And we are done! I've got all I wanted to get for this story. Here is the courtscene...and I will admit, I did not enjoy writing that. I'm leaving the court stories to people like Josh Grisham or other authors who specialize in that. Anyway, we might have the court scene, but we also see something about the spirits...and our three oldest bots too. Because, someone comes in...someone familiar to Gold, Spring, and Marionette...

Chapter 11

Trial By Fire

Jeremy stood in front of the courthouse in his best suit, Kayle stood beside him in her best…which happened to be her police uniform…and Ashe's pale fingers were currently clenching a black folder in them, wearing a dark blue and gold dress suit that she was constantly tugging at the sleeves.

"Daddy!" a happy voice squealed and Jeremy felt something ram into his legs.

Instantly, the older man swept the little boy into his arms and hugged him close. Those were the longest five days and nights he had ever gone through! And that included those nights dodging bots!

"Ah, I've missed you so much!" Jeremy groaned, setting his chin on Robby's head as the little boy nuzzled his head into Jeremy's chest.

"I miss you too Daddy," Robby smiled, looking up and turning his golden gaze onto his aunts', "Hi Auntie Ashe! Hi Auntie Kayle!"

"Heh, I see where we rate on the scale," Kayle teased, ruffling Robby's hair and making him giggle before hugging her too.

Robby turned his golden gaze to Jeremy's grey one.

"Daddy…you not gonna let dem take me…wight?" he asked softly.

Jeremy held the boy close.

"I'm going to fight it with everything I have," he promised as Charlie and his wife Mary walked up.

"Whoa there, Charlie Brown," Kayle smirked, "You look awful. What happen? The ghost in the attic keep you up all night?"

"G-Ghost?!" Charlie jumped and looked around, panicked, before calming down and glaring at Kayle…who was snickering, "Not funny Kayle,"

"Chief Angelo to you, Charlie Brown," Kayle corrected before turning a critical eye on him and smirking, "I'm just saying, you're like Mike after her first night working the night shift,"

Charlie's face turned really red as he clenched his fists.

"It's her fault I can't sleep!" he snapped.

"Mike's dead," Ashe reminded him, "Hence why we're going through this mess,"

"I know she's dead!" Charlie growled.

"Funny, looks like your wife sleeps pretty well," Kayle replied, "A little bit of anxiety from this legal battle and from handling her kids…but other than that, perfectly healthy. I'd say the only loss of sleep she gets is from Robby waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares,"

"Wow, Charlie told me you were good…but not that good," Mary started, impressed.

"And add the fact that she'd rather have Robby come to us than go home with you," Kayle finished.

"Kayle!" Ashe chastised, jabbing a finger at Kayle's mouth, "Insert foot!"

"And now you see why I love interrogations," Kayle smirked as Mary bowed her head and Charlie whirled on her.

"Is that what you really feel?" he asked.

Mary closed her eyes before looking at how Robby was nearly asleep in Jeremy's arms.

"Charlie…he wants to be with them," she told him.

"But…" suddenly Charlie froze, blue eyes widening as he caught a glimpse of a figure across the hall.

A young woman in gold with copper hair, golden eyes and a thin scar slashing down the right eye.

Mike.

The ghost's eyes flickered black for an instant before she disappeared entirely.

"Charlie?" Mary asked, putting a hand on his shoulder and making him jump like he'd been stung.

"He looks like he's seen a ghost," Ashe reasoned.

"C'mon, Ashe," Kayle snorted, "There's no such thing as ghosts!"

She whacked Jeremy in the arm.

"Tell 'er, Jeremy. There's no such thing as ghosts," the chief of police started.

"Huh? Oh…yeah…" Jeremy mumbled, looking away, "Sure, Kayle,"

Charlie noticed that Jeremy seemed very uncomfortable with the question…and he voiced something he'd been thinking about since last night.

"Did you have a sister, Jeremy?"

Now it was Jeremy's turn to jump like he'd been stung. The normally warm grey gaze suddenly turned cold and hard as he glared at Charlie, pain throbbing along his scar.

"Charlie…you…" Jeremy ground out before closing his eyes in pain.

A pale face, screaming, a white flash, thin black arms wrapping around his neck as the white mask buried itself in his shoulder.

"I miss you and I love you, big brother…"

He felt little hands wrap around his neck, hugging him much like Emily had.

"Daddy, it's ok," Robby's little voice murmured, "Come back, Daddy…you pwomised Mama…"

Jeremy's breathing calmed down and the pain faded as he looked at his adopted son. Robby gave a brilliant smile and buried his head in Jeremy's shoulder again.

"Is this the custody case? Fitzgerald vs. Winters?" a bailiff asked, getting everyone's attention.

"Yes, it is," Ashe nodded, "We're ready,"

"Mr. Fitzgerald, according to this, you wish to have custody of Mr. Robert Schmidt, is that true?" the attorney, a woman around Jeremy's age with grey-streaked brown hair and sharp green eyes, asked.

Jeremy gave a nod.

"That I do," he said.

"And why, may I ask, should the court give the child to you?" she asked, "When his biological father would be a better choice?"

"With all due respect, Ma'am. Given that his biological father abandoned his mother and him when he was two and left them to fend for themselves on the street…I'd think that I'm actually the better choice," Jeremy replied, "That, and I was there when his mother died, she died in my arms as I tried to save her…I was too late to do anything, but she made me promise that I would take care of him and raise him like she couldn't. That paper in your possession is proof of that,"

"Pretty clear handwriting for a dying person," the attorney retorted.

"Mike knew something was going to happen that night," Jeremy explained, "And according to her, Robby knew too. I saw walked in to work as she finished that letter and folded it up into her locket so that I would give it to Robby when I saw him,"

"This locket?" the attorney asked, holding up the plastic bag with Mike's silver locket in it…Robby was not happy that they made him take it off. "The one that is a match to the one around your neck?"

"Yes," Jeremy nodded.

"And you say that you meet the criteria for having this child?"

"I have a home,"

"That you share with two women younger than you,"

"Do you really think I'd take advantage of that?" he deadpanned, "Mike was a good friend. I have the highest respect for her, Chief Angelo and Mayor Avarosa. Not to mention…both of them would be able to take me down in one blow if I tried anything…and then Chief Angelo would haul me off to jail for harassment,"

Kayle gave a smirk as she crossed her arms and nodded. Ashe bit her lip to keep from laughing while Robby grinned and even the judge gave a soft laugh.

"And I have a job," he replied, "I just got off my shift of being a nightguard at the mall,"

"You talk like it's not a hard job…no problem with falling asleep?"

Jeremy gave a bitter laugh.

"If you only knew the things I've seen at my other jobs…" he replied, "Trust me, this is a walk in the park,"

"You were the night shift guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria in 1987, correct?" she asked, "And part time day guard?"

"That's right," Jeremy nodded, "Until November 13, 1987. Then I took a leave of absence until eight weeks ago when I was a coworker of Mike's at Fazbear's Fright…and then it burnt to the ground and anything salvageable was auctioned off,"

"November 13, 1987…that date seems awfully familiar," the attorney hummed, "Wasn't that the day of the 'Bite of '87'?"

"Unfortunately yes," Jeremy nodded, lifting up the blond curls that obscured the puckered, angry-red scar that twisted across his forehead, "One of the animatronics glitched and I was too close to it. That animatronic was then shut down and hasn't seen the light of day. It burnt along with the others,"

"And you have these crippling 'fits' that cause you to black out with temporary amnesia?"

"Robby helps," Jeremy said, "He's been the only thing to fix them almost immediately as they crop up,"

The attorney's eye twitched. Jeremy wasn't even the least bit flustered…she was expecting him to crack, but the man was calm. She could sense that he wasn't as calm as he was projecting he was…but then again, custody battles always brought out the worst in people. If he was like this under fire…really, the man had to be a very good candidate for a parent. He looked a little tired, but that had to be from his job…a six hour shift from midnight to six had to be rough…having that injury, and have a battle for the little boy on top of that? It was incredible that the man hadn't snapped!

"No more questions," she finally said.

"You may return to your seat, Mr. Fitzgerald," the judge said.

"Thank you, your Honor," Jeremy nodded, getting up and sitting next to Robby, who swung his feet back and forth on the court bench.

While Jeremy was extremely calm…working at Freddy's made you kinda immune to any fear lesser than that for your life…Charlie, however, was a nervous wreck.

"Mr. Winters," the other attorney, a blond man with piercing blue eyes, started, "According to my client's statement, you left Mikayla Schmidt and Robert Schmidt to fend for themselves after your ex-wife decided to retake her job as a security guard. I don't know about you, but that seems like quite a strange reason…"

"If you only knew about that place…" Charlie shuddered, "Mike had history there…bad history. I didn't want her to relive it again, we had a child and I didn't want him to lose his mother like she had lost his namesake and her friends. I repeatedly begged her not to take the job, but she wouldn't listen. So, I gave her the choice. Stay away from that place and stay with me, or take the job and find her own place. I didn't want anything to do with it,"

"And you say that you should take the boy?"

"I'm his father, by the law of this state, Robby is mine to take care of," Charlie stated, "I…"

He froze, staring over the man's shoulder as Mike stood behind him, crossing her arms and slightly baring her teeth. The spirit's glitchy growl rumbled through the air as her black and gold eyes narrowed. Her stance said it all…he was not going to take Robby.

"Mr. Winters?"

"Hmm?" Charlie stammered, "Oh, yes…right…besides, I have a house, Robby'd have a mother again and two siblings to play with,"

"When they weren't beating him up!" Mike growled, "Bullies. You didn't even notice, did you!?"

Charlie glared at her hard.

"Hush!" he snapped.

The attorney blinked.

"I believe you were the only one talking, Mr. Winters," he replied.

"I wasn't…" Charlie stopped and shook his head, "Never mind,"

"You know this isn't going to end well for you," Mike warned as her brother faded in beside her…along with the other spirits and ghosts, "Either you give Robby back to Jeremy…or we replay last night until you do. You lose either way, Charlie,"

Charlie shook his head, getting a few stares from the courtroom.

"Sorry," he apologized, "kinda frazzled, it's been a long few nights. What was the question?"

"Why don't you convince the court why Mr. Fitzgerald shouldn't have the boy?"

"One: I'm his father," Charlie growled, "Two: The boy started having nightmares associated with that place. A franchise that Jeremy there has bad experience with as well…and telling all those horror stories has to make you have nightmares…"

"TAT'S NOT TRUE!" Robby screeched, only for Jeremy to shush the little boy, putting his arms around him to quiet him down.

Charlie watched as Mike ghosted over to Robby and kissed his head, smoothing the red hair down.

"Easy lil' Capt'n," she soothed, using that ridiculous nickname, "Don't worry, everything's going to be ok,"

She turned her black and gold gaze towards Charlie.

"Lying on the stand, Charlie? That's not very good," she smiled, eyes flashing.

And Charlie squirmed like an ant being burned under a magnifying glass.

After getting testimony from everyone, the court guardian went up for Robby and tried to get him to go with Charlie…only for Robby to give another outburst as the lights flickered and the air seemingly froze as the six ghosts all glared at Charlie…the Judge ruled in favor of Jeremy keeping the little boy after Charlie turned around and told him to let the boy go with Jeremy. Robby was ecstatic, hugging Jeremy around the neck with a happy squeal while Charlie walked over to Mary, shaking his head…and the rest of his body trembling as the ghosts faded away.

Mary came up to Robby and gave the boy a hug.

"Are you happy?" she asked.

Robby nodded, smiling.

"Tank you for e'eryting, Missus Winners," Robby told her, "I sorry dat you not happy,"

"If you're happy being with Jeremy here, that's alright with me," she smiled, "I don't know if Charlie will get over it…but, I'm going to have a long talk with him about Mike. He told us that your mother left him. I have a feeling that there was something else that made him give you back rather than guilt,"

Robby gave a slight smile. He knew his mama and aunt and uncle would come through…he had a feeling they had been there in the courtroom with him, watching over him. Charlie's expressions proved as much.

"Well, it was nice meeting you face to face, Mrs. Winters," Jeremy said, holding out his hand and nodding, "I don't know if we'll meet again,"

"I don't know," Mary replied, "It'd be nice to see Robby every once and a while. But I need to work on my kids' behaviors,"

She put a hand on Robby's shoulders.

"Don't think I didn't see how they were treating you," she told him, "Don't worry, they'll get straightened out,"

"Tanks," Robby smiled and then squealed as Jeremy swept him up into a hug.

"Ah, I am never letting you outta my sight again!" the man called, holding the boy close.

"I love you, Daddy," Robby smiled.

"I love you too, lil' Capt'n," Jeremy replied, kissing the boy's forehead.

That afternoon, Jeremy slept somewhat fitfully. Normally, his dreams were calm and centered somewhere else…

Not inside a torn up building that looked like it was going to fall apart with a single breath.

"Jeremy?"

The man turned around to face a slender figure of a blonde-haired, grey-eyed girl in black and white.

"Em!" he gasped, racing towards her and picking her up, whirling her around before setting her down, something thin and black tickling his arms as he did, "You…you died…"

"I've been dead thirty years, big brother," Emily reminded him holding up her hands before nervously twining the strings around her wrists through her fingers, "But, Jeremy…I need you to listen to me,"

"Em, what's wrong?" Jeremy asked.

"You need to get out of that house," she told him, "I seriously doubt that Charlie will attempt to take Robby again, but we can't risk it. It was hard enough not losing control to get him away from Robby. I don't know what she'll do if he tries again,"

"She?" Jeremy murmured, "Wait…you all burned up. I saw you burn! Shouldn't you be free?"

"We did," Emily nodded, "Jeremy, please, I don't have much time. Get out of there…please…"

And she was gone…and Jeremy woke up.

"'Bout time!" Kayle grinned, "Get enough sleep there, Sleeping Beauty?"

"Haha, very funny, Kayle," Jeremy yawned before remembering Emily's words, "Um…Kayle…I think…maybe we should find another place. One that Charlie doesn't know about. You know…for Robby's sake,"

Kayle closed her eyes and nodded.

"Ashe and I were thinking the same thing," she admitted, "We were just waiting for you to wake up to run it past you. My house is finished being remodeled…he doesn't know that address. We can live there. All of us,"

"I like that idea," Jeremy nodded, "Tomorrow we move, sound ok?"

"Sounds good to me," Kayle agreed, "But…just in case Robby might tell, let's not tell him where we're moving. Ok?"

Although Jeremy didn't care much for that idea…he did admit that she was right.

"Fine," he sighed.

Mike was distraught. She'd gone in that night to talk to her son…only to find his room completely empty. The whole freaking house was empty. The little family had moved that morning into Kayle's home…but since no one told Robby that they were moving…Mike had no idea where he was.

And therefore, like any mother that doesn't know where their child is…Mike went a little crazy…

As in, very, very crazy.

The others tried to calm her down…but none of them being parents, as all of them were killed before they even hit their teens, they didn't know what to say. Scott just leaned against the wall watching Mike with interest and well away from Spring and his guitar.

He was not going to get the imprint of guitar strings on his face again.

Mike's ranting and crazed behavior continued on past midnight…even though the golden spirit could not get up from her spot on the floor due to the lack of many of her motor parts. No one could calm her down…even the three little minions had kept their distance from the grieving mother. None of the spirits were looking forwards to another six weeks of Mike's misery.

But, one thing snapped her out of it, and it was Robby who noticed it. During the ranting and raving while Mike was still mobile…

She'd thrown the Golden Freddy suit way out of its spot. And just like before, if one of the spirits was out of place when the clock struck six am…

They were trapped in the suit for the whole day and the following night. No one knew if Gold would take completely over and become more violent if Mike was not in her spot. It never came up, because Mike was unable to move from her sitting position.

Now, however…

It was five fifty am…and Mike was still way too far from her spot. Robby tried to move her back, but his lean frame was built for speed…not strength. Emily tried to help him, but she too was not strong enough to move the very heavy bear.

"I can't move her!" Robby cried, trying to budge his sister's heavier form and move it back to the corner.

"Robby, leave me be," Mike ordered, "Or you're gonna be stuck too,"

"But…" he started, only to get hushed by Emily.

"She's right, Robby," Emily said softly, "Go on, get back to your spot,"

"Heh, it's not like I'm going to go crazy tonight," Mike shrugged, "I just won't be able to walk around…like normal,"

Robby threw her a pained look, but did as he was told, sprinting away into Repairs while Emily climbed back into the box right as the clock struck six. Mike could hear the pained screams from all five of her friends…and the older, deeper howl from Scott in the back. Mike slumped down a bit more in relief…she didn't have to worry about pain or anything of that sort, at least, for the moment anyway. The door of the building opened, letting sunlight stream in. Mike stayed completely still as two men walked towards the golden spirit.

"I thought the boss said no more upgrades?" one asked.

"He said I could do this one…and repair some of the others," the second started, kneeling down and gently tilting Mike's head up, "This one and I go way back…don't we, Gold?"

Mike jerked as Gold seized command of their body.

"A-An-Andrew? Andrew M-M-Masters?" she whispered, "Wh-Wh-Wha…"

"So you're still active?" the man, Andrew, smiled, "Good to see that,"

"Gold…who is he?" Mike asked as Gold stared in shock at the man.

"Why don't we get you all fixed up, ok?" Andrew started, putting a hand to Gold's neck and making the Spring Suit shudder as he touched her switch, "But first…we gotta shut you down for a little bit…"

"N-N-No!" Gold panicked, "No, Andrew…please!"

The man flipped the switch and Gold's systems started shutting down, her eyes flickering weakly.

"No! N-No…Nooo," she slurred, her head hanging limply as her golden eyes flickered off.

"Gold?" Mike demanded frantically before her vision started blurring…

And she too fell into a deep sleep.

"Goodnight, Goldie," Andrew said softly before turning towards his companion, "Mark, get her to Repairs…time for an upgrade,"

"What about you?" Mark asked, brushing his wild black hair out of his eyes as he pushed up his glasses.

"Don't worry," Andrew dismissed, "I'm going to hunt down a few others,"

He turned towards the interior and smiled.

"Ok, Spring, Marionette…where are you, my little creations?"

Andrew is Gold, Spring, and Marionette's creator. He built them and programmed them and he's behind all the 'upgrades'. Now, seeing the teaser on Scott's page...I've been thinking that he's foreshadowing a Nightmare Gold (as you can see teeth and a 'Property of Fredbear's Diner' sign in the picture if you look really close). No, Charlie's not going to try anything, so don't worry. Also...I have a little reference in here (very vague, but it's there). Can anyone see it?

Well, I'm beat, I will see you in the next chapter...buh bye! ;)

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Elhini Prime signing off.