Anti was pacing. 

He didn't usually pace when he was nervous. He glitched but he didn't pace. This was new.

But it helped. Sort of.

Dark watched him, feeling more than a little concerned for his friend as he finished up some morning paperwork.

"You uh . . . . you good there, Anti?"

He didn't stop pacing, "I'm fine"

"You don't look fine"

He suddenly growled and stopped pacing, "What!? Why do you say that!? What's wrong with me!?"

Dark blinked at his sudden outburst but still tried to remain calm, "You're gonna be okay, Anti. Nobody plays you better than you. And you heard what Chase said the other day, remember? He's willing to try if you are"

Anti's heart was racing but Dark's voice calmed him. He knew he was right. He was just freaking out. He hadn't done a film shoot in years. What if he had lost his stuff?

What if he wasn't good enough anymore? Had he changed too much? What if Sean and the others hated it and they kicked him off the video? What if Mark kicked him out of the house!?

Suddenly a pair of hands rested on his shoulders and he looked up to see Dark looking slightly down at him with a small smile.

"Hey. You got this. Stop worrying so much. I believe in you"

Anti's heart melted and he took a deep breathe, "Thanks. . . . . . . I ate your-"

"I know you ate my cookies. I made Google show me the video. I don't care"

"But-"

"I'll maim Chase later. Right now you need to focus on believing and trusting in yourself. Alright? We head out in an hour or so. Want to get breakfast with me downstairs?"

Anti leaned his forehead against Dark's chin, already clearly exhausted, "Yeah"

"Come on. I'll make you some pancakes" Dark tried to lead him out.

"Yeah, no" Anti argued, "I'll make the pancakes. You still suck at cooking"

Dark just chuckled in response, letting his adopted little brother take the lead instead.

Chase was NOT feeling good today. He woke up with a throbbing headache and felt like he was going to puke from it. A whispering crept into his head but he blamed it on nerves and a hangover. Bing had snagged him some whiskey last night which in hindsight may not have been such a good idea.

He was hunched over the table stirring a bowl of cereal.

Everyone knew he was hungover. It was pretty obvious.

Bing pat his back a little and Jameson looked concerned but Marvin, Jackie and Henrik were not so sympathetic. Chase had sworn that he would stop drinking but his nerves must have gotten in the way getting ready for today with the scene with Anti.

Chase didn't care either way. He was in pain.

After a while, Anti came downstairs with Dark and the two shoved each other around, messing with one another like the best of friends. That's one thing at least that Chase had to admire him for was that he had so many great and scary friends looking after him.

The two left for the kitchen and Chase found himself watching them the entire time.

"You alright, Chase?"

Chase snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to Henrik's voice. The doctor was watching him curiously, "You are not getting sick are you? You look pale and tired"

"Thanks" he said dryly, "Just didn't sleep good is all. I'm fine"

"You drank last night, didn't you?" Jackie asked him.

"Mind your own business"

"I was just-"

Chase sent a glare his way but that only made the others more weary.

"Are you going to be okay today filming?" Marvin asked him but Chase didn't reply. He just rolled his eyes and stomped off to the kitchen, cereal bowl in hand. He had forgotten Anti and Dark were in there, too.

When he walked in, it was just the two of them and Chase wrinkled his nose, heading for the coffee machine, dumping the cereal in the trash on the way. 

Anti, thinking that Chase was doing better with him around, tried to strike a conversation, "Hey Dark found out it was us but it's cool. I'll keep him from killing you"

Chase huffed, "Leave me alone, glitch bitch"

Anti deflated but didn't look too hurt. Dark on the other hand cleared his throat, "That's going to be quite hard for him to do today unless you've forgotten, Brody."

'Smash their heads in with the mug'

Chase blinked and finally turned to face the two of them, "It's just one scene. One scene, I can handle. Any more and I'd probably shoot the bastard"

"We got along fine yesterday I thought" Anti flipped a pancake.

'It always starts off just fine, doesn't it?'

Chase clenched his hand around the mug but stopped himself from breaking it, "Didn't want the others to think I actually DID try to kill you. That's all that was. Don't look into it"

Dark held Anti's shoulder, "Don't listen to him, Anti. Like he said. It's just one scene. Do you guys know at least what you'll be doing?"

"No." They both answered and Chase looked offended at that.

Dark snorted, "Let's hope Sean doesn't make you two hug or kiss" he chuckled at his own joke.

Anti shoved Dark into the counter, "Oh fook off, ya cunt! That wasn't funny!"

"Yeah. It wasn't" Chase growled, "Besides, if any two egos were going to have to kiss, it'd be you two. Fan-service and all that shit. But you guys would probably like it being so close, wouldn't you?"

Both Dark and Anti had looks that would kill. Anti glitched and his eyes glowed a bright green. Chase smirked, "There it is. There's a peek into that anger, Antisepticeye. See you haven't lost that particular rage after all"

With that, Chase walked out of the kitchen. He wasn't proud of it. He saw the moment of hurt in Anti's eyes and yet still he couldn't forgive him. And yet he didn't like to hurt him, either. It was complicated.

He didn't speak to anyone else during breakfast, trying too hard to get rid of the voice in his head, ignoring it. He even talked over it to Bing and tried to take some Tylenol but nothing was working.

'You're going crazy. But that's what he would want, isn't it? All according to plan, I bet'

Chase crossed his arms when they all piled into the Jim's van, squeezing in as much as possible. He had to block out all the other Ipliers who were wishing Anti luck on his scene. That alone was enough to spark another migraine. 

Wilford noticed the ego looking peculiarly off and decided to address it, "Say Brody-boy, you look a little peckish and pale. You eat well? Sleep well, scout?!"

Chase glanced at him, leaning his head back against the car head-rest, "None of your business, pinky. Leave me be"

"Oh bully!" Wilford laughed, "I know something's eating ya!"

"Pizza night sure was a doozy, wasn't it!?" Bim added in.

Chase ignored them, choosing to look outside, instead.

Anti had never been to the studio with everyone including the Septics. They all decided to come, wanting to see Anti's scene. Perhaps wanting to keep Chase in check, too. Or make sure Anti didn't actually hurt anyone. They didn't quite know, themselves, really.

Anti was riding shotgun while Dark drove. He'd never let Wilford drive again after the fire-hydrant incident. He had sent that hydrant flying off into a nearby cupcake store and Dark had to help Mark pay for the damages. It was not a fun day.

"So what's happened so far in filming?" Anti asked, trying to break the silence.

"Oh!" Jackie grinned, "In the beginning, Sean has us just doing our own thing. He finally gave us all backstories!"

"Some of them more lame than others" Marvin rolled his eyes. Jameson looked at him strangely and Marvin defended himself, "What? I'm supposed to be okay that I start out as a performer for little children!? Snot-nosed brats. I'm not a fooking clown" he huffed to himself.

Anti snorted, "What about everyone else?"

"Well" Jackie was all too excited to explain everything. After reeling out all the backstory for everyone else, he looks over at Chase, "And well . . . Chase pretty much . . . uh-"

"My backstory is just my fooking life. Not that Sean cares. Said he thought because that's how the fanbase already thought of me that I should just stick with it"

"That sucks"

Chase turned his head towards Anti in the front and glared at him, "Fuck off"

"So what about the story? What's going on so far?"

Dark interceded, "Same old crap, I'd say. Don't tell Mark I said that."

"Do you remember Heist and zhe Chase vid?" Henrik asked.

"How could I forget?" Anti said blandly, slightly glaring at Marvin.

"They sort of slammed those two ideas together to make something completely different and knew. And guess who the villains are?" Marvin grinned.

Anti rested his chin on the shoulder of the car seat, "Is it Dark and Me?"

Jackie finger-gunned him, "You got it, bro!"

"Don't call him bro." Chase muttered, "Doesn't deserve that title"

"Hey, I can call him whatever I want!"

Jameson nudged Chase's shoulder, 'Lighten up. Things don't have to be so bad. You are the one who makes it seem that way!'

The father just snorted, looking out the window again.

"No, he's right" Anti mumbled, "I. . . I don't d-"

"Shut up" Dark stopped them all, "Anyone would be lucky to call you their brother. Who cares about one person's opinion?"

Although Jackie didn't actually call him his brother, 'bro' was close enough. Even if he wasn't that close to any of them as of yet. It made him feel odd but it wasn't a bad feeling.

Anti didn't say anything and neither did anyone else but it was fine. They were already at the studio, Mark's car in the parking lot already.

"Now let's shoot some film!" Wilford jumped out of the car with his gun in the air, blasting it.

"Wilford! Stop that right now!" 

"Oh Darky, you're no fun!"

Anti walked alongside Dark and the other Ipliers that were joining them. As soon as they entered the small studio, Mark was the first to see them.

He came running up, "Oh hey guys! We're almost done setting up for the day. Sean wants to try and redo the other scene from yesterday with Chase and then we'll move on to the rest"

He noticed Anti lingering onto Dark, "Hey Anti, you ready for today? Unfortunately, with doing the scene from yesterday we'll be a bit delayed so is eleven alright? Right before lunch?"

Anti just nodded, "Yeah . . . yeah it's fine."

"You'll do great" he winked and nodded towards where Sean was, "I think you guys probably want to talk to him about the schedule for the day. Dark, what do you think? Got some time to talk about ours?"

"Perhaps" That was Dark's way of agreeing.

The Septics started to go towards Sean but Mark took his shoulder, "Hey where you-" he stopped himself, "Oh right. . . sorry. . . . guess I've grown pretty used to you being around. Play nice, alright?" he ruffled his hair and squeezed his shoulder gently.

Dark glared at Anti as Mark let him go, "You never like it when I touch your hair"

Anti smirked, "Ah is Darkipoo jealous??"

"Fuck off. Forget I said anything.   . . . . be careful"

The others were already over by Sean talking about the story but Anti felt odd walking up to them. It felt . . . weird. Like he was interrupting something.

But Sean just grinned at him as he came up, "Hey Anti! You excited for today?"

That pissed him off for some reason, "Don't talk to me like a child. Just tell me what I'll be doing for this stupid video"

"You wanted to be in this stupid video" Chase chimed in.

'Now, now children' Jameson teased.

"It's fine." Sean held a script in his hand and gave it to Anti, "Right before lunch we'll do your scene with Chase and if we need to do any fixes, we'll still have after lunch"

"You mean if any fights break out?" Anti smirked but no one else was laughing. He cleared his throat to abolish the awkward but it wasn't really working too well.

"Please" Sean looked him in the eyes, "Please try not to start any fights"

"Why you tell ME?!" Anti scoffed, "Chase is the one who's been starting arguments with me lately!"

"Don't be stupid, then" The single father scoffed at him.

"Fucking-" he growled, crossing his arms, "WHATEVER. Let's just start this shit, already"

"Great start" Jackie commented sarcastically.

But they just knew that Anti was a little high strung about everything. He was nervous and worried, not that he'd ever voice his thoughts like that.

Chase rolled his eyes and sighed as Sean caught his attention, telling him what scene he'd be redoing while Anti read the script.

Dark watched them from afar, barely listening to Mark. But he WAS listening. He was also worried about his friend, hearing his yell already.

Yeah. He could already tell today wasn't going to be a good day.

"And. . . . ACTION!"

Chase sighed heavily, looking around himself and making sure the cameras got the shots they needed. Looking up, he stepped back as Jackie landed in front of him.

He was talking. Saying something but Chase's attention was turned to something else.

Anti wasn't paying attention. He was just reading the script, grimacing. Honestly, Chase was still upset that no one else had gotten to read that part. Why did Anti get to read it early? He understood that this would be the first time he got to rehearse and act the part but it wasn't like he had to rehearse much! And why was Sean keeping it a secret from the others?

'He just has to act like himself. He gets the easy part as always. Laughing, acting crazy and murderous. I could just as easily take that role'

'You could'

Chase shook his head slightly and blinked. Jackie was staring at him.

'Fuck, I missed my que'

"Sorry. . . . line?"

"You just did the scene yesterday, Chase" Sean shrugged, "You forgot it already?"

"I-"

"He has not felt good today" Henrik provided, "Perhaps he needs to read zhe script again?"

"I don't need to-"

Anti looked up from the script, hearing the situation. Chase didn't like that.

Sean's mood switched, "Oh. . .I'm sorry, Chase. If you're not feeling well, we could move you and Anti's scene to tomorrow if you want?"

"I said I'm fine!" Chase argued, "Let just . . . try again. I'm fine"

"That's what you said the night you juiced that pizza" Anti commented. 

Sean snorted, "He did what??"

"I don't think he's been feeling well." Jackie said, "He's been acting odd since the other night"

Marvin smirked, "Yeah, saying you're not crazy doesn't help that-"

"Shut up!" Chase shouted, effectively silencing them all, "I was just tired. . . I'm fine now. Let's try the scene again"

He glared at Anti who looked so smug. At least, that's what Chase thought it looked like.

Dark and the other Ipliers came over to watch the scene, too as they started over. It went better this time with Chase ignoring Anti's presence but he knew that wouldn't work for long.

As Jackie and Chase did their scene, Dark nudged Anti with his shoulder, whispering to him, "You read the script? What's it say?"

"You don't know?"

Dark just shook his head and Anti sighed, "It's . .  it's just the same bullshit as always. Nothing spectacular."

"I'm sure you'll be great"

"I'm sure I'll sound stupid. Gave me a fooking monologue. I hate those"

"Sorry. I'm sure you'll make it sound better at least."

"Sure"

Once Chase's redo scene was over, everyone was starting to pack up and Anti was confused.

"Uh where are we going?"

"To Mark's" Sean said, "We got to stop by there first and grab a few things and then we're heading off to the next location. Ethan and Katherine said we could use their apartment for your scene"

"Oh. . . okay"

Marvin came up to them suddenly, "Hey what's your script say? I'm curious where this is going"

"No" Sean reprimanded him, "I want your reactions to be genuine. No peeking at Anti's script. Now come on, guys. Let's head out"

They cramped themselves into the car again while Sean, Mark and the crew took theirs.

"I still don't really get this script, though" Anti confessed to them, "Sounds stupid, honestly."

"Is it the same shit he's had you do in the past? You should be fine then" Chase huffed.

"I'm sure Anti-laddy will be just fine!" Wilford grinned, "He's gotta whole lot of spunk!"

"Yeah. . . spunk" Even Dark seemed confused by Wil's words.

The Jims started filming Anti, "Mr. Anti, do you have anything you want to say to the camera? How are you feeling so far? Like the film?"

"I don't know anything about the film, still, really except for the backstories. But I think I'm alright. Think I got a feel for it"

"Great! Jim thinks you'll do just fine. This film is gonna be a hit with everyone!"

Some of the others agreed with them but Anti didn't seem so sure.

Once they arrived at Mark's, they filed out to stretch their legs. Mark ran inside to his office to grab something and the others more or less waited outside.

At least Chica and Henry came out to say hi, too. They loved the attention.

"Hey, when are you gonna get a dog, Dark?" Anti asked, "Mark gave you one in our video together a while back."

Dark pet Chica, letting her adore him, "It was just a video. Besides, why get myself a dog when I can come love these two whenever I want?"

"I guess you have a point there. Oh who's a good doggie!? Who's a good girl and boy!?" Anti went to his knees to love on the excited pups.

Chase watched as even Henry demanded attention from him. Henry never did that to anyone! He barely even tolerated Mark! Plus he was a little upset that the two dogs didn't pay him any mind.

'There he goes again, stealing all the attention for himself. So rude and conceited'

Chase had to agree with the voice this time, not even wondering at the moment why he heard that out of his thoughts.

Chase watched Anti on his knees and couldn't help but think of a dirty joke. He wanted to say it but knew the others would be disappointed in him the rest of the day.

Before he could think of ANYTHING to say, though, Amy came out with a plate of something in her hands, "I forgot to bring these earlier to the studio but they're nice and cold for everyone! i had them in the fridge"

"What are they?" Anti asked.

Amy shuffled over to him first, "What I promised! Lemon bars! Go ahead and take one. But only one! I know you didn't share those lemon drops I gave you"

"Aw man!" But he took one nonetheless, savoring it on his taste buds, "Thanks Amy. You're awesome" he grinned happily, eating his treat.

She offered the others some and a few took one. Chase refused and Anti chuckled, "I'm surprised. Your mood is already sour"

Chase glared at him, "Watch your mouth!"

"Whatever you say, 'dad'"

'He's pushing it now'

"If I was really your dad, you'd have better manners would have gotten severely disciplined YEARS ago! And you and wouldn't have tried killing us!"

"Fooking hell! When are you gonna let that go? Everyone else has!"

"Well not me! You fooking-" Chase going towards him but Marvin swung his wand in front of him in warning.

"Calm down, Chase. Take a breathe" 

Chase glared at Marvin but saw the threat in his eyes, "I'm fine"

"Obviously not" Anti muttered a little too loudly.

Dr. Iplier sighed heavily, "You just don't shut your mouth, do you? You will die today if you're not careful"

Anti just rolled his eyes.

Once Mark finally came back out, they crowded into the car again drove on their way to Ethan and Katherine's.

The car ride down was more than a little uneasy. Everyone could feel the new tension in the air between Chase and Anti and it was very uncomfortable. They were worried something could happen but they've already come so far.

Anti knew he shouldn't have baited Chase like that compared with what Chase said to him earlier this morning, he thought he deserved it. But also . . he didn't really think he was being mean. He just like to banter.

In hindsight, Chase was probably a bad target.

As for Chase himself, he had his arms crossed most of the time, staring outside as to not lose himself and strangle the glitch. They were almost there. They'd do their scene, have lunch and he'd never have to talk to the little bastard ever again.

'I can do this. I can do this' he kept chanting in his head, ignoring the other's talking around him.

'But wouldn't it be so fun to make everyone see how much they don't need him?' that voice popped up again, 'Marvin did just fine. Computer effects are easy to replicate his glitching. . . . they don't NEED Anti in this'

'They don't but Sean wants him in it. So does everyone else'

'He doesn't realize the mistake he's making. None of them do. Having Dark AND Anti in this together. Things could go wrong. He's caused so much trouble for you, hasn't he?'

'Yeah but-'

'You're not crazy. You just know better. He's tried to kill you and the others multiple times. He's tortured them and you. Hurt your wife and kids. Locked them away in a TV for his own amusement until you begged and tried to kill yourself. But what did that bring? She left you and took the kids. And now you're alone.'

'I still get to talk to them'

'You're alone. And it's all his fault.'

'His fault. I know'

'So then . . . are you going to do anything about it? Or just sit back and take it just because your creator asked you to? None of them understand . . . . They don't understand.'

'He needs to be punished'

The voice inside chuckled but Chase couldn't hear that. This voice sounded too much like himself, coaxing him. 

'He'll get what he deserves. I'll make sure of it.'