He hesitated in pure disbelief for a moment, before finally giving in and accepting the affection. He could hardly control his strength and weight like he usually could, as he practically barreled into Bonnie and wrapped the bunny's torso in a tight hold he hoped was not suffocating. The weight of his body was strong enough to push both of them back until Bonnie's back was laying against the pillows of the bed. He buried his muzzle into Bonnie's neck and shoulder while cried, and was relieved when the bunny didn't seem to mind. 

 

Bonnie had one arm wrapped under Freddy's left arm, and the other over his shoulder as he let the man cry into him.  Freddy felt so incredibly selfish as Bonnie whispered reassurances to him and he only scooted himself closer to the bunny and rested his full weight onto him. Deep down, he still did not feel like he deserved this, but he had not experienced any sort of affection or comfort in nearly four years, and he knew this may be the last he was going to get for a long time after. He wanted to indulge in every second of this while it lasted. 

 

"T-thank you... thank you for staying with me... I-I know I make it so difficult, I-I don't know how you do it..." Freddy chuckled, tilting his head so his muzzle rested in the crook of Bonnie's neck and he could speak clearly.

 

Bonnie smiled and held him tighter. "Of course, Freddy... n-no matter what, we'll always be family." He said surely.

 

"I-is this too much...? I don't want you feeling uncomfortable-" Freddy asked nervously, loosening his hold. Bonnie shook his head with a small chuckle and pulled him closer again.

 

"It's okay... Thank you for being vulnerable again. Doesn't this feel better than shutting me out-?" He teased lightly.

 

Freddy snickered and nodded quickly, sinking back into the affection. Another period of comfortable silence fell over them, with Freddy letting out the last of his pitiful tears as Bonnie emotionally reassured him. Once he had calmed down, the bunny still allowed Freddy to hold onto him and reached over to grab the photo album that was carelessly dropped on the bed. 

 

He kept his arms around Freddy as he flipped to another set of pages that featured old photos of Daisy and Gregory and nudged for him to look at them. The two of them spent the next few minutes laying against each other and recalling the memories each picture of their children held. 

 

Laying in Bonnie's embrace, reminiscing about their daughter fondly, it brought a deep, overwhelming peace within him. His whole life, he's only felt the need to be the sole protector. He's rarely ever had instances where he got to feel truly secure. Where he could be 'weak', yet still feel safe. For a moment he could travel back in time to when everything was right, and his family was all together. When they were happy. When he was a man to be proud of.

 

Another familiar feeling took it's way into his heart, but he hardly recognized it at first. It pulled him from his dreaming as he opened his eyes into a half-lidded expression and glanced up at Bonnie as he spoke and looked through the pictures.

 

His heart was beating faster than usual, and he felt warm and flushed. He assumed it was the alcohol at first, but he only had a few sips, so that couldn't be possible. He was beginning to feel nauseous, and his paws were trembling slightly. He knew this feeling all too well, he's experienced it around Bonnie way too many times to count, and he's read far too many stories.

 

From the beginning, he knew he missed Bonnie. He knew that he had yearned for the bunny the years they've been apart, and he's fantasized about them being together again everyday. Yet it didn't actually hit him until this second. It was like a theory was just confirmed to him. 

 

He didn't just love Bonnie because they were family, or because of their kids. He was in love with Bonnie. 

 

But that nostalgic, euphoric feeling went away as quickly as it came as he reminded himself of the heavy truth. Bonnie didn't feel the same. 

 

The bunny made that abundantly clear from the beginning. He had already been in another relationship since they split, he's stated repeatedly that he was strictly interested in a co-parenting relationship with Freddy. Bonnie has even explicitly said it would never happen again. Although Freddy could now see them being friends, maybe even best friends, the thought of them ever being lovers again was too farfetched. 

 

Their relationship was very murky now, and it confused Freddy. But he didn't want to ask Bonnie about it. Whatever it was, this embrace clearly didn't have the same deep impact on the bunny. 

 

Freddy felt some of that heavy weight fall onto his chest again, and his spirit died just a little more.

 

.

 

Once both of them settled enough, Bonnie guided Freddy to Gregory's room. Freddy was hesitant to try and comfort the boy, knowing Gregory was not nearly as welcoming as Bonnie was towards him. But the bunny insisted they talk to the boy together, and that it was a perfect opportunity for them to bond again. Bonnie assured Freddy that Gregory always grew emotional today and always wanted to talk about it, so it would be easy.

 

Some things truly never change. To this day, Bonnie still acted as the glue of the family, and kept everyone together no matter what. Something else Freddy looked up to the bunny for. 

 

Bonnie knocked on Gregory's door quietly and waited a minute for a tired response on the other side.

 

"It's dad. Freddy is with me, can we come in-?" Bonnie asked.

 

The boy was hesitant for nearly another minute, before replying with another one word answer.

 

Bonnie slowly opened the door, and Freddy could see the boy huddled under his blanket with the lights off. 

 

Bonnie quietly made his way over and sat beside him in bed, while Freddy carefully followed along. The boy finally pulled the covers away to reveal himself and wiped his eyes quickly.

 

"... hey." 

 

Bonnie gave him a patient and understanding smile as he scooted closer to the boy to wrap an arm around him and embrace him from the side. 

 

"'Morning, kiddo... how are you feeling?" 

 

Gregory tensed in his hold, and side-eyed Freddy awkwardly before stuttering out some kind of response. He wrapped his arms around Bonnie's waist as he spoke quietly into his dad's torso.

 

"I-I'm fine... just kind of... tired..." His voice trailed off. 

 

Bonnie hummed "... anything you want to talk about, hun?" He took Gregory's paw that was over his front.

 

Gregory glanced at Freddy again in the corner of his eye before quickly shaking his head. He huddled in on himself and curled up closer to Bonnie to hide. He mumbled something very quietly to the bunny, though even Bonnie had a hard time hearing it.

 

"I'm sorry, what was that-?" Bonnie pressed gently and leaned closer to hear the boy better. 

 

Freddy assumed he wasn't supposed to hear it, but children weren't the best at whispering.

 

"C-can we talk later...? J-just us-?" Gregory asked Bonnie.

 

Freddy's head fell, and he tried not to let his heartbreak show, or give away that he had heard it. 

 

Bonnie looked taken aback for a moment, before hesitantly nodding. He tried to quickly lift everyone's spirits again.

 

"O-okay... well, your dad wanted us all to go out and do something as a family. I think you'll have a lot of fun! Is there anywhere you really wanted to go??" He lifted the boy to stand on his feet on the bed and cupped Gregory's cheeks in his paws, leaning in to rub their noses together affectionately. 

 

Gregory tensed again and glanced away. "A-actually, I was going to ask if... if I could do something with Cassie today...?" 

 

There was another tense silence between the three of them, until Bonnie broke it again. His voice grew slightly more stern, but still patient and gentle.

 

"Gregory, your dad already had something planned for us... we can try and reschedule something with Cassie-" 

 

Freddy plastered on the fakest reassuring smile he could. "I-it's fine! We can do it another day... I know it's a hard day, if he wants to spend it with his friend, it's okay..." 

 

Bonnie glanced at Freddy in concern. "... but Freddy, I thought-" 

 

Freddy did his best to subtly gesture for the bunny to stop. "It's okay, Gregory. We can take you to do something with her." 

 

The boy looked surprised for a minute before nodding. "Thank you! I-I'll go get ready-" 

 

He gave Bonnie a brief hug before climbing from his bed and running past Freddy to leave the room and head to the bathroom. Freddy only watched in more heartache. 

 

Once the door was closed, and they heard the boy was out of earshot, Bonnie turned to Freddy.

 

"I thought we were going to do something together..." His ears fell sadly. 

 

Freddy scooted closer and laid a reassuring paw on Bonnie's shoulder.

 

"I know... but I understand him not fully trusting me yet. I don't want to force him to like me, or to open up to me before he's ready... I'll give him his space, he just needs more time..."

 

Bonnie glanced down in silent defeat, accepting that answer. Freddy couldn't bare to see the bunny so downtrodden, so without thought, he made the bold move of hooking his finger under Bonnie's chin and lifting his head up again so they could face each other. He gave the bunny a small smile.

 

"But if you'd like to, we can still do something together. Just the two of us...?" He offered. 

 

Freddy's heart drummed quickly in his chest, fearing rejection. To his amazement, though, Bonnie returned the smile and nodded.

 

"... I'd love to."  

Notes:

Old Yazoo mentioned 🗣

(Song: "Old Yazoo" The Boswell Sisters, 1932)

Chapter 13

Notes:

** !!TW: Descriptions of Domestic Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Financial Abuse) // References Postcoital Dysphoria (Sexual Regret)!! **

They called Roxanne and asked if Gregory could visit Cassie today, which their friend understood. The woman picked him up soon after he got ready to take him to their house, leaving just Freddy and Bonnie. The couple had taken half an hour to visit their daughter's grave on the estate and leave her a gift and meal, before parting with heartfelt proclamations for their daughter.

 

Freddy was able to get ready quickly, but Bonnie did not have enough of his belongings, so they had to drive him by his apartment. Bonnie took him to his room as they searched through his wardrobe to find him a nice outfit. It brought so much nostalgia for Freddy to see all of Bonnie's old clothes and belongings, most of which Freddy had bought for him. 

 

Freddy watched in amusement as more and more clothes were being piled up on the bed and floor while Bonnie searched for an outfit. The bunny always took what felt like decades to get ready because he could never decide on outfits. He occupied himself with looking through the clothes, and a particular red garment with deep blue accents caught his eye. Freddy carefully unzipped it from it's protective plastic case and lifted it up to confirm what it was, and he felt his smile broaden at the sight. 

 

"Hey... this is your red pajama set! I remember this!" He chuckled as he held the top up for the bunny to see.

 

Bonnie glanced back in surprise before chuckling nervously and turning away. He seemed to tense in embarrassment, though Freddy did not notice it right away.

 

"Y-yeah... I haven't worn that in a while." 

 

Freddy turned back to him and tilted his head in confusion. "Why not? It looked stunning on you! This is so your color." 

 

Bonnie snickered and rolled his eyes, setting down the garment he was holding as he walked over to Freddy by the foot of the bed. 

 

"Yeah, yeah... I'm sure it was all about the 'color'..." He stopped beside Freddy.

 

"I know the real reason you loved this set." Bonnie teased as he slid his own arm under the sheer tent top and spread the fabric out more, revealing that it was transparent and had an open slit down the front. Freddy blushed at the insinuation and quickly stuttered to explain himself. 

 

"W-well no-! I am a gentleman, I never paid attention to that! And it had an undershirt you wore with it-" 

 

Bonnie covered his mouth to stiffle his laughter and walked away again to put away more clothes. Freddy scoffed as he straightened himself up again. 

 

"Well, why don't you wear it anymore? I thought you loved it." He asked. 

 

Bonnie's smile disappeared and his ears fell. 

 

"I... I don't know, I guess I just grew out of it..." 

 

Freddy hummed. "... I had it custom made specifically for you, so that's kind of surprising." He chuckled. 

 

He noticed Bonnie tense up, like he was growing upset, and quickly set down the top and walked to his side.

 

"Hey, hey, it's okay, Bon! I was just kidding, I'm not really upset..." He placed a reassuring paw on Bonnie's shoulder. 

 

Bonnie glanced at him timidly. "... you're sure...?"

 

Freddy nodded quickly. "Of course! It doesn't bother me at all, really. Don't worry about it." 

 

Bonnie sagged in relief and nodded. He set down another piece of clothing he was holding and stepped away from Freddy.

 

"I'll be right back, sorry. I need to use to the restroom." He gestured to the door. 

 

Freddy nodded and watched him jog to the entrance of the room. He opened the door but paused in the doorway and looked back at Freddy.

 

"If you want to be the sweetest guy ever, do you think you can help put some of the clothes away~? I'll help as soon as I get out." Bonnie asked with a faux sad look.

 

Freddy rolled his eyes in amusement, but nodded. "Alright. Don't take too long in there." 

 

The bunny immediately dropped the act and quickly brightened up, thanking Freddy before leaving and shutting the door abruptly. Freddy shook his head to himself as he began folding up some of the clothes. He knew Bonnie was just going to take as long as possible in the bathroom so Freddy would have to put everything away. He didn't mind it of course, and he still found his friend's antics quite amusing, he just knew him better than that.

 

He dropped a shirt he was trying to fold, and as he reached down to pick it up, the plastic case holding Bonnie's pajama set fell, along with the rest of the set.

 

Freddy scowled at his own clumsiness and stood up again to fix it. He folded up the shorts, the sheer robe, and the overtop first, and he finally caught sight of the red satin undershirt he was referencing prior. He bent down to pick it up off the floor and stood up again to spread out the soft fabric and hold it out front of him to fold. As soon as he did, his face immediately fell, and he had to move it closer and feel around the shirt to confirm what he was seeing. 

 

There was a large tear down the middle of the front side of the top nearly reaching the bottom, like someone had tried ripping it in half. 

 

He was tense as he slowly lowered the top again and tried his best to remain calm. He glanced around the room and scanned the other clothes for any damage as well.

 

He now noticed that Bonnie's vanity mirror had a large crack in the right corner of it, where something had either hit it or was thrown at it. A few of Bonnie's other clothes had tears in them, as well as the bedsheet and a pillowcase on his bed. There were cigarette burns on the bed, the nightstands, and a few of Bonnie's clothes, but Bonnie never smoked, and Freddy recognized a few alcohol stains on the white bedding as well. There was no clutter present anywhere in the room, all of the surfaces were left empty. And that was odd, because Bonnie was far from a minimalist. There were so many miniscule details that spoke loudly of what must have gone on in this room. 

 

Freddy knew immediately what all of this was. He recalled what Bonnie told him about his last partner, and his grip on the red garment tightened. His jaw was clenching to the point that he thought he would break as he fought to conceal the guttural yell of wrath rising in his throat. 

 

He knew he had to be patient. He couldn't force Bonnie to tell him who it was... but his patience was wearing thin. The fact that this man got to walk free with no consequences, or that Bonnie was still protecting him infuriated Freddy beyond belief. The longer he thought of Bonnie, however, the more his initial anger began to fade into in a sense of grief and sorrow. The thought of him being treated like this felt like a hammer to Freddy's already shattered heart. He glanced around at the mess Bonnie made with the clothes and sighed deeply, getting to work to quickly clean up again.

 

His objective now was to make sure Bonnie had the best day possible today. The bunny deserved it and so much more. But hopefully, he would get Bonnie to trust him enough to tell him who it was by the end of the day, or as soon as possible. As he suspected, Bonnie did not come out again until ten minutes later, when everything was already cleaned. He glanced around in fake amazement at the now clean room.

 

"Oh, wow! You cleaned it so fast, I didn't even have time to help you-" 

 

Freddy chuckled goodheartedly and playfully but gently hit Bonnie's arm.

 

"I wasn't born yesterday, Bon. I knew what you were doing." 

 

Bonnie giggled along but did not deny it. He took the clothes he picked out and turned to Freddy to quickly thank him again before leaving to change and finish getting ready. Freddy watched him leave and felt a sharp pull at his heart, and he wanted to cry. Every time he looked at Bonnie now, all he could imagine what might have happened to him in this very spot. 

 

.

 

"Are you sure this is okay?? No one will recognize you?" Bonnie asked with a smile as they walked through the cold but bustling carnival. Freddy had decided to take them to a fair by the Pier that he and Bonnie used to go to as kids. Because the first snow was starting to fall, it was going to close for the season within a few days, so he wanted to take Bonnie before it shut down. 

 

He shook his head. "It should be fine. I'm rarely recognized in areas like this... as long as we keep a low profile."

 

 Bonnie nodded and glanced around in amazement. Freddy could see that the bunny was practically buzzing with excitement, while he felt conflicting emotions of content and guilt. Even though he was not necessarily searching through Bonnie's things, he only made observations, he still felt like he invaded the bunny's privacy. He might have seen things Bonnie had not wanted him to, and that made him feel like he crossed a boundary. Then again, Bonnie had also stumbled into his room and caught him in a vulnerable position, so he supposed it was only fair now. 

 

He was constantly dozing off, and he jumped as he was abruptly awoken from his daydream by Bonnie gasping loudly. 

 

"Can we stop to play this game?? I want one of the big prizes!" Bonnie gestured to a balloon and dart-throwing carnival game. 

 

Freddy snickered as they approached the stand. He reached into his wallet to pull out the money they needed and handed it off to the worker, who gave Bonnie the darts he needed and started the timer. He watched with a fond smile as Bonnie did his best to pop as many balloons as quickly as he could.

 

Bonnie was exactly like their daughter. Freddy could see where she got her personality from. It was one of the many things that he adored about the bunny. He was so cheerful and optimistic. He's always had such a radiant, outgoing outlook on life. His view of the world and people, although tainted, still seemed so innocent. Despite everything he's been through, he could find the good in anyone, and he could find the positives in everything. That kind of character was enthralling to Freddy because it seemed so alien to him. It was something he had never seen growing up, or in his line of work. But he never wanted to lose it. 

 

Bonnie groaned in frustration as the timer went off and he ran out of time. The carnie reached above them and unhooked one of the smaller stuffed toys from the wall before passing it to the now disappointed Bonnie.

 

Freddy frowned at his negative reaction and glanced at the toy, which appeared to be a stuffed strawberry.

 

"What's wrong? You didn't want that prize...?" Freddy asked. 

 

Bonnie sighed and shook his head. He looked up to the very top of the stand, where the extra large toys were hung up and pointed to a stuffed carrot. 

 

"I wanted one of those big prizes... but I guess this is okay." He held the smaller toy close.

 

Freddy hummed and turned back to the stand. "... how do you even win the big prizes-?" 

 

"You need to pop twenty balloons in twenty seconds." The worker said. 

 

Freddy thought for a moment longer before finally giving in and taking his wallet out, passing more money to the worker. "I'll give it a try." 

 

Bonnie's eyes widened in a mix of shock and interest. He giggled as Freddy took his glasses out of his pocket and slipped them on before preparing.

 

"Woah... you must be serious about this-" 

 

Freddy gave him a confident smile, but he was actually genuinely excited about this. Not only could he cheer the bunny up, but he could impress him at the same time. 

 

He took the darts and lifted one up, preparing to aim. As soon as the timer started, he locked in and began shooting each dart at impeccable speed towards the balloons. None of his hits were missing, and each dart was not only popping the balloons, but staying jammed into the wood. His strenght and efficiency came from years of training, which made the game quite easy for him. He was in such deep focus, he had not realized he shot twenty-four balloons within the twenty seconds, four more than he needed to. When the timer went off, both Bonnie and the carnie were impressed.

 

The worker followed instruction and let them pick one of the bigger prizes, so Freddy chose the carrot Bonnie wanted and gave it to him. It was a pleasant surprise to see the bunny blush and cover his face with the carrot in an attempt to hide it. Bonnie giggled bashfully and glanced to the side. 

 

"T-thank you! That was really impressive..." 

 

Freddy gave him a kind smile back and removed his glasses again, placing them safely back into their case. 

 

"It was no problem, my dear." 

 

Freddy continued walking forward casually, and it took him an entire minute to realize his slip up. It was his turn to grow red in the face, and he quickly turned back to Bonnie and held his paws out in submission. 

 

"Sorry! I-I'm so sorry, I don't... i-it was out of habit...!" he tried explaining. 

 

Bonnie looked just as flustered and surprised as he was, though thankfully, the bunny only laughed it off and assured him that it was alright. The day at the fair felt heavenly. It was probably the best day Freddy has had in a long time, and it looked to be the same for Bonnie. Though he knew it was about to grow serious again. 

 

He had been debating with himself the entire day whether or not to encourage Bonnie to open up to him more or not. Freddy had done so earlier, and Bonnie helped him so much. He made Freddy feel so heard and understood. He just wanted to do the same for the bunny. If there was any kind of help he could give Bonnie, no matter how small, he wanted to do it. 

 

Freddy would have brought him to a more refined dinner, but Bonnie wanted fast food, so they stopped to get something quick. He pulled over and parked at the Pier so they could have a view of the ocean while they ate in the car. The sun had just gone down, so they turned the car lights on to see. After a while of comfortable banter between the two of them, Freddy decided it was time to 'rip off the bandaid' and bring up the elephant in the room. 

 

"... so Bonnie, I... I'm glad I opened up to you today. You helped me out so much," he began.

 

"But... I kind of... wanted to help you, too... it seems like you have a lot on your mind." 

 

Bonnie was in the process of cheerfully drinking the strawberry milkshake Freddy had gotten him. As he heard what Freddy was saying, his expression quickly fell as he slowly lowered the straw and cup from his mouth. He kept his gaze low and tried shrugging it off at first.

 

"I-I don't know, I... I told you about what happened after we separated-" he nervously put the drink into a cup holder beside him.

 

Freddy hummed softly and gave him a patient look. "I know... and I'm glad you did. But it's like you told me today, Bon. I know you. I know there's more you need to talk about." 

 

When Bonnie's ears dropped, and he still hesitated, Freddy continued.

 

"I only want to help you, Bon... anyway I can... it's okay if it seems 'embarrassing', or like it's 'too much'... because we've both been through a lot. And we both grieved in different ways. I would never judge you for things you did at your lowest point... Like you didn't judge me." He assured.  

 

Bonnie's entire body seemed to sag in defeat, and his head fell. He was silent for a few seconds before leaning back in the seat and hugging himself as he relived the memories. 

 

"... I didn't tell you everything... when I told you what happened when we seperated. I-I left out... a lot." 

 

Freddy remained quiet, and only gave Bonnie a patient but encouraging nod. The bunny sighed as he kept his gaze ahead while he recounted what happened. 

 

"... after we seperated, Gregory and I stayed in the townhouse I bought for around three months... I ran out of all the money you sent me within those months. I didn't realize how bad things had gotten, and h-how hard it was to survive unless you were... rich." He shrugged humorlessly.

 

"... and it was right when the snow started... so we were homeless at the start of winter. Foxy let us stay with him where he lived under his shop... he only had one bedroom, but he was kind enough to take the couch so Gregory and I could stay on his bed... Foxy could barely afford to feed himself, though, so I had to find work fast and work a lot to pay for coal for the stove, for food... for Gregory's school..."

 

"... But I could only work so much, because Foxy was already working over a hundred hours a week, and there was no one to take care of Gregory... my boss was angry that I couldn't work more 'cause of my kid, so he just... replaced me with younger workers... and we had no money again..." He sighed in frustration directed at himself. 

 

"I-I know I'm rambling, and repeating myself, I just... I can't stress it enough, I was desperate! I-I was afraid we wouldn't even survive..." 

 

Freddy had a growing feeling that Bonnie must have done something really wrong. Something he was very ashamed of. He kept beating around the bush and trying to justify something he had not even admitted to yet. He was beginning to feel a growing sense of dread as to what Bonnie was about to confess.

 

Freddy nodded. "I understand, Bonnie. I won't judge you... I promise." He repeated.

 

Bonnie bit his lip nervously, but he eventually stopped hesitating and leaned back in his seat, silently psyching himself up.

 

"Okay... p-please don't be mad at me, but I-I lied! I lied to you when I told you about my relationship!"

 

"... I wasn't just approached by some guy on the street... I was... I was out on the street late at night. I had just lost my job a few hours ago, and I needed money quick, so I... I was looking for some kind of pawn shop, or some way to sell some of the old jewelry you bought me in the past..."

 

He glanced down guiltily. "I-I didn't want to, I just... I thought it would help... but I didn't know my way around, and I... I ended up on a bad side of town..." 

 

He inhaled sharply and leaned his head back against the seat. "I-I think I ended up somewhere near the Red Light District... a lot farther away from your home."

 

Freddy tensed as he heard that. He knew that place all too well. His family owned all of crime essentially, so of course that meant they took profits from the Prostitution Network. Freddy, however, avoided that side of the work at all costs, and left it up to other family and workers to manage it. It brought up painful memories for him, mainly of his cheating father who had visited the Red Light District many times behind his mother's back. 

 

"... So I tried going back home, but I ran into someone on the way who was interested in buying a piece of jewlery off me, and I guess... someone saw and... recognized me. He didn't know me, but he knew you. And he knew that I was your husband... he approached me afterward and started talking to me..."

 

"... he seemed nice, and charismatic... and after a while of talking to me, he admitted to knowing who I was, but he offered to help me out... He offered me a job that paid amazingly. I didn't like it, but work is work... it sounded like easy money, and it still left me with plenty of time to care for Gregory. So I just... took the job anyway. But I..."

 

His voice shook as he struggled to word what he was going to say next. It looked and sounded like he was repulsed by what he was about to admit to.

 

"... I worked as a Soiled Dove." He finally said. 

 

Freddy could not even process those words at first before Bonnie quickly continued.

 

"... e-everything those men were saying about me... about you being with me... they were right!" He cried. 

 

"He... he hired me because of my affiliation with you! H-he said I would m-make a lot of money from it, and he was right, I did! B-because I had to u-use my connection with you!" The tears were coming down in rapid fire down Bonnie's cheeks as he went on.

 

"W-work is work, so I... It was awful, but I could do it... b-but it was scary sometimes-! S-sometimes they would get so v-violent and a-aggressive... b-because they just... they used me as a way to get back at you, or something...!" 

 

He frantically wiped at his eyes and took a breath to try and speak clearer.

 

Freddy was at a complete loss for words. He tried opening his mouth to stutter out some kind of response, but he was cut off by Bonnie again.

 

"... t-the bar owner that took me to his room... h-he was one of my past c-clients! He didn't recognize me at first, a-and when he did, he brought me up there! That's why he did it! S-same with the men in the Underground! T-they all knew me-!" 

 

"I... I humiliated you... j-just being a-associated with me is an embarrassment!" 

 

Freddy wanted to process and address everything individually that Bonnie was saying, but his friend was clearly spiraling, and needed some kind of intervention. He quickly shifted in the car and did his best to move the arm rests and everything away from the center consol to bring them closer together. He offered his arms out, but gently brought Bonnie into the embrace without asking, because he already knew how much he needed it. He could feel how quickly Bonnie's heart was racing and how desperately he was gasping for breath, and it was beginning to scare him. He kept a tight hold on Bonnie to ground him, but did his best to calmly and gently reassure him.

 

"Please, Bonnie... I-I'll let you explain everything you need, it's okay-! I just need you to breathe, please..." He begged, fearing the man would black out if he continued at this rate.

 

After another minute of work, Bonnie pulled away and curled his knees up to his chest. His crying and breathing were still concerning, but he did not seem as dangerous to himself now, so Freddy encouraged him to continue whenever he was ready. As much as he wanted Bonnie to take a break, he needed to know more, mainly because he had to make sure the bunny was not in anymore danger.

 

"... t-the guy that approached me was my b-boss for awhile, b-but... it wasn't professional! At all! He-he was interested in a relationship, or something, but I wasn't interested at all... you and I had only j-just seperated... I wasn't returning any of the f-flirting or anything, but... he just kept getting more demanding and insistent, a-and... I-I wanted to keep the job, so I-I started seeing him, and went along with it..."

 

" ... when I finally g-gave him what he wanted, he started acting so nice, and generous... he bought me the diner, a-and gave me less shifts because he knew I didn't like the current job, and because I was more comfortable in that setting... He helped me move in, a-and he was covering rent, so all I needed to buy was groceries and whatever else Gregory needed... He was really good with our son... Gregory could finally have his own bed and room again... Foxy could finally have his house back, it was the best solution for everyone else..."

 

"... but it meant I was stuck with him... h-he would constantly t-threaten to k-kick us out whenever I made him upset... a-and I never told Foxy about it... a-and you already know how it was like being with him..."

 

Bonnie was avoiding eye-contact with Freddy entirely as he went on with his story, and he supposed it was out of shame. 

 

"A-and he never actually l-lived in the apartment with us... h-he stayed over a few times a week, whenever he felt like it..."

 

Bonnie sighed again as he was about to make another confession. "I-I wasn't just being stubborn and refusing to contact you, o-or get money from you... I wasn't allowed to! He monitored everything I did... that's why I wanted you to contact me... !"

 

He shook his head. "... b-but that wasn't f-fair of me to be a-angry at you... y-you didn't know..."

 

Bonnie held his breath and finally turned to look Freddy in the eye.

 

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry-! I-I'm pathetic, I... I humiliated you, I lied to you, I-I took my anger out on you-!" 

 

Freddy sighed and moved closer to wrap an arm around Bonnie again, this time only gently pulling him in. He almost wanted to cry all over again, but held it in for his friend. The amount of grief and guilt he felt in this moment was soul crushing.

 

"I-it's okay... you're not pathetic, and you've never humiliated me. Don't ever say that..." 

 

Bonnie roughly wiped his scrunched up face with his wrist. "It's true! I-I don't know how you can even look at me the same, I-I'm disgusting-! I ruined both of our reputations! I RUINED MYSELF, FREDDY! I'M JUST A-!"

 

"Bonnie, enough!" Freddy finally raised his voice, immediately silencing him. When he knew he had Bonnie's attention, he fought to keep his voice steady and continued.

 

"M-my reputation is not your responsibility... I'll never have a good reputation, that doesn't matter to me! I don't care what any of those criminals think of you, or me!" 

 

He took a firm but gentle hold of Bonnie's upper arms and turned him so they could face each other directly as he went on.

 

"They can say whatever they want, but they're wrong! None of it matters to me! You... you could never be disgusting... or pathetic, or embarrassing-! I-I'm so... d-devastated this happened to you, because... I love you so much, and I... h-hate to see you suffer..." His voice was breaking more and more as he went on, but he refused to faulter while he was trying to reason with the bunny. 

 

"But this... this doesn't change who you are to me, Bon. Y-you're far from ruined, you're..." 

 

He was very hesitant to continue with his thought. He knew what he wanted to say, but he and Bonnie were no longer together, so he worried it was too much. But despite that, he thought his friend needed to hear it right now. 

 

"... y-you're still the light of my life, Bonnie... you and our son... nothing will ever change that, not even this. You're still beautiful... you're not broken or ruined to me." He said with certainty.  

 

Bonnie was speechless now, and was staring at Freddy like he had just seen a ghost. Freddy knew what he was probably thinking, and offered him a sad and amused smile to hopefully ease some of the tension. He lifted his paws up to gently wipe the tears off Bonnie's face with his thumbs.

 

"I-I know you're doubting it... but please believe me. You don't have to believe yourself, but believe me... I wouldn't lie to you." Freddy assured.

 

Bonnie forced a small chuckle back and wiped his own eyes, nodding to Freddy and turning his gaze down as his smile disappeared.

 

Freddy gently lifted his chin up so they could meet eyes again. "... and it's okay... I'm not angry that you lied, I understand why you would... But why didn't you contact me after the two of you seperated...? I still would've helped..." 

 

Bonnie tensed and glanced down again. His eyes conveyed a look of guilt, like he was hiding something else. He buried his face in his paws, and Freddy already knew whatever he was about to say had to be bad.

 

"... I-I lied about that, too..." 

 

"Lied about what...?" Freddy asked cautiously. 

 

Bonnie teared up all over again and took a shaky breath. 

 

"... We... we never broke it off! I-I don't let him in the apartment, o-or near Gregory anymore, but I... I still work for him, I'm still seeing him!" 

 

Freddy's blood ran cold as he heard that. He had to cut the bunny off immediately as he began rambling again. 

 

"Bonnie. You're still with him??" He was unable to control his voice hardening, though his fear and frustration was not directed at Bonnie. 

 

Bonnie whimpered. "I-I didn't have a choice...! H-he was scaring m-me! I-I didn't know what he was capable of! He's a criminal, Freddy! H-he could h-h-hurt me or G-Gregory again-!" 

 

"That's why I wanted to stay with you instead of the a-apartment! B-because I t-thought I could f-finally get-get away from him...! A-at least I could get a b-break from him a-and my work...! A-and I knew he couldn't h-hurt me or Gregory with you-! I'm sorry!" Bonnie sobbed. 

 

Freddy ran his paw through his hair and grit his teeth to contain a frustrated yell. He took a deep breath and made eye-contact with Bonnie again.

 

"Who is he?! If he's so dangerous, and you're still meeting him, I need to know who he is!" 

 

Bonnie covered his eyes with his paws and flinched at his tone, but quickly shook his head. 

 

"I-I can't-!" 

 

"WHY CAN'T YOU?!" He finally snapped. 

 

"I'M SCARED-!" Bonnie's was muffled by his paws as his body continued to shake with sobs.

 

Freddy paused for second, recalling their heart-to-heart from earlier, and quickly realized his mistake. He was starting to sound exactly like his father. And that horrified him. It horrified him that he spoke to Bonnie like that in his current state. 

 

That was enough to sober him up in a sense, and his rage was quickly pushed aside by his natural instinct to comfort Bonnie. He laid a hesitant and careful paw over Bonnie's back, and used the other one to gently move his arms down. He did his best to soften his voice and expression.

 

"S-sorry... I didn't mean to yell at you, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that..." Freddy whispered shakily. 

 

Bonnie searched his eyes for a moment before taking a gasp of breath and wiping his face off again.

 

"I-I'm sorry I lied... that I'm k-keeping things from you... that I p-put all the blame on you f-for not c-contacting m-me..." 

 

Freddy slowly pulled him in to lean against his chest. He wrapped his arms firmly around Bonnie and hushed him.

 

"It's okay... everything I said before still stands. I love you more than anything else... I don't want you to suffer in silence anymore..."

 

He loosened his hold on Bonnie and changed their position slightly so they could still face eachother in the embrace, but they were not too close. 

 

"... You won't ever need to speak to him again, and you won't ever have to work for him again. You and Gregory are under my protection. I won't let anything happen to you two. I-I'll support you and your diner, you won't need him at all." He vowed. 

 

Bonnie was beginning to tear up again as they locked eyes, only this time, a small smile was making it's way onto his face. He giggled timidly and sniffled, rubbing his eyes again.

 

"T-thank you... thank you, Freddy-!" His voice was weak and raspy from his previous crying as he dove forward and surprised Freddy by trapping him in a rather tight embrace. 

 

"I-I love you too, Freddy..." Bonnie whispered against his chest. 

 

Freddy's felt a sore in his heart at the display, and his own happy tears were beginning to develop because this is something he never thought would happen again. For the first time in almost four years, Freddy could hold Bonnie against his chest and settle in a comfortable embrace. Bonnie was leaning his full weight onto Freddy and had his face squished against him and his eyes shut, showing how safe he felt with the man holding him.

 

He was still beyond infuriated. He was frustrated, he was afraid, he was furious and hateful... he was anguished as he learned Bonnie had been through so much worse than he could have imagined. But for now, the rewarding feeling of cuddling his former husband was enough to put him at ease and contain the raging wildfire within him for now.

 

They sat like that for another hour slowly calming down again and finishing their food and drinks, and Freddy took Bonnie home. They were back an hour later than they should have been, but they knew Gregory was put to bed already by Roxanne. Still, they stopped by his room to check on him. Bonnie opened the door as silently as possible, and the small, warm crack of light in the hallway illuminated the boy's figure sleeping in bed in the dark room.

 

The bunny smiled in endearment and gently tapped Freddy's shoulder, gesturing for him to look as well. He followed Bonnie as they silently made it to his bedside until they were standing over his resting figure that was facing them. 

 

The boy's hair was a mess, and he was curled up and holding his pillow tightly. Freddy could not control the smile pulling at his lips at the sight of his son. It only grew as he watched Bonnie bend over and carefully tuck Gregory into bed better before gently moving his bangs away with his paws and kissing his forehead. The boy only hummed and stirred in response, earning a quiet titter from both parents.

 

"He must be really sleepy... let's leave him alone." Bonnie whispered. Freddy nodded as they quietly left. On the way to Freddy's room, Bonnie paused in front of the door to Daisy's old bedroom solemnly. He glanced at Freddy in questioning, implying that he wanted to go in. 

 

Freddy hesitated, but begrudgingly agreed and opened the door for him. Bonnie stepped in and glanced around the room in awe.

 

"... you've been taking care of it..." He muttered.

 

Freddy nodded with a hum. "I don't let anyone else in this room... so I've been the only one maintaining it." 

 

Bonnie was silent for a moment longer before chuckling and glancing down.

 

"... I-I want to cry right now, but I don't have any tears left after earlier..." He joked.

 

The two of them spent a moment longer in the room to let Bonnie silently mourn before leaving back to Freddy's room. He silently cursed as he came in, since he dreaded staying in his room while it was in dissaray. They sat on the bed to silently unwind and enjoy eachother's company for the time being, since neither wanted to go to sleep right away. Freddy had started reading a book while Bonnie was idly listening to some kind of talk show on Freddy's radio. Freddy took note that Bonnie had nearly the entire bed, yet he chose to lay back against Freddy's chest and silently read the same book he was. He assumed Bonnie still felt on edge and just wanted to feel safe, so he did not comment on it. 

 

Not that he minded at all. In fact, Freddy loved how comfortable Bonnie was getting around him. He didn't know what to do with his arm, so he made the bold move of laying it to loosely wrap across Bonnie's torso and waist.

 

Though after an hour, Freddy was beginning to grow tired. He set the book down to his left on the bedside table and wiped his eyes before turning to Bonnie.

 

"Hey... are you tired? Maybe we should go to bed..." He offered.

 

He was confused when Bonnie did not respond to him, and he only realized a minute after when he switched off the radio with his left paw, that Bonnie had fallen asleep against him.

 

He was at a loss of what to do. He tried shifting away without waking him, but he quickly realized he couldn't move away without disturbing him. He felt so guilty at the thought of waking Bonnie, but he also worried the bunny would be uncomfortable or upset in the morning. It felt like a lose lose for him.

 

He decided to take his chance with the ladder. He was having a hard time staying awake himself, and Bonnie seriously needed the rest after today. He shut off the lights and shifted to get comfortable on his pillow, keeping his arm secure around Bonnie so he wouldn't slip off of him and wake up. His back was still against the side of Freddy's torso, and his head was laid over his right peck. 

 

Freddy caught himself staring down at Bonnie's resting face, and he couldn't help but smile fondly and gently move some of his bangs out of the way to see him better. He thought back to what Bonnie told him earlier and felt himself tense slightly.

 

He needed to find out who it was. For Bonnie and Gregory's safety. But Freddy knew quite a few men who fit the vague description Bonnie described, so it was difficult to pinpoint who it could be. Still, he was sure he must know the man already. 

 

And he needed to keep Bonnie as far away from him, from that job, and from that life as possible. Freddy didn't like him getting involved in any crime, but if there was no other option, he would rather the bunny work for him again then whoever that thug was.

 

He leaned his head back and shut his eyes to try and sleep.

Chapter 14

Like being caught in a spider's web. 

 

That was how it was always described to him. Being involved in organized crime, like a gang, trafficking groups, or anything of the sort, was similar to a spider web. All of it was an intricate and complex yet organized system, all connecting back to a center of operation, and surverying and pulling all the strings, was the predator. The spider. In this case, it would be the Mafia. And the spider had to, unfortunately, be Freddy. 

 

But another way it was comparable to a web, was because it was an inescapable trap. Once you were in, or once you had gotten involved in this life, there was no getting out. That's why Freddy had to give up all of his dreams outside of his family's business. Because even if he did somehow escape his family, he would just end up caught somewhere else in the web. There was no getting out of the seemingly endless maze. 

 

Unfortunately, Bonnie was a perfect example of this. He got out of the Mafia's trap, only to be caught further down the web. And the only way to escape this new trap, was to crawl back to his old one. 

 

Freddy woke up first, which was a surprise. He was an incredibly heavy sleeper, who could likely sleep through a gun fight. A direct contrast to Bonnie, who was cursed with his sensitive hearing and heightened senses. A small gust of wind from outside could wake him. 

 

At first, Freddy thought what happened before he went to sleep was some kind of dream, but he was immediately proven wrong by the sound of soft breathing at his side. When he glanced over, there was his beloved bunny again. 

 

Bonnie was now asleep on the other side of the bed laying on top of his arm, with one paw resting on Freddy's torso. His mouth was hung open slightly, and he had a peaceful expression on his face that was partially covered by his mess of curls. He was laying on his chest and stomach with one bent leg raised and curled around Freddy's. He was still wearing the now wrinkled and pulled out white button up he had yesterday with some of the buttons undone, but the ribbon he wore around his neck and his short, lace, sleeveless cardigan were discarded, as was his headband. He still had his comfortable wide-leg capris pants and socks on, but thankfully wasn't wearing his shoes anymore. Freddy looked similar, since they both went to sleep in their day clothes. 

 

Freddy felt himself smile softly, and he reached out to gently brush his bangs out of the way to see him better. He nearly chuckled at the sight of the bunny's round cheeks squished into the soft pillows. His eye-liner still left tear-streak marks from last night, and now the rest of his eyeliner and mascara was smeared over his face and the pillow. After the heart-to-heart they just had, and what he learned about the bunny, it felt so nice seeing him look comfortable and at peace. He tried to carefully scoot out of bed without waking him, but unfortunately, that was proven impossible. As soon as his arm moved from under Bonnie, the bunny's brows creased, and his eyes fluttered open. He moaned sleepily and glanced up at Freddy in half-awake confusion. 

 

Freddy chuckled nervously. "Good morning.... S-sorry, I wasn't trying to wake you up, feel free to go back to sleep." 

 

Bonnie stared at him for another few seconds in confusion, like he was questioning why Freddy was there, until his eyes blew wide open in realization. He quickly forced himself into a sitting position and scooted out of the blanket, now fully awake. He used his paw to forcefully brush his bangs back and away from from his face so he could see Freddy better. 

 

"Oh-! I-I'm so sorry...! I-I must have fallen asleep, I didn't mean to invade your space-" He tried scooting off the bed. 

 

Freddy reached a careful paw out to hold his arm for him to stop, using his free paw to gesture for him to settle down. 

 

"It's okay! I didn't mind at all. It was... actually kind of nice having company again..." He shrugged, his eyes glancing away from Bonnie shyly. 

 

Bonnie paused before hesitantly sitting back down, looking straight ahead in thought. 

 

"... unless you're uncomfortable, of course! I-I don't want you to feel like I'm making you stay-" Freddy quickly clarified. 

 

Bonnie shook his head. "N-no, it's fine... this bed is super comfortable, I don't mind staying." He laid back on the pillows again. 

 

Freddy tittered, laying back as well to match him but turning his body to face the bunny who now yawned and wiped the sleep from his eyes, unknowingly smearing his makeup more. Though Freddy kept that to himself for now and only watched in silent mirth. 

 

"... You 'liked the company' of me accidentally crashing on your bed...?" Bonnie turned his head to him and giggled, lifting his knees up and planting his feet on the bed until his legs were curled upward. 

 

Freddy shrugged. "Well, yeah... not like anyone's been here for a long time-" He mused. 

 

Bonnie folded his arms lightly, giving the man a teasing look. "Y'know there're people you can pay to do that, Fred. You never thought of paying a whore to come to bed with you or something?" He jested. 

 

Freddy cleared his throat, clearly caught off guard by that joke. He quickly realized the irony of the bunny's statement and chuckled, returning the raillery back to Bonnie. 

 

"Well, I... kind of-" 

 

Bonnie seemed to realize what he said as well after a moment and threw his head back, covering his face with his paws. 

 

"... fuck. Yeah, I walked right into that one-" 

 

Freddy did not start laughing until Bonnie did, being extra careful to not seem disrespectful. But his former husband had quite a dark sense of humor at times, anyway. 

 

"I-I didn't want to say it-!" Freddy chuckled over Bonnie's laughing fit.  

 

He was good at playing it off, and he knew those kinds of jokes were how Bonnie coped with things, but it was hard joking like this for Freddy. Especially so soon after he learned what happened. He still could not look at the bunny without being reminded of that. Not only did it portray the cruelty his friend experienced, but it held a mirror to Freddy of his failure as a protector. 

 

Bonnie was very hesitant to marry him when he learned about Freddy's family work. He expressed to Freddy that he did not want to be involved in crime, and most importantly, he was afraid for their future children and his own safety. He opened up to the bear so much about how scared he was to join Freddy's family, how afraid he was opening himself up to danger like that. 

 

But everytime, Freddy insisted he had nothing to worry about. He constantly assured the bunny that none of that would happen, because Freddy would not let it. He swore up and down that their children would be kept out of it, that they would be safe. He promised Bonnie so many times that he had nothing to fear, and that no harm would come to him. That he would always be by his side, and that he would protect the bunny from everything. 

 

And after a while, Bonnie finally started believing him, and feeling more comfortable... 

 

And then Daisy was killed. Because he could not keep his children out of it. He broke his first promise. 

 

And then he unofficially divorced Bonnie, and made him leave with Gregory. He broke another promise, to stay by Bonnie's side. 

 

Then Bonnie was taken from him, and was abused and mistreated to the point of losing his all of his self-worth and respect. Then Gregory was hurt as well... He broke two more promises. 

 

It was no wonder Bonnie was so hateful towards him at the start. He was not sure why or how the bunny was even tolerating him right now. Even he believed he didn't deserve it. Though he learned now that projecting those feelings of being 'undeserving' onto others was not right, so he held his tounge. At the end of the day, Bonnie was an adult, and Freddy gave him full control of his boundaries and what he will and will not tolerate. If the bunny wanted or didn't want to give Freddy something, he would make it clear. It wasn't up to Freddy to tell Bonnie what he believed the bunny should think about him. 

 

Now it was growing hard to sit still. It has been hard for him to not give Bonnie any affection since he got here, (mainly out of habit of course). But now that the two of them were waking up and laying in bed together, and laughing, and teasing each other, he wanted to cuddle Bonnie so badly. Ever since he learned what he went through, Freddy has wanted to hold Bonnie as close as he could and never let go. To shield him from the rest of the world, and to show any of those dangerous men that Bonnie was under his care. That he would not make the same mistake again. He was willing to do anything at this point to make Bonnie feel safe and valued again. 

 

"... ed...? Freddy??" Bonnie's paw waving in his peripheral view snapped him out of his thoughts. He blinked away the clouds from his mind and glanced at the bunny in confusion, who gave him an amused but concerned look. 

 

"I lost you there. You were spacing out for a while, are you okay...?" He asked. 

 

"O-oh...!" Freddy scratched the back of his neck timidly. 

 

"S-sorry... I-I'm okay. Could you repeat what you said-?" 

 

Bonnie brushed it off with a kind smile. "Don't worry, it really wasn't important," 

 

His smile soon feel into a more serious look, however, as he turned his gaze ahead and scooted himself back against the pillows and bedframe so he was sitting up more. 

 

"But... before Gregory wakes up, while we're still alone... there was something I wanted to talk about." 

 

Freddy sat up straighter as well and nodded in understanding, giving the bunny his full attention as he patiently waited through Bonnie's hesitation. 

 

He noticed the bunny did that a lot now. Back when they were married, Bonnie was respectful and understanding, but he had no problem being confrontational. He was usually the most vocal in their talks and arguments, and he always had something to say. But now, he hesitated a lot. He always seemed nervous to honestly speak his mind about things, like he was trying to walk on eggshells constantly. It looked like he put a lot of thought into every word he said, and was very careful with his tone now. Freddy had a good guess as to why, but he knew not to bring it up. That's something that would hopefully improve on it's own with time. 

 

Bonnie chuckled breathlessly and wiped his eyes. "I... I know this sounds stupid, and cliché, but... what are we...?" He finally turned to Freddy, his brief smiling disappearing. Before Freddy could respond, Bonnie continued. 

 

"I... what does a-any of this mean to you...? B-because you kicked me out, and... and told me you didn't... want me... " His voice shook as he recalled Freddy's words. 

 

"A-and now, you're i-inviting us to stay at the house, y-you're taking me out, buying us g-gifts, you're... telling me you love me, you're holding me, you're being so... sweet to me-" 

 

Bonnie dropped his legs on the bed again and let his arms fall and his back sag over. "I-I'm confused... maybe I'm just dumb and... f-forgot how relationships work with others, I-I don't know.I just..." 

 

Bonnie tensed and hugged himself again as his ears dropped miserably. "... I'm scared... I-I want to just enjoy it, but I can't... I'm so s-scared of letting my guard down, a-and... and being vulnerable again, because I don't... I don't want to be abandoned again-! And I don't want to w-walk into another t-trap!" He stuttered, taking a deep breath to settle his racing thoughts before facing Freddy. 

 

"J-just tell me what you want out of me already... Besides help with the mission. W-what's the end goal out of this??" He gestured between the two of them. 

 

Freddy was stunned into silence the entire time, but he listened and thought deeply about every word that came out of the bunny's mouth. He waited almost a minute after Bonnie stopped to be sure the bunny was done talking, before he tried thinking of some way to respond. 

 

"... w-well, before anything, I don't 'want anything' out of you. Absolutely not. I'm not using you for anything... that's why I didn't want you to help with the mission. I knew you didn't like being involved in crime, but I also didn't want it to look like this was the only reason I contacted you... but don't worry about that, I won't ask for any kind of payment or favors from you." He assured. 

 

Bonnie's shoulders visibly sagged in relief knowing he would not be in any debt, but continued staring expectantly at Freddy. The man sighed as he willed his voice to remain steady, and thought of the correct words to phrase what he wanted to say. 

 

"And... I can see how this could be very confusing, and scary for you. I'm so sorry, that... that was never my intention..." 

 

"The truth is... I'm in the same boat as you. I-I've been confused as to what we are, and how you feel about me as well... which is why I haven't been very forthcoming with my feelings. But to speak for myself... honestly, I kind of said it yesterday... I love you." 

 

"... the reason I made you and Gregory leave was... stupid. It was my stupid, grieving logic. I-I was certain that the only way to keep you two safe was to keep you guys as far away from me as possible... but you were such a good husband, Bon. You made it so difficult..." He chuckled humorlessly. 

 

"I... I thought the only way to protect you guys was to make you go as far away as possible... and I thought the only way to make you guys leave willingly would be to make you guys... hate me. I-I thought... if I could be as mean, and unlikeable as possible, a-and if I got you to h-hate me just enough... you would leave on your own..." 

 

"... nothing I said was true... i-it was so h-hard for me to say those things, a-and keep the act up. A-all of it was lies! ... But that doesn't make it okay that I said those things to begin with... that's why I don't blame you if you choose to not forgive me..." 

 

His heart was beating so heavily, he feared it would break out of his chest as he prepared to say the last part. But there was no more running from it. 

 

"... but regardless of your feelings towards me... in my eyes, you're... the love of my life. I still love you, and everything about you. I've missed you every single day we've been apart... I thought about you all the time, I-I've cried over losing you more times than I could count... and I regretted what I did every second of everyday since we seperated..." 

 

He sighed as his eyes began to tear up. "... I-I love you so much, but I am just so grateful to have you here again... I'm happy to have you in my life anyway you will let me. Whether we're just co-parents, acquaintances, friends, lovers, anything... I just... n-never want to lose you again-" His voice shook. 

 

Bonnie stared at him, absolutely dumbfounded. He scooted himself closer after a minute and folded his legs in so his knees were curled up and facing Freddy. When there was less than an inch of space between their bodies, Bonnie tilted his head to meet Freddy's eyes. 

 

"... oh, Freddy..." He started. Freddy wiped his nose and turned his head to make eye-contact with Bonnie. 

 

"I... Of course I still have those feelings... we-we've been together since we were kids, that... that doesn't just disappear..." His voice cracked emotionally. 

 

"I-I kind of said it yesterday, too... t-that's one of the biggest reasons why I didn't w-want a relationship with him... b-because I was... still in love with you..." He whispered. 

 

"And... I-I thought of you all the time, too..." He wiped his eyes, quickly growing emotional. "I was always... dreaming and... imagining scenarios in my head w-where... where you were going to come and get G-Gregory and I out of that situation... and you were gonna' tell me you still loved me... we would kiss, and... and everything would be good again..." He lifted his right knee and held it with his paws. He rested the side of his head against it and chuckled humorlessly. 

 

His smile fell once again as he continued. "And it made it easier while working. While those men would... 'do as they pleased', or while my boyfriend would... hurt me, I would just... imagine you, and... it wouldn't hurt as much..." 

 

He shook his head. "S-sorry, that was way too much information-" He chuckled shakily. 

 

Freddy did not want to accidentally interrupt, and he did not trust himself to speak right now anyway without his voice breaking as well, so he only shook his head at Bonnie and gave him an understanding smile, showing him he did not mind. 

 

Thankfully, Bonnie got the message and did his best to return it before looking down and resting his cheek against his knee again. 

 

"... so yeah, I guess... I do still have those feelings, but... so much has happened now, Freddy... I'm not just worried for my own feelings. I-I don't want Gregory feeling abandoned again, either. He's already been through too much..." He added. 

 

Freddy nodded in agreement and understanding, allowing Bonnie to continue. 

 

"H-how do I know it won't just... h-happen again ...?" He turned to Freddy desperately. 

 

Freddy was brought to silence again as he thought about that. Because sure, he could promise all he wanted, but his words only meant so much. They've let Bonnie down quite a few times already. 

 

He sighed. "Well, if we're speaking in hypotheticals... I-I can promise you your own security. You could keep your diner, your own bank account, your income, and everything else... so you're not left with nothing again if... if it came to that," 

 

"... but... in terms of how you feel, there is nothing I can give you but my words... All I can say is... I hope I've shown you how much I d-deeply regret what I did... you can see what it did to me..." He gestured around his room. 

 

"... I've apologized before, and I'll apologize everyday the rest of our lives if I need to... I'd spend everyday of my life making it up to you guys... I would treat you with the respect and dignity you deserve. The way I've always treated you. I would cherish you the rest of my life... b-because I already had to live without you once, and... and I couldn't do that again..." His voice shook. 

 

He glanced at Bonnie again. "... I-Ideally, I'd want you to... be my husband again. I want that love between us again. I want to share myself, my wealth, my home, my bed... I want that to be ours again. I-I want you to be safe under my care again... I want to help you feel loved again." 

 

He glanced down. "... but as I said... it's up to you. I just don't want to lose you again... I-I'll take whatever you will give me, as long as I can be a part of you and Gregory's lives again..." 

 

Bonnie was silent as he listened to Freddy go on. When Freddy got no answer from him right away, he finally spared a peek to see what was causing the silence. 

 

He was shocked to see Bonnie's teary-eyed expression of disbelief on him. Before Freddy could check in on the bunny, Bonnie finally spoke up. 

 

"You... you still love me...? E-even after finding out about my job, a-and the man?? A-all the men...?!" He sniffled. Freddy smiled sadly and gave him a small nod. It seemed like he wasn't against it anymore, so Freddy took the first bold step, and slipped one arm loosely over Bonnie's back and around his waist, pulling his upper body closer until their faces were inches apart. 

 

"Always... forever and ever, Bonnie." He assured softly. 

 

Freddy relaxed his eyes that were now locked on Bonnie's, and he took a moment to admire them. He had not seen them so close in so long. His vibrant, rosey-red irises that stared back into his. They reflected the bunny's uncertainty, his pain, but most importantly, Bonnie's building trust for the man in front of him. Their eyes were locked and reading eachother for a few seconds, so Freddy did not realize how close they were getting until he felt his forehead press against Bonnie's. 

 

He watched as the bunny's pupils gradually expanded in content and comfort directed at him, before his eyes shut slowly. Freddy noticed him briefly pull his head away before tilting it to the side and leaning in again with his lips slightly parted. 

 

Freddy felt as if his heart had stopped beating entirely in that moment, but he followed along and adjusted his own head for him. He instinctively reached down to carefully grasp Bonnie's back thigh right above his knee and used his other paw that was around Bonnie's back to pull him closer. Bonnie, in return, raised both of his paws to cradle Freddy's face and lightly pull him in until they officially slotted their lips together. Only then did Freddy close his eyes completely. 

 

Freddy felt like he was on fire. Bonnie was so soft and warm, exactly how he remembered him. The kiss itself had no carnal heat behind it, just passion and longing from being apart for so long. This connection felt so right to Freddy, it's like he just had a deep cleansing of his entire body. 

 

They parted after just a few seconds, but kept their paws and bodies exactly where they were before, and they locked eyes on eachother again. This time, both of them had equal looks of surprise. 

 

Freddy snapped out of it first, and removed his paw from Bonnie's thigh, opting to sliding it over the bunny's paw that was on his cheek and held it gently, keeping it there. He offered Bonnie a gentle, patient smile. 

 

"... I loved that... how do you feel after that?" He whispered. 

 

The bunny returned a brighter but more timid smile and giggled sheepishly, using his other paw that was not held by Freddy to cover his mouth. 

 

"I-I feel good. I loved it, too." He nodded with flushed cheeks. 

 

Freddy grew more confident and brushed his cheek against Bonnie's palm that he held on his face and turned his head to nuzzle into it, leaving a small kiss on his palm under his thumb. 

 

"So... could we do it again...?" Freddy asked, his smile widening. 

 

Bonnie laughed and nodded quickly, taking his paw away from Freddy's face and instead, throwing his arms around Freddy's neck and pulling him down onto the bed with him. Freddy cried out and laughed in surprise before they locked lips again into a more enthusiastic kiss. This time, Bonnie was laying on the bed with his legs curled and lifted up, and his arms tightly around Freddy's neck and shoulders, while Freddy had his knees on the left side of Bonnie's waist and was leaned over his body with both of his elbows pressed on the sides of the bunny's head. They stayed in this kiss for a little longer before breaking away, but there was no shock now. 

 

As soon as they broke away, Freddy leaned down again and began leaving gentle nibbles and peppering kisses over Bonnie's face while carefully wiping some of his tears away with his thumbs. It only made the bunny laugh harder as he squirmed under Freddy's hold and half-heartedly tried pushing him away. After nearly a minute, Freddy left a kiss on his collar bone and a gentle, prolonged one on his forehead before shifting over the bunny and straightening his arms until he was halfway sitting on his knees and leaning on his arms over the bunny. Bonnie scooted backwards on his elbows and lifted himself to sit up as well so they could be at equal level again. The radiant, elated smiles had not left either of their faces. 

 

Bonnie placed a paw on his shoulder and leaned up to place a loud, playful kiss on his cheek. Freddy purred and leaned into the affection with his eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them, he glanced down for a moment and gasped, noticing a slip up. He almost fixed it himself, but he didn't know if it was too far too soon or not, so he only pressed his thumb under Bonnie's chin to get his attention. 

 

"Dear, your shirt... we should probably go change." 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows in confusion and glanced down, before quickly realizing almost all of the buttons in his blouse had come undone, and nearly the entire left side of his chest was out. 

 

He quickly covered it up again and chuckled sheepishly, shifting to stand up from the bed. Instead of running to get changed, he turned to Freddy. 

 

"Well, it's only fair if you take your shirt off now, too." He teased. 

 

Freddy chuckled and stood up from bed as well, glancing down at his own dress shirt that was half unbuttoned already. 

 

"I had to do that anyway, you tease~" He jested back, pulling off his shirt and playfully hitting Bonnie with it. The bunny snickered and gestured towards his legs. 

 

"And what, are you scared of heights?? Why are your pants unzipped too?!" He laughed. 

 

Freddy glanced down and confirmed that the belt of his dress pants was removed, and the pants themselves were unzipped and buttoned. He remembered taking the belt off and unbuttoning it before bed, but not unzipping it. 

 

He scowled half-heartedly, but could not hide the amused look on his face. "It's called being fat, dear. The zipper just falls down sometimes." 

 

Bonnie rolled his eyes good-heartedly as he buttoned up his shirt enough to not be as revealing. "Oh hush! Now come on, I need to hurry and get clothes from my room to change before our son wakes up." 

 

Freddy took his sleep clothes and the two of them quietly left the room and hurriedly rushed to the guest room within a minute. It was Saturday, so the boy was sleeping in, though they knew he could wake up any minute now. Once they finally made it, Freddy shut the door behind them while Bonnie jogged to the other side of the room to look through his bag. 

 

Freddy watched as he searched through the luggage bag and finally pulled out a new pajama set. It was a very loose-fitted and long sleeve, off-white, satin pajama set. 

 

Freddy tilted his head. "Is this a new one...? This doesn't look like your usual kind of pajamas." 

 

Bonnie turned back at to him and nodded shyly. 

 

"Y-yeah, yeah, I..." He hesitated to talk about it. 

 

"... H-he didn't like any of my other colorful, sheer pajama sets... he said they were too 'flashy', so... I had to start wearing these around the house..." 

 

As if he could predict Freddy's souring mood, he quickly interjected in an attempt to lighten the mood. 

 

"But, I-I actually grew to kind of like these, though...! Especially in winter. It's more relaxed and modest. But I also brought one of my old 'flashy' robes from my apartment that I'm gonna' wear with it, because I feel like it." His nose scrunched up into a mischievous grin. 

 

Freddy frowned. "Where are your other pajama sets, then...? When I was folding your clothes I only saw the red one...and  I'm guessing now he didn't like it-?" Freddy shuddered as he recalled the damage done to the garment, though he didn't want to let Bonnie know that he knew, in fear of embarrassing him more. 

 

Bonnie tensed, and his ears fell. He was quiet for a moment, and Freddy immediately regretted bringing it up at all. 

 

"I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't be asking weird questions like this... j-just forget it." 

 

Bonnie shook his head and chuckled shakily. "N-no, it's okay... we're together now, and... and I was still working with him up until recently... so of course you'll have questions..." 

 

He sighed. "Well... I gained a lot of weight after we seperated 'cause of stress, and 'cause I turned to drinking and morphine for a while to 'numb things'. So half of the old pajama sets just didn't fit me anymore... the others, I could never wear them anymore anyway, because he didn't like them, so... I sold all of them but the red one." 

 

Bonnie's shoulders fell. "I-It still fit me, I just... couldn't part ways with that one. You made it custom for me, it was special. He really liked it, too..." His voice hardened at the end, and for the first time, Freddy heard Bonnie speak in a tone of anger directed at the man. 

 

"He fucked up... he didn't know how special it was to me, and I couldn't tell him why, obviously..." 

 

Bonnie exhaled a sharp breath as he moved behind the changing boards to quickly get into the pajama set. 

 

"He couldn't control himself and he tore the under shirt open on purpose. He nearly ripped it in half on me. And I-I couldn't fix it again... so I just, hid it away to keep it safe." 

 

Freddy took a deep breath to calm himself as he heard that. He had already assumed that was what had happened, so he was prepared. Though it wasn't fair to rely on Bonnie to always lighten the mood again, so this time, Freddy stepped in and forced a small smile. 

 

"Well, now we can replace your whole collection, then. And you should know this by now, but you dress however you want to dress. No one has the right to control how you dress. And besides, I loved the bright pajamas on you... They matched your bright personality." 

 

Bonnie giggled softly from behind the short canvas and wooden foldable walls. 

 

"... so what if I decided I wanted to go out wearing lingerie?" He joked. 

 

Freddy chuckled and glanced out the window at the visible snow outside. "Well...  you may catch hypothermia, and a UTI, but who am I to control how you dress?" He joked back. 

 

He was caught off guard by the bunny playfully throwing his discarded shirt at his face, but laughed it off and set it aside. He was about to come up with some witty tease back at the bunny, but the words were taken from him as Bonnie stepped out, and he saw the set. 

 

He could now see it was a satin nightset with lace trims. The top was a button up with no collar, and a very wide v-neck line that nearly dropped off of Bonnie's shoulders. It was also very loose fitted, and hung off of the bunny's curves. The pants were just typical draw string satin sleep pants with lace trimming, but they reached just below his knees. 

 

Once the last button was closed, he noticed Freddy staring and spun around teasingly to show it off. "You like it-?" 

 

Freddy cleared his throat and stood up with a nod, approaching Bonnie slowly. He placed two gentle paws on Bonnie's hips and leaned down so they could be practically muzzle to muzzle again. 

 

"It's stunning on you, my love..." He whispered genuinely. Bonnie's smile softened as he set his paws on Freddy's chest for leverage and leaned up on his toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. 

 

"While we have time, let's brush our teeth and fix ourselves up... we both look insane right now." He reminded. Freddy snorted and nodded in agreement. 

 

... 

 

Both of them went downstairs together after they freshened up to start breakfast. Freddy had brushed his hair and teeth, and washed his face. He had also slipped on his typical velvet maroon night robe, a pair of mix-matched socks, and matching maroon slippers. 

 

Bonnie had washed up the same way, but he also wore chapstick on his lips, nose, and ears, something he always did when the weather grew drier. He rolled some of his hair in curlers, and put on a beige crochet and lace boudoir sleep cap with deep blue floral accents over it. He paired it by throwing on the robe he was talking about, which was a thick sheer beige mesh robe with lace trims and crochet covering the chest area, which also had dark blue accents. He put on his own pair of slippers he had left here, which were a midnight, nearly black shade of blue. 

 

Bonnie was absolutely glowing now, Freddy had not seen him looking so refreshed the entire time he's been here. His eyes were sparkling again, and he was genuinely smiling and laughing. It was something Freddy had not realized he missed so dearly. 

 

As both of them worked over the counter, Bonnie's right ear suddenly shot up, and he glanced that direction. When Freddy turned to him expectantly, Bonnie gave him a mischievous smile and gestured for him to stay quiet as he silently slunk away out of the side exit of the kitchen. 

 

Freddy did not understand what he was doing at first until he heard a familiar groan coming from behind him a minute later, and glanced back to see Gregory sluggishly making his way down the hall towards the kitchen in his own warm pajama set. Freddy had an idea of what Bonnie was planning, so he only smiled politely at the boy while continuing his preparing. 

 

"Good morning, Greg. How did you sleep?" He asked. 

 

The boy furrowed his brows at Freddy in confusion. "... I slept fine...? It's... whatever..." He brushed off. 

 

"Have you seen dad-" 

 

Gregory's sentence was cut off by a surprised yelp as Bonnie had successfully snuck up on him and trapped the boy in a tight hug from behind, lifting him off the ground and spinning him lightly. 

 

"Morning, kiddo!" He said cheerfully, setting the boy down and leaning over to peck his cheek affectionately. 

 

Gregory groaned and struggled away from his hold. The boy attempted to wipe the kiss from his cheek with a huff, having grown used to his father's wild energy by now. "Morning, dad..." 

 

Bonnie paid his attitude no mind and only stood up and jogged to Freddy's side again to help him resume the cooking. 

 

"You can sit at the table, babycakes. Breakfast is almost ready." Bonnie called back to the boy. 

 

Gregory looked between the parents suspiciously before hesitantly making his way to the dining room. Bonnie waited until he was out of earshot before giving Freddy a worried look. 

 

"You think we should tell him at the table...?" 

 

Freddy thought for a moment. "... maybe not... you know how he is in the morning. He just woke up, now isn't the time to spring something up like this... he's still not on the best terms with me, anyway." Freddy whispered. 

 

"Oh..." Bonnie glanced down solemnly. Freddy tried to quickly cheer him up again. 

 

"But we'll do it today. Just let him get showered and wake up a bit first... we'll have time to tell him before the others get here to discuss the plans " 

 

Bonnie seemed to perk up again at that and nodded, taking the plates as they were set. He brought them to the table and passed Gregory his food first, giving the boy another quick peck on the cheek to replace the one he wiped off before moving to the other side to sit beside Freddy. This was the smaller dinner table in the smaller dining room. 

 

It was located in the Main Wing of the estate, which typically served as the living area for the family of the estate owners. It was like a standard, secret upper-class home conjoined into the middle of the massive manor that was hidden away from guests and the public for image, and safety of the family. This area was completely restricted with limited house-keeping allowed in, and was made only for the family. It was where Gregory and Daisy's old bedrooms were, Bonnie's guest room, Freddy and Bonnie's room, and where Freddy's private office was. It was a cozy, more personal and messy, cluttered living space that reassembled a real home, unlike the rest of the estate that looked more like a grand castle. The luxurious and huge rest of the property, being the Left Wing and Right Wing, were designed for image, and to display wealth. That was where guests would stay, eat, and visit, and where a few of the estate workers like security, maids, and butlers lived. 

 

"So, Gregory?" Bonnie started as they began eating together. The boy glanced up wordlessly. 

 

"Do you want to tell Freddy what grade you got on your English Exam two days ago?" Bonnie gave him an encouraging smile. 

 

Freddy paused his eating and turned his attention to the boy, showing his visible interest in his schoolwork. 

 

The boy fidgeted with his food awkwardly. "Well... I, uh... I got a one hundred percent..." He said plainly. 

 

Freddy's eyes widened. "One hundred percent?? That's a perfect score! Congratulations, Gregory! We have such a smart son." He turned to Bonnie with a smile. The bunny tittered and nodded in agreement. 

 

"But it's also thanks to your tutoring, Freddy... you really helped him out. He was struggling a lot in that class before, and I just... didn't know how to help him." Bonnie gave him a look of genuine gratitude. 

 

Gregory, on the other hand, kept a hard-to-read expression on his face and only gave a small nod. "Yeah... thank you." 

 

Freddy waved it off kindly. "I'm happy to help. I'll do it anytime." He insisted. 

 

After a minute of comfortable silence at the table, Bonnie leaned his elbow on the table and looked between the boy and Freddy fondly. "The two of you are so similar, it amazes me." He turned back to his food to take another bite. 

 

Freddy glanced up from his eating in confusion. "... how so-?" 

 

The bunny smiled and leaned back in his chair with crossed arms. "Well, both of you are such scholars. You two are so smart, there was no way Gregory inherited that from me. I didn't even get to finish high-school..." He chuckled. 

 

"But just... your personalities in general. You both love to read, you both love science... you're both shy and keep to yourselves... you have a lot in common." 

 

The boy's grip on his fork tensed, and he seemed to not like where this conversation was going. 

 

"I just think you guys should hang out more... go do something fun and science-y together..." 

 

Bonnie gasped as an idea popped into his head suddenly. "You guys should go to the planetarium together! I know how much you've been wanting to go," Bonnie turned to Gregory. 

 

Freddy turned to him in surprise. "Oh? I didn't know there was one around here..." 

 

Bonnie nodded quickly. "It's on the other side of town. It opened up two years ago, and Gregory has really wanted to go, but I haven't been able to take him... but it can be a fun experience for you two! You can teach him about the planets and constellations..." He gave Freddy a subtle but more pleading look. 

 

The bear hummed. "Well, if you're up for it tomorrow afternoon, I'd be happy to take you." Freddy turned to Gregory for his response. 

 

The boy looked between his parents again with hesitation. After a minute though, he sighed and begrudgingly nodded, continuing to eat. 

 

"... sure." 

 

Both parents seemed to sag in relief that he did not refuse. Once he was done eating, the boy took his plate to the sink to wash it. They, once again, waited until they knew he could not hear anymore, before speaking about it. Bonnie turned himself in his seat to face Freddy and placed a soft paw on his thigh. 

 

"... I know it's hard, Freddy... but please do your best to give him a good day tomorrow??" Bonnie pleaded in a whisper. 

 

Freddy lay a gentle paw on his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his temple softly. "Of course I will. I want to do this with our son." He promised. 

 

Bonnie sighed and glanced at the ground anxiously. "I-I just... I really want our family to be back together, I-I want you and Gregory to have a good relationship..." 

 

Freddy nodded. "I know... I do too. And I promise, I will do everything in my power to make that happen."  

Bonnie gave him a grateful nod before turning his attention back to where the boy walked off, hearing something. 

 

"And where are you off to now, Greg?!" Bonnie called, throwing his elbow over the back of his chair. 

 

"I'm going upstairs to get ready!" He called back. 

 

"Aren't you forgetting something??" Bonnie asked expectantly. 

 

After a few seconds of silence, the boy spoke up again. 

 

"... do I have to??" 

 

Freddy knew what was going on, they went through this with their kids every year at this time. He snickered in amusement as Bonnie stood up and pushed his chair out, pulling the small, flat tin bowl of chapstick out again and following the boy. 

 

"Unless you want you want your ears to dry off, yes!" He called back. 

 

He could hear Gregory audibly groan from afar and only shook his head at his family's antics as he sipped from his coffee mug, finally settling down again. He felt numb in his chest, it was like his heart had been frozen for years, and was finally thawed out. He loved this feeling, and he couldn't believe he ever let them go like that. 

 

He thought back to the others coming over soon and his smile fell. He planted his elbows over the table and rested his head on his knuckles thoughtfully. 

 

After all the waiting, and numerous failed attempts from his agents to catch her,  they finally trapped Vanny in one location, but not before she helped to break Afton himself out of prison, which added a whole new layer of risk to the mission. Anything they did now was risky with him about, but doing nothing was not an option. He needed that briefcase back. He was disappointed, because he had hoped he could find some way to get Bonnie out of going by distracting him with Gregory, but Cassie was coming over with Roxanne, so she would be with the boy. 

 

Freddy sighed solemnly and leaned back in his chair. Hopefully, this mission could be over soon.

Notes:

They've made up!! :D
Now they just have an angsty son and a bad step-dad to worry about 👀

Chapter 15

"If he makes you happier, then fine! I'm fine with it! That's it!" The boy stated stubbornly.

 

"But we want you to be happy too, Greg... that's why we're trying to work it out with you-" Bonnie pressed gently, but was cut off by Gregory.

 

"Stop saying 'we'! He doesn't care! He's never cared!" Gregory finally snapped. Bonnie was silent for a moment, before he quickly stuttered out an explanation. 

 

"That's not true, Gregory! I-I know you're hurt, I was too... you don't have to forgive and forget right away, but maybe if you just talk to him, you might be surprised!" Bonnie encouraged gently.

 

Gregory growled in frustration. "I don't care what he has to say anymore! " The boy argued. 

 

After another few seconds of silence from Bonnie, he finally sighed deeply and lowered his voice for the boy.

 

"What would make you happier, Greg...? I want you to be happy. That's all I want..." He took the boy's paws in his own, giving him a patient and saddened look.

 

The boy finally seemed to soften up to Bonnie, and he visibly relaxed his body, looking back at his dad who was knelt in front of him to be at eye-level. 

 

"... I-I'm happy if you're happy, dad. I-if you're happier with him, then it's fine-" the boy tried explaining again, though he was not able to sound convincing to his father.

 

"But what would make you happiest, Greg? Please, tell me...!" Bonnie begged. 

 

The boy finally sighed forlornly. "... I don't know... I-I was happy w-with Daisy, a-and... and before you were h-hurt... a-and before dad l-l-left us-!" His voice gradually shook more and more until it eventually broke. The boy grew teary eyed quickly, and his shoulders began shaking. 

 

"... oh, my baby boy-!" Bonnie fretted, growing distraught at the sight of his son's misery. He quickly pulled the boy into his arms and squeezed him into a tight embrace, running a reassuring paw through his hair while the boy cried into his shoulder. He quietly hushed the boy and whispered reassurances to him.

 

Gregory held his father even tighter and dug his nose into his neck, keeping his eyes shut to block out the rest of the world. All he wanted to focus on was his father's gentle affections. 

 

"... I miss that too, Gregory. I miss your sister so much, I miss those simple days... your father does, too. That's why he wants us to be together again."

 

Gregory silently thought about that as his father pulled away and held the boy in front of him with a patient look on his face.

 

"We can't go back to those days, Gregory... but we can do the best we can! We can get close enough... and maybe this is how we do it. Maybe your father was just... grieving poorly, too. And maybe he knows he made a mistake, and he's trying to make it up to us! ... You won't know unless you give it a chance..." He spoke softly.

 

Gregory's ears pinned and his gaze fell to the floor. His brows were furrowed to convey his underlying resentment that still persisted towards Freddy. But then, he softened up again as he thought of Bonnie. 

 

He was telling the truth. He really was happy if his dad was. If he saw that Freddy was truly taking care of him again, and he was truly making Bonnie happier, then he would warm up eventually. After seeing everything his father went through, Bonnie deserved some happiness again. And being here again would bring them closer to his sister again, which was another positive for the boy.

 

He supposed Bonnie did seem quite happy this morning with Freddy. And it looked like his dad really wanted to give Freddy a chance. 

 

Gregory finally relaxed his shoulders with a long exhale, wiping his eyes again. "I-I guess I can... but I'm not trusting him now." 

 

Bonnie gave him a relieved smile and reached over to gently pinch his cheek.

 

"And you don't have to, Greg... you can have your doubts. Let him work for it and prove himself to you. And the planetarium will be the perfect opportunity! Your dad knows so much about outer space, he can teach you everything you want to know!" He reached out to take the boy's paws with a brightening smile, trying to gage some excitement from him. 

 

The boy forced a smile back to cheer his dad up. "Y-yeah... I'll see."

 

Bonnie's smile then softened, and he let go of the boy's paws, opting to cradling one of his cheeks instead.

 

"You have nothing to lose from this, Greg... because we're still in this together. Like we always have been." The bunny lifted his second paw to cradle his other cheek as well.

 

"I've been there since the first nine months I was carrying you around in my pooch!" His father joked, playfully squeezing his cheeks.

 

Gregory laughed shakily, beginning to tear up again despite his attempt of a tough front as he tried half-heartedly shooing his dad's paws away. 

 

"I was there for every nightmare, every sick day, every cold winter while we were on our own... and I'm not going anywhere. No matter what. If it comes down to it, I will always pick you over anything. You'll always come first to me, babycakes..." He assured the boy. 

 

That was enough to finally break Gregory all over again. Freddy making them leave years ago truly crushed something in the boy that he was not sure could ever be fixed. That day, not only did Freddy leave, but almost all of the adults he would call family left, too. Chica, Montgomery, Roxanne, although he still went to school with Cassie, her mother grew distant from him afterwards. He was unsure if she was not allowed to see him, or if she chose not to. 

 

And then, just when he thought he may have had a new adult in his life that cared about him, he ended up being a monster. A monster that had been tormenting his father for years, and eventually hurt the boy himself. And they had to kick him out anyway. Besides maybe Foxy, Gregory felt truly abandoned and unloved by everyone. He eventually gave up on seeking out new friends besides Cassie, or any new relationships, because there was no point. He could not trust anyone. He did not even want to be attached to Foxy or Cassie anymore, because he was just preparing for the day they left as well. But then, he had his dad. 

 

Bonnie had sacrificed so much for him. He did everything he could to make the boy happy, and made sure he was provided for, even if it meant he was left without a penny for himself. And he was the only thing in this world Gregory could genuinely rely on. He was the only one that Gregory actually believed cared about him. Because of this, the boy felt the need to cling onto Bonnie tightly. He couldn't lose this man, because if he did, he would truly have no one. No one would truly love him anymore.

 

Bonnie used his thumbs to wipe off the boy's oncoming tears as Gregory nodded quickly. He sniffled and assisted his father in cleaning himself up so he could finish getting ready.

 

"O-okay... I-I'll give him a chance. A-and you're r-really going to be here the whole time...?"

 

Bonnie's smile brightened again and he nodded quickly, standing up and releasing the boy.

 

"And when you two go to the planetarium, I'll be waiting right here at home. And you can tell me everything you learned." He assured. 

 

Gregory felt much better now, and nodded to his father that he was alright. He watched as Bonnie left the room again and started changing out of his pajamas. 

 

...

 

"You know, we could buy a place like this, I reckon." Monty whistled in amazement as the small group stepped onto the front courtyard of the estate. 

 

"Pfft, with what money? Does the fishing business pay that well??" Roxanne teased.

 

Foxy gave an offended scoff from beside the gator with his usual deadpanned expression. "That be uncalled for, lass." 

 

He glanced back up at the gator. "What would ye' need an estate for?? To go and trash the place like ye' do yer' apartment?!" 

 

Monty held his clawed paws up. "Aye, alright, alright! What is everyone gangin' up on me for?!" 

 

Bonnie's left ear twitched at the sound of their friends bickering. He glanced up from where he was sitting on the velvet couch of the luxury livingroom as Freddy brought him the strawberry tea he had asked for in a china cup and plate.

 

"Extra sweet and with cream, just how you like it." Freddy smiled knowingly to him. Bonnie nodded gratefully as he took it, blowing on it carefully.

 

"The others arrived. They're outside the front door." Bonnie reminded him. He did not sound as excited as he normally would, though Freddy knew now it was because Bonnie had grown incredibly distant from his former friends since they separated. He carried a little resentment, though he was kind and mature about it, and he knew the most likely reason they ceased contact with him after Freddy and his' separation was because they had to, but there was still a rift. And he was not sure if it would ever be completely fixed.

 

Freddy blinked in shock, setting his own warm coffee down. Even after all their years of marriage and partnership, his husband's hearing still surprised him. Bonnie's comment was confirmed as they were interrupted by a knock on the door, and a butler called out that he would answer it. Bonnie took a long sip of his drink as the door opened while Freddy straightened his suit and hat for the guests. Because the friends had been speaking quietly and talking over each other before, he only just now heard that Foxy had joined them. 

 

The bunny glanced up in disbelief, quickly setting down his drink and turning to the door. 

 

"Is everything alright-?" Freddy chuckled as he started walking towards the ballroom.

 

Bonnie suddenly stood up and ran after him. "You didn't tell me Foxy was coming!" He bounced in excitement. 

 

Freddy shook his head with a smile as the bunny jogged past him. Foxy was no longer involved with crime or their group, though he still occasionally assisted and helped anonymously. Despite the code or rules, Foxy refused to cease contact with Bonnie. The two have supported each other their entire lives, and their bond was comparable to that of brotherly love. Foxy was especially good for Bonnie, since the bunny already had a fractured relationship with his own brothers.

 

When they came into the room, they greeted Roxanne, Chica, and Cassie, who they had taken with them, and Monty. Bonnie met all of them but greeted Chica with a little more enthusiasm, since he had also known her for so long, and she had at least tried to catch up with him again when he returned. Foxy seemed to trail behind. Once Bonnie had greeted everyone and spotted the fox behind them, his ears perked up and his tail wagged in excitement to see his best friend, who he had not seen since he arrived at the estate.

 

Freddy chuckled in amusement as he watched Bonnie call out Foxy's name, giving the poor man only a second to look over and prepare himself, before the bunny dove in and trapped him in his arms. He lifted the much shorter fox up and spun him around playfully.

 

Once Foxy recovered from his surprise and was let down, he only chuckled goodheartedly, having grown used to his friend's antics over the years. He dusted himself off and turned to look Bonnie over in surprise.

 

"Aye', lad! I 'aven't seen ye' in a few weeks. Ye' look great! I 'aven't seen ye' so happy in a long time." He gave a small smile.

 

Chica jogged over and thoroughly looked over her friend as well, sharing Foxy's surprise. 

 

"He's right, you're glowing, Bon! You look so much healthier since the night we got drinks. What happened?!" She complimented.

 

Bonnie was put off by the compliments, but covered his mouth to giggle bashfully and stepped back.

 

"T-thanks, guys! I-I don't know, I guess... I've been taken care of." He turned and smiled at Freddy.

 

The others all shared looks of confusion and concern to Freddy, putting him on the spot now. Before he could shyly stutter out an explanation, Chica gasped in excitement as she put the pieces together.

 

"Have you two made up?? Are you back together?!" She asked eagerly.

 

Bonnie glanced at Freddy again, silently asking if they should tell them, to which they both agreed. Bonnie nodded timidly with a shrug.

 

"We're... giving it another chance. We'll see if it works this time." 

 

Foxy hummed and glanced between them suspiciously, but nodded. "... The two of ye' do look better off now. So I guess we'll see." 

 

Roxanne and Monty had congratulated the two as well, and everyone returned back to the living room to discuss the plans. Foxy was not involved with this either, but was only coming to visit Bonnie and to accompany Monty and the group. Cassie was dismissed upstairs to go play with Gregory.

 

"So we know where she is, and some of your men essentially have her cornered in this abandoned apartment building she was hiding in. They've been patrolling the outside of it and firing warning shots around it to make sure she stays put." Roxanne went over their observations. 

 

"Now they need your approval to make a plan of going in there and taking it from her." 

 

Freddy hummed in thought where he sat on the loveseat. Bonnie sat beside him and only watched with a worried look on his face as he listened to him. 

 

"I don't want anyone getting to that briefcase but myself. It is highly classified information that can be detrimental for my family and entire operation if it got out. So I will not just trust any men to retrieve it. This must stay between us."

 

He folded his paws together and leaned back where he was sitting. "The men should stay out there and keep her in place, but I will go in with whichever of you can, and I will take the briefcase." 

 

Roxanne glanced away for a moment in hesitation. "... I have to bring Cassandra somewhere on the day you were planning... either Chica or I has to stay." 

 

Chica shrugged. "I'll stay... I'm not very useful when it comes to fighting anyway-" She chuckled. 

 

Freddy turned to the gator lounging in the sofa beside them. "Monty, what about you?"

 

He nodded. "Yeah, I can go. But that would make only two of us. That can't be enough, boss." 

 

Freddy cursed under his breath and leaned back in thought, realizing a flaw in their plan. And then, Bonnie raised a hesitant paw up to speak.

 

"Uhm... I-I can always come and be the extra head-?" He offered. 

 

Freddy turned to him in concern. "What...? You hate this work-" 

 

Bonnie rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "I-I do, but... I don't feel comfortable with you guys going alone. It's not safe..." 

 

Freddy scowled. "I-I don't know, Bon... you could get hurt-" he thought out loud. The bunny sighed.

 

"I'll be fine! If we're going together, we'll all help eachother. It'll be four against one, plus all of your heads waiting outside in case she gets out." He insisted.

 

Roxanne chimed in now. "He'll be fine, Boss. He used to do this all the time. If he wants to help, let him."

 

Freddy growled under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, but did not have a counter argument. He gave a hesitant nod after nearly a minute.

 

"... fine. The day after tomorrow, Bonnie, Roxanne, Montgomery, and I will join my spies at her shelter, and hopefully finish this." He bit out.

 

The others nodded in agreement with the plan. While they were distracted and speaking with eachother, Freddy felt a soft paw land on his own, and glanced to Bonnie curiously. The bunny gave him a grateful smile and leaned in to place a lingering kiss on his cheek.

 

"Thank you. I know why you're hesitant, but it'll be okay, my love... I'll be at your side the entire time." He whispered in reassurance for only him to hear. Freddy visibly relaxed and couldn't help but melt into the affection, having grown so utterly touch starved. He gave Bonnie a small, hidden smile back as he tried maintaining his professional boss demeanor. 

 

"I know... as long as you actually follow the plan this time. Something you never do." He whispered back in a teasing tone. Bonnie tittered and returned the banter by gently hitting his arm in response. They had to quickly seperate from each other before the others were paying attention again as they continued with their meeting.

 

..

 

"I have just collected the mail, sir. Do you wish to go through it?" One of his head maids asked, holding a stack of envelopes and folders in her paws.

 

"Oh!" Freddy took the pile and smiled politely at her, giving her a nod of gratitude and dismissal. "Thank you." 

 

The woman nodded back and left quickly to return to her home duties. Freddy tossed the stack of envelopes down on the coffee table and sighed, adjusting his coat.

 

"I think I need more coffee after everything..." He thought out loud.

 

Bonnie chuckled and stood up from the velvet sofa, looking through the envelopes. "You're not even gonna' check these-?"

 

Freddy shrugged. "I doubt any of it is urgent. If it was serious, or an emergency, someone would come over to speak to me, or I'd get a call." He buttoned his jacket idly. 

 

The bunny paused, and his lazy smile fell into a look of shock as he lifted up a pale blue envelope. 

 

"Huh...? This one is for me-" 

 

Freddy furrowed his brows and hummed thoughtfully. "Well... sometimes I get some of your old mail for your shopping addictions, so maybe it's that." He teased lightheartedly.

 

The bunny rolled his eyes at Freddy's jab and opened up the envelope to read it. While he did, the bear left into the kitchen to quickly prepare himself another cup of coffee. He was fast about it, since he always had left over coffee in the fridge. He made an iced cup for himself.

 

"Do you want another drink, my love?" Freddy called to Bonnie from the kitchen. When he heard no response, he stepped away from the counter and spoke a little louder.

 

"Honey??" 

 

There were another few seconds of silence. As Freddy finished up his own cup and prepared to bring it to the other room and offer the bunny something in there, he froze at the sound of a broken wail coming from Bonnie, and glass breaking. 

 

"Bon-?!" Freddy called in worry, leaving his cup and rushing out of the kitchen and into the living room to his husband's aid. He arrived to the sight of the bunny on the ground, stumbling backwards on his arms and attempting to stand, as it looked like he backed into the small end table at the edge of the couch and knocked over the glass faux plant vase. A paw over his mouth, and the other began to grab and rip at his ear and hair in distress.

 

"My love, what happened?! Are you hurt??" Freddy knelt beside him and gently moved his paws away to look at him better.  

 

The poor bunny's pupils were pinpricks, and he looked as though he had just seen something gruesome. He was shaking violently and gasping for breath.

 

"Bonnie?? Bon, are you okay?!" Freddy repeated more frantically as the bunny would not respond to him. The bunny's eyes were staring past him like he wasn't even there, and his mind was clearly elsewhere. Somewhere dark. 

 

Freddy was terrified for Bonnie's sake, but at a loss of what to do. He quickly pulled his husband into a tight embrace and curled around him, letting the bunny's head rest in the crook of his neck. He whispered reassurances to him and kept trying to speak to him as he waited for the bunny to hopefully calm down to his scent and voice. He could feel the bunny's heart was racing and pounding rapidly against his chest, like it was about to break free from his ribs. 

 

After nearly a minute, Bonnie was finally somewhat coherent, and seemed to snap out of his horrified shock. He was at least speaking now and holding onto Freddy tightly. 

 

"Nononononono... it's happening, I can't...! It's happening...!" He whispered shakily against Freddy.

 

"What?? What's happening?!" Freddy questioned in worry. The bunny buried his face in his paws and shook his head quickly as his shoulders shook with sobs.

 

"I can't...! I-can't!I-can't!I-can't!I-can't...!"" He pulled his ears again, curling his knees to his chest.

 

Freddy realized he was not going to get a clear explanation from the clearly distressed bunny anytime soon. His eyes scanned the scene for any clues, and he caught sight of the paper he assumed was inside of Bonnie's envelope. 

 

He glanced between the bunny and the sheet, and had a feeling that may have had something to do with his sudden breakdown. Freddy first carefully pulled Bonnie's paws away from his ears and cradled him close to his chest again, not wanting the bunny to hurt himself anymore. He felt Bonnie hold onto him for dear life and sob into his neck, so he held him just a little bit tighter. The bear then scooted over and silently reached for the paper, doing his best to read what looked to be a written letter from someone without the assistance of his glasses.

 

    To my dearest, I hope you are well. And I hope you will keep this between us.

    I simply stopped by your place and noticed your absence a few days in a row. I grew so worried, since you had not told me where you were off too, or why you were not coming into work or answering your calls. And then, I found out that you and Greg were staying with him, without asking me first.

    This is unacceptable. You've made the wrong sucker a bozo. You have a job to do and debts to pay, and you ain't getting out of our arrangements by squealing and hiding behind the big man.

    However, I'm willing to forgive and forget, my dear. I expect you to come into work, (at your usual time), as soon as you recieve this message. Alone. And we can talk this out some more. I'll even let you keep your job, diner, and apartment. 

    But if you want to keep playing this game of cat and mouse, I'll keep hunting. Every second of everyday. As soon as you leave that estate, no matter where you go, there's nothing keeping you safe from me.

    And when I catch you, bitch... your ass is ending up in a trash bag in some filthy, grimy dumpster for the flies.

    I hope to see you soon, Doe.

Best Regards, Your Boss. 

 

Freddy's paws were shaking by the end of it, and his whole body froze and dropped in temperature like a statue. 

Chapter 16

Notes:

!! TW: Implied Sexual Assault + Trauma // References to Spousal Abuse + Child abuse !!

Once his initial dread quickly wore off, his grip on the paper tightened as his claws dug into it. He reached over and quickly took the envelope from the ground to check the address and name. He swore to himself as the address line was marked to some grocery store, and the name of the sender was simply labeled 'John Doe'.

 

The spineless bastard covered his trail so Freddy couldn't track him.

 

Freddy growled and threw the envelope and letter down in frustration, turning down to the bunny that was still crying into his chest.

 

He held Bonnie's shoulders and pulled the bunny away, guiding his head up to make eye contact with him. 

 

"Bonnie, I know you're scared... but you need to tell me who he is and where to find him. Now." His voice hardened as he forced it not to shake. 

 

The bunny squeezed his eyes shut and quickly shook his head, reaching his paws up to wipe his eyes with his wrists.

 

"I'll... I'll just go and s-speak to him, s-so he'll leave us a-alone-!" He whimpered.

 

"Bonnie, NO!" Freddy snapped, quickly losing his composure as his grip on his husband's shoulders unintentionally got tighter. His patience was officially gone, and he was not willing to let this thug get away with causing Bonnie more pain and grief.

 

"I'm not letting him hurt you again. You are NOT going there!" 

 

Bonnie choked out a sob and struggled out of Freddy's hold, forcing himself to his uneasy feet again.

 

"I HAVE TO...! PLEASE-! PLEASE, JUST LET ME GO TO HIM! Y-you don't... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF!" He begged.

 

Freddy stood up to be level with Bonnie again, caught slightly off guard by his husband's urgent response and esculation of the situation. "I WOULD IF YOU JUST TOLD ME WHO HE WAS-!" He argued. 

 

Just a second after, Freddy grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to take a deep breath in and out and to lower his voice. As angry as he was, yelling would only make it worse, and it wasn't right to take it out on Bonnie, who was clearly in distress.

 

"Breathe, Bonnie... please! Let's try to settle down-" 

 

"H-HE'LL COME AFTER ME, FREDDY! H-HE'LL CATCH ME...! HE'LL-!" He gasped for air and stumbled backwards towards the sofa. 

 

Freddy scowled sharply as he remembered the threat. "He won't kill you, Bonnie! I have my entire organization by my side, and I wouldn't ever let that happen! Please, honey...! You're going to hurt yourself-!" Freddy reached his arms out in worry as the bunny crossed his arms and dug his claws into his skin in distress. 

 

"I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT HIM KILLING ME, FREDDY!" He finally screamed. 

 

At the man's stunned silence, Bonnie continued. He stared at his shaking palms with distant, hollow eyes and a clenched jaw.

 

"I-I wish all he would do is kill me... I WISH ALL HE DID WAS KILLED ME THE NIGHT WE MET!"

 

His claws unsheathed and grabbed a rough hold of his own bangs as his shaking increased.

 

"BUT HE DIDN'T! HE DID SO. MUCH. WORSE TO ME! FOR YEARS...! I WAS BROKEN FROM LOSING MY CHILD, MY FAMILY... AND H-HE USED THAT TO D-DEFILE ME...! HE RUINED ME!" Bonnie's voice was uncharacteristically deep and growling, with deeply rooted self-hatred and trauma as he hugged himself impossibly tight.

 

"HE... HE'S NEVER BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO JUST KILL ME, Y-YOU THINK HE'LL DO THAT NOW?! ... YOU THINK HE ONLY WANTS TO KILL ME AND THROW ME OUT-?!" He held his head and winced intensely, leaning his arm against the back of the sofa to balance himself as the yelling finally grew too much for him. When he moved his paw away again, he already had a nose bleed from the stress, and his eyes were still blank and shell-shocked as he glanced downward and stared distantly at nothing. 

 

"... y-you don't know, F-Freddy... you'll never know how it feels. Y-you don't understand 

that what he'll do to me... w-what he's done to me... it feels worse than death..." His shaking voice was a scratchy whisper since his head hurt too much to keep yelling, and he was losing his voice. 

 

Freddy was still the entire time Bonnie spoke. His heart, his lungs, his blood flow, everything ceased to function as he processed what his husband was explaining to him. When it came crashing down on him, it felt like a bucket of ice water running over his body, and he felt his heart falling into his stomach the longer he stared at the man in front of him. The way Bonnie was hugging and curling in on himself in insecurity and shaking in fear... The way his eyes looked nearly as empty and lifeless as their daughter's were when she died... The way the curls in his hair and the fur on his body laid flat and lacked their old volume and shine, confirming he was telling the truth before... that he must not even shower or put himself together regularly anymore. And now, Freddy finally got his answer as to how Bonnie could possibly hate his body so much to the point of not being able to wash it.

 

His mind traveled back to Bonnie's favorite red pajama shirt that was now nearly torn in half at the chest, and that the bunny claimed his partner did on purpose. He remembered his ripped bed sheets, his worsening mood swings and self-isolation, his visceral reactions to touch or close contact, his low self-esteem and worth, his constant fear... and now, his clinginess to Freddy for any semblance of safety.

 

It was so obvious, how did he take so long to figure it out?!

 

He didn't know what to say, because he felt so incredibly foolish for how he's been handling Bonnie's situation. And for making such a surface-level assumption about the very ambiguous threat. He knew Bonnie was being abused by his partner, how scared he clearly was of the man, how much different Bonnie was now, and yet he never looked deeper. He was so oblivious about the abuse, that he just took everything Bonnie said at face value, and made assumptions. 

 

He was an experienced criminal, who knew other criminals well. He knew how violent and unpredictable they could be, the connections they had, how manipulative and psychologically abusive they were... yet he kept underestimating how dangerous this man was to Bonnie in more ways than just physically. 

 

And this whole time, Freddy had been trying to force an answer out of this man's victim, without giving them any closure or real peace of mind.

 

How could he have been such a neglectful friend and partner, that he needed to keep pushing Bonnie to practically spell it out for him...?

 

But he couldn't just stand there and do nothing. He sighed deeply and carefully stepped forward with his arms slowly reaching out for the bunny. He offered him a patient, solemn look and hesitated as he got closer.

 

"B-Bonnie..." 

 

Freddy reached a shaky paw out to cradle his cheek, but Bonnie was so lost in his own mind, he had not heard or seen Freddy walking directly in front of his uncanny, dead eyes and reaching out. He only noticed the man as his fingers barely brushed against his cheek, but his first instinct in his current state of mind was to react with fear. 

 

He cried out and shoved Freddy's paw away in fright, stumbling back blindly. He did not see that he was already cornered against the back of the couch, and it caused him to lose his footing and fall back, landing in a sitting position on the floor with his legs folded at his side, and holding himself up with his arm. He hunched over and buried his face in his other paw that was not stabilizing himself as he gasped and sobbed fearfully.

 

"Please...! Please, I'm sorry... please, don't-!" He begged, instinctively anticipating some kind of pain. 

 

Freddy did not know if it was possible for his heart to shatter anymore times for his family as he watched helplessly. He knelt down to the bunny's level again and scooted himself forward. He was hesitant to reach out and touch him right now, so he tried speaking louder and more firmly.

 

"Bonnie-? honey-bunny...? It's okay, my love... it's just me. It's Freddy. Y-you're not in any trouble, and you know I won't ever hurt you..." He kept his voice soft and gentle, but clear and loud enough for the bunny to hear. 

 

Bonnie shifted his head that was hidden in his paw so only one eye was peeking out at Freddy as he eyed the man nervously. At the very least, he no longer looked vacant and cold. Quite the opposite. He looked as though he was afraid for his life. 

 

Freddy maintained gentle eye contact, reaching a paw up and holding it out for the bunny to clearly see and gestured it to his back.

 

"I-I want to embrace you... can I-?" He asked carefully. 

 

Bonnie stared at his arm cautiously for a moment, then back at Freddy for a moment longer before shutting his eyes and hesitantly nodding without a word. His body sagged and seemed to relax only slightly, which Freddy considered some small progress. With that confirmation, he scooted closer and slowly wrapped his arms around the bunny's back. He felt Bonnie flinch slightly at the contact, but he did not push him away this time. He allowed Freddy to pull him close to his chest until they were a breath away from each other.

 

Freddy felt himself nearly cry in relief as after a few seconds, the bunny threw his arms around Freddy's back and buried his face into his mane like he always did when he was in distress, as he finally reached his crying stage. He felt uncomfortable wet heat soaking his fur from the bunny's intense weeping into his neck, and he felt his husband dig his blunt claws into Freddy's back, but he could care less. Because this meant Bonnie felt safe with him. The bunny trusted Freddy to protect him right now at his most vulnerable and exposed state. It felt like such a high honor bestowed upon him, and he vowed to himself that he would shield his precious husband from anything that threatened a hair on his head again. He would die for the man he was holding in his arms. 

 

He tightened his protective grip on the bunny and gently scratched the back of his head, whispering reassurances to him as he focused on trying to steady Bonnie's breathing. It took a few minutes, and quite a few of his own stressed tears, before he finally managed to calm the bunny's meltdown into quiet gasps and whimpers. He carefully pulled Bonnie's head away from his neck and cradled his soft, delicate cheeks in his palms to look him in the eyes. He offered Bonnie the softest eyes and smile he could manage as he brushed some of his wet bangs away that were uncomfortably sticking to his face, and wiped away some of his tears and the blood on his nose with his thumbs.

 

"That's it... you're doing so good, my love... deep breaths..." He whispered praises to his husband, leaning in to peck his small nose affectionately. Bonnie forced a tearful smile back, but it was gone as quickly as it came, and he glanced at the ground shamefully as more tears started developing.

 

"... I-I'm sorry..." He whimpered pitifully. "I... I'm d-disgusting... he m-made me so-" he choked out, but was cut off by Freddy again. 

 

"Oh, nonononono....Don't cry, my sweet...! that's not true-!" He kept his voice gentle and quiet, keeping in mind how much the bunny's head must hurt. He began pressing small, careful butterfly kisses over the bunny's face to emphasize his point.

 

"He hurt you, but he did not 'make you' anything to me... you're perfect. You're beautiful, you're my light, my star..." He muttered between kisses.

 

"Nothing will ever change that." He stated with confidence, giving the bunny a sure look. 

 

Bonnie met his eyes, and after a few seconds of hesitant eye contact, he finally nodded quickly to Freddy, reaching up to wipe his own eyes.

 

He let go of Bonnie's face and let him lean back to give him some space. Freddy's smile fell, as he glanced down at the floor.

 

"... I'm so sorry... for everything. I'm sorry I was so oblivious, and dismissive to what you went through... I-I didn't want to think about you getting hurt, so I blocked it out... but I should have tried to understand it better... understand what you went through better... m-maybe then, I wouldn't have pushed you so much..."

 

Bonnie sniffled, and gave him a small, kind smile back. "I-it's o-okay... I don't b-blame you. It's... a heavy weight to carry... I-I wouldn't wish it on anyone else-" his voice trembled. 

 

Freddy reached out to offer his paw out to Bonnie to help him stand, which Bonnie accepted with a slightly bigger tearful smile. 

 

"Well, I want to help take some of that weight off your shoulders... anyway I can. If I can help you in anyway, let me know. Please." 

 

Bonnie nodded gratefully to him. He guided and let Bonnie sit down on the couch. Once he was sat down, Freddy left breifly to get some tissues and got to work on wiping the blood from his nose and looking him over for any injuries from the broken glass. Both parents suddenly turned to the sound of quiet, little footsteps hurrying down the stairs. They did not get a chance to focus on him before Gregory had barreled into the living room towards them. He was absolutely terrified, and looked like he had been crying as well.

 

"DAD-!" He cried out, rushing to Bonnie's side. The boy had only heard them screaming and Bonnie's crying. And then came down just to broken glass on the ground, Bonnie bleeding, and Freddy cleaning him. Harrowing memories came rushing back, and the boy acted on instinct to protect his dad again. He ran and stood in between Bonnie's legs with a paw on his dad's knee and faced Freddy head on in an attempt to shield him from Freddy's supposed 'attack'.

 

It was an entirely new kind of devastating to Freddy. Watching his son, his baby, stand in front of Bonnie in a defensive stance and eyeing him wearily. His ears were pinned, and the boy had a poorly disguised look of terror and anguish on his face. And suddenly, Freddy was brought back to his past. 

 

It was like a mirror was held up to him of himself. When he was Gregory's age, and he would step up to his father in his mother's defense. Never in his life did he imagine this cycle would repeat with himself and his own family, and it just felt like someone twisting the knife lodged in his chest.

 

Bonnie recovered from his shock and stepped in, placing a paw on Gregory's shoulder to get the boy's attention as he tried to speak with tissue in his nose.

 

"It's okay, Greg! I-it's not what it looks like... he didn't hurt me!" He insisted. The boy looked between his dads, before his gaze landed on Bonnie again. 

 

"What...?" 

 

Bonnie turned the boy around and placed his paws on his shoulders. "S-something made me very upset, and I got a nosebleed. Your father just comforted me again... he was helping me." He explained to the boy shakily.

 

Gregory searched his eyes suspiciously. Bonnie had lied to him a lot about his last partner's abuse, so the boy had learned to read through his father's sugarcoating and cover-ups. But to his surprise and relief, he found nothing. Bonnie was being completely honest. 

 

Freddy knelt down to be closer to the boy's level and cleared his throat to get their attention, willing himself to speak up.

 

"...that was very brave of you to protect him, Greg. I am glad you care so much... but trust me when I say, I have never laid a claw on your father, and I never will. Both of you are safe with me." He assured.

 

The boy stared at Freddy again like the man had just grown two heads. After a few seconds of silent staring, Bonnie seemed to sense something erupting from within his son. He carefully wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him onto his lap for a loose hug, quietly hushing him and holding him against his chest.

 

"We're okay now, Gregory... it's over. We're never going back to him. Freddy isn't like that, you know this..." He whispered reassurances, placing a kiss on the boy's temple. He turned to Freddy and gestured to the boy, alerting him that something was wrong. 

 

Freddy had not caught on to Gregory's silence and blank expression, until the boy's face finally started twisting and scrunching up, and his eyes welled up with fresh tears. The boy whimpered and hugged Bonnie closer, quietly weeping into his torso while the bunny kept softly reassuring him. 

 

Freddy's ears fell to match his heartbroken expression. He wanted so badly to comfort his son, but he was not sure if he could.

 

It was Bonnie who glanced up at him and nodded to him, urging him to try and reach out to his son, that gave him the courage to do so. Freddy stood up from his knees and dropped the tissues, sitting down beside Bonnie and gently brushing the bangs away from Gregory's face. When he met the boy's tearful eyes, he hesitantly reached his shaky arms out, offering an embrace but fearing another rejection. But then, the unexpected happened.

 

The boy looked to Bonnie with hesitation, who gave him a patient nod, before he turned back to Freddy worriedly. And the kit finally scooted himself from Bonnie's lap onto Freddy's and wrapped his small arms around his large frame. There was still some tension and hesitancy as he sniffled and wept into his father's button up, but this was the first real affection his son has given him this entire time they've been here. He could feel himself nearly tearing up in relief as he glanced at Bonnie in a mix of excitement and disbelief. His husband shared his elatement as the bunny looked on in pride at the two of them, while Freddy carefully wrapped his own arms around the boy and began quietly reassuring him. 

 

"There, there... that's it, my son..." He whispered. The boy gradually leaned more and more of his weight onto Freddy as he grew more comfortable. 

 

Bonnie scooted over now to lean against Freddy and run an affectionate paw through Gregory's hair, leaning in to kiss his nose when the boy glanced up at him meekly. Freddy wrapped an arm around Bonnie as well and pulled his family into a secure hold, taking his own shaky breath and willing himself not to start crying as well.

 

When they all pulled away again, the boy remained on Freddy's lap laying against his torso while Bonnie leaned on his side with a paw on his chest while all of them settled down.

 

"So... you are okay, dad-?" Gregory turned to Bonnie again in concern and wiped his eye. Bonnie nodded to his son, hooking his index finger under the boy's chin and lifting his head up to face him.

 

"I'm okay... but Gregory, I've told you before. It's not your responsibility to look out for me... even if I was being hurt, you should never step in like that. You always protect yourself first..." He reprimanded gently but sternly.

 

Gregory's ears dropped forlornly. "I know, I know... I-I was hiding, a-and trying to, but... I-I got so scared. Especially when it got quiet-!" He argued.

 

Freddy was worried about them getting worked up again, so he quickly stepped in, holding the boy close and hushing him again. 

 

"It's alright, it's over now... we can talk about this more another time." He stated. 

 

Once they put the boy to bed, Freddy hesitantly brought up a question that has been lingering at the back of his mind.

 

"Hey, honey-bun...?" He turned over to his husband. Bonnie hummed quietly and turned to him as they walked down the hall.

 

"... I know you've told me you don't feel comfortable washing yourself as much anymore, and... that makes me upset for you, because I know how much you loved your big, curly hair..." He spoke distantly, being brought to simpler, happy times with his husband.

 

Bonnie glanced down and nodded solemnly. He reached up and instinctively ran his fingers through some of his flat, dull curls forlornly.

 

"You helped me so much, so... I was wondering if I could maybe... help you with that-? Maybe if someone... helped you clean yourself, it'll feel better...?" Freddy then brought up gently.

 

Bonnie glanced up at him in surprise. "... as in, you bathe me...?" 

 

Freddy nodded and faced him completely. "Yes! I was just thinking, i-if you are okay with it, and if you trust me... maybe it could help you..." 

 

Bonnie seemed interested in the idea, but glanced away hesitantly, continuing to run his fingers through his curls.

 

"W-well... yes, I trust you. If you're okay with it, I-I can try it..." He finally said. 

 

"... but I-I don't know... I guess I'll also be kind of embarrassed, y'know...? I don't have those cute, slender curves anymore... I-I'm not pretty like I was before." He chuckled, glancing away timidly. 

 

Freddy felt himself begin growing angered again hearing the damage that man had done to his husband, though he hid it with a small scoff. "Only an immature, spineless thug would worry about something so stupid," he jumped at the opportunity to insult Bonnie's last partner before continuing.

 

"I love it that you've aged and look older... because it's a reminder that we've gotten to age together. I'll find you beautiful after every gray hair, wrinkle, or new roll appears on your body. I can't wait to grow old with you, my love... Just like we planned." 

 

Bonnie smiled slightly at that, but still was not fully convinced. "B-but what about the weight gain-?" 

 

Freddy chuckled. "Did you think you were going to stay a hundred pounds forever...?" He joked, taking both of Bonnie's paws in his own.

 

"... Your body has given me two wonderful children. And because of that, it's changed... And that's beautiful to me." He assured, pressing a light kiss to the bunny's temple. He pulled away and checked over his husband again, feeling a smile pull at his lips as he saw his shy, sweet smile growing.

 

"Are you ready-?"

 

Bonnie hesitated a moment longer before nodding quickly to him. 

 

..

 

"Alright, you can come in now!" Bonnie called.

 

Freddy had set up a bubble bath for the bunny in the master bathroom with a two in one shower and bath. He thought the bubbles would hopefully ease the tension in the room, and so Bonnie could not look down and see himself in the water. When it was done, he left the room and Bonnie went in to undress and slip in the tub separately. Now that he was called back in, Freddy gathered his supplies and power walked back into the room, kneeling before the tail end of the ivory bath. 

 

Bonnie was sitting with his arms crossed tensely and watching Freddy. He sniffed the air and glanced to Freddy in disbelief while the man squeezed some shampoo onto his palm.

 

"Lavender scented candles...? I thought you hated that smell-" he asked curiously. 

 

Freddy chuckled softly as he rubbed the products in between his palms to a foamy consistency. Bonnie shifted over to sit on his knees and face Freddy to make it easier as the man began massaging the product into his scalp.

 

"I do, but... I know you like this smell, so I'll tolerate it."

 

Bonnie hummed in content, lowering his arms to dangle out of the tub so he was only hanging on his shoulders comfortably as Freddy used precise movements and pressure to make it feel heavenly for the bunny. Bonnie could not help himself but relax under the touch as he continued. 

 

"... even if you have poor taste in scents." Freddy added quietly.

 

Bonnie lazily glanced up at him again and snickered. "Me- ? You're the one who likes those gross wood smells." He stuck his tongue out.

 

Freddy scoffed in mock offense. "Well, sorry you have no standards, and cannot appreciate musky scents. I find them quite nice. They're subtle, mature, and sensual." He bragged.

 

Bonnie raised his brows in amusement. "Sensual...? That's what you get from musky scents?" He jested as Freddy started carefully cleaning his ears.

 

"Well, at least my smell doesn't put you to sleep. It's cause lavender is so boring." He gave a playful deadpan look to the bunny.

 

"Mmm~ nothing gets me off more than the smell of dirt and rocks..." Bonnie bantered back sarcastically with an amused and relaxed grin while Freddy finished his scalp massage and cleaning of his hair.

 

Freddy huffed. "... You laugh, but if I remember correctly, that smell did use to get you off." He gave the bunny an amorous and proud look, knowing he just won the exchange with that. 

 

He almost broke character and laughed at the bunny's speechless look of disbelief, as he took the shower nozzle in his hold.

 

"Close your eyes for me, Bon." He held up the nozzle to show him what he meant.

 

The bunny recovered from his shock and closed his eyes with a chuckle. "So wait, you get to make a joke like that, and we're just going to move on like-!" He was cut off as Freddy started the water. Freddy had not expected the water pressure to be so strong, and the bunny was immediately hit with a wave of water directly to his face. Freddy saw this and shut it off immediately, looking on with slight worry while trying to hide his growing amusement.

 

"... S-sorry, I meant close your mouth, too-" he joked. 

 

Bonnie spit out some of the water and quickly pulled back the curtains of drenched hair from his face, finally managing to open his eyes as he continued to sputter out water.

 

"Is this how you flirt?! Fuck, no wonder you've been single the past three ye-!" He was cut off once again but squeezed his mouth shut this time as Freddy started the water and held the nozzle above his head, using his other paw to rinse out the shampoo. Once he was finished, he stopped again and finally chuckled at the soaked bunny again.

 

"Sorry! Sorry... but I did tell you to close your mouth." He apologized between laughs. His laughter only grew as the bunny playfully hit water at him in retaliation and giggled as well. 

 

The fun banter and flirting would continue as Freddy washed Bonnie's arms and legs, but it ceased when he had to move on to the bunny's torso. Which meant he would need to expose himself out of the water. 

 

Freddy squeezed more body wash on the rag and turned to the bunny again, who was now glancing down in worry.

 

"Whenever you're ready, Bon... you can trust me." Freddy reminded him gently. 

 

Bonnie nodded slowly, and Freddy patiently waited another minute of hesitation before Bonnie squeezed his eyes and mouth shut as he finally lifted himself up on his knees, exposing his chest. He had a tight grip on the rims of the bath tub and refused to look as Freddy carefully approached it. 

 

He was tense, and nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt Freddy touch his collarbone, but he began relaxing as Freddy hushed him gently. 

 

"It's okay... you're doing great." He whispered. He placed one paw on the side of his rib cage and used the other to carefully clean over the contours of his chest. Bonnie had opened his eyes only slightly, but was still fearful to look down.

 

"You don't have to look down. Just look at me." Freddy insisted.

 

He met the bunny's fearful and hesitant gaze, and knew he had to try and lighten the mood again somehow. It was growing too tense, and Bonnie's nerves were beginning to get the better of him.

 

"Guess which products I'm using?" Freddy started another playful conversation, hoping to distract the bunny from the intimate holding and caressing. 

 

"M-my old ones, right-?" Bonnie stuttered out. 

 

Freddy shook his head with an amused smile. "The bottles and products were too damaged. I'm using my own." 

 

Bonnie paused for a moment before scowling in faux frustration.

 

"... s-so you're saying I'm gonna' smell like dirt and rocks now?" 

 

Freddy nodded with a smile and kept his attention on his cleaning. His smile grew as he heard the bunny groan dramatically from above him. He was glad to see it worked as he finished Bonnie's chest. The last part would be the hardest, which was his lap area.

 

Bonnie anticipated it already and sighed deeply, scooting himself back and looking away again as Freddy prepared the rag. This portion was proven nearly impossible, as Bonnie kept either closing himself up, or scooting further back, not allowing Freddy to touch him. After a few attempts, he gave the bunny a look of serious concern.

 

"Bonnie, please be honest with me, I won't be upset... what are you feeling right now-? D-do you not want this...?" He checked.

 

Bonnie gave an actual scowl of frustration directed at himself as his ears dropped.

 

"I-I trust you, Freddy. I trust you with my life, I-I just..." He hesitated, trying to think of the right words. Freddy could see he was trying to walk on eggshells again, and quickly put a stop to it.

 

"...don't think too hard about it, and don't worry about sparing my feelings... please, just tell me exactly what the problem is." Freddy pressed gently.

 

The bunny sighed deeply, and his agitation quickly turned to shame. 

 

"... I-I'm upset because my body is... r-responding again, and I... I don't know, I don't even know how to explain what's going on-" he stuttered.

 

Freddy thought of his words and did his best to try and translate it. 

 

"... you're afraid you won't have control over how your body will react again...?" He checked. 

 

Bonnie nodded slowly, looking even more ashamed now. Freddy placed a gentle paw on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring look.

 

"It's okay, honey! You don't need to feel ashamed, it's not your fault..." He insisted, choosing his next words wisely.

 

"... maybe it will help to look at me, and look down while I do it... so you know what's happening the entire time." Freddy suggested.

 

Bonnie timidly glanced back at him, contemplating it. After a moment, he slowly nodded his head and wrapped two shaky arms gently around Freddy's neck to keep himself lifted. Freddy leaned in and pressed his muzzle into the bunny's neck like he would if they were hugging to hopefully ease some of his stress, as he carefully lowered the rag down and began cleaning the lower stomach. It started easy, but quickly grew scarier for the bunny as he lowered down to his hip and thigh area. Bonnie was tensing and jumping at every little touch. 

 

Freddy watched as he pulled away slightly to finally look down at himself with half-lidded eyes. He gave the bunny a reassuring smile and leaned in to peck his collarbone.

 

"That's it! You're doing great, honey... we're almost done." He whispered in reassurance.

 

Bonnie visibly relaxed and gradually grew less and less tense in Freddy's hold. The bunny turned his gaze up to him and gave him a weak smile, before glancing back at Freddy's paw that was now cleaning around his pelvic area. Freddy was growing worried now that Bonnie would grow defensive again, but the bunny still relaxed in his hold and kept his arms around Freddy's neck. Bonnie finally spared a peek at him again, and Freddy felt his heart warm in endearment as the bunny's face grew red with blush, and he glanced away with an embarrassed smile. He then leaned in and wrapped his arms a little tighter over Freddy's shoulders, pulling himself closer to bury his face in Freddy's curls and relax. Freddy felt his husband inhale and breathe in his scent and chuckled, wrapping his own free arm loosely around the bunny's waist as he finished.

 

"So now you like the smell of 'dirt and rocks'~?" He teased. Bonnie tittered and shifted to rest his cheek on Freddy's head instead so he could speak clearly as he brushed his paws through Freddy's mane and hair.

 

"... I suppose they're not all bad." He whispered affectionately. 

 

Freddy finally finished and helped Bonnie to dry off, giving him a pajama set to wear. The bunny held up the velvet maroon set in awe.

 

"... I don't remember owning this-?" He turned to Freddy expectantly who was changing out of his soaked button up and into a plain, loose-fit, blood red pajama set with a long sleeved button up top.

 

"Oh, I just bought it for you. I saw it in a store, and it looked like something you would like... it's an early Christmas present. You're going to freeze if you keep wearing short satin pajamas all Winter." He smiled. He was originally going to give it to the bunny on Christmas, but decided it could act as a nice treat for his husband after the possibly traumatic experience. 

 

He helped Bonnie slip on the long, wide leg drawstring pants and the long sleeve, button up blouse that hang off his curves and figure. The bunny stared in awe at the rose floral pattern embedded on the ends of the sleeves and legs. 

 

"I know how much you love feeling 'luxurious' and 'extra', so it also comes with other pieces you can wear around the house." Freddy passed them to Bonnie with a knowing smile.

 

There was a matching sash to tie around the hips or waist for a more fitted look, a boudoir sleeping cap, and a sheer, long and flare sleeved robe that had a button in the front at the collarbone, and opened up with a slit down the front where the length trailed elegantly down to his feet. He hung the robe and sash up and put them aside to wear in the morning, and Freddy helped him to put some curlers in his hair and place the sleeping cap on his head at the vanity. The entire time, Bonnie had his gaze down, and a conflicted expression on his face, making Freddy begin to worry he did not like the set. 

 

Once Freddy settled in bed and laid sitting up, he felt his heart fluttering at the sight of his beautiful bunny finally coming to bed with him after what felt like so many years. When Bonnie was comfortable laying back on his side, Freddy spoke up.

 

"I noticed you looked a little upset at the vanity... if I made you uncomfortable during the bath, or you didn't like the set, you can let me know, honey..." He placed a gentle paw over Bonnie's. 

 

The bunny shook his head, wiping his slightly teary eyes with a small smile. "N-no, I... I love it... I loved everything tonight, thank you so much-! I guess I'm just... overwhelmed from being treated so... nice. I'm okay, though. I'm happy." Bonnie promised with a smile as he finally looked back at Freddy, the brief tears gone already. 

 

"You bathing me helped so much... I feel a lot better. We should do things like that more often."

 

Freddy sighed in relief, scooting over to the bunny and pulling him in. He adjusted them so the bunny's head and neck could rest on his forearm, and he could lay over the bunny while holding himself up by his elbows. He gave Bonnie a warm, fond smile and hummed in agreement as the bunny lifted his own paws to rest on Freddy's shoulders.

 

"We need to get you used to your prince treatment again... I'm going to spoil you rotten, just like I used to~" He leaned in to plant a few loving kisses onto his neck and jaw, making Bonnie giggle and half-heartedly try to push him away.

 

Once he pulled away for them to meet eyes again, Bonnie moved his paws so one cradled Freddy's jaw and the other nestled and scrunched into the back of his mane as they moved closer until their mouths were only an inch apart. 

 

"... so do you waterboard all of your dates like that, or am I just special~?" Bonnie whispered in a teasing tone, referencing the bath again. Freddy snickered and pressed their foreheads together.

 

"You're special, my angel..." He whispered earnestly.

 

Bonnie returned his sincerity as they leaned in and interlocked their lips to share a few prolonged, sweet kisses before Freddy slowly pulled away again so Bonnie would not have to lift his head. He opened his mouth to speak again, before they were interrupted by a knock on the door. 

 

"Who is it?" Freddy called out, lifting himself off of Bonnie carefully and turning to the door. 

 

"There is an important call for you sir!" A maid called out. 

 

Freddy had an idea of what it was, and felt himself tense slightly, losing some of his initial warmth. Bonnie sat up now and yawned, glancing at Freddy in confusion.

 

"Why would you get an important business call at this time-?" Bonnie chuckled sluggishly. 

 

Freddy exhaled nervously, feeling some guilt creep in his chest, knowing he was going behind Bonnie's back.

 

"I-I don't know... but I'll be right back. Try to sleep, honey." He said simply, pecking the bunny's cheek briefly before slipping out of bed and leaving the room. 

 

He couldn't keep pushing Bonnie to tell him who the man was, and he couldn't ask his son that, either. But now that their lives were in serious danger, Freddy had to put a stop to him. So he made a few calls to some of his family's assassins without telling his husband. He did not plan to send them to kill the man, but he needed their tracking and hunting skills to find out who he was. And he needed them to bring him the man alive. 

 

As for Bonnie, he had thankfully gotten the bunny to forget about going today. Now he just had to keep him from going until they could find him.

 

He took the phone from the maid and nodded gratefully to her for picking it up, before answering the call and speaking quietly to his employee.

Notes:

If it seems like this book is mainly centered around their personal relationships and not the crime/Mafia side of things, it's cause it is, but only for this specific story!

Love in Ruins and the second book will focus a lot more on the crime aspect as well, so don't worry!

Chapter 17

"Papa..." A faint voice called.

 

"Papa..." 

 

Freddy's eyes snapped open at the sound. It was still dark out, with only a faint, blue light of the moon peeking through the white sheer curtains of his large industrial window, and he was in bed alone. He sat up quickly and glanced around in alarm, convinced he had just imagined the sound. And then, he heard it again, even quieter, and the door to his room slowly creaked open. He felt a sense of déjà vu and some looming dread, sensing that he has seen this before, and whatever was behind the door would be unpleasant.

 

The dark hallway outside of his room finally came into view through the doorframe, and there stood his daughter. Daisy was still in the puffy, mesh yellow birthday dress, which was now filthy and torn up. Her once pure white fur was tattered and littered with mud, bruises, and blood, most of the blood coming from the steady stream running down her mouth and nose. Her right ear was broken and nearly torn off, and her hair was a ragged mess. What stood out most to him, however, was those glazed, hollow, dead eyes that resembled a doll. He felt those eyes on him everywhere, watching and judging him. Ever since the day she died, and her eyes had accidentally froze on him like that, he has grown a visceral, deep rooted phobia of dead eyes. He could feel his blood run cold at the nightmarish sight, but could not move.

 

Daisy stood at the door almost in complete silence, would it not be for her gurgling, labored breaths, as she stared at Freddy lifelessly. 

 

He felt his body beginning to shake violently at the sight of her, and he tried looking away, dropping his head, or covering his eyes, but he was frozen. He was whispering and muttering pleas to himself and felt himself beginning to tear up, begging for the apparition to go away. After a minute of being trapped in his state of paralysis staring at Daisy, the door opened just slightly more, revealing an even smaller figure beside her, who Freddy could not recognize at first. But when he did, he immediately wished he didn't. 

 

He and Bonnie hated talking about her. Freddy avoided bringing her up to him, because he knew how much it destroyed and silently tormented his husband to this day. She came into their lives so suddenly, and by surprise, only to disappear just as fast.

 

They're supposed to have three children, yet one seemed to be missing from every photo, every record, and every memory they had. And that was because their third youngest, being their second daughter, was taken from them before she even got to see the sun.

 

Only a year before Daisy's death, they had miscarried their second daughter. She was gravely unhealthy, and was making Bonnie ill when she was born prematurely at barely six months or twenty weeks old, out of the nine months she should have grown to. She was just old enough to see her fur and some of her features. She was born alive. Far too small, and hardly breathing, but alive. She lived for only a little more than an hour, just long enough to open her eyes somewhat and vaguely see her parents. Enough for them to speak to her, and even to play with her a little bit. She never got an official birth certificate of course, but they had named her. Her name was Bailey, and she was buried with a small plaque next to her older sister.

 

Beside Daisy was Bailey. Or rather, what Bailey could have been, perhaps in another time. Because she was on two feet, she had hair, and her eyes were wide open. Though, they were just as hollow and dark as Daisy's. He could not see much of her, but could see she was wearing a long sleeve, white sleep dress. She had a lot of white fur like Daisy, but inherited blue spots and splotches from Bonnie. She also had his hair and cherry-red eyes. It looked as though she was around two years old in this apparition. 

 

They still did not move or say anything, but they did not have to. The silence was more than enough to break Freddy. This was worse than Hell for him. Just to see them in front of his eyes, seeing the result of his own failures. What had happened to Daisy, and what could have happened to Bailey, was all his fault. Because he was the curse to his family, plain and simple. To have their eyes locked on him, silently casting judgment, sent a feeling of crawling under his skin and ice in his veins. 

 

"P-please... please leave... leave me-!" His voice quietly shook as he could finally lower his head and move his paws over his face to shield his eyes in vain. But nothing could free him from their quiet yet heavy gaze. All he could do was shake helplessly as he prayed for anything to happen. He swore they were either looming closer to him, or the walls were closing in on him, because he suddenly felt claustrophobic and suffocated. Like he needed to escape immediately. His only chance of safety was to squeeze his eyes shut and succumb to the darkness.

 

..

 

His eyes shot open again, and he was met with the sight of his bedroom ceiling. It was noticeably darker than just a minute ago. 

 

He sat up abruptly and fought to take deep breaths, slowly processing what had just happened. He suddenly flinched and turned to the sound of a tired hum at his side, followed by the feeling of the blanket shifting.

 

"Freddy...?" Bonnie's sluggish voice spoke up as the bunny blearily opened his eyes and glanced up at him in concern. 

 

After another second of silence, Freddy sighed deeply and dropped his head, accepting that it had indeed just been one of his nightmares. This was confirmed by the fact that Bonnie was in bed with him again, and no one was calling out to him. He wiped a paw over his face and did his best to force a shaky smile. He reached one paw down to lay and affectionately run over the bunny's waist.

 

"I-I'm okay... I-I just woke up for a moment, you can go back to sleep." 

 

Bonnie furrowed his brows at Freddy, showing he did not buy into his lie. The bunny sat himself up and rubbed his eyes, scooting himself sideways to lean against Freddy's side. With one arm loosely draped over the bear's lower back, and the other paw holding his own, Bonnie's worried and frustrated look had not disappeared as he looked Freddy in the eyes expectantly. 

 

"I'm not blind, Teddy..." He reminded. Freddy did not have the energy to lie anymore and only dropped his now teary gaze again, shame making its way to his features. Bonnie had already been through enough yesterday and tonight, of course Freddy had to add on to that, and open more old wounds for his husband. He sighed deeply for a second time and wrapped his own arm around Bonnie's back to embrace him from the side and drowsily lean against him in return. 

 

"I just... I had a nightmare. I think I've had it before, but it's... the worst one of them." He remained vague, hoping he could get out of explaining it. Unfortunately, it was not so easy. 

 

"What about...?" Bonnie pressed gently. "... was it about your parents-?" He guessed hesitantly. 

 

Freddy shook his head, sucking in a sharp breath as he willed himself to explain it. He dreaded it, but it had to be done. He needed to change, and that meant addressing his inner demons and opening up to Bonnie more. 

 

"... About our daughters. D-Daisy was d-dead... but she was standing and s-staring at me... a-and so was... Bailey..." He finally forced out.

 

He felt Bonnie tense against him for a moment, but the bunny only hummed in response. Freddy was silent because there was nothing else to say. He was sure Bonnie knew what he was thinking.

 

"... I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Freddy... until you believe it. It wasn't your fault." He reassured softly. 

 

Freddy sighed shakily. "... even if that's true, how would they know-? What if... what if they think it is? What if they can see us right now, and what if they do resent me...?!" He whispered. 

 

Bonnie shook his head against Freddy's arm. "They don't." He said confidently. "...I know they wouldn't."

 

They made eye contact again as he gave Freddy a patient look. "What... what happened to Bailey had nothing to do with you, anyway... if anyone is at fault for that, it's me. That's... f-for me to live with..." His voice shook as he recalled that day. "If she could see us... she would know it wasn't your fault..." He assured.

 

"... It wasn't yours either, my love." Freddy quickly corrected him, being familiar by now with his husband's own insecurities about that.

 

Bonnie only did a quick glance away and nodded slowly in response, quickly moving on and clearly showing he did not entirely agree.

 

"... And what happened to Daisy wasn't, either. And I know she wouldn't resent you because I knew my daughter. You knew her, too... she couldn't resent anyone." He was quietly tittering by the end of his sentence. 

 

Freddy glanced at him a moment longer before quietly chuckling, a fond and emotional smile making its way to his face directed at his husband. He couldn't help but recall how far they've come these past few weeks. Just last month, he was convinced he and Bonnie would never be on good terms again. And still, even after everything Freddy did... after losing two children with him, that could arguably be partially his fault, Bonnie was still here. He still loved Freddy, and was still willingly by his side. Although Bonnie's words did not persuade him much, he felt so grateful for the bunny's love and effort, and he felt the need to express his gratitude somehow. He also hoped to end the conversation, not wanting to make Bonnie relive something that had obviously impacted the bunny much more than himself. The ursine leaned his head down to gently headbutt Bonnie, nuzzling his hair affectionately to get his attention.

 

"... you know, maybe you're right. Because I do know her... and you and our daughter are exactly the same. So kind, and forgiving..." He went on.

 

"... and far too cute for your own good-" He teased, lifting his other paw to tap Bonnie's nose playfully in an attempt to cheer him up. Although he was trying to be the stronger one, his disguise was clearly not enough. Bonnie giggled and shooed his paw away, wrapping his arms around Freddy's upper back and laying them back down on the pillows. Freddy's head was now tucked under Bonnie's chest against his ribs, where he could hear the bunny's heart, where Bonnie embraced him tighter.

 

"Simple flattery won't distract me, Freddy." He scolded half-heartedly, though his voice softened immediately as he began gently running one paw through Freddy's hair.

 

"But thank you for telling me... if you're getting overwhelmed, we can go to sleep now." He reassured, placing a small peck on the top of his head. Freddy paused for a minute as he repeated what Bonnie had said to him, and felt himself beginning to tear up more and more until he knew he could not hold it in anymore. And he didn't want to. He wanted to indulge in the privilege of having such a loving partner he could confide in. He wrapped his left arm around Bonnie's torso tightly, and the other moved to hold Bonnie's left thigh and pull him even closer so his leg was wrapped over Freddy's hip. Before he knew it, he was whimpering and quietly sobbing against Bonnie despite feeling some embarrassment from the situation. Though Bonnie did not mind it, and only held him tighter and kept quietly reassuring him.

 

"T-thank you... I-I-I'm sorry...!" Freddy's muffled voice cried into him. Bonnie hushed him with a kind smile and lightly kissed the top of his head again. 

 

"What do you have to feel sorry for?" He asked gently.

 

Freddy sucked in a breath. "B-because... because I can't t-talk about i-it much... I-I want to, I just...! I d-don't know how to t-talk about my f-feelings-" 

 

Bonnie chuckled lightly and brushed some of the bangs from Freddy's face, allowing him to look up and see Bonnie's face.

 

"It's okay! You're putting in effort and doing your best... you really have changed." 

 

And now, Freddy had a rare feeling of self-pride. Something he rarely ever experienced. It helped lift some of the weight off himself, making him remember how tired he was. That was further confirmed as he heard Bonnie yawn softly, and felt the bunny begin lightly scratching his head in a way that he knew made Freddy feel sleepy.

 

"Now you should get some sleep, Teddy... it'll help you feel better." Bonnie whispered. 

 

Freddy only nodded sluggishly against him and pulled himself to press closer to his husband, letting his comforting sweet, floral scent lull him to sleep. 

 

..

 

Freddy slowly regained consciousness from his sleep and let out a big yawn, blinking his tired eyes open to the warm, amber light of the early morning. He remembered right away that he was supposed to take Gregory to the planetarium today at noon. He would need to begin getting ready.

 

He was now loosely spooning Bonnie from behind, who was still fast asleep. Freddy wanted to let him sleep in, so he carefully menuvered himself away from the bunny to not disturb him. He knew the poor bunny must have been exhausted. He was such a light sleeper, that much movement would have usually woken him up. Once he was freed from the embrace, he sat up and glanced down at the bunny again, smiling in sentiment at the quiet squeaking sounds he was making in his sleep. The bunny suddenly shifted and rolled over, and Freddy was worried he had woken up after all. To his relief, Bonnie remained asleep and only stretched his arms above his head and settled on his back. His head fell to the side to face Freddy with a peaceful expression. 

 

Freddy wanted to just leave, but could not resist his endearing husband. He leaned down to the bunny and gently kissed his small pink nose, watching as it twitched and he made a small oinking noise in response. The bunny scrunched his face and lowered his arms slightly in an attempt to block out the feeling, but did not wake up and returned to his peaceful slumber. Freddy did his best to hold in his chuckling and to not melt from the overload of cuteness he felt for the bunny. He forced himself out of bed to quickly wake his son up and get them ready.

 

It was a rough start, to say the least. The boy did not seem excited to go in the slightest. Freddy tried not to let it get to him and kept trying to lift Gregory's spirits. The boy's attitude seemed to change as soon as they made it into the star room, and he started asking Freddy questions about space and what he was seeing. He was gradually growing more and more comfortable around his father, until they were starting to resemble what they once were. 

 

"So there are eight planets in the Solar System?!" Gregory asked in disbelief as he continued skipping around Freddy and looking in all directions of the artificial starlit room. Freddy smiled and nodded with a hum.

 

"Yes, all of which rotate around the sun, but not the moon. Do you know why we don't rotate around the moon?" Freddy quizzed the boy. 

 

The boy thought silently for a moment, before lighting up and glancing to his father in excitement as he thought he found the answer. He bounced and skipped to the other side of his father, circling him again as he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. Freddy was used to this behavior by now, knowing how hyper little bunnies could be, and only found it more endearing.

 

"Because the moon is too small! It rotates around us!" He guessed. Freddy chuckled and pat his shoulder in pride.

 

"That's right! The moon is like a large rock circling the Earth. Some even think it was once part of our planet, and broke off from it... or that it came from outside of our solar system." 

 

"Woah..." The boy looked forward in awe. "Does that mean we can have another moon someday??" Gregory asked as he continued skipping to keep up with his dad. Freddy chuckled and shook his head.

 

"I seriously doubt it. The chances of that happening are near zero... though I suppose, not impossible-" he mused. 

 

The boy froze in his tracks and pulled on Freddy's pants to get his attention. 

 

"I need to go pee really bad! I'll be back!" He pointed to the bathroom they were about to walk past.

 

Freddy glanced around in slight embarrassment. "A-alright, but no potty language in public, Gregory! You just say you need to use the restroom." He quietly reprimanded the boy and watched as he jogged off. He was about to go in with his son to check for danger, though he watched another man walk out of it with his own young son, so he deemed it safe. He still waited right outside and within earshot, in case Gregory did run into trouble and called out for help. 

 

"My friend! I'll be damned to find you here." A familiar voice called to him. He turned his attention to the man, to which he relaxed slightly, seeing it was one of his most trusted employees, Fausto Feliciano. He was someone Freddy was closer to, and would even consider family. He had acted somewhat as a mentor figure to Freddy when he was younger, and Freddy saw him as a father and man he could look up to. Much of what he learned about being a good husband and father was from that man, so he was closer to the family. 

 

The well-dressed, senior black cat jogged over to him with his calico wife locked around his arm. He shook his paw for greeting, knowing not to use each other's names in public. Freddy and his wife only nodded in greeting to each other, respecting the Code of Honor.

 

Being a part of a Mafia family came with a sense of superiority above other criminals. Freddy would agree. If he was going to be involved in any crime, he would prefer it be with the Mafia, but that was the equivalent of being the tallest dwarf. This was because unlike the other organized criminal groups, being organizations like cartels and gangs, the Mafia had a strict code of honor and morals associated with it. Freddy had to learn all of these codes growing up. There were two deeply rooted values in the Mafia that all the codes stem from.

 

One was honor. Specifically fairness and secrecy. In terms of their criminal conduct, they were under a code of privacy. They did not use their title or status to instill fear on the population and were not to ever draw unnecessary attention to themselves, though that was a byproduct of their power. That being said, they were forbidden from harming civilians, primarily women and children, unless absolutely necessary. This meant opening fire on crowds of innocent people, or using weapons of mass destruction like bombs or fire in populated areas was prohibited. This rule had to be broken occasionally, but for the most part, they kept their gruesome killings and behavior within the ring of crime and in the cover of secrecy. This also meant absolutely no association with or collaboration with law enforcement or any other crime organizations, especially rivals. This secrecy also extended to their family relations.

 

The second was family. The Mafia considered themselves a closely-knit family and bloodline, which meant you had to be fiercely loyal to the group. You were always truthful, you never ignored the Don if he requested your presence, and your duty was to always be available for Costa Nostra. Members also protected each other, so as long as you served the Don and your family well, they would protect you from just about anything. That being said, members of the group were not allowed to be friends or introduce themselves directly to each other when first meeting. Rather, they had to be introduced to each other by a third person. Marrying into the Mafia, especially higher up, was especially difficult, because not only did it mean disowning your own relatives, but it essentially came with a blood pact and oath of loyalty to your new family. 

 

Part of their strict codes of honor that were linked to their family values was their respect for wives and spouses. Not only must you respect your own partner and children, but you must respect and stay away from the partner and children of the other members as well. For example, because Bonnie was married to Freddy, his workers and the other members of the Mafia were forbidden from speaking to or even looking at Bonnie. It went both ways, since Freddy could not speak to the spouses of his own men either, specifically the wives or husbands who were married in, and are not directly involved. His workers would be under the same rules with each other, though Freddy was less strict about this between his men, allowing it to be up to the couple if they wanted to abide by that or not. But on the other hand, he followed it. And he strictly enforced it when it came to Bonnie and his own family. He made exceptions for their close group of friends, of course, but when he separated from Bonnie, he enforced it with them as well. Which is why they were not allowed to speak to him or Gregory anymore.  He was aware that these were strict, but they were deeply engraved within him. It is what he was raised on, and if he wanted to keep his husband and children safe, he had to keep enforcing it.

 

The price for violating any of these rules was usually death, though depending on the severity of your betrayal, you could be given a slower, more painful punishment. But those morals are what set them apart from other crime organizations, who had looser family relations and regularly intimidated and harmed innocent people.

 

"My friend! What brings you here?" Freddy asked with a polite smile. The feline leaned on his cane and dusted himself off politely. 'Friend' was the most general term Mafia members used to anonymously refer to each other.

 

"To enjoy the outerworlds, of course! I should be asking you that, sir. I haven't seen you out and about in a social event like this in ages!" He chuckled.

 

Freddy tittered. "I am here with my son. He wanted to visit, and I had knowledge about Space to share." He gestured to the bathroom to show where he was.

 

Fausto's eyes brightened. "You're with your son?? Wonderful! I haven't seen you with your family in ages, either! Not since what happened." He brought up respectfully. 

 

Freddy nodded slowly. "Yes, well... my husband and I have made up, and now I am making amends with my son." 

 

Fausto smiled at that. "Lovely. I do hope I can see them again, too-" the cat was nearly cut off as a man he was with stepped beside him to the front. He was a well-built coyote with ragged fur and narrowed amber eyes. He was also rather tall in height, making it to Freddy's eye level. He wore a dark brown rancher hat and a tan, thick trench coat lined with fur and an indigenous design running through the chest. Under it, he wore a more country-themed suit. He was clearly wealthy and a city man, though dressed in pseudo-cowboy fashion as a choice. The man also wore a strong cologne that smelled of roses and sandal wood, and was smoking a cigar. Freddy recognized his high-pitched, yippy yet intimidating cackle, and that signature smell of smoke and roses from anywhere as he let his paw out to shake Freddy's.

 

"Geez, my man! I been' standing here for nearly two minutes, and you ain't even greeted me!" The canine teased with a deep voice, flashing him a toothy, jagged grin.

 

Freddy knew this man, too. As stated previously, the Mafia focused on nearly every network of crime, three of the most well known being gambling, drug dealing, and prostitution. Fausto was a crime baron, but for a different network of crime. That being, the Gambling Network.

 

This man was younger than Fausto, though still a lot older than Freddy and practically a senior. He was formerly the best drug dealer the Fazbear Family had, and now served as a very successful and wealthy drug lord, or crime baron, working under the Fazbear family, which meant he was essentially the boss of nearly all the drug dealers and smugglers in the city. If you were involved in the Drug Trafficking Network but did not work under him, then at the very least, you feared and respected him. He went by the name Cab Cowley. 

 

Freddy would hardly call him an acquaintance like Fausto, though Cab seemed to be under the impression they were. Freddy never really liked Cab. Their personalities never aligned. Freddy would describe him as similar to Montgomery... if the gator was also rich, entitled, and a thousand times more insufferable. 

 

"Good day, my friend. It's nice to see you." He nodded politely either way. The cocky coyote did not seem to mind his hint of annoyance as he kept his same devious smile.

 

"Your son and husband are with you again? Where are they now, then?" He asked. 

 

Fausto elbowed the man. "If I remember correctly, he said the boy is in the bathroom."

 

As if on cue, Gregory started to skip out towards Freddy again. The boy was still shaking some water off his paws, but he suddenly froze at the door when he saw Freddy and the others. 

 

Freddy smiled to the boy, encouraging him to come closer and gesturing at Fausto. "Come, Greg! He has not seen you in a long time. He's a good man, don't worry!" He insisted to the boy. Gregory ran behind Freddy and hugged his leg, poking his gaze out to watch wearily.

 

Fausto gasped and shared an endeared look with his wife, giving the boy a patient smile. "Is this him?! I hardly recognized him, he's gotten so big!" He let out a hearty laugh and let out a paw for the boy to shake, which Gregory hesitantly did, though he remained hidden. He was gripping Freddy's leg so tightly, and was now beginning to shake. It took the bear a moment to realize he was not looking at Fausto like that. He had his terrified eyes locked on Cab, who now looked at the boy as well with an unreadable expression. The second the canine stepped forward and stuck his paw out, Gregory squeaked in alarm and hid further behind Freddy, holding on even tighter. 

 

"G-Gregory, are you...?" Freddy asked gently. Cab only tilted his head, keeping his same expression.

 

"I only want to say hello, Gregory. Is that any way to greet someone... ?" There was a hint of sharpness and scolding in his voice as he stepped even closer, trying to shake the boy's paw more assertively. Freddy noticed this and grew protective of his child quickly. He took another step to the side, so he was directly in front of his son, and the sudden movement nearly made Cab back away.

 

"Excuse me, but my son has made it clear to you that he is uncomfortable. Therefore, you shall respect that." He warned. 

 

Cab narrowed his eyes for a moment before plastering on his usual toothy smile and holding up his paws in surrender. 

 

"My bad! Just tryna' be polite-" He reassured. 

 

Fausto cleared his throat to hopefully ease the tension. "Oh! Well, now that you're here, I had something for you." He mentioned to Freddy, reaching into his bag and pulling out a folded piece of paper. He passed it to Freddy to look at.

 

"I am hosting an extravagant celebration at my Seaside Casino soon. It's going to be quite a wild party, but it's exclusive to only our friends and allies. You usually do not come, but if you and your husband are interested, you are always welcome!" 

 

Freddy hummed in thought as he read it over. He knew of these parties, all of his friends and the rest of his organization went to these, but he usually sat them out. He was never really a party person, and he only ever went for Bonnie because the bunny enjoyed them, and was stuck at home most of the time anyway. They were adult-only as well, which meant their children could not even go. 

 

Freddy smiled politely with a nod. "Thank you very much. We'll look it over and talk about it." 

 

Fausto nodded, and everyone seemed to notice Gregory's growing distress and nervousness around Cab, so the feline spoke up again with a sigh. "It wouldn't kill you to live a little, my friend. But anyway, we shall leave the two of you to your space exploration." He nodded to them with his wife following along. Freddy bowed his head to them as well, placing a reassuring paw on Gregory's head as he turned to Cab. 

 

"Farewell to all of you. I shall see you around." He formally concluded their interaction. 

 

Fausto and his wife bid Farewell to the boy and Freddy again while Cab gave Gregory one more stern, almost warning look before leaving as well. Once they were gone, Freddy shot his son a concerned look.

 

"Gregory, hey! Are you okay...?" He whispered and knelt down to check on his son more closely. "Did he do something?" He gently moved the boy's paws away to see his face. Gregory quickly shook his head and nervously avoided his gaze.

 

"N-no. H-he just... scared me-" 

 

Freddy did not want to draw too much attention to themselves, and only sighed with a small, nervous chuckle as he stood up. "Yeah... Cab has that effect on people."

 

He offered his paw out for the boy to take. "Here, there's more we can explore here, then we can get a treat and go home." 

 

The boy nodded hesitantly and took his paw, following him closely. 

 

Freddy growled quietly to himself as he thought about the interaction with Cab. He was blown away by the audacity of that man to look at and talk to his son like that, like he was Gregory's father. The coyote was always like this, he supposed, though it did not make it any less obnoxious. But this was exactly why he forbid practically all of the criminals in his organization from speaking to his family. 

Chapter 18

Notes:

!! TW: More implication of past sexual abuse + trauma (not graphic) !!

Freddy opened the front door to the home again later in the evening and chuckled as the boy hopped at his side excitedly. Although upset from the initial event, Freddy was thankfully able to cheer Gregory up again with some ice cream and souvenirs from the planetarium. The boy now donned a cape that resembled the night sky and held a rocket ship toy in his paws.

 

As soon as the door opened, he ran in ahead of Freddy pretending to fly the ship into the foyer of their home while Freddy closed and locked the door behind them and hung up his coat and top hat. Bonnie had come in to greet them at the door a minute after, still dressed in his pajamas and sleep cap but now also wearing the hanging robe pinned at his chest and the sash tied loosely around his waist. He smiled in amusement as he saw the boy running around.

 

"It looks like you had a fun time!" Bonnie giggled, leaning down to look at his kit better and holding his arms out expectantly. Gregory jogged over and hugged his father lightly, while Bonnie held him in a tight embrace and placed a loud, playful kiss on the boy's cheek. Gregory groaned in response and wiped it off, pulling away from his father.

 

"How'd it go??" Bonnie asked the boy with a smile, standing up straight.

 

The boy began quickly rambling about space facts he learned, going far too fast for Bonnie to keep up with him. Once the boy paused to catch his breath, Bonnie chuckled and placed a paw on his shoulder. 

 

"It looks like you learned a whole lot! How about you both tell me all the rest over dinner? It's ready now, I'll serve it at the kitchen table in just a moment." He offered the boy. Gregory nodded quickly, and both parents watched as he jogged to the dining room. When they were alone, Freddy approached Bonnie to briefly hug his side and lightly kiss his temple. 

 

"We had a good time. Our son may be obsessed with space now, though." He chuckled. Bonnie giggled and held him back, pecking his cheek briefly before pulling away and laughing with a grateful smile.

 

"I can tell! Thank you so much... he really needed that, I think you both did." Bonnie expressed genuinely. Freddy nodded back in agreement. 

 

"We really did... so what's for dinner, honey? I'm excited to see what you made." They began walking with Freddy's arm still around his waist. Bonnie shrugged timidly.

 

"It's a pasta dish I serve at my diner... it's probably not gonna' be as good as the food you're used to." He chuckled. Freddy shook his head goodheartedly. 

 

"I'm sure it will be great." He reassured. 

 

..

 

"Did you know Mars is covered in rust? The entire planet?! That's why it's bright red!" Gregory explained to Bonnie eagerly with a mouthful of food, kicking his feet under the table.

 

"Gregory, please no talking with food in your mouth." Freddy reprimanded from where he was sitting to the boy's right side. Bonnie giggled from the left side and shook his head.

 

"I did not know that, Gregory! That's so interesting." He responded. 

 

"And stars are actually millions of suns! And those suns have their own planets around them, and their own moons, and-" the boy continued going on and on about what he had learned. Bonnie had clearly given up on trying to decipher the boy's chaotic word scramble, and only tried sounding as supportive and as interested as possible. 

 

Gregory turned to Freddy now. "Could we see the stars from here, too?" The boy asked.

 

Freddy chuckled. "We won't be able to see as many as you did in the planetarium, but behind the estate, there is just ocean and no lights, so we could see quite a few. I believe I have a telescope, as well. We can do that later." He assured the boy.

 

Bonnie turned to Freddy now. "But before we do that... I found our old fake Christmas tree in the closet, and I was hoping we could put it up and decorate it together tonight- ?" He offered Freddy.

 

Gregory gasped. "The big tree? We always just used the little trees in the apartment-" 

 

Bonnie nodded to the boy with a smile, then glanced back at Freddy again for approval. The bear felt himself buzz in warmth and excitement at the idea of decorating for Christmas as a family again and nodded to them.

 

"What about after dinner, we set up the tree and decorate the house, have some desert, then we can go out to the balcony and see the stars?" He offered. The boy nodded eagerly at the idea while Bonnie smiled brightly in excitement. 

 

And just as planned, they put away their dishes, and Freddy and Gregory left to change into their pajamas. Freddy's heart nearly stopped as he opened the door to his room and found it spotless. 

 

All of the stains were either scrubbed off or faded, the trash was gone, it was well organized, and it looked almost like nothing happened the past four years. Bonnie had walked into the room after him and stopped at the door to watch his reaction. Freddy glanced back at him in disbelief.

 

"I... B-Bonnie, you... you didn't tell the maids to come clean this, did you...?" He asked in worry, having explicitly told the bunny he did not want them touching anything. Bonnie shook his head with a smile.

 

"No, honey... I know you were embarrassed, so I didn't tell anyone. I cleaned it up myself while you were gone."

 

Freddy glanced around in disbelief again, already beginning to grow overwhelmed again. When he finally came to his senses, he turned back to Bonnie and placed his paws on his shoulders. 

 

"Oh, Bon... you didn't have to...! T-thank you-!" His voice shook as he pulled him in for an embrace, growing slightly teary-eyed in joy. Bonnie held him back with a smile.

 

"It's okay! I wanted to, baby. Now, no crying before we decorate- !" He teased, turning to quickly kiss Freddy's cheek.

 

Once they were changed, they started immediately with decorating the living room. Freddy and Bonnie worked together to assemble the nearly seven foot tree and carefully place the lights and stinsel on, before allowing the boy to start decorating with ornaments. they helped with decorating the top of the tree while the boy focused on the bottom. The boy was having so much fun, Freddy could not even remember seeing him look so happy in years. And once it was complete, Freddy lifted the boy up to the top of the tree and let him place the star topper on. The three of them looked over their work 

 

"I think we outdid ourselves! It looks even better than the last time!" Bonnie praised, pinching the boy's cheek. Freddy used his good arm that wasn't holding Gregory to wrap around Bonnie's waist. 

 

"Good job, you two. It looks beautiful! Just like it used to..." He mused nostalgically. Bonnie nodded in agreement, giving Freddy a somewhat emotional smile, which Freddy returned.

 

"You can clearly tell who decorated which part of the tree, because my part looks the best." Gregory bragged. 

 

"They all look equally good, Greg." Freddy corrected him with a smile. 

 

"You're just saying that cause your side looks the worst!" The boy's nose scrunched up in amusement as he giggled mischievously at his own joke and pointed to where Freddy decorated. 

 

"Gregory-!" Bonnie scolded half-heartedly while Freddy bellowed in laughter and playfully tickled the boy's stomach. The boy laughed harder and tried weakly pushing and kicking Freddy away. Bonnie only watched and giggled in amusement at the two of them. 

 

The three of them were quickly interrupted by a knock on the wall of the entryway to the living room, to which they all turned around. It was a butler who came in with a nervous look on his face.

 

"Pardon my interruption, sir, but you had a call in your office, and they said it was important-" 

 

Freddy was slightly dejected as he turned back to Bonnie, who also looked upset, but tried hiding it with a sad smile.

 

"... It's okay! It's important, you shouldn't miss it." Bonnie nodded to him as he set down Gregory beside the bunny.

 

Freddy glanced between them guiltily. "I-I'm sorry about work, I'll be right back. You can start with the rest of the decorating while I'm gone, and I believe the Christmas record discs are in there, so you can play some music." He assured them. The two of them nodded as Freddy left to take the call. He had a dreading feeling he knew what it was about. His theory was confirmed as he answered, and one of the assassins he hired was on the other side.

 

He double-checked that his family wasn't eavesdropping outside of his office before closing and locking the door, speaking as quietly as he could.

 

"What have you found?" 

 

The man on the other side sounded like he blew out a puff from a cigarette before answering. 

 

"Well, my associate and I seperated and went all around the city lookin' through the whole network... since you said he worked there," 

 

"We visited every motel, bar, brothel we could find, we went around the Red Light District, too, and couldn't find any traces of your husband being there. We questioned as many prostitutes and interrogated just about every procurer and brothel keeper associated with the family or not, and none of them had any record or knowledge of him working there, nor have they seen him around."

 

"What about his apartment? Did you find any evidence there?" Freddy asked.

 

"We didn't. We searched the entire place and looked through all the mail, we found no names. He covered all his tracks."

 

That made Freddy pause, and his brows furrowed as he repeated that in his head to make sure he heard correctly. 

 

"... but Bonnie told me he was approached for work in the Red Light District, and that he had been working as a Soiled Dove for a while, up until recently... if there is no record of him working anywhere, are you saying he was not telling the truth... ?

 

The man on the line sighed. "Perhaps, but that's not likely. This is actually more concerning now that there is no record of him, because where we looked are the safe, regulated businesses that are monitored by the family. They're the reputable businesses that pay and treat their workers well, and protect them."

 

"...When we told them the information about your husband and what you told us, some of the procurers did notice and bring up another possibility, which you should know," he started seriously.

 

"If he's telling the truth, and was in this line of work but isn't in the system, then it brings up the possible worse-case scenario, which from the evidence provided... he might have been a victim of exploitation, or trafficking. Perhaps under the guise of legitimate prostitution... your husband may have been under the impression it that was what it was, but it definitely wasn't."

 

"... If he was being underpaid, mistreated, or intimidated and forced to continue work, like you've shown us he has, they said that sounds like the most likely scenario."

 

Freddy felt his heart fall to his stomach as he heard that, and he was about to be sick. There had to be something else going on, it couldn't have been that. Freddy wouldn't be able to live with himself if he had let that happen. The man on the other line spoke up again.

 

"It would help if we had any more information... tomorrow we'll try looking for more places we may have missed, but... it ain't lookin' very hopeful." 

 

That's when Freddy just remembered another connection. The crime baron of the Prostitution Network. The Madam had eyes all over the city, so even if it happened outside of her network, he was certain she could find out where it was.

 

"Wait... there is one more lead. You should speak to the Madam Agatha Goett. She would know."

 

The man went silent on the other side for a moment. "... how will I be able to request her audience, sir?"

 

"I will call her tomorrow morning and let her know to expect you. You will let her know you were sent by me and that you need her assistance."

 

Freddy gave him the address to find her and ended the call, taking a minute to cool his racing thoughts. He was growing so frustrated, and he wished he didn't have to worry about this anymore. Because tomorrow, they still had to confront Vanny and take back the briefcase, as well. If Bonnie would just give him a name, this would be so easy...

 

But he silenced those thoughts quickly. This was on him to fix. It was his negligence that led to this happening in the first place, so it was his job to take care of it, not Bonnie's. He waited until he knew he was calm before joining his family again in the living room. He saw that Bonnie was on his knees while Gregory was standing as they were hanging up tinsel and ribbons over the fireplace. There was Christmas music quietly playing on the record player now, as well. It took them a whole minute to notice he was behind them, but Bonnie glanced back in surprise as they finished and stood up, catching Gregory's attention as well.

 

"Wow, that was fast! Is everything okay? Was it about the mission tomorrow?" Bonnie asked curiously. 

 

Freddy shook his head. "Just something about my family." He lied quickly. 

 

Gregory quickly butted in. "Look how we decorated the fireplace, though! It was my idea, I told dad to use these colors!" The boy showed Freddy.

 

Bonnie nodded with a small laugh. "He sure did. Our son is a creative genius, too." He joked, turning to Freddy for his input. Freddy forced a chuckle and warm smile.

 

"... it looks great, Gregory. Now I can help decorate the rest." He insisted. 

 

The boy ran back to the box to find more items, and Freddy finally dropped the smile and glanced down, what was said on the call still fresh on his mind. He glanced back at Bonnie, who was bent over and straightening the fireplace decorations, and almost wanted to cry all over again because it just wasn't fair. Every time he thought his husband had suffered enough for his hurrendous decision, he learned something new he had to endure. 

 

"I think we should follow the red and gold color scheme we usually do, but I also want it to be really colorful, y'know? What do you think?" Bonnie asked him with his back turned. 

 

Freddy could not help but reach out, trapping the bunny in a gentle but secure embrace from behind as he rested his head on top of Bonnie's. He wanted to hold the bunny like this forever now, since it felt like the only way to keep him truly safe.

 

Bonnie chuckled and lifted a paw up to pat his head. He turned his head to nuzzle Freddy's temple affectionately. 

 

"... You're quite the cuddle-bug today, aren't you-?" He joked, a hint of confusion in his voice. He pulled away a moment after and gave Freddy one more concerned look. When he still silently insisted it was nothing, the bunny went to help their son find more decorations while Freddy watched him go. 

 

Tomorrow, they would get the mission over with. Vanny would be stopped, the briefcase would be back, and hopefully, he could focus on his family's safety.

Chapter 19

Notes:

!! TW: Same as the rest of the story, applies for the next two chapters !!

Freddy could almost sigh in dread as soon as he woke up in the morning. He did not even want to leave bed, there was too much to do. He had to make that call, and they had to confront Vanny. 

 

He opened his eyes with hesitation and turned his head sluggishly to his side, only to furrow his brows in half-awake confusion to find Bonnie missing. 

 

After a few seconds of processing the sight of the empty bed, he sat up from the sheets and let out a big yawn. He lifted his fists to slowly rub the sleep from his eyes as he heard a soft voice humming from close by. 

 

"Morning, sleepy-head~" Bonnie cooed from the bathroom across the room. Freddy's posture softened, and any tension left his body as he heard the voice and foot steps coming closer to him. His eyes were closed, so he did not see the bunny at first, but he purred at the feeling of his husband's soft paw cradling his cheek, before gently pulling his head to the side and planting a few gentle kisses to the opposite cheek. 

 

"Good morning, my dear." The bear offered him a small, sweet smile as he finally opened his eyes to look at the bunny. He felt a part of himself heal spiritually as he watched Bonnie stand up straight again and finish pulling out the last curler from his hair. Once his bangs were free, he ruffled and shook his hair out in front of the mirror of their vanity, squeezing a product into his palm and running it through his curls to part and style them to his liking. He had fallen asleep at a reasonable time last night, and had woken up earlier to put himself together again like he used to do. It was such a big stride for him and his recovery, at least in Freddy's eyes. Gaining back the motivation to take care of oneself is far from an easy task, and something Freddy still struggled with. 

 

Freddy lifted himself up and forced himself to scoot to the edge of the bed so he sat with his legs hung off, and he could see his husband better. He was purring in content, and the smile did not leave his face as Bonnie finished his hair and seemed to realize Freddy was staring. The bunny suddenly grew shy and chuckled lightly, touching up his curls one last time before turning to Freddy in a mix of eagerness and worry.

 

"So... how is it?? I haven't styled my hair like this in a long time, I forgot how to-" he giggled, anxiously waiting for Freddy's feedback. 

 

Freddy tittered quietly with a look of endearment for his husband. He was about to get out of bed and trap the bunny in an embrace whilst reassuring him, but Bonnie had approached instead until he was standing directly in front of Freddy's sitting form. 

 

He hoped his face was expressing the amount of pride and love he felt as he took both of Bonnie's soft paws in his.

 

"It suits you." He spoke earnestly. "I love how this looks on you, Bon. It makes me so happy to see you taking care of yourself."

 

Bonnie was consemplative for a moment, before finally accepting that, and giving Freddy an even brighter smile back. He stepped closer to rest his forearms over Freddy's shoulders, while the ursine wrapped two loose arms around his waist and glanced up to meet his eyes.

 

"You look so fluffy again, just like you used to~" Freddy cooed, making Bonnie giggle.

 

"Do I look fluffy to you?? You should look at yourself!" He teased, gathering tufts of Freddy's mane and cheek fur from both sides with his paws and pushing them upwards, squishing the fur into his cheeks and obscuring some of his vision. 

 

Freddy snickered and returned the playful gesture by wrapping his arms around the bunny's waist securely. Before Bonnie could figure out what he was doing, he tightened his hold on the bunny and let himself fall backwards on the bed, taking the bunny down with him and landing with Bonnie on top of him. Bonnie cackled as they fell and half-heartedly pushed at Freddy's chest and shoulders to free himself from the hold, to which Freddy kept him in place for a minute before turning them over to lay on their sides and finally letting go, making Bonnie roll onto his back as the two them tried recovering from their laughing fit. Once they settled down, Freddy pushed himself up to lean down and peck Bonnie's temple.

 

"I'll make breakfast for us today." He offered.

 

Bonnie nodded and got up as well. "I'll go get Gregory out of bed, then." He straightened his pajamas out. Freddy chuckled in slight amusement.

 

"Good luck with that. He's not going to get out of bed without a fight." Freddy warned half-heartedly. Bonnie tittered as he walked towards the door, stopping at the exit to look back at Freddy.

 

"Well, good thing I've been married to you for seventeen years, so I've had plenty of practice." He jested back before leaving.

 

The playful banter between he and his husband offered a sweet, temporary distraction. He nearly forgot about what the rest of the day entailed. His smile quickly fell, and with a deep sigh, he left to his office first to hopefully get the call done and over with.

 

.

 

Freddy wiped his eyes as he fought off a yawn, waiting patiently over the line. He had slept fairly well, considering what he had learned last night. He's certainly had worse nights in terms of rest. His quality of sleep had improved drastically since Bonnie moved back into the room with him. So that was not to blame for his growing exhaustion. 

 

He's been gradually growing more sluggish and low energy for a little over three months, like he did every year his whole life, but he was used to it by now, and could manage these instincts. He was feeling torpor, and it was hard enough to fight off the seemingly constant need to eat and sleep, now he had piled more stress on himself at the worst time possible. It felt like he had been waiting ages, and couldn't help but grow slightly irritated as the call was not being picked up. He did not have much time to do this, if he was not downstairs cooking soon, his family would wonder what was going on and seek him out. Just as he was about to give up and call back later, someone finally picked up, and a deep feminine voice answered.

 

He felt his nerves return as he struggled to word his racing thoughts. He cleared his throat professionally, and tried to sound as stoic and put-together as possible.

 

"... Ms. Goett. I apologize for calling you at such an early time, and under... unfortunate circumstances. I hope I have not interrupted anything important." He did feel bad about the abrupt call, and though he used his manners out of instinct, he knew she did not actually have the option to ignore his call, as it was against the code.

 

The woman hummed in understanding. "Good morning, Don. I, too, wish we could speak under more pleasant circumstances." she began in a professional tone.

 

Freddy took a breath to ground himself, but he didn't have the time to hesitate and stutter right now. He had to be direct.

 

"I was calling to inform you that I was planning to send someone to speak to you about something serious concerning my husband... and I seek your expertise in that ring of crime." 

 

The woman was silent for a moment before speaking again.

 

"With all do respect, Don... if the discussion is about something of this nature, regarding your personal family, it would be preferable for me to speak to you directly." 

 

Freddy paused as she said that, before wiping a paw over his face as he realized that was better for his family'a privacy. He wished he thought of that sooner. 

 

"... Very well. I do not have a lot of time, but I will tell you everything I know," He took a deep breath to prepare himself before he carefully explained the situation.

 

"While my husband and I were temporarily seperated, he was approached and offered work. He says the man was his boss, and hired him into a... prostitution job, yet my men found no reccord of him or anyone matching the description of said 'boss' in the area he claimed to work in." Freddy explained with a somewhat defeated tone. He went on to explain the entire story in detail, what his men had found, and even read the anonymous letter sent to them recently. The woman was silent as she listened.

 

"... I, admittedly, am very uneducated in this network of crime... and in this subject in general. I-I don't know what's going on, and he's not telling me anything. I just... I just want to know what is happening, and who did this. I need my husband and my son to be safe again." his voice shook with some vulnerability seeping through as he finished.

 

The woman hummed thoughtfully on the other side of the line and went silent for a minute, before finally speaking up.

 

"... and do you believe your husband is trustworthy? He is being 100% honest?" She checked.

 

Freddy had to force himself to relax his clenching jaw as he anticipated what she had to say. His stress kept gradually increasing, especially after hearing that. Although Bonnie had been dishonest before out of fear and shame, the claims his husband had made, as well as his real, genuine emotion when recounting these memories, seemed too real to be mistaken. Freddy had seen plenty of criminals feign vulnerability, or guilt... even some who could cry quite convincingly on command. But he never got that impression from his husband when Bonnie recounted his mistreatment. 

 

"Yes, I do. I can confidently tell he is not lying." Freddy agreed. The women exhaled solemnly at that.

 

"Then, from what I've gathered, what your hitman said is correct. He was not working a legitimate job in fornication. No professional procurer would track down and stop someone to offer a job like he did, nor would he treat his employee so cruel and unprofessionally... if your husband says he worked a real prostitution job, that is just untrue. That doesn't necessarily mean he's lying... it sounds like he is just as misinformed as you are. Or he was tricked. He probably does not really know how these jobs work, either. And, therefore, cannot not tell the difference..." 

 

"This isn't a case of trafficking, like your hitman was suggesting. If it was, your husband would likely not have been able to even keep his son... He wouldn't have been paid at all, and he certainly wouldn't have his own place to live, with no rent, and his own diner... trafficking is slavery, and that is not what is happening here." She formally confirmed.

 

It brought him some small relief, and he let out a breath he did not know he was holding as she finished. This relief did not last long, however, as she continued in her solemn tone.

 

"... what it does sounds like, is that he got involved in the wrong side of the adult industry, and was a victim of exploitation. Whoever approached your husband was not a procurer, he could've been any average man out on the streets at that time. Anyone can manipulate and exploit someone else... to me, your husband's 'boss' sounds more like a man who tricked him into thinking he had an actual fornication job for him, when in reality, your husband unknowingly walked right into the arms of a man who just wanted to use him... and the 'job' was a clever title to lure him in, and to have more control of him afterward."

 

Freddy was in silent the entire time he listened. He still did not want to believe it, so he tried finding anyway in his head to disprove it.

 

"W-well... they were in a relationship for a while. At one point, he was even helping in taking care of our son. Why would-" Freddy could not keep his voice steady as the words escaped him. He felt like he was about to faint as he held onto the table for leverage. The woman continued again.

 

"This sparsely ever happens between complete strangers. In fact, it's almost always someone that the victim knows. The man must have known who your husband was prior to approaching him, and had a reason for wanting to abduct and exploit him. His prior relationship with Bonnie is likely what influenced him to take on that role."

 

Freddy shook his head in denial. "But how...?! He hardly spoke to anyone for years while we were married! That would have to mean..." His voice trailed off as he came to the horrific realization. When he stopped speaking, the woman finished his thought for him.

 

"... it was most likely someone who had close connections with you, sir. One of your own men, who may not have had any relationship with him, but who knew him from you." 

 

Freddy had to take a seat as he finally lost his balance and nearly fainted. He pressed a strained paw on his temple, and took a few deep breaths to calm himself as he tried to come to terms with this.

 

"... one of my own men... that I brought into our home... did this to him-?" He repeated quietly. The woman hummed in agreement over the phone.

 

"... this is a very distressing situation, Don, but it is not as outlandish as you think. It is something I've seen in plenty of other situations like your's... something many wealthy people, or powerful political figures are threatened with. One of your workers could have plenty of grudges and reasons to hurt you, but getting to the Don directly would be nearly impossible... your desperate, homeless husband wandering the dark streets alone would've been the perfect opportunity. What they were gaining from it could have been anything... They could hurt someone you love, and ruin your reputation all at the same time. It could've been for ego... to wear as a badge of honor that they had 'captured' and now 'owned' the spouse of the Don... Or for money, since I'm sure he made a profit from your husband... or it could even be his own selfish desires. He was simply infatuated with your husband, and wanted to control him for his own fulfillment... it could be one, or all of these reasons at once. They had plenty of motives to do this."

 

"... this is why it is so important for the Don's family to stay in the estate, and to be under strict watch constantly. I know it was under unfortunate circumstances... it is just a shame that this could have been avoided. He never should have been on his own like that in the first place... He was practically served on a silver platter to that man." She reprimanded him respectfully but sternly.

 

Almost all of the crime barons and higher ups in the hierarchy of the Mafia were not only a lot older than Freddy, but they had known him well since he was a cub. Because of his trust in them, and their positions of power, it was not uncommon for them to lecture and reprimand him at times. And he never corrected the behavior, because he did not want to have too much authority that he was above corrections or criticism. He needed that honesty and wisedom sometimes. Now being one of those times.

 

He knew this was all his fault, but everyone around him had tried to sugarcoat it to spare his feelings. As much as it tore his heart and soul apart to come to terms with that reality, he appreciated finally having someone who could be straight forward with him, and validate those feelings. In a way, it felt somewhat better, and arguably more healing, than if she would have lied and said he had nothing to do with it. 

 

"... I know... now I need to find out who this was before he can hurt my husband again. I've tried getting answers from Bonnie directly, but he is too afraid of this man to give me any more information... how can I find out more-?" 

 

The woman thought for a moment.

 

"... the party. Fausto Feliciano's party. I know you don't like going to big gatherings, but you should go to this one. With Bonnie... this will sound bad, but he is the best bait you have to find the man," she started.

 

"Go to the party with him like a regular date. Stay in the crowded areas, and within the view of guests, and make sure people can always see you two. Then, you simply watch your husband, keep him close at all times, and stay alert as you speak to the guests. Observe how each guest acts around the two of you..."

 

"I'm certain the man will give it away himself by how he behaves around Bonnie, or even by trying something with your husband." 

 

Freddy hesitantly curled the phone wire between his finger as he listened. "Y-you're sure...?" He spoke quieter. 

 

The woman hummed again in agreement. "Trust me. Parties, bars, and clubs like that are a hotspot for this kind of activity. Abductions, assaults, and stalkings are all most common at social events such as this... it gives predators like that a false sense of security. If that man were to try anything, or to reveal himself at all, he'd do it there." She said confidently.

 

Freddy nodded. "... very well. We will go, but my husband doesn't know about this, so it stays between us." 

 

The woman paused, like she wanted to say something to that, but held her tounge. 

 

"... Understood, Don Frederick."

 

"And one last thing... since you know more about this," Freddy started nervously. 

 

"... my husband has been through so much. He's changed very much so... I can't imagine what must have happened to him, and that's the problem. I want to help him, and understand his pain, but I can't... he is so vague about everything, and won't tell me what happened when I give him space. But when I question or press him about it, it sends him into a spiral...!" He rambled.

 

"... help me understand. And tell me how I can help him, and make him feel safer...?"

 

After a moment of silence, Agatha sighed deeply as she thought about it.

 

"... it is difficult to say. All victims are different... It is good that you've respected his physical boundaries, and helped him feel safe... but how you're handling this now is wrong. And it may be the reason he is hesitant to tell you more. It seems like you're trying too hard to control this."

 

Freddy paused. "... I'm trying to control it... ?" He repeated.

 

"Yes, Don. You have the best intentions... I know you want him to heal, and you want to protect him... but you have to understand, what happened to him is not like the regular crimes you've seen your whole life... He was used against his will. He lost his bodily autonomy, his financial freedom, his independence, his home... all control was taken from him. And when you pair that with the abuse and manipulation he also experienced... he must've been degraded, threatened, and assaulted as a common occurrence. You should be giving him more control over himself, not less. Yes, it's important to keep him safe, and to get him justice, but he needs to know he has a say in what happens next, and that he can decide what is better for himself."

 

"... do I think the man should be tracked down and punished-? Of course I do... But it is not my decision to make right now. And it shouldn't be your's, either." She spoke sternly.

 

"... even if it seems wrong to you, or doesn't make sense to you... you have to let your husband decide what should happen. You can speak to him, and tell him how you think it should be handled, but if he disagrees, you compromise and come to a decision he is comfortable with. And you keep him involved the entire time. Even just giving him back this little bit of control could go a long way... If he sees that you are willing to truly listen to him, and let him decide, he might feel comfortable telling you more." She explained.

 

"... and he may take a while to open up to you. It could take days, or years for him to finally come clean about everything he went through... Don't make assumptions, or take it personally. Just because he's not telling you, does not mean he doesn't trust you. He's still coming to terms with it himself. He's afraid! And he's still in pieces! You have to give him time to recover, and to regain his self-respect and courage." She admonished him.

 

"Let him come to you and tell you on his own. And eventually, when he's in a better state of mind, he'll be more willing to seek justice for himself."

 

Freddy was dead silent as she explained this to him. He was too stunned to speak at first as he came to terms with what she had unleashed on him. It ached in his chest to realize it, but once again, he knew he had to hear it. How could he have not realized that until now...?

 

He silently cursed and face-palmed himself with his elbow on the desk, shaking his head in unfathomable disappointment in himself. 

 

"... y-you're right, I never even thought about that..." He thought out loud, not even bothering to put on his fake, intimidating voice.

 

"... What can I do now, then...?" His voice shook. Agatha hummed thoughtfully. 

 

"... maybe wait until he's in a good mood, and he has nothing going on. Bring him somewhere private, then, apologize. Come clean about what you've been doing, and take accountability for how you've handled the situation... exactly what I told you."

 

"But be prepared... Because you may get an answer you don't like. He could very well be offended you went behind his back, and it could reverse all the progress you've made with him... He may not even have an answer, and need more time to think. And if that's his choice, then that's final as of now. Whatever his reasons may be, it has to be respected." She warned.

 

Hearing the scenario of reversing he and Bonnie's progress made his heart lurch in fear, but he knew it had to be done. This was his way of changing for his family. With a heavy heart, and spiraling mind, he said his farewells and ended the call, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

 

They still had a few hours before the mission started. At first, he thought about telling Bonnie after they succeeded, but decided against it. He wanted the time after they won the fight to be celebratory, and a time to unwind, and relax. Also, if something were to happen to one of them, he did not want either of them to leave with this weight on their shoulders.

 

With a deep sigh in front of the door that had been left ajar, he pushed it open to see the bunny leaning comfortably back on one of the blue velvet, rocking reclining chairs in the living room in front of the fireplace. His legs were folded, and his knees were pulled up to his chest where he sat in his new maroon pajamas, reading a book contently. 

 

Gregory was not here, he was with Cassandra at Roxanne's house. They figured while all of them were gone, it was safer to hide the children in a new location, in case someone used their absence as an opportunity to break in and hurt them. 

 

Freddy fidgeted nervously with his paws as he slowly approached the bunny's side. His white button up, although only half-closed and rolled up at the sleeves, felt excruciatingly hot all of the sudden. The bunny finally turned up to him attentively once he got around a foot away, and he marked the book and set it down on the ground. Bonnie caught on to his demeanor right away, and gave him a look of concern. He stood up to face Freddy and reached up, carefully ghosting his palms over Freddy's jaw.

 

"Are you okay, dear-? You look scared..." He asked in concern. The bear shut his eyes in shame and nodded slowly, unsure how to begin.

 

"... could we sit down and speak-? .... please?" He whispered. 

 

Bonnie nodded quickly and guided them to the couch where they could sit back comfortably. Bonnie crossed his legs again and gave Freddy a kind, and patient look, placing a reassuring paw on his thigh. The bear saw this, and only grew more upset.

 

"Please, Bon, you shouldn't... I don't deserve that right now." Freddy let out a weak sigh and reached a shaky paw down, taking Bonnie's paw off of himself and setting it down gently on the cushion. The bunny furrowed his brows in confusion.

 

"Why...? Did you do something-?" 

 

Freddy nodded slowly, still avoiding his gaze. "... I did something very wrong to you..." He muttered.

 

Of all the atrocities he's had to commit, all of the blood he has had to spill for his work, Freddy has never felt like more backstabbing than right now. Now that he had more time to think about it, it finally weighed down on him... the true extent of what he did. Just like Bonnie's last partner, Freddy went behind his back and took away his choice and his control. The intentions and the level of damage might have been different, but both were the same kind of boundry broken.

 

He sat with his legs spread and facing directly ahead with his head down and leaned up on his elbows that were propped on his knees. Bonnie watched anxiously from the side, holding his crossed legs close to his chest again.

 

And so, Freddy bit the bullet and explained himself. He came clean to Bonnie about going behind his back to find the man, and sending people to track him and investigate he and the bunny's lives and work. And then what he told Agatha, and what she told him. He apologized rather emotionally and explained why he did it, but stopped there, letting the bunny process that half first. He waited in silence for nearly a minute after he finished, still keeping his eyes off Bonnie. 

 

"... I told you not to tell anyone... y-you promised it would stay between us-" Bonnie's voice was quiet and shaky. 

 

Freddy squeezed his eyes shut and nodded slowly. "... I know... t-they were the only ones I told, b-because I wanted answers... I'm sorry-" The last part was hardly a breathy whisper. Bonnie only scoffed shakily in response to that.

 

"S-so what.. ? I was supposed to just sit here and be your meek little trophy-wife like always, while you could go make decisions about my life, and my money for me?? Without even asking?!" Bonnie raised his trembling voice as his anger grew. 

 

Freddy trembled slightly and took a breath. "No, it's not like that-! I-I don't know what I was thinking, I just... I wanted to protect you guys, but I was wrong...!" 

 

Bonnie scowled. "I didn't ask you to do that! I didn't need you to step in and go hunt him down with your arsenal, and your hitmen! You think I'm five years old?? You thought I was so incapable of making good decisions, that you needed to get everyone BUT me involved in this little escapade-?!

 

Freddy balled his fists. "No! I-I just saw you were suffering, a-and how much it hurt you to talk about it... so I thought I was helping-! I didn't realize what I did-!" 

 

Bonnie stood up from the couch abruptly and ripped his sleeping cap off, throwing it with force onto the ground in frustration. His hair was a fluffed up, unbrushed mess of dry curls, though it didn't seem to matter to him at the moment.

 

"What do you mean 'what you saw'?! You didn't see shit! You weren't there when he would do that to me-! You were never there when he would...!" He screamed, cutting himself off as he began growing emotional.

 

"I was the one that went through this! This was MY story, Freddy! MINE...! You never even asked me what I wanted to do, or why I didn't want to go hunt him down in the first place...! AND IT HAPPENED TO ME-!" His voice broke as the tears finally started coming down.

 

"I-I wasn't even ready to tell Foxy yet... Our son doesn't even know, and he lived with me while it happened! That's how much I hid it-!"

 

"I... I trusted you so much, Freddy... y-you were my first f-friend, m-my first love... my first kiss, my first time... ! You were always the first to me! You were the first and only one I told about this! AND I TRUSTED YOU- !" He sobbed, backing further away from the bear.

 

Freddy ignored his instinct to hold Bonnie, because he knew that was the last thing his husband wanted right now. He was at a loss of what to say or do, because he had no excuses for what he did. His husband was right to feel furious and betrayed. He stood up to be level with Bonnie and stepped in front of him, though he left a foot of room between them.

 

"I know... and I know it's... it's hard to b-believe me right now, but... I've never done something like this before. That's why I had to come clean now. T-the guilt was... too much... I couldn't keep doing that to you once I'd learned what I did..." He held the back of his neck and glanced down in shame.

 

"And I know I wasn't there to see what he did, but I... I've seen men like him do... horrific things to people. And that... that made me scared for you, and our son when you got that letter... That's why I did it. I... I never wanted to hurt you..." His voice finally broke as he could not contain his own distressed tears.

 

"... I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, I just... I don't want you to think I had b-bad intentions, o-or that I didn't think you were responsible... I just felt so powerless, because I didn't know how else to h-help you... I-I thought I was doing good, but I just... ruined everything, again...!" He sobbed, dropping his head as his shoulders shook with anguish. Bonnie was stiff in front of him for a moment, trying to process on his own what Freddy had said. 

 

Suddenly, the bear felt himself growing extremely light headed, and wobbled on his legs against his will as he desperately tried to steady himself. He knew it was because of the torpor he was in, but this was the worst timing.

 

After another few seconds, Bonnie seemed to recognize it, being familiar with all of Freddy's health and behaviors by now. Freddy was surprised as he felt and saw his husband briefly push aside his intense emotions, and grab Freddy's paws firmly. He quickly guided the much bigger man to the comfortable velvet chair he had been sitting on and helped him to carefully sit with his back against the backrest. Freddy winced and pressed his temple between his fingers, leaning his elbow on the armrest as he fought through his headache, the overwhelming exhaustion, and vertigo. All the while, Bonnie quietly encouraged him to take deep breaths and to settle down. Freddy tried insisting he was fine, but as usual, his husband insisted on caring for him, despite everything. It was after he was stable again, and only crying softly and and silently, that Bonnie stood up in front of him and fidgeted with his paws. His trembling body was tense as a statue, and he was squeezing his mouth shut and scrunching his nose up like he was trying to refrain from saying something. He seemed to accept Freddy's reasoning, since he did not look angry, or even frustrated anymore... just utterly distressed and defeated.

 

"... I... I don't know what else to say to you right now..." His voice shook as his eyes quickly teared up again. Freddy tried weakly reaching a paw up to him in reassurance, to which the bunny took the paw in his own and gave it a light squeeze of pity.

 

"... take your time resting, and let me know if you need any help. I just..."

 

The bunny gently let go of the bear's paw and glanced down at his own loose button up and robe, quickly crossing the two ends to close them even more. He crossed his arms tightly for good measure and effectively closed his body off from Freddy completely as he backed away. They were small, likely subconscious gestures, but they were loud in their implications. It showed something Freddy had tried so hard to fix.

 

The bunny bit his lip and quickly wiped the new oncoming tears from his eyes. "... I-I need some time-!" was all he said before leaving the book and quickly turning his back and race-walking out of the room again. 

 

Freddy tried standing up to call back to him, but he got only a few inches off his seat before the world spun around him, sending him sitting down again until he recovered. He had to just accept his position with a deep sigh and silently wait for his strength to return. He knew he should give Bonnie his space, but it did nothing to ease his intense worry for the bunny, and what this meant for them. 

Chapter 20

They were driving in a small black car to the location to avoid detection. Roxanne was driving, since she was usually chosen to be the getaway driver between the group, having the best vision and driving skills. Monty sat in the passenger seat, while Freddy and Bonnie sat in the backseats. They were not 'fighting' per say, so there was no resentment or tension between them, Bonnie still just needed some time to process things, while Freddy still felt incredibly guilty for what he did. They did not want the others knowing or suspecting they were having issues, though, because then, Bonnie would have everyone else crossing his boundries trying to figure out what happened. Thankfully, because the friends also knew of Freddy's fatigue this time of year, they did not quesion why he and Bonnie were so quiet. 

 

Outside was quiet and peaceful as well. Thick, powdery white snow covered the lawns and grassy areas around the city, and was shoveled to the sides of the sidewalk. The concrete pavement was icy and slippery, and the air was dry with a light snow fall as the sun had set and the cloudy sky almost completely darkened. Everyone had left work or was leaving work and finishing their holiday shopping, so there were few cars or pedestrians on the streets.

 

Roxanne sighed suddenly. "Let's get this over with quickly, please. We're getting too old to be doing these kinds of missions in this weather." She huffed.

 

Bonnie crossed his arms with a snort. "You can say that again... and I have short fur, I'm not built for this weather."

 

Montgomery made a low bellowing noise of agreement and disapproval of the weather. He had hibernation instincts similar to Freddy, and was also too tired to be completing missions like this now.

 

"Pshh... ya'll ain't that old?? How old are ya' guys?" They turned to the couple sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in the back.

 

"Bonnie and I are thirty-seven years old, Monty." Freddy gave him a small nod as he answered. The gator's expression turned flabbergasted as he glanced between them.

 

"What?? Ya'll are that old?! Since when-"

 

Roxanne scowled. "You know they've been married for seventeen years, you thought they got married at ten years old...?" She asked sarcastically.

 

Bonnie shrugged with a small, amused smile, and his arms crossed.

 

"Well... we practically were-" he mused, glancing towards Freddy with that same look. The bear returned it fondly, feeling a small wave of nostalgia hitting him as he remembered he and Bonnie in their youth. His blissful moment of happy memories would be interrupted by one of Monty's stupid jokes, as the gator turned to Bonnie with a concerned look.

 

"Ya'll know they make antibiotics now??" 

 

Freddy only sighed deeply and rolled his eyes, turning his gaze out the window. He would have reprimanded the gator, had Bonnie not found it amusing. The bunny snickered at the joke and waved him off. 

 

"So there are two exits to this place... I assume Monty and I will block them so she can't escape, while you and Bonnie go to confront her-?" Roxanne asked on a more serious note. 

 

Freddy turned to her and shook his head. "No, we'll need all four of us to take her down. She is full of surprises... a few of my men are still down there guarding her escapes, so they will block the exits and guard the exterior for us." 

 

Freddy was not about to admit it to the others, but he finally realized why he was growing so nervous about this mission. And that was because this seemed too easy. It seemed too straight-forward that they would just need to overpower her, take the briefcase, and it would be over. He had a deep feeling in his gut that something was going to happen, or that something was wrong.

 

He was pulled from those thoughts by the feeling of a soft paw resting over the top of his on the seat, and loosely holding his fingers. He turned to his side, and knew it was Bonnie, since he was the only one who could read Freddy so well. But the bunny avoided his gaze and kept his eyes ahead, and that defeated expression returned to his face, so Freddy decided to not say anything more, and to only silently accept the reassurance. 

 

They made it to the vacant building and left their car silently. They only nodded to one of the men who were still keeping watch as he nodded back. Because this place was abandoned, and with how cold the weather was, they were hoping Vanny was already in bad shape, having to hide in here with minimal protection for days now. 

 

The front doors were open, so they ascended the stairs of the abandoned apartment building to the floor and room she was last seen in. When they finally made it to the door, they hesitated. Montgomery, being second tallest to Freddy, kept to the back with their own weapon drawn, that being a baseball bat. Roxanne and Bonnie were close at each side of Freddy who took the lead. Roxanne was armed with a crowbar, while Freddy had his brass knuckles and a concealed firearm. Bonnie was only armed with a small hand gun. 

 

He had arranged that on purpose to hopefully keep Bonnie out of the fight as much as possible, if there even was one. He specifically instructed the others not to use firearms or loud weapons, which is why they all opted to melee weapons. Freddy had his concealed pistol in case of emergency, and gave one to Bonnie for the same reason. He knew his husband did not actually want to be here, and he hated when he had to fight or hurt people, so Freddy thought this would prevent the problem before it happened.

 

After another few seconds of silence, Freddy knocked on the door with his armed fists expectantly.

 

"Open the door, Vanny!" He ordered.

 

They could hear her inside, based on the sound of shuffling and things falling, but the woman did not respond. 

 

Freddy scowled in frustration. "Open the door peacfully, or we will use force!" He gave a final warning. When she still did not listen, the bear finally lost his patience and growled in annoyance. He used his brass fists, and his raw strength, to punch the door knob off and slammed the door open with the others storming in behind him.

 

The woman they were looking for forced herself to stand on uneasy feet, leaning against the kitchen counter of the room and holding an old, large kitchen knife in her shaky grip. None of her face or skin was visible behind her deranged, grinning mask and inconspicuous attire, but her ears were. And they confirmed Freddy's suspicion.

 

Knowing very well from his own family how sensitive and fragile their ears were, he noticed right away that the skin on her ears were deathly pale, with blisters and dried skin marking them. Even more concerning, was that the tips of her ears were beginning to darken, and turn black.

 

Being trapped in here for days without food or adequet heat had caused her to catch frostbite. And by the looks of it, she had a very severe case, and it was already potentially fatal. 

 

Freddy felt some guilt pull at his heart, and was beginning to let his guard down. He had unknowingly subjected her to an incredibly cruel punishment for days.

 

Bonnie noticed, of course, but made his empathy for the criminal more apparent than Freddy. He had even stepped forward and almost reached out, had it not been for his husband keeping everyone behind him. If Roxanne and Monty noticed, they did not show it. 

 

Freddy sighed. "... look, let's not drag this on longer than we need to. Where is the briefcase? What is in it?" He asked the woman, his voice stern but some desperation to aid the woman leaked through. 

 

She still trembled violently from the cold, and only shook her head.

 

"... I-I'm n-n-not sure w-what's in the b-briefcase... I was f-following orders." She stated calmly. 

 

"Then where is it now?!" Roxanne stepped forward.

 

"L-lower the w-weapons and I'll... t-tell you." She ordered. 

 

They glanced at eachother wearily, before hesitantly lowering the weapons and turning to her expectantly. They watched as she used her free paw that was not weakly holding the knife to shakily reach to her side and open one of the long kitchen drawers, revealing a small, black leather suitcase. 

 

"... y-you'll have to p-pry it f-from my... c-cold, dead p-paws..." She warned Freddy. Something she must have meant literally, considering her fingers under her gloves looked so numb and frozen, they could not even fully close around the weapon. 

 

Freddy was about to plead with her again to surrender, feeling dishonorable to attack her in this condition, until everyone froze at the sounds of more movement around them.

 

His men guarding the place either hadn't known, or failed to tell them that she was not trapped alone. And suddenly, they were surrounded by four other people, all dressed in dark violet. They all looked equally frostbitten and frail, but they had to take these threats extremely seriously, not knowing who had a firearm and who didn't.

 

Roxanne and Montgomery wasted no time springing into action and advancing on the weakened men. Because of their weakened states, two of them were down within seconds after a single hit to the head by Monty's bat. 

 

Freddy was distracted for a moment, and nearly missed Vanny trying to escape, had it not been for Bonnie yelling his name and pulling at his sleeve. He watched in pity and horror as the weakened doe had climbed onto the old and dark marbled counter, and was attempting to open or break the window with the briefcase. She clearly wasn't in her right state of mind if she thought she could make that fall.

 

Freddy rushed forward to stop her, but she was surprisingly quick in shattering the old, ruined window and forcing herself through it. She managed to push to her legs and everything from the chest down out of the window and into the frigid winter air, when Freddy caught a tight hold of her wrist and held her up to keep her from plummeting several stories. She flailed and hissed in defiance in his hold, clawing at his arms to be let go, but he wouldn't. 

 

Bonnie ran forward and took the briefcase from her weak grip so she couldn't drop it out the window while Freddy carefully pulled her back up onto the counter, doing his best to avoid the broken glass. Once she was pulled up, she surprised them again by immediately lunging at Freddy and clawing at his chest and face in a final fighting shot. She was on her knees on the counter top and was leaning over to attack him. Her bunny claws were short and dull, and her strength was gone, so there was hardly any pain for Freddy. It was more so a nuisance as he tried in vain to push her away without hurting her. 

 

"Vanny, stop this! This isn't worth it, you're going to die!" He attempted to reason with her. 

 

Bonnie had stepped in and wrapped his arms around her from behind to pull her back. He trapped her against his body with one arm wrapped over her chest and shoulder and the other around her waist to keep her pinned, not wanting to lock her in a chokehold. She made a pained noise, but continued to violently struggle by kicking and hitting at the bunny to release her, but Bonnie held on tighter and was not deterred. The couple maintained their patience with her.

 

"Please! We don't want to hurt you when you're like this! It doesn't have to be this way...!" Bonnie pleaded now. Freddy stood by cautiously and was trying to think of a way to get her out of Bonnie's hold. His eyes suddenly narrowed on her right paw that had reached into her coat. Within a second, he could see a flash and shine of metal emerge from her jacket and in her shaky grip. She had pulled out a small, unsheathed, sharpened knife. She had tightened her grip on it as much as she could and lifted it, and Freddy thought she was about to take her own life, until he realized with dread...

 

She was aiming to stab one of Bonnie's arms. The bunny was yet to notice. 

 

All of this happened within seconds, and he knew he did not have another moment to spare. He didn't want to resort to this, but Bonnie's safety was on the line, and he was not playing around anymore. He unholestered his loaded gun from under his coat within a second and aimed it at Vanny with his finger lightly pressing the trigger.

 

"Drop the knife! Drop the knife right now-! I won't ask twice!" He warned aggressively. 

 

Bonnie finally seemed to notice the blade and glanced down at her in horror at what she was planning to do to him. Vanny was silent for a moment, and went completely still. Just when he thought he was getting through to her, she tightened her grip on the knife and lifted the blade, striking it toward's the bunny's arms too quickly for Freddy to react right away.

 

But thankfully, Bonnie had quicker reflexes than his husband. She barely missed what would have been a deep stab wound through the arm, as Bonnie let go of her and jumped backward. Because of his quick thinking, it only grazed his forearm. 

 

But she was quick now, too. And in almost the same second she missed Bonnie's arm, she turned and attempted to lunge at him for a more fatal stab wound, but was stopped by the sound of two gunshots ringing out.

 

Two shots through the chest. Both were almost instantly fatal. It was the only mercy Freddy could give her in that moment. 

 

The woman fell lifelessly at Bonnie's feet face-first, minimal blood leaving her injuries due to the state of frostbite she was in. She did not die right away, and instead, forced herself up on her elbows and laid in a heaving, shaking mess with her head down. She dropped the blade by now as well. 

 

Freddy ran to Bonnie's side and instinctively pulled his husband away from her and closer to his own body, while both of them kept their weary faces on her. Bonnie was shaking with a horror-stricken look on his face as he leaned closer to Freddy while staring at the sight. And to their surprise, she barely glanced up at them through her bangs and loose hair falling in front of her masked face, and spoke to them.

 

"... y-you w-won't g-get away with t-this... w-when they f-find out... y-you're d-dead...!" She forced out through gritted teeth. She was facing them, but through her mask, it was unclear if she was directing it at Freddy, Bonnie, or both of them. Freddy just assumed she meant himself. 

 

Those were her final words before her head fell, and she finally went still. Her trembling and breathing finally ceased. 

 

Freddy only recovered from his shock at the sound of Monty calling him from across the room.

 

"Nice work, Don. We got 'em." He grinned, resting their bloodied bat over their shoulder. Roxanne had picked up her own weapon and brushed off her clothes, the bodies of the four other men around them. 

 

Freddy glanced down at his feet and took hold of the brief case, placing it on the counter with a deep sigh of relief.

 

"Yes... it's done." He stated.

 

"Check the case. Make sure it's not empty, and this wasn't some trap." Roxanne eyed it cautiously. 

 

Freddy unclipped the sides and pulled the black case open, finding piles of papers stacked in it. He could recognize a few of them right away, like an old criminal reccord of his father from when he was arrested once, and even he and Bonnie's marriage certificate. The rest were many more personal, classified documents and important reccords. 

 

He closed the case again and nodded to the others. "Yes, everything is in here. We did it." He assured.

 

While the others shared equal breaths and laughs of relief, Freddy turned to Bonnie, who was unusually quiet. He was surprised to see his husband kneeled down in front of Vanny's body that he now flipped over, and he hesitantly lifted her mask off to see her identity. As soon as he saw her face, he dropped the mask, and a paw flew over his mouth in disbelief. Freddy shared his shock and sorrow.

 

Vanny's 'secret identity' was none other than Vanessa. Bonnie's neice.

 

Freddy remembered the few times he met her. She was such a bright, sweet kid... She had so many dreams. He remembered she wanted to be a police officer when was older. It was utterly devestating to see such a promising young woman go down such a dark, twisted path. Why and how she ended up in crime, they could not be sure. 

 

But now, there was no second chance for her. She was gone, refusing and fighting what could've been her potential saviors with her dying breath. 

 

He turned to Bonnie again, and felt his heart ache as tears started falling quickly from the bunny's eyes and onto his paw that was still over his mouth, as he shook his head repeatedly in denial and squeezed his eyes shut. He knew his husband was going to blame himself for it, even if it was unwarranted. She and Bonnie had been somewhat close, and she even looked up to him in her youth. 

 

Freddy reached down to help Bonnie to his feet, which the bunny thankfully accepted. His ears fell as he pulled himself up with Freddy's assistance and leaned onto him, silently crying into his chest. Freddy turned to the others and nodded to the exit with his head. 

 

"Let's get out, fast. The gunshots may have drawn attention to us, and police or more mob members may be coming. We'll let the men outside know that they can leave, too." He ordered. 

 

Roxanne and Montgomery nodded and led the way out the door with Freddy and Bonnie trailing behind. Freddy noticed Bonnie's somewhat bloodied arm and lifted it closer to his face nervously, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows to look over the injury. Thankfully, the blade had just lightly grazed him, and it was just a small, not-at-all fatal slit in his arm.

 

"I-I'm okay... it just stings a little bit..." Bonnie reassured him anyway. Freddy nodded as they continued down the stairs. 

 

"Good... let's get home fast, then."

 

..

 

"Aye'~! We did, ya'll!" Monty raised a martini glass for a toast with the others. They were all unwinding for the evening to celebrate a mission completed. 

 

"That was the worst toast I've ever heard." Roxanne chuckled, lifting her drink with Chica anyway.

 

"Give the lad' a break, 'is vocabulary ain't evolved past five years old." Foxy teased with a deadpan look, toasting as well before drinking from his cup. 

 

The kids were back home as well, and wanted to be involved with the adults celebrations, so Bonnie poured them small glasses of apple cider to drink instead of alcohol so they could feel included. He also poured glasses for he and Freddy, who both agreed not long ago to choose sobriety from now on after both of their times of temporary alcohol abuse. 

 

Freddy was watching the children in silent mirth where he was leaned on the fireplace of the grand livingroom. Both kids were nearly finished with their cider and were pretending to be drunk together. He was not laughing with the rest of his friends, having far too much on his mind. 

 

"What are those two doing...?" He was surprised by the sound of Bonnie's confused but amused voice walking up to side and following his gaze, seeing the children acting a fool.

 

Freddy chuckled lightly and gestured to them. "They're pretending the cider made them drunk." 

 

Hearing that, Bonnie snickered as well, and they were silent for a moment as they both peacefully watched the children play. After the moment of quiet, the bunny finally turned to Freddy again with a hesitant look.

 

"Hey, I'm... ready to talk about it now. If you are...?" He whispered, not wanting to draw attention to them.

 

Freddy only nodded silently. There was no point in putting it off, and if anything, he was grateful they could resolve it within a day.

 

"Of course! We can talk on the balcony of the second story hallway. Wait there for me, I need to speak to the others about their pay." He spoke in a soft and careful tone, knowing how sensitive of a subject this was. 

 

Bonnie nodded and walked past him while he headed to the group of adults. He would briefly discuss their pay, which would be mailed out to them the next day. Once he was done, he left them to their celebrating and started on his own way up the grand staircase and to the balcony. As soon as he stepped out, he tensed at the feeling of the cold air hitting him, though his thick fur protected him well from the cold. He frowned at the sight of Bonnie standing by the edge with his arms crossed tightly, likely to protect himself from the cold air. The snowfall had stopped now, but the dark night sky was still overcast. Freddy silently took off his thick, brown fur-lined coat and approached the bunny from behind, carefully placing the coat over his husband's shoulders to protect him from the cold, and to alert him of his presence.

 

"You're going to freeze your tail off sitting out here with no protection..." Freddy smiled with a soft, teasing tone. Bonnie chuckled quietly and gratefully accepted the coat, unwrapping his arms to take the collar and pull it closer around himself. It was clearly heavy on his smaller figure compared to Freddy, but it provided the right amount of protection.

 

"Honestly, I didn't realize how cold it still was... but I was too lazy to go back inside for a blanket." He shrugged with his usual charming smile. 

 

They settled into a somewhat tense silence and looked out to the view of the snowy cliff and sea below, as well as the light house far off in the distance. Their smiles disappeared by now. Bonnie finally pulled himself out of his thoughts and glanced down, trying to think of how to word what he wanted to say.

 

"... I'm not angry... or resentful towards you... I know you're just looking out for Gregory and I, and I appreciate that..." 

 

He sighed solemnly. "... you have a good heart, Freddy. You're such a kind, gentle husband, and father... but you're so restless. All the time." He started.

 

"You grew up in this... horrible enviroment, where you were forced to fight all the time to protect what's yours... It's all you've ever known..." 

 

"And now, it's almost like... you can't seperate the crime life from your personal life. Everything has to be a fight, a mission, a threat-" his voice was beginning to harden again in frustration as he turned to Freddy.

 

"... you were the first one I ever told about this, and I didn't ask for you to go hunt him down, or to go avenge me-! It's too soon, I'm not... ready for that. I don't care about revenge right now, I don't-!"

 

He began shaking again and pulled the jacket tighter around himself, although it clearly was not from the cold this time.

 

"... I-I can't face him right now... I'm scared, I can't even look at him... it's too soon..." his shaky voice trailed off. Freddy was quiet with silent accountability and concern for his husband as he let Bonnie continue, sensing he had more to say.

 

"... In that moment, I didn't need the 'deadly Mafia Don', or the 'Lord of Crime', I needed Freddy! I... I just need my husband right now...that's all I wanted. I just want to feel loved, and safe, and heard... I need you here, with me..." he took a quaking breath. 

 

"A-and you were so caught up in trying to protect me, and hunt him down, and hurt him... you forgot to actually comfort me! All you ever ask me is: 'who he is', and: 'where to find him'... but did you ever bother asking what I wanted to do?? How it made me feel?? How it still effects me, or how you could help me heal?!" He raised his voice with the rhetorical question, finally facing Freddy directly to show his emotion.

 

"It started feeling like... I came second. Like you cared more about finding him, and getting your revenge... than you did about helping me find peace. That's why I haven't told you more. What's the point, if what happened to me isn't your priority...?" His voice trailed off, and his head fell as he finished speaking, allowing Freddy a turn. But the man was speechless.

 

He had to recover quickly, though. Because he could not let Bonnie feel unloved a second more. He slowly approached the bunny's side and lifted his paws, one of them ghosting around his back and over his opposite shoulder, and the other reaching to gently take one of his paws in his own, silently asking for consent. When Bonnie agreed by letting go of Freddy's jacket with that paw, the bear wasted no time taking it and lifting their interwined paws up to place a light kiss to the Bunny's cold knuckles.

 

"... I'm so sorry... I-I truly can't say that to you enough, I'm so very sorry," he started shakily, turning them around to face eachother directly. 

 

"You're right... I've been absolutely blind, and I handled this all wrong... you never came second, but... I understand now why you'd feel like you were... I've done an awful job being there for you. There's a lot I still need to work on, and this is one of them... but I never wanted you to feel this way, I-" he tried explaining, but Bonnie reassured him.

 

"I-I know... like I said, I know it's not your fault, and I know you mean well... but right now... I just want to heal." He whispered, interwining both of their paws together. Freddy exhaled softly.

 

"I know. From now on, your feelings will come first before anything. I'll listen to you, first. And I won't persue anything without your permission. Not until you're ready." Freddy promised, nodding to him seriously.

 

Once he did, Bonnie stepped in and opened his arms for an embrace, which Freddy readily accepted. He pulled Bonnie against his torso and felt the bunny settle his head into the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms tighter over Bonnie's back and pulled him closer. 

 

"... whenever you're ready to tell me more, please do. I want to hear it from you, because I want to help you... not about him, but I want to hear about you. I want to know exactly what my husband experienced..." Freddy pulled them away and spoke softly to him, holding his upper arms gently. Bonnie nodded.

 

"I-I want to tell you... let's just go back inside, first... it's cold." He whispered back. 

Chapter 21

"But how is that fair that you guys get to go party all night, while we stay home and do nothing??" Gregory complained to Bonnie.

 

Freddy and Bonnie were quickly getting dressed for Mr. Feliciano's party. Roxanne and Chica had come over, too, and were getting ready seperately because they were dropping Cassie off here with Gregory while they all attended the party. Bonnie had finished his light makeup and jewelry, now he had just slipped on his jumpsuit and sat on the stool of the lit-up vanity.

 

"Because you two are children, and we are adults. And children need a balanced dinner, and a bedtime." Bonnie reprimanded with a small smile as he adjusted his hair in the mirror. 

 

"Gregory, maybe you don't need to argue with your dad about everything? He's busy right now-" Cassie tried convincing him.

 

Bonnie hummed in agreement, dabbing on some more blush with a powder puff. 

 

"That's some good advice, Cassie. I like that." Bonnie joked. 

 

Gregory scoffed, jogging over to his dad and wrapping his arms around his neck in a restrictive hug from behind, causing Bonnie to squeak in surprise and nearly drop his makeup.

 

"Well, good thing Cassie isn't my dads, and I don't have to listen to her!" He giggled mischeviously. 

 

Bonnie chuckled lightly as he tried to carefully pull the boy off, putting an effort in to hiding his small frustration.

 

"Y-yes, Gregory, but dad really needs to get ready, I can't play right now-" he tried explaining gently, to no avail.

 

To his relief, he heard the door creak open as Freddy walked in and shot him a subtle, pleading look to help. He had his dress pants, socks, and satin, fitted button-up on but was yet to tie his bow tie or detail his outfit. He left to finish his hair, and now returned with his usual curled look, though it was much neater and well-kept than usual. Freddy saw what was happening and quickened his pace over to them to help Bonnie out. He knew he had to extra careful with the boy.

 

"Alright, enough goofing around-!" He said in a playful tone, taking ahold of Gregory's wrists and firmly pulling them off of Bonnie to free him. Once the bunny leaned away from the boy, Freddy distracted him by lifting him high up and over his shoulder and spinning him briefly to cheer the boy up. Thankfully, it worked quite well, as the boy whined in annoyance and turned his attention to Freddy, immediately beginning to kick and fight in his grip while Cassie followed them and laughed in amusement. Once Freddy had entertained the child's need for attention, he walked over and playfully dropped him onto the bed, making him bounce with a huff from the boy. Cassie had joined him, and started climbing up as well. She took one of the pillows from the bed and held it in a threatening manner. Freddy tried looking for a way to get the kids out of the room.

 

"If the two of you want a pillow fight, you must go to your room, Gregory! It has better pillows!" Freddy insisted. The kids listened and quickly climbed off the bed and jogged out of the room, the girl making sure to run back and close the door behind her politely. 

 

Now that they were gone, Freddy heard Bonnie sigh deeply in relief, and offered his husband a sympathetic look as he walked over and lightly massaged his shoulders in reassurance. Bonnie had explained it in depth to him already. Gregory had faced a lot of psychological issues and developmental challenges after Freddy left him, and they greatly changed the boy. 

 

His development was stunted drastically. Gregory had always been regarded as quite mature and levelheaded for his age. But ever since around the time of Daisy's death, it was like he aged backwards. He started acting more immature and childish. At eleven, his behavior was resembling more of a six or seven-year-old. Which added up, considering he was eight when Freddy left them. That is why the adults did not correct his somewhat immature and underdeveloped behavior, because they knew it is not his fault. They just hoped it would improve over time.

 

The second and arguably worst change was his tempermant and emotions. Their once calm, reasonable son, was turning into an umpredictable and volatile child. His meltdowns were becoming frequent, and they could get quite aggressive. His emotions were so strong now, they were too much for him to contain, and sometimes too much for Bonnie to control. When he was depressed, or scared, he could go on hunger strikes for days, he could become nonverbal, or refuse to leave his room for long periods of time. When he was playful or happy, he would get hyper and clingy with Bonnie, and sometimes play too rough with his father like he just did. And they had to be careful not to aggravate him too much, as when he was stressed, or angry, he was hardest to deal with. He could grow loud, aggressive, defiant, and even violent. It had already happened a few times with other boys at school, and although it rarely ever happened with Bonnie, (and was never intentional), when he got to the point of an angry meltdown, or a tantrum, he has unintentionally hurt his father a few times. And after he does, the boy feels Incredibly guilty, grows more depressed, and reclused, and, angry with himself... and the cycle repeats. 

 

The school and others have told Bonnie to send Gregory to a reformatory school, or even an asylum, but he's refused. He could not subject the boy to those horrid conditions, and he knew the isolation would only make his son worst. He still had faith that Gregory would improve on his own now that Freddy was back in the picture. And knowing this was at least partially his fault, Freddy promised Bonnie that he would help him with Gregory when the boy got to be too much, and he would work with the boy any way he could to help him improve. 

 

Bonnie gave him a small, grateful smile for the gesture and stood up, to which Freddy lightly kissed his shoulder before dropping his arms from Bonnie's shoulders. He glanced down and was suddenly caught off guard by Bonnie's exposed back. He tensed for a moment and heated up, only to realize it was just his jumpsuit that was not zipped yet. He chuckled lightly at his own crazy thoughts, and made eye contact with Bonnie through the mirror.

 

"Need it zipped up-?" He offered. The bunny nodded quickly to him.

 

Freddy swallowed dryly and reached his slightly shaky paws down, realizing immediately how difficult this will be for him. He placed one cautious paw on Bonnie's waist for leverage, and used the other to carefully take the zipper and begin pulling up, trying to distract himself from the curves of his husband's back. Bonnie seemed to catch on to his shyness and snickered, turning his head back to him with a teasing smile.

 

"Am I making you nervous~?" He asked.

 

Freddy quickly snapped himself out of it and mentally cursed himself for being so undignified. 

 

"S-sorry-! Sorry!" He stuttered out, zipping it up faster. Bonnie's laughter only increased at that, and he turned around as Freddy finished.

 

"It's okay, honey! You're allowed to look, don't be sorry!" He assured with a look of endearment. 

 

Freddy sighed. "I shouldn't be looking, though. I am-"

 

"You're a gentleman, I know..." The bunny cut him off with a chuckle and turned around, leaning up to peck his cheek affectionately. "I love you~" 

 

Freddy relaxed and felt as the tension left his body, and he offered a gentle smile to his husband again. "I love you, too... make sure to pack something to keep you warm." 

 

Bonnie's face lit up in realization. "Oh, shoot! I don't think any of my coats here will fit me well..." His voice trailed off in thought.

 

Freddy's smile turned more confident as he headed towards the other side of the room. 

 

"I'm one step ahead of you." He assured.

 

Bonnie followed him slowly and attempted to peek over his shoulder in curiosity as he opened up a black dufflebag. The bear pulled out a sapphire-blue fur fabric zipped in a canvas clothing bag. The bunny glanced between the garment and Freddy in surprise before chuckling with an anticipated grin and opening the casing. "What is this, Fred...?" 

 

Freddy only nodded for him to continue with the same confidence. "You'll see. I hope you like it." 

 

Bonnie finally unzipped the bag and shook the soft garment, shaking it out to see the shape of it. He gasped in surprise seeing it was a deep blue stole jacket to match his set. Upon closer inspection, he found that there was even golden glitter scattered amongst the fur, making it look almost like a night sky.

 

"I- Freddy, it's... beautiful! When did you get this??" He asked in amazement, turning to try it on in the mirror quickly. Freddy internally sighed in relief that he liked it, and stepped beside him to watch him through the mirror as well.

 

"I had it custom made for you with this outfit in mind. The same brand that made your red pajama set." 

 

Bonnie giggled breathlessly in awe as he felt how warm it was. He turned back to Freddy emotionally and did not even give his husband a second to prepare, before he ran forward and trapped him in a tight embrace whilst burying his nose into his shoulder.

 

"I-I love it...! Thank you, thank you so much-!" His voice shook. Freddy quickly held him back just as tight and kept the bunny in his hold, taking a minute to fully accept again that Bonnie was back in his life. He was blessed with a second chance he didn't even deserve. He still could not believe it, but he never wanted this to end again.

 

"It was no trouble. It looks absolutely stunning on you, my love..." He finally pulled away and lifted the bunny's left paw, being taken aback again by the sight of his golden wedding band on his finger again. He leaned in to kiss the ring softly as a subtle way of expressing his contentness in their marriage before lowering it again.

 

"So are you all ready?" Freddy checked.

 

Bonnie nodded quickly and left to get his bag while Freddy finished up his look.

 

..

 

The venu of the party was extravagant, to say the least. The beachside casino was grand and large, and followed a somewhat modern Roman-based architecture, with white pillars and the large white exterior now lit up with bright golden light from the party inside. 

 

The interior resembled a classical royal and old money theme, as well as modern Art Deco inspiration for the furniture and decor. The place looked golden with the warm, lit chandeliers and lights, and it glowed with the deep green and golden colorscheme. Inside, there were an arrange of guests, some old money, some influential men in power, but mostly the nouveau riche flaunting their expensive attire and power. And then some were lower upper class and middle class, being just workers and members of the Mafia family. It smelled slightly of booze and cigarettes inside, but it was not too overpowering for them as Freddy and Bonnie seperated from their group, and Freddy locked arms with Bonnie and guided him to the Host, Fausto, to make their presence known.

 

"Ah, Mr. Don! I'm so pleased you and your husband could make it." Fausto exclaimed, shaking Freddy's paw warmly. Following the code, he only nodded politely to Bonnie, who returned the gesture and kept his arm locked around Freddy.  

 

"Thank you, Mr. Feliciano. I am glad we could make it as well." He assured with a smile.

 

Fausto gestured to an extravagant and private booth further away with deep green velvet sofas and a dark cedar table.

 

"Good thing we reserved a V.I.P. seating area! Feel free to relax there, and wave down a waiter if you need anything to eat or drink! Enjoy yourselves!" The feline nodded before turning his attention back to another guest who was trying to speak to him. 

 

Freddy nodded and guided Bonnie to the sofa. He gently took the bunny's fur stole off and dusted his seat down before he could sit, making it as comfortable as possible for his husband. Bonnie snickered in endearment at his classy treatment and took the paw Freddy now offered out as he sat down on the lush cushion. Only once he was fully sitting did Freddy set the stole aside and take a seat beside him. He wanted to lean against the bunny, but people were watching, so he had to keep up his image. Instead, he plastered on his most uninterested, intimidating resting face his father had taught him and sat up straight against the backrest, folding his paws on his lap and looking straight ahead. Bonnie scooted himself closer so his whole body was pointed to Freddy and leaned against him instead, propping one elbow, the one on the side of his husband, up on the top of the backrest to lean his jaw on his palm and the other paw running up and down the bears arm. The bunny kept a reserved and elegant demeanor for show as well, though he did not have to look as intimidating as Freddy did. Bonnie spoke quietly to his husband because no one in their ranks could speak to the bunny anyway, so they did not have to hear what he had to say to his husband. Freddy turned to Bonnie attentively and softened his gaze as he realized his husband wanted to tell him something.

 

"Saving your energy so we can dance later...?" Bonnie teased, folding two fingers and his thumb in while displaying a coy, two-finger walking gesture up his arm.

 

Freddy hummed with an amused smile, placing a single paw on the bunny's thigh. He did a quick once over of Bonnie's figure before looking into his eyes and sharing the look. 

 

"We can... if you can handle it." He whispered back in a low voice.

 

"Me-? You're the forty year old who acts like an eighty year old." Bonnie crossed his arms and leaned back in the seat with a playful smile facing the crowd. 

 

Freddy furrowed his brows with a chuckle. "Hey, do me some justice here. I'm thirty-seven, not forty..." 

 

"You already act like you're forty." Bonnie retorted back sassily. 

 

Freddy quietly reached for a long, golden rope suspended above them and pulled it, which caused the deep green blackout curtains to close around them. Before Bonnie could react, Freddy immediately dropped his image and turned to the bunny. He reached out suddenly and wrapped his arms around the bunny's waist to tickle his sides playfully. He did not cease until Bonnie finally contained his giggling and half-heartedly pushed him away. When they were done having their fun, he opened the curtain again only slightly, and they were back to acting professional. Freddy spotted a waiter in a black tuxedo walking past with a tin tray of goods and waved him down, to which the worker saw who he was and instantly ran over to serve him. 

 

"Can I offer you anything to eat or drink? I have water, cigars, and cigarettes with me." He passed them two small menus, one being for food and the other for beverages. Freddy took them in one paw and held them out so both he and his husband could see, moving the other paw to loosely wrap around the bunny's back. He glanced at Bonnie patiently.

 

"Do you see anything you want?" He asked quietly. 

 

Bonnie skimmed through both lists before silently pointing out a drink he wanted. They were going to split one of the appetizers since they were not too hungry, and each get their own drinks. When they both quietly agreed on food, and Freddy decided what he wanted to drink, he finally glanced up at the waiter again who had just set the tray down and taken out a small notepad to start writing down the order.

 

"For drinks, could we just have one Sparkling Strawberry Mocktail, extra sweet, and one Saratoga No. 2 mocktail?" He began. The waiter nodded as he took down the order. 

 

"And for food, we'll just take the Cucumber Sandwiches, please." He passed the menus back to the man to take once he was done writing. When the waiter put the menus and notebook back into his small hip apron, he lifted the tray again to display to them.

 

"Water, cigars, cigarettes while you wait?" He offered again. 

 

"Yes, two waters. Please." He nodded, watching as the man set down two full glasses for them. Bonnie nodded gratefully to him and drank a sip from his cup while Freddy stared down the tray hesitantly for a moment, contemplating. 

 

In terms of drug use, besides his binge drinking and questionable caffeine consumption, he stayed away from heavy drugs. But when he was at parties and social events, or whenever he was especially stressed and/or alone at his office, he enjoyed the occasional cigar to ease his tension. He was already anxious enough being here, and having to be alcohol free on top of that was not helping. Surely one smoke would not do any harm.

 

Before the waiter could leave, Freddy lifted his paw to stop him. "Actually, wait-" The man halted and held his tray out again.

 

"... what type of cigars do you have?" 

 

"We have Clear Havanas and Montecristo." He answered professionally. 

 

Freddy nodded thoughtfully. Because his gaze was ahead, and he was distracted in thought, he did not notice Bonnie's surprised and disapproving stare boaring through him.

 

"I'll take a Montecristo, please." 

 

The waiter nodded and held it out closer as Freddy reached into the bowl and took one out, tearing it out of the small packaging and placing it in his mouth. The waiter snapped the lighter and carefully lit the cigar for him. Freddy thanked him as the man gathered all of his supplies and left, closing the velvet black-out curtains of the booth to allow them some more privacy, but still allowed them a small opening to watch the party. Freddy took a deep inhale of the fumes before taking it from his mouth and exhaling the smoke again, already beginning to relax somewhat. He turned back to Bonnie, finally noticing his expression, and sighed deeply.

 

"Honey, you know it helps me relax... I've taken these for years at every party, and when I'm at home. I'm still staying sober with alcohol..." He promised, running his paw up and down his husband's lower back. Bonnie crossed his arms tensely and faced forward again.

 

"Yeah, yeah... just keep it away from me." He complained. 

 

Bonnie's never had a serious problem with him doing it in the past, besides complaining about the smell and his breath when he'd try to kiss him, so Freddy did not think to take it all that seriously. He thought Bonnie was just being overdramatic as a joke, so he played along. He placed it back in his mouth and they sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes as he smoked. Freddy was about a quarter way through the cigar now, and he noticed his husband was being uncharacteristically quiet. Assuming he was feeling anxious as well, Freddy took the cigar out again and leaned in, using his free paw to lift Bonnie's head up sideways and give him an affectionate smooch on the cheek to reassure him. Bonnie did not smile, or change his demeanor. If anything, he grew more tense as he scrunched his face up and grumbled for him to stop.

 

Still under the impression that they were just playing, Freddy chuckled and leaned closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around the bunny and leaning his face in to nuzzle his neck and jaw. He was caught entirely off guard when Bonnie's eyes blew wide open in alarm and locked on the lit cigar by his waist. The bunny's breath picked up fearfully as pushed Freddy away with a palm on his chest gently but firmly.

 

"Freddy, seriously... stop." He whispered sharply.

 

Freddy quickly let go of Bonnie and scooted back, giving him his space. He held his arms out in surrender and gave his husband a look of concern and confusion. 

 

"I... I'm sorry, I thought we were playing-" He stuttered out quietly.

 

"You never used to have a problem with me smoking...?" He also brought up.

 

Bonnie took a second to catch his breath before glancing at Freddy again. He was calmer now, and his face slowly shifted to a look of realization, and then guilt.

 

"I know... y-you're right, I didn't have any issue with it before... that was rude, I'm sorry-" he whispered the last part, facing forward again and burying his face in his paws.

 

Freddy tried searching his eyes. "But why did you...?" 

 

Bonnie sighed deeply, avoiding Freddy-s gaze as he looked down. "I-I don't know. Cigars and cigarettes, they just kinda'... smell like... y'know. So, when you hugged and kissed me, and I smelled it, and when it was so close to my skin, I... I guess it brought back bad memories... again, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that." He repeated quietly, letting his ears drop behind himself.

 

Freddy remembered the cigar and cigarette burns that marked the bunny's clothes and room, and realized the misunderstanding He carefully set the lit cigar down on the ashtray and scooted closer, placing a reassuring paw on his back.

 

"I-I'm sorry too, Bon... that was insensitive of me. I want you to enjoy the night with me," He turned to snuff the cigar out before the bunny quickly stopped him.

 

"Nono! You can still smoke, it's okay! I just got startled, I'll settle into it... I want you to have a good night, too." He assured.

 

Freddy glanced back at him hesitantly. "You're sure...?" 

 

Bonnie nodded. "Y-yeah. I'm sorry I keep doing this-" he chuckled sheepishly, scooting closer to lean against Freddy again. The bear smiled softly at the sentiment and held him closer with one arm, using the other to hold the cigar up again. He leaned his head in to nuzzle it against Bonnie's, to which the bunny returned the gesture.

 

"It's alright, my love. Recovery is never easy.... It took me a while to move on from my father's abuse. It will take time, but you'll get there." He reassured. "Let me know if it's too much, and I need to put it out.

 

Just a minute later, the waiter returned with their drinks and food. Freddy also took another cigar for later and set his old one down on the ashtray again to eat and drink. The bunny relaxed again while they enjoyed their shared entrée, and the playful banter and giggling finally returned while they tried in vain to eat the somewhat messy food cleanly and laughed at each other as it kept falling apart on them with every bite. Once they finished their eating, they reserved the booth and left Bonnie's fur stole to look around arm-and-arm at the rest of the party. Bonnie gasped and pointed out the grand outdoor area as they passed by the clear back doors, where there was a large pool and hot tub with a few people lounging in.

 

"We should've brought our swimsuits, that looks fun!" Bonnie exclaimed and turned back to him. Freddy chuckled and shook his head.

 

"I'll die before I swim in front of people." 

 

Bonnie huffed. "Come on! You seriously wouldn't swim around other people?"

 

Freddy shook his head and kept his gaze straight ahead with that amused smile still on his face.

 

"I would hate to make you jealous when all the girls see my sexy body~" He teased.

 

Bonnie snorted and leaned more onto Freddy's side. "You're right, I have to keep my man close so no one steals him away."

 

Freddy snickered quietly and turned his head to peck Bonnie's temple. "Yeah, right... they'd need to pry me away from you." 

 

The bunny tittered and opened his mouth to respond, when his smile suddenly fell, and he glanced around cautiously. Freddy slowed down the walking and turned his body more towards Bonnie.

 

"Is everything alright, honey? Do you hear something...?" He asked in concern.

 

Bonnie silently listened for another moment, before Freddy was caught off guard as a look of poorly hidden terror made it's way onto his features. His ears fell and his eyes searched more frantically around the room. Freddy suddenly felt him back away and try pulling himself from his grip without thought, but he held on tighter and looked to his husband in more worry.

 

"Bonnie, what's gotten into you??" He questioned. 

 

Bonnie's gaze was turned away from him as he spoke. "L-lets go back the other way, there's nothing down here-" he tried pulling away again.

 

"Why...? What are you..." Freddy questioned, but was cut off at Bonnie's fearful expression. "Mr. Feliciano is down here, I was going to speak to him for a moment-"

 

Bonnie bit his lip nervously before turning behind them.

 

"I have to go use the restroom-" he tried pulling himself out of Freddy's hold. But the bear was too worried for his husband at this point to just let him go without question. 

 

"Wait, Bonnie what's actually going on??" He asked more insistently. He was surprised by the bunny's sheer terror. He had not seen him like for a while. 

 

"Honey, please... let me go. I just have to use the restroom." He gave Freddy a desperate, pleading look. Freddy sighed deeply and glanced in the direction of Mr. Feliciano again, before turning back to Bonnie with defeated expression. 

 

"Okay. Come, I'll go with you..." He nodded. Bonnie gave him a grateful look, before allowing Freddy to wrap a loose arm over his back and begin guiding him that direction. Both of them halted at the sound of Feliciano's voice with a few other men, including a familiar obnoxious, loud laugh. Freddy turned as he heard the feline call out to him and watched as he approached with Cab Cowley and some other men talking behind them. 

 

"Hey, Don! I was just looking for you..." Fausto exclaimed. 

 

Before Freddy could politely say hello, he was caught off guard by Bonnie suddenly pulling himself from his grip and speeding off without a word. Freddy looked on in sympathy and concern. 

 

"Is everything okay...? I hope I was not interrupting anything, sir." The feline asked awkwardly. 

 

Freddy wanted to go after him, but he was no longer visible in the crowd, and he did not want to seem rude. He rubbed the back of his neck tensely.

 

"Y-yes, he just had to go to the restroom." He politely responded.

 

"He's at the restrooms right now...?" Cab tried confirming with Freddy. He was about to respond, but something in his gut was telling him not to. It was like a pit in his stomach for an unknown reason as he turned to Cab, who had an uncharacteristically serious and somewhat angred expression. 

 

"Yeah, that's what he said..." Fausto responded oddly. 

 

Cab only hummed with the same unreadable expression. As Fausto began making small talk with Freddy, he had not noticed that Cab quietly slinking away from the group. Freddy tried leaving the conversation as quickly and subtly as possible, and left to find Bonnie again. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, and he felt like he was going to be sick. He could not explain it, but he had a sinking feeling Bonnie was in danger.

Notes:

Well look who came crawling back... (you guys)

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Mafia AU (REWRITTEN)