You cling to your mother, face buried into her soft chest and arms wrapped tightly around her waist so she couldn't pull away. She didn't know why you were crying hysterically, but she still comforted you the best she could. Your father stood behind her, giving weird looks to your mother, to which she returned them.

It took everything in you not to collapse on the way home. You didn't exactly live close to Freddy's and you certainly wasn't going back into that haunted building to grab your phone and keys. Your legs felt like jelly, your adrenaline was through the roof, and all you wanted to do was sit down and cry. But the constant fear of them actually coming after you made you speed up and continue on.

"Why are you crying, dear? What happened at work?" Your mother presses a hand to your back and rubs, trying to soothe your crying and nerves.

You wanted to spill out everything but just you couldn't. They already think you're crazy. Why would you want to make it worse by saying something like, "Hey, one of the animatronics at work came alive and chased me out of the building. It had complete free will." If you told them that, most likely, they would probably send you to an insane asylum or mental hospital. And as horrified as you are and forever will be, your parents still need someone to help them with the money situation. If they sent you off, how would you take care of them, and how would they take care of you?

"I-I just missed you, Mama..." You mumble into her shirt, still trembling terribly.

"It's okay now, (Y/n). You're home and with us. Now, how about while you calm down, you tell us about your first day at work?" She pries your arms off from her waist, still looking quite perplexed.

You rip your wrists from her hands, clutching your fists up to your heaving chest and shaking your head while mumbling things they couldn't understand. All the fear comes rushing back, the image of those two bright golden eyes staring at you. Every feeling you felt then you could still feel now. The dismay, the alarm going off in the back of your mind, the feeling off all those hairs standing on the back of your neck. One thing keeps eating at you, though. What if he wasn't trying to hurt you? You assumed he was coming after you the second he lifted his metal foot. You probably wouldn't have ran if Mike's words didn't stick with you the way they did.

"I-I have to go to bed. Work was exhausting. G-goodnight, Mama. Goodnight, Daddy." You keep your eyes nailed to the floor and head for your room down the hall.

Your parents watch you scurry down the unlit hallway and out of sight. They look at each other when they hear you slam your bedroom door and press your back up against the wall to hug your knees. They didn't know what to think. No one in their position would know what to think.

"You think she will hurt herself tonight?" Your father scratches at the back of his neck, still confused.

"I hope not. Maybe she will fall asleep before she can."

***

Your eyes stare up at the glass doors of Freddy's, unable to move your feet forward and through the doors. The kids that once put you at ease made you feel sick to your stomach now. They had no clue that this place was somewhat 'haunted'. You refused to step inside without Mike who had yet to show up for work. Late at night when you were sure your parents had went to bed, you wrote down a list of things not to do while at work.

1. Don't look up at the stage. If you look up there, all you will see is the past images of Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica all staring at you like they wanted you dead. It still makes you feel like vomiting.

2. Stay away from Pirates Cove and Foxy. If you don't go back there again, he can't chase you. If he does decide to come out and pay you a visit, you will already be running out of the door. As much as your curiosity and guilt is trying to get the better of you, you don't want to end up dead.

3. Keep your phone and keys with you at all times. If you can get them back, that is. If you try to make a getaway then you will have something to get away with. And if you absolutely need to put down your keys, then at least you will have your phone to contact help.

4. Leave work as early as you can. If you don't want to have those eyes on your back again, leave before everyone else does. Even if it's just one person left like Mike. You're not taking any chances.

A hand presses against your shoulder and you shriek. You raise a hand to slap the person behind you but your wrist gets caught by Mike's hand. His face held an irritated expression while his fingers dug into your skin. You didn't hear him pull up and get out of his car, too into your thoughts to notice. He lets go of your hand and you decide not to say anything, rubbing your wrist that was now red with his fingerprints.

"Were you about to slap me?" His head tips to the side.

You lift your eyes up to his face, devoid of emotion. He raises a brow at your strange behavior, unsure if he should ask what was wrong or just walk straight past you. Maybe he's still mad at you for blowing him off last night.

"S-sorry," you apologize.

"What has you shook up?" His lips purse into a thin line, eyes searching your face for any signs of happiness. He hadn't found any yet.

"I should have listened to you..." You voice comes out as a hushed whisper, eyes filling with tears. You felt like a crybaby tearing up in front of him but you couldn't control your emotions like other people.

Regretting his decision to be cruel to you for last night, he grabs one of your hands and turns his head away, a pinkish color dusting over his cheeks. You suck in a sharp breath and stare at your intertwined hands with wide, tear filled eyes. Unlike his cheeks that turned slightly pink, your cheeks redden dramatically. No one has wanted to hold your hand, much less get near you. Mike was so much nicer than most people and it confused you.

"We can talk in my office." He grumbles under his breath, pulling you towards the pizzeria doors, and you let him.

***

"I told you, (Y/n)," Is all he comes back with.

You told him about Foxy and how you were scared out of your mind. You gave him every little detail, about to break down through all of it. What does he do? He blinks and smiles.

"What?! You're supposed to make me feel better, not be a little bi-" you're cut off by Mike laughing and spinning around in his spiny chair.

"Most newbies don't listen to me when I say stay away from the animatronics as much as you can." He stops spinning to look at you, his lips still holding a smile.

"You told me to stay away from Foxy. Not the others. Wait, you told me to polish them last night you jerk!" Your face turns bright red, eyes narrowed into a bitter glare over at Mike.

"What time did you leave here last night?" He becomes deadly serious, hands clasped together in his lap.

You sigh and press a hand to your forehead, a painful pressure bubbling up into your skull. Out of all times, you just had to get a headache right now.

"I don't know. I was too busy running from Foxy to look for a clock. Maybe about twelve-ish?" You bite the inside of your cheek, looking at the floor and pressing two fingers to your temples to dull the pain.

"How are you not dead?" Mike says in awe, his orbs shining like the sun was hitting them at the perfect angle.

"Excuse me?"

"Wait... you didn't leave the building? Okay, I'm going to sound crazy explaining this to you, but you need to trust me on this. You took the waitress job. Another person came in right behind you and took the night shift which is basically looking after the animatronics. The job and money would be all worth it if there wasn't this one tiny detail the papers forget to mention. The guys are actually alive but you already figured that out with Mr. Float your boat. Not only do they wander away from their posts, but they also try to kill the guard as well. When they look at adults, all they see is metal skeletons needing to be put into a suit. They leave kids alone. Every night at twelve, they come alive knowing that no kids are around. It's sort of a wake up call. You said you left here at around twelve? Foxy must have powered up before you could leave the building. It also explains why he ran after you."

You're really glad you didn't take the guard job. On the other hand, you're ready to quit your job and go searching for another. Why would anyone want to work at this place knowing that they could spring awake and stuff you into a suit? Just as you're about to quit right then and there, Mike stands up and walks over to you. You open your mouth to say, "I quit." but he hugs you tightly and your cheek is pressed against his chest.

"I've been working here for awhile now and I'm still alive. Just as long as you leave here before twelve, don't take the night shift, and stay out of their way, they can't touch you. At least I don't think so."

Thanks, Mike.

"I-... did the other guard die?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

You push him away, eyebrows furrowed and anger seen all over your face. Mike just smirks, like what he was doing didn't put him at risk. Heck, he looked happy to be working the night shift. How stupid is he?

"How long have you worked here? How many times have you done this?" You poke a finger at his chest, face filled with an anger induced red.

"Every five days, their aggression restarts. Day one starts out with them trying to get a look at you. By night five, they're trying to get to you any way they can. I've worked here for years, taking the night shift over and over. I apply for the job before anyone else can."

"And you haven't died?!"

"Does it look like I'm dead, (Y/n)?"

You start to pace around the room, one hand tangled into your knotted hair while you used your other hand to bite on. Not enough to draw blood, but it did hurt. Mike just crosses his arms and watches you wig out. He was afraid you would start cussing profanities at him you looked so incensed. After thinking over your idea many times, you stop in your tracks and look up to Mike's face with determination.

"I want to help you with the night shift."

"No way. You would burst into tears before anyone could get to us. Besides, night three has all of the animatronics coming after me. Even Foxy. Do you really want to see him again?" Mike holds out his hands, shaking his head at you.

"What was that? I heard a yes." You cup a hand over the back of your ear, smiling innocently at him. You completely ignored his question about Foxy, mainly because you kind of did want to see him again.

"I'm saying no. No way you're helping me."

You stomp your foot and point a finger up at his face. He backs away, cross-eyed staring at the end of your fingertip.

"I'm saying yes. No way I'm letting my friend do this on his own. You're not doing this alone anymore. Let me help you or I swear I will have a temper tantrum right here right now."

He seems reluctant to let you help him, but with you pointing your finger in his face and how serious you looked, how could anyone say no? Mike. Mike could.

"No."

***

"I can't believe I gave into this," Mike watches you laugh and spin around in his chair.

"Will you be my knight in shining armor if one of them comes to get me?" You look up to Mike through your eyelashes, grinning from ear-to-ear like a child.

"Yeah, your knight in shining armor that'll sacrifice you to them if needed." He blows air upward towards the hair hanging in his face, casually looking at his nails like a diva.

"Rude."

"You love me," he retorts, picking you up from the chair and setting you down beside it so he can sit down.

You huff and climb into the chair after him, squeezing your hips beside his. After you have successfully got yourself stuck between Mike's hips and the arm of the chair, you regret your decisions. While Mike looks through his Twitter, you decide to call your mother and let her know you won't be home tonight.

You pull your phone up to your ear and listen to the ringing before your father picks up the house phone.

'Hello?'

"Hi, Daddy. I was just calling to say I won't be home tonight."

'What happened? Are you okay?' He sounded suddenly stressed, probably worried that you would be out past the normal time your mother wants you home.

"I'm fine. I decided to help my friend with his late night job. Tell Mama she will see me in the morning. I promise I'll be okay on my own, Daddy."

'His late night job?'

"Bye!" You hang up before the conversation could get out of hand.

Mike had been watching you the whole time, seeing your eyes light up when speaking to your father. He didn't know you very well but he loved the way you acted. You were you and didn't care what other people thought. On the outside, that is. His watch goes off beeping and the clock strikes twelve.

"If you want to make a run for it like you did last night, I suggest you do that now. This is your last time to leave for the night." Mike picks up his camera, still eyeing you down cautiously.

"I'm not leaving. You can't get rid of me." You pick up the extra camera Mike gave you, smiling over at him. He just needed some reassurance.

"Okay, then here we go."

----

I would write some more, but I thought that was a good place to stop. Next chapter will pick up the pace of the story a bit.

How are you guys liking it, by the way? I'm trying to keep it original since every FNAF's fanfic is basically the same old thing.