Scott ran down the dark hallway. His mind was spinning. What had he done? He'd left the safety of the Office to follow the voice of a child who probably didn't exist. He paused, considering for just a second the chance of him darting back, but...

Help me... can't anyone hear me...?

His conscience took the better of him. He could hear a child who needed his help. Yes, there was no proof she existed, but how was it possible that he could hear her if she didn't?

He felt more than heard the presence of Vincent behind him.

"I don't care what you say, I'm not going back," Scott said determinedly. He spoke loudly to try and ward off his fears, but his voice felt out of place and only made him feel more alone.

"I know," came Vincent's voice from behind him, "I'm not here to stop you. I'm here to help you. We'll just go to where you think the child is, then we'll get you back inside the Office. Deal?"

"But she could be anywhe-"

"Three dead people is worse than one, Scott. Deal?"

Scott sighed, defeated, "Fine. She's not in the Dining Hall, obviously. Let's check..." Scott hummed, looking around, "Pirate Cove. The only animatronic who ever goes in there is Foxy, and he's out of order, anyway."

Vincent paused for a moment, then nodded, "You're right, that's a good idea."

Scott took a deep breath, then stepped out into the Dining Hall. Freddy and Chica's eyes instantly snapped to look right at him, and he didn't like it. He knew they were just robots. He could run faster than them, and they were only machines. But something about them was just... almost... human.

He slipped as quietly as possible through the Dining Hall, convinced that he'd turn the corner and see a little child being killed-

He stopped in his tracks, and Vincent walked into him, "Oof- what, what is it?"

Scott turned to Vincent, whispering, "What if the child is really being killed? What if the murderer's in this very building?"

It took all of Vincent's self control to stop from saying, 'Maybe he is', but instead he just said, "Then I'll take care of him. Now come on, or the robots will get us."

Scott looked at him sceptically, then nodded slightly, "Whatever. What was it Oliver said? Something like, 'after a thousand years, we'll all be dead, anyway'."

"Oliver?" Vincent instantly perked up, "You didn't tell me there was an Oliver. Who's Oliver?"

Scott looked incredulously at Vincent, "You're going to get us killed. Now come on..." He turned back around and kept walking towards Pirate's Cove.

Vincent stalked behind him, entirely silent, like a shadow. Apart from his teeth and eyes, you wouldn't have noticed that he was there at all.

Scott paused for a millisecond outside Pirate's Cove, then he snuck in.

Scott scanned the room. The blue and black carpet, the purple starry curtains... It was completely empty. Scott suddenly felt very trapped, "Oh no..."

Vincent backed into the room beside him whispering, "Chica's in the Dining Hall and Bonnie's coming down the East Hall. We can't move until one of them leaves."

"What?!" Scott whispered back, "But they weren't even moving 5 minutes ago!"

Vincent sighed, taking Scott's hand, "It's okay. At least, like you said, none of the other animatronics go in here. So, our only threat is Foxy, and he's broken. Right?"

Scott clutched onto Vincent's arm, a lump forming in his throat.

"Right?" Vincent asked again, sounding a little panicked.

"Vincent," Scott whispered, "Foxy..."

Vincent turned and looked at the purple curtains, which were now swishing slightly as if somebody - something - had pulled at them. Visible though the gap was a single eye, like liquid fire.

"Foxy... He..." Scott whimpered and took a deep breath, "It's not possible. Most of his engine was torn out. Even on Free-Roam mode, there's no way he could be moving."

Vincent looked at the Cove, then let go of Scott's arm.

"Where are you going!?" Scott hissed, trying to walk after Vincent.

"Don't!" Vincent snapped. He ran up to Scott, pushing him back, "Watch him!"

"What do you mea-"

"Look!"

Scott looked, and realised that while they'd been talking, the curtain had opened. Foxy was gaping out at them, his mouth slightly open and head tilted. His hook was holding the curtain open.

Scott felt panic consume him. This thing was not a machine. He began to hyperventilate slightly, "Oh gawd, Vincent, what is it?" He turned to look at Vincent, instantly hearing Foxy start to move again. He snapped his attention back to the fox.

"It's a ghost, Scott," Vincent said quietly. "The thing you heard, the fact it can move without coding..."

Scott's breathing became faster and more un-even, "What do you mean, a ghost? Vincent, this isn't funny!"

"I'm not joking," Vincent said, "Scott. I'm going to get a flashlight. I need you to keep watching him."

"Why can't you watch it?" Scott asked, the fox's amber eyes boring into his.

"Because," Vincent said, "It doesn't like me. It only likes you. You're the one who invented Foxy, remember?"

Scott was really panicking, his vision was starting to blur, "Vincent, I can't do it. I-I just want to run. Why can't we run?"

"Foxy is built differently and he's about 2 feet taller than you. He'll catch up to you easily and he will kill you," Vincent knew he had to think of something fast, before Scott went into a full panic attack. Suddenly remembering something from the old location, he said, "He won't attack you. Facial recognition, remember? He remembers that you're the one who designed him. He won't attack any face he recognises. Just make sure to keep eye-contact with him, and he'll remember you."

Scott took a deep breath in and out again, "Be quick, Vincent."

"I will," Vincent said, "Stay strong, Scott." Then he turned and slipped out of Pirate's Cove.

The room was silent, and it was a battle of wits. Human vs. Machine. Life vs. Death.

Foxy didn't move. He just stood there, mouth hanging, curtain pulled open. His body looked dead and rotted, but his eyes were so alive, boring into Scott's.

Scott felt himself calming down. This wasn't some weeping angel. He could blink. It was only when he looked away for a while that Foxy could really move enough to hurt him.

Excuse me, sir? Are you the man who was coming to help me before?

Scott stiffened instantly. The voice came from just beside him, but he didn't dare pull his eyes away from Foxy.

Sir, can you help me, please? I hurt myself. One of the animatronics was in the kitchen, sir, and she almost got me.

Scott's breathing quickened again. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.

Sir, please. It really hurts... I... the voice broke into sobs, I don't want to die here, sir.

Scott wavered, and he pulled his eyes away for just a second.

Foxy stepped out of the Cove.

Scott screamed, backing away instantly, "Vincent! Vincent! Help!" He forgot all about looking at the animatronic, just stayed looking at the entrance to Pirate's Cove, desperate for a glance of his co-worker.

A rusty hook tore a hole through Scott's shirt. He cried out in pain and fear as it cut his skin and the hook rose, lifting Scott off of his feet, "Vincent! VINCENT!"

The fox walked forwards and Scott was slammed backwards into the wall, the hook pressing further into his chest as he screamed. He could feel warm blood running down the hook and down his stomach, and fought off the urge to be sick.

Foxy's jaws widened, showing off around 50 razor sharp metal teeth, powered by gears that were stronger than any bear-trap on the planet. The end of Foxy's snout was about two centimetres from Scott's nose as the animatronic played with its prey, widening its jaws to their full extent and then slamming them shut with a sickening snap. Scott screwed his eyes shut, not wanting to see what was going to happen to him.

A bright light flooded the room, and for a second, Scott stupidly thought that it was 6AM. He opened his eyes not to see the sun, but Vincent with a flashlight, shining the beam at Foxy.

The animatronic's gears clicked and whirred as it turned its head to stare directly into the light. Vincent flashed the torch on and off a few times, and Foxy's metal pupils constricted before dilating to their full size. The gold in them disappeared. His system had been reset.

The hook lowered, ripping itself out of Scott's shirt and returning to the animatronic's side. The fox turned and limped back into the curtains of the Cove, returning to the position it had been in before: curtains slightly open, mouth hanging open.

Vincent rushed to Scott's side, "Damnit, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. I should have come straight away when I heard you scream, but I thought it was just another hallucination."

"It's okay," Scott said weakly, though it really wasn't. Blood trickled down his chest and he shuddered, "Tell me it was worth it."

Vincent smiled, "I found us our greatest weapon and a place to hide. It was worth it."