Disclaimer: The Author does not own Five Nights at Freddy's.

Foxy and Me.

by

CelfwrDderwydd

Prologue

"It is a grave injustice to a child or adult to insist that they stop crying."

-Alexander Lowen

Freddy Fazbear Pizzeria was filled with the sounds of children laughing and yelling. The party was in full swing, the smell of pizza and the fizzing of soda of all sorts of flavors was heavy in the air.

A group of boys were blowing loudly on kazoos and party horns as another plate of pizza arrived. To the eyes of any observer, it would seem the picture of childhood happiness. That observer would be wrong, as there was always an exception. None of the adults paid any mind to the small child, standing away from the others, almost hiding.

He was small for his age. Dressed in blue shorts and a red t-shirt with Tigger on it, he looked like any other child. His brown hair and blue eyes were unremarkable. Children have a keenness that adults so often think they lack. In fact, this lack of keenness is often the other way around, with the adults being the ones lacking acuity. A few of them had tried to talk to him, but the boy never spoke back. None of them could understand. When their attempts at making friends failed, they reluctantly went back to the party, although they would occasionally glance back at the boy who was silent. They knew something was wrong, but in their innocence, they didn't know what.

He watched the other children as they played and laughed. It almost seemed alien to him. He didn't know how to relate to them, or to open up, no matter how much he might want to. A prisoner in his own mind, behind bars far colder than iron or steel.

"Ahoy, me matey!" said a female voice. He blinked as he looked at the source of the voice. It was one of the animatronics.

This one was a tall, crimson fox, with an eye patch, a hook for a right hand, wearing a brown vest and khaki pants. Her tail was slowly swaying as she smiled down at him. "What be ye doin' all alone?" she asked in a slightly gruff, but unmistakably feminine voice. He didn't reply, only stared up at her. The fox tilted her head as she regarded the small child. "Why, I haven't seen such a cute little matey in a long time! What's yer name?" The boy squeaked at first, unused to talking.

"S-Shane," he replied in such a small, tiny voice, an adult wouldn't have heard it over the noise. The fox, though, heard it quite clearly, smiling wider.

"Well, pleased to meet ye, me hearty! I'm Foxy, and I'm the best pirate to ever sail the seven seas!" she proclaimed. As she came closer, Shane backed away. She stopped, her smile slipping slightly. Her tail swished as she knelt down to be at the boy's level. "Don't be afraid, me matey. I'm a good pirate. I'm as soft as beach sand, that I am!" Her golden eye twinkled as she winked at him, gently extending a hand. Shane looked at her hand, uncertain. Neither of them moved for a brief moment. Shane carefully, cautiously, walked forward, placing his tiny hand in hers. She gently closed her fingers over his hand, the soft, warm fur enfolding him.

A surge seemed to go through them at the first instant they touched, as if some connection had been made. Foxy smiled gently at Shane as his big blue eyes watered. He whimpered softly as she wrapped her other arm around him, careful of her hook, and pulled him against her. "Aw, there now, me hearty. Yer safe with Foxy. Even old Blackbeard himself couldn't hurt ye when yer with Foxy!" She stood, holding the little boy in her arms. Shane couldn't help a tiny smile tugging at his lips. Foxy grasped at this, smiling wider. "Ah, what a nice smile ye have, matey! Ye should show it more often!" said Foxy as she carried him back towards Pirate Cove. "How would ye like to hear about the time I snuck treasure away from Davey Jones himself?" Shane gave a shy smile and a soft nod. Foxy's smile grew into a toothy grin.

The time seemed to fly by as Foxy regaled her new little friend with wild tales of sailing on the high seas and searching for buried treasure. The animatronic fox felt pure joy when the shy little boy would smile, and his adorable giggles just warmed her mechanical heart. Sitting on her treasure chest, the little boy in her soft lap, she felt . . . right. She had made many children laugh and smile before, but this was different. For some reason, she connected with this child, more so than any other.

"Shane!" called a male voice. Foxy was startled at the abrupt change in the little boy. He cringed, seeming to shrink in on himself. She looked up, and could see a man at the entrance. The man was tall, with dark hair. A woman was with him, but she couldn't see much of her.

"I . . . gotta go," said Shane in a small voice. Foxy looked down at him. Something was off. If his parents were there to pick him up, why was he nervous? He almost seemed . . . frightened. Foxy hid her concerns, smiling as she set him down.

"Come back to visit me, matey. Next time, we'll have an adventure of our own, what do ye say?" His eyes lit up.

"Shane!" yelled the man again. The boy almost jumped. Foxy forced a smile and patted Shane's shoulder before he scampered off. Foxy watched as Shane returned to his parents. "What did I tell you?!" the man scolded, grabbing Shane by the shoulder and shoving the boy along. Foxy stared for a long moment, not noticing her lip twitch ever so slightly, her eye briefly turning blood-red.

"Come back soon, me matey," she whispered.

XXX

It was almost two weeks before Foxy saw her new little friend again. She almost didn't notice him among the other children. It was only when he slid off to the side that she picked him out. She smiled as she made her way over. "Arrr, me hearty! I've been waitin' to see ye!" she said as she came over. She was surprised when he flinched ever so slightly. Like before, she knelt down, so her face was level with his. She smiled warmly at him. She opened her arms.

At first, he seemed hesitant. He almost fell against her as she wrapped him in a strong embrace. She noticed he was dressed in a long-sleeved shirt this time. As she picked him up, he whimpered in pain. She quickly adjusted her grip. "Are ye all right, me matey?" she asked softly. Shane whimpered and nodded. Even if she wasn't human, Foxy knew something was wrong, but her programming couldn't tell her what. She brushed it aside for now. "Well then, are ye ready for an adventure?" she asked. Shane smiled shyly and nodded. Her smile grew as she carried him back to Pirate Cove.

They had never had so much fun before. Foxy giving Shane a bandana and toy sword, declaring him her First Mate, and saying they were going to find Blackbeard's treasure before he remembered where he buried it. When Shane helped her to pick up the smaller, hidden treasure chest, she saw something that made her stop.

Shane's wrists were both bruised.

Her ears drooped and her tail sagged. "Matey, what happened to ye?" She was surprised when Shane flinched, holding his arms against himself, almost cowering. Foxy gently placed her hand on his shoulder, and was shocked when he jumped at her touch. "Hey, it's all right. Nobody's going to hurt ye. Foxy's here to protect ye," she soothed. When Shane looked up at her, his eyes watered. He looked so scared. The animatronic fox gently pulled him into a warm embrace. "It's all right me matey. It's all right." She stroked his hair with her hand, gently soothing him. "Who did this to ye? Who hurt me matey?" she asked softly.

Shane softly shook his head against her fur. She closed her eye, her head bowed softly. She wouldn't force him. What mattered was comforting him. She sat next to the treasure chest, Shane held in her arms. She didn't say anything. She just held him, letting her fur blot his tears. Just as hours had flown by the last time, this time, each second seemed like an eternity.

When Shane managed to look her in the face, she only smiled, gently stroking his face. "It's all right to cry, matey. Foxy will never tell," she promised, crossing her heart with her hook. Shane hugged her tighter. As she held her little friend, she thought on who could have done this. Shane clearly didn't do this to himself. Her programming was at a loss for a solution. The only thing she could do for now was comfort him. "It's all right, matey. Foxy's here," she soothed. Shane almost fell asleep in her lap as she stroked his hair gently.

"Shane!" Foxy's head snapped around as she saw the same man from before. Shane's father. She felt him tense and flinch. She stroked his back as she stared at the man before looking down at him.

"Shane . . . is he the one who hurt ye?" she asked in a low tone. Shane was silent.

"Shane!" the man called, louder this time. Foxy's glittering golden eye fixed on the man, who was merely a silhouette in the doorway. She looked back down at the frightened little boy.

"I'll be here when ye visit again," she promised as she set the boy down. Shane looked up at her with watery eyes. She gave him one last hug. "Tell someone," she whispered.

"Shane!" the man yelled again, clearly angry. Shane flinched again.

"I . . . I-I can't," he whimpered. Foxy stroked his hair gently.

"Yes, ye can. Ye can't be brave if ye not be afraid," she said gently. She saw the man was walking over. Shane gave her one last squeeze before running over to his approaching father.

When the man roughly grabbed Shane's wrist, Foxy felt every gear and servo in her body tense.

"What did I tell you?! What did I tell you?! Huh?! You come when I call you!" the man yelled, gaining the attention of more than a few people. He noticed the stares, and scowled.

"Please, somebody do something," Foxy silently prayed. Shane's father almost snarled as he dragged his son with him to the front door. It took every ounce of willpower, and every safety feature and override in her systems to keep her from striding over and decking the man. Things went back to normal after they left, but Foxy continued to stare. "Please, Shane. Please tell someone. Please, somebody do something," she hoped as she felt like her heart dropped to her feet. She hoped that she would see him again, and that, next time, it would be better.

XXX

Foxy's worry grew as days passed, which turned to weeks. There was still no sign of Shane, her wonderful little friend. She hoped he had told someone what was happening. She hoped someone would do something. She couldn't be the only one who noticed. Who could miss those bruises? Or how he cowered and flinched? Were humans that blind? What about his mother? Didn't she notice? Why didn't she do anything? All these questions, and more, nagged at her. She had confided in the others, who had been just as startled.

"Who could do such a thing to their own child?" Chica had asked.

"Only a monster," replied Bonnie. Freddy agreed.

By the time a month had passed, Foxy was almost too worried to perform. She had needed several new sprockets, since a couple had cracked under the stress of her worry. She had made up her mind: The next time she saw Shane, if nothing had changed, she was going to tell someone herself. Oh, how she desperately hoped and wished that she saw her little friend again.

XXX

There was a large birthday party going on, with almost fifty children in the pizzeria. It was so crowded, it was hard to even think. They had needed all the help they could get. As it was, Foxy was helping set up the tables, along with everyone else. She had been so focused, she didn't even see anyone come though the door.

"Foxy?" She almost froze when she heard that familiar, soft voice. She couldn't help her muzzle breaking into a wide grin as she spun around.

"Shane, me hearty! I've been waitin' fer-" the words died in her throat when she saw him.

Shane's head was bandaged heavily, his right arm was in a sling. A white, gauze bandage covered his right eye. Her ears drooped and her tail sagged until it laid across the floor. She was still for a long moment. Shane was the first to move, staggering towards her. She moved like lighting, quickly gathering him up into her arms. "Matey . . . what happened?" Shane whimpered as he buried his head in her furry chest.

"M-my daddy . . . hit me," he softly replied. Foxy trembled as she held her little friend against her.

"No. He did more than that . . ." she thought. Her eye briefly turned red with anger before returning to its normal gold. She looked up at the others. Bonnie and Chica nodded, affirming they had it under control, while Freddy carried the cake, shooting her a quick smile. Foxy carried Shane with her to the Cove. Their safe place. She held him tenderly against her, safe from harm as she settled down, him in her lap. She gently stroked his hair. "Matey . . . I'm so sorry. I should've told somebody. I should've been there fer ye," she said as a black, oily tear streamed down her furry cheek. Shane looked up at her, and smiled that same smile that had first melted her.

"When I woke up in the hospital, I told the doctor, like you said," Shane said softly. Foxy shivered as more tears flowed.

"That's good, matey. That's good." Her voice was trembling. Shane held up a tiny, bandaged hand, which she gladly held with her own.

"I was scared, but when I thought about you, I felt better," he said softly. Foxy couldn't help a soft smile.

"I'm always there fer ye, matey. I always will be." He whimpered softly as she held him close.

"I love you, Foxy." She trembled again, more tears flowing. She gently kissed him on the cheek, her heart melting, and hurting at the same time.

"And I ye, me hearty," she replied softly. They were silent for a long time, just enjoying being close.

"My daddy's in jail," said Shane, seeming to feel the question on Foxy's mind. She couldn't help a soft growl.

"Good," she replied. Shane whimpered. She smiled as best she could as she looked him in the eye. "Shane, me hearty, ye don't deserve to be treated like that. Don't think ye do. Yer father belongs in jail. No parent should hurt their child, it's not right." She gently cupped his face. "Ye deserve better." As Shane looked at her, she smiled softly, reaching out and grasping something she had been waiting to give him.

It was a golden coin on a chain, a copy of a Doubloon. It was only brass plated with gold, but it was something special. "Here, this is fer ye," she said as she gently slipped it over his neck. "So ye'll always have something to remember me by." Shane's lip trembled as he hugged her tighter.

"I don't wanna leave again. I wanna stay here with you," he whimpered, almost sobbing. Foxy felt the same. If she could, she would have kept him with her there forever.

"I wish ye could, too." She pulled back, smiling as best she could. She gently brushed his tears away with a furry finger. She couldn't help her own tears as she gave him another soft kiss on the cheek. Shane threw his arms around her neck.

"I promise I'll come back," he said firmly. She stroked his hair.

"And I'll be right here waitin' fer ye," she replied.

It was the hardest goodbye Foxy had ever felt. Watching him leave with the Social Service agent, she felt like her mechanical heart was breaking, like all her circuits and servos were going to pieces. When Shane turned and looked back, she wanted to run up and hug him and never let go. All she could do was wave as he left the pizzeria, and her life. Half her heart left that day.