Jackie got closer to Chase, trying to calm him down, "What voices are you talking about, man? Can you tell me more?"

As he got closer, he set his foot on the gun that Chase had dropped on the ground and slid it away behind him.

Chase closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall of the building, "The voices . . . . I don't know. I . . . . every time I was around Anti .. . . . but it sounded like it was coming from me. I don't know. It was so weird"

Jackie edged closer, "A-are you sure it wasn't just you? Chase. . . .  everyone knows you hate Anti"

"I-!" Chase tried but stopped himself, "It's complicated . . . but the voice. . .  it made everything so much. . . so much worse" he wiped tears from his face, whimpering, "And now it got what it wanted and it disappeared. When it did. . . . I knew then that it wasn't me."

"How do you mean?" Jackie knew his brother was telling the truth. Or at least .  . . HIS truth. Whether it was real was a different story.

The voice told me so many times to kill Anti when we were alone. Sometimes when Dark was there, too. But I didn't want to! I tried to push the t-thoughts away. I did. And then when I. . . . DID it. . . ..  it was gone. Am I crazy, Jackie?"

"I . . . .I don't k-"

Suddenly a victory squeal was heard nearby and they both turned to see the Jims at the entrance of the alley running towards them, camera in hand, "Jim has found you! Finally!"

Jackie was not in the mood to deal with them, too, "Jims what are you guys doing here!? And where were you when everything happened? We could have used your help with what-"

"Jim will shoosh Jackie now! Shoosh!" they were panting for air and even Chase was looking at them funny.

Once they finally caught their breathe, Jim explained, "We WERE there! Jim and I saw everything. Got it on camera!"

"Wai-WHAT!? Why didn't you guys-"

Jim just showed them the camera, "Look! Look! We caught something weird in the film that'd be interesting. Might prove that it wasn't Mr. Brody's doing!"

Jackie was losing his mind already, "Well show us!"

"Jim will now rewind the tape!" "Rewinding, Jim!"

Jim turned the screen of the camera so they could both see. Chase gulped. He really didn't want to see it happen but their words had him interested. Was it really proof? Was he NOT crazy after all?

Jim pressed play and the video started when Chase and Anti were fighting. Chase remembered this part clearly when the voice was telling him what to do. But the Jims were right.

Something was odd.

"What is that?" Jackie asked, "Behind Chase?"

"The Jims told you! Something odd! A shadow is attached to Chase! And then when it happens-" The Jims directed their attention to when Chase shot Anti.

Chase visibly flinched and Jackie tensed but saw what they were talking about, "The shadow left Chase right after. You're right. . . . Something is definitely off here."

He turned towards Chase, "You might just be off the hook, Chase. Especially since Dark saved Anti. You'll be in less trouble, at least." he took out his phone slowly just in case Chase ran.

"I'm gonna call Sean. Tell him what's happened. That okay with you, Chase?"

Chase was still afraid but he knew Jackie was in the right. And if it didn't turn out to be anything, he deserved whatever punishment he got. He nodded in acceptance.

"Yeah. Go ahead"

When they arrived to the manor, Jackie had Chase stay behind him and the Jims stood on either side. 

"Just let me do the talking, Chase. Alright?"

Chase just shrugged.

The hero opened the door and immediately, all the chatter that HAD been happening, stopped. Nearly everyone was there, looking at them all curiously. Most of them glared but didn't launch to attack Chase.

Sean walked up to them, "Jackie. . . what were you talking about? What shadow? I need to see. Mark, come here"

Mark came up by him and the Jims gave their creator the camera.

Chase hugged himself nervously as Mark played back the tape and Sean stared at it. They were going to decide his fate. He hoped they believed him. He didn't want to do it.

"There" Mark pointed at something, "The Shadow. And it reached with Chase to shoot. I know who it was"

"Who?" Sean asked.

Everyone was waiting but a lot already knew the answer.

"Actor" Mark stated as if it were obvious, "He's the shadow! He's been a part of the void for a while now sometimes, he has these ghost-like abilities. You said he's been in your head for a while now?"

Chase nodded, "I started hearing the voices when I. . . first arrived here"

Mark nodded, "He gets into people's heads. Manipulates them. You should have told someone, Chase"

"I'm sorry!" the father started to cry again, "I'm sorry! I know this is all my fault. I'm sorry. . . .. I just thought. . . I don't know. . . . I thought I was crazy. And I didn't want to believe that I COULD have done something like that! I-"

Sean walked over to him to hush him, "It's alright, Chase. Technically, you didn't shoot Anti. The shadow did."

"He used your body as a temporary vessel. Why he decided to go after Anti, though, I don't know" Mark was at a loss.

"But didn't Anti fight him a few days ago?" Amy brought up, "Wouldn't he want him out of the way?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Amy" Mark agreed.

"Uh, excuse me!" Yandere shoved their way in front, "But that doesn't mean he should get away with what happened! He could have told someone and he didn't!"

Wilford nodded, "Actor is a serious threat to all of us, boy. You shoulda-"

"I know." Chase wiped at his tears again, "I'm sorry. I'll . ..  I'll accept whatever punishment Sean gives me"

Everyone looked to Sean but he didn't look too sure, himself, "I don't know. We'll come back to that."

Chase gulped, "W-where is Anti? Jackie said he was alright? How? And where's Dark? Figured he'd be the first to try and kill me"

Mark looked reluctant but before he could answer, Ethan did.

"Dark did some weird magic aura mumbo jumbo and healed him. Evidently though, that made Dark tired. They're in Dr. Iplier's infirmary now"

"Ca-can I-"

"No." Mark growled, "No, you may NOT see Anti."

Marvin cleared his throat, "If I may interject, I think Chase has a right to see him. Make him see the pain he put Anti, Dark and all of us through."

Marvin's words resonated with Chase. At first he thought his brethren was defending him but he couldn't be more wrong in this moment. But he DID deserve it.

Sean thought on it and nodded, "I guess you're right, Marv. Mark?"

". . . . . . Fine. But Henrik and Dr. Iplier stays down there with them."

Everyone started shouting and arguing suddenly at that but Mark ignored them, leading Chase down to the doctor's office with Sean.

The Iplier creator sighed, "This doesn't mean this'll be your only punishment, Chase. Dark still has yet to wake up. . . and Anti will have a say, too"

Chase just nodded, accepting of the situation. Even through all this stress and pain, his mind felt more at ease. Seems that having Actor out of his head had relieved a lot of what had been weighing on him.

Anti felt light as air. No worries disturbed him. There was no yelling, crying or pain.

Until he heard a light sniffling beside him.

There was darkness but it didn't bother him.

Anti just barely blinked open his eyes.

He was in Dr. Iplier's little office by the look and smell of it. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he looked over to where the sniffling came from.

Chase was laying his bed on the bed next to him, leaned over to be as close as he could without actually being on the bed, one of his hand stretched out by itself.

Anti was still loopy and tired but he couldn't stop himself from tearing up, too. He didn't know why Chase was there and a part of him was terrified. But also. . . he felt . . . . okay with it. Chase was by his side. After he had shot him. Did he regret what he did?

Remembering what had happened, he new that he did. He could still hear Chase's screams for help. His panic and the fear in his eyes. He hadn't wanted to do it. He didn't know WHY he did it but at least he regretted it.

A few feet away, he could see another figure laying on a different bed. Seeing the black hair and black suit he still wore, he knew it was Dark.

He didn't know why he was in a bed and LETTING Chase stay there but he didn't question it too much.

Carefully, Anti raised his hand and laid it over Chase's.

'Why?' he thought to himself. He didn't know why he reached for Chase but couldn't question it anymore as he started to drift back off to sleep.

When Anti woke up again, he heard clear yelling and sounds of medical equipment being tossed around.

He opened his eyes but shut them again as the bright light from the ceilings burned his retinas.

"I ASKED A FUCKING QUESTION! WHY IS HE HERE!?"

Anti groaned softly, knowing it was Dark's voice.

There was a light mumbling of someone trying to calm him down but it was clearly not working.

"WHERE'S MARK!? I WANT TO HEAR IT FROM HIM! YOU STAY THERE, YOU FUCKING INSECT!"

Anti tried opening his eyes again and saw the office in disarray, Dr. Iplier and Henrik trying to keep Dark away from Chase who looked scared shitless.

He couldn't blame him. Dark looked ready to kill.

"D-dark?"

Upon hearing his name, the Iplier ego snapped his head to look over to Anti.

"Anti! You're-" he tried running over to him but stopped himself, still worn out from healing him, "You're awake" he managed to grunt out.

Anti tried to sit up but was too weak.

"Henrik, go fetch Mark and the others, will you?"

Finally Dark made it over to Anti and sat in the chair Chase had been sitting in last night. He leaned over the bed to keep himself steady, "Just lay back and rest, Anti. We've both been through the ringer. I'll get that bastard out of here, don't you worry" he sent a glare towards Chase.

Anti shook his head, "Leave him be. . . .he didn't. . . didn't mean to"

Dark narrowed his eyes at his friend, "He really messed you up, didn't he?"

Before anything else could be said, Henrik returned with Mark, Sean and Amy. Amy went directly for Anti, brushing a hand through his hair motherly, "How you feeling?"

"Fine. . . what's happening?"

Dark looked back over to Chase, "And why isn't he locked up. . ..  or dead?"

"It wasn't him" Mark stated.

Dark snapped his gaze up to glare at him, "What do you mean it wasn't HIM!? He had the gun in his hand! No one else was in the room!"

Dr. Iplier held a copy of the tape the Jims made in his hand and put the vhs in the TV, "Just watch, Dark. You'll see"

Everyone watched the scene and what happened. Anti was confused but Dark understood, "Actor. . . . he's been in your head, then?" he asked Chase.

He merely nodded to him, "Anti . . .. Anti, I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Don't talk to him" Dark practically hissed out, "Still stands that you were persuaded into shooting him. You were persuaded to kill him! Actor didn't pull the trigger. You did. He may have helped you raise the gun but you did the rest on your own"

"I'm sorry" Chase tried again, fresh tears covering his face, "Nothing like that will ever happen again, I swear it! I swear!"

"I don't believe you-"

"I do" Anti intercepted, "Just leave him be, Dark"

He growled, though, "You're not thinking straight, Anti. Just rest. He deserves punishm-"

"Dark" growled back at him.

There was a few moments of silence until Dark finally relented, "Fine. . . . it's your decision."

Dark stood up as gracefully as he could without stumbling, his eyes turning red as he targeted Chase, "But . . .if you EVER hurt him in ANY way ever again . . .. . I will kill you myself. Am I clear?"

Chase could only nod shakily, not even able to look Dark in the eye, "Y-yes. It's cl-clear."

Dark sat down again by Anti and Chase nodded towards the glitch.

Anti didn't reciprocate the movement but Chase understood. Even though Anti was letting it go, it didn't mean he trusted him.

With a sigh of defeat, Chase walked back upstairs.

Some egos got out of his way nervously and others looked like they felt sorry for him. And of course there were  a few that looked like they wanted to kill him even if it wasn't entirely his fault.

Dark was right.

He pulled the trigger and now it didn't matter if Anti forgave him later on or not. He still had to live with that guilt.